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40footwolf 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 08 2010
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Points: 651
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 Posted: October 11 2010 at 22:57 |
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Given how much everyone seems to love them on this site I don't think they're the most underrated by a long shot. The most underrated prog band is probably one none of us have heard of. Camel has quite a bit of cultural clout.
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Heaven's made a cesspool of us all.
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Triceratopsoil
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 03 2010
Location: Canada
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Points: 18016
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Posted: October 11 2010 at 22:59 |
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The most underrated prog band is Satan Alfa Beel Atem
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richardh
Prog Reviewer
Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
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Points: 28064
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 01:42 |
A band that passed me by in the seventies. I have the remasters of Snow Goose and Moon Madness because they cost only a fiver each as well as Gods Of Light 73-75 but can't say I've been blown away. Quite nice inoffensive symph prog.Hardly earth shattering.
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cesar polo
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 23 2007
Location: Spain
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Points: 146
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 02:36 |
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Of course, Camel are the most underrated prog band of all time. They are at least as great as Yes, ELP, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd or King Crimson. So, I think that when people talk about the "big prog bands" it should be G7(including Camel), not G6(the above mentioned).
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sohraab
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 09 2010
Location: Tehran, Iran
Status: Offline
Points: 130
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 02:38 |
 cesar polo wrote:
Of course, Camel are the most underrated prog band of all time. They are at least as great as Yes, ELP, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd or King Crimson. So, I think that when people talk about the "big prog bands" it should be G7(including Camel), not G6(the above mentioned). |
INDEED! 
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Moogtron III
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 26 2005
Location: Belgium
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Points: 10616
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 03:03 |
I don't think Camel is underrated here, but I have to admit: listening for about 20 years to their music I'm surprised how many times you can listen to their music, at least their classic albums, without getting bored.
For me they have become my favorite band after Yes, and I never expected that. I used to think they were second division, sub top, but not anymore.
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sohraab
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 09 2010
Location: Tehran, Iran
Status: Offline
Points: 130
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 03:11 |
Moogtron III wrote:
I don't think Camel is underrated here, but I have to admit: listening for about 20 years to their music I'm surprised how many times you can listen to their music, at least their classic albums, without getting bored.
For me they have become my favorite band after Yes, and I never expected that. I used to think they were second division, sub top, but not anymore. |
think i should change the topic header again! Camel is NOT underrated NOW. but it WAS at 70`S. i want to know what has been the reason. some people passed nice ideas.
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Moogtron III
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 26 2005
Location: Belgium
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Points: 10616
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 03:29 |
sohraab wrote:
Moogtron III wrote:
I don't think Camel is underrated here, but I have to admit: listening for about 20 years to their music I'm surprised how many times you can listen to their music, at least their classic albums, without getting bored.
For me they have become my favorite band after Yes, and I never expected that. I used to think they were second division, sub top, but not anymore. |
think i should change the topic header again!
Camel is NOT underrated NOW. but it WAS at 70`S.
i want to know what has been the reason.
some people passed nice ideas.
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I did read that, but I forgot
Yes, it was a bit off topic, sorry 
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sohraab
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 09 2010
Location: Tehran, Iran
Status: Offline
Points: 130
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 03:31 |
Moogtron III wrote:
sohraab wrote:
Moogtron III wrote:
I don't think Camel is underrated here, but I have to admit: listening for about 20 years to their music I'm surprised how many times you can listen to their music, at least their classic albums, without getting bored.
For me they have become my favorite band after Yes, and I never expected that. I used to think they were second division, sub top, but not anymore. |
think i should change the topic header again!
Camel is NOT underrated NOW. but it WAS at 70`S.
i want to know what has been the reason.
some people passed nice ideas.
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I did read that, but I forgot
Yes, it was a bit off topic, sorry |
it`s OK man! no need to be sorry... this is a friendly discussion forum for me...
