Just read that Billy Greer's band Seventh Key have a new album due. Really enjoyed their debut. What other releases by Kansas members, past or present are worth exploring?
Just read that Billy Greer's band Seventh Key have a new album due. Really enjoyed their debut. What other releases by Kansas members, past or present are worth exploring?
As I mentioned in the other Kansas thread, Kerry Livgren's band Proto-Kaw, is outstanding. Check out this great track from their 2004 album, "Before Became After".
Steve Walsh - Glossolalia
Not sure how to describe it but it really is a cool mix of heavy, modern rock with some very proggy, symphonic tracks. The track "Kansas" is just killer. It could be a Kansas band song. BTW, a question for Sean and any other Kansas experts; has Kansas ever played anything from Glossolalia live?
A.D. Goes without saying almost
Yeah I'd recommend it too. I only have the Early Recordings and BBA. Haven't heard the last couple of disks they released. I'm not a fan of Lynn Meredith, to be honest, but Before Became After is an essential Kerry Livgren album. Any Kansas fan should have it.Kerry Livgren's band Proto-Kaw, is outstanding.
I think you sorta had to be familiar with the Christian Contemporary Music scene to know anything about AD. I was into the scene back then and I loved those forst two or three AD albums. I still have Timeline on cassette somewhere. I always thought that if Kerry had stayed with Kansas well into the 80s they would have sounded like AD.A.D.
I like all of the Proto Kaw albums and find them worth owning. Another fan of Steve Walsh’s “Glossolalia” here too. Some great material on that one. “Schemer Dreamer is also good from Walsh. His two albums with the band Streets, were ok for straight up rock n roll. David Ragsdale’s “David And Goliath” is a sadly overlooked excellent instrumental album. Kerry Livgren’s “Seeds Of Change” is great and I also like “When Things Get Electric” for good priggish AOR. Robbie Steinhardt’s “Steinhardt / Moon” album is ok, but not great.
Steve Sly
From what I've heard, I find the spin-offs and solos rather patchy to be honest, although I should give Proto Kaw another go. Streets - Crimes In Mind is pretty good though. 7 good tracks, 26 minutes, rather similar in style to Power.
NATiVE WINDOW? basically KANSAS minus walsh & livgren, after they revealed that they weren't going to compose any more new music for KANSAS. williams, greer, ragsdale and ehart wanted to move on productively and formed this band. they released an album via frontiers (?).
And it is very country rock. Expect no prog of any sort, it's not there. There is a sort of groovy ZZ Top rip off called Blood in The Water on there, best tune on the CC methinks.
Best side Projects for Kansas fans:
Kerry Livgren - Seeds of Change
Features some Kansas members and the great DIO and Barriemore Barlow (JT)
Kerry Livgren - Collector's Sedition
Hear what Kansas didn't choose from Kerrys Songs for Somewhere To Elsewhere" (really great collection)
Proto-Kaw - Early Recordings (very good 70s Prog stuff)
Proto-Kaw - Before became After (very close to Kansas stuff)
Steve Walsh - Glossolalia (what Vic2012 said)
The AD Albums are ok but not very proggy
they contain the one or other (intended for) Kansas song (like Children of the Shadows on Prime Mover (written for VC))
other KL solo like WHEN THINGS GET ELECTRIC has Racing Away (written for Power)
Streets is high energy Rock, and I like them. Hardly any prog so.
The track Shakedown from the live Album was written for Kansas (as Breakout for VC)
The first Seventh Key has some real Kansas material (Power Demos) overdubbed and Steves voice removed.
There is one cool track on John Elefantes newest album featuring Ragsdale and Williams
Last edited by TheH; 08-26-2013 at 04:17 PM.
I wonder what the Vince DiCola/ Steve Walsh / Doane Perry Project would have produced if the went beyond demo status?
If you liked the first self-titled Seventh Key album, you really need to get the second album, The Raging Fire. It's a better all-around album for songs, energy and even a few progressive elements (but still a melodic rock album). Then listen to the band that formed the core of Seventh Key, Streets. A band formed around Steve Walsh, Billy Greer and Mike Slamer. Sadly overlooked and short-lived band. I highly recommend the two Streets albums which have just been reissued and remastered by Rock Candy Records. Likewise, check out the Seventh Key spin-offs which have the same members, Slamer's Nowhere Land and Terry Brock's Diamond Blue. Technically Terry Brock dates Kansas as a backup singer and just as good as Billy Greer's voice, maybe better.Originally Posted by Rufus
I was disappointed in Native Window, a really weak and mediocre album by some talented musicians who should have done much better. It sounds tired and lazy to my ears.
I like and have all of Kerry's various solo albums (with and without AD) but it is a mixed bag. The first one, Seeds of Change is probably the best. I also like Proto-Kaw's first two studio albums, Before Became After and The Wait of Glory. Don't bother with the disappointing and weak last album, Forth.
Cool, I didn't know any video footage existed of Streets. Is there more?
Perhaps a stretch, but Streets guitarist Mike Slamer has an album called Nowhere Land by his band Slamer with Terry Brock on vocals. Really impressed with it and Brock resembles Walsh in his prime. It's on Spotify, if anyone is curious.
Saw AD live twice on that first tour and they were awesome. Those first two AD albums were some of Kerry's best non Kansas material. I was at this show. I think if Kansas had hung together and did some of this stuff they may have stayed relevant through the rest of the decade as they would have received Record label support unlike AD.
I don't consider the first P~K album as a splinter group as several of those songs were later recorded by Kansas and these were the original demos. The two recorded in the 00's were pretty good, the second as all new material as BBA was mix of new and old. Leaven was one of the best songs Livgren has done since Kansas. The Forth album is not quite as good but under the circumstances of his stroke I can get past some of it's deficiencies and like it for the core music.
I always thought Kerry's band material was better than his solo stuff as he did not have the means or chose not to produce some of his solo albums with the full instrumentation. The best there is Seeds of Change and Collectors Sedition.
I didn't care for the straight ahead rock direction of Walsh's 80's solo material but did like Gloss and really liked Shadowman.
Last edited by Garion81; 08-26-2013 at 11:24 PM.
Surprised no mention of Kerry's "One of Several Possible Musiks" - Nice compositions and playing, and as an all-instrumental recording there are none of the overtly religious themes that can be an unpleasant distraction to some of us.
Buster
"tonal poems of an aesthetic value, not intended for dancing, sexual stimulation, or selling sneakers" - Stuart Mutner
Outside of one or two of Kerry's songs he is pretty subtle. As for this CD see my comment above about the production on Kerry's solo material. Very bare bones but as you said great compositions.
Yes there are some more live vids (although of very low quality) and some very trashy official videos. Just have a look on Youtube
(Searching Streets Walsh should do the trick)
Yup, nice album for some lighter instrumental music. But I'll raise you "Odyssey Into the Mind's Eye Soundtrack". I prefer it's diversity that occasionally touches on hard rock.
The sound on these videos pales to the fidelity on the CD but it gives you a taste of the music.
I've been wanting to get Seeds Of Change(despite me vowing to stay away from solo albums). I wouldn't have expected RJD to sing on a solo album by a member of Kansas.
I have been saying to myself recently that John and Kansas should reunite. Since it's not the '80s anymore, maybe they can come up with something proggy.
Not really a splinter band, but Steve and Phils work on Steve Hacketts "Please Don't Touch" is pretty stellar. The whole album is.
Also David Pack from Ambrosia, Steve Walsh, Phil Erhart and Barrymore Barlow. It is a pretty good album.
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