ITW Steve Hackett (mars 2009)

Source : www.genesis-music.com
Good day Genesis fans! We are happy to present the following Q&A with Steve Hackett, with the questions answered after Steve's recent live dates in Italy. We look forward to hearing much more from Steve in the near future...

Without further ado, Mr. Steve Hackett....



What material do you have in the pipeline for release now? At what stage of completion is the Hackett/Squire collaboration? Any other material we can look forward to release during 2009? New material? Archive releases of audio or video?

SH: There are several projects on the way and one of them is the Squackett (Hackett/Squire) idea, which is more than half way through. There are legal difficulties regarding one of the projects, but the other two should come to fruition soon. I'm currently touring on and off with a band that features my regular line up of Roger, Rob and Gary, plus the new addition of Nick Beggs on bass and stick. Chris is one of Nick's influences, but they are pals and both of them are amazingly powerful players in their own right. I am lucky to be working with two giants of the instrument.

What is your relationship with Camino Records now? Should fans still be purchasing from the web-store there, or would it be good to seek out alternate venues for Hackett items? Any plans for when your new site will have a store associated with it?

SH: I have to remain mute on this issue for legal reasons, but hopefully these matters will be clearer soon. On the positive side this is an extremely creative and productive period for me and great to be working with a new team and to be more hands on myself. Having just returned from our Italian tour, it feels really good to be back treading the boards.

What is your writing process like? Do you always write on guitar, or do you use other instruments to create a different approach to your music?

SH: I often find a great idea will come along at the most inconvenient of times, like when I'm late to catch a plane or in the middle of a motorway! I tend to write on the run, not always with a guitar in hand, although it does help if there's one around. Cafes, strolls and art galleries tend to engender inspiration as indeed do books. The written word is a Pandora's Box for any aspiring lyricist. Each new song is potentially a world in itself with its own rich atmosphere and terrain. Sometimes I think of other instruments. I just happen to play guitar, but I love all instruments, including the voice. I'm sure the bone orchestras of the primitive world had their groupies too!

For your upcoming live dates, you are going to be playing with the incredible Nick Beggs. How did you hook up with him and do you think he might become a permanent member of your touring band?

SH: I hooked up with Nick Beggs more than ten years ago and realised he was an incredible all-rounder. We first met at an EMI convention where he was the MD for Belinda Carlisle and was playing bass for her. I was promoting A Midsummer Night's Dream at the time and playing solo nylon guitar concerts. I called him up recently and he was fortunately free in the midst of his busy schedule. He's a joy to work with, as are the rest of the guys. He does a nice line in PVC kilts and braids too!

Speaking of live dates, can you reveal anything more about your plans for the rest of the calendar year? Will there be additional live dates in the UK, or other European countries? Any possibility of coming over to the US? There is a rabid fan base here that would love to see you!

SH: There's a good chance of European and UK dates in the autumn. I'm interested in touring the rest of the world too... at the earliest opportunity. Have guitar, will travel... Meanwhile recording is going better than ever- all will be revealed soon.

What is your philosophy in constructing a set list for a show or tour? Do you take input from your band members, or is it really more about what you want to play in that tour? Do you try to achieve a balance of new versus old material, popular songs versus more obscure personal favourites?

SH: My main concern is pleasing the crowd and the guys on stage with me. If a band enjoys what it does live there's usually an equally keen audience. From the opening note of the show in the Palasport stadium in Genoa, I knew we'd got it right. I don't care how old certain songs are, provided they still resonate, and I love bringing the new bunny rabbits out of the hat too. The band definitely has its say about the set list. We've avoided any pitch battles so far but the fire extinguisher and bullwhip are close by, just in case. Fortunately they all get a chance to shine, as they're all killer players and fantastic guys to work with.

Would you be interested in taking a survey of fans, to see what songs they would like to see and hear played live for your upcoming shows/tour? Perhaps some old gems such as Cell 151, What's My Name, or other tracks that never or rarely got an airing live?

