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Skull View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Help with The Nice
    Posted: August 23 2005 at 17:25

I really dig the sound that David O'List brought to the band Nice.  I know he left during the recording of the second album.  How much did he actually play on?  Is it worth it, like the first album?  Is a collection of everything that he contributed to the band available anywhere?  Have these albums ever been reissued on vinyl?

Any help would be great.

 

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richardh View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 23 2005 at 20:17

There is a wonderfull BBC session available of The Nice playing 'Ars Longa Vita Brevis' with O'List just before he left the band.This is an amazing version! There is a CD that includes it although sad to say the sound quality is very poor and detracts from the otherwise brilliant performance by the band.The actual album that was released does not include O'List at all and the three piece version of Ars Longa Vita Brevis is way inferior.Don't bother getting it unless you are a Keith Emerson fan.

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Drachen Theaker View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 23 2005 at 21:20

I think he plays the (very good) guitar riff on the Denial section of the Ars Longa suite and that's about it.

Ars Longa is a very good album though - a great mix of the debut's psych/pop and full symphonic prog.

If you want O'List's guitar playing, the Hang on to a Dream 2CD comp issued by Atom in 2004 is probably the best bet as it has all his contributions to the band including the America single and a couple of early B sides. You could also try Swedish Radio Sessions, a 1967 performance featuring O'List.

Re vinyl - the first three albums were reissued on vinyl by Charlie Reords in the late 70s but I don't know any other reissues after that. 

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2005 at 03:20

I agree with RichardH that AVLBrevis is really not an essential album unless you are into emerson's trip of re-working the classics.

There is a version of Thoughts that includes a version of America with O'List on guitar! The best version of it! I really thought that O'List brought great depth in The Nice.

This is applicable to all KB trios..... I always think something is missing: Egg, ELP Triumvirat etc....

According to Threefates , he was kicked out for substance abuse a bit too much. I'll get to this part this WE as I read Emerson's book! 

let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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Drachen Theaker View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2005 at 07:27
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

The actual album that was
released does not include O'List at all and the three
piece version of Ars Longa Vita Brevis is way
inferior.Don't bother getting it unless you are a Keith
Emerson fan.



I have to disagree here Richard. Certainly you have
to be a fan of Emerson's playing to like the album,
but I think the 3-piece version of the Ars Longa suite
is brilliant (so long as you skip the percussion solo).

Denial has some of Emerson's best ever piano work
- I love the aggressive, rhythmic style and the way it's
driven along by Brian Davison's great percussion
work. Brandenburger (with more great drumming
from Davison) is also excellent, and the introductory
prelude is Emerson on Hammond at his hell for
leather best.

"It's 1973, almost dinnertime and I'm 'aving 'oops!" - Gene Hunt
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Skull View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2005 at 09:30

This has really been a tremendous help.  Thank you everyone for your input.  I'll have to try and track down those BBC sessions and Hang on to a Dream.

I'm surprised that he never started his own band or was picked up by someone because the first Nice album has some very loud and scorching guitar playing.  His playing and sound is not the typical West Coast jangly sound from this period.  I heard some where that he was influenced by Hendrix.

 

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Drachen Theaker View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2005 at 09:55
Hello Skull (feels a bit strange typing that!),

I just remembered that O'List played on Bryan Ferry's
hit version of The In Crowd in the early 70s. He does
some wild heavy metal-style riffing on that - well
worth searching out if you haven't heard it.
"It's 1973, almost dinnertime and I'm 'aving 'oops!" - Gene Hunt
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richardh View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2005 at 16:44

Originally posted by Drachen Theaker Drachen Theaker wrote:

Hello Skull (feels a bit strange typing that!),

I just remembered that O'List played on Bryan Ferry's
hit version of The In Crowd in the early 70s. He does
some wild heavy metal-style riffing on that - well
worth searching out if you haven't heard it.

I think Davy actually had a stint in Roxy Music as well! Very nice felow.Met him last year along with the charming Linda(Three Fates).

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