The unsung heros of Prog thread

[JKL2000]

Greg Jones and his Coffee

[NogbadTheBad]

Jose & Adele

[JKL2000]

Mike and Melissa Bahr - couple that sold Rush and DT bootleg CDs. They took on way more orders than they could handle, eventually declared bankruptcy, left lots of people without their money or CDs (I think I lost some to them, but not a lot - I did get a lot of their CDs early on), then they opened a friggin' gaming store, where people met to play D&D.

Read this - I forgot he got some guys to try to finish his orders - one of them did send me one of my last orders. I love how he signs off with his D&D character info.

-----------

alt.music.rush ›
Prism Records... where are they now?

Michael or Melissa Bahr
8/23/00
Hi all.

First, I apologize again to the collectors-at-large here for the
closure of Prism Records. Clearly, I took on far more than I could
handle, and it is my deepest shame that the project was never completed
as planned.

That being said, and I mentioned this once before but got few
responses... where are the orders now? As you all know, I spread out all
my remaining orders among four CD makers. Most of the Rush stuff went to
one guy, who I heard had actually done a good job of completing the
orders. I had given the four guys my CD masters and archives, on the
condition that they complete all the orders I never could.

Did they finish? If you're a Rush boot collector and never got your
goods, I need to hear from you now. I don't have much, but I'm going to
try to finish anything that's left over. It's time to put the Prism
Records spectre to rest for good.

--
- Michael and Melissa Bahr - ba...@uswest.net -
- DCI Level 3 Judge -

[Progbear]

The guy behind the Gibraltar newsletter and the GEPR. Michael...something...

[zombywoof]

Leonardo Pavkovic

[zombywoof]

Don't forget Michael Bennett, Debi Byrd and Helaine Burch.

[Svetonio]

John Anthony also produced a couple of early Genesis albums as well as Rare Bird, Queen, Roxy Music (w/Eno), and others. He also gathered together the best of prog for folky Colin Scott's 1971 album (JA produced it and convinced prog legends like VdGG's Hammill, Jaxon, Evans, Potter; Yes' Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman; Genesis' Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins; Crimson's Robert Fripp; and several others to participate).

Also agree with earlier mentions of Tony Stratton Smith, who was also instrumental in breaking Monty Python in the States.

Yea I just forgot to mention that John Anthony is responsible for that amazing, moody sound of my first and all time favourite Genesis' album Trespass (as a little kid I bought that original LP in 1975 and being flattered by that music instantly).
p.s. I'd like to mention here also that British painter and regular Charisma albums designer Paul Whitehead who was illustrated Traspass so beautifully.

[Svetonio]

Leonardo Pavkovic

[Yodelgoat]

Shawn Gordon

Wow, a fan. He prevented a LOT of bad prog from coming out in the future, thats for sure.

[moecurlythanu]

Jon Anderson's Mom, aka the Erl Queen.

[3RDegree_Robert]

Prog Festival organizers/concert organizers, Prog DJs, Prog bands of quality around the world-all whom do it for the love of the music and certainly not the money in almost all cases.

Mike Potter (Orion Baltimore)
James Robinson (and all the NJ Proghouse crew around him)
Michael Bennett (and all the ProgDay crew like Helaine, Debi....)
George Roldan (and all his crew)
Stephen Lambe & Huw Jones (Summer's End UK)
Danny Mayo (Dokter Dyper UK)
Marcel Mertens (and crew at ProgFrog Holland)
Tom Gagliardi (and all the other DJs)
and of course all the bands fighting the good fight

[Trane]

Jonathan King

... But in a certain way, yes

Me, Duncan, Cozy (Lee, Ray, Floyd) ala PE

and in a different but similar way, M@x & Proglucky

The Tachika Label

another .... But then again, despite the non-legit issues, they're responsible for having brought many inaccessible music (bavk then) to willing/eager ears... The legal actors weren't doing it, so someone had to do it.

The guy behind the Gibraltar newsletter and the GEPR. Michael...something...

Yup web precursor

[PeterG]

Sydney Barrett's drug dealer.

[Bucka001]

Mark Krueger, deejay for "Planet Prog," a radio show out of Milwaukee, WI. MK has been playing the best in prog over the airwaves for several decades, and his list of interviewees over the years reads like a Who's Who of prog rock.

[Svetonio]

Sydney Barrett's drug dealer.

[Sonia_Mota]

John Peel. Maybe not too many people actually know that he was one of the first broadcasters to play prog on radio. I'd like to recommend his autobiography Margrave of the Marshes.

