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NEW
CD RELEASE BY GERMAN MUSIC LEGENDS AMON DUUL 2 NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
Experimental
music pioneers Amon Duul 2, whose music defined the German progressive
rock scene of the 1970's, are back with a new album Bee As Such. Currently
only available by download through the band's website, the CD marks the
first new album by the legendary group in several years. Amon Duul 2 reveal
on their website: "Recorded April 2009 at Dreamscape Studio, Amon Duul
2 celebrated a highly sensitive performance, of finding back to the roots
- not in the past, but essentially - seeking the new sounds and contents
at the same time. No 'kraut', no '70s', but the music of the new millenium.
This sound painting is one more of our unique works, containing the spirit
of our time." "Amon Duul never used to present the same style on their
albums," explains guitarist John Weinzierl "We like to develop our music
into all kinds of directions and sometimes we don´t even know where
it´s gonna lead us. We don't follow a pattern only because it is
successful. Since 2000 we´ve used lots of elements of world music,
we had eastern influences, ethnological sounds, and of course we never
forgot 'sound painting'." When asked if there was a concept behind this
new album? Weinzierl expounded, "Avoiding industry music, heading for new
frontiers." Formed in Munich in 1968, Amon Duul 2 rapidly excelled to the
forefront of German avant garde music along side notable peers Can, Faust
and Tangerine Dream. Amon Duul 2 quickly distinguished themselves from
these other ensembles with their use of pop elements interspersed with
eclectic songwriting and arrangements along with deft musicianship and
the sweet voice of female vocalist Renate Knaup-Krotenschwanz. The band's
influences ranged from jazz and classical to Zappa and Syd's Pink Floyd,
although the music has remained so original these past 30 years it's difficult
to tell who the band's influences are! "That's because Germany culture-wise
has no rhythm and blues influence," explains Renate. "We have classical
music and traditional music, so we just experimented with what we had.
To copy rhythm and blues or rock and roll would be silly because they are
not our roots." By 1979 and many critically acclaimed, pioneering LPs later,
Amon Duul 2 went their separate ways, only to reunite in the 1990s, and
most recently in the mid-2000s. The current line-up includes original members:
Chris Karrer (guitar, violin, vocals), John Weinzierl (guitars, synth,
vocals), Renate Knaup-Krotenschwanz (vocals), Danny Fichelscher (drums),
Lother Meid (bass, vocals) and neo-Duul Jan Kahlert (percussion, vocals).
And where did the name Amon Duul 2 come from? "We didn't want to have an
anglophonic name, because in those days everybody was called Rattles, or
Beatles, or some other english name," explained John Weinzierl. "We didn't
wanna have a German name either, that's why we went into a long period
of finding an appropriate name. At some point the band had a different
name with every other concert that was played. Finally it was AMON DUUL.
Amon referres to the Egypt sun god Amon-Re. Duul (with the "Umlaut" dots,
that your computer can't print out) comes from a Canadian group's album
called Tanjet, that we used to listen to a lot. On this album there was
a self-constructed mythology with a part called Dyyl. This eventually was
transformed into Duul and the Umlauts gave it this slight German touch.
Since then many groups started having fantasy names, or even using Umlaut
dots like in Motorhead. Understand? (of course you have to imagine the
Umlaut dots, cause your computer can't...) And I shall never answer
this question any more now." Yet one question still remains; It has been
40 years since the incarnation of Amon Duul 2, what has kept the band together
all these years? "As we are not just a band, but a music commune, a social
experiment, and a work of art, it's just natural to stay together, and
of course: it must be love, or something close enough...." Amon Duul 2
- Bee As Such will be released on CD and DVD later this year. It is currently
available for download at Amon
Duul 2 Home Page. 03/15/2010
DRUID "FLUID" AND "TOWARD THE SUN" AVAILABLE DIGITALLY
Progressive
rock band Druid released two albums on EMI in the 70s; their debut Toward
The Sun (1975) produced by Bob Harris of The Old Grey Whistle Test fame
& second album Fluid Druid (1976). Both albums are now available digitally
for the first time. Click here
to buy Fluid Druid from itunes, or click here
to buy Toward The Sun from itunes. 03/15/2010
CARAVAN ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THEIR BOX SET RELEASE
Delighted
to announce the release on March 22nd of a 4 CD Caravan box set covering
the years of 1968-1976. The project was compiled for Universal Music by
Mark Powell with Phil Smees' always gorgeous artwork and Paschal Byrne
(mastering engineer on the earlier reissues) as mastering engineer. "Of
all the groups to emerge from the "Canterbury Scene", none were quite so
original and proved so enduring as Caravan'- Mark Powell- 'Where But for
Caravan Would I' 2001. This new anthology includes BBC sessions, and tracks
from the live Caravan And The New Symphonia (1974) recorded at London's
Drury Lane theatre. For long terms fans, there is a real bonus in two lengthy
unreleased tracks "The Love In Your Eye" (an early version of one of Caravan's
most popular songs) and "Any Advance On Carpet?', both recorded in the
early 70s. 03/15/2010
PINK FLOYD WIN COURT BATTLE OVER ONLINE SALES
Pink
Floyd have won a High Court battle to stop their record label EMI selling
individual songs online. The rock legends, signed to EMI since 1967, said
their contract meant their albums could not be split up without their permission.
A judge agreed, saying the contract contained a clause to “preserve the
artistic integrity of the albums”. You can read the full story at Pink
Floyd Home Page. 03/15/2010
LA NUOVA RACCOMANDATA RICEVUTA DI RITORNO, THE
LEGEND IS BACK!
After
more than 30 years Raccomandata Ricevuta di Ritorno is back and hits the
streets with an astounding record with even more astounding guests. Apart
from original members Luciano Regoli (Ritratto di Dorian Gray, RRR, Samadhi,
DGM), Nanni Civitenga (RRR, Samadhi), Roberto Gardin (RRR, Ritratto di
Dorian Gray), Walter Martino (RRR, Goblin, Ritratto di Dorian Gray), this
record features real italian prog legends like Claudio Simonetti (Goblin,
Ritratto di Dorian Gray), Lino Vairetti (Osanna), Nicola di Staso (Lybra)
and even Carl Verheyen of Supertramp. The result is a progressive killer!
Modern, yet full of reminiscences of the past, the record is an ever changing
shift of moods, dominated by the stunning still intact voice of Luciano
Regoli supported by the incredible skills of the involved musicians. They
are not afraid to say that for them this is by far the best Italian progressive
reunion ever! In order to celebrate this release the record will be sold
in different versions: a) Deluxe papersleeve CD edition, whereas the first
666 copies will contain a unique lithography of Luciano Regoli, numbered
and hand signed by the master himself, b) Standard black 180 gram deluxe
gatefold LP, limited to 300 copies, c) Special limited 66 copies handmade,
stamped and signed "Raccomandata collector edition parcelbox", featuring
the multi color LP version, a deluxe book by Luciano Regoli, a photograph
from RRR taken in 1971, a promotional DVD, the papersleeve CD and a unique
oil painting made on ship wood by Luciano Regoli. Every one of these boxes
will contain a different painting, which can be recognized on the
stamp on the front side of the box. On sale on exhibits only. For further
enquiries, please contact BTF and/or Luciano
Regoli. 03/15/2010
ULYSSES ENDS TOUR WITH ANDROMEDA ON EASTER
Next
April the Dutch progrock formation Ulysses will end their "Tour of a Decade"
with the Swedish formation Andromeda. For three days they will travel through
the lowlands and do three live-shows. With their latest album "The Gift
of Tears" Ulysses has proven to be a serious player in the world of prog.
The numerous reviews they received for the CD aswell as the liveshows prove
that they do great in the studio and on stage. Swedish Andromeda recently
release their 5th studio album "The Immunity Zone". They are a big player
in the scene. Together these bands will make the three shows an unforgettable
experience. After the shows Ulysses will continue working on their new
album, so don't miss this opportunity to see them live. To support the
upcoming shows Ulysses has released their first official videoclip on the
web. The footage was shot by John Vis on their "Tour of a Decade" last
november and editted by Michael Hos. Check out the latest tourupdates and
the videoclip on Ulysses home page.
03/15/2010
WELSH PROG ROCK BAND MAN GUITARIST MICKY JONES
DIES
TAKE
FROM NEWS BBC WEBSITE - Micky Jones played with Man from its formation
in 1968 until ill health in 2002. Guitarist and singer Micky Jones, one
of the founders of Welsh prog rock band, Man, has died aged 63. With Merthyr
Tydfil-born Jones, the band had four Top 40 UK albums from the late 1960s
and toured across Europe and America, where admirers included Frank Zappa.
Friend and former colleague Phil Little said Jones had a "command of melody"
and was "the most humble guy". Jones, who had been fighting a brain tumour,
died at a care home in Swansea. Mr Little, who played with Jones in the
1980s with the London-based The Flying Pigs, said Frank Zappa once described
Jones as "one of the 10 best guitarists in the world". He said: "I did
hundreds of gigs with him and I never saw him have a cross word with anybody.
He had maximum respect from all the musicians. "He had great command of
melody. He would improvise fantastically. He also have a very pure and
soulful voice." Jones' first band The Bystanders, was a Merthyr-based close
harmony five-piece formed in the early 1960s, with BBC Wales radio presenter
Owen Money, who was calling himself Gerry Braden, on vocals. Money said
he was "devastated" at the loss of someone who was a family friend as well
as an artistic collaborator. He said: "We came up together, we shared our
life together. I know it was an inevitability but words can't express what
I'm feeling at the moment. "He taught me to play the guitar. His first
job was as a hairdresser. He cut my hair. "He was a fantastic musician.
He had a "Frankie Valli" voice. We were set apart from any band in Wales
at the time - we could do songs others could not do - because of his high
falsetto voice. The women loved him so much, especially in the 60s. There
we girls screaming and always three times as many screaming for Micky than
anyone else. He was a good looking boy." In 1968, after Money had moved
on, the Bystanders added Deke Leonard, Jones' guitar partner for some three
decades, embraced the counterculture and became Man. They had four albums
in the UK Top 40 between 1973 and 1976 and toured on continental Europe
and America. Music journalist Michael Heatley, who ran a Man fans newsletter
for 20 years, said the band reached "the upper second division of British
rock" but had been overlooked in the history of rock. He said: "Man were
a live band. People would go and see them because they knew that the live
performance was going to be much better than the record. For more about
the band please visit MAN
home page. 03/15/2010
SILENT LAPSE AND THEIR ALBUM FOR FREE DOWNLOAD
Their
album is now FREE and can be downloaded by visiting the Discography and
Merch pages! There will be a $2.63 charge to cover shipping and shipping
materials if you choose to have a CD sent to you. They love this album
and really believe in it. They don't want a $10 charge to stand in the
way of you hearing an album that they think is one of the best! Need more
convincing? Please read their 9/10 review on The Metal Observer, Birthright
Review and the Ytsejam.com. For more about the band and their album please
visit Silent Lapse Home Page.
03/15/2010
KINGCROW, "PHLEGETHON", THE NEW CONCEPT ALBUM OF
THE BAND HAS FINALLY MASTERED
"Phlegethon"
is the new concept album of the band has finally mastered at "20Hz20Khz"
in Naples by Davide Barbarulo. For a taste of things to come check out
at their official MySpace.
"Evasion" and two Samples of "Fading Out PT.III" and "Numb (incipit, climax
& coda)". Release date and label will be revealed soon. For more about
please check out Kingcrow Home Page.
03/15/2010
JEBO NEW ALBUM 'SETTLE UP OR SETTLE DOWN' IS FINISHED!
Again
produced by John Burns (Genesis, Jethro Tull, John Martyn and others) and
mixing engineer Ben Findlay (Realworld Studios, Jeff Beck, Goldfrapp).
This will be the bands 2nd album and is due for release in April. It will
be available from the bands Website, Amazon and iTunes plus other sites
to numerous to mention. Early indications already look good: "The new JEBO
album has songwriting, musicianship and production of the very highest
quality that stands head & shoulders above the rest, JEBO remain a
world class band" - Bristol Rocks. The band will be doing some shows around
release time and details can be found at Jebo
Home Page. Also click here
to listen to some tracks. 03/15/2010
FLASH RANGE NEW MUSIC VIDEO IS OUT NOW
They
are excited to tell us that their new music video is out! Please check
it out at Youtube
Flash Range - Follow Me Now (official music video),
03/15/2010
FILM TRACING THE LINEAGE OF FRANK ZAPPA'S INFLUENCES
TO THE RECORDINGS AND PERFORMANCES OF ZAPPA HIMSELF
MVD
Visual are proud to announce the DVD release of Frank Zappa "The Freak
Out List" on April 20, 2010. When an artist, regardless of his significance,
lists his favorite musicians and performers it is usually met with little
fanfare, as over time the names mentioned are almost certainly going to
change. But when Frank Zappa did likewise, and actually published a record
of his most important influences on the inside cover of his debut album,
it became a road map to the music he was to make over the following forty
years. Even in the early 1990s, when asked about his most-loved composer's,
musicians and artists, he would repeat names from this, by then legendary,
index. This film explores the musical roots of Frank Zappa by putting "The
Freak Out List" under the microscope and tracing the lineage from the most
pivotal names therein to the recordings and performances of the man himself.
Featuring rare footage of Zappa and the Mothers plus archive film of Freak
Out List artists, exclusive interviews with The Mothers Of Invention's
Ian Underwood, Don Preston and George Duke, 1950s Doo Wop legends, The
Cadillacs, contributions from Zappa biographers Ben Watson and Greg Russo,
Edgar Varese biographer Alan Clayson, experimental modern music historian
Professor David Nicholls, soul and R'n'B expert Robert Pruter and many
others. Also features numerous seldom seen photographs, news archive, radio
spots and a host of other features which all together make for a uniquely
fascinating program. 03/15/2010
PROGRESSIVE METAL GROUP BY BLOOD ALONE TO PLAY
SELECT EAST COAST ENGAGEMENTS
Much
to the anticipation of fans and music press alike, 5-piece progressive
metal band By Blood Alone will be playing select dates on the east coast
this April. Though critics praise the band, who hail from Portland Maine,
for their complex-but-seamless song writing, determination to dodge stylistic
cliches and all-around gothic grandeur, that’s not what makes By Blood
Alone unique. The key element that sets this band apart is its approach
and attitude. One never feels as though By Blood Alone are truly content
with the body of their work, but always reaching into the murky darkness
before them for what mystery lies ahead. You’ll not see a head-banging,
raucous crowd at stage-front of a By Blood Alone show: instead, you’ll
find a captivated audience unmoving and silent – locked into the moment.
"If you're new to By Blood Alone, you'll get 45 minutes of breathtakingly
dark progressive rock, unlike anything you've heard before. If you HAVE
seen us previously, you know to expect the unexpected," says guitarist
John Graveside. "For some reason when we are onstage people really study
our music. They watch very quietly and only make a sound when they cheer
at the end of songs. It's sort of like a classical concert or a scene from
'Monterrey Pop', and after 5 years in the band still a tad unnerving."
"Everyone in the band is clearly an accomplished musician in their own
right and demonstrates imagination and creativity, but the rhythm section
possesses two qualities which are rare to find at the same time in a metal
band; precision and finesse. With the powerfully tasteful guitar compositions
of John Graveside and the powerful, emotive vocals of Cruella it would
seem that By Blood Alone have everything in place for launching a very
successful career." - Komodo Rock. Formed in 2004, By Blood Alone proudly
sound like no one else in their hometown, and few elsewhere. By virtue
of association, they might be compared to the likes of Finland’s operatic
Nightwish or Florida’s decidedly progressive Kamelot, and though that is
certainly good company to be in, such comparisons are somewhat inaccurate.
The songs on By Blood Alone’s 2007 CD Seas of Blood possess a cinematic
quality, brought to life by keyboard tones that bring to mind classic horror
and 1950's science fiction films that sit alongside crucial sections of
dramatic orchestration. At any given moment you are as likely to hear a
solitary piano delicately underscoring vocalist Cruella’s quiet whispers
as you are a relentless guitar/bass/drums gallop of bone-crunching verses
propelling her wail of contempt. A sultry mix of bitter loss, inglorious
defeat and even a bit of gallows humor can all be culled from the furious
aural denouement unleashed upon the audience before them. These are not
simply encores – they are epilogues. 2005 saw By Blood Alone map out their
path with the debut EP Eternally. Ambitious in scope, it set the stage
for what is clearly their pinnacle achievement, Seas of Blood. Amongst
accolades from numerous press outlets, Portland’s primary arts weekly The
Phoenix has twice placed By Blood Alone on their year-end Top-10 list,
in 2007 for Seas of Blood and in 2005 for Eternally. These achievements
can be added to a string of stunning live performances across New England
with the likes of Joey Belladonna of Anthrax, Metal Blade Recording artists
Goatwhore, as well as former Misfits vocalist Michale Graves and countless
other local and regional acts. "As a whole, I think By Blood Alone has
only scratched the surface of where they could take their music. The band
has all of the tools to take their music to the next level. Stephen King
may have put Portland, Maine on the map as far as pop culture goes, with
the right producer and a little bit of luck, By Blood Alone could carry
this town’s legacy well into the future.” - Hard Rock Hideout. Along with
the band's special blend of progressive metal, the artwork for the new
CD is nothing less than spectacular. "Cruella is a visual artist, and I
am a graphic designer, so the packaging was very important to us," says
Graveside. "We licensed the painting from a museum in the UK, and I 'doctored'
it a bit and did the overall layout. The cover is getting lots of compliments.
I see a lot of indie CDs with very mediocre artwork, and as a graphic designer
it pains me to look at some of them. Even though the world is moving away
from CDs to downloadable files, artwork is still an important point of
expression for any band, and usually a dull cover means a dull band. And
if there’s no artwork at all…well, you get the point." Cruella adds, "Artwork
is extremely important. I didn’t want it to be an afterthought with the
album. I am constantly thinking and creating with pictures, so when it
came to choosing an image for the cd I already had tons of ideas. Luckily,
Graveside and I were on the same page." "This is a scrumpious blend of
gothic and heavy metal. Unlike most, this band does not sacrifice anything
from either catagory to make its sound. It has all of the darkness, beauty
and drama of the gothic category, but it also rocks socks and trades licks
like the best of the metal bands. In a pit or on a stage, this band could
stand up there with Judas Priest or Iron Maiden." - NeoZine, As far as
the future goes for By Blood Alone, the band plans on releasing a new CD
in the Fall of 2010. "These are all the songs we wrote during or after
Cruella's breast cancer battle in the fall of 2007," John Graveside explains.
"It was a pretty trying time for both her and the rest of us, and it shows
in the music. As soon as she started chemo I was determined to have the
bulk of the next disc written in the next few months, and after I got done
with writing each one the band started fleshing them out while Cruella
wrote lyrics at home. So, I got 5 songs done (all about 8 minutes each),
and a few months after we started gigging again I wrote a sixth song and
Runtt brought in a song, so we now have 7, about 50-55 minutes of material.
We're laying down basic tracks in our new studio as we speak (and hopefully
we will be done with basics before the tour starts.) So far everything
is coming out great and we're hoping to release the disc in the Fall."
By Blood Alone will also be performing at the Furfright Festival in Connecticut
this coming October. For more information visit By
Blood Alone's official website. 03/15/2010
APOCALYPSE ANNOUNCES THEIR NEW DRUMMER
On
the next Friday, March 5th, the Brazilian Progressive/Classic rock legend
APOCALYPSE will play at the National Grape Party in Caxias do Sul, south
of Brazil. This will be the first show of the new drummer of the band,
Fábio Schneider. He joins the band in substitution of the old drummer,
Chico
Fasoli, that was in the band for 26 years, since 1984! Chico decided to
leave the band to have more time with family and other professional projects.
Fábio Schneider is one of the most respected and famous drummers
in Brazil. He has his own drums institute, "Instituto Musical Fábio
Schneider", with more than 20 years of activities. He is always story of
the most popular drums magazines and endorsee of international drums brands
such as Pearl, C.Ibañez, Orion Cymbals, Urban Boards, Staff Drum,
Power Click, etc. "Apocalypse is one of the most respected bands in Brazil!",
says Fábio Schneider. "Join a band like that is a big responsibility.
Even greater responsibility is to replace Chico Fasoli, which in my opinion
is one of the most competent progressive drummer of Brazil, and longtime
friend. "I feel honored to be invited and reminded to face this challenge
in Apocalypse". The band has an affinity and strong musical maturity, fruit
of more than 25 years of existence. The preparatory rehearsals to his debut
show has been very professional and exciting. Indeed, the show on the National
Grape Festival also marks my entry into the team of Pearl Brazil. The Director
of International Marketing of the company will attend the event". About
APOCALYPSE: In 26 years of career, APOCALYPSE has become one of the biggest
names in Brazilian progressive rock scene. Its vast discography includes
10 albums released in Brazil, Europe, USA and Asia - including a double
album recorded live in the United States during the first international
tour of the band. At this time, APOCALYPSE promotes it's latest effort,
The Bridge Of Light, released in Brazil in 2008 by Free Mind Records and
in Europe and Asia by Musea Records. In researchs sponsored by the specialized
press as Whiplash and Roadie Crew, The Bridge Of Light won several indications
as Best of 2008: Best Album, Best Cover, Best Show and Best Keyboardist
to Eloy Fritsch. In early 2009, Eloy Fritsch also received the "Azorean
Music Award - Honorable Mention" for his contribution to the south Brazilian
music scene and APOCALYPSE received the trophy Vasco Prado in honor of
it's 25 years career. Two videos have been produced for The Bridge Of Light.
The latest is for the track "Welcome Outside" that got exposure on Brazilian
MTV. The video can be watched in this link on Youtube.
Last year, APOCALYPSE has already done two tours in promotion to The Bridge
Of Light. The first happened in April and included shows in the state of
Sao Paulo. The second and most recent occurred in September and included
shows in the states of Sao Paulo and Parana. In addition to touring, the
band performs with frequency in Rio Grande do Sul, its home state. APOCALYPSE
is formed by Gustavo Demarchi (vocals, flute), Eloy Fritsch (keyboards),
Ruy Fritsch (guitar), Magoo Wise (bass) and Fábio Schneider (drums).
For Further Information please visit Apocalypse
Home Page. 03/15/2010
LOU REED RE-MASTERS "METAL MACHINE MUSIC"
Lou
Reed has finalised details of the digitally re-mastered edition of his
seminal 1975 album "Metal Machine Music." Reed will release the ground
breaking album in the UK on April 19th on his independent label "Sister
Ray" in the following three formats " double gatefold vinyl in quadraphonic
sound, audio DVD and Blu-ray. The album coincides with Lou Reed"s Metal
Machine Trio UK concerts at the Cambridge Junction (April 17), Oxford O2
Academy (April 18) and London Royal Festival Hall (April 19, part of the
Ether Festival). Lou did the digital re-mastering from the original multi-tracks
with the help of world-renowned mastering guru, Scott Hull. This is a new
and improved re-mastered version, and is different from all previous releases
on the RCA, Buddha and Sony affiliated labels. Further info about the Metal
Machine Music Re-mastered. Says Reed, "The out of print "Quad" release
has been replicated for all formats, including a perfect vinyl version
playable on your stereo turntable with the original rear sections moved
to the center of the front left/right speakers. It"s worth getting a turntable
to hear this. We worked from digital transfers (95k 24bit) made from the
original analogue masters. The original label supplied us with these files
and photo copies of the analogue reels including copies of Bob Ludwig"s
mastering notes." Although the Metal Machine Music album will be reissued
just in time for Reed"s Metal Machine Trio UK concerts, MM3 will not perform
music from the legendary album, but instead will perform music loosely
based on, and inspired by, the 1975 album. Please visit Lou
Reed Home Page. 03/15/2010
VIOLET SUN IS FINALLY COMPLETED THEIR DEBUT ALBUM
"LONELINESS IN SUPREMACY"
The
Line up is composed by - Alessandra Amata: Lead Vocals & Piano, Alex
Grillo: Drum & Percussions and Dario Grillo: Guitars, Vocals, Bass,
Keyboards, Backing vocals , Orchestral scores and production. Guest Musicians:
Giuseppe Finocchiaro: Sax, Opera Choir: Biagio Lentini, Roberto Mauro,
Ignazio Gervasi, Alex Grillo. Massimo Grillo. Monica Benevento, Alessia
Grillo, Loredana Aureli, Giovanni Palanica, Fabrizio Nocera, Lorencè
Brahem: oriental instruments. Mika Jussila mastered the album in the early
days of January at Finnivox Studios (Nightwish, Him, Stratovarious, Masterplan
etc.) You can listen to two short samples through the Violet
Sun website. 03/15/2010
CYNIC - QUALITY PERFORMANCE FOOTAGE OF NEW
SONG AVAILABLE
Quality
fan-filmed live footage of the reunited progressive rock/metal band CYNIC
performing a new song, "Wheels Within Wheels", on January 31, 2010 at the
Trocadero in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania can be viewed below (courtesy of
"impaledonafence1"). The track is expected to appear on the group's forthcoming
EP, which is due later in the year. In addition to "Wheels Within Wheels",
the EP will reportedly contain reinterpretations of four tracks from CYNIC's
latest album, "Traced In Air". "Traced in Air" was released in North America
on November 25, 2008 via Season of Mist. The CD's first run was a limited-edition
hardcover digipack with the cover artwork embossed to further showcase
the beautiful cover by renowned artist Robert Venosa, as well as eight
original pieces of art paired with the eight songs found on the album.
Venosa created the unmistakable cover and visuals for 1993's groundbreaking
"Focus" album. This limited edition also featured a poster of the cover
art. Also released the same day was the "Traced in Air" collector's box,
which was only available for order online and limited to 1,000 copies.
Returning from the "Focus" era for the new eight-song, 35-minute effort
are founding members Paul Masvidal (guitar, vocals) and Sean Reinert (drums)
along with Sean Malone (bass), and joining the band in the studio was newcomer
Tymon Kruidenier (guitars/growls). The band recorded the effort at a California
studio with producer Warren Riker (DOWN, SANTANA). For a list of upcoming
CYNIC shows, visit the band's MySpace
page. 03/15/2010
DUTCH PROGRESSIVE ROCK ENSEMBLE MANGROVE RECEIVE
INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM WITH "BEYOND REALITY"
When
you think of Dutch progressive rock, bands like Focus, Supersister, Kayak
and Earth & Fire immediately come to mind. Now with the release of
their 5th CD, Dutch prog ensemble Mangrove can proudly be added to this
prestigious list. Touted by as "essential listening" by Jerry Ewing of
Classic Rock Presents Prog magazine, Mangrove's latest CD masterpiece 'Beyond
Reality' has been garnering international praise since its release this
past June. "We are very excited about the great reviews out there," says
Chirs Jonker who plays keyboards with the band. "They come from all over
the world, which is truely amazing! Most reviewers are stunned and excited
about the the big step forward we made in comparison with the previous
albums.We are also very happy that our latest album has been nominated
for the 'Italian Prog Awards', for best artwork, best recording and best
foreign record. Its predessor 'Facing The Sunset' already got the IO Pages
Prog Award in 2005 for best prog album of that year in The Netherlands."
On June 27th 2009 Mangrove released the long expected and stunning new
studio album ‘Beyond Reality’. The title seems to fit the great expectations
of the band very well. On this album the development of a professional
approach, songwriting capabilities and the moments of virtuosity are clearly
showcased. Beside the epic tracks like "Daydreamer’s Nightmare" and the
vivacious "Voyager", there is the title track "Beyond Reality" which exhibits
elements of classic rock suitable for a wide music loving audience. Together
with the beautiful modesty of "Love and Beyond", the 18-minute epic "Time
Will Tell" and the instrumental powerplay of "Reality Fades", an enormous
variety is presented to the listener. With this new album, Mangrove intends
to make a clear statement: pushing the limits in an amazing way. Driven
by where it all started with: passion for the music. "All we try to say
to our fans and potential fans is captured inside our music: people who
like it to be carried away on a musical journey, will be satisfied from
beginning to end," explains Chris Jonker. "We try to bring the sensation
of seventies giants like Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes and King Crimson back
to life, even though we add our own distinctive Mangrove sound." "Brilliant,
fantastic and amazing work, highly recommendable!" - Progressive Rock BR.
The recordings were made in a professional studio and a considerable amount
of time was spent on mixing and mastering the album to give attention to
every detail. This production process and the hard work has led to the
desired result: a crystal clear top-notch sound in which a perfect balance
between power and definition has been achieved. Mangrove can definitely
be reckoned as one of the top bands in the progressive genre. ‘Beyond Reality‘
is the impressive proof. Power, emotion, virtuosity and modesty, this album
has it all. Together with the superb artwork this is the ultimate masterpiece
of Mangrove. "Although it's not a real concept album, the songs refer to
the same kind of theme," Chris Jonker explains. "It's a bundle of observations
of human behavior when dealing with time / space related issues. It's all
about here and there, me and you, now and then, in short the ingredients
of human pie". "Once the album has gotten under your skin, it stays there
and draws you into a wonderful and versatile sound universe that is well
defined and emotional." - Power of Metal. Driven by the passion for writing
exciting music and longing for the stages to show their ability to perform
it with an almost touchable intensity Roland van der Horst (guitars, vocals)
and Joost Hagemeijer (drums, vocals) felt in 1998 that the time was right
to form a band and bring their project ‘Brainstorm’ to life. The first
demo recording “Massive Hollowness” was the first achievement by these
passionate musicians, who renamed the group Mangrove. The year 2001 secured
the perfect band: some months after Pieter Drost (bass) completed the rhythm
section with his distinctive bass sound, Chris Jonker (keyboards) completed
the sonic palette with the keys. Writing sessions started and resulted
in the rather successful release ‘Touch Wood’ in 2004. The foundation for
the typical Mangrove sound was built. But it was the 2005 concept album
‘Facing The Sunset’ which grabbed the attention of many fans of pure progressive
rock within the scene. Beside the stage favorite "There Must Be Another
Way", this album with four long tracks ends up with the climax of the exciting
21-minute epic "Hidden Dreams". Mangrove onstage is a synonym for emotion,
passion and intensity but surely also for exploding energy. The interaction
with the audience perfectly applies to the charismatic front man Roland
van der Horst. His contagious stage performance gets the attention of the
fans and the press. All of these elements helped to gain an excellent live
reputation throughout the years. The music is characterized by the variety
in tempo and dynamics, with modest passages but also heavy symphonic eruptions.
The 2006 double live album ‘Coming Back To Live’ summarizes a brilliant
Mangrove period with a cross-section of the first three albums. And now
with Mangrove's fourth release the band has reached a new plateau in their
career. "With this album Mangrove have continued to build on their past
work while at the same time they have taken giant strides towards creating
a unique sound that is truly their own," says Simon Hill of New Horizon's.
"From a musical point of view there honestly is nothing I failed to like
about this album, my only concern now is where on earth can the band go
from here? I don't know the answer to that question but I sure look forward
to finding out in the fullness of time!" "We built up a strong live reputation
the last few years and we just love it to perform live," says Chris Jonker.
"Next May we will do some great gigs in The Netherlands and Germany. We
are especially excited about some special gigs: in May we will perform
'unplugged' for the first time in our 9-years existence. It will be a great
experiment: what would progressive rock sound like on a grand piano, acoustic
guitars, etc. in a theatre? Furthermore, we are very excited about doing
our first headliner gig at 'De Boerderij', Zoetermeer (NL). This 750-capacity
venue is well known for having presented many great progressive rock bands
and artists from all over the world. We have performed in different countries
in Europe (Germany, Belgium, Poland, UK, Switzerland) and we plan to come
back more often there. Of course we would also like to let the people in
the USA enjoy our performances. Nothing planned there yet. But if the demand
is also there, of course we will consider this..." For purchasing information
of Mangrove's 'Beyond Reality' CD as well as up to date information on
the group check out the official Mangrove
website. 03/15/2010
MANGROVE AND DRUMMER JOOST HAGEMEIJER HAVE ENDED
THEIR COLLABORATION
Progressive
rockband Mangrove and drummer Joost Hagemeijer have ended their collaboration.
There is a common conclusion that a productive co-operation is not desired
anymore. Manager Henri Heijink: "It was a far reaching decision for us
all, but in the end an inevitable one. The band is striving for further
growth and we are convinced that no musical challenge in whatever form
it could appear may be ruled out. The foundation for that is an absolute
commitment of the complete band." The remaining bandmembers Roland van
der Horst (guitars, vocals), Pieter Drost (bass) and Chris Jonker (keyboards)
are pleased to announce that all scheduled gigs will take place as planned.
During the upcoming series of gigs in May drummer Remco Engels will take
place behind the drumkit. Remco has many years of experience in different
bands and is most of all known for his drumming in `Genesis Project' and
the symphonic/progressive coverband `Knight of the Progs'. Chris Jonker:
"Recently we witnessed Remco's drumming when he performed with 'Knight
of the Progs'. We were impressed by his playing of the drums and his enthusiastic
way of performing. I am sure that he will be able to add a tremendous value
to the Mangrove live shows." During the theatre show on 21st of May in
the `Gigant' venue (Apeldoorn, NL) drummer Aldert Glass has offered his
availability. The foundation of his own school for drums and percussion
called `Multipercussion' (www.multipercussion.com) was based upon his passion
for these instruments. Aldert is very experienced in the music business:
he did instruction for many different percussion groups, he was drummer
and percussionist in many Big Bands and jazz ensembles and he is regularly
employed as a freelance percussionist in classical orchestras and in accompaniment
of musicals. In this way Mangrove has filled up the available position
of the drums for the upcoming concert series in May. Nevertheless the band
does not want to withold interested drummers from contacting the band.
Last year Mangrove released the critically acclaimed new album `Beyond
Reality'. Besides the other mentioned concerts the band is headlining `De
Boerderij' venue in Zoetermeer (NL) with a special show on 20th November
2010. More information visit Mangrove
Home Page. 03/15/2010
BRAZIL'S GAROTAS SUECAS ANNOUNCE U.S TOUR &
SXSW DATES, SIGN TO U.S. LABEL
"Garotas
Suecas shouldn't merely be listened to or witnessed; they should be absorbed."
- Carrie Brownstein, NPR's Monitor Mix / Sleater-Kinney. "When temperatures
rise, we itch for some steamy tropicilia. Brazil's Garotas Suecas fits
our needs like a pair of pink Havaianas. With scorching guitar solos, horns
and ass shaking rhythms, the São Pauloans give us the closest thing
to a fantasy '60s jam between Them and Os Mutantes" -Time Out Chicago.
One of Spin Magazine's 20 Must-Hear Artists from SXSW 2009. Garotas Suecas
come raging from Sao Paolo, Brazil - five boys and a girl playing fuzzed-out,
psychedelic garage rock nu-Tropicalia. Influences range from Otis Redding
to Os Mutantes. Imagine ? and the Mysterians jamming it out with Gilberto
Gil, and you might have an idea how fun this band can be. Better yet, listen
to the music. Better better yet, see them tear it up live. Garotas Suecas
(Swedish Girls in Portuguese) comprises Guilherme Saldanha (vocals and
harmonica), Irina Bertolucci Chermont (organ), Perdido (bass), Sesa (guitar)
and the Paoliello brothers, Nico (drums) and Tomaz (guitar). With six members,
the band's sound is fiery, funky and full-bodied: an infectious and danceable
organ-drenched brew. Their live show burns dance floors wherever they take
it. Already MTV Video Award winners in their native Brazil have just completed
a brand new music video for fiery "Bugalu". Garotas Suecas are now primed
to take the States on at full gallop. American Dust is releasing the crackling
"Codinome Dinamite" b/w "Ghostwriter" 7" single March 16, to coincide with
two weeks of US dates the band is playing that month, including their second
annual expectations-smashing appearance at SXSW in Austin. (Full list of
dates below.) The new 7" precedes an album of all-new material to be released
this fall, in conjunction with another Stateside tour. Would you like to
know more about the band please visit Garotas
Suecas Home Page. 03/15/2010
EDENBRIDGE ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW BASS PLAYER
Simon
Holzknecht has left Edenbridge due to personal reasons ! Edenbridge wish
him all the best for the future! Passion, personality, live experience
and of course playing technique. If you think you can bring all this, you
should not hesitate to apply for the vacant bass player position in Edenbridge!
Send informations with photo to info@edenbridge.org.
03/15/2010
SHOOTER JENNINGS – SUMMER OF RAGE VIDEO
This
Tuesday, Shooter Jennings released the epic, conspiracy theory fueled concept
album BLACK RIBBONS! Now have your first look at the official video for
SUMMER OF RAGE, directed by Shooter and his wife, Drea de Matteo. On March
25th, Shooter will appear at The Grammy Museum at LA Live as part of their
public program series, “The Drop”. You can also catch Shooter performing
at this year’s Coachella Fest in Indio, CA. Any attention you can give
this video would be greatly appreciated! Summer
of Rage - Video. 03/15/2010
SHOOTER JENNINGS AND HIS NEW ALBUM BLACK RIBBONS
The
GRAMMY Museum will host singer-songwriter Shooter Jennings as he discusses
his new album, Black Ribbons (Black Country Rock/Rocket Science Ventures),
just days after its release. “As a Museum dedicated to the study of the
creative process, we are thrilled to welcome the creators of such a high
concept album to our stage,” said Executive Director Robert Santelli. “Black
Ribbons contains some fascinating ideas, so we’re excited to offer fans
one of the first opportunities to hear Jennings illuminate his songwriting
and instrumentation in such a personal way.” The acclaimed singer-songwriter
kicks off a bold new chapter in his career with new band Hierophant and
Black Ribbons, a mind-blowing 70-minute opus that completely obliterates
genre distinctions. On this unprecedented work, twanging dobros coexist
with Nintendo chipsets; brutally assaultive passages alternate with moments
of unabashed tenderness, and surreal Floydian soundscapes float above smoking
slabs of whiskey-soaked southern soul. It’s an electrifying thrill ride
across a dense, dark and gloriously decadent musical landscape, bound together
with alchemical deftness by acclaimed novelist Stephen King, who provides
the voice of Will O’ The Wisp, a late-night talk-radio host who is in the
last hour of his final broadcast before the airwaves are overtaken by “government-approved
and regulated transmissions.” In retaliation for his muzzling, he speaks
his mind like never before, punctuating his rants with selections from
the discography of Hierophant. Throughout the album’s 14 songs, Will O’
The Wisp flits in and out, painting an apocalyptic picture of what America
could become in the not-so-distant future, while offering his loyal listeners—from
whom he is about to be permanently cut off—the unvarnished truth. The Los
Angeles Times compared Black Ribbons to works by Nine Inch Nails and Pink
Floyd; the Washington Post praised the album for being “audacious” and
called it “a sprawling, 20-track concept album bristling with end-times
paranoia and a labyrinth of unexpected left turns.” AOL Music wrote: “It's
very early in 2010, far too early to be making grandiose statements about
bests of the year. But though it's only March it'd be hard to imagine a
more ambitious record than Shooter Jennings' 'Black Ribbons.’” For more
information, check out at Shooter
Jennings home page. Before an intimate audience of 200 in the Museum’s
GRAMMY Sound Stage, Jennings will answer questions about the inspirations
noteworthy collaboration, and master craftsmanship that went into the genre-bending
Black Ribbons. He’ll be joined by the album’s producer, Dave Cobb.
GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares Vice President Scott Goldman will moderate.
Following the interview, Jennings will take questions from the audience
and sign copies of the album. The GRAMMY Museum launched its newest public
program series, “The Drop,” last summer with critically-acclaimed artists
Nanci Griffith, Rhett Miller, Mandy Moore, Marshall Crenshaw, Matthew Sweet
and Susanna Hoffs, Todd Snider, and more. The series will regularly
feature musicians live and onstage discussing their most recent albums
and musical projects. Taking place in the Museum’s state-of-the-art
theatre, which screens exhibit-related films during regular Museum hours,
the program provides guests the unprecedented opportunity to be among the
first to hear from artists about their newest work in a unique and intimate
setting. “The Drop: Shooter Jennings” will take place at 8pm in the GRAMMY
Sound Stage, on the second floor of The GRAMMY Museum. Doors open
at 7:30pm. All proceeds benefit The GRAMMY Museum. Tickets
are $12 ($10 for Museum Members). Tickets can be purchased in-person
at the Museum Box Office, through Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 213.745.3000.
For more information, call 213.765.6800 or visit Grammy
Museum Home Page. The GRAMMY Museum is located at 800 West Olympic
Boulevard, Suite A245, Los Angeles, CA 90015. With an entrance off of Figueroa
Street, the Museum resides within the L.A. LIVE campus, at the intersection
of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles.
03/15/2010
CELESTE AND "THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS (1969-1977)"
"Finally
on a 4CD-box, the complete works of Celeste, starting from Il Sistema to
Saint Tropez! Many records in this box were out of print for a long time!
Stunning bonus tracks included! Apart from the classic and seminal recordings
of Il Sistema (including one track that would later become 'Zarathustra'
of Museo Rosenbach and originally was featured only on the vinyl version
of Viaggio Senza Andata), this deluxe box set features their symphonic
magnum opus 'Principe Di Un Giorno', but also the haunting 'Celeste 2'
and the follow-up project 'Saint Tropez'. All tracks have been carefully
remastered by Celeste's Ciro Perrino. But the most incredible bonus is
the original and complete demo recording for the Celeste debut called 'Prince
Of One Day', recorded with a female singer and with English lyrics. A stunning
historical document! This limited oversized deluxe box-set also features
a huge, glossy 44-page book with the complete history of Celeste and the
Liguria prog-scene with more than 100 rare pictures, directly from Ciro
Perrino's archive. A must-have!" For more about check here.
03/15/2010
PROFUNA OCEAN RELEASED THEIR FIRST OFFICIAL VIDEO
CLIP
They're
very proud that they may announce their first official videoclip, directed
by the very talented film and videoproduction company Framecat. They choose
for Lost Inside (The Landscape) for this production, one of the tracks
of their album 'Watching The Closing Sky'. Lost Inside (The Landscape)
was chosen as semi-finalist at the UK Songwriting Contest out of 6000 candidate
songs. Please let them know in the comments if you like the clip or not
and if you like it: please forward the link to all your friends and ask
them to look at the clip as well. On April 10 Profuna Ocean will play the
finals of the Beachbattle in Saturnus, Scheveningen. They're very keen
to win this battle because it will give them some money to spent on new
projects to enjoy you. But... part of the game is a voting by the audience
and they need lots of votes to make a chance to become winner of this battle.
So be there on April 10 with your whole family and all your friends to
support us and vote on Profuna Ocean. THey want a record deal. They planned
to release their new album in 2011 and they want to create an album that's
much better then 'Watching The Closing Sky', only this costs loads of money.
In the first place they want to try to get a record deal and have the album
paid by the record company. If they can't work this out they have to find
other sources to acquire the money to do it by theirselves. Unfortunately
record companies today don't care if we're a talented band, the only thing
that counts is if you can prove you have a big audience. As tool for this
they look at the number of friends you have at the social networks and
how many times your clips on Youtube are viewed. So they need higher numbers
everywhere and only can reach this with your help: - Sent the link of their
clip on Youtube to your whole family and all your friends and ask them
to have a look at the clip. - If you have a Hyves, Myspace or Facebook
account: invite all your friends overthere to become a friend of Profuna
Ocean and also advise them to look at the Youtube clip. Special request
for their friends from outside of The Netherlands. They also like to play
in many countries as soon as possible. In Germany and in the surrounding
of London in UK they especially can come over for a single gig on a Saturday,
in the other countries they can come over if they can do a short tour with
4-5 shows a week and for festivals and the payment will cover the transportation
costs and lodging. Maybe we are in the position to arrange gigs or support
slots for big acts, please let us know. THey also wiil be pleased with
our input with names of festivals and bookers for prog rock acts. You can
sent all your information to Chris and Profuna
Ocean and check clips at Youtube.
03/15/2010
NEMESIS A FINNISH BAND AND ORIGO SOUND RELEASES
NEW CD "GIGAHERZ"
The
Finnish group Nemesis feels they cannot continue to "rape the Earth" and
has thus created Gigaherz, a 77-minute musical journey through the evolution
of life and mankind up until our present impact on Mother Nature. The Finnish
electronic music group Nemesis has made music since the mid 90s (although
band members worked together a decade before that) and this month they
released their 7th studio album, Gigaherz, on Origo Sound. The album is
a 77-minute musical journey through the evolution of life and mankind up
until our present impact on Mother Nature. The album is inspired by recent
environmental changes and is dedicated to the change in global temperature.
Gigaherz contains electronic and ambient music composed mostly in 1996-97
and recorded over a period of years, and mixed, remixed and expanded for
this release. The musical style is, according to the label's press release,
epic symphonic electronica, ambient techno and broad soundscapes with touches
of contemporary IDM and musique concrete, and falls somewhere between Jean
Michel Jarre, The Orb and Biosphere. Gigaherz is a concept album that musically,
via titles and in the artwork describes the evolution of Earth and of humans,
up until mankind's possible extinction. Says founding member Ami Hassinen
about the theme of the album; "The nature is a very important issue to
all of us. And the recent developments concerning the changes in climate
makes one think quite a bit. Actually, I have no worries about the fate
of the planet, as everything finds its balance in due course, but will
there be any human beings left to witness it? I don't know. For the mankind,
I am sure that the next 100 years will be an increasingly challenging time.
After that I think people will be already adapted to the constant change,
more or less, but there's surely hard times ahead for most countries in
the world. Hopefully we'll learn something in the process? Musically, this
inspired us to tell a story about the Earth in audio format." The album's
artwork is designed by the Finnish graphic artist Kimmo Heikkilä,
who created conceptual artwork based on the musical theme of the album.
Sinking pyramids, the Eiffel Tower drowning, and a planet in the shape
of a human skull convey the message that Nemesis wants to promote. Heikkilä
explains; "When Ami and I started to design the cover art, somehow all
my schetches contained the water element. So we decided to connect the
artwork to the change in climate. And I think that if we continue to rape
our home planet, it might become a dead skull planet quite soon. Coincidentally,
this skull image is well known in electronic music circles because of Jean
Michel Jarre's album Oxygene, with which Gigaherz shares this ecology outlook."
Nemesis is Ami Hassinen (synths, guitar, bass, sound effects), Jyrki Kastman
(synths, keyboards, effects) and Joni Virtanen (keyboards, synths - he
joined after the recording of this album). Ami and Jyrki started making
music together in the mid-80s, after having been exposed to science fiction,
astronomy and the music of certain artists. In 1994 they secured their
first record deal; Xcelsior became the first electronic / ambient record
from Finland to be released internationally. Joni joined the band in 2001.
Nemesis is inspired by nature, science, astronomy, childhood stories about
UFOs and ghosts, science fiction movies, visual art, and of course other
musicians and bands, such as Kraftwerk, Can, Tangerine Dream, Neu, Jean
Michel Jarre, Jimi Hendrix, Beatles, Hawkwind, Brian Eno, Robert Rich,
Steve Roach and others. Gigaherz is Nemesis' first release on Origo Sound,
and is also the label's first original album since 2004. Origo Sound is
Norway's oldest still running electronic music record label. Founded in
1990, it released the first few albums of Biosphere, a series of albums
by Erik Wøllo and highly acclaimed albums by Neural Network, Circular,
Current, Green Isac and others. Please for more about the album visit Planet
Origo Home Page. 03/15/2010
FEN SIGNS RECORD DEAL
They
have just signed a deal with California-based indie label Ripple Music.
It is run by two avuncular guys who go by Racer and Pope JTE. They first
learned about Fen through their award-winning blog The Ripple Effect, which
gave their album Congenital Fixation the best write-up its ever had (http://ripplemusic.blogspot.com/2009/09/fen-congenital-fixation.html).
They asked for a follow up interview, which was published several weeks
later (http://ripplemusic.blogspot.com/2009/10/sunday-conversation-with-fen.html).
Then they emailed them with more questions, and finally, an invitation
to join their roster. They are bursting at the seams to release Trails
out of Gloom, and will be making an announcement of the date very soon.
In the meantime, they're moving their email list to Reverbnation, and they
hope that we will click on the following link to confirm our willingness
to stay abreast of all things Fen.
03/15/2010
ASIA NEW ALBUM TITLED "OMEGA" WILL BE RELEASED
BY FRONTIERS RECORDS
ASIA,
rock’s first important super-group of the 80s - featuring members from
Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, King Crimson and The Buggles – will release
Omega, its highly anticipated new album of original material. The record
is due in the spring of 2010 on Frontiers Records. Geoffrey Downes, Steve
Howe, Carl Palmer and John Wetton, the four original Asia members, reunited
in 2006, twenty-three years after all four had last played together. The
much publicised reunion resulted in highly successful world tours, a double
live LP and DVD (entitled Fantasia: Live In Tokyo) and an acclaimed studio
album Phoenix in 2008 which debuted at number 73 in the Billboard charts
in the USA and entered the top 100 in several European countries. Formed
at the dawn of the MTV era, Asia’s first release was the best selling album
in the world in 1982 and sat at the number 1 spot in the USA for 9 weeks,
powered by the classic rock anthem, “Heat Of The Moment,” and four other
radio hits. Asia’s 1983 sophomore album, Alpha, also went multi-platinum
and enjoyed several hit singles, including the #1 smash, “Don’t Cry”. During
the recording of its third disc, the band splintered, and by the 1990s,
only Geoff Downes remained from the original line-up. The reunion came
to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band, but morphed itself into
an ongoing endeavour. In 2008, they returned with the first new studio
album, Phoenix, which had been strongly influenced by the fusion
of talents and heritages that the band excited the music world with back
in 1982. Omega shows a new renaissance for this amazing group of musicians,
which seem to live up to a joie-de-vivre that stands the test of time.
Begun during the summer 2009, the writing and recording sessions of Omega,
immediately showed inspiration and good feelings. “We were looking to create
something different with Omega,” says keyboardist Geoff Downes. “Of course,
the sound of the 4 band members of Asia will always have a certain hallmark
when we play together. That's a given. But we approached the song writing
with a mind to getting a degree of variety into these compositions. Hence,
you will hear areas of textures where arguably we have never gone before.”
Adds lead vocalist/bassist/guitarist John Wetton: “Asia is an English prog-rock
band with a pop edge, always has been, and hopefully always will be. Accessible,
melodic, anthemic songs with great playing, luxuriating in a bed of lush
orchestration, with lyrics that strike a sympathetic chord in even the
most cynical heart. There you have it, Omega is a themed album in Asia's
fine tradition, without the millstone of a concept.” Steve Howe adds that
“the whole recording process has been inspiring and rewarding, and I’m
very excited about the result”. “I would say these are all strong
individual songs” says drummer Carl Palmer. “It was a very smooth experience,
and arguably one of our best records.” For the first time since the debut
album, ASIA worked with an outside producer, Mike Paxman (Uriah Heep, Status
Quo) who managed to create a truly special sounding album with the highs,
lows and lots of dynamics. He helped the band to put together a tapestry
of sound, which demonstrates the rich strata of Asia's music. Paxman
was able to achieve this through the songs which spun real stories
of actual events and experiences in locations around the globe. “The
songs always have a message, hopefully positive,” says Wetton. “My songs
are almost always autobiographical, so there is hope and experience in
there, too. The lyric will never leave you on a negative thought." As with
the most popular of ASIA releases, the cover art specifically designed
for the project by acclaimed artist Roger Dean. The concept of the title
(Omega), and the 'Year of the Tiger' referencing of the cover art underline
the fact that this is real Asia. John Wetton explains: “The title 'Omega',
as any fan of the band will tell you, is 'very Asia' (as is the album,
by the way). It no more means 'final' than 'Alpha' means 'the first' (which
it wasn't). It's a great sounding/looking word, and a bookend to 'Alpha'.
