Mike Rutherford had a lot working against him when he revived Mike and the Mechanics in 2010. Not only had it been 15 years since the band best known for their songs The Living Years and All I Need Is a Miracle scored a hit, but original singer Paul Young died in 2000 and his co-frontman Paul Carrack went back to his solo career four years later. But with help of new singers Tom Howar and Andrew Roachford, the guitarist and songwriter has re-established the group as a busy live and recording unit.
When Rutherford phoned up Rolling Stone earlier this month to chat about the bands new album Out of the Blue (which features three new songs and re-recordings of their old hits), he was about to play his 20th straight theater on a grueling tour that took him to every corner of the U.K. And that was just the start of an odyssey that would soon travel all over mainland Europe. We spoke to Rutherford about the history of the Mechanics, what drove him back to it and what the future might hold for his other band, Genesis.
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Before you started the Mechanics, you made two solo albums. What did you learn from those experiences?
I learned I wasnt a singer. I also learned that I love co-writing. When you work in a room with someone, things happen. On your own, its just not as much fun.
You do sing on those albums. Its not like you dont have any sort of a voice.
I believe anyone can sing, but you need to start young. Its harder later in life. Also, I had written songs with Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel, pretty good voices.
How did the idea come about of putting a band together?
I didnt think about a band. I thought, Ill start writing again, since I was used to writing with Phil and Tony [Banks.] I asked my publisher to name a couple of songwriters. He gave me a list of 10 people and the first two were Chris Neil and B. A. Robertson. That was the start. I do believe you do something and it tells you what to do next. I wrote these songs and went to Montserrat to record them and came back with 10 or 12 great-sounding songs, but no vocals.
I thought, Fuck, who is going to sing it? I hadnt gone that far. I had to find some singers. In some sense, I was lucky with the keys for the voices, but the sound of the Mechanics was already there. We had four singers on the first album and then the two Pauls [Paul Young and Paul Carrack] took over. We had a nice run of success for a few years. Thats how it started, really.
At the start, did you see the group as more of a touring unit than a recording one?
I think so. I wasnt really sure what it was, to be honest. After the success of Genesis, you had the Peter Gabriel success, which was incredible. And then the Phil Collins success, even more incredible. Someone else coming out [of Genesis] and doing that to that degree was pretty unlikely. I wasnt expecting too much. The success of the first two singles [Silent Running and All I Need Is a Miracle] surprised everyone, me included. We never did tour much, really. Im trying to remember why. Genesis was coming around again quite soon.
When you made the Living Years record, did it feel different because suddenly there was a big spotlight on you?
Yeah. On the first album, I had no idea what I was doing. The second one was slightly more fun because I knew who was going to be singing and who was going to be playing instruments. It was a slightly more comfortable process.
When you were writing The Living Years, did you think it was going to be such a big hit?
Not really. Looking back, I do remember the producer, Christopher Neil, shaking my hand and saying it was one of the finest things hed ever worked on. It rang a bell in my head since he had good ears, but I didnt think it would become so successful.
Most everyone has either lost a parent or theyre scared that day will come, so it really strikes a chord.
What Im finding now is that initially when it came out, people came to me and said they had lost contact with their parents or had problems with their parents. Now people are saying that, actually, they are close to their parents, but they hear it together and its a reaffirmation that its an important time.
Do you think in some ways the song became too popular?
You cant be too popular. Normally hits that popular become parts of peoples lives when they are 17 or 25 that song reminds them forever of that time period. This song has that, plus it has an emotional connection which Im humbled by.
The single Word of Mouth could have been a hit in America, but it didnt connect here like it did in Europe. Why do you think that is?
We had a problem in America, though Im not complaining, but we came onto the scene with Silent Running and that was on rock radio. Then Living Years was a lighter kind of song and I think rock radio didnt quite get it.
You were pigeonholed as a ballads band.
Just like Foreigner and I Want to Know What Love Is.
I think that Beggar on a Beach of Gold is your best record.
I like it as well. We play that track Beggar every night. Its an nicely balanced record.
It was the same thing as Word of Mouth where the album just didnt connect in America. Did that frustrate you?
I accept life as its given to me and Ive had a wonderful run. We seemed to have our time with the first two records. They really hit. After that, we lost our way in America.
Tell me about writing Over My Shoulder.
Me and Carrack wrote that. I had a drum loop, which was quite quirky, and then I found a simple guitar riff, a strumming thing, and I put the two together. Its a weird, silly song, but its got something to it. I cant categorize it.
Its a had a real second life.
In America? I know its huge in Europe.
