...what kind of person listens to Pallas?
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Topic: ...what kind of person listens to Pallas?
Posted By: Man Overboard
Subject: ...what kind of person listens to Pallas?
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 12:11
Not that there's, erm, anything -wrong- with listening to Pallas.  Back in 2003, I randomly bought a Pallas DVD. I'd never heard of them before, but they were on InsideOut, so I thought I couldn't go wrong. The package proclaimed something along the lines of "prog's best live act!" ...it was just odd. Misguided neoprog. The keyboard player... some of his solos were preprogrammed, it would show him grinning and hitting a single key, and then you'd hear a solo. 
It took several songs for the actual vocalist to decide to find the
stage; the bassist performed much of the concert's vocals. And
for an encore... the band's original vocalist came out, sang a
little ditty, and then stuck a knife down the front of his trousers and
"cut off his penis", complete with fake blood packets, getting a big
red mess all over the place. I was scared.  I've recently picked up their 2005 release, but I'm seriously not sure if I should even open it. Could fans of the band tell me a bit of their merit? ------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Replies:
Posted By: goose
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 12:23
I think you're out of luck for either of those
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Man Overboard wrote:Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 12:49
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^^^ Hi MO, I understand exactly what you mean...they've had rather a tortured history.... in their first incarnation, they only produced 2 albums, The Sentinel (84) which was a rather quirky kind of 'Tales From The Lush Attic meets War of the Worlds' affair, and The Wedge (86) which was heavily controlled by EMI, with whom they fell out. I think their 2nd incarnation stuff is better (Beat The Drum - 99) and Cross/ Crucible (2002), but you are right in that Alan Reed has never had a strong voice, and I can't help feeling they have never really achieved their full potential.... ....I've not heard their latest, but the mixed reviews I've seen don't leave me desperate the purchase. ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |
Posted By: cuncuna
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 12:58
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I don't know... ¿a person that has ears, a cd or mp3 player, and a Pallas album maybe?... as for me, I keep wondering what kind of person keep listening the same bands forever, and refuses to explore bands like Animal Collective or Disco Inferno. Don't get me wrong, I love my old school albums, but new bands has a lot to offer, and much more connected with the present times. As for Pallas, they are horrible... ------------- ¡Beware of the Bee! |
Posted By: horza
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 13:00
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I saw them live in 1979 with original singer Euan Lawson - i preferred them back then ------------- Originally posted by darkshade: Calling Mike Portnoy a bad drummer is like calling Stephen Hawking an idiot. |
Posted By: horza
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 13:01
Oh .. and i see you're back  welcome ------------- Originally posted by darkshade: Calling Mike Portnoy a bad drummer is like calling Stephen Hawking an idiot. |
Posted By: Drew
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 13:02
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Thanks man- Ive never heard their stuff- and I will never, ever hear their stuff after reading your post. THANKS!
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Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 14:01
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I wish I hadn't sold the DVD... it'd make a nice gag gift to someone for Christmas
------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 14:01
| I really like The Sentinel, and I saw them in concert about 10 years ago. Also very impressive. I really don't like The Wedge, though. |
Posted By: Drew
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 14:13
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lol |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 14:16
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Open The Dreams of Men NOW! It's one of the best albums this year! Incredible!!!! ------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 14:24
...so do any creepy, psychotic vocalists part themselves with their genetalia, or are they through with that sort of thing? ------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: greenback
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 14:26
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pallas rules! i don't know what's going on here! their best album is sentinel: sentinel has EXACTLY the kind of modern & heroic keyboards i search for when i listen to neo prog. i remember in 1985 that many prog fans who loved marillion and iq just considered this album as a very classic one at the same level as misplaced childhood and the wake: they were always talking about how good this album was: in the records stores, they were holding the bombastic sleeve, and, with an enthusiastic smile, they were proudly asking some peoplec around: "have you heard this AMAZING one? I THINK PALLAS DESERVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT... the lead singer has not a great voice on the wedge, but he is pretty respectable on the sentinel. the guitar solos fit well with the keyboards: very highly pitched and melodic. the sentinel is a subtle mix of ELPowell, saga, marillion and IQ! the wedge is more ordinary, but they started up a new carreer in the 90's, so that they made very good albums. i consider sentinel helpled very much the cause of neo prog in the 90's: this record has always been a true model to follow for neo prog bands. and, finally, i believe this record really started the real neo prog of the 90's, with the so typical keyboards and guitars textures. so, the kind of people who listen to pallas are enthusiastic neo prog fans who like excellent music like me.
------------- [HEADPINS - LINE OF FIRE: THE RECORD HAVING THE MOST POWERFUL GUITAR SOUND IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF MUSIC!> |
Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 14:31
Maybe I should warn The guys in Proto-Kaw since they are touring in Europe with Pallas.
