Wednesday 9 May 2018

REVISION ONE Rev 1 Prophet-5s on stage and screen!

OK, so I saw this and decided that I need to post on this page everything I see of Rev 1 Prophet-5s on YouTube or other videos of performances on this page. I have seen them with Rick Wakeman, Peter Gabriel and now Sky and David Bowie! I've seen other too and I can't remember who. If/when I find them again, they are going on here.

My preference is for real, live performances on video. Also for photos of early Prophet-5s on stage keyboard rigs and for music videos (but you never know for sure if that is the actual instrument used) or photos/videos of musicians' studios. Any real use of the Revision one Prophet really.

I saw this one tonight: Sky Toccata. One of the first synth sounds that got me going was actually a Rev 1 Prophet-5 according to this! (Caveat: in another video, that time of a live performance, the keyboards player used an ARP Quadra on stage).

As I update this on 5 July, someone on the DSI instruments forum suggested that I should look at David Bowie videos from that time. And here is one! 1978 David, Prophet-5 Rev1 (in a mirror) in the first minute of the video!

Here they are

David Bowie Live 1978. The Rev 1 Prophet-5 is visible in the first minute and audible very shortly after that! This video has actually now been been removed by a useless and petty organisation that gets its money from an unjustified monopoly and should be privatised immediately:
https://youtu.be/Y9pKUSTsxIU

OK here is a snippet which shows the P-5 Rev 1 on the first track Sense of Doubt. I love the bell sounds coming from that RMI synth! It sounds so 1980s:



Sky - Toccata (Video of studio track):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgbgUrp1a70




Peter Gabriel - Rockpalast 1978 (full show):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amxDkP_0gxs&t=9m48s
I can't see the red front panel light on the videos but it can be seen clearly on stage photos (see below) but it has to be a Rev 1 because it's 1978 and Pete and/or Larry Fast had at least one Prophet-5 between them then. Best to watch this video and then check out 9m48s, 34m22s, 39m34s and 42m53s to avoid the stupid advert at the start of the video playback, or just watch the whole thing!

This is what I was really looking for: an original original Prophet-5 being actually played live. It had to be with Gabriel, an innovator in so many ways (well his keyboards guy Larry Fast!):

OK here's a rundown. You can see the Rev 1 actually being played at:
First view - Moribund the Burgermeister: (weird whistly sound):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amxDkP_0gxs&t=9m48s

Humdrum (flute)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amxDkP_0gxs&t=34m22s

I don't Remember (brass?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amxDkP_0gxs&t=39m34s

Solsbury Hill (synth)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amxDkP_0gxs&t=42m53s

and the Polymoog at 35:04 - that is gorgeous!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amxDkP_0gxs&t=35m04s

Found this on a boring night in hopeless England in 2018, what a find! Drfum free Humdrum with Prophet-5 and Polymoog (most likely 1978):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcpAV4dITwo


Then there is the wonderful Peter Gabriel South Bank Show documentary for the recording of the PG4 or "Security" album. It looks like he has a Rev 1 and a Rev 3 in the studio. The Rev 1 is here I think:



Excellent picture of Larry Fast's studio from 1978 with Rev 1 Prophet-5 easily recognisable by the power switch on the front panel:
http://sonic.net/mjones/archive/synergy/studio78.html
"A simple but powerful array of gear - Moog 15, 360 Systems Frequency Shifter, 2 Oberheim Mini-Sequencers and SEM, Mini-Moog, not sure about the 2 white boxes or switch matrix to the right (might be DIY stuff), Oberheim Digital Sequencer (with LED "2" showing), Paia Phlanger and Stringz n Thingz, and original Rev 1 Prophet 5. (I think. Going from faded memory here. ;-) )"
Same pic here:

https://www.keyboardmag.com/artists/synthesist-larry-fast-of-synergy-and-nektar

Great view of Larry Fast's keyboard setup with Rev 1 P5 and one of Gabriel's more interesting early songs, fab brass sound may come from the P5:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlEaR6L7wWI&t=0m34s
"Peter Gabriel performing White Shadow live at the Bottom Line in New York City, 04 October 1978. Photos from that year are also included"
The recording is probably from the bootleg "Some Old Some New."

I'm looking for footage of Rick Wakeman with a Prophet-5 going as far back as 1978 if possible. Here are a couple of images from the Yes 1978 tour. I have not seen him actually play it though - but it did look mighty cool on stage I guess! That wonderful wedge-shaped Prophet-5 is clear as day in front of Wakeman above Steve Howe's parked guitars.
https://jranderson.photoshelter.com/image/I00009fOx3LFJWyQ

This is linked to a wonderful gallery of photos from the night. Here is another one. Wakeman's Rev 1 P5 is on top of his Polymoog (interestingly exactly the same as Larry Fast's in the Gabriel live video)
https://jranderson.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Yes-Band-Live-In-The-Round-Concert-New-Haven-Coliseum-CT-4-September-1978/G0000pfTs2W31VaU/I0000nKWTh2r7zUw/C0000TJ4OnE6vF2w

Here: putting Rick Wakeman Prophet-5 in search box:
"Yes perform on stage at Madison Square Garden New York September 1978 Rick Wakeman He plays"
https://www.gettyimages.ie/photos/rick-wakeman-prophet-5?mediatype=photography&phrase=rick%20wakeman%20prophet%205&sort=mostpopular

and also
"Rick Wakeman of Yes performs on stage at Wembley Arena, on October 28th, 1978 in London, England.
October 28, 1978"
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/rick-wakeman-of-yes-performs-on-stage-at-wembley-arena-on-news-photo/184802323

Less useful link, more general:
https://www.gettyimages.ie/photos/rick-wakeman?page=2

You can see the P-5 on the monochrome photo 3/4 down the page. Nice photo, labelled "That's Anderson in the background and White at right in Tulsa back in 1978."
http://www.thelope.com/2009/02/yes-co-founder-takes-ill.html
The article itself refers to the late and great bassist Chris Squire.

YouTube Video from 1979 (Rev 1 therefore not guaranteed, could be a Rev 2.0 perhaps but there is a P5 in his keyboards rig at his upper right - the Minimoogs are at upper left):
Yes - Philadelphia, PA 6/21/1979 21 June 79.
You can see the P-5 on this video at 41m41s and also earlier in the first song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eE1KPwzAzA&t=1502s&t=41m41s


More treats on YouTube! Yes live 1978/79. If the footage is 1979 then it might be a Rev 1, depends on the time of year; but the sound is 28 September 1978 so Rev 1 is guaranteed. You can see it here on Siberian Khatru

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qN_wP2D0l4&t=7m40s