Following the band’s last performance, Peter Gabriel went backstage, as drummer Nic Collins of Genesis disclosed. Gabriel, who departed from the pop-progressive titans in 1975, was present in the London crowd last month when Nic Collins’ father, Phil Collins, led the group for its farewell performance.
“It was weird,” Nic Collins told Rolling Stone of the moments that followed. “I thought that I’d be a bit more emotional and sad, but I was happy. It was a great show. It was a great way to end it. Afterwards, we got changed and had dinner and everyone was there. … It was just a great vibe. Everybody was hanging out. We were lucky that it was the end of the trip, so the COVID thing didn’t have to be such a precaution for us. … We were finally able to have people backstage and to genuinely hang out. We were unable to do anything along those lines the entire tour. It was wonderful to see everyone there and hear people at the previous concert.
He disclosed that it was his first encounter with Gabriel: “It had a significant impact on both my dad’s and my life to be able to finally talk to someone I knew. Given the majority of the material we were performing was from the Peter Gabriel era, It felt so good to be able to speak with him at last.
Gabriel reportedly told Collins, “It was an amazing show.” It was important to him too, he remarked, so he was glad to be there. In 1975, he departed, never to return. He never resorted to the Genesis content. He enjoyed enormous success in his individual endeavors. But having him there was simply fantastic. “This is the end of something I was a part of,” he declared. We had a quick conversation. After that, he and my dad had a lengthy conversation catching up on all of their wonderful memories. It was really amazing to witness.
When asked if more Genesis performances with Gabriel instead of Phil Collins were a possibility, Nic said, “I don’t think so.” It’s not something I’ve heard about. I am aware that several fans brought it up, particularly in the early going of the reunion. However, I believe that in the end, the band has expanded, and members have left to pursue their own endeavors. Right now, I don’t believe it to be possible.
