Robert Berry/3.2 interview discussing Emerson, GTR Mk II, Ambrosia, Hush & more

[Innerviews]

Hey Everyone,

My interview with renowned singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Robert Berry is now live on Innerviews. It's the result of six hours of intense conversation, covering the creation of his new album 'The Rules Have Changed,' released under the name 3.2. It's the 30 years-in-the-making follow-up to 3’s 'To the Power of Three,' the 1988 LP by Keith Emerson, Carl Palmer and Berry. The 3.2 recording features Emerson's final work, which he contributed just prior to his untimely passing. Berry also reflects on his 40-year career involving acts including Alliance, Ambrosia, GTR (lots on that!), Sammy Hagar, and Hush, the Magna Carta tributes, and more. In addition, Berry details his life as the proprietor and house producer of Soundtek Studios, where he's helped hundreds of artists realize their musical goals.

This is a wonderful story full of great nuance, personal reflection and previously-unheard tales about Emerson and many other legends. It was a great pleasure to do this piece and it's one of my favorites.

You can read it here: https://www.innerviews.org/inner/robert-berry

[Scott Bails]

Wow. That was great, Anil! Really seems like Berry has had some rough luck throughout his career. And some great insights on Keith Emerson and 3.

I'd love to be able to buy more of Berry's stuff - specifically Pilgrimage to a Point.

[jefftiger]

Thanks for posting the link. This is a terrific interview. I'm incredibly disappointed to learn how much Keith material existed that Robert wasn't able to use because of legal issues. The Estate's decision makes no sense. It's just another poor decision in the large collection of bad moves by ELP's woefully messed-up management over the years.

[jrw]

Emerson’s recordings should have been on the new 3 recording, and Palmer should have added his drums.

Oh well.

I was able to see 3 at The Ritz in NYC in 1988 (April IIRC). It was a fun show.

Oddly, I never saw ELP live-only 3 and ELPowell.

[SteveSly]

Wow. That was great, Anil! Really seems like Berry has had some rough luck throughout his career. And some great insights on Keith Emerson and 3.

I'd love to be able to buy more of Berry's stuff - specifically Pilgrimage to a Point.

I have "Pilgrimage" on CD and it is indeed a great little album.

[Paulrus]

Good stuff -- thanks, Anil. Robert's a good guy who I always felt was slightly out of phase musically. But he should be proud of his career.

[regenerativemusic]

"I know it sounds like a rude statement, but I never thought the majesty and royalty of Keith came out in any music he made while he was in California. It was the music he did in England that was magic."
RB

Yes, I would have to agree. I am sorry Keith moved to LA. Always hoped he would take himself seriously as a composer and stop the rock lifestyle and making quick money at rock gigs. We might have had another 70-88 period afterwards.

[SteveSly]

Wow, fantastic interview.

[stickman393]

Another interview here, similar content I think:
http://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog.../robert-berry/

Note to self: Never sign with a record label

Also: Who the f* does that 6-member panel think it is? That's a travesty.

I'm ordering the album.

[Paulrus]

Also: Who the f* does that 6-member panel think it is? That's a travesty.

That definitely was one of the most interesting takeaways from the interview. IMO it's fine for them to feel that Keith's long term legacy will be as a composer, but I'm not sure I understand their point of view that Robert using those recordings for the 3.2 album would have somehow harmed that.

[Innerviews]

Oh, it's beyond messed up. I've said it before and I'll say it here: the music industry and music are often mutually exclusive entities.

Personal agendas, pettiness, insecurity, and just plain insanity inform so many decisions that go against the artists' best interests. Keith wanted the album done. He provided parts to Robert to use specifically for the album. But there you go. Total F-ing nonsense gets in the way.

I have heard more than one music industry person say "This would be a great business if it wasn't for the artists."

And here you have further proof of their attitude at work.

Thanks for posting the link. This is a terrific interview. I'm incredibly disappointed to learn how much Keith material existed that Robert wasn't able to use because of legal issues. The Estate's decision makes no sense. It's just another poor decision in the large collection of bad moves by ELP's woefully messed-up management over the years.

[JAMOOL]

yea I don't get the decision either but tbh I don't think the album's any worse for it. Berry nails the style so well, you'd swear it was Keith. really enjoyed this interview, btw. it seems like he's had a lot of hard luck in his career but he definitely has a great attitude towards everything. never would have believed that I'd want to check out Robert Berry albums in 2018, but here we are.

[arturs]

What an intelligent, humble and decent guy. Sometimes in these kinds of interviews someone says "I'm not bitter" though you can tell from the rest of the interview that they really are. Berry really seems to have no regrets or grudges. Great way to go through life!

And, yes, I'm buying the album too, though I never liked the original 3 much. The new one truly sounds better.

