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Viva Valencia!
Forskere ved universitetet i Valencia i Spania har utviklet en ny teknologi som kan komme til å bli redningen både for folk som har behov for å spille høyt, og også for naboene som slett ikke har behov for dundrende høy musikk. Nå kan et avansert elektronisk teppe kanskje føre til at tidligere fiender blir perlevenner. Vi skal heller ikke se bort fra at folkene bak teknologien kan få Nobels fredspris om vi drar dette langt nok. Uansett dette høres ut som er nyttig produkt, og blir sikkert meget billig! Spøk til side, det blir nok ganske så dyrt, men som alltid vil det nok med tiden bli betydelig billigere, da fallende gjennomsnittskostnader som kjent er noe alle nyter godt av bare produktet selger nok.
Teknologien kalles «Acoustic Cloaking» og kan nærmest beskrives som et
elektronisk teppe eller en kappe du kan svøpe rundt deg for å få fred -
eller å gi andre fred. Matematikken bak systemet har vært kjent i mange
år, men det er først nå at forskerne har ser muligheten for at den til
brukes til noe praktisk. Problemet har så langt vært materialet som skal
brukes til å framskaffe effekten. Vanlig luft kan ikke brukes, og heller
ikke byggematerialer slik vi kjenner dem i dag.
Valencia-forskerne har utviklet noe de kaller for lydkrystaller («sonic
crystals»). Disse krystallene har den egenskapen at man kan endre deres
akustiske egenskaper etter behov. Forskerne ser for seg at de «akustiske
teppene» vil kunne bli til et kommersielt produkt i framtida. Militæret
vil også våre interessert, selv om vekta av «teppet» blir så høy at de
vil bli for tunge for eksempel for kjøretøyer og ubåter.
Isolering av leiligheter er et mer sannsynlig område for isolasjonsmaterialet. mens man i dag må bygge tjukke vegger av betong for å oppnå maksimal lydisolering, kan den nye krystall-teknologien bety at man kan nøye seg med tynne vegger og oppnå enda bedre effekt.
Visebølgen
Visebølgen er betegnelsen på en bevegelse som startet i siste halvdel av 1960-tallet. Gjennom flere epokegjørende plateutgivelser fra ledende viseartister som The Young Norwegians, Øystein Sunde, ASA, Ole Paus, Lars Klevstrand, Hege Tunaal, Lillebjørn Nilsen og Finn Kalvik fikk visebølgen sitt egentlige gjennombrudd omkring 1970.
Visesangen oppnådde enorm popularitet, og ble ungdomsmusikk i Norge, på lik linje med rock, pop, jazz, blues og beat. Også på de mange større konsertmønstringene og frikonsertene som fant sted i Osloområdet i løpet av våren og høsten 1971 sto visesangen side om side med andre musikkgenre. Det var en god blanding av visesangere, lyrikere, rockeband og jazzartister som opptrådte. Visesangerne kom gjerne alene på scenen, kun med en akustisk gitar, og kunne med fordel plasseres mellom band som måtte bruke tid på å få rigget opp mer utstyr for å få spilt. Ofte alternerte en da også mellom to scener, som lå slik i forhold til hverandre at publikum bare måtte vri litt på hodet for se dem begge.
Også i Norge skulle en snart ta etter de store konsertmønstringene i utlandet med (Woodstockfestivalen i 1969 og andre og tredje Isle of Wight-festival i 1969 og 1970, hvor artister som Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen, Donovan, Bob Dylan, Julie Felix, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Tom Lehrer, Melanie, Joni Mitchell og John Sebastian spilte på akustisk gitar for åpen mikrofon.
I Sverige og Danmark inntraff tilsvarende bevegelser nesten et decennium tidligere, men artet seg temmelig forskjellig fra den norske visebølgen.
Viima
Ajatuksia Maailman Laidalta
Hailing from Finland, there is not much information available about the band on their website other than Ajatuksia Maailman Laidalta is their debut album and that three members of the current line-up did not play on the recording! Indeed, only Kimmo Lähteenmäki (keyboards and drums) and Mikko Uusi-Oukari (guitars and flute) remain from the recording sessions, although it should be noted that these two musicians are responsible for the bulk of the writing. The two bass players featured on the album, Jarmo Kataja and guest performer Jankkee Kuismin, have been replaced by Aapo Honkanen and, more significantly, female vocalist Päivi Kylmänen position is superseded by the decidedly male Hannu Hiltula (who also plays flute and saxophone). The current line-up also features a permanent drummer, Mikko Väärälä, allowing Kimmo Lähteenmäki to concentrate on the keyboards.
