01	Ace of Wands						05:25
	02	Hands of the Priestess Part I						03:28
	03	A Tower Struck Down						04:52
	04	Hands of the Priestess Part II						01:34
	05	The Hermit						04:49
	06	Star of Surius						07:07
	07	The Lovers						01:49
	08	Shadow of the Hierophant						11:44
	09	Narnia						04:06
	10	Carry on up the Vicarage						03:10
	11	Racing in A						05:07
	12	Kim						02:13
	13	How Can I ?						04:40
	14	Hoping Love Will Last						04:08
	15	Land of a Thousand Autumns						01:56
	16	Please Don't Touch						03:39
	17	The Voice of Necam						03:10
	18	Icarus Ascending						06:23

Steve Hackett
Voyage of the Acolyte
Virgin (CASCD1111)
UK 1975

Steve Hackett, guitars, mellotron, harmonium, bells, autoharp, vocal, effects;
John Hackett, flute, ARP synthesiser, bells;
Mike Rutherford, bass, bass pedals, fuzz 12-string;
Phil Collins, drums, vibes, percussion, vocals;
John Acock, Elka Rhapsody, mellotron, harmonium, piano;
Sally Oldfield, vocal;
Robin Miller, oboe, cor anglais;
Nigel Warren-Green, cello;

Percy Jones, bass;
Johnny Gustafson, bass;
Steve Tobin, parrot, cough

Sean McFee:
In the break between Gabriel-era Genesis and the four-member band, guitarist Steve Hackett took some time to release his first solo album. Rutherford and Collins help out here, although not surprisingly Tony Banks is absent. Other guests of note include Steve's brother John and Sally Oldfield.
This gives an idea as to how good Genesis might have been had they allowed Hackett a stronger presence. There is some beautiful, haunting acoustic guitar playing ("Hands of the Priestess"), some frenetic but still melodic chaos ("Ace of Wands", "A Tower Struck Down") and majestic composition on a grand scale ("Shadow of the Hierophant"). Hackett composes and plays music running the gamut of prog with equal ease.
This is a solid album that fans of the Genesis sound will have no absolutely no problem enjoying. In many ways, it's better than what they were doing at the same time, as the lyrics are not subjected to Peter Gabriel's clever-to-a-fault tendencies, and of course Hackett has a more prominent role in the mix. Symphonic proggies should have no trouble finding lots to like here.

Joe McGlinchey:
During his stint in Genesis, Hackett took some time out to create his first solo album. To this day, it remains his best, and is more than worthy company for any of the classic-sequence Genesis albums. This may be in part due to the addition of Collins and Rutherford, giving it an obvious Genesis minus the name feel, but also the strong compositions on this effort show just how much Hackett attempted to bring to the band. "Ace of Wands" and "Star of Sirius" are symphonic prog at its best, the latter featuring rather awkwardly beautiful harmonies from the pairing of Hackett and Collins. Contrast the pure tenderness of "Hands of the Priestess, Part 1" with the spine-tingling, portentous closing of "Shadow of the Hierophant" (both two of Hackett's finest moments, whether in or out of Genesis). Whatever mood it is navigating through, Voyage masterfully nagivates. There are a few dull moments, but on the whole, this one's a classic representation of the genre.

Eric Porter:
An enchanting solo effort from Steve Hackett while still a member of Genesis. Mates Collins and Rutherford appear throughout, along with Steve's brother John and other guests. The material is mostly instrumental, and throughout the recording is a mystical feel. The cover art by Kim Poor (Steve's wife) fits the music perfectly . This is often described as the best record Genesis never made. For one thing it is much more eclectic, yet all done with a certain grace and charm. "Ace of Wands" runs through a variety of changes using acoustic guitar as its foundation, and applying sporadic moments of mellotron, flutes, bells to offset the main theme created by Hackett's electric lead guitar. Often within this track the sounds can be sparse, and then all of a sudden your headphones are filled with sound. The band charges to the finish line with more layered guitar creating a new melody to take you out of the song. "Hands of the Priestess Part I" is a soft pastoral track with acoustic guitar and flute, Mellotron washes, chimes, and Hackett's trademark volume swells. "Hands Part II" uses parts of the same melody along with a few new treatments to tie the tracks together. "A Tower Struck Down" has a harsh feel, with its pounding rythymic bass, and off-color guitar and sound effects. Lovers of the Mellotron will love its application on this track. The far off sounding vocals used on "The Hermit" create an eerie effect matched with acoustic guitar. The cello brings an added texture to the track. Oboe and acoustic guitar are teamed upon the intro for "Star of Sirius", and Collins is used for lead vocals. Drenched in Mellotron (as is much of this disc), the synthesizer makes a few appearances as the lead instrument during both the soft and upbeat sections. "The Lovers" is a short acoustic guitar piece that again shows Hackett's interest in classical music, which he has flirted with throughout his recording career. The powerful "Shadow of the Hierophant" closes the set, and displays almost all of Hackett's trademark sounds, featuring guest vocalist Sally Oldfield (Mike's sister). Tell me Eddie Van Halen never listened to this CD and I have a "Squonk" I will sell you. Anyway, I don't think you have to be a Genesis fan to enjoy this; it is innovative and very original sounding, and if you love the Mellotron, it is heard throughout. I consider this a must have in any progressive collection.


Steve Hackett - Voyage Of The Acolyte

Released: 1975/1991
Label: Chrysalis / Blue Plate (Caroline)
Cat. No.: 1176 / CAROL 1863-2
Total Time: 40:52


Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow
I verily think that Andrew Lloyd Webber is a Steve Hackett fan. I think this because twice there were elements here in Hackett's Voyage Of The Acolyte that instantly made me think of Webber's most celebrated work, The Phantom Of The Opera. He, Webber, must certainly have been enamoured of "Star Of Sirius" to have lifted and developed a bit of the opening melody for "All I Ask Of You," and to have sought out Sarah Brightman (however they met), and employ her as Christine, perhaps because Sally Oldfield, who sings lovely here on "Shadow Of The Heirophant," was not available. This is all fantastical (thought not fantastic) speculation on my part -- in case it wasn't obvious. Okay, and please forgive me for the Webber, I happen to like Phantom, though I know he is reviled by some.

Maybe I'm still on a high from NEARfest 2002, though I've had this CD for years and was playing it both long before he was even announced as being on the schedule, but also right after, in preparation. I never got past this CD, however. Not for any other reason than I kept needing to listen to it. My previous experience with Hackett was Guitar Noir... but I was starting from the beginning. And, I couldn't get past it because I love this album. I don't care how it rates in the Hackett oeuvre, I love it. I love it except that, here, I find Phil Collins' vocal style annoying. I'm not a Phil basher -- call me guilty of liking his solo stuff up through ...But Seriously, and even his time as Genesis' vocalist -- but here...well...no, he just doesn't work for me. Ah, but everything else does. "Shadow..." is so epic, so...so...very proggy to me. It's big, sweeping, dramatic.

But, you say, peeking at the track listing, that's the end of the album. What about the beginning?

"Ace Of Wands" leads off the album. It starts with a twisting, slightly tart intro from what seems like a multitude of instruments - guitars and synths -- gives way to wonderfully swirly keys and chiming bells, strings (from the Arp), parpy keys, acoustic guitars... all the hallmarks of prog all in one package. Well, that's the half of it. The second half is rocking with some great playing from Hackett (as if there really was any other kind) ... listen to him use the fretboard... marvelous. Shame it fades out rather than end spectacularly. "Hands Of The Priestess Part I" is a dramatic, pastoral piece, with brother John on flute and Steve on steel string guitar... you do I love this kind of stuff. "A Tower Struck Down" is fantastically dark, pounding drums, booming bass (Mike Rutherford, Percy Jones) ... and yet, somewhat sinisterly playful. Like what had been happening with Genesis when Hackett and Gabriel were still members. It's a bit quirky, and I couldn't tell you what was making the weird honking-squeak noise. It ends, once the tower has been toppled, on a very subtle, gloomy note. Dark guitar strums like death knells. "Hands Of The Priestess Part II" is next, and unlike "Part I," there is a darker undertone. Things have changed for the Priestess and not for the better.

Hackett sings on "The Hermit." His voice is buried I the mix, and I get the feeling that Hackett isn't entirely comfortable with the way he sings. But he sounds fine, lending this track sensitivity that having Collins, for example, do the singing, would not be possible. "Star Of Sirius" is a measured piece, that begins very gentle with swirling synths, plucked guitar, and Collins' vocals -- here they are okay. This is another piece that has a great deal of drama. When it picks up, in a manner like "Ace Of Wands," it becomes a little more poppy than the rest of the material. But it is mostly that serious and studied drama, fortunately, and ultimately comes out as a great piece of mellow music. "The Lovers" begins with solo acoustic guitar, but soon keys take the lead. This is recorded very, very quietly...perhaps too subtle. A remaster might be in order to bring this track out.

And then...and then the thoroughly fantastic "Shadow Of The Hierophant" begins. Wonderful, wonderful stuff, all of it. If his later stuff is considered better -- I know Spectral Mornings is considered a classic, and I have Till We Have Faces next to listen to -- my goodness...

More about Voyage Of The Acolyte:

Track Listing: Ace of Wands (5:25) / Hands of the Priestess, / 1 (3:28) / A Tower Struck Down (4:53) / Hands of the Priestess, / 2 (1:34) / The Hermit (4:49) / Star of Sirius (7:08) / The Lovers (1:50) / Shadow of the Hierophant (11:45)

Musicians:
Steve Hackett - electric and acoustic guitar, autoharp, harmonium, keyboards, sound effects, vocals, bells, Mellotron
John Hackett - Flute, Keyboards, Bells, Arp
Mike Rutherford - Bass, 12-string guitar, bass pedals Phil Collins - percussion, drums, vocals, vibraphone
John Acock - piano, harmonium, keyboards, mellotron, elka rhapsody
Nigel Warren-Green - Cello
Sally Oldfield - Vocals
Robin Miller - Oboe, Cor Anglais
John Gustafson - Bass (6)
Percy Jones - Bass (3)




Hackett, Steve - Voyage Of The Acolyte

Release Date: 1975

Member: Constable Napweed - 6/29/03

Simply awesome and showed why Steve had to leave the band. Hackett was not afraid to go against the grain. The differing styles on this album are ones that would be embraced albeit in a different area of prog by Robert Fripp. Hackett wasn't afraid to take chances....Later Genesis couldn't be accused of that either, but whereas Steve stretched his wings and flew....Genesis took a backward step and played safe. Gabriel was a loss to Genesis but not as much as the lower profile Hackett.

Member: tv241st

I just dug this one out of the archives for a Thursday night listen. Excellent album. I think this could just as easily have been a Genesis album, except that it's way more progressive than anything Genesis was doing at the time. I believe it was released in 1976 which would put it around the Trick of the Tale/Wind and Wuthering time frame - the last flickers of prog from Genesis. Anyway, I think Steve Hackett may be the most underrated solo artist from the "founding father" prog bands (Genesis, Yes, ELP, KC).

