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Thread: Anthony Phillips-"Why the Genesis reunion left me out!"

  1. #1

    Anthony Phillips-"Why the Genesis reunion left me out!"

    Former member Anthony says he sometimes feels like "footnote" but prefers quiet life
    Genesis co-founded Anthony Phillips says he has mixed feelings about being left out of the band's recent "reunion" news.

    The BBC last week confirmed Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks and Steve Hackett would take part in a documentary to be aired later this year.

    Phillips, who formed Genesis at Charterhouse school alongside Gabriel, Rutherford and Banks, has taken part in the show – but doesn't appear as a definitive band member. He tells the Telegraph: "I suppose it becomes a bit complicated to mention the different line-ups, so I think they just go for where the band was most static.

    "Calling them the original lineup is just convenient parlance, isn’t it? I’ve kind of got used to it. Occasionally one feels a little bit of a sort of footnote in history, almost airbrushed out. At other times I almost feel embarrassed about the interest shown to a time where, to be honest, some of the music was a bit rough.

    “But if you’re talking about the original line-up, it was the four guys at Charterhouse."

    Phillips, who continues to work as a musician, left Genesis in 1970 after recording their second album Trespass. He'd suffering panic attacks, of which he recalls: "I was looking at my guitar and thinking, 'How am I doing this?’ It was actually very frightening. I just hoped it would go away but it didn’t. It got worse and worse.”

    In retrospect, he wonders whether he was still suffering from glandular fever, which he'd contracted before they started touring. His departure paved the way for Hackett's arrival.

    He admits: "Obviously it’s difficult being the one that left Genesis, in some respects. There’s always going to be an element of that but – of course, the reality of stardom ain’t that great a lot of the time.

    "You never have any peace; everyone's after you; the slightest thing in your private life is up for grabs. You can sign 99 autographs and then not sign one and you're in big trouble.

    "So there’s a lot to be said for actually having a quiet life.”

  2. #2
    Member MarKco's Avatar
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    Very interesting, thank you!
    http://www.marcozanetti.it

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    solo quando si allontanano.
    (Baolian, libro dei pensieri Baol, I, vv. 1240-1242)

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    Member Phlakaton's Avatar
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    Sounds like he's made his peace with all that long ago. Thanks for the bit

  4. #4
    He is lovely, a real gent!!

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    Member bill g's Avatar
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    I love the guy and have never even met him.

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    How can he make it as a full time musician financially? Does Trespass really throw off that many royalties or does he have family wealth?

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    Member 2steves's Avatar
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    Yeah this is what happens with classic line-ups---when a person joins and pure magic happens --like Wakeman or Howe in Yes or Hackett in Genesis---a group finds themselves---having said that, Banks and Rutherford have mentioned Anthony and how fond they are of him---then again they will say anything to marginalize Steve lol

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by firth5th View Post
    How can he make it as a full time musician financially? Does Trespass really throw off that many royalties or does he have family wealth?
    Prob his tours...

  9. #9
    Actually, He said in the interview with Vicki's hubby, he writes scores for film and tv.

  10. #10
    He's made a decent living creating music for production libraries.
    Mongrel dog soils actor's feet

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    Member Digital_Man's Avatar
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    I think he should be mentioned. He's a very important part of the early career of Genesis(obviously since he was an original member). He also has one of the most prolific and well established solo careers(if not one of the most lucrative)of any of the band members. I was going to say "former" band members but according to Wikipedia they never split after their reformation in 2006.
    Do not suffer through the game of chance that plays....always doors to lock away your dreams (To Be Over)

  12. #12
    That arpeggiated layered guitar sound that was a big part of Genesis' sound through Trick of a Tail was Ant's baby, so yes an important member.

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    Member Digital_Man's Avatar
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    Are you referring to the intertwining duel guitar thing that you hear in the beginning of Supper's Ready, acoustic guitar section in Cinema Show and in Entangled?
    Do not suffer through the game of chance that plays....always doors to lock away your dreams (To Be Over)

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Digital_Man View Post
    I think he should be mentioned. He's a very important part of the early career of Genesis(obviously since he was an original member). He also has one of the most prolific and well established solo careers(if not one of the most lucrative)of any of the band members. I was going to say "former" band members but according to Wikipedia they never split after their reformation in 2006.
    I think Ant's the one responsible for the heavy use of 12 string that sort of became a trademark of Genesis during their first decade or so. I think Ant was the one who brought the 12 string into the band in the early days and he and Mike hit it off with the double 12 string thing right away.

    Also, let's not forget, the first part of The Musical Box was built around an instrumental Mike and Ant wrote together. I think it was Tony who even admitted Ant should have had a songwriting credit on that song.

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    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    I think Ant's the one responsible for the heavy use of 12 string that sort of became a trademark of Genesis during their first decade or so. I think Ant was the one who brought the 12 string into the band in the early days and he and Mike hit it off with the double 12 string thing right away.

    Also, let's not forget, the first part of The Musical Box was built around an instrumental Mike and Ant wrote together. I think it was Tony who even admitted Ant should have had a songwriting credit on that song.
    That's fair of Tony, but to say what should've been done doesn't mean it will be done..In fact, I don't remember any credits given except the name of the band..

