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Thread: Has Mr. Hackett settled into a 'routine'

  1. #26
    Member ombasan's Avatar
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    I have most of his stuff but did not buy his latest studio CD. Also not all the live CDs he released in the past few years. His material / albums have really got very same-y, as most of us here already have said.
    That said, I still think he is an outstanding guitar player with a very distinctive sound and I'm glad he still does release anything! (contrary to a certain P. Gabriel)

  2. #27
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    I don't see that Hackett has settled into anything any more than any other artist has. He likely brings a more varied show than most aging rock stars at his age. His shows are wonderful too, filled with challenging and entertaining music, with great musicians. Truly one of the more impressive old rockers still touring today. His playing is as great, or greater than ever.

    If playing more Genesis brings in larger crowds, more power to him. Those larger crowds keep the cash flow coming which means more Hackett for everyone.

  3. #28
    Am I the only one who thinks "Wolflight" is a brilliant album?
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  4. #29
    I interviewed him at the time "Wolflight" was about to come out, at the end of the original "Genesis Revisited" touring cycle, and when I asked him about future touring plans, he said he was under pressure from promoters to keep including a sizeable "Genesis Revisited" segment in the shows and advertise them this way, and was not totally sure what to do. Clearly he had almost decided to bow to the pressure, but had second thoughts about having to do the Genesis thing for the rest of his life, while being well aware that not doing it meant a return to smaller venues. To be honest, if I'd been in his shoes it would have been a no-brainer. To be sure, the "Genesis Revisited" thing has largely been milked dry with the addition over the years of nearly every old Genesis song we could possibly hope to hear him perform, but the appeal of performing to large crowds, and just giving people what they want, is understandable. It's still one of the finest prog nostalgia acts when you compare it with others.
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  5. #30
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    No, I have grown to like "Wolflight" a lot despite my initial reservations.

  6. #31
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    I don't mind the touring at all, it's not that I find samey really. He does promote the new stuff- more than, say, Yes did with Heaven And Earth. I remember saying way back when that there's probably enough of a market for old Genesis for this to run yearly and that's pretty much what happened.

  7. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by calyx View Post
    I interviewed him at the time "Wolflight" was about to come out, at the end of the original "Genesis Revisited" touring cycle, and when I asked him about future touring plans, he said he was under pressure from promoters to keep including a sizeable "Genesis Revisited" segment in the shows and advertise them this way, and was not totally sure what to do. Clearly he had almost decided to bow to the pressure, but had second thoughts about having to do the Genesis thing for the rest of his life, while being well aware that not doing it meant a return to smaller venues. To be honest, if I'd been in his shoes it would have been a no-brainer. To be sure, the "Genesis Revisited" thing has largely been milked dry with the addition over the years of nearly every old Genesis song we could possibly hope to hear him perform, but the appeal of performing to large crowds, and just giving people what they want, is understandable. It's still one of the finest prog nostalgia acts when you compare it with others.
    I agree. If I were ever in a position where I could experience Hackett's live shows again, Ii would go without reservation as (a) classic Genesis material is near and dear to my heart, (b) I wholly support SH for the simple fact that he sincerely believes in everything that he does , and that (c) he continues to record new music, (d) do tours, and (e) has an excellent live band.

  8. #33
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by calyx View Post
    I interviewed him at the time "Wolflight" was about to come out, at the end of the original "Genesis Revisited" touring cycle, and when I asked him about future touring plans, he said he was under pressure from promoters to keep including a sizeable "Genesis Revisited" segment in the shows and advertise them this way, and was not totally sure what to do. Clearly he had almost decided to bow to the pressure, but had second thoughts about having to do the Genesis thing for the rest of his life, while being well aware that not doing it meant a return to smaller venues. To be honest, if I'd been in his shoes it would have been a no-brainer. To be sure, the "Genesis Revisited" thing has largely been milked dry with the addition over the years of nearly every old Genesis song we could possibly hope to hear him perform, but the appeal of performing to large crowds, and just giving people what they want, is understandable. It's still one of the finest prog nostalgia acts when you compare it with others.
    I think, given all of the outside pressure and the desire to play to larger audiences and give them what they want, he's done a good job of balancing solo work and a revolving Genesis setlist.

    It seems that most of us are perfectly happy with the touring schedule and setlists. It's the recent studio output that has become "same-y."
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  9. #34
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Bails View Post
    I think, given all of the outside pressure and the desire to play to larger audiences and give them what they want, he's done a good job of balancing solo work and a revolving Genesis setlist.
    I agree. His solo stuff is worthy of holding up fine against the Genesis material. A total highlight for the evening I saw Hackett was the Shadow of the Hierophant (just sublime).

  10. #35
    Member dgtlman's Avatar
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    Despite all the b*tching, I'm just happy he's still out there making new music & flying the "classic" Genesis banner high. Think about it folks, in ten years we probably won't have much of this stuff left. So enjoy it while it's still out there. I am!

  11. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by dgtlman View Post
    Despite all the b*tching, I'm just happy he's still out there making new music & flying the "classic" Genesis banner high. Think about it folks, in ten years we probably won't have much of this stuff left. So enjoy it while it's still out there. I am!
    This is very true. We're pretty lucky he's still out there doing this stuff. I'm happy to buy his mediocre albums and go to his shows that are at least half music that's over 40 years old.
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sturgeon's Lawyer View Post
    Am I the only one who thinks "Wolflight" is a brilliant album?
    I've pulled a couple Hackett albums out of the recent acquisitions pile lately, and have given one spin to each so far. I loved Wolflight, which was surprising to me, as I thought most fans were down on it. Production is a tad too glossy, but the songs are excellent. I'm fine with Steve's vocals too, ever since he stopped singing in the high register that he did back in the 80s. Beyond The Shrouded Horizon was a 2CD dud, on the other hand. Repeated listenings may help it, but right now I'd rate it as one of his weakest.

