Why that avatar?
 

Sharc's idea in another thread: "I think a great new thread would be to Tell why they are their own Avatar......."

Um, ok, I'll go first. This is a rather boring promo shot of Oysterhead. I chose it to go along with my quote. I'll change it in August. Some of my previous avatars include my leg as photographed on July 8, 2003, Homestarrunner's Apple-style logo, bunnies giving the high-five, the logo from Alfred Hitchcock Presents, a blinking Darth Maul, a graphic of the United States with the red and blue counties highlighted, and I think that's it. I changed my avatar about once every six weeks.

when I joined the moon there weren't many choices for avatars, and I debated between Leftoverture and Vangelis' Heaven and Hell, but chose the Kansas because that was the first album that really reached me, musically, and I will always feel it special. matter of fact, I think I'll put it on now...
:cool:

Good Thread......
 

Roger was saying that he was thinking of choosing "Heaven and Hell". I'm glad he didn't because that's what I chose years ago for my Avatar.

I chose it because it sums things up for me. Life......Heaven and Hell. I'm lucky! Most of my life has been Heaven. OK, it's Hellish at the moment but it will bounce back. It always does. You Moon buds are a source of joy and inspiration.

My first avatar was Focus "Moving Waves", because I like the album, but moreso that the cover has a "San Diego" feel to it, and that's where I live.

Next was a photo from MXC, a hilarious TV show. It's the only mindless TV I watch.

Currently is a cartoonish Bruce Lee, because I train in martial arts regularly.

I'll change it again when I think of something else I like...

oh, and I kind of wish when you changed avatars, it only changed future posts and not past ones - it would be fun to see the progression in those who change them....

My avatar is the cover of Rush's Grace Under Pressure. I picked it, because it's probably my favorite album cover. I like the contrast of the cold sterility in the foreground and the turbulent chaos in the distance.

The image of the tree in full bloom as a kind of solitary proud figure, set amongst all that lovely landscape... always has been one of my fave Windham Hill cover art choices.

With all due respect to his unfortunate passing, it sums up for me what I sensed from Michael Hedge's music too...creative, strong, somewhat unbending to pressure to be anything but himself, still sympathetic and a part of his environment.

I just like it
:D

well... just BSP basically...:D

..i designed the cover.

I picked mine...
 

...because I'd clashed with Mossy (oops!) But then I had a closer look and chose Watkins because it reminds me of the backgrounds of Fantastic Voyage (is that right? the late sixties one with Donald Pleasance and Sophia Loren as scientists who get shrunk to tiny and injected into some guy's bloodstream to battle a cancerous growth? Well...anyway...that one.) I remember watching that when I was little and I think that film - plus the glorious seventies Doctor Who - which plunged me into a love of science fiction and prog. By the way - I love being dubbed a 'junior' member. It's been a looooong time since I was a junior anything! :D

I picked mine because it's from a cartoon by the Toy Story group and was made on an Apple. I also love the cartoon 'For the Birds'.

PS - the girl in Fantastic Voyage was Raquel Welch. VaVoom!

Aha!
 

Rachel Welch! THAT's who it was. Thinking back - how on earth did I forget HER?

I AM getting old. :p

haha...and you got donald pleasance?!?:eek:

k

Fantastic Voyage

better yet...

what's wrong with Sophia Loren?

Glad you corrected that tee, I was away....

Donald Pleasance...:p

I used to have Songs From the Wood cause Tull's my fav..and like Roger, the choices were few at the time.

Then I cut and pasted a picture of Bootsy Collins with Doug Pinnick (King's X).

Now it's the cover of Discipline's "Unfolded Like Staircase", imo the greatest record ever done by a "non-established" act. It also goes along with my minimalistic tendancies.

Jim excellent point about the avatars being applied over every post.

Or...
 

I've just realised it's Donald PleasEnce not Donald PleasAnce. And by being smug and correcting it I'm admitting I got it wrong in the first place. :mad:

Anyhoo...kinda getting off the point.

Sorry.

Re: Or...
 

