On May 1, 1976, “Charisma” label released “Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Edgar Allan Poe)”, the debut Alan Parsons Project studio album. It was recorded July 1975 – January 1976, at “Abbey Road” and “Kingsway Hall” in London, “Mama Jo’s” in Hollywood, and was produced by Alan Parsons.
Personnel:
- Alan Parsons– lead vocals, guitar, organ, synthesizer, keyboards, recorder, engineer, projectron
- Eric Woolfson– lead and background vocals, synthesizer, harpsichord, keyboards, executive producer
- Andrew Powell– keyboards, arranger
- Ian Bairnson– acoustic and electric guitar
- Billy Lyall– piano, drums, glockenspiel, keyboards, recorder, Fender rhodes
- Francis Monkman– organ, keyboards
- Christopher North– keyboards
- David Paton– lead and background vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, bass
- Leonard Whiting– vocals, narrator
- John Miles– vocals, guitar
- Jane Powell – lead and background vocals
- Arthur Brown– vocals
- Terry Sylvester– vocals
- English Chorale– vocals
- Smokey Parsons – vocals
- Jack Harris– vocals
- Bob Howes – choir
- The English Chorale and Played Ti – choir
- Kevin Peek– acoustic guitar
- Laurence Juber – acoustic guitar
- David Pack– guitar
- Joe Puerta– bass
- Les Hurdle – bass
- Daryl Runswick– bass, string bass
- David Katz – violin, orchestra contractor
- Stuart Tosh– vocals, cymbals, drums, Tympani
- John Leach – vocals, percussion, cimbalom, kantele
- Burleigh Drummond– drums
- Dennis Clarke – saxophone, clarinet
- David Snell – harp
- Gordon Parry – engineer
- Tom Trefethen – engineer assistant
- Tony Richards – engineer assistant
- Pat Stapley – engineer assistant
- Chris Blair – engineer assistant
- Colin Elgie – artwork, design, layout design
- Hipgnosis– design, cover art
- Aubrey Powell– photography
- Peter Christopherson– photography
- Storm Thorgerson– photography
- Sam Emerson – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons except where noted.
- A Dream Within a Dream
- The Raven
- The Tell – Tale Heart
- The Cask of Amontillado
- The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether
- The Fall of the House of Usher Eric Woolfson, Alan Parsons, Andrew Powell
- Prelude
- Arrival
- Intermezzo
- Pavane
- Fall
- To One in Paradise