Big Big Train gaining some much deserved success!

[3RDegree_Robert]

To each his own I guess. I discovered EE1 & 2 when they were released so I never could get used to the resequencing. They should have released Full Power first if that's how they intended it to be. I never really understood their strategy with the way they released both parts seperately and then Full Power.

Don't think it was strategy as much as "these are the songs that are finished now so lets release it" plus "we know how expensive it is to record music this well so why put it out as a double disk waiting (i.e. not making any money) for all the songs to be finished and then putting out as a double album that is not particuarly going to make double the money as two single albums (i.e. again making less money)". I say this not to call BBT "greedy", I say this as a band leader who knows putting less music out there makes less money for a band in a genre that needs to eek out every cent from a stingy music public AND knowing also that a "double album" doesn't mean "double the return on investment".

[undergroundrailroad]

Luckily, I only know English Electric in the Full Power version. Make Some Noise works just great in every way for me.

Just a note that although I've known Nick d'Virgilio was a great drummer, I never really liked his playing much until I heard it on these albums. Truly emotive, appropriate and impressive playing in every case when he's in BBT.

[Firth]

Luckily, I only know English Electric in the Full Power version. Make Some Noise works just great in every way for me.

Just a note that although I've known Nick d'Virgilio was a great drummer, I never really liked his playing much until I heard it on these albums. Truly emotive, appropriate and impressive playing in every case when he's in BBT.

Best Christmas Prog number in awhile:
https://youtu.be/DINVlwX9aZM

[jkelman]

Huh, 6 months back I bought a couple of BBT's albums, and they kind of slipped though the cracks with as busy I have been. I've got Folklore loaded up at the moment and I am going to revisit them starting right.... Now.

Folklore so far... =

Funny, this happens to me more often than I'd like to admit. I hear about a band, listen to a few soundbytes, buy a couple albums and then I get distracted and never give them the fair shake that prog bands require. You dont always catch fire with the first match.

Exactly the reason I'm loathe to write negative reviews. Unless there are some empirical issues (pitch, etc), all too often I find myself, if an album doesn't immediately move me, coming back to it a day, a week, a month, a year...sometimes ev3n decades...later to find I love it.

Oh, and count me a huge BBT fan. I came in a couple years ago but have since gone back to the full discography, and there's sure a lot to love!

[Progatron]

Oh, and count me a huge BBT fan. I came in a couple years ago but have since gone back to the full discography, and there's sure a lot to love!

I'm the same. For years I just thought of them as 'pleasant', but they did nothing for me. Then one day I tried one of their albums again and it just all clicked for me. I now own their entire catalogue on CD with the exception of the almost impossible-to-find Bard, which is long out of print with no reissue in sight. But yeah, great band!

[yesman1955]

Progatron: I make no claims about the legitamacy of this link, but the authors of this Bard download link claim that it is "authorised" by David Spawton: http://www.realgonerocks.com/2015/08...lity-download/ Just make sure your virus software is up to date, just in case.

[miamiscot]

They just sound like 70's Genesis copyists to me.

I hear as much 80's XTC as I do 70's Genesis...

Whatever, BBT is awesome and, along with Steven Wilson and Neal Morse, the best hope for Prog to reach a larger audience.

[Progatron]

Progatron: I make no claims about the legitamacy of this link, but the authors of this Bard download link claim that it is "authorised" by David Spawton: http://www.realgonerocks.com/2015/08...lity-download/ Just make sure your virus software is up to date, just in case.

Yes, I can seek it out and listen to it, but I want the CD to go with the rest of my collection.

[Rufus]

Big Big Train have announced that founder member Andy Poole is to leave the band. This is a surprise now that they appear to be getting some momemtum and moderate success

[JKL2000]

I'd like to post on the BBT FB page "Crap! Andy basically WAS Big Big Train," and watch the fireworks fly.

[LeFrog]

Big Big Train have announced that founder member Andy Poole is to leave the band. This is a surprise now that they appear to be getting some momemtum and moderate success

Although this is not the general sentiment among the fan group, I must confess I'm not surprised and was expecting this at some point.
Though Poole was a founding member, his musical contribution since he handed over the bass duties to Greg Spawton in 2009 has been minimal. He was listed as the producer on The Underfall Yard and English Electric and I acknowledge that this can be a fundamental role even if you're not playing an instrument yourself. But Spawton and Longdon have taken over the production for the last run of albums. Even for live gigs, Poole was only contributing the odd keyboard wash or acoustic guitar strumming in the background. I don't believe he was really proficient on either instrument and even if he was it's hard to find your place when you've got Gregory, Manners and Sjöblom in your band. Anyway, it looks as though he's been gradually pushed aside in the last 10 years and that it could only end up that way.

[LeFrog]

I'd like to post on the BBT FB page "Crap! Andy basically WAS Big Big Train," and watch the fireworks fly.

Yeah I didn't feel it was appropriate to post my thoughts on the fan page as it's only kind words for Andy (I'm not saying he doesn't deserve them).

[JKL2000]

Yeah I didn't feel it was appropriate to post my thoughts on the fan page as it's only kind words for Andy (I'm not saying he doesn't deserve them).

