Barclay James Harvest... |
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Alagithil
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 10 2005 Status: Offline Points: 122 |
Posted: January 30 2006 at 20:29 |
About to initiate, with 1974's Live. I'll give you word of my opinion. But would u call them a mid-point between the Moodies and the Strawbs? |
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Life is like an avantgarde play because tuna. |
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Trotsky
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 25 2004 Location: Malaysia Status: Offline Points: 2771 |
Posted: January 30 2006 at 23:43 |
A great band with many excellent tunes, although definitely not on the more challenging end of the prog spectrum! I actually have a soft spot for some very early singles like Early Morning, Brother Thrush, Mother Dear and of course, the incomparable Mocking Bird ... First song I ever heard was Child Of The Universe ... something special too ... |
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"Death to Utopia! Death to faith! Death to love! Death to hope?" thunders the 20th century. "Surrender, you pathetic dreamer.”
"No" replies the unhumbled optimist "You are only the present." |
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rupert
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 18 2006 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 610 |
Posted: February 25 2006 at 13:24 |
Hi Andrea, i still don't own a P.C. and this is the first "Forum" I've entered... glad to know it makes you happy that I did ! Hope that John & Woolly will come to germany this year, too... I had 3 ( three ! ) attempts at writing a review to "Live Tapes" anyone can read and it didn't work. That's funny cause I still think it's best ! LOVE; |
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...I'm a musician/singer/songwriter, visit me on www.reverbnation.com/rupertlenz and there you can choose from 125 recordings you can listen to ( for free ) if you're not limited to prog-rock !
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Andrea Cortese
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 05 2005 Status: Offline Points: 4411 |
Posted: February 26 2006 at 04:53 |
What a pity you don't own a pc, Rupert. I need your help here!! BTW, excellent work on reviews!! |
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Fragile
Forum Senior Member Joined: June 27 2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 1125 |
Posted: February 26 2006 at 08:51 |
I really liked Barclay James harvest for a short period in time.Their 1974 live album is as some have said a very good live album.That's where my problem with them began they played Glasgow around that time and the show hardly lasted 70 minutes.Thereafter they became a bit too wishy washy for me.I like the Barclay James harmless Baldfriede |
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Easy Livin
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: February 21 2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 15585 |
Posted: February 26 2006 at 11:07 |
I remember that gig at the Apollo Fragile, I think it was under an hour, and no encore. The place was about half full, but the crowd was really warming to them when they stopped. They came back again a couple of years later and did a full set, but their early arrogance must have put some people off them. |
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rupert
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 18 2006 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 610 |
Posted: February 26 2006 at 13:10 |
Dear Andrea, you NEED me here ? Oh my god, somebody NEEDS me... but I suppose you're a MALE ( "Andrea" is a FEMALE name in Germany but since I heard of Andrea Boccelli I know in Italy it's quite different ) so I'm not AS lucky as I'd like to be... Hey, I'm glad you enjoy my review-work, which has now come to an end until I have the Box and more original albums have been released. Tastes are quite different... I lately read a review ( of "All is safely gathered in" ) in a german Oldie-magazine saying "BJH became better when Woolly left the band"... urging me to write a letter to the critic nominating this for "Joke of the year"... what do you think ? I'm honoured I'm so welcome, really... do you own the tribute-disc "Their light still remains" ? And if, what do you think about my contribution ? The only reactions I got were from Keith and Monika Domeone themselves and... Woolly, who said he quite likes the whole suite ( on Part IV you get a bunch of HIS compositions, namely: Moonater/In search of England/Patriots/The Iron Maiden/Ursula (the swansea song )/Float/Sea of Tranquility/Harbour... linked together in about 6 and 1/2 minutes... in the rest of the suite there's only "Ra" ( Part VI ) of Woolly's songs to come... If you like to have a copy of the whole suite on CD-R just send your adress to [email protected] ( that's for you only, Andrea ) and be patient... perhaps my mail-box is full ( of spam, occasionally ) so you have to try to send it several times, best is at a day I'm locked in here because first thing I'm doing when I visit the internet is tidy my mailbox from spam... I'll be back soon as I can, all the best from germany
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...I'm a musician/singer/songwriter, visit me on www.reverbnation.com/rupertlenz and there you can choose from 125 recordings you can listen to ( for free ) if you're not limited to prog-rock !
