Music for Life

Tadi Malem Nglutching …Huenak Tenaaan!!!

Gatot Widayanto — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:20:02 +0000

Tadi malem pulang kerja telat, terus gak tahu kenapa kok pengen nyetel Marilion “Clutching At Straw”. Whoooaaa… baru track pembuka “Hotel Hobbies” aja emosiku terkoyak-koyak menderita kepuasan paripurna. Langsung perasaan itu saya curhatkan di FB. Ini cut and paste nya:

Gatot Widayanto

otw home playing “Hotel Hobbies” (Marillion). Maaann … Can’t believe human beings created this wonderfully-crafted composition!! The song moves smoothly from an ambient nuance utilizing keyboard effects and vibraphones that set a very nice entrance for Fish vocal line with his charismatic style entering his first lyrical verse: “Hotel Hobbies paddling down hollow corridors …” oh maaaan … what a ciamik shot here!!!

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Din Nasrudin, Maxime Roy, Nursyahbuddin Gabriel and 2 others like this.

Agus Sulaiman

Om G, Kapan irock buat acara tribute pink floyd lagi.

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Gatot Widayanto

The music turns into a heavy rockin’ style in fast tempo led by Rothery’s howling guitar sounds while Trewavas delivers his solid and crispy basslines backed with jaw-dropping drumwork by Mosley ….yeeeaaah mannnn….!!! This is an adrenaline-exploding music that definitely elevates your emotion, pumping-up your spirit. This song really blow me away man ….!!! Let’s Marillionize our life!!!

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Gatot Widayanto

For me personally, the orgasmic part of this song is the ’short’ interlude right after Fish sings ” ..a pilgrimage to a happy hour …” Then the music balsts off like crazy “JRUOOOZZZZ!!!” – followed with highly dynamic music in a fast tempo giving chance to Rothery to perform his rock talents wildly …!!! Oh maaaan … What a brilliant musical … Read Morepiece here! My mind is totally paralyzed and cannot afford to build up my consciousness really …!!! Ngguweblaklah pokoke jal …!!! Juangkrik tenaaaan ….!!!

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Iman Santoso

Uedddan tenan…I can feel it, Mas

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Benny Soebardja

Yeah…..

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Din Nasrudin

Wah jadi pingin dengerin juga neh..

about an hour ago · Delete

Kaset Memory Heavy Hits 4 (Yess)

Gatot Widayanto — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:01:29 +0000

Jreng!

Let’s ber-jadul-ria lagi …. Kali ini kita angkat topik agak ringan aja yah…tentang kaset bertajuk “Memory Heavy Hits 4″ keluar Yess. Lho, katanya agak ringan tapi kok topiknya “heavy”? Opo tumon?!!! Ya begitulah orang prog suka aneh2 kalo kasih nama. Lha ini maksudnya apa – apakah “memori”nya yang heavy atau “hits” nya yang heavy? Begitulah jaman kaset bajakan.

Kompilasi ini dulu saya kejar gara-gara ada lagu “Fanfare” karya Earth & Fire. Ceritanya, dulu saya pinjam kaset telanjang dari Bagus Sudaryanto waktu di Madiun. Mustinya kaset itu bertajuk Triumvirat. Di kaset tersebut ada lagu “Fanfare” yang tadinya saya gak tahu lagunya siapa. Saya pikir lagunya Triumvirat karena pake synthesizer. tapi kok vokalny rada suara cewek gitu? Usut punya usut ternyata ini aadalah lagu Earth & Fire. Makanya saya suka pol dengan kaset kompilasi ini. Sulit dielakkan bagi manusia normal untuk tidak menyukai “Fanfare” karena nadanya melodik banget, sedih lagi! Musiknya mengalun mendayu-ndayu seperti mengiringi pemakaman orang meninggal dunia begitu. Namun asik banget!

Yang juga ngetop adalah adanya lagu Mott The Hoople “All The Young Dudes” nan nuansamatix itu. Juga ada Spooky Tooth bawain lagu The Beatles “I Am The Walrus”. Yang juga bikin mbrebes mili tuh lagunya Three Man Army “Space Is The Place” (jan huenak pol!) dan lagu legendaris dari Ursa Majors “In My Darkest Hour”.

Udahlah pokoknya kaset ini nuansamatix kemlitix ketindih itik …ih gak nyambung! Yo ben!

Salam,

Rick Wakeman “Silent Nights”

Gatot Widayanto — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:09:45 +0000

Jangan remehkan album ini. Enak lho. Memang gak prog banget, tapi ciri khas Wakeman nya bener2 keren banget. Saya sih suka album ini. Bisa dibilang semua lagunya enak2. Tadi pagi saya nyetel album ini tanpa terasa semua track saya puter, alias satu album FULL saya puter dan nikmatdsz ….

Kaset rekaman Yess nomer seri 553

Penggalan lirik di “Opening Line” ini asik:

Taking a chance on the opening line
Losing the impact, everyday time
Saving the friendship, holding a view
Out of perspective, never adieu

atau ini di The Ghost of a Rock’nRoll Star:

He grumble he was as big as Jimi Hendrix
Now the only thing that grumbles is his grumbling appendix
Lots of children he’s got, well he was on the road a lot
He’s the ghost of a rock and roll star
Now the groupies ain’t there…and nor is his hair
He’s the ghost of a rock and roll star

Studio Album, released in 1985

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Tell ‘Em All You Know (3:25)
2. The Opening Line (3:43)
3. The Opera (6:25)
4. Man’s Best Friend (4:20)
5. Glory Boys (3:15)
6. Silent Nights (3:54)
7. Ghost of a Rock’n'Roll Star (3:30)
8. The Dancer (3:15)
9. Elgin Mansions (5:20)
10. That’s Who I Am (4:15)

Total Time: 42:58

Lyrics

Search RICK WAKEMAN Silent Nights lyrics

Music tabs (tablatures)

Search RICK WAKEMAN Silent Nights tabs

Line-up / Musicians

- Rick Wakeman / keyboards, synthesizers, lead vocals (10)
+ Bimbo Acock / saxophone (7-10)
- Tony Burrows / backing vocals (2-3-6-7-9-10
- Alan Carvell / backing vocals (3)
- Chas Cronk / bass
- Rick Fenn / guitars (except on 2)
- Tony Fernandez / drums, percussion
- Sue Glover / backing vocals (1-7)
- John Kirby / backing vocals (1)
- Sonny Leslie / backing vocals (1)
- Val McKenna / backing vocals (9)
- Gordon Neville / lead vocals (1 to 4,6-7-9) backing vocals (1-2-4-5-6-9-10)

Releases information Lp. President P-7551 / Lp/Cd. President RW-1 (1987)

Review saya di progarchives silakan KLIK.

Merajut Makna Melalui Prog Rock (24 of 99)

Gatot Widayanto — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:34:08 +0000

Ah, sudah lama tak menulis seri ini … Saatnyalah. Kali ini sekali waktu boleh dong musik Indonesia meski gak prog rock amat sih. Tapi it’s OK lah .. toh orang menyebut “After Glow” nya Genesis dalam kategori progrock juga to?

Pagi tadi meretas jalan musik jadul dengan memutar (berulang-kali) lagu bertajuk “Adakah” dari album pertama Chrisye “Sabda Alam”. Nuansa musik di album ini memang kentara banget pengaruh musisi prog dari Genesis maupun nuansa dari musik Refugee (Patrick Moraz). Lagu Adakah yang berada di track 9 dari album perdana Chrisye ini sarat dengan balutan kibor dan piano. Sejak album ini dirilis saat saya masih SMA di Madiun, saya langsung menyukai track no 9 ini meski lagu-lagu lainnya juga enak.

ADAKAH

Dalam Semesta Damai Dan Bisu
Dilingkaran Beku Mega Berpadu
Menatap Kelam Di Lapisan Biru
Dalam Desah Bayu

Lama Kutatap Guratan Jari
Hampa Yang Tergaris Di Hidup Ini
Nyata Terpentang Lukisan Diri
Yang Terpencil Sunyi

Reff;
Tumpuan Hati Nurani
Terlengah Di Ruang Mimpi
Berlari Mencari Suci
Meniti Tepian Hari
Bersama Karma Hidup
Yang Membayangi
Adakah… Sinar Abadi?

Apa yang ada di benak Anda bila mengikuti lirik yang serba kiasan tersebut?

Bagi saya penuh makna, terutama dalam penelusuran jati-diri tentang betapa lemah dan kecilnya kita, yang namanya manusia ini, dibandingkan Sang Pencipta. Nuansa dan liriknya begitu pas untuk kontemplasi mengenal siapa diri kita dan bagaimana “positioning” kita di semesta ini. Konsep “karma” dikaitkan dengan perjalanan hidup memberikan suatu makna mendalam tentang bagaimana kita menyikapi untuk apa sebenarnya kita ini diciptakan oleh Nya? Seberapa besar kita menganggap penting (atau tidak penting) tentang tujuan kita diturunkan di bumi ini. Sadarkah kita akan karma, yang dalam hal ini adalah balasan terhadap sikap kita terhadap tujuan hidup kita di alam kemudian? Ini tentunya tidak harus karma dalam arti sempit, yaitu balasan di dunia, tapi juga mencakup balasan di akhirat pada akhirnya.

Chrisye memang tidak secara telak mengangkat isu tauhid – mengesakan Allah SWT. Namun dalam untaian liriknya ini kita bisa memaknai bahwa karma dalam konteks kehidupan ini selalu membayangi kita tentunya bagi mereka yang beriman dan bertaqwa kepada Allah SWT. Tanpa tauhid, seseorang tak perlu merasa “terbayangi” dengan karma hidup. Semua hal yang dilakukan ya berlaku begitu saja tanpa ada karma sama sekali. Andaikan ia mendholimi orang lain, tak ada yang namanya ‘dosa’ karena konsep ini jelas absurd bagi yang tak mengenal tauhid. Dengan cerdas Chrisye mengakhiri liriknya dengan pertanyaan mendasar: adakah sinar abadi?

Uediyannnn ..nunjek ulu ati dan kalbu nih lagu …. Muantabszz!!! Bikin jiwa ngguweblak!

Salam,

Tiga Puluh Satu Detik Yang Mematikan

Gatot Widayanto — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:48:42 +0000

JRENG!

Maaf ini bukan terkait dengan gempa bumi. Kalaupun iya, saya rasa dalam waktu tiga-puluh-satu detik bumi diguncang gempa skala 8 SR sudah pasti rata dengan tanah saking besar dan lamanya. Namun apalah artinya 31 detik dari sebuah lagu progresip rok. Supper’s Ready nya Genesis aja lebih dari 20 menit, belum Thick As A Brick nya Jethro Tull. Apalah artinya dengan ‘hanya’ 31 detik!!

Tapi lain ceritanya kalau ini dikemas begitu cantik penuh penghayatan seperti dilakukan Jurgen Fritz di pembukaan lagu The History of Mistery (Part 1). Wah, begitu mendengar dentingan indah bebunyian piano dari jemari lincah Jurgen Fritz rasanya saya terbang dan ulu ati saya diaduk seperti terkena topan lesus kenceng banget .. Pokoknya dahzyat banget dah. Notasi yang digunakan juga sangat melodik menyayat ati sejak tuts piano dimainkan lincah. Sejak detik NOL aja lagu ini sudah mendebarkan secara saya sudah berharap bunyi piano nan indah … Notasi melodik dari bnyi piano ini dibalut nuansa musik klasik yang sangat kental sehingga ulu ati ini dibawa naik turun jet coaster, begitu nohok jiwa banget. Saya memang menyukai lagu ini sejak pertama kali denger album “Old Loves Die Hard” rekaman Perina Aquarius warna kuning yang merupakan kaset penjeman dari temen saya Bagus Sudaryanto (sekarang petinggi di Pertamina, seorang Doktor yang pinter banget). Lha jelas pinterlah Bagus lha wong musik yang dia nikmati aja yang cerdas kayak Triumvirat ini …

Kaset rekaman Yess no seri 344

Gara-gara provokasi pak Alfi, bro Adi, bro Rully, bro Kristanto, bro Apec dan lainnya …di tret Triumvirat “Spartacus” maka hari ini saya obrak-abrik semua CD koleksi saya dari kelompok Triumvirat ini. Hari ini saya setel “The History of Mistery” Part 1 sampai lebih dari sepuluh kali karena begitu terkesimanya … Kagak ada bosennya lah … Simak aja lantunan vokal Barry Palmer setelah tiga puluh satu detik yang mematikan:

Give me a chance
To see through my reason
Wasting my time
While life is still so young?
Have I lost faith
In things we believed in
All the answers are lost, everyone

(addduuuhhh…Gusti Alloh nyuwun ngapuro … pas bagian vokal diiringi piano ini sungguh begitu indah sekali melodinya … membawa ke nuansa yang mengajak kita menjadi orang shalih ….nikmatsdz pol!!!)

Sebetulnya, semua lagu di album Old Loves Die Hard ini enak semua … Namun yang paling asik ya itu tadi, setidaknya dari segi melodi yang nunjek… The History of Mistery ….

Studio Album, released in 1976

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. I believe (7:51)
2. A day in a life (8:09)
a) Uranus’ dawn (2:57)
b) Pisces at noon (3:51)
c) Panorama dusk (1:21)
3. The history of mystery (11:49)
4. A cold old worried lady (5:50)
5. Panic on 5th Avenue (10:31)
6. Old loves die hard (4:26)

Total Time: 48:36

Grand Funk Railroad “Caught In The Act” (1975)

Gatot Widayanto — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:28:44 +0000

JRENG!

Mari menggemblunk-ria dengan musik claro pitungpuluhan .. dipicu oleh komentar bro Kristanto di tret bawah ini (Triumvirat “Spartacus”). Sekali-kali gak ngeproglah …

Siapa mau komentar lebih dulu? Hayo … ndak usah malu2 .. mosok rocker kok isinan, rocker kok celingus..opo tumon???

“Footstompin’ Music” (Mark Farner) – 4:07
“Rock & Roll Soul” (Farner) – 4:04
“Closer to Home” (Farner) – 7:08
“Heartbreaker” (Farner) – 7:22
“Some Kind of Wonderful” (John Ellison) – 4:14
“Shinin’ On” (Farner, Don Brewer) – 5:31
“The Loco-Motion” (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) – 3:21
“Black Licorice” (Farner, Brewer) – 4:27
“The Railroad” (Farner) – 6:13
“We’re an American Band (Brewer) – 3:38
“T.N.U.C.” (Farner) – 9:32
“Inside Lookin’ Out” (Eric Burdon, Chas Chandler, Jackie Lomax) – 12:24
“Gimme Shelter” (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) – 7:00

Don Brewer – drums, percussion, vocals
Mark Farner – organ, electric guitar, harmonica, vocals
Craig Frost – percussion, keyboards, backing vocals
Mel Schacher – bass, backing vocals
Funkettes Group (Lorraine Feather and Jana) – backing vocals

Mengenal album live ini dari kaset Yess yang masih mulus hingga kini. Album titlenya diganti menjadi "Recorded Live" biar catchy ya kali?

Triumvirat “Spartacus”

Gatot Widayanto — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:15:00 +0000

Ini saya posting apa adanya dari bro Adi Prakoso yang post tret ini di milis i-Rock! Kenapa saya post di sini karena ada embahnya Triumvirat di sini …Pak Alfie. Saya ndak berani mendahulu takut kuwalat nanti. Monggo pak Alfie, dijawab ini …

—-

Gara-gara teknologi digital alias mp3, lagu-lagu di komputer jd ada saja yg kurang tereksplor. Siang ini setelah agak jenuh dengerin Behind the Lines-nya Genesis (salah sendiri lagu yg sama di-spin sampe belasan kali hihihi ….) sambil menjelajah belantara mp3 di external hardisk lha kok ujung-ujung ketemu dgn yg namanya Triumvirat, kalo gak salah dulu hasil donlod di progarchives (waktu itu website msh mengijinkan donlod). Berhubung penasaran dan sayup-sayup teringat bahwa dedengkot prog rock di milis ini yaitu Oom G, pernah menulis ttg grup ini entah di mana, saya pasanglah satu-satunya lagu Triumvirat yg ada di hardisk yaitu Spartacus. Ternyata efeknya memang mengejutkan, bener-bener yahut top markotop pokoke, meminjam ungkapan Oom G, hamba menderita kepuasan paripurna. Begitulah sambil dengerin sambil iseng tengok wikipedia, jebulnya album ini memang album Triumvirat yg paling sakses, utamanya di ngAmerika sono, dan konon vokalis sekaligus bassist-nya Helmut Kollen meninggal dlm usia 27 thn gara-gara keracunan karbon monoksida. Kesian banget ya?
Oya, tolong dong Oom G merepiu grup ini biar mangkin terbuka wawasan hamba soal grup yahud ini. Monggo Oom ….

Salam

Adi

n.p. Paula Abdul – Forever Your Girl (lho kok?)

Astra “The Weirding” – a Review

Gatot Widayanto — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:48:48 +0000

JRENG GEMENJRENG…!!!!

Whoooooooaaaaaaaaa…!!! Akhirnya berhasil juga mereview album yang udah berhari-hari ini saya nikmati sambil ‘fly me to the moon’ dan ‘comfortably numb’ lantaran musiknya mendayu-ndayu tenan jek! Udah gitu sound nya bener2 70an buanget dah! Udah pernah denger rekaman band kayak Cactus atau Mountain? Atau paling gak ya Led Zeppelin ‘Physical Graffiti’ gitulah .. Ya begitulah kualitas suaranya. Suara drumnya ‘kemlothak’ gak empuk blaszz ..treblenya juga pelitnya minta ampun, bassnya kering …ditambah suara gitar yang bindhenk plus sayatan mellotron yang mengiris ulu ati, menyayat dodo menthok bikin ngguweblak nggulung koming ping kopang kaping nganti sikil keplintir nyangkut nang godhong kenikir.

Pokoknya kalo Anda masuk golongan penggemar prog ala Dream Theater atau Porcupine Tree ditanggung kuciwa berat sama kualitas rekamannya. Lha ….syukur Alhamdulillah wal syukurilah, saya ini hidup dari jaman kaset bajakan seharga seribu tiga. Jadi yang namanya bunyi ‘kemlothak’ ndak karuan dan gitar suara bindhenk itu mah biasa bahkan menambah suasana ‘nunjek’ lebih bermakna lagi ….wis jan pokoke nuansamatik. Apalagi melodinya lagu ‘The Weirding’ itu ndak kalah ‘catchy’nya dibandingkan dengan ‘Epitaph’nya King Crimson. Ndak percaya? Coba aja!

JRENG!

When past limitations brought forward as a theme …

I grew up in poor family where I could not afford to buy a vinyl. As my passion in rock music was very high, I occasionally purchased music cassettes sold cheaply in small town, Madiun – East Java – Indonesia, the place when I penetrated rock spirit into my head and my heart. Of course it’s not the best media as you might compare it with a vinyl but it’s quite good enough to broaden my horizons on rock music. I had also friends who had the same passion in music so we sometimes exchanged the cassettes among us. After listening to the cassettes we sometimes had a hang-out to discuss the music we were listening to while sipping a cup of coffee in front of Train Station at Madiun, and ate nasi pecel (you may call it the daily bread of Madiun people). What a life!

Recently, I paid my trip back to past times …. the time when rock music grew steadily and creatively in the 70s by replaying back my cassettes collection which have already been with me more than twenty years. They still sound great and I really enjoy the sound because by doing so I can grab the nuance when the glory years of prog and rock were there. In the middle of that enjoyment, a friend of mine, Koni, introduced me to ASTRA. The first time I listened to this album couple of months ago I thought it was a band coming from the 70s era. But then I was surprised that this was just recorded in 2009. I don’t actually believe it because the music and the sound are so seventies especially on drums, guitar and mellotron. I salute the band for successfully bringing back the seventies’ analog sound in today’s digital era. Well, it’s not like when I knew Presto Ballet for the first time. Presto Ballet’s debut album was promoting their return to analog technology as they put it in the CD sleeve notes. But unfortunately the sound was not that analog and seventies. While this album by Astra is totally seventies sound. I believe they are brilliant in sound recording. And the album title seems like conveying the message that they are ‘weirding’ us with this debut album because they have brought forward past limitations (in sound technology) as a choice to make this record.

With the above background, you might understand why I appreciate this album very much …

Well, it’s actually not fair to say that all old sounds are not good. In fact, I was amazed with Genesis ‘Selling England by The Pound’ which sounds really great even though it was recorded in the 70s. You might find also Pink Floyd ‘The Dark Side of The Moon’ which is excellent in sonic quality of the record. But obviously many 70s records were capped in their sound quality especially with dull treble and thin bass sound (like you find in Ritchie Blackmore’ Rainbow records or Led Zeppelin’s ‘Physical Graffiti’). Astra recaptures all the limitations of the past in sound quality in today’s environment when we get used with great soundscapes of Porcupine Tree’s records. Some of you might find it weird why these guys from Astra do this thing. But for me, it’s a brilliant idea.

Mellotron-drenched and long guitar solo …

Musically, this band is heavily influenced by many legendary bands from Hawkwind to Eloy to Pulsar to Pink Floyd to Symphonic Slam to Tangerine Dream to King Crimson to Van der Graaf Generator. Blended together, they sound really nice. If you like long guitar solo with Gilmourian flavor backed with mellotron-drenched music, this is for sure fits your taste. The band has adopted two approaches in this debut album: song orientated and jamming orientated compositions.

As you might have been aware with my reviews, I always focus the review on two major dimensions: composition and performance. On composition, I always use five factors to analyze prog music: melody, harmony, complexity, change of styles and structural integrity. The main factors that are very obvious with this album are their skills in creating memorable melody for the song-orientated composition like the second track ‘The Weirding’ and making also excellent harmonies in the music. While on the jamming-orientated approach they demonstrate their musical skills with long solo throughout the music like those shown on opening track ‘The Rising Of The Black Sun’ and the fifth track ‘Ouroborus’. They also make an excellent ballad like ‘Broken Glass’ with good melody and nice harmonies between vocal and acoustic guitar fills, supported beautifully with synthesizer and mellotron.

On complexity, they really start with a simple one and as the music moves they make it much complex and sometimes they sound weird. With weird sound especially on drums and sometimes guitar, the music really brings me back to the 70s era. The simple arrangement sounds like Symphonic Slam but it then moves steadily, even though slowly, to the next segments with more complex setting contributed by multi-layered keyboard / mellotron sounds as well as guitar solo. If you love long guitar solo, go for this album! It’s really stunning!

Even though the music moves slowly but the band ensures the change of styles from one segment to another happen smoothly, sometimes through a change of melody and sometimes in guitar solo or keyboard solo which they do it excellently. For example on the last track ‘Beyond To Slight The Maze’ you might find the nice combination of changes in nuances from Pink Floyd ‘Meddle’ (especially ‘Echoes’ track) with the nuance of Steve Hackett ‘Voyage to the Acolyte’. As the sound of mellotron sound quite thick in some segments you might forget that they actually bring us forward in a change of music styles. What should I say on structural integrity? What is it all about? It’s all about how each song builds up the album in one cohesive whole. The answer is straight forward: Yes! You might listen to it from the opening track until the concluding one: there are many interconnecting dots that build up an album into one single message: It’s weird man? (But I really enjoy it very much!). I can say the album marks well in structural integrity factor especially on these two points: 1.) It has successfully built the theme excellently, which fits with the album title ‘The Weirding’ ; and 2.) Composition-wise, it moves really well from opening to concluding tracks and they (the tracks) form a cohesive whole as an album.

In addition to composition, I need to put some words on performance. The guitar work is really stunning. The keyboard work is excellent even though sometimes it’s quite boring. The vocal work is excellent and it fits with the music; in some segments he sings like Ozzy Osborne. Drumming is good but it could be more dynamics on some transition pieces.

Overall, it’s an excellent addition to any prog music collection. It’s hard nowadays to find band(s) similar with what Astra is doing. If you enjoy Eloy, Symphonic Slam, Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd with some bits of King Crimson and Van der Graaf, this is for you. Don’t forget to tell your mom that you still proggin’ ?yeah ..keep on proggin’ man …!

Peace on earth and mercy mild – GW

Studio Album, released in 2009

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. The Rising Of The Black Sun (5:44)
2. The Weirding (15:27)
3. Silent Sleep (10:41)
4. The River Under (8:41)
5. Ouroboros (17:23)
6. Broken Glass (3:45)
7. The Dawning Of Ophiuchus (5:29)
8. Beyond To Slight The Maze (11:36)

Total Time: 78:46

Line-up / Musicians

- Richard Vaughan / guitar, mellotron, echoplex, vocals
- Conor Riley / mellotron, arp odyssey, organ, guitar, vocals
- Stuart Sclater / bass
- David Hurley / drums, percussion, flute
- Brian Ellis / guitar, moog, vocals

Releases information CD Rise Above RiseCD120P (2009 UK)

Rick Wakeman “No Earthly Connection”

Gatot Widayanto — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:28:40 +0000

Pertama kali dengar album ini dari kaset punya kakak saya rekaman Pop Discotic – opo tumon? Dimana letak prog nya kalau pake label Pop Discotic? Begitulah jaman kaset bajakan, jaman dimana tarbiyah progrock dan claro disebarkan di negeri ini. Kalau ndak ada kaset bajakan yg dulu dijual murah dengan rp. 500 tak akan mungkin saya kenal lebih jauh grup2 seperti Yes, Genesis, Marillion, ELP, Pink Floyd dan lainnya? Mustahil. Untuk itu saya berterima kasih yag seikhlas-ikhlasnya kepada para pembajak yang terhormat karena simbiose mutualisme terjalin harmonis: situ dapet untung, sini dapet kenikmatan sukmawi menikmati musik2 indah. Pokoke harmonislah hubungan antara pembajak dan penikmat musik kayak hamba ini.

Pertama kali denger album Rick Wakeman ini saya gak begitu tertarik, gak tahu kenapa. Cuman saya memang sudah mulai meresap dengan lirik yg bunyinya “music of my soul”. Tapi lama kelamaan makin indah. Apalagi saat saya kuliah di Bandung ketemu temen rocker, Ilham Lukito Putranto, yang punya PHnya dari belanda (dia pernah sekolah di sana). Wah saya lebih “greng” lagi liat kemasan PH nya yg dilengkapi dengan kertas tabung buat melihat artworknya. Keren. Waktu saya belajar di rumah Ilham di Jl Tengku Angkasa, Bandung, saya suka nyetelk PH ini di kamar IlhamM makin cintalah saya dengan album ini. Apalagi radio OZ pernah beberapa kali muter lagu “The Prisoner” dari album ini… Whooooaaaaa…adrenalin langsung “crut” muncrat setinggi plafon rumah jek! Uediyaaaannnn….

Secara keseluruhan album ini memangh sempurna bagi saya. Namun yang bener2 saya suka ya lagu “The Prisoner” ini. Dari intro hingga pamungkas lagu ini melemaskan urat saraf dan memompa adrenalin sehingga mengalir begitu deras bahkan sempat muncrat saat Ashley Holt tereak “You shall hang said the Judge …” …wah diyampuuuutttzzz…ngemut kue ciput nganti semapuuuuuttt…!!! Gusti Alloh nyuwun ngapunten …!!! Meski mendengarkan musik termasuk pekerjaan sia-sia, aku mohon ampunanMu ya Allah ..ijinkan hambaMu nggeblak meski sedetik karena menikmati indahnya “The Prisoner” ini.

Cuplikan lirik The Prisoner sungguh bermakna:

One man`s life has cost another
You shall not lie in sacred ground
The time has come to meet your Maker
Down on earth, they heard no sound

Gak salah dan gak ragu kalau di www.progarchives.com saya beri album ini dengan FULL lima bintang tanpa ragu tanpa cacat. Luar biasa! Saya gak peduli gak banyak orang menganggap album ini. Menurut sauya, album ini “way too underrated” by many music reviewers. I stand tall witj my view that this is a TRUE MASTERPIECE progrock album! Gak ragu blas pokoke aku! Lha ini sekarang saya nikmati jan nuilkmat pol! Menderita kepuasan paripurna saya ….

Karena Yess tidak mengedarkan album ini, maka saat di Bandung dulu saya beli rekaman Monalisa. Meski udah punya CDnya, tetep aja menilmati kaset jauh lebih nuansamatik kemlitik mesin ketik tanpa titik tenaaaaannn!!! (embuh opo hubungane – PROG soalnya…kalau ngomong gak harus berhubungan. Soalnya harus “out of the box” gitu …).

Kaset koleksi yg terpelihara mulus kek kaki meja ...hiks ...

Ditanggung Anda nggeblak menilkmati album ini! Kalau gak? Pasti Anda bukan wong prog! Udah pasti tu!

Salam,
G

Review lengkap KLIK disini.

Studio Album, released in 1976

Songs / Tracks Listing

Music Reincarnate: 28:08 (tracks 1-5)
1. The Warning (8:19)
2. The Maker (3:34)
3. The Spaceman (4:03)
4. The Realisation (4:17)
5. The Reaper (7:55)

6. The Prisoner (7:01)
7. The Lost Cycle (7:02)

Total Time: 42:11

Line-up / Musicians – Rick Wakeman / keyboards, synths, Mellotrons, harpsichord
+ The English Rock Ensemble:
- Reg Brooks / trombone, bass trombone, backing vocals
- John Dunsterville / acoustic & electric guitars, mandoline, backing vocals
- Tony Fernandez / drums, percussion
- Ashley Holt / lead vocals
- Roger Newell / bass, bass pedals, backing vocals
- Martyn Shields / trumpet, flugel horn, French horn, backing vocals

Marillion for Kabinet Baru

Gatot Widayanto — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:41:00 +0000

Pesan Fish untuk Kabinet yang baru:

Minister, minister care for your children

Order them not into damnation

to eliminate those who would trespass against you

For whose is the kingdom,

the power, the glory for ever and ever

Amen

(Forgotten Sons - Marillion)

Salam,
G

ELP “Brain Salad Surgery”

Gatot Widayanto — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:35:29 +0000

JRENG!

Ngapain pulak ngomongin album tuwek ini? Yo ben! Soale ini kan blog gemblunk…ngomong apa aja bolehlah wong ndak ada larangan kok. Inipun terkait dengan kerinduan saya yang setengah modar dengan nuansa menikmati musik 70an dimana CD dan iPod belum ada, PH gak mampu beli …ya akhirnya kaset yang dikoleksi. Udah gitu, bajakan pulak! Tapi kalo ndak ada kaset bajakan mana mungkin kita semua ini ngeprog? Paling juga yang bisa ngeprog cumak “putrane wong kagungan” (anaknya orang kaya – red.). Lha saya ini tergolong kaum proletar nan dhuafa pol ..sehingga menikmati musik harus puas dengan kaset.

Khusus buat album ELP “Brain Salad Surgery” ini tadinya saya punya kaset rekaman dari PH yang direkamin oleh kakak saya, Henky, yang saat itu kuliah di UGM dan merangkap jadi penyiar musik rock di Radio Geronimo Yogya. Makanya, saya beruntung mendapatkan album ini “ahead of schedule” dibandingkan siapapun progger yang ada di Madiun saat itu. Ha ha ha .. beraninya cuman sama wong Mediyun, kalau dibandingkan sama orang Jakarta ya pasti saya kalah to? Tapi di Madiun saya udah paling nggajag (gaya – red.) karena ahead of time terus gitu … Karena Yess Bandung gak pernah mengeluarkan album ini, makanya saya berupaya cari rekaman lain sampe akhirnya nemu rekaman ALPINE. Whoooaaaa .. Ini kaset unik, karena masteringnya pake Beta HIFI dan rekamannya memang nendhank pol. Bass nya pulen kayak sego liwet kemedhul gitu lah .. Di kuping huenak tenan. Apalagi kalai buat dengerin Jerusalem sama Karn Evil 9 …biyuh gendhank telinga menggelinjang memancarkan adrenalin yang muncrat menandakan kenikmatan paripurna.

Beberapa hari lalu saya puter kaset yang masih mulus ini menggunakan walkman Sony nyambung ke loudspeaker active Altec Lansing …wah genjreng-gumenjreng tenaaaaaaan …. !!! Apalagi dinikmati sambil nyruput kopi tubruk, sarungan , terus duduk dengan kaki jigang …whueeee ….what life tenan rek! Sayang ndak ada jadah bakar supaya nuansa prog pitungpuluhan Mediyunan terjaga seperti pada jamannya. Tapi yang jelas saat menikmati saya pake kaos singlet cap Dua Daun yang udah bolong, celana dalam (maaf) merek Hings yang warnanya udah putih mangkak …kuak kak kak kak kak kak kak kak kak …makin menggelinjanglah jiwa ini menderita kepuasan paripurna.

Ini review lengkap yang saya tulis di www.progarchives.com. Maaf pake Boso Londo soale 350 tahun dijajah wong Londo …:

This album was my first introduction to the band sometime in 1975 / 1976 (can not remember exact year). It was from my friend’s tape that played “Toccata” at that time. I was so shock with the kind of “weird” music these guys were producing. My friend then lent me his tape and I got more listen at home. Oh man . it was a great record the whole album (even though I was not into “Benny The Bouncer”). When I got into epic track titled “Karn Evil 9″ I was totally amazed with this band and I talked to myself that I had to buy the cassette myself. It was not easy really because at that time I had no money at all to buy (even) the cassette. I remember that I had to wait until my mom got a what so called a “project” as she was just successfully sold some spaces in our house for a rent to a group of accountants that audited one company in my small city. My mom then gave me money to buy the cassette. Thanks God! Finally I got my first ELP cassette man! Yeah! The cassette then rocked my house all the time with Yes “Fragile”, “Relayer” and also Uriah Heep “Demons and Wizards”. (Oh by the way, my mom was – and still – open mind with rock music that my brother and myself played through player at our home at that time. She liked Uriah Heep “Demons and Wizard”. Even now with her 79 years old age she still enjoy the opening track “He was the wizard of a thousand kings .” when she visited my house last month).

I was so proud having this “Brain Salad Surgery” cassette in my collection of (I think) about 20 rock cassettes at that time. I kept playing the tape over and over – especially during “Toccata” and “Karn Evil 9″. I was proud with the group and collected some write- ups about the band from our local rock magazine at that time – Aktuil. I had a habit of playing the tape in “high volume” every morning before school. Then, when I walked to my school I still sing part of the lyrics like “Welcome back my friend to the show that never ends .” for my 20 minute-walk to my school. I felt “energized” everyday by singing (in my heart) this album’s song. It meant a lot to me! What made me happy (also) was the fact that many of my friends and my brother’s friends who liked music (at that time the difference between pop and rock was that thin – people did not categorize the music style) mentioned ELP highly. We talked about how complicated but enjoyable the track like “Karn Evil 9″ was. OK OK . that was old story that surrounded me in my small city in Indonesia during time when this album was released. When I could earn money during digital era, I bought the CD (not the remaster one) and I still enjoy listening to it even until now when I’m writing this review.

Having described the “nuances” of this album and what it meant to me personally in a small city far away from the place where the album was released, it suffices to say that this album is a true masterpiece! Sorry, I have to be “firm” this time that I can only accept a minimum of four stars (out of 5) of people’s rating because for this album nothing is “vague”. If someone gives less than 4 stars rating, I’m sure s/he does not understand (or is not interested with) the context of this album or not a progressive rock explorer. Well, I know that expressing views in prog arena is an interesting challenge. People have different views and perceptions based on their taste and background. And, because of the nature of prog music is somehow (in my humble opinion) too broad and sometime I feel like “boundaryless” (ehm .. it looks like I’m a business strategy guys like “Kenichi Ohmae” or “Jack Welch” hah?). But .. there is an absolute value about this wonderful album “Brain Salad Surgery”, either you are “into” or “not into” it. Let me tell you my rationales why I am in the “into” bandwagon ..

Rationale # 1: The album has been decades around us and if we compare it with any complexity, harmony and musical quality produced by any prog band(s) that emerged later on, nothing would shake this album from its (still) top position. The prog elements are there and most importantly the originality issues. Yes, the band has adapted the classical music creation – but look (please) the brilliant approach the band had taken in their arrangement.

Rationale # 2: The album (and the band, of course) has inspired many groups that emerge after this album. For practicality, just browse through this page and you may find tens or even hundreds of bands that reviewers have given marks of “influenced by ELP” or even some reviews that specifically mentioned this album. You might find it on Triumvirat, Ars Nova, Cast, Cairo and many others.

Rationale # 3: The musical quality of this album is really top notch and unquestionable at all. The overall composition blend all technical skills of each contributor in such a way that produce a complex music in a very tight structure with excellent harmony. In fact, with sometimes a lack of nice melody, this album still produce wonderful sound.

I think with those three rationales, you would understand why I adore this album. You might have different views, as I hope. Otherwise, it’s not prog at all if you agree on whatever I’ve just written. Any differing opinions are welcome and you may post in this site. And for this album, I don’t think it’s wise to review track by track as this is a legendary album that any prog explorer MUST have the CD and enjoy himself / herself. My personal experience has indicated that having enjoyed all tracks, I finally can enjoy “Benny The Bouncer” that I hated the first time. So at this point of time – and onward – this album is a well rounded prog creation that deserves a “full five stars” rating. And it will be like that through time passages in the future. That’s my humble opinion. Keep on Progging! – GW, Indonesia.

Studio Album, released in 1973

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Jerusalem (2:44)
2. Toccata (7:23)
3. Still… You Turn Me On (2:53)
4. Benny The Bouncer (2:21)
5. Karn Evil 9 (1st Impression – Part 1) (8:44)
6. Karn Evil 9 (1st Impression – Part 2) (4:47)
7. Karn Evil 9 (2nd Impression) (7:07)
8. Karn Evil 9 (3rd Impression) (9:03)

Total Time: 45:04

Line-up / Musicians – Keith Emerson / organ, piano, harpsichord, accordion, custom-built Moog synths, Polyphonic Moog Ensemble, voice of bridge computer in 3rd Impression
- Greg Lake / vocals, bass, Zemaitis electric 6-string and 12-string guitars
- Carl Palmer / drums, percussion, percussion synthesizers

JRENG!

Salam,

Egg “Civil Surface” & Muse “The Resistance”

Gatot Widayanto — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:18:08 +0000

JRENG!

Apa hubungannya antara Egg (70an) dan Muse (2000an) ? Ada tentunya …

Hari Minggu yang lalu, 11 Oktober 2009 saya dapat sms dari mbak Didy: “Gatot, cd Egg pesenanmu udah dateng. Ambil aja di rumah ya …”. Whoooooaaaaa…..sueneng biyanget hati ini karena akhirnya dapet cd musik dari angkatan 70an ini. Selama ini memang saya hanya punya kaset rekaman Yess serial #92. Bahkan saya mereview album ini di progarchives juga dari mendengarkan kaset ini. Nah kebetulan sebulan lalu mbak Didy bilang bahwa beliau akan ke Jepang dan Eropa. Langsung aja saya nitip. Cepet sekali, kira-kira 3 hari setelah keberangkatan beliau ke Jepang, saya langsung dapat email yg menyatakan cd udah dapet. Bungah tenan saya … Terima kasih banyak, mbak Didy ….

Egg versi kaset Yess seri #92

Sebenernya ada BONUS oleh2nya mbak Didy ini karena SMS beliau terus berlanjut ”Kamu sudah punya Muse yang baru?” saya jawab belum. Dan SMS menyusul lagi: ”Ntar tak kasih juga ya CD nya …”. Wah banjir rejeki tumpah ruah dari mbak Didy nih. Dan, ini bukan kali pertama lho beliau berbaik hati kepada kaum dhuafa ini …udah beberapa kali saya tertimpa musibah dibalang (dilempar – red.) CD sama mbak Didy ini. Matur nuwun sekali lagi, mbak Didy yang cantik ….Kamsia kamsia …jazakallah ….

Dan ternyata setelah diambil paket kirimannya, masih ada bonus lagi yang gak pernah dibilang oleh mbak Didy di SMS nya: yaitu majalah Rolling Stone yang membahas Muse! Ha ha ha ha .. markotop!!!

