24db wrote:
SequenceC wrote:
Recently listened again to quite a lot of TD concerts.
What I find really interesting is the sound for:
Sheffield City Hall Oct. 29th 1974
Bradford St. George's Hall Nov. 26th 1974
Glasgow Kelvin Hall Nov. 20th 1974
The music is mainly ambient with various sound textures, and only a few parts have some temporary minimal sequencers. Given that Phaedra was released in Feb. 1974, it's interesting how most of these tours do not have sequencers but are ambient based. Perhaps it could be that the sequencers were not reliable enough at that stage. However in Reims Dec. 13th 1974 there are quite a lot of aggressive sequencers, and this is shortly after the UK tour.
So if anything, IMO, the 1974 UK concerts are more similar to the 1973 concerts (Saint Ouen, Les Ponts de Cé and Berlin). So while the 1974 UK gigs were after Phaedra's release, they seem to fit the pink years more, i.e. Atem.
It's bit hard to judge a whole tour from only a handful of recordings mate (and only incomplete ones at that), although I wouldn't say you're too far from the truth in what you say. The recordings from 73 seem more organ basedzzzzzzzzz

plus a bit of widdlly modulation stuff from their EMS gear with
some concerts relying on taped backing tracks for the rhythm parts (Bass guitar with echo for example). The UK '74 tour was IMHO TD feeling their way around what their equipment was capable of. By the end of the year and into 1975 the group were able to gain experience and confidence and therefore able move to the next level.
Thanks Andy
Yes I am ware that unfortunately I haven't got al the recordings from the tour, and probably not all of them are full recordings either, but it does makes sense what you say, that for concerts, TD were finding their ground with their equipment. Reims 1974 really starts to get into a more structured direction, towards RAH 1975, with more sequencers, mellotron, etc.
But judging from those three concerts I have from the UK 1974 tour, it seems that while TD were already a Virgin label band, their music then was mainly pink years orientated.