Page 22 - ION Indie Magazine SeptOct 2021 Issue

Mick: Roye inspired the concept…and we're not getting any younger…so the title “The Other Side” (of
Nektar, the ocean, the hereafter and of life) became a story of memories.

Ryche: "The Other Side" was 40 years in the making. It started by jamming with Mo, Ron, and Taff at the
Nektar House in Chatham NJ circa 1978. Jumping into today, a lot of things happened, the world changed,
people passed on from our own and Nektar families. Getting back together in 2019 to put the LP together
felt like it was yesterday, but some things were missing. Those things were the folks that we all loved and
lost. I believe Mick mentioned "The Other Side" as a tribute to those who are now there. At rehearsals, while
I was singing, unformed words came to me phonetically - sounding like words and eventually became words.
Sitting then with Mo and Mick, the rest of the words formed collectively and became the lyrics to most of the
songs.

JP: A question for Ron: When do the drum parts come into the songs? Do you listen to basic demos
first and then create your parts, or are you in at the ground level?

Ron: As far as actual drum parts, I follow melodies or riffs and my ideas will then form themselves. Usually,
I am in at the beginning but there are times I am not. When I’m not, I can listen to an idea at my place and
try stuff, but for the most part, I am in at the start.

JP: Nektar's music contains lots of odd times and changes within a tune, but you make it all sound
very smooth. How do you guide the band through complex transitions?

Ron: As for time or measure changes and so on, if you follow melodies, you won’t notice time changes. It’s
funny, I was listening to (the 1973 album) “Remember the Future” and actually counted measures and time
etc., and never knew that parts are in 5, 7, 9 and 11. When you are listening melodically you would never
know. I feel the music so much it is a part of me, and of course dynamics are very important, which for our
style is very much a part of the package.

JP: Kendall, as the newest member of the band, and the one who never played in a previous
incarnation of Nektar, how did you approach the back catalog (i.e., playing Taff's parts verbatim or
injecting your own style)?