HackettSongs - Steve Hackett Official Website

STEVE'S BLOG - Latest muses from Steve

Under Mythological Skies - June 2023

Greece always inspires... From the early days of Genesis with 'Fountain of Salmacis' and with my solo 'Icarus Ascending', I often dreamt of Greece in my imagination... More...

Spring Europe Tour blog 2 - Playing Through the Spring - May 2023

Following the Wuppertal band and orchestra shows, we began our European Foxtrot at Fifty tour in Paris... More...

Spring Europe Tour blog 1 - Ancient Turrets and Space Age Towers - April & May 2023

Touring Foxtrot in Germany has been extraordinary, with fabulous crowds in every city... More...

Canada Seconds Out Tour blog - Sparkles, snow and spectacular shows - December 2022

It was great to get back to Canada for those long-awaited rescheduled Seconds Out & More shows... More...

Italy Foxtrot Tour blog - Musical Magic and Monumental Marvels - November 2022

Jo and I enjoyed a couple of days hosted by our wonderful Italian friends Sergio, Patty, Vania, Raffaella and Massimo in and around Cesena, Italy before joining the tour... More...

European Guitar Award - October 2022

It was such an honour to receive the Sena Performers European Guitar Award last night... More...

Fox in the Gateway - October 2022

Several people have asked me what the significance is of the large Shinto Gateway at the back of the stage on my Genesis Revisited Foxtrot shows... More...

UK Foxtrot Tour blog 3 - Here, There and Everywhere - October 2022

By the time the UK tour reached Sheffield, the band was in fantastic spirits... More...

UK Foxtrot Tour blog 2 - Northern Nights - September 2022

As the tour rolled on from Birmingham northwards, both the Hull and Gateshead shows had a terrific vibe... More...

UK Foxtrot Tour blog 1 - Foxtrotting UK - September 2022

I was thrilled to get out again on tour in the UK a second year running after that long period of Covid lockdowns. We've now been almost solidly on tour catching up for a year!... More...

Wild Rocks, Wild Riffs! - August 2022

Finally after three years Jo and I were able to get back together with Hungarian band Djabe... More...

A Fabulous Festival Night - August 2022

I was thrilled to be invited back to the wonderful Cropredy festival, this time as a headliner... More...

Euro blog 3 - Porticos, Palms and Pediments - August 2022

Malta welcomed us in with the warmth of the sun shining through palms and reflecting off ochre walls... More...

Euro blog 2 - A Journey Through Time - August 2022

The moment we descended with the beautiful Italian landscape beneath us, we felt that wonderful excitement Italy always gives... More...

Euro blog 1 - The Road to the Rhine - July 2022

It's been a wonderful tour of three countries over the last two weeks... More...

Return To The Rising Sun - July 2022

It felt great to get back to Japan after all this time!... More...

Into A Garden Of Eden - July 2022

With ten days between the Australian and Japan shows, Jo and I headed off to explore Sarawak, Borneo... It was the experience of a lifetime!... More...

Into a Tropical Winter... - June 2022

It had been a long wait for the Australian and New Zealand tour with all the rescheduling, so we were thrilled to finally be heading down under!... More...

Mythical Dreamscapes - June 2022

Jo and I were excited to return to Greece, which for us always feels like a spiritual home... More...

Remembering Alan White - May 2022

I'm very sad to hear of Alan White's passing... More...

From Sandy Palms to Snowy Peaks - May 2022

It's an exciting drive from Denver to Boulder, approaching those impressive mountains rising up directly behind the town... More...

Into the Deep South - April 2022

The Washington, Durham and Atlanta shows were terrific, with a fabulous crowd response... More...

Back in the USA! - April 2022

Our North American tour had a rocky start... More...

West to East - March 2022

It's been an extraordinary Northern European tour, making our way by road from West to East... More...

Ian McDonald - A great influence and a special friend - February 2022

We were shocked to hear the news this morning... More...

Wuthering Wilds and Standing Stones - January 2022

Jo and I took a weekend break, joining our pals Catriona and Steve to explore the wilderness of Dartmoor... More...

No. 1 Guitarist in Prog - January 2022

Steve voted number 1 in the Prog Magazine Reader's poll... More...

Happy New Year - January 2022

New Year message from Steve... More...

Crashing Waves and Sprinkles of Stardust - December 2021

The two weekend shows at magical Trading Boundaries in Sussex had a wonderful atmosphere... More...

From Mediterranean Skies to Parisian Highs - December 2021

It felt great to arrive at the fabulous waterside hotel in Mediterranean Monaco... More...

Under Scandinavian Skies - November 2021

It felt great to finally board a flight abroad again... this time to the realm of the Vikings and the Snow Queen... More...

A Tour to Remember - October 2021

We made it! What an extraordinary tour it's been, and the longest I've ever done in the UK... More...

Playing Through Time - October 2021

Following our south coast shows, the next part of our tour took us to several places and monuments, travelling through history from an old Saxon tower to the Angel of the North... More...

From the Northern Hills to the Southern Seas - October 2021

Having left Scotland, we travelled across the rugged hills of northern England to Scunthorpe, where we played to a fabulously appreciative crowd in the lovely Baths Hall... More...

All Points of the Compass - September 2021

The second leg of the tour was just as exciting as the first!... More...

Finally Back! - September 2021

It feels fantastic to be on tour again after so many months... More...

Preparing For Lift Off! - September 2021

After eighteen months, it felt great to all get together for tour rehearsals!... More...

Nursery Cryme 50th Anniversary Year - July 2021

Once upon a time in a life far far away, I joined a band called Genesis... and we swiftly started to put together ideas for a new album... More...

Wingbeats - July 2021

I'm thrilled to release Wingbeats, the first single from my new album, Surrender of Silence... More...

Light Out Of Dark - June 2021

I'm thrilled to have completed my new upcoming album 'Surrender of Silence'... More...

A Monster Revived - May 2021

Having been brought up opposite the huge Battersea Power Station on the other side of the Thames as a child, I was intrigued to see it in its new incarnation... More...

Haunted Richmond - May 2021

Over these recent Lockdown months, Jo and I have been exploring various parts of Richmond on foot... More...

Liberating Books of Lockdown - April 2021

As well as recording and mixing another new album (broadly rock with orchestral undertones), in my downtime I've been reading five books at once, in my usual style... More...

Through Strange Seasons - March 2021

I feel the need to mark the date... It's exactly a year now since Jo and I took that last flight out of Philadelphia for London, directly before everything locked down... More...

#ILoveLive Stagehand Steve Hackett prize draw - March 2021

The Gibson Les Paul is the most extraordinary guitar, an utterly wonderful instrument... More...

Under A Mediterranean Sky: Journeys Of Inspiration - Part III - January 2021

On the journeys Jo and I have made around the Mediterranean, giving rise to this new album, we've been fascinated by the diversity of extraordinary cultures. This blog covers the last four tracks... More...

Under A Mediterranean Sky: Journeys Of Inspiration - Part II - January 2021

This blog features the places behind the next four tracks... More...

Under A Mediterranean Sky: Journeys Of Inspiration - Part I - January 2021

This is the first of three blogs, following my travels through all regions that inspired the music for my new album... More...

Happy New Year! - December 2020

A New Year message... More...

Happy Christmas! - December 2020

A Christmas message... More...

Casa Del Fauno - December 2020

Just one year ago in December 2019, I played Casa Del Fauno with John Hackett, Roger King and Rob Townsend at the magical venue Trading Boundaries... More...

A Mediterranean Multiverse - November 2020

My new album Under A Mediterranean Sky is as personal as it gets for me... More...

The Bright Spark of Music - October 2020

My thanks to everyone for your fantastic response to the new live release, Selling England by the Pound and Spectral Mornings: Live at Hammersmith... More...

Stoking the Flames - August 2020

My thanks to everyone who has given such fantastic feedback on my autobiography, which very much came from the heart.... More...

Lockdown and looking ahead - June 2020

Having had to stop the North American tour mid-flow, Jo and I returned to the UK on the last flight from Philadelphia to London... More...

Celebrating an Amazing Photographer - April 2020

I was thrilled to announce my upcoming Seconds Out tour with a wonderful new photo by extraordinary photographer Armando Gallo, who took the original photo for Genesis' Seconds Out album cover... More...

The Apache Trail - February 2020

I'm back in the Wild West! More...

Craig Blundell announcement - January 2020

I'm thrilled to announce that stellar drummer Craig Blundell will continue with us throughout this year and on into 2021... More...

Desert Dreamscapes - January 2020

For years I dreamed of visiting all those incredible Egyptian sites... More...

Happy New Year from Steve - December 2019

From out here on the Nile in Egypt, Jo and I wish everyone a wonderful New Year! More...

Splendid Sparkling Christmas Greetings - December 2019

It's been an extraordinary year, beginning with my album At The Edge Of Light... More...

