'Genesis 1975 to 2025 - The Phil Collins Years'
Author: Mario Giammetti
Publisher: Kingmaker Publishing / 2025
Pages: 314
Mario Giammetti's acclaimed biography of the Genesis' Phil Collins era has been given an update and the new edition, titled Genesis 1975 to 2025 - The Phil Collins Years will be published by Kingmaker on 17 April.
The Italian music journalist tackles the band's most commercially successful - and arguably most divisive - era: the post Peter Gabriel years when drummer-turned-frontman Phil Collins took centre stage. What results is a flowing and meticulously researched narration bringing deep expertise and clear passion to the subject. Drawing from a rich trove of interviews with band members and collaborators, many conducted personally, he offers behind-the-scenes insight into the creative process behind each album, from the ambitious "A Trick of the Tail" (1976) to the sleek final band reunion of The Last Domino? Tour in 2021/22.
The book's strength lies in its detailed chronology and archival value. Giammetti treats each album and tour as a chapter in a larger evolution, exploring not just the music but the inter-personal dynamics, changing technologies and external pressures that shaped the band's path. This thorough approach allows readers to appreciate the complexities of the band's journey and the factors that influenced their artistic direction. He is particularly skilled at contextualizing Genesis' transition from complex progressive rock to accessible pop, offering a balanced view that avoids the usual "sellout" accusations or overtly romantic nostalgia. Firsthand accounts offer fresh perspectives and insights that enrich the reader's understanding of the band's dynamics and crucial decisions, including the one which lead to Ray Wilson fronting the band in 1997 for the "Calling All Stations" album and the subsequent tour, before the return of Phil Collins in 2007.
The book is a high-quality production with an engaging internal layout. It is printed on thick, premium photo paper and bound with a sturdy cardboard cover, giving it a substantial and elegant feel. The internal pages are richly illustrated, featuring numerous previously unpublished photographs from concerts, press events, and various rare memorabilia items.
Originally published in 2021 as Genesis 1975 to 2021 - The Phil Collins Years and out of print for the past couple of years, this newly updated edition features revised text, new interview content and two additional chapters. As well as providing a detailed appraisal of The Last Domino? European and North American Tours, the book also covers various recent events in the world of Genesis, including the sad passing of the band's former Charterhouse schoolmate and later tour manager, Richard Macphail, the Genesis BBC Broadcasts box set, and the forthcoming re-issue of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 50th anniversary super deluxe edition.
Genesis 1975 to 2025 - The Phil Collins Years also serves as a sequel to Giammetti's highly acclaimed book Genesis 1967 to 1975 - The Peter Gabriel Years, also published by Kingmaker in 2020. The two publications are a perfect set and stand as a thorough chronicle of a band that dared to evolve - and in doing so, defined an era.
Copies can be ordered online from burningshed.com/kingmaker
Author Mario Giammetti is an esteemed Italian music journalist, author and musician with over 35 years' experience. He has written numerous books related to the world of Genesis and in 1991 he founded "Dusk", the only printed magazine in the world dedicated exclusively to Genesis, which continues to be published regularly.