Listening to an album sung entirely in Finnish was a new experience for me and, admittedly, quite an enjoyable one. The language is quite quirky but also rather poetic with the vocals handled delightfully by Kylmänen. The overall feel of the album tends towards a more folkish impression, particularly on opener Leijonan Syksy which has a light and breezy air that is all rather jolly. A couple of tidy and tuneful guitar solos are dispersed throughout the track with a dash of flute added to mix up the tonal qualities. Ajatuksia Maailman Laidalta is more piano based, unsurprising given that it was written by the keyboard player. Comparisons with early Renaissance are fairly apt and fans of that band and their ilk will find plenty to enjoy within these six songs. Ilmalaiva Italia starts as a gentle ballad with acoustic guitars supporting the vocals and keyboards providing atmospheric wind effects. However, once lulled into an easy state a duo of powerful electric guitars and then a heavy synth solo rip the song apart. The contrast is sharp and unexpected, as is the reversion back to acoustic form at the end of the song.
And so the album continues, interspersing acoustic folkish textures with more rakish electric components. Meri impinges close on Camel territory with its extended organ solo and vaguely Latimerish guitar solo separated by some Ian Anderson flutisms; Luuttomat, featuring guests flautist Anne Leinonen and also saxophonist Kimmo Alho, has a simple and rather gorgeous introduction leading into a more angular saxophone part which, initially seems rather out of place as it introduces a totally new atmosphere to the album. The cycle is repeated with some nice acoustic guitar work layering in some Robert Fripp-like angularity. Final song Johdatus wraps everything up in a concluding statement that reiterates the themes and styles displayed throughout the previous five songs - unerringly jolly and totally engaging, rather like The October Project in a few places. What impresses most about the album is the maturity of the writing and playing, which is very assured and confident throughout.
Inevitably the switching of genders of the lead singer will have a rather large impact on the sound of the band and how this will affect the direction the group takes remains to be seen. In many ways it is a bit of a disappointment as Kylmänen's voices suits the music perfectly, although that is being totally unfair to new singer Hiltula who has not had a chance to display what he can offer the band to a listening audience. On the whole, the album is very pleasant and suitable for those tranquil moments when one just wants the world to slip by.
Tracklist: Leijonan Syksy (6:27), Ajatuksia Maailman Laidalta (6:38), Ilmalaiva Italia (6:00), Meri (7:57), Luuttomat (5:57), Johdatus (9:31)
Vanden Plas
Christ 0
1st. Review
Vanden Plas, after a four-year break since the release of Beyond Daylight, have returned with Christ.0, arguably the best album of their career and one of the best albums of 2006 (it may be early in the year to be saying that, but I'll say it confidently anyway). For anyone unfamiliar with this phenomenal band, Vanden Plas combines a heavy and intense backbone (brothers Stephan and Andreas Lill on guitar and drums respectively, and Torsten Reichert on bass) with the accented and unique voice of Andy Kuntz and the light, airy keys of Gunter Werno. While comparisons can be drawn to elements of other progressive metal bands, Vanden Plas has crafted a sound all their own. Each album offers something unique and slightly different, but Vanden Plas is instantly recognizable to their fans.
For those familiar with Vanden Plas, Christ.0 is equal parts The God Thing and Andy's solo project Abydos. This album is best listened to as a whole, as the songs stand decently on their own but work best as pieces of a larger puzzle (for instance, the recurring theme in Postcard To God and Fireroses Dance is lost if one or the other song is singled out). Christ.0 is a concept album based on The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, a book I have not had the pleasure of reading in its entirety but have heard is among the greatest books ever written. The first few hundred pages of the book certainly support this argument, if I had had time to finish it I would comment more on the album's following of the storyline. As it is, all I can say is the album is composed with all the beauty, eloquence, and emotion the story was written with.
As mentioned above, this album blends the best elements of The God Thing and Abydos (especially the immense, bombastic orchestrations of the latter) with the refined sound and heavier approach of Beyond Daylight. Stephan's driving guitars propel this album forward, balanced by Gunter's lofty keys and supported by Andreas and Torsten's rock-solid rhythms. The real highlight, however, is Andy's melodic and powerful voice. While some find his accent distracting, or even annoying, it is the single element that got me hooked on Vanden Plas over five years ago (and subsequently made Abydos my favourite album ever). Something about Andy's voice simply carries more emotion than the "typical" progressive metal voice.
Although Christ.0 is best appreciated from beginning to end, there are certainly memorable moments that stick out. The opening track contains some of the catchiest moments on the album, which is appropriate, especially for a concept album. Again, I wish I had been able to read more of the book in time to do this review, but from what I have read this song makes several references to the story's main themes. The opening measures of Wish You Were Here, with their haunting keys, are another highlight, if admittedly brief. Silently uses some of the neatest harmonies on the album, and January Sun begs comparisons to Beyond Daylight (the song) and all its musical and emotional shifts. The requisite ballad, Fireroses Dance, brings the most beautiful six minutes of the album. The bonus track, Gethsemane, recalls the Far Off Grace album, and actually serves as a nice addition without seeming terribly out of place.
