A Trick Of The Tail

A Trick of the Tail was the seventh studio album by the progressive rock band Genesis and the first to feature Phil Collins as full-time lead vocalist following the departure of original vocalist Peter Gabriel. It was released in February 1976.

After Peter Gabriel left Genesis, the remaining members held auditions for a permanent lead singer, although some members (most notably Banks) considered continuing as an instrumental act, while most songs were written without knowledge as to how they would be sung. Initially, Phil Collins did not wish to take over from Gabriel, instead teaching the potential lead singers the songs. It has been noted over 400 people auditioned. One of the auditionees, Mick Strickland, came close, but the band and Strickland decided against working together in the end. According to the band members, the backing tracks for A Trick Of The Tail had already been recorded and were in a key in which Strickland was not comfortable singing. When the auditions failed to produce a suitable vocalist, Collins reluctantly went in the studio to sing “Squonk” and the band decided that Collins should be the new vocalist.

The album was recorded and mixed at Trident Studios in October / November 1975. It also marked the first album that the band would co-produce with David Hentschel. They would work with David for the next four years.