Spock's Beard Studio Albums
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Topic: Spock's Beard Studio Albums
Posted By: Squonk19
Subject: Spock's Beard Studio Albums
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 10:47
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My first poll - I thought I'd ask for your views on Spock's Beard's studio albums. Each is quite varied at times, with classic tracks often rubbing shoulders with lesser tracks. Easy to make a best of compilation - but not necessarily choose just one album. I probably have to go with 'Snow' as it holds together very well as a concept album and is a real classic. It was always a pity Neal jumped ship before the album could be given the full tour treatment. Always thought it would make a good modern musical on stage! I'd like your views on which post-Snow album you like the best as well, even if you didn't vote it top over the earlier ones. Again, I struggle choosing one as all have their highlights and styles and it depends on my mood at the time. ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Replies:
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 10:58
Own only two (sold the others  ) V and The Light, both excellent.Not really familiar with the post-snow material, unfortunatly. ------------- |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 11:40
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Gotta go with V, although The Light is great as well. For post-Snow, it has to be X. Wonderful disc, but Brief Nocturnes is also good. ------------- We all dwell in an amber subdomain, amber subdomain, amber subdomain. My face IS a maserati |
Posted By: Dopeydoc
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 11:48
| V |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 14:54
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Second vote for Snow ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 15:26
| Brief Nocturnes for me, though I enjoy the their music very much. |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 16:18
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The Light as for post Snow: X S/t Octane The Oblivion Particle Brief... (although these two are pretty interchangeable) Feel Euphoria ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 16:21
| I haven't heard all so I won't vote. With only one exception(Octane which I heard once)I only know the NM era. OUt of those I really enjoy the first two and V so I would say those are their very best. KoS would be right behind them. DFN is actually very good but it seems like an attempt to crack the charts(ie very poppy imo). Snow is pretty good for a double but I think TFK were better at doubles(maybe that's why they did so many). |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 16:32
Yeah, I just started listening to this band a few day ago(the lead singer was suggested to me by one of my buddies on here) and I've just been jamming out to DFN and KoS lol. Guess I should probably try some of their other stuff now..
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AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 17:27
 OK, now it will be you who will be able to suggest me where to start with this band... as soon as I'm ready to take a dip into it. So far the only one I have got is Brief Nocturnes (not with Neal Morse), and it was sort of nice. Particularly the song "Something very Strange" is really great. |
Posted By: the lighthouse keepe
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 17:41
 Along with The Flower Kings and Big Big Train,Spock's Beard are my favourite modern day band.Day for Night is very good (The Healing Col o r Of Sound is one of the band's best works!),as is Snow,and V,but The Kindness of Strangers,being the first album I'd heard by SB,is top banana for me! ------------- "Hello sun.Hello bird. Hello my lady. Hello breakfast.May I buy you again tomorrow?" |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 10 2017 at 22:03
Ok I'll have to listen to some more from them first, and then sure I'll recommend something that I think, based on what I know about your tastes(Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield) would be a good place for you to start.
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Posted By: TerLJack
Date Posted: November 11 2017 at 08:42
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V for me Then Kindness, The Light... Post Neal? Spock's Beard(#9). After a couple of struggles to regain their footing, I thought they stepped up to the plate on this one. Post Nick? Brief Nocturnes. No loss of momentum there.
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Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: November 11 2017 at 09:03
I only have the 1st 2 and of those like "Beware of Darkness" best  ------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: Wanorak
Date Posted: November 11 2017 at 09:34
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Brief Nocturnes. ------------- A GREAT YEAR FOR PROG!!! |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 11 2017 at 11:21
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Take care...beware...of farts that linger... ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: November 11 2017 at 11:46
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Just read that Neal Morse and Spock's Beard members past and present have recorded 'Snow Live' and it's just out on Radiant Records! www.RadiantRecords.com. Think I'll have to give they a go - didn't pick up that they'd done that recently. Nice to see 'V' getting some votes - probably their most consistent, if I'm honest, and looks like 'Brief Noctures....' Is worth a revisit. ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: maryes
Date Posted: November 11 2017 at 16:10
| The first vote in "Day for Night" |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: November 11 2017 at 16:32
 ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: Walkscore
Date Posted: November 11 2017 at 20:26
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I would also vote for V, although even that album isn't perfect all the way through. SB live albums, I think, are often better than the studio albums, as each studio album contains some filler, while the live albums offer their 'greatest hits' with lots of energy. Incidentally, on what album, do you think, is the best Nick D'Virgilio drum solo? I really think he is a fantastic drummer, up there with the best currently playing today.
