Alan Parsons Project.

[Floyddroid]

Bloody hell. Just how great were The Alan Parsons Project albums. Been listening to them for forty years and still overwhelmed by them. The power of music eh?;)

[Sherwood]

Bloody hell. Just how great were The Alan Parsons Project albums. Been listening to them for forty years and still overwhelmed by them. The power of music eh?;)

Still ongoing eh? Let's hope Alan Parsons is not appointed to run the HS2 Project!

[Spectral Morn]

I like some of their albums and a few of the newer ones, which are more melodic rock/AOR than the earlier more prog music.

[Barry]

I used to quite like "The Eye in the Sky", but now it sounds very dated and contrived. Parsons certainly milked the fame he earnt on DSOTM for all it was worth IMO.

[Floyddroid]

I have to disagree.
I used to quite like "The Eye in the Sky", but now it sounds very dated and contrived. Parsons certainly milked the fame he earnt on DSOTM for all it was worth IMO.

[Gordon Steadman]

Alan Parsons suffered the fate of many that hadn't been played regularly and got flogged orf!! I have kept just three tracks on the Mac. Eye in the sky, Two of a Kind and Old and Wise. If I had to choose one it would be Old and Wise.

So like Barry, it doesn't seem to me to have worn that well but each to their own.

[Floyddroid]

One mans meat is another man's poison i suppose? I feel the same way about the Beatles.
Alan Parsons suffered the fate of many that hadn't been played regularly and got flogged orf!! I have kept just three tracks on the Mac. Eye in the sky, Two of a Kind and Old and Wise. If I had to choose one it would be Old and Wise.

So like Barry, it doesn't seem to me to have worn that well but each to their own.

[DSJR]

The first in original remastered mix form is still a masterpiece to me and I think all the albums as a whole have really great songs on them for those who listen to the lyrics, many of which still resonate :) I don't know why, but this one song came straight into my head - apologies for boring you with some of the lyrics below





(One more mile, one more road, one last bridge, one less load)

Well I sympathize completely but there's nothing I can do
I am just obeying orders, I'm a simple soul like you
Well you really are persuasive, but I've heard it all before
And the boatman's getting restless as he stands upon the shore
And you can't take it with you
No matter what you do
No you can't take it with you
Not the place you're going to

[Paul-H]

Got a few of their Albums but must admit to playing their greatest Hits album more than the individual ones nowadays, although for me that can be said about a lot of artists now as well as there are a lot of filler tracks on albums now. :(

[Floyddroid]

The first in original remastered mix form is still a masterpiece to me and I think all the albums as a whole have really great songs on them for those who listen to the lyrics, many of which still resonate :) I don't know why, but this one song came straight into my head - apologies for boring you with some of the lyrics below





(One more mile, one more road, one last bridge, one less load)

Well I sympathize completely but there's nothing I can do
I am just obeying orders, I'm a simple soul like you
Well you really are persuasive, but I've heard it all before
And the boatman's getting restless as he stands upon the shore
And you can't take it with you
No matter what you do
No you can't take it with you
Not the place you're going to

You can't take it with you is the name of the song. It's from Pyramid.

[Gordon Steadman]

Yup, I have a playlist of Beatles tracks that only runs to about ten songs that I play regularly. Most music is of its time and not much seems to wear well.

Classical,baroque and jazz seem ageless but prog rock I just never listen to any more. Genesis, King Crimson whatever, just no relevance, time has moved on.

It's Lady GaGa and the like now apparently. :eek:

Then again, Genesis is not that bad.

[Sherwood]

Yup, I have a playlist of Beatles tracks that only runs to about ten songs that I play regularly. Most music is of its time and not much seems to wear well.

Classical,baroque and jazz seem ageless but prog rock I just never listen to any more. Genesis, King Crimson whatever, just no relevance, time has moved on.

It's Lady GaGa and the like now apparently. :eek:

Then again, Genesis is not that bad.

I agree. It's like 1970's sitcoms. We watched them because there were no other choices and we knew no better. Watch them now and it's Squirmsville!

[Sherwood]

Having said that, I have a number of vinyl prog rock albums in excellent condition if there is any interest? :rolleyes:

Geoff

[Haselsh1]

For me personally it has to be 'Tales of Mystery and Imagination' on vinyl. I do love 'Eye in the Sky' as well but found that it was a bit soft and poppy at that point.

