All Interviews
Pallas
Pallas
Posted on Dec 25, 2005
by Anders
The Scottish prog-rock band Pallas is ready with their new album "The Dreams Of Men", this is my first encounter with the band, but I have to admit I got blown away while listening to their tunes. The band has quite some years behind them, they were initially formed in 1974 as Rainbow, but changed name to Pallas in 1977, when Ritchie Blackmore debuted with his new band Rainbow. The only original member left in the band is bassist Graeme Murray. The one who gladly answered my questions was one of the new kids on the block, Alan Reed the vocalist who only have been a part of Pallas for 21 years.
Hi there, how are things in Scotland as we speak?
Cold and grim - but I'm in London (which is also cold and grim!!!). I'm separated from the rest of the band by 600 km, which makes writing and recording quite a challenge!!
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us how your passion for progressive rock has been kept intact throughout all these years you have been a part of the scene?
Well, I'm Alan Reed the singer (and occasional guitarist). I'm still a relative newcomer as I've only been in the band 21 years!!!
The band's been around in various incarnations since the late 70's, but really came to notice in 1981 when it released a self-financed live album called "Arrive Alive”. A deal with EMI followed and the debut studio album "The Sentinel" came out in 1984. I joined in summer of that year after the band parted with the original singer Euan Lowson. We left EMI in '86 after unhappiness at their lack of support for the band and despite being on the verge of re-singing to another major on a couple of occasions we effectively called it a day in '88. - But still we kept in touch; eventually resurfacing in '98 with another album "Beat The Drum" and releasing albums, DVD's etc on an irregular basis ever since.
We got back into it because we felt we had some "unfinished business"; - that there was still a better Pallas album to be recorded. We didn't really have an audience in mind other than ourselves. And I think the music's better because of it. We're getting more of a buzz working together now than we ever did.
A small introduction of the rest of the band together with a bit about their roles in Pallas will be great as well!
Well, there's Graeme Murray (bass, 12-string, bass pedals and vocals) who is really the man who's been with it from the beginning. If it's anyone's band it's his.
Niall Matthewson (guitars) is probably the most musical in the band, insofar as he thinks in terms of sounds and rhythms rather than just as guitar, bass or keyboard parts. We record in his studio and he engineers it all.
Ronnie Brown (keyboards) is very good at textures and atmospheres as well as the traditional keyboard role. He's also a key personality in the band's make-up. He balances the extremes of whatever the rest of us try to push. He tends to be the referee or peacemaker in any "musical differences" discussions.
Colin Fraser (drums) is the newest member (replacing Derek Forman in '98). He's the band's comedian; At least you can't hear his endless one-liners when he's playing drums :-).
About a month ago you released your new amazing album "The Dreams Of Men", how has it been received by both the press and your fans?
Very well indeed. The reviews have been almost universally good. We expected at least the odd bad one, but I haven't managed to find one yet. The response from the fans has also been encouraging. You kind of expect that, but what is most encouraging is when you get people who previously didn't really like the band saying they love it. Making new friends is always the most satisfying thing.
What is "The Dreams Of Men", what does the album title refer to and how did you get the idea for it?
We wanted an overall lyrical theme for the album to give us a direction to concentrate on, but which would allow us a bit of freedom to explore diverse musical feels. "The Dreams Of Men" gives us the whole spectrum of human nature to play with; love, hate, fear, greed, etc etc.
We discussed quite a few different ideas for the album, but this is the one that seemed to fit most. It grew out of 'Bringer Of Dreams' which was probably the first track to get into a finished state.
How do you in the band feel about the album?
We're very satisfied. It took a bit longer to make than we'd planned (almost 4 years since the previous studio album) - and at times it seemed like we'd never finish it - but we got there and it's every bit as good as we'd hoped.
What do you expect from it?
Well, we felt that the previous album ("The Cross And The Crucible") was very strong, and we realised that it'd be hard act to follow. We wanted to make an album that was at least as good, if not better, but also that was perhaps a little bit different. (We don't like to repeat ourselves). I think we managed it.
