AT AGE 74, ROBIN TROWER’S BLUES PATH HAS HAD THREE MAJOR HUES. DURING THE EARLY PART OF HIS CAREER, HE WAS THE LEAD GUITARIST FOR THE FAMED ‘CLASSICAL/BLUES’ ROCK BAND PROCOL HARUM, BEST ASSOCIATED WITH SONGS LIKE ‘SIMPLE SISTER’ AND HIS OWN ‘WHISKEY TRAIN.’
AFTER THAT, HE VENTURED ON A SOLO CAREER LEADING A PRO-TYPICAL ‘POWER TRIO’ WITH BLUE-EYED SOUL BASSIST AND VOCALIST JIMMY DEWAR. HIS ALBUMS BRIDGE OF SIGHS, TWICE REMOVED FROM YESTERDAY AND FOR EARTH BELOW ARE ABSOLUTE CLASSICS, MIXING A JIMI HENDRIX-INFLUENCED GUITAR TONE WITH CUT TO THE MARROW BLUES MOODS.
SINCE THOSE DAYS, MR. TROWER RECENTLY HAD A CREATIVE RENAISSANCE, SHARING HIS OWN VOCALS WITH BASSIST RICHARD WATTS WITH DRUMMER CHRISTOPHER TAGGART AS HE TOURS THE STATES WITH SONGS FROM HIS IMPRESSIVE RECENT RELEASE COMING CLOSER TO THE DAY MIXING WELL WITH SONGS FROM HIS EARLIER DAYS.
WHAT IS NOT AS APPRECIATED ABOUT ROBIN’S TROWER MUSICAL CAREER IS THAT, IN RETROSPECT, ONE CAN DETECT HIS SPIRITUAL WALK. WHILE NOT OVERBEARING LIKE SOME OTHER ARTISTS, HIS WIDER SHADE OF BLUES FEATURES LYRICS THAT REFLECT A MAN FIRM IN HIS FAITH, AND UNAFRAID TO SHARE HIS ‘CLOSER WALK WITH THEE.’
ROBIN WAS KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE US A CALL, AND HE WAS PERFECTLY BRITISH IN HIS HUMOR, HUMILITY AND LOVE OF THE BLUES
I SAW YOUR TRIO’S DEBUT GIG AT THE WHISKY A GO GO IN 1973
You must be old! (laughs)
LET’S START WITH YOUR DAYS WITH PROCOL HARUM, AND WHEN YOU LEFT FOR YOUR SOLO CAREER. THE SOUND OF YOUR GUITAR ON YOUR FIRST SOLO ALBUM IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ONE THAN WITH PROCOL HARUM. WHAT CHANGED?
I started to write more and more music, so that sound was flowing out of me naturally. I was more into black music than pop music, so I let those influences come through.
I had an idea what I was going as I was preparing for first album, and it developed all the way through the album.
AFTER PROCOL HARUM, AND BEFORE YOUR OWN TRIO, YOU FORMED THE BAND JUDE WITH JIMMY DEWAR, CLIVE BUNKER AND FRANKIE MILLER. WHY DIDN’T THAT ONE WORK?
We just didn’t really click. It was just as much my fault; I wasn’t coming up with enough potent stuff back then. It wasn’t until after that band that I started to write some potent pieces of music.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE NOT TO SING ON YOUR FIRST SOLO ALBUMS, SINCE YOU SANG ON ALL OF YOUR MATERIAL WITH PROCOL HARUM?
I had heard Jimmy Dewar sing, and I wanted a three piece band. He played bass and had this magical voice, so I decided “I’m not going to sing against that!” (laughs)
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN YOU WATCH A GUITARIST PLAY?
I’m only interested in guitar players that are soulful. That’s the main thing. It’s not technique.
Tone is also important. For instance, Albert King has this magical tone. Plus, he’s the most soulful player. That’s the epitome.
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“I’m only interested in guitar players that are soulful. That’s the main thing. It’s not technique”
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I READ SOMEWHERE THAT YOU GAVE LESSONS TO ROBERT FRIPP
That is rubbish.
I tried to give him a few pointers for some bluesier kinds of things, but he wasn’t that kind of player. He was interested; I spent an hour with him. But that’s all; he was just being very generous.
IN RETROSPECT, WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF YOUR EARLY YEARS WITH PROCOL HARUM?
I look back very fondly. We made some great tracks and good albums. I think of it mostly as my schooling. I learned about recording and doing big tours, which I couldn’t have learned if I had started with a solo career.
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“I look back very (with Procol Harum) fondly. We made some great tracks and good albums. I think of it mostly as my schooling”
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WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON PLAYING WITH JACK BRUCE?
It was wonderful working with Jack, because he was such a dynamite musician and singer. It was like playing with two people.
MATTHEW FISHER WAS THE KEYBOARDIST FOR PROCOL HARUM AND HE ALSO PRODUCED YOUR FIRST ALBUM. HE NEVER GOT MANY ACCOLADES.
I think there just wasn’t enough interest from his record company.
YOU’VE HAD A CAREER THAT HAS SPANNED A HALF CENTURY. HAVE YOU EVER COME TO A POINT WHERE YOU FELT LIKE YOU WERE IN THE DOLDRUMS?
