It’s essentially Genesis without Banks as Rutherford and Collins both played on the album but it’s interesting to see what Steve was bringing to the Genesis writing and the ELP like keys and Yes like bass lines are a clear nod to other stuff that was happening around them. Great album. Also shout out to Hackett for keeping the Genesis music alive Live.
I recommend his second solo album "Please Don't Touch" great music as always, featuring two excellent vocal performances by Randy Crawford and Richie Havens.
Glad that you have started on your Steve Hackett journey. So many fantastic songs. I lot of people split the Genesis legacy between the Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins Eras, but I think the band changed more when Steve Left. Unlike many artists whose quality of work diminishes with time, because they run out of Ideas, I think his last studio album, At the Edge of Light is perhaps one of the best he has done. If you like 'Firth of Fifth' the go and listen to "On those golden wings" from that album. Brilliant song. You have to go and see him live as he tends to do 50% of his solo stuff and 50% Genesis from the time he was in the band. I last saw him with Band and Orchestra two years ago in London. The live version of Shadow of the Hierophant was absolutely stunning, luckily he has released a album
And here goes Justin off on another epic album listen, this is a beautiful album Justin, coming between "The Lamb" and "Trick" and the reason for Steve's lack of ideas on the "Trick" album (although what he did contribute was still substantial), this also set the seal on Steve's eventual departure from the band after being in charge of his own ship so to speak on this album, The next track on the album is Hands of The Priestess which is simply beautiful, it is split into two parts with the track A Tower Struck Down between them and these three tracks should be played together and in order, Looking forward to your take on this album, another on the list of great albums you're listening to,
This is a very busy album. Hackett clearly needed some some outlet for his ideas, given the urgency you hear here (and in the rest of the album). I like this album a lot, but his writing and restraint has improved since - not to mention his singing. Like one of my other guitar heroes, Jeff Beck, who you listened to recently, I don't think Steve has ever stopped growing as a musician.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Justin for doing this song from the VOYAGE OF THE ACOLYTE album. Steve Hackett recorded this Lp during the few months Genesis took off after Peter Gabriel left the band in 1975. Hackett really shows off his guitar picking chops on this song. Glad you enjoyed it. Phil Collins also got to practice his lead vocals on this album BEFORE recording TRICK OF A TAIL.
I do hope you'll listen to his 4 first albums in their entirety. I think that despite Banks huge influence on the band, the real "prog edge" was brought by Hackett along with Rutherford. Each and every contribution from Hackett in Genesis gave the final touch to the songs that made them so incredibly enlightened
A 1st for me too. And boy, what an opening. This is right up my alley. Energetic, for the most part, complex, diverse. Really makes me want to check out the album. Musically, so many great parts, and flourishes. Obviously the guitar, the flute, but particularly the synth. There was a lovely little, recurring keyboard riff that particularly caught my ear. Then just when you think it's winding down, bang!, off we go again. Into the final segment with a funk like bass line, and the guitar riffing over it. Excellent.
This was a man who was so filled with ideas and waiting to burst out of the band context. Steve Hackett would be sorely missed in Genesis. Other amazing songs to check out: "Tower Struck Down" "Shadow of the Hierophant" and "Star of Sirius." You're going down a great road, JP!
I still remember buying this vinyl album in the late 70s and listening to it on headphones, back when I was avidly discovering great prog anywhere I could find it.
I've long liked this album, glad you liked this track. Other musicians would have made 5 separate songs out of these riffs but he follows his own muse. When he left Genesis the prog element faded away (mostly, you usually got 1 long instrumental track amidst the poppier stuff) and he's kept solidly in that genre.
So...I want to thank you personally and ALL the other reactors for your hard tireless work on keeping great music "ALIVE" especially from the past like the 60's 70's and 80's inspite of the blocks of TH-cam you guys are influencing young folks every where in different countries.....it is AMAZING!!! I am deeply humble and in total gratitude!!! CCR's Chronicles: The 20 Greatest Hits is No.18 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Charts and climbing this week. Legend: The Best of Bob Marley is No 19 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Charts and climbing this week. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac dropped to No. 23 last week, jumped back to No.12 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums this week. Queen: The Greatest Hits is No.8 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums this week. It is youguys keeping music alive......not a fluke!!! And I have no doubt that Yes's Fragile will probably be on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart soon. lol....Thanks. :)
I think the problem for Hackett on A trick of the tail or W&W wasn't his lack of ideas, which he had to put on solo albums, but the power struggle within the band, Banks becoming THE leading figure post-Gabriel. Collins had to have a huge hit on his own to begin to have a real say in the songwriting. To me, Voyage of the Acolyte shows what's almost gone from Genesis in W&W: interesting back & forth including guitar. Alas, it's the Tony Banks show.
A bit harsh maybe as Collins was coming his own as a songwriter but the implicit point here is that with Steve Hackett's departure Genesis became a lot less...interesting. The band made two decent albums after this and one just-about-acceptable one and as of the early 1980s you can pretty much write them off musically as nothing more than a slightly above average pop band. Hackett also lost it for a while during the 1980s (with the notable exception of his acoustic stuff) but came back strongly as Genesis became a good but distant memory...
