A question

Today my friend played me some music, when I asked her what it was she claimed it was Marillion. It definitely wasn't Marillion but she just played that on her phone and the filename was Marillion. The song lasted for circa 20 minutes and it was heavily based on Hammond organ. It started softly, like some Procol Harum but then there was madness, crazy like Van der Graaf Generator, even heavier. The insane Hammond phrase was repeated over and over again, the vocals were quite aggressive. The singer even sounded like Fish at one point. But it wasn't Marillion. What it was then? Maybe some prog expert will tell me. I believe it was from the 70's but not really sure.

I think you may have answered your own question - sounds like Van Der Graaf Generator

Do you recall any of the lyrics?

richardh wrote: I think you may have answered your own question - sounds like Van Der Graaf Generator Fish was prone to sounding like Pete Hammill at times and was heavily influenced by him.

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - July 05 2023 at 11:13

The lyrics? No, not really. I remember the first part of the song was rather soft. Then it became heavy, that was really aggressive but also repetitive. It was definitely in the 70's style but maybe the band wasn't that old. I don't know. It wasn't bluesy or jazzy, it was rock driven Hammond organ extravaganza. It was in fact as aggressive as heavy metal but it wasn't metal. The vocals, firstly soft later became aggressive too. The problem is, that it didn't sound like anything else, I mean that heavy part. I mentioned VDGG cos that was the closest thing that came to my mind, there's that insane part in Plague of Lighthouse Keepers. But I think it was less chaotic. The rhythm section got something to do with Uriah Heep, it was rather fast. I mean, it definitely wasn't a top 20 prog band. I think the key may be vocals and the length (how many 20 minute long suites do we have?). 

Beardfish perhaps? "If we must be apart" for example has quite a few of the elements you mentions, although it's only 15 minute slong.

Edited by Angelo - July 05 2023 at 16:10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sfzY7DmX5w

Sorry i don't know how to upload active links :-(

Necrotica wrote: mellotronwave wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sfzY7DmX5w Sorry i don't know how to upload active links :-( Wow, that sounds a lot like what LSDisease was describing!

I shazamed my song proposition from minute 7.35 on and it has been quickly and correctly identified as Rare Bird's Flight



Edited by mellotronwave - July 06 2023 at 02:02

As mentioned before, it's hard to know without listening to it. So many prog songs could fit that description.

LSDisease wrote: It's not Rare Bird, thanks for posting though, it's a very good song. I think the band I'm looking for is most likely British. Can be German though. I remember Birth Control's Operation and Hoodoo Man, that was pretty intense. I try to find something that's similar but it's not that easy. There's a song by Birth Control called Just Before the Sun Will Rise, you got this fast snare drum tempo and organ on the top of that. It was also in the same mood. Starts at 2:00 add aggressive vocals and well... It was that tempo, go fast then pause, then fast again.  Anyway I'll shazam the song when she's back from Norway.

Ok no problem