Ace of wands (Steve Hackett) (LP 2679 - 2684)

 

Steve Hackett  Voyage Of The Acolyte (Vinyl and CD, Chrysalis Records (vinyl), Charisma (CD), 1975) ****  

Steve Hackett  Please Don't Touch! (CD, Charisma Records, 1978) *** 

Steve Hackett  Spectral Mornings (Vinyl and CD, Chrysalis Records(vinyl), Charisma (CD), 1979) *** 

Steve Hackett  Defector (CD, Charisma Records, 1980) **** 

Steve Hackett  Cured (Vinyl, Charisma Records, 1981) *** 

Steve Hackett  Highly Strung (CD, Charisma Records, 1983) *** 

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records for the vinyl, Fopp (the 5 Classic Album series on CD came from here).

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Every Day (Spectral Mornings)

Gear costume: Please Don't Touch (PDT!); Jacuzzi (Deflector)

Active compensatory factors: I am quite drawn to Steve's solo work because it is largely instrumental, while retaining all the elements of early to mid-period Genesis that I like.

At least, that's the case for Voyage Of The Acolyte - his debut solo album, released while still a member of Genesis. Both Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford appear, along with Steve's brother John - a regular player on his albums.

Second album - Please Don't Touch! was the first done after leaving Genesis. Wisely, he lets others do the singing. Steve Walsh, Richie Havens and Randy Crawford do a great job.

Unfortunately, second track, Carry On Up The Vicarage, has processed vocals from Steve. He's attempting to be funny, I guess, but the joke plainly doesn't work!

Third album - Spectral Mornings, contains an eclectic range of styles, and has a few more vocals from Steve and bassist Dik Cadbury. 

I prefer the songs where Steve's guitar is more of a feature. He does continue the unfortunate habit of including off-the-wall tracks again. On this album, The Red Flower... has an oriental sound that is a tad off-putting in this context, and The Ballad Of The Decomposing Man is just weird with Steve singing like George Formby. Novelty tracks don't generally wear well.

Side two, however, is much better, with some lyrical guitar from Steve on the title track ending the album on a high.

Deflector is more consistent, and even the last track - another Steve Hackett pastiche, kinda works. The rest of the album is of a high calibre, featuring Steve's quality guitaring. It's probably the closest album to Genesis of the late seventies.

Cured is the one with the terrible cover. It's his most poppy sound and only really features him and Nick Magnus (keyboards and drum machine).

I should have noticed that Steve did all the vocals and the drum machine credits a lot earlier! But, having said that, it's not as terrible as it sounds - the songs are there, plus it's a French pressing with a very cool black Charisma label.

The final album in the CD set (and his final album for Charisma) is 1983's Highly Strung. Real drums are back - thanks to future Marillion drummer Ian Mosely.

Steve continues on vocals, but he's sounding better as the years go on. I think his voice suits these proggy sounds, largely driven by synths and other keyboards. Go for it if poppy prog from the eighties is your thing.

Where do they all belong? That's enough of Steve for one collection, I feel.