Steve Hackett Discusses Fountain Of Salmacis

[@luke4378]

People tend to categorize Genesis into two camps, Gabriel or Collins. For me the clear delineation is Hackett or not.

[@ElektrikHob]

100%!! :)

[@VHF.brunoverdoni]

might b right about that :)

[@diegocanale1124]

Genesis declined in music quality since Hackett's departure. That's a fact! Just listen to their records from '78 till the latest studio album....

[@oriomenoni7651]

Agreed !

[@luke4378]

@@craigherriot4026 I certainly agree that attwt would have been a much better rekkid with Hackett's input. I think they realized at this point they missed his muscle, fire and finesse and needed to retool. I'd have to agree with Steve his style is not a great fit for three minute pop rock tunes. It was best for all involved to start a new.

[@donbrogan3158]

You're very humble Steve. You were the last missing piece of this fine jigsaw called Genesis.

[@Gustavomaio76]

Perfect

[@flyboy2880]

What a great guy and wonderful track.Lovely to hear his comments.

[@colinmarchington442]

Understatement of the year, 'Nevermind my guitar contributions which arn't bad!' Possibly the best but most humble guitarist on the planet. Look forward to seeing you at Cropredy (again) next year.

[@mnomadvfx]

100%. When I saw him play at Cardiff in 2015 and met him he was so completely down to Earth it was shocking, but very great to see.

[@gatolocoverga152]

@@mnomadvfx the opposite side of ritchie blackmore

[@turnerthemanc]

The first ever Genesis track I ever heard. 1976, I was 13 and living next door to Hippy squatters who played Genesis, Yes, Camel all day long. It was the "summer of 76" and all windows and doors were open. I still get butterflies when I hear that opening chord sequence. I had played piano from 9 y.o and I went from playing Liszt, Brahms and Chopin on the piano to playing Banks, Banks and Banks. Move the needle, how did he do that?, move the needle back....

[@frankmachin5438]

Turner Manc I know what you mean, I used to lie in bed in the 70’s and play this album on my hifi .... god how I loved it. So atmospheric....

[@jean-francoispayette92]

Guitar Harp of Steeve a classical guitarist genius and lead guitar a great genius composer Steeve , merci Steve

[@jean-francoispayette92]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4qZmZSspJ2il7M

[@ElektrikHob]

Ditto for the year and age (though not the first track I heard plus it was a schoolmate who said I should check them out as I was already into ELP, Yes, King Crimson etc.) and also for 'progressing' from classical to Mr B, except it was a cheap'n'cheerful portable cassette player; play, how did that go?, rewind, play... Still finding the odd new thing all these years later whilst doing my YT video transcriptions :)

[@turnerthemanc]

@@ElektrikHob portable cassette player? You were lucky. We had no bathroom and an outside loo 👍 Its grim up North!

[@mrnoisy3851]

I love all the early Genesis albums there is a dark mystical feel to them. we would sit and listen to them,especially during autumn and winter, sitting drinking hot cups of tea and discussing the lyrics,the songs and of course the album artwork. to me Nursery Cryme is a classic and this is another wonderful track. Keep em coming steve.

[@alexeisenberg2834]

My feelings too...autumn music

[@donbrogan3158]

Genesis fans sitting around discussing lyrics and art whilst drinking tea. Perfect. I even get out my cardigan when I put Genesis on....😉

[@Tellitphoto]

I love 'Fountain' one of my top ten all time Genesis tracks.

[@thischannelhasnoname5780]

What a modest man to not emphasise his very striking solo at the end of the track but rather the intro.

[@Jpeterson7]

My mom had a few stints in the hospitals and nursing homes due to dementia/Parkinson's and one time, while driving her back home, I played this for her in my car. Her eyes opened wide and she really got into it. Musical therapy is real.

[@tylerdodmusic423]

I'm 21 and I Gotta say the first time I heard this track three years ago, it changed my life forever. The idea of painting a picture with music. I turned off the lights put it on my record player lay back in my chair closed my eyes and it was just like watching a movie. The dynamics in this song are insane. The melodic tapping and playing took me to another world along with the use of your volume pedal. To think that you guys all wrote this so early in your career is phenomenal. This is by far my favourite Genesis track!