[Haselsh1]

Regarding the trend discussion going on, I find any form of classical music staid and way past its time which most of it clearly is. As with most things we all have to progress and move on. The Beatles to me were nothing but a cheap boy band set way apart from the likes of the Yardbirds at that time. I find it amusing that Prog Rock is continually slaughtered for its intricacies and dexterity show-offishness yet classical music is about little else. Each to their own I guess.

[Sherwood]

I'm not a big fan of classical music but I can appreciate the skill that went into it's creation and goes into it's performance. Neither am I a fan of most progrock which I believe has not/will not stand the test of time.

The Beatles are an interesting case. I am a fan but I recognise that not all of their output was great or some even good! They were a product of their time and subject to the same commercial pressures that Colonel Parker brought to bear on Presley: the pressure to conform to middle of the road consumers and the taste of middle aged white males. A lot of the Beatles output has the flavour of music hall and light entertainment. It took some time for the "beat ensemble" to find their feet and to produce their best work. However, even in the early years they demonstrated significant creativity by fusing elements of R&R, blues, soul and Motown.

Geoff

[dimkasta]

Not my cup of tea, but it's hard to argue against them.

Everyone above 30 should have whistled along with Eye in the sky at least a dozen of times :D

[Paul-H]

Not a great fan of classical either, although I do enjoy more modern music played by a good classical orchestra.

Never did like The Beatles work or The Rolling Stones or U2 or David Bowie.
.

[dimkasta]

Prog Rock is continually slaughtered for its intricacies and dexterity show-offishness yet classical music is about little else. Each to their own I guess.

I think it's the avant-guardness that is slaughtered usually.
The same happened with many classical pieces when they were first released.

But it's hard to argue with the genious of Bethoven when he blows our mind with a 3 note pattern variation. The performer's prowess is irrelevant.

[Gordon Steadman]

I think it's the avant-guardness that is slaughtered usually.
The same happened with many classical pieces when they were first released.

But it's hard to argue with the genious of Bethoven when he blows our mind with a 3 note pattern variation. The performer's prowess is irrelevant.

Ah but it is. That's the problem with discussions like this. Personal preferences are all.

I listen to Baroque and Jazz mostly. Bach being beyond genius. Beethoven I can listen to almost without involvement or appreciation. Mozart...lightweight twaddle. Most of the Romantic era leaves me cold whereas Shostakovic or Ravel or Saint Saens are great. The fact that someone else finds them boring or no relevance is no more important than the fact that I find Prog Rock desperately trying to be more than it really is:eyebrows:

Safer to stick to kettle leads and crystals.

[dimkasta]

You are talking about personal preference.
You cannot judge a musical genius or anyone else for that matter by using what you enjoy as an argument.

[Haselsh1]

Ah but that is the problem with any Hi-Fi/music discussion isn't it...? I know what I like (geddit) as does everyone else and never the twain shall meet. That is one of the reasons I keep my music friends very close because we share the same passion. We are stirred emotionally by very similar things. We adore the intricacy of playing in Prog Rock because these guys show off so well and make the whole concept just so easy in the same way classical music is about openly showing off the skills of the composer and the virtuoso playing the piece. The similarities are striking but a lot of Prog Rock contains the most amazing melodies and hook lines. Also, for me, it is about never playing in 4/4 time ;)

[Sherwood]

I think that it is possible to distinguish between the subjective (personal preferences) and the objective (technical proficiency). My coolness regarding much progrock is that it is technically proficient but (for me) lacks emotion so that I cannot connect with it in the way I would with other genres. Totally subjective, but isn't that the point of music: to find a point of engagement and immersion!

Geoff

[Gordon Steadman]

You are talking about personal preference.
You cannot judge a musical genius or anyone else for that matter by using what you enjoy as an argument.

Oh yes I can!! I can consider many composers as mere journeymen or women and not genius at all. This is very clearly influenced by the fact that I like them or not. The fact that others consider them a genius has no relevance in my reality!

[dimkasta]

Oh yes I can!! I can consider many composers as mere journeymen or women and not genius at all. This is very clearly influenced by the fact that I like them or not. The fact that others consider them a genius has no relevance in my reality!

Well personal reality does not particularly help in a constructive discussion about objective facts, does it? :D
There's no arguement that can reply constructively to "I do not like 4/4s and Beethoven is not a genius because I find him boring and that's my reallity"

We have to find some middle ground that we all can work with.

For example I can say that I find baroque silly because I have connected it with 80s erotic movies. That's my reallity. That does not make Geminiani any less awesome

[Pierre De Grenoble]

I have the first 3 AP albums still.

