Robin Trower: The First Farewell Tour
In the boisterous, over-the-top world of rock 'n' roll guitarists, there are a select few who have made their reputation on actually playing the guitar rather than talking about how good they believe they are. Robin Trower is one such musician. Since 1962, Trower's been performing his tone-filled blend of rock and blues to the delight of millions of people around the world. Trowers not just a good guitarist, he's a great guitarist and is incredibly respected and appreciated for his style and devotion to live performance. At 60-plus years of age, Trower refuses to "mail it in." He's not just going through the motion when he's on-stage. His performance at The Music Mill in Indianapolis, Indiana electrified and mesmerized the capacity crowd with his brilliant and enthusiastic performance. The guitar, for Robin Trower, is a part of his being, a part of his soul and like his hero, Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower becomes immersed in his efforts to extract all that the instrument is capable of. While Hendrix's revolutionary style was mixed with incredible flash and showmanship, Trower prefers a more laid-back approach. Trower focuses on coaxing every ounce of music, tone and spirit from his six-string companion. In his Indianapolis performance Trower and his very tight road band showcased much of Trower's impressive musical history. Performing classics such as "Day of the Eagle, Twice Removed from Yesterday, Shame the Devil and another 13 gems from his extensive catalog, Robin Trower left his fans satisfied and inspired. With a tongue in cheek tour moniker of "The First Farewell Tour" fans were thrilled to have had the chance to once again catch Trower. Gracious and approachable, after the show a clearly tired Robin Trower even took the time to share a hello, sign a few autographs and make the day of several hundred fans.
I had the opportunity to talk with Robin about guitars, music, and his new disc "Seven Moons"
Congratulations on Seven Moons! It's a very good record, well written with the focus clearly on the songs rather than "flash". I'd say this record certainly could have Grammy written all over it.
Robin Trower: It is exciting to think it may be nominated for a Grammy and I’m pleased you like the record. I think It became special when Jack and I co-wrote rather than just bringing our own songs to the project and recording. We really spent time working together to creating it and I think that’s what makes it such a strong assortment of songs. As you can imagine, it was great to work with Jack Bruce He’s a unique, world class bass player and vocalist.
What was your basic recording process when you were working in the studio on Seven Moons?
Robin Trower: For the most part it was more like a live performance. We laid down the basic tracks and then of course the lead guitar licks and Jack’s vocals were recorded separately and then overdubbed.
From reviews I've read of your previous gigs this year, your touring band is extraordinary. Who do you have with you on the road and how's the musical chemistry?
Robin Trower: The guys I’m working with on the road have been great! It’s
Davey Pattison singing, Glenn Letsch on bass and Pete Thompson on the drums. I’ve worked with these guys over the years and they have a very good understanding of what I try to do musically. I think they compliment my playing style and tone very well and it’s a pleasure to work with them.
Was there a specific person or event that motivated you to pick up the guitar?
Robin Trower: Well I have an older brother who used to bring home rock and roll records when we were kids. Because of this I was turned onto Elvis and of course his guitarist, Scotty Moore. I have to say that when I heard Scotty Moore play that was when I decided that playing the guitar was what I wanted to do.
You've been playing live and recording for five decades. What have been the biggest changes you've seen in the music business since you started?
Robin Trower: I would have to say that technology has allowed people to “tidy” up recordings and while that isn’t necessarily bad, I think too many bands are relying too much on digital fixes. What I mean is that sometimes the focus can be on making musical adjustments in the recording rather than initially playing a song or lick correctly in the first place.
What guitars do you take along on the road with you these days? Anything different or special?
Robin Trower: On the road I carry three signature model strats. That’s all I play any more. The signature model is very different from a basic Stratocaster. It’s a combination of special touches that I put together with the guys from Fender. It’s got a vintage style tailpiece and saddles. For pickups the guitar has two custom 50’s vintage-style pickups in at the neck and the middle position. The bridge pickup is a “Tex-Mex”. The neck is fatter with a “C” shape to it with jumbo frets. The headstock is the 1970’s style “big headstock” because I think the more word and size provides more tone and resonance.
What's your preference for amps, are you pretty much sticking to Marshall gear?
Robin Trower: I’m still relying on my good old reliable Marshalls. On this tour I’m using a JCM 800 and JMP both are set up as half-stacks.
On the road, do you have a guitar tech or do you do your own re-stringing, adjustments etc?
Robin Trower: I do have a guitar tech on the road with me this tour, a man called Guy Ebbs. This is his first time with me but he’s doing a wonderful job maintaining my gear.
Is there any new piece of guitar related gear that you've fallen in love with in the past few years?
Robin Trower: Well I’m always looking for that “extra” little bit to add to my sound. I’ve been using a lot of Fulltone pedals recently and in fact they are working on a “Robin Trower Signature overdrive pedal. They recently sent me a prototype to test out. I do like to use effects like a wah-wah pedal and of course I like to overdrive my sound. While I don’t tend to work much with the tone controls on my guitar I do control the volume and intensity of my overdrives by using the volume control on my guitar.
Is there a particular pickup on your guitar that you tend to gravitate towards?
Robin Trower: I do use all three pickups but have a tendency to use the middle and neck pickups the most.
Of all the great guitar players out there, who would you like to jam with if given the opportunity?
Robin Trower: I would have to say BB King, he’s such a legend. I would have loved to have sat in with Albert King and Jimi Hendrix. I don’t think I would be where I am at today with each of those guys.
Did you ever have the chance to see Hendrix?
Robin Trower: Yes, I did see Jimi and without a doubt it was a life changing experience for me.
Who do you consider the top three guitar players on the planet?
Robin Trower: As I said earlier, I was very influenced by Scotty Moore’s playing when I was younger so I would have to say that my “top three guitarists” would be Jimi Hendrix, who I think was and still is the best rock guitar player ever. When it comes to blues, I think Albert King set the standard and of course the legendary Scotty Moore. Those are the players who resonated with me.
Do you still actively practice playing the guitar?
Robin Trower: Yeah, I play all the time mostly working up new ideas but I play for my own pleasure and I’ll often just play slow or mid tempo blues. I love to play the guitar more than anything.
With all advent of the internet and the digital age, do you think new players today have a learning advantage over people who learned to play the guitar in the 1960s and 1970s?
Robin Trower: I often wonder about that. While there are certainly advantages with all of today’s technology, one of the problems is that a lot of players don’t try or get to play live in front of people. I also think that too many players put too much of an effort into trying to play like someone else. While people often compare my playing to Jimi Hendrix’s tone and style, I tried not to copy other people’s licks or styles and I hope people who listen to my music realize that. I was always interested in what was behind the notes and not the notes themselves.
Is there a single piece of advice or wise counsel you can share with guitar players of any experience level? Perhaps a thought or a realization about the instrument that you've discovered over your years of playing?
Robin Trower: When playing or practicing work on original stuff. Try not to intentionally copy someone else, it’s a dead end creatively. You need to look for your own creativity and develop your own unique style.
You can learn more about this amazing musician by visiting the official Robin Trower website at www.trowerpower.com
