Music With Memories: Steve Hackett And John McLaughlin
Published by Stephen Milward in Culture · Sunday 03 May 2026 · 3 minutes
Tags: Songs, Memories, Icarus, Ascending, Steve, Hackett, Music, Nostalgia, Reflection, Artistry, Lyrics, Emotion, Richie, Havens, John, McLaughlin, New, York, On, My, Mind, Do, You, Hear, The, Voices, That, You, Left, Behind
Tags: Songs, Memories, Icarus, Ascending, Steve, Hackett, Music, Nostalgia, Reflection, Artistry, Lyrics, Emotion, Richie, Havens, John, McLaughlin, New, York, On, My, Mind, Do, You, Hear, The, Voices, That, You, Left, Behind
It's May 1978 and I'm about to leave university. I didn't know it then, but the following month I would get my first teaching position in the Music Department of Sutton Centre Community School. It's late at night and I have the radio on in my room. A couple of tracks are played from the second album by Steve Hackett 'Please Don't Touch!' (i). The first track was 'Kim' and the second 'Icarus Ascending'.
'Do You Hear The Voices You Left Behind?' starts slowly then speeds to a fast section with McLaughlin's guitar work to the fore. Very memorable music. Listen to it below:
I'd known Steve Hackett (ii) through his work with Genesis (iii), but this was the first solo work I'd come across. The music instantly made an impression - quiet and powerful, thoughtful and stylistic.
'Kim' is a short instrumental track, dedicated to Kim Poor (iv) who Hackett married in 1981 and who did the artwork for the album. It reminds me of French music, particularly Satie (v). Flute and guitar combine to carry the listener along on a gentle ride. Listen to it below:
'Icarus Ascending' is the last track on the album and features Richie Havens (vi) on vocals. Hackett displays a variety of styles during the piece and Haven's singing is perfection. Listen to it below:
John McLaughlin's (vii) 'Electric Guitarist' (viii) album was another first meeting, in the same setting as Hackett's work. The first track, 'New York On My Mind', features some slow work with bursts of energy, with a lovely synth solo later in the track. Listen to it below:
This love at first hearing experience has stayed with me throughout my life. There's just something about the music that places me in my room having achieved all that I'd set out to at university. There's sadness in the music, a sense of loss, of leaving, walking away without fanfare. Yet there's also optimism for a progressive fulfilling future. This is time travel music for me, back to a place that felt right, forward looking and exciting.
(i) Wikipedia: Please Don't Touch!
(ii) Wikipedia: Steve Hackett
(iii) Wikipedia: Genesis
(iv) Wikipedia: Kim Poor
(v) Wikipedia: Erik Satie
(vi) Wikipedia: Richie Havens
(vii) Wikipedia: John McLaughlin
(viii) Wikipedia: Electric Guitarist