[gojikranz]

excellent interview. been enjoying the 3.2 album a lot past few days bummer that emerson couldn't finish it or be on it in the capacity available but still a great treat as is.

I saw him do a live acoustic gig with paul keller in mountain view a few years ago he did desde la vida acoustic which was pretty nifty along with some other three and solo songs afterwards we had a nice chat about 3 and keith (this was shortly after he passed). he seemed a really genuine cool guy.

makes me wanna try and get some of his other work I have all the 3 related things including the excellent pilgrimage to a point as well as the prime cuts compilation that is a nice roundup of his tribute album contributions. seems like his early solo stuff is fairly difficult to comeby. maybe time for some reissues with the buzz created by 3.2?

[jamesmanzi]

I was also moved by this interview to pick up the album. I went with the CD instead of the DL, which was bad and good. Bad in that the estimated delivery time from Amazon is like 2 and a half weeks, but good in that I assume from that estimate that Berry will be hand delivering my CD on horseback. That's pretty cool.

[Scott Bails]

I'd love to be able to buy more of Berry's stuff - specifically Pilgrimage to a Point.

Anyone know of anywhere to buy some of this?

I was also moved by this interview to pick up the album. I went with the CD instead of the DL, which was bad and good. Bad in that the estimated delivery time from Amazon is like 2 and a half weeks, but good in that I assume from that estimate that Berry will be hand delivering my CD on horseback. That's pretty cool.

Nice.

[gojikranz]

I was also moved by this interview to pick up the album. I went with the CD instead of the DL, which was bad and good. Bad in that the estimated delivery time from Amazon is like 2 and a half weeks, but good in that I assume from that estimate that Berry will be hand delivering my CD on horseback. That's pretty cool.

the cd has a nice thick book with good liner notes and song by song notes from Robert so I think that's a good pick despite the wait.

[jamesmanzi]

the cd has a nice thick book with good liner notes and song by song notes from Robert so I think that's a good pick despite the wait.

That's great to hear. I am really looking forward to it. Listened to a few clips when the buzz first started, but I'm trying to keep my ears fresh until I get the CD now.

[noisynoise]

Really enjoyed the first listen to the CD. It has the "Power of 3" DNA, but the tracks are much more adventurous. What a nice surprise in 2018.

[JJ88]

Interesting contrast:

"Steve was so mellow and cool."

"Phil kept telling me to get the time changes together. Max was upset that my deal with Brian Lane stated I would get to sing one lead vocal on the GTR album we were working on as a prelude to my pending solo career Geffen was grooming me for."

For some reason I hadn't twigged that 'Desde La Vida' was influenced by 'Creole Dance'...probably the slower tempo. 'Talkin Bout' and 'On Our Way Home' are also worthwhile because Emerson's personality is all over them. Some of the other songs are catchy AOR, I suppose, but Emerson has little to do.

[JAMOOL]

Decided to pick up that Live in Boston '88 disc...sound is a bit raw but it's really damn good. Berry says something in that interview about how they were more willing to jam while ELP proper really wasn't. You can hear that a lot on here. A lot of the cuts get extended and there's a certain looseness to the recording that I dig a lot. On a bit of a sad note you can kind of pinpoint it as the period before Keith's carpal tunnel began to affect him - the difference between this and the '93 ELP recordings is pretty stark

btw extra points for the dude who keeps yelling "FUCK YEAH!!" every time they play something off the "To the Power of 3" album, who the hell is that guy!?

[JJ88]

^I think the stereotypical '80s' production is another issue with 3, so I guess a live recording wouldn't be so affected by that. Palmer's drum sound on things like that 'Eight Miles High' cover is absolutely ghastly for me.

I thought Emerson was playing well for much of the 00s. Different than before, obviously, but still a force to be reckoned with. And there are quite a few releases covering this period- Emerson Plays Emerson, The Nice reunion and all the Keith Emerson Band stuff.

Sadly the problems flared up again circa 2009-ish, I think? But he didn't need to prove anything by that point, he'd given us so much music already.

[jefftiger]

I can no longer recall the exact chronology of Keith's issues. He was having big problems around the time of the 1994 release, "In the Hot Seat". But, I still enjoy watching the 2008 DVD performance of the Keith Emerson Band in Moscow. He's not at 100%, but he appears to be having a lot of fun and the band seems really tight. It's a big contrast to his performance in the ELP one-off reunion in 2010.

[ThomasKDye]

So, Berry was tapped to replace Wetton in Asia but they went with Billy Sherwood. Um, no offense, Billy, you're a great bass player, but...

[arturs]

^^^ Yeah, I was surprised by that revelation in the interview. I agree that Billy has found a good home in Yes as the bass/bvox guy. But a lead singer he ain't. With Berry the band could have actually had a future.