Voyage of the Acolyte is the debut solo album from then-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett while he was still with the band. The album was recorded two weeks after the last show of the The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour and was released in 1975 on Chrysalis Records in the US and Charisma Records for the rest of the world. It featured heavy contributions from Genesis bandmates Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford. After this album, Hackett began to feel stifled within the democratic approach to the way Genesis placed music on their albums and the band began putting pressure on Hackett to quit his solo act. Eventually, the album was certified as a silver disc in the UK. The album limited Hackett on the recording of Genesis' next album A Trick of the Tail. In a 1987 MTV interview with Tony Banks he stated that the album didn't do much for Genesis however, it is considered by many Genesis fans to be a lost Genesis album.
The tracks are named after, or with reference to, the minor and Major Trumps of the Tarot card deck.
The album was reissued in 2005 by Virgin Records, and in the US in 2006 by Astralwerks, featuring bonus tracks.
Contents[]
Track listing[edit][]
All songs written by Steve Hackett, except where indicated.
- "Ace of Wands" – 5:23
- "Hands of the Priestess I" – 3:28
- "A Tower Struck Down" (Steve Hackett, John Hackett) – 4:53
- "Hands of the Priestess II" – 1:31
- "The Hermit" – 4:49
- "Star of Sirius" – 7:08
- "The Lovers" – 1:50
- "Shadow of the Hierophant" (Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford) – 11:44
- The timings for "The Lovers" and "Shadow of the Hierophant" on the original vinyl were listed as 8:59 and 5:23, respectively. Both were incorrect.
- 2005 Remaster Bonus Tracks
- "Ace of Wands" (Live) – 6:32
- "Shadow of the Hierophant" (Extended Playout Version) – 17:01
Personnel[edit][]
Credits are adapted from Voyage of the Acolyte liner notes.[2]
- Steve Hackett – electric & acoustic guitars, Mellotron, harmonium, bells, autoharp, vocal on "The Hermit", effects
- John Hackett – flute, ARP synthesizer, bells
- Mike Rutherford – bass guitar, bass pedals, 12-string fuzz-bass
- Phil Collins – drums, vibes, percussion, vocals on "Star of Sirius"
- John Acock – Elka synthesizer, Mellotron, harmonium, piano
- Sally Oldfield – vocal on "Shadow of the Hierophant"
- Robin Miller – oboe on "Star of Sirius", English horn on "The Hermit"
- Nigel Warren-Green – cello on "The Hermit"
- Percy Jones – additional bass guitar on "A Tower Struck Down"
- Johnny Gustafson – bass guitar on "Star of Sirius"
Technical personnel[edit][]
- Engineering by John Acock
- Assistant engineers: Louie Austin ("Hierophant" only), Paul Watkins, Rob Broglia
- Equipment: Tex Read, Geoff Banks, Steve Baker
- Organization: Tony Smith, Alex Sim
- Artwork by Kim Poor – this album art won Album Cover of the Year 1976.