"Genesis Live" is the first live album from the English rock band, Genesis. Released in July 1973, the album is compiled mostly from a single performance on February 25 in Leicester and is the only album to feature original lead singer, Peter Gabriel. It was intended as a stopgap release to satiate fans while the band recorded their next studio album, "Selling England by the Pound."
The album contains five tracks, all of which capture the band's progressive rock style. Its energy and bombastic nature represent a contrast to the band's more subdued studio work. The five songs were drawn from the group's two preceding studio albums, "Trespass," "Nursery Cryme," and "Foxtrot." Despite the album's success, reaching No. 9 in the UK, the band was not entirely satisfied with the quality, believing it did not capture their sound as well as later live recordings.
Riding high on their budding fame, Genesis used the live performances to break new ground, introducing theatrical elements to their shows for the first time. The Gabriel-fronted Genesis was known for its dramatic performances, with costumes, make-up, and elaborate story-telling between songs. This would hallmark their concerts for the duration of Gabriel’s time with the band, and "Genesis Live" offers a snapshot of this formative period in their history.
