Ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett revealed in an interview with Classic Rock his favorite guitarist, singer and songwriter of all time. The musician also revealed the first song the he remembers hearing.
Steve Hackett reveals his favorite guitarist, singer and songwriter of all time:
His guitar hero
“I’ve chosen Jimi Hendrix. Jimi wasn’t just a guitarist, it was also the way that he played the instrument and moved with it. I like the fact that he seemed like he and the guitar were one. Jimi was an improviser and he took chances. He didn’t worry about hitting a wrong ’un or fluffing a note. I’m not knocking him for that, he was doing in public what others chose to do in private. That was very laudable.”
The singer
“I enjoy listening to lots of singers, but I’ll pick Roy Orbison. I like him because he’s a one-off. Nobody else I’ve ever heard sounded anything like him.”
The songwriter
“People will know Jimmy Webb as the man that wrote MacArthur Park [a hit for actor Richard Harris in 1968], but he wrote many more that were covered by lots of artists, including By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Wichita Lineman and Galveston for Glen Campbell.”
The first music he remembers hearing
“Mario Lanza’s The Drinking Song, from The Student Prince [a popular musical from 1924]. I used to dance around the room to it and then fall over. That’s a great memory.”
Steve Hackett
He is renowned as an immensely talented and innovative rock musician. Hackett was the lead guitarist of Genesis during their classic line up with Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. This formation made acclaimed albums such as Selling England by the Pound (John Lennon’s favorite). Besides, on those album’s Steve showed extraordinary versatility in electric guitar playing and his composing.