How a 1986 Genesis song helped Phil Collins make chart history: “I had decided to stay in the band”
In early 1984, Genesis found themselves at the peak of their success. Fresh off a triumphant tour and riding high on the popularity of their self-titled album, anything was possible. As they embarked on the writing sessions for Invisible Touch in 1985, there was a palpable sense of confidence among the group.
With their newfound status as a major live attraction and unprecedented commercial success worldwide, Invisible Touch was approached with a renewed sense of assurance. Genesis stepped into the studio without any predetermined notions, crafting songs from recorded jams and improvisations. The band found that their most potent compositions emerged from this approach, leading them to repeat it for the new album.
By the mid-1980s, Genesis had fully transformed from the ambitious prog-rock outsiders of the Peter Gabriel era into one of the biggest pop-rock bands in the world. While some long-time fans lamented the shift towards shorter, more radio-friendly songs, the group viewed it less as a commercial compromise and more as a natural evolution of their songwriting instincts.
The relaxed atmosphere worked well, especially for Collins, who appreciated the unpredictability of it all: “You never quite know what’s going to happen,” he said. “It’s just the three of us chopping away, fine-tuning and honing down all these ideas.” As a result, the album marked a departure for the band, who replaced their well-known theatrical music with a more pop sound.
Even so, traces of Genesis’ progressive roots remained embedded within Invisible Touch. Beneath the glossy production and catchy hooks, the band still approached arrangements with the same musical precision and collaborative experimentation that had defined their earlier, more sprawling records.
Penned by Collins, the album’s title track revolves around a woman who exerts a powerful influence over the singer. Despite his attraction to her, he senses an underlying sense of unease or sinister presence. This is evident in the lines: “She crawls under your skin, you’re never quite the same, and now I know / She’s got something you just can’t trust / It’s something mysterious / And now it seems I’m falling, falling for her.”
Moreover, Genesis achieved an impressive feat with this song as they reached the pinnacle of success, clinching the coveted number one spot on the charts. Up until this point, the band had 17 top 40 hits in the US but never a number one. Hence, the achievements of ‘Invisible Touch’ undeniably adds an intriguing layer to their transatlantic legacy, its success reflecting their innate ability to create music that strikes a chord with audiences worldwide.
It makes sense, therefore, as to why Collins once described it as one of his favourite Genesis songs, adding: “There was a Sheila E. record out at the time, I think it was Glamorous Life, and I wanted to write my own version of that. I had decided to stay in the band even though my solo career had taken off. When you’re in a band, it’s family. There’s the road crew and their families to think about. If you just flippantly say, ‘I’m leaving,’ they’re like, ‘We’ve just bought a house with a mortgage.’ You can’t do that to people.”
Mike Rutherford shared a similar sentiment, expressing his appreciation for the impact the song creates when performed live. “The best songs tend to get written quickly,” he explained. “That’s how it was with ‘Invisible Touch’. We’d rock up, have a cup of tea, see what happened. On day one, we had no songs, no ideas, and a blank bit of paper. Phil was always keen to fill that bit of paper – he was very organised – and we let him. It’s a wonderful song: upbeat, fun to play, always a strong moment in any gig.”
Although Invisible Touch divided sections of Genesis’ audience upon release, the title track has endured as one of the defining songs of the band’s later career. Decades later, it remains a staple of Collins’ live performances and a reminder of the moment Genesis successfully balanced pop accessibility with the musicianship that had always sat at the core of the group.
