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| A Trick of the Tail (Genesis album) | |
|---|---|
| Name | A Trick of the Tail |
| Type | studio |
| Artist | Genesis |
| Released | 13 February 1976 |
| Recorded | August–September 1975 |
| Studio | Trident Studios, London; The Farm, Surrey |
| Genre | Progressive rock |
| Length | 41:54 |
| Label | Charisma, Atco |
| Producer | David Hentschel, Genesis |
| Prev title | The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway |
| Prev year | 1974 |
| Next title | Wind & Wuthering |
| Next year | 1976 |
A Trick of the Tail (Genesis album) A Trick of the Tail is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Genesis (band), released in 1976. It marked the band's first recording and release after the departure of vocalist and frontman Peter Gabriel, and introduced drummer Phil Collins as lead singer while featuring songwriting contributions from Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett. The album consolidated Genesis's transition from theatrical concept albums toward a more song-oriented progressive rock style and achieved commercial success in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Following the conclusion of the The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour in 1975, Genesis faced a pivotal moment when Peter Gabriel left to pursue a solo career and his involvement in projects such as collaborations with Robert Fripp and appearances at events like The Old Grey Whistle Test. Remaining members Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Steve Hackett and Phil Collins debated continuing under pressure from labels including Charisma Records and Atco Records. Influences and contemporaries such as Pink Floyd, Yes, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis peers in the progressive rock scene, and commercial shifts exemplified by David Bowie and Roxy Music informed the group's decision to evolve their sound. Management by Tony Smith and legal ties to venues like Shepherd's Bush Empire and studios like Trident Studios framed the band's organizational context.
Recording took place at Trident Studios and the band's rehearsal complex, The Farm, produced by David Hentschel alongside Genesis. Engineering involved professionals tied to projects such as Queen sessions and innovations used by Brian Eno and Chris Thomas. Sessions employed instruments linked to artists like Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, including Hammond organ and ARP synthesizer models favored by Tony Banks and Peter Gabriel. The band worked on arrangements referencing structures used by Paul McCartney, George Martin, John Lennon, Elton John, and orchestration techniques similar to those on The Beatles records. Recording techniques drew on mixing practices associated with Alan Parsons, Geoff Emerick, and Trevor Horn. Steve Hackett used guitar approaches reminiscent of David Gilmour, while Phil Collins developed his vocal approach influenced by drummers-turned-singers like Don Henley and contemporaries such as Ian Anderson.
Songs were chiefly written by Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett; lyrics drew narrative inspiration from literary and cinematic figures such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and mythic motifs common to Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The opening track employed melodic devices similar to compositions by Genesis predecessors and contemporaries like Peter Gabriel's solo work and melodic pop-rock exemplars such as Paul Simon. Instrumental textures referenced prog landmarks including Fragile era Yes and In the Court of the Crimson King era King Crimson. Themes of displacement and identity paralleled concepts explored by David Bowie and Lou Reed, while the band's arrangement choices echoed orchestral rock traditions of The Moody Blues and Procol Harum. Phil Collins's lead vocals merged rhythmic phrasing reminiscent of Ringo Starr with emotive delivery akin to Steve Winwood.
Released by Charisma Records in the UK and Atco Records in the US, the album cover featured artwork commissioned in the tradition of covers by Hipgnosis, Roger Dean, Storm Thorgerson and Peter Saville. Packaging followed LP conventions popularized by Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd with gatefold sleeves and lyric inserts reminiscent of releases from EMI and Virgin Records. Singles were promoted via appearances on television programs including Top of the Pops and radio sessions hosted by presenters like John Peel and Mark Radcliffe. Marketing involved the band's label contacts with distributors linked to Phonogram and retailers akin to HMV and Tower Records.
Contemporary reviews in publications such as Melody Maker, NME, Rolling Stone, Sounds and Billboard were generally favorable, noting the successful continuity despite Gabriel's departure. Critics compared the record to works by Genesis peers including Yes, King Crimson, and Pink Floyd; some reviews referenced songwriting parallels to Paul McCartney and production standards associated with George Martin. Chart performance placed the album in the UK Albums Chart top ten and the Billboard 200 in the United States; certification milestones were achieved through organizations such as the British Phonographic Industry and the Recording Industry Association of America. The album's singles attained airplay on stations associated with BBC Radio 1 and American rock radio formats tied to FM broadcasting pioneers.
The accompanying tour featured Genesis performing at venues including Wembley Stadium, Hammersmith Odeon, Madison Square Garden, and festivals such as Reading Festival and European dates in cities like Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, and Rome. Stage design incorporated elements used by contemporaries such as Pink Floyd and theatrical production standards influenced by Peter Gabriel's earlier shows, employing lighting designers working with Qudos Bank Arena-sized rigs and sound engineers from crews that had supported acts like The Who and Genesis. The touring lineup showcased live renditions of studio tracks and extended instrumental passages reminiscent of Steve Hackett's solo performances and improvisational traditions found in sets by Yes and King Crimson.
A Trick of the Tail is cited as a pivotal record in Genesis's evolution toward the more accessible pop-rock of later albums such as those by Phil Collins solo projects and subsequent Genesis releases like Duke and Invisible Touch. The album influenced artists across progressive and mainstream rock scenes, from Marillion and Porcupine Tree to singer-songwriters inspired by Genesis's melodic structures, including Peter Gabriel, Sting, Kate Bush, Radiohead, Coldplay, Elbow and The National. Retrospective appraisals in outlets including Q, Uncut and Classic Rock highlight its role bridging 1970s prog and 1980s pop-rock, while musicians such as Trent Reznor, Steven Wilson, Mikael Åkerfeldt and John Petrucci have acknowledged Genesis's influence on composition and arrangement. The album remains a reference point in histories of progressive rock and is routinely included in lists curated by institutions like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and major music archives.
Category:1976 albums Category:Genesis albums