Why Genesis’ Wind and Wuthering?

Genesis released this album December 17, 1976 and I cannot remember how I ended up buying and listening to this album. But I can say that the Genesis’ Wind and Wuthering tour of 1977 was my FIRST EVER CONCERT.

As a 15 year old I had never attended any kind of rock concert and so this was my first foyer into a music unknown. On March 21, 1977 my best friend and I got dropped off at the Austin Auditorium in Austin Texas.

Outside the auditorium I bought a bootleg black t-shirt with Genesis spray painted in silver on it. I wish I still had it. I had no idea there would be merchandise inside. I bought a tour program that i still have.

We had upper balcony seats but that didn’t matter. When the lights lowered and Genesis kicked into the song Squonk I was mesmerized. The sound was loud and engulfing, the lights were flowing and my senses were bombarded. So this is what a rock concert is like. It was surreal. I like this!

In addition to the concert it was also my first exposure to pot smoking. It was being smoked everywhere. I was on a row where the guy on the end would light up a joint, take a drag and pass it to his left, and it would make its way down the row. Having no idea how or what to do with it, I passed it on. But you couldn’t help but take in the smoke, it was everywhere. At that time our parents had no idea what pot smelled like on your clothes so we didn’t get hassled when my best friend’s parents picked us up after the event.

So for popping my concert cherry and introducing me to the world of rock concerts and all the “stuff” that goes with it – Wind and Wuthering by Genesis, you are PawPaw’s Vinyl of the week.