Recommend me some: Genesis / Yes / Caravan

quote:

hen they replaced under-performing players

As an Ipswich Town supporter, I've always had a soft spot for under-performing players.

Though BigH, I think you're being a bit harsh on Mr Gabriel.

I've avoided controversy because I don't want to come over as non-PC.

quote:

Originally posted by willem:
Steer past Genesis and Yes, pick up the trail at Caravan's and then go to Soft Machine.

Good call.

quote:

Then they replaced under-performing players

perhaps that should have read they got rid of the under-performing drummer, this IS the PC version.

quote:

Originally posted by willem:
Steer past Genesis and Yes, pick up the trail at Caravan's and then go to Soft Machine.

Now funny that, I would say the exact opposite.

Ditto, but each to their own I suppose.

Adrian, thanks for the pdf file, very interesting, especially the radio broadcasts, a couple of which I have yet to manage to track down, mostly the tracks from the Topographic Oceans session for Radio1.

It may be down to the different things that appeal to us in different groups' music. One thing that Caravan excel in over the other two groups are the vocals - Richard Sinclair is just so good and brings out the humour in the lyrics. Caravan's instrumental passages are more interesting to me because they are usually led by Dave Sinclair's keyboard and Dave Stewart's on later albums. Sinclair's style is quite distinctive.

It is only a subjective view, but the following track Nine Feet Underground is one of the very few long songs that I just don't want to end. Though Pye Hastings is the feature vocalist on this track - for Richard Sinclair try Golf Girl.

Caravan were from the Canterbury area and emerged from the Wilde Flowers, as did the magnificent Soft Machine and, of course, one of Britain's finest ever songwriters Kevin Ayers.

There is a distinctive sound that Caravan and the early Softs and Ayers share and it has a certain magic.

Both Yes and Genesis have their moments, but I can't think I'd ever listen to either in preference to Caravan - possibly my age?

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
Both Yes and Genesis have their moments, but I can't think I'd ever listen to either in preference to Caravan - possibly my age?

I can enjoy Caravan, Soft Machine and Kevin Ayers but they have never been in personal "Premier League" of musicians.

However, Genesis is at the top for me and Yes would be mid table.

I understand your point on their distinctive sound, but it is probably a type of sound I find less inviting than others - still like it though.

Don't know your age, but I am 45.

ROFT, what did you think of David Stewart's playing in Bill Bruford's band?

'One of a kind' is one of my favourite albums from the 1970's.

Being a drummer much of the appeal of Yes is that they had my favourite rhythm section in Bill Briford (drums) and Chris Squire (bass), and the rhythm was more closely integrated into the music than almost any rock band. It is interesting to try and predict where the next snare beat will be in the track 'Close to the Edge', very hard to do without writing down the music I would suspect.

I would also say that Steve Howe (guitar) and Rick Wakeman (keyboards) fit into the arrangement in a much more complex way than many other bands, the rhythm and melody being switched between all the musicians in the band in a very fluid way.

I find Bill Bruford's drumming can lift almost anything he is playing on. Alan White is very different in Yes, and had a very hard job following Bruford, but he did some excellent playing in Bruford's shadow.

Genesis are a band I find have not weathered the test of time for me so well, but my main interest in them is Steve Hackett's guitar playing, although I do love Phil Collins drumming, especially on 'Wind and Wuthering', 'Seconds Out' and 'Duke'.

Yes do sound very much of their time though, and I think Caravan do also, but perhaps not a time I am so fond of.

Agree Stu - they are all very good bands. Difference for me is that two of them were the music I grew up with whilst the other two were not. That makes a big difference to my feelings for them.

Anyway, the OP has a load of great albums to choose from.

One of the advantages of being my age is that I grew up with almost all of the Rock'n Roll era bands.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to buy albums from all of them , so I have less "love" for Caravan, Kevin Ayres and many others as I didn't hear them at the time. So they have a hard job pushing their way into my consciousness and album collection. Camel have made it, Yes even more so, V de GG less so.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
One of the advantages of being my age is that I grew up with almost all of the Rock'n Roll era bands.

First concert I ever went to (taken by my parents as a youngster) was Bill Haley and the Comets at the Rainbow - was that your kind of stuff BigH?

quote:

ROFT, what did you think of David Stewart's playing in Bill Bruford's band?

'One of a kind' is one of my favourite albums from the 1970's.

Hi Jamie - I'm not familiar with the recording, but perhaps I should be - just looked it up and it has a very strong cast - found a few extracts and it sounds a bit like National Health, which is really good thing in my book.

