Some Thoughts On Progressive Rock Band Iona

Latest blog post, some reflection on one of my favorite bands, progressive rockers Iona.  

https://shadesofnoirsite.wordpress.com/2019/05/09/iona-gone-but-not-forgotten/

Possibly the greatest Christian band of all time.  If you go by originality, musicality, lyrical content, vocal performance, arrangements, variety, musicianship, instrument and vocal tones, etc. etc... I can think of none better.

I had the pleasure of acquiring their 30-year box set. Great release.

Superjuice wrote:Possibly the greatest Christian band of all time.  If you go by originality, musicality, lyrical content, vocal performance, arrangements, variety, musicianship, instrument and vocal tones, etc. etc... I can think of none better.

I can agree with everything you said.  I have been a big prog rock fan since the 1980's.  When I became a Christian in the 1990's I was definitely on the hunt for Christian prog.  I was a bit shocked to find so few prog bands. But when I discovered Iona in the late 90s I was immediately a fan. They has since been one of my favorite bands.  They were amazing on so many levels.  Gone, but not forgotten.

BaleMaster wrote:I had the pleasure of acquiring their 30-year box set.  Great release.

That is a great boxset.  There is suppose to be a live boxset at some point in the future.

I remember them. They were kind of the Christian musical answer to Clannad if I am not mistaken... or least Celtic and Irish (though I'm not sure if they were Irish)

Dustofyears wrote:I remember them. They were kind of the Christian musical answer to Clannad if I am not mistaken... or least Celtic and Irish (though I'm not sure if they were Irish)

There is some musical overlap between the two bands.  Both bands drew influence from folk, new age, pop and Celtic music, However, Iona brought in the influence of jazz and progressive rock as well.  Iona was by far a progressive rock band while Clannad were more of a commercial rock band.

Cool. I just looked them up on Wiki. It's coming back to me now. Iona is named after an Island. The Book of Kells and another album with them on the cover are the ones I recall.

Clannad had some Saxophone and Jazzy flourishes here and there, bit definitely wouldn't call them Prog rock. Clannad do have a range of elements and genres in their music as they progressed from their origins of straight forward folk/celtic music. Quite a range.


Also see Moya Brennan (Enya's sister from Clannad) also worked with Iona on working out some gaelic translations or some such, though I'm not sure about the musical side of things.

Cheers.