By Jeb Wright

Carl Palmer is a drummer’s drummer. He has spent decades honing and perfecting his craft. He remains intrigued and challenged by drumming even today. He remains teachable, and he has a longing to learn more. He is as much the student as he is the master — never satisfied with resting on his laurels even though he could do that and still leave audiences with their jaws agape.

He has achieved multi-platinum success with two bands: Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Asia. He has received awards of excellence and has a gaggle of amateur and professional drummers placing him on a pedestal, or at least a drum stool, in homage to his talents.

Palmer is currently on a global tour trek in support of his third in a series of live albums recorded as a guitar/bass/drums three-piece band. The album, simply titled “Working Live: Volume III,” takes ELP-like progressive rock and bashes you over the head with electric guitars where the keyboards and vocals once were. The Carl Palmer Band is not simply remaking ELP classics, however. The band is more interested in taking classical music and infusing it with what Palmer calls “hard-core prog.” The result is a unique blend of music that satisfies the snobbiest of classical critics as well as a guy who is more into heavy-metal guitar soloing.

In this interview, we discuss how technology had to catch up to Carl’s vision, and how playing with younger virtuosos helps keeps an older virtuoso on his toes. Palmer is a drummer, a visionary, a bandleader, a rock icon and man consumed with musical perfection and technical elegance.

You have accomplished excellence again with your “Working Live: Volume III” release. We all know that the drumming will be great, as it is a Carl Palmer album. I think people are really blown away by the guitar player in your band named Paul Bielatowicz. He has to play these difficult keyboard parts on guitar.
A: I had to sit down with a specialist who specializes in transcribing keyboards to guitar. It was really quite a long procedure. I have to tell you that if you had asked me that question 10 or 20 years ago, then we would have all said it would be impossible for a guitar player to accomplish what he is doing. The advancements in technique have come a long way. There are quite a few guitar players who can play that type of music. I am very fortunate that it has come along at a time when I wanted to do what I am doing.

Q: When did the idea first hit you to take ELP music and take it down to a guitar, bass and drum three-piece set up?
A: I wanted to play classical adaptations of music but I didn’t want to be compared to Emerson, Lake & Palmer. I didn’t want the keyboard or the vocal elements of the music, either. People in Europe have always liked this kind of music. I have found a niche market, and I realize that it is not a supermarket or even a delicatessen approach. It is very intellectual. You either like it or you don’t, but it has a harder edge to it. Playing classical adaptations on guitar put a new spin on it, and I am very pleased with it.

Q: I think this setup is one of the most unique projects you have been involved with, and that includes ELP and Asia.
A: It is very different, and it is being received very well considering this is only the second tour of America. In Italy, for example, this is an art form that they are all about. They either are very romantic or they are very hard-core prog; they think they invented it. We are scoring really big there. In America, it is very different than what I have been used to. It is going to take some time, but I am enjoying doing it. I will take the time because I am enjoying it so much and I will get my point across.

Q: One of the most impressive things is that you don’t realize that you are listening to a live album. When you do think that it is a live album, you are blown away with what is going on. I would imagine there are not a lot of overdubs on this thing.
A: The only time we overdubbed or corrected anything on this album was on “Pictures At An Exhibition,” as it is such a long song. There were certain places where crowd noises or other noises got in the way of the guitar, so we fixed that. The band is well rehearsed, as that is a policy of mine. As far as I am concerned, this is a true measure of what we are all about.

Q: In your other bands, you have been an equal member. This is all under your name. How is it different?
A: Obviously, whatever I say goes, and if people don’t like it then they can do one of two things: They can leave, or they can stay. I make all the decisions of where we play. I am older than the rest of the band, so I have more experience. Playing this type of music is a great opportunity for these young musicians, as there are very few outlets out there that allow this. If you have got instrumentalists, then this is the ideal opportunity for them. They might as well enjoy my experience and enjoy the music they are playing. I have to admit that is pretty much how I run it. I try to get other people’s opinions, and I try to understand what they think about their part. You have got to realize that my bass player is only 25 and my guitar player is only 30. I understand that, and it works out great for me.