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Prog-Brazil
Prog Reviewer Joined: January 07 2005 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 596 |
Posted: April 27 2006 at 14:55 |
If Beatles were prog, the would be BJH
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Let the sunshine in
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ANDREW
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 21 2005 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 3064 |
Posted: April 27 2006 at 14:59 |
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mjf85maf
Forum Groupie Joined: April 20 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 59 |
Posted: April 27 2006 at 15:40 |
For all my years of listening to prog, I have never (to my knowledge) heard anything by BJH. I was in my local Tower Records killing some time when I ran across their stuff in the imports section. I figured, "What the hell, it's about time" and bought Victims Of Circumstance. Why I chose that album, I'll never know but as an introduction it just didn't do anything for me. It's not that I hate it ... it's just that nothing reaches out and grabs me. I've listened to the disc 3 times now, and I can't recall one single song on that disc.
Any suggestions for another jumping off point, preferably a studio album? I believe they had "Octoberon" in stock as well as a few others. Edited by mjf85maf - April 27 2006 at 16:02 |
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Easy Livin
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: February 21 2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 15585 |
Posted: April 27 2006 at 15:57 |
"Victims.." is well after their best period MJ. Any of their first 12 albums or so (up to XII) would be a good starting point.
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mjf85maf
Forum Groupie Joined: April 20 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 59 |
Posted: April 27 2006 at 16:04 |
Thanks for the tip, EZ. I believe I'll be heading out that way tomorrow, and I'll give them another try.
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Andrea Cortese
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 05 2005 Status: Offline Points: 4411 |
Posted: April 28 2006 at 06:35 |
What the...? Sorry Rupert for my late reply!!! Surprisingly I didn't see your message!!!!
I do not own all the BJH discography, though! All I have is their (remastered) albums from the debut until Eyes of the Universe (plus BJH live and Live Tapes) plus Berlin, Face to Face, Best of, Nexus, Revival, Revolution Days and a DVD (plus a bootleg named Festival).
I miss the rest of their catalogue, especially the most part of their releases of the 80s and 90s. Sadly I do not own nothing from the solo career of Wooly.
I hope you are still on the forum also in these days... see you soon!
Andrea
Edited by Andrea Cortese - April 28 2006 at 06:36 |
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Joolz
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 24 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1377 |
Posted: April 28 2006 at 08:15 |
Shame on you - go stand in the corner and say "I must buy more BJH" a hundred times Seriously, you have their best work, but there is still some nice stuff missing from your list. If you like Face To Face then you should also like the last 3 from the 90s, though the Holroyd-Lees split becomes more obvious as each has a distinctive style. I also have a soft spot for Ring Of Changes from the 80s though that is mainly because I adore the title track. Two must haves though: John Lees 'A Major Fancy' recorded in 1972 but not released until a few years later and now available in extended form - it has an alternative version of Child Of The Universe. Also, you simply must check out Woolly's new stuff, especially Maestoso 'Grim'. I have made a submission to PA to get him added to the database - hope the powers that be agree! Regards |
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Andrea Cortese
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 05 2005 Status: Offline Points: 4411 |
Posted: April 28 2006 at 08:37 |
Hello Julian,
I do know of the last release from Wooly titled "Grim" (I also have some short mp3s). I do own also the Ring of Changes track and it is very good, indeed. An excellent composition by Holroyd. BTW, it seems to me that after the departure of Wolstenholme, Les step by step started to write the most memorable things of that period (as for ex. Life is for Living, Victims..., Play to the World et cetera.
What about their Glasnost live album? I do own only the version of Mockingbird, and I have to say it is one of the best I've ever heard.
Face to Face is not really a good album. I've rated with three stars only because I like their previous stuff. Some nice tunes, though.
