# Ask The Masterman



## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

As a handful of you here know, I am a Prog Masterman.
This also entails knowing a fair goodly bit of psych, heavy and electronic.


If you have some obscure lp you have always wondered THE SOUND OF I will strive to elucidate and maybe compare to the sound of another band.

I will NOT give you historical/obscure facts or band members or other easily wiki'd info.

I will merely attempt to describe THE SOUND of the band/artist's lp - (perhaps even track-by-track.)


And ,yes, I know, you don't need me - you can listen to most any obscurity via youtube.


But, if that is what you are doing, then WHY ARE YOU HEAR ON A DISCUSSION FORUM.

You-tube destroys talk forums. As do blogs.


So then....support the ego of your local Masterman.


It goes without saying ,and I repeat, only obscure lps proffered. 

No fecking James Taylor or Kate Bush, right?


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

Rush - 2112 - (40th Anniversary Edition - Super Deluxe 2CD + DVD + 3 LP Vinyl Limited Edition Box Set)


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

The Deacon is back.


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Okay. I just got a request from Jackon McMagghot:
"Mr Onslow damn-your-eyes-and-die-of-corona, I have heard good things of this Japanese prog group ,Outer Limits. Specifically their '85 lp, "Misty Moon". What with my being on fecking dial-up, I cannot acess youtube therefore have to resort to reaching out to ****s like you to give me some description of the music.
Yours Sincerely, Jackon"


Well, Mr Jackon, I can whole-heartedly recommend you this SYMPHONIC prog work.
5 longish tracks.
It starts with this Bolero-ish snare. About midway, I detect these playful PFM-like moves.
The second track - unfortunately - has vocals in English. You can barely make out a word. (Maybe 3/4s of the lp is glorious instrumental.)
Not till the third track does the synth make its boistrous appearance.
This track is gold. I mean, what else can I say?
4th track has vocals in Japanese.
5th track , "Spanish Labyrinth" , with its flamenco action, just LICKS THE CREAMCORN RIGHT OFF THE FLOOR. These guys are GODS!
And the last track ain't no slouch either.

I don't usually ride for violin-dominated lps, but this is an exception.
Seamless playing makes this lp a pure joy.


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)




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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)




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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Strange Magic said:


> The Deacon is back.


For good or ill.


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - Love Beach -

(40th Anniversary Edition - Super Deluxe 2CD + DVD + 3 LP Vinyl Limited Edition Box Set)


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Aye.

I bet that of all the ELPs this is the one you wish you were there during recording.

Or....has that been done for posterity on one of those discs?


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

Onslow said:


> Aye.
> 
> I bet that of all the ELPs this is the one you wish you were there during recording.
> 
> Or....has that been done for posterity on one of those discs?


Not even close...









ELP - In The Hot Seat -

(25th Anniversary Edition - Super Deluxe 2CD + DVD + 3 LP Vinyl Limited Edition Box Set)


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

Wallace, review this one, eh? Track by track...

























*Pink Floyd - The Wall Immersion Box - 7 Disc Version*


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Turn of the screw.




Immersion in Waters shoite, moreloikes.


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

*Public Foot the Roman - 1973 *









Link to complete album -

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEhKnbYtxwiJVug-R3VWCGxuX0ThH-a1Q

"An obscure and long forgotten progressive rock band from the UK, PUBLIC FOOT THE ROMAN nevertheless were popular enough to released one self titled album in 1973 in both the UK and USA. (Sovereign Records in the UK, Capitol in the USA). In addition they were often seen playing at colleges and were featured on the more outward looking radio shows of the time.

The band did have some line up changes but the best known was Dag Small (keyboards and vocals), the enigmatically named Ward (bass guitar), Sean Byrne (vocals and guitar), Greg Knowles (guitar) and Jamie Lane (drums and vocals). The group eventually transormed itself into THE MOVIES who developed PUBLIC FOOT THE ROMAN's art rock tendenacies and were almost on the verge of a breakthrough when Punk Rock changed the musical climate and killed any chances of success."

Knock yourself out, Mississippi...


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## Flamme (Dec 30, 2012)




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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Why you posting a movie clip in a music thread?


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Public Foot:

light prog . 

One member from The Count Five. I always thought this group American - isnt "Psychotic Reaction" American??- but they are UK as you can tell by (one of the worse) Hipignosis front covers.


I will give my copy a listen.
I recall one good track that seems influenced by YES.


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Just played side one. 4 tracks.

Without question this band had potential. They are tight and excellent players. It would have been interesting to see where they would have gone with a second lp. But ,alack and woe, it was not to be.

Just let me say that this was pressed in North America on the orange Capitol/Sovereign label . I value the orange and lime Capitol releases as the worst quality-wise releases of all the main labels. You simply are not gonna find this lp without surface noise - even a sealed copy.

The start-off track, "Landowner" is a shock if you've been told this is a prog band. Clearly this was the track the band wanted to make a mark with on radio. Nothing prog at all. More AOR/southern rock than anything else. But halfway through they switch gears a bit and you get these nice dual guitars.

