Kerry Livgren does it again! He wrote this one in his head (can’t read or write musical notation) as he flew across the country to record Kansas’ 2nd album (Song for America) in LA. What a musical genius!!! He still is.
I always considered them one of the classic prog bands with Rush, Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant, ELP, King Crimson, Camel, etc. Leftoverture and Point of Know Return are some of the best prog rock albums out there. Please react to Magnum Opus by Kansas. You won’t regret it.
-----challenging music that Kerry composed does not get enough for his creativity... I really can't see any other drummer with his particular skill set, who is that interwoven with his band mates. Ok ok Neal Peart
OMG Dean, thought you would have known more of Kansas. My favorite band since 74. The 3 minute intro for Song for America (a 10 minute classic) is a song on its own. You need hear from their first album: Journey from Mariabronn and played together Apercu/Death of Mother Nature Suite. These songs hold up well today as classic Kansas. IMO Kerry Livgren is a songwriting genius. Thank you. Renaissance is spectacular. Try their live BBC TV broadcast from 1977 (Sight & Sound). You will not be disappointed. It's the classic lineup with vocalist barefoot Annie at her best.
Kansas continues to be the best band live that I've seen. Bryan May and Freddie Mercury said the same thing when they toured with them. I'm amazed how they can play this intricate music. My favorite song is still Lamplight Symphony: definitely prog. The River Song from the new album is great. Check out City Boy (Interrupted Melody or Day the Earth Caught Fire). They were an underrated band with some Prog. Mike Slamer is a great guitarist.
100% agree with all you comments, especially regarding City Boy! Huge fan, have everything they released on all media. Mike Slamer went in to play with Steve Walsh in Streets where they produced two fabulous albums, especially their second, ‘Crimes In Mind’. A classic! I’m probably the biggest ‘Wheathead’ in the U.K.! Kansas are top five for me and my second favourite band after…… yes you guessed it…Queen!!! I‘m of course fully aware of when Queen toured being supported by Kansas. Brian heard their soundcheck, and couldn’t believe it when he thought they were playing one of their albums! One of his favourite bands to this day and very good friends with them all.
"Hello, and welcome to Kansas!" These guys are the progenitors of Prairie Prog and the new album "The Absence of Presence" does the home town proud! You are about to become a Wheathead!
I had a similar reaction one day 6 or 7 years ago. Everyone knows Carry On Wayward Son and Dust in the Wind, and then "Oh crap, Kansas is actually a prog band?!" Yeah. Turns out they're very much a prog band, and a good one at that.
They are unique, and should be considered to be one of the pioneers. Kerry Livgrin is a genius, just like Fripp or Tony Banks.Beautiful flowing melodies with majestic peaks. Awesome musucianship. Phil Ehart in particiiular should be noted. A grossly uunderrated drummer.
If you dig the prog side of Kansas, give a listen to "The Pinnacle" on their album Masque. A forgotten masterpiece. I haven't seen any of the prog reactions tackle it yet. Anyways thanks for the great video as always.
"Mysteries and Mayhem "into" The Pinnacle" was originally written as one composition but due to pressure from the Record Label were split into 2 pieces because it was felt to be too long. The band was under alot of pressure at the time to write pieces (hits) to be short enough to get air time on the radio. Kansas roots are definitely in the progressive rock genre where I once heard them to be to be compared to that of being the "Aaron Copeland" of Prog to which I agree. White Clover was the original band that eventually evolved into Kansas: Progressive Rock from the heartland! A deep dive into their earlier works is much worth a listen!
Phil, the drummer, is not only the chief engine in the music, he's been the main engine in promoting the band. He's the guy that would meet with record execs and drop off the demos. Anyway, after one of the precursor bands called it, Phil went over to England for a time to be a prog drummer.
Many prog fans think that if you can sing along with it and it has hooks, that it cannot be prog. Their music was not Gentle Giant, Tales From Topographic Oceans or Relayer, but much of their first 5 albums was definitely progressive rock. Kansas was definitely progressive rock.
Welcome to Kansas! Here are some other cuts I think you’d like that I don’t think have been mentioned yet: Curtain Of Iron, Apercu, Miracles Out Of Nowhere, and Angels Have Fallen. They’re still putting out great music!
