Did Unreal City create a new form of RPI? |
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ProgSword
Forum Groupie Joined: June 23 2014 Status: Offline Points: 48 |
Topic: Did Unreal City create a new form of RPI? Posted: January 25 2015 at 22:36 |
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They've got a particular sound. One of the few prog bands that really takes a page from ELP, but instead of overplaying like Emerson does, their keyboardist is tasteful enough to allow room for everyone else in the band. They're basically like if you crossed PFM and ELP, and maybe sprinkled a bit of Genesis in too.
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LearsFool
Prog Reviewer Joined: November 09 2014 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 8636 |
Posted: January 25 2015 at 22:45 | |
I'd say no since RPI is specifically meant to refer to a unique Italian take on symphonic, ELP is symphonic, and Unreal City are very much in the vein of Italian symphonic, just uniquely indebted to Emerson.
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richardh
Prog Reviewer Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 26371 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 01:21 | |
Where does that leave Le Orme then?
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23098 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 05:49 | |
Well I think you answered your question yourself. While they do got a particular sound, they're still very much influenced by ELP, Genesis and PFM - all prog dinosaurs. I would think that a new form of RPI would consider itself with influences and aspects that haven't been addressed previously....or at the very least it would distance itself from a sound which is over 40 years old. Other prog bands that "borrow" a bit from the old Emerson cook book (all Italian too): Il Balletto di Bronzo Corte dei Miracoli Nuova Era L'Uovo di Colombo and the list goes on...
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Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 12 2011 Location: Melb, Australia Status: Offline Points: 7951 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 06:18 | |
Did Unreal City create a new form of RPI? No, not at all!
However, what they do bring, thanks to their relatively young age, is a youthful energy and fresh sound. They are very respectful in implementing the vintage symphonic Italian prog ideas, yet it's also got a cool modern sound that could possibly appeal to younger listeners. Terrific band! |
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Altairius
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 14 2014 Status: Offline Points: 187 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 06:28 | |
RPI has always had a heavy Emerson influence, and specifically the kind where they reign in the virtuosity and focus more on band interplay.
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Angelo
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: May 07 2006 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 13240 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 06:30 | |
So you are saying they put the P back in RPI... Edited by Angelo - January 26 2015 at 06:30 |
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I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23098 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 06:39 | |
I don't think that is true. RPI spans so much sonic ground it literally boggles the mind: Delirium, Cervello, Osanna, Alphataurus, Jacula, AREA, Franco Battiato, Semiramis, Procession, Jumbo, Celeste, Il Paese dei Ballocchi etc etc - none of these sound like ELP and range from elaborate folk prog (Delirium) to proto doom music (Jacula) to hard hitting angular prog with loads of reeds (Cervello). |
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams |
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Meltdowner
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: June 25 2013 Location: Portugal Status: Offline Points: 10215 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 06:41 | |
^ Collage from Le Orme sounds a lot like ELP in my opinion
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Altairius
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 14 2014 Status: Offline Points: 187 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 07:24 | |
It definitely has many more facets than the Emerson influence, but I'd say he's one of the biggest influences on the Italian symphonic bands. The jazz-rock of Area is different of course, but I don't think of them as RPI. If RPI is just all prog from Italy, then it's not a genre. I think of it as the Italian symphonic style developed by Le Orme, PFM, Banco etc., on which Emerson is probably the biggest 'contemporary' influence. Of course, the RPI bands are part of the original prog movement and so I would say they were more influenced by classical than British prog.
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Rick Robson
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 03 2013 Location: Rio de Janeiro Status: Offline Points: 1607 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 08:23 | |
I reckon this discussion will always be a hard issue, as it is also argued that Yes, King Crimson and Genesis used to take elements from classical, but if so then which British prog these took inspiration from, if any? Btw quite difficult for me to understand because as far as I'm concerned none of their members were classically trained for that.
I agree that RPI as a genre is rather inclusive, but obviously the symphonic vein is its "trademark", and perhaps this applies to the major part of the european prog bands from the mid 60's to seventies. My personal conclusion is that ELP (british btw) as a classical/rock fusion band were source of inspiration for many RPI bands that dared to compose and perform this sort of music, more commonly than in UK at those times. Anyway I bear in mind this is not the common sense at all. |
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"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." LvB |
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Raff
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 29 2005 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 24392 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 16:20 | |
Well said. So much for RPI being just saccharine-sweet, pastoral prog, as a former collab used to state. In fact, a lot of vintage RPI is very hard-hitting, aggressive, and in some cases even cutting-edge (Battiato and Area come to mind). The Emerson influence is limited to a few bands, and even those in whose sound keyboards had a prominent role had a personality of their own. |
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micky
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 02 2005 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 46828 |
Posted: January 26 2015 at 16:33 | |
well .. the the scene kicked off.. really kicked off after ELP blew everyone away at the Isle of Wright 1970. I think we had a quote in the RPI definition specifically mentioning that event. Seems natural to me ELP with its heavy.. heaviest BY FAR .. elements of classical inspiration would naturally appeal to those young Italian rock musicians. So yeah, I think you could put ELP as one of the most primary influences on RPI, but not on the sound itself. As is it known by all, RPI had no distinct sound, everyone took it and ran with it in their own directions. Pretty much look at Genesis... RPI had a significant influence on them in return.. but not you will hear in the sound of the group. |
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Rick Robson
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 03 2013 Location: Rio de Janeiro Status: Offline Points: 1607 |
Posted: January 27 2015 at 15:31 | |
Interesting point Micky! I didn't know that the Isle of Wight venue was the "triggering" episode, it might have been a WOWing event really. I sustain that a bunch of good and unknown bands didn't afford to develop their new ideas or even projects born from their inspirations gotten from that music. Or else they didn't find an easy way for realizing them and so took other directions, let's not forget that this is a natural tendency of the human being - going for the easiest -, it's OK, but IMO that is one of the challenges on which a formal musical education might help the most
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"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." LvB |
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memowakeman
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 19 2005 Location: Mexico City Status: Offline Points: 13032 |
Posted: January 27 2015 at 16:24 | |
These Unreal City guys have created a couple of wonderful albums that remind me how much I love RPI. They are awesome!
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Man With Hat
Collaborator Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team Joined: March 12 2005 Location: Neurotica Status: Offline Points: 166178 |
Posted: January 28 2015 at 00:17 | |
No.
But it's pretty darn fine.
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