Sekarang cd EGG udah di tangan dan saat ini sedang diputar. Memang asik banget musiknya: solid dan berkualitas. Kaset Egg dulu memang jarang saya putar karena tingkat kerumitannya. Tapi sebenernya semakin diputar makin nunjek ulu ati lho sebenernya. Dulu beli kaset ini karena ’gengsi’ aja lha wong nama band nya aja udah aneh ..”endog” meski gak dikasih tahu endog bebek atau endog pitik. Tapi musiknya memang elegant ala Canterbury gitu. Lha wong kasetnya aja kan side B nya berisi dedengkot Canterbury juga: ’Hatfield and The North’ (yang merupakan lawan Rasela – Radjawali Selatan. Opo hubungane? Ya itu … ’utara versus selatan’ …ha ha ha ha …prog tenaaaannn ….).

CD Inlay nya banyak gambar jadul 70an pol!

Instrumen ini digunakan dalam rekaman ini

CD Muse ”The Resistance” juga udah saya putar …bagus. Yang perlu dibanggakan: sebagian besar temen2 saya memiliki CD yang pressing local, tapi saya punya pressing Eropa – lha wong dibeli langsung oleh mbak Didy di sono, ‘fresh from the oven’ …masih kunyus-kunyus mulus tenaaaan ….

Sebentar lagi saya tulis review Muse di progarchives lah. Emang Muse prog? Prog gak sih? Embuhlah .. sing penting huenak tenaaaaan …. United States of Eurasia …!!!

JRENG!

Salam,

Kaset Inlay versi Yess. Side B nya Hatfield & The North

Kasetnya pun masih mulus jek! Dibeli 500 ribu pun (kalau ada wong edan yang mau) saya persilakan beliau cari di tempat lain ajalah ... ha ha ha ...

Review di Progarchives:

With Dave Stewart as leader of the band you might have expected that this album would have a strong influence of Canterbury music. The combination of his organ style, energetic drumming by Clive Brooks, bass guitar and French Horn (oboe, bassoon, clarinet) delivers a really good music harmony with its unique sound. As Dave Stewart also helped Steve Hillage’s band KHAN who produced only one album “Space Shanty”, the music has no major difference between the two. It’s probably the vocal part that’s different because Khan “Space Shanty” was a song-oriented album while EGG’s “Civil Surface” is a full music-oriented album. The other bands that similar to EGG are: National Health, Hatfield & The North, Steve Hillage.

Song like “Enneagram” flows beautifully with variations of chords produced from organ accentuated with drum work and insertion of oboe, clarinet and bassoon. The music varies between simple and complex arrangements with excellent composition, overall and it moves from slow to relatively medium/fast tempo music with jazz/ fusion influence in addition to Canterbury. “Germ Patrol” continues the tradition of organ-oriented music with great drumming and bass lines. Piano and French horn improvisation have also enriched the textures of the music. For me it’s rewarding experience whenever I play this album especially with nice flow of the music combining unique sounds of individual instruments and the melody. In some parts I can sense an exploration to avant-garde and repetition of certain segments but with different textures. “Prelude” explores Dave Stewart’s organ solo in multi-layered sounds followed excellently with a stream of music resulting from bass, drum, organ and some choral section. “Wring Out The Ground Loosely Now” features Mont Campbell on vocal Organ work characterizes this track and it has variety of styles – being a Canterbury and avant-garde. I like the solo organ continued with unique arrangements of the accompanying music that features organ as lead melody.

Provided that you are familiar with Canterbury, this album is an excellent addition to your prog collection. The music is original. The composition is neat and great. Keep on proggin’ ..!

Progressively yours, GW

Studio Album, released in 1974

Songs / Tracks Listing

Side 1
1. Germ Patrol (8:31)
2. Wind Quartet 1 (2:20)
3. Enneagram (9:07)

Side 2
4. Prelude (4:17)
5. Wring Out The Ground (Loosely Now) (8:11)
6. Nearch (3:22)
7. Wind Quartet 2 (4:48)

Total Time: 41:36

Line-up / Musicians

- Dave Stewart / organ, piano; bass (6)
- Clive Brooks / drums
- Mont Campbell / bass, voice, French horn and piano

Guests:
- Jeremy Baines / Germophone & Bowle
- Lindsay Cooper / oboe, basson (1-6)
- Tim Hodgkinson / clarinet (1-6)
With Help of:
- Amanda Parsons / singing (4)
- Ann Rosenthal / singing (4)
- Barbara Gaskin / singing (4)
- Steve Hillage / guitar (5)

Wind Quartet performed By:
- Mont Campbell / French horn
- Maurice Cambridge / clarinet
- Stephen Solloway / flute
- Chris Palmer / basson

Releases information LP Caroline Records C 1510-UK-1974
CD Virgin Records CA 1510 (1990)

I remember Christoper …

Gatot Widayanto — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:42:45 +0000

JRENG!

Ini sebenernya bukan curhat musik, tapi lebih ke curhat nuansa jadul yang menjadi bagian dari hidup saya ketika masih remaja, tepatnya SMA. Curhat ini dipicu oleh telpon di HP saya minggu lalu dari seseorang yang menamakan dirinya Bambang. Lha …saya kan banyak temen yang namanya Bambang …ya tentu saya heran dan tanya. Dia jawab “Iki Bambang Cino Tot …”. Jedhut! Otak dan memori saya tahu-tahu melesat bekerja begitu kuat dan dipicu juga oleh muncratnya adrenalin saya menguak masa remaja, …dan tak salah lagi…saya punya temen di Madiun (sejak SD) yang namanya Bambang Haryono – tapi karena putih dan matanya sipit maka dipanggil dengan nama Bambang Cino.

Lha wong namanya juga tiga puluh tahun ndak pernah dengar kabarnya lagi, ya kangen2an lah jadinya, meski lewat telpon. Rasanya damai sejuk bahagia mendapat telpon dari temen sejak SD yang lama ndak jumpa. Apalagi ternyata pada saat dia nelpon itu sebenernya dia sedang kumpul dengan temen saya lainnya yaitu Eddie Sanyoto (Eddie Ting) dan Manyu. Udahlah akhirnya saya ngomong sama ketiga-tiganya.

Setelah telpon itu saya kok ‘ujug-ujug mak gedandhut’ pengen nyetel lagu Styx bertajuk ‘Christopher Mr Christopher’. Apa pasal? Ini dia yang jadi pokok tulisan ini. Lagu yang saya kenal dari kaset Prambors Hits II rekaman Aquarius di jaman itu merupakan hit di kota Madiun tahun itu (antara 76 – 79 gitu). Salah satu yang membuat TOP lagu ini adalah gank anak muda yang namanya Christoper (gak pake “h”). Ini gank bisa dibilang penguasa Madiun saat itu. Mereka kompak sekali, dan karena banyak yang anak orang punya (pejabat dsb.) makanya rata-rata mereka memiliki sepeda motor bahkan mobil. Lucunya, semua motor mereka di cat seragam warna putih dan ada strip nya merah …ha ha ha .. pokoke jadul pol lah! Seneng juga melihat tingkah polah mereka, apalagi kalau konvoi motornya putih semua. Ini bukan berarti saat beli motor warnanya putih lho .. karena memang ndak ada motor baru berwarna putih. Jadi mereka dengan sengaja mengecat dengan “Pylox” (ha ha ha ha …ini cat jadul amat!) warna putih. Ya dasarnya “putrane wong kagungan” bagi mereka ndak papa motor dicat putih. Nah .. gank anak muda yang merupakan trend setter di kota Madiun saat itu memiliki lagu kebangsaanya milik Styx itu …

I remember Christopher
such a man
so brave and tall

he took the baby Jesus
in his arms
across the waterfall

people cried, “he’s holy!
he’s a saint not a man!”
all at once it was written
in the book of the land

Christopher, Mr. Christopher
why won’t they leave you alone?
Christopher, Mr. Christopher
why won’t they leave you alone?

Memang saat itu di Madiun menjamur sekali gank anak muda dengan nama yang serem2 seperti “Bulldog” (angkatan dua tahun di atas saya) dengan gembongnya orang2 seperti Kotjo, Aang. Kemudian ada lagi namanya “Asabor” (Anak Sadis Borobudur). Borobudur itu nama sebuah jalan dan anggota Asabor tukang berantem dan ditakuti orang saat itu. Ada lagi “McLaren” yang merupakan angkatan setahun di atas saya. Terus ada lagi “Rhapsodies” yang merupakan temen2 angkatan setahun di bawah saya, dengan gembongnya Rafi Pitik sama Wahidin. Kalau Christoper (disingkat X’oper) ini gembongnya buanyak banget: Yayak, Bambang Cino, Bobo, Gopri (Goback), Manyu, Ardianto Tatok, Eddie ting, Sigit …wah pokoke banyak banget. Oh ya ada satu lagi gank yang bener2 ditakuti karena mereka punya ilmu beladiri, namanya “Setia Hati Terate” yang merupakan gank pencak silat. Wah ini paling disegani sampe2 ada istilah “Cah Njero” (orang dalam – red.) atau “Wong Ublem” saking ditakutinya.

Ini adalah foto beberapa gembong X’oper setelah tiga puluha tahun berselang:

Tak kalah dengan trend yang terjadi, saya dan temen2 sekelas sejak SMP juga bikin gank namanya Thunderstorm (disingkat TS) yang kegiatannya lebih ke siaran radio gelap (pakai antene dari bambu). Ha ha ha ha.. Pokoknya seru dah. Pernah kita dulu ke Bali berlima (termasuk saya) dengan temen saya yang namanya Koko Bolek, Dudhit Yuliadi, Djoni dan Bagus Sudaryanto. Di Bali bukannya menikmati pantai, tapi kita berburu kaset Pink Floyd dan lampu “807″ buat pemancar. Harga lampunya Rp 2500,- dan kita saweran Rp. 500,-. Lha ke Bali kok malah yang dicari lampu buat pemancar – opo tumon? Kalau X’oper punya lagu Styx, kita gak mau kalah .. Thunderstorm punya lagunya Triumvirat “The March of Eternal City” dari album Spartacus sebagai lagu kebangsaan kita. Aneh juga dulu, dalam sebuah pesta gank kita di Jl Sumatra 26 (rumah ibu saya) sebelum pesta dimlai, kita pasang lagu kebangsaan tersebut dan hadirin diharapkan berdiri. Padahal lagunya berdurasi 8 menit .. opo ora dengkek? Ha ha ha ha …

Masih ingat saya saat perpisahan SMA Negeri I Madiun, anak2 X’oper ini ngeband lagu2nya Keenan dan Chrisye, sebagian lagu ‘Negriku Cintaku’ dibawain. Mereka tampil serba putih dengan selendang merah. Wis jan lucu pol!

Itulah kenangan indah tiga puluh tahun lalu, dan sekarang…gara2 internet dan FB, saya nyambung lagi sama temen2 X’oper … Rasanya seperti punya dulur yang lama ndak jumpa gitu loh! Aduh jan nuansamatik kemlitik tenaaann …

I remember Christoper ….such a man …so brave and tall …

Saya sangat menyukai lagu ini karena dulu direkamin kakak saya, Henky, seluruh album dari Man of Miracles karya Styx ini. Saat saya review di progarchives, ada pembaca yang (wong londo) yang terheran-heran mendengar bahwa lagu “Christopher Mr Christopher” pernah menjadi hit di Madiun. Ha ha ha ha … Reviewnya bisa KLIK disini.

JRENG!

Salam,

Kaset RUSH ‘Permanent Waves’ (Yess)

Gatot Widayanto — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:16:19 +0000

JRENG!

Tadi malem nyetel kaset Rush “Permanent Waves” rekaman Yess bernomor seri 302 yang saya beli Juni 1982. Kaset ini masih mulus saya simpan bahkan sleeve-nya saya laminasi segala biar awet. Banyak kaset rekaman yess punya saya yang saya laminasi karena saya menganggapnya sebagai aset yg sangat tinggi nilainya bagi saya.

Meski telah memiliki format cd, menikmati rekaman kaset merupakan pengalaman tersendiri yang menyenangkan. Tadi malam saya ambil kaset ini dari rak kaset khusus koleksi Yess dan posisi pita dalam keadaan siap putar di sisi B. Tak apalah, justru ini seninya memutar kaset, tergantung pada posisi akhir. Kata temen, kalau nyetel kaset musti diatur suoaya sampai pita habis sampai pok. Makanya kaset ini sebelumnya sdh sy putar sisi A-nya dulu, entah berapa bulan lalu.

Sisi B dari kaset ini dimulai dengan lagu keren berdurasi standar ‘Different Strings’ yang saya suakai karena ada sentuhan blues dan sound gitar yang vintage banget. Mengingat album ini diciptakan di jaman Duran Duran maka sungguh ajaib saya bisa mendapatkan sound 70an dari aspek gitar dan olah vocal. Wuiihhh …terasa terbawa kea lam 70an banget .. Apalagi saya nyetelnya malem hari. Biyuh!

Namanya juga kaset bajakan, maka sisanya diisi dua lagu epik dari album ‘Caress of Steel’ yang sayangnya sama Yess

Sleeve nya dilaminasi ...biar awet.

gak ditulis lagu ini dari album apa. Dasar. Lha murah kok kita ini nuntut banyak ya? Ha ha ha ha ha …. Dimulai dengan ‘The Necromancer’ yang berdurasi 12 menit dan terdiri dari tiga movements: I) Into The Darkness (4:20), II) Under The Shadow (4:25), dan III) Return Of The Prince (3:51). Wah …terasa Rush banget deh lagu ini. Epik selanjutnya adalah The Fountain of Salmacis …eh salah ya? Itu kan lagunya Genesis? Atau memang Rush ini ‘terinspirasi’ sama Genesis ya? Yang bener adalah ‘The Fountain Of Lamneth’ yang berdurasi seperti ‘Close To The Edge’ nya Yes yaitu sekitar 20 menitan. Uediyan ..muantabs jek! Kata temen saya kalau lagu berdurasi lebih dari 8 menit itu berarti PROG. Benarkah? Epik ini terdiri dari enam movements : I) In The Valley (4:17), II) Didacts And Narpets (1:00), III) No One At The Bridge (4:15), IV) Panacea (3:12), V) Bacchus Plateau (3:12), dan VI) The Fountain (3:48).

Puas dengan sisi B, kaset pun setelah mengalami ‘automatic stop’ akhirnya saya balik ke sisi A. Maklum saya nyetelnya pakai walkman disambung ke active speaker Altec Lansing, dan gak ada automatic reversenya. Whoooaaaa…sekarang mengalun salah satu lagu kesukaan saya ‘Natural Science’. Lagu ini memang muantabs karena menggabungkan riff tujuhpuluhan yang gahar dan olah vocal Geddy yang gahar. Karena minim pemain, musik Rush jadi mudah dibedah dalam hal bebunyian instrument yang dipakai. Di sinilah letak kehebatan Rush. Meski minim instrument tapi permainannya penuh. Sambil tereka si Geddy juga membetot bass dengan dinamisnya dan saling mengisi dengan rofel dahzyat Neil Peart. Terasa sekali mereka kompak seolah menjadi tulang punggung rhythm section dari musik yang mereka mainkan. Liukan solo gitar Alex Lifeson juga begitu memukau sehingga musiknya terasa penuh. Lagu ini juga yang pada akhirnya, menurut hemat saya,mempengaruhi ’The Great Debate’ nya Dream Theater.

Pitanya pun di 'Rugos' he he he ...

Lagu-lagu lainnya juga jangan ditanya dah ..semuanya keren termasuk ’The Spirit of Radio’ yang sudah begitu ngetop. ’Jacob’s Ladder’ juga keren …. Secara keseluruhan album ini memukau dan menarik perhatian penggemar hard rock karena riff-riff nya dan sekaligus penggemar prog karena musiknya cenderung bengkok-bengkok.

Nuansamatik banget tadi malam nyetel kaset ini dan serasa kembali di jaman masih kliah di Bandung dulu. Kebetulan pada waktu itu Marillion belum merilis ’Script’ jadi ya praktis kaset ini menjadi favorit saya saat itu. Hampir tiga puluh tahun sudah usia kaset ini namun masih kinchlonk. Kalau ada yang mau belipun saya hanya bisa mendoakan semoga calon pembeli mendapatkan rahmat dari Allah swt sehingga mendapatkan kaset ini dari penjual yang lain ….

Rush jan rule tenan! Apalagi rekaman Yess … Kalau cumin mendengarkan CD, ribuan orang di dunia ini bisa melakukannya. Kalau kaset Yess? Hanya orang-orang pilihan saja yang punya .. The True Collector! Hua ha ha ha ha ha ha ……

JRENG!

Salam,

Jaman dulu seneng banget ngoret-ngoret kaset ...ha ha ha ...

Simon Says “Tardigrade” – A Review

Gatot Widayanto — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:43:28 +0000

Wah ,….saya seneng sekali hari gini masih ada musik yang warnanya seperti musik prog 70an ala Genesis, ELP … Ini band Swedia yang dahzyat sekali! Sialakan simak review saya yang puanjaaaaaaang pol ini:

Salam,

Tardigrade
Simon Says Symphonic ProgReview by Gatot
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

Gatot says “Listen to SIMON SAYS!”

I know this Sweden band very late from their latest album Tardigrade (2008) and I regret not knowing it since their debut in 1995. It was a friend of mine who introduced me to this album only three weeks ago. Surprisingly it blew me away at first spin. It was actually quite complex in terms of composition and the melody is not as catchy you might have expected, may be. Well, at least for me when I first spun the album. So my knowledge about the band is limited only to this album and I have no comparison at all on how the band performed in their previous two releases.

Just before I go into detail, let me explain how good this album in terms of its composition, ie: melody, harmonies, complexity, change of style, and structural integrity. Even though the melody was quite hard for me to digest at first spin, but it grew on me when I spin more and more. And by this time, I have been listening to this album in its entirety for more than ten times. And ..surprisingly I don’t get bored at all with the music. Come to think of it, actually, I’d rather have a music which does not have catchy melody at first listen and later on it would grow steadily. I remember vividly how hard I digested Yes’ ‘Gates of Delirium’ at first listen. But now, that song from Yes is my best favorite track from Yes. So is the case with this album. The first time it was hard for me to accept the melody of the opening track ‘Suddenly The Rain’. It applies to other tracks in the album.

The harmonies created from the talents of the musicians involved are really great. Each musical segment creates its unique beauty combining the instruments which work in a balanced way and great vocal line. The music is quite complex involving multi-layered keyboards / synthesizers, Hammond organ, mellotron intertwined with great guitar playing, dynamic drumming and solid basslines. The complex part reminds me to the music of ELP even though major influence is from early Genesis (Hackett era). The album also demonstrates frequent changes of style that happen throughout every single song it offers. The most important part is on the structural integrity. Yeah, this album has an excellent structural integrity in each individual song AND the whole album, in a cohesive way. It’s quite strange, though, as this album comprises songs with varied duration from 0:30 to 26 minutes epic!

Having considered thoroughly on the composition and performance, I finally conclude that this album deserves a 4 ½ stars rating ? it’s almost perfect! Do you know why I retain ½ star from being masterpiece? It’s actually not a big issue at all, but I don’t feel it right if I do not put a NOTE on this. It’s basically on ‘Circles End’ track. The composition is actually great, perfect. But I have one concern: it has a pretty close style and nuance of Genesis’ ‘Entangled’ especially on the background keyboard work. You should compare it with Genesis ‘Entangled’ last part. No harm, no imitation actually .. but the nuance is so close… If you do not have any issue with this ..then you should rate this album with a FULL five star rating!

Let’s have a look on track by track basis …

This was what Genesis should sound after Hackett left the band!

‘Suddenly The Rain’ (14:47) opens brilliantly with a relatively fast tempo symphonic prog music with multilayered keyboards / synthesizer work combined with howling guitar work. Having demonstrated great opener the music slows down and let the vocal of Daniel takes part. His voice is excellent and most importantly he does not seem to force his voice to be Gabriel-like or Collins-like. If you know Citizen Cain, try compare Daniel’s voice with Cyrus. You will find the difference because Daniel’s voice sounds natural while Cyrus forces himself to be Gabriel-like. Or, you might compare with Unifaun’s vocalist who also forces his voice to be both Gabriel and Collins alike. The music then moves beautifully with many changes of style combining electric and acoustic guitar being used at the same time in this song. The music sounds like Genesis Gabriel / Hackett era. I am sure if you are Genesis fan, you must recognize this music even though the song is not an imitation of any Genesis song. All musicians involved in this album demonstrate their skills in a balanced way and all of them are very talented. Unlike The Watch in which the guitar player is lacking, Simon Says guitarist is really expressive in his guitar playing. The music turns different when it comes to minute 8:50 with catchy keyboard work. The music changes into marching style that reminds me to the music of ELP. Oh man.. this opening track is really GREAT! The guitar solo is really killing! If you don’t like this track, I challenge you with this intriguing question: ‘How prog are you man..?’

