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Thread: Forgotten 1990s prog

  1. #376
    Member FredOCal's Avatar
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    Damn I love that band and since my vinyl phase, I haven't spun much digital at all, leaving them in the dust. Thanks for reminding me to spin this!!

  2. #377
    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    I actually liked all of those Ines discs quite well. She really nailed the Tony Banks composition style, and seemed to have a good sense for melody as well.
    The only one I have is the first, Hunting the Fox. It’s nothing Earth-shattering, but it’s a nice Genesis-adjacent modern prog album. She certainly assembled a talented cast on this one, I noticed that Harald Bareth is one of the singers on this, as well as the singer from Asgard. I believe her husband Hansi Fuchs is also one of the vocalists. In addition to her keyboard playing, there’s also some sweet guitar work on this.
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  3. #378
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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  4. #379
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    The only one I have is the first, Hunting the Fox. It’s nothing Earth-shattering, but it’s a nice Genesis-adjacent modern prog album. She certainly assembled a talented cast on this one, I noticed that Harald Bareth is one of the singers on this, as well as the singer from Asgard. I believe her husband Hansi Fuchs is also one of the vocalists. In addition to her keyboard playing, there’s also some sweet guitar work on this.
    I have Slipping into the Unknown. I spin it every once in a while when I want a fix of early 80s Genesis-lite. It's a nicely melodic, well-crafted batch of songs. A similar album is the Swiss band Sapphire's Triple album from 1999.
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

  5. #380
    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    The only one I have is the first, Hunting the Fox. It’s nothing Earth-shattering, but it’s a nice Genesis-adjacent modern prog album. She certainly assembled a talented cast on this one, I noticed that Harald Bareth is one of the singers on this, as well as the singer from Asgard. I believe her husband Hansi Fuchs is also one of the vocalists. In addition to her keyboard playing, there’s also some sweet guitar work on this.
    Yeah, none of those Ines discs are what I'd call Earth-shattering either. But like you said, it's nice and enjoyable stuff -- sometimes that's all I need.

    I think you're right about her husband being one of the singers. He handled vocals on all of her albums, IIRC. I think my favorite one was her second, Eastern Dawning. The instrumental title track was really cool.


    Quote Originally Posted by Paulrus View Post
    I have Slipping into the Unknown. I spin it every once in a while when I want a fix of early 80s Genesis-lite. It's a nicely melodic, well-crafted batch of songs. A similar album is the Swiss band Sapphire's Triple album from 1999.
    Thanks for the heads-up about Sapphire. I'd never heard of them, so I'm checking out the album on Spotify now. It's nice!

  6. #381
    Member TheH's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    I think you're right about her husband being one of the singers.
    Yes he sings on all her albums, but only backing vocals not lead ones. He also has two albums as "Fuchs" in 2012 and '14 with some Prog relevance.

  7. #382
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheH View Post
    He also has two albums as "Fuchs"
    I can't understand why he wasn't more of a hit!

  8. #383
    Member dropforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mozo-pg View Post
    Crossing The Desert - Iris
    Anyone who does not own this...should!

  9. #384
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dropforge View Post
    Anyone who does not own this...should!
    I wish they had continued as a unit for a few more
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  10. #385
    Member dropforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER View Post
    I wish they had continued as a unit for a few more
    No shiz!

  11. #386
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    Swedish 1999



    Swedish 1997



    Mellow Records has a big output in the 1990's

  12. #387
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trane View Post
    Wow, apparently this thread flew under my radar at the time

    in no order, but ...

    Finnegan's Wake (all of them)
    X-Legged sally (all of them)
    Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung, (DAAU) all of them
    Ravana - Common Daze
    Pangée - Hymnemonde
    Hoyry Kone (both albums)
    Germinale - e il Suo Respiro Ancora Agita le Onde (not so much the other two)
    Poetica in Silentio - Netherlands if you can believe it (all three albums)
    Nolare - Uncertainty Principle
    4/3 de Trio - Faiblesse
    Grivjobb - Landet Leverpastej
    Narajama - V Tom Vine Je Nalhano
    NeBeLNeST - NeBeLNeST




    also Wizzard of Ooze (prog-related)

    ... and Sinkadus (deopending on how forhotten you feel they are)

    Deadwood Forest & Maxwell's Dream jad many things for me to like both, but it necver clicked for me, btw
    I know it was five years ago, but did you mean Maxwell's Demon rather than Maxwell's Dream?

  13. #388
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
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    ^ Even money he meant Maxwell's Silver Hammer.