In many ways, musically and conceptually, the two albums share commonality.”
“We are embarking on our European tour around the middle of April, then
straight in to Japan for the middle of May” says Downes. “It's going
to be fun working out the new setlist because obviously we have another
album under our belt now with Omega.” For All Things about the band, please
visit Asia Home Page, 03/15/2010
AUSTIN'S BLACK BONE CHILD TO RELEASE TWO CDS SIMULTANEOUSLY
Austin,
TX - Austin's most talked about music duo Black Bone Child, whose debut
album from last year garnered rave reviews worldwide from fans and critics
alike, are back with not one but two new CDs scheduled for release on March
9th. The partnership of Donny James and Kenneth M has yeilded a fusion
of styles that has been captivating audiences across the US. Between an
exciting fresh take on slide guitar and driving distorted bass lines, this
energetic and rhythmically based rock is sure to keep the dance floors
packed and listeners hanging on every note. And now Black Bone Child has
done it again with their two new albums. The first of the two entitled
'Alligator,' is a swampy, sweaty, and sexy celebration of rock as it should
be. Fully electric and ready to party, 'Alligator' delivers the same carefree
vibe as the debut, but with a higher dose of energy. The other half of
BBC's two disc release entitled 'Take You Blind,' is a complete departure
from the fully electric sound. Stripped down to just acoustic, harmonica,
percussion, and vocals 'Take You Blind' is sparse sonicly, but hardly lacking.
Songs like "Baby Baby" and "By My Hand" exemplify the vibe of this stripped
down fun and groove oriented album. The albums together, although very
different from each other, maintain a cohesive sound that is undeniably
Black Bone Child. "Our first of the two records 'Take You Blind' is bit
of a departure from our regular rock-n-roll electric sound," says Kenneth
M. "It's stripped down but still full. We wanted to capture the 'porch'
sound of us just sitting outside playing these songs acoustically to just
bring a whole new perspective on what it is that we do. Our biggest fear
in doing this was that it would turn out to be just a boring album of acoustic
versions done poorly, but the new format has breathed a fresh air onto
some older songs as well as fresh interpretations of songs from our other
new record 'Alligator.' On the contrary to 'Take You Blind,' 'Alligator'
is a fully electric album more from the vain of our first album, but more
guitar driven and 'rocked out.' We tried to capture the more live
element of the band with this record. We tracked the album live in the
studio with our live band, which didn't exist during the sessions for our
first album. The result has been a more explosive, energized performance
which translated to the other side of the microphone and into the final
product. People should look for a no holds, electric, enegized, example
of rock and roll in its purest form. We are pretty proud of both, and to
present them together shows a diversity in us that many bands today haven't
shown yet. It's an exciting release for us." "We spent the majority of
the winter in the studio," adds Donny James. "The two records were recorded
pretty much during the month of November. The goal was to have a
recording that represented what the live band sounds like and have one
that went into other areas that we hadn't touched on before." "Black Bone
Child, flat out rocks! Killer guitars, big beat, V-8 American rock 'n roll..."
- Bryan Beck (93.3 KGSR - Austin, TX) In the spring of 2008 Black Bone
Child self-produced their eponymous debut album at White Door Studios in
Austin. The result is a product that showcases not only BBC’s songwriting
and playing abilities, but also their talents from the other side of the
microphone as engineers and producers with even their eye for graphic design.
With the acquisition of Steve Hudson (live drums) and Jason King (live
guitar), Black Bone Child hit the live music scene in Austin in the fall
of 2008. Within 2009, the band established themselves as one of the premier
Rock bands in Austin. Touring incessantly, playing over 100 dates, multiple
regional tours, and two national tours has chiseled the band into a live
force to be reckoned with; with 2010 showing no signs of slowing down.
"Black Bone Child is an exciting new group and one of my favorite discoveries
of the summer. A little Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, a little Black Keys,
a little blues, and still distinctive, dynamic, and original.” - Shadoe
Stevens (CaboWaboRadio.net - Los Angeles, CA) "I still love the first record
that we did," says Donny. "It was so exciting because it was so new.
I love the fact that we didn't come out with two new albums that sound
exactly the same as the first one. The thing I enjoy most about the new
stuff is that it shows diversity and gives our fans something new, a fresh
look at what they know as Black Bone Child. Both records are light-hearted
and energetic, open up the cover to 'Alligator' and you'll get the picture."
"If the first album is the toe tap, 'Alligator' is the fist pump, and 'Take
You Blind' is the hand clap," adds Kenneth. "If that makes any sense at
all." In support of the two new Black Bone Child releases, Kenneth, Donny,
Steve and Jason will be performing several select dates. "The live band
is in top form, we are putting on our most energetic, tight shows of our
career, and just having a blast," says Kenneth. "We all just love doing
this and I think it shows when we play." And what does the future hold
for Black Bone Child? "We are all looking forward to getting out on the
road again and representing this release in multiple cities," says Kenneth.
"After all we are a band and the best thing bands do are play. It is great
to be in the studio and put out a physical representation, but the band
belongs on the road performing it." "We are all dying to hit the road again
and deliver a good old fashion rock 'n' roll show from Austin to the rest
of the Nation," Donny concludes. Black Bone Child's 'Alligator' and 'Take
You Blind' CDs are available through the band's website, iTunes, Rhapsody,
Amazon MP3 and many other on and off-line vendors. For more information
please visit Black Bone Child
Home Page. 03/15/2010
NEW NICK MAGNUS ALBUM FEATURING STEVE HACKETT/JOHN
HACKETT/PETE HICKS + OTHERS!
Just
a quick update to let you know that PRE-orders are now being taken for
Nick Magnus' new album 'Children Of Another God' (provisional release date:
15th March). Nick is a composer, producer, keyboard player & long-time
Steve Hackett collaborator. A strong narrative and music of cinematic breadth
and intensity make Children Of Another God a concept album that will appeal
to any lover of Symphonic Progressive Rock. Guest artists include: - Steve
Hackett, - John Hackett, - Pete Hicks (former Steve Hackett Band vocalist),
- Tony Patterson (ReGenesis vocalist), - Glenn Tollett (formerly of The
Enid). Videos for some of the tracks can be accessed via the product page
on Camino Records site. For more info, videos & PRE-orders, go to Camino
Records Home Page. 03/15/2010
NEARFESTNEWS TICKET DAY APPROACHETH AND STUFF
Just
a quick reminder to you all that the general ticket sale for NEARfest 2010
will take place on Saturday, March 20th at 10:00AM. Tickets can be purchased
in person at the Zoellner box office 420 E. Packer Ave. Bethlehem, PA,
by phone at 610-758-2787 ext. 0 using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express
and online from Zoellner Arts Center Online Tickets Website. Any remaining
tickets for Alumni Friday featuring Riverside and Steve Hackett will go
on sale on March 27th. Go to Nearfest Home Page for the particulars, come
to the box office for tickets, coffee and donuts. 03/15/2010
PSICODREAMICS WILL CELEBRATE 20 YEARS
In
a few years the ambient-new age music project Psicodreamics will celebrate
20 years and they want to take a look into the past and introduce new fans
and newcomers the origins of Psicodreamics rediscovering the earliest albums,
works and collaborations. Surely Azhdark Passion is one of the less know
albums of the discography of Psicodreamics and perhaps it deserves another
opportunity to seduce a wide number of fans. During this year he will post
curiosities, news, reviews and more information about this album. They
hope us enjoy this idea and discover something more about the music world
of Psicodreamics. Secondly inform that the album of Psicodreamics "Fantasynth"
was qualified for the Zone Music Reporter Music Awards of 2009 in the categories
of Best Electronic Album, Best Ambient Album and Best Cover Art although
unfortunately it was not nominated, however Fantasynth was included in
the TOP 100 airplay chart of Zone Music Reporter (ZMR) for 2009 (over 2338
albums reported). They want to thank all the broadcasters and friends around
the world for their support to this album. 03/15/2010
APOCALYPSE BAND FEATURE ON BRAZILIAN MTV
Even
after more than a year of it's release,The Bridge Of Light, the latest
APOCALYPSE's studio album, the tenth of their career, is still allowing
new achievements to the band. The videoclip for "Welcome Outside", one
of the tracks of the album, is now on the Brazilian MTV! The video can
now be watched on the site of the station and has received several accolades
from viewers and Internet users. To watch the video, check
here. Released in Brazil in 2008 by Free Mind Records and in Europe
and Asia by Musea Records, The Bridge Of Light won several indications
as Best of 2008: "Best Album", "Best Cover", "Best Show" and "Best Keyboardist"
to Eloy Fritsch. In early 2009, APOCALYPSE also received the trophy Vasco
Prado in honor of it's 25 years career and Eloy Fritsch received the "Azorean
Music Award - Honorable Mention" for his contribution to the south Brazilian
music scene. For the second consecutive year, the keyboardist and composer
Eloy Fritsch is also indicated as "National Best Keyboardist" in 2009 by
the renowned Brazilian rock site Whiplash. The vote is still being held.
At this time, APOCALYPSE focuses on producing material for their next album
to be released in 2010. The band also performs at the 'Grape Festival'
of Caxias do Sul/RS on 05 March. For Further Information please visit Apocalypse
Home Page. 02/21/2010
TOKYO
ROSENTHAL ANNOUNCES NEW RELEASE AND NORTHEAST TOUR
Rock
and Sock Records recording artist, Tokyo Rosenthal, announced today that
his new album, 'Ghosts' will be released on January 18. This will be Rosenthal’s
latest studio album since the highly acclaimed 'Love Won Out' which broke
into four different music charts. 'Ghosts' features the previously released
single, “Mister Tell Me ‘Bout The Great Depression ”, the riveting, hard
rocking tune that tells the tale of the present economic downturn. Also
already getting attention and advance airplay is the bi-lingual ballad
“Still She Thanks God”. While “Toke’s” genre is clearly Americana, his
eclectic nature takes this record into some other “neighborhoods” such
as jazz on the 5/4 track “Feelings Don’t Know Any Age” . And some listeners
might feel Stephane Grappelli in the room while listening to “Goin’ On
Saturday”. But country is theme of the day on the very western “And Then
You Sang”. And dare we forget Toke’s love of the “Tex-Mex” sound that he
ventures back into on the title track, “Ghosts”. Rosenthal is joined once
again by an all star lineup to accompany him on his original material and
his own multi instrument recording. Featured artists include Al Perkins
on pedal steel guitar, Chris Stamey on bass, Peter Holsapple on accordion,
Bobby Britt on fiddle, Jim Steinberg on banjo, Tim Rae on drums and Lisa
Lacheau on flute. Rosenthal chimes in on rhythm and lead guitar, piano,
drums, harmonica and mandolin as well as all vocals. The album was produced
by Rosenthal with additional production by Stamey. 'Ghosts' will be available
at most on-line outlets including CD Baby, iTunes, HMV and Amazon.com.
It will also have retail distribution via Dynasty Records in the US and
Europe. “It was great to be back in the studio, especially with some of
the great people I got to work with again and for the first time,” said
Rosenthal. “Now I look forward to touring and playing my new material all
around the world.” “Toke’s” first tour behind 'Ghosts' will be in the Northeast
US kicking off at the world famous and legendary music venue, The Bitter
End, on February 10. This will followed with dates up the east coast to
Boston and points north. In March Tokyo will embark on one of his patented
radio station car tours beginning in his home territory of North and South
Carolina and hitting clubs along the way too. “After that I will go wherever
they send me, likely to Texas and points west,” Rosenthal added. In late
April Rosenthal returns to the UK where he just finished a successful two
week tour. Also in the works is Rosenthal’s first tour of Scandinavia and
Belgium. Joining Toke on tour will be lead guitarist and mandolin player
Charlie Chamberlain. For more information tour dates and CDs visit Tokyo
Rosenthal’s Home Page. 02/21/2010
TODD
RUNDGREN TO RELEASE “WIZARD” EUROPEAN CONCERTS ON USB STICK
Todd
Rundgren, the legendary rock musician and record producer, who has worked
with everyone from Patti Smith, Meatloaf and the New York Dolls, today
announced that his February 2010 London and Amsterdam “A Wizard A True
Star” concerts will be released on USB stick. The European AWATS concerts
will take place at the HMV London Hammersmith Apollo on Friday 6th February,
followed by the Paradiso, Amsterdam on Sunday 8th February. Fans
who attend the concerts will be able to buy the entire two hour concert
on USB stick at the merchandise stand directly after the shows. Fans can
pre-order both concerts on USB stick from Todd
Rundgren Home Site. The Rundgren “Wizard” USB concert sticks
are the brainchild of Cologne-based live recording entertainment company
Concert Online whose live recording concert USB stick roster includes KISS,
Simply Red, Madness, Foreigner and Simple Minds. The Rundgren “Wizard”
USB concert stick will include two hours of live performance audio, including
“Todd Rundgren’s Johnson”; a 45-minute set of Rundgren performing Robert
Johnson songs, followed by a 75-minute set of the highly anticipated “A
Wizard A True Star” album performed in it’s entirety. The all-star line-up
for the forthcoming European AWATS concerts includes former Utopia band
members Ralph Schuckett (keyboards, vocals) and Kasim Sulton (bass, vocals),
plus former Cars member Greg Hawkes (keyboards, vocals), Jesse Gress (guitar,
vocals), Bobby Strickland (saxophone, vocals) and Tubes founder Prairie
Prince (drums, vocals). In addition to his being a multi-talented musician
and singer/songwriter and performer, Rundgren is also regarded as one of
the best record producers of all time (XTC, Meat Loaf, Patti Smith Group,
XTC, Grand Funk Railroad). 02/21/2010
RPWL
ARE RECORDING THE ACOUSTIC SIDE OF THEIR NEW ALBUM
The
Release of "The Gentle Art of Music" is coming near! Right now they are
recording the acoustic side of their upcoming double album in their Farmlands
Studios. Several VIP guests will be visiting them during the next weeks:
Tom Norris (London Symphonic Orchestra) is coming over and will record
the orchestra string parts of the album. As a little Highlight they will
also have an old friend on their side: Ray Wilson (Roses) will support
them with his voice on the new album. A highlight, which they are highly
looking forward to! Furthermore, the preparations for their tour in March
are at full speed. Be prepared, this will be a gorgeous Anniversary - Tour.
They're hoping that all of we are looking forward to their huge birthday
- Party in March and April. 02/21/2010
MEMOIRA
FINDS NEW VOCALIST KATI RANTALA
They
are very happy to announce that Kati Rantala is the new vocalist of Memoira.
The band was blown away by her vocal abilities and work ethic! Memoira
had received a lot of contacts from all around the world and they would
like to thank everyone and wish you all good luck! The band say's..."We
are excited and really looking forward to hit the studio after we have
finished the song-writing process!" 02/21/2010
RENAISSANCE
ANNOUNCED FOR ROSFEST 2010
Renaissance
are an English progressive rock band that rose from the ashes of the Yardbirds,
with Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford joining at the dawn of the 1970s
to define their work with folk rock and classical fusions, including quotations
from/allusions to such composers as Bach, Chopin, Debussy, and Rachmaninoff.
The band is most notable for their 1978 UK top 10 hit "Northern Lights"
and progressive rock classics like "Mother Russia" and "Ashes Are Burning."
Throughout the 70s/80s, progressive rock FM stations across the USA, such
as WNEW (New York), WMMR (Philadelphia) and WHFS (DC), were turning America
onto Renaissance, while the band was thrilling concertgoers on the world's
most distinguished stages, from Carnegie Hall in New York City to the Royal
Albert Hall in London. Records released throughout the 70s by Renaissance
placed in the top-half of the Billboard Hot 100 Album Charts including
Ashes Are Burning, Scheherazade and Other Stories, Live at Carnegie Hall
and Novella, among others. Led by Haslam and Dunford, the voice and principal
songwriter of the band's most popular lineup, Renaissance reunited in October
2009 to celebrate their 40th anniversary. The band embarked on a highly
successful nine-city East Coast tour of theaters and performing arts centers
which inspired them to consider additional engagements for 2010. Joining
Haslam and Dunford in the latest incarnation of Renaissance are keyboardist
Rave Tesar and bassist-vocalist David J. Keyes, both of whom were previous
members of Renaissance and the Annie Haslam Band, in addition to keyboardist-vocalist
Tom Brislin Yes, Debbie Harry, Meat Loaf, Francis Dunnery) and drummer-percussionist
Frank Pagano (Bruce Springsteen, Smashing Pumpkins, Bette Midler, Barry
Manilow). Together, these world class musicians are revisiting the symphonic
textures, stunning vocals and poetic lyrics that embody the band's haunting
and compelling international themes, with fresh interpretations of the
most admired compositions from Renaissance's most prolific period (1972-78).
Now, Renaissance begins an exciting new chapter, while honoring its beloved
body of vintage work. Haslam and Dunford promise that the new six-piece
lineup will perform the band's timeless classics with the same care with
which the material was originally crafted, while utilizing technological
advances to reproduce the music's original symphonic textures like never
before. They're also enthusiastic about introducing the music to a new
generation of listeners as well as longtime fans. "I'm thrilled to be performing
these songs again, and to be performing them with Michael Dunford and a
great group of musicians," Haslam states. "These songs are a big part of
my life, so I'll be singing my heart out." "We're very excited to be playing
for American audiences again," adds Dunford. "With these great musicians,
I'm expecting the songs to sound better than ever, and I'm looking forward
to it with great anticipation." They are so honored to have Renaissance
perform at our 2010 festival. 02/21/2010
NEARFEST
ANNOUNCES IT'S ULTIMATE 2010 SUNDAY HEADLINER
It
is with great pleasure and an even greater sense of excitement for all
of us at the home offices of NEARfest to welcome Eddie Jobson - The Ultimate
Zero Project to the stage in Baker Hall this June. The Ultimate Zero Project
is primarily an instrumental lineup and features a revolving list of virtuoso
musicians. The project performs music from Eddie's latest project UKZ,
his solo work and also delves into his back catalog with the many projects
and acts he has been a part of and helped create. For those of you who
may not know Eddie Jobson's history here is a quick synopsis for you. From
his childhood in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, England Eddie started playing
piano at age seven and violin at eight. By the time he was 17 he joined
Curved Air and from there he stepped in to take the reins from Brian Eno
in Roxy Music. In 1976 Eddie became a member of Frank Zappa's band. Then
in 1977 the mighty UK was born. Joining Eddie in this monstrous band were
Bill Bruford, John Wetton and Allan Holdsworth with Terry Bozzio replacing
Bruford for the second and third releases. The band broke up in 1980 and
solo work ensued. Shortly after Eddie was asked if he would participate
on Ian Anderson's solo album which would ultimately become the Jethro Tull
release called A. Two solo releases followed in the 1980's, Zinc-The Green
Album and Theme of Secrets. Throughout the next 15-20 years Eddie became
one the more sought after soundtrack composers in the television and movie
industry. Thankfully for us Eddie made his return to the band format and
the live setting starting with the 2007 formation of UKZ. Since this time
many variations of Eddie's band and music have made there way back to the
stage and with that a visit to NEARfest 2010. Please join them in welcoming
one of the finest musicians and artists the world over, progressive or
otherwise, and his outstanding band - Eddie Jobson - The Ultimate Zero
Project as they headline NEARfest 2010 Sunday. 02/21/2010
THE
GAK OMEK NEW VÍDEO FOR THE SONG
A
new video from The Gak Omek for the song "Alien Television" is now available
on YouTube for
your viewing and listening pleasure. The song is from the forthcoming new
CD "Nonrenormalizability" which will be released within the next few weeks.
02/21/2010
LILLIAN
AXE WITH RANDY JACKSON: A BENEFIT FOR THE HARD ROCK HALL OF FAME
"The
Hard Rock Hall Of Fame will host its first benefit event on Friday, March
19, 2010 at 9:00 p.m. at the Howlin Wolf in New Orleans. Steve Blaze
and Lillian Axe will perform as well as Randy Jackson of Zebra. What
a great combination for our first event. Some of Louisiana's best
musicians coming together to help the Hard Rock Hall Of Fame get started."
02/21/2010
TOMMY
BONES THE TEXAS METAL RENEGADE, RECORDING NEW CD
Upon
the heels of his critically acclaimed self-released EP, Texas metal renegade
Tommy Bones has ventured back into the recording studio to work on his
next full length CD. His recent EP release has garnered rave reviews worldwide,
not to mention receiving solid airplay in many pockets of the world. "For
releasing a EP, the response was very good," says Bones. "We got alot of
positive responses. Really good responses came from the people that actually
understood the style and what I was trying to do with that album. It was
a very different style of music for the time we are in and that's what
I wanted to do. I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon just to sell music...
I want to make music the Tommy Bones way and only the Tommy Bones way,
straight forward METAL". A native of Iowa, Tommy Bones started in 2006
as a solo project. The guitarist/vocalist recorded a 10-song CD titled
'Scarred', which combined a mixture of Rock, Alternative and Blues. After
the CD was released Tommy Bones began receiving substantial airplay around
the world. Because 'Scarred', which is available today at iTunes, Best
Buy, Amazon, Target, etc, began selling tremendously, Tommy relocated to
Dallas, Texas to get a new band started. Consequently, Tommy?s song "Alone"
is featured on 'Dallas Rockers For Life' album, which is awareness against
drunk driving. The upcoming CD promises to deliver a powerful dose of ear
shattering metal delivered in Tommy Bones idiosyncratic style. "The new
album is currently being recorded," Tommy explains. "It is alot more drum
driven, something the first album I think was missing. We are taking a
lot more time on this album on little details and production. The music
itself is more aggressive and powerful. Yet, I still have that Tommy Bones
drive and groove". Here's what the press has been saying about the Tommy
Bones EP: "This is pure classic heavy metal with a touch of Texas for good
measure. If you are into finding great bands before everyone gets wind
of them, then check this lot out. Think Panteraat their best, then up the
quality and that is what you get with this lot." Blog Critics. "If you
like your metal white hot, then this newly released EP might run through
your veins appreciatively like a quick jolt of adrenaline." Music Tap.
"Tommy Bones is one of the best original metal bands to come out of Texas
since Pantera." Extreme Full Throttle Radio. Along with completing the
new CD, Tommy plans on touring in support of the upcoming release. For
more info and a listen to a sample of the new album visit Tommy
Bones MySpace Site. 02/21/2010
SUMMER
CAMP FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES SECOND ROUND OF ARTIST ADDITIONS!
Jay
Goldberg Events & Entertainment and Jam Productions, Ltd. are proud
to announce the second round of artist announcements for Summer Camp 2010
Music Festival for May 28, 29 & 30, 2010 at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe,
IL. The 3-day tickets are currently $150 for a 3-day pass including primitive
camping. A limited number of tickets will be sold at this price, and once
the allotment is sold out, the price may go up without notice. This will
be the 10th Annual Summer Camp Music Festival and will feature over 55
bands on 5 stages over the course of 3 days. Taking place at Three Sisters
Park in Chillicothe, IL (just 20 miles north of Peoria), the festival also
features a kid's camp, an extensive representation of non-profit organizations,
on-site camping, lots of unique arts & craft artisans, a variety of
good food and plenty of ice cold beer. New artists for Summer Camp 2010
Music Festival include: STS9, Pretty Lights, Steel Pulse, Victor Wooten,
Railroad Earth, The Hood Internet, ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra), Hot
Buttered Rum, My Dear Disco, That 1 Guy, Zach Deputy, The Macpodz, Papadosio,
Steez, The Bridge, Dangermuffin, Heatbox, Waterstreet and Chicago Farmer.
Already confirmed for the Summer Camp 2010 Music Festival: moe. (3 days!),
Umphrey's McGee (3 days!), Gov't Mule, Yonder Mountain String Band, The
Avett Brothers, Keller Williams, Bassnectar, EOTO, Cornmeal, Family Groove
Company, Backyard Tire Fire, Dumpstaphunk, Kinetix, The Ragbirds and Brainchild.
Tickets are on sale by phone at 1-800-514-ETIX or online at www.summercampfestival.com.
This year's Early Bird Tickets sold out in just over a week, so buy early
and save some money! Tickets are also available now for Thursday Pre-Party
passes, electric & primitive RV spots. Information on VIP Upgrade tickets
will be available soon. Check the website for more info. 02/21/2010
REBEL
INC. BLENDS POLITICAL PROTEST WITH KICKASS ROCK
Rebel
inc. may be the twenty-first century answer to Rage Against the Machine,
but don't think this Baltimore-based hard rock/ alternative band will let
one comparison pin them down. With their explosive, in-your-face
sound, the razor-sharp political commentary of their lyrics, and their
high-energy live shows, rebel inc. is a band that defies simple assessments
or categorizations. But one thing is for sure: to really experience
the raw power, passion and intensity of this band, you?ll have to check
them out for yourself. The foundation for rebel inc. was laid in Detroit,
Michigan in 2001, when vocalist Adam ('Strong') and guitarist/ backing
vocalist Kevin ('K-Dubbs') began writing music together as a way to vent
their anger. In 2006, Kevin moved to Baltimore, Maryland for work, and
finally discovered the perfect drummer for his project: Brian ('B-Lock'),
a childhood friend who'd also relocated to Baltimore. Just a few
months later, Adam quit his job in Michigan and moved to Baltimore so the
band could get serious. They wrote and performed furiously for the
next nine months, and in July 2008, they snapped up bassist Kenny Lee to
complete their group. Just two weeks after Kenny joined the group,
they were invited to join the State of the Union Base Tour sponsored by
Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and performed at four of the most
heavily deployed military bases across the U.S.; they also earned the distinction
of sharing a sponsor with Rage Against the Machine, who was sponsored by
IVAW at the Democratic National Convention in 2008. After the IVAW tour,
rebel inc. headed straight to the studio and recorded a 6-song, self-titled
EP, self-released on March 15, 2009, while continuing to perform regularly
in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Most of rebel inc.'s music, which
the band describes as a blend of hard rock, alternative, rap, and heavy
metal, is written by Kevin and Adam. Kevin also puts together most guitar
riffs, drum beats, and bass lines, although all four band members take
part in developing the songs. Adam and Kevin also write the band's
powerful lyrics focused on human rights, oppression, and political protest;
although the Rage comparison is clear here, Kevin notes that unlike RATM,
rebel inc.'s lyrics focus on domestic problems listeners can relate to.
As Adam says, rebel inc's purpose isn't to draw attention to themselves
as musicians; it's to motivate people to pay attention to larger issues
and work toward positive changes. And judging by the enthusiastic
response and exposure rebel inc.'s already received, people are definitely
listening. Since the release of their self-titled EP, rebel inc. has received
radio play in six U.S. states, Canada and Australia, as well as several
internet radio stations; the band's tunes are also in general rotation
on Jango.com. And the critics like them too: Vince Anderson, who
interviewed the band for Shockwave Magazine, said that after listening
to rebel inc., 'I just feel compelled to do something.' Radio DJ Gary Schmaltz
expressed a similar sentiment, calling their music 'a call to action' and
the CD 'a national treasure.' Many reviewers noted the band's powerful
live performances: Mike Knarr, reporting for the Polygraph Radio Truth
Tour, said rebel inc. 'blew the roof off the building,' while radio DJ
Stash called them 'an intense live band.' John Mullins, director of performing
rights organization SESAC, said of rebel inc.'s blend of explosive energy
and political activism, 'we need this in our music today more than ever.'
There's no doubt about it: rebel inc. is a twenty-first century battle
cry demanding to be heard. For more about the band please visit Rebel
inc. Home Page. 02/21/2010
PHOENIX
AND THE TURTLE AND SWALLOW UP THE MOON
Swallow
Up The Moon is a new destination on Phoenix and the Turtle's musical journey.
Much like the changing emotions and experiences in life, the band shifts
and shape their sound from desolate empty wastelands to towering crescendos.
It is an aggressively dynamic record where the violin lines, keys are on
run with vicious guitars and drums at a full gallop. The fusion of instrumental
rock and classical strings, while incorporating sparse vocals, lends to
the uniqueness of this California quartet's sound. Inland Empire Weekly
describes their music as 'delicately weaves an intricate aural web of haunting
melody and ambiance served up on an epic scale.' Also their music is called
'a somber journey through perfectly aligned trees, gaping wounds and haunted
gardens.' There are some moments when the dynamism gives its place to peace
as in the atmospheric romance of the third track, Stuart Drives A Comfortable
Car. Written at the apex of two lovers parting, Swallow Up The Moon is
four song introduction on Phoenix and the Turtle's fruitful dreamlands.
Cahn Curtis from the band says 'This is the most complete thing we have
done yet'. 'Nothing we have done before comes close.' adds Bill Barrington.
The band was formed in 2003 as a collaboration for a friend's funeral.
The debut album, Sundays are a Good Day for Relaxing was created shortly
after in 2004. After expanding to a greater audience, Phoenix and the Turtle
released their second critically acclaimed full-length, Asleep in America.
They have been signed to Fluttery Records since 2009. In their new release
from the label, Swallow Up the Moon (EP), Phoenix and the Turtle are prepared
to break down more walls with more sonically sound foundations and compositions.
For more about please visit FLUTTERY
RECORDS Home Page. 02/21/2010
HALCYON
WAY HAS COMPLETED THE TRACKING FOR THEIR NEW CD
Halcyon
Way complete tracking for new album Atlanta progressive metal band Halcyon
Way has completed the tracking for their new CD, to be released late Spring
by Nightmare Records. The album was produced by Lasse Lammert (Alestorm,
Svartsot) and guitarist Jon Bodan. Drums were engineered by Mike Froedge
(doubleDrive, Bloodsimple, Speed X) at Open Sky Studios in Atlanta. Lammert
is mixing the album at his studio, LSD-Tonstudio in Germany. The new release
is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed debut by the band, A Manifesto
For Domination. It features the debut of new vocalist Steve Braun (Ashent,
Siloam), as well as a guest appearance by Pamela Moore of Queensryche fame.
“We’re incredibly excited about the new material,” said guitarist Jon Bodan.
“This album is a quantum leap forward for Halcyon Way – the material is
both heavier and more aggressive, but it also is far catchier and more
melodic at the same time than Manifesto. The guys in the band all stepped
their in dividual games up, and the material is better for it. Lasse did
a great job on the production, and we expect the mixdown and mastering
process to be completed by the end of February.” Halcyon Way has appeared
live with many bands such as Helloween, Strapping Young Lad, TYR, Kamelot,
Symphony X, Doro Pesch, Cathedral, Virgin Black, Samael, Vicious Rumors,
Seven Witches, and many others. In addition they have appeared at ProgPower
USA on two occasions, and at Rocklahoma 2008 and 2009. For more information,
visit Nightmare Records Home
Page. 02/21/2010
FROM.UZ,
“SEVENTH STORY” THE BRAND NEW FULL LENGTH ALBUM WILL BE RELEASE ON 10T
RECORDS
10T
Records is proud to announce the release of the brand new full length CD
release by FROM.UZ, entitled “Seventh Story” on February 15, 2010.
This will be the Uzbekistan-based band’s 3rd official release on 10T Records.
FROM.UZ lit up the prog and fusion scene with their previous two releases,
consistently garnering spots on critics’ top 10 lists and drawing comparisons
to such stalwarts as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report and Liquid Tension
Experiment. Reenergized with a fresh new lineup of world-class musicians,
FROM.UZ returns with a new selection of intensely melodic hard prog-rock
fusion. On “Seventh Story”, FROM.UZ continues in the musical direction
they have already established, while simultaneously stretching into adventurous
new territory. Vitaly Popeloff (guitars) and Albert Khalmurzaev (keyboards),
the compositional core of the original band, remain on board to guide the
musical direction. New are Igor Elizov (grand piano & keyboards), Ali
Izmailov (percussion) and Sur'at Kasimov (bass). The music has become broader
in its dimension through both new instrumentation (grand piano, xylophone
& tubular bells), and the addition of vocals for the first time, supplied
by Popeloff himself, with Elizov and Khalmurzaev singing backing vocals.
“FROM.UZ is a band with whom we are honored to be associated,” says label
president Steve Carroll. “Anyone who enjoyed either of their previous
releases will be thrilled by this new material. The core FROM.UZ sound
is in full force, but with an epic sweep and melodicism that exceeds their
previous efforts.” Selected tracks from “Seventh Story” are immediately
available to preview in their entirety on the following 10T
Records. Additionally, “Seventh Story” is available for immediate shipping
to distributors and pre-sales are now being taken. All pre-sales
will ship prior to the official release date of February 9, 2010.
After February 9, “Overlook” will be available at your favorite retail
outlet for immediate purchase. For more about the band and releases please
visit FROM.UZ Home Page.
01/26/2010
FLASH,
THE RETURN OF BRITISH PROGROCKERS
The
band has reformed with original members, Ray Bennett and Colin Carter,
and are currently in rehearsals. Flash created quite a stir in '71 when
Capitol Records decided they were their 'darlings' and sent them on tour
around the world. They had the original "Yes" guitarist, a Billboard
top 40 hit, "Small Beginnings" (a true rarity in progrock) and though their
three albums are still on the market after numerous reissues (most recently
in '08) -- an amazing thing in itself -- they became noted and remembered
equally well for their phenomenal, high-energy live shows. Many of
the fans who are just now finding them online and discovering Flash has
reunited are people who remember seeing them live as a thrilling experience,
and never forgot them! Unfortunately, the band's (ex-Yes) lead guitarist
was 'difficult', and they broke up after only two and a half short, whirlwind
years of successful touring. Now, after so many years, it's gratifying
to see Flash pick up where they left off - with their great bass player,
Ray Bennett taking over on lead guitar, and very distinctive vocalist,
Colin Carter -- carrying on better than ever. For more about the band and
info, new tracks, and pics visit Flash
Home Page. 01/26/2010
ANTHONY
PHILLIPS PRIVATE PARTS & PIECES VOLUMES I & II REMASTERED REISSUE
Private
Parts & Pieces Volumes I & II Remastered Reissue (Anthony Phillips),
now available for PRE-order (scheduled release date: 15th February 2010).
Anthony had kindly agreed to sign ALL PRE-orders! The first 2 albums in
the Private Parts & Pieces series - 'Private Parts & Pieces' &
'Back To The Pavilion' - newly remastered in a 2CD set (retailing at single
CD price!). Private Parts & Pieces features an extra track (in addition
to the 2 extra tracks included on the album's previous CD release). For
more info and PRE-ordering go Camino
Records. 01/26/2010
SLEEPWALKER
SUN NEW ALBUM "STRANGER IN THE MIRROR"
Sleepwalker
Sun second album, Stranger In The Mirror, is out now by Masque Records.
With 7 new songs, in a deluxe digipack, Stranger In The Mirror ipresents
the brazilian band in its best, after the critically acclaimed debut album.
Get to hear some mp3 excerpts at Band´s MySpace
Site and YouTube
Site. For more about please visit Sleepwalker
Sun Home Page. 01/26/2010
PETER
GABRIEL'S NEW STUDIO ALBUM "SCRATCH MY BACK"
Peter
Gabriel's new studio album - featuring original arrangements of other artist's
songs. Peter describes this as a very personal record with 12 songs performed
only with orchestral instruments and voice. The album's richly diverse
sounds include the sparse romance of Lou Reed's 'The Power of the Heart',
the powerful musical journey of Elbow's 'Mirrorball' and an epic arrangement
of Arcade Fire's 'My Body Is A Cage'. To help craft his recording Peter
enlisted former Durutti Column member John Metcalfe as composer/arranger
and the expertise of producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd's 'The Wall', Lou Reed's
'Berlin') and engineer, mixer and producer Tchad Blake (Suzanne Vega, Sheryl
Crow, Tom Waits). 2 different CD editions are available, first one is a
Standard Edition: Single CD with 12 tracks, the second is 2CD Deluxe Edition:
CD1 with 12 tracks (as per standard edition) + CD2 with 4 bonus tracks.
Also included are codes that allow access to FLAC files of the tracks on
CD1. FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec, an audio format similar
to MP3, but lossless, meaning that audio is compressed in FLAC without
any loss in quality. You can play back compressed FLAC files in a supported
player just like you would an MP3 file. For more info visit FLAC
files site. It's expected that the FLAC files will be downloadable and
higher audio quality than CD. For more info on 'Scratch My Back' and PRE-ordering
visit Camino Recoprds WebSite.
01/26/2010
NOSOUND
PLUS WOODEN QUARTET LIVE IN ROME
Nosound
are to play a special one off gig in Rome on February 12th. For this concert
the band will be joined by the Wooden String Quartet and shall play their
new album A Sense Of Loss in its entirety. Following this the band will
play a second set featuring classic tracks from their earlier albums plus
another couple of surprises. Tickets cost just €10 (plus €1.50
booking fee) and a limited number of special ticket packages are now available
from Greenticket (site is in Italian, English, German). The package includes:
- reserved seat in the first rows, - early access for soundcheck and to
meet the band, - free download of the track Fading Silently, - special
printed badge personalized for the evening. To access the offer it's needed
to buy ticket online and send an email with name and ticket number to xroadsliveclub@yahoo.it.
In addition there will be exclusive merchandise available including new
A Sense Of Loss t-shirts, the last few copies of the Sol29 album and more.
This special night takes place at Xroads Live Club and there are easy and
cheap accommodation solutions near the venue should you need them (email
nosound@mac.com
if you need more info). Also, A Sense Of Loss is available to order from
the Kscope store. For more about please visit Nosound
Home Page. 01/26/2010
FLYING
CIRCUS AND FORTHCOMING ALBUM TITLED AS 'FORTH'
The
Flying Circus website has been completely relaunched. Most important update
is we can now hear first samples from the forthcoming album 'Forth' in
the 'MUSIC' section. You will of course also find some sound snippets from
the bonus CD 'Back' (containing rerecordings of early Flying Circus compositions
from the years 1989 to 1995 hitherto unavailable on CD) which will be part
of the deluxe edition of 'Forth'. Additonally, they added the lyrics for
the albums due to be released on January in the 'Lyrics' section. As usual,
you will also get an impression of the new CD's artwork, as guitarist Lorenz
Gelius-Laudam has once again graced the CD booklet with some great illustrations
which have been combined with current photo portraits of the Flying Circus
band members. These pictures of the band and the press photos were shot
by Antje Görnig who already was responsible for the photos in the
'Pomp' artwork. Visit Flying Circus
home page and enjoy the new website and new sound samples and pictures!
01/26/2010
DEEEXPUS
- CRS' BEST NEW BAND OF 2009
They
are very happy to announce that on January 16th, British band DeeExpus
received “Best New Band of 2009” at the Classic Rock Society’s Band of
the Year Awards!! This prestigious award summarizes the band’s hard work
on getting a recognition both by music fans and press in the past year.
Andy Ditchfield: "We are incredibly proud and honoured to have won //Best
New Band// of 2009 at the Classic Rock Societies Band of the Year Awards
and would really like to thank all who voted for us. We are made up :)
2009 has been their first full year as a band and what a baptism of fire
it’s been. They played their first ever gig on 24th Jan 2009 and in Feb
were whisked off to shoot a DVD in Poland where they played with RPWL.
They've played Cambridge Rock Festival with Manning and Tinyfish (and Asia,
The Quireboys, Uriah Heep, Touchstone etc) Rotherham Rocks with Pendragon,
toured with Touchstone and have been confirmed to play Rosfest 2010 in
May. They've had review after review of "Half Way Home" and "Far From Home"
all of which have been amazingly positive and sometimes positively amazing!!
This talented band from Durham has so far released one studio album entitled
"Half Way Home" but with their superb performance at the first edition
of Prog Rock Festival at the Wyspianski Theatre in Katowice, Poland (released
in mid 2009 on “Far From Home” DVD), they proved that they do have much
to say on the prog rock scene. Currently, the band is writing and recording
the follow up to their debut album. The new material entitled "King of
Number 33" is scheduled for the release later this year. DeeExpus first
DVD "Far From Home" was released by Metal Mind Productions in July 2009
in 3 different formats: DVD, limited DVD+CD edition, including bonus audio
CD with songs recorded during the gig at the theatre, and CD digipak. For
full info please go to Deeexpus Home
Page. 01/26/2010
RUA
IS BEST DESCRIBED AS STONER-METAL AND THEIR DIGITAL RELEASE ALBUM
RUA's
sound is best described as stoner-metal, although it’s a mix of different
styles; rock, metal, punk, hardcore, funk and psychedelic. Influences of
favourite acts such as Nina Hagen, Tool, Helmet, QOTSA, Faith No More and
Meshuggah are audible in RUA's unique pounding sound. Nici's extremely
raw voice and the stoner, grunge and metal drenched guitar riffs make RUA
also sound like a counter-reaction to the often heavily stylized ‘Female
Fronted Metal’. Thin female voices and violin clouds make way for fat driving
groovy riffs, raw aggressive vocals and pumping drums and bass. RUA's first
recordings quickly drew attention from producer Holger Schwedt (Anouk,
Within Temptation) and mastering icon Sander van der Heide (Rammstein,
Guano Apes), who subsequently mixed and mastered the track “Pretty”. Together
with eight other tracks, “Pretty” appears on RUA's debut album “00:41:00”,
which has been realeased on the acclaimed Rusty Cage Records label in January
2010. For more abou the band please visit RUA
Home Page. 01/26/2010
ROGER
MILLER'S MUSIC HAS MULTIPLE INFLUENCES
Roger
Miller is 20 years old and a Tennessee native. He has been writing music
and playing guitar for almost 5 years. All his songs are original; composed
by Him, and his music falls under the genre of Contemporary Christian Acoustic.
It has a Soft Rock/Alternate feel to it as well, with strong emphasis on
guitars and lead vocal. Roger Miller's music has multiple influences that
range from Switchfoot, to Jars of Clay. Also Relient K, Josh Groban, Jack
Johnson, Andrew Peterson, Bebo Norman, Death Cab for Cutie, The Beach Boys,
Third Day, and Chris Rice. Roger has worked with studio musicians via Studiopros
to produce his debut album, which is now available, (titled Crayons). Roger
Miller's songs focus on the human condition; their relationship to God,
to other people, and the knowledge of theirselves. The music is simple
in melody and sound, yet invokes strong emotions of self-awareness, faith,
our heart, and hope. Roger Miller especially focuses on making music that
has its unique sound and variety in song styles. Roger Miller wants to
make his music and career something more than himself, so he's donating
50% of the revenue from this debut album to the worldwide mission non-profit
organization ADRA, which supports the poverty stricken and people who are
in need of food or housing. Please help support Roger Miller's music, and
change the way people view Christian music, and help Change this world
for the better. I´d like to invite you to visit Roger
Miller Home Page. 01/26/2010
RETROSPECT
RECORDS RELEASES 80S U.S. METAL BAND ALIAS’ DEBUT ALBUM
Retrospect
Records, one the largest Hard Rock and Metal re-issue labels on the planet,
has announced a licensing agreement to release 80s U.S. metal band ALIAS’
debut album. ALIAS’ self-titled debut album, released on August 14, 1987,
has been digitally re-mastered and is available for the first time ever
on CD. The Sarasota, Florida based band was formed in the early 1980s,
released 2 albums and featured vocalist Len Jarrell (Unleashed Power, Surgeon),
guitarist Mark Severns (Tyger Tyger, Jeff Austin Project), bassist Dirk
Van Tilborg (Attakk, Crimson Glory, Kamelot) and drummer Phil Arnt. The
CD is available worldwide at Retrospect
Records and through various international distributors. Track Listing:
1. (You Can't) Take My Youth 04:06, 2. Authority 03:04, 3. Prisoner Of
Dreams 03:53, 4. Take The Light 04:27, 5. Knight Of The Realm 03:38, 6.
The System 02:35, 7. King Of The New Order 03:24, 8. Listen To The Rain
02:39, 9. So You're A Star 02:57 and 10. Emerald Eyes 03:12. Founded in
2003, Retrospect Records is a leading Hard Rock and Metal re-issue label.
The company has released over 300 albums – many on CD for the first time
ever. For additional information, please visit Retrospect
Records Home Page. 01/26/2010
HOLLOW
BRANCHES ALBUM FOR FREE DOWNLOAD
Hollow
Branches, one of the many projects in which Robert Hunter, Marius Sjøli
(Formloff, Self Spiller), and Jason Walton (Agalloch, Self Spiller), are
involved, have just released their new ep. Thematically inspired by dreams,
insomnia, nostalgia and morning, “Anchored in Sleep” finds Hollow Branches
expanding their sound with elements of progressive and post rock, as well
as glitch. Drawing from a variety of influences including, David Sylvian,
Landberk and Porcupine Tree, this ep is perfect for the cold winter days
ahead. "Anchored in Sleep" is now available for free download at the following
sites: http://www.strixrecords.com,
http://www.last.fm/music/Hollow+Branches,
and streaming at httpwww.myspace.com/hollowbranches.
01/26/2010
BYRON
NEMETH GROUP TO RECORD "SLIP OF THE TONGUE" FOR WHITSNAKE TRIBUTE ALBUM
Byron
Nemeth Group has been asked by FnA Records/Nashville to be part of a Whitesnake
Tribute Album to be released in March 2010. Executive Producer Steve Samson
personally picked Byron Nemeth Group as one of the bands to be involved
in this project. BNG will be doing the classic title track from the 1989
Whitesnake "Slip Of The Tongue" album that featured Steve Vai on guitar.
"Slip Of The Tongue" is being recorded by BNG at Pacifica Studios and will
be finished by 02.14.10. This will be the first recording introducing new
vocalist Ray Richter into BNG and the band transitioning from instrumental
to having vocals along with all the heavy guitar, melodies, and progressive
complexities that BNG is known for. Steve Samson & FnA Records takes
pride in its relationships with quality musicians the world over and will
release high-end, professionally mastered and recorded albums. Just some
of the artists on the roster are Dirty Looks, Black & Blue, Tora Tora
and now FnA is looking expand with Progressive Rock acts like BNG. For
more about visit Byron Nemeth Group
home page and for Whitsnake Tribute Album visit FnA
Records. 01/26/2010
GAZPACHO
AND THE PREORDERS FROM THE DVD/CD
Preorders
from the DVD/CD “A Night at Loreley” will start shipping January 2010.
As the free offer for “Tick Tock” Shirts (for men) went out extremely fast,
their manager has offered to throw in “the Night of the Prog” shirt, for
the remaining male fans that ordered at a later date. They’re informed
there still are some ladies shirts left. This Live DVD/CD was recorded
on the 10th of July at the IV. Night of the Prog Festival in Loreley, Germany.
A magical night for both fans and Gazpacho, they were fortunate to get
this caught on tape. DVD was recorded with 9 cameras and edited by concert
film. For more informations please visit Gazpacho
Home Page. 01/26/2010
SLAVES
TO FASHION FREE MUSIC VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
Norwegian
hard rock band Slaves To Fashion has made a music video for the song ”Mrs.
Hero”. The video was filmed at one of the support gigs for Jorn in May
and also features clips from Hollywood film noir movies from the 1940s.
The song is taken from the band’s self titled EP that was recently released
on iTunes.
Check
out the video at YouTube.
01/26/2010
FINAL
CONFLICT RE-RELEASE OF THE "STAND UP" ALBUM
Good
news for the fans of Final Conflict! This progressive rock band from Midlands,
UK is currently in the studio working on two new releases. The first one
is their long awaited 6th full length studio album “The Return of the Artizan”.
The second one is a re-release of the very successful album “Stand Up”.
They are proud to announce that “Stand Up” re-issue will be released by
Metal Mind Productions in early 2010. "Stand Up” is the band’s third album
which includes such classic FC’s tracks like “Stand Up”, “Miss D Meanour”
or “Stop”. Originally released in 1997 by German Angular Records the album
got sold out in 2003. Ever since then, the band wanted to re-release this
title. Andy Lawton (vocal, guitar) says: “A re-release of ‘Stand Up’ has
always been a desire. However, the record company owned the recording rights
to the album for a period of 5 years so our hands were tied. Also the original
artwork and master recording had gone missing from the record company so
they were forced to shelve any re-release plans until further notice. Album
releases followed, and ‘Hindsight’ and ‘Simple’ were very successful in
their own right. Throughout this period, a burning desire to re-release
‘Stand Up’ was never far away and they always harboured hope that somewhere
along the line it would happen. 2008 saw Final Conflict play a hugely successful
live concert in Poland with the subsequent release of a live DVD and CD
– “Another Moment in Time” - helping to further enhance their reputation
as a live band playing accessible progressive rock music. In 2009, Metal
Mind Productions asked for permission to re-release ‘Stand Up’ on their
own label. Final Conflict agreed to remaster the original soundtrack.”
As part of the deal it was agreed that bonus tracks be added to the album
in order to help the first recording maintain its originality whilst offering
new tracks. Brian Donkin (vocal, guitar) explains: “With the re-release
of the album it was decided by the band that three bonus tracks should
be added. Firstly, we would re-record “A Moment in Time”. The inspiration
behind this idea was the energy behind the new rhythm section of Henry
Rogers (drums) and Barry Elwood (bass), which allowed the band to give
this song more depth, feeling and power. So like true musicians they locked
ourselves away in the studio and got down to some serious work and before
they knew it we had completely changed the feel and mood of the song yet
still keeping with the original arrangement (almost). Listening to the
finished project, they are all very happy with the outcome and hope that
we will be too. The next decision was to write a brand new Acoustic track.