How would you describe the development within the band throughout the years?
We've got better players, and we've learned a lot about how to develop ideas over a long period. I think we've successfully embraced more modern ideas into our music without losing sight of the things that excited us in the first place. We've never been great innovators, but we've created a distinctive Pallas sound that we've managed to stay true to over the years, without letting it become stagnant and stale.
Which elements in a song do you find important?
All of it... Every little detail can make a difference... And we usually need to try at least 10 different variations on each idea till we're happy we've got the best out of it. Most importantly whatever we do has to make sense as a song in its own right. We don't write music just to show off how clever we are as musicians. Each piece needs an internal logic that holds true to whatever basic idea it sprang from. It also needs an emotional integrity where words and music come together naturally. A good strong melody helps :-).
If you look back at your career which 3 songs of your recorded material would you pick out as archetype Pallas songs?
Tricky.
1) 'Crown Of Thorns' from "Arrive Alive" pretty much sets the template for what we're about. A good strong tune, quite heavy and energetic in parts, and atmospheric and emotional in others. Words and music work together well.
2) 'The Cross And The Crucible' from the album of the same name. Adds in the orchestral "sturm und drang" which is another of our trademarks.
3) 'Ghostdancers' from "The Dreams Of Men" A noticeably celtic influence, and a "story song" that anchors itself in a narrative of imagined experience.
Where do you find inspiration when you write music?
All over the place. Often the musical idea comes first and we work around that until it has a strong identity. Then we try and find a lyrical idea that will work with where we feel the music's going. The two then often develop together over time. The finished songs are often quite different from the original ideas we started with.
Have the way you get influenced to and the way you write music changed throughout the years?
I'm not really sure. My tastes have changed over the years – as I'm sure they have for others in the band. I can never be sure what's going to move me - but it's often stuff I wouldn't have expected. When I write, I tend to dabble with the guitar or keyboard until something strikes me. It tends to be more a feeling than an intellectual recognition of something. It comes from the heart I suppose.
When you look back through the time, can you then pick out 3 bands and 3 songs that have meant a lot to you and the way you write music?
I suppose the most consistently influential band to me over the years has to be Rush. They've always moved on and developed - but they've always kept themselves true to themselves. It's what I hope we aim for. I also started as a bass-player; and Geddy Lee was a tremendous influence.
Genesis were also a very early influence - mainly because I realised I could sing that kind of music - and I liked the way it challenged my assumptions about what could be "rock" music. Peter Gabriel's odd way of looking at the world was also an early lyrical influence.
Led Zeppelin - because they made me realise you could be heavy and subtle, complex and simple - sometimes all at once in the same song.
I've always had a soft spot for 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac I love the unusual use of dobro guitar and the harmonies - but it also reminds me of a certain time and person. 'Hocus Pocus' from Focus always puts a smile on my face… They just throw everything in there and somehow it works. And 'America' by Simon & Garfunkel (NOT the over-the-top version by Yes) creates a wistful longing for a lost time and place that I love. I guess I'm just an old folkie really :-).
Do you have a tale to tell with your music and the lyrics as well, or is it all pure entertainment?
The music and the words have to mean something to me. It's best if you can be entertaining as well, but I think music has to be "about" something. It's the old folkie coming out again ;-0.
Which lyrical topics have you touched on the new album?
It's fairly wide-ranging. Each song is like a little vignette – a self-contained portrait of a specific feeling. It'd take too long to go through each one, but I suppose the thing that links them is a fairly grim view of human nature. Every silver lining has its cloud - it's what makes us human :-).
Where is the inspiration for the lyrics found?
Well, Graeme had the initial ideas for most of the tracks this time round, with me altering and re-writing them to "improve" them. We've developed this way of working where one of us will come up with an initial lyric, and it'll inspire the other one to develop it and finish it. By the time we've finished, the lyric can have quite a different meaning from what we first started with. It's similar to how we write the music. Everything is up for discussion, because the aim is to make things the best they can be. We have the occasional arguments where we have opposing views about something, and then we have to negotiate something that's acceptable to both of us. We had a couple of those this time round :-).
