THE NEAL MORSE BAND - Cleaning Thunderstorm

23. November 2016

The Neal Morse Band

THE NEAL MORSE BAND - Cleaning Thunderstorm

The name "The Neal Morse Band" implies it: With drummer Mike Portnoy, bassist Randy George, keyboarder Bill Hubauer and guitarist Eric Gillette the namesake has meanwhile established a fixed line-up and allows other influences. We talked to Neal Morse and his eternal companion Mike Portnoy.

eclipsed: Neal, let's first look back at your performance with Spockʼs Beard at this year's "Night Of The Prog" festival. How did you experience the gig?

Neal Morse: It was just terrific. There is always a very special atmosphere up there on the Loreley. I've been invited there a few times, but I don't think I've ever had so much fun this time. If I had to compare the two Beard gigs [Loreley and Morsefest; note], then I enjoyed the one on the Loreley more, because they weren't all so tense there. At the Morsefest the cameras were also running, so we couldn't afford any mistakes.

eclipsed: You played the complete album "Snow" at both shows. What feelings did that make you feel?

Morse: That was strange, as if one gets back a child released for adoption again. I quit shortly after the release and the songs were never played live.

eclipsed: From "Snow" it's only a small step to the new album "The Similitude Of A Dream". Both have a thematically similar approach.

Morse: Both albums tell a very deep spiritual journey. "The Similitude Of A Dream" is based on the book "The Pilgrimʼs Process" by John Bunyan from the year 1678. The book is the chronicle of a man's spiritual journey that begins in the "city of destruction" and leads to a place of salvation. It's amusing that the album now only covers the first 75 or 80 pages of the book. Maybe we should have made a five-CD collection? Who knows, maybe later!

Lest mehr im eclipsed Nr. 186 (12-2016/01-2017).