Certain groups are synonymous with different locations -obvious examples are The Beatles and Liverpool, near to where I live. When we think of Genesis it's the rural idyll and rolling hills of Surrey. After all, that's where they were brought up and schooled in their early lives, the location of The Farm studio and where Mike and Tony have lived for many years. I'm thinking of a cycling tour with a friend next year to stop off at locations like Charterhouse, FLF at Chiddingfold, Christmas Cottage near Dorking - anyone know of other locations for a Genesis tour?
Genesis locations in Surrey
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Peter Gabriels childhood home and his grandfather's home too - or is that too far away?
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Peter Gabriels childhood home and his grandfather's home too - or is that too far away?
Chobham is a good cycling distance from the other locations mentioned. With a well worked out route, it could make for a pleasant journey. Isn't Chobham also the location of what's accepted as the first paid Genesis gig? At Mrs Balmes's "dance" in their garden, her being described as "neighbours" of the Gabriels?
Farnham Maltings, now renovated into an arts centre, should be on the itinerary.
How about Send Barns? They rehearsed there before the Balmes Dance and according to the Genesis Archive wrote parts of The Musical Box there. And Anthony Phillips lived/recorded there during his solo work. It's on Send Barns Lane.
You can probably find locations of other early Genesis gigs in Surrey too. By the way, often mistakenly listed as "Surrey" (they're not) there are some venues near where I grew up that accommodated Genesis gigs. Two of them are also former workplaces of mine: Kingston Polytechnic (where I also studied) and St Mary's College, both now universities. One of the Kingston Polytechnic gigs features in a pic in the first edition of the Gallo book, showing one of the early appearances of the fox head mask. The hall where they and other bands played can still be seen facing on to Penrhyn Road, it's now a lecture hall above the cafeteria. I'm not sure where within St Mary's the venue would have been.
There was also the Toby Jug pub in Tolworth, just by the A3 roundabout, but that's sadly long gone. The roll call of bands that played at these venues is astonishing, and it wasn't only during their early days. The Toby Jug played host to ELO, Quo, Tull, Yes, Zeppelin, John Mayall, Beefheart, Crimson, Earth Band - Bowie on the Ziggy tour! This, I remind you, was a pub. Genesis played there in January 1972 on the Nursery Cryme tour.
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OldKingCole Any progress on planning the cycling tour?
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I've heard he's just reached the fringes of Chobham..😉
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Why don't you propose a Genesis guided tour to Surrey (and surrounding shires) to the English Tourist Board or Visit Surrey?
I know there are Dr Feelgood guided walks on Canvey Island.
But at least Shalford, where Phil Collins lived until '85, must be included (among other Collins-related locations).
As you know, he composed and recorded Face Value, Hello, I Must Be Going and No Jacket Required at The Old Croft there.
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There was also the Toby Jug pub in Tolworth, just by the A3 roundabout, but that's sadly long gone. The roll call of bands that played at these venues is astonishing, and it wasn't only during their early days. The Toby Jug played host to ELO, Quo, Tull, Yes, Zeppelin, John Mayall, Beefheart, Crimson, Earth Band - Bowie on the Ziggy tour! This, I remind you, was a pub. Genesis played there in January 1972 on the Nursery Cryme tour.
Seeing as this pleasant thread has been revived, and picking up on this note about the Toby Jug, there's since been published an excellent, well-researched book about the pub by Tim Harrison, called Hello Toby I'm Ziggy. It of course includes mention of Genesis playing there, but as you can see from the title it's largely built on the Toby being the venue for the premier of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust persona. Plus it has a photo I like a lot, of Yes standing around the fruit machine.
As to the Genesis guided tour of Surrey idea, I seriously doubt it'd gain traction with tourism organisations. The best you could hope for would be a private fan-based operation.
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many moons ago lived near the Tortworth roundabout..and often had a light ale in the Toby...didn't know its musical history back then as was the late 80s and pre Internet....everyday is a learning day!
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many moons ago lived near the Tortworth roundabout..and often had a light ale in the Toby...didn't know its musical history back then as was the late 80s and pre Internet....everyday is a learning day!
Quite astonishing isn't it. I went to gigs there in the 80s/90s, but no well-known bands by that point.
I live in the Scottish Highlands but am from SW London, and until recently had a flat in Surbiton (Berrylands, in fact) where I lived for over 20 years. We were in the street where The Good Life was supposedly set - The Avenue, Surbiton - although it was filmed in N London.
The Kingston Hotel was another local Genesis gig venue along with, as mentioned, Kingston Polytechnic.
EDIT: Just checked the Toby's entries on setlist.fm, they go up to 1977 with The Stranglers, The Damned, Ultravox and The Fabulous Poodles being the last acts listed. The full entry is here (wrongly listed as 'Kingston upon Thames', although I suppose you can say it's in that borough)
