Scott's Spotlight #21-- Kinetic Element
Originally posted to Facebook on February 20, 2024
Link to post:
https://www.facebook.com/share/167c2UdzvL/
Welcome to Scott’s Spotlight (#scottsspotlight) issue #21. For more information about this series, please click here:
This week’s issue is one that I post with a heavy heart, as it is in tribute to Mike Visaggio, founder/bandleader/keyboardist extraordinaire of Kinetic Element who passed from liver failure on February 11, 2025 at the age of 72. For full disclosure, I must say that sadly, while we never met in person, he and I did have a bit of an online friendship over the past few years but had a falling out over political issues sometime during his final year. That said, I always respected Mike’s talent and love Kinetic Element’s musical output. While I wish that we had resolved our issues before losing him, I do not want to dwell on that in this article, rather to celebrate the wonderful music that he and his various bandmates produced over the years.
Mike’s life as a musician began as early as 1962, playing with prog bands such as Randori in the 70s and Innervision in the 80s, as well as numerous cover bands in NYC. He played on several albums by singer-songwriter Billy Falcon’s Burning Rose between 1977-1981. Later he was a member of the popular local band in Richmond, VA, The Strokers. By the early 2000s he returned to prog rock with his solo album “Starship Universe,” in 2006, which was well received in the prog rock community. The only other musician on that album is drummer Michael Murray. Kinetic Element was formed by Visaggio and Murray adding Todd Russell on guitar and Matt Harris on bass. Harris would soon be replaced by Tony D’Amato. This lineup would perform as Kinetic Element at several prog festivals and open for notable prog acts such as IZZ and (Yes spin-off) Circa, among others. It has been said that they were influenced by the “founding proggers” such as ELP, Yes and Genesis, while striving to find their own unique take on the foundation.
By 2009, they released their first album “Powered by Light.” Visaggio handles lead vocals himself on this album. The album has generally good reviews with a 3.52 out of 5 star average on ProgArchives.com . Four of the seven tracks on the album exceed 8 minutes in length with the longest two clocking in at 12:21 and 16:08 respectively. They are definitely on board for the epics! I have enjoyed the 12:21 “Peace of Mind, Peace of Heart,” and the 16:08 “Reconciliation.” I find that Mike’s voice was quite good on the album, even though he would turn the lead vocals over to others on future releases.
The next album would not appear until 2015, while they performed live in the intervening years. The second album would have a line-up change with Mark Tupko taking over on bass. Additionally, Visaggio relinquished the lead vocal role to three guest vocalists– Dimetrius LaFavors (tracks 1, 2, and 5), Michelle Schrotz (track 2) and Mike Florio (track 4). The five tracks range between 9:48 and 20:29, so this one is even more about the epics. I have “loved” tracks 4 and 5 “Her,” and “Visions of a New Dawn.” Between this album and the next, Kinetic Element would continue to perform wherever they could, including a number of notable festival appearances, such as at ROSfest 2016, Terra Incognita 2016, and Progtoberfest 2017. In 2016, the band added kilt-wearing lead vocalist Saint John Coleman. After original guitarist Todd Russell left in late 2017, the band recruited the highly respected prog journeyman guitarist Peter Matuchniak to join in early 2018. This line up would remain in place throughout the remainder of their history.
In 2019, this completed lineup released the well-regarded third album, “The Face of Life.” The album contains only 4 tracks with two of them over 15 minutes in length, one at just over 7 minutes with only one under 5 minutes. This was the album that got my attention after seeing a review in Prog magazine. The nearly 16 minute “All Open Eyes,” and the 19+ minute title track are both wonderful epics! Following this album, KE released “Live from New York,” in 2020 and began work on the next album. That live album contains the title track from the next album 3 years prior to its ultimate studio release.
That next album would be the result of Visaggio and Matuchniak collaborating on a concept album called “Chasing the Lesser Light.” The album was inspired by the 2019 50th anniversary of the moon landing and the space race. Once again, they bring the epics, as only one song is significantly under 10 minutes (one is just barely under) and the longest is nearly 20 minutes (the title track). This line up was really gelling together and hitting their stride. Their website (https://kineticelement.rocks/) indicates that they were working on a follow-up before Mike’s passing. I have no word on whether that album was close to completion, or if any of it will see the light of day.
I would assume that other than the presumably unfinished album ever being released, this closes the book on Kinetic Element. Whatever differences that Mike and I had, I hope that I have done honor to his music and legacy as a damn fine prog musician. May he rest in peace.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll give some of the songs linked below a listen.
Links For Listening:
From “Powered by Light”
“Peace of Mind, Peace of Heart:
“Reconciliation”
From “Travelog”
“Vision of a New Dawn”
From “The Face of Life”
“All Open Eyes”
“The Face of Life”
From “Chasing the Lesser Light”
“Chasing the Lesser Light.”
“Radio Silence”
Comments
Post a Comment