On 06-27-97 STEVEN VAN IMPE wrote to ALL... 
 
 SV> - King Crimson: _THRAK_ (1995): Gosh. Now there's a side 
 SV> of ProgRock I didn't know. I wish it had stayed that way. 
 
        It's not really a good album to start with for King 
        Crimson, IMO; ultimately that album leaves me cold. 
 
        Given your tastes you'd probably be better of with their 
        first album from 1969 _In the Court of the Crimson King_. 
        Or if you want something really aggressive, their album 
        _Red_. 
 
 SV> - Tangerine Dream: _Ricochet_: Ah, finally something that's worth 
 SV> listening to again! 
 
        Given your fondnesss for J-M Jarre, you would probably 
        really like the Tangerine Dream album _Stratosfear_. 
 
 SV> - Mike Oldfield: _Tubular Bells ][_: Very, verry funny. 
 
        Yes, it was. I kind of like it, though I should hate it. 
        I have a nice video of a performance of this in 
        Edinburgh. Very humorous. 
 
 SV> - The Nits: _Hjuvi_: now, I don't know if the Nits are ProgRock. 
 
        That's a good question. THey have impeccable prog roots, 
        since they originated out of a band called Supersister, 
        which was probably the best Dutch prog band ever (I think 
        you would like them), and there have been many good Dutch 
        prog bands. I find the Nits to be a sort of post-modern 
        pop, and I usually describe them to people as pop music 
        for mature people. It's extremely sophisticated stuff, 
        very beautiful, artsy yet honest. I am very fond of them, 
        and they are just borderline prog enough that I'll allow, 
        hell I'll even encourage, people to discuss them. 
 
 SV> Hjuvi is plain Orchestral music, not interesting 
 
        Hey, if you don't want this I'll gladly buy it off you or 
        we can trade for some other CD's. Email me at 
        kenneth.newman@oln.com 
 
 SV> Other Nits CD's are _Urk_ (180 minutes live, best one yet) 
 
        I need a copy of this one, too. :-) 
 
 SV> _Ting_ 
 
        This is probably my favourite, where the sound is most 
        sophisticated, and the lyrics are beautiful. I really 
        like the one about waiting for a bus and then it starts 
        raining. A banal subject for a song, but they make great 
        beauty out of it. 
 
        Other excellent albums by them include _Omsk_, which is 
        not a very cheerful album I warn you but it is beautiful, 
        and _In the Dutch Mountains_ which is cheerful and funny. 
        I also have _Da Da Da_ and _Giant Normal Dwarf_ which are 
        good but not quite excellent. 
 
 SV> Next (yes, this is getting a long message, I know): _Ozric 
     Tentacles_ in concert. I would really like to go (because 
     they are reported to 'sound like Marillion'), but I don't 
     know anything about their music. 
 
        I've never seen them live except on video and I've heard 
        about 30 hours of different concerts. Needless to say I 
        think they are an amazing live band, one of the best at 
        the moment. However, and I mean HOWEVER!!!!!! they do not 
        sound anything like Marillion. Nothing at all. If you go 
        expecting Marillion you will be disappointed. Most of the 
        people there will be on drugs, btw. But you don't have to
        be on drugs to like them. I've never heard their music 
        while under the influence of drugs and I still think 
        they're the best band of the 90's. 
 
        They don't sing and most of their music sounds as if they 
        are jamming. It's very cosmic and psychedelic, with maybe 
        a tiny hint of techno or trance here and there. THere's 
        lots of swirling synthesizers and most of their tunes are 
        fast or up-tempo. THey throw in some asian and arab 
        influence in the melodies at times. They are very good 
        but they might not be the kind of music you like. My 
        advice would be to go to a music shop and ask to hear one 
        of their CD's. You'll know within one minute whether you 
        love them or hate them, and all their music sounds the 
        same (I think this is a Good Thing, btw), so you don't 
        need to listen to more than one minute. 
 
 SV> Also _Gong_ in concert (next day, same place). 
 
        My description if them is exactly the same as above for 
        the Ozrics (Gong was a big influence on the Ozrics) 
        except that Gong also sings, very silly songs, which will 
        either delight or annoy you. Even if you don't like the 
        music, Gong concerts are good places to meet hippie 
        girls. 
 
        BTW, Gong can be very good, if you have to start with any 
        one particular album, try _You_ or _Gong est mort_, which 
        is a live one. 
 
        I hope this helps. You are very lucky to have all these 
        opportunities and I am jealous of you. 
 
                                Cheers, 
                                Kenneth 
 
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