  13. #38
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by flowerking View Post
    I'd have to say the opposite. Hackett keeps reinventing himself and the live shows seem to follow along with these changes. Studio albums continue to differ quite a bit. Just look at the dark nature of Darktown, the diversity of To Watch The Storms and Wild Orchids, and Wolflight is an amazing blend of styles not song-by-song but within songs. I haven't gotten too into his last one yet but its more exotic sounding.
    I love 'To Watch The Storms', I think the production was used properly-for good effect. The background guitar blend in 'Strutton Ground' for example helps make that song so good. And there are many real great songs on this album. I do like recent albums, just not as much. But I will need to revisit the last 2.

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by bill g View Post
    I love 'To Watch The Storms', I think the production was used properly-for good effect. The background guitar blend in 'Strutton Ground' for example helps make that song so good. And there are many real great songs on this album. I do like recent albums, just not as much. But I will need to revisit the last 2.
    I agree. I love this album. It's the 21st century Hackett album that I return to the most. I find most of the songs compelling and enjoy their diversity, and the production is, for the most part, reigned in to serve the songs. The one exception to that, in my view, is the song that was being used to market the album before its release: "Brand New." I find this song really frustrating because the first two parts (verse and chorus) are truly great, but then it keeps stopping and restarting and devolving into "let's see how many clever studio tricks we can work into this short song." The ending just sort of peters out when up til then we're led believe that things will continue to evolve. Ah well, I guess that's the effect Steve wanted. The solo section is wonderful, though.

  15. #40
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve983 View Post
    Yep, the formula is:

    Get Roger King to create fake drums and bass on his laptop.
    Get some instrumentalists with strange ethnic instruments to play some parts.
    Crank up the guitar to sound frankly not that good.
    Add computer assisted vocals on to 10 new songs that sound like Kashmir.
    Go on tour with yet another version of Genesis Revisited.

    and repeat.
    This probably sums up my feelings as well. While his latest album was an improvement over the unlistenable "Wolflight", it wasn't that good. Too bad Steve's early catalogue is so superior to his present stuff. My secret dream is that he and Tony patch things up and do an album together. That will never happen.
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  16. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by bill g View Post
    I love 'To Watch The Storms', I think the production was used properly-for good effect. The background guitar blend in 'Strutton Ground' for example helps make that song so good. And there are many real great songs on this album. I do like recent albums, just not as much. But I will need to revisit the last 2.
    It's a really good album and I guess he also thought so as he kept a few songs from it in the set for quite a few years. Usually the new songs get played for that album's tour and then disappear. The production is more immediate as well, the swamp of reverb doesn't weigh it down as has been the case on more recent efforts.

    Wild Orchids is the first time we got that production style. It's a good album. 'Set Your Compass' is probably my favourite track- very 'Entangled'. From memory it originates from an acoustic breakdown in live arrangements of 'Ace Of Wands', going back to the 70s? 'Down Street', which I hated at first, became one of my favourites on it. This track does sound very different to anything on the following albums, which are quite conventional by comparison.

  17. #42
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    ^ I agree, To Watch The Storms is a great album that had flavours of his 70's music but then I only liked about half of Wild Orchids and it was all downhill from there.

  18. #43
    I thought Beyond the Shrouded Horizon was great, with a variety of styles and plenty to love -- including "Turn This Island Earth" -- but, yes, his other recent solo albums are getting a bit same-y for me. Out of the Tunnel's Mouth has its moments, but Wolflight and The Night Siren wash over me like inconsequential gusts of wind.

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  19. #44
    If you have not listened to Darktown, you're missing out. What a fabulous album!!!!

  20. #45
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    I can't fault what SH is currently doing at all.
    I've enjoyed all the recent studio albums and, even with a 50/50 split of solo/Genesis material, there's very little repetition in material played live of each tour (only Every Day, Firth of Fifth and The Musical Box being ever present).
    He'll be playing with an orchestra when I see him next and I'm particularly looking forward to that.

  21. #46
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JJ88 View Post
    Wild Orchids is the first time we got that production style. It's a good album. 'Set Your Compass' is probably my favourite track- very 'Entangled'. From memory it originates from an acoustic breakdown in live arrangements of 'Ace Of Wands', going back to the 70s? 'Down Street', which I hated at first, became one of my favourites on it. This track does sound very different to anything on the following albums, which are quite conventional by comparison.
    'Set Your Compass' is my clear favorite as well. I also have a soft spot for 'A Girl Called Linda', which has a strong curious mood, and 'Howl' is another good one.

  22. #47
    I think he's being prolific because Kim left him Poor.....

  23. #48
    Quote Originally Posted by arabicadabra View Post
    I think he's being prolific because Kim left him Poor.....
    Yeah, but Max left him Bacon.

  24. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by Drake View Post
    Yeah, but Max left him Bacon.
    And Sylvan left him with his nads.

  25. #50
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by arabicadabra View Post
    I think he's being prolific because Kim left him Poor.....
    I think it's impressive Howe Steve has carried on, though.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

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