Acting Very Strange

Infobox Album |
Name = Acting Very Strange
Type = Album
Artist = Mike Rutherford


Released = 1982
Recorded = 1982
Genre = Progressive rock
Length = 38:43
Label = Atlantic (US & Canada)/ WEA (Rest Of World)
Producer = Mike Rutherford
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:uaua6j8h71l0 link]
Last album = "Smallcreep's Day" (1980)
This album = "Acting Very Strange" (1982)
Next album = "Mike + The Mechanics" (by Mike + The Mechanics) (1985)

"Acting Very Strange" is an album by Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford. It was released in 1982 and was the only solo album by Rutherford that featured him on lead vocals. Unlike the previous album "Smallcreep's Day", which was a concept album, "Acting Very Strange" comprises individual songs with a much more commercial sound.

Availability

"Acting Very Strange" is currently out of print and not easy to find. It may, however, be finally re-released by Rhino Records in the United States and Canada, and Virgin Records worldwide.Fact|date=June 2007 This release will contain bonus tracks, such as rare 12" remixes of the title track and "Couldn't Get Arrested", and maybe even "Making a Big Mistake", which was one of three Genesis solo tracks on the soundtrack to "Against All Odds".Fact|date=June 2007 Management firm hit & "run" have yet to make an announcement.

Track listing

All songs by Mike Rutherford, except where noted
#"Acting Very Strange" – 4:58
#"A Day to Remember" – 4:59
#"Maxine" (Mike Rutherford/Pete Bellotte) – 5:24
#"Halfway There" (Mike Rutherford/Phil Palmer) – 4:11
#"Who's Fooling Who" (Mike Rutherford/Phil Palmer) – 4:47
#"Couldn't Get Arrested" (Mike Rutherford/Pete Bellotte) – 3:50
#"I Don't Wanna Know" – 4:36
#"Hideaway" – 5:58

There are three known non-album tracks from these sessions - the rare b-side "Calypso" (which is a calypso and sounds very unfinished, but is interesting for Mike's Latin-style guitar licks during the outro), and two remixes on a rare 12" single: a remix of "Acting Very Strange" and one of "Couldn't Get Arrested" called the Nix Mix.

Personnel

The band

*vocals—Mike Rutherford
*Guitars—M.R., Daryl Stuermer, John Alexander
*drums-—Stewart Copeland, Pete Phipps — "The Linn"
*Keyboards—Peter Robinson, Paul Fishman, M.R.
*Bass—M.R.
*backing vocals—Steve Gould, Noel McCalla, Dale Newman, M.R.
*Saxophone—Gary Barnacle
*Trumpet—Luke Tunney
*Strings—Arranged & Conducted by Martyn Ford

(According to most accounts, Stewart Copeland was involved in this recording because he and Mike were on the same polo team. Copeland did session work very rarely during the time he was in The Police. Recording his drums at The Farm gives them a sound they do not have on any other recordings.)

Production Crew

*Producer—Mike Rutherford
*Engineer & Assistant Producer—-Nick Launay
*Assisted by Geoff Callingham
*Equipment—Dale Newman, Geoff Callingham, Steve Jones, Geoff Banks
*Management—Tony Smith, Carol Willis (Impey)
*Recorded at The Farm, Surrey