When Anthony Phillips set out to record his next effort, he proffered an album of (more or less) commercial rock music—perhaps in an attempt to build on the success of his debut effort or, at least, create something more contemporary. As such, Wise After The Event presents a different side of Phillips: one that showcases his songwriting. Phillips is not joined by any Genesis cohorts this time, but instead by the world-class rhythm section of Michael Giles and John G. Perry and the production talents of Rupert Hine. Also, Phillips takes on all vocal, guitar and keyboard duties, with reliably excellent results. Although he's not the most powerful singer, Phillips is more than capable on the record, with his voice sympathetic to the overall feel of the album. "We're All as We Lie" is relaxed and playful, with layers of acoustic guitars gently picking away. Similarly, "Birdsong" starts off placid, but ends under the fury of the Giles/Perry rhythm and an electrifying lead guitar. On the second side, both "Pulling Faces" and "Greenhouse" are considerably up-tempo, and Hine's production makes the best of everyone involved. There's no denying the similarity of this music to that of Genesis, but the connection is more one of lineage than anything suspect. There's also a certain gentleness that sets it apart from any contemporary musical trend, Genesis-esque or otherwise. Lyrically, Phillips's songs are quite romantic, as evidenced by the overwrought "Regrets" and the excellent "Now What (Are They Doing to My Little Friends?)." But given the subject matter, they wouldn't work any other way. The album, again graced with a Peter Cross cover, saw release on both sides of the Atlantic, with Phillips now signed to Passport Records in the US. Several of the vignettes that would appear on the Private Parts & Pieces Vol. II album were intended as instrumental bridges between the songs here.
Steve Hackett began his solo career in earnest with his second record. So, it should come as no surprise that none of his Genesis bandmates contribute here. Instead, Hackett opted for a diverse guest list: Steve Walsh and Phil Ehart of Kansas, labelmate Graham Smith, Chester Thompson (well, not technically a member of Genesis), the returning John Acock and John Hackett, and a few unlikely candidates—namely, vocalists Richie Havens and Randy Crawford. Please Don't Touch begins with a few numbers that wouldn't sound out of place on a Kansas record. In fact, it's worth noting that the single release of "Narnia" b/w "Please Don't Touch" featured John Perry on vocals, as Walsh's record label feared that fans would confuse it for a new Kansas single! Fast and furious, the tracks reflect the harder edge of Hackett's songwriting. Dedicated to his wife (who would also provide the paintings for most of his album covers), "Kim" showcases Hackett's favor for nylon-string guitar. His brother John provides a lone flute line, which is simultaneously haunting and beautiful. "How Can I?" features Havens's raspy voice, and who would have guessed it would be such a perfect match? The second side runs continuous, and again parades the album's diversity. Featuring Crawford, "Hoping Love Will Last" is an interesting mix, soulful and progressive in the same pass. The title track covers the same instrumental terrain as Genesis, but Hackett also lances out with some furious guitar work—again, something he'd never have managed to do with that band. "The Voice of Necam" flows effortlessly into "Icarus Ascending;" again with Havens on vocals, it's another achingly beautiful song, giving the record a powerful and soulful ending. The album reached the UK Top 40, though it failed to chart in the US. Hackett would then assemble a touring band, with greater success just around the corner.
