Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Jethro Tulll     "To Cry You a Song / A New Day Yesterday"    Tampa, 1976

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI6EIjwfEtU

I've often felt this was my favorite version of JT's personnel, with the late John Glascock (bass), Barrie Barlow (drums), and Martin Barre (guitar) being one of the tightest threesomes of the 70's. Their steadiness enabled front man Anderson to be at his free-styling best, and pianist John Evans to fill and flow in every way. I also enjoy Ian's voice from this era, but age (now 71) and too many cigarettes have robbed him of his range, his growl, and his breathing.

These two songs are from earlier albums "Benefit" (1970) and "Stand Up" (1969) respectively. Barlow and Glascock had become best friends, and when the latter died in 1979 of congestive heart failure (just 28 years old), Barlow soon left the band and never looked back. Apparently he and Glascock had meshed so perfectly on the whole JT repertoire, that Barlow found it hard to play those songs again without his good friend with him.

I'm going to dedicate this one our long-time Chordian Grah1, who just entered into the sadness of losing a long time friend and band mate. 

http://www.electrocutas.co.uk/ofrel/benefit.jpg     

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Marillion    "Cathedral Wall"    Wolverhampton, England, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKGc5LLuA4s

The simple-yet-powerful riff between guitarist Steve Rothery and bassist Pete Trewavas provides a great backdrop to Steve Hogarth's expressive vocals. The lyrics are about a period of Hogarth's life when he was plagued by insomnia, as he explains in his own words:

"Cathedral Wall came about on one particular night. I was lying there in the small hours of the morning, still having not managed to sleep, and I suppose more out of exhaustion than anything else my mind wandered off. And I found myself in this place, and I was lying on the soil outside with my head touching the wall of this enormous church, and I was looking up at the stones, and up beyond them into the sky of this building that stretched up into the moonlight. I don't know where it came from, you know, I wasn't dreaming it. I was just imagining it, but it was very vivid. I could actually feel the dampness of the stones and smell the soil. And then gradually I began to feel removed from everything and I went to sleep.

"So then the following night and on subsequent nights I would go there on purpose to find some kind of peace. I haven't had to resort to it in a while but it's always there for emergencies. So I wrote the song about that experience and about being able to escape from everything. It's interesting that it's a cathedral which is traditionally a place of sanctuary, because it wasn't actually a conscience thought process that took me to it. And yet, it's quite apt so maybe it was a subconscious place to go and find peace.”

This is one of 3 tracks on this theme, from their 1998 album "Radiation".

https://www.metropolitienda.com/17804/marillion-radiation.jpg

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Not really sure about this one, my friend. I only know Marillion through  "Kayleigh" which was the hit I heard for the first time in Germany and which I liked very much. Reading from the comments below the tune on YT, they were compared by one person to Pink Floyd and Genesis which I don't really agree with, but..........I think what would help is for me to expose myself......... (no, not that kind! smile ) to more music from this group, so I can at least critique them intelligently.

For now, I like the lyrics and the drama I hear and see from the lead singer, and they're musically tight - I just can't say I like them, TF. For me, even though I can't explain it, a lot of things have to come together and here they just don't.

Sorry. I know these comments are a bit convoluted, but it's the best I can do .

Your Friend

Bill     

Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Good comments, Bill ... thank-you! Isn't it great that music has so many "flavors"? There truly is something for everyone! And I completely agree with you that Marillion don't really have much in common with either Pink Floyd or Genesis (groups which I love).

Since I fell in love with prog in my early teens, I've come to realize (now 61 years old) that it is a genre with a loyal albeit small following. A lot of prog isn't cheerful at all, and sometimes quite dark actually. It's that full-attention-demanding aspect of it that turns a lot of people off, as well as the sometimes serious >>> morbid nature of it.     

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Mystery    "A Song for You"    Zoetermeer, Netherlands, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9vbM1HCGnc

Haling from Quebec, Canada, it's immediately obvious that singer Jean Pageau sounds a lot like Dennis DeYoung (vocalist for "Styx" in the 70's). Originally formed in 1986, the band has gone through a number personnel changes (as bands usually do over time) and the current line up was a feature act at the Prog Dreams Festival in 2016. From 2000 - 2008, Benoit David was their lead singer, until leaving to replace Jon Anderson with Yes. Another tragedy struck the band in 2007, when bassist Patrick Bourque took his own life. But they've soldiered on, and are still making and performing great music.

This track is from their concert DVD "Second Home" ... enjoy!

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51bjdp8yY7L._SY355_.jpg     

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Another excellent live production.     

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

This is a great group and as usual with a lot of groups some of their instruments are interesting. The drummer was great. Good singing and a lot of fun to watch.     

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Glad you enjoyed them, CG.

