The Unauthorised Biography (Oct 1992)

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Something Written On The CD Cover That's Too Small For You To See

"Steve Hackett has always astounded both his critics and his fans with his talent. He's even influenced the odd famous guitarist!" This compilation highlights seventeen years of his career featuring selected album tracks together with 2 previously unreleased tracks "Don't Fall Away From Me" and "Prayers And Dreams".


An Interview With Steve From The CD Leaflet By Mal Reding

In 1970 Steve Hackett placed an advert in Melody Maker which read "Guitarist/Writer seeks receptive musicians determined to strive beyond stagnant music forms". The ad was read by Peter Gabriel who called Steve up and so Steve Hackett's recording and performing career began. Since then he has earned the reputation of being one of Britain's foremost composers and guitarists. He contributed to eight top selling albums with Genesis and he has gone to achieve consistent chart success internationally as a solo artist.

Narnia (1978)

"I was rather a big fan of Ian Macdonald's at the time and he'd just left King Crimson. I remember playing him the instrumental figure at the beginning and he said that it would make rather a nice intro for a song. Years later I remembered his comments and though maybe he's right! I play three guitars - two acoustic and one electric and there's Steve Walsh and Phil Ehart on drums - both from KANSAS."

Hackett To Pieces (1983)

"Recorded at Marcus Studios in London. I remember trying the track out on the PA System at a gig one night during soundcheck and the engineer, who was into punk at the time, said it sounded really good!"

Don't Fall Away From Me (1992)

"This song began life as 'Don't Fall In Love With Me' which was recorded with Brian May from QUEEN. There was an extra bar and Brian said he thought it might be good for a whole new song, so we worked on it together but before we could complete it Brian went off to do other things leaving me to finish it off on my own. I recorded this track at my own studio."

Spectral Mornings (1979)

"The guitar introduction was originally written as a vocal melody and I played it to the guys to illustrate it. So they said ehy don't you record it on guitar instead of singing, so I did. the intro was made up of voice loops and an oboe."

The Steeps (1980)

" I realised one day, during rehearsals for the 'Defector' album, that things were slowing down and the recording date was looming closer, so I told the boys that we're not leaving here until we have three songs completed in a day! We worked out 'The Steepes' and 'Sentimental Institution' and 'Hercules Unchaned'. Two of them were throwaway tracks but they still worked out really well with 'The Steppes' becoming a stage favourite."

The Virgin And The Gypsy (1979)

"We recorded this in Holland at Wissleloord Studios in the depths of winter, in fact it was so cold, it gave us a good incentive to work to keep warm. It was a fascinating track to do. In a way it's a very delicate song with an acoustic guitar playing with drums, a style that in a way I like to play today."

The Air-Conditioned Nightmare (1981)

"We were rehearsing for the tour, with lights and all, at a very strange in Hitchin, north of London, which was half built - so we got it really cheap! I started using a drum machine because at that stage I was beginning to play a lot of parts myself. The track is from the 'Cured' album which many people thought referred to me having come out of therapy or something, but it was a joke really, one of those in-jokes that I don't think anyone got."

Cell 151 (1983)

"It was actually a hit single. When I recorded it the idea of doing somthing that would normally be done on a synth on cello and double bass brings to mind all of my classical leanings i suppose. The track eventually became a 12" single, so I went to town on making it longer and longer and I was rather pleased with the longer version of it so that's what ended up on the album."

Slogans (1980)

"Conceived as a stage number, frightfully difficult to do live, a fast and furious number and featuring what's known as 'tapping' on the fretboard. There was a young guitarist called Eddie Van Halen who came to one of my gigs and made a name for himself from playing that way."

Icarus Ascending (1978)

"I met Richie Havens when he was a guest at the Genesis Earls Court Gig. We all knew and loved his voice. To get him to sing on my album I decided on the low key approach and invited him to dinner. Well, at the end of the evening he actually took the initiative and saved me making the approach. On the track we're joined by Chester Thompson on drums and an assortment of effects including the use of a Pasaltrey, an old English instrument."

Prayers And Dreams (1992)

"This is an acoustic piece inspired by a visit to Vienna where I was working on another project and in a way the piece has a Viennese Waltz feel about it. It's very genteel, a throwback to an earlier period, a romantic perios that so much of my acoustic stuff draws from."