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, keyboardist and bassist Cameron Hawkins and Nash the Slash (Jeff Plewman) formed FM in 1976 as an electronic duo. The band eschewed electric guitar, instead opting for—quite uniquely—Nash's electric violin and mandolin. Martin Deller joined on drums, and the band then recorded their debut album Black Noise in 1977. The opening fury of "Phasors on Stun," "One O'clock Tomorrow" steadily swings and rides a melodic verse, while the following "Hours" features Nash on violin. It's a blistering instrumental that glides effortlessly into "Journey." "Dialing for Dharma" mounts a nice sequence, with Nash and Hawkins trading solos; though "Slaughter in Robot Village" queues up a big bass line for a much heavier approach. "Aldebaran" showcases Nash's mandolin work, with Hawkins offering a complementary vocal. Clocking in at nearly ten minutes, the title track, "Black Noise," closes the album, and again features Nash on violin. It's a striking record for the time, unleashing a fresh take on progressive rock through inventive instrumentation and synthesizers. However, the band's Canadian label CBC released it by mail order only; and it wasn't until Spring 1978, when US-based Passport Records picked up the release, that the album took off (it eventually earned a gold record award in Canada). But by that time, Nash had left the band and been replaced by Ben Mink; and a limited edition "real time" album, Direct To Disk, had already been released by Canadian label Labyrinth Records. FM went on their first US tour in that same year and recorded their second studio album, Surveillance, for Passport. Released in 1979, it was eventually picked up by Capitol Records. A third album, City Of Fear—produced by Larry Fast of Synergy—followed in 1980, but the combination of record label woes and personnel changes put the band's future in limbo. [US release date]
Following his departure from Hawkwind in 1976, Nik Turner decamped to Egypt, only to find his host was being deported. But through some twist of fate, he secured recording time in the Great Pyramid (Chepos) of Giza. There, he recorded hours of flute improvisations, all of which would form the basis of his first solo album, Xitintoday. Upon returning to England, he enlisted Steve ("Stiv") Hillage to produce an album from the tapes. Most of the Gong crew (including Mike Howlett, Miquette Giraudy, Tim Blake and Harry Williamson) appeared, along with Alan Powell from Hawkwind. Fittingly, Turner adapted text from the Egyptian Book of the Dead to the music; and in doing so, assembled one incredibly unique album. With very little rhythm to give it traction, the music simply floats over the first side—from track to track and over endless flute passages, heavily-processed spoken word vocals and bubbly synths—to provide the ultimate Egyptian-inspired trip. The second side's "Isis and Nephthys" finally gets a little forward propulsion, culminating in the excellent "God Rock (The Awakening)." Released by Charisma Records, it's a testament to the times that the record even saw commercial release. Turner then assembled a band, Sphynx, to play a few festivals over the next few years, including Deeply Vale and Glastonbury; he also guested on Gilli Smyth's Fairy Tales album. But Turner then turned his back on the hippiedom of the 1970s for the much more immediate "punkadelic" rock of Inner City Unit—with Dino Ferari and Trev Thoms from Steve Took's Horns, as well as Philip "Dead Fred" Reeves and Mo Vicarage. He would spend most of the early 80s in this band, before returning to Hawkwind briefly in 1982.
Peter Gabriel hit the road after his first solo album was released, crossing America in the spring of 1977 before heading over to Europe later in the fall. Touring solidified the band for the upcoming album; by the last leg, it consisted of bassist Tony Levin and electronic wiz Larry Fast, plus new guys Jerry Marotta on drums and Sid McGinnis on guitar. Keyboards were handled by Automatic Man Todd "Bayete" Cochran, though duties would be split with Roy Bittan on the album. For Gabriel's second record, again titled Peter Gabriel, he found himself in Holland with Robert Fripp in the producer's chair, evidently to "speed up [the] recording process." Fripp had guested on his last tour, performing as "Dusty Rhodes." The album is another mixed affair. Gabriel's songwriting shines on the big tracks, "On the Air," "White Shadow" and the timely anthem "D.I.Y." Usually anchored by Marotta's firm drums and Levin's soon-to-be-legendary bass work—and with a ripping solo from Fripp on "On the Air"—they offer something uniquely Gabriel, and completely removed from his work with Genesis. "Mother of Violence" was co-written with his wife Jill, and is the best of the slower tracks on the album. "Animal Magic" and "Perspective," with Bittan's tinkly piano and McGinnis's slide guitar, come across as standard rock tunes; and at worst, even Fripp's production can't save languid crooners like "Home Sweet Home" or "Flotsam and Jetsam." Slightly out of place, "Exposure" is a Fripp number and quite different from the other tracks; but it does, in some way, point to the future. Despite the lack of a single, the album was about as successful as Gabriel's first solo effort, reaching No. 13 in the UK and No. 45 in the US. His Fall 1978 tour (with Timmy Cappello replacing Bayete) included "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" in the set list; one of the last times he would regularly perform a Genesis tune in public.
