The Early Gigs

The 1969-1971 period during Genesis' career in which many shows were played across the United Kingdom without an organized tour is commonly referred to as The Early Gigs. The band played many shows at various locations in England, Scotland, Wales, and Belgium during 1969, 1970, and 1971.

History

Genesis' contract with Decca Records, in which their debut album was released, had expired. Before they were signed with Charisma Records, the shows were played in search of a new record label. During the "tour," Genesis mostly performed at parties and small clubs and was not a well-known band at the time. Occasionally, Genesis was a support act for other bands such as David Bowie and Queen. They also performed as part of a package tour in early 1971 alongside the bands Van der Graaf Generator and Lindisfarne.

Set Lists

Details of the set lists for these shows are very sketchy. Many of the songs played during this period were never recorded in any form, even in the studio. Set lists changed often; a group of songs could be played at one show, and the next show's set list could be entirely different.

Songs From the Period

Most of the songs played during this tour include (in alphabetical order):

• Babies
• Black Sheep (A cover of the nursery rhyme.)
• Build me a Mountain
• Classic
• Chobham Chords
• The Conquerer
• Crossroads (A cover of blues singer Robert Johnson's song, which was made famous by Eric Clapton.)
• Digby of the Rambling Lake (Also known simply as "Digby.")
• Do I Still Figure in Your Life? (A cover of a Honeybus single, titled "(Do I Figure) In Your Life.")
• Eastern Magic Boogie
• Epic
• Family (Possibly named after progressive rock group Family and later known as "Dusk.")
• The Fountain of Salmacis
• Going out to get you
• Grandma
• Happy the Man
• In Hiding
• In Limbo
• In the Beginning
• In the Meanwhile
• In the Wilderness
• I've Been Traveling all Night Long (Also known as "Rock my Baby" and "Bye-Bye Johnny" and later re-worked as "Can-Utility and the Coastliners" for Genesis' 1972 Foxtrot album.)
• Jamaican Longboat
• Johnny B. Goode (A cover of the song by American rock and roll artist Chuck Berry.)
• Key to Love
• Let us now Make Love
• The Light (Never recorded, but pieces of it ended up as "Lilywhite Lilith" and "The Colony of Slippermen," both on the 1974 album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.)
• Little Leaf (Later re-worked by Anthony Phillips on his Private Parts and Pieces III: Antiques album from 1981 as "Old Wives' Tale.")
• Looking for Someone
• Masochistic Man
• The MusicAL Box
• Moss (Also known as "The Epilogue.")
• Movement (Later re-worked as "Stagnation.")
• The Mystery of the Flannan Isle Lighthouse
• The Nice (Later known as The Knife.)
• One Day
• Pacidy
• The Return of the Giant Hogweed
• The Serpent
• The Shepherd
• Silver Song
• Sitting on Top of the World (A cover of a single released the blues-folk group Mississippi Sheiks and made famous by many different artists.)
• Stranger (Avaliable on the reissue of Anthony Phillips' 1978 album Private Parts and Pieces.)
• Stumble (A cover of blues guitarist Freddie King's song, which was made famous by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.)
• Think Again
• Twilight Alehouse
• Visions of Angels
• Wandering
• Waterlily
• White Mountain
• Window
• Winter Flies by
• Wooden Mask

September 23, 1969: Balmes’s Dance in Chobham, England

Set One:

1. In the Beginning
2. The Serpent
3. Going out to get you
4. Masochistic Man
5. Stumble
6. Black Sheep
7. Visions of Angels

Set Two:

1. Build me a Mountain
2. In Limbo
3. Sitting on top of the World
4. Key To Love
5. Chobham Chords
6. Digby of the Rambling Lake
7. The Nice

Set Three:

1. Little Leaf
2. Pacidy
3. Family
4. White Mountain
5. Window
6. Stranger
7. Babies

Set Four:

1. Movement
2. One Day
3. Grandma
4. Let us now Make Love
5. The Conqueror
6. Crossroads

November 1, 1969: Brunel University Student's Hall in Acton, England

1. In the Wilderness
2. Masochistic Man
3. Stumble
4. Black Sheep
5. Build Me a Mountain
6. In Limbo
7. Digby
8. Little Leaf
9. Babies
10. Key to Love
11. Looking For Someone
12. Twilight Alehouse
13. Sitting on Top of the World
14. Pacidy

March 7, 1971: La Ferme in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium

1. Happy the Man
2. Stagnation
3. The Light
4. Twilight Alehouse
5. The Musical Box
6. The Knife
7. Going out to get you

Tour Dates

§ - Unsure date.

Personnel

From September 23, 1969 to July 18, 1970:

• Peter Gabriel - lead vocals, flute, bass drum
• Anthony Phillips - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Tony Banks - organ, piano, 12-string acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Mike Rutherford - bass guitar, twelve string acoustic guitar, cello, backing vocals
• John Mayhew - drums, percussion

In late July, Anthony Phillips left. From August 6 to September 17, 1970, Genesis played as a four piece without a lead guitarist (Gabriel, Banks, Rutherford, Mayhew). This lineup played ten concerts.

In late September, John Mayhew was replaced by Phil Collins. From October 2 to October 23, Genesis continued to play as a four piece without a lead guitarist (Gabriel, Banks, Rutherford, Collins). This lineup played eleven concerts.

At the end of October, Mick Barnard joined as lead guitarist. From November 3, 1970 to January 10, 1971, the band played as a five piece (Gabriel, Barnard, Banks, Rutherford, Collins). This lineup played thirty concerts and one television appearance.

After this, Steve Hackett replaced Mick Barnard, and from January 14, 1971 until 1975 Genesis lineup was as follows:

• Peter Gabriel - lead vocals, flute, oboe, bass drum
• Steve Hackett - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Tony Banks - organ, piano, other keyboards, 12-string acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Mike Rutherford - bass guitar, twelve string acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Phil Collins - drums, percussion, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals