Tom Kelly Appreciation Thread

From the Department of Inclusion In Upcoming Anniversarial (is that even a word?  Now it is) Airplay Department, I bring a little bit of advance notice of whereupon you might tune your earses upon an otherwise mundane Monday evening, or perhaps, morning (and make that perhaps, a terrestrial Tuesday), depending on what part of this little blue planet you might be calling home (you know who you are ).

Alex Cruzeta will be presenting his 7th Anniversary show tonight on Deep Nuggets, airing from 5PM - 9PM PDT.  The Prog Hour is about the second hour in or so and one of his little birdies showed up in my message box, alerting me (as birdies do, perhaps it's a chicken, and may the sky not be falling, if that is the case) to the fact that he will indeed be including music by Tom Kelly.  There will be the usual reminders in FB, this is the only  notification here that will be issued, however, so mark your calendars, no matter which type you prefer, digital or analog.  Alex's shows are diverse and it's especially fun to listen in on his commentary, before and after his various sets.  So don't miss it!  Link to Deep Nuggets:https://deepnuggets.com/

In other news, there will be a very special show airing late in August, so keep your eyes open for that notification. 

An auspicious number of hits on this Tom Kelly Appreciation topicwas achieved yesterday, 8888.  Granted, some of these are my sharing of information re airplay and such in there, but I found it particularly amusing to think of this being an indication of spinning through eternity, but on it's side.  A photo will be attached at the end of this missive.

And now on to airplay since last I figuratively picked up a pen (and sheathed my sword), a difficult trick when one is on Mars.  

Paul Higgins has featured Tom twice on Aquarian Moons on 28 May and 23 July, playing both "The Tolling of St. John's Bells," and "Catherine," respectively.  Aquarian Moons is space/psych/prog for the uninitiated, here is a link to the podcast:  https://www.spreaker.com/show/aquarian-moons_2?fbclid=IwAR19DEVDmJjWVQsmetWLSn84DEWIVuY76G-EDxaf2_D_5ZtwJfQFF0ypmSQ

Mike Sherrill continues to be a huge fan and consistently airs Tom's music on his W.T.A.U. Pea Ridge Nation show.  This is on Twitch television, so you are also treated to not only hearing, but watching the host as he spins everything from prog to bluegrass to growling, and everything in between.  Mike's recently played "The Tolling of St. John's Bells," on 29 May; 5 June "Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Hell," 12 June "The Keys," 19 June "Nothing Ends, Nothing Begins," 26 June "A Slight Overture of Sorts," 3 July "Sloppy Love At Bodie Flats," 17 July "Forward," and 24 July, those darned "Cows Appear(ed) Out Of Nowhere."  Link to Mike's Twitch podcast https://www.twitch.tv/wtaupearidgenation

Aural Moon continues with Tom's music on regular rotation, way back on 2 June, "West Fork," spookily wended it's way across the moon, on 13 June "Burnt Peas, Part 3," 20 June "Cows Appear Out Of Nowhere," (they were busy that week, apparently) and on 21 July "A Slight Overture of Sorts," showed up.  Link to Aural Moon Radio: http://auralmoon.com//

Bandwagon Network Radio has been playing less progressive music of late, not sure what happened to their regular show, but they have had some broadcast troubles last month.  Hopefully it will make a regular return soon.  In the meantime, I did happen to catch "The Bend," on 16 June and 21 June; "The Wayfarer (Part 1) " on 29 June and two plays of "A Bookwife's Dream of Her Own Imposter," on 18 and 20 June.  Link to Bandwagon:  https://thebandwagonnetwork.net/

Lastly, but not leastly, Progressive Rock AZUSA on 31 May played "Nothing Ends, Nothing Begins," on their Progressively Indie show and "Remains of Childhood Lost, on 15 July, in regular rotation.  Link to AZUSA:  https://progressiverockazusa.com/

Which all goes to show that you never know where you'll find Tom, but my guess is that he's usually out there somewhere.  With a guitar or piano not far away.

