Still a Ball of Fire
Guitar World|November 2022
U.K. STRAT LEGEND ROBIN TROWER TALKS NEW MUSIC, THE SECRETS TO STELLAR TONE AND WHY HE'LL ALWAYS HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR AMERICAN FANS
Mark McStea
Still a Ball of Fire

ROBIN TROWER IS due to celebrate his 60th year as a recording artist in 2023, but at 77 years old, he’s showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. He recently released No More Worlds to Conquer, a fairly mellow affair — and the perfect accompaniment for a late-night drive — with Trower’s distinctive tones dripping emotion over every track. This is his third album in just over four years — and he’s about to start recording his next album, with enough songs on hand for another record after that.

You’ve called the new album No More Worlds to Conquer. Is that how you feel, musically? No. [Laughs] It was just that it was my favorite track on the album, and I like the story that the lyrics tell. It seemed to be the natural track to name the album after.

Speaking of conquering worlds, what’s still on your wishlist? I’m going into the studio in a month to record another album, so I guess my wish list is just to be able to keep going and keep being able to make records.

Your last “Robin Trower” album, as opposed to a collaboration, was 2019’s Coming Closer to the Day, which was a bit sombre lyrically, wrestling with issues of mortality. This is a much lighter album. What changed? I think Closer was a more introverted album, whereas this time I made a conscious attempt to write a much more outgoing album. As I started to write different material, I thought the songs I was coming up with were beyond me vocally, which was why I got Richard Watts to handle the singing. Luckily enough he agreed, and he did a wonderful job. I think that’s something else that gave the record a very different atmosphere, as I sang the songs on Closer.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GUITAR WORLDView all
Kittie - Guitarists Morgan Lander and Tara Mcleod discuss the canadian metal powerhouse's unexpected rebirth — by fire!
Guitar World

Kittie - Guitarists Morgan Lander and Tara Mcleod discuss the canadian metal powerhouse's unexpected rebirth — by fire!

Guitarists Morgan Lander and Tara McLeod explain that making new music was “not on their bingo card” when the band regrouped in 2022 for a few festival appearances, preferring to think of the sets as more of a “final lap” than a new beginning. But drilling into old favorites — whether the nu-flavored teenage slams of 1999’s Spit or the more venomously groove-thrashed tunes of their late-’00s period — revealed that despite not having raged together in years, there was something undeniably special about Kittie’s musical connection. “Playing with these girls is like putting on an old pair of pants,” Lander says. “It’s very comfortable — and it looks good too.”

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
McKinley James - Why all you really need is a guitar, a drummer and some serious low-end six-string skills
Guitar World

McKinley James - Why all you really need is a guitar, a drummer and some serious low-end six-string skills

Nashville-based blues rocker McKinley James came flying out of the gate in 2022 with his Dan Auerbachproduced EP, Still Standing By. His momentum screeched to a halt, however, when his keyboardist split, leaving only him and his drummer, Jason Smay (who also happens to be his father). “For a moment, I was like, ‘What are we going to do?” James says. “But then I thought, ‘Well, other bands have succeeded as a duo. Maybe we can, too.”

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
TC Electronic TC 2290P Dynamic Digital Delay
Guitar World

TC Electronic TC 2290P Dynamic Digital Delay

THE MID EIGHTIES was a golden age for digital delay, thanks to the proliferation of pro- and studio-quality rack effects units from Eventide, Korg, Lexicon, Roland and Yamaha.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Danelectro Doubleneck
Guitar World

Danelectro Doubleneck

WHEN I THINK back to the Seventies, the famously coined “Me” decade, it seems the only surefire way you could leave audiences awestruck was to strap on a doubleneck guitar.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
CARLOS ALOMAR
Guitar World

CARLOS ALOMAR

The former David Bowie guitarist talks Young Americans, Station to Station and the Berlin Trilogy, plus recording (and co-writing) \"Fame\" with John Lennon

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2024
GEORGE TERRY
Guitar World

GEORGE TERRY

It turns out Eric Clapton's Seventies guitarist (and co-writer of \"Lay Down Sally\") also played on ABBA's \"Voulez-Vous.\" Below, he looks back on a decade-plus of E.C., Bee Gees, Diana Ross and more

time-read
10 mins  |
November 2024
FRANK MARINO
Guitar World

FRANK MARINO

The Mahogany Rush frontman charts the band's Seventies lows and highs, plus SG's, pickups and how he was definitely not visited by the ghost of Jimi Hendrix

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2024
DEWAYNE "BLACKBYRD" MCKNIGHT
Guitar World

DEWAYNE "BLACKBYRD" MCKNIGHT

The jazz/funk/fusion veteran on his smooth segue from Herbie Hancock sideman to full-on Funkdaledic member -plus his '70s gear and what he learned from Shuggie Otis

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2024
PAT TRAVERS
Guitar World

PAT TRAVERS

The Canadian-born virtuoso discusses the rise and fall of the Pat Travers Band, witnessing the U.K. punk revolution and the riotous roots of \"Snortin' Whiskey\"

time-read
9 mins  |
November 2024
JOE PERRY
Guitar World

JOE PERRY

The iconic guitarist looks back on Aerosmith in the Seventies, the decade that literally made and temporarily broke apart those Bad Boys from Boston

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2024