Mike Rutherford
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| Mike Rutherford | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 2, 1950 (age 56) Guildford, Surrey, England |
| Genre(s) | Progressive rock pop rock |
| Affiliation(s) | Genesis Mike + The Mechanics |
| Years active | 1967 - present |
Michael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford (born October 2, 1950 in Guildford, Surrey) is an English musician. Whilst attending Charterhouse School he became a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist, 12-string guitarist, and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He also fronted Mike + The Mechanics.
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[edit] History
Rutherford's basslines are known for being tastefully constructed as well as showing a great deal of technical innovation and skill. His basslines from early Genesis are some of the most innovative and complex lines from any time period and were especially impressive in the rising progressive rock movement.
Rutherford was also noted for his use of the 12-string guitar. A distinctive sound of early and classic Genesis recordings was the double acoustic twelve string playing of Rutherford intertwined with that of Anthony Phillips, and, later, Steve Hackett. Genesis "classic" recordings often featured simultaneous 12 string guitar and Dewtron "Mister Bassman" bass pedal synthesizer playing by Rutherford. He used the very famous Moog Taurus bass pedals as well. Often, bass guitar, 12-string guitar, and bass pedal playing would feature in different sections of a single song, "Supper's Ready", "Firth of Fifth", and "The Cinema Show" being good examples of this. He often played a double necked bass and 12-string guitar on stage, which facilitated his playing of such arrangements.
[edit] Style
After the departure of guitarist Steve Hackett, Rutherford took over all guitarist roles for the band in the recording studio. His style, while not as distinctive as Hackett's, is highly melodic and creative, containing textural and minimalistic structures. On tour, he would alternate between guitar and bass on live shows with touring-only guitarist/bassist Daryl Stuermer. The latter would typically play Hackett's guitar parts and play bass on the songs where Rutherford played lead guitar.
[edit] Solo
During breaks in Genesis, he recorded two solo albums, Smallcreep's Day and Acting Very Strange, and later performed in the band Mike + The Mechanics, a group he founded on one such break in 1985.
Mike + The Mechanics' most popular songs are "All I Need Is a Miracle", "The Living Years", and "Silent Running."
[edit] Instruments
He played mainly Rickenbacker and Shergold basses. He also developed the idea behind the M-Series Steinberger guitar with the help of English luthier Roger Giffin and he used this extensively in the 80's and during The Invisible Touch Tour with Genesis. In the earlier years of Genesis he used to play bass pedal synthesizers, e.g. the famous Moog Taurus. Mike Rutherford has also been onstage with various Washburn idol models.
[edit] Mike Rutherford solo discography
[edit] With Mike & The Mechanics
- Mike & The Mechanics (November 1985)
- Living Years (October 1988)
- Word Of Mouth (April 1991)
- Beggar On A Beach Of Gold (6th March 1995)
- Hits (4th March 1996)
- M6 (31st May 1999)
- Rewired (7th June 2004)
| Genesis |
| Tony Banks | Phil Collins | Mike Rutherford |
| Peter Gabriel | Steve Hackett | Anthony Phillips | John Mayhew | John Silver | Chris Stewart | Bill Bruford | Daryl Stuermer | Chester Thompson | Ray Wilson |
| Discography |
|---|
| Studio albums: From Genesis to Revelation | Trespass | Nursery Cryme | Foxtrot | Selling England by the Pound | The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway | A Trick of the Tail | Wind & Wuthering | ...And Then There Were Three... | Duke | Abacab | Genesis | Invisible Touch | We Can't Dance | Calling All Stations |
| Live Albums: Genesis Live | Seconds Out | Three Sides Live | Live/The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts | Live/The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs |
| Compilations: Turn It On Again: The Hits | Platinum Collection |
| Box sets: Genesis Archive 1967-75 | Genesis Archive 2: 1976-1992 | Genesis 1976 -1982 |
| EPs: Spot the Pigeon | 3 X 3 |
