A Tab In The Ocean

Nektar was a group of British ex-patriots that like many during the mid-'60s made a living by working and touring in Europe. Bassist Derek "Mo" Moore, drummer Ron Howden and keyboardist Allan "Taff" Freeman were in a band called Prophesy. By 1969, guitarist and vocalist Roye Albrighton had joined up and the name Nektar was adopted. They made Hamburg, Germany their base and signed to Peter Hauke's Bacillus label. Released in 1971, their debut album, Journey To The Centre Of The Eye, took an anti-nuclear stance; not surprisingly, as it was rooted in '60s psychedelia. The band then moved into more progressive territory for their second record, A Tab In the Ocean. The album-side long title track pounds right through its continually-shifting themes over a short sixteen minutes. Throughout, the rhythm section of Moore and Howden provides a solid foundation for the music, but with Albrighton's guitar always to the fore. "Desolation Valley/Waves" kicks off the second side, which again plays continuous. Both feature some of the jazzy subtleties of the Nektar sound. "Cryin' In The Dark" gets a lot heavier, incorporating some excellent interplay between the band members, while the churning riff and vocal harmonies of "King Of Twilight" are more straight-ahead rock. The album's original mix, courtesy of Dieter Dierks, is a classic example of heavy rock from the era. In February of 1973, the band recorded a "live in the studio" album, Sounds Like This. Less polished, it had more of a hard rock jam-band feel to it. Shortly after, Nektar launched their first tour of the UK in June, with Welsh rockers Man.