Hello, everyone! This is Richard and welcome to my new story! It's a bit different to my normal work, but I hope that the hard core Genesis fans get my drift!
Basically, I have taken the hit band Genesis from their classical prog rock period of 1970-75, and have placed them in modern day England. It's a bit odd, because all the band members were quite young at this point. And in real life today, they'd be in their 60s! Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel actually turned 65 recently. Happy birthday, Steve and Peter!
All band members look like they did between 1970-75, so they are 20-25 years old. They are all aware of what happened to their band since then, so they know that Gabriel left in 1975, Hackett left in 1977 and Collins left in 1996- leaving the band on a hiatus since then. Obviously, since there were tensions in the band since its beginning, they will be arguing and yelling at each other, but they all live together in one house and it's very much like they are students sharing a flat.
Characters are thus:
Peter Gabriel: The lead singer of Genesis from its beginning in 1967-75. In real life, Pete is a very much reserved, laidback man, yet on stage he was completely wild, wearing many outreageous costumes in different songs. Here, his personality is based on his stage persona, and so he is very loud, outgoing and happy. He has had an extremely successful solo career, with albums like "So" and "Melt" going worldwide. Here, he is the boss- like he was in real life- and loves to flounce around in his outfits. He gets on quite well with Collins and often argues with Banks, like he also did in real life.
Steve Hackett: The lead guitarist of the band and the eldest member, beating Gabriel by a day. He is a very skilled guitarist and his best solo has got to be in the song: "Firth of Fifth" in the album, "Selling England By The Pound". Here, he is the main butt of everyone's jokes. This is because there were many tensions among him and the other three band members when he left in 1977, as he felt creatively stifled by them and couldn't work in that environment anymore. In KOP!, these tensions are high and poor Steve is not allowed to forget what happened. He is close to Collins in this story and in real life, I think he was close to Collins as well- as both joined the band around the same time and wrote the song "For Absent Friends" together as a sort of welcome song into the band.
Mike Rutherford: A very laid back sort of man and the second guitarist and bass player in the band. In real life, he and Tony Banks were always around one another, and they were the last two founding members- and the only members- left when Genesis disbanded in 1996. They worked together on "Calling All Stations" in 1996, but their duo lasted for two years. He is also known for being in "Mike + The Mechanics" in the 1980s as a side-career to Genesis, and this solo career was very popular. In KOP!, he is a laid back type of chap, always with Banks and loves to mess around with Collins. He likes to piss off Steve and acts as a clamping agent in the band, though he can be stiff and arrogant of his success.
Tony Banks: The main keyboardist and the drive and heart of Genesis: AKA: 'Mr Genesis'. He is the quietest band member, hardly ever smiles, and is always around Rutherford. He likes to accompany someone else with Rutherford when it comes to music, and isn't one for centre stage like Gabriel and Collins are. When he does smile, it means a lot, and he is a very stiff, arrogant type of man- envious of Hackett and the others for all having successful solo careers while his wasn't as successful. He gets on well with Collins and Rutherford and acts as a protector towards them both, particularly Collins.
Phil Collins: The baby of the band, and the youngest. When he entered the band in 1970, he was the only skilled musician among them, as his career on the drums was his literal job to earn money. He went to drama school, and came from a more relaxed background than the others- so when arguments were high: especially between Gabriel and Banks, he was always worried it was his fault, and didn't understand what was going on. Thus here, he is the innocent one and loves to cling to Banks, Rutherford and particularly Hackett. He is very laid back due to his creative background compared to the others' private school ones, and is able to make everyone laugh with his sense of humour. In real life, he has been dubbed 'the most hated man in rock' for when he took Genesis to a new level after 1975, making them more commercially successful with pop songs that made many hard core prog fans dislike him. He is a very skilled drummer and singer with a extremely successful solo career- equivalent to that of Gabriel's-, featuring on film soundtracks like Tarzan and Brother Bear in the 1990s and 2000s. Between Genesis and solo work, he has sold over 200 million albums worldwide.
Tony Banks- born 27th March 1950- aged 64.
Peter Gabriel- born 13th February 1950- aged 65.
Steve Hackett- born 12th February 1950- aged 65.
