Maiden, Crimson & Yes men play orchestral prog!

[Rufus]

Adrian Smith, Gavin Harrison, Patrick Moraz and others reimagine classics with Royal Philharmonic
Iron Maiden's Adrian Smith and King Crimson's Gavin Harrison are among the big-name musicians who appear on an orchestral prog album released today.

The guitarist and drummer are joined by ex-Yes and Moody Blues keyboardist Patrick Moraz, guitarist Guthrie Govan and late Three Dog Night keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon in collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

The album, entitled The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays Prog Rock Classics, features tracks by Pink Floyd, Crimson, Rush, Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull and others.

Label Cleopatra Records say: “A stellar group of musical virtuosos from the prog stratosphere join the orchestra, lending their talents to these intricately arranged masterworks in a collaborative match made in prog rock heaven.”

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays Prog Rock Classics is available via Amazon and iTunes now.

Tracklist
1.ELP Suite: Tarkus/From The Beginning/Tarkus (Reprise)
2.Comfortably Numb – Ian Bairnson
3.Thick As A Brick – Richard Harvey
4.21st Century Schizoid Man – Gavin Harrison & Guthrie Govan
5.Focus II – Thijs Van Leer
6.Nights In White Satin – Mark Feltham
7.Think Of Me With Kindness – Patrick Moraz
8.Roundabout – Jimmy Greenspoon
9.Watcher Of The Skies
10.Red Barchetta – Adrian Smith

[Scott Bails]

Of course this is Cleopatra Records.

That said, I'd love to hear Ian Bairnson do "Comfortably Numb." Hmm....

[arturs]

But... But... Where's Billy?

[progeezer]

But... But... Where's Billy?

He decided not to be a hero.

[bRETT]

3.Thick As A Brick – Richard Harvey

So members of Gryphon now get to be on these all-star albums? Cool.

[Paulrus]

But... But... Where's Billy?

LOL, beat me to it.

[trurl]

Well, that is a freakin' stellar band.



But the results will be wretched.

[2steves]

listened to bits of it--these things never really work for me and this one sounds like no exception---although the Genesis one many years ago-- with Hackett on it wasn't that bad.

[the winter tree]

I didn't know until reading this that Jimmy Greenspoon had passed away.

Would like to hear Ian Bairnson play Comfortably Numb.

[Progatron]

But... But... Where's Billy?

He decided not to be a hero.

I TOLD him not not lose my number!

listened to bits of it--these things never really work for me and this one sounds like no exception---although the Genesis one many years ago-- with Hackett on it wasn't that bad.

They rarely work for me either, I stopped buying them long ago as they always just left me wanting to put the originals on. But I agree about the Genesis one (if we're talking about the same one, Supper's Ready). It had a killer version of "Back In NYC" by Kevin Gilbert.

[JKL2000]

No offense, but I hardly consider Adrian Smith a Maiden Man.

[bondegezou]

I've listened to it once. It's what you'd expect and not great. But some nice moments here and there.

Henry, writing not particularly useful reviews since 1994

[Sunlight Caller]

I TOLD him not not lose my number!

Surely that as Rikki who was rather forgetful with the phone numbers?

[Scott Bails]

No offense, but I hardly consider Adrian Smith a Maiden Man.

Ten albums isn't enough, eh?

[Progatron]

Surely that as Rikki who was rather forgetful with the phone numbers?

Yeah but Billy's not anywhere that I can find him.

[Progatron]

No offense, but I hardly consider Adrian Smith a Maiden Man.

Huh? Lol!

Co-lead guitar on *every* 'classic' Maiden album (from Killers through Seventh Son) as well as all four latter-day (or "Maiden 2K") albums... writer or co-writer of songs like "Two Minutes To Midnight", "Flight Of Icarus", "The Prisoner", "Wasted Years", "Stranger In A Strange Land", "Moonchild", "Can I Play With Madness', "The Evil That Men Do"...

[rael74]

This is an April Fools joke yeah?
Do you guys have that in America?

[blusterbox studio]

Think of Me With Kindness sounds almost like it could be sountrack music from Bonanza

[A. Scherze]

[trurl]

Wretched. As was foretold.

[rael74]

Holy Heracleum Mantegazziani Batman,
I thought this was a wind-up....

I pray they do this live

[Dave (in MA)]

No offense, but I hardly consider Adrian Smith a Maiden Man.

Yeah, I checked his bio and he's married.

[Hal...]

8.Roundabout – Jimmy Greenspoon

RIP Jimmy.

I'd like to hear a version of this song with Jimmy but without the orchestra. Jimmy was a very accomplished keyboardist and was a big fan of prog. You can hear the influence in this old Three Dog Night song written by Jimmy, Mike Allsup, Joe Schermie, and Floyd Sneed:

[BigSixFan]

I thought the interpretation of Tarkus on the video was excellent myself. Would give the album a listen...

Bob