The Alan Parsons Project

Profile:
British Rock studio project initially formed to record a concept album about Edgar Allan Poe. They became best known for the power ballad "Eye in the Sky" and the instrumental "Sirius".

Official band members
Alan Parsons – production, engineering, programming, composition, keyboards, guitar
Eric Woolfson – composition, lyrics, piano, keyboards, vocals, executive production

Notable contributors
Andrew Powell – composition, keyboards, orchestral arrangements (1975-1990)
Philharmonia Orchestra
The English Chorale – choir (1976, 1977, 1982, 1987)
Ian Bairnson – guitar (1975–1990)
David Pack – guitar (1976)
David Paton – bass, vocals (1975–1985)
Duncan Mackay – keyboards (1977–1979)
Richard Cottle – keyboards, saxophone (1984–1990)
Laurence Cottle – bass (1987-1990)
Stuart Tosh – drums, percussion (1975–1976)
Stuart Elliott – drums, percussion (1977–1990)
John Leach – cimbalom, kantele (1976–1978)
Colin Blunstone – vocals (1978–1984)
Chris Rainbow – vocals (1979–1990)
Lenny Zakatek – vocals (1977–1987)
John Miles – vocals (1976, 1978, 1985, 1987)
Jack Harris – vocals (1976–1978)
Dave Townsend – vocals (1977, 1979)
Elmer Gantry a.k.a. Dave Terry (4) – vocals (1980, 1982)
Graham Dye – vocals (1985, 1990)

Non-recurring vocalists include: Arthur Brown (1975), Allan Clarke (1977), Peter Straker (1977), Jaki Whitren (1977), Dean Ford (1978), Clare Torry (1979), Lesley Duncan (1979), Gary Brooker (1985), Geoff Barradale (1987), Eric Stewart (1990)
Sites:
Aliases:
Members:
Variations:

Artist

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Albums

AF-5073 Tales Of Mystery And Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Tales Of Mystery And Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe (Album) Charisma AF-5073 Japan 1976 Sell This Version
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1558 / 1559 Dick Haymes / The Alan Parsons Project Dick Haymes / The Alan Parsons Project - Here's To Veterans - Program No. 1558 / 1559(LP, Transcription) The Veterans Administration 1558 / 1559 US 1976 Sell This Version
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AL 7002 I Robot — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project I Robot (Album) Arista AL 7002 Netherlands 1977 Sell This Version
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Series #7 Show #12 Innerview — The Alan Parsons Project Alan Parsons Project* Innerview(LP, Transcription) Innerview Series #7 Show #12 US 1977 Sell This Version
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337-340 Nightbird & Company: Cosmic Connections — The Alan Parsons Project Dave Mason / Alan Parsons Project* / Donovan / Danny O'Keefe Dave Mason / Alan Parsons Project* / Donovan / Danny O'Keefe - Nightbird & Company: Cosmic Connections(2xLP, Transcription) Army Reserve 337-340 US 1977 Sell This Version
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AT8 4180, AT8-4180 Pyramid — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Pyramid (Album) Arista AT8 4180, AT8-4180 US 1978 Sell This Version
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401 157 Eve — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Eve (Album) Arista 401 157 Europe 1979 Sell This Version
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8A 9518 The Turn Of A Friendly Card — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Album) Arista 8A 9518 Canada 1980 Sell This Version
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AT8-9599 Eye In The Sky — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Eye In The Sky (Album) Arista AT8-9599 US 1982 Sell This Version
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CN 4099/S Rock Profile  — The Alan Parsons Project The Who / The Alan Parsons Project The Who / The Alan Parsons Project - Rock Profile (2xLP) BBC Transcription Services CN 4099/S 1982 Sell This Version
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AC8 8204 Ammonia Avenue — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Ammonia Avenue (Album) Arista AC8 8204 US 1984 Sell This Version
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7827 Vulture Culture — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Vulture Culture (Album) Arista, Arista 7827 Venezuela 1985 Sell This Version
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AL 49-8384 Stereotomy — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Stereotomy (Album) Arista AL 49-8384 Malaysia 1985 Sell This Version
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A32D-8 Gaudi — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Gaudi (Album) Arista A32D-8 Japan 1987 Sell This Version
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NEB-1001 Tunnel Vision (All The Sounds Of Nebraska Football) — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project, University Of Nebraska Band The Alan Parsons Project, University Of Nebraska Band - Tunnel Vision (All The Sounds Of Nebraska Football) (Album) Not On Label NEB-1001 US 1995 Sell This Version
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469 In The Studio The Alan Parsons Project In The Studio "I Robot" 20th. Anniv.(CD, Transcription) The Album Network 469 US 1997 Sell This Version
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Singles & EPs

