Genesis (band)

===1975–1977: Collins becomes frontman, ''A Trick of the Tail'', ''Wind & Wuthering'' and Hackett's departure===
Following the ''Lamb'' tour, Hackett recorded his first solo album ''[[Voyage of the Acolyte]]'' as he felt unsure that Genesis would survive following Gabriel's departure.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=108}} He reconvened with the remaining group members in London in July 1975.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=111}} During this time, Collins began drumming with instrumental jazz rock band [[Brand X]], with whom he would be a semi-regular member whenever Genesis were on down time for the next five years.<ref name=MM1977>{{cite magazine|url=https://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/melody-maker-17th-december-1977-chris-welch-follows-brand-x-on-tour/|title=Brand X: This is a stick-up!|first=Chris|last=Welch|pages=8–9|date=17 December 1977|magazine=Melody Maker|access-date=28 April 2018}}</ref> Collins' idea of Genesis continuing as an instrumental group was quickly rejected by the others as they thought it would become boring.{{sfn|Rutherford|2015|p=139}} Rehearsals for ''[[A Trick of the Tail]]'' took place in [[Acton, London|Acton]] where material was quickly written and with little effort;{{sfn|Rutherford|2015|p=137}} most of "Dance on a Volcano" and "Squonk" was put together in the first three days.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=112}} Recording began in October 1975 at Trident Studios with Hentschel as producer. As a replacement singer had not been found, the band decided to record the album without vocals and audition singers as they went. They placed an anonymous advertisement in ''Melody Maker'' for "a singer for a Genesis-type group", which received around 400 replies. Collins proceeded to teach selected applicants the songs; Witches Brew frontman and flautist Mick Strickland<ref name="Without Frontiers-The Life and Music of Peter Gabriel">{{cite book |last=Easlea |first=Daryl |title=Without Frontiers-The Life and Music of Peter Gabriel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IDdRDwAAQBAJ&q=mick+strickland+witches+brew&pg=PT214 |date=23 March 2018 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=9781787590823 |access-date=11 November 2020 |archive-date=17 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317181902/https://books.google.com/books?id=IDdRDwAAQBAJ&q=mick+strickland+witches+brew&pg=PT214 |url-status=live }}</ref> was invited into the studio to sing, but the backing tracks were in a key outside of his natural range and the band decided not to work with him.{{sfn|Rutherford|2015|p=139}} Having failed to find a suitable vocalist, Collins went into the studio and attempted to sing "Squonk". His performance was well received by the band and they decided that he should be their new lead vocalist. Collins then sang on the remaining tracks.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=118}}

{{quote box|style=padding:10px;|quote=My real worry was actually what to say to the audience, because Peter had always had this offbeat charisma that gave the band a strange aura. I was much more friendly and approachable&nbsp;... I spent more time&nbsp;... worrying about what to say between songs than I did about what I was going to do once the songs started.| source =—Phil Collins.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|pp=170}}|width=25%}}
''A Trick of the Tail'' was released in February 1976 and was a commercial and critical success for the band. The album reached No. 3 in the UK{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=247}} and No. 31 in the US.<ref name=billboardchart/> The title track was released as a single, though it did not chart.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=249}} In June, the album was certified Gold by the [[British Phonographic Institute]] for selling over 100,000 copies<ref name=BPI>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certified-awards.aspx |title=Certified Awards |publisher=BPI |access-date=3 April 2015 |at=Select keyword "Genesis", By award: Gold, By Format: Album, navigate to page 3. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315204844/http://www.bpi.co.uk/certified-awards.aspx |archive-date=15 March 2015}}</ref> which helped the band clear the £400,000 of debt (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|400000|1976|r=-2}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}){{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} they owed when Gabriel left.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://diymag.com/2014/11/16/beyond-the-stool-drummers-in-the-spotlight|title=Beyond the Stool: Drummers in the Spotlight|magazine=[[DIY (magazine)|DIY]]|first=David|last=Zammitt|date=16 November 2014|access-date=13 April 2015|archive-date=23 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223213819/http://diymag.com/2014/11/16/beyond-the-stool-drummers-in-the-spotlight|url-status=live}}</ref> For the first time in their career Genesis filmed promotional videos for their songs, including "A Trick of the Tail" and "Robbery, Assault and Battery".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/see-mike-rutherfords-career-from-genesis-to-the-mechanics-in-13-videos-20150205/genesis-a-trick-of-the-tail-1976-20150205|title=See Mike Rutherford's Career From Genesis to the Mechanics in 13 Videos|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=5 February 2015|access-date=14 September 2015|archive-date=15 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915133604/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/see-mike-rutherfords-career-from-genesis-to-the-mechanics-in-13-videos-20150205/genesis-a-trick-of-the-tail-1976-20150205|url-status=dead}}</ref> Before the upcoming tour, Collins sought a drummer he felt comfortable with while singing; he chose [[Bill Bruford]] who offered to do the job.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=122}} From March to July 1976, Genesis performed across North America and Europe with the [[A Trick of the Tail Tour|''A Trick of the Tail'' tour]], to enthusiastic crowds. Collins adopted a more humorous rapport with the audience, unlike Gabriel's theatrical approach, which was successful. The shows in [[Glasgow]] and [[Stafford]] were filmed for their concert film ''[[Genesis: In Concert]]'', released in cinemas in February 1977 as a [[double bill]] with ''[[White Rock (film)|White Rock]]''.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=134}}

