About this concert
THE ENID have been described as ?the only band on the planet to have successfully fused rock-based music with the power, dynamics and scale of symphonic classical music?. Formed among friends in 1974 The Enid invented a school of intelligent, powerful and romantic popular music which is unique to them. The Enid "school of art" for want of a better description, is free from constraints of template rock/pop where rhythm, harmony and melody are invariably dictated by the traditions, prejudices and limitations associated with style.
For the band?s 50th anniversary tour the line-up has been expanded with the recent introduction of virtuoso guitarist, Alfredo Randazzo, and renowned bassist and keyboardist, Tim Harries.
Says founder Robert John Godfrey: ?I did not expect to still be alive but here I am!?
In 1980 the band broke with the music business completely after the collapse of PYE Records and has operated as an "indie band" in partnership with the band's fans ever since.
In 1983 and in need of a survival plan, they turned to their fan club, ?The Stand?, to provide the necessary capital funding to tour, produce new recordings and support all the costs associated with running a professional band. The concept of crowdfunding for bands had arrived.
The Enid is proud to have been a pioneer and an inspiration for all those bands who have since followed suit. "If a small cult band like The Enid could do it, so could anyone. Now thanks to the Internet, we are all doing it. Wunderbar!", said Robert John Godfrey in 1988.
QUOTES
1976 - After three encores and a standing ovation at Reading Festival, a disgusted John Peel described The Enid performance as ?A Level Rock ? the worst possible drivel.?
1979 - Tommy Vance (BBC Radio 1) described Robert John Godfrey as ?one of the greatest composers England has ever had?
1986 - Alan Freeman (BBC Radio 1) said, ?The Enid is the only band on the planet to have successfully fused rock-based music with the power, dynamics, and scale of symphonic classical music?.
1990 - The Guardian explained The Enid as ?Pink Floyd meets The Orb meets the Berlin Philharmonic?.
2010 - Malcolm Dome, Classic Rock: ?With their milestone sell-out concert at Symphony Hall, Birmingham with the CBSO, The Enid have indelibly underlined their position as the symphonic masters.
2014 - Jerry Ewing Prog Magazine: ".... absolutely blew my mind - unlike anything I had seen before - totally unique - a wonderful band - far-reaching and ground-breaking."
2016 - The Band On The Wall: ?The most majestic rock band of all time.?
?The Enid have reaffirmed their place among the pantheon of Prog Gods.? Rachel Mann, Prog Magazine
"Late blooming beauty." Mark Beech, Bloomberg
?One of the most puzzling but invigorating sounds of recent years.? Dave Gelly, The Observer
?The delivery of Enid songwriter Robert John Godfrey?s songs through a rock band augmented by an orchestra and choir worked brilliantly.? Express and Star
?The rebirth of one of the most original of all progressive bands.? Malcolm Dome, Classic Rock
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This show will be at the larger venue at 229 London (Great Portland Street), and will be fully seated (unreserved).
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user22067773
January 29th 2016
Really good use of the background screen. Sound was incredible as was choice of music. Sad to see Robert for the last time.
Glasgow, United Kingdom@Centre for Contemporary Art
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The Enid Biography
The Enid have been evolving over 5 decades and is a completely independent entity, untainted by the whims of the industry zeitgeist.
The band live and work together at The Lodge Recording Studios, Northampton, The Enid's creative hub since the early 1990's
The band was founded in 1974 by Robert John Godfrey following his previous work as a Charisma Records solo artist and Barclay James Harvest composer. Described as “one of the greatest composers Great Britain has ever produced” by Tommy Vance on Radio 1, Godfrey and the original members – friends from Finchden (a school for naughty boys) in Kent – enjoyed great success in the 1970s for their mythology inspired instrumental releases with EMI. A progressive band born in the Punk revolution, The Enid won over cynical audiences with their politically incorrect covers including Land of Hope and Glory (Land of Dope and Tory) and a well-spoken version of The Troggs Wild Thing (“Wild thing! You naughty, naughty boy”).
In the 1980s The Enid split from EMI, successfully becoming the first band to survive entirely through crowdfunding – a model now commonly used by music artists such as Marillion and Radiohead. The band’s fan club ‘The Stand’ became so big it had to be investigated by MI5 for the government’s suspicion of it being a dangerous cult entity. Later disproved, the band continued to thrive, pressing its own records, selling out large theatres and storming public opinion polls in music magazines.
THE NEW TENANTS OF AN OLD HOUSE WITH A RICH PAST AND MANY GHOSTS
Once upon a time, The Enid was defined the founding members. It has evolved into a unique institution with a legendary past, populated with the next generation. Like the proms, once the private property of Sir Henry Wood, The Enid will endure so long as there are those who want it to.
