What Happened to The Alan Parsons Project?

[@donnamarshall8349]

You never mentioned ‘Old and Wise’! Never fails to make me cry uncontrollably, it’s incredibly poignant, and Colin Blundstone’s vocals are sublime 💔

[@russellbateman3392]

Thanks for this feature. Back when I was young and Alan Parsons was a thing, there was little-to-no way to get information like this.

[@gipsytraveler]

I was fortunate enough to having seen Alan Parsons live show in Portland Oregon in an old movie theater turned concert hall. It was almost unbelievable how good it sounded, just like his recordings. I'll never forget that concert!

[@tryscience]

Growing up with this beautiful music, there always seemed to be something very futuristic, optimistic, and comforting about it.

[@alancrisp1582]

Absolutely TIME, my personal favorite track........👏

[@rebeccamcdaniel1033]

Love to listen to P J Olsen sing that one.

[@michaelbaucom4019]

Alan Parsons was a gifted producer, to understate. He saved folk rocker Al Stewart's career by suggesting Al put a saxophone solo in what became Stewart's iconic song " Year Of The Cat ". Al didn't want the sax solo, and grudgingly allowed it...weird how hits come into being

[@KrisKringle14]

He still IS a great producer 😅 Just listen to his last solo album...

[@SuperPatrick777]

​@@KrisKringle14What's it called .

[@BrianAper]

@@SuperPatrick777 It's called From The New World.

[@ticnatz]

What happened to.....hell, almost 50 years on, I still listen to them to this day ! Timeless stuff.....

[@clarkvaughan]

'Time' will always be the world's signature graduation song. You'll know and try to understand the pain of leaving good friends behind. What can I say, that was the song of my graduation year.🥺🥺😢😢😢

[@howardgreenman2908]

Their music was a unique blend of orchestra and rock and had a spiritual quality. They were Progressive Rock without the bombast.

[@macwyll]

Excellent description. Also, they did well with choral vocals as highlighted in the song Break Down. Pure musical genious!

[@mikekannely2286]

The first album I ever bought was "I Robot" in 1977. Been a fan ever since...

[@clintonmccool2330]

They had some of the best and most creative intros/lead-ins for many songs on a consistent basis.

[@l.clevelandmajor9931]

This is among my favorite bands, being a more cerebral approach in rock music. my first album was "I Robot"! I already owned the collection of short stories by Isaac Asimov titled I Robot as he is my all time favorite author. When I bought the album, the reason was because of the album cover. I had asked the salesperson at the record store if it was a good album, and his response was "You'll have to decide that for yourself!" So the sole reason I bought it was because I liked the album art. I could not wait to get home and play it on my home system. I was far from disappointed, and this album sealed my love for the band. My favorite track on the album? Hard to say, but if I had to choose, I think "I Wouldn't Want to be Like You". A very close second favorite would be "Break Down". Nearly every song on the album was as good as every other song on the album! That's why it is so hard to choose a favorite! The style of their music was called "Concept Rock", and it was readily apparent that each album was concept based. I eventually owned five of their albums, including the Poe influenced "Tales of Mystery and Imagination", which I actually received from the youngest Brother as a birthday gift. While my Dad did not like much rock n Roll, He loved The Alan Parsons Project, starting with I Robot. Mom liked it right from the start, and all of my siblings did as well. No doubt, everyone I played "I Robot" for fell under their spell. That was an album that got played a lot, along with Kansas Leftoverture, The Beatles Box Set, Boston 1 & 2, ELO Out of the Blue, Jailbreak Thin Lizzy , Rush Automatic for the People, and Edgar Winters Group They Only Come Out at Night. Later on I included Pink Floyd The Wall, & Atom Heart Mother in my often played albums.

[@whathappenedtothem_]

That's a great story, thanks for sharing!

[@mikebull7775]

One of my favorite bands!

[@kentrichardson9070]

Still my most listened to band. If you include the albums Parsons worked on the list gets bigger like,Year of the cat,Dark Side,Ambrosia,Abbey Road,Let it Be,the Hollies,Manfred Mann and 10 cc collaborations. This video could have been a documentary.cheers

[@raydunn2582]

"Time" from Turn of a Friendly Card does it for me.

[@nixops]

APP never went away, they live on in our music collections from way back. Those of us who discovered them in the 70's and 80's never stopped listening to them, and while death of Eric was very sad, his music lives on. AP may be touring and the music is still amazing there are still lots of people who have never heard their work.

[@peggywoods4327]

They still tour! I saw them a couple years ago. The vocalist built a beautiful recording studio in Winter Park Colorado, Eaglewind Studio. I lived across the street from there and a dear friend of mine helped built it.

