Progressive Palaver

Special Episode – Interview with Randy McStine – December 2024 We were very honored to welcome renowned musician Randy McStine to the Palaver in December 2024. Randy shared some of his unequalled experiences throughout his career. We were able to discuss his current solo release, Mutual Hallucinations, as well as his work with Porcupine Tree. Randy has released a wide variety of albums over the ye...

Episode 157 – Styx & Kansas Part 10, 1986 to 2000 Technical Note: apologies for the stalker breathing throughout this episode In this episode the group considers the decade plus where both Styx and Kansas search for who or what they are. Both bands see significant lineup changes resulting in albums that, while enjoyable, didn’t seem to capture the previous magic. This period ends for both bands by...

Special Episode – Interview with Tom Brislin of Kansas – April 2024 The Palaver crew welcomes Kansas keyboardist Tom Brislin to the show for a fascinating conversation. Tom provides us some truly fantastic tales as he describes the career path that ultimately led him to be music director for Kansas. From Meatloaf to Yes with stops to play with Dennis DeYoung, Tom’s experiences leave one agog. He a...

Episode 156 – Styx & Kansas Part 9, 1983 – Kilroy Was Here Another palaver years in the making. Kilroy Was Here is a clear enigma. Some of us LOVE this record. Some of us do not love this record. Some of us are in the middle. There are certainly some very strong feelings on each side of this, but they ultimately lead to interesting discussions. The group certainly had a great time discussing this...

Bonus Episode – Grease (The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) Paul and Joe take a side quest to discuss the soundtrack to the movie version of Grease. We know that this is not what we normally do. We also know that there are many people who know a LOT more about this movie and music than we do. This is a light dip into an album that we hold dear and came up in our discussions of more pr...

Bonus Episode – ProgStock 2024 Recap On the heels of ProgStock 2024, the group gathered with new Friend of the Palaver Jordan Blum to recollect. ProgStock is always a wonderful, rewarding, and slightly exhausting experience. You get merit badges for this and you LOVE them. We have a great time revisiting our favorite moments from a jam-packed weekend of excellent prog music. Jordan adds some welco...

Special Episode – Interview with Mark Anthony K of Projekt Gemineye – Oct 2024 The Palaver is very pleased to have another chat with Mark Anthony K (Projekt Gemineye, The Dark Monarchy, The Yes Music Podcast, and KissFAQ) about the latest Projekt Gemineye offering Canada: Stories and Legends. Mark is, as always, very engaging and insightful about the process that led to this latest record. He walk...

Episode 155 – Styx & Kansas Part 8, 1982-83 – Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures The Palaver splits up the Kansas / Styx timeline to consider the two John Elefante Kansas records. Offering a complete view of what Kansas would be without Steve Walsh in the early 80s these two records showcase the songwriting of John and his brother Dino. The group considers the influence of religion on the band...

Special Episode – Interview with Joe and Terry From Total Mass Retain – Oct 2024 The Palaver crew gets the chance to catch up with Joe and Terry from Total Mass Retain ahead of their JA80 tour in October 2024. We always enjoy the chance to talk all things Yes and Yes music with these consummate musicians. Their perspectives are unique and illuminating. As always, it’s a great chat with these excel...

Episode 154 – Styx & Kansas Part 7, 1980-81 – Audio Visions and Paradise Theater Welcome to the 80’s for our Styx and Kansas combo timeline. Audio Visions and Paradise Theater are albums that find both bands on slightly different precipices. Audio Visions will be the last Steve Walsh Kansas record until he returns with Power. Paradise Theater will be the last Styx album before their leap over the...

Episode 153 – Styx & Kansas Part 6, 1979 – Monolith and Cornerstone On this episode Joe isn’t quite sure what year it is, but the group soldiers on to cover both Monolith and Cornerstone. Both these albums stand out for their memorable packaging. Monolith’s epic artwork and the innovative design of the Cornerstone album cover certainly stand the test of time. As for what’s inside, the group has va...

Special Episode – Interview with Know Return-Fooling Ourselves, Part 2 In this special episode, we finish our conversation with members of the dual tribute bands Know Return and Fooling Ourselves, Howard Whitman and Dave Boardman. During this episode, Dave and Howard provide some insights to how they approach the task of recreating both these bands as well as sharing some of their influences. X (f...

Special Episode – Interview with Know Return-Fooling Ourselves, Part 1 For this special episode, we get to meet two of the driving members of the dual tribute bands Know Return and Fooling Ourselves. Howard Whitman and Dave Boardman share their experiences paying tribute to two of prog’s greatest bands, Kansas and Styx, AT THE SAME TIME! During this first part of a two part episode, Dave and Howar...

