Mr Mister, Toto and Stewart and Gaskin
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Suggest New Bands and Artists
Forum Description: Suggest, create polls, and classify new bands you would like included on Prog Archives
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=81255
Printed Date: July 18 2025 at 00:22
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Mr Mister, Toto and Stewart and Gaskin
Posted By: BRIAN STEFFENSEN
Subject: Mr Mister, Toto and Stewart and Gaskin
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 00:49
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I would like to suggest these bands for either the Crossover Prog or Prog Related sections. Take your pick! Reasons: Mr Mister: Accepting that their first two albums are pretty much pop, there was a change in direction after their hits with Kyrie and Broken Wings. Their next album "Go On" moved significantly into the area of progressive rock. In fact the album's lack of commercial success was blamed on this very fact. Arrangements, Composition and Lyrics are all very much in a progressive vein. Anyone who has listened to "Dust" will surely agree that this is at least a classic crossover prog track. Please note that Paul Mastelloto (King Crimson) started his career in this band, and their final two albums his technique and imagination really impress. The final album "Pull" was even more progressive, so much so that their record label refused to release it. The album was finally self released by the band in 2009 (20 years after it was recorded). All the tracks on this album are classic crossover prog or better. Anyone who has accepted Kevin Gilbert has a rightful place on this sight should certainly listen to "Pull" and "Go On" before rejecting on the basis of the earlier "pop" hits Toto: While I accept no Toto album, in it's entirety, could be described as prog, as many tracks are more pop, r&b, and AOR than prog. However on every Toto album there are several classic prog masterpieces. Starting with the pure prog rock intro of the first album "Child's anthem" to stunning works of Prog rock like "Better World" "Home of The Brave" and "No End In Sight" on later albums there is enough Crossover prog here to keep the most dedicated Neo-Prog/Symphonic Proger satisfied. Listen to Instrumentals like "Jake To The Bone" and "Dave Gone Swimming" for stunning Jazz/Prog Fusion and then listen to the complex arrangements, stunning solos, excellent musicianship and moving Lyrics on tracks like "Hydra", "Carmen", "Mindfields", "Caught In The Balance", "Isolation", "Mr Friendly" and "Kingdom Of Desire". Many of these tracks come in at 6 to 7 minutes in length are at least prog related. If Todd Rundgren is in (and he definitely should be) then so should Toto. Finally Stewart and Gaskin still seems to suffer from the sins of having produced pop hits in the early 80s. Will they ever be forgiven for this? We all know Dave Stewart from his work in Hatfield and The North, National Health, Kahn and Bruford. He is one of the classic progressive rock giants. Gaskin is recognised in this site for her work with Spyrogyra, but no one at Prog Archives can seem to forgive them for those pop hits. However if we look (listen) to their last three albums "Spin" and the "Big Idea" (in the 90s) and "Green and Blue" (released in 2009) we find that the vast majority of these albums are pure progressive rock. Hard to classify as "Canterbury" but most definitely crossover prog. Where to start with these albums? With the number of 6 minute plus progressive rock masterpieces here, I still can not believe they are still shunned by this site. If Jakko J. Jaskzyk (long time collaborator with Stewart and now with Fripp) is on this site (and he should be) then surely Stewart and Gaskin should be. For proof please listen to "Grey Skies", "Shadowland" and "Deep Underground" from "The Big Idea" (1988), or "Walking The Dog", "Trash Planet", "Star Blind (with Jimmy Hastings on flute) and the finale "The Curve Of The Earth" from "Spin"(1991) and then listen to recent classics from the latest "Blue and Green" cd like "The Sweetwater Sea" and "Blue and Green" which both come in over 9 minutes. Finally "New Jerusalem" from "The Big Idea" is without doubt a monstrous piece of classic Progressive rock, the best track that ELP never recorded. If anyone thinks that any of these bands do not meet the rigorous qualifications needed to be classified as Crossover Prog ("It Bites" anyone?), please please at least consider them for the "Prog Related" grouping. I'll happily put up the bands bios etc. Brian Steffensen |
Replies:
Posted By: Tuzvihar
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 00:59
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Hi. You need to provide us with samples for evaluation.
