Keep It Dark

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some cosmic vibes as The Zoo Crew spins "Keep It Dark" by Genesis from their 1981 album Abacab. This track is a quirky gem with a wild backstory. According to Tony Banks in a 2007 DVD re-release interview, the song tells the tale of a guy abducted by aliens, whisked away to a utopian world, and forced to keep mum about it because no one would believe him. It’s like a sci-fi fever dream wrapped in synths! Fans on Songfacts have noted its unusual 6/4 time signature, with one listener, Robert from the USA, describing it as a "fun musical puzzle" that starts on the "4-and" beat, showcasing Genesis’s knack for tricky rhythms. Another fan, Jesse from Madison, WI, praised Banks’s "dreamy" synthesizer work, calling it a standout on the album and tying it to the song’s spacey theme.

The song’s experimental edge didn’t always land smoothly. On Reddit, a user called it a "perfect case" of Genesis’s ambition, blending complex rhythms with pop sensibilities, but admitted the repetitive six-note guitar solo grated on them. During the 1981 Abacab tour, the band faced pushback, with some crowds—like one in Leiden, Holland—booing newer material, though "Keep It Dark" was quirky enough to win over some fans, as noted in a Louder review. Genesis News called it "spectacularly unspectacular," highlighting Phil Collins’s percussion and Mike Rutherford’s guitar riff loop, which gave it a punky vibe the band jokingly dubbed "Genesis punk."

Genesis started in 1967 at Charterhouse School in Surrey, England, when schoolmates Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, and Anthony Phillips formed a band to blend pop and progressive sounds. Their early gigs, as detailed on their official bio, were rough—think small crowds and gear hauled in a bread van. By 1969, they signed with Charisma Records, releasing their debut Trespass in 1970, a folk-prog mix that hinted at their theatrical future. Gabriel’s flamboyant stage antics, like wearing costumes, set them apart, but he left in 1975, followed by guitarist Steve Hackett in 1977. Phil Collins, initially the drummer, took over vocals, steering the band toward poppier shores with hits like "Follow You Follow Me." The Abacab era, with its stark, synth-driven sound, marked their full embrace of the ’80s, as Banks explained in a Songfacts interview, aiming for something "stark and abstract."

Stay connected with Genesis through their Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts, where they share tour updates and throwbacks like a 2023 post celebrating Abacab’s UK #1 status. Fans can dive deeper on sites like Genesis News, which offers tour reports and interviews, or join the Genesis Fans Facebook group to swap stories and bootlegs. The r/Genesis subreddit is another hotspot for debates over tracks like "Keep It Dark" and the band’s prog-to-pop evolution. So, Zoo Freaks, keep those dials locked on THE ZOO and let Genesis take you to the stars!