[@arthurmee]

@pykkervots Me too. I heard it at the same time in 1971. I was was already a Genesis fan as a result of hearing Trespass but this track and The Musical Box just touched me deeply, so deeply, that I could hardly be bothered to listen to anything else for a while. My live for Genesis is as strong now as it was then.

[@arthurmee]

Tyler Dod Music Its amazing to hear about your experience on hearing this track. It rings very true and familiar. Just the sort of thing I might have said in 1971. I'm 64. I've always felt that Genesis, and to be fair, a couple of other classic prog bands, that the music has a quality of timelessness.

[@william_mazza]

I'm 22, and I totally agree

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

I’m so glad to read that younger people are still being moved by Genesis. I got into Genesis in 1980 so I was a fan of all eras of the band and still thought they made some really progressive music even on the 80s albums, the thing that it lost in later years though, for me, was the mystical, gothic and medieval qualities that it had in the 70s. All said and done though still the best band ever in mho.

[@Cr8Tron]

Glad you dig this stuff...but what tapping are you talking about?

[@overales]

Genesis was part of my musical life during my youth. A very important reference that influenced me a lot. On late 80’s and so on I began to listen to other bands and other musical styles. Lou Reed, Bowie, Pink Floyd and so many others. Now that Steve is bringing back all those songs during this pandemic time, all these memories started to hit my heart again and now I am cleaning and playing all my old Genesis vinyls. Thanks a lot Mr. Hackett!

[@benrai123]

All Nursery Cryme is insane! Love it from the beginning to the end. But when I first heard this song... What a way to close the album! That´s why I have Nursery Cryme as my wallpaper on PC, means so much for me!

[@petebathoart8819]

Greetings music lovers! One of my all time favourites of Genesis out of so many. Still gives me goosebumps... I still miss Saturday’s and Fluff Freeman.

[@patrickr.452]

Always one of my favorite guitarists. Thank you Steve!

[@lorrainetaylor6849]

LOVE this! Named my daughter Niah as a nod to Naiad Queen in this track.....

[@TheLucreziia]

Thanks for sharing these wonderful insights into these great tracks. You are a Legend and a gentleman.

[@PierreC2]

i just love social distancing...yeah..because of that we can hear Steve tells his amazing stories. Thanks for sharing them with us..now enough of that and go write another album ! lol

[@lbcsrw]

Thank you for sharing your memories of this beautiful song.

[@darcsaster]

when everything lines up, this composition can take you to another world. thank you and love you, Steve Hackett.

[@guspermac]

Steve, on behalf of all your fans, can I thank you for these informative and entertaining videos which make these difficult times a little brighter each day. Also, a big thank you for still making such musically fascinating and enjoyable albums. I have tickets to see you in November so I desperately hope that some sort of normality will have returned by then so that the gig can go ahead. Please make sure that you and Jo continue to stay safe in the meantime!

[@jbr2991]

Steve, You are a genius, yet so humble. I respect you tremendously for refraining from being negative about the band. Although I am still a huge Genesis fan, they're still my favorite group, they never recovered that special quintessential Genesis sound after you left. I miss hearing your talent on Duke. I can't imagine you doing anything with them after that. Your style is too classical for the direction they went. As are you! Again, I respect you and love your music. "Nomads" is one of my favorites. Thanks for all the music, Janie

[@dennypewsey6683]

I am going backwards in my enjoyment of Genesis. I just ordered Nursery Crime after viewing your fantastic video, thanks Steve!

[@lerespect3053]

This is one of those tracks that, no matter how popular they may get, will still be vastly underrated

[@Steedonline]

That crescendo that repeats later in the song has always been a fav of mine, a trademark. If you listen really intently, the musical power of this sound gives you the goosebumps. Thx Steve!!

