{"id":359091,"date":"2026-03-26T12:09:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T12:09:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/359091\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T12:09:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T12:09:11","slug":"phil-collins-first-show-as-genesis-singer-50-years-ago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/359091\/","title":{"rendered":"Phil Collins\u2019 first show as Genesis singer, 50 years ago"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2012 Prog revisited the night of March 26, 1976<\/a>, when Phil Collins<\/a> performed his first show as Genesis\u2019 lead singer. They\u2019d already released A Trick Of The Tail<\/a>, their first album without Peter Gabriel<\/a>. But the key question of whether they had a future as a fully-working band was about to be answered.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, Phil Collins<\/a> vividly remembers his first show as lead singer in Genesis<\/a>. A thousand thoughts were rushing through his head in London, Ontario, Canada on March 26, 1976. \u201cWhat do I wear? What do I do? I had big shoes to fill,\u201d he remembers. \u201cI could sing, but could I talk? I had the goodwill of the audience, but not the security blanket of my drums. Once we\u2019d got a couple of songs out of the way, though, I felt: \u2018I can do this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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The fans were onside: they wanted the band to survive Peter Gabriel\u2019s exit. Prematurely written off by the press as a backing group without a leader, they now had underdog appeal. \u201cA Trick Of The Tail <\/a>was a bright light,\u201d says Collins of their first album without Gabriel. \u201cThey preferred that we\u2019d made things work within ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Mike Rutherford<\/a> recalls in the memoir Genesis: Chapter & Verse: \u201cI saw Phil go up front with a piece of paper in his hand, shaking, so nervous. But it worked great. Phil had experience from his youth of being on stage; he was comfortable there, and the audience wanted to like him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs some of our songs were slightly distant, atmospheric, dark, Phil\u2019s more down-to-earth presence on stage counteracted the heavier parts of the set. He reduced the tension and allowed people to relax between the songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Yet it nearly hadn\u2019t happened \u2013 with Gabriel\u2019s departure, the remaining members had wondered on occasion if Genesis had any future at all. Collins, simultaneously playing with experimental outfit Brand X, at first assumed Genesis would carry on as an instrumental quartet. That notion, he laughs, lasted \u201cabout a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rutherford and Tony Banks<\/a> pointed out that they\u2019d always been songwriters, so they needed a singer. Many luckless souls auditioned before the band realised the perfect solution was right under their noses. Steve Hackett<\/a>, along with Yes<\/a> vocalist Jon Anderson<\/a>, went to Collins\u2019 first wedding and urged him to consider the role.<\/p>\n

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The drummer\u2019s vocal contribution to Hackett\u2019s 1975 solo album Voyage Of The Acolyte had been much admired by the guitarist. In the end, he says, he showed up at a rehearsal and said, \u201cWell, I guess I\u2019m going to have to do it. As long as I can find a drummer I like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because of course by \u201cpromoting\u201d Collins to vocals, Genesis were, to an extent, sacrificing another asset: the fact that they had one of the world\u2019s best and most in-demand drummers.<\/p>\n

Collins\u2019 friend Bill Bruford<\/a>, formerly of Yes<\/a> and King Crimson<\/a>, came in to bridge the gap for the first tour. Collins reckons that Bruford\u2019s pedigree meant he\u2019d only receive \u201cfriendly fire\u201d from the fans. There was also the new possibillity of having two drummers at times.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen they were playing together on The Cinema Show, Banks said, \u201cit became one of the strongest moments in the show.\u201d Hackett adds: \u201cBill was a star in his own right. He helped our confidence on stage no end. I even shaved off my moustache \u2013 at last I was without facial hair!\u201d<\/p>\n

The most radical change, though, was upfront, centre stage. Banks says he knew Phil had a great voice, but wasn\u2019t sure he\u2019d \u201cwant\u201d to use it. \u201cHe didn\u2019t seem to have\u2026 the gravitas.\u201d Yet as the auditions had revealed, he was the right, if not the most obvious, choice.<\/p>\n

Producer David Hentschel said, \u201cPhil really half-nominated himself\u2026 the timbre of his voice was not dissimilar to Peter\u2019s. But there needed to be a push to convince the other guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collins, though, denies that he was in any way \u201cambitious,\u201d saying: \u201cI\u2019d got myself a nice little reputation as a drummer, and I was happy with that. This was the last thing on my mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had no affinity with the idea of walking out from behind the drums and becoming a band\u2019s singer: the guy who wiggled his bum, who people looked at. Over the years there have been people claiming I nudged Peter out. That\u2019s complete rubbish.\u201d<\/p>\n

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