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sohraab
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 09 2010
Location: Tehran, Iran
Status: Offline
Points: 130
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 08:15 |
Triceratopsoil wrote:
The most underrated prog band is Satan Alfa Beel Atem
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HUH???? what a strange name... i`ll go for them by sure...
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Drummerboy
Forum Groupie
Joined: March 12 2007
Location: United States
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Points: 81
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 10:16 |
Snow Dog wrote:
sohraab wrote:
lazland wrote:
If you use the old football analogy in the UK, Camel were second division in terms of sales as compared to the big bands of the First Division.
However, in terms of appreciation, certainly on sites such as this, they are most definitely up there.
I've recently converted my old Camel vinyl to digital, and am able once again to appreciate just what a marvellous band they were.
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yes absolutely they are well respected in PA. but i mention again, my question is that why should they have been in second division? did they miss technical elements? or maybe their mood was not well accepted by public comparing other prog rockers? what has been the reason?
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They came along later. They never had the showmanship or excitement of other bands imo. |
Not only that, but they did not get much airplay the way the first team of Tull/ELP/Yes did in the day. Maybe because almost all of their work requires a certain effort by the listener, while the mega-bands had very approachable singles that were big radio hits. However the effort was greatly rewarded; I agree they are the great under-rated band of the 70's and also agree that a lot of their later work does not come close to the classic period of their first decade. While they may have lacked showmanship in the sense of an Ian Anderson, their live music was absolutely incindiary; very intense, similar to KC in the mid-70s. Amazingly I saw them in their 1997 incarnation at a no-name club in Osaka, Japan, and they were still just incredibly powerful.
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Norman Kiddie
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Joined: February 16 2009
Location: Stuttgart
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 11:40 |
 I saw Camel supported by Eloy in Germany back in 1978. They played most of Rain Dances and the more popular tracks from Moon Madness and their usual Snow Goose medley. Firstly they wiped the floor
with Eloy who were a very good band. In those days every prog fan had Camel albums having said that it was evident that the likes of Genesis, Yes and Floyd most definately sold more albums.
However I would like to point out the fact that the albums you have mentioned are undoubtedly great albums, I love them too especially Rajaz but we are talking a different Camel. Todays sales are to a very different audience than in the seventies though real prog fans would have bought them too.
Letīs just hope Andy Latimer continues to produce quality music and gets his just deserts for a job well done.
Norman
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sohraab
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 09 2010
Location: Tehran, Iran
Status: Offline
Points: 130
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 11:48 |
Norman Kiddie wrote:
I saw Camel supported by Eloy in Germany back in 1978. They played most of Rain Dances and the more popular tracks from Moon Madness and their usual Snow Goose medley. Firstly they wiped the floor
with Eloy who were a very good band. In those days every prog fan had Camel albums having said that it was evident that the likes of Genesis, Yes and Floyd most definately sold more albums.
However I would like to point out the fact that the albums you have mentioned are undoubtedly great albums, I love them too especially Rajaz but we are talking a different Camel. Todays sales are to a very different audience than in the seventies though real prog fans would have bought them too.
Letīs just hope Andy Latimer continues to produce quality music and gets his just deserts for a job well done.
Norman
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i`m recently getting addicted to `a nod and a wink`. i just think it satisfies almost all possible technical standards of a good progressive, also including very broad but accurately balanced moods. just wonders me that how creative Latimer was when he was writing this music. well appreciated by my side... hope he keep on.
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
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Points: 37575
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 12:50 |
sohraab wrote:
Snow Dog wrote:
I think you ARE wrong...they are a very popular band. maybe in the seventies they weren't Premier league but they sure are popular now. |
yes, but my discussion is about the situation of the band at 70`s prog society of UK and world in general. wondering how they WERE so underrated. maybe i should change the post text a little!