So, as before, the doors were locked in the Studio and they sat down (as
you do when you get older) to start the task of writing lyrics. After many
discussions on different topics, they got onto the subject of gambling
and the many aspects that this conjured up, they then set about writing
the lyrics based upon the many dilemmas that gambling can bring, thus naming
the track “Losing it all”. This then inspired them to base the acoustics
around a more dark and haunting rhythm, though in true FC spirit, they
still kept the FC trademark sounds. The re-release of “Stand Up” promises
to be a brilliant new album and they are just so excited to get it out
there!!” With all of the bonus tracks written and recorded now, the work
on the re-release of Final Conflict's “Stand Up” album is gradually drawing
to an end. Henry Rogers (drums): “We are moving along quickly at the moment,
getting really stuck into the work that we have at hand, we are so excited
to finish and hear the results of our work!” The remastered edition of
“Stand Up”, enriched in 3 bonus tracks, will be released by Metal Mind
Productions in early 2010. Full details to be announced soon. For more
about re-release and informations please visit Final
Conflict Home Page. 01/26/2010
MASK
FEATURING SONJA KRISTINA (CURVED AIR) AND MARVIN AYRES TO RELEASE SECOND
ALBUM 'TECHNOPIA'
MASK
are releasing their second album 'Technopia 'on r.a.r.e (Repertoire) Jan
2010 and will be performing in UK and Europe in April - May 2010. This
is MASK's first release since their UK Top 20 Club hit single 'Waking The
Dream'. MASK are actress/singer Sonja Kristina (Curved Air) and modern
classical composer/producer/Cellist Marvin Ayres. Both established innovators
in music and performance. Marvin Ayres's album Cellosphere (Mille Plateaux)
established him as a groundbreaking composer/producer. Sonja Kristina has
been touring with the reformed Curved Air in support of the band's recent
CD release Reborn (featuring two of Marvin's productions) and incorporating
music from the first three classic Warner Bros Curved Air Top 20 albums,
Air Conditioning, Second Album and Phantasmagoria. In the summer of 2010
Marvin Ayres will be performing/touring his latest composition 'Harmogram'
using 3D sound design, in association with Martyn Ware (Heaven 17/Human
League), at major international festivals. Accompanied by their band, this
will be a rare opportunity for audiences to enjoy MASK's Technopia tour
on their first European dates since 2005, playing London, Paris, Berlin,
Rome, Stockholm and Moscow along with other towns in the UK, France, Germany
and Italy. Imagine a post apocalyptic futurustic barren terrain, in which
the MASK protaganists Jack and Virginia (from MASK's 1st album 'Heavy Petal')
are ghostly lovers who reunite to revisit their darkly passionate relationship
from the last volatile years of their past lives. Combining a musical sensibility
of Bjork/Elbow/Sigur Ros/Bat For Lashes/Massive Attack, with the macabre
darkness of Tim Burton, this theatrical and dramatic performance of MASK's
music laced with stunning visual (Quadratura) and sonic effects will bring
to life the land and love that is...'Technopia'. For more information visit
Mask
MySpace Site. 01/26/2010
EDENBRIDGE
AND THEIR NEW ALBUM COMMING SOON
They
are inmdist the vocal recordings for their 7th studio album and Sabine
is doing some fantastic vocal takes. All the instruments are finally recorded
and the orchestra parts are also finished. Dennis Ward is currently recording
backing vocals and choirs in his studio. At the end of November Robby Valentine
will do his backing vocals and choirs. Anthony Clarkson is currently working
on the cover artwork. In January Lanvall will fly to England to mix the
new CD together with Karl Groom at Thin Ice Studio. Lanvall and Dominik
have both signed an endorsement deal with Ibanez Guitars as Max signed
a deal with Tama Drums. Lanvall: "Ibanez guitars are not just only guitars
for me, they are the perfect instruments for the realization of my playing
and my tone". Dominik: "I may proudly announce, that a short time ago I
signed an endorsement deal with Ibanez guitars. That means that I use Ibanez
electric guitars exclusively. And this I do with great pleasure!" Max:
"Tama drums are produced with high quality and are therefore the perfect
tool in the studio and live, to let the hits of my sticks sound brilliantly.
There is no moving or loosening. Stability is the right term !" And finally
they have again a big Christmas sale in their shop ! You will find a lot
of shirts to reduced prices and of course our complete back catalogue.
For more about the band and their history, please feel free to visit Edenbridge
Home Page. 11/25/2009
KRAFTWERK
HAVE RELEASED DIGITALLY REMASTERED VERSIONS
Electro
pioneers Kraftwerk have released digitally remastered versions of eight
astounding albums on Mute. Kraftwerk have upgraded their original Kling
Klang masters with the latest studio technology and these eight magnificent
recordings still sound like nothing else in the history of music. Released
as individual CDs and Digital Downloads, the CDs are presented in special
slipcases, with newly restored and expanded artwork, including many previously
unseen images. On November Kraftwerk release The Catalogue on heavweight
vinyl and as a Deluxe 8-CD Box Set featuring exclusive 'mini-vinyl' style,
card wallet packaging with individual large format booklets. Order
the Vinyl LPs or Box Set from HMV. Order
the Vinyl LPs. Order
the Box Set. 11/25/2009
KAYAK
DRUMER PIM KOOPMAN HAS PASSED AWAY
To
our great distress Kayak drummer Pim Koopman has unexpectedly passed away
on Monday, morning, November 23, 2009, 56 years of age. Their thoughts
are with Pim’s family. Pim (1953) profits from the musical talent that
runs in the family. His father was a classical percussionist in the Radio
Chamber Orchestra, and became, unsurprisingly, Pim’s first musical teacher.
Pim soon developed as a real multi-instrumentalist, because besides being
an excellent drummer he is a fine piano- and guitar player as well. From
1967 to 1976 his and Ton Scherpenzeel’s musical careers ran parallel. Pim
and Ton both played in bands like Balderdash and High Tide Formation, and
both wrote the music for these bands. In 1972 they founded Kayak. Four
years later Pim had to leave the band due to health problems and a manager
related allergy. He got offered a job as record producer by Kayak’s former
record company EMI, and he produced giant hits for them with artists such
as Maywood and Pussycat. In 1979 he emerged with a new band called Diesel,
that had a hit single in the USA with ‘Sausalito Summernight’. Another
project of Pim’s that eventually took on the form of a band was called
The President (1983-1985). Some more recent remarkable productions were
albums for Robbie Valentine and Valensia, an act that not only made it
to #1 in Holland, but was also very succesful in Japan. Pim also recorded
a new CD with the re-emerged Diesel in the summer of 2000. Today Pim still
works as a record producer (recently the very succesful Petra Berger albums
that went gold in Holland) and lends his voice to many film productions.
11/25/2009
PHOENIX
RISES FROM THE ASHES OF ARGENT
One
of rock's lost classic band's Phoenix, featuring ex-Argent members John
Verity, Bob Henrit and Jim Rodford, rises once again with a CD release
by premier reissue label Renaissance Records, in conjunction with itsaboutmusic.com.
A power trio with a style akin to Grand Funk, Boston, Starcastle and Argent,
the short-lived band released two critically acclaimed albums 'Phoenix'
and 'In Full View'. Both albums have been painstakingly remastered from
the master tapes to insure ultimate sound quality, making this the definitive
CD reissue (both albums are available on one CD). In 1973 Rod Argent was
looking for new lead vocalist for Argent following the departure of Russ
Ballard. John Verity eventually joined Argent later that year and there
followed a period of intense recording and touring until the band decided
to retire from the road in 1976. It was during Argent's final tour of America
that lead vocalist/ guitarist John Verity, drummer Bob Henrit, and bassist
Jim Rodford decided to form a new band. The Argent split was amicable and
out of its ashes arose Phoenix. A management deal was struck with Trident
in London, who also had a studio in London's West End where many major
artists recorded, including The Beatles. "Our intrepid 'Power Trio' was
very soon burning the midnight oil, recording tracks for their first album;
now under the watchful eye of CBS Records," recalled Verity. The new band
was orginally to be called 'H.R.V' - Henrit, Rodford, Verity. The album
title was to be along the lines of: 'HRV like a Phoenix rising from the
ashes of Argent' but the record company and the media soon latched onto
the name 'Phoenix' so the band quickly changed the name. The album was
released in 1976 and the band was soon touring Europe as special guests
to headliners 'Aerosmith'. A second album recorded for CBS remains unreleased
although a couple of singles, including a version of 'Time of the Season',
were issued. 'In Full View' was the third and final Phoenix album recorded
for Charisma Records without Jim Rodford who had left to join The Kinks.
At this time the band also recorded a number of Russ Ballard songs including
the original version of 'I Surrender', which subsequently became a hit
for Rainbow. Phoenix eventually turned into the band Charlie for one album
on RCA records: 'Good Morning America' before Bob joined Jim in The Kinks
and John Verity turned to record production and working on a solo album:
'Interrupted Journey' which featured Bob Henrit on drums. Never far apart,
the pair were soon working together playing heavy blues/rock as the John
Verity Band. Since then, in addition to his work with the Band, John has
been gigging and working in recording studios throughout the world, producing,
playing guitar, or singing with acts including Motorhead, Tank, Ringo Starr,
Russ Ballard, Colin Blunstone, Mike Berry, Dave Berry, Brian Connolly,
John Parr, John Coghlan, The Searchers, Mike Rutherford (of Genesis), Keith
Emerson, Greg Lake, Zombies, and Michael Schenker - just to mention a few...
Phoenix - s/t and 'In Full View' CD will be available from Amazon, iTunes
and your local retailer on November 10th. Other titles scheduled for release
by Renaissance Records includes Graham Parker & The Rumour 'Live In
San Francisco 1979', Network - s/t and 'Nightwork', Fran King 'My Sweet
Elixir', City Boy 'It's Personal', Duke Jupiter - 'White Knucle Ride',
Unicorn - 'Blue Pine Trees', 'Too Many Crooks' (prod. by David Gilmour),
Nick Gravenites 'Bluestar' and Roxy Music 'Manifesto Alive' (live 1979).
For more information visit It's
About Music. 11/25/2009
RED
MASQUE NEW LIVE ALBUM AVALIABLE NOW
The
new download-only live album by Philadelphia avant rock band Red Masque
and signed to RER USA, "Stars Fall On Me" is now available through iTunes,
eMusic, rerusa.com and other online distributors. It will also be available
to sites like amazon.com imminently...... Please note, there was a typo
made by the aggregator and the album is being billed as "Stars FELL On
Me" not "Stars FALL On Me" but we are working to correct this..... ;) The
live album was recorded on Nov. 1, 2008 at Orion Sound Studios in Baltimore
and features a mix of songs spanning the course of three albums: "Carbon
14", "Das Snail", "Passage", "House of Ash", "The Spider is the Web", "Birdbrain",
an Improvisation and "Tidal". Front cover and back cover artwork (featuring
credits and photo) are available for download at The
Red Marque Home Page. 11/25/2009
SCOTT
MCGILL THERE ARE A FEW NEW TUNES UP ON MYSPACE
There
are a few new tunes up on the Scott McGill page on MySpace from his latest
solo disc "Symptom Imperative" and the iTunes Rhapsody Napster disc "Debut"
with Ritchie DeCarlo and Percy Jones of Brand X. Enjoy and let us know
what you think. News on the upcoming disc with Percy and Ritchie with special
guest Markus Reuter (Pat Mastelotto) on Warr Guitar will be forthcoming
shortly and a second FreakZoid disc is in the can as well. Scott McGill's
incredible guitar book "The Guitar Arpeggio Compendium" is available here
at www.scottmcgill.com and please also check out his monthly instructional
column in the U.K. based international magazine "Guitar Techniques" representing
The Brighton Institute of Modern Music. As always thank you for your continued
support and they look forward to hearing from you at Scott
McGill Home Page. 11/25/2009
NEARFESTNEWS
STEVE HACKETT TO HEADLINE NEARFEST ALUMNI-NIGHT FRIDAY
NEARfest
is honored to present in a sophomore appearance, Steve Hackett and his
band. There is very little that Prog fans don't know about the legacy of
Steve Hackett. He is a renowned, iconic and immensely talented and innovative
rock musician. He was lead guitarist with Genesis as part of their classic
lineup with Gabriel, Collins, Banks and Rutherford that produced acclaimed
albums such as Nursery Cryme and Selling England by the Pound (a favorite
of John Lennon). From the post Gabriel era came the classics, A Trick of
the Tail and Wind and Wuthering. With Steve's extraordinary versatility
in both his electric guitar playing and his composing, he involves influences
from many genres, including Jazz, World Music and Blues. His classical
albums include renditions of pieces by composers from Bach to Satie, as
well as his own stellar acoustic and classical guitar compositions. With
Genesis, Steve's guitar playing produced some of the most memorable moments,
from the sensitivity of his acoustic sound on Horizons and Blood on the
Rooftops to the dramatic rock guitar solos of Firth of Fifth and Fountain
of Salmacis. As he embarked on his solo career he developed his exceptional
range, pushing musical boundaries into exciting areas, inventing new sounds
and also techniques such as `tapping'. Steve's solo career as well as his
collaboration with fellow guitar icon Steve Howe in GTR, gained favorable
momentum in the 1980's. After GTR, Steve worked further with many renowned
musicians such as Paul Carrick, Bonny Tyler, John Wetton and Brian May,
who has credited Steve as an early influence. He went on record Genesis
Revisited and even further back to his roots with Blues with a Feeling,
whilst continuing to challenge his own `horizons' with an amazingly eclectic
mix of sounds, genres and a sense of the exotic that excites his many followers
to this day. Recent albums have possessed a high level of sophistication,
along with an ever-present powerful dynamic, from the dramatic and atmospheric
darkness of Darktown and Wild Orchids to the colorful voyage through time
and space of To Watch the Storms. Steve's live electric gigs take his fans
on an extraordinary journey that embodies his Genesis days right through
to the present, all woven together with his exceptionally unique and distinctive
rock guitar sound. With a new album entitled, "Out of the Tunnel's Mouth,"
Steve is poised to continue his legacy of creating excitement through his
music. His return to the NEARfest stage will be a fantastic journey; from
classic tunes to Steve's most recent material. A big NEARfest round of
applause is in order for Steve Hackett and his band as they grace our stage
on Friday, June 18th for an Alumni-Night aural feast.
11/25/2009
RIVERSIDE
AND METAL MIND PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS THE FIRST DVD
Metal
Mind Productions proudly presents the first DVD of one of the most important
progressive rock bands - Riverside! Riverside, the band hailing from Warsaw,
Poland, can best be described as a stylistic blend of atmospheric rock
and metal elements, resulting in a sound similar to that of Pink Floyd,
Porcupine Tree, Opeth, Dream Theater, and Tool, while still maintaining
an identity of their own. Since the release of their debut album, Riverside
have built a solid fan base in progressive rock genre. In May 2008, the
band went on a mini-tour across Poland. The most significant date of the
tour was May, 17th when Riverside played a special, over-two-hour gig in
Toya Studios in Lódz. The show was treated as a summary of the “Reality
Dream Trilogy” (Out Of Myself – 2003, Second Life Syndrome – 2005 &
Rapid Eye Movement - 2007). Apart from the great performance of the most
important songs from the band’s three big releases, the band also prepared
the best lighting in their live history with a few screens that showed
some special visuals. The concert in Lódz was recorded and, so far,
it was available in a limited audio only edition during their “Reality
Dream Tour” in December 2008. Today, the fans of Riverside have a chance
to see that special performance in its full glory as it is released as
a double DVD. Apart from the complete performance in Lódz, “Reality
Dream” DVD also includes a selection of live performances in various places
around the world, including Canada, Germany and Holland, plus a documentary
“Behind the Curtain – A film by John Vis” and a photo gallery. The graphic
design was, once again, handled by Travis Smith (painter for such bands
as Opeth, Anathema, and Devin Townsend). "Reality Dream" 2 DVD will be
available on 7th December 2009 in Europe (except for France - 11th January
2010) and 23rd February 2010 in USA (via MVD). Riverside was founded by
guitarist Piotr Grudzinski, drummer Piotr Kozieradzki and vocalist/bassist
Mariusz Duda in 2001. Soon after the recording of their debut album, “Out
Of Myself”, keyboardist Michal Lapaj joined the band, completing the line-up
which has impressed fans and media alike with their great technical skills.
The band’s most recent fourth full-length album “Anno Domini High Definition”
was released in mid 2009. The album sees Riverside take another step in
the evolution of their extremely significant sound, showing a total focus
on the here and now. “We don’t want to be one of those living-in-the-past
prog bands,” Mariusz Duda (vocal/bass) points out. “We feel that we have
something new to say, and lots of moments on this album feature a fresh
approach to some things. First of all, our main influence – our lives,
or to be more precise, the speed of our lives. That’s why we had to cut
an extremely dynamic and pretty short record, which suits the times we
live in.” Experts have called Riverside a stylistic mix of Tool, Porcupine
Tree and Dream Theater, but Mariusz Duda reckons that other influences
are more dominant on "Anno Domini High Definition": “We wanted to reflect
the energy of the early 70's and combine it with modern sounds. Now I think
there is more of a Rush, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple sound. But at the
end of the day, this record ultimately sounds like Riverside.” Line-up:
Piotr Grudzinski (Guitar), Mariusz Duda (Vocals, Bass), Piotr Kozieradzki
(Drums), Michal Lapaj (Keyboards). Tracklist: DVD 1: 1. Intro, 2. The Same
River, 3. Out Of Myself, 4. Volte – Face, 5. Rainbow Box, 6. 02 Panic Room,
7. Reality Dream III, 8. I Turned You Down, 9. Dance With The Shadow, 10.
Parasomnia, 11. Second Life Syndrome and 12. The Curtain Falls. DVD 2:
Encores: 1. Before, 2. Ultimate Trip, Live Performances: 3. Beyond The
Eyelids (Unna, Germany 2007), 4. Loose Heart (Unna, Germany 2007), 5. Back
To The River (Montreal, Canada 2008), 6. Conceiving You (Montreal, Canada
2008), 7. I Believe (Aschaffenburg, Germany 2007), 8. Lucid Dream IV (Fulda,
Germany 2008), 9. Reality Dream II (Baarlo, Holland 2006) Bonus features:
Behind the Curtain – A Film by John Vis, Photo gallery, Credits. For more
about please visit Metal Mind Productions
Home Page. 11/18/2009
FRENCH
MUSIC LEGENDS MAGMA TO RELEASE FINAL INSTALLMENT OF EPIC TRILOGY - ËMËHNTËHTT-RÉ
"At
the doors of immortality, dreams the Great Servant of Ptah, God of creation
drifting infinitely within his own mind, as he tries to awaken Him." 11/9/2009
- Paris, France - One of music's most innovative and eclectic ensembles,
Magma, will be releasing the final installment to their most recent epic
trilogy. Titled Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré, Magma's new opus will
be released internationally on November 5, 2009 on Seventh Records. This
marks the second trilogy by the legendary French band, the first being
Theusz Hamtaahk. Magma was founded in Paris in 1969 by drummer Christian
Vander, who derived his inspiration from a "vision of humanity's spiritual
and ecological future" that profoundly disturbed him. Vander was a self-taught
musician, who received some tips from drum legend Elvin Jones. In the course
of Magma's first album, the band tells the story of a group of people fleeing
a doomed Earth to settle on the planet Kobaïa. Later, conflict arises
when the Kobaïans, who are descendants of the original colonists,
encounter other Earth refugees. A distinguished aspect of Magma's music
is that Vander actually invented a constucted language, Kobaïan, in
which most lyrics are sung. Later albums told different stories set in
more ancient times; however the Kobaïan language remained an integral
part of the music. "In its message, as in its genesis and its making, Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré
is an intimate epic, an occult stride forward, a quest for the sublime.
Initiated in 1975, its composition beholds its whole fulfillment after
more than three decades. It is the testimony of an unwaveringly timeless
inspiration, of which the expectant present asserts itself beyond history.
Connecting wide and contrasted scenes, it sets its coherence within its
very dynamics, playing with chiaroscuro, between choral splendor, operatic
jubilation and hurricane of spirits beyond graves. As much a seraphic liturgy
as it is a telluric opera, Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré comes as
the final closure to a second trilogy, following upon that of Theusz Hamtaahk,
in Christian Vander’s corpus. This is a music reaching out from a time
before man time. Born at the heart of nebulas, fed on mineral glow, and
riding crypts capped with a cosmic vault." Bruno Heuzé. When asked
if the name Magma is part of Kobaian or does it refer to lava? Christian
Vander replied, "Yes, it refers directly to lava. Back in 1966, I had written
a piece and I was already in a band with Bernard Paganotti, who became
a bass player. Already, I was searching for the right word. The tune I
wrote back then was called Nogma. I was looking for the word Magma, but
didn't know it was what I was looking for. One day the band didn't have
a name at the time, and they were standing in fornt of a fairly well-known
club in Paris. The club management told me if you don't have a name, you
can't come and play tonight. So we went for coffee, at the shop next door.
I thought deeply, you know, and the word Magma came out. At the same time,
I founded Univeria Zekt. I wrote this down on the receipt from the coffee
shop and kept it." When asked where the music of Magma is derived, Christian
explained to George Allen and Robert Pearson that "the music and the lyrics
come up at the same time. If I am singing, and if it has to be in Kobaian,
they come up in Kobaian. Sometimes there is a word that is maybe French
or English and I leave it in because it is there, and it's natural. The
lyrics come at the same time, parallel to the music. For pieces like Mekanik,
they were not written in one shot or one session. I had to run a tape recorder
to be able to capture it instantly- it goes very fast. I sing with new
words that I don't know, and when I am improvising further, the same words
come back, even though I don't know them. But I didn't learn them, they
impose themselves on me." Considered by many to be musically pioneering
and imaginative, Magma makes extensive use of the choral format, their
album Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh being particularly reminiscent
of the classical composer Carl Orf, while ?urdah Ïtah reveals connections
to Béla Bartók's piano music and "Les Noces" by the Russian
composer Igor Stravinsky. Reportedly, Christian Vander is also highly influenced
by the work of jazz legend John Coltrane. "I am always listening and attentive
to what they do," says Vander. "I am open to listen to what they do. But
for my work, it is still Coltrane who actually gives me the real material
to work on, to be able to move on." Magma's new CD also comes with a 57-minute
DVD, "Phases", as a testimonial to the intensity of the ensemble's work
during its recording. Featuring: Stella Vander vocals, percussions, Isabelle
Feuillebois vocals, Hervé Aknin vocals, Benoît Alziary vibraphone,
James Mac Gaw guitare, Bruno Ruder Fender Rhodes, Philippe Bussonnet bass,
piccolo bass, Christian Vander drums, vocals , piano, Fender Rhodes, keybords,
percussions, also featuring : Emmanuel Borghi : piano - Himiko Paganotti,
Antoine Paganotti , Claude Lamamy, Marcus Linon, Pierre-Michel Sivadier
: backing vocals. For more information on the band visit Magma
at MySpace. 11/18/2009
DEEEXPUS
REVEALS THE TITLE OF NEW ALBUM
British
band DeeExpus revealed the title of the follow up to their highly acclaimed
debut album “Half Way Home”. The New Album, entitled "King of Number 33",
is planned to be released around May 2010 to coincidence with the band’s
first ever gig in USA at ROSfest 2010. Andy Ditchfield: “Writing and production
has begun in earnest and will feature all members of the band. At present
we have two songs almost completed alongside a multitude of recorded ideas,
riffs and passages. As we did with Half Way Home, we are hoping to post
one or two videos on YouTube during the course of the albums production,
so stay tuned for those.” You can already have a sneak preview of "King
of Number 33" as one of the new tracks - “Me And My Downfall” - was recorded
at soundcheck during the band’s most recent tour with Touchstone.
Tony Wright explains the lyrical concept behind the forthcoming album:
"The King of Number 33 is a tale based loosely on a local eccentric from
my childhood. This man used to sit behind the driver on the local rural
bus all day, every day, for several years - never saying a word to anyone,
never going anywhere- just backwards and forwards between the two towns
until the route finished for the night and he would go home and wait for
the morning journey. One day he disappeared and rumours abounded amongst
the local youth as to what happened to him. It transpired that Social Services
became involved after a complaint from a member of the public that he'd
made her feel uneasy. He hadn’t done anything, she was just ignorant. Anyway,
he was subsequently refused travel on the bus and proceeded to have psychotic
episodes culminating in his being sectioned under the mental health act.
The King of Number 33 is my take on his story..." DeeExpus are: Tony Wright,
Henry Rogers, Andy Ditchfield, Marc Jolliffe, Ian Raine, Stevie Wright.
DeeExpus first DVD "Far From Home" was released by Metal Mind Productions
in early July in 3 different formats: DVD, limited DVD+CD edition, including
bonus audio CD with songs recorded during the gig at the theatre, and CD
digipak (limited to 1000 copies). For full info please go to Deeexpus.
11/18/2009
MARILLION'S
STEVE ROTHERY RESURRECTS THE WISHING TREE
2009
release from The Wishing Tree, an acoustic side project from Marillion
guitarist Steve Rothery and British vocalist Hannah Stobart. Nearly 10
years after their debut album, the duo are back with a new collaboration,
co-written by Steve and Hannah, with Steve playing all instruments except
the drums, as well as producing and engineering it. Rothery and Stobart
are joined by Paul Craddick who plays the drums, on material which Rothery
describes as a cross between Portishead and Alanis Morissette. Stobart
has a lovely ethereal quality to her voice, which shows in the whole recording,
and features some delicate and ghostly harmonies, some mandolin and understated
guitars providing a backdrop to the vocals. Ostara is a melodic and charming
album which will attract fans of Tori Amos, Pentangle, Portishead and obviously,
Marillion. EAR. It has been ten years since progressive rock band The Wishing
Tree released their debut album, Carnival of Souls. On January 19, Eagle
Rock Entertainment will release their lush and evocative new album Ostara.
Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery founded The Wishing Tree. Formed in 1996,
Rothery's desire to start an acoustic music project with a female vocalist
led him to British singer Hannah Stobart. The two started writing together,
crafting a wistful, gorgeous sound that is both haunting and soothing.
This new CD, produced and engineered by Rothery, not only boasts eight
original songs, but two bonus live tracks, "Fly" and "Ostara". Unique in
its conception, Ostara was written and recorded on opposite sides of the
world, with Stobert working from her home in California and Rothery in
his home studio in Buckinghamshire, England. Joined by drummer Paul Craddick
(of Enchant, and Hannah's husband), Ostara is the perfect marriage of Stobart's
angelic, lilting vocals and Rothery's superb guitar work. A master at his
craft, his harmonies are understated when necessary, allowing Stobart's
vocals to take precedence, yet when given the chance, his trademark solos
truly sing out in the mix of this enchanting blend. The delicate, ghostly
harmonies, executed on mandolin as well as guitar, paired with Stobart's
soaring melodies, result in artwork that is truly a listening experience.
Fans of Steve Rothery will also enjoy Marillion's latest CD Less Is More,
released December 8 via Eagle Rock Entertainment. Track Listing: 1.) Ostara,
2.) Easy, 3.) Hollow Hills, 4.) Seventh Sigh, 5.) Falling, 6.) Fly, 7.)
Kingfisher, 8.) Soldier. Bonus Tracks: 1.) Fly (live), 2.) Ostara (live).
For more about the band and the album please visit The
Wishing Tree website. 11/18/2009
LONGSHANKS
RELEASE A NEW SONG FOR THE ALBUM "IN DREAMS"
Finelly
they release the penultimate song for their upcoming CD, the 6:47 minutes
ballad "In Dreams". In this song they take a different approach to their
theme 'setting out on a journey' they will journey in their dreams... Read
more (e.g. on an additional band member...) on their Home
Page. 11/18/2009
FROM.UZ
IS NOW WORKING ON A STUDIO RECORDING OF THE SET LIST
In
September 2008, FROM.UZ played for two nights at the State Youth Theater
of Uzbekistan to a full house. The new material, entitled "Seventh Story"
was filmed and recorded live. The band is now working on a studio recording
of the set list, which we hope to release by mid-year 2009. Something new
on the new album is the addition of vocals by Vitaly Popeloff. The set
list includes: Perfect Love, Influence of Time, Taken, Bell of teh Earth,
Desert Circle, Parallels and Perfect Place. For more about please visit
FROM.UZ
Home Page. 11/18/2009
RUSH
LIVE ALBUM 'WORKING MEN'
Anthem
Entertainment has announced the release of Working Men, the first 'best
of' live performance compilation from renowned rock trio Rush. Released
in the UK on Monday November 16th, this outstanding live collection is
released on CD and digital download by Atlantic Records. Culled from Anthem
Entertainment and Zoë Vision's three other Rush releases - Rush in
Rio, R30 & Snakes & Arrows Live - the Working Men album features
live recordings of the band's greatest hits as well as one previously unreleased
track, One Little Victory (see track listing listed below). RUSH, comprised
of Geddy Lee (vocals, bass, keyboards), Alex Lifeson (guitar, vocals),
and Neil Peart (drums and percussion), are, without question, one of the
most inventive and compelling groups in rock history, equally famed for
both their virtuoso musicianship and provocative songwriting. Just last
year, a career-chronicling Rolling Stone feature praised the band for its
continuing artistic vitality, noting that, "It's true that Rush doesn't
mean today what it did in '76 or even '96. It may mean more." The sentiment
was echoed in subsequent pieces published in North America earlier this
year in Entertainment Weekly and Spin. Rush's enduring pop culture relevance
is perhaps best evidenced by a pair of high-profile appearances - a rare
national television performance and interview on Comedy Central's "The
Colbert Report" in 2008 (the band's first TV appearance since 1975), and
a pivotal role in the storyline of the hit comedy film, I Love You, Man.
Released this past spring, the band made a cameo in the film, which starred
Paul Rudd and Jason Segal. Since releasing their self-titled debut
album in 1974, Rush has achieved worldwide sales exceeding 35 million units,
including such acclaimed works as 1976's "2112," 1981's Moving Pictures,
1996's Test For Echo, and 2002's Vapor Trails. The band's most recent studio
collection, 2007's Snakes & Arrows, made a triumphant debut on the
Billboard 200 upon its initial release, entering the chart in the #3 spot.
The album's success marked Rush's highest chart debut since 1993, as well
as the group's eleventh top ten album in the U.S. Track Listing: 1. Limelight
(S&A live), 2. The Spirit of Radio (R30), 3. 2112 (Rush in Rio), 4.
Freewill (S&A live), 5. Dreamline (R30), 6. Far Cry (S&A live),
7. Subdivisions (R30), 8. One Little Victory (previously unreleased, R30),
9. Closer To The Heart (Rush in Rio), 10. Tom Sawyer (S&A live),
11. Working Man (R30), 12. YYZ (Rush in Rio). For more about you must vist
Rush
Website. 11/18/2009
SIX
RED CARPETS FREE TRACKS ON THEIR FACEBOOK PROFILE
The
Six Red Carpets will post some unreleased songs on their FACEBOOK profile.
This is a gift for all the FB fans of the band. Every week they'll upload
a track ... all you have to do is to get on their Facebook space and become
a fan! For more about please visit The
Six Red Carpets Home Page. 11/18/2009
SLAVES
TO FASHION DOWNLOAD THEIR NEW EP ON ITUNES
The
new EP from Norwegian melodic hard rock band Slaves To Fashion is now available
on iTunes. The EP is called ”Slaves To Fashion” and it features four tracks.
”Mrs. Hero” (local radio single) and ”Left Out In The Cold” are both showcasing
the trademark Slaves To Fashion sound: dark modern guitars, catchy melodies
and progressive twists. ”The Garden” is a remix from the band’s critically
acclaimed debut album ”Crossing Over” that was released under the name
P:O:B in 2007. ”Out Of Here” is a moody and experimental song showing another
side of the band. Tracklist: 1. Mrs. Hero, 2. Left Out In The Cold, 3.
The Garden (remix) and 4. Out Of Here. The EP is released by the band’s
own label, FishFarm Records, and is a taste of what to expect of the next
full length Slaves To Fashion album. Check out the new songs and everything
about the band at Slaves
To Fashion Home Page. 11/18/2009
THE
ENID TO PERFORM AT NEARFEST 2010
NEARfest
is proud to be able to present for the first time in the U.S, the enigma
that is THE ENID. Called by many as THE band that actually DID 'Rock the
Classics' at a time which saw the rise of Punk music in Britain, this band
were bringing in audiences up and down the UK by the thousands compared
to the few hundreds that the Sex Pistols were attracting. Yet outside the
UK they were and staggeringly largely remain virtually unknown. "The biggest
cult band in Europe," "banned by Glastonbury" and "feared by record companies;"
just some of what has been said of The Enid. Formed in 1974 by keyboard
player Robert John Godfrey who eschewed a possible career as a concert
pianist, The Enid fused rock based music with the power, dynamics and scale
of symphonic classical music. Godfrey had stopped hanging around the Royal
Festival Hall and started hanging around the Roundhouse, where he met and
joined the young Barclay James Harvest, living and working with them over
a three-year period in a farmhouse on the Yorkshire Moors. The Enid signed
first to BUK records, a tiny label which was then a part of EMI, and in
1976 released their first album, "In the Region of the Summer Stars", based
on the Tarot sequence and on the writings of Charles Williams. Comparisons
to any other bands were pointless; Progressive rock it wasn't, although
in many ways it was what prog rock should have been. The most "indie" of
the "indie bands", The Enid and their fan base took direct control of all
aspects of their career, from recording to mastering, artwork to distribution
? decades before Marillion adopted the same ideas. With no less than 12
albums under their belt, The Enid are poised to continue further into the
21st century, culminating with their introduction to the U.S. courtesy
of your friends at NEARfest. With band leader Godfrey at the helm, current
members Jason Ducker, Max Read and Dave Storey are ready to unleash their
insanity onto the NEARfest stage. Join us by welcoming U.S. first timers
The Enid, as they prepare to bring their music to the NEARfest 2010 faithful.
More about the band please visit The
Enid Home Page. 11/18/2009
IONA
TO PLAY NEARFEST 2010
NEARfest
is proud to announce the addition of Iona to the 2010 lineup! Hailing from
England, Celtic symphonic progressive rock band Iona was formed in 1989
by multi-instrumentalists David Fitzgerald and Dave Bainbridge and joined
soon after by lead vocalist Joanne Hogg. The inspiration for the band and
its name came from a visit that Fitzgerald made to the serene and beautiful
Scottish island of Iona the year prior. By the time Iona released their
self-titled debut album in 1990, Nick Beggs (bass), Fiona Davidson (Celtic
harp), Peter Whitfield (strings), Troy Donockley (Uillean pipes) and Frank
Van Essen (drums, violin) had joined the band. In 1992, the band released
"The Book of Kells," a concept album based on the legendary Irish tome
. Terl Bryant took over on drums and percussion for this album after the
departure of Frank Van Essen. Fitzgerald also left the band to pursue a
degree in music. The band's third album, "Beyond These Shores" (1993),
which included guest musician Robert Fripp, was loosely based on the voyage
of St. Brendan. "Journey into the Morn" (1995) was a more straight-forward
release inspired by the hymn "Be Thou My Vision," which bookends the album
in Gaelic and features Máire Brennan, lead singer of Celtic/New
Age band Clannad. After two live albums, Bryant left the band and Van Essen
returned to play drums on 2000's "Open Sky," which was followed in 2002
by a boxed set called "The River Flows," the first release on the band's
own label. The box contains their then-out-of-print first three albums
remastered, as well as a fourth disc of unreleased tracks. After six years
without a new studio album, the band released the gorgeous "The Circling
Hour" in 2006 as well as a 2-disc live DVD "Iona: Live in London," featuring
a 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround mix. Since then, the band has continued to
play live shows across Europe to enthusiastic crowds. The band has also
returned to the studio to begin work on a new album which will see the
light in 2010 to coincide with their 20th anniversary. In helping to celebrate
the band's milestone, NEARfest is very pleased to welcome Iona to the stage
to treat us to their wonderful stylistic weave of Celtic music and symphonic
rock. For more about please visit Iona
website. 11/18/2009
KARNATAKA
STRICTLY LIMITED EDITION (1000) ALBUM "THE GATHERING LIGHT"
Karnataka
are very pleased to announce the forthcoming album "The Gathering Light".
Strictly Limited Edition (1000), signed gatefold digipak available to pre-order
from the on-line shop. Standard jewel case CD release will be available
early in 2010 from all good record shops (major and independent) and on-line
retailers. Track listing: The Calling, State Of Grace, Your World, Moment
In Time, Serpent And The Sea, Forsaken (Forsaken, Glowing Embers, Distant
Echo), Tide to Fall and The Gathering Light. The album will initially only
be available as a limited edition signed gatefold digipak. This version
will not be available in the shops or from any other on-line retailer.
The album is currently being mixed/mastered and further details will be
announced soon. For more about the band and release, please visit Karnataka
Home Page. 11/18/2009
NEMESYZ
AND THEIR THE FIRST EP IS FINISHED
It
took them some time, but after many hours of hard work and dedication the
first EP from NeMesyz is finished! The disc will see the light of day on
the 30th of November through Layered Reality Productions and it will be
available for sale through the band and the label. The EP will hold 4 song
and a music video and all that will be placed in a well designed Digipack.
So if you consider the fact that this package will only cost you €7,50/$11,00
there really is no reason not to buy it, now is there? Anyway, no more
shameless selfpromotion, the only thing they want to say is “Buy this record
and enjoy it and if you don’t you’ll only deprive yourself of something
good”. For more about the band and their release visit NeMesyz
at MySpace. 11/18/2009
THE
BIG BIG TRAIN ALBUM "THE UNDERFALL" ARRIVING SOON
The
new Big Big Train CD, The Underfall Yard will be released on 15th December.
From today until the release date, the album can be pre-ordered here for
an introductory price of just £8, which includes worldwide shipping.
It will not be available from any other source before the 15th December.
Pre-orders will be shipped so that the CD arrives on, or slightly before,
the release date. The Underfall Yard is the first Big Big Train album to
feature our new singer David Longdon. Across the 60 minutes of the album
there are also powerful performances from Nick D’Virgilio, Francis Dunnery,
Jem Godfrey and Dave Gregory. They have made all 23 minutes of the title
track available for free download in high quality audio here. Even if you
don't want to buy any Big Big Train music at the moment, please download
the track and listen to what we think is an important contribution to progressive
music. If you are new to Big Big Train, you can read about us here. If
you want to buy a CD but are not sure which one(s) to splash out on, a
beginner's guide to our CD's is here. Our shop, where you can buy CD's
securely, is here. On the shop page, there is a music player where another
song from The Underfall yard can be listened to (plus some songs from earlier
albums.) The Underfall Yard is a collection of songs which tell stories,
some old and some new. The listener will travel through the tunnels
made by the great Victorian engineers in England’s chalkhills, will hear
the mournful laments of coastal villages lost to the sea on storm-filled
nights, will meet the grand architect of castles, and hear the tale of
the man who saved a great cathedral from collapse by diving under its flooded
foundations. We hope you enjoy our new music. If you want to know mora
about the album and the band, please visit Big
Big Train Home Page. 11/18/2009
THE
SYN, HAS JUST BECOME VISUAL THANKS TO PETER MCGUINESS
The
extraordinary music from the legendary 60s psychedelic band, The Syn, has
just become visual thanks to Peter Mcguiness, an independent film director
from Sydney, Australia. The result is the remarkable 'New Reality'
video made from a track off of the The Syn's new album, 'Big Sky' and now
screening across the Web in 3 separate and unique versions. The inspiration
for this project came about when Steve Nardelli, lead vocalist and writer
of The Syn, met up with Peter Mcguiness on the All Good People music discussion
forum. "We are always looking to collaborate with quality musicians, performance
artists, composers and theatre companies to create unique music film,"
said Mcguiness. The synergy between Nardelli's song writing and Mcguiness'
creative film making resulted in a signature Mcguiness music video. "Peter
is a true independent of mind and it is evident in his productions. Working
without the MTV gloss, Peter delivers well-crafted, thought-provoking and
unique music films. With "New Reality," we have a visual interpretation
presenting an important message related to the times we are living," said
Nardelli. About The Syn: While THE SYN has their eyes firmly focused on
the future of progressive rock, their roots go back to the 1960s. One of
the precursors of prog rock and adorned with some of the most important
musicians of the genre across its remarkable history, The Syn today are
a band that operate intently in the modern day world, focused on pushing
the envelope of modern progressive rock and moving it in new directions.
Their Big Sky core lineup of Steve Nardelli, Francis Dunnery and Tom Brislin
may have only been a musical machine since 2008, but this is a band with
a long and storied history of constantly exploring new musical soundscapes.
As a follow up to the successful Big Sky tour shows, The Syn is preparing
the release of the live CD recording of their acclaimed performance at
RosFest and a live video/documentary of their benefit shows and workshops
at the Gloucester High School in Virginia. If you want to know more please
visit The Syn Home Page. 11/18/2009
SHAMALL
ALBUM "IS THIS HUMAN BEHAVIOR" IS COMING SOON
On
his more recent albums "who do they think they are" to "questions of life"
Shamall dealed with dishonest politics or with questions of the meaning
of life. With the new concept album "is this human behavior" Shamall addresses
himself to social coldness and superficialty of the society. The 65-minute
title theme of the first cd "is this human behavior" shows in a familiar,
multi-faceted way with different tension curves, that Norbert Krueler feels
musically at home in the psychedelic- progressive era of the seventies
and eighties, but without sounding ancient. But it's not the music itself,
which reminds of the well-known musicians of the 70's and 80's - rather
the sounds used by Shamall and his inspired way of playing conveys this
feeling. The title theme of the second cd "living incommunicado" goes on
with the first cd, but with different melodies and soli. The whole album
is another proof, that Shamall is not tired to perfect the work on his
musical project. However, Shamall's 12th album is anything but musical
fastfood, which you could listen to only by the way. And as no meaningful
speech goes without pathos, Shamall's music is intrinsically tied to pathos
as well. But if one likes this kind of music and goes in for musical long
tracks, with this album you'll get one's money's worth. Guest musicians
on some tracks are - as on previous shamall releases - Matthias Mehrtens
on guitar and Mike Bach on drums. For more about please visit Shamall
site to pre-order the new album. 11/18/2009
APOCALYPSE
RECEIVES TROPHY VASCO PRADO
In
the last October 30th, during it's presentation at the '13th Jornada Nacional
de Literatuda de Passo Fundo (RS)' (National Day of Literature), APOCALYPSE
received the trophy Vasco Prado in honor of it's 25 years career. The presentation
of the Classic Rock/Progressive group attended by an audience of over 2
thousand people and was broadcast live on local television for the entire
region of Passo Fundo. The group played classical songs from your European
CDs such as "Cut" and "Refuge", and the compositions "Ocean Soul", "Follow
The Bridge", "Not Like You" and "Last Paradise", all present in the new
album of the band, The Bridge of Light. The '13th Jornada Nacional de Literatura
de Passo Fundo' is one of the most important cultural events in Brazil.
This year the event happened at the Passo Fundo University and had the
presence of big names in the international literary scene as the Mexican
Guillermo Arriaga, the Dutchman Wim Veen, the Italian Carlo Frabetti and
the Angolan José Eduardo Agualusa. Representing the Brazilian literature,
attended Moacyr Scliar, Ignacio de Loyola Brandão, Fernando Bonassi,
Lucia Santaella and Marcello Dantas. "We are really excited about this
honor", celebrated APOCALYPSE's keyboardist, Eloy Fritsch, who received
the trophy on behalf of the band. "The event was really excellent and the
organization is to be congratulated for prioritizing the art and culture.
We would like to thank all the affection and attention." In addition
to the performance with APOCALYPSE, Eloy Fritsch also participated in the
event during the debate 'Literature, theater, music and new technologies'.
About APOCALYPSE: In 25 years of career, APOCALYPSE has become one of the
biggest names in Brazilian progressive rock scene. Its vast discography
includes 10 albums released in Brazil, Europe, USA and Asia - including
a double album recorded live in the United States during the first international
tour of the band. At this time, APOCALYPSE promotes it's latest effort,
The Bridge Of Light, released in Brazil in 2008 by Free Mind Records and
in Europe and Asia by Musea Records. In researchs sponsored by the specialized
press as Whiplash and Roadie Crew, The Bridge Of Light won several indications
as Best of 2008: Best Album, Best Cover, Best Show and Best Keyboardist
to Eloy Fritsch. In early 2009, Eloy Fritsch also received the "Azorean
Music Award - Honorable Mention" for his contribution to the south Brazilian
music scene. Two videos have been produced for The Bridge Of Light. The
latest is for the track "Welcome Outside" and can be watched in the
link.
Just this year of 2009, APOCALYPSE has already done two tours in promotion
to The Bridge Of Light. The first happened in April and included shows
in the state of Sao Paulo. The second and most recent occurred in September
and included shows in the states of Sao Paulo and Parana. In addition to
touring, the band performs with frequency in Rio Grande do Sul, its
home state. Apocalypse is formed by Gustavo Demarchi (vocals, flute), Eloy
Fritsch (keyboards), Ruy Fritsch (guitar), Magoo Wise (bass) and Chico
Fasoli (drums). For Further Information please visit Apocalypse
Home Page. 11/18/2009
ALDO
PINELLI RELEASED HIS SECOND SOLO ALBUM
Aldo
Pinelli, the musician from Hábitat (Argentina), has released his
second solo cd titled "Mantos y Tapices Sobrepuestos: Otra Selección
de Viejas Canciones” (Superposed Shrouds and Tapestries: Another Selection
of Old Songs”), An instrumental classical-antique music-celtic fussion.
Now plus acoustic progressive details. For more about the musician please
visit Aldo Pinelli Home Page.
11/18/2009
WISHBONE
ASH PLEASE WILL THE REAL STAND UP
Founding
member of the legendary classic rock band Wishbone Ash, Andy Powell, is
setting the record straight about the recent controversy surrounding the
ownership and usage of the group's name. A band fronted by another founding
member, Martin Turner, is also being promoted as Wishbone Ash, creating
confusion among fans and press. “It’s local promoters taking advantage
of the good work this band has been doing,” said Powell. Most recently,
Martin Turner’s German shows have been promoted under the Wishbone Ash
moniker, prompting Powell to seek legal recourse. “Myself and the band’s
business partners—people who have worked for years to keep the band treading
the boards and keeping the recorded catalog current—see it as a raiding
party,” said Powell. “I am now taking legal action in respect of this infringement
of my trade mark. It’s time to stop this nonsense.” Powell, a guitar legend
in his own right, and the only remaining founding member, has recorded
and toured exclusively under the Wishbone Ash banner since 1969--more than
40 years. In the last 20 years alone, Wishbone Ash has released 15 CDs
(including nine studio releases) and five DVDs. None of these has featured
Martin Turner. The band’s most recent release, The Power of Eternity, has
garnered rave reviews from the music press internationally. During
the band’s early history, the lineup changed several times, with founding
members leaving and rejoining. When, in 1993, Powell became the sole remaining
original member, there was no thought of calling it a day. Powell later
registered the trade mark Wishbone Ash in 1998. He has maintained the mark
since then, producing numerous DVDs and CDs of new material. In addition
to being co-writer on the majority of the recorded works, he’s performed
around 4,000 Ash shows worldwide. "My mandate was to simply carry forward
with the band," Powell said, "as has always been the case since 1974 when
the first member to leave, Ted Turner, tendered his resignation. This continuity
has overwhelmingly always been what the fans have wanted, and they proved
that in the early 1990s by backing our recording and promotion of the album
Illuminations. At no time did I consider the band dead; we'd been through
worse”. In recent years Martin Turner registered www.wishboneash.co.uk
. He then tentatively resurfaced using the name 'Wishbone featuring Martin
Turner' performing Wishbone Ash songs from the very early part of the band's
career. All was fine for a year or so until the name of Martin Turner’s
band was changed to Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash. His ".co.uk" website
started pushing the Wishbone Ash aspect of the name firmly to the fore.
Then, making matters worse, some Turner gigs were actually being promoted
as ‘Wishbone Ash’ concerts. Fans who turned up expecting the long-running
Powell-fronted band were disappointed and confused. Journalists who were
unaware of the band’s history sometimes wrote about Turner’s band as if
it actually were Wishbone Ash. Inevitably, this sparked claims of ‘passing
off ’ from Wishbone Ash and its business partners. "Over the years, band
members had left in a piecemeal fashion to pursue solo careers and other
ventures," said Powell. "Anyone who has followed the band knows that Martin
Turner, for example, quit in 1980 and again in 1991 after a brief three-year
reunion.” After leaving in '91 Martin produced a solo album. “His own website
says that he'd 'moved on' from Wishbone Ash, using the name Martin Turner
and calling the CD Walking the Reeperbahn,” said Powell. “This had nothing
to do with Wishbone Ash and seemed to be a move on Martin Turner's part
to distance himself from the band and take his career in another direction.
His website actually at one point admitted that I was a continuous member
of the one true band and that he was not." Founded in England in 1969,
WishboneAsh has released more than 30 albums to date, and has been touted
as one of the first dual-guitar rock bands. Rolling Stone magazine counted
Ash guitarists Andy Powell and Ted Turner among the world’s top 20 best
of all time. The group’s 1972 classic release, Argus, was voted Album Of
The Year by readers of UK’s Melody Maker and NME. It was remixed and reissued
in 2002 as a special 30th anniversary edition and consequently was the
fastest selling reissue in MCA’s history. Powell’s name is synonymous with
the Gibson Flying V. Over the years, he has been prominently featured in
such notable publications as Guitar, Guitarist and, most recently, Vintage
Guitar. He has also recorded with the likes of George Harrison, Ringo Starr,
Stewart Copeland and Renaissance. Wishbone Ash’s current line-up also features
former Gringos Locos guitarist Jyrki “Muddy” Manninen, a five-year Ash
veteran who brings a rootsy style to the band with his slide playing. Bassist
Bob Skeat has been in Wishbone Ash for 12 years and has also in the past,
worked with everyone from Colin Blunstone, Gilbert O’Sullivan and Chris
Farlowe to Princess Stephanie of Monaco. Interestingly, he worked with
Ash’s other 1970s guitar titan, Laurie Wisefield, in Brian May’s musical
hit “We Will Rock You.” Drummer Joe Crabtree has worked with the likes
of King Crimson's David Cross and Pendragon. Wishbone Ash has embarked
on an intensive tour plan taking the band 'round to next July in celebration
of its 40th anniversary. The October tour of the UK began on the 2nd and
ends the first week of November. Then in January 2010 the band hits the
road again for the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia. Canada's blues
prodigy, Jimmy Bowskill, will be opening for the band on this six-week
tour. For a complete list of tour dates and venues, visit Wishbone
Ash Tour Dates. In addition, the band will revisit Warsaw and Poznan
in Poland, along with the Czech Republic. A USA East Coast tour is in the
final booking stages, planned for March 2010. Italy and Switzerland will
also be visited this time around, just prior to the usual spring UK tour.
A USA West Coast tour and a possible Far East visit are being discussed
for June. The new DVD Wishbone Ash 40 - Live in London was released in
Europe on Oct. 10. This 40th anniversary show from Shepherd's Bush Empire
was produced by RCN TV, the same team who made the highly acclaimed Wishbone
Ash Live in Hamburg DVD. For more information visit the official Wishbone
Ash website. 11/18/2009
BANDA
DO SOL NEW ALBUM'S COVER REVEALED
The
Brazilian progressive rock veteran group, BANDA DO SOL finished recording
Tempo, the new album that marks the return of the band to the studios after
27 years. The album was mixed in California/USA by none other than Billy
Sherwood. Also known for being YES guitarist, Billy signs an extensive
discography as a producer, including albuns from bands like Motörhead,
Toto, Ratt, Paul Rodgers and YES itself. Billy Sherwood also relased some
solo works and two albuns with CONSPIRACY, a side-project with the YES
bassist Chris Squire. Currently, Billy leads CIRCA, a new band formed by
other YES heroes such us the drummer Alan White and the keyboardist Tony
Kaye. Besides Billy's signature on the mixing, Tempo was mastered in USA
by the legendary sound engineer Joe Gastwirt. High-level profissional,
Joe Gastwirt has mastered albums from people like Paul McCartney, Jimi
Hendrix, Ramones, Talking Heads, The Beach Boys, Pearl Jam, Santana, Grateful
Dead, Neil Young, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Miles Davis
and even Michael Jackson! While the album is not released, BANDA DO SOL
finished the front cover and the complete artwork of the new album. The
responsable for the creation was Robson Piccin, renowed Brazillian artist
who already worked with bands like Apocalypse, Lumina, Laudany, Hevilan,
Lothlöryen, etc. Tempo will bring the tracks "Som do Sol", "Tempo",
"Prana", "Mahavishnu", "Sinal da Liberdade", "Yes Blues", "Praça
da Paz", "Voar", "Quem Eu Sou?", "Fabito", "Maya" and "Janavatar". The
album is expected to reach the stores in January/2010. For Further Information
visit Banda do Sol at MySpace.
