Mike Rutherford

orn in Guildford, Surrey 2nd October 1950

"My parents bought me a nylon six string guitar when I was seven, which cost £8. Thr first year I had it, I learned three chords and for my fingers it was pain and agony... terrible."

September 1964: Mike goes to Charterhouse School near Godalming in Surrey

Mike Rutherford aged 8 months

Summer 1965: Anon formed by Anthony Phillips (guitar), Rivers Job (bass), Rob Tyrell (drums), Richard McPhail (vocals) later joined by Mike Rutherford (rhythm guitar)

December 16th, 1965: Anon perform their first gig at Charterhouse but soon after Mike is banned from playing guitar and has to leave the band.

July 1966: Climax, featuring Mike Rutherford, play an end of term concert with Anthony Phillips' band Anon and The Garden Wall, featuring Peter Gabriel and Tony Banks.

Autumn 1966: Anon and Climax break up and Mike and Anthony Phillips decide to record some demo tapes. They record four Rutherford/Phillips songs at friend Brian Roberts: ‘Try a little sadness’, ‘That’s Me’, ‘Listen on five’, ‘Don’t wash your back’, ‘Patricia’ as well as the Tony Bank/Peter Gabriel penned number ‘She is beautiful’. Peter Gabriel joins them on vocals.

As yet un-named, Genesis is born.