Rickter Scale Show 142 - "Mixed Bag"

[Rick and Roll]

airing from 8-11 PM Sunday, August 12 and 1-4 PM Monday, August 13

Lots of variation this week. Some well-known artists and some not so known, and one unknown....

Peter Frampton - selections from "Fingerprints" (2006)

Boot It Up
Ida Y Vuelta
My Cup Of Tea
Cornerstones
Grab A Chicken
Blowin' Smoke

Afficianados of the guitar know that Frampton is more than the rock and roller. He plays the most tasteful leads. This record is all instrumental, and while the songs are mostly average, the playing is certainly not. There's a cool version of "Black Hole Sun" (not played here) and some other fun stuff. Thanks to Tee (Chris) for turning me on to this. I'll be seeing Frampton at a golf counrty club in VA on the 26th. My sister said "A long way from Frampton Comes Alive".....

Pete Townshend - selections from "All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes" (1982) and "Empty Glass" (1980)

The Sea Refuses No River
Somebody Saved Me
Slit Skirts
Rough Boys
Empty Glass
Gonna Get Ya

I finally picked these up recently. They are hit and miss, and these I think are the best cuts. "Sea" might be his best written song. "Slit Skirts" is maddening. A great song, but at the end he rips off a promising lead only to die the dreaded fade out death after several seconds. "Rough Boys" always makes me think of the silly MTV video he did, where he's stumbling around the pool hall bothering the patrons with the cigarette in the frets. No reason for having two guitar legends named Peter back to back...just coincidence (Pete is a name still a distant secong to "Steve" for most guitar legends).

Triumph - from "Just A Game" (1979)

Fanatasy Serenade
Hold On

A great song paired with it's two-minute acoustic intro piece. Long been a personal favorite, reminds me of fun times. Not too many guitar legends named Rik.

The It In You - selections from "different" (2003?)

Talk To Me
Die Strassen Von Sogra City
Summer Leaves
Vielleicht Morgen

This is the very jazzy ensemble led by Rudiger Puchalla, referred to me by the Bearded Project (thanks!). It's a hopping CD. "Talk To Me" is on the Bearded CD, and "Die Strassen" has a female vocal reminiscent of Bruford's early work. One of the last two songs (I forget which) has a section similar to "Low Spark" by Traffic.

Grand Funk Railroad - songs from "Good Singin' Good Playin' (1976)

Pass It Around
Out To Get You
Release Your Love
Goin' For the Pastor

A great band that also has a lot of personal attachment, good honest rock and roll. This lacks the power of their earlier work, but there's some good moments. Produced by Zappa, he plays the lead on "Out To Get You". I figured you'd want to hear more GFR on the Moon than "Closer To Home".

Max Webster - from "Universal Juveniles" (1980)

Battle Scar

A collaboration with their good friends Rush, it got a lot of airplay at the time but not many people seem to remember it anymore. A straight power song that's different for a Rush piece.

Styx - tracks from "Brave New World" (1999) and Cyclorama (2003)

Great Expectations
Heavy Water
These Are The Times
One With Everything

Here are two tracks with the last album with Dennis DeYoung and the first after their acrimonious split. I picked up each in the bargin bin. I've always considered them one of my favorite bands, but their output after "Paradise Theater" (1981) is disappointing. When they reformed to make "BNW" each of the main songwriters brought material mostly done. I listened to this not knowing anything about the record, and noticed that it didn't have a collaborative feel (that was a main factor in my fondness for the band - three diverse talents forming a singular voice). Lo and behold, I read up on it and found out that indeed there was considerable tension, and they removed DeYoung's vocals from the Tommy Shaw and James Young songs. It's true that DeYoung made some sappy stuff, but he was the progressive glue. The result is a record that sounds like three bands.

(BNW) "Great Expectations" is a fine jazzy DeYoung number with some lyrics that smack you with cynical realism. "Heavy Water" is the obligatory James Young political rocker. The Tommy Shaw stuff is tepid. He's the best and most prolific songwriter, but the stuff he did for this record is NOT Styx.

(C) "These Are the Times" combines Young and Shaw nicely, and "One" is a fantastic Shaw tune. So ends the Styx story for today.

Ad Infinitum - From their 1998 s/t CD

Ad Infinitum
Immortality
Waterline

One that's on the Moon! Todd Braverman from Cathedral wanted to make a super-progressive disc. He succeeded...Long tracks, trite lyrics about Norse gods and fairies, and to enhance the prog-street cred, Roger Dean artwork. Although it's everything that opponents of our beloved genre hurl at us, it's pretty fine music. These are the first three tracks to close out the show this week.

Next week is a feature on the great ELP......

[roger]

caught Peter F on public tv one night, and had no idea who he was! great stuff, and a much better player than I knew. the audience of course, wanted to hear the old hits, but you could tell his love was the new tunes. the bane of talent/hits.

and it sounds like I ought to check out Ad Infinitum. sounds like my kind of stuff.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by roger

caught Peter F on public tv one night, and had no idea who he was! great stuff, and a much better player than I knew. the audience of course, wanted to hear the old hits, but you could tell his love was the new tunes. the bane of talent/hits.

and it sounds like I ought to check out Ad Infinitum. sounds like my kind of stuff.

