Where is the love for KANSAS?

Pre-Kansas (A.K.A. "Kansas II")' "Proto-Kaw"

"Point Of Know Return" is still cool though.

ihttp://www.mugshots.com/IMAGES/Mugshot__THOMAS-RICHARD-GONZALEZ.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB17uWuBrL0

My thought process during that video:

Dude has some serious hair... man, I wish I could've seen this band back in their heyday... bongo solo!

I can seriously listen to "Carry-On, Wayward Son" any time, anywhere, any mood I'm in, and it will instantly bring a smile to my face.

I like Kansas. Or at least I like their epics and their most proggy/melodic moments.
Sort of like a missing link between Yes and Boston. I love them when they sounded like Yes.

I don't know if I could ever call this band "great," but they had some unparalleled singles.

Christ they sucked so hard

"Carry on Wayward Son" is the music I'll be forcefed in hell

yeah I can't get on board with these dudes at all, and I love me some hairy 70's classic arena rock.

It took me a few minutes to figure out that the reason Yeti guy was playing air guitar was that there's no violin on that song. The blond guitar player looks kind of like Tommy Shaw.

I enjoy "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Point of Know Return."

Point of Know Return is a good album. "Lightning's Hand" yo.

thank you Matos for speaking truth to power, Christ these guys are awful

also, hair dude is wearing a Kansas Leftoverture t-shirt, huge party foul

actually that's a foul whether you're in Kansas or not

Given that IIRC you like a lot of 70s stadium rock, J0hn, I'm a little curious what you find repulsive about "Carry On Wayward Son."

>>I wish I could've seen this band back in their heyday... bongo solo!

A number of them were fond of farmer bib overalls, as favored by Walter Brennan from The Real McCoys. Their first album sounded heavily influenced by Uriah Heep, something that fairly obvious live when they did a song called "Belexes."

I bought a book by Kerri Lingren (or whatever the hell one of those Kansassians were called) for one dollar American. It was about how he went all Jesus freak and music was this spiritual ladder to the Lord or some such poop. Just in case you needed another reason to loathe this band.

One of the guys in the band has an eye patch now. That's pretty metal. My friend sent me an absolutely hilarious band photo from like 2000, I'm going to go see if I can find it and shrink it down for your edification.

"Point of Know Return" was the first song I was ever really obsessed with. I used to play "Song for America" a lot, too. I can understand thinking of Kansas as childish but I can't see really hating them, unless you also hate Styx. Which maybe you do!

Yeah kinda.

yeah totally

I spent Thanksgiving in Minneapolis with my family and had a great time, but being back in the Midwest reminded me yet again why I hate so much of this kind of stuff. You cannot get away from it no matter where you are. It feels oppressive. Some of it I know I dislike more than is necessary. (But not Kansas, the totally blow.)

". . . they totally blow"

He's been wearing the eyepatch a long long time.

The violin kinda gave 'em an occasional sub-Mahavishnu vibe, occasionally anyways. When nobody was singing. I like the debut and Point of Know Return (awful title), but I've got a higher tolerance than most.

(I guess they did kinda blow.)(But I still refuse to renounce Styx!)

Given that IIRC you like a lot of 70s stadium rock, J0hn, I'm a little curious what you find repulsive about "Carry On Wayward Son."

Depends on what you mean by "stadium" - I like Heart and all pre-Night in the Ruts Aerosmith, but I think they were both good/great rock bands. Songs nice 'n' tight even whent they stretched out a little. "Carry On" is just profoundly confused as a composition - the various parts sound like exactly what I dislike about a lot of metal- and math-core: "ok I have another riff, try this," smashed-together peanut-butter-and-pickle-sandwich stuff. I don't think all the melody in this song is poor - obviously the guy can sing OK, though he does so with almost no character: even that Cronin dude from REO has more flair than dude from Kansas - but the way it's put together reminds me of why I dislike most of the prog bands: the way the song seems to think that more parts equals a smarter, more complex song. But "complicated" isn't the same thing as "complex" I don't think.

Also, the song is called "Carry On Wayward Son."

The Point of Blow Return

Never did like Styx. A few of their songs are kind of funny, and I have their Greatest Hits, but I've listened to it like twice.

They hit the concert circuit pretty heavily before breaking big. I saw them quite a few times in theatres and university fieldhouses in the mid-70's prior to Leftoverture which is when they started getting serious FM airplay. The band rocked hard and became much harder to take when all the songs with Steve Walsh on lead vocal took off, as opposed to other more gruff material, of which there was plenty. Second album is basically one big prog concept number, Song for America, and a couple short blooz rock tunes, Down the Road being the best.

