Genesis emerged from the shadow of Peter Gabriel in 1976 with A Trick Of The Tail, a pivotal album that redefined the band and introduced Phil Collins as frontman while reaffirming the songwriting core of Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett.
by Paul Cashmere
When Genesis released A Trick Of The Tail on 13 February 1976, the stakes could not have been higher. Peter Gabriel, the band’s founding vocalist and charismatic focal point, had exited during the tour for The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. With debts mounting and critics predicting collapse, Genesis faced an uncertain future. Instead, A Trick Of The Tail became a creative and commercial turning point, reaching No. 3 in the UK and No. 31 in the United States, and setting the band on a new trajectory that would ultimately take them to arenas around the world.
Gabriel’s departure in late 1974 left keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist and guitarist Mike Rutherford, guitarist Steve Hackett and drummer Phil Collins determined to prove that Genesis was more than one personality. Banks and Rutherford had long been central to the band’s compositional engine, and they were resolute in continuing. Rehearsals began in a basement studio in Acton in mid-1975, where new material quickly took shape even as the group advertised anonymously in Melody Maker for a replacement singer.
Hundreds of audition tapes arrived. Some hopefuls embraced the theatricality associated with Gabriel, sending photographs in costume and masks. None proved suitable. Recording nevertheless commenced in October 1975 at Trident Studios in London with producer David Hentschel, who had previously worked with the band in engineering roles. Backing tracks were laid down while auditions continued.
Collins, who had sung lead on More Fool Me from Selling England By The Pound, was reluctant to relinquish his position behind the drum kit. As he later reflected, drumming was his territory. Yet when the band required a guide vocal for Squonk, a track inspired by a North American folk creature that dissolves into tears when captured, Collins stepped forward. His performance convinced the others that the solution had been in the room all along. From that point, Collins assumed lead vocals across the album.
Musically, A Trick Of The Tail balances progressive ambition with concision and clarity. The opening Dance On A Volcano signalled renewed purpose, its shifting time signatures and assertive riffing presenting a band energised rather than diminished. Entangled, built from a Hackett guitar figure and elevated by Banks’ synthesiser textures, explored dreamlike lyricism. Squonk fused Rutherford’s driving framework with a middle section from Banks, reportedly aiming for a weight comparable to Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir.
Robbery, Assault And Battery allowed Collins to inhabit a character role reminiscent of his early stage work in Oliver!, while Ripples… combined Rutherford’s 12-string guitar with a stately piano motif from Banks to create one of the album’s most enduring pieces. The title track, A Trick Of The Tail, drew inspiration from William Golding’s The Inheritors and carried a lighter tonal quality within a complex arrangement.
The instrumental Los Endos closed the record with thematic reprises and a subtle nod to the past, incorporating lines from Supper’s Ready from the 1972 album Foxtrot as a quiet farewell to Gabriel. It became a concert staple and remained in setlists for decades, including later performances by Hackett on his Genesis Revisited tours.
The album was also a technical step forward. Hentschel’s production delivered improved sonic definition, and for the first time Genesis embraced promotional films, producing clips for A Trick Of The Tail, Ripples… and Robbery, Assault And Battery. Visually understated compared to Gabriel’s theatrical era, the band now presented a more ensemble-focused identity.
Touring posed a fresh challenge. Collins would front the band, but insisted on selecting a dedicated touring drummer. He chose Bill Bruford, known for his work with Yes and King Crimson. Rehearsals in Dallas preceded a North American run that began in London, Ontario. Collins developed an easy rapport with audiences, distinct from Gabriel’s earlier approach, and American crowds responded enthusiastically. The tour significantly expanded Genesis’ profile in the United States, laying groundwork for the commercial ascent that would follow with albums such as Duke and Invisible Touch.
Commercially, A Trick Of The Tail restored financial stability. It remained on the UK chart for 39 weeks and was certified Gold in the United Kingdom and the United States, later achieving Platinum status in Canada and Gold in France. Over time it has been reassessed as one of the definitive Genesis albums, representing both an ending and a beginning within the band’s catalogue.
In 2007 the album was remixed and reissued as part of the Genesis 1976-1982 box set, featuring stereo and surround sound mixes alongside archival video material including Genesis: In Concert, filmed during the 1976 tour. The reissue underscored the record’s enduring significance within the progressive rock canon.
Fifty years on, A Trick Of The Tail stands as evidence of Genesis’ resilience and adaptability. In a moment when their future appeared precarious, the band delivered a work that preserved their compositional complexity while opening the door to a broader audience. It remains a cornerstone in the evolution of Genesis, and a defining chapter in the career of Phil Collins.
Tracklisting:
Dance on a Volcano
Entangled
Squonk
Mad Man Moon
Robbery, Assault and Battery
Ripples
A Trick of the Tail
Los Endos
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