TAI PHONG, A BAND TO DISCOVER

Taï Phong is a bit of an oddity, as it is a French band founded by Vietnamese brothers Kahn and Taï Ho Tong. The sound is comparable to Camel, and Novalis, but the most telling description is "France's answer to Barclay James Havest."

The first incarnation came together in 1972, and included an American and a German (keep telling yourself this is a French band). They were in the process of recording, when contract disputes broke out. Because the brothers refused the terms (thus leaving them without a deal), the other two members left. Soon after, they would be replaced by keyboardist Jean Alain Gardet, and the now famous Jean-Jacques Goldman. In 1973, they again entered the studio. However, more artistic disputes, and contract haggling, with recording executives would keep them from releasing anything for the next couple of years. By 1974, they had a contract they could live with, but still needed a drummer. They chose 17 year-old Stéphan Caussarieu. The classic lineup of Taï Phong was now complete, and would remain intact for the first two albums. This was also a potent combination of talent and ego. After the release of 1976's "Windows," some of the members branched out. Jean-Jacques dabbled in some solo work, and Gardet recorded an album with Alpha Ralpha. It is during this period that trouble started brewing. "Windows" did not sell very well, and the band spent all the money from the first album on a new sound system. Goldman did not wish to perform live, which was a serious problem considering his contribution to the band's sound. This disheartened Jean Alain, causing him to exit. The band went on tour in 1977 with bassist Michael Jones also taking over lead vocal, but it just wasn't working. They decided to cancel any remaining shows, and just concentrate on studio work. This is the moment when brother Taï left. After much turmoil, they released 1979's "Last Flight," but the magic was gone. By 1980 interest in the band was waning, and they were in yet another contract dispute. Rather than push ahead with a fourth album, the band broke up. Over the years the interest in Taï Phong's music went up and down. This is largely due to the song "Sister Jane" resurfacing in one form or another. In 1993, reissues of the albums breathed new life into the story. Some of the guys got together, and the obvious talk of reunion came around. The main conspirators were Kahn and Stephan. In 1995 they began work on new material, and shopped it around. Goldman was not interested in rejoining the band, so they found Herve Acosta to fill the lead vocal spot. Angelo Zurzulo had been a replacement keyboardist in the old days, and he was also tapped for the new project. It took a while, but the result was 2000's Sun. • Text by Prog Archives

More information
Página de Tai Phong en Wikipedia • Página de Tai Phong en All Music • Comprar discos de Tai Phong

Just for Testing Purposes
Listen "Thai Phong" (1975) • Listen "Windows" (1977)

All these links belongs to other blogs and music sites. ThatWasMusic don´t host, store or upload any file. We just search the web for you. Remember that you should buy the record if you like what you hear. Support the artists. • • • Todos los links de ThatWasMusic han sido encontrados en Internet y pertenecen a otros blogs y webs de tema musical. ThatWasMusic no hospeda, almacena ni sube ficheros a la red. Simplemente busca por ti. Recuerda que debes comprar los discos originales si lo que escuchas te gusta. Apoya a los artistas siempre

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GREENSLADE

GREENSLADE ES UNA DE LAS BANDAS CLÁSICAS MÁS PERSONALES DEL ROCK PROGRESIVO. LOS CUATRO ÁLBUMES QUE GRABARON ENTRE 1973 Y 1975 SON PIEZAS DE COLECCIÓN REALMENTE IMPRESCINDIBLES.

