Why Peter Gabriel Went to Genesis’ Final Concert

Peter Gabriel has explained the reason he attended the final concert by his former band, Genesis.

The singer fronted the group during its formative years. Formed in 1967, Genesis emerged as a prog-rock powerhouse, but in 1975 Gabriel decided to depart and pursue a solo career.

In his wake, Genesis pushed forward with drummer Phil Collins taking over vocal duties. The result was a much more mainstream sound, taking the band to commercial heights but also alienating some of the more adventurous factions of their fan base. In 2022, Genesis embarked on their farewell tour, culminating in a final concert on March 26, with Gabriel in attendance.

READ MORE: Top 10 Peter Gabriel Genesis Songs

“Me going was a rite of passage, really,” the singer recently explained to Mojo. “I’d been part of the creation of Genesis, so I wanted to be there at the end.”

The band’s farewell had been hastened by Collins’ declining health, but Gabriel noted his former bandmate still managed to deliver a strong performance.

“Phil wasn’t in as great a shape as he used to be, but they did a great job.”

In a 2022 interview, Nic Collins, Phil’s son who filled in as drummer on the farewell tour, recalled interacting with Gabriel backstage.

“[Gabriel] said he was happy to be there since it was important to him as well,” the younger Collins remembered. “He left in 1975, and he never looked back. He never fell back on the Genesis material. He had a very, very successful solo career. But it was just great for him to be there. He said, ‘This is the end of something I was a part of.’ We spoke briefly. And then him and my dad spoke pretty extensively and caught up about all their good times. It was pretty great to see.”

Peter Gabriel's New Album and Tour

More recently, Gabriel has been focused on his upcoming solo album, i/o. The singer has been gradually releasing music from the LP on each full moon. He’s also been on the road touring across America for the first time since 2016, a trek that wraps Oct. 21.

“After this tour, I’m going to be a family man for six months and then I’ll get back to looking at music again,” he admitted to Mojo, while also hinting the wait for more material won’t be long. “There’s still more stuff in the can. I might keep releasing it on full moons.”