I remember a documentary where Tony Banks called Hackett a ‘stiff’ musician. Talk about pot and kettle! Voyage illustrates how much Steve was held back by Genesis. This is so fresh and vibrant compared to Trick and Wind (which were dominated by Banks’ errr ‘stiff’ compositions). Brilliant lp 👍
The sad thing I just came across is that due to the relative success of this album, and although Mike Rutherford had been supportive of it (he even played in the whole thing, although he expected a payment for that), after a couple of months where there were some interviews asked to Steve only, Mike and Tony called Steve to a private meeting (without Phil) and stated clearly that he couldn't do any more solo albums. He was fully in or he was out, which shocked and saddened Steve, prompting his eventual disillusionment and exit from the band. By the way, Mike and Tony did the same thing one year earlier with Peter (the same "meeting" and ultimatum) according to Richard McPhail (source: Steve's autobiography)
Especially because later on, it was their side work that helped keep going as Genesis. They did their own things then brought the unused portions to the group.
I just read Steve's, MIke's and Phil books recently (now reading Gabriel), and one thing Mike mention is that he was pissed with the timing with this album. He felt that with Pete's recent departure the band was in a difficult position and to him there was no time for outside work, all the energy should be fully oriented with the band. Steve even missed 2-3 days at the beginning of the recording of Trick of the tail. This explains Steve's anecdotal comment in his book when he said Mike threw his bass on the floor in frustration when Steve was asked for interviews during their rehearsal.
@@Paddyjack Well, maybe that's also true but...if he was so worried, why he was initially supportive of Steve's album, playing and co-composing on it? Also, the interview incident was not on their rehearsals pre-ATTOT. It was while on tour, therefore ATTOT was already a resounding success and there were no worries at all as a band. Here's the actual words from Steve: "My concerns regarding the band situation began on one occasion during the 1976 tour. Chrysalis (the US record company) was giving me some attention as Voyage of the Acolyte had just come out on their label and was doing well. But although the band had agreed to me being filmed in one soundcheck for album promotion, Mike threw down his bass in annoyance. Later that day he and Tony asked me to meet them on my own and informed me that they didn’t want me to do any more solo projects" Hackett, Steve. A Genesis In My Bed (pp. 97-98). Wymer Publishing. Edición de Kindle.
@DylanG0125 I think Voyage will always be his best, at least IMO. Please Don't Touch was excellent though. It was less progressive, I guess, but nevertheless a good collection of memorable songs. How Can I with Richie Havens is superb.
I'm really agree!!! Please don't touch it'a monumental and composite album: Steve at his best! Anyway the first four albums (from 75 to 80) are four pearls; and then Higly Strung (82), Bay of Kings (82) and Till we have faces (84) are really high level.
I still remember when I first got this and his second album on a lark in the mid-80's, having gotten into Genesis. Had no idea what to expect, but within seconds of hearing Ace of Wands it was love at first listen; it was EXACTLY what I needed at that moment as a teen, living a decade out of time in the electronic-drum, 4/4 synth rock that was the 80's. The album paints such a magical world from start to finish, the composition, sounds, playing, production.
Oh, man, you're in for a treat! Definitely one of my all-time favorite solo records, along with Chris Squire's "Fish Out of Water"--Glad your digging it! Kim Poor did the cover's artwork, which won her an award for "Album Cover of the Year". She eventually became Hackett's wife for a good 26 years ('81-'07).
Think this is still my favourite Hackett solo album. Hangs together well and has the distinct feel of Steve being completely let off the leash. There is so much going on in this track. A lot to unpick!
I bought this album back in 1975 with a little trepidation as it was a risk (I'd not heard any of it before but was a confirmed Genesis fan) - 10 seconds into this first track I knew I was going to love it and I still do. This is a blistering opener of a track, still one of his best ever. The modal 'folky' nature of the material on this album was new and not really returned to with subsequent releases. Every track is a gem - if there is a slight weakness it is when Hackett takes a shot at lead vocals, but we can forgive that with the superb compositions and guitar playing Hackett delivered throughout. Definitely worth listening to the rest of the album. The follow-up Please Don't Touch is a strange beast - I have grown to love it, but it took a little time and a change of perspective to fully comprehend its complexities. Spectral Mornings and Defector show Hackett with a new band relishing in his prog as the Genre began to fade with other bands, including his erstwhile employers. After this, sadly Hackett also succumbs to the 1980s musical doldrums that absorbed or killed so many wonderfully creative bands, before returning to form in the 1990's with some fine albums again (a similar trajectory to artists like Yes, Mike Oldfield etc.). And we have him to thank for continuing to keep the original Genesis material alive on stage.
My favorite Hackett albums are Please Don't Touch and Voyage of the Acolyte, in that order. Interestingly, Please Don't has more than a few American musicians on it.
As you seem to have greatly enjoyed this track, I'd recommend you to check "Echoes" by Camel, another one of those masterpieces that never really settle and just keep on bringing new ideas to the table
Randy Crawford is underrated. Prior to the song with Hackett she sang a great version of "Everything Must Change". In 1979 she had a big hit singing "Street Life" with The Crusaders. In the early '80s "Rio de Janeiro Blue".
YAY! Been requesting this piece for a good long while thinking you'd be taken with it. Your description of it is very keen and spot on and for me it actually gets better on subsequent listens. Frankly it's nearly an indescribable composition, fresh and vital, and wholly unusual in its transendance of specific genre and just being purely musical. That's what I think anyway. This is definitely a "journeying" album. Looking forward to more of your thoughts on it. Thanks! 👍
One beautiful song, the album is certainly up there with anything, it’s better then some later Genesis albums. Heard it when it first came out. Blow my little mind. And oh my goodness them mellotron choirs. Wow
Yes yes yes!!! Great album, very Mike Oldfield in places, especially the close to the album. 'The Geese and the Ghost' is a very very similar album if you like Voyage of the Acolyte.
