Couldn't find that this had been done previously for APP. Here's the original APP album discography: Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1976) I Robot (1977) Pyramid (1978) Eve (1979) Turn of a Friendly Card (1980) Eye In the Sky (1982) Ammonia Avenue (1984) Vulture Culture (1984) Stereotomy (1985) Gaudi (1987) Let's start, obviously, with Tales of Mystery and Imagination - I first heard this late at night on free-form FM radio in '76 back when full albums used to be played in their entirety and was entranced immediately by the opening sounds of "A Dream Within A Dream", and the entire album became one of my all-time favorites of the 70s. The opening suite of tracks on Side 2, "The Fall of the House of Usher", through the closing track "To One In Paradise" is probably one of the most unique-sounding album sides in that decade. I love the dark, moody orchestration by Andrew Powell in "...House of Usher". My thoughts at the time about this record is I assumed that it would be a one-shot deal as Parsons had assembled a large group of musicians and performers and I couldn't imagine he would be able to do a follow-up on this order. (I'm glad he kept putting out great stuff after!) Continue on with further discussion of "Tales of Mystery and Imagination"...
Tales is really the only Alan Parsons Project album I listened to with any regularity. I’ve always really liked the material on it and found Orson Welles’ participation (however slight) interesting. I love the use of the different vocalists and the fact that Pilot, essentially, is the back up band for Woolfson and Parsons (does Parsons even do much instrumentally here?). One particular item I always found very interesting was Leonard Whiting (sp?) who was Romeo in Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” is the singer on the most popular tune on the album “The Raven”. Least fave tune: “The Fall of House of Usher”. I like it, but it’s not rock oriented enough for my cro-magnon like tastes. Great thread idea and I’ll be following along. I own all the TAPP albums and will chime in when I have something pertinent to add.
Oh, this could be fun! Tales of Mystery and Imagination is one of my favourite albums, sounds best on an old European vinyl or the MFSL CD, don't like the remix or the remastered CD. The b-side is a masterpiece!
I really like side 1 of Tales, especially "Dr. Tarr And Professor Father" and "The Cask Of Amontillado". The mostly instrumental second side doesn't do it for me though, I'm glad they moved to more song orientated albums later on. I agree that the original mix is much better than the 1987 remix, the MFSL CD is one of the best sounding CDs I own.
What about his solo albums? Try Anything Once (1993) On Air (1998) The Time Machine (1999) A Valid Path (2004)
At one Point or another I have had most of these albums. I really like the 5.1's for Tales and Eye and I hope they have a look at a couple of others. The Madrid bluray was very good also/ I think Turn Of A Friendly Card was my favourite album of theirs. It has a little more bite than some of the others.
I came to "Tales" after buying "I Robot." I think at that time it was a little hard to find, at least in upstate South Carolina record stores. Don't think the original release was on Arista as "I Robot" was. I am pretty sure I had to get it "special ordered." I am not sure I like it as much as "I Robot," but it is probably my second favorite Alan Parsons Project record. The closest FM album station I could pick up in Charlotte played (The System) of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether a pretty good bit as well.
They're all excellent albums with the possible exception of "A Valid Path". I wonder why Parsons has stopped recording new material?
I really like the remix Parsons did just for the extended version of 'A Dream Within A Dream'....love that Orson Welles narration. Is that the only release where this version appears?
I bought Tales shortly after it was released - I happened to hear The Raven on KZEW in Dallas. I still love that album but the others leave me cold except for the songs Time and Old and Wise. On the other hand, the Parsons offshoot Keats is one of my favorite albums.