When I go on YouTube, theres so many people covering that song along on acoustic guitar. Its sort of become a standard.
Its a funny song. I sometimes play it onstage and the crowd loves it and sings along. I sometimes think, This is a quirky, little weird song that somehow connected.
By 1999, do you think that musical tastes had shifted so much that it was hard for the band to keep reaching a mass audience?
I think something had changed a little bit. We had our moment where we really sort of flew. You have a moment in time where everything works, normally quite early on. We had our time, I had felt. Looking back, Im not sure the records were as good. Word of Mouth was good, but it didnt quite deliver in the same way. After Beggar, it didnt peter out, but what we were doing wasnt as original.
When Paul Young died, did you think the band was over?
Yeah. We did one album [Rewired] with Paul Carrack that wasnt very good. I was aware when we were doing it that actually we should probably have stopped then. Thats because the Mechanics are a combination of two singers: an R&B voice and a rock voice. You needed both. I thought it was time to end the era.
Its interesting you didnt think Rewired wasnt good as you were making it.
I didnt have the guts to say, This isnt up to speed. When I hear it back now, there are nice little bits, but theres no overview.
After that, did Carrack decide it was time to just be solo?
We both agreed, really. It was the natural end. And his solo work started to take off a bit. He never had a great solo career up to then, which he deserved, really. It was a good time for him, so it was a mutual sort of thing.
And then many years passed. What made you decide to reboot the band in 2010?
I hadnt really thought about it. I did a bit of writing and I thought, This sounds like the Mechanics. I went back to how the first Mechanics started, which was I wrote some songs and recorded some songs and I saw where it took me. In a way, this time was easier because I knew what I wanted. I wanted an R&B voice and a rock voice. I had a clear vision for what was needed and it came together nicely.
Tell me about finding Tim Howar and Andrew Roachford.
I had met Andrew before and knew his voice and his sound. He came down one day to my house. He thought he was just going to meet me to have a chat. I thought, Well, I dont do chats. We just plugged in and started playing and wrote part of a song that first day. It worked nicely. In his mind, he thought Genesis was very highbrow. Hes thought we were very conscious of music and musicality and where chords are, but Im so not that way at all. Im about making noise and seeing where it takes you. He liked that. We didnt worry about wrong notes and that sort of thing.
Tim came down later on. Hes from the theater world, but hes a chameleon actually. Hes got a wonderful voice. We did the first album, which was OK. Weve gotten better since then. We kind of met during the album. While the album was happening, people came on board. We restarted. What was interesting was we started to do a couple of live shows. I realized that the Mechanics never toured. All these great songs like All I Need Is a Miracle and Silent Running hadnt been heard much.
The first gig we ever did was actually at my 60th birthday party at a club in London for my friends. Ill always remember that the band was slightly nervous. It was a lovely, old funky club in Piccadilly. The front few tables were Ringo, David [Gilmour] and lots of people. [The band was] slightly nervous about playing for them, but it was a great evening. That started off the live stuff and weve been going ever since.
Were promoters skeptical at the very beginning because you had two new singers?
Live Nation were a little too brave, actually. The Mechanics didnt really have a live audience. Live Nation thought, These songs are on the radio all the time. The first tour was quite tough in English theaters the size of the [3,600 seat] Hammersmith Apollo. They werent very full, lots of them. It was quite tough for me. The band was great. I did love playing. But then we went back and regrouped and booked some smaller theaters and built it up. Its nice now. Weve pretty much sold out this tour and the band is really clicking.
It was like you started a new band. You had to find your audience on the road.
At first I was like, Wait a minute. Im at this age doing this again. Is that right? Im playing some theaters that I played [with Genesis] in 1972. Hang on. Should I be here doing that again? But its been great fun.
At Wembley Stadium, the audience must be like a huge mass of people. At a theater, you can really connect with people differently.
In a way, a theater is harder. At stadiums there are no individuals. Its just a crowd. In theaters, youve got people and can see whats going on. But its gone very well.
You did two very brief American tours. How did that go?
OK. I enjoyed it. But the trouble we have in America is what you said. With Word of Mouth and Beggar on a Beach of Gold, we dont have the same history of radio play and hits as we have in the U.K. and Europe.
Theres basically three big songs in the States and thats it for most people.
That makes touring a little harder.
You played that Eighties cruise the other year. How was that experience?
I did one night [laughs]. I was on the boat for one night. Thats all I did. It was something to remember. It was St. Patricks Day. It was like I had a dream, like it wasnt real [laughs].
Might the band try and tour America again at some point?
