An Interview with Norbert Stachel

Norbert:

My main focus on Roger's tour was to play the music as well as I could and also to reproduce the saxophone solos to Roger's satisfaction, and also to feel a connection with the people and the space of each performance.

REG:

Do you find that others in such bands find it difficult to keep their ego's from running away with them?

Norbert:

Yes, I do.

REG:

I actually found most of the In the Flesh Band members to be very kind, humble and down to earth. Is that your experience as well? Not alot of ego conflicts?

Norbert:

I have found over the years that there are almost always ego conflicts of various degrees and proportions in any environment where human beings have to cooperate with each other and play different roles within a system in order to make a people machine function to its fullest capacity. For the most part I found working with the In The Flesh band to be somewhat in-check with the egos, but with a few flare-ups here and there along the way.

REG:

Where did you grow up? Did you come from a big family? Any brothers or sisters?

Norbert:

My parents are Jewish holocaust survivors from Byelorussia and the part of the Ukraine that was formerly Poland. Their families were both almost completely wiped out by Hitler's devices. I was born near the wine country in California, the youngest of two boys and one girl. My sister is the oldest and was born in Germany. I grew up near Berkeley, California.

REG:

How old are you? Are you married? Any kids?

Norbert:

I am 41 years old, happily married, and Karen and I have three cats.

REG:

The few times we spoke during the tour, I talked about my Grandmother being Jewish and my Father and Uncle being raised Jews. You seemed quite proud of your heritage as well. Can you comment on that? Are you very religious?

Norbert:

I have a strong Jewish identity that was handed down to me by my parents. I don't make much of an effort to practice the religion, but I respect and acknowledge its depth, history, and meaning. I wasn't raised with much of a religious education, and I grew up in a very mixed urban environment.

REG:

What musicians or bands first influenced you and got you interested in Music

Norbert:

I was introduced to a wide range of styles of music at an early age. My parents sang and listened to Jewish Klezmer, Israeli folkdance, Russian and Hungarian Gypsy, and classical music in the house. My sister and brother introduced me to Hendrix, Zeppelin, Chicago, The Beatles, Mongo Santamaria, Cream, Creedence, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Stevie Wonder, Sly & The Family Stone, etc..

REG:

What instruments did you first learn to play? At what age did you begin playing the sax? When did you get your first saxophone, at what age?

Norbert:

My first instrument was a small plastic recorder-type instrument called the flutaphone in 4th grade summer school. I then tried out the trumpet in 5th grade from my mother's suggestion. Trying to play it just made my lips swell up, so I just ended up polishing it and looking at it and drew pictures of it while sitting on the couch watching television. I tried switching to trombone for a month, but I was equally frustrated with that instrument as well. My brother played sax for a short time in Junior High school, and suggested that I try it out. I didn't play any musical instruments for two years until I got to the 7th grade, when I took my older brother's suggestion and tried out the alto sax in beginning instruments class. I felt immediately familiar with the instrument, and loved playing it. Seeing my love and dedication to the saxophone and playing music, my brother and mother bought me my first saxophone which was a brand new Selmer MkVI tenor saxophone after I graduated the 8th grade. I was thirteen then.

REG:

What was the name of the first band you were in. What kind of music did you play.

Norbert:

During Junior High I played in the Concert Band. During High School I played in the Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Pep band. Outside of school I started playing in a Hendrix/Jazz/Fusion band called "Togetherness In Color". I also joined a multi-ethnic jazz big band called "Peter Apfelbaum & The Hieroglyphics Ensemble", a modern big band called "Lifeline", an Afro-Carribean band called "Ibex", a Jewish wedding band called "Hot Borscht", an oldies band called "The Tom Cats", and many more assorted R&B, Soul, Blues, Top-40, Jazz, and nondescript bands.

REG:

Among the great bands and musicians you have played with are Tower of Power, Dianna Ross, Aerosmith, Boz Scaggs, Ringo Star, Neil Diamond, The Temptations, Sheila E, Quincy Jones, and Les McCann. Were you just a session musician on these artists albums or an actual part of the band?

