Writers: Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford
Producer: David Hentschel
Recorded: Fall 1975 in London, England
Released: February 1976
| Players: | Phil Collins — vocals, drums Tony Banks — keyboards Mike Rutherford — guitar, bass Steve Hackett — guitar |
| Album: | A Trick Of The Tail (Atco) |
“Squonk” was one of the first pieces of music Genesis began working on for their seventh album, which was their first after singer Peter Gabriel decided to leave the band in 1975.
The group used “Squonk” to audition a potential replacement for Gabriel, but when the singer couldn't hit the right key, drummer Phil Collins asked for an opportunity to sing it — and handled the task so well that he got the job.
“Squonk” and the title song from A Trick Of The Tail were seen as slaps at Gabriel, but the Genesis members have long denied that.
Despite Gabriel's departure, A Trick Of The Tail was Genesis's best-selling album to date, hitting Number 31 on the Billboard 200 chart and Number Three in the U.K.
The album also introduced producer David Hentschel, who would work on the next four Genesis releases.
To accommodate Collins's new role as singer, Genesis brought second drummers on the road, using former Yes and King Crimson member Bill Bruford in 1976 and Chester Thompson on subsequent tours.
