Steve Hackett is not here to make things easy for you. His new album, Under a Mediterranean Sky, is a lush, orchestral, acoustic journey through the cultures and conflicts of the Mediterranean—because why release a simple guitar record when you can pack in centuries of musical history, war-torn nations, and an existential crisis about the future of international touring?
“I think of this as an orchestral album,” he says. “Even when it’s just the guitar, you have to imagine—this part is brass, this part is a harp, this part is a cascading fountain.” Right. But it’s not just guitar; Hackett brings in everything from Arabian ouds to Peruvian charangos to Azerbaijani tars, because of course he does. “It wasn’t plugged in,” he jokes about the electric guitar. “How’s that for restraint?”
The Mediterranean theme wasn’t just about aesthetics. “Some of these countries are literally at war with each other,” he points out. “And yet, here they are, playing on the same record.” That duality—music as a bridge while politicians drive people apart—runs through his work. “I’ve got a guy from Armenia and a guy from Azerbaijan on the same track. I’ve done the same with Israelis and Palestinians. Music does what politics won’t—it brings people together.”
Of course, the politics of music itself are another battle. With Brexit making European touring a nightmare, he’s furious. “It’s going to be impossible for young bands now,” he says. “Genesis could never have done what we did under these conditions. The margins just aren’t there. Our government has been no friend to the arts.”
So, will he be taking Under a Mediterranean Sky on the road? “Eventually,” he sighs. “I had a whole Seconds Out tour planned before everything got rescheduled. But yes, I’ll mix this into the set. We do three-hour shows. There’s room.”
And for those wanting something heavier, he’s got you covered: a new rock album is already in progress. “It’s a ticking time bomb,” he teases. “I’m just sticking TNT under it until it explodes.”
Steve Hackett, still mixing, still bridging, still fighting the good fight.
Watch the interview above and then check out the videos below.