Yes I'd be happy to hear that stuff, of course with a little "Lines On My Face" thrown in. It is hard to identify someone when they lose their hair

Sometimes the Ad Infinitum lacks soul, however it's technically great. But they hit more than miss.

[Rick and Roll]

Unfortunately being very busy at work I have little time to chat in any real depth. Forgive me if I don't get sucked into the flame discussion that's going on now.

I would suggest that anyone that feels that certain songs are not "progworthy" should scour the moon playlist.

This is my show and it gets generally good "press". Many artists are very happy to hear their music.

I've done 142 shows now. You're not going to hear Yes and Crimson every week.

I do not feel any great need to defend this show....I just think you would get a better reception if you stepped up and made a real suggestion. Ask anyone who has been here for awhile and you will understand that I welcome constructive suggestions.

I wouldn't expect everyone to like everything. That would be inconsistent and false. But I would expect a discussion instead of rantings and pompous statements.

Flame on......just not with me.

[VAXman(Admin)]

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

Unfortunately being very busy at work I have little time to chat in any real depth. Forgive me if I don't get sucked into the flame discussion that's going on now.

I would suggest that anyone that feels that certain songs are not "progworthy" should scour the moon playlist.

Please render a list.

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

This is my show and it gets generally good "press". Many artists are very happy to hear their music.

Apparently not this time or the shouts wouldn't have been commenting so harshly about it. If you're going to have a show here, you are going to have to accept the negative with the positive commentary.

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

I wouldn't expect everyone to like everything. That would be inconsistent and false. But I would expect a discussion instead of rantings and pompous statements.

Who made "rantings and pompous statements"? I joked about the "commercial" nature of what you played. I can't turn on Ye Olde Classic Rot Radio without hearing Rough Boys. Seriously, that is one way overplayed track. If you disagree, you're living in a alternate universe from the rest of us.

You need to put this into perspective. The station is a progressive rock station. People come here to hear progressive rock music. You've had more than a couple of shows which have really pushed the envelope and listeners have commented about the fit.

I mentioned before that there is still a wealth of music that would benefit being played in its entirety in the current library. You don't have to play it or anything else you don't want to but, if you don't want to, then be prepared to face the criticisms of the listeners. They are, after all, what this station is all about.

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by VAXman

If you're going to have a show here, you are going to have to accept the negative with the positive commentary.


You need to put this into perspective. The station is a progressive rock station. People come here to hear progressive rock music. You've had more than a couple of shows which have really pushed the envelope and listeners have commented about the fit.

I mentioned before that there is still a wealth of music that would benefit being played in its entirety in the current library. You don't have to play it or anything else you don't want to but, if you don't want to, then be prepared to face the criticisms of the listeners. They are, after all, what this station is all about.

I do accept and welcome it. Maybe that is the issue. By the way, "if you are going to have a show here".......FYI I have a show here, had it for over two years. I hope that doesn't bother you. I answer to the Program Director.

You may need some perspective. For example, the only Grand Funk song on the playlist is one of the most played songs EVER. I heard it last night driving home (while my show was playing). Rough Boys? Hadn't heard that for ages. Might want to take everything from the Wall or Dark Side out.

I am always upfront about what I play, and do not care who else plays it. That means nothing to me. Also do not conveniently forget all that I play that is never played. Did you notice the "It In You" from Germany? That is Bruford-era progressive and has never been played on internet radio before.

I have plenty of emails and comments about the show. Almost all good. Any dissenters are welcome to let me know. Just don't attempt to embarass people that's all I ask.

Here's an important thing to remember. My playlist is up for four full days before the show runs. That is three and a half days longer than most...on any station. I do this to give the listener a guide to what's coming up. I am around most shows. There's plenty of opportunity for feedback of both kinds. The shoutbox "jokes" are inappropriate. I'm not taking time out of my work day to comment on that, but I will certainly catch up and converse with my friends.

Please use this forum whenever possible for comments (as you did thank you). All comments good and bad are left on here.

[prickly]

100% full acknowledgment!!!!

[prickly]

It is one of Ricks trademarks to play different music as the normally program sometimes. Thats the reason why he have an own show and in the last 141 shows everyone was entertained so well. I was very surprised about the bad mood in the Shout. Styx have a good name in the European prog scene, especially Cyclorama and the last DVD were so much popular, without being so progressive but because of fine arrangements.

Rick has described why he have played the songs and if anyone said one time that he don't like the songs, it's ok, but it doesn't help to repeat it on and on and took (for me personal) the mood down.

I don't like Frost, Frampton, Stolt or Pure Reason Revolution but it is not a reason for me to start a discussion with the moderator. I am going out for a moment and wait for the next songs.

Rick have tried to do what is fixed in the headlines, perhaps not with the music but with the list...to be progressive, to be different...

[thehealingroad]

I had a great time listening to Rick's selections. Thanks a lot for another great show!

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by prickly

to be progressive, to be different...

Frank, thanks...and speaking of "different", I didn't get a chance to alert Rudiger that I was playing some of the "It In You" (different) CD. He sent it some time ago and I just got around to playing it on the show (although I've listened to it before and it's very good).