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Live Life LiveI asked Those Men if they would like to appear on the show after I heard their album last week, and also would they fancy doing a couple of acoustic numbers from their CD? They quickly agreed, helped, I imagine, by the fact that they are a local band and the logistics of getting to the station were consequently easier. They arrived in a hippy styled VW Campervan, one of those cars many of us dream of owning but have never got round to getting, clutching their acoustics and eager to be sober on a Saturday night. Okay, I made the eager to be sober bit up, but it helps me get through the night if I think other’s are with me on this. Mind you, Mark and Martin from the band Those Men were eager about being on the show at least, and I was also looking forward to it. So, what got played on the night? Well, this time I can add in some live tracks to the list, as well as those from CD. Here we go: Artist : Album : Track RPWL : World Through My Eyes : Sleep Those Men : Sobgod : Razor Farm RPWL : World Through My Eyes : Roses Little Atlas : Wanderlust : The Prisoner Genesis : Trick of the Tail : Dance on a Volcano Ritual : The Hemulic Voluntary Band : The Gronk Those Men : Sobgod : Two Tall Trumpets + Osmosis Moon Dead Soul Tribe : A Lullaby for the Devil : Ritual : The Hemulic Voluntary Band : A Dangerous Journey What was it like having live music in the studio? Well, I love live music in all its forms, especially acoustic music as it’s something you can take anywhere, and in fact I was off after the show to go back to a mini folk festival where I was camping for the night. However, this was the first time I had a progressive rock duo playing live music on the show and I wasn’t certain how it would go down. It sounded okay in my headphones as they played so I think the levels were fine. I thought that they came across quite well, impressing me with their ability to translate what were often complex and layered melodies from the CD to the more simpler form of a couple of acoustic guitars. It was, in my humble opinion, well played and well sung. But what was the reaction from those who listened? The feedback immediately after from those on line was: Wonderful, excellent, enjoyable and so on. It was a gratifying moment to see the comments coming back after they had played, making the whole thing worthwhile for Mark and Martin. As a musician myself, I even had a chance to join in on one track, Two Tall Trumpets, as it had a drum part that I could quite easily replicate with my bhodran, a traditional single-skin hand-held drum from Ireland, ubiquitous in Irish folk music. I was doing quite well with my single ringing beat, until Mark added the “trumpets” of the title by the age old tradition of parping through pursed lips. Well, it fair took me by surprise, and I lost the beat on the spot. In those cases you don’t carry on but stop, as there’s nothing more off putting to a musician then someone either out of key or hopelessly out of time. Luckily, he noticed and nodded me back in to the rhythm. You wouldn’t believe that I have played session bodhran for bands on CD and at gigs! Hey ho, eh? What about the CD music played that night, I hear you ask! Okay, it was a good week. I get quite a bit of stuff sent out to me from various record companies around the world, including the odd friend of the show who thinks I aught to hear a band that they know of. This week I received three new releases, or to be more precise, soon to be releases. One was from a Swedish progressive folk band called Ritual, another from Dead Soul Tribe and one other that I haven’t had the time to listen too yet so I’ll report on that later. Ritual are a progressive-come-folk band, and couldn’t be more of a contrast to the dark and heavy sound of the progressive metal based band Dead Soul Tribe. I like contrasts as it shows that progressive rock isn’t a stagnant musical art form, repeating formulaic music over and over again, but is a living, breathing, organic and constantly developing genre that reinvents itself on a regular basis. The Ritual CD has a lot of acoustic moments on it, with the twenty six minute monster track, A Dangerous Journey, starting off with the first eight and a half minutes as an acoustic set before opening out into an electric (pun intended!) remainder. Dead Soul Tribe, to prove the contrasting point, led us on a journey into the sometimes unfamiliar world of heavy guitars spraying metal riffs that progressed into a light flute-like middle section that eventually gave way to a metallic end. Dark? Yes. Heavy? Yes. Progressive? Without a doubt! I love a good bit of prog metal, and Dead Soul Tribe are a good bit of prog metal. A German friend of the show, Lotus, brought to my attention two new bands to me: RPWL and Little Atlas. Well, in truth, I knew of RPWL, but hadn’t heard the album in question, while Little Atlas were completely new to me. Both bands were a pleasant surprise, with music that that hit the spot like an ice-cold beer on a hot summers day. I have heard the expression neo-prog used to describe bands like this, which I think is a little strange. To put this into some sort of perspective, if Pink Floyd were still producing albums I could well imagine that their music would be very much akin to both these bands, but would we say that the Floyd were neo-prog? I very much doubt it. Either way, a rose smells just as sweet, regardless of the label we attach. I will be playing more of these bands on the show in future, so thanks to Lotus. If you want to help make a difference, like Lotus has, then please feel free to get in touch. The show is about the music we like to hear. Quite often this show is the only one that will play these bands on air in this country so, if you can see a hole in my playlist, then let me know. On the next show I have some Pallas lined up, a blast from the past with Caravan, maybe some more of Little Atlas and a host of other great bands. And, if I had my own way, I’d have more live acoustic sessions on the show from progressive rock bands. If you’re going to live life then live life live. It’s the only way! All the best, Dave. Article by Dave O'Neill, 3 Aug 2007 |
 
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