“It took me a while to learn that guitarists can’t play bass. It’s about more than just getting the notes right”: How Mike Rutherford’s ‘lead bass’ approach helped demystify the low-end for prog rock cornerstone Genesis

British Pop and Rock musician Mike Rutherford of the group Genesis performs onstage at the Poplar Creek Music Theater, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2, 1982.

One intriguing facet of the Brit Rock phenomenon is the number of talents adept at both guitar and bass guitar, Paul McCartney and Ron Wood among them. Few, however, have retained their fretboard duality and grasped the art of each instrument as well as Mike Rutherford, of prog rock cornerstones Genesis.

As a teen, Rutherford played guitar first, but he then fell in love with bass, mainly influenced by McCartney, as well as Jack Bruce and James Jamerson.