If I've got the math right, you were just 22 years old when you were playing with Procol Harum in the late 60’s.
That’s right

So you’ve been at this a good long time. How do you keep it interesting for yourself?
Well you know, there have been periods when I’ve stopped doing it for a few years. But you never actually stop altogether, because I always play guitar. I think that what has kept it interesting for me is that I was blessed with a bit of a gift for creativity. So I’m always coming up with new stuff. And that’s really it – the whole moving forward thing – that keeps you interested.

You have always had great guitar technique. Do you have a practice routine that you follow when you are not touring? What do you do to keep your chops up?
I play for my own amusement, basically. You know, when I pick a guitar up, I doodle. Mostly it will be around a "blues kind of thing." And messing around – doodling – is how I come up with new ideas.

You’ve never been reluctant to use volume to get the sound you want. So what have you done to protect your hearing over the years?
Pardon? . . . No, there’s no doubt about it, my hearing is not great . . . anymore. It has suffered, but it is not as bad as it could have been. I’ve been lucky really.

Well, I don’t think you are alone in that.
No, I know that Townsend – Pete Townsend - has terrible trouble with his hearing. I don’t think I’m as bad as him, but mind you he used to play very, very loud for years and years.

Well before we realized we should protect our hearing.
Yeah. This is it. You know, when you’re having fun you don’t think about those sort of things, do you?

You’ve released a lot of albums over the years, and written a lot of songs. Do you have a typical process for song composition?
Well typically – and it doesn’t apply to everything, but in general - I would say it is has to be always about a guitar part. A guitar part that I feel I can get a groove off of. For me a song has to have that – has to have a guitar part that I want to play. That’s the key element because, especially in a 3 piece band, the guitar part has to be very, very strong in the arrangement for it to work.


Tell us a little about your new album – Seven Moons – and reuniting with Jack Bruce.
It was great, and so easy to do as well. It came together very quickly and easily.

Does he typically do the lyrics when you write together?
Well this is really the first time we ever wrote material together. When we worked together in the past, we’d each bring in our own songs. But no , the lyrics are all mine. Jack’s main thing is the top line and obviously, suggestions about the form of the piece and other things. But just him adding his top line and the bass piece, and it becomes something else.

I assume on this tour you will be featuring material from Seven Moons.
No, I have decided not to do any material from that on this tour – because I felt that not many people would know this material. And to them it would be just listening to a song they didn’t know.

So what sort of material will you be playing from your back catalogue?
It’s mostly stuff from the 70's. And theres some stuff from the 70's there that I’ve never played live... before this tour.

Like what?
"For Earth Below" . . . You know, its like playing new songs when you haven’t played them live before.

That’s exciting... How did you put together your current touring band? Do you want to tell us anything about these guys?
They are all guys I worked with in the 80's mostly. Then about 5 years ago I did an album called Living Out of Time, in which I used Davey

Here's one of my standard questions: Who were your inspirations as a young musician? Who inspires you today?
It was really Elvis’ guitar playing that got me wanting to play guitar. Then I was going along, developing my own musical identity a bit, when I heard BB King - which completely changed my approach, or it was the beginning of a change in approach anyhow.

And other blues players, lots and lots. BB King and Albert King would be at the top of the list. In fact, Albert King is my favorite blues guitarist. Then there is Jimi Hendrix, of course, who is my favorite rock and roll guitar player. He was a huge influence on me.

And it's pretty much the same people who inspire me today. They are my favorites and that’s where I get inspiration from. But you know, it’s not just guitar players. James Brown has been a huge, huge influence musically. And Howlin’ Wolf’s music. And lots and lots of others. But those are the guys I put my stock in and I am still inspired by.

We try to gear our website to music aficionados, audiophiles and gearheads. Can you describe the rig you are currently playing on tour?
I’m playing a Robin Trower signature model Strat. I’m playing through Deja Vibe by Fulltone, Clyde2 Wah by Fulltone, and a FullDrive2, also by Fulltone. And I’m using two old Marshall heads, one's an 800 and ones a JMP - both 100s - through a 4 x 12 Marshall cabinet each.

Well, we are really looking forward to seeing you. Thanks so much for your time; we appreciate the interview.
You are welcome. Thank you, Bill.

You can listen to a couple tracks from Bridge of Sighs in our Listening Room.
Also, here's a link to a fun YouTube video of the Robin Trower Band in 1975. Enjoy!

Robin Trower is playing at the Barrymore Theatre on Saturday, April 5th. Buy tickets [here].