Regards,
Andrea
Edited by Andrea Cortese - April 28 2006 at 08:38 |
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Prog-Brazil
Prog Reviewer Joined: January 07 2005 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 596 |
Posted: April 28 2006 at 08:42 |
Octoberon, Everyone Is Everybody Else , Early
Morning Onwards, BJH And Other Short Stories, Baby James Harvest, Time
Honoured Ghosts, Gone to Earth, BJH XII
All these albums are very good, in my opinion. Of course many songs not so good, others better.... but I think you'll like them If I could make a collection, I would choose songs
like:
Mocking bird
The sun will never shine (first album)
The Poet / After The Day
Poor boy blues / Mill boys
For no one
Berlin
Fiction: the streets of San Francisco
Titles
Hymn for the children
Hymn
Poor man's moody blues
Early morning
Brother thrush
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Let the sunshine in
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Joolz
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 24 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1377 |
Posted: April 28 2006 at 09:17 |
Ooooh, a BJH top ten. Can I play? Summer Soldier [from Baby James or Live] Medicine Man [from .... and Other Short Stories or Live] The Poet/After The Day [from .... and Other Short Stories] For No-One [from Everyone Is Everybody Else] In My Life [from Time Honoured Ghosts] Ra [from Octoberon] Nova Lepidoptera [ from XII] Ring Of Changes [from Ring Of Changes] Yesterday's Heroes [from River Of Dreams] That Was Then, This Is Now [from Revolution Days] Most of my favourite stuff is from 70s, but there is some good from later though not Prog until Woolly came back. Regards |
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Joolz
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 24 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1377 |
Posted: April 28 2006 at 09:33 |
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rupert
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 18 2006 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 610 |
Posted: April 28 2006 at 11:34 |
Rupert's BACK !
Dear Andrea, apologies accepted.
If you want to know what I think about the original BJH-Albums you do NOT own/know you can read it in the reviews... The "best" concert without Woolly - to me- was NOT released, it was the "Welcome to the Show"- one, though the setlist strangely didn't offer anything from "Octoberon"... they played a lot of my Faves and they did it very well... Mockingbird - i must agree - is very good on "Best of" ( though Keith Domone named it the "Nadir" of all renditions ), it became my favourite BJH-track because of that but on "Revival" it's ven better ( to ME ). John Lees didn't really weaken so much after Woolly left... but his songs need to be developed by rehearsing and band-interplaying LIVE mostly and this wasn't Les' way of working at all back then. Les is quite better an arranger than John and that's perhaps why his tunes seem to be better after Woolly's departure, but apart from "Caught in the Light", an album that I think really represents John Lees' weakest phase, there have always been outstanding tracks penned by him still... "Sperratus", "In Memory of the Martyrs", "Fifties Child", "Rebel Woman", "African", "Cheap the Bullet", "Children of the disappeared"... to have named only those that worked best in their arrangements.
There were also some half-hearted attempts at creating a "rock" song with structures repeated until it bored: "Panic"... "Spud-u-Like"... best of them ( to me ) was "Psychedelic Child". And there were always those songs I had to love as SONGS but didn't satisfy me in their arrangement: "Lady MacBeth"... "Three Weeks to despair"... "For your Love"... it became obvious that John was in need of a man like Woolly while for Les everything seemed to be ok, that's why Les was so hurt and disappointed I suppose when John definately refused to go on that way.
It's even more ridiculous to me why Les went down so deep... I know you like "Revolution Days" and though it's got many things I had to get used to and some very uninspired moments ( to me... read my review ) it's still an acceptable album while "Live in Bonn" doesn't deserve the BJH-name at all. I haven't been to the Orchestral-shows either but I'm going to give the CD a fair listen when it's comin'.
Woolly's stuff is great since he returned ! Don't miss out on any !
You know that you can order any CDs missing in your collection via Fan-Club long as they're in stock !
P.S.: Going to play another two-hour-solo-Gig at 1st of May and I suppose I can't get away without "Life is for Living" and "Hymn"...
Love
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...I'm a musician/singer/songwriter, visit me on www.reverbnation.com/rupertlenz and there you can choose from 125 recordings you can listen to ( for free ) if you're not limited to prog-rock !
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Joolz
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 24 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1377 |
Posted: April 29 2006 at 08:26 |
You may well be right about the reasons, but the effect - at least, as perceived by me - is that Les increasingly reaches a higher standard. Sure, John still wrote some good ones, but he also contributed some duds - you mentioned Spud-U-Like! However, let's hope his renewed collaboration with Woolly will rejuvenate him, and the new material will be a return to form. Hope also, that his record company doesn't force him to do more cover versions of his old songs as per Nexus! Regards PS - keep talking - we need to keep the name Barclay James Harvest near the head of this forum to educate people!!! |
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