NAD - whatever happened with the Maiden compilation?

[JayKeeley]

Remember how everyone here chose some tracks for a compilation, primarily showing off where Harris is at his most supreme? And then I burned you a CD-R and did a quick write up for each song to accompany said CD....well?!!!

Please comment on (and grade) the following:

Transylvania
Phantom of the Opera
Strange World
Wrathchild
Flight of Icarus
To Tame a Land
Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Caught Somewhere in Time
Sea of Madness
Cross Eyed Mary

If you're going away this weekend, then take the CD-R with you, you dirty spiggerew.

 

[NAD]

You get a review when you tell me your thoughts on King Crimson and Kayo Dot.

I listened to it and really enjoyed it, a lot of it was surprising to these still quite new to Maiden ears. I need to listen to it more (this week it shall be done) and I'll give you a rundown of the individual songs. My only complaint is the Jethro Tull cover, it's TERRIBLE. Very stiff = not good for hippy groovy stuff.

 

[JayKeeley]

You get a review when you tell me your thoughts on King Crimson and Kayo Dot.

You people into this jazz-fusion lost in space are whack! Those albums remind me of that scene in Spinal Tap when they play their first gig without Nigel Tufnel: "You are about to witness the rebirth of Spinal Tap....we introduce to you....Jazz Odyssey!".

Be that as it may, the Maudlin of the Well (Bath) is excellent stuff.

I listened to it and really enjoyed it, a lot of it was surprising to these still quite new to Maiden ears. I need to listen to it more (this week it shall be done) and I'll give you a rundown of the individual songs.

Of course! They're one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time. We did a feature on them you know...

My only complaint is the Jethro Tull cover, it's TERRIBLE. Very stiff = not good for hippy groovy stuff.

Shit yeah, Maiden doing covers is normally an abysmal affair. I only threw it on for a laugh. You should hear "Communication Breakdown" - holy moses, it's almost as bad as some of those songs you get on Maiden Tribute compilation albums.

Maiden doing Maiden = Life worth living
Maiden doing covers = Life being wasted
Other bands doing Maiden covers = Exact pointless replicas or just gay and lying

 

[Black Winter Day]

are you saying you don't like KC and KD, jaykeeley!!!!

 

[JayKeeley]

Ugh, yeah, Maiden's covers are usually horrible (in the few cases I've heard the originals, meaning... uh... "Doctor Doctor" and "Communication Breakdown"... and... uuuuuugh... "My Generation" ) Generally, Maiden could have better B-sides. "Total Eclipse" and "Prowler '88" rock though.

Yes, I would rather take special live performances (Bruce doing X-Factor songs, or even Blaze for that matter since his live version of "The Aftermath" is EXCELLENT) or 'reimagined' tracks (such as Bruce re-doing "Wrathchild", although you can't beat Di'Anno's punk'ish attack on that particular track).

 

[JayKeeley]

are you saying you don't like KC and KD, jaykeeley!!!!

Only from what I've heard. Look man, I can't even get beyond Porcupine Tree and Pain of Salvation in the world of prog, how do you ever expect me to jump feet first into jazz 'lets make it up as we go along' fusion. I hate shit that sounds like some tone deaf git tuning their guitar in public.

 

[Black Winter Day]

HAHAHAHAHA. I wouldn't consider PoS or PC to be in "the world of prog", much less in the same league as KC. I would suggest you try out Genesis' "Nursery Cryme" or "Foxtrot" (highly melodic, well-composed stuff that doesn't really fly above peoples' heads) because they are, for the most part, METAL (don't believe me? listen to "The Musical Box" or "Supper's Ready"). But then again, maybe the more experimental side of rock/metal really isn't your thing in the first place.

 

[JayKeeley]

Classic rock is a different breed. There is something much more genuine about the sounds of bands from the 70's. The warmth of the distortion, the valve amps, the acoustics of the drums, etc. Whether it be Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, and even Led Zeppelin, these bands to me were all 'progressive', and that moment of pure innovation was captured in the vinyl during the recording. It is historic.

I have no idea what bands like Porcupine Tree etc are trying to do. Why would I ever reach for In Absentia over Wish you were Here? If you want to simplify things and just reduce them to pure entertainment value then I'll take Symphony X, Wolverine, and early Evergrey for my modern 'proggy' fix that goes well with a few beers and a good fun show.

Pain of Salvation, without doubt, belong in the world of prog IMO just because I wouldn't know how else to categorize them. They even headline ProgPower you know, normally at a time when people magically leave the venue.

 

[Black Winter Day]

well, it is indubitable that the best prog came out in the 70s: yes, genesis, gentle giant, king crimson, rush, etc. there are also many "unknown" proggers from the area that excelled in every way: caravan, soft machine, mahavishnu orchestra, magma, camel, etc. you're right, even the "non-prog" bands of the era had a progressive feel to them (i.e. zep, floyd, hawkwind, tull, etc.). concerning pain of salvation... i reckon they are progressive just because no one else is doing what they are doing (like em or not). they are actually one of the few "prog-metal" bands that i can stomach... (i don't consider SX to be progressive in any way). metal bands think just because they have long songs, keyboards and time shifts that they are "progressive" . real prog music was meant to be played by people with actual creativity.

