Overview
The release of Duke followed solo albums by Genesis members Tony Banks (A Curious Feeling) and Mike Rutherford (Smallcreep's Day).
Phil Collins, meanwhile, had taken an extended leave of absence of the band in order to try to save his first marriage. During this time he wrote a number of songs on his own. These songs would make up the bulk of his first solo album, Face Value, released in 1981, after the release of Duke. Banks and Rutherford picked two Collins songs, "Please Don't Ask" and "Misunderstanding", for inclusion on the album.
Once Duke was released, the song "Turn It On Again" became the band's second UK Top 10 hit, while "Misunderstanding" reached the Top 20 in the US.
Duke was originally meant to include a roughly 30-minute suite featuring songs in the order of "Behind The Lines/Duchess/Guide Vocal/Turn It On Again/Duke's Travels/Duke's End," ultimately telling the story of fictional character "Albert." While the band separated these songs on the record to prevent comparisons to the band's most recognisable epic, "Supper's Ready," Genesis did perform the suite live on the "Duke Tour" in 1980, with Collins introducing it with "The Story of Albert."
A digitally remastered version was released on CD in 1994 on Virgin in Europe and Atlantic in the US and Canada. The remastered CD's booklet features all of the original album's artwork and complete lyrics.
An SACD / DVD double disc set (including new 5.1 and Stereo mixes) was released on 2 April 2007 (although it will be a CD / DVD double disc set for the US and Canada).
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