When did you discover Roine Stolt/ The Flower Kings ?

[Crystal Plumage]

Years ago I read a thread somewhere (I think it was theTFK site) with a similar question. It was a fun read, so I thought let's do it here

My first encounter with Roine Stolt was through the New Grove Project. I bought their album because of Par Lindh's involvement.. I already knew Stolt's name but didn't really pay attention to it.
When I heard him play for the first time I was sold! That guitar was brilliant! Bought Stardust We Are (then the most recent) and quickly became hooked.
Later I even discovered I had heard him play before. On Gothic Impressions, Par Lind's debut

So, when did you find out about The Flower Kings/ Roine Stolt?

[JKL2000]

I found out about RS and FK right after the second RS/FK CD came out. It was at Progfest '95 I believe, anHeavenguy from Record Heaven was selling it. I already had one early Kaipa CD.

BtW, I like New Grove Project too.

[SteveSly]

I think it was when I found out they were playing at ProgDay 1998. I picked up "Stardust We Are" (which remains my favorite album by them) and went from there.

Steve Sly

[Rumblefishtwist]

In 2000.... My buddy Frank (Monte,Cheech. Or whatever the hell he calls himself here on PE)
He played I Am The Sun for me off of Space Revolver and I've been a fan ever since.....

[Scott Bails]

I knew nothing about Mr. Stolt until Transatlantic.

My brother was a Dream Theater fan and turned me on to them. I then read about Portnoy's enthusiasm for Spock's Beard, and I quickly became a fan of theirs, too. Then, shortly after that, Portnoy, Morse, and Trewavas (from Marillion, whom I had loved for a while) formed a supergroup with this Swedish guy I'd never heard of.

Discovering new artists is fun.

[markwoll]

I had heard of them, not heard any of their music.
They came to a local club called Jaxx in NoVa after Nearfest 2003.
I got a ticket and went.
There were probably 20-25 people in the audience ( if that many)
I and a couple of friends sat on barstools right in front of the stage, pretty much eye level with the band.
They did the whole show as if to a concert hall.
It must have been disappointing to them, but it did not show.
Needless to say, I was blown away.
One of THE most powerful music experiences of my life.
I bought all of their cd's that night and have been a fan since.
The only regret I have is waiting so long to see/hear them.
Looking forward to Rosfest 2013..

mark

[moecurlythanu]

Not sure of the date, but it was between the release of Stardust and FlowerPower. I also attended the first fan con in the Chicago area. Unfortunately, I pretty much got off the bus after The Rainmaker.

[Joe F.]

1994 at Progfest. I picked up the second Kaipa album and Stolt's The Flower King release. I prefered the Kaipa.

[willfoden]

in progression magazine number 25, the sampler Cd with that issue. The song was "In the Eyes of the World". Nice but nothing earth shattering. Very derivative. I grew up in the 1970s and knew the music then. so the "new" prog bands tend to be copies of what went before. It tends to be well done but derivative.

[Progatron]

I discovered The Flower Kings via the Progfest CDs (around the same time as Arena, Spocks Beard and a couple of others of that 'new wave of prog' movement that happened in the early-mid 90s). It was a really amazing time to be a prog fan, having weathered my high school years (1987-1991) as a prog fanatic when it was at its all time lowest popularity. I was thrilled that these bands were all emerging.

[Poisoned Youth]

So, when did you find out about The Flower Kings/ Roine Stolt?

Back after Retropolis was released. I'd heard some songs from Retropolis and World of Adventures, but didn't hear my first album until Stardust We Are was released.

[Jerjo]

I think about 2000 or so. I was just returning to prog and they were one of the first bands I found out about after Porcupine Tree. My first CD was Meet the Flower Kings and while it was a bit derivative I was blown away by the fact that someone was making this kind of music again passion and intelligence.

[Vic2012]

Must've been about 12-13 years ago for me. I'd read about them on different forums. I found a forum called www.prog.net and traded with one member. I got cassette copy of Retropolis and really liked it. I still don't have the CD of that album and the cassette is long gone. The first FK CD I bought was Space Revolver. After that I bought (don't remember the chronological order): Back In The World Of Adventures, The Rainmaker, Adam & Eve, and I downloaded The Flower King, and Unfold The Future.

I love Roine's guitar playing and I like his singing. I wish he'd do all the lead singing.

[Crystal Plumage]

I wish he'd do all the lead singing.

Yeah, I'd prefer it if he would sing on the Agents of Mercy albums.

[Garden Dreamer]

Year 2000, just got on the internet and was discovering that prog music had revived in the 90's! TFK was recommended so I took a chance on Flower Power and never looked back!!

[The Fantastic Progo Rican]

I believe it was around 1999 when I first joined the original Progressive Ears at Yahoo Groups, never heard of them before and they were a hot topic back in the day, my then girlfriend got my Alive On Planet Earth for my birthday the year it came out...

[ChrisXymphonia]

Must have been shortly after his Flower King album. Played that one obsessively for a long long time as well as the first 2 Flower Kings albums. And I can boast about the fact that I have helped out with organising a festival here in Almelo that hosted the first ever Dutch gig of The Flower Kings (which at that point included Hasse Bruniussion on percussion, I believe the only time he has been with TFK here in Holland) and their fellow countrymen Ritual.

[Crystal Plumage]

Yeah! I read the interview in one of the first iO Pages. After that interview I started checking out Ritual. No FK yet, but they already piqued my interest at that time

[Smörgåsbord]

2001, at a music festival in my hometown. Became a fan a year later when Unfold The Future was released.

[Rarebird]

At a prog festival in Utrecht. I don't know what other artists performed there. I should be able to find out, but I'm to lazy. At least I remember Minimum Vital playing there as well. I was at an interview with them.

[mozo-pg]

I used to buy my CDs at a store in Hull, Quebec devoted to progressive rock, called, The Musical Box where they organized their CDs by country and had listening stations and helpful and knowledgeable staff. Of course, with these elements the store had to eventually close down!! I discovered all of kinds of bands, including the Flower Kings, Italian, Sweedish (Anglagard), and so on. This was around 1997.

[JKL2000]

I used to buy my CDs at a store in Hull, Quebec devoted to progressive rock, called, The Musical Box where they organized their CDs by country and had listening stations and helpful and knowledgeable staff.

Mozo? Mozo, wake up! You were dreaming.

[dgtlman]

Around 2000 or so when Flower Power came out.

[CybrKhatru]

2000, I think.

Bought their live album on a whim since it had a cover of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

Was a bit underwhelmed by the cover, but really liked many of the other songs on the album.

[yogibear]

it was a compilation called scanning the greenhouse. very nice cross section of their stuff from like their first 3 or 4 releases. first album would be "stardust we are" since i worked from the 98 release -greenhouse ,and liked the tunes from stardust better.