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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: "Flash" - 1971 to Present
    Posted: December 12 2017 at 18:50
Yeah, Mike...it can't be forced. The magic that happens by coming together is a delicate thing and it takes at least TWO to tango! In this case, it came down to just Ray.

Ray loves a band of peers, and the strong musical affinity and collaboration between him and Pete was apparently the driving force at the heart of what made Flash what it was. Colin and Mike contributed greatly but followed that heartbeat, more than led, and everybody was fairly okay with that in the early days (though Pete proved to be too personally troubled to be able to carry on). In those early days they might have been able to replace Pete with another powerhouse that clicked, but didn't. We'll never know.

The reunion, without Pete, wan't the same kind of 'coming together' with Ray and Colin. Ray felt he was pulling the cart alone. So the last album was less of a joint effort. He was willing to keep at it to see if things would improve, but Colin has literally disappeared. He lives in another part of the country and made no effort to carry on since completing the album. He didn't even reply to the festival invitation.

He says he's enjoying himself working on a solo album, as is Ray.

The question about 'could things improve' for Flash has answered itself! 

Ray would still like a band, but Flash isn't going to be it.
https://www.facebook.com/FlashFeaturingRayBennettColinCarter
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Points: 18301 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 12 2017 at 17:25
Thanks for the update Sherry. I'm sorry to hear that Flash is no more. I think some bands stick together just for the heck of it and while I'm glad that Flash did reunite if there is no reason to continue sometimes it's best just to appreciate what a band has done rather than try to force a reunion or continue to work together just because they feel they should.
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 12 2017 at 16:37
FLASH UPDATE:

Flash was invited to play at Progtoberfest 2018 in Chicago but has declined. 

After their reunion debut at ProgDay 2010 and their 2013 release, "Flash featuring Ray Bennett & Colin Carter" which both received good reviews, the two remaining founding members went their separate ways. Ray was still keen, but Colin says he's lost interest. So it looks like this is the end of the Flash saga.

Both Ray and Colin are currently working on solo projects.
https://www.facebook.com/FlashFeaturingRayBennettColinCarter
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Points: 7275 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2015 at 00:04
Originally posted by sherrynoland sherrynoland wrote:

Bet you haven't heard this for a while, if ever—a bit of classic Flash...an unusual acoustic number with some very nice guitar noodling by Peter Banks and not one of Ray's favorite vocals; but still, a charming, catchy tune, and very original.



Thanks, Sherry!  That has always been one of my favorite Flash songs!  
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 23 2015 at 00:39
Bet you haven't heard this for a while, if ever—a bit of classic Flash...an unusual acoustic number with some very nice guitar noodling by Peter Banks and not one of Ray's favorite vocals; but still, a charming, catchy tune, and very original.
https://www.facebook.com/FlashFeaturingRayBennettColinCarter
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 18 2015 at 03:17
Ray and Rick running through "Hurt" from the new CD...



Edited by sherrynoland - March 18 2015 at 03:19
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 01 2015 at 18:56
Don't know how long this will be available, but youtube has posted all the tracks from the new CD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18F4jNLeFoY&list=PLcwO--AyHw0TyDF5maE7LFGH4wCVyZPon




Edited by sherrynoland - March 02 2015 at 05:18
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 01 2015 at 17:14
*****
5.0 out of 5 stars A PROGRESSIVE MASTERPIECE, February 21, 2015

This Amazon review is from Ken:

Flash Featuring Ray Bennett & Colin Carter (Audio CD)

"If you're a Flash fan, you can be confident that this is a worthy entry in their discography - maybe even their best. If you are a fan of Yes, early Genesis, Asia, Nektar, Glaserbeam, or UK, this is an excellent introduction to Flash. Tracks 1, 3, and 5 alone are reasons to buy the disc - I was grinning ear-to-ear at the impossibly complex arrangements, clean production, and top-notch musicianship.

And a nod to Amazon for suggesting this when I bought the newest Nektar CD, because I otherwise wouldn't have known that Flash had re-formed."

http://www.amazon.com/Featuring-Ray-Bennett-Colin-Carter/dp/B00BY8DLF8/ref=zg_bs_tab_pd_bsnr_3



Edited by sherrynoland - March 18 2015 at 03:06
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 07 2014 at 00:02
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

In my experience, when you hear something totally new and original, there are colors, movies, and so much inside my head, that all you can do is sit and go ... wow ...


I like that, Moshkito.
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 01 2014 at 14:02
From "In The Can"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OWoRZmGrEM
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 29 2014 at 15:22
Originally posted by sherrynoland sherrynoland wrote:

Got a nice letter from a fan...

Hello Colin and Ray,

I just wanted to share an experience from the distant past and hope you enjoy...

