Line #5 Trivia/TheAlanParsonsProject


1	* AshcanCopy: ''The Sicilian Defence'' which was finally released on ''The Complete Albums Collection''. Further details are under Creator Backlash below.
2	* BuryYourArt: The band recorded ''The Sicilian Defence'' in 1979 as an AshcanCopy while they were renegotiating their contract. They never intended to release the album and kept it in the vaults for nearly four decades. In 2008, a shortened version of [="P-QB4"=] titled "Elise's Theme" was included as a bonus track on the expanded edition of ''Eve'', and in 2014, the band finally released the full album as a bonus disc on the BoxedSet ''The Complete Albums Collection''.
3	* CreatorBacklash:
4	** Eric Woolfson hated "Lucifer", despite the fact that the instrumental song reached #1 in Germany.
5	** Parsons with the unreleased ''The Sicilian Defence'', which was more or less a throwaway instrumental album that was intended to force their label's hand in an attempt to renegotiate their contract. While Parsons' feelings toward ''The Sicilian Defence'' have softened after its release on ''The Complete Albums Collection'', he still maintains that the material falls short in comparison to their other works.
6	* BlackSheepHit: ''Don't Answer Me'' is one of their biggest hits, yet sounded like nothing from ''Ammonia Avenue''.
7	* ExecutiveMeddling: Eric Woolfson's growing prominence as a lead vocalist resulted from this. Parsons didn't like using him as a lead vocalist as he was not a trained singer, but the record company were quick to notice that whenever he sang lead, the song was a hit...and so insisted he sing on more tracks. Parsons, interestingly enough, has gone on to do occasional lead vocal spots in his solo concerts, including "Eye in the Sky" which is perhaps Woolfson's best known lead vocal appearance.
8	* HeAlsoDid: Andrew Powell, who arranged for and conducted the orchestral parts of all Alan Parsons Project albums bar ''Vulture Culture'', also produced the first two albums by Music/KateBush. Most of the musicians on those two albums were also regulars in the Project, like bassist David Paton, drummer Stuart Elliot, and guitarist Ian Bairnson. And yes, the guitar solo at the end of "Wuthering Heights" is played by Bairnson!
9	* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: The only way to hear the original version of ''Tales of Mystery and Imagination'' is to search online, find a copy of the out-of-print Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab release, or find the also out-of-print 2007 release with both mixes.
10	* PermanentPlaceholder: Surprisingly, the band name was originally intended to be a placeholder, but was kept as 20th Century Records (the label that originally released their first album, now Universal) [[AwesomeDearBoy liked it.]]
11	* ProductionPosse: Ian Bairnson, despite the [[RevolvingDoorBand regular use of session musicians]], was featured in every album and was the most regular contributor to the Project.
12	* ReferencedBy: ''Film/AustinPowers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'' has this:
13	-->'''Dr. Evil''': Any ways, the key to this plan is the giant [[AirQuotes "laser"]]. It was invented by the noted Cambridge physicist Dr. Parsons. Therefore, we shall call it the Alan Parsons Project.\
14	'''Scott''': Oh, my God.\
15	'''Dr. Evil''': What now?\
16	'''Scott''': The Alan Parsons Project is a progressive rock band in 1982. Why don't you just name it 'Operation Music/WangChung'? Ass.\
17	'''Dr. Evil''': I'm sorry, I don't...\
18	'''Scott''': Oh nothing. I'm sure 'Operation Music/{{Bananarama}}' will be huge.
19	** And of course, the obligatory reference in WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons in the main page quote.
20	* TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment: ''The Sicilian Defence'', an all-instrumental, atonal album, was recorded by the band in 1979 entirely for the purpose of getting out of their recording contract. After they submitted the album, they successfully renegotiated their contract. The album was not released, though one song was released as a bonus track to a reissue of ''Eve'' in 2008. In 2014, Parsons relented and released it as a bonus CD for ''The Complete Albums Collection''.
21	* SongAssociation:
22	** A lot of gamers are familiar with "I Wouldn't Wanna Be Like You" due to its inclusion in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV''-especially as it plays in the GoldenEnding while [[spoiler:you drive Devin Weston to a cliff to kill him]].
23	** "Sirius" is commonly associated with basketball and gets airplay during the NBA playoffs thanks to it being the Chicago Bulls' intro song during their 1990s dynasty.
24	* WhatCouldHaveBeen: ''Music/IRobot'' was originally supposed to be based on the works of Creator/IsaacAsimov, ''Literature/IRobot'', but the rights to his "robot" novels were granted to a TV/Movie company, so the original idea was scrapped. This is why the album name omits the comma between "I" and "Robot", to prevent running afoul of those other rights holders.
25	** ''Eve'' was originally going to be about "great women in history" until expanding into the weaknesses and problems women face.
26	** ''Vulture Culture'' was originally planned to be the second disc to ''Ammonia Avenue''.
27	*** The reason why ''Vulture Culture'' doesn't have any orchestra on it is because Andrew Powell, who wrote and conducted the Project's orchestral arrangements, was busy making the score to ''Film/{{Ladyhawke}}''.
28	* WriteWhatYouKnow:
29	** "Somebody Out There" was inspired by an imposter passing off as Eric Woolfson and trying to obtain money from people on a scam related to luxury cars and yachts.
30	** Most of the album ideas came from Woolfson's experiences, such as ''Ammonia Avenue'' being inspired off an ICI plant in Billingham, along with the album title, which came from a sign at the plant.

Context Trivia / TheAlanParsonsProject