See them live, while they can still Hackett

I am just back from seeing Steve Hackett play during his three night ‘residency’ (his words) at The London Palladium, as part of his extensive autumn UK tour.  With an amazing band, including guest guitarist Amanda Lehman, and Craig Blundell (drummer with Steven Wilson’s band), he performed a three-hour set; first-up a selection of solo work and then in the second half, appropriately enough, the band played the whole of the Genesis’ 1976 live album Seconds Out.  Hackett, of course, played on the 1976 tour when Seconds Out was recorded and his guitar work on that album was extraordinary then, as it is now.  Whatever your musical preferences, it would be tough for anyone not to be struck by the skill, verve, technical brilliance and imagination found in songs like Firth of Fifth, The Musical Box and Suppers Ready.  Yep, only three songs…and an hour of your life flies by, joyously. Hats off to all.

We were talking in the interval (1,500 middle-aged men taking a much needed fluid break) about the longevity of some, and recent loss of other great rock stars.  Only a few weeks ago Charlie Watts (80) had died and I am still jumpy on the anniversary of the death of Neil Peart in 2020, a mere youth lost at 67. Hackett’s performance was timelessly brilliant and technically wonderful, and ahem, he is 71 years old.  The tour coincided with King Crimson (collective aged about 450) on tour in the US, where four dinosaurs + three drummers are still ripping up the rock rule book stateside with sonic aplomb and weirdness to boot.

Meanwhile in the same week, Genesis have been on tour in the UK with Phil Collins (70), now tragically a shattered, broken imitation of the charismatic front man and thunderously talented drummer that we remember from early Genesis. In the 1980’s and early 90’s, Collins was an Adele-sized success as a soloist, knocking out million selling break-up album after break-up album.  I guess if you are emotionally wrecked for much of your mid-life, it takes a toll on your body and soul, and so Collins now plays live while sat down, his weakened voice lacking pace and pitch, covered by two backing singers.  At least Collins has the joy of having his 20 -year old son Nic, playing drums (in lieu of Chester Thompson) behind him. I read today that the London Genesis gigs have been cancelled due to illness in the Genesis camp. It doesn’t bode well for the European and US gigs. There is hope elsewhere though, as just today, a now bespectacled Peter Gabriel (71) released a picture of him playing/recording in his New World studios.  2022 could bring new joy.

If you cannot get to see Hackett or Genesis live, you can now buy online all the re-issued vinyl, immerse yourself in some remastered box set release, or instantly consume a new Apple “lossless” codec of their masterpieces, Selling England For A Pound, or Foxtrot. Headphones on, glass of something cold and turn the lights down. But somehow, nothing ever really comes close to seeing a record’s creators play, hear the lyricist sing it, and the rhythm section hold the whole mad time 9/8 signature oddity together, live.  So, if you love 1970s prog - go see Hackett while he is still this good and if you love Mike Scott, or The Cure, or Costello, or Paul Weller, or James, from a decade later, and then they are out on the road again, see them, cherish the moment and fall in love with live music again.