  14. #389
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JKL2000 View Post
    I know it was five years ago, but did you mean Maxwell's Demon rather than Maxwell's Dream?
    yu^p

    Quote Originally Posted by moecurlythanu View Post
    ^ Even money he meant Maxwell's Silver Hammer.



    or Maxwell's XL II S cassettes
    Good until the last second.
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  15. #390
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    I always liked the Norwegian dark prog band Thule

    Natt (1990) and Graks (1997) are excellent. Music that sometimes is as dark as the polar night. Not really surprising, since they live in Honningsvag which is 300 kms above the polar circle and close to Nordkapp

  16. #391
    I think one of the most interesting questions that this thread raises, is why all these bands are more or less forgotten? There really was quite an underground scene in the pre-revival part of the 90s, but it was very far underground. I read about all these bands because I subscribed to prog fanzines, and I reviewed quite a few because I wrote for a fanzine myself.

    But I think the thing that happened was quite simple: Common to a lot of these bands was a certain amateurishness - poor production, sub-stellar musicianship, and maybe a somewhat tenuous grasp on effective songwriting as well. Instead, a lot of the bands score high on charm, ambition and the sheer grit of making THAT kind of music in a world that couldn't care less.

    Then came Änglagård, and the rest of the Swedes, and then Spock's Beard. And those bands set the bar SO much higher in every respect - musicianship, production values, accomplished songwriting. And I think that's what made the shadow of obscurity fall on all the bands that had gone before in the early 90s. And then, of course, the fact that these bands actually SOLD, on volumes unthinkable for early 90s prog acts, made the labels (that could afford it) expect a lot more from bands. And quite a few of the labels that had been happy to churn out no-questions, no-budget music (SI Music, Music Is Intelligence, Cyclops come to mind) fell by the wayside, as did their bands.

  17. #392
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thedunno View Post
    I always liked the Norwegian dark prog band Thule

    Natt (1990) and Graks (1997) are excellent. Music that sometimes is as dark as the polar night. Not really surprising, since they live in Honningsvag which is 300 kms above the polar circle and close to Nordkapp
    Always had a difficult time with Thule -

    Two 80/90's Norwegian prog bands that are mainly forgotten about are
    Ravana (Common Daze in 96 and a further album I'v never seen at all)
    and Tangle Edge, whose first two albums are classics (later 90's albums are also correct, but not as good - not heard the ones from the 00's)
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  18. #393
    Quote Originally Posted by Trane View Post
    Always had a difficult time with Thule -

    Two 80/90's Norwegian prog bands that are mainly forgotten about are
    Ravana (Common Daze in 96 and a further album I'v never seen at all)
    and Tangle Edge, whose first two albums are classics (later 90's albums are also correct, but not as good - not heard the ones from the 00's)
    Ravana - Common Daze I own and reviewed. Loved it. Never seen the follow-up.

  19. #394
    Member Mr.Krautman's Avatar
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    This thread reminds me how much rich and productive (at least in quantity) the 90ies were in the prog-rock genre. I wouldn't be very surprised to learn that more prog-rock records were issued during the 90ies than during the "golden era" decade of prog (70ies).
    Like many of us I have big piles of these obscure 90ies prog records in my collection which I NEVER listen to, they are just collecting dust. Don't ask my why, I don't know... all were not bad and some really excellent.
    Another unanswered mystery is why none of these bands (some very talented) never succeeded in jumping from the underground/confidential/fan level to a wider audience and got some recognition, all are forgotten now (the topic tittle).
    The only exception I know is PORCUPINE TREE, it seems S.Wilson is not only a gifted musician but also has some talents for self-promoting his works in a clever and effective way. OK, he's know for being hyperactive, but WHERE are the others ? Even the most successful ones (SPOCK's BEARD, FLOWER KINGS, PENDRAGON, ,IQ, TRANSATLANTIC, ...) are way behind P.T in terms of popularity and concert hall filling. DREAM THEATER could be included, but they started earlier (1985 ?) and (at least) half of their audience consist of metal-fans.
    Last edited by Mr.Krautman; 11-24-2023 at 09:14 PM.

  20. #395
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.Krautman View Post
    The only exception I know is PORCUPINE TREE, it seems S.Wilson is not only a gifted musician but also has some talents for self-promoting his works in a clever and effective way.
    I think Wilson had a very similar career arc to Kevin Gilbert - they both had a modicum of success outside of the prog market (Gilbert with Toy Matinee) and Wilson with No-Man. I had no idea the level of success No-Man had until I watched the documentary of their early years on one of their concert DVD's. Additionally, Wilson from the very beginning created a fake discography for Porcupine Tree; I'm not sure if that was tongue-in-cheek, or the equivalent of padding one's work resume with lots of non-existent experience. Either way, both musicians were able to fuel their prog proclivities via income derived from their involvement in 'mainstream' success.

    Another vital key to understanding the forgotten years of prog is The Audio Directory of British Progressive Rock:
    https://www.discogs.com/release/7217...tory-Part-Two-

    Discogs has a release date of 1994 but I seem to recall these came out much earlier. When I bought these back in the day, the 3 cassettes came with a substantial stand-alone booklet that gave a page bio on each band. The Porcupine Tree entry makes no mention of Sunday of Life or Up the Downstair CD releases and gives no hint that a major force was in the making (No-Man was also featured on these compilations along with Cyan and Vulgar Unicorn/Bruce Soord). Although only focused on the UK scene, this is a key document to understanding the state of prog pre-Spock's Beard/Porcupine Tree/Flower Kings.

