Synopses & Reviews
From unpromising beginnings—demonized by his teachers as a fomenter of revolution, driving to gigs in a bread van—Mike would go on to crisscross the globe with bandmates Peter Gabriel and, later, Phil Collins, playing to packed-out stadiums and achieving record sales of over 150 million. Swapping old school ties and Savile Row suits for flares and Afghan coats, Mike and Genesis would pioneer the pomp and theatricality of 1970s progressive rock before becoming household names in the 1980s with hits like “Turn It On Again, Mama” and “Land of Confusion.”
There was drink, there were drugs; there were arguments and excess. But in the background—and sometimes in the audience—was Mike's father, Captain Rutherford, a naval officer whose life at first seemed nothing like his son's. It was only after Mike discovered his father's unpublished memoir did he discover how similar their lives had been.
Already a bestseller in Britain, Mike Rutherford's memoir, The Living Years, spans the entire history of Genesis, from the earliest days as a school band to the triumphant reunion tour when Genesis played to over 500,000 people in Rome.
Review
British Praise for
The Living Years“Warm, charming, funny.” —Mojo
“Celebrates love of family, loyalty to friendship, passion for music, and—in his fathers tradition —devotion to duty.” —The Times
“A very different kind of rock memoir, both moving and refreshing.” —The Mail on Sunday
"A much more perceptive and much less self-satisfied autobiography than youd expect." —Sunday Business Post
"Theres plenty here to savor, not least the authors conflicted relationship with his high-ranking naval officer father. … Throughout he writes with good humor, avoiding sentiment and with a keen awareness of his own failings. … Above all it ponders the chasm between two decent men negotiating the generation gap when it was at its widest, with those who fought in World War II on one side and those liberated by the Sixties on the other, separated by wildly clashing ideals and aspirations. The result is a very different kind of rock memoir, both moving and refreshing." —The Mail on Sunday
Synopsis
The story of Genesis is the rock legend of how a humble schoolboy band grew into a group of global superstars. At its center stood Mike Rutherford, driving the music from pioneering prog rock to chart-topping hits. Now for the first time, he tells the remarkable inside story of Genesis and his own band Mike + The Mechanics.
Against the rhythm of drink, drugs, and lineup changes, Mikes father, a World War II naval officer, always stood in the background. He would watch Genesis grow, supporting them from the very beginning when they toured Britain in the back of a bread van. Through extreme highs and lows, loyal Captain Rutherford was always there, earplugs at the ready.
But when his father suddenly died, Mike was forced to reexamine their relationship and only then began to understand how much their lives had overlapped. The Living Years is a revealing memoir of the relationship between father and son and the story of how music, families, and friendship combine.
About the Author
MIKE RUTHERFORD is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. He often played rhythm guitar and 12-string guitar for the band in the early years. Following the departure of Steve Hackett in 1977, he assumed the role of lead guitarist on the band's studio albums. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis. He also formed Mike + The Mechanics in 1985. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010.