When we talk about Steve Rothery and most particularly when we write a review about him, the situation is getting tougher and tougher. Marillion’s guitarist isn’t just anybody and I’m not a musician myself. On the other hand I’m strongly against musicians writing reviews for the wide audience. They go by a different rule and from a different point of view than this of an aspiring record buyer. Unambiguously nobody is above criticism, but we, who have the power of writing, must be extremely careful when we deal with musicians of a certain level.
Of course I would be hilarious if I tried to comment on what a good guitarist Rothery is. I have to point out though that at this concert, in Rome (Crossroads Live Club) on 21st February of the running year, his guitar not only “speaks” and travels but also its sounds get deep in the heart of the audience penetrate them and make them stand still.
In this double c.d , we hear exclusively instrumental pieces from the guitarist’s solo career and of course from the first years of Marillion. “Sugar Mice”, “Afraid Of Sunlight”, “Cinderella Search”, “Easter” and all the rest enchant the listener even though the remarkable voices of Fish and Hogarth are missing. We can also hear the first samples of Steve Rothery’s new solo work entitled “The Ghosts Of Pripyat”. It has just been released and we are definitely going to present it since huge names participate in it. At this point I have to refer to the lineup of Seve Rothery’s band in which the name of Yatim Halimi (bassist of the great Panic Room) dominates. Leon Parr (drums) and Dave Foster (guitar) simply seem ideal for what Steve Rothery presents.
“Live In Rome” is on the market in a package with the DVD, I haven’t seen it yet, but I think we shouldn’t spare a higher price in order to have such a complete package.
