Steve Hackett: Voyage of the Acolyte (1975)

Once Peter Gabriel left Genesis in 1975, the band was in need of looking for a lead singer, after auditioning for countless people, they discovered that Phil Collins himself was able to do the duty. Meanwhile, Steve Hackett decided to embark on a solo career, he often felt that his material was underused in Genesis, so he decided to use that material for a solo album (it’s also well known that him being underrepresented in Genesis was the reason for his departure in 1977, and I’m also certain he could sense the direction Genesis would shortly be turning to: more mainstream pop). In 1975 he released Voyage of the Acolyte, released on Charsima (which was, of course, the label Genesis recorded for), but since Charisma apparently pulled out of the US market (after they were dropped by Atlantic Records), he had to get a US deal with Chrysalis, and the following year (1976), had the album released there (for Americans, well better late, than not at all).

On this album Hackett gets help from his Genesis bandmates Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford, and on one cut, Sally Oldfield (Mike’s sister, she also, unsurprisingly, appears on many of Mike’s own albums) sings. John Hackett (Steve’s brother) provides some flute, while Percy Jones (Brand X, which was the other band Phil Collins was in at the time besides Genesis) and John Gustavson (ex-Quatermass and Big Three) also appear here. The results: not unlike Genesis, although there are often much mellower and more pastoral songs than anything Genesis would come up (but maybe not as mellow as Anthony Phillips would often do). The album does often alternate between more rock-oriented stuff, and mellower stuff. “Ace of Wands” is the opening cut, a rock-oriented piece that demonstrates Steve’s abilities on electric guitar. “Hands of the Priestess Part I” is a rather mellow piece, dominated by flute and Mellotron. “A Tower Struck Down” is a rather ugly sounding number, with some synths (sounds like an ARP Odyssey) at the end and what sounds like a crowd chanting “Sieg Heil” over and over (although it also sounds like this crowd is chanting “Steve Hackett”). Hackett then mellows you out again with “Hands of the Priestess Part II”, which, unsurprisingly, is a reprise, so same flute and Mellotron. “The Hermit” is another mellow piece dominated by acoustic guitar, and vocals from Steve himself. “Star of Sirius” is by far the most Genesis-like, no doubt helped by the fact Phil Collins is singing here. The Mellotron passages are to kill for, and nice mellow acoustic passages, but there are parts of this great piece that rocks out too. “The Lovers” is a short acoustic interlude that leads up to the final piece, “Shadow of the Hierophant”. This piece starts off very Genesis-like, with Mellotron, but then it mellows out, with Sally Oldfield singing. This happens for a short while, then goes back rocking with the same theme revisited, then back to Sally singing, this repeats in that same fashion a few times, before going instrumental, mainly emphasizing electric guitar that builds to an ending climax.

Way too often a band member would record a solo album and it’s really embarassing, stuff their parent band would never dream of releasing in a million years. A lot of artists that go solo are doing it as a vanity project, and often proves that without their parent band, there isn’t the chemistry. Too many guitarists that go solo just do it to wank, but Steve Hackett was never the wanky type, he knew what restraint was, and knew that the music always came first, not how many million notes per bar you can do. His solo stuff was often up on par with Genesis, as Voyage of the Acolyte (as well as Spectral Mornings, and to a lesser degree, thanks to pop-tendencies showing up, Defector) proves. Great album, and comes highly recommended to Genesis fans!
– Steve Hackett: electric & acoustic guitar, Mellotron, harmonium, bells, autoharp, vocal, effects
– John Hackett: flute, Arp synthetizer, bells
– Mike Rutherford: bass guitar, bass pedals, Fuzz 12-String
– Phil Collins: drums, vibes, percussion, vocals
– John Acock: Elka Rhapsody, Mellotron, harmonium, piano
– Sally Oldfield: vocal
– Robin Miller: oboe, cor Anglais
– Nigel Warren-Green: solo cello
– Percy Jones: extra bass on Tower
– Johnny Gustafson: bass on Star
– Steve Tobin: parrot and cough