The artwork is by Brazilian artist Kim Poor who was married to Hackett for several years. The whole album is loosely based on the tarot (Ace of Wands is one of the cards of the tarot). The album is sometimes called "The best Genesis album Genesis never made"
I remember when this came out. Being Genesis fans, my friends and I had to give it a try. It really hit the spot, satisfying our cravings for all things Genesis. But on another level.
I think he released this album while he still was with Genesis. His first solo album is "Please Don't Touch". I always loved the wonderful singing of Sally Oldfield in "Shadow".
The choir sound you mentioned is the eerie eight-voice Mellotron choir sound (a mix of four male and four female voices, recorded in a church in England in the early 1970s), and was also used by Genesis quite a lot. As someone else has suggested, if you're going to do the album in order, you should listen to the next three tracks in one go as they all blend and flow into each other....
I remember the first time I heard this song like it was today, because it was. Glad I could share the experience with you. I’m hopeful there are vocals on the album but I really enjoyed this.
What an album to start your solo career with! And then, what a song to start your first solo album with! I love the whole album so much, so diverse, so rich in sounds, so good! I can imagine you like to hear more ;-) I got this album of course because of the Genesis background and it definitely can be heard. Steve seems to be quite a bit more adventurous than the other Genesis (ex) members. Sometimes that's a positive but sometimes it doesn't succeed (for me). The first 2 albums are winners in my book and the last couple of solo albums too. In between he has his ups and downs. I must admit with those albums a song here and there gets skipped. But this one is all stellar material for me. Enjoy the rest of the album Justin, I'm sure you will!
Do yourself a favour, please listen to the whole album, it's quite simply one of the best prog rock album ever made. It's evocative, epic, melancholy, automnal, exploratory, and man, that line-up... Collins and Rutherford are on fire on this particular song. I almost think of Voyage of the Acolyte as a Genesis album, a cousin of Trick of the Tail or Wind and Wuthering, in a way, because they share so much musical DNA. Star of Cirius and Shadow of the Hierophant are standouts on the album as well. I also think you should check out Hackett's first batch of solo albums, up to and including Defector, they're amazing.
I like this song (and the entire album). It's nice when prog rock is a bit bonkers sometimes, unpredictable, and willing to take risks. This track fits the bill.
The last track, "Shadow of the ......." features vocals by Sally Oldfield. The next three tracks go together. The middle one "A Tower Struck Down," has in the album credits, an epic cough!
Great rhythm section. They should play in a band together. My favorite Genesis solo album. Probably because it sounds most like old Genesis. And yes it is a very composed album. Steve does very little shredding or noodling. Wait til you get to the Sally Oldfield section. When people say "sings like an angel" this is what they're talking about.
Oh, and I recommend you move thru the album in sequence, put a couple on in one listening section here and there, but keep them in sequence. This album is a grower! And then the finale is the climax as it should be ;-) Respect the artist's thinking process in putting the album together.
This song is just the intro. You have to hear the entire album. I remember when Peter Gabriel left Genesis, people said that was the end of Genesis, but they were wrong. "Trick Of The Tail" and "Wind & Wuthering" were two of my favorite Genesis albums. When Steve Hackett left, that was the end of Genesis as a true progressive group. If you check out the Genesis Revisited stuff, you'll realize that Steve was Genesis.
This Is my favorite album. The songs, tones and mood that flows almost like a concept album. Still gives me goosebumps and such a perfect companion to the Genesis style experience. The same as Chris Squire's solo which reflected his influence on YES in the same way
You really must check out Star of Sirius and Shadow of the Hierophant from this record. They are all time prog mega classics. They are essential tracks!
I'm glad you also reacted to Steve Hackett since you were always fond his guitar plaing with Genesis. You should do "Please Don't Touch". Start with "Carry on Up the Vicarage".
Sure others have mentioned it, but if you want to hear the best versions of many of the Genesis songs you have discovered recently, get yourself to the Steve Hackett tour coming next year. He's doing all of the live album Seconds Out and it will be mindblowing. I've got tickets for 4 concerts and even that will be barely enough.
It's a loosely tarot themed album, and traditionally the Ace of Wands represents the beginning of inspiration and the root of the powers of fire, so that's the ideal place to start. A really interesting concept that not many musicians have run with.
Great track !! I’m very familiar with his first 4 solo Albums. Some great atmospheres he created. I recently rediscovered Please Don’t Touch. Some great stuff including a great track by Ritchie Havens
Conspicuous by his absence is Tony Banks. This was not an accident. BTW, this is Steve Hackett's best solo album and that is saying something considering the large discography he has. It is also regarded as one of the best progressive rock albums of the so-called golden age of progressive rock. Artwork by his wife at the time, Kim Poor.
It's remarkable how fusion-like this song is, when you consider it's a guitarist who is composing. Very strong. Also, I would be remiss not to comment on Phil Collins' sound on this, not like his Genesis sound at all, more like Stuart Elliot, until you listen to the fills.... And of course, Mike Rutherford is sublime on his bass. John Aycock was quite the keyboard player. He featured on a number of albums as studio musician from that time. Nice review as always.
How lucky you are to discover the joys of Steve Hackett's solo albums. In VOTA, we hear his compositional creativy beyond even the beauty in his Genesis solo's (eg FoF). You will experience further complexity and beauty in Star of Sirius, Shadow of the Hierophant et al. Then you have the very different Please Don't Touch which shows another side of his creativity before the great soundscape of Spectral Mornings.
I was pleasantly surprised by my first listen of "Ace of Wands", too - I was lucky to get the import album when it was first released. Hackett's first album has a nice atmosphere of mystery and intrigue, and there is some storytelling later on that I have not yet figured out.
