Mark O'Leary and the Genetics of Genesis

 

The trajectory of British progressive rock giant Genesis is well-documented: their evolution from Charterhouse schoolboys to theatrical avatars under Peter Gabriel (0:15), into a stadium-packing pop powerhouse fronted by Phil Collins (2:13). Yet, some of the most fascinating perspectives on their legacy don’t come from the standard rock biographers. They come from the outer orbits of contemporary jazz and local music lore. As O’Leary alludes, “from Selling England by the pound to Britain’s biggest cultural exports”

Enter Mark O’Leary, a Cork-born guitarist, composer, and former music teacher/mentor to Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy. In a rare, reflective interview, O’Leary expounds upon his own musical journey through the Irish fusion scene directly intersects with the vast Genesis ecosystem (3:06).

What emerges is a story of innovative techniques, missed opportunities, and a web of collaborative degrees of separation linking a Cork fusion garage band featuring RTE Icon Brendan O’Connor to Peter Gabriel’s latest avant-garde masterpiece (2:00).

1. Kings of the Cadence: Appreciating the Classic Lineup

Before tracing the personal links, O’Leary highlights what made Genesis a band like no other during their peak progressive era (0:00).

• The Frontman Aesthetic: In the early 1970s, Peter Gabriel wasn’t just a singer; he was arguably one of the most visually striking and charismatic frontmen in the world, anchoring the band’s dense mythology with profound theatricality (0:28).

• The Harmonic Architecture: Keyboardist Tony Banks utilized “undulating lines” and inverted arpeggios that redefined rock keyboards (0:55). To O’Leary, Genesis are quite simply “the kings of the cadence” (1:03).

• The Tapping Pioneer: A categorical imperative for Mark O’Leary as he is a formidable Two Handed tapping aficionado. Whilst Eddie Van Halen popularized two-handed fretboard tapping in the late ‘70s, O’Leary notes that Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett was an absolute innovator, promulgating that specific style years before anyone else. O’Leary is modest but he is also a purveyor of two handed tapping himself even insinuating at one juncture that if he focused on the idiom he could be up there with Stanley Jordan in terms of eight finger tapping. O’Leary himself was influenced by EVH, albeit, very early in his guitar paradigm it was intimated to Mark O’Leary that Steve Hackett was the two handed tapping originator who popularized the technique, O’Leary is congruent and acknowledges this axiom of verity. (1:03).

This musical alchemy achieved massive support from fans and peers alike (0:00). Intriguingly, it resonated intensely in Italy (2:39). In 1972 and 1973—long before Pink Floyd captured global stadium dominance—Genesis was already selling out Italian auditoriums, embraced by an audience that treated their complex arrangements as high art. The Italian tangent is important as Mark O’Leary is on an Italian Label TIBProd Italy.

[Early 1970s Lineup]
Gabriel (Theatricality) + Banks (Harmonic Cadences) + Hackett (Two-Handed Tapping Pioneer)
                                   │
                                   ▼
                [Massive Early Success in Italy (1972-73)]
                                   │
                                   ▼
                              Mark O'Leary

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2. The Mandrake Root & Brand X Connection

Mark O’Leary’s first tangent with the Genesis universe was learning Abacab from the album of the same name by ear from an Aunts record collection, it culminated in one of O’Leary’s first bit of attention as a guitarist and O’Leary became cognizant of the fact, Genesis have a massive fan base. The next time materialized out of local necessity in Cork (2:00). Before future media personality Brendan O’Connor (RTE) joined the fray, O’Leary played in Mandrake Root, widely accepted as the first jazz-fusion band in Cork, Mandrake Root didn’t look to standard rock acts for inspiration (1:51). Instead, their primary blueprint was Brand X—the virtuosic jazz-fusion side project featuring Genesis drummer Phil Collins (1:51).

“We basically played Brand X material,” O’Leary recalls, showcasing how Collins’ hyper-kinetic, jazz-influenced drumming patterns directly shaped the DNA of Southern Ireland’s early underground fusion scene (1:51). MarkO’Leary elucidates

“ At that juncture I was more from the Bruford direction, but the Bassist was Percy Jones 2.0, the synth player was influenced by Tony Banks and the drummer, could replicate Phil Collins parts on Brand X to perfection.”

3. The 1976 Drum Throne: What Could Have Been

One of the greatest “what-if” moments in progressive rock history occurred in 1976 (4:30). Following Peter Gabriel’s departure, Phil Collins made the conscious decision to step away from the drum kit during live shows to focus on becoming the band’s full-time frontman, working on stage presence, vocals and image. (4:30).

Genesis suddenly needed an elite touring drummer (4:50). They found their answer in Bill Bruford, the legendary percussionist from King Crimson and Yes (4:50).

Bruford’s spectacular performance on that year’s world tour sparked internal hope that he might become a permanent fixture (4:57). According to O’Leary, part of the folklore, the word on the grapevine was that the band absolutely loved his drumming and wanted to invite him as a full member (5:11). However, Bruford demurred, choosing to pursue his own avant-garde solo projects (5:32). Genesis subsequently brought in Chester Thompson, leaving Bruford’s era as a brilliant, brief flash in the pan (5:39).

Phil Collins Steps Up to Vocals (1976)
       │
       ▼
Bill Bruford Joins for World Tour
       │
       ├─► [Band offers full membership] ──► Bruford Demurs (Focuses on solo work)
       │
                                           │
                                           ▼                                  
                                           │
                                           ▼
                               Chester Thompson hired as long-term touring drummer
        │
        │
        ▼
    Mark O'Leary performs with Bill Bruford              
                          

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4. Six Degrees of Separation: From Cork to o\i

The world of elite musicianship is remarkably small, and O’Leary’s career reveals just how closely tied he remains to the surviving members of Genesis (3:06).

Mark O’Leary famously went on to perform in a jazz trio alongside double bassist Chris Laurence and none other than Bill Bruford himself (3:55). Laurence, a common denominator in the session world, also happens to have collaborated extensively over the decades with both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins


.

               [Mark O'Leary]
                     │ (Played in a Jazz Trio)
                     ▼
  [Chris Laurence] ─────and───── [Bill Bruford]
         │                              │
         ├─► Collaborated with          └─► Toured with Genesis (1976)
         │   Peter Gabriel & Phil Collins
         ▼
  [Mike Elizondo] (Via Erskine/Cline/Gauthier network) (John Fumo Avenged Sevenfold)
         │
         ▼
Co-producing Gabriel's album "o\i" (2026)
         │
         ▼
  [Mark O'Leary]

The contemporary loop links back to Mike Elizondo (3:12). O’Leary intersects with the powerhouse producer via West Coast avant-jazz luminaries Peter Erskine, Alex Cline, Jeff Gauthier, and John Fumo (3:12).

Today, Elizondo is the co-producer, arranger, and bassist driving Peter Gabriel’s new album o\i (3:30). Released in increments matching the full moon cycle of 2026, o\i serves as an inverted companion piece to Gabriel’s acclaimed i/o. He performed with Peter Erskine as did Mark O’Leary. Elizondo also performed with Alex Cline and Jeff Gauthier who performed on Mark O’Leary’s album Waves III. With Elizondo producing Avenged Sevenfold with John Fumo appearing on Trumpet. John Fumo appeared on Mark O’Leary’s album “On The Shore”

From a young guitarist learning from Phil Collins’ Brand X in a Cork garage (1:51), to sharing elite session circles with the masterminds behind Peter Gabriel’s latest music (3:30)—Mark O’Leary’s reflections prove that the rhythm of Genesis continues to reverberate through the most unexpected musical landscapes (5:58).