Moog Music Forum

Been reading with some interest the stuff on Gary Numan.

Can't say he was ever my favourite guy doing that kind of stuff, and I was very much into my synth pop at the time. That nasally voice kind of got on my nerves.

The only synth pop guy who still regularly gets pulled out of my collection these days is Thomas Dolby. Absolutely love & loved his material

Also still listen to 70s and early 80s Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Klaus Schulze.

Anyone else got any old faves?

All that stuff was before my time anyway. I like Numan, Kraftwerk, and Depeche Mode.

If you don't mind other instruments getting in the way of the keyboards then try some early Camel. Pete Bardens could do a lot with a Minimoog. Some of their later stuff with Kit Watkins and Jan Shelhaas (spelling ???) also has some inspirational stuff on leads.

As we're talking Moog here, although not necessarily 'synthpop' from my viewpoint then try a bit of early Rick Wakeman (The Six Wives of Henry VIII) for some MiniMoog.

Anyone up to re-doing that one on a Voyager - we've got some "patches" but could Rick give us some of those lines from his own hand (mp3 or whatever) ?

Love to hear some - and see how the Voyager can 'hang in there' - let's have "White Rock" on Voyagers eh !

Big influence on me was Tim Blake and his crystal machine.
Minimoog, 2 EMS Synthi's, Elka string machine and various effects.
Blake was also in Gong and Hawkwind.
Kraftwerk
Tangerine Dream
Klaus Schulze
Agitation Free
Tomita
ALL these guys get props also.

There are so many 'past masters' - and even "near present" ones when it comes to synths, and Moog especially.

Is it too early for "present" 'masters' of this genre of Moogs to have appeared ?

Are we perhaps looking for a 'past master' to embrace the Voyager and give us a real demo ?

No doubt some of the 'keyboard greats' have had their demo versions for long enough to warrant some kind of feedback by now.

I like what I'm seeing.
Let's not forget Neu! and Harmonia while on the subject of Kraut rockers.

Brian Eno(maybe more of an EMS guy)
Suicide-(Martin Rev)
DNA/DarkDay-(Robin Crutchfield)
Annette Peacock
Wendy/Walter Carlos
Stockhausen
Dick Rajimaker
Milton Babbet
Silver Apples(both band and piece)

Ah yes Tim Blake.

Not into his recent stuff, but Gong are definitely a big influence.

I'm lucky to work with Gong family band members fairly regularly in my capacity as music promoter & DJ. Mainly get them in to play the chill-out at my monthly party/club.

Neu also crop up conversations with musicians quite regularly - they produced some highly influencial material. Can and Ashra Temple also worth mentioning while on the subject of Kraut Rock.

BTW - Boing, that stuff before your time? No excuse. I thought you said that Numan was before your time too on a post somewhere?

Besides - all those guys I mentioned are still producing music (with the partial exception of Mr Dolby).

At best, Numan was standing on the shoulders of these synth pioneers.


Chris

Kevin Bowden wrote:If you don't mind other instruments getting in the way of the keyboards then try some early Camel. Pete Bardens could do a lot with a Minimoog. Some of their later stuff with Kit Watkins and Jan Shelhaas (spelling ???) also has some inspirational stuff on leads.

Kit Watkins has long been one of my favorite minimoog players. Check out the stuff he did with Happy The Man.

Other favorites of mine are Jan Hammer & David Sancious.

Rick Wakeman is OK, but also check out Larry Fast (former Peter Gabriel). An honourable mentioning should go to Keith Emerson, IMO he's the one that made Moog a Big Name. You don't have to like his sounds, but they are recognizable. Roger Powell (Utopia) if very good on Mini, but let's not forget the old things by Jan Hammer or George Duke...
The list could go on and on...

Just an honorable mention for Keith? Emo did make Moog a big name, but for my money he is (and always will be) THE premo Prog keyboard wizard! No dis to Wakeman, but I believe that of the two, Keith had much better chops.

Speaking of KrautRock, I didn't notice any mention of Triumvirat. They were a keyboard-led, three-piece Prog band big in the 70's. Jurgen Fritz manned the keys, playing piano, B3, MiniMoog, etc. Triumvirat's 1975 recording 'Sparticus' was re-released on CD in 2003 and is well worth checking out.

Lastly, speaking of Kit Watkins, he put out a good half dozen recordings as a solo player after leaving Happy the Man. Kit's got a sound that's unmistakable. Any good CD store should carry a few of his solo efforts.

Oh, and Spock's Beard (modern Prog) is very nice, too.


- Greg

OK, I saw Yes, ELP, and Yes as a teen back in the mid 70's. ELP was doing their Brain Salad Surgery tour, and Keith Emerson was at his finest. He had all manner of keyboards arrayed around him in layers. At one point he was playing 4 keyboards at the same time - one for each hand and foot. True, not all of them were Moogs, but he was a tremendous influence on and promoter of the brand. (Did I mention his ribbon controller that ejaculated pyrotechnics, or the large modular that slide out, turned around, sprouted wings, and shot out fireworks? )

When Rick Wakeman toured with Yes he seemed to just stand there, at one keyboard, and - sad to say - wasn't quite as impressive as what I had come to expect after becoming a fan. Patrick Moraz, who soon replaced him, was much much better in concert. Although I would Pick Patrick Moraz over Rick based on those two concerts, there was probably a good reason why Rick Wakeman didn't put on a good show (he DID leave the band, maybe that has something to do with it).

How about The Cars (Rick Ocasek's band, not the Numan song)? Definitely synth/pop.

(Wendy Carlos needs a mention. Boroque music isn't for everyone, but there is also the music for A Clockwork Orange and Tron. It's not synth/pop, but it is what made me interested in electonic music in the first place.)

You know, it was really Wendy Carlos who brought the Moog Synthesizer to the public's attention with the release of the classic "Switched-On Bach" (SOB) back in 1968. For a while, it sold more classical recordings than any other classical recording, and spawned a whole "Switched-On" genre, none of which were nearly as successful as SOB. The original SOB was re-released on CD some time ago and is worth seeking out to hear what a Moog modular system can sound like in the hands of a true master.

BTW, SOB 2000 was released in the year 2000. It was a 25th anniversary rerecording of the original using various Kurzweil, Yamaha and DK Synergy synths. Not as good as the original, IMO, but interesting to hear.

- Greg

For the curious, check out www.wendycarlos.com

- Greg

Greg, I couldn't agree more. I just wanted to stay on topic, but it was Wendy Carlos and SOB, SOB II, TWTS, Sonic Seasonings, and A Clockwork Orange that moved me from Crosby Still and Nash over to the world of progressive rock and ELP and Yes.

People who made me a Moog Fan:

1) Wendy Carlos
2) Keith Emerson
3) Rick Wakeman
4) Bernie Worrell
and everyone else (and, of course, Bob Moog)