The breakthrough album for Kansas was, of course, Leftoverture and the follow-up, Point of Know Return was a huge hit, as well. I followed them from the start as a native Kansan as they were a source of pride. Song for America tends to be overlooked and it is a superb album! In particular, Lamplight Symphony is both melodically and lyrically pure unadulterated prog magic!
The breakthrough album for Kansas was Masque. It was always very obvious to me that Kansas was prog. One of the pioneers of prog in fact. I don't get the confusion.
Veteran by attending 1008 concerts since 1973 here. Seen and heard every genre of music in a live setting. Eventhough "Progressive Rock" is not my favorite of genres, what surprises me is the fact that my top 7 shows out of the 1008, are in that genre. 1. Pink Floyd, "In the Flesh" tour (Promoting Animals) 2. Yes, "Relayer" or "Going For the One" tour. Both deserve a spot. 3. Kansas, "Left Overture" tour. 4. Rush, "2112" tour. 5. Jethro Tull, "Minstrel in the Gallery" tour. 6. Genesis, "Trick of the Tail" tour. 7. King Crimson, "Starless and Bible Black" tour. This has always proved too me where the real, truly talented musicians called "home".
That is quite the list… I have see all those bands, but not that optimum timeline. I started attending in 1978 and beyond. The Two for the Show tour by Kansas just after Point of Know Return was fantastic… I think it was their height of performance
Another suggestion off the 4th album LEFTOVERTURE is the last track - .Magnum Opus. A very strange,but fascinating song. All 6 members contributed to the song.
My favorite Kansas composition. I'm a bass player, so the bass in this sold it for me the first time I heard it when the album came out. I like other Kansas songs too, but this is the King for me.
Kansas were my first favorite band. I'm 31. I got into them through my dad, who will be 60 in August. They were my first prog band. My didn't know the word prog. He called it "symphonic" or "classical" rock. Got teased a lot for digging this stuff. Now it's everywhere. Check out Argentine band Invisible.
Dean. So glad that you appreciate Kansas too. Another 2 masterpieces from Kansas are both from the album Song for America. 1) is Lamplight Symphony and 2) ia Incomudro: Hymn to the Atman. I could fill your Sundays for the next several months with great Kansas prog! Merry Christmas!!
Wow I never heard this before, the bass for me really stuck out, very punchy, a treat to listen too! Thanks for sharing, never would've found it probably.
The great thing about Kansas that lifts them above all other bands is that no one in the group “hogs” the music - long solos, etc. Kerry always wrote prog songs with all the band members in mind. And all 6 of them were amazing musicians. Kerry wrote this song (in his head; he doesn’t read or write musical notation) while flying across the country. Then when they arrived in the studio, he taught his incredible band mates their parts.
Kansas are the epitome of progressive rock. It is easy to hear the Yes and Genesis influences. Hell, they incorporatea violin into their music!! 😁 Their lyrics are so deep and spiritually driven. The music is really complex, so complex that not everyone can get into it.
I wouldn't say they're "the epitome of progressive rock". Kansas has Boogie/Country swing incorporated to their prog music, alot of their songs can seem as much rock n roll/classic rock as they are prog so people often not even put them in the prog category. They're still prog tho, just a unique "American" mix of prog.
I usually think this is their greatest song, and one of the very few not bettered live (because they leave out a section). (Not to hear Kansas live is to miss Kansas.) Incomudro Hymn to the Atman is my personal favorite, but the drums and bass (as always) are so delicious. Thank you Phil and Dave.
Love your channel by the way, at least you're honest! I don't call Kansas progressive, I call them Kansas which can never be compared to any other band. There is NO comparison. When it comes to Steve Walsh there is no comparison vocal wise not their lyrics. Every song tells a story.
My older brothers were always playing Kansas when I was a preteen, some if the first progressive rock I ever heard. If you get the chance to hear more from this band, The Pinnacle was one of my favorites from them.
