In October of 1977, Steve Hackett, the lead guitarist for the British progressive-rock act Genesis, announced that he would be leaving the band. But though Hackett was ending one chapter of his life — he’d been a part of the band since 1970 — he was embarking on a new path, as well. Over the last couple of decades, Hackett has been performing as a solo act and has since amassed over 22 albums that feature a mixture of progressive, pop, rock, classical, and experimental fare.
On Hackett’s upcoming tour, he will be playing a mixture of older material from his own catalog and Genesis’, as well as newer material from his 2015 album Wolflight and upcoming projects. “Sometimes, these new songs you write can catch fire with an audience,” he said in a recent interview from London. “It’s a real shot in the dark and is certainly a nice bonus when that happens live.”
Hackett’s wife, Jo Lehmann, helped contribute to the Wolfight and was given songwriting credit on six of the album’s songs. “Jo and I bounce ideas off each other,” he said. “Even if you think you’ve written the entire idea for a song, others can help in the process and I am very into sharing my own songwriting credits.”
In addition to his steady stream of new albums, the 66-year-old has made a living touring the world. “It’s been interesting,” he says. “I just started to play abroad in South America and love to play in Italy. Italy is rich in culture and art and the people who live there are so warm. Strangely enough, Italy and Belgium both also embraced Genesis in a big way, so those are great places to play when we can.”
And though touring, recording, and writing takes up much of his time, Hackett still enjoys his regular vacations. “We like to travel and it’s an absolute necessity for us,” he said. “This year, we’re going to Japan and I’m looking forward to it.”
People often ask Hackett if he’d ever do a show with his former Genesis bandmates, and although that possibility is slim, he hasn’t completely ruled the idea out. “It would be lovely if a reunion ever happened,” he said. “I just don’t know what I can do to make that happen.”
Steve Hackett plays at 8 p.m., Thursday, March 31, at The Warfield. More info here.
(SF Weekly)