Long drawn out answer around the 30 minute mark... he says "the band didn't want me to continue doing solo albums"... that's not the story I've read in the past.. particularly from Phil.. he was quoted at one point that "solo albums are what you do to insure you are getting your material out".. which of course all of the band members within Genesis did... Smallcreeps Day, Face Value, and Curious Feeling.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SVjF4GGVNg
1977 vs 1979
A lot can change in 2 years.
According to what I had seen in interviews before, Steve said that in 1977, he was told (my guess would be by Tony Smith) was the solo albums should not be on the horizon for any member of Genesis. So, that led to his decision to leave.
Of course, after ATTWT, the situation changed due to Phil's separation from his wife, so as Mike Rutherford said in an interview at around the time of Invisible Touch (for the KBFH 'Genesis Event'), if Steve had been able to wait for a year or two, maybe he wouldn't have felt the need to leave. But of course, that's easy to see in hindsight. Steve didn't know that the situation in Genesis would change so soon.
Mike
In the end, weren't they happy Steve left?
Anyway. Steve had a record contract to produce solo albums on an annual basis. The time requirements of genesis did not allow him to fulfill that obligation without much stress,
Happyhappy for everyone involved when all is said and done. Everyone still gets along.
Sleeping at home is killing the hotel business!
Steve seems to be making the most out of it these days, more power to him. Of course should Phil, Tony & Mike decide to go at it again, they'll fill stadiums as opposed to the rooms Hackett is playing.Originally Posted by wilcox660
"Henry Cow always wanted to push itself, so sometimes we would write music that we couldn't actually play – I found that very encouraging." - Lindsay Cooper, 1998
"I have nothing to do with Endless River. Phew! This is not rocket science people, get a grip." - Roger Waters, 2014
"I'm a collector. And I've always just seemed to collect personalities." - David Bowie, 1973
From PE's own Anil Prasad and his wonderful Innerviews interview- http://innerviews.org/inner/hackett.html (Copied without the consent, written or otherwise; hoping it's ok)
SH- I mean, I left the security of Genesis for precisely the opposite reason. And I could have made more money from GTR. But I'd far rather do what I do and do it well—the personal things, even if they only sell one or two copies. I'm far more interested in doing that if I can possibly make that happen. People then say "Oh, he's only interested in a small level of success." Of course, that's not true. I'd prefer to be selling billions, but the reality is when push has come to shove, most of the time I've managed to do exactly what I want to do.
You've written a song about this called "Walking Away From Rainbows."
SH- That’s right. I think everyone gets the feeling at some point that it's time to move on from whatever situation. It might be a fledgling leaving the nest. It might be leaving home. It could be a person, place or country. It's not specific. It's just a feeling. You might be doing very well in a job you're in or it might be a favorite group. It might be the moment you told your mother it was time to leave home. Nobody knows why we all leave home, but there comes a point where we leave this wonderful woman that cooks, washes, sews and encourages us—a woman that does everything for us if we're lucky. Yet, one day we turn around and say "Mum, it's time I got my own place." So, it's akin to that feeling. There's a feeling of sadness, but there's also a feeling of resolve
"Henry Cow always wanted to push itself, so sometimes we would write music that we couldn't actually play – I found that very encouraging." - Lindsay Cooper, 1998
"I have nothing to do with Endless River. Phew! This is not rocket science people, get a grip." - Roger Waters, 2014
"I'm a collector. And I've always just seemed to collect personalities." - David Bowie, 1973
Everyone has their own perspective. And, as we all know, that perspective changes with time. So what was the truth? Even those directly involved may not recall correctly. No matter; what's done is done. I just hope that they are civil to one another and respect each other for their talents and accomplishments.
I've got a bike you can ride it if you like
So all these quotes from Steve about needing to leave Genesis because essentially "it's what an artist had to do" makes me want to ask him, (Playing devil's advocate here) then why didn't Tony or Mike ever feel the same thing? Phil obviously had Brand X and then his solo career, but those two must never have felt the same unfulfilled need (though I suppose one could say Mike had the Mechanics for his really poppy music).
I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.
The interviewer did an excellent job by not falling into the trap of most interviewers (fanboyism) but knowing how to ask a relevant question and then getting out of the way.
What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)
There are more than a few versions of this going around, and differing memories.
My memory of the time in question, and looking at Armando Gallo's definitive biography of the band, is that Collins, Banks, and Rutherford were hurt and upset at Hackett leaving, and Banks never really forgave him.
They had given Hackett the space to do Voyage, and also went out of their way on WAW to provide additional writing credits to him. Understandably, following Gabriel's departure, they all felt the band should come first, consolidating their position as a leading rock act, particularly live. The freedom to do solo stuff came later when their position was pretty much insurmountable. They felt that Hackett was, basically, pretty damned selfish.
Here we go again...
You could've posted this on the ATTWT thread...
Well Hackett did have its first album in 75 and was working on his second at the time of leaving.... when nobody else still in the band had one solo album out... So it seerms they changed their minds rather quickly.
I'd say that at first, they weren't thrilled, but surely Banks relished ATTWT's commercial success and it helped the band get over it quyickly.
As for Hackett signing such a strenuous-paced contract, that might explain a few poor songs (to say the least) after Spectral Mornings
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Soooooooooo
Steve placed artistic integrity ahead of financial security, and for that I applaud him. I know Mike has said recently that he could have stayed and done solo albums, but that's with the benefit of hindsight and, as has been said above, in 77, it was different, whereas by 79, Steve's departure cleared the way for others to do solo albums.
