How did you get started on keyboards?

I'd always been interested in music, but I'd never really played an instrument. I'd messed around a bit with guitar but never seriously. My father was a drummer, so I was brought up on swing and jazz. Of course the piano was quite a prominent instrument in that type of music so when I was twenty and I decided I wanted to play in a band, the piano was the instrument I chose. I'd been through university (nothing to do with music) and I decided that was what I wanted to do. So I just started to play, teaching myself.

What was your first keyboard?

In 1975 I bought myself my first electric piano which was a Rhodes, and I still like them a lot. They've got a certain sort of sound and for some things they're unbeatable. I've tried Wurlitzers which are also nice, but I'm really heavy handed on a piano so I ended up breaking that many reeds that it just wasn't feasible to take one on the road.

My first synth was an ARP Explorer, only a mono thing, but it was great fun and a good introduction to the basic fundamentals. It gave me an insight into synthesiser sounds. As better things came out, I'd try and afford them and I ended up getting a MiniMoog, which is still one of my favourite instruments.

What are you using at the moment?

Well I swear by the Oberheim (OB-Xa, the one with 120 memories). It holds its tuning so well and it's never let me down. When I was in Sweden last month, I used the new OB-8 (reviewed in this issue) and it's got a few developments which are really good so I wouldn't mind moving up to that one. I think they ought to give me one really, but I suppose I'll have to fork out.

What is your set up?

Well from the left round I've got Mellotron - still. It's a dear old instrument. I only use it on one track in the current (Magnum) set, just for the male voices which I can't get from anything else.

On top of that I've got the Korg organ, the BX-3. You see, I don't play enough organ in the show to warrant lugging a Hammond B3 about, and this is the nearest I can get to one. It's a great thing, so compact but with a really full sound.

On top of that I have a Roland string machine, one of the old ones, the RS-202. I still use it in the studio, on the most recent Magnum for example (the Eleventh Hour - reviewed in E&MM Aug 83) and I'll continue to use it, 'cos it's got a great sound. I get a very thin sharp tone out of it, and using volume pedals and studio tricks on it, I can get it direct on one channel, with the delay panned to the other side.

I noticed on a couple of tracks on 'The Eleventh Hour' you got a great string sound, almost like a string quartet. Was that the Roland?

No, that was an Emulator, which we hired. That's a wonderful tool. I don't use one on the road, but the guy from Marillion (Mark Kelly - interviewed E&MM July 83) does and he's got whole string parts stored in the sequencer. I could quite get into that, it would leave me free to play the 'real' keyboard parts.

Then in front of me I've got the CP70 (Yamaha Electric Grand), and if you want a grand piano sound on the road, it's the only one to use. I've heard some good things about the Kawai, but I haven't tried one yet.

On top of the Yamaha, I've got the OB-Xa and I'm currently using a MicroMoog on top of that, which I use for bass riffs. It's very quick and easy to change sounds on.

Then on my right I've got the MiniMoog and another MicroMoog, which I use for wind noises, effects and things like that. It's rather convenient as it saves me doing too many sound changes in the set. Perhaps it's a bit of a luxury to double keyboards but it makes you more relaxed. Obviously the ideal thing would be if all the synths had programs. I'm working towards that but this is more comfortable for the moment.

I've just worked a deal out with Studiomaster. They're building me one of their desks, the 16 into 16, into a flight case, and I'll also be able to use it at home in a Portastudio situation. It's a great desk and it's actually designed to take a patch-field as well. Alongside that that they're providing me with their new MOS-FET amps, 500W power amps which will be the crossover that powers my back line.

You use back line amplification then?

Yes, but only for monitoring. I send a signal from the keyboard mixer straight to the PA mixing desk. And soon I'll be able to send everyone separate mixes which will give me a lot more control. I don't like to be DI'd straight from the instrument because everything I play goes through volume pedals anyway. It's the only way I can control things if I'm playing two keyboards at once, so I like the DI to come after those obviously. It means I'm actually doing half the job for them on the main desk.

Studiomaster make a great 4-track cassette recorder as well. If you read the spec on it, it's clearly superior to the Portastudios and multi-trackers around at the moment. I'm looking forward to working with that as well. These things are so useful for writing at home.

How long have you been with Magnum now?

Four years, but I've known the guys for much longer, nine years I think. Before I started with them, I was playing in a band called Rainmaker. That was really a musician's band and we were never going to get an album deal. At least we got a bit of respect from other players and we did enjoy the playing.

How did the Magnum gig come up then?

Magnum split up with their keyboard player and so they got in touch with me, asking me to go down and have a play with them. The rest is history. I've made two albums with them now.

Who else have you worked with?

I did Stampede's album, and more recently Robin George (currently guesting with Magnum). I've done three or four albums where Phil Lynott was involved and I've got my own solo project which I've had written now for over a year: I'm just waiting for the right players to record it with - the likes of Phil Lynott, John Sykes, and Brian Downey, who are exactly the sort of people I want to play with, not because of the names so much, but they are superb players. Anyway, John Sykes is one of my best friends.

I hope to see that coming out soon because everyone likes to see their solo work do well. Anyway, for the immediate future I'm tied up with Phil Lynott band, when the second of his solo albums comes out, so I'm going to be busy whatever happens.