I heard The Raven on the radio which was my first exposure to Alan Parsons. My sister bought the album shortly after. At that time I was on a big Edgar Allen Poe binge. I also had Creepy Magazine #69 Edgar Allen Poe issue (1975) so I was in the right frame of mind for this album. I have always liked this group and was glad that they were successful. Scott
Being younger, I discovered APP through the hits so me and my friends were working our way backwards. And "Tales" was probably the very first album that showed me how crucial looking for second hand vinyl was! For me, it was always a bit of an odd man album out. Everything else was on Arista and had gatefolds. And the version of "Tales" they sold new in the early 80's felt wrong. A strange looking single sleeve with zero credits and a large, red "Special Price" sticker. That it was half the price of those Arista albums seemed about right. Back then I was still too new to the wonderful world of vinyl to understand what was going on but when I saw the copy an older friend had, I got the idea: A gatefold. Pages like in a book. Wow! Now it finally made sense. But: In order to obtain the album like that, one had to raid the 2nd hand bins. It's heartwarming that what once used to be my probably first "grail record", can now be easily found for 5€. Back in 1983, it was (seemed like?) a big deal. Musically this and "I Robot" were the only APP albums, my older "serious about music" friends accepted. They wouldn't go anywhere near "Eye In The Sky" and considered "The Turn Of A Friendly Card" a sellout. I was the other way round, for me "Tales" also stood apart but for different reasons. Unlike the stuff from "I Robot" onwards, it seemed like a one-off. Which in a way it was in 1975. I like the album, like the cinematic grandeur of "The Fall Of The House Of Usher". But secretly I still believe that The Alan Parsons Project really started in 1977. ( At the moment I have a UK original of "Tales", I bought for a whooping 5€)
For me I first heard APP album I Robot on BBC radio back in 1977 I pestered my mum and dad to get me the album and that Christmas when I saw the vinyl shaped present I know I had got it at last. I put it on my secondhand turntable and old amp and speakers my dad had got me and I was hooked my young 12 year old ears were amazed at what this album sounded like even on my very basic system it just sounded better. I then got Tales of Mystery and Imagination a few months later it sounded different to I Robot but I liked it just as much. When Pyramid came out I got it on the week of release and did all the following albums. I still play my UK SPARTY I Robot and I now have a German first issue vinyl of Tales which sounds wonderful. So after 42 yrs I am still a fan of APP.
I seem to remember it was a one-off originally. It was a project by Alan Parsons. It wasn't until later that it was decided to record more material and adopt the project name as the band name.
My oldest brother had a copy of "Tales" when I was a kid and we listened to it a lot. I was totally fascinated by the music and the artwork. "Raven" and "Cask" were my favourite songs, while the long instrumental on side 2 was a bit to much for me (I appreciate it a lot nowadays though). After that, APP were a big deal in my family. "Eve" was the first record I ever bought myself and another brother of mine got this box set of the albums "Robot" to "Card": I still listen to APP regularly.
Have I Robot and Eye in the Sky. Just need to get Tales that doesn't include both (the remix and original) cds.
When the remix of "Tales" came out I thought the added Orson Welles narration was great, but over the years I came to HATE the added guitar bits (especially on "Raven"). So when I got the Blu-ray I ripped the hi-res stereo of the original album and multi-channel of the remix and made my own veresion of the album. I downmixed the needed bits from the multi-channel version and edited it into the stereo version using Audacity. It took me a while to get it right but in the end I managed to insert the Welles bits seamlessly into the stereo tracks. I even kept the segue from "Tarr" to "Usher". That's the version of the album I listen to nowadays (I'm actually listening to it right now).
My mom’s trainer at the gym back in the 90’s was an awesome guy, class of 76. I was heavy into classic rock at the time, and was all about vinyl; it being the 90’s he had switched to cds. When I was slacking at the gym, or clearly eating too much junk food, he took my stereo away from me. When I was motivated and working hard, he’d reward me by bequeathing me some of his old vinyl that he had replaced with cds that deserved a good home. Great guy. When I listen to APP, I think of him. He gave me about ten of their albums at once, and I was an instant convert.
The remix is a fun listen. I have the original as well but was interested to hear the changes they made to the original release.
Maybe a couple of times over the years, but to me that terrible 80's added production makes it all but fun to listen to. I own it for the sake of it, nothing more.
I have all the APP albums up to Ammonia Avenue. I play this album regularly. Being an EAP fan, this album was an immediate attraction to me. Sounds wonderful!
