Interesting quote from Tony Banks from recent interview

[happytheman]

Steve Hackett chose a strange time to leave the group – as you were mixing Seconds Out at Trident in London during the summer of ’77.

“He did. It was a curious thing, yes. Phil saw him in the street on the way to the studio and offered him a lift, and he said, ‘No, no, I’ll speak to you later’… and he’d left. I wasn’t too surprised that he didn’t stay with us forever, but I was surprised he left at the time he did. On recent albums, and obviously on Wind & Wuthering, he’d had several strong moments, so I thought maybe he’d be happier.

"But I think he always felt a little bit of an outsider to the group and that we didn’t do enough of his music. That’s just how we were at the time. We’d do things that appealed to all of us, rather than to one or two. And to be honest, I tended to get more angry than anyone else if we didn’t do my bits, so my bits tended to end up on the records. It was a shame, in a way.

"I missed Steve on the next album, …And Then There Were Three… as Mike was just finding his way as a lead guitarist and Steve might have made more of some of those songs.”
https://www.loudersound.com/features...2qn_nLj44hQiuY

[LeFrog]

Nothing new here, it's all in the Chapter and Verse book I believe. It just seems that maybe Tony now is more willing to acknowledge that he was very stubborn about having his way, something that the others have mentioned over the years.

By the way, there is another great recent interview of Tony over at Innerviews. Definitely worth checking out, Anil Prasad has a habit of really knowing his subject.

https://www.innerviews.org/inner/tony-banks

[happytheman]

Nothing new here, it's all in the Chapter and Verse book I believe. It just seems that maybe Tony now is more willing to acknowledge that he was very stubborn about having his way, something that the others have mentioned over the years.

By the way, there is another great recent interview of Tony over at Innerviews. Definitely worth checking out, Anil Prasad has a habit of really knowing his subject.

https://www.innerviews.org/inner/tony-banks

Thanks.. I've never heard Tony mention that he "missed" Steve for And then there were three.. He says something in one of the videos I have about how Steve was always supportive of Tony if he wanted to do something "weird" vs Mike and Phil opposing it.. which I always find a bit odd.. Phil it would seem to me during that period was open to doing something that wasn't mainstream.. ie. "Wot Goriilla?" Mike was always the one who was critical of a lot of the classic tracks (even though he contributed heavily to many of them..)

[Splicer]

As always, Tony's aspy demeanor shines in that quote. He just says it like he sees it and even manages to slam Mike when talking about Steve.

[aith01]

As always, Tony's aspy demeanor shines in that quote. He just says it like he sees it and even manages to slam Mike when talking about Steve.

I don't see any "slams" about Mike in that quote. He's right, Mike was just finding his way as a lead guitarist at that time. It doesn't mean that he was a bad lead guitarist, just that he wasn't as developed yet in that department.

[timmy]

This is one of my many "What if...?"'s
What if Steve Hackett remained in Genesis? What would the following 4 albums have sounded like?
Sigh.

[dgtlman]

This is one of my many "What if...?"'s
What if Steve Hackett remained in Genesis? What would the following 4 albums have sounded like?
Sigh.

Interesting thought. I always thought that even though Mike was trying to emulate Steve's guitar tone there was always this void, if you will. Like there was always something missing in their sound.

[lazland]

ATTWT certainly missed Hackett. However, the three of them bounced back with Duke, one of my favourite albums of all time. Barely a weak moment from start to finish.

[helix]

ATTWT certainly missed Hackett. However, the three of them bounced back with Duke, one of my favourite albums of all time. Barely a weak moment from start to finish.

mine as well



it's the core trio's culmination of actually playing and writing as a trio with no other/outside player's involved. the perfect blend of their writing and their playing and arranging

[Gizmotron]

Nothing new here, it's all in the Chapter and Verse book I believe. It just seems that maybe Tony now is more willing to acknowledge that he was very stubborn about having his way, something that the others have mentioned over the years.

By the way, there is another great recent interview of Tony over at Innerviews. Definitely worth checking out, Anil Prasad has a habit of really knowing his subject.

https://www.innerviews.org/inner/tony-banks

Thank you Happytheman for the OP. The bit about Tony missing Steve's touch in "And Then..." is the new part.

But the Innerviews interview is superb. thanks so much for posting the link, LeFrog! Anni does such great interviews.


I love how Tony says he isn't the sort "to slag his old work" (he is referring to his solo work). Which seems at odd with him slagging some of the old Genesis tunes over the years. I guess reading between the lines reveals that when he does that he really slagging the work of the other guys that contributed the bits he doesn't like!

