Starcastle
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=71916
Printed Date: April 23 2024 at 20:45
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Starcastle
Posted By: CloseToTheMoon
Subject: Starcastle
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 18:58
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Has anyone heard from this band? I found their first two albums in a dollar bin when I was first getting into prog. Sadly, I only bought one of them Fountains of Light (1977) and listening to it again...I really want to hear more. I had no idea they put out two albums in the past decade. I've been dying to get my vinyl into iTunes. ------------- It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen. |
Replies:
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 19:16
Whatever you do, don't go to the band's discography on this site.  By the way, do you know Happy The Man?
------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 19:31
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^lol...
Their debut is a pleasant light Symphonic Prog album which stands well alongside Kansas 70s stuff, for me anyways.
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Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 19:50
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the Starcastle debut album is a solid effort, and i still like it as much as i did when i first heard it years ago i do not know the others too well, sampled a few and found them a bit lighter than the debut and not to my liking would have been great to have seen the band live in the early days |
Posted By: CloseToTheMoon
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 20:36
That pretty much tells me I have to check it out. Should I be afraid? I've came across the name Happy the Man, are they a Genesis tribute? ------------- It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen. |
Slartibartfast wrote:Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 20:39
| ^no, not at all. A very fine and original American Prog band. |
Posted By: Lozlan
Date Posted: October 04 2010 at 22:10
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I'll confess that I'm a passive enjoyer of Starcastle's material. I have all four of their 70's releases (including their decently listenable pop endeavor), and find a certain amount of pleasure listening to them. They straddle the symphonic line for me: I know they're primarily hailed as a Yes clone, but I actually enjoy them more than their inspiration. Of course, my symphonic tastes are a bit odd at the best of times. The first three releases are worth a listen. They make for great casual spins, and occasionally I find myself really, really digging on them. ------------- Certified Obscure Prog Fart. http://scottjcouturier.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow - The Loose Palace of Exile - My first novel, The Mask of Tamrel, now available on Amazon and Kindle |
Posted By: yanch
Date Posted: October 05 2010 at 06:38
| I especially like the first album. They have a pleasant sound, very good playing and are enjoyable. They were very good live also. |
Posted By: The Monodrone
Date Posted: October 05 2010 at 08:45
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Wow, I think Real to Reel might possibly top Love Beach as worst album cover. Ever.
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: October 05 2010 at 10:33
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I liked Starcastle enough when I first heard them back in the LP age to get their debut on CD, but I seem to recall their second album to be not as good and I didn't keep up with them. Of course you've probably checked out their discography by now and see that they put out a new one in 2007, which I haven't heard yet. The first album was excellent for Yes fans who couldn't get enough of the Yes sound. Happy The Man came out with their first album about the same time as Starcastle's first. The first two albums and their 2004 are really good. Like Starcastle, they went on a big hiatus after the '70's. They are more instrumental oriented, but I thought I'd toss out them as a suggestion. They had a more intense and original sound. Although they are in eclectic, I think they have more of a symphonic style ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: ShipOfFools
Date Posted: October 07 2010 at 05:46
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I really like them. I have all 5 of their studio albums, and they're all really good. The lead singer tends to sound a bit too much like Jon Anderson at times, but all in all, they're a good prog rock band. Very symphonic. :) -------------  "Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace" - Buddha |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: October 08 2010 at 06:12
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Starcastle came into my musical life when Yes were leaving it - indeed hearing a tune off the first album on UK local radio (unnannounced) in the late 70's, I did think it was Yes back on form, until I heard the name Starcastle at the end. Sure they demonstrate a lot of similarities to Yes, and display similar orders of virtuosity, etc. but they also showed as some other neo-prog bands, there can be a lot left in the motherlode which the original prog bands have abandoned. Then as with It Bites, something (reasonably) new can come from fusing original bands' sound, e.g. Genesis (50%) meets UK (20%). ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: gr8dane
Date Posted: October 08 2010 at 17:21
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Starcastle is very fine band indeed.I love their stuff. Close to Yes, yes,but they do indeed have their own style,which I frankly prefer over Yes. Only because I don't have the patience for all the noodling around. ------------- Shake & bake. |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: October 09 2010 at 00:56
Good analysis of both bands! *sigh* I knew Starcastle from the early days, down in Champaign, Illinois USA. Live, they were unreal! AMAZINGLY huge sound for a bar band/cover band group. My favorite musician was Gary Strater, he was a walking/talking clone of Chris Squire, down to the shaggy hair & black Rick 4001! However, the first LP was also my favorite, "Fountains of Light" had lyrics that were probably written by a writer for a greeting-card company (I HATE vapid prog lyrics, ugh!). I've never heard "Reel to Reel," but the band hated it. The comeback was a good try, but they just didn't have the stuff to push for it anymore. The survivors are still in Champaign, I'll see them one of these days. Oh yeah, Happy the Man is HIGHLY recommended!!