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 11 2017 at 21:50
The problem for Spock's Beard and Neal Morse, as far as I understand the music they make (and that would count for Flower Kings too, from which I know very little, but I guess would work very nicely for you too, given their reputation for positive music) is that they seem to fill the marks of music that I like. Long songs with long instrumental passages, variations within the songs, catchy melodies, hard rocking guitars, etc. But in the end there's something that doesn't satisfy me. The best way I can define it is that to me it sounds like they are doing prog by the numbers, and it doesn't sound inspired. Or better said, they are good, but not great (for me, that is). |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: November 12 2017 at 14:35
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V.........simply for the two long pieces that are two of the best tracks they have ever done. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: the lighthouse keepe
Date Posted: November 12 2017 at 17:18
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No votes for their last album The Oblivion Particle i see!Fairly disjointed affair really;too much influence of Ted Leonard starting too appear i fear!He should stick to writing for Enchant(who are a class act!),and leave that department to the rest of the guys in SB! ------------- "Hello sun.Hello bird. Hello my lady. Hello breakfast.May I buy you again tomorrow?" |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 12 2017 at 18:53
Today I listened to all of the Snow double album. It was a wild ride and a great story, I thought it was pretty fantastic really. Easily the best thing I've heard from them so far. |
Posted By: iluvmarillion
Date Posted: November 12 2017 at 20:17
| In my opinion Snow suffers from being a double album. Just because you have a concept and a main theme doesn't mean that you have to stretch the music out to 2 hours, unless you have the musical ideas to support a 2 hour piece of music. Of the post Snow albums I like the last two - in fact I often play both these days much more than Snow. Oblivion Particle takes a bit of effort to get into it but the journey is worthwhile. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 12 2017 at 21:11
Yeah, I have read about that Snow album being really great. Mostly because they are just releasing a concert with the whole album, and with all the band members that have been in the band so far. So that might be the way to get the album. |
Posted By: Thatfabulousalien
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 04:19
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For me it's The Light......but V has ATEOTD............ ------------- Classical music isn't dead, it's more alive than it's ever been. It's just not on MTV. https://www.soundcloud.com/user-322914325 |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 07:44
I said it before and I'll say it again. I don't think Leonard is right for this band. ------------- We all dwell in an amber subdomain, amber subdomain, amber subdomain. My face IS a maserati |
Posted By: AlanB
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 09:23
I would suggest starting with "The First Twenty Years" compilation if you haven't heard much by them.
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Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 14:19
That's a good suggestion! A nice overview of them  ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 15:00
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The Light is usually the one I reach for, but Octane has grown on me a lot over the years. |
Posted By: the lighthouse keepe
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 15:08
Agree!Ted Leonard is a superb vocalist,and perfectly fits in with Enchant and their harder edge side of progressive music,but with SB,his voice isn't really suited to the band's arrangements and style! ------------- "Hello sun.Hello bird. Hello my lady. Hello breakfast.May I buy you again tomorrow?" |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 18:49
I don't know. I know you seem to prefer live stuff(but not always). All I've heard is the studio version, and it's a tremendous Christian prog concept double album. I listened to it all yesterday(nearly two hours in total), and tonight I'm still blown away from the whole experience. I even changed my avi to the cover. So I'd probably recommend listening to the studio version first(1. because it's awesome 2. so you know the story). And then go for this new live deal. But if you just can't resist and want to go straight to the live one.. do what you gotta do lol.
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 20:32
Yeah, I think I read something about that one last year (or early this year). It sounded like a good option. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 20:40
Man people were making that joke back in the late 90's. You do know the song was originally written and recorded by George Harrison though right?
