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Steve Hackett: Till we have Faces

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Camino Records
Released: 1984
Time:
 74:58
52Category: Pop/Rock
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: ********.. (8/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.hackettsongs.com
Appears with: Genesis, GTR, Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins, Chris Squire, Steve Howe
Purchase date: 2000.12.24
Price in €: 14,99





 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] What's My Name (Hackett/Magnus) - 7:04
[2] Rio Connection (Hackett) - 3:19
[3] Matilda Smith-Williams Home for the Aged (Hackett/Magnus) - 8:04
[4] Let Me Count the Ways (Hackett) - 6:05
[5] Doll That's Made in Japan (Hackett) - 3:56
[6] Duel (Hackett) - 4:48
[7] Myopia (Hackett/Magnus) - 2:54
[8] Taking the Easy Way Out (Hackett) - 3:48
[9] The Gulf (Hackett) - 6:30
[10] Stadiums of the Damned (Hackett) - 4:37
[11] When You Wish upon a Star (Harline/Washington) - 0:48  

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l

 
Steve Hackett - Guitar, Harmonica, Percussion, Keyboards, Marimba, Vocals, Synthesizer Guitar, Koto, Producer, Rainstick

Clive Stevens - Synthesizer
Ronald Diamante - Bass
Weldemar Falcao - Flute, Percussion, Producer, Engineer
Nick Magnus - Synthesizer, Percussion, Keyboards, Producer, Drum Programming
Ian Mosley - Percussion, Drums
Rui Motta - Drums
Fernando Moura - Guitar, Fender Rhodes
Kim Poor - Voices, Artwork
Serginho - Drums
Sidney Moreira - Brazilian Percussion
Junior Homrich - Brazilian Percussion
Zizinho - Brazilian Percussion

John Acock - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Jerry Peal - Engineer
Gwyn Mathias - Engineer
Felipe Nervy - Engineer
Jack Paulino - Assistant Engineer
Nick Ryan-James - Assistant Engineer
Gerry O'Riordan - Engineer
Andy Mills - Engineer
Kim Poor - Cover Painting, Japanese voice on [5]  

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Recorded during 1984 in Rio de Janeiro and London.
"Till We Have Faces" was released in 1984/87 - Permanent Records
PERM CDL 19 with a different track order; bonus tracks recorded 1987



If Steve Hackett's "Bay of Kings" was the first "unplugged" album then "Till We Have Faces" was almost certainly the first album by a rock musician to fuse the electrifying qualities of rock music with the emotion and rhythmic inventiveness of an ethnic culture, anticipating Paul Simon's efforts by several years.
Although the tracks were returned to the UK for final mixing and editing the sessions took place mainly in Brazil and the incredible rhythms of that country play a major role in the recording. There is now a greater sensibility towards "World Music" but at the time of recording Steve felt somewhat apprehensive about using Latin percussionists.

Ironically, as we approach the beginning of a new century, this album could now be considered mainstream!

Billy Budis - www.camino.co.uk



What's My Name
I'd lust finished reading a book called Six Records of a Floating Life by Fu Shen so again I was getting help from a book with fantastic imagery - lyrics such as "The Great Cave of Burning Clouds". Musically, it's ancient China meets Amazonian Brazil. I liked this mixture of oriental and South American Indian styles - Junior, who played just about all the percussion at the beginning, was later nominated for an Oscar for his soundtrack to Emerald Forest. I'm pleased to say this is the album at its most radical; we weren't using sequencers - this was all played by hand!
The Rio Connection
A fun track with two drummers, Serginho and Rui, playing spontaneously in sync. Most of this was all played live in the studio - a great "vibe", just like you'd imagine it in the movies, party time on record.

Matilda Smith Williams Home For The Aged
When a samba rhythm meets an Englishman's lyric based on a Caribbean old folks' home it sounds like this. And, yes, we have made some alterations to the original mix.

Let Me Count The Ways
If you listen very closely you can hear the drummer, Rui Mota, counting in the number in Portuguese. A slow blues, long overdue at the time as I'd grown up listening and playing so many twelve-bars - long live the blues!