------------- "Music is much like f**king, but some composers can't climax and others climax too often, leaving themselves and the listener jaded and spent." Charles Bukowski |
Posted By: BRIAN STEFFENSEN
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 01:07
| I have Mp3s. Where do I post them? |
Posted By: Tuzvihar
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 01:45
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Well, not here certainly. Send them by a PM to one of the members of the Crossover Team or Band Monitoring Team. member_profile.asp?PF=20797" rel="nofollow - harmonium.ro for instance, who also happens to be an admin nowadays which is important if you suggest something to the Prog Related subgenre. ------------- "Music is much like f**king, but some composers can't climax and others climax too often, leaving themselves and the listener jaded and spent." Charles Bukowski |
Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 04:03
Without offering any views on the suggestions, they are certainly well considered and well presented.
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Posted By: Rivertree
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 06:34
 indeed ... and I especially like this Mr Mister stuff which shows some prog relations ...
------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Rivertree" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 07:53
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I could certainly go with Stewart/Gaskin. The Big Idea and Green And Blue are quite good crossover type stuff. Never really got too far into MM or Toto. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 08:04
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Stewart/Gaskin was proposed (by this same member) and rejected http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57655&KW=Gaskin" rel="nofollow - two years ago. |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 09:27
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Toto were also discussed several times and the consensus is that they're not PA material. That leaves Mr. Mister. Posting here some YouTube videos of their most progressive works should suffice for starters. |
Posted By: Rivertree
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 09:45
YouTube stuff is crappy throughout  what I can see ...Pat Mastelotto started with Mr Mister - that's correct .. and he has signed my 'Go on ...' booklet  So I have all their albums ... will listen again (after a couple of years) ... great stuff according to my taste ... but prog enough? - don't know ... ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Rivertree" rel="nofollow"> |
harmonium.ro wrote:Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 10:46
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^
Missing Persons had Terry Bozzio but that didn't make them prog. Same with Fiona, with Rod Morgenstein on drums.
Mr Mister were an AOR band if memory serves well. Their biggest breakthrough is "broken wings", a very radio-friendly song.
However, I just read on wiki that : "The band's third album was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_On..." rel="nofollow - Go On... , which the band said was "some of the best stuff we ever did," showing a much more mature band and a sound that hinted at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_rock" rel="nofollow - progressive rock ". But listening to snipets on youtube, I am not convinced. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: Evolver
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 14:02
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Toto - Nono - even the Yoso mashup Stewart/Gaskin - I have 2 of their CDs, and wouldn't call them prog. Neither did Stewart. Mr. Mister - A guy I once worked with claimed to have played with them at one time. I've never seen him in any credits. But what I've heard from them wouldn't rate. ------------- Trust me. I know what I'm doing. |
Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: September 17 2011 at 14:38
Quite agree - it was a nice post. I would not have a problem with Mr Mister, but would not agree with the others. ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: September 19 2011 at 11:00
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I don't hear enough progressive rock to wartant addition to PA, but I see why someone would suggest them. |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: September 19 2011 at 11:13
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very 10cc like this song -------------  
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Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: September 19 2011 at 11:18
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Not my call, only opinion but No, No and No Toto and Stewart and Gaskin were proposed and rejected several times. Mr Mister is some sort of POP oriented New Wave. Iván ------------- 
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Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: September 20 2011 at 09:56
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just an opinion, but no to all them three from me. Stewart and Gasking just from the samples as I don't know them, but I know enough the other two. Toto are good pop and the only relation to prog is Jeff Porcaro playing with Gilmour on About Face. Mr Mister is just an 80s new wave pop band. I was used to zap on my remote control when I saw them and similar on TV. ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |