It’s finally hitting me that we live in a world without David Longdon. What a tragedy, what a loss. I first received the news of his death during lunch. Uncharacteristically for me, I was eating lunch while checking things on my iPad. Two things happened at once–I saw the notice from Louder.com and my phone rang. It was my awesome friend, Tom Woods, making sure that I knew the news. Seriously, the phone rang within seconds of me reading the Louder.com post.

A few years ago, Tom and I had the great fortune of interviewing David for Tom’s rather famous podcast. Tom and I have bonded over many things, but few as precious as the hour we spent with David. David was, to be sure, a master craftsman, an original, and a true-to-life gentleman. While Tom and I were barely concealing our fanboy excitement, David offered us nothing but gratitude and clarity.

When I was at Progarchy.Com, I had the pleasure of “talking” with David over email, and I’ll never forget when I first heard the magisterial song, “A Boy in Darkness”–about child abuse. I emailed David, asking him (and hoping against hope that my suspicions were wrong) if the song was autobiographical. No, he assured me, it was not! Thank, God.

To be sure, Longdon and Spawton were the greatest rock musical writing duo since McCartney and Lennon. Their loss will be felt for a generation or more.

I first heard David Longdon’s excellence in 2009, receiving a mix from the mighty Carl Olson with a Big Big Train song on it. I was, from the first moment, hooked. I still consider The Underfall Yard one of the best rock albums of all time. It ranks up there with Selling England by the Pound, Close to the Edge, and Spirit of Eden. I would also–and, yes, I’m throwing the gauntlet down–argue that Longdon had the single best voice in all of rock.

So, David, thank you for everything. A life beautifully lived. There’s so much more to be said, but my brain and soul are still processing a world without you.

A thirst for exploration has always been a crucial part of the American spirit, so it is fitting that both forays took off from the United States — Richard Branson’s from New Mexico, and Jeff Bezos’s from Texas. Americans should seek to build atop these admirable breakthroughs and to ensure that, 20, 30, 40 years hence, when the next vaultingly ambitious entrepreneurs try something astonishing of their own, they, too, find a safe and welcoming reception on American soil.
— Read on www.nationalreview.com/2021/07/to-boldly-go/

The Steinhardt Family announces the passing of legendary musician Robby Steinhardt.

Robert Eugene Steinhardt, was well recognized as a founding member and original violinist and vocalist for the rock band Kansas.

His violin and vocals on, “Dust in The Wind”, “Point Of No Return” and “Carry On My Wayward Son”, have etched Robby a solid place in rock history.

Robby had been recording his new album with producer Michael Franklin, who put together an all-star cast of famous musicians in support of Robby’s comeback.

Steinhardt was very proud of this project, slated for release in late 2021. He had begun rehearsals for a national tour when he became ill.

Robby is survived by his wife Cindy, and daughter Becky. Steinhardt was 71 years old.

He will be deeply missed by all he knew and his music will last forever. A memorial will be announced in the future.

–via Glass Onion and Michael Franklin

Big Big Train matters. Common Ground matters.

A new release from Big Big Train is never just another release in the world of prog. Since 2009’s The Underfall Yard, the band has been one of the leading bands of third-wave prog, the signal marker and bellwether. Indeed, every release from Big Big Train for the past decade has manifested itself as a fundamental shift—a very rethinking of who and what we are as a community—of the genre itself. While there are innumerable great prog acts out there, none quite match Big Big Train when it comes to innovation, to creativity, and to cohesion. Is there any band with such a fanatic and determined fan base? If so, I’m not familiar with them. Big Big Train is as much a movement as it is a band.
— Read on progreport.com/big-big-train-common-ground-album-review/

So, it’s the last day of vacation, and I just got back from a gorgeous hike in the Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming. For some reason, as I unwind, it just felt right to list my favorite albums of all time. Here’s hoping you enjoy. . .