Don't forget to tune in tonight to Alex's show and I want to thank you all again for all of the support over these years.  I like to think that somewhere, Tom knows his music is heard and appreciated.

Links to Kev Rowland's and Windhawk's Prog Archives reviews:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/12B8VWiH5wY4QoXHMCkIGc?si=aAlS_Dj3SVKytPG4lZBzFA&fbclid=IwAR0acjinZbHO_jliqJGdktiWiUMf_LM2U0gE6YRi0oOfOdHo3_z7ZpEPMgE   

From the Department of Continuing Memorial Musical During The Month of Septembrance Department, word has arrived that today, Monday, 20 September, Alex Cruzeta is planning on including music by Tom Kelly on his Monday Chemistry Sets Show, on 24/7 Deep Nuggets Radio.  He is planning on a special double Prog Hour, which starts around the second hour in, show airs from 5PM – 9PM PDT.  Please come along and support the show, Alex doesn’t provide a podcast, this is live only, so catch it while it’s in progress!  Link to Deep Nuggets:  https://deepnuggets.com/

Since last week’s notification of the debut of Tom on Prog Rock For Beginners on Progrock.com, I have caught his music being played in the following places:

On 13 September, Progressive Rock Radio AZUSA included “Sloppy Love At Bodie Flats,” in rotation on it’s fine site, also a 24/7 Station.  Link to AZUSA:  https://progressiverockazusa.com/

As mentioned above, the Prog Rock for Beginners show featured a “submissions,” section, which was in conjunction with many artists that Chuck discovered via visiting Friday Night Progressive, which has been a stalwart champion of Tom’s music for well over two years now.  Airing on Progrock.com, Chuck chose to intersperse selections from Burnt Peas/The Tolling of St John’s Bells, on 14 September.  He chose “Burnt Peas (Parts 3 & 4),” “Burnt Peas Finale,” “God and the Flatlanders (Acoustic Celtic Version),” and “Staring It in the Face (Part 1),” amongst pieces by many of the fine artists who inhabit the world of Friday Night Progressive.  Chuck promises to bring back more of Tom’s music on future shows.  This show airs every Tuesday from 3:30 – 6:30 PM PDT.  Link to podcast in case you missed it:  https://podcasts.progrock.com/prog-rock-for-beginners/

On Tom’s “angelversary,” as a friend coined it, Bob Prigmore of his self-titled Prog and Rock Shows on Beat Route Radio UK paid tribute to Tom, selecting “God and the Flatlanders (Waltz Version),” on 15 September.  Bob’s show is on air every Wednesday from 10AM – Noon PDT.Link to Beat Route:  https://beatrouteradio.co.uk/

The “Burnt Peas Finale,” was heard on Jim Brennan’s Progressive Rock station, 24/7 Aural Moon, in rotation.  Aural Moon has continuously kept Tom’s music in rotation since Jim first added it back in January of 2019.  Link to Aural Moon:  http://auralmoon.com//

And, lastly but not leastly, after a week’s hiatus, on W.T.A.U. Pea Ridge Nation, Mike Sherrill chose to play Tom’s “Love IS Money.  This show airs on Twitch TV every Saturday from 4PM – 7PM PDT.  The podcast can be found at this link:  https://www.twitch.tv/wtaupearidgenation

As always, thank you to so of you for your support, and for helping me to expand Tom’s audience and for keeping his music alive.  Being that the third anniversary is coming up for the initial releases, they've proven to have pretty long legs in a competitive progressive market.

Attention Hamerheads!  Martian Milestone

From The Department of Important Anniversaries Department, this just in:

No, not airplay (is that such a thing on Mars?) today, just a milestone and very grateful thanks to be given.

Three years ago, these three recordings of Tom Kelly’s music were released.  It took just a little more than a year to sort through, compile and prepare all of this material.  I could not have done it without the help of David Hurst, who did all of the technical studio work and also all of the artwork, outside of the original artwork done by Joel Stafford on “Spinning Through Eternity.”  My grateful thanks to them and also to all of the people below, who have played or reviewed Tom’s music over the last three years.  Some have become particular champions, the music is still being played on quite a few of these and is still being added to new stations and hosted shows alike.  Grateful thanks especially, to Kevin Feeley, for being “the man who makes the introductions,” and also to Tatsurou Ueda, the first person to purchase the discography, which led me to the world of progressive chat rooms.