If I have to pick out a favourite track or 2 from "The Dreams Of Men", even though it is hard, it must be the 2 epics 'Ghostdancers' and 'Too Close To The Sun', what are the stories behind those 2 tracks and how did you come up with them?
'Ghostdancers' was written as a musical piece long before we had a lyric. I came up with an early lyric and vocal called "The Dreams Of Men" which was about lost dreams and disappointment. But it didn't quite work. Then Graeme came up with the idea of Scottish settlers heading for the Americas and what they hoped for. It had a much better "hook" so we developed that, and the folkier elements in the song came much more to the fore as we followed that idea. In the end it just became obvious we'd need to add a fiddle player- but that came very late in the recording process.
'Too Close To The Sun' sprang from something Ronnie had been working on. For a long time I didn't think that it would work for the band as it had been written almost like a complete orchestral piece - in fact I jokingly called it "Ronnie's Keyboard Concerto No1"!!! It was difficult to see where guitar and vocal melodies could fit into such a dense arrangement. The time signature (11/8) didn't help. It was a real headache. Graeme and I both tried different things, and in the end we ended up with a vocal that was a hybrid of our different versions. The finished version sounds surprisingly natural, but it didn't feel like it while we were working on it.
Which tracks are your favourites on the album and why?
I love 'Mr Wolfe', because it's just so dynamic. I'm really looking forward to seeing if Graeme can play it live :-) (the bass part is a real wrist-breaker). I also love 'The Last Angel'. I think the vocals on it are the best I've ever done - and the operatic vocal on the end section is just so beautiful. I still can't believe it's us when I hear it!!
What are the ideas behind the cover artwork and what would you like to tell with it?
Mike Bentley (Pallas' 6th member) is the man behind the artwork. He started playing with images while we were writing the music. He aimed to reflect the lyrics and feel of each song, and in some cases, the images he was coming up with influenced the music and words. It was a truly organic process. There's as much time and love gone into that as there has for the music.
How is Pallas received here in year 2005 by the younger part of the prog rock scene?
When I meet some I'll ask them :-). I get the impression that many are surprised by quite how dynamic and fresh-sounding we are. I think many people assume that a band that has been going as long as we have can't possibly have any surprises to offer. I like to think we prove them wrong. It's very satisfying when people listen to us and say "hey - this isn't quite what I expected!!"
Do you feel you have the status you deserve to have, considering your legacy?
Well, obviously I'm finding it hard to cope without my own private jet; and I'm down to my last five Ferraris. But, you've got to muddle on the best that you can :-).
It would be nice to be playing at a larger level and have the resources to put on bigger and more dramatic shows. But I feel honoured to have been part of making the music that we have. Somehow I've found myself working with this wonderful bunch of guys and we've done some great stuff together. It's like family, really. It remains a central part of my life. That's a better reward than mere money or fame.
How do you look upon the future of Pallas?
Who can tell. We tend not to look much beyond the next project. At the moment we're working towards going out on tour. Once we've done that we'll have a talk and a think about what we want to do next. How about a country and western album - or a collection of progged-up Elvis songs (with added hobbits and orcs)? We could call it "Elvish - The Return of The King!" :-).
Do you care to share your 5 all time favourite albums with our readers?
Tricky
Rush - Different Stages: great live album with loads of tracks from throughout their career.
Led Zeppelin - Remasters: More of a prog band than anyone would care to admit. Listen to 'The Rain Song' if you don't believe me.
Muse - Absolution: My token recent release - but it's just SOOO good. Otherwise "OK Computer" by Radiohead (they HAVE to be Pink Floyd fans)
Yes - Close To The Edge: My favourite track is 'Awaken' on "Going For The One", but “Close To The Edge” is their most consistent album. It just goes to show that you can play complex music AND have fun at the same time.
