Posted in: Rock by Stephen J. Ardent on October 7th, 2009 | 16 Comments
A retrospective of one of my favorite musical groups, The Alan Parsons Project.
The Alan Parsons Project, a progressive rock group of the 70s and 80s, consisted mainly of two individuals, Eric Woolfson, and Alan Parsons, and a varying company of musicians. Parsons was an engineer who’s resume included working for the Beatles and Pink Floyd, while Woolfson, a lawyer by trade, was a composer and pianist.
The two came together when Parsons hired Woolfson to manage his musical engineering and production career in 1975. They quickly learned that they shared a pet peeve when it came to music – that of the music and the production revolving around and being about the artist, rather than the music. Eric had already been working for some time on pieces based on the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, the two worked together to bring the project to fruition and The Alan Parsons Project was born.
Here is an excerpt from their first album Tales of Mystery & Imagination. The lead vocals were performed by Leonard Whiting, and Alan Parsons using a vocoder, the first digitization of voice in a rock song.
A deluxe edition was released in 1987 which included the 1976 release along with a re-working of the album done by Parsons, eight new tracks, and inclusion of a performance by Orson Welles.
The two signed with Arista records and grew in popularity. They released their second album in 1977, I Robot. I Robot was supposed to be based on stories by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov, but the rights had already been committed elsewhere. Instead, the Project pressed forward under the concept of the rise of the machines, a continuing of the acts of creation found in Genesis.
Here is an excerpt from their second album I Robot.
Lead vocals by Lenny Zakatek, Allan Clarke, Dave Townsend, Steve Harley, and Jack Harris. A re-mastered edition was released in 2007 with five extra tracks.
Pyramid power was all the rage in 1978, alongside Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon (Alan was the engineer), so this became the concept for their next album, iconically titled Pyramid. Lead singers include Dean Ford, Jack Harris, and David Paton.
Here is an excerpt from the Project’s third album Pyramid.
Pyramid was remastered in 2008 and included seven new tracks.
athena goodlight October 7th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Wow! These guys are really geniuses ahead of their time. Very well researched and good presentation of samples. Amazing creations!
cutedrishti8 October 7th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
really great…
Karen Gross October 7th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I wrote a long rambling comment here that vanished into cyberspace. Must be a reminder to me to stop writing comments that are longer than the articles.
I didn’t really follow the band Alan Parsons Project nearly as much as you apparently did – I just remember their hits that got radio play, like Eye in the Sky. I really liked the way the voice was blended in like one of the instruments.
Bands that focused around the production phase and didn’t have a consistent lead singer as a front man to be the public persona of the band didn’t tour much. It was all about making albums, so I don’t think they would survive these days.
Do you remember the album that Jon Anderson from Yes put together with Vangelis, who did Chariots of Fire? That was another great studio collaboration.
Payge October 7th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
grew up with this band,hasnt heard their music in several years.A great article and a reminder of my childhood.
Stephen J. Ardent October 7th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Which one Karen? Together they did Friends of Mr. Cairo, Short Stories, Private Collection, Page of Life, Chronicles?
The Reporter October 7th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Ha, you just reminded me of Austin Powers, when Doctor Evil called his plan: “The Alan Parsons Project.”
I don’t know about the band, but you helped me understand the joke.
Great work!
speckledlily October 7th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Hey, I like Alan Parsons Project very much especially their song Eye in the Sky.
Butterfly Musings October 8th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Very Cool, I have never seen the “Raven” video, thanks for sharing
Lucas Dié October 8th, 2009 at 2:04 am
great walk along the time line!
strovek October 8th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Loved their music
jonathanguberek October 8th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
really really good congratz!!
Ruby Hawk October 8th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Amazing, I had never heard of hem.
Bill Warren October 11th, 2009 at 12:12 am
Cassettes include: Stereotomy, Vulture Culture, Eye in the Sky, Turn of a Friendly Card, I think if I remember (Try Anything Once) it had the band looking up.
CD’s I Robot, Turn of a Friendly Card and Alan Parsons Live 1995.
Favorite Song period Games people Play. Other songs enjoyed are Eye in the Sky, Sirius, Take the Money & Run, Standing on Higher Ground, Wouldn’t want to Be Like You, and a few others.
Enjoyed your History Lesson, Thank You.
Videomark October 14th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
I liked their video for “Don’t Answer Me”. (”Get Em Nick…”)
Hazel Crowther October 27th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Thankyou for all this information, I’m very fond of Eye in the Sky.
PeterW December 4th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
RIP Eric Woolfson
Goodbye my love, Maybe for forever
Goodbye my love, The tide waits for me
Who knows when we shall meet again
If ever
But time
Keeps flowing like a river (on and on)
To the sea, to the sea
Till it’s gone forever