After much persuasion (and poking with a pointy stick) I've got Dad shut up in the attic again this week. You may think it's cruel - it is his birthday, after all! - but I've got him plugged into a constant supply of Big Big Train and Tinyfish so he should be okay.
So make way Wilf, Spoffo is back! This time we've got a greater mixture of different styles, quite different from my first show back in June of last year.
Enjoy!
01. Porcupine Tree - Time Flies from The Incident, 2009 02. Porcupine Tree - Blackest Eyes from In Absentia, 2002 03. Magenta - Gluttony from Seven, special edition, 2009 04. Magenta - Envy from Seven, special edition, 2009 05. It Bites - Memory Of Water from The Tall Ships, 2008 06. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells Part 1 (live) from Exposed, 1979 07. Frost* - Snowman (acoustic) from Tour Sampler, 2008 08. Tinyfish - Nine Months On Fire (live) from One Night On Fire, 2009 09. Tinyfish - Ride (live) from One Night On Fire,2009
Wilf in the attic 10. Yes - Machine Messiah from Drama, 1980 11. Yes - Into The Lens from Drama, 1980
12. Caravan - In The Land Of Grey And Pink from In The Land Of Grey And Pink, 1971 13. Manning - Prof. Adam Logan (2001-2094) from Anser's Tree, 2006 14. RPWL - Breathe In, Breathe Out (live) from The RPWL Live Experience, 2009 15. RPWL - This Is Not A Prog Song (live) from The RPWL Live Experience, 2009 16. Pink Floyd - Money from The Dark Side Of The Moon, 1973 17. Pink Floyd - Us And Them from The Dark Side Of The Moon, 1973 18. Pink Floyd - Any Colour You Like from The Dark Side Of The Moon, 1973 19. Pink Floyd - Brain Damage from The Dark Side Of The Moon, 1973 20. Pink Floyd - Eclipse from The Dark Side Of The Moon, 1973 21. Big Big Train - Perfect Cosmic Storm from The Difference Machine, 2007 22. Big Big Train - Breathing Space from The Difference Machine, 2007 23. Big Big Train - Pick Up If You're There from The Difference Machine, 2007 24. The Tangent - Where Are They Now? from Down And Out In Paris And London, 2009 25. Yes - Yours Is No Disgrace (live) from Yessongs, 1973
Having had last week's plans completely scotched by my son locking me in the attic, this week I shall fulfil a long-held ambition to play the complete works of Magma in a single episode of The European Perspective.
Next week it's back to the year-retrospectives with 1974 part 1.
01. The Flower Kings - I Am The Sun (part one) from Space Revolver, 2000 02. Dead Heroes Club - Theatre of the Absurd from A Time Of Shadow, 2009 03. Dead Heroes Club - The Centre Cannot Hold from A Time Of Shadow, 2009 04. IQ - Guiding Light from The Seventh House, 2000 05. Long Distance Calling - I Know You, Stanley Milgram! from Avoid the Light, 2009 06. Long Distance Calling - Sundown Highway from Avoid the Light, 2009 07. Eggs & Dogs - You Are from You Are, 2009 08. Eggs & Dogs - Poor Lucille from You Are, 2009 09. Eggs & Dogs - Food from You Are, 2009 10. Mandalaband - Ancestors Overture from BC - Ancestors, 2009 11. Mandalaband - Eden from BC - Ancestors, 2009 12. Mandalaband - Nimrod from BC - Ancestors, 2009 13. Mandalaband - Shemsu Har from BC - Ancestors, 2009 14. Satellite - Not Afraid from A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset, 2003 15. Satellite - On The Run from A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset, 2003 16. U.K. - In The Dead Of Night from UK, 1978 17. U.K. - By The Light Of Day from UK, 1978 18. U.K. - Thirty Years from UK, 1978 19. U.K. - Mental Medication from UK, 1978 20. Harvest - Mara from Underground Community, 2009 21. Harvest - Underground Community from Underground Community, 2009 22. Harvest - She Tries from Underground Community, 2009 23. Harvest - Waitin' To Happen from Underground Community, 2009 24. Yes - Heart Of The Sunrise from Fragile, 1971 25. Rick Wakeman - Catherine Of Aragon from Six Wives Of Henry VIII, 1972 26. Rick Wakeman - Catherine Parr from Six Wives Of Henry VIII, 1972 27. Strawbs - The Shepherd's Song from From The Witchwood, 1971 28. Strawbs - In Amongst The Roses from From The Witchwood, 1971 29. Strawbs - I'll Carry On Beside You from From The Witchwood, 1971 30. Museo Rosenbach - Exit from Exit, 2000 31. Museo Rosenbach - Il Terzo Occhio from Exit, 2000 32. Museo Rosenbach - In Equilibrio from Exit, 2000 33. Museo Rosenbach - Tuareg/Abbandonati from Exit, 2000 34. Univers Zero - Les Kobolds from Clivages, 2010 35. Univers Zero - Soubresauts from Clivages, 2010 36. Univers Zero - Apesanteur from Clivages, 2010 37. Mindgames - The Source from MMX, 2010 38. Mindgames - Destination Sky from MMX, 2010 39. Mindgames - The Pendulum from MMX, 2010 40. The Flower Kings - I Am The Sun (part two) from Space Revolver, 2000
Hitting the sites a little later than anticipated - sorry about that folks! - here's the first part of The European Perspective's review of the year 1974. This episode features one 'album of the year' - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - together with a selection of acoustic-based tunes from the likes of Jethro Tull, Richard & Linda Thompson, Gryphon, and much, much more besides.
