TOUCH - very, VERY impressive
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Topic: TOUCH - very, VERY impressive
Posted By: earlyprog
Subject: TOUCH - very, VERY impressive
Date Posted: August 31 2006 at 16:01
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Oh my God. This music is from 1968 or early 1969 and it's not even proto-prog, but prog in the purest sense!
I just received this disc and seldom have I been so impressed by an album. I would have judged this to be the early seventies, it's way ahead of it's time. How could a band possibly play as progressive as these guys were doing this early. This is easily the first true symphonic prog release predating King Crimson and Renaissance.
Does anyone know when the music was written, recorded and released?
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Replies:
Posted By: soundsweird
Date Posted: August 31 2006 at 21:57
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Check the All Music Guide for more info.....
I have this album (CD), with the bonus tracks from a few years later; good stuff.
The vocal style is somewhat off-putting, though; the weak link, definitely.
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Posted By: Kleynan
Date Posted: September 01 2006 at 04:20
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http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:ikua6jpo71l0 I've never heard of this band. Are they worth checking out? ------------- 
You've just had a heavy session of electroshock therapy, and you're more relaxed than you've been in weeks. |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: September 01 2006 at 07:26
Well done for making a excellent choice and discovering what a few lucky ones of us discovered in 1969.
You may find my review on PA helpful or check out what I wrote in the late 90's (and I later discovered was borrowed for part of Mojo magazine's Buried Treasures article on the album in 2000 or 2001):
http://ghostland.com/ghostland/editorials.asp?ID=1 - http://ghostland.com/ghostland/editorials.asp?ID=1 .
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earlyprog wrote:Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: September 01 2006 at 11:56
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The vocal style in several songs reminds me of Jon Anderson. Not surprisingly he lists Touch as an influence in the releases liner notes as does Kerry Livgren of Kansas.
Dick to try and answer your question in your review of why very few seemed to hear of this I refer and paraphrase the said liner notes where it states the band never intended to tour with this material not thinking they could perform it live. After a few months the album was quickly forgotten and there was no follow up.
It is sad too because there are a couple of "live" in studio tracks that are pretty good representations of the music they did in the studio.
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: September 01 2006 at 19:20
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I've always thought there was an androgynous quality about the main
vocalist's voice, so you have to remind yourself you are hearing a male. Something I've picked up in the last 18 months is that keyboardist Don Gallucci was not only famous for the classic Louie Louie riff, but also produced the acclaimed second Stooges album which propelled Iggy Pop to fame. The two Iggy Pop biographies of which I've browsed the relevant section in bookshops, mention in some detail Don Gallucci, and in passing remind folks of Louie Louie but not Touch. |
Posted By: salmacis
Date Posted: September 02 2006 at 09:11
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That doesn't surprise me really- I imagine 'Louie Louie' was far more relative to what the Stooges were doing (a band that impress me a heck of a lot more than the bulk of the later 70s punk movement) than Touch, really. However, 'Touch' is a great album. I read an article in Mojo's 'Buried Treasures' column that said acts like Kansas, Uriah Heep, Yes etc. have all admitted being influenced by this. Also, in Man guitarist/vocalist Deke Leonard's autobiography 'Rhinos Winos and Lunatics' he mentions how this album was a major favourite and influence on Man during their formative years.
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Posted By: salmacis
Date Posted: September 02 2006 at 09:18
| Actually I'm playing an album now that has a huge influence from Touch, imo, in its sound. It's the eponymous album by Mainhorse, Patrick Moraz's first recorded album- I think?? |