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verslibre View Drop Down
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Points: 17182 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Prog meets AOR
    Posted: November 28 2014 at 11:02
Originally posted by fudgenuts64 fudgenuts64 wrote:

I've got quite the bias for a lot of the AOR stuff... seems like prog/art rock for idiots. Can anyone prove me wrong? I've always been interested in Saga (they were AOR?) but have never even considered listening to The Grand Illusion, or Boston's self titled... yuck! As for Asia, I liked the self titled for a few months before later detesting it.


EDIT: The other day at the store, I heard some great Hammond organ and wondered what they were playing. The radio DJ said "Styx - (I forget name of the song) - from Pieces of Eight". Should I give it a shot?
 
There's a really fine line between AOR-Prog and plain ol' AOR like Boston (meh) and Asia (palatable in small doses).
 
Boston is a one-note rock band whose success is largely configured on the excellent production soundmix their founder/guitarist/engineer Tom Scholz perfected. In other words, it "still sounds good loud." However, it only takes on listen to the full album to hear repeated guitar riffs and to notice that everything seems to be written in the same key.
 
I don't like anything Styx has done after 1980, for the most part, but their best moments are such that Boston could never touch on an instrumental scale. "The Grand Illusion" might be a song that is only marginally interesting to a progger, but to me it's much more engaging than anything Starcastle did on their first album, and Dennis DeYoung's keyboard talent is evident. They started out as a quasi-prog band but found more money in writing accessible fare, which is partly what tore the band apart. Dennis wanted to continue a hit single/concept album balancing act, and Tommy Shaw and James Young wanted to flat-out rock.
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Points: 67 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 28 2014 at 07:37
Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

Originally posted by Walton Street Walton Street wrote:

Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

Originally posted by january4mn january4mn wrote:

As I say, I need to hear more or buy some BOC, I'm overdue.





Thumbs Up  definitely a wise and good investment of time and treasure.

The best of albums are some of the best rock albums you'll ever listen to, with very very strong progressive/prog leanings with dark wit and obvious intelligence if you attach importance or tend to quantify such things, even the 'worst' of their albums have gems on them that absolutely rule. Clap One the handful of best rock bands this country has ever produced.
 
the emphasis on Sci-fi/Horror keeps it interesting too


very much so!  I know Raff would have jumped in but I have her chained to the kitchen slaving away on Thanksgiving dinner LOL  That is something I know she relates to strongly.

Both of us are huge fans of the group for very different reasons which again speaks volumes of the quality of the group.

She is far more the intellectual of us, she has the classic education and that beautiful mind of hers is always turning.  BOC is a very literate very intellectual group with some really neat and interesting themes in their songs/albums.

However me, I suppose I am the typical Leo, it is all about immediate gratification. I don't want to think, I do that enough at work, I listen to music for the emotional impact. I want to be grabbed and made to feel.  I love shear power and often beauty of the music. 

I do see BOC as one of the best groups for appealing to both sides. Music that touches the head, and the heart.


Thanks for all the advice on Blue Oyster Cult everyone, I'll browse through some albums soon!
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Points: 872 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 28 2014 at 06:29
Originally posted by fudgenuts64 fudgenuts64 wrote:

EDIT: The other day at the store, I heard some great Hammond organ and wondered what they were playing. The radio DJ said "Styx - (I forget name of the song) - from Pieces of Eight". Should I give it a shot?
 
Try Crystal Ball first
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Points: 470 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 17:41
I've got quite the bias for a lot of the AOR stuff... seems like prog/art rock for idiots. Can anyone prove me wrong? I've always been interested in Saga (they were AOR?) but have never even considered listening to The Grand Illusion, or Boston's self titled... yuck! As for Asia, I liked the self titled for a few months before later detesting it.


EDIT: The other day at the store, I heard some great Hammond organ and wondered what they were playing. The radio DJ said "Styx - (I forget name of the song) - from Pieces of Eight". Should I give it a shot?


Edited by fudgenuts64 - November 27 2014 at 17:44
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Points: 7272 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 15:23
Hmmm....surprised that no one has mentioned Steve Howe & Steve Hackett's "GTR"!  They had quite a bit of FM airplay back then. 



Saga, definitely.   

I'd say that Asia was the defining AOR prog act of that era.  

It was fun while it lasted!


Edited by cstack3 - November 27 2014 at 15:34
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Points: 9226 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 15:14
^ Great tune!

On a different note...
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Points: 46833 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 15:07
never remember ever hearing this on the radio but among their best!
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Points: 9226 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 15:03
Originally posted by Sagichim Sagichim wrote:

I also dig a fair share of AORish bands

My favourite of these bands is Crack The Sky, they could be classified as art rock, very clever stuff with a lot of groove and brilliant playing, the vocals are also very good , catchy, accessible and fun. Highly recommended!


Ambrosia were also mentioned and I must agree check out their debut album 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfLUNZG_sqE

City Boy - Check out Dinner At The Ritz


Mansun - Their 1998 album called Six is a killer mix between britrock and prog, think of a more progy version of Muse.



Sagi my friend, a great list of recommendations! I like Crack the Sky and enjoying the rest now Approve
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Points: 17182 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 14:29
Originally posted by Raff Raff wrote:

I believe BOC transcend the AOR tag, though a lot of their music is catchy and listener-friendly. Their best songs, however, are the hidden gems, those you will hardly ever hear played on the radio - such as "Seven Screamin' Dizbusters" (my favourite besides "Psychic Wars"), "Divine Wind", "Vengeance: The Pact", "Madness to the Method", and many others. It is a real pity (and an indictment of the sorry state of the modern music industry) that such a great band has been without a recording deal for almost 15 years.
 
