Episode 158 – Styx & Kansas Part 11, 2020 to 2021, The Absence of Presence and Crash of the Crown

The Palaver goes into extra time! We found that we couldn’t close our Styx and Kansas discussions without talking about these two absolute gems from 2020 and 2021. In our explorations of the later catalogs, we all found ourselves enamored with these two records. They each display a vibrance and vitality that is both refreshing and reassuring. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we do.

Twitter: @progpala

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt

Bonus Episode – Styx and Kansas Playlists

We set a challenge for ourselves, create a 15-song playlist from the combined Styx and Kansas catalogs that we covered here on the Palaver. This was a steep climb and there was some last minute scambling, but we did it! This is a fun, different way for us to look back at the combo Styx/Kansas segment of the Palaver with the added bonus of having playlists on Spotify that everyone can check out.

Twitter: @progpala

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt

Special Episode – Interview with Fenando Perdomo – January 2025

At long last we had the privilege of speaking with Fernando Perdomo! You can’t be in the prog world in the 21st century and not know of Fernando. We were thrilled that he was able to make time to discuss many topics including his massive, ambitious Waves project, influences, writing and recording style, and, of course, the devasatating LA fires. For a man who is going to release 12 albums in a year, Fernando still managed to find time to help his friend and neighbors. Check out Fernando’s Waves and MusicCares!

Fernando's Bandcamp: https://fernandoperdomo.bandcamp.com/

MUSICARES: https://musicares.org/

X: @progpala

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt

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 years and worked with artists from Sound of Contact to Steven Wilson. His insights from the progressive rock scene to his own process for making and performing music are illuminating to say the least. We hope you enjoy this delightful conversation.

X: @progpala

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt

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 trying to recapture the intangible aspects of their heyday personnel. We loosely cover the four albums in this period, Edge of the Century, Brave New World, Power, and Somewhere to Elsewhere.

Twitter: @progpala

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt

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 also gives us a glimpse into the way that Kansas has maintained their music magic. This is an excellent conversation that is well worth your time.

X: @progpala

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt

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 record. Styx have given us much to consider with this offering.

Twitter: @progpala

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt

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 prog-centric topics. Don’t take it too seriously and we hope you have a little fun with this.

X: @progpala

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt

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 welcome flavor to the soup as we cover from Thursday night with Abacab to the jubilant ending nuptials of Tom and Ann!

Twitter: @progpala

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt

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 walks us through his inspirations, recording techniques, and overall intentions. We poke into almost every corner of this project to illuminate this collection for our listeners. We hope you enjoy. We are always thrilled to speak with Mark about his work!

Twitter: @progpala

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProgPala

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw_Xxit3D8wbv-AcJ_7Z__w/featured

X: progpala

Theme music provided by: Dave DeWhitt