Early Chicago

[OverHillandDale(Admin)]

I was listing to the first two Chicago albums this weekend and realize how much of an influence they are on my musical tastes changing direction as it did (along with a few others of that time like Santana and Led Zepplin).

Would adding Chicago's early work to the Aural Moon be too "outside the box" for folks? I would only do CTA, II (for sure) and III at the most.

What do you think?

[gr8sho92]

And the IVth one is the live at Carnegie Hall album. It's almost like you put a bracket around the 1970-1972 time and grab everything you can (well almost). I consider myself a big Chicago fan for their entire recording history. I may be delusional, but I'm sure I've heard tracks from CTA on here but I can't figure out where in the library it's stored.

I think the trouble I have with Chicago is the notion of horns being a cornerstone instrument for the band that's performing. Not something I typically associate with prog.

[MrMagoo]

Originally Posted by gr8sho92

I think the trouble I have with Chicago is the notion of horns being a cornerstone instrument for the band that's performing. Not something I typically associate with prog.

Nor violin, accordion, bassoon, hurdy gurdy, bagpipes... I've heard them all & more, maybe not as cornerstones to a band, but certainly key in songs.

IMNSHO, Chicago - although "instrumental" in my music underpinnings & still a favorite - just misses the prog genre.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by MrMagoo

Nor violin, accordion, bassoon, hurdy gurdy, bagpipes... I've heard them all & more, maybe not as cornerstones to a band, but certainly key in songs.

IMNSHO, Chicago - although "instrumental" in my music underpinnings & still a favorite - just misses the prog genre.

Chicago I-VII are all GREAT. 8 is not great, just ok.

As Star trek movies are mostly good in even numbers, Chicago's are odd.

VII is my favorite, then III.

While the first one is special, it's never been really prog. I did a Chicago show once but i'm not convinced they "belong" here".

What's everyone got against violin as a prog instrument? Kind of weird

[MrMagoo]

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

What's everyone got against violin as a prog instrument? Kind of weird

It's not what comes to my addled brain as a core instrument from prog roots. But after seeing Jean Luc Ponty, Stephen Grappeli, Daryl Anger, Mark O'connor over & over & over to see if I really like violins, I think I do.

[gr8sho92]

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

Chicago I-VII are all GREAT. 8 is not great, just ok.

As Star trek movies are mostly good in even numbers, Chicago's are odd.

VII is my favorite, then III.

While the first one is special, it's never been really prog. I did a Chicago show once but i'm not convinced they "belong" here".

What's everyone got against violin as a prog instrument? Kind of weird

Not so fast kimosabe. Being very very partial to italian symphonic sub-genre of prog, violin is a very important instrument, so I feel this one definitely belongs in the club. And to be more specific, Mauro Pagani and Lucio Fabbri, both of PFM, are tremendous talents and contributors to prog.

On Chicago, VIII was my first purchase. I actually like this album a lot. This was the next to last studio album with legendary guitarist Terry Kath and some good stuff on there, although not as poppy as some other Chicago albums.

[mossy]

To my ears they aren't something I would want to listen to when I listen to the Moon. There are so many tweeners who fall somewhere between the Moon and somewhere else. I've nothing against Chicago at all, even went to see them, but I'm not sure of the Moon Appeal...

I think Rick's done a Chicago show in the past. To me, the tweeners etc are better suited to shows than to a permanent place in the queue.

[podakayne]

I'm sorry GOO did you miss the violins from all those wonderful japanese prog bands and what about UK?

and no one could love Chicago more then me (well maybe a few) but alas i unable to give my vote for inclusion on the moon....

loved, loved, loved the Rickter Scale show where he played it...as was present and accounted for in Chicago when they came on the scene...and thou they were a part of a resurgence of the "frackin big band---gotta brass section" (EWF, Average White and many R&B groups)

gr8sho92, you slay me with your "Not so fast kimosabe."
and ditto the Italian prog

:insert heavy sigh: bobby, bobby, bobby


thats my $.02

[progdirjim(Admin)]

speaking of violins, Kansas anyone? duh.
Rick was nice enough to upload much of the first 5-7 Chicago CDs, and while some pieces from the first two were tempting, the horns and vocals gave it just too much of a pop and/or jazz feel to my ears. neither of those meant in a bad way. A few select songs still may show up someday

[Michael]

Originally Posted by progdirjim

speaking of violins, Kansas anyone? duh.