11/18/2009
CHICKENFOOT
NAMED 'BEST NEW BAND' AT CLASSIC ROCK AWARDS
Classic
Rock Magazine last night named "Chickenfoot" as 2009's 'Best New Band'
at their annual awards ceremony that took place at London's Park Lane Hotel.
While unable to attend the London ceremony, the band recorded a personalized
video acceptance speech which played out to rapturous applause. The star
studded event was attended by such legends as Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin,
Pete Townshend of The Who, Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones, Brian
May of Queen, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Jeff Beck, Paul Rodgers of Bad Company,
Iggy Pop, Slash of Guns N? Roses, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Joey Tempest
of Europe, Ginger Baker of Cream, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, Carl
Palmer of ELP and members of Iron Maiden, Anthrax, Anvil, Marillion,
ZZ Top, Uriah Heep and Mott the Hoople. The prestigious award follows a
successful year for the band, including sold out concerts and their debut
album going Gold in America. The band will also release a new Deluxe Edition
of their eponymous debut album in the UK on Monday November 9th, available
through the earMUSIC label. Comprised of drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili
Peppers), bassist Michael Anthony (ex-Van Halen), guitarist Joe Satriani
and vocalist Sammy Hagar (ex-Van Halen), Chickenfoot have been hailed as
one of the most exciting rock and roll bands in recent years and this limited
edition 2-Disc Deluxe set will include a bonus DVD disc featuring over
60 minutes of exclusive live footage, behind the scenes interviews and
the official promotional videos for the singles 'Oh Yeah' and 'Soap On
A Rope'. Read the full official online Chickenfoot Deluxe Edition announcement
here.
11/18/2009
LOST
DAVID GILMOUR PRODUCED UNICORN ALBUMS SEE THE LIGHT
Pink
Floyd fanatics rejoice with the first time release of two rare David Gilmour
produced albums by UK country rock band Unicorn! The CDs 'Blue Pine Trees'
and 'Too Many Crooks' will be released by premier reissue label Renaissance
Records in conjunction with ItsAboutMusic.com on November 11th. When you
think of 'country rock' band's like Firefall, Pure Praire League, Poco,
Flying Burrito Bros probably come to mind first, but one band that could
well be called the godfathers of the genre actually came from England.
The meeting between Unicorn and Pink Floyd's renown guitarist is a curious
one. Early in 1973 Unicorn played at the wedding reception for Transatlantic
publicist Ricky Hopper. One of the guests was David Gilmour of Pink Floyd,
who at the end of the evening got up and jammed with Unicorn on Neil Young's
"Heart of Gold". Afterwards Gilmour told the band that he really liked
Country Rock. A week later the Pink Floyd guitarist phoned the band to
say that he had just installed a studio at his country retreat and asked
if they wanted to demo some songs there. The band immediately accepted.
A few days later they travelled up to Essex to Gilmour's estate. He showed
them into the studio and said there was no need to bring any of their gear
in from the van. Hanging on the walls was his collection of vintage Fender,
Gibson, Rickenbacker and Martin guitars and underneath them Fender amplifiers
and a Premier drum kit. They recorded three songs and Dave added some Fender
Pedal Steel Guitar which he had just brought on his last American tour
and was learning to play. They were invited back on several occasions to
record. "Unicorn were playing at the wedding reception of an old friend
of mine, Rick Hopper," related David Gilmour, "when I first saw them and
while I was impressed by their vocal harmonies, their tightness and the
fact that it was the drummer that sang the lead vocals, it was the songs
themselves that I liked the best. Ken Baker's songs, while firmly seated
in the American country rock genre had a very original and unusual wry
English feel in the stories he told. The one that really made me notice
was 'Sleep Song', about a trip to the dentist. Not a common subject for
the popular song. Largely on the strength of this I invited them to my
tiny home studio in Essex to record some demos. This was the start of an
association that was to cover two and a half albums over the next couple
of years." Things started to happen from then on when Gilmour offered to
put up the money to record an album of Unicorn songs. Unicorn soon signed
with Pink Floyds manager Steve O'Rourke's EMKA organization, and Ricky
Hopper who had introduced them to Dave became their tour manager. Ricky
would later discover Kate Bush, then called Kathy Bush. Pete and Pat from
Unicorn played on her first demo recordings at Gilmour's studio. Unicorn's
first album was recorded in Olympic Studios in Barnes in London. David
Gilmour was producing, by his own admission, for the first time. The performances
would wind up as the album 'Blue Pine Trees' and parts of the second album
'Too Many Crooks'. The album was mixed at George Martin's Air Studios in
London. The engineer was John Middleton and the tape operators were the
sons of Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers. Steve O'Rourke took about a week
to secure a deal with Charisma Records in the UK, with Capitol Records
in the US and EMI International for the rest of the world. In November
1974 Unicorn set off on their first US tour. At the time Capitol records
tour manager, Alan Fry, told them that 'Blue Pine Trees' was number one
in the FM action charts (a chart based on the frequency of FM airplay).
The first night Unicorn performed at the Whiskey a Go Go on Sunset Strip,
where they played in front of what seemed to be the entire Capitol Records
staff. Unicorn was the headline band that night and was supported by, a
then little known, Patti Smith. On that first tour the band supported bands
like Fleetwood Mac, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Climax Blues Band, Billy
Joel, Linda Ronstadt and the Doobie Brothers. At the end of their first
US tour Unicorn flew home via New York to return to play at the Marquee
club in London with the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver with David Gilmour
sitting in. The following year, 1975, was mainly spent recording the second
album 'Too Many Crooks' (Released in America as 'Unicorn 2'). It was recorded
in Air Studios at Oxford Circus with some additional tracks at Olympic
at Barnes. This album included some of Unicorn's best studio performances.
The most notable song was "No Way Out of Here" which was later recorded
by Dave Gilmour for his first solo album. His version was the most played
album track in the US for several weeks. "Listening to the best of their
output from before, during and after my own involvement with the band,"
says Gilmour, "has reminded me of the many great songs and great moments
in the studio that we shared all those years ago. It's been a long time
coming, but it has been worth the wait." Unicorn - 'Blue Pine Trees', 'Too
Many Crooks' (prod. by David Gilmour), will be available from Amazon, iTunes
and your local retailer on November 10th. Other titles scheduled for release
by Renaissance Records include Graham Parker &The Rumour 'Live In San
Francisco 1979', Network - s/t and 'Nightwork', Duke Jupiter 'White Knuckle
Ride', Fran King 'My Sweet Elixir', City Boy 'It's Personal', Phoenix -
s/t and 'In Full View' (ex-Argent), Nick Gravenites 'Bluestar', and Roxy
Music 'Manifesto Alive' (live 1979). For more information please visit
It´s
About Music Site. 11/18/2009
BOSCH’S
EAR TUNNELING DEBUT A 13 TRACK WARP SPEED FLIGHT
Over
the course of 48 hours in the studio, Bosch members Christopher Brown,
Charles Greenleaf and Kevin Sims created their thirteen track, eponymously
titled first release, Bosch. Planning was utterly simple: Sims
arrived via car from Athens, Georgia with a carload of instruments, Greenleaf
arrived via plane from Athens, and Brown, proprietor of northern Illinois’
Studio Roadnoise, set up a mix template to accommodate their many instruments.
What you hear on this CD is pure and serious play as three creative and
talented musicians abandon all orthodoxy and, like the flocking of birds,
allow natural and organic organizing principles to govern the structure
and evolution of their play. The schedule was intense, with four recording
sessions over 48 hours. The trio replenished themselves between recordings
with food, swimming and viewing DVDs on such subjects as Harry Partch and
Glen Gould and an array of Adult Swim episodes. Each of the recording
sessions seemed to improve on the previous one. By the end, they
felt confident they had a CD in the hard drive. From Andrew Rieger of Elf
Power: "…somewhat reminiscent of moods evoked on Laurie Anderson's classic
“Big Science” album, yet far more murky." "…creating a mood somewhat akin
to that of German art rockers Faust." "This is where I close my eyes…about
two seconds into the first track. I’ve listened back to these recordings
numerous times since they were imprinted, sometimes to tape, sometimes
to digital ones and zeroes. Always the same…somehow never repeated…
the eyelids pulled by gravity – awaiting the various colors and changing
scenes. 'Dreaming of Daybreak', 'A Long Way From Home' and 'Savor
the Fall' all seem to bring to life the images of the triptych of the (possible
– though not quite sure) namesake, H. Bosch. There are sounds enveloped,
crushed, shimmering, swallowed, blessed and cursed within this album.
Before I know it I am hearing the hallucinogenic fairground that is 'No
Carnival Complete'. Where did I end up? In Turkey with a snake
charmer conducting a whirling waltz spiraling out of control until it diminishes…..?
This time, yes…..next time, who knows. It was quite a transcendental
experience to create this music with these others. You have to let
go to gain control. Destination reached by wanderlust. I don't
take the playback lightly until I’m able to let go….about two seconds in."
- Charles Greenleaf. "I didn't know what to expect the first time Charles
and I played music with Chris. After a few seconds of listening,
I decided to play the first thing that came into my head. Years later,
we’re still making music that outruns my imagination." - Kevin Sims.
"What a treat it’s been to play with these two. With Random Touch
I had decades of collaboration to grease the wheels of improvisation.
With Bosch we have almost a generation between us, and very different musical
experiences, but right from the start we had this magic. It's strong,
it's durable, it's undeniable." - Christopher Brown. On November 15, 2009,
Bosch will be available for purchase at CDBaby.
11/18/2009
LASER'S
EDGE SIGNS GERMANY'S ELOY FOR 40TH ANNIVERSARY RELEASE
Taken
from All About Jazz Site. Ken Golden, President of Laser's Edge Group,
announces the addition of historic German Progressive Rock band Eloy to
the Laser's Edge label. Laser's Edge Records will exclusively release Visionary
in North America, the band's first studio album in over 10 years, on January
12, 2010. Visionary celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Eloy, Germany's
most successful and prized progressive rock group. Eloy was formed in 1969
by Hanover guitarist Frank Bornemann. The band has released numerous albums
but are best known for 1977's Ocean, which remains its best selling album.
Although Eloy have not been active as a band since 1998, the demand for
their music is still remarkable. Their work has had a significant impact
on the history of rock, and many a journalist, as well as numerous fans,
consider them to be one of the best progressive rock bands ever. The band's
music continues to be rediscovered. It fascinates and touches many fans
with its emotional, complex symphonic rock-music with atmospheric sound
creations, pulsating rhythms and massive guitars, combined with lyrics
which escape irrelevance, performed in a way to transport the listener
to another world. The strong feedback from all parts of the world eventually
reached the musicians themselves. It encouraged Bornemann, lead singer,
guitarist and producer of ELOY, to bring the band together again for a
40th anniversary reunion. After a break of eleven years, they have launched
the new album Visionary, which recaptures the spirit of the early years.
11/18/2009
TOXIC
HEART RELEASES "RIDE YOUR LIFE" !
Slovenian
Glam/Hard Rockers TOXIC HEART have just released their long-awaited debut
full lenght album "Ride Your Life". "This 11-track CD will introduce us
to the world, like we want to be seen", guitarist Mike says, "Toxic Heart
is here to spread good times, positive energy and “Life is here to Enjoy”
– way of thinking". " 'Ride Your Life' is more than just an album title,
it is a motto for any generation whether young or older. What ever age
you are at right now, could be 'The best age of your life'. Sometimes you
just have to let go and 'Ride Your Life', and not let your life ride you.
This good feeling is what the band is attempting to spread. This is our
music – great, catchy, and memorable hook laden songs, coupled with a great
positive message. Truly, what the world is really in need of today!" The
band has recorded 2 video-clips for this new album. Earlier, the video-clip
for "Ride Your Life" was released and recently, the band launched the video-clip
for "Big Time". Both clips can be seen via the band's
MySpace. 11/18/2009
NEAL
MORSE TO RELEASE LIVE 3-CD SET "SO MANY ROADS"
29
Songs from Neal Morse, Spock’s Beard and Transatlantic Performed by Neal
& His Band During Their 2008 European Tour. TN—Renowned as one of prog’s
leading solo artists, Neal Morse is better known for his epic studio releases
than for lengthy tours. His acclaimed solo live DVDs (Testimony Live, Sola
Scripture & More) and CD set (Question Live) have captured amazing
performances from his live North American and Eurpean bands, and performers
from bands ranging from Dream Theater to Christina Aguilera. Never before,
though, has there been a definitive live Neal Morse experience. Over almost
20 years, Neal has recorded 22 studio albums with Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic,
and on his own. His career has followed an unconventional path, leading
him to reject 10 years chasing a dream, and at another time, leave music
altogether. His experiences and perspective have lead to some of progressive
rock’s most memorable music. The challenge of bringing these songs to life
requires some of prog’s best musicians—a lot of them. In Europe, Neal came
to know his band by chance email from an unknown Dutch drummer: Collin
Leijenaar. Collin was trying to persuade Neal that his group of friends—all
tremendous Morse fans—could not only play Neal’s material, but own it.
Three and half hours worth. With one week’s rehearsal. Morse was…skeptical,
to say the least. The unknown performers were up against Mike Portnoy,
Kerry Livgren, Roine Stolt, Steve Hacket, Jordan Rudess, Phil Keaggy, Randy
George, Pete Trewavas, Kevin Gilbert, and the cast of Spock’s Beard. Neal
had been down many roads he never expected, though, and something told
him to take this one. The entire tour was booked before Neal even met his
band. The rest is history, of course, perhaps best illustrated by Neal’s
comment on the Sola Scriptura &More Live DVD; before the band launched
into a complete performance of the Sola Scriptura album, Neal says, “I
hope you guys like this—it’s the second time we’ve performed it together.”
And indeed, Collin and company owned every minute of it. That was 2007.
By the end of 2008, the now-seasoned band could tear through Morse’s material
with confidence and creative improvisation. With changing material on different
nights, the cumulative set is 3.5 hours long, encompassing Neal’s best
songs and compositions from his 20 year career. This theme extends the
recording engineering, mixing and production—resulting in studio-grade
sound that whispers and thunders off the discs. At the center is Neal Morse,
one of Classic Rock Magazine’s “100 Greatest Frontmen of Rock”. With soaring
vocals, virtuoso instrumentals, and a unique…sense of humor, Morse demonstrates
why after 20 years, he remains one of prog’s brightest stars. Experience
the definitive Neal Morse concert event—29 tracks released from the studio’s
confines and into the living world of live performance. Discover new songs
and rediscover familiar ones, evolved and arranged in unpredictable ways.
From The Light to Lifeline, experience the extraordinary music at the end
of a road less travelled. Recorded from October 23-30, 2008 at: De Boerderij,
Zoetermeer (NL); De Reehorst, Ede (NL); Zeche, Bochum (DE); Colos-Saal,
Aschaffenburg (DE), Spirit of 66, Verviers (BE). So Many Roads is released
on Radiant Records. North American distribution by Metal Blade/SONY; available
at all major music chains and from Radiant Records. Digital distribution
by iTunes™. For more about the album and the musician please visit Neal
Morse Home Page. 11/18/2009
TED
NUGENT'S CRAVEMAN - RE-RELEASE OF A TRUE AMERICAN ROCK'N'ROLL MASTERPIECE
Singer
and guitarist. Patriot. Political spokesman. Actor. Conservative Republican.
Licensed archery instructor. Drug and alcohol abuse critic. Writer. Firearms
enthusiast. Television and radio show host. Professional bow hunter. Rock
Star… The many faces of Ted Nugent showcase an individual who is not afraid
to speak his mind, often choosing music as the outlet for his beliefs.
Widely known to the public as “The Nuge”, the artist released over 30 albums
in 28 years and played over 6,000 concerts worldwide, becoming one of the
most successful musicians in the history of rock’n’roll. Love him or hate
him – Ted Nugent is a living rock legend, loudly and proudly living out
his American Dream. This exclusive re-release of “Craveman”, the hit solo
album from 2002, brings a collection of some of the most savage tunes in
Ted Nugent’s entire career. The record seems to capture the pure
essence of Ted Nugent’s rich and adventurous life. It’s a heavy, uncompromising,
all-American hard rockin’ album, with a modern, yet surprisingly classic
sound. This re-release of the brilliant 2002 solo effort brings not only
one of the finest LPs in Nugent’s vast discography, but also a true American
rock’n’roll masterpiece… Metal Mind Productions will re-issue “Craveman”
on 2nd November. The album will be available in a new digipak edition limited
to 1000 copies. Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on a golden disc.
Tracklist: 1. Klstrphnky, 2. Crave, 3. Rawdogs and Warhogs, 4. Damned If
Ya Do, 5. At Home There, 6. Cum N Gitya Sum O' This, 7. Change My Sex,
8. I Won't Go Away, 9. Pussywhipped, 10. Goin' Down Hard, 11. Wang Dang
Doodle, 12. My Baby Likes My Butter On Her Gritz, 13. Sex Pot and 14. Earthtones.
Bio - Born in 1948, Nugent began his adventure with music when he was sixteen
years old, taking first steps on the rock scene as a guitarist for The
Amboy Dukes. Their first three albums – “The Amboy Dukes (1967), Journey
to the Center of the Mind (1968) and Migration (1969) sold moderately well,
slowly building up a loyal fan base. In 1974 the band signed on to Frank
Zappa’s DiscReet Records and launched their fourth album – the critically
acclaimed “Call of the Wild”. Another album followed in 1975, bearing the
title “Tooth Fang & Claw”. Even more successful than the previous offering,
the LP included the cult classic song “Great White Buffalo”, which ultimately
brought The Amboy Dukes the recognition they deserved. At that point Ted
Nugent was unquestionably the most popular member of the group, which resulted
in several line-up rotations and changing the name to Ted Nugent &
The Amboy Dukes. Nugent eventually dropped the Amboy Dukes moniker in 1975,
after signing to Epic Records. With Derek St. Holmes (guitar/vocals), Rob
Grange (bass) and Clifford Davies (drums) he recorded his first three solo
albums, all of which became multi-platinum bestsellers: “Ted Nugent” (1975),
“Free-for-All” (1976) and “Cat Scratch Fever” (1977). The LPs spawned a
number of classic radio hits such as “Strangehold”, “Cat Scratch Fever”,
“Dog Eat Dog” and “Hey Baby”. Nugent and his band went on an extensive
tour, afterwards releasing the multi-platinum live album “Double Live Gonzo!”.
In 1978 St. Holmes and Grange left Nugent’s group and were replaced by
Charlie Huhn and Dave Kiswiney. With this line-up Nugent recorded three
successful albums: “Weekend Warriors” (1978), “State of Shock” (1979) and
“Scream Dream” (1980). During that period Ted was widely known for his
strong anti-drug and alcohol approach and frequent critical declarations
on that matter. This was a rather surprising attitude for a popular rock
star and Nugent was being considered one of the first “good guys” of rock’n’roll,
as well as an early influence on the straight edge movement, which also
is critical towards alcohol and drug use. Dating from 1982 onwards, Nugent
released a number of albums, mostly different from his previous hard rock
style: “Nugent” (1982), “Penetrator” (1984), “Little Miss Dangerous” (1986),
“If You Can’t Lick ‘Em… Lick ‘Em” (1988). Near the end of the 1980’s he
decided to rest from his solo career and form a super-group with bassist
Jack Blades (ex-Night Range), guitarist Tommy Sha (ex-Styx) and drummer
Michael Cartellon, called Damn Yankees. The band’s debut self-titled album
was released in 1990 and became an international hit, selling over 5 million
copies (mostly thanks to the power-ballad “High Enough”). Damn Yankees
recorded one more album in 1992 – “Don’t Tread” – until finally splitting
up. Nugent returned to writing solo material and in 1995 released one of
his most acclaimed works – “Spirit of The Wild”. The fans had to wait seven
whole years for his next album. But it was all worth it – “Craveman”, released
on September 22nd, 2002, proved to be the heaviest piece of rock The Nuge
has ever recorded! While the first track of the record – “Klstrphnky” –
delivers a sound more suitable for Kid Rock or some other alternative metal
act, the rest of the material is a clear nod to the artist’s hard rock
past. “Rawdogs & Warhogs” (a praise anthem for the American way of
life) and “Going Down Hard” resemble the classic “early Meat Loaf” rock
approach, while “At Home There” and “I Won’t Go Away” both take a lot from
such classic Nugent songs as “Strangehold” or “Just What The Doctor Ordered”.
Another reference to the older albums comes with “Wang Dang Doodle”, a
loose interpretation of “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang” from Ted’s hit 1977
LP “Cat Scratch Fever”. “Craveman” featured a lot of elements from the
older days, but at the same time introduced a heavy, modern guitar sound
(by some compared to Megadeth, Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society or Metallica!)
and songwriting fit for the new millennium. It also included a brief reunion
with Nugent’s former bandmates Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades in “Damned If
Ya Do!”. One of the significant features of this album is a strong sexual
overtone, with song names such as: “Sexpot”, “My Baby Likes Butter On Her
Gritz” and “Cum N Gitya Some Of This”. “Craveman” ends with the instrumental
track “Earthtones”, once again reaching back to ideas from the glorious
1970’s. Apart from writing music, Ted Nugent has been very active in all
sorts of activities throughout his career. After his anti-drug and alcohol
involvement in the 1990’s he became a national spokesman for the Drug Abuse
Resistance Education (DARE) program. Due to his conservative political
views he was often a guest on such programs as “Politically Incorrect”,
“The Howard Stern Show” and “Larry King Live”. In the late 1990’s Nugent
began his writing career, contributing to various magazines. He is the
author of such successful books as “Gods, Guns and Rock ’n’ Roll” (2001;
a highly acclaimed New York Times Bestseller), “Kill It and Grill It” (2002;
co-authored by Nugent’s wife, Shemane), “BloodTrails II: The Truth About
Bowhunting” (2004) and “Ted, White, and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto” (2008).
In 1996 he had his own radio audition at WWBR-FM in Detroit, called “The
Ted Nugent Morning show” (with co-host Steve Black). He also did some acting,
appearing in such productions as the hit television show “Miami Vice” (1986),
a Canadian film “Heavy Metal Summer” (1990), an episode of the comedy series
“That 70’s Show” (2001), the music video for Nickelback’s song “Rockstar”
(2007) and the film “Beer For My Horses” (2008). He was the host of the
reality television programs “Surviving Nugent” (2003/2004) and “Wanted:
Ted Or Alive” (2005), and appeared as a guest on “Forever Wild” (2004),
“SuperGroup” (2006) and “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations”. Nugent is
well known for his support of hunting and gun-ownership rights and is currently
a member of the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association (NRA).
He had created a summer non-profit program called Ted Nugent’s Kamp For
Kids, where he teaches the basics of survival, archery and hunting, at
the same time presenting a strong anti-drug message. Over the years Nugent
has become a spokesman for such organizations as the National Field Archery
Association, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Big Brothers Big Sisters
of America. As a strong supporter of the military, Nugent performed for
the US troops in Iraq in 2004. For more about visit Metal
Mind Productions Site. 11/18/2009
NEW
YORK PROG ENSEMBLE IZZ SET TO RELEASE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF EPIC SERIES
The
progressive community is buzzing with anticipation of the upcoming release
by New York prog ensemble IZZ. In the past decade the group has released
several highly acclaimed albums and have acumulated a large dedicated following
in the process. The band's newest CD The Darkened Room is scheduled for
release on November 17th and is part of an ongoing series. "This is sort
of a 'Part One' of a two-part album series," says John Galgano, who plays
bass with the band. "We have already started recording on the next part.
There is a concept but we'd prefer to let people take from it what they
get out of it, without the influence of our explanation." "There are many
new bands out there in the prog rock scene who try to recreate the spirit
of the good old Seventies. I for one always thought that IZZ isn’t simply
one of them. Yes, they may have lent some aspects of that retro sound but
IZZ is a truly special case here. The term 'recreating' doesn't really
cover their potential of the band, so 'reinventing' could be a better one
instead.". Although IZZ has its own unique sound there are several influences:
"Each person in the band brings a different aspect of music with them,
but there is certainly a shared passion for The Beatles, Genesis and Yes,"
says Brian Coralian, who with fellow drummer Greg DiMiceli makes up IZZ's
potent double-drumming duo. "But as individuals, our musical influences
and experiences run the 'genre' gamut from jazz to musical theater to classical
to latin to celtic." Some individual artists/bands who influence the members
of IZZ are Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, King Crimson, Jonatha Brooke, St. Vincent,
ABBA, Ben Folds, Marillion and Dave Brubeck just to name a few. IZZ’s new
studio album, The Darkened Room, offers the listener music which is at
once both adventurous yet still uniquely IZZ. "Each band member gives amazing
performances on this new record," says guitarist Paul Bremner, "but each
of us really keeps the song and melody at the forefront of our minds and
I think that is evident throughout the entire album." The current line-up
for The Darkened Room is: Tom Galgano: keyboards, vocals, Greg DiMiceli:
drums and percussion, Brian Coralian: electronic and acoustic drums and
percussion, Paul Bremner: electric and acoustic guitar, John Galgano: bass
guitar, acoustic/electric guitar, vocals and Anmarie Byrnes: vocals. "I
think with IZZ, the message is first and always about the music and more
specifically, the melody," says Tom Galgano, keyboardist, vocalist and
the band's producer and engineer. "The band members share a common passion
for developing melody and feel that much of the great music of the past
has a common thread - a memorable melody. So, one of our goals is always
about attempting our best to bring forth memorable, catchy, interesting
and creative music." "Without question one of the brightest lights
on the American symphonic prog scene, IZZ melds classic and modern prog
influences, strong melodies, and stirring guitar and synthesizer solos
into a familar yet refreshing musical stew. The new IZZ album album My
River Flows, their third full-length recording, shows the band's full musical
palette: from accessible yet complex songs mixing their Yes, Beatles, and
Gentle Giant affinities with a Radiohead spice to a dynamic, spiritually
uplifting multi-part symphonic suite." - NEARfest website. Even before
the release of IZZ's new opus, the band is back in the studio recording
the second part. "What is probably more a focus at this point is completing
the recording of Part 2 of this album series," John explains. "We've already
started the recording process and hope to have a follow up to The Darkened
Room soon. However, since all the members of IZZ consider the band to be
a band that you need to experience live, we will definitely sprinkle in
a good amount of live performances to promote and play out material for
The Darkened Room." In other news, IZZ was recently featured in the 2008
3RP Festival DVD along with the Flower Kings, Neal Morse, Spock's Beard,
California Guitar Trio and others. The DVD is available to purchase on
the 3RP official website www.3rprogfest.com. In addition, IZZ is starting
work on their own DVD that would include the band's electrifying performance
at NEARFest 2007. IZZ's The Darkened Room will be available from Amazon,
CDBaby, iTunes and your favorite online retailer. Vist the official IZZ
website for the most updated information. 11/18/2009
GUITARIST
DAVID MARK PEARCE DEBUTS NEW SINGLE
The
debut single "Tell Me Why" from David Mark Pearce’s forthcoming album,
"Strangeang3ls," will be available November 1, 2009 at David
Mark Pearce site. Pearce will be discussing the single as well as his
current projects on Paul Baker’s ‘Soundscapes,’ ARfm (http://www.arfm.co.uk)
November 1. The show airs from 3 – 6 UK time. "Tell Me Why" was written
and produced by Pearce, as well as features his signature guitar playing.
Also featured on the single are vocals by John Payne (of Asia featuring
JP) keyboardist Lisa LaRue, bassist Chris Brown (of Ghost Circus and Roswell
Six) and drummer Damian Rodd. David Mark Pearce is the guitarist for the
Oliver Wakeman Band, as well as co-producer and participant of the Lisa
LaRue Project 2K9. He has previously released a solo EP titled "Shelter
Me From the Rain," and is currently working on his long-awaited debut solo
CD, "Strangeang3ls" which is targeted for a Spring 2010 release. Pearce
was voted eighth Best Guitarist by Classic Rock Society Magazine, 2008.
Tell Me Why - David Mark Pearce & Strangeang3ls (featuring Lisa LaRue
and John Payne) "The latest release from David Mark Pearce, ‘Tell Me Why’
sees him join forces with John Payne (GPS, Asia) on vocals, Lisa LaRue
on keys, Chris Brown on bass & Damian Rodd on drums. The lead in to
the song is quite distinctive and gentle, leading straight into the full
on ‘classic rock’ style of the song. John Payne’s distinctive vocals sit
very nicely over the mid-paced song. There are subtle moments that move
this song onwards and upwards to a higher plane than the normal ‘classic
rock’ song. It isn’t over complicated, David sticking to his strengths,
controlled but powerful guitar, solid vocals and a vocal hook/chorus line
that will have to singing along straight away. As I said not over complicated
but not simple either, the song is complex enough to be captivating a very
solid and worthy effort as a follow up to the very promising ‘Shelter Me
From The Rain EP’. I’ve heard two versions of the song, the radio and full
edit, my personal preference is for the full version where the song grows
naturally into a six minute rock classic, the shorter ‘radio’ version doesn’t
really give the song enough room to show itself off to the full potential.
So for me, longer is better! More please David! " 11/18/2009
TILT
RELEASE DIGITAL SINGLE, 'LONG GONE', 12.10.09
The
band 'Tilt', which consists of musicians that have collaborated with artists
as diverse as KT Tunstall, Fish and Porcupine Tree release 'Long Gone'
from their acclaimed debut EP, 'Million Dollar Wound' as a 2-track digital
single on October 12th 2009. Featuring vocals from guest singer Kaela Rowan,
best known for her work with esteemed Scottish outfit 'Mouth Music', the
song shows a quieter, melancholic side to 'Tilt' and has already received
glowing reviews. 'Long Gone (edit)' is available exclusively on 12.10.09
as a 'pay-what-you-want' download from the bands BandCamp
site. 11/18/2009
SAD
NEWS FOR FMPM FANS: FMPM IS NO MORE...
For
four years now, they have worked tirelessly to bring about a high quality
and unique experience uniting live progressive music with fans in Montreal.
They are proud to say that, with lots of hard work and a little luck, they
managed to accomplish this each year without any major setbacks, watching
attendance rise from just over 200 in 2006 to a sold out event this year.
As all festival organizers know, the job is a year long one, unrelenting
and fraught with things that could go disastrously wrong. Fortunately for
us nothing did, although they dodged a few bullets with the passing of
Hatfield and the North’s drummer Pip Pyle a few weeks before the first
edition, while Vittorio Nocenzi of Banco suffered heart problems just months
before performing in 2008. Each FMPM was a blast, and every note heard
from the stage resonated into unforgettable experiences. Our goals were
not related to size or profit, but were instead to create a “happening”
with some of our favorite international bands, while showcasing Quebec’s
fine progressive artists. FMPM was always a “one year at a time” affair
which depended greatly on the availability of our time and the feasibility
of inviting some of our favorite bands to Montreal. And they were blessed
to be able to do this four times. So, it is with many mixed emotions that
they are deciding not to proceed with another FMPM. The decision not to
continue is not in any way based on finances, as the festival covered all
of its expenses this year following a few years of small and manageable
deficits. Nor is the decision based on any conflicts, as all FMPM team
members remain the best of friends and continue to work together in various
capacities. This decision is solely about the time and effort that both
of us, being the main organizers, need to devote year-round to making the
festival the best it can be. They have established high personal standards
for the line-up and production quality, and they believe, having read all
the positive comments year after year, that they could never accept offering
a festival with the FMPM name that isn’t up to these standards. But with
full time jobs and businesses to run, family obligations and many other
commitments and activities, it would be difficult for us to repeat what
we have achieved to date. So, they have chosen instead to end on a high
note, although they do plan to occasionally produce some one-off concerts
under the FMPM banner, and to continue promoting Quebec artists. As most
of you are aware, they are also the two principals of ProgresSon Music,
parent company of the ProgQuebec label, and our priority will continue
to be helping Quebec artists reissue their music and perform on stage when
possible. They are proud to say that in the five years since the label’s
founding, they have released 36 titles and returned around $75,000 in royalties
to Quebec musicians. So on this positive note, they wish to extend our
sincere thanks and appreciation to all those who helped out with FMPM and
everyone who attended the festival during the past four years, for sharing
such amazing music and experiences with us. 11/18/2009
MY
RUIN'S ALBUMS TO BE RE-RELEASED SOON
In
the mid 1990’s America was hit by the first wave of the nu-metal revolution,
with bands such as Korn and Deftones forcing their way into the mainstream.
The second wave followed soon after, spawning several more or less successful
groups wanting to forever change the face of heavy music. While some succeeded,
most were eventually sentenced to oblivion. From all those bands who prevailed,
My Ruin led by charismatic Tairrie B., is probably the most uncompromising
one. Opposite to weak songwriting, unimaginative riffs and jolly sing-a-long
choruses, this group delivered genuine heaviness and brutality, backed
by a powerful message which would generate real untamed emotions. These
exclusive re-releases of My Ruin’s first two albums will take you on a
an unforgettable journey through the dark and twisted corners of the human
soul… “Speak and Destroy” - The LP was released in 1999, immediately gaining
world-wide attention, with most success noted in the United Kingdom. Showcasing
a truly significant style, “Speak and Destroy” delivered a powerful combination
of modern heavy metal with a variety of vocals, from spoken word and rapping
to violent, merciless screaming. The album’s industrial edge helped the
overall sound balance between hardcore riffing and psychedelic melodies.
But the thing that made “Speak and Destroy” such a remarkable release was
the lyrical content. Tairrie focused on the darkest and most painful aspects
of her life, producing some of the most personal and thought-provoking
lyrics in the history of heavy music. “Horrible Pain (Within My Heart)”
reveals the duality of human nature, describing a demonic figure that’s
both frightening and fascinating. “Absolution” is a testimony of pain and
suffering caused by the loved one, ending with a violent promise of revenge.
“Cosmetic” criticizes the sacrifice of inner beauty in the name of shallow
appearance. “Blasphemous Girl” is a brutally honest self-analysis accompanied
by chugging guitar sounds comparable to early Soungarden or Hole. “Terror”,
a frightening monologue, reveals Tairrie’s strength as a woman and in the
following lines gives away the source of the group’s name: “Because nobody
is going to ruin me, if I have to I will ruin myself.. And it will be My
Ruin”. The lyrics incorporate various references to the Bible (especially
to the Book of Revelations), questioning the importance of religion and
existence of God, but also focusing on more earthly matters, such as sex
or sexism vs. feminism. One of the most surprising tracks on the album
is the cover version of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” – for many fans superior
not only to the original, but also to Marilyn Manson’s interpretation.
“A Pray Under Pressure Of Violent Anguish” - Released on September 18th,
2000, the album was best described by Tairrie herself during an interview
for Barcode webzine in 2001: “With A Prayer Under Pressure we give you
the antithesis to the rap-rock Limp Bizkit generation of desensitized,
copycat, transparent bands being shoved down America's throat”. Co-produced
by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Danzig), the LP included fourteen tracks
of material which out-weighed My Ruin’s debut offering in every way. The
band introduced an immensely heavier sound, lowering the guitar tone and
decreasing the amount of spoken/recited vocals in favor of full-on, gut-wrenching
screaming. At the same time the music gained a lot of diversity, thanks
to Mick’s stoner-influenced style of playing. Lyrically, Tairrie ventured
further into the dark side, broadening her horizons with careful studies
of social issues. “Sanctuary” stands out as a reality check for “true”
believers, exposing the frailty of their faith. “Letter To The Editor”
deals with dishonesty among members of the music press. “Beauty Fiend”
and “Stick It To Me” both criticize the shallow Hollywood style of life,
which ultimately leads to self-destruction. The album also features a guest
performance by Jessicka of Jack Off Jill on “Miss Anne Thrope”, as well
as two brilliant cover versions of “Do You Love Me” by Nick Cave and the
Bad Seeds, and “My War” by Black Flag. Metal Mind Productions will re-release
both albums on 2nd November in a new digipak edition, each limited to 1000
copies. Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on a golden disc. For
more about please visit Metal Mind
Productions Home Page, 11/18/2009
ZAPPA
VOCAL LEGEND NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK TO RELEASE VINTAGE LIVE RECORDINGS
Zappa
vocal legend and 2008 Grammy Award recipient Napoleon Murphy Brock plans
to release a CD of vintage live recordings in December 2009 entitled 'This
is What Frank Zappa Heard - Just in Case You Were Wondering - Live at the
Red Noodle in Waikiki, Hawaii'. Fans worldwide have heard Napoleon's extraordinairy
vocals, sax and flute on such beloved Zappa albums as 'Roxy & Elsewhere',
'One Size Fits All', 'Bongo Fury' and 'Thing Fish', not to mention his
work with keyboardist, and fellow Zappa alumni George Duke, as well as
the recent incarnation of the Grande Mothers Re-invented. On August 8th,
1973, Frank Zappa was alerted by his road manager, Marty Perellis, that
an incredible band with an extraordinary lead singer was performing downtown
to a standing room only audience … and that it might be wise that he come
and see this for himself. When Zappa went to the club and watched the show,
he saw a young talent sing, dance, play sax, flute and key boards, in a
manner that clearly made it appear that he was having more fun than even
the other patrons in the club. After two hours of observing and listening
to this young man and his very disciplined band of musicians, he introduced
himself as Frank Zappa, and the young man introduced himself as Napoleon
Murphy Brock. The next words out of Zappa’s mouth were, "You are my new
lead vocalist." "As I understand it, he had just finished touring Australia,
and they were getting ready to go to Europe a week or two after that,"
recalls Napoleon to Andrew Greenaway. "And he was taking a little break.
He stopped off in Hawaii for a week or so. And his road manager, Marty
Perellis, set Frank up in a hotel and then went out walking around in Hawaii
probably to see if he could get lucky or something! If you want a good
time, what better place to do it than in Hawaii? Hawaii is literally paradise.
And he came to a show of mine outside a nightclub at the Coral Reef hotel
and got curious as to why there was a line of people waiting to get into
a place on a Wednesday night. He didn't recognize the name of the band,
so he thought he'd get in line and come in and see why everybody was queuing
up. The reason that people would line up in front of the 'Red Noodle' every
night is because the club owners always hired us, and brought us to play
and perform for the local people of Hawaii. The locals would get off of
work between 10 pm and 11 pm. They had until 12 midnight to get in the
club, after which time the tourists would be let in until the club capacity
was met. We played 7 nights a week, from 10 pm until 4 am". The band's
name was "Communication Plus - music that 'communicates' to the listener
and dancer, 'plus' music you can feel," explained Napoleon. "Anyway, Marty
came into the club and saw us playing didn't recognise us, because no one
knew about us except the club owners that hired us and the people who came
to see us. He ran back to the hotel, woke Frank up and said, 'Hey, get
your clothes on, I just found your new lead vocalist'. Frank got up, came
by to the hotel, stood in line like anybody else and once he got in he
sat at the back of the room there weren't any seats. We were quite popular
there, because we were a band from the mainland. In Hawaii, a band from
the mainland if you play halfway decent music you're like a star, you have
star status over there. And also the music in Hawaii is like a month behind".
Napoleon joined Zappa's group in October 1973 and remained until 1976 recording
some of Zappa's most notable albums. This historic performance was taped
on TEAC 4 Track Reel to Reel on August 8th, 1973 and has been digitally
enhanced, and the final mix done in stereo surround sound in Hamburg, Germany.
It will put you at the next table to where Frank was sitting, and you will
experience what Frank Zappa experienced and what later was described as
"the audition of a lifetime". Some of the songs covered include Nilsson's
"Coconut", Carol King's "So Far Away", James Brown's "Make It Funky" and
Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" to name a few. 'This is What Frank Zappa
Heard - Just in Case You Were Wondering - Live at the Red Noodle in Waikiki,
Hawaii' is currently available for pre-order from Napoleon's official website.
He will also autograph copies on request. In other news, Napoleon will
be performing in concert with keyboard legend and fellow Zappa alumni George
Duke on October 31, 2009 at the Amsterdam Jazz Festival in the Netherlands.
The ensemble will be backed by the Metropole Orchestra. All the music performed
at the concert with the Metropole Orch will be original compositions written
by George Duke and Napoleon Murphy Brock only. For more information on
Napoleon
Murphy Brock visit his offical website. 11/18/2009
METAL
MIND PRODUCTION AND A SELECTED ALBUMS FROM IAN GILLAN'S DISCOGRAPHY
The
exclusive re-releases of the selected albums from Ian Gillan's discography
out in November. Could there possibly be a single rock fan on this planet
unfamiliar with the name Ian Gillan? Very unlikely. Best known as the lead
singer of the legendary group Deep Purple, Gillan took part in over forty
musical projects, from guest appearances to solo albums, each time proving
his extraordinary talent. Metal Mind Productions presents the exclusive
re-releases of the selected albums from Ian Gillan’s discography: “Naked
Thunder”, “Toolbox”, “Cherkazoo & Other Stories”, “Clear Air Turbulance”
(Ian Gillan Band), “Scarabus” (Ian Gillan Band) and “Accidentally on Purpose”
(Gillan/Glover). For more about all releases please visit Metal
Mind Productions Home Page. 11/18/2009
DIO
- RE-RELEASE OF THE LIVE ALBUM "EVIL OR DIVINE - LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY"
Ronnie
James Dio is without question one of the most famous and respected singers
in the entire history of heavy metal. Known from his solo career and such
legendary bands as Rainbow and Black Sabbath, Dio is often recognized for
his extremely powerful voice, which throughout the years became his trademark.
In late 1982 Ronnie James Dio and fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer
Vinny Appice, formed a band that was not meant to be a solo project but
a band as a whole. Ronnie recruited an old bassist that had served his
time with him in the band Rainbow, Jimmy Bain. Along with a hot new guitarist
out of Ireland, Vivian Campbell, this band was to become DIO! This exclusive
re-release of “Evil or Divine – Live in New York City” brings a truly unique
collection of some of the greatest and most memorable songs in Dio’s catalogue,
brilliantly performed at the Roseland ballroom in New York City in 2002.
The set list includes songs that span the length of Dio's distinguished
career. Though favoring his early solo works, there is a bit of Rainbow,
as well as Black Sabbath. Including such remarkable songs as “Long Live
Rock and Roll”, “Heaven and Hell”, “Stand Up and Shout”, “Don't Talk to
Strangers” and “Holy Diver”, this album is a must-have for all true fans
of heavy metal. The new digipak edition is limited to 1000 copies. Digitally
remastered using 24-Bit process, released on a golden disc. Metal Mind
Productions set the release date for 2nd November. For more about all releases
please visit Metal Mind Productions
Home Page. 11/18/2009
LION'S
SHARE SIGN RUSSIAN LICENSING DEAL WITH SOYUZ MUSIC
Swedish
melodic heavy metal masters LION'S SHARE have inked a Russian licensing
deal with SOYUZ MUSIC for the release of their critically acclaimed "Dark
Hours" album. The follow-up to 2007's "Emotional Coma" was mixed and mastered
by Jens Bogren (OPETH, SYMPHONY X, PARADISE LOST, AMON AMARTH) and features
guest appearances by SYMPHONY X guitarist Mike Romeo (guest solo on "Behind
The Curtain"), and drummers Conny Pettersson (from Earache Records death
metal act ANATA) and Richard Evensand (CHIMAIRA, SOILWORK). A free download
of the first single "Judas Must Die" is available at Blistering
Records. and the video for the same song at Youtube.
"Dark Hours" is out on Blistering Records in Europe and North America and
on King Records in Japan. 11/18/2009
KANSAS
- THERE'S KNOW PLACE LIKE HOME
New
Kansas DVD produced by Real 2 Reel Studios, using a SoundField Mark V mic
and SP451 5.1 processor. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: With a career span of almost
30 years and 19 albums, Kansas is always looking for new ways to seize
the spirit of their music and performances. Having recorded eight gold
albums, three sextuple-Platinum albums, and one platinum live album and
a million-selling gold single, "Dust in the Wind", the band has constantly
demanded the best in quality of the latest recording devices. Kansas recently
took a venture into a new world of DVD 5.1 surround audio and film production
with the help of a Georgia favorite for film and audio production, Real
2 Reel Studios. Recording a live performance in Atlanta for a new Kansas
live DVD entitled "Device Voice Drum", Real 2 Reel incorporated the new
Soundfield Mark V/SP451 5.1 surround microphone package to capture live
realism and spaciousness from the concert performance. The live concert,
held at the Earthlink Live venue in Atlanta, Georgia on June 15th, was
a DVD filming exclusive performed for hard-core Kansas fans only. In fact,
the only place to buy tickets to the event was on the band's website. Real
2 Reel's project director Michie Turpin, and director of photography Steve
Shepard used six film cameras, four video cameras, and a Sony 3348 digital
tape machine recording on all 48 tracks to capture the live performance.
Six of the 48 digital audio tracks were dedicated to the SP451's 5.1 outputs
for the entire concert for ambience and 5.1 surround. The elaborate live
production included a string quartet for "Dust in the Wind" and a seventy-four
person choir for the song "Preacher", and included performances of all
the Kansas greats. The concert closed with "Carry on Wayward Son". Even
with intelligent mic placement, recording multi-channel 5.1 surround audio
for such a production could bring about frequency cancellation problems
that could ruin an entire mix. As co-owner and engineer Steve Rawls explains,
"One of our concerns was how we were going to get the live feel and sound
of the concert for the 5.1 mix without frequency cancellation or physical
mic placement problems. Those concerns turned out to not even be an issue
once we introduced the Mark V/SP451 system. It captured all of the wonderful
ambience of the concert flawlessly and beautifully from one microphone."
The Soundfield Mark V/SP451 surround microphone package utilizes the Mark
V's special capsule array and a separate SP451 preamp/processor control
unit to provide multi-channel audio from a single point source. The SP451
also offers enhanced control over right, left and right/left surround positions
by plus or minus forty-five degrees from "center", which gives engineers
a unique approach to providing audio to the top-notch 5.1 outputs in truly
creative ways. "This microphone system does everything it is advertised
to do," states Rawls. "You can literally change the position of the microphone
in the room without ever physically touching the microphone. It's phenomenal,
and the sound of the Mark V matched with the SP451's preamps is simply
incredible." The Mark V microphone was suspended about ten feet down from
the grid with the lighting trusses, about half way between the band's front
line and the back wall of the venue. The control unit was located in the
production booth, above and behind the crowd. Microphones used on the choir
were AKG414s, a Neumann TLM 193, and Neumann TLM 103s. The preamps used
were 32 channels of Millennia Media for vocals and keyboards and 16 channels
of API microphone preamps for drums and violins. Film cameras were all
Aton XTR super 16mm format production packages with the exception of one
Arri SR2 film camera as a handheld. The live DVD, "Device Voice Drum",
which is planned to be released on October 8th, is now in the post-production
phase with Real 2 Reel. The engineers and band are thrilled with what the
Mark V/SP451 system has done for the production. Rawls states, "When the
band came in to listen to the song our engineer James Cobb just eased up
on the faders for the Mark V/SP451 surround system and literally three
of the five of the band members said 'What did you just do? That sounds
great.' All he had done was bring up the Soundfield surround 'mic' for
ambience to give the mix that 'concert feel'. Therefore, we will be using
the Mark V and SP451 largely in the surround mix. The ambience and the
realism it added to the tracks is spectacular and wonderful," explains
Rawls. In addition to the live DVD, an audio companion double-disk CD set
is planned for release. The DVD will contain approximately an hour and
forty minutes of concert footage with forty minutes of additional content.
Additional content will contain behind the scenes footage, interviews with
the band members, and a Kansas discography. For more about please visit
Kansas
Home Page. 11/18/2009
MARILLION
AND THE ALBUM "LESS IS MORE" WILL BE RELEASED IN THE UK ON MONDAY 5TH OCTOBER.
EarMUSIC,
the international pop-rock label of European entertainment group Edel,
is proud to announce the release of the new studio album by worldwide acclaimed
UK band Marillion. The album "Less Is More" will be released in the UK
on Monday 5th October. Tracklisting: 01. Go, 02. Interior Lulu, 03. Out
Of This World, 04. Wrapped Up In Time, 05. The Space, 06. Hard As Love,
07. Quartz, 08. If My Heart Were A Ball, 09. It's Not Your Fault, 10. The
Memory Of Water and 11. This Is The 21st Century (plus additional hidden
track). Hailed as one of the English music scene's best kept secrets; Marillion
were chart aficionados during the eighties have since been one of the few
names in pop to get more and more creative and fascinating album after
album. The band are constantly reinventing themselves while keeping the
unique sound that made them loved by millions of fans all over the world.
The new studio album "Less Is More", released in cooperation with the band's
own label Intact, sees the band performing hits from their back catalogue
in an acoustic style. It's a chance for Marillion to shine a new light
into their songs, pushing them into unexpected new musical territory that
showcases the essence of their songs in an alternative, intimate and exciting
format. Less is more... Marillion have created an album of pop avant-garde
experiment, depriving the songs of their original dress and reconstructing
them with a new, minimal and intimate approach. Says Steve Hogarth - "This
album has exceeded our own expectations in every way - musically, spiritually
and sonically so it's perfect that fate has decreed that we work with earMUSIC/Edel
- a label we respect - and Max Vaccaro, someone who demonstrably understands
us and is driven by a genuine enthusiasm for our music." In addition to
the highly anticipated release of "Less Is More", the band will play a
series of low-key acoustic concerts in the UK and Ireland. When Fish, Marillion's
original lead singer, left the band in 1988 after four albums he was replaced
by the charismatic Steve Hogarth. A former member of The Europeans and
some-time collaborator with 'The The' and Julian Cope, Hogarth brought
a new heart and energy to the band. Predictions of doom were swiftly dispelled,
as across a further NINE albums, Hogarth - along with existing members
Steve Rothery (guitar), Mark Kelly (keyboards), Pete Trewavas (bass), and
Ian Mosley (drums) - reinvigorated and constantly redefined Marillion's
sound. They forged into new musical territories with a succession of inventive,
emotional albums, displaying little regard to the vagaries of The Musical
Fashion Police, or the bandwagoneering of radio playlists. After the release
of 1999's 'marillion.com' the band banished the spectre of record company
pressure once and for all by launching their own record label (the aptly-named
Intact imprint) and freeing themselves up to produce some of the finest
music of their career. Thanks to their pioneering embrace of the Internet,
Marillion have developed a unique and intimate relationship with their
fans. From sponsoring entire tours of the USA to funding the recording
of recent albums, Marillion's global fan-base is unique in its affection
and dedication. As a result, such passionate, wholesale support has allowed
Marillion to step outside of the conventional music industry and find their
own path. In 2001 'Anoraknophobia' saw Marillion take the groundbreaking
step of asking fans to pre-order an album 12 months before release. An
amazing 12,000 people signed up, helping to finance the recording. The
band once again took pre-orders for the 2004 masterpiece 'Marbles,' but
this time the money was channelled into a campaign fund to promote its
launch. When singles 'Don't Hurt Yourself' and 'You're Gone' breached the
UK top 20 - the latter making it all the way to number 7 - jaws were dropped
right across the music world - Not bad going for a band without major label
backing. It was merely the latest twist in a 23-year-long history of a
group who have held on to the conviction that what they're doing MEANS
something real. In the face of ignorance and apathy, Marillion continue
to defy preconceptions and labelling. The band has evolved into a vibrant,
musical force. To those who already love Marillion, they're something special.