Cretan Caverns, Minoan Mysteries - August 2019

On our arrival in Chania Airport, Crete, Jo and I immediately felt the joy of the sun with a warm dry breeze blowing through our hair... More...

Déjà Vu - March 2019

It's made it into the set!... More...

Classic Rock Society Award - March 2019

My appreciation and thanks to everyone at the Classic Rock Society for my best guitarist award... More...

Land of Fire, Fountains and Waterfalls - February 2019

Following our winter wonderland trip with pals Leigh and Franck in Arizona, Jo and I flew on to the big island of Hawaii for the last part of our holiday break... More...

Wild Winter Wonderland - February 2019

Following the two cruises, Jo and I have stayed in in the States to take a break before leaping into all the big tour prep... More...

At The Edge Of Light new album overview by Steve - Part Two - January 2019

Shadow & Flame; The Hungry Years; Descent; Conflict; Peace. More...

At The Edge Of Light new album overview by Steve - Part One - January 2019

Fallen Walls & Pedestals; Beasts in our Time; Under the Eye of the Sun; Underground Railroad; Those Golden Wings. More...

At The Edge Of Light launch event - January 2019

The launch event for my new album At The Edge Of Light at the Everyman Cinema, Crystal Palace last night was a great success... More...

Ethiopia - A Mystical Journey Through Time - January 2019

When Jo and I headed off to Ethiopia we had heard it was a fascinating place, but we didn't really know what to expect... More...

Merry Chirstmas and a Happy New Year! - December 2018

2018 has been an amazing year... More...

Video - Underground Railroad - December 2018

I'm thrilled that a second track from my new upcoming album At The Edge Of Light is now out there for all to hear!... More...

Video - Under the Eye of the Sun - November 2018

This beautiful picture video by Leigh Harris with stunning photos by Franck Avri accompanies "Under the Eye of the Sun", one of the tracks from my new album At The Edge of Light... More...

At The Edge Of Light - October 2018

I'm particularly excited by this new album, which takes on the wide dynamics created by a host of instruments, vocals, musical genres and influences from around the world... More...

Temples, Tombs and Desert Dreams - October 2018

Visiting Jordan over the last week has been a wonderful experience... More...

Tumultuous Week!... September 2018

It's been an action packed week!... More...

Embracing the world again... August 2018

I'm thrilled to see how all the new album tracks are coming together as we now work around the clock to meet the record company deadline!... More...

Broken Skies Outspread Wings - looking back - August 2018

Looking back over the period 1984 - 2006, there were many twists and turns, phases, and developments on my musical adventures... More...

The Genesis Years - July 2018

During the last few years I have been re-exploring much of the classic Genesis music through my Genesis Revisited albums and shows... More...

Poweful Places and Voices - May 2018

The last few days have been totally invigorating... More...

Please Don't Touch 40th Anniversary

Saturday 14th April is the 40th anniversary release date of Please Don't Touch!... More...

In the footsteps of Al Capone

On a break in San Francisco, Jo and I joined our pals Paul and Lindsay on a trip to Alcatraz... More...

Pre North & South America Tour Trip around Memory Lane Part Four - Aztecs, the Andes and the Amazon
January 2018

The final phase of our great adventure... It'll be exciting to take the tour straight on to Latin America after North America... More...

Wuthering Nights: Live in Birmingham launched!

The launch event for the live DVD "Wuthering Nights: Live in Birmingham" at the Everyman cinema, Kings Cross, London was terrific fun... More...

Sitars, Saris and Sacred Places

This year Jo and I decided to spend both Christmas and New Year away in India... More...

Happy New Year 2018

A New Year message... More...

Season's greetings

A little Christmas message... More...

Pre North & South America Tour Trip around Memory Lane Part Three - USA West Coast
November 2017

The USA West Coast has always held a fascination for me, with its incredible scenery and the sense that all things are possible... More...

Pre North & South America Tour Trip around Memory Lane Part Two - USA East Coast
November 2017

I'm for sure looking forward to gigging on the East Coast and walking those streets once more... More...

Pre North & South America Tour Trip around Memory Lane Part One - Canada
November 2017

When I look at a tour schedule, I see new places on the map, but more often than not, memories come flooding back... More...

Skeleton galleries - October 2017

Yes it's that time of year again... More...

Progressive Music Awards winner of the Chris Squire Virtuoso Award - September 2017

I felt honoured to win the Chris Squire Virtuoso Award at the Progressive Music Awards last night... More...

Eternal monuments and endless vistas - September 2017

Having visited our close friends Roland and Juanita in Boise Idaho, Jo and I joined our other lovely pals Leigh and Franck in Phoenix Arizona... More...

Rest and Exploration - July 2017

Jo and I spent a couple of relaxing and inspirational days in Cesena with our lovely pal Vania Santi after the Italian tour... More...

Heart of the city - June 2017

I've written several blogs on all the areas of London where I've lived, played and worked, most of which have been a celebration of great experiences from that wonderful book of memories... More...

Beyond the wall - June 2017

Jo and I recently decided to return to the place which originally inspired the track 'The Other Side of the Wall' on The Night Siren... More...

And to think people lived down there - May 2017

Between tours, Jo and I took a trip to Downstreet, the subject of one of my songs on Wild Orchids... More...

The Night Siren magical images - March 2017

Maurizio and Angéla Vicedomini (Iconphoto) have come up with extraordinary art photos for my new album 'The Night Siren'.... More...

The global Night Siren - March 2017

The Night Siren is released today! This album involves many different sounds and styles.... More...

Journey of The Night Siren - March 2017

My new album The Night Siren out in just one week from now has been a fascinating journey in more ways than one... More...

The Night Siren album launch - March 2017

The launch party for my new album The Night Siren (out on 24th March) at Screen on the Green cinema, Islington, London was terrific fun... More...

John Wetton, my friend - January 2017

I'm totally gutted about John Wetton's death.... More...

Lost temples and gleaming Buddhas - January 2017

Jo and I were thrilled to take a break in Thailand and Cambodia, neither of which we had visited before.... More...

Happy New Year! - December 2016

2016 has been a very sad year with many losses, from several musician pals to close friends and family... More...

Seasons Greetings - December 2016

A merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone from Jo and me... More...

Loss of Team Rock - December 2016

I'm gutted that Prog mag, Classic Rock and Metal Hammer have all gone down... More...

Harmony for Elephants gathering - December 2016

It was good to get together with several of the musicians and singers involved with Lesley Wood's Harmony for Elephants charity project... More...

Music bows its head - December 2016

Greg Lake was a stunningly powerful presence on stage the first time I saw him live at London's Marquee singing with King Crimson in 1969... More...

Rock book supporting hospice - November 2016

It was great to participate in the presentation of the cheque to Rotherham Hospital... More...

Pictures at an exhibition - October 2016

Jo and I enjoyed spending last weekend with our wonderful hosts Suzi, Frank, Angelika and pals for Frank Grabowski's Genesis art exhibition event... More...

From Northern peaks to Southern volcanoes - September 2016

Having been held up in transit flying back from Peru, Jo and I were relieved to arrive in time for the FIM event... More...

Thinking of Italy - August 2016

Jo and I are very saddened by the news of the earthquake in Umbria... More...

In the hive - August 2016

I'm currently recording a wide range of instruments, some of which may be unfamiliar, such as the Peruvian charango... More...

An ancient island - July 2016

Following the acoustic tour, Jo and I joined pals Nick and Peter in Sicily for a short break... More...

Highland heather and misty mountains - July 2016

On a brief break in Scotland, Jo and I were very taken by the beauty of nature's giant monuments, with low lying clouds snaking their way around the mountains... More...

Music and monuments - June 2016

Attila Égerházi of Hungarian band Djabe invited Ben Fenner, Jo and me to join him with musicians Tamás Barabás and Áron Koós-Hutás from Hungary and Gulli Briem from Iceland in a remote part of Sardinia to explore and record music... More...

Golden Buddha, gleaming dragon - May 2016

Arriving in Beijing from the airport along a wide tree lined highway, Jo and I were surprised to see such a Westernised city... More...

Sadness in spring - May 2016

As soon as Jo and I arrived back in the UK from the States we joined Jo's family in Norfolk... More...

'Corycian Fire' Dance - March 2016

Jo and I approached Paul Gosling to create an extra video for the Live in Liverpool DVD package... More...

Fanfare for an extraordinary man - March 2016

I was particularly sad to hear the tragic news of Keith Emerson's death... More...

The fifth Beatle - March 2016

I was very sad to hear of the passing of George Martin... More...

Event in Leicester and CRS awards - March 2016

Jo and I travelled to Leicester on Friday where we met Paul Gosling and his wife Tracey for the evening event... More...

Journeys of the imagination - March 2016

It's been an active week... More...

Celebrations and creations - February 2016

It's been an eventful few days, celebrating my birthday... More...

Dragons and red lanterns - February 2016

With the Chinese New Year celebrations this week (the Year of the Monkey), Jo and I took a brief break to visit London's China Town... More...