1. Anathema, Weather Systems
2. Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
3. Big Big Train, English Electric
4. Big Big Train, Grimspound
5. Big Big Train, The Underfall Yard
6. Catherine Wheel, Adam and Eve
7. Chicago Transit Authority
8. Chris Squire, Fish Out of Water
9. Cocteau Twins, Heaven or Las Vegas
10. Cosmograf, Capacitor
11. Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Changes
12. Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Out
13. Flower Kings, Flower Power
14. Flower Kings, Space Revolver
15. Flower Kings, Stardust We Are
16. Genesis, A Trick of the Tail
17. Genesis, Foxtrot
18. Genesis, Selling England by the Pound
19. Glass Hammer, Chronometree
20. Glass Hammer, Valkyrie
21. IZZ, Crush of Night
22. Jethro Tull, Benefit
23. Jethro Tull, Thick as a Brick
24. Kansas, Leftoverature
25. Kansas, Point of No Return
26. Kate Bush, Aerial
27. Kate Bush, Hounds of Love
28. Kevin McCormick, Squall
29. Kevin McCormick, With the Coming of Evening
30. Led Zeppelin I
31. Led Zeppelin II
32. Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy
33. Marillion, FEAR
34. Marillion, Marbles
35. Marillion, Afraid of Sunlight
36. Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
37. Moody Blues, Days of Future Passed
38. My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
39. NAO, Fog Electric
40. Neal Morse Band, The Grand Experiment
41. Neal Morse, Testimony
42. New Order, Low Life
43. Newspaperflyhunting, Iceberg Soul
44. Nosound, Lightdark
45. Peter Gabriel, Security
46. Peter Gabriel, So
47. Pink Floyd, Animals
48. Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon
49. Pink Floyd, Meddle
50. Porcupine Tree, Fear of a Blank Planet
51. Porcupine Tree, Sky Moves Sideways
52. Pure Reason Revolution, The Dark Third
53. Riverside, Out of Myself
54. Riverside, Second Life Syndrome
55. Riverside, Wasteland
56. Rush, 2112
57. Rush, Clockwork Angels
58. Rush, Grace Under Pressure
59. Rush, Moving Pictures
60. Rush, Signals
61. Rush, Snakes and Arrows
62. Simon and Garfunkel, Bookends
63. Simon and Garfunkel, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme
64. Simple Minds, New Gold Dream
65. Simple Minds, Sister Feelings Call/Sons and Fascination
66. Simple Minds, Sparkle in the Rain
67. Spock’s Beard, Snow
68. Spock’s Beard, V
69. Steven Wilson, Grace from Drowning
70. Steven Wilson, Hand.Cannot.Erase.
71. Steven Wilson, Insurgentes
72. Talk Talk, Laughing Stock
73. Talk Talk, Spirit of Eden
74. Talk Talk, Colour of Spring
75. Tears for Fears, Elemental
76. Tears for Fears, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending
77. Tears for Fears, Songs from the Big Chair
78. Tears for Fears, The Hurting
79. The Connells, Boylan Heights
80. The Cure, Disintegration
81. The Cure, Pornography
82. The Doors, The Doors
83. The Sundays, Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic
84. The Tangent, Le Sacre du Travail 
85. The Tangent, The Music That Died Alone
86. Thomas Dolby, Golden Age of Wireless
87. Thomas Dolby, The Flat Earth
88. Traffic, John Barleycorn Must Die
89. Transatlantic, SMPTe
90. Transatlantic, The Absolute Universe
91. U2, The Joshua Tree
92. U2, Unforgettable Fire
93. U2, War
94. Ultravox, Lament
95. Ultravox, Rage in Eden
96. Van Morrison, Astral Weeks
97. World Party, Goodbye Jumbo
98. XTC, Black Sea
99. XTC, Skylarking
100. Yes, 90125
101. Yes, Close to the Edge
102. Yes, Drama
103. Yes, Fragile