AC/DC - Back In Black: Just rediscovered this recently. The audacity (some would say poor taste) of doing this after losing Bon Scott is just breathtaking. And I'd forgotten just how disciplined a guitar player Angus Young is. Very nice.
Cold and grim - but I'm in London (which is also cold and grim!!!). I'm separated from the rest of the band by 600 km, which makes writing and recording quite a challenge!!
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us how your passion for progressive rock has been kept intact throughout all these years you have been a part of the scene?
Well, I'm Alan Reed the singer (and occasional guitarist). I'm still a relative newcomer as I've only been in the band 21 years!!!
The band's been around in various incarnations since the late 70's, but really came to notice in 1981 when it released a self-financed live album called "Arrive Alive”. A deal with EMI followed and the debut studio album "The Sentinel" came out in 1984. I joined in summer of that year after the band parted with the original singer Euan Lowson. We left EMI in '86 after unhappiness at their lack of support for the band and despite being on the verge of re-singing to another major on a couple of occasions we effectively called it a day in '88. - But still we kept in touch; eventually resurfacing in '98 with another album "Beat The Drum" and releasing albums, DVD's etc on an irregular basis ever since.
We got back into it because we felt we had some "unfinished business"; - that there was still a better Pallas album to be recorded. We didn't really have an audience in mind other than ourselves. And I think the music's better because of it. We're getting more of a buzz working together now than we ever did.
A small introduction of the rest of the band together with a bit about their roles in Pallas will be great as well!
Well, there's Graeme Murray (bass, 12-string, bass pedals and vocals) who is really the man who's been with it from the beginning. If it's anyone's band it's his.
Niall Matthewson (guitars) is probably the most musical in the band, insofar as he thinks in terms of sounds and rhythms rather than just as guitar, bass or keyboard parts. We record in his studio and he engineers it all.
Ronnie Brown (keyboards) is very good at textures and atmospheres as well as the traditional keyboard role. He's also a key personality in the band's make-up. He balances the extremes of whatever the rest of us try to push. He tends to be the referee or peacemaker in any "musical differences" discussions.
Colin Fraser (drums) is the newest member (replacing Derek Forman in '98). He's the band's comedian; At least you can't hear his endless one-liners when he's playing drums :-).
About a month ago you released your new amazing album "The Dreams Of Men", how has it been received by both the press and your fans?
Very well indeed. The reviews have been almost universally good. We expected at least the odd bad one, but I haven't managed to find one yet. The response from the fans has also been encouraging. You kind of expect that, but what is most encouraging is when you get people who previously didn't really like the band saying they love it. Making new friends is always the most satisfying thing.
What is "The Dreams Of Men", what does the album title refer to and how did you get the idea for it?
We wanted an overall lyrical theme for the album to give us a direction to concentrate on, but which would allow us a bit of freedom to explore diverse musical feels. "The Dreams Of Men" gives us the whole spectrum of human nature to play with; love, hate, fear, greed, etc etc.
We discussed quite a few different ideas for the album, but this is the one that seemed to fit most. It grew out of 'Bringer Of Dreams' which was probably the first track to get into a finished state.
How do you in the band feel about the album?
We're very satisfied. It took a bit longer to make than we'd planned (almost 4 years since the previous studio album) - and at times it seemed like we'd never finish it - but we got there and it's every bit as good as we'd hoped.
What do you expect from it?
Well, we felt that the previous album ("The Cross And The Crucible") was very strong, and we realised that it'd be hard act to follow. We wanted to make an album that was at least as good, if not better, but also that was perhaps a little bit different. (We don't like to repeat ourselves). I think we managed it.
How would you describe the development within the band throughout the years?
We've got better players, and we've learned a lot about how to develop ideas over a long period. I think we've successfully embraced more modern ideas into our music without losing sight of the things that excited us in the first place. We've never been great innovators, but we've created a distinctive Pallas sound that we've managed to stay true to over the years, without letting it become stagnant and stale.
