Necromancer

I couldn't find a thread through the search option that was dedicated to the band Kansas. So here it is..(a mod can merge if one already exist).

Dust In The Wind is an all-time rock classic, but Carry On My Wayward Son might be the overall popular single of the two. Most all guitar players could play the hook/riff lines to Carry On My Wayward Son back in the day, as well as Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water.

Here is a song written by Kerry Livgren and Steve Walsh, Portrait (He Knew) from the album Point Of No Return. One of my favorite singles by Kansas.

Electrophonic Tonic

It too easy forget they were a legitimate prog rock band, and they only real American prog rock band of note. Leftoverture and Point of Know Return are great prog rock albums. I've heard some stories at my local record shops about people who bought Leftoverture. They bought the record because they assumed every single song was as catchy and pop friendly as 'Carry on My Wayward Son'. Record stores had a ton of customers try to return it because they were 'tricked' into buying a prog rock album.

Necromancer

That's true, Kansas being an (actual) American progressive rock band from the 70s.

Unknown Soldier

This is one my all time fav bands full stop. They did prog rock mixed in with a windswept mid western sound that was unique to them. Their first 6 studio albums are all classic releases and not too many bands can match that for consistent quality. The writing team of Steve Walsh and Kerry Livgren though was the key. Steve Walsh compositioned most of the shorter more accessible material, but it was the material of Kerry Livgren that turned them into a classic band with darkly focused less accessible masterpieces. The singing team of Steve Walsh and Robby Steinhardt also complemented each other perfectly.

Their debut album is really a hodge-podge of sounds but it works really well and its a great album, but the prog masterpieces are Song For America, Masque, Leftoverture, Point of Know Return and Monolith these are the classics. Leftoverture was the album they made their breakthrough on and its was recorded under a lot of pressure from their label and amazingly a large amount of the material was left over material from their previous albums that was just revamped and "Dust in the Wind" was a last minute addition to the album. Point of Know Return saw the band at their creative height and brilliance and its a masterpiece of an album. Masque is a personal fav of mine and another masterpiece that`s severly underrated and the guitaring of Rich Williams and the drumming of Phil Ehart on that album are something I`ll always remember.

ThePhanastasio

Ah - did you see Kansas a few years ago (I think '08) at Ashland, KY's Summer Motion?

It was actually a superb show. Probably the third best I've seen at the festival (following Kenny Loggins and The Turtles - maybe Micky Dolenz).

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Unknown Soldier

What Kenny Loggins better than Kansas!!!