Alan Horvath | The Asbury Park Press Interview

The Asbury Park Press & Home News Tribune | June 1998
TALKING 30 YEARS OF POP
by Chris Jordan - The Back Page

This singer-songwriter has been plugging away for 30 years.

And he has the stories to show for it.

In fact, Alan Horvath remembers the time in 1969 when he performed at the Troubador club in Los Angeles with Doors lead singer Jim Morrison in the audience.

"He was really listening to it," said Horvath, "I looked up and he was standing up against the back wall and he had his head down."

Umm, Alan, are you sure Morrison wasn't nodding off at the show? Morrison did have a reputaion for zoning out during the latter part of his life.

"I really don't know," Horvath smiled. "I like to think he was listening."

Morrison's not around anymore, but Horvath has stayed to course. And Horvath is one of the headliners for tomorrow night's Arts for Water show at New Brunswick's George Street Playouse. Proceeds will benefit the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group, an environmental watchdog group.

Horvath, 47, was born in New Jersey. He's lived for extended periods of time in Los Angeles and Nashville, where he's had an active performing schedule. He's come within a high E-string's width of major-label record deals and almost starred in his own TV show.

"They wanted us to be a summer replacement for the Smothers Brothers Show." Horvath said. Horvath and a male partner performed as a duo in the early 1970s.

Unfortunately, Horvath's partner bailed out of the project -- cold feet, Horvath said.

Talking with Horvath -- who, until recently, was known professionally as Alan Post -- is akin to taking a journey through the last 30 years of pop music. He speaks firsthand of the singer-songwriter popularity boom of the early 1970s. He casually drops references to friends like songwriter Bernie Taupin and former KISS manager Bill Aucoin.

But the big break has eluded Horvath. It's hard to say that it's because of a lack of talent, though. On Busy Being Born, a 10-song CD that will be available for sale at the concert, Horvath's supple vocals and melody-friendly songs are on display. On Straight & Narrow, a meditation on the search for spiritual peace, Horvath's baritone voice is wonderfully expressive.

Arpeggio chords and a fretless bass ominously frame Wishes. Busy Being Born is an easy toe-tapper. Horvath's talent as a singer-songwriter gives Busy Being Born resonance.

The New York City-based Halfmoon Records has included some of Horvath's songs on it's Discover NYC in Music compilation CD series, but Horvath still remembers the time when Elektra offered him a recording contract -- which he turned down -- in 1975.

"There were times I could've killed myself for not doing it," Horvath said. "At the time when I turned it down ... I felt very cocky.

"Then as time went by and I looked back, I'm proud of myself because I was listening to my heart ... I felt Elektra was behind me for the wrong reasons."

� 1998 by Asbury Park Press/Home News Tribune - All Rights Reserved

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