Few musicians have worn quite as many hats in the creative world as Steve Howe since the mid-1960’s, and it doesn’t look like the iconic guitarist’s eclectic nature will be reined in anytime soon. Just as impressive is the fact that at the age of 63, Howe truly seems to be in his prime. While he has devoted time to a bevy of projects over the past few years including a Yes reunion, his jazz endeavor The Steve Howe Trio, and several solo albums, Howe is currently focused on touring in support of Asia’s latest offering Omega. The record, which marks the second release following a reunion by all four original members (Howe, John Welton, Geoff Downes, and Carl Palmer), hearkens back to the classic Asia sound that made the supergroup a household name in the early 1980’s.
While Howe certainly looked to his tried-and-true Gibson ES-175 during Omega’s studio sessions, he didn’t hesitate to once again bring out his arsenal of guitars. It’s a collection that is so impressive in quantity and quality that the 1994 book The Steve Howe Guitar Collection is devoted to the subject. With a desire to seek out varied instrumentation you’ll find in that hardcover, it should come as no surprise that Howe has never has hindered himself artistically in terms of tone and style. When comparing the straightforward rock of Omega to any of his progressive work with Yes, this fact is driven home even more so. When Howe talked with
Ultimate-Guitar.com recently, he detailed his ever-changing approach to his assorted projects and reassured us that he has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
UG: Were there any songs left over from your Phoenix (2008) songwriting sessions that were used for Omega?
Steve: We didn’t have anything left over from the other album other than the bonus tracks that went to the UK or Japan or that kind of nonsense. We usually try to put most of what we’ve done on the CD.
Do you usually form the initial ideas on your own and then bring them to the band?
I usually bring music in and there will be a situation where they’ll say, “Well, that’s a nice one. Let’s do that one.” We’ll take the arrangement and mess around with it. We’ve got a great team of writers. So they’ve always got a box of songs as well coming in. We look at those and once we get everybody together, we’ll choose which ones would be right for the album.
"We didn’t have anything left over from the other album other than the bonus tracks that went to the UK or Japan or that kind of nonsense."
I tend to show up with about 25 guitars or so. Those are the things that I know I might need. What I like to do quite often is record the acoustic guitar parts first. Then we’ll have the acoustics where we want them. Then I’ll move on to the electrics. There are times when the Telecaster will provide the nice chord sounds or chunky rhythms. Then occasionally I’ll say, “I think that should be a Gretsch guitar or something.” There is always an opening to widen out the sound or add slightly different textures to the track. Sometimes a Strat is great for that as well. A Strat is a rhythm guitar that has one of the most familiar sounds in the whole world. When it comes down to lead work, a few different things happen. When I had done lead work – unlike past Asia records – I used my Gibson ES 1964. I can basically get parts going, so I did use that on quite a bit of it. Again, the ES Artist that I use onstage, it’s a guitar that I like to play. On Phoenix I was using the ES-5 Switchmaster on a few tracks. On this one I was using the 175. There are always contingents of full bodies, semi-acoustic electrics. There are the ES Artists, Les Pauls. It’s a wide family and interesting collection of sounds that I think are appropriate given the material.
Do you write your initial ideas on acoustics?
To even set up the electric and play, you’re usually thinking about something specific in mind. I do a lot more improvising and writing on acoustic guitars just because it seems to be what a pianist might do with a piano as opposed to a symphony. There are times when you get a sound or a certain tone on an electric guitar that gives you that sound you want. On this album there are a couple of places where the steel guitar comes in. That’s one of my favorite parts of the family of the guitars, playing the steel. For example, I used it on “Light the Way.” There is some steel, just like there was on “Alibis” on Phoenix. So the steel comes into play because it’s one of the noises or sounds or textures I can bring. Also, I have up my sleeve an autoharp. I like the plunky stringy sound of it. Basically I like to think the guitar as a colorful instrument.
On your latest addition to your series of solo albums, Homebrew, you have an eclectic mix of styles. When you transition over to Asia, do you ever have to rein yourself in creatively speaking?
I think I’m very lucky because I’ve experienced what group compositions and group chemistry is all about. I’ve been doing solos each night with Asia and with Yes – two acoustic solos. They are things that help me stay in touch with my solo guitar work. Similarly when I’m in a group like Asia and I’m playing, I’ve got much more of a functional role. More so than maybe when I’m in Yes, when I can stretch out and have more room to have an improvisational platform. I take advantage of the work with Asia, but I also think that Asia has got a model or agenda that comes with the kind of music that we play. Therefore it’s not going to be very jazzy. It’s not going to be very folky. It will be much more reined in with that sense. It will be more centralized. I was so lucky with Yes and the material that we wrote in the 70’s, which we still play regularly. There were massive amounts of electric guitars. I’m not the kind of whiny guitarist who says, “Oh, I’m not getting my act in here.” I’ve got other acts. In the recording world, Homebrew is just now Volume IV. In Japan, there is a box set with I through IV. With IV, it’s basically a continuation of my process of exploring what I write. Originally when I write the piece, I might say, “I don’t know if that’s going to really run. Maybe it should be changed.” Sometimes I’ve done overdub tracks and converted them to a solo guitar piece. When a song gets rearranged, I’m just pleased that it’s getting played, it’s getting heard, and it’s going out there. I’m precious about my music in a secretive kind of way, but I’m not precious about it in the quantitative sense. I do write quite a lot of music. So I can dig into the vault. I can freshen ideas. You can cut a lot of dead wood out. Obviously in a big rock song you’re not going to look for something that is like 48 beats per minute. You’ll look for something 120. I like writing and being able to use it is as something I can call up instead of just writing and burying it. I don’t always title the ideas, but I’ll put the chord sequence very briefly.
As a guitarist who has dabbled in so many genres and methods, what drives you to write?
If you haven’t got the skill to be inventive, then you better stop. Many years ago we talked about doing an organ-guitar trio. We got together and we played. You’ve got to have things in reserve. You’ve got to have an idea that you still haven’t done. That trio now has done a couple of CDs. We’re broadening the jazz sound. On the Traveling CD we did more things like a tune by The Hollies. We converted it for a trio. When we reformed Yes and I just did that, I would just be treading water. I would be saying, “I’ve gone back to Yes because that’s all I’ve got.” That’s not true. I love Yes very much and it was very much a creative force, but then again I’ve had Asia as well. Keep it fresh. I’m very lucky that I’ve had these opportunities. It’s about reinvention. It’s very important.
"I tend to show up with about 25 guitars or so. Those are the things that I know I might need."
Being self-taught, technique is a mystery unto itself. You just create your own way. You have to give yourself 10 years to establish that you have some ability and quality. You should search out guitarists. One of the biggest inspirations for me was finding Chet Atkins. When I found Chet Atkins I said, “This is the guy that is the central guitarist in my life.” Searching out guitarists and then going to see them. I had inspiration when I saw Albert Lee for the very first time. There are a lot of great players out there. Finding somebody is a good direction. It will steer your way. There is also a lot to learn from other instruments. I was just listening to guitar for about 15 years, and then a lot of sounds started getting into my head. I enjoyed listening to a variety of instruments and ideas. Don’t be a guitarist. Be a musician. If you want to be a musician, you have to take all of the instruments under your built and play the guitar with them. Think about music as opposed to the guitar. Find out what it takes to be a good accompanist, then you can use that skill when you want to accompany your own band. Don’t be a guitarist. Be a musician.
What is your opinion of the players that might overemphasize their speed or technical prowess?
It’s important to the individual to create some identity. You’ve got to think beyond just playing fast. Being able to play skillfully is a very, very big part. I don’t think playing fast demonstrates musical skill. It demonstrates technique. I think musical skill is about building a solo around a song. With jazz and someone like Charlie Parker, he didn’t just jump in. He started tentatively and would get into the pocket. He’d find the place where it might speed up, then you could find how to move the music up and then crescendo. I think there is a right technique, but it can also be very self-gratifying to be able to do it. But what are you doing? Where are you taking it? What’s it saying? It’s much better to be like a George Harrison or a Mark Knopfler. Think about the guitarists who had more of a feel like George did. Think about how to make music something that really lives on and not just from a guitarist’s viewpoint.
Are you planning on recording with Yes again?
Yeah. We reformed back in 2008. We’re working on an album. We’ll be going into the studio and starting it this year. I think we’ll release it next summer when we’re back touring in America. There will be a lot of touring in between, although not in the States. We’ve prepared about six or seven titles in demo form. We’ll be making an announcement soon about exactly what we’re up to. It’s special having a lot of projects to go to. It’s just great going between these and working with people who have the excitement. There is a balance. It might not be something I do forever, but I can see it carrying on for the next couple of years doing dual group roles – and I’ll have other missions as well besides those.
As I understand it, although Omega is actually the last letter of the Greek alphabet, your current album of the same name is in no way the final Asia offering.
No, we certainly hope not. As John had put it, the end is really the beginning of something else. I think we hope to keep doing this.
Interview by Amy Kelly
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