Which elements in a song do you find important?
All of it... Every little detail can make a difference... And we usually need to try at least 10 different variations on each idea till we're happy we've got the best out of it. Most importantly whatever we do has to make sense as a song in its own right. We don't write music just to show off how clever we are as musicians. Each piece needs an internal logic that holds true to whatever basic idea it sprang from. It also needs an emotional integrity where words and music come together naturally. A good strong melody helps :-).
If you look back at your career which 3 songs of your recorded material would you pick out as archetype Pallas songs?
Tricky.
1) 'Crown Of Thorns' from "Arrive Alive" pretty much sets the template for what we're about. A good strong tune, quite heavy and energetic in parts, and atmospheric and emotional in others. Words and music work together well.
2) 'The Cross And The Crucible' from the album of the same name. Adds in the orchestral "sturm und drang" which is another of our trademarks.
3) 'Ghostdancers' from "The Dreams Of Men" A noticeably celtic influence, and a "story song" that anchors itself in a narrative of imagined experience.
Where do you find inspiration when you write music?
All over the place. Often the musical idea comes first and we work around that until it has a strong identity. Then we try and find a lyrical idea that will work with where we feel the music's going. The two then often develop together over time. The finished songs are often quite different from the original ideas we started with.
Have the way you get influenced to and the way you write music changed throughout the years?
I'm not really sure. My tastes have changed over the years – as I'm sure they have for others in the band. I can never be sure what's going to move me - but it's often stuff I wouldn't have expected. When I write, I tend to dabble with the guitar or keyboard until something strikes me. It tends to be more a feeling than an intellectual recognition of something. It comes from the heart I suppose.
When you look back through the time, can you then pick out 3 bands and 3 songs that have meant a lot to you and the way you write music?
I suppose the most consistently influential band to me over the years has to be Rush. They've always moved on and developed - but they've always kept themselves true to themselves. It's what I hope we aim for. I also started as a bass-player; and Geddy Lee was a tremendous influence.
Genesis were also a very early influence - mainly because I realised I could sing that kind of music - and I liked the way it challenged my assumptions about what could be "rock" music. Peter Gabriel's odd way of looking at the world was also an early lyrical influence.
Led Zeppelin - because they made me realise you could be heavy and subtle, complex and simple - sometimes all at once in the same song.
I've always had a soft spot for 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac I love the unusual use of dobro guitar and the harmonies - but it also reminds me of a certain time and person. 'Hocus Pocus' from Focus always puts a smile on my face… They just throw everything in there and somehow it works. And 'America' by Simon & Garfunkel (NOT the over-the-top version by Yes) creates a wistful longing for a lost time and place that I love. I guess I'm just an old folkie really :-).
Do you have a tale to tell with your music and the lyrics as well, or is it all pure entertainment?
The music and the words have to mean something to me. It's best if you can be entertaining as well, but I think music has to be "about" something. It's the old folkie coming out again ;-0.
Which lyrical topics have you touched on the new album?
It's fairly wide-ranging. Each song is like a little vignette – a self-contained portrait of a specific feeling. It'd take too long to go through each one, but I suppose the thing that links them is a fairly grim view of human nature. Every silver lining has its cloud - it's what makes us human :-).
Where is the inspiration for the lyrics found?
Well, Graeme had the initial ideas for most of the tracks this time round, with me altering and re-writing them to "improve" them. We've developed this way of working where one of us will come up with an initial lyric, and it'll inspire the other one to develop it and finish it. By the time we've finished, the lyric can have quite a different meaning from what we first started with. It's similar to how we write the music. Everything is up for discussion, because the aim is to make things the best they can be. We have the occasional arguments where we have opposing views about something, and then we have to negotiate something that's acceptable to both of us. We had a couple of those this time round :-).