‘Tardigrade’ (3:43) is short track with energetic beats, running in relatively fast tempo, combining the style of Gabriel era Genesis with ELP. Through this fast tempo track I can see how each musician contributes brilliantly to the music. The drums run dynamically throughout the song, making a fast beat for inventive keyboard work, guitar, bass as well as vocal. You may compare how the vocalist sings with Gabriel. The guitar solo is stunning and it sounds very 70s! It’s not played like Hackett but it’s really great!

‘The Chosen One’ (5:44) is another excellent track with great acoustic guitar, keyboard and vocal work at the opening part. I did influence my friends on facebook by posting a link of youtube of this track. Some of them comment that the music is quite Genesis – like Cinema Show. But I think the opening part of this track is similar (in nuance) with Steve Hackett solo album, not with Genesis. But when the music performs its full instruments with bass guitar and drums, I can see the sound of Genesis combined with Patrick Moraz solo in Yes.

‘Moon Mountain’ (2:33) is a great instrumental with classical nuance using acoustic guitar combined with electric guitar. It’s excellent how the solo moves from acoustic to electric guitar. Brilliant!

‘As The River Runs’ (10:40) starts with an ambient nuance followed with catchy keyboard solo combined with organ and guitar fills. It’s a very nice solo and it reminds me to the music of The Flower Kings, especially when the drums enter in marching style combined with mellotron sound at background. I am sure you like this opening part and this song as a whole. When the music breaks with repeated guitar fills, it reminds me to early King Crimson – something like ‘Starless’. It’s very nice! Especially when the vocal enters in register notes. Oh my God .. I love this track. Especially on the inventive piano solo that starts at 4:12. it’s truly GREAT!!! When this part is playing, I kind like sing ‘My mind is clear now ..’ from Jesus Christ Superstar. After the great piano solo it continues with great keyboard work accompanied with complex arrangement combining bass guitar and drums. I think Genesis members must listen to this song…and I think this was what Genesis ought to do after Hackett left the band! The later part of this song contains great multi-layered keyboard / synthesizer work combined with guitar solo. It reminds me to ELP even though mostly dominated by early Genesis style.

‘Your Future’ (0:29) is just a computerized acapela followed beautifully with an excellent instrumental ‘Strawberry Jam’ (2:32). The opening bass guitar work is really solid and dynamic, combined with dazzling drumwork. The instrumental goes in fast tempo with guitar solo and inventive bass guitar and drum as the main attraction point.

‘Circles End’ (6:19) starts beautifully with guitar fills and vocal in low register notes followed with acoustic guitar work backed with nice keyboard with flute sound. When the mellotron enters, it creates a great musical nuances. Even though the melody is different, this song reminds me to Genesis’ ‘Entangled’ from ‘A Trick of The Tail’ album while the vocal sounds like Gabriel. You might imagine Gabriel sings ‘Entangled’. The part that sounds similar like Entangled starts at minutes 3:20 especially on the acoustic guitar work as well as the keyboard.

‘Brother Where You Bound’ (26:33) reminds me to Genesis’ Supper’s Ready even though this one by Simon Says starts with the full blast of music, not with acoustic one like in Supper’s Ready. This epic runs nicely from opening until end with many changes of style throughout the song. The song is special to me because I do not feel of getting bored from start to end because everything moves nicely and smoothly. The keyboard work reminds me to Tony Banks but sometimes to Keith Emerson. Surprisingly, in this epic there is a shot of Hammond organ that reminds me to the music of Procol Harum at minutes 5:50. If you have prog head and prog heart, I believe that you would love this epic!

‘Beautiful New Day’ (0:43) concludes the album with acoustic guitar and vocal.

So, what do you think? Do you think I am exaggerating the review? Do you think I am overrating it? It’s up to you to decide whether or not to have this album. The only thing I can guarantee you is that this album is definitely not a less than four stars! For me, it’s more than four stars because the composition is truly brilliant!

Tardigrade is much better than any Three-Piece Genesis albums (you name it!). In fact, it’s at par excellent as A Trick of The Tail or even Foxtrot. Try it out!

Keep on proggin’…..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild – GW

—–

Studio Album, released in 2008

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Suddenly The Rain (14:47)
2. Tardigrade (3:43)
3. The Chosen One (5:44)
4. Moon Mountain (2:33)
5. As The River Runs (10:40)
6. Your Future (0:29)
7. Strawberry Jam (2:32)
8. Circles End (6:19)
9. Brother Where You Bound (26:33)
10. Beautiful New Day (0:43)

Total Time: 74:11

Line-up / Musicians – Daniel Fäldt / vocals
- Magnus Paulsson / keyboards
- Jonas Hallberg / guitars, percussion
- Matti Jarlhed / drums, percussion b-vox
- Stefan Renström / basses, keyboards, vocoder

“Musician” by SILVER (1976)

Gatot Widayanto — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:08:14 +0000

Bagi Anda yang hidup di jaman kaset bajakan di sekitar pertengahan hingga akhir 70an mungkin ada yang pernah punya kaset kompilasi rekaman Perina Aquarius warna kuning bertajuk SUPER HITS ACTION – 2. Salah satu lagu yang ada di kaset tersebut berjudul “Musician” dibawakan oleh kelompok yang menamakan dirinya SILVER. Lagu tanpa drum dan hanya vokal diiringi keyboard ini sangat indah dan liriknya sangat menyentuh, tentang sulitnya menjadi seorang musisi. Makanya lagu ini disebut juga sebagai It’s Not An Easy Life. Pada saat kaset itu beredar, saya sangat menyukai lagu tersebut karena melodi dan harmoni vokalnya begitu menawan. Untunglah beberapa tahun lalu saya beruntung mendapatkan lagu tersebut dari koleksi PH nya kolektor kelas Wahid Ali Gunawan. Hari ini seharian saya setel lagu ini berkali-kali ..indah sekali … Liriknya memelas dan sangat menyentuh.

Saya cari info band ini dan ternyata ada di wiki, silakan KLIK.

Apa ANda ada yang kenal lagu ini? Coba cari deh …keren banget!

Salam,

Musik+ Sarinah

Gatot Widayanto — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:59:00 +0000

Toko CD Musik Plus di Sarinah itu langgananku. CD nya bagus2 termasuk yang langka2 juga ada. Dulu saya dapet fasilitas diskon 10% kalau bayar cash dan bayarnya di toko, bukan di counter sarinah. Belakangan diskon itu dicabut karena rupanya ketahuan sama pemilik sarinah. Nasib dah …

Banyak CD Yes, Genesis, ELP, UK dan grup 70an lainnya dijual di situ termasuk grup prog rock baru seperti The Flower Kings, Spock’s Beard dll. Biasanya kalau hunting CD di sini saya bisa berjam-jam karena asik banget. Apalagi disediakan rak khusus classic rock – udahlah jadi gayeng .. Akhirnya kenal baik dengan salah satu supervisor di situ …makanya dapet diskon …ha ha ha …

Tempat ini menjadi rendezvous temen2 penggemar classic rock atau progrock. Seringkali kalau kita barteran CD ketemuannya di toko ini terus dilanjut ngobrolin musik rock di cafe terdekat …bisa di McD atau Hot Planet. Tapi karena cari yang sunyi kita belakangan ini sering kongko nya di Cafe Cartel di gedung seberangnya (Djakarta Theater). Di Cafe Cartel inilah obrolan santai jadi nikmat apalagi sambil nyruput Oreo Frappe yang top markotop nyus markunyus … Kalau waktu maghrib atau isya tiba, kita tinggal dulu buat shalat berjamaah di masjid Sarinah yang letaknya di belakang gedung Djakarta Theater ini. Masjid ini udah tua dan nuansamatik sekali.

Pernah dulu kita mau nonton konser metal dari band Helloween (German), kita charter bis dan kumpul di Sarinah. Kita naik bis bareng menuju Ancol (pantai Karnaval) buat nonton konsernya. Pulang dari konser, udah jam 23:00 kita sambung kongko di McD membahas konser yang baru saja digelar … Keeper of The Seven Keys …

Oh ya…kalau hunting CD di Sarinah gak puas, maka kita jalan kaki ke Duta Suara Sabang … asik banget …

Sayang anak muda sekarang lebih suka download MP3 ketimbang beli CD …

Salam,
G

Am Back to Blog!

Gatot Widayanto — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:27:44 +0000

Dear progers and clarockers!

Here I am back to life! I am ready to blog now. How are you? How is Iedul Fitri holidays? So tired sowan sono-sini sungkem ke pini sepuh? He he he …. Selagi lebaran dengerin apa aja? Kalau saya, begitu diumumkan pada Sabtu malam bahwa lebaran jatuh hari Minggu, langsung deh hari pertama lebaran bales dendam menikmati musik prog setelah sembilan hari sembilan malam puasa dari musik lantaran itikaf di masjid Jami Nurul Ikhlas. Pokonya kenyang dah menikmati musik prog pada hari pertama lebaran, bahkan sampe sekarang! Hanya ada satu band yang menjadi fokus pendengaran saya, yaitu sebuah band bernama aneh tapi musiknya keren: SIMON SAYS (Sweden). Saya kagum dengan komposisi musiknya yang mateng banget dari album mereka terakhir “Tardigrade” (2008). Hari ini pun saya bekerja di rumah sambil menikmati album ini. Uediyan muanteb banget! Ntar saya tulis reviewnya dah …

Salam,

Selamat Idul Fitri

Gatot Widayanto — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:26:47 +0000

Fantasy “Paint A Picture” – a Review

Gatot Widayanto — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:22:09 +0000

Jangan-jangan masih banyak yang belum tahu band 70an ini ya? Musiknya sih gak sedahzyat Genesis, namun sangat 70an sekali sehingga wajib koleksi juga neh ….

———————————————————–

Another band from the seventies era that I only knew recently from a friend of mine who knew the band in the seventies. As this was released in 1973, the only connection I can make is that by that time Genesis had already released ‘Foxtrot’ and at the same time of Fantasy debut, Genesis also released ‘Selling England By The Pound’. And talking about Yes, they already released ‘Close To The Edge’ a year in advance and ‘Tales From Topographic Ocean’ was released at the same time with Fantasy’s debut. Nope! I am not trying to make a connection between Fantasy and Genesis nor Fantasy and Yes in terms of music style as they are NOT alike. My point is pretty simple: what would I think about Fantasy ‘Paint A Picture’ when I knew it in 1973 and at that time I had already been familiar with Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, ELP? Well of course I would not consider this ‘Paint A Picture’ at par excellent as ‘Selling England By The Pound’ or ‘Tales From Topographic’. Worse, maybe I was not interested at all with the music as the composition is so simple and nothing as complex as ‘Supper’s Ready’ or ‘The Battel of Epping Forest’ or ‘The Ancient’. See my point?

Well, I need to make that connection because I am afraid if I only make a review of this 1973 album that I knew only in recent years, I would tend to rate it higher to compensate my ‘mistake’ for not knowing the band for such a long time. I also want to avoid the ‘halo effect’ because of the feeling of peacefulness enjoying vintage record like this.

Composition-wise, nothing really spells out from this debut album of Fantasy. Each composition revolves around song approach where the music was most likely composed on top of previously written melody as typically pop song. In fact there are many pop elements in the music even though the music is much more to psychedelic prog. I may refer the music is in the vein of Procol Harum even though they are not precisely the same. But don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy spinning this album especially with its vintage sound and simple composition. All of the ten tracks provided here have good to excellent melody as this is a song-orientated album.

The opening track ‘Paint A Picture’ (5:24) lays down the overall tone of the album nicely with an atmospheric opening using long sustain keyboard as background of vocals. It moves in soft to medium tempo. The key of the song is on vocal harmonies backed with long sustain organ / keyboard work. The electric guitar sometimes provide its solo. It’s a psychedelic music, really. ‘Circus’ (6:18) is a nicely composed track with bass guitar providing the role of beet keeper combined with drums. The electric and acoustic guitar become a rhythm section that overlays keyboard sound. The interlude of the song is nice, exploring organ work backed with solid bassline and electric guitar fills. ‘The Award’ (4:52) brings the music back to mellow style with nice guitar work. The tempo is slow to medium. ‘Politely Insane’ (3:27) sounds like an unfinished pop song.

‘Widow’ (2:12) is a nice mellow track with catchy melodies and very nice acoustic guitar work accompanying vocal line. ‘Icy River’ (5:53) brings the music into much upbeat style at the opening part followed with a break using acoustic guitar work and organ sound. ‘Thank Christ’ (4:06) sounds like a ballad. ‘Young Man’s Fortune’ (3:41) brings the music in upbeat mode with organ and guitar as main instruments on top of solid basslines. ‘Gnome Song’ (4:19) is a nicely composed song in dark nuance using a combination of piano and catchy acoustic guitar work accompanying the vocal line. The acoustic guitar work is excellent. The album concludes nicely with an ambient organ work that remarks the intro of ‘Silent Mine’ (4:39). The concluding track is an organ-driven composition.

Overall, this is a good album and will favor you if you really love vintage music. Composition-wise there is no complex track offered here, but I am sure you would enjoy the album. Keep on proggin’ …..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild – GW

Studio Album, released in 1973

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Paint A Picture (5:24)
2. Circus (6:18)
3. The Award (4:52)
4. Politely Insane (3:27)
5. Widow (2:12)
6. Icy River (5:53)
7. Thank Christ (4:06)
8. Young Man’s Fortune (3:41)
9. Gnome Song (4:19)
10. Silent Mine (4:39)

Total Time: 44:41

Bonus tracks on remaster (Lake Eerie 2005) taken from Fantasy – Beyond The Beyond:

11. Beyond The Beyond (5:37)
12. Reality (2:58)
13. Alanderie (9:01)
14. Afterthought (5:51)
15. Worried Man (2:56)
16. Just A Dream (3:32)
17. Winter Rose (3:27)

Line-up / Musicians

- Paul Lawrence / 12 string guitar, vocals
- David Read / bass, vocals
- David Metcalfe / keyboards, vocals
- Peter James / lead guitar, vocals
- Jon Webster / percussion, vocals

Releases information

LP Polydor 2383 246 (1973)
CD Polydor KK ERC-29229 (1991, Japan)
CD Lake Eerie LER 43007 (2005, remaster)

Please Don’t Add

Gatot Widayanto — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:32:32 +0000

Kalau saya bisa bikin musik prog kayak Steve Hackett, barangkali judul albumnya “Please Don’t Add”. Lho, apa hubungannya sama Hackett? Karena hari ini di FB saya terdaftar ada 888 Friends! Kebetulan banget lho! Opo tumon??? Makanya, jangan kasih tahu temen2 ya bahwa saya punya account di FB. Kalau temen nambah bisa berabe nih ..ndak lagi 888!!!

Please Don’t Add!

Salam,

Bila YES Masuk Islam …

Gatot Widayanto — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:55:18 +0000

maka…inilah yang terjadi:

Sumber: Ary Kurniawan

Wass,

Steve Hackett “Cured”

Gatot Widayanto — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:32:29 +0000

Kalo ini progrock fanart dari Mita Hapsari: (maaf, jangan terus berbuka puasa liat foto ini ye …he he he ..):

Menurut saya, foto di atas adalah plesetan dari Steve Hackett CURED:

Bener kan, Mita?

Fanart Mita lainnya keren2 lho! Coba aja KLIK disini.

Salam,

Studio Album, released in 1981

Songs / Tracks Listing

Side 1
1. Hope I don’t Wake (3:46)
2. Picture Postcard (3:54)
3. Can’t let Go (5:39)
4. The Air-Conditioned Nightmare (4:42)
Side 2
5. Funny Feeling (4:02)
6. A Craddle of Swans(2:47)
7. Overnight Sleeper (4:30)
8. Turn back Time (4:19)

Total Time: 33:39

Line-up / Musicians

- Steve Hackett / guitars, bass, vocal
- Nick Magnus / keyboard, drum machine
- Bimbo Acock / sax on “Picture Postcard”
-John Hackett / flute on “Overnight Sleeper”, bass pedals on “The air-Conditioned Nightmare”

Releases information Lps-Epic-FE 37632-Can-1981
CD Virgin 2007 (remastered with 3 bonus tracks)

Ramadhan ala ELP

Gatot Widayanto — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:31:23 +0000

Dari foto albumnya bro Ary Kurniawan di Facebook ada gambar keren ini:

Tuoooooooooooobbbzz!!!!!!!!!!

Salam,

King Crimson Live in 1969 “Epitaph”

Gatot Widayanto — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:17:38 +0000

Dear proggers!

Sumpah! Saya ndak nyangka bahwa kompilasi King Crimson live di tahun 1969 ini ternyata musiknya maha dahzyat! Kebayang gak sih, pada saat itu mereka kan baru rilis satu album yang gambarnya cangkem mangap “WHOOOAAAA…” bertajuk “In The Court of The Crimson King” nan nuansamatix legendariesz itu! Lha kok sudah berani bikin konser. Opo tumon?! Malahan ada beberapa lagu yang ndak pernah kita liat di album karena mereka bikin improvisasi sendiri di panggung. Tapi musiknya keren, gak asal ngejam! Malahan ada lagu yang merupakan cikal bakal buat direkam di album kedua “In The Wake of Poseidon” judulnya di konser ini masih “A Man, A City” namun di versi studio akhirnya bermetafmorfosa menjadi “Pictures of A City”.

Pokoke …

Kalau Anda ngaku suka musik prog pitungpuluhan …tapi mendengarkan live album ini tidak mbrebes mili, sudah pasti ada sesuatu yang salah di memori Anda …atau kalbu Anda udah ndak sensitif terhadap nuansa pitungpuluhan! Uediyaaaaaannn …!!! Hamba sendiri ngguweblak menikmati indahnya improvisasi di “A Man, A City”….!!!

Al Quran

Berikut ini saya posting ulang review saya terhadap album ini yang sudah dimuat di www.progarchives.com. Saya ndak tahu udah yang ke berapa kali saya membawa nama Al Quran di review saya. Lha saya bukan ustadz dan dakwah itu kan kewajiban bagi setiap orang yang mengaku muslim, jadi ya saya masukkan juga biar proggers dunia kenal Islam yang maha damai dan adem sekali ….

Selamat membaca …!

Wass,

Epitaph – Live in 1969 Volumes one & two
King Crimson Eclectic Prog

Review by Gatot
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

Why do we listen to this vintage record?

That was my first question that came into my mind with respect to this late sixties record. Especially with many new bands coming into stream of progressive rock with modernized recording technology? But .. my surfing on the net and the finding of their seventies performance of ‘Easy Money’ combined with my CD collection of their seventies performance titled as ‘The Night Watch’ made me eager to listen to this vintage record ‘Epitaph ? Live in 1969, Volume One and Two’. My first impression on the first spin of this Epitaph CD was that quite OK on the first three tracks. It’s probably I have been listening to it in different version of the box sets ‘Frame by Frame’ and ‘The Great Deceiver’.

‘A Man, a City’ blew me away man !!!

The fourth track ‘Epitaph’ is so legendary and so meaningful to me and I do really love this live version. It made me repeat this live version many times. I have to admit that Epitaph has a very special meaning to me. It reminds me to the life after death and how I get prepared myself before I die. But I fear tomorrow I’ll be crying and being able to sit and relax in paradise where the river flow underneath as it is mentioned in Quran. Despite the deep meaning of the words (thanks, Mr Sinfield!), the song itself has a catchy melody and mellotron-drenched background that makes the dark mood of the music.

But one thing that finally BLEW me away was when I listened to ‘A Man, A City’ performed live, in which I have never heard this song performed live before. Yes, I do like the studio version (aka Pictures of a City) as the structure is quite excellent and the melody is really great. But this live version is really different and very inspiring! This song was not recorded in the studio before it was performed in 1969 because the studio version came out one year later when the second album ‘In The Wake of Poseidon’ was released in 1970. The song was re-titled to ‘Pictures of A City’. The recording sonic quality is not good actually. But it’s OK, it does not count much here because it was recorded long time ago with limitation on mobile recording. The music composition and performance outnumber the sonic quality, believe me! If you ignore the sonic quality, you will get a top notch composition by prog rock pioneer! I truly admire this live version because the style is much more dynamic and many improvisations performed throughout this extended song. To me this song is a great combination of rock, symphonic and jazz music. Ian McDonald’s exploration of woodwind is really stunning and it reminds me to the kind of Van der Graff Generator’s music. I can imagine how the crowd were confused as this song was not released when it was performed here in this record. This song finally came out in the next studio album ‘In The Wake of Poseidon’ (1970).