My personal love of this band aside, this progressive metal album is easily among the best (if not THE best) to come out so far this year. The use of symphonic elements, standard progmetal fare, and touches of older progressive rock (the band cites Kansas as an influence, and it shows) make this album shine, and the Monte Cristo theme is handled with energy and enthusiasm. Fans of the band, be sure to pick this up, it's Vanden Plas' best effort yet. Fans of the genre who are unfamiliar with Vanden Plas, if you want to acquaint yourself with the band this is the place to start. There's even enough orchestration to interest most symphomaniacs. If you're not sure about Andy's voice, check out the sound samples on the band's web site. Pick up a copy of Christ.0, perchance pick up a copy of The Count Of Monte Cristo, and get ready for a VERY intense experience.
2nd. Review
What a tremendous start of the year it has been. New albums from the likes of Queensrÿche, Evergrey, Andromeda and Green Carnation would have been enough for most fans of heavy progressive music. Add to that, releases from the likes of Platitude, Pyramaze, Red Circuit, Silent Voices and Age Of Reason and you certainly can’t complain about a lack of choice! Now, you can add to that list, the new offering from Vanden Plas. While the latest offering from Evergrey won my respect for trying something a little different, Christ 0 gets the plaudits for playing safe, but very, very sure.
If, like me, you are highly familiar with the band’s back catalogue, then listening to any of the nine tracks on offer, you will constantly hear riffs, melodies and vocal refrains that sound uncannily familiar. That’s not to say Christ 0 is just a rehash of old ideas and, overall, this is just about the heaviest, darkest and most symphonic effort from the band. But I think its fair to point out, that across the 70-odd minutes of music here, there is very little that even the most imaginative writer could describe as ‘new’. But as I said, Christ 0 will win acclaim for doing what the band does best – and in many cases, even better than they’ve ever done it before. And when you can write songs as comprehensively addictive as these, where’s the need to start reinventing the wheel?
Long regarded as Germany’s best and most important ProgMetal band, Christ 0 sees Vanden Plas at their creative peak. There’s a clear dramatic element added to the collection of songs this time around, clearly inspired by
Tracklist: Christ 0 (5:37), Postcard To God (6:19), Wish You Were Here (9:16), Silently (8:33), Shadow I Am (5:30), Fireroses Dance (6:05), Somewhere Alone In The Dark (5:32), January Sun (10:07), Lost In Silence (4:21), Gethsemane [Bonus Track](6:18)
Vision Divine
The 25th Hour
Vision Divine's fifth CD follows from exactly where the band’s last album left off. For that reason, there is very little I can say about the songs, other than to refer you to my review of The Perfect Machine.
Maybe this time around the song writing and melodies are not quite so sharp. Or maybe after two albums, (Stream of Consciousness was also in a similar vain), of ultra-melodic, ultra-heavy ProgPower metal, the attraction is beginning to wane. I’m not sure, but this hasn’t been getting as much time on my player, as it’s two predecessors. Having said all that, any set of songs with Michele Luppi singing on it, will always be worth a listen. There really is no-one else around who can nail this sort of music like he can. As on the previous two albums, the riffing of Olaf Thorsen is world class, as is the extended interplay between him and keyboardist Alessio Lucatti.
If it adds anything to your interest, The 25th Hour is apparently a concept album that follows up the story in Stream of Consciousness. It takes place 40 years afterwards and is basically an oddball exploration of the meaning of life. Oddly enough, it ends with the main character killing himself to escape the circle of life, breaking into the 25th hour, and ascending to heaven. I don’t really listen to Vision Divine for the lyrics, so didn’t really notice a concept until someone told me. I can’t say it’s the sort of story that will do much for me anyway – but each to their own.
So overall, this is still one the best ProgPower releases of 2007 from still one of the best bands in the business. If you enjoyed their last two albums, then depending on how much of the same thing you can still enjoy, this is a blind purchase. If you’ve not yet tried Vision Divine, then this is as good a place to start as any.
This year sees the band celebrate its 10th anniversary. However unless they update their approach, I think I’ll probably give the next album a miss. You can have too much of a good thing!
Tracklist: My Angel Died (0:52), The 25th Hour (5:34), Out Of A Distant Night (Voices) (5:28), Alpha & Omega (5:49), Eyes Of A Child (4:58), The Daemon You Hide (4:49), Waiting For The Dawn (1:47), Essence Of Time (4:43), A Perfect Suicide (5:21), Heaven Calling (3:38), Ascension (2:15)
Vis meg CD-platene dine, og jeg skal fortelle deg hvem du er.
Smak og behag er forskjellig, og sånn er det også med musikksmaken. Men tydeligvis ikke mer enn at vi kan deles inn i fire hovedkategorier av personlige og politiske holdninger, skriver danske BT.
Det er konklusjonen på en undersøkelse foretatt ved et universitet i Texas, hvor man fant frem til i alt 80 typer musikk, som ble samlet til 14 selvstendige stilarter. 2000 unge mennesker ble bedt om å gi poeng ut i fra hva de likte best. I tillegg skulle de vurdere sin personlighetstype og politiske forhold.