Looking forward for your reaction to Shadow of the Hierophant, one of my all times favorite! Do it along with The Lovers which is a short introduction. Also, would it be nice to react to the extended version! The song has one of the best crescendos in music history!
Fun fact for any old school Brit Proggers: The Enid's first album was to be called 'Voyage of the Acolyte' but Hackett stole the title and The Enid had to come up with another, which was 'In the Region of the Summer Stars'... One of the best albums ever to be released and criminally overlooked in the Prog community.
"Racing in A" with Steve Walsh from Kansas is another good one from one of his early releases. After the change, I think is his most "Genesis" sounding piece.
A great song, but as you noted there are different parts put together. Hackett felt he didn't write good songs until his second album with "Hoping Love Will Last" sung by the beautiful Randy Crawford. Mike Rutherford proves again on this song he is an underrated bassist. Even though Hackett and Tony Banks clashed Hackett loved Banks' playing and especially the sound of the mellotron. Steve used the mellotron often on his early albums. Hackett married the artist who did the cover art, Kim Poor. Unfortunately, after many years together they had a very nasty divorce. I only like selected pieces of her work. She doesn't like to put details in the eyes of figures leaving them emotionless. Eyes are usually closed or devoid of detail.
Great song! And album! You should check out "Shadow of the hierophant" next. Mr. Hackett is an incredible live guitarist. I've seen him in concert three times.
this is what happens when a brilliant guitarist and composer feels frozen out by his bandmates (mostly Banks). I wonder what Mike and Phil were thinking as they recorded this stuff. still my favorite Hackett LP. and yes, And Then There Were Three is mostly an excellent album, showing them poised on the point where prog could be compatible with shorter song formats. but you've got to hand it to Steve to know when to walk.
This album is great. I absolutely love John's playing, very versatile and smooth. He still shows up occasionally for guest appearances after being part of Steve's band for decades. He has his own John Hackett Band now. You should totally keep going with this one. It may be his best, although Spectral Mornings is more coherent. Shadow of the Hierophant was presented to Genesis, but it didn't go anywhere with them. Ant's The Geese and the Ghost has all the same guests as this one. It's the other almost-Genesis solo album.
Magical, superb, sublime..a real musical journey. Cocteau Twins at 4.03 for about 20 seconds before the rude interruption and on into something that becomes more like Camel and onwards...The choral bit has to be mellotron surely (?)
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This whole album is brilliant. With songs like "A tower struck down" "Star of Sirius" and "Shadow of the hierophant" as standouts.
Those are my picks, as well... Brilliant stuff!
I also love the melancholic Hermit with Steve's vocals. He didn't sing that well again until the 90's.
It’s essentially Genesis without Banks as Rutherford and Collins both played on the album but it’s interesting to see what Steve was bringing to the Genesis writing and the ELP like keys and Yes like bass lines are a clear nod to other stuff that was happening around them. Great album. Also shout out to Hackett for keeping the Genesis music alive Live.
I thought I was hearing some Gentle Giant influence in this song at times. Just me?
I read once that it's the best genesis album that wasn't done by genesis I've had this since it came out in 75 of course i had to have it on cd also
ì saw him live 3 weeks ago.
he started the show with this song.
the whole show was just un-believable.
i hope i get to see him at least one more time
Dude, _Voyage of the Acolyte_ is a killer underrated album. You should definitely listen to the rest of it.
Fabulous cd Shadow of the Hierophant...Sally Oldfield vocal too Proving that Steve doesn't need Genesis They needed him
Amen!
Absolutely, Genesis sound completely changed after Hackett left.
I still remember very well the original LP with the upfront label "Steve Hackett and his Genesis friends"...
Incredible bass work. Of course Steve is awesome. Wouldn’t expect any less. Collins shines as always.
Absolute fire album, shadow of the hierophant is top stuff
I was going to write the exact same comment word for word.
Shadow is up there with Bo rap, Comfortably numb and Stairway.
I recommend his second solo album "Please Don't Touch" great music as always, featuring two excellent vocal performances by Randy Crawford and Richie Havens.
@@stevebinning977 I wonder if The fundamentals of brain washing would appeal to JP?
@@FLASHAHOLIC_TV I think so. It has a bit of a Pink Floyd feel to it.
Amazing album! Give me chills every time i listen to it!! From Buenos Aires Argentina!
Glad that you have started on your Steve Hackett journey. So many fantastic songs. I lot of people split the Genesis legacy between the Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins Eras, but I think the band changed more when Steve Left. Unlike many artists whose quality of work diminishes with time, because they run out of Ideas, I think his last studio album, At the Edge of Light is perhaps one of the best he has done. If you like 'Firth of Fifth' the go and listen to "On those golden wings" from that album. Brilliant song. You have to go and see him live as he tends to do 50% of his solo stuff and 50% Genesis from the time he was in the band. I last saw him with Band and Orchestra two years ago in London. The live version of Shadow of the Hierophant was absolutely stunning, luckily he has released a album
And here goes Justin off on another epic album listen, this is a beautiful album Justin, coming between "The Lamb" and "Trick" and the reason for Steve's lack of ideas on the "Trick" album (although what he did contribute was still substantial), this also set the seal on Steve's eventual departure from the band after being in charge of his own ship so to speak on this album,
The next track on the album is Hands of The Priestess which is simply beautiful, it is split into two parts with the track A Tower Struck Down between them and these three tracks should be played together and in order,
Looking forward to your take on this album, another on the list of great albums you're listening to,
This is a very busy album. Hackett clearly needed some some outlet for his ideas, given the urgency you hear here (and in the rest of the album). I like this album a lot, but his writing and restraint has improved since - not to mention his singing. Like one of my other guitar heroes, Jeff Beck, who you listened to recently, I don't think Steve has ever stopped growing as a musician.