I had what I would call a “fallow” period during the 80s. I wasn’t writing as strong a material as I am now. There’s definitely been an ebb and flow to my creativity, no doubt about that.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO GET BACK INTO SINGING, AS ON THE LAST FEW ALBUMS?
It’s mostly due to the lyrics that I had started to write about three albums ago. They were so personal to me that I thought that he only person that could deliver them emotionally would be me.
I’m not a real singer; I just felt that maybe the feeling of the lyrics that I could give would be right.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU FOR YOUR RENAISSANCE IN LYRIC WRITING?
A good proportion of my lyrics come from within me; either my emotional feelings or observations of the world around me.
I also read a lot; I’m always on a book. I’m not sure how inspiration it gives me, but reading does give you a vocabulary.
I’ve read the Aubrey-Maturin books by Patrick O’Brian a few times. I’ve read that series twice. It’s very rich in language. I love the idea of the sea, and I’ve got a breviary that explains all of the terminology, so I can go to that.
ARE YOU DOING ALL OF THE SINGING ON YOUR TOURS?
No, I’ve got Richard Watts who’s on vocals and plays bass; a wonderful singer. He covers all of the old stuff for me, and I do a couple of new songs myself.
WHEN YOUR FIRST SOLO ALBUM TWICE REMOVED FROM YESTERDAY CAME OUT, WERE YOU SURPRISED BY IT’S SUCCESS?
I was always hoping, so when something actually does go quite well you think “Great, but what’s next?” You’re always moving on to the next thing by the time any success comes.
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“You’re always moving on to the next thing by the time any success comes”
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DID YOU EVER FEEL “I’VE ARRIVED”?
I’m not sure I ever have.
The main thrust of ambition for me is artistic. I’m always reaching forward, trying to get to where I think I’m doing something really good.
IF YOU COULD RUN INTO A 25 YEAR OLD ROBIN TROWER, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HIM?
Practice more! I didn’t use to practice then; I’d just pick it up when it was time to do something.
SPEAKING OF PRACTICE, YOU HAVE HAD A CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN FAITH. HOW DID IT DEVELOP?
To be honest, I think I was chosen to have faith. At a very early age.
We had Scripture at school, and it just rang a bell with me. That’s the only way I can explain it. Hearing the Gospels rang something inside of me.
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“To be honest, I think I was chosen to have faith. At a very early age”
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HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CRISIS OF FAITH?
No.
WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS YOUR FAITH MADE IN YOUR CAREER?
It helps to keep me on track, and not start wandering down useless paths.
I’m a Roman Catholic. I must admit I’ve fallen away a bit from going to Mass lately, but I’m still “there” as it were.
Sometimes they have music at the Mass, sometimes with singing and a guitar. I prefer the more traditional music with an organ and choir.
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED COMPOSING LITURGICAL OR SPIRITUAL MUSIC?
I may have had an inkling of wondering if I could do it, but I dismissed it. (laughs)
AT THIS STAGE IN OUR CAREER, WHAT KEEPS YOU INSPIRED?
The main thing is the songs I keep coming up with. They are just flowing naturally; I don’t have to work hard at it. When you come up with songs, you go into the studio to record them and then you want to go out and tour with it. It’s a natural cycle.
DO YOU EVER PLAY ANY PROCOL HARUM SONGS?
I’ve tried occasionally to do “Whisky Train,” but it almost seems like it was by somebody else.
ANOTHER THING THAT YOU’VE BEEN STEADY IN IS YOUR LONG TERM MARRIAGE. WHAT’S THE SECRET TO THAT?
Finding the right person, and a bit of luck. I was very fortunate.
WHAT HOBBIES DO YOU HAVE?
I’m a big soccer fan, and I like taking long walks.
WHAT GUITARIST WOULD YOU PAY $1000 TO SEE?
There would be three I’d pay $5000 to see: BB King, Albert King and Jimi Hendrix
WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS?
To keep improving my mind. Outside observers might not think so. (laughs) I’ve got to feel like I’m always moving forward
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“I’ve got to feel like I’m always moving forward”
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HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?
That I was somebody who tried something difficult, in the kind of music I was trying to make.
WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING YOU TRIED WITH MUSIC?
The hardest challenge is to make it more soulful
I THINK THAT ONE OF THE MOST ENDEARING ASPECTS OF ARTISTS LIKE ROBIN TROWER IS THAT, WHILE THEY ARE INSPIRATIONS TO US MUSIC FANS AND MUSICIANS, THESE TRUE SOJOURNERS ARE STILL ON THEIR CHOSEN PATH, NEVER SATISFIED FOR WHAT THEY HAVE ACHIEVED, BUT ALLOWING THE REFLECTION OF THEIR OWN PILGRIMAGE BE A LIGHT FOR US TO FOLLOW. TROWER’S ATTITUDE SEEMS THE SAME AS THE APOSTLE PAUL WHO STATED ‘NOT THAT I’VE ARRIVED AT MY GOAL, BUT I PRESS ONWARD FOR THAT WHICH JESUS CHRIST TOOK HOLD OF ME.’
IT IS THE LURE OF THE QUEST THAT MAKES TROWER’S CAREER, AS WELL AS HIS MUSIC, SO INSPIRING, AS IS ALSO WRITTEN, ‘EVERY GOOD THING IS A GIFT OF ABOVE,’ OR AS ONE OF TROWER’S EARLY ALBUMS STATED, FOR EARTH BELOW.