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Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: October 09 2010 at 01:47
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I just checked the band's website, well, lookie here!! http://www.starcastlerocks.com/ - http://www.starcastlerocks.com/ ANNOUNCEMENT NEW STARCASTLE CD TO BE RELEASED SOON! September 2010 - Cincinnati, Ohio. A wealth of previously unreleased Starcastle material written and performed in California during the 80’s by Gary Strater, George Harp, Bruce Botts and Scott McKenzie will be released on a new CD later this year. This new Starcastle CD, now in production, is a collection of songs taken from studio demo tapes, live shows and rehearsals performed in the original three piece format … [see News for complete announcement]. |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: October 11 2010 at 05:57
For complicated reasons I was in correspondence with Stan Whittaker of Happy The Man, for a short while. One gem I got unsolicited, was that Stan shared a room with Steve Vai at college, and for a coursework, whilst Vai transcribed Zappa, Whittake transcribed Yes. Slart one of the things about Happy the Man was the comparative originality of their music; vague echoes of United States Of America and I think I might be pushing that.... ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: Norman Kiddie
Date Posted: October 13 2010 at 10:41
 If you´ll take my advice enjoy the one you´ve got because the others are not in the same class.
I had Citadel which has a great cover but is a pretty weak album. I actually sold it on.
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Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: April 09 2013 at 23:08
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I'm trying to find out if any archived Starcastle material is going to be released, so I'll post it when I find out. Meanwhile, please watch this stunning tribute for Gary Strater, who passed away while the band was recording their final CD. I find it hard to believe that the vocalist is Terry Luttrell, he sounds just like Jon Anderson to me! Terry was good, but not that good....! |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: April 10 2013 at 01:51
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Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: April 10 2013 at 01:55
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I only have Fountains of Light which is pretty good but I can't advice on their other output.
Indeed |
Posted By: stegor
Date Posted: April 11 2013 at 21:51
| I have fond memories of hearing them on Beaker Street radio in the '70's - Lady of the Lake specifically. So about 10 years ago I got the CD for nostalgia's sake, and was surprised at how good it was. A lot like Yes without Jon Anderson. Kinda like now. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 12 2013 at 02:16
Starcastle was like a bonus Yes album. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: April 12 2013 at 09:59
I was curious about the vocalist in that clip, so I emailed Mark Rubel, engineer for Starcastle and owner/operator of a recording studio in Champaign, Illinois USA. He wrote back as follows: ***Charles Hi!
Everything is going very well here, some amazing changes on the horizon, all for the good. That’s from that last Starcastle CD we did, and it’s Al Lewis singing. He’s really great, and a truly nice person as well- he travels the world as the drum tech for Yanni and for Chris Isaak, plus he’s a really good drummer himself. It is too bad about Starcastle. There was a possibility of a reunion, but it will not happen now. I hope that everything is wonderful with you. All the best, and thank you. Cheers! -MR Mark Rubel Pogo Studio 35 Taylor St. Champaign, IL 61820 217.351.8155 |
Posted By: Beckett54
Date Posted: June 24 2013 at 10:56
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Actually, there is quite a bit of unreleased material that we recorded in California of shows, rehearsals and some studio demos. I have been compiling and working on cleaning these recordings up for this archive release as time permits but have been hugely distracted by other issues, which are currently drawing to a conclusion. A statement will be released soon explaining what has gone on for the last few years regarding Starcastle which will clarify the situation. I am also in discussions with the other members of the California version of Starcastle who wrote the bulk of the music on Song of Times, about supporting this archive release with a few "mini" tours, to include a couple of surprise guests. Stay tuned. Bruce Botts
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Posted By: AreYouHuman
Date Posted: June 27 2013 at 00:32
Indeed, very much like Triumvirat filled a void during ELP's mid-70s layoff, Starcastle did the same for Yes fans during almost the same period. I was lucky to have a local station that played it regularly, esp. Lady of the Lake. The Yes comparisons were inevitable, given the Anderson-like vocals, but it still stood out distinctively. The 2nd album, not quite so much, tho it has its moments, esp. Fountains. I've never heard Citadel, but apparently I haven't missed much. Real to Reel was just *meh* though When the Sun Shines at Midnight was of some interest. And yeah, the cover was a Love Beach-style embarrassment. |
Posted By: Beckett54
Date Posted: June 27 2013 at 08:18