Van der Graaf ended their penultimate tour with two nights in early January at London's Marquee Club. The band was now a five-piece: the same quartet that recorded the previous year's The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Zone, plus Charles Dickie on cello. Offering more of the chaos and less of the control that defined the band's prior efforts, the recordings formed the basis of this, the final installment from VdG. "Ship of Fools" sets the tone with Peter Hammill on electric guitar, and there's nothing subtle here; he's got as much grace as a steamroller. "Still Life" follows and literally explodes, with Guy Evans's drumming mixed high on the right channel and Nic Potter's overdriven bass on the left. Gone are the delicacies of Hugh Banton and David Jackson (though the latter makes a guest appearance); rather, this record goes for the full-frontal assault. If you get through Graham Smith's screeching intro, "Last Frame" is one of the more successful translations on the album. The same isn't always true for the older VdGG material, though "Pioneers Over C" holds together well. The double-album even contains some new material; well-suited for the quintet, it's about as raw as Hammill's music would ever get. "Door" spins out of control underneath Evans's ever-increasing tempo, while "Urban" reprises a bit of "Killer." Fittingly, the punk "Nadir's Big Chance" closes the show. The album was mixed the following month at Foel Studio and given to Charisma Records in the hope that it would balance the band's finances with the label. But by the time of its release, Hammill had already kicked himself into solo gear; his next record already completed, he had begun touring the UK (and later the following year in the US) with Smith. Therefore, Vital remains Van der Graaf Generator's swan song, warts and all.
Camel's lineup remained stable since the last album; and without a doubt, Breathless is all the better for it. The album again sports immaculate production, this time courtesy of Mick Glossop. The melodic and airy title track opens with a signature vocal from Richard Sinclair. "Echoes" features some tasty guitar work from Andrew Latimer and reprises his now familiar melodic song style, as does the second side's "You Make Me Smile." But "Wing and a Prayer" is an unfamiliar venture in pop, while Sinclair's "Down on the Farm" is uniquely his own (and not Camel's). "Summer Lightning" also sounds dissimilar—this time, not unlike the funk-up of Steely Dan. The instrumental "The Sleeper" is indeed the album's sleeper; fiery and exciting, it's an up-to-date reminder of Camel's instrumental dexterity. The album was well-received, rising to No. 26 on the UK charts. But shortly before its release, Pete Bardens would depart for Van Morrison's band, marking his end with the Camel. Two keyboardists from Caravan, Jan Schelhaas and Dave Sinclair, would join up for the subsequent tour, but only Schelhaas would last. American keyboardist Kit Watkins (ex-Happy the Man) and Colin Bass (the latter on bass, of course) would come on board for the next album. Released in 1979, I Can See Your House From Here showcased remarkable musicianship and a pristine production from Rupert Hine; but unfortunately, it offered little else but lightweight rock, and thus dipped to No. 45 on the UK charts. As Camel entered the 80s, further personnel changes were forthcoming.