Q: “Volume III” proves you are doing something correct. I think this album needs to be listened to from start to finish. What makes a live performance go from good to great?
A: That is kind of you to say; thank you. You have to remember that the equipment you record on today is far advanced, and therefore you can obtain live recordings, digitally, that are equal to a recording in a studio. What you are really talking about are great bands having a great night. The performance is always going to be better when it is played in front of an audience. I think that when you have great performances and you are well rehearsed, then you should be able to reproduce an album live on stage every night. For me, it is a magical process recording these albums. The technology is there today, and the technique the musicians have is there, and that was not always the case. It is all there now, and it has come to the forefront and allows you to make a great live album. Assuming everyone plays great and there is no feedback, or nothing breaks down, then you will make a good, if not a great, album.

Q: Will this project continue now that you have fulfilled your contract obligations?
A: I would like to play some original material as we move forward. I think the classical approach will always stay with this band, and I even have some ideas of some classical pieces I would like to record. There was a contract to make three live albums that we have fulfilled, but we really enjoy recording live, so we may continue recording live.

Q: Have you gotten any feedback from Keith Emerson or Greg Lake?
A: They have both been along to see concerts, though not on this tour; they have seen my band. It is very different for them, as there are no keyboards or vocals. They honestly don’t know what to say, although I know they enjoy it. I like nostalgia, and I played with Keith and Greg last July, and it was great, but I am very into playing with younger players who are at the top of their game, and that is what this band is all about.

Q: Are you comfortable with the way people idolize you?
A: I personally don’t need to be told how great I am. I also don’t need to be told if I played well. I know if I played well, and I know if I played badly. I think when someone compliments you on doing this or that, then that is nice. For me, the minute it is said, however, it goes in one ear and out the other, as I am only interested in what I think. It is very nice when someone says that I have influenced them, because I know how I feel about the people that have influenced me. I do like that. It is not my main priority to be idolized. As long as I know that I have done my best, then I am OK. If people want to idolize me after that, then that is OK with me, but it is not a priority.

Q: I hear you saying it is more about the art form and the craft.
A: Exactly. What I am doing with my band is just keeping alive what I did with ELP. I don’t want to just duplicate what I did with ELP. I actually only play three songs that were written by ELP. The rest of the music was recorded by ELP but has been done by dozens of other orchestras. I do keep some of that older stuff alive, and I am really proud of it. It’s more about being a classically based prog rock band. Prog is a word used to describe innovation, and that is what I am trying to do today. I don’t need to have vocals anymore, as there are plenty of bands with vocals today. This is an intellectual band that really goes balls to the wall. There is nothing romantic about it at all. There is a lot of feeling in the music, but it is also very technical.

• Get the new John Lennon book: “John Lennon: Life is What Happens, Music, Memories & Memorabilia”
• Buy the brand new edition of “Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records 1948-1991, 7th Edition”

By Todd Whitesel

Music collectors and audiophiles have long looked to the Land of the Rising Sun for hard-to-find LPs, CDs and exotic stereo gear that was unavailable elsewhere. Some record collectors are obsessed with Japanese pressings, seeking them out for the quality of the vinyl and the cool extras that we don’t get with our North American platters, such as the coveted OBI strip and perhaps a poster or lyrics printed in the beautiful but complicated Japanese script. For the new year, I’ll be “going Japanese” to satisfy my craving for some long-overdue high-resolution reissues.