The Kings Road time machine - February 2016

From the age of 11 to 16 I went to school in London on the borders of Fulham and Chelsea, a Rolling Stones' throw from Kings Road... More...

Diving into the new year - January 2016

This year already promises to be very productive... More...

Passing of an exceptional performer - January 2016

I'm sad to hear the news of David Bowie's passing... More...

One of the pack - January 2016

As we embark on recording the next album... More...

Happy New Year! - December 2015

It's been an action packed week since Christmas between Norfolk and London... More...

Merry Christmas! - December 2015

Following the excitement of the tour, we've been catching up since back home... More...

Sadness for Paris - November 2015

I was devasted to hear about the terrible events in Paris... More...

For an absent friend - October 2015

I was very sad to hear the news of pal and singer Jim Diamond's death... More...

Please don't touch memories for Premonitions - October 2015

A few months back I had the chance to revisit Santa Monica Pier with Leigh Harris and Jo... More...

Into the cave's mouth - July 2015

This weekend just gone Jo and I ventured back to the Corycian cave... More...

Chris Squire - tribute to a great friend and musician - June 2015

Having just arrived back from Peru today, Jo and I heard the terrible news about Chris Squire... More...

The magical Andes - June 2015

On arrival in Lima from Buenos Aires, Jo and I felt full of anticipation, both of us having wanted to explore Peru for many years... More...

Premonitions - June 2015

Hard on the heels of Wolflight (thanks to all for receiving it so enthusiastically) retrospectives are in the air... More...

The passing of B. B. King - May 2015

There are some people who truly earn the title "Guitar Legend". B.B. King is certainly one of them... More...

The Wolflight art photo story - April 2015

I'm thrilled with the extraordinary art photos for Wolflight, created by amazingly talented Maurizio and Angéla Vicedomini... More...

Black Thunder - April 2015

I've always loved the Deep South of North America, with it's pungent atmosphere, and New Orleans has inspired several of my album tracks, including Camino Royal... More...

Wolflight released! - April 2015

Over the course of the European release dates for Wolflight, I've attended various launch events... More...

Corycian Fire - March 2015

Corycian Fire has primal roots. It was inspired by the Corycian cave in Greece, where the Delphic oracle began before Delphi existed... More...

'Wolflight' - the title track - March 2015

The title track of my new album "Wolflight" celebrates the early nomadic tribes that roamed on horseback across Siberia, Mongolia, the Russian Steppes and beyond... More...

The Wheel's Turning - March 2015

'The Wheel's Turning' is a song with a lighter feel to many of the more gothic, primal or cinematic tracks on my new album 'Wolflight'... More...

Wolflight - A musical adventure - February 2015

My new album Wolflight has taken me sonically on a journey both around the world and backwards in time... More...

From East to West - February 2015

Hot on the heels of the Icelandic adventure, it's been a whirlwind these last two weeks... More...

A day with the wolves - January 2015

People have wondered if I really was with wolves on the cover picture for the forthcoming album Wolflight... The answer is - Yes I was!... More...

Christmas greetings - December 2014

It has been a fantastic year, touring over twenty countries with Genesis Extended... More...

When Armando Gallo revealed his Genesis app - October 2014

I was intrigued from the moment Armando told me about his idea of doing an app version of his I Know What I Like book, with music, updated aspects and interactive... More...

Images from an island - October 2014

I'm sure the beautiful island of Sylt is one of Germany's best kept secrets... More...

Gathering of the Genesis clan - October 2014

It was lovely to see the other Genesis guys at the Haymarket cinema in London last night where the documentary premiere took place... More...

From the rooftops to the underworld - September 2014

It's been a whirlwind these last few days, completing several of the tracks for my new album, and taking a break from it all last Thursday for the Prog round Table discussion followed by the Prog Awards.... More...

Music never sleeps - September 2014

I'm working day and night on the new album, dreaming the whole thing whilst it often feels like it's dreaming me!... More...

Narnian magic - July 2014

Last week Jo and I had the chance to return to the Kilns, C S Lewis' house on the edge of Oxford... More...

Greek Fire - June 2014

In the wake of the six week tour I plunged back into recording my new album, but it's been great to re-charge the batteries on a long weekend break in Greece... More...

Gateway to hell - May 2014

During the day of the Zabrze show, Jo and I visited a place where some of the most evil events ever took place... More...

Metamorpheus re-released - April 2014

When I first thought of the Metamorpheus album, I loved the idea of linking my guitar playing to a story in which the harp played a central part... More...

Sketches of Satie revisited - March 2014

I'm delighted that the Sketches of Satie album is being re-issued by Edifying / RSK... More...

Beneath the volcano - March 2014

Jo and I have just spent a fabulous four days with friends in Italy to celebrate the release of Mario Giammetti's latest Genesis book and to spend time with Mario and other friends... More...

Bringing back the dream - March 2014

It was great to get back together with the band for our Genesis Extended tour rehearsals... More...

Happenings and hauntings - February 2014

This last weekend Jo and I went to the CRS awards in Wath-upon-Dearne... More...

Forging links - February 2014

Several years ago I had the good fortune to play live with Malik Mansurov, master of the tar... More...

Acoustic dreaming - January 2014

I first fell in love with the sound of the nylon guitar when I heard Segovia playing Bach... More...

Marrakech moonbeams and desert dreams - January 2014

On entering Marrakech you're immediately struck by the intensity of traffic, people, animals, all jostling for position amidst the market stalls... More...

Season's Greetings from Planet Hackett - December 2013

Now reaching the end of 2013, I look back on some extraordinary events... More...

A bright light - December 2013

I was sad to hear the news of Nelson Mandela's death... More...

Cave, chasm and creation - December 2013

It's been great to tour the Genesis Revisited show this year and I look forward to returning to it in 2014, but it's also fab to be back in the studio with Roger recording my new album... More...

A sprinkle of magic - November 2013

Since returning from Hungary, I'm back to the studio for recording, and it's great to get back to my new album... More...

Progressive Music Awards 2013

What a joy it was to spend an evening in the spectacular surroundings of Kew Gardens at the 2013 Progressive Music Awards... More...

Walking on the wild side - August 2013

Jo and I decided to head off into some of the most remote parts of Greece and Italy for an adventurous journey to various places we'd wanted to see and explore for some time... More...

Dad's passing - August 2013

My father, Peter, passed yesterday at the age of 85... More...

Dark forests and flying Ferraris - August 2013

I was invited by Antonio Bigotti, mayor of Savignone, to receive an award for my work with Genesis... More...

Revisits and new journeys - July 2013

It's been a busy but fascinating time since I took a break from touring... More...

Tokyo Tapes Revisited - June 2013

It had been a lifelong dream to see Japan. The short tour when Tokyo Tapes was recorded was my first visit, taking in Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto and the capital itself... More...

The passing of a great man - April 2013

A friend once described a Havens show as 'like watching the whole of humanity perform.'... More...

A Midsummer Night's Dream - April 13

I'm thrilled that EMI is re-releasing this album... More...

Factory fires burning bright - March 13

It's been an active week, with band rehearsals for the Genesis Revisited world tour, plus attending shows... More...

Wild and Wuthering - February 13

It was great see so many friends both old and new at the Classic Rock Society (CRS) awards on Saturday... More...

Shedding light on the past - February 13

It's great that InsideOut are re-releasing seven albums from my back catalogue, spanning several eras... More...

Happy Birthday! - February 13

Thank you everyone for all your fabulous birthday messages... More...

Top of the Progs! - February 13

I was thrilled to receive both Prog Magazine award for top guitarist and Album of 2012 Prog Rocks! award for Genesis Revisited II... More...

Silver snowstorm - January 13

"Silver snowstorm, music without words..." this line from "Serpentine Song" somehow encapsulates the snowy landscape for me... More...

Into a primal paradise - January 13

From the moment the plane touched down in Mexico's Yucatan, Jo and I were captivated by the area... More...

Christmas message - December 12

As sure as Eggs is Eggs, Aplocalypse in 9/8 didn't occur on the 21st... More...

Lamb Lies Down on the Runway - December 12

From tanks to tigermoths... by coincidence in the same week as the tank excursion around Budapest, I visited a huge abandoned airbase... More...

Stepping through time - November 12

The last two weeks have been full of experiences with a strange sense of time travel... More...

Genesis Revisited II - Secrets of the images - November 12

In late 2008 Jo and I noticed various photos of me and images in a book about Genesis in Italy that were particularly special... More...

Whirlwind week - October 12

This last week has been extraordinary, kicking off with the release of Genesis Revisited II and the launch party... More...

Launched in style - October 12

The launch party for my new album was held at Proud Cabaret... More...

Genesis revisited and remembered - October 12

Steve Hackett's Genesis Revisited II song choice commentary - A retrospective with memories of the original recordings... More...

