Neal Morse Interview
Story/Interview by Chris Beck
How many of us, if we were at the top of our profession, would quit what we were doing and choose to do something else? Be honest, it would be very hard to remove yourself from something that you’ve worked so hard to attain, especially when there are no guarantees that you would be successful at whatever it is you do next. That is exactly what Neal Morse did a few years ago. On faith, he left Spock’s Beard, one of the best, if not the best, progressive rock bands at the time. Leaving behind the band’s success as defined by the world’s standards Neal heeded God’s calling and pursued a solo career. Having just released his third solo album since leaving the band, it seems that things have turned out well. We recently caught up with Neal to discuss the new album and to reflect back on his music career.
Chris Beck: Your new album just came out. Why don’t you go ahead and tell us a little bit about it, specifically the writing and recording process.
Neal Morse: Well, let’s see, the writing and recording process. It all started with a visit from a friend. He dropped by about December of last year, so almost a year ago he stopped by the house. He said, “Hey, I’ve been praying and I felt like the Lord laid it on my heart to come over here and talk to you about this idea that I have about doing a rock concept album about the tabernacle in the wilderness.” And so I said, "I don’t really want to do another concept album."
Your first two solo albums are concept albums, after all.
Yeah, Testimony and One, but he was really excited about it and he was like, "Yeah, make it mysterious. Testimony and One are good, but it would be really cool ... it’s more intriguing to people if you veil it. You know, the way the Old Testament veils its ... all this symbolism, but it’s kind of hidden and you really have to search it out. See if you can get people interested in searching things out." The whole thing about this album, it originally was called My Secret Project and that was all inspired by my friend, Paul. I didn’t think I was really going to do it. At the time that we had that conversation, he said, “Yeah, next time try this. Next time you’re talking to somebody and they ask you what you’re working on next, tell them ‘it’s a secret and just watch what happens.’” I was like, “Oh man, that’s not going to work.” But the next time I was doing the interview, I had kind of forgotten about it – it was about three weeks later, and it just kind of came out of my mouth, “Oh, it’s a secret, you know,” and the guy stopped and said, “Oh, I’m intrigued.” And so then I became committed, once I said that, I was like, 'Well, I better come up with something really good.' And then I feel like the Lord really helped me. It was several months later – I didn’t write a note to him for months after that and there was already sort of a little bit of a buzz happening about what is Neal’s secret project. And so I just began to feel like it was right, it was the right thing, so then I wrote the whole thing in about ten days. I came back from Europe last February and just began to really write it in earnest. I sat there with the tape recorder at my piano, really, and just wrote the whole thing. Then we recorded it – we did the basic tracking at the end of May, so between February and May was the writing and the demo phase. I demoed the whole thing and sent it to Mike and Randy to see what they thought, and then they came out and then they put their two cents, or ten cents, in. And then I finished the album by the end of July.
It is interesting, the concept of the tabernacle. It seems like a fairly specific concept to base an album on. You do a very good job of relating the temple or the tabernacle to us as Christians by the end of the album, but do you feel it has turned out well – the message that you wanted to convey on the album?
Well, I think if you really dig, if people will really dig into those Scriptures that I put in the booklet, and really hook into all those things, there’s a lot of ... there’s some real deep stuff in there. I mean, not of mine. I’m not, like, bragging or anything, but there’s some... I think there’s some pretty meaty...You know, Paul talks about how, 'I fed you with milk, because you couldn’t stand the meat.' I think there’s some meat for people if they’re hungry for meat. There’s some hidden in that album, there’s some pretty juicy stuff.
How exactly do you pronounce the album title? Is it “The Question” or “Question Mark?”
I call it Question Mark.
Why did you decide to name it Question Mark as opposed to some of the other titles you had mentioned?
Well, it was all about this searching out thing. I wanted people to search it out for themselves. I think it’s much more powerful when you discover something for yourself, rather than if somebody just gives you something or tells you about something. If you feel like you really discovered it, it’s a lot more powerful.
Now, as we just mentioned, this is your third main solo album, all of which have been concept albums. Can we maybe expect a non-concept album in the future? Do you like to write that way generally?
