Principal Edwards Magic Theatre

[winkersnufs]

Good Morning Music Folks!


I have been going through, and consolidating a ' running music list' ~ Things music wise, written down in a composition book, perhaps to add to my collection. The entries come from many sources.... here, basement listening sessions in Toronto, YouTube suggestions etc etc. Not sure just where Principal Edwards crossed my path but what a very cool listening session that group has turned out to be.

Please take your ears back to 1969, for starters, with this (I'm going to say - collective)

Carry On
Chris Buckley

[nosebone]

Very good album that deserves a re listen after many years!

[TheH]

There is a resent 3CD set with the Albums plus some Live and Demo stuff.

[rcarlberg]

Their first album, Soundtrack, is pretty good.

Their second, Asimoto Running Band, is simply divine.

Their third album, Round One, is best avoided at all costs. And it looks like the box set does that — discs one and two are the first two albums, and disc 3 is John Peel sessions, live recordings and demos.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I've kept The Asmoto Running Band, which is semi-surreal and sits well with the likes of Tea & Symphony, Jan Dukes de Grey, Simon Finn, Fresh Maggots and perhaps even Comus.

Terrific. I much prefer it to anything by Dr. Strangely Strange or Dando Shaft or Eclection or that ilk.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Perhaps next time anyone wants to screen even the slightest interest in a name remotely distant to "obscurity" status, they should juxtapose the given artist's name with that of someone big and generally accepted - of which there appears to exist at least an entire dozen-or-so. Then we'll get threads like 'Principal Edwards Magic Theatre more prog than Kansas?' or 'Modry Éfekt more adventurous than Yes', prompting the masses to stürm from their foxholes in defense of the Mighty Gods of Self-Confirmation and set out on a mission to clean the YT-jungle for proof of assumptions' inherent wrongness - "No Way! Fock Yoo!!"

[Zappathustra]

Perhaps next time anyone wants to screen even the slightest interest in a name remotely distant to "obscurity" status, they should juxtapose the given artist's name with that of someone big and generally accepted - of which there appears to exist at least an entire dozen-or-so. Then we'll get threads like 'Principal Edwards Magic Theatre more prog than Kansas?' or 'Modry Éfekt more adventurous than Yes', prompting the masses to stürm from their foxholes in defense of the Mighty Gods of Self-Confirmation and set out on a mission to clean the YT-jungle for proof of assumptions' inherent wrongness - "No Way! Fock Yoo!!"

These ridiculous, obscure names you mention DO NOT appear on the Progarchives logo, like the mighty Kansas and the indestructible Yes. No need for any You Tube browsing, when there is this ultimate certification of progressivity, the PA logo. In yar face, sir!

[Frankh]

Ahh, Richard...

Nothin' personal. It's that whole age thing, my man. Our minds close back up even as they opened in our youth.

Me? A lot on my mind. Burying my kid brother later today.

My wife, doing better but still not where she was early last year.

It's all a natural process.

I admire your ever questing minds, you and your brethren here.

When, or if...

... I get my sound system back, maybe I will join a quest or two...

Frank

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ I know! Which is the exact point of it; it isn't that the "knows" aren't out there - they've just grown elderly and weary.

Sometimes I come to think that I was the only one who answered the correct word when being given a choice of "Either your family or that goddamn music interest/record collection! Ya' hear?!"

So now Christmas eve is all about yours truly, fat flesh supper, aquavite and the Principal Edwards Magic Theatre.

[Frankh]

Cheers

[Zappathustra]

Cheers

Best regards to you, sir. Your post really moved me, and it's definitely a product of a far from closed mind.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Best regards to you, sir. Your post really moved me, and it's definitely a product of a far from closed mind.

Absolutely true.

[Frankh]

Why do you think I keep reading?

I thank you both.

[Levgan]

I've kept The Asmoto Running Band, which is semi-surreal and sits well with the likes of Tea & Symphony, Jan Dukes de Grey, Simon Finn, Fresh Maggots and perhaps even Comus.

"Kettering Song" is one of the pinnacles of this entire "acid folk" genre IMO. And the entire album isn't far behind – a stone cold classic.

[spacefreak]

Soundtrack: Great typical UK underground, university folky prog with a charming theatrical aspect... File it among albums like Tea & Symphony ("Third Sonnet To Sundry Notes Of Music" could perfectly fit in it). An intellectual but not pretentious music, not concerned with conformity or perfection.

Asmoto Running Band: Their pinacle. They went fully progressive on this one; echoing the psyched-out space-isms of bands like Gong and Floydian touches as Mr. Mason was in the controls. An overwhelming variety of moods and tonalities are present on this one. A solid classic in my book of UK's 70s "must hear" albums.

