When The Heart Rules The Mind (Live 1986)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the vinyl for all you Zoo Freaks out there, and today they’re grooving to When The Heart Rules The Mind (Live 1986) by GTR, pulled from the King Biscuit Flower Hour album. This track, a live rendition of their 1986 hit, captures the energy of a supergroup that burned bright but briefly. One juicy tidbit comes from Steve Hackett, who once quipped in an interview that GTR was “interesting for about five minutes” before financial and creative woes tanked the project. He wasn’t shy about his frustrations, noting the band’s manager, Brian Lane, used “divide and conquer” tactics that sowed discord. Despite the drama, the song itself was a triumph, hitting #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The live version from King Biscuit Flower Hour showcases Max Bacon’s soaring vocals and the dual guitar wizardry of Steve Howe and Steve Hackett, a rare treat since the band only lasted two years.

Another nugget from the vault: the song almost wasn’t GTR’s debut single. Arista Records’ Clive Davis pushed for another track, The Hunter, to lead the charge, but Hackett and Howe fought tooth and nail to make When The Heart Rules The Mind the first release. Their instincts paid off, as it became their defining hit. Fans on Reddit still rave about the song’s nostalgic pull, with one user reminiscing about discovering unreleased GTR tracks on YouTube, intended for a second album that never materialized. Those tracks, sadly, didn’t live up to the debut’s polish, which might explain why the band called it quits. A 2025 X post from a Japanese fan describes the song as a “catchy, refreshing, melodic hard rock number,” proving its enduring appeal across the globe.

GTR’s origin story is a tale of prog rock royalty chasing a new sound. Formed in 1985, the band was the brainchild of former Yes and Asia guitarist Steve Howe and ex-Genesis axeman Steve Hackett. After Howe parted ways with Asia in 1984, his manager Brian Lane suggested teaming up with Hackett, whose solo albums were struggling commercially. Hackett saw GTR as a chance to stay in the spotlight and fund future solo work. They recruited vocalist Max Bacon, bassist Phil Spalding, and drummer Jonathan Mover, aiming for an Adult Oriented Rock (AOR) sound that leaned more radio-friendly than their prog roots. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1986, went gold in the U.S., driven by the success of When The Heart Rules The Mind. But internal strife and financial issues led to Hackett’s exit, and despite Howe’s efforts to keep GTR alive with new members, the band folded by 1987.

For more on GTR, check out Steve Hackett’s official site at stevehackett.com, where he occasionally references the GTR era. Steve Howe’s page at stevehowe.com also offers insights into his post-GTR work with Yes. Social media presence for GTR as a band is sparse, but you can follow Hackett on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates on his projects. Howe is active on Facebook and X, though he posts less frequently. Fans keep the GTR flame alive on platforms like Reddit’s prog rock community and the Steve Hackett Fans Facebook group. For deeper dives, the fan-run Genesis News site often covers Hackett’s GTR days, and Progressive Ears forums buzz with discussions about the band’s brief but impactful run.