[rec.music.misc] Kansas/Morse

iav1917%ritcv@cs.rit.edu (alan i. vymetalik) (01/20/90)

In article <JAHO.90Jan18112426@otax.tky.hut.fi> jaho@otax.tky.hut.fi (Jaakko Aho) writes:
>In article <1487@cs.rit.edu> iav1917%ritcv@cs.rit.edu (alan i. vymetalik) writes:
>
>       Best Jazz/Progressive Instrumental Album (Solo/Band):
>	 - "High Tension Wires" - Steve Morse, MCA Records
>
>Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that the album is good, but I am not sure 
>about the classification. Is it really jazz/progressive ??

   This was a hard album to peg.  I've noticed that "High Tension Wires"
   is nominated for a Grammy in the Rock Instrumental category (as I 
   recall, I don't have my copy of Billboard handy).  It's really
   Jazz/Rock/Fusion (makes any sense?).  Morse will never get away from
   this type of music (thank God!) due to his roots.  It's definitely
   not totally "rock".  Ghostwind, The Road Home, Country Colors,
   Highland Wedding, Looking Back, Leprechaun Promenade, and Modoc
   are simply not "rock" in the traditional sense, instrumental or
   otherwise.  The album is full of The Dregs influence (especially
   since Morse was the heart of The Dregs.

>       Best Rock/Progressive Instrumental Album (Solo/Band):
>	 - "One of Several Possible Musiks" - Kerry Livgren, Sparrow Records
>	   (Yes, "Musiks" is spelled this way - in the old renaissance style.) 
>
>This brings up a few questions that I would like to see answered. Why
>did K.L. leave Kansas ?? Has he put out any other solo works ?? When
>did this one come out ??

   WELL, another person interested in Livgren!  Great.  Whenever I can
   bring more people into the "fold," so to speak, I feel good.  Call it
   an "evangelism" kind of thing! ;-).

   Livgren and Dave Hope left Kansas after a final falling out with the
   rest of the band over the course Kansas should take.  The last studio
   album Livgren did was "Drastic Measures" back in 1983.  The last
   album Livgren did with Kansas was "The Best of Kansas" (producing,
   editing, remastering... making sure it came out OK - WHY he allowed
   "Perfect Lover" to appear on the album can only be attributed to
   the fact that must have left room when they got that far in creating
   the master tape and SOMEBODY spliced it in!)

   A little history, if I may be so allowed:   The original, major
   falling out occurred when Steve Walsh left in 1981 after disagreeing
   that Kansas should become more of a Christian Rock band due to the
   increasing influences of Christianity on Hope (a recovered drug
   addict - he lost a lot of weight as well) and Livgren and in Livgren's
   writing.  Walsh left to form another band, Streets, and had two
   minor albums ("1st and "Crimes in Mind") and a top 40 hit "If Love
   Should Go."  Walsh was replaced John Elefante (of the John and Dino
   Elefante brothers fame - very prominent producers and song writers of
   Christian bands and music).  Elefante was a good replacement for
   Walsh, but his inclusion added to the disintegration of Kansas, though
   he proved to be a very good songwriter and multi-talented musician.

   With Elefante, Kansas released "Vinyl Confessions" which was an
   excellent Kansas album, maybe their strongest since Leftoverture.
   This was 1982.  In 1983 shortly before Kansas' appropriately titled
   album, "Drastic Measures," was started, Robby Steinhardt (the violinist)
   left, not to be heard from again (does anyone know anything?).  This
   signaled the critical blow to the structure, style, and substance of
   the band.  A five-member version of Kansas released "Drastic Measures,"
   which went to only # 41 on the charts.  The single, "Fight Fire
   with Fire," was moderately successful (#58 on the charts), but that was
   about it.

   Quitting time, for a while.  Kansas had shifted to CBS Associated Records
   from Kirshner/CBS for Drastic Measures.  This was to prove important for
   Livgren.  But not for Kansas, who never work with CBS again.

   Kansas had officially called it quits.  Two years later, Kansas would
   reform without Livgren.  The new lineup included Steve Walsh, Steve
   Morse (from the Dregs), Phil Ehart, Rich Williams, and Billy Grear
   (from Streets).  They would release "Power" in 1986, which had a single,
   "All I Wanted," which climbed to #19 on the charts.  "In the Spirit
   of Things" following in 1988 and was well-produced album and a dismal
   chart performer.  Both albums appeared on MCA records and, with the
   contract fulfilled for two albums, Kansas called it quits AGAIN in
   early 1989.  There is word that Phil Ehart is producing a new metal
   band called CrystaVox.  But, nothing has been heard from the band
   members since.  Strangely enough, "In the Spirit of Things" would
   prove to contain Kansas' most "direct" religious references and they
   were also penned by Walsh himself.  Strange how the world turns.  It
   may have been an attempt to ressurect the "sound" of Kansas.  Of
   course, without Livgren, Kansas was simply not "Kansas."  Livgren had
   been the key composer and lyricist as well as having added 
   significantly to the band's style and sound.

   Back to Livgren... Staying with CBS Associated records, Livgren found he
   still had much more to say, musically.  However, since he was slapped 
   with an injunction by CBS' lawyers that did not allow him to create or
   perform music in ANY vein of the pop/rock music landscape.  This was done
   in retaliation for the breaking of contracts and record negotiations.  
   But, Livgren managed to win a waiver to perform in the, then, fledgling
   Contempory Christian market (which is what Livgren didn't really want,
   but as a person trying to pay bills and keep going musically, he had
   little choice).   He and Dave hope separated from Kansas, and Kansas
   was officially dead.

   It was in the Christian sector that Livgren and his new band, AD, would
   release four studio albums and a "best of" collection on CD over the
   next four years.  If you wanted to know where the "sound and heart"
   of Kansas went to, all you need to do is listen to AD.  More of a
   religious bent to the music, but not that much.  "Timeline" appeared
   in 1984 with a strong set of songs and a sound CBS could produce.
   However, the sales were dismal and CBS pulled the plug on AD.  Livgren
   then signed up with Kerygma/Sparrow Records.  "Art of the State,"
   "Reconstructions," the best of CD, and "Prime Mover" followed closely
   behind.

   However, due the expenses incurred with touring, Livgren decided to
   disband AD after "Reconstructions," since sales were going nowhere.
   A year after the brake-up, Livgren released a collection of "left-
   overs) in the album "Prime Mover."  That would be AD's last appearence
   on vinyl for AD and Livgren.  

   In 1989, the release of "One of Several Possible Musiks" showed Livgren
   in great form as a multi-talented musician (he composed, produced,
   engineered, performed everything on the disk himself).  This album
   of pure instrumental music showcasing off many of the styles Livgren
   could write in.

   Late in 1989, Livgren wrote a letter to "Electronic Musician" to
   describe a hearing-loss problem he had in one ear.   His years of
   recording and concerts had finally caught up with him.  So, it's
   possible this will be his last album.

   [A discography is available to those who e-mail.]

   The end...

>Thanks in advance,
>
>Jaakko Aho           
>jaho@otax.tky.hut.fi

   Enjoy,
   alan

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