10 Q's with NEIL CARTER (UFO/GARY MOORE)

Neil Carter was the keyboards/guitar/sax player with UFO during the band's early 80's period and he then went onto join Gary Moore's band for a series of classic hard rock albums. Now he is a well respected music teacher. Visit his his rather good Website and read on...

1. What are you currently up to? (E.g. touring/studio, etc.)

Well as far as any of the 'previous life' activities go, none at all but I am about to go to Malaysia to examine and next year New Zealand and the USA. Otherwise it is business as usual with tons of teaching and examining.

2. Since leaving Gary Moore's band you have been a music teacher. What was it like to teach at first and have any of your past pupils gone onto being full time musicians?

Actually I admit I was lousy at first but as ever, enthusiastic, so I got by. No one had ever taught me how to teach so I had to find my way and discover the tools of the trade and get used to preparing candidates for exams etc. I think I know my stuff these days but it took me a couple of years, and also a while to understand how to interact with children and teenagers. I really love it now but for a long time it was hell on earth! I have taught a few that have gone on and in fact one of my past pupils now teaches some kids from my school. So many really talented kids have passed through the College but become doctors/lawyers etc. It is the way of the public school I'm afraid!

3. UFO What were the musical and live highlights of your time in the band?

Musically I suppose the initial album 'Wild and Willing' as I really liked such a lot of the songs on that and it was all 'new'. 'Making Contact', I felt responsible for a lot of that album and am pleased with it on the whole. Live I suppose some of the headlining shows in the USA and Reading in 1980 of course. I had a bootleg sent to me of the Chicago show in 1981 and it is really good. Never thought I'd say that!

4. Gary Moore You played on what many Gary Moore fans would regard as his classic hard rock albums in the 80s. What was it like playing with musicians like Bob Daisley and the late, great Cozy Powell? How did the bands camaraderie differ from UFO?

With Gary I was always aware that ultimately it was his show although it did feel like a band on stage. I suppose my position was a little different as I had the longest serving term and I wrote with Gary. I like to think it was a good partnership. The strange thing is that when I joined his band all the musicians, Ian, Neil and myself had come from much bigger acts but you could tell Gary was on the 'up' and he was always so well respected by other musicians. Working with Bob was always great and Cozy was a fine drummer (albeit rather briefly with us!). Working with Gary was so different to UFO, much more professional and well organized but perhaps not quite so unpredictable!

5. Did you get other band offers after you left Gary Moore and would you be tempted back into working with say Gary Moore or Paul Chapman if the chance arose?

Strangely no.....I wonder why? I suppose it was left 'open' for almost a year afterwards and no one actually said 'that's it, no more rock tours' so I was in limbo, but getting on with life. I did some writing and recording of my own but somehow I had no real desire to carry on. Which, looking back now, I find strange but understandable in a way. I had done such a lot and we had finished on a real high. Why go downwards or start again and I would have had to. I think you would really have to want it badly to do that and I didn't. Added to which money was still coming in from royalties so I wasn't exactly destitute! I have had the odd 'what about it' from both Paul and Gary over the years and I never rule it out but I think I am so far out of the loop now I don't know if I would be any good!

6. Who/what made you want to be a musician?

 I wanted to be on the 'stage' I knew that, but I loved music and played instruments (piano, recorder) from a very early age. My Mum was heavily involved in am dram and I used to ache to be involved in those productions when I was very little. I did so much playing in those things which gave me a good grounding and helped my sight reading immensely. Then one day Bowie came along and that was it. I wanted to be Mick Ronson!

7. How did you get your first break into the music business? What piece of advice would you pass onto budding musicians?

My first break was with Gilbert O' Sullivan when I was 19, until then I had been in semi-pro bands although technically I was 'pro' ˜cos I didn't work and my parents supported me! That came about from our bands guitarist answering an advert as he wanted a 'rock' band to back him. I was the singer but usefully I could play other instruments so I think it helped to 'sell' us. In the course of a 45 minute set I played 7 instruments for him. Slave labour. As far as 'advice' goes I suppose something I have learnt is in order to be successful at anything in life you need supreme self motivation and above all, self belief. It doesn't necessarily take supreme talent!

8. Which song(s) do you enjoy performing most live and why?

Always with UFO the classics especially 'Lights Out' and 'Only you can Rock me because they are such classic rock songs. Gary, hmmmm, I could say the entire set list of the 'Wild Frontier' tour as that really has to have been my favourite period I was with him. If you look at the Sweden live video we were having such a good time and it worked so well live. I have a bootleg of the 'After the War' tour and we look terrified and miserable! (Mind you that was right at the start of the tour with Chris Slade who just about new the songs....just!)

9. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Well it has been documented before, but I am a Judge of pedigree cats and that is my hobby. I go all over Europe judging although not quite as much nowadays as I am so busy with work. I enjoy it, although I am not sure whether it's cool to say so! I also do a fair amount of arranging these days and enjoy that a lot too!

10. Message to your fans...

For those that hold memories of the things I did in the past and have the albums, thanks for your support and feel free to check out the website as there will be some new stuff appearing from time to time. I really enjoy hearing from you all and thanks to those who have emailed me. Have fun!