Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Hackett, Steve
Label: Inside Out Records
Release: 2011
Rating: 4.5/5
“Live Rails” is a double live album from the legendary guitar maestro Steve Hackett, who first rose to fame as a member of the unforgettable progressive rock institution Genesis, and later made a name for himself with a solo career spanning more than 35 years, strung with a series of splendid albums that let him break out of his former band’s shadow quickly and successfully. The legendary guitarist dedicated the 2010 tour, which also stopped in Trieste, mainly to promoting the excellent studio album “Out of the Tunnel’s Mouth” (2009), which is where most of the songs on this live recording come from.
For the summer tour of Europe, Hackett gathered a backing band made up entirely of superb session musicians, with former Kajagoogoo bassist Nick Beggs standing out in particular. The notable contributions of keyboardist Roger King, guitarist and backing vocalist Amanda Lehmann, drummer and backing vocalist Gary O’Toole and wind player Rob Townsend are also worth mentioning. Live, they shine with brilliant takes on some classics from Steve’s solo career as well as on those from his Genesis days.
“Live Rails”, which collects live moments from London, Paris and New York, contains a truly thrilling selection of performances from nearly every era of Hackett’s rich career. After the recorded intro “Last Train to Istanbul” comes an epic opening with the “Spectral Mornings” (1979) classic “Every Day”, which with its positive charge always delights longtime fans, especially during the dramatic outro with its multi-part harmonies. Its kinship with certain Genesis creations surely adds a lot to its popularity too. With the melodramatic “Fire On the Moon”, the ethereal “Emerald and Ash”, in the middle of which the mood changes thoroughly, and the jazz-fusion “Ghost in The Glass”, Mr. Hackett and his crew serve up three of the better moments from “Out of the Tunnel’s Mouth”.
Longtime fans will of course enjoy the classics from Steve’s early solo days and from his Genesis period the most, such as the phenomenal version of “Ace of Wands”, which comes from his first solo album “Voyage of the Acolyte” (1975). You could say it’s probably also Hackett’s most popular and recognizable song overall, and he never forgets to play it at any show. The Oriental, enigmatic instrumental “The Steppes” from “Defector” (1980) always sparks with its tense, mysterious atmosphere, so over the decades it has become almost an obligation at every Hackett gig. The same could be said for the dark “Slogans”, whose untamed vibe properly electrifies the air. Steve touched on the newer chapters of his solo career again with “Serpentine Song” and “Tubehead”, where he got a chance for a solo showcase of those virtuoso tricks that were once an important source of inspiration for many guitar heroes of the eighties.
The second disc features an excellent rendition of the evergreen instrumental “Spectral Mornings”, after which the romantic “Blood On the Rooftops” marks the time for the first Genesis classic, one Steve created in the short period when the legendary band was working as a foursome. The acoustic opening section is especially impressive this time. The only negative note about this live recording is O’Toole’s not-so-successful handling of the vocal duties, as he didn’t come even remotely close to the charismatic level of Collins’s and/or Gabriel’s vocals, which will bother many longtime fans. This stands out especially in the middle of the unforgettable Genesis classic “Firth of Fifth”, though Hackett’s monumental solo still saves it, so the whole thing ends up sounding very solid after all. The vivid renditions of “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” (1974) classics “Fly On a Windshiled” and “Broadway Melody of 1974” are surely the bigger surprises of this live recording. As expected, the high point of the whole recording is the especially heartfelt performance of the Genesis instrumental masterpiece “Los Endos”, where all the jazz rock fusion lovers will get their fill once more. In the middle they also slipped in one of the sections of the evergreen epic “Dancing with the Moonlit Knight”, adding another welcome and highly entertaining twist. “Live Rails” wraps up with the “Spectral Mornings” classic “Clocks- the Angel of Mons”, along with a lengthy drum solo.
“Live Rails” is a real live-album treat for all the longtime fans of this legendary guitarist, who, despite having hit the big six-oh, is still bursting with youthful energy and plays both the new songs and the classics like a man reborn. It’s also one more proof that the guy ages like fine wine. “Out of the Tunnel’s Mouth” meant a new beginning for Hackett in many ways, as it was during this period that he ended his long marriage and gathered an exciting backing band around him, which gave him a hugely important artistic spark, so this is without a doubt one of his most inspired live recordings ever.
Lineup
Steve Hackett – guitar, vocals
Roger King – keyboards
Amanda Lehmann – guitar, vocals
Gary O’Toole – drums, percussion, vocals
Nick Beggs – bass guitar, Chapman stick, Taurus pedals, vocals
Rob Townsend – saxophone, flute, percussion, vocals
Track List
CD1
1. Intro
2. Every Day
3. Fire On The Moon
4. Emerald & Ash
5. Ghost In The Glass
6. Ace Of Wands
7. Pollution C
8. The Steppes
9. Slogans
10. Serpentine
11. Tubehead
CD2
1. Spectral Mornings
2. Firth Of Fifth
3. Blood On The Rooftops
4. Fly On A Windshield
5. Broadway Melody Of 1974
6. Sleepers
7. Still Waters
8. Los Endos
9. Clocks