[@nixops]

@@peggywoods4327 I see they are touring, but I will probably be dead by the time they get to my neck of the woods :-)

[@peggywoods4327]

@nixops awwwww. Sending you good vibes from when I saw them. Happy holidays

[@nixops]

@@peggywoods4327 Thank you. I can at least choose from my collection and still enjoy their magic. I have seen snippets from some of the concerts on YT so am not totally missing out 🙂

[@RavenThom]

My daughter and her husband saw him last night in Tulsa Ok. Fantastic show! They really loved it

[@whathappenedtothem_]

I’m glad they had a great time!

[@DaleJackson-bk8vr]

How is it that no one has mentioned Silence and I from Eye in the Sky? The backing of the London Symphony has always made my hair stand on end. A close second is La Sagrada Familia from Gaudi.

[@kjemma]

I still listen to the "Turn of a friendly card"-album to this day.

[@StickySyrupEverywhere]

One of the absolute most humble and personable guys ever for sure.

I am a HUGE fan of Alan Parsons Project!! “Games People Play” is one of my favorite songs and a must when I’m traveling.

[@kentnottingham9635]

Saw the ALAN PARSONS LIVE PROJECT on our way to and from the Bahamas on a cruise ship. WHAT A SHOW!!!!

[@Andiejo40]

I have been a fan since the mid 70's, and still am. I got to go to a concert in 2020, right before the covid crash. Loved it!

[@frankmaeder4358]

I loved specially their earlier albums, and on them - in the video not mentioned - the instrumental tracks. Absolute favorite being Lucifer (Eve), hyper gamma spaces (Pyramid) and Mammagamma (Eye in the sky). Unbeatable to this very day

[@raider2927]

Psychobabble. Loved it. One fact to mention is that the lead singer of Ambrosia was one of Alan’s favorite lead vocalists on the APP albums.

[@SteelyDug1]

Just saw the APP a couple of months ago at the Wiltern Theater in Hollywood. Always a great show!!!

[@SpotPeeps]

Prime Time (Eric's vocals) with a wonderful solo guitar always was my fave song.

[@rebeccamcdaniel1033]

Its just my personal opinion, but if I had to listen to just Alan Parson's catalog and Jeff Lynne's catalog for the rest of my life...I would be happy.

[@drmusic3641]

As a trivia note, actor John Cleese is on the cover of "I Robot" Also, Parsons produced Pilot's 1975 top 10 hit "Magic", then the group was absorbed into the APP after their breakup. You shouldve mentioned the many guest vocalists he's had appear on the bands albums. David Paton (Pilot), Colin Blunstone (The Zombies), Chris Thompson (Manfred Manns Earth Band), David Pack (Ambrosia), Eric Stewart (10cc), Allan Clarke (The Hollies), Leo Sayer, Lou Gramm and others

[@kevinengler4554]

I never noticed Cleese on the album cover! Very cool!

[@rebeccamcdaniel1033]

Don't forget P J Olsen. I could listen to him sing all day.

[@ChrisBrown-ml2oy]

I will be seeing Alan Parsons in concert (my second time) next week. I can't wait!

[@videobenny3]

One of my top four bands since my dad brought their I Robot album home. I’ve seen Alan’s band play three times, one was a whole recreation of I Robot. One of the philosophical differences between Alan and Eric was touring. After their parting of ways, Alan felt free to tour.

[@noelwhittle7922]

try listening to Mammagamma in your car on a freeway at night without getting a speeding fine.

[@whathappenedtothem_]

That’s how I feel about “Sirius”!

[@salamander163]

the first album that a heard of the allan parsons project was tales of mysytery and imagination and i was hooked, love all their albums!!!

[@CarlosEBernal]

I love all of their music and one of my favorites was "Time"

[@macwyll]

How could this video not mention the song "Breakdown"? That was a vocal and musical masterpiece and listen to it often.

[@MolinaBolero]

I love every APP album, but my favourite is Eve. I discovered them just a few years ago and now I am completely obsessed by the Project 🥰

[@AG-6969]

Alan Parsons is a PERSON, not a band. He is a record Producer, song writer, and Engineer. He put artist together to create his albums. All the albums have different performers on them and explore different styles. He is an icon in the music business and still produces to this day.

[@JayTyrus]

"In the Lap of the gods" from Pyramid, my all-time favorite APP track.

[@peterkwiatkowskiNZ]

Like the writings of Edgar Alan Poe and think that Tales of Mystery and Imagination did a great musical interpretation of the feel and the gothic style esp. The Raven and Fall of the House of Usher

[@Pinky-lg3lz]

"Don't answer me" is a good song for wee lads to cry over.

[@squigglyharris4898]

In the lap of the gods!!!!! ❤the raven, so many the best group my favorite next to Kansas!!!

[@jtabq6847]

I have been a fan since Tales of Mystery and Imagination was released. The are in my top 3 bands. I saw them in Florida in the 90's and the Live Project twice in the past 4 years.

