Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: GTR
Label: Arista Records
Released: 1986
Length: 44:43
Rating: 4/5
GTR was a short-lived supergroup born from a collaboration between two guitar legends, Steve Hackett (ex-Genesis) and Steve Howe (Yes, Asia). This colorful team-up of two guitar greats, named after an abbreviation of the word guitar and originally conceived as a project that would eventually draw in other famous guitarists too, promised a great deal at the outset, since both celebrated musicians could boast a respectable, magnificent prog rock pedigree. That made the shock all the bigger for progressive rock fans when, instead of enigmatic prog rock adventurers led by two guitar titans, GTR turned out to be AOR/melodic rock conquerors of the radio charts of the day.
There were several reasons behind this stylistic direction. Both Hackett and Howe were at important turning points in their careers in the lead-up to GTR. After a string of commercially unsuccessful albums, the artistically strongest of which was probably the unconventional, acoustic-leaning »Bay of Kings« (1983), Hackett wanted GTR to freshen up his career and bring in the financial injection he needed for future solo projects. Howe, on the other hand, having left Asia, was growing increasingly frustrated that, everywhere he worked at the time, synthesizers had started to dominate the guitar sound (one of the main reasons for his notorious ‘Mr. Owl’ stint in Asia), so one of his main aims with GTR was a band without synths, i.e. without a keyboard player, where the sound of the electric guitar (and occasionally the acoustic) would be pushed to the front in the production. To that end, on the first and only GTR studio album, simply called »GTR« and released in 1986, Howe and Hackett decided to use the then wildly popular guitar synthesizers.
The two guitar greats had wanted to join forces for some time, and with GTR they finally found the right outlet for their big ambitions — though within stylistic boundaries utterly atypical for them, shaped by the AOR trends of the day, with which they hoped to enjoy at least a bit of the commercial success they were used to from their earlier bands, that is, Genesis, Yes and Asia. They also brought on board singer Max Bacon (ex-Moby Dick, Nightwing and Bronz), bassist Phil Spalding (ex-Mike Oldfield, Toyah, Bernie Torme and Original Mirrors) and drummer Jonathan Mover (ex-Marillion, later a member of the backing bands of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai).
Commercially, things looked very good at first, as »GTR«, led by the two winning hit singles »When The Heart Rules the Mind« and »The Hunter«, which are also the first two tracks on the album, brought them enviable success. Sadly, the rest of the album, though far from bad, wasn’t on the same commercially tempting level as those two radio-chart champs. Some of the compositions clearly lacked real desire and inspiration for crafting radio hits, but on the other hand most of them were ‘polished up’ with the pompous 80s AOR production of the legendary keyboardist Geoff Downes (Asia, Yes, ex-The Buggles) and played at an exceptional technical level. Naturally, the most impressive are the creations where the guitar harmonies of the two legends blend subtly into an ideal fusion and their unique techniques come into full bloom.
The aforementioned ultra-hit »When The Heart Rules the Mind« is still a fantastic AOR energy booster to this day, where all the expected strengths of both guitar lords shine, while the excellent Max Bacon and his melodic tenor stand out especially on the pompous-hypnotic chorus, which made storming the top of the radio stations of the time a piece of cake. The distinctive guitar techniques of the two masters are clearly audible throughout, and the acoustic whims in between provide lovely contrasting moments. The tremendously strong opening of the album continues more than successfully with the great »The Hunter«, another big AOR hit, which Payne-era Asia later successfully ‘adopted’ on the album »Anthology« (1997), thanks to »GTR« producer Downes. It’s a mighty power ballad built from exquisitely subtle arrangements on guitar synths and acoustic guitars, reaching its peak in an epic, slightly nostalgic chorus. The vocal harmonies blend perfectly with the mighty, electrified guitar passages, while synth-and-guitar grandeur flows along in the background. As mentioned, »GTR« then loses the triumphant momentum provided by that superb opening stretch, which is worth a straight ten, though there are still plenty of very good moments to be found.
