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elysgrl View Drop Down
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Points: 3 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Recommendations for a newbie?
    Posted: June 09 2005 at 17:11

Wow, you guys really came through!  I finally got my computer to play the samples of LTE on Amazon, and I think I'm going to order those.  It doesn't sound too scary to me.  Besides, Fandango and Silvertree, the quickest way to get me to do something is to tell me I shouldn't. 

I've already got Black Light Syndrome on the way.  Dalt99, I couldn't find a Stevens solo album other than Flamenco a Go Go, which I already have.  You didn't mean the Atomic Playboys, did you?  I've been staying away from those because Stevens himself says that they're so bad, even he can't listen to them.  Apparently the singer sucks.

Speaking of sucky singers......I checked out Enchant.  I'm sorry guys, the vocals sounded kind of weak to me.  Of course, it's hard to tell from a 30-second sample.  I'm looking for instrumental stuff anyway.  I think I'm going to revisit the Dixie Dregs as well and see if they're as good as I remember.

I'm holding onto this thread for all the other suggestions, but I've got enough to get started.  I'll let you all know what I think after my LTE arrives. 

A huge thanks to all of you!

Denise
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dalt99 View Drop Down
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Points: 454 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 07 2005 at 01:47

Hi Denise! Welcome! (Ask anything you want, just know that you will get about 1 million different opinions )

HEY, you like Steve Stevens right? (Yah, I know, did I READ your post?) OK, So, SINCE you like his music, why don't we start with what he's PLAYED on (besides Billy Idol since you already mentioned him and I suppose you have all his music).

Prog you say huh? Yah Bozzio Levin Stevens is a fusion of rock and jazz though more rock. If you are looking for more similar sounding music, I would look to the other bands Stevens has played with first since most are very good prog/fusion albums. Here's a list of artists that he is a musician on that are similar sounding to BLS:

  1. Greg Bissonette - "Submarine"
  2. Terry Bozzio (solo album) - "Prime Cuts"
  3. Tony Levin (solo album) - "Prime Cuts"
  4. Derek Sherinian - "Mythology" (Stevens wrote 3 songs on this album but this album is more heavy metal so if you don't like harder edge stuff, beware )
  5. Steve Stevens - "Steve Stevens" (YES he made a solo album of his own but I suppose you already own this don't ya?)

That's all I know of but after these (or maybe before) you could try Liquid Tension Experiment. I don't think they are too tough to "get" and I'm sure you can figure out good music when you hear it.

Right???



Edited by dalt99
Best of 2006 that I've heard:
PFM-Stati Di Immaginazione
Zenit-Surrender (Best "unknown" album)
Oaksenham - Conquest of Pacific
2007:
Phideaux - Doomsday Afternoon
La Torre Del Alchimista - Neo
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kirklott View Drop Down
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Points: 623 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2005 at 20:52

A bit sideways here, but Eric Johnson plays a lot of instrumental, is totally-guitar oriented and some of his stuff is very proggy. He's rock, not jazz, and will remind you of some of your earlier listening habits.

Start with the album Tones, then go to Ah Music Viacom.
"Progressive rock is the key to the continuance of human evolution." - Charles Darwin
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Jared View Drop Down
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Points: 20414 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2005 at 14:38
Originally posted by silvertree silvertree wrote:

I agree with Fandango.

Don't buy LTE yet.

Try Enchant, Threshold and Vanden Plas (which is the heaviest of the three).

I'd add Spock's Beard (albums : Octane or Feel Euphoria and work backwards if you like'em). 

Welcome to the world or Progressive Rock.

Thank you very much Silvertree, I'm pleased that someone agrees with me occasionally!
Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson
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Fantômas View Drop Down
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Points: 1859 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2005 at 14:19
Public Image Ltd. and Painkiller.
And above all, is punk
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silvertree View Drop Down
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Points: 317 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2005 at 14:18

I agree with Fandango.

Don't buy LTE yet.

Try Enchant, Threshold and Vanden Plas (which is the heaviest of the three).

I'd add Spock's Beard (albums : Octane or Feel Euphoria and work backwards if you like'em). 

Welcome to the world or Progressive Rock.

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Jared View Drop Down
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Points: 20414 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2005 at 13:08

Originally posted by TheProgtologist TheProgtologist wrote:

RUN to the store and by Liquid Tension Experiments 1&2!!!!!!!!!!!Also check out John Petrucci's(Dream Theater guitarist)solo cd Suspended Animation.Bozzio,Levin,Stevens also have another cd called Black Light Syndrome.

Firstly, whatever you do, don't start off with LTE... I think it will put you off for life!!  I'm not saying its bad..  it just really is an acquired taste.

I came to prog from a similar quarter as you...a big Rush & Kansas fan, both of whom I still love.  My recommendation to you would be to start off with 'prog-lite'.  If you like early Rush, try a Detroit band, 'Tiles'.  If you like later Rush, try San Fransisco outfit 'Enchant'.  Both of these are tune-laden guitar bands, and can be found on the 'Inside Out' record label (www.insideout.de) while you are there, you won't be disappointed with a British Band 'Threshold' and maybe German band, 'Vanden Plas'... knowing where you are coming from, I don't think you'll be disappointed with these recommendations.

Let me know how you get on, and welcome to the site!
Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson
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abyssyinfinity View Drop Down
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Points: 443 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2005 at 12:50
First of all try Californ Guitar Trio, in Southern Rock style similar to prog try King's X, if you like something similar to psychedelia try Thin White Rope...
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TheProgtologist View Drop Down
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Points: 27802 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2005 at 12:31
RUN to the store and by Liquid Tension Experiments 1&2!!!!!!!!!!!Also check out John Petrucci's(Dream Theater guitarist)solo cd Suspended Animation.Bozzio,Levin,Stevens also have another cd called Black Light Syndrome.


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elysgrl View Drop Down
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Points: 3 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 06 2005 at 12:22

Hi everybody--

First a disclaimer--I know absolutely zero about progressive rock.  I've always been a hard rock kind of girl.  But I just bought a cd that I really like (I like it more every time I listen to it) and I'm wondering if there's similar stuff out there.  The cd is Situation Dangerous by Bozzio Levin Stevens.  I found it by way of Steve Stevens' website.  (Yes, I'm a Billy Idol fan, too, and make no apologies.   )  I read all the reviews on Amazon, so I knew it was going to be really different than what I'm used to.  I've never in my life bought an instrumental cd until now, but I thought, okay if Steve's guitar is on this thing, I'm going to like it.  And I do--a lot.  I guess it's considered fusion but a fusion of what? Rock and something else? LOL. I told you I knew nothing.  (I also bought his flamenco cd and really like that too.) 

So for those of you who also like BLS, can you recommend something similar that I might like?  Amazon is recommending Liquid Tension Experiment but I can't get the samples to play for some reason.  To give you an idea of my taste, when I was a kid I was really into Rush and Kansas (I had the actual vinyl records) but I haven't listened to them in years.  We didn't label it progressive rock back then, it was all just rock to us.  I was also really into southern rock.  I never really liked Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis.  Some friends of mine back then were into a band called the Dixie Dregs, which I vaguely remember as being guitar-heavy instrumental southern-influenced stuff.  Is that considered prog-rock, too?  I kind of liked them.

So, here's what I'm looking for:  instrumental, heavy on the guitars, more on the rock side than the jazzy/weird side.  Any ideas? 

Thanks in advance (for the help and for not flaming me),

Denise

 
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