[Splicer]

I don't see any "slams" about Mike in that quote. He's right, Mike was just finding his way as a lead guitarist at that time. It doesn't mean that he was a bad lead guitarist, just that he wasn't as developed yet in that department.

Quote from Tony Banks:

...Mike was just finding his way as a lead guitarist and Steve might have made more of some of those songs.

Perhaps not a "he sucks" slam but certainly not an endorsement of Mike Rutherford or even an "attaboy".

That's the last I'll say about it.

[smcfee]

This is one of my many "What if...?"'s
What if Steve Hackett remained in Genesis? What would the following 4 albums have sounded like?
Sigh.

Don't think they could have reached the pinnacle of Abacab with Hackett weighing them down.

[smcfee]

Perhaps not a "he sucks" slam but certainly not an endorsement of Mike Rutherford or even an "attaboy".

That's the last I'll say about it.

I don't think Rutherford even endorses Rutherford's work on ATTWT.

[aith01]

Perhaps not a "he sucks" slam but certainly not an endorsement of Mike Rutherford or even an "attaboy".

That's the last I'll say about it.

The question was about Steve Hackett, so that's where his focus was.

I swear, Tony just can't win with some people. He praises Steve, and then you criticize him because he didn't say something nice about Mike in the same sentence. Criminy...

[LeFrog]

Thank you Happytheman for the OP. The bit about Tony missing Steve's touch in "And Then..." is the new part.

True. When I said there was nothing new I was referring to the whole story about Steve leaving during the mixing of SO and Phil crossing him in the street on the way to the studio.

[abhorsen]

I don't see any "slams" about Mike in that quote. He's right, Mike was just finding his way as a lead guitarist at that time. It doesn't mean that he was a bad lead guitarist, just that he wasn't as developed yet in that department.

Rutherford is a phenomenal musician in many ways. Lead guitarist is just not one of them. Not in 1978 or ever really.

[GeneTull]

There are a few moments on ATTWT where it sounds as if Steve is still there, such as the climax of "Burning Rope."

[Gizmotron]

True. When I said there was nothing new I was referring to the whole story about Steve leaving during the mixing of SO and Phil crossing him in the street on the way to the studio.

...and Phil echoes the same story in the same way in his auto-bio.

[aith01]

Rutherford is a phenomenal musician in many ways. Lead guitarist is just not one of them. Not in 1978 or ever really.

I agree with this, although I do still really like Rutherford's lead guitar work on the later albums. It was just totally different in style from what Hackett brought to the band.

[Buddhabreath]

Don't think they could have reached the pinnacle of Abacab with Hackett weighing them down.

Just curious. Do you mean the pinnacle for all of Genesis or just the trio period? I certainly never saw Hackett as weighing them down, but different strokes for different folks as they say. If that's your #1 what are your next favorites? That might explain it to me.

[abhorsen]

I agree with this, although I do still really like Rutherford's lead guitar work on the later albums. It was just totally different in style from what Hackett brought to the band.

I do too! His style of guitar playing served the 80's iteration of the band really well and it sounds like a guy grounded in rhythm. I love the guitar solo on Burning Rope but I feel that is more Mike trying to play and sound like Steve, which is totally understandable given the guy had left such a signature guitar sound behind him with the band when he left. I remember one reviewer from long ago talking about how Seconds Out was one's last chance to hear Steve Hackett's ghostly guitar sound with Genesis. I love it as I think that is spot on. Rutherford developed a completly different style.

[pbs1902]

“And to be honest, I tended to get more angry .... It was a shame, in a way.”

https://www.loudersound.com/features...2qn_nLj44hQiuY

I have always found Tony to be an odd sort, but it is good to see that therapy is working out for him. :-)

[bill g]

The Innerviews interview was really good. Interesting that Tony had wanted to write something like 'One For The Vine' for 'Calling All Stations' and for Rutherford to write something like 'Ripples', but Mike said no.

[Halmyre]

The Innerviews interview was really good. Interesting that Tony had wanted to write something like 'One For The Vine' for 'Calling All Stations' and for Rutherford to write something like 'Ripples', but Mike said no.

Mike Rutherford ruined Genesis. Phil Collins gets all the flak.

[taliesin]

Just curious. Do you mean the pinnacle for all of Genesis or just the trio period? I certainly never saw Hackett as weighing them down, but different strokes for different folks as they say. If that's your #1 what are your next favorites? That might explain it to me.

I believe that may be an example of Sean's dry Irish bastard humour.