In September 1976, Genesis relocated to Relight Studios at [[Hilvarenbeek]] in [[Netherlands|the Netherlands]] with Hentschel to record ''[[Wind & Wuthering]]''.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=128}} It was put together in a short amount of time and a considerable amount of material was written beforehand, of which the most suitable songs were picked for development. Rutherford spoke of the band's conscious effort to distance themselves from songs inspired by fantasy, something that their past albums "were full of".<ref name=circus1977>{{cite magazine |last=Frischvers |first=Richard |title=Wind and Wuthering |url=http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/circus-magazine-wind-and-wuthering-feature-31st-march/ |magazine=[[Circus (magazine)|Circus]] |date=31 March 1977 |pages=58–60 |access-date=3 October 2015 |archive-date=11 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011103744/http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/circus-magazine-wind-and-wuthering-feature-31st-march/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The band spent roughly six weeks writing the album<ref name=melody1976>{{cite magazine |last=Welch |first=Chris |title=Wuthering heights |magazine=Melody Maker |date=25 December 1976 |page=14}}</ref> with a basic form of each track put down in twelve days.<ref name=presskit1977>{{cite web |title=Genesis – Wind and Wuthering – press kit – Atlantic Records|url=http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/genesis-wind-and-wuthering-press-kit-atlantic-records/|access-date=28 April 2015|year=1977|publisher=Atlantic Records|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408203012/http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/genesis-wind-and-wuthering-press-kit-atlantic-records/|archive-date=8 April 2015}}</ref> Additional recording and production work was done at Trident Studios that October.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|pp=128–129}}<ref name=presskit1977/> Hackett, having already released a solo album, enjoyed the greater amount of control over the recording process that working within a group could not provide. He felt his songs, including "Please Don't Touch" (which he later released on his second album ''[[Please Don't Touch|Please Don't Touch!]]'') were rejected from the final track order in favour of material that Banks, in particular, had put forward. Collins spoke of the situation, "We just wanted to use what we agreed was the strongest material, irrespective of who wrote it".{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|pp=128–129}} ''Wind & Wuthering'' was released in December 1976 and reached No. 6 in the UK and No. 26 in the US.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=350}} Rutherford's track, "[[Your Own Special Way]]", became its sole single and went to No. 43 in the UK. Its B-side is "It's Yourself", originally intended for ''A Trick of the Tail''.{{sfn|Hewitt|2001|p=75}}

[[File:Steve Hackett 1977.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Hackett in January 1977 on the ''Wind & Wuthering'' tour, the last before his departure]]
Prior to the 1977 tour, Bruford declined an offer to return as second drummer, leaving Collins searching for a replacement. He heard American drummer [[Chester Thompson]], of [[Frank Zappa]]'s band and [[Weather Report]], play a drum passage on "[[Trouble Every Day (song)|More Trouble Every Day]]" from Zappa's live album ''[[Roxy & Elsewhere]]''. Collins said, "It floored me completely&nbsp;... I had never met him. I rang him up and said, 'Hi Chester, I've heard your stuff, would you like to play with Genesis?'&nbsp;... He didn't even audition!"{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=133}} Genesis toured ''Wind & Wuthering'' from January to July 1977 across Europe, North America and, for the first time, [[Brazil]]. The stage show cost £400,000 (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|400000|1977|r=-2}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} which featured a new [[public address system|PA system]], lasers and smoke, and lighting supplied from two rows of [[Boeing 747]] aircraft landing lights.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=It Helps You Make It on the Night|magazine=[[NME|New Musical Express]]|date=2 July 1977|page=14|first=Chris|last=Salewicz|access-date=20 September 2015|url=http://i0.wp.com/thegenesisarchive.co.uk/thearchive/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/It-helps-you-make-it-on-the-night-NME-Genesis-2nd-July-1977.jpg|archive-date=27 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027081248/http://i0.wp.com/thegenesisarchive.co.uk/thearchive/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/It-helps-you-make-it-on-the-night-NME-Genesis-2nd-July-1977.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=beat1977>{{Cite magazine|title=Genesis: The Earl's Court Supergig and Mike Rutherford Interviewed|magazine=Beat Instrumental|date=August 1977|pages=4–6, 49|access-date=20 September 2015|url=http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/beat-instrumental-august-1977-mike-rutherford-feature/|archive-date=11 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011103731/http://thegenesisarchive.co.uk/beat-instrumental-august-1977-mike-rutherford-feature/|url-status=live}}</ref> Touring began on 1 January with three sold-out shows at the [[Rainbow Theatre]] in London, where 80,000 applications were made for the 8,000 available tickets.{{sfn|Bowler|Dray|1992|p=132}} They returned to London for three nights at [[Earls Court Exhibition Centre|Earls Court]], then the largest arena in Britain, supported by [[Richie Havens]].<ref name=beat1977/> The band's growing popularity in North America led to television appearances and concerts organised in larger venues than previous tours, including [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York City.<ref name=circus1977/> Their Brazilian dates were attended by over 150,000 people and a proposed 100,000-person gig was cancelled over rioting fears. An armed bodyguard accompanied each member throughout their stay.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Brazil goes nuts for Genesis|date=28 May 1977|magazine=[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]}}</ref>

In May 1977 Genesis released ''[[Spot the Pigeon]]'', an [[extended play]] of three tracks left off ''Wind & Wuthering''. It peaked at No. 14 on the UK singles chart. It was the final Genesis release before Hackett left the group. He had been writing more material on his own and found it increasingly difficult to contribute more of his ideas within a group context. He wished to embark on a solo career and "take the risk in order to find out just how good I was on my own".<ref>[[#ATTWTDVD|Band Interviews feature from ''...And Then There Were Three...'' DVD at 2:08–2:15]]</ref> News of Hackett's departure coincided with the band's double live album ''[[Seconds Out]]'', recorded in [[Paris]] on the ''A Trick of the Tail'' and ''Wind & Wuthering'' tours and released in October 1977.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=350}} It reached No. 4 in the UK and No. 47 in the US.{{sfn|Genesis|2007|p=350}}