Plenty of less successful AOR bands would pay a fortune to have a track like the punchy energy catalyst »Here I Wait«, in which you can also hear a touch of world-music influence, something that was always close to both guitar titans, especially Hackett. In the middle of this track, the trio harmonies between Hackett and Howe stand out in particular, along with another epic vocal performance, while Mover shines with massive drum fills. On »Sketches In The Sun«, his ‘star’ moment, Howe properly stretches his lanky fingers and, with gorgeous guitar improvisations under strong influence of the ‘Appalachian’ guitar school, serves up a lovely acoustic feast that recalls his best days with Yes.
»Jekyll And Hyde« is another fairly ambitiously constructed AOR crusher, laced with melodramatic guitar synths and cleverly integrated time changes. Triumphant guitar harmonies, in the midst of which both guitarists take a moment for a few short solos, come across as yet another solid candidate for AOR radio, mostly thanks to Bacon’s vocals. »You Can Still Get Through« contains numerous 80s production tricks, especially in its synthetically salted rhythmic nuances, which even lean slightly toward disco, though it’s still a very decent melodic rocker with a nice chorus and even a bagful of enviable guitar improvisations courtesy of both greats.
The punchy »Reach Out (Never Say No)« could have had hit potential with a somewhat catchier chorus, while the wonderfully inventive guitar finesse impresses all the more, with Hackett and Howe complementing each other very well once again. »Toe The Line«, one of the better moments on the album, opens as a calm ballad over the gentle chords of two acoustic guitars, building until, with the help of guitar synths, a majestic orchestral sound emerges, complemented by Bacon’s excellent vocal performance. »Hackett To Bits« announces with its title that this is Hackett’s ‘star’ moment, where the legendary guitarist dazzles with fast-fingered guitar improvisations that originally stem from the track »Hackett To Pieces«, released on Steve’s album »Highly Strung« (1982). The closing »Imagining« opens with classical guitar variations that build an exceptionally beautiful, ethereal melody, which then, more or less as expected, spills over into yet another pompous AOR crusher, full of electrified electric guitar harmonies, while Bacon once again impresses with a bravura vocal performance.
Even after the test of time, »GTR« remains a hugely controversial achievement that still divides plenty of prog rock fans of both guitar masters, who, against all expectations, ended up making a great AOR album instead of a progressive rock masterpiece. Hackett and Howe, as you’d expect, didn’t stick together for long, and GTR fell apart in 1987, after a short tour that also produced their only official live album, »In Concert« (1997), recorded during a performance at the radio event King Biscuit Flower Hour. Before the split, Hackett tried to bring Brian May (Queen) on board. Apart from three joint recordings that later came out on Hackett’s solo album »Feedback« (2000), which was originally supposed to be released back in 1986, nothing came of that collaboration, in which it was never clear whether May would replace Howe or Hackett.
Howe, who later, after a brief adventure with the ABWH project, returned to Yes and, many years later, to Asia too, tried unsuccessfully to keep ‘scratching’ onward after GTR’s demise with an unrealized project that was supposed to be called Neotrend, with singer/guitarist Robert Berry (ex-Hush, 3) and drummer Nigel Glockler (Saxon) among its members. Howe and Hackett are nevertheless still good friends today. GTR may have been a commercially successful project, but it was clear to both of them that, because of the ‘radio-friendly restrictions’ and their never-extinguished, more experimental prog rock ambitions, it was doomed to a short shelf life from the very start.
Lineup
Max Bacon – vocals
Steve Hackett – guitar, backing vocals, guitar synthesizer, bass guitar
Steve Howe – guitar, guitar synthesizer, backing vocals
Phil Spalding – bass guitar, backing vocals
Jonathan Mover – drums, percussion
Production
Geoff Downes
Tracklist
1. When the Heart Rules the Mind
2. The Hunter
3. Here I Wait
4. Sketches in the Sun
5. Jekyll and Hyde
6. You Can Still Get Through
7. Reach Out (Never Say No)
8. Toe the Line
9. Hackett to Bits
10. Imagining
