by Mark Kadzielawa

Brian Auger is keyboard legend. His sound and style is unmistakable and very distinct. Auger's Hammond B3 runs are like rollercoaster rides. Auger's contribution to the world of music are now considered historic, but his is not showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, he is still continuously touring and appearing on records. Such dedication and vigor are to be admired.
Auger came on the scene in 1960s when he formed The Steampacket, and shortly after The Trinity with Julie Driscol. Also, Brian Auger made his presence known in the 60s as a respected session player. In 1970, Brian Auger's Oblivion Express was launched. The group's original jazz-rock style quickly built a solid fan base on both sides of the Atlantic. The band released several landmark records throughout the 70s, and made Auger a worldwide known performer. In the early 90s, Auger had a project with Eric Burdon, and that lasted for a couple of years. But it was his beloved Oblivion Express that always took the center stage. Auger reformed the band in the late 90s. He eventually incorporated his own kids into the band. Currently the lineup includes his son Karma on drums and his daughter Savannah on vocals. The band is rounded up by Nicklas Sample on bass.
Brian Auger is very enthusiastic and passionate about the music he plays. Whether he is on stage performing, or off stage discussing his musical ventures, the excitement and the energy is equivalent. Brian Auger was simply born to be a performer, and do what he does. At 71 years old, he is as vital and intense as he was at the beginning of his career.
Brian Auger talks about the Oblivion Express, all of the upcoming projects, and the family ties within the band.

What’s the latest on the Oblivion Express?
Brian Auger: We’ve just been incredibly busy. We’ve been touring throughout the States. Also, we have a huge following in Europe. There are at least 12 countries in which we are quite popular, including eastern Europe. Places like Poland, or Czech Republic. We’ve never been there up until like the year before last, and the reception was absolutely phenomenal. It made me very happy to come out and play there. What was surprising more is that people turned up with old vinyl record which they had even from before the Berlin Wall came down. So I was asking them how did they get hold of these records, but they knew the music. It was really a great thing. As far as the band, I’m in the middle of making a new album with a couple of producers in Los Angeles. It will be a Brian Auger album. I have my kids Savannah and Karma on it, but it’s kind of different from what we do as a band. We will be making a new band album too, but Karma has his own band with son of Larry Coryell on guitar, and Nick Sample, who is a Joe Sample’s son on bass. Nick is also playing with us. They’ve released an album and a DVD to push that project ahead. Also, what we did recently, they’ve organized all the dads to come into the studio with them, and we have cut an album with Joe Sample, myself, Larry Coryell. We played the music of Karma and Julian Coryell, and Nick Sample. They are in the process of mixing that recording, but it takes time because we’re out on tour. We hope to complete the mix and the production and the mix shortly, and hopefully find a home for this recording early next year. So, we’ve been kind of busy in the meantime. All of these albums will come out next year. Plus the fact that I’ve been playing on a lot of people’s albums. A lot of stuff come up from Europe. I just did two tracks on the new Billy Cobham albums, twice....two different albums. So four tracks for Billy Cobham, and some other different people like Zucchero (popular Italian artist.) There are things like that going on all the time. I just did one for an opera singer believe it or not. It was a beautiful tune by Bellini, and this lady just sang the hell out that song. It was absolutely amazing. It’s a song with two parts, and there is a little hiatus in the middle of about 32 bars, and they said she wanted to mix some jazz and pop into it. Just to have different things in it, so they asked me to put the whole section in the middle. I asked what is it you really want? And they told me to do what you like. So, I did, I sent it to them, and they were absolutely crazy about that. Now they want me to go to Sicily when they launch the record, and maybe even play live. So there is a lot of things going on. I’m just enjoying being out with the band. We’ve been to New Zealand and Australia this year. We did some shows in London, and in Italy where our following is very strong. We’re just busy, and this keeps me off the street corners.
I’m so taken by your enthusiasm, and for someone who claims to be 71 years old you certainly do not give that away. Would you say this passion for music still keeps you so alive?
I think it really does. You can only imagine, but music’s always been my passion. I hve been playing since I was three years old and I’m self-taught. I haven’t lost my passion for playing live for people. That’s what makes sense to me. I suppose I could hang out at the studios in Los Angeles, but that really doesn’t appeal to me. I still like to generate my own music, make my own albums, and make albums with other people. I’m just having a great time. How much more can I ask for than to be out with my family and play shows.



