Roll Call: The Timeless Discographies Club (PLEASE READ PAGE 3)

[Perpetual Change]

A couple of months ago, Orbet hosted one of the most fun threads we've had this side of DTFsince as long as I've been a poster. What I’m talking about, of course, was his series on Yes’ discography. While many of us at DTF are fans of at least Yes' most famous material, Orbert's thread gave us all a chance to fully probe the output of a band that was an immense influence on all progressive music. Those who did not know much about Yes and participated were enriched by Orbert's thread, while those who merely followed along occasionally without participating still had an enjoyable and educational experience.

The goal here is to recreate that experience with an "album of the month" club, which I’m titling as the "Timeless Discographies Club". What will happen is, 12 participants (11, plus me), will each choose a discography from a band or artist which 1.) is considered to be highly important and influential, 2.) is particularly vibrant and/or underexplored and 3.) is likely relevant to DTF's tastes. After a poster has chosen a discography they’d like to share with the rest of the board, they will begin posting with regular updates in which they provide background information and some of their own thoughts on the various albums, live releases, and line-up changes of the band or artist being discussed.

If you are interested in this type of discussion series and would like to participate, sign-up and post the artist you would like to discuss here. After 11 posters have signed-up, I will begin randomly scheduling people. Hopefully, we can begin the series with the first album discussion in February. If you would like to participate, there are really only two rules:

1.   You will see your installment of the series through within 30 days, with reasonable extension, and will not begin your installment until the current installment is finished and/or expired and
2.   You will agree to participate in the installments of all 11 other participants, which includes listening to a reasonable number of the albums discussed (at your own personally expense—perhaps Youtube or Spotify is a good idea).

I am not sure which artist I will choose yet. Perhaps I will let others choose first. In the meantime, I hope these few suggestions of bands many of us like or would like, but haven't deeply explored yet, is helpful:

The Beatles
Bob Dylan
Genesis
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Jethro Tull
King Crimson
Led Zeppelin
Marillion
Neil Young
Oceansize
Opeth
Pink Floyd
Porcupine Tree
Rush

Reminder: These are just suggestions. Seriously, feel free to discuss something completely different. Just make sure that it’s something that is considered important, interesting, and potentially enjoyable to DTF’s tastes.

Hope to see plenty of sign-ups, so we can get the ball rolling on this!






As of 7am EST Jan 10:

Definite:
1.Nick- Rush
2.Theseoafs- Iron Maiden
3.Scorpion- Symphony X
4.Prog Snob- Pink Floyd
5.The Letter M- Spock’s Beard
6.Orbert- Emerson Lak& Palmer
7.Perpetual Change- Bob Dylan
8.Zantera- The Smashing Pumpkins
9.DebraKadabra- Alice in Chains
10.Zydar- The Beatles

Tentative:
Bosk- Queensryche
Lonestar- IQ
rodgerdil- steely dan
KevShmev- The Flower Kings
sirbradford- the beatles

[Nick]

Well, since I'm seeing this now I might as well grab Rush!

[Zydar]

Great idea. I'm kind of interested in doing The Beatles, since they're my favourite band ever, if no one else wants to claim them. 

[Nick]

Like anyone else will claim them after YOU have shown interest.

[bosk1]

Cool idea.  I'm will definitely follow.  I probably won't actually participate unless we need participants.  I have a band in mind that is not on the list that I think is definitely fair game.

[theseoafs]

Hmm... I could do Iron Maiden, if you guys think they're important enough.  (I certainly do.)

[Scorpion]

Not sure if either of these count as "sufficiently important", but I'd be interested in doing either Extreme or Angra and I'm sure that quite a lot of people would be interested around here. Your call, if you don't consider them important enough, I understand.

EDIT: I'd also do Symphony X, come to think of it. Their discography would definitely warrant it.

