Entertainment For Lively Minds
In Praise of Vulpes Vulpes
There's been a lot of talk of chippiness on the blog of late, which is a shame, but these things happen so I'm not going to weep and wail.
What I *would* like to do, however, is to remind y'all ( and I know most of you don't need reminding) of how brilliant this blog and those who sail in it can be.....
Recently, by the grace of Mike H, I really got into prog. Whether it's your cup of tea or not isn't really the issue and nor do I seek to mount a defence of the genre: it enjoys a healthy popularity round these parts anyway.
The point is that when I posted saying how much I was loving it and asked for some recommendations, in addition to some great shouts from the Massive, Mr. Vulpes Vulpes offered to send me a sampler if I was interested.. Well, it goes without saying I nearly took his hand off in my enthusiasm to accept such a decent offer.
Nevertheless, I was not expecting the BLOOMIN' MASTERPIECE that came through my letterbox on Wednesday evening.... Not a duff track on it: a double cd - stuffed with gems I'd never known or heard, a musical education, lavishly presented in a fantastically designed sleeve and with ace ( and very very funny) sleevenotes. I've been lost in this labyrinth of excellence for nigh on two days and it's gonna take me some time to get out...
maybe this post would have been more suited to a DM ( and Foxy, I will DM you this weekend) but I just felt that a timely reminder of the amazing good nature, kindness and creativity of the Massive was in order.
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Nice post
.
Yeah, Vulpes
great guy
Good on him!
Track listing please!
At work
But will post tracklisting tonight.
Nice
Any man who introduces others to the joys of prog is a good man in my eyes.
I just thought of something spectacularly stupid...
A collaboration between the archetypal prog artist in residence and a former olympic champion. A range of posters depicts a young woman ice skating across frozen seas and lakes bordered by all manner of bizarre rock formations. Torvill and Dean make a fortune.
Call yourself a 'Head' Vorgongod?
A real Progressive Head would know all the tracks and bands in running order, which albums the tracks are from and probably the times too.
Pffff!
blushes (King) Crimson
'Tis true, 'tis true, but in mitigation I have only just begun my Voyage of the Acolyte. I promise to be quoting you catalogue numbers by Christmas!
He only got them on Wednesday evening
Thats around 36 hours. He's only listened to the first three tracks.
He gets a thumbs up from me..
..and all.
My cap is happily doffed...
...to the Vulpmeister: a true and noble Ambassador of Massivery.
I think, though, that it was always ordained that you, Vorgongod, would be a traveller on the mothership Prog - after all, your very nom de plum could hardly sound more like that of a progressive rock band if it tried! :-)
A Cosy Ten Minutes.
This made me chortle. Friend was telling me when he used to play in a prog rock band, on stage during a number he said he would end up checking his watch to see if he was nearing the end of the song: 'yep, got another good ten and a half minutes with this one'.
Yes, and nice post too, there is good in this world..
Geoff Muldaur...
...tells a story in his current live act of seeing Muddy Waters in concert one time where - and this is, of course, funnier and more easily demonstrable in person - Muddy is doing a thing in 'I'm A Man' or somesuch involving bits of 'mmmmmm, yeah...' vocalising in between the riffs and 'jazz hands' in the air a la Al Jolson/'praise the lord'. Except that, as the hands go up for their near-contractual wobble in the air Muddy makes a fist of his left hand, twists the wrist towards him and surrepticiously glances at his watch. Then back to the riff and the mojo hands, black cat moans, etc Even Muddy had his clock-watching moments, it seems.
V V
All I can add is a hearty Hear Hear , having been also shown similar kindness by V V .
In praise of Neil Aldritt
I have benefitted from the generosity of another reader from this parish, Neil Aldritt, who read something I had posted about seeing Steely Dan at Hammersmith in 2000
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/whats-best-sounding-concert-youve-...
Blow me down if he didn't send me a recording of that very gig. I've never met Neil, but I hope to reciprocate soon and buy him a beer if I ever get the chance.
Hear Hear from here also
I'd certainly agree with this sentiment and have also been the recipient of VV kindness - on posting about the Buckingham Nicks album being one of those long lost that I'd love to see on CD, said album was sent all the way across the world to me in Singapore,
The sling I owe is waiting anytime.....
Shucks.
You're all too kind. I love sharing music. Doing the Prog thing for Vorgongod was a blast.
In case anyone's interested, and to save VG from going blind trying to transcribe it from the CD case, which used a font size that required imaginary numbers, here's the track listing below. By the way, for the front cover, I half-inched one of pencilsqueezer's gorgeous paintings.
I know there are a hundred things missing, and a dozen alternatives to every choice, but it's a start, and was designed to give a flavour, not deliver the definitive comp.
CD1
Yours Is No disgrace / Yes
Summer Weekend Of A Lifetime / Cressida
Mother Goose / Jethro Tull
Prelude: Song Of The Gulls / King Crimson
Hocus Pocus / Focus
Pentecost Hotel / Nirvana
Children / Jonesy
The Return Of The Giant Hogweed / Genesis
Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) / Procul Harum
Share It / Hatfield & The North
Dearg Doom / Horslips
Fugue In D Minor / Egg
Nimrodel/The Procession/The White Rider / Camel
For Absent Friends / Genesis
CD2
Golf Girl / Caravan
Tears & Pavan / The Strawbs
Temple Song / Greenslade
Flight Of The Ibis / McDonald & Giles
Pentagruel's Nativity / Gentle Giant
The Salmon Song / Steve Hillage
Crying In The Dark/King Of Twilight / Nektar
Piece Of Mind / Curved Air
Reprieved / Cressida
Nanogram (live) / England
Song Of The Wind / Santana
Prog Had To Happen To Make This Possible / ???????
Toodle pip!
I always wanted a list like that
Fair play to you!
I'd say the Vulpmeriser...
...is on his way to this year's 'reader of the year' award, or Supreme Massivista or whatever it's called.
Any disagreements out there?
none from this quarter
And for all you completists, the mystery track at the end is actually Pure Shores by All Saints - and funnily enough, it fits like Cinderella's slipper! Thanks again VV. I'm off now to listen to the wanking goblin coda of Focus's Hocus Pocus.
This was my music..
at the age of about 15, must be fantastic for you to be discovering Yes and King Crimson etc. 40 years down the line. Also had to smile at All Saints, a good little radio hit - that Vulpes is some hero, eh?
Wanking goblin!!
(slaps thigh)
And thanks to the magic
of modern technology, here's the majority of those tracks in a handy Spotify playlist:
http://open.spotify.com/user/coupey/playlist/6fF7vRg176DKpWuOzYPS1P
Agree
Couldn't agree more. Posting in from wet cold France here. VV is a top bloke from whom I have had many an audio treat. I should also mention Colin H who gave me his splendid album, and also gems from Big Stevie Cook and El Hombre Malo. Plus someone, I am ashamed to say I can't remember who, gave me some top Govt Mule which I listen to regular like. Luv you all *heart*
The Spirit Of Vulpes in two words...
...is 'Share It'! CD1 Track 10 of his exemplary progthology. Here's the Hatfield's doing it half a lifetime later: