With the release of the new album Blessed and the warm reception of Live First Album: 50th Anniversary, their penultimate live record, it was high time for me to catch up with frontman, singer, and principal songwriter John Palumbo. What follows is a candid conversation about the band’s origins, the label ‘progressive’, double guitar lines, societal misunderstandings, and above all: the undiminished joy of making music.
A lightning bolt over Pennsylvania
The story of Crack the Sky begins in the early seventies, when John Palumbo formed a power-pop trio with guitarist Rick Witkowski and drummer Joey D’Amico that played mainly covers. ‘We kind of stuck around in the region,’ Palumbo recalls. Until that one evening in a club somewhere in Pennsylvania. ‘I looked at Rick and said: we have to get out of here. We’re going to New York.’
And they did. With guitars under their arms, Palumbo and Witkowski simply walked into record companies, it was still possible back then, and asked if they could play. They got a contract, but with a caveat: the songs were ‘too complicated’ for a duo. Would they consider forming a full band? On the way to New York in an old mail coach, they drove through the mountains as a storm rolled in. A lightning bolt struck nearby. ‘We thought we were going to get hit.’ Someone shouted: ‘Crack the Sky!’ ‘That stuck.’ A band name was born.
British influences and a touch of arrogance
While guitarist Witkowski had his roots more in R&B, Palumbo looked emphatically across the ocean. Bands like Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis formed important sources of inspiration, although he didn’t always want to admit that at the time. ‘I was pretty arrogant,’ he confesses with a smile. ‘When they asked about our influences, I said we didn’t have any. That it was all in my head.’ You can hear that stubbornness reflected in the music. Because how do you actually label Crack the Sky? ‘I always just called us a rock ’n’ roll band,’ says Palumbo. ‘But everyone sticks the label ‘progressive’ on it. So that must be the case.’ He himself has little use for pigeonholing. ‘I love writing. That is what I do. A label doesn’t mean much to me.’
Not a tribute band
Many contemporaries nowadays have been reduced to half-hearted tribute bands, with only one original member left on stage. At Crack the Sky, multiple original members are still involved, albeit not always continuously. What is the secret? ‘We still like each other,’ says Palumbo matter-of-factly. ‘And we love what we do.’ Moreover, the band does not tour incessantly. ‘We go on and off. That keeps it healthy.’ Soon, the band will be seen on the prog cruise Cruise to the Edge, originally set up under the auspices of Yes. Jon Anderson will also be there. ‘That will be interesting,’ says Palumbo.
Is this the John Palumbo Band?
As the main songwriter, Palumbo seems to be the linchpin of the band. Is Crack the Sky essentially his band? ‘No,’ he responds resolutely. ‘That is my job: writing songs. Everyone has their own role. This belongs to all of us.’ At the same time, he is also exploring solo paths.
Palumbo’s project album R U Science? will be released in early May, on which he takes a different musical direction with Bobby Hird and Joe Macre, among others. ‘Very different,’ he calls it himself.
Why no major breakthrough?
The self-titled debut from 1975 was showered with praise, but a real commercial breakthrough failed to materialize. According to Palumbo, this is partly due to the lack of a clear profile. ‘We didn’t really fit in anywhere. Not handsome enough for a ‘hairband’ (glam rock), not easy to pigeonhole.’ The record label also offered little support. Yet, there is no regret. ‘If we had had mega-success, I might never have met my wife and never had my children. I feel blessed.’ The title of the new album Blessed takes on extra weight this way.
Blessed: more aggressive and direct
The recording process for Blessed differed from previous records. Whereas band members usually submit their parts separately for Witkowski’s studio, this time the recording was partly done live by the rhythm section and guitarists. Palumbo wrote the songs, provided demos, and left the further shaping to his bandmates. The result is an energetic, sometimes downright aggressive-sounding album. The melodious vocal harmonies and, above all, the double guitar work of Witkowski and Bobby Hird are striking. On the left and right of the mix, the guitars seek each other out in a game of call and response – powerful and melodic at the same time. ‘With two guitarists, you simply get more power,’ says Palumbo. ‘That is the sound we were looking for.’
Music first, words later
Although his lyrics often contain humour, irony, and observations, Palumbo almost always starts with music. First, the music has to be right. The lyrics are harder. After all these years, you still have to come up with something new every time. Inspiration? ‘It is my job. I get up in the morning, go into the studio, and write. I do that almost every day. Because I enjoy it.’
Misunderstandings and perceptions
The artwork for the 2021 album Tribes led to some controversy. Some saw a political message in it, certainly given the events surrounding the storming of the Capitol earlier that year. According to Palumbo, that was pure coincidence. ‘People see what they want to see.’ In a broader sense, he notes that the image of Americans has become clouded in recent years. ‘We are not all like that. There are bad people, all over the world. But a dark perception has emerged. I hope that disappears.’
Youthful energy
Anyone watching and listening to recent live recordings will notice a striking youthful enthusiasm. How does a band with so many years under its belt explain that freshness? Palumbo: ‘Because we aren’t tired of it. We still enjoy it. When you’re done with it, you’ll hear it immediately.’ A European tour was once almost on the cards and there were plans to record in England. However, the record label put a stop to that. ‘They didn’t trust us, alone, laughs Palumbo. ‘We just wanted to make music.’
Living in the present
With more than twenty albums under their belt by now, Palumbo doesn’t look too far ahead. ‘I try to live in the present. Maybe we’ll keep going for years, maybe we’ll stop. Right now, we’re just doing what we’ve always done.’ And that is: writing, playing, recording. Without grand gestures, without hyped-up mythology. Just four musicians who like each other and who, against all expectations, are still trying to break open the heavens together.
Or, to quote John Palumbo:
[You can read Alex Driessen’s review of the Crack The Sky Blessed album HERE]
LINKS
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