What makes a good Prog song? |
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TODDLER
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: August 28 2009 Location: Vineland, N.J. Status: Offline Points: 3126 |
Topic: What makes a good Prog song? Posted: April 01 2015 at 10:57 |
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I like something melodic , but not too sugary and overly pretentious. I think that makes a very good Prog song as long as we have the right vocalist, which,,my whole problem with Prog has always been with the choice of vocalists, the style, and what they are choosing to sing. Greg Lake was singing the most pretentious lyrics on I.T.C.O.T.C.K. and making them sound out with soul and total dynamic feeling. After hearing him sing , it was difficult for me to accept anyone else and for a very long time ..because most Prog singers didn't project like Greg Lake. Maybe because he was a skilled songwriter and understood how to give the tone of the lyrics feeling. Peter Gabriel had a soulful voice , accomplished the same, but Greg Lake had a much wider range in pitches of notes and sustaining them at longer lengths.
"Merlin" by Kayak is a Progressive Rock song that is very dynamic and contains what I'm looking for in a vocalist and the ultimate instrumentation. Not the re-recorded version released in 2001? That's too overdone for me. Way over the top with it's presentation and the vocals did not impress me in the least. The original version of "Merlin" recorded in 1975 was beautiful. I don't like guitar players taking improvisation type solos in a Prog song unless it is worked out a bit like Steve Howe and Steve Hackett often do. Too many keyboards rattle my chain, but just the right dosage hits the spot. Some Prog bands have yet to get the perfect flow. Florian Fricke , naturally had a perfect flow for the music. Maybe because he walked through mountains exposing himself to a different environment. "Everdance" by Curved Air has the most perfect flowing groove and you can actually feel the violin solos and they don't give the impression that someone is showboating you to death with riffs. When the song starts, it feels like the musicians broke free from straight jackets and they continue with that level of relentless energy backing the beautiful female vocals with a dark chord sequence. |
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verslibre
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 01 2004 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 15013 |
Posted: April 01 2015 at 10:52 | |||
Okay, we need to see a pic.
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verslibre
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 01 2004 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 15013 |
Posted: April 01 2015 at 10:46 | |||
^Definitely. Rick's the OS, "original stacker." After he programmed an original patch that he didn't want to lose, he secured the knobs and sliders with tape and went and bought another model of the same synth.
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TODDLER
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: August 28 2009 Location: Vineland, N.J. Status: Offline Points: 3126 |
Posted: April 01 2015 at 08:39 | |||
Interesting! Didn't a lot of keyboard players follow his idea of stacking keyboards?
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TODDLER
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: August 28 2009 Location: Vineland, N.J. Status: Offline Points: 3126 |
Posted: April 01 2015 at 08:38 | |||
I used to wear one in the garden
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TODDLER
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: August 28 2009 Location: Vineland, N.J. Status: Offline Points: 3126 |
Posted: April 01 2015 at 08:36 | |||
I love these things..but after they were transported and I used them on stage, they went out of tune. Darn mellotrons..you'd think they would stay in tune.
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TODDLER
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: August 28 2009 Location: Vineland, N.J. Status: Offline Points: 3126 |
Posted: April 01 2015 at 08:32 | |||
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richardh
Prog Reviewer Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 26171 |
Posted: March 31 2015 at 01:22 | |||
Indeed no argument from me on that When I saw Rick live last year ( or the year before , time flies) he talked about his early career and he said one of the best pieces of advice he got was from David Bowie who basically told him that whatever he does make sure he does it the way he wants not the way some record company wants it. I think we can safely say that Wakey took his advice!
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Kati
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 10 2010 Location: Earth Status: Offline Points: 6253 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 17:14 | |||
Aww I love Wakeman's many capes, made one myself it came out really bad thus had another one made for me and no it's not a superman cape grrrrrr no idea why people said this bah. hugs
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Kati
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 10 2010 Location: Earth Status: Offline Points: 6253 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 17:10 | |||
Yodeling and great guitar tunes, make it most interesting too.
Focus - Hocus Pocus (Live Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fEkYxRCl_c Wishbone Ash - Vas Dis [1971] (no flute unfortunately) Wishbone Ash - Vas Dis [1971] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia73dAETiGk |
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Angelo
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: May 07 2006 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 13239 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 16:57 | |||
Hahaha, it gets worse - he didn't even master Hand.Cannot.Erase Just check the liner notes ;-)
Goodnight! |
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ISKC Rock Radio
I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
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Guy Guden
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 07 2014 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 2529 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 16:49 | |||
I stand corrected. Thank you. It makes the joke better. No matter how good the song is, Steven Wilson will re-mix it.
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Angelo
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: May 07 2006 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 13239 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 15:14 | |||
Almost my list. I'd replace 'Complex structures' with 'Unusual structures', regardless of complexity. But that's just looking at it from the perspective that what may sound complex to a listener is not always complex to achieve as a musician and vice versa.
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Angelo
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: May 07 2006 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 13239 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 15:12 | |||
Actually, he won't.... he'll remix, but he won't master. Check out the interview he did with DPRP in 2013:
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verslibre
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 01 2004 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 15013 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 15:04 | |||
Wakey's one of the best things to happen to prog rock in general. He has many detractors, e.g. "Emerson is better," "Moraz was better," "I don't like his capes," etc., but they can't change that.
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Kati
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 10 2010 Location: Earth Status: Offline Points: 6253 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 14:21 | |||
I think Wakeman is the coolest musician who did whatever he wanted, when he felt like it he left YES to do other projects and bugger about, just the same when he decided to come back, he was most welcome back too
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verslibre
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 01 2004 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 15013 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 14:15 | |||
Sorry, I overlooked that. AFAIK, Rick didn't actually have a 'Tron till he joined Yes.
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SteveG
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20503 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 13:29 | |||
^Good posts, guys (and gal). I was referring to early in Wakeman's career, especially his Strawbs' era, but I'm just splitting hairs. I have to get back to work now, so cheers to all!
Edited by SteveG - March 30 2015 at 13:29 |
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verslibre
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 01 2004 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 15013 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 13:23 | |||
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verslibre
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 01 2004 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 15013 |
Posted: March 30 2015 at 13:17 | |||
Rick also used it on TFTO, but the 'Tron appears with reasonable frequency on a number of his solo albums, including the more recent Retro and Retro 2 (which I like a lot). Quick reference: http://www.planetmellotron.com/revwakeman.htm
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