Yes, Sventonio, Radio Caroline!
John Peel he was one of the very first DJ's on radio Caroline (that pirate station was broadcasted from a boat just off the coast in the UK and Ireland), at the time BBC Radio was only allowed to play live music not records. Later The BBC started broadcasting one hour record music.

Also Tony Blackburn, was the youngest DJ in radio Caroline.

Kenny Everett, mentioned by Bob below, also started in radio Caroline, he was great friends with Freddie Mercury.

Another great DJ was Alan Freeman, he started in Radio Luxemburg, later The BBC, he was the guy that played prog and mixed classical music with rock. He had the most important chart show every week called Alan "Fluff" Freeman Saturday Rock Show during '71 to '74 but the BBC repeated his shows in the 90's. The other day I heard one of his shows with Caravan and Gong being played, that was one of his original broadcasts
In the 70's he was already old but unlike many of his generation, he did like prog. He was very intelligent too, you can tell when you listen to him.

There was a show called "What you don't want your mother to hear", I never heard that show, don't know the name of the DJ, someone told me that name and I never forgot that name.

Kenny Everett. Well, I mean he was well known, but maybe not too many people know that he was the first radio DJ to play Genesis.

[Sonia_Mota]

Mary Whitehouse! She got even more people to listen to prog, thanks to her more people were introduced to Zappa's music
She is even mentioned in Pink Floyd's - Pigs 3 different ones

[winkersnufs]

Good Afternoon on a late January Vermont Sunday.

Interesting thread indeed. I kind of found my musical way on my singular own. WHY? Following ones own muse often leaves aside others good intentions.... UNTIL, that is, my first Progday attended approximately 20 years ago. (thanks to John C./Progression Magazine very early days). At that first Progday, I met a gentleman by the name of Dave Astley Sr. Since that time Mr. Astley and I have shared some wonderful music related times and I have also befriended his fellow greater Toronto mates John Jakob and Bill Cramp. With their musical exposures to these welcome ears - my musical world has been greatly enhanced by their friendship. I would say that 25% of my musical collection, and subsequent overall listening interests, came from seeds somehow planted by those Canadian gentleman.

Unsung heroes for sure and a very heartfelt.... Thank You Guys!

Chris Buckley

[Rarebird]

If we are talking about DJ's, I have to think of 2 Dutch ones:
Ad Visser, who did a show with progressive rock and stuff with the name 'Supercleandreammachine'. He also had a commercial television-show going on and was a friend of David Bowie from the start.
Wim van Putten, who had a symphonic rock show which played the first Pythagoras album.

[StevegSr]

Giorgio Gomelski, for sure.

I know that Giorgio produced the Yardbirds and was a major force in getting the Stones managed and recorded. Can you expand on his unknown prog accomplishments, aside from Soft Machine?

[JKL2000]

Prog Festival organizers/concert organizers, Prog DJs, Prog bands of quality around the world-all whom do it for the love of the music and certainly not the money in almost all cases.

Mike Potter (Orion Baltimore)
James Robinson (and all the NJ Proghouse crew around him)
Michael Bennett (and all the ProgDay crew like Helaine, Debi....)
George Roldan (and all his crew)
Stephen Lambe & Huw Jones (Summer's End UK)
Danny Mayo (Dokter Dyper UK)
Marcel Mertens (and crew at ProgFrog Holland)
Tom Gagliardi (and all the other DJs)
and of course all the bands fighting the good fight

Then did someone say Peter Renfro and Steve Sly?

Also, Chris Lamka (Of Sound Mind - organized the two ProgScape festivals)

[Bucka001]

I know that Giorgio produced the Yardbirds and was a major force in getting the Stones managed and recorded. Can you expand on his unknown prog accomplishments, aside from Soft Machine?

He managed Magma and Gong.

Also have to disagree with the mention of John Peel. He certainly gave a lot of exposure to hundreds of artists (including many exponents of prog) but the man was a famous legend, hardly unsung. Lotsa credit has been given to him.

[happytheman]

Passport and JEM records

That was how I got all of my imports in the early years of my buying for sure.. Wished I had kept some of the catalogs..
Jem.jpg

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

Michael Piper(RIP)
Peters International and Nonstop Records(supplied Tower Records with their imports)

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

Mark Krueger, deejay for "Planet Prog," a radio show out of Milwaukee, WI. MK has been playing the best in prog over the airwaves for several decades, and his list of interviewees over the years reads like a Who's Who of prog rock.

Agreed. Would be nice to see Mark over here!