Genesis reunion still possible says Gabriel!

[Rufus]

Though he thinks 'The Lamb' would be too much of a challenge!

Home > News > Gabriel’s glad if Collins is coming back…
Gabriel’s glad if Collins is coming back…
Comments 2 Martin Kielty at 10:48am December 10 2013 Welcome: Gabriel
Peter Gabriel is glad that former Genesis bandmate Phil Collins is considering coming out of retirement.

But while he won’t rule out a classic lineup reunion of the influential prog band, he’s not fully convinced it will ever happen.

Collins retired in 2011 but last month suggested he was reconsidering the decision, saying: “I have started thinking about doing new stuff. Some shows again, even with Genesis. Everything is possible.”

Asked what he thinks of his former colleague’s comments, Gabriel tells Rolling Stone: “Good! I think he got himself into a bit of a hole, and that’s great news he’s coming out of it. It doesn’t have to involve work – but if it does, that’s a great indicator.”

His reaction leads to the inevitable question about a Genesis reunion, with the possibility having been raised on several occasions over the last decade. Gabriel replies: “It’s never been ruled out. I’m trying to picture a time when it would top my priorities list though.”

But he adds: “If you’re gonna do it, you gotta do it before you’re all dead, right? I was thinking about that the other day. We’re quite lucky – looking back at other bands of our generation, there’s usually one or two missing now. So you do get a sense of the clock.”

And he thinks the chances of staging a live performance of classic album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway are slipping away. “I’m getting older,” he says. “My voice has dropped a tone since the Genesis days. That’s a fact of life. I still sort of think through film ideas for The Lamb.”

Meanwhile, he’s aiming to complete the solo album he began in 2005, to be entitled I/O. “I really need to stop doing other things and lock myself away for a while,” he reflects. “It probably hasn’t moved nearly as much as I would have liked to in the intervening time. The songs are still there, but some of them I would redo now; and there’s some new stuff as well.”

[JKL2000]

If they did a reunion tour or show, I wouldn't want them to do the full Lamb. I've seen TMB do it enough. I'd like them to do a good selection of material from all their albums.

I'd like to hear Peter sing "Who Dunnit?"

[Kim Olesen]

I'd rather they did a new album and not tour it to be honest.

[strawberrybrick]

I'd take I/O over any reunion.

[Paulrus]

I think after this many years apart they'd need to be very careful about any new creative collaborations. I'd love to see it, especially in terms of a Peter-Phil nexus. But it might be best if they start off just doing some of the old stuff and then some of each others' material from after the split. Maybe for a charity gig or something.

[bill g]

I'd rather they did a new album and not tour it to be honest.

Definitely.

[Rufus]

What about re-recording old classics like Journey & Foriegner have done?

They could re-work them with modern instrumentation and recording techniques, maybe even give Hackett more of a free reign? Didn't they do something similar with 'Carpet Crawler's' a few years back?

However, I don't think this idea will be popular amongst PE's

[Staun]

I'd rather they did a new album and not tour it to be honest.

I agree. If they are going to do something, why not do the right thing IMO. Doing a new album would certainly have more impact than anything else. Doing a tour would mean that everyone would want to hear the classic offerings but a new album would hold great intrest in itself.

[Casey]

The reformation of Genesis has about as much chance of a finding a definition of "progressive music" upon which we agree.

Most everyone likes to re-visit their past but it often doesn't work out very well. There are exceptions and yet I think there has been too much time during which they've developed other interests that will always trump the idea of them getting together & working in solidarity on one project.

My one Christmas wish: interviewers would stop asking these guys if they'll ever get back together. How tired must that question be to them?

[Scott Bails]

“I really need to stop doing other things and lock myself away for a while,” he reflects. “It probably hasn’t moved nearly as much as I would have liked to in the intervening time. The songs are still there, but some of them I would redo now; and there’s some new stuff as well.”[/B]

So, which will we see first - Jon Anderson's Zamran, or Gabriel's I/O?

I'd rather they did a new album and not tour it to be honest.

Completely agree.

However, I don't think this idea will be popular amongst PE's

Um...no. For good reason:

I don't want re-recordings. Steve Hackett has already done that with different vocalists so there's at least a different perspective

Exactly.

We've heard all this before...and nothing happened. I too would rather something new without a tour, I don't believe it would be easy for them to play the old 70s material, given Phil's issues and the fact Peter Gabriel's voice has changed greatly (look at his vocals on the 'Archive' box...and that was many years ago now itself).

I'm at a point now where I really just wish Gabriel would STFU up about this, as he's all talk and no action. Stop teasing your fanbase. Either do it, or don't, but stop just talking about it every few months.

[JKL2000]

Before he can record a new album with a reunited Genesis, Gabriel needs to build that amusement park. Not sure if that comes before or after I/O.

[Brian Griffin]

I still sort of think through film ideas for The Lamb.”
[/B]

LOL - this dudes been talking about a Lamb movie since 19fucking80!

Didn't they do something similar with 'Carpet Crawler's' a few years back?

If that is the barometer of what this might be, no thanks

Would love a new album of new music however

BG

[progman1975]

Just do it right and do The Lamb tour and ride off into the sunset.....

[mozo-pg]

Will the announcement be televised?

[Scott Bails]

Will the announcement be televised?

All that really matters.

[mozo-pg]

Statistical changes of this happening: 0.00000001. Chance of next album in 20 years - so so.

[profusion]

Meanwhile, he’s aiming to complete the solo album he began in 2005, to be entitled I/O. “I really need to stop doing other things and lock myself away for a while,” he reflects. “It probably hasn’t moved nearly as much as I would have liked to in the intervening time. The songs are still there, but some of them I would redo now; and there’s some new stuff as well.”[/B]

Don't redo anything, Peter, just finish the darned thing as it is! He'll disappear down the rabbit hole if he starts redoing songs, and the album will never be finished.

That's one reason, among many, that I can't conceive of a new 5-man Genesis album happening. These guys had enough creative tension in 1974. It's extremely unlikely the process would be smoother in 2014.

However, I can see a one-off show or maybe a handful of reunion shows happening, especially if there was a charity involved. Basically like what Pink Floyd did--maybe somewhere between Floyd's rather casual one-off and Zeppelin's considerably more rehearsed one-off show in 2007.

[JKL2000]

Don't redo anything, Peter, just finish the darned thing as it is! He'll disappear down the rabbit hole if he starts redoing songs, and the album will never be finished.

In other words, "That'll do, pig."

[Facelift]

I guess a tour would hold more interest for me than an album, though - as a huge Genesis fan - I'd rather that they did neither. IMO none of these people have released a decent album in about 20 years, so I don't have much faith that they could do anything interesting. At least with the tour they'd be playing actual good material, albeit de-tuned and slowed a bit.

Such a reunion might have been interesting at some point in the '90s (could have spared us Calling All Stations, if nothing else), but these guys chose to spend their remaining useful years apart. Getting back together at 65... the time for that is just past us, at this point.

[profusion]

In other words, "That'll do, pig."

It's quite easy as a recording artist to obsess over every little detail and lose the big picture. Nothing ever ends up being exactly the way you wish it could be, but at some point you just have to let it fly into the public, perceived warts and all.

[ScottAM]

So, which will we see first - Jon Anderson's Zamran, or Gabriel's I/O?

Absolutely!

It's amazing that he's talking about re-doing songs from I/O. It's sad to realize that without being in a band context, these guys will just tinker away at their unreleased albums for decades. And then when (if) it finally is released, it's often not that impressive anyway.

I'm glad there are so many next-generation prog bands out there consistently releasing quality material that we don't have to hold our breaths for any new creative works to come from the godfathers of prog.

[Jerjo]

Given all of Gabriel's fluctuation and vacillation over the years with nothing tangible for us I think Ritalin would be a more effective management tool.

Put me in the camp of wishing for the boys back in the studio for something new. But that's about as likely to happen as the Yes muppets that think Jon will someday rejoin the band in glory.

[Stickleback]

Put me down as not interested. Although Genesis was a favorite band, I was in the minority that thought the 2007 tour was snoozefest - a mere shadow of their once glorious past...

[mozo-pg]

Put me down as not interested. Although Genesis was a favorite band, I was in the minority that thought the 2007 tour was snoozefest - a mere shadow of their once glorious past...

Possibly my favourite band. Otherwise, agree fully.

[GuitarGeek]

Who does Peter think he is? Axl Rose? "Oh, I've gotta redo some of the songs". What do you mean "re-do" quit futzing around and release the solo record already!

As far as a Genesis reunion goes, I don't want a full restaging of The Lamb. Peter's gonna look really ridiculous wearing the Slipperman costume at his age (much like a certain fire breathing, Israeli born bass player/reality show star I used to like). One of the best things Peter did was he was stopped wearing costumes (silly or otherwise) onstage years ago. He might be able to pull off the Narcissus mask for Supper's Ready, but he won't have to wear a mask for The Musical Box climax now.

They should just play the Foxtrot, Nursery Cryme and Selling England albums in their entirety. Throw in White Mountain, The Knife, and maybe two or three songs from Trick and W&W, and leave the trio era fans scratching their heads about what they experienced.