BEARDFISH call it quits

**Supersonic Scientist** · 07-11-2016

Yeah, got into them at NF....still need to get a WHOLE BUNCH MORE of their stuff.

Sad that they had to bail-out but glad I saw them and, they seem to be a peace with the situation and they are clearly respectful of the rare luck they achieved.

...best of luck to all members...

**Orcopian** · 07-11-2016

That's a real shame, I had thought that the exposure they were getting from Rickard's involvement with big big train might have helped them increase their popularity. The weird thing I find about big big train fans on their fab page is loads of them had never heard of beardfish before Rickard joined bbt....

I've been a fan since sleeping in traffic and have enjoyed all their albums, some more than others. I regret that I've never seen them play a headline show, only as support to spocks beard and backing the tangent.

**infandous** · 07-11-2016

Originally Posted by Plasmatopia

I had assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that it would have been a collaboration. That's part of what I liked about the idea.

No, I think you were probably correct.........but obviously it would still be The Tangent and they'd still play a lot of music solely written by Tillison (live, anyway). Regardless, that ship has well and truly sailed, so we'll never really know.

**polmico** · 07-11-2016

Originally Posted by Zalmoxe

I thought their music got somehow diluted over the years and the band never matched the peaks reached on the first 4 albums.

I prefer the final four by far.

**Sean** · 07-11-2016

I kinda like the middle stretch best. Solitaire was the last one I really liked all the way through. There's various tunes on the later ones I dig too, but the heavier guitar driven sound they veered into never really clicked for me.

**polmico** · 07-11-2016

Perhaps it was because I started with Solitaire and that's sort of how I defined the band's sound. I still think it's their strongest. "Note" from The Void is my favorite tune from them.

**Sean** · 07-11-2016

I really liked the piano tune on The Void, Ludwig???

**SteveSly** · 07-11-2016

Really bummed about this. I have all of the Beardfish albums and enjoy them all. I have also been lucky enough to see them live a couple of times and they were always great. Like Progeezer, when I saw Rikard on the bill for Progtoberfest as a solo act I had a funny feeling that this might be coming. ProgDay was the first festival to bring them to the U.S. back in 2006. I still remember when Michael Bennett started championing booking this young band from Sweden whom I had never heard of. I think anyone who was at that performance knew we were seeing something special from a band who although unknown at the time, had a tremendous upside. When Rikard opened the show with The Gooberville Ballroom Dancer:

“He was a filthy mother*ker,
by the name of Dwight.
He only bathed ´bout once a year,
he didn´t smell allright.”

Every head on the field turned and paid attention.

Of course they went on to play both NEARfest, ROSfest and Baja Prog (I think, could be wrong on that one…). I still think it is a shame that they did not end up getting to play the U.S. leg of the Progressivenation tour that they were booked on with Dream Theater. I think that might have been the ticket to raise their profile significantly here in the States. Oh well, it is what it is at this point, but they gave us a lot of great music.

**sergio** · 07-11-2016

yeah... think it was logical after last album. Quite a significant drop from where they climbed with Void. I'm sure RS will reappear soon in one form or another.

**Plasmatopia** · 07-11-2016

Originally Posted by SteveSly

Of course they went on to play both NEARfest, ROSfest and Baja Prog (I think, could be wrong on that one…).

Also Terra Incognita in 2012 and the NJ Proghouse Homecoming Weekend in 2013.

**SteveSly** · 07-11-2016

Originally Posted by Plasmatopia

Also Terra Incognita in 2012 and the NJ Proghouse Homecoming Weekend in 2013.

Yup, forgot about those two.

**dropforge** · 07-11-2016

Originally Posted by aith01

They do!

There's Hammond vs. Drums (2005), and De Fluff (2006).

Both are tasty. There's a third comin' up, so I hear. Autobuy.

**mellotron storm** · 07-11-2016

Love the lyrics, intelligent and funny. I think Sleeping In Traffic Part Two and Mammoth are my two favourites but they are all really good in my opinion. I don't have the first one though.

**chalkpie** · 07-11-2016

The original shrimpboat captains.

**the illusionist** · 07-11-2016

I think someone touched on this earlier, but just another chapter on the death of prog....

**devoidzer0** · 07-11-2016

RIP Beardfish... Thanks for the music and the memories.

**JKL2000** · 07-11-2016

Originally Posted by the illusionist

I think someone touched on this earlier, but just another chapter on the death of prog....

I agree with those who said they had a pretty good run there - more success than most bands.

**Yodelgoat** · 07-11-2016

Wow, gubuy guys. Another band calling it quits. Will PE still be around in a few years so we can talk about old bands that no longer exist?

**Gerhard** · 07-12-2016

Originally Posted by Yodelgoat

Wow, gubuy guys. Another band calling it quits. Will PE still be around in a few years so we can talk about old bands that no longer exist?

Prog is dead, but Progears will live on forever!

I feel like Beardfish will be back some day for a huge cash cow reunion album and tour, like many other acts over the years.

**FKYES** · 07-12-2016

Originally Posted by Plasmatopia

Also Terra Incognita in 2012 and the NJ Proghouse Homecoming Weekend in 2013.

They were awesome on the Progressive Nation at Sea cruise. Definitely one of my favorite performances.

**3RDegree_Robert** · 07-12-2016

Originally Posted by Poisoned Youth

I'm not sure how that is how I interpreted the original post. They released a pile of albums over 15 years and had some success within a niche community. They got connected with a label that had some distro power (relatively speaking) and they managed to play some festivals. They had more success (relatively speaking) than the majority of artist driven bands.

On Inside Out, able to come to the US almost every year to play festivals and tours, treated like royalty by the NJ Proghouse contingent....umm....yeah. That's pretty "big" in my estimation. They can look back on it all as a successful venture.

**spacefreak** · 07-12-2016

I was somehow expecting it. Mammoth had been the last fully satisfactory album for me, and with The Void stagnation crept in; so I guess it's the normal course of events for constantly creative musicians in spirit, as I consider them to be judging from their first releases...

**ombasan** · 07-12-2016

It kind of sucks. I was just getting to know them. I only know their last album (and only 2 days ago listened to the second disc with the historical recordings) and I quite like it. But from all the above comments there are at least many more good (older) albums by Beardfish. Plus the guys won't all abandon the music scene...