To everyone else they're a love affair waiting to happen. Their 2007 album
'Somewhere Else' reached number 24 in the UK album chart with their most
recent single "Thankyou Whoever You Are" hitting the UK singles chart at
number 15. Their last studio album 'Happiness Is The Road' is a 110 minute
2CD set, with the first album entitled 'Essence' - an adventurous musical
trip exploring life's biggest question "What's it all about?" Alongside
their signature rock orchestration, Happiness Is The Road also references
elements of pop, dub and soul and draws influence from artist's as diverse
as The Beach Boys and Marvin Gaye to Interpol, The Doors, Traffic, Pink
Floyd and David Bowie. For more about please visit Marillion
Official Website. 10/01/2009
THE
FLAMING LIPS NEW STUDIO ALBUM
Pre-order
your copy of the brand new Flaming Lips studio album. In stores October
13th! A Deluxe LIMITED EDITION 2CD+DVD set bundled with an exclusive lithograph
is available only in the official Flaming Lips store. Embryonic Deluxe
Limited Edition 2CD+DVD. Custom designed by The Flaming Lips and George
Salisbury, this Deluxe Edition includes: 2 CD with 18 full tracks - over
70 minutes of music. Bonus audio DVD of the album in it's full dynamic
range (96k 24 bit audio that has 256 times more resolution than a standard
CD) - experience exactly what the band and producer hear in the studio!
Digipack comes inside of a custom "fur" box with booklet of full color
art, lyrics and band photos Exclusive lithograph featuring the Embryonic
cover artwork - a limited number will be AUTOGRAPHED! Also, ten fans that
pre-order Embryonic from the Flaming Lips store will get a pair of tickets
to the Flaming Lips New Year's Eve concert in Oklahoma City! For more about
please visit The Flaming Lips
Home Page. 10/01/2009
WITHIN
TEMPTATION WILL BE RELEASING A NEW ACOUSTIC LIVE ALBUM
As
you already know, they will be releasing a new acoustic live CD on November
2nd. 'An Acoustic Night At The Theatre' will feature many of their biggest
hits, played live and acoustic during their seated tour last year. This
album will also have a new song on it, entitled 'Utopia'. This song is
a duet between Sharon and a new English singer who goes by the name of
Chris Jones. They've just put the video for this song online on their Youtube-channel!
In the coming weeks, they'll be posting regional updates on the album on
their websites. As a start, they'd like to mention their UK streetteam.
Join them and they will let we know when to start calling radio stations,
etc in the UK. If you want to hear 'Utopia' on the radio in Finland, make
sure to send e-mails to: www.ylex.fi, www.nrj.fi, www.voice.fi, www.radionova.fi,
www.metrofm.fi and www.radioaalto.fi. The full tracklisting of 'An Acoustic
Night at the Theatre' is as follows: 1. Towards The End, 2. Stand My Ground,
3. Caged, 4. All I Need, 5. Frozen, 6. Somewhere (feat. Anneke van Giersbergen),
7. The Cross, 8. Pale, 9. What Have You Done (feat. Keith Caputo), 10.
Memories, 11. Forgiven and 12. Utopia (feat. Chris Jones). Of course you
can now order this album and the single (only available in stores in the
Benelux!) through their webshop. Meanwhile, the presale for the rerun of
their seated shows in the Benelux is going very fast. A few of them are
sold already, 8 months in advance! They look forward to those shows as
they will be the first ones they'll do after having spent so much time
in the studio. They hope to see you there, check their website for all
the tourdates. For more about please visit Within
Temptation Home Page. 10/01/2009
HOSTSONATEN
NEW PROJECT TITLED "AUTUMNSYMPHONY" (PART II OF 'SEASONCYCLE SUITE')
Hostsonaten
is one of the many Fabio Zuffanti projects. Fabio is one of the most cretive
and active italian musician of the last 15 years, band leader in groups
such as Finisterre, Maschera Di Cera, Quadraphonic, laZona, Aries and with
a solo career under his name. Zuffanti give life to Hostsonaten in 1996
becoming the leader and only composer with the aid of many musicians friends.
Hostsonaten's music is inspired manly by nordic prog rock style with jazzy,
folk, ethnic, and classical flavours. After the first two albums in 1996
and 1998 Fabio decided to create a large project in four albums: a 'musical
painting' in four movements dedicated to the four seasons. The title of
the whole opera is 'Sesasoncycle Suite' and, at this moment, part IV (Springsong,
2002. Reprinted in a new version in 2009) and part III (Winterthrough,
2008), dedicated to spring and winter, has been published. Hostsonaten's
albums has reach a great critical and selling success in the whole world.
After the historical Italian bands of the '70s Zuffanti is the most important
and well-know italian prog artist of the new italian progressive scene.
Autumnsymphony continue his trip through the seasons representing the 2nd
part of the 'Sesasoncycle Suite'. In that album the malinchonic feeling,
that will reach his top on the winter chapter, give life to many moments
of pure musical poetry. The music seems often like a lost soundtrack of
some Andreij Tarkowskij' movie, a very important director and one
of the greatest inspiration for Fabio's music and life. The jazzy inflences
(mainly english jazz, the one of groups such as Nucleus), more evident
in this album, are unite with a chamber music mood. The acoustic instruments
(violas, violins, cello, trumpet, double bass, etc...) is often suppotend
by a rock rhytm section with great mellotron and moog sounds. The voice,
for the first time in the 'Sesasoncycle Suite', fly high and bring the
autumnal vortex to the winter spirals, fall deep in the abyss and left
the listener alone with his emotions. Autumnsymphony comes out for AMS/VM2000
label, with BTF distribution and will be available by september 21, 2009
in a de-luxe digipack vinly replica packaging. This is the tracklist: 01.
Open windows to autumn, 02. Leaves in the well (Including Riverbank prelude),
03. Out of water, 04. Nightswan i, 05. Nightswan ii, 06. As the night gives
birth to the morning, 07. Trees in November, 08. Elegy and 09. Autumn's
last breath / The gates of winter. The musicians involved in the project
are: bass guitar, bass pedals, acoustic & electric guitar, fender rhodes,
mellotron, minimoog: Fabio Zuffanti drums: Federico Foglia double bass:
Pietro Martinelli stick: Carlo Barreca cello: Giacomo Villa viola, violin:
Osvaldo Loi flute, piccolo: Marco Moro oboe: Andrea Benassi trumpet: Michele
Bernabei sax, bagpipe: Edmondo Romano grand piano, koto, special effects:
Robbo Vigo classical & lead electric guitars: Matteo Nahum voice: Simona
Angioloni. The album is available on beautiful vinly replica gatefold cover
+ 12 pages booklet on AMS/VM2000 label BTF.
For more about please visit Fabio
Zuffanti projects Home Page. 10/01/2009
KINGCROW
AND “PHLEGETHON” COVER ARTWORK REVEALED
The
cover artwork for Kingcrow's new album, "PHLEGETHON", can be viewed at
the following link.
Also available on the same page is a “Speed Painting” videoclip, so you
can view the “making” of the artwork by Devilnax while listening to the
new track “Evasion”. You can also listen to an excerpt of another song
titled “Fading Out PT. III” at the official MySpace
page of the band. 10/01/2009
TILES
The
writing process is in full swing. They've got sketches of about 15
songs in various stages of completion - and have even resurrected the "Destiny
Undelivered" song cycle from the Window Dressing-era vaults. They'll
be periodically auditioning new tunes as they continue to play throughout
the Detroit area. Also being tossed around is the possibility of a limited
edition 15th anniversary live CD. Yes..., the international release
of their of debut CD will turn 15 in 2010 - so they figured they should
do "something." They've never released a proper live recording and
feel that maybe it's the right kind of commemoration. More details please
visit Tiles Home Page.
10/01/2009
OSADA
VIDA RETURNS THIS AUTUMN WITH A BRAND NEW ALBUM
Progressive
rock band Osada Vida returns this Autumn with their third full-length album
- “Uninvited Dreams”. Their brand new offering is a follow up to the highly
acclaimed albums „Three Seats Behind A Triangle” (2007) and "The Body Parts
Party" (2008). Rafal Paluszek (keyboards) says about their work in the
studio: “When we started to work on a new album in early February,
we were focused on one thing - there would be no compromises. We had no
idea what the title would be, how expensive gear we would have to use to
record it, or what the front cover should look like. What we all were sure
about though was that on our new album a lot of things would happen. When
composing, we realized how much the new music is diversified. Therefore,
good mixing would be very important and had to be done by professionals.
Marcin Chlebowski, with whom we had a pleasure to work for the third time,
did a great job as an engineer and a producer of the new album. He managed
to strengthen the power of the heaviest parts as well as emphasize the
gentleness of more atmospheric moments, giving them more space. Thanks
to him the music sounds now very selective. This album has definitely the
best sound of all Osada Vida’s releases.” As it was with their previous
releases, Osada Vida manifests a wide variety of influences and styles:
symphonic prog-rock, neo-prog, prog metal, alternative rock and metal.
“Uninvited Dreams” is yet another concept-album that draws from the tradition
of ambitious rock distinctive of Yes, Porcupine Tree and Pain Of Salvation.
“Uninvited Dreams” will be released by Metal Mind Productions on 23rd November
in Europe and 1st December in USA (via MVD). The album will be available
in two editions: as a standard jewel case CD and as a digipak with bonus
tracks. More details to follow soon, or visit Metal
Mind Productions Home Page. 09/13/2009
ELOY
IS BACK WITH A NEW ALBUM AND ALSO A DOUBLE DVD
ELOY
have not been active as a band since 1998, the demand for their music is
still remarkable. Their work has had a significant impact on the history
of rock, and many a journalist, as well as numerous fans, who even consider
them to be "the best progressive rockband ever". The music seems to reverberate
forever and keeps being rediscovered. It fascinates and touches many fans,
above all, those who appreciate emotional, complexly symphonic rock-music
with atmospheric sound creations, pulsating rhythms and massive guitars,
combined with lyrics which escape irrelevance, performed in a way to transport
the listener to another world. The strong feedback from all parts of the
world, which has been around for many years, eventually reached the musicians
themselves. And so Frank Bornemann, lead singer, guitarist and producer
of ELOY, has brought the band together again for a 40th anniversary reunion.
After a break of eleven years, they have launched a new album which recaptures
the spirit of the early years. The album carries the title "Visionary"
and will be available in shops at the end of 2009. Furthermore, ELOY fans
are awaiting, with the arrival of »The Legacy Box«, a comprehensive
retrospective in the form of a double DVD. The first ever official ELOY
DVD contains numerous videos and TV recordins from all the band's periods,
as well as a comprehensive documentary of the band's history with interviews,
a photo gallery and many further features. »The Legacy Box«
will be available in Spring 2010. Though the members of the band are scattered
throughout the cities of Europe, they are still connected by the common
bond of their unique music, which brings them back together again when
the time comes. For more about please visit Eloy
Home Page. 09/13/2009
MANDALABAND
and ANCESTORS THEIR NEW ALBUM
A
strange thing has happened. More than thirty years after Mandalaband I
and II were released in the 1970s, two new Mandalaband albums are miraculously
about to appear, like a mirage on the eastern desert horizon. Four of the
principal musicians from the original era are still very much a part of
the new project - Ashley Mulford (guitars, Mandalaband I & Sad Café);
Woolly Wolstenholme (keyboards, Mandalaband II, BJH & Maestoso); Kim
Turner (drums/percussion, Mandalaband II & Maestoso); and David Rohl
(writer, engineer, producer & keyboards for both albums). But now the
new, third incarnation of Mandalaband has been joined by Troy Donockley
(Iona & the Bad Shepherds) on pipes, whistles and guitars; Jose Manuel
Medina (Last Knight) on keyboards; Marc Atkinson (Gabriel & Riversea)
on vocals; Geoffrey Richardson (Caravan, The Penguin Café Orchestra
& the Murray Head band) on violin, viola, flute, clarinet & guitars;
Craig Fletcher (BJH) on bass; and Barbara & Briony Macanas on vocals.
So far, two new albums have been recorded, on and off, over a two-year
period (staring in February 2007) in a small studio atop a Spanish mountain
over-looking the Mediterranean Sea. The first 'BC - Ancestors' is scheduled
for release in October 2009 on the Legend label. The second 'AD - Sangreal'
will then be released in Summer 2010. There are then plans afoot to put
the whole show on the road, playing material from both of the new albums
and the previous two albums from the 1970s. These are unashamedly 'symphonic'
rock albums in which the seven band composers have attempted to create
majestic themes, with touches of Celtic and ambient atmosphere, intended
to reflect the ancient and medieval world subject matter. The orchestrations
are complex and full of depth, with few concessions to the standard four-piece
rock band formula. The rhythm patterns are richly textured, drawing from
Middle Eastern, African and Celtic cultures. But the melodies are simple,
melodic and memorable. We hope you like what you hear. Tracks: Ancestors
Overture, Eden, Nimrod, Shemsu Har, Karum Kanesh, Babylon, The Sons Of
Anak, Aten, Ozymandias, Solomon The Wise, Akhyawa, The Wine Dark Sea, Elissa
and Roots. For more about you can visit Mandalaband
Home Page. 09/13/2009
STRATOVARIUS
- RE-RELEASE OF THE EPIC DOUBLE ALBUM "ELEMENTS"
Stratovarius
is without question one of the most recognizable and respected bands in
the history of progressive power metal. Over the last 20 years the group
released 12 LPs and a number of compilation and live albums. “Elements”,
the epic double offering from 2003 is by many fans considered as Stratovarius’
most ambitious and monumental work yet. These two exclusive re-releases
of “Elements Pt.1” and “Elements Pt.2” bring back some of the most enchanting
sounds found within the power metal genre. The monumental albums brilliantly
combine power metal heaviness with progressive soundscapes, bringing some
of the most memorable compositions in the band’s career. “Elements Pt.1”,
the first of two albums forming a beautifully written suite, starts off
with the catchy mid-tempo opener “Eagleheart”, which resembles a bit “Hunting
High and Low” from “Infinite”. It’s followed by “Soul of a Vagabond”, a
strongly keyboard-oriented track with plenty of orchestral parts and a
driving riff similar to the one from Dio’s “Holy Diver”. The next song,
“Find Your Own Voice”, as well as the latter “Learning to Fly” represent
the typical fast-paced Stratovarius style, with some extremely high-pitched
vocals by Kotipelto. “Fantasia” and “Elements” are the album’s longest
and most memorable compositions – filled with choir and orchestral arrangements,
both tracks showcase true musical mastery. Other highlights include the
instrumental powerhouse “”Stratofortress”, with some amazing guitar/keyboard
battles, and the epic, dreamy song “Papillion”. The album ends with “A
Drop in the Ocean”, a beautiful acoustic ballad. New digipak edition includes
3 bonus tracks. “Elements Pt.2” saw the light of day on October 27th, the
same year as “Pt.1”. The opening track, “Alpha & Omega”, begins with
the sound of rolling waves (the same sound which concluded the first part
of the suite) and develops into an epic hymn with an outstanding vocal
performance by Kotipelto. The song is followed by two fast-paced tracks
– “I Walk To My Own Song” and “I’m Alive”. Next up is the album’s first
ballad, “Season of Faith’s Perfection”, which transforms into the monumental
“Awaken the Giant”, a powerful song clearly inspired by Black Sabbath.
“Know the Difference” is another speedy power metal track, while “Luminous”
brilliantly showcases the band’s progressive influences. The following
track, “Dreamweaver”, is yet another Stratovarius classic – a strong, epic
composition, sounding like Rush combined with metal. “Elements Pt.2” ends
with a piano ballad “Liberty”, an amazing conclusion to this enchanting
suite. Metal Mind Productions will re-release “Elements Pt.1” & “Pt.2”
on 21st September in Europe and 1st December in USA (via MVD). Both titles
will be available in a new digipak edition, each limited to 2000 copies.
Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on a golden disc. Bio - The beginnings
of Stratovarius reach back to 1984, when three musicians – Tuomo Lassila
(drums/vocals), John Vihervä (bass) and Staffan Stråhlman (guitar)
formed a band called Black Water. In 1985, by Stråhlman’s idea, that
name was changed to Stratovarius, a portmanteau of Stratocaster and Stradivarius.
Later that year Stråhlman parted with the group and a young guitarist
Timo Tolkki stepped in as his replacement. He also took on the vocal duties,
as well as assumed most of the songwriting. His presence brought in the
rock and neo-classical influences, which later became the band’s trademark.
In 1987 Stratovarius recorded their first demo (featuring the songs “Future
Shock”, “Fright Night” and “Night Screamer”), which they sent to numerous
record labels. Finally, CBS Finland decided to give the group a chance
and in 1988 released Stratovarius’ two singles – “Future Shock” and “Black
Night”, followed in 1989 by a full-length album – “Fright Night”. The LP
was considered by reviewers as a very promising debut, but that didn’t
satisfy the label, which dropped the band within a year. After some personnel
changes, Stratovarius returned in 1991 with a new record deal (Bluelight
Records) and a new album, called simply “Stratovarius II”. Unfortunately,
the cooperation with the new label didn’t turn out as well as expected,
hence Stratovarius moved to Noise Records in 1992 and re-released their
second opus under the new title “Twilight Time”. The third album, “Dreamscape”,
followed in 1994 and featured the band’s new bass player – Jari Kainulaien.
1994 also welcomed another grand change in the group’s lineup, when Timo
Kotipelto was hired as a full-time vocalist. The first album with Timo
on vocals – “Fourth Dimension” – was released in 1995 and proved to be
a great success, taking Stratovarius’ music on a whole new level. Unfortunately,
the fresh musical direction was not accepted by the band’s original drummer
Tuomo Lassila, who soon left Stratovarius along with keyboardist Antii
Ikonen. Fortunately, the group soon found worthy replacements: Swedish
keyboardist Jens Johansson and German drummer Jörg Michael. With this
line-up the group began working on their fifth opus – “Episode”. Released
in July 1996, the album proved to be a breaking point in Stratovarius’
career, offering brilliantly arranged music executed with truly epic measures
(the LP featured a large choir and a string orchestra). “Episode” became
known as the band’s most successful release to date. It was followed by
three other albums in the following years: “Visions” (1997), “Destiny”
(1999) and “Infinite” (2000). On January 27th, 2003 Stratovarius released
“Elements Pt.1” – the first of two albums forming a beautifully written
suite, which proved to be their most epic project yet. The album starts
off with the catchy mid-tempo opener “Eagleheart”, which resembles a bit
“Hunting High and Low” from “Infinite”. It’s followed by “Soul of a Vagabond”,
a strongly keyboard-oriented track with plenty of orchestral parts and
a driving riff similar to the one from Dio’s “Holy Diver”. The next song,
“Find Your Own Voice”, as well as the latter “Learning to Fly” represent
the typical fast-paced Stratovarius style, with some extremely high-pitched
vocals by Kotipelto. “Fantasia” and “Elements” are the album’s longest
and most memorable compositions – filled with choir and orchestral arrangements,
both tracks showcase true musical mastery. Other highlights include the
instrumental powerhouse “”Stratofortress”, with some amazing guitar/keyboard
battles, and the epic, dreamy song “Papillion”. The album ends with “A
Drop in the Ocean”, a beautiful acoustic ballad. “Elements Pt.2”
saw the light of day on October 27th, the same year as “Pt.1”. The opening
track, “Alpha & Omega”, begins with the sound of rolling waves (the
same sound which concluded the first part of the suite) and develops into
an epic hymn with an outstanding vocal performance by Kotipelto. The song
is followed by two fast-paced tracks – “I Walk To My Own Song” and “I’m
Alive”. Next up is the album’s first ballad, “Season of Faith’s Perfection”,
which transforms into the monumental “Awaken the Giant”, a powerful song
clearly inspired by Black Sabbath. “Know the Difference” is another speedy
power metal track, while “Luminous” brilliantly showcases the band’s progressive
influences. The following track, “Dreamweaver”, is yet another Stratovarius
classic – a strong, epic composition, sounding like Rush combined with
metal. “Elements Pt.2” ends with a piano ballad “Liberty”, an amazing conclusion
to this enchanting suite. After the release of both “Elements” albums,
Timo Kotipelto and Jörg Michael decided to leave Stratovarius, leaving
the band in pieces. Fortunately, in 2005 the original line-up was reformed,
with the addition of new bass player Lauri Porra, who replaced Jari Kainulaien
after his departure in June. The group released a self-titled album in
September and went on an excessive world tour. In 2008 Timo Tolkki officially
stated that he would no longer be a part of Stratovarius, leaving the name
rights to the remaining band members. The most recent album by Stratovarius
is “Polaris”, released in May 2009. “Elements Pt.1” & “Pt.2” remain
Stratovarius’ bravest musical endeavors yet. The monumental albums brilliantly
combine power metal heaviness with progressive soundscapes, bringing some
of the most memorable compositions in the band’s career. And taking you
on a journey you will never forget. For more about please visit Metal
Mind Productions Home Page. 09/13/2009
LAVA
ENGINE UNDER MANAGEMENT
Things
have happened since last, but of course mainly behind the curtain. The
biggest news is that we've met once with our new bassplayer but this was
more like an introduction and presentation of the current songs and so
on. We'll follow up with a weekend within short where some hard groundwork
will be done, involving Simon Dahlström to the Lava Engine line-up.
He will be a part of our next live occasions for those who wonder. The
next happening to mention is that we are now under a management who will
handle all/most of our booking requests and in general act as a hunter
of live gigs for the sake of Lava. We're talking about Undertaker Management
and in person known as Robert "Bubba" Bohlenius. Some of you may have heard
about him, or know him quite well since he's for a fact a talker and has
for sure been around. Let's hope for the best with all this. Two gigs are
in progress though which has been in the system for quite a while now,
and before the arrival of the mangement. If all goes well and in the direction
we want, we'll be able to present to you one gig in Jönköping
quite soon AND another one in Gothenburg. The last mentioned is the one
that's most confirmed and will be published quite soon. For more about
please visit Lava Engine website.
09/13/2009
RENAISSANCE
2009 TO CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ENGLAND’S “CLASSICAL ROCK”
PIONEERS WITH SPECIAL FALL EAST COAST TOUR
Annie
Haslam and Michael Dunford to Lead World-Class Musicians on 9-City Concert
Tour of Theaters and Performing Arts Centers Starting Oct. 6. In celebration
of their 1969 formation, English "classical rock" pioneers Renaissance
are embarking on a special 40th Anniversary Fall Concert Tour to re-introduce
to new generations the lush, orchestral favorites that made them a staple
of 1970s progressive rock radio. Led by Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford,
the voice and principal songwriter, respectively, of the band’s most popular
lineup, RENAISSANCE 2009 will embark on a nine-city East Coast tour of
theaters and performing arts centers that commences Oct. 6 in Annapolis,
MD, and includes New York, Philadelphia and Washington, home to the nation’s
top progressive rock stations during the classic Renaissance era. "I'm
thrilled to be performing these truly unique masterpieces again," says
Haslam, whose five-octave voice is one of the most legendary in rock history.
“These songs are a big part of my life and I will sing my heart out." Joining
Haslam and Dunford in RENAISSANCE 2009 are keyboardist Rave Tesar and bassist-vocalist
David J. Keyes, both of whom were previous members of Renaissance and the
Annie Haslam Band, plus keyboardist-vocalist Tom Brislin (Yes, Debbie Harry,
Meat Loaf, Francis Dunnery) and drummer-percussionist Frank Pagano (Bruce
Springsteen, Smashing Pumpkins, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow). Together,
these world class musicians will revisit the symphonic textures, stunning
vocals and poetic lyrics that embody the band’s hauntingly compelling international
themes, with fresh interpretations of their most admired compositions.
“Carpet of the Sun,” “Ocean Gypsy,” “Mother Russia,” "Ashes Are Burning,"
“Running Hard,” “Prologue,” and "Northern Lights" are central to Renaissance’s
most prolific period (1972-78), which produced the albums Prologue, Ashes
Are Burning, Turn of the Cards, Novella, Scheherazade and Other Stories,
and A Song for All Seasons, as well as 'Live' at Carnegie Hall (1976),
the deluxe two-disc set recently reissued. Renaissance originally rose
from the ashes of the Yardbirds, with Haslam and Dunford joining at the
dawn of the 1970s to define their work with folk rock and classical fusions,
including quotations from and allusions to, such composers as Bach, Chopin,
Debussy, and Rachmaninoff. It wasn’t long before influential progressive
rock FM stations like WNEW (New York), WMMR (Philadelphia) and WHFS (Washington)
were turning on America to Renaissance, while the band was thrilling concertgoers
on the world’s most distinguished stages, from Carnegie Hall in New York
City to the Royal Albert Hall in London. "We've wanted to bring these songs
to American audiences again and now with these great musicians," adds Michael
Dunford, "I'm looking forward to it with great anticipation." For more
about visit Annie Haslam Home
page, or visit RENAISSANCE
Home page. 09/13/2009
BONES
OF FREEDOM HAVE JUST RELEASED THEIR FULL LENGHT ALBUM "WORLD DOMINATION
1"
Swedish
Hardrockers BONES OF FREEDOM have just released their full lenght album
"World Domination 1" through Spook Records. This CD is the follow up from
their critically acclaimed 2008 debut E.P "Butterfly". Both releases have
been self financed by the band, recorded and produced at Studio Hardrock
Gothenburg and released through Spook Records, Lossiemouth, Scotland. World
Domination is the theme (don’t mention concept) of the album, rather than
the bands manifesto and boasts 13 tracks covering subjects that dominate
our world today. Themes include Love, Sex, Money, Greed, Reality TV, Global
Warming,Myths & Legends, History and Religion. The four elements of
the band blend their varied influences and give them time to distil in
order to produce a pure, ballsy, soulful classic rock sound with attitude
that at times manages to sound contemporary yet also contains hints of
their hippie psychedelic leanings and plays like a soundtrack to their
70’s childhoods. World Domination 1 is available in CD format via mail
order online at www.myspace.com/bonesoffreedom & www.spookrecords.co.uk.
World Domination 1 is also available to download through iTunes worldwide.
Tracklist: Loud And Proud, Blitzkrieg, Miss Dynamite, Save My Soul, The
Wolf, 1973, Mistress, Led Waters, Soldiers Song, Ten, Greed, Down ad Celtic
Woman. For more info, please visit Bones
of Freedom Home Page. 09/13/2009
PHIL
COLLINS REVEALS HE WILL NEVER DRUM AGAIN DUE TO SPINE INJURY
By
Tom Bryant
Phil
Collins yesterday revealed he will never play the drums again because of
a spine injury. The Genesis star says he can no longer even hold his drum
sticks because sitting at a kit is too painful. Phil, 58, said: "I've got
a condition that means I can't play any more. After playing drums for 50
years, I've had to stop. "Obviously I'm very sad about it. My vertebrae
has been crushing my spinal cord because of the position I drum in. "It
comes from years of playing. I can't even hold the sticks properly without
it being painful. "I even used to tape the sticks to my hands to get through.
But don't worry, I can still sing." The news will be heartbreaking for
Phil's millions of fans worldwide. A friend said: "He is devastated as
drumming is everything to him. It's how he made his name and it set him
on the road to superstardom. "But drumming has been getting more and more
painful and he decided enough was enough and called it a day. He has to
put his health first." Phil, who has sold more than 150 millions albums,
was speaking at a garden party on Tuesday in aid of the Prince's Trust.
He is a celebrity ambassador for the charity and Prince Charles and Camilla
invited Phil to the reception at their Highgrove home near Tetbury, Glos.
Phil first found stardom as the drummer in 70s prog rock favourites Genesis
after answering an advert in the music paper Melody Maker He initially
only did backing vocals but took over the microphone when lead singer Peter
Gabriel left in 1975. A Trick Of The Tail, the group's first album featuring
Collins on lead vocals, entered the charts at No.3.He subsequently launched
a solo career as well and his first album Face Value went to No.1. It was
followed by a string of hit singles such as In The Air Tonight and You
Can't Hurry Love. Phil, who was a child actor, also starred in the 1988
movie Buster. In 1996 he announced was leaving Genesis after 26 years.
He recently won a new generation of fans with a Cadbury's advert featuring
a gorilla drumming along to In The Air Tonight.
09/13/2009
HALCYON
WAY THE ATLANTA, GA BASED PROGRESSIVE METAL BAND
The
Atlanta, GA based progressive metal band Halcyon Way has parted ways with
singer Sean Shields due to creative differences. Taking over on vocals
for the Nightmare Records recording artist is Steve Braun, known for his
work with Italian progressive-metallers ASHENT, who have released two records
via Lion Music. "I'm really excited and humbled by the opportunity
to jam with these guys, and I'm looking forward to help take the band to
the next level on the new record," said Steve. "We're very excited about
having Steve in the band, he's got a fantastic voice and will have no trouble
whatsoever with the older songs, he's adding a lot of new life to the material
for the new album, and he's a professional in every sense of the
word - he's got a great attitude, and our fans will be thrilled with our
choice. The new album is going to be crushing and it will be a great
way for Steve to introduce himself to our fans," said guitarist Zane Matthews.
Halcyon Way are currently tracking the follow up to "A Manifesto For Domination",
which is tentatively scheduled for release in Spring 2010. The album
is being produced by Jon Bodan & Lasse Lammert, and the drums are being
engineered by Mike Froedge (DOUBLEDRIVE, BLOODSIMPLE, DIXIE INCORPORATED)
at Open Sky Studios in Atlanta, GA. The band also just completed
tracking a guest appearance by Pamela Moore of QUEENSRYCHE fame. The band
will not miss any scheduled shows due to the move, and is scheduled to
play at Pathfinder Metalfest on October 24, 2009 with ASKA, TWISTED TOWER
DIRE, and many other acts. Halcyon Way has appeared at Rocklahoma
on three occasions, Nightmare Metal Festival II, and at ProgPower USA twice,
as well as having shared the stage with HELLOWEEN, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD,
KAMELOT, SYMPHONY X, DORO PESCH, and many others. Halcyon Way released
their debut record, "A Manifesto For Domination" on Nightmare Records on
November 11, 2008 to rave critical reviews. The album was produced
by guitarist Jon Bodan with assistance from James Murphy (TESTAMENT, DEATH,
OBITUARY), and was mixed by Lasse Lammert (ALESTORM). It also featured
guest appearances from Jonah Weingarten (PYRAMAZE, AVIAN) and Blaze Pearson
(THE SOULS UNREST). For more information, visit Halcyon
Way Home Page or Halcyon Way MySpace
Site. 09/13/2009
AJALON
AND THEIR NEW ALBUM "THIS GOOD PLACE"
Well
the news is that they are very close to completion of the new Ajalon titled
"This Good Place". They also are happy to say Wil Henderson has returned
to the band and they are continuing to move forward with new material and
possible live dates. News of these events will emerge over the span of
2009 so stay tuned. "This Good Place" marks a huge step forward for Ajalon.
This is a CD that will feature some great musical moments as well as stellar
performances from both the band and some awesome guest players. Listeners
will find this a much more allegorical album lyrically than the first two
releases. The thematic concept on this CD addresses the depravity and selfishness
of the human condition and how it has lead to the downfall of our character.
But the story is undergirded with the concept that it is never too late
to turn from those ways to find something greater within ourselves that
ultimately leads them to "This Good Place"!!! The CD feature 7 tracks with
a running time of approximately 60 minutes. There is one instrumental track
on the CD and one epic song about 20 minutes in length. Much of the album
features brand new material developed over the last three years. There
are also a few previously unreleased classic Ajalon songs that have been
reworked and newly recorded, mixed in as well. This is a very different
sounding album that finds its’ place in the current mainstream of Progressive
Rock music while maintaining some of that trademark Ajalon sound. They
have created a MySpace page and there are a couple of samples up for us
to check out from the new CD. If you want to know more, please visit Ajalon
Home Page. 09/03/2009
DARWINS'S
RADIO - AN ENGLISH PROG BAND. WITH A NEW ALBUM!
Featuring
Dec Burke of Frost* on vocals and guitar, and Mark Westworth of IQ on keyboards,
DR have just released their second album, Template For A Generation. Their
first album, Eyes Of The World, was released on 2006; they performed at
ROSfest in 2007 and TFAG has at last come out - and it's been well worth
the wait. Great songs, great instrumentation, great playing, great music.
For more about the band visit Darwins's
Radio, also listen to some snippets and get background info visit MySpace
Site. 09/03/2009
OBIYMY
DOSCHU AND “ELEHIA” A UKRAINIAN PROG ROCK BAND
Obiymy
Doschu (Rain's Embrace) is a band from Kiev, Ukraine that plays very lyrical,
autumnal rock music with progressive rock, neoclassic, neofolk and doom
metal influences. The band was formed in early 2006, and since then it
has performed on big music festivals including Taras Bulba (Dubno), Upfest
(Lutsk), Rok-Lastivky (Kyiv) and in music clubs including Filin (Kyiv),
Barvy (Kyiv), Bingo (Kyiv), Alternative 38 (Chernihiv). Obiymy Doschu is
currently in the final stages of working on their debut album that will
be released in August 29th 2009. The line-up today are: Volodymyr Agafonkin
- vocals, acoustic guitar, Oleksiy Katruk - electric guitar, Mykola Kryvonos
- bass guitar, Serhiy Dumler - drums, percussion and Mariya Kurbatova -
keyboards. For more about the band and their new album, visit Obiymy
Doschu home page. 09/03/2009
BELIEVE
AND "THIS BREAD IS MINE" OUT NOW
“This
Bread Is Mine”, the third full-length album of the Polish prog-rockers
Believe, is released in Europe today, on Monday 31st August. American fans
of the band still have to wait till 6th October (the album will be distributed
by MVD). They are revealing yet another track from this album. You can
listen to “Mine” on the official MMP’s profile on Metal
Mind Myspace. “This Bread is Mine” features eleven tracks dedicated
to those who like to listen and seek sense in different sounds… The lyrics
were written by Robert Sieradzki, a dedicated friend, who is also the author
of the lyrics for Believe’s previous albums. His lyrics fit the music perfectly
and just intuitively reflect the emotions evoked by the collection of sounds.
The music itself is a result of feelings and experiences of all Believe’s
members: Mirek Gil (ex-Collage, ex-Mr. Gil, guitars), Karol Wróblewski
(vocals, flute, keyboards), Przemas Zawadzki (ex-Collage, bass guitar),
Satomi (violin), and Vlodi Tafel (drums & percussion). The guest musicians
included Paulina Druch (cello) and Bartek Zbroszczyk (guitar). The sound
mix for the album was handled by Wlodek Kowalczyk, Polish producer responsible
for the completion of projects of such Polish legends as Klaus Mit Foch,
Róze Europy, Daab, Oddzial Zamkniety, Dezerter, and Lady Pank. In
order to get more advanced sound quality, Believe collaborated with Andy
Jackson, prominent British sound engineer, who had worked on Pink Floyd’s
and David Gilmour’s albums. His most recent work was David Gilmour’s “Live
in
Gdansk”. The album is available in two versions: as a standard CD and a
digipak CD containing a bonus track. Believe - an outstanding art-rock
act formed by the guitarist Mirek Gil, the former leader and composer of
Polish prog-rock legend Collage. Believe’s debut album “Hope to See Another
Day” (2006) received very good reviews from both media and fans. The follow-up
album entitled “Yesterday Is A Friend” (2008) brought powerful sound full
of faith and melody and gained them many new fans. In July 2008 Metal Mind
Productions released the band’s first DVD entitled “Hope To See Another
Day Live”. At the end of 2008 the band changed their line-up. Believe has
begun a new era of their career with a new vocalist – Karol Wróblewski.
For more about the album and the band please visit Believe
on the internet web site. 09/03/2009
KATATONIA
TO RELEASE THEIR NEW ALBUM
Swedish
Progressive Metal act, Katatonia, is set to release their latest album,
Night is the New Day, on November 10th via Peaceville Records. The highly
anticipated album, from one of Europe's premier Progressive bands, Night
is the New Day is the follow up to Katatonia's groundbreaking 2006 release,
The Great Cold Distance. It is their eighth studio album to date. The band
is currently finishing up mixing the new record in their hometown of Stockholm.
Although Night is the New Day is Katatonia's eighth album, they still continue
to challenge themselves musically, always looking for ways to take their
distinct, melancholy sound a step further. "I realize that I've never sung
this MUCH on an album before," explains vocalist Jonas Renkse. “Not that
I'm singing ALL THE TIME (don't worry), but the vocals are much more demanding."
He admits, "My voice was already tired from the studio session, and even
more tired from the gigs and I was really worried, but behind the microphone
everything fell into place for that one last session." The band anticipates
the album to be completed the first week of September, and plan to launch
a mini-site (www.nightisthenewday.com) soon after with a complete track
list, audio samples, and more. The artwork for Night is the New Day was
done by Travis Smith, whom also produced the art for The Great Cold Distance,
as well as numerous other Katatonia albums. Following the completion of
the album, Katatonia will head out on a European tour with the likes of
Porcupine Tree and Paradise Lost. For more information on Katatonia
website, Night is the New Day, and Peaceville
Records. 09/03/2009
TRANSATLANTIC'S
THE WHIRLWIND NEW AKBUM
Transatlantic
- the Progressive Rock Supergroup featuring Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy,
Marillion's Pete Trewavas, The Flower Kings' Roine Stolt and Neal Morse
(Ex-Spock's Beard) - will release their long-awaited third album in October
2009. "The Whirlwind" is a 77-minute piece of music that is sure to satisfy
the band's legions of fans that have patiently waited almost the entire
decade for the reunion of these 4 musicians. The Whirlwind will be available
in two formats: A Regular Edition Single CD of the entire 77 minute Epic
as well as a 2-CD Special Edition containing a Bonus Disc with 8 newly
recorded Studio Tracks, 4 new Transatlantic compositions and 4 Cover Songs).
The Track Listing for the Special Edition is: Disc One: "The Whirlwind"
Disc Two: 1. SPINNING, 2. LENNY JOHNSON, 3. FOR SUCH A TIME, 4. LENDING
A HAND, 5. THE RETURN OF THE GIANT HOGWEED (Genesis). 6. A SALTY DOG (Procol
Harum), 7. I NEED YOU (America / The Beatles) and 8. SOUL SACRIFICE (Santana).
Transatlantic'S The Whirlwind is currently scheduled for the following
release dates: October 23rd 2009: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, October
26th 2009: Europe and October 27th 2009: North America.
09/03/2009
NATURAL
GAS ALBUM FEATURING BADFINGER, HUMBLE PIE AND URIAH HEEP MEMBERS
Legendary
Natural Gas Album Featuring Badfinger, Humble Pie and Uriah Heep Members
Gets CD Treatment. - Music collectors worldwide are ecstatic with the CD
release of the legendary 'Natural Gas' album featuring Badfinger, Humble
Pie and Uriah Heep alumni. The Natural Gas album has been given the CD
treatment by premier re-issue label Renaissance Records in conjunction
with ItsAboutMusic.com, who has an impressive back catalog of releases.
Originally released in 1975 on the Private Stock label, the eponymous debut
by Natural Gas featured Joey Molland of Badfinger, Jerry Shirley of Humble
Pie and Mark Clarke of Uriah Heep and Colosseum. "I went to this place
called Blakes in London, which was a hangout for rockers," recalls Joey
Molland. "It was a cool little place. One night I saw a friend of mine
there named Mark Clarke; a bass player from Li verpool who9d played with
Uriah Heep and Colosseum. We were just talking and having a laugh and I
asked him, 'What are you doing?' He said, 'I’m going up to Jerry Shirley’s
this weekend. I’m going to stay there and we’ll probably have a jam – why
don’t you come with us.' I didn’t really know Jerry, but I thought it would
be cool. So Mark calls him and Jerry says. 'Come on up.' We go on up to
Jerry Shirley’s house – he had a lovely little farmhouse outside of London.
We found out that day that he had just left Humble Pie. Later on that night
we had a jam; I think it was Clem Clemson, Jerry, Mark, myself and there
may have been one or two others. We had a lot of fun, just playing rock
‘n’ roll songs and blues songs.The next morning Mark, Jerry and myself
decided to put a band together. We thought, 'Why not. But do we have any
songs?' I had a couple of songs, which I played to them. One was called
'Once Again A Love Song' and the other was called 'Dark Cloud'. Likewise,
Mike had a couple songs. We also got a keyboardist, a guy named Dave Kafinetti
from the band Rare Bird. He went on to be the keyboard player in 'Spinal
Tap'. What a knockout guy!" Kafinetti was replaced before the recording
of the album by Peter Wood who co-wrote 'Year of the Cat' with Al Stewart.
The 20 Natural Gas alb um was recorded at Crystal Studios in Los Angeles
and produced by legendary Mountain member Felix Papalardi. "Felix was really
nice," says Joey, "a real sociable guy and talented fellow. As far as a
producer went, we really wanted Mal Evans to do it. But the label wanted
Felix Papalardi, the bass player from Mountain who’d done Cream and all
that – the label wanted him to do it. Apparently Felix wanted to do the
project as well, so that was that. I think Mal was pretty disappointed
actually." And what about a name for the new super group? "I think Jerry
Shirley came up with the name ‘Natural Gas’ – he was very into it. I never
really suggested names for bands – I’m not really good at it. At the time
in 1975 natural gas was very much in favor; it was the new clean burning
fuel being more and more used. So it seemed like a good idea, and I guess
it’s a cool name. It did suggest energy, which was what we were all about.
The philosophy of the band was to rock out, you know what I mean…just have
a really good time doing it." The LP was released to critical praise from
the music press worldwide. Natural Gas would support the album release
with a major tour opening for Peter Frampton=2 0on his 'Frampton Comes
Alive' world tour. "Jerry Shirley had played with Peter Frampton in Humble
Pie and so they were obviously close," Joey recalls. "I’d known Peter myself
kind of at arms length since he was with the Herd all those years before.
So on and off we’d cross each other’s paths. I think Jerry had been working
with an agent who’d worked with Humble Pie – Frank Barcelona of Premier
talent. He got in touch with them to see if they’d be interested in booking
Natural Gas. They were at that time putting the 'Frampton Comes Alive'
tour together. They were able to get us opening slots on a lot of the shows
– they did us that great favor!" Unfortunately, Natural Gas's debut album
would became the band's only release. Joey Molland would soon return to
the Badfinger fold, while Jerry Shirley would go on to work with Fastway
and eventually return to Humble Pie. Mark Clarke would find work with Rainbow,
Billy Squier and Leslie West, while Peter Wood, who passed away in 1993,
would later work with Roger Waters and Bob Dylan. The 'Natural Gas' album
sadly drifted into obscurity and eventually would become a much sought
after collector's item. Now fans of Natural Gas can rejoice with the new
re-mastered version of the album, which features the original album artwork
and photos. Along with the pristine sound of the ne w CD is the20addition
of three unreleased bonus tracks! Never before issued in any form, two
rare demos of "Little Darlin' " and "Christmas Song", along with a rocking
rehearsal of "Christmas Song" is included on the CD making this the ultimate
'Natural Gas' collectors edition. Renaissance Records, who recently partnered
with It'sAboutMusic.com, has several exciting upcoming releases planned
such as The Zombies - 'Odessey and Oracle' Live (CD and vinyl), Unicorn
titles produced by legendary Pink Floyd member David Gilmour, Roxy Music,
Sad Café and Pat Benatar live CDs, and Nick Gravenites, Michael
Stanley and It's A Beautiful Day back catalogues to name a few. ItsAboutMusic.com
was the first E-Label of its kind, that is, an imprint that exists and
thrives exclusively online. Founded 7 years ago by Dean Sciarra, music
journalist, editor of the FM Radio trade publication - Walrus, artist manager,
and head of the independent record company - 7Records, ItsAboutMusic.com
boasts a growing roster of exceptional independent artists from a myriad
of genres including Pop, Rock, AAA, Americana, Alternative Rock, Classic
Rock, Celtic, Blues, World, Folk, and Jazz. The label's credo is simple:
to introduce the world to the best new music rendered by the best artists.
For more information visit It's
About Music Home Page. 09/03/2009
NEW
PINK FLOYD BOOK: "PINK FLOYD FAQ", BONUS FUN STUFF
More
than four decades since their first album, and 35 years after the release
of their mind-boggling masterpiece The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd
continues to inspire and mystify rock fans around the world. From the warped
pop of their early days to the cynical psychedelia of their classic period,
Pink Floyd has expanded the possibilities of modern sound like no other
group before or since. Now in Pink Floyd FAQ, pop culture author Stuart
Shea delivers the inside scoop on Floyd’s particular brand of genius. Pink
Floyd FAQ takes a lively and unusual approach to telling the band’s story.
Brief chapters explore different aspects of Pink Floyd history, revealing
the secrets behind the band’s astonishing studio sounds, massive tours,
iconic album covers, cutting-edge gear, and more. Chapters include: • How
did the U.S. discover Pink Floyd? • What notable guests played on Pink
Floyd records? • What were the band’s most memorable gigs? • What are their
greatest moments on record, as a group and individually? • What are the
notable missteps—and how did the band recover? • Are the seemingly confessional
songs true—or should we be skeptical? • What records influenced them, and
which performers follow in their wake? • What was it like to be at a Pink
Floyd show in 1967, in 1973, in 1980? With more than 300 pages of stories,
history, observation, opinion, reminiscences from those who were there,
and photos, Pink Floyd FAQ tells the band’s story, dissects their most
popular work and obscure forgotten gems, and provides a wealth of little-known
facts, all adding up to a provocative must-read for fans. Stuart Shea is
the coauthor of Fab Four FAQ and an associate editor of The ESPN Baseball
Encyclopedia. A cultural historian, musician, and occasional club DJ, Shea
also penned Wrigley Field: An Unauthorized Biography. He lives and works
in Chicago. For more aout please visit Pink
Floyd On Line Home Page. 09/03/2009
NEMESEA
AND THEIR LIVE ALBUM
The
releasedate for the album was set at September first. This has been moved
one week, to September 8th. Marco Hartmann for MHV did a great job on the
artwork. The inside of the booklet is also very pretty! If you order you
copy of the live album before September 8, you will receive a special cd/dvd
with a lot of bonus material. For more about the album and the band please
visit Nemesea Home Page.
09/03/2009
FROGG
CAFE STARTED TO MIX NEW STUDIO CD
The
band has just started to mix their new studio CD which will be entitled
"Bateless Edge", 74 minutes of mayhem, but more about that soon.
It will be out in the fall along with some added digital goodies. For more
about the new album please visit Frogg
Cafe Home Page. 09/03/2009
10T
RECORDS RELEASES "10T: UNDERCOVER"
CHARLESTON,
South Carolina - August 12, 2009 (10T Records) "10T Records is excited
to announce the pending release of the CD "Undercover"on September
15, 2009. "Undercover"is the label's first compilation project, featuring
never before heard performances from the 10T roster of artists. The concept
behind "Undercover" is simple. The label asked each of its artists to select
a song by another artist that was influential in the development of their
own musical identity; a composition that might not sound exactly like what
that 10T Records artist has evolved into, but one that significantly inspired
their creativity at some point in their musical past. The mission
was then to not simply do a faithful cover of that song, but to reinterpret
the tune such that it represented where the artists musically find themselves
currently. This collection's purpose is to pay homage to superb artists
from our distant and recent past while providing our listeners with a unique
view into the current mindset of these talented musicians with whom
10T Records is honored to be associated," says 10T Records president Steve
Carroll. "We hope everyone enjoys these recordings as much as
we and the artists involved enjoyed putting it together." 10T: Undercover
track listing: FROM.UZ - Starless and Bible Black/King Crimson, THE VITAL
MIGHT - Sleeping Beauty/A Perfect Circle, LITTLE ATLAS - Battle of Evermore/Led
Zeppelin, MAN ON FIRE - Visions of China/Japan, FROGG CAFÉ - The
Dance of Maya/Mahavishnu Orchestra, BOLT - Das Model/Kraftwerk, FLUTTR
EFFECT - The Chauffeur/Duran Duran, EVERYTHING IN SEVEN - Man on the Corner/Genesis,
ELF PROJECT - Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun/Pink Floyd, THE
REBEL WHEEL - Cross Eyed Mary/Jethro Tull and STEVE KATSIKAS - The Best
Laid Plans/Kevin Gilbert. "Undercover" is available for immediate pre-sale
through the 10T Records website. All orders received between now and the
official release date will ship by the end of the week prior to the official
release. Additionally, all tracks from "Undercover" are available to preview
in their entirety through the 10T
Records website. 09/03/2009
ALLIAS
EYE
Their
search had ended: Tilmar Fischer will be joining the band as their new
keyboard player. More news on Tilmar (and his silly name) on their website
soon! Now we can finally finish our new album; before we do, however, we'll
be playing two supporting gigs for Subsignal (ex Sieges Even): Nov 11:
Rind, Rüsselsheim, Germany, Nov 12: Rockfabrik, Ludwigsburg, Allias
Eye Home Page. 09/03/2009
GENESIS
LIVE 1973-2007 BOX SET FOR PRE-ORDER
The
Genesis Live 1973-2007 CD/DVD Remasters Box Set is now available for PRE-order
from the Camino store (release date: 14th September 2009). Following the
reissue of the 14 Genesis studio albums Virgin/EMI now release 'Genesis
Live 1973-2007' - an 11 disc box set gathering the 4 live albums recorded
by the band between 1973 & 1992. Also included, only available
with this collection, is the long-awaited release in stereo and 5.1 of
'Live At The Rainbow 1973'. Bonus material includes 5 tracks from 'The
Lamb Lies Down On Broadway' recorded at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles
in January 1975. All albums feature brand new stereo mixes created by Tony
Banks, Nick Davis and Mike Rutherford (apart from 'The Way We Walk' that
uses re-sequenced original mixes). In addition 'Genesis Live', 'Seconds
Out' and 'Live At The Rainbow 1973' also feature 5.1 DTS & Dolby Digital
Surround Sound versions on audio DVD. The set has a space to incorporate
the most recent live Genesis release - the 2-CD set 'Live Over Europe 2007'.
For
more info including full tracklist, and for PRE-orders. Please read
our 'Pre-orders & Despatch Information Camino
Records. Unfortunately we don't have a signed pre-order offer for this
set - but, as consolation we're offering an unbeatable price and, of course,
the usual superlative Camino service! 09/03/2009
LISA
LARUE’S PROJECT 2K9 WORLD CLASS ROCK COMPILATION ALBUM
Muskogee,
OK. - The latest single to be released by award-winning keyboardist Lisa
LaRue, entitled "Kituwa"(Fingerwoven/Third Childhood Publishing)will available
to the public on September 1, 2009. The single also has a "B" side entitled
"Deluge". Both are part of LaRue's ambitious Project 2K9-World Class rock
compilation album, which is set to be released on November 1, 2009. It
features guest appearances from several international recording artists.
