Hear the Last Professional Recording Made of Genesis Performing with Peter Gabriel

On Jan. 24, 1975, Genesis performed at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium during their Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour. The band knew it would be their last tour with frontman Peter Gabriel; the audience didn’t. Just a few months later, drummer Phil Collins took over as lead singer, making this L.A. performance surprisingly historic. This recording from our vault, which includes hit single “The Carpet Crawlers,” marks the last professional recording with Peter Gabriel.

Gabriel’s departure threatened Genesis’ very existence. After all, he was more than a frontman; he interpreted the band’s proggy flights of fancy in literal and visual ways. Collins, who had sung backup to that point, didn’t have the same flair, but he did have the pipes. He reluctantly became the group’s lead singer, and as Genesis gradually transitioned from artful eccentrics to more reliable pop purveyors, his natural stage presence and ability to sing complex songs while drumming made the transition a smooth one.

Read our list of rock’s best singing drummers right here.