Phil Collins - vocals, drums; Tony Banks - keyboards; Mike Rutherford - bass, guitar, vocals; Daryl Stuermer - guitar; Chester Thompson - drums, percussion
Genesis was at its commercial peak when this show was recorded for the King Biscuit Flower Hour in 1986. It was the first of three nights recorded at the LA Forum (and the second night of a five-night run there), and the setlist reads like the band's Greatest Hits album: "Mama," "Abacab," "Land Of Confusion," "That's All," "Follow You, Follow Me," "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight," "Home By The Sea," "Throwing It All Away," "Invisible Touch," and "Turn It On Again," which closes the lengthy show. The band even dips into its Peter Gabriel-era material, with stunning versions of "In The Cage" and "Supper's Ready."
What is also apparent by this point is how similar Genesis and Phil Collins solo shows had become. Sure, the material was different, but a lot of the music was essentially the same in style and arrangements. Furthermore, Collins had no problem dominating the show as the band's frontman and spokesperson. He talks more during this show than a circus barker does between freak show acts. Nonetheless, the music is great, and that is all that really matters.
Between its inception in 1968 and 1975, the group had risen to the top of the prog-rock community with its dramatic and controversial lead vocalist Peter Gabriel. After the Lamb Lies Down tour ended in 1975, Gabriel bolted for a solo career, but Genesis decided to carry on. Over 150 vocalists auditioned, and drummer Phil Collins, who had already been doing backing vocals for years, often would organize the auditions and show the replacement tryouts how they wanted the existing Genesis songs sung. When Rutherford and Banks heard Collins sing the songs to those auditioning, they realized their replacement for Peter Gabriel was already in the band. It was ultimately decided Collins would get the job and an additional drummer would be brought in.
By the time this King Biscuit Flower Hour recording was made in 1986, the classic five-piece Genesis lineup of Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Phil Collins, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford had dwindled to only Collins, Banks, and Rutherford. The group did add two sidemen with Chester Thompson and Darryl Stuermer.
Genesis remained intact through the early-1990s, but folded a year past the departure of Collins. The band in the lineup featured here did reunite in 2007 and 2008 for extensive reunion tours.