I’ve always been a musician at heart, and I’ve always loved listening to music. I’ve even gone so far as to get into music composition, some of which I carry on doing today. The Beatles, Kula Shaker, The Prodigy, Queen were all early favourites. From there, I gradually steered towards Progressive Metal (with thanks to my old school friend Tom Maclean, now the lead guitarist of To-Mera and bassist for Haken), the realms of Dream Theater, Symphony X to name a couple. Pantera was also a favourite of mine at that time. I also stumbled across American Prog Rock band Spocks Beard, who supported Dream Theater during their 1999 tour of Scenes from a Memory.
Now, Dream Theaters Mike Portnoy got involved with a project called Transatlantic, as did Spocks Beard Neil Morse. In this project, they got together with a guitarist called Roine Stolt who I learnt was from a band called The Flower Kings.
Whilst I was nurturing an unhealthy addiction to David Bowies album Earthling, I was in Russia in 2001 with a friend and in a dark, dusty CD store down a back alley in St Petersburg. In this store I was looking for more David Bowie, and it was then I found an album called “Back in the World of Adventures” by the Flower Kings. “Ooo!” I thought, “Thats that band that Roine Stolt is in. I’ll check that out”. I guess you could say from then, I embarked on what can only be described as the most magical journey I have ever been, and I’m still riding it.
So today, I felt obliged to dedicate a post to one of my all time favourite group of very talented musicians, The Flower Kings. And perhaps, some more shall follow, as they deserve a good, solid place here, and on the web.
Who are The Flower Kings?
I shouldn’t be, but here in the UK when somebody asks you what kind of music you are into, I shy a little, which is rather unusual for a musician to do so as the person asking the question is expecting me to reel off a list of bands that are instantly recognisable when they find out I’m into music. So, my response is “Favourite band of all time, The Flower Kings.”. The facial response I get is mixed from person to person, but here they are in a nutshell.
The Flower Kings are Swedish Progressive Rock band, founded by one Roine Stolt. In 1994, Roine Stolt released his Solo Album The Flower King, which brought together Tomas Bodin on keyboards, Hasse Froberg on guitar and vocals and Jaime Salazar on Drums. From there, in 1995, “Back in the World of Adventures” was released and was the first album to include these great musicians under the collective name The Flower Kings. From then on, they are recognised as one of the greatest Progressive Rock bands of recent history, perhaps even of all time.
What should I expect from The Flower Kings?
If you are familiar with the likes of Yes, Genesis (the early stuff), Camel, Caravan, Cressida, Can (how many Cs!?) then you will feel at home. But thats not to say its just for those Prog heads like myself. With an open mind and easy attitude towards music, you may just get taken away on a mystical journey.
But in essence, expect a surreal, pleasurable, immersive and enlightening musical experience. Also, in later albums, expect some political messages, as well as one or two digs at the celebrity / corporate lifestyles. It’s all about the goodness of mankind, peace, love and friendship.
Sounds like an ‘acquired’ taste…
It is, and unfortunately in the UK over the last few years we have got too used to ‘manufactured for profit’ music. All we hear about is celebrities, bankers, soldiers at war and general unkindness towards others. Rather unfortunately, that’s what sells in this country. And in the USA.
The Flower Kings music is a chance for me take an adventure and perhaps reflect on the world and my own life, with the ambition to inspire myself as well as others. I recommend you at least try it as you might be pleasantly surprised.
Any resources that I can check out?
The thing I am most disappointed about is the amount of web resources for The Flower Kings. I know that outside of the Progressive Rock circle they are not commercially successful, but I’d love to do my bit to get the word out there. I guess that’s partly why I am blogging about it today, but aside from that here are some resources:
The Flower Kings on Myspace
The Flower Kings Official Site (needs updating)
While trying to find “My Cosmic Lover” on Soundcloud, uploaded by Insideout Music, I find that it is no longer there. Very disappointed 
but instead, I found this which will give you some insight into what to expect (I seem to be the only one who has made a comment on the track!):
AgentsOfMercypreview by agentsofmercy
Wait, Agents of Mercy? Who’s that!?
The members of The Flower Kings get involved in all sorts of other projects, including Transatlantic. They also get involved in solo projects. Roine Stolt has released greats such as Wall Street Voodoo, Hydrophonia and of course, The Flower King. Tomas Bodin has released a few of his own (I AM is highly recommended), while Hasse Froberg, Jonas Reingold and Zoltan Csorsz have all done various other projects. Karmakanic (Jonas), Eggs and Dogs (Tomas), Agents of Mercy (Roine), to name a few, all worth checking out.
So you like them then, obviously…
I guess so! I was a member of the Fanclub when it existed (I’m in this list somewhere!), probably the first and last fanclub I’ll join!
What won me over when I first heard The Flower Kings was the fact that Roine, according to the in leaflets of most CDs, wrote all, if not most of the material. As a budding musician myself, I was, and still am, in awe of his ability to compose the most gloriously melodic, affectionate and yet complex music I think I’ve ever heard. And the way that man makes a guitar sound – he doesn’t just play the guitar, he makes it sing. I simply love the way he makes a guitar sound, I don’t think anyone else has ever managed to achieve that same sound.
Then, when I heard Tomas Bodins “I AM”, I realised it wasn’t just Roine who was able to compose some truly inspiring music. As for the rest of the TFK family, it wouldn’t be the same without them. Jonas is a truly remarkable bass player, and all of their drummers have all brought their own unique sound to the Flower Kings ensemble (they’ve had a few!).
So I guess this blog, at the end of the day, is biased. But it had to be, no other music has inspired me as much as theirs and no other music has touched my soul as much as theirs did.
So open your mind, and, as their fourth album boldly claims, take “A Journey to the Hidden Corners of your Mind”.
CIW Certified Web Design Professional and E-Commerce Specialist working in IT Support. Music Producter and Gamer, big Prog Rock fan. Proud father and Husband! 
