Spectral Mornings

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Spectral Mornings is the third release and the second post-Genesis album by British guitarist Steve Hackett.

The album is the first recording to feature Hackett's first true touring band, consisting of his brother John Hackett on flute, guitar and bass pedals, long-time collaborator keyboardist Nick Magnus, bassist/vocalist Dik Cadbury, drummer John Shearer and vocalist Peter Hicks.

In 2005, Spectral Mornings was remastered and re-released on Virgin Records. The new edition features updated liner notes and seven bonus tracks.

Background

After the release of his previous album, Please Don't Touch!, in 1978, Hackett wished to tour the material from the album along with material from his previous solo album, Voyage of the Acolyte. This meant that he needed to assemble a touring band, since the personnel on Please Don't Touch! had essentially consisted of guest musicians. The band that he created for this purpose became the band that he used in the studio for Spectral Mornings and the following album, 1980's Defector. Members of Genesis had contacted Hackett to say how much they really liked this and previous albums, since it was material Hackett felt he could have used with the band.

Recording

This is the second album for which Hackett used a Roland GR-500 Guitar Synthesizer. It can be heard on two tracks: "The Virgin and the Gypsy" and "Tigermoth".

Lead vocals on most of the album were provided by Peter Hicks, which were very often backed with harmonies by Steve Hackett & Dik Cadbury. Cadbury arranged the harmony vocals, having been trained as a counter tenor (falsetto) singer. Hackett himself sings lead on "The Ballad of the Decomposing Man".

Track listing

All songs written by Steve Hackett, except where indicated.

Side 1

1. "Every Day" – 6:14
2. "The Virgin and the Gypsy" – 4:27
3. "The Red Flower of Tachai Blooms Everywhere" – 2:05
4. "Clocks – The Angel of Mons" – 4:17
5. "The Ballad of the Decomposing Man" (featuring "The Office Party") – 3:49

Side 2

1. "Lost Time in Córdoba" – 4:03
2. "Tigermoth" – 7:35
3. "Spectral Mornings" – 6:33

• 2005 Remaster Bonus Tracks

1. "Every Day" (Alternate Mix) – 7:08
2. "The Virgin and the Gypsy" (Alternate Mix) – 4:29
3. "Tigermoth" (Alternate Mix) – 3:19
4. "The Ballad of the Decomposing Man" (Alternate Mix) – 4:23
5. "Clocks" (12" Single Version) – 3:37
6. "Live Acoustic Set" – 5:40 (Carcassi, Arr. Hackett/Hackett)
7. "Tigermoth" (Live Version) – 3:58
8. "The Janitor" – 1:41 (unlisted)(featuring Peter Hicks)

Note: "The Janitor" was a hidden joke-track that had appeared on some early CD copies of the album. It features the vocalist Peter Hicks, here as a studio cleaner, being angry with the musicians about the mess that they made working in the studio.

Personnel

• Steve Hackett – acoustic and electric guitars, Roland guitar synthesizer, vocals on The ballad of the decomposing man, koto on The red flowers of Tachai Blooms Everywhere, harmonica
• John Hackett – flute, bamboo flute, Taurus Moog bass pedals
• Dik Cadbury – bass, Taurus Moog bass pedals, vocals
• Peter Hicks – vocals except on The ballad of the decomposing man
• Nick Magnus – keyboards, Vox String Thing, Novatron, Clavichord, clavinet, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Mini Moog, Roland string
• John Shearer – drums, percussions

Tour

Hackett toured the album with the same band in 1979. A recording of an entire show on this tour is found on Discs 1 and 2 of Live Archive 70s 80s 90s, released in 2001.