Definitely. I don't think he would have been able to figure this out on his own. From the interview I get the impression he got some tips from Vangelis on that, because he specifially mentions he learned a lot from him and that might have included some synth programming and maybe even a bit of musical arrangement tips.
It sure is.
I have a few guesses about that:
1. He was absolutely at the top of his game during that period. If you see the QPR 1975 video, he is playing much more than usual, even doing some melodic lines on electric guitar (To be Over intro, for example), playing a lot more percussion than usual, including toms and cymbals (and on time), and even playing the right chords on acoustic guitar (which is quite unusual for him
).
2. He mentioned being locked in a studio for several months recording this album. Given enough focus, time and effort, I think it's pretty reasonable to assume he could pull this off. Someone like Vangelis would have probably recorded this same album in just a couple of days...
3. He also mentions being absolutely exhausted after finishing the album. That might explain why he never did again. It's like someone who's not a professional runner trying to finish a marathon. You can probably do it once, just to prove it to yourself, and it will take every last ounce of stamina you have, and you'll just barely be able to do it. But you would most likely never want to try it again.
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