Round One: Generally dismissed but I cannot understand why it should be avoided, as in my opinion the album is aligned with what was happening in UK rock at the times. They 've shortened their line-up and name, went more orthodox (and slightly more glam) in their approach to rock and improved their musicanship. I will agree that the folk and space-ier aspects are gone and that the songwriting is less memorable but it still stands for a highly enjoyable album. Compare it for example with modern highly praised female fronted retro rock bands like Blues Pills, Wucan, Psychedelic Witchcraft or Electric Citizen f.e. and you'll see the difference. And still, when you flip the album side you get the glorious prog of the five-part epic "The Rise Of The Glass-White Gangster".

[Zappathustra]

Asmoto Running Band: Their pinacle. They went fully progressive on this one; echoing the psyched-out space-isms of bands like Gong and Floydian touches as Mr. Mason was in the controls. An overwhelming variety of moods and tonalities are present on this one. A solid classic in my book of UK's 70s "must hear" albums.

Listening a 3rd time in a row, on this rainy day. This definitely belonged on your acid folk facebook posts, from a year ago. But maybe you thought it wasn't obscure enough (while I completely ignored it existed).
This is absolutely beautiful, divine as someone called it. It's getting better and better as you reach towards the end, side B is a killer.
Hell, there is even some "avant-noodling" on the Kettering Song. Very advanced stuff, particularly the vocals.

[TheH]

[rcarlberg]

Round One: Generally dismissed but I cannot understand why it should be avoided. I will agree that the folk and space-ier aspects are gone and that the songwriting is less memorable but it still stands for a highly enjoyable album.

The songwriting is (for me) “memorable” only to the extent that I remember not liking it very much. Haven’t played it in years.

Probably won’t, either.

[Zappathustra]

I've kept The Asmoto Running Band, which is semi-surreal and sits well with the likes of Tea & Symphony, Jan Dukes de Grey, Simon Finn, Fresh Maggots and perhaps even Comus.

Terrific. I much prefer it to anything by Dr. Strangely Strange or Dando Shaft or Eclection or that ilk.

I am wiped-out by Los Asmotos and would greatly appreciate if you could hit me with some more names of the like, not necessarily British. Don't underestimate my ignorance and leave anything for being too obvious. Thank you in advance.

[Bimba]

Zappa. It is easy to ask for something like ...but it would be more helpful (to yourself and others) if you bother to narrow it down: like, you want quirky, bit-folky suggestions, maybe more on the acoustic side??

What exactly are you looking for?

(Howabout wyrdfolk? Would that fit the bill?)

[Zappathustra]

Zappa. It is easy to ask for something like ...but it would be more helpful (to yourself and others) if you bother to narrow it down: like, you want quirky, bit-folky suggestions, maybe more on the acoustic side??

What exactly are you looking for?

(Howabout wyrdfolk? Would that fit the bill?)

Hello there. The names mentioned do have something in common. I don't know what wyrdfolk is, but if it is weird, folky stuff, sick and crazy and experimental, yes, that's what I'm asking for.

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ Start with some of those already mentioned; Tea & Symphony, Jan Dukes de Grey, Comus, Simon Finn, Fresh Maggots and so on. If you haven't dwelled into those already, I mean.

[Zappathustra]

^ Start with some of those already mentioned; Tea & Symphony, Jan Dukes de Grey, Comus, Simon Finn, Fresh Maggots and so on. If you haven't dwelled into those already, I mean.

JDDG and Comus I know very well and the others I am getting acquainted. I was hoping to take advantage of your generosity and get some more in advance, for the hard times ahead.

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ Well, I'd like to recommend stuff like Mariza Koch or Langsyne, but their works are very hard to find now. Dr. Strangely Strange, Forest, Dulcimer, Tir Na Nog - these were more 'straight-up' folkiebands, but still listenable. Of course, if you venture into the realms of female-fronted folk-rock, there are abundances. Try Oriental Sunshine for starters.

[Zappathustra]

^ Well, I'd like to recommend stuff like Mariza Koch or Langsyne, but their works are very hard to find now. Dr. Strangely Strange, Forest, Dulcimer, Tir Na Nog - these were more 'straight-up' folkiebands, but still listenable. Of course, if you venture into the realms of female-fronted folk-rock, there are abundances. Try Oriental Sunshine for starters.

Mariza Koch was a huge mainstream name in Greece in the 80's, and I know that she's done some weird stuff in the 70's with which - shame on me - I am not familiar. I think I could get my hands on something.

Thanks man!