After the demise of COLOSSEUM in '71, keyboardplayer Dave Greenslade founded his own band GREENSLADE, featuring Tony Reeves (bass), Dave Lawson (keyboards, clarinet, flute) and Andrew McCulloch (drums), he had left KING CRIMSON. In '73, GREENSLADE released their eponymous debut album, followed by "Bedside Manner Are Extra" ('73), "Spyless Guest" ('74) and finally "Time and Tide" ('75). Then the band call it a day and Dave Greenslade went solo. The album "Shades of Green" ('97) is a comprehensive compilation-CD and "Live" ('99) a live-CD including recordings from '73 and '75. A few years ago Dave Greenslade and Tony Reeves teamed up to re-unite GREENSLADE with John Young (guitar and vocals) and Chris Cozens (drums). They released the albums "Large Afternoon" and "Greenslade live 2001" (same line-up except John Troter on drums). ••• The first two albums are an excellent blend of classic, jazz, rock, blues and symphonic rock with elaborate compositions and inventive and exciting dual-keyboardplay by Greenslade and Lawson. The omnipresence of the Mellotron is very pleasant with majestic waves of the violin-Mellotron (like early KING CRIMSON) and glorious eruptions of the sumptuous choir-Mellotron. In comparison with the 'progrock-dinosaurs', GREENSLADE played more varied styles, the songs were shorter and it lacked the usual 'progrock self-indulgence' (like ELP and YES), no endless soloing. I'm very pleased with the swinging and powerful sound of the clavinet, an underestimated keyboard within the progrock world (only Rick WAKEMAN was a frequent user). A good start to this unique band is the compilation "Shades of Green" and an even better introduction is the live-album "Live" (with tracks from '73 and '75), containing some spectacular play on the Minimoog (with pitchbend). It's the most keyboard-loaden album with hints from WAKEMAN, MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND and SUPERTRAMP. GREENSLADE is a band to discover and they deserve more appreciation by the progrock aficionados. • Text by Prog Archives

More information
Página de Greenslade en Wikipedia • Página de Greenslade en All Music • Página Oficial de Greenslade • Comprar álbumes de Greenslade

Just for Testing Purposes
• Listen "Greenslade" • Listen "Bedside Manners Are Extra" • Listen "Spyglass Guest" • Listen "Time and Tide"

All these links belongs to other blogs and music sites (Castelovegetal) (Orexisofdeath) ThatWasMusic don´t host, store or upload any file. We just search the web for you. Remember that you should buy the record if you like what you hear. Support the artists. • • • Todos los links de ThatWasMusic han sido encontrados en Internet y pertenecen a otros blogs y webs de tema musical. ThatWasMusic no hospeda, almacena ni sube ficheros a la red. Simplemente busca por ti. Recuerda que debes comprar los discos originales si lo que escuchas te gusta. Apoya a los artistas siempre

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STACKRIDGE, THE BEST OF ENGLAND

TRAS CUARENTA AÑOS GRABANDO DISCOS EXCEPCIONALES, DESDE LA PRIMERA HASTA LA ÚLTIMA NOTA, STACKRIDGE SIGUEN SIENDO UNOS PERFECTOS DESCONOCIDOS PARA EL GRAN PÚBLICO, UN GRUPO DE CULTO DEL QUE ES IMPOSIBLE NO QUEDAR PRENDADO.

