Recently, he worked as Engineer on Steven Wilson's "The Raven That Refused to Sing" and as Producer on another one of Steven Wilson's projects Blackfield for the "Blackfield V" album for 3 tracks.

Snicolette wrote: Ambrosia is from my home town of San Pedro, CA.  There was a pretty interesting small progressive scene there.  They (and others) played at the various "dances," around town.

 

They're from SP?! Never knew that. The only band I can think of off-hand that's usually advertised as "from Pedro" is the Minutemen, who were just mentioned in the covers thread on this forum.

Snicolette wrote: There was quite an interest in Prog in the South Bay.  Actually, still is, although I don't live there anymore, I keep in touch with some old friends (the principals of Alva's, music store and small venue, which showcases a lot of them and other genres).  There was a small circle of prog, folk, psych and blues bands, which also came from the Palos Verdes Peninsula ("up the hill," from San Pedro proper).  Lots of intermingling between them.  There were huge parties thrown by PV parents (and often, in their absence), that the bands would play at, as well, on weekends, as well as the more formally organized aforementioned dances.   Several hundred people plus, would gather at these.

 

I don't doubt it. The whole peninsula reeks of money! 

Snicolette wrote: As it did even then.  PV then, as now, was populated by a lot of rich yet non-famous people for the most part.  However, a surprising lot of the musicians in SP and PV came from families of educators (or maybe not, but it is not the most lucrative professions, especially at the pre-college levels), but in those days, a teacher, especially department heads, made a decent enough living and could afford music lessons for their children, which is how most of the people I knew got their early start after showing an interest when they were quite young.

 

Why did you leave PV/SP? Skyrocketing property values?

The subculture of artists, especially musicians, on the Peninsula, I find pretty fascinating, realizing how unique it was these many years later, and how it had it's very own character.  Harder to see the forest when you're in the midst of the trees, and all.

His Art and Science of Sound Recording 3 DVD set is both interesting (!) and fun. "Band's get together in the studio" <cigarette lighter click>; and his interviewing members of the public about sound quality was going so well until he indicated they couldn't perceive anything right as they were all talking into a toilet brush...

I really enjoy the remaster of Eye In The Sky. It's expanded with unreleased material which actually adds to the album sense rather padding things out with throwaways. 4 1/2 from me minor quibble is the quality of the new material needed a little bit more work, probably of all things, in post production.

Pyramid is the only one I really like as an album although there are many great songs. Perfect 'Crossover prog' for me.

I note that John Miles has featured on APP albums so wondering if Parsons might have produced his album Rebel? I always loved High Fly as a song and Music is something of a classic.

Al Stewart - yep many great songs although Last Days of The Century is better than Year Of The Cat (IMO)

I love APP. Be sure to check out Freudiana, one of their best and most proggy albums. You might have to find it off the radar, or import the CD! Make sure its the studio album one too, there's a "broadway" version that's not the same. For the rest of the albums, I like Vulture Culture, Turn of A Friendly Card and Eve a lot. Basically, I like all of them. Some of them are less great than the others; e.g. Pyramid, Ammonia Avenue, Gaudi, through plenty of great tracks on those albums.

kenethlevine wrote: I believe Parsons also produced "Time Passages" by Al Stewart which IMO is as good as Year of the Cat.   He has quite a few songs that could qualify as prog lite, such as Life in Dark Water" from that album

He produced three sequential Al Stewart albums, starting with 'Modern Times'.

I think Al Stewart sometimes borders on prog, or at least prog-folk, probably first on 'The News From Spain' from 'Orange', with the towering Rick Wakeman piano solo at the end.

Yep, that John Miles lp is another Alan Parsons production.. I mean, 'Music' is pretty much the blueprint for the later Alan Parsons project sound with the Andrew Powell Orchestral arrangements..

Three of the main APP musicians were in a pop rock band called Pilot who had hits with 'Magic' and 'January' in 1975, produced by.. surprise, surprise.. Alan Parsons. All these bands and songs had a lushness of production, Hooks and catchy melodies.. and blandness...…

I really, really like all of Tales of mystery and imagination and there are always some great songs instrumentals on all his earlier lps but there are always bland ballads that just turn me off

I also believe Kate Bush's Kick Inside was produced by Andrew Powell and had those ex Pilot/ APP musicians backing her (Ian Bairnson, David Paton and Stuart Elliot amongst others).