Pre (USA/Symphonic)

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Found a bio from New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of prog rock:

 Pre formed in February 1973 in Kentucky, recorded an album and disbanded
by December of the same year. The album was never released until 1994. Pre
were a quintet of Alfred Collinsworth (vocals, 12-string guitars), Larry
Collinsworth (electric 6- and 12-string guitars), Brian Paulson
(Hammond organ, electric and acoustic
pianos, Mini-Moog), Steve DeMoss
(bass, vibes, glockenspiel) and Dwight Dunlap (drums, percussion). Pre
is a mixed collection of styles. "The Path" is the opening
instrumental, a brief acoustic guitar duet with dashes of piano. This is
followed by "Who's Laughing Now," an acoustic guitar ballad of
love scorned. "Bowing Down" is a three and a half minute of
bowed electric guitar noodling on top of 12-string acoustics. At nearly
60 minutes of music, it is likely that some of these less than interesting
songs would have been cut from an LP release, though historical value
warrants their inclusion.

The meat of Pre's style is represented by songs
like the five minute "Water Meeting," the eleven minute
"Ascetic Eros" and the side-long "Ballet For a Blind
Man." Like many American bands in the mid-'70s, Pre shows strong
influences of Yes circa The Yes Album and
Close to the Edge.
Not only do Larry Collinsworth and Brian Paulson show influences of Steve
Howe and Rick Wakeman, respectively, but the
arrangement and development of the longer songs, divided into multiple parts, are similar
to Yes' episodic style. DeMoss and Dunlap do
not compare to Squire and Bruford,
nor does Alfred Collinsworth's somewhat forced vocal style compare to the
ease of Anderson. Paulson's keyboard
work also shows influences of Keith Emerson, but
without the bombastic presentation, so some comparisons to ELP
can be made. Additionally, Larry Collinsworth's bowed guitar adds an
eerie sheen to the mix, particularly welcome in the varied and inventive
"Ballet for a Blind Man." While few American bands tuly hold up
against their influences, Pre adds enough melodic originality to make most
of this resurrected music an interesting listen. -- Mike Taylor

Pre keyboardist Brian E. Paulson wrote to let me (and, by extension, you GEPR
readers) know that he's still around and still making music. He said, "I am still progressive but
in a more horizontal mode". I asked him if this meant he played laying down, to which he replied,
"I meant that I have incorporated more of a global music source". So does that mean "New Agey",
as his web site (see link below) might lead you to believe? Of this he says, "I know my site looks
a little 'New Agey', but it really focuses on Brain Sync and Resonance. This music was a direct
reaction to the new age crap that is out there. If you speed up some of my 'psycho-active' CD's, it
sound very progressive."

Brian wanted to let me know that Keyboard Magazine was printing a review of his
latest solo album, Quirk. The review has been published now, and they called Quirk a
"jazz fusion" disk, and compared the keyboards to Joe Zawinul (though another song is compared
to Phish, if that makes any sense at all). At any rate, you can check out this and other
Brian E. Paulson works at his web site link below.

Also, for those who have interest in Pre's sole release, Brian says, "Pre is out of pressing , but is still available thru me only as a clone CDR of my master. Interested parties can
call direct 317-896-9156." I don't think he would have given me his phone number if he didn't want
me to pass it along, so there you go! -- Fred Trafton