With the release of a new compilation box set on the horizon, Genesis is again in the headlines. But if they have it their way, Tony Banks, Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford will also be in the news for another reunion tour. Only this time around, unlike their trek in 2007, Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett will be tagging along as well.

In an interview with Billboard, the current members of Genesis discussed their desire for a reunion of the band’s historic 1971-1975 lineup, one which consisted of founding members Banks, Rutherford and Gabriel along with newcomers Collins and Hackett.

“We’ve never said never about it, you know,” keyboardist Tony Banks tells Billboard.com. “I know Phil (Collins) would be quite happy with the idea of just playing the drums; it would be quite fun for him. Mike (Rutherford) and I are certainly happy to do it. I know Steve (Hackett) is keen as well. I think it’d be down to Peter (Gabriel) more than anyone else.”

“It would be fun to do something like that purely for the fun of working together again and seeing where it takes you,” Rutherford notes. Hackett adds that, “I think we should do this before one of us dies; we’re not getting any younger, to quote one of the songs, so maybe one day it’ll happen.” Banks, meanwhile, says that rather than merely “The Lamb…,” he’d like to see the group “do a sort of best-of from that era. You want to do things like ‘Supper’s Ready,’ I think, and ‘The Musical Box,’ definitely.”

The 1971–75 lineup last collaborated together in 1999 for a rerecording of “The Carpet Crawlers” as part of material for Turn It on Again: The Hits. In 2006, rumors of live reunion in the form of a worldwide tour began to pop up, but due to Gabriel’s solo commitments, Genesis ultimately embarked as a three-piece lineup, featuring Tony Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford, for the 50-date, Turn It on Again tour. It has been more than 15 years since all five members of the 1971–75 lineup performed together in a live setting.

So needless to say, a reunion of the classic rock outfit easily joins the list of high-profile rumors currently afloat. While Genesis shared no specifics, and last we checked, Gabriel is said to be working on a brand new solo endeavor, I’m sure I’m not the only one imagining a performance of “The Knife” on Coachella’s mainstage?

In the meantime, we’ll have that aforementioned box set to hold us over. Due for release on November 11th, Genesis 1970–1975 is a seven-CD, six-DVD compilation featuring newly mixed editions of all five albums recorded  between those years along with a slew of b-sides, rarities, and other bonus material.

GENESIS:1970-1975 presents fie of the band’s studio albums as CD/DVD sets featuring new stereo mixes of the original album on CD, along with a DVD that includes the original album in 5.1 DTS (96/24) and Dolby Digital Surround Sound, plus bonus videos and new interviews with band members filmed exclusively for these reissues. The set contains hours of previously unreleased video as well as photo galleries featuring rare pictures and tour memorabilia.

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