Member: Prog Owl

The Players:
Steve Hackett:Guitars, Mellotron, Bells, Vocal on 5, Percussion
John Hackett:Flutes, Synth, Percussion
John Acock:Keyboards
Mike Rutherford:Bass, Bass Pedals, 12-string guitar
Phil Collins:Drums, Vibes, Vocal on 6
Robin Miller:Oboe, Cor Anglais (English Horn)
Nigel Warren Green:Cello
Sally Oldfield:Vocal on 8

Put quite simply, this is the absolute best post-Gabriel Genesis album that Genesis never made!Repeated listenings of this 1975 vintage solo gem from Steve Hackett show just how vital he really was to the classic Genesis sound, not just in terms of his playing, but his writing as well. It also shows just how under-utilized that Steve's writing and compositional ideas were in Genesis. It was the non-receptivity of his bandmates that caused him to walk out (it was either that or walk into the nearest nuthouse).The instrumental, "Ace of Wands" leads off as a snarling, seething tour-de-force, laced with beautiful mellotron choirs and chimes, and unpredictable twists like A SIREN WHISTLE!!??? Steve was not holding back here, the leopard broke out of the zoo and he was HUNGRY!!!"Hands of the Priestess Parts I & II" are two sublimely beautiful interludes featuring Steve's brother John on flutes and the lone forlorn oboe of Robin Miller. These two romantic musings bookend the sheer terror that is "A Tower Struck Down", a lumbering, menacing instrumental with angry riffing by Steve, peppered with odd interjections of coughing, a parrot and crowd noise from a Hitler rally."The Hermit" is a somber rumination with Steve singing, the only real weak spot on the disc. While Steve's voice is certainly not unlistenable, it just doesn't command your attention either."Star of Sirius" puts Phil Collins in the vocal spotlight and he actually turns in a splendid performance here (before pop-stardom seduced him and robbed him of his soul). This song features driving choruses and beautiful keyboard/woodwind orchestrations that would bring tears to your eyes, another spine chilling prog moment if ever there was.A peaceful respite in "The Lovers" follows with Steve baring his soul on a lone classical guitar, leading into "Shadow of the Hierophant", a grand epic featuring the beautiful soprano voice of Sally Oldfield (that's Mike's sister), the piece evolves from lush romanticism into a lumbering, menacing conclusion, 11 minutes of sheer symphonic prog bliss!All throughout, the rhythm section of his Genesis mates gives the songs a ferocious energy and authority (which just makes me even sadder to see the turn they took in 3 short years when Steve bowed out) without overpowering everybody else. Phil and Mike's interaction on the instrumental pieces is particularly fierce! Steve's brother John would become an important part of his music in subsequent solo releases with his flute artistry. John Acock''s colorful and understated keyboards give these songs very vivid atmospheres. Steve himself seems to relish his role here as a melodic colorist, preferring to let the songs be the star of the show, although he does like to let the snarling leopard out of the cage from time to time too.Man, if only Genesis continued on like this!! Maybe in an alternate universe, they did. We may never know:


c2001 - 2003 Progressive Ears





Steve Hackett
Please Don't Touch
Caroline (CAROL 1861-2)
UK 1978

Steve Hackett, guitars, vocals, keyboards, percussion;
with
John Hackett, flutes, piccolos, bass pedals, keyboards;
Steve Walsh, vocals;
Richie Havens, vocals, percussion;
Randy Crawford, vocals;
Dave LeBolt, keyboards;
John Acock, keyboards;
Tom Fowler, bass;
Chester Thompson, drums, percussion;
Phil Ehart, drums, percussion;
James Bradley, percussion;
Graham Smith, violin;
Hugh Malloy, cello

Jon Byrne:
This album has always been one of my favorites, but I just recently acquired a legitimate CD copy (for years I relied on a copy made by my older brother Todd - the flip side of Selling England By The Pound!). I finally plunked down some cash for the disc when I ordered Hackett's Tokyo Tapes and it was well worth it.
What I enjoy so much about this album is the variety of the different tracks. After Hackett's solo debut, the prog tour-de-force Voyage of the Acolyte, it's obvious that he was intent on trying some different things. Having said that, the proggier stuff on here is top notch. "Racing in A" is a great tune, filled with dual guitar lines, Mellotron sweeps, and capped off by a fantastic classical guitar bit. The title track, with the interplay between Hackett's guitar and his brother's flute is equally impressive.
More important, Hackett's attempts at different kinds of tracks work equally well. "How Can I" is a nice quasi-folk tune (with Richie Havens on vocals no less), "Kim" is a brief acoustic guitar/flute instrumental, and "Hoping Love Will Last" is a knockout bluesy ballad. While I generally don't approve of prog masters trying to go a little more straightforward (and it doesn't always work for Hackett, either), nothing here is anything but well done, at least.
Please Don't Touch was an important step for Hackett, a step away from his roots with Genesis. While his output since this album has been spotty, he has always been trying something different, from a full blues album to classical guitar with a full orchestra. And for that I salute him. That everything didn't come out as well as this disc is nothing to be ashamed of.

Sean McFee:
Steve Hackett's second solo album (and first after leaving Genesis) takes a rather strange turn away from his trademark Genesis style or introspective acoustic work into more conventional waters. Songs are shorter and the vocal density is increased compared to Voyage of the Acolyte.
Steve Walsh lends vocals to two tracks here, and the result is not too surprisingly like Kansas' poppier work. The second of these, "Racing in A", takes a couple of turns into a solo Hackett performance on acoustic guitar which is quite nice, but overall these intervals are relatively rare over the course of the album. The instrumental "Kim" features only a flute playing a simple, pastoral melody over Hackett's guitar, and is another strong moment.
For the most part, though, this is a more mainstream, and thus less interesting, slice of Hackett's oeuvre. Hackett himself seems to have retreated from this direction after this album, which is perhaps an indication that he was less than satisfied with the results.

Joe McGlinchey:
This might be considered Steve Hackett's first 'real' solo album in a sense, if one considers his actual debut, Voyage of the Acolyte, to be more along the lines of an honorary Genesis album. With Please Don't Touch, Hackett was extending towards a broader array of musical styles and musicians. How many albums have members of Kansas and Richie Havens on it? This is a much more down-to-earth affair, and the lofty lyrics and abstruse Tarot card imagery of Acolyte are jettisoned for more accessible, interpersonal themes (e.g. "How Can I?", "Hoping Love Will Last") and playfully dark humor (e.g. the Agatha Christie-inspired "Carry On Up the Vicarage"), a recurring theme for the early Hackett albums. The vocalists all lend credible performances to the material they are given. Kansas lead vocalist Steve Walsh handles the songs that call for an extroverted lead, in this case the upbeat "Narnia" and the more rock-oriented "Racing In A." Havens, with his folk background, handles the more introverted tunes. One of them, "How Can I?" recalls the tail end of Hackett's tenure with Genesis (e.g. "Inside and Out," "Your Own Special Way"), and here Havens even sounds a bit reminiscent of Peter Gabriel. Randy Crawford, discovered by Hackett in a Chicago club, gives a silky, soulful performance for the ballad "Hoping Love Will Last," which I bet would have made a strong late 70s F.M. single, had it been released as such and gained exposure on the radio. Hackett takes all these various elements and blends them more or less against a prog landscape, and pretty successfully, too. Please Don't Touch is different from the more straightforwardly prog albums that surround it in the solo Hackett canon, and it must have been somewhat surprising for the fans who purchased it back in the day. Nevertheless, it makes an effective musical journal of Hackett's development through this time.