Grizzly McHippie crazy hair violinist dude and Brad Delp of Boston should have formed a duo.

Anyway, the absurdity of it is part of the charm. And while I don't have any musical training/experience like you, from a listener standpoint "Carry on" hangs together remarkably well. There is an emotional journey or something.

anyone remember this semi-hit from the early mtv years? video is srsly awe-inspiring

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjAwliuNHVE&feature=related

oh my God that video

rest of Kansas: "guys the times have changed, we gotta update our look"
dude with hair and beard: "I don't fucking think so"

I posted a picture of Kansas in an ILM thread recently but can't remember what it was all about. Anyway, I love this band. It's like Yes if they'd listened to more Aaron Copeland. I might even start a Kansas epics poll! These guys had the best epic songtitles ever :

Lamplight Symphony
Song For America
Incomudro (Hymn To The Atman)
Magnum Opus
Icarus : Borne On Wings Of Steel
The Pinnacle
Journey To Mariabronn

Beat that lot ya pussies.

If "Carry On Wayward Son" comes on the radio in the car, the volume immediately goes to 11. I love that song. Haven't heard much else (maybe the dire "Dust in the Wind"). Same thing with Styx's "Come Sail Away", I love that tune, but hate the rest of their oeurve.

fuck anybody who didnt like that kansas video

Kansas could be pretty great for a song or two--so long as you didn't take their shit too seriously, that is. Steve Walsh, however, sure could stink up the joint.

xp

Bill OTM!

oh my God that video

rest of Kansas: "guys the times have changed, we gotta update our look"
dude with hair and beard: "I don't fucking think so"

-- J0hn D., Thursday, November 29, 2007 2:28 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Link

oh how i laughed.

my two cents: i like dust in the wind. sometimes i like carry on wayward song, but only when i remember that i like that main riff and forget how long and boring it is

Sort of like a missing link between Yes and Boston.

geir OTM, on point and precise, twice as nice on any verbal device

I spent Thanksgiving in Minneapolis with my family and had a great time, but being back in the Midwest reminded me yet again why I hate so much of this kind of stuff. You cannot get away from it no matter where you are. It feels oppressive. Some of it I know I dislike more than is necessary. (But not Kansas, the totally blow.)

-- Matos W.K., Thursday, November 29, 2007 2:47 AM (16 hours ago) Bookmark Link

also i think i have a weird affection for kansas (at least their FM radio staples, which is all i've ever heard) for the exact same reasons that you hate them....it is eternal here...and i kind of love it, or at least like it because, being the age that i am, reminds me of the first times i ever heard rock music on the radio as a very small child, like this and styx and boston and foreigner and REO speedwagon were what i thought rock music WAS, it all seemed so deep and mysterious and exciting...now it seems so hokey and cheesy, kind of like how a "haunted house" at a county fair seems when you're little...it's so scary and has this sense of OTHERNESS from your regular life...then years later you see it and your like, jesus what are these stupid animatronic monsters and hesher dudes wearing jason masks? how dumb!

but all this stuff makes my heart hurt a little bit for how magical stuff can seem to a child. it takes me back in some small respect, so yeah i could never hate on kansas really...even though i guess yeah objectively they suck (or maybe not)

Totally OTM. I went to a haunted house last month when I was back home, but I totally loved it the same way I love dust in the wind

And I'm not talking about simple nostalgia, there's a specificity to this stuff even if it sounds hokey & kitschy

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NWzlgnK87_4

omg that's awesome

Beautiful.

damn

Ha! Perfect.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=72QnN0KqT4M

Oof. I like the play that on guitar hero, but only on medium

this, gentlemen, is the best Kansas tune…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM1rB1rGS44

the singer here is John Elefante, also seen in "Play the Game"and who I much prefer to Steve Walsh.

the reason that guitarist Rich Williams wears an eyepatch now is that he lost his right eye as a child and in the peak days of the band had a glass eye.

does anyone know any of kansas when steve morse from the dixie dregs was in it? i was always kind of curious about that.

signed,
"read too many guitar magazines as a kid"

Yeah, I had a live record of that band. Great guitar player. Wasn't the same, though. Had seen and heard 'em too many times with Livgren. It's not nearly as wrong, though, as Steve Morse in the revivified Deep Purple. What's the point. bother? Without Blackmore, Deep Purple isn't right, no matter how fantastic the guitar player. Hey, would I want to listen to Blackmore or Livgren in a reuinted Dixie Dregs? Nope, don't think so.

