The Robin Trower Interview

Musical trends may come and go, but the blues will live on as long as guys like Robin Trower are around. The British guitarist has been swinging his ax since the 60s, and at his current pace, there looks to be no end in sight. The salad days — first as guitarist with Procol Harum, then later as the leader of an arena power trio throughout the 70s — may be behind him, but Trower figures as long as he can come up with "fresh" ideas and still play his Stratocaster, then he'll keep making records and touring.

Seven Moons, his new album with Jack Bruce, is a powerful and potent collection with both musicians in sync and at the top of their game. While Trower waits to set up live dates to promote the record, he's on the road with own band, playing music that once held a distinguished place on the FM dial. A week after speaking with the guitarist, I went to see him at the Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana, California. We pulled in and the place was packed with lots of bald and silver heads, a few misguided youths, and your general mix of rock and rollers. Robin Trower walked on stage and gave a truly mesmerizing performance. The chops were dead-on, the band hit all the right notes, and I was transported back to 1976.

The following interview took place as Trower and his band were rolling through Las Vegas. We talked about the new album and the current tour. We also got into his colorful past, and touched on the state of the music industry today. Soft-spoken, yet undeniably focused, Robin Trower's story continues to unfold and evolve into new areas of the blues and beyond.

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Let’s start with the new album you just made with Jack Bruce — Seven Moons. It’s so organic and natural, like you guys have been playing together forever. Did it come together as easily as it sounds?

Yeah, it did come together rather easily. First of all, we decided we would co-write all the songs. That makes it very organic because you’re combining your talents on everything.

So no lyrics from Keith Reid this time?

That’s right. When Jack and I worked together before, I think we wrote one or two things. This was a much more organic process. Once we’d organized the arrangement and written the song, we’d just go into the studio with (drummer) Gary (Husband) and work the tunes up in the studio. A couple of run-throughs and a take.

Tell me about the CD’s title track, “Seven Moons.”

Jack immediately liked the idea when I played it to him. He came up with the melody almost immediately. I’d done some work from my end, so we more or less had it in 45 minutes.

And the title “Seven Moons”? Was that yours?

Yeah, the lyrics are mine on the album.

One of my favorite tracks is “Distant Places Of The Heart.”

It was a guitar riff idea that Jack made into a song with his melody. That’s the way I like to think about it. His ability, not only as a musician and melody writer, but when he starts singing something, it sounds finished. He has that ability with his vocals to do that.

He’s fantastic on the “The Last Door” with its catchy turnaround. That one belongs on the radio.

Really? That’s interesting. I like the idea of that.

Now you made two other albums with Jack in the early 80s. How did you guys originally get together? Did you know him back in the Procol Harum and Cream days?

No, I didn’t know Jack back then. But I’d been a big fan of his from Cream. It came about that I contacted him and said, “Would you be interested in looking at some song ideas that I have and to join forces.”

So, after 25 years, how did you get back together to make Seven Moons?

We had been talking for some years about doing a remix, repackaging the best songs from the two albums that we did in the 80s. When we decided that we were going to try to do it, Jack’s idea was that we should write a couple of new tracks to add to the package, which I thought was a great idea. So we got together and started writing. Before we realized it, we had about four or five songs. The album became the next progression.

You’re presently on the road without Jack Bruce, and from the set lists I’ve seen, you’re not playing any of the songs from Seven Moons. Why not?

I’m saving those for when I go out on the road with him.

Outstanding. When is that happening?

Hopefully this year some time.

So you have no plans to play these songs with your own band?

Let me put it to you this way: If I played one of those songs from Seven Moons, the audience, not knowing any of the songs, would only think it’s another Robin Trower song that they haven’t heard. You see what I’m saying? What differentiates it from all my other stuff is that Jack Bruce is on it. I just felt it would be a wasted throw of the dice, so we’ll save it for when they can actually hear it with Jack, out front.

In the meantime, you have a great band on the road with you. You have Davey Pattison on vocals, who you’ve been working with for well over 20 years.

On and off. We’ve done quite a lot of work together. He’s just wonderful. I mean, just a remarkable voice.

You have Pete Thompson on drums and Glenn Letsch from Gamma playing bass.

Yeah, Glenn I worked with in the 80s. They’re all guys that I’ve worked with on and off over the years. They understand what I’m trying to do. They’re all great players and singers.

How would you rate the chemistry of this combination?

I think it’s fantastic, this band I have at the moment. There’s some very deep pockets and some good grooves.

