Spock's Beard

Spock 's Beard is an American progressive rock band that was founded in 1992 by brothers Neal and Alan Morse in Los Angeles. Keyboard player and singer Neal Morse was initially frontman and songwriter of the band, which he left in 2002 for the benefit of a new career section with a religious focus. From 2002 to 2011 acted drummer Nick D' Virgilio as a singer and frontman of the band. After his departure, there is the current line-up of guitarist Alan Morse, bassist Dave Meros, keyboardist Ryo Okumoto, drummer Jimmy Keegan and singer Ted Leonard.

Spock 's Beard are considered retro prog band that pursues an independent mix of styles from the progressive rock of the 1970s and American pop-rock influences. Determining musical elements are the sound of Mellotron, piano and Hammond organ, harmony vocals and fugal simultaneous singing and an agile rhythm section.

  • 2.1 Studio albums
  • 2.2 Live Albums / Compilations
  • 2.3 Singles

Band History

1992-2002

The first ten years were strongly influenced by main songwriter and singer Neal Morse. Morse, the son of a choirmaster, had tried unsuccessfully in the 80s and early 90s as a pop and country songwriters in Nashville. Together with his brother Alan, he finally met in a public jam session drummer Nick D' Virgilio on and recognized the shared musical preference for the progressive rock. Early versions of the title of the subsequent debut album, The Light existed at that time already. As a bassist Dave Meros could recruit that was active at that time in great demand as a live musician in the scene in Los Angeles. The band name comes from a joking idea of Alan Morse and refers to the starship Enterprise episode " Parallel Universe " (orig. " Mirror, Mirror " ), in which one can see Mr. Spock with a beard.

Her debut album The Light met in 1995 at critics in an extremely positive response. The style of this first album of four long songs Oriented still clearly in works like Yes ' Close to the Edge and the early works of Genesis, the band won the following publications of independence. As an additional keyboardist Ryo Okumoto was added to the band. Morse discovered the possibility of expression of D' Virgilio voice and wrote pieces with increasingly complex vocal harmonies and fugue-like vocal passages. The latter gave rise to comparisons to Gentle Giant frequently.

Until 2002 published a total of six albums, most recently the double CD Snow, which tells the story of the rise and fall of an albino with miraculous healing powers in the style of a concept album.

2002-2011

Neal Morse, who had converted to Christianity around 2000, left the band in 2002 to begin a new career section with a religious focus. He finally decided to start a solo career with Christian texts. The remaining members of the band released the album with Nick D' Virgilio Feel Euphoria as a singer in 2003. For the first time were all the band members as a songwriter in appearance, also be attacked with John Boegehold and Stan Ausmus back on additional songwriter from the friendly environment of the band. D' Virgilio took over at concerts from now on the role of the front man - took his place on the drums, however, Jimmy Keegan as a permanent member of a tour. This occupation was documented on the live album Gluttons for Punishment first time in 2005. It contains a compilation of several concerts of the tour for the eighth album Octane, the 2006 was followed by a self-titled ninth studio album. The albums Feel Euphoria, Octane and Spock 's Beard are generally characterized by a less homogeneous style as a juxtaposition of progressive rock longtracks, hard rock songs and ballads.

After separating from her longtime label InsideOut Music, the band for the financing of the so far last album X pursued a business model that has already been successfully implemented by bands like Marillion: Interested fans participated by an early pre-order in the financing of the album and later received in return, a special edition of the CD with a variety of extras. Compared to the previous three albums a return to a more unified, more pronounced progressive rock -oriented style was there stylistically determine.

In addition to the solo works of Neal Morse Nick D' Virgilio of own publications, Ryo Okumoto and Alan Morse appeared.

2011

18 November 2011 Nick D' Virgilio was due to his other commitments his exit known. Immediately thereafter, the remaining members announced a new lineup, now with tour drummer Jimmy Keegan and Enchant singer Ted Leonard as permanent members. Leonard had in 2011 already completed two festival gigs with the band, was not available for the D' Virgilio because of its lasting commitment as a drummer for the Cirque du Soleil.

Discography (selection)

Studio albums

  • The Light (1995 )
  • Beware of Darkness (1996 )
  • The Kindness of Strangers ( 1998)
  • Day for Night (1999)
  • V ( 2000)
  • Snow ( 2002)
  • Feel Euphoria (2003)
  • Octane (2005)
  • Spock 's Beard (2006)
  • X ( 2010)
  • Letter Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep ( 2013)

Live Albums / Compilations

  • The Beard Is Out There (Live CD, 1998 )
  • From the Vault ( Demos & Outtakes, 1998)
  • There & Here ( live double CD, 2001 )
  • Gluttons for Punishment ( live double CD, 2005)
  • Live ( double live CD and DVD, 2008)

Singles

  • Skin ( 1999)
  • All on a Sunday (2001)
Rock music Bass guitar Electronic keyboard The Light (Spock's Beard album) Star Trek: The Original Series Yes (Band) Genesis (Band) Snow (Spock's Beard album) Enchant (band) V (Spock's Beard album)
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