"Kituwa" (LaRue/Adams), an instrumental features the talents of LaRue (UKB
Cherokee/US - keyboards); Steve Adams (US -guitar); Merrill Hale (US -
drums); John Payne (UK/US - bass). "Deluge"(LaRue), with lyrics adapted
from British Canadian settler/ abolitionist Susanna Moodie’s poem "The
Deluge" includes Lisa LaRue (keys); John Payne (vox); Steve Adams (US-
guitar/mandolin); Chris Brown (US -bass); Svetlan Raket (Sweden - drums).
This massive undertaking , with single releases throughout 2009, has garnered
interest across the globe from industry professionals and contemporary
rock aficionados alike. Initial reviews have been very positive: "Kituwa"
is a really enjoyable instrumental track featuring Steve Adams (ARZ) guitars,
John Payne (Asia ft John Payne) bass, and Merrill Hale (ARZ) drums. Another
essential listening track is "Beautiful Illusion," which features Steve
Adams (ARZ) guitars, Chris Brown (Ghost Circus and Roswell Six) bass, John
Payne (Asia ft John Payne) vocals, Svetlan Raket (formerly of the Par Lindh
Project) drums. Having a world class vocalist is already great, but John's
performance on "Beautiful Illusion" is stunning! I am anxiously awaiting
each successive release - these are the kinds of projects that really keep
life interesting!" Frans Keylard - The Rogues' Gallery (progressive rock
podcast) Other participants on earlier and future releases within the project
are excited about the concept and the opportunity to be involved. "From
the first moment I met Lisa my life changed for the better!" remarked David
Mark Pearce (Cornwall/UK – guitar/vox- The Oliver Wakeman Band). " The
generosity displayed from this remarkable woman to be invited to play on
her album was just amazing. This album has everything - poise, passion,
melody and power when needed. I'm honored to be a part of it!" Additional
project guests include Jo DeBoeck (Belgium – vox, Beyond the Labyrinth);
Geert Fleuw (Belgium -guitar/keys/composer, Beyond the Labyrinth); Gerry
"Krenryg" Verstreken (Belgium -bass, Beyond the Labyrinth); and Unicorn
Records performing artist Claire Vezina (Quebec – vox). LaRue is an accomplished
musician in her own rite. Will Alexander (Keith Emerson, Herbie Hancock,
Jeff Lorber, etc.) produced her debut CD, entitled "Beloved Tribal Women".
This was followed by "Children's Songs in the Cherokee Language," for which
she received 2 NAMMY nominations (Native American Music Awards). Other
projects were "That Ol' Sofkee Spoon", a collaboration with flutist/guitarist
John 'Yafke' Timothy (Muskogee - Creek), and an appearance on the Progressive
Rock Hall of Fame's compilation CD "Soundscape"(2008). She is the recipient
of the Oklahoma Music Awards' "Native American Artist of the Year 2008".
LaRue was also a nominee in the "Instrumental" category for the 2008 Hollywood
Music Awards. Her much acclaimed progressive rock CD, entitled "Transformation
2012" was released in December 2008. A native of Oklahoma, LaRue grew up
in Topeka, Kansas. She is a tribal member of the federally recognized United
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma, where she also serves
as Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. All released Project
2K9 singles are available through Lisa
Larue . For information about special guest vocalist, John Payne, please
contact Sandy Serge at or email her
at SergeEnt@aol.com.
09/03/2009
BY
BLOOD ALONE ON TOUR IN SEPTEMBER
Many
of you already know this but they are thrilled to announce that By Blood
Alone is embarking on it's first mini-tour! Some of you may recall how
their plans to tour in 2007 were abruptly halted due to Cruella's breast
cancer battle. It was such a great disappointment for them at the time,
but now they have the chance to finally get out on the road and wow some
new audiences. The run will cover about a thousand miles over Sept 10 thru
12. Hotels are booked, the van is all arranged, and they have new merch
on order (including download cards.) Some of the new material they have
been working on for the past few months will make it's debut on tour. The
show in Clifton NJ is shaping up to be the best one, as they are opening
for power-metal biggies Seven Witches. They hope all of you within striking
distance can make it down. 09/03/2009
TILT,
‘MILLION DOLLAR WOUND’ IS AVAILABLE
The
debut EP from TILT, ‘Million Dollar Wound’ is available for digital download
at a new low price of £2.99! The EP has been gathering fantastic
reviews from all over and continues to gather momentum. This download includes
the full EP as well as the original press release and full booklet artwork.
Exclusively available from BandCamp
this download offer will expire on September 7th, 2009.
09/03/2009
GENITORTURERS
TAKING THE REVOLUTION TO THE STREETS WITH BRAND NEW ALBUM
“BLACKHEART
REVOLUTION” IN STORES NOVEMBER 3RD
From
the band whose dark, enchanting and aggressive style has provocatively
entertained the world for over a decade comes a brand new chapter. From
the smoldering ashes of Sin City comes the demand for REVOLUTION! ...arguably
the GENITORTURERS best creation yet! Lead villainess GEN and her TORTURERS
spare no creative expense in putting together a powerful new CD that truly
realizes the diverse thematic artistry that has earned the band a global
"cult" following. Blackheart Revolution combines the band's signature genre-bending
musical style of aggressive rock, mechanical metal and underground electric
pop with all the twists and turns of a sonic roller coaster of seductive
mayhem that the band has crafted over their now legendary career. Co-produced
by Scott Humphrey (Motley Crue, Rob Zombie, Ozzy), mixed by the masters
at Chop Shop, this new release delivers exceptional songwriting and superior
sound quality that is sure to deliver the intense aural fix the fans deserve.
The GENITORTURERS, a band whose dark, enchanting and aggressive style has
entertained the world for over a decade, now presents a new chapter in
their ongoing book of provocation. Gen describes the bands new highly anticipated
album release as genre defying. "Beholden to no one other than ourselves…we
went back to our roots, to what inspired us to play music…and based on
the eclectic nature of each of our musical tastes these roots ran deep
and wide.” Years in the making, this precedent setting album surely is
Genitorturers most powerful creation and is set to be a "must own" instant
classic! Distribution in North America: MVD Entertainment, Australia: RIOT.
For more about please vist GENITORTURERS
Home Page. 09/03/2009
CORCIOLLI
AND A NEW ALBUM
Corciolli
was born in the city of São Paulo and begun his musical studies
at 13. Besides the classical piano classes, he developed a deep interest
on synthesizers sound possibilities. During those earlier years, Corciolli
played with many bands, performing his first compositions and arrangements.
In 1986, working as a professional musician, Corciolli went to the architecture
college, graduating in 1990. He played with renowed bass player Celso Pixinga
and with the Espirito Cigano, a very sucessfull rhumba flamenco band. Leaving
the band, he produced his very first album ALL THAT BINDS US and established
the Azul Music record company in 1993. In 1995, Corciolli released his
second album UNIO MYSTICA, a musical piece in 7 movements that introduced
alchemical texts in Latin, Gregorian Chants and orchestral arrangements.
This album brought him international projection, being blessed by Pope
John Paul II and released in several countries. In the following years,
Corciolli was invited by the Tibetan Monks of Gaden Shartse to perform
two remarkable concerts at the Latin America Memorial, at São Paulo.
Afterwards, the artist recorded with the Monks the album THE NEW MOON OF
EAST, an exquisite meeting between Tibetan sacred music and western music.
In the year 2000, Corciolli released the collection named TUDOAZUL, that
included ten albuns inspired by the main alternative therapies and ancestral
systems of knowledge. The whole collection became a best-seller. Corciolli
released the albuns EXOTIQUE (1998), UNIO CELESTIA (1999), ART OF SEDUCTION
(2001), UM OLHAR (A Glance) (2004) and NOSSO LAR (2008). With over 1,5
million copies sold and many albums released all over the world, featuring
in albums with Vangelis, Yanni, Alan Parsons Project, Kitaro, Dead Can
Dance, Hans Zimmer, Secret Garden, Era, Sarah Brightman, Enigma, Luciano
Pavarotti, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo among others, Corciolli music
is inspired and unique. His work is revealed in the rich subtlety of details
which unite the traditional to the contemporary with sensibility and high
quality. LIGHTWALK (2009), the outstanding new album brings 11 new songs,
performed with stellar guests as Tony Levin on bass (Peter Gabriel, King
Crimson); Acclaimed Brazilian percussionist Naná Vasconcelos (8
times "Best percussionist of the world" by Downbeat); virtuoso violinist
Marcus Viana and the great vocals of Andre Matos (former singer of Metal
bands Angra and Shaman). 09/03/2009
TDW
RELEASE A NEW ALBUM
Yes
dear readers, after months of preparation we can finally shine some light
on new TDW stuff! As some of you might have known already, a new album
has been in the works for a while now and we can now give out the first
details about this exciting new project! First of all, the official TDW
website and the TDW myspace have had a grand revampation! This has to do
with the new TDW album that is in the works right now. The new TDW album
will be called “Scrapbook” and it will be a double album featuring 18 new
songs spanning over approximately 120 minutes. (Maybe more, considering
the exact track lengths aren’t available yet.) This new record takes TDW
music in a whole new diverse and more adventurous direction because this
is the first record Tom (de Wit) wrote together with 9 guest musicians.
The 9 guest musicians collaborating with Tom on this record are: Harry
van Breda, Methilde Bouma, Leander Doornekamp, Leon Fonville, Laila Groeneveld,
Lasse Groeneveld, Rianne Kosterman, Michiel van der Werff and Naomi de
Wilde. You can find detailed information on the musicians on the official
website. About the how and why of making an album like this, Tom had this
to say: “After the many years of work I did to make the Haunts (The
previous concept album which was released in 2008) I felt creatively drained
and I felt the need to challenge myself to refuel my creative batteries.
After jamming and recording with some friends of mine, the idea to collaborate
on writing this next record became very interesting and the coolest thing
is, when I asked the others to join me, they all reacted very enthusiastic,
so that’s where the new album direction came from.” The idea behind this
album is that all the individual musicians who worked with Tom provided
idea’s/riffs/theme’s etc and that Tom would make TDW songs out of that.
“It was very refreshing for once to not be the main source of creativity
all the time and to sit back and listen to what the guys and girls came
up
with. It is really inspiring to work with cool ideas like the ones that
made it onto the album, it’s like I am a kid in a candy store, just picking
the stuff I liked best to fiddle around and create songs with!” Further
information about the songs and the way they sound will be given in the
next months. (Keep checking the website for previews!) The album release
is now slated for the Autumn of 2010. “I know this might sound far away
for now, but I have to work with a lot of different people here and especially
considering the amount of songs and all the stuff happening within them,
I can really use all the time I can get to get it all right!” In general,
for more information about this album visit TDW,
and for some MP3s visit MySpace
Site. 09/03/2009
TODD
RUNDGREN TO PERFORM THE BRITISH PREMIERE OF 'A WIZARD / A TRUE STAR'
Live
in concert at the London HMV Hammersmith Apollo Saturday 6th February 2010.
Rock'n'roll icon, guitar genius, interactive progenitor, consummate singer/songwriter
and record producer Todd Rundgren, will perform his paradigm shifting 1973
album, A Wizard, a True Star (known to the cognoscenti as AWATS) in its
entirety for the first time ever in Britain on Saturday February 6th 2010
at the London HMV Hammersmith Apollo, which will be Todd's only UK performance
of the seminal album which is hailed as an influential masterpiece by today's
new bands, including Hot Chip. Tickets are priced £48.50, £45.00,
£40.00, £32.00 (Agency and credit card bookings subject to
a fee). This rare British premiere will be Rundgren's first and only UK
concert since last year's Arenaalbum tour. In addition to his being a multi-talented
musician and singer/songwriter and performer, Rundgren is also regarded
as one of the best record producers of all time (XTC, Meat Loaf, Patti
Smith Group, XTC, Grand Funk Railroad). His most recent critically acclaimed
album production, 'Cause I Sez So, reunited him for the first time in 36
years with the legendary New York Dolls. Although Rundgren's breakthrough
1972 album, Something/Anything? is considered by many to be his masterpiece,
the psychedelic impact and bordering-on-disturbing innovation of the follow-up,
AWATS,is arguably Rundgren's most experimental and influential album. Stand-out
tracks include the International Feel, Rock & Roll Pussy, You Don't
Have To Camp Around, Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel, Zen Archer and
Just Another Onionhead. The album's closer, Just One Victory, has been
included as an encore favorite in both Rundgren's and Utopia's live sets
over the decades, but this will be the first time in Britain that he will
perform the whole record live onstage, from start to finish. The first
half of the concert will feature a selection of Rundgren's songs throughout
his career, while the second half of the show will consist of the entirety
of A Wizard, a True Star. A Wizard, A True Star is hailed as one of the
most influential and pioneering progressive rock album recordings of all
time. Originally released in 1973 (the longest running album on vinyl,
clocking in at nearly one hour of running time: 55:56), much of the album
is an extended medley after the fashion of The Beatles' late recordings.
The effect of the songs merging one into another was immediate, infectious
and dazzling; the lyrical content was often at once both tongue in cheek
and hallucinogenic. Side One of the album includes a cover version of Never
Never Land from the Broadway version of Peter Pan. Side Two
features a legendary medley of covers of doo-wop and pop soul hits, including
I'm So Proud, Ooh Baby, Baby, La La Means I Love You and Cool Jerk. Arthur
Wood illustrated the psychedelic cover painting that graced the original
packaging. First editions of the vinyl LP were die-cut and included a "band
aid" poem written by the punk poet Pattie Smith, and a short bio about
the album, as well as a postcard encouraging purchasers to send their name
to be included on a poster in Rundgren's next album; the eponymous Todd.
09/03/2009
GONG
UNVEILS CUTTING EDGE PROMO VIDEO "HOW TO STAY ALIVE"
The
celebrated psychedelic rock band, GONG, have today announced the world
premiere of their brand new Japanese animated video ?How To Stay Alive,?
taken from their highly anticipated forthcoming new studio album ?2032?
(released 21st September). Click here to watch the new promo video at YOUTUBE.
The video is a wonderful manga animation of Daevid Allen's drawings undertaken
by the cutting edge Japanese Tokyo-based animation team ?Mood Magic?, who
were responsible for System 7's ?Hinotori? video (2008).
In line with the ?2032? album, the video pushes all the classic Gong buttons
and mixes them with bang up to date sounds and video techniques.
The track features a rap by Daevid Allen based around the characters of
the illustrious Planet Gong mythology, which lent itself well to an animation
of the drawings ? and also features a beautiful solo at the end by original
Gong member Didier Malherbe on the sax-like Armenian instrument the duduk.
Gong embarks on a nationwide UK tour at the Bristol 02 Academy on 19th
November, with the Steve Hillage Band confirmed as support act on all UK
dates. 2032: For more about the New Album UK Tour visit Gong
Home Page. 09/03/2009
FEAR
FACTORY'S HATEFILES ALBUM TO BE RE-ISSUED SOON
Metal
Mind Productions will re-release “Hatefiles” - Fear Factory's compilation
album featuring rare, unreleased and remixed tracks from 2003. The album
is notable as it contains "Terminate": the last song to be recorded with
the original guitarist Dino Cazares. The collection also includes the original
track "Demolition Racer", a demo version of "Dark Bodies," and a slamming
instrumental track, "Machine Debaser." The new digipak edition is
limited to 2000 copies. Released on a golden disc, digitally remastered
using 24-Bit process. The album will be available from the 7th September
in Europe and 6th October in USA (via MVD). Official bio - Rarely can a
musical artist claim to be a true innovator, a creator of their own genre,
a revolutionary amongst a sea of sameness. Having invented the “cyber metal”
sound, Fear Factory is one of those rare cases. Formed in Los Angeles in
1990, Fear Factory entered the metal scene with a crushing debut with 1992’s
Soul Of A New Machine. Combining death metal with an industrial influence,
the original lineup of vocalist Burton C. Bell, drummer Raymond Herrera,
guitarist Dino Cazares and bassist Andrew Shives was onto something that
had not been widely explored. Even Fear Factory’s earliest sound was immediately
distinguishable by Herrera’s intense machine-like drumming and Bell’s tremendous
dual vocal style, which seemed to effortlessly switch between animalistic
growls and clear, operatic tones. Fear Factory had set a new standard in
extreme music, a standard they would continue to bear to this very day.
Soon after the release of Soul Of A New Machine, the band would release
the Fear Is The Mindkiller EP. Fear Is The Mindkiller was composed of material
from Soul Of A New Machine, remixed by Rhys Fulber and Bill Leeb of Front
Line Assembly for an added industrial edge. Herrera and Bell’s fascination
with technology would become a recurring theme for Fear Factory, both lyrically
and stylistically, as they would often feature remixes as bonus tracks
on studio albums. In 1995, Fear Factory would release their second full
length album, Demanufacture, which further refined Fear Factory’s distinct
sound. Herrera’s beats invoked robotic, mechanical imagery, while Bell’s
lyrics were bleak and ominous. This was also the introduction of bassist
Christian Olde Wolbers, who would replace Shives. The album told a tale
of machines overthrowing humanity and human opposition to mechanical progress.
The remix album, Remanufacture, was very well received by fans and kept
the band fresh in listeners’ minds until the release of Obsolete in 1998.
Obsolete saw a creative surge in Fear Factory. The album blended the technological
themes of Demanufacture with a more cinematic atmosphere while Bell’s vocals
reached a new level of refinement. A commercial success, Obsolete saw the
band breaking into the Top 100 on the album charts. A headlining spot on
the second stage of 1999’s Ozzfest as well as the band’s involvement in
soundtracks to movies like Saw, Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil and video
games like Rainbow Six: Lockdown and Donkey Kong Country helped to further
cement Fear Factory as one of the premiere artists of the extreme music
scene. Digimortal, which was released in 2001, would be the last Fear Factory
studio album to feature Cazares on guitars. Although the album reached
Top 40 status, Bell and Cazares were having differences, and Bell left
the band. In 2002 the band released their original demo recordings as Concrete
and in 2003, an album of remixes and rarities called Hatefiles. Just when
it seemed the band was over, Bell returned and Cazares departed, allowing
Fear Factory to be resurrected and create their return effort, Archetype,
on Liquid 8 Records. Olde Wolbers took on guitar duties and Byron Stroud
of Strapping Young Lad was recruited to handle bass. Archetype was a return
to the Demanufacture-era sound and won much praise from longtime fans and
supporters--one of which was Liquid 8 President Mike Catain. So impressed
by Fear Factory’s work ethic and influence on the entire genre, Catain
created Calvin Records, an imprint of Liquid 8. Catain saw Calvin as an
opportunity for Fear Factory to bring younger bands on board and give them
the creative control that they needed to further their legacy.
Summer of 2005 sees the band preparing to release their fifth studio album,
Transgression. Herrera describes Transgression as “very precise and heavy…
Burton’s vocals soar while the keyboards add a cinematic and industrial
feeling.” Transgression sees the band working with producer Toby
Wright for the first time. “Toby has worked with huge bands like Metallica,
Korn, Alice In Chains and Soulfly,” says Herrera. “It’s definitely interesting
working with somebody of his caliber. He’s also a really big fan, so it’s
not like we’re just bringing in a heavy hitter who doesn’t know what this
band is about.” Herrera also offers a preview of some of the new material.
“Supernova is a mid-tempo song that will likely become a single, while
Echoes Of My Scream features classical strings and an operatic sound.”
With a confirmed slot alongside Megadeth, Dream Theater, Nevermore and
the Dillinger Escape Plan on this summer’s Gigantour, Fear Factory will
soon be bringing Transgression to towns across the country. For more about
visit
Metal Mind Productions
website. 09/03/2009
RE-RELEASE
OF A TRUE LEGEND OF THE 80'S ROCK ERA - STEEPLECHASE
As
well as many other secrets found in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, this one
also was destined to be revealed. Metal Mind Productions presents the complete
collection of Steeplechase’s music which showcases a true legend of the
80’s rock era and a band worth remembering forever… The story of Steeplechase
begun in 1975, when Kevin Brenner, an agent for the Creative Talent Associates
(CTA - one of the largest club and bar scene booking agencies in the New
York/New Jersey/Connecticut area at that time) came up with the idea of
forming a band which would include the most talented local musicians around.
Brenner knew exactly who he wanted to have in his project and presented
his offer to three musicians – drummer Vinny Conigliaro, bassist Bob Held
and guitarist Tony Summo. At first Steeplechase was meant to be merely
a pop/commercial cover band, playing songs by the Beatles, Elton John and
Peter Frampton. They even had two singers at that time, male and female.
This formula, however, was soon abandoned, as the group was pretty much
tired of the poppy repertoire and wanted to take on a more rock-oriented
style. After finding a proper frontman – Eli Holland – Steeplechase finally
went on to write original material, strongly influenced by Bad Company,
Led Zeppelin and the guitar legend Jimi Hendrix. This exclusive re-release
brings back Steeplechase’s original debut album from 1981 - "Steeplechase".
New digipak edition is limited to 2000 copies. Digitally remastered using
24-Bit process on a golden disc. The release date is set on 7th September
in Europe and 6th October in USA (via MVD). For more about visit Metal
Mind Productions website. 09/03/2009
EUREKA
"SHACKLETON'S VOYAGE", A NEW ALBUM FROM THE FARMLANDS STUDIOS WITH YOGI
LANG
His
album Shackleton´s Voyage is spectacular in every respect and sees
Hamburg's multi-instrumentalist Frank Bossert return to his musical roots.
Influenced more strongly again by rock acts such as Yes and Rush, Bossert's
Eureka project tells the true story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's sensational
Antarctica expedition in the years 1914 to 1916. Musically, Shackleton´s
Voyage operates at the interface of prog rock, symphonic, Celtic and "
mainly in terms of his guitar style " Mike Oldfield influences. Another
sensation is the involvement of Billy Sherwood, a former member of prog
rock legend Yes, who contributed the vocals on "The Challenge" and "Going
Home". Along with Sherwood, Shackleton´s Voyage features other illustrious
guests: Yogi Lang of RPWL, mixed and mastered the album in his Farmlands
Studio and contributed a fantastic Moog solo on "Heading South", complementing
Bossert's synthesizer passages on "Going Home" and "Into The Lifeboats".
Four tracks of the album can be pre-listened on myspace,
The full CD is also available from our RPWL
shop. 09/03/2009
RUSH
NEW BOOK "MIDDLE CLASS: DREAMING IN MIDDLETOWN" DUE IN OCTOBER - AUG. 27,
2009
Canadian
progressive rock band RUSH was the voice of the suburban middle class.
In the new book "Rush, Rock Music, and the Middle Class: Dreaming in Middletown",
Chris McDonald assesses the band's impact on popular music and its legacy
for legions of fans. McDonald explores the ways in which RUSH's critique
of suburban life — and its strategies for escape — reflected middle-class
aspirations and anxieties, while its performances manifested the dialectic
in prog rock between discipline and austerity, and the desire for spectacle
and excess. The band's reception reflected the internal struggles of the
middle class over cultural status. Critics cavalierly dismissed, or apologetically
praised, RUSH's music for its middlebrow leanings. McDonald's wide-ranging
musical and cultural analysis sheds light on one of the most successful
and enduring rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s. The 272-page book is due
on October 28 via Indiana University Press. For more information, and to
order a copy, visit Amazon.com.
09/03/2009
NO-MAN
- MIXTAPED DVD LAUNCH EVENT AND WHEREVER THERE IS LIGHT EP
Mixtaped
is a double DVD set and will be available from September 28th. The set
comprises the band’s sell-out performance at London’s Bush Hall in 2008,
a comprehensive career-spanning documentary, and numerous extras (including
newly commissioned and archive video footage), and provides a fascinating
insight into one of British music’s most unusual cult heroes. Click here
for more details on Mixtaped. There will be a special launch event for
Mixtaped at Rosemary Branch, Islington, the venue of the band’s debut concert
20 years ago, on August 22nd. The presentation will consist of a special
60 minute preview of last year’s Bush Hall performance (in widescreen and
5.1 surround sound), a 20 minute excerpt from the documentary Returning,
and a 5.1 showing of the videos for Back When You Were Beautiful (especially
commissioned for Mixtaped) and Wherever There Is Light. There will be two
screenings at 2pm and 7pm. No-Man merchandise will be on sale and Tim Bowness,
Steven Wilson and Mixtaped/Returning director Richard Smith will be in
attendance at both showings. Please note that tickets are extremely limited
due to the size of the venue and no refunds can be given. Ticket price
– £10 per screening, click here to purchase tickets. Wherever There
Is Light, a new EP that acts as a bridge between 2008’s Schoolyard Ghosts
and Mixtaped, is now available from the Kscope store. For full details
on Wherever There Is Light, including audio samples from the ep, as well
as live footage of title track Wherever There Is Light, taken from the
Mixtaped DVD, visit No-Man/KScope
Music. 08/12/2009
PORTAL
BAND RELEASES PROG METAL MASTERPIECE "BLOOD RED TAPE"
Canada
- The music world is buzzing with the release of 'Blood Red Tape'; a seventy-minute
progressive rock album recorded and produced over a three year period by
progressive metal band Portal in Edmonton, Canada. 'Blood Red Tape' is
a synthesis of two broad concepts into one unique perspective. The title
combines the "red tape" often associated with bureacracy and impedence
to progress, with the "blood" that is all-too-often shed when the former
brings harm to those involved. On a deeper level, 'Blood Red Tape' may
be used to describe the bureacracy that exists within each of us, as members
of the animal kingdom who are resistant to change and new ideas, and fearful
of the unknown. "Portal was a studio project of mine that slowly evolved
out of an initial purchase of Cubase and subsequent random experimentation
in by bedroom in my first year of university," says band leader Kenton
Thomas, who is also lead vocalist, producer and plays guitar. "I had finished
my piano studies a couple=2 0of years earlier and picked up guitar, and
needed an outlet. After a year and a half learning the ropes, I finally
settled on a name, brought in some musicians I knew, and we finally hit
the stage in January of 2001. The current line-up has been together for
the last four years, with me and Kevin Hoskin (bass, recording engineer)
as the only two original members." Along with Kenton and Kevin, Portal
features Ross Brooks on lead guitar and backing vocal, and Bill George
on drums. "Kenton Thomas... is a far cry from matching the rock ‘n’ roll
musician archetype. Insightful and intelligent, [he] expresses his thoughts
with sobering clarity and confidence." - Bryan Saunders, Vue Weekly. Portal's
'Blood Red Tape' represents a fusion of hard-rock, contemporary electronic
elements, and a plethora of orchestral and ethnic instruments from all
corners of the world, bound together in forms typical of classic progressive
journeys. "I wouldn't go so far as to call it a 'concept album'," explains
Kenton, "but this is the first time I've developed a CD from the top down
- album title first, song themes second, lyrics third. So I guess
every song has to do with 'Blood Red Tape' in one way or another, but even
the meaning behind the title broadened and deepened over three years as
we progressed through things." Here's what the music press have been saying
about Portal's new opus: "In addition to Marillion's new record 'Happiness'
is the Road there's another record pu blishe d this year you have to buy:
'Blood Red Tape' by Portal from Canada. This is one hell of a progressive
metal record, one of the best records I've ever listened to, really. Get
it now!" - volter.de "A 70-minute assault on the senses that demands attention
and deserves it undivided... 'Blood Red Tape's massive hooks, blasting
drum beats and urgent political message hit like an atom bomb." - Francois
Marchand, The Edmonton Journal. "This release simply puts Portal in a class
of their own... The vocals are crisp and clean, Kenton Thomas delivers
his low enigmatic voice perfectly in each incredible song... This is easily
a pick for Album of the Year..." - Troy Kramm, melodic.net. A number of
musical influences permeate Portal's wall of sound "Well, we've obviously
each got our own favorites," says Kenton, "but I think it's fair to say
a good umbrella for our earliest loves would be the early 90's grunge movement
- everyone can count at least one west-coast or alternative band from that
era among their favorites, from Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots to
Smashing Pumpkins and the Chili Peppers. Everything else sort of
stemmed from there. I've got a classical background myself, so I
experienced a fairly natural progression into more progressive acts like
Tool and Porcupine Tree from there, and I think the nature of Portal's
roots as a studio project, where I quickly learned to love mixing and production,
was probably the gateway to my love of the more electronic elements,=2
0a la=2 0Nine Inch Nails, Massive Attack, and Depeche Mode a little further
back." "We try to create music that allows for several layers of appreciation",
explains Kenton "If we write around an odd time signature in an effort
to challenge ourselves, we want to go the extra mile to make sure it still
grooves for the average listener. If there's a deep, complex message
I'm trying to convey in the lyrics, I want to brand it with a catch phrase
that's easily accessible to everyone. I love studying progressive
music, but you don't usually toss in your favorite Dream Theater CD while
driving to the beach with a bunch of friends - somewhere along the line
someone's going to drop a 16th note and ruin your groove. I guess
we're trying to bridge that gap. We want to write music that sounds
appealing to the masses, but has an inherent underlying complexity that
challenges us, and makes the music worth listening to, and even studying,
for those seeking more." Portal completed their first mini-tour this past
February - six dates in nine nights from their hometown of Edmonton to
Seattle and back. The response was none less than phenomenal. "It was a
great time, and we may do it again in the future." And what does the future
hold for Portal? "Short term, we're still catching up on a little infrastructure
that fell by the wayside while we were recording 'Blood Red Tape' ", says
Kenton. "The website(s) need a little content-boost, and there are countless
promotional avenues20yet to b e unearthed. We've got some B-sides
and remix ideas in the works, too, which we'll begin exploring over the
next few months, and when time and money permit, we'll probably start moving
forward on some new material. One way or another, though, Portal
will continue to grow in quality and scope and continue to make music for
years to come." Portal's 'Blood Red Tape' can be purchased from Amazon.com,
CDBaby, iTunes and the band's official websites. For more information visit
Portal
Home Page. 08/12/2009
FLAMING
LIPS DIGITAL THREE NEW SONGS NOW AVAILABLE
The
FLAMING LIPS digital 3 song EP, "SONGS FROM THE FUTURE ALBUM EMBRYONIC"
will be available at all digital retailers. Featuring these brand new tracks
from the band's first studio album in over 3 years! “Convinced of The Hex”,
“The Impulse” and “Silver Trembling Hands”. Full album will be available
on the band's page this Fall!!!
08/12/2009
BELIEVE
- ANOTHER NEW TRACK AVAILABLE ON MYSPACE
Believe’s
third full-length album entitled “This Bread Is Mine” will be released
by Metal Mind Productions on 31st August in Europe and 6th October in USA
(via MVD). The band has just posted on their official Myspace
site a full version of “Darkness”, yet another track taken from the album.
“This Bread Is Mine” will be available in two versions. The standard edition
will feature 11 tracks. A bonus track will be added to the digipak edition.
For more about the band and album visit Metalmind
Home Page. 08/12/2009
CHRIS
JOHNSON, MOSTLY AUTUMN MEMBER DEBUTS NEW BAND AND NEW ALBUM
Parade,
the band formed by former Mostly Autumn member, Chris Johnson, release
their debut album The Fabric on 17 August. Chris, who has most recently
toured as guitarist for former Marillion frontman Fish, was a featured
songwriter on Mostly Autumn's 2007 album Heart Full Of Sky, writing amongst
others the songs Silver Glass and Blue Light for the band. He founded Parade
to explore a dark side of his songwriting. "Some of the songs were originally
intended for Mostly Autumn," explains Chris, "others started life on tour
- at the back of the bus or in various hotel rooms and dressing rooms.
For one reason or another everything I was writing had a pretty dark edge
which I took a real charge from. I wanted the songs to be performed by
a band of musicians whose playing has that energetic and intriguing quality
that really excites me." Joining him on the record is fellow Fish bandmate
Gavin Griffiths (Panic Room, Mostly Autumn) on drums and Anne-Marie Helder
(Panic Room, Mostly Autumn) on vocals and keyboards. Long-time collaborators
Simon Snaize (guitar) and Patrick Berry (bass) complete the line-up. "We
started recording after the Fish tour finished at the end of last year
and had some fun exploring the songs. There was a lot of experimentation;
we were trying to identify the emotional core of each song and really pull
it into focus. Could be with a delicate vocal, a demented guitar solo,
or a backward glockenspiel smashed to bits in a modulating filter and fed
out through some old TV speakers." Out of this experimentation The Fabric
has emerged with a filmic quality; like the soundtrack to a movie that
hasn’t been made. Elemental noise and distorted sounds emerge from the
songs, framing them and shifting the mood of the album at each turn. "It
is pretty dark and mysterious as we explore deep emotions like anger, loss
and fear, but there's a lot of hope in there as well, and a very positive
overall message." The Fabric also features Mostly Autumn’s Bryan Josh,
Heather Findlay and Olivia Sparnenn. The Fabric is available from Parede
Band's Site. 08/12/2009
SIGUR
RÓS AND SPECIAL EDITION BOX ALBUM
In
case you've not heard already, Jonsi's musical side project with Alex Somers,
'Riceboy Sleeps', is now out and selling fast. If you want to get your
hot little mitts on one of the 3,500 limited edition copies of their Special
Edition Box you'd better act fast, since they are close to almost gone.
Buy it at Jonsi's Home Page.
The Special Edition comprises not only their most lavish packaging to date,
plus the original 'Riceboy Sleeps' art book, exclusive 40-page colouring
book and pencils and, of course, the album itself, but also 33 minutes
of additional music in the form of the three movements of the exquisite
'All Animals'. You can order the Special Edition box, CD, vinyl or download
versions of 'Riceboy Sleeps' at Jonsi's
Home Page, where you can also get free MP3s, full album stream, high
res videos, photo galleries and downloadable versions of the boys' art,
colouring and raw food recipe books. 08/12/2009
NEMESEA
ANNOUNCES THEIR FIRST LIVE ALBUM
They
are happy to announce that their first live album Nemesea - Pure live @
P3 will be released September 1st. This album is the result of two outstanding
gigs they played in July, 2009. For those of you who buy this album before
September 1st, there will be an extra CD/DVD with a lot of bonus material
included when they start shipping the cd's. They are sure that you will
appreciate these special recordings. Just to make you a little curious,
it will contain some wonderful unreleased versions of a couple of songs,
a karaoke version for you guys and girls to sing along with and much more!!
So you don't want to miss this one! Pre-order this special album at band's
SHOP now! The cover art and tracklisting will be revealed soon.
08/12/2009
ANDROMEDA
- PLAYING OFF THE BOARD - LIVE ALBUM OUT IN AUGUST!
Get
ready for a strong dose of progressive metal! Metal Mind Productions presents
the first live album by one of best progressive metal bands - Andromeda.
This Swedish quintet offers the fans of powerful and sublime sound compositions
that are both structurally intricate and overflowing with a vast spectrum
of emotions. “Playing Off The Board” includes live performance recorded
at the Wyspianski Theater, Poland in Autumn 2006, when the band was promoting
their most recent album at the time “Chimera”. The band’s first live release
features over one hour of progressive music at its very best. Digipak edition
is limited to 1000 copies. “Playing Off The Board” is scheduled for release
on 24th August in Europe and 6th October in USA (via MVD). For more about
visit Metal Mind Productions.
08/12/2009
DEVENTTER
NEW ALBUM'S COVER REVEALED
With
11 tracks, On is expected to reach the stores in September. The new album
of the Brazilian prog rock/metal band DEVENTTER, is almost finished. The
recordings were completed at Creative Studios and Norcal Studios, both
in São Paulo (SP), and at the moment the album is being mixed. Expected
to reach the stores in September, Lead... On will bring the tracks "O.M.T";
"6000"; "Bunkers & Bankers"; "Reflected"; "All Rights Removed"; "Transcendence
Inc."; "..."; "This Grace"; "Losing Track Of Time"; "Down To The Apex"
and "Lead...Off". While the mixing is not done, DEVENTTER finished the
front cover and the complete artwork of the new album. The responsable
for the creation and whole concept of the work was the vocalist Felipe
Schäffer aside the guitar duo Danilo Pilla and André Marengo.
"We were always in love with bands that have artwork consistent with the
sound they make", says Schäffer. "Since the first album we had the
desire to seek the essence of what we created to transform it into images.
In the case of the 'Lead ... on' cover, we involved the maximum
of elements linked to the general concept of the album. The disc presents
three different points of view on leadership in today's world, and we inserted
these three elements into one picture." Despite the conceptual description,
Schäffer prefers not to enter into details about the intriguing elements
of the cover. "I prefer to leave each listener free to interpret the way
he wants. As we believe in the complete set as the final work, we wanted
to combine our musical experiences to the visual from the booklet. Obviously,
the personal experiences of those who are listening also counts, like any
art work." DEVENTTER's second album, sucessor of the high acclaimed The
7th Dimension (2007). The band has launched a "Studio-Report" of the recordings
through "Qik", a new on-line tool that provides live video broadcast via
Internet. To watch the "Studio-Report" with the next shootings or with
the previous ones, check out: www.qik.com/deventter. The same videos are
also available at the band's page on Youtube.
The track "This Grace", previously titled "New Song", can also be checked
through the group's Myspace
page. 08/12/2009
TONY
BANKS - A CURIOUS FEELING RE-MIX
Esoteric
Recordings are proud to announce the release of the album “A Curious Feeling”
by GENESIS founder member and keyboard player TONY BANKS on Monday October
19th 2009. This classic album, inspired by the novel “Flowers for Algernon”
by Daniel Keyes, was first released in October 1979 by Charisma Records.
Recorded at Polar Studios in Stockholm, whilst Genesis were on a brief
hiatus following the “And Then There Were Three” tour, this majestic work
featured contributions from drummer CHESTER THOMPSON (a member of GENESIS
for concert appearances) and vocalist KIM BEACON. Stylistically the album
is equal to anything Banks composed for GENESIS and includes the instrumental
“The Waters of Lethe” and the song “For a While” (also released as a single)
among its highlights. Significantly, this new edition of “A Curious Feeling”
has been remixed from the original master tapes by Nick Davis (who also
remixed the entire GENESIS catalogue in 2007) and Tony Banks, resulting
in a more dynamic sounding album. In addition, a new 5.1 Surround mix has
also been prepared which is included on a limited 2 disc deluxe edition
of “A Curious Feeling” along with the rare promotional videos of “For a
While” and “The Waters of Lethe”. A top thirty hit album upon its release,
these editions of “A Curious Feeling” are the definitive statements on
the 1979 solo work by TONY BANKS and will be backed with a media campaign
of interviews and features. 08/12/2009
NEKTAR
MUSIC LEGENDS TO PLAY SELECT CONCERTS IN EUROPE
Hot
on the heels of their new live CD 'Fortyfied', music legends Nektar will
be playing several select concerts in the UK and Germany in celebration
of their 40th anniversary. Nektar's contribution over the past 40 years
has quite rightly earned them their place in any 'Progressive Rock Hall
of Fame'. But the band is much more than a 'Prog Legend', the Nektar brand
of innovative composition, performance and visuals is simply unique. Recorded
on their 2008 tour of Europe, 'Fortyfied' is released on the band's own
label Treaclemusic and features many beloved Nektar classics such as "Tab
In The Ocean", "Recycled pt.1", "Man In The Moon" and part two of the group's
classic "Remember The Future". Here's what the press are saying about Nektar's
'Fortyfied': "Love albums like Tab In the Ocean, Journey to the Center
of the Eye, Remember the Future, Sounds Like This, Evolution, or Recycled?
Well, there are plenty of songs from those albums included here on this
2CD set. Expect all the familiar melodies, plenty of guitar & organ
freakouts (Roye just keeps getting better and better as guitar player-the
guy's a real powerhouse!), and the band's mix of hard rock, prog, psycedelia,
and blues is ever present. There's even a few tracks from the most recent
CD Book of Days to complement the rest of the set list. Chalk up
another successful live document from Nektar, and let's hope they keep
going strong for many years to come." Peter Pardo. "Kicking things off
with the title track to their 1972 album "A Tab in the Ocean", it's clear
that time has not sullied the potency of their music. And for the next
two and half hours they take us on a journey through fifteen sparkling
numbers, ranging right up to their 21st century reincarnation, with 'Remember
The Future (Part II)', 'A Day in the Life of a Preacher' and my signature
track 'Mr H', absolute gems. If you don't know the music of Nektar this
is an excellent place to start. If you do know their music, then this is
an absolutely essential release." "At times they may sound like a cross
between Gentle Giant, Floyd and even Focus (particularly so on 'Recycled
part 1') while the riffs on 'A Day in the Life of a Preacher' sound like
Stray, but Nektar have covered a lot of ground in 4 decades. And while
the later material features more use of the synth, it's the earthy organ
sound and sumptuous bass runs that anchor much of the best material. There
are many magical moments here, most notably on the best moments of 'Remember
the Future part 1', the expansive groove of 'Dr Kool' and of course 'King
of Twilight' with its Uriah Heep style organ lead. And while the newer
material like 'The Debate' suggest a more precise direction on the back
of some killer time signatures, the closing 'Man in the Moon' reverts to
type with whispered vocals, some linear synth lines before meandering towards
its climax. 'Fortified for the over forties' would have been a better title
for a CD that is well worth purchasing and will surely be enjoyed by Prog
rock, Psychedelic Space Rock and melodic rock fans alike." The Nektar story
is a remarkable one. A British rock band that found stardom and major success
in Germany and the USA, yet failed to make the significant breakthrough
in their own country. With three gold albums under their belt ("Remember
The Future", "Down To Earth" and "Recycled"), Nektar produced some of the
most original work of the seventies and eighties. In virtuoso guitarist
Roye Albrighton Nektar had a charismatic front man who had shared a stage
with Jimi Hendrix, in Allan "Taff" Freeman a unique keyboard player, in
Derek "Mo" Moore a bass playing powerhouse and in Ron Howden a fluidity
rarely found in a drummer. Fifth member Mick Brockett was not a musician,
but was responsible for one of the most stunning light and visual shows
ever to grace the rock stage. Nektar's history appeared to have been written
when they finally split in the eighties. Despite attempts to re-kindle
the flame, the Nektar light, it seemed was out...until that is, the year
2000. The new mille nium saw the long awaited reunion tour of the classic
line-up, to rave reviews and fantastic receptions. The light we thought
was out, had in fact been kept aglow - by loyal fans across the globe!
An American tour in September 2004 saw Taff Freeman depart the band for
personal reasons and his successor, Hammond virtuoso Tom Hughes, instantly
earning a place in the hearts of the Nektar faithful. With continued concert
dates, along with the remastering of the remainder of the Nektar back catalogue
on CD, this legendary band has become once more a proud force to be reckoned
with in the world of progressive music. In 2007 Nektar truly took over
their own management, procured their official website as their own, entirely
under their control and went on a 22-date tour of Germany. Joining Roye
and Ron was Peter Pichl on 5-string bass and Klaus Henatsch on keyboards,
these two new members from the rock 'n roll city of Hanover, Germany, seemed
to gel from the outset and now, along with the release of the critically
acclaimed CD 'Book of Days' in 2008 and the new live DBL CD 'Fortyfied',
Nektar looks set to make its mark once again. For ticket information or
how to purchase 'Fortyfied' visit Nektar's
official website. 08/12/2009
DAYS
BEFORE TOMORROW AT JANSPORT BATTLE OF THE BANDS
They’re
trying to get a performance slot at next year’s Forecastle Festival in
Kentucky and could really use our help (even if you don’t live anywhere
near this festival). Please visit Sonicbids
and cast your vote for Days Before Tomorrow, the entire process takes only
30 seconds. (If you don’t want JanSport to send you any SPAM, be sure to
uncheck the box just below your email address.) You must click a link in
an auto-reply email from JanSport to finalize your vote - look for it in
your SPAM folder if it doesn’t show up in your In Box. If you vote with
multiple email addresses, that helps, and you can vote every day for the
next week to really help them out. Do that and they’ll definitely move
on to the formal voting round. You will be making a big difference for
Them. 08/12/2009
JOE
GASTWIRT FINISH MASTERING NEW BANDA DO SOL ALBUM
The
legendary american sound engineer has mastered albuns of Paul McCartney,
Jimi Hendrix, Ramones and even Michael Jackson. The Brazilian progressive
rock veteran group, BANDA DO SOL finished recording Tempo, the new album
that marks the return of the band to the studios after 27 years. The album
was mixed in California/USA by none other than Billy Sherwood. Also known
for being YES guitarist, Billy signs an extensive discography as a producer,
including albuns from bands like Motörhead, Toto, Ratt, Paul Rodgers
and YES itself. Billy Sherwood also relased some solo works and two albuns
with CONSPIRACY, a side-project with the YES bassist Chris Squire. Currently,
Billy leads CIRCA, a new band formed by other YES heroes such us the drummer
Alan White and the keyboardist Tony Kaye. Besides Billy's signature on
the mixing, Tempo was mastered in USA by the legendary sound engineer Joe
Gastwirt. High-level profissional, Joe Gastwirt has mastered albums from
people like Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Ramones, Talking Heads, The Beach
Boys, Pearl Jam, Santana, Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marvin
Gaye, James Brown, Miles Davis and even Michael Jackson! "It was Billy
Sherwood who introduced us to Joe Gastwirt", tells the bass player Cesinha
Rodrigues. "Billy's work on the mixing was so fantastic that we also needed
a great professinal behind the mastering as well. It was a big honor to
have the new Banda do Sol's album mastered by Joe". Cesinha highlights
the importance of the production quality in times full of home productions
and low budget works. "Even if today the MP3 and audio devices compress
the sound, yet it is vital that we find high-quality productions, at least
for a professional band. And even more for Banda do Sol that plays progressive
rock! Tempo's quality sound is great. It could not be different with
professionals like Billy Sherwood and Joe Gastwirt involved in mixing and
mastering. We are very happy!" Tempo will bring the tracks "Som do Sol",
"Tempo", "Prana", "Mahavishnu", "Sinal da Liberdade", "Yes Blues", "Praça
da Paz", "Voar", "Quem Eu Sou?", "Fabito", "Maya" and "Janavatar". The
album is expected to reach the stores between October and November. For
Further Information visit Banda
Do Sol Webpage. 08/12/2009
TINYFISH
DVD - A PREVIEW TRACK IS UP ON YOUTUBE!
Monday,
10th August sees the release of the first DVD of British progressive rock
band Tinyfish. The DVD entitled “One Night On Fire”, recorded in Katowice,
Poland on the 16th of February 2009, captures the band in their element
and features material from their trilogy albums (“Tinyfish”, “Curious Things”
and the forthcoming “The Big Red Spark”). The DVD also includes additional
video material: an interview and a 25 minute documentary, which follows
the band from its birth as a studio project, through the release of the
first two albums, to touring and the recording of the new album “The Big
Red Spark”. Today you can have a look at a sneak preview of the DVD – the
track “Nine Months On Fire” - on Metal Mind Productions’ channel on YouTube.
Simon Godfrey: “Looking at the footage, it’s obvious how much we were enjoying
ourselves and I clearly remember all of us feeling very relaxed and ‘in
the zone’ during the show. The night also saw Rob Ramsay debut his full
range of stage costumes which added a palpable sense of theatre to the
proceedings. One thing that nobody noticed that night was that I played
the entire gig in my socks because I had left my ‘gig’ shoes at home in
the UK (Doh!). As a result, I was skidding about the stage like a Prog
James Brown but thankfully it didn’t seem to affect the performance at
all. Maybe I should do it more often. All in all, the DVD has captured
what it feels like to be present at a Tinyfish show with all the musical
excitement, passion and humour that comes with it." British fans of the
band have an opportunity to see how good they are live this Saturday, 8th
August, as Tinyfish will appear at Cambridge Rock Festival (CRS stage)!
Don’t miss out on it! Metal Mind Productions will release “One Night On
Fire” on 10th August in Europe and 11th August in USA (via MVD). The release
will be available in 3 formats: DVD, limited DVD+CD edition, including
bonus audio CD with songs recorded during the gig at the theater, and a
limited CD digipak. For More about visit Metal
Mind Productions. 08/12/2009
EDENBRIDGE
AND LANVALL´S 7TH STUDIO ALBUM
Lanvall
has finished songwriting for Edenbridge´s 7th studio album and they
will start with the recordings in the beginning of September. The album
will see a possible release in May or June 2010. Of course they have followed
the symphonic way of their last album "MyEarthDream", nevertheless there
are more atmospheric and melancholic vibes on the new one. The title of
the album will of course not be revealed now. Furthermore they have 2 absolutely
smashing hit songs, both perfect for a video clip. Some of the songs which
will be on the album: BROTHERS ON DIAMIR, KYLINE´S END, ON VOYAGE
VAGABOND, FURTHER AFIELD and COME UNDONE. Don´t forget to catch up
with us on their upcoming headliner tour in September with their friends
and special guests SERENITY. They are proud to present us their new merchandise
collection right to the start of their tour in September. The great design
of the new shirts was done by their homepage designer Reinhard Schmid,
who was also responsible for the artwork of their actual live album "LiveEarthDream".
For a limited time they have a big sale in their shop. We can find many
older shirts for just € 4.99 and furthermore they can nearly offer
their complete back catalogue for a lower price. Check here
and you will find the new collection,
08/12/2009
SCOTT
MCGILL LOOKING FOR MATERIAL FOR ARCHIVES
Scott
Mcgill is looking for any visial footage (photographic or video) or audio
of Scott McGill from any point in his career (The Hand Farm to the present).
