Category: Prog Rock

When my son Andrew told me a several years ago that I should listen to more prog rock, one of the  bands I listened to was Riverside from Warsaw, Poland and I really enjoyed their music. Yesterday I  put their 2013 release Shrine of New Generation Slaves on the iPhone and listened briefly and I listened again today and boy I think I like their music more than before!! Here’s some quick background from ProgArchives:

Despite not being the biggest progressive rock powerhouse of Europe, Poland have certainly sprouted great and interesting progressive bands since the heyday of progressive rock, being the biggest examples of that the singer and multi-instrumentalist Czeslaw Niemen and the supergroup SBB. After the fall of the communist regime, during the 90’s and 2000’s, more bands begun to form and release their material, strengthening the country’s own progressive rock scene, such as the neo prog bands Abraxas and Collage, and Riverside is, quite possibly, the biggest and best known band to come out from that scene. Riverside was formed almost by accident, when two of its members, the guitarist Piotr Grudziñski and the drummer Piotr Kozieradzki, listened to Marillion in Kozieradzki’s car back in 2001. Both played in heavy metal bands at the time, but had the common interest for progressive rock, so they decided to join with their mutual friend, Jacek Melnicki, who owned a studio, and started to experiment with progressive rock. Mariousz Duda, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist from the band Xanadu, joined the trio later that year for rehearsals and the results and reactions from those meetings were extremely positive. After some more rehearsals, and the completion of some compositions by the band, Mariousz started to take the role as both the band’s vocalist and bass player.  Continue Reading read more

So tonight the soundtrack for the whole 30 minute ride to work and back at Target will be from the Danish progressive rock band, Royal Hunt, Show Me How To Live. the band’s 2011 release. Based upon what I’ve heard so far, I don’t think it will be too long before I try to hunt down their latest release….A Life to Die For! Some background for you and me!!

Royal Hunt is a progressive metal band based in Denmark, founded in 1989 by keyboardist Andre Andersen. The band is known for creating melodic music with a progressive and symphonic flair. They made a huge success during mid-90s with vocalist D.C. Cooper on their classic albums Moving Target and Paradox mainly in Japan and Europe. They have experienced several lineup changes throughout their history, in 2007 they acquired singer Mark Boals, who replaced former vocalist John West. In 2011 after numerous requests from fans and promoters worldwide they decided to reunite with their former vocalist D. C. Cooper for a special tour, covering the first four albums of the band. They have since recorded a new album entitled Show Me How to Live featuring the returning D.C. Cooper as their permanent vocalist moving forward. They have sold more than 1 million albums worldwide. Wikipedia read more

So the other day, I wrote that Andrew told me that, along with The Winery Dogs, I should listen to Sound of Contact, and not to read about the band until after I listen. So I did as instructed and about mid-way through the album, the band started to remind me of Genesis. After listening , and enjoying the album I went to read about the band and I found out the reason that they sounded a like Genesis was their drummer…. his name is Simon Collins, yup he’s Phil’s son!!Collins has released three solo albums but he always wanted to form a band. Through the years, as he was recording and performing his own music, he was also keeping contact  with a group  of musicians with whom he had a strong connection and chemistry. So finally this year, the band became a reality when  “Sound of Contact” was formed. In addition to Simon, the band includes co-producer/co-writer/keyboardist Dave Kerzner (Sonic Reality, Kevin Gilbert) and co-writer/guitarist/bassist Matt Dorsey.  Also helping out are some great co-writers and musicians including guitarist/bassist Kelly Nordstrom and guest vocalist Hannah Stobart (Rocket Moth, Wishing Tree). read more

So two of my all-time favorite power trios, (guitar, bass and drums) are Cream (Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton) and The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Hendrix, Noel Redding(bass) and Mitch Mitchell (drums)). Saturday, Andrew told me to be on the look out for a new power trio, The Winery Dogs, composed of the ubiquitous drummer from Dream Theater, Mike Portnoy, guitarist Richie Kotzen, and bass player Billy Sheehan from Mr. Big. He says the advance press from the youtube videos that are on-line is pretty good! read more