Three remarkable albums. Four officially licensed releases. One extraordinary musical legacy.

Few musicians have left a mark on progressive rock quite like Kerry Livgren. As a founding member, guitarist, keyboardist, and principal songwriter of Kansas, Livgren helped shape the sound of American progressive rock, creating music that combined technical brilliance, soaring melodies, ambitious arrangements, and deeply thoughtful lyrics.

His compositions helped propel Kansas to international success, with songs such as “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind” becoming enduring classics. But the story of Kerry Livgren extends far beyond Kansas.

Now, Girder Records is proud to announce a special series of officially licensed reissues celebrating three essential chapters in Livgren's remarkable career: Seeds of Change (1980), Time Line (1984), and Prime Mover (1988).

The collection includes four releases:

• Seeds of Change (1980) — CD 

• Seeds of Change (1980) — Vinyl LP

• Time Line (1984) — CD

• Prime Mover (1988) — CD

CD Jewel cases includes a 12-page full-color booklet featuring extensive historical essays and liner notes written by Greg Hays of Girder Records. Each booklet explores the historical circumstances, musicians, musical evolution, and enduring significance of these extraordinary recordings.

Together, these albums tell a remarkable story of musical creativity, personal conviction, and artistic transformation.

SEEDS OF CHANGE (1980)

Imagine a single album featuring Kerry Livgren alongside Ronnie James Dio, Steve Walsh, David Pack, Jeff Pollard, Mylon LeFevre, Barriemore Barlow, Phil Ehart, Paul Goddard, and Robby Steinhardt. In 1980, that's exactly what happened. Recorded while Livgren was still a member of Kansas, Seeds of Change marked his first solo album and a pivotal moment in his musical and spiritual journey. Exploring themes of faith, truth, deception, and transformation, Livgren combined deeply personal songwriting with the sophisticated progressive rock arrangements that had made Kansas legendary.

More than four decades after its release, Seeds of Change remains one of the most fascinating recordings associated with the Kansas musical family. It represents a meeting point between the progressive rock of the 1970s and the musical and spiritual direction Livgren would pursue throughout the 1980s. It is also an extraordinary historical document, capturing legendary musicians from Kansas, Rainbow, Jethro Tull, Ambrosia, LeRoux, and Atlanta Rhythm Section contributing to one singular artistic vision.

Recorded during February and March 1980 at Axis Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and produced by Kerry Livgren and Brad Aaron, who also engineered the sessions, Seeds of Change brought together an extraordinary lineup of rock musicians. Ronnie James Dio (Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio) delivered powerful lead vocals on two tracks, while Steve Walsh (Kansas), David Pack (Ambrosia), Jeff Pollard (LeRoux), Mylon LeFevre, and Davy Moire contributed distinctive vocal performances. The instrumental lineup was equally impressive, featuring Barriemore Barlow (Jethro Tull), Phil Ehart and Robby Steinhardt (Kansas), Paul Goddard (Atlanta Rhythm Section), and Bobby Campo (LeRoux), alongside Gary Gilbert, John Thompson, Darryl Kutz, John Fristoe, Joey Jelf, Donna Williams, Victoria Livgren, Brad Aaron, and Steve Venezia. Rather than assembling a traditional band, Livgren selected musicians specifically suited to each composition, creating a remarkable blend of progressive rock, hard rock, melodic sophistication, and musical diversity. The result was more than an all-star collaboration—it was a landmark artistic statement from one of progressive rock's most imaginative songwriters.

Seven Song Perfection

1. Just One Way

The album opens with energetic melodic progressive rock, featuring Jeff Pollard's powerful lead vocals, Livgren's intricate guitars and keyboards, Barriemore Barlow on drums, Paul Goddard on bass, and Bobby Campo on trumpet and percussion. It's a confident introduction to the album's musical ambition and purposeful songwriting.

2. Mask of the Great Deceiver

Ronnie James Dio delivers one of the album's most unforgettable performances, bringing theatrical intensity to a dark, dramatic progressive rock composition. Livgren's guitars and synthesizers, supported by Barriemore Barlow and Paul Goddard, create a powerful intersection of progressive rock and classic heavy metal.