This is a very fine album, I expect there will be many comments recommending 'Shadow of the Hierophant' which is a great
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Justin for doing this song from the VOYAGE OF THE ACOLYTE album. Steve Hackett recorded this Lp during the few months Genesis took off after Peter Gabriel left the band in 1975. Hackett really shows off his guitar picking chops on this song. Glad you enjoyed it. Phil Collins also got to practice his lead vocals on this album BEFORE recording TRICK OF A TAIL.
Ty Paul! Happy to😃
I do hope you'll listen to his 4 first albums in their entirety. I think that despite Banks huge influence on the band, the real "prog edge" was brought by Hackett along with Rutherford. Each and every contribution from Hackett in Genesis gave the final touch to the songs that made them so incredibly enlightened
Oh by the way I'd really like you to react to some Pallas and Pendragon stuff someday
@@AlexAlex-dr9zc Yes, I've mentioned Pendragon to Justin as well. Really good music on quite a few of their albums.
@@mariobaert8346 Masquerade Overture.
A 1st for me too. And boy, what an opening. This is right up my alley. Energetic, for the most part, complex, diverse. Really makes me want to check out the album. Musically, so many great parts, and flourishes. Obviously the guitar, the flute, but particularly the synth. There was a lovely little, recurring keyboard riff that particularly caught my ear. Then just when you think it's winding down, bang!, off we go again. Into the final segment with a funk like bass line, and the guitar riffing over it. Excellent.
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed itA
This was a man who was so filled with ideas and waiting to burst out of the band context. Steve Hackett would be sorely missed in Genesis. Other amazing songs to check out: "Tower Struck Down" "Shadow of the Hierophant" and "Star of Sirius." You're going down a great road, JP!
Some critics called this the best Genesis album Genesis didn't make.
Great song off a great album.
Full album is a must!!
Wow! What is this? I was hooked from the start. I love complex, thoughtful music like this. ;)
I still remember buying this vinyl album in the late 70s and listening to it on headphones, back when I was avidly discovering great prog anywhere I could find it.
I've long liked this album, glad you liked this track. Other musicians would have made 5 separate songs out of these riffs but he follows his own muse. When he left Genesis the prog element faded away (mostly, you usually got 1 long instrumental track amidst the poppier stuff) and he's kept solidly in that genre.
So...I want to thank you personally and ALL the other reactors for your hard tireless work on keeping great music "ALIVE" especially from the past like the 60's 70's and 80's inspite of the blocks of TH-cam you guys are influencing young folks every where in different countries.....it is AMAZING!!! I am deeply humble and in total gratitude!!! CCR's Chronicles: The 20 Greatest Hits is No.18 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Charts and climbing this week. Legend: The Best of Bob Marley is No 19 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Charts and climbing this week. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac dropped to No. 23 last week, jumped back to No.12 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums this week. Queen: The Greatest Hits is No.8 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums this week. It is youguys keeping music alive......not a fluke!!! And I have no doubt that Yes's Fragile will probably be on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart soon. lol....Thanks. :)
If Yes and ELP had a baby........That was 🔥. Never listened to his solo work before.
It MIGHT have been Yes, but I suspect King Crimson was the real father
I think the problem for Hackett on A trick of the tail or W&W wasn't his lack of ideas, which he had to put on solo albums, but the power struggle within the band, Banks becoming THE leading figure post-Gabriel. Collins had to have a huge hit on his own to begin to have a real say in the songwriting. To me, Voyage of the Acolyte shows what's almost gone from Genesis in W&W: interesting back & forth including guitar. Alas, it's the Tony Banks show.
I have to say...yes, I agree.
A bit harsh maybe as Collins was coming his own as a songwriter but the implicit point here is that with Steve Hackett's departure Genesis became a lot less...interesting. The band made two decent albums after this and one just-about-acceptable one and as of the early 1980s you can pretty much write them off musically as nothing more than a slightly above average pop band. Hackett also lost it for a while during the 1980s (with the notable exception of his acoustic stuff) but came back strongly as Genesis became a good but distant memory...
@@bramposthumus9300 id the two decent records are Abacab and selftitled, then I agree
I remember a documentary where Tony Banks called Hackett a ‘stiff’ musician. Talk about pot and kettle! Voyage illustrates how much Steve was held back by Genesis. This is so fresh and vibrant compared to Trick and Wind (which were dominated by Banks’ errr ‘stiff’ compositions). Brilliant lp 👍
The sad thing I just came across is that due to the relative success of this album, and although Mike Rutherford had been supportive of it (he even played in the whole thing, although he expected a payment for that), after a couple of months where there were some interviews asked to Steve only, Mike and Tony called Steve to a private meeting (without Phil) and stated clearly that he couldn't do any more solo albums. He was fully in or he was out, which shocked and saddened Steve, prompting his eventual disillusionment and exit from the band. By the way, Mike and Tony did the same thing one year earlier with Peter (the same "meeting" and ultimatum) according to Richard McPhail (source: Steve's autobiography)
Especially because later on, it was their side work that helped keep going as Genesis. They did their own things then brought the unused portions to the group.
I just read Steve's, MIke's and Phil books recently (now reading Gabriel), and one thing Mike mention is that he was pissed with the timing with this album. He felt that with Pete's recent departure the band was in a difficult position and to him there was no time for outside work, all the energy should be fully oriented with the band. Steve even missed 2-3 days at the beginning of the recording of Trick of the tail. This explains Steve's anecdotal comment in his book when he said Mike threw his bass on the floor in frustration when Steve was asked for interviews during their rehearsal.