It was only a few years ago that I finally mastered "separate" instead of "seperate". I won't hold not knowing the spelling of a bald character actor against you:D

if I misspell Raquel Welch will you hold her against me?

:D

only if like seconds....:eek:

heh.
:cool:

Ditto. There's a post in the thread about my leg after I'd just changed from Hitchcock to the blinking Darth Maul where Rick or Keith (can't remember) said it freaked them out because it blinked. Anytime a newbie asks me about my leg I link them there and I see that and wonder if they look at my current avatar waiting on it to blink...


That's default to new members. You can change that if you want to. Notice how everybody else has something like iPod Meister, Qoheleth the Wise, or The London Headbanger. Some folks have Senior Member or Super Poster, which along with Junior Member are default IDs until the person personalizes them. Go to "User CP" to change it.

well lets see
 

my first avatar was the Siren cover...love the water, the make-up, coloring, pose, etc., etc., etc. was gonna doctor ELP's giger cover BSS but opted for roxy. the giger showed up very briefly later, but i still didn't like it. early years of loving brian ferry & the boyz and wondering why jeri hall would ever give him up (had a girlfriend tell me he looked like wayne newton!)...but i guess we both moved on.

i love roxy music — lots of good memories and if i were a glam girl...i'd be a roxy. and i'll probably stick with those covers or something with that same feel...be glad i didn't choose bowie or todd rundgren....what is it about those skinny dudes geez.

anyway that's my story
:cool:

p.s. artboy sent me some quicktime of roxy and you know what...he did kinda look like wayne newton:D

Raelly now!
 

I picked the "jester" avatar from Steve Hackett's "Please Don't Touch" ... I guess there's a bit of the "inner clown" in me... Then I learned you could "set" your own, so I rummaged the net for something not in the Moon's catalog, and found a close-up (or close-up?? ;) ) of Rael.

The rubbed out mouth is pretty ironic considering how I babble here! :D

I suspect the mood will move me to change it again someday!

Mine's kinda obvious...I'm always smiling!:D

Avatar
 

Well... you'll find this boring. I picked Birds of Fire at first because I was probably in a Mahavishnu Orchestra mood at the time... I usually am.

This discussion prompted me to change it, so this should be my first post with Salem Hill's "Be" cover as the avatar. Why? It's a neat cover and I like the band. A lot.

Re: Avatar
 

DId you see the Hillion weekend in Tennessee (on the website) in October?;)

Hillionarie's Weekend
 

I did hear about that. I'm contemplating it, that's for sure!

need to post 1
 

Well, I'm new so I had to choose one from the list. Now with this post, I should be able to come up with a new one shortly :D

Welcome Lusus
 

Some.....shall I say...interesting people and pictures on your website. :D I'm sure you'll find one there.

Now a word to everyone from the other post......

Lusus, on his website, has Jethro Tull grouped under classic rock and Rush under "other".....it's official!

:p

other...
 

yeahbut, where's DT? :D

welcome, Lusus! :cool:

Yes, welcome Lusus..............
 

Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!

You'll like it here Lusus. Great music but even better people. Welcome to the family that is Aural Moon.

welcome lusus!

hope you enjoy it here on the moon.

had a listen to the band "analog missionary" on your site.... me likey!

ta, mossy

Hello Hellay
 

Thanks all for the welcome - I guess I need to 'splain a few things. I'm old school progressive. I love Rush but they don't fit in to how I define progressive, nor does Jethro Tull.

The term "Progressive" has always been used too widely, in my opinion, to lump artists into one group because the record companies lacked either vision or intrest in giving unique artists a special place in the medium. The same thing happens in visual arts I suppose... Like the terms "Modern" or "Abstract" or "Impressionism" - Clearly there are varied styles with in these groups.

I generally have to list myself as "English Style Progressive" so that people may know that I am referring to something similar to Genesis or Yes rather than Progressive metal or Jazz.

Now Dream Theater... I don't wish to offend anyone but they fall into a different group for me also. Rudess is probably one of the best keyboard players alive today but the music takes technique to the point of being unlistenable. I feel the same way about some of Emerson's playing. I'll say WOW at first and then get bored by staccato 32nd notes wizzing by in 13/8. I know this appeals to many, but not to me. There must be emotion being conveyed to reach me and often these are quiet musically uncomplicated moments.... The right note at the right time.