[@mark.J6708]

Transcendental music. Love it all!

[@bills.1951]

Their 2004 concert in Madrid is great!!! You can watch it on KZbin. The drummer is spectacular!!!

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

His show in Medellin, Columbia is also great. It's available on DVD and KZbin in almost it's entirety. There's also an album if you don't want visuals.

[@bills.1951]

@@jamesmckenzie3532 Yes, they had the orchestra with them!

[@ColeenU]

In 2019, I saw him in concert and the show was fantastic. He used a lot of meds lights.. Here recently released a boxed set with all PPP albums into CDs.

[@LDR1100RS]

ignore the hateful comments. Thanks for the video.

[@whathappenedtothem_]

You bet

[@gregorysagegreene]

And the beginning of my life was all there for it, enjoying the release of their first album, and eagerly buying up the rest thru' the 80's.

[@anthonyclarke5579]

I saw Pink Floyd at the NEC on the Animals tour. I say saw, we were so far back I've seen bigger ants. I saw Brit Floyd in Oslo recently, they really are brilliant and its also an up close and personal experience. To have a double bill with Alan Parsons is a bit of a no brainer...get in the ticket line please.

[@MsDarylM]

Reminds me of early days with my ex-husband and our young son. Takes me straight back to our home in the 80s.

[@jggouvea]

I'll spare you the bs: Alan Parson's project was very successful. After ten products which were absolutely good throughout, the team split, with one of the leaders leaving to form another project, but Eric Woolfson's project didn't go anywhere. By the time, however, Alan Parsons decided not to start another project, instead focusing on keeping the team at work, doing good work.

[@EarthboundMisfit1274]

After hearing "Pyramid" I bought every album as soon as it was released. I still have "Stereotomy" on vinyl.

[@richardsylvanus2717]

I still have all the albums on vinyl

[@tygattyche2545]

For me Pyramid the their weakest album and for this reason the only one I never "upgraded" to CD.

[@batphink2655]

My younger brother , Dad and I met singer Lenny Zeketek' at a 'Records On Wheel's shop in 1970 and beside one other person and the retail clerk it was empty so he talked to us for nearly an hour .What a great guy and no idea why they don't let him sing a few tunes with the current lineup? I love so many of their songs I don't know which is my fave.

[@matrix54190]

My favorite song is sirius, eye in the sky🤩

[@MrDan708]

They might not have done much in the video realm, but one memorable vid was for the Ammonia Avenue track "Don't Answer Me" which was done in a comic-book style. Since they didn't go out of the way to put their images on their album covers, (indeed they were often deliberately concealed!) this was a clever way to have the best of both worlds.

[@peterring2714]

Eric was a lovely man with a beautiful voice and rare talent in songwriting and his death was a huge loss to the music industry.

[@neilbradley]

This was written like someone did a Google search and took snippets from various web sites. FYI, I've attended 3 master classes with Alan and his crew (in Santa Barbara), doing mixdowns of both Ammonia Avenue and Year Of The Cat (Al Stewart), and directly asked him about some of this, and a lot of what's mentioned is simply not true. First, Eric was the band's manager and was from day one (that's what the partnership was - Eric wrote songs and managed, Alan did production an arrangement). The conflict wasn't during Gaudi (FYI, it's GAU-DEE, not GAWD-EE, and trivia - Ammonia Avenue and Gaudi were supposed to be a double album) - it was during Fruediana. It was simple - Eric wanted to do musicals, Alan didn't. Got that directly from Alan. That was the split. They got on just fine. Also, why no mention of Alan's other albums - The Secret and From The New World? Alan does regret not touring, and thinks they'd be much bigger if they had. I agree. ;-)

[@ralfbodemann1542]

I just love their innovative and elaborated musih, especially on their first five albums (maybe with the exception of "Eve"). Do I have that ONE favorite song? No. But I love "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feathers", "The Eagle Will Rise Again", "The Turn Of A Friendly Card", "Genesis Ch. 1. V. 32", just to name a few.

[@mje1625]

First album I bought... "Tales of Mystery and Imagination." I remember listening to it with my Radio Shack headphones well into the morning hours. Please give me those days back, acne and all.

[@syrophenikan]

Freudiana is an AMAZING work!!!!

[@garyogan894]

It was a project for cryin' out loud. ... They finished the fucking project. ... Next project, right?

[@baylinkdashyt]

I saw them last Wednesday. They were great.

[@scottoz7891]

I ROBOT is amazing ❤

[@philippemichelvidori7248]

I m a fan since their first album and saw them a few times and introduced to my three kids and my favorites songs are the raven, the cask of amontillado, dont answer me, sirius and eye in the sky and games people play !

