Tony Banks: “Never Say Never” To Genesis Reunion
Following the news that the five members of the 1970s line-up of Genesis reunited recently for an upcoming BBC documentary, keyboard player and co-founder Tony Banks has not ruled out the possibility of a Genesis reunion.
Speaking to this writer for a feature in today’s Sunday Express about his new classical compilation, which will be performed at the Cheltenham Music Festival on July 5, Banks said that there have been discussions among the members of the classic prog-rock band.
“We have talked about various things,” he says. “A year ago I think Phil would definitely have said no. But he’s probably not quite capable of playing ‘Duke’s Travels’ [from 1980’s ‘Duke’] any more. I think that’s what did him in a bit the first time around.
“But they’ve got [the BBC] documentary coming out, and we [Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford] had a meeting, with Peter [Gabriel] and Steve [Hackett] as well. I’m always pretty much up for anything, I don’t see any reason why not to. I really don’t know. We never say no. We all get along fine. Don’t hold your breath.”
Collins, who had announced his retirement in 2011, performed ‘In The Air Tonight’ and ‘Land Of Confusion’ at his sons’ school in Miami last month, and announced earlier in the year that he has written with Adele for her next album. Genesis last performed together, in the Collins/Banks/Rutherford line-up, on the global ‘Turn It On Again’ tour of 2007.
Banks’ new classical piece, which will run to slightly over 15 minutes, will be performed by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Cheltenham. He has released two classical albums in recent years, ‘Seven: A Suite For Orchestra’ in 2004 and ‘Six Pieces For Orchestra’ in 2012, but this marks the first time one of his classical compositions has been performed live.
The forthcoming BBC2 documentary, with the working title ‘Genesis: Together and Apart,’ was announced at a press conference last Monday.
Paul Sexton, freelance journalist and broadcaster
UK English
Paul Coombs
June 22, 2014 at 10:15 am
I wish they will do one more tour with all members I’ve been lucky to see the turn it on tour but never seen peter and Steve playing with genesis I would sell my house to see it
Iain Wilson
June 22, 2014 at 11:31 am
This is not news- it’s no different from what they have said for years, maybe some day, but nothing definite. Thanks for the non news!
David Montoya
June 22, 2014 at 8:53 pm
It should be a interesting reunion with artists that agreed in musical concepts many years ago but now they have totally different musical ways.
I think the most genuine of these five musicians, regarding with their 70’s works, is Hackett and it is my favorite.
The question is: the reunion is to play the old songs or to create new music?
I would rather the second possibility.
Ben
June 23, 2014 at 3:14 pm
I’d settle for one show, recorded on Blu-Ray or 4K, something akin to Led Zeppelin’s concert for the Eugene Ahmet Ertugen charity. Can’t ask Phil’s back to withstand a full tour, but he could certainly do one last one final masterpiece.
I’d love for the true Prog Rock fans to be the ones to vote the setlist for such a show. Enough pop to please everyone but a core dedication to those who followed them from beginning to end.
Jay
June 23, 2014 at 11:59 pm
Some years ago, when ‘unplugged’ concerts/albums were all the rage, I hoped that Genesis might be tempted. That could be an interesting concept for a reunited Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Banks/Rutherford line-up. A small intimate concert rather than a massive stadium gig. No synthesisers and keyboards, just a piano, acoustic guitars, classical guitar, various percussion and other less obvious instruments – vibraphone and autoharp spring to mind, and of course flute (when did Peter last play the flute?). Maybe with a handful of new songs, released as an album and DVD.