Genoa remembers Genesis - October 12

Jo and I flew to Genoa on Saturday 6th October for an event to celebrate Genesis' first tour in Italy in 1972 following the release of Foxtrot... More...

The world behind the wardrobe - October 12

I've read many books by CS Lewis... and I've often wondered about the man behind the work and the world around the man... More...

There's no place like Rome - September 12

Just been on a lightning visit to Rome with Jo and our friend Dizzy... More...

Progtastic! - September 12

The first Prog Awards ceremony organised by Prog Magazine took place last night (5 September) at Kew Gardens... More...

Spanish spirit rising... August 12

On a short visit to Granada in Andalusia with Jo I knew beforehand it was going to be a kind of pilgrimage... More...

Into the past... August 12

It was an emotional trip to Adria on Friday 10th August, revisiting the scene of Genesis' first gig in Italy, a mere 40 years ago... More...

Supper's almost ready! - August 12

Since re-opening the Musical Box earlier this year to re-live the magic of the band I was once involved with, between shows I've been working flat out on Genesis Revisited II... More...

Purple passing - July 12

I was saddened to hear of Jon Lord's death... More...

Northern Italy earthquake - June 12

I was concerned when I heard about the earthquakes in Northern Italy in a region close to where I recently played... More...

Squackett revealed - A Life Within a Day - May 12

Look out everyone - Squackett is about to be unleashed... More...

Through your window - May 12

The 20th May show in Islington and release of the double single Enter the Night (re-mixed) / 'Til these Eyes on 21st May are both supporting the charity Childline... More...

Guitar pioneer - April 12

Dear Bert Weedon struck a chord with all of us on black and white TV, forever in our childhood... More...

Marshall memories - April 12

All my guitar heroes of the sixties used Marshall amps... More...

Festival fanfare - March 12

The Isle of Wight beckons as the sun gains strength... More...

Squackett on the loose - March 12

How to handle a Squackett?... More...

Classic Rock Society Awards - March 12

It was an honour for me to receive the best guitarist award when Jo and I attended the CRS awards ceremony on 3rd March at the Montgomery Hall in Wath-Upon-Dearne near Rotherham... More...

Reopening the musical box - January 12

For the past two weeks I've been starting work on a successor to the Genesis revisited project... More...

In and out with the tide - December 11

Taking a break up in Norfolk, I've had a chance to get down to the sea and enjoy its vibrant energy in the wilder parts of the coast... More...

Winter Londonland - December 11

It's been an action packed year with such an exceptional response to all the band work, or do I mean play?... More...

Whirlwind week - November 11

This week has been all systems go... More...

There's no place like Roma - October 11

At the weekend I took part in the Prog Exhibition 2011 at the Teatro Tendastrisce, Rome, featuring several acts under a huge circus tent... More...

New album - Welcome to an odyssey - September 11

I'm thrilled by the reaction to "Beyond the Shrouded Horizon". Many people have shown interest in the ideas behind the songs, so I'll take you on a brief journey through the album's inner universe... More...

Celebrating new album release - September 11

Last night band members, partners and our publicist Sharon all celebrated the album release together... More...

Hands of the stringbender - September 11

Dear friend, enter this treasure-trove where you'll find a secret map. Herewith exhumed are the bones of an album and the confessions of a committed stringbender... More...

In memoriam to a friend - September 11

I was very sad today to hear the news that Richard Stewart, friend and fellow musician, died this morning after a long fight with cancer... More...

Singing seas and mythical islands - September 11

Jo and I have just returned from a belated honeymoon in the Greek islands... More...

Into warp drive - August 11

Life has been really busy these past weeks, but in a good way, preparing for the album release amongst other things... More...

Beyond the shrouded image - August 11

As there has already been a considerable amount of interest shown so far in the forthcoming new album cover, I felt it appropriate for Harry Pearce to share his personal recollections of taking this intriguing image... More...

Tales of a riverbanker - July 11

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner, but walk the river with me. Of course it's a beautiful day... More...

Straight on to paradise - June 11

Just three days after the wedding, Roger, John, Katrin, Jo and I with Brian and Richard headed off the Italy for an acoustic trio gig... More...

Celebrations & Jubilations! - June 11

Jo and I are overwhelmed by all the wonderful messages we have received to wish us well for our wedding... More...

Final destination in sight - April 11

I once referred to my studio as "The ship". With its blue and white walls and expanses of wood it does indeed have that feel, but perhaps even more to the point, the albums I make invariably feel like a voyage of discovery... More...

The moon's other face - March 11

It's as much perspiration as inspiration in the studio right now, but I of course I wouldn't have it any other way, as reluctant songs allow themselves to be led into the dance. But at night from the Land of Nod dreams can be incredibly vivid and useful. If I'm especially lucky I might awake with a present of a new melody or two.... More...

Awakening the past - March 11

Jo and I were invited by our friend and editor of Dusk Magazine Mario Giammetti to attend a celebration of music in honour of his Musical Box book at the San Pietro a Majella Music Conservatory in Naples... More...

Support for Japan - March 11

I was in Naples contemplating the horror of the last day at Pompeii just after seeing the shapes of those who had died from the explosion of the volcano Vesuvius, when a close friend from England called to say that there had been the terrible disaster in Japan... More...

Cheering on - March 11

In the midst of an increasingly hectic recording schedule, my fiancé Jo and I fortunately managed to attend the Montgomery Hall in Wath-upon-Dearn for the Classic Rock Society annual awards... More...

Steve and Jo on Valentine's Day - February 11

On this Valentine's Day, I am very happy to announce my engagement to Jo Lehmann... More...

Happy Birthday Steve! - February 11

Some birthday wishes... More...

Blues for Gary - February 11

It's always sad to hear of the death of a fellow musician, but especially so when it's a guitarist of the calibre of Gary Moore... More...

Stoking the furnace - January 11

All seems quiet on the surface, but the creative melting pot is bubbling with many ideas and several projects... More...

Return to the studio - January 11

After about three years of having to forego recording my studio, I'm now able to be back in there... More...

Defying the elements - January 11

The Christmas lights have gone, it's raining outside, the temperature has plummeted again... but deep inside Hackett Towers, the fires have been lit, they're burning bright, and a new album is beginning to emerge from the darkness... More...

Christmas message from Steve - December 10

Hot off the rails from the UK tour, Roger and I are doing some last minute recording before we're all spirited away to the festive land of Seasonal Cheer... More...

Memory Lane - November 10

On the weekend Jo and I had a 'busman's' holiday, taking none other than the Magical Mystery Tour around the haunts of Liverpool made famous by the Fab Four courtesy of our tour guide Neil and the ever resourceful Mr Alan Hewitt... More...

Subterranean - November 10

In the above photo, beneath one railway and overlooking another is a lone window... More...

Inspiration on the doorstep - October 10

I'm recording at home right now, and when I can make a break for it, I go out walking... More...

Ports of call - September 10

Although I'm back from touring for a bit, life continues to be busy!... More...

Blue fire on Eel Pie - April 10

All the great advances in the '60s guitar sounds centred on the blues. For me around 1966 the earthly centre of blues delights was at the old hotel on Eel Pie Island in the middle of the River Thames at Twickenham... More...

Park days and waterways - April 10

Yesterday I revisited the setting of To Watch the Storms' Serpentine Song... More...

Hercules shines on - April 10

A short jaunt to Coruna, Galicia in the far north west of Spain, started a trifle early in the morning for our normally intrepid team... More...

In the sidewalk steam - March 10

Whilst on hand to receive the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction award with Genesis at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, I was reminded that New York appears to be built on steam... More...

In the Hall of the Mountain Fame - March 10

Make no mistake, the continuous howling symphony that haunts New York City is a shock to the virgin visitor at the best of times, but imagine that augmented by hurricane force winds ripping flag poles from the top of King Kong's favourite building, the Empire State, and it'll give you some idea of the weather that greeted our arrival two days prior to Genesis' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... More...

The Lamb Wakes Up on Broadway - March 10

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was originally Ahmet Ertegun's brainchild. The idea was to give notable musicians and music business people recognition... More...

Into the night - March 10

Although now I'm practically teetotal I wasn't always so abstemious. I was able to turn in a passable stage performance most nights in my young Genesis days, but once off stage I would head for a drink... More...

All the world's a stage - February 10

In the mid seventies the Holland Park area of London loomed large as a backdrop against a life of relentless touring... More...

The ice between the worlds - February 10

This biting cold winter in which we're stuck was highlighted for me in Helsinki, where amidst the snow on the edge of a frozen sea it wasn't hard to imagine we were in the grip of the Snow Queen's magic... More...

Walking through rainbows - January 10

When I was a child in the mid 50's living at 40 Sullivan House, Churchill Gardens an awesome site confronted me very night from my bedroom window - Battersea Power Station, belching out fumes sometimes from all four smokestacks... More...

Full steam ahead - December 09

It's been a bumper year for guitar solos. Fifteen billion notes clocked up on my patented fretometer designed to thwart any attempt to enter the hallowed portals of the Guinness Book of Records... More...