I’d like to take a leap back to your time with Procol Harum. I always thought you gave the band its edge, although lots of the songs were more classically influenced with little of your guitar work. Did your leaving have anything to do with the material or was it more that you weren’t getting your due, as far as songwriting?

I was starting to write more and more songs myself. To me, Procol Harum was a keyboard band, and I wanted to get out there and do some of the songs I was writing, and the music I was coming up with, which was all guitar. It was the right thing for them and it was the right thing for me.

The Brooker-Reid partnership sort of took a precedent?

That’s was the sound of that band. Gary’s songs and Matthew’s organ, that is what it was about.

Well, I still think of “Whiskey Train” as one of the great Procol Harum songs.

Well, that’s the exception (laughs).

In these days of mega reunions, is there any chance you would play with Gary Brooker as Procol Harum again?

Well, you never say never (laughs).

But I heard you did play with Gary at a Paramounts reunion.

That’s right. We had a Paramounts reunion. It had been 42 years since the actual original band had played together. It took place at Essex in England. It was in a hole where we used to play when we were kids. It was quite an experience. I had a wonderful time.

As I’m sure you know, some people have said over the years that you sound a lot like Jimi Hendrix. Has this ever bothered you?

No. It’s a great honor to be mentioned in the same breath. I don’t think it’s fair to him. He’s in another league altogether.

Did you ever meet Hendrix?

Only once, to say hello. That was a very parting, fleeting moment.

How do you look back at some of those classic records like Bridge Of Sighs that you made with the late and great James Dewar?

When I listen to it now I think there’s some very good, very potent stuff there. Not all of it is good, but some of it is really good.

I have the Living Out Of Time DVD you released a couple of years ago. But I’ve also seen a few classic clips of you on YouTube. Is there any chance you will put out a career-spanning retrospective DVD at some point?

Yeah, I think that would be a really nice thing to do. Just try and gather all the bits and pieces, put it all together. It’s something my manager Derek has talked about. I expect we will do it one day.

I know James Dewar had a stroke. Were you in touch with him before he passed away?

Not really. I was in touch with his wife. He was hospitalized through most of that period. I‘m still in touch with his kids.

Well, that's cool. Their dad played with one of the great guitar heroes of a bygone era.

Well, that’s very kind of you to say that.

With that in mind, when you were in the Paramounts in the early 60s, opening for the Beatles and the Stones, could you have imagined 45 years later, you’d still be playing your music for the masses?

I don’t think you could have imagined that at that age. Obviously, at that age, you do tend to live more day to day. I know I personally was of the ilk that would just roll along with things, and not really set out any great ambitions. When I was 18 or 19, I can remember saying to a friend that one day I would end up playing blues in a little club somewhere. So I suppose, that was the ambition. That was it, that one day I’d be good enough to play blues. At that time, B.B. King was a hero of mine and that was the ultimate sort of guitar playing.

What keeps you motivated?

Coming up with fresh ideas all the time, more than anything. I mean, obviously, I love to play the guitar. That’s a given. But it’s being able to come up with fresh ideas, having a sense of always doing something fresh. It’s a challenge. Then there’s a challenge of putting it all together and making an album. And you know, it’s a helluva lot of work. But I’d rather be working, doing something I love.

Of course, the music industry has changed a lot in those 45 years. What’s your opinion on the current state of the industry today?

I think the biggest problem is that people aren’t making albums for the right reasons. There’s too much of the commercialism, the whole corporate thing has crept into it. Obviously, there’s always exceptions. But the general pop rock CD is just too much about money, basically.

Are there any new artists you like?

Let me think…is there anyone I’ve heard?

Any new guitar players?

I do like Jonny Greenwood. He’s a really, really gifted musician. Radiohead isn’t really my cup of tea, but I do recognize talent when I see it. I just think he’s a very creative guitar player.

I know he’s been branching into film scores.

He’s quite capable. He’s a formally trained musician. That what Jack has really — a combination of a formally trained musician with a great understanding of rock and roll. That’s what makes Jack Bruce unique.

Deep down you’re a bluesman. Can the blues save us from American Idol?

(laughs) The trouble is now “blues” has become a term for blues-influenced rock and roll. Which is still good, but blues, per se, there aren’t any artists left now that can play what we would have called the blues when I was growing up. You know, I’m talking about when you had Howlin’ Wolf, you had John Lee Hooker and all those guys…Muddy Waters. There are no artists now of that caliber. We’re talking about giants who created the language of that music. And then what B.B. King did for the guitar and then Albert King came along and added a whole new dimension to it. Going all the way back to Robert Johnson and Son House. If you could draw talents like those today, you certainly could be saved from American Idol (laughs).

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