By 1978, Novalis was one of Germany's most successful rock bands, both in record sales and concert attendance, with only the Scorpions outselling the band. Thus, the quintet was able to leave their day jobs behind to work full-time as musicians. Their next album, Vielleicht Du Bist Ein Clown? ("perhaps you are a clown?") was also produced by Achim Reichel and saw release on the Brain label. It again displays their penchant for elegant, romantic rock music. "Der Geigenspieler" opens the album, offering the band's symphonic and epic songwriting, with a potently electric instrumental break in the middle. The instrumental "Zingaresca" offers a rather harder edge, courtesy of Detlef Job's angular guitar and Hartwig Biereichel's feisty rhythm with guest percussionist Tommy Goldschmidt. The title track again furthers the band's symphonic sound, here punctuated by Lutz Rahn's incessant piano and a strong vocal from Fred Mühlböck. "City Nord" sees Rahn return to his classic organ tones, a welcome reminder of their progressive roots. Released during an extensive tour of Germany, the album again proved successful. The band then moved to Reichel's Ahorn label, setup specifically for German-language rock music: "Ahorn die Marke für Rock in deutsch" ("Ahorn the mark for Rock in German"). With their 1979 concept album about whaling, Flossenengel ("Finned Angel"), Novalis did something extraordinary: The band donated 20,000 DM from their advance to the World Wildlife Fund. The band would then skirt the Neue Deutsche Welle and, as the Freeman brothers assert in their encyclopedic The Crack in the Cosmic Egg book, "go on about five years too long;" Anyway, Biereichel, Job and Rahn would carry on with varying lineups (including bassist Heinz Fröhling) until the mid-80s.
Recorded just before the last days of VdG, The Future Now marks another beginning for their ex-lead singer. It's an idiosyncratic record, partly due to the lo-fi nature of the recording, and also in part to it being a Peter Hammill record: The Man Ray-influenced pose on the cover should signal that this wasn't going to be easy listening. And except for a few overdubs by some ex-VdGG musicians, the album is 100 percent Hammill. The opening track, "Pushing Thirty," is a throwback to Hammill's Rikki Nadir alter-ego; it's slightly acerbic, highly literate and full of attitude. Yet Hammill is much more than a wordsmith. The unconventional performance of both "Energy Vampires" and the title track tread similar lyrical ground, yet occupy different music spaces. Whether it's through his thick-toned guitar, ambling harmonium, multi-tracked vocals or some other fx'd instrument, there is a glorious indulgence of "sculpted noise" (and a tribute to the tape-recorder and razor blade as well). Undoubtedly, the technology wrought each track: "The Cut" and "A Motor Bike in Afrika" are from a similar dye, while "The Second Hand" blithely ticks away over its drum-machine pattern. But Hammill is in his element with as little accompaniment as possible. Whether forged on the guitar ("Trappings" and "If I Could"), the piano ("The Mousetrap (Caught In)" and "Still in the Dark") or just through his voice ("Mediaeval"), few artists can convey so much with so little. Stripping away the studio trickery, Hammill's delivery is both emotive and superlative, and also represents a good approximation of the power of his live performance. Hammill's next album, pH7, would tread similar ground; in fact, it's almost like a sister-set of recordings. But with little commercial success to show for his efforts, these would be his last records for Charisma Records.
One look at the album cover and once again you'd have to figure something was different inside Yes' latest album. Recorded at London's RAK Studios, Tormato was another step away from the band's epic-length proportions, as it contained nine (count ‘em) songs. "Future Times" kicks in immediately and races along in fine Yes tradition; Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman trade leads, while Chris Squire delivers one rubbery bass. In fact, that bass tone would lend a unique signature to the album. This song dives right into "Rejoice," reminding us that the band had indeed made it "ten true summers long." "Don't Kill the Whale," one of the band's most outright statements, was the album's single and a Top 40 hit in the UK. "Release, Release" is again frantic, though the "live" break in the middle is a little misguided. Wakeman moves to the fore with his new polyphonic synthesizers; but unfortunately, he's playing over everyone else. After all, frantic isn't a word often used to described Yes' music; but then again, this isn't your typical Yes album. Side two opens with "Arriving UFO" and "Circus of Heaven;" and, as you might guess, both are prime examples of Jon Anderson's cosmic fancy—and perhaps something only a Yes fan would truly appreciate. Squire offers the placid "Onward" to slow the pace, before the album winds up with its undisputed classic, "On the Silent Wings of Freedom." Driven along by Alan White's drums, it contains all the power and splendor of any of Yes' classics. The album was a success too, reaching the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic. Yes then spent the rest of the year in the US performing "in the round," and later returned to the UK for a few dates at London's Wembley Empire Pool. After touring ended, both Howe and Wakeman took time off to complete solo records, while Anderson teamed up with Vangelis. In 1979, the band returned to the US for another tour in the spring, and then headed to Paris to record their next album, with Roy Thomas Baker producing. However, the sessions ended acrimoniously with only a handful of unfinished tracks; and by early 1980, both Anderson and Wakeman had left Yes. Drama, of course, was just around the corner.
