Anthony Phillips
The original architect of Genesis's early sound, he left the band on the cusp of fame to forge a unique path in instrumental music.
Born 1951 (age 75)·British musician·Birthday: December 23·Baby Boomers
Biography
Before Steve Hackett, there was Anthony Phillips. As the original lead guitarist for Genesis, his intricate, twelve-string work and melodic sensibility were foundational to the band's pastoral, fantastical early albums like 'Trespass'. His partnership with Mike Rutherford created the twin-guitar tapestry that defined their sound. But stage fright and the punishing grind of touring took a severe toll on his health. In a move that shocked his bandmates, he quit in 1970, just as Genesis began its ascent. Phillips didn't vanish; he reinvented himself. He studied composition and embarked on a prolific solo career, producing a vast catalogue of delicate, classical-influenced instrumental works and film scores. While history remembers him as the one who left, his quiet, steadfast dedication to his own musical vision has earned him a devoted following and a legacy distinct from the prog-rock giants he helped create.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Anthony was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anthony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Anthony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote and performed on Genesis's first two albums, 'From Genesis to Revelation' and 'Trespass'.
- Pioneered the use of the twelve-string guitar in progressive rock, influencing the genre's early sound.
- Released 'The Geese & the Ghost', a landmark solo album of intricate acoustic and classical music.
- Built a extensive catalogue of solo and collaborative instrumental works spanning decades.
Did You Know?
He was a childhood friend of Mike Rutherford and formed the band Anon with him, which evolved into Genesis.
He is often referred to as 'Ant' by fans and former band members.
After leaving Genesis, he earned a degree in music from the University of Reading.
“The guitar is a landscape, and I am just a traveler trying to map its contours.”
