The Enid - new band member & new gig!

[zzorchering]

The Enid will be premiering their new album on 25 Oct 2019 at The Met in Bury, Lancs! Details on https://themet.org.uk/event/the-enid-2019/

Looks like Robert has finally recruited his "sorcerer's apprentice"!

>>> Info from website above:

Whatever the marbled history, The Enid are very much of the here and now, preparing to release a new album and tour in October 2019. The band return to The Met for a one-off special concert to launch a new chapter in a long career.

Defining the music of The Enid is never easy. The Guardian described the band as “Pink Floyd meets The Orb meets the Berlin Philharmonic”. Alan Freeman of the BBC said, “The Enid is the only band on the planet to have successfully fused rock-based music with the power, dynamics, and scale of symphonic classical music”.

Says Robert John Godfrey: “I did not expect to still be alive but here I am!”

The Band Members

Jason Ducker – guitar & vocals : Jason Ducker became the band’s permanent guitarist in 2007 and has appeared on every album and in every live performance since.

Robert John Godfrey – keys & vocals: Robert John Godfrey founded The Enid in 1973 whilst signed to Charisma Records. His previous work with progressive music giants, Barclay James Harvest coupled with formal training as a concert pianist at the Royal College of Music set the scene for this charismatic maverick composer’s adult life.

Tristan Mitchard – keys, pedals & vocals: Tristan Mitchard originally trained as an organist and has a music degree from Oxford University. His twin passions are The Enid alongside his existing career as a pop singer-songwriter. He has been friends with the band for some years and it is intended that he will become a permanent member. See http://www.tristanmitchard.com/

Guest Musicians at The Met

Dave Storey – drums & percussion: Dave Storey originally joined The Enid in 1974 as a non-permanent member. He has appeared on various recordings and toured extensively with the band since that time.

Nic Willes – percussion, bass and vocals: Nic Willes has featured in many live appearances since 2009.

[the ferret]

Hmmm. We'll see.

I'm getting a little bored with all the false dawns.

[Rarebird]

Could be interesting, but I mostly prefer the Enid without vocals. I just bought the 70th Birthday concert, which is completely instrumental. Some of the later albums with vocals, I like, but I don't think I like their earlier vocal stuff, so I rather hear Robert John Godfrey limiting himself to keyboards.

[wilcox660]

I wish it was happening here. I'll see any possible iteration of the band. In the future, when RJG has passed, there'll be folks wishing they could see him vocals or not.

[mozo-pg]

I'd go.

[jcarr73729]

I got the e-mail the other day and haven't decided whether to go or not.
I last saw them at St. Helens Citadel, where RJG stepped-in at the last moment to support the non-departed.
The concert was made available for download on their website.

I go to the Bury Met occasionally, so I may book at seat at this all-seater event.
The Met is mostly standing when I've been before, so it'll be different.

[Iris]

Aren't there meant to be two albums in the pipeline - the long-promised RJ Godfrey solo album Homily and a new album under the band name? As ever with the Enid, people wil know what's happening when its happening.

[Stumpybunker66]

I love the Enid, but don’t hold out much hope. If we get a new album and a few live dates, then great. I wish them all the best.

[revporl]

I've got ticket, it's local to me. I do remember, young Mitchard had an earlier brief tenure with The Enid and fell out with them quite spectacularly very quickly so it will be interesting to see how this pans out. He's supposed to be very good though.

[Iris]

Don't know what the latest is with The Enid but good to see a tribute to the guitar playing of Steve Stewart in the latest issue of Prog. Must be thirty years since he left the band. Don't think he played on anyone else's albums after leaving or even played live. Good legacy though.

[revporl]

Don't know what the latest is with The Enid but good to see a tribute to the guitar playing of Steve Stewart in the latest issue of Prog. Must be thirty years since he left the band. Don't think he played on anyone else's albums after leaving or even played live. Good legacy though.

Yes, he was a proper enigma. That he never did anything after The Enid was a real shame. Will have to have a mooch at the magazine.

[Jaco]

Yes, he was a proper enigma. That he never did anything after The Enid was a real shame. Will have to have a mooch at the magazine.

Francis Likerish is now a Psychotherapist

[Baribrotzer]

Don't know what the latest is with The Enid but good to see a tribute to the guitar playing of Steve Stewart in the latest issue of Prog. Must be thirty years since he left the band. Don't think he played on anyone else's albums after leaving or even played live. Good legacy though.

I could see why. There's nobody better at doing specifically what The Enid do - genuine light-classical music played by an expanded rock band - than The Enid. If he really loved that music, and quit for reasons other than artistic disagreement, he would never find anything to equal it.

[Iris]

New album from The Enid now definitely, really, actually happening. It's called U.

R.J. Godfrey solo album Homily still in gestation, it seems.

[Mr.Krautman]

New album from The Enid now definitely, really, actually happening. It's called U.

R.J. Godfrey solo album Homily still in gestation, it seems.

Personal message received from RJG regarding the status of Homily. Looks it won't materialize (at least not in the original planned form):



Dear ,



I wanted to write to you personally because you have been patiently waiting for me to deliver Homily. It is now clear to me that Homily cannot be delivered in the form I had planned and I owe you all a proper explanation.

So much of the best music I had originally composed for Homily has ended up in U with the consequence that Homily & U have become inextricably merged creatively. This is a problem that I began to recognize sometime ago but swept under the carpet.

The way I compose is "evolutionary". in the sense that I begin with a vision of what I want to say without knowing how or when the music will come to me, or how it will develop over time. I take a walk in the woods and wait to see where that journey leads.

Yet if I waited until I had completed a project before announcing it, I would never finish anything. If I don't impose deadlines on myself, make definite plans and honestly try to stick to them, I would never complete anything. I have always been at the mercy of time and am too much of a perfectionist to accept its relentless advance.

The fact is that I had not thought this issue through properly. Perhaps I should not have embarked on a new Enid album without first finishing Homily. Yet I had Jason's future with the band to consider. Anyhow, this is the pickle I have got myself into.

I need to have a rethink. I am sorry for this and disappointed with myself. Now U is out of the way, I will be able to concentrate on solving the creative problems I have been having with Homily. If I have my way, the remnants Homily will become the fully-fledged piano concerto I have long wanted to do but always shied away from.

AND SO ...

If you have an outstanding order for Homily, we would like to send you a copy of U its place if this is acceptable to you? If you would prefer something different, please let me know, otherwise, you will be sent a copy of U in the first week of November.

You can write to me at my personal email. Every message will be answered.

Yours as ever

Robert John Godfrey

[Derk]

I've got ticket, it's local to me. I do remember, young Mitchard had an earlier brief tenure with The Enid and fell out with them quite spectacularly very quickly so it will be interesting to see how this pans out. He's supposed to be very good though.

Did anyone get to see The Enid at The Met. I'm interested in hearing what the new music is like. I should be getting the new album in the post soon, as I ordered Homily originally, so I am getting U in its place.

[jcarr73729]

Did anyone get to see The Enid at The Met. I'm interested in hearing what the new music is like. I should be getting the new album in the post soon, as I ordered Homily originally, so I am getting U in its place.

I was at The Met last Friday evening for The Enid.
Although the website suggesting that it would be a five-piece, there were four performers.
RJG, Jason Ducker, Dave Storey and probably Nic Willes (this one I'm not sure of)
Max Read was on the mixing desk, however the initial sound was too guitar/bass heavy as they started with two new songs (first two on the new album).
The mix returned to ideal when the switched to some older songs.
This iteration of The Enid is instrumental, however they did use some backing tracks with choral backing vocals.
The performance was in two sets, they performed all of the new album (except for "You"), alongside the older instrumentals.
I thought they were under-rehearsed, but carried-off a good performance overall.
The only downside was RJG "droning-on" between songs, especially the intro to the second set.
I reckon they could have performed "Fand" in the time he took up talking and going off on endless tangents.
There was a bit of fuss in the crowd because two people insisted on talking loudly all time, even during the quieter sections.
It was on the other side of the venue from me and one of the staff/ushers had to reprimand them.
RJG said that thanks to the sell-out at The Met they'd be inspired to consider future concerts.
I thought RJG was looking stiff, haunched a little and showing his age (aren't we all?), so his energy for concerts may dissipate.
I enjoyed the evening.

[revporl]

The new member didn't happen but really enjoyed the show. It wouldn't be an Enid gig without a little waffling from RJG! The new album is top too, so I've started a thread all about it!