Genesis. The first thing that would come to most people’s minds when you say that is crazy onstage costumes, songs that span light years, and most importantly, 5 men that were in their 20s when they started but somehow manage to look 40 at the same time. Well, in 1969 when their debut album released, Genesis were not that band at all, for starters Phil Collins wasn’t even the drummer nor Steve Hackett the guitarist. Those positions were taken by Anthony Phillips (guitar) and John Silver (drums), and all 5 of them were still pupils of Charterhouse School in Surrey. And believe me, what they recording sounded very different to what we come to recognise Genesis for. And now we get to discover it through a new 4 disc box set…
Disc one is a 2026 mix of the album, which starts with ‘Where the Sour Turns to Sweet’, a psychedelic folk pop track which is almost soulful with its string and horn sections in the chorus and the piano too. it’s actually a very fun track, and a good start to the album. Another standout track is ‘In the Beginning’ where things start to get a bit different, the intro is strange, using a strange rattling sci-fi movie intro noise. Then it turns into another psychedelic pop/folk tune, with this building melody throughout. It’s quite a basic track, but it isn’t bad, Peter Gabriel’s vocals are strong too. ‘Am I Very Wrong’ is a great song as well, it starts like a wedding song, before turning into this ominous folk tune. The guitar and subtle horns throughout are great to listen to, the melody is very cold and mysterious (and I mean that in the best way possible). The mix on all the tracks is crisp and clear, certain to say a bit of quality has been put into it by Stephen W Tayler.
Disc two is a mono LP mix of the album, which is a nice inclusion for older fans or diehards who want to hear the album in all formats. You can certainly hear on tracks like ‘A Winter’s Tale’ and ‘The Serpent’ that this is the original LP mix. It sounds raw, like it is being played out of the speakers of your old grandparents sound system, it has a warm fuzzy feeling to it, like a proper 60s record. Personally, I like the way that the instruments blend with each other a bit better on the original album mix, it feels very authentic and almost live, it’s a nice touch to include this in the box set.
Disc three is the original stereo mix, which is obviously similar to the mono, only difference being the audio being split between two channels, which when you’re listening through headphones or speakers, makes all the difference. To hear the sounds transferring between left and right on a song like ‘Fireside Song’, where the vocals and the instruments are streaming out of the different channels, it’s quite a satisfying way to listen.
Disc four is quite an interesting one, a compilation of demos recorded between 1967 and 1968. It’s a unique insight into the very beginning of Genesis and what they sounded like long before the prog rock spell. The first demo on the disc is ‘Patricia’, a lovely, simple acoustic track, it sounds pure and sweet. It is actually the early version of ‘In Hiding’ which would make the final cut of the album, but this raw sound has a charm to it. ‘Hey!’ is a demo from 1968, and what is weird is that it’s so different than what we know Genesis for, because it is pure late 60s pop. the piano sounds so jumpy, Gabriel sounds like he’s almost yearning. It’s really unique for them, and as a result it has quite a soft charm to it. definitely the most interesting disc in the set.
Genesis may have changed genres a few times since their debut album, but it is shocking to me that From Genesis to Revelation was never even close to being a commercial hit. Some of the tracks on the album are eccentric, but some of them fit right in with the time they were made, late 60s psychedelic folk/pop. but I suppose when they had so much competition around that time, it would have been difficult to break out so soon (give them a couple more years and they would be one of the most recognisable music names in Britain). But if you are interested in the humble origins of the prog rock virtuosos, then you have to give this set a try, and you might be surprised at how good the early works are, I certainly was.
Genesis: From Genesis to Revelation – Released 9 October 2026 (Cherry Red)
