Master Index of Archived Threads
A Very Progressive Poll
| 1) "(The System Of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether" | 0 votes |
| 2) "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" | 1 votes |
| 3) "Damned If I Do" | 0 votes |
| 4) "Games People Play" | 2 votes |
| 5) "Time" | 0 votes |
| 6) "Sirius" | 1 votes |
| 7) "Eye in the Sky" | 1 votes |
| 8) "Don't Answer Me" | 3 votes |
| Edgy DC Dec 15 2009 09:40 PM |
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What do you get as your all-studio band transitions from prog rock to lite pop? You get 10 years of relentlessly charting, baby. Only one top ten in the US for the Alan Parsons Project, but they cracked the Hot 100 17 times. Casey Kasem was familiar with the name, and I include all of thier top 40 successes below. Quick research suggests this Eric Wolfson cat wasn't the primary vocalist. The "Project" was a rotation of musicians centered around Wolfson and Parsons, and Parsons insisted on there being a rotation of vocalists. When Wolfson took the mic for an odd turn, the label wanted him to stay there, insisting that an identifiable voice and face help market a band (duh). Parsons asked why to stick to one vocalist when all these talented guys were available to them. The Alan Parsons project: [list][*]Was born out of Parsons' contempt as an engineer for the prima donna musicians who wanted things their way and didn't appreciate how much better he was making them sound. Wolfson suggest they start an act that made production quality the highest priortiy.[/*:m] [*]Has heard their tracks used as introduction music for the University of Nebraska football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Chicago Bulls, probaly dozens of fighters and wrestlers too.[/*:m] [*]Never really played as a live act. For the one show (1990) that featured a lineup billed as The Alan Parsons Project, Wolfson was absent and Parsons spent most of the evening behind the mixing board, only joining the band on guitar for the last song.[/*:m][/list:u] Young Parsons kind of looked like an un-buffed, bearded, seventies-haired Mike Piazza. He and Wolfson appear as cartoons at the end of the "Don't Answer Me" video. Anyhow choose the one Parsons song that makes your mixtape when you are marooned on the moon. Get ready for some prog-rocking. 1) "(The System Of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether" (#37 in 1976, Get ready for some prog-rocking) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHNxBheFAt4 2) "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" (#36 in 1977, Get ready for some prog-funking.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak8suW-JBzE 3) "Damned If I Do" (#27 in 1979, mmm, early synth) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkqAEjZfVv8 4) "Games People Play" (#16 in 1980) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BR6NJlk1_A 5) "Time" (#15 in 1981) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvwrSdMY7dQ 6) "Sirus" (1982 instrumental --- most of their albums opened with an introductory instrumental --- not a single, but known to all sports fans) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyfKDnu0st4 7) "Eye in the Sky" (#3 in 1982) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt7zD9p80gA 8) "Don't Answer Me" (#15 in 1984) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALC7kt6iUHY Former players and hangers on now tour as The Alan Parsons Live Project.
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| LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Dec 16 2009 01:06 AM Re: A Very Progressive Poll |
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I remember the chorus to "Don't Answer Me," but it stuck in my mind mostly as the awesome cartoon fight video, and the first time I ever saw/heard the whispering "Sweet Nothings" gag. That said, the Spectorized audio backdrop is nifty.
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| Edgy DC Dec 16 2009 07:51 AM Re: A Very Progressive Poll |
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Oooh, we have a vote for "Games People Play"! How about prog rockers? Who else has the stones to write a hard rock song about the anxieties of empty-nesters?
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| John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 16 2009 08:43 AM Re: A Very Progressive Poll |
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This was an odd group. I guess it not being a "band" but a "project" (or some kind of hovercraft) allowed it to cover of ground musically but cost it some intimacy and identity, at least with me. "(The System Of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether" --I didn't know this song and would have guessed it was Steely Dan. I like this song but the ending is entirely too long. Cut it down by a minute and you have winner. "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" Extremely funky. And a pretty hard rip. Would have guessed this was the Average White Band. "Damned If I Do" Haven't heard this song in 20 years, probably more. I recall when it was new, some of the dirtbags who ruled the KISS pinball machine at Al's Luncheonette liked this one. A love song that was also tough. "Games People Play" Will always be the 2nd best song with that title thanks to the Spinners but I like this one too. One of the most distinctive and memorable openings ever, and I like the boogie/guitar solo part. "Time" Even borrowed the title from their Pink Floyd days. Nice enough, but not the kinda song you'll ever wanna go play right now. "Sirus" Another I didn't know, or forgotten, was by them. The Jet-Doplhin collison at 1:39 is one of my all-time favorites, but I was disappointed that the vid failed to show the Barry Sanders clip when he "climbs" the defender's face mask. Was he the best or what? Cool song, but not a contest winner. "Eye in the Sky" Always found it a little boring, I think I'm affected by Jonatha Brooke doing it more soulfully. "Don't Answer Me" Really lush pop song with a sax solo -- hardly progressive, but nice. The winner is ... Games People Play
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| Edgy DC Dec 16 2009 08:47 AM Re: A Very Progressive Poll |
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[quote="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]"Time" Even borrowed the title from their Pink Floyd days. Nice enough, but not the kinda song you'll ever wanna go play right now. |
| John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 16 2009 01:39 PM Re: A Very Progressive Poll |
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This need more votes.
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| metsguyinmichigan Dec 16 2009 01:43 PM Re: A Very Progressive Poll |
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I like "Eye in the Sky," especially with the extended intro. Just one of those songs that you associate with a certain time and place, and this one was my first year at college. I like "Don't Answer Me," too.
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| Edgy DC Dec 22 2009 01:24 PM Re: A Very Progressive Poll |
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This may be deserve more votes still. It's funny that how proggers are always so easily cast off for the big dumb interminable and seemingly uninspired experimentations, but they get the last laugh when their influence can't help but be seen in more passionately beloved acts. John Lennon, when he first heard the B-52s, keyed on Cindy Wilson's warbling and took it as a vindication of Yoko's generally unloved efforts. I don't know how lost it was on him that the 52s were actually fun (and Yoko wasn't), but he had a point, even though it may be hard to find any direct influence from Yoko to Cindy. Similarly, I can't say I know whether U2 ever listened to the Alan Parsons Project, but I can't listen to "Sirius" --- an album-opening track and in heavy rotation as event-opening music in the sports world --- and not hear a foreshadowing of the way the Edge breaks up the chord in "Where the Streets Have No Name," one of the favorite album opening tracks in rock history. Something about that particular arpeggio just demands anticipation.
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| Rockin' Doc Dec 22 2009 09:14 PM Re: A Very Progressive Poll |
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I first started listening to Alan Parsons Project after a friend played the I, Robot album (vinyl) for me one afternoon. I borrowed the album so I could listen to it some more at home and have been a fan of Alan Parsons Project ever since. A lot of good cuts in this poll but I cast my ballot for I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You from the I, Robot album. I was familiar with Sirius from sports clips, but never knew the name of the song or who had done it. I currently have 10-12 songs from the Alan Parsons Project on my mp3 player.
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| Edgy DC Dec 31 2009 07:23 AM Re: A Very Progressive Poll |
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This just hit my inbox. Somebody knows what I've been googling. Meanwhile, this poll is still tied.
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