An All Girl Arsnova reunites for Japan Concert.

[JKL2000]

I don't really think anyone needs to "own" these things from so long ago. You were both trying to give the people what they wanted - you can't make a Prog omelette without breaking some eggs.

Neither band is genius, but personally I got some mileage out of Ars Nova and Manticore, and still will.

[smcfee]

Ars Nova was a shit band and I guess you must be the one who booked them. You should own that too.

We were booking by committee that year so Peter should only get 1/7th of the ire for that one (for anyone who has ire, that is).

[Steve F.]

Ars Nova was a shit band and I guess you must be the one who booked them. You should own that too.

. . .

[Proglodite]

You seem to feel compelled to respond to any post I make that is even tangentially related to Progday.

I only post to correct erroneous and/or faulty memories...or to add perspective.

Peter

[Proglodite]

We were booking by committee that year so Peter should only get 1/7th of the ire for that one (for anyone who has ire, that is).

But I do take 100% responsibility for the '96 booking. I don't recall anyone complaining about that performance (of course, there were probably only 100 of us on the field when they took the stage at 11am sharp that Sunday morning...). --peter

[Jimmy Giant]

I f'ing loved that first Progday show and so did my friends! Who the hell is THAT judgemental on a band playing at 11am on a Sunday morning?!?!? Christ, get over it. I think that started Prog Church!
Thanks for getting them here Peter. And for all the other acts in the mid/late 90's that I enjoyed and would never get to see again.

[Proglodite]

personally I got some mileage out of Ars Nova and Manticore, and still will.

I tracked down a copy of Manticore a few years ago - wanted to revisit this after such a long time. Like an Ed Wood film, everything is just so bad that you've just got to like it

I've gone on record before, and I'll do so again - one of my desert island discs would be Quill's Sursum Corda. Pure ELP rip-off, but I love the hell out of it. But at least they were ripping off Tarkus...unlike Manticore who felt they had to rip off Black Moon

Peter

[Mythos]

When did Yoko Ono join the band?

[JKL2000]

More than anything I think Manticore required not being put off by the vocals. That's usually not a problem for me. But this isn't a Manticore thread, so...

[SteveSly]

Second time was at Progday. That was sort of creepy. The Ars Nova ladies were following Tomas Bodin around all day like little puppies. Even that felt choreographed to me. It was like Shingo Ueno (their manager) was pulling the strings on marionettes the whole time they were there.

Go ahead...kill me.

Personally I enjoyed their 2nd ProgDay performance (was not there in 96), but yea Ueno did seem to lead them around and some of it was a little strange. On the other hand, they spoke very little English, so were somewhat at the mersy of him as an interpreter.

[Paulrus]

I tracked down a copy of Manticore a few years ago - wanted to revisit this after such a long time. Like an Ed Wood film, everything is just so bad that you've just got to like it

You never got to see Citadel at ProgFest, eh? Or Episode.

*shudder*

They were so bad it was impossible to enjoy them even on that level. Quill were sort of entertaining in a "guys going through their mid-life crisis by pretending they're an awesome prog band from 1974" sort of way.

[wilcox660]

Like 'em lots! It's just fine if others do not!

[dropforge]

Very cool news to see Akiko and Mika hanging out with Keiko again. I first heard Transi 20 years ago (yikes!) and loved it. Picked up the first one and every other one since. The last one left me cold, but I think it was an overdose of the Ayreon-isms that had first crept in on Biogenesis Project.

[Scrotum Scissor]

When did Yoko Ono join the band?

Hm. She would've raised the bar a couple of square miles. Wouldn't have taken that much to do so, though.

[Proglodite]

You never got to see Citadel at ProgFest, eh? Or Episode.

They were so bad it was impossible to enjoy them even on that level. Quill were sort of entertaining in a "guys going through their mid-life crisis by pretending they're an awesome prog band from 1974" sort of way.

I never made any of the ProgFests, but I have heard various reports about how bad a live show Quill put on. Never really asked about Citadel (Cynosure never did much for me). Episode, on the other hand, is a band I really like. "Starlight Tales" is pretty good, but "Into the Epicenter" (cassette only release) was their peak (in my opinion).

There are certainly bands that shine better in the studio than in the live setting...and vice-versa. I for one am excited that Ars Nova is reforming the more traditional band dynamic and I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do now.

Peter

[proggosaurus]

whoever recorded and posted the 2001 ProgDay show on DIME had this to say

At the time of this performance, they were promoting a new
CD with a dominatrix theme. That lead to one of the more
embarrasing /surreal / skantily-clad moments in the history
of ProgDay when the three band members whipped off their
kimonos about three quarters of the way through the set to
reveal the thong, leather and whip bondage gear they had on
underneath. You've never seen so many prog fanboys sprint
up to the stage area, particularly stage right were one
could get a clear sightline to the one keyboardist's
backside. Of course, afterwards those guys all claimed
they were just trying to admire her keyboard technique.
Anyway, that's what the "whip and drum duet" in the middle
of Fata Morgana is all about.

[Lopez]

whoever recorded and posted the 2001 ProgDay show on DIME had this to say

That lead to one of the more
embarrasing/surreal/skantily-clad moments in the history
of ProgDay when the three band members whipped off their
kimonos about three quarters of the way through the set to
reveal the thong, leather and whip bondage gear they had on
underneath.

Where the heck did I put my time machine?

[Jay.Dee]

Myself being someone who collected and wrote enthusiastically about all things Japanese in rock during the 90s and up until about 2011, I can say that Ars Nova were one of the single worst bands I ever heard from there.

You seriously need to get yourself updated...

[TheLongshot]

Certainly Android Domina had more attraction than just the music, tho I don't think it was to their benefit ultimately.

Like most ELP clones, Ars Nova's material didn't have staying power. Actually, my favorite album that they did is the Keyboards Triangle album with Gerard, where they did some damn good covers.

[TheLongshot]

You seriously need to get yourself updated...

What's wrong with Versailles? Granted, Visual Kei bands are a little strange now, but not any weirder than the glam movement in the 70s and 80s.

[Jay.Dee]

What's wrong with Versailles?

Well, nothing's wrong with them. It is just Ars Nova sound better to these ears.

[TheLongshot]

Well, nothing's wrong with them. It is just Ars Nova sound better to these ears.

Well, if you aren't a fan of Power Metal, I can understand that. But, it is hard to deny objectively that they are a talented band.

[Jay.Dee]

Well, if you aren't a fan of Power Metal, I can understand that.

Should not they be rather filed under progressive metal, like Rhapsody (of Fire)?

[JKL2000]

Where the heck did I put my time machine?

I have video somewhere of the earlier appearance - I hope someone filmed this show, that sounds too funny!

[Paulrus]

Episode, on the other hand, is a band I really like. "Starlight Tales" is pretty good, but "Into the Epicenter" (cassette only release) was their peak (in my opinion).

I still have a cassette of Episode pre-Nick Peck called "Fourtunes" (4 songs, get it? har.) that's actually pretty good in a Solstice/Camel-y sort of way. But that stuff was from 1985 and the band were still hawking it at various SF prog shows during the early 90s after the original guitar player/singer and keyboard player had left. Into the Epicenter did nothing for me, I'm afraid.