I’ve lamented the near halt in production of rock and jazz SACDs over the last couple years. It seems the record labels committed to SACD are concentrating almost solely on classical music. I love classical music and have put together a nice collection of high-resolution discs as such, but there are countless other non-classical albums that I wish would find their home on SACD. I can’t imagine going back to a non-SACD disc of Bob Dylan’s “Blood On The Tracks” — listen to “If You See Her, Say Hello” in 5.1 surround and you’ll know what I mean. Incidentally, that SACD is now out of print and still-sealed copies can go for $50 and up — and it’s worth it. Now, and in the coming weeks, several truly classic albums are being reissued on SACD by Universal Japan. Each is a limited edition and likely to become very collectible, very soon. Get ’em now before they’re gone!

1. Stevie Wonder, “Songs In The Key Of Life” — From 1972 up to the release of “Songs In The Key Of Life” found Stevie Wonder on a path of unbridled creativity. In fact, two LPs weren’t enough to contain all the material Wonder wanted to put on “Songs,” so a four-song EP was included in the package. All this after the triumphs of “Music Of My Mind,” “Talking Book,” “Innervisions” and “Fulfillingness’ First Finale!” I can’t remember a song that got more radio play in the 1970s than “Sir Duke,” Wonder’s tribute to the great Duke Ellington. It’s bound to sound even better here.

2. Asia, “Asia” — The 1982 debut of Asia brought together four of progressive rock’s biggest names — bassist/vocalist John Wetton, guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Geoff Downes and drummer Carl Palmer — into the much-maligned “supergroup” arena. The surprise, though, was that instead of 10-minute jams and ventures into the cosmos, Asia delivered a set of nine radio-friendly songs, none of which broached six minutes. The album, with its classic Roger Dean artwork, was a huge success and remains the group’s finest effort.

3. Rainbow, “Long Live Rock ‘ N’ Roll” — Ritchie Blackmore and the vocalists he’s worked with have always been something of an oil-and-water mixture, never really settling down for long. Rainbow fans can argue whether Graham Bonnett had better pipes than Joe Lynn Turner, but we wouldn’t be talking for long if it wasn’t for Ronnie James Dio and his inimitable delivery on records such as “Rising” and 1978’s “Long Live Rock ’N’ Roll.” I can’t wait to revisit the great title track on SACD.

4. Kiss, Destroyer — I would never associate Kiss with audiophile-quality recordings, but I love the band’s early ’70s output, and I can’t imagine an album that was more influential or popular at its time than “Destroyer.” Although the record contains the even-for-Kiss overblown “Great Expectations,” the foursome never hit harder than with cuts such as “Detroit Rock City” and “God Of Thunder.” I welcome this reissue and am very curious to hear the “hottest band in the world” in high-res.

5. Gentle Giant, Octopus – Wow! Gentle Giant on SACD? If any band deserves such treatment, it’s Gentle Giant. I’ve spent the last couple months digging into the Giant’s complete back catalog and have come away with a newfound respect that borders on awe. Octopus is probably the first album I’d recommend to those wanting to investigate this unique band, and it features everything from the tricky time signatures and arrangements of tunes like “Advent Of Panurge” to the graceful beauty of “Think Of Me With Kindness.” And, yes, this features the original Roger Dean cover art with the cephalopod rising from the waters instead of the original reissue, where the mighty mollusk is trapped inside a jar. Who would do such a thing?

6. Fairport Convention, “Liege & Lief” — This is British folk-rock at its best. Sandy Denny’s vocals are unmatched and for my money this record betters Unhalfbricking all around. “Matty Groves” remains the measuring stick.

7. Caravan, “In The Land Of Grey And Pink” — If the “Canterbury Sound” could be distilled into one album, this would be it. From the humorous “Golf Girl” and the hippie-esque title track to the sprawling “Nine Feet Underground,” this is essential British prog.

8. Wishbone Ash, “Argus” — I already have three copies of this often-overlooked classic. The original recording is pretty good, but I’m guessing the sparkle and energy of Andy Powell and Ted Turner’s guitar playing will sound even better this time around. “Time was” when I couldn’t get this LP on SACD and I was sad (inside lyrical joke to those who know the tune).

