Now Playing Thread

[Iggy]

My Mum's not doing well, so I'v spent last week in her country home taking care of her. My brother took over this weekend. Tomorrow I'm goin back 

She has the radio on the whole day, which is good, cuz then I can hear that she's up in the morning, and it gives her some pit-a-pat 

Me otoh, man, I go nuts with all that pop and hiphop. Occasionally in the evening, they can play a Queen or Bowie, but Dream Theater, forget it. And it's an even further shot to:

Hope your mum gets better. Stressful times I would imagine especially with hip hop on the radio.

[Nicky007]

Hope your mum gets better.

Thanx, Iggy. After the operation four years ago, her brain tumor remained inactive for all these years, but now it's growing again, and the doctors say there's nothing medical that can stop it 

Stressful times I would imagine especially with hip hop on the radio.

Yeah, but for my Mum it seems to be good. I don't think that she really notices what's goin on, except when it's an old song that she knows, but it's good for her to have some human chatting and music around her 

- Nicky

[Nicky007]

A good one:

Lordi:  Devil Is A Loser   www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZjZoJFTOoc

These guys know somethin bout babes 

- Nicky

[Draco chimera]

A good one:

Lordi:  Devil Is A Loser   www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZjZoJFTOoc

These guys know somethin bout babes 

- Nicky

I liked Hard Rock Hallelujah better, but this one is fun too 

[Bupie]

Really sorry for your Mum, Nicky 

PP Steely Dan - The Very Best Of
JF Dream Theater - Dream Theater  After a dozen of listens, I would say that the epic is the only letdown of the album. But a big one.
NP Rob Cottingham - Captain Blue  Clever pop prog, keyboards driven

[Nicky007]

Really sorry for your Mum, Nicky 

Thanx, Bupie 

Not before you listen to mine!

You know, I actually have, yes, been thru all the artists in your LP 

So you owe me one, Paxi 

NP  Michael W. Smith  YouTube Mix 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Sn5rV6oM0&list=PL87F81339E05F1B03

- Nicky

[Nicky007]

NP  Marco Sfogli  YouTube Mix 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Yf-r-VG7E&list=RD02y9Yf-r-VG7E

Quite a surprise. Thanx, Paxi. This guy really does some great stuff 

Got him on my list of fave guitarists now 

- Nicky

[Nicky007]

As I already wrote, I am not a big Rush fan and I am not a big fan of live albums neither but this one is as cool as its cover. It just rocks. Big time 

I have some eight Rush albums, spread over their entire catalog, and I like them all. Rush are by all measures a pantheon group. With Clockwork Angels they raised the bar even further. This is the album to go for 

- Nicky

[PH]

You know, I actually have, yes, been thru all the artists in your LP 

So you owe me one, Paxi 

I've also listened to a lot of your LP. But I'll check out some more on YouTube when I don't want to listen to Big Big Train anymore.

NP  Michael W. Smith  YouTube Mix 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Sn5rV6oM0&list=PL87F81339E05F1B03

Haha, it's probably one of the few artists in my collection that I almost never listen to. I have his instrumental album "Freedom" which I bought when I was into soundtrack music. I thought it was really good at the time. Actually that song is very nice. His voice reminds me a bit of Neal Morse.

NP  Marco Sfogli  YouTube Mix 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Yf-r-VG7E&list=RD02y9Yf-r-VG7E

Quite a surprise. Thanx, Paxi. This guy really does some great stuff 

Got him on my list of fave guitarists now 

He IS really good. He has two solo albums out now. Still got to have his second. Of course he also plays on the James LaBrie solo albums. Unfortunately I don't really like them that much (although I haven't heard his latest).

I have some eight Rush albums, spread over their entire catalog, and I like them all. Rush are by all measures a pantheon group. With Clockwork Angels they raised the bar even further. This is the album to go for 

Actually I remember not being so fond of Geddy's early high pitch vocal style. Liked "Snakes And Arrows" era vocal style much better. So the two latest albums are probably my first albums when I want to check out Rush.



