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  Roy Arlington - guitars & vocals Allan Freeman - keyboards Derek Moore - bass Ron Howden - drums Some critics describe them as a "German answer to British bands Pink Floyd and Hawkwind", although Nektar is not a German band, but a band of English expatriates living in Germany. In any case, that "answer" is not absolutely convincing. I've listened to some of their albums, including "Recycled", almost universally recognized as their "best". First about the comparisons. So, Pink Floyd and Hawkwind? These are quite distant and strange comparisons. As a matter of fact, Nektar has absolutely nothing to do with these bands. Both Pink Floyd (especially) and Hawkwind with their characteristic diverse arrangements present much more progresive acts than Nektar, that relates rather to more accessible progs as early Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra, and the like, who are really spacey, as early Nektar is, but nothing more. There are, within that kind of progressive, specific structures, mostly based on the resources of keyboards rather than on the composition as it is, or on composing abilities of the composer and the musicians. On the other hand, the structures of the true prog bands like Pink Floyd and Hawkwind contain "spaceyness" as one, but not the main, among the other ingredients, to create a work with many distinct peculiar shades. The term "spacey" with regard to the aforesaid bands with their truly rock sound, and various, often fast, themes, arrangements and solos, is not in accordance with the facts. Pink Floyd and Hawkwind are progressive bands with open rock structures and some elements of psychodelia rather than spaceyness.
Summary. Back to Nektar, I need to say that attempting to perform more or less progressive
rock, they, as a result, have a couple of so-so albums, "Recycled" including, with quite boring,
accessible music. It is the same sort of "classics" as "Rockpommels Land" or "Hijack" from
their countrymen Grobschnitt and Amon Duul. After "Recycled" these pseudo Proggers went
commercial Rock. "Krautrock". ("Phonogram")
VM. 15.11.1998 |
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