The official FRIARS Aylesbury website
Steve Hackett
Steve Hackett 2009. Photograph taken from Steve's website and copyright Bettina Dorr
I say, well, we have an exclusive interview with a Friars legend. Steve Hackett played Friars Aylesbury three times with the ever growing Genesis and played also with Genesis at Friars gigs in Bedford, Watford and Dunstable. Steve surprised fans when he quit Genesis, by then hugely successful, in 1977 two years after another Friars legend, Peter Gabriel, had left the band. Steve's first big headlining tour as a solo artist was in 1978 and on only a handful of gigs ensured that Aylesbury was one of them. Here, Steve interrupted his current recording sessions to talk about Friars, Genesis, the time when Peter Gabriel broke his leg at Friars, his leaving the band, his own solo career and his thoughts on a 'classic' Genesis reunion.
Steve releases a new album "Out of The Tunnel's Mouth" very shortly - check out his website (at the bottom) for more details!
Friars Aylesbury Website: Steve, welcome to the Friars Aylesbury website! It's safe to say that Friars holds a special place in your career?
Friars was always a great gig to play for me and the rest of the Genesis guys. It always felt like playing in front of friends, almost a family atmosphere. Of course David Stopps was important in spearheading it. Those shows were early victories for us all, affectionately remembered early seventies memories.
It's clear from, not only generally speaking, but also from the Chapter and Verse biography that Genesis held David Stopps in very high esteem. What set Friars out amongst the other venues in the early days?
David was such a character and really was part of the shows with his top hat and white clothes. I remember Pete Gabriel breaking his leg there. He always gave his all but perhaps that was a bridge too far. There was warmth and enthusiasm from the crowd that acted as a morale booster for the band when other hearts were harder to conquer.
You may not know that Genesis played the only ever Friars gig at Princes Risborough in 1970 - do you remember Mike (Rutherford) getting booked for having no tax on the van?!
If it was 1970 I can’t confirm. That’s a year before I joined the band, so sadly I can’t confirm the story about the tax running out on the van, but it sounds plausible!
You mentioned Peter breaking his leg jumping off of the Friars stage in 1971. How did his flambuoyant stage persona sit with the rest of the band as you were developing? This appeared to be the exact opposite of your own unassumed sitting down position in the band?
Crowd surfing became part of Pete’s act in later years but no-one was ready for it in those early days and unfortunately the waters parted... Pete did some gigs with us from a wheelchair after that, whilst waving his crutches around wildly, which was admirably stoic! All of Genesis used to sit down apart from Pete. It was a different time when several bands did that, de rigueur for ‘serious’ guitarists to sit down in those days. I still happily sit down when playing nylon!
I seem to recall that one idea he (Gabriel) had was for the band to effectively play in front of the PA, obviously oblivious to the horrendous feedback it would probably have caused! I don’t think this got off the ground did it?
I have no recollection of the suggestion to play in front of the PA but I did see the Grateful Dead actually doing this.
Genesis had outgrown Friars Aylesbury by the end of 1972, how was this time for the band with an ever increasing profile? It was certainly only going to be up!
1973 saw a big difference in our presentation. By then we were carrying our own lights, sound and stage set, which didn’t fit everywhere, plus we were touring other places relentlessly.
What caused the tensions that led to Peter leaving? Was it the strong front man presence or was it more, as Peter has alluded to, that as the singer he should be writing all the lyrics and not singing someone else's or writing "by committee" as I think he termed it.
Pete had other projects he wanted to pursue and he also needed to spend more time with family for a while. In the meantime the band was keen to keep up visibility. Finances were tight. Family pressures for all of us were difficult as many of us were becoming fathers. I sympathised with Pete’s need to write all the lyrics he was going to sing. I loved him dearly and still do. We all missed him when he left.
Whilst you all are friends of longstanding, what was the band's reaction to (Gabriel's first solo single) Solsbury Hill which is widely held as a swipe at his leaving the band?
I think Solsbury Hill is a great tune and I played it live with Pete with my own band at a charity concert in Guildford. It has a very nice and memorable twelve string guitar part. Lyrically it’s both very honest and personal. Obviously Pete was ready for change.
Whilst looking back, it was obvious that Phil (Collins) was the man, but how near were you to employing a new singer in the band - there were many auditions?
Phil was perfectly capable of becoming the voice but initially he was not sure he wanted the job, as he thought it might go with a pair of batwings and a cloak! He had built his adult career up as a drummer. He happened to have a great voice too, so one thing led to another...