The 1st was one of those albums that Radio Caroline /mi amigo whatever used to play all the time. I loved it then and I loves it now.

The 2nd and 3rd albums I bought because I loved the 1st though interest was decreasing,

I've picked up played and returned most of the rest of their output to the carboot.

As for Eye of the Sky I regret to say it just bores me.

If anyone here has never heard "Tales of Mystery" think of this coming out of your AM tranny on a dark windy and very mundane weekday evening:-


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

[Gordon Steadman]

Well personal reality does not particularly help in a constructive discussion about objective facts, does it? :D
There's no arguement that can reply constructively to "I do not like 4/4s and Beethoven is not a genius because I find him boring and that's my reallity"

We have to find some middle ground that we all can work with.

For example I can say that I find baroque silly because I have connected it with 80s erotic movies. That's my reallity. That does not make Geminiani any less awesome

Here lies the problem with subjective judgement!

It is actually impossible to have a constructive discussion. It just goes round and round.

I wonder if you can measure............

[earsopen]

Just arrived chez moi, the remastered box set (11?) of Alan Parsons Project cd's.
Have not listened yet!

[struth]

Takes all tastes fortunately, or we would all maybe be listening to john denver :eek:

[Sherwood]

Takes all tastes fortunately, or we would all maybe be listening to john denver :eek:

When I said play any song .......:doh:

[Infinitely Baffled]

Here lies the problem with subjective judgement!

It is actually impossible to have a constructive discussion. It just goes round and round.


Having subjective preferences is fine, obviously, and it can also be entertaining to discuss them - though you are right that a discussion like that often leads nowhere. But the problems start where someone clothes their subjective judgement as an objective statement - as you did in disputing Beethoven's greatness. I don't particularly get on with all of Beethoven (or massed orchestral music generally - the texture can be a bit impenetrable) but that does not mean he is not great. The level of my personal enjoyment of Beethoven's music tells the world nothing about whether he was a genius or not - and neither does yours (unless of course you have a grasp of musical composition and performance at the same level as Monteverdi / Bach / Mozart / Schubert / Britten, in which case I will happily withdraw my remarks)

We need to learn the difference between saying "I don't like this" and "this isn't much good". Too many people use the latter when they should really be using the former.
IB

[Spectral Morn]

I think for me, there is a degree of sameness about Alan Parson Projects music, a lot of it sounds very like other songs. Yes there are stand out tracks but not that many. I know this can be said of other artists, even ones I really like but, and I was thinking about this earlier today, and for me personally that is why I am not a bigger fan.

I am going to have a listen to the APP albums I have and see if my view changes as it has been an age since I last had a listen.

[Gordon Steadman]

Having subjective preferences is fine, obviously, and it can also be entertaining to discuss them - though you are right that a discussion like that often leads nowhere. But the problems start where someone clothes their subjective judgement as an objective statement - as you did in disputing Beethoven's greatness. I don't particularly get on with all of Beethoven (or massed orchestral music generally - the texture can be a bit impenetrable) but that does not mean he is not great. The level of my personal enjoyment of Beethoven's music tells the world nothing about whether he was a genius or not - and neither does yours (unless of course you have a grasp of musical composition and performance at the same level as Monteverdi / Bach / Mozart / Schubert / Britten, in which case I will happily withdraw my remarks)

We need to learn the difference between saying "I don't like this" and "this isn't much good". Too many people use the latter when they should really be using the former.
IB

Well, my statement about genius what a bit tongue in cheek as in "oh yes I can" I couldn't find a TIC smiley.

MY reaction was to the fact that a statement was made that "who cannot be moved" or something of the sort. Me!

My musical greatness is still waiting to be discovered. Bring on Groundhog Day!

[struth]

Disliked APP stuff in the day have to say. Thought it drivel. Not listened since tbh, and unlikely to unless thrust upon me. But that doesnt mean its shit or rubbish, just that it was/is to me.

[Gordon Steadman]

I think for me, there is a degree of sameness about Alan Parson Projects music, a lot of it sounds very like other songs. Yes there are stand out tracks but not that many. I know this can be said of other artists, even ones I really like but, and I was thinking about this earlier today, and for me personally that is why I am not a bigger fan.

I am going to have a listen to the APP albums I have and see if my view changes as it has been an age since I last had a listen.

Yup,.

