Almost hired!

When I was living in Austin, some of my musician friends became close with the guys in Watchtower. This was after 'Control and Resistance'.
My best friend, Andy, was asked to try out as their singer. He was given a 4-song, music-only tape and had to write lyrics and sing them.
He and my other buds were known as Mercury, and then ForceDirection, then Way, Shape, and Form during those years. Local budding prog metal.

Of course, I thought that was just the coolest thing ever

Andy was very respectful of their wishes, so he never made me a copy of the tracks he did as much as I bugged him.   He obviously didn't get picked up by them, but they dug what he did.

Keyboard/violin wizard Eddie Jobson was supposed to join Yes instead of Kaye (before 90125 band was established). This could have been amazing line-up, also with those prominent instruments.

unclemeat69 wrote: Rhitchie Blackmore wanted Doug Pinnick (King's X/Poundhound) to sing for DP in 1990 and Doug refused.

that is odd! i would have loved to hear that version of KingxPurple!!!
but it is strange, given how vocal ritchie blackmore was of his opposition to
the funk and soul influences that hughes and coverdale brought to the
table in DPmkIII.

doug pinnick is an amazing vocalist. even when you're about to pigeonhole
him into some sort of black/soul/gospel/blues-clichee he comes up with
something completely new and raw and honest. plus, he is probably one
of the most genuine artists out there. and – would you believe it –
he's almost the same age as the guys in purple!

clarke2001 wrote:   BTW: did anyone heard Jimi Hendrix/Jim Morrison album? Any good?

micky wrote: Hendrix and ELP would have been prog Nirvana...   love what  Hendrix did with Traffic.   Such a loss to the world of prog.. he was heading that way me thinks...

The supposed HELP band is more media blow-up than reality. Emerson did talk to Mitchell about joining his new band. From there I have heard two different versions:
1) Mitchell turned it down and said Hendrix might be interested.
2) Mitchell was interested and wanted to bring on Jimi too, but Keith and Lake did not like the 'heavy' crowd that followed Mitch around.

From what I understand Keith was amused and honored that Hendrix would be interested, but never really took it seriously as an idea that would work.
Personally I would have liked to hear Hendrix with the young Jon Lord, that would have been incredible.

As far as where Hendrix was headed, the merging of "classical" influences was already happening in his music, but even more than that, he was heading towards the new jazz-rock, doing jams with Larry Young which could have easily lead to a project with Miles Davis, who was very interested in hooking up with Jimi.

Regarding the ongoing controversy of adding Jimi to proto-prog or prog related. I think the Experience band would be more appropriate because Mitchell has to be THE proto-prog drummer. You can hear his ideas in Bruford's playing as well Michael Giles,Clive Bunker and many others. Of course they all probably got that from Elvin Jones.

Regarding Vangelis and Yes, I believe I have heard that it turned out that Vangelis did not have the technical skills to handle their music. Vangelis has done some nice music, but I have never heard him play anything remotely similar to some of Yes's more demanding passages. I'm kind of suprised he even bothered to try out.

Edited by Easy Money - May 22 2008 at 19:39

chopper wrote: CCVP wrote: Yorkie X wrote: Steve Walsh tried out on vocals when Jon Anderson split around the drama period (yes must of had progressive rocks in their heads hiring those buggles blokes instead)  walsh's voice was at its best around this period.   Well, it didn't matter how hard they tried to find a substitute: they could not perform in UK and a significant part of Europe because of the audience reaction towards the new singer.In the UK, they cursed the new singer throughout the show wile throwing beer bottles and screaming: "we want Anderson!!!!!" Not true, I saw Yes at Hammersmith Odeon on the Drama tour. Whilst it's true that Horn struggled on the high notes, there were no bottles and no cries of "we want Anderson".

well, what i said was almost a direct quote from horn himself. I could not remember how he said it, but he said something very close to what i said. He was really traumatized by the european tour, specially with the UK tour. Dont remember the source though. . .

 famous non prog replacement  when Mick Taylor left the Stones : guitarists who were  on the list Harvey Mandel (who played on Black & Blue), Rory Gallagher, Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton , Wayne Perkins (who payed also on B&B) and Ronnie Wood ( who got the job)

There are a few I remember, probably some have been mentioned:

1. Vangelis in Yes, the problem was not Jon, he was thrilled, but the rest of the band not, as a fact Jon played some albums with Vangelis some years after that audition
2. Happy the Man was about to become the Peter Gabriel official band
3. Elton John for Gentle Giant (as has been mentoioned) but also with King Crimson.
4. Eddie Jobson with Yes, he even toured with them.
5. Phil Collins auditioned with Yes, but became Genesis drummer instead.

Iván

micky wrote: Hendrix and ELP would have been prog Nirvana...   love what  Hendrix did with Traffic.   Such a loss to the world of prog.. he was heading that way me thinks...

That's a nice thought, I got that feeling (Hendrix heading in a more prog direction), too.  Can't quite see (hear) Hendrix in ELP in my mind's eye (ear).   HELP?

Ladies and gentlemen - Hendrix Emerson Lake and Palmer (for you slow folks).


Edited by Slartibartfast - May 21 2008 at 22:14

Very cool(interesting) thread we got here! for the OP

Since I'm quite young I really dunno stuff like this, but I'll keep contact, since I've read every post, and it's more than just interesting, keep up the good work, love it!