I en forbløffende grad klumpet besvarelsene seg rundt fire typer musikk:
Den tankefulle typen:
Klassisk, jazz, folk og blues. Følelsesmessig likevektig med et åpent
sinn. Mottakelige for nye inntrykk og ideer. Tilhørende den politiske
venstrefløyen, og med en IQ over gjennomsnittet.
Den intense typen:
Rock, heavy metal og alternativ musikk. Også åpne av sinn, men mer
selvhevdende og fysisk aktive enn den forrige gruppen. Ingen tydelig
politisk orientering. Nest høyeste score på IQ-testen.
Den konvensjonelle typen:
Pop, country, gospel og soundtracks. Utadvendte, vennlige og
samvittighetsfulle, normalt i bedre humør enn de andre
personlighetstypene, men mindre åpne. Hjemmehørende på den politiske
høyrefløy.
Den energiske typen:
Rap/hiphop, soul/funk og electronic dance. Utadvendte, men ikke spesielt
vennlige og samvittighetsfulle. Spontane, impulsive og meget
sportsinteresserte. Politisk litt til venstre for midten.
Van Der Graaf Generator
En sommerdag i 1967 på universitetet Haight-Ashbury i Francisco, ble trommisen Chris Judge inspirert til å skrive en liste over potensielle medlemmer for en rockeband han alltid hadde ønsket å stifte. Like etter at han reiste tilbake til universitetet i Manchester, begynte han å spille sammen med vokalisten og låtskriveren Peter Hammill, samt pianisten Nick Peame; og med ett navn fra listen til Chris Judge med i gruppen, formet de og døpte seg selv Van Der Graaf Generator. Navnet kommer fra en maskin som produserer statisk elektrisitet. De ble ganske snart et kultband, og videre det eminente kunstrockebandet de senere skulle oppnå høy status for i hele verden.
Tross den tidlige involveringen av Smith og Peame, ble gruppens suksess ene og alene dannet ut i fra Hammil som det viktigste hjulet på vogna. Hans mørke og ekstensielle tekster gjorde ham til midtpunktet i bandet, og han stod for det meste som ga bandet oppmerksomheten på den tiden. Etter at de slapp singelen "People You Were Going To" i 1968, forlot Judge Smith "Van Der Graaf Generator", som da bestod av Hammill, pianisten Hugh Banton, bassisten Keith Ellis og trommis Guy Evans. Resten av gruppen gikk raskt i oppløsning, og i 1968 gikk Hammill i studio for å spille inn en soloplate. Men det gikk ikke lange tiden før han inviterte eksbandmedlemmene inn i studioet for assistanse. Det var da albumet The Aerosol Grey Machine dukket opp, faktisk under gruppenavnet Van Der Graaf Generator.
Selv om Ellis ble byttet ut med Nic Potter og David Jackson, fortsatte de som en gjenopprettet gruppe i 1969 med albumet Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other. Etter albumet H to He, Who Am the only one i 1970, ga Potter opp sin posisjon i bandet. Men det var først etter albumet Pawn Hearts at den siste spikeren i kista for Van Der Graf Generator som band ble slått. Da forlot nemlig Hammill dem til fordel for sin solokarriere.
Etter fem soloproduksjoner formet Hammill på nytt Van Der Graf Generator i 1975, med innspillingen av albumet Godbluff. Etterfulgt av enda to album, henholdsvis Still Life og World Record, forlot Banton og Jackson gruppen i 1976. Deretter ble albumet The Quiet Zone, med fiolinisten Graham Smith, gitt ut under det enkle navnet Van Der Graaf. Etter en konsertsetting i 1978 ble gruppen offisielt oppløst for siste gang. Dog deltok mesteparten av medlemmene på flere av Hammills soloprosjekter. To ganger i løpet av nittitallet slo bandet seg sammen for engangsfremføringer.
Diskografi
1969 - The Aerosol Grey Machine - Studio Album
1970 - The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other - Studio Album
1970 - H to He, Who Am the Only One - Studio Album
1971 - Pawn Hearts - Studio Album
1972 - 68-71 - Boxset / Compilation
1975 - Godbluff - Studio Album
1976 - Still Life - Studio Album
1976 - World Record - Studio Album
1977 - The Quiet Zone / The Pleasure Dome - Studio Album
1978 - Vital Live
1982 - Time Vaults - Boxset / Compilation
1986 - First Generation (Scenes from 1969-1971) - Boxset / Compilation
1986 - Second Generation (Scenes from 1975-1977) - Boxset / Compilation
1988 - Now And Then (Van Der Graaf Generator / Jackson, Banton, Evans) - Boxset / Compilation
1993 - I Prophesy Disaster - Boxset / Compilation
1994 - Maida Vale (The BBC Radio One Sessions) - Live
1998 - The Masters Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo
2000 - The Box Boxset / Compilation
2003 - Godbluff Live 1975 - DVD / Video
2005 - Present - Studio Album
Legendene planlegger flere konserter, når og hvor vil du kunne finne på Peter Hammil`s offisielle hjemmeside: www.sofasound.com.
