Our 1980 top 10s in & out of PA (share & comment)

The idea behind these topics is not just to list our own choices but to compare each other's lists to some extent and comment to some extent on that which we appreciate or are interested in from each other's choices (a positive exercise) if applicable. Our choices can be Prog and non-Prog, in PA and not in PA. I hope this can bring fairly diverse-in-tastes people together, and through the years we not only can find common interests but comment on those. For instance, I'm not much of one for AOR, Neo-Prog, modern Symphonic Prog, bootywave, hair metal and Prog Metal (lots of kinds of metal I do like), and others are not big on Post-Rock, Indie, RIO, Zeuhl, Acid Folk, or Krautrock, but I'm sure through the years unless one's tastes are really narrow and one is not into many years, we would be able to find common ground, common interests. I commonly prefer to try to focus on and find the common ground and the similarities than the differences. Quite commonly I'd rather try to express my appreciation than dissatisfaction (that does depend on what the issue is).

I decided to start with 2010 partially because it is not a year that gets a huge amount of attention (I wanted to avoid some of the biggest years in Prog to start), and then decided to stick with the years that end with zeros much like John's (Mellotron Storm) excellent poll series. I then did 1970 and 2000, and now I will do 1980. 1990, by the way, is one of the weaker years in my lists from the "sixties-until-now" at Awedsome Prog (love the mid to late 90s), but I expect to see more I like get listed by others that I forgot.

Please try to limit you initial list to just ten or so albums (rather than listing all you like). You can also separate them and mention others you like, but I want to keep the focus narrowed to that which you still really care about if possible. And feel free to mention less than ten, even if it's just one you like.

Actually, I really would like to list more than 20 this time, a great year for my tastes. Here are my top 15 releases as it not stands at Awesome Prog (just shuffled the order a bit based on my current whims -- the order matters little). https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa/aoty-1980/users/Logan

Art Zoyd - Génération sans Futur (Avant-Prog, Chamber Music, Modern Classical, RIO)
Joy Division - Closer     (Post-Punk, Gothic Rock, Coldwave)
Bobby Beausoleil - Lucifer Rising (Psychedelic Rock, Film Score)
Siouxsie and The Banshees - Kaleidoscope (Post-Punk, Gothic Rock)          
Abus Dangereux - Le Quatrieme Mouvement     (Jazz-Rock, Zeuhl, Canterbury Scene)
Eskaton - Ardeur (Zeuhl, Space Rock, Jazz-Rock)      
Glenn Branca - Lesson No. 1 EP (Totalism, Post-Punk, Post-Rock, Noise Rock)
Picchio dal Pozzo - Abbiamo Tutti I Suoi Problemi (Progressive Rock, Canterbury Scene, Avant-Prog)      
Kate Bush - Never for Ever (Art Pop, Progressive Pop, Baroque Pop, Art Rock, Glam Rock)
Gary Numan - Telekon (Synthpop, New Wave, Minimal Wave)

Tuxedomoon - Half-Mute     (Post-Punk, Experimental Rock, Minimal Wave)
Terry Riley - Shri Camel (Minimalism, Electronic, Microtonal Classical)     
Present - Triskaidekaphobie (Avant-Prog, Chamber Music, RIO)      
Zamla Mammaz Manna - Familjesprickor (Family Cracks) (Avant-Prog, RIO)     
Bauhaus - In the Flat Field (Gothic Rock, Post-Punk, Noise Rock)

I took the genre descriptions mostly from RYM including various secondary attributes.

Some other faves include big names like Peter Gabriel's Melt, Tangerine Dream's Tangram and many more.

^ Yep, four years ago, thanks, and I responded to it. I voted for Melt. And I did this poll much more recently: https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=134594 I have done various ones for 1980 over the years. And many others have too done polls and lists for 1980. I was hoping this could be different approach.