The band is now just the three. Jason Ducker (Guitars & Keyboards), Dominic Tofield (Drums, Percussion & Keyboards), Zachary Bullock (Keyboards & Vocal FX). Whenever the band has gone through a metamorphosis, there were always surprises. Be prepared.
In the coming weeks they will be fleshing out their master plan outlined below. They know they are going to need a lot of support and encouragement from all of you, their tribe of friends and fellow lone-stars, who have always been such a big part of the band’s life in music.
MUSIC AND THE VISUAL ARTS
The visual arts are to play a crucial complimentary part of the band’s creative energy where the music and the imagery are composed for each other. Keep your eyes open.
THE PLAN
THE RELAUNCH SHOW
THURSDAY 29TH JUNE 2017
THE BUSH HALL
LONDON W12 7LJ
NEW RECORDINGS:
“Resurgency” - A new vision of the best music from the Journey’s End trilogy to be released in the early 2017.
“Tempest” – Putting the ‘ressive’ back in prog. A new concept album of as yet unimagined music for release next June to coincide with Bush Hall show.
THE ROAD TO BUSH HALL
During the coming months The Enid website and social media platforms will be rebranded to reflect the world in which the younger generation finds itself, aiming to encourage enlightened debate through their music and art in the face of the gathering chaos in politics, sex, religion, philosophy and psychology.
As the planet confronts the biggest upheaval since the last ice age, the band will strive to find a path to happiness and meaning both for themselves and their fans. Through their art and dedication, they are committed to the RJG ideal; developing a long lasting and sincere relationship with their fans.
Read MoreThe band live and work together at The Lodge Recording Studios, Northampton, The Enid's creative hub since the early 1990's
The band was founded in 1974 by Robert John Godfrey following his previous work as a Charisma Records solo artist and Barclay James Harvest composer. Described as “one of the greatest composers Great Britain has ever produced” by Tommy Vance on Radio 1, Godfrey and the original members – friends from Finchden (a school for naughty boys) in Kent – enjoyed great success in the 1970s for their mythology inspired instrumental releases with EMI. A progressive band born in the Punk revolution, The Enid won over cynical audiences with their politically incorrect covers including Land of Hope and Glory (Land of Dope and Tory) and a well-spoken version of The Troggs Wild Thing (“Wild thing! You naughty, naughty boy”).
In the 1980s The Enid split from EMI, successfully becoming the first band to survive entirely through crowdfunding – a model now commonly used by music artists such as Marillion and Radiohead. The band’s fan club ‘The Stand’ became so big it had to be investigated by MI5 for the government’s suspicion of it being a dangerous cult entity. Later disproved, the band continued to thrive, pressing its own records, selling out large theatres and storming public opinion polls in music magazines.
THE NEW TENANTS OF AN OLD HOUSE WITH A RICH PAST AND MANY GHOSTS
Once upon a time, The Enid was defined the founding members. It has evolved into a unique institution with a legendary past, populated with the next generation. Like the proms, once the private property of Sir Henry Wood, The Enid will endure so long as there are those who want it to.
The band is now just the three. Jason Ducker (Guitars & Keyboards), Dominic Tofield (Drums, Percussion & Keyboards), Zachary Bullock (Keyboards & Vocal FX). Whenever the band has gone through a metamorphosis, there were always surprises. Be prepared.
In the coming weeks they will be fleshing out their master plan outlined below. They know they are going to need a lot of support and encouragement from all of you, their tribe of friends and fellow lone-stars, who have always been such a big part of the band’s life in music.
MUSIC AND THE VISUAL ARTS
The visual arts are to play a crucial complimentary part of the band’s creative energy where the music and the imagery are composed for each other. Keep your eyes open.
THE PLAN
THE RELAUNCH SHOW
THURSDAY 29TH JUNE 2017
THE BUSH HALL
LONDON W12 7LJ
NEW RECORDINGS:
“Resurgency” - A new vision of the best music from the Journey’s End trilogy to be released in the early 2017.
“Tempest” – Putting the ‘ressive’ back in prog. A new concept album of as yet unimagined music for release next June to coincide with Bush Hall show.
THE ROAD TO BUSH HALL
During the coming months The Enid website and social media platforms will be rebranded to reflect the world in which the younger generation finds itself, aiming to encourage enlightened debate through their music and art in the face of the gathering chaos in politics, sex, religion, philosophy and psychology.
As the planet confronts the biggest upheaval since the last ice age, the band will strive to find a path to happiness and meaning both for themselves and their fans. Through their art and dedication, they are committed to the RJG ideal; developing a long lasting and sincere relationship with their fans.
Progresive
Synth Rock
Reboot
Symphonic Rock-metal
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