A Doll That's Made In Japan
Rhythmically called a Baião, this was actually recorded in England after everything else, but spot the influence. Again, I liked this idea of oriental and South American styles coming together - still do! I've got my Koto working!

Duel
A straight shuffle with an E-bow driven guitar - the Gizmo makes a guest appearance doubling as a starting motor at the top, followed by Nick's impression of a truck starting up.

Myopia
A Mr Magoo lyric with driving bass line courtesy of Mr Magnus. The song blunders into a brief snatch of one of the Brandenburg concertos - it's not my fault if I'm short sighted and got the two mixed up!

Taking The Easy Way Out
A drifting off to sleep song, very laid back and eventually out for the count.

The Gulf
This was recorded back in 86/87. We reworked some of the drum tracks originally intended for "Faces". I was thinking of the hostage crisis when two men (Jimmy Carter and the Ayatollah Khomeini) were both talking to "God" and coming up with completely separate answers! The title was symbolic of the chasm or distance between man and his maker and is no way intended to refer to the recent war of that name, so help me!

Stadiums Of The Damned
Again, recorded in 87 and influenced by Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment where the killer is forgiven by the victim's niece who eventually becomes his "redemption". "Stadiums" finds a football hooligan with a changing set of values due to a similarly positive female figure - I'm sorry I can't explain it any simpler, folks! Ah, the love of a good woman!

When You Wish Upon A Star
This is my little homage to a favourite Disney cartoon played - or rather parodied - on Nick's old analogue synths. That's all folks!



Nach seinem Ausstieg bei Genesis veröffentlichte Gitarrist Steve Hackett eine ganze Reihe von Soloalben; an das grandiose Feeling seines ersten Alleingangs Voyage Of The Acolyte ('75) konnte er aber nie wieder heranreichen. Auch Till We Have Faces ('84) muss sich mit dem Makel herumschlagen, im Vergleich zum beinahe übermächtigen Voyage-Meilenstein nur zweite Wahl zu sein. Der steife High-End-Pop, der in den Achtzigern viel zu angesagt war, färbte auch auf den Sahnegitarristen ab und ließ ihn recht glatte, selten wirklich innovative Songs schreiben. Dass er dazu noch der Meinung war, unbedingt selber singen zu müssen, anstatt diesen Part wie früher anderen, begabteren Stimmen zu überlassen, macht Till We Have Faces endgültig zu einem Album, das kein Genesis- bzw. Hackett-Fan braucht. Da retten auch die netten brasilianischen Folk-Elemente nichts mehr. Einsteiger sollten sich auf jeden Fall an Voyage halten.

Michael Rensen - Amazon.de



First acquainted with this album, from the original vinyl release, I find that it has aged remarkably well. Some of these songs are more original than what passes for original now.

"What's My Name" is incredible. Conjures up images of a world weary immortal, having seen so much and forgotten so much as well. I hesitate to relate it to Highlander, because there is nothing Scottish about it, but it has the same tiredness of that character, or Barry Sadler's novels of Casca. Atmosphere and intricacy. Artful.

"Myopia" is a better song than some reviews would lead you to believe. It was, and is, a moving rock song, with accomplished playing.

The lyrics for "Duel" are admittedly weak, but the song is short and catchy otherwise. Inspired by the film of the same title.

"Mathilda Smith" is a prime example of the kind of wit that occurred in late 70's Genesis lyrics. The song structure is atypical, ending with an instrumental build then falling action, meant to symbolize the escape of the bored shut-in seniors from their home and back into the world. Hackett isn't the only star of this peace, letting the rest of the musicians get in some musical contribution.

The other songs may be hit and miss for some, depending on mood. This is a mixed album, but that is the strength of the work. Regular rock, prog-rock, some reserved and mellow playing, electric and subtle-acoustic sounding depending on the tracks you listen to. It has aged well in my opinion, and with new tracks should be worth purchase on disc.

