 Gabriel later said he wrote all his lyrical contributions to the album in two days. Having rehearsed and written enough material for an album, the group entered Island Studios in August 1973. As with Foxtrot, John Burns helped with production. Burns' technical skills resulted in a good recorded sound and environment, and this motivated the group to play better and tackle more complex arrangements. Banks recalled the sessions being difficult, adding "it was hard to get things going." Charisma released a live album, Genesis Live, compiled from concerts taped for the radio, to fill the gap between studio releases.
