Genesis Go "Platinum"

Pop mega-group surveys thirty-year career, plans online bootleg series Genesis sold 21.5 million albums in America during a thirty-year career, before quietly calling it quits in 1998, not long after frontman Phil Collins' departure. With the release of the new three-CD compilation, The Platinum Collection, Genesis trace their extensive journey from art rockers to hitmakers.

The Platinum Collection moves backwards in time -- starting with the 1991 single "No Son of Mine" and ending with "The Knife," off of 1970's Trespass, the second album by the Peter Gabriel-fronted Genesis. "Originally, it went from beginning to end," says guitarist Mike Rutherford. "But, with the early albums' sound quality, it was a little tough for the listener. So we start with the better-sounding stuff and end with the earlier stuff."

The band plans to dust off some early live recordings for release as a bootleg series, possibly through its Web site. "These are raw recordings, and I like that," Rutherford says. "If someone makes a mistake or messes up, it's just part of the evening."

The members of Genesis have had considerable success outside the group: During his tenure, Collins racked up two Number One solo albums before becoming an Oscar-winning composer; Gabriel, who split in 1975, has had a similarly successful solo career, selling more than 10 million albums in the U.S; and Rutherford scored hits with two different singers (Paul Carrack and Paul Young) for his Mike and the Mechanics side project. However, after Collins' departure, the future of Genesis became uncertain, with former Stiltskin singer Ray Wilson taking over the mike. The final incarnation of the group did not exactly set fire to the charts, or the box office.

While the Collins-helmed Genesis have not toured in thirteen years, they have performed together -- in more intimate settings. "We played Peter's wedding and his fiftieth birthday party, and Phil's wedding," Rutherford says with a laugh. "We did a very bad version of that 'Tequila' song."

Rutherford remains optimistic that Genesis may one day follow Cream and the Pixies, as a long-dormant band that suddenly comes bursting back to life. "We talk about it," he says. (In 2000, Collins said of Genesis in an interview, "I would definitely see us doing something together again.") But Collins, currently on break from his First Final Farewell Tour, is now busy adapting his soundtrack to Disney's animated film Tarzan into a Broadway play.

"Phil's committed through May," says Rutherford. "We haven't made any plans. But never say never."

source: rollingstone