Fact #133525
When:
Short story:
Guitarist Steve Hackett announces that he is leaving prog-rock giants Genesis to pursue a solo career.Full article:
Steve Hackett : I suppose I had been thinking about leaving for the best part of two years. When I did my first solo album, The Voyage Of The Acolyte, in 1975, it gave me a taste of working to my full potential.
My need to fulfil a solo career outgrew my need to work with the band. I know full well they will be able to continue without me.
They were not surprised when I said I was leaving. There had been the occasional frayed temper. My biggest problem was getting my ideas across to people. I just couldn't do it within the confines of Genesis.
I spend most of my time dreaming up ideas and I've got enough material lying around in my brain right now for an album.
I was fed-up with compromising and I was fed-up with touring. I was fed-up with the idea of recording an album and then automatically going out on the road and repeating it over and over again.
I got to the stage where all the excitement had gone and it was just hard slog. At the end of a gig, all I felt was relief.
I didn't like the endless change of environments. It has taken me three months of being back home to get settled down.
Obviously I feel a bit insecure about leaving. I have led a very structured life for seven years. It's a bit like being in Civvy Street after getting demobbed from the army.
There's a lot to be lost and a lot to be gained by leaving Genesis. I will miss the certainty of knowing my albums will sell worldwide. I will miss walking on stage and being certain of applause.
But I'm looking forward to working with different people who I have looked up to and admired. It will be good to work where I want, when I want and with whom I want, and to concentrate on recording. Hopefully, I will be writing for films.
I am putting together a new working unit but I want to keep it very loose. I don't want anything permanent.
(Source : interview with Pauline McLeod, Daily Mirror, Oct 15, 1977)
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My need to fulfil a solo career outgrew my need to work with the band. I know full well they will be able to continue without me.
They were not surprised when I said I was leaving. There had been the occasional frayed temper. My biggest problem was getting my ideas across to people. I just couldn't do it within the confines of Genesis.
I spend most of my time dreaming up ideas and I've got enough material lying around in my brain right now for an album.
I was fed-up with compromising and I was fed-up with touring. I was fed-up with the idea of recording an album and then automatically going out on the road and repeating it over and over again.
I got to the stage where all the excitement had gone and it was just hard slog. At the end of a gig, all I felt was relief.
I didn't like the endless change of environments. It has taken me three months of being back home to get settled down.
Obviously I feel a bit insecure about leaving. I have led a very structured life for seven years. It's a bit like being in Civvy Street after getting demobbed from the army.
There's a lot to be lost and a lot to be gained by leaving Genesis. I will miss the certainty of knowing my albums will sell worldwide. I will miss walking on stage and being certain of applause.
But I'm looking forward to working with different people who I have looked up to and admired. It will be good to work where I want, when I want and with whom I want, and to concentrate on recording. Hopefully, I will be writing for films.
I am putting together a new working unit but I want to keep it very loose. I don't want anything permanent.
(Source : interview with Pauline McLeod, Daily Mirror, Oct 15, 1977)