Jean Luc Ponty is pretty bad ass at the violin

[wennykelly1]

if you really sat down and review the early chicago albums, you might come up with some tracks that could fit into auralmoon. if terry kath had not passed away i'd guess he would have had some solo things for a.m.
as for queen's first two albums, these are progressive rock and i would guess that the progressive rock audience was the target. you may rememebr fm radio at one timed respected porg rock. it's still the only two queen albums i would have in my collection.

[Rick and Roll]

I'm perfectly happy with what ever shows up on the playlist. Everyone has a differing, and I think correct, view. For instance I don't consider Uriah Heep prog, but I do Iron Maiden.

A big reason I don't get to a lot of "established" bands on my show is the inclusion of so many tweeners. I figure it's good to hear every so often but on the playlist may be inappropriate. I'll realize "I haven't played band x in so long". There's already more on the list than I'll ever hear. It's a wonderful thing!

I'm not a big fan of selected songs by an artist. On every record there's a lot of variation. Is "Seamus" prog? In the end it really doesn't matter. What's here is here....

btw thanks for the nice words...

I think mossy's comment about tweeners being suited for shows and the like is spot on.

I, too, love Chicago but doubt that too many of their songs would get requested that often.

Nick Drake on the other hand......................

[gr8sho92]

Originally Posted by KeithieW

I think mossy's comment about tweeners being suited for shows and the like is spot on.

I, too, love Chicago but doubt that too many of their songs would get requested that often.

Nick Drake on the other hand......................

Keith, I think the problem isn't whether or not they get requested, but rather the mere presence of that type of music in the library. SAM can always play it. I was blown away this morning when I was listening to AM and heard what I thought was some straight rock and it just flat out sounded weird as all heck on this station.

[rricci]

Chicago is over when Terry Kath died!
He was the band's energy.
He was the leader.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by rricci

Chicago is over when Terry Kath died!
He was the band's energy.
He was the leader.

Agreed that he was the energy...but the band was changing a year or so before that, and not for the better. Robert Lamm has always been Chicago, with conrtibutions by eveyone - but yes, the balance provided by Kath was crucial.

But Robert Lamm was the man.....

[gr8sho92]

Well, well, well, look who fell in the well. (extra points if you remember what this was from).

So I'm looking at the new library adds and there's not one, but THREE Chicago albums. Coincidentally and independently, I started listen to Chicago on my pod and am saying to myself, I don't think this would be too far out of place on AM. Instant Karma gonna get you.

Terry Kath, RIP, was clearly an incredibly talented guitarist who left us way too early and gave Chicago a proggy edge on those early albums.

Cheers,
Carl

[Rick and Roll]

I won't get extra points but I do take issue with the adds. II's "It Better End Soon" is multiple parts, but is one piece. The way it is split is totally wrong. You'd have to have five people requesting back to back, and the parts connect and run into each other. It needs to be one piece.

Same thing with III's "Man vs Man". Try requesting just one part and listening to it. It's a powerful song but only all together as a 13 minute piece.

I also think the suite on II is split up (probably done to exclude Color My World, but it's all chopped up..

The "Hour and the Shower" suite from II has only 49 seconds of it here. (???)

Won't even go into having "Free Form Guitar" on the Moon.

Don't mean to be a wet rag, but if Chicago is added (I have and love the first eight) it should be added logically.

[OverHillandDale(Admin)]

Well, Mr. Wet Rag, who is sopping up a spilt half empty glass, that is the way the cd's were set up by the group. They are labeled as separate tracks and laid out that way.

Instead of bitching and moaning, why don't YOU edit the original tracks so that they play as single tracks.

[progdirjim(Admin)]

Originally Posted by gr8sho92

Well, well, well, look who fell in the well. (extra points if you remember what this was from).

Bud from the Little Rascals was in the well!!