This is what I wrote in your topic (it didn't add to any conversation nor was worth commenting on or getting a "thanks", but... I'm not a good conversationalist):

Logan wrote: The albums I know I've heard in full are Civilian (which was a disappointment compared to the first eight -- I bought GG"s whole discography in almost one fell swoop -- thought I was doing very well financially at the time), Peter Gabriel's Melt which I bought when searching for some specific music from, as it turns out, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway pre having internet (already loved Games Without Frontiers from Melt anyway), Rush's Permanent Waves (never owned but a friend of mine I shared a townhouse with was majorly into Rush and so I heard it quite a few times), Genesis - Duke (don't own but have heard), and Eloy - Colours. Also have heard Anyone's Daughter. I'm voting for Melt.

Off course this is meant for both our Prog and non-Prog faves, which my poll covered. I have wanted to move away from polls . I wrote this for my opening post originally to kind of show where I am coming from but opted not to add it (bit redundant and emo perhaps).

Although I have enjoyed the exercise of preparing polls and many of the responses, an issue I have had is that they hardly ever seem to appeal to enough people despite my approach, and thus people often express their dissatisfaction with the choices and others who I would have expected to like and comment on things don't post. I like topics that can reach out to the wider community often, and be welcoming to all (mostly) to comment and have discussions together.

I have been dissatisfied with making polls often because while I do get wonderful comments, quite often people will express their displeasure in the choices (I commonly tend to like enthusiasm). And when I have tried to be more diverse, others who I would have expected to find things they appreciate to comment on, and whose topics I can usually find albums/acts/tracks to comment on, are often silent. I'm not a good people person, I prefer to limit the people I am personally around, and yet want to make connections with more, diverse people online.

But I still tend to see more conversation and positive feedback in polls with lists than list topic of the top ten variety. With lists, just my preference, I would prefer topics where we look at each other's lists and try to find other people's mention to comment on rather than just making our own lists. I like thee more socially interactive topics.

For this I wanted everyone's individual favourites both Prog and not (or one or the other) and for us to express out interest in each other's lists/ choices and discuss more rather than just listing our own.

Edited by Logan - 23 hours 22 minutes ago at 11:36

Okay thanks. I wish more people would make lists at Awesome Prog, by the way, through the years. I want to try to figure out some way to make dynamic lists which encourage as much interaction between participants as possible...

Here, by the way, is the top 10 for 1980 in PA's charts:

1. Rush - Permanent Waves (Heavy Prog)
2. Peter Gabriel 3 [Aka: Melt] (Crossover Prog)
3. Asia Minor - Between Flesh And Divine (Symphonic Prog)
4. Present - Triskaïdékaphobie (RIO/Avant-Prog)
5. Spinetta Jade - Alma De Diamante (Jazz Rock/Fusion)
6. Zamla Mammaz Manna - Familjesprickor (RIO/Avant-Prog)
7. Tangerine Dream - Tangram (Progressive Electronic)
8. Hawkwind - Levitation (Psychedelic/Space Rock)
9. Kate Bush - Never For Ever (Crossover Prog)
10. Itoiz - Ezekiel (Prog Folk)

To reiterate, this is not meant to just be about individuals coming together to each list ten or so of their favourite albums, it's supposed to be interactive where we also compare our lists and comment on other's choices. And I would hope for it to be more conversational than most list-type topics.

And just because I want to and there's no momentum, here is my top 30:

