BOC,BRAIN: Sound (what Carl and John said)

[An incredibly dismal, pathetic chord sequence]

>and perhaps part of it is that BOC didn't start out as a "heavy metal"
>group -- SWU was more like the Grateful Dead and the Doors, and SFG
>was sort of a bit like the Byrds.
Very true. They were a very stringy sound (at least on the tape of the SFG
recordings I have) with a scad of neat guitar interweaving, which is most
present on those first 3.

  Listen to the mix of tunes on the
>first BOC album even -- Last Days of May is more jazzy than rock;
>Redeemed is more country, and She's as Beautiful as a Foot is just
>weird (but I like it).
Don't forget that great jazz middle of Before the Kiss, a Redcap.

> Tyrannay and Treaties were a bit more focussed
I think that one tended to be metal jazz(citing 7Screaming and baby Ice dog
and Teen archer) which does seem to be where BOC is most comofrtable in
performing in the early stages...I wonder if all the indecipherable, happy
sounding band chit chat during some of the songs (particularly Hot Rails to
Hell) is evidence that they were having as much fun as we have listening to
it.

> And as far as whether Sandy had some sort
>of brilliant reason for anything, I'm starting to think more and more
>that maybe Sandy's positive contributions were more luck than genius.
>Either that, or his creative well dried up.

I agree. the posting about the musical box addition to Flaming Telepaths
goes to show that side of the point nicely.  Maybe productionwise his
creative spring was dead. Lyrically though he tended to still be able to
knock out some neat zingers from time to time.

>
>>     Conversely, I'm not sure IMO the band ever got their production quite
>were [they] like it.
at least that amendment to the above is what I think and i think the change
in sound from the 3 eras of their "classic" work proves it( 1st
3->aof/S->mirrors to FoUO). I think we can thank Al for the production on
Imaginos considering his rather extensive and input and early on control of
the project.

Either way, Box of Hammers ought to blast our rafters when it arrives in
our CD players. (as if I don't play BOC/BS related recordings enough as it
is)  woohoo! :)

Saying goodbye to any semblance of a musical spending budget,
Jason

(if you want to hear a very very thin live show, pick up Yes'  new 2 CD set.
It's not bad, but it lacks the freshness of a concert)