[@DanWillis_publicita]

I can't believe you said, "We moved a lot of air" That's what I have been telling all the audiophytes since like 1981 when I bought my first pair of loud speakers (KLIPSCH). Your vignettes are so welcome and intimate. Thank you, from a fan who keeps falling in love with your playing. Since 1974 as a 13 year old boy in Canada.

[@stephenbarnes9096]

Goosebumps every time!

[@nailmusic]

One of my favorite Genesis tracks... I’ve often wished that this could be remixed to better here the drums (for example), but it’s a shining example of the band’s compositional power. The writing, arrangement, orchestration and of course the performance coupled with the license to experiment with longer tracks and unusual song structures sets this (and much of the bands early work) in a class by itself. A very special moment in musical history.

[@christianparsons6050]

I first heard Genesis as a kid of 7 yrs old, Abacab was the album of the day and I loved it and wanted more so I listened to And then there were Three and Seconds Out over the following year when my folks finally got around to getting them for me. Loved it all. But then a kid at school said his brother had this Genesis album I could borrow. It was Nursery Crime. I listened and was transfixed by the strange sounds coming off the record player. I couldn't believe it was the same band (being young I didn't know about the history of the band etc) , only the album credit notes told me otherwise. The thing I loved as a kid and still do was the drama, crescendos and diminuendos, loud and quiet section's... Steve's guitars were obviously integral to this...I became an obsessive fan right into adulthood when I started playing in bands ....And I still treasure all the album's...

[@Ghoopty]

Great series of videos, Steve - thanks! Like hanging out with the man after dinner @ his house.

[@anastasiapedersen1]

Thank you, Steve!! It's my 20th birthday tomorrow. I'd be so happy if you could upload a video, any video, for us on my birthday. I really enjoy all of your stories on here 😊🙏🏻

[@colonelkurtz331]

Beautiful track and indeed your guitar makes it as magic as the mellotron does,. That ending solo is really beautiful and sounds really great ! It moves me every time I hear it as there is so much warmth and emotions coming out of it. Your writings and guitar playing in Genesis brought so much color to the music that they had to make their musical style evolve after you left. Thanks for those daily videos Steve I could watch you talk through your work for hours. I saw you in Paris a few years ago and that was fantastic ! One of those rare moments when a concert can bring tears in your eyes, thank you !

[@JerryInGeorgia]

Yes! That solo! I would almost cry listening to it. Very powerful.

[@DARisse-ji1yw]

Love those Mellotron moments too !

[@A_Saucerful_of_Secrets]

Thank you for this. This was the song that turned me from a person who disliked Genesis into a Genesis fan.

[@jamescpotter]

Your guitar work in this is amazing adding to the atmosphere and story. And the ending with the D major to E flat minor and introducing your solo is stunning. Emotion makes this track come alive. I saw Genesis play this live after you left but the solo at the end lacked emotion and passion. Kudos Steve for assisting in this incredibly unique track that takes us back nearly 50 years!

[@Savan_Triveda]

Yes Steve, one of the gems of Genesis. Magic music.

[@JerryInGeorgia]

I was so crazy about this song when I was growing up! I imagined it all playing out as if I were there watching from a safe distance when I listened to it and I tried to guess what the creature looked like. I never came up with an idea. When I think of it right now the first Star Trek movie comes to mind at the end when Vger merges with Deckard and What's-her-name.

[@rogerpsutka5495]

Thank you so much for these! Brightens these strange days. Brings back memory of meeting you in Kitchener Ontario Canada Seconds Out Tour.

[@teedlebomb1]

My fave Genesis song. The initial Mellotron fanfare pulled me in immediately. And Steve's fantastic solo finale. Along with KC's Epitaph, this is a true prog rock epic. I play this as loud as my neighbor's will allow.

[@mootbooxle]

Thank you for everything, Steve! All the best to you! I appreciate you sharing insight into this music! This is the song that made me a Genesis fanatic as a teen.

[@ivanxavier2442]

PERFEITO!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏Hackett...como sempre genial!

