Written by John Hackett
Originally published in the Journal of the Classic Rock Society
Reproduced here by kind permission
The artists performing were Fish, Jethro Tull, Roger Hodgson, Beangrowers, Winter Moods, Colourblind and Steve Hackett. There were some fantastic performances (definitely worthy of doing a review next year, Martin – don’t forget your trunks).
Steve’s prowess on the guitar, of course, goes without saying. But of those I had not seen before, Roger Hodgson (ex-Supertramp) made an awesome sound for one man armed only with a Korg Triton and the occasional 12-string. Also, personally, it was great to hear Ian Anderson live – driving, rhythmic playing; fluent improvisation; and, at my current weight, far better at standing on one leg.
We dropped the kids off at my mum’s (thanks, mum!) on the way and my wife, Katrin and I headed for the sun. A second honeymoon? Or did she just want to make sure I came back, having raved about the place last time… While we were there, Steve’s drummer proposed to his girlfriend (there’s something about the moon and the Med). Happily, she said yes, so congratulations to Gary and Sarah!
In no time at all, however, or so it seemed, we were back in London and sitting in my brother’s kitchen. Steve put on the Art Garfunkel album “Watermark” which I had not realised was a favourite of his as well as mine. Then he put on “Spectral Mornings” which I had not heard for a long time.
-a-packet-in-a-second-hand-jacket-and-trouser – comes to mind. This last a reference to the green velvet jacket I used to wear to those first band rehearsals off the Caledonian Road in London. “I had a jacket like that years ago when I got married,” he once said, “and it was going out of fashion then!”
Maybe I had a subconscious desire to be a sort of Prog Rock Velvet Gentleman like Erik Satie; which reminds me – while playing 3 of Satie’s pieces in Malta, a helicopter hovered overhead and you could hardly hear a note. Some people were put off but as Satie used typewriters in his music (Parade), I thought this quite fitting.
Back to the band – Dik Cadbury was on bass and also sang – he had a fabulous counter-tenor voice that if anyone remembers those early gigs at Hammersmith Odeon, was a very pleasant, if surprising, substitute for Sally Oldfield on Shadow of the Hierophant from the “Acolyte” album. Nick Magnus (check out his new album “Hexameron”) on keyboards also has fond memories of those days, but he does have a message for whoever stole his cheesecloth shirt from the then tiny backstage bar at Hammersmith Odeon in 1978 – and it is “thank-you!”
On the subject of sartorial elegance, the prize surely went to Steve’s drummer, John Shearer, who would stand on his drum-stool and wave his bottom at the audience in a pair of trousers so tight they could only have been sprayed on. His roadie, Mick, was forbidden to touch his stainless steel kit unless he was wearing gloves. We took it in turns (unsuccessfully) to beat John at table football. Meanwhile the recording went on far into the night – helped by frequent trips to the studio drinks cabinet.
Anyway, a big thank-you to Nigel & Sharyn Camilleri, Carmen Camilleri Ciantar and Lou Bondi, the organisers of the Classic Rock Festival in Malta. As they said in the programme:
“As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of rock & roll, it is great to add a Maltese voice to the chorus – Long live rock!”
* 'Revelations'
* 'Looking For Someone'
* 'Star Clusters'
* 'I Know What I Don't Like (In My Wardrobe)'
* '2 Pints of Saki and a Packet of Crisps...'
To visit John's website, click here
To visit The Classic Rock Society's website, click here
... or go back to stevehackett.com here