German prog

[Nicky007]

OK, time for a new topic (goin a bit fast now): We haven't talked much about German prog here (and I'm the Brit (at least originally) saying it). This might be a good opportunity to bring forth some experiences, feelings, thoughts, and tips. Looking forward to it.

I'll start by saying that I'm a massive Vanden Plas fan (in case there's someone who hasn't noticed it). They're among my abs faves. First of all because it simply rocks, great melodies and riffs, the guys know their stuff, and very important, Andy's a powerful singer, has a fine English expression (a bit like our local Steen Jørgensen from Sort Sol), intriguing concepts and lyrics, and when Stephan occasionally lets it go, it's like thunder striking.

But there's masses of excellent German prog around. Let's hear about it.

Nicky.

[The Butterfly Man]

Sylvan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Tom

[Appelmoes??]

I wonder when the topic "Latvian prog" will emerge

[Nicky007]

I wonder when the topic "Latvian prog" will emerge

That's up to youuuuuuuuuuu....

We just had a sparkling new proggy-baby pop out in Latvia, or is he a revolutionary - or both? Congrats, Che, from me too. Babies are always welcome in the prog community 

Appy, I noticed that you have four CD's by Blind Guardian in your collection. What are they like?

Nicky.

[Nicky007]

Sylvan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Tom

So this topic got you out of your cave, Tom. That in itself is worth the effort.

But you're right: Sylvan are great.

Nicky.

[PH]

Don't know about Sylvan... I'll have to listen to it again I guess...

RPWL
Blind Ego (Does that count?)
Neuschwanstein!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Brilliant band, but they disbanded twenty-five years ago or so...)

[The Butterfly Man]

So this topic got you out of your cave, Tom. That in itself is worth the effort.

But you're right: Sylvan are great.

Nicky.

Hehe, yes I finally came out of my cave. Once my beard was long enough to touch the ground (and no, I'm not that short) I decided it was time to step into the light again. No but serious, I've been going through some personal issues for the last couple of months so that's why I wasn't very active. But I hope I can get myself together and leave it all behind now.

But let's stay on topic. Sylvan has become one of my favourite bands over the last couple of years. The first album I bought was Artificial Paradise back in 2002. I bought it after reading a review on the internet and, after that, heard some sound clips. Needless to say, from the first tones of 'Deep Inside' I was sold!

I think Artificial Paradise is still at the top of my list, with Posthumous Silence coming very close behind. For those of you who don't have it, it's highly recommended! Great album!

Cheers, Tom

[Proglady]

I think Artificial Paradise is still at the top of my list, with Posthumous Silence coming very close behind. For those of you who don't have it, it's highly recommended! Great album!

Cheers, Tom

All albums of Sylvan are highly recommended! But you are right Tom, Artificial Paradise and Posthumous Silence are the best. 

[maddox]

Obviously i have to agree with both Tom and Proglady. Sylvan are outstanding, though the last album is a bit less progish. For me Posthumous Silence is their best. As a matter of fact i think it's one of the best concept albums ever made. It shares the best-list with names like DT, Pink Floyd, Genesis and Spocks Beard to name a few.

Anyways, there are a few German Prog bands i like. Some of them are already mentioned, like RPWL for instance. A few others i like are Vanden Plas and Everon.

[Nicky007]

Blind Ego (Does that count?)

Why not? It's basically a soloalbum by Karlheinz Wallner, where he's found some musician friends to help him out.

Here's from Amazon.de (on Blind Ego's album Mirror):


Bittersüß, persönlich und intuitiv

Von  Sachverständiger (Moosburg, Bayern),  23. Januar 2007

Wenn der Gitarrist einer Progressive Rock-Band eine Soloalbum veröffentlicht, was erwartet den Hörer dann? Eine Frickelorgie, die zur reinen Selbstdarstellung dient? Bei manchen sicherlich. Nicht so bei Karlheinz Wallner, Gitarrist der hoch gelobten RPWL aus dem kleinen Freising, nahe München. Denn dieser schaut im Zuge seines Soloprojektes BLIND EGO selbstkritisch in den Spiegel, lässt einige sehr persönliche und private Erlebnisse Revue passieren und verliert sich dabei nicht in wirren Gitarrensoli. Enorm viel Gefühl steckt in seiner Musik, die Bandbreite reicht von zart und zerbrechlich ("Moon and Sun", "Black Despair") über erdig rockend und beinahe schon heavy as fuck ("Obsession", "Open Sore"). RPWL-Fans werden dabei nicht verschreckt, im Gegenteil. Sie werden begeistert sein, wie sehr sich ihr Kalle nebenbei austoben kann. Die illustre Mannschaft, die bei BLIND EGO maßgeblich beteiligt war hätte wohl auch jeden Progger vor Freude tanzen lassen: Mit Bassist John Jowitt (IQ, JADIS), Sänger Robert Wrightson (Ex-ARENA) und Sänger John Mitchell (KINO, IT BITED, ARENA) gibt sich das Who-Is-Who der britischen Progszene auf diesem Album ein munteres Stelldichein. Und auch das Schlagzeugtalent Tommy Eberhardt liefert eine intensive Performance ab.

Wenn diese Stunde bittersüße Retrospektive nach großartigen Songs wie "Break You", "Don't Ask Me Why", "Forbidden to Remain" und selbstverständlich dem ganzen Rest vorbei ist, fühlt sich auch der Hörer gereinigt. Anspruchsvolle, introvertierte und persönliche Musik kann auch auf den Hörer intensiv wirken, "Mirror" ist dafür ein verdammt gutes Beispiel. Ein Album wie eine Kneipp-Kur, wie ein Ritt auf dem sprichwörtlichen Vulkan. Voller instrumentalen Schönheiten ("Open Sore", "Moorland") und herrlichen Gesangslinien. Mit großartigen Musikern, innovativen Ideen und hochspannenden Arrangements. Voller epischer Größe und erstaunlicher Kurzweil. Karlheinz Wallner, der Initiator dieses ungewöhnlichen Projekts zeigt sich selbstbewusst und hat auch allen Grund dazu. Dieses groovende, pulsierende, Album, dieses schöne, einfühlsame Werk muss im Plattenschrank eines jeden stehen, der etwas von guter Musik versteht.


