Life’s Soundtrack – A Good Run with Prog Rockers Spock’s Beard!

So last night I came home last night and wasn’t sure whether I was going to run. I expressed that sentiment to my wife who reminded me that I feel better when I run! So that was the nudge that I needed to get me on the road. When I started my legs felt really good, and for the first time in a long time I didn’t feel like turning around and going home within the first half-mile! I hit the first mile mark in about 9:45 and the held on to average 10:02 per mile for the rest of the run! While my heart rate is still above where I’d like it throughout the run the good thing is that it’s almost under 100 within 5 minutes after the run! Now I just have to work on getting two more days per week in consistently! The soundtrack for the run was last year’s live album from Spock’s Beard, The X Tour Live. Now I have stayed away from Spock’s Beard because it’s one of my sons favorite bands. I know that should make me want to listen to the band, but somehow it has the opposite effect on me – now it may just be that I enjoy being contrary or that I’m afraid I won’t like them! Anyway the fear of not liking them has been removed! I thoroughly enjoyed the album. Now over this may not be the band that Andrew loves, because the band has had many personnel changes over the last ten years. The biggest being the departure of founding member Neal Morse. Morse founded the band in 1992 along with his brother Alan. left the band in 2002 to focus on his solo career. Therefore, the album “Feel Euphoria” released in 2003 was a new beginning. The band released Octane in 2005 and a self-titled release in 2006. They released the album X in 2010. The album that I listened to was The X Tour Live. Jimmy KEEGAN provided some additional vocals on that release and later followed the band on the promotional tour for the new material. After the release of  X Nick D’VIRGILIO left the band to concentrate on his solo career. The line-up for the X Tour Live was: Nick D’Virgilio / vocals, drums, guitar Dave Meros / bass Alan Morse / guitar Ryo Okumoto / keyboards Jimmy Keegan/ tour drums The line-up for their latest 2013 release Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep is: ( I listened to parts of that album today) Alan Morse / Guitar & Vocals Dave Meros / Bass, Bass Pedals, Keyboards & Vocals Ryo Okumoto / Keyboards & Vocals Ted Leonard / Lead Vocals & Guitar Jimmy Keegan / Drums & Vocals Anyway, the run only got me through the first five songs on the album. The two tracks that really stood out for me were “From the Darkness” and “The Man Behind the Curtain” I’m listening to the album now and the track “On a Perfect Day” is on and it sounds great! Overall, the album has a 3.55 rating at the ProgArchives and is labeled as an excellent addition to any Prog Rock collection and the novice says: I agree. Now Andrew, you have to tell me what earlier albums to listen to, when Neal Morse lead the band! Here is a performance of the aforementioned “On a Perfect Day”

P.S. Ryo is amazing! Andrew, have I seen this video, do you have the DVD? – it seems very familiar!