Prog Music Lounge - what about family?

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what about family?

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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3124
Printed Date: November 26 2024 at 17:23
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Topic: what about family?

Posted By: zappa123
Subject: what about family?
Date Posted: January 19 2005 at 12:06

I'm wondering?Anyone familiar with FAMILY?
I really love them and I want to know should we put them on prog archives?
I never saw mentioning them here on prog archives.

Replies:

Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: January 19 2005 at 14:03

I think they should be included. I mean, if Radio Head are included this band should be included definately. I think I'm also going start a poll to decide whether Alvin and th Chipmunks should be included. There are so many bands in the archives which are without a doubt prog which recieve little or no attention. If I had the time I would be writing reviews for these neglected bands as much as possible. Some examples are Octopus, FRUUP, Guru Guru, Omega and other from Europe. How many reviews do we need of Dark Side Of The Moon before we go off the deep end? Does anyone actually read these reviews? I am going to try and make some time to fill in some blanks we have with some bands on the site within the week and write some biographies.

If Radiohead is in the archives then where is Babe Ruth?

Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: January 19 2005 at 14:28

Great band in their day Family, and definitely had some prog influences. Roger Chapman's voice is very distinctive, the sort you either love or you hate! I reckon "Weaver's answer" is one of the best pieces of music made by anyone!

Overall though, I wouldn't call them a prog band, and I don't think they were considered to be one even in their heyday. What's your recollection Dick?

Posted By: maani
Date Posted: January 19 2005 at 14:45

Personally, I love Family, though I've only heard two albums. I think Fearless is one of the best albums of its type. But it's not prog.

Family is basically blues-rock (or rock-blues, if you prefer), with some possibly Canterbury-like elements. However, not only are none of their albums "prog," but - in keeping with the tacit requirement that in order for a band to be considered "prog," the majority of its output must be prog - they would not qualify as prog anyway.

You are, of course, always free to "argue" your position in this thread so that Max can see the arguments. But I'm pretty sure he would not agree with you.

Peace.

Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: January 19 2005 at 15:24

Easy Livin wrote:

Overall though, I wouldn't call them a prog band, and I don't think they were considered to be one even in their heyday. What's your recollection Dick?

I will agree with you to some extent Easy Livin'. How long did it take to get Heep on the site? I think if Radio Head is on the site then let's get Primus on the site. Just listen to their cover of Gabriel's Family and the Fishing Net. I'm waiting for Mr. Heath's opinion on this matter.

Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: January 19 2005 at 19:52

Leicester's own and somewhat neglected/ignored by the mainstream rock brigade - perhaps because Chappo (does he still front the Streetwalkers or Chapman Whitney or a band under his own name nowadays?) has decamped to Germany and appears to have a huge following there. Dolls House was always said to be one the English psychedelic classics. However, most albums after that tended to be mostly straight early 70's English rock (yes, blues rock) and with some tunes in the 3 to 4 minute range enabled the band to release singles making the European charts - nobody should forget Burlesque or Weavers Answer - Chapman had/still has the best bleat in the business. Check out The BBC Radio 1 In Concert recording of Family (recorded january 1973, but releases by Windsong in 1991), there is little there to suggest prog, much more to show a hard driving, tight British rock band.

Anybody checked out Paul Weller's Wild Wood? When I first came across it, I was only aware of some of Weller's Jam recordings, so I was surprised when somebody played Wild Wood to discover how retro-rock the music was, with Weller revealing his pre-punk influences. Something few other people have suggested, is there are touches of Chapman (the Weller bleat helps) and a sort of 90's twist on Family in some of those tunes. BTW I never understood why Weller's music (i.e. Wild Wood and his album before) was supposed to be Traffic-like - as some of the professional critics claimed.