Nektar - 43rd Anniversary

[Digital_Man]

43 doesn't seem right to me. AFAIK, the band were formed in 69 and had their first album in 71 so therefore either 42 or 44.

[bRETT]

If the record-buying public think that Nektar is in the prog-rock category, then ok, that’s what they want to term our music. But I don’t see it that way. How can you possibly call a straight- ahead rock song like "Fidgety Queen" (from “Down to Earth”) “prog-rock,” or even say that the album "sounds like this?"

No, but I can certainly call the entirety of "RTF," "Recycled," "Evolution" and "Tab in the Ocean" prog, along with pieces of every Nektar album. Every prog band ventures outside the zone sometimes-- Nektar always had some Beatles in them, which to me was/is part of their appeal.

[cNektar]

I actually had the 1970 Boston Album (vinyl release) in my hands and played it on a nice stereo. I do not know how many of the albums were originally cut and it was available for awhile as a digital download. It is prog/rock/ballads imho.

[Mick]

43 doesn't seem right to me. AFAIK, the band were formed in 69 and had their first album in 71 so therefore either 42 or 44.

FWIW, The very first gig and the decision to name the band Nektar by Mo,
Ron, Taff and newest member Roye ... was on November 15th 1969.
Two months later, I joined them in Hamburg.

[Toothyspook]

As this thread regards Nektar..........

Does anyone know why gigs scheduled by the current version of the band for May 2013 have suddenly been cancelled ?

This after the had already been postponed from the back end of 2012.

[Casey]

Ooooooooo crap! Roye's Nektar website is off line.

[Mick]

Ooooooooo crap! Roye's Nektar website is off line.

It's probably a temporary glitch Casey, it's happened many times before.
So far, the only Nektar 2013 gig still confirmed is on the "Cruise to the Edge" in March.

[richt]

The XPN Prog rock marathon over the weekend played another odd choice for Nektar-Do you Believe in Magic from the Boston Tapes, not very progressive, and the SLT version blows it away. Hopefully they'll just play Confusion next year and set the record straight....

[Mick]

I'm a huge supporter of college radio, my local station 91.9 W-NTI out of Hackettstown NJ played the entire side two of Remember the Future on Saturday afternoon....
It blew me away, as I hadn't even requested it..lol.
I called to thank Mike (the DJ), and suggested he spin side one of Recycled next time...
and I think he might actually do it... NEXT Saturday afternoon (12th).
This particular station played various Nektar tracks about once a month, but I plan to increase that this year since I've now supplied them with our full classic catalog.

[richt]

Thanks for the heads up Mick, I will have to try and lens that in, Xpn could have easily played 8-10 minutes of RTF, Journey but they pick some odd songs, last year it was a song from Music is a Child, wrong LP title even?? Hearin Nektar on the RADIO is always special!

[Mick]

91.9 also streams worldwide on http://www.wnti.org/index.asp

[Mick]

If people are interested, on February 26th, Capricorn is re-re-releasing the remastered Journey to the Centre of the Eye as a package, with a bonus disc of a LIVE (and complete) version of the space opera, originally taped in Darmstadt at the Bessunger Turnhalle on November 13th 1971.
It may have taken 42 years, but finally an uncut version of "The Dream Nebula" will be available to the public, in stereo & on a CD. The only other time this piece was ever released uncut was on the Eclectic SACD studio version, briefly released in 2004, but sadly not in stereo, as the remixed 5.1 surround sound layer could only be accessed via a bonafide SACD player.
Altho' the studio CD still remains cut (to fit onto two sides of 1971 vinyl), this live version makes it a good deal for ALL Nektar fans, both new and old, as Bessunger was a great show.

[yesstiles]

If people are interested, on February 26th, Capricorn is re-re-releasing the remastered Journey to the Centre of the Eye as a package, with a bonus disc of a LIVE (and complete) version of the space opera, originally taped in Darmstadt at the Bessunger Turnhalle on November 13th 1971.
It may have taken 42 years, but finally an uncut version of "The Dream Nebula" will be available to the public, in stereo & on a CD. The only other time this piece was ever released uncut was on the Eclectic SACD studio version, briefly released in 2004, but sadly not in stereo, as the remixed 5.1 surround sound layer could only be accessed via a bonafide SACD player.
Altho' the studio CD still remains cut (to fit onto two sides of 1971 vinyl), this live version makes it a good deal for ALL Nektar fans, both new and old, as Bessunger was a great show.

Awesome! Do we know if they will be using the same squashed mastering from the 2004 release, or a new improved one? -thanks

[ronmac]

Mick, that Darmstadt recording is the same audience recording that's been out, right? Or is this from your archive?

[Mick]

Mick, that Darmstadt recording is the same audience recording that's been out, right? Or is this from your archive?

Have to wait and see mate as I haven't heard it yet. It could be from a different source. My archive copy is the audience one.
That show was recorded on a reel to reel as well as cassettes.
(it's too bad that affordable video wasn't around in those daze, "BETA" had just been announced, and the machines were REALLY expensive).

[ronmac]

(it's too bad that affordable video wasn't around in those daze, "BETA" had just been announced, and the machines were REALLY expensive).

On a related note, have you seen the Hendrix Woodstock DVD set? One disc includes the entire show videotaped from the side of the stage using an early Beta. Apparently, the guy actually got to see Jimi after the set and showed him parts of it.

Turns out that the guy who taped it caught part of Jimi's gig that the official cameramen missed. It's actually quite cool.

Coincidentally, I have an old, still working, BetaMax on a table no more than 8 feet from me right now.

[Mick]

Best birthday wishes to Roye Albrighton today.

[ronmac]

Happy Birthday, Roye!

One of my top five favorite guitarists.

[hwkn]

I listened to the Journey To The Center Of The Eye set today......the live disc is definitely an audience recording probably from the reel to reel tape[sounds too good to be from a cassette source]........it's on the Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra label btw.

[ronmac]

I listened to the Journey To The Center Of The Eye set today......the live disc is definitely an audience recording probably from the reel to reel tape[sounds too good to be from a cassette source]........it's on the Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra label btw.

I suspected it would be the same recording. Still great, though.

[markowitz]

Thanks for the follow up Ronmac. May have to check it out. I have the Eclectic JTCOTE, but it would be great to hear it live.

[Gladiator1634]

Saw them a few times in the mid 70's on Long Island. One show that stands out was at the Hofstra University playhouse a hall that had fantastic acoustics. There live shows definitely rivaled those of Genesis and Pink Floyd of that era.

[richt]

Has anyone had the chance to compare it with the Sandy 3 CD set from 2005? I have a copy of 11/13/71 on cassette I got from a guy in KillDevilHills in the 90's. Kinda rough in spots but listenable.

[ronmac]

Has anyone had the chance to compare it with the Sandy 3 CD set from 2005? I have a copy of 11/13/71 on cassette I got from a guy in KillDevilHills in the 90's. Kinda rough in spots but listenable.

I believe that's a 2CD set.

[Mick]

Although I have almost everything Nektar recorded, you'd assume that the original members would each get copies of these re-releases... but it has not been so, thus I've not seen or heard this CD either.
I'm happy that it is finally available to fans again tho'... even if our studio version of the Dream Nebula is still chopped into two parts.