mike rutherford

Okay, it's good that somebody gave Mike Rutherford some attention. I like him very much as a bassist on the early records, and as a 12-string player, as many of us do, luckily. Two months ago I was at the Musical Box-concert (they did The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway-show) and I was quite surprised that the guitar-intro of The Supernatural Anaesthesist was actually done by " the Rutherford" instead of " the Hackett" of the band. So yes, I guess that Rutherford was doing more things in Genesis than you think.

What I don't like is some of the grungy guitar sounds he makes on some of the later Genesis-albums. And the question is still: why oh why did they become so mediocre, Rutherford also. Lately I bought the 1st Mike and The Mechanics for just 1 euro, and I was shocked because it sounded so horribly commercial. Yak!

But Rutherford deserves a lot of credit for his work with Genesis in the 70's , and for his magnificent 1st solo album! No doubt about that!

You are all right to said he was underrated. his work as a solo artist plus his collaboration with Anthony Phillips are to be remembered also. One of my favorite Bass parts is included in Spot the Pigeon's "Inside and Out", great palying!!!

Progger wrote: 'Small Creeps Day' & some of the stuff he did with 'Mike & The Mechanics' just proves how important he was to the Genesis songwriting. You might also be surprised at just how much of the guitar playing on the early Genesis stuff is in actual fact Rutherford & not Hackett!

I'm curious about this one ... and Michael Rutherford's guitar playing in general ... just how much did he play? Just how does Rutherford the guitarist compare to Ant Phillips and Steve Hackett?

Blacksword commented on another thread that Rutherford seems to be trying to imitate Steve Hackett on the And Then There Were Three album (I certainly felt that on the Burning Rope guitar solo) ... (it's all a bit strange when you consider the "Hackett trying to imitate Phillips" and "Collins trying to imitate Gabriel" vibes that one gets at various times)

Personally I love MR's bass playing, but am generally disappointed with his work as a lead guitarist ... is it because of the compositions (most of it was with pop Genesis and Mike And The Mechanics) ... or is it because of his technical limitations? Answers on a postcard please ...

Cygnus X-2 wrote: Jim Garten wrote: Truly one of the most under-rated musicians in progressive rock - bass guitar, 12 string guitar, moog taurus bass pedals, acoustic 6 & 12 string, backing vocals - not to mention one of the truly great rock noses; but then again, he has to bow down to Geddy Lee on that front too. If we're talking noses, then Geddy would have to bow to Pete Townshend!

Do you mean John Entwhistle?? He played bass for The Who, not Townsend. Entwhistle WAS a superb bass player. I love the fluidity of his playing, especially throughout Quadrophenia.

Rutherford too deserves recognition for his bass playing. His style was very important to the Genesis sound, especially throughout the mid to late seventies where he really matured as a musician IMO..

M. B. Zapelini wrote: IMHO Mike Rotherford is a great and underrated bassist, but I don't like his guitar playing. He is a solid rhythm player and fits well to 3-piece Genesis, but the band would be less interesting if he was the guitar player at their 5-piece days. Steve Hackett rules... Talking about Steve Hackett - if GTR were Steva Hackett, Steve Howe and Steve Hillage, how it would have sounded?

Steve Hogarth could sing to keep the SH going

Jim Prog Wizard wrote: Rutherford is IMO criminally underrated as a bassist.  Just listen to the bass on "Get 'em Out By Friday" and "Fountain of Salmacis".  Not to mention live recordings, he went all-out for them eg "Firth of Fifth" on Second's Out.

I BELIVE THAT HE DESERVED TO PRAISE MORE OFTEN  ON THE PROG WORLD WHEN I GOT INTO GENESIS YEARS AGO ONE OF THE THINK THAT I LOVED AND STILL LOVE ABOUT EARLY GENESIS IS THE BASS SOUND THAT CAME OUT MY SPEAKERS. HE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY BASS PLAYER THAT IS VERY UNDERRATED HE IS RESPOMSABLE FOR MOST GENESIS LYRICS AND ARAIGMENTS!!!!

Blacksword wrote: Cygnus X-2 wrote: Jim Garten wrote: Truly one of the most under-rated musicians in progressive rock - bass guitar, 12 string guitar, moog taurus bass pedals, acoustic 6 & 12 string, backing vocals - not to mention one of the truly great rock noses; but then again, he has to bow down to Geddy Lee on that front too. If we're talking noses, then Geddy would have to bow to Pete Townshend!  Do you mean John Entwhistle?? He played bass for The Who, not Townsend. Entwhistle WAS a superb bass player. I love the fluidity of his playing, especially throughout Quadrophenia. Rutherford too deserves recognition for his bass playing. His style was very important to the Genesis sound, especially throughout the mid to late seventies where he really matured as a musician IMO..

Yes, but we're talking about noses, not instruments.  Therefore, he most assuredly meant Pete.