It was this band that first revealed my ongoing inadequacies with computers. Way back in the last century, 1995 to be precise, one of my favourite prog bands Parallel Or Ninety Degrees posted an MP3 file on the internet. Try as I might I failed in the most pathetic fashion to download it. This was probably fortunate as I was using my employer's computer and the file turned out to be ridiculously huge.
Fortunately I now have this excellent two CD release to satisfy my never decreasing desire for quality prog rock. A Can Of Worms (Progrock Records 2009) tells us that it is the Best Of Po90 from 1996-2001. As descriptions go, this is spot on. Not only that, it contains many previously unreleased recordings. The CD is, of course, a far easier concept and has fortunately caught on. So insert disk, press play, lie back, and enjoy. Yep, even I can manage that.
The album notes tell, in amusing detail, the story of a band that sadly remains a little overlooked outside of their loyal fan base. It was also a band with more line up changes than the average Manchester United League cup team. The notes explain it all whilst telling us that they were formed in Yorkshire with the intention of ‘creating a modern mainstream rock band that sneaked progressive music in via the front door’. The idea being apparently ‘to become famous and make a lot of money’.
Among the original members was one Guy Manning but he left just prior to the first album The Corner Of My Room. This record is represented here by the inclusion of “The Media Pirates”. It wasn’t until Afterlifecycle that Po90 really began to take shape. It was also the album that alerted my ever eager ears to the band and as a result, almost cost me my job.
A great story around the band's name is revealed in the notes. They were regularly asked at gigs which band would be playing, Parallel or 90 Degrees. Another sees the band 'borrowing' enough gear to record Unbranded Live over a weekend, before returning it all nicely back in its boxes to the blissfully unaware rightful owner in time for Monday morning.
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