If I have to pick out a favourite track or 2 from "The Dreams Of Men", even though it is hard, it must be the 2 epics 'Ghostdancers' and 'Too Close To The Sun', what are the stories behind those 2 tracks and how did you come up with them?
'Ghostdancers' was written as a musical piece long before we had a lyric. I came up with an early lyric and vocal called "The Dreams Of Men" which was about lost dreams and disappointment. But it didn't quite work. Then Graeme came up with the idea of Scottish settlers heading for the Americas and what they hoped for. It had a much better "hook" so we developed that, and the folkier elements in the song came much more to the fore as we followed that idea. In the end it just became obvious we'd need to add a fiddle player- but that came very late in the recording process.
'Too Close To The Sun' sprang from something Ronnie had been working on. For a long time I didn't think that it would work for the band as it had been written almost like a complete orchestral piece - in fact I jokingly called it "Ronnie's Keyboard Concerto No1"!!! It was difficult to see where guitar and vocal melodies could fit into such a dense arrangement. The time signature (11/8) didn't help. It was a real headache. Graeme and I both tried different things, and in the end we ended up with a vocal that was a hybrid of our different versions. The finished version sounds surprisingly natural, but it didn't feel like it while we were working on it.
Which tracks are your favourites on the album and why?
I love 'Mr Wolfe', because it's just so dynamic. I'm really looking forward to seeing if Graeme can play it live :-) (the bass part is a real wrist-breaker). I also love 'The Last Angel'. I think the vocals on it are the best I've ever done - and the operatic vocal on the end section is just so beautiful. I still can't believe it's us when I hear it!!
What are the ideas behind the cover artwork and what would you like to tell with it?
Mike Bentley (Pallas' 6th member) is the man behind the artwork. He started playing with images while we were writing the music. He aimed to reflect the lyrics and feel of each song, and in some cases, the images he was coming up with influenced the music and words. It was a truly organic process. There's as much time and love gone into that as there has for the music.
How is Pallas received here in year 2005 by the younger part of the prog rock scene?
When I meet some I'll ask them :-). I get the impression that many are surprised by quite how dynamic and fresh-sounding we are. I think many people assume that a band that has been going as long as we have can't possibly have any surprises to offer. I like to think we prove them wrong. It's very satisfying when people listen to us and say "hey - this isn't quite what I expected!!"
Do you feel you have the status you deserve to have, considering your legacy?
Well, obviously I'm finding it hard to cope without my own private jet; and I'm down to my last five Ferraris. But, you've got to muddle on the best that you can :-).
It would be nice to be playing at a larger level and have the resources to put on bigger and more dramatic shows. But I feel honoured to have been part of making the music that we have. Somehow I've found myself working with this wonderful bunch of guys and we've done some great stuff together. It's like family, really. It remains a central part of my life. That's a better reward than mere money or fame.
How do you look upon the future of Pallas?
Who can tell. We tend not to look much beyond the next project. At the moment we're working towards going out on tour. Once we've done that we'll have a talk and a think about what we want to do next. How about a country and western album - or a collection of progged-up Elvis songs (with added hobbits and orcs)? We could call it "Elvish - The Return of The King!" :-).
Do you care to share your 5 all time favourite albums with our readers?
Tricky
Rush - Different Stages: great live album with loads of tracks from throughout their career.
Led Zeppelin - Remasters: More of a prog band than anyone would care to admit. Listen to 'The Rain Song' if you don't believe me.
Muse - Absolution: My token recent release - but it's just SOOO good. Otherwise "OK Computer" by Radiohead (they HAVE to be Pink Floyd fans)
Yes - Close To The Edge: My favourite track is 'Awaken' on "Going For The One", but “Close To The Edge” is their most consistent album. It just goes to show that you can play complex music AND have fun at the same time.
AC/DC - Back In Black: Just rediscovered this recently. The audacity (some would say poor taste) of doing this after losing Bon Scott is just breathtaking. And I'd forgotten just how disciplined a guitar player Angus Young is. Very nice.
Pallas website
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