Why Steve Hackett left Genesis

  • Not sure why this topic keeps getting dredged up over and over again. Steve left Genesis at age 27; he's now 72 (notice the little inversion lol?). He was a key member of the band and wrote very key bits/songs as a member. He spent the late '70s, '80s and a good chunk of the '90s pursuing his solo interests and now prefers to balance the Genesis stuff and his own solo offerings. I've been fortunate enough to see him from '77 through the first solo tours and the Genesis revisited shows. All great experiences. We can over-analyze this to death but can't we be thankful that one former member of the band is still providing us with these great songs and great performances with top notch musicians? Oye-ve....

    Yes, am absolutely thankful that a member is giving the live experience of the greatest music ever made . I think many forget how essential to the genesis sound he was. That haunting guitar sound was invited by Steve . Utterly unique beautiful . Without him they would never have been the band they were. (Of course that's true for the other 4 as well.) He defined an originality that I don't believe any other guitar player on the planet could have done.

  • Yes, am absolutely thankful that a member is giving the live experience of the greatest music ever made . I think many forget how essential to the genesis sound he was. That haunting guitar sound was invited by Steve . Utterly unique beautiful . Without him they would never have been the band they were. (Of course that's true for the other 4 as well.) He defined an originality that I don't believe any other guitar player on the planet could have done.

    He has a beautiful unique sound and style. If a guitar can be very lyrical, his is. I agree his sound was a huge part of the Genesis sound, a very prominent part of the fingerprint. I think - but am open to correction - that he incorrectly claimed to have invented fretboard tapping as a technique, that obviously became a huge part of metal.


    I don't think of best guitarists of all time too much, I think there's an elite group of masters that were/are the best. I would have Steve in a group with David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, Phil Lynnott and several others I'm sure belong there but I don't know their work as well (Hendrix, Slash, Clapton etc). Brian May maybe. Bernard Butler too. Billy Corgan is an extraordinary guitarist but lacks some tiny bit of expressivity those others all have.

  • He has a beautiful unique sound and style. If a guitar can be very lyrical, his is. I agree his sound was a huge part of the Genesis sound, a very prominent part of the fingerprint. I think - but am open to correction - that he incorrectly claimed to have invented fretboard tapping as a technique, that obviously became a huge part of metal.


    I don't think of best guitarists of all time too much, I think there's an elite group of masters that were/are the best. I would have Steve in a group with David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, Phil Lynnott and several others I'm sure belong there but I don't know their work as well (Hendrix, Slash, Clapton etc). Brian May maybe. Bernard Butler too. Billy Corgan is an extraordinary guitarist but lacks some tiny bit of expressivity those others all have.

    I very much put Hackett and Gilmour in the same "bucket". Not super fast and technical guitarists, compared to the Allan Holdsworths of the world (whom I also love - listen to his solos on the 1st UK album) but their styles are so incredibly haunting and emotive. Think of the end of Epping Forrest or the end of All in a Mouse's Night or Spectral morning, to name just 3 examples and you get where I'm coming from. Same for Gilmour - those 4 simplistic opening notes of Shine On still hit me every time.

  • I very much put Hackett and Gilmour in the same "bucket". Not super fast and technical guitarists, compared to the Allan Holdsworths of the world (whom I also love - listen to his solos on the 1st UK album) but their styles are so incredibly haunting and emotive. Think of the end of Epping Forrest or the end of All in a Mouse's Night or Spectral morning, to name just 3 examples and you get where I'm coming from. Same for Gilmour - those 4 simplistic opening notes of Shine On still hit me every time.

    Andrew Latimer very much belongs with Hackett and Gilmour too. My favourite of the emotive guitarists. Just wonderful! :)