3. How Can You Live

Kansas vocalist Steve Walsh delivers a passionate performance backed by Livgren's layered guitars, piano, organ, and synthesizers. With Barriemore Barlow on drums, the song captures the urgency, intricate musicianship, and soaring melodies that made Kansas legendary.

4. Whiskey Seed

Taking a bluesier, roots-rock direction, “Whiskey Seed” features vocals by Mylon LeFevre and Kerry Livgren, with Phil Ehart on drums, Paul Goddard on bass, and Darryl Kutz on harmonica. Its rugged, earthy sound provides a refreshing contrast to the album's more elaborate progressive arrangements.

5. To Live for the King

Ronnie James Dio returns with a majestic, commanding vocal performance on one of the album's defining tracks. Featuring John Thompson on drums, Gary Gilbert on bass, and backing vocals including Steve Walsh, the song combines powerful guitars, epic arrangements, and Dio's unmistakable voice.

6. Down to the Core

Davy Moire handles lead vocals on this groove-driven composition featuring Livgren's guitar, bass, clavinet, and electric piano. Barriemore Barlow's drumming, Bobby Campo's horns, and Victoria Livgren's backing vocals create a distinctive blend of melodic rock, rhythmic sophistication, and instrumental creativity.

7. Ground Zero

The album closes with an expansive progressive rock masterpiece featuring David Pack of Ambrosia on lead vocals, Phil Ehart on drums, and Kansas' Robby Steinhardt on violin. Livgren's layered guitars, keyboards, and dramatic arrangements give this ambitious composition a sweeping, cinematic conclusion worthy of the album's extraordinary musical journey.

Track Listing

1. Just One Way

2. Mask of the Great Deceiver

3. How Can You Live

4. Whiskey Seed

5. To Live for the King

6. Down to the Core

7. Ground Zero

Girder Records CD: GR1249 — UPC 765105163349
Girder Records Vinyl: GR1249LP — UPC 765105163332

TIME LINE (1984): THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA

By 1984, Kerry Livgren's musical life had changed dramatically.

His departure from Kansas in 1983 marked the end of one of the most important chapters of his career. But it also created the opportunity to pursue a new musical direction without the expectations associated with one of America's most successful progressive rock bands. The result was Time Line, an album that would serve as the foundation for a new band: AD. If Seeds of Change represented Livgren exploring new possibilities while still part of Kansas, Time Line represented the moment those possibilities began to take on an entirely new identity.

From Kansas to AD

During the recording of Time Line, Livgren worked with a group of musicians who shared both his musical ambitions and his growing desire to communicate his Christian faith through rock music. The lineup included Michael Gleason on vocals and keyboards, Warren Ham on vocals and additional instruments, former Kansas bassist Dave Hope, and drummer Dennis Holt.As the musicians worked together, the project evolved beyond a conventional solo album. The chemistry between the players helped establish the group that would become AD, a band whose music would combine progressive rock, melodic hard rock, and increasingly direct spiritual themes. The transition was significant. Livgren had already demonstrated his ability to create elaborate arrangements, unusual rhythmic structures, and memorable melodies. With AD, he could develop those qualities in a setting built around a new collection of musicians and a shared artistic direction.

The sound of Time Line

Originally released in 1984, Time Line is an intriguing blend of classic progressive rock and the increasingly melodic, synthesizer-driven rock sound of the decade.

Livgren's guitars remain central to the music, but keyboards, vocal harmonies, and streamlined song structures play an increasingly important role.

The title track opens the album with the energy and ambition expected from a musician of Livgren's stature.

“Tonight” combines memorable melodies with the instrumental sophistication that had become his trademark.

“Make or Break It,” written by Michael Gleason, demonstrates the importance of Gleason's contributions to the emerging AD sound.

“Take Us to the Water” and “Beyond the Pale” explore questions of spiritual identity and direction through carefully constructed melodic rock arrangements.

“New Age Blues” introduces a harder edge, while “Slow Motion Suicide” uses dramatic musical tension to address serious lyrical themes.