Eric Porter:
Another excellent Hackett masterpiece. The music on this CD is diverse and yet may be the most accessible of his early recordings. There are guest vocalists on many tracks, which is a plus. The songs are shorter than usual but pack everything from folk ballads to classical guitar. "Narnia" features Kansas vocalist Steve Walsh, and is based on C.S. Lewis' books. This is a great tune, very upbeat, with an excellent performance by Walsh; it's catchy enough to have been a radio tune. "Carry On Up the Vicarage" opens with a toy piano and sound effects with Christmas songs being sung; the music is very eclectic, with the vocal having a childlike effect in one ear and a deep vocal in the other. "Racing in A" again features Walsh with another excellent performance that is heavy rock with some nice mellotron work, again upbeat, a lot of stop and start at the end. "Kim" is a classical guitar piece with flute. "How Can I" features the unlikely pairing of Hackett and Ritchie Havens; it's an acoustic guitar piece with Havens on vocals. I really like Havens' singing here. "Hoping Love Will Last" is a piano vocal piece, a ballad, and has kind of a R&B feel. Very different from anything he has done before or since for that matter, but a very pretty song, that ends up very well-orchestrated. "Land of a Thousand Autumns" and "Please Don't Touch" share the same theme for the most part, the first being atmospheric, and the latter is an in your face instrumental with very powerful guitar, bass pedals, keyboards and sound effects. "The Voice of Necam" again uses the theme of the prior, played on a creepy sounding organ again with sound effects, music expands with voice effects and acoustic guitar. "Icarus Ascending" features Havens on vocals, very dramatic and dark at times, lush instrumentally, end is very eclectic with short sections of reggae, jazz, and lots of guitar effects. Of the early Hackett recordings, this one I listen to the least. But this should not take away from the record at all, as it rates up there with his best.



Steve Hackett - Please Don't Touch

Released: 1978
Label: Camino Records/ Charisma Records/Chrysalis
Cat. No.: CDSCD 4012 (Charisma)
Total Time: 37:15


Reviewed by: Davide Guidone, March 2003
If you have never listened to any Steve Hackett album, this could represent a good chance to start.

I've always thought his works were so good that they could not be considered guitar records, like Satriani's for example, because of the great arrangement and high quality composing standard.

I'm sure the first three solo Hackett records (Voyage Of The Acolyte, Please Don't Touch and Spectral Mornings) ought to be owned by all progressive rock fans. Please Don't Touch is, perhaps, the best example in his career. In fact, this disc is the first without Genesis influences, in contrast to Voyage Of Acolyte for example, and has his personal mark. I believe this Please Don't Touch will make you understand that Steve is a little genius.

This composing freedom is remarked upon also because the guitarist presents a wide variety of pieces that represents a lot of different genres. Hackett himself said: "I wanted to get the most diverse and eclectic tracks that I could together on one album; a style mix between a European structured approach to rock and a Spartan black American sound." Surely, a black American song is the wonderful "Hoping Love Will Last," a soulful ballad sung by Randy Crawford. Other guest stars are Kansas' vocalist Steve Walsh, and Richie Havens, who both appear on two songs.

I have to make this consideration: the only piece that Steve will play over the years in his gigs is the title track, which the same musician suggests that it not be played to people with heart conditions:

More about Please Don't Touch:

Track Listing: Narnia (4:06) / Carry On Up The Vicarage (3:11) / Racing In A (5:07) / Kim (2:14) / How Can I? (4:40) / Hoping Love Will Last (4:09) / Land Of Thousand Autumns (1:57) / Please Don't Touch (3:39) / The Voice Of Necam (3:11) / Icarus Ascending (6:21)

Musicians:
Steve Hackett - guitars, keyboards, percussion, voice
Dave Lebolt - keyboards
John Acock - keyboards
John Hackett - flutes, keyboards, bass pedals
Chester Thompson - drums
Phil Ehart - drums, percussion
Tom Fowler - bass
Graham Smith - violin
Hugh Malloy - cello
Richie Havens - vocals
Steve Walsh - vocals
Randy Crawford - vocals




County Of Origin: England
Established: 1975
Styles: Symphonic


Voyage Of The Acolyte (1975)

Regarded by many as the best album Genesis never made, I find that Steve's first solo effort does not really possess much of an outright Genesis sound. True, Voyage of the Acolyte retains the grand symphonic appeal that characterized traditional mid-period Genesis, but there is definitely more of a purely unique 'Hackett' sound and character as well. For one, this concept album, incidentally based on the tarot cards, has a much more pastoral feel in parts, along with its more driving moments, ironically harkening back to the pre-Hackett days of Trespass-era Genesis. There is also the obvious emphasis of more guitar in the overall sound. The cast of well known guests includes Mike Rutherford on bass and 12-string guitar, Phil Collins on drums, John Hackett on flute, John Acock on keyboards and Sally Oldfield with vocals on the final track. The presence of two other Genesis members leads to many conclusions about the sound being similar to that of Genesis, but with the exception of Rutherford co-writing the closing piece, "Shadow of the Hierophant", and John Hackett the third, "A Tower Struck Down", everything here was written by Steve.