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They were not underrated in the 1970s - they never had "hit" albums like Floyd, Yes or Genesis, but for an essentially instrumental band they sold very well and made the UK top 40 charts 5 times:
| Position |
Artist |
Title |
Date |
Details |
| 22 |
Camel |
The Snow Goose |
May 1975 |
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| 15 |
Camel |
Moon Madness |
Apr 1976 |
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| 20 |
Camel |
Rain Dances |
Sep 1977 |
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| 26 |
Camel |
Breathless |
Oct 1978 |
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| 34 |
Camel |
Nude |
Jan 1981 |
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Genesis's Trespass and Nursery Cryme didn't chart at all when they were originally released. Van Der Graaf Generator never had an album in the top 40, nor did Gong, Gentle Giant or Caravan.
Edited by Dean - October 12 2010 at 12:51
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What?
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Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
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Points: 32995
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 13:04 |
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Thats very interesting Dean. I thought they had a few hits because they were in the press a lot and thats how I came to hear of them. I didn't by Snow goose although I knew of it, but I bought Moonmadness.
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rdtprog
Special Collaborator
Heavy, RPI, Symph, JR/F Canterbury Teams
Joined: April 04 2009
Location: Mtl, QC
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Points: 5285
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 13:26 |
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Underrated or not, i think it's the kind of relaxing symphonic rock genre that push some people off. For me, it's great music atmosphere that i enjoy listening sometimes not too long, because he doesn't move enough for my personal taste... And i always had the impression that their masterpiece album were overrated in the prog community and not underrated...
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 13:36 |
Snow Dog wrote:
Thats very interesting Dean. I thought they had a few hits because they were in the press a lot and thats how I came to hear of them. I didn't by Snow goose although I knew of it, but I bought Moonmadness. |
I can remember hearing their first album while I was at school and I bought Mirage when it was released. I didn't care for Snow Goose very much (and still don't) but several of my friends liked it and I recall it was fairly popular with non-Prog fans at the time as chill music for student parties. I didn't get to see them live until the Rain Dances tour and I have to admit I wasn't that impressed.
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What?
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Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
Status: Offline
Points: 32995
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 13:42 |
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^ Never liked Snow Goose much myself.
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kenethlevine
Special Collaborator
Prog-Folk Team
Joined: December 06 2006
Location: New England
Status: Offline
Points: 8953
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 13:48 |
I come at this from a different angle. None of the big 6 or so are really favourites for me. The fact that Camel is so firmly in the second division makes me kinda happy because it's the only favourite of mine that is even that highly acclaimed.
For a prog band, once you strip away the huge ones, and looking at UK success, they were actually pretty successful commercially. All of their albums from Mirage (1974) to Stationary Traveller (1984) made the UK charts. Not many prog groups had such a run.
If pressed to explain their lack of 1st division success, I might agree with the poster who mentioned that they were mostly instrumental, and add that their vocals were not the stuff of higher echelons, although I think they suited the group just fine. Their tendency to change with every album may have prevented them from building a really large audience. For instance, how does Raindances solidify the Snow Goose/Moonmadness fan base?
Edited by kenethlevine - October 12 2010 at 13:50
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sohraab
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 09 2010
Location: Tehran, Iran
Status: Offline
Points: 130
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Posted: October 12 2010 at 20:33 |
kenethlevine wrote:
I come at this from a different angle. None of the big 6 or so are really favourites for me. The fact that Camel is so firmly in the second division makes me kinda happy because it's the only favourite of mine that is even that highly acclaimed.
For a prog band, once you strip away the huge ones, and looking at UK success, they were actually pretty successful commercially. All of their albums from Mirage (1974) to Stationary Traveller (1984) made the UK charts. Not many prog groups had such a run.
If pressed to explain their lack of 1st division success, I might agree with the poster who mentioned that they were mostly instrumental, and add that their vocals were not the stuff of higher echelons, although I think they suited the group just fine. Their tendency to change with every album may have prevented them from building a really large audience. For instance, how does Raindances solidify the Snow Goose/Moonmadness fan base? |
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Camel: the most underrated prog band at 70`s?
