A 1955 double die coin or a 1960s Spiderman #1 have much in common with one singular date in Genesis history, December 11th, 1972. Like the coin and comic, this date was a very rare singular occurrence in Genesis history. This was the date of the first Genesis concert in the United States. Genesis performed at Brandeis University as a warm-up gig for the group’s “official” American debut two days later at Philharmonic Hall in New York. The concert, as of record attracted between 8 -20 people in attendance. Can you imagine what that concert ticket or any other evidence of the concert must be worth today? There is nothing out there at the time of publishing this article that is a historical artifact from the concert. Can you imagine, being one of the possible 20 people in attendance. Unaware that this same band would be what today we know as Genesis.
A great example is Watcher of the Skies. Loosely based on Clarke's "Childhood's End", which is about mankind evolving to leave Earth and their bodies behind and to join a cosmic consciousness called the "Overmind"
An alien (played live by Peter Gabriel in his Batwing headgear and inverse mohawk) comes to Earth, only to find it deserted. It begs the question - is it deserted because the creatures here destroyed themselves ("has life again destroyed life") or because they have left Mother Earth behind to go elsewhere (do they play elsewhere). Whatever the cause, like a primitive lizard leaving it's tail behind it, humanity as a whole has gone beyond it's union with the mother planet.
This alien is old, and has traveled a vast amount of space. Perhaps it is huge, or is organically grown into a massive ship, for we are told that the alien is a world unto itself, and that no world he passes is his. After observing conditions on the planet, the alien imparts a bit of it's age-old wisdom to the vanished inhabitants, saying: "From life alone to life as one, Think not your journey's done For though your ship be sturdy, no Mercy has the sea, Will you survive on the ocean of being?"
(Mention of the Ocean of Being here is important symbolism.) Then, sad because it is still alone, the Watcher turns and heads back to the stars.
Often times, Rod Serling would use this kind of imagery in his writing the Twilight Zone. He felt that in order to understand our own being, we should travel to a different dimension. Similarly, Genesis would write songs for listeners to travel to another dimension. Watcher of the Skies was one of the best examples of connecting music to literature. One of the many unique features of Genesis.
An alien (played live by Peter Gabriel in his Batwing headgear and inverse mohawk) comes to Earth, only to find it deserted. It begs the question - is it deserted because the creatures here destroyed themselves ("has life again destroyed life") or because they have left Mother Earth behind to go elsewhere (do they play elsewhere). Whatever the cause, like a primitive lizard leaving it's tail behind it, humanity as a whole has gone beyond it's union with the mother planet.
This alien is old, and has traveled a vast amount of space. Perhaps it is huge, or is organically grown into a massive ship, for we are told that the alien is a world unto itself, and that no world he passes is his. After observing conditions on the planet, the alien imparts a bit of it's age-old wisdom to the vanished inhabitants, saying: "From life alone to life as one, Think not your journey's done For though your ship be sturdy, no Mercy has the sea, Will you survive on the ocean of being?"
(Mention of the Ocean of Being here is important symbolism.) Then, sad because it is still alone, the Watcher turns and heads back to the stars.
Often times, Rod Serling would use this kind of imagery in his writing the Twilight Zone. He felt that in order to understand our own being, we should travel to a different dimension. Similarly, Genesis would write songs for listeners to travel to another dimension. Watcher of the Skies was one of the best examples of connecting music to literature. One of the many unique features of Genesis.