The third track is also non-prog. Reminds maybe of some Allman Brothers. Not prog, but very fine all the same. Where this band really shines is in the vocal harmonies (a lost art in today's "music"). I don't collect southern rock and God save me from country, but this track I CAN swallow.

The second track is awesome. Like early (1st & 2nd lp) YES. Vocal harmonies are right up there with the likes of CSN&Y.

Side one ends with the second prog track, "Judas....err...summart". A lurvley ,jazzy piano/ guitar exchange finishes things off. With the harmony vocals, I'm thinking of comparisons to UK protoprog bands like Cressida and Fantasy.


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

Onslow said:


> Public Foot:
> 
> light prog .
> 
> ...


Sean Byrne from Public Foot is not the same "Sean Byrne" from the Count Five whose name was John "Sean" Byrne (he changed it to capitalize on the British Invasion - he emigrated from Ireland in 1964).

Agree with the Hipgnosis cover...

To me, they sound as if they couldn't quite make up their minds as to whether they wanted to be Uriah Heep or Spooky Tooth... They wouldn't have been able to be anything other than second-tier Heep or ST as they lacked either a Ken Hensley or a Gary Wright talent-wise/song-craft to push the band into that higher gear - the vocal harmonies are superb but the lead vocalist is not quite in the David Byron/Mike Harrison class of singers.

The album has its moments - not bad for a first release - definitely showed promise - very nice guitar work - band was tight and handled time changes well - superb harmonies - but they were nowhere near being as talented as Badger much less Flash...


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

And there's your next listening project -

*Badger - "One Live Badger"*

Badger were a British rock band from the early 1970's. They were co-founded by keyboardist Tony Kaye after he left Yes, with bassist and vocalist David Foster. The latter had been in the Warriors with Jon Anderson before he co-founded Yes. Foster later worked with the band on their second album Time and a Word (1970). Kaye had worked on a solo project by Foster that was never released.

The pair found drummer Roy ****, formerly of Ashton, Gardner and ****, and **** suggested guitarist and vocalist Brian Parrish formerly of Parrish & Gurvitz which later became Frampton's Camel (after Parrish left P&G) on guitar. The new band began rehearsing in September 1972 and signed to Atlantic Records.

*Link to complete album - *

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL94gOvpr5yt1mCSZhd2SrOu7TW8f_OJsU


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

And the one after that -









*Fruupp - "Future Legends"*

*Link to complete album -*

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8a8cutYP7fq3ipS5UmfMyqqEX-4s6uMN

Fruupp were a 1970s progressive rock band, which originated in Belfast, Northern Ireland, but developed a fan base in Great Britain. They were relatively popular, particularly on the student scene and as a supporting act, opening for such bands as Genesis, Queen, and King Crimson.


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

And the one after that...









*Hatfield and the North - "The Rotters' Club"*

*Link to complete album -*

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL94gOvpr5yt3qX6FpfPNeMNFy3wds8lxH

Hatfield and the North were an experimental Canterbury scene rock band that lasted from October 1972 to June 1975, with some reunions thereafter.


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

The other Badger lp sucks.

Live one didn't do much for me.


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Not many progs from Ireland (or Madagascar, for the matter).
So saying Fruupp is the best is not saying much.


But they were awesome.

First two lps I'd describe as ethereal,delicate. They started out with this spidery baroque sound.The delicate acoustic guitar work and the (rock-uncommon) Galanti organ give Fruupp this rather unique ,rarefied colour, purity.

Although most seem to disagree, my fave lp is the last "Modern Masquerades" (with the adulterated Millais coverart). The best track here is "Gormenghast" where they go unusually (for them) jazzy. More polished; less raw/amateurish than the previous lps.

Worse lp is also the most difficult to snag in the wild, "Prince Of Heaven's Eyes"


I have all 4 lps as origional. (But I DON"T have the booklet which came origionally with the third lp!)


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## Duncan (Feb 8, 2019)

Last one for a while as I need to focus exclusively on work for the next week or two...









*Fantasy - "Paint A Picture" *

*Link to complete album -*

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL94gOvpr5yt25fNpzAIZRFh-l9j8icLtr


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Fantasy has less mellotron than usually hyped (by the old catalogues).

Its firmly in the early Moodies-wannabe school of bands like Cressida,Quicksand,Spring,Gracious,Circus,Strange Days,Kestrel.

I have the vinyl reissue (which is itself quite difficult to score).


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Deacon Beaker messages me:

"Tell me something about 70's German progressive rock that I already do not know."


Well sir, how's this: 
What could be considered a German All-Stars group - ex-members from Triumvirat, Zomby Woof, Eloy, Jane,Message, Madison **** - released this one lp as the group.........


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## Onslow (Apr 11, 2020)

Or this one:

German band with ex-members of Kraan,GuruGuru,Harmonia and Cluster!




Aye.
And to think you thought you knew it all.


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## Jay (Jul 21, 2014)




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