His first album Tales of Mystery and Imagination-Edger Alan Poe is a great album. This and A Turn of A Friendly Card and I Robot were huge influences on me and my song writing as I was a pre-teen, teenager when they came out. These albums crossed prog and pop. The albums were concept albums and had longer songs but also had pop radio hits. Tales has a long orchestral piece on it. It’s amazing how he used dozens of singers across his albums but maintained continuity.
Wow. It’s great to see APP on the channel. Love them! They’re a unique band. If you can really call them a band. A rotating collection of studio musicians and vocalists. But great music.
I'm VERY certain JP that you would know the intro to APP's song "Eye In The Sky" which has been used by a multitude of sporting events for teams entering the court, rink, field, stadium etc.. and was used in 9 (maybe more?) different tv shows & movies, I definitely would like to know if you've heard it.👍😀
I always think of APP as “progressive pop”. One of my all time favorite acts, tied with ELO just after Rush and Genesis! ELO is another band worth a deep dive, btw.
Yes. Alan Parsons is a famous producer/engineer. Not initially a musician. Although he did contribute to songwriting and some keys and programming. While not a primary musician he and Eric Woolfson are the primary creative forces. Eric sings on many songs (not this one) and plays keyboards. Later once the Project stopped recording in 1987, Alan went solo and put out many solo albums right up to today and plays regularly live both Project songs and his solo career songs. Live he contributes keys, guitar and some vocals. You could say that over time he evolved from a highly skilled studio producer/engineer to a modest musician and excellent song writer.
Alan Parsons co-wrote the songs with Eric Wolfson and produced engineered. It wasn’t until later that he started really playing a lot on the albums and live he plays keys, acoustic guitar and sings a little. Funny, he was never a live act when they were on the radio it was strictly a studio thing. I’’m not sure exactly when the live thing started but I think it was in the late 90s early 2000s after the radio hits dried up. But great live as well.
Turn of a Friendly Card is all great. A lot of their albums were worth listening. Alan can play various instruments and sing. Lenny Zakatek who sings lead on this particular song is my favorite vocalist for some reason.
When APP was being played on the radio, I always thought their music was kind of weird. I didn’t know they were considered Prog at the time. Also, didn’t know that he produced Dark side of the moon and Abbey Road etc (I learned that later).. I did assume, based off the name of the band, that it was one guy with a collection of rotating musicians.
I have a bunch of Alan Parson 1:35 s albums. I Robot, Pyramid, Eve, Eye In The Sky, and Turn of a Friendly Card are all great albums, but my favorite will always be Tales of Mystery and Imagination. I have both the original vinyl and the CD remaster versions. It is really interesting listening to the differences between them.
One of my favorite bands...they actually had a wide variety of sounds (although progressive pop is a good catch-all term for them)...from soft rock to pop rock to the Pink Floyd-tinged I Robot (and others) to the almost-metal Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether. Definitely worth a deep dive.
His first album has some of the best quarter note bass playing on it. As you know Justin that bass lines don’t have to be complicated to be great and his first album as a ton of “easy” quarter notes. But, sometimes the slow simple stuff can be harder to play convincingly than the fast stuff. Anyway I love the bass playing on the entire first album. Lots of pedal tones on all of his albums while things move over the top. It’s kind of a signature sound for him.
Lord luvs ducks Justin... I jad to go album hunting again. There first Album Tales of mystery and Imagination Edgar Allan Poe Is just an epic album 1976 . Dam just breath taking. Hope you give it a listen think you will be surprized! Cheers
5th grade science teacher played us the first album (Poe) in class when it came out. I have all of them now. Good band to check out. AP mixes up the project
Alan was the mixdown engineer for the self titled 1975 album “Ambrosia”, a prog release without a bad track on it (nothing like Pink Floyd prog), check out “Drink of Water” for starts but listen to the entire album, you won’t be sorry.
Alan Parsons (and Eric Woolfson) was a guy who thought "Rather than producing all these other bands why don't I get in on the fun?" Other examples of this include Rupert Hine and Daniel Lanois. I knew people in high school who liked APP (they did have a number of radio hits), although they were always a bit "white bread" for my tastes (they sometimes get lumped into the "yacht rock" genre). There's no denying the albums sounded great, but there were better bands producing more interesting music out there at the time IMO. Still, it was the kind of thing you could put on while your girlfriend was around and she wouldn't flee the room. 😄
Sounds like you've missed out on some great music over the years too. It's never too late to catch up. Professor of Rock is another great channel for background info. 😊😉
Due to that Mariner ruining that wedding I just went to talking my ear off and freaking me out about albatrosses and lifeless lumps, I identify with Old & Wise. The Zombie lead singer does an awesome job
My favorite APP album is I Robot from 1977, based on Isaac Asimov's stories about machines taking over. I wouldn't want to be like you is the second track on I Robot.
Unfortunately you chose the radio edit to react to. There is a bit more to the guitar solos as well as a few other bits. Nothing groundbreaking but it's different
When music was fun & interesting; thoughtful & catchy w/great musicianship played and sung by real people.
I had this on 45.. that is how old I am.
Great song though. Fits in with the LRB/ Middle Of The Road type of music you've been reacting to.
Eye In The Sky has played so much on radio. Absolute popular classic.
His first album Tales of Mystery and Imagination-Edger Alan Poe is a great album. This and A Turn of A Friendly Card and I Robot were huge influences on me and my song writing as I was a pre-teen, teenager when they came out. These albums crossed prog and pop. The albums were concept albums and had longer songs but also had pop radio hits. Tales has a long orchestral piece on it. It’s amazing how he used dozens of singers across his albums but maintained continuity.
Wow. It’s great to see APP on the channel. Love them! They’re a unique band. If you can really call them a band. A rotating collection of studio musicians and vocalists. But great music.
