Genesis keyboardist and founding member Tony Banks recently spoke to Classic Rock regarding his days back in the band. Despite their fabulous career, the musicians stated that Genesis was never a ‘fashionable’ band.
Throughout their long-term career, Genesis dived into different territories, but they achieved making incredible music in their distinct eras. The departures of their lead singer Peter Gabriel and guitarist Steve Hackett had a significant impact on the band’s sounds. They transitioned from complex arrangements to a more pop-rock sound, increasing their commercial success.
After releasing fifteen studio albums and delivering numerous shows, the band ended their career with a final performance on March 26, 2022, at London’s 02 Arena. ‘The Last Domino? Tour’ came after a 14-year live hiatus. The tour was composed of 47 shows across Europe and North America. Peter Gabriel also attended Genesis’ final concert in London, yet he didn’t join the band on stage.
Tony Banks also performed with Genesis during the band’s farewell tour. In his recent interview, the keyboardist reminisced his days with the group. The rocker replied to the question about their relationship with the press. Banks explained that the media was never so interested either in Genesis or his solo work, so he was surprised by the good reviews regarding their final shows. The keyboardist thinks Genesis was never a fashionable band during its lifetime, yet it doesn’t change that they had a fantastic career.
Banks speaking on Genesis’ relationship with the press:
“It’s been alright. The general press has never been very enthusiastic about Genesis and even less enthusiastic about my solo stuff. That’s what’s most surprising about us getting good reviews at the moment for our live shows. It’s a novel experience. I’m not quite sure why; maybe they feel sorry for us because we’re so old.
I’ve said it many times: Genesis has never been a fashionable band, never been the band of the moment, and tends to get slightly overlooked sometimes, I think. But we’ve had a fantastic career. The press has been up and down, but I can take that.”
The keyboard player also discussed the common opinions on Genesis’ changing sound after Peter Gabriel’s departure. Tony Banks doesn’t think that there were two distinct eras. He feels like there was a slow change in their creative direction. They got better at writing shorter and more straightforward songs.
