Barclay James Harvest vs The Enid

Barclay James Harvest, when I first heard them in Switzerland with the Bern Symphony Orchestra on 22 May 1971 with  She Said; Mocking Bird; Galadriel; The Sun Will Never Shine; Too Much On Your Plate; The Poet; Dark Now My Sky  listed on their website  https://www.bjharvest.co.uk/concert1.htm#1971

Blacksword wrote: Ronstein wrote: I like The Enid, but I love BJH. Apparently the split between BJH and Robert Godfrey was pretty acrimonious. Basically he thought he should be part of the band (for which you can read, run the band) and the band saw him as an arranger that was trying to take over. I found what The Enid were doing by fusing classical and contemporary music was interesting but, for me, another occasion prog arranger, Simon Jeffes, did a far more interesting and creative job with Penguin Cafe Orchestra, who've made some of the most genuinely beautiful music on the planet. You've engaged my interest :-) Listening to Penguin Cafe Orchestra now for the first time.

I like The Enid, but I love BJH. Apparently the split between BJH and Robert Godfrey was pretty acrimonious. Basically he thought he should be part of the band (for which you can read, run the band) and the band saw him as an arranger that was trying to take over. I found what The Enid were doing by fusing classical and contemporary music was interesting but, for me, another occasion prog arranger, Simon Jeffes, did a far more interesting and creative job with Penguin Cafe Orchestra, who've made some of the most genuinely beautiful music on the planet.

Hercules wrote: The Enid were THE cult band

I recall Robert John Godfrey of The Enid once worked with Barclay James Harvest and I like both bands equally, so I vote "Both Equally"

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - February 02 2021 at 10:40

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote: kenethlevine wrote: BJH is hardly lesser known, though they are definitely frequently mocked and unappreciated here.  Enid leaves me cold, while BJH was one of the first serious bands I got into in the mid 70s Compared to the usual suspects as well as Gentle Giant, Focus, Renaissance, Nektar, Camel, VDGG, Magma, etc they are. I would put them just below Strawbs and Eloy in popularity.

rushfan4 wrote: I can't say that I am super familiar with either band, but I have heard a number of albums from both.  My vote goes for the Poor Man's Moody Blues.   I'm really not sure why they weren't bigger here in the US.

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote: kenethlevine wrote: AFlowerKingCrimson wrote: verslibre wrote: kenethlevine wrote: It's hard for me to gauge Eloy's success, but it was considerable in Germany, with several chart albums, and a variety of other countries, minimal in NA. I'm fairly certain Eloy was Germany's #1 rock band at some point during the '70s. I think they even beat the Scorpions in album sales one year. In the early 80's too.  I remember I had a friend who had a housemate who was in the military and stationed in Germany at one point. This was an american guy. I remember seeing his cassette tapes and they were all the typical usual well known rock stuff except for one and that was Eloy. None of the othe stuff was prog either. I think that right there says something.  according to the German charts, the biggest Eloy album was "Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes".  "Colours" and "Time to Turn" were also big, so most of their chart success was actually in the 1980s.  Perhaps "Ocean" was the one that helped the group hit the bigtime though Interesting. I thought "Planets" was their biggest album. As a prog fan I don't equate commercial success with quality and I hope you don't either. ;) Also, could you post a link to these charts you speak of. I would like to see it for myself.

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote: verslibre wrote: kenethlevine wrote: It's hard for me to gauge Eloy's success, but it was considerable in Germany, with several chart albums, and a variety of other countries, minimal in NA. I'm fairly certain Eloy was Germany's #1 rock band at some point during the '70s. I think they even beat the Scorpions in album sales one year. In the early 80's too.  I remember I had a friend who had a housemate who was in the military and stationed in Germany at one point. This was an american guy. I remember seeing his cassette tapes and they were all the typical usual well known rock stuff except for one and that was Eloy. None of the othe stuff was prog either. I think that right there says something.

verslibre wrote: kenethlevine wrote: It's hard for me to gauge Eloy's success, but it was considerable in Germany, with several chart albums, and a variety of other countries, minimal in NA. I'm fairly certain Eloy was Germany's #1 rock band at some point during the '70s. I think they even beat the Scorpions in album sales one year.

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - September 10 2020 at 10:48