An early farewell to the U.K. leg of Genesis’s farewell tour occurred last week across the pond when the trio was forced “with huge regret†to postpone their final four stops due to “positive COVID-19 tests within the band†— implying that either Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, or Tony Banks was the infected party. (As of now, the fall and winter U.S. dates remain as scheduled.) “This is a hugely frustrating development within the band,†the October 8 statement read, “who are devastated with this unlikely turn of events.†However, if you venture into the depths of Genesis social media, fans of the British rockers paint a far more conspiratorial image of what’s going on if you splurge on a ticket: Collins, who has been suffering from serious health issues over the past few years and is confined to a chair for the tour’s performances, has been “often out of tune†and forgetting lyrics, in addition to heavily relying on backing vocalists. And Banks reportedly left the stage in a huff at the end of the October 7 Glasgow show, choosing not to bow with Rutherford and Collins.
Genesis’s farewell tour, “The Last Domino?,†was announced in March 2020 prior to the coronavirus pandemic bringing the live-music industry to a halt. Much to the chagrin of devoted fans, Mr. Sledgehammer himself, Peter Gabriel, was not asked to participate. “We all felt, ‘Why not?’†Collins explained at the time. “It sounds a bit of a lame reason — but we enjoy each other’s company; we enjoy playing together.†Collins has since revealed that he’s unable to play the drums anymore due to dislocated vertebrae, nerve damage, and foot fractures. He’s only taking on vocal duties for the tour.