No. 845 – Fading Lights

Performer: Genesis

Songwriters: Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford

Original Release: We Can’t Dance

Year: 1991

Definitive Version: None

After I found Genesis in 1983, they quickly became my favorite active band, but it became increasingly clear that after Invisible Touch they were going to part ways soon. Of course, Phil Collins’ career was mushrooming, and even he said he just didn’t have time for Genesis any more.

So, I was actually surprised to read that they were going to release a new album, this album, with a massive tour to follow. In retrospect, it should have been billed as what it was—a farewell, at least with Collins—because that’s certainly what it was. I guess instead they decided they just would tell those who were paying attention, because this song—the final song on the album—couldn’t have been more clear that this was the end.

At the time maybe I didn’t want to see it. Hey, Genesis was touring. Who cares why? You know you’re huge when you can play Ohio Stadium, which is where I saw Genesis in the early summer of 1992.

If I remember correctly, Genesis was only the second band to play Ohio Stadium after Pink Floyd in 1988, so I was excited to see a show there for the first time. (I missed Pink Floyd, but I’ve seen three others there since.)

Interestingly, almost everyone I knew in Columbus—all my friends, my whole family (Dad and Laura got better seats due to a better connection) and even my ex-girlfriend and her sister—was there. We sat a couple rows behind Erin, Beth’s sister, and I hadn’t seen her since the breakup five years before.

Now that I think about it, it would have been appropriate to have seen Beth there, even with her husband, considering the role that Genesis played during our relationship. We had gone our separate ways and now Genesis was too. The circle was complete.