Norbert:

I was a recording and performing member of Tower of Power, Diana Ross, Boz Scaggs, Sheila E, and Tony Toni Tone'. I also recorded on CDs and soundtracks with Aerosmith, Neil Diamond, Sammy Hagar, and Prince. I also performed concerts with Les McCann, Kenny Burrell, Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Clarke Terry, Quincy Jones, Charlie Haden, Andrew Hill, Don Cherry, and the Temptations.

REG:

Can you give us a brief musical history regarding how you came to play with these music greats?

Norbert:

I used to be a member of the Pete Escovedo Orchestra, who is Sheila "E"'s father. I met and got a lot of exposure to other musicians while playing in Pete's band. One thing led to the other, and I started getting referrals when these people needed a saxophonist and were made aware of my qualifications and availability.

REG:

Speaking with you the few times we met, you seemed to be most proud of our role with Tower of Power. Is that because you were actually an integral part of the band and not just a session player?

Norbert:

You seem to use this term "session player" rather loosely, Michael. I have been hired for some recording sessions for signed artists where I wasn't a member of their band, but as a featured guest soloist, or part of a horn section. I would call that being a "session player, along with playing on movie soundtracks, and radio and television commercials. My role in Tower Of Power wasn't that different than my role in Roger Water's band, with the exception that with Tower Of Power, I was featured more often and I actually improvised my own solos in my own style, and wasn't expected to reenact the original recorded sax solos from the old recordings.

REG:

How did it happen that you joined Tower of Power?

Norbert:

I am good friends with David Garibaldi, the original drummer of the band. He recommended me, and Doc Kupka, (the co-leader of the band), was made aware of me from some recordings and also from the group's current guitarist Jeff Tamalier, whom I played with in a band many years ago.

REG:

Was this your first real glimpse of stardom?

Norbert:

I played with Prince and Sheila "E" back in 1986. That was my first big "Pop" musical experience.

REG:

Why did you leave Tower of Power?

Norbert:

I needed a change. I felt at the time that I wasn't given the creative room I needed in Tower Of Power to express myself completely. Roger offered me an opportunity to step up to a different level of international musical exposure, and a wonderful salary and travel opportunity as well. I accepted the offer with the hopes of making great money, meeting great new musicians, and moving forward in my solo career.

REG:

You play all types of music, Jazz, Blues, Funk, Rock, New Age... what is your favorite?.

Norbert:

My favorite kind of music for both playing and listening is the kind that just can't quite be pigeonholed. My favorite music seems to have ever-changing combinations of all types of music from all human history and cultures.

REG:

Are you or have you ever been a Pink Floyd fan?

Norbert:

I listened to and enjoyed some Pink Floyd music that I heard programmed on the radio in the 70's.

REG:

How is it that you came to play with Roger Waters? What were the events that led you to play the 2000 gigs and then to do the entire tour in 2002?

Norbert:

A great musician and person that I befriended while on tour together in the Diana Ross band in 1989 named Steve Tavaglione recommended me. Steve had done a few "In The Flesh" shows in the Los Angeles area in 2000, but couldn't do the northern California dates. I ended up being the saxophonist on the Portland show which later became the live DVD, and Roger was happy with my accuracy in transcribing the original saxophone solo from the song "Money". He then decided to use me for future performances.

REG:

Would you consider Roger Waters a "Super Star"? Is this the first time you have played with an artist of this caliber whose music is known so world wide?

Norbert:

I'm not a social expert, but it seems a given that anyone with the fame and notoriety that Roger has is always considered a "Super Star". I played with Prince back in 1986.

REG:

What was it like on a world tour with Roger and his band? In the interview you did with Simon Winpenny and Phil Waters, it seemed as if playing in the band was more a job to you. A chore rather than an enjoyable experience. Is this true?

Norbert:

I enjoyed and benefited both politically and monetarily from the experience. I learned a few new things musically as well. At times, I was frustrated with not being able to be myself as a soloist, but I realized that the role that I played was only a small part of the whole, and that I should look at the bigger picture.

REG:

Were you more excited at the beginning of the tour than toward the end? Was it more enjoyable when the tour began?

