your favorite 5 epics

    OK, I just couldn't do 5 (as was the case for many others), so I did 10, in order, no "honorable mentions", just a top 10 epics. You can always ignore 6-10.

1.     The Remembering – Yes (side 2, "Tales from TO")
2.     Yes Anastasia – Tori Amos
3.     In the Black Room – Peter Hammill
4.     A Louse is not a Home – Peter Hammill
5.     Midnight Mushrumps – Gryphon
6.     The Revealing Science of God – Yes (side 1, "Tales")
7.     Thick as a Brick – Jethro Tull
8.     Supper’s Ready – Genesis
9.     Passion Play – Jethro Tull
10.   Close to the Edge – Yes

#1 is about the most stirring, anthemesque epic I know; I still get goosebumps near the end when they sing "Surely, Surely" and the instruments (Howe/Squire) take over the melodying. Similarly, #2-4 get their place in large part because of the emotional range displayed along with the musical virtuosity. In contrast, #5 is perhaps a bit of a stiff, but it's definitely a unique piece of music and for a song without lyrics or traditional rock instrumentation it does move nicely, has some great melodic moments, and commands an impressive dynamic range.

#6-10 we all pretty much know about and have appeared before here. The Tull and the Genesis didn't get higher for me even though they are all magnificent pieces because they are more pastiches than epics in the way they're put together, even though the cumulative effect is undeniably powerful. And as for #10, I have to say that I've never been all that impressed with the "I Get Up I Get Down" portion of the piece (can't wait for the return of the main theme), and without that, CTTE is basically a very nice longish song -- one of Yes' very best on every front, to be sure -- but not quite an "epic" anymore.

I know, nobody asked for all this annotation, but I couldn't resist providing my rationale(s). And oh, I'm trying to remember, did anyone else list an epic written/performed by a female vocalist?

1. Supper's Ready.......Genesis
2. The Cathedral.....Par Lindh Project
3. Hostsejd.....Anglagard
4. Hamburger Concerto......Focus
5. Thick as a Brick....Jethro Tull
6. All the Seats Were Occupied....Aphrodite's Child
7. Illusions on a Double Dimple.....Triumvirat
8. Children of the Sun....Magenta
9. Karn Evil 9......ELP
10. Song of Sheherezade.....Renaissance

Iván

King Crimson -- Lizard

Yes-Gates of Delirium, The Remembering, CTTE
ELP-Karn 9 Evil
Pink Floyd-Echoes

Off the top o' me head:

1. Yes - Gates of Delerium
2. Focus - Hamburger Concerto
3. Hatfield & the North - Mumps
4. Circus - Movin' On
5. Soft Machine - Rivmic Melodies

Okay, so the last one is basically lots of tiny tracks, but they add up to a side of vinyl, flow beautifully and have repeated themes. I SAY IT COUNTS, DAMMIT!

Mother Gong - Wassilissa (an epic that is probably little known, but absolutely deserves being listened to)
VdGG - A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers
Amon Düül 2 - Phallus Dei
King Cimson - Lizard (and it IS an epic, whatever OMRI says)
Steve Hillage - Solar Music Suite

I actually consider the first album of Hatfield and the North to be an epic too, since the tracks all blend into each other as one piece of music, so I name that one as well.