NP
Big Big Train - "Make Some Noise"
6. Seen Better Days

Man, this is fantastic. It's as if I'm listening to previously unreleased "Trick Of The Tail" songs.

[Nicky007]

But I'll check out some more on YouTube when I don't want to listen to Big Big Train anymore.

It would actually be interesting to me if other Roomies made some effort with Outworld I. I regard it as the ultimate rock record - in both senses - at this point in rock history. There will probably arise an album that beats it, but not for many years - now seven years have passed since it was released. Something really very special happened here 

Haha, he's probably one of the few artists in my collection that I almost never listen to.

I probably won't be seeking him up again, but it was a nice experience listening to his music 

He IS really good. He has two solo albums out now. Still got to have his second.

I'm planning to get his second, reMarcoble, soon, added it to my SL 

Of course he also plays on the James LaBrie solo albums. Unfortunately I don't really like them that much (although I haven't heard his latest).

Yeah, they havent either really gripped me, despite several listens and Tom's warm recom. But I'll revisit them soon .....

So the two latest albums are probably my first albums when I want to check out Rush.

Absolutely, Paxi 

- Nicky

[Peter]

Sentimental tonight, so it's nostalgia time.

Playlist:

Saga - Behaviour
Saga - Heads or Tales
Marillion - Clutching at Straws

[Nicky007]

NP  Michael W. Smith:  Above All

www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Sn5rV6oM0&list=PL87F81339E05F1B03

I really like that song. I have that religious vein too, you know, Paxi 


Nice, from Wiki:

Michael Whitaker Smith was born to Paul and Barbara Smith in Kenova, West Virginia. His father was an oil refinery worker at the Ashland Oil Refinery, one of the ten largest oil refineries in the world, in nearby Catlettsburg, Kentucky and his mother was a caterer. He inherited his love of baseball from his father, who had played in the minor leagues. As a child, he developed a love of music through his church. He learned piano at an early age and sang in his church choir. At the age of 10, he had "an intense spiritual experience" that led to his becoming a devout Christian. "I wore this big cross around my neck," he would recall, "It was very real to me." He became involved in Bible study and found a group of older friends who shared his religious faith.

After his older Christian friends moved away to college, Smith began to struggle with feelings of loneliness and alienation. After graduating from high school, he gravitated toward alcohol and drugs. He attended Marshall University for a few semesters while developing his songwriting skills. He also played with various local bands around Huntington, West Virginia. During that time, his friend Shane Keister, who worked as a session musician in Nashville, encouraged him to move to Nashville, the Country Music capital, and pursue a career in music.

In 1978, Smith moved to Nashville, taking a job as a landscaper to support himself. He played with several local bands in the Nashville club scene. He also developed a problem with substance abuse.

"I really started losing touch when I moved to Nashville, around April of '78. I was smokin' marijuana, drinking, doing some other drugs; just being crazy, you know. My mom and dad knew what I was doing. But they never hassled me, they just prayed for me. And I felt convicted by God. Every time I'd wake up I knew: This isn't me. But I couldn't change myself."

In November 1979, Smith suffered a breakdown that led to his recommitment to Jesus Christ. The next day he auditioned for a new contemporary Christian music (CCM) group, Higher Ground, as a keyboardist and got the job. His lead vocals were heard on much of CCM radio with the single, "I Am". It was on his first tour with Higher Ground, playing mostly in churches, that Smith was finally able to put the drugs and alcohol behind him.

- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_W._Smith

- Nicky

[Iggy]

I listened to Oceans of Time - Touchstone yesterday.

NP  Home - Magenta

[Peter]

np-> Alter Bridge - [Fortress  CD1 (2013)]  #05: The Uninvited (4:47)

Incredible album, very fine stuff, indeed.

Very silent in here, lately...

@Nicky: I hope your Mum is better, soon.

[Bupie]

I listened to Oceans of Time - Touchstone yesterday.

And ? My copy should be home soon but I have not heard a single note yet.

