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With a perfectly balanced mixture of Beatles melodies, CSN harmony vocals, progressive thunder of Yes and the complexity of Gentle Giant, Spock's Beard seem set to storm the modern progressive rock world. On the eve of their largest and most important tour to date Ian Oakley talks (via e-mail) to leader Neal Morse.

The interview

I.O: To anyone that has not heard Spock's Beard how would you describe your music?

N.M: Terrible. The worst!!! No, actually we're rather good I think. We're a combination of a lot of things; Beatles meets Yes meets Crimson meets CSN meets Genesis meets God knows what else, and hopefully we've concocted our own sort of modern/retro brew of modern Rock. The thing that's most different about us, I think, is that we're a progressive band that has good songs.

I.O: If you had to chose just 1 or 2 tracks from any Spock's Beard CD to play to someone as a representation / introduction to your music what would they be?

NM: Wow...that's a hard one. I guess I'd choose 'The Doorway' (from 'Beware of Darkness') and 'June' (from 'The Kindness of Strangers').... maybe. That's a hard one 'cause we do so many different things.

I.O: In my opinion, The Beatles, Yes and Gentle Giant appear to have been the major influences on your writing. In terms of the current wave of progressive bands Spock's Beard must be described, musically, as the most melodic / song orientated and 'mainstream' of the current movement. That is what I personally appreciate most about Spock's Beard - how the song and melodies are paramount in writing and production.
Would you agree with this?

IO: On Internet sites and in European Rock magazines Spock's Beard are tipped as the band most likely to have the biggest prog / commercial breakthrough since Marillion's 'Misplaced Childhood'. As Spock's Beard's career progresses the songs are seemingly becoming more and more radio friendly. Is this a deliberate strategy?
And is it working?

NM: It's not really deliberate. I mean, of course we'd love to be more successful but, when we're making a record we just do what we want...it just happens that on this last record, 'Day For Night', there were more 'straight songs' that we all liked and wanted to do. I think it's working. Doesn't seem like we're losing any fans and it's growing all the time.

NM: Pretty good. Could be better...could be worse. We're happy that we have a good solid fan base now. We can show up just about anywhere and there'll be people there who know our music. It's great!

NM: Not quite. Everybody's still got to have other gigs to make ends meet. You know how it is. Makes it difficult to schedule things that's for sure, but the upside of that is, that nobody's relying on SB to survive so we can keep doing exactly want we want to do musically. There's no pressure.

IO: Lyrically, some of the songs you write seem to criticize modern American culture (for example 'The Good Don't Last'). How do Spock's Beard actually go down in their homeland?
Are you really "living in a land where crap is king"?

NM: Oh, the whole WORLD is the land where crap is king! America hasn't cornered that market. I've seen the Billboard charts for the UK! You're definitely not exempt! We're going down pretty well here although not quite as well as Europe. I don't know if that's due to a more open audience or that we've had better business stuff happening there. Probably a bit of both.

IO: Along with a number of people, I travelled from England to the Utrecht, Holland show last November and I got the feeling the whole hand was overwhelmed by the audience numbers and reaction.

How do you feel about the positive European reaction to your music? Are you surprised and does it make you sad that the bands major following is so far away from home?

NM: Makes it hard on my wife and kids. Being away so much. Other than that.... we'll take fans where we can get them! Any killer audience is OK by me! We love it!

IO: Apart from a handful of 90s bands (notably Spock's Beard / Flower Kings / Porcupine Tree) there seems to be very few truly fresh ideas in 'prog' rock music. What are your thoughts on this subject? - Is it really so difficult to break new ground in this style of music?

NM: Well...I think it's difficult to break new ground period. Most people are just happy if you're good! That's what we focus on. Making albums that we all love. Breaking new ground is something that you hope happens but you can't think about that too much.

IO: I've asked a few questions concerning Spock's Beard place in the progressive rock genre. But perhaps you, like other people (Fish / Porcupine Tree), do not really wish to be associated with the progressive rock genre in the first place?

NM: We don't mind. We love prog! It's just that labels tend to put people off that might otherwise dig the band. A lot of people, when they hear the word progressive think they won't like it, then when they hear Spock's they love it. So, we just want to reach as many people as will enjoy the music.

IO: How do you write? (Do you improvise until a theme develops or write the music from your thoughts etc?)

NM: All different ways. Sometimes a melody or even a whole piece of music will just play in my head.... other times it's takes months to sort out. Sometimes my hands will find something on piano at home.... or a guitar in a hotel room.... I never know when it will come so I carry a handheld cassette recorder everywhere.

IO: From hearing 'From the Vaults' you do appear to write nearly all the parts yourself and then present it to the band as an almost completed track. How much do the other band members have an input into the writing process and is it increasing as time goes by?

NM: That's also always different. Sometimes we record things exactly as I demoed them, other times we change them quite a bit from the original. There's talk in the SB camp of approaching the next record with some writing sessions so things may change a lot in the future.

