h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Bassman..

I've heard some of their stuff and it's quite good indeed.
Just for the record...I am in all kinds of other music nowadays, it's just that 70-ies progrock will never die...it's a brilliant memory.

Having said that : have you heard of John Wetton (solo) or For Absent Friends or Colin Bass..? Great live-acts if you actually take the time to listen to the music..but Hey that's what progrock was and is all about.

So ProgRock : Yeah O.k.
Symphonic Rock : ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh Yeah !!

CYA,

TM.

I first became aware of John Wetton when he was playing for ASIA, who I thought released one of the best albums of the early 80s. I went to see them at the Wembley Arena on one of only two dates in the UK on that tour. I don't know if they toured again. I thought the second album was nowhere near as strong.

I got into an album called Danger Money by UK that he also played on. The opening track, Ceasers Palace Blues, realy blew me away!!

I don't know what he's been up to recently though. I sort of lost touch with all things Wetton. He was interviewed in an issue of Bassist magazine a few months ago in a prog rock special.

As far as I know John Wetton has been in :

- King Crimson
- Yes
- U.K. (indeed a very good album, my favourite track is Carrying no cross)
- ASIA

And then he went solo. So he was here about 11 months ago and the week after he was playing a festival in Tokyo...not bad for an ol' bassplayer !

TM.

I would like to have seen that. I saw Mark King (Level 42) at Cambridge in October (I think) last year, he can still cut the mustard, NO DOUBT.

Yes Mark K. is very good indeed. Of course he is still quite a young guy... compared to those old sympho-freaks...

TM.

Hi, TM.@

T.M.

I wasn't aware that John Wetton was in Yes, I thought Chris Squire was one of the members that had never left the band.....

I remember when a little spotty Saturday jobber in the Dixons in Newmarket tried to tell me that the store manager had played bass for Queen - before they were famous of course. I couldn't work out if the manager had told him for a wind up, and he wasn't bright enough to work it out - or the manager thought that he'd been in Queen!?!?!

Got the Asia Live In Moscow CD last week, happened upon it by chance. I couldn't believe they were still opening the show with Time Again, 8 years after I saw them at Wembley. Not that it isn't a great track still. I also picked up the Rush Live Tripple for half price - a conciderable saving.

I stand corrected ! John was indeed never a member of Yes. Must have confused that one with ASIA.

About that storemanager : He might be right but not on any LP !!! Maybe he was referring to SMILE because John Deacon was the last member to join QUEEN so I doubt if he ever played in SMILE.

I will try to look that one up...

TM.

P.S. Just went through the Web and I couldn't find your storemanager...

T.M.

I was reading a old issue of Bassist magazine the other day, where they had done a prog rock special. So, John Wetton and Chris Squire both got a mention. One band they left out that I thought were worthy of a mention were a band called Pendragon. I saw them supporting Marillion in '84, and was mucho impressed. Have you ever heard any of their stuff?

Yes I did but only at some of my friends' parties. It sounded very good indeed although I think that, like Marillion, they were too late to make a real dent....

Before I get spammed by avid Marillion-fans : sorry, I really love Sympho but the only Marillion-album I was impressed with was 'Script for a Jester's Tear' with songs like Chelsea Monday and especially He Knows you know(but he's got problems...).

In the eighties I was much more interested in looking at the sympho-influences in mainstream-music. Bands like ABC, Tears for Fears, Simple Minds and even U2 used a LOT of sympho-stuff. And the list is much much longer...You can probably think of lots of others as well.

And of course there were still Genesis and Peter Gabriel and they kept setting the standards. It is an ungrateful job to try and top Genesis...or PG.

Sorry, I will stop ranting now. Did you want to say something...?

TM.

Rant all you want. Gabriel is the best. Any update on his new album. I've heard it's supposed to be called "Up". It's been so long since he's been around. I've seen him on every tour. Sometimes twice per tour if he plays Toronto and Buffalo.

I have not had the honour yet to see Mr. P.G. ;-(
But indeed they are of at least were the best for a long time...


TM.

I was one of the lucky ones, too you to see Genesis and PG when they were together, they did a one off concert in '81 as a benefit for WOMAD, in Milton Keynes, England. AWESOME.

Yeah I heard something about that....makes you want to cry for not living in England sometimes.....on the other hand.....

TM.

I hear you, thats why I moved a few years ago.

Might England be assepting applications for Yanks that want to hear better music?

LOL.

There is no doubt that over the years we British have produced the majority of the best music to be heard, the odd exceptions being Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, CCR, A/C D/C, umh, thats about it for that list. We are unfortunately lagging behind in the enjoyable places to live list. I include urban decay, taxes, the high cost of everything, even relative to wages, a general apathy of a large portion of the poulation, and lack of responsibility being displayed by an even greater majority, whoops, damn, you got me on my high horse. Umph, I'm off it again. Don't get me wrong I love Britain, and had a great time for 25 years, I miss my friends, the pubs, and the people, on a face to face level.
Oh shut up, I hear you say, so I will.

Obscure,

So if you're no longer in Britain, where are you?

Hey obscure ! You forgot to mention Steely Dan as a fine example of American music. Oh yeah, and Jimi and The Doors...
I do admit that they're all a bit old (or rather deadish...)...How about Aimee Mann or Rory Block...? They're still alive. And I almost forgot my alltime favourite American artist : Loudon Wainwright III.

TM.

p.s. And I do agree that British music is usually a bit more exciting...not counting the Spice Girls of course...or New kid on the block...

More like : Underworld, Chemical Brothers, LTJ Bukem, etc...