A Flash story,

It was the early 70s, I was a high school student and played bass guitar (Gibson walnut SB 450) and was visiting Jones County Junior College during homecoming weekend. By chance a guitar player who was a JCJC student and I crossed paths. The guitar player was a local guitar god who played a Gibson Les Paul when it was a big deal to own a Les Paul. We were discussing music and bands when he told me about a impressive new band. He wanted me to hear this band, so we walked to his Mazda RX-3. This car had a rotary engine which was cool in those days. We go for a drive and he puts Flash In The Can eight-track tape in and cranks up the volume on his Craig eight-track player. I hear this tight hard rock band crank out of the speakers. The music reminded me of a muscular Yes combined with the power of the Who. After hearing this exciting new sound, I was hooked on Flash. ~ Charles Laseter


Just wanted to bring this onto the new page...
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moshkito View Drop Down
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Points: 17529 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 29 2014 at 10:55
Originally posted by sherrynoland sherrynoland wrote:

I played some "new progrock" for Ray last night and he said to me, "If you're not evolving, you become part of the furniture."

He went on to say (I'm paraphrasing now), the only place NEW music comes from is WITHIN an individual.

I say, that's why when you hear truly original music, you can recognize the artist (not a genre). They sound like no one else.
...
 
 
I agree with this whole heartedly. And things get even worse when we get stuck on a top ten mentality which is something I fight vociferously here on PA ... when there is a discussion about top 5, or Big 5 ... which to me is like saying that we're not people, and we have no talent and we can not play music! Those 5 have to be the "gods", and everyone else has to go read the book!
 
Sorry. With apologies for the joke!
 
The inner work, might not exactly be "original" per se, when you write it down on a piece of paer and such, but there is a side of the rock music, that came alive in the last 50 to 60 years, and be it a following of the blues or jazz or whatever, the "feeling" is not something that you can put down on paper, and it was one of the greatest discussions about the differences between the well known orchestra conductors 50 years ago!
 
In my experience, when you hear something totally new and original, there are colors, movies, and so much inside my head, that all you can do is sit and go ... wow ... sort of like the very first time you took this or that and saw all the colors and looked at the chair the same way that Aldous Huxley did. The experience will forever burn in your memory, because it is so strong and special.
 
All of these have their inner value to your experience, and in my thoughts, your inner beauty is tied to the ability to perceive, and understand that part of you, which is ALSO a valid part of you, that we tend to think is not a valid part. How can a part of your body not be a valid part of your body?
 
It's all one, and my "theory of relativity" of sorts where all of it, somehow comes together and lives within the same atmosphere and place!


Edited by moshkito - June 29 2014 at 11:06
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 29 2014 at 02:45
Got a nice letter from a fan...

Hello Colin and Ray,

I just wanted to share an experience from the distant past and hope you enjoy...

A Flash story,

It was the early 70s, I was a high school student and played bass guitar (Gibson walnut SB 450) and was visiting Jones County Junior College during homecoming weekend. By chance a guitar player who was a JCJC student and I crossed paths. The guitar player was a local guitar god who played a Gibson Les Paul when it was a big deal to own a Les Paul. We were discussing music and bands when he told me about a impressive new band. He wanted me to hear this band, so we walked to his Mazda RX-3. This car had a rotary engine which was cool in those days. We go for a drive and he puts Flash In The Can eight-track tape in and cranks up the volume on his Craig eight-track player. I hear this tight hard rock band crank out of the speakers. The music reminded me of a muscular Yes combined with the power of the Who. After hearing this exciting new sound, I was hooked on Flash. ~ Charles Laseter
https://www.facebook.com/FlashFeaturingRayBennettColinCarter
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 26 2014 at 15:59
On behalf of troops everywhere...past, present and future—

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q0Eyw3l3XM
https://www.facebook.com/FlashFeaturingRayBennettColinCarter
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 25 2014 at 15:12
Moshkito,

I think Dellinger was trying to tell you that the questions and comments above (and below) were from me, not him.

I was asking where you saw that quote from Pete...

Originally posted by sherrynoland sherrynoland wrote:

Thanks for your comments, Moshkito, I know you enjoyed those covers! But I'm confused. You said:

Originally posted by Moshkito Moshkito wrote:

I just took a trip back in time ... got the first album and enjoyed it! One of the liner notes is kinda funny ... what do I need a keyboard for it when I can play the part on the guitar also ... and Peter DOES!


Flash had Tony Kaye as a guest on keys on their first album. I assumed you read that liner note from Pete on a later album, or reissue. Ray tells me there were no quotes on any of the first three Flash studio album covers. I know Pete said it later, but where did you see it?

As for Moraz, or another keyboardist joining Flash, "feeling like part of the family" is code for "can get along and work well with everybody" as well as being super-talented. That would have been essential and I think Patrick's demeanor upon meeting them didn't bode well. As it turned out, there was only room for one ego in Flash—Pete's. Unfortunately, that's why Pete was never successfully in any band for very long.


