The Alan Parsons Project

The Alan Parsons Project was a British progressive rock and pop group active between 1975 and 1987, founded by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.

Related Topics:
Progressive rock - Alan Parsons - Eric Woolfson

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Most of their titles, especially the early work, share common traits (probably influenced by Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, on which Alan was the audio engineer in 1973): they were concept albums, started with an instrumental introduction fading in to the first song, had an instrumental piece in the middle of the second LP side, and concluded with a quiet/sad/powerful song. (However, the opening instrumental was largely done away with by 1980 - from that year on, no Project album except "Eye In The Sky" featured one.)

Related Topics:
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon - Audio engineer - 1973 - Concept album - LP

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The group was also unusual in that there was little continuity in personnel. In particular, the lead vocal seems to alternate between Woolfson (mostly for slow/sad songs) and a stream of guest vocalists seemingly chosen by their vocal style, to complement the style of each song.

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Nonetheless, many feel that the true core of the Project consisted of Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. Eric Woolfson was a lawyer by profession, but a classically trained composer and pianist as well. Alan Parsons was a highly successful producer. Both worked together to craft noteworthy songs with impeccable fidelity, and almost all songs on Project albums are credited to "Woolfson/Parsons".

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Andrew Powell (composer and organizer of orchestral music throughout the life of the Project), Ian Bairnson (guitar) and Richard Cottle (synthesizer and saxophone player) also became integral parts of the project's sound. Powell is also notable for having composed a film score project style for Richard Donner's film Ladyhawke.

Related Topics:
Film score - Richard Donner - Ladyhawke

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