One thing that struck me a bit odd, is that these guys are all Francophones, they're playing at a concert in the Netherlands, and they're singing in English. There's a good chance that hardly anyone understood the lyrics ... including themselves! big_smile

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Peter Gabriel    "The Tower That Ate People"    Rotterdam, 2004

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1isuj6X9Pc

Gabriel's "Still Growing Up" DVD was released in 2005, with intimate musings and interviews plus concert footage from his tour the year before. He has become an icon in modern music, with a career now spanning 50 years. Having always had a penchant for the unusual, he continues to this day writing lyrics which employ a hybrid reality - fantasy soundscape, with heavy use of metaphor throughout. What's remarkable is that he still has almost 100% of the vocal range he had as a young man, and is a consummate showman in the way he presents himself and his work.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FewLWMpfsqk/SeoPvA2ZZKI/AAAAAAAABho/k7vXMoUqj6A/s400/Peter+Gabriel+-+Still+Growing+Up+%26+Unwrapped+%2B+(Bonus+tracks)+(2005)+2.jpg     

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

This one is very good and you were right he is a showman. Enjoyed listening to this one and the players all were good too.     

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

David Gilmour    "In Any Tongue"    Pompeii, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIJh4yhXXWc

The historic amphitheatre at Pompeii has been a recurring fixture in Pink Floyd's work, since they first filmed performances there in Adrian Maden's 1972 documentary. The old world acoustics of the stone amphitheatre design are still considered a marvel of design, and lend a "big-ness" to sound unlike any other venue. Flash forward 45 years, and Sir David returns with older Floyd classics and some solo material. At 70 years old when this was filmed, his closing guitar solo is as moving as anything he's ever done, and the addition of singer Bryan Chambers is a solid choice. This song was written by his wife Polly Sampson, and is from his 2015 album "Rattle That Lock" ... here he explains the lyrics:

"It's about the futility ... of people who are sitting here in the UK or the States flying drones over other parts of the world," he said. "They're sitting in the comfort of a little control room, playing with a joystick and then going home and having a curry. I can't imagine what goes through their minds when they get home, whether they're convinced of the correctness of what they're doing or whether they have some regrets.," Gilmour added. "They're brilliant words by Polly. The pain, the sorrow, the regrets are everywhere for everyone on every side of this multi-sided coin."

I hope you enjoy this beautiful and extremely moving piece of music.

https://img.discogs.com/CH8ckJ1t0DhLSFdCi1_4g6tUIr8=/fit-in/600x334/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-8460122-1482563315-6246.jpeg.jpg

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Steve Hackett (Genesis)    "Cinema Show / Aisle of Plenty"     Glasgow, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOjGRC1J3nE

The final two tracks from Genesis' 1973 album "Selling England by the Pound" are featured this week, and everyone in Steve's group deserves high marks for their performance. Nad Sylvan's vocals capture elements of both Gabriel and Collins, and drummer Gary O'Toole channels Phil Collins at his best. What's particularly impressive is keyboardist Roger King's programming and execution of the various synth tracks from the song, and he nails it 100% ... not easy considering Tony Banks skills.

SEBTP is now considered by  many to be Genesis' breakout album, where their musicality and creativity reached an apex. By the next album (Lamb Lies Down on Broadway) tensions were already starting to build, which saw Peter Gabriel leave shortly after, and guitarist Steve Hackett eventually leave after two more albums. The band continued with success in a pop-oriented direction, but this magic was never quite created again.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61-a1ZA72OL._SX355_.jpg     

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Pendragon    "The Shadow"    Katowicz, Poland,  2008

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruW6DpktLdM

A little softer touch from Nick Barrett & Co., from their 1996 2-disk album "The Masquerade Overture". With a career now spanning 40 years and over 30 albums, Pendragon have endured an immense series of personal hardships.This song was written by Barrett about his own inner struggles, trying to keep a band going through difficult times, and being haunted by doubts. One line goes:

"There's a man who's followed me, just about all of my life,
Being to you what I couldn't be, I call him my insecurity."

Barrett later reflected on these lyrics: "I very clearly remember writing this, and there was slightly strange atmosphere in the studio that day. Little did I know how prophetic those lyrics would become." The next five years saw one heartache after another, but they came out of it and have been going strong since 2005. Nick and keyboardist Clive Nolan have been steadfast friends since grade school, they each credit the other for being the needed support through the many changes and trials of their career.

https://www.nuclearblast.de/static/articles/249/249827.jpg/250x250.jpg

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Good music and enjoyed listening to them.     

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Karnataka    "Your World"    Bury, England, 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcgtJpks_e4

Karnataka's "New Light" DVD was released in 2012, filmed while performing at The Met in Bury, England. Housed in the historic Derby Hall (built in the 1840's) it has become a busy venue for concerts and live theatre.  The band features Italian guitarist Enrico Pinno, who has been involved in many projects over his career. The addition of vocalist Hayley Griffiths in 2011, after her successes as a vocalist and Celtic dancer with "Riverdance" and Michael Flatley's "Feet of Flames". She added a welcome stage presence to the group, but both she and Pinno left the group in 2017, leaving founder / bassist Ian Jones with the task of rebuilding again. Seems like a common theme for a lot of groups.

http://mid.images.nitro.to/nitro.to_karnataka_-_new_light_live_in_concert_2012_dvd9_ntsc.cov_606__422834.jpg     

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Good group and enjoyed listening to them. Thank you Tenement Funster for posting them.     