Todos los artistas o grupos de este mundo, y poco importa su estilo musical, su atmósfera o su procedencia, tienen imitadores, continuadores de su sonido, o se parecen a otros, o toman prestados logros e ideas de otros, etcétera. Precisamente por eso, cuando alguien quiere explicar rápidamente a un amigo cómo suena, por ejemplo, Starcastle, es normal que termine resolviéndolo por la vía fácil: "son como unos Yes a la americana, bastante buenos". Y punto. Y así con todo. Pero no con Stackridge. Con Stackridge rompieron el molde. De ahí que sea tan difícil explicar qué música componen y tocan y cómo suenan. Voy a intentarlo, y no tengo otro método que tirar de comparaciones. Aunque aviso por adelantado que ellos no tienen nada que ver con ningún artista que yo pueda citar, pues son únicos y formidablemente buenos. Tan buenos que cuesta creer que algo tan bueno no haya triunfado a gran escala. Vamos allá. Stackridge son británicos, y eso marca sus voces y su carácter. Voces británicas, perfectas, amantes de la armonía y de la melodía. Digamos que sus voces son tan buenas como las de los Beatles cuando se ponían sublimes. Stackridge tiene una faceta pop muy marcada. En eso son también como los de Liverpool, pero juro que sus composiciones no tienen nada (NADA) que envidiar a las mejores de Lennon/McCartney, a los que reconocen adorar abiertamente. Punto. Stackridge son también un grupo de rock progresivo (sí, has leído bien), que en ocasiones te recordará a Gentle Giant y en otras al sonido Canterbury de Caravan o Hatfield & the North (piensa en la voz de Richard Sinclair). Stackridge también son un grupo de folk rock; marcadamente acústicos, tradicionales, psicodélicos o medievales. Todo depende del tema y del día. Stackridge son también jazzísticos. También están en deuda con la música clásica (Frederick Delius, Stravinsky), y eso se nota en sus arreglos, en la delicadeza de sus adornos. Stackridge son también amantes de la música de music hall o cabaret, de la broma sonora, de la salida ingeniosa, de la melodía añeja, del ritmo antiguo. Añadamos, por tanto, un toque impredecible a lo Monty Python. Para terminar, baste decir que son instrumentistas extraordinarios. Cuando construyen una pieza instrumental logran dejar a todo el mundo boquiabierto. Ah, sí: las letras son deliciosas, divertidas, llenas de ingenio. Les gusta contar historias. Y lo hacen de maravilla. Termino. Ya termino. Queda la atmósfera: son vitales, optimistas, frescos, románticos, épicos. Buen humor garantizado de principio a fin. Ni una sola de sus canciones, ni una sola, es inferior al resto. Así que debes escucharlos. Y luego, cuando lo hayas hecho, vuelve y contesta a mi maldita pregunta: ¿cómo es posible que el mundo no sepa de la existencia de algo así? Los caminos de Dios son inexcrutables. Seguramente los reservó en vistas a amenizar las largas y perezosas tardes en el paraíso. No te los pierdas, sería el mayor error de tu vida. Empieza, si no sabes por dónde, con "Friendliness". Y compra sus discos. El grupo sigue en activo y se merece todo el apoyo y el afecto del público.

Más información:
Página oficial de Stackridge • Página de Stackridge en All Music • Página de Stackridge en Prog Archives • Comprar discos de Stackridge

For Testing Purposes only
Listen "Stackridge" • Listen "The Man In The Bowler Hat" • Listen "Friendliness" • Listen "Mr. Mick"

All these links belongs to other blogs and music sites (eloidodeantes) (proginblog) ThatWasMusic don´t host, store or upload any file. We just search the web for you. Remember that you should buy the record if you like what you hear. Support the artists. • • • Todos los links de ThatWasMusic han sido encontrados en Internet y pertenecen a otros blogs y webs de tema musical. ThatWasMusic no hospeda, almacena ni sube ficheros a la red. Simplemente busca por ti. Recuerda que debes comprar los discos originales si lo que escuchas te gusta. Apoya a los artistas siempre

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MAGNA CARTA, MUSIC FOR ALL SEASONS

BRIEFLY AND IN CAPITAL LETTERS: MAGNA CARTA WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ACOUSTIC BAND OF THE SEVENTIES. PERIOD.

Los álbumes grabados por Magna Carta durante la década de los setenta merecen estar en la vitrina de los grandes tesoros. Ningún otro grupo acústico puede hacerles la más mínima sombra, pues ellos son la máxima referencia del género. Delicados y exquisitos, sus discos son compañeros de por vida. En ese extraño viaje, se puede prescindir de muchas cosas, pero jamás de Magna Carta.

