6 "A" bands first 3 albums (five in PA, one not)

Logan wrote:  And if I do an A with artists, then I would want to include Ayreon.

Incidentally, I only considered studio albums for this.

Agitation Free I did consider however at first, as I love those two studio albums (Malesch and Second) and really like the live Last from 1976 (recorded 1973-1974). Fragments: Live is an archival live compilation recorded between '71 and '74 and is not a release until 1995.

Really like those first two Agitation Free and Ashra albums, but have not heard the Third.

From the list, Air is one I might have thought you would like, Paul. At least the lounge-y qualities of early Air might appeal.

By the way, originally I was going to do this as five per letter (four in pa, one not in PA), with five groups of five. But then I thought, maybe I should include Arena even if its not in my wheelhouse to hopefully get some respondents who might not post otherwise. I quite often like to try to connect with a wider audience, albeit badly, both in my topics and others. I started to get bored with the letters exercise, really. And I did watch a movie called Arena the night before and like the idea of sixth that is not my bag but many others at PA are into. Like if I do D, I would want to include Dream Theater's first three studio albums, S, Spock's Beard etc. And if I do an A with artists, then I would want to include Ayreon.

One stipulation for me to limit my numbers from my faves would be that I would want to have listened to at last two of those albums by a band many times and the other multiple times, and preferably within the past few years. If I really like an album then it will usually get many plays.

Edited by Logan - January 13 2025 at 09:36

Voted for Amon Düül II. Definitely like their first three albums. Then Area. As for the other bands, I had not listened enough to consider. I have heard and enjoyed the first Air album. I really don't know Art Zoyd, though I should.

Art Zoyd in this poll coming just above Arena (would've picked them had the selection included later albums), and then I would put Amon Duul II (which might have also landed higher for me but requires revisiting)

Amon Duul II 

A surprisingly easy choice as Amon Duul II released three five star albums to start their careers. In my opinion of course. Probably Area then Art Zoyd as a top three.

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote: Air is the one not in PA right?

Yes, The French duo who made it big in the 90s and early 2000s, played Playground Love (off Virgin Suicides) at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, who I have heard playing in various fine cafés and makes a better Moon Safari than the Moon Safari in PA. Air goes great with a latte (for extra frothy milky aeration) and a croissant, or some kind of sandwhich and soup if you like that sort of thing!

While I have featured Air in a lot of poll over the years, here's a song I like that I have not focused on much with Beck off the, I think, underrated 10 000 Hz Legend.



Now I'm going to play Virgin Suicides again, been too long.





Edited by Logan - January 12 2025 at 18:21

Air is the one not in PA right?

Voted Arena. Some other "A" bands... Aerosmith (not prog), their first three are classics, and Animals As Leaders who led a new genre of music.



Edited by Grumpyprogfan - January 12 2025 at 16:48

^^ That would be appreciated, but not expected, Cristi. :) I just had assumed that you likely had some names that had already sprung to mind when you wrote that. :)

-------------

By the way, Saperlipopette!'s and Lewian's comments come closest to my thinking out of the posts made so far. With Air, I have not heard The Virgin Suicides much. Aranis is great, but for me it does come down to the classic runs of Art Zoyd, Area and AD II the most. While those were my favourite Art Zoyd albums early on when I got into the band, I'm been more in a Phase IV, Les espaces inquiets and especially Le mariage du ciel et de l'enfer as sequential albums place, arena, area, space or espace, one might say, for quite some time. Speaking of areas, those are my three favourite Area albums. Also, those are my three favourite ADII albums. Like Lewian, I am going with ADII even though it's tighter than a nun's wimple (or at least a very small one on a very big nun's head). Outstanding stuff (do especially love Yeti).

As for Arena, that is not a place I have gotten into. But If I did, I think I could take those bandmembers as I am pretty good with a baseball bat (I do prefer the Nerf! ones) and with a foamy Noodle. "A duel between Titans, your floppy noodle against mine."

I watched a terrible film from 1989 called Arena last night on Prime about a human arena fighter going up against a bevy of interstellar pugilists for a chance to be greatest in the universe! I won't give it away if he won in the end despite the attempts to thwart him). I do like watching terrible films now and then (especially of the sci-fi variety), and some have told me at PA that I like listening to terrible music.

Edited by Logan - January 12 2025 at 15:21