CLOCKS

This maxi-single contains two tracks from my favorite Steve Hackett album entitled Spectral Mornings. In those days The Steve Hackett band turned out to be the 'perfect symphonic progrock substitute' for the many Genesis fans who were deeply disappointed about The Phil Collins trio their new music approach since the popprog on And Then There Were Three.

Side one starts with the exciting song Clocks, in my opinoin one of his best ever compositions: there is a great tension and lots of dynamics because of the mellow parts with fat Moog Taurus bass pedals sounds, majestic violin-Mellotron waves and propulsive guitar work and the bombastic interludes with a powerful rhythm-section and howling electric guitar runs, halfway culminating in a spectacular solo with a distorted sound and in the end a short but heavy drum solo, Hackett's exciting version of prog and roll! Side two contains two live tracks, recorded in 1979 in Paris. It starts with the 'Acoustic set' in two parts. First both beautiful as virtuosic work on the classical/Spanish guitar, the audience reacts with a huge applause and roars of excitement when they recognize parts of Blood On The Rooftops and Horizons (with the distinctive flageolets), what a great atmosphere! The second part delivers the two Hackett broters, Steve on the classical guitar and John on flute, very warm and romantic. Finally the composition Tigermoth (derived from a British airplane that fought against the Germans in the Second World War), again Hackett succeeded to create lots of tension and dynamics between the mellow parts with flute, acoustic guitar and dreamy keyboards and the heavy parts with biting electric guitar and bombastic keyboards (Mellotron and church organ sound), topped by the fat Moog Taurus bass pedal sound, how exciting!

Great footage from Steve Hackett at his pinnacle!