Re: Hello Hellay
 

Exactly LN, well said. I (and Ian Anderson does too) cringe at the term progressive for Tull. Same with Rush. I was just needling you cause of the discussion about what is prog. It is a sometimes fun but never ending debate.

I always thought the best DT period was with Kevin Moore. There wasn't as much pyrotechnics. Good point about the Technique. I find LTE lacking dynamics and just an all out balls to wall approach.

I'm going to copy your sentence again, because it is perfect:

The term "Progressive" has always been used too widely, in my opinion, to lump artists into one group because the record companies lacked either vision or interest in giving unique artists a special place in the medium.

The only thing I would tweak is including the casual listener along with the record companies.

In the Court of the Crimson King
 

I was 16 in "69, I loved the Mellotron of the moodies, was brought up Beatles.
Woodstock, Bobby K., American Flag Papers. ... then this Layered, Textured, wall of Madness arrived. Even after Meddle, or Spirit, the Harim, this album was SO differant. I never stopped playing it,
I've never stopped playing it. This Lp created my taste for prog..
2000 recordings later it still defines my taste in sound, and me as well , ...I must say a mental image of the members is formed to me partially by their Avitar- RogorMortis for example:D
Thanx for the nod Spaz!

Why this for an avatar...
 

I'm a big Hawkwind fan and love the majestically poised figure in the image...?

The winged helmet reminds me of stylish viking wear...?

A photo of my manliness wouldn't fit within such a tiny box...?

A picture of Guinness beer wouldn't show up against the blue background...?

A naked picture of Kate Bush was unavailable...?

All of the above or none of the above.



:D

Re: In the Court of the Crimson King
 

Speaking of the Moodies and the mellotron...

I saw The Moody Blues at Wolftrap on Saturday. For three old geezers, they can still pack 'em in.

However, they really don't sound as good as they used to... only three of them and some female extras which colored the harmonies in a way that just didn't sound like The Moody Blues. Also, and there's no excuse for this, the lack of mellotron sound. There are plenty of really good mellotron synthetics available that they shouldn't need to use strings, etc. that sound like a $99 Casio keyboard. Oh, and Graeme forgot the words to Higher and Higher.

Re: Why this for an avatar...
 

I'm looking.... :cool:

hello lusus, and welcome! nice rig! ...i have more keys,
but you have more processors ;) actually, i mainly use software
for efx, a completely digital rig running sonar 4 pr.ed.,
sony sound forge, acid 4, cd architect.
if that comes up short, i'm checked out for use of studio
"B" at pacific studios tacoma.

do you have tunes posted that we can hear?

rick and i had the same discussion re: dream theatre
not 6 months ago, and i said the same thing.

they appear to have no gift for subtlety whatsoever,
lack any kind of emotional connection to the music or listener.
..maybe i was on the wrong drugs...:D

i've said it elsewhere, but IMO art w/o craft is pretentious,
craft w/o art is tedious and boring.

i never start off the writing process
w/ "gonna write a ____ tune". to me, that's just pandering to
an audience, nothing "progressive" about it.
IMO(again), "prog" becoming a recognized genre was
nearly a deathblow to the music further progressing.

p e a c e

kirk/zenpool

Ah yes, Avatars.

I'd say something profound about mine, except for the fact that I chose it because a) I like Yes, b) I thought the colors were cool, and c) I like Yes.

I've seen Yes in concert more than any other group (six times since 1992).

Although the best was, by far, Pink Floyd.

oops! sorry to go so far off thread dot!...
of course, the good ones always do, eh?:cool:
you know...had to make nice w/ the newbie..

that's not dean is it? i don't recognize the piece.

YES holds the record for me also, some 12 times over
the years, beginning w/ the topographic oceans tour.

the mark of a diehard fan~i caught them twice in
support of that god-awful "open your eyes" cd. :p

i almost threw something when i heard "man in the moon".

pees

k

but isn't your avatar from a Jean-Luc Pointy album?