The rock n' roll reunion tour is a hallowed tradition in our culture. It seems to happen every year like clockwork: some crusty old rock group, drawn out by the sweet, sweet scent of money, emerges from a months, years, or even decades-long hibernation to once again hit the road in search of sustenance, and adoring fans. So who's it going to be this year? Well, get ready to add some 1970s progressive rock to your summer concert list, because the latest once-defunct crew to load up their tour bus and get most of the band back together is none other than freaking Genesis.
The upcoming reunion tour, which has been somewhat teasingly dubbed the "The Last Domino?," is set to cover 10 dates across the UK and Ireland. The tour will reportedly feature singer Phil Collins, guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks.
Notably absent from the lineup is original singer and band co-founder Peter Gabriel. Gabriel led Genesis on their inaugural march to prog rock domination from 1967 to 1975, before the band split and settled under the creative leadership of Phil Collins. Normally, a missing piece like Gabriel might be reason for pause, but Genesis is a unique case. The three-piece configuration with Collins at the helm is nothing new for the band, and was arguably the group's most effective line-up during its original run.
Right about now, you might be asking yourself, "Why, after 13 years of silence, has Genesis finally decided to return to the stage?" From recent reporting on the band, it appears that this latest foray came to be as a result of several factors falling into place at the right time. The band originally broke up in 2000, and mounted a short-lived reunion in 2007 in the same three-piece configuration. During that 2007 run, tour horse Chester Thompson filled in on drums. That role will now be filled by Collins' own son Nic, whose availability likely helped bring this latest tour into reality.
Rumors have swirled about a Genesis reunion for some time. Those murmurings reached a crescendo last summer when Rutherford's band joined Collins on stage for a surprise set that included Genesis classic "Follow You Follow Me." According to USA Today, Rutherford told BBC Radio Two that after last summer's experience, the time finally felt right for a proper reunion. At the time, word was that they had to wait for a break in Collins' impressive touring schedule promoting his solo work, but it appears that break finally arrived.
As mentioned, Phil Collins' extensive solo output and touring makes it clear that he's still very much a musical force to be reckoned with, even if health reasons have forced him to hand drumming duties over to the next generation.
But what about Genesis as a whole? Do they still have what it takes to bring down the house, or has "I Can't Dance" turned into "We Can't Perform" over the long years they've been apart?
As Tom Skinner of NME tells us, it looks like they're still very much able to deliver. When Collins and Mike Rutherford briefly rejoined in 2019 for that rendition of "Follow You Follow Me," Skinner described the audience's applause as nothing short of "rapturous."
Besides, it's not like Rutherford has been sitting on his hands all these years. He has his own band, Mike and The Mechanics, and they even supported Collins on that particular tour. As for Tony Banks, his 2018 interview with Ryan Reed of Ultimate Classic Rock revealed that the keyboard wizard has had his share of famous collaborators over the years. He has also been keeping busy as a solo artist, and even written music for an orchestra. So, it looks like everyone should still be fully capable of summoning their A-game.
Some people might raise an eyebrow when a young musician takes over in an old, classic band. However, as Andy Greene of Rolling Stone reports, Nic Collins might just be the best possible drummer to replace Phil Collins ... at least, if you ask Phil Collins. Nic grew up with his father's music in his life, and when Phil took his son to drum for him in a seven-song gala outing in 2017, he was evidently quite impressed, remarking something along the lines of, "I'd never had a drummer I didn't have to look back at."
One thing led to another, and before long, Phil asked his son whether he'd like to play the drums on his comeback tour. Nic agreed, and as Samantha Maine of NME reported in 2018, this went well enough that Collins soon started dropping hints of his son's role in a potential Genesis reunion. Now, it looks like this father-son roadshow is finally coming true.
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