Kerry Livgren: I grew up listening to a mixture of Jazz, Classical, Movie Soundtracks, and of course American Rock and Pop, and later British Pop. The Gimlets did some original music which was patterned after bands like Paul Revere & the Raiders, The Outsiders, Beau Brummels, etc. I was a huge fan of the Yardbirds and the Kinks, and later of Procol Harum. Hearing the first Procol album was a turning point for me.

KR: In 1969 you formed The Mellotones with Don Montre, how did you first come into contact with him? Were Reasons Why and Saratoga formed after this group had folded or did they run concurrently?

KL: I met Don when he invited me to do a "pick up gig" with the Mellotones. There was a brief period where I was immersed in playing Black R&B - The Temptations, O'Jays, etc. Don and I really became fast friends and knew we would be playing together from then on. The mixture of his R&B feel and my leaning toward progressive rock made for an interesting mix. The Reasons Why was an R&B club band doing all covers. That’s where I met Lynn Meredith and Zeke Low. I talked them into doing something more serious and we formed Saratoga and started doing our own music. A lot of it sounded like a cross between Spirit, Chicago Transit Authority, and early Santana, with a bit of Procol Harum thrown in for seasoning.

KR: Saratoga then became Kansas, including later famous players Phil Ehart and Dave Hope. How did this line-up compare musically with Kansas II, and are there are any recordings from this period?

KL: Oh how I wish there were some decent recordings of the first Kansas. It was quite a bizarre band - difficult to describe. It was truly prog-rock before we had ever heard of that term, but a distinctly American version of the genre. It was a bit heavier with more of a hard rock feel than the second Kansas.

KR: Were Phil and Dave both still in White Clover at this time?

KL: Phil Ehart and Dave Hope, along with Rich Williams were in White Clover in 1970, which merged with Saratoga to form the first Kansas. It was a 7-piece band.

KR: What sort of places were you playing, and were you performing totally original material? Did any of this resurface in later Kansas songs?

KL: We played anywhere we could - schools, clubs, festivals, etc. It was an ever-diminishing list. We did almost all original music, with a few heavily altered cover songs. I don't believe any of the first Kansas songs resurfaced later, until "Myriad" on the "Somewhere to Elsewhere" album.

KR: How did you meet John Bolton, and what impact did his joining have on the sound of the band?

KL: When the first Kansas split up, I was used to having a woodwind player in the band, so we searched for a replacement for Larry Baker. Lynn Meredith, our vocalist, knew John from Manhattan, Kansas. We tried him out, and knew immediately he was the guy. John came from a real jazz background, plus he had a penchant for using his instrument in unorthodox ways.

KR: Why did you join White Clover, and why then was the name changed to Kansas?

KL: The second version of Kansas (now Proto-Kaw) struggled for several years before I finally gave it up, reluctantly, to join White Clover. Kansas II was dogmatic about our originality, and the band was just in the wrong time and place, perhaps ahead of our time. No one knew quite what to do with us, and we grew weary of trying to get a record deal and having things fall through. It was a heartbreak leaving my friends, but something had to change. When I went with White Clover, I told them the name had to go, and since Kansas II disbanded after I left, we took the name.

KR: What are your favourite memories of the Seventies with Kansas?

KL: Well, I suppose my favorite memory was just those days when we were first seeing the long struggle finally pay off. It was very exciting to have albums out on an international label and to be on tour with some of the very bands that we used to idolize.

KR: Why did you originally leave Kansas?

KL: Steve Walsh and Robby Steinhardt were gone and it just wasn’t the same. I had been with the group for 13 years at that point and I was in need of a change. I had formed A.D. during my second solo album, ‘Timeline’, and it was fresh and exciting, and we had like goals and motives.

KR: What were you doing between leaving Kansas and rejoining? Why is it that you didn't have greater commercial success during this period?

KL: That covers quite a few years. There were the A.D. years, (1983-1986), there were several solo projects, video soundtracks, writing for Kansas, etc., but there were also a few years of sabbatical where I went after other goals such as theology, aviation and agriculture. (I realize that sounds like a strange mix). I wasn’t really pursuing commercial success in a big way during those years.

KR: What brought about the reformation of the 'classic' line-up for the superb album 'Somewhere To Elsewhere'?

KL: I was on a writing binge, and much of the material sounded to me to be quite well suited for Kansas. Phil Ehart agreed and out of those sessions came ‘Somewhere To Elsewhere’ and my CD entitled ‘Collector’s Sedition Vol. I’.

KR: Is there going to be a new Kansas studio album and will you be involved?

KL: With Kansas I have learned to “never say never”. There are no present firm plans but one never knows.

KR: Were you asked to be involved in the DVD recording?

KR: There was a bit of confusion surrounding that process when it took place. I would have liked to have been a part of it, but for whatever reason it didn’t happen.

KR: What was it like reforming the old line-up of Kansas? Had you kept in touch in the intervening years?

KL: No one, in their wildest dreams, ever thought this band would re-form. We had pretty much drifted apart. I knew Dan Wright’s whereabouts but that was about it. It took some detective work just to find everyone, and of course I knew that Don was deceased.

KR: Were you surprised that there was so much interest in the original recordings?

KL: Quite surprised, actually. In retrospect, I realize those early recordings are a historical footnote which chronicles some (very rare) early American Progressive Rock.

KR: Had the other guys been totally out of the scene or had they stayed involved?

KL: For the most part, they were out of music altogether. In some cases they no longer owned musical instruments.

KR: Which of the songs on the new album are from the old days?

KL: “Axolotl”, “Heavenly Man”, and “Theophany” were performed by the band back in the 70’s, although these versions are a bit different. Most of ‘Before Became After’ is totally new.

KR: What did the current Kansas line-up say when they heard that the original band was reforming?

KL: I’m not sure they were aware that it was happening. I talked with Phil a bit and he thought it was great that these musicians were “finally getting their shot”.

KR: Will Proto-Kaw and Kansas ever gig together?

KL: That would make for quite an interesting show. It would certainly be a busy night for me! We’ll have to wait and see on that one…

KR: How did you get involved with Neal Morse?

KL: I was certainly aware of Neal’s work with Spock’s Beard, but we were not previously acquainted. We began to talk a bit about other things, and Neal was asking me for some advice. Later, he came out to Kansas and asked if I would play a bit on his project – of course I said yes.

KR: Was it ever mooted that you would tour with him?

KL: No, we never discussed that, although there has been some talk about Proto-Kaw doing shows with Neal.

KR: What is the rationale behind Numavox?

KL: Numavox is an artist-run label which exists primarily for my solo projects. It gives me total artistic flexibility and freedom, but it is a bit of a trade-off, as I certainly don’t have the distribution I would otherwise have, but the financial side of it is good too since “I’m where the buck stops” and there are no legal hassles.

KR: Is there going to be another album from Proto-Kaw, and are we ever likely to see you in Europe!

KL: In answer to both – we certainly hope so!