Progressive Music Bands And Their Record Albums Quiz

Answer: Mirthrandir

"For You The Old Women" was released by the progressive band Mirthrandir in 1976 on the private Mirth Music Inc. label. The band was from New Jersey. The band had six members and had twin lead guitars. They were a symphonic progressive band in the veins of Gentle Giant, Genesis, Yes, and Yezda Urfa.

The melodies were good and like a lot of progressive songs there were long instrumental passages. The LP is around 38 minutes long and consists of five songs. The most I've seen a copy sell for is $410.00. I don't know if this LP has been reissued on vinyl but Greg Walker did release it on CD on his Syn-Phonic label.

He most likely still has a website through which he sells progressive and other genre reissues.

Answer: Easter Island

This LP was released by the heavy progressive band Easter Island. The band was from Fort Knox, Kentucky and their music seems to be influenced by the bands King Crimson, Yes, and Emerson, Lake, And Palmer. There was a lot of emphasis on mini-moog and Mellotron as was typical of 1970s progressive music.

Answer: Yezda Urfa

In 1975 it was Yezda Urfa who released 300 copies of their LP titled Boris. It was a demo record released in hopes of them getting a record contract. The music is wild progressive with incredible frantic lead guitar and lots of abrupt key and time changes. The lead guitarist is not unlike Steve Howe of Yes.
The band has a sound that is a cross between Yes and Gentle Giant. The singer, Rick Rodenbaugh, sounded at times like Jon Anderson of Yes.
When the LP was released in 1975 it generated little interest. Copies were in local record stores and just never sold. As of 2015 I've seen a copy sell in the $2,500.00 range. The LP consists of five songs with the titles
"Boris And His 3 Verses, including Flow Guides Aren't My Bag", "Texas Armadillo", "3, Almost 4, 6 Yea", "Tuta In The Moya & Tyreczimmage", and "Three Tons Of Fresh Thyroid Glands". The Syn-Phonic label has reissued "Boris" on CD and the Anazitisi label has reissued "Boris" on vinyl with a bonus seven inch single "The Basis Of Dubenglazy While Dirk Does The Dance" that is non LP.

Answer: Captain Marryat

The band is Captain Marryat. They were from Scotland and in 1974 they released 200 copies of their self titled LP on the private Thor label. The LP was done as a demo in hopes of attracting a major label that would sign the band. Their music was heavy progressive rock with a heavy organ and guitar sound.
This LP is highly sought after by collectors. Copies are seldom up for sale. Expect to pay a small ransom if one does come up on eBay. I saw a copy fetch 2900 GBP which at the time came to $4,476.00 U.S.

Answer: Dark

The band is Dark. Their music has been described as progressive, prog psych, heavy prog, and fuzz with heavy guitar prog. If you haven't heard this yet try youtube.com to hear a few of their songs.
Dark's LP consisted of six songs that were written and arranged by the band. They were recorded over a weekend in 1972 at S.I.S. Recording Studios. Band member Steve Giles paid for the LP to be pressed. He was vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. According to Steve, as far as how many copies were pressed, and I quote: "All I know for sure is that there were 2 pressing runs of 30 albums each + 2 test pressings with each run meaning there were only ever 64 originals in existence."
"I know that 12 of the first run were colour gatefolds. The rest were either single sleeve or gatefold B&W - but I do not know what the ratios were. At a guess I'd say 20 were single sleeve B&W on the first run and the 2nd run were 12 B&W gatefold and 20 single sleeve B&W - but that IS ONLY a guess. It won't be far wrong though".
The bad news is the price you'll pay for an original. The last copy I saw sell went for 6766 GBP which was $10,730.00 at the time. Someone actually had the gatefold color cover only for sale without the booklet or record. The price was 560 GBP.
The good news is that there are inexpensive reissues out there. The Kissing Spell label released a CD, the Akarma label released a vinyl reissue, the Korean Si-Wan label did a CD, the Progressive Line label did a CD, the Machu Picchu label did a CD, and there is an unauthorized vinyl bootleg floating around too.

Answer: Complex

The main focus here is on the first LP which was self titled. Complex is the band that released both of these highly sought after LPs. In both instances only 99 copies were pressed which ensured that the band would not have to pay sales tax.
Regarding the first LP: The mother of band member Brian Lee managed the band. She did her job and sent out copies to radio stations. Any copies left were sold for one GBP each at the band's gigs. The LP was recorded at a local pub during the hours it was closed. Vocal overdubs were added at Brian Lee's house. There were problems surrounding this first LP. The company that made the cover made it 12 inches instead of 12 1/4. Since LPs are 12 inches the record had to be squeezed into its cover which eventually split open a seam or two. The sound quality was not good either. There was audible surface noise and the music had an overall "thin" sound. This didn't matter to collectors because the last copy I saw for sale on eBay went for 8980 GBP which at the time was $13,860.00.
Fortunately this first LP has been reissued and is very affordable. The Tenth Planet label reissued 1,000 copies of the first LP in 1998 and in 2012 Guerssen Records also reissued vinyl copies. The second LP "The Way We Feel" has also been reissued on Guerssen. Both LPs have been released on CD by the Wooden Hill label. Originals of the second LP, "The Way We Feel", also sells for a large sum of money.