Born in 1937, Conrad Schnitzler was one of the most original and influential audio artists in Germany. Having studied under Josef Beuys in Düsseldorf in the early 60s, he found himself in Berlin towards the end of the decade. There, with a similarly-aged Hans-Joachim Roedelius, they started both the Zodiak Free Arts Lab club and the group Kluster; eventually, Schnitzler also joined Tangerine Dream, playing cello on their debut album. His earliest solo recordings were mostly private releases—commissions from galleries, or cassettes—and most were titled with a color (Schwarz, Rot, Blau, Grün, usw.). Schnitzler's forte, however, was his so-called "intermedia," or performance art. Iconic images of Schnitzler either face-painted in a Kabuki mask, or wearing a motorcycle helmet mounted with a megaphone and holding tape-recorder, reveal his true artistic self. But in 1978, he teamed up with Peter Baumann at his Paragon Studio to record a more commercial release, simply titled Con. "Electric Garden" opens the record, revealing a stark, electronic landscape. Blips, bleeps and washes of sound may render it alien-sounding, but their construction is preeminent here. The ensuing "Ballet Statique" offers a minimal sequence over its five minutes, as well as a contemplative, even soothing mood. "Zug" kicks off the second side; and yes, it mimics a train. The following "Metall 1" is white noise, while "Black Nails" reprises many of the album's themes. Con saw release on the French label Egg (and would later be retitled Ballet Statique when it was released on CD). From here, Schnitzler would enter his most prolific stage—at least, from a commercially-viable release standpoint-working with other artists, including his son Gregory and Wolfgang Seidel. He even collaborated with Baumann again in 1982 as Berlin Express; they produced a new wave-ish 12-inch for CBS's Portrait Records in the US.
Returning to the UK after a tour of the US in Spring 1978, Dave Brock and Robert Calvert had a change of heart regarding Hawkwind; they jettisoned not only the band, but the band name and management as well. Perhaps the seeds were sown in late 1977 when, teamed with the Devon-based Ark-bassist Harvey Bainbridge, drummer Martin Griffin and keyboardist Paul Hayles-Brock and Calvert performed as the Sonic Assassins. The pair began new sessions in June with Bainbridge, Griffin and keyboardist Steve Swindells (previously in Pilot) under the moniker Hawklords. Released in October, 25 Years On sported not only a new name, but also a new image. Although the musical plot is similar to the previous couple of Hawkwind albums, the record evokes a slightly different feel. "Psi Power" and "Flying Doctor" contain a classic Calvert lyric, witty and sharp; yet the band, aided by Swindells's approach to the keyboards and a load of acoustic guitar, sound much more contemporary. "Freefall," co-written by Calvert and Bainbridge, offers an updated take on the classic Hawkwind sound, as do "The Only Ones" and Calvert's excellent "(Only) the Dead Dreams of the Cold War Kid." The album reached No. 48 on the UK charts and saw release on Charisma Records. Barney Bubbles had a large role in not only the album's art, but also in staging the subsequent tour, a massive 42-date endeavor; but it didn't last. Budget cuts continually curtailed its elaborate presentation; and by tour's end, both Griffin and Calvert had had enough. Subsequent sessions were aborted, and Swindells split when offered a solo deal. This would be the end of the road for Calvert and Hawkwind, with only a spattering of guest appearances in their future. His rather under-the-radar solo career did continue, however, until his untimely death at age 43 in 1988.