I really like Bill Bruford. I first heard him on The Yes Album and later on King Crimson's superb Larks' Tongues in Aspic. My favourite drummers include Carl Palmer, Jon Hiseman and Ansley Dunbar and I think Bruford is up there with those guys.

I will check out One of a kind - sounds well worth the effort.

quote:

Anyway, the OP has a load of great albums to choose from.

Most definitely - be interested to hear what he thinks.

If I were ranking the artists under discussion then I'd probably go

1 Kevin Ayers
2 Moody Blues
3 Caravan
4 Soft Machine
5 Hatfield and the North
6 King Crimson
7 National Health
8 Yes
9 Genesis

I would always consider Genesis a good rather than essential addition to a prog-rock collection - as Stu indicates I'm mid-50s (both age and when I was born - yes I was born in the nifty 50s with a psychedelic dad, he looked like Eddie Cochran - well Eddie Vortex ain't too bad as the great Steve Gibbons once sang). There are, of course, many other artists that would occupy my list if I was trying to be comprehensive - but as I'm sure you know Sir Keith Emerson is my favourite prog musician and Colleseum's Valentyne Suite my favourite prog-rock elpee unless we class ELO as prog-rock in which case Eldorado is my favourite elpee (possibly the best album ever made by any pop group).

Now this is way out of order I know, but would anybody else rather listen to Argent (Ring of Hands in particular) than Yes or Genesis - thought not, it is just me.

ATB Rotf

quote:

First concert I ever went to (taken by my parents as a youngster) was Bill Haley and the Comets at the Rainbow - was that your kind of stuff BigH?

I've always hated Bill Haley I don't really know why(I do now it's the music).

My first memories were Elvis and Bill Haley, they were the only ones to get on 2 way Family faves or whatever.I was really taken with Buddy Holly when I finally heard him. Up until a bigger (wider) coverage we had our Elvis clones Marty Wilde,Tommy Steele and of course Cliff and the Shadows, etc. Shadows were better on their own IMO.
Fortunately proper rock broke out and the Beatles could be forgotten.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Adrian,
How old were you at that gig??
Stu

Well according to google he played Sat 17 March 1979, so I was 14. I remember us being a little over dressed for the event and the teddy boys ripping up a few seats.

Concert career then began properly June 4th 1981, Wembley Arena, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (awesome) followed by Genesis December 18th 1981, Wembley Arena, 2nd row in the centre - now that's one I will never forget

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Adrian,
How old were you at that gig??
Stu

Stu - my reply needs to be reviewed by an admin for some strange reason. But quick answer is 14.

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Adrian,
How old were you at that gig??
Stu

Stu - my reply needs to be reviewed by an admin for some strange reason. But quick answer is 14.

Have you been a bad boy again.

quote:

Originally posted by MilesSmiles:

Have you been a bad boy again.

Yes, according to my Mrs

Was BH & the C still touring in '78?

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
Was BH & the C still touring in '78?

Howard, my reply has now been approved up above.

I'm sorry I wasn't doubting you Adrian , I was genuinely surprised he was still touring. As I didn't like his music I guess he wasn't in my sights or ears.
BTW you are only 3 years older than my eldest daughter. Gulp!

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
I'm sorry I wasn't doubting you Adrian , I was genuinely surprised he was still touring. As I didn't like his music I guess he wasn't in my sights or ears.
BTW you are only 3 years older than my eldest daughter. Gulp!

Did n't mean it to look like I thought you were doubting. Reason for my reply was that I was moderated and I wanted you to read what I had said up above now that the words teddy boy was now publishable

Amazing how I have turned a Genesis and Yes thread into a Bill Haley discussion! You are making me feel young!

Howard, I have just replied to you again and have been moderated due to my usage again of the word t-ed-dy b-oy. Anyway, it will appear soon! I did not think you were doubting.

It's OK to say bollocks though!
What on earth could you have tripped in the nanny filter?

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:


I will check out One of a kind - sounds well worth the effort.

I think most of Bruford's albums have been re-released recently on vinyl - I picked up most of them at half price from Stamford. Gradually Going Tornado is probably my favourite.
One of the best gigs I went to - evva - was a double bill of Bruford and Brand X at the Portsmouth Locarno in er er ahem...must have been early 80's?
Cheers
John

quote:

Originally posted by Nero:

One of the best gigs I went to - evva - was a double bill of Bruford and Brand X at the Portsmouth Locarno in er er ahem...must have been early 80's?
Cheers
John

John - was Collins drumming with Brand X? Sounds a good gig.