Genesis is the kind of band that reveals its true brilliance as you explore deeper into their discography. While many may be familiar with hits like ‘Invisible Touch’ and ‘That’s All’, there’s an irresistible charm in delving into tracks like ‘Jesus He Knows Me’ and ‘Tell Me Why’. Following Peter Gabriel’s departure from the group in 1975, Tony Banks expressed a sense of “relief”. However, as the saying goes, there are always two sides to every story, as Gabriel would later convey in his debut solo single.
Tensions were incredibly high when Gabriel left Genesis. It marked a significant turning point in both his career and the band’s trajectory: Gabriel had been the lead vocalist and one of the primary creative forces behind Genesis since its formation in 1967. His departure was widely regarded as primarily driven by artistic differences and a desire to pursue a solo career.
Gabriel also felt constrained within the band’s collaborative songwriting process and wanted to explore his own creative ideas more freely. He had become known for his elaborate stage performances and theatrical persona, which also set him apart from the rest of the band. Gabriel’s departure allowed him to fully express his artistic vision and experiment with different musical styles.
According to Banks, however, the frustrations within the group were growing to a point of no return. “Pete was also getting too big for the group,” he said. “He was being portrayed as if he was ‘the man’ and it really wasn’t like that. It was a very difficult thing to accommodate.” Gabriel wrote a statement regarding his departure to the press that was published with the title ‘Out, Angels Out’, which explained he had become disillusioned with the music industry and wanted to spend extended time with his family.
He subsequently expressed his feelings in his debut solo single ‘Solsbury Hill’. “Today I don’t need a replacement/ I’ll tell them what the smile on my face meant,” Gabriel sings, putting pen to paper to explain the feeling of “being prepared to lose what you have for what you might get,” as Gabriel stated, adding, “[the song is] about letting go.”
Despite having already made the decision to leave the band, ‘Solsbury Hill’ was the perfect goodbye to a significant chapter in Gabriel’s life. Not only did it poetically demonstrate his mindset at the time, but it also continued to showcase of his strength as a songwriter. When he sings: “Climbing up on Solsbury Hill/ I could see the city light/ Wind was blowing, time stood still/ Eagle flew out of the night,” we are right there with him, sharing in his moment of revelation.
It’s a subtle yet brilliant recurring motif in the composition: a moment filled with genuine fear and excitement. The onomatopoeic triplets resonate far more powerfully than a straightforward description like “my heart beating so fast” ever could. During live performances of the song, Gabriel’s drummer even mimics the “boom” sounds, although it might be considered redundant, given the already resounding echoes of each word.
What makes ‘Solsbury Hill’ so enduring is its refusal to frame departure as either triumph or regret. Gabriel does not cast himself as a misunderstood hero, nor does he linger on resentment toward his former bandmates. Instead, the song exists in a liminal space between certainty and doubt, capturing the uneasy calm that comes with choosing change before the consequences are fully clear. It is this emotional honesty that separates the song from a typical breakaway anthem.
In retrospect, the song also serves as a quiet counterpoint to Genesis’ own evolution without Gabriel. While the band would go on to find enormous commercial success, Gabriel’s path prioritised personal expression over cohesion. ‘Solsbury Hill’ stands as a reminder that creative freedom often comes at the cost of stability, but sometimes that trade is the only honest option available. Rather than closing the door on Genesis, the song simply acknowledges that the door was already open.
