Peter Gabriel's first solo album came less than two years after his departure from Genesis. (Trainspotters, take note: His first post-Genesis release was a cover of The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" on the soundtrack for the 1976 film All This And World War II.) Gabriel teamed up with producer Bob Ezrin, then best known for his work with Alice Cooper and Lou Reed, to record the album in Toronto. Here, Gabriel sought to distance himself from his previous band and work; and apart from his distinct voice, the album indeed offers little of his past.

Pink Fairies were a rebranded The Deviants, although that wasn’t the original intention. Following the recording of his solo album, Twink teamed with Mick Farren and Steve Peregrine Took; they played a one-off gig in Manchester in October 1969. Farren left soon after recording his solo album, and Took went on to found Shagrat, leaving Twink to contact the remainder of The Deviants-guitarist Paul Rudolph, bassist Duncan Sanderson and drummer Russell Hunter-to reboot the Pink Fairies.