NEAL MORSE SOLO ALBUM DEBUT
Spock's Beard frontman, Neal Morse, has recorded his first solo album and release is expected on October 5, 1999. The album will be released in the United States by Radiant Records in conjuction with Metal Blade and in Europe by Ear Candy, a new division of Inside Out Music. The album focuses on Neal's ability as a songwriter yet includes a 23-minute progressive suite to close the album. Neal performs all instruments on the album with help from Beard-mate Nick D'Virgilio on a majority of the drum tracks. (Sound samples available on Radiant site).

IO: I understand that the next thing we can expect from the Spock's Beard camp is a solo album from yourself. Can you tell us a bit about it - What can we expect / how will it differ from a 'Spock's Beard' album?

NM: It's much more song oriented. It's got 7 'regular songs' on it and one big long 20-minute proggy thing called 'A Whole 'Nother Trip'. It's got a song on it I wrote 18 years ago called 'Emma'. You'll hear some Spock's sort of stuff now and again, as well as some Joe Jackson or Ben Folds 5 kind of things.... even some Tom Petty influences. It's quite a hodgepodge of styles.

NM: No, they want everyone to buy it in the stores so it looks good on the computer sales sheets!

NM: There is also a new live album. This is a double Live CD straight off the board with performances from the Whisky in LA and the Nearfest festival in Bethlehem PA. (Full details on Radiant website - Only available from them and at concerts).

NEAL MORSE INVOLVED IN NEW SUPERGROUP
Neal Morse has teamed up and recorded an album with Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Roine Stolt (Flower Kings) and Pete Trevawas (Marillion). The project is as yet unnamed and untitled, but the band is currently doing overdubs and looking forward to a February 2000 release. A full song list is not yet available, however the release will feature a 28-minute epic based around an idea which was brought to the table by Neal. 'Mystery Train' is a shorter track also brought by Neal. The 16-minute piece brought in by Roine is called 'My Cruel World' and is amazing! There is also a song written by Neal's called 'We All Need Some Light' and a cover of a 15-minute Procol Harum song called 'In Held Twas in I.' The album will be released on Radiant/Metal Blade in the U.S. and Inside Out in Europe.

IO: I have also read that you have been recently recording with Roine Stolt, Mike Portnoy and Pete Trevawas - How did it go?

NM: Great! I just got the tapes with Roine's parts today as a matter of fact and they RULE! He's amazing...as are the rest of those guys. Really a gas doing that one.

IO: You have just returned home from a set of Irish Pub gigs that you did with Nick across mainland Europe. Seemed rather strange - How did that happen and could we perhaps see 'The Wild Rover' and 'Whiskey In The Jar' covers on the next album...?

NM: I actually did the one Irish song I sort of know - The Rathlin Bog - (I don't know if that's the right spelling) in a few of the places...it was a lot of fun.... most of the crowds were great and I personally like the casual atmosphere of the pubs. It's relaxed and you have time to hang out and warm up...you don't have to come out with a big bang and sing at the top of your range straight away.

IO: As I mentioned earlier, the closest Spock's Beard have yet got to the U.K was Holland. But in a few weeks time we can expect you at the CRS in Rotherham and a date in London. Are you looking forward to your first U.K dates, and as we've waited so long can we expect any special treats? (Like a complete 'Healing Colors of Sound'- just a request... :-) ?).

NM: I've never been to the UK so I'm really excited! I think that you'll find the concert quite a treat in and of itself!

IO: I notice that Spock's Beard and the Flower Kings are playing near and with each other in Holland

September. Sun 26 The Flower Kings - Waalwijk, Tavenu
Mon 27 Spock's Beard - Amsterdam, Paradiso with Flower Kings as support!
Both bands' Internet discussion groups ('Thoughts' etc) seem to be a mutual admiration society and I know that a number of us from the UK are again travelling over to Holland to catch 'the double'. Now that you have worked together - Can we possibly, hopefully, expect any guest appearances with each other's bands?

NM: We've been talking about that. I'll ask Roine about it. We'd love it. Mike Portnoy is also going to be around one of our Holland gigs so.... Look out.... Could be some special stuff happening.

IO: What current bands do you really like and who would you recommend to fans of Spock's Beard? (Especially American bands that are unknown in Europe).

NM: I'm not too hip on new bands and such. I'm so busy with my own stuff all the time I don't listen to other things very often. Sorry.

IO: If you could record / write with anybody who you would most like to work with?

IO: Finally, the 'desert island' question. If you were put on a desert island and could only take 5 albums and one book with you what would they be?

NM:
BEATLES - WHITE ALBUM
YES - CLOSE TO THE EDGE
SHERYL CROW - SHERYL CROW
GENESIS - THE LAMB
KING CRIMSON - RED

IO: Neal, thank you very much for sparing the time to talk with me. I look forward to the European tour and especially your first visit to the U.K.