The Enid get going again

[Iris]

the enid might pause but they don't stop. first robert john godfrey withdrew. then three members including singer joe payne left. but the enid was not felled. the band re-emerged as a trio. an album called 'resurgency' was released. people had mixed feelings about it. and then drummer left. so now the enid is rebuilding again. still it is a trio, with a keyboard player, the old guitarist and now a second guitarist. this version of the band is digging deep into the old music and every fortnight performing a piece over the internet. the enid has been saved: they are very good.

joe payne meanwhile releases new music next spring. so for those who follow the enid and its offshoots 2018 looks like it will be an interesting year.

[Steve983]

Good news, I was a big fan in the 80's, I'll look them up.

[Iris]

facebook for their new run of live performances. the enid still surprises. last night very suitably a hymn for christmas o come o come emmanuel. and quite a nice version it is.

[Kanukisbrave]

They sound good... but we need to see some songwriting from the remaining (new) band. Godfrey wants to pass the torch, but someone has to write new music when he's retired. I'm strictly in the "Show me" camp now with these guys..

[arturs]

I really liked the Joe Payne version of the band; Invictus is a modern-day masterpiece, very much the equal of their best early work. Maybe a top-three of the '10s. But sadly even the main movers and shakers of that era are all gone. So the Enid now is basically three young guys I've never heard of . I agree they need to prove themselves like any other new band. Deliver another record close to the quality of Invictus, and I'm sold.

[the ferret]

I really liked the Joe Payne version of the band; Invictus is a modern-day masterpiece, very much the equal of their best early work. Maybe a top-three of the '10s. But sadly even the main movers and shakers of that era are all gone. So the Enid now is basically three young guys I've never heard of . I agree they need to prove themselves like any other new band. Deliver another record close to the quality of Invictus, and I'm sold.

Agree with this. Invictus is a masterpiece. That line-up was amazing live too.

The Enid always did shoot themselves in the foot when on the verge of something big though. It's almost wilful. The band's reaction to Dust's mixed reviews seemed to be over the top even for them though. It really was a complete implosion.

Is it still The Enid? Guess we'll find out in time.

[the ferret]

Just out of curiosity, the recent edition of Prog carried a full page, full colour advert for Inner Sanctum, listing most of the back catalogue & something about William Arkle, credited to Robert John Godfrey & The Enid.

Is Inner Sanctum still persona non grata with the band or has an agreement been made?

[undergroundrailroad]

It will all depend on new music. Who's the strong compositional voice?

[Rarebird]

My Enid collection is far from complete, but how is it people complaining about Yes not being Yes without Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, of anyone else and no complaints about The Enid not being The Enid without Robert John Godfrey?

[Steve983]

I've never complained. Maybe its because The Enid don't have a distinctive lead singer or one particular sound, they were never hugely successful either.

[Iris]

It will all depend on new music. Who's the strong compositional voice?

it is not clear - probably not even to them. the current members have mentioned developing new compositions in their facebook appearances. however new versions of the band have in the past tended to re-work old compositions for their first release.

in recent years the enid have de-camped to Germany to work on their music. they also seem to like to do a lot of cooking!

[Rarebird]

I've never complained. Maybe its because The Enid don't have a distinctive lead singer or one particular sound, they were never hugely successful either.

No, but one could say that The Enid is Robert John Godfrey with whoever he wants to work with, just like King Crimson is basicly Robert Fripp and doesn't really have one particular sound.

I don't complain either. If I like a group, it doesn't matter who is in it. There are several examples of groups that changed most of it's members between two albums, like:
Renaissance
Brainbox
Mo (Dutch group were only the drummer was on the first and the second album)

[Iris]

at last new music following the implosion of the enid. it is from the former singer joe payne, he of invicta and dust fame. a 6 minute prog single is out in march but b-side was unveiled last week. didnt much like it at first but persevered and now want to listen to it several times a day. moonlit love by that joe payne is on you tube.

[jcarr73729]

Just out of curiosity, the recent edition of Prog carried a full page, full colour advert for Inner Sanctum, listing most of the back catalogue & something about William Arkle, credited to Robert John Godfrey & The Enid. Is Inner Sanctum still persona non grata with the band or has an agreement been made?

The Enid made it clear that Inner Sanctum do not have the support of the band or RJG, and purchases of their back catalogue can be made via the official website.

[the ferret]

The Enid made it clear that Inner Sanctum do not have the support of the band or RJG, and purchases of their back catalogue can be made via the official website.

Yeah, I assumed that was still the case. I just found it odd that Inner Sanctum chose now to place a full page colour advert of Enid material. When the band seemed to be on the up again with Invictus would have made sense but now when the remnants of the band seem to be teetering on the edge of the perch, not so much.