This album flows very well as a complete piece, with no real sub-par pieces. The standouts however, include "Star of Sirius", with ethereal vocals by Collins, the rhythmically powerful "A Tower Struck Down", as well "The Shadow of the Hierophant", which starts out mellow, with Sally Oldfield's enchanting vocals, and finishes in a climactic wash of mellotron. One of my favorite symphonic albums, Voyage of the Acolyte should appeal to any Genesis fan, as well as to fans of symphonic prog in general. - Mike Prete [2000]

1. Ace of Wands - 5:25
2. Hands of the Priestess, Pt. 1 - 3:28
3. Tower Struck Down - 4:53
4. Hands of the Priestess, Pt. 2 - 1:34
5. The Hermit - 4:49
6. Star of Sirius - 7:08
7. The Lovers - 1:50
8. Shadow of the Hierophant - 11:45

Steve Hackett - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Autoharp, Guitar (Electric), Harmonium, Keyboards, Sound Effects, Vocals, Bells, Mellotron
Phil Collins - Percussion, Drums, Vocals, Vibraphone
Mike Rutherford - Bass, Guitar (Bass), Guitar (12 String), Bass Pedals
John Hackett - Flute, Keyboards, Bells, Arp Sally Oldfield - Vocals
John Acock - Piano, Harmonium, Keyboards, Mellotron, Elka
Robin Miller - Oboe, Wind, Cor Anglais
John Gustafson - Bass
Percy Jones - Bass
Nigel Warren-Green - Cello

Virgin Records - CAROL 18632
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Hackett, Steve - Voyage Of The Acolyte

Member: Prog Owl

The Players: Steve Hackett:Guitars, Mellotron, Bells, Vocal on 5, Percussion; John Hackett:Flutes, Synth, Percussion; John Acock:Keyboards; Mike Rutherford:Bass, Bass Pedals, 12-string guitar; Phil Collins:Drums, Vibes, Vocal on 6; Robin Miller:Oboe, Cor Anglais (English Horn); Nigel Warren Green:Cello; Sally Oldfield:Vocal on 8

Put quite simply, this is the absolute best post-Gabriel Genesis album that Genesis never made!

Repeated listenings of this 1975 vintage solo gem from Steve Hackett show just how vital he really was to the classic Genesis sound, not just in terms of his playing, but his writing as well. It also shows just how under-utilized that Steve's writing and compositional ideas were in Genesis. It was the non-receptivity of his bandmates that caused him to walk out (it was either that or walk into the nearest nuthouse).

The instrumental, "Ace of Wands" leads off as a snarling, seething tour-de-force, laced with beautiful mellotron choirs and chimes, and unpredictable twists like A SIREN WHISTLE!!??? Steve was not holding back here, the leopard broke out of the zoo and he was HUNGRY!!!

"Hands of the Priestess Parts I & II" are two sublimely beautiful interludes featuring Steve's brother John on flutes and the lone forlorn oboe of Robin Miller. These two romantic musings bookend the sheer terror that is "A Tower Struck Down", a lumbering, menacing instrumental with angry riffing by Steve, peppered with odd interjections of coughing, a parrot and crowd noise from a Hitler rally.

"The Hermit" is a somber rumination with Steve singing, the only real weak spot on the disc. While Steve's voice is certainly not unlistenable, it just doesn't command your attention either.

"Star of Sirius" puts Phil Collins in the vocal spotlight and he actually turns in a splendid performance here (before pop-stardom seduced him and robbed him of his soul). This song features driving choruses and beautiful keyboard/woodwind orchestrations that would bring tears to your eyes, another spine chilling prog moment if ever there was.

A peaceful respite in "The Lovers" follows with Steve baring his soul on a lone classical guitar, leading into "Shadow of the Hierophant", a grand epic featuring the beautiful soprano voice of Sally Oldfield (that's Mike's sister), the piece evolves from lush romanticism into a lumbering, menacing conclusion, 11 minutes of sheer symphonic prog bliss!

All throughout, the rhythm section of his Genesis mates gives the songs a ferocious energy and authority (which just makes me even sadder to see the turn they took in 3 short years when Steve bowed out) without overpowering everybody else. Phil and Mike's interaction on the instrumental pieces is particularly fierce! Steve's brother John would become an important part of his music in subsequent solo releases with his flute artistry. John Acock''s colorful and understated keyboards give these songs very vivid atmospheres. Steve himself seems to relish his role here as a melodic colorist, preferring to let the songs be the star of the show, although he does like to let the snarling leopard out of the cage from time to time too.

Man, if only Genesis continued on like this!! Maybe in an alternate universe, they did. We may never know:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Member: tv241st
I just dug this one out of the archives for a Thursday night listen. Excellent album. I think this could just as easily have been a Genesis album, except that it's way more progressive than anything Genesis was doing at the time. I believe it was released in 1976 which would put it around the Trick of the Tale/Wind and Wuthering time frame - the last flickers of prog from Genesis. Anyway, I think Steve Hackett may be the most underrated solo artist from the "founding father" prog bands (Genesis, Yes, ELP, KC).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Steve Hackett - Voyage Of The Acolyte

Released: 1975 / 1991
Label: Charisma / Blue Plate
Cat. No.: 1176 / CAROL 1862-2
Total Time: 40:52


Reviewed by: Tom Karr, August 2004
This release, the first solo effort from the Genesis guitarist, gives us a good idea of what the founding members of Genesis were denying themselves by declining to consider the great majority of material written by Hackett. This classic 1975 release shows what a huge fountain of creativity was being ignored by the founders of the band from Charterhouse, for this is without a doubt one of the most serene and beautiful works I have heard in a long time. Yes, I know that I come a bit late to this conclusion, only recently revisiting the works of Genesis and its members with a critical ear, but Voyage Of The Acolyte has, quite frankly, enthralled this listener. This is a work of great vision and sensitivity, bearing much in common with the best work of Genesis and, with the presence of both Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins, it might be thought of as one of the great unknown works of that band, the best album that Genesis never recorded, if you will. It also shares a good bit of the gentle, pastoral spirit of the Italian progressive rock scene of the 1970's. This release showcases not only Steve Hackett, but also his talented multi-instrumentalist brother John and a bevy of fine sidemen (and women), including the absolutely gorgeous vocals on the final track from another progressive rock sibling, Sally Oldfield.