6853 009 Tales Of Mystery And Imagination — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Tales Of Mystery And Imagination (Single) Charisma 6853 009 Germany 1976 Sell This Version
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TC-2308 The Raven — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project The Raven (Single) 20th Century Records TC-2308 US 1976 Sell This Version
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K6467 (The System Of) Doctor Tarr And Professor Fether — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project (The System Of) Doctor Tarr And Professor Fether (Single) Charisma K6467 New Zealand 1976 Sell This Version
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1209-2333 To One In Paradise — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project To One In Paradise (Single) Charisma 1209-2333 Canada 1976 Sell This Version
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AS 0310 Day After Day (The Show Must Go On) — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Day After Day (The Show Must Go On) (Single) Arista AS 0310 US 1977 Sell This Version
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2C 006-99338 I Robot — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project I Robot (Single) Arista 2C 006-99338 France 1977 Sell This Version
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AS 0288 Don't Let It Show — The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project Don't Let It Show (Single) Arista AS 0288 US 1977 Sell This Version
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AAJ 1037 I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You — The Alan Parsons Project Alan Parsons* I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You (Single) Arista AAJ 1037 South Africa 1976 Sell This Version
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3C 000 - 79003 Universal Energy / I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You — The Alan Parsons Project Universal Energy / The Alan Parsons Project Universal Energy / The Alan Parsons Project - Universal Energy / I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You(7", Promo) EMI, Arista 3C 000 - 79003 Italy 1977 Sell This Version

Reviews

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simmo506

simmo506

November 19, 2021
What is NOT to like about this Man/Band. Agree completely with the other comments. I can't really think of a bad album that has been made by them, Eve being one of the weaker albums. Excellent use of vocals by the likes of, John Miles, Lenny Zakatek and Eric Woolfson, to name a few.
I knew he was the producer of The Dark Side but had not really heard anything from him until I heard a clip of music on the TV which I fell in love with and just had to find out who it was from. It was the opening bars from " Eye In The Sky", one of my favourite albums by him, my collection just grew from there. His ability to draw you into all of the albums with the use of different singers and instrumental tracks is fantastic. Just love the album " On Air " , being ex RAF myself I can appreciate it completely,
I would love to see them live but alas I don't think I will but am glad I found his music and never tire of playing his albums.

laserdiscs

laserdiscs

September 16, 2020
Nice commentary Maxal...the name Alan Parsons Project probably came into existance because of the production skills of Alan Parsons. It was never intended to be a real 'band' but rather a studio project. After producing one of the greatest albums of all time, Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon, you can easily see why Alan Parsons would continue his studio genius with his own eponomous work. The songs you mentioned, especially Old And Wise along with a few others like The Silence and I, Turn Of A Friendly Card and Eye In The Sky perfectly show how art rock can incorporate catchy hooks and melodies and yet remain interesting. The albums of Alan Parsons and contemporaries like ELO, Yes, Kansas, Queen and the like are long gone, the 70s were a time of great creativity in rock music -a time I am glad I experienced.
maxal

maxal

July 1, 2020
The Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson partnership under the Alan Parsons Project certainly deserves some words. Why the band take on Alan's name I don't know. (Did he do most of the work? I'd guess it was an equal amount of work in terms of time. Maybe one had a bigger ego than the other?) Parsons was the sound engineer / producer, so with his input the albums were exemplary in terms of sound production. However, Woolfson wrote the songs - and there are stunning songs written on their albums . . . They produced a few great, very moving, idealistic albums between them. The vocalist would change from year to year, so, unusually for a band, the group didn't centrally gravitate toward the vocalist's fame.

My brother's favourite album was the first, Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Being the first album, it is the most 'prog rock' album of all of them, with sounds forming a grand epic storyline - War of the Worlds kind of thing, moral tales, the B side is a five-part 15 minute long creation. [Silence and I from the Eye in the Sky would come back to this prog rock strcturing.]

With the following albums, they kept the idealistic bent but, leaving the epic prog rock structure, went for stronger, conventionally formed songs. For my favourite album I waiver between I Robot and Eye in the Sky - great cover artwork for both! The track, Genesis, from I Robot is a fantastic instrumental piece - it would be a good electronic choice for a positive funeral song, there is something eternal about it. For me, as soon as it starts playing it evokes a kind of all-conquering feel (conquering even death?). Its strength is not a punch, but a persistent, calming, awe-inspiring beauty. Then Don't Let It Show is a strong 'instructional' song to boost you when you're down in a cold, tough world. That positive, moralist side is a defining thing in their albums.

Though I thought I Robot would be my favourite album, along came Eye in the Sky. The title track, Eye in the Sky is an idealistic (have to say it again) love song: "I can read your mind, looking at you . . ." the lyrics are sooooo Seventies (or Sixties . . . whatever . . . a bit like the group Kansas could be, at their best), but thankfully, the perfection of the music firmly holds the good intentions, making the idealism something special. And it's not a one-off great track, the whole album fits well together. Silence and I is another standout track. Then Old and Wise is a song which can't be knocked down by anything - a pure diamond (not my favourite track, but I recognise its genius).

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