Six of the Best

Six of the Best was the name chosen for the reunion concert of the rock band Genesis with former founding member Peter Gabriel and took place on a wet 2 October 1982 at National Bowl, in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The show was introduced by Jonathan King.

Support bands for the concert were John Martyn, The Blues Band and Talk Talk.

Background

Vocalist Peter Gabriel left Genesis following The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour in 1975 but after much debate (Phil Collins had suggested they continue as an instrumental only band), the rest of the band decided to carry on with drummer Phil Collins assuming the additional duties of lead vocalist and frontman.

The classic quintet featuring Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutherford (whose birthday was on the day of the concert), Tony Banks, Steve Hackett and Phil Collins became a quartet during the period 1975-1977, helped by an invited drummer on tours: Bill Bruford (ex-Yes and ex-King Crimson) and then Chester Thompson, who became the touring drummer for the band until 1992 and in 2007.

By 1978, Hackett's departure had left Genesis a trio. Peter Gabriel was continuing his solo career, doing some experimental music, but in 1982 he and his company—which had funded WOMAD—faced economic disaster due to its commercial failure put down to lack of suitable transport to the venue and publicity. At the suggestion of his and Genesis' manager Tony Smith,^[1] he and his ex-band mates agreed to play together for a single show under the name 'Six of the Best' ^[2] along with Daryl Stuermer (second guitarist and bassist on live shows 1978-1992, 2007), Chester Thompson, and fellow ex-member Steve Hackett (who appeared onstage during the encores after arriving late from South America). The revenues generated by the concert allowed the WOMAD creditors to be paid, the festival to be established and Gabriel to resume his solo career.

Set list

1. "Back in N.Y.C."
2. "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" (Excerpt)
3. "The Carpet Crawlers"
4. "Firth of Fifth"
5. "The Musical Box"
6. "Solsbury Hill"
7. "Turn It On Again" (vocals: Phil Collins; drums: Peter Gabriel)
8. "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway"
9. "Fly on a Windshield"
10. "Broadway Melody of 1974"
11. "In the Cage"
12. "Supper's Ready"
13. "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" (guitar: Steve Hackett)
14. "The Knife" (guitar: Steve Hackett)

Recording

No official recording of the concert has been released but several audience recordings were gathered during 2007 and digitally remastered.

References