Cul-de-Sac

This song represents the idea of falling from prominence or fame, and the stubbornness/reluctance in the aftermath to change with the times and otherwise risk become a marginalized, alienated cul-de-sac on the highway of life. I'm not sure I completely agree with it being a commentary on the nature of the music industry at the time, but there is certainly a good deal of validity to it.

The subject matter of all the songs on the album in some way points to failed relationships due to pride, arrogance, naivete, scorn, regret and doubt. Phil was going through a rough divorce at the time, and while there was much chagrin about genesis' transformation from prog giants to MTV icons, I don't know if the band members were too conscious of how proggy or anti-proggy they were, or if they even really made a great deal about it. I could be wrong. The term "progressive" rock was an idea or state of mind about music continually seeking newer plateaus, and to those who considered themselves originators of the movement, it makes sense to think of Duke as just another part of a progression, a maturation phase. It only later on became a style with defining characteristics (song length, instruments, time signatures, sci-fi lyrics, etc.) This of course is just my interpretation.

Groups in the late 70s and early 80s benefited from affordable technology that allowed them to more easily realize and test out newer/crazier sounds that would inspire songs, with istruments such as synthesizers and/or drum machines being prime examples. Prior to that one had to be a mad scientist to create sounds comparable, or resort to things like using medieval instruments or bizarre orchestras of theremins and sitars. These sorts of explorations were (while elaborate and unique) costly and cumbersome, forcing record execs to look elsewhere and fans/critics to label them pompous. The audience determined the content, and Genesis would accept this fact and progress accordingly and did not see the development negatively at the time.

It all depends on how you choose to define progressive rock; groups like Rush and King Crimson changed their sound, and yet I would argue much of what they did during the 1980s achieved more success than anything they did during the 70s, all while maintaining a great deal of their proggy roots. Also, IMHO British heavy metal continued to carry the attitude and virtuosity of what originally belonged to 70s progressive rockers; dragons and wizards became demons and sorcerers, dueling keyboard and guitar became dueling guitars, and all the lead singers in those groups were one way or another channeling their inner Mercury, Gabriel, Lee and Plant.

The death of prog hypothesis does have a lot of merit Mattowarrior. I would definitely cite this album as one of the last successful hurrahs of progressive rock, at least from a mainstream perspective. I just don't think this song or the album was consciously trying to express that sentiment. MTV changed the game, and many groups had difficulty adjusting their sound, wanting to be accessible and significant and yet remain unique. My guess is Genesis struggled with this as much as any group at the time, and made decisions they thought were artistically tasteful and that would hold up to intense scrutiny from prog purists and and new fans alike.