Flower Kings Appreciation Thread

Good morning all,

I had apparently missed this thread until Roj pointed it out to me (Thanks buddy).

Simply put, The Flower Kings, over the past two years, have become one of my top two favorite bands and are the only band that I'll put in the same class as Genesis.  I believe my listening history in my signature will offer the proof, and frankly, if I could get my dang iPod to synch up with LastFM there would probably be about 500 additional listens.

How did I discover The Flower Kings?  About three years ago, I quit smoking (seriously, this comes into play) and was still listening to mostly electronica.  Genesis was still my favorite band all time, but I rarely listened to them at that point in my life.

About two years ago, I was getting bored with electronica and set up a play list that would randomly play anything on my computer that had never been listened to.  As fate would have it, the computer stumbled on to the overature from Metropolis (the album).  That spurred me on a Dream Theater kick, so for a while I started listening to a lot of Dream Theater in the car.  Around the same time, a the Genesis reunion tour was being organized which put me on a Genesis kick as well.

For the better part of a month I was listening to Genesis and Dream Theater almost exclusively and came to a startling realization in there.  My voice had returned.  After being off cigarettes for a year, I was finally able to carry a tune again.  No more breaking into hacking fits after every three notes.

From there my new appetite for Prog grew exponentially.  iTunes started me on the right foot by doing the 'If you like Dream Theater, then you may enjoy Spock's Beard, Transatlantic or The Flower Kings'.

In very short order, I found iTunes to be dead on.

Over the next two years (also the last two years) I've managed to acquire the entire studio catalog of Dream Theater, Transatlantic, Spock's Beard and The Flower Kings.  The Kings have risen above the other bands because I've never gotten burnt out on them.  I can still listen to 'I Am the Sun' for the 160th time and enjoy it as much as the first (I still sing the beeginning of part 2 to my one year old when I put her to sleep every night).

ok, now that I've done the first part of my life story, I'll get back to work and post a little more this evening.

Either way, love the band, love the thread and currently, I'm loving 'Unfold the Future'

Roland

Roj M30 wrote: progrules wrote: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Huh ? What ? A TFK appreciation thread ???? Sorry guys I was just awakening from my hibernation (Roj knows what I'm talking about ). Goodness me how could I have missed this thread !! Terrible shame on me. I can only make this up by posting a personal top 50 of this best band ever. Maybe in that case I can save a bit of my credibility as biggest TFK fan on PA (or is that too late already ????) Here it comes guys:      Very nice post Henk, hope you are well.    Don't worry I think your position is safe, although we do have a nice fan club building up here.  Roland 113, The Captain and Cacho are all big fans, amongst others.   A great list, but that is like kicking in the proverbial open door as you say.  I'll try and do a top 20 myself soon.

progrules wrote: Roj M30 wrote: progrules wrote: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Huh ? What ? A TFK appreciation thread ???? Sorry guys I was just awakening from my hibernation (Roj knows what I'm talking about ). Goodness me how could I have missed this thread !! Terrible shame on me. I can only make this up by posting a personal top 50 of this best band ever. Maybe in that case I can save a bit of my credibility as biggest TFK fan on PA (or is that too late already ????) Here it comes guys:      Very nice post Henk, hope you are well.    Don't worry I think your position is safe, although we do have a nice fan club building up here.  Roland 113, The Captain and Cacho are all big fans, amongst others.   A great list, but that is like kicking in the proverbial open door as you say.  I'll try and do a top 20 myself soon.   Thanks buddy and you know that I was just teasing you with Cacho and the where's Roger thing. That leaves us only the where's Zitro subject. Where is he ? It's easy to say there's less competition for the no.1 spot without him but it also means a guy less for the fanclub and I think that's more important. By the way, Cacho and you are great competition too with your shower of topics and threads about TFK. I'd better watch out.

Glad I'm considered a big fan of them around the forum

^Ha, don't worry man, I count you in! Just provide some 5 star reviews by them and you're in!

TheCaptain wrote: I've got one coming up for UTF in hopes of bringing it to a 4.00 rating.

TheCaptain wrote: I've got one coming up for UTF in hopes of bringing it to a 4.00 rating. I am, however, giving up music for Lent (the next 40 days in a few hours) as a dare, not for religious reasons so there won't be any from me for a while.

*blinks* huh?

Giving up music for lent on a dare? 

Seriously, in the words of Nancy Reagan "Just Say No"

No way I could give up music for a month, let alone forty days, seriously, even if I was on a desert island, I'd be singing most of the time.

Good luck,

Roland

PS, if you haven't nominated any songs, I have a FK poll going for best FK song.  Round one is active...nominations.  Round 2 involves voting on the most highly nominated songs.

The only Flower Kings album I've heard is Retropolis, but it is fantastic!

Currently listening to Stardust We Are, which I was gifted with by a non-prog fan about a couple of years ago (I had it on a wish list).  I like it, but it hasn't turned me in to a fan and given me the urge to get my hands on as many other albums as I can.  I'm game though.  What should I check out next?

Slartibartfast wrote: Currently listening to Stardust We Are, which I was gifted with by a non-prog fan about a couple of years ago (I had it on a wish list).  I like it, but it hasn't turned me in to a fan and given me the urge to get my hands on as many other albums as I can.  I'm game though.  What should I check out next?

Slarti,

Normally I suggest Space Revolver to anyone that hasn't picked it up yet, though if Stardust isn't doing it for you then you may want to try Paradox Hotel first.  Unfold the Future is great as well, though it's a lot more jazzy then the rest of their work.

Enjoy

Roj M30 wrote: Well guys, I am off on a weeks holiday from tomorrow, some well deserved R n R coming my way. As I can be found on this thread very frequently, just in case my absence is noted on here, you now all know where I am , far from a pc and internet cafe, lying on a sun-drenched beach . Speak soon all. Roj.

Have a great time there Roger, enjoy!

Will miss ya, here in the TFK Appreciation thread