Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Musician Steve Hackett

Legendary rock guitarist Steve Hackett discusses his recent album release and the success of his music throughout the years. He talks about the reception of his live shows and the rediscovery of his classic tracks by fans. Hackett also mentions his collaboration with Steve Howe and the success of their band GTR. He shares his excitement about upcoming concert dates and expresses gratitude for the continued recognition of his music. It's Northwest Jersey's own RNJ, it is the RNJ morning program and man is this program on a streak of talking to some of the all-time great iconic entertainers and folks from the music world and we are going to add to that list in a big way today with my special guest who is joining me here. A legendary rock guitarist, a brand new live audio and visual extravaganza that was released earlier this month. Foxtrot at 50 plus Hackett Highlights live in Brighton and when I mention the name Steve Hackett just some brilliant guitar work comes to mind and I'm so honored to be joined by Steve Hackett this morning at the program here. Steve it's Burt Barron WRNJ Radio New Jersey. How are you my friend? Very well thank you, nice to talk to you Burt. Oh my goodness this is my honor as well and even a guy like me in my mid-fifties I'm constantly discovering all the great classic tracks that you were a part of you know going back to the early seventies and you probably hear that from a lot of fans that are either rediscovering your music or maybe hearing about it for the first time. Are you encountering that on the road nowadays Steve? Well what I'm finding is that as I'm celebrating 50 years of Foxtrot it's interesting that an album that was originally done in 1972 to do a live version of it now 50 years later. It's amazing to me that not only did the band do a great version of that but the one that we did in Brighton last year it's gone to the British charts at number two so I'm thrilled that it's number two in the rock charts, the rock and metal charts here. It's got no right to be doing that all those years later material but there we are. It seems to be enjoying a kind of rebirth or a revisit as I tend to feel it. Absolutely and very well deserved of course. Please don't sell this classic music short but it's very well deserved success that you're experiencing now Steve which is really such a great thing and you're going through this track by track. Have these songs prior to this tour even been done live and certainly not at a showcase like this one I would think? Well the album has never been played not by me or my band or indeed by Genesis. It's never been played in its entirety before so I've taken this show around most of Europe and Scandinavia and it seems to be received rapturously which is wonderful. I think it was the Italians who probably first got to hear it back in the day and it was it was something that turned them on a lot before that the term progressive or prog was being used but it seemed to be right for them maybe the slightly sort of classical influences and perhaps even the operatic quality of it was something that they seem to subscribe to those all those Catholic territories they seem to get in a very big way so for instance if I'm doing Argentina they seem to really get it you know in a very big way so Spanish-speaking people French-speaking Italian all of that and of course it took a while when we were touring America back in the day we could barely get a get a gig right back when we were very young in our early 20s but John only gave an interview in 1973 and so he thought that we were true sons of the Beatles I think that was right about the era of Selling England the next album in 73 so I've toured that one as well but it's very nice to get praise from Caesar would that there have been social media at the time and it might have transformed the band's fortunes but I guess bands had to pay their dues in those days and you have to wait your turn I guess I guess and to this day Steve I'm amazed and just so in awe of the global success and the global recognition that you and your music just continue to carry forth today it's really an amazing thing and we're really lucky to have you out on the road and bringing these songs and I want to give out the local concert tour dates in just a moment you're going to have the chance to catch rock legend Steve Hackett a couple dates coming up October 14th Town Hall in New York City and a really fun venue in southern New Jersey October 19th 20th and 21st the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood New Jersey which is really a great venue to be able to just enjoy and relax and check out all this great music that Steve Hackett is bringing to the stage and I'm so honored to have him with me here this morning for me Steve I kind of rediscovered you a little bit maybe during the MTV days I loved your work with GTR and with Steve how was that a good creative period for you and did that open up some new doors for you because it did for me at the time growing up in the 1980s yes I think so I've made various photo ops that you know after I dressed Genesis but suddenly I was working with Steve how and we we had a we had an album we had a hit single and a gold album which is very nice from when the heart rules the mind was the MTV approved song yeah they got right behind us and so did Clive Davis you know at Arista so they did a great job promoting that band and I've done a re-record of that tune funnily enough with another guitarist of distinction I've been working with from time to time and that's Steve Rothery of Meridian and you know those guys are pals of mine you know we're often found to be on cruise to the edge together and and we work together extensively over the years but it's it's great you know to have that that re-record there with with him because it was it was I think it was the first song that Steve how and I ever wrote together and and we were lucky that it that it took off it it showed that a couple of guitarists could could do that sort of thing so it was an interesting band for a while GTR I'm glad you picked up on it it was it was very interesting that most of most of the interest came from your side of the pond sure sure I can see why I just love the passion I love the energy and now I've got a I've got to hear this this re-record this new version of this now I can't wait to get a chance to sit down and give that a listen but Steve Hackett joining us for just a couple minutes here at the RNJ morning program bunch of concert dates coming up also some new material that you want to check out he's got some new live stuff that is out there and you owe yourself to catch a Steve Hackett live in concert when he comes to our area a little bit later on in October more information Hackett songs calm he's got some social media pages as well and truly one of the real great rock-and-roll icons I don't turn into fanboy very much Steve but you got me fanboy in this morning and I'm a I'm real happy for the privilege to speak with you and again continued success safe travels on the road and again thank you so much for the time today thank you so much lovely talking to you