Page 21 - ION Indie Magazine SeptOct 2021 Issue
P. 21
Mo: It was great to see us from back in the day - Mick: I preferred “when the vinyl hits the road” or
“see more sides of Nektar” - both too long.
we were young and afraid of nothing. We loved
playing – anywhere, any time. It was great to see
the fans’ faces when they heard and saw it for the Randy: We have always talked about doing a tour
first time, as the music with the light show was very where we would focus on just 1 or 2 albums from
different. the band’s repertoire. And most of Nektar's songs
are a full side long. So, we figured, why not now?
Mick: We came a long way, baby! Knowing it WAS
for TV, the studio lights killed the light show ... but Mo: We have an awesome team: The band, the
as the main attraction was the music of Nektar, surrounding players (Jay Petsko, Maryann
thus it was as it should be anyway! Castello, Pete Lango, Eddie Paskor, George
Kazepis, John Kerlin), support staff (Steve Ozark,
JP: How are rehearsals going for the tour? Kate Goldsmith and Billy James from Glass
Onyon). Not forgetting our stage crew, Carl
Mick: Splendid. :) Spataro and Tom Commerford. And let’s not forget
Ben Meade and Mary Crouch, his wife, who make
Ryche: Rehearsals are going great! Lots of this band possible with their support.
material from the classic Nektar albums, and we’re
performing the entire “The Other Side” LP with JP: Nektar celebrated its 50th anniversary in
some new surprises. 2019 with the recording of “The Other Side,”
which was released in early 2020. The album
Randy: The band is in top form, as we have been featured unfinished material from the late
waiting 16 months to get back together again and 1970s as well as new music. Like many of your
make some music! other releases, it’s a concept album. What
inspired the concept?
Mo: Rehearsals are going very well. We have Mo: The album came about much like the others.
added 1 1/2 hours of music to what we were
playing last time out, so we now have 4 1/2 hours Mick came up with the title “The Other Side,” which
of music to choose songs from. We also got new for me immediately conjured up all kinds of
pedals from Lounsberry Pedals, which for me have thoughts. It was a perfect title and easy to write a
made a tremendous difference to the sound. Greg concept over. We rearranged the songs into an
Lounsberry also fixed my Wah Wah that I have had order that a story could be told. Although if you play
for close to 50 years; you can see it in the “Sounds the album sides in a different order you can make
like Swiss” video (mentioned above). your own story out of it. We already had a lot of the
music from 1978 and as we were developing it. It
JP: How did you decide on the tour’s theme of just came together as it always does. I am VERY
‘Vinyl Sides Live’? happy with the result and hope we can get back
into the studio next year for another one.
Mo: We bounce the ideas until something takes
everyone’s fancy. The major culprit is usually Mick, Randy: Well, everyone in the band is in their 70s
who “thinks like that.” I liked it as soon as I heard or 60s. The original guitarist and vocalist (Roye
it, but I could not tell you exactly where it came from Albrighton) has passed away, most of our mothers
or who mentioned it first. I do know everyone was and fathers are now passed, and gone to “the other
involved in the bouncing around of it on our weekly side.” So, it just kinda came up naturally. Plus, we
Zoom calls. This is typically the way we work, knew we would be making this on actual vinyl, so
looking for the best idea no matter who comes we knew that to listen to the whole album, you
through with it or any variant of it. would have to flip the record over to “The Other
Side”!
