Flower Kings Appreciation Thread

Intruder wrote: Picked up Adam & Eve for a few bucks at a local shop.....I bought it 'cause I thought the opening track was some sort of prog Coltrane cover.  Liked the opening track and a few others, but the stuff just never hit me.....I can sense great musicianship but the material lets down the playing (and those lyrics....yikes!).  I'll keep my eyes open for some of their more well-liked albums.....I think even TFK fans are down on A&E.

Intruder wrote: Picked up Adam & Eve for a few bucks at a local shop.....I bought it 'cause I thought the opening track was some sort of prog Coltrane cover.  Liked the opening track and a few others, but the stuff just never hit me.....I can sense great musicianship but the material lets down the playing (and those lyrics....yikes!).  I'll keep my eyes open for some of their more well-liked albums.....I think even TFK fans are down on A&E.

I hear ya.......my least favorite FK album.  I don't care for the epics (though Driver's Seat isn't bad, just doesn't flow very well, IMO) and only like a couple tracks (the instrumentals, A Vampire's View).  Obviously, some fans love it though.  Any of their early albums blow it away (Back in World, Retropolis, Stardust We Are, Flower Power, Space Revolver).

zumacraig wrote: 'ello mates! hope all is well.  i've been in Grateful Dead land for last few months with their big 50th celebration and my having a handful of gigs this summer with my dead cover band. with the passing of chris squire, though, i'm back on a prog kick.  i really loved his singing and bass playing, so i'm digging deep to give some stuff i initially dismissed a second chance.  actually been listening to open your eyes.  peculiar album, but lots of squire singing.  def an big sherwood influence.  the ladder is actually pretty good.  probably the best ladder day album.  i've also been checking out some billy sherwood as well as conspiracy. busted out Rainmaker last week.  most of it holds up.  still have tour kaput on my wish list and really haven't given desolation much time.  could not get into the latest HFMC.  the latest flying colors has it's moments.   did any of you get to see yes?  i wasn't into them until the late 90s.  got to see them in 2002, i think, when wakeman was just coming back, yet again.  it was so damn great!  they were all there at the top of their game.  not too old yet and a killer setlist including south side, revealing science and america.  also saw them with the next two lead singers.  not too bad.  the last time was a snooze.  downes messes up a lot live.  just hits wrong patches etc.  and the tempos are so slow.  i'll be curious to see what happens now.  i can definitely see howe continuing, but not sure with sherwood.  didn't they have some issues?  anyway, i'm sure there will be some shows with Jon in the future before it's all over.

Never did see Yes live.  They actually played in my town back in 2002, but I didn't go because the tickets were too expensive for me at the time, and because the venue has horrible sound.  I kind of wish I had gone now, but it just wasn't in the cards, I guess.

I haven't cared for anything they've done since the Keys studio material (which I still think is quite good, and could have been even better if they'd toured on it and continued working in that vein).  The Ladder is okay, Fly From Here wasn't bad for a bunch of elderly gentleman but I find it hard to think of as a Yes album since it was mostly written by Horne and Downs (and mostly in the 80's).  The last album was dreadful.

I've been listening to Prodigy to honor Squire.  He was in his prime then, and at his absolute best (as was the rest of the band).  That's how I want to remember him and them.

infandous wrote: Kati wrote: Some of you might not be aware of this. Roine Stolt official in a band called Charm, they only ever released one single album but wow have a listen here it's beyond brilliant really  Chance - From Here To Infinity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi_-6IhM1a8&list=PLMyHPEAFkfwPy92Zl_8bWir3PgcjyHLdu   My understanding was he played on one or two tracks was all.  It's been a long time so I'm not completely sure about that anymore.

infandous wrote: zumacraig wrote: 'ello mates! hope all is well.  i've been in Grateful Dead land for last few months with their big 50th celebration and my having a handful of gigs this summer with my dead cover band. with the passing of chris squire, though, i'm back on a prog kick.  i really loved his singing and bass playing, so i'm digging deep to give some stuff i initially dismissed a second chance.  actually been listening to open your eyes.  peculiar album, but lots of squire singing.  def an big sherwood influence.  the ladder is actually pretty good.  probably the best ladder day album.  i've also been checking out some billy sherwood as well as conspiracy. busted out Rainmaker last week.  most of it holds up.  still have tour kaput on my wish list and really haven't given desolation much time.  could not get into the latest HFMC.  the latest flying colors has it's moments.   did any of you get to see yes?  i wasn't into them until the late 90s.  got to see them in 2002, i think, when wakeman was just coming back, yet again.  it was so damn great!  they were all there at the top of their game.  not too old yet and a killer setlist including south side, revealing science and america.  also saw them with the next two lead singers.  not too bad.  the last time was a snooze.  downes messes up a lot live.  just hits wrong patches etc.  and the tempos are so slow.  i'll be curious to see what happens now.  i can definitely see howe continuing, but not sure with sherwood.  didn't they have some issues?  anyway, i'm sure there will be some shows with Jon in the future before it's all over.  Never did see Yes live.  They actually played in my town back in 2002, but I didn't go because the tickets were too expensive for me at the time, and because the venue has horrible sound.  I kind of wish I had gone now, but it just wasn't in the cards, I guess. I haven't cared for anything they've done since the Keys studio material (which I still think is quite good, and could have been even better if they'd toured on it and continued working in that vein).  The Ladder is okay, Fly From Here wasn't bad for a bunch of elderly gentleman but I find it hard to think of as a Yes album since it was mostly written by Horne and Downs (and mostly in the 80's).  The last album was dreadful. I've been listening to Prodigy to honor Squire.  He was in his prime then, and at his absolute best (as was the rest of the band).  That's how I want to remember him and them.

Prodigy?  Yeah, I love Prodigy!  Out of Space, Firestarter - classic stuff.  Oh wait, I see.......

zumacraig wrote: Dude, I'm an idiot, what is Prodigy? I liked the Keys stuff, but it just had some real cheese ball synths and some goofy lyrics…"crack time"? As far as Adam Eve goes, I like about half of it.  There are some parts of the epics I think are classic TFK moments.  The opening riff of Driver's Seat being one.  However, I can't stand what's his name guesting on vocals.  And, Love Supreme is way too repetitive. I've kind of been on a Camel kick too.  Checking out some of their deeper catalog.

http://www.amazon.com/Progeny-Seven-Shows-Seventy-Two-Deluxe/dp/B00U2MZU9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438026982&sr=8-1&keywords=yes+prodigy

There is a 2 CD "sampler", which is basically a single show made up of tracks from the various complete shows on the box.  It's an alternate Yessongs album, basically (without Starship Trooper, which wasn't in the set until later in the tour, and the Bruford tracks which were recorded on the previous tour).  It's a "warts and all" recording with no overdubs or fixes, unlike Yessongs.

As to A&E, I loved Daniel Gildenlow on Unfold and Meet The Flower Kings, but like him less on A&E.......except for A Vampire's View, which is my favorite track on the album largely because of his vocals.  Which I know a lot of people hate, but frankly, I think they are perfect for the song and obviously so did Roine.  The official bootleg Carpe Diem has the version they played on tour, with Roine singing the bulk of the song and Hasse singing the higher register parts.  I like that version, but still prefer the song with Gildenlow singing.  Different strokes I guess...........

Mike, I was alluding to the UK act The Prodigy .

Not exactly prog eh?  However I've always been partial to a bit of kick-ass electronic mayhem .  I remember seeing them at a gig way back in '91 when they were not well known.  'Twas a great and mental night.  Whisper it around these parts but even Barney was a big fan of their single Firestarter back in the day .

From what I remember, Prodigy and The Orb were big ambient bands in the 90s.  

Tomas has a new album out!  Link below.  Looks like some of his other releases are available from his shop.  BTW, anyone listened to Barracuda Triangle?