9. The Rolling Stones, “Beggars Banquet” — Man did I miss the boat in 2002, when ABKCO reissued a set of early Stones’ classics on SACD. “Beggars Banquet,” along with “Let It Bleed,” were two that I should have jumped on immediately. To quote Pete Townshend, I won’t get fooled again.

10. Free, “Fire & Water” — I would buy this just to hear “Mr. Big” in high-resolution. For my money, no band has wrapped more attitude around a riff than Free on that track. Paul Kossoff erects a fortress from a three-note phrase as Andy Fraser runs through the grounds with his endlessly imaginative and looping bass lines. Paul Rodgers struts like a peacock finally freed from prison. Meat and potatoes rock was never tastier.

Frontiers Records is set to release a special edition live CD/DVD box set from supergroup Asia.  SPIRIT OF THE NIGHT – THE PHOENIX TOUR LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE 2009 will be released in North America on March 8th.  The CD boasts 13 tracks, which includes a CD-only track exclusive, as well as a bonus track, while the DVD features 85 minutes of material, as well as bonus DVD content including an EPK and special footage of “In The Court Of The Crimson King” featuring King Crimson founding member Ian MacDonald.  Please see below for full track listings.  The CD and DVD will also be available for purchase separately.  In support of the new live release and their most recent studio album OMEGA (also released via Frontiers Records), Asia will tour in North America, kicking off dates at The State Theatre in Easton, PA on Thursday, April 28th.  Please see below for the tour itinerary.

Asia’s self-titled debut album was released in March, 1982, selling over 4 million copies in North America alone, upon its initial release.  The album featured several Top 10 singles including the ubiquitous “Heat Of The Moment.”  Asia’s supergroup line-up features keyboardist Geoff Downes (Yes, The Buggles), guitarist Steve Howe (Yes), drummer Carl Palmer (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) and bassist/vocalist John Wetton (UK, King Crimson). After 23 years apart, the four original band members reunited in 2006, and have toured globally, releasing two new studios albums since getting back together.

SPIRIT OF THE NIGHT – THE PHOENIX TOUR LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE 2009

CD listing:

1.    Only Time Will Tell
2.    Time Again
3.    An Extraordinary Life
4.    My Own Time
5.    Open Your Eyes
6.    Fanfare For The Common Man (CD exclusive)
7.    Here Comes The Feeling
8.    Never Again
9.    The Heat Goes On
10.  Sole Survivor
11.  Don’t Cry
12.  Heat Of The Moment
13.  Midnight Sun (bonus track)
DVD listing:

1.    Only Time Will Tell
2.    Time Again
3.    An Extraordinary Life
4.    My Own Time
5.    Open Your Eyes
6.    My Own Time
7.    Open Your Eyes
8.    Here Comes Te Feeling
9.    Never Again
10.  The Heat Goes On
11.  Sole Survivor
12.  Don’t Cry
13.  Heat Of The Moment

Asia on tour:

APRIL
28        Easton, PA                  The State Theatre
29        Glenside, PA               Keswick Theatre
30        Tarrytown, NY              Tarrytown Music Hall
MAY
1         Alexandria, VA            Birchmere
3         Annapolis, MD            Ram’s Head Tavern
4         Annapolis, MD            Ram’s Head Tavern
5         Morristown, NJ           The Mayo Center For The Performing Arts
6         Verona, NY                 The Turning Stone Casino And Resort
7         Rama, ON                  Casino Rama
9         Montreal, QC              Metropolis
12        Peshawbestown, MI   Leelanau Sands Casino
13        Chicago, IL                  House Of Blues
14        Milwaukee, WI             Pabst Theatre

By Michael Popke

Erik Norlander, a modern-day Moog wizard, owes his keyboard roots to Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman and John Lord. As a songwriter and producer, he takes inspiration from Roger Waters, Ian Anderson and the late Eric Woolfson – helming solo projects as well as albums by his band, Rocket Scientists, and his wife, Lana Lane. So it’s no surprise that Norlander’s chosen genre is progressive rock.

