Rock with strings

Forever changes is a great selection. Immaculate production as well. Not that I dislike Tull, I just feel better when they are not around.

Al,

I think you mistook my intention (although it's possible that I didn't state it clearly). You cited a bunch of ballads (albeit ballads performed by rock bands) in your post. I wasn't really trying to reference that in my post. Strings are definitely more appropriate for ballads than rock n roll, IMO, but - even there - caution should be exercised lest the schmaltz factor take over.

When posting, I was thinking about real, up-tempo, backbeat, rock n roll. I may have overstated my point a bit, but I'll generally stand by the post. Things like "Orchestral Tommy" generally strike me as very bad ideas. I will also mention again that there are probably exceptions, even there. Some of The Moody Blues' material and snippets of The Wall work well enough, but it's still not an approach that succeeds very often, IMO.

Of course, that says as much about my taste in rock music as it does about the strings idea. As always, YMMV.

I saw ELP live in 77 with full orchestra at MSG NY. Incredible performance, well suited for their style of music.

The editing of the album and YouTube videos don't do it justice.

Thanks, Marty(kl). Agreed.

There is a good deal of ambiguity inherent in the term "rock," of course, which was added to (at least in my mind) by the reference to "rock/pop" in the OP.

Speaking of the "schmaltz factor," BTW, I won't deny not being averse to it in many cases :-)

Best regards,
-- Al

Getting into the 80s, but Echoe and the Bunnymen's Ocean Rain is predominantly string laced...Killing Moon obviously the pinnacle. Does get a bit monotonous over an entire Lp but I'm nitpicking... It's a unique recording.