Love Letters

[Soundman]

Love Letters 61 - June Birthday Celebration Part 1

In this week's show we play tribute to Tony Levin, John Wetton, Steve Walsh, Martin Orford and more.  Plus new live releases from The Tangent, Credo, and FromUz.

1. Pendragon - Kowtow
2. IQ - The Wrong Side of Weird
3. Lost World Band - In the Wilderness>Trajectory 1
4. Laurie Anderson - Here with You>Statue of Liberty
5. Laurie Anderson - Let X=X>Sweaters
6. Kansas - Icarus-Borne on Wings of Steel
7. Kansas - Portrait>Carry on Wayward Son
8. The Tangent - The Mind's Eye
9. The Tangent - Perdu Dans Paris
10. Asia - Sole Survivor
11. Steve Hackett - Watcher of the Skies
12. Steve Hackett - Riding the Colossus
13. Credo - From the Cradle to the Grave
14. L'Image - Praise
15. Liquid Tension Experiment - Improv Jam #1>Another Dimension
16. Tony Levin - Black Dog
17. Tony Levin - Ooze
18. FromUz - Familiarization Results
19. U-Z - Book of Saturday
20. U-Z - One More Red Nightmare>Ceasar's Palace Blues>Sahara of Snow Pt. 2
21. Pendragon - Masters of Illusion
22. Pendragon - The King of the Castle
23. IQ - The Seventh House

[Soundman]

Love Letters 62- June Birthday Celebration Pt. 2

Live recordings from birthday boys Geddy Lee, Patrick Moraz, Ian McDonald, Ian Mosley and more.  Plus new live recordings from Mangrove, Beardfish, FromUz, and Soft Machine.

1. Marillion - Slainte Mhath
2. Rush - Cygnus X-1
3. Beardfish - Destined Solitaire
4. Marillion - Hocus Pocus
5. Moraz Bruford - Children's Concerto
6. Moraz Bruford - Jungles of the World
7. FromUz - Harry Heller Theater
8. Rush - Nobody's Hero
9. It Bites - The Wind that Shakes the Barley
10. Steve Hackett - Jacuzzi
11. Steve Hackett - The Stepes
12. Steve Hackett - The Court of the Crimson King
13. Soft Machine - Tale of Taliesin
14. 21st Century Schizoid Band - I Talk to the Wind
15. 21st Century Schizoid Band - Epitaph
16. Marillion - White Russian
17. Rush - Test for Echo
18. Rush - Analog Kid
19. Yes - Soundchaser
20. Mangrove - There Must Be Another Way

[Soundman]

Love Letters 63 - More Festive Letters

Once again all the recordings in this episode come from various music festivals, with special attention paid to a couple Italian festivals, one from 1979 and one from this past November.

1. District 97 - I Can't Take You with Me
2. Venegoni & Co - Coesione
3. Angelo Branduardi - Il Funerale
4. Carnascialia - Europa Minor
5. Manifesto - Red
6. Hawkwind - Night of the Hawks
7. RPWL - This is not a Prog Medley
8. Steve Hackett - In Memoriam
9. Steve Hackett - The Wall of Knives>Vampyre with a Healthy Appetite
10. Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - E mi viene da pensare
11. Area - L'Internazionale
12. Soundscape - Between the Sun and the Moon
13. Discipline - Before the Storm ~ Blueprint
14. Cabezas de Cera - Mutacion
15. Le Orme - Felona and Serona
16. The Trip - Atlantide
17. PFM with Ian Anderson - Intro Bach>Bouree
18. Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - Metamorfosi
19. Spaced Out - Seven the Seven
20. PFM - Impressioni de Settembre

[Soundman]

Love Letters 64 - The Canadian Perspective

Canada Day is coming soon, so live recordings from bands from the Great White North for this week's show, with heavy emphasis on artists from the province of Quebec.  So put on your toque, grab a Molson, and enjoy, you hoser!