With its song titles inspired by the Tarot deck, this release strikes me as a sonic fantasy film, bringing endlessly magical and mystic images to mind. This enticing work fairly drips with grand washes of Mellotron, wrapping Hackett's seductive guitar playing in a lovers embrace. The use of temple bells, flute, oboe, cello and harmonium gently underscore Hackett's masterful and generally restrained guitar work. The minimal use of vocals allows the music to speak for itself, though Hackett's vocal on "The Hermit" and Collins's vocal on "Star Of Sirius", as well as Oldfield's breathtaking work on the albums finale "Shadow Of The Hierophant" are all quite captivating and beautifully matched to each individual song. Steve's brother, John Hackett, comes close to stealing the show here with his sparse yet strong synth work and most of all, his translucent flute work. His delightful, melodic lines on "Hands Of The Priestess, Part I" are as lovely and inspiring as anything I have ever heard. If any recording ever perfectly demonstrated the romantic era's emphasis on theme, variation and repetition, this is it.

Have I made this sound like its all lushly romantic and devoid of any muscle? Perhaps I have, but the first and third cuts, "Ace Of Wands" and "A Tower Struck Down" are both powerful and energetic pieces, bristling with electric energy. "Ace Of Wands" in particular showcases Hackett's six string power, containing some of his best work ever on both acoustic and electric guitar.

"Star Of Sirius" is a showcase for Phil Collins, as he contributes not only his fine drumming, but also his vocals and vibe playing. The final cut, "Shadow Of The Hierophant" is another brilliant display, this time for Sally Oldfield's voice, sounding much like Renaissance's Annie Haslem, only more robust in tone, with the ever present Mellotron competing with Oldfield's vocals for the listeners attention. Few songs in this genre can match its ever building emotional impact, alternately grand and then plaintive. Hackett's strong guitar work on this tune, and all over this magnificent release, reveal his penchant for classical music, which Genesis could surely have benefited from.

This is an absolutely essential release for your collection, consistently beautiful and stirring. This disc has been in my changer since the day I received it, and not a day has passed that I have not listened to all or part of this release. I trust that you will find it as enchanting as I do.

Rating: 5/5

[See also Steph's review -ed.]

More about Voyage Of The Acolyte:

Track Listing: Ace Of Wands 5:23 / Hands Of The Priestess Part I 3:28 / A Tower Struck Down 4:53 / Hands Of The Priestess Part II 1:31 / The Hermit 4:49 / Star Of Sirius 7:08 / The Lovers 1:50 / Shadow Of The Hierophant 11:44

Musicians:
Steve Hackett - electric and acoustic guitar, autoharp, harmonium, keyboards, sound effects, vocals, bells, Mellotron
John Hackett - Flute, Keyboards, Bells, Arp
Mike Rutherford - Bass, 12-string guitar, bass pedals Phil Collins - percussion, drums, vocals, vibraphone
John Acock - piano, harmonium, keyboards, mellotron, elka rhapsody
Nigel Warren-Green - Cello
Sally Oldfield - Vocals
Robin Miller - Oboe, Cor Anglais
John Gustafson - Bass (6)
Percy Jones - Bass (3)






Please Don't Touch (1978)

As the first album recorded after his departure from Genesis, Hackett's Please Don't Touch is a more inconsistent effort than his previous classic, Voyage of the Acolyte. Recorded with three guest vocalists, it seems as if Hackett was writing more in their style than his own. The two pieces with Steve Walsh of Kansas are the best of the guest material, with a more upbeat sound reminiscent of Kansas. "How Can I?" with Ritchie Havens on vocals, and "Hoping Love Will Last" with Randy Crawford are good songs in their own right, being as they are love songs showcasing the pair's respective talents, but sound little like what Hackett seems to want to explore on his own.

The standout of the album is the instrumental title track, which boasts the suggestion "For maximum effect this track should be listened to as loudly as possible with as much treble and bass as your system can muster - not to be played to people with heart conditions or those in severely hallucinogenic states of mind." That seems to be a fitting description, as this track is signature Hackett. "Kim" marks the beginning of Steve's work with classical acoustic pieces, in a lovely song dedicated to his wife. The remainder of the solo pieces are in a similar vein to the material of his other albums. Sandwiched between two of his finer efforts, Voyage of the Acolyte and Spectral Mornings, this album doesn't quite live up to the same high standard, although it is a fine record when taken on its own terms. - Mike Prete [2000]



1. Narnia - 4:06
2. Carry on up the Vicarage - 3:11
3. Racing in a - 5:07
4. Kim - 2:14
5. How Can I? - 4:40
6. Hoping Love Will Last - 4:09
7. Land of a Thousand Autumns - 1:57
8. Please Don't Touch - 3:39
9. Voice of Necam - 3:11
10. Icarus Ascending - 6:21

Steve Hackett - Guitar (Acoustic), Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer, Guitar (Electronic)
Richie Havens - Percussion, Vocals
Randy Crawford - Vocals
Chester Thompson - Percussion, Drums
Steve Walsh - Vocals
Tom Fowler - Bass
John Acock - Keyboards, Producer, Engineer
James Bradley, Jr. - Percussion
Phil Ehart - Percussion, Drums
Feydor - Vocals
John Hackett - Flute, Keyboards, Piccolo, Bass Pedals
Dave Lebolt - Keyboards
Hugh Malloy - Cello
Graham Smith - Violin

Charisma Records - CAROL 1861-2
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Hackett, Steve - Please Don't Touch

Member: ptuasca

Some people under-rate this album, but I do think it has very nice spots on it. It cannot be compared fairly to Voyage of the Acolyte, because as we know, that one is "the best Genesis album they never released".

I'll do a song by song review:

"Narnia":

Kansas' Steve Walsh lends a hand here (and Phil Ehart too, probably). I think he is a great singer in is early days, and this performance is no different. A "happy" song like Kansas' "It takes a woman's love (to make a man)", with more beautiful guitar work (of course).

