On the Genesis stage, Mike Rutherford was rarely the loudest person. His signature is in the rhythm, in the 12-string guitars, in the bass lines and in those melodies that transform complex progressive rock into songs remembered by millions of listeners. On October 2, Rutherford turns 76.
He was born in 1950 in Surrey, England, and studied at the school “Charterhouse“. It was there in 1965 that he created the band Anon with Anthony Phillips. Two years later, the two joined Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks and Chris Stewart to form Genesis.
From school band to Genesis
In the early line-up, Rutherford was a bassist and backing vocalist, but also played the 12-string guitar. This instrument became one of the hallmarks of Genesis. After Steve Hackett left in 1977, Rutherford took on a larger role as lead guitarist.
He is credited as a writer or co-writer on songs such as "Follow You Follow Me", "Turn It on Again", "Land of Confusion" and "Throwing It All Away". Along with Tony Banks, Rutherford is the only musician to have played in every Genesis line-up since the band's inception. Genesis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Rutherford also released two solo albums, — „Smallcreep’s Day“ in 1980 and „Acting Very Strange“ in 1982. They gave him the opportunity to work outside the Genesis collective model, but his great success as the leader of his own project was yet to come.
The new band and the song about the unspoken words
In 1985, Rutherford formed Mike + The Mechanics. The first line-up included singers Paul Karak and Paul Young, keyboardist Adrian Lee and drummer Peter van Hook. The band quickly established itself with „Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)“ and “All I Need Is a Miracle“.
Her greatest moment came with “The Living Years“. Written by Rutherford and B.A. Robertson, the song is about the death of Rutherford's father and the birth of his son. It reached number one on the US singles chart and received a Grammy nomination. for song of the year.
„When a song is written well, no one says, „I'm not sure about that part“.“This sentence by Rutherford to Songwriting Magazine describes his approach to music well: the song should reach the listener before he starts thinking about the technique behind it.
The Musician Behind the Melodies
Rutherford has never built his public image around virtuoso solos. His strength is in the composition — in the short motif, in the precise bass line, and in the ability to leave room for the voice. Thus, Genesis moved from the theatrical progressive rock of the 70s to the more accessible sound of the 80s, without losing its recognizable style.
In 2014, Rutherford told his story in the memoir “The Living Years“. In it, Genesis, his family and the song that gave the book its title meet in the same narrative. That is why Mike Rutherford's most lasting legacy is not just in the bass or the guitar, but in his ability to turn personal experiences into songs that continue to sound like a part of other people's lives.
Sources: The Guardian, MusicRaider, Songwriting Magazine