Peter Gabriel Explains Why He Attended Final Genesis Show
Peter Gabriel was famously in the audience during the final Genesis show in March 2022 at London’s O2 Arena. Gabriel, of course, was the band’s singer from 1967-1975. So, why did…
Peter Gabriel was famously in the audience during the final Genesis show in March 2022 at London's O2 Arena. Gabriel, of course, was the band's singer from 1967-1975. So, why did he want to attend the band's final show?
He explained his decision in a new interview with Mojo. Gabriel bluntly said, "Me going was a rite of passage, really. I’d been part of the creation of Genesis, so I wanted to be there at the end." He acknowledged that Phil Collins' performance wasn't as strong as it used to be. Nonetheless, Gabriel thought the band "did a great job."
Collins mentioned Gabriel's attendance at the show, which featured a 23-song setlist. Per Ultimate Classic Rock, Collins said of Gabriel being in the crowd, "Maybe he’s the one shouting for ‘Supper’s Ready’ — I don’t know!" He also said during the final show "Yes, after tonight, we've all got to get real jobs."
Gabriel, meanwhile, wraps his current tour on October 21 in Houston. Additionally, his album, i/o, comes out on December 1. It's available for pre-order in a variety of formats at Store.RealWorld.co.uk.
Genesis Joins the Catalog Craze
Things have been quiet on the Genesis front since their final show. However, they did make headlines in September 2022 for becoming another classic rock act to sell their catalog.
As previously reported, Genesis struck a deal with Concord Music Group to sell their catalog for $300 million. This lucrative deal also included Collins' solo work and Mike + the Mechanics' catalogs.
The deal was just the latest blockbuster payday for a veteran musician's catalog. The past couple of years have seen some of music's most legendary performers sell their music/publishing rights. In February 2022, Sting sold his solo and Police catalog rights to Universal for a reported $250 million. That same month saw Neil Diamond sell his legendary catalog for an undisclosed, but very large sum. In January, the estate of David Bowie sold the rights to his catalog for upwards of $250 million. Just before the end of 2021, Bruce Springsteen sold his masters and music publishing catalog for a reported $500 million.
