Robert Berry is a Grammy nominated recording artist, songwriter and producer who broke into international conciousness by joining forces with Keith Emerson & Carl Palmer in 3. This year sees the release of the long awaited follow up album to 3’s ‘The Power of Three’, which features contributions from Keith Emerson. Robert speaks to Jason Barnard about the inspiration behind this new album, Third Impression.
Hi Robert – how long did you work on Third Impression for? What was the writing and recording process?
Hello Jason. I appreciate your help in spreading the word on the third and final album in the 3/3.2 series, Third Impression. I wasn’t actually planning on doing a follow up album to The Rules Have Changed. Frontiers Records had called and asked if I’d do another 3.2 album and I told them I couldn’t without Keith being involved. They asked if I had any more material that Keith and I had worked on together. When I said I had one song left they were intrigued. I made a deal with them. If I could write 7 new songs that I felt Keith would have liked enough to work on then I would finish up the very last song he had co-written and recorded with me. I was pleasantly surprised that the songs came magically flowing out of me. I then got back into finishing up that last co-written song which is called Never. Once I started working on it I was actually surprised at what a great piece of music it was. I had totally left it behind because it was just too long to fit on The Rules Have Changed. But there was so much to be found in it.
What was it like completing Never given Keith had sadly passed away?
One of the reasons that I didn’t want to do a third album was because I had that one last song, Never, sitting there on my hard drive at my studio Soundtek. It was my own personal momento, something no one else ever got to hear, a gift, so to speak, that Keith had left just for me. It was months after I started writing and recording that I headed toward finishing that song. I then realized that it was possibly the greatest EMERSON composing since Desde La Vida from the very first album and it should come out to the world.
The album has a huge sense of scale and ambition typified by A Fond Farewell. Was this something you consciously aimed for?
It was a bit of a struggle or should I say a tug-of-war with myself actually getting to the point of committing to do the album. On one hand I felt I couldn’t do it without Keith. On the other and I thought that if the record company really thought I needed to do it they must have good reasons. And of course I was also setting out on the new path of writing the songs. That is actually what it took to convince me that I should do the album. Keith and I had planned out where 3 was going to go with the Second album under the 3.2 moniker. I knew those parameters and as I’ve said before Keith was half the writing and the sound of three, I was half the writing and the voice of three. So I had many of the components that I needed to start writing a good album. Of course the proof would be in the pudding so to speak. I decided that my main objective would be to do half the album in the style that Keith and I had set out and the other half of the album leaning towards what I may do more of in the future. The style of music that I tend to lean towards once left on my own is more of a balance between guitar and keyboards. 3 was more keyboard heavy and of course my band Alliance is more guitar heavy. But really where I’m at is the perfect blend of the two. In fact, I took a chance putting a song that starts with over a minute of acoustic guitar first on the album. I wanted to test the audience to see if they would except that and wait for the more keyboard heavy sections. It has proven to be a good decision as people seem to really like the first song which is called Top of the World.
How does this LP compare to The Rules Have Changed?
Third Impression shares a lot with that album. The instruments used, my writing style and of course my vocals, and what I realize now is part of my DNA when it comes to playing keyboards. Way back before 3 started in 1986 I wrote a song called Talkin Bout. I first recorded it on my own for the Robert Berry Band right before I moved to England. Then I did it in GTR with Steve Howe where the fanfare style chord section was done by Steve on guitar. When I left GTR to join 3 I brought that song with me. It was almost custom-made for Keith and of course he put his own sound to it but as I look back now I see that I already had the Emerson touches in my original demo. That being said, many people have told me that they feel there was lots of Emerson type keyboard parts on Third Impression although he only co-wrote one song with me. That’s why I say it is just part of my DNA. I don’t know if my next album will get away from that or if it’s just what I like and what I do now. But it certainly came out on Third Impression in a way that I’m very proud of. You know part of my mission by releasing the 3.2 albums at first was to not only honor Keith but to show that he still had everything in his writing and playing that us fans enjoyed.
Can you describe the formation of one of your first bands Hush and why did you go solo?
