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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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The Making of Snow Artist: Spock’s Beard Label: Radiant Records Length: 250 Minutes Start here folks: Go buy Spock’s Beard two CD progressive rock opera Snow. NOW. If you enjoy progressive rock, classic rock, great pop rock, and concept CDs run to buy the CD, then thank me later. You WILL thank me, I promise. On September 8, 2001 progressive rock group Spock’s Beard (Neal Morse, Alan Morse, Ryo Okumoto, Dave Meros, and Nick D’Virgilio) got together to begin work on the bands sixth CD. On September 9, 2001, D'Virgilio got sick, and work on the CD halted. And then September 11, 2001 happened. Our world changed forever, The Making of Snow does double duty as a fascinating document into the pre- and post-9/11 world, as well amazing documentary of the making of a classic rock CD. Due to the tragic events of September 11, Spock’s Beard leader Neal Morse could not get a flight, so he rented a car and drove home to Tennessee. With video camera in hand and a keyboard borrowed from his father, Neal documented his journey as he drove through the desert admiring God’s creation and composed lyrics and music for the project that would become Snow. On the trip Morse discusses a Bob Dylan song that inspired lyrics for Snow, and you can hear timely sound bites on the radio as 9/11 is discussed. As he drives, Morse comments about the surreal feeling after the tragedy (and the subsequent road trip it brought about for him). Along the way the viewer is treated to Mr. Morse’s initial ideas for soon-to-be-born concept CD and is treated to lyrics and musical ideas that are destined for the project (and some that don’t make the cut). Side note to Neal Morse: Surely driving while videotaping and composing a prog-rock classic is kinda’ dangerous and taking the concept of “multi-tasking WAY too far!” The band reunited later in 2001 and the concept CD about the albino priest with the psychic mind Snow is born. Full of drama, passion, and compelling worship songs (!?!), Snow hit me like a bolt from above. Snow is responsible for re igniting my passion for music, and inspiring me to start a new radio show (now web station-http://www.soulfrequency.com) featuring a tasty prog-rock center. The DVD is chock full of studio fun and antics, and the viewer gets to take a first-person perspective of the creation of Snow. The band gets together in the studio and bangs out the remaining music and lyrics, and The Making of Snow documents this process admirably. It is not often that a fan can see their favorite bands CD go from idea to finished project. The Making of Snow provides a great opportunity to do just that. Much of the video is shot with home video cameras, but the quality is good and the “down-home” video quality only serves to make the viewer feel as if they were there during the production of the CD. As Snow was released, Neal Morse felt God’s leading to leave the band Spock’s Beard to strike out on his own. Read reviews of his solo CDs here: http://www.tollbooth.org/2003/reviews/morse.html
The CD also features two acoustic performances that serve as the only time the band performed songs from Snow before Morse left the band. Also, read Dan Singleton’s
Snow review here:
DJ Barry 1/27/2005
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