And Then There Were Three, Genesis

Genesis – ...And Then There Were Three...

Artist: Genesis

Title: ...And Then There Were Three...

Album Type: Ninth Studio Album

Original Release Date: March 31, 1978

Label: Charisma (UK) / Atlantic (US)

Genre: Progressive Rock / Pop Rock / Art Rock

Background & Production As the title suggests, ...And Then There Were Three... was the first Genesis album recorded following the departure of influential guitarist Steve Hackett. This left the core trio of Phil Collins (vocals, drums), Tony Banks (keyboards), and Mike Rutherford (bass, guitars) to carry on. Recorded at Relight Studios in the Netherlands and produced by the band alongside David Hentschel, the album marked a significant turning point in the band's career. It moved away from the sprawling, side-long progressive epics of the Peter Gabriel and early Collins eras toward shorter, more concise song structures that would eventually lead to their 1980s superstardom.

Musical Composition & Themes While the album retains the lush, keyboard-driven textures characteristic of Genesis, the compositions are more direct and melodic.

• The Breakthrough Hit: "Follow You Follow Me" became the band's first major international hit single. Its gentle rhythm and sentimental lyrics provided a blueprint for the band's future commercial success while alienating some of their more hardline prog-rock fans.

• Prog-Rock Roots: Despite the move toward pop, tracks like "Burning Rope"—which Tony Banks considered his "magnum opus" for the album—and "The Lady Lies" still feature the complex arrangements and virtuosic keyboard solos that defined their 70s sound.

• Atmospheric Storytelling: The album is noted for its evocative, almost cinematic storytelling in tracks like "Deep in the Motherlode" and "Snowbound," blending Rutherford’s newfound lead guitar duties with Banks’ expansive use of the Yamaha CP-70 and Polymoog.

Legacy & Collector Notes The album was a commercial triumph, reaching #3 in the UK and #14 in the US, and was the band's first to be certified Gold in the States. The cover art, designed by Hipgnosis, utilized long-exposure light trails to symbolize the "vanishing" members of the band, a striking visual for the era. For vinyl collectors, original UK Charisma "Mad Hatter" labels are highly prized for their pressing quality, while the album remains a pivotal piece of the Genesis discography, documenting the bridge between their progressive past and their pop future.

• Keywords: Genesis, Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Follow You Follow Me, Charisma Records, 1978 Vinyl, Progressive Rock, Art Rock, Hipgnosis.

• Collection Ideas: Progressive Rock Evolution, 70s Best Sellers, Essential Trio Albums, Genesis Discography.

• Related Artists: Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike + The Mechanics, Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer.

MINT - sealed

NM - likely never played - almost perfect

VG+ - light scuffs, light scratches wont effect play

VG -  signs of wear, light scratches you can feel

GOOD -  surface noise, visible groove wear

POOR / FAIR- some damage, causing issues like skipping & distorted audio

OIS - original inner sleeve