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 20:55
Mostly, I like to hear the different versions of the songs by the band (usually 1 on the studio and many live), and choose the one I like better. Often enough, there are better versions live than on studio... or it becomes a frustrating matter, since different version might be better in one aspect, but not so great in another one, and then it becomes very difficult to choose my favourite one. One of the reasons I like to get live albums, specially when I'm starting to know a band, is because that way I get a sort of "best of" selection from the band, and from there I can check out what I want to check out first. And I sort of prefer the live albums over best of or compilation albums, because then I would feel like I'm duplicating a lot of songs if I have them on the compilation and the original studio album. Also, many times (depending on the band and the particular albums/songs), the live ones can have some characteristics that makes them better for me: more energy / heavier playing, updated musical passages, longer instrumental passages / jamming, sometimes the studio songs sound like incomplete versions of the songs compared to (at least some of) their live counterparts, or the songs can be played by different line-ups, giving them a new dimension (Wakeman with Yes playing songs in which he was not originally involved). However, with Snow I couldn't really use it as an overview of the bands discography, since this new live album seems to include only the songs of the original studio one... nor do I have an idea if they are one of those bands that sound better live than on studio or not. Now, once again an album I haven't heard yet, but the way you describe the christian nature of the concept of Snow, it seems you might be interested in checking out Neal's solo album "Sola Scriptura". Just read some of those reviews and you'll want to hear it right away. http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=14201 |
Posted By: ozzy_tom
Date Posted: November 13 2017 at 22:35
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V, then Light. X wasn't bad either. Last two albums were weak cos the new vocalist is terrible. -------------  
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Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: November 14 2017 at 05:18
I recently got a copy of Octane, the special edition with extra songs and I like the extra songs better than the main disc ------------- We all dwell in an amber subdomain, amber subdomain, amber subdomain. My face IS a maserati |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: November 14 2017 at 05:19
Plus, writing crap songs like Submerged have no business on a SB album. ------------- We all dwell in an amber subdomain, amber subdomain, amber subdomain. My face IS a maserati |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: November 14 2017 at 05:35
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Gonna go with X because it's chock full prog clichés, great rhythms and wonderful keys, and is the best post Morse album in my humble opinion. No easy feat. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: AlanB
Date Posted: November 14 2017 at 06:27
I second that, and would also recommend ? and his latest, The Similitude Of A Dream (based on The Pilgrim's Progress)
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Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: November 14 2017 at 07:48
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Neal era: The Kindness Of Strangers V Snow Post Neal: Brief Nocturnes X The Oblivion Particle (criminally underrated) |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 14 2017 at 18:57
The thing with Snow is that it's a concept album. There is a story all through it(and a good one). So you wouldn't get nearly the full effect of it from just hearing a couple of tracks on a compilation album. But obviously do what you feel is best for you, and thank you for the recommendation of some solo Neal Morse. Those reviews look promising, I'll have to check that out.
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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 14 2017 at 18:58
Cool. Thanks for the suggestion.
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 14 2017 at 21:22
Oh well, I still "have" to get many albums, that I don't know when I'll get to Spock's Beard and Neal Morse. There's some Corvus Corax I want to get. Some Jean Michell Jarre (at least 2 or 3 albums), and perhaps I will want a few from Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze (though it seems they are somewhat less melodic than I would like), a few RPI albums I might find interesting, some Uriah Heep, some Anekdoten, even some more Mike Oldfield albums, and Jethro Tull, a few albums I'm still missing from Renaissance (by the way, you might be interested in getting to know them), at least the Works album from ELP (the ones I'm still missing from their 70's albums), some Cast, some more Wakeman, some more Genesis, some more Anglagard, Blackmore's Night, Black Sabbath, Queensryche, IQ, SBB, Ange, Fates Warning, Flower Kings, Bob Dylan, The Strawbs, a few Marillion, a few Deep Purple, a few Rainbow and Dio, a few Jimi Hendrix, whatever new might come each year that I might want to get, and oh yeah, those new Pink Floyd box-sets from the early years of Pink Floyd that seem just somewhat overpriced (or just made too luxurius and complete, and thus expensive). And well, whatever might have escaped my mind... perhas get to know some Frank Zappa, some Procol Harum, some Krautrock, some Canterbury. And whatever. I just don't see the end of it. |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: November 15 2017 at 08:32
I agree. X is wonderful. Couple other things. If you like Neal Morse in Spock's Beard, there are two songs on Brief Nocturnes co-wriiten by him. Afterthoughts and Waiting For Me. Both sound like classic (ie N Morse era) SB Also, for fans of Nick D'Virgilio, he is the drummer for the Spock's Beard album currently in production. http://teamrock.com/news/2017-03-29/spocks-beard-bring-back-nick-dvirgilio-for-new-album" rel="nofollow - http://teamrock.com/news/2017-03-29/spocks-beard-bring-back-nick-dvirgilio-for-new-album ------------- We all dwell in an amber subdomain, amber subdomain, amber subdomain. My face IS a maserati |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 15 2017 at 16:01
See now you've made me angry.  No, totally cool man. I like Zappa. His "Hot Rats" album is very good(I think you'd like it). And that first Mothers album "Freak Out" is fun imo. Some of his other stuff is a little hit or miss, and some of it is very weird.. I could see you getting annoyed quickly lol. I usually have to be in a certain mood to listen to him. And I notice you have Flower Kings on your list here. I found a poll right on this very site.. http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=67969%20" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=67969
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 15 2017 at 21:40
The thing with Zappa is that I want to know a bit of his music because he seems to be a very important figure in the development of prog. Though really, what little I have heard has not appealed to me much... you mentioned "Freak Out" as fun... and it might be just it what puts me off, I'm not really fond of "funny" or "comic" stuff in music... I mean, from time to time it might work, but not very often. It certainly doesn't make me laugh (on the contrary), and then what's the point of something being "funny" if it won't make you laugh. However, I think I got to hear a pair of shared songs from him that I did enjoy, so I guess looking in the right place I might at least find a few songs I would like. And I guess I could have expected such a similar love for both those bands. Though I'm afraid what I have heard from Flower Kings is a bit "prog for the numbers" too, still, I want to hear a bit more from them. From time to time I have heard stuff with Roine Stolt that is amazing, like some of the pieces on Transatlantic, or the new "Kaipa do Capo" album, which I really liked. By the way, in case you missed it, there was a collaboration last year with Roine Stold and Jon Anderson... you might just as well enjoy it, or at least want to get to know it. I found it OK, but nothing I'm really eager to come back to, but still it was very well received by the fans. |
Posted By: Rosscoe
Date Posted: November 16 2017 at 05:10
| I found "Snow Live" on Amazon yesterday - no sign of it here yet though. |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 16 2017 at 18:51
I just listened to "One Size Fits All." It's really good and sounds very proggy(I think it might be his proggiest album). I'm just in a Zappa mood right now from this discussion. But no.. back on topic before I get in trouble here. I've been loving Spock's Beard since you basically get me into them(talk about a find!). Oh and They and Zappa are both from the U.S.! Ok, I might have to check out this Flower Kings deal next. I just looked them up and see that they're from Sweden. Well ok, that would be cool. We'll see how they sound..
