UAWIL #287: Genesis - Invisible Touch

UAWIL #287: Genesis - Invisible Touch

From The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast by Mac B.

May 28, 2026 · 1h 33m · Season 1 · Episode 287

About this episode

The episode discusses Genesis's success in the mid-1980s, focusing on their album 'Invisible Touch' and its impact on music and culture.

By 1986, the Phil Collins machine was in full gear. After coming off big solo success with the diamond selling No Jacket Required and having played on both sides of the Atlantic for Live Aid, the public (and the record company) couldn't seem to get enough of the Genesis drummer turned lead singer. The band sought to capitalize on that momentum by sharing music writing credits (each of them wrote lyrics solo) and starting from scratch in the studio at The Farm. The result would be their greatest popular success including their first #1 in the US and 5 total Top 5 Billboard hits. But it being the mid-80s, the music wasn't always the only story. They had already had some turns on MTV in the previous 5 years (especially Collins solo work) but videos for their big hits were in regular rotation for over a year, including Land of Confusion which used caricatured masks and puppets from the British show Spitting Image. The unflattering rubber dopplegangers of the band followed the exploits of Ronald Reagan fighting the bad guys as Superman and was nominated for video of the year by MTV (former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer won instead). It allowed Genesis the opportunity…

More episodes of The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast podcast page.