If you have any, please contact Scott
Mcgill as he is trying to build up an archive of material. For more
about visit Scott Mcgill Home
Page. 08/12/2009
ORCHESTRAL
MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK TO RECORD ACOUSTIC SESSION FOR ABSOLUTE RADIO
Orchestral
Manoeuvres in the Dark will promote their special guest appearance on Simple
Minds' "Graffiti Soul" UK Tour in November and December when they record
and film an acoustic session for London?s Absolute Radio on Thursday 3rd
September. The session will air on Absolute 105.8 FM on Thursday 17th September
between 7-8pm, and on Sky Digital 0107 and DAB. The acoustic session, as
well as an interview with the band, can be accessed at Absolute
Radio Home Page. The Simple Minds/OMD Tour includes the following cities
- Newcastle Metro FM Arena (Nov 30), Birmingham LG Arena (Dec 2), Manchester
MEN Arena (Dec 3), Sheffield Arena (Dec 5), Cardiff CIA (Dec 6), London
Wembley Arena (Dec 7), Glasgow SECC (Dec 11) and Aberdeen Exhibition and
Conference Centre (Dec 12). For further tour info visit Nople
Pr. 08/12/2009
DWEEZIL
ZAPPA GETS DANGEROUS ON THE ROAD
In
a joint announcement with AMD (NYSE: AMD), Dangerous Music released details
of Dweezil Zappa’s road recording rig using 48-channels of Dangerous 2-Bus
LT analog summing and Dangerous Monitor ST speaker controller, allowing
immediate mixing of the ‘Zappa Plays Zappa’ live shows — even in a hotel
room. The “Room Service Rig” consists of a PC Audio Labs computer powered
by dual AMD Opteron™ quad-core processors, running Steinberg’s NUENDO DAW
software along with three 2-Bus LT summing amps and Monitor ST, providing
large-format analog console mixing quality on the road. “The pairing of
AMD and Dangerous Music equipment has made a tremendous difference to the
overall sonic detail of the final mixed music,” says Dweezil. “It’s hard
to believe that I’m able to get these kinds of results from a portable
mixing rig. It’s truly inspiring. Simply put, I have achieved my best mixes
ever with the help of the Dangerous Music gear.” Charlie Boswell, AMD Director
of Digital Media & Entertainment, noted: “Dweezil Zappa has utilized
Digital Audio Workstations based on AMD Opteron processors for the past
six years both in the production of his own music and most recently in
the recording of live ZPZ concerts. Gail Zappa depends upon AMD powered
workstations to handle the mission critical role of archiving, producing
and building the catalog from the historical Frank Zappa Vault at UMRK*
- with releases on Zappa Records and Vaulternative Records. This newest
AMD addition to the Zappa workflow is called the ‘Room Service Rig’ because
it’s sometimes operated from a hotel room after a show, or possibly on
the bus in between shows. AMD collaborated with our friends over at Dangerous
Music and PC Audio Labs to make the ‘Room Service Rig’ happen. Its main
purpose is to provide the highest studio sonic and mobile production capability
to an international touring unit like ZPZ.” Boswell also explained why
the ‘The Room Service Rig’ was aptly named. “Dweezil was not interested
in simply hacking together typical ‘board mixes’ of Frank Zappa classics.
He chose Dangerous Music and AMD in order to deliver studio quality mixes
and mastering for the fan base. He feels the technology should not only
fulfill the Zappa quality requirement but it should also adapt to spontaneity
of life on the road.” Visit Charlie
Boswell’s blog. Pioneered by the folks at Dangerous Music in 2001,
the Dangerous 2-Bus analog-summing mixer was created to bring back the
analog sound quality engineers have been craving in their digital audio
environment, while maintaining the fast workflow and recall capabilities
they have come to depend on. The Dangerous 2-Bus is a 16-by-2 summing device
designed to help DAW users achieve better mix performance through the use
of cutting-edge analog audio circuit design. As engineers and musicians
themselves, the Dangerous Music team has noted that “in-the-box” mixes
from DAW systems don’t equal mixes performed on high-end large-format analog
recording consoles. The solution is the 2-Bus’ pristine audio path that
delivers nuance, depth and clarity to a mix without any added coloration
or distortion. The Dangerous 2-Bus allows the full potential of any digital
audio workstation to be realized – audibly, in terms of sound quality,
spatial detail and headroom, and ergonomically, through the preservation
of DAW recall and automation capabilities and by the non-destructive integration
of outboard analog equipment. The transparent sound of the 2-Bus allows
engineers to enjoy the true colors of any chosen outboard gear without
clouding the issue with the summing path. The 2-Bus is offered in two models,
the original 2-rack space Dangerous 2-Bus with XLR inputs and the 1-rack
space Dangerous 2-Bus LT with D-Sub inputs. The Dangerous Monitor ST is
the centerpiece of the most flexible monitor control platform available.
ST is a fully expandable remote control-based monitor controller and source
switcher with four inputs and speaker switcher for 3-pairs of speakers
and subwoofer, and includes integrated cue and talkback systems, with an
onboard headphone power amplifier, all in one rack space. With the cat-5
connected remote control unit, included with the Monitor ST, engineers
can configure and control an entire system from the comfort of the studio’s
sweet spot. Studios working in stereo can start with the Monitor ST and
later expand to surround sound control for film and TV work by adding the
SR expansion unit with no equipment redundancy or obsolescence. Dangerous
Music, Inc. designs and builds products that are indispensable to any DAW-based
recording environment. Dangerous Music electronics designer Chris Muth
has spent over 20 years working in and designing custom equipment for top
recording and mastering studios. Muth and company founder Bob Muller pioneered
the concept of the dedicated analog summing buss for digital audio workstations
with the Dangerous 2-Bus in 2001. Today the company offers a wide range
of products for recording, mastering, mixing and post-production facilities,
all designed and built with mastering-quality standards and a practical
aesthetic. Key products include the Dangerous 2-Bus and 2-Bus LT, Dangerous
Monitor ST-SR and its Additional Switching System expansion units, Dangerous
D-Box, Dangerous Master, Dangerous S&M, Dangerous Monitor and Dangerous
MQ. For more information visit Dangerous
Music. 08/12/2009
DREAM
THEATER NEW ALBUM SOLD 40000 COPIES
DREAM
THEATER's new album, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", sold 40,000 copies
in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No.
6 on The Billboard 200 chart. DREAM THEATER's last CD, "Systematic Chaos",
opened with 36000 units in 2007 to enter The Billboard 200 chart at No.
19. 2005's "Octavarium" premiered with 27000 copies to debut at No. 36.
In addition to the standard-version CD, DREAM THEATER's tenth studio album,
"Black Clouds & Silver Linings", was also made available on vinyl LP,
as well as a three-disc, special-edition CD that includes the full album,
a CD of instrumental mixes of the album and a CD of six cover songs.
08/12/2009
WOODSTOCK
DIARY 1969, GETS DVD RELEASE
In
Honor of the 40th Anniversary, "Woodstock Diary 1969: Friday Saturday Sunday"
Gets DVD Release on September 22. MVD Visual and Wienerworld are pleased
to announce the release of Woodstock Diary 1969: Friday Saturday Sunday
for North American distribution on September 22, 2009. Directed and filmed
by D.A. Pennebaker, and produced by Alan Douglas (who actually shot Woodstock),
this is a 180-minute blast from the past. August 15th 1969 was a day that
went down in popular music culture when nearly 500,000 people descended
on the infamous site of Woodstock to listen to 26 now-legendary artists
over a 3 day period. Woodstock Diary 1969: Friday Saturday Sunday, featuring
electrifying live footage performances of many of the bands and performers
who appeared, is an enthralling "fly on the wall" documentary examining
the creation of Woodstock, on its fortieth anniversary and of the actual
three day event itself. It contains drama, humor, and even pathos, and
recaptures those heady days of the hippie movement when young people really
believed that they could change the world. And yet incredibly this historic
event almost never happened. A series of near-catastrophes conspired to
derail the Woodstock Festival and but for the sheer perseverance and chutzpah
of several key characters, the whole course of rock music could have been
drastically different. Woodstock Diary 1969: Friday Saturday Sunday features
appearances from The Who with 'My Generation', Janis Joplin giving a heart-stopping
rendition of "Ball & Chain", Arlo Guthrie performing Dylan's "Walking
Down The Line" and Tim Hardin's tender reading of his own classic song
"If I Were A Carpenter". Richie Havens, Sha Na Na, Incredible String Band,
Jefferson Airplane, Sly and the Family Stone, Johnny Winter, Crosby Stills
& Nash, Jo Cocker, Country Joe and The Fish and Jimi Hendrix also turn
in classic performances which have ensured that, while there have been
subsequent attempts to imitate the event, the original electrifying Woodstock
Festival has never been emulated. 08/12/2009
THE
VITAL MIGHT SIGNS WITH 10T RECORDS
The
Vital Might Signs with 10T Records for Release of "Red Planet", 10T Records
is proud to announce the pending release of the new full length CD release
by The Vital Might, entitled “Red Planet” on August 18, 2009. Charging
onto the world stage from their strategic bunker in Boston (USA), The Vital
Might (Rick Gauthier: bass/vocals, Andy Milk: vocals/guitar, Evan Kraker:
drums/vocals) are poised to conquer, for more about please visit 10T
Records Home Page. 08/12/2009
BRUCE
SPRINGSTEEN DVD JUKEBOX
Available
on DVD - October 20, 2009 - Through MVD Visual. MVD Visual and Sexy Intellectual
are pleased to announce the home viewing release of Bruce Springsteen's
DVD Jukebox for North American distribution on DVD. It was more than 40
years ago that Bruce Springsteen began working as a professional musician
and performer, but for over a decade prior to that he was developing his
skills largely by listening, listening and listening again. He was listening
to the records that not only infused his entire mind and body, but equally
provided the guidance, inspiration and encouragement to achieve the extraordinary
skills he has been honing to perfection in song-writing, musicianship and,
some would say most crucially, performance ever since. This 150 minute
film traces the artistic root of Bruce Springsteen in a manner no documentary
has ever attempted before, and in so doing shows the incredible influence
the likes of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Mitch
Ryder, Van Morrison, Phil Spector, Pete Seeger and numerous others have
had upon his muse. The film also looks at literary, political and other
influences to provide a complete picture of the most potent inspirations
Bruce ever stumbled upon. Featuring rare footage of Springsteen and all
of the featured artists, plus revealing archive interviews with The Boss
himself, and brand new contributions from former E Street Band member Vini
Lopez, Springsteen drummer Gary Mallaber, the legendary Gary (US) Bonds,
History Professor and Folk Music expert Ronal D. Cohen, English Professor
and author of It Ain't No Sin to be Glad You're Alive: The Promise of Bruce
Springsteen, Eric Alterman, former editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone Anthony
De Curtis, British music author and biographer of Van Morrison, Johnny
Rogan and many other colleagues, writers and historians. In completion
this film is both an academic look at Bruce Springsteen's artistic development
and an entertaining and joyous celebration of his music and that of the
artists he loved the most. EXTRAS include: Special Feature 1: Vini Loez
on Bruce's very earliest influences; Special Feature 2: 'Working for The
Boss' with Gary Mallaber; Illustrated Contributor Biographies and Beyond
DVD Section. For more about please visit Bruce
Springsteen Home Page. 08/12/2009
EDDIE
JOBSON'S U-Z PROJECT 'ULTIMATE ZERO TOUR'
PROG-ROCK
KEYBOARD/VIOLIN LEGEND RETURNS FROM 27-YEAR RETIREMENT TO INTRODUCE VIRTUOSO
SUPERGROUP OF WORLD-RENOWNED PLAYERS ON FIRST EVER ‘SOLO’ TOUR. Brief Series
of Exclusive East Coast and Midwest Summer Dates Kicks Off Aug. 17 in Washington
“The word ‘genius’ is bandied about a bit too freely these days, but in
Jobson’s case, the term not only applies, it’s been used to describe him
since his northern England childhood.” Watch the new video for UKZ’s RADIATION
at Youtube. Progressive-rock
keyboard and electric violin legend EDDIE JOBSON (U.K., Roxy Music, Frank
Zappa, Jethro Tull) will perform his first ever “solo” concerts in August
with one of the most impressive 'player' lineups to ever grace the concert
stage. EDDIE JOBSON’S U-Z PROJECT will be performing a brief series of
exclusive East Coast and Midwest summer dates on the “Ultimate Zero Tour”:
Washington DC (August 17 - Jammin' Java); New York (August 18 - B.B. Kings);
Boston (August 19 - Regent Theatre); Philadelphia (August 20 - North Star);
Cleveland (August 21 - Beachland Ballroom); and Chicago (August 22 - Martyrs').
A live concert appearance by iconic musician Eddie Jobson is a rare event.
As keyboardist, electric violinist, co-founder, producer, and principal
writer of 'UK' [a group he formed with drummer Bill Bruford (Yes, Genesis,
King Crimson), singer/bassist John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia), and then-unknown
guitar phenom Allan Holdsworth], Jobson's studio and live concert performances
were described as "stunning" and "dazzling.' The Boston Globe has
called him "a music pioneer," Emmy magazine called him "a genius."
Eddie was previously well known as the teenage 'rock prodigy' with the
early Roxy Music, and as Frank Zappa's right-hand-man on both keyboards
and electric violin - replacing both Jean Luc Ponty and George Duke at
the age of 21. After appearing on some 60 albums with many of the
rock/fusion genre's top musicians, Mr. Jobson retired from both studio
and live performance for more than 20 years until a recent unannounced
appearance in Russia with King Crimson. Now, Eddie has formed two new projects
based on his original 'UK' concept: 'UKZ' - a five-piece contemporary rock
band, currently receiving rave reviews for their "Radiation" EP and recent
concert tour of Japan; and the newly-announced 'U-Z Project' - an instrumental
band of extraordinary virtuosos from around the world, including Michael
Jackson's former guitarist Greg Howe; stick player Michael Bernier (Stick
Men); and TWO world renowned drummers, German drumming sensation Marco
Minnemann (UKZ), and British drum legend Simon Phillips (Peter Gabriel,
Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Toto). Critics raved after witnessing UKZ’s “One
City World Tour” debut concert in New York last January. Calling it “an
auspicious beginning indeed, Daily Variety said “Jobson's crew proved to
be well stocked in both the brawn and brain departments.” JazzTimes marveled
at how this “chops-heavy” band “delivered the goods” with “blistering licks
and well-orchestrated bombast.” Added TimeOut New York: “UKZ fuses technical
flamboyance with the postindustrial crunch of Nine Inch Nails and Tool.”
Given Jobson's international reputation as a musicians' musician, and the
high caliber of his previous associations and collaborations (a list that
includes Frank Zappa, Ian Anderson, Robert Fripp, Phil Collins, John Entwistle,
Tony Levin, Bill Bruford, Terry Bozzio, Steve Hackett, Trey Gunn, Jon Anderson,
Allan Holdsworth, Adrian Belew, and many others) it is not surprising that
the upcoming U.S. tour would include such an impressive lineup of players.
Spotlighting Jobson's trademark Plexiglas electric violins, the 'U-Z Project'
will perform rarely played music from 'UK' and other material culled from
the best of the genres Jobson has helped create. More at UKZ
Band Site and Eddie Jobson
Home Page. 08/12/2009
ICONOCLASTS
RANDOM TOUCH FIND "A WAY FROM THE HEARD" WITH NEW CD RELEASE
Algonquin,
IL - Random Touch's Scott Hamill (guitars), James Day (keyboards) and Christopher
Brown (drums/vocals) first collaborated in the 1970's. Pure improvisation
was one among many sound experiments. Over time it became the preferred
mode for music making. With the music of A Way From the Heard (Token Boy
Records, 2009) Random Touch has arrived at a new level of expression.
Rock and symphonic music are more fully merged on much of the album, and
their long developed technique of abandon is exercised with deft maturity.
The result is an unbridled expression of sound as emotion. The colors
are more vivid, the gestures wider; very little remains in the shadows.
The music seems to sense that it's tim e has ripened. The trio came of
age musically when Mozart's legendary improvisations were all but forgotten
and when only jazz musicians and a handful of rock bands played with improvisation.
Those that did so operated within the strict confines of a song.
The trio's bliss, however, lay in the direction of pure improvisation.
Over time they have come to rely on the tools of abandon and serendipity
to activate their vision. The ripened fruit of their creative energies
is the CD A Way From the Heard, their twelfth release. “Think of how string
theory has posited as many as 11 dimensions; I have no doubt that one or
more of these “extra” dimensions comes into play with the music of Random
Touch. We experience abundance and freedom precisely because of our
access to these extra dimensions.” - Christopher Brown, drums "Autonomous
music-making...Freeform by definition...Yet our performances seek just
one goal: That of producing music that reaches in to your most internal
thoughts and stimulates your sense of wonder. As a group our music
is individualistic, self-supporting, uncontrolled and detached. It
is music delivered with a peculiar and distinct sound, as if assembled
with the power of a strong nuclear force." - James Day, keyboards. For
more about please visit Random Touch
Home Page. 08/12/2009
DAVID
BOWIE 'SPACE ODDITY' 40TH ANNIVERSARY DIGITAL ONLY EP
40
years ago to the day that Neil Armstrong stepped on to the moon, EMI have
created a unique opportunity for David Bowie fans: the chance for you to
download and mix the original multi-tracks of 'Space Oddity,' which also
celebrates its 40th anniversary this year! The 'Space Oddity' EP consists
of four tracks. When the EP is purchased, the original eight stems/multi-tracks
will be received for free, enabling fans to remix the song through their
own software or through iKlax software. This is a revolutionary experience
for music fans to recreate their own versions of one of popular music's
most iconic songs. ABOUT SPACE ODDITY: Partly inspired after seeing Stanley
Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, which premièred in London in May
1968, Space Oddity was originally written later that year with the first
known recorded version dating from February 1969, several months before
its eventual release on July 11th 1969 and some time before the Apollo
11 moon landings. Space Oddity was a cultural landmark for David Bowie
as an artist - it was featured by the BBC in its television coverage of
the lunar landing, and the song later won an Ivor Novello award. For more
details Click HERE.
08/12/2009
VETERAN
ROCKERS BAND TOGETHER TO FORM CANADIAN SUPERGROUP, HARD ROAD
Bands
of the 70s and 80s became part of a lifestyle, adding to the defining moments
of youth, a soundtrack to our memories, and are still held close in the
hearts of fans. Now, from the ashes of some of Canada's most loved and
influential rocks acts of the 80s - Moxy, Santers, Killer Dwarfs and Lee
Aaron - comes Hard Road, Canada's supergroup. Capitalizing on the signature
styles and diverse background of each of its members, Hard Road combines
the eclectic and ripping guitar riffs of Earl Johnson of Moxy, the unmistakable
vocal prowess and stage antics of Russ Graham of Killer Dwarfs, the driving
backbone of Santer's bassist Rick Lazaroff and the powerhouse drumming
of Morgan Evans. Cyclone Records' Brad Trew says "music has evolved since
the early days of these icons, shaping and molding a new, fresh sound and
approach. Consider that Killer Dwarfs' last studio album was 16 years ago,
Santers' last release was 23 years ago and Moxy's was 31 years ago! As
a fan myself, I believe other fans will be more than satisfied to hear
their idols back with a vengeance and an enthusiasm that rivals their earlier
works." Each member has spent decades devoted to their love of music and
have each followed their own hard roads to reach this point in their careers.
Having been rehearsing and writing material since its inception in April
2008, Hard Road has just finished recording new, unreleased material as
well, their live performance includes reworks of hits from their past.
Watch for a new album coming in 2009! The line up consists of: Russ Graham
(Killer Dwarfs, Moxy): Lead Vocals, Guitar; Earl Johnson (Moxy, King Biscuit
Boy): Guitar, Vocals; Rick Lazaroff (Santers): Bass; Morgan Evans (Lee
Aaron, Julliet, Killer B): Drums. What The Press Has To Say: Rockstar Weekly
says Hard Road's upcoming album "Miles is like a journey back to better
times' heavily influenced by the metal and hard music of the 70s and 80s'
with eight solid tracks of musical bliss. Vocalist Russ Graham sounds as
good as ever and brings out the urge to play an old Killer Dwarfs LP, while
Moxy's Earl Johnson has produced some of the hottest guitar riffs ever
laid down on Canadian soil. Fans of each member of Hard Road will hear
the influences of their previous efforts, but it still comes across as
a new band. Hard Road's Miles is a symbol of better times, better music
and the triumphant return of Canadian rock and roll." Glory Daze says Hard
Road is "a new outfit that will have your attention captured. This is one
road you definitely want to be travelling in 2009!" Mitch Lafon of Brave
Words and Bloody Knuckles says "Hard Road assembles the best of the best
that Canadian music has to offer into a singular solid rock outfit. This
fearsome foursome have put together an album that is a gift to fans desiring
both that classic hard rock sound while staying fresh and modern." Renowned
rock journalist/author Martin Popoff says "Hard Road is a more than synergistic
gathering of a decades-straddling collection of Canadian hard rock legends.
Hard Road demands attention right from the throat, strength reigning down
from that powerful voice through the tough rhythmic rock enclosed. But
there are extra dimensions. The tones are molten, with edgy, stone-carved
drums punching through an expensive mix, while Earl?s guitar is electric
and hectic, but always in a hard-hitting accessible metal context. Listen
through the standard straight-eight architecture of the heavy stuff, and
you?ll be rewarded with breaks of sophisticated melody but sustained classic
rock heft." About Moxy: Moxy's brand of power rock and southern influence
earned them a huge following in Texas where they still receive regular
rotation on local stations. They have been dubbed Canada's answer to Led
Zeppelin. You can read more about Moxy here. About Santers: Santers originated
in the Toronto suburb of West Hill. A 3-piece made up of two Santers brothers
and Rick Lazaroff. You can read more about Santers here. About Killer Dwarfs:
Killer Dwarfs reached international success, largely due to the quirky
stage show defined by the antics of lead singer Russ Graham. You can read
more about Killer Dwarfs here. To keep up to date on the band, for more
information please visit Cyclone
Records. 08/12/2009
SPOCK'S
BEARD'S ALBUM FOR PRE-ORDER NOW
Yes,
that's right a new CD! Most of the material has already been written and
they're ready to go to the next phase of tightening up arrangements, making
changes where needed and starting production. They've decided to go commando
on this one... lean, mean and without record label support. They have been
free agents since the release of their last CD and after lots of deliberation
have decided to release their next CD independently rather than re-sign
with InsideOut or shop other labels. There have been a lot of great suggestions
relating to this topic by the members of their forum, and the one that
made a lot of sense to them was to take pre-orders for our not-yet-recorded
CD similar to the approach that Marillion has taken in the past. They will
organize a retail store distribution deal at some point in the future,
but the initial release will be an independent limited edition offering
of only 5000 CDs. This pressing will be a one-time only release, with at
least one bonus track that will not exist on any subsequent pressing. By
pre-ordering, you will receive our next CD one full month before it exists
in any other form or is (legally) available in any other way. In other
words, it won't be in stores, it won't be on iTunes, it won't be available
on Amazon or anywhere else on Earth except directly from them for at least
one month after the release date, and the special version that you pre-order
will never be reprinted again after those first 5000 units are gone. They
will also not be sending pre-release copies to the media for CD reviews
because frankly they're tired of seeing their new CD available as a "free"
bittorent download weeks before release date. Not sending out pre-release
copies will stop this leak and guarantee that the people who pre-order
their CD will be the very first people to hear it besides the people directly
involved in the recording and production process. Release date depends
on how quickly the CD is "financed" by pre-orders, but their initial goal
is to have the CD finished and the pre-orders filled by the end of this
year or early 2010. During the pre-production and recording process, they'll
keep you up-to-date with the progress at Spock's
Beard Home Page. 08/12/2009
GONG,
THE LEGENDARY PSYCHEDELIC ROCKERS RELEASE THE STUNNING NEW STUDIO ALBUM
"2032".
The
album continues the mythology of the "Radio Gnome Trilogy". "2032"is released
on Monday 21st September 2009 on the band's own label G-Wave, in special
association with A-Wave, the label of Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy's
successful dance music project System 7. International licensing and distribution
is handled in the UK by SRD. The catalogue number is AAGWCD001. The highly
anticipated new album will be supported by a UK Nationwide Tour that starts
at the Bristol O2 Academy on 19th November (Ticket Hotline: 08700 603 777,
www.seetickets.com). Produced and engineered by Hillage at A-Wave Studios,
London, additional production was conceived by Daevid Allen at Bananamoon
Observatory in NSW, Australia. Described as exhilarating, compelling and
other worldly, "2032" represents the first time Hillage has recorded with
original Gong founder, Daevid Allen, since 1974's "You" album. "2032" is
a new installment that continues the Gong's famous 'Radio Gnome' album
trilogy which includes the milestone psychedelic progressive rock albums
- "Flying Teapot" (1973), "Angel's Egg" (1973), and "You" (1974). The band
line-up on the album includes Daevid Allen (guitar, lead vocal), Steve
Hillage (lead guitar), Gilli Smyth (Space Whisper and poetry), Miquette
Giraudy (synthesiser), Mike Howlett (bass), Chris Taylor (drums), and Theo
Travis (sax and flute). Special guest performances on some tracks include
former Gong member Didier Malherbe (soprano sax, duduk, and flute) and
Yuji Katsui (electric violin) of the Japanese progressive/ psychedelic
jam band Rovo. Original Gong members Steve Hillage, Daevid Allen, Gilli
Smyth and Miquette Giraudy, wrote the songs for "2032" when they were in
Australia. The new album also grew out of the enthusiasm and fun the band
experienced playing live together again. Together with the rest of the
band, Daevid and Steve have crafted a rich and fresh sounding powerhouse
of an album that is a more than worthy successor to the legendary Radio
Gnome trilogy that Gong released at their creative peak in the 70s. ABOUT
THE NEW ALBUM - "2032 is the year that the Planet Gong makes full contact
with the Planet Earth; and a major new chapter in the continually evolving
Gong mythology," says Daevid Allen. The premise of the new album is that
Gong exists in our solar system as an evolved and peaceful planet operating
as a unified field of high frequency matter which renders it virtually
invisible to Earth. Its representatives, the Octave Doctors, first visited
Earth during the late sixties when hopes were high for a shift towards
world peace. Upon their return, they have opted to survey our progress
and have made an offer of assistance at this decisive time in our planetary
history. The year 2032 is thought to be the time when the existence of
Planet Gong will be officially recognised by astronomers on Earth and will
signal the first public arrival of these space visitors. A Japanese animation
video will also be released "How To Stay Alive", one of the tracks featured
on the forthcoming album. For more about please visit Gong
Home Page. 08/12/2009
THE
EXCLUSIVE RE-RELEASES OF TWO ALBUMS BY THEATRE OF TRAGEDY OUT SOON!
Theatre
Of Tragedy is truly a phenomenon. Their first three releases became legendary
on the doom/gothic/death metal scene, while the next two introduced a completely
different musical style, bringing the group closer to industrial and electropop
rather than traditional metal. Today Metal Mind Productions presents the
exclusive re-releases of those two controversial albums by Theatre of Tragedy
- “Musique” and “Assembly”. “Musique” was the first offering to take Theatre
of Tragedy into a new direction and this exclusive re-release brings back
one of the band’s most revolutionary steps ever… In the year 2000 Theatre
of Tragedy decided to part ways with their past and reach towards the future
by completely changing their musical direction. Released through Nuclear
Blast on October 2nd, the group’s fourth LP, “Musique”, brought a
brave mixture of industrial, electropop and gothic rock. The band left
their early gothic/death metal inspirations and introduced a fresh new
sound, focusing on upbeat, electro-based tracks. This rather controversial
style change was difficult to accept by many fans of Theatre of Tragedy’s
previous albums, but eventually the new formula proved to be more than
convincing. The band decided to continue their experiments with the industrial
genre on their next LP – “Assembly” – which was released on March 4th,
2002. The songs were still kept in the electropop fashion, but in the same
time the material seemed to be more refined and confident. Such songs as
the subtle “Liquid Man”, the extremely catchy “Automatic Lover” and the
brilliantly composed “Envision” (where Liv’s voice resembles… Kylie Minogue!)
prove that Theatre of Tragedy were able to take the best out of mixing
gothic rock with industrial and synthpop. What is more, the album featured
the band’s newest member – Vegard K. Thorsen, who previously worked with
the group as a session guitarist. Metal Mind Productions will re-release
“Musique” and “Assembly” on 27th July in Europe and 8th September in USA
(via MVD). Both titles are digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on
a golden disc and include bonus tracks. New digipak editions are limited
to numbered 2000 copies. Bio - The group was originally formed in 1993
by Raymond István Rohonyi (vocals) and Pål Bjåstad (guitar),
at first under the moniker Suffering Grief. Soon the line-up expanded to
four people, after the addition of guitarist Tommy Lindal and drummer Hein
Frode Hansen (who at that time quit his previous band Phobia and was looking
for a new project). A bass player was still missing, but that problem was
solved thanks to Eirik T. Saltrø, who offered to help out the young
and promising band, only to become a regular member in the future. After
finding a proper rehearsal room, the group started working on original
material, now with piano arrangements by their newest member, Lorentz Aspen.
The band soon composed their first song called “Lament of the Perishing
Roses” and decided to change their name to La Reine Noir and then to Theatre
of Tragedy. With the addition of female vocalist Liv Kristine Espenæs,
the group ultimately defined their style – the death metal growling was
now backed by Liv’s beautiful, melancholic voice, forming a perfect combination
of melody and crushing heaviness. By 1994 Theatre of Tragedy completed
their first studio demo, which caught the attention of Massacre Records
and lead to the release of the self-titled debut LP in 1995. The album
was very well received by both fans and critics, and soon the name Theatre
of Tragedy was known on the entire gothic scene. The follow up album -
“Velvet Darkness They Fear” (1996) – proved the band’s great form and was
even more successful than the debut. In 1997 Theatre of Tragedy released
the EP “A Rose for the Dead”, which included previously unreleased tracks
from the “Velvet Darkness They Fear” session, as well as some remixes.
The band’s last release for Massacre Records was “Aégis” (1998),
by many fans considered the best ToT album to date. In the year 2000 Theatre
of Tragedy decided to part ways with their past and reach towards the future
by completely changing their musical direction. Released through Nuclear
Blast on October 2nd, the group’s fourth LP, “Musique”, brought a
brave mixture of industrial, electropop and gothic rock. The band left
their early gothic/death metal inspirations and introduced a fresh new
sound, focusing on upbeat, electro-based tracks. This rather controversial
style change was difficult to accept by many fans of Theatre of Tragedy’s
previous albums, but eventually the new formula proved to be more than
convincing. The band decided to continue their experiments with the industrial
genre on their next LP – “Assembly” – which was released on March 4th,
2002. The songs were still kept in the electropop fashion, but in the same
time the material seemed to be more refined and confident. Such songs as
the subtle “Liquid Man”, the extremely catchy “Automatic Lover” and the
brilliantly composed “Envision” (where Liv’s voice resembles… Kylie Minogue!)
prove that Theatre of Tragedy were able to take the best out of mixing
gothic rock with industrial and synthpop. What is more, the album featured
the band’s newest member – Vegard K. Thorsen, who previously worked with
the group as a session guitarist. In 2006 the band released one more album
called “Storm”. This offering took Theatre of Tragedy back to their roots
and introduced a new singer, Nell Sigland, who replaced Liv Kristine. For
more about visit Metal Mind Productions.
08/12/2009
SANTANA
AND THE JOURNEY FOUNDING MEMBER GREGG ROLIE RELEASES LIMITED EDITION LIVE
CD HOUSTON
Santana
and the Journey Founding Member Gregg Rolie Releases Limited Edition Live
CD Houston, TX - Legendary Santana / Journey founding member, and Rock
n Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Gregg Rolie has released a limited edition
CD of his band in concert in 2007. On this 12-track CD, the Gregg Rolie
Band whip up a blistering performance featuring all the beloved Santana
hits, as well as tracks from his 2001 critically acclaimed solo CD 'Roots'
and a few new songs. Songs include "No One To Depend On", "Jingo", "Evil
Ways". "Black Magic Woman", "Soul Sacrifice" and others. The final track
on the CD, "Bailamos El Son", was taken from Gregg Rolie's performance
on the PBS special Trini Lopez Presents The Legends of Latin Music. Filmed
at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles last October, the program will be
aired in June 2009. Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, this year Warner
Home Video's will be releasing a Blu-ray and DVD Ultimate Collector's Edition
with high definition picture and sound of 'Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace &
Music', which will also feature two hours of bonus material, some of it
newly-discovered. Much to the elation of fans worldwide, extra footage
of Santana's historic Woodstock performance will be included. Held at the
Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas on March 23rd, along with Santana
alumni Michael Shr ieve, Gregg resided on20a discussion panel of performers,
filmakers and key technicians who helped create the timeless music classic
and Oscar winning 'Best Documentary' Woodstock. Also, the Gregg Rolie band
recently performed at the Hard Rock Cafe New York for the premier of the
new 'Woodstock' DVD / Blue-ray release. Audience members were treated to
a guest appearance by drummer Michael Shrieve during the set. "The first
time I played with Gregg everything just clicked. In a humble way, it was
very much like McCartney and Lennon. You know when there's chemistry there.
Drummers came and went; congeros came and went, but his feeling and my
feeling...sometimes it was hard to tell who was the needle and who was
the thread." Carlos Santana. Gregg Rolie is responsible for co-founding
two phenomenally popular, multi-platinum super groups - Santana and Journey.
In 1998, the world class keyboardist/vocalist/producer was inducted into
the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame as part of the original Santana band. Formed
in San Francisco in 1969, the multi-cultural ensemble produced three groundbreaking
hit albums which yeilded several FM staples. You've heard Gregg's voice
and keyboards on such classic Santana hits as "Black Magic Woman", "Evil
Ways", "No One To Depend On", "Everybody's Everything" and "Oye Como Va".
"There's one unique ability of the band," Gregg told music critic Ben Fong-Torres,
"and that was that it created music that there is no name for... Santana's
music is such a jell of different20material that there just is no name
for it, and there's no one that plays it like Santana does." Departing
after the pioneering jazz fusion offering 'Caravansarai' in 1972, both
band members Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon went on to form quintessential
1980s hit-makers Journey. After co-writing and producing the band's first
7 albums, along with constant touring, Gregg decided to leave Journey once
the hugely successful 1981 live double LP 'Captured' was issued. During
the '80s Rolie wrote, produced and played on the Santana albums 'Shango'
and 'Freedom', and released his debut, self-titled 1985 solo album and
its 1987 follow-up 'Gringo', before co-founding the all-new Journey-esque
rock group The Storm at the tail end of the decade. The Storm released
two albums: ‘92’s eponymous disc that yielded the #13 Billboard Hot 100
hit "I’ve Got A Lot To Learn About Love" and ‘96’s 'Eye Of the Storm'.
That same year, Rolie, along with five other original Santana members,
formed Abraxas Pool, a spirited collaboration that resulted in the 1997
critically acclaimed album of the same name. Thirty-five years after Gregg
and Carlos met in San Francisco, 2001 marked the release of Rolie's third
solo album 'Roots'. The first-ever release on Bay-Area based Tower Records'
new proprietary label 33rd Street, 'Roots' finds Gregg revisiting the incredible
brew of sounds he helped conjure up in the late 60's. Rolie calls Roots'
twelve original selections "Latin rock plus"; the instrumentation is Latin
percussion, with organ, guitar, horns, and lots of great solo work and
songwriting", adding that "I really wanted to go all the way back to my
Santana roots". The Gregg Rolie Band consists of founding Santana member
Michael Carabello on Congas, Adrian Areas (son of original Santana percussionist
Jose Chepito Areas) on Timbales, drummer Ron Wikso (who was also in The
Storm), Kurt Griffey on guitars, internationally acclaimed bassist, Chapman
Stick artist and Santana alumni Alphonso Johnson and former Jean Luc Ponty
keyboardist Wally Minko. "If you are having a good time at anything you
do, you are going to do a good job at what you do," Gregg recently told
music critic Jim Harrington. "That's really where the key to this band
is. We really just enjoy each other a tremendous amount and have a lot
of fun with this. We will get up to playing about 50 dates a year, and
really that's about all I want to do." The Gregg Rolie Band will be performing
throughout 2009 with tour dates listed on his official website. For more
information please visit Greg Rolie
Home Page. 08/12/2009
EUROPE
ANNOUNCE "LAST LOOK AT EDEN" MINI ALBUM
"Europe",
Sweden's biggest selling hard rock band is pleased to announce the release
of a special mini album 'Last Look At Eden EP' on 10th August. Released
by Edel entertainment's rock music record label earMUSIC, the mini album
will feature five tracks and an exclusive promo video for the ?Last Look
at Eden?s single. The mini album coincides with the band?s headline
appearance at this year?s Bloodstock Festival on 16th August (www.bloodstock.uk.com)
and will precede the band's long awaited studio album "Last Look at Eden"
on 14th September. The new album will be 'Europe's eighth studio album;
their first since 2006's critically acclaimed "Secret Society". Conceived
as a gift to the fans and a way to introduce the new studio album of the
same name, the Last Look at Eden mini album will be available as a CD deluxe
digi-pack and digital download. The mini album features two new songs from
the forthcoming full-length album of the same name. These include the title
track and first single ?Last Look At Eden?, plus ?U Devil U?, as well as
three never-before-released live tracks including a cover of Led Zeppelin?s
?Since I?ve Been Loving You?. The mini album also includes the promo video
for ?Last Look At Eden?, and is available to pre-order from townsend-records.co.uk
and amazon.co.uk. For the full track listing and official online press
release. Europe have sold more than 12 million albums worldwide, achieved
two top 20 albums: The Final Countdown (1986), Out of This World (1988)
and two top 10 singles (The Final Countdown, Carrie) on the U.S. Billboard
Charts. 08/12/2009
ALKEMYST
RE-RELEASE DEBUT OPUS 'MEETING IN THE MIST"
Alkemyst
- re-release of the band's debut opus 'Meeting in the Mist". What do you
get when you combine thrilling power metal with a genuine progressive approach?
Alkemyst knows the answer. Their amazing LP “Meeting in the Mist” holds
all the key elements that add up for a truly memorable album. This exclusive
re-edition of Alkemyst’s debut opus brings back one of the most exciting
releases ever to emerge on the French metal scene! The band was originally
formed in the eastern part of France in 1992 under the name Endless. The
founding members were two guitarists – Séverin Bonneville and Arnaud
Ménard. After completing the line-up with bassist Denis Mellion
and drummer Arnaud Gorbaty, the group (now as Alkemyst) begun shaping their
musical style and in 1998 they released their first demo, “From Depths
to Light”. A second demo followed in 1999, bearing the title “A Path to
Heaven”. Thanks to these two releases, Alkemyst caught the attention of
numerous record labels, which finally lead to signing a contract with the
famous Nuclear Blast Records. With a new signer on board – Ramon Messina
– Alkemyst begun working on their debut offering… After some production
hassles, the band finally managed to release “Meeting in the Mist” on June
30th, 2003. The album starts slowly with the symphonic, instrumental intro
“Spells & Elixirs” and then immediately attacks the listener with the
speedy and melodic track “Still Alive”. This song pretty much sums up the
band’s musical style, offering a brilliant mixture of old-school power
metal in the likes of Manowar, Blind Guradian or Helloween, and passages
typical for the prog metal genre. Other highlights on the LP include “It’s
Time”, “Hold On To Your Dreams”, “Passage” and “Empty Skies”. But perhaps
the most memorable track on the entire album is “Nameless Son”, a 12-minute
epic juggernaut which ends the LP. The album received critical acclaim
all over the world and soon became one of the most respected releases on
the French metal scene. “Meeting in the Mist” – is still considered a masterpiece
and brilliantly combines all the best elements of both power and prog metal
genres. So feel free to take a walk inside the mist… who knows what secrets
it holds? Metal Mind Productions will re-release the album on 27th July
in Europe and 8th September in USA (via MVD). New digipak edition includes
3 bonus tracks and is limited to 1000 copies. Digitally remastered using
24-Bit process on a golden disc. For more about visit Metal
Mind Productions. 08/12/2009
KARNATAKA
NEW ALBUM "THE GATHERING LIGHT"
The new Karnataka album
The Gathering Light is approaching completion and the band will soon be
heading into the studio for final mixing. Everyone is very excited by the
new album and they look forward to bringing us lots more information on
release date, formats, track listing, artwork, sound clips, promotional
activities etc in the coming weeks. Karnataka Live 2009 - The band have
confirmed some festival appearances in August and October. For more about
visit Karnataka Home Page.
06/25/2009
FROMUZ
NEW LINEUP AND NEW BAND'S NAME FROM.US ALSO RECORDED A DVD
Back
in September, just after Overlook was released, the new lineup of Fromuz,
now called From.uz, performed new music in two concerts which have been
filmed and will eventually be released on DVD. Two of the original members
remain: Vitaly Popeloff & Albert Khalmurzaev (official spelling change
on his passport. no y) The rhythm section was replaced with Ali Izmailov
on drums/percussion/tubular bells & Sur'at Kasimov on bass/double bass.
A fifth member has been added: Igor Elizov plays keyboards & grand
piano & sings backup vocals. Yes, that is right, From.uz now has vocals!
Vitaly has introduced singing into the band's sound. To be honest, I was
skeptical when they first told me that they wanted to add vocals, because
they have been so strong as an instrumental band, but they are really very
good. You can listen to a 6 minute sampler at Fromuz
Home Page. The new studio album is finished being recorded and is now in
the mastering stage in Tashkent.
06/25/2009
CIRRHA
NIVA WILL RELEASE "FOR MOMENTS NEVER DONE"
June,‘s-Hertogenbosch,
the Netherlands; Dutch progressive metal band Cirrha Niva announces album
title, guest appearances and release date. On September 3rd Cirrha Niva
will release their new album "For Moments Never Done". The album will be
released through the band’s own independent record label Parnassus Records.
Suburban Distribution will take care of the availability in stores through
the Benelux. In the USA/Canada, the End Records will handle the distribution
of the album. For Europe & the rest of the world distributors are still
wanted. “For Moments Never Done” will be the first band release with new
vocalist Legrand and the first release after their 2001 rock opera album
"Liaison De La Morte". The band has put their earlier theatrical en gothic
influences aside in order to develop into a modern style and sound. In
the new songs influences and cross references can be made with names like
Faith no More, Psychotic Waltz, Nevermore, Dream Theater or even Iron Maiden
and Thin Lizzy. Raw melancholic metal riffs, groovy drums and dark grunts
will be enlightened with the powerful clean sometimes almost poppy and
soulful, lead vocals of Legrand. ‘Dreamon’ and ‘Framed, two songs of the
new album can already be heard on Cirrha
Niva Home Page. The album is recorded & produced by producers Jochem
Jacobs and Bouke Visser at Split Second Sound Studio (Textures, Autumn,
Stream of Passion) & Excess Recording Studio (Ayreon, After Forever,
Gorefest). "For Moments Never Done" carries 7 songs with a total playing
time of approx 47 minutes. The songs in running order are: ‘The Fooling’,
‘Dreamon’, ‘Framed’, ‘Running From The Source’, ‘Golan Heights’, ‘Spring
Before Winter’ and ‘Self Chosen’. On the album Cirrha Niva is supported
by the following guest musicians; Manda Ophuis (Nemesea), Joost van den
Broek (After Forever), Yuval Kramer (Amaseffer), Robin de Groot (Chiraw)
and Bouke Visser.
06/25/2009
FINAL
CONFLICT REVEAL THEIR FUTURE PLANS!
After
the release of the very successful live DVD & CD “Another Moment In
Time”, Final Conflict are now begining to record their 6th studio album
entitled “The Return of the Artizan”. One of the new songs is already performed
live and was aired officially at the Rotherham Rocks Festival 2009 Festival.
The track received great applause from the audience, and the feedback after
the gig was so overwhelming that it is certain to be included on the album.
It will be featured under the title “Lonely Man”. Henry Rogers (drums)
says: “This is an exciting new era for Final Conflict as it is the first
studio album with the much talked about new rhythm section (myself and
Barry Elwood). “The Return Of The Artizan” is going to be available at
Christmas 2009 ready to fill out those stockings!! Final Conflict
will be working very hard to ensure that the raw energy of the songs are
captured aptly on the album for all to hear. The stunning new album cover
has already been designed and rated as their best ever cover by the band!!
Final Conflict are very pleased to be able to approve such an artistic
album cover, and shall be keeping the artists secrets closely guarded for
now. The band have purchase the original painting, and unlike previous
album covers, it will not be auctioned off!! (Or say they say???) "With
the writing and production of the album thoroughly underway, the remaining
Final Conflict's concerts for this year are: The Rigger – 11th July – Newcastle
– Under – Lyme - Autumn NABDNESS – 12th September – Oxford - The Rigger
– 19th December – The big launch party for the release of the new album!!!
Final Conflict will be playing at a number of key festivals next year which
have yet to be announced! As part of the continuous promotion of the “Another
Moment In Time” DVD there is a new preview track - "Stand Up" - available
on MMP’s Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MetalMindPoland.
“Another Moment In Time” DVD is available in 3 formats: DVD, limited DVD+CD
edition, including bonus audio CD with songs recorded during the gig at
the theater, and a limited CD digipak.
06/25/2009
ELF
PROJECT SIGNS WITH 10T RECORDS, RELEASES CD "MIRAGE"
CHARLESTON,
South Carolina - May 21, 2009 (10T Records) ? 10T Records is proud to announce
the pending release of the new full length CD release by Elf Project, entitled
?Mirage? on June 23, 2009, with a retail street date following on July
21st. Hailing from the greater New York area, Elf Project is the unique
musical vision of multi-instrumentalist Carl Schultz (vocals, bass, keyboards,
guitars, electric sitar, theremin, production). Blending a variety of influences
into a cohesive whole, the Elf Project sound is hard to pin down within
narrow genre specifications. Taking classic 70's era progressive rock and
infusing it with a strong dose of 60's era psychedelia and hard rock, Schultz
and his main collaborators, Mike Cappadozy (guitars), and Mike Mumblo (drums)
successfully merge these various elements into an infectious vibe that
never sounds dated. Layers of melodic vocal harmonies sit atop a foundation
of driving and propulsive rhythms while snaky guitar riffs and lush keyboard
washes percolate throughout the mix. The music is full of unexpected twists
and turns; from bright, hook-laden vocal-oriented pop stylings to complex
proggy instrumentals or the sudden introduction of Middle Eastern motifs
or classical guitar. "Elf Project is pleased to announce their brand new
partnership with 10T Records,? says founder Carl Schultz. ?The members
of Elf Project look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with 10T
for many years to come. It?s great to be associated with all of the other
great bands on the label!" "We knew before the opening track of Mirage
was through that Elf Project had something unique and different going on,?
says 10T Records president, Steve Carroll. ?Not only does Elf Project fit
the forward-thinking philosophy of 10T Records, they don?t sound like anyone
else on the current progressive rock scene. They are truly one of a kind
and a band not to be missed!" "Mirage" by Elf Project is available for
immediate pre-order through the 10T Records website. All orders received
between now and the official release date will ship by the end of the week
prior to the official release. Additionally, all tracks from "Mirage" are
available to preview in their entirety through the 10T
Records website. After July 21st, "Mirage" will be available through
your favorite retail outlet for immediate purchase. 06/25/2009
SIGUR
RÓS NEW ALBUM ALMOST FINISHED
Sigur
Rós have been at work in their sundlaugin studio in álafoss
the past few weeks recording a full length album, which is now nearing
completion. Orri told Morgunblaðið newspaper today that the recordings
have been going very well and that the album is taking form as a slower
and more ambient record than með suð í eyrum við spilum
endalaust and takk?. He also describes the music as melodic but much less
noisy and more "out there" than previous albums. The album does not have
a release date set but is expected to be released sometime next year. For
more about the band please visit Sigur
Rós Home Page. 06/25/2009
3RDEGREE
TO PLAY THEIR FIRST PROGRESSIVE ROCK FESTIVAL: PROGDAY 2009!
ProgDay
is very happy to announce one of the east coast's best modern progressive
rock bands, 3RDEGREE, to the Storybook Farm Stage. 3RDEGREE hail
from New Jersey with a history that dates back to 1990 when founding members
bassist/keys man ROBERT JAMES PASHMAN joined with drummer ROB DURHAM to
create what they called "challenging music to play with a singable calling
card." Guitarist PAT KLIESCH joined the band several months later and their
debut album, "The World In Which We Live," was released in 1993. Although
"World" was well received and the band gigged all over the east coast,
it was felt that the missing element was having a world class vocalist
in the mix. Enter GEORGE DOBBS, a stirring front man and vocalist who also
played keyboards. The result of this pairing was "Human Interest Story"
in 1995. The band again gigged to promote the album, playing well known
clubs on the east coast circuit. Unfortunately, due to several factors,
the band decided to call it quits in 1997 after a farewell gig at the famed
CBGB's in New York City. This could have been the end of the story, but
in 2005 three of the band's original members met up and decided that it
was time to make music again. The culmination of this meeting was a triumphant
return to the live stage at THE NEW JERSEY PROGHOUSE in April of 2007.
The show was filmed and released as a live DVD and album. The band quickly
got back to work and released their first new album in over a decade with
"Narrow-Caster" in 2008. The reviews were overwhelmingly positive with
many praising the album as one of the best modern prog albums in years.
3RDEGREE will be sure to rock the field on Labor Day Weekend as they make
their first festival appearance. ProgDay is the world's longest running
progressive rock event. The 15th edition will take place on September 5th
& 6th, 2009, at beautiful Storybook Farm near Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
3RDEGREE (USA) joins OZRIC TENTACLES (UK), MÖRGLBL (France), QUI (Japan)
and FRENCH TV (USA) for another great weekend of the best in progressive
music! For more information and to hear music from all of this year's ProgDay
bands. 06/25/2009
NEMESEA
SURROUND SOUND CONCERTS
Tickets
for their surround sound concerts are now availeble! (shows
on july 2nd & 3rd in P3 Purmerend, the Netherlands). There's a
limited number of tickets available, so if you don't want to miss this
spectacular show, make sure to buy your ticket soon! For more info on the
concerts visit Nemesia website.
06/25/2009
7BZH
RELEASE A NEW ALBUM TITLED "CARGO CULT"
With
a duration of 56 minutes, this album offers 12 tracks including 4 instrumentals
and 8 songs in english. 7BZH is a progressive rock project created in 2006,
having released four albums so far. Behind the project is François,
a songwriter, multi-instrument player and singer, winner in 2000 of the
Music Man competition "Best Guitarist on the web". 7BZH's music takes its
roots in Yes or Pink Floyd's progressive rock, and makes its best effort
to deliver a music that ranges from classical to modern, from soft and
evocative to energetic, always inventive, with metal influences in the
manner of Porcupine Tree, OSI, or Anathema. The lyrics are mostly dark,
they talk about the economico-ecological crisis and other disenchantments.
7BZH embraces the free music movement, and the new album, like the previous
ones, is published under Creative Commons licensing so that everybody is
free to share it. The digital version can be bought on the 7BZH
website, where (just like Radiohead did recently) its price is left for
the buyer to set. 7BZH also calls for a subscription, in order to have
physical CDs made, including, that's uncommon, the possibility to buy a
wooden crate stamped with the group's logo, along with a parachute, the
very same crate that is pictured on the album cover art.
06/25/2009
LONGSHANKS
RELEASES THE PENULTIMATE TRACK FOR THEIR UPCOMING ALBUM
Today
Longshanks releases the penultimate track for their upcoming CD "The Return
of Longshanks". At 7:55 minutes "In the Desert" is the longest track yet
for the CD. It describes the adventures of the traveller after he has fled
the pushy salesmen in the city (Leave Me Alone), to find some peace and
quiet in nature. Nature, however, turns out to be not quite as peaceful
and quiet as he had expected... Read more on Longshanks
on the news page. 06/25/2009
ROGER
POWELL SIGNS WITH UNICORN DIGITAL AND RELEASES SOLO PIANO "BLUE NOTE RIDGE"
Unicorn
Digital is proud to announce that legendary keyboardist Roger Powell (Utopia,
David Bowie, Meat Loaf) has signed a deal with the label to release Blue
Note Ridge, a collection of improvisations that embrace classical melody,
contemporary harmony and impressionist forms on this debut solo piano album.
