Nektar

Not to be confused with Nectar.
Nektar

Roye Albrighton with Nektar live in 2007
Background information
Origin Hamburg, Germany
Genres Progressive rock, space rock
Years active 1969–1982, 2000–present
Labels Current:
Cleopatra
Former:
Bellaphon, United Artists, Passport, Decca, Polydor, Ariola, Bacillus
Website www.nektarsmusic.com
Members Roye Albrighton
Ron Howden
Klaus Henatsch
Lux Vibratus
Past members Derek "Mo" Moore
Allan "Taff" Freeman
Mick Brockett
Keith Walters
Larry Fast
Dave Nelson
Carmine Rojas
Dave Prater
Randy Dembo
Tom Hughes
Peter Pichl

Nektar (German for Nectar) is a 1970s English progressive rock band originally based in Germany.

Early history

The band formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1969. Members included Englishmen Roye Albrighton on guitars and vocals, Allan "Taff" Freeman on keyboards, Derek "Mo" Moore on bass, Ron Howden on drums, and Mick Brockett on lights and special effects. Songwriting was always considered a group effort.

The band's early albums Journey to the Centre of the Eye, A Tab in the Ocean, and ...Sounds Like This were obscure psychedelic rock albums that won the band a growing cult following, based largely on word of mouth. The last of those albums was the first Nektar album to be released in the U.S., on the small Passport Records label.

Success

Nektar's second U.S. release, Remember the Future (1973), propelled the band briefly into mass popularity. A concept album about a blind boy who communicates with an extraterrestrial being, the music was a big leap forward for the band, with a much more melodic sound than on previous albums. It shot into the Top 20 album charts in the U.S. The follow-up album, Down to Earth (1974), was another concept album with a circus theme; it also sold well, breaking into the Top 40 album charts and included Nektar's only song to chart on the Billboard singles charts, "Astral Man". The next album, Recycled (1975), was stylistically close to bands like Gentle Giant and carried on the band's close connection with progressive rock.

Guitarist Roye Albrighton left the band just prior to the studio sessions for Nektar's first major-label release, Magic Is a Child (1977). He was replaced by guitarist/vocalist Dave Nelson. The album was more eclectic, although with shorter songs and fairly straightforward rhythms. Lyrically the album covered a wide range of subjects from Norse mythology and magic to more down to earth subjects like railroads and truck drivers. The band would go on to release one more album, 1980's Man in the Moon, before breaking up.

Reformation

Nektar regrouped in 2002 and headlined NEARfest (opposite Steve Hackett) with a full line-up including synthesizer player Larry Fast. They also released their first album of new material since the 1970s, The Prodigal Son. They followed this release in 2004 with Evolution. The lineup of Nektar included Randy Dembo on bass and Tom Hughes on Hammond organ alongside original members Albrighton and Howden. Dembo and Hughes left in August 2006, citing communication problems, money issues, personality issues and trust in the management issues. All of Nektar's back catalogue has either been remastered and re-released or is in the process of being so.

In 2006, the band found new management (Roy Clay) to replace The Eclectic Records staff, playing "Prog fests" around the globe on a part-time basis, and occasionally appearing in some of their old haunts in the New Jersey/New York area. Clay was subsequently released from management duties early 2007 after a dispute over financial matters.

The band's next album Book of Days, was released on 16 May 2008 on the Bellaphon Label. It features more of Roye Albrighton's guitar work than previous Nektar albums.[1]

In mid-2007, a solo tour was undertaken by lead singer Roye Albrighton, to be followed by a full band tour of Europe (primarily Germany), and scheduled by a European-based promoter, but they had to postpone as extra funds were needed to complete the new album.

The band began work on a new album for 2012, titled Time Machine (formerly titled "Juggernaut"), and a covers album called A Spoonful of Time. Time Machine faced delays and was not released until July 2013.

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album United States
1971 Journey to the Centre of the Eye
1972 A Tab in the Ocean 141
1973 ...Sounds Like This
Remember the Future 19
1974 Down to Earth 32
1975 Recycled 89
1977 Magic Is a Child 172
1980 Man in the Moon
2001 The Prodigal Son
2004 Evolution
2008 Book of Days
2012 A Spoonful of Time
2013 Time Machine

Live albums

Year Album
1974 Sunday Night at London Roundhouse
1977 Live in New York
1978 More Live Nektar in New York
2002 Unidentified Flying Abstract - Live at Chipping Norton 1974
Nearfest 2002 (Studio M Recording)
2004 Greatest Hits Live
2005 2004 Tour Live
Door to the Future
2009 Fortyfied

Compilation albums

Year Album
1976 Nektar
1978 Thru the Ears
1994 Highlights - The Best of Nektar
1998 The Dream Nebula: The Best of 1971-1975

Singles

Year Title Billboard Hot 100 U.S Mainstream Rock UK Top 100 Album
1973 "Do You Believe in Magic?" - - - ...Sounds Like This
1974 "What Ya Gonna Do?" - - -
"Remember the Future (Edit)" - - - Remember the Future
"Fidgety Queen'" - - - Down to Earth
"Astral Man" 91 - -
1975 "Flight to Reality" - - - Recycled
2005 "Always" - - - Evolution

Videography

Video albums

Year Title
2003 Live
2005 Pure: Live in Germany 2005

References

External links

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