Two more parts to come, so if your favourite isn't in here, fear not, there's a fair chance it will be!
01. Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, 1974 02. Genesis - Fly On A Windshield from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, 1974 03. Genesis - Broadway Melody of 1974 from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, 1974 04. Genesis - Cuckoo Cocoon from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, 1974 05. Genesis - In The Cage from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, 1974 06. Genesis - The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, 1974 07. Jethro Tull - Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of The New Day from War Child, 1974 08. Jethro Tull - Bungle In The Jungle from War Child, 1974 09. Jethro Tull - Only Solitaire from War Child, 1974 10. Roy Harper - Twelve Hours Of Sunset from Valentine, 1974 11. Stackridge - The Volunteer from Extravaganza, 1974 12. Steeleye Span - Thomas The Rhymer from Now We Are Six, 1974 13. Fairport Convention - Sloth from Fairport Live Convention, 1974 14. Richard & Linda Thompson - When I Get To The Border from I want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, 1974 15. Richard & Linda Thompson - Withered And Died from I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, 1974 16. Richard & Linda Thompson - I want To See The Bright Lights Tonight from I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, 1974 17. Horslips - Blindman from Dancehall Sweethearts, 1974 18. Genesis - Back In N.Y.C. from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 19. Genesis - Hairless Heart from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 20. Genesis - Counting Out Time from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 21. Genesis - The Carpet Crawlers from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 22. Genesis - The Chamber Of 32 Doors from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 23. Kevin Ayers - Confessions Of Doctor Dream from Confessions Of Doctor Dream, 1974 24. Sweet - Fox On The Run from Desolation Boulevard, 1974 25. Sweet - My Generation from Desolation Boulevard, 1974 26. Be-Bop Deluxe - Night Creatures from Axe Victim, 1974 27. Be-Bop Deluxe - Rocket Cathedrals from Axe Victim, 1974 28. Be-Bop Deluxe - Adventures In A Yorkshire Landscape from Axe Victim, 1974 29. Camel - Lady Fantasy from Mirage, 1974 30. Caravan - Virgin On The Ridiculous from Caravan & The New Symphonia, 1974 31. Genesis - Lilywhite Lilith from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 32. Genesis - The Waiting Room from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 33. Genesis - Anyway from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 34. Genesis - The Supernatural Anaesthetist from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 35. Genesis - The Lamia from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 36. Genesis - Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 37. Gryphon - Midnight Mushrumps from Midnight Mushrumps, 1974 38. Gryphon - Checkmate from Red Queen To Gryphon Three, 1974 39. Renaissance - Running Hard from Turn Of The Cards, 1974 40. Supertramp - Dreamer from Crime Of The Century, 1974 41. Supertramp - Bloody Well Right from Crime Of The Century, 1974 42. Wishbone Ash - Persephone from There's The Rub, 1974 43. Wishbone Ash - Lady Jay from There's The Rub, 1974 44. Focus - Hamburger Concerto from Hamburger Concerto, 1974 45. Genesis - The Colony Of Slippermen from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 46. Genesis - Ravine from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 47. Genesis - The Light Dies Down On Broadway from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 48. Genesis - Riding The Scree from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 49. Genesis - In The Rapids from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974 50. Genesis - it from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, 1974
The second part of "Progyears - 1974" this week - albums of the year from Barclay James Harvest, Yes, Hatfield and the North and Gentle Giant, some great symphonic prog from Italy, France and the Netherlands, and plenty more thrown in for good measure.