Episode 152 – Styx & Kansas Part 5, 1978 – Pieces of Eight The year 1978 brings us just one offering from Styx, Pieces of Eight. This album was well known for it’s monster single Renegade (go Tommy Shaw!!), but the conversation gets a lot deeper. In this episode, the group sifts through often contradictory views of this offering. There should be something for everyone here. X (formerly Twitter): @...

Episode 151 – Styx & Kansas Part 4, 1977 – The Grand Illusion and Point of Know Return The year of 1977 is a huge one in the Styx / Kansas timeline. Point of Know Return is the album that sent Kansas into the stratosphere. With the title track and the timeless Dust In the Wind, Point of Know Return is truly a classic album that you should listen to before you die. The Grand Illusion shows Styx as...

SCS33 – King’s X in Houston, May 2023 Joe gets a chance to share his experience seeing King’s X for a second time as they toured to promote Three Sides of One. This show was in Houston in the spring of 2023. From the venue and the opening acts, it was a show to remember. Watching from the pit, Joe got to experience the full glory of King’s X as they tore through their standard set. Luckily the sou...

Special Episode – Interview with Brian Heaton and Brian Naron on Roads to Madness Progressive Palaver are thrilled to welcome back authors Brian Heaton and Brian Naron to discuss their new book Roads to Madness: The Touring History of Queensrÿche (1981 – 1997). Following on the heels of their first book Building an Empire, Roads provides a comprehensive look at all the tours for the original band...

Episode 150 – Styx & Kansas Part 3, 1976 – Crystal Ball and Leftoverture In this episode, the group covers 1976 in the combo Styx / Kansas timeline. Crystal Ball sees the introduction of Tommy Shaw to the Styx lineup. Some of the results are immediately remarkable and some of the results are as uneven as the rest of the catalog to this point. Crystal Ball shows a band that is still working to perf...

Episode 149 – Styx & Kansas Part 2, 1975 – Song for America, Masque, and Equinox In this episode, the group covers 1975 in our combined Kansas and Styx timeline with three strong albums. Song for America, the sophomore effort from Kansas, shows a band that is racing ahead in their development behind the strength of the title track and Lamplight Symphony. Masque, Kansas’ third record later that yea...

Episode 148 – Styx - Kansas Part 1, Preamble and 1972 to 1974 In the start of our new combined segment on Styx and Kansas, we explore how we all got into these bands. Our plan is to cover these bands on a year by year basis, to the extent we are able. Family stories abound as we discuss our earliest experiences with these two American stalwarts. We then continue on to a brief, unfocused discussion...

SCS32 – King’s X in Dallas, November 2022 Back at Thanksgiving of 2022, Joe and Sarah had the opportunity to see King’s X in Dallas. This was Joe’s first show with the band in a very long time and Sarah’s first show ever. A cold and rainy night combined with terrible club sound couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm. Both King’s X and the opening band, Bezel, provided some fantastic memories. X: @progpala...

Episode 147 – Whitesnake Part 1, Whitesnake (87) We know! We know! Whitesnake is decidedly NOT progressive rock, but the lure was too great. Take a carefree trip back to the kooky times of 1987 with us as we relive our high school times. This is an album that is remarkable for many reasons (production, lineup drama, old song reinterpretations) and we have no regrets for spending some time discussi...

Special Episode – Interview with Mark Anthony K of Projekt Gemineye – Feb 2024 For this special episode, we get to catch up with our friend Mark Anthony K (Projekt Gemineye, The Dark Monarchy, The Yes Music Podcast, and Kiss FAQ) to discuss the latest Projekt Gemineye release What’s On Your Mind?. Mark provides his usual fascinating level of detail behind his writing and recording process and give...

SCS31 – The Cure in Philadelphia, June 2023 The Palaver takes a side trip off the prog road to consider Ken’s experience seeing The Cure in Philadelphia. One of the most anticipated tours of 2023, The Cure delivered a show worthy of the hype. Ken is able to share his thoughts on many aspects of the show including the band, sound, and the state of the band’s gear. While many wish they had seen this...

Bonus Episode – Ranking the Albums from Episode 139 Through 146 Everyone knows that we here at the Palaver love to rank things. It seemed obvious then to rank the albums in our most recent “Less Old” segment. How does one compare recent releases from the likes of Yes and Marillion to those from Tears For Fears and Porcupine Tree? Where does King’s X fit into the conversation? We think this ranking...