Thanks Mike!!! Dam you did miss out but never too late Justin music is like language never can cover it all. Cheers
I'm VERY certain JP that you would know the intro to APP's song "Eye In The Sky" which has been used by a multitude of sporting events for teams entering the court, rink, field, stadium etc.. and was used in 9 (maybe more?) different tv shows & movies, I definitely would like to know if you've heard it.👍😀
Most famously for the dynastic Chicago Bulls of the 1990s.
I always think of APP as “progressive pop”. One of my all time favorite acts, tied with ELO just after Rush and Genesis!
ELO is another band worth a deep dive, btw.
Tales of Mystery and Imagination was my first Alan Parsons album. Really enjoyed everything up through Gaudi.
Yes. Alan Parsons is a famous producer/engineer. Not initially a musician. Although he did contribute to songwriting and some keys and programming. While not a primary musician he and Eric Woolfson are the primary creative forces. Eric sings on many songs (not this one) and plays keyboards. Later once the Project stopped recording in 1987, Alan went solo and put out many solo albums right up to today and plays regularly live both Project songs and his solo career songs. Live he contributes keys, guitar and some vocals. You could say that over time he evolved from a highly skilled studio producer/engineer to a modest musician and excellent song writer.
Well said.
This song was huge when I was a kid.
Alan Parsons co-wrote the songs with Eric Wolfson and produced engineered. It wasn’t until later that he started really playing a lot on the albums and live he plays keys, acoustic guitar and sings a little. Funny, he was never a live act when they were on the radio it was strictly a studio thing. I’’m not sure exactly when the live thing started but I think it was in the late 90s early 2000s after the radio hits dried up. But great live as well.
I saw him live and remember the most recent album was Try Anything Once. Kansas opened ... one of the best concerts I've attended.
Turn of a Friendly Card is all great. A lot of their albums were worth listening. Alan can play various instruments and sing. Lenny Zakatek who sings lead on this particular song is my favorite vocalist for some reason.
When APP was being played on the radio, I always thought their music was kind of weird. I didn’t know they were considered Prog at the time. Also, didn’t know that he produced Dark side of the moon and Abbey Road etc (I learned that later).. I did assume, based off the name of the band, that it was one guy with a collection of rotating musicians.
I have a bunch of Alan Parson 1:35 s albums. I Robot, Pyramid, Eve, Eye In The Sky, and Turn of a Friendly Card are all great albums, but my favorite will always be Tales of Mystery and Imagination. I have both the original vinyl and the CD remaster versions. It is really interesting listening to the differences between them.
One of my favorite bands...they actually had a wide variety of sounds (although progressive pop is a good catch-all term for them)...from soft rock to pop rock to the Pink Floyd-tinged I Robot (and others) to the almost-metal Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether. Definitely worth a deep dive.
His first album has some of the best quarter note bass playing on it. As you know Justin that bass lines don’t have to be complicated to be great and his first album as a ton of “easy” quarter notes. But, sometimes the slow simple stuff can be harder to play convincingly than the fast stuff. Anyway I love the bass playing on the entire first album. Lots of pedal tones on all of his albums while things move over the top. It’s kind of a signature sound for him.
Love these guys
I always liked APP. They were always a good palate-cleanser when listening to harder stuff like Rush, Van Halen, Styx, Boston, etc.
Lord luvs ducks Justin... I jad to go album hunting again.
There first Album
Tales of mystery and Imagination Edgar Allan Poe
Is just an epic album 1976 . Dam just breath taking.
Hope you give it a listen think you will be surprized!
Cheers
5th grade science teacher played us the first album (Poe) in class when it came out. I have all of them now. Good band to check out. AP mixes up the project
Alan was the mixdown engineer for the self titled 1975 album “Ambrosia”, a prog release without a bad track on it (nothing like Pink Floyd prog), check out “Drink of Water” for starts but listen to the entire album, you won’t be sorry.
Alan Parsons (and Eric Woolfson) was a guy who thought "Rather than producing all these other bands why don't I get in on the fun?" Other examples of this include Rupert Hine and Daniel Lanois. I knew people in high school who liked APP (they did have a number of radio hits), although they were always a bit "white bread" for my tastes (they sometimes get lumped into the "yacht rock" genre). There's no denying the albums sounded great, but there were better bands producing more interesting music out there at the time IMO. Still, it was the kind of thing you could put on while your girlfriend was around and she wouldn't flee the room. 😄
Sounds like you've missed out on some great music over the years too. It's never too late to catch up. Professor of Rock is another great channel for background info. 😊😉
Alan Parsons was born in London, England.
Due to that Mariner ruining that wedding I just went to talking my ear off and freaking me out about albatrosses and lifeless lumps, I identify with Old & Wise. The Zombie lead singer does an awesome job
My favorite APP album is I Robot from 1977, based on Isaac Asimov's stories about machines taking over. I wouldn't want to be like you is the second track on I Robot.
This was the radio edit. The full length album version is much better as it has a longer guitar solo and a trippy middle bit.
Cool it’s alright it’s ok it’s ok. Not my favorite, it’s not incredible but it’s ok it’s alright.😂😂😂🤘🖖✌️🎤🎹🎹🎤🥁🎸
This was missing a lot of the middle section & guitar solo. Probably edited for radio...loses some impact.
Dude, you gotta hit " THE RAVEN" by APP, gr8 bass line
Unfortunately you chose the radio edit to react to. There is a bit more to the guitar solos as well as a few other bits. Nothing groundbreaking but it's different
Do not pay attention to "prog" vs. "non-prog". Disregard genre. You'll enjoy it.
Jefferson Starship? Really?
Never liked Pink Floyd either.
Oh, okay. I know this song. It's okay.