1. Visible Wind - The Healer
2. Hamadryad - Watercourse Hymn
3. Spaced Out - A Freak Az
4. Spaced Out - Toxix
5. Rush - The Seeker
6. Procol Harum - Whaling Stories
7. Steve Hackett - Still Waters
8. Rush - Farewell to Kings
9. Rush - Something for Nothing
10. Miriodor - Insomnie Premonitaire
11. Miriodor - Tic-Toc
12. Miriodor - Regards
13. Nathan Mahl - Something Like That
14. Maneige - Bullfrog Dance
15. Contraction - La Bourse ou la Vie
16. Visible Wind - Dans le vide

[Soundman]

Love Letters #65 - The (ugly) American Perspective

An all-American show this week (with the exception of Mr. Hackett, of course).  Enjoy some great live recordings (with the exception once again, of Mr. Hackett).

1. Kansas - Song for America
2. Happy the Man - Open Book without Words
3. Happy the Man - The Muse Awakens
4. Cryptic Vision - Introspective
5. Jibilian & Setar - Body Clock
6. Djam Karet - No Man's Land
7. Stuart Hamm - Katahdin
8. Over the Rhine - If I'm Drowning
9. Steve Hackett - Little America [not live]
10. Steve Hackett - Big Dallas Sky [not live]
11. Dream Theater - Machine Messiah
12. The Mahavishnu Project - Sanctuary
13. Umphrey's McGee - YYZ
14. Information Superhighway - Simple Unfolding
15. Dixie Dregs - Assembly Line
16. Dixie Dregs - Holiday
17. Adrian Belew - Ampersand
18. Adrian Belew - Young Lions
19. Spock's Beard - The Light
20. IZZ - Coming Like Light
21. Liquid Tension Experiment - Freedom of Speech

[Soundman]

Love Letters #66 - Half Under the Covers 3

None of the selections in this episode are technically from the original artist, but they all have a very close connection.  We're half under the covers once again.  This episode features more than its fair show of drum solos, and a mini-version of the old Prog'opolis feature, The Crimson Connection.

1. Annie Haslam - Carpet of the Sun
2. Nuova Raccomdata with Ricevuta di Ritorno and Thijs van Leer - Thijs Intro
3. Nuova Raccomdata with Ricevuta di Ritorno and Thijs van Leer - House of the King
4. Roger Waters - Wish You Were Here
5. Roger Waters - Shine on You Crazy Diamond Parts 1-8
6. Roger Waters - Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
7. Keith Emerson Band - Tarkus
8. Asia - Fanfare for the Common Man
9. Greg Lake - Footprints in the Snow
10. Steve Hackett - Firth of Fifth
11. Francis Dunnery - Yellow Christian
12. H - Fantastic Place
13. Fish - Sugar Mice
14. Greg Lake - In the Court of the Crimson King
15. 21st Century Schizoid Band - Catfood
16. 21st Century Schizoid Band - Ladies of the Road
17. Tagliapietra Pagliuca Marton & Cross - Exiles
18. Stick Men - Red
19. Stick Men - Indiscipline
20. Adrian Belew - Dinosaur
21. Steve Hackett - Shadow of the Hierophant>Los Endos

[Soundman]

Love Letters #67 - July Birthday Celebration

Live performances from July birthday boys Al DiMeola, Alex Lifeson, Richard Wright, Peter Banks, and more.  Plus we continue to explore the new Prog Exhibition box set.

1. Rush - Bastille Day
2. Al DiMeola - Beijing Demons
3. Al DiMeola - Advantage
4. Mashera di Cera - Agli uomini che sanno gia volare
5. Umphrey's McGee - Abacab
6. Pink Floyd - A Saurcerful of Secrets
7. Steve Hackett - After the Ordeal>Hairless Heart
8. Steve Hackett - M3
9. Steve Hackett - Imagining>Second Chance
10. Return to Forever - Al's Solo
11. Sinestesia - The Birth, the Death, Trance by the River
12. Rush - Between Sun & Moon
13. Rush - Vital Signs
14. Yes - For Everyone
15. Pink Floyd - Speak to Me>Breathe>On the Run>Time
16. Pink Floyd - The Great Gig in the Sky
17. Periferia Del Mondo - The Ghost in the Shell
18. Abash - Madri
19. Echolyn - Here I Am
20. Rush - The Trees
21. Rush - Free Will
22. Rush - Closer to the Heart
23. Mangrove - Voyager

[Soundman]

Love Letters 68 - Numbered Letters

A thematic show this week, as you'll hear a number of great live recordings involving numbers.

