What band was formed by five Charterhouse School pupils?

The band formed by five Charterhouse School pupils was Genesis. Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Anthony Phillips, Mike Rutherford and Chris Stewart met at the Surrey boarding school and brought together members of two school groups, Anon and Garden Wall, in 1967.

The young musicians recorded demos that reached former Charterhouse pupil Jonathan King, who helped them secure a contract with Decca Records. King also suggested the name Genesis, reflecting what he saw as the beginning of his production career. The group’s first album, From Genesis to Revelation, appeared in 1969, although it initially sold poorly.

The original lineup did not last. Chris Stewart was replaced by John Silver, and later Peter Gabriel and Anthony Phillips departed. Phil Collins joined as drummer in 1970 and eventually became the band’s lead singer after Gabriel left. That later lineup is often more familiar to casual listeners, but the Genesis origin story begins with the five Charterhouse pupils.