“High on a Hill” balances accessible melodies with Livgren's distinctive compositional style, and “Life Undercover” continues the album's exploration of personal conviction.

The closing “Welcome to the War” brings the record to a powerful conclusion.

Together, the ten songs form an album that deserves recognition not simply as another Kerry Livgren solo recording, but as the beginning of an important new band.

An important chapter in progressive rock history

The story of AD is inseparable from the story of Time Line. The band would go on to release additional albums and establish a distinctive identity within the Christian rock and progressive rock communities. But Time Line captures the moment when the group's musical foundations were first established. For longtime Kansas fans, it provides an opportunity to hear Livgren's unmistakable musical personality developing in a new setting. For AD fans, it is the essential starting point. For collectors of 1980s progressive and melodic rock, it is a fascinating document of a musician determined to continue evolving.

The officially licensed Girder Records CD reissue presents the original ten-song album in a traditional jewel case and includes a 12-page full-color booklet featuring extensive historical essays and liner notes by Greg Hays.

Track Listing

1. Time Line

2. Tonight

3. Make or Break It

4. Take Us to the Water

5. Beyond the Pale

6. New Age Blues

7. Slow Motion Suicide

8. High on a Hill

9. Life Undercover

10. Welcome to the War

Girder Records CD: GR1248 — UPC 765105165442

PRIME MOVER (1988): KERRY LIVGREN AND WARREN HAM REUNITE

By the time Prime Mover appeared in 1988, Kerry Livgren had already established a remarkable legacy. His work with Kansas had helped define American progressive rock. His debut solo album, Seeds of Change, had brought together an extraordinary collection of musicians. And his work with AD had demonstrated that progressive rock could retain its musical complexity while communicating an increasingly direct spiritual message. But Prime Mover would take a different approach. Rather than assembling another large band, Livgren returned to a concentrated creative partnership with Warren Ham, one of the most distinctive voices associated with AD.

The result was an album that combined intricate songwriting with melodic accessibility, electronic arrangements, expressive vocals, and unexpected blues influences.

A different kind of progressive rock album

Originally released in 1988 on Sparrow Records, Prime Mover reflects Livgren's willingness to embrace the changing possibilities of studio recording. Livgren constructed much of the instrumental foundation himself, employing guitars, keyboards, bass, and programmed arrangements to create compositions that retained his characteristic complexity. Warren Ham supplied the powerful and expressive lead vocals, along with saxophone and harmonica. Together, they created a recording that sounds distinctly different from the full-band arrangements of Time Line while remaining unmistakably connected to Livgren's progressive rock heritage.

The songs are filled with melodic invention, rhythmic complexity, and musical details that reward repeated listening.

Nine songs of musical imagination

“Don't Pass Me By” opens the album with a combination of melodic rock energy and intricate rhythmic ideas.

“Fathers and Sons” introduces a more reflective emotional dimension, demonstrating Livgren's ability to connect deeply personal subjects with accessible melodies.

“Portrait II” is among the album's most historically significant compositions. It revisits the musical foundation of “Portrait (He Knew),” originally recorded by Kansas for the 1977 album Point of Know Return. The original song focused on Albert Einstein, while “Portrait II” redirects its lyrical focus toward Jesus Christ.

For Kansas collectors, it offers a particularly fascinating connection between Livgren's earlier and later songwriting.

“Children of the Shadows” moves into darker musical territory, with dramatic contrasts and layered arrangements.

“Wandering Spirit” recalls the searching themes and progressive character that had been central to Livgren's songwriting for years.

“I'll Follow You” brings a strong melodic emphasis, while “New Kind of Love” delivers an uplifting combination of accessible rock and distinctive instrumentation.

“One More Song” continues the album's balance of memorable songwriting and instrumental detail.

Finally, “T.G.B.” closes the record with a blues-influenced performance that highlights Warren Ham's remarkable vocal versatility and instrumental personality.

The importance of the original 1988 recording

For collectors, there is an important distinction. Prime Mover was revisited in later years through Prime Mover II and subsequent re-recorded editions. Those later projects represent different interpretations of the material.  The Girder Records edition celebrates the original 1988 recording, with its original nine-song program and the distinctive sound of Livgren and Ham's original collaboration.