It's a wrap for Christmas - December 09

Blessed are the cracked for they shall let in the light... whilst it's sleeting down outside the window, be of good cheer... More...

Yes it's Copenhagen! - December 09

One of the many salubrious pals on Out of the Tunnel's Mouth was Chris Squire, which made for an interesting approach to the tracks he contributed to - specifically Fire on the Moon and Nomads... More...

Selling Progressive by the Pound - October 09

Whilst the Prog genre is currently being reappraised to the extent where it's arguably hip once again to admit to having had a record collection that included a Yes album or two, not to mention the occasional Procul Harem (or was it Progul Harem?)... More...

Live Longer - October 09

Amongst the group of people we spent the evening with after Marco's concert at Westminster Cathedral was Jo Cummins, who had been active that day in supporting a walk for Lynn's Bowel Cancer Campaign, Live Longer Walk in Hyde Park... More...

Marco's Magical Organ Recital - September 09

When I was a nine year old kid I remember being chased out of Westminster Cathedral with a bunch of other little urchins for making too much noise... More...

Out of the Tunnel & into the Living Room - September 09

This year has been full of problems turned into unique solutions and triumphs out of disasters. More...

The Passing of a Legend - August 09

There must be something significant about great guitarists rarely making it past the age of 94. Witness the death of Andres Segovia, still active into his 90s. Now the passing of Les Paul at the same age... More...

Smoke Signals - August 09

I wrote this blogette because Steph Kennedy wanted to know more about the album cover... More...

Time Bandits into the frame - July 09

Many moons ago in the early '60s Dad painted an intriguing picture entitled Rooftops of Dubrovnik... More...

The "Din Machine" Part II - The Last Overdub - June 09

Once again I've become a proud father of... a new album! More...

A Window on the Din Machine - May 09

Just to put you in the picture regards recording progress, my album's reaching that stage when the team gets to do all of the things that change it from a sketch into a proper painting.... More...

Orvieto Remembered - April 09

As reaction to the website has been so positive of late, I thought it might be a good time to glance back at an event which took place a short while before hackettsongs.com was up and running... More...

Italian Earthquake - April 09

Hard on the heels of the band’s recent Italian visit where we once more enjoyed the warm hospitality and enthusiasm of all our Italian friends, it was sobering to watch news reports of the L'Aquila earthquake and see the terrible tragedy unfold.... More...

A Silent Drum - John Mayhew - April 09

With the passing of John Mayhew it seems as if the book of Genesis has all of a sudden become a slimmer volume... More...

Rehearsals and Other Rackets - March 09

On 4th March the new thoroughly electric band convened in Darkest Putney... More...

The Snows of Sarajevo - February 09

Having just participated in the Organic Art Life Festival with Djabe, my Hungarian pals, I'm trying to get a feel for what life must have been like during the siege of 1992 - 1995.... More...

Songs of Experience - February 09

As Rock itself gets older, the obituary column gains more entries than we'd all like. I know I recently mentioned John Martyn and our brief encounter at the Townhouse, but how to pay homage to all the fallen, let alone do them justice?.... More...

A note on John Martyn's recent passing - February 09

In 1981 I was lucky enough to be in the Townhouse Studio with both John Martyn and Phil Collins just as Phil was playing John the latest mixes of 'Glorious Fool'.... More...

Addicted to Books - January 09

There are three books featuring characters that made very entertaining company recently, between recording sessions.... More...

TOUR BLOGS

Hard Times - March 2020

The news came in fast... before reaching the Allentown venue, we discovered that the two Collingswood shows had to be postponed... More...

South to North! - March 2020

Fab to see sunshine on arrival in Washington DC... More...

Across the Border - March 2020

Following our gig in Calgary, we drove through the snowy landscape alongside the ice road truckers directly north to Edmonton... More...

Frozen Lakes and Ice-Capped Peaks - February 2020

Following a flight from the Arizona desert to snow-covered Calgary, Jo and I joined our mountaineering pal Andrew for a trip into the Rockies... More...

Acoustic Christmas Magic in Switzerland - December 2019

A small group of us headed off on Wednesday to Basel, Switzerland for an acoustic show on Thursday at the Foundation Beyeler... More...

Spellbound in Santa's grotto - December 2019

Those pre Christmas acoustic shows with Roger King, Rob Townsend, Amanda Lehmann, John Hackett and myself playing at Trading Boundaries are a joy to perform... More...

Zenith of the Tour! - November 2019

The two penultimate shows in Manchester and Southend both went magnificently well, with rousing crowds and band exploding into life... More...

Playing Through Time - November 2019

Sometimes, British tours feel like travels through time, from one historical city to another... More...

Between Coastlines and Downpours - November 2019

The first half of the UK tour has been a great success... More...

The Sunshine Coast - October 2019

The last leg of the tour began in LA. What an incredible night!... More...

Wildscapes and Magic Caves - October 2019

On arrival in Tucson, Jo and I joined our pals Leigh and Franck for one of those exciting adventures we all do together... More...

Mountains Turned to Clouds - October 2019

After our time in Seattle, we headed up to Vancouver by road through beautiful scenery between distant mountains and ocean... More...

Aladdin's Cavescapes - October 2019

On arrival in Seattle, Jo and I were treated to lovely home cooking with our friends Helen and Bill... More...

Westward Bound - October 2019

Travelling towards the Mid West, forested hills gave way to a gently rolling agricultural landscape, where you could occasionally see an Amish cart passing by... More...

The Freedom Trail and the Liberty Bell - October 2019

The drive down from Montreal took a while, but on arrival we felt the ghosts of Boston's past beckon... More...

Wild Waters and Gothic Gateways - September 2019

Following a brief whirlwind rush of interviews in New York City, Jo and I flew up to Buffalo to join band and crew for the first North American show in North Tonawanda... More...

Sunrise Delights and Stormy Nights - August 2019

As always, it was great to catch up with Attila Égerházi and all the Djabe team in Budapest, Hungary, where we spent a couple of days rehearsing and recording... More...

Pedestals, Ports and Piazzas - July 2019

Ahead of the Italian tour, Jo and I headed off to Cesena to join our wonderful pals from the agency Musicalbox2-0, Vania, Sergio, Patty, Massimo and Sandra... More...

Megaliths, Monuments and Maltese Vistas - June 2019

It felt great to open the curtains to the hot sunshine of magical Malta, having arrived the night before... More...

Exotic Domes and Ancient Stones - June 2019

It was fantastic to have the chance to explore Bulgaria's extraordinary capital city, Sophia, named after Saint Sophia, saint of wisdom... More...

Bringing the dream to the heart of Europe - May 2019

First stop after Denmark was Essen, where we had another really special German reception!... More...

Forests, Fjords and Fairytales - May 2019

Travelling across the Baltic Sea from Estonia to Finland was totally atmospheric, archipelagos of islands appearing one by one through a strange heavy fog... More...

Take a Little Trip Back - May 2019

As the tour rolled on into the North Eastern part of Europe, we immediately sensed the history and all the stories those stones could tell... More...

Majestic Monuments and Music Magic - May 2019

As soon as we touched down in Italy we all felt a quickening of the spirit... More...

Tour Launched in Europe - April 2019

As the ferry left Dover and we passed those white cliffs, we all felt a quickening of the spirit... More...

Pre tour rehearsal video - April 2019

The 2019 tour is about to begin!... More...

Pirates, Palms and Pina Coladas - February 2019

Following a journey across Florida after Cruise To The Edge, we arrived in Miami and next day boarded the ship for On The Blue cruise... More...

On the Crest of a Wave - February 2019

Once again we flew off to Florida to join Cruise To The Edge... More...

Acoustic Magic at Trading Boundaries - December 2018

I very much enjoyed both acoustic shows over the weekend at Trading Boundaries, that enchanting venue entered via an Aladdin's cave of exotica in the heart of Sussex... More...

Orchestral Magic on the Road - October 2018

This UK tour has been special, with every stage filled with a complete orchestra alongside our six piece rock band... More...

Mediterranean Marvels - July 2018

Off to beautiful Barcelona... We were looking forward to the first gig of our mini European tour... More...

Many Rivers to Cross - June 2018

This year's tour with Djabe was special, involving three Central European capital cities and two splendid historical towns... More...

Guesting with John - June 2018

I enjoyed guesting with my brother John and his band on Saturday night in Maltby near Rotherham, UK... More...

The Hills are Alive - May 2018

It was terrific to get back with the band, this time for a one-off show at the Gouveia Art Rock festival in the picturesque old town of Gouveia nestled on the side of a mountain range.... More...

Stairways to Heaven - April 2018

The Land of the Rising Sun, Japan is always inspirational... More...

Surf, Samba and Mountain Summits - March 2018

From Porto Alegre to the bustling city of São Paulo, the Brazilian shows immediately took off with amazingly enthusiastic reactions... More...