Star Of Sirus (1975)

"Star of Sirus was really written when the rest of the album was complete and I needed one more track and so I wrote from some of the little bits left over from 'Ace of Wands'. I suppose looking back on it the song was rather twee - not the sort of thing I would record today but then things were a little cosmic back in the seventies! Phil (Collins) sings and I suppose I think of it as the best song on that album. the track also features Phil on drums."

Hammer In The Sand (1980)

" It was written as a song but we weren't happy with the recorded version, it sounded wooden and stiff and then Nick Magnus started playing it on a Bosendorfer piano they had at Wessex Studios and he played it really slowly and it sounded wonderful. Nick sat down and recorded it three times absolutely perfectly and we finally decided on take three. I though it had a Russian feel to it, rather like Rachmaninov, when it was finally finished."

Ace Of Wands (1975)

" I think this was the first thing that I wrote on my own thinking that this could possibly be part of a solo album. I played it to Phil (Collins) and to Mike Rutherford and they said why don't you do it Steve. I remember Tony Banks complimented me on the bass line. The track was also unique because although it was a solo effort, the rest of Genesis recorded on it for me."

Hoping Love Will Last (1978)

"This track was recorded partly in Los Angeles and partly in London. It featured Randy Crawford on vocals and was her first release in this country. I saw her in a Chicago nightclub and I thought what a wonderful voice she had - a fast vibrato but with a lot of soul and power, the kind I adore. I felt it was the kind of song that I wanted to do that could become a standard, that even Frank Sinatra could sing."

So there you have it, a collection of Steve Hackett's solo work, rather like a collection of postcards ... views from different places and times.

At the time of writing Steve Hackett is busy preparing for a U.S. Tour. He's also collaborating with the London Chamber Orchestra and writing the script for a feature film based on thr life of the composer Vivaldi.

This compilation of fifteen tracks cover seventeen years of Steve's career - a considerable body of work. Even so, given his diverse interests, I have a feeling we've only had a taste of what's to come.

Steve Hackett was talking to Mal Reding.


Lyrics & Production Credits

  1. Narnia
  2. Hackett To Pieces
  3. Don't Fall Away From Me (*)
  4. Spectral Mornings
  5. The Steepes
  6. The Virgin And The Gypsy
  7. The Air-Conditioned Nightmare
  8. Cell 151
  9. Slogans
  10. Icarus Ascending
  11. Prayers And Dreams (*)
  12. Star Of Sirus
  13. Hammer In The Sand
  14. Hoping Love Will Last

  15. CD : Virgin Records CDVM 9014
    (*) Previously unreleased tracks


Narnia (Steve Hackett)

Hackett To Pieces (Steve Hackett/Nick Magnus)



Don't Fall Away From Me (Steve Hackett/Brian May)

Winds of change are blowing constantly
Watch the leaves that fall from every tree
Don't fall away from me

With your eyes you promise sanctuary
All that's left is mediocrity
Don't fall away
Don't fall away from me

Thoughts that run away, she'll be back some day for my love
Seeds that take the root, later they'll hold fruit
Show your love, please turn around
Evening falling on an unmade bed
Each new morning finds a moth is dead

Don't fall away
Don't fall away from me



Spectral Mornings (Steve Hackett)

The Steepes (Steve Hackett)

The Virgin And The Gypsy (Steve Hackett)

The Air-Conditioned Nightmare (Steve Hackett)

Cell 151 (Steve Hackett)

Slogans (Steve Hackett)

Icarus Ascending (Steve Hackett)



Prayers And Dreams (Steve Hackett)
(Instrumental)


Star Of Sirus (Steve Hackett)

Hammer In The Sand (Steve Hackett)

Ace Of Wands (Steve Hackett)

Hoping Love Will Last (Steve Hackett)



My Thoughts...

Well, if you haven't heard any Steve Hackett before in your life, this is a good compilation to start with. However, this only spans the years between his "Voyage Of The Acolyte" and "Highly Strung" albums besides the two new unreleased tracks. I always felt that Steve was more of an albums artist and it's always better to hear his songs in the original context. But I would start with this collection first. Good selection as most of the essential tracks are included although all of his tracks are essential.

As for all the others who already have his albums but haven't got this one, you should get it because of the two unreleased tracks which are great. One co-written by Brian May and the other which has become another favourite of mine "Prayers and Dreams".



Any comments, additions, flames, mail me okay?