GTR (band)

GTR was a supergroup founded in 1986 by ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett and ex-Yes and ex-Asia guitarist Steve Howe. Other members included vocalist Max Bacon, bassist Phil Spaulding, and American drummer Jonathan Mover later of Steve Vai fame.

GTR's only album, a self-titled LP produced by Geoffrey Downes of Asia, went gold: furthermore, it spawned a major hit single, "When the Heart Rules the Mind", which stayed in the charts for 16 weeks [1]. Another single, "The Hunter," received some video coverage and modest airplay. While GTR's album was a chart success, it is not a favourite with many fans of Genesis and Yes, owing to rather substandard filler material and some criticism directed at Max Bacon's strident tenor.

After a poorly conceived trans-Atlantic tour, Steve Hackett's dissatisfaction with the group's financial management spelled the end of the project. After an abortive lineup change in 1987, Hackett left GTR, stating it had been "interesting for about five minutes." Other fans have also speculated that Steve Howe and Steve Hackett did not get on well. Hackett's subsequent comments on GTR have been ambivalent at best. He once said of the group, "there are artistic limitations with any successful band and it was a successful band." [2]