Seniors new album thread - particularly f.a.o. Red Rain

Good morning my Lord!

I have seen the 'new albums' thread on here and there are some ferocious looking choices, quite unsuited to older gentlefolk like us!

If you've not already heard it, might I commend Rick Wakeman's new release to you - 'Piano Portraits'? It's a sort of Rick Wakeman unplugged, comprising pure piano versions of classics, one Yes song and a number of songs on which Rick was the original session keyboard player (Morning Has Broken, Life On Mars) plus a couple of Beatles numbers. A very soothing listen while your butler pours you a sherry, my Lord!

 

My missus bought it. She played it once and that will probably be it. We have seen Mr Wakeman a couple of times when he played for the Classic Rock Society in Rotherham at Oakwood School. That's right.... a school. How the mighty are fallen. He was excellent, but on the second occasion, his singer (Damian Wilson) walked out on him during rehearsals and it was not so good.

We saw Al Stewart at the Sheffield City Hall (Ballroom), the other week. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be, is it. The songs were still mostly the same, but sadly the voice isn't. Those high notes are but a distant memory. His guitarist (David Nachmanoff) couldn't half play though.

As you probably know, my taste is for Progressive Rock, but I do not like to live in the past. Those old bands all had their day, but they all suffer to one degree or another from the Al Stewart syndrome. The only answer is to move on and find new heroes. Pretty much as I advocate for our footballers too. My latest purchases are Lonely Robot (The Big Dream), Magenta (We are Legend) and Tiger Moth Tales (Cocoon). I saw Tiger Moth Tales at another CRS show last Saturday, this time at the Wesley Centre in Maltby. They were the best new prog thing I have heard in years. I was absolutely smitten. The main man is Peter Jones, who writes and produces everything. He sings, and he plays keyboards and guitar, sometimes at the same time, and sax. In fact he played all the instruments on the album, but for live gigs he enlists the help of his other band mates from Red Bazar, who coincidentally, were also the support band for the evening. The real kicker though is that as well as doing everything, he does it all with a disability. He went blind at 15 months of age.

As I say, I am smitten.

 

I met Rick once when I used to write for music mags and I have to say he was not pleasant which is a shame as I'd always liked his stuff but it put me off him permanently

 

His boys seem good lads, but they may get that from their mother.

 

Against my better judgement I'm going to try and engage in a pleasant conversation with you - what do you consider to be progressive rock?

 

About 30yrs ago, my old boss always used to drool when "year of the cat" came on the radio. Over the years "On the boarder" and "Time passages" also got a regular airing, and I really warmed to Al Stewart.

Great storyteller and some lovely guitarwork.

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Prog Rock means different things to different people. There are lots a different types of prog rock ranging from prog metal to art rock. Some of it I enjoy, and some of it I do not enjoy. Even if we just talk about the old bands, I hated ELP but loved Genesis, both of which fall beneath the Prog umbrella. Even today, there is Prog that I just do not get (Big Big Train) and prog that I love (IQ or Gazpacho or Airbag). I could give you some pretentious waffle about complex time signatures or tracks long enough to fully explore a concept, but it would be just that, waffle. There are plenty of great 20 minute plus tracks, but equally, there are some awful duds. I talk about Prog as a way of quickly establishing that I am talking to someone who likes roughly the same stuff as I do, and that is all.

I know that you enjoy metal, and I have noted your recent discussion about Iron Maiden. I do not share your liking for Iron Maiden. That does not mean that I am right and you are wrong. It simply means that we have different musical tastes and backgrounds. If metal it your thing then listen away.

 

Although I now mainly listen to progressive rock, I arrived at that genre from folk. As a consequence, my progressive rock must have a clearly defined tune and storyline in the lyrics. In the old days, I would listen to James Taylor, Al Stewart, Stackridge and the Strawbs. None of them can sing anymore. Al Stewart was saying that he is now 71. Life has moved on.

By the way, he was saying at that recent concert that he did not play all of those guitar parts. Yet another thing to be sad about.

 

I quite like Iron Maiden but they are not amongst my favourites. At times they have been described as progressive and I suppose they do fit the description to some degree.

I've never been into bands like ELP, Yes or Genesis- by the time I was getting into music they were churning out crap like I Can't Dance. I had no idea Peter Gabriel used to dress up as a frog.

I do like some progressive metal bands - mainly Dream Theater - but my favourite genre of music is a derivative of progressive metal and is probably completely at odds with what many prog rock fans would consider "progressive".

 

I'm quite eclectic in musical taste, I can enjoy most things when the mood suits.

I tend to like a song, then buy a compilation album, and then take it from there.

Amazing how tastes change isn't it?

Have you ever seen the old grey whistle test dvds? Some cracking stuff on there.
I found them quite enlightening.

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Prog at the bbc on now on beeb4

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Add Paul McCartney and Paul Simon to that list of the ones who have 'gone'.

Glad we caught James Taylor a few years ago (2007?) on his One Man Band tour when he was just about at his peak.

 

James Taylor on that tour was brilliant. Someone absolutely at the top of his game.

Add to the list of missing in action Ray Davies the greatest English poet of the 20th Century the flesh is willing but the voice is definitely gone.


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Well, I tried to listen, but I just couldn't. Good luck to you though, if that is what you enjoy. The important thing is you are engaged in listening to music.

 

I think that was the last time we saw James Taylor as well. It had been years since we last saw him, and in my memory I still had a vision of a young man with very long hair. This old geezer with a narrow ring of hair around a serious bald patch arrived on stage and started doing a seriously good James Taylor vocal impression. Could that really be James Taylor. It turned out that just like me, my heroes get old.

 

I cannot understand people who are not. Music is one of the best things in life. If I had to choose between music and BFC.......well, I'm glad I don't.

 

I'd choose music. Fairweather fan me.

 

I'll get back to you in forty years.