[Nick]

I definitely want to see somebody do Maiden. Also, Joe, when should I start on Rush, and should I be doing it in this thread or its own? Also, with Rush I'll be doing about 25 installments with all the live releases and a few random items, and I think 45 or so days would allow for about 2 days for each, would that be alright?

[Zantera]

This sounds really cool. I gotta ask though, how would it work seeing as a band like Oceansize (for example) has a relatively small discography, compared to something like Rush or Neil Young which have massive discographies?

Anyhow, cool idea Joe. I'll come back and read through the first post again later, right now I'm really hungry from not having eaten anything today, so it's hard to maintain focus.

[KevShmev]

Bah, an inferior fan beat me to Rush.  

Will still follow, though.

[Prog Snob]

I would definitely love to discuss Pink Floyd.

[Perpetual Change]

Nice to see so much interest so soon. Let me get to a couple of question. I’m not gonna answer every question, but some of these answers might answer questions from other posters.

This sounds really cool. I gotta ask though, how would it work seeing as a band like Oceansize (for example) has a relatively small discography, compared to something like Rush or Neil Young which have massive discographies?

Good question. Be creative. Oceansize, who just have a few albums and EPs, would obviously be a band that you could do with an album per week, while maybe focusing on EPs of live albums in between, midweek. Meanwhile, if you picked Neil Young or Rush, you’d obviously have to focus on a few albums at a time. You DO NOT have to cover every single album, but you should cover every single era. So, if you were doing Rush, you could try and cram every album in, but you could also try to maybe group things by phase, too, while making sure to hit as many albums as possible in each update.

Also, Joe, when should I start on Rush, and should I be doing it in this thread or its own? Also, with Rush I'll be doing about 25 installments with all the live releases and a few random items, and I think 45 or so days would allow for about 2 days for each, would that be alright?

For the first part of your question, after sign-ups are complete I will produce a randomly generated schedule. As far as how you’d cover Rush, it’s up to how you want to do it. Not every installment needs to be exactly the same. See above.

Hmm... I could do Iron Maiden, if you guys think they're important enough.  (I certainly do.)

I think they’re a great idea.

Cool idea.  I'm will definitely follow.  I probably won't actually participate unless we need participants.  I have a band in mind that is not on the list that I think is definitely fair game.

I haven’t listened to any Y&T, but I think they’d be a great idea too. Bands that factions of the forum really like—and the rest of the forum isn’t really well or deeply acquainted with—are exactly the type of bands I’m hoping to attract for discussion in this series .

I’ll try to answer some more questions during lunch and throughout the day. By tonight, I’ll try and get a first cut of participants and their selections out.

[rogerdil]

Never can have enough discussion of Rush, Pink Floyd and Opeth.

[Zantera]

Okay Joe. I will have to think a bit about what band to pick, while Oceansize is my favorite band there might be bands more "suitable" for something like this.
Will you update the OP with who has picked what band etc?

[Scorpion]

I've been thinking a little, and I'd really like to do Symphony X, actually (I'd edit my post, but that might get overlooked), if everyone's ok with that.

[Big Hath]

awesome idea!  Of the bands that have been mentioned but aren't in the OP, I would definitely like to see these (unfortunately I don't feel like I have sufficient knowledge of most of the bands - or really any of them - to contribute a worthy history):

Symphony X
Maiden
Extreme

But, I also wouldn't want to limit any bands being discussed because this is another great way to discover new music (and spend more money!). 

[Elite]

Cool idea!
Bands that haven't been mentioned yet that can be included:

Beach Boys
Jimi Hendrix (though his discography isn't as elaborate as others)
Metallica
Nirvana/Pearl Jam/Soundgarden/Alice in Chains (or just the grunge scene as a whole, picking out some important stuff by these and maybe some other bands)

Of these, I'd like to do Jimi the most, but as I said, his discography is limited.

[theseoafs]

^I'd really like to participate in a discussion on the Beach Boys.

[rogerdil]

Orbert also started a Genesis thread, so why not same logic as keeping Yes off of this list.

