Page 70 - Classic Rock (January 2020)

the audience and the recording output too. On
the American leg of this tour I played the Beacon
Theatre in New York to 2,000 people, twice as many
people as last time, and that’s been the case in many
US cities. It’s been going well with my band and my
team, and it shows no signs of abating.

How much of that is down to you revisiting the
Genesis material?
Well, there are those who’d prefer me to do an
entire evening of solo stuff, but I divide it between
me and Genesis, not that you can separate out the
two. I’m very proud of the Genesis stuff, glad to
bring attention to it, and happy that the present-
day stuff does so well. It’s the best of a number of
worlds and I think it’s unique in that, if I may say so.

Genesis Revisited II, The Night Siren and At
The Edge Of Light all hit the UK Top 30. Which
album are you proudest of?
At The Edge Of Light has been in the charts in twelve
different territories. Sometimes I’ve found myself
rubbing vinyl shoulders with Madonna – if she’d
only listened to me her career would’ve risen
meteorically! I still wonder how we managed to
pull off the Live At The Royal Festival Hall show we
did with The Heart Of England Orchestra [out
now in a 2CD + Blu-Ray digipak]. It was a real
“I GO ON THE challenge to play the material. When [orchestra

leader] Helen Fitzgerald first saw the score she
said, ‘How are we going to play this? There are so
ROAD FOR A REST. many notes it looks like fly shit on the page!’

CIVILIAN LIFE IS FAR Do any other shows stick in your mind as
highlights?
I was thrilled to do the Royal Albert Hall [in
MORE CHALLENGING” 2013], and the Royal Festival Hall and the London

Palladium on the same tour. Such lovely venues.

You won the Chris Squire Virtuoso Award at the
One of prog rock's most prolific mavericks Steve Hackett on ten 2017 Progressive Music Awards. Are you still
fruitful years, and rubbing vinyl shoulders with Madonna. evolving as a musician? Can you still surprise
yourself?
Interview: Grant Moon Yes. In music you inch your way forward. If
I looked back over my lifetime rather than the
he 2010s saw a remarkable surge in band like us could get in then Yes should too. There decade I’d be gobsmacked at what I can do now.
the popularity and work rate of guitar was resistance at first, but eventually the walls of I’d probably think, ‘You’re really showing off’. But
great Steve Hackett. He made five Jericho came down. when you’ve amassed technique, it’s important
acclaimed studio albums, not to show it, to restrain yourself and do the right
T bookending the decade with 2011’s Squire died in 2015. You must be glad you made thing for the song.
Beyond The Shrouded Horizon and the current At The the Squackett album with him?
Edge Of Light, and also teamed up with Yes bassist I loved working on that, it was great fun. The last Which artists have you picked up on over the past
Chris Squire to record the one-off Squackett thing he ever recorded was Love Song To A Vampire few years as a listener?
album, A Life Within A Day. His five successful live on [Hackett’s 2015 album] Wolflight. Chris was an From one guitarist to another, I think Joe
releases document an intensive period of Bonamassa is very good. It’s been
touring that has assured his place as the fascinating to watch the rise of Muse, one
keeper of the flame for the ‘classic-era’ minute doing a piece of Chopin, the next
Genesis catalogue, to which he was such “When you’ve amassed technique, something inspired by Prince. They’re
a vital contributor. With Hackett’s 70th very much in the progressive spirit.
birthday hoving into view, Classic Rock it’s important not to show it.”
nabbed him during his Genesis Revisited You’ll be 70 in February. How would you
2019 Tour to look back on his fruitful decade. extraordinary, multi-faceted character – a great sum up your seventh decade?
bass player and band leader, a visionary. I loved It’s been a very good decade, in fact it has been
Genesis were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall him then and I love him now. the best. I’ve been free to make my maverick
Of Fame in 2010. That was a good start. way through, and I like to think the band I’m
It was interesting. It’s a huge deal for the You married your third wife, Jo Lehmann, in 2011. currently fronting is second-to-none. Not to be
Americans; we British tend to watch it from Did that put a new gloss on things? glib, but I go on the road for a rest. Civilian life is
afar. Yes were inducted after us in 2017, sadly That was hugely important. Things started going far more challenging. All I’ve got to do is get on
posthumously for Chris Squire. I campaigned for right from then on, and so far haven’t stopped. stage and do what I do best, and it’s a privilege to
that myself – it was only fair that if one progressive We’ve been increasing the amount of shows and still be doing what I love.

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