Derek “Mo” Moore of Nektar reflects on their unique musical journey spanning over five decades, emphasizing their commitment to artistic exploration and evolving soundscapes.

From their seminal work ‘Journey to the Centre of the Eye’ to their ambitious new endeavor ‘Mission to Mars,’ Nektar persists in pushing the boundaries of progressive rock with their signature fusion of cosmic motifs and story-rich melodies. Their forthcoming albums and live shows not only captivate dedicated fans but also beckon newcomers, underscoring their unwavering allure and commitment to exploration.

“We have always gone in our own direction”

Given Nektar’s rich history spanning over five decades, how do you believe your unique blend of extended compositions and concept albums has contributed to the enduring legacy of the genre?

Derek “Mo” Moore: We have always gone in our own direction; that’s why all of the albums are different. ‘The Other Side’ could easily be a follow-up to ‘Recycled’ and was written by Ryche Chlanda and myself back in 1978. Our fans have always followed us wherever we go, and it gives us comfort to know that our Nektarines are with us on this musical journey.”

The band’s latest release, ‘Journey to the Other Side – Live at The Dunellen Theatre June 10, 2023,’ serves as a commemoration of the late drummer and founding member, Ron Howden. How do you perceive the significance of this recording in honoring Howden’s contributions to Nektar’s sound and legacy?

We wanted to have a visual remembrance of this stage of Nektar, so we put together a five-camera shoot with 32 tracks on digital for mixing. We worked on this for six months; Ryche did most of the sound mixing, with me putting in my two cents as we went along. Our tech wizard Jay Petsko handled the visual mixing, and I believe this is a great opportunity for fans who have not heard or seen this band to get to know us. As it turned out, Ron Howden’s passing in September 2023 honored him in a way that he would have loved. My musical brother and I have played together for over 60 years, and I will miss him forever.

I would love it if you could share some of the most memorable moments working on your first four albums. Listening today, what are some of the main differences? The concept of ‘Journey to the Centre of the Eye’ is intriguing. Could you elaborate on the thematic elements and creative process behind this album, particularly how you aimed to convey a narrative through music? ‘A Tab in the Ocean’ is often considered a pivotal album in Nektar’s discography. Can you discuss the evolution of the band’s sound from your debut album to this second album, and the challenges or breakthroughs you encountered during its creation?

The first album, ‘Journey to the Centre of the Eye,’ had been with us a while before we recorded it. The journey was to the center of yourself. I remember doing a class at the local high school in Seeheim on ”Journey to the Centre of the Eye.’ The different themes that came out of that session with the young, eager teenagers were incredible. It taught me that each listener sees our music differently than we do. I got some great ideas from that.

By the time ‘A Tab in the Ocean’ was recorded, the studio had expanded with a new wing and had gone from an 8-track to a 16-track recorder. The separation was done in individual booths, which was tricky as we were not actually together when we recorded it. It came together better than ‘Journey to the Centre of the Eye’, as by then Dolby and DBX were available. We had to do ‘Journey to the Centre of the Eye’ in one take. This actually gave us the incentive to record all of the basic tracks as a live band before overdubs. This is still the way we do it today.

“Space has always been in our music”

In a previous interview with Roye Albrighton, he mentioned the influence of the space age and science fiction on Nektar’s music. How did these influences manifest in your songwriting and overall artistic expression?

Space has always been in our music. The last one, ‘The Other Side,’ was about space in a way, with “Skywriter” being a man writing letters in the sky to his girlfriend who passed. So the space to them was in relation to “passing over to The Other Side.” Our new album we are currently working on is ‘Mission to Mars,’ so you could say space has manifested in us…

Nektar’s upcoming trilogy, ‘Mission To Mars,’ hints at a new creative direction for the band. What are your expectations for this ambitious project, and how do you anticipate it will resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers to Nektar’s music?

I am so inspired by the new album ‘Mission to Mars’ and can’t wait to play it live. Ryche Chlanda and I have been writing it for over three years now, with input from Kendall Scott. It’s going to be a great album with yet another direction.

With the band’s extensive discography and diverse musical influences, which aspects of Nektar’s sound do you believe have had the most profound impact?

We play it as we hear it in our heads, with no forethought of where it should go. We let it come to us. We use the same method for writing words. Ryche and I work well together, and I think this one will be special and may cross over.

Nektar has a strong international fan base, particularly in the United States. How do you think their music resonates differently with audiences across various regions, and what factors have contributed to their sustained popularity throughout different eras and cultural shifts?

It’s hard to say how our fans have stuck with us, and of course, we are joined by new fans all the time, whom we call our Nektarines. They like the music we play, which is very different from other music while still having a familiarity to it.

As Nektar continues to evolve musically, what do you see as the key themes or ideas that have consistently defined their artistic vision?

The music flows from us, and that becomes our vision. In my view, I can close my eyes and imagine playing the new music live on stage, which makes it even more inspiring.

How do you believe Nektar’s approach to live performance enhances their music and fosters a deeper connection with their audience? The use of visual elements in Nektar’s live performances, such as the spaceship prop, seems ahead of its time. What inspired these theatrics, and how did they enhance the audience’s experience of your music?

We are always looking for new visuals; we are doing more digital this time out in June 2024. I think we have something that will be exciting for the fans; I know we are stoked for it. We have always tried to mold the music and visuals together to give it an experience to talk about. We have something special on this tour. The music is new, about 45 minutes of new music, some never heard and some not heard for a long time.

Klemen Breznikar

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