@@Paddyjack Well, maybe that's also true but...if he was so worried, why he was initially supportive of Steve's album, playing and co-composing on it? Also, the interview incident was not on their rehearsals pre-ATTOT. It was while on tour, therefore ATTOT was already a resounding success and there were no worries at all as a band. Here's the actual words from Steve:
"My concerns regarding the band situation began on one occasion during the 1976 tour. Chrysalis (the US record company) was giving me some attention as Voyage of the Acolyte had just come out on their label and was doing well. But although the band had agreed to me being filmed in one soundcheck for album promotion, Mike threw down his bass in annoyance. Later that day he and Tony asked me to meet them on my own and informed me that they didn’t want me to do any more solo projects"
Hackett, Steve. A Genesis In My Bed (pp. 97-98). Wymer Publishing. Edición de Kindle.
@@danielmora7382 Wow, Mike really had quite a temper. I haven’t read Steve’s book yet, but will read it soon.
You're gonna love Steve's solo albums, especially his first four. Thanks for reviewing these!
His second solo album is monumental,Please don’t touch.
@DylanG0125 I think Voyage will always be his best, at least IMO. Please Don't Touch was excellent though. It was less progressive, I guess, but nevertheless a good collection of memorable songs. How Can I with Richie Havens is superb.
I'm really agree!!! Please don't touch it'a monumental and composite album: Steve at his best! Anyway the first four albums (from 75 to 80) are four pearls; and then Higly Strung (82), Bay of Kings (82) and Till we have faces (84) are really high level.
@@marcobello5666 can’t agree more
I still remember when I first got this and his second album on a lark in the mid-80's, having gotten into Genesis. Had no idea what to expect, but within seconds of hearing Ace of Wands it was love at first listen; it was EXACTLY what I needed at that moment as a teen, living a decade out of time in the electronic-drum, 4/4 synth rock that was the 80's. The album paints such a magical world from start to finish, the composition, sounds, playing, production.
Oh, man, you're in for a treat! Definitely one of my all-time favorite solo records, along with Chris Squire's "Fish Out of Water"--Glad your digging it!
Kim Poor did the cover's artwork, which won her an award for "Album Cover of the Year". She eventually became Hackett's wife for a good 26 years ('81-'07).
Pretty album, hands of the priestess is one of my faves.
Think this is still my favourite Hackett solo album. Hangs together well and has the distinct feel of Steve being completely let off the leash. There is so much going on in this track. A lot to unpick!
Yes! This whole album is masterful! Hackett is an incredible composer.
Yassssssss! This is how you kick the door open to start an album!
Check out, “Star of Sirius”, the best song Genesis never did. ;)
Phil really jams at the opening of this song!
And featuring Phil Collins's Lead Vocals on an electric track before Genesis's Trick.
@@RickBenbow "Star of Sirius" appears to have harmonized vocals by Steve and Phil. Nice musical changes - definitely a highlight of the album.
musical genius
One of my all time albums! Such an opener!
I bought this album back in 1975 with a little trepidation as it was a risk (I'd not heard any of it before but was a confirmed Genesis fan) - 10 seconds into this first track I knew I was going to love it and I still do. This is a blistering opener of a track, still one of his best ever. The modal 'folky' nature of the material on this album was new and not really returned to with subsequent releases. Every track is a gem - if there is a slight weakness it is when Hackett takes a shot at lead vocals, but we can forgive that with the superb compositions and guitar playing Hackett delivered throughout. Definitely worth listening to the rest of the album. The follow-up Please Don't Touch is a strange beast - I have grown to love it, but it took a little time and a change of perspective to fully comprehend its complexities. Spectral Mornings and Defector show Hackett with a new band relishing in his prog as the Genre began to fade with other bands, including his erstwhile employers. After this, sadly Hackett also succumbs to the 1980s musical doldrums that absorbed or killed so many wonderfully creative bands, before returning to form in the 1990's with some fine albums again (a similar trajectory to artists like Yes, Mike Oldfield etc.). And we have him to thank for continuing to keep the original Genesis material alive on stage.
My favorite Hackett albums are Please Don't Touch and Voyage of the Acolyte, in that order. Interestingly, Please Don't has more than a few American musicians on it.
Thanks or reviewing this album. I've avtually never heard this song before. It's great. The bass was fantastic in this song.
Narnia from Please Don't Touch, nice!
Very good album. Fabulous drums and bass by Phil and Mike. A perfect timing backbone that I feel Steve couldn't get after going solo.
And he kept getting better. The next three albums are just great.
As you seem to have greatly enjoyed this track, I'd recommend you to check "Echoes" by Camel, another one of those masterpieces that never really settle and just keep on bringing new ideas to the table
Oh, I want to see him react to Lunar Sea!
@@FVD Here you go then th-cam.com/video/omyGegU2sqw/w-d-xo.html
@@joce_bable awww, sweet! 😊👍
Lots of great comments regarding this so I’ll simply say thanks for casting a light on this work and giving it airplay
Ty Jerry, im very happy to🙃
I love this song and album. I hear bits and pieces of the Lamb in the song.
Steve Hackett & Randy Crawford - Hoping Our Love Will Last, please. A beautiful, tad jazz influenced song.
Yes!! Justin needs to hear this song
A very surprising song on a prog rock album, but that song always brings tears to my eyes, a very emotionally sung song. One of his best for sure!