Norbert:

The enjoyment factor stayed fairly consistent for me throughout the tour, from beginning to end.

REG:

As the tour began, it seemed as if your role in the band was more cursory than integral. As the tour wound on did your role in the band become more prominent?

Norbert:

Yes, a bit more. I ended up playing some filler parts on the wind synthesizer.

REG:

When you were only allowed to come on stage to do your bit during the songs in which you played, did it make you feel apart from, instead of a part of the band?" What are your feelings about this.

Norbert:

As a professional, I always insist on connecting with the other musicians and listeners while I am trying to emote through my instrument.

REG:

Did you enjoy playing those famous Pink Floyd songs in front of thousands of adoring fans? Did you ever feel you were now a part of the history of those legendary songs?

Norbert:

Yes, and yes.

REG:

During the tour you added a new instrument called an EWI to the music which leant to it a different sound. What exactly is this instrument, how do you pronounce it and what does ewi stand for if anything? How long have you been playing it?

Norbert:

Steve Tavaglione, whom I mentioned earlier in this interview as the person who recommended me to Roger, coincidentally, is the person that introduced me to the Electronic Wind Instrument back in 1989. The Electronic Wind Instrument, or EWI, is merely a synthesizer controller played like a wind instrument instead of like a keyboard instrument.

REG:

Have you ever been on a World Tour such as this before? What did you do for fun when visiting the various countries you toured in? Can you give us some examples and the countries?

Norbert:

I have traveled internationally before with many bands, but this is the most extensive world tour that I've ever been on. The band members and production entourage often went on tour excursions on our time off including a "safari" in Sun City, sightseeing in Rome, St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Cape Town, and shopping and upscale dinners everywhere.

REG:

I have heard that the weather at some of the gigs was very very warm both indoor and outdoor, how did this affect the shows do you think?

Norbert:

I think that the shows went consistently well during all weather conditions, with little or no change due to heat..

REG:

What was your favorite part of the tour? What countries did you enjoy the most?

Norbert:

I enjoyed playing in Rome, Rio, Buenos Aires and Santiago the most.

REG:

How did you get along with other members of the band? Do you feel you became friends with anyone in particular?

Norbert:

Out of all of the band members, I feel that I connected the most with Snowy White, Pat Arnold, and Andy Fairweather-Low.

REG:

In regard to working with Roger, many have said he is very low key and mellow to work with, and others including old Floyd band mates have stated he is an ego driven controlling megalomaniac, and very difficult to work with. How did you get along with Roger? Was he easy to work with?

Norbert:

I got along fine with Roger, considering that he and I are very different people, both with strong opinions and conceptions, and coming from very different walks of life.

REG:

Will you be playing on Roger's next album?

Norbert:

If Roger asks me to record or play with him again, I will make sure to make myself available to him.

REG:

Would you want to tour with Roger again some day?

Norbert:

Yes, definitely.

REG:

Will you be playing more gigs with other bands or perhaps putting out some music of your own and get your name recognized? You don't seem to be the type of person who places a huge value or priority on fame or becoming a pop star. What's next for Norbert Stachel?

Norbert:

My wife and I recently moved to New York City, and we both hope to finally truly launch our solo careers in Jazz-oriented music and better establish ourselves and increase our recognition within the higher levels of the creative music world, and to live as well as we can.

REG:

Well whatever you do or whoever you play with please let us know. If you tour again let us know the itinerary, we'll be more than happy to publicize it in the fanclub magazine. I know we REG fanclub members would love to see you perform again. I understand you will be moving from California to upstate New York. Do you ever think you will be coming back to the San Francisco Bay area again, I'd love to see you play and perhaps chat again as well.

Norbert:

We are now in New York City, but our roots are still back in the bay. We will be back from time to time, I'm sure.

REG:

Well Norbert, I've already taken up more of your time than I anticipated. I want to thank you very very much for allowing our fanclub to spend so much time with you... You are now forever a part of Roger Waters and Pink Floyd history, and because of this, you are a part of the lives of Roger's fans as well. And I want to wish you all the best in your coming endeavors.