A Land for All Seasons - March 2018

Wonderful mystical Peru! There was an air of excitement as we flew into Lima airport... More...

Sunny Cities and Water Worlds - March 2018

First stop in Argentina - Córdoba, largest Argentine city after Buenos Aires... More...

Hola, Latin America! - March 2018

Following the North American tour, on a day off in Mexico City we headed for the ancient site of Teotihuacan... More...

The west goes wild! - February 2018

Our first West Coast stop - San Francisco!... More...

Playing in a winter wonderland - February 2018

It always feels strange travelling straight from heat and palm trees to chilly wind and thick snow, but arriving in Quebec City is always a joy... More...

Birthday surprise! - February 2018

It was an extraordinary vibe at the last three shows in Quebec, Montreal and Toronto... More...

Cruise to the unbelizeable edge! - February 2018

I've been away for about ten days now... More...

Magical Trading Boundaries - December 2017

Roger, Rob, Amanda, John and I enjoyed playing our acoustic show at Trading Boundaries... More...

Tour de Force! - October 2017

The GENESIS REVISITED, SOLO GEMS & GTR Tour de Force will tour North, Central and South America in Feb / March 2018... More...

A tale of two Hungarian cities - October 2017

It was terrific for Jo and me, along with Richard Buckland to spend a few days again with Djabe pals and Icelandic drummer Gulli Briem in Hungary... More...

From rock magic to magical rocks - August 2017

Having flown from Brisbane to Sydney, we took the opportunity to take a look at the amazing Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, as well as the exotic botanical gardens... More...

Tropical dreams in winter sunshine - August 2017

We all had a two day break in Brisbane, which was very welcome!... More...

The other side of the world - July 2017

We were intrigued as we began our travels to New Zealand.... More...

Antique Arches and Beautiful Beaches - July 2017

Having flown into Milan, our first stop on the Italian tour was Vigevano, an incredibly atmospheric Medieval town... More...

Magical Madrid - July 2017

What a beautiful sight on our arrival in Madrid... The wonderful Neptune fountain!... More...

Danubian drumbeats and distant dances - June 2017

It was terrific for Jo, Ben Fenner and me to join Djabe again in Hungary... More...

UK tour blog part III - Friday night live at the Palladium - May 2017

There could not have been a more perfect place for the tour climax than the beautiful London Palladium... More...

UK tour blog part II - Southern spires and Northern nights - May 2017

The UK tour continued with fabulous crowds from sunny seaside Southend to the bustling centre of Nottingham... More...

UK tour blog part I - From city delights to wuthering heights - May 2017

Arriving in Cardiff, Jo and I enjoyed exploring the castle with its ornate rooms and fabulous ruined keep... More...

In Dublin's fair city - April 2017

A week on from our return from Europe to the UK, band and crew all headed on Westwards to Ireland... More...

Future stories, past glories - April 2017

From Italy to Germany we arrived in Wurzburg, a beautiful historic town with hilltop castle in true Grimm's fairytale tradition... More...

Magic mountains, Mediterranean marvels - April 2017

The European leg of the tour began one day before The Night Siren release... More...

Symphonic supper - March 2017

From Grand Rapids through to Royal Oak and over the border to Oakville, Canada, we encountered one amazing crowd after another... More...

Sprinter in the fast lane - March 2017

We fastened our seat belts... More...

Set your compass - Februrary 2017

It was exciting to play in Nashville, as I hadn't been there since the '90s... More...

Waves & Wuthering - Februrary 2017

It felt thrilling to be back on the Cruise to the Edge again, this time on the beautiful ship Brilliance of the Seas... More...

Whirlwind week - Februrary 2017

The day after rehearsals ended we all went to Minehead in Somerset, UK to perform our first show of the year... More...

All poised for lift off - January 2017

It's a challenge for this tour, with the band learning at least seven numbers we've never played before together, including Genesis songs as well as solo... More...

Trading Boundaries Quartet - December 2016

It was heartwarming to play two dates at Trading Boundaries with an acoustic show over the weekend... More...

Musical Magic in Italy's Deep South - Novemeber 2016

It was great to play with Roger and Rob in our "Off the Beaten Track" Acoustic Trio... More...

Tribute to Jack Bruce - October 2016

It was wonderful to be involved with the tribute to the late amazing Jack Bruce at the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire yesterday... More...

Hola - Peru! - September 2016

I was excited at the prospect of playing in Peru for the first time... More...

Off the beaten track - July 2016

It had been several years since I last toured Italy with an acoustic show... More...

Miami tribute to Keith - June 2016

Carl Palmer invited me to guest on his tribute show to late pal and extraordinary musician Keith Emerson at the Olympia Theatre in Miami... More...

Stone free at the O2 - June 2016

There was a fantastic buzz when we arrived at the fabulous London O2 yesterday... More...

Pagodas, parades and paper lanterns - May 2016

After waiting on the runway at Heathrow for three hours due to a technical hitch with Swedish airspace, we were concerned we'd be seriously exhausted by the time we reached Japan... More...

Songs in the sun - North America tour 2016 blog 3 - April 2016

We took a two day break in the Florida sunshine... huge change from the extraordinarily wintry conditions of Quebec!... More...

From sizzling deserts to frozen lakes - North America tour 2016 blog 2 - April 2016

From the verdant greenery of the West Coast to the desert climes of Arizona, we immediately felt that dry heat as we left the airport whilst passing an abundance of cacti... More...

On the wild side - North America tour 2016 blog 1 - April 2016

It felt great to fly into Seattle, beautiful bustling city with tranquil lakes between ocean and mountains... More...

High spirits - North America tour blog 3 - December 2015

Back in the States after our terrific week in Canada, we headed off for North Tonawanda... More...

Between the lakes - North America tour blog 2 - December 2015

After two days of driving, we crossed into Canada and arrived in Peterborough, Ontario where we stayed for the Lindsay show... More...

Shifting Skies and American Pies - North America tour blog 1 - November 2015

Through a haze of jetlag we kicked off our North American tour in Westhampton Beach NY, but the enthusiastic crowd energised us so much that we played a great gig!... More...

Between the beaches - UK tour blog 2 - October 2015

The Gateshead, Glasgow and Leeds shows had fantastic crowds and the dynamic was electric in every sense!... More...

Between the battlements - UK tour blog 1 - October 2015

The day after our return from Belgium, we hit the road running as the UK tour took off to a fabulous start with terrific crowds at both GLive Guildford and Shepherds Bush Empire London... More...

From alpine passes to lowland pastures - Euro tour blog 4 - October 2015

We travelled over the Alps from Italy via Austria to Germany, through stunning scenery - all on the day of the Munich gig... More...

September sun - Euro tour blog 3 - September 2015

The Luxembourg gig had an intimate vibe with a wonderful friendly crowd... More...

Journey through Germany - Euro tour blog 2 - September 2015

On arrival in Hamburg, Jo and I took a boat through the waterways with our friends Angéla and Maurizio and their cat Toby... More...

Under a northern sky - Euro tour blog 1 - September 2015

Playing our first gig at Zeltfestival near Bochum in Germany with the new set, we were thrilled to receive such a fantastic reaction from the crowd... More...

Mountains, sea and ancient fortresses - August 2015

As always it was fab to see all the Djabe boys again in Budapest... More...

Gathering on the Rhine - July 2015

It was thrilling to return to Loreley, high above the cliffs of the Rhine in Germany... More...

Back in Buenos Aires - June 2015

I felt honoured to be invited by Argentinian Genesis tribute band Genetics to join them... More...

From exotic tropics to Andean horizons - March 2015

It's been at least thirteen years since my last tour in South America and I was thrilled to have the chance to go back... More...

Land of fire and ice - January 2015

My live DVD "Fire and Ice" was based on a gig on fire with excitement inside, whilst snow fell outside the venue... More...

North America tour blog Part 4 - All loud on the western front - December 2014

Following a really fun show in Cleveland, we flew on to LA... More...

North America tour blog Part 3 - Ice Road Truckers - December 2014

We briefly stopped over in Québec City on our way to Riviére du Loup... More...

North America tour blog Part 2 - Past & future worlds - November 2014

I realise this week has been the fortieth anniversary of the start of the Lamb tour, which was also in the States, and here we are now, performing some of those songs as part of my Genesis Extended show!... More...

North America tour blog Part 1 - A rapturous welcome - November 2014

We immediately felt welcomed in the States on our arrival at the West Lane Inn, an atmospheric old hotel in Ridgefield, Connecticut, region of beautiful hills and trees... More...

UK tour blog Part 2 - From one high point to another! - November 2014

Southend welcomed us with warm sunshine, which along with the palm trees made it feel like being in the Mediterranean!... More...

UK tour blog Part 1 - All points of the compass - October 14

The UK tour kicked off with a hairy ride as Jo and I drove to Ipswich from Norfolk through driving rain, high winds and flying leaves... More...