Art Zoyd - Génération sans Futur (listened extensively)
Joy Division - Closer [AP Non-Prog]
Bobby Beausoleil - Lucifer Rising (ost)
Siouxsie and The Banshees - Kaleidoscope [AP Non-Prog]
Abus Dangereux - Le Quatrieme Mouvement
Eskaton - Ardeur
Glenn Branca - Lesson No. 1 (EP) [AP Prog]
Picchio Dal Pozzo - Abbiamo Tutti I Suoi Problemi
Kate Bush - Never For Ever
Gary Numan - Telekon [AP]
Tuxedomoon - Half-Mute [AP]
Terry Riley - Shri Camel
Present - Triskaidekaphobie
Zamla Mammaz Manna - Familjesprickor (Family Cracks)
Bauhaus - In the Flat Field (listened often) [AP Non-Prog]
森田童子 - ラスト・ワルツ Un, deux, trois (listened often) [AP Non-Prog]
Snakefinger - Greener Postures
Peter Gabriel - Melt (listened often)
Tangerine Dream - Tangram
Kitaro - Silk Road Volume 2 [AP]
Peter Hammill - A Black Box
Aksak Maboul - Un Peu De L'Âme Des Bandits
Kitaro - Silk Road Volume 1 [AP]
Itoiz - Ezekiel
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
Slapp Happy - Acnalbasac Noom
Captain Beefheart - Doc At The Radar Station
David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
Tangerine Dream - Quichotte (Live) [AP Prog-Adj]
The Sound - Jeopardy [AP Non-Prog]
Wipers - Is This Real? [AP Non-Prog]

Edited by Logan - 18 hours 51 minutes ago at 16:07

Rousseau - Flower in Asphalt
Vent D'Est – s/t (obscure French prog, quite good)
ARC - Maquette (another solid French prog obscurity)
Kenso - s/t
CHOICE - Just a Dream (German prog band)
Kerry Livgren - Seeds Of Change
Steve Walsh - Schemer Dreamer

Angel Witch - s/t
The Michael Schenker Group - s/t
Icehouse - Flowers
Ultravox - Vienna
WhieSnake - Ready An' Willing

richardh wrote: Jon & Vangelis - Short Stories

I'm pleased our Top 3 are identical, and I didn't see yours before posting.

Isn't Short Stories 1979??

Edited by Jared - 6 hours 55 minutes ago at 04:03

Cristi wrote: Jared wrote: 14) GG: Civilian 15) Nektar: Man In The Moon These two are not bad at all.

no, they are both quite listenable but they are the symptom of the age, like MMEB's Chance, which I could have also included. They just aren't prog, or a patch on what either band had produced during the '70's..

^^ that's fine... I've nothing particularly against any of them, except I would describe them as 'safe'.

Agnus (ARG)   Pinturas Y Expresiones    (1980, Progressive Rock)
Asia Minor (F)   Between Flash And Divine    (1980, Progressive Rock)
Bauhaus (UK)   In The Flat Field    (1980, Gothic Rock, Post-Punk)
Diamond Head (UK)   Lightning to the Nations   (1980, NWOBHM)
Ian Dury & The Blockheads (UK)   Laughter    (1980, New Wave, Pub Rock)
The “Gunesh” Ensemble (USSR)   Gunesh   (1980, Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock)          
Joy Division (UK)   Closer    (1980, Post-Punk, Gothic Rock)
Kræn Bysted (DK)   Stavnsbundet    (1980, Folk-Rock)
Hazel O’Connor (UK)   Breaking Glass   (1980, New Wave, Film Soundtrack)
Yello (CH)    Solid Pleasure   (1980, Synthpop, Electronic)

only a couple of Prog and quite a lot of different genres

Edited by David_D - 1 hour 4 minutes ago at 09:54

Logan wrote: As for Jared's, I like the Tangerine Dream's and have liked the Eloy's, and should check out the Sky again.

tbh, my problem is that I like to take part in your threads, because you help keep the forum alive with all the hard work you put in to it...

yet, you almost know what it is that I'm going to post, before I get around to it... very predictable with few surprises. I like what I like...

1980 in PA:

1. Mike Rutherford - Smallcreep's Day
2. Yes - Drama
3. Genesis - Duke
4. Steve Hackett - Defector
5. Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Chance

1980 Not in PA:

1. U2 - Boy
2. Steve Winwood - Arc of a Diver
3. Haden/Garbarek/Gismonti - Magico
4. Wayne Shorter - Et Cetera
5. Keith Jarrett - The Celestial Hawk