N e k t a r
Nektar are a progressive rock band from the 1970's that formed in Germany. Somehow I discovered this band in the 80's and managed to collect most of their albums on vinyl. My quest to find them on CD has been much more difficult.

Nektar-Journey to the Centre of the Eye (Bellaphon) 1972

1. "Prelude (1:24)
2. "Astronauts Nightmare (6:26)
3. "Countenance (3:33)
4. "The Nine Lifeless Daughters of the Sun (2:54)
5. "Warp Oversight (4:09)
6. The Dream Nebula, Pt. 1 (2:15)
7. The Dream Nebula, Pt. 2 (2:26)
8. It's All in the Mind (3:22)
9. Burn Out My Eyes (7:49)
10. Void of Vision (2:02)
11. Pupil of the Eye (2:46)
12. Look Inside Yourself (:53)
13. Death of the Mind (1:55)

Trippy! Spacey! Far Out! Wow, like, check out the colors man, the colors. Dude, is that a cow flying over there? Uh, ha-ha, check it out man, that clock has no hands. Hahahahahaha! How about throwing on some "Ummagumma'? Dude, pass that thing over here. Oh man, do you have any Visine dude, I gotta go home. Huh, oh, right, I was suppose to be commenting on Nektar's "Journey to the Centre of the Eye." Hey wait, I think I already did.

Nektar-A Tab in the Ocean (Bellaphon) 1972

1. "Tab in the Ocean" (16:43)
2. "Desolation Valley/Waves" (8:12)
3. "Cryin' in the Dark" (6:29)
4. "King of Twilight" (4:17)

This album was so far superior to their debut, it's almost like two different bands. What's odd and uncommon about that is "Tab in the Ocean" was released within months of the band's debut. Rather than being totally lost in some sci-fi drug adventure, Nektar added some actual melody and rhythm to their heavy metal/post-psychedelic, art-rock making it more palatable for those who do not have relapses of acid days like myself. The title track to Nektar's second album is an epic, progressive, art-rock song with plenty to hold your interest, without being on drugs. When this was released on vinyl in '72, this track took up all of side one and I can remember playing it over and over again. Side two, however, is even better as there is more guitar passages intermingled with excellent somber, mellow musical interludes and some heavier, crushing guitar parts.

Nektar-Down To Earth (Bellaphon) 1974

1. "Astral Man" (3:13)
2. "Nelly the Elephant" (4:52)
3. "Early Morning Clow" (3:31)
4. "That's Life" (6:49)
5. "Fidgety Queen" (4:04)
6. "Oh Willy" (3:58)
7. "Little Boy" (3:01)
8. "Show Me The Way" (5:55)
9. "Finale" (1:34)

Recycled was the first Nektar album that I ever heard. It was that album that had me hunting the used record stores trying to find copies of other Nektar releases. Fortunately in NJ in the 80's their albums were easy to find. Unfortunately, their cds are now very hard to find and often very pricey. I e-mailed a friend in Germany to tell him that I was looking for this disc. He found me a used copy and sent it to me for free. Ah, God bless the internet. In any case, this disc has a circus them to it and like Recycled features some excellent progressive rock. Nektar really had their own distinct sound apart from many of the other prog-bands. Highly recommended for those into 70's prog-rock.

Nektar-Recycled (Bellaphon) 1975

1. "Reycle" (2:44)
2. "Cybernetic Consumption" (2:12)
3. "Recycle Countdown" (1:53)
4. "Automation Horrorscope" (3:02)
5. "Recycling" (1:49)
6. "Fight to Reality" (1:18)
7. "Unendless Imaginations" (4:37)
TOTAL (17.37)

8. "Sao Paulo Sunrise" (3:03)
9. "Costa Del Sol" (4:03)
10. "Marvellous Moses" (6:35)
11. "It's All Over" (5:20)
TOTAL (19.03)

Albright's progressive rock outfit, NEKTAR, never caught on to the extent of bands like Emerson, Lake, & Palmer, Genesis, Yes, or even King Crimson. This German band whose music was way ahead of it's time, had a cult following in the 70's by fans of the aforementioned bands. For a while in the mid-70's it even seemed that Nektar would take America by storm, but for some reason, it never happened. As a result most of their albums filled the delete bins which is how I discovered this awesome band in the early 80's. I bought RECYCLED on 8-track form Woolworth's for 50 cents and listened to it on my parents stereo repeatedly. This was heavy stuff, unlike ELP or Genesis. As a matter of fact, Nektar mixed in cruchy guitar tones and some elements of what would be known as industrial long before it became in vogue. Perhaps nastalgia, perhaps not, but I went on a quest to find this on CD and finally ended up special ordering this pricey import for $20. Of course, this was before I discovered the internet.

Nektar (Bellaphon) 1976

1. "Do You Believe in Magic" (3:43 )
2. "New Day Dawning" (4:39 )
3. "Wings" (3:35 )
4. "Cast Your Fate" (5:27 )
5. "Cryin' in the Dark" (5:01)
6. "King of Twilight" (4:08 )
7. "Burn out My Eyes" (11:44)
......Void of Vision
......Pupil of The Eye
......Look Inside Yourself
......Death of the Mind

This cd re-issue of Nektar's 1976 compilation was released in 1987 in Germany. It features the same tracks as on disc two of
"Highlights" but with far superior mastering. All the material on this disc is from the bands early and formative years, 1971-1973.

Nektar-Highlights (Bellaphon) 1987

DISC ONE
1. Remember the Future, Pt. 1 (16:41 )
2. Remember the Future, Pt. 2 (19:00 )

DISC TWO
3. Do You Believe in Magic (3:43 )
4. New Day Dawning (4:39 )
5. Wings (3:35 )
6. Cast Your Fate (5:27 )
7. Cryin' in the Dark (5:01)
8. King of Twilight (4:08 )
9. "Burn out My Eyes" (11:44)
......Void of Vision
......Pupil of The Eye
......Look Inside Yourself
......Death of the Mind

Nektar's music is hard as heck to find. I had been looking for "Remember the Future" for quite some time, so this disc was a nice surprise as it also offered a bunch of early material not unlike "Through the Ears," a compilation that has never been released on cd. In any case, the mastering on these two discs are awful, but listenable. Since I don't have any of these songs in cd format, this disc will just have to do.

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