HW: Ozrics and DB Question

[Keith A Henderson]

Guido suggests...
>
> Hello--
>
>         All this Ozric Tentacles bashing is getting a bit annoying. My
> humble opinion is that anyone who doesn't like the Tentacles is missing
> something.

In a Clinton-esque fashion, I choose to be on both sides of this issue.  I feel
that the Ozrix are a very talented band, and all of their albums are strong,
but I agree that they lack that writing ability to really put something
memorable into my head.  Their lack of vocals is also limiting as well,
something that I see as a negative to F/i and The Spacious Mind also (TSM has a
few vocals here and there, I should say).

Also, I've seen them twice in concert (on the two US tours separated by only 9
mos. or so)...the first (Cleveland) was very good, and at the time I wasn't
aware that a big part of my enjoyment was the light show, but after the second
show (the Chicago gig where they had no light show), I knew that the music
alone (while still enjoyable) wasn't enough to carry it for me.  At Hawkwind
shows (and also the recent Gong gig), I often find myself 'grooving' to the
music to such a point that I will often go several minutes at a time without
even looking towards the stage with my eyes open to see what's going on (Gong's
Fohat was such a case, the music was so cool).  That hasn't happened with the
Ozrics music, although I have enjoyed it as much as many other of my favourite
groups (say, the top 50 or so).  They're just not on the same level with HW for
me, I'm afraid.  I'll let you know in a week how PTree rates in this manner, as
they'll be without their UK light show.

>         I'd like to ask Dave if there will ever be studio versions of the
> "live only" tunes (Treadmill, Moonglum, and Back in the Box spring to
> mind).

The Palace Springs versions of Treadmill and BitB *are* studio versions.  The
live BitB during that tour was extended and much different...lots of weird
banter from Harvey (and the following year, between Harvey and Bridgett), and
no Dave Brock rap at the end.  IMHO the studio BitB is pretty good, and the
live BitB was pretty dire but for the heavy riff.  Treadmill is brilliant in
any shape or form, except for the proto-version on Agents of Chaos, which is
interesting yet not quite fully developed.

I think I'm the only one on the list who's not a fan of the Moonglum track it
seems, but it would be interesting to know whether they even recorded it during
the CotBS sessions.  If they did, I woulda thought that Griffin would have
restored it to the album in the manner they so enjoy doing for collector's
sake.

Keith H. (FAA)

ObGig...ProgScape '96 (for those in the states not venturing across the pond)

ObLive track from Summer Solstice gig in Cleveland - The 5th Second of
Forever/Dust of Time - Sun Machine