SH: Yes I would be interested to know what fans want to hear. I'd like to find out what their real favourites are and what works best live for all of us.

With being solo for so many years, running your own show, working with musicians of your own choice, do you ever look to be back in a more collaborative band setting, or do you feel that working with musicians of your own choosing allows for collaborations to happen in ways that you have more control in selecting?

SH: When I work with other people I like to feel I get the best out of them creatively by giving them a lot of freedom. Because of this if I feel a song isn't working out I don't have to be overly diplomatic because the buck stops with me. This way round I get the best of both worlds! I'm able to be a team player and team leader. Collaborations can be fun too and often make me work harder towards both an adventurous yet accessible product, as is shaping up with the project with Chris Squire.

The modern technology has allowed professional recording to happen in locations outside of traditional studios. How has this liberated your recording process over the past years, and how do you see technology affecting the recording or distribution of music in the future? How important is replicating the recorded sound to you when rehearsing a live version for the stage?

SH: It's the recording equivalent of filming on location. It's provided considerable freedom from the constraints of a fixed workplace, and it's certainly been a boon for me. Sometimes the log cabin is mightier than MGM! I always try to do the impossible. Roger King has an orchestra at his fingertips and the other guys in our band are no slouchers either. Detail is all important with either live or recorded music and we aim for powerful contrasts and unlikely atmospheres in both arenas.

In Dave Negrin's recent interview with you on the World of Genesis site, you mentioned a mystery drummer who you were planning to have appear on some of your new material, and or the Squackett songs. Would you care to reveal the name of the drummer, or perhaps dangle some clues out for us to debate about?

SH: It's best not to say too much at this stage but the drummer I'm referring to with the Squackett project is very popular in the US.



With the release of the 1970-1975 Genesis boxset, how involved where you in listening to the mixes, and offering any comments or suggestions to the mix, or was Nick's work just what you thought the old material needed? Was the process any different than for the mixes for "Trick" and "Wind?"

SH: I'm a fan of Nick Davis' mixes and I'm thrilled that he often highlights my guitar parts. In some cases you can hear them more clearly. In the old days it was all hands to the pump, sometimes to the detriment of the overall balance. I think though that what we achieved as a band was complex as it was extraordinary, especially for its time and I think those records still stand up even now. I feel the process of giving Nick a free hand has worked well throughout all the re-mixes.

Is there one or more Genesis songs which you feel benefited the most from the remixes? What stands out to you as a "wow" moment? Did the remixes make you re-evaluate your feelings about any particular songs or albums?

SH: I felt that Afterglow on Wind and Wuthering gained something from a more modern compressed approach and I particularly enjoyed the 5.1 mix of Wind and Wuthering. For me the mixing was more enveloping and gave a fresh perspective on an already golden sunrise...

Any possibility of 5.1 releases of your past solo albums, or any future releases?

SH: Certainly there's a possibility of 5.1 mixes on future albums. I'm not in a position to comment regarding old material at this time. I'll let you all know when I can.

You have worked with some well known bass players, such as Chris Squire, Alphonso Johnson, Mike Rutherford, and John Wetton (and of course the bass players from your solo bands). What do you look for in a bass player, both as a guitarist and as a bandleader? Can you comment on their styles, what in these disparate styles clicks with you as a guitar player?

SH: I think that the first time I heard John Entwistle's bass solo on My Generation from the distance in another room I wanted to play the same thing on my guitar. Like many other people I assumed I was hearing a guitar solo, and indeed I was. He is the guy who pioneered the sound that was to become the one that all serious rock bass players aspire to. I like the bass to both ring like a bell and thunder like an earthquake. All the guys that you've mentioned and that I've worked with seem to understand this. The bass guitar should be an extension of the guitar itself and not play second fiddle.