Great question Jason. There were two bands in my hometown of San Jose California, which the world knows as Silicon Valley. A booking agent thought that two members from each band could possibly make the best band that the local area had ever seen. He got us together and asked if we wanted to give it a try. I’m glad we said yes because that band right out of the shoot got every gig there was to get in town. We did a major booking Showcase and every high school and college and some concert venues booked us right off the bat. You see I had a Mellotron and a Moog synthesizer and that was almost unheard of for local bands. Hush stay together long enough to do three albums and one of them won a Bammie (California music award). That was a very high honor here in California. But after a certain amount of time it just seemed like there was no where to go. I only released my first solo album because a record pressing plant wanted my business at the studio and I threw 10 songs I had written, that Hush didn’t do, on a tape and sent it off to be pressed. When I receive the albums I gave some to my good friend Rob Fowler who had done the artwork for the cover. He sent them to every manager and record company there was and Herbie Herbert, journeys manager, liked what he heard and started to be my manager. From there I was picked up by Geffen Records and then moved to London to work with many of the great progressive musicians that lived there. Sounds easy doesn’t it LOL but there was lots of struggles and heart aches on the path to success. It’s never easy but I was just determined to follow my dreams.
How did you first meet up with Carl and Keith as 3 and whose idea was it to collaborate?
Carl called me from Geffen Records one afternoon at my studio. I thought it was a friend playing a joke on me. But no, it was Carl Palmer. He said he either wanted to have me join Asia or start a new band and he was leaning toward a new band. He liked the songs on the cassette tape that John Kalodner had played him and we got together and over the next year tried to start a new band. I was living in England when I got the call from my then manager Brian Lane that Steve Howe needed to replace Steve Hackett in GTR. I hit it off with Steve right away. We spent lots of time writing for the next GTR album. During my time rehearsing with that band I had some troubles with their singer and he made it very difficult for me to feel comfortable doing what I love to do, writing, playing, and singing. I just felt it was not a good fit for me although I got along famously with Steve Howe. He was fantastic to work with and I think some of the best songs I’ve ever written were co-written with Steve. I quit GTR and was heading home when my manager called and said Keith Emerson wants to have lunch with you. Carl had played him my cassette tape and Keith was looking for a bit of the success that Carl had with Asia. The rest of that story I think you know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5RK1RCt1Gk
What are your highlights from playing with Alliance?
I think the biggest part of Alliance is that we’ve been together for over 30 years and have remained the best of friends. I’ve enjoyed co-writing with Gary Pihl of the band Boston. David Lauser our drummer from the Sammy Hagar band brought in some great songs of his own. That’s what it’s about for me—-moving forward. What can we accomplish tomorrow? Not resting on the past and and losing any future creativity. No, for me I must have something in the pipeline that is fresh and ready to take on the ears of the audience.
Can you describe the concept behind The December People? Was it your idea?
December People was my idea. The concept is taking the holiday songs that you grew up with and know every word to, and morph them together with the greatest songs of classic rock. The songs you know by the bands you love. Sounds easy right? But not one mash up gets on a December People album without it fitting like a glove. It is a tricky process but as of now we have four albums and 1/2 done of a 5th done for next year. December People plays for charities. Mainly homeless and hungry. We believe that if every small city or town took care of their own we could stamp out the hunger and homeless problem. We go into a town and play their local theater or their concert home and it benefits the people in need of that town.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6PQjeNXvy8
What are you most proud of so far in your career and what is your career highlight to date?
I think I’m most proud of my track record of staying creative and energetic no matter who I’m playing with. I always bring ideas and a sense of teamwork. I love creating music and it is all i do. It was quite an honor in 2019 to do a 27 city tour playing my 30 year history in progressive rock to an audience that knew the songs and brought all the old albums to have signed and take pictures. What an honor that was. I got to thank each and everyone of them at least from the stage.
How different is the music scene in this modern digital era we now live in?
Oh that’s a whole book Jason I don’t know if I can get into that LOL. Streaming has killed the monetary path for musicians. Now Covid has killed the live performance for musicians. Digital has made it where everybody can record something in their house or even in bed. That means that between everybody have a recording system and the internet letting anybody release something that there are so many artists that most of them just get lost. You can say the playing field has been leveled. But I really believe that when record companies controlled a little bit more of the content, there was a higher level within the business of music in general. As I said, we could write a book on that.
Do you have plans to perform live at some point and what do you hope audiences will take away from your shows?
I was supposed to be in Europe in 2020 but as you know everything got shut down. We had a nice tour planned opening for Big Big Train. Hopefully in 2022 that will be put back on the map and I can meet you in person. We do plan on getting back out there as soon as we can. The band is called 3.2 featuring Robert Berry and we play my 30 year history of music. It is quite a set. Two hours long and covers every band I’ve been in and every person I’ve worked with. It is not only fun and challenging for me but quite an honor at the same time.
Thanks Jason. Some good questions here.
Thanks Robert, it would be great to see you in England.
Third Impression can be bought or streamed from the orcd.co/thirdimpression
Further information is available from robertberry.com