MAGNA CARTA is an English 'folk' band, formed in 1969 in London by Chris Simpson, Lyell Tranter, and Glen Stuart. They were part of the early progressive wave, but without really fully stepping into the progressive realm. Magna Carta's music is largely inspired and influenced by the folk of Simon & Garfunkel, focussing on soft and gentle acoustic music, often with a traditional feel, augmented with orchestral arangements and good vocal harmonies. Influences and similar artist include the already mentioned Simon & garfunkel, Fairport Convention, Kevin Ayers, Moody Blues, Amazing Blondel, Caravan, Al Stewart, the softer folk/singer songwriter genre and Canterbury genre. ••• MAGNA CARTA has gone through numerous personel changes over the years, with the only constant factor being Chris Simpson. Most notable members include Glen Stuart, an amazing vocalist with a great range, Lyell Tranter, who soon departed for Australia to be replaced by Davey johnstone on guitars (left Magna Carta to join Elton John as long time band member), and Linda Taylor who would later merry Chris Simpson. ••• Between 1969 and 1975 MAGNA CARTA made some wonderfull albums, with the beautifull "Seasons' and 'Lord Of The Ages' as absolute highlights. Also the live album "In Concert" recorded in 1971 in Amsterdam is not to be missed. With the leaving of Glen Stuart the magical beauty was lost, and for a while the band seemed to fall apart. Chris Simpson however managed to keep the band alive and MAGNA CARTA continoud making nice highly enjoyable music. ••• In 1983 Chris met Linda Taylor and they continued mostly as a duo keeping the MAGNA CARTA name alive. Studio albums became rare, but rereleases of studio albums, and new live recordings kept them performing throughout Europe until today. ••• Text by Prog Archives.

More information:
• Página oficial de Magna Carta • Página de Magna Carta en All Music • Comprar álbumes de Magna Carta
Just for Testing Purposes:
• Listen part one and Listen part two "Magna Carta" • Listen "Songs from Wasties Orchard" • Listen "Seasons" • Listen "Lord of the Ages" • Listen "Magna Carta Live in Concert" • Listen "Martin´s Cafe"

All these links belongs to other blogs and music sites (Oldrock-Dillingerr) (Masterpiece) (Avax) ThatWasMusic don´t host, store or upload any file. We just search the web for you. Remember that you should buy the record if you like what you hear. Support the artists. • • • Todos los links de ThatWasMusic han sido encontrados en Internet y pertenecen a otros blogs y webs de tema musical. ThatWasMusic no hospeda, almacena ni sube ficheros a la red. Simplemente busca por ti. Recuerda que debes comprar los discos originales si lo que escuchas te gusta. Apoya a los artistas siempre

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KEITH MOON, BEST ROCK DRUMMER

THE BEST ROCK DRUMMER OF ALL TIMES, ELECTED BY THE VISITORS OF THATWASMUSIC, IS (TRUMPETS & FANFARES) MR. KEITH MOON

Hasta la fecha, en ninguna de las votaciones propuestas por ThatWasMusic en su sección "War of the classics", se había producido un fenómeno semejante. Normalmente, los votos quedan muy repartidos. Así pasó en las encuestas referidas a Mejor Guitarra del Rock y Mejor Bajo del Rock. Esta vez no ha sido así. De los 20 baterías propuestos, sólo tres han acaparado la mayor parte de los votos, como si los restantes no existieran. Así que ya tenemos medalla de oro, de plata y de bronce. Keith Moon ha arrasado, seguido a escasa distancia por Ginger Baker y John Bonham. El resto ha quedado muy muy atrás. Estos son los resultados...

ThatWasMusic • Mejor batería rock
Total de votantes: 141 • Total de votos otorgados (5 por persona): 705

1. Keith Moon (The Who). 70 votos (49%) • 2. Ginger Baker (Cream). 62 votos (43%) • 3. John Bonham (Led Zeppelin). 60 votos (42%) • 4. Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson). 38 votos (26%) • 5. Phil Collins (Genesis). 37 votos (26%)

Just for Testing Purposes:
• Listen "Two Sides of Keith Moon" solo album by Keith Moon • Listen "Around the Next Dream" by Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Gary Moore • Listen "One of a Kind" by Bill Bruford • Listen "Ramshackled" by Alan White





















All these links belongs to other blogs and music sites (WHOSPEARL) (NUEVAMUSICACLASICA) (PROGINBLOG) (LAGRIMAPSICODELICA) ThatWasMusic don´t host, store or upload any file. We just search the web for you. Remember that you should buy the record if you like what you hear. Support the artists. • Todos los links de ThatWasMusic han sido encontrados en Internet y pertenecen a otros blogs y webs de tema musical. ThatWasMusic no hospeda, almacena ni sube ficheros a la red. Simplemente busca por ti. Recuerda que debes comprar los discos originales si lo que escuchas te gusta. Apoya a los artistas siempre

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