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The late Alan Gowen
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Poll Question: What is your favourite?
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
0 [0.00%]
14 [82.35%]
0 [0.00%]
0 [0.00%]
0 [0.00%]
1 [5.88%]
2 [11.76%]
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Rick1 View Drop Down
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    Posted: January 04 2023 at 02:27
Alan Gowen passed away in 81 but left a brief but excellent legacy of albums.  I had not heard 'Before a Word is Said' until recently but this led me to reflect on his work.
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All great albums, but for me National Health's debut is the pick of the bunch.
'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


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National Health
----------
i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag
that's a happy bag of lettuce
this car smells like cartilage
nothing beats a good video about fractions
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National Health. Superb album.
Welcome to the middle of the film.
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Gowen/Hopper Two Rainbow Daily.
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Was lucky to see Alan play live in 1979. On the first Health album he only played on two songs so I can't choose that. National Health "D.S. Al Coda" is a tribute to Alan after he passed and features all his songs. Superb album!

Anyway, I'll pick Before a Word is Said.
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National Health
Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake."



Music Is Live

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.



Keep Calm And Listen To The Music…
<
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Rick1 View Drop Down
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Points: 2818 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rick1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 04 2023 at 09:45
Originally posted by Grumpyprogfan Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Was lucky to see Alan play live in 1979. On the first Health album he only played on two songs so I can't choose that. National Health "D.S. Al Coda" is a tribute to Alan after he passed and features all his songs. Superb album!

Anyway, I'll pick Before a Word is Said.

I never got to see him live - by the time I saw National Health in 78 he had left (for the first time).  With the first album, I thought there was enough of his contribution for it to be included, especially as he shared the initial vision of the band with Dave Stewart.  The Gilgamesh compilation, 'Arriving Twice', is another fitting tribute to Alan.
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All of these range from very good to fantastic, but National Health's debut to me represents the peak of both his playing and his composing. Truly an artist who left us way, way too soon.
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I only know the last
I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution
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NH > GMST, Gilgamesh & Gilgamesh

National Health is a masterpiece & has probably the greatest opening track on a debut album.
Ian

Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com

https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/
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Points: 12241 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grumpyprogfan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 04 2023 at 13:29
Originally posted by Nogbad_The_Bad Nogbad_The_Bad wrote:

National Health is a masterpiece & has probably the greatest opening track on a debut album.
Yes, it's a great one, but Alan didn't play much on that song.

Edited by Grumpyprogfan - January 04 2023 at 13:42
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Mirakaze View Drop Down
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Points: 4194 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mirakaze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 04 2023 at 14:08
Originally posted by Grumpyprogfan Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Originally posted by Nogbad_The_Bad Nogbad_The_Bad wrote:

National Health is a masterpiece & has probably the greatest opening track on a debut album.
Yes, it's a great one, but Alan didn't play much on that song.


Are you sure about that? I thought he still played synthesizer on it.
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Grumpyprogfan View Drop Down
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Points: 12241 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grumpyprogfan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 04 2023 at 14:32
Originally posted by Mirakaze Mirakaze wrote:

Originally posted by Grumpyprogfan Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Originally posted by Nogbad_The_Bad Nogbad_The_Bad wrote:

National Health is a masterpiece & has probably the greatest opening track on a debut album.
Yes, it's a great one, but Alan didn't play much on that song.


Are you sure about that? I thought he still played synthesizer on it.
I'm not for sure, but the list of players listed on the album show - Stewart, Miller, Murray, and Pyle as the main players. Alan is included in the "with" section of players on each song. It does list him playing moog, electric and acoustic piano but I'm really not sure how much he played on each song. He wrote "Brujo" and co-wrote "Elephants". 
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Rick1 View Drop Down
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Alan played synth and electric piano on the whole album
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Logan View Drop Down
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I;m with the majority here with my vote. I adore that National Health album and "Tenemos Roads" is one of my very, very favourite tracks. It's so good.
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rik wilson View Drop Down
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Points: 598 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rik wilson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 06 2023 at 14:38
National Health blew me away. I'm with Logan regarding Tenemos Road ; an outstanding song for prog fans everywhere and somewhere too.
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Points: 13903 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mellotron Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 06 2023 at 20:03
National Health for sure but his record with Hugh Hopper Two Rainbows Daily is a close second. Gilgamesh's debut rounds out my top three.
"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"

"Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN
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Points: 16794 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote King of Loss Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 06 2023 at 20:59
National Health.
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Rick1 View Drop Down
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Points: 2818 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rick1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2023 at 04:42
I am wondering whether or not to re-run the poll without the National Health debut in it, such is the esteem held by the good members of this forum.  By the time the album was recorded, Alan was already a 'guest' musician although he played on all the album and contributed much of the writing.  However, what of his other work?
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