When Larry Collinsworth‘s interview on PRE appeared on these pages, we believed the story had been told. Then Al reached out — with his own answers, his own memories, and his own perspective on the same album. It was an offer we could not turn down.
Al Collinsworth‘s contribution to PRE was never secondary. As a songwriter, vocalist and one of the primary architects of the record’s compositional ideas, his account of those six intense months in 1973 adds a crucial and distinct dimension to the story already told by his brother. Where Larry spoke of guitar lines, live performances and the thrill of the studio, Al brings a songwriter’s eye to the same material: the harsh economics of the early 1970s music industry, the deep roots in the British Invasion, an honest admission that some lyrics were left unfinished, and a creative journey that never stopped — leading him from Lexington to Nashville, from PRE to a forthcoming solo record he calls “Apres Pre.”
Recorded in 1973, shelved for decades, and now finally available on vinyl through PQR Disques, “PRE” continues to open new doors. This is the other half of the story.
What were the main musical influences that shaped your sound in that period, and how did you balance those inspirations with the desire to develop a personal and recognizable identity?
The Beatles and the Stones continue to be my main musical influences along with with King Crimson, Yes and Genesis close behind. I loved the music of the Zombies, Spoonful, Kinks, Led Zepplin, Bob Dylan, Byrds, Burrito Brothers, Searchers, Arthur Brown, and many of the 60s rock groups. What influrenced me most was the song writing.
Let’s start from the beginning: how did Pre come together as a band, and what were the initial motivations that led you to start making music collectively?
I’ve always searched for the best musicians for writing and work. While living in York, Pennsylvania, the band I was in with brother Larry disbanded so I made cold calls to friends in my home town area of Lexington, KY about available musicians and found Brian’s number. Brian and I talked about our musical interests and arranged to meet in Lexington. Brian told me about Dwight and Steve were available and we were soon writing and rehearsing together.
In the early 1970s, Progressive Rock was still a developing language, especially in the United States. How aware were you of being part of a broader movement at the time, and how did you perceive the Progressive Rock scene around you?
For me, progressive rock was a much bigger thing then now. It was popular enough to include music by the Beatles, Stones, Allman Brothers, Eagles, Cream, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Spoonful, David Bowie, Elton John and bands like Yes and King Crimson. For a short time, popular, progressive music was exciting.
Can you describe the musical environment of your local scene and state during those years? Were there venues, bands, or audiences that supported more ambitious and Experimental music?
I lived and worked mainly in southern Ohio where music venues were huge melting pots of musical styles, especially near the Columbus, Ohio area. I was in a band called the Outcasts with Raplh Morman who later joined the Joe Perry Project and afterwards Savoy Brown. We didn’t call the music Prog Rock at that time. It was simply good music.
“Pre” was recorded in 1973, yet it remained unreleased for many years. Could you walk us through the circumstances surrounding the recording sessions and the expectations you had for the album at that time?
Pre was a very time-limited experience. Pre lasted about 6 months of recording and playing out. We had high expectations for the band but there was never enough money to sustain it.
Why did the album not see an official release back then? Were the reasons mainly related to the music industry, the market, or personal circumstances within the band?
During the 1973 era, there were many prog rock bands which made the competition tough to follow. It was as though there was a prog rock band on every corner, but most were living in the street…. Over-saturation of prog styles and the music industry’s needs were not as generous to new bands as during the 60’s. We frequently heard that “music is a business’, and “you good musicians need to understand that.” This attitude, which I still hear from Nashville publishers, restricted creativity and made it more difficult grow musically Popular music was shifting away from creativity and towards more populus styles. It didn’t mean we were a second rate band, we just didn’t finish first. Actually, we haven’t finished, yet.
When the album finally surfaced on CD in the early 1990s, how did you react to hearing this material officially released after such a long period? Did it change the way you viewed the album or that phase of your musical journey?
In many ways it was mildly embarrassing to know that it was over before it began. I shifted away from Prog music and focused mainly on my song writing. It has allowed me to be more independent and recently I have started to hear younger musicians recording some of my songs. A top hip hop artists DJ Shadow with Lucas Cut Chemist recorded my 1968 Outcasts release of “Loving You Sometimes” on their Product Placement cd. Last year, James Pogson rereleased the song on his London-based Symphonical Records label. Recently, During 2025, a young Brooklyn/LA musician, Scout Gillett released an excellent version of the song, a version I like very much.