Randy Crawford is underrated. Prior to the song with Hackett she sang a great version of "Everything Must Change".
In 1979 she had a big hit singing "Street Life" with The Crusaders. In the early '80s "Rio de Janeiro Blue".
@@blackcatcentralmusic "Rainy Night In Georgia". :)
YAY! Been requesting this piece for a good long while thinking you'd be taken with it. Your description of it is very keen and spot on and for me it actually gets better on subsequent listens. Frankly it's nearly an indescribable composition, fresh and vital, and wholly unusual in its transendance of specific genre and just being purely musical. That's what I think anyway. This is definitely a "journeying" album. Looking forward to more of your thoughts on it. Thanks! 👍
Interesting. I wouldn't mind hearing more from this album.
One beautiful song, the album is certainly up there with anything, it’s better then some later Genesis albums. Heard it when it first came out. Blow my little mind. And oh my goodness them mellotron choirs. Wow
Yes yes yes!!! Great album, very Mike Oldfield in places, especially the close to the album.
'The Geese and the Ghost' is a very very similar album if you like Voyage of the Acolyte.
The artwork is by Brazilian artist Kim Poor who was married to Hackett for several years. The whole album is loosely based on the tarot (Ace of Wands is one of the cards of the tarot). The album is sometimes called "The best Genesis album Genesis never made"
Steve and Kim = Emerald and Ash.
Also, prepare yourself now for when you get to Please Don't Touch. The range of Steve is breathtaking.
I remember when this came out. Being Genesis fans, my friends and I had to give it a try. It really hit the spot, satisfying our cravings for all things Genesis. But on another level.
I think he released this album while he still was with Genesis. His first solo album is "Please Don't Touch". I always loved the wonderful singing of Sally Oldfield in "Shadow".
Definitely Steve's best work, this album reveals all too well what Genesis would soon be missing.
The choir sound you mentioned is the eerie eight-voice Mellotron choir sound (a mix of four male and four female voices, recorded in a church in England in the early 1970s), and was also used by Genesis quite a lot. As someone else has suggested, if you're going to do the album in order, you should listen to the next three tracks in one go as they all blend and flow into each other....
Yep no empty spaces until Star Of Sirius.
Ahhh ty ty
I remember the first time I heard this song like it was today, because it was. Glad I could share the experience with you. I’m hopeful there are vocals on the album but I really enjoyed this.
Definitely one of his top songs - love it! The album is such a great journey!
What an album to start your solo career with! And then, what a song to start your first solo album with! I love the whole album so much, so diverse, so rich in sounds, so good! I can imagine you like to hear more ;-) I got this album of course because of the Genesis background and it definitely can be heard. Steve seems to be quite a bit more adventurous than the other Genesis (ex) members. Sometimes that's a positive but sometimes it doesn't succeed (for me). The first 2 albums are winners in my book and the last couple of solo albums too. In between he has his ups and downs. I must admit with those albums a song here and there gets skipped. But this one is all stellar material for me. Enjoy the rest of the album Justin, I'm sure you will!
Do yourself a favour, please listen to the whole album, it's quite simply one of the best prog rock album ever made. It's evocative, epic, melancholy, automnal, exploratory, and man, that line-up... Collins and Rutherford are on fire on this particular song. I almost think of Voyage of the Acolyte as a Genesis album, a cousin of Trick of the Tail or Wind and Wuthering, in a way, because they share so much musical DNA. Star of Cirius and Shadow of the Hierophant are standouts on the album as well. I also think you should check out Hackett's first batch of solo albums, up to and including Defector, they're amazing.
I like this song (and the entire album). It's nice when prog rock is a bit bonkers sometimes, unpredictable, and willing to take risks. This track fits the bill.
The last track, "Shadow of the ......." features vocals by Sally Oldfield.
The next three tracks go together. The middle one "A Tower Struck Down," has in the album credits, an epic cough!
Great album where Hackett gets to spread his wings.
Just a great track !!😎
Great rhythm section. They should play in a band together. My favorite Genesis solo album. Probably because it sounds most like old Genesis. And yes it is a very composed album. Steve does very little shredding or noodling. Wait til you get to the Sally Oldfield section. When people say "sings like an angel" this is what they're talking about.
Oh, and I recommend you move thru the album in sequence, put a couple on in one listening section here and there, but keep them in sequence. This album is a grower! And then the finale is the climax as it should be ;-) Respect the artist's thinking process in putting the album together.
This song is just the intro. You have to hear the entire album. I remember when Peter Gabriel left Genesis, people said that was the end of Genesis, but they were wrong. "Trick Of The Tail" and "Wind & Wuthering" were two of my favorite Genesis albums. When Steve Hackett left, that was the end of Genesis as a true progressive group. If you check out the Genesis Revisited stuff, you'll realize that Steve was Genesis.
This Is my favorite album. The songs, tones and mood that flows almost like a concept album. Still gives me goosebumps and such a perfect companion to the Genesis style experience. The same as Chris Squire's solo which reflected his influence on YES in the same way
Love your reaction every time even more
Ty Xing!
Check out the live version from 1979 on the Musicladen TV show....great version! Actually the whole concert...great live versions of Steve's music.
You really must check out Star of Sirius and Shadow of the Hierophant from this record. They are all time prog mega classics. They are essential tracks!
2 words: Love Steve
I'm glad you also reacted to Steve Hackett since you were always fond his guitar plaing with Genesis. You should do "Please Don't Touch". Start with "Carry on Up the Vicarage".
The best lead guitar from Hackett I've heard is on his solo song Every Day. I strongly recommend it.
