The History of Nektar part 6

Nektar 1978: The Reunion Year
An End To An Era

1978 was a confusing year for Nektar fans. During January 1978, Nektar performed a few concerts on the East coast of the States with Mo Moore Ron Howden Taff Freeman and Dave Nelson still at the helm. By this time, Mick moved on to "Sam The Band". When the Magic Is A Child tour was completed, Nektar went back to Mo's basement and began writing new songs. The new songs reverted back to Nektar's progressive roots and included some long jams and improvs with an occasional love song. Dave Nelson was there at the beginning of these writings and Ryche was there at the end and both contributed ideas, style, concepts, and lyrics.

During 1978 Nektar returned to the small club circuit playing to smaller audiences (around 300) except this time around, that circuit was in the USA and not Germany.

May 1978 saw Nektar back in action again with a concert at Great Gildersleeves, New York City (A club that Mick also played regularly with Sam the Band.) This reunion concert was unique. It featured Dave Nelson and Ryche Chandra on lead guitars at the same time and it was the only time Nektar used two guitarists and two keyboardists (Taff and Larry) at the same time. RTF (part 2) was stunning. The band's official stance on the Ryche and Dave concerts is "rehearsals" however, tickets were sold, posters were made and there were some advertisements. Therefore, we are counting them as concert performances and not rehearsals! As of today, we have never come across any memorabilia to confirm any of this, we only have our recordings.

Some of the songs played that day were:
"I'm On Fire"
"Why Can't I Be More Like You?"
"How Long?"
Midnight Maker
"Love Is"
"Sky Pilot"

By May 31, 1978 only Ryche Chandra was left on lead guitar when Dave Nelson departed Nektar for good. For more information on this check out the Nektar Timeline. Nektar begins playing songs from their older (pre–Magic Is A Child) albums with Ryche as well as the new songs that came to life during the Dave and Ryche rehearsals in Mo's basement. All the "Magic Is A Child" songs were dropped from the set list at this point in time.

On July 1, 1978  Roye rejoins Nektar. Roye played with his back to the crowds while Ryche was on–stage. There is a bootleg concert that can confirm this historical event circulating around the Net. You can actually hear the audience shouting "turn around Roye." Ryche does not join Nektar on stage during the late 2nd show that night due to Roye's charismatic personality and stage presence. Thus the first concert that night was Ryche's last. The first concert (early show) was also the last time any of the new songs written by everyone but Roye was played. Two songs of note from this historical concert are: "Only Today" and "Welcome Back Old Rockers". Both are fine songs and are worthy of being on their next album.

Pictures taken from this July 15, 1978 reunion concert performed at Giulio's South, Asbury Park, New Jersey can be viewed over on our 1978 Concert Photos page.

July 16, 1978: while playing at  My Father's Place, Roslyn, New York, Nektar performs another new song called "Nektar 79." Again this is another fine song that was worthy of being on their next album. During this concert there was an announcement by the band that Nektar was going to take some time off to work on a new album and tour Germany.

According to Mo, Nektar's last reunion concert may have been November 22,1978 at the Star's Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Once again several new songs were introduced and all were announced to be on the next album that was going to be recorded over in Germany. "Man in the Moon" was played to a live audience for the very first time as well as some other songs that eventually made up the "Man in the Moon" album that was released in 1980 only in Germany. However, several of the other new songs from this show never make it on to any album nor were they were ever heard again.

It's now been nine long years since the formation of Nektar and Mo calls it a day. Instead of working on the next album over in Germany Mo starts managing a plumbing business. Mick started a classic car restoration business by now and was touring around the New York / New Jersey area with Sam The Band. Taff, Ron, and Roye stay in the music business. Larry is very busy touring with Peter Gabriel. Dave and Ryche moved on to other bands.

And so came an "End To An Era"

To Be Continued… One Day