NP  Home - Magenta

This one (actually the 2 CDs edition including New York Suite) took me a lot of listens to get into but now I love it. I hope it will be the same with their latest because so far I find it rather disappointing 

NP Original Mirrors - Heartbeat

A reedition on CD of their two and only vinyle albums. It's been almost thirty years since I last listened to these songs but they instantly came back to my memory. I remember playing them a lot in my teenage years. I still like most of them (Boys Cry, Things To Come, Swing Together  ) even if I have to admit that they sound quite dated. Iggy and Steve "missing" Jones might remember them, maybe Funkster too. Nicky, don't even bother, this is off and bottom-of-the-range in your book 

[PH]

Very silent in here, lately...

You, on the other hand, are very talkative lately!

@Nicky: I hope your Mum is better, soon.

Yes, hope she'll be better!



Yesterday I went to Liège/Luik/Lüttich (whatever) and for the trip back and forth (shouldn't that be 'forth and back'?) I listened to the following:

Big Big Train - "English Electric, Part Two"
Dream Theater - "Dream Theater"
Dream Theater - "Systematic Chaos"
The Flower Kings - "Banks Of Eden"
Haken - "The Mountain"
Threshold - "March Of Progress"


Just now, I listened to a selection of Kaipa, Big Big Train, Porcupine Tree, Magic Pie, Genesis, Rick Wakeman and Yes.

Isn't Prog the most versatile music you know?

[Nicky007]

@Nicky: I hope your Mum is better, soon.

Yes, hope she'll be better!

Thanx, guys. She isnt likely to get better, but thanx for your consideration 

Very silent in here, lately...

Cap, tell us a good prog story from the high seas 


Bupie, you might be qmused to know thqt my brother cqme up from Paris with his computer with q French keyboqrd ... So I'm struggling ... Man ! Why do the Frenchies have to change everything 

NP Original Mirrors - Heartbeat
Nicky, don't even bother, this is off and bottom-of-the-range in your book 

Well, thanx for relieving me, Bupie 

Havent even heard of'm 


I'm back in my Mum's country house and more than sufficiently updated with the latest pop and hiphop (on the radio). No prog here unfortunately 

- Nicky

[PH]

JP:
Big Big Train - "Make Some Noise"

NP:
Riverside - "Shrine Of New Generation Slaves"

[Bupie]

NP Marillion - Radiation

[PH]

NP Marillion - Radiation

Is that the 2013 edition?

"This Strange Engine", "Radiation" and "Marillion.com" are the only Marillion albums I don't have yet. I think I want them to complete my collection, and perhaps they are not as bad as people say...

[PH]

Now playing:
Ayreon - "The Theory Of Everything"

Just arrived! So this is my first listen. Let's see where this goes!

[Bupie]

Is that the 2013 edition?

No it's the original one. I didn't even know that there is a 2013 edition.

"This Strange Engine", "Radiation" and "Marillion.com" are the only Marillion albums I don't have yet. I think I want them to complete my collection, and perhaps they are not as bad as people say...

This Strange Engine, I can recommend without a doubt   Marillion.com is missing in my collection. I played Radiation twice today to give it another chance since I never had the bravery to play it again after a few terribly disappointing listens 15 years ago   Actually, it is not so bad and could grow on me but it is not an essential album in my book ... by far !

NP Landmarq - Entertaining Angels
I am playing the special edition right now and it's Make sure you get this version if you are interested

[Peter]

Now playing:
Ayreon - "The Theory Of Everything"

Just arrived! So this is my first listen. Let's see where this goes!

Damn, I forgot to order that one, due to being so thrilled abour AB's Fortress, lately!

[Bupie]

NP Marillion - Afraid Of Sunlight

[Teunis]

IQ - Frequency
Days Between Stations - In Extremis

np: Airbag - The Greatest Show On Earth

Ordered this album and would be released yesterday, but it was delayed till next week. Fortunately it's on Progstreaming.com. Really love it  .