The Early Gigs

The 1969-1971 period during Genesis' career in which many shows were played across the United Kingdom without an organized tour is commonly referred to by fans as The Early Gigs or The Early Days. The band played many shows at various locations in England, Scotland, Wales, and Belgium during 1969, 1970, and 1971.^[1]

History

Genesis' contract with Decca Records, in which their debut album was released, had expired. Before they were signed with Charisma Records, the shows were played in search of a new record label. During the "tour," Genesis mostly performed at parties, schools, and small clubs and was not a well-known band at the time. Occasionally, they served as a support act for other bands such as David Bowie and Queen. They also performed as part of a package tour in early 1971 alongside the bands Van der Graaf Generator and Lindisfarne.^[2]

Set lists

Details of the set lists for these shows are very sketchy. Many of the songs played during this period were never recorded in any form, even in the studio. Set lists changed often; a group of songs could be played at one show, and the next show's set list could be entirely different.

Songs from the period

Most of the songs played during this tour include (in alphabetical order):

• Babies
• Black Sheep (a cover of a single by SRC, a contemporary Detroit-based psychedelic rock band)
• Build Me a Mountain
• Classic
• Chobham Chords
• The Conqueror
• Crossroads (a cover of blues singer Robert Johnson's song, which was made famous by Eric Clapton)
• Digby of the Rambling Lake (also known simply as "Digby")
• Do I Still Figure in Your Life? (a cover of a Honeybus single, titled "(Do I Figure) In Your Life")
• Eastern Magic Boogie
• Epic
• Family (later known as "Dusk")
• The Fountain of Salmacis
• Going out to get you
• Grandma
• Happy the Man
• In Hiding
• In Limbo
• In the Beginning
• In the Meanwhile
• In the Wilderness
• I've Been Traveling all Night Long (also known as "Rock my Baby" and "Bye-Bye Johnny" and later re-worked as "Can-Utility and the Coastliners" for Foxtrot)
• Jamaican Longboat
• Johnny B. Goode (a cover of the song by American rock and roll artist Chuck Berry)
• Key to Love (possibly a cover of the John Mayall song)
• The Knife (also known as "The Nice")
• Let Us Now Make Love
• The Light (never recorded in full, but pieces of it ended up as "Lilywhite Lilith" and "The Colony of Slippermen," both on the 1974 album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway)
• Little Leaf (later re-worked by Anthony Phillips on his Private Parts and Pieces III: Antiques album from 1981 as "Old Wives' Tale")
• Looking for Someone
• Masochistic Man
• The Musical Box
• Moss (Also known as "The Epilogue")
• Movement
• The Mystery of the Flannan Isle Lighthouse
• One Day
• Pacidy
• The Return of the Giant Hogweed
• The Serpent
• The Shepherd
• Silver Song (later recorded by Anthony Phillips and released on the reissue of his 1978 album Private Parts and Pieces)
• Sitting on Top of the World (a cover of a single released the blues-folk group Mississippi Sheiks and made famous by many different artists)
• Stagnation
• Stranger (available on the reissue of Private Parts and Pieces)
• Stumble (a cover of blues guitarist Freddie King's song, which was made famous by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers)
• Think Again
• Twilight Alehouse
• Visions of Angels
• Wandering
• Waterlily
• White Mountain
• Window
• Winter Flies by
• Wooden Mask

1 November 1969: Brunel University Student's Hall in Acton, England

The order of the songs played this date is not certain.

• In the Wilderness
• Masochistic Man
• Stumble
• Black Sheep
• Build Me a Mountain
• In Limbo
• Digby
• Little Leaf
• Babies
• Key to Love
• Looking For Someone
• Twilight Alehouse
• Sitting on Top of the World
• Pacidy

10 April 1970: Eel Pie Island in London, England

1. Grandma
2. Let us now Make Love
3. Little Leaf
4. Dusk
5. Stagnation
6. White Mountain
7. Twilight Alehouse
8. Visions of Angels
9. I've Been Travelling all Night Long
10. Going Out to Get You
11. Shepherd
12. Looking for Someone
13. Jamaican Longboat
14. Pacidy
15. The Knife

7 March 1971: La Ferme V in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium

1. Happy the Man
2. Stagnation
3. The Light
4. Twilight Alehouse
5. The Musical Box
6. The Knife
7. Going Out to Get You

Tour dates

• ^Note 1 Unsure date

Tour band

From 23 September 1969 to 18 July 1970:

• Peter Gabriel - lead vocals, flute, bass drum
• Anthony Phillips - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Tony Banks - organ, piano, 12-string acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Mike Rutherford - bass guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, cello, backing vocals
• John Mayhew - drums, percussion

In late July, Anthony Phillips left. From 6 August to 17 September 1970, Genesis played as a four piece without a lead guitarist (Gabriel, Banks, Rutherford, Mayhew). This lineup played ten concerts.

In late September, John Mayhew was replaced by Phil Collins. From 2 October to 23 October, Genesis continued to play as a four piece without a lead guitarist (Gabriel, Banks, Rutherford, Collins). This lineup played eleven concerts.

At the end of October, Mick Barnard joined as lead guitarist. From 3 November 1970 to 10 January 1971, the band played as a five piece (Gabriel, Barnard, Banks, Rutherford, Collins). This lineup played thirty concerts and one television appearance.

After this, Steve Hackett replaced Mick Barnard, and from 14 January 1971 until 1975 Genesis lineup was as follows:

• Peter Gabriel - lead vocals, flute, oboe, bass drum
• Steve Hackett - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Tony Banks - organ, piano, other keyboards, 12-string acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Mike Rutherford - bass guitar, twelve string acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Phil Collins - drums, percussion, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals

References