OFF: Nektar & Calvert

[Jerry]

Paul,

A message from one of the last Nektar fans in Holland or probably the whole
world...

>I was out looking for rare vinyl on the weekend, and saw a pre-loved
>Nektar album from about 1975. Looking at the rear cover, it credits
>one Bob Calvert as "Ring Master" on track 4. I can't remember the
>title of the LP, but the cover was themed around a circus. Does
>anyone know anything about this release and Calvert's part in it?

Nektar - Down To Earth was released in 1974 on Bellaphon (Germany) and 1975
on Passport (USA). Rob Calvert is credited as "ringmaster" on tracks 1, 2, 4,
and 5 (Astral Man, Nelly The Elephant, That's Life, and Fidgety Queen).
The credits also say 'Robert Calvert arrived by courtesy of
inter-city-rail"... There's a picture inside (gate-fold sleeve) - maybe
Calvert's on there somewhere? (I don't know what he looks like.)
Down To Earth is Nektar's first album with only shorter songs. Still good,
though, but I prefer the albums before 1974, and the album right after Down
To Earth.
        Journey To The Centre Of The Eye, 1971
        A Tab In The Ocean, 1972
        ...Sounds Like This, 1973
        Remember The Future, 1973
        (Sunday Night At London Roundhouse Nektar Live, 1974)
        (Down To Earth, 1974)
        Recycled, 1975

These are all very progressive, and if you're into HW, I would take a listen
to Journey To The Centre Of The Eye and A Tab In The Ocean.

Calvert's role is unclear to me. There are some spoken intros and intermezzos
(just a couple of sentences) on these songs, that might be Calvert's voice.

More interesting (for a Nektar fan like I am, at least) is that there seems
to be a tape of a recording of Robert Calvert playing with Nektar. Live. I
saw it someone's tape list (he lives in the UK), and he said it was 30 mins.
I ordered it (tried to trade it), but he sent all the tapes I wanted except
for the Nektar tape. Next time I asked for the tape again, and again he
didn't send it. Now he claims he has lost the tape. Aaaaaaarrrrggghhhhhh!

CU,
Jerry