"Carry on up the Vicarage":

This is a tribute to Agatha Christie (one of my favorite writers too). This is ILLARIOUS! There are two vocals (all sung be Steve) with an effect that makes you think that little buddies from Mars are singing this tune! My favorite track on this album. Worth its price!

"Racing in A":

Walsh (and Ehart probably) are back again. Another happy song, not very impressive, but nice.

"Kim":

Nice instrumental song. If you like Hackett guitar playing, you'll like this one.

"How Can I":

Richie Havens sings on this very beautiful track. His strong voice gets really nice alongside Hackett's guitars.

"Hoping Love Will Last":

AWFULL! Worse than the worst Roxette tune! Arghhhh!

"Land of a Thousand Autumns":

Very nice instrumental. It prepares you for the title track, and the passage from one to the other is quite nice too: no sound for some seconds, then:

"Please Don't Touch":

Follow Hackett's recommendation and listen to this one very loud, with as much bass as your sound equipment can provide. This is a warm and fierce instrumental. Really gets me excited.

"The Voice of Necam":

Nice one. Nothing exceptional here...

"Icarus Ascending":

Havens is back again to close the album with this tune. It follows the ingredients of "How can I", with beautifull guitars in it.

Rating:

If you are not a Hackett fan, you only need Voyage of the Acolyte (the review on this site is very good). BUT, if you are a prog fan, a Genesis/Hackett fan, you'll probably want this one. "Carry on up the vicarage" is a gem. It makes me laugh! I've listened to it 10 times or more in three days!!! I'll give it 6 on a 10 star rating.

Paulo, from Brazil.





Hackett, Steve - Please Don't Touch

Member: unclecarlos - 10/13/03

As a classically trained guitarist, I felt the need to defend this fine record in light of some criticism that has been posted. After listening to both the LP and the CD issues of Please Don't Touch, I must recommend that anyone who has access to the vinyl LP listen to the original product. The CD abruptly breaks the tracks: ?Land of a Thousand Autumns¦ and ?Please Don't Touch¦ with disastrous results.

This album requires repeated listening in order to truly appreciate the subtle gems of sound and musicianship that elude the casual hearing. It also pays to study Hackett's lyrics carefully to discover the depth of this artist's intuition. If I must point to a weakness, it is the lack of a strong chorus or "hook" in ?Narnia": If you are going to write a Pop tune, you need a strong hook that will ring in listener's heads after a first listening. On the other hand, all the songs show impeccable craftsmanship and deeply satisfying progressions.

"Carry On Up The Vicarage" has been accused of exposing Steve Hackett's insecurity as a singer. I disagree. The altered voices are not only groundbreaking but provide the perfect shock effect for this dark tribute to Agatha Christie. The dominant-seventh riff on the twelve-string guitar is a perfect touch creating a sense of being on the edge of insanity.

"Racing In A" gets a lot of criticism as being a hodgepodge of poorly connected ideas but a deep analysis by any modestly competent theoretician will prove otherwise. The piece is profoundly original, yet totally Hackett. Steve is known for his love of leisure and this is his anthem. The classical guitar solo at the end shows that the composer has mastered eighteenth-century two voice counterpoint and has the polish of Bach, yet sounds very modern and reminds me of South American syncopation. The flashy run in thirty-second notes shown that Steve has the technical ability to play burning-fast scales, yet he puts music first and uses the flash wisely. The final reprise of the opening themes connects the solo to the rest of the song making it an organic masterpiece. I suspect that Steve Hackett wrote the solo first and then built the rest around it.

"Kim" is a somewhat saccharine rehash of Eric Satie's Trois Gymnopedies but provides some "ear candy" for those who need an accessible break. This is perhaps my least favorite piece, but I am somewhat jaded when it comes to this kind of music. In the seventy's this still sounded relatively fresh.

"How Can I?" is elusive in its apparent simplicity. The lyrics begin as a generic "trying to make a phone call" song and gradually develop into wonderful insights into human fallibility and hope of renewal. I wonder why Hackett wrote such an American song? Listen carefully to the twelve-string harmonies for a real treat! Craftsmanship at it's best.

¦Hoping Love Will Last¦ is best appreciated if you read the lyrics as a love poem before listening to the song. This is by far the most "lounge lizard" sounding song but the melody is elegantly written and the voice of Randy Crawford grows on you once you get past the Las Vegas first impression.

¦Land of a Thousand Autums¦ is simply a prelude to ?Please Don't Touch¦. The vinyl LP has no break between this track and the title track. Virgin Records should have respected the original format but somebody decided to cut a break of silence between the tracks, essentially killing excitement that the prelude was supposed to create.
¦Please Don't Touch¦ is one of the most creative pieces of music I have heard. The contrast between super-weird synth-guitar howls and harpsichord classical riffs is truly the mark of a musical genius.

¦The Voice of Necam¦ (the computer) is profound. The residual theme of the previous track is mocked in a mechanistic machinelike manner, possibly symbolizing the lower pragmatic mind which is soon overwhelmed by an angelic chorus of electronic voices. If there is music representing a mystical state, this has to be it! The guitar solo is one of the most inspired and creative pieces I have heard. Simple, yet utopian.

¦Icarus Ascending¦ starts out rather rudely, startling the listener out of the previous state of transcendence and pounding down with discontent and sour lyrics like: "There are many things that I would rather do" I suspect that this abrupt transition ticked listeners off. I was upset the first time I heard it. On it's own merit however, the song is excellent and the lyrics are deep. The ending is a display of Hackett's versatility with some more "lounge lizard" moments. The final repeating triads outlining seventh chords is memorable and serves as a healing ointment after the shocking intro.

I wholeheartedly recommend this album, though the CD formatting ruins one of the best transitions in the record.