[@donmoore7785]

I discovered Nursery Cryme a few years after I became a Genesis fan through A Trick of the Tail and Genesis Live, which my brother had in his collection. This is a beautiful tune - one of many by the band.

[@dermashy]

That song spooked me when I first heard it and it still does now , wonderful song

[@attiliobertelli8093]

I love love love this wonderful track, thankx Steve, great job

[@SuperCHessler]

One of my favorites! The music and the lyrics meshed so well together that I get a mind's eye view of that mythical lakeside scene whenever I hear it, especially the battle scene.

[@MusicManxxxxx]

I remember Ian McDonnald saying that they also mic'd the Mellotron from a distance on In The Court of the Crimson King.

[@hoofixrman]

Love it Steve...the short and sweet vids and cool storys of the tracks are great!

[@colintaylor8578]

The Fountain Of Salmacis is one of my favourite Genesis songs. Nursery Cryme was my first introduction to this special group, and this song still retains the wonder I felt, the first time I heard it.

[@qualaup]

My first Genesis album i bought. Awesome record!

[@MrMjp58]

One of my favourites of theirs.

[@BenjWarrant]

Just watched Toyah and Robert Fripp performing David Bowie's *Heroes* from their (enormous) kitchen and 2 minutes later I'm listening to Steve Hackett talking about when Genesis bought King Crimson's Mellotron in the early 70s. Any day now I expect to be able to walk through walls, the universe is so unpredictable nowadays.

[@Greenaresy]

I wish these videos were way longer, to get so many details as possible down on "tape".

[@JustJP]

Wonderful insight, thank you as always!

[@tacogladiator7503]

A classic. When I began my backwards journey into the Genesis catalogue, this was the second album I bought. I remember reading the track listening at the record store and continually thinking wow a song about a fountain of salami. Much to my delight the track was as pleasing as salami itself. A feast for imagination. There was no turning back on my backwards start of Genesis. Salami or Salmacis.

[@piergiuseppeciaraldi2289]

One of my fav Genesis tracks all time

[@MrBrabo1]

This SO brings me back to my college years

[@bernierushworth4810]

Loving these bite-size insight videos.

[@johnvaluk1401]

Thank you again. Interesting fact about the King Crimson connection. As always Genesis was my favorite band then and still now.

[@dalebaker9109]

Those mellotron strings, are amazing. It's incredible, how Tony built them up.

[@AnAmericanFan]

Because of these regular videos by Hackett, I’ve pulled out all of Genesis and Hackett Cd’s to enjoy. Being an engineer, I find the explanation of recording techniques and instrument selection to be very engaging.

[@joaoelybelles1956]

"The musical box" is one of my favorite. Nice shirt Steve!

[@VickersDoorter]

As a former sound tech, it's great to hear these technical insights and nuances of how things came about and were recorded.

[@PeteBleackley]

I have to say that Mike Rutherford's bass part on this is amazing.

[@paul_ward_music]

One of the best songs EVER. Music in wwwwwwiiiiiiiiiidddddddeeeeeeeessssssscccccccrrrrrreeeeeeennnnnnnn!

[@simonbirley4421]

This album takes me back to my teenage years. I remember I bought nursery cryme after loving my sisters trick of the tail. I love the early Genesis albums especially selling england by the pound.

[@sspbrazil]

Thanks Steve, love this song.

[@HollowGolem]

I love the accents the guitars offer in this song. Playing gorgeously to the song. That's how a real band operates: everyone contributes to the whole.

[@UncleTonyGuitar]

I just freakin' love you.

[@thoomoo]

Amazing piece of music

[@lesleymurphy60]

Love this song

[@garymonteleone1731]

Thank you Steve !!

[@rickylewis8178]

great song so many years ago wow

[@oriomenoni7651]

So... the Mellotron heard in Nursery Cryme is the very same instrument heard on In The Court of the Crimson King? That's quite some exclusive insight!!!

[@timweatherill3738]

Thank you so much, Steve, for your warm, interesting, oft-times witty insights into the music you've made. I would really sit and listen to you talk at length about "Voyage of The Acolyte", which is one of my most cherished albums of all time. Do you think you might be persuaded? I do believe you have the fanbase here in Quarentineland. In all events, cheers!

