‘Keep It Dark’: the Genesis song about alien abduction
Genesis established their identity as an unconventional prog-rock group led by Peter Gabriel but eventually transitioned toward a more pop-oriented sound. After Gabriel’s departure in 1974, the responsibility fell into the capable hands of drummer Phil Collins, accompanied by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, completing the enduring trio.
As the late 1970s approached, Collins’ vibrant creative impulses started to manifest in a solo career. While his inclination towards soul-infused pop was not entirely mirrored by Banks and Rutherford, they, too, embarked on individual solo ventures during this period. However, marking a significant departure from the band’s earlier progressive rock sound, 1981’s Abacab embraced a more commercial and pop-oriented approach.
The band began rehearsals for the album in November 1980 after purchasing a farmhouse with an adjoining cowshed near Chiddingfold, Surrey. During the remodelling of the building into a studio, the trio regrouped at the farmhouse to engage in the writing and rehearsal of new material. Initially conducted in the living room, the recording sessions for the album commenced in March 1981 once the studio became operational.
Abacab marked the first Genesis album recorded in England since A Trick of the Tail in 1976. The recording stage coincided with the rising success of Collins’ debut solo album, even though the style and sound of Abacab diverted significantly from Face Value. While it marked a departure from their progressive rock roots, the album’s success demonstrated the band’s ability to reinvent themselves and remain relevant in the ever-changing landscape of popular music.
While the title track fluctuated between being too intricately meaningful for even the band members to comprehend and having no meaning at all, the song ‘Keep It Dark’ claimed to hold all the answers. Describing a wistful exploration into the meaning of life that remains elusive, Tony Banks elucidated on the 2007 DVD re-release of the album.
He explained: “The idea was that this character had to pretend that he’d just been robbed by people and that’s why he’d disappeared for a few weeks, and in fact what had happened [was] he’d been taken up in a spaceship and gone to this fantastic world where everything was wonderful and beautiful and everything… but he couldn’t tell anybody that, because no one would believe him.”
Although ‘Keep It Dark’ explores themes of mystery and the unknown, the song also delves into the idea of keeping certain aspects hidden or undisclosed, particularly in the context of the meaning of life. Despite the shift in musical style on the album and the dark undertones of the track, this chapter demonstrated Genesis’ ability to craft engaging and radio-friendly tracks.