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Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: November 16 2017 at 19:41
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^ One Size fits All is an absolute must-have, every music lover should own a copy. @Dellinger: Go for 'Roxy and Elsewhere' and 'Make a Jazz Noise Here', two of Zappa's very best live albums. His lyrics rarely makes me laugh but i'm often laughing out loud while listening to his music: His overall attitude, the various insanely talented musicians who plays with him, the ultra-complex compositions. ------------- |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: November 16 2017 at 19:48
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^I agree about One Size fits All.....but imho Hot Rats should be in every music lovers collection. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: axeman
Date Posted: November 16 2017 at 21:23
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I couldn't decide, so I threw a vote behind one of my more favorites that was lagging behind the others: Beware of Darkness. I have enjoyed the Beard's "mutilation" of George Harrison's song, it could be one of my favorite semi-pop tunes. But on a totally different note, I don't understand the problem with Leonard with the Beard. Brief Nocturnes is better, to my ears, than anything they did during the NDV era. ------------- -John |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 16 2017 at 21:28
Attempts at funny lyrics might put me off a bit, but if the music is good then I'll just try to ignore them (as in "All in a Mouse's Night")... but it is exactly attempts at being "funny" or "comedy" or however it might be called, within the music, the way they play, making "funny" noises on the song, that's what really puts me off. And that's what I'm afraid would ruin Zappa's music for me. However, just checking out his page on PA, indeed those albums you mention seem to be the most promising. The only thing is, the songs I think I remember somewhat liking that I got to hear are "Cosmic Blues" and "Bobby Brown", or something like that, and neither one is within any of those albums. |
Posted By: Larkstongue41
Date Posted: November 16 2017 at 21:37
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Zappa has put out 100+ albums and not all of them are comical. ------------- "Larks' tongues. Wrens' livers. Chaffinch brains. Jaguars' earlobes. Wolf nipple chips. Get 'em while they're hot. They're lovely. Dromedary pretzels, only half a denar." |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: November 17 2017 at 09:02
Not really what I meant. Give a listen to 'Black Page no.2'(rather serious) from Zappa in New York and 'Catholic Girls' (rather funny) from Joe's Garage, for example. The hilarious complexity of The Black Page cracks me up way more than Catholic if you know what I mean...hmmm maybe I should consult, after all. Spock's Beard? Arf, she said. ------------- |
Posted By: Larkstongue41
Date Posted: November 17 2017 at 11:25
^ Hey Barbu, did you know this existed? I came across this yesterday and couldn't believe it  (sorry for highjacking the thread btw):------------- "Larks' tongues. Wrens' livers. Chaffinch brains. Jaguars' earlobes. Wolf nipple chips. Get 'em while they're hot. They're lovely. Dromedary pretzels, only half a denar." |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: November 17 2017 at 12:08
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^ Gimme gimme some, baby! Robert said recently that meeting and working with Frank was one of his fondest memories of his long career. Man, I wish he was still with us. ------------- |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: November 27 2017 at 05:49
| I don’t have the NDV albums, but from the rest I really love The Light and The Oblivion Particle more than the others. |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: November 27 2017 at 06:53
Oblivion Particle has its moments but I enjoy it less than the two previous albums. I'm curious to hear what the next disc is going to sound like ------------- We all dwell in an amber subdomain, amber subdomain, amber subdomain. My face IS a maserati |