To cynics, the reunion of Van der Graaf Generator's classic lineup for its first album and gigs in 28 years might seem like fodder for a dodgy movie along the lines of Spinal Tap or Still Crazy. After all, the idea of reviving the spirit of the pre-punk '70s, when prog rock dinosaurs roamed the earth, isn't exactly the most appetizing musical proposition of 2005. But although the band's most memorable records (The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other [1970], H to He, Who Am the Only One [1970], Pawn Hearts [1971], Godbluff [1975], Still Life [1976] and World Record [1976]) certainly embodied many of prog's quintessential features, the band also stood out from the pack.
Van der Graaf Generator were always unorthodox. They formed in 1967 and split two years later, before the release of their debut album (after going through a handful of lineups and opening for Jimi Hendrix at the Royal Albert Hall). They got back together in late 1969, disbanded again in 1972, reconvened three years later, underwent a major personnel shuffle in 1977 -- shortening their name to Van der Graaf -- and called it quits a year after that. The recently reunited version of the group (1970-1976) eschewed not only guitar (with rare exceptions) but also bass: after the departure of bassist Nic Potter in 1970, organist Hugh Banton employed pedals to cover the bottom end, which was bolstered by drummer Guy Evans. According to sadly apocryphal claims, Banton's effects-laden organ doubled as an infrasound weapon and produced frequencies low enough to knock down walls. While VdGG had no ax hero, they did have a sax (and flute) hero in David Jackson, who blew his electronically enhanced horn (sometimes two of them at the same time) with Hendrixian gusto. And then there was Peter Hammill. Frequently sounding like an inmate escaped from Bedlam on Acid: The Opera, he was one of rock's more distinctive singers. Delivering bleak ruminations on isolation, torment, the duality of good and evil, death, and magick, all couched in quasi-mythic, often apocalyptic words, his voice ranged from deceptively soothing to frighteningly manic (like an aggrieved Dalek) -- sometimes in the same song. Hammill's mad psychodramas and highly idiosyncratic vocals left no room for ambivalence, usually determining whether a first-time listener would ever voluntarily put on a VdGG record again.
In their 1970s context, Van der Graaf Generator were a singular, often perplexing musical presence who suffered guilt by association with those prog rockers who committed very real aesthetic crimes. VdGG didn't entirely fit the prevailing art-rock mold, despite being on Charisma (the über prog label) and sharing some stylistic kinship with various hirsute contemporaries: a hybrid of rock, jazz, and classical music; intricate chord changes; tricky time signatures; epic, multipart songs; virtuoso musicianship; a helping of bombast; an unmistakable Englishness; and cerebral -- some would say pretentious and often absurd -- lyrics referencing William Blake, Hereward the Wake, necromancers, and the Malleus Maleficarum. Nevertheless, keyboard maestro Banton is still dubious about the usefulness of the prog label and emphasizes the heterogeneous nature of VdGG's sound: "I suppose it's inevitable that musical styles get grouped [but] I'm unclear quite where prog rock lies. In any case there is a vast difference between our approach on The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other compared with World Record down at the other end. Allegedly we invented the term 'Godbluff' in '75 to describe our particular mode of music making."
Whereas many of their peers continued on into ignominy after punk's year zero, Van der Graaf Generator were saved from anachronism in part by their essential nature, which was always one of discontinuity: the anarchic energy that made them unique was a double-edged sword, fueling them but also prompting interruptions in their ability to function as a band. According to Banton, "It was never hype to say that in the old days we always played very close to the edge, out on a limb -- musically and mentally -- and therefore also no coincidence that we split up several times . . . it really was very hard to sustain VdGG over long periods." Above all, it was VdGG's uncompromising pursuit of extremes that set them apart, especially live, with their willingness to leap from pastoral tranquility or brooding menace into the abyss of sonic terror (before you could say "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One"): "We swung away from [prog's] multi-keyboard/acoustic guitar soundwashes and developed a far harder edge," recalls Banton.
That proclivity for cacophony and chaos, as opposed to longevity and commercial reward (they didn't break even until around 1984), and an inability to understand the word "compromise" meant that Van der Graaf Generator had a surprising amount in common with the more interesting members of the subsequent punk and post-punk generations. Punk's rejection of musicianship, artistry, and complexity might have appeared diametrically opposed to VdGG's core characteristics, which were the very things the class of '76 supposedly sought to purge. However, something in their aesthetic definitely resonated with figures like Mark E. Smith, Howard Devoto, John Lydon, and Nick Cave, all of whom have expressed admiration for the band. Most famously, during a July 1977 Capitol Radio show, Lydon treated listeners to some of his favorite tunes: alongside surprising inclusions like Captain Beefheart and Tim Buckley, Lydon included a track from Peter Hammill's 1975 solo album Nadir's Big Chance, recorded with Banton, Jackson and Evans.
