“In the early days of Genesis, audiences walked out during songs that later became classics. For artists, life is a coconut shy with yourself as the coconut”: Steve Hackett’s stoic reaction to the solo track that split his fans
Steve Hackett, the former Genesis guitarist, has spoken candidly about the divided reaction to Wingbeats, a track from his 2022 solo album Surrender Of Silence that blends his signature guitar sound with African-inspired world music. He said the song, inspired by a visit to Ethiopia, has provoked an unusually strong split among his fanbase, but he remains untroubled by this, arguing that musicians who take creative risks must accept that not everyone will embrace the result.
Hackett drew comparisons with his time in early Genesis, when audiences reportedly booed and walked out during performances of songs that later became regarded as classics, suggesting listeners often need time to absorb challenging material. He noted that Surrender Of Silence arrived amid a particularly prolific period for him, following a memoir, a live album and an acoustic record, and that the LP itself had already drawn some criticism over quantity versus quality. He also reflected that today's instant, disposable culture, exemplified by harsh comments left under the Wingbeats video, leaves less room for fans to grow into unfamiliar work compared with the past.
- Steve Hackett's track Wingbeats split fans with its world-music influences.
- He likens creative risk-taking to a "coconut shy" with himself as target.
- Cites Genesis history: booed songs later became fan classics.