What was the process like for you, going over the "old days" of Genesis for the Chapter & Verse book? Were you surprised by any of the comments from the other band members about their thoughts and memories? What did *you* learn about Genesis from reading the book yourself?

SH: Everyone has got their own version of the past like the Kurasawa film Rashamon. In other words the same event described by separate individuals takes on a different emphasis. I thought the book was very well edited and made more sense of our different approaches. It also showed that we had more in common than I realised at the time, as did conversations I recently had with Anthony Philips. I now know that their headmaster at school was as discouraging as mine and the struggles they underwent in their teens paralleled my own.

What are some of your "overlooked" songs that you've been involved with, either with Genesis or solo, which are special to you, but maybe haven't gotten the "love" from fans that you thought the songs deserved?

SH: Luckily fans have always appreciated the songs I've been more proud of. I don't think there are any neglected songs that I feel particularly close to.



From the way you wrapped up your recent blog about books, would one be correct to assume you're a bit of a Star Trek fan? Science Fiction fans around Genesis fandom want to know what other science fiction TV or books you might enjoy?

SH: I've made no secret about the fact that I've always enjoyed Star Trek. When I was a kid I particularly enjoyed Forbidden Planet and This Island Earth. I think the new British Dr. Who is damn good, but my favourite Dr. Who of all time was Tom Baker, who brought to it a certain something. Torchwood is an interesting spin-off too.

How many guitars do you own? Are you a "collector" of guitars, or do you keep your guitars for more practical purposes?

SH: For legal reasons I can't comment on how many guitars I own.

In all your travels around the world, for touring, personal trips, or other reasons, where are your favourite places, and where are some places you would rather not have to revisit?

SH: It was great to be back in Italy last week. I always love being there. Pompeii and Rome are the nearest thing to time travel for me. I love the romance of the American south and the beauty of Vancouver that I briefly lived in as a boy. Visiting Sarajevo was surprisingly inspirational after all the horrors they had recently undergone... I found Malaysia to be as exotic as the word sounds, and of course Japan is extraordinary. Many places have a gorgeous natural setting, but offset against a backdrop of terrible poverty. It's the people that leave the deepest impression and I've always found something special in every country I've visited.

If we were able to ask your close friends about you, how do you feel that they would describe you?

SH: I'm afraid you'll have to ask them that! I will always remain a naughty boy to my aunt Margaret and I've made various attempts to communicate telepathically with animals. But seriously, love is the sweetest thing and friendship is very important to me.

For a little window into your life, can you give us an outline of a "regular" day in the life of Steve Hackett?

SH: There are no regular days! I am particularly busy these days, either gigging, recording or playing businessman. Needs must at certain times... Other than that, one of my chief concerns is for my father's ailing health and I try to see him as much as I can. I love walking, and I keep meaning to get back into swimming.

How did you celebrate your birthday this year? Do you have any yearly traditions around birthdays, or other personal holidays?

SH: On my birthday this year I was on a flight or two to Sarajevo, where I was about to play with my Hungarian pals in Djabe. Every birthday is different!

If you hadn't become a professional musician, what would you have liked to do with your career?

SH: In my early teens I desperately wanted to be a professional gymnast. Now my gymnastics are all of the fingers.

What are your hobbies or other interests, outside of music?

SH: Other than strolling, I enjoy books that facilitate travel of the mind, movies, art galleries, theatres, exploring ruins, piloting speed boats dangerously and visiting Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's old house for the odd séance on a soggy afternoon. I also like to experience new places and I've recently discovered the joys of visiting Norfolk (East coast of England) where Jo's family live.

Morning person or night person? Or a mix?

SH: I'm at my most alert in the morning, but the night is certainly the best time to dream. Just before midnight strikes is for me the hour of poetry...

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So there you have it. My great thanks to Steve for taking the time out to answer these questions, and for being a true gentleman in all his responses.

Let the discussion begin!

Mike
Genesis-Web Content Editor

oula a lire tranquillement

merci raph