[@stephenhookings1985]

Bit like a John Bonham drums in the stairwell :-) creative solution to a problem brings out a new technique. And hence a new style is born. Glad you continue to produce innovative music and bounce of a variety of contributors - keeps us all going - reminded of Supertramp : "Crisis. What crisis". :-)

[@lightscameraparent6692]

Thank you, Steve - would love it if you did a guitar isolation of Spectral Mornings video- bless your music- thank you

[@nlight101]

Hackett Gabriel and Phaster Phil- are amazing Aquarian Genius- too much creative masters- Rutherford - all very amazing- its nice to listen to stories of a time that was so magical.. but I just too young,

[@pasi8800]

"Return of the giant hogweed" would be awesome next! Great Guitar from Steve on that song.

[@pastanagens6014]

Good morning Steve.🎼✌️🇧🇷

[@dereckvon]

Epic track.

[@MikeAllen-pb5ui]

Perfection !!!!

[@CONSIDERABLYMORE1]

Legendary!

[@stonedinsect]

I remember seeing this back in the early 90's on a video a live studio recording and was so impressed by Steve's guitar playing no thrills basic setup loved all that early stuff thank god you left that band and was not associated with some of the shit they produced after you left

[@yugiohaddictedfan7]

i didnt know this song, i'm glad i learned it thanks to you! if you would like, could you do any songs from wild orchids? i love that album but i feel like it doesn't get the attention it deserves.

[@Earlofmar1]

I love this album, everything about it, but this track is one of my favourites. My first copy was second hand because I was a young apprentice on paltry wages (1974), and I didn't know if I would like Genesis. Been a fan ever since that very first listen.

[@johnmccormick9303]

He is so underrated. He was so instrumental in their 70's success. (pardon the pun). The band chose well picking him, but I've always thought the "Posh boys" kept most of the recognition, and never really fairly shared it with him.

[@BenjWarrant]

"pop pickers" Takes me back to Saturday afternoons in the art department at boarding school in the early 70s....

[@jtdavis62]

Great song! After awhile, we discovered how chemical enhancement could make those crescendos even more powerful.

[@paulomauriciorpinto2334]

Você é um gênio

[@Existmusiccloud]

I remember listening to this easing into the rainy season, and my friend bought a Mellotron but didn't have a decent amp;in any case, I picked brittle arpeggios on my steel string acoustic and he swirled in with banks of strings then "burping" chorus, which sounded not much better than a transistor radio😅We called it "Olde English Scenario ", with a nod to the American malt liquor.

[@musiquemillet]

Our studio version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6WlqoyqrZWhndE Our live version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5qyoniYoNyAoMU Thank you Steve and Genesis for this superb music.

[@philwood1443]

Enjoying these videos, Steve, and hoping to see you live in November, but how is it possible you look younger now than the photo on the Foxtrot album cover nearly 50 years ago?

[@sturoc0]

Steve and Jo, these videos audio are really low . Please increase the gain on them so we an clearly hear the great insights into how they were made. Thank you

[@jeffdell9472]

It's hard to pick which of the six "Steve" studio albums in the early years is the best... The Fountain makes a strong case for Nursery Cryme being the one.

[@bubbamike4743]

Could you talk about Hogweed? I’m very curious to know who helped write that song!

[@diegocanale1124]

I love that song especially the intro! And the album of course, a true prog. rock masterpiece! By the way what music system do you have there to play the Genesis tracks?

[@ginnyd4488]

Love this song and had a friend with that name, minus the suffix (? I guess).

[@haldumille5594]

Mellotron was on some earlier albums though, correct?

[@attiliobertelli8093]

❤

[@rayrecordings]

There is Hackett Genesis and non Hackett genesis. And well, you can really hear the difference.

[@ThefightingCelt]

I have always preferred this track to Hogweed .

[@pastanagens6014]

I,am a guitar Man of Brasil amazônia 🎼🇧🇷