Sure others have mentioned it, but if you want to hear the best versions of many of the Genesis songs you have discovered recently, get yourself to the Steve Hackett tour coming next year. He's doing all of the live album Seconds Out and it will be mindblowing. I've got tickets for 4 concerts and even that will be barely enough.
This album is stellar.
FYI, there is a brand new Steve Hackett track out on TH-cam called Andalusian Heart. It's an orchestrated flamenco piece you'll almost certainly like.
It's a loosely tarot themed album, and traditionally the Ace of Wands represents the beginning of inspiration and the root of the powers of fire, so that's the ideal place to start. A really interesting concept that not many musicians have run with.
Though check out Mike Batt's Tarot Suite - a surprisingly satisfying (and pretty prog) album.
Great track !! I’m very familiar with his first 4 solo Albums. Some great atmospheres he created. I recently rediscovered Please Don’t Touch. Some great stuff including a great track by Ritchie Havens
The whole albums is terrific!! Steve’s best solo album! Genesis solos are a real treasurechest!
I really hope you do the rest of the album! Steve tried out Shadow of the Hierophant with Genesis, but the band turned it down!
Great album
Conspicuous by his absence is Tony Banks. This was not an accident. BTW, this is Steve Hackett's best solo album and that is saying something considering the large discography he has. It is also regarded as one of the best progressive rock albums of the so-called golden age of progressive rock. Artwork by his wife at the time, Kim Poor.
Your analysis about guitarist making solo album is so true. I agree at 100%. But Hackett didn’t fail. He made a great record.
It's remarkable how fusion-like this song is, when you consider it's a guitarist who is composing. Very strong. Also, I would be remiss not to comment on Phil Collins' sound on this, not like his Genesis sound at all, more like Stuart Elliot, until you listen to the fills....
And of course, Mike Rutherford is sublime on his bass. John Aycock was quite the keyboard player. He featured on a number of albums as studio musician from that time.
Nice review as always.
How lucky you are to discover the joys of Steve Hackett's solo albums. In VOTA, we hear his compositional creativy beyond even the beauty in his Genesis solo's (eg FoF). You will experience further complexity and beauty in Star of Sirius, Shadow of the Hierophant et al. Then you have the very different Please Don't Touch which shows another side of his creativity before the great soundscape of Spectral Mornings.
I was pleasantly surprised by my first listen of "Ace of Wands", too - I was lucky to get the import album when it was first released. Hackett's first album has a nice atmosphere of mystery and intrigue, and there is some storytelling later on that I have not yet figured out.
Wasn’t sure if I was going to feel it at the beginning. I’m just wanting some calm lately, but I warmed up to it by the end. S’cool.
Looking forward for your reaction to Shadow of the Hierophant, one of my all times favorite! Do it along with The Lovers which is a short introduction. Also, would it be nice to react to the extended version! The song has one of the best crescendos in music history!
Fun fact for any old school Brit Proggers: The Enid's first album was to be called 'Voyage of the Acolyte' but Hackett stole the title and The Enid had to come up with another, which was 'In the Region of the Summer Stars'... One of the best albums ever to be released and criminally overlooked in the Prog community.
"Racing in A" with Steve Walsh from Kansas is another good one from one of his early releases. After the change, I think is his most "Genesis" sounding piece.
HELL YEAH, amazing alb 🕺
Not to discount from Steve Hackett's creativity and absolutely killing album, have you checked out Brand X?
Brand X is mind blowing Fusion with Phil playing supersonic drums on the first track, Nuclear Burn. Highly recommended Justin.
@@shyshift after commenting, I noticed he has reacted to Nuclear Burn, but that's only the tip of the iceberg.
Great album... actually all his LPs are pretty good in the 70's.
The Maestro, was the secret weapon of genesis. No Steve? No genesis
A great song, but as you noted there are different parts put together. Hackett felt he didn't write good songs until his second album with "Hoping Love Will Last" sung by the beautiful Randy Crawford.
Mike Rutherford proves again on this song he is an underrated bassist.
Even though Hackett and Tony Banks clashed Hackett loved Banks' playing and especially the sound of the mellotron. Steve used the mellotron often on his early albums.
Hackett married the artist who did the cover art, Kim Poor. Unfortunately, after many years together they had a very nasty divorce. I only like selected pieces of her work. She doesn't like to put details in the eyes of figures leaving them emotionless. Eyes are usually closed or devoid of detail.
Great song! And album! You should check out "Shadow of the hierophant" next.
Mr. Hackett is an incredible live guitarist. I've seen him in concert three times.
Hope to see him next year!
this is what happens when a brilliant guitarist and composer feels frozen out by his bandmates (mostly Banks). I wonder what Mike and Phil were thinking as they recorded this stuff. still my favorite Hackett LP. and yes, And Then There Were Three is mostly an excellent album, showing them poised on the point where prog could be compatible with shorter song formats. but you've got to hand it to Steve to know when to walk.
This album is great. I absolutely love John's playing, very versatile and smooth. He still shows up occasionally for guest appearances after being part of Steve's band for decades. He has his own John Hackett Band now. You should totally keep going with this one. It may be his best, although Spectral Mornings is more coherent. Shadow of the Hierophant was presented to Genesis, but it didn't go anywhere with them. Ant's The Geese and the Ghost has all the same guests as this one. It's the other almost-Genesis solo album.
Hackett to bits!
Magical, superb, sublime..a real musical journey. Cocteau Twins at 4.03 for about 20 seconds before the rude interruption and on into something that becomes more like Camel and onwards...The choral bit has to be mellotron surely (?)