From Andy’s Facebook page:
It seems I have been quiet for years… but it’s not years.. it’s decades now. I have most of my Facebook friends because I am a musician, not a political commentator – something at which owing to my naivete I don’t really excel. It was for the MUSIC, not the politics that most of you reading this once clicked a button, and with people here from all political persuasions it seemed unfair to use the small popularity I had gained as a muso as some kind of battering ram for my political beliefs. Even the mild political posturing that can be found in songs like “Four Egos, One War” which I wrote during the Saddam era Iraq conflict brought a few accusations of being overtly politically pompous. I get a bit ( a LOT) frightened by Facebook etc, and I’ve always been aware that there are Right Wingers, devout Christians, Muslims, Loony Lefties (like me), Atheists, Bankers, Professors Of Conservative Thought, Anarchists, Ex Hippies and Vicars who enjoy the music of the band. We have one fan who regularly addresses the House Of Congress in Washington and a wonderful young woman who lives in the heart of Tehran. And yes. We have an MP. And no, I won’t tell you who, or how s/he’s voting. I just hope s/he is sneaking a look at FB during the boring bits. The only clue you can have is that, given the type of music I play, you’re not looking at a young one.
All of those people came to The Tangent because of the music. They didn’t come to wave a flag for left or right politics. And so I have always tried to be fair and let people enjoy the music without pestering them to follow my own personal ideologies. If GFDD or Po90 had been as succesful I wouldn’t have baulked. Just TODAY I want to say more than “we’ve got a new album coming” or “I’m excited about some tour” and actually use this terrifying whirl of the internet in 2015 to say something that matters to me.
Forget all the left/right economy stuff, – today it’s one political and spiritual ideology that matters. PEACE. For everyone in my generation who didn’t lunch with the Bullingdon set, the peace movement spawned some of the greatest artists of the past century. For somone like me, a lifetime of listening to Bob(s) Dylan and Marley, Joni, Yes, Roger Waters’ Pink Floyd, Gang Of Four, Gong, Joan, The Slits, Chumbawamba, The Pop Group, The Clash, Billy Bragg, John Lennon, and K-Tel Superstars “Many Many More” has made its mark. .. and even reading the Bible stories of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai and the Sermon On The Mount where Peacemakers and “The Meek” come off pretty damn well. (Yes Atheists DO read the Bible AND take note!)
Those two Bible references are pretty close to the the HARD CORE of Biblical teaching. They are not peripheral stuff. The first of them has “THOU SHALT NOT KILL” (with no caveats or conditions, exemption clauses etc) at number 6 in possibly the FIRST ever Top Ten in history. Me, if I’d written it, I’d have had it at number one above all the stuff about observing the Sabbath – but number 6 is pretty good. I wish it was as high in governments’ technical manuals.
Yes, I’m a lefty. Always was, always will be. Had just two posters on my bedroom wall when I was a student. David Jackson and Tony Benn. I’ve never hated people who disagree with me, have best friends who are so much further to the right of what I believe, and further to the left too. But SO MANY of my friends, no matter from what political persuasion are INTO the music by the musicians I have mentioned above.
Today, a rather humble meek peacemaker, a white haired 60 odd year old bloke with an “unfashionable jacket” and definitely non-hipster beard will take the message of the great artists we have grown up with into the hugely traditionalist institution of the British House Of Commons. The philosophies of those great writers will be in his mind as he speaks.. with the powerful hostility of the UK press and media against him along with so many people who over the past 20 years were able to have a Tory career in Government and send people to fight for us in highly questionable campaigns without actually having to name themselves Tories. It’s quite likely that he will lose although miracles DO happen. Equally likely that the summation of Joni’s songs along with the whole Woodstock dream, The Anarcho Punk Dream, The Summer of Love Dream in his head will end up being referred to as “Terrorist Apologism” by the leaders of the country’s government and media. The damnation this man receives in the media reminds me of the reaction when Dylan went Electric. A key moment, not properly appreciated at the moment of its birth.
