The Eloy appreciation thread

I first heard Eloy do a BBC radio session for Tommy Vance roundabout 1981 (?).. 2 tracks from 'Performance', 'Out of a sombre galaxy' (from time to turn) and a track from 'Planets' (though i cant remember which one); i taped it off the radio () at the time and had it for years (though lost it at some point- i have seen an over-priced, presumably unofficial, CD of these sessions on Ebay).. they did play a couple of nights at the Marquee club in 1983 (i think, ive looked for my ticket stub but cant find it..) which i seem to remember were booked then cancelled then re-instated. I cant remember much detail to be honest (that was my fault..) but it was very cramped on stage with two keyboard set-ups etc as well as in the crowd and the set was mostly 'Performance' with tracks from Planets and time to turn. I think at the time they were 'lumped in' with many of the 'Neo-prog' bands and as a lot of people hadnt heard of them, assumed they were a relatively new band.. i had got a few of the older lps on 'Conifer Import' (Colours and Ocean) on German Harvest label.. but of course they had a tightness and confidence which stunned a lot of people (who were expecting something like IQ or Twelfth Night). Many years later i made contact with someone else who was at the gig and was selling their fully signed picture disc of Performance, which i duly bought!

I'll look out for them!! it seems a long time ago (well, it was... and in a galaxy far far away too!). Of course they were released on 'Heavy metal worldwide' label in the UK and at that time there was quite a leap forward in guitar tech, pedals, effects as well as digital synths and that gave them a more 'modern rock' sound.. but i still found them very 'spacey' in their sound. and i actually really like performance and metromania.. at the same time (one of my other long time favourite bands) Hawkwind were modernising their sound with a lot of digital sequencers and they were seen to be moving more to a 'hard-rock' sound away from space-rock but its just an inevitable movement with the times.

I like almost every album Eloy did. The psychedelic ones, the symphonic ones, the spacerock ones, and even the mroe hardrock ones.

Cosmiclawnmower wrote: Ive just dug out my vinyl copy of 'Ego on the rocks- Acid in wounderland'.. what a fantastic lp; i found it on import back in the very early 80's after a tip from an old scouse buddy.. with all the voices and 'cut-ups' between and within the tracks, it is very trippy and quite different from what Eloy were doing in 1980. I also dug out my copy of the first Eloy lp (Trash-can) on Phillips.. it is a very different sort of lp, early 70's heavy rock- more political lyrics and a harder, rougher edge. I dont really know much about its genesis or how/why they changed their style.. i havent really played it a great deal. any thoughts?