The ‘21th Century Schizoid Man’ performance is also excellent and I do love the way Greg Lake sings, it’s rockier than the studio version. The improvisation tracks from ‘Mantra’ with nice flute work to ‘Travel Weary Capricorn’ are great. The band demonstrates their jazzy heart through ‘Travel Weary Capricorn’. It’s a great track, really, especially on the combination of vocal and improvised flute work. Well, I forgot to notice that Michael Giles is a great drummer / percussionist. He played really well throughout the live record with dynamic drumwork. Fripp guitar improvisation in ‘Travel Weary Capricorn’ is really excellent. It stops suddenly with ‘Paco De Lucia’ style guitar work at the opening of ‘Improv: Travel Bleary Capricorn’.

‘Mars’ is a symphonic instrumental piece with dark mood using mellotron as main rhythm section. This song lays a solid foundation for next King Crimson music in ‘Three of a Perfect Pair’ album with song like ‘Industry’. ‘Drop In’ is another great jazzy music with dark mood. I think, the music of Sting (The Police) was initially influenced by this kind of music, especially on the opening part. This is really an improvisation song that sounds really great to me. The interlude part is really a pure swing jazz music.

Overall, I really consider this album as an excellent prog music collection for those who love King Crimson. It’s a must. Keep on proggin’ ..!!

Peace on earth and mercy mild – GW

Songs / Tracks Listing

Disc 1: 71:37
1. 21st century schizoid man (7:06)
2. In the court of the Crimson King (6:27)
3. Get thy bearings (5:59)
4. Epitaph (7:08)
5. A man, a city (11:41)
6. Epitaph (7:42)
7. 21st century schizoid man (7:16)
8. Mantra (3:47)
9. Travel weary Capricorn (3:15)
10. Improv: Travel bleary Capricorn (2:23)
11. Mars (Holst) (8:53)
Disc 2: 48:36
1. In the court of the Crimson King (7:13)
2. Drop in (5:14)
3. A man, a city (11:19)
4. Epitaph (7:31)
5. 21st century schizoid man (7:37)
6. Mars (Holst) (9:42)

Total Time: 120:13

Line-up / Musicians

- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Michael Giles / drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Greg Lake / bass, lead vocals
- Ian McDonald / woodwinds, keyboards, mellotron, vocals
- Peter Sinfield / words

Releases information

Discipline (Global Mobile) DGM-9607

Musik Kontemplatif

Gatot Widayanto — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:35:40 +0000

Assalamualaikum wr. wb.

Menurut pak Alfie, salah satu pengunjung setia blog ini, mengenal atau mendekati Tuhan itu bisa dengan banyak cara. Karena saya sejak kecil sudah hidup dengan musik terutama prog rock, mari kita bahas saja musik-musik yang menurut Anda kontemplatif sebagai salah satu saran mendekatkan diri ke Sang Pencipta. Postingan ini juga dibuat karena diskusi hangat di postingan sebelumnya, yaitu Puasa, Golf dan Musik Rock. Silakan Anda berkomentar di box komentar dibawah dan nantinya komentar ANda saya posting di postingan ini juga. Sebutkan tidak hanya lagunya saja tapi juga mengapa bagia Anda musiknya kok kontemplatif. Untuk memancing, saya mulai dari saya ya:

”Close To The Edge” – YES

Mengingatkan pada sakaratul maut. Mampukah kita mengucapa “La ilaha ilallah”?

“Epitaph” – King Crimson

Meragukan apakah kita bisa masuk surga? “But I fear tomorrow I’ll be crying ….”

“Firth of Fifth” – Genesis

Pada akhirnya kita akan kembali ke tanah bercampur dengan cacing. “The scene of death is lying just below”

“Awaken” – YES

“High vibration go on …” mengingatkan pada kegetaran menghadap Allah swt. Mampukah kita menjawab pertanyaanNya kelak di Hari Kebangkitan? Interlude keyboardnya sangat kontemplatif buat pengantar tilawah Quran.

“Time” – Pink Floyd

Mengingatkan kepada surat Al Ashr. “Demi masa….”

“The Post War Dream” – Pink Floyd

”Tell me true, tell me why was Jesus crucified?”

”Hairless Heart” – Genesis

Mengingatkan kepada hati yang bersih yang dituntut dari seorang yang beriman dan bertakwa. Komposisinya sangat kontemplatif untuk menembus dimensi dunia yang lain.

”The Revealing Science of God” – YES

Mengingatkan kepada Sang Pencipta yang menciptakan dasar laut yang begitu indahnya disertai ekosistemnya.

“Money” – Pink Floyd

Menyemangati untuk membenci dunia karena hanya tipuan yang memperdaya. “Money is a gas!”

“The Prophets Song” – Queen

Paduan suaranya mengingatkan kecintaan kepada nabi dan rasul.

“Toccata” – ELP

Suara kibor yang seperti suara air mendidih mengingatkan pada siksa neraka yang pedih.

“Gates of Delirium” – YES

Mengingatkan kepada Perang Uhud dimana ada pesan moral pasukan muslim yang turun dari bukit (melanggar komando Rasul) karena tertarik pampasan perang (harta, dunia).

“Signal To Noise” – Peter Gabriel

Komposisinya sangat miris nunjek ulu ati, sangat bagus buat kontemplasi. Bisa diartikan sebagai sensitivitas kita dalam antisipasi perbuatan maksiat (noise of life).

“To Be Over” – YES

Coba kita ibaratkan kehidupan ini bak perjalanan melalui perahu layar dengan segara rintangan yang merupakan batu ujian mencapai tujuan hakiki kita pada akhirnya nanti. Pada akhir perjalanan, jiwa kita akn berserah “pasrah” kepada Ilahi dan bergegaslah untuk dicintai oleh Rabb mu ….. (Wah indahnya lagu ini, apalagi liriknya juga sangat puitis ….)

After all your soul will still surrender

After all don’t doubt your part

Be ready to be loved

“Homeworld” – YES

Meretas jalan kembali ke fitrah.

“Isfahan” – Al Di meola

Musiknya mengingatkan saya ke kisah Salma Al Farisi yang berjiwa besar dan rendah hati ke sesama manusia, rendah diri di haribaan Allah. Seorang Gubernur kok mosok jadi kuli karena tidak mau digaji sebagai gubernur. Opo tumon? Apa ada gubernur jaman sekarang seperti Salman Al Farisi?

Silakan dilanjut lagi …..

Wass,

Ini komentar dari temen2 yang mampir di blog ini:

Noviar Says:
August 27, 2009 at 9:10 am | Reply edit“Supper’s Ready” Genesis

…your supper’s waiting for you….

mengingatkan kita yang sedang puasa untuk menahan diri dari hidangan yang telah tersedia, juga godaan-godaan yang ada di depan kita
tunggal Says:
August 27, 2009 at 10:23 am | Reply editMustapha Ibrahim nya Queen?
Bho Rap….? (Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen)

Ada Allah dan bismillah di sana.
MH Alfie Syahrine Says:
August 27, 2009 at 1:45 pm | Reply editClose To The Edge
sangat penuh makna suara Jon sangat fantastik

Firth Of The Fifth
Gabriel menyanyikannya dengan penuh perasaan seperti orang bawa dosa besar

Epitaph
Liriknya bikin merinding

Revealing Science of God
ini lagu benar benar buat saya ketiduran dari mulai remaja hingga kini( kaya Ashabul Kahfi aj..) saya ga pernah merasa bosan semuanya perfect.

Awaken
baru dengar piano pembukanya aj dah merinding apalagi liriknya.

Time
ya itu sama aja dengan Wal Asr
Tom_Crimson Says:
August 27, 2009 at 2:05 pm | Reply edit“Come Sail Away” – STYX
Sebuah peringatan bahwa sesungguhnya manusia itu ‘kecil’ di hadapan Allah SWT, bagaikan kapal yg terombang-ambing di lautan…

“Awake And Nervous” – IQ
Sebuah lagu tentang kegundahan seseorang… terbangun dari mimpi dan mengalami suatu kebingungan….. pencarian ‘dzat’ yang maha mulia…..

“Praise The Lord!” – HELLOWEN
Liriknya bicara tentang ‘dzat’ maha pemberi
…..Who gives everyone life, because he loves us!
…..Oh God of mine,
You live all-powerful,
You are always kind, you love us!
…..Our father in the heavens
Rules the whole world
And defeats wicked fear
Of all men

Puasa, Golf & Musik Rock

Gatot Widayanto — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 04:14:24 +0000

Assalamualaikum wr. Wb.

Seorang teman kemarin menanyakan ke saya kapan bulan Ramadhan 1430H dimulai. Saya jawab bahwa kemungkinan hari Sabtu, 22 Agustus 2009. Kemudian ia bilang bahwa pas hari itu jadwal dia main golf. Terus dia komentar: ”Wah gak enak nih puasa, mengganggu jadwal golf aja ..”

Perkataan dia ini membuat saya tersentak. Astaghfirullah! Bukan .. bukan saya menyalahkan teman saya ..bukan. Tapi, saya justru merasa tertampar dengan perkataan dia yang menurut saya merupakan muhasabah terbaik sepanjang hari kemarin. Kenapa? Setidaknya saya harus introspeksi, jujur kepada diri sendiri: Ikhlaskah saya menyambut Ramadhan 1430H ini? Benarkah memang saya menunggu bulan penuh berkah ini, atau saya masih menyangsikannya? Apa tolok ukurnya bahwa saya benar-benar ikhlas dan bersuka-cita menyambut datangnya Ramadhan 1430H ini?

Sebagai manusia yang tak pernah luput dari dosa dan maksiat, saya harus akui bahwa saya masih jauh dibilang suci. Istighfar saya tak sebanyak Rasul Muhammad saw yang sekurangnya dalam sehari beliau ber istighfar minimum 70 kali. Padahal jelas, beliau ini manusia paling sempurna dan tauladan kita semua, dan dijamin masuk surga. Belum lagi Abu Hurairah yang sehari beristighfar 6000 (enam ribu!) kali. Konon, beliau ingin Allah swt mengampuni dosa-dosa maksiatnya selama hidupnya. Subhanallah! Saya sungguh masygul …betapa dho’ifnya saya … Jauh sekali dengan apa yang dilakukan umat terdahulu.

Tiba-tiba teringat masa kecil saya … Saat Ramadhan, karena libur sekolah, saya sering membawa tape recorder Nasional Panasonic (waktu itu belum ada walkman) dan beberapa kaset rock (Santana, Uriah Heep, Lucifer’s Friend, ELP, Deep Purple, Grand Funk) ke suatu tempat di bawah pohon. Santai sekali saya tidur2an di bawah pohon tanjung di samping rumah di Jl Sumatra 26 Madiun atau kadang-kadang di bawah pohon tanjung di rumah Minangkabau milik pak Gondo, ayahnya Hermano (teman saya). Kadang-kadang juga di bawah pohon trembesi di sekolah SPG Jalan Sumatra. Itulah surga dunia, kenikmatan hidup paling top markotop bagi saya saat itu… Sambil ngabuburit menunggu ’bleng’ bunyi bom tanda berbuka suara, saya leyeh2 sambil kadang-kadang tereak melantunkan lagu-lagu yang keluar dari suara tape recorder:

’I got nobody..’ (jreng!) ‘..no one to depend on ..’ (thak dug jreng!)

(No One To Depend On nya Santana)

atau

‘My woman from Tokaiyo …’

(Woman From Tokyo nya Deep Purple)

atau

‘Uaaaaa …aaaa…aaaa….’ (3x)

(Immigrant Song nya Led Zeppelin)

atau

‘We’re an American band ….’

(We are an American Band nya Grand Funk Railroad)

atau

‘He was the wizard of a thousand kings ..’

(The Wizard nya Uriah Heep)

Begitulah kaset berulang-kali saya puter bersama teman-teman saya satu jalan (tetangga) antara lain: Bagus Sudaryanto, Hermano, Anton Yuliono, Anung, Agus… Nikmat sekali rasanya ..puasa gak terasa.

Tilawatil Quran? Gak kepikir sama sekali saat itu. Pokoknya yang dipikir cuma: kapan ya buka puasa? Kapan ya puasa ini berakhir? Kapan dapet uang lebaran? Memang sih sesekali kami pergi ke madrasah di musholla sekitar Oro-Oro Ombo untuk ngaji, tapi nawaitunya tetep: membunuh waktu, bukan mencari keridhaan Allah. Ya Allah ..ampuni dosa-dosaku ……!!!

Saya sekarang mempertanyakan diri saya: benarkah menyambut Ramadhan ini dengan ikhlas dan menganggapnya sebagai ladang amal? Jangan-jangan setan dan iblis telah memperdaya saya untuk lebih mencintai dunia ketimbang akhirat?

Kegemaran saya bersepeda apa membuat saya merasa ‘terganggu’ dengan hadirnya bulan suci ini?
Bagaimana dengan kegiatan saya yang suka menikmati musik prog rock? Apa kehadiran Ramadhan ini membuat kenikmatan saya mendengarkan musiknya IQ ’Frequency’ atau The Dear Hunter ’Act III: Life And Death’ menjadi terusik?
Bagaimana dengan pentas musik rock yang sering saya hadiri bahkan kadang-kadang saya selenggarakan? Adakah rasa penyesalan saya mengapa musti puasa padahal banyak musik rock menarik yang bakal dipentaskan?

Kepada Allah saya mohon ampun bila jiwa saya masih dikotori dengan hal-hal yang hanya fokus ke duniawi. Semoga Allah swt membimbing saya dan kita semua agar kita selalu di jalan yang lurus menuju kuatnya iman dan taqwa. Amin.

Sementara itu, di sisi lain, ada keluarga yang menyambut Ramadhan ini dengan sangat gembira. Bahkan di halaman depan rumahnya, keluarga ini memasang banner sebagai ungkapan suka cita menyambut datangnya Ramadhan 1430H ini, seperti di foto ini:

Banner di depan rumah yang menyambut Ramadhan 1430H

Saya sangat berterima kasih sama teman saya yang menggemari golf. Karena ucapannya akhirnya saya berusaha melakukan muhasabah. Tulisan ini memang oto kritik buat saya. Semoga Allah swt berkenan merahmati kita di bulan Ramadhan 1430H ini. Selamat menunaikan ibadh-ibadah di bulan Ramadhan 1430H ini. Mohon maaf atas segala kekhilafan saya.

Wass,

“Proclamation” by Gentle Giant

Gatot Widayanto — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:35:54 +0000

Hari ini konon kita sudah enam puluh empat tahun merdeka. Sebagai ritual tahunan, saya selalu memasang ‘Proclamation’ nya Gentle Giant pada hari kemerdekaan dan disertai ‘Negriku Cintaku’ yang dilantunkan Keenan Nasution.

Benarkah kita sudah merdeka? Ini bisa jadi perdebatan panjang. Satu hal yang pasti, kita masih dijajah teroris. Noor Din M Top masih saja sakti bak belut yang sulit ditangkap. Larik lirik ‘You may not have all you want or you need‘ cuocok menggambarkan situasi ini. Makanya, nyetel lagu ini membuat hati ini terhibur, kita nikmati hari kemerdekaan ini dengan ngeprog-ria bersama Gentle Giant. Musiknya memang keren nih band. Kalau ngaku 70an gak tahu lagu ini sih sebaiknya kalau jalan menundukkan kepala .. he he he …

You may not have all you want or you need
all that you have has been due to my hand,
it can change, it can stay the same,
who can say, who can make their claim.

2.
The situation we are in at this time
neither a good one, nor is it so unblest
it can change, it can stay the same,
I can say, I can make my claim.
Hail …….. Hail …….. Hail.

3.
Unity’s strength and all must be as one,
confidence in you hope will reflect in me
I think everyone not as my nation for
you are my people and there must be no change.
It can change, it can stay the same
I will say, I will make my claim.
Hail …….. Hail …….. Hail.
Hail to Power and to Glory’s way.
Hail to Power and to Glory’s way.
Hail to Power and to Glory’s way.
Hail to Power and to Glory’s way.
Day by day.

(repeat verses 1 & 3)

Komik dan Musik 70an

Gatot Widayanto — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:52:05 +0000

Woaduh biyung …! Pagi ini tersentak memoriku dan langsung menerawang ke masa-masa masih SD di akhir 60an – pertengahan 70an gara2 baca kompas hari ini di rubrik Sosok halaman 16 bertajuk Erlina, Bertahan Dengan Komik Lama. Kisahnya sungguh mengingatkan saya saat tiap hari nangkring nebeng baca buku di undak-undakan rumah paviliun di Jl Sumatra 26, Madiun. Ya, rumah kami ada Paviliunnya dan ditempati oleh keluarga Paklik Djajadi (purnawirawan) yang memiliki lima orang anak, semuanya putri. Waktu itu saya terbilang dekat dengan mbak Wati (kira2 dua tahun di atas saya) yang merupakan anak kedua dari Paklik / Bulik Djajadi. Nah, keluarga ini paling suka koleksi buku2 komik wayang karya RA Kosasih, yaitu Mahabarata, Barata Yudha dan Parikesit. Saya rutin membaca komik-komik tersebut terutama Mahabarata dan Barata Yudha yang kisahnya sangat menyentuh hati dan membekas sampe sekarang. Pernah juga saya curhatkan di blog gemblunk ini: The Cats dan Mahabarata.

Satu hal yang menarik adalah nuansa 70annya yang serba kere (gak punya apa2) lha wong cuman buku komik aja lho kok ya ndak mampu beli. AKhirnya ya nebeng baca di rumah tetangga dan dibacanya juga di rumah Paviliun itu, di undak-undakannya, bukan dibawa pulang. Komiknya pun dipelihara rapi oleh keluarga Djajadi karena disampulin pake sampul kertas warna coklat yang jadul itu. Dulu kita nyebutnya kertas minyak. Memang asiknya baca komik itu sambil pasang kaset The Cats (Lea, I Got To Know What’s Going On, Scarlet Ribbons, dsb), ‘Jesamine’ nya The Casuals, ‘Hang On Sloopy’, ‘Venus’ (Shocking Blue), ‘He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother’, ‘Warm and Tender Love’ (Percy Sledge). Lha? Kok gak ada rocknya? Memang saat itu saya belum mengenal Deep Purple sama Led Zeppelin rasanya. Tapi nuansanya itu lho …hmmm sungguh dahzyat. Damai. Tenteram. Gemah Ripah Loh Jinawi Sodatanya Haji Nawi .. wis jan muanteb kumleteb pol!

Bagian ‘Bagawat Ghita’ di Mahabarata sungguh menyentuh dan ternyata kok pas ya sama liriknya ‘I Got To Know What’s Going On’ yang kira2 merupakan dialog Kresno kepada Ardjuno. Wuih jan top tenan!

Pengembaraan komik sebenernya gak terhenti di Mahabarata saj namun sampe ke Si Buta Dari Gua Hantu karya Ganesh TH disertai nonton pelemnya di gedung bioskop Lawu, Jl Pahlawan (depan Hotel Merdeka). Di Madiun dulu (masa kecil) hanya ada dua gedung bioskop aja, yang lainnya adalah Ardjuno yang berlokasi di Alun Alun. Masih ingat saya begitu takutnya saya lihat Sapu Jagad dengan rantai dan bola besinya .. ha ha ha ha …

Wis jan nuansamatik pol …

Untung Nonton Discus Hari Itu

Gatot Widayanto — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:40:50 +0000

JRENG!

Hari Rabu lalu saya ‘rencananya’ nonton DFA. Segala sesuatu udah saya siapkan buat nonton. Sesuai undangan (jam 21:00 sd 23:00), pada jam 20:30 saya sudah di Plasa EX dan liat2 CD dulu di Beatz (depan HR Cafe). Akhirnya jam 21:00 saya masuk HR Cafe, belum ada tanda apa2. Jam 21:30 acara dimulai tapi ternyata yang main band pembuka dulu. Njelehi banget mainnya .. mereka main selama 50 menit. Abis itu ada lagi band lain (bukan DFA) yang main. Gak sabar menunggu, jam 22:30 saya pulang dengan kekecewaan karena udah buang2 waktu memenuhi undangan yang tak tepat waktu. Ternyata, kata temen, DFA baru on stage jam 23:30 dan selesai sekitar jam 01:00 dini hari. Opo tumon? Wong prog kok molor gak sesuai janji di undangan?

