The ProgCast with Gregg Bendian Progressive Music & Thought, In All Its Forms
Hello Music Lovers!
I'm drummer/composer/producer/educator Gregg Bendian, host of The ProgCast. Over the last 35 years, I've had the pleasure of performing and recording with a wide range of cutting edge artists including Cecil Taylor, Derek Bailey, Ornette Coleman, Jan Hammer, Todd Rundgren, John Zorn, Nels Cline, Evan Parker, and many more. I also lead The Mahavishnu Project, Interzone, and Trio Pianissimo.
Over the past 10 years I've interviewed over 100 of America's major musical innovators for the Yale Oral History of American Music. I'm now expanding my focus to include a podcast where I can converse freely with progressive music's most fascinating minds. Do let me know if there are any musicians you'd like me to interview, and thanks for watching The ProgCast! Look for us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts...
In many respects, Gentle Giant did the right thing by finishing up after the Civilion tour. They were true to themselves. I don't like Genesis of the 80s or Yes for that matter. ELP came back in the 90s and that was a disaster. Also, they resisted the temptation to reform and kudos to them for that. They were one of the greats of prog rock and their music stands the test of time.
Narada, what a divine, spiritual and intellectual guy. Deep doesn’t even begin to explain it. I look forward to his full fledged book. This was a tremendous interview. Thanks, Gregg!
Fabulous Gregg. I heard the first interview but didn’t get chance to hear the second, thanks for releasing this. It’s great to hear deeper interviews. What I always love about Tonys music is that when everyone else turns right he takes a screeching handbrake turn left which is pretty much what he says. It makes for some wonderful & spine tingling music.
Wonderful! I'm sure they were both as amused as I was if and when they realised they had both been talking about the same person in the bit about Messiaen.
1:22:03 -- Would have liked you to let Jeff expound a bit about the Maui fires. Disappointed that you seemed to have backed off. Jeff was there, his viewpoint is important. Other than that, great to hear him speak. Thanks for having him on the podcast.
Gregg--Kerry is a national treasure of England, and you are national treasure of the US (or at the very least, Jersey :-) ) outstanding interview, All the right questions, and I feel like you are a brother from another mother. Fortunately I've been lucky enough to meet Kerry twice and share my appreciation and pick his ear as well. What a nice and humble man. Your classical discussion was great, I'm familiar with about half of it, but I have to listen through again with pen and paper and hand to write down some of the interesting works you mentioned that I have to go and hear. THANK YOU, and best of luck as your forge on with your enviable, outstanding career!
At about 51 minutes he talks about the Avalon Ballroom recordings - has it ever been confirmed which line-up this was? Because I've seen it mentioned that it was 1966, so therefore pre-Jeff Cotton, but Jeff here is implying that it's 1967 and he's playing on it. Anybody know what the truth of the situation might be? Great interview, thanks!
PG Blakely was best friend for a period of time and it sure is good hearing his name again. He taught me to play drums and we had a blast together. Thank you Jeff.
Jeff wasn't involved with the Mallard project. He left Beefheart in '70. Mallard comes along in 1974 after the Magic Band left Van Vliet following the 'Unconditionally Guaranteed' album.
Great chat. Much appreciated Greg. I would have liked to have heard Jeff's views on the Maui fire. where can i find this video of him talking about the fires - he mentions at 1:00:22
Well done! Keep going! I presented the idea of doing the M.O. tunes to my band in 1978 (in Czechoslovakia). I was told that this "stuff was dead." I didn’t believe it then (so we did it)... and I sure don’t believe it now!
These interviews are nothing if not frustrating. I’ve listened to other interviews with Humphrey and no one asked him to explain why he stopped working with Zappa at a certain point after Thompson joined the group. In the first half of this interview just as he’s about to get into the subject there’s supposedly a computer glitch. And naturally when the interview resumes at a later date the subject is never revisited. All we know is that Zappa didn’t have the professional courtesy to inform Humphrey before the fact that he had hired a second drummer. I saw that particular band with both drummers shortly before I graduated high school. A year later when I caught the band again in Boston Ralph was gone. I’m still interested in knowing what happened.
Gabriel Riccio, the transcriber of the Crimson books, transcribed all the parts/instruments of 'Construction of Light' as part of his senior thesis as a music major at Swarthmore. Gabe posted it on RU-vid, Trey found it, commented on it, and a while later, he contacted Gabe about doing transcriptions of Trey's music. Thus a great partnership was born. Wonderful interview!
Kerry is in a class of his own, as are all the former members of Gentle Giant. Playing the marimba on stage was the most over the top incredible thing I have seen on their old RU-vid videos. As a kid I always admired Canadian jazz vibe player Peter Appleyard who was on CBC from time to time. The uniqueness, diversity and generally where Kerry draws his musical inspiration influence from sets him apart, perhaps he is the G.O.A.T. Ray, bless his soul, was the perfect contrasting musical fountainhead. My older brother had Giant For A Day in the early 80's. It took me until the later 80's when I moved out on my own that I alternated between buying GG records, being astonished and becoming an audiophile as a result. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Kerry.
To Steve: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lfgzyYhx54M.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FfkjygVssCc.html Your music has inspired me for 50 years!
Trey and Gregg super cool discussion always enjoy these deep dives as a bassist and guitarist oh yeah also as a mandolin fiddle player and have messed with cello but something folks should explore is the difference in the 4th vs. the 5th tuning!