And what could be more proggy than a 79-minute CD stuffed with 10 instrumental works from Norlander’s vast catalog, re-recorded using an arsenal of analog synthesizers – including six Moogs and a Hammond organ – plus a Steinway grand piano? Norlander also invited such skilled session players as Nick LePar, Freddy DeMarco and Mark Matthews (guys he dubbed “The Galactic Collective”) to create a rich, dramatic and highly listenable new album of the same name.

As a result, The Galactic Collective serves as an introduction for newcomers and a generous diversion for longtime fans. The outfit also was the first artist announced to perform at the 2011 Rites of Spring Festival in Gettysburg, Pa. – one of the nation’s premier prog events – and Norlander recently gave a presentation at Moogfest 2010 in Asheville, N.C., called “The Power of Modular Synthesis.”

Norlander, 43, also plays keys in Asia Featuring John Payne, an offshoot of the original band with vocalist/bassist Payne, who admirably filled John Wetton’s role for years.

Despite his prog pedigree, Norlander is one of the U.S. scene’s most personable and well-rounded players, and he’s not ashamed to admit he’s a Lady Gaga fan. “You may laugh, but I think she is just fantastic,” Norlander told Goldmine.

“There’s classical and jazz music that I love, as well. All of that goes to shape what I do. One should never stop learning and definitely not stop listening.”

Why did you decide to re-record some of your songs?
Erik Norlander: The Galactic Collective is a re-imagining of my best instrumental compositions written for my solo albums; for my band, Rocket Scientists; and for my wife, Lana Lane. It would have been easy to put out a CD called something like Erik Norlander’s Best Instrumentals using the original recordings, but that hypothetical album would not have nearly the same congruity and cohesiveness as a new, single recording session and a unified production. All of those songs were, of course, written for specific albums, and each original recording reflects the mood and spirit of its associated album. Now, with The Galactic Collective, I have taken all of these great songs and recorded them again with a singular focus. I have played these songs live over the years in my solo concerts — either with a backing band or completely solo, just me and a bunch of keyboards — and those shows have always gone over very well. Until now there has not been a representation of those great sets.

There are some fantastic players on the album. How did you determine the lineup?
EN: I met Nick LePar (drums) and Mark Matthews (bass) through a friend in Ohio named Dena Henry, who promoted some great shows for me there, both solo and with Rocket Scientists. I had wanted to record an album like The Galactic Collective for some time, and I also wanted to find some American musicians in the Northeast or the North Coast that could play live dates with me in that part of the country and in Eastern Canada. These guys fit the bill perfectly.

We worked with a couple of other guitarists, but it was Mark Matthews who recommended Freddy DeMarco to me, and Freddy ultimately got the job. Freddy is a tremendously versatile player, and that’s really critical for this band. The interesting thing about the guitar role is that while this is keyboard-oriented music, the guitar parts are very specific, and they range from acoustic to blues to metal depending on the song. So to have someone like Freddy, who is a master of tones and styles, is really essential.

And finally, the most important qualification for all three of these guys is that they are all gentlemen and very together personally as well as professionally. I insist on that nowadays. There’s no room for drama anywhere except in the music.

What will be included on The Galactic Collective’s companion DVD?
EN: We filmed the entire album’s recording with the plan to put that out on DVD. There are videos up on YouTube. I also sat down for some extensive interviews, so there will be those along with all of the songs played live in the studio with the band. We also recorded the release party concert in Cleveland, Ohio, and so we’ll have some songs on the DVD from that show, as well — including one that isn’t on the studio album, a great version of “Sunset Prelude,” which had actually never been played live before that night.