D.A.Knight, Ontario, Canada
  

L y r i c s

DUEL

(Based on the film of the same name)

There's a ten ton truck
Coming down the road
No matter how fast I drive
No matter where I go

Don't turn back
It keeps coming near
Don't turn back
Don't let it come near

Just when you think you're safe
And you're in control
You see an open road
Not another soul

Don't turn back
It keeps coming near
Don't turn back
It keeps coming near

Can't stop shaking and your blood runs cold
Fuel injection that runs way too slow
Will this killer win and run you off the road

Don't turn back
It keeps coming near
Don't turn back
It keeps coming near


MALTILDA SMITH-WILLIAMS HOME FOR THE AGED

Maltilda Smith-Williams Home For The Aged
Bingo and buggy rides
Wheelchairs and early night
Maltilda Smith-Williams Home For The Aged
And if you smuggle in
Another drop of gin
We'll take your hearing aid
They never hear what you say

Maltilda Smith-Williams Home For The Aged
A second childhood
But only if you're good
I hear Maltilda passed away
Her spirit's still with us today
She watches over us
And those who make a fuss
You've never had it so good
They'd run away if they could


LET ME COUNT THE WAYS

(For Uncle Charlie)

Let me count the ways I love you babe
You don't know what you do
I'm a mess without your love baby blue

You were the only one I ever loved
You know I owe you every time
You were the first one to believe in me
And that's before I had a dime
I'm a mess without your love baby blue

As I walk by along the waterfront
With all my clothes soaked wet through
Let me count the ways I love you babe
You don't know what you do
I'm a mess without your love baby blue


A DOLL THAT'S MADE IN JAPAN

An honourable man picks a slender orchid
And crushed it between his hands
The sacred knife of a Samurai
Serves up Sushi in a sandwich bar

A doll that's made in Japan
Is made for every man
A doll that's made in Japan
Is made for every man
Tigerlily with eyes of jade
Takes you to a carnival of toy balloons

See a kite floating by with the face of a Chinese mandarin
It's such a different world it's hard to remember
Which land you're in
I seem to recall a milk white hand
Painted with blood red fingernails

A doll that's made in Japan
Is made for every man
A doll that's made in Japan
Is made for every man
A tiny girl with empty hands
Walks the streets of Tokyo

A doll that's made in Japan
Is made for every man
A doll that's made in Japan
Is made for every man
As you fly through a city of empty souls
You feel that the wind is whispering


MYOPIA

I can't see, I can't sleep
I can't swim, I can't talk
Can't write, I can't count
I can't fly, can't play today

Take your things and run away
Grab yourself a holiday
Fix your nose and change your name
Thyroid eyes they diagnose

Myopia...

A red light, stomach ache
Relax but don't be late
It's too loud I've disappeared
I can't drink, I can't tell the time

Epic hero Gilgamesh
Battling with a lioness
One man war against the odds
Spectacles that break because

Myopia...

I don't think I can afford ya
You make me ugly anyhow
I think I see a car before me
Or maybe I've just hit a cow

I don't think I can afford ya
You make me ugly anyhow
I think I see a car before me
Or maybe I've just hit a cow

Myopia...


WHAT'S MY NAME

Stone mirror mountain rises from a low stream
The scent of flowers like an ocean of weeds
I take a boat formed like a long handled sword
The Heavens are vast and the sea is broad

What's my name...

We find the great cave of burning clouds
The water horses come flickering down
A gap in consciousness, a picture takes shape
I hear a thundering
A tidal wave breaks

What's my name...


TAKING THE EASY WAY OUT

Another night I've drunk my fill
Perhaps it's time to dim the light
And while the hours the sandman comes
Stumbling round like a bowery bum
Maybe I'll dream an Egyptian scene

Taking the easy way out
Taking the easy way out again

Maybe we'll meet in paradise
Where far beyond the shores of trust
A boat on sea can travel the land
We set sail for a castle of sand

The desert wind
Can darken your skin

Taking the easy way out
Taking the easy way out again

Taking the easy way out
I'm taking the easy way out again

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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