Hi Neal, thanks for taking the time to talk with me. I just want to let you know what a huge fan I've been of your work ever since I "discovered" you when Beware of Darkness came out. I’m very excited about your new CD and I have the special version on order. I just watched the Testimony Live DVD this last weekend, which was a real treat since I had not been able to get to the concert. Since our listeners/readers are all pretty familiar with you and your history, I won't take up your time rehashing old territory, but get in to some questions about the new release, One, and all that good stuff.
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Q. What's the background of One? What message are you wanting to get across?
A: The lyrical content of One is about the separation of man from God, and his ultimate reunion with God. There’s a lot of biblical stuff in here. It’s about a home coming, really. The story of the prodigal son, stretched out and magnified.
Musically, it’s real proggy. It’s in a similar bag to Testimony. It’s like Testimony, only a little more bandish sounding…like Testimony meets Transatlantic. That’s partly because of the influences of Mike [Portnoy] and Randy [George], and that I let it open to their collaboration.
Q. Who did you work with on this release?
A. With Mike Portnoy and Randy George, mainly…that was the nucleus of it. There were a lot of other folks that worked on the dressing. If you look at it like a house, we built a foundation and the framing…other folks came along and did the drywall, and put a few paintings on the wall.
Phil Keaggy was kind enough to play some solos and do some singing. And then I had some really nice background singers, horn players and string players…a lot of really sweet people helping me out.
Q. You and Mike Portnoy seemed to have stayed really tight through all the changes in the last couple of years. Are there any plans for you two to work together in a different context than Neal Morse?
A. Not at this time. Who knows what the future holds?
Q. You are proficient at so many instruments. Do you spend time practicing any more, or is the process of writing your practice?
A. Yeah, I think so…the process of writing is my practice. I just play a lot. Guitars are just sitting around the house…when I sit down, I’ll just pick one up. Sometimes I’ll go into the studio and play the piano. When I go camping, I love to sit back and relax with a guitar. But I don’t really practice, per se, unless I have a gig coming up.
Q. From the samples on your web site, I hear another of your famous Gentle Giant type vocal arrangements on "Author of Confusion." I loved these things ever since I heard "Thoughts," originally. Any insight on how you come up with these things? Do you think, "Ah, I want to do the vocal bit on this album, but just need to find the right spot?" Or, is it more that a song seems to tell you that it needs that touch?
A. Oh…the songs seems to tell me that it needs that touch. With "Author Of Confusion" I originally had the idea for the melody line…and I thought it would just make sense there. I tried to do that in "Thoughts and Jibberish” as well. It’s about a lot of confusion in your mind. As I see it, any way.
Q. Did you have any specific challenges in getting this release out, or did it go pretty smoothly?
A. Well there’s always challenges. For example…it was a challenge to get everything delivered to Rich [Mouser] before I left on vacation. It worked out pretty well, though. I set the delivery to Rich for August 1st…and I set that date in June. I delivered the album [August] 3rd or 4th…that’s pretty close in the world of music (laughs). A lot of times it’s month’s late. Snow, I think was. V was, too…I think we mixed that whole album twice. There were some issues, yeah, but nothing too difficult.
Q. When I first saw Spock’s Beard in the old days, I was always struck by how much fun you all appeared to be having on stage. There was a joyousness about it that was infectious. On the DVD, your passion is palpable. I would like to know how you feel about playing live; is it something that you enjoy as much as it appears, or something you'd rather not have to do so much?
A. Oh, I enjoy it…I love it. I love to play…to be with people. Sometimes playing live can wear on you if you do it too much, though. As I get older…the travel, particularly, and the volume thing…sometimes the volume wears. That’s one reason I’ve been enjoying the solo gigs I’m doing.
But no, we weren’t acting…we were having a good time…except when the monitors weren’t behaving (laughs).
Q. You seem to be getting a lot of notice from the Christian music community now. Have you seen that materialize in terms of support and sales?
A. Well, not yet, really…to be honest. But we’re still hopeful. I’m not really about markets and stuff like that, though. I want to do whatever the Lord wants me to do. He will open doors and make a way for what He wants to have happen.
Q. What's next for you after this? Are you going to continue on with music or is that up in the air?
A. Well, I hope to (laughs). I imagine I’ll continue on with music. I never know what I’ll do next, though…what I’ll feel compelled to do.
Q. Is there anyone left that you haven't worked with, at this stage of your career…that you would really like to do an album with?
A. Oh, well sure…loads of folks…a lot of people. I’d like to work more closely with Kerry Livgren and Phil Keaggy if I could. I’d love to work with Peter Gabriel, Jars of Clay, Chris Rice…and others.
Q. Any parting thoughts or things you'd like to tell your fans about yourself or this new release?
Praise God with all your life. Give Him your heart. You won’t be sorry!
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Thanks very much for your time, Neal. Once we get the CD in, we'll make sure to put it in rotation at Progrock.com.