1. Tunnels - Bad American Dream the 43rd
2. Nektar - Odyssey>1-2-3-4
3. Maneige - 1-2-3-4-5-6
4. The Tangent - Paroxetine 20mg
5. Bruford - 5G
6. Emerson Lake & Palmer - Karn Evil 9
7. Steve Hackett - Gnossiennes Number 1
8. Regenesis - The Chamber of 32 Doors
9. The Flower Kings - Brimstone Flight 999
10. Agent 22 - 77 Times
11. Laurie Anderson - Mach 20>Rising Sun
12. Polydactyl - Route 666
13. Egdon Heath - 1000 Stories
14. Pallas - 5 to 4
15. Fish - 3D
16. Fish - Tiki 4
17. Fish - Brother 52>Lucky

[Soundman]

Love Letters 69 - More Numbered Letters

The live recordings numbers theme continues this week, with a number of the selections also having something to do with time.

1. Bruford Levin Upper Extremities - 3 Minutes of Pure Entertainment
2. Upsilon Acrux - 45 Seconds/Farenklang
3. PFM - Mr. 9 'til 5
4. PFM - Alta Loma 5 'til 9/Alta Loma '98
5. Pendragon - 2 AM
6. Marillion - 80 Days
7. Agent 22 - 90 Days
8. Sigmund Snopek III - 6 Years 1000 Eyes>Staring Song>Eyes>Colors & Confusion>Hypnotic Eye
9. Marillion - This is the 21st Century
10. Fish - 5 Years
11. UK - 30 Years
12. Umphrey's McGee - 10th Grade
13. Steve Hackett - Gymnopedie #1
14. Bruford Bortslap - The 16 Kingdoms of the 5 Barbarians
15. Soft Machine Legacy - 1212
16. Rush - 2112
17. Fish - Mr. 1470
18. Rick Wakeman - Tudorture 1485
19. Al DiMeola - Cafe 1930
20. Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
21. Area - Event '76
22. Eloy - Atlantis' Agony at June 5th-8498 13 PM Gregorian Earthtime

[Soundman]

Love Letters #70 - August Birthday Celebration

Live recordings from artists with an August birthday - Allan Holdsworth, Neal Morse, Ian Anderson and more.  Plus new releases from The Flower Kings and Half Past Four.

1. Bruford - Sample and Hold
2. Soft Machine - The Floating World>Bundles>Land of the Bag Snake
3. Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll Too Young to Die
4. Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
5. UK - Alaska>Time to Kill
6. Neal Morse - The Creation
7. Steve Hackett - Intro>Every Day
8. Transatlantic w/Hackett - The Return of the Giant Hogweed
9. The Flower Kings - Retropolis
10. Half Past Four - June Jam Part 1
11. The Flower Kings - Life in Motion
12. Allan Holdsworth - The Things You See
13. Hawkwind - Assault and Battery>On the Edge of Time
14. Holdsworth Pasqua Haslip Wackerman - Looking Glass
15. Spock's Beard - The Light
16. Transatlantic - We All Need Some Light

[Soundman]

Love Letters 71 - Forgotten Letters

For the first time since episode #1, Love Letters goes themeless... well, mostly.

1. RPWL - This is not a Prog Medley
2. Finisterre - In Limine
3. FromUz - Wax Inhabitants Town
4. The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)
5. Credo - The Letter
6. Nick Beggs - Your Letter
7. Magenta - Genetesis
8. After Crying - Stalker
9. Steve Hackett - Camino Royale
10. Steve Hackett - Please Don't Touch
11. 3rd Degree - Me and Sarah Jane
12. Half Past Four - Iggy and Ann Go At It
13. Yak - Yak's Bolero
14. Curlew - Bringing It All Backbone
15. Blackfield - Blackfield
16. Blackfield - Christenings
17. Bela Fleck & The Flecktones - The Sinister Minister
18. Gongzilla - Mr. Sinister Minister
19. It Bites - Yellow Christian
20. The Flower Kings - Trading My Soul
21. The Tangent - A Sale of Two Souls
22. RPWL - I Don't Know

[Soundman]

Love Letters 72 - Live Epics 3

I thought it might be interesting to pull some things that were epic in length, but didn't really fit the classic prog rock epic model (defining an epic may be as contentious as defining prog).  This may be a little more challenging listening than some episodes, but rewards await listeners who take the journey.