I wish to thank the following for including Tom’s music on their terrestrial and internet radio programs:  Jim Brennan at Aural Moon Radio, for being the first one to add Tom to his station; Tom Gagliardi at The Gagliarchives on Aural Moon and House of Prog, for being the first host to play Tom on his revered show; Rick Dashiell at The Rickter Scale on Delicious Agony; Archie Patterson at The Eurock Show on HiLo Radio; Kevin Slaymaker at Between 2 Worlds on CRMK UK and Brackley Community Radio stations; Geo Warner at Music for All Occasions on KSQD Santa Cruz Community Radio;  Peter O’Neill at Epic Mondays, Chuck Simons at ProgRock for Beginners, and Zap Niles at Progscure, all on Progrock.com; Bob Prigmore at The Prog and Rock Show on Beat Route Radio UK; Tony Romero at his self-titled Show  and Steve Swayne at The 7^th House on House of Prog; Ron Marquiss and Stephen Speelman at Friday Night Progressive; Larne Peters at Larne’s Finest on Progalley; Cliff Pearson at Live from Progzilla Towers, Graham Harfleet at his self-titled Show, Emma Roebuck at Northern Star, Steve Petch at The Progmeister and Shaun Geraghty at The Prog Mill, all on Progzilla Radio; Jules at Prog Rock Nation on KTAL, Las Cruces Community Radio; Stuffer White at Light Without Heat, Anita Bhatia Higgins at Melo’s Prog Bazaar, Paul Higgins at Aquarian Moons and Mike Sherrill at WTAU PeaRidge Nation, all on Spreaker; Alex Cruzeta at The Monday Chemistry Sets & Steven Davies-Morris at Through The Looking Glass, both on Deep Nuggets radio; Dave Davis at Independent Share on Mixcloud; and Cliff Broyhill at Progressively Indie on Bandwagon Network Radio.

I would also like to thank the reviewers below for their time and energy in thoroughly reviewing the material and their thoughtful insights: 

Review Snippets:

"The late Tom Kelly recorded three masterpiece albums that combined every imaginable style of music to create a completely unique musical amalgam of electronic symphonic fusion that transcends any style or genre."  Archie Patterson, Promo for Eurock show #218 on HiLo Radio ~ Link to HiLo http://www.hiloradio.com/Eurock/

“This isn't music designed to be played gentle in the background as the musician meanders through, but instead this is music with direction and force which demands to be heard front and centre….it is a real shame Tom didn't get to release it during his lifetime, as this is incredibly enjoyable and any fan of crossover or symphonic progressive rock should seek this out.” Kev Rowland, Prog Archives ~ Link to Review: http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=61010

“It is a very clean album, so very easy to listen to, with a wonderful use of space as an additional instrument…the result being a complete piece of work which is a joy from start to end.” Kev Rowland, ProgArchives ~ Link to Review:  http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=61024

"…the majestic suite, (“The Book Wife Suite")…shows that Tom really shines when he has the time and space to really spread out his ideas.” Kev Rowland, ProgArchives ~ Link to Review:  http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=61025

"The posthumous release of the three albums is a fitting tribute to a skilful composer and multi-instrumentalist. Highly recommended for fans of symphonic prog."  Gareth Page, ProgBlog ~ Link to Review:  http://progblog.co.uk/discovery-7/4594506004

“…they constitute in their entirety an absolute master craft of melodic, harmonic and tuneful musical assembly.  It is in fact simply immense the depth and variety of the work which has been produced here.”  Geoff Penn, ProgPlanet.com ~ Link to Review:  http://www.progplanet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1167:3-cd-solo-works&catid=12:cd-reviews&Itemid=1004’

