Genesis Rock Hall Induction Would Be Great Time for Gabriel-Collins Moment

It's probably just another level of crazy holiday wishing, but it would make one fine occasion if the upcoming induction of Genesis into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would involve a Peter Gabriel-Phil Collins collaboration of some sort. I suppose it's asking a lot for the stars to align in such a way, but when a band with a distinctly dual history like this receives a deserved honor, it would only be right to celebrate its entire 35-year history. And while Genesis mainstays Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford have left open the possibility for the participation of Gabriel and even original guitarist Steve Hackett at the March induction ceremony, it's not clear yet if or to what extent the members might perform.

Still, since the holiday season tends to get us all thinking about the ways we wish things were rather than the often drab sting of cold reality, allow me to indulge myself a bit as an ordinary but fervent fan of rock music. Wouldn't it be great to see Gabriel and Collins take a stab at singing one another's Genesis classics from each respective era of the band, not to mention the pair's bevy of solo hits? Obviously, Collins would do a fine job with "In Your Eyes" or "Red Rain," but it would be a particularly surreal pleasure to hear Gabriel's take on "Taking It All Too Hard," "Follow You Follow Me" or even something a bit underplayed like "Man on the Corner." A Rock Hall induction may mean increasingly less to some observers upset with the institution's penchant for genre inclusiveness, but there may not be a more appropriate occasion for these two hugely successful solo artists to pay tribute to each other's work. Let's hope for the best.

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