In hindsight, Banton is somewhat skeptical, feeling that punk's debt to Van der Graaf Generator "may have got exaggerated following John Lydon's oft-quoted comments." He does acknowledge that "when we weren't being over-clever in counterpoint-and-jazz world, we liked nothing better than to thrash on three or four chords. Still do! There's increasing evidence of this from Peter's Nadir's Big Chance and Godbluff onwards." Interestingly, though, while some punks might have identified with those noisier, anarchic tendencies (as well as with the band's largely overlooked humor), VdGG struck more of a chord with post-punk artists, who began to explore the sort of "over-clever," complex and decidedly un-punk sonic dimensions mentioned by Banton. Indeed, as Simon Reynolds suggests in Rip It Up and Start Again, post-punk -- with its more sophisticated, bohemian pedigree -- was another point on the continuum of 1970s art-rock (along with prog), whereas punk's populist, working-class rock 'n' roll and garage nostalgia was actually an aberration in that trajectory. A striking example of that continuity can be seen in Hammill's vocals and lyrics. There was certainly a lot of Hammill in Lydon's delivery, but stronger resonances could be heard in the more challenging and inventive music following punk. Swerving away from punk's collectivist, non-metaphoric, message-oriented songs, many post-punk lyrics began to sound very different, articulating an individualistic vision, more in line with the sort of complex and allusive, often dark and tormented existential romanticism favored by Hammill. Additionally, while punk singers were for the most part unremarkable, many of their post-punk counterparts had distinctive vocal identities which, like Hammill's, were far from conventional or orthodox.
Hammill's songwriting was crucial to the band's sound, especially its complexity. In Banton's view, "His lyrics are in a league of their own, and hence there are always unique ideas and images to latch on to in every number. Secondly, he often writes incomplete tunes, certainly incomplete arrangements, so we get free rein to musically elaborate. Third, he (inadvertently or deliberately?) writes strange time signatures, asymmetrical meters, etc.; it has often proved very difficult to find the logic and work out how to play certain things -- and equally hard to memorize it at first. And then we perversely set out to make it harder still . . . ."
Hammill, Banton, Jackson, and Evans have occasionally played together since 1976, but their performances have been limited to family parties and surprise appearances at a couple of Hammill's solo concerts. Prospects of a bona fide reunion have always seemed slim, particularly in light of Banton's comment in a 2001 interview that the former bandmates might come to blows were they to reconvene. However, as they began seeing each other with increasing and alarming regularity at ex-roadies' funerals, it began to seem like a good idea to reunite before it was too late. They kicked the possibility around via e-mail and, at a September 2003 meeting, took the decision to move ahead with plans, which were almost thwarted when Hammill suffered a heart attack that December. That further reminder of mortality "increased the imperative," according to Banton. With Hammill fit again, in February 2004 the four lugged their equipment to Pyworthy Rectory in Devon, England where they spent a week seeing if there was still VdGG music to be made.
"We deliberately played absolutely nothing from the old days all week . . . and improvs were very, very much a part of that process," recalls Banton. Any reservations they may have had quickly vanished as it immediately became clear that the band's original chemistry remained intact: "Basically there's a rush of natural communication that we don't seem to get when playing with anyone else," says Banton, "We all knew it would be OK in about one-and-a-half seconds." As for fisticuffs, "older and wiser" is Banton's verdict: "Amazingly we've got on really well, much easier than '76 on the whole." The sessions eventually spawned Present, an album comprising one disc of primarily song-based material and another of improvisations, although the band didn't originally intend to record material for public consumption: "We didn't set out to put out an album at all . . . it was just that we all own recording gear and linked it all up at Pyworthy just to have a record of the event for our own benefit. Crudest conditions -- no soundproofing or separation. It was some weeks later that it seemed that a CD or two might be possible."
Few would expect a band that's been on hiatus for nearly three decades to come up with something that's not horribly embarrassing and legacy-destroying. Present proves that it can be done. The album's strongest numbers sit well alongside earlier work and there's a sense of continuity from World Record. That said, the new material isn't a pastiche version of an older sound, and it's by no means outdated. The very idiosyncrasies that originally made Van der Graaf Generator's music refreshingly out of step with everything else stop Present from sounding anachronistic and produce the album's high points, tracks that re-harness the band's intense energy and its love of extremes: for instance, the low-tempo pastoral freakout "Boleas Panic," the vitriolic Blair-and-Bush-baiting waltz "Every Bloody Emperor," and the no-less vitriolic "Nutter Alert," which ratchets up the energy and finds Hammill at his possessed best. The album's overall feel isn't necessarily contemporary (and what does that mean in rock these days, anyway?) but timeless in the sense that VdGG have always inhabited an odd sphere of their own, out on the margins. Asked to account for the longevity to which Present attests, Banton is modest: "It certainly isn't premeditated and we just reacted to each other's musical input like we always did. So I suppose it's just the result of the 2005 versions of Banton/Jackson/Hammill/Evans interacting."