Part three in two weeks' time!
01. Barclay James Harvest - Child Of The Universe from Everyone Is Everybody Else 02. Barclay James Harvest - Negative Earth from Everyone Is Everybody Else 03. Barclay James Harvest - Paper Wings from Everyone Is Everybody Else 04. Premiata Forneria Marconi - Luna Nuova from L'Isola Di Niente 05. Area - Brujo from Caution Radiation Area 06. Le Orme - Contrappunti from Contrappunti 07. Aktuala - Mina from La Terra 08. Biglietto Per L'Inferno - Una Strana Regina from Biglietto Per L'Inferno 09. Yes - The Gates Of Delirium from Relayer 10. 10CC - Wall Street Shuffle from Sheet Music 11. Deep Purple - Burn from Burn 12. Queen - Now I'm Here from Sheer Heart Attack 13. King Crimson - The Night Watch from Starless And Bible Black 14. Hatfield And The North - The Stubbs Effect from Hatfield And The North 15. Hatfield And The North - Big Jobs (Poo Poo Extract) from Hatfield And The North 16. Hatfield And The North - Going Up To People And Tinkling from Hatfield And The North 17. Hatfield And The North - Calyx from Hatfield And The North 18. Hatfield And The North - Son Of "There's No Place Like Homerton" from Hatfield And The North 19. Hatfield And The North - Aigrette from Hatfield And The North 20. Hatfield And The North - Rifferama from Hatfield And The North 21. Barclay James Harvest - The Great 1974 Mining Disaster from Everyone Is Everybody Else 22. Barclay James Harvest - Crazy City from Everyone Is Everybody Else 23. Cockney Rebel - Cavaliers from The Psychomodo 24. Cockney Rebel - Bed In The Corner from The Psychomodo 25. Cockney Rebel - Sling It! from The Psychomodo 26. Cockney Rebel - Tumbling Down from The Psychomodo 27. Gentle Giant - Proclamation from The Power And The Glory 28. Gentle Giant - So Sincere from The Power And The Glory 29. Gentle Giant - Aspirations from The Power And The Glory 30. Gentle Giant - Playing The Game from The Power And The Glory 31. Ange - Au Dela Du Delire from Au Dela Du Delire 32. Kayak - Trust In The Machine from Kayak II 33. Eloy - Plastic Girl from Floating 34. Wigwam - Pedagogue from Being 35. Yes - Sound Chaser from Relayer 35. Refugee - Grand Canyon from Refugee 36. Barclay James Harvest - See Me See You from Everyone Is Everybody Else 37. Barclay James Harvest - Poor Boy Blues from Everyone Is Everybody Else 38. Barclay James Harvest - Mill Boys from Everyone Is Everybody Else 39. Barclay James Harvest - For No One from Everyone Is Everybody Else 40. Hatfield And The North - Fol De Rol from Hatfield And The North 41. Hatfield And The North - Shaving Is Boring from Hatfield And The North 42. Hatfield And The North - Licks For The Ladies from Hatfield And The North 43. Hatfield And The North - Bossa Nochance from Hatfield And The North 44. Hatfield And The North - Big Jobs No. 2 (Poo Poo And The Wee Wees) from Hatfield And The North 45. Hatfield And The North - Lobster In Cleavage Probe from Hatfield And The North 46. Hatfield And The North - Gigantic Land Crabs In Earth Takeover Bid from Hatfield And The North 47. Hatfield And The North - The Other Stubbs Effect from Hatfield And The North 48. Gentle Giant - Cogs In Cogs from The Power And The Glory 49. Gentle Giant - No God's A Man from The Power And The Glory 50. Gentle Giant - The Face from The Power And The Glory 51. Gentle Giant - Valedictory from The Power And The Glory 52. Yes - To Be Over from Relayer
Another thinly-veiled excuse for a nice night out and an Indian meal this week, as I interview Steve Cork, Lee Harding and Stuart Martin, collectively Konchordat, and between mouthfuls of a very nice biryani talk to them about their excellent album, English Ghosts, plans for their second album, Mr. Martin's deep love of folk music, and other ephemera.
Also:
New music from The Watch, Ex Libras and Mr. Gil
Rediscovered - Fantasy, Lady Lake and Alter Echo
Requests - Panic Room, Steve Thorne and Kaipa
And a big thanks for James Allen for putting me on to North Atlantic Oscillations (also featured this week) - check out James' blog at http://www.myspace.com/jamesallenofficialmyspace for excellent gig reviews!
