Genesis: 1975 to 2025 - The Phil Collins Years

by Mario Giammetti

1975 to 2021 - The Phil Collins Years follows Kingmaker's previous book, the highly acclaimed 1967 to 1975 - The Peter Gabriel Years. This new book is the definitive biography of one of the world's greatest rock bands following the departure of Peter Gabriel. It contains numerous exclusive interviews with band members and all of the important personalities who were part of the story of Genesis from 1975 onwards, including Ray Wilson who fronted the band for 1997's Calling All Stations album and subsequent tour before the return of Phil Collins in 2007. The book covers the full story of the band very extensively, taking readers through each album and tour. Additionally it features a number of previously unpublished photographs. Like it's predecessor, 1975 to 2021 - The Phil Collins Years contains a wealth of details about the balance of Genesis's career, many of which may well be unknown even to the most ardent fans of the band.
Mario Giammetti is an Italian music journalist with over 30 years’ experience. He has written for numerous Italian music magazines (including Classic Rock, Rockstar and Jam). In 1991 he founded Dusk (www.dusk.it) the only printed magazine in the world dedicated to Genesis. He has written 15 books related to the world of Genesis. 1975 to 2021 – The Phil Collins Years is his second book to be published in English.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

314 pages, Paperback

Published April 17, 2025

Reviews

[Miles Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of the band, I'm not sure that this will tell you a whole lot that you didn't already know - but there are a few "straight from the horse's mouth" nuggets in there, since much of the book is based on interviews and discussions with the band members (both past and present - good to hear from Steve Hackett and Ray Wilson, even if RW's contribution gets somewhat vitriolic in places).

The format is good, being based on albums and the associated tours, with solo work being mentioned where relevant, without taking over (it's a book about the band, not the members, after all). It always helps when you concur with the author's opinion of various albums and songs - which I did throughout.

So - if Invisible Touch was your favourite Genesis album - this may not be the book for you. Likewise, if you have no idea who Steve Hackett is/was, there will be a lot here that won't mean a great deal to you. But - if you're a long-term, signed-up Genesis fan, with all the albums from (at least) A Trick of the Tail through to Calling All Stations, through thick and thin, there's a lot here to enjoy.

[Mark Reiter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is obviously the companion volume to the Peter Gabriel era book. Being a fan of both iterations of the band, The Phil Collins edition is frequently a bridge too far. Shot through with Giammetti's negative hot takes on everything Hugh Padgham produced, to include songs, lyrics, parts and live performances, it's a frequently carping and negative slog. He gives a lot of room to airing Ray Wilson's bitterness and resentment over not being included in career retrospectives and such - which is strange since that final recorded version of the band was so unpopular it couldn't mount a North American tour.

The book itself is beautifully assembled with slick paper stock, some really great photos and a stunning cover.

The format is the same for both volumes: Overview of the album, breakdown of the songs and a description of the tour and setlists. These books are for diehards for sure. Being one, I'm grateful to have them despite all the Collin's era naysaying. Genesis lit a fire that inspired me to pursue a career in music and I'm forever grateful because it's been an amazing journey so far. I love so much about the band but seeing them in 1987 with Chester and Daryl is the Genesis I fell in love with and fired my imagination. Having Giammetti besmirching that period so relentlessly is off-putting. Just tell the story, man. Let people have their favorite moments of their career and get out of the way, you know? Still enjoyable but with reservations.

[Ben Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book full of facts and interest! Even hard-core fans may find something new. Slightly less from the band in this second volume and more of the author's own evaluations and opinions.

This leads to a slightly surprisingly, exceedingly frosty approach to the Invisible Touch album which is somehow dismissed as the worst album of the entire Genesis catalogue despite the fact that ABACAB is RIGHT THERE! (That's if we're not including 'From Genesis to Revelation' which they more or less disowned).

It covers the Ray Wilson period in more detail than I'd previously seen. Poor bloke. It even hints at the The Last Domino? tour, though obviously at the time of writing it hadn't happened so he can't comment on how phenomenal the shows were.

What I find particularly interesting about this book is the honesty from the members of Genesis. Especially towards the end, there's rather a lot of regret, bitterness, sadness etc which is presented very plainly. Quite moving in a way.

Basically, very good book, if a little harsh towards the brilliant Invisible Touch album.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the first volume covering the Peter Gabriel years of the band, this is thoroughly detailed covering every studio album and tour after the Lamb, including Calling All Stations with Ray Wilson and the 2007 Turn It On Again tour. While the author didn’t rate Invisible Touch and Calling All Stations as highly as any other album they did, he stated that the path they took after both Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett left was inevitable and necessary for them to continue. The book made note of the new way they wrote songs in the last three Phil Collins albums, entering their dedicated studio with nothing and going into complete improvisation to come up with songs.

[Per-Olof · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book "The Gabriel years" was excellent and so is this one. But as I'm one of those fans that's not to keen on the various incarnations after Hackett left I wasn't sure if this book would hold my interest. But it did. Thanks to some of the information in this book I actually felt I had to listen again to some of the albums that I didn't think was great. I didn't change my mind about them but it was more rewarding listening to them now that I knew more about what they were trying achieve.

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

While marred pretty significantly by the author's clear biases against a few great albums (I can understand disliking Invisible Touch (although he's wrong), but why spend so much of the book complaining about the fantastic self-titled album?), this is nonetheless an important read for Genesis fans, particularly for its frank discussion of Calling All Stations.

[Allan Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second part of Giammetti's musical history of Genesis maintains the quality of the first volume.

Some of the context-setting is open to debate, and the author can come over as a typical prog-rock snob at times but that doesn't interfere with enjoyment of the book.

[JoJo · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a Genesis fan then it gives you all the details you need and plenty of insight, if you're not it may be a little too detailed - then again it may help you to become a follower.

[Greg lycett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit hard to get through some sections. Really opened my eyes to some gems from the early years I didn't know, but I really didn't need to know the setlist for every single show ever.

[Michael Citro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive review of the career of Genesis after Peter Gabriel's departure, with discussion of each album, track, and tour. There are moments it can be a bit dry, but it's thorough. The biggest issue I have with it is Giammetti's need to piss on every minute facet of The Last Domino? Tour. The band was made up of old men at that stage, and some of them more infirm than others, but it may have sufficed to say that in one statement than belabor every frailty of Phil Collins or botched solo by Mike Rutherford. I saw the tour and can confirm it was not the best of the Genesis shows I've seen, but I didn't expect it to be. It was, however, a fantastic way to say goodbye to a band that meant the world to me, and to accept them for where they are in life now, rather than for who they were in the 1970s and 1980s. This book is, nevertheless, essential for Genesis fans, just as The Peter Gabriel years volume is, and I'm happy he included the all-too-short-lived Ray Wilson era and the final reunion tours.

[Connor Strader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, spellbinding, and detailed account of the post-Gabriel era of Genesis. As good as the first volume—loaded with incredible quotes and interviews with the band members themselves. I appreciated the book following the history all the way up to present day, and while I was already aware of most information provided in this volume, there were still occasional tidbits I had never heard or read before. Lovingly-written, and essential reading for fans of the band and prog music in general. I loved reading both volumes, and I’m a bit sad I’m done with them.