Chris Franke - The London Concert

[NAVEL OF LIGHT]

thanks for the update Colin...

Anything else you fancy listening too for us?

Not after the Celestine Prophecy

Understandable me thinks, i only have PCH, London Concert, Klemania, Enchanting Nature and the first Babylon 5 (signed) cd....all got a bit too hollywood/dramatic sounding for me after that!

[cantosis]

thanks for the update Colin...

Anything else you fancy listening too for us?

Not after the Celestine Prophecy

Understandable me thinks, i only have PCH, London Concert, Klemania, Enchanting Nature and the first Babylon 5 (signed) cd....all got a bit too hollywood/dramatic sounding for me after that!

Celestine Prophecy is a bit new age but I apprciated it a bit more after reading the book, I quite like it although dont play it too much.

[bigmoog]

my opinion is that Chris has produced two fairly useful records: PCH and TLC.....pretty much everything else, soundtracks etc that I have owned or listened to are blandola snooze fests with the only redeeming qualities being a sense of inevitability in each release. But then, what were we expecting after 87?


PS: Im still waiting for the Chris Franke solo LP from 1977


leave toys in the pram, just my opinion.

[cantosis]

my opinion is that Chris has produced two fairly useful records: PCH and TLC.....pretty much everything else, soundtracks etc that I have owned or listened to are blandola snooze fests with the only redeeming qualities being a sense of inevitability in each release. But then, what were we expecting after 87?


PS: Im still waiting for the Chris Franke solo LP from 1977


leave toys in the pram, just my opinion.

Your wrong for once

[Marc M]

Chris Franke's solo career.. Well, old memories now. Except I just bought and watched the Babylon 5 DVD's last year, which I had never seen before... I knew Franke has done the music, I had seen some CD EP's in shops many years ago... But that was too expensive for me. Plus I only buy full length albums, most of the time. Some of it is quite interesting. Now it's difficult to find that on CD, I guess.
Before that, I bought "Pacific Coast Highway", which is quite nice, after all. Maybe a bit "new age" but quite nice.
"Klemania" is so different, quite unexpected, I must say, after the rather accessible tracks on PCH... Made me think of some of Klaus Schulze music of the time, or the coldest pieces on "Logos". It is cold, experimental but definitely interesting music...
I played it quite a bit but it is not a music that appeals to me so much nowadays. I play it once in a while.
"The London Concert" didn't impress me so much because I knew many of the themes played there... I thought the sound lacked depth too.
I bought "Enchanting Nature" but that was the last I paid for. Not bad, but well, not exciting, not original... and he gave other titles to some pieces that were already featured on PCH... More recycling - this is not honest. After that, I stopped. I felt as if the guy would just try to produce any possible kind of music in order to sell .. and how be sure that the "new tracks" on another CD wouldn't be old material recycled ? I lost confidence.

[TangFanIRL]

Nice one, would you be willing to share the voyager article if you still have?

Yes, of course!!! I do still have it on Atari ST text format disk somewhere!!! Happy to share and thanks for your interest...

what issue was it in Conrad, can you remember?

Issue 1 or 2 I think - when it was still A5 size...

[24db]

Yes, of course!!! I do still have it on Atari ST text format disk somewhere!!! Happy to share and thanks for your interest...

what issue was it in Conrad, can you remember?

Issue 1 or 2 I think - when it was still A5 size...

Cheers mate, I might have a photocopy of it somewhere

[rigel]

I used to subscribe to Voyager magazine in the early 1990s. Conrad, I actually remember your review of the Chris Franke London concert! I seem to recall you describing helping to get Franke's (was the musician with him called Richard Roth?) gear into the venue, and talking about the friend you went along to the show with being a little overawed at being in the presence of Mr. Franke. As I myself would have been, to be honest.

Unfortunately despite being a Londoner I missed that concert. I confess I was disappointed with the CD release as I thought the sound lacked any punch, though parts were nice to listen to and I'm sure actually being there was a treat.

[Peter Beasley]

Myself and Peter Beasley were there on the day and helped out backstage with the set-up.

That's right Conrad. An enjoyable day. I can confirm that the modular system Chris had behind him was purely for show and that most of the sound was from a DAT machine.

[Six By Nine]

was watching Supernanny US on Discovery this morning, I know, I'm not proud (although there is something about Jo Jo) when who did I see wrote the music? Yes, you guessed it - CF! Oh dear, are there no depths he won't plunge for the mighty dollar?

[wayfarer]

I own most of Chris Franke's solo output and think that BM is spot on. I've found that the majority of his output is bland and unimaginative compared to the vast TD output. It's a shame as there are some periods of genius.
Using the B5 soundtracks as examples, there are some heartfelt tracks that gave the show an emotional depth. I think that the B5 soundtracks showed the most flair but worked better on the Volume CDs as opposed to the episodic releases.

I've always believed that Franke has in him, a genuine classic electronic album. I fear that it will never come to fruition.

[24db]

I own most of Chris Franke's solo output and think that BM is spot on. I've found that the majority of his output is bland and unimaginative compared to the vast TD output. It's a shame as there are some periods of genius.
Using the B5 soundtracks as examples, there are some heartfelt tracks that gave the show an emotional depth. I think that the B5 soundtracks showed the most flair but worked better on the Volume CDs as opposed to the episodic releases.

I've always believed that Franke has in him, a genuine classic electronic album. I fear that it will never come to fruition.

I seem to remember that Chris said he has no interest in doing EM these days, he thinks of it as his past.

[cantosis]

Myself and Peter Beasley were there on the day and helped out backstage with the set-up. I do have some great photos from that time that I must digitise. Thanks for the reminder... I wrote a diary of the day and had it published in Voyager magazine back in the day as they say! Fantastic memories of my one and only time meeting Chris. Photo from that day on my myspace page...

Nice one, would you be willing to share the voyager article if you still have?

Yes, of course!!! I do still have it on Atari ST text format disk somewhere!!! Happy to share and thanks for your interest...

Did you get round to doing it Conrad? I have not looked on myspace for a while

[TangFanIRL]

Nice one, would you be willing to share the voyager article if you still have?

Yes, of course!!! I do still have it on Atari ST text format disk somewhere!!! Happy to share and thanks for your interest...

Did you get round to doing it Conrad? I have not looked on myspace for a while

Alas, I haven't had a chance yet - I am a bit behind in things these days! Keep reminding me though please!

[24db]

if I can find it and if I have some time I'll post Conrad's article