I've been into them since the early seventies and over the course of time have somehow managed to see them three times even though I'm in a part of the country that very seldom gets these sorts of bands. They're excellent live. They toured once with Yes during the Masterworks tour so I was able to see the two together in Denver. Kansas put some major pressure on Yes to perform well. T,V,C POINT OF KNOW RETURN C FREAKS OF NATURE C LIVE AT THE WHISKEY V,C POWER C IN THE SPIRIT OF THINGS C TWO FOR THE SHOW (and the expanded re-release) V,C AUDIO-VISIONS C MONOLITH V,C LEFTOVERTURE V,C SELF TITLED V,C SONG FOR AMERICA V,C DRASTIC MEASURES C BOXED SET (TWO DISCS) C ALWAYS NEVER THE SAME C KING BICUIT FLOWER HOUR LIVE C THE BEST OF KANSAS C DUST IN THE WIND (SAME AS LIVE AT THE WHISKEY) V,C MASQUE C SOMEWHERE TO ELSEWHERE C WORKS IN PROGRESS C/DVD MiRACLES OUT OF NOWHERE (CD & DVD SET) V/C VINYL CONFESSIONS C THE PRELUDE IMPLICIT C LEFTOVERTURE LIVE AND BEYOND C/DVD THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION C THE ABSENCE OF PRESENCE C POINT OF KNOW RETURN LIVE AND BEYOND This is what I have to date and doesn't include related group and solo albums I have. Kansas only.
I agree with those below suggesting Journey From Mariabronn, a brilliant song but I would also add Magnum Opus.....another Kansas prog classic. There's so many more.
My brother, who is eight years older than me, introduced me to progressive rock by 'forcing' me to listen to, among others, Rush and Kansas. Rush became one of my all time favorites, but Kansas also has a special place in my heart (though I don't listen to them as much nowadays)... ...and now that I know Pain of Salvation is coming up some time in the future, I'll have to ask if you have Agent Fresco on your list? Icelandic band that is sort of similar to Leprous (they've also toured together). Art rock/metal with a lot of progressive elements. I'd start with the song "Dark Water" from their album "Destrier".
Agent Fresco would be awesome! Very in vein with Leprous yes. Another marvellous band that toured with Leprous is Bent Knee. But that's all contemporary bands...
You might want to watch Rick Beato’s Episode 80 - What Makes this Song Great, in which he analyzes and explains what makes Carry on Wayward Son so wonderful, although you would probably classify the song as pop, this Beato review might just change your mind.
That was SO much fun to watch. Rick is such a kid-in-the-candy-shop enthusiast about music and he was obviously having the time of his life digging into the song.
If you don't know it....listen to Captain Beyond's debut self titled record. They were a super group of Deep Purple's first vocalist and Iron Butterfly members. Absolute seminal album of progressive hard rock/early metal. Lucifer's Friend is also an overlooked proto prog metal gem. The song "Thus Spoke Oberon"...or the album "Where the Groupies Killed the Blues".
Right on! If you check that self titled album...there are longer songs separated by tracks (tracks 1-3, 6-8, 9-13 are the 3 long songs on the album). Full album listen may be the only way.
I've been a an ultimate fan of Kansas for my whole life. It seems most people growing up really only new the popular songs, 'dust in the wind' 'carryon...' , etc. Though I loved their music, I thought the lyrics of their songs were even more powerful..... I wish the people who do the "react" of their songs would spend time on the lyrics,which I thought are very profound. I wish one would react to the song on the Masque album ' All the World' with special emphasis on the lyrics of the song...
I'm a prog guy too . Check out Spock's beard, and the flower kings. There is u tube video of them doing a live video 33 minute opus. No charts..all memorized amazing...outstandibg
Incomudro Hymn to the Atman 1975 by KANSAS is an absolute masterpiece of a song from the same album give it a listen it's got so much musical talent written on it.
Kerry Livgren is the most talented composer, orchestrator, lyricist, and multi-instrumentalist (lead guitar, piano, synth, theramin, etc.) in prog. Never took music lessons, can't read or write musical notation. Just heard these incredible songs in his head & teaches the parts to the other 5 incredible musicians. Kerry grew up listening to romantic area classical era music from childhood. When he left Kansas he started solo work, which he still does. I recommend his 1st solo album "Seeds of Change" which was remastered & rereleased as "Decade 1" which has Ronnie James Dio singing on 2 songs (the best is "The Mask of the Great Deceiver"). Kerry also started a band in the 80s called AD, of which my favorite album is "Art of the State" & favorite song "The Fury." Kerry's last group was more proggy again: Proto-Kaw. My favorites are their middle 2 albums: "Before Became After" & "The Wait of Glory." Kerry is musical genius, and that's the reason he's known as "The Maestro."
