Prog Rock Alert...!

[Haselsh1]

Saturday 3rd January 2009... BBC4 this very eve. Prog rock weekend. It started last night but continues throughout the weekend.

[Covenant]

I watched the second one, missed the first. I was a bit suprised that most of the people commenting didnt like prog rock, thought they would have dragged out a few admirers rather than Jon Peel who didnt like anyone once they were famous.
I have to agree however that the Rick Wakemen thing on ice was cringe making.

[Beechwoods]

Hmm. I never got the thing about John Peel going off prog with the arrival of Punk. Pink Floyd were in his Festive Fifty all the way through 'til 1980 (Shine On, No. 60 in 1980 - yeah I know it's No. 60, but Peel didn't rigourously enforce the '50' limit every year ). He played the entirety of Animals in the week of it's release, Jan 1977.

I thought Peel's reminiscence about the 'middle class twit' at the ELP Festival Hall gig was great - "my mind is blown... totally blown" I had to laugh out loud at that one Still watching the rest of it so I may 'unwarm' to him and the other commentators as things go on.

Nice to have some old clips of people you don't often see on telly anyway

[Haselsh1]

Mmmm... I have to agree with Covenant, John Peel liked everyone until they became multi millionaires. I guess there's always the possibility that it was all just sour grapes.

[John]

Its funny watching these programmes made me reflect that although I listen to prog my tastes are not as proggy as I used to think; for instance I only like a few Yes albums The Yes album and 90125, I could never get into ELP but like some Nektar. I tend to like bands that have proggressive influnces (love Rush, Pain of Salavation, some Dream Theater and Kansas but none are truly prog) I am not into the Canterbury scence just bores me even though I love Jazz fusion but do not like if it gets to smooth. I guess that what I love about music it is personal.
Anyway its been fun watching and hear peoples views, good to reflect for myself as well

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Guys

Watched the second Prog Doc this morning ( first was much better ). Best thing about this was Tommy Vance, doing the voice over (loved the Rock show on radio 1 when I was much younger). However this Doc was a highly edited version of a much longer show, hence the unrelated bits appearing from time to time. For instance Camel, but no mention of them only a few secs of two songs. Somewhat frustrating as the original version which is a further 45 mins long features Camel, Hawkwind etc. I also noticed that the EPG on Sky for the first collection of clips program from Friday night, listed some groups, that were not shown, such as Camel.

My all time fave Prog album was rated as being the first such album. King Crimson's, In the Court of the Crimson King. I love this lp and the recent HDCD remaster as part of the 30 years anniversary set, is fabulous, especially if you can decode the HDCD sound as I can ( MSB link Dac + ps 2000 power supply.) I also saw ASIA do this live last year at the Perth Concert Hall in Perth Scotland ( a birthday present from my wife). Not King Crimson but still amazing. As part of the show they do tracks from the various bands they have been in, as well as Asia. So we had some ELP, Yes and King Crimson( In the court of the Crimson King), I was in heaven hearing this WOW.

The first doc on the Friday night was much better than Saturdays cut up show. Nick I hope you saw it, as EGG featured quite heavily during it.

Talking of EGG, sort of. I love the Khan album Space Shanties, which features Steve Hillage and Dave Stewart. This is an amazing album IMHO, which I have both on Vinyl and CD. Khan aren't mentioned that much, wonder why ?

As to groups starting as cover/mimic groups, anyone who likes early to mid 70's Genesis with a hint of Van der graf Generator and early King Crimson should check out Italian group The night Watch and the more recent group with same lead singer The Watch. All of their albums are very good. You can look into them at GFT mailorder. All original material I should add.

Another Italian Prog band worth looking at is PFM, a cross between Yes, King Crimson and Genesis. Started in the 70's and I think that The world is the World and Photos of Ghosts are their best early albums.

It was also fun to see Focus on TV as well. I saw them in Belfast last year live and they were amazing. Well worth checking out if they come to play live near you.

Hi John Trevor Rabin's influence on 90125 and Big Generator, certainly took YES down a more AOR road but still very good. If you haven't tried any Trevor Rabin, you should his album Wolf is a good place to start. The best pure YES albums are the YES ALBUM, CLOSE TO THE EDGE, GOING FOR THE ONE and RELAYER. with DRAMA as another fave.

Regards D S D L----- Neil

[John]

Yes got the Trevor Rabin albums of c and like course and like Drama as well but my fav is the Yes Album
Found Egg hard to get into but sometimes like Hillage. I perfer Gong when they went more Fusion but some of those early Gong albums are amusing at first but the jokes wears off quickly
Thanks always for sharing Neil sometimes good to learn about bands I know little about

[Pool Hall Richard]

I recorded all these programmes over the weekend. Only just got around to watching the first 'Prog At The BBC' clips programme this morning. Loved that Jimmy Saville intro on TOTP to Tull. 'Up from 30 to 10, Jethro Tull, and here he is.....' I'll have to sample that for my Tull playlist.

Some of the clips were a bit crap to be honest. I do like prog but not all of it. I'll start to watch the documentary tomorrow before the wife and kid wake up in the morning. I dont really want to scare them with all this prog stuff.

Looking forward to that Mike Oldfield live performance from 1974 thats on BBC4 tomorrow night. Think he's got Mick Taylor from The Stones and a few other big names performing on that show.

[Haselsh1]

I was a bit surprised by some of the video/film footage. Quite a lot of it I had never ever seen before and it left me wondering whose archive it all came out of. For Xmas I managed to get the DVD set of the Gabriel Years. This comprises two DVD's and a book and is pretty good. I've also just ordered 'Camembert Electric' by Gong on vinyl so I'm really looking forward to that one.

[anthonyTD]

hi all,
caught a bit of the emerson lake and palmer one, there is one paticular clip of of the keyboard player fiddling around in the back of one of his organs,[steady now] of course its all valve, i often wonder how many organs he went through in his career, and how many times did he get shocked!!!