Progressive Rock 2
revised Powerpoint
King Crimson – art rock
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band –
jazz influences
King Crimson
• Definitely not party music again.
• Instrumentally strong outfit, embarrassing lyrics?
– Robert Fripp, a suit and tie excentric: intelligent, but ruled
his band with an iron fist
– Members coming and going: Bruford, Lake, Wetton
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-f0P7-fxUQ&feature=related
– Why do you think members were coming and going?
– What was the difference between Fripp and Jimmy Page?
– How is Fripp characterised by Bruford? Indictment?
– Esoteric album titles, e.g. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic
– Close connection with modern music (a.k.a. modern
classical), repetitive, or minimalist music music (Floyd,
Oldfield, Laurie Anderson)
• In the court of the Crimson King, 1969
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQvcJ7d93Zs
In the Court… lyrics
The dance of the puppets
The rusted chains of prison moons
Are shattered by the sun.
I walk a road, horizons change
The tournament's begun.
The purple piper plays his tune,
The choir softly sing;
Three lullabies in an ancient tongue,
For the court of the crimson king.
The keeper of the city keys
Put shutters on the dreams.
I wait outside the pilgrim's door
With insufficient schemes.
The black queen chants
The funeral march,
The cracked brass bells will ring;
To summon back the fire witch
To the court of the crimson king.
The gardener plants an evergreen
Whilst trampling on a flower.
I chase the wind of a prism ship
To taste the sweet and sour.
The pattern juggler lifts his hand;
The orchestra begin.
As slowly turns the grinding wheel
In the court of the crimson king.
On soft gray mornings widows cry
The wise men share a joke;
I run to grasp divining signs
To satisfy the hoax.
The yellow jester does not play
But gently pulls the strings
And smiles as the puppets dance
In the court of the crimson king.
Further songs to listen to
• Also from debut In the
Court of the Crimson
King,1969.
• 21st Century Schizoid Man
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO-Mk-Ysqbs
• Epitaph (with lyrics)
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLHScgTJ9e
Q
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWtOz7GVxJ
M
Lark’s Tongues… 1972
• Part 1
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhudDa3JAyc
• Part 2
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy3UiXb2uDQ
– I think the camera was just left sitting on a
chair:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySJjCIZotyI&feature=BFa&list=A
VGxdCwVVULXcrFOwaBjDmEvXWZ2SBdGGz&lf=list_related
• For those interested: Bruford at his
„Drum Clinic” at some college in the US
– How is the drum supposed to affect the
listener? What abstract notions should it
convey? Note down Bruford’s words.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGprBR4
Uc88&feature=related
Manfred Mann and his Earth Band
• Manfred Mann
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Had a series of bands and lot of chart success in 1960s
Earth Band in 1971
Name of Band suggestive of ecological theme
Like many progressive rock musicians (especially the
keyboardists) had classical training
– Influence from jazz
• A little surprise, for the location of the concert
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYglkN6JoEI&feature=autopla
y&list=AVGxdCwVVULXda_OimMRADcPcliiqyT0Uz&lf=list_relat
ed&playnext=2
– Can you say the exact location of the concert?
The Good Earth, Oct 1974
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Serious, not a hoax: „The owner of this album is entitled to
rights over one square foot of the earth situated at
Llanerchyrfa in the county of Brecon, Wales in Great Britain,
subject to registration on or before 31st December 1975.”
– We’re a tiny bit late, aren’t we?
• Earth Hymn, from The Good Earth album
–
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPpBHdfpNE0&feature=BFa&list=AVGxdCw
VVULXda_OimMRADcPcliiqyT0Uz&lf=list_related
• Joybringer, from 1973 Solar Fire
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7I3xOf4UE8&feature=BFa&list=AVGxdCwV
VULXda_OimMRADcPcliiqyT0Uz&lf=list_related
• The Good Earth (actually a cover of a song
by Gary Wright)
–
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIArxs62HMk&feature=related
• The Road to Babylon, from 1976 Roaring
Silence
–
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VisxHApl8Y&feature=autoplay&list=AVGxd
CwVVULXda_OimMRADcPcliiqyT0Uz&lf=list_related&playnext=1
• Review:
– http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-good-earthr707031/review
– What other influence has the critic
identified?
Earth Hymn & Joybringer
I bring joy, and I can take you through,
All those days when people seem to get to you.
I bring joy, and I come here to you.
Listen all around
Symphony of sound will take you
Drifting down through your dreams
In an endless stream
Singing through the air
On its wings of fiery silence
The melody comes crystal clear
Can you hear it near
Song of all the earth
Song of death and birth
Ringing through sea and sky
Can you hear the cry?
I bring life, and I can take you where
You can see, and feel, and breathe, and touch the
air.
I bring life and I can take you there.
Feelings inside that we keep
Out of sight and out of reach
Bring us to the things we seek
Take your time, remember when you do
There are days when people feel the same as you.
I bring time, and I can take you through
I bring joy
(Instrumental)
I bring joy, and I can take you through,
All those days when people seem to get to you.
I bring joy, and I come here to you.
The Road to Babylon
By the waters of Babylon
We lay down and wept and
Wept for thee, Zion
We remember we remember we
Remember thee, Zion
A golden helmet blinded minds
Among ten thousand swords
Along the road to Babylon
A golden thunder silenced songs
Among ten thousand voices
On the road to Babylon
Well well well, beware that golden helmet
Well well well
There's no easy way to go
Well well well
No easy road to follow
Well well well …
A golden ocean turned to fire
And burned ten thousand ships
Along the road to Babylon
Golden dreamer touched the sky
Alone in empty silence
On the road to Babylon
Well well well
Beware that golden thunder
Well well well
That dreamed and sang the song
Well well well
The empty sound of sorrow
Homework
• Listen to songs we dealt with in class, and those
(songs and documentaries) we could not.
• Follow the lyrics.
• Read the encyclopaedia texts
– Collect evidence from both encyclopaedias that King
Crimson was sort of rock critics’ favourite.
– Find the occasional critical points.
– Collect evidence about M.M’s Earth Band that in the
critics’ eyes they had limited influence/significance.
– Having done the reading, note down a few
approporiate descriptive labels for each band.
• Fourth video episode, next slide
– Link works. Should it not, please write.
Fourth BBC video
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As you go along watching, note down the performers /speakers familiar to you.
What is meant by Zep manager Grant having „outsharked the predatory American business”?
Compare the way Zep went on tour in the US with the early days of Cream doing the same.
What did it mean to be able to play in Madison Square Garden?
What’s the connection with the Boston Tea-party? It this true do you think?
How was the California Jam another British success story?
What message does the „spinning round with the piano” story bit send Emerson and to us?
We get an idea where profit really came from for a successful performer and how that compares
with more recent times. What is your interpretation?
How did Wakeman say they were still able to make a profit (and be still in the black)?
According to Palmer and Bruford, what sort of rock music was often played on American FM
radios?
Interesting to see Buford evaluating Crimson (prog rock) music, as he himself was part of it. What
critical points does he make?
What was it that made Emerson quip it was „total excess”? Handpicking members of their
orchestra, carrying their hairdressers, karate teacher, etc. with them.
What phrase tells us the private jet was a must?
Why is the Fleetwood Mac’s meteoric rise to fame interesting?
We are told, British success simply could not last. Why?
Why is Wings song „Band on the Run” appropriate at the end (see cover)?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDAj-wsQR80
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