Saya merasa dirugikan karena gak pernah tahu acaranya campur sari gak hanya prog music dan malam itu adalah malam BBW (buang buang waktu) bagi saya. Saya heran, wong prog kok molor gini ya? Untung, saya siang harinya (sebelum acara DFA) nonton Discus live yang memuaskan ..

Salam,

DISCUS Live @ DepBudPar, 12 Aug 09

Gatot Widayanto — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:30:22 +0000

JRENG!

Siang tadi, 12 Agustus 2009, tepatnya jam 14:00 saya dapat kabar mendadak bahwa Discus sedang main di Departemen Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata dalam rangka persiapan mereka main di Jerman di acara ZAPPAnele minggu depan. Wah dapet durian runtuh …gak nyangka bisa nonton Discus lagi. Keren banget mainnya, apalagi akustik di Balairung DepBudPar juga asik. Formasi kali ini adalah: Anto Praboe (clarinet, sax), Krisna Prameswara (keyboards), Kiki Caloh (bass, vox), Yuyun (female vox), Iwan Hasan (guitar, vox), Rama Moektio (drums), Eko Partitur (biola) dan Kompyang (gamelan). Duduk di kursi undangan front row terasa nikmat sekali. Mereka main rapi dan Rama Moektio bermain drums menggantikan Iyoen yang berhalangan bisa memainkan dengan baik karya-karya rumit Discus. Lumayan, dapet 3 lagu dengan lagu terakhir kesukaan saya ‘System Manipulation’.

Bravo Discus! Selamat main di Zappanele! Sukseskan nama bangsa melalui prog rock … Bangsa ini bukan bangsa teroris …!!!

Salam,

Discus bermain prima di DepBudPar 12 Aug 09

Uriah Heep “Salisbury”

Gatot Widayanto — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:41:46 +0000

JRENG!

Namanya juga blog gemblunk .. jadi ya postingannya gemblunk juga. He he .. Maksudnya…kalau ada permintaan dari pembaca mengulas sesuatu ya udah di posting aja dulu, biar saling bisa bagi pengalaman. Lha kalo Uriah Heep ini kan udah ndak asing lagi to sama kita-kita semua. Apalagi sekarang udah bulan Agustus, jadinya ya bisa nyanyi ini: “There I was on a July morning…Thet thet thet .. I was looking for love …thet thet thet …” (halah! Hari gini kok masih cari cinta yo??? Ha ha ha ha ha …).

Nama Uriah Heep pertama kali saya kenal saat rumah kami di Jl Sumatra no 26, Madiun baru memiliki sebuah tape recorder merek National Panasonic gara2 saya dapet hadiah sunatan sebesar Rp. 27.000,- Saya lupa harga tape recordernya berapa, tapi yang jelas dibeli di Pasar Kawak, Jl. Bogowonto, Madiun. Langsung setelah beli tape recorder itu mas Henky (kakak saya nomer 2 yang suka meratjoeni saya musik classic rock saat itu) beli juga enam buah kaset di toko foto Miraco di Jl Pahlawan Madiun. Rekaman kasetnya Nirwana dan Starlite seharga Rp. 500,- per keping. Kalau gak salah kaset-kaset itu termasuk diantaranya Uriah Heep ‘Demons & Wizards’, Deep Purple ‘Who Do You Think You Are”, Santana yang ada ‘No One To Depend On’. Itulah pertama kali kami memiliki koleksi kaset dan pertama kali memiliki pemutar kaset, gara2 sunatan. Nuansamatik tenan.

Lucunya, kaset Uriah Heep rekaman Starlite ini side A nya album ‘Demons & Wizards’ dan side B nya ada 2 lagu dari Lucifer’s Friend album ‘Where The Groupies Killed The Blues’ dan dua lagu dari Khan ‘Space Shanty’. Inilah uniknya jaman bajakan .. kita mengenal band dari side B nya band terkenal. Masih inget saya, Lucifer’s Friend nya ada lagu berjudul ‘Hobo’ dan Khan nya ada lagu ‘Space Shanty’ yang legendaris itu.

Kaset Uriah Heep ini sontak menjadi menu utama keluarga dalam hal memutar kaset sehingga ibu saya pun jadi kenal dan sayang sama Uriah Heep. Lagu ‘The Wizards’ itu menjadi kebanggaan di rumah kami di Madiun ..’He was the wizard of a thousand kings …’ wuaduuuhhh nunjek ulu ati banget tuh lagu. Belum lagi ‘Traveller in Time’ dan ‘Easy Livin’ ,,… whoooaaa.. uediyaaaannn ….

Beberapa tahun kemudian barulah saya mengenal album ‘Salisbury’ nan dahzyat itu ….

Kami pernah dinner sama Uriah Heep lho di Jakarta, 2005:

Trevor Bolder (bass) & G, Sari Kuring JKT, 14 Feb 2006

Bagaimana pengalaman Anda dengan Uriah Heep ini?

Salam,

Somewhere in your eyes / That very special glow / Something drawing me / To where I do not know / I never really thought / That I would lose myself / Now I’m going faster / Than anybody else . – Uriah Heep “Salisbury”

This album is I think “the” reason why Uriah Heep is reviewed here in this website. Through this album the band worked toward composing an album that blends strong elements of heavy metal drive with the complexity of prog rock. When this album was released it was kind like scaling down their debut “Very Eavy Very Umble ..” because in terms of song structure and arrangements the band had demonstrated a much mature music compared to debut. This what I would say as progression because the music moved forward into a stronger direction in what later be called as progressive rock. Highlights on the album include “Bird of Prey” which has a powerful chord-fueled verses with keyboard-drenched interlude part. A folk-based acoustic song “Lady In Black” that brings us into a throbbing rocker with stunning and crunching guitar riffs. The album also features a touchy ballad-oriented song “The Park” that sparks the powerful voice of David Byron combined with etheral keyboard and acoustic guitar. This was really the track that color the days of my childhood and we used to sing along the melody, emulating Byron’s lyrical verses. The harmonies produced from Byron’s unique vocal and Hensley keyboard is truly awesome.

The title track “Salisbury” was my first introduction to this album and finally I bought the Monalisa cassette format right after the ilegal rock radio station called Blue Jean Racing in Bandung frequently aired this song. This long duration song has become my all time Heep favorite track. This 16-minute plus track occupies the largest space in this album. This prog epic starts off with a relative long exploration of brass and woodwinds work that would later characterize the main body of the whole epic. The music begins in relatively quite and slow passage and as the falsetto voice of Byron enters the scene the music moves into a crescendo with strong emphasize on brass section. The keyboard solo during instrumental break has an excellent combination of jazz and rock style during long instrumental break. The overall flow of this track contains segments with high and low amplification to accentuate the song’s message. Segments where Byron enters the music at beginning of bar have a very nice and well positioned entry point. As a result it produces terrific experience for my listening pleasure. When I finally purchased the remastered CD version sometime in 2000 I have had a habit of repeating this track at least for the second time; including this time when I put some words about this track. It’s truly a masterpiece song – for my personal taste. Great harmonies, great orchestral arrangements, great insertion of keyboard and rocking guitar solo that’s Mick Box’s unique and powerful compositions (structure and arrangement).

Other tracks featured in this album: “Time To Live” and “High Priestess” are another Heep’s style excellent rock music. I have upgraded this album to the Sanctuary’s 2003 and 2004 reissues of Salisbury with newly remastered, featured expanded artwork and slipcase packaging, and included alternate versions, B-sides, and BBC sessions. The reason is because I like Uriah Heep – be it a prog or non-prog music; it does not really matter to me because music is emotion. These gentlemen have stirred my emotion and this album is recommended!

Progressively yours,

Studio Album, released in 1971

Songs / Tracks Listing

Side A
1. Bird Of Prey (4:05)
2. The Park (5:38)
3. Time To Live (4:02)
4. Lady In Black (4:33)

Side B
1. High Priestess (3:39)
2. Salisbury (16:02)

Total Time: 37:59
BONUS TRACKS ON 1996 REMASTERED CD:
1. Simon The Bullet Freak (3:27) originally single b-side, also on North American versions of ‘Salisbury’ (1971)
2. High Priestess (3:13) edited version released as a single

BONUS TRACKS ON 2003 EXPANDED DE-LUXE CD:
1. Simon The Bullet Freak – single b-side (=US album version)
2. Here Am I – out-take, previously unreleased version
3. Lady In Black – edit, previously unreleased version
4. High Priestess – alternate version
5. Salisbury – edit, previously unreleased version
6. The Park – alternate version, previously unreleased
7. Time To Live – alternate version, previously unreleased

Line-up / Musicians

- David Byron / lead vocals
- Ken Hensley / organ, piano, slide & acoustic guitars, harpshicord, vibes and vocals
- Mick Box / lead guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Paul Newton / bass guitar, vocals
- Keith Baker / drums
- John Fiddy / brass and woodmind on “Salisbury”

Releases information

1971 UK: Vertigo 6360028, re-released 1971 as Bronze ILPS 9152
Re-published by Castle Communication PLC CLACD106 (1988)

DFA Live @ Hard Rock Jkt, Aug 12, 2009!

Gatot Widayanto — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:32:08 +0000

JRENG!

Ini adalah band prog Italia. Rencananya band ini akan manggung dengan detil ini:

Hari / tanggal : Rabu, 12 Agustus 2009

Waktu : 21:00 – 23:00

Tempat : Hard Rock Cafe, Plaza Ex, Jakarta

Tiket : Rp. 100.000,- saja udah nonton band prog international!

Jadi, gimana? Kita jadikan ini sebagai ajang ProgRing besok malam? Hayo .. siapa mo nonton?

Gak tahu musiknya? Ndak masalahlah .. Italian Prog itu huenak huenak lho … Paling tidak kan Anda kenal PFM to? Saya sendiri gak lengkap CD nya (gak pa pa..ntar beli di Hard Rock aja)… Tapi saya punya satu albumnya dan pernah review di ProgARchives. Ini dia:

DFA “Lavori In Coroso” (1997)

I knew Duty Free Area (D.F.A.) for the first time through couple of songs aired at a progressive rock program in Jakarta’s classic rock radio sometime in 2000. And I only have this CD, which I accidentally found in used CD market for a relatively cheap price (US$ 7). What a great deal! Well, actually I don’t know why people sold this excellent album to a secondary market. So, my knowledge about the band is very limited. But from my experience with this “Lavori in Corso” I was impressed the first time I spun the CD. The music of the band gave me an impression of a blend of music from Gryphon, Island, PFM and King Crimson with some early Genesis style in some symphonic transition pieces. What truly amazed me is actually the musicianship demonstrated by each member of the band. Heavily dominated with the sound of keyboard, synthesizer and mellotron in most of rhythm section, however, the composition allows sufficient time for each instrument to perform the solo. From this standpoint, I can see clearly the virtuosity of each member of this four-piece band. Overall, the musical composition of this album is music-orientated that demonstrates marriages of sounds (and effects) produced by each instrument used. All songs are deceptively complex but the create excellent harmony.

The album opener “Work Machine (Industry)” (7:09), written by De Grandis and Bonomi, kicks off with a relatively complex arrangements dominated by repetitive keyboard sounds followed with Italian vocal. The music turns quieter in ambient spacey style followed with duo-vocal and returns back to original form with keyboard dominating the rhythm section as well as some short solo work. Stunning guitar solo is presented right after the middle of the track. It’s an excellent opener.

“Collage” (7:06), witten by De Grandis and Bonomi, has a more upbeat tempo than the opening track and this time guitar provides excellent soft riffs and rhythm section. The music turns into softer volume and suddenly returns back in upbeat tempo with stunning guitar work. The guitar sound reminds me to Steve Hackett and Robert Fripp. The music sounds symphonic with keyboard onslaught and jaw-dropping drum work. The Hammond organ at the back gives a nuance of seventies music like ELP’s. The combination of guitar and mellotron/keyboard work at the ending part of this track is truly awesome!

“Pantera” (8:48), written by Minella and Bonomi, represents the band’s exploration to jazz-influenced music featuring swing style with flute solo. This gives a kind of break from previous two songs for a while because what it turns out the music returns back into complex arrangements when vocal enters. Again, I observe excellent harmony between guitar and Hammond organ. Oh man . I really love the relatively long guitar solo – followed with Hammond organ solo; they are so stunning! This song has a very tight composition with frequent abrupt changes in tempo and style. It’s truly a progressive rock tune! A masterpiece!

“La Sua Anima” (4:04) starts off excellently with acoustic guitar work, exploratory in nature, featuring flute with no drum and bass. Keyboard fills the music in symphonic style accentuated with electric piano. Everything is performed in relatively slow tempo.

“Trip on Metro” (6:33), written by De Grandis, brings the music back into complex arrangements with some repetitive opening that reminds me to King Crimson. This instrumental piece gives keyboard and bass guitar present so obvious at the opening part with guitar plays as rhythm section. Guitar solo takes its opportunity to perform at approx minute 2:00 with Fripp style. There are frequent abrupt changes in tempo throughout the song with keyboard provides inventive work at background.

“Space Ace Man” (9:47), written by all members of the band, is a symphonic rock instrumental music which starts with guitar solo overlaid on top of long sustain keyboard sound. This song presents something different than previous tracks. Composed with symphonic approach the song still gives an impression of complex music. The style changes frequently through the passage of musical segments. As the title implies this track features spacey music.

“La Via” (16:19), written by Bonomi and De Grandis, serves like an epic as duration-wise is relatively long. It starts off with bass guitar notes and moves slowly with soft entrance of long sustain keyboard work; it gives an ambient style. Vocal enters in mellow style. Guitar gives its shot in between vocal and gradually moves the music in crescendo with an upbeat and complex arrangements, combined with keyboard solo. Overall style of this last track is mellow with symphonic rock elements and some spacey nuance.

I would recommend this album to those of you who enjoy relatively complex composition. This album is an excellent addition to any prog rock collection. Keep on proggin’ ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild – GW

Studio Album, released in 1997

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Work machine (7:09)
2. Collage (7:06)
3. Pantera – Pantera / La sua anima (12:46)
4. Trip on Metro (6:33)
5. Space age man (9:47)
6. La via (16:19)

Total Time: 60:09

Line-up / Musicians – Luca Baldassari / bass
- Alberto Bonomi / Hammond, mellotron, flute and vocals
- Alberto De Grandis / drums and vocals
- Silvio Minella / guitars

Babe Ruth (1975)

Gatot Widayanto — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:36:09 +0000

JRENG!

Mari kita landjoetkan …perjalanan meretas memori masa silam dengan Babe Ruth… Ada yang masih ingat? Hayo silakan dimulai …. Saya gak nulis apa2, yang penting ingatan Anda dulu tentang band ini .. Ada kesan gak?

Studio Album, released in 1975

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Dancer (6:01)
2. Somebody’s Nobody (3:06)
3. A Fistful Of Dollars (2:40)
4. We People Darker Than Blue (4:47)
5. Jack-O-Lantern (3:25)
6. Private Number (3:40
7. Turquoise (3:11)
8. Sad But Rich (3:56)
9. The Duchess Of Orleans (5:02)

Total Time: 35:48

Line-up / Musicians

- Steve Gurl / keyboards
- Janita Haan / lead vocals
- Dave Hewitt / bass
- Alan Shacklock / guitars, vocals, percussion
- Ed Spevock / drums

Releases information LP Harvest SHSP 4039
LP Capitol ST 11367
CD One Way OWCD 56845 (????)
CD Beat Goes On BGOCD 491 (2000) (along with “Stealin’ Home” as two LP’s on one CD)

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

Gatot Widayanto — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 09:17:25 +0000

Tahu band ini ndak? Ini tergolong band pitung-puluhan (70an) yang mungkin gak banyak dikenal seperti Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin atau Black Sabbath. Sayapun juga ndak punya kasetnya kok di jaman kaset bajakan dulu. Namun temen saya, Bagus Sudaryanto (seorang Doktor dlm bidang Teknik Perminyakan yang sekarang menjabat posisi kunci di Pertamina), waktu kami SMP pernah meminjamkan kasetnya ke saya. Bagus ini tetangga saya di Jalan Sumatra, Madiun, putranya Dokter Sudaryo yang menempati rumah dinas sekitar empat blok dari rumah saya di Jl Sumatra 26 (sekarang 28) Madiun. Bagus juga yang meracuni saya dengan ELP dan Return To Forever.

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

Kaset Sensational Alex Harvey Band (SAHB) punya Bagus ini adalah rekaman BASR (Semarang) yang terkenal rekamannya bersih banget. Kalau gak salah SAHB punya Bagus ini adalah side B dari Status Quo yang ada lagu Black Water. Karena pinjaman, maka memori saya mengenai band ini sebatas pada kaset BASR tersebut. Namun satu hal yang memikat saya adalah gaya nyanyi penuh aksentuasi ala Alex Harvey di lagi N.E.X.T yang dengan eksentrik dia lantunkan dengan latar belakang mini orkestra. Waj lagunya bener2 menarik dan membuat saya sering putar berulangkali. Rekaman BASR sangat bersih sehingga kaset ini saya rekam ke kaset saya. Kasihan ya, masak ngerekam kaset sumbernya kaset? Maklum jaman sulit banget dulu itu …apalagi ortu saya kan penjahit, bukan dokter seperti bokapnya Bagus. Wong dia aja punya mobil dan di rumahnya ada telpon. Rumah kami adanya telpon2an pake tutup bedak merek Rita disambungkan benang layangan .. kuak kak kak kak kak kak kak kak …. Sambil nyanyi “Telephone Line” karya ELO jan cuocok tenaaaannn .. ha ha ha ha ha…

CD yang nemu di JalSur itu ...

Kembali ke SAHB ..Jujur aja saya kagum sama band ini karena memang musiknya keren. Rock nya gak sekedar rock tapi ada sedikit sentuhan opera juga. Lagu lainnya yang saya kenal adalah “Faith Healer” yang saat itu sering diputer dai radio pemancar gelap Dji Sam Soe di Madiun. Lagu ini belakangan juga dinyanyikan oleh Fish nya Marillion di album solonya “Raingods with Zippos”. Selain itu juga ada lagu “Teenage Idols” yang dibawakan energik sama SAHB.

Gak tahu ngimpi apa, pada bulan Mei yang lalu, tepatnya saat i-Rock! menggelar acara “Weekend Metal Battle” di Mario’s Place tanggal 23 Mei 2009 (Sabtu), saya bersepeda menuju Mario’s Place Cikini. Karena udah lama gak mampir Jl Surabaya, maka saya sempatkan mampir ke pasar loak CD tersebut. Sapa nyana, saya menemukan barang langka berupa CD kompilasi bertajuk “All Sensations” dari SAHB!!! Wah saya kaget njumbul mbrebes mili pol karena semua lagu yang pernah menghiasi masa remaja saya (dari kasetnya Bagus) kok ada di ‘the best’ ini …langsung hamba terharu tersedu-sedu .. memang Allah swt itu baik dana Maha Pemurah menemukan lagu2 emas jaman remaja saya dari lapak CD bekas dengan harga bersahabat .. cukup Rp. 70 ribu saja …tapi puwaszzznya bukan kepalang! Seolah saya menemukan masa remaja saya kembali .. sontak muda! (inget jamannya sekolah pake tas ransel tipis dicoretin semua nama2 band rock 70an, ada simbol “peace”, ditulis pake sepidol Artline 70; ke sekolah pake sepatu Big Boss kayak Bruce Lee main silat begitu .. ha ha ha ha ha …).

Track list nya ....

Segera setelah saya bayari CD ini, sesampainya di rumah langsung di rip ke iPod dan sampai sekarang masih di iPod karena nuansamatix kemlitix pol CD ini …uediyan! Langsung NEXT saya puter berulang kali. Ternyata semua lagu yang ada di CD ini asik .. termasuk Delillah nya Tom Jones itu .. ha ha ha ha … Pokoke jadul jumadul pancen gundal gandul gumandulan tenaaaaaaaaaaannn ….!!!! Bravo jadoel!