[@FriendofDorothy]

I lost interest when they started filling their albums with musically proficient but rather dull pop songs clearly designed to attain commercial radio play. Their greatest and most creative album was their debut "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" with "I Robot" and "The Turn of a Friendly Card" sharing my #2 spot. They pretty much lost me when they stopped being wildly and wonderfully conceptual/creative and started being commercially safe. Yes, it was good quality "bland" but still dull to my ears. However, the albums mentioned are to me masterpieces of progressive rock creativity. As a post-script I might add that Alan Parsons Project recorded a song I have to avoid quite studiously unless completely in the mood for it even though it is beautiful. That track is called "Time". Do not listen to this without a Kleenex box nearby, it can and will result in tears unless you are a person who has not lost someone very dear to you.

[@johnmassung]

Man, for me they had a great run back in the mid-70s. Listened often.

[@whathappenedtothem_]

I agree - they were on fire back then!

[@ninaglattre3280]

time is my favoritt

[@ewaldblumenschein6830]

Nothing left to lose is my favorit song

[@walterfechter8080]

Powerful tune!

[@martincolvill5453]

The Raven!

[@kityycocokat]

Thought they worked on a giant laser project

[@RA-1965]

No story about the APP would be complete without mention of the role of master arranger Andrew Powell. In fact he recorded his own superlative album on EMI which were orchestral versions of classic APP songs. I actually prefer those to the originals!

[@fuffoon]

I figured that they took the Bulls royalties and lived on a permanent 5 star vacation in the Maldives. That's what I'd do. You would be surprised how paradise can make you feel great.

[@docheine]

I’ll always think of the 90s Chicago Bulls when I think of the Alan Parsons Project.

[@moogie242x]

My favorite album is tales of mystery and imagination. Probably because I like Edgar Allan Poe. They are touring in Texas December 15, 2025.

[@leegreen9750]

What happened? Well, I saw Parsons in concert about 6 months ago....

[@mekkler]

Favorite song? Impossible, the whole album 'I Robot' is brilliant. I just listened to it two days ago in my car.

[@ErAvUlGaRiS-gv9wi]

Well, when this popped up on my feed, there was a thumbnail for a hovercraft related video....The Simpsons called it again

[@Howard-f6y]

How could you not mention the song don't answer me till the end?

[@ronperry9904]

Back before the Internet, all I knew about him was just reading the back of the album. I could never figure it out.

[@oldsledpurgatory3595]

Atom Heart Mother.

[@walterfechter8080]

"Don't Answer Me"

[@lewisgriffiths9928]

…stay on your island: don’t let me in.

[@jcheco59]

It happened the same as solo artist, the bands experience is a creative ground process

[@BettinaEckhardt]

Turn of a friendy card this my Favorite due to my philosophy of life❤

[@eljefe62]

Psychobabble

[@spellerlittlewing]

Damn if I do Excellent song

[@scottthompson5855]

Goldbug

[@kellyheine5751]

Great video!

[@whathappenedtothem_]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@grandmak5843]

Heard it was the secretary that came up with the name The Alan Parsons Project.

[@dbs555]

Pipeline. Nice to have it first and last on a road tape.

[@whathappenedtothem_]

That song is iconic! I love it too.

[@seabertotter4325]

What happened to my interest for "What Happened" docs?

[@harlow2047]

I thought they were some sort of hovercraft

[@thatlostinspaceguy]

BREAKDOWN! :)

[@williammarchant2920]

Why is the narration so stilted? It sounds like an AI reading?

[@martinbzm]

nah, just nasal. like he has a severe headcold and a deadline.

[@octavioespadas7959]

Where are you reading from?

[@bardioc]

"Lucifer" from "Eve" was my first encounter to TAPP and it was such a great piece of instrumental music. Still listening to it once in a week.

[@pbourque8564]

But who was their main guitarist ? Every guitar solo on these records is amazing, they were little storys in the songs themselfs...

[@georgeschultz8354]

Ian Bairnson was the main guitarist. If you know the song "Magic"( whoa ho ho), that band was Pilot. they played on many of the 70's /80's APP albums.

[@chestrendy]

Is that Tori Amos? Ammonia Avenue spawned a couple of videos.

[@ethanhitchcock5431]

I thought one of them was Ted Bundy in the thumb nail photo , I remember having one of their albums in high school , I would often confuse them with Pink Floyd ( Eye in the sky ) , they are very talented .Thanky

[@DonLeist]

They got outshined by other bands,happened all the time.

[@xerxese7909]

He made a bunch of $ and retired. Thank you.

[@sdcoinshooter]

Thanks, you saved me eight minutes of time.

[@USCG.Brennan]

Alan just did a concert not long ago....He's still around and just completed another album and it's here on KZbin. Parsons and "Brit Floyd" will be on the West Coast of the US this coming Summer (2025) for concerts!! Gotta be there!!