Answer: Jacula

In 1972 Jacula released their "Tardo Pede In Magiam Versus" LP on the Rogers label. The band brought aboard a new singer named Doris Norton for this LP. She also played violin, flute, and synthesizer. Doris went under the pseudonym of Fiamma Dello Spirito for this LP, but quickly went back to using Doris Norton.
The music is very dark and haunting. Some may even label it creepy. For me it's the most beautiful LP I've yet to hear. The church sound of the organ really adds to the darkness and beauty of the music. The band was known for exploring the occult and performing during séances.
This LP is their second and last before changing their name to Antonius Rex. They say that 1,000 copies of "Tardo Pede In Magiam Versus" were pressed with only 200 selling. This is a really rare LP that seldom comes up for sale so I'm not sure where all of the copies are. The most I've seen an original pressing sell for is 3210 euros which at the time was equal to $3,664.00. I paid $1500.00 for mine back in 1999.
The cover of the LP shows a ghoul in a hooded robe standing at a gravesite and eating the rotting flesh from a corpse. At his feet are human skeletal remains and there are tombstones all around.
Try youtube.com if you want to hear some of the songs from the LP. They should still have Jacula on their site. The LP has been reissued and is very affordable. Black Widow Records released a vinyl 35th anniversary edition reissue in 2007, in 1992 Mellow Records released a CD and vinyl reissue, in 1990 the Rogers label released a vinyl reissue, and in 2007 a CD reissue was released on the Japanese Belle Antique label.

Answer: Analogy

In 1972 Analogy released their self titled LP on the Dischi Produzioni Ventotto label out of Italy. The band consisted of two Italians and four Germans living in Northern Italy at the time. The band also released a single under the name Joice prior to the release of their LP. The record company made an error and accidentally changed their name to Yoice so the single was released under that name.
The music is progressive with psychedelic overtones and a female vocalist named Jutta Nienhaus. Her voice sounds beautiful at times but it can also be annoying. It's a very unusual voice. Youtube.com is the best place to start if you want to hear Analogy songs.
The cover of the LP shows five band members naked in a field. There was also a vertical blue stripe printed on the front cover that said Analogy on it. The stripe was used to cover up the picture of Mauro Rattaggi who had left the band around the time of the LP's release.
There were 1,000 copies of "Analogy" released. The cover was made of very thin cardboard and was quite delicate. The back cover has a foot on it. Some copies came wrapped in a poster with that same foot on it. It folded in six parts so that the naked bodies were hidden. The picture of the foot was actually an ashtray that one of the band members owned.
Even though 1,000 copies were pressed, this LP still sells for quite a bit. The most I've seen it sell for is 6000 euros which at the time was equivalent to $6848.00. I saw a copy, with the extremely rare poster, for sale on Discogs. The asking price? a mere $18,237.17.
The good news is that this LP has been reissued several times. The Italian Akarma label did a vinyl reissue in 2000, the German Ohrwaschl Records label did a vinyl reissue in 1997, the Italian Vinyl Magic label did a CD reissue in 1990, and the Japanese Belle Antique label did a CD reissue in 2102. These are all very affordable. The CD Belle Antique reissue comes in a CD sized papersleeve album replica with an obi strip and poster. the notes are in Japanese though. It also has the Yoice (pre Analogy) 45 songs on it. The Ohrwaschl Records vinyl reissue comes with the poster but does not have the Yoice songs on it.

Answer: Leaf Hound

Leaf Hound is the band that released the "Growers Of Mushroom" LP out of the UK on the Decca label from 1971. In 1970, Leafhound released the same LP in Germany on the Telefunken label but it was self titled and missing two songs. These songs were "Freelance Fiend" & "Growers Of Mushroom" which are both songs that are a must to hear.

The German release did include a poster which the UK release did not. The cover of the UK release is completely different than the German release. There are reissues galore on CD and LP.

They're inexpensive and relatively easy to find. Most have bonus tracks. The German pressing has been reissued as well as the UK pressing. Try youtube.com to hear Leaf Hound songs. I've found them there in the past.

Answer: Capitolo 6

In 1972 the band Capitolo 6 released their "Frutti Per Kagua" LP on the Italian It label. It was a subsidiary of RCA. This is a very rare LP that I've seen sell for 6116 euros in the past which at that time was the equivalent of $6,980.00. It is a concept LP based on tales of American Indians.
Italian bands released some of the finest progressive music in existence circa 1972 - 1973. Much is quite rare and originals can cost quite a bit of money.
"Frutti Per Kagua" has only four songs on the LP which are: A) "Frutti Per Kagua", which is a sidelong cut at 22:00, B1) "Grande Spirito" 3:35, B2) "Il Tramonto Di Un Popolo" 6:00, and B3) "L'Ultima Notte" 11:28.
I've not yet heard this LP but I have read that it's a real loud guitar monster with a driving rhythm section and flutes along the lines of Jethro Tull.
This LP has been reissued on vinyl and CD. These reissues are not expensive and beat forking out the cost of an original. The band Capitolo 6 is from Rome.