Mike Rutherford- born 2nd October 1950- aged 64.
Phil Collins- born 30th January 1951- aged 64.
Genesis joined forces/founded: Easter 1967.
Steve Hackett joined: January 1971, left June 1977.
Phil Collins joined: August 1970, left March 1996.
Peter Gabriel left: August 1975
"ALRIGHT! EVERYONE, GET UP BEFORE I MAKE A KNUCKLE SANDWHICH OUT OF YOUR HEADS!'
Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford both precisely shot up out of bed at the same as each other, hair wild and eyes wide.
"What on earth?!" Rutherford sighed. "Not this again?!"
The door flung open, revealing a tall, wide eyed, man clutching at his fox mask. "BANKS! RUTHERFORD! DID YOU BREAK MY FOX MASK AGAIN?!"
"Bloody hell, Gabriel!" Banks snapped. "We did not break your bloody fox mask! Ask Hackett!"
Gabriel stormed out of the room.
"HACKETT! HACKETT!"
Steve Hackett was buried under his pillow, brown hair tousled in sleep.
Gabriel barged in. He turned on the light and Hackett screamed.
"HOLY MOTHER OF HELL!" Hackett screeched. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!"
Gabriel slammed down the mask. "My fox mask!" he wailed. "Did you break it?"
"No! I was here in my room!"
By this time, Banks and Rutherford had crawled out of their beds and were crowded round the door, tittering and giggling.
"Then who broke it?"
"Maybe Phil broke it! Ever think of that before barging into my room uninvited?!" Hackett flung a pillow at the door. "Go away! I want my sleep!"
Gabriel's eyes widened and he barged out of the room.
Phil Collins, the baby in the Genesis group, was snoring loudly in his sleep, drool pooling out of his mouth as he dreamed peacefully. He was so absorbed in his sleep that he didn't notice the door slam open and his body being shaken by an angry pair of hands.
"Phil! Phil!"
Collins waved the intruder away. "Five more minutes, Pete..."
"Did you break my mask?"
"Wha'?"
"My fox mask. For the Musical Box song."
"No... You did."
Gabriel's eyes widened. "How?" he gasped.
"You threw it out the window last night..." Phil slurred in his sleep. "You lost a bet with Banks and threw it at him. He ducked. Wooossshh!" He makes motions with his hands in the air. They fall back onto bed with a thump. "Bye, bye, foxy!"
Banks and Rutherford collapse in laughter by the door where they are watching. Gabriel goes bright red and turns on them.
"Shut the hell up, you wankers!"
Hackett walks past, wearing a black dressing gown and holding a cup of water. He yawns as he walks past and shakes his head at the sight of Collins passed out on his bed, Gabriel yelling profanities and Banks and Rutherford pissing themselves laughing on the floor.
He checks his watch. 7:59 on a Saturday morning.
"Tossers..." he sighs.
That morning, the group sit around their 'meeting table'. Gabriel stands up at the front and strikes a marching pose. "Right, you beautiful lot of tossers-"
"Charming..." Rutherford comments.
"We're going out shopping!"
Hackett, who's sleeping with his head on the table, raises a hand.
Gabriel points to him. "Steve!"
"Why do we have to shop? I went shopping two days ago."
"Because we're going on tour soon and I want to make sure there is enough food."
Banks raises a hand.
"Banks!"
"You have to be kidding right?"
"Yeah... We're going to actually go out to the park."
"WHAT?!" the others shot up, even sleepy Hackett.
"YOU MEAN THAT YOU WOKE US UP FOR NOTHING!?" Banks yelled.
"I wanted a lie in this morning!" Hackett moaned.
"So did I!" Rutherford yelled.
"Can I eat now?" Collins raises a hand.
"Oh come on, you sorry lot! You need to get out more!" Gabriel scoffed. "You guys are my friends, I want to spend time with you!"
"Peter, we do not have to be woken up at 8:00 in the morning to go out to a fucking park!" Rutherford sighed.
"Yeah, we could just watch a movie or something?" Banks suggested.
"Can I eat now?" Collins asked.
"Why not practice our music?" Hackett yawned. "Or even better, go back to bed?"
