Curved Air

https://open.spotify.com/album/7hfA825fDvgS0W95LV5kDy?si=6_nYV-_SS1GBEyWfHkcQxA

My taste in music is eclectic
but there is some music which
locates my roots as such
with fusion rock & classical electric
screaming guitar solos
and no small touch
of sexy female vocals
singing of “Back Street Luv”
to 60’s Pop it was emetic
Prog Rock group Curved Air
their singer fresh from being in “Hair”
pulls me back to teenage years
and this, though compilations
may be infra dig,this is the sound
and album cover that I love
not least because I’ve flown
in just such an one and
might have seen in heavens above
A Rainbow in Curved Air
from which this band
derived their name.

© Andrew Wilson, 2024

Over at dVerse Poets Pub,  Mish in Poetics invites us to pick a favourite album cover and write an Ekphrastic poem…

This album by Curved Air was released during a twenty-year quiet period for the band and I love it because it is a great compilation that has blasted from my car speakers on many a drive but also because, in the 1970’s, I flew in a De Haviland Tiger Moth biplane as featured on the album cover – what’s not to like. If you are unlucky enough not to know the meaning of Prog Rock – you could do worse than jump into this album – volume as high as your speakers can immerse you…

16 thoughts on “Curved Air

  • October 9, 2024 at 9:03 pm
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    Fascinating. You certainly brought the music alive in words, thanks v much.

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    • October 10, 2024 at 6:00 am
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      Thanks, Ain, I have added a video now – Prog Rocks…

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  • October 10, 2024 at 5:18 am
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    So many great connection… I also went for prog rock, a great period of great music.

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    • October 10, 2024 at 6:02 am
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      I heard some of these tracks as a teenager but I also discovered more when the internet and Spotify gave access to explore – it stands up so well I think…

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      • October 10, 2024 at 1:09 pm
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        An interesting connection! I wasn’t familiar with the band but as my taste for music is very eclectic as well, I will have to take a listen.

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        • October 10, 2024 at 5:16 pm
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          Thanks Mish, if you like King Crimson, I think you will like Curved Air…

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  • October 10, 2024 at 9:58 am
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    I’d forgotten how much I loved Curved Air back in the day, Andrew. You don’t hear about them these days. Thank you for the reminder – and the video.

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    • October 10, 2024 at 10:59 am
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      I have been listening to them on the way home from work and there are bits that are real earworms – some of the tracks have all the complexity of a symphony. Thanks Kim…

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  • October 10, 2024 at 6:44 pm
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    Not familiar with this group. Will have to take a listen – with the volume turned way up, right? How amazing that you flew in a plane like this one!

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    • October 11, 2024 at 12:48 pm
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      We had a Cadet Force at school and I always went on Summer camps with the Airforce section and got a flight one year. I hope you like the group, Lillian. Of course whilst we might all be looking a certain age now, our taste in music was just as outré as young people’s today, much as it might surprise them…

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  • October 11, 2024 at 7:03 am
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    Fantastic poem, Andrew. I enjoyed your reminiscence very much.

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    • October 11, 2024 at 1:06 pm
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      Thanks, Robbie, I do have this album in vinyl, but the record player doesn’t get as much use as Spotify but this is great driving music if you don’t know it…

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  • October 11, 2024 at 9:36 am
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    Thanks for reminding me of the existence of Curved Air and making them sound so worth revisiting. I am going to search and listen to try to recreate your pleasure for myself. What a nice gift to give!

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    • October 11, 2024 at 1:06 pm
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      Thank you so much Sean – what a delightful comment!

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  • October 14, 2024 at 2:22 pm
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    Those were the days, Prog Rock has been inspiring, a real attempt at going beyond the 3 minute pop hit. I note that it overlapped with punk which was its polar opposite. This comes alive Andrew as does the image of the plane (were you the pilot?)

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    • October 14, 2024 at 3:01 pm
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      I was in the Air Cadets and it was on Summer camp at RAF Cranwell – just a passenger…

      Reply

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