Glad he lived one for our benefit. He wrote this song in his head (as always) while flying across America & taught the parts to his bandmates after they landed. I LOVE this album.
Livgren also penned everything on Kansas' 2000 Somewhere to Elesewhere, which reunited the original six members for one last hurrah. The next two albums, The Prelude Implicit and The Absence of Presence, have really showcased the writing chops of current keyboardist Tom Brislin, and are pretty prog-heavy. Oh, and if you ever get a chance, be sure to see them live. 50 years in and they are still about the tightest live act in American rock.
Love Kansas! Have you checked out Argent? I like their song Highwire off of Circus. Definitely a prog rock highlight! As far as Kansas, their later work doesn't often get as much love. I'd recommend Iron Curtain or No One Together off of Audiovisions.
Hi Dean, Like you, many aren't aware of the early prog. Kansas.I really would like to get your opinion on thier more "symphonic" side. Please give Lamplight Symphony a listen. You will be amazed at how 6 guys can sound like a full symphony orchestra!
Hello from Liverpool UK..I'm really digging your channel. I think Kansas were definitely prog rock .. this is a very wide genre... maybe not like some of the full on prog bands like Van Der Graff Generator..King Crimson etc but they are a superb band. Some of my favourite prog albums from the 70's to check out.. Genesis...Trespass, Foxtrot, Nursery Cryme. Khan....Space Shanty. King Crimson .....Red. Hatfield and the North......self titled album. Renaissance.....Turn of a Card Caravan....... For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night PFM........Photos of Ghosts. It will be great if you can get over to see the Beatles Museum. Looking forward to your next offering. Take care and stay safe. Peace👍✌️🤘☮️
If you know KANSAS only for their "radio hits" "Carry on Wayward Son", "Dust in the Wind", "Hold On", Point of Know Return", you really don't know KANSAS 😁 Like what you are doing here.
Journey From Mariabronn Apercu/ Death of Mother Nature Suite( two songs meant to be one) Belexes Song For America Lamplight Symphony The Devil Game Immcommudro-Hymn to the Atman Icarus-Borne On Wings of Steel All The World Child of Innocence Mysteries and Mayhem/ The Pinnacle (two songs meant to be one) The Wall Miracles Out Of Nowhere Opus Insert Cheyenne Anthem Magnum Opus Point Of Know Return Paradox The Spider Portrait( He Knew) Closet Chronicles Lightning's Hand Hopelessly Human On The Other Side Angels Have Fallen A Glimpse of Home Away From You Reason to Be Curtain Of Iron No One Together Back Door All prog songs , all excellent....and even their big hits, Carry On Wayward Son and Dust In the Wind, can be considered prog. The albums "Vinyl Confessions" and " Somewhere To Elsewhere "( Somewhere To Elsewhere a reunion of the original band members) also have many prog cuts....as do the two latest albums( with the new, revamped lineup).... " The Prelude Implicit ", " The Absence of Prescence " Saying that Kansas isn't a prog band shows someone who has only heard "Carry On" and " Dust" without bothering to explore further( and a few snobby prog fans who claim that only Brits/certain bands can do prog). And, they feature a violin...if that isn't prog, nothing is...
For me, Kansas's prog period sounded much more like the Italian progressive scene, like PFM and Le Orme than the British acts. Also, today was the day I learned you live in a cabin out in the woods. What a gorgeous backdrop.
Many of your songs don’t seem too proggy to me, but Kansas is prog from the word “go.” Your Sunday 70s show should showcase Kansas’ “Two for the Show.” A live double album with no overdubs or other electronic “fixes.” It comes directly off the sound truck just as it was recorded. They are an amazing live band!!! You should buy all their albums from Kansas to AudioVisions. All contain Kerry Livgren masterpieces.
