Turn It On Again

The Zoo Crew is spinning Genesis's "Turn It On Again" from their 1980 album Duke, a track that’s got the Zoo Freaks vibing with its quirky rhythm and catchy hook. This song, a UK Top 10 hit, is a fascinating piece of Genesis history. According to a post from the band’s official X account, the song was born from scraps intended for solo projects by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, originally meant for Banks’ A Curious Feeling and Rutherford’s Smallcreep’s Day. The band melded these into a track with an unusual 13/8 time signature, giving it a deceptively complex edge beneath its pop sheen. In a 1980 Rolling Stone review, David Fricke called it "vibrant rock & roll," noting how the band’s rhythmic interplay created a fresh urgency. The lyrics, penned by Rutherford, tell the story of a lonely guy obsessed with TV characters, believing they’re his friends—a quirky narrative that resonated with fans for its oddball charm.

Another tidbit comes from the band’s 2007 Duke reissue interviews, where they revealed the song was part of a larger, unfulfilled vision. Initially, "Turn It On Again" was one piece of a 30-minute suite about a character named Albert, alongside tracks like "Behind the Lines" and "Duchess." The band opted to split the suite to avoid being pigeonholed as prog rock dinosaurs, a decision some fans lamented, as noted in a Prog Archives review. A post on X from 2024 highlights a live performance from the 1981 Abacab tour, featured on the Three Sides Live DVD, showing how the song became a staple of their energetic shows. Fans on the Turn It On Again: A Genesis Forum often debate its shift from prog to pop, with some calling it the last gasp of classic Genesis.

Genesis began in 1967 at Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey, where young students Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Peter Gabriel, Anthony Phillips, and Chris Stewart formed a band. Their name came from pop impresario Jonathan King, who signed them to record their debut, From Genesis to Revelation, in 1969. Influenced by the Beatles, classical music, and Stax soul, they blended pop, folk, and psychedelic sounds. Early gigs at venues like The Temple in London, as logged on Genesis - The Movement, built their cult following. After parting with King, they honed their craft through relentless touring, with Gabriel’s theatrical vocals—shaped by Otis Redding—setting them apart. By 1970, Phil Collins and Steve Hackett joined, stabilizing the lineup and steering Genesis toward progressive rock with albums like Nursery Cryme.

The band’s breakthrough came in the 1970s with elaborate live shows and albums like The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Gabriel’s departure in 1975 and Hackett’s in 1977 pushed Collins to the front, transforming Genesis into a pop-rock powerhouse with Duke and later Invisible Touch. Their ability to evolve, as noted on Britannica, made them one of the top 30 highest-selling artists, with 150 million albums sold. Fans can connect with Genesis on their Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts, where they share tour throwbacks and album anniversaries. Dedicated fan sites like Genesis - The Movement and Genesis News, plus the Genesis Fans Facebook group, keep the community buzzing with discussions and rare bootlegs.