 

[NAD]

Classic rock is a different breed. There is something much more genuine about the sounds of bands from the 70's. The warmth of the distortion, the valve amps, the acoustics of the drums, etc. Whether it be Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, and even Led Zeppelin, these bands to me were all 'progressive', and that moment of pure innovation was captured in the vinyl during the recording. It is historic.

This is exactly why you need to hear more King Crimson, but very little of their stuff is immediately accessible.

Kayo Dot - Choirs of the Eye will probably find itself in my top 10 of all time one of these days, but for a long time I thought of it as a very average album. I didn't expect you to like this one, which is why I gave you that maudlin of the Well CD as well (glad you liked that one :Spin: ).

In closing, jazz sucks. I don't hear jazz in Kayo Dot or later period King Crimson, but maybe only because I don't want to.

 

[JayKeeley]

Ah, the old 'what's prog vs. what's not' debate. It was bound to happen in the RC forum sooner or later. With that said, I agree with everything you said.

Do me a favor and start a thread about "progressive bands from the 70's" highlighting recommendations such as Camel, Caravan etc. I would love to explore more of this material with the first selling point being the old studio production & vibe....

 

[NAD]

metal bands think just because they have long songs, keyboards and time shifts that they are "progressive" . real prog music was meant to be played by people with actual creativity.

Bingo. I think people around here assume I'm a prog type of guy, but if you look at my collection I have very little that would be considered prog. Attention Deficit and Kayo Dot are two of the very few groups to surface in the last 10 years that I would even label progressive.

 

[Black Winter Day]

well, believe it or not there is a good thread on the subject on the OPETH FORUM (of all places!). let me find it...

here.
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=150277


www.progarchives.com is a GREAT site that anyone interested in progressive music should check out. tons of reviews, information, bands, descriptions, etc.

 

[JayKeeley]

In closing, jazz sucks. I don't hear jazz in Kayo Dot or later period King Crimson, but maybe only because I don't want to.

Heh, not 'jazz' but 'jazz fusion'. Jazz has produced some legendary material over the years, and whether people like it or not, most do recognize the genius of people like Miles Davis and such.

Jazz fusion is like listening to monkeys smashing instruments together. It's the same pretentious bollocks you get when people try to interpret modern art as anything other than a 2 year old child's finger painting. Everyone deep down knows it's utter crap, but because it's perceived as different from the norm, people jump on to the band wagon.

You realize that with some minimal knowledge and contacts in the art galleries of NYC, you could probably sell a few million dollars worth of your very own Microsoft Paint renditions of BWD and his afro & boobies within a 12 month period. Same with proggy crappy shitty production 'cult' music - you know someone sooner or later is going to buy a tape of you farting and screaming into a cassette recorder and refer to it as the next coming of the son of Goat.

 

[NAD]

That last paragraph is too big to fit in my signature but it rules. I understand what you mean about jazz fusion, but I wouldn't consider The Power to Believe to be nutso like a lot of that stuff. Then again I listen to a lot of nutso crap, so my basis of comparison is slightly skewed.

Jazz has a lot of great moments. Jazz also has a fuckton of utter shite moments, so much that even the good stuff sounds like someone playing the trumpet with their butt with an ADD victim pressing the valves.

 

[JayKeeley]

Attention Deficit and Kayo Dot are two of the very few groups to surface in the last 10 years that I would even label progressive.

For sure, and I totally recognize the fact that they're trying to push the envelope. Whether I like it or not is neither here nor there, but at least it's unique.

Look at the differing trends in decade hand-overs:

1969 -> 1974: Music has never been this revolutionary, right? I mean, there can be no dispute.
1979 -> 1984: 'Anything goes' with regards to punk hitting metal, or entering pop (where bands actually wrote and played their own songs & instruments albeit for easy listening audiences)
1989 -> 1994: The beginning of the end as we knew it, except for a few freak occurences of genuine creativity and wizardy
1999 -> 2004: You've got to be kidding me...talk about hitting a brick wall. The best music tends to be the stuff that resembles the best of yesteryear, and so why bother with the new stuff I ask? Or are we all just scraping the barrel?

In the words of NAD, we need a goddamn revolution!

 

[Black Winter Day]

see new thread

 

[NAD]

1999 -> 2004: You've got to be kidding me...talk about hitting a brick wall. The best music tends to be the stuff that resembles the best of yesteryear, and so why bother with the new stuff I ask? Or are we all just scraping the barrel?

The only two "new" stuff from last year that I found was the KC and KD albums. The other stuff could probably be considered the pinnacle of genres though, as 2003 had some truly incredible releases. But yes, nearly all firmly rooted in times past.

In the words of NAD, we need a goddamn revolution!

Wow, I'm pretty cool somtimes.

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh man... "THIS IS A SONG FOR ALL OF YOU WHO BELIEVE IN THE WRATH OF GOOOOD!!! Well... I say fuck that."

What I meant was, Blaze is better live than in the X-Factor studio.

 

[JayKeeley]

Ah! I'm with you now ol' chap.

P.S. Seeing Sign of the Cross on the BNW tour was spectacular too. That was when the sirens lured Bruce into the Wicker Man statue and burned him alive.