So I Finally Checked Out The Mahavishnu Orchestra

[Deluge Of Sound]

Specifically their first album, The Inner Mounting Flame...

And Holy ****, it's awesome.

There must be some other fans here, right?

[Barkless Dog]

Yes

Many

[kesslari]

Indeed.

[the_fooj]

Ditto

[olaff421]

I've really liked them since the first time I heard them. If you like them check out a band call Electric Sandwich. The only places I found that has them is Amazon and Best Buy's web site. They only have one CD, but watch the price cause the original is around $70 (I think) but the reissue is around $15.

[son_of_mogh]

Hell Yeah.

[PunkerTrav]

Just nuts. Good inspiration to keep practicing.

[jumbosilverette]

When I first saw them in concert (Santa Monic Civic, 1973 or thereabouts) I actually left the auditorium frightened. Birds of Fire was more intense than anything I had heard up to that time. I was a big fan for many years and Rick Laird has played some measure in my interest in the bass.

[Jeramaya]

Absolutely loved their first two albums. It took awhile, but I finally got a vinyl copy of "Birds of Fire" in December. I hadn't heard that one in some time and...wow. The whole band just has brilliance seeping out of them. And the songs are fantastic as well. As a fan of King Crimson, I found them to be slightly similar to be able to appreciate the tones and playing, but more like the other side of the coin--the more "hardcore" side of things. You just don't hear Crimson playing at those tempos, and to hear MO tear off in some of those songs is incredible.

[stedtale]

yep yep, buddy.

[fretlessrock]

if you get a chance:
http://www.mahavishnuproject.com/

[BassIsBoss]

Originally Posted by jumbosilverette

When I first saw them in concert (Santa Monic Civic, 1973 or thereabouts) I actually left the auditorium frightened. Birds of Fire was more intense than anything I had heard up to that time. I was a big fan for many years and Rick Laird has played some measure in my interest in the bass.

+1...Intense experience for sure...into the realm of atomic spiritual. And not a click track to be seen for miles.

[MichaelVee]

Another MO fan. I heard "Birds of Fire" in 1973, a couple months after it came out, and was amazed. Still am.

There was much great fusion music in the early-to-mid 70's. That was also the heyday of Return to Forever and others.

There are several extremely good MO albums. "Inner Mounting Flame" was another favorite of mine.

The prowess of Rick Laird on bass has already been mentioned, but the other players were phenomenal as well. Love Jan Hammer, what can I say!

John McLaughlin's later work was also quite good, such as the famous "Saturday Night in San Francisco" album of 1980.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by jumbosilverette

When I first saw them in concert (Santa Monic Civic, 1973 or thereabouts) I actually left the auditorium frightened. Birds of Fire was more intense than anything I had heard up to that time.

Yep. The first MO show I saw, they were opening for T-Rex!
The original band also played a high school auditorium show near where I grew up in CT. That was just surreal...

[Barkless Dog]

Sadly I never got to see them live, other than YouTube

Youtube is a gold mine for music. So many bands I never have had the chance to see, but did on YouTube.

[hunta]

Mahavishnu is great stuff. Pushing boundaries that most people are still afraid of.

[MoD_Scotty]

I was totally blown away the first time I heard Birds of Fire. Badass.

[KuMBye YamALaWd]

Originally Posted by MoD_Scotty

I was totally blown away the first time I heard Birds of Fire. Badass.

+1, the track and also the album

"Celestial Terrestrial Commuters" is another favorite from that album


.

[doctorjazz]

They're incredible. That is all.

[doktorfeelgood]

I saw the original band "live" twice. Jerry Goodman and Billy Cobham were the highlights for me. )-(