Ready for Cropredy! - August 14

It was really great to play at Fairport Convention's Cropredy Convention... More...

Sunshine after rain - July 14

As always, it was thrilling to return to Italy, and immediately welcomed into the arms of adorable Vania Santi of Blue Sky... More...

As the sun beats down - July 14

Under the furiously hot Hungarian sun, I performed three outdoor shows with Djabe... More...

Into the blue - May 14

It was such an up to be greeted by our wonderful friend from Blue Sky, Vania Santi, along with the blue skies of sunny Rome!... More...

Trans-Euro whirlwind - May 14

Following a thunderous gig in Basel, we took the train to Paris... More...

Gothic inspiration - May 14

It was great to bring the electric show to Poland again, and the crowd response was fantastic... More...

Forests, fjords and fairytale towers - May 14

Travelling through Scandinavia you realise just how fabulous the landscape is... More...

Domes, spires and choirs - April 14

As our Genesis Extended tour kicked off in Russia, I felt a huge rush of excitement... More...

Beyond the Bermuda Triangle - April 14

I believe MSC Divina is the eighth largest cruise ship in the world, a gigantic floating city... More...

A tour for all seasons - April 14

We were all really looking forward to be back on the road again with our Genesis Revisited show... More...

Hungarian Horizons and Carpathian Castles - November 13

An early flight to Budapest and Ben, Jo and I arrived at Attila's studio in time for afternoon rehearsal with Djabe... More...

Dreaming spires and floating domes - November 13

Coming round full circle back to the UK, we kicked off at the Birmingham Symphony Hall, which happened to be the final venue of the May 2013 UK Gen Rev tour... More...

Hope and Glory at the Royal Albert Hall - October 13

What an incredibly emotional evening we had at the RAH!... More...

North America Genesis Revisited 2013 tour part 3 - October 13

Montreal was as vibrant as ever... following Chom rock radio station interview along with guitar recital, I enjoyed meeting up with the Musical Box guys as well as pals Tom Lord-Alge and LillyWhiteLilleth... More...

North America Genesis Revisited 2013 tour part 2 - October 13

It was a fab gig in Lakewood, New Jersey with another great crowd... More...

North America Genesis Revisited 2013 tour part 1 - September 13

On September 18 we arrived in Chicago airport and then drove to our hotel in picturesque St Charles... More...

Al Fresco! - July 13

A week of summer touring with our Genesis Revisited show began at the Burg Herzberg festival in Germany, which has been going since the late sixties in celebration of love and peace... More...

Towers and Temples of Tokyo - June 13

The flight with band and crew to Japan was through an entirely sunlit night, bound for the 'land of the rising sun'... More...

Sky hopping through Scandinavia - May 13

Our first stop on the Scandinavian leg of the Genesis Revisited tour was Bergen, initially uncomfortable due to airport customs concern about possible milk smuggling along with cold wet weather... More...

From the rolling hills of Britain to the Emerald Isle - May 13

The British tour began on a high with Friars Aylesbury... More...

Euro tour blog part 3 - April / May 13

As I'm travelling in the tour bus now on the UK leg of the tour, the fun memories of Europe come flooding back... More...

Euro tour blog part 2 - The road to Rome - April 13

In gleaming sunshine with its fountains and Baroque splendour, Vienna was as beautiful as ever... More...

Genesis Revisited Europe tour blog - April 13

Waves of joy accompanied the start of the Genesis Revisited tour in Paris... More...

Genesis Revisited tour launched! - April 13

From the icy wastes of the UK to electric storms in Florida, we flew to the starting point of our tour in the shape of a large cruise ship, due to sail from Fort Lauderdale... More...

Tears for Peace - December 12

It was great to reconnect with Attila and all our Djabe friends when Ben Fenner, Jo and I arrived in Budapest... More...

Weeping angels and demon players - September 12

Playing at Weyfest near Farnham, UK, on the evening of 2nd August was delightful - a bit like a club of pals out for a Sunday jaunt... More...

South Bank Sparkle - August 12

It's an extraordinary time in London right now. The Olympics have created a real buzz and the city celebrates day and night!... More...

Rock around the ruins - July 12

Abbey Fest was held in Bury St Edmunds, where the romantic ruins of an old abbey adorn a beautiful park... More...

Band on the Rhine - July 12

I was thrilled to return to Loreley, an exquisite setting in an ancient Roman amphitheatre on a craggy outcrop above the river Rhine... More...

Magic on a summer's night - July 12

Saturday night's acoustic trio show was held at Trading Boundaries in Sussex, an old rambling house where several people claim to have seen ghosts... More...

Turning on the Sun - June 12

We left soon after 6am on Sunday morning for the Isle of Wight festival with coats and wellies at the ready... More...

Bridges between worlds - June 12

It's been an eventful week, starting with the much anticipated Squackett album release... More...

An event to remember - May 12

The Past and Present show at the Islington Assembly Hall, London was special... More...

Between the sunset and the date palms - May 12

From cold, rainy England to sunny Israel... our hosts Lior and Maya gave us a warm welcome at Tel Aviv airport... More...

Time travel through Italy - April 12

From an Etruscan sunset to a Roman spring, Italy is full of things to celebrate and explore... More...

Domes, spires and windy places - April 12

The mission... To play four shows in five days covering three countries - Hungary, Romania and Austria with irrepressible fusionites Djabe... More...

Mellotrons, mummies and monster riffs - February 12

And so the Hackett Circus rolled into the sell-out show at Southampton, roaring, rolling and tumbling in every way... More...

From the Hogweed Express to Beyond Loch Lomond - February 12

There was a Harry Potterish start to the second leg of the UK tour starting from Platform 0 at Kings Cross Station... More...

Farnham Fanfares and Brighton Rocks - February 12

Yours truly and band kicked off the Blighty tour at Farnham Maltings to a fantastic homecoming crowd... More...

Here it comes again - February 12

Once again I was invited to play with the Musical Box - this time in Zurich... More...

Across the water - November 11

Our musical Euro-wave began with a tour bus trip of a mere thousand miles... More...

From the moors to the metropolis - November 11

The initial journey towards our first tour destination took us deep into the mystical West Country... More...

La vie en rose - October 11

We had an ecstatic welcome for both French shows. It's fantastique to be gigging in France again now and to share in the joie de vivre... More...

Carefree and car free - August 11

A break from the grey porridge canopy of England! Welcomed once again by Vania Santi's warm embrace, I felt a surge of joy beneath the deep blue skies of Vittoria, Sicily... More...

Summer storms and rocking rivers - July 11

Ben Fenner, Jo and I have just returned from Hungary after a swift series of gigs with Djabe in that land of intellectual thinkers and hardy party goers who celebrate into the night, where the heat of the day lingers until it sometimes explodes into the most spectacular night storms I have ever seen... More...

Warsaw alfresco - May 11

On Saturday 14 May Lazienki Park hosted a free outdoor festival featuring Randy Brecker, brother of the late great Michael, plus the Wlodek Pawlik band and our acoustic trio in a mixture of jazz fusion meets rock meets Baroque in an interesting convergence of styles in front of a huge local crowd... More...

A tale of three cities - May 11

The early arrival of summer in Italy greeted us as warmly as all the wonderful Italians on our flying visit to Milan, Bologna and Rome... More...

From Baroque to Hendrix! - May 11

I was invited to play at a tribute to Hendrix festival in Wroclaw, Poland as the Acoustic Trio with Roger and Rob... More...

Through thick and thin! - December 10

All those of you dreaming of a White Christmas have already had their dream come true, at least in these northern climes!... More...

Gabriel, gremlins And guitar power! - December 10

A brief breather again after Shepherds Bush. We received a lovely photo from our friends Angela and Maurizio from the previous break when we met up with Pete Gabriel at Harry Pearce's inspiring talk, seen here... More...

Snow drifts and guitar riffs - December 10

24th November was a day off and a chance to catch up with Pete Gabriel at the Logan Hall in London... More...

The train returns - November 10

As our tour blasted back into the UK the sparks flew in a full house at the Brook, Southampton... More...

A warm welcome - October 10

Portugal hits you by stealth when you're not looking... More...

Nature magic - September 10

The Acoustic Trio comprising Roger King, John Hackett and Yours Truly, was invited to play in beautiful Ascona in the Swiss part of Lake Maggiore... More...

Land of the Rising Sun - August 10

I visited Japan at the end of a long work cycle of gigs, but I felt renewed and energised rather than drained by it... More...

In the footsteps of Attila and Ghengis - August 10

It's been a wild ten days exploring new territory in Eastern Europe with Hungarian band Djabe.... More...

Ramparts, rainbows and ravioli - August 10

Overlooking the sea close to its cousin Genoa where we played last year is Savona, a stalwart and stronghold of Italian support for the diverse music and band line-ups I've aimed at them over the years... More...

Forums, fountains and festivals - July 10

I always feel that visiting Rome is like coming home... More...