Definitely, and this without a doubt is one of my favorite BOC songs. Not sure if it ever got airplay but if not, it should've!
 
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Points: 872 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 13:40

all this time I thought it meant that it wasn't very likely that you'd get a single released off of the album

(non commercial rock)
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Points: 2673 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 13:39
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Originally posted by Metalmarsh89 Metalmarsh89 wrote:

I've always been confused, is AOR a genre or a format?
Good question, MM, AOR (album oriented rock) was actually an FM radio format that was not based on 45 RPM singes and was not a genre.
However, like most terms and phrases in popular music, it's taken on a slang meaning for bands like Journey, Boston, Styx, the Eagles, etc., who  did not fall into the Metal, Country, Rap and Hip Hop camps and had a lot of FM radio presence at one time.
 
Not a very scientific answer, but I hope it helps.


I guess that will have to do, since that's probably the best, or close to the best, definition I'll get. Smile But I guess at this point, it's just a tag.

I mean bands like the Who and David Bowie ought to fall into this category, but I don't think they do, probably because they do have their own classification that works. Coheed and Cambria as well should fit in here, but I'm sure they're not.

Another question. Does AOR = Stadium Rock? Or is that the mold of AC/DC and KISS?
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Points: 1787 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 11:58
Secret Treaties and Agents of Fortune are my favorites of BOC.

Got into Saga in 80s of AOR fame.
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Points: 8618 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 08:51
I love BOC's albums Tyranny and Mutation, and Spectres the most. Haven't listened to them in ages, I should rectify that!
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Points: 872 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 08:47
Originally posted by Raff Raff wrote:

I believe BOC transcend the AOR tag, though a lot of their music is catchy and listener-friendly. Their best songs, however, are the hidden gems, those you will hardly ever hear played on the radio - such as "Seven Screamin' Dizbusters" (my favourite besides "Psychic Wars"), "Divine Wind", "Vengeance: The Pact", "Madness to the Method", and many others. It is a real pity (and an indictment of the sorry state of the modern music industry) that such a great band has been without a recording deal for almost 15 years.
 
should I assume you also picked up ....
 
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Points: 24429 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 08:39
I believe BOC transcend the AOR tag, though a lot of their music is catchy and listener-friendly. Their best songs, however, are the hidden gems, those you will hardly ever hear played on the radio - such as "Seven Screamin' Dizbusters" (my favourite besides "Psychic Wars"), "Divine Wind", "Vengeance: The Pact", "Madness to the Method", and many others. It is a real pity (and an indictment of the sorry state of the modern music industry) that such a great band has been without a recording deal for almost 15 years.
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Points: 872 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 08:14
Originally posted by Sagichim Sagichim wrote:


City Boy - Check out Dinner At The Ritz
 
 
 
Love these guys!
 
Young Men Gone West is a great album too but Ritz was my first exposure
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Points: 6632 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 08:10
I also dig a fair share of AORish bands

My favourite of these bands is Crack The Sky, they could be classified as art rock, very clever stuff with a lot of groove and brilliant playing, the vocals are also very good , catchy, accessible and fun. Highly recommended!


Ambrosia were also mentioned and I must agree check out their debut album 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfLUNZG_sqE

City Boy - Check out Dinner At The Ritz


Mansun - Their 1998 album called Six is a killer mix between britrock and prog, think of a more progy version of Muse.
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Points: 46833 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 08:03
Originally posted by Walton Street Walton Street wrote:

Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

Originally posted by january4mn january4mn wrote:

As I say, I need to hear more or buy some BOC, I'm overdue.





Thumbs Up  definitely a wise and good investment of time and treasure.

The best of albums are some of the best rock albums you'll ever listen to, with very very strong progressive/prog leanings with dark wit and obvious intelligence if you attach importance or tend to quantify such things, even the 'worst' of their albums have gems on them that absolutely rule. Clap One the handful of best rock bands this country has ever produced.
 
the emphasis on Sci-fi/Horror keeps it interesting too


very much so!  I know Raff would have jumped in but I have her chained to the kitchen slaving away on Thanksgiving dinner LOL  That is something I know she relates to strongly.

Both of us are huge fans of the group for very different reasons which again speaks volumes of the quality of the group.

She is far more the intellectual of us, she has the classic education and that beautiful mind of hers is always turning.  BOC is a very literate very intellectual group with some really neat and interesting themes in their songs/albums.

However me, I suppose I am the typical Leo, it is all about immediate gratification. I don't want to think, I do that enough at work, I listen to music for the emotional impact. I want to be grabbed and made to feel.  I love shear power and often beauty of the music. 

I do see BOC as one of the best groups for appealing to both sides. Music that touches the head, and the heart.
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Points: 872 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 07:48
Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

Originally posted by january4mn january4mn wrote:

As I say, I need to hear more or buy some BOC, I'm overdue.





Thumbs Up  definitely a wise and good investment of time and treasure.

The best of albums are some of the best rock albums you'll ever listen to, with very very strong progressive/prog leanings with dark wit and obvious intelligence if you attach importance or tend to quantify such things, even the 'worst' of their albums have gems on them that absolutely rule. Clap One the handful of best rock bands this country has ever produced.
 
the emphasis on Sci-fi/Horror keeps it interesting too
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Points: 46833 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 27 2014 at 07:42
Originally posted by january4mn january4mn wrote:

As I say, I need to hear more or buy some BOC, I'm overdue.





Thumbs Up  definitely a wise and good investment of time and treasure.

The best of albums are some of the best rock albums you'll ever listen to, with very very strong progressive/prog leanings with dark wit and obvious intelligence if you attach importance or tend to quantify such things, even the 'worst' of their albums have gems on them that absolutely rule. Clap One the handful of best rock bands this country has ever produced.
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