After their amicable separation from Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth in March, Here & Now spent the balance of 1978 touring, finding time along the way to record their debut album at Foel Studio in Wales, with Dave Anderson producing. Though certainly influenced by Gong, Here & Now was an original outfit, combining the best of space rock with a punk attitude. Their debut album for Charly Records, Give And Take, is proof. "What You See Is What You Are" leads off: melodic and free-spirited, it's bolted onto a tight, solid rhythm before launching off into deep space. With its Bowie-esque vocal, the straight-up tune "Nearer Now" returns to earth. "Grate Fire of London" floats over the chorus of Anni Wombat and Suze Da Blooz's Choir of Angels, percolating synths and glissando guitar without ever really finding traction. "This Time" and "Seventies Youth" offer a great narrative of the band's lifestyle; each tuneful track is expertly written, and perhaps with a nod to Hawkwind, another band with whom their history would intertwine. "Improvisation" closes, offering a healthy dose of space rock made complete by Steffe Sharpstrings's Steve Hillage-inspired guitar. It's a dynamic record, and a rare chance to hear the band with studio precision sound. But by the end of the year, Kif Kif and Suze Da Blooz, along with their bus, had split. Preceded by a few singles for Charly, the live album All Over The Show appeared in late 1979, now with drummer Rob Bougie and additional guitarist Bernie Elliot. Here & Now kept gigging, changing members and continuing to develop their own unique style of music, but it would be years before another record would be released.
Duncan Browne's career began in the 1960s under the management of Andrew Loog Oldham and the Immediate album. His earliest albums offered folk and classic guitar music, but deeper listening reveals a compositional style that recalls Genesis' more gentle moments. He also provided a choral arrangement for The Nice's version of Tim Hardin's "Hang On to a Dream." Browne's self-titled 1973 album yielded a minor hit with the single "Journey" b/w "In A Mist," which rose to No. 23 on the UK charts. In the mid-70s, the guitarist teamed up with Peter Godwin and Sean Lyons for the post-glam band Metro. Their self-titled album featured the classic track "Criminal World," later covered by David Bowie. However, Browne only lasted one album with Metro, leaving Godwin and Lyons to pursue a musical course into the new wave. Browne then recruited a top-shelf rhythm section of bassist John Giblin and drummer Simon Phillips for his next record, The Wild Places, released in 1978 on Sire Records. Also joining for the record was noted session keyboardist Tony Hymas. The title track opens with punchy bass and a solid hook; but as the track progresses, it becomes obvious that Browne's going for a progressive sound somewhere in the realm of Anthony Phillips or Steve Hackett's music—and as the fade confirms, everyone delivers. "Roman Vécu" offers a somber vocal from Browne, as well as some beautiful intertwining guitar lines towards the end. "Camino Real" is a full-on display of both the instrumental prowess of the album's musicians and Browne's compositional skill. Co-written with Godwin and dating back to their Metro days, "Samurai" has a proggy intro and break that quickly switches gear to some cutting rock riffing, with an uncharacteristically strong vocal delivery from Browne. The introspective "Kisarazu" floats over Browne's finger-picked guitar and a compatible arrangement. "The Crash" is a spry number that skates along its catchy hook, while "Planet Earth," also co-written with Godwin, is more placid; the aching vocal delivery pairs with an enrapturing coda. For his next album, Streets Of Fire, Browne took his hand at lead guitar, though clearly in a Mark Knopfler-style of playing. It's a fiery and well-executed album; but with chart success proving elusive Browne then turned to scoring films and music (quite successfully) for the BBC in the 1980s. Sadly, Browne would succumb to cancer in 1993.