All I can say, if you have ever loved the songs of Mitchell, Crass, The Chumbas, Yes (Think about the lyrics to “The Gates Of Delirium”), Daevid Allen, and Gong (listen to OILY WAY TODAY) Pink Floyd (surely one of the most consistently popular media products of all time) – if these songs were to you MORE than just a nice tune for getting stoned to, then TODAY is the day when another bloke who was listening too, is gonna take that message and get it heard in the main chamber of Government.
One can never predict history – but I’d like to think that in half a century, nearly everyone old enough to remember today will say that “they were with Jeremy Corbyn that day”. I won’t even mind if they are lying. It doesn’t matter. FORGIVENESS is 100 percent absolutely EVERYTHING. Peace, Love to everyone – including everyone who flames me, unfriends me or rips me to pieces. Andy DisKdrive. Again.
An outstanding performance by the boys from Norway. Even through tricky time signatures that require lockstep coordination of playing, Gazpacho delivers an emotional and beautiful show. Jan Henrik Ohme’s vocals are spellbinding – delicate and tremulous one minute, powerful and commanding the next. While he’s caressing the microphone, his bandmates play their hearts out. Songs I thought I knew take on new meaning and accessibility. This set is a perfect introduction to someone curious about this somewhat enigmatic and definitely magical group.
As light as Gazpacho is dark, Glass Hammer has been riding a high for the past few years – Ode To Echo and The Breaking Of The World are both instant classics. Double Live features the best cuts from those albums, as well as a terrific rendition of the epic “The Knight Of The North”. Steve Babb and Fred Schendel have been together so long they are telepathic onstage. Aaron Raulston is excellent on drums while Kamran Alan Shikoh has matured into an astonishingly inventive guitarist. Carl Groves is the best male vocalist GH has ever had, and Susie Bogdanowicz steals the show with her performance. No fancy camera work here – the music and performance are strong enough to speak for themselves.
This is a fine collection of Spock’s Beard tracks. The first disc features the best of the “Neal Morse Years”, while disc two has six tracks from Beard versions 2 and 3 (featuring Nick D’Virgilio and Ted Leonard) and a new epic featuring a big reunion of everyone. You might think that losing your lead vocalist and sole songwriter would mean the end of a band, but the Beard is nothing if not resilient. The songs from the post-Morse era certainly hold their own against anything from the first six albums. I wish they had included “The Great Nothing”, but there’s only so much space on a compact disc! Of course, long-time Beard fans want to know how the new epic, “Falling Forever” stacks up. To my ears, it’s a pleasant listen, but not particularly memorable. It’s clear that Neal’s path has diverged from the Beard’s, and each camp has its own strengths that don’t necessarily mesh into a powerful whole anymore. The DVD features performances from 1997’s Progfest interspersed with contemporary interviews of the band. It’s illuminating for the hardcore fan, but not essential.
Phenomenal growth from this band. As mentioned in the interviews included in the Blu-ray, the first album had the members somewhat tentative about critiquing each other, while during the recording of Second Flight they were much more collaborative. This is set is a terrific performance that showcases the talents of each member. Casey McPherson is a very confident frontman, and an amazing vocalist. Steve Morse’s guitar work is jaw-dropping good, and Dave LaRue almost steals the show with his bass solos. Mike Portnoy is, as usual, controlled chaos on the drums. Neal Morse plays more of a supporting role in this group, keeping in the background for the most part. “Cosmic Symphony” and “Mask Machine” are highlights, while the segue from “Colder Months” into “Peaceful Harbor” is one of the most beautiful musical moments I’ve ever heard. The quality of the Blu-ray is top-notch, both in sound and video. An excellent choice for the prog fan who enjoys the likes of Boston, or even classic Journey.
Which brings us to the big release of the year: Rush’s R40 Live. I have every live DVD Rush has released, and this isn’t the best performance. But there is something so special about this show that it will probably be the one I return to most often. There were times I caught myself thinking, “Gosh. they are looking old!”, but then I had to remind myself they’ve given of themselves so generously for 40 years. 40 years! How many bands have kept the same lineup for that long, and are still talking to each other? ZZ Top is the only one that comes to mind. The fact that this show is from Toronto makes it even more moving.
Progarchy 