When did you decide to include your kids in the band, and what’s it like?
It’s absolutely fantastic, as you will find out. Some people are like “Oh, he’s got his kids in the band, and we don’t know what’s gonna happen,” then they go and see a band and say “they’re incredible.” And yeah, they are. I’ve never pushed them into music business. In fact, I warned them not to even bother. Karma (Auger-drums) started when I had a band with Eric Burdon in the early 90s. Eric was someone I knew from the 60s when he was with The Animals. So Eric asked me to be in a band with him because he wanted to work with me, so we did it for nearly four years. In that time, Karma started out as a roadie. He was doing technical stuff. He knew all the tunes, and was already playing drums, and Eric heard him play. He was playing to one of the soundboard tapes from the shows. So, Eric’s like “who the hell is playing drums upstairs?” I say it’s Karma, and he’s like “I don’t believe it.” Then two days before we were to do a six week tour of Europe, we had everything booked and set, and our drummer at the times just quits to do a job with a video editing company. We were stranded without a drummer, and didn’t know what to do. I called up Eric, and I told him what happened, and we didn’t have the time to rehearse anybody new. We could get hold of somebody in Europe, but it would probably take a week to do. So we were faced with pulling the concerts out. The only person I can think of who knows all the songs is Karma, so Eric tells me to bring him in. I’m like ‘are you sure?” Eric’s like “let’s try him for a week, and then we have some days off, so we can bring somebody else in.” That’s how he came about. And there really was no need to bring anybody else in. He did great. As for Savannah (Auger-vocals,) we were writing down names as to who we were gonna have as a singer. And Karma goes “you should give Savannah a shot.” And I was like “Savannah doesn’t sing, she is into theater, photography, and God knows what.” And Karma says “she does sing, but you’ve never heard her.” So we told her to learn a few songs, and we wanted to see how she does, but I would never put her in front of a band if it wasn’t right. It would absolutely break my heart. The rehearsal went great, and she just kept getting better and better.
With your kids on stage with you, do you find the relationship closer?
Absolutely. This is the happiest time of my career. It doesn’t get any better than this. Having your kids in the band, and playing the music that you love to play. On top of that, they are phenomenal players. On top of that we have Nick Sample on bass who is Joe Sample’s son. He’s phenomenal player, and we’re so happy to have him. I’m just having the time of my life.
When trying to describe your music there are a lot of misconceptions as to what it really is? How would you go about classifying the Brian Auger sound?
I can’t describe it, but I can say it’s a mix of a funk bass with a lot of jazz harmonies, and we solo over the jazz harmony. Vocals trying to put out a positive message. What would you call it? I don’t really know. Over the years they’ve called it some strange names. When we first started out with the Trinity in London in the 60s, they called it jazz-rock, or rock-jazz. When I came to the States in about 1970 as Oblivion Express, in Europe they called it jazz fusion, and I don’t like that term. It doesn’t really describe what I do. I just call it music. I suppose the Great Duke Ellington, who is probably my greatest idol said “there is only two types of music, good and bad.” As far as I’m concerned I absolutely agree with that. I just try to make really good music, and hope that everybody likes it.
I just watched you sound check before the show, and the stories you told the crowd are absolutely book worthy. Is writing a book something you think of doing?
Yes, I’m writing a book. Well, I’m writing a kind of autobiography. I’ve started on that, and I hope to finish at some point here. So, there are a lot of other stories, particularly the time in England during the 60s. It was a phenomenal time, and the more I get away from it the more I realize how lucky I was to actually be there, and be in the thick of it, and know everybody. There are some very funny things that I really think should be out there. I know people who are the images of people, but behind the images are the real people. It’s a funny experience for me to actually write it all down.

Links:
http://www.brianauger.com/