01. Konchordat - Prelude/The Human Element from English Ghosts, 2009 02. Tinyfish - Nine Months On Fire from Tinyfish, 2006 03. Big Big Train - Victorian Brickwork from The Underfall Yard, 2009 04. The Watch - Something Wrong from Planet Earth, 2010 05. The Watch - The World Inside from Planet Earth, 2010 06. The Watch - Tourist Trap from Planet Earth, 2010 07. Ex Libras - Underachiever from Planet Earth, 2010 08. Ex Libras - Phat Nickers from Planet Earth, 2010 09. Ex Libras - 19:04 from Planet Earth, 2010 10. Panic Room - Dark Star from Satellite, 2010 11. Panic Room - Sandstorms from Satellite, 2010 12. Steve Thorne - Paper Tiger from Into The Ether, 2009 13. Steve Thorne - Valerie from Into The Ether, 2009 14. Steve Thorne - Curtain from Into The Ether, 2009 15. Kaipa - The Feeling Existence Of Time from Angling Feelings, 2007 16. Fantasy - Paint A Picture from Paint A Picture, 1973 17. Fantasy - Circus from Paint A Picture, 1973 18. Fantasy - The Award from Paint A Picture, 1973 19. Fantasy - Icy River from Paint A Picture, 1973
Interview with Konchordat, featuring excerpts from their album, English Ghosts, 2009
20. Of The I - Entrance from Balance Instars, 2008 21. Of The I - Cold from Balance Instars, 2008 22. Of The I - Between Being And Ego from Balance Instars, 2008 23. North Atlantic Oscillation - Cell Count (edit) from Call Signs, 2009 24. North Atlantic Oscillation - Ceiling Poem from Call Signs, 2009 25. North Atlantic Oscillation - I Only Have Eyes For You from Call Signs, 2009 26. Mr. Gil - Skellig from Skellig, 2010 27. Mr. Gil - Rzeka from Skellig, 2010 28. Mr. Gil - Odmieniec from Skellig, 2010 29. Lady Lake - Between Bremen And Hamburg from No Pictures, 1977 30. Lady Lake - Falling Stars Don't Scream from No Pictures, 1977 31. Lady Lake - Reshoot from No Pictures, 1977 32. Alter Echo - Gulnat Vatten from Alter Echo, 1979 33. Alter Echo - Stamman from Alter Echo, 1979 34. Alter Echo - Jordbon from Alter Echo, 1979 35. Alter Echo - Falska Banor from Alter Echo, 1979 36. Konchordat - English Ghosts from English Ghosts, 2009
The European Perspective is going out a day or so early this week, as over the weekend Huw and I will be at the Winter's End progressive rock festival in Stroud, Gloucestershire, taking in the likes of Magenta, Moon Safari, Lee Abraham, Touchstone, Crimson Sky and Galahad. Hopefully see a few of you there - if you see a large, dishevelled, bearded man (yes, I know, goes for about 75% of a prog audience!) with a tall, loud teenager then make yourself known to us!
This week's show is the final part of Progyears 1974 - albums of the year from King Crimson, Strawbs and Mike Oldfield, the joy of Magma, Amon Duul, Henry Cow, Can and Faust, and some slight more conventional fare as well.
