Genesis (Genesis album)

In October 1982, the Genesis line-up of drummer/singer Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks, and guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford, with live drummer Chester Thompson and live guitarist Daryl Stuermer, wrapped their two-month tour of North America and Europe in support of the band's third live album, Three Sides Live. They had also performed a one-off gig titled Six of the Best with original Genesis frontman and singer Peter Gabriel and former guitarist Steve Hackett to raise funds for Gabriel's world music festival WOMAD after it ran into financial trouble. Genesis then entered a period of inactivity, during which the band pursued their solo projects. == Writing and Recording ==

In the spring of 1983, the band reconvened at their studio, named The Farm in Chiddingfold, Surrey, to start work on a new studio album, their first since Abacab (1981). Genesis became their first album written, recorded, and mixed in its entirety at the studio room; previously they had to write in an adjoining space. Tony Banks explained the album was the result of the group's decision to "write an album and record it in one go, from start to finish". The group considered their strongest material had been put together collectively, so they decided to make an entire album in such a way as opposed to developing someone's pre-arranged ideas. The main keyboards that Banks used on the album are the Prophet 10, Synclavier, an E-mu Emulator, a Yamaha CP-70 electric grand piano, and an ARP Quadra on "Mama". Collins plays on a Simmons electronic drum kit. == Songs ==

Genesis displays the group moving towards shorter, more straightforward, and radio friendly songs. Rutherford said that the band had gone as far as they could with their progressive and art rock direction that they had adopted since the early 1970s and wanted to write and record in a more relaxed approach as previously, the band were more driven to present what they had to offer. "Mama" "Mama" originated during a group jam session where Rutherford was experimenting with a Linn LM-1 electronic drum machine fed through a gated reverb and a Mesa/Boogie amplifier, and "turned up incredibly loud" to the point of amplifiers jumping off the studio floor. Collins was influenced to go for a vocal that resembled John Lennon's style on his cover of "Be-Bop-a-Lula" on the song's verses. His laugh was influenced by the 1982 song "The Message" by hip hop band Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, which features a similar sound. Padgham had brought the single to the band and upon hearing it, Collins did the laugh during the subsequent improvisation session for "Mama", which the band liked and wished to use in the song. The group had doubts as to whether Collins could recreate the laugh on stage, but he had no problems. The former track segues into "Second Home by the Sea", a mostly instrumental piece developed from a group improvisation that began with Collins playing a drum riff which Banks and Rutherford liked and joined in. The working title was "Heavy Simmonds", a reference to Collins' playing. Collins aimed for a more adventurous style of drumming and went through a number of different styles, noting what he ended up playing was perhaps more than what the song called for. The chosen style was "that basic rock-and-roll part-two and four on the snare, one and three on the bass. That's what made the tune work". Its working title was "Adam" because it had a rhythm that the group felt resembled something by singer Adam Ant, and the band thought a lyric that matched the "juvenile" music would fit it best. "It's Gonna Get Better" features a keyboard introduction that Banks sampled from an album of classical music for cello, following a failed attempt to use it to obtain a quality string sound on his keyboard. He then played four notes simultaneously using the same sample that unexpectedly created a sound of interweaving harmonies, which he kept and used. == Cover art ==

The cover art was designed by English artist Bill Smith, who had also produced the artwork on Abacab (1981). The front photograph originates from shapes from his one-year-old son's shape sorter toy that were left on the carpet after he had gone to bed. == Release ==

Genesis was released on 3 October 1983 and distributed by Charisma and Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and by Atlantic Records in the United States. The album peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 during a 49-week stay. In the United Kingdom, the album reached Gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry on the day of release for shipment of 200,000 copies. In December 1983, the album reached Platinum certification and, in October 1987 reached double Platinum, the latter for selling 600,000 copies. == Critical reception ==

In his feature article on the band and the album in a September 1983 edition of Sounds, writer Bill Black described Genesis as "an at times frustrating cocktail of the sassy songwriting" that Collins' solo albums apparently brought into the band's songs, "spiced with tantalizing reminders" of the band's more progressive and art rock past. He was critical of "It's Gonna Get Better", summarising it as "pure formula" and compared its backtracked keyboard sound to "cosmic Elgar", but rated "Mama" as "savage as you're likely to get with post Gabriel Genesis" and a notable departure from their earlier songs. The Kerrang! reviewer determined that for this album Genesis "have traded technical complexity and ingenuity for an altogether more stunning simplicity", making "a Genesis album for people who normally hate Genesis" and "great music for the masses". In his retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine criticised the album for lacking coherency, but found that a majority of the tracks are outstanding, "balancing such sleek, pulsating pop tunes as 'That's All' with a newfound touch for aching ballads." He also praised the band completely redefining themselves as a pop group. == Track listing ==

All music written by Tony Banks, Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford. "It's Gonna Get Better" contains a sample of the opening cello part of a ballet suite written by Aram Khachaturian. == Personnel ==

Genesis • Mike Rutherford – guitars, bass, backing vocals • Phil Collins – drums, vocals, percussion • Tony Banks – keyboards, backing vocals Production and artwork • Genesis – producers • Hugh Padgham – producer, engineer • Geoff Callingham – technical assistance • Tony Smith – manager • Geoff Banks, Steve Jones, Dale and Clair Newman, Andy Mackrill, Jo Greenwood and all at Hit & Run Music – Without whom department • Bill Smith – sleeve design • Chris Peyton – sleeve adaptation (for The Redroom) == Charts ==

Weekly charts Year-end charts == Certifications ==