The Alan Parsons Project

[Andz]

Is anyone else a fan?

I was messing about on Youtube earlier this evening and came across a couple of videos of live performances by the band back in 2004. This got me thinking back to my younger days when I was a Parsons nut and bought every new album that came out (on vinyl in those days).

One thing led to another and I ended up at the band's website where I read the following:

The arrival of I Robot: Legacy Edition (35th Anniversary) is also a prelude to the early 2014 release of The Alan Parsons Project Complete Album Collection. This 11-CD box set will mark the first time that all 10 of the original albums by the APP have been issued together in a box set, including the 1976 debut, Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe. The 11th CD, The Sicilian Defence, was originally intended as the fourth Arista LP, circa 1979-80, but went unreleased (and unheard) until this box set appearance.

This sent me rummaging into my record collection and I was actually surprised to find that I have "all 10 of the original albums" mentioned above, all 10 on vinyl and 5 on CD as well:

Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe (1976)(CD)
I Robot (1977)
Pyramid (1978)(CD)
Eve (1979)
The Turn of a Friendly Card (1980)(CD)
Eye in the Sky (1982)(CD)
Ammonia Avenue (1984)(CD)
Vulture Culture (1984)
Stereotomy (1985)
Gaudi (1987)

In my opinion APP were a band before their time and they played a big part in my late high school and early working years. Granted, almost every album had a different band line-up but the core of Parsons and the late Eric Woolfson maintained their distinctive sound. Even today they have a sound that is unique and unimitated and when I go on a long drive on my own I will pick one on my iPod and roll back the years.

Alan Parsons first made his name as a sound engineer, most notably on the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon.

Now, all I want for Christmas is a turntable, or I just need to get on Amazon and buy the missing 5 CDs

 

[2nd childhood]

Wow, this brings back fond memories! I only had a couple of their LPs (I Robot & Tales of Mystery and Imagination) but loved listening to them. I may have to dig them out of the footlocker out in the garage, get the turntable out of the closet and rock on! :rockon:

 

[Andz]

I just went onto Amazon and bought the 5 missing CDs, 'tis the season to be spontaneous :spank:

 

[TSRBrad]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei_GZnrr1nw

 

[Andz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei_GZnrr1nw

I knew this would come up

 

[agf]

thanks Andz
while i certainly know the name i have to admit i couldnt say if i know any of their music .....
..... but that will be remedied!
I'll start with youtube! today

i have about 350 vinyl albums and v slowly am ripping them to cd ( i have about 800 cds to choose from already)
after recording and cleaning up pops n crackles breaking the one side recording into individual tracks( it usually takes about 3.5 hours per album) i dont listen to it - almost as if you have been listening to intently to enjoy it

after about 6 months it is a real joy to go to the cd rack and find a little bit of the past

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner and it works every time !

 

[lytehouse]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei_GZnrr1nw

I knew this would come up

First thing that popped into my head too :rof:

But seriously, I was a fan back in the day too Andz I think I have one of those round things you referred to as "vinyl" in my basement too

 

[aclayonb]

Wow. That's one I haven't heard anyone mention in a long time. Thought it was just my weird little circle.

 

[Botch]

Big fan here, but I'm actually disappointed with the news.

I've got a Surround Sound system with an Oppo BDP-103 player that handles SACDs, DVD-As, and Bluray surround disks; and classic albums come out every so often in surround sound:
- Dark Side of the Moon,
- Roxy Music's Avalon,
- Seal's first album,
- Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms,
…etc; just the other day I mentioned on another forum that I'd love to get copies of I Robot and Pyramid in Surround. If they're coming out with a big box set but no mention of a surround remix, probably isn't going to happen. Poop.