| STRAIGHT
TALK FROM CARL…..
In
a frank and informative interview, Carl Palmer discusses the new album,
DO YA WANNA PLAY, CARL! – THE CARL PALMER ANTHOLOGY.
How
long has DO YA WANNA PLAY, CARL! been in the works?
Carl
Palmer: The album has been in the works since 1976, when ELP took its hiatus
to do solo projects. What came of it was the WORKS double LP, with one
band side and three solo sides. It was then that I did the “Percussion
Concerto.” It didn’t make it to WORKS VOL. I or WORKS VOL. II. I have always
wanted to release it and now it has finally come out. I dedicated it to
my father because during the time of this recording, he passed away.
How
does it feel to hear all this incredible music you have made in one collection?
Carl
Palmer: To me this is a dream come true and something I have looked forward
to for a long time. It was an extensive project to compile and features
many rare tracks, including “I Must Be Made”, which is the first recording
I ever made at age 15, with The Craig.
There
are few rock drummers that have attained as much solo success and notoriety
as you. Do you see your position as unique?
Carl
Palmer: I see my position as a musician and to me this is something
that feels very natural. To this day, it is something I am very grateful
for. There are many great drummers in the world, but this will be
a time when people can make up their own about me as a complete musician.
What
aspects of DO YA WANNA PLAY CARL will appeal to drummers, in particular?
Carl
Palmer: I hope individuals will take from these recordings what they can
to help themselves on their way their musical journey.
What
is the history behind your never-before-released drum concerto?
Carl
Palmer: The history behind the concerto is very simple. I had an
idea to record a concerto for percussion and I started to look for someone
who could help me. That is when Joseph Horovitz came into the picture.
He is well known for writing this type of music, as well as all the brass
band music. I was happy when it was done, but boy, it was difficult
for the classical genre to understand this type of music.
How
about the rare track with Buddy Rich?
Carl
Palmer: This was recorded in the early hours of the morning at the
Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club in London. Buddy was probably getting tired.
He had asked me many times to sit with his orchestra. I was lucky
that this time it was recorded. It was given to me in the USA
last year when I was doing a promotional tour for Paiste Cymbals. It has
Buddy introducing a number of me with the band. It was given to me
by a fan in the audience!
Any
reflections on your personal relationship with Buddy?
Carl
Palmer: He was a great man; very kind. I would have to say the Rich
family has been very supportive over the years.
Most
musicians hope to have any professional success with one group. You have
done it with several, and in the case of ELP and ASIA, you went to the
top of the charts many times over. How does that feel?
Carl
Palmer: I have had a very good career as far as being successful in the
groups to say I have had to two big success with ELP and ASIA is fine,
but I think my time with The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown is also very important.
We had a number 1 single and album at the same time.
The
hit single, “(I Am The God Of Hellfire And I Bring You…) Fire,”
Was
a huge. The reason it is not on my anthology is because many, many drummers
cut the track with Arthur and I can’t really tell you if the single is
the one with me playing on it. That is why it is off the CD.
Also,
I have to say that Atomic Rooster was very important. We had a #1 single
called “Tomorrow Night.” I cut the demo right before I left to join ELP,
but I never played on the single that the band released. They used my replacement
on that. The tracks included on the CD, however, are from the first album
that I did appear on.
How
much of the success with ELP and ASIA was luck and timing, and how much
of it was really hard work?
Carl
Palmer: Asia was all timing and it was the period of the birth of MTV.
We had embraced the art of the music video and that made a massive difference.
We were very lucky to catch the wave. We did work hard, but not like ELP.
ELP was all hard work and complete dedication.
What
are your fondest memories of ELP and ASIA?
Carl
Palmer: With Asia it was having the #1 single and album for 9 weeks!
With ELP it was….well, everything.
Can
you talk a little about the other tracks on the LP, by The Craig, The Chants,
3, PM, and Qango.
Carl
Palmer: The Chants were a group from Liverpool. This was my first recording
session ever. I must have been 14 or 15. It was a track called “I Must
Be Mad,” and it is on the anthology. PM was a short lived rock band that
I assembled after the demise of ELP in 1980. It included John Nitzinger
on guitar. “3” was some fun that I had with Keith in 1988. It included
an American named Robert Berry. He did showcase clubs and one LP on Geffen,
Qango is another one-off project I did with John Wetton and a couple of
other musicians. It was essentially a tour and live LP that John and I
did last year when we were unable to resurrect the original Asia. There
was some good stuff on the LP.
Can
you discuss your work with Mike Oldfield?
Carl
Palmer: My work with Mike Oldfield was very spontaneous and done
in one day in the studio. It was after he had the success from Tubular
Bells. But during that recording we made “Mount Teide” and another
track called “Ready Mix, ” a jam session recorded the first time thorough.
Please
talk about your new band and your upcoming tour...
Carl
Palmer: The new band is playing mainly the UK with some dates in
Europe. About 20 dates in all. It’s a trio with me, guitarist Shaun Baxter,
and bassis Dave Marks. Both of them teach at the Guitar Institute in London.
We will be recording a live album that we will have available on the website
next year, and eventually in stores. Hopefully, we will be recording some
new material here in Europe this year.
Is
there anything from a musical standpoint that you have yet to accomplish?
Carl
Palmer: Yes I would still like to accomplish that great Emerson,
Lake & Palmer album that I know we have still yet to make. This is
still a dream, but as long as I can prove that I am getting better all
the time, that to me is ultimate accomplishment.
Is
there anything you'd like to set the record straight on?
Carl
Palmer: I can’t think of anything right now, but I will let you know if
I do!
Thanks
for a great interview for your fans.
Carl
Palmer: It was my pleasure.
Bruce
Pilato
June
2001.
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