High Voltage - July 10

They used to say that if you stood at Picadilly Circus for long enough you'd encounter everyone you'd ever met in your life - eventually!... More...

Made it to Manhattan! - July 10

Following the electric tour, Roger, Rob and I were due to do some acoustic trio shows back in the States... More...

Chateaux and celebrations - July 10

I always remembered Quebec as a special place, but this time it was more extraordinary than ever, shining like a jewel in the sunlight and bursting with life in the festive spirit... More...

Oh Canada... - July 10

Trois Rivieres in Quebec hosted the Festivoix Festival, which we previously played in 2002. We didn't exactly get the breaks with the weather eight years ago when the skies suddenly turned monsoon... But this year was a different story... More...

Another thousand miles down the line - July 10

And so we entered Chicago - and All that Jazz... in the hotel lobby and corridor, on the street corner and in the local bar... More...

Westward bound - June 10

Falls Church, Virginia was the most southerly spot of the tour, certainly the hottest place so far!... More...

Sunny skies, spirited nights - June 10

Westhampton Beach was a joy to walk around - a picture book coastal town amidst flowers in the sunshine, with an equally spectacular theatre.... More...

Nearfest revisited - June 10

Our North American tour kicked off on Friday 18th June on a gorgeous Mr Blue Sky day in front of a sell out crowd at the Lehigh Zoeliner Arts Center in Bethlehem, PA... More...

Music, missiles and zweets! - May 10

After the excellent Alsacian event the express whistlestop tour extended into Breda, Netherlands, via the suggested sat-nav route which left Swiss authorities bewildered as to why we kept traversing their territory whilst attempting to remain in France... More...

In the heart of Alsace - May 10

After a brief stop at the hotel after the 400 mile journey before climbing back into our transport of delight with Captain Coles at the helm, we wove through wooded hills, ruined castles and past white deer, before finally reaching our destination - the Hackett Event venue in Werenzhouse... More...

On the road again - May 10

Happily the early morning of 21 May greeted us with warm sunshine. Jo and I had a lie-in until 5.30am, standard fare for ferries to France followed by a same day show... More...

A world of celebration in Budapest - May 10

It was fab to play with Djabe again when I joined the band for its 15th anniversary show on 17 May 2010 in Budapest, complete with musicians from far and wide... More...

To the ashes of the cannon - April 10

The Icelandic volcano had delivered its disruptive plume, flights were grounded but as we were booked to appear at the festival in Gouveia, Portugal, we had to find a way to get there... More...

Helsinki freezes over - February 10

From the moment our plane arrived somewhat perilously on the ice-covered runway at lunch time Friday 5 Feb, it was obvious that we were in a land of snow palaces and tinkling sleigh rides... More...

Stand by your caravan - December 09

The Train on the Road tour pulled in to our two final UK destinations, the Brook at Southampton and the Assembly in Leamington Spa, with many familiar faces dotted around the audience... More...

New Kid on the Blog - December 09

Last night was Leamington Spa... the last show of the 2009 Train on the Road Tour, and what a great night it was!... More...

Swimming through the Isle - November 09

Our unforgettable tour of extremes continues through Britain... extreme rain, the heaviest ever recorded in some parts, but with wonderfully undampened enthusiasm from fans throughout the land... More...

Stormships and tramsheds - November 09

The whirlwind tour continues... days off feel like a thing of the past!... More...

Red sky at night... shepherds alight - November 09

As the tour bus hurtles meteorically towards tonight's show at Buxton, I'm recollecting our first UK gigs in Falmouth, Exeter, Shepherds Bush, Norwich and Milton Keynes... More...

All the sleepers send you their dreams - November 09

The Train on the Road tour really kicked off under the railway arches of Putney, whilst we were still in training for a substantially new set featuring most of the new album Out of the Tunnel's Mouth... More...

So far... so good - November 09

Rehearsals, meetings
Red stop, Green Go
Red stop, Green Go... More...

On the road with the Steve Hackett eccentric band - November 09

It's really great seeing this whole thing grow on the road. I only started working with Steve in March (09) after he took a sabbatical from live work and already there is a palpable sense of excitement and anticipation from the audience before each show... More...

It's an ill wind... - November 09

Dear Bloggee, I am delighted to be curator of the Hackett "Olde Curiosity Blog" for a little bit... More...

Hamburg and beyond - November 09

Hamburg was magnificent. We are, of course, unbounded in our gratitude to the good Hamburgers who made the gig what it was - a raucous, energetic affair in a former munitions factory... More...

From rehearsals to Holland - October 09

Back together again for four days beneath the rattle of trains in a dark corner of Putney, the band and I emerged into the light with a new set... More...

Celebrating the Summer's End - October 09

It was the day of the Summer's End Festival in Lydney, Gloucester, a beautiful area between the Forest of Dean and the River Severn... More...

At the Polish hop - September 09

A whirlwind visit to Inowroclaw, pronounced Enovrotzlav, in central Poland three hours from Warsaw... More...

Blue Sky Over Italy - July 09

Italy isn't just sunny in postcards. From the point I arrived to the moment I left the sun shone continuously... More...

Postcards from Italy - Postcard 4 - July 09

Our Italian shows ended in Tivoli in an old Roman amphitheatre overlooked by medieval fortifications... More...

Postcards from Italy - Postcard 3 - July 09

After a swift flight from Milan to Naples we pass the apparently benign grey mass of the killer volcano, Vesuvius... More...

Postcards from Italy - Postcard 2 - July 09

It was 42 degrees centigrade on stage during soundcheck for last night's gig in beautiful Casel Maggiori... More...

Postcards from Italy - Postcard 1 - July 09

I might not have had time to imbibe the local Asti Spumante, but all the fizz was in the gig!... More...

Return to Loreley - July 09

Loreley, set in the heart of the Rhine valley, for me is the German landscape at its wild dramatic best... More...

Music on the Lake - Lugano Jazz Festival - July 09

After an hour or so travelling from Milan by road alongside some of the world's most spectacular scenery on a perfectly cloudless day Lake Lugano suddenly blazed into view... More...

Viva Las Palmas! - June 09

Las Palmas in Gran Canaria lies off the West coast of Africa, just across the sea from the Sahara - an unusually exotic location for a gig, but like I’ve always said, "have guitar, will travel!" More...

Giving it wildly in the Hague - May 09

A human whirlwind passes through Holland tearing the air with the sound of a thousand furious blowers at the Hague Jazz Festival... More...

Steve Hackett Event, Remscheid, Germany - March 09

Congratulations to all who organised the Remscheid Klosterkirche show last weekend and to all who attended from far and wide... More...

Viva Italia Part 2! - March 09

In Pordenone the tour turned into a family outing. I was due to meet the most outrageous groupie of all time downtown - my mother June.... More...

Viva Italia! - March 09

At last we were out of rehearsals and heading off towards the culture that originally gave us roads, viaducts, irrigation and of course... pizzas.... More...

From our Italian correspondent - March 09

Buongiorno Italia! What more fitting a place for a rousing finale than magnificent Rome?... More...

CRS Boty Awards - January 09

Great music at the CRS Awards... really enjoyed Majenta and Frost... More...

Malaysia with Djabe - December 08

The invitation to play Kuala Lumpur and Penang Island came from Attila Egerhazi of Djabe a few months ago... More...

ALAN HEWITT

"The Best Of Both Worlds" Steve Hackett's 2009 UK tour as seen through the eyes of TWR's roving reporter: Alan Hewitt - December 09

Shepherds Bush Empire Theatre London.
A busy day this one. Spent the afternoon in the convivial company of Anthony Phillips giving him a severe grilling about his recent work including, of course, his participation on Steve's latest album before making my way in the company of TWR's very own web master, Stuart Barnes to the Empire for the first of this year's extravaganzas... More...

Just One More CD - A Merchandiser's Tale by: Alan Hewitt - March 09

The story of how I got involved within the machinery of Steve's tours seems to have become more apocryphal as time passes, so here for the benefit of those of you who may not be familiar with it, here is the TRUE story in brief... More...

Collecting Hackett - A maniac's guide by: Alan Hewitt - February 09

To the unitiated, the fascination that fans of a particular group or artist have for the assorted ephemera that are attached to their careers must seem nothing short of deranged. Funnily enough, my bank manager thinks exactly the same about my collecting "habit". More...

THE WELL - Hackett related reflections

London - February 09

Where does a certain Stephen Richard Hackett get his ideas and how do his songs take shape? More...

London - January 09

Just walked past Steve's old house in Princedale Road in Notting Hill, dropping off some borrowed Chelsea season tickets, lent by a kindly eye surgeon - I suppose that's one way of ensuring you get a good view of the game. More...

MARIO ON STEVE

'Steve Hackett - The Defector' by Mario Giammetti - January 09

Introduction to the book 'Steve Hackett- The Defector' Translated from Italian. By Mario Giammetti. Edizioni Segno, Italy, 2005. More...