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 14:33
Oh snap, that's awful. Thankfully, I think that special 'performance'
was a one-off thing featuring the singer that left the band decades
ago... I don't think Proto-Kaw would know how to top that!------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 14:34
 ill tell you who,people who listen to HACKETT,FLOWER KINGS,MAGELLIN,THRESHOLD,YES,PORCUPINE TREES,TULL,TRANSATLANTIC,GENTLE GIANT,KANSAS,CAMEL, NEAL MORSE,KAIPA,TANGENTGRAND FUNK,SPOCKS BEARD,TRIUMVIRAT,AYRON ETC............... OK
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Posted By: Chris_Kemp
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 16:03
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Hey. I like intricate stuff as much as anyone, but I need a break once in a while. I think Pallas is vastly improved. The Cross and Crucible is good and I am trying to pick up their latest. But even some parts of "The Sentinel" are okay. Guess I'm not a prog snob. ------------- "That's not your face...it's mine! IT'S MINE!! |
Posted By: Paulieg
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 16:10
| I'm not much of a fan of neo-pro in general, but I do find the two latest Pallas releases; The Cross And The Crucible, and The Dreams Of Men to be excellent releases. As for Pallas's earlier output I'm not as much of a fan. |
Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 17:04
That is absolutely true
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Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 18:26
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Hmmm, my brother has a Pallas album on his Amazon Wishlist... I almost bought it for him, but I bought him Supertramp instead. I am hoping he has read about the band before purchasing it, maybe he has other stuff by them..., but if he does buy it, then I shall give it a listen anyhow. As for Proto-Kaw, I have one of their tracks from their new album and I like it. Is it at all respresentative of Kansas though? Not really having heard them before. -------------   
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Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 18:43
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Proto-Kaw and Kansas you would think have a similar sound but I find it, for the most part, to be unique. Even though they do some old Kansas songs that ended up on the first and second albums like Blexes, Death of Mother Nature Suite and Incomudro the feeling is not in your face intense as Kansas but more extended jams and a bit more laid back feel. There is some VDGG, King Crimison, Jethro Tull and even Chicago in the mix. They use a sax and flute rather than violin and the vocals are a lot different. I was very fortunate to see them 4 times in '05 and back to back with Kansas in November. They put on a great live show and I would encourage anyone to go see them you won't be disappointed. The New CD The Wait of Glory is going to be great. Feb-6 is the release date from Inside Out Records although they may move it up in Europe to accompany the short tour they are doing there in January.
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: herbie53
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 19:02
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Well, Garion, I'm a great fan of KANSAS and I have to say that I didn't like "Before Became After" so much... I think it's only an average album... Understand me: it's not a bad album, but I prefer the other work, that he recorded with the old buddies from KANSAS: "Somewhere to Elsewhere", this is a very fine album (and all the songs are wrotten by Livgreen!!!). |
Posted By: greenback
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 19:19
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hey, this is not a kansas thread! ------------- [HEADPINS - LINE OF FIRE: THE RECORD HAVING THE MOST POWERFUL GUITAR SOUND IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF MUSIC!> |
Posted By: herbie53
Date Posted: December 22 2005 at 19:20
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Oh, and I was forgetting the theme of this forum: PALLAS. I knew them in the eighties with the "Sentinel" album, and I liked a lot of that work. After all these years, with the facilities of the web, I got "The Cross and the Crucible", and I liked, but not so much. But I still love "The Sentinel" (I have the special edition from IO)
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And when I listen to the other albuns (Beat the Drum and The Wedge) I hated.
I don't know if it's because now I listen many styles of prog music (at that time I only knew symph & neo bands). I will wait for the oportunity to listen the new album and see what I think of the band.
Posted By: Hibou
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 00:01
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Although I like neo prog, I was never much impressed with Pallas. That is, until I heard their latest, The Dreams of Men. I find the compositions truly inspired, for once, with plenty to really sink your teeth into. ------------- [IMG]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/Progueuse/Album.jpg"> Gene Police: You!! Out of the pool! |
Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 01:57
Don't forget something else about PK all but one of the members had not played music for 25 years! Think about that and then get together and put that album out! Come on. And you really wouldn't think about thier age if you saw them play live. They put on a great show as well. As for STE, which I love, that may be the last one they do for a while since Kerry is devoted to PK right now although he did make an appearance with Kansas in November in KC (Which was pretty cool because I hadn't seen that since 1980). Robby Stienhardt showed up at the PK show the night before and wore a PK shirt when he introduced KL at the Kansas show. Give the new CD a try when it comes out in Feb.
Sorry Greenback we now return to Pallas.
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 02:29
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I saw them at Progeny a few years ago and they had a bunch of fans that were going apeshyte over them..leaping about as though they were the second coming.The rest of us were just happy when the band finally finished!
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Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 05:29
that's because they are different vocalists! ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |
Posted By: Bob Greece
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 06:04
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I got a Pallas live (River Session Vol. 2). It's not very impressive but 2 songs are OK. I should have got The Masquerade Overture but that was a bit expensive. Man Overboard is back! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10"> 
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Posted By: Fishy
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 07:09
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That's not the point - a good album is a good album. "The dreams of men" is a great album in the genre which is present on the site. Wether Pallas is an old band or not isn't an issue here. As an album "The dreams of men" stands for me. I don't like their previous one. It's not because they started somewhere in 1980 that they're bad. That's something I call prejudice. |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 08:55
As an aside...I'm very much looking forward to more PK... I really do have a soft spot for BBA now...back to Pallas!! ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |
Posted By: Norm Cash
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 09:24
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Back about '85 or '86, I went to see Pallas at the Edinburgh Playhouse....well, sort of. We actually went to see the support band, Chasar (Anyone out there heard of them? A 3 piece from central Scotland - Alloa, I think - who did Rush, Zep, and AC/DC covers, as well as their own excellent material). Once they'd finished their set, it was straight back to the bar for us, where we watched the full Pallas gig on the CCTV screens while getting quietly and methodically drunk. Having said that, I actually think The Sentinal wasn't a bad album. I still give it a spin every now and again. I also had an original pressing of their debut live album "Arrive Alive", which I wish I'd kept when I traded in my album collection.
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"We did it....you and me! Put him right under the table!" |
Posted By: greenback
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 13:27
yes, i know...by "he", i meant the other singer... ------------- [HEADPINS - LINE OF FIRE: THE RECORD HAVING THE MOST POWERFUL GUITAR SOUND IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF MUSIC!> |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: December 23 2005 at 14:07
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^^fair enough... ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |