Greetings Roye thanks for taking the time to answer this e-mail interview.
The pleasure is all mine
First thing first, let’s get the most asked question out of the way.
You started playing music very early in life. What created the spark that drew you into music at such an early age, and what influenced you as you were learning your craft?
I guess it was my brother who got me interested in music as he was back then a television engineer and was always fixing peoples TV's for free in his spare time.
One day, he was given a acoustic guitar as payment for his services and I found it one day leaning up against his wardrobe and that's how it all started.
I always liked the guitar sounds of people like Hank Marvin (Shadows), that is until I heard the Ventures, this set me off on the trail of solo guitarists of which I then found the blues greats.
Of course, I grew up with the Beatles, and they influenced just about everyone.
Where in Hamburg did you meet Ron Howden and Allan Freeman? What cause you guys to bond and decide to form Nektar?
I was with a band in the Top Ten Club in Hamburg in the late sixties, doing a 2 week stint as the house band. During the daytime, I had nothing to do until the club opened at 10pm. I was walking around the city in the area where most of these nightclubs were including the famous star club, when I heard a drummer playing on his own.
I walked in and there was Ron just practicing. I asked him if he did this every day, he replied yes and asked if it was ok to bring my guitar down the next day and have a jam with him. It was instant bonding, and the rest I guess is history. Several months later while I was in London, I got a communication from Mo asking if I would like to go over and join them as their guitarist was leaving. I was there within the week and we formed Nektar.
How do you usually go about the compositional process of creating a song? What instrument do you usually use to write?
Pretty much the same as Rick Wakeman really, sometimes I don't write for weeks on end, and then suddenly it all seems to come out at once.
I walk into my music room and pick up the first instrument that comes to hand, or even sit down at the keyboards and the ideas come (or don't) as the case may be.
When I have something that is interesting, I will transfer the idea over to acoustic guitar and take it from there.
When out on the road or not at home, I always write on the acoustic, there's something about the acoustic guitar that is very organic, and it's overtones sparks a lot of ideas for me.
It was fantastic to finally see Nektar at Nearfest in Trenton, NJ 2002. Briefly tell us the process on how Nektar reformed. What spark caused the reunion? What did you think about the concert and the reception for the band?
I was recording the album "Prodigal Son" with Taff Freeman in Birmingham UK when a freelance interviewer came to the studio to talk to me about the new album.
I was mentioning that I would like to try and get the old band back together for a few shows when purely by co-incidence I got an email from the organizers of the Nearfest festival.
They asked if we would be interested in doing a re-union show, well that was the push I needed to put it together.
I thought the concert was very good for the time we had for the rehearsals which was about 4 days in all, but the reception we received was stunning.
I shall never forget the standing ovation we got after the opening number "Tab in the Ocean" we didn't know what to expect, and when it was finished there was a minute silence followed by the crowd erupting... it was as you say "awesome".
When Nektar disbanded in the early 80’s, what did you do between this time and the reunion?
I kinda lost my way a little, I had been so disillusioned by it all, I just disappeared for a while, then kicked back in with a solo album made at home and then the "Prodigal Son" appeared.
I played with a few bands, but being a frontman/guitarist/singer/songwriter, it's hard to stand at the back and do nothing, but I think that helped me a lot with understanding other peoples music creations too
Pretend that you are in a room of young people that have never heard of Nektar or your work- how would you explain the band to them as well as your music?
Hmmmmm! Getting a bunch of young people into a room to hear Nektar music is short of impossible, but I think I would say that there's something for everyone in this music, if you like hard rock, and if you like power ballads, if you like little tricky bits, then you will like Nektar.
The thing is that not every album sounds alike, this could be interesting to explain why we do that, I guess it's because we just do, and I enjoy doing it.
Before getting into more recent music, let’s focus on Nektar’s `signature’ album 1973’s `Remember the Future-’ a themed album that mixes hard driving rock with the spacey and psychedelic. How did the concept develop? Did you think that the album would be such a success? Was there any pressure to create shorter songs?
