Al Stewart? comments?

I'm sure he's been discussed.  I don't know his work that well that I recall, but I like this track:

Year of The Cat and Time Passages are great albums but not prog. Sparks of Ancient Light his latest is also a good work but not prog either

Much to my surprise I learned just recently he is originally from my home town of Glasgow, Scotland. Can't see what genre he would fit into although his earlier stuff is kinda psyche/folky (ish)

Mrs L thinks 'wor Al' rawks (so I suspect we can kiss his progressive credentials 'adiós')

For the record, he was suggested some time ago (in 2006) by Peter. Unfortunately, the 3-page discussion that ensued happened in the CZ, so I can't post a link here. There have been other threads about him in the main forum, though not formal suggestions as such.

Al had more to offer than "Year Of The Cat". I remember reading an interview with him in an old Dutch prog rock magazine. He became interested in history and recorded at least one album that had to do with that (Last Day Of The Century, from 1988), and probably more.

Nostradamus/World Goes To Riyadh , Roads to Moscow, more than a few other songs relating to history or politics; and yes, a good number of songs in suite like construction ...

Co-conspirators over the years such as Ian Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Alan Parsons, Richard Thompson, Tim Renwick, Peter White; hosted at the Les Cousins Folk Club, where he played alongside Roy Harper, Bert Jansch;  had a 7 minute composition on his 1967 debut; the album Love Chronicles has an 18 minute suite; has at least one full blown concept album - 1995's"Between the Wars"; was part of the 60s British folk rock scene (where Harper, Cousins, Jansch, Thompson, and others got their start) ...

Oh, but no lightning playing overwhelming technical virtuosos, no time signatures undivisible by 2, no clearly identifiable melody rip-offs from classical music composers, no high-falutin' artsy fartsy concepts beyond history based or influenced  story telling ... plainly , he doesn't meet each and every one of our PA requirements for being called prog.

Which is strange ... if you took much of their early work, Stewart and fellow folk sell-out Traveller Chris De Burgh, both denigrated pop folksters, probably have more Prog Folk in their works than some already here.

Before y'all jump up, go listen to De Burgh's Crusader. Give a listen to Spanish Train.

The problem with being seen as "pop" is that purists insist you cannot be "prog".

And let's face it, both Stewart & De Burgh are much too mellow to try & jump over tall buildings ; and are too well known to get in here just by showing up at the door with a friend ...


Edited by debrewguy - March 06 2010 at 10:30

^^ Thanks I'll have to go back and check some of the earlier albums.  All I know, which is little, is that when I sit down and listen to Year of the Cat, I hear something varied and special and well-crafted.  I honestly don't care whether or not it's prog or not.  I'm not pushing for inclusion here.  However I do think anyone who hangs around these parts would find much to like about it.