“If I want to hear a bit of guitar playing, I’ll put on Albert King.”
Robin Trower on Two Live Albums, Guitar Tone, Practice and What Still Inspires Him
There are some guitarists who don’t just play notes — they seem to speak through the instrument. Robin Trower has always been one of those players.
In this latest episode of the Now Spinning Magazine Podcast, I was delighted to welcome Robin Trower back for a second conversation. As with our previous chat, this interview took place over the telephone, and I’m genuinely grateful that Robin was able to make time for Now Spinning Magazine while on his way to another interview.
The timing of this conversation could not have been better, because Robin currently has two live albums representing very different points in his career.
One is the newly expanded and remixed edition of Robin Trower Live!, the classic 1976 live album that many of us have loved for decades. The other is One Moment In Time: Live In The USA, recorded on his 2025 tour and showcasing exactly where he is now as a player, bandleader and performer.
What made this conversation so fascinating was hearing Robin reflect on the contrast between those two live documents. He was honest about the challenge of hearing himself from nearly fifty years ago, while also making it clear that the newer release is the one that best reflects where he is creatively today.
Two Live Albums, Two Eras
I asked Robin what it felt like having these two live snapshots of his career arriving at almost the same time.
His answer was typically understated. He admitted that some people might think it was an odd idea, but explained that it was simply the result of two different labels working independently. More importantly, he drew a clear distinction between them: the 1976 live album still has power and strength, but One Moment In Time is the more accurate statement of who he is now.
That really came across in the interview. There was no sense of Robin living in the past. He respects that earlier period, but his focus remains firmly on the present.
And that’s exactly what makes One Moment In Time so compelling.
The Magic of the Power Trio
One of the biggest strengths of the new live album is the chemistry of Robin’s current band, with Richard Watts on bass and vocals and Chris Taggart on drums.
Robin was full of praise for them, calling them fantastic musicians and speaking warmly about Richard’s musicality and remarkable voice. I asked whether this current lineup is one of the strongest he has ever had, and he did not hesitate.
He also reflected on why the power trio format has remained central to his music for so long. His answer was beautifully simple: it gives him freedom.
But it is more than that. In a trio, each musician has to compensate for the absence of another instrument. There is no keyboard filling the middle, no rhythm guitar thickening the sound. That means everyone has to keep the intensity up, even in the quieter moments. Robin described that slight sense of being “on the edge” as part of what makes it exciting.
That tension — that openness to risk — is one of the reasons his live performances still feel so alive.
Keeping the Songs Fresh
We also talked about songs like Too Rolling Stoned and Daydream, both of which feature prominently on One Moment In Time and sound utterly alive.
What I love about Robin’s playing is that even when the song is familiar, the performance never feels fixed. The long improvisational sections breathe. They move. They evolve according to the room, the sound, the audience and the chemistry on stage.
When I asked him about this, Robin said he tries to stay open during a performance, leaving space for “a little bit of magic” to happen. That, to me, explains so much about why these songs remain so powerful. He is not simply recreating them — he is rediscovering them.
And nowhere is that clearer than on the extraordinary new version of Daydream, which stretches to around twelve minutes and feels completely immersive. It is not just a performance of a song. It is a moment being captured as it unfolds.
Tone, Strings and the Robin Trower Sound
Of course, I had to ask Robin about guitar tone.
His sound is one of the most identifiable in rock music, and while some players spend a lifetime chasing something in their head, Robin seems to have established his voice early on and then refined it over time.
Interestingly, he said that his setup has not changed dramatically since the 1970s. The core remains familiar: a Stratocaster into an overdrive or volume boost, through Marshall amps. The main differences have come through refinements, including using more modern pedals and, crucially, tuning down a whole step so he can use heavier strings and achieve a richer tone.
He was very clear that the heavier gauge strings are harder work, but the reward is in the tone.
That is very Robin Trower, really — substance over convenience, feel over ease.
He also confirmed that the Stratocasters he uses now are his Fender Custom Shop signature models, built around everything he has learned he likes in an instrument over the years. It was fascinating hearing him describe how settled he now is with his gear, while still being completely focused on the musical side of the equation.
Practice, Fitness and Longevity
One of the most inspiring parts of the interview was hearing Robin talk about how he keeps himself physically and mentally fit for touring.
He exercises twice a day, eats sensibly, avoids alcohol, tobacco and drugs, and reads a lot. It is a disciplined approach, but not a joyless one. You get the sense that it all comes back to wanting to stay sharp, stay present and keep doing what he loves.
What also surprised me was how seriously he now takes practice.
Robin said he practices every day when he is not in the studio or on stage, and that this became much more focused during the COVID period. But in typical Robin fashion, “practice” does not mean running scales for hours. Instead, he is generally working on new material, shaping songs and guitar parts, staying creatively active rather than just mechanically maintaining technique.
That says a lot about him. Even now, he is still moving forward.
What Robin Trower Listens To
I also asked Robin whether he keeps an ear out for newer blues rock guitarists. He mentioned seeing Joe Bonamassa on Later… with Jools Holland and enjoying it, but said that most of the music he listens to now is older material.
His answer to my question about a go-to album was wonderfully unexpected. He talked about being a huge fan of Russ Columbo, the American singer from the early 1930s, and his love of the songs and songwriting from that era.
It was one of those moments that reminds you how broad a great musician’s influences can be.
And when he wants to hear guitar playing? He turns to Albert King’s Born Under a Bad Sign — and, as Robin put it beautifully, has “a little weep” about how good it is.
That line alone was worth the interview.
A Hint at What Comes Next
There was also a little tease for fans of Robin’s classic catalogue.
When I mentioned Long Misty Days, Robin said he had heard a rumour that it may also be receiving the deluxe treatment, with new mixes and an update. Nothing definitive yet, but certainly enough to get long-time fans excited.
Even more exciting, Robin also suggested that a new studio album may be arriving around the same time as the forthcoming tour.
For an artist in his 80s to still be working, touring, recording and pushing forward with this level of commitment is genuinely inspiring.
Speaking to Robin Trower is always a pleasure because there is no unnecessary ego, no overstatement, no performance in the interview itself. He is thoughtful, direct and deeply connected to the music.
What came across more than anything in this conversation was that he is still searching for those moments — those flashes of soul, atmosphere and feeling that make music transcend the notes.
That is why One Moment In Time: Live In The USA feels so vital.
And that is why revisiting Robin Trower Live! from 1976 feels so worthwhile too.
Two live albums. Two points in time. One unmistakable voice.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
