Back in 1965 Anthony Phillips formed a band called Anon. Sadly, Anon was just what they were destined to remain except for two very important facts. First, the band was formed at Charterhouse, a huge and expensive school near Godalming in Surrey. Second, Mike Rutherford was also in its ranks.
One of the first things Anthony wrote was a song called “Patricia”. As Anon evolved into Genesis, the line-up included not only Phillips and Rutherford, but also Peter Gabriel, and Tony Banks. Anthony's “Patricia” became “In Hiding” and would appear on the first Genesis album. After signing a recording contract and releasing a couple of singles From Genesis To Revelation came out. The year was 1969.
1970 saw Genesis supporting the likes of Fairport Convention, Deep Purple, and Atomic Rooster. This was also the year that they signed to the Charisma label, appeared on the BBC Nightride programme, and released the breakthrough Trespass album. A feature of that record and the early Genesis sound was the gorgeous guitar work of both Anthony Phillips and Mike Rutherford.
The venues quickly got bigger and bigger as Genesis emerged as one of the bands to see. The story goes that it all proved too much for Anthony Phillips who left the band on the advice of his doctor following a battle against stage fright. Genesis of course continued their meteoric rise and became literally huge. Anthony could only watch from afar.
Now thanks to the Voiceprint label his solo albums are being lavishly re-released. They have been re-mastered, and carry an additional disc of bonus material, including many previously unheard gems, along with extensive album notes and great artwork.
The Geese And The Ghost
At the time he left Genesis he had already started to write the material that would eventually appear on his first solo album, The Geese And The Ghost. Within days of his departure he had written “Which Way The Wind Blows”, “God If I Saw Her Now”, and “Henry: Portraits From Tudor Times”.
However, some of the ideas dated back much earlier. The title track itself had been co-written with Rutherford back in 1969 and had originally been called “D Instrumental”. Also from that era we have the track “Collections”. Sadly, the album was shelved for several years as Anthony decided to undertake formal musical studies at the Guildhall School of Music in London.
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