Gabriel raises up his hands. "Fine! We'll go out later! Let's snuggle on the sofa and watch Jeremy Kyle instead."
"The One Show," Banks pipes up.
"Top Gear. I was on that once," Rutherford says.
"BBC1," Hackett yawns.
"Can I eat now?" Collins asks.
"Fine. Let's watch whatever's on!" Gabriel grabs Rutherford by the arm and pulls him out of the room. "Let's go, chaps!"
Tony leaves with them and Steve looks down at Collins, who is sat there deflated at the table. He puts a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "What's wrong, Phil?" he asks, concerned.
Collins looks up. "Can I eat now, Steve?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
"What are these dogs doing sniffin' at my feet? They're up to something! Pickin' up, pickin' up, this heat!" Gabriel sings as he lands onto the sofa.
Banks rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we get that your solo careers made millions. Don't rub it in." He lands on the sofa beside Rutherford, who grins.
"Oh, come on, Tony!" Rutherford smiles. "Your music was great! Just..."
"Not popular like yours, I get it..."
"Oh, Banks..." Rutherford wraps an arm around the older man's shoulders. "I love your stuff! Gabriel does too! Don't you, Pete?"
He gives a glare to the other man, and Gabriel shakes his head. "Yeah, yeah, I love it too, Tony!"
"Liar."
Collins comes in and laughs. "Tony! Your music is great, considering that you're the main lyricist in the group!"
"Hey!" Hackett comes in behind. "What about mine?"
"Your music is great too, Steve!"
Hackett coughs into his hand: "Wind and Wuthering: 1977."
"What was that?" Rutherford glares his way.
"Nothing, Mike!" Hackett grins.
"Hmmm..."
"Anyway, let's watch TV!" Gabriel hollers and grabs the remote. "Snuggle up, Mike!"
"Why would I snuggle with you?" Rutherford raises an eyebrow, but he shuffles down next to Banks and grins. "Anyway, what's on?"
Collins sits down in front of the sofa on the floor and Hackett stands behind it, leaning forward as Gabriel flickers through the channels.
"CBBC!" Collins yells, a fist in the air.
"Top Gear!" Hackett interjects.
"The news!" Banks cheers.
"No, Cowboy Builders!" Rutherford shouts.
"Alright! As the leader of this band, I shall choose what we watch!" Gabriel screeches over the banter of noise.
"Hell, no!" Collins stands up. "You left the band in 1975 and I became the leader! I should choose!"
"Oh, we're going there are we, Collins?" Gabriel stands up and glares down at the smaller and younger man. "That's your card?"
"Maybe we should pull straws..." Hackett suggests.
"No, let's go from oldest to youngest. The oldest goes first."
"HA!" Gabriel cheers. "That's me! 13th February 1950! Oh yeah!"
"Um, actually, you're the second oldest, Gabriel..." Banks frowns.
Gabriel stops cheering, frowning. "Who else could be the oldest?"
Rutherford and Banks look at each other. Then back at the group singer. "Steve," they say in unison.
Gabriel looks to Hackett, who is grinning. "12th February 1950..." he states. "Sorry, Pete, but I'm the oldest and I will choose this time. You're next, then Banks, then Rutherford, then Collins."
He takes the controls and falls back into the sofa, changing the channel with a satisfied sigh.
"Ah... Top Gear!" He looks up at Gabriel, who is fuming, Banks on the sofa, who looks serious- as always- Rutherford, who's sniggering, Collins, who is smiling. "Sit down, chaps! It's just about to start!"
Gabriel slumps down onto the sofa, defeated.
"Ah, come on, Pete!" Rutherford laughs. "After all,"
He, Collins, Banks and Hackett lean in close and sing out loud:
"Don't give up!
Cause you have friends!
Don't give up!
You're not beaten yet!"
"You can have your turn: Tonight, tonight, tonight! Ooooohhhhh!" Collins sings out loud.
Hackett leans over to high five Rutherford and Banks, all laughing. "Good one, Phil!" the guitarist laughs.
"They don't call me the theatrical one for nothing! I went to drama school!" Collins grins proudly.
"I hate you all..." Gabriel sighs.