“…we can all now spend time with Tom Kelly and his individual, personal but still hugely engaging music.  It’s a varied, skilled and rewarding journey to be a part of.”  Steven Reid, Sea of Tranquility ~ Link to Review:  https://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=21656

“Every now and then one comes across hidden gems of music, and one of my recent 'discoveries' … was the music of Tom Kelly”  John Simms, Flight of the Sky Pilot ~ Link to Review:  https://flightoftheskypilot.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-forgotten-prog-of-tom-kelly.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR2URK4_t4xky1WyBT7WMqNqcVzKarV-bBpqsMd9HJldsfSlbiTRwEyg_yA

“…oddly winsome, maddeningly obtuse, whimsically melodic, captivatingly capricious music.”  Stephen Conrad, Progressive Rock Fanatics ~ Link to Review:

https://progressiverockfanatics.wordpress.com/2020/06/20/love-nor-song-ever-ends/?fbclid=IwAR1Qgm6xsCZ_mo-cgmiVhXRsDfVWSxToPJBpm_FPsFw-1UaHzHvQPQjkxs4

My grateful thanks also to all of those who have listened, known to me or not over these past three years, and to the many of you whom I've met on this path.

In Pondering the Significance of Radio vs Internet In Terms of Longevity, this just in from The Department of Radio Waves Last Forever, Internet Transmissions About 7 Years Department:

I received a transmission from Ronald Marquiss over at Friday Night Progressive that Tom's music will be once again gracing the airwaves from that stalwart internet show, today, 21 January.  Friday Night Progressive plays some of the best progressive and related music out there and the show has been a continuous champion of Tom's since we first made contact there.  The show will air from 6PM - 8PM PT and there is a free and friendly chat room attached, should you wish to join the folks there.  Link to Friday Night Progressive:  https://fridaynightprogressive.com/

In other news, Tom is still enjoying airplay here and there and we have continued to have sales of mostly digital downloads, even over three years later.  Internet airplay sightings follow:

On 27 December, Progressive Rock AZUSA was heard spinning "Catherine," in rotation. AZUSA is 24/7 and plays plenty of prog for your earses.  Link to AZUSA:  https://progressiverockazusa.com/

The same date found Alex Cruzeta selecting the Mistress Quickly nugget, "Violent Pig Plaster," on his Monday Night Chemistry Sets, airs every Monday from 5PM - 9PM PT on 24/7 Deep Nuggets radio.  Link to Deep Nuggets: https://deepnuggets.com/

On to New Year's Day of 2022, which had 2 Martian sightings.  In rotation, "The Fork," was on the table over at ProgAlley internet radio, heading to you from Germany.  Prog Alley is also round-the-clock broadcasting, here is the link to the station: http://www.progalley.de/

And, same day, Mike Sherrill at W.T.A.U. Pea Ridge Nation returned to Twitch TV after a week off.  Mike's show is on Saturdays, from 4PM - 7PM PT and is fun to watch, since you get to see what the host is up to during his broadcast.  Mike chose "The Tolling of St. John's Bells," on New Year's Day and also played "The Keys," the following Saturday, 8 January.  And a third week in a row, 15 January, "Nothing Ends, Nothing Begins," did have a beginning and end on his show.  Link to WTAU: https://www.twitch.tv/wtaupearidgenation

The next Saturday, 8 January, played Tom's music not once, not twice, but three times that I observed (including at WTAU just above).  First was the return of Tony Romero to his show on House of Prog radio, yet another 24/7 site for progressive and rock music.  Tony selected "Love Is Money," to play.  His show is on Saturdays from 10AM - 1PM PT, link to House of Prog:https://houseofprog.com/

Lastly, but certainly not leastly, later that day Aural Moon, the first station to air Tom's music, had "The Tolling of St John's Bells," which appeared to be a request.  Aural Moon is also rotating out there all of the time and plays lots of great progressive music and a lot of fusion as well.  Link to Aural Moon:  http://auralmoon.com//

As we move along into 2022, thank you to all of you who still play Tom's music, who still play music yourselves and who bring art and light to others.