Tell me about your experience at Moogus Operandi in May…
EN: The Moogus Operandi event was a phenomenal show. This was a concert in Asheville, N.C., to benefit The Bob Moog Foundation (www.moogfoundation.org). I had played a similar concert in 2009 with Keith Emerson to open a Bob Moog museum exhibit in Southern California. That went so well that we wanted to raise the bar a bit for the Asheville show. We shipped my modular Moog synthesizer, aka “The Wall of Doom,” out from California to North Carolina especially for the show. I spent a week in Asheville at a beautiful place called Echo Mountain Studios working with 12 local musicians. We had African percussionists, strings, vocalists, even a banjo player. My wife, Lana Lane, joined us as one of the vocalists, and we played a killer version of her song “Queen of the Ocean” there along with the music from The Galactic Collective. All of the musicians played so well and everyone integrated into my music seamlessly, even when we tried some rather adventurous arrangements. After the week in Asheville, I really didn’t want to leave!

Do you consider yourself a Moog collector?
EN: I am, without a doubt, most definitely a Moog collector! I have the modular Moog system from 1967 (“The Wall of Doom”) that I started building in 1995. It started making music in 1999 and is still going strong. I currently have three Minimoog Model D synths (the ’70s model), a Moog Rogue, Moog Taurus I pedals, a Moog Voyager and a case full of Moogerfooger effects pedals. And the best part about it is that I really use these instruments all the time. They’re not just up on a display shelf gathering dust.

Is the Moog ripe for a comeback in pop culture — or has it never really gone away?
EN: It’s never really gone away. Sure, analog synths took a dip in popularity in the ’80s when digital synths became common, but nothing will recreate what a Moog synthesizer sounds like other than a Moog synthesizer. Just like the Stradivarius violin is a classic instrument, just like the Gibson Les Paul is a classic instrument, so is the Moog synthesizer a classic instrument. All of these are timeless, and I expect all of these will be highly desired iconic instruments for centuries to come.

Do you collect albums or other music-related items?
EN: I do still listen to vinyl, and I think it is such a unique medium. I grew up with it, and it has a depth that digital recordings don’t have. I think it’s the analog noise floor that makes the difference. With digital, the sound drops to a quantified, quantized stop. You can hear the end, the bottom, the finish of the sound, and it’s often rather abrupt, especially with 16-bit systems like the compact disc. Analog recordings are infinite. The sound eventually fades out into the noise floor, kind of a wind of infinity that keeps your imagination going. You don’t really hear the finite end to the sound like you do with digital. That’s a big deal to me.

As for collecting, well, I have my LP collection, of course, and I also collect vintage recording equipment such as preamps, microphones, equalizers and compressors that I use in my recordings. I also have assembled a 5.1 Surround Sound home theater system using all vintage McIntosh amplifiers and ESS speakers from the ’70s — the big pyramid-shaped ones with the electrostatic tweeters. That stuff sounds so amazing, analog and audiophile in the best sense of the words.

What is the greatest challenge of being a U.S.-based prog artist with a majority of your fan base overseas?
EN: I think the greatest challenge of promoting my music in Europe, Russia and Japan is the distance to those places. Touring is, of course, an issue because of the cost of plane travel, of getting the equipment over there and then getting around while in those places. But I have managed to park some important keyboards in strategic places around the world, so every time I go there I have at least some resources already waiting for me.

I also have made some great friends in many countries over the years, and there’s nothing like having some local friends around to help you with everything from driving to the radio station to even getting to the grocery store. Another issue with working overseas is the promotion and distribution of my music. It’s so important to stay in touch with the magazines, the radio stations, the venues and all the businesspeople I work with. The time-zone differences and the distance make that a challenge sometimes. It’s a lot easier to fly from Sacramento to Milwaukee to do promotion than it is to go to Tokyo.

Why, in the downloading era, do you still (and admirably, I might add) place so much emphasis on CD packaging — with imaginative artwork, detailed liner-note essays and lots of photos all wrapped in thick, colorful booklets?
EN: I loved albums growing up, especially albums with big gatefolds and inserts. I would read every lyric, every liner note, every credit. I would study the artwork while listening to the albums. It was all part of the experience. When CDs came out, so much of that began to fade away. You’d have these simple one-page inserts, and the artwork would be shrunken down to a shadow of its former self.