| Regarding the cover, Gary told me the story behind that. If you look closely at the photo on the back you can see that Gary's head was superimposed (pre Photoshop days) on someone else's body. The band was already in bad shape internally and from outside pressures. Sometimes what gets released has no relation to what was written. Bad production, editing etc. can take a good song and make it better or completely ruin it. |
Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: June 27 2013 at 13:39
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Back in the 70's me and my Yes friends went gonzo over the 1st Starcastle album. Definitely worth having in the collection, "Lady of the Lake" is a great opener. ------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 27 2013 at 13:56
It's nice to have you contribute, Bruce! Gary Strater was one of the masters of the Rickenbacker bass....up there with Chris Squire and Ray Bennett! We are looking forward to hearing any archived Starcastle material you can release, we'll watch for more comments. Cheers, Chuck (friend of the band Starcastle, RIP Gary)
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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: June 28 2013 at 15:19
Yes was not inactive during that time. Starcastle's first album, while competent, had too much of a "wannabe" flavor that prevents me from liking it. Jurgen Fritz's synth playing in Triumvirat distanced itself admirably from Keith Emerson's and they recorded some stuff that was quite unique. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: AreYouHuman
Date Posted: June 28 2013 at 23:55
^ I never said Yes was inactive during that period. They continued touring and recording solo albums. My point was that, since there was no new product from either Yes or ELP during almost the same period (1974 to 1977), fans gravitated toward bands that had a similar feel. Otherwise Starcastle and Triumvirat may not have sold as many albums as they did. Obviously they filled the aforementioned void better for some than others.     
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Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 29 2013 at 10:59
I knew the band, as I went to college in the town where Starcastle formed and evolved (Champaign, IL). They were trying to develop an American twist to the Yes/ELP symphonic sound, and they succeeded more often than not. If you listen to "Lady of the Lake," you hear them "swing" at the end. The song was huge on the University of Illinois radio, I remember them playing it several times a day back then. Keyboardist Herb Schildt was a master on the Hammond organ, and his characterizations were more along the line of Emerson than Wakeman. They were also a fantastic cover band (as were Yes), playing covers by Elton John, the Rolling Stones etc. Like many bands, their history was impacted by tragedy (equipment truck crashed before first LP was issued, and guitarist Steve Hagler suffered a broken back).
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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: June 30 2013 at 02:50
I see where you're coming from, but Yes did issue two original albums in that time period: Relayer (1974) and Going For The One (1977). I concur there was a four-year-long wait for new music from ELP and then fans got the hit-and-miss affair of the Works volumes and a banana peel called Love Beach. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: AEProgman
Date Posted: July 13 2013 at 20:59
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Having saw this thread pop up a few days ago and knowing that I had I have been putting off getting one of their albums for over, well many years, and also never listened to them before. I got the album "Fountains of Light" today and listened to it a couple of times. I am quite delighted and really like it!
It is pretty darn good and I really don't care about the comparisons.  ------------- 
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Posted By: rodak
Date Posted: July 23 2013 at 13:40
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Has anyone ever noticed that both "ELP" and "Yes" have three letters, while both "Triumvirat" and "Starcastle" have 10 letters? Coincidence? nahhhhhh. I like all four, and have recently re-discovered Starcastle. I was previously only familiar with "Fountains of Light", but just bought the first album, and have been enjoying it, though I agree with most, that "Fountains" is much better. I've not heard "Citadel", except for "Shine on Brightly", which I like a lot. I have noted, however, that while their musicianship is excellent, I don't think the songwriting is comparable to Yes. They have their moments, but overall, Yes is more consistently listenable and memorable, imho. Still, for diehard prog rock and Yes fans, Starcastle is a worthy addition to the collection. I saw them perform in 1976, opening for Boston, at "The Warehouse" in New Orleans, where the acoustics are way better than most large arenas. A most excellent concert, indeed! I don't remember a lot about Triumvirat, except that I liked them almost as much as ELP. I need to go ahead and get "Illusions" or "Spartacus" and re-discover them as well.
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Posted By: Lord Jagged
Date Posted: August 17 2013 at 09:40
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Yes influenced they were - but very enjoyable nonetheless. I look forward to more archival releases.
------------- Dead Souls In The Rear View Mirror Hitch A Ride For A While.. |