Fred Duval/FilmMagicMight we be able to add Genesis to the list of superstar rock reunions? Mike Rutherford, for one, says he’d be down with that.
The guitarist/bassist tells England’s Daily Mirror the group’s 50th anniversary offers the opportunity for he, keyboardist Tony Banks and singer/drummer Phil Collins to perhaps do a few shows together. If it happens — and it’s a big “if” — it would mark the first Genesis concerts since the trio’s reunion tour a decade ago, after which Collins retired due to ongoing medical issues.
Rutherford says thoughts of reuniting coincided with both he and Collins publishing recent memoirs.
Mike explains, “I think both of us have gone through this [period of] slightly looking back in our lives in writing the book. I came away, as he did too, with a feeling of what an incredible time we’ve had. How lucky we’ve been. And more importantly, what a great friendship we’ve had.”
He didn’t address whether original lead singer Peter Gabriel, who split from Genesis in 1975, or guitarist Steve Hackett, who departed two years later for a solo career, might be involved in any reunion or anniversary celebration.
Regarding their friendships, Rutherford says, “Obviously, all of us, but especially the three of us — myself, [Phil] and Tony — it was quite a special relationship.”
Collins recently announced he’d be coming out of retirement to do a series of concerts in London, Cologne, Germany; Paris and Dublin, Ireland in June. A few of those shows will feature opening sets from Rutherford’s long-running band Mike + The Mechanics, who recently issued their eighth album, Let Me Fly.
