Prog Rock Wednesdays (Page 22 of 24)

Marillion    "If My Heart Were a Ball, It Would Roll Uphill"    Zelande, Netherlands, 2009

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3MkUEp0t2A

Bassist Pete Trewavas really drives this one along, which is one of the "heavier" songs Marillion has in their vast repertoire. The quieter sections add some interesting contrasts within the song, which makes it extra satisfying. The "Marillion Weekend" festival has been held for a number of years in the Netherlands, always to an enthusiastic sold-out crowd. Not only are there segments of live music, but attendees also get to mix and meet with the band members over the weekend, little jam sessions erupt, good food is enjoyed, etc. It's a unique undertaking which really helps fans connect with the band members themselves, and a very positive experience for everyone. I like to really crank this one up ... like my younger self used to do, to the chagrin of my parents. This song is from their 2001 album "Anoraknophobia", which has an amazing background story on it's own ... for another day.

Good comments about the bass guitar, Bill ... both McCartney and Entwistle are good examples of a player making the bass more than just a rhythm instrument. Other notable greats are the late Chris Squire (Yes), Mike Rutherford (Genesis), Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), John Wetton (King Crimson), Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake and Palmer), and of course Geddy Lee (Rush). This list could be much longer, and we certainly have a lot of great music to enjoy because of the skill and creativity of so many fine musicians.

As far as Steve Hogarth vocals, he's not for everyone ... who is? This particular song has a very raw edge, so perhaps his singing style for this one is appropriate.     

The Aristocrats    "Gaping Head Wound"    Mexico, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvdMALPq5x8

In yesterday's "Tuesdays Flying Fingers" we were wondering about how musicians choose a name for an instrumental song. Here's an instrumental piece where a head injury happens during composition, and the guitarist explains how it all came about ... quite eloquently, I might add. These guys are essentially a jazz fusion group, comprised of GG on guitar (Govan Guthrie), MM on drums (Marco Minnemann), and BB on bass (Bryan Beller). They're each brilliant musicians in their own right, and have a tightness and chemistry that few groups can equal.

Guthrie toured with Steven Wilson (formerly of Porcupine Tree) for a while, who was asked about GG's involvement. Wilson explained that Govan could mop the floor with most guitarists, yet he was being asked in many songs to play simple riffs comprised of only a few notes. When Wilson asked Guthrie if he was okay with that, he replied: "Yes, because they're the right 4 notes." This clip is from their live compilation CD called "Culture Clash", released in early 2015 ... weird album cover:

I bet those guys:

1. Live together
2. Rehearse three times a day
3. Have very little other extracurricular stuff going on.

They're that good.      

TF  A great  piece of work from all concerned. I  always look at the audience and it was gigantic and that tells you  what type of following they have.     

I just listened to them and it is an interesting  group and their music and the singing is both very good. I have been amazed at their talent and this group is one of them. Really nice choice with this one.

Big Big Train    "Judas Unrepentant"    London, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_i-uqGNzgU

BBT formed in 1990 in Bournemouth, England, and did only studio albums for their first fifteen years, i.e., no live concerts until 2015. Having relied solely on album sales through their website, many of which received terrific reviews, it wasn't until the last few years that they actually began performing concerts. With the distinctive voice of David Langdon (who sounds a lot like Steve Winwood) and an ensemble of talented musicians, BBT gives full value for their musicality and performance abilities. This group is a recent discovery for me, so this is their first appearance in Prog Rock Wednesdays ... enjoy!

That was interesting - good music - lyrics had several twists to them. 

Good stuff - reminds me a bit of Genesis.

A question - why does the keyboard player have two keyboards - some bands have even more.  Are they in different keys of have different sounds or something?     

That's a really good question, TIG.

At one time, a player needed several keyboards at hand because they wanted several different voices in a song (piano, organ, synthesizer, clavinet, mellotron, etc.) and needed them all programmed so they could go from one to another without having to interrupt the flow of the music to change programs. Companies like Nord, Korg, and Roland now make very sophisticated keyboards which can change on the fly (via foot switch) and also split the keyboard (piano on right side, organ on the left). Jordan Rudess (Dream Theatre) tours with a single KORG Chronos programmable keyboard, and uses footswitches to access everything it can do.

Steven Wilson    "Pariah"    London, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwfGi_Qomc8

"Pariah" (i.e., outcast, exile) is about a person bottoming-out in life, but somehow managing to find the courage and resolve to pick themselves up and start over. For those who have been on that path, the sung conversation between the Pariah (Steven Wilson) and his "encourager" (Ninet Tayeb) is incredibly moving lyrically, musically and from a performance standpoint. This is one of those songs that stays with a person (often brings me to tears) and if you give it a good listen it really sticks ... stellar performance.

Wilson writes a lot of his music about people in the throes of being broken-hearted or carrying heavy burdens, yet somehow managing to find hope in the midst of despair. He once explained that although his music often deals which such sad themes, the common bond between most of us is that the sun certainly doesn't shine everyday. Yet we can still find comfort and strength in knowing we are not alone, and that sorrow doesn't have to have the final word in our lives. This is another track from his 2017 album "To The Bone", and this clip is from his 2018 "Home Invasion" DVD filmed at Royal Albert Hall.