The album is characterized by long-form compositions and extended suites. How did pieces like “Ascetic Eros / Hymn Of Transfiguration” and “Ballet For A Blind Man” come to life, and what was your approach to structuring such expansive works?
We composed both as a group and individually. This required long hours and an attention to detail. We worked slowly and daily.
Was the writing process for these longer pieces mainly collaborative, or did individual members bring in fully formed ideas that were then developed collectively?
We wrote both collectively and independently, but always constantly. The interplay between keyboards and guitars plays a central role throughout the album.
How consciously did you work on these arrangements, and what were you aiming to achieve in terms of balance and dynamics?
We experimented as much as possible and we had excellent guitar and keyboard players in the group. Dwight and Steve were the glue that held it all together and allowed experimentaion.
Lyrics also play an important role in shaping the album’s atmosphere. How did the themes and words emerge, and how closely were they connected to the music during the compositional process?
We wrote most of the lyrics after the music was created. Because of the Progressive Rock trends, we dabbled with the pretentiousness of the bands at that time. Many lyrics were meant to be revisited but time ran out before we could rewrite.
“Bowing Down” and “Child Of Sorrow” introduce more acoustic and introspective moments. Were these tracks conceived as contrasts to the epic material, or did they naturally emerge as part of the album’s flow?
These songs were being developed before PRE but emerged naturally as part of the album’s flow. There were many smaller clubs and coffee houses to play and we wanted to work those venues, so we tried to adapt to play any room big or small, short or tall…. (once a songwriter, always a songwriter)
The album artwork has always been an intriguing visual counterpart to the music. What was the concept behind the cover, and how closely were you involved in its creation?
Steve Roberts of ZNR hired an artist in Louisville to make the first cover and gave him artistic freedom to design. We had no input into the cover, which was a really good idea.
Looking back, how did audiences respond to your music when you performed live in the early 1970s? Were the long and complex compositions well received on stage?
We had good responses. It was a time when Prog Rock and music lovers coexisted peacefully together..
Do you have any particularly strong memories connected to live performances of this material, or moments that encapsulate what Pre represented as a live band?
PRE was together for a very short time, a few months, but we had fun with every time we played.
The recent PQR Disques reissue marks the first time “PRE” has been made available on vinyl. How did you feel hearing the album in this format, and what does this release mean to you today?
It’s exciting to finally see and hear it. It’s been a great and humbling experience in delayed gratification.
With the benefit of hindsight, how do you view “PRE” within your overall musical legacy? Has its significance changed for you over time?
Pre helped bridge my past musical expressions to where I am now. Songwriting is my passion. For the past 15 years I have lived part time in Nashville and Lexington. Nashville offers great opportunities to improve my songwriting and I have mentored with great writers such as Gary Burr, Amy Speace, Judy Stakee, Brian White, Tom Shapiro, bassist Steve Bryant and Song Town’s Clay Mills and Marty Dodson, all of whom have participated in major Hit songs. I have also met and cowritten with many Nashville songwriters, all of whom have helped me to develope as a songwriter. I am presently writing, recording, mixing and mastering a solo cd which I call APRES PRE. It’s the record that I wish Pre could have done.
Finally, what would you like today’s listeners—especially those discovering the album for the first time—to take away from “Pre” and from the music of PRE as a whole?
Pre represents the writing processes that I learned and still lean on to write. However, please understand that although Pre was once a part of me but there is more to me now.
We would like to thank Al and PRE for sharing their memories and insights into the creation of “PRE,” an album that continues to reveal new layers with each listen. This interview, together with the recent PQR Disques vinyl reissue, offers an opportunity to reassess a work that stands as a remarkable and enduring statement within American Progressive Rock history.
Purchase the album here: https://pqrdirect.my-online.store/
Read our review of the album here: [Review] Pre – Progressive Rock Experience (2026 PQR Disques LP Reissue)