Tag: Progressive Rock

Echoes Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Tubular Bells.

Interview: Mike Oldfield – the 40th Anniversary of Tubular Bells on Echoes Hear it on-air the weekend of May 24-26 Hear the Echoes Podcast of the interview with Mike Oldfield on Tubular Bells It was forty years ago that Mike Oldfield electrified the world with his hit album, Tubular Bells. It had one composition spanning…

Two Epic Birthdays: Mike Oldfield & Brian Eno.

Mike Oldfield & Brian Eno both share birthdays today.  Oldfield turns 60 and Eno turns 65.  Each artist has shaped the music we hear today.  Brian Eno has been the more prolific and expansive, working across genres and attaining massive popular success in each of the last 5 decades through his work with other artists…

Ten 1967 Pop Songs that Shaped Prog-Rock.

There’s a fun article in Pop Matters called Ten Songs From 1967 That Shaped Prog-Rock.  Writer Sean Murphy knocks out his reasons for songs you might not expect to have any bearing on Progressive Rock,  like The Beach Boys’ “Heroes & Villains,” which he put at number one.  I agree with his choice, although he…

The United States of America-Joseph Byrd-Podcast

Hear an interview with Joseph Byrd of The United States of America in Echoes Podcast. We take electronic music for granted now, but back in 1968 it was a pretty rare and novel thing.  There were bands like Lothar and the Hand People, 50 Foot Hose and Silver Apples, but the group who took electronics…

THE BEST OF NEARFEST APOCALYPSE.

NEARfest shoots their final hoop, hitting nothing but class It was a great ending to probably the best and most highly regarded Progressive Rock festival in the country. It wasn’t the finest NEARfest, it wasn’t the worst and it wasn’t just average.  But it was typical of what they have been doing for 14 years…

UK Kills at NEARfest Apocalypse.

The day started and ended with the two highpoints for NEARfest Apocalypse. Despite a more than 90 minute delay, and about 10 minutes of a dimly lit stage and no music or musicians, UK finally hit the stage a little before 11PM.  They lived up to their reputation as the last great band from the…

Renaissance Rises At NEARfest Apocalypse

On Day Two of NEARfest Apocalypse, Heritage Rules Helmet of Gnats How do you know you’re at a progressive rock concert?   An abridged version of a song is ten minutes long. And they leave in the drum solo That was the story with Helmut of Gnats and their epic closing tune, “Chimps in Space,”…

NEARfest Sets Sail for the Grey Havens.

The North East Art Rock Festival, better known as NEARfest, comes to an end this weekend with the final edition, dubbed NEARfest Apocalypse. That kind of ostentation is so Progressive Rock.  But that’s what Nearfest was all about.  I went to my first Nearfest in 2005, expecting clones of Yes and bands past their prime. …

A Summer of Progressive Rock.

It’s Progressive Rock Week on Echoes and we’ll be featuring interviews with NEARfest founders Chad Hutchinson and Rob LaDuca, Gentle Giant, Steve Hackett, The Muffins, Roger Dean, Gong and Iona as well as a live performance from Ozric Tentacles in the Echoes Living Room.  To see what’s ahead on Echoes Progressive Rock Week go here.i…