Genesis (band)

===1972–1974: ''Foxtrot'' and ''Selling England by the Pound''===
[[File:Peter Gabriel The Watcher of the Skies (cropped).png|thumb|left|200px|Gabriel in 1974 performing "Watcher of the Skies", dressed in a cape with bat wings and fluorescent makeup]]
Following rehearsals in a dance school in [[Shepherd's Bush]], Genesis recorded ''[[Foxtrot (album)|Foxtrot]]'' at [[Island Studios]] in August and September 1972.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=62}} During the early sessions, disagreements between Charisma and Anthony contributed to the end of his association with Genesis. After two replacement engineers were tried out, the band settled on [[John Burns (audio engineer)|John Burns]] and a new producer, [[Dave Hitchcock]].{{sfn|Platts|2001|p=54}}

The album features the 23-minute track "[[Supper's Ready]]", a suite of various musical segments. The track included an opening acoustic piece, a Gabriel-penned song called "Willow Farm" and a piece derived from a jam by Banks, Rutherford and Collins called "Apocalypse in 9/8".{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=65-66}} Other songs were the [[science-fiction]]-themed "[[Watcher of the Skies]]" and the property-development-themed "[[Get 'Em Out by Friday]]".{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=67}} ''Foxtrot'' was released in on 15 September 1972<ref name=micsmith>{{Cite web|url=https://www.genesis-movement.org/Genesis%20Official%20Release%20Dates%20Online%20Version%20Rev%20E3%20(Oct%202022).pdf|title=Get 'Em Out By Friday. Genesis: The Official Release Dates 1968–78|author=Mic Smith|date=May 2017|accessdate=28 September 2023}}</ref> and reached No. 12 in the UK. It fared even better in Italy, where it went to No. 1.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=69}} ''Foxtrot'' was well received by critics. [[Chris Welch]] of ''Melody Maker'' thought ''Foxtrot'' was "a milestone in the group's career", "an important point of development in British group music" and that Genesis had reached "a creative peak".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Advert – Genesis – Foxtrot album – Melody Maker – 14th Oct |url=http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/advert-genesis-foxtrot-album-melody-maker-14th-oct/ |magazine=Melody Maker |date=14 October 1972 |page=23 |access-date=30 November 2014 |archive-date=11 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011103737/http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/advert-genesis-foxtrot-album-melody-maker-14th-oct/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] thought ''Foxtrot'' marked the first time "Genesis attacked like a rock band, playing with a visceral power".<ref>{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=Foxtrot – Genesis |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/foxtrot-mw0000196095 |website=AllMusic |access-date=21 April 2020 |archive-date=3 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803155421/https://www.allmusic.com/album/foxtrot-mw0000196095 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The ''Foxtrot'' tour covered Europe and North America from September 1972 to August 1973. Gabriel surprised the other members of the band at the [[National Stadium (Ireland)|National Stadium]] in [[Dublin]] on 28 September 1972 by wearing a costume on stage, following a suggestion by Charisma booking agent [[Paul Conroy (Music Executive)|Paul Conroy]]. He went off stage during an instrumental section in "The Musical Box" and reappeared in his wife's red dress and a fox's head.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=113}} The incident resulted in front cover reports in the music press, allowing the band to double their performance fee.{{sfn|Platts|2001|p=59}} In December 1972 Stratton Smith organised the band's first gigs in the US, with a show at [[Brandeis University]] in [[Waltham, Massachusetts]] and one at [[David Geffen Hall|Philharmonic Hall]] in New York City with openers [[String Driven Thing]], in aid of the [[United Cerebral Palsy|United Cerebral Palsy Fund]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Welch |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Welch |title=Genesis: A fun time in NYC |url=http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/a-fun-time-in-nyc-melody-maker-23rd-december/ |magazine=Melody Maker |date=23 December 1972 |pages=8, 9 |access-date=15 September 2015 |archive-date=11 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011103712/http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/a-fun-time-in-nyc-melody-maker-23rd-december/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They were well received despite the band complaining of technical issues.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=133}} Gabriel's costumes expanded in the following months to include [[Luminous paint|fluorescent face paint]] and a cape fitted with bat wings for "Watcher of the Skies", several guises throughout "Supper's Ready" and a mask of an old man for "The Musical Box".{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|pp=74–75}} An album of recordings from the following UK leg, initially recorded for the American radio programme ''[[King Biscuit Flower Hour]]'', was released as ''[[Genesis Live]]'' in July 1973.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=148}} It reached No. 9 in the UK{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=349}} and No. 105 in the US.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=349}}

In the summer of 1973, Genesis re-signed their contracts with Charisma. Stratton Smith said they got "a much improved deal" despite them being able to get a better one with a bigger label, but the group were loyal and trusted the label with their careers.{{sfn|Gallo|1978|p=93}} With a new contract and thus a green-light for a new album, Genesis recorded ''[[Selling England by the Pound]]'' at Island Studios in August 1973, the second Genesis album that Burns co-produced. Much of it was written at Una Billings School of Dance and [[Chessington]].{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=141}} Gabriel contributed lyrics based on the idea of commercialism and the decline of English culture and the rise in American influences.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=143}} Its title refers to a [[Labour Party (UK)|UK Labour Party]] slogan to make it clear to music critics who may have thought Genesis were beginning to "sell out" to the US.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=80}} "[[Firth of Fifth]]" features an extended electric guitar solo from Hackett. The album's cover is a modified version of a painting named ''The Dream'' by Betty Swanwick who added a lawn mower to tie the image to the lyrics of "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)".{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=81}}

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|title="I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" (1973)
|description=A sample of "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" 
from ''Selling England by the Pound'' (1973), the band's fifth studio album. The song reached No. 24 in the UK chart.
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''Selling England by the Pound'' was released on 28 September 1973<ref name=micsmith/> and received favourably by critics, though slightly less enthusiastically than ''Foxtrot''.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=82}} The album reached No. 3 in the UK and No. 70 in the US.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=349}} By this time, Genesis had made little effort to organise their finances and were £150,000 in debt (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|150000|1973|r=-2}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=164}} They hired promoter [[Tony Smith (manager)|Tony Smith]] as their new manager to improve their fortunes and published the band's subsequent music through his company, [[Hit & Run Music Publishing]]. The ''Selling England by the Pound'' tour visited Europe and North America between September 1973 and May 1974. Their six shows in three days at [[Roxy Theatre (West Hollywood)|The Roxy]] in Los Angeles were well received by audiences and critics. The success of the tour earned the group the "Top Stage Band" title by readers of ''[[NME]]''.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=349}} At its conclusion, Macphail resigned as their tour manager as he wished to pursue other interests.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=111}} "[[I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)]]" was released as a UK single with "Twilight Alehouse", a non-album track recorded in 1972; it reached No. 21 following its release in February 1974. Its success led to an offer for Genesis to appear on BBC's national show ''[[Top of the Pops]]''. The group thought this would not suit their image and they declined the offer.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=145}}