He's probably talking about Paul Wrightson, not Robert (?), and It Bites, not Bited.

Can anyone explain to me what a "Frickelorgie" is?

Nicky.

[Proglady]

Okay Folks,

Blind Ego the mastermind is german 

then I agree with maddox, Everon are great and I also like RPWL  http://myspace.com/rpwl

There is also Dreamscape http://www.dreamscape.de/index2.php?language=en
Martigan  http://www.martigan.de/englisch/index.htm
Central Park http://www.myspace.com/centralparkband
Dark Ocean http://www.darkocean.de
Tommorrow's Eve http://www.myspace.com/mirrorofcreation
Versus X http://www.myspace.com/versusxprog
Alias Eye http://www.myspace.com/aliaseye
Arilyn http://mossgrabers.de/Music/Arilyn/Discography/index_en.html
Ricochet http://www.myspace.com/welcometoteartown
TeaForTwo http://www.myspace.com/t42de
Superior http://www.meet-superior.de/show.php?file=music
Liquid Horizon http://www.myspace.com/liquidprog

Uff, there still mite be some bands missing. 

[maddox]

Tommorrow's Eve http://www.myspace.com/mirrorofcreation

How could i miss that one? 

Indeed Proglady, Tomorrow's Eve is a great band. I read that they entered the studio's some time ago to record their next Concept album. Guess that the name will be Mirror Of Creation pt III.   

[Proglady]

How could i miss that one? 

Indeed Proglady, Tomorrow's Eve is a great band. I read that they entered the studio's some time ago to record their next Concept album. Guess that the name will be Mirror Of Creation pt III.   

No,  Tomorrow's Eve new Album will be called "Tales From Serpentia"!  I still haven't bought Mirror Of Creation pt II. 

[Nicky007]

No but serious, I've been going through some personal issues for the last couple of months so that's why I wasn't very active. But I hope I can get myself together and leave it all behind now.

You know, Tom, when you're an intelligent, sensitive, artistic person, and that's what makes up a proggie, then you're in for some serious shit problems along the way; you're in for a lonely ride, because most other people are busy sticking to norms: routine jobs, traditional family occasions, football, Madonna-and-Blunt-music and stuff. I'm an oldie now, and I'm in pretty good shape, found some equal weirdos (like you guys) to socialise with, but when I was younger, I was traipsing from one shit pile to the next. God, was life hard. Isn't that right, John, Proglady and Bupie?

Hope you're in good shape now again, Tom (for a while).


> I think Artificial Paradise is still at the top of my list, with Posthumous Silence coming very close behind. For those of you who don't have it, it's highly recommended! Great album!

Thanks for the tip, Tom (Tiptom? through the tulips?). I've noted it.

Nicky.

[PH]

No but serious, I've been going through some personal issues for the last couple of months

I hope all is good now. Shit happens (often quite a lot...)
Anyway, another one here! Don't know how big your issues were, but mine were really shit. It's not all over yet, but it's on it's end now. Should be over next month or so.
We're both still young, there's a lot of shit ahead!
Nice things to look forward to, eh...

But there are good things in life!! Music for example!


@Proglady: I listened to Ricochet (Zarah: A Teartown Story) and it's quite good! A crossover between Arena and Threshold, or something like that.

Oh, and Everon is ok too!

[Nicky007]

... really shit ... on it's end now.

PH, I have some good names for your band: The Shitters, or Babyshitters    or more sober: The Shudders.


> But there are good things in life!! Music for example!

Betcha, PH. As I always say: Prog and beer, two great things that go together!

Nicky.

[The Butterfly Man]

...found some equal weirdos (like you guys) to socialise with...

Thanks for calling me a weirdo, I guess... ...

Hope you're in good shape now again, Tom (for a while).

Well, I'll try my best to get up there again. Anyway, thanks for the kind words (you as well PH!).

Cheers, Tiptom (as Nicky likes to call me )

[Proglady]

Can anyone explain to me what a "Frickelorgie" is?

Nicky.

"Frickelorgie" is when a musician loves to show of his talent a lot.

[maddox]

"Frickelorgie" is when a musician loves to show of his talent a lot.

Ahh, you mean like Dream Theater? 

They have Frickelorgies all the time.   

[Proglady]

Ahh, you mean like Dream Theater? 

They have Frickelorgies all the time.   

Yep! 

[Nicky007]

Then there's Enigma. Michael Cretu composes and produces, and his wife Sandra Cretu sings. I'm just listening to their "Love Sensuality Devotion. The Greatest Hits". Kind of new age trance disco. A bit proggy. Quite catchy. Sandra has a beautiful, sensual voice.

They've sold multiplatinum in several countries, but don't seem to be hot among proggies.

Has anyone here listened to them?

Nicky.

[bluepony]

Then there's Enigma. Michael Cretu composes and produces, and his wife Sandra Cretu sings. I'm just listening to their "Love Sensuality Devotion. The Greatest Hits". Kind of new age trance disco. A bit proggy. Quite catchy. Sandra has a beautiful, sensual voice.

They've sold multiplatinum in several countries, but don't seem to be hot among proggies.

Has anyone here listened to them?

Nicky.

Well, I know Enigma and especially Sandra from her early days, when she was quite big in the German charts - but that wasn't anything I'd call "prog" I think...