This is the album as it first entered the world in 1988, not a later reconstruction. That distinction is especially meaningful for listeners who remember the original Sparrow Records release and for collectors seeking to experience this chapter of Livgren's career in its original form.

The officially licensed Girder Records CD reissue includes a 12-page full-color booklet featuring extensive historical essays and liner notes by Greg Hays, housed in a traditional jewel case.

Track Listing

1. Don't Pass Me By

2. Fathers and Sons

3. Portrait II

4. Children of the Shadows

5. Wandering Spirit

6. I'll Follow You

7. New Kind of Love

8. One More Song

9. T.G.B.

Girder Records CD: GR1244 — UPC 765105163325

THREE ALBUMS. THREE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS. ONE REMARKABLE LEGACY.

What makes these Girder Records reissues especially compelling is the way the three albums connect.

Seeds of Change captures Kerry Livgren at a moment of tremendous creative possibility, still a member of Kansas but exploring musical and spiritual ideas that would increasingly shape his future.

Time Line documents the next chapter, following his departure from Kansas and introducing the musicians and musical direction that would become AD.

Prime Mover reveals another side of Livgren's artistry, demonstrating his ability to create intricate, emotionally powerful music through a concentrated collaboration with Warren Ham.

Each album represents a different moment in Livgren's musical evolution.

Yet all three share the qualities that have defined his work for decades: ambitious composition, thoughtful lyrics, powerful melodies, and an unmistakable musical identity.

These are not simply albums for collectors of Christian rock.

They are important recordings in the larger history of American progressive rock, classic rock, and melodic rock.

The guest performances on Seeds of Change alone make it an extraordinary historical recording, while Time Line and Prime Mover document two essential phases of Livgren's post-Kansas career.

THE GIRDER RECORDS COLLECTOR EXPERIENCE

At Girder Records, we believe great albums deserve to be celebrated not only for their music, but also for the stories behind them.

That philosophy is at the heart of these Kerry Livgren reissues.

All four editions include a substantial 12-page full-color booklet featuring extensive historical essays and liner notes by Greg Hays.

These essays explore the circumstances surrounding the original recordings, the musicians who contributed, the musical development of the albums, and the significance of each release within Livgren's career.

The goal is to give collectors more than another copy of a familiar recording.

It is to provide a deeper understanding of why these albums matter.

Whether you discovered Kerry Livgren through Kansas in the 1970s, followed his work with AD during the 1980s, or are hearing these recordings for the first time, this collection offers an opportunity to explore three remarkable albums that deserve an enduring place in the history of progressive rock.

FOUR OFFICIALLY LICENSED GIRDER RECORDS RELEASES

Kerry Livgren — Seeds of Change (1980) CD
Catalog: GR1249
UPC: 765105163349
Original seven-song album, jewel case, 12-page full-color booklet.

Kerry Livgren — Seeds of Change (1980) Vinyl LP
Catalog: GR1249LP
UPC: 765105163332
Original seven-song album, vinyl LP, 12-page full-color booklet.

Kerry Livgren — Time Line (1984) CD
Catalog: GR1248
UPC: 765105165442
Original ten-song album, jewel case, 12-page full-color booklet.

Kerry Livgren — Prime Mover (1988) CD
Catalog: GR1244
UPC: 765105163325
Original 1988 nine-song recording, jewel case, 12-page full-color booklet.

Rediscover the music. Explore the history. Celebrate the legacy.

From the extraordinary all-star sessions of Seeds of Change to the birth of AD on Time Line and the distinctive musical partnership behind Prime Mover, these three albums document an extraordinary period of creativity in the life of one of progressive rock's most influential musicians.

Girder Records is proud to bring these recordings to collectors through four officially licensed reissues, each accompanied by historical essays and liner notes that celebrate the music and the stories behind it.

Three albums. Four releases. One extraordinary legacy.

Explore the Kerry Livgren reissue collection at GirderMusic.com.