Salam,

Keris 2009 “Dunia Batas”

Gatot Widayanto — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 08:12:13 +0000

Poster KERIS 2009

Ini adalah pentas musik, tari dan drama yang diadakan oleh Unit Kesenian SMA 28, digelar minggu lalu, Sabtu 1 Agustus 2009 di Gedung Kesenian Jakarta. Keris yang merupakan singkatan dari kolaborasi kesenian memadukan semua unit yang ada di bawah naungan Unit Kesenian (UK) SMA 28 dan sudah digelar tiga kalinya termasuk tahun ini. Pementasan ini memadukan seni peran, seni tari kontemporer, seni vokal, dan seni musik.

Plot cerita yang diangkat tahun ini cukup menarik, yaitu “Dunia Batas” yang ditampilkan dengan penggambaran suatu dunia yang tidak seperti biasanya. Fokus cerita tertumpu pada diri seorang wanita bernama Bandhura (diperankan oleh Marsya) yang dihantui mimpi-mimpi makhluk aneh yang tak terlihat mirip dengan dirinya dan komunitasnya. Mimpi-mimpi itulah yang menggelayuti Bandhura sehingga ia sedapat mungkin menghindari tidur terlalu awal bahkan melewati malamnya tanpa tidur. Bandhura menceritakan mimpi-mimpinya ini kepada beberapa orang dalam komunitas kehidupannya, sebuah kehidupan yang direkayasa oleh Mahasadhu (Tammy), ibundanya.

Nuansa dialog dilakukan pada satu setting tempat dengan dekorasi yang sama dalam situasi taman dengan setting waktu siang dan malam menggunakan lighting yang diatur sesuai dengan kondisi. Kegalauan Bandhura disampaikan ke penonton melalui dialognya dengan temannya bernama Satya (Melia) dan Karin (Ryoko). Dialog lebih terkesan dilakukan siang hari karena Bandhura menghindari tidur pada malam hari karena takut ketemu makhluk aneh yang berbadan agak kasar dengan tubuh seperti mentimun. Tempo cerita terkesan bergerak sangat lamban di scene awal karena dialog antara Bandhura dengan Satya maupun Karin selalu diikuti jeda diantara ucapan yang dilantunkan. Terkesan memang bahwa Bandhura lebih konsentrasi kepada ’hafalan’ kata perkata yang sudah didesain oleh penulis naskah (Agnes Purwanti) dan sutradara (M Istiqamah Djamad alias kak Is). Hal ini bisa dimengerti karena Bandhura pemeran utama sehingga hafalannya paling banyak. Hal ini berbeda dengan Satya yang lebih menghayati perannya ketimbang menghafal naskahnya.

Apalagi musik yang mengiringi justru mendukung situasi sunyi senyap nyaris tanpa kejutan sehingga terkesan membosankan karena penonton sudah keburu penasaran ”what’s next?” yang berkepanjangan sehingga bisa kehilangan momentum. Penonton yang tadinya sunyi sudah mulai merespons ketika terjadi ungkapan ”karena kita bukan kambing..” yang dicelotehkan oleh Karin menanggapi pertanyaan Bandhura mengenai bisa atau tidaknya ia mengandung. Ya, pertanyaan mendasar inilah yang kemudian digunakannya untuk menggugat ibundanya yang didukung oleh tangan kanannya, Sthayuka (Clara).

Tempo cerita mendadak menyeruak dinamis ketika sang pembuka tabir, Ravitri (Dian) tampil dengan peran centil, marah dan gila. Scene ini mengundang gelak penonton yang tadinya tak sabar menunggu segmen-segmen mengejutkan yang dinamis. Apalagi Ravitri tampil dengan busana berbeda dari kebanyakan penghuni dunia Bandhura yang semuanya menggunakan kostum sama (dengan kemben), kecuali Mahasadhu dan dayangnya. Kehadiran Ravitri ini sangat menyegarkan dan menghibur sekaligus mengundang riuh tepuk tangan penonton karena Ravitri tampil sesuai dengan peran gilanya. Apalagi Ravitri menggunakan rebana sebagai aksentuasi ekspresi dialog marah dan centilnya ke Bandhura. Terbukalah tabir yang selama ini menyelimuti Bandhura bahwa ternyata ada dunia laki-laki (Medha) yang oleh Ravitri dikatakan bisa ditembus melalui sebuah pintu yang hanya terbuka pada saat tertentu di siang hari. Ravitri sendir tidak mungkin bisa masuk ke pintu itu karena ia telah dikutuk hanya bisa keluar saat malam hari saja sedangkan pintu hanya terbuka di siang hari. Berdasarkan informasi inilah Bandhura nekad menguak tabir dengan mendobraknya di batas dengan dunia lain tersebut.

Mengingat pertunjukan ini dimainkan oleh siswa-siswi SMAN 28 yang nota bene bukan pemain profesional, hasilnya sangat bisa dibanggakan dan melalui pergelaran ini bisa dilihat bibit-bibit potensial seni peran, tari dan musik. Pemeran dramanya bisa diandalkan untuk menjadi pemain profesional bila memang mereka berminat di bidang ini. Dari segi musik yang diciptakan dan dimainkan selama pergelaran ini berlangsung, saya nilai memiliki bobot kualitas yang bagus dan layak untuk direkam karena memiliki komposisi yang bagus. Sayang sekali bila musiknya tidak diabadikan. Memang, tanpa ada plot cerita yang didukung, musiknya mungkin kurang memiliki makna. Namun, tetap musikalitasnya boleh dibanggakan.

Booklet acara KERIS 2009

Tiket pertunjukan

The Dear Hunter “Act III: Life And Death”

Gatot Widayanto — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:31:05 +0000

Ini memang band prog rock generasi baru dan gaya baru. Lho? Iya, soalnya bisa dibilang musiknya tak mengikuti akar2 para seniornya yang berjaya di 70an, 80an, 90an maupun 2000an. Bener2 gres musiknya. Segar rasanya menikmati musiknya. Band ini memang berawal dari kelompok beraliran punk yang namanya The Receiving End of Sirens. Band ini cukup ambisius karena berencana menelorkan enam album konsep secara berurutan. Dua album sebelumnya adalah “Act I: The Lake South, The River North” dan dilanjut album kedua “Act II: The Meaning Of, And All Things Regarding Ms. Leading”.

Tahun 2009 ini The Dear Hunter menelorkan album ketiga “Act III: Life And Death” yang CDnya sudah saya terima di meja redaksi kemarin siang. Musiknya dahzyat dan perlu disimak dulu sebelum menulis review. Yang penting kemasannya dulu dibahas.

CD ini dikemas digipak dengan tampilan:

Dikemas digipak, ini tampilan mukanya

Front and back cover:

Bagian dalamnya:

Unik juga ada postcard berisi lirik2 lagunya

Postcard tampak depan...

Sisi lain postcard berisi lirik

Review musiknya menyusul ye ..baru denger 3 kali nih .. tapi top kok!

Salam,

Jethro Tull “Thick As A Brick”

Gatot Widayanto — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:45:19 +0000

Mari kita bahas band dari Skotlandia ini. Pertama kenal band ini ya dari majalah AKTUIL tanpa pernah denger musiknya kayak apa. Tapi itu yang namanya majalah AKTUIL memang provokatip kemlitip kumlantip tenan. Masak dengan modal foto kecil menggambarkan gaya energik Ian ANderson sedang memainkan suling (baca: flute) dan menggendong gitar akustik dan baju compang-camping sudah cukup membuat saya njumbul (baca: tersentak) kagum dengan band ini. Terus, atas kebaikan kakak saya yang selalu meratjoeni asaya dengan musik classic rock, mas Henky, akhirnya saya dibelikan kaset Jethro Tull ‘War Child’ rekaman Perina Aquarius item putih, side B nya Genesis ‘From Genesis to Revelation’ (uopo tumooonnn… Genesis kok side B nya Jethro Tull!). Masih inget sekali saya. Saat itu mas Henky baru dateng dari Yogya (kuliah di UGM, Ekonomi, angkatan tujuh tua lah …; juga penyiar radio Geronimo, Yogya) sore hari. Langsung kaset saya putar … whooooaaaaaaa…musike jan unik tenan! Langsung jatuh cinta sama ‘Bungle In The Jungle’ , ‘War Child’, ‘The Third Hoorah’, ‘Back-Door Angels’ …lho kok kabeh? Memang semua lagunya enak sih .. ha ha ha …

Setelah itu saya berkelana dengan album2 lainnya, termasuk sang legendaris ‘Aqualung’. Anehnya perekenalan saya dengan album konsep ‘Thick AS A Brick’ malah dimulai dari GodBless. Lho? Iya .. waktu itu saya gandrung banget sama album pertama GB yang kasetnya saya beli di toko film Miraco di Jl. Pahlawan, tahun 1976. Wuah .. huebiyat GB ini! Musiknya menawan. Nah..pas saya menikmati Thick AS A Brick ternyata ada segmen2 yang ‘familiar’ karena saya udah denger di aransemen ‘Friday on My Mind’ dari GodBless …ha ha ha ha …Memang GB kreatif mencomot segmen2 indah Jethro Tull ini ….

Sebetulnya saya lebih suka album konsep ‘A Passion Play’ yang baru saya tahu setelah saya punya kaset ‘Thick As A Brick’. Itupun gak ada satupun perekam nusantara ini yang mau merekam album ‘A Passion Play’ karena berat dan kompleks. Bahkan perekam Yess pun tidak mengedarkan. Tapi jangan salah .. saya mendapat kehormatan ‘direkamin langsung’ oleh arsitek musik Yess Bandung yang bernama Ian Arliandy. Dia mau merekamkan keseluruhan album ini dari PH ke kaset. Sampe sekarang juga kasetnya masih ada tuh …very very limited edition pol man…!!! Ha ha ha ha ….

Kaset saya Thick As A Brick juga masih mulus sampe hari ini. Ini saya foto baru kemarin (5 Agustus 2009):

Dan ini review lengkapnya di progarchives:

This album represented the first attempt by Jethro Tull in prog rock bandwagon. The band’s official website claimed that this album “was the first rock album to be one continuous piece of music” (released sometime in Feb 1972). Judging from its cover, it seems unique to me as the band has a 12-page newspaper to support the album, “The St. Cleve Chronicle” original cover packaging; written by Ian Anderson, Jeffrey Hammond, and John Evan. The paper itself took longer to produce than the music. The music itself comprises two parts. If there was CD in seventies, the music would flow 43 minutes straight. I guess.

Sound quality of original CD is good. As for musicianship, all musicians demonstrate their capabilities at their fullest, I think. This can be seen in many parts of the music where individual player is given chances to fill solo while other instruments played as background. Exception is for bass, there is no solo but its appearance is clear throughout the album. Let’s go over the music in great details.

Part 1 is nicely opened by an acoustic guitar touch followed by Ian’s voice “Really don’t mind if you sit this one out” continued with flute as background. The melody right here seems to be a “central theme” that will be used repeatedly throughout the song. One good shot is that after Ian sings first two paragraphs of the lyrics with the same melody, the music flows nicely to a transition piece which starts with “And the love that I feel is so far away ..”. The tone is then moving up to “Spin me back down the years and the days of my youth ..” when Ian’s voice is gearing into higher tone. This segment of music is really enjoyable. It kills me, really.

When it hits approx min “3:01″ the music is uplifting with an up tempo and, unlike the first 3 minutes where the flute and acoustic guitar dominate, hamond organ sound is now taking the lead as melody accompanying Ian sings “See there, a son is born, and we pronounce him fit to fight”. Don’t overlook the dazzling bass guitar playing here. It’s so dynamic. When the music segment enters at min “5:15″ the flute solo come into play. Wonderful!

The band creates another transition again. This time with a lyric, i.e. when Ian sings “The poet and the painter casting shadows on the water.. etc”. When he finishes with this piece of paragraph, the music flows with a nice instrumental piece with lead guitar plays dominant role followed by flute. Brilliant! Again, the bass playing is really nice as well as the sound really walks the music, as if it plays the melody. It’s an excellent harmony.

If there is a downside of Part 1 is that there are many repetition of melody at the end section of Part1. The band tries their best to use different instrument to repeat the same melody, but to me it sounds boring. I rarely can finish up Part 1 completely due to this reason. The feeling is really different with enjoying Genesis “Supper’s Ready” where you badly expect the encore is completely listened to as it concludes the song nicely. Or, when you listen to YES’s “Close To The Edge” – definitely you wanna finish the whole track because the encore is wonderful!

Let’s continue Part 2 of “Thick”. Again, they use the same melody as Part 1 when Ian sings “See there, a man is born, and we pronounce him fit for peace”. With this melody, even the drum solo at beginning of Part 2 (the first 3 minutes) does not really help. The nice transitions that the band has created in Part 1 is not happening here in Part 2. The melody is really unstructured here. It’s a collection of jams, I think. I don’t know what the boys are trying to do with this part. Funny thing happens when the melody used at the intro of Part 1 is used again here with different lyrics. Enuff is enuff my friend .. I’m so tired listening the same melody over and over . Uuuggghhhh .

Fortunately the band brings new melody when Ian sings “The poet and the wise man stand behind the gun”. This is a nice piece of melody, I think. It helps a little bit to elevate my emotion. The organ sound at the background creates a strong musical nuances of this track. I like this segment very much. But is it worth it for me to reach this segment I have to undergo many “unstructured” music elements as I said before? Lack of structure. I can not bear listening to Part 2 completely as I’ve seen nothing compelling at the end of the tunnel. It’s not “Supper’s Ready” or “Close To The Edge” or “The Gates of Delirium” where the encores are something we expect to hear completely.

Here comes my rating: *** for sound, ***** for musicianship, *** for songwriting / composition (the album structurally lacks composition; even though there are nice melody here and there, but overall its structure is fuzzy.. and confusing), **** for performance. I recommend this album as one of your collection. Not that due to the fact that this album hit US Chart #1, but it’s a classic prog album. Don’t blame me for the boring part of repeated melodies. What do you think? – Gatot Widayanto, Indonesia.

Studio Album, released in 1972

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Thick As A Brick – Part 1 (22:39)
2. Thick As A Brick – Part 2 (21:05)

Total Time: 43:44

Bonus tracks on remaster (1998):
3. Thick as A Brick (live at Madison Square Garden 1978) (11:48)
4. Interview with Ian Anderson, Martin Barre and Jeffrey Hammond (16:28)

Line-up / Musicians

- Ian Anderson / flute, acoustic guitar, violin, saxophone, trumpet, vocals
- Martin Barre / electric guitar, luth
- Barriemore Barlow / drums, timpani, percussion
- Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond / bass, spoken word
- John Evans / organ, piano, harpsichord

Guest musician:
- David Palmer / string arrangement and conducting

Releases information

LP Chrysalis CHR1003 UK (1972)
CD Chrysalis 95400 (1998 remaster)

Eloy “Planets”

Gatot Widayanto — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:27:32 +0000

JRENG!

Sepanjang ingatan saya, rasanya saya mengenal band Jerman yang namanya ELOY ini ya dari album “Planets” ini yang dikeluarkan Yess Bandung dalam seri kasetnya nomer 375 dan saya membelinya pada 15 Februari 1982. Ingat, pada saat kaset ini saya beli, saya belum kenal sama band yang namanya Marillion dikumandani oleh Kopstuk Fish. Jadi, jangan heran kalau band yang namanya saya pikir niru-niru nama Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) yang dulu di kota kecil kelahiran saya, Madiun, pernah terkenal dengan ‘Telephone Line’ (Hello .. how are you? Are you feelin’ alright …? …kira2 begitulah liriknya. Lha Madiun ini tergolong kota unik lho. Meski terkenalnya dengan sego pecel (nasi pecel), brem dan dawet namun jangan remehkan derajat keprogresipan dan kerockannya lho! Lha dulu saya dapet kaset Yes ‘Tales From Topographic Ocean’ aja bukan dari toko kaset khusus jual kaset tapi di toko listrik yang biasa jual solder di Jalan Bogowonto, Pasar Kawak! Opo tumon? Madiun memang penuh kenangan, nuansamatik kemlitik paklithik pol pol an … Lha itu kota yang membesarkan saya menjadi seorang rocker sejati je! Memang, setelah itu Bandung yang juga ‘berjasa’ in shaping my progttitude (baca: progtityut .. yang artinya : sikap, attitude ngeprog…ha ha ha ha …).

Balik ke masalah ELOY .. Tadinya sebelum tahu band ini, suatu siang saya nongkrong di toko kaset Yess sambil ngobrol sama kakak beradik Wanto dan Ian. Ini memang kebiasaan tiap hari saya, bahkan kuliah nomer dua. Sing penting ngeprog! Ngeprog kan mendidik kita jadi manusia. Kalau kuliah? Mendidik kita supaya mendapatkan ijazah. Lha buat apa kuliah to? Mending nge-Yess aja .,…nuikmaatsszzz. Singkat cerita, siang itu saya disodori rekaman seri 375 bertajuk Eloy ‘Planets’ ini. Ya karena saya setel di toko Yess kok bagus, saya beli aja … Eeee..lhakadhallah …!! Jebule musike jan huenak tenaaaaaann .. Melamboenk mendayu-ndayu. Band ini memang unik … progrock dengan nuansa space music. Keren kan? Seperti halnya King Crimson, band ini memiliki satu orang yang dari berdiri sampe sekarang masih ada. Kalo di Crimson namanya Robert Fripp, kalau di Elloy namanya Frank Bornermann. Cukup klasik lho band ini, karena berdiri sejak 1969! Cuman saya aja tahunya telat …

Mari kita bahas band pitung-puluhan ini.

Ini kaset saya, masih kinchlonk:

Ini inlaynya yang saya laminating, setelah saya stempel “Gatot W. Hidayat – Progressive Music”, saya bubuhi tanggal belinya 15 Februari 1982. Gimana gak berharga to kaset ini bagi saya? Hayo coba ….

Ini pitanya, saya kasih nama pake ‘Rugos’ biar gak salah masukin ke kotaknya:

Dan ini review saya di progarchives:

An Excellent Symphonic Space Rock album !

By the time this album was released, what a treat for me at the time. All the punk and new wave bands like The Human League, Robert Palmer, Mo, B 52’s, Duran Duran were common music to all radio stations in Bandung, West Java, where I took my engineering study. About the same period, Genesis released “abacab”, Yes with “90125″. Prog was really dead. Planets soon became my favorite choice for my day-to-day rock listening pleasure. I don’t know why this morning I grab this album and put my amplifier volume “high”. Wow! What a great and memorable album! This album represents my first introduction to the band. Quite late actually, as the band was already there during the glorious years of the seventies. But I was so lucky with the release of this album – in the middle of punk and new wave that swept music industry in the world.

“Introduction” provides an overture that sets the tone for the album. It flows to the second track that represents my first “in love” with the band: “On The Verge Of Darkening Lights” – an uplifting song opened beautifully with an upbeat spacey music. The keyboard dominates the song. The vocal quality is very nice and powerful – it has the same timbre with the space rock music. Perfect! The keyboard solo after two verses of singing passage is simple but it’s very enjoyable – especially it’s augmented with a bass guitar and drum beats. The overall music is performed in an energetic style.

The next track continues with a transition of spacey keyboard and enters to “Point Of No Return” in a slower tempo. The beauty of this track lies on the keyboard sound at the back that fills in alternate with voice line. It’s a great composition and it has an excellent melody. Guitar is only used at the end of the bars to accentuate the music. “The evidence of no future .” oh what a nice melody .. BTW, bass guitar plays an important role in this track. Overall composition of this track can be considered as a symphonic space rock music.

“Mysterious Monolith” opens with a nice combination between guitar fills and keyboard sound followed with a powerful vocal in this quiet passage. The music flows in a slow tempo with obvious bass guitar work. A very nice opening verse. The keyboard then enters the music smoothly followed with some effects. Bass guitar provides a transition that brings the music into a little bit faster tempo exploring the works of keyboards. Guitar is uses as rhythm section. The keyboard exploration in the middle of the track is simple and melodic. The break with bass guitar solo augmented with keyboard sound effects provide a spacey and futuristic nuance.