With Morse, Kansas perpetrated this horrible song…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05XupkASJME

yeah, The Point of No Return grows on you. Just like Carry On My Wayward Son did the first few times I heard it.

(But not Kansas, the totally blow.)

Could "The Totally Blow" be the next great band name?

"Point Of Know Return" was when it started to go downhill. Too much Journey/Boston/Foreigner and not enough Yes/Genesis.

haha thanks for reminding me that "Dust in the Wind" sucks even harder than "Carry on Wayward Son" y'all

worst "I smoked a bowl and realized that it all means NOTHING maaaan" lyric I care to recall off the top of my head evah

Hey man those were some hard times in 1976.

this, gentlemen, is the best Kansas tune…

Certainly the sexiest. When did the heterosexuals start directing videos?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pS5xzOWbwo

LOL @ this ^^^^ video clip. The next generation of Kansas.

Depends on what you mean by "stadium" - I like Heart and all pre-Night in the Ruts Aerosmith, but I think they were both good/great rock bands. Songs nice 'n' tight even whent they stretched out a little. "Carry On" is just profoundly confused as a composition - the various parts sound like exactly what I dislike about a lot of metal- and math-core: "ok I have another riff, try this," smashed-together peanut-butter-and-pickle-sandwich stuff. I don't think all the melody in this song is poor - obviously the guy can sing OK, though he does so with almost no character: even that Cronin dude from REO has more flair than dude from Kansas - but the way it's put together reminds me of why I dislike most of the prog bands: the way the song seems to think that more parts equals a smarter, more complex song. But "complicated" isn't the same thing as "complex" I don't think.

I get this. It totally applies to songs like Point Of No Return, too. But I don't think it applies to Dust In The Wind. That song has a pretty simple, straightforward melody, no wonkish riffing, and it's all pretty restrained (some strings, but not used as heavy-handedly as in lots of other songs). Lyrics are hopelessly stupid, tho. And I ain't defending them beyond that one song, which is . . . okay (I guess that Fight Fire With Fire is okay, too; I had forgotten about it until I saw that old video on YouTube (the scene with the huge mosquito piercing that guy's neck brought it all back for me)).

"magnum opus" might be top-ten in the golden prog 'awesome music but horrible lyrics' ratio

Something I wrote this year about Kansas and other '70s midwestern prog:

http://www.emusic.com/features/spotlight/2010_201007-essay-prog.html

whoa that's really informative. i had no idea REO was ever adventurous, and i've never even heard of shooting star. if colorado counts as midwestern, sugarloaf could be part of that history, too

I used to love Kansas when I was in middle school; there's still a place in my heart for them.

Cheesy as hell but this might be my favorite song of theirs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXk6Zzgk9ac&p=7402A4ADEB9AF1E7&playnext=1&index=24

I think it's really pretty but if you don't like Dust in the Wind you prolley won't like this...

the demo is cooler; plus the Youtube isnt fighting it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FDyunGmVJI

Sort of like a missing link between Yes and Boston.

geir OTM, on point and precise, twice as nice on any verbal device

― M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, November 29, 2007 2:22 PM (3 years ago) Bookmark

nah, Kansas's non-prog buttrock side always was sort of bluesy, barroom fare; Foreigner is more on point, or even Aerosmith (sorry, J0hn!)

Boston's first album, on the other hand, is most assuredly classic rock's Loveless.

We had this ancient woman as a chorus teacher in junior high. Her one acknowledgment of 20th century music was to have us sing "Dust in the Wind." Ruined a perfectly good ballad.

i can't imagine this girl hasn't been posted on every corner of this board, but still this is amazing! like it actually makes me like the song even more!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pS5xzOWbwo&feature=player_embedded#!

I saw Kansas last night! At the Minneapolis State Theatre to be exact, as I've recently relocated to the Midwest from the UK and a prog-lovin' relative was visiting to help me with the culture shock. They were pretty good! A few cheesy 80s-era numbers and forgettable later tracks, but the bulk of the set was proper stuff. Phil Ehart only played drums for the second half due to some health issue, but he was way better than the understudy guy who started the evening, he's actually a really great drummer. The guitarist is the only other founder member, aside from a pinched harmonic or two he wasn't too bad either. The violinist is also a late addition as the regular guy had to bail, but he performed to a standard I can only dream of on minimal rehearsal.