To me his genius - if such it be - was in production. A very talented musician too but not a great composer. There are hundreds of bands / musicians out there who are very good indeed but few rise to the very top. Just look at orchestra players. Not in my wildest dreams could I attain the standards they have reached. But good as they are, they are not the one out the front in the spotlight. Who knows sometimes exactly what the one out front has because there are quite a few who somehow leave me cold.

I rate Alan Parsons as a good orchestra player who used his fame from production to get some recording time. The example earlier sort of sums it up for me. OK but nothing to sit and go wow about.

[Sherwood]

Disliked APP stuff in the day have to say. Thought it drivel. Not listened since tbh, and unlikely to unless thrust upon me. But that doesnt mean its shit or rubbish, just that it was/is to me.

Perhaps that's the point to wrap up this APP thread: "I know it's not complete and utter shit, but that's the smell I recall every time I hear it!"

A happy balance between objectivity and subjectivity!:)

[Pierre De Grenoble]

My musical greatness is still waiting to be discovered. Bring on Groundhog Day!

Groundhogs :D now there WAS a band :fingers:

[Spectral Morn]

Groundhogs :D now there WAS a band :fingers:

:offtopic:

[dimkasta]

Well, my statement about genius what a bit tongue in cheek as in "oh yes I can" I couldn't find a TIC smiley.

MY reaction was to the fact that a statement was made that "who cannot be moved" or something of the sort. Me!

I see what you did there :)

I said that about the 2-3 notes pattern in Beethoven's 5th. That it can blow your mind.
But it was not because it moves me or that I enjoy listening to it. It is about the fact that it is a 2-3 note pattern moved and repeated around the scales, literally as a musical exercise or as some kind of pretentious bragging about composition understanding. Call that boring or whatever you want, but it is genious even if it is boring to some of us.

[Haselsh1]

"I do not like 4/4s and Beethoven is not a genius because I find him boring and that's my reallity"


Why put this in quotation marks when no one actually quoted it...?

[dimkasta]

It was a summarization of Gordon's argument.
I apologize if I misused the quotes but I do not think I changed the meaning of what he said.

[DSJR]

I think there became a generis 'APP Sound' which was fully diluted into the 'Ladyhawk' soundtrack, but apart from this, it's some of the songs that got me. The songs from Ammonia Avenue and Vulture Culture were as much about a couple breaking up and the aftermath I think. I was still single at the time, but these songs mean far more to me now, especially 'Don't Answer Me,' which on the face of it, is a Phil Spector pastiche... In the early eighties, I began a lifelong friendship with a chap older and far more life-travelled than me. The song 'The Traveller' still means a lot to me because of this ('One day, you'll know who you are.').

Maybe this is why each of us develop distinct musical tastes to suit various moods and times of our life.... My Lord I've been sooo close to this below and type this with tears in my eyes (amazing how the power of music can move you)-

'If you believe in the power magic
I can change your mind
And if you need to believe in someone
Turn and look behind
When we were living in a dream world
Clouds got in the way
We gave it up in a moment of madness
And threw it all away

Don't answer me
Don't break the silence, don't let me in.
Don't answer me,
Stay on your island, don't let me win.

Run away and hide from everyone
Can you change the things we've said and done........

If you believe in the power of magic
It's all a fantasy
So if you need to believe in someone
Just pretend it's me
It ain't enough that we meet as strangers
I can't set you free
So will you turn your back forever on what you mean to me?


Don't answer me..........'

[Floyddroid]

Good debate chaps. Very healthy indeed. My view remains the same as my op. I accept and agree with the majority of comments above though i still enjoy around 75% of the Alan Parsons/project back catalogue. Yes, in the year 2017 they do sound contrived and a little dated. So do many other artists as stated. This does not prevent me from enjoying them one bit.

[sparcki]

Alan parsons albums tend to be well produced so sound good on most systems.

[Haselsh1]

Personally, I think that the APP's music, if it is indeed Prog Rock, is a very diluted version of what Progger's actually get inspired by. Given the end of Prog and this dilution effect I now spend most of my music time listening to and re-inventing those classic Prog moments from the classic albums as do most of us with our own particular genre. To replace that old Prog feeling I spend my time these days listening to various Ozric Tentacles albums. Their music continues to 'do it' for me. I have a particular passion for 'Erpland' and 'Pulgent Effulgent'. If that is what Prog Progged into then I still love it.

[Haselsh1]

Alan parsons albums tend to be well produced so sound good on most systems.

Yeah, gotta agree with this statement.