Spot the Pigeon

Spot the Pigeon is an EP by the British progressive rock band Genesis, released in 1977. Its three songs were holdovers from the Wind & Wuthering sessions, which the band felt did not fit the feel of the album.

Upon its release, Spot the Pigeon's lead song was the football-influenced "Match of the Day", and the EP managed to reach #14 in the UK singles charts. Although the EP market never took off in North America, their overseas distributor, Atlantic Records, released Spot The Pigeon in Canada.

This was Genesis' final studio release before guitarist Steve Hackett's departure later in 1977. Unhappy that he wasn't able to get more of his songs onto Wind & Wuthering, Hackett was further aggravated when "Inside and Out" — which he felt was worthy of inclusion on the album — was relegated to this EP.

Although Spot the Pigeon saw a CD release, it has since been deleted. Two of its three tracks, "Pigeons" and "Inside And Out" appeared on the band's 2000 box set Genesis Archive 2: 1976-1992, though — due to their personal dislike of the song — they saw fit to overlook "Match Of The Day"'s inclusion, making it a rarity for fans. However, the track had a new release on CD on May 15, 2007 when Genesis released the box set Genesis 1976-1982 in the US, thus making the entire EP available for the first time on CD in the US. "Pigeons" and "Inside And Out" have been also released on Turn It On Again: The Hits, The tour edition.

A video for "Match of the Day" was made, with Phil Collins singing on the terraces of Queens Park Rangers F.C. This video is now believed to be lost.

[edit] Title

The title is a variation on the football-themed spot the ball (the cover resembles a spot the ball competition photo), replacing the word "ball" with "pigeon" so that the title links the themes of the first two songs.

There is supposed to be an actual pigeon in the cover photograph.

The title is also an obvious nod to "Stop The Pigeon," the theme song from the 1969 Hanna-Barbera cartoon Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Track listing

All songs by Tony Banks/Phil Collins/Mike Rutherford, except where noted.

"Match of the Day" – 3:24
"Pigeons" – 3:12
"Inside and Out" (Tony Banks/Phil Collins/Steve Hackett/Mike Rutherford) – 6:45

[edit] Personnel

Tony Banks - keyboards
Phil Collins - drums, percussion, vocals
Mike Rutherford - guitars, bass
Steve Hackett - guitars

v • d • e Genesis

Tony Banks • Phil Collins • Mike Rutherford Peter Gabriel • Steve Hackett • Anthony Phillips • John Mayhew • John Silver • Chris Stewart • Ray Wilson Session Musicians: Bill Bruford • Chester Thompson • Daryl Stuermer • Nir Zidkyahu • Nick D'Virgilio • Anthony Drennan

Studio albums	From Genesis to Revelation • Trespass • Nursery Cryme • Foxtrot • Selling England by the Pound • The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway • A Trick of the Tail • Wind & Wuthering • …And Then There Were Three… • Duke • Abacab • Genesis • Invisible Touch • We Can't Dance • Calling All Stations

Live albums	Genesis Live • Seconds Out • Three Sides Live • The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts • The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs • Live Over Europe 2007

Compilations	The Best... Genesis • Turn It on Again: The Hits • Platinum Collection

Box Sets	Genesis Archive 1967-75 • Genesis Archive 2: 1976-1992 • Genesis 1976-1982 • Genesis 1983-1998 • Genesis 1970-1975

EPs	Spot the Pigeon • 3 X 3

Films	Genesis: In Concert

Live videos	Three Sides Live • The Mama Tour • Genesis Live at Wembley Stadium • The Way We Walk - Live in Concert • When in Rome

Books	Genesis: A Biography • Genesis: Chapter & Verse

Other	Discography • Brand X • Flaming Youth • Mike + The Mechanics • GTR • Stiltskin • Jonathan King • Tony Smith • Mick Barnard • The Musical Box (band) • Six of the Best