Anyway, they played:
Belexes
Lonely Wind (gak)
Can I Tell You
Song 4 America
Down the Road
Icarus: Borne on Wings of Steel
The Pinnacle
Carry On Wayward Son
The Wall
Miracles Out of Nowhere
Dust in the Wind
Point of Know Return
People of the South Wind
Hold On
Fight Fire With Fire
and some other crap

Tonight we're off to see Styx playing in a fairground in Wisconsin, welcome to the fuckin' Midwest! Not expecting this to be very good tbh.

Nice! The State Theater is a beautiful venue

Yeah really nice place, reminded me of Usher Hall in Edinburgh

God, seeing Kansas and Styx on successive nights would be 12-year-old me's dream scenario

Too right, this could only be bettered if Saga were playing the night after

How was Styx???

Matt, welcome to the midwest! where have you settled?

If Liberace had ever formed a prog band it would have been Styx. I will admit to enjoying the evening! They really ham it up, far more than Kansas who are kind of serious. Strangely enough it seems Renegade is the big audience favourite rather than Come Sail Away or Mr Roboto or whatever, certainly at the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds. God what a place, is all of Wisconsin like that? It was like living in a Killdozer song for a night.

Hi budo jeru! We've relocated because my wife has a new job in Rochester, MN, a one-horse town if ever I saw one - that horse being the Mayo Clinic. Minnesota seems OK, although I knew about the winter cold but not the summer heat and humidity. All a long long way from the damp yet balmy climes of the UK.

too bad they didn't play "Lightning's Hand", that is a jam, yo

Renegade?? Would never have guessed that would be the one to get the crowd up. Next you'll tell me that "Song For America" was the audience fave for Kansas and they all sat on their hands for Carry On Wayward Son.

Renegade seems to have a second life with sporting events. the local minor league hockey team plays it before the beginning of the third period and I think a lot of other teams do too (idk much about hockey tho)

though tbh "Babe" would be a much funnier pre-third period song

Audience faves for Kansas - anything old, esp. the aforementioned Song For America and Carry On Wayward Son, plus Dust in the Wind, Icarus and The Wall. Slightly muted appreciation for Fight Fire With Fire and less so again for the new stuff. Has any legacy band ever managed to write a new song anyone really cares about? I'm doubting it.

I don't know about "really cares about," but when I saw Tom Petty in 2010, he played five songs in a row from the new album (Mojo) and hardly anybody headed out for beer.

I think the Pittsburgh Steeler use Renegade as a theme song of sorts at the stadium but definitely it's a sports thing

it's also one of the few Styx songs that out and out rocks

and welcome to minnesota!

I didn't even know it was Styx when I heard it, and my Gen Z friend taunted me the rest of the night saying "I knew this and you didn't???!". but she loves Styx

XPS Petty, Springsteen, basically any of those guys who can fill sheds and arenas on thier own are exceptions.

Their last hit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQnltsBiwHM

Listening to the debut album tonight. The first five Kansas albums are some of the greatest American music ever made, and they pierce my "cool vs. uncool" psychic armor like a diamond-tipped arrow. Kansas are the Grand Funk of prog, and I mean that as the highest praise.

(It cracks me up that the longest song on the debut album is called "Aperçu." An aperçu is "a comment or brief reference that makes an illuminating or entertaining point," so should a song called that be 9:36? Probably not, but this is Kansas.)

I love the cover of Bringing it Back so much. probably the only song that makes me wanna air violin

Growing up on classic rock I heard "Carry On" and "Dust" so many times, and still like them both. I've never listened to a Kansas album, but I get this ota station called "Deep Cuts" in the car now and it occasionally gives me a different Kansas song, and so far none of them have made me want to listen to a Kansas album. The same goes for Supertramp, by the way, except I know a bunch more songs by them and have had people tell me I *have) to listen to the albums and I just don't really have any desire to do so. Now Jethro Tull, there's a band I've heard a bunch from yet still barely skimmed the surface, and whenever I hear something deeper than the hits from them it makes me want to hear more.

Random Kansas fact - "Magnum Opus" was originally titled "Leftoverture" as it was a collage of all the leftover sections they hadn't found room for in their previous prog epics. Then they used it as the album title instead and renamed the track to something more stupid.

Best hair in Kansas snap poll: Robbie, Kerry or Rich?

https://www.audiosoundmusic.com/cdn/shop/products/kansas-song-for-america-audiosoundmusic-2_560x.jpg

I've only heard Point of Know Return, but they were almost certainly the "most prog" American band by UK standards (at least of those who sold more than a handful of records). Styx by comparison are almost ridiculously elementary.