Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett has just unveiled ‘Circo Inferno’, the third video and single from The Circus And The Nightwhale. Set for a release on February 16th, The Circus And The Nightwhale is Hackett’s twenty-sixth solo release, and features Nad Sylvan as one of its vocalists. Sylvan has toured with Hackett since 2013, and regularly fills in as the in-house vocalist for the Genesis covers.
In an interview with Pennyblackmusic, Hackett likened Sylvan to Genesis vocalists Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins: “You could say that Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins both had that brass-like qualities. They have differences, but they have similarities, where they could impersonate each other, and it’s the same thing with Nad. He’s able to impersonate both singers, and does a very good impression of Richie Havens. We were doing ‘Icarus Ascending’, and it really sounded like he was channelling Richie Havens. He deepened his voice.”
Hackett joined Genesis in 1970, performing on every album from Nursery Cryme to Wind & Wuthering. Hackett quit the band in 1977, leading the remaining members -Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks – to continue as a trio. In 1985, Hackett co-founded the band GTR with Asia guitarist Steve Howe: The duo enjoyed success with ‘When the Heart Rules the Mind’ which landed at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest charting place Hackett had enjoyed at that juncture in his career.
Hackett reunited with Genesis bassist Mike Rutherford ‘Sailing’, a cover of a Rod Stewart track that was issued as Rock Against Repatriation. Queen guitarist Brian May also contributed to the recording, and Squeeze’s Paul Carrack was one of a roster of vocalists who sang on the track.
Since then, Hackett has maintained a prolific career as a solo artist. ‘Circo Inferno’ is his latest single, and can be heard below.