01. King Crimson - Red from Red, 1974 02. Greenslade - Joie De Vivre from Spyglass Guest, 1974 03. Kraan - Andy Nogger from Andy Nogger, 1974 04. Strawbs - Hero And Heroine from Hero And Heroine, 1974 05. Strawbs - Hero And Heroine from Hero And Heroine, 1974 06. Can - Dizzy Dizzy from Soon Over Babaluma, 1974 07. Faust - Giggy Smile from Faust IV, 1974 08. Hawkwind - D-Rider from Hall Of The Mountain Grill, 1974 09. Mike Oldfield - Hergest Ridge Part 1 from Hergest Ridge, 1974 10. King Crimson - Fallen Angel from Red, 1974 11. King Crimson - One More Red Nightmare from Red, 1974 12. Strawbs - Autumn from Red, 1974 13. Mike Oldfield - Hergest Ridge Part 2 from Hergest Ridge, 1974 14. Henry Cow - Half Asleep; Half Awake from Unrest, 1974 15. Egg - Enneagram from The Civil Surface, 1974 16. Popol Vuh - Einjager Und Siebenjager from Einjager Und Siebenjager, 1974 17. Amon Duul II - Apocalyptic Bore from Viva La Trance, 1974 18. Trace - Progression from Trace, 1974 19. King Crimson - Providence from Red, 1974 20. Strawbs - Sad Young Man from Hero And Heroine, 1974 21. Strawbs - Just Love from Hero And Heroine, 1974 22. Strawbs - Shine On Silver Sun from Hero And Heroine, 1974 23. Strawbs - Out In The Cold from Hero And Heroine, 1974 24. Roxy Music - The Thrill Of It All from Country Life, 1974 25. Roxy Music - Out Of The Blue from Country Life, 1974 26. Brian Eno - Needles In The Camel's Eye from Here Come The Warm Jets, 1974 27. Brian Eno - The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch from Here Come The Warm Jets, 1974 28. Brian Eno - Baby's On Fire from Here Come The Warm Jets, 1974 29. Magma - Kohntarkosz Part 1 from Kohntarkosz, 1974 30. Robert Wyatt - Sea Song from Rock Bottom, 1974 31. Robert Wyatt - The Comet, The Course, The Tail from In Camera, 1974 32. Rick Wakeman - The Journey/Recollection from Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, 1974 33. Strawbs - Round And Round from Hero And Heroine, 1974 34. Strawbs - Lay A Little Light On Me from Hero And Heroine, 1974 35. Strawbs - Hero's Theme from Hero And Heroine, 1974 36. King Crimson - Starless from Red, 1974
Spoffo's back, but this time he hasn't locked me up in the attic, hurrah!
After a grand day out at Winter's End in Stroud last weekend Huw and I return full of the joys of Spring, as well as enthused about the great music we heard at the festival. The majority of this week's show is, therefore, dedicated to the music of the excellent bands who played there, but there's also room for new albums from Solstice and Kaipa, some tracks from RC2's album 'Future Awaits' - they were down to play Winter's End but couldn't make it - and a tribute to the late Micky Jones, for many years the mainstay behind the Welsh band, Man.
01. Magenta - Speechless from the single, 2007 02. The Tangent - The Sun In My Eyes from A Place In The Queue, 2006 03. Man - Ain't Their Fight (live from the Roundhouse, 24/6/73) from Back Into The Future, 1973 04. Solstice - Sky Path West from Spirit, 2010 05. Solstice - Flight from Spirit, 2010 06. Solstice - Here & Now from Spirit, 2010 07. Kaipa - In The Wake Of Evolution from In The Wake Of Evolution, 2010 08. Kaipa - The Words Are Like Leaves from In The Wake Of Evolution, 2010 09. Kaipa - Arcs Of Sound from In The Wake Of Evolution, 2010 10. RC2 - Time Pieces from Future Awaits, 2008 11. RC2 - Voice Of The Storm from Future Awaits, 2008
Winter's End 2010 12. Lee Abraham - Face The Crowd from Black And White, 2009 13. Lee Abraham - Black from Black And White, 2009 14. Mermaid Kiss - A Sea Change from Etarlis, 2007 15. James Hollingsworth - Still Lights Up The Rain from Coming Home To Stay, 2007 16. James Hollingsworth - Long Way Out from Coming Home To Stay, 2007 17. Moon Safari - Constant Bloom from [blomljud], 2007 18. Moon Safari - Moonwalk from [blomljud], 2007 19. Moon Safari - Bluebells from [blomljud], 2007 20. Magenta - Demons from Home, 2006 21. Magenta - Morning Sunlight from Home, 2006 22. Magenta - The Visionary from Home, 2006 23. Sanguine Hum - Cat Factory from Plays The Nuns, 2009 24. Sanguine Hum - Earth Song With One Sugar from Plays The Nuns, 2009 25. Crimson Sky - Turn It Up from Misunderstood, 2009 26. Crimson Sky - Season's End from Misunderstood, 2009 27. Crimson Sky - Things Die from Misunderstood, 2009 28. IO Earth - Interlude #2 from IO Earth, 2009 29. IO Earth - Harmonix from IO Earth, 2009 30. IO Earth - Take Me from IO Earth, 2009 31. IO Earth - Come With Me (Reprise) from IO Earth, 2009 32. IO Earth - Outro from IO Earth, 2009 33. Touchstone - The Witness from Wintercoast, 2009 34. Galahad - This Life Could Be My Last from Sleepless in Phoenixville, 2009 35. Moon Safari - Other Half Of The Sky from [blomljud], 2007