    Some of my favorite recordings came from this period; warts and all. The Final Act by German band Trespass is a desert island disc for me; I never see anyone talk about that album

    --Peter

  21. #396
    Member Sputnik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jacob Holm-Lupo View Post
    I think one of the most interesting questions that this thread raises, is why all these bands are more or less forgotten?
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.Krautman View Post
    Another unanswered mystery is why none of these bands (some very talented) never succeeded in jumping from the underground/confidential/fan level to a wider audience and got some recognition, all are forgotten now (the topic tittle).
    The answers vary. It is true, some of these early 90s bands were simply not that good, or lacked the production values to attract enough of a fanbase to survive.

    In the end, though, I think it comes down to the fact that most of these groups simply weren't built to achieve mass appeal. They were "hobby" bands, happy to make music that they loved, targeted at the subsection of Prog fans who liked the most challenging and interesting 70s Prog, or music that took the ideals of that music in new directions. Few of these groups could really do the work of touring and promotion that would have increased their profile, nor was their music "poppy" enough to get any kind of mass or crossover appeal, ala SB, TFK, or PT.

    This is why the CD was so crucial. Having a CD got you in the magazines and onto vendor websites, and in a sense closed the perception gap, giving these little groups a modicum of legitimacy and equality next to bands that had label support and were selling more units. In truth, however, they never really had broad appeal even within the "Prog scene," let alone beyond that, and that was fine. They had their little audience and could count on selling a run of 500 - 2,000 CDs to subsidize their efforts and bring them the joy of having their music in the world, until it all came crashing down. With no real avenue to reach their audience, most simply gave up, and with no new releases to keep their names out there, they got lost in the minds of most.

    Fortunately, some do remember, just like some remembered a bunch of little known 70s bands that got reissue on CD in the 90s. Many of those are nearly as good as some of big name 70s bands, but didn't catch on and get the label support, couldn't tour or sell releases, and thus couldn't survive. Same basic formula, recapitulated decades later.

    Bill

  22. #397
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.Krautman View Post
    Another unanswered mystery is why none of these bands (some very talented) never succeeded in jumping from the underground/confidential/fan level to a wider audience and got some recognition, all are forgotten now (the topic tittle).
    The only exception I know is PORCUPINE TREE
    1. Because wider audiences didn't give a damn for progressive rock back at the 90s (not that they care nowadays).
    2. PORCUPINE TREE became famous post 1999, when they abandoned prog/psych/space music for indie influenced styles. During their Delerium years they were still a band playing the 500-1,000 capacity clubs.
    Macht das ohr auf!

    COSMIC EYE RECORDS

  23. #398
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sputnik View Post
    They had their little audience and could count on selling a run of 500 - 2,000 CDs to subsidize their efforts and bring them the joy of having their music in the world
    Those were the days, huh? Seriously, though, nice analyses from you all. I think you have hit the nail on the head: hobby bands, limited budgets, in some cases more enthusiasm than expertise.

    But for me all those (minor) negatives don't dent the joy of ongoing listening to some of this music. I still dust off Deadwood Forest, Radio Piece III, Volare, Puppet Show, etc., from time to time.

    And occasionally one of these bands comes back from the dead like Bubblemath and gives us a certifiable masterpiece 15-20 years after their humble beginnings!

  24. #399
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    That's an excellent summary above by Sputnik. I was an active musician from the early 90s until a few back, and he nailed it. In my view, most amateur or even semi-semi-pro bands have a life cycle akin to a butterfly's; you gotta get out there & strike while the iron is—at the very least— lukewarm.

    Looking back, it seems like the only "fame" or "payday" I ever hoped for was just enough to help make the next record or launch the next band project... No regrets!

  25. #400
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sputnik View Post
    The answers vary. It is true, some of these early 90s bands were simply not that good, or lacked the production values to attract enough of a fanbase to survive.

    In the end, though, I think it comes down to the fact that most of these groups simply weren't built to achieve mass appeal. They were "hobby" bands, happy to make music that they loved, targeted at the subsection of Prog fans who liked the most challenging and interesting 70s Prog, or music that took the ideals of that music in new directions. Few of these groups could really do the work of touring and promotion that would have increased their profile, nor was their music "poppy" enough to get any kind of mass or crossover appeal, ala SB, TFK, or PT.

    Bill
    I think the lack of the ability to tour / play live had a big impact. As you say, most of these were “hobby” bands by people who did not do music full time. There were a few bands like “Enchant” who were able to do some touring, but most of them either couldn’t do it or didn’t have the opportunity.

    A band like Porcupine Tree toured constantly and slowly built their audience from the bottom up. I saw them as far back as the “Signify” tour and on every successive tour their audience got bigger and bigger as word of mouth about their live shows grew.

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