Thursday, April 07, 2005
THE LONELY MUSIC FAN
Over the years I've championed bands that weren't exactly welcomed by my freinds. We've all been on one side of this equation at some point. My appreciation for prog rock alone sets me up for this time and again, but I reatin my convictions fairly well. Yeah, it's true that I have made some questionable album purchases in my day, W.A.S.P, Icon, Coney Hatch, Tank, Anvil, M-80, the list is long, but nothing ventured.....Anyway, there are other bands that I've been passionate about, but failed to go over with the gang, as I've said, good bands, and my favorite of my Lonely Fan bands is Marillion. Folks just don't get it. They've been succesful accross the pond, but to Americans Marillion is like the fucking plague. Admittedly, and as is par for the course, I stopped buying their records when the original singer left, but they're still around. I gave some of those old Marillion records a listen recently, and I was happy to find they've aged well, better than say....Krokus. I am listening to Uriah Heep as I write this blog, and it occurs to me that they are in the same category, and so would be Budgie, if I really listened to them, but I don't, really, no, Really! Well, they are better than Coney Hatch.
Over the years I've championed bands that weren't exactly welcomed by my freinds. We've all been on one side of this equation at some point. My appreciation for prog rock alone sets me up for this time and again, but I reatin my convictions fairly well. Yeah, it's true that I have made some questionable album purchases in my day, W.A.S.P, Icon, Coney Hatch, Tank, Anvil, M-80, the list is long, but nothing ventured.....Anyway, there are other bands that I've been passionate about, but failed to go over with the gang, as I've said, good bands, and my favorite of my Lonely Fan bands is Marillion. Folks just don't get it. They've been succesful accross the pond, but to Americans Marillion is like the fucking plague. Admittedly, and as is par for the course, I stopped buying their records when the original singer left, but they're still around. I gave some of those old Marillion records a listen recently, and I was happy to find they've aged well, better than say....Krokus. I am listening to Uriah Heep as I write this blog, and it occurs to me that they are in the same category, and so would be Budgie, if I really listened to them, but I don't, really, no, Really! Well, they are better than Coney Hatch.
Comments:
I still have an love my Uriah Heep Live album. Where else can you "rock and roll or boogie"?
-Ken
-Ken
# posted by 
: 2:51 AM
: 2:51 AM
“Huddled in the safety of pseudo silk kimono wearing bracelets of smoke, naked of understanding…”
I don’t know Jackson, there may be a reason they never caught on here in the states. Having said that, our dear departed friend was obsessed with Marillion there for a while, and that meant there was no avoiding listening to it. It was an interesting time, since it coincided with the beginning of both yours and my love affair with the Rolling Stones. I remember many a listening session where our friend would dissect and fisk a few Marillion tunes for us, and when the turntable was conceded to me, I’d throw on the Stones doing Chuck Berry’s “Round and Round”. Needless to say, no parsing or further explanation was required.
Those were very enlightening times for me. I never really hated the prog rock giants music, but it was way to complicated for me. The better musicians amongst our group loved these bands, but it was always take it, or leave it for me (more than three Yes tunes in a row and I’m done for a month or so). When I reflect back on those listening sessions, I realize that you, our friend, and others did a great job of exposing me to other schisms of rock and roll and I am thankful for it. I was, and on occasion, still am quite hardheaded, but it’s 20 years later and I can quote a Marillion lyric. This bud’s for you guys! I can also honestly say that I enjoyed the Marillion show that our friend dragged me to. Fish displayed some self-effacing humor during the “Kaliegh” (sp?) encore by dropping a mini Stonehenge from the lighting rig.
For me, rock and roll doesn’t have to be complex to be meaningful and my guess is that many folks feel the same way. Most times I just want it to be fun.
“The joint started rockin, goin’ round and round, yeah reelin’ and a rockin’ with that crazy sound. Didn’t stop rockin’ ‘till the moon went down…”.
Ah… shear brilliance!
Tony Alva
I don’t know Jackson, there may be a reason they never caught on here in the states. Having said that, our dear departed friend was obsessed with Marillion there for a while, and that meant there was no avoiding listening to it. It was an interesting time, since it coincided with the beginning of both yours and my love affair with the Rolling Stones. I remember many a listening session where our friend would dissect and fisk a few Marillion tunes for us, and when the turntable was conceded to me, I’d throw on the Stones doing Chuck Berry’s “Round and Round”. Needless to say, no parsing or further explanation was required.
Those were very enlightening times for me. I never really hated the prog rock giants music, but it was way to complicated for me. The better musicians amongst our group loved these bands, but it was always take it, or leave it for me (more than three Yes tunes in a row and I’m done for a month or so). When I reflect back on those listening sessions, I realize that you, our friend, and others did a great job of exposing me to other schisms of rock and roll and I am thankful for it. I was, and on occasion, still am quite hardheaded, but it’s 20 years later and I can quote a Marillion lyric. This bud’s for you guys! I can also honestly say that I enjoyed the Marillion show that our friend dragged me to. Fish displayed some self-effacing humor during the “Kaliegh” (sp?) encore by dropping a mini Stonehenge from the lighting rig.
For me, rock and roll doesn’t have to be complex to be meaningful and my guess is that many folks feel the same way. Most times I just want it to be fun.
“The joint started rockin, goin’ round and round, yeah reelin’ and a rockin’ with that crazy sound. Didn’t stop rockin’ ‘till the moon went down…”.
Ah… shear brilliance!
Tony Alva
# posted by : 10:01 AM
: 10:01 AM
it's true, I have never been completely alone with either Marillion or Heep. Tony likes 'Lady In Black', and as we see, Ken likes to 'Boogie' with the Heep as well, and the memory of Brian, if not the man himself, is with me every time I drop Marrillion in the player.
hey bud,
i found it interesting that you mentioned the band Icon. i'm curious is this the "icon" that hailed from Arizona originally? With Danny Wexler on Guitar?
If so, when i was drug addled 19 year old thrash punker, Icon was one of my guilty pleasures. Mainley because Wexler was my hero. I actually still have a custom Axe painted by Dan...
Dan Wexler had it all, Guns, Guitars, great hair, and a turbo 911 -
I'll never forget when i picked up some friends to go see the Dead Kennedys (at reptile gardens with opening act "mighty Sphincter") , my Icon Tape was in the deck... man did i get my arse kicked. lol
anyway, i ramble...
keep up the great work dude!
i found it interesting that you mentioned the band Icon. i'm curious is this the "icon" that hailed from Arizona originally? With Danny Wexler on Guitar?
If so, when i was drug addled 19 year old thrash punker, Icon was one of my guilty pleasures. Mainley because Wexler was my hero. I actually still have a custom Axe painted by Dan...
Dan Wexler had it all, Guns, Guitars, great hair, and a turbo 911 -
I'll never forget when i picked up some friends to go see the Dead Kennedys (at reptile gardens with opening act "mighty Sphincter") , my Icon Tape was in the deck... man did i get my arse kicked. lol
anyway, i ramble...
keep up the great work dude!
I might just nominate myself the most obsessive US Marillion fan...except, sadly, I have yet to see them live...
Hue - I've only ever heard of one Icon, and they were fairly Hair Metal. The album cover was blue with a illustration of the band. No offense but the record wasn't very good if memeory serves.
Average Joe - we're a lonely breed "wrapped in the christening shawl of a hangover, baptized in tears from the real"
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Average Joe - we're a lonely breed "wrapped in the christening shawl of a hangover, baptized in tears from the real"