On the point about having a keyboard player, or not, Ray says, aside from having no mic on the bass so it's virtually inaudible, the live recording of "Flash In Public" recently released reminded him of how much better they might have sounded—fuller, richer— with keys. As on their studio recordings though, it would have to be done right. This time around, they have an excellent keyboardist.
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moshkito View Drop Down
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Points: 17529 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 25 2014 at 10:55
Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

...
It seems the editing of the posts you were trying to reply to are a bit confusing. I didn't say any of that, as the quote boxes sugest, bur it was rather Sherry
 
Fixed. Sorry about that.
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Dellinger View Drop Down
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Points: 12732 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 24 2014 at 22:09
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:


 
Did you buy a vinyl reissue, or a CD?
...


 

Pal ... I had that album cover on my wall for over 10 years!

 

Along with Capability Brown's Voice

 

Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:


...

Ray says Flash managed live without keyboards and was so energetic they got by, but he thinks it was a bad decision to carry on without and they would have been better with Moraz who auditioned, or someone like him.

 

I don't think so. I think there would have been a clash of ideas that would eventually hurt more than it would help. I just thought that YES, should have been more respectful and kept Patrick for at least 3 or 4 more albums, but sadly, it didn't happen, probably because of the egos involved. And YES went to a pop'ish concept from there, which might have suggested that Patrick was way too intelligent musically speaking to even be with FLASH. And Peter saying that he could play all the keyboard parts, would not help matters.

 

Keyboards ARE, and WERE, grossly over rated, because of the grandiosity of its sound that could over power a guitar and singer real quick. But the number of bands that deserve more respect in a progressive discussion are not getting it, because we can't get past the "sound" with the leyboards! We refuse to accept the "same concept" and "idea" with different instruments, EVEN, playing the same part, as Peter suggests. That would make his band FAR MORE progressive than a lot of our favorites, but no ..... we go for the sound, not the music.

 

The "sound" should never, be a part of the definition!


It seems the editing of the posts you were trying to reply to are a bit confusing. I didn't say any of that, as the quote boxes sugest, but it was rather Sherry

Edited by Dellinger - May 25 2014 at 20:26
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 24 2014 at 15:36
Thanks for your comments, Moshkito, I know you enjoyed those covers! But I'm confused.

Originally posted by Moshkito Moshkito wrote:

I just took a trip back in time ... got the first album and enjoyed it! One of the liner notes is kinda funny ... what do I need a keyboard for it when I can play the part on the guitar also ... and Peter DOES!


Flash had Tony Kaye as a guest on keys on their first album. I assumed you read that liner note from Pete on a later album, or reissue. Ray tells me there were no quotes on any of the first three Flash studio album covers. I know Pete said it later, but where did you see it?

As for Moraz, or another keyboardist joining Flash, "feeling like part of the family" is code for "can get along and work well with everybody" as well as being super-talented. That would have been essential and I think Patrick's demeanor upon meeting them didn't bode well. As it turned out, there was only room for one ego in Flash—Pete's. Unfortunately, that's why Pete was never successfully in any band for very long.
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Points: 17529 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 24 2014 at 14:20
Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

 
Did you buy a vinyl reissue, or a CD?
...
 
Pal ... I had that album cover on my wall for over 10 years!
 
Along with Capability Brown's Voice
 
Originally posted by Sherrynoland Sherrynoland wrote:

...
Ray says Flash managed live without keyboards and was so energetic they got by, but he thinks it was a bad decision to carry on without and they would have been better with Moraz who auditioned, or someone like him.
 
I don't think so. I think there would have been a clash of ideas that would eventually hurt more than it would help. I just thought that YES, should have been more respectful and kept Patrick for at least 3 or 4 more albums, but sadly, it didn't happen, probably because of the egos involved. And YES went to a pop'ish concept from there, which might have suggested that Patrick was way too intelligent musically speaking to even be with FLASH. And Peter saying that he could play all the keyboard parts, would not help matters.
 
Keyboards ARE, and WERE, grossly over rated, because of the grandiosity of its sound that could over power a guitar and singer real quick. But the number of bands that deserve more respect in a progressive discussion are not getting it, because we can't get past the "sound" with the leyboards! We refuse to accept the "same concept" and "idea" with different instruments, EVEN, playing the same part, as Peter suggests. That would make his band FAR MORE progressive than a lot of our favorites, but no ..... we go for the sound, not the music.
 
The "sound" should never, be a part of the definition!



Edited by moshkito - May 25 2014 at 10:55
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sherrynoland View Drop Down
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Points: 377 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 22 2014 at 02:09
Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

Originally posted by sherrynoland sherrynoland wrote:


Ray says Flash managed live without keyboards and was so energetic they got by, but he thinks it was a bad decision to carry on without and they would have been better with Moraz who auditioned, or someone like him.


Interesting. I guess it would have been great if indeed thay had taken Moraz in. Perhaps he would have fared better than with Yes, given that the story of how he was kicked out was rather unpleasant.


The story goes, Moraz came backstage after a Flash gig all decked out, with a woman on both arms and said, "I should be in your band!" I wonder if he remembers that? :) Nobody knew him or had heard him play, and were a bit put off. Mike, the drummer, went home with him and reported back that he was a good player. But in the end, they'd gotten used to just the four of them and felt it would be odd to bring in someone new.  Tony Kaye was asked to join because he felt like part of the family.
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