With Present in the pipeline, the band explored the possibility of gigs and eventually a May 2005 date at London's Royal Festival Hall was announced, selling out almost immediately. The prospect of fans with enormous expectations traveling from 27 different countries (some as far away as Brazil) might have been daunting, but Banton and Co. approached matters pragmatically: "Once we had committed we just had to get on with it and hope people liked the result . . . same as ever. We did a lot of homework, personally and collectively, because one essential thing for us was not to damage the legacy." The RFH date and subsequent performances have drawn a diverse audience, beyond the constituency of "tortured schoolboys," as Banton once described the band's first-generation fans: "Lots of younger people [show up], which is particularly gratifying. Whether they're tortured or not, I can't say! It's fantastic to find that people in their twenties, thirties, and forties have picked up on our stuff since we split up, when there was (apparently) no chance of ever hearing it live."
The majority of Van der Graaf Generator's 2005 concerts have taken place in continental Europe, where the band has always had a strong following. Although at home they never enjoyed the commercial success achieved by the likes of Yes, Genesis, and King Crimson, they've always fared well on the other side of the English Channel -- especially Italy, where Pawn Hearts actually reached #1 in '71 and Present recently made it to #36. Of their music's apparent appeal to mainland Europeans, Banton wryly offers: "There must be a latent Puccini/Verdi/Wagner element in how we sound." The continued support of the group's die-hard fans notwithstanding, Banton and his bandmates have been taken aback by the positive media response to Present and to their gigs, not just in prog-friendly venues but in the broader music press and, most notably, in "serious" British newspapers (e.g., The Guardian, The Independent, and The Times): "The press reaction this time around has surprised us in its uniformity," he says. "Back in the '70s it was always very polarized . . . maybe the world has caught up. Now that could be hype."
Versailles
The French four-piece Versailles takes the spirit of the classic French symphonics (Ange, Mona Lisa, etc.) and dresses it in a modern suit of heavy armor. Vocalist Guillaume de la Piliere links the present to the past, and although his voice is a bit more gravelly and uncontrolled than Christian Decamps (of Ange), it's still quite evident that there is a major influence here. Lyrics are all in French.
Guillaume is also the guitarist and flautist, and on the longer tracks he and the rest of the band stretch out and show what they are made of: a powerful symphonic based rock with a very French feel, dramatic and emotional. They do an excellent job on these instrumental passages, and nobly attempt to do some very complex licks, yet at times I get the feeling they are in a little over their heads. At their instrumental best (eg. the twenty minute "Une Saint Barthélémy Dévote" or the thirteen minute "Dégénérescence obsessionelle") they can call in all the powers and deliver a powerful rock based opus with a complex edge and gripping solos. Shorter tracks like "Exquisite Betise," "Avec Tous Mes Hommages" and "Viendra L'heure" call up the spirit of the past a bit more, due to their high degree of vocal content - yet the inclusion of both keeps the album from weighing down or becoming too lofty and poetic. An acoustic guitar instrumental "Jadis" flows nicely in the mix as well.
One complaint is of the sound quality, of concern only when everyone is playing at once - but which is probably when a listener wants to hear the most. The clarity suffers a bit at some of these power points, yet still it's not as bad as the original mix of Deus Ex Machina's Gladium Caeli. Overall, this is a winner, one I'm certain that most listeners would enjoy.
It's amazing how opinions on bands, even one or two, can sway you. This is French group Versailles' third album and by the reports of their first album Le Cathedrale Du Temps, I was led to stay far away. This opinion also affected my decision to originally pass on Don Giovanni which was declared by some as a big step up. Their third album is certainly one of the better retro-symphonic prog albums of the 90's. The band's first obvious influence is Ange, which is also evident by their contribution to the A Propos D'Ange compilation. Vocalist Guillaume De La Pilliere sounds quite a bit like Christian Decamps at times, yet not quite as strong or gifted. In fact some of the narration reminds me of the style on the Emile Jacotey album. Instrumentally, the music is excellent with a good mix of digital and analog (the mellotron is extremely effective here) keys, in a restrained powerful style comparable to Pink Floyd circa "Meddle" (parts of it are practically plagiaristic - check out the David Gilmour guitar lines a la "Echoes" in "Une Saint Barthelemy Devote" ) or classic Pulsar (Strands or Halloween). The music is dynamic, melodic, and well-constructed with diverse use of sounds and textures. By the time you get to the incredible 20 minute "Une Saint Barthelemy Devote", I'm sure most fans of 70's symphonic will be under its spell.