After the gigantic tours supporting the Works albums, it's no wonder that in Summer 1978, the well-tanned members of Emerson, Lake & Palmer appeared on the beaches of Nassau, Bahamas to record their final studio album of the 70s. The record reflects ELP's extremes: When they were good, they were great; but when they were awful, you had Love Beach. To wit, the band has since acknowledged that the album was pursued only to fulfill their contractual obligations with Atlantic Records. Pete Sinfield provides lyrics for the record, and the sun must have affected him as well: To quote the refrain from the title track, "I'll make love to you on love beach." The first side contains a series of shorter songs, mostly penned by Greg Lake, that amount to little more than over-arranged boogie rock—though "For You" is marginally tolerable. However, the second side raises a little more hope, as it contains the Keith Emerson-penned side-long track "Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentlemen." The first and fourth sections trace more familiar ELP terrain, while "Love at First Sight" constitutes overly romantic sap. "Letters from the Front," however, is the most successful offering, providing a modern-enough take on the ELP sound. The album barely cracked the Top 50 on both sides of the Atlantic, and the band folded with little fanfare; both a posthumously released live album and a greatest hits album would seem like a feeble postscript for the once mighty supergroup. Carl Palmer then fronted the short-lived PM in 1980 before joining Asia, while Lake released a couple of solo albums a year later. Emerson, meanwhile, would turn to the steady work of movie soundtracks.
Rush was riding high on the success of their previous two years in the spotlight when, once again, they rolled into Rockfield Studios in the UK to record their sixth studio album. Hemispheres would stand as the last in their "progressive" phase, and featured no radio singles. The saga of "Cygnus X-1" from the previous year's record continued in epic proportion, picking up some Greek mythology along the way. "Apollo" and "Cygnus" are highlights to the six parts of the title track that cover the album's first side. Alex Lifeson's guitar tone is as unique as it is astounding, yet most surprising on this record is his restraint: guitar solos are few and far between. The second side is comprised of a few shorter songs. "Circumstances" contains Rush's brand of heavy riffing, though the keyboard break is welcome. "The Trees" is excellent storytelling that also highlights the band's versatility and arrangement skills; by now, Rush had reached or surpassed the quality of their prog rock mentors—and that includes the use of a naked man's posterior on the record cover! "La Villa Strangiato" is a self-described "exercise in self-indulgence;" running at breakneck speed and all-instrumental, the track is a showcase for the band's virtuosity and verve; and no, they aren't kidding. The album was more successful in the UK, reaching No. 14; while in the US, it barely broke the Top 50. This imbalance, however, would be corrected in early 1980, when Rush would perfect their formula for radio-friendly prog rock on the exceptional Permanent Waves album.
Following their debut album's release, National Health saw bassist Neil Murray leave for (can you believe it?) Whitesnake, and ex-Henry Cow John Greaves arrive to replace him. The band returned to the road in 1978, which included a supporting slot for old friend Steve Hillage, before entering the studio in July to record Of Queues And Cures. Dave Stewart kicks things off with two compositions: "The Bryden 2-Step (For Amphibians) (Part 1)" and "The Collapso." The first has a considerably lighter melody than anything on the previous album, but is by no means lightweight; while the second pokes fun under a sideways steel drum, though for the most part, it's tried-and-true ensemble playing for the band. "Squarer for Maud" is Greaves's contribution and contains some exciting guitar work from Phil Miller. Ex-Henry Cow cellist Georgie Born and ex-Slappy Happy vocalist Peter Blegvad make appearances as well. Miller's "Dreams Wide Awake" opens side two, and leans more on the heavy jazz quotient. Pip Pyle's "Binoculars" is a surprising and welcome vocal diversion, with Greaves tackling the crooning-possibly the band's greatest moment on record. Stewart left before the album's release, citing "musical anarchy," which caused the band to abort an upcoming Italian tour; but Alan Gowen eventually stepped back in, rejoining Pyle, Greaves and Miller. The quartet spent the next year touring, and even made a jaunt to America in November 1979. Momentum, however, was not on their side; and in early 1980 the band folded before committing any music to tape. Sadly, Gowen would succumb to leukemia in 1981, which prompted Stewart, Miller, Pyle and Greaves to reform the band for one last album of Gowen's compositions as tribute, titled D.S. Al Coda. The album was released on Jean-Pierre Weiller's Europa Records in 1982.