[bosk1]

Cool idea.  I'm will definitely follow.  I probably won't actually participate unless we need participants.  I have a band in mind that is not on the list that I think is definitely fair game.

I haven’t listened to any Y&T, but I think they’d be a great idea too. Bands that factions of the forum really like—and the rest of the forum isn’t really well or deeply acquainted with—are exactly the type of bands I’m hoping to attract for discussion in this series .

  Believe me, I'd be pretty qualified, AND I think it would be a blast to do Y&T.  But I think Queensryche would be a bit more relevant. 

[Zydar]

^I'd really like to participate in a discussion on the Beach Boys.

That'd be really interesting to discuss. I'd rank them higher than DT on my list of favourite bands ever. Go for it!

[The Letter M]

I would *love* to do Spock's Beard, especially if I can line it up with my SB Survivor, which should start sometime in April or May, and more especially since their new line-up is releasing an album in a couple of months!

-Marc.

[lonestar]

Good idea, I will be following a lot of these, Orbert's Yes thread was wonderful. As to participating, the only band I could do in depth enough would be IQ, and I'm not sure I would be able to make the time commitment.

[Perpetual Change]

Okay, I will try and keep this updated pretty regularly, but since afternoons are busier than mornings, I probably won’t have time until later at night. I am thinking of doing ELP. They seem to be a band that pretty much never gets their due anymore, even in prog circles where you’d think they have more of a following. However, I also really want to try Dylan, despite his huge discography.

Definite:
Nick- Rush
Theseoafs- Iron Maiden
Scorpion- Symphony X
Prog Snob- Pink Floyd
The Letter M- Spock’s Beard

Tentative:
Zantera-
Bosk- Queensryche
Lonestar- IQ

At least 3 spots still remaining, and potentially more. Seen some good ideas floating around. A few more suggestions:

Flower Kings
Queen
Zappa (if anyone is willing to tackle it)

[King Postwhore]

Man, I can't believe nobody is calling for Milli Vanilli?!

[Orbert]

I'm in.

PC, go with Dylan.  I was thinking of doing ELP next, if that's okay.

[The Letter M]

I'm in.

PC, go with Dylan.  I was thinking of doing ELP next, if that's okay.

I support this idea! Orbert, your Yes and Genesis threads must be complimented with ELP! Those three form three similar, yet different, foundation-blocks of 70's prog, and I'd love to follow their discography with your write-ups!

-Marc.

[Ryzee]

I read this thread title on the main screen as Roll Call: The Time! and thought it was about Morris Day's band.  Oh well.

[rogerdil]

I'll do Steely Dan/Donald Fagen if haven't alienated you already.

[TAC]

Hmm... I could do Iron Maiden, if you guys think they're important enough.  (I certainly do.)

They are essential. I would've taken it on myself, but I just don't have time to maintain it, but I will definitely participate.

[Orbert]

I read this thread title on the main screen as Roll Call: The Time! and thought it was about Morris Day's band.  Oh well.

The Time were pretty cool.  I remember watching Purple Rain, and thought it was cool how both bands were actually pretty good.  Lots of good music in that movie.

I'll do Steely Dan/Donald Fagen if haven't alienated you already.

I'll be following this.  I have everything by Steely Dan, but know very little about them.

[rogerdil]

Cool, don't know that much either, but would study more if chosen.

[Zantera]

I'll take on the Smashing Pumpkins then. 

[KevShmev]

I would normally jump all over The Flower Kings, but I have barely listened to them for the last four or five months, and I am not gonna force myself to do so just for the sake of doing the discography thread on them.  Not to mention that they are a spring/summer band, so it would be better to do them around that time. 

I wouldn't mind doing solo Neal Morse, but I am not sure how much inside information and deep facts I'd be able to bring to the table.  Not to mention that I don't have any of his worship or live albums.

[YtseBitsySpider]

I'll do Porcupine Tree.
Promises to be a short week.