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    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Yeah Ant said in several different interviews that he and Mike developed the 12-string sound (I've always absolutely loved that sound). I imagine Ant really took the lead in developing that sound. Basically they would each play separate chords, to create an overall minor 11th (and other chords) between the 2 guitars. Tony would also join in and in fact interviews state that Tony actually wrote the music to 'Lovers' Leap' and that Tony and Mike wrote together the first half of 'Cinema Show', so I think they continued the tradition that was largely pioneered by Anthony.

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    Member Paulrus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bill g View Post
    Tony would also join in and in fact interviews state that Tony actually wrote the music to 'Lovers' Leap' and that Tony and Mike wrote together the first half of 'Cinema Show', so I think they continued the tradition that was largely pioneered by Anthony.
    And Steve Hackett -- already a fan of pastoral 12-string music when he joined Genesis -- immediately latched onto that sound and has been a evangelist of it ever since.
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

  18. #18
    The genesis guitarist have a way to of pausing for a brief period at the end of a bar before starting a new bar. That's part of the signature genesis sound too I think. Hard to explain.

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    While I disagreed with Phillips being left out of the R&R Hall of Fame induction when Genesis were voted in, it was classy of Trey Anastasio to mention him in the induction speech, as he talked about the track "Stagnation": "It starts off with Anthony Phillips playing a gorgeous 7-note guitar melody. His playing was so critical for creating the initial Genesis roadmap."

    https://youtu.be/bWxmoJ3q6yE?t=1m57s

  20. #20
    Remember this?

    "One of the few good things about modern times: If you die horribly on television, you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained us." ---Kurt Vonnegut

  21. #21
    Compare to Steve Hackett:

    "One of the few good things about modern times: If you die horribly on television, you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained us." ---Kurt Vonnegut

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    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bill g View Post
    I imagine Ant really took the lead in developing that sound. Basically they would each play separate chords, to create an overall minor 11th (and other chords) between the 2 guitars. Tony would also join in and in fact interviews state that Tony actually wrote the music to 'Lovers' Leap' and that Tony and Mike wrote together the first half of 'Cinema Show', so I think they continued the tradition that was largely pioneered by Anthony.
    Yeah, the 'composite' chords. A huge part of their early sound, and I love it too! Ant was the driving force behind the band right up until he left, which a lot of people don't realize unless they've heard the other members discuss it in interviews.

    Quote Originally Posted by Paulrus View Post
    And Steve Hackett -- already a fan of pastoral 12-string music when he joined Genesis -- immediately latched onto that sound and has been a evangelist of it ever since.
    Yes, a perfect match. Sometimes Hackett, Rutherford and Banks all playing 12-strings simultaneously... beautiful stuff. Nice that Steve had Ant play 12-string on one of his recent albums. They seem to get on rather well...
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

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  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    Sometimes Hackett, Rutherford and Banks all playing 12-strings simultaneously... beautiful stuff.
    I believe only on Lover's Leap do all three of them play 12 string. As far as I know, on most of the Genesis stuff, if you hear one 12 string, it's Mike (I always thought there was a bit in The Cinema Show where Mike was playing bass while Tony played 12 string, but I think I eventually figured out Mike overdubbed both parts himself). If you hear two 12 strings, it's Mike and either Ant, Steve or Tony.

    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    Nice that Steve had Ant play 12-string on one of his recent albums. They seem to get on rather well...
    I always thought it was interesting that Steve's brother John played on The Geese And The Ghost.

  24. #24
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    I believe only on Lover's Leap do all three of them play 12 string. As far as I know, on most of the Genesis stuff, if you hear one 12 string, it's Mike (I always thought there was a bit in The Cinema Show where Mike was playing bass while Tony played 12 string, but I think I eventually figured out Mike overdubbed both parts himself). If you hear two 12 strings, it's Mike and either Ant, Steve or Tony.



    I always thought it was interesting that Steve's brother John played on The Geese And The Ghost.
    I believe there were tracks played live though, that featured the "36-string" trio. "Happy The Man", maybe? I can't recall at the moment.

    Agreed about John Hackett playing on Geese. I guess Ant and Steve already were acquainted back then. I suppose it should come as no surprise, Ant was still friendly with some of the guys, especially Mike. And as we know, he used Phil's vocals not only on that album, but a few years prior on the songs "Only Your Love" and "Silver Song", the latter of which was originally to have been released as a single, which would have made it the first official Genesis solo release, but it did not come to pass.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  25. #25
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    I believe there were tracks played live though, that featured the "36-string" trio. "Happy The Man", maybe? I can't recall at the moment.

    Agreed about John Hackett playing on Geese. I guess Ant and Steve already were acquainted back then. I suppose it should come as no surprise, Ant was still friendly with some of the guys, especially Mike. And as we know, he used Phil's vocals not only on that album, but a few years prior on the songs "Only Your Love" and "Silver Song", the latter of which was originally to have been released as a single, which would have made it the first official Genesis solo release, but it did not come to pass.
    On the 'Calling All Stations' tour they had a set where Mike, Tony and Anthony Drennan all played 12-strings for 3 tracks, Lovers Leap, Follow You..., and the intro to Dancing With The Moonlit Knight.

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