Steve Hackett reflects on Genesis departure

By Scott Munro
( Prog )
published

Guitarist Steve Hackett admits seeing Genesis achieve mainstream success after he left the band was a “difficult period”

Hackett, second right, with Genesis in 1975
Hackett, second right, with Genesis in 1975 (Image credit: Getty)

Steve Hackett has reflected on his departure from Genesis in 1977.

The guitarist was with the band for seven years, eventually leaving just days before they released their Seconds Out live album.

He’s gone on to enjoy a successful solo career and has also toured extensively playing the music of his former band. But when asked if he was surprised when Genesis achieved mainstream success in the years following his departure, Hackett says it caused him to take stock.

He tells EonMusic: “That was a difficult period for me. I had my own band, I was touring, and I eventually got a hit single myself – but it seemed as if Genesis was a well-oiled machine by then that was garnering a tremendous amount of publicity.

“I had to remind myself of the reason why I left, and it was to explore new paths and to boldly go on my own. For me, it’s always been about the music – it can’t be about the numbers, it can’t be a number crunching exercise.”

He insists he wouldn’t have added anything to 1986 Genesis album Invisible Touch, but says of 1981’s Abacab: “I probably would have played some slide guitar on it or something. I remember Mike Rutherford saying when Peter Gabriel had a hit with Solsbury Hill, ‘I would have liked to have played twelve-string.‘”

Hackett will release the live package The Total Experience Live In Liverpool on 2CD, 2DVD and Blu-ray on June 24. He also has a handful of shows planned over the coming weeks, including an appearance at the TeamRock-sponsored Stone Free Festival in London on June 19.

Critics' Choice 2015 - Steve Hackett

Steve Hackett The Total Experience Live In Liverpool tracklist

  1. Corycian Fire Intro
  2. Spectral Mornings
  3. Out Of The Body
  4. Wolflight
  5. Every Day
  6. Love Song To A Vampire
  7. The Wheel’s Turning
  8. Loving Sea
  9. Jacuzzi
  10. Icarus Ascending
  11. Star Of Sirius
  12. Ace Of Wands
  13. A Tower Struck Down
  14. Shadow Of The Hierophant
  15. Get ‘Em Out by Friday
  16. Can-Utility And The Coastliners
  17. After The Ordeal
  18. The Cinema Show
  19. Aisle Of Plenty
  20. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
  21. The Musical Box
  22. Clocks
  23. Firth Of Fifth

Steve Hackett 2016 tour dates

May 21: Kanawaga Club Citta Kawasaki, Japan
May 23: Osaka Namba Hatch, Japan
Jun 19: London Stone Free Festival, UK

Scott Munro
Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers and magazines as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. After initially joining our news desk in the summer of 2014, he moved to the e-commerce team full-time in 2020. He maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott grew up listening to rock and prog, cutting his teeth on bands such as Marillion and Magnum before his focus shifted to alternative and post-punk in the late 80s. His favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Drab Majesty, but he also still has a deep love of Rush.