[Iris]

live from the citadel is just issued. recording of a live show from last year featuring just rjg and the two left standing after the implosions of 2016-17. no chat and the audience almost inaudible. one piece from jp enid era and the rest old favourites from long ago. stripped back to just keyboards and guitar actually works. in places it is rather lovely.

new iteration of the band now has four members. no bass player. so guess rebuilding is not yet complete.

[aith01]

The band's reaction to Dust's mixed reviews seemed to be over the top even for them though. It really was a complete implosion.

I must have missed that... What happened?

[Steve983]

I'm confused with what is happening/has happened to The Enid - could anyone summarise please?

[the ferret]

I must have missed that... What happened?

While critics seemed to suggest that Dust was a masterpiece, fans on various forums (including the band's own) were much more negative, forming the consensus that The Enid were becoming far too Andrew Lloyd Webber for their own good.

The tour, especially (at least at the gigs I went to), had many fans shaking their heads: Too many songs, too much emphasis on showmanship over performance, not enough non Joe material in the non Dust half of the show etc. It was the biggest negative reaction to the band I've seen since RJG went all hip hop in the early nineties.. Not long after, Joe left the band soon followed by Max & the newbies were left issuing trite statements about how relevant their new music was going to be. Personally, I thought the shows was barnstorming - the best from the band I'd seen - but it felt like I was in a fairly small minority.

Even though I'm aware that Dust was a left-field step, I thought it was terrific record. Had that incarnation of the band stayed together, they had the ability to bring old fans back to the fold & win substantial new ones. Sadly we'll never know.

I've got high hopes for Joe's solo career (new single out in March, I believe) & I'm keeping my fingers crossed the the new Enid will live up to the name. Time will tell.

[jcarr73729]

Not long after, Joe left the band soon followed by Max

Max is still around, he was involved in the 'Citadel' release, but clearly he is no longer in the band.

[undergroundrailroad]

I thought Invicta and Dust were wonderful. The band looked to me like it was enjoying a renaissance with the potential for an expanded and new audience. Joe Payne is a remarkable vocalist. I have no idea how they were affording the very elaborate-looking (from video) Bridge and Dust shows. But it was very impressive stuff.

I think that Payne, Godfrey, and Read are probably all pretty headstrong creative types. I wouldn’t be surprised if the reason for the band collapse had more to do with personality friction than with any reaction from their audience. I seem to remember Godfrey himself making some disparaging comments about Dust not too long after it was released. That kind of thing is like a nuclear warhead in a collaborative creative situation.

Everything really great that the Enid has ever done has involved that dynamic of collaboration vs. conflict between its members, like so many other bands we love.

[the ferret]

I thought Invicta and Dust were wonderful. The band looked to me like it was enjoying a renaissance with the potential for an expanded and new audience. Joe Payne is a remarkable vocalist. I have no idea how they were affording the very elaborate-looking (from video) Bridge and Dust shows. But it was very impressive stuff.

I think that Payne, Godfrey, and Read are probably all pretty headstrong creative types. I wouldn’t be surprised if the reason for the band collapse had more to do with personality friction than with any reaction from their audience. I seem to remember Godfrey himself making some disparaging comments about Dust not too long after it was released. That kind of thing is like a nuclear warhead in a collaborative creative situation.

Everything really great that the Enid has ever done has involved that dynamic of collaboration vs. conflict between its members, like so many other bands we love.

Good points, well made!

[Mr.Krautman]

I'm confused with what is happening/has happened to The Enid - could anyone summarise please?

That would take LOTS of space... or a complete book. I was (and still am) a big Enid fan since their debut but now I'm completely lost and have no idea who/what Enid is today.

Also, I don't think there could be any future for The Enid without R.J Godfrey, the main composer leader and spirit of the band.

All this is very sad and the story of the band looks more like a tragedy, especially because I consider RJG as one of the greatest composers of the last century (but also a very complex and tormented soul).

[Iris]

like most enid plans nothing goes to plan. the plan was for rjg to retire and then the enid would be made up of younger musicians performing to younger audiences. that worked in theory only. joe payne leaving was not part of the plan but it happened. so a new enid was rebuilt around guitarist jason ducker. the processed vocals of this version featured on the resurgency cd and were not good. the drummer left. ducker and keyboard player zachary bullock were left. they have now recruited a second guitarist and a new drummer.

this iteration of the band have a fabulous back catalogue to draw on but will eventually need to write new pieces to be viable. so that is the state of the enid at the start of 2018.

looking back the invicta enid did deserve much more than it got. that album ought to have been heard by far more people.

[ghostsofpompeii]

I've followed the band throughout their career and many incarnations, but from my own personal opinion I enjoyed their instrumental early period more so than the later period with vocals. Never really could get into Joe Payne's vocals.