Sky
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22295
Printed Date: November 30 2024 at 02:55
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Topic: Sky
Posted By: Zac M
Subject: Sky
Date Posted: April 24 2006 at 22:22
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It's a shame noone ever mentions this wonderful band that hit the scene
it the late 70's. Sky was full of virtuosos, including John Williams,
Francis Monkman, Herbie Flowers, Kevin Peek, and Tristan Fry (later on,
other members joined, as Monkman left and did more library music and
soundtracks). Sky's music is a blend of classical and rock, with no orchestral instruments (i.e. strings, etc...). I only have the first and second albums so far, but am getting the fourth one soon. I really enjoyt their albums, and while I know it's not for everyone, they sure are worth a listen (I plan on doing reviews soon). Are there any other fans here? ------------- "Art is not imitation, nor is it something manufactured according to the wishes of instinct or good taste. It is a process of expression." -Merleau-Ponty |
Replies:
Posted By: Ultaigh
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 00:59
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Is that the John Williams that plays Classical guitar? I'll definetly check them out!
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Posted By: Zac M
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 01:01
Yes it is! Finally a reply, I thought all was hopeless there for a while! ------------- "Art is not imitation, nor is it something manufactured according to the wishes of instinct or good taste. It is a process of expression." -Merleau-Ponty |
Ultaigh wrote:Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 01:41
| Great for the first 2 albums while Francis Monkman hung around.SKY 2 is an interesting ,if sprawling, double album.They did very well for a time and stood up to punk/new wave which is creditable. |
Posted By: Cheesecakemouse
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 02:21
| I want to get into them so whats a good place to start? |
Posted By: Zac M
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 03:23
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I think I would start with the first album, like I did. The second is a
bit long (especially the LP, all the tracks wouldn't fit onto one CD),
but I think it outdoes the first overall. Either one would make a fine
starting point though.
------------- "Art is not imitation, nor is it something manufactured according to the wishes of instinct or good taste. It is a process of expression." -Merleau-Ponty |
Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 03:33
| For me, Sky had a lot of potential which they never realised. Their msuic is generally easy, with little to challenge the virtuosity of the members. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 03:53
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Sky are Ok. Not prog though. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 04:07
Sky's first two Lp had some good things about them, but I never liked those bands which do reworks of classic I am not any nicer towards Holland's Trace and Ekseption
Pell Mell did also one of those album, which was certainly not quite as good as their Marburg album
After their second album, the rest is pityful IMH&PO >> Sky is close to muzak in more than one way ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 08:17
Agreed - there were some interesting ideas on the first two albums, and John Williams fitted in surprisingly well, but after that they were like rock music's answer to those mostly dreadful 'Classic Rock' orchestral albums. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: Phil
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 08:35
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Have to agree with Sean's "muzak" comment. I knew of John Williams (ex-Mr Anna Ford, the BBC newsreader!) from his classical guitar work and the premise of the band sounded good, but at the time I bought their first album I had also just discovered Mahavishnu Orchestra's "Birds of Fire" and McLaughlin and co just blew them away, as far as I was concerned. Easy Living is right - undoubtedly they were all virtuosi, but never challenged themselves in the format of Sky. There is plenty of John Williams classical guitar work around, including some splendid work he did with julian Bream. |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 08:37
 Yes - the imaginatively titled 'Together' and 'Together Again' are both excellent. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: mystic fred
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 10:33
i got sky2, it's really refreshing to listen to, and the sound quality is excellent! -------------  Prog Archives Tour Van 
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Posted By: Firepuck
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 13:03
I have to agree. I have Sky2 (vinyl - bought when it was first released) and while I enjoy playing it from time to time (like every couple of years or so) I will not be getting any more. I must say that the music originally intrigued me enough to start really listening to classical music. ------------- Kryten : "'Pub'? Ah yes, A meeting place where humans attempt to achieve advanced states of mental incompetence by the repeated consumption of fermented vegetable drinks." |
Posted By: Zac M
Date Posted: April 25 2006 at 15:11
It seems they aren't too popular here .By the way, Hugues, I enjoyed reading your reviews of the first three albums. ------------- "Art is not imitation, nor is it something manufactured according to the wishes of instinct or good taste. It is a process of expression." -Merleau-Ponty |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: April 26 2006 at 03:56
Well I was not too kind to them  ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: April 26 2006 at 04:06
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Personally, I thought Sky was a wasted opportunity; the combination of virtuosi within their ranks over the years should have produced absolutely stunning albums, but in my opinion, they played 'safe', producing what I can only describe as 'elevator music'.
My disappointment with Sky was only eclipsed by the greatest waste of talent ever - i.e. Hackett & Howes' appalling 'GTR' album  ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: Cheesecakemouse
Date Posted: April 26 2006 at 04:52
| I just got Sky 3 second hand for $3NZ (roughly $2.50US), which is a great find for the musical wasteland New Zealand is (NZ is hell for a prog rock fan) I'll have to give it a good listen though before I have any thoughts on it. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 26 2006 at 16:50
I don't agree with the idea that they 'played it safe'.Far from it in fact.They arrived at a time when instrumental bands were about as popular as Rabies but still put out 2 excellent albums.Sky 2 is actually quite proggy.I love the feeling the music creates and they certainly stood out for the time which was dominated by stupid new wave electro crap.But after Monkman left they just became a sad parody of themselves (ie Dance Of The Big Fairies  ) and then it went rapidly downhill.
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Posted By: horza
Date Posted: April 27 2006 at 14:51
I liked Sky - especially the tracks Westway and Where Opposites Meet - superb - I had the first LP  ------------- Originally posted by darkshade: Calling Mike Portnoy a bad drummer is like calling Stephen Hawking an idiot. |
Posted By: Certif1ed
Date Posted: April 28 2006 at 03:39
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I wan't keen on Sky when I first heard them, mainly because my parents bought Sky 2...
However, I found their first 4 LPs in spanking new condition in a second hand vinyl shop a few weeks agi and gave them a quick spin. The quality deteriorates as the album number increments - the first is pretty reasonable in places, but the second starts to get painful. I particularly hate their version of Bach's "Toccata in D Minor", but then I have a natural aversion to hearing that piece used in conjunction with rock anyway, just like I do with "O Fortuna" from "Carmina Burana"... /shudder. It's true that all the musicians are phenomenally talented, but none really know how to rock. The best example of mixing Rock and Classical is Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Variations". Herbie Flowers plays on that too...  ------------- The important thing is not to stop questioning. |