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

King Crimson    "Indiscipline"    Mexico City, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpZxwe4SXY8

Here's a reworking of an older KC classic from their 1981 album "Discipline", which was their 8th studio album. It was also their first album after a 7 year recess, which saw only founding members Robert Fripp (guitars) and Bill Bruford (drums) returning. New vocalist/guitarist Adrian Belew and bassist Tony Levin were now on board for the 80's, and they brought a "new age" flavor to the music. This song has some of that creative caustic chaotic cacophony of that time. In this clip, I don't think I've ever seen three drummers have so much fun, as (L>R) Pat Mastelotto, Jeremy Stacey, and Gavin Harrison are doing here. Lots of glances and grins being exchanged! And the intense yet vague lyrics could mean almost anything to anyone, as the conversations at SongMeanings.com indicate. Enjoy!

https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/118565/

https://www.audiophileusa.com/covers400water/105861.jpg     

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

They are wonderful and with three sets of drummers and other instruments they are fun to listen to them.     

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.

469 (edited by Strummerboy Bill 2018-11-30 22:57:22)

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

I think my addled brain just stumbled upon a (for me) profound thought: These lyrics are a prime example why - for some people - music is necessary in creating such a work.

By themselves the words are just so much confusing (IMO) drivel. aren't they*? Even in the comment section, one person has decided the lyrics are about porn. Me, I don't interpret it that way and, as of this writing, haven't really decided what they "mean". But then, I'm just a lowly drummer - one third of a rhythm section - and I don't dwell on such things.

To borrow (and destroy) from Omar Khayyám's Rubaiyat "The sometimes misfiring brain synapses, and having synapsed moves on." wink

In other words, with KC - for me it's always been about the music.

Bill



*rhetorical

Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com

470 (edited by Peatle Jville 2018-12-01 01:33:16)

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

I love the drumming. Though Robert Fripp doesnt do much on this track it just what is needed. My  friend Robert Hall a guitar mentor to me and Easybeat, worked with Robert Fripp over in the states on a tour and tells me Fripp is one very Discipline man. He didnt tolerate lateness and not turning up to practice, no alchol or drugs on tour.

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Bill ... glad you enjoyed it. Apparently, the song is about a piece of abstract art that the wife of former member Adrian Belew brought. He tried to understand / appreciate it, but somehow it never quite got there. That said, the song could apply to just about anything that barely eludes the senses.

Peatle ... that's so cool that you "know a guy who knows a guy" in connection with Robert Fripp. I've often thought he must do Tax Returns when he's not playing guitar, as he certainly projects that well-ordered, austere persona. Turns out he's just like that according to your friend, which isn't terribly surprising.

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Steven Wilson    "First Regret / 3 Years Older"    Los Angeles,  2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEbfBiHYAGY

Here are a couple of selections from Steve's "Hand.Cannot.Erase." tour in 2015, and the DVD release which followed it. Several of his band mates have changed since his last DVD, with only Nick Beggs (bass) and Adam Holzman (keyboards) remaining. That said, he always manages to find high level talent to fill the roster, playing old and new music as if they were the co-creators. Wilson's combination of endless creativity and solid production standards are always exemplary, and he continues to "surprise" me with wonderful, unexpected elements to his music. He describes himself as a producer first, storyteller second, and musician third, but it's honestly hard to see the seams between any of these skills, and the end result is great music. Enjoy!

https://img.discogs.com/Z9lzLtyWf-HynbnxyeeW4mz42Xk=/fit-in/600x401/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-8033480-1453846889-8842.jpeg.jpg

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

This is an interesting group of talented people. Certainly worth the listen.   Thank you TF.     

Music is what feelings sound like.
Music is life, that why our hearts have beats.

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Frank Zappa    "The Torture Never Stops"    Chicago, 2008

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFVt4OeTI6U

Here's another tribute by Frank's son Dweezil, to his late father. The vocal performance by Napoleon Murphy Brock is fantastic, creatively using a direct mic and another with vocal FX to do what two singers used to do from the original. If anything this version is better than Frank's original, and full marks to Dweezil for assembling the top talent to pull it off. Frank was known for being forthright (putting it mildly) and rarely did anything because it was the polite thing to do. Even the music industry found him hard to get along with, as well as the revolving door of record labels, musicians, promoters, etc. who came and went regularly. A comic example of this was when a reporter from "Nuggets" Magazine asked him what this song was about, to which he bluntly replied: "It's about torture not stopping" (April 1977). He even named his 1981 tour after this song.

http://klawler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Cover-and-Back.jpg     

Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays

Genetics !

Dweezil did his father proud on this one.

It is a classic "New Zappa"  production.

Frank was weirder than anything, but had a great musical talent. Son carrying the torch forward.
Joe's Garage album was one of my fave's
Thanks for sharing
Jim     

Your vision is not limited by what your eye can see, but what your mind can imagine.
Make your life count, and the world will be a better place because you tried.

"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except only the the best." - Henry Van Dyke