A Trick Of The Tail  by Genesis

The seventh album by Genesis finds the band recording as a quartet since Peter Gabriel officially left the group in August 1975, a decision that left most of the band's fans speechless. Therefore, as Genesis entered the studio in October 1975, they had to prove that they could continue without Gabriel. Phil Collins now takes over the lead vocals, and the challenge is significant. After two months of recording, the album A Trick Of The Tail is ready and is released in mid-February 1976.

Beyond the structural change brought about by Gabriel's departure, there was an additional change. The new producer for Genesis was David Hentschel, inaugurating his collaboration with them with A Trick Of The Tail and completing it with Duke in 1980. The compositions of A Trick Of The Tail are creations of all four members, but it's the first time that next to each song it is clearly stated who wrote it. The "rule," where everyone was credited with the composition regardless of whether their contribution was large, small, or negligible, ceases to apply. Musically, the album continues to belong to the domain of progressive rock, but in compositions such as the album's title track or Mad Man Moon, the art rock elements that will dominate their sound in subsequent albums are evident.

Ultimately, the Genesis quartet seemed to win the bet. A Trick Of The Tail is considered among the band's masterpiece albums. The album reached No. 3 in the United Kingdom and No. 31 on the Billboard. Its sales have now surpassed 4,000,000 copies worldwide.