Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Alan Parsons Project album) producer Alan Parsons
Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Edgar Allan Poe) is the debut studio album by British rock band The Alan Parsons Project. It was released on 25 June 1976 in the United Kingdom by Charisma Records. The lyrical and musical themes of the album, which are retellings of horror stories and poetry by Edgar Allan Poe, attracted a cult audience. The title of the album is taken from the title of a collection of Poe's macabre stories of the same name.
Musicians featured on the album include vocalists Arthur Brown of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown on "The Tell Tale Heart", John Miles on "The Cask of Amontillado" and "(The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether", and Terry Sylvester of The Hollies on "To One in Paradise". The complete line-up of bands Ambrosia and Pilot play on the record, along with keyboardist Francis Monkman of Curved Air and Sky.
Tales of Mystery and Imagination peaked at #38 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart. The song "(The System Of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" peaked at No. 37 on the Pop Singles chart, and No. 62 in Canada."The Raven" (original demo)
"Edgar" (demo of an unreleased track)
"Orson Welles Radio Spot"
"Interview with Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson" (1976)
Disc 2: Tracks 1–11, original album in 1987 remixPersonnel
Track numbers in parenthesis.
Alan Parsons – EMI vocoder (2), Projectron synthesizer (3, 7, 10), recorder (5), additional vocals (11), synthesizer (3-4 on 1987 remix), cathedral organ (5 on 1987 remix) producer, engineer
Eric Woolfson – keyboards (1-3, 5, 7), backing vocals (2, 4), harpsichord (4), organ (7), additional vocals (11), synthesizer (9 on 1987 remix) executive producer
Andrew Powell – orchestral arrangement (2-4, 6, 8, 10), orchestral conductor (2-4, 6, 8, 10), keyboards (7), organ (9)
Francis Monkman – organ (7), harpsichord (9)
Billy Lyall – keyboards (1, 3), recorder (1), piano (4-5), Fender Rhodes electric piano (11), glockenspiel (11)
Christopher North – keyboards (2)
Orson Welles – narration (1 and 6 on 1987 remix)
Leonard Whiting – lead vocals (2), narration (11, 1 on 2006 remaster)
Arthur Brown – lead vocals (3)
John Miles – lead vocals (4-5), electric guitar (5)
Jack Harris – additional vocals (3, 5)
Terry Sylvester – additional vocals (4), lead vocals (11)
Jane Powell – backing vocals (11)
Smokey Parsons – vocals
Bob Howes & the English Chorale – choir (2-4)
Westminster City School Boys Choir – choir (11)
David Paton – acoustic guitar (1, 11), backing vocals (1), bass guitar (3-5, 7, 11)
Kevin Peek – acoustic guitar (9)
Laurence Juber – acoustic guitar (9)
Ian Bairnson – electric guitar (1, 3-5, 7, 11, 2 on 1987 remix), acoustic guitar (1, 11)
David Pack – electric guitar (2)
Joe Puerta – bass guitar (1-2)
Les Hurdle – bass guitar (6)
Daryl Runswick – double bass (9)
David Katz – violin, orchestra leader (6, 8, 10), orchestra contractor
Jack Rothstein – orchestra leader (6, 8, 10)
David Snell – harp (9)
Hugo D'Alton – mandolin (9)
Stuart Tosh – drums (1-5, 7, 9, 11), timpani (3), backwards cymbals (3)
Burleigh Drummond – drums (2)
John Leach – cimbalom (9), kantele (9)
Dennis Clarke - saxophone, clarinet
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