I learned early on that you could, in fact, make a 32-page booklet that would fit inside a jewel case. You could write four pages of liner notes. You could include lots of color photos, all the lyrics and detailed credits. It was just a matter of cost. But I’ve never been in this business to get rich; I’ve always been in it for the artistry of it, the love of music and all that goes with it. So to spend another dollar or two on each CD has always been a worthwhile thing to do for me, and I don’t blink when it comes time to make the decision. This is supposed to be art, after all! One day I may experiment with some lower-cost digipak recyclable-type releases, but even those would be done artistically. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

How did the Asia Featuring John Payne gig come about? Have you worked with Payne in the past?
EN: I met John Payne in 1997 when my band, Rocket Scientists, played a festival in Bruchsal, Germany, along with Asia. We all stayed at the same hotel, so we met each other at breakfast and backstage during the gig. John seemed like a very nice chap and an amazing vocalist. Then, 10 years later, I got an e-mail from John saying that he had split with Geoff Downes, who had gone to reform the original lineup of Asia, but that John still wanted to continue with his version of the band. It was really as simple as John saying, “Everyone tells me you’re the keyboardist I need. Do you want the job?” And that was it. No auditions, no long back-and-forths, no managers or lawyers; just a simple invitation. I phoned up John, who was in England at the time, and we had a nice chat. I agreed to join the band, and I’ve been working with him ever since. It’s going on four years now!

As the keyboard player in Asia Featuring John Payne, do you feel pressure to live up to Downes’ legacy?
EN: I don’t feel that pressure, as I am confident in my playing and programming skills. But I do feel the obligation to live up to my role as the keyboardist in a very established and iconic band. It’s a big job, and it requires total commitment. There’s no way to “blues your way through it.” You must get every part exactly right, every sound dialed in just perfectly, or else it will be a disappointment to the audience, to the band and to me. So I have really worked hard to continue the “prog-rock keyboardist” legacy.

I think Geoff Downes is a fantastic keyboardist, and it’s great to play those parts and come up with all of those excellent sounds. Just before joining Asia Featuring John Payne, I coincidentally recorded a covers album called Hommage Symphonique, where I created my own interpretations of my favorite classic prog songs — tracks from ELP, Yes, Rick Wakeman, Jethro Tull, Procol Harum, King Crimson. So it was great timing to join John Payne’s band right after that. Of course, for me, all of the Asia songs are technically covers, so I treat them the same way as the songs I recorded on Hommage Symphonique, with lots of care and lots of class.

Has the band’s name created confusion among casual fans who don’t know Asia’s recent history?
EN: I think the fans know the story pretty well, and I have encountered very little ambiguity. I do get the occasional request to sign the first Asia LP, and I always tell the person, “You know I’m not on this, OK?” And they always get it. One person asked me at a gig if I was Geoff Downes, to which I replied “No, he’s a little shorter than me, and his diction is much better than mine, coming from the UK and all.” There are, of course, also a lot of people who have no idea who is in the band — either now or 25 years ago — and they don’t care. They just want to hear the hits. OK, that’s fine, too.

What is the status of a new Asia Featuring John Payne album?
EN: John Payne and I have written the entire new album and recorded most of it. I am really proud of the work we have done. There are some fantastic songs. John and I write together very easily. It’s been a great partnership. We also have a live album already in the can that will be released simultaneously with the new studio album. So that’s exciting.

And what’s next for you?
EN: I shall carry on with my solo work, both touring and recording with the guys from The Galactic Collective, and I look forward to more projects with Lana Lane and Rocket Scientists. I am also sitting on tons of live material from 10 years of touring that I hope to compile into various releases and get out there one day. There’s a lot to look forward to…

For more information, go to www.eriknorlander.com