I was just joking, do you feel that's the case? I actually don't know who does what in the band RE: songwriting, although I remember people here saying it was mostly Longdon and one of the others who isn't Dave Gregory or Nick D'Virgilio. I like the band a lot, but those are my limits as to knowing who's who.

[LeFrog]

I was just joking, do you feel that's the case? I actually don't know who does what in the band RE: songwriting, although I remember people here saying it was mostly Longdon and one of the others who isn't Dave Gregory or Nick D'Virgilio. I like the band a lot, but those are my limits as to knowing who's who.

Longdon and Spawton are the clear leaders in terms of songwriting. I didn't get your joke because I thought you said it knowing that Poole did not in fact contribute much in the last few years.

[JKL2000]

Longdon and Spawton are the clear leaders in terms of songwriting. I didn't get your joke because I thought you said it knowing that Poole did not in fact contribute much in the last few years.

I didn't really even know his name. They could have said Nigel Green is leaving the band and I'd have posted the same thing.

[Gerhard]

Although this is not the general sentiment among the fan group, I must confess I'm not surprised and was expecting this at some point.
Though Poole was a founding member, his musical contribution since he handed over the bass duties to Greg Spawton in 2009 has been minimal. He was listed as the producer on The Underfall Yard and English Electric and I acknowledge that this can be a fundamental role even if you're not playing an instrument yourself. But Spawton and Longdon have taken over the production for the last run of albums. Even for live gigs, Poole was only contributing the odd keyboard wash or acoustic guitar strumming in the background. I don't believe he was really proficient on either instrument and even if he was it's hard to find your place when you've got Gregory, Manners and Sjöblom in your band. Anyway, it looks as though he's been gradually pushed aside in the last 10 years and that it could only end up that way.

This sums up what my perception has been, as well, as an outsider looking in. The announcement said they would carry on as a seven piece (plus five piece brass section where/when appropriate), but that they may also include someone else in live shows to cover additional guitar and/or keyboard parts.

[Interstellar]

I had indeed been wondering what Andy Poole's role in the band was, with all these great musicians joining and the production duties being taken over by other people.
He may simply want to move on to other things. I even wonder if they really need to include someone else in the band when they have Gregory, Manners and Sjöblom handling the guitars and keyboards (and with Longdon himself being a multi-instrumentalist).

[LeFrog]

I had indeed been wondering what Andy Poole's role in the band was, with all these great musicians joining and the production duties being taken over by other people.
He may simply want to move on to other things. I even wonder if they really need to include someone else in the band when they have Gregory, Manners and Sjöblom handling the guitars and keyboards (and with Longdon himself being a multi-instrumentalist).

Apparently they feel the need to include someone else for live gigs in addition to the ones you mentioned but I think it's only because they want to reproduce all the layers of their studio recordings in the live setting. I don't expect Poole's replacement to be as technically gifted as Gregory, Manners and Sjöblom, otherwise it's going to be too much talent in one band. I rather expect it will be someone who will stay in the background and cover Poole's rather simple parts. I may be wrong, we'll see pretty soon.

[Progtastic]

On a more positive note, Greg said today he was looking for a venue for a warm up gig in July prior to Loreley. Basingstoke was mentioned which would be peachy for me.

[JKL2000]

On the BBT FB page they’re saying the guy behind Cosmograf has joined them as a new keyboardist - I think. Is he replacing someone? The FB page seems too emotional for me to get the straight scoop.

[LeFrog]

On the BBT FB page they’re saying the guy behind Cosmograf has joined them as a new keyboardist - I think. Is he replacing someone? The FB page seems too emotional for me to get the straight scoop.

Robin Armstrong of Cosmograf is replacing founding member Andy Poole who has left earlier this year. Armstrong will be playing guitar and keyboards for live gigs only, he is not part of the studio lineup

[LeFrog]

Maybe it should also be mentioned that preorders have just started for the band's new live album Merchants of Light documenting their concerts at Cadogan Hall last year.

[JKL2000]

Robin Armstrong of Cosmograf is replacing founding member Andy Poole who has left earlier this year. Armstrong will be playing guitar and keyboards for live gigs only, he is not part of the studio lineup

Thanks, I'd forgotten about Andy Poole leaving. LeFrog, apparently there were some very negative comments thrown around on the FB page about Robin Armstrong (seemingly undeserved - I've love what I've heard of his music). Can you perhaps summarize what the complaints were about? Just people who couldn't let Andy Poole go?

[LeFrog]

Thanks, I'd forgotten about Andy Poole leaving. LeFrog, apparently there were some very negative comments thrown around on the FB page about Robin Armstrong (seemingly undeserved - I've love what I've heard of his music). Can you perhaps summarize what the complaints were about? Just people who couldn't let Andy Poole go?

No it had nothing to do with Andy. Just one troll who thought it appropriate to say that he didn't like Cosmograf and thought Armstrong didn't have the talent to join BBT. I often find the BBT FB group a bit intolerant to any kind of criticism but in this instance the guy was clearly disrespectful and was banned.

[Gerhard]

^^^
Thanks, I was wondering what had happened, as well, having read that someone had been banned. I think the BBT group is great, though some of the insider banter and British humour (?) is lost on me. And why are so many posts about brussel sprouts?

I pre-ordered the the new live album on vinyl (oh yeah !) and threw in a few other goodies at the BBT page at The Merch Desk.