You never know. We dont have plans. I worked quite hard last year on the new record. A whole new album is a lot of work these days and what you get back I dont mean in terms of money, but in terms of response. The new album Out of the Blue has three new songs and the old hits re-recorded. I always worry about doing things too many times, but watching these two guys sing the songs all those years, they have changed them. They have their own versions, in a nice way. You cant beat the originals. Those are classics. Some of the songs have gotten longer with other sections in them, so it made sense to do that. And then three new songs and six acoustic songs. Its quite nice.
Im sure you also play differently then you did 30 years ago.
Absolutely. Its definitely justifiable. Everyone seems to like it.
How did it feel to go back in the studio and do those songs again, but with different singers?
It was nice. Its vocal-led. If it wasnt a different voice, you wouldnt be doing it. It makes the song go somewhere else. Its still the same song, but its got a different texture to it with a different voice.
You saw Phil Collins play one of his solo shows, right?
Yeah. I came to see him in Oakland last year.
How was it?
Great! I really enjoyed it. The old Phil was back. I really enjoyed it. His son was drumming great.
Yeah. Phil is seated, but the crowd doesnt care.
If youd seen him beforehand you might have kind of wondered, but it really works. And if someone is drumming Phils parts, who do you want more than his son? Hes great.
I spoke to him a few years ago and he said hed love to play in Genesis. Do you think thats possible?
I always say, Never say never. Look, if you asked me two or three years ago when Phil was retired, I would have said, No. But theres no plans. Lets establish that. Im going to go on tour with Phil for six shows in June. Thats with the Mechanics. Itll be quite fun for us. But never say never. The fact that hes back on the road is quite interesting.
Do you miss playing the songs? There are things like Watcher of the Skies and The Musical Box that you havent played in almost 40 years.
Yeah. Whats interesting is that I used to do Genesis and the Mechanics alternating. Ive just done Mechanics now for the last eight years. I rather miss the alternating part, the Genesis songs.
How do you feel about Steve Hacketts show where he goes out and does Genesis songs?
Its what he chooses to do, really. It wouldnt work for me, if you know what I mean. He was in Genesis. He wanted a solo career. And now hes playing Genesis. Its his choice. Im sure its good. But for me, I wouldnt I do three Genesis songs in a two-hour set. Thats enough for me, I think. That feels fine.
I think of a band like Yes right now thats just Steve Howe and other people, but they attract big crowds and they keep the music alive. Theres never been any thought about you and Tony and maybe other people doing shows, maybe not even calling it Genesis?
That wouldnt get me going, really.
Why?
I wouldnt want to do it. Having done it with Phil, Peter and Tony, I wouldnt want to do it with other people.
Do you think the hardcore fans should let go of the dream of a reunion with Peter Gabriel?
Thats a problem. They always talk about it, but I dont know what wed do, if you know what I mean. If Phil was drumming it might be a different story, but hes not drumming. People love the idea, but they havent thought it out as to what wed do. You never know, but thats a harder one, I think.
What are your future plans? Do you want to record another Mechanics record?
Last year was busy for me. When you go a tour and you finish the tour its like, bang! Youre free! Your spirits can soar. Youve got no worries. Doing an album, until its finished, it wears you down a little bit. That was last year. This year has been very full-on. After June, Im going to have a bit of time off, actually.
Nice. What fills your days during your time off?
Normal everyday life. Family, friends, grandchildren, a bit of cycling, a bit of golf. I do push myself quite hard work-wise.
Do you still play polo?
No. Thats gone now. Ive broken too many things. Its a young mans sport. In terms of work, I do work pretty hard. Tonight were doing a show in Salisbury and then were driving to London for the BBC and well play four acoustic songs on Radio 2 and then fly to Dresden in Germany the day after. I love doing it, but I do push myself too hard. I think I need to slightly ease back a bit between things.
I was looking at your tour schedule. Its the tour schedule of a young man in a new band.
[Laughs] Spot on! It is a bit. In Genesis, we traveled very comfortably. It was private planes and we were whisked away. On the Mechanics tour, there are no private planes. Its a little harder.
Are you sleeping on a tour bus?
No. I cant do tour buses. The crew go on a tour bus. We just sort of go on an eight-seater big van with televisions. Its fine.
I saw your show in Times Square a few years back. Id love it if you came back to America.
You never know. The thing about the Mechanics is that its a collective. When this finishes, our drummer, Gary Wallis, goes back to Tom Jones. Hes his musical director. Tim goes back to the playing the lead in Phantom of the Opera. Andrew has an outfit. Everyone is doing things. I like that.