Discography

Voyage Of The Acolyte (1975)
Please Don't Touch (1978)
Spectral Mornings (1979)
Defector (1980)
Cured (1981)
Highly Strung (1983)
Bay Of Kings (1983)
Til We Have Faces (1983)
Momentum (1988)
Time Lapse (1992)
The Unauthorised Biography (1992)
Guitar Noir (1994)
Blues With A Feeling (1994)
There Are Many Sides To The Night (1994)
A Midsummer's Night Dream (1997)
Genesis Revisited (1997)
The Tokyo Tapes (1997)
Darktown (1999)
Sketches Of Satie (2000) w/John Hackett
Feedback '96 (2000)
Live Archive (2001)
To Watch The Storms (2003)
Live Archive NEARfest (2003)




Hungarian Horizons - Live In Budapest (2003) (DVD)
Somewhere In South America - Live In Buenos Aires (2003) (DVD)
With Genesis:
Nursery Crime (1971)
Foxtrot (1972)
Live (1973)
Selling England By The Pound (1973)
Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974)
Wind and Wuthering (1976)
Trick of the Tail (1976)
Seconds Out (1977)
Three Sides Live (1982)
With GTR:
GTR (1986)






Steve Hackett

Born Feb 12, 1950 in London, England

Biography by Bruce Eder
Steve Hackett is best known as the guitarist with Genesis during their best years as both a progressive and a commercial band, across ten albums of their history. His arrival in the group's lineup at the start of 1971, replacing original guitarist Anthony Phillips, provided the group with the last ingredient that it needed for success. In the years since, while Phil Collins may have enjoyed pop/rock stardom and an acting career and his other bandmates their periodic successes, Hackett has come the farthest as a star performer and composer in his own right.

Steve Hackett's earliest experience in playing professionally came with groups named Canterbury Glass and Sarabande, doing mainstream rock with a progressive/psychedelic edge. It was as a studio musician that he excelled, recording with a band called Quiet World during 1970. They were signed to the Pye Records label and released an LP entitled The Road on that company's progressive rock-oriented Dawn Records label. In late 1970, Hackett crossed paths with the group when he placed an advertisement in search of like-minded progressive musicians and enesis' Peter Gabriel responded - the group's original guitarist, Anthony Phillips, had departed and they needed a replacement. He saw them in concert with a temporary substitute in the guitarist's spot and approached them about joining. Hackett was in the lineup in January of 1971 and was quickly established as an integral part of their sound, though his concert work at their earliest gigs suffered from the fact that Hackett had little experience playing on stage, which initially made him nervous. He subsequently became not only an essential part of the group's sound, but also of their image; his bespectacled figure, seated and bent over his instrument in studied concentration helped to set the group apart from flashier progressive rock outfits of the era.

His skill and vast range opened up the group's sound in new ways during their progressive rock phase; coupled with Phil Collins' drumming in the mix, Genesis was turned into a true virtuoso unit, as revealed on the albums Foxtrot, Genesis Live, Selling England By the Pound, and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, all among the finest progressive rock LPs ever conceived. Then, following the departure of lead singer Gabriel and his replacement by Collins and their move toward a more commercial sound, Hackett proved equally adept; the difference was that their albums were now selling in the millions instead of the hundreds of thousands, and he was getting far more public exposure than ever before.

Hackett's first solo album, Voyage of the Acolyte, dated from 1975 and was, in many ways, almost a lost Genesis album, featuring Collins and Michael Rutherford in its lineup of musicians. Coming out as it did in the wake of Gabriel's departure from the group, it was a cause of some strain among the members, despite their participation, but Hackett stayed with the band through the tour behind the release of Wind and Wuthering, making his last appearance with the group on the Seconds Out live album, ironically just as the band was ascending into the top ranks of concert attractions and recording acts. Hackett's first post-Genesis solo album was Please Don't Touch, which deliberately hewed very far from his old group's progressive sound and departed completely from Voyage of the Acolyte as well. He also put together his first touring band, which included Pete Hicks on vocals and John Shearer on drums, as well as brother John Hackett on flute and keyboards, with whom he subsequently records the Spectral Mornings album. Hackett's sound advanced rapidly in the 1980's, through albums such as Defector - a fascinating musical/political fantasy - and the pop-oriented Cured. His concert work kept him busy throughout Europe and the expanding fame of his old band led a steady stream of listeners to check out the work of the former Genesis guitarist, whose playing and personality were so prominent on those classic early albums. He also reunited with Peter Gabriel and Michael Rutherford and then with all of his ex-bandmates for a pair of 1982 charity concerts. The following year, he enjoyed a very successful European single in the guise of "Cell 151" off of the Highly Strung LP, which helped propel that album to hit status. The mid-'80s saw him broaden his sound to include various elements of "world music" in his studio work, and he also to begin playing smaller, more intimate halls where his guitar skills could be better appreciated.

In 1986, Hackett hooked up with Yes guitarist Steve Howe to form GTR, a progressive rock unit that became a favorite of MTV and the rock press, and generated a hit single ("When the Heart Rules the Mind") in America and a platinum-selling album for Arista Records and followed them up with an international tour. Hackett resumed his solo career in 1987, but with the momentum of GTR behind him, he now found crowds of tens of thousands eager to hear him play classical-style acoustic guitar and was becoming the arena-rock version of Christopher Parkening or guitarist John Williams. His next major release was Time Lapse, a live retrospective collection of his work from several decades of music-making. In 1994, Hackett surprised most of his fans by turning back to his roots with Blues With a Feeling, an album built around the sounds of blues guitar and harmonica that harked back to his boyhood. This pointed up one of the ironies of Hackett's career: as a member of Genesis, he was presumed by most fans to have been classically trained, but his music actually derived from a multitude of influences, to which he's always extended himself in order to embrace and absorb; thus, although originally a rock guitarist with blues roots, Hackett has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra and composed instrumental classical music based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream for EMI's Angel Records label. Even as his composing career ballooned in the 1990's, he also began playing more concerts and turned back to his progressive rock roots by performing Genesis' classic repertory. Working with a group that includes such luminaries as ex-King Crimson alumni Ian McDonald and John Wetton, not to mention Genesis' Chester Thompson, as well as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Hackett released a live album entitled Genesis Revisited, which was precisely that. During the 1990's, he fronted a group known as Steve Hackett/Friends, including former members of King Crimson, who have revived their classic progressive rock repertory in dramatic new concert form, on CD, and concert video.