Robin Trower Interview:
Guitar School Magazine - 1990
Robin Trower, the prince of post hendrix blues guitar remembers his misty past and looks to a hard rockin' future.
(The following is a piece from a 1990 issue of Guitar School Magazine in which Trower looks back on various tunes from throughout his career. Thanks a ton to Murf for digging up this gem - ed.)
"Its important to be philosophical when bad things happen to you," says guitar vet Robin Trower, reflecting on his music
career. "You got to roll with it and come up smiling, and thats all there is to it."
Rolling with the punches is something that comes naturally to Trower. After 20 plus years in the wickedly fickle world of music, the guitarist has miraculously survived every trend and continues to thrive. His first big hit came in 1967 with
progressive rock pioneers Procol Harum. Trower left in 1971 after recording five albums with the band, citing musical differences.
In pursuit of a harder edged, bluesier sound, he formed the first Robin Trower Band with James Dewer (Bass/Vocals) and Reg Isidore (drums). The power trio quickly recorded two instant guitar classics - Twice Removed From Yesterday
(Chrysalis, 1973) and Bridge of Sighs (Chrysalis, 1974). Both recordings prominently featured Trower's emotional bends and spacey textures, establishing the Englishman as six string hero of the highest order.
Many albums later, including two colaborations with Jack Bruce and a five year hiatus (1980-1985), Trower has just released his fifteenth effort, In the Line Of Fire. The album, he says, is a departure from his moodier, more atmospheric past.
"This record is more of a rocker," remarks Trower. "I wanted to get back to the fundamentals."
We asked Robin to free associate on some of his favorite tracks
"Whisky Train" - Home/Procal Harum (1970)
I think fondly of "Whisky Train" because it was the first rock song I ever wrote. I still get requests for it from time to time. I used a Les Paul through a little, very, very, very early Gibson amp on that one.
"Song For A Dreamer" - Broken Barricades/Procol Harum (1971)
"Song For Dreamer" is a tune that Keith (Reid, Procol Harum's lyricist) and I wrote as a tribute to Jimi Hendrix. I only had one Hendrix album at the time, because I was more into rootsier things like Howlin Wolf and James Brown. But when Jimi died we thought it would be nice to pay tribute to him. So I went to a friends house and spent a whole day just listening to Hendrix's music, to see if I could come up with something. It was during that day I became very influenced by him and his music. [In fact, he acknowledges 1983: A Merman I Should Turn To Be as one of his all-time favourite 'Drix tunes - Bridge of Sighs ed.] The basic tracks were recorded using a Strat through a Univibe and a Les Paul through a Leslie.
"Bridge of Sighs" - Bridge of Sighs/Robin Trower (1974)
The funny thing about the title song is that I had the opening guitar riff for about six months before I could come up with the turnaround section. I loved that opening lick so much. I was determined to make the second half just as perfect. So I waited and waited . . . and then it came to me. The band played it for the first time at Winterland in San Francisco and we received something like a 10 minute standing ovation. It obviously had magic.
"Too Rolling Stoned" - Bridge of Signs/Robin Trower (1974)
"Too Rolling Stoned" is basically my attempt to do James Brown. The actual bridge part is a direct lift from a James Brown song called "Down And Out In New York", which is one of my all time favorite tracks. It's about the only thing I've ever blatantly ripped off of anyone. It's not exactly the same, but it's definitely close.
"Beyond The Mist" - Beyond The Mist/Robin Trower (1985)
That's one of the best songs I've ever written. Unfortunately, I don't think the recording does the tune justice. But I liked the lyric and liked the way it married with the music. I might have another go at it one of these days because it's such a great song.
"Take What You Need" - Take What You Need/Robin Trower (1988)
Another very good song. My only thought about it now is that maybe the harmony was a bit too "outside".The roots of the chords were so ambiguous, we had a hard time constructing the bass line. Nevertheless, I think its a very unusual and unique song. I'm always pleased when I come up with something a little bit different. But sometimes I work a little bit too hard at being different. You gotta watch that.
"Sea Of Love" - In The Line Of Fire/Robin Trower (1990)
Even though the title has been used before, I still love it. It's so evocative. This is probably the most 100 percent me song on the new album. The feeling, mood, riffs, and guitar playing are so typically me that it could've been written years ago. I was so suprised that the movie "Sea Of Love" came out while we were making the record.
"Turn The Volume Up" - In The Line Of Fire/Robin Trower (1990)
I wrote the music with Matt Noble and Keith Reid did the lyrics. This is the first song I've co-written since working with Jack Bruce. I was rather pleased with the way it turned out. I think working with another person adds an extra dimension.
