SECONDS OUT

Some people may disagree, but as a Genesis fan since Trespass, I believe the band's live sound improved after Peter Gabriel left. Yes, some fans might think this opinion is sacrilegious, but Gabriel's departure may have inspired the band to grow and ultimately deliver a richer musical experience. This growth was clear?even during a brief reunion with Gabriel in the studio during the A Trick of the Tail sessions. After that session, Gabriel himself noticed the improvement in their sound, just nine months after he had left.

In July 1977, the Genesis lineup?including lead singer and drummer Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist Mike Rutherford, guitarist Steve Hackett, and touring drummer Chester Thompson?wrapped up a seven-month tour supporting Wind & Wuthering (1976). After the tour, the band began compiling a live album, selecting recordings from their 1976 and 1977 shows for their first official live release since Genesis Live (1973).

Seconds Out mainly features recordings from the band's four-night run at the Palais des Sports in Paris, from June 11?14, 1977. Collins remarked that the quality of these recordings was better than those from the year before, especially in his vocals and Banks's keyboard work. The extra time in Paris allowed the band to perfect their performances and produce high-quality recordings. One track, "The Cinema Show," was recorded at the Apollo in Glasgow on July 9, 1976, during the A Trick of the Tail tour, which featured Bill Bruford on drums. Other recordings from 1976, including "Firth of Fifth," "Los Endos," "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)," and "White Mountain," were mixed but later discarded. The band also recorded "Inside and Out" from the Spot the Pigeon EP, but they couldn't match the quality of the studio version. Notably, "I Know What I Like" includes a brief piece of the 1953 song "I Love Paris."

Seconds Out was announced to the press on October 8, 1977, but this news came with the surprise of Hackett's departure from Genesis. He had shared his decision with the band two months earlier while the album's tracks were being selected and mixed. Collins remembered seeing Hackett on the street and offering him a ride to the studio, which Hackett turned down. Collins only learned of Hackett's decision later from Banks and Rutherford. Hackett later reflected that if he had accepted that ride, Collins might have been the one person to make him reconsider.

Seconds Out shows us how Genesis improved their live sound and became one of the best progressive rock bands of the '70s. With Hackett's departure, Genesis was now preparing to face the future as a trio.

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