1. Discipline - Before the Storm/Blueprint
2. Maneige - Le Rafiot
3. Djabe with Steve Hackett - Distant Dance
4. The Mahavishnu Project - Awakening
5. Nektar - A Day in the Life of a Preacher
6. Los Jaivas - El Totem
7. Rob Clearfield - The Garden

[Soundman]

Love Letters #73 - Letters Come Out of the Sky

What's up?  It's a thematic episode this week full of atmospheric live recordings.  Letters will come out of the sky, and they'll stand there!

1. Jon Anderson - Roundabout
2. Glass Hammer - Stranger from the Sky
3. Annie Haslam - Brazilian Skies
4. Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways
5. Phish - The Divided Sky
6. Steve Hackett - Horizons
7. Djabe with Steve Hackett - Above the Skies
8. Re-Genesis - Watcher of the Skies
9. Rocket Scientists - Sky is Falling
10. RPWL - Hole in the Sky
11. David Gilmour - Red Sky at Night
12. Mostly Autumn - The Night Sky
13. Pink Floyd - Goodbye Blue Sky
14. Mostly Autumn - Out of the Green Sky
15. Information Superhighway - The Whispering and the Sky
16. The Red-faced Monarchs - The Sky that Protects
17. Magenta - King of the Skies
18. Jon Anderson - Father Sky

[Soundman]

Love Letters 74 - September Birthday Celebration

Live performance for September birthday boys Neal Peart, Pat Mastelotto, Roger Waters, Roine Stolte, and Kerry Livgren.  Plus new live releases from Mostly Autumn and Offenbach.

1. Rush - The Weapon
2. Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking Part 11
3. Roger Waters - Perfect Sense Parts 1 & 2
4. The Flower Kings - Silent Inferno
5. Neal Peart - One O'Clock Jump [not live]
6. Steve Hackett - Ace of Wands
7. Steve Hackett - Cinema Paradiso
8. Steve Hackett - End of Day
9. Offenbach - Moody Calvaire Moody
10. Offenbach - Pourquoi J'ticitte
11. Mostly Autumn - Go Well Diamond Heart
12. Mostly Autumn - Passengers
13. Mostly Autumn - First Thought
14. Kansas - Lonely Wind
15. California Guitar Trio with Levin and Mastelotto - Dance of the Maya
16. California Guitar Trio with Levin and Mastelotto - Heaven's Bells
17. Stick Men - Firebird Suite
18. Nick Beggs - My Joy
19. Rush - Secret Touch
20. Rush - Dreamline
21. Pat Mastelotto - Toccata [not live]
22. The Flower Kings (with Pat Mastelotto) - Life in Motion
23. Transatlantic - My New World
24. Rush - YYZ>The Temples of Syrinx>Tom Sawyer
25. Kansas - Magnum Opus

[Soundman]

Love Letters 75 - Letters from the Sun

It's a multilingual extravaganza of burning-hot live prog and fusion.  You'll want to listen again and again from sun up to sundown!

1. Mostly Autumn - The Dark Before the Dawn
2. Tony Levin - Ever the Sun Will Rise
3. Knight Area - The Sun Also Rises
4. California Guitar Trio with Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto - Heart of the Sunrise
5. Dark Aether Project - Burnt Sunrise
6. Steve Hackett - Spectral Mornings
7. Happy the Man - Morning Sun
8. Magenta - Morning Sunlight
9. Eloy - The Sun Song
10. The Flower Kings - I Am the Sun
11. Lost World Band - If You Were the Sun
12. Pink Floyd - Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
13. RPWL - Trying to Kiss the Sun
14. Mostly Autumn - Hold the Sun
15. Kayak - See See the Sun
16. Steve Howe - Sketches in the Sun
17. Annie Haslam - Carpet of the Sun
18. Jon Anderson - Nous Sommes du Soleil
19. Magenta - Children of the Sun
20. Tony Levin - Pieces of the Sun
21. Tunnels - Wall to Wall Sunshine
22. Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight
23. David Gilmour - Fat Old Sun
24. Mangrove - Facing the Sunset
25. California Guitar Trio with Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto - Sketches on Sunset
26. Bela Fleck & The Flecktones - Sunset Road
27. Marillion - The King of Sunset Town
28. Blackmore's Night - Beyond the Sunset