We were very lucky in the fact that out record company back then let us do what we wanted, there was no pressure to write shorter songs, although they did release a couple of singles from Down to Earth that were obvious choices.
We had an idea that RTF would have some sort of success especially as it was so well received in Europe.
However, with the promotional push we had from the promoters in the USA at that time on the first RTF tour, we had no idea that it would shoot up the US charts to number 19 as quickly as it did
Now, let’s fly 30 years later. `Evolution’ was released in 2004 to excellent reviews. It seems to have more of an old school feel. Please discuss the process on how this album was created? Do you prefer writing concept albums?
I don't sit down to specifically write a "concept" album, but if it looks like it could end up one that has a kinda theme running, then it is finished that way.
I wrote all the pieces for that album in about 4 weeks, except for `Child of Mine,' that was hanging around on cassette tape for 20 years until I found it one day and put it to some use.
What does progressive music mean to you?
I have no idea!
I guess it's a label that has been used now for a long time to describe music not of the norm.
The latest Nektar album- `The Book of Days’ is `coming soon.’ When will Nektar fans be able to get their hands on the CD? Could you please tell the internet community about this new recording? Any surprises, themes, etc? On the Nektar website, it mentioned that: “Book of Days US Tour Leg 1 has been canceled.” Can you explain why? Will there be a US tour?
BOD will be released as soon as possible, and this album will be songs ranging from 2 1/2 minutes to 11 minutes long.
There is no actual them other than to say that it is based around life's observations.
I used the more current human issues as a starting point, and although some are tongue in cheek approach, some are far more serious.
The album features a lot more guitars and vocals than before, but still has lots of keyboards, although used tastefully.
There will be a USA tour, that you can be certain of, and as for the previous cancellation, this was extremely unfortunate not only for the fans but for the band too. Suffice to say, that will not happen again.
Okay, let’s talk about your solo album- ` The Follies of Rupert Treacle.’ The album is an interesting departure from the driving heavy sounds of Nektar? Very listenable and a wider variety of styles. It is also a real solo album, with you providing all the instruments including heavy use of the guitar synth. What was your approach to the album? What was the most difficult part of its creation? When’s the next solo disc?
I have already started on the new solo album, which I hope to have ready by the end of the year.
Rupert Treacle was a "one off", I was always a big fan of the synth guitar, but I had gone as far as I could with it and wanted to get back to the true electric again.
I think the most difficult part of that was doing the drums with the guitar, it would have been easier to program them, but I wanted to see if it was possible on the guitar.
The triggering on that old system was difficult and sometimes you can hear the glitching, but it is what it is.
It was never meant to be a release, but the record company insisted that it should be.
On your website, it mentions- Roye Albrighton "unplugged" tour dates 2008, Sounds VERY interesting. Can you elaborate on what can be expected?
Yes, as I said earlier, I love playing acoustic guitar. I love the rhythm of it, when I pick one up, I can't just pick notes, I have to go at it full on.
Doing a solo tour with acoustic is great, it allows me to express my own style of playing far more than within the Nektar fold.
When I go out, I play mostly Nektar music but with a twist, it becomes another animal completely.
The classic question. What would you listen to if you were stranded on a desert island (With a CD player and batteries), and you could have any ten albums, what would you choose and why?
I don't think I would want to take any music..just give me an acoustic guitar
When you have time off from your musical endeavors, what do you like to do? Hobbies? What is your favorite book? Movie?
I like the old Arthur C Clarke novels, and I like the old black and white science fiction movies.
I don't really have a hobby as such, just like to tinker about in the garden.
What does music mean to you personally? What do you want to accomplish in the near future?
Music means everything to me, it is my way of expressing my soul.
I would like to play with a 20 piece orchestra, and present certain pieces of music from Nektar and myself in the classical style.
You have an open forum. Do you have any words to the Prog fans out there? Or to young inspiring musicians?
To the young musicians out there I would say "go for it" it's a lifetimes work, but when you have finished, you can look back and see something that you have created, and be proud of.
Thank you so much for this interview, Roye. Best Wishes and thank you for sharing you answers and views.
Thank you very much