There were 5 very different, very strong personalities in the classic lineup, and all of them writers. Looking at the patterns their solo projects and careers have taken, it's clear that PG & SH probably couldn't have stuck around for much longer than they did. The 3 that were left definitely took a more commercially minded path - not that I'm saying they deliberately chose to be more commercial, just that they felt that they could say some things more succinctly. It proved to be the right thing for them all. Steve & Pete got artistic freedom, while the others got to conquer stadiums & sell massive amounts of albums. I think it was brave of them to leave when they did, and it was also brave of the others to carry on without them and flourish.
Given that I personally love PG & SH's solo output, I am not unhappy with their relative decisions, although I do feel that Steve was a bigger loss to Genesis than Pete in terms of the breadth & scope of the music they made, much as I love all eras of the band.
Yes, Genesis reforming would fill stadiums again, but this is true of most groups (even Led Zep). Very few former members can match the audience of their old bands - the fact that Genesis can boast Collins & Gabriel from the one band is exceptional, but it wouldn't have happened had they not been the frontmen. Steve's successes should not be underestimated, whether headlining at Reading in the early 80's or filling decent theatres in the last couple of years. The man has put in the work and provided something his former employers have consistently failed adequately to do - properly represent the most creative period in the band's history.
Meanwhile, I hope we can all get the chance to see Genesis again, whether in 3, 4 or 5 man formation.
Yeah I took a quick glance down the page for that thread before I posted and for whatever reason didn't see it so figured this might stand on it's own.. Oh well.. Glad someone mentioned Phil's involvement with Brand X... have to check the dates on those releases... I guess that's a bit different than a full fledged solo album.. after all Phil contributed to Eno's recordings as a way of repayment for Eno's help with LLDOB..Here we go again
You could've posted this on the ATTWT thread...
Even if Steve had stayed, I don't think it would have lasted for very long. The commercial turn Genesis started taking after he left was not a cynical ploy by the remaining three, but an honest expression of where they wanted to go artistically. Steve had his poppier moments on his solo albums from that same period, but never to the same degree. I suspect he would have come to a creative loggerheads with the others pretty quickly.
The big difference with Brand X is that it was different music than what Genesis played- almost entirely instrumental jazz-rock. That did become an element of Genesis' own sound in 1976-7 as well ('Los Endos', 'Wot Gorilla') but not 'full time', so to speak.
He wasn't happy staying in a band that could veto some of his material (and did, with 'Please Don't Touch') whilst also under pressure to give up his solo career.
It's worth noting that Steve was genuinely popular in his own right for a time, certainly his 80s Charisma releases all had very similar chart positions suggesting there was a regular audience...a bigger one than Banks and Rutherford had for their solo projects of that time. The sales only tailed off when he left Charisma, and even then he had a really big US hit with GTR.
I could see where Genesis would have embraced a song like "Everyday" from Spectral Morning... and ended up with a hit..
Hold up...when did Steve Hackett leave Genesis??!?
News like this totally ruins my day...
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
Who is this "Genesis" you speak of?
Of course, not being of the daily persuasion in this opinion laden public prog bathhouse, my diatribe of recent lucubration is perhaps as welcome as a rats teat. One often is forced to weigh the desire to flash judgment within against the effort required as well as the value this knowledge will be to the greater good of all mankind or whatever inhabits the current spa. At best, its a slippery slope.
I understand Steve leaving. He tried to get "Please Don't Touch" worked on by the band and they said no, but they said yes to "Wot Gorilla?"I think he felt like it was always 3 against 1.
I had always heard that Steve was getting less and less material through the band's acceptance. They weren't on the same page as he was and he felt snubbed that he was taking more of a back seat to the writing.
I would have been happier if Gabriel had stayed as long as Hackett and the other 3 carried on with ATTWT. That would have been an even bigger separation of the band's sound.
But right now, I'm happier seeing Hackett live than the other 3 doing Genesis material. The music of old is so much better with Steve & Co as the passion can't be matched.
JG
"MARKLAR!"
It's also worth noting that Brand X was not really "Phil's band." They could, and did, carry on with other drummers when Phil was unavailable due to Genesis commitments. Because of that, it didn't take away Phil's time from the band the way Steve's solo career might have done if he was still expected to produce a solo album per year plus contribute to Genesis.
Yeah, he has said that the band dynamics shifted against him when Peter left. He was never going to have the same amount of say as the Charterhouse boys, and Phil became the centerpiece of the band and thus not necessarily an ally in creative disputes.
He's also said that he had grown creatively stronger compared to when he joined Genesis. It's easy to imagine that Mike and Tony weren't ready to upend their creative process to include an ever larger amount of material from Steve.
We wouldn't be talking about any of this if Genesis had faded away the way so many '70s prog acts did. The timing was unfortunate for Steve's bank account, but leaving was certainly the best thing for him creatively.
Last edited by profusion; 02-26-2014 at 04:01 PM.
I didn't think the solo album thing was that much of a factor. I always thought it was more about him not getting enough writing credits and the band not being very democratic at least as far as the writing process goes(at least according to the Genesis video I have seen).
Do not suffer through the game of chance that plays....always doors to lock away your dreams (To Be Over)
Well, I find the whole thing interesting that he's doing the, "Genesis Revisited", thing. Never falls far from the tree does it?
The older I get, the better I was.
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