Spiritual/Religious Experience in Progressive Rock

I have taken your survey; Friede will do it later (she is currently with her nose deep in a book and can't be disturbed)

Hearing U.K. perform Alaska at the San Diego Sports Arena and then a couple of nights later at the Santa Monica Civic back in '79 was just about the heaviest religious experiences I've ever had.

Mortte wrote: As about spirituality & music, all the music (not just prog) has always been very spiritual thing to me (I use rather word spiritual than religious, because I have never felt any religion to be that kind that fits to me, shamanism is the closest). Even simple, dirty R´N´R moves me very deeply. It´s very rare I listen music as a background to some other thing. Also I have been in many gigs that has been very spiritual experiences to me, saw Magma last autumn, other spiritual gigs have been for example P J Harvey (the best gig I ever saw), Black Sabbath, the Stooges, Wigwam, Sielun Veljet, Fishbone, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Lee Ranaldo Trio, John Fogerty, Jethro Tull, Pekka Pohjola Group, Procol Harum, Dr. John, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and also the latest Santana gig I just saw.   As soon as I have 20 minutes time to concentrate I am going to answer your questions in that link.

Thanks so much! Hugely appreciated.

Hercules wrote: BillieJane wrote: Hercules wrote: Hi Kimberley, I wish you luck - I was a post-doctoral researcher in Astrophysics at St Andrews in the late 70s. Wonderful place. Thanks so much! Small world... been here since undergrad. It is lovely. Did you see bands there? I know a few good ones were at the union at that time! I was lucky enough to get a post-doctoral research place at St Andrews in 1975, which was (for me) perfection. I spent 7 years there before getting a lecturer's post elsewhere. But my days at St Andrews were the best, drinking Belhaven real ale in the Brownhills House Hotel (now long gone), walking on the West Sands, doing the May Revels and many other things. My biggest regret was missing out on the Raisin celebrations, since I wasn't an undergrad there. I really wish I'd gone there instead of Cambridge, which I didn't enjoy. I saw Caravan, Gryphon (on their last tour before they split), Horslips (had to get a friend from Dundee U to get me into their SU ball for that one!), Five Hand Reel (not prog but folk rock, but amazing). The University was always too small to attract the bigger bands, but I saw a lot of great bands in Edinburgh and Glasgow (Rush, Camel, Horslips, Yes/Gryphon). I go on holiday to St Andrews occasionally and it always feels like I'm coming home.  I will happily do your survey, but I'm peer reviewing a friend's research paper at the moment, so it may be a few days.

That music sounds awesome. And thank you very much for taking part! Really appreciated.

As about spirituality & music, all the music (not just prog) has always been very spiritual thing to me (I use rather word spiritual than religious, because I have never felt any religion to be that kind that fits to me, shamanism is the closest). Even simple, dirty R´N´R moves me very deeply. It´s very rare I listen music as a background to some other thing. Also I have been in many gigs that has been very spiritual experiences to me, saw Magma last autumn, other spiritual gigs have been for example P J Harvey (the best gig I ever saw), Black Sabbath, the Stooges, Wigwam, Sielun Veljet, Fishbone, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Lee Ranaldo Trio, John Fogerty, Jethro Tull, Pekka Pohjola Group, Procol Harum, Dr. John, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and also the latest Santana gig I just saw.

BillieJane wrote: Man With Hat wrote: Seeing Magma live in concert is the closest thing I've had to a religious experience in my entire life.  Interesting... I'm hearing so much about Magma today, giving them a first serious listen. What do you recommend as a starting point? Also heard that they are so different live from recorded.

Have to say what I always say when somebody´s asking recommendations about Magma. Their first s/t album (later Kobaia) is the one that hit me first, I think the reason was that and the second album are the only ones with so much woodwinds & brass. MDK is of course really great, but I´ve heard many say it´s very complicated album to start. Theusz Hamtaahk Trilogie is really great live, but of course takes a lot time to listen it whole through. And I can´t say they´re so much different in live than in studio, I think they´re played their pieces lots live also in the studio, not used much backtracks.

BillieJane wrote: Man With Hat wrote: Seeing Magma live in concert is the closest thing I've had to a religious experience in my entire life.  Interesting... I'm hearing so much about Magma today, giving them a first serious listen. What do you recommend as a starting point? Also heard that they are so different live from recorded.

Man With Hat wrote: Seeing Magma live in concert is the closest thing I've had to a religious experience in my entire life.

twosteves wrote: I'm game--I always thought prog was like a religion for me---worked out well because I can practice my religion any time I want---because I'm not getting up early on Sunday and actually going to a church.