Well, I guess I do now. I didn’t before. I really have resisted it in the older days. Back in the old days of Spock’s Beard, people I remember were saying, 'You guys need to do a big concept record. I mean, come on, you’re a prog band, what’s the deal?' So we finally did one, you know, with Snow and then I guess I couldn’t get it out of my system, because I have not made a regular progressive rock album – that wasn’t a concept album – since the year 2000 or so.
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Comments
It's so encouraging to see such a gifted musician who has continued to make such amazing music instead of bowing before the altar of popularity in the CCM genre. Rock on, Neal!
Well....Neal Morse war the great progressive rock composer in 90´s .
With your conversion , your job became PATETIC!
To me , Meal Morse Music are DEAD!
Eduardo Ferreira
Brasil
Well....Neal Morse war the great progressive rock composer in 90´s .
With your conversion , your job became PATETIC!
Eduardo Ferreira
Brasil
Now, why would someone (like Eduardo) say that?
sigh.
That's just bogus.
Angry is okay, but like this...it's immature. Sad. Pathetic.
What a great article on such a great person. Neal Morse is not only an example of a great musician, but also a great Christian and person, it seems, too... Kudos to you guys for running a story on such an amazing performer and kudos to Neal on being who he is: An excellent musician and an endless witness for Christ... God Bless...
Neal Morse music is great!!
With his conversion, his music became better and better!
It´s my opinion.
Keep strong Neal !
I met Neal in Milan (Italy) after last Transatlantic European concert, he was very kind and fine to talk with me when all the other guys of Transatl. were already in the tourbus waiting for him. Two or three months after I wrote on Spock's Beard site his decision to leave SB for the love of Jesus Christ. I'm a prog-rock keyboardist member of ACQUAFRAGILE (an italian progressive banc contemporary of PFM) and in my opinion Neal couldn't go on with SB after his God's calling: could he hide his Light inside?(Luke 8:16).
I think "testimony" "One" and "?" are amazing albums, great sounds and incredible arrangements!!!Alessandro
Sorry for my little English in the prev post, "I read" on SB site and not "I wrote"!!!
I`m so glad that Neal Morse is christian. In fact I know him recently, Testimony album era, but i read his bio, his talent in great bands like SB or Transatlantic, and i can see what a wonderful musician was gain the "christian music" with the convertion of Neal Morse.....................
Neal, go ahead with your art music.............God Bless you in all your ways........
Fernando from Chile
Neal Morse's " Question Mark " is the finest Christian concept album since the Gaithers did " Allelujah " in the early ' 70's . While music has no limits , Neal pushed it to its limits on this effort . What an awesome concept - the Tabernacle , the Temple and the relationship of the two to our Blessed Savior !
I have been a long time Spock's Beard fan and if one listen to his lyrics from say ... "Day for Night" on there was no doubt where he was coming from and a it is great to see HM covering Neal as they should have years ago. I only hope that Neal does not paint himself into the same Christian ghetto that Kerry Livgren did upon leaving Kansas. Hopefully Neal can maintain his presence 'in the world' and be a meaningful voice for Christ in the world and not simply end up 'preaching to the choir' as too many others have become.
Awesome interview, im glad there are still good musicians in the rock scenario that worship God with faith, without forgetting they're still musicians, and that they have the responsability and priviledge to express it to the world.
If you want to hear Neal's stuff--and other Christian prog/goth/melodic artists--come over to theradiantflow.com Wed night at 7p(CST) for my internet radio show THE GROOVE MACHINE!!
great interveiw,i just recently bought
testimony live and it absolutly blew my mind it is by far the best christian music ive ever heard,i first heard of neal in transatlantic ''what caught my eye was that mike portnoy(arguably the best drummer on the planet)was on it,ive been a fan of neals since.
whats blessed me about testimony is finally there is something so musically
tallented and well written to listen to,in christian music
up til now its primarally been metal bands like belever, living sacrafice,zao
my old band fasedown,and afew others
it has inspired me to try and do a progressive project....thank you neal
and god bless you
Hey Mike Phillips - are you the Mike you played in Deliverance for a while? Good to see you here if you are!
Yes Neal Morse's stuff is fantastic - the LIve DVD is awesome and so is the Testimony,One and ? albums! Good to see Neal working with one of the best drummers ever - Mick Portnoy.
