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Topic ClosedAbundance of one-man "bands" in modern prog

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HackettFan View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 17 2013 at 13:56
Originally posted by HackettFan HackettFan wrote:

Originally posted by Surrealist Surrealist wrote:

I listened to a couple Oldfield records today, and I think they are pretty average at best.  Not much of a fan here.  There are some good ideas, but they would have been better to have been further developed by more talented players and compositional ideas.Oldfield is very average as a guitarist, keyboardist, drummer, bassist, multi instrumentalist.  If Oldfield is as good as it gets for one man bands.. I hope this is enough motivation for a one man band to try to put a real band together.  I put on YES after the Oldfield records and it was wonderful to hear the collaboration of a real band rather than one man's narcissistic mediocre meanderings.

I don't know about your taste with respect to Mike Oldfield. As far as Yes, collaborative band? Sure. Jam band? umm...not the best example.

The Lark's Tongues line up of Crimson might be a better example. Just helping you out with your argument even though I'm on the other side of it.

Edited by HackettFan - January 17 2013 at 14:05
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 17 2013 at 14:04
Check out part 3 of this YouTube video with Adrian Belew as a live one man band using tape loops. Pretty exquisite. It's not new, but it's relevant certainly. He talks about his gear in part 2 and has another piece he plays in part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cr_cB8-NVU
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 17 2013 at 16:03
Originally posted by HackettFan HackettFan wrote:

Check out part 3 of this YouTube video with Adrian Belew as a live one man band using tape loops. Pretty exquisite. It's not new, but it's relevant certainly. He talks about his gear in part 2 and has another piece he plays in part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cr_cB8-NVU
 
It was a lot more fun seeing Daevid Allen do this in Santa Barbara with himself ... called it Divided Alien or something like it ... and it was either 75 or 76 ... not sure which!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 19 2013 at 05:01
i think there are plusses and minuses to both (some of which you listed).  It all depends.  David Sylvian is one of my favorite artists and there are profound differences between the work he makes with other musicians and by himself, a lot of which fall in line with what the topic creator said.  There is one thing im sure about though, this trend towards one man bands has made me deeply nostalgic for real "bands" again.  It kinda sucks for me too, since im someone who makes better music collaborating with people meanwhile all my friends have been able to get record deals just making music on their laptops alone (this is not exaggeration, my friends are pretty talented)

I remember when i first heard this song ( http://stereogum.com/336041/teen-inc-fountains-2/mp3s/ ) by teen inc. i got so excited. perhaps their technical skills were not all the way there yet but his was a real band, they jammed out sometimes. their more recent material was slightly more electronic in sound and more built around loops than jamming but ill still be antipating their next release.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 24 2013 at 07:20
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by HackettFan HackettFan wrote:

Check out part 3 of this YouTube video with Adrian Belew as a live one man band using tape loops. Pretty exquisite. It's not new, but it's relevant certainly. He talks about his gear in part 2 and has another piece he plays in part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cr_cB8-NVU
 
It was a lot more fun seeing Daevid Allen do this in Santa Barbara with himself ... called it Divided Alien or something like it ... and it was either 75 or 76 ... not sure which!
 
Interesting that you saw the show! There was also a guided tour for colleges where Daevid Allen lit candles, explained the Gong trilogy and and answered questions from the audience. I wish I could have attended that. There are excerpts from the tour on "Now Is the Happiest Time Of Your Life". Did you see any of this tour?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 24 2013 at 13:38
Originally posted by TODDLER TODDLER wrote:

 ... 
Interesting that you saw the show! There was also a guided tour for colleges where Daevid Allen lit candles, explained the Gong trilogy and and answered questions from the audience. I wish I could have attended that. There are excerpts from the tour on "Now Is the Happiest Time Of Your Life". Did you see any of this tour?
 
It was at "The Wolf" in Santa Barbara, and that he did ... talk about things and yap with his friends. David had spent some time in there with some folks. I saw the show, but never had a chance to meet him and the rest until the 90's. I think that Daevid was kinda just resting and getting away from it all for a while ... but not sure, otherwise. I'm pretty sure that Daevid had the whole show (and others likely) taped.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 25 2013 at 11:03
Gru is WIN. Thumbs Up Just Saying.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 28 2013 at 20:14
Joining a bit late but I think I have something to add. Having jammed and recorded with bands and with myself, I must say that those moments of "magical" highs (upon playing and playback) exist about equally with the group and solo efforts. Ego gains more satisfaction from the solo magic, but the highs from collaborative magic are perhaps more satisfying and enduring (though I find myself listening to both the band pieces and solo pieces 25 years later).