Even if Edgar Froese and Chris Franke weren't particularly happy with the previous year's Cyclone, they remained committed to finding a new direction for Tangerine Dream. While Steve Jolliffe was unceremoniously dumped, Klaus Krieger remained on drums, albeit as a guest musician. Force Majeure again contains three tracks—opening with the title track, which encompasses all of side one. "Force Majeure" is cinematic in nature, with each section promoting a different mood or color. The opening section rises quite gracefully into the next, offering one of the most straightforward pieces of rock music that the band would ever play: Drums, piano and guitar dominate. A sequencer rolls in to save the day, and the track remains predominately electronic to the end, including the overly hokey finale. "Cloudburst Flight" offers more of the prog rock of the band's previous album, although without vocals. Again, it's a relatively linear journey. The final track, "Thru Metamorphic Rock," is the real sleeper; the first half is unspectacular, but then all hell breaks loose as the sequencers descend into the brooding landscape of the band's signature works. Relish it, as Tangerine Dream would never return (well, almost). The album did well in the UK, cresting at No. 26—their best showing in many years—and would become a favorite among Tangerine Dream fans, topping numerous polls. Froese and Franke would not tour in support of the album; instead they would search for a new member to reinvigorate the band, and return it to a trio format. The prolific Froese also spent the summer doing further research and development, with his fifth solo album, the excellent Stuntman.
With nearly a decade of work behind him, guitarist Manuel Göttsching was one of the pillars of the so-called Berlin School of electronic rock. In 1974, Göttsching recorded Inventions For Electric Guitar, his first true solo album (played only on guitar), at his new Studio Roma in Berlin. His guitar technique is similar to Achim Reichel or Robert Fripp: Using layers of echo-effect guitar, Göttsching created hypnotic washes of sound—early "trance" in modern terms. After a few years of collaborations (most notably with Michael Hoenig), he returned under the moniker Ashra, signed with Virgin Records and released the excellent New Age Of Earth in 1977. Göttsching favored keyboards this time around, but the results were lilke his previous work. He then assembled a band with guitarist Lüül Ulbrich from Agitation Free and drummer Harald Grosskopf from Wallenstein, and began to tour, including gigs in the UK and France. Blackouts followed shortly thereafter, with Göttsching again playing all of the instruments on the record. It was heavily-sequenced rock, and comparable to Steve Hillage's work of the same period. Released in 1979, Correlations offers the first listen to Ashra, the band. Needless to say, the compositions gain significant mass with the extra musicians on board. "Ice Train" is lively rock that features layers upon layers of guitar, while "Pas De Trois" emphasizes rhythm. Certainly, the album is a product of late 70s technology, but it also gives a nod to the emerging "new wave." In 1981, Göttsching recorded the landmark E2-E4 (released on Klaus Schulze's label in 1984), which presaged most 90s techno music.
Following the prior year's tour commitments, Bill Bruford and Allan Holdsworth would split to pursue their jazz-rock leanings in the drummer's band, leaving Eddie Jobson and John Wetton to chase a more commercial path with U.K. Holdsworth's position at guitar would not be filled, while American drummer Terry Bozzio was recruited to replace Bruford; he came from Frank Zappa's band, where Jobson had previously spent a year (1976), following his departure from Roxy Music (1975). Released in March, Danger Money was another excellent album from U.K. The title track kicks things off, and along with "Nothing to Lose," they're typical of the straightforward rock that would eventually become Asia's signature. Wetton's distinct voice is high in the mix, while the melodies are quite tuneful. "The Only Thing She Needs" turns up the rock lever, while "Caesar's Palace Blues" features Jobson's violin. Both "Rendezvous 6:02" and the longer "Carrying No Cross" are the album's highlights. More intricate and intense, the tracks showcase Jobson throughout, as he provides one of the last great keyboard performances of the decade. Yet it was 1979 and the temperament for prog rock was thin—especially with Wetton. U.K. would then tour the United States supporting Jethro Tull. A live album, Night After Night, recorded in Japan, saw release in September, however by the end of the year, U.K. were no more. From there, Jobson offered his services to Jethro Tull for their A album and tour, before immigrating to the US. Wetton's next move would be to record his first solo album.