Some may think of Kansas with their 80's radio formated songs ( in which however you also can find more than prog hints ) like some think of Genesis or Yes. Their releases from the 70's are full of prog rock gems, even shorter songs like 4:20 Belexes ! Their whole albums catalog is really a journey into prog with some english prog style hints but with a strong american culture accent which makes this group so unique. As I already said in another channel, Kerry Livgren is one of the best prog songwriter ever. Here in France (yep nobody's perfect lol) we have the same paradox (title of a 3:50 short Kansas prog song btw) with the band Ange who made a handful of prog rock treasures
Let me start by saying Kansas is my favorite band ..so there's a lot of content from them you should be checking out.. Another favorite of mine is Uriah heap.. They have at least 25 albums to choose from and have been around since 1969..👍 You should also check out super group.. Flying Colors.. Which features Neil Morse🎸🎹, Steve Morse🎸..Not related.. Dave larue on bass🎸 And Mike Portnoy on drums🥁👍 Or even just the Neal Morse band.. which also features Portnoy on drums🥁 You should enjoy all of these🤗
@@deanwolfechannel Uriah heap is my 2nd favorite band... Started listening in the early seventies when I was a kid.. Check out demons and wizards album and Magician's birthday..👍🎶🎙🎸🎹🥁🎵
Blue Öyster Cult is a little difficult to label, I would probably call their style psychedelic, but they can be pretty progressive too. My favourite song is the Veteran of the Psychic Wars (1981). Always check out a live version if you can and B&W period is otherwise perhaps the most interesting. BÖC is fantastic live. Buck Dharma (Donald Roeser) is a hidden gem guitar player.
Kansas is prog, but the thing is that it was the 70's. It was kind of the style of all album oriented rock back then. Unless you were Sabbath, Foghat, Pat Travers, Bad Company or Trower, most bands kinda had that conceptual vibe going on.
You have to check out Ambrosia's first couple albums. They actually started out prog. Alan Parson's worked on those albums! Check out "Mama Frog" or "Drink of Water".
I wonder?. have you noticed the figures in your video?..you looked back to your left twice as if something drawed you there... look at the tree's behind you and see the wise old man.. and then start looking real hard at the monitor's that suround us everyday... they are watching our every move..
Why will no one dare to do reaction videos on the mighty King Crimson . Yeah , I would love someone play Fracture . But I guess you have to be a musician to do King Crimson.
Please react to Genesis, "The Musical Box". When they wrote their early songs none of them had girlfriends so they wrote a lot about mythology and fantasy along with the quirky but truthful song Return of the Giant Hogweed.
Wow I had no idea. Definitely heard some Genesis in there, sounds like they borrowed or were inspired by the changes from Firth of Fifth. There's too much great King Crimson to recommend anything in particular. People seem to like the album Red quite a bit. If you've heard that already I would say Larks' Tongues in Aspic part 2.
@@ba_charles I took that to mean he didn’t know the guitar parts from KC well but perhaps I was wrong. He has spoken about KC in the past so this is surprising to me
I know some 80s kc well: 3 of a perfect pair, and discipline, blue. Other than that....lots to explore still. I only know one song from red, and I found an oldie on 8 track which l will be checking out too
You spoke in another video of classical music having greatly influenced much of Kansas’s music. That’s because Kerry Livgren, who wrote, orchestrated, and wrote lyrics to Kansas’s progressive songs never took music lessons & can’t read or write musical notation. BUT he has memories all the way back to his crib listening to the great romantic era classical composers. And as he grew a bit, his aunt would tell him the life stories of those classical composers.
What did you think they were? I always thought they were southern rock but most of their good stuff is absolutely progressive rock. Leftoverture, for example.
@@deanwolfechannel I was hoping you would ask. I guess the place I would suggest were I began . Opening track of V (or Roman numeral 5)at the end of the day. It’s there fifth Album ( obviously ) and the first 4 albums are wonderful. This is just were I discovered them and so had the most impact on myself initially. They are heavily inspired by the Beatles and genesis and it shows a lot of times yet they definitely have there own style. You might be familiar with the singer / writer as he is in three other bands Transatlantic, Neil mores band ( with Mike Portnoy( former Dream Theater drummer) and flying colors ( also with Portnoy). Also I hope wasn’t sounding to demanding I’m just anxious for your review as I’m sure you will like them Thanks ( love your view from the porch on the Kansas video