“Queen Of The Night” is a song with a very melodic opening, backed with an orchestration. The music moves in a crescendo with drum beats followed with female backing vocals. It sounds pop but it’s very nice and enjoyable. The orchestration has helped a lot in strengthening the composition, overall. It reminds me to a sort of Electric Light Orchestra music but in a spacey mood. In addition to the simple orchestra, I love the vocal quality also.

“At The Gates Of Dawn” is an instrumental track with soft piano, keyboard and guitar fills performed in mellow style. The melody is made through the keyboard sound at background. It gives a spacey nuance of the song. Orchestration is added in the middle of the track. Overall, this track provides an excellent break to the album as a whole.

“Sphinx” brings the music into a medium tempo mood with – still – maintaining the melodic nature of a composition, using keyboard as the main pillar of the structure. Again, the band gives a very nice passage in the middle of the track where it turns into a quieter passage featuring vocal backed with a keyboard exploration. There is a simple drum solo that sounds poppy but it fits the whole structure of the song. Excellent!

“Carried By Cosmic Winds” is a very nice song opened with a melodic keyboard sounds that brings the music to vocal line. Vocal quality is really good. When the music enters with all instruments, the organ sound serves as main melody followed with a keyboard solo to accompany backing female voices. Some keyboard sound is emulating cello / violin sounds – it provide some orchestration flavor to the song. Excellent!

Overall, it’s a highly recommended album. Despite it’s relatively simple composition, this album comprises all excellent tracks that form a cohesive music as a whole. At the time of its release in 1981, it was a masterpiece and I still consider it the same after more than 20 years around us. I may be too naïve, but I think this album deserves a full five star rating. – Keep on progging!

Yours progressively,

GW – Indonesia

Studio Album, released in 1981

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Introduction (1:58)
2. On The Verge Of Darkening Lights (5:37)
3. Point Of No Return (5:45)
4. Mysterious Monolith (7:40)
5. Queen Of The Night (5:22)
6. At The Gates Of Dawn (4:17)
7. Sphinx (6:50)
8. Carried By Cosmic Winds (4:32)

Total Time: 42:01

Bonus track on remaster (2005):

9. On The Verge Of Darkening Lights (live 1983) (4:09)

Line-up / Musicians

- Hannes Arkona / guitars, keyboards
- Frank Bornemann / vocals, guitars
- Hannes Folberth / keyboards
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / basses, vocals
- Jim McGillivray / drums, percussion

Releases information

CD EMI Harvest 5 63776 2 (2005, remaster)

Steve Hackett “Live Archives 70, 80, 90’s”

Gatot Widayanto — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:05:40 +0000

Siapa gak kenal Steve Hackett? Kalau gak kenal ya ndak usah baca postingan ini karena bakal BBW (buang buang waktu, tauk! ha ha ha ha ….). Waktu Live Archives ini dirilis, saya ndak begitu tertarik .. karena paling ya gitu2 aja …. Tapi ternyata …WHOOAAAA… ini album live prog nan indah tenan .. Pokoke jangan ngaku suka proclaro (istilahnya mas Tom Crimson) kalau ndak punya CD ini. Wajib punya! Di boxed set ini juga saya kenal drummer keren yang namanya Hugo Degenhardt. Wah gila dah ini drummer mainnya kerrrreeeennn…

Karena begitu hebatnya live record ini, saya kasih ponten lima bintang dan review yang saya tulis di http://www.progarchives.com pun sangat panjang. Silakan baca kalau masih kuat membaca. Maaf saya ndak bisa meringkas karena memang doahzyatszzz!!! Silakan baca ndiri …!!! Salam, G

True Masterpiece Prog Live Act – great shows, great tracks, great musicians, and . crazy audience!

Really sorry for long review, but I just could not help it as this box set deserves detail review because it’s a precious set.

Having watched and completely stunned with Steve Hackett “Once Above A Time” DVD, I played back some of Steve’s albums including this live archives from my collection. For some of you, you might have known Steve only from his tenure with Genesis and probably still label him with something like “ex Genesis guitarist” and you might not know what his work after he left the band. That’s the same case with me when I got the cassettes of his first two albums, I still considered Steve as Genesis guitarist instead of Steve as a solo artist and never played the cassettes intensely. Until one time in a rock show performed by an opening act of Uriah Heep Live in Bandung, Indonesia sometime in 1980, I think. There was a local band that played Steve Hackett’s “Ace of Wands” excellently. It strike my mind really – so when I went home I played this song over and over. That’s the first love I got with Hackett music. I was hooked with “Voyage ..”, “Please Don’t Touch”, “Spectral Morning” and “Defector”. For me, Steve has produced many great prog tunes that I consider now as a classic, such as: “Every Day”, “Star of Sirius”, “Ace of Wands”, “Narnia”, “Clocks”, “Shadow Of The Hierophant”, and many more great tunes.

When this live archives CD came out, I was not really interested to purchase because I thought that I would get some standard version of studio tunes performed live. But, finally I purchased the CD because it was relatively cheap for 4 CDs set and for completing my collection. When I spin the CD, I was stunned with the fact that all 4 CDs contain great show recordings, great performance, great tracks and dynamic nuances indicated by the audience during the show. The four CDs span across live acts in three different venues: Hammersmith Odeon 30/07/79 (CD 1 & CD 2), Castel Sant’ Angelo – Rome 13/09/81 (CD 3), and The Grand Theatre – London 08/06/93 (CD 4). As I’m impressed with the contents of all four CDs, each concert deserves detailed review, I think. For those who do not like to read long review, my advise is: get this box set! You will not regret!

Hammersmith Odeon – London 30/06/79 CD 1: 55:32 and CD 2: 56:29.

The band: Steve Hackett (guitars, harmonica and vocals), John Hackett (flutes, guitars, bass pedals), Dick Cadbury (bass and vocals ), John Shearer (drums ) and Pete Hicks (vocals )

The show starts with an ambient keyboard solo performed very soft to give a nuance for the show. It flows seamlessly with “Please Don’t Touch” with the mark of dynamic drum sound in a very energetic mood with excellent guitar and keyboard works. The track is best to open the show as it has an uplifting style and it’s a classic prog tune. I can hear clearly how Steve guitar plays great sounds and its effects. The next track “Tigermoth” (from “Spectral Morning” album) opens with a classical guitar outfit followed by full music led by guitar work. The track has some segments with quieter passage in avant-garde style. It ends-up with a nice church organ and it continues with my all-time favorite Hackett tracks “Every Day”. This track has a simple structure – at the beginning part it seems poppy or straight forward rock song with some quieter passages in Hackett style. True adrenalin-exploding segment occurs when long guitar solo enters the scene. The guitar melody is really wonderful with some complicated fills by Hackett unique style and it goes into higher register notes, combined with flute sound. I usually repeat this track 2 or 3 times because I want to replay this part frequently. Great guitar, Mr. Hackett!

Another classic track “Narnia” (from “Please Don’t Touch” album) continues the show in an upbeat tempo. The slow style with eastern music flavor “The Red Flower of Tai Chi” (from “Spectral Morning” album) gives an excellent break on my listening pleasure and it then moves up again to a groundbreaking classic “Ace Of Wands” started with a dazzling drum. The intertwining works of guitar, keyboard and flutes are really good. Oh man . this is a wonderful track performed better in live version! It continues with “Carry On Up The Vicarage” in happy mood because the voice line is performed by children with programmed sounds and effects. Interesting track.

“Etude in A min” – “Blood On The Rooftops” – “Horizons” is an acoustic outfit. The audience seemed longing for this track especially when “Blood On The Rooftops”, all of the audience shout and gave applause. It is then continued with “Kim”, performed excellently with acoustic guitar, keyboard and flutes. The audience participant becomes really obvious just before and during “The Optigan” – “A Tower Struck Down” (of “Voyage .” album) are performed. A very good track composed in horror mood with variety of styles. CD 1 concludes with a classic prog tune “Spectral Mornings”.

CD 2 opens with introductions to the band members. The band then plays Hackett’s classic “Star Of Sirius” (from “Voyage .” album) with quiet opening – demonstrating keyboard and guitar fills in mellow style. The music then turns to full stream with bass, drums and other instruments in a faster tempo. The track performed similar with the studio version. An interesting track. The other classic “Shadow Of The Hierophant” that featured Sally Oldfield (vocal) in studio version is now performed nicely with this live record. “Clocks” (from “Spectral Morning” album) is performed dynamically as the audience participate in hand clapping during the tune is played. From the beats that follow the clocks it turns to a medium tempo beat music with stunning guitar in rocking style. It ends up with an excellent drum and percussion solo. An excellent performance! It seemed like this track was intended to close the show . but . the audience give more and more applause to request the band returns on stage. Finally they made to the stage with Genesis tune “I Know What I like”.

On Genesis’ “I Know What I Like” part, the audience is really getting into much more crazy and more dynamic to participate the show. It’s a great audience with thousands people in the crowd, I would say. This tune is suitable to play as “encore” role for the show. The singing style is modified to stimulate much audience participation, bass guitar is played differently combined with improvised drumming. Guitar work is extended and in some part features the “Dancing and The Moonlit Knight” combined with excellent flute sounds and piano / keyboard. It’s a great and dynamic live track. The ending part of this track is also modified in such a way that it differs with the original Genesis version but it’s nice and dynamic.

The music is then continued with “Wardrobe Boogie” in a great guitar improvisation in boogie style. It seemed, again, audience did not want to leave the venue with this encore. They clapped hands and shout for approx. 3 minutes – and it is not cut-off in this live record (thanks!) that indicates the “true” stage situation during the show – and finally the band came back on stage!!! What a crazy audience man! And Mr. Hackett said “It seem you force us to play another one tonight .” and the audience replied with “Yeaaahhh .!!!”. Now the band continues with “Racing In A” (from “Please Don’t Touch” album) in relatively long duration (10:15) and “Racing In A Coda” – an acoustic outfit by Hackett.

Even though the sonic quality of CD 1 and 2 is not very good, but it’s acceptable for me and the performance and the music are really wonderful!

Castel Sant’ Angelo – Rome 13/09/81 - CD 3: 74:50

The band: Steve Hackett (guitars, harmonica and vocals), John Hackett (flutes, guitars and bass pedals), Nick Magnus (keyboards), Chas Cronk (bass and vocals) – usually played with Rick Wakeman and Ian Mosely (drums) – whom later you would know him as permanent member of Marillion replacing Mick Pointer after the performance of Script for A Jester’s Tear tour.

As Steve put it in the CD sleeve “And don’t forget the crowd. They couldn’t have been more enthusiastic – spontaneously bursting into applause for anything that grabbed them, never mind waiting for solos. What I am saying is, that this show was, I think, possibly the best this line-up ever performed”. – this is a dynamic live concert.

The CD 3 starts off with a track from an under-rated album “Cured” with an instrumental piece “The Air Conditioned Nightmare” and it continues with another instrumental from “Defector” album called “Jacuzzi”. Both tracks receive great applause from the audience. After the opening two tracks, Steve introduces Nick Magnus and continues with third track “Funny Feeling” with vocal line. It’s a poppy stuff but it’s nice. After this track, Steve continues the communication telling the crowd how he felt at home with some local language.

He then introduce the next feature from “primo album” called “Ace Of Wands”. As usual, this is my all-time favorite track of Hackett, it starts with a dynamic drumming. The crowd give applause throughout the performance of this track. This track has been improvised in this live version. Before it continues with “Picture Postcard” which is another pop outfit – Steve does some communication again. The next three tracks are really my all-time favorite “The Steppes” (from “Defector” album), “Every Day” (from “Spectral Mornings” album) and “Overnight Sleeper” (from “cured” album). “The Steppes” is an instrumental piece in a medium tempo, blues based, with an eastern music nuance on guitar and keyboard styles. It’s an album opener for Defector album and it’s very nice and easy to digest. The guitar solo is stunningly performed here with soft touch on the guitar strings.

“Every day” receives great applause from the crowd as they clap hands when the song starts to blast the air. It seems they love this classic track. This has made this track more dynamic and lively. With many times this song featured in Hackett live performances, I still enjoy this version. Each version has its own nuance that I love almost all of them. This version has great drumming solo (very short) and some improvised part at the ending session. Well, it all confirms that Steve is better doing solo than as a guitarist of Genesis!

“Overnight Sleeper” opens with an acoustic guitar work followed with dynamic keyboard sounds with great melody. I love the opening part. One of my chief reason on why to buy the “Cured” album which most people under rate it was because of this wonderfully crafted song. In this live version, Steve does perform it with enthusiasm and fulll of energy as the song itself has variety of styles – that is also combining some traditional music with woodwind sounds. Oh man . this track is WONDERFUL!!!

Other three tracks are really Hackett true classics with great compositions: “Slogans” – “A Tower Struck Down” – “Spectral Mornings”. Yeah .. another great live performance! “Slogan” is performed really lively and has been improvised to feature extended guitar solo and drumming solo. Really greaaaatttt ..!!! It rocks man ..!! “A Tower Struck Down” is performed lively and continued without break to “Spectral Mornings”. It’s a killing track man ..

“The Show” (from “Defector” album) is an upbeat tune that can accommodate crowd applause throughout the tune performance on stage. It flows semalessly to the intro of “Clocks” (from “Spectral Mornings” album) that concludes this CD 3.

The Grand Theatre – London 08/06/93 CD 4: 70:54

The band: Steve Hackett (guitars, harmonica and vocals), John Hackett (flutes on “Kim”), Julian Colbeck (keyboards), Doug Sinclair (bass and vocals), Hugo Degenhardt ( drums and vocals).

On top of great performance of CD 4, one thing that stands out clearly with this live performance: the great contribution of Hugo Degenhardt. He is a fantastic drummer! Who is he? Well, for sure I have searched through the nets and I found very minimum info about him. He did contribute to Mark Owen “In Your Own Time” which John McLaughlin contributes as producer. I am keen to know about him because his drumming style is top notch! The other great musician in this line-up is Doug Sinclair (bass). You can see how great his and Hugo’s works on track 10 of this CD 4. Both musicians contributed in Steve’s “Dark Town” album.

From the start “Medley” where it features Myopia / Los Endos / Imagining / Ace Of Wands / Hackett to Pieces in relatively fast pace – sounds like a jazz rock fusion tune, it’s clear how powerful the drumming style of Hugo here. I think, “The Hugo factor” has in a way made a great contribution to the great performance of this CD 4! He sets the powerful and energetic tone of the show, I would say. It’s very dynamic!

“Vampyre With A Healthy Appetite” starts off with rocking guitar solo and followed with a medium tempo music that features guitar rhythm and fills. The harmonica takes the lead during interlude followed with bass guitar solo. In “Sierra Quemada” and “Take These Pearls” the band offer mellow and nice instrumental tunes. It continues with a classic track “In The Heart Of The City” – “Walking Away From Rainbows” – “There Are Many Sides To The Night”. A tribute to Steve’s wife “Kim” is also featured.

“Dark As the Grave” explores acoustic ventures with great sound effects. An interesting song. “Always Somewhere Else” is really a GREAT track that explores the talents of Mr. Hugo Deggenhardt and Mr. Doug Sinclair. Oh man . their dynamic play in this track is really superb! I keep repeating this track because wanting to enjoy more and more . Bravo Hugo! Bravo Doug! Bravo Steve! (who has successfully brought together great musisicians like Hugo and Doug in this wonderful live set!).

“Lost In Your Eyes” is not may favorite but it’s OK. But the “Medley: Spectral Mornings / Firth of Fifth /Clocks” – “Cinema Paradiso” and “In That Quiet Earth” are really excellent tracks! They are well positioned to close the show.

Newcastle City Hall – 26/10/79 & Hammersmith Odeon London – 30/10/78 [bonus-disc]

Well so sorry . I can not review this CD as I did not order through Steve’s website (poor me .) but I’m sure it’s another great show with crazy audience, especially those in Hammersmith!

OVERALL RECOMMENDATION

Before I make my final recommendation, I would emphasize on the sonic quality first. I would say the sonic quality is not excellent but it’s okay to my ears. On ten-scale system, I would put overall sonic quality rate is 6.5 out of 10 – with exception to CD 4: 8 out of 10. But, considering that this is a live archives and I still can grab the music in pretty detail manner, I have excluded the sonic quality in my overall recommendation. So, my final rating is 4 ¾ out of 5 stars. You are the final judge on your purchase decision. If you love Hackett era of Genesis, I would be pretty damn sure you would love this live archives. On top of music, the 40-page booklet is really nice as your prog reference. Long live Hackett!! Keep on progging!!!

Yours progressively,

GW – Indonesia.

| Review Permalink
Posted Sunday, January 30, 2005

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Live, released in 2000

Songs / Tracks Listing

CD 1: (55:32)
Hammersmith Odeon – London 30/06/79
1. Intro (2:00)
2. Please Don’t Touch (5:46)
3. Tigermoth (3:37)
4. Every Day (7:29)
5. Narnia (4:36)
6. The Red Flower of Tai Chi (4:03)
7. Ace Of Wands (7:23)
8. Carry On Up The Vicarage (3:33)
9. Etude in A min (0:37)
10. Blood On The Rooftops (0:18)
11. Horizons (1:58)
12. Kim (2:36)
13. The Optigan (1:29)
14. A Tower Struck Down (3:30)
15. Spectral Mornings (6:57)
CD 2: (56:29)
Hammersmith Odeon – London 30/06/79
1. Introductions (1:07)
2. Star Of Sirius (10:16)
3. Shadow Of The Hierophant (9:35)
4. Clocks (7:18)
5. I Know What I Like (8:50)
6. Wardrobe Boogie (5:02)
7. Racing In A (10:15)
8. Racing In A Coda (2:06)
CD 3: (74:50)
Castel Sant’ Angelo – Rome 13/09/81
1. The Air Conditioned Nightmare (5:00)
2. Jacuzzi (5:04)
3. Funny Feeling (5:07)
4. Ace Of Wands (7:47)
5. Picture Postcard (5:18)
6. The Steppes (6:50)
7. Every Day (6:28)
8. Overnight Sleeper (4:28)
9. Hope I Don’t Wake (4:25)
10. Slogans (5:18)
11. A Tower Struck Down (3:26)
12. Spectral Mornings (5:39)
13. The Show (3:52)
14. Clocks (6:08)
CD 4: (70:54)
The Grand Theatre – London 08/06/93
1. Medley: Myopia / Los Endos / Imagining / Ace Of Wands / Hackett to Pieces (4:46)
2. Vampyre With A Healthy Apptite (6:13)
3. Sierra Quemada (4:20)
4. Take These Pearls (4:56)
5. In The Heart Of The City (5:32)
6. Walking Away From Rainbows (3:38)
7. There Are Many Sides To The Night (5:20)
8. Kim (2:25)
9. Dark As the Grave (5:26)
10. Always Somewhere Else (6:17)
11. Lost In Your Eyes (5:02)
12. Medley: Spectral Mornings / Firth of Fifth /Clocks (8:13)
13. Cinema Paradiso (3:16)
14. In That Quiet Earth (5:20)
CD 5: (75:32)
Newcastle City Hall – 26/10/79 & Hammersmith Odeon London – 30/10/78 [bonus-disc]
1. Please Don’t Touch (7:53)
2. Tigermoth (3:41)
3. Every Day (7:26)
4. The Steppes (5:52)
5. Narnia (4:10)
6. The Red Flower of Tai Chi(3:02)
7. Sentimental Institution (2:38)
8. Star Of Sirius (9:39)
9. Spectral Mornings (6:42)
10. Clocks (5:29)
11. Ace Of Wands (5:05)
12. Hands Of The Priestess (6:04)
13. Racing In A (7:51)

Total Time: 05:33:37

Line-up / Musicians

- Steve Hackett / guitars, harmonica and vocals
- John Hackett / flutes, guitars and bass pedals
- Dick Cadbury / bass and vocals
- John Shearer / drums
- Pete Hicks / vocals
- Nick Magnus / keyboards (Disc 3)
- Chas Cronk / bass and vocals (Disc 3)
- Ian Mosely / drums (Disc 3)
- Julian Colbeck / keyboards (Disc 4)
- Doug Sinclair / bass and vocals (Disc 4)
- Hugo Degenhardt / drums and vocals (Disc 4)

Four CD Box set + One CD bonus
This compilation is comming with a booklet of 40 pages and covers 3 decennies of HACKETT lives performance. Bonus Track CDs no 5 is avalaible on the official HACKETT web site only.

Releases information CD-Inside Out-IOMCD 090-UK-2001