Spock's Beard

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

Is anyone here a major fan? I've heard a couple of their albums & liked them quite a bit. Any suggestions of their best 5 or so would be appreciated.

JohnG · 03 Aug 2006

Their first 5 albums are considered classics in the new prog movement of the 90s especially The Light and Beware Of Darkness (yes their version of the Harrison classic). Neil Morse of course is one of prog's biggest stars and has moved on as a solo artist (he was a big presence on the Cruise To The Edge). Super talented fella. He has an opus that came out last year called The Similitude of a Dream and the year before The Grand Experiment, both considered very good.

Drummer Nick D'Virgilio is one of the world's best and plays with everyone (he was on Genesis's last album Calling All Stations).

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

Renny · 26 Jun 2006

if i recall correctly, kevin gilbert has some type of connection to spock's beard

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

Renny wrote:

if i recall correctly, kevin gilbert has some type of connection to spock's beard

Via Nick, I believe.

Yep - via Wikipedia.

Quote:

In 1994, D'Virgilio joined Kevin Gilbert's reformed band Giraffe for a one-off performance of the Genesis piece "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" at Progfest '94. In 1995, he performed drums as part of Gilbert's touring band, Thud, which recorded a live album, Live at the Troubadour, released in 1999. After Gilbert's death in 1996, D'Virgilio was asked by Gilbert's estate to complete his second solo album, The Shaming of the True, based on the extant tapes and Gilbert's notes. Shaming was released posthumously in 2000 and has D'Virgilio on many tracks contributing drums, percussion, bass, guitar, keyboards and backing vocals. In November 2002, D'Virgilio headlined Progwest in Claremont, California and played the entire The Shaming of the True album live in a band consisting of other friends and colleagues of Gilbert's. In 2008, video tapes of the Troubadour concert were uncovered for the first time, leading to a DVD, entitled Welcome to Joytown – Thud Live at The Troubadour, released in 2009.

Renny · 26 Jun 2006

alantig wrote:

Renny wrote:

if i recall correctly, kevin gilbert has some type of connection to spock's beard

Via Nick, I believe.

Yep - via Wikipedia.

Quote:

In 1994, D'Virgilio joined Kevin Gilbert's reformed band Giraffe for a one-off performance of the Genesis piece "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" at Progfest '94. In 1995, he performed drums as part of Gilbert's touring band, Thud, which recorded a live album, Live at the Troubadour, released in 1999. After Gilbert's death in 1996, D'Virgilio was asked by Gilbert's estate to complete his second solo album, The Shaming of the True, based on the extant tapes and Gilbert's notes. Shaming was released posthumously in 2000 and has D'Virgilio on many tracks contributing drums, percussion, bass, guitar, keyboards and backing vocals. In November 2002, D'Virgilio headlined Progwest in Claremont, California and played the entire The Shaming of the True album live in a band consisting of other friends and colleagues of Gilbert's. In 2008, video tapes of the Troubadour concert were uncovered for the first time, leading to a DVD, entitled Welcome to Joytown – Thud Live at The Troubadour, released in 2009.

JosephC · **Joined:** 27 Jan 2011 **Posts:** 2656

I think the consensus view on Spock's Beard would be something like.

-First six albums are great(all with Neal Morse)
The Light
Beware of Darkness
The Kindness of Strangers
Day For Night
V
Snow

-Next three albums were just average
Feel Euphoria
Octane
Spock's Beard

-Next three albums are a return to form and all very good
X
Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep
The Oblivion Particle

That appears to be pulled straight from the Prog Archives user ratings but was more based on my perception of seeing reactions on music/prog forums over the years. The two happen to match. It's not so surprising though as Neal Morse pretty much wrote the first six albums and when he left there was obviously going to be an adjustment period. The last two albums they added another member named Ted Leonard (played with Transatlantic on their last touring cycle) who really added a lot to the band.

I'm not an expert on Spock's Beard as I only have the first six records. I plan on picking up the rest of them in the future. Starting out, I would just go with the first record "The Light" and continue from there if you like it. Best way to describe it is kind of in the same vein as Gabriel-era Genesis but even a bit more quirky (probably most like Foxtrot but not as loud and hard-hitting).

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

The Light & a best of were the 2 that got me interested.

Spock's Beard

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