Esoteric Recordings has recently reissued landmark albums by Genesis' Anthony Phillips and Tony Banks; now, the Cherry Red imprint has turned its attention to GTR, the lone album from the group formed by Steve Hackett of Genesis and Steve Howe of Yes and Asia.  The 1986 Arista release of GTR has been expanded by Esoteric to two CDs with the addition of three bonus tracks and a full-length live concert previously released as part of the King Biscuit Flower Hour series.

Yes and Asia manager Brian Lane brought the two guitarists together.  Their first joint writing session proved their compatibility, as that was the day they composed the future GTR hit "When the Heart Rules the Mind."  For a six-month period, Hackett and Howe continued to write and shape the songs that would comprise the GTR album.  When it was time to assemble a full band, Howe and Hackett called upon drummer Jonathan Mover of Marillion, lead vocalist Max Bacon of Nightwing, and bassist Phil Spalding of Toyah.  Once together, the band worked on shaping musical arrangements as Brian Lane made arrangements of his own  - signing the band with Clive Davis' Arista Records.  Geoffrey Downes was brought in as producer, and his song "The Hunter" was also set for inclusion on the album.

Tensions ran high between Downes and band members Mover and Bacon, though Howe, Hackett and Spalding reflect fondly on his work on the album in the new liner notes penned for this reissue by Malcolm Dome.  Despite their progressive pasts, Howe and Hackett worked to craft an AOR album that would fit in seamlessly with the arena rock of the day.  The approach proved successful, as GTR reached No. 11 in the U.S. and No. 41 in the U.K. while the anthemic single "When the Heart Rules the Mind" went Top 15 in America.  The band played 38 tour dates including the July 19, 1986 concert at Los Angeles' Wiltern Theatre included here.  (Yes and Genesis songs figure into the 14-song setlist.)  Still, follow-up single "The Hunter" fared less well (No. 85 in the U.S.) and the band members became restless.

Once Steve Hackett announced his intentions to leave GTR, the band was effectively finished although the remaining four members briefly considered pressing on.  GTR only left one album behind, but it remains a singular entry in the catalogues of Howe and Hackett.  Esoteric's 2-CD reissue of GTR is housed in a digipak and features new remastering by Ben Wiseman as well as Dome's liner notes with fresh quotes from the band members.  You can order GTR at the links below!

GTR, GTR (Arista 8400, 1986 - reissued Esoteric ECLEC 22508, 2015) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

1. When the Heart Rules the Mind
2. The Hunter
3. Here I Wait
4. Sketches in the Sun
5. Jekyll and Hyde
6. You Can Still Get Through
7. Reach Out (Never Say No)
8. Toe the Line
9. Hackett to Bits
10. Imagining
11. The Hunter (Special GTR Mix) (Arista single 608 459, 1986)
12. When the Heart Rules the Mind (Single Version) (Arista single AS1-9512, 1986)
13. The Hunter (Single Version) (Arista single AS1-9470, 1986)

CD 2: Live at the Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles - July 19, 1986 (previously released on Sony SRCS 8373, 1997)

1. Jekyll and Hyde
2. Here I Wait
3. Prizefighters
4. Imagining
5. Hackett to Bits
6. Spectral Mornings
7. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
8. Sketches in the Sun
9. Pennant
10. Roundabout
11. The Hunter
12. You Can Still Get Through
13. Reach Out (Never Say No)
14. When the Heart Rules the Mind