Vangelis
Vangelis er en artist som de fleste sikkert har hørt om, men kanskje ikke hørt så mye musikk fra. Soundtracket til 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise solgte jo svært så godt sommeren og høsten 1995, og dermed nådde nok den musikken de flestes ører, men Vangelis har komponert så mye mer enn dette, som de færreste har hørt, særlig fordi denne musikken ikke har blitt markedsført, d.v.s. det har heller ikke blitt gjort noen forsøk fra plateselskapene eller Vangelis selv på å markedsføre dem. Vangelis lager nemlig ikke musikk for å tjene penger, selv om han nå har tjent en respektabel sum med penger. Han sier at han ville ha lagd musikk uansett; det er en nødvendig del av livet hans.
Evangelos Odyssey Papathanassiou (som han egentlig heter) ble født 29. mars 1943 i Hellas, og oppvokst i Athen. Han begynte å komponere allerede som 4-åring. Foreldrene hadde et piano i huset, og dette satt han mye med. Ellers spilte han på det han måtte finne, og til å begynne med gikk det særlig i lokk og kjeler fra kjøkkenet. Han gjorde en offentlig fremføring av komposisjonene sine for første gang da han var 6 år.
Foreldrene hans ville at han skulle lære seg musikk med en profesjonell lærer, men Vangelis ville ikke følge instrukser. Han mente at dette var å låne kunnskap, mens det han syntes var viktigst, var å utvikle egne erfaringer. Han kan faktisk ikke noter til dags dato, for måten han lager musikk på, krever ingen notekunnskaper. Han sier at han setter seg ned og improviserer på keyboardet, og dermed er den nye sangen både komponert, arrangert og innspilt. Da er han ferdig! Det er vel kanskje ikke så rart at mange kaller ham et musikalsk geni?
I de tidlige 60-årene dannet han og noen andre gruppen Formynx. Denne gruppen hadde flere slagere i Hellas, og det var egentlig Formynx som bragte pop og rock til landet. Under de politiske omveltningene i Hellas i 1968, flyttet han til Paris. Der var han med på å danne gruppen Aphrodites Child. De ga ut noen hits ("Rain And Tears", "It's Five O'clock", "Spring, Summer, Winter And Fall") før de ble oppløst etter albumet "666" (som var inspirert av Johannes' Åpenbaring) i 1971. Så begynte hans solokarriere, og i 1974 hadde han tjent nok penger til å bygge et studio (eller laboratorium, som han selv kalte det). Nemo Studios kalte han det, og det ligger i London, ikke langt unna West End. Det første albumet innspilt der, ble Heaven And Hell. Her holdt han på i drøye 10 år. Det siste albumet fra Nemo, er så vidt jeg vet Rapsodies med Irene Papas (fra 1986). Tida i Nemo regnes av de fleste som Vangelis' gullperiode. Etter 1986 har han reist en del rundt, både i USA og i Europa. Til sammen har han gitt ut over 20 soloalbum og også noen samarbeidsalbum med Jon Anderson fra YES og den greske skuespillerinnen Irene Papas.
Vangelis spiller nå for tiden stort sett bare keyboard og synthesizere. Men særlig før i tiden spilte han også en del akustiske instrumenter, som f.eks. piano, orgel, trommer og fløyte. På mange av albumene sine har han også med seg andre folk som spiller ett eller annet akkustisk instrument, eller som synger. Men teknikken har altså til slutt gitt ham muligheter, slik at han nå kan få til det han vil nesten utelukkende med synthesizere. Som nevnt prøver Vangelis å lage musikk mest mulig spontant, d.v.s. komponere, arrangere, fremføre og spille inn samtidig. Dette er en av grunnene til at han foretrekker synthesizere, han kan jo ikke spille alle de akustiske instrumentene i et helt orkester samtidig. Han mener at elektroniske instrumenter ikke er noen erstatning for akustiske instrumenter, men heller et alternativ eller tillegg, og han ser for seg fremtidige orkestre der synthesizeren er med. Eksakt hvordan han komponerer musikken sin, er det vel få som vet, men jeg vil sitere Vangelis:
- Jeg fungerer som en kanal som musikk kommer igjennom fra et kaos av støy.
Vil forby døden
En brasiliansk borgermester vil rydde plass på kirkegården. Muligens en ide i samme slengen å påby folk å lytte til kvalitetsmusikk!
Ettersom kirkegården er full i byen Biritiba-Mirim i Brasil, er det et ekstra stort problem hver gang noen av bysbarn avgår ved døden.
Det har borgermester Roberto Pereira da Silva funnet en løsning for:
Han har likegodt gått hen og foreslått en lov som gjør det forbudt å dø.
Ifølge Ananova vil borgermesteren straffe slektninger av folk som dør før sin tid med bøter, eller endatil fengsel.
Loven vil også gjøre det til en forbrytelse for for byewns 28.000 innbygger ikke å ta ordemntlig vare på helsen sin.
Medlemskap på treningsstudioer i byen skal ha skutt i været etter at borgermesterens plan ble offentlig kjent, skriver Ananova.
