Another "Prog" Topic
Posted by: Ed R on 18 September 2002
After the abysmal response to my last post on the 21st Century Schizoid Band (poor even by the standards of my normal vacuous postings!) I did my own research (www.21stcenturyschizoidband.com) and went to see them at the Stables in Milton Keynes last Sunday.
If you’re into early King Crimson and get the chance to see them on their current tour, go for it, you wont be disappointed. They play a mixture of KC stuff from the first three albums pretty much as it is on record and some of their individual solo stuff (Mike Giles and Ian McDonald). Considering the material is 30+ years old, it all stills sounds incredibly powerful and (dare I say) contemporary. Seeing/hearing it played live really highlights the jazz influences that went into their early stuff, helped in no small part by the tightness of the band, even after all these years!
The obvious question is whether KC fans will see the value of material being performed sans Fripp. The answer has to be a resounding “yes” as the ex-Level 42 guitarist (Jakko Jakszyk) drafted in handles it well, there being no huge amounts of Frippery required that might have dragged it down the “Stars in Their Eyes” route (although mention was made of him winning the “Prog Idol” competition for the privelige to play with the other guys). Hell, he even does a damn good job of the vocals as well.
I’m starting to get quite evangelical about this so I’ll belt-up and leave you with the set highlights in album order.
21st CSM (as encore)
Epitaph
I Talk to the Wind
ITCOTCK (stunning!)
Cat Food
Pictures of a City (what an absolute balls-out opener)
Ladies of the Road
BTW, the support act, solo bassist Steve Lawson, was also eminently listenable, sampling and looping his playing and layering the sounds to create incredibly rich ambient tunes. (www.steve-lawson.co.uk)
Regards,
Ed
If you’re into early King Crimson and get the chance to see them on their current tour, go for it, you wont be disappointed. They play a mixture of KC stuff from the first three albums pretty much as it is on record and some of their individual solo stuff (Mike Giles and Ian McDonald). Considering the material is 30+ years old, it all stills sounds incredibly powerful and (dare I say) contemporary. Seeing/hearing it played live really highlights the jazz influences that went into their early stuff, helped in no small part by the tightness of the band, even after all these years!
The obvious question is whether KC fans will see the value of material being performed sans Fripp. The answer has to be a resounding “yes” as the ex-Level 42 guitarist (Jakko Jakszyk) drafted in handles it well, there being no huge amounts of Frippery required that might have dragged it down the “Stars in Their Eyes” route (although mention was made of him winning the “Prog Idol” competition for the privelige to play with the other guys). Hell, he even does a damn good job of the vocals as well.
I’m starting to get quite evangelical about this so I’ll belt-up and leave you with the set highlights in album order.
21st CSM (as encore)
Epitaph
I Talk to the Wind
ITCOTCK (stunning!)
Cat Food
Pictures of a City (what an absolute balls-out opener)
Ladies of the Road
BTW, the support act, solo bassist Steve Lawson, was also eminently listenable, sampling and looping his playing and layering the sounds to create incredibly rich ambient tunes. (www.steve-lawson.co.uk)
Regards,
Ed
Afficianados may remember that Jakko was in the short lived 'Rapid Eye Movement' with Dave Stewart from the Hatfields in the early '80s. He also fronted Jazz/Cutlery band '64 spoons' with Ted Emmet too, as well as lots of ex Virgin label musicians such as Peter Blegvad.
Stephen
The schizoids are the opposite of the current Focus who were a tribute band (Hocus pocus) until TVL rejoined!
Hope to see the 21sts friday in Cambridge.
Regards
[This message was edited by Stephen Bennett on WEDNESDAY 18 September 2002 at 16:36.]
Stephen
The schizoids are the opposite of the current Focus who were a tribute band (Hocus pocus) until TVL rejoined!
Hope to see the 21sts friday in Cambridge.
Regards
[This message was edited by Stephen Bennett on WEDNESDAY 18 September 2002 at 16:36.]