I, for one, am awed by the beautiful music being created by one man bands--and even a bit irked at my perception of the bias against these artists. The Psychedelic Ensemble, Domina Catrina Lee, Nikitas Kissonas, and Dean Watson are four, in particular, who have created--to my ears, heart and mind--amazing music in the past couple years. I think their music will endure. I hope they get their due . . . Before they die. 

Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 26 2013 at 10:11
  • Hi,

    My name is Biaggio Vessio, I am from São Paulo-SP, Brazil and I have been working on a project called Drunken Forest, in which I play the guitar and other instruments.
    I have just recorded an EP with some of my compositions and
    I would really appreciatte it if you could listen to my songs:

    http://drunkenforest.bandcamp.com

    Thank you!

http://drunkenforest.bandcamp.com/
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 26 2013 at 10:41
I don't think it limits an artist to do a one-man project, providing they have a well-rounded talent and base of skill. More often than not though, most one man projects ten to suffer compared to compositions performed by a full band. The writing can be just as good (most bands have a primary songwriter anyways) but most of the time, the performance feels rightly one sided.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 26 2013 at 13:46
After playing bass in prog bands from '77 to '80 I got so sick of the interpersonal BS that I taught myself the other instruments and began recording as a one-man-band.  At first it was with an Akai "sound on sound" reel-to-reel, then in '86 I moved into MIDI recorded on a cassette multi-track.  Nowadays, I use a Yamaha Motif XF that let's me record MIDI tracks alongside audio samples, then perform guitar and backing vox live on top.

IMHO, the key to doing the one-man-band thing well is to approach each part as if that's the only instrument you play in the band.  You need to be able to split your musical personality into several people, the bass player, drummer, guitarist, singer, keyboardist, each striving to make his part better than the other "guys".  Most importantly, don't compose the bass part on keyboards, drag out the bass guitar.  Don't figure out a good drum part on keyboard or drum machine, get behind the kit and bash it out.  And best of all, after a good writing or recording session, be sure to take the band out for pizza Wink



Anyone curious can check out a 26 song playlist of my one-man-band songs at:




Edited by The.Crimson.King - June 26 2013 at 14:43
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jayem View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 26 2013 at 14:31
Originally posted by Drunken Forest Drunken Forest wrote:

  • Hi,

    My name is Biaggio Vessio, I am from São Paulo-SP, Brazil and I have been working on a project called Drunken Forest, in which I play the guitar and other instruments.
    I have just recorded an EP with some of my compositions and
    I would really appreciatte it if you could listen to my songs:

    http://drunkenforest.bandcamp.com

    Thank you!


Hey then ! 


Right now I'm more likely to give my support to story-telling rather than pure zapping catharsis, BUT

obviously you're a very skilled, witty instrumentist and composer and no doubt one is about to find gems in there...!

The 10 first seconds of the intro I find very exciting, lots of tensions in those quiet sounds.


PS: I can't really recommend you to introduce yourself there 
because, well, I've been here for seven years and still haven't done it myself



Edited by jayem - June 26 2013 at 14:31
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 26 2013 at 23:40
I tell ya if I could pull it off being able to play 5 or 6 instruments exceedingly well...I'd choose to be a one man recking crew.



Also. I must say that I've got a ton of respect for Mike Oldfield. Man, that guy wrote and constructed tubular Bells when he was 17 or something.

Another notable mention is RICHARD D. JAMES of his electronic juggernaut, APHEX TWIN.
He did SELECTED AMBIENT WORKS 85-91 from ages 14 to 22. f**king incredible.

I say if you can be alone do it. Being in a band is a huge hassle!
Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2013 at 10:45
HEYI'MAONEMANBAND!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it's only a 1-chord and a 4-chord. It's not representative. This is the best stuff you'll hear in a while. Check out the other promos for more previews of the sound, but those aren't even fully, I'm not revealing much 'til 07/04.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGmElh-IxSE
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2013 at 10:47
And here's my very-not-prog early demos. I also rap but that won't be released for a while, hehehe.
https://www.facebook.com/zint.music/app_2405167945
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2013 at 10:49
Last post, I swear. Here's a much better preview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yFCOKtzrfI
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