Any Robert Rich Fans Here

[Soniccat]

I have been listening to Robert Rich's Seven Veils today and have to say I l;ove his work. This cd has David Torn on guitar and I am totally in awe of the two players.
I know he has a number of releases and I have two of them. Anybody recommend which one to get next. I am in need of some new music?

[Shane Sanders]

I have been listening to Robert Rich's Seven Veils today and have to say I l;ove his work. This cd has David Torn on guitar and I am totally in awe of the two players.
I know he has a number of releases and I have two of them. Anybody recommend which one to get next. I am in need of some new music?

I love him. You can't lose with his album, "Bestiary"

Available as a download from eMusic.com

-S

[Soniccat]

Thanks Shane I will have to check it out. I also have Outpost which is Rich and Ian Boddy and that too is a great cd.
I just wish he would come and play here in Buffalo so I can see how he works.

[jsd]

robert is an acquaintance of mine, and an amazing talented and intelligent fellow. his albums span so many styles. some of my favorites:

bestiary (mad analog synth glurp)
yearning (gorgeous eastern flavor)
stalker (scary horror movie)
soma (tribal goodness with steve roach)

also i'm very into his two psych-rock albums as "amoeba" with the very talented rick davies on guitar. robert sings on these!

i hope you do get to see him perform live. i've seen several shows and they were all very powerful.

[Soniccat]

Thanks for the info jsd. I am at his website now and pondering which to get I got Beastiary taged. Maybe I will buy all four of your suggestions. I am especially fond of his eastern leanings. So this might suit me fine. Thanks again.

[progfusion74]

I am a big Robert Rich fan.

Bestiary and Propagation are among my favorites. Some day I hope to attend one of his concerts cause they have quite a reputation.

[Unfocused]

Thanks Shane I will have to check it out. I also have Outpost which is Rich and Ian Boddy and that too is a great cd.
I just wish he would come and play here in Buffalo so I can see how he works.

I saw him last year in a vegan restaurant of all places. He seems to play small shows/clubs and likes to circulate in the crowd before and after the show (selling stuff if he can). He's very personable--a treat to do business with too (even mail order).

That being said, his live shows are pretty dull. He *may* sequence a lot of stuff, but it almost sounds/looks like he's playing a few parts over a recording of the backing track/ambience (well, what did I expect from a one man show? ). He's not very animated on stage either--until he starts playing his flutes (*that's* when I perked up). All in all it seems more like music for a chill out room rather than somehting that needs to be seen live-no disrespect intended--I *love* Robert's work.

As far as which CDs to get next, that depends on what you like (I hear he just released a disc of solo piano). If you'd like to hear a live recording, theres "Humidity" (dull). But if you'd like to hear more what he was doing live last year, I'd pick up "Propagation." Not only did he play half the songs from it, I think it's really his strongest album. To use the old cliche, "if you liked Seven Veils, you'll love Propagation," as they have a similar asthetic. "Rainforest" is also in this vein, is pretty good, and was kind of his "breakout" album. I'm also partial to "Numena" (which comes in a great priced double CD with "Geometry") as it represents some of his earliest recorded work, and really bridges the gap between the old ambient masters and Robert's signature style.

All IMHO, of course...

[Soniccat]

Progfusion wrote

I am a big Robert Rich fan.

Bestiary and Propagation are among my favorites. Some day I hope to attend one of his concerts cause they have quite a reputation.

I like the fact that he is a multi-instrumentalist.
I have heard he has built his own steel guitar, don't know if that is true but I would like to see how he handles all the different sounds.

Unfocused wrote

I saw him last year in a vegan restaurant of all places. He seems to play small shows/clubs and likes to circulate in the crowd before and after the show (selling stuff if he can). He's very personable--a treat to do business with too (even mail order).

That being said, his live shows are pretty dull. He *may* sequence a lot of stuff, but it almost sounds/looks like he's playing a few parts over a recording of the backing track/ambience (well, what did I expect from a one man show? ). He's not very animated on stage either--until he starts playing his flutes (*that's* when I perked up). All in all it seems more like music for a chill out room rather than somehting that needs to be seen live-no disrespect intended--I *love* Robert's work.

As far as which CDs to get next, that depends on what you like (I hear he just released a disc of solo piano). If you'd like to hear a live recording, theres "Humidity" (dull). But if you'd like to hear more what he was doing live last year, I'd pick up "Propagation." Not only did he play half the songs from it, I think it's really his strongest album. To use the old cliche, "if you liked Seven Veils, you'll love Propagation," as they have a similar asthetic. "Rainforest" is also in this vein, is pretty good, and was kind of his "breakout" album. I'm also partial to "Numena" (which comes in a great priced double CD with "Geometry") as it represents some of his earliest recorded work, and really bridges the gap between the old ambient masters and Robert's signature style.

Maybe if he had a band with him he would not have to use backing tracks but I can deal with that. I once saw Fred Frith perform and he had all his gadgets on a table and picked them up as he needed them.
Looks like I may have to pick up several of his cd's over time. Thanks for the sugestions.

[smp]

I originally misread the thread title and thought you were asking for Robert Reich fans.

I blame donkey and his "End of History" thread myself...

-s
(Personally, I was always fond of Ulrich Beck, but that's just going to lead to more confusion - "I've got Midnite Vultures but have never seen Risk Society. When was that released?")
(I know, I need to get out more. I just don't want to)

[cloudspine]

I had some correspondance with Rich, and he seems like a nice soul, besides being a great musician...
My personal favorites are the two collaborations with S. Roach: Strata and Soma...

[ceenda]

Yep. Often have "STALKER" (Robert Rich & Brian Lustmord) on the playlist. Steve Roach's "Magnificent Void" as well. Very dark soundscapes, worth looking into if you like 'tat sawt of fing...

[dystonia_ek]

Definitely check the Stalker CD. Brian and Robert seemed like an odd pairing at the time but it works beautifully. Also makes a nice intro to Lustmord's later work, though it's much lighter in atmosphere.

[Soniccat]

Well i ordered four of them for now.
Beastiary
Soma
Stalker
Yearning
He responded pretyy quickly and sent them out today. Now that is what I call service. He sent me an email letting me know. I guess he handles all his own sales. I sent him a response and we communicated a couple of times and I think I was able to get him a gig where I work. Nothing firm yet but it looks like he may be playing Buffalo in the fall.

[püRe]

Thanks Shane I will have to check it out. I also have Outpost which is Rich and Ian Boddy and that too is a great cd.
I just wish he would come and play here in Buffalo so I can see how he works.

Great CD, that one........