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Selling England by the Pound Tour

The Selling England by the Pound Tour was a concert tour by the English rock band Genesis, to promote their album Selling England by the Pound. The tour began in September 1973 in the United Kingdom, and ended in May 1974 in the United States.

Location

  • North America
  • Europe

Selling England by the Pound

19 September 1973

20 January 1974

3

112 (115 scheduled)

Background[edit]

Initially the band were to perform with a new and more elaborate stage set than before, that included inflatable objects with projected images, but a change in fire regulations following the Summerland disaster in August 1973 led to the idea being scrapped.[1] Gabriel devised new stories before songs, and wore a full costume with a helmet and shield representing the Britannia character for "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight" and sung "The Battle of Epping Forest" with a stocking over his head.[2]


The tour began with a sold-out tour of the UK,[3] but had to cancel the first date at the Green's Playhouse, Glasgow due to electrical safety issues minutes before its start.[4][2] The group realised they were substantially in debt and needed better management, so recruited Tony Smith (no relation to Charisma boss Tony Stratton Smith).[4] In October 1973 a pair of dates in the tour were filmed by Charisma for a possible cinema release, but the plan was rejected by the band who felt the film was not up to standard.[5] Instead, the band performed a five-song set in front of an invited audience at Shepperton Studios that was filmed and broadcast as Tony Stratton Smith Presents Genesis in Concert.[6] The group returned to the U.S. in December 1973 to perform six shows in three nights at The Roxy in Los Angeles,[7] and a performance of "Watcher of the Skies" and "The Musical Box" on the late-night television show The Midnight Special.[2] January 1974 saw the band perform five nights at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, at which Gabriel was lifted in the air by a wire during "Supper's Ready".[8]

"The Battle of Epping Forest" (played on 19, 23, 25 September 1973, 11, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 28 October 1973, 10, 17, 22 November 1973, 1 December 1973, 13, 19, 20, 30 January 1974, 3, 5, 6 February 1974, 3, 22, 24 March 1974, 7, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 29 April 1974, 4, 6 May 1974)

"" (played on 6, 9, 12, 19 October 1973, 22 November 1973, 3, 4, 5, 6 February 1974, 22 March 1974)

The Knife

"The Return of the Giant Hogweed" (played on 23, 25 September 1973, 12 October 1973)

"Harold the Barrel" (played on 19, 20, 30, 31 January 1974, 4 February 1974)

"" (played on 18 October 1973)

Can-Utility and the Coastliners

"" (played on 12 October 1973)

Get 'Em Out by Friday

"Twilight Alehouse" (played on 19 October 1973)

Other songs that were performed during this tour:

Peter Gabriel – vocals, flute, percussion

Tony Banks – Hohner Pianet, RMI Electra Piano, Hammond Organ, Mellotron, ARP Pro Soloist synthesizer, acoustic 12-string guitar, backing vocals

Steve Hackett – electric guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, electric sitar

Michael Rutherford – bass, bass pedals, acoustic and electric 12-string guitars, backing vocals

Phil Collins – drums, percussion, backing vocals; lead vocals on "More Fool Me"

Hewitt, Alan (2001). . Firefly Publishing. ISBN 978-0-946-71930-3.

Opening the Musical Box – A Genesis Chronicle

Platts, Robin (2001). Genesis: Inside & Out (1967–2000). Collector's Guide Publishing.  978-1-896-52271-5.

ISBN

Bowler, Dave; Dray, Bryan (1992). . Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 978-0-283-06132-5.

Genesis – A Biography

Easlea, Daryl (2018). Without Frontiers: The Life & Music of Peter Gabriel. . ISBN 9781787590823.

Omnibus Press