A stream of consciousness merging styles and eras, Blue Note Ridge is pure,
elegant and honest. In the 70’s and 80’s Roger Powell’s groundbreaking
electronic synthesizer albums Cosmic Furnace (Atlantic) and Air Pocket
(Bearsville) were hailed as masterworks. Best known for his work with pioneering
musical ensemble Utopia (featuring Todd Rundgren), as well as inventing
the 'Probe' keyboard, Powell has always been held in high esteem by his
peers. "Even among the keyboard titans of the progrock Seventies, Roger
Powell always stood out." (Future Music U.S. Ed.- June 2006). 2006 signaled
a welcome return of Roger Powell with the retrofuturistic, groove oriented,
Fossil Poets (Inner Knot CD/Vinyl LP). The critically acclaimed release
was produced by award winning producer Gary Tanin who, along with Powell,
pro duced the 2009 solo piano offering Blue Note Ridge. "For many years,
I have wanted to release a solo piano recording, as the piano is my main
instrument from high school days onward," Roger explains. "There were a
few piano segments and pieces on my other albums, as well as on Utopia
recordings, but I had never done a full album of solo piano." Here's what
the music press have been saying about Blue Note Ridge: "Although he's
best known to rock fans as a synth/keyboard wizard, Roger Powell is also
one fine piano player, as evidenced throughout his 2009 solo release, Blue
Note Ridge. Working once more with producer Gary Tanin, a good representation
of the album would be such standouts as the album opening "Path to the
River", as well as "Take To The Sky", the latter of which was adapted from
the George Gershwin classic "Summertime". Once and for all, Blue Note Ridge
proves that there is not a musical style that Roger Powell isn't comfortable
tickling the ivories to." "This 36-minute collection of 14 solo piano pieces
is not the kind of album listeners might expect, especially after 2006's
Fossil Poets. The warm elegant pieces on Blue Note Ridge are flecked with
melancholy and create a musical stream of consciousness. Some pieces border
on New Age, but the music here provides audio tranquility as serene as
the album's title." "With serenity always on the horizon, the pieces gathered
on "Blue Note Ridge" are tastefully jagged like the sparkingly sparse "Flint
Hill" or the opener "Path To The River" which has a nicely poised swing
to it. Elsewhere "Take To The Sky" pays a tribute to George Gershwin's
"Summertime", and there's Chopin-like majesty in "First Light" where the
blues-skewed dissonance plays a mind game. When the droplets of "Watershed"
awash the ears, all these improvisations leave so much to imagination that
a new spin of the disc feels necessary to have something fresh revealed
every time." "The inspiration behind the album was my desire to record
some music in a very direct and simple setting: just me and the piano,
no synthesizers, electronics or complex mixing," says Roger. "All the tracks
were completely improvised, spontaneously composed. I would just sit down
at the piano, turn on the stereo recorder and play. From several hours
worth of raw material, we selected a set of pieces that express the overall
mood of introspection and exploration." Blue Note Ridge will be available
on July 14, 2009. For more information visit Roger
Powell's official website. 06/25/2009
PORCUPINE
TREE ANNOUNCE THEIR NEW ALBUM
Porcupine
Tree are happy to announce the forthcoming release of their tenth studio
album "The Incident". The record is set to be released via Roadrunner Records
worldwide on 21st September, as a double CD. The centre-piece is the title
track, which takes up the whole of the first disc. The 55-minute work is
described as “a slightly surreal song cycle about beginnings and endings
and the sense that ‘after this, things will never be the same again’.”
The self-produced album is completed by four standalone compositions that
developed out of band writing sessions last December - Flicker, Bonnie
The Cat, Black Dahlia, and Remember Me Lover feature on a separate EP length
disc to stress their independence from the song cycle. Video footage of
the band in the studio working on The Incident, as well as audio previews,
will be available online soon. The band will tour extensively to promote
the album from mid September onwards. 06/25/2009
PROGDAY HAS CHANGED IT'S
DOMAIN NAME
They are now "Progday.net"
instead of ".com." If you are one of ProgDay's many supporters, please
be sure to make the change to ".net" in all of the bookmarks. ProgDay is
the world's longest running progressive rock event. The 15th edition
will
take place on September 5th & 6th, 2009, at beautiful Storybook Farm
near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The lineup includes OZRIC TENTACLES
(UK), MÖRGLBL (France), QUI (Japan), FRENCH TV (USA), 3RDEGREE (USA)
and DELUGE GRANDER (USA) with two more bands to be announced. Join us again
this year for another great weekend of the best in progressive music! For
more information and to hear music from all of this year's ProgDay bands,
please visit us at Progday Website.
06/25/2009
VAN
DER GRAAF GENERATOR THE BRITISH PROG-ROCK STARS TO PERFORM AT REGENT
Van
der Graaf Generator are Peter Hammill (vox, gtr, kbd), Hugh Banton (organ,
bass) and Guy Evans (drums, percussion), the three surviving members of
the original group line-up of 1968, are all set to perform at the Regent
Theatre, 7 Medford Street, on Tuesday, June 28 at 8 p.m. with special guest
Acoustic Strawb. Gold Circle Seating tickets for the event are $41; Reserved
Orchestra tickets are $31; Reserved Balcony tickets are $21. Van der Graaf
Generator, sometimes known by the shorter Van der Graaf, is a legendary
English progressive rock band — the first act signed to Charisma Records.
Their albums tended to be darker in atmosphere than many of their prog-rock
peers (a trait they shared with King Crimson, whose guitarist Robert Fripp
guested on two of their albums), and guitar solos were the exception rather
than the rule. For more information on Van
der Graaf Generator Home Page. 06/25/2009
LILLIAN
AXE NEW ALBUM "SAD DAY ON PLANET EARTH"
The
day is coming upon us, the birth of the epic rock opera, "Sad Day On Planet
Earth." Lillian Axe's new cd will be released on Tuesday, June 30th.
Go to Amazon.com and order a copy to help Lillian Axe crack the Nllboard
top 200 albums chart. For more about the new album and the band please
visit Lillian Axe Home Page.
06/25/2009
BELIEVE,
POLISH PROG ROCK BAND A NEW ALBUM TO BE RELEASED IN AUGUST
Believe,
Polish progressive rock band, is in the final stage of their work on their
third studio album entitled “This Bread Is Mine”. It will be the band's
first release with Karol Wróblewski as the vocalist. The new material
is currently mixed with the help of a very experienced producer Wlodek
Kowalczyk. Apart from the title, the band revealed also the artwork. “This
Bread Is Mine” will be released by Metal Mind Productions in early August.
The standard edition will feature 11 tracks. A bonus track will be added
to the digipak edition. Believe - an outstanding art-rock act formed by
the guitarist Mirek Gi, the former leader and composer of Polish prog-rock
legend Collage. Believe’s debut album “Hope to See Another Day” (2006)
received very good reviews from both media and fans. The music appealed
to the lovers of the old Collage but also to the fans of Porcupine Tree,
Pink Floyd and Riverside. The follow-up album entitled “Yesterday Is A
Friend” (2008) brought powerful sound full of faith and melody and gained
them many new fans. In July 2008 Metal Mind Productions released the band’s
first DVD entitled “Hope To See Another Day Live”. For more about Believe
please visit Metal Mind Home
Page. 06/25/2009
GAZPACHO
IS PREPARING A RECORD FOR THEIR FIRST DVD
Summer's
here and they'd preparing for the big day in Germany at the "Night of the
Prog" festival in Loreley. This is their first ever festival headliner!
To celebrate the occasion, they've decided to film it with a whole bunch
of cameras with the intention of releasing a DVD towards the autumn. So,
you can either see them on screen later this year or even better, get yourselves
there to share the experience with them and other 'soldiers'! For more
about the band please visit Gazpacho
Home Page. 06/25/2009
MANGROVE
NEW STUDIO ALBUM "BEYOND REALITY"
On
June 27th 2009 Mangrove will release the long expected new studio album
?Beyond Reality?, that will appear on their own label Mangrovian Music.
The title seems to fit the great expectations of the band very well. On
this album the development of a professional approach, songwriting capabilities
and the moments of virtuosity are clearly showed off. Beside the epic tracks
like ?Daydreamer?s Nightmare? and the vivacious ?Voyager?, there is the
title track 'Beyond Reality' which inherits everything of a classic rock
song suitable for a wide music loving audience. Together with the modesty
of ?Love and Beyond?, the 18 minute epic ?Time Will Tell? and the instrumental
power play of ?Reality Fades? an enormous variety is presented to the listener.
With this new album, Mangrove intends to make a clear statement: pushing
the limits in an amazing way. Driven by where it all started with: passion
for the music. The recordings were made in a leading studio and very much
time was spent on mixing and mastering the album to give attention to every
detail. This production process and the hard working has led to the desired
result: a wonderful sound in which a perfect balance between power and
definition has been achieved. ?Beyond Reality? is the impressive proof.
Power, emotion, exploding energy, virtuosity and modesty, this album has
it all. Together with the beautiful artwork this is the ultimate masterpiece
of Mangrove. With their own unique spot in the live music scene they will
perform the whole album and previous material in a great release show at
Stage Gigant (June 27th, Apeldoorn, the Netherlands). Every thing about
the new album visit Mangrove
Home Page. 06/25/2009
FACTORY
OF DREAMS IS RECORDING A NEW ALBUM
Factory
of Dreams is currently completing the recordings for the new album 'A Strange
Utopia', after the successful debut Poles. For this new album, they've
release a Single called "The Weight of the World". Now, First Edition Pictures,
ProgRock Records and Factory of Dreams are proud to present "The
Weight of the World - Videoclip", produced by Hugo Flores, directed by
Emil Jonsvik and promoted by Factory of Dreams and ProgRock Records, available
at YouTube. Also,
please visit Atrange Utopia to Download
the DVD quality version of the clip or to follow every development of the
new album, with videos from some recording sessions too. 06/25/2009
CIRCLE
OF FATE SECOND RELEASE "BACK TO LIFE"
The
music press is on fire with the second release by Chicago rock ensemble
Circle of Fate. Described as "Pop rock with metal undertones", Circle of
Fate's new CD 'Back To Life' is an amalgamation of catchy melodies and
hooky rhythms. For the last 10 years the band has been capitivating audiences
all over the world. Produced by Larry Sturm, who has worked with top music
artists such as Destiny's Child, Mary J. Blige and Disturbed, and who has
said of Circle of Fate's new single, " 'My Religion' has all of the ingredients
of a hit song!" "The new CD took about one year to fully record," says
guitarist Danny Charatin. "Circle of Fate went into the studio and recorded
a three song demo off of the CD. After the demo we put the rest of the
songs together and did pre-production. Once the band felt we could get
in and knock it out we went back to the studio, which was Pressure Point
Studios in Chicago, and recorded the last seven songs in a 40 hour slot.
This meant that the band went to work and came into the studio late at
night and were there sometimes until 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning. It
can be difficult to play your best when you are tired but the final result
turned out great!" Circle of Fate has a wide range of influneces which20can
be heard throughout the new CD. These influences include Pat Benetar, Joan
Jett, Heart, Dream Theater, Journey, Joe Satriani, Iron Maiden, Porcupine
Tree, Steve Vai, Nickelback and Prince just to name just a few. It's not
often that a female-fronted hard rock outfit can really deliver a knock-out
punch but that's not the case with Circle of Fate. The band has put out
a righteous display of rock 'n' roll agression for all to enjoy." Circle
of Fate features: Michele Caruso: Lead Vocals - Michele has done jingle
work for Chicago’s hit radio station B-96, and has also been an extra on
a Bud Light commercial. Michele was model/dancer for the New York Creatures
Video in MTV Europe, and also be heard on the Gateway Cheverolet commercial
on T.V. and radio. On top of all that, Michele was on the Howard Stern
show, singing one of her original songs. The show was also aired on live
radio, CBS, and E-Entertainment. She has has performed jingles for Chicago’s
rock station Q101 and Mancow's Morning Madhouse where she sang the Gateway
Cheverolet song live on the air. Danny Charatin: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Danny has been playing the guitar now for about 22 years. Danny's past
bands include Destiny, Moriah, Latent Fury and Ion Vein. Danny has also
done some studio work in the past. He has played shows out of state to
fill in for other bands and has a blues influence in his playing. He also
enjoys playing classical pieces. He quotes..."My ideas and style fit perfect
with Michele's melodies and style. Together it's the perfect combination
for real music that comes from the soul". Ethon Burns: Drums, Percussion
- Ethon has been playing drums now for 16 years. He attended Belmont University
in Nashville, TN. Having lessons from several big names in the industry
(Chester Thompson and Jeff Wade to name a couple). From there he moved
through the studio circuit, amassing around 60 hours studio time with everything
from country to metal and playing an absurd amount of gigs in Iowa where
he is from. Jeff Barker: Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals - Jeff has been playing
in numerous musical projects over the years; everything from original material
to cover songs. While he has been the bassist in the majority of the projects
he was involved with, he also plays guitar, keyboards and sings lead and
backing vocals. His past projects have included a wide variety of music
that ranges from rock and roll and the blues, heavy metal, industrial,
speed metal, and jazz. He also has been involved in over twenty studio
projects with numerous artists, and he has played in 500+ shows in the
Chicago-land area, throughout the mid-west states and on the East Coast.
Jeff was a nominee and finalist for Best Musician Bass Guitar in Chicago
Nightlife Magazine's Best of the Burbs Contest 2009. "They are not Evanescence
yet, but at least they are more interesting." - Illinois Entertainer. Michele
decribes Circle of Fate's music as, "A break from the mundane. Our music
kicks ass! Our music has great melodies and it’s in your face rock. Our
music tells a story and leaves you wanting more." And what does the future
hold for Circle of Fate? "We would like to see ourselves like the Red Hot
Chili Peppers," says Ethon. "They’ve been around for a long time and everyone
knows who they are but they are not the Rolling Stones. Circle of Fate
would like to be on tour in the US and Europe playing our music to thousands
of people. We also see ourselves writing new material and developing as
artists." Circle of Fate will be performing at Summerfest in Milwaukee,
WI on June 30th (www.summerfest.com). The new Circle of Fate CD 'Back To
Life" is available at CD Baby, Amazon.com and the band's official websites.
For more information visit Circle
of Fate Home Page. 06/25/2009
ASIA
FEATURING JOHN PAYNE KICKS OFF SUMMER TOUR
ASIA
Featuring John Payne Kicks Off Summer Tour at American Music Festival July
5th, Classic AOR band hits festivals/venues around the nation. Los Angeles,
CA - Classic AOR band ASIA Featuring John Payne is scheduled to appear
at festivals and venues around the USA this summer beginning July 5th at
the American Music Festival in Riverfront Park, Harrisburg, PA. ASIA Featuring
John Payne will perform many of Asia's hit songs plus new material from
their upcoming release "Military Man". John Payne became the frontman of
the supergroup ASIA in 1992 at the invitation of keyboardist Geoff Downes,
replacing vocalist/bassist John Wetton. ASIA extensively toured the world
for the next 14 years performing new classics and old favorites. With John
Payne fronting the band, ASIA released 8 stunning studio albums and several
live recordings. In 2006, Geoff Downes left the band to reform the 1982
line up for their 25th anniversary. On the 9th of May 2006, John Payne,
Geoff Downes, John Wetton, Carl Palmer and Steve Howe contractually agreed
that John Payne would continue his 14 year legacy with ASIA as ”ASIA Featuring
John Payne”. ASIA Featuring John Payne have commenced touring in North
America and a new studio album is planned for release in late 2009. ASIA
Featuring John Payne Member - Guitarist Mitch Perry joins ASIA Featuring
John Payne for the 2009 summer tour. Gold records, sold out concert tours,
MTV video and network TV appearances, numerous magazine features and recognition
in the form of several guitar awards, over the last 25 years Mitch Perry
has accomplished all of the above in a career working alongside some of
the most renowned and popular musicians in the world. Mitch's discography
and touring experience reads like a who's who of rock ranging from Aerosmith
to Michael Schenker Group to Cher and Edgar Winter. His performances both
live and in the studio show him to be a truly world class guitarist. Drummer
Jay Schellen joined as ASIA’s premiere drummer in 2005, toured in Europe
with the band and recording the album ASIA Featuring John Payne EXTENDED
VERSIONS for Sony in 2006 when he remained with ASIA Featuring John Payne.
Before joining ASIA, Jay played drums for Hurricane, Unruly Child, Badfinger
and Conspiracy with Chris Squire from Yes. Keyboardist Erik Norlander joined
ASIA Featuring John Payne in November of 2007. Erik's evocative synthesizer
technique is reminiscent of the legendary Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson and
Jon Lord while still very unique made him an obvious choice for the band.
His works include over 25 releases with Lana Lane, Rocket Scientists and
solo titles. Vocalist/bassist John Payne fronted ASIA for 14 years replacing
John Wetton in 1992. 8 studio albums and 6 live albums followed including
extensive world touring with the band. In 2006, John formed "ASIA Featuring
John Payne" and is performing shows with his current lineup. Previous to
ASIA, John sang with Roger Daltrey, CCCP, ELO Part 2 and more recently
GPS plus being chosen as the Parson in Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds
stadium tour. For more information about the band, please visit ASIA
Featuring John Payne. 06/25/2009
BILLY
SHERWOOD FINISH MIXING NEW BANDA DO SOL ALBUM
The
producer and Yes ex-guitar player finished the works at his studio in California/USA.
The Brazilian progressive rock veteran group, BANDA DO SOL finished recording
Tempo, the new album that marks the return of the band to the studios after
27 years. The album will bring the tracks "Som do Sol", "Tempo", "Prana",
"Mahavishnu", "Sinal da Liberdade", "Yes Blues", "Voar", "Quem Eu Sou?",
"Fabito" and "Maya", all new compositions written by the current line-up:
Moa Jr. (vocals, electric and acoustic guitars), Fram Simi (guitars), Cesinha
Rodrigues (bass), Allex Bessa (keyboards) and Fábio Fernandes (drums).
The great news is that "Tempo" was mixed in California/USA by none other
than Billy Sherwood. Also known for being YES guitarist - who composed
and recorded the records Union (1991), Open Your Eyes (1997) and The Ladder
(1998) - Billy signs an extensive discography as a producer, including
albuns from bands like Motörhead, Toto, Ratt, Paul Rodgers and YES
itself (Keys To Ascension I and II, Open Your Eyes and Union). Billy Sherwood
also relased some solo works and two albuns with CONSPIRACY, a side-project
with the YES bassist Chris Squire. Currently, Billy leads CIRCA, a new
band formed by other YES heroes such us the drummer Alan White and the
keyboardist Tony Kaye. Billy Sherwood first met BANDA DO SOL throught Myspace.
This was the first time the producer worked with a Brazilian band. "Banda
Do Sol approached me via the Internet and on myspace which is my home page
for my current band known as "CIRCA", says Billy. "They asked if I could
mix their record for them and after hearing some of the material I said
yes. It was a great pleasure to mix a band like theirs because it's the
kind of genre I am familiar with deeply... prog rock music". Besides the
style in common, the artistical quality was vital for Billy Sherwood accept
mixing the new BANDA DO SOL album. The producer does not save words to
make good comments about the sound of the band. "When I got the files and
started putting it all together I realized just how talented each individual
really was and why the sound of the band was so great. Keyboards, guitars,
bass playing and drumming all top notch and very expressive and soulful.
The vocalist was the cheery on top, fantastic tone and, although I don't
speak the language, I could feel the passion in the performances from him.
All these elements combined allowed me to go to town with the mixing and
dial in the sound for Banda do Sol, something which I am very proud to
have been involved with and hope in the future to work with them once more."
Tempo is now being mastered also in USA. The album is expected to reach
the stores in August. For Further Information visit Banda
do Sol at MySpace. 06/25/2009
THE
DOORS AND FROM THE OUTSIDE
Brand
new documentary featuring those who knew the group and its members best.
MDD Visual and Sexy Intellectual are pleased to announce the home viewing
release of The Doors "From The Outside" for North American distribution
on DVD. This brand new documentary film tells the story of The Doors, not
from the perspective of the surviving members - as has been told so many
time before - but from the recollections, memories, stories and anecdotes
of those who knew the group and its members best. The panel is headed by
a woman who was as close to Jim Morrison as anyone ever was; his widow
Patricia Kennealy-Morrison. Patricia has rarely spoken on film about her
relationship with Jim, or about her own memories of The Doors. This is
a once in a lifetime contribution from someone who knew just about everything
that went on. Also interviewed is Billy James, the man who 'discovered'
Jim Morrison and an early incarnation of The Doors. Billy signed them to
their first deal with Columbia Records, and gained the trust and respect
of the entire group. Here he tells-all about those very early days when
The Doors were known only to a select few. Richard Goldstein - editor of
Village Voice and close friend of the band is on hand too with his anecdote
- heavy version of events, as is Mark Benno, the legendary blues musician
whose searing guitar graced the L.A. Woman album. The very finest Rock
journalists and writers, and those who lived through and were affected
by The Doors' music as it was being released also contribute to this most
original documentary film. In this regard, we are joined by Robert Christgau,
Johnny Rogan, Dave DiMartino, Ritchie Unterberger, Doug Sundling, and Jim
Morrison's biographer James Riordan. The program is further enhanced by
the rarest footage of the band in existence, classic live and studio musical
performances, seldom seen photographs, news clips, location shots and much
more. EXTRA: "Conversation with The Lizard Queen" featurette, in which
Patricia Morrison reveals her own views about Jim Morrison as an artist,
a poet and a visionary. 06/25/2009
LAVA
ENGINE THE BASSPLAYER DECIDED TO LEAVE THE BAND
Bad
news; bassplayer Vanja Hadzic has decided to leave the band, which of course
is quite bloody disturbing. He's been a part of the band ever since the
release of the EP (sep, -08) and also participated on the gig they did
at the Ung Kraft Festival but has now parted ways with Lava Engine. The
reason is of the multiple kind but the basics circle around the differencies
on where to lead the band concerning the future. Well, as always, still
friends and all good. The worst is of course that they are now without
a bassplayer. You feel that you're interested? Drop them a line. Even more
songs have been written though in the middle of all this, so there's a
lot of material that will quite soon end up as either an EP or maybe even
a full-length. 06/25/2009
THE
ED PALERMO BIG BAND PAYS TRIBUTE TO MUSIC LEGEND FRANK ZAPPA
New
York, NY - Jazz is not dead - at least not when the Ed Palermo Big Band
plays it. Part of the Cuneiform 'Contemporary Masters' series, 'Eddy Loves
Frank' is the third album to feature the music of Frank Zappa as arranged
by Ed Palermo and performed by the Ed Palermo Big Band. A brilliantly original
and entertaining big band jazz CD, 'Eddy Loves Frank' shows that Zappa’s
music has become assimilated into the American songbook. It also reveals
that Zappa, as an American rock composer, deserves to be recognized with
as much respect as America's other revered popular music composers, including
jazz composers such as Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Thelonius Monk,
Oliver Nelson, and popular song composers such as George Gershwin and Cole
Porter. Despite the music’s complexity, Palermo’s incredibly skilled 18-piece
band and three guest musicians play it with inspiration and apparent ease.
"I'm prouder and happier than ever about this CD because I felt less constrained
to follow Zappa's structural formats," says Ed. "It has never been my intention
to replicate Zappa's recordings (what would be the point?) and with this
new CD (my 3rd of Zappa music) I felt freer to mani pulate the structures
more than I ever have. I suppose it's a natural evolution." As a jazz arranger,
composer, bandleader and saxophonist, Ed Palermo works magic with Frank
Zappa's music. Since 1994, he has devoted the bulk of the performance by
his NY-based, 18-piece Ed Palermo Big Band to his arrangements of Zappa's
compositions. These big-band jazz arrangements are no mere transcriptions;
they are "revelations", as one critic best said. Palermo belongs to a tradition
of visionary composers and arrangers who recognize hidden beauty and genius
in an avant garde composer’s radical work, and create genius arrangements
that serve to reveal that beauty to the public eye. Palermo has arranged
almost 200 Zappa tunes. Performed by his inspired and tremendously skilled
band, Palermo's all instrumental, jazz arrangements of Zappa's rock compositions
bring Zappa's music wider recognition, beyond the rock world, and elevate
rock music's status as 'serious' composition, proving that serious and
satirical can indeed coexist. Here's what the press have been saying about
'Eddy Loves Frank': "Wonderful, breathtaking, fantastic, exhilarating,
great sound, great production, great musicianship...I run out of superlatives...
It's an album not just for Frank Zappa fans, it's an album for everyone."
– Paradoxone.uk "This is masterful arrangement: the ability to see beyond
the idiom and find instead the fundamental building blocks that give a
piece of music its essential character. …Clearly, this is a labour o f
love for Palermo, born of his genuine admiration and passion for Zappa's
music…Zappa once famously said 'Jazz isn’t dead, it just smells funny.'
Ed Palermo is making one hell of a wonderful stink." – Pop Matters "Like
Zappa, and Duke Ellington before, Palermo's main instrument is his band.
And with him at the helm it manages to capture perfectly the spirit of
Zappa's music whilst stamping its own authority on the adventurous arrangements
with its exuberant, joyous ensemble playing and in the quality of the solos."
– All About Jazz In May, 2006, Cuneiform Records released 'Take Your Clothes
Off When You Dance', the Ed Palermo Big Band's 2nd CD of "Frank Zappa's
astonishingly beautiful and original music" (Palermo), and Palermo's first
CD release on Cuneiform. The album received rave notice from the critics
and the public, almost instantly becoming one of Cuneiform's best-selling
releases. Critics in both the jazz and rock worlds praised it for both
making Zappa's music more accessible and bringing it wider recognition
outside the rock world, while simultaneously bringing big band jazz to
new audiences. Palermo's interpretations of Zappa's work soon received
further recognition when Ned Wharton of NPR's Weekend Edition invited the
Ed Palermo Big Band into NPR's studio to tape a session with host Andrea
Seabrook. Aired on Weekend Edition Sunday on October 8, 2006 to an audience
of hundreds of thousands of NPR listeners, the feature, titled "Ed Palermo,
Making New Arrangements for Zappa," included the Big Band performing 4
of Palermo's Zappa arrangements and a conversation with Palermo. The Ed
Palermo Big Band played a number of shows following its Cuneiform release,
including dates at NYC's Iridium and, in 2006, at Baltimore's Sonar, and
festival appearances at the Detroit Jazz Festival (2006), The Clifford
Brown Festival in Wilmington, DE (2007), the Syracuse Jazz Festival (2007),
NYC's South Street Seaport (Summer 2008), and a yearly August spot as part
of the Union County Arts Festival at Echo Lake Park, Mountainside,
NJ. While most of these concerts featured Palermo's arrangements of Zappa,
some focused instead on Palermo's big band jazz arrangements of blues and
rock music (Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Mike Bloomfield). Besides working
with his own band, Palermo conducts and arranges for other bands. One of
the most adventurous, inspired, and brilliantly humorous arrangers for
jazz big band working in America today, Palermo arranged music by James
Brown, the "Godfather of Soul", for Christian McBride's Big Band. The music
was presented in a Sept. 6, 2006 concert at the Hollywood Bowl, which featured
Brown on stage, singing with the band –– only a few months before his death.
Palermo conducts the U.S. Army Blues (also known as the U.S. Army Blues
Jazz Ensemble, and part of the U.S. Army Band) in special concerts of his
Zappa arrangements held annually – most recently in April 2009 – at a military
base outside Washington DC. For more informat ion on Ed
Palermo's 'Eddy Loves Frank' CD visit the official website.
06/25/2009
RANESTRANE
- NEW PROG ROCK ITALIAN BAND
RanestRane
is an Italian prog band from Rome that was formed in 1998 with the aim
to compose and perform a rock-opera. Unlike other famous rock operas, where
the movie is based on the story conceived by the musicians, RanestRane
choosed the gothic masterpiece of W. Herzog ?Nosferatu The Vampyre?, and
composed a whole new soundtrack with the songs telling the story to the
public. In 2008, they composed the rock opera "Shining", based on S. Kubrick's
movie. They started their live activity in 2000, performing a show called
?cineconcerto?, with the images of the Herzog?s film flowing in the background.
The show has been introduced by Premiata Forneria Marconi in a live club
in Milan, and has been performed during the International Rome Film Festival.
Among their musical influences you can find bands like PFM, BMS, Genesis,
Marillion. For more about please visit RanestRane
Home Page. 05/20/2009
KINGCROW
MIXING SESSION ON THE GO
Kingcrow's
brand-new album is nowadays at the mixing stage. The title has not been
revealed yet. Recorded in the Sound Under Pressure Studios
with the supervision of Cafolla brothers the album will be mixed
under the technical skills of Giampiero Ulacco and mastered by Davide Barbarulo
at the 20Hz20Khz Mastering Lab, located in Naples. For more about the band
please visit Kingcrow Home Page.
05/20/2009
ENGINEERS
AND RICHARD BARBIERI - LIVE IN LONDON IN JULY
Engineers’
long awaited second album, Three Fact Fader, is due to released on Kscope
on July 6th. To mark the release, the band will be playing their first
live gig in over two years on July 10th at the Bush Hall in London. They
will also be joined onstage by special guest Ulrich Schnauss. In addition,
Richard Barbieri (Porcupine Tree / ex-Japan) will also be performing a
rare live set on what promises to be a special evening. Tickets are available
now for £13.50 (plus booking fee) from ticketweb and wegottickets.
The Three Fact Fader mini-site will go live on May 19th at www.kscopemusic.com/engineers,
which currently has a short video of Dan and Mark mixing the album in the
studio to the album title track. You can also join the mailing list to
download a free track from the album, Brighter As We Fall. For more please
visit K SCOPE MUSIC.
05/20/2009
ENGINEERS
AND "THREE FACT FADER" ALBUM RELEASED JULY 6TH
Engineers
are back. Four years after the release of their landmark debut, the band
return with their epic second album, Three Fact Fader. The 13-track album
was produced by the band along with Ken Thomas (Sigur Rós, M83,
Maps) over a period of two years, with the final tracks being completed
earlier this year. It comes packaged in stunning artwork by legendary music
photographer Tom Sheehan. Engineers are not like any other band. Onstage
Simon Phipps is the singer, Dan Macbean is the guitarist, Mark Peters is
the bassist and Sweeney is the drummer, but the real clue is in their name:
they approach their music like engineers, carefully constructing wonderful
walls of sound. Following the rapturous reception that greeted their mini-album
Folly in 2004 and debut Engineers the following year, it’s taken them a
long time to build their epic second album, Three Fact Fader. After initial
recording sessions, Engineers became unwitting victims of record company
restructuring and the album was left in limbo, unfinished until the band
reconvened earlier this year, largely motivated by public support. The
band have now found a home on Kscope and Three Fact Fader will be released
on July 6th. More information on Engineers and Three Fact Fader can be
found at the new website at K
SCOPE MUSIC. 05/20/2009
NO
RESTRAINTS RELEASES SECOND PROGRESSIVE ROCK INDIE CD XOUT
Tulsa,
Oklahoma--Broken Arrow Oklahoma is not where you would typically find a
progressive rock band, not until No Restraints came along. Mark Smith (Keyboards
/ Vocals), Mitch Parker (Bass), Christina Terry (vocals), Ron Wood (Drums)
are No Restraints. The band fits their name well, never holding back on
the creative process while recording their progressive rock music. Xout,
which is an acronym and the definition of external output, will officially
release May 1, 2009. Xout features outstanding musicianship and solid writing,
making for a complete listening experience. Xout represents today what
prog rock used to be and music played with literally No Restraints. This
is music that travels through your soul and finds a way to tickle your
brain instead, it is everything you would expect progressive rock to be
and more. Besides offering complex musical arrangements No Restraints is
also very accessible, crossing over seamlessly to the listeners that populate
the rock and pop genres. This versatility and uniqueness separates them
from their contemporaries. Tracks like the opener “She’s A Tsunami” are
very expressive and fitting to it’s title while “Cauldera (3rd Variation)”
epitomizes its namesake, a crater filled with sounds getting ready to churn
out a new volcano of expression and vision at every turn. This is typical
of the No Restraint approach and a sure bet that all prog rock enthusiasts
will enjoy the new recording. The music of No Restraints has been referred
to as Euro Progressive Music meets American Prog Rock with Classical influences;
although in the end it is each individual listener that will have to decide.
While that is not a simple task, listening to their music is a joyful experience
beyond clarification. Lovers of traditional progressive rock and alternative
rock will find a home inside the music of No Restraints. Visit the No
Restraints website for more information on the band, updates and details
on the new release. 05/20/2009
NO-MAN
- WHEREVER THERE IS LIGHT EP
Acting
as a bridge between No-Man's elegiac 2008 return Schoolyard Ghosts and
the forthcoming live concert DVD Mixtaped, Wherever There Is Light is a
strictly limited edition release. From Schoolyard Ghosts, the poignant
title track features an incredible guest performance from US pedal steel
legend Bruce Kaphan (American Music Club/Red House Painters). The alt-country
tinged Death Was California and the atmospheric Counting are two new songs
especially written for the EP, while Carolina Skeletons and All The Blue
Changes are the first recordings released from No-Man's sell-out Autumn
2008 mini-tour. Also containing Grant Wakefied's poetic video for the title
track, a powerful preview from the Mixtaped DVD, and a striking Carl Glover
designed digi-pack, the enhanced Wherever There Is Light EP is a rare and
beautiful thing from the band Uncut memorably described as 'Britain's most
underrated sorrowful sonic architects'. Order now at K
SCOPE MUSIC. 05/20/2009
THE
PINEAPPLE THIEF RETURN WITH TRACK EPS
The
Pineapple Thief – The Dawn Raids – Part Two and downloads now available.
The Pineapple Thief return with two four track EPs, entitled The Dawn Raids.
The EPs are available as limited edition CDs and or to download. The CDs
will be strictly limited to 2,000 copies of each and are only available
from the Kscope store. Both EPs will be available from all major download
platforms soon but can currently be downloaded from the Kscope store as
either mp3s or as FLACs (high quality lossless files). In addition to two
versions of Tightly Wound the EPs feature several unreleased tracks. Bitter
Day is a specially written track, Freefall is a previously unreleased track,
but a live favourite, and The West Coast and February 13th are unreleased
Tightly Unwound session tracks. Due to popular demand, two tracks from
the previous digital only EP Too Far Gone and Second Chance are also included.
For more please visit K
SCOPE MUSIC. 05/20/2009
ANEKDOTEN
– CHAPTERS
Chapters,
a 2CD introduction to Anekdoten, is now available from the Kscope store.
Anekdoten are considered one of the leading bands in contemporary progressive
rock. The band formed in Sweden in 1991 and has released five albums on
their own Virta label. Chapters is a 2CD set which mixes tracks from these
albums along with rarities and unreleased tracks. A mini-site featuring
details on the album, band biography, video, downloads and a free MP3 is
now online at www.kscopemusic.com/anekdoten. You can also pre-order the
album from this site. Keep up to date with all the latest news from Kscope
via our new twitter account. We’ll be updating regularly with news, exclusives
and downloads so sign up today at Twitter.
05/20/2009
LONGSHANKS
RELEASES ANOTHER TRACK FOR THEIR UPCOMING CD "THE RETURN OF LONGSHANKS"
Today
Longshanks releases another track for their upcoming CD "The Return of
Longshanks", called: "The Bath Song". The lyrics are by J.R.R. Tolkien
and describe the joys of a hot bath at the end of a long day of travelling.
No need to say that this fits in perfectly with the "travelling" theme
of the CD. The music was inspired by that of The Dubliners and the main
melody was written by Alex. Read more about this release on the Longshanks
News page. 05/20/2009
FLOOD’S
DEBUT ALBUM "TALES FROM THE FOUR SEASONS" IS NOW AVALIABLE
Unicorn
Digital and La Villa Strangiato are proud to present the world premiere
of FLOOD’s debut album Tales from the Four Seasons. Tales From The Four
Seasons is the chill out album of the year. It comes right from the heart
of the English countryside. The album follows a year in the life of the
woodland. Four tracks take you through each season from the early morning
mists of Spring, the strawberries and ice cream of Summer through to the
cider apples and golden leaves of Autumn and finally the snow covered landscape
of Winter. The stories are told through acoustic guitar against a backdrop
of chamber orchestra and piano. FLOOD's debut album ‘Tales From The Four
Seasons’ is an instrumental album. It began life as a short piece entitled
Summer written whilst on holiday in Dorset five years ago and became a
four suites concept album. Although typically drawn to more heavy arrangements
in terms of the use of synthesisers, bass pedals and electric guitars,
Flood felt it was important to keep the orchestration and choice of instruments
the same as had been used on Summer. The original orchestration has been
augmented by the use of piano, upright bass clarinet and drums. Each season
is made up of individual movements linked together using short linking
passages. The music was inspired by the sights and sounds of the English
countryside. For more about please visit Flood
Home Page. 05/20/2009
MILAN
POLAK ALBUM "MURPHY'S LAW" AT LION MUSIC
Lion
Music is pleased to announce the release of the new Milan Polak album "Murphy's
Law". After 2 instrumental releases Milan Polak released his first vocal
album "Straight" in 2007. Now 2 years on "Murphy's Law" is the perfect
extension of its predecessor with a more modern sound, heavier, less bluesy,
more guitar (e.g. "Murphy's Law"), more progressive (e.g. "Sheeple", "The
Mystery Of Life"), more choirs & backing vocals (e.g. "Inner Truth")
and even some oriental sounds (e.g. "No God", "Inner Truth") and a great
representation of an artist that is delivering music true to his soul and
ideals in life. "Murphy's Law" is an accessible album full of strong vocal
hooks, great guitar work and mature song writing from one of Europe's most
in demand session musicians who is now forging his own fan base. Lyrically
the album deals with social issues, mass media manipulation and other issues
of modern day life (e.g. "Wannabes", "Alien Nation", "Sheeple") being the
main overriding factor influencing Milan's work. On his aim with the album
Milan comments, "The goal was to create a killer album with melodic, heavy
modern songs that appeal to both consumers of that genre and musicians".
On his fellow band mates on the release Milan beams, "Fabio Trentini who
played all the basses this time also co-produced the album. He has several
platinum & gold records and added his knowledge & experience. Simon
Michael (drummer of Subway To Sally) added the right mix of technical &
musical modern drumming, it's a great band and I'm delighted to be playing
with them". The creative process behind "Murphy's Law" began 18 months
ago with Milan recording the basic guitar tracks in his home studio before
sending them to Fabio Trentini. The pair then went about furbishing the
songs in Fabio's studio. By this time Milan had a detailed picture of each
and every song resulting in the recording of guitars and vocals happening
in a productive 3 week period. Schedules of the albums other personnel
meant the album took longer to complete than originally planned, but the
freshness of the main creative process of the album is readily apparent
for all to hear on "Murphy's Law". For more about please visit Milan
Polak Official Website. 05/20/2009
XANIMA
- INSIDE WARRIOR RELEASE PARTY DETAILS
To
celebrate the release of the debut Xanima album "Inside Warrior", the band
are holding a release party on May 25th 2009 at Club Alcazar in Stockholm,
Sweden. The band will be playing a live set along with filming of the event
for future promotional use. The party is open to all - any press wishing
to attend please contact promo@lionmusic.com. The album "Inside Warrior"
is released on May 22nd 2009 on Lion Music. Check out the video for "The
Deeds & The Damage". More information on the album can be obtained
at Lion Misic,
and the Xanima official site.
05/20/2009
DEVENTTER
WILL RECORD NEW ALBUM AT CREATIVE STUDIOS IN SÃO PAULO
This
will be the band's second album, sucessor of the high acclaimed The 7th
Dimension. The Brazilian prog rock/metal band DEVENTTER will begin recording
it's new album at the renowned Creative Studios in São Paulo . This
is the same recording studio used by famous Brazilian bands such as Angra,
Shaman, Krisiun, etc. Even Paul Di Anno has already recorded there. Deventter
will start recording the drums, following by the guitars. The guitar player
André Marengo does not hide your excitement for the beginning of
the recordings. "We are anxious to begin recording the new CD. We all developed
as musicians and this reflected in the new compositions that are heavier
than our first album". In times where much is discussed about the pros
and cons of new technologies in front of the "vintage" recording methods,
DEVENTTER wants to merge the best of both worlds. "We are fans of pedals
and effects. We use equipment from vintage to VST's, analog and digital
effects. The important thing is to get the sound we want," says keyboardist
Hugo Bertolaccini that defends the conventional recordings in studios instead
of the home recordings, so in vogue at the moment. "We want to maximize
the resources that Creative Studios is offering us. They have more than
enough tools to meet our musical ambitions. Moreover, the studio works
with a variety of bands and musical styles, and we will explore techniques
that normally are not used in rock". On the band's page at Youtube - www.youtube.com/deventter
- there are some videos of the pre-production sessions. The tracklist,
title and even the cover of the new album are already defined, but the
band keeps secret. The new Deventter's album is expected to reach the stores
in September. For Further Information please visit Deventter
home page. 05/20/2009
DEMIANS
NEW ALBUM IN THE WORKS
Demians'
singer Nicolas Chapel recently stated that he is currently writing new
music for the follow-up to the critically acclaimed debut "Building An
Empire". The new material will be recorded during the summer. Chapel says
he is excited about writing and producing new music again, and has no plans
for a tour this year since this new album has "turned to an obsession":
"I don't want to do anything but sit behind the piano or smash fuzz pedals
right now. Writing this new music has really washed away my frustrations".
"The new material is haunting", he describes. "It's purer in so many ways.
Contemplation through chaos. A lot of the negative energy I accumulated
throughout the past few years from putting a live band together, mixed
with the life-changing joys of touring all over Europe last winter and
meeting hundreds of fantastic people has finally turned into a massively
beautiful experience. I feel like now is the right time to put it all on
tape". When asked if the members of the live band will be contributing
to the new album, Chapel answers: "I'd love Antoine and Gaël to add
their two cents on a song or two, though not necessarily with the instruments
they're known for. They are both very talented people, and are respectful
of the way i tend to disappear for months when I have something in mind,
so we might end up with something surprising. Aside from that, the music
of Demians is still too much of a personal matter to have a producer or
anyone else involved in the creative process". The recording sessions will
take place "wherever I can find enough quiet and wall sockets to turn the
volume up to 11 all day long", starting in May until the end of the summer.
The new Demians album is expected to hit your eardrums in early 2010, with
an extensive world tour to follow. 05/20/2009
EMPIRES
OF EDEN - "SONGS OF WAR AND VENGEANCE"
A
powerful new force in shredding melodic metal. Drawing on classic influences
such as Helloween, Ayreon and Iron Maiden, the new project Empires of Eden
is a must-hear for fans of melodic heavy metal. While many albums bathe
in the hype of greatness, yet fail to deliver the goods, Empires delivers
11 tracks of pure symphonic mayhem with irrepressible hooks and jaw-dropping
performances. The monstrous production by Dan Quinlan (Deicide/Suffocation
tour sound Australia) and stunning artwork by Oliver Lehmann combine to
create a history-making metal masterpiece. Empires of Eden showcases an
incredibly diverse collection of talent from some of metal's finest performers.
Created by guitarist Stu Marshall (Paindivision/ex-Dungeon) the epic is
built on the foundations of Marshall's music while providing a vehicle
for three magnificent metal voices. Louie Gorgievski (Crimsonfire), Mike
Zoias (ex-Transcending Mortality) and Chris Ninni (Sydney session vocalist)
have been given free reign to bring their own power, influence and flavour
to the project by writing their own melodies and lyrics. Originally, more
than 20 songs were composed for the project. Of these, 11 have been chosen
as the absolute A-list, ensuring a compelling listen from the first to
the last. One of the standout features of the album is the monolithic 'Black
Endings/Echoes Of Oblivion, a nine-minute, orchestrally-based spoken word
epic. Detailing the final days of the world and the rebirth of the human
spirit, the piece will place the listener into an atomic wasteland with
cinematic clarity and is narrated by acclaimed author Gun Arvidssen. Soaring
vocals and shredding guitars, enhanced by the imposing presence of a 30-piece
orchestra, mark Empires as the premier, refreshing, uncompromising release
of 2009. The songwriting is second to none, and draws on nothing short
of the best talent from many sources in the metal community. Songs Of War
And Vengeance features performances by members of Vanishing Point, Dungeon,
LORD, Thundasteel, Cerbeus (Japan) and Argument Soul (Japan), rounding
out the global standard of musicianship to be found on this remarkable
album. With a project as ambitious as accomplished as this, there is no
doubt we are witnessing the birth of a new era in metal. For more about
please visit Empires of Eden
Home Page. 05/20/2009
RIVERSIDE
THE UPCOMING ALBUM TITLED "ANNO DOMINI HIGH DEFINITION"
Exactly
44 minutes and 44 seconds will be the length of the upcoming, fourth Riverside
album entitled "Anno Domini High Definition", the most energetic and rockin'
record of the band. The material recorded in Studio X in Olsztyn will be
released worldwide on June 19th, 2009 by InsideOut, and on June 15th, 2009
in Poland by Mystic Production. The booklet layout has again been designed
by Travis Smith. There will be five pieces on the album: 1. Hyperactive,
2. Driven to Destruction, 3. Egoist Hedonist, 4. Left Out and 5. Hybrid
Times. Comments by Mariusz Duda: "We have gone from Warsaw, we have changed
the studio and the producer. We care deeply about creating a coherent record
and that is why most probably there are only going to be 5 songs on it.
The material will be energetic, multifarious, and - I hope so - very good
for live performances. It will be a story about liquid modernity, life
in a constant hurry, stress and anxiety about the future. A picture of
our times in 1920 x 1080 definition." Some of them will be played at the
forthcoming Riverside concert - on April 26th in Studio club in Kraków.
More details concerning the new album can be found on a special "Anno
Domini High Definition" website. For more about the band please visit
Riverside
website. 04/21/2009
TINYFISH
REVEALED THE COVER ARTWORK OF THEIR FORTHCOMING DVD
Tinyfish
revealed the cover artwork of their “One Night On Fire” DVD. It was designed
by Jim Sanders, Tinyfish’s guitarist, who for his day job works as a graphic
designer. Jim was also responsible for Tinyfish's album artwork and designed
the logo for Marillion’s fanclub ‘The Web’. The DVD was recorded during
the band’s appearance at the progressive rock festival, Progrock 2009,
which took place in Katowice, Poland in mid February. It will feature a
selection of the band’s best songs taken from their previous releases as
well as of the tracks which will appear on their forthcoming album “The
Big Red Spark”. The band is currently working on extra features for the
DVD. Metal Mind Productions will release “One Night On Fire” on 29th June
in Europe and 11th August in USA (via MVD). DVD will be available in 3
formats: DVD, limited DVD+CD edition, including bonus audio CD with songs
recorded during the gig at the theater, and a limited CD digipak. Full
track listening to be confirmed soon. For more about please visit Metal
Mind Productions website. 04/21/2009
SACRED
AND THE FIRST SINGLE OF THE NEW ALBUM
Starting
today the first single of the new album of SACRED -S3 Take the Blindfold
Off- is available on their official websites. The song that starts this
season is HELEN that counted on the collaboration of the synthesizer and
machines of Way, member of Ultraplayback. They hope we enjoy this taste
of the CD and they appreciate our comments on the different official sites
of SACRED.
04/21/2009
DENVER'S
BODRAGAZ TO PERFORM AT 3RD ANNUAL ROCKLAHOMA FESTIVAL
Rocklahoma,
one of the largest rock music festivals in the United States, has announced
that Denver's Bodragaz will be one of over ninety bands to play at the
four-day event. Located at the Catch the Fever Festival Grounds outside
of Pryor, Oklahoma, Rocklahoma has become the premier event of it's kind,
being referred to by many throughout the world as the "Woodstock of Eighties
Rock Music". This year's festival features headliners Twisted Sister, Great
White, Warrant, Skid Row, Nelson, Night Ranger, Stryper, Thin Lizzy, Anthrax,
and more. With 6,200 assigned seats and general admission for over 50,000
people, the event plays host to a world audience in attendance. Rocklahoma
has sold tickets to this year's event in all fifty states, as well as throughout
Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. In addition to
it's center stage showcase acts, the festival's side stages feature a mix
of former rock radio mainstays, such as LA Guns, Bang Tango and Lillian
Axe, and select international, national, and regional acts of today, in
what Retrospect Records CEO Sam McCaslin calls "...the strongest side stage
line-up ever assembled at a rock festival." Bodragaz is thrilled to be
a part of that line-up. Based out of Denver, Colorado, the rock quartet
is no stranger to the big stage, having opened the show for Bon Jovi at
the Pepsi Center in 2006. With six albums completed and another slated
for release in 2010, Bodragaz's style of melodic hard rock is a sure bet
for this year's Rocklahoma festival. The 3rd Annual Rocklahoma Festival,
presented by VH1 Classic, runs July 9th-12th 2009, and the band is scheduled
to play on Saturday, July 11th. Rocklahoma Press Release, "Bands
Across the World Playing Rocklahoma". For more about please visit official
Rocklahoma
website. For every thing about the band please visit Bodragaz
home page. 04/21/2009
ARTILLERY
RETURNS WITH A BRAND NEW STUDIO ALBUM
Artillery
- one of the best thrash metal bands around returns with a brand new studio
album! New material entitled “When Death Comes” will be their first studio
release since the 1999’s album “B.A.C.K”!!!!! Denmark’s Artillery is one
of Europe’s earliest exponents of thrash metal and the band’s contribution
to the bourgeoning genre is difficult to ignore. The Danish quartet successfully
managed to fuse an abrasive brutality with technicality and good melodies,
with the noteworthy guitar leads of the Stützer brothers as well as
the remarkable vocals from Flemming Rønsdorf serving as highlights.
Due to Artillery’s demos being well distributed, the band gained worldwide
recognition even before the release of their first official album; and
the band’s first three studio albums, “Fear of Tomorrow”, “Terror Squad”
and “By Inheritance”, all assumed the status of classics in the thrash
genre. However, due to lack of support from labels and internal band disputes,
Artillery never really achieved their big breakthrough and thus split up
in 1991. In late 1999, Artillery reunited and released the critically acclaimed
album “B.A.C.K.”, but they never really took off as a band again. A few
live appearances came in the wake of the release, only to be followed by
silence. However, in 2008 the classic core of Artillery, consisting of
Morten and Michael Stützer as well as Peter Thorslund (bass) and Carsten
N. Nielsen (drums) rejoined forces and subsequently employed new vocalist
Søren Adamsen, who provided the band with a rejuvenated energy and
a musical prowess that was soon witnessed on the live DVD “One Foot in
the Grave, The Other One in the Trash”, containing updated versions of
classic material. A new chapter in the life of Artillery has now begun
with their brand new studio album, “When Death Comes”, which contains 10
blistering tracks that fill the void between past glory and future splendour.
New material was recorded between March and April 2009 at Medley Studios
in Denmark with Søren Andersen as the producer. The band will promote
the new album on a massive tour, which will be confirmed soon. So far the
following events are confirmed: 24.04 Forbrændingen, Forbrændingen,
Albertslund, Denmark w/ Konkhra, 25.04 Vonhatten Randers, Denmark, 04-06.06
Metal Magic Festival, Ungdommenhus, Fredericia, Denmark w/ Pagan Altar,
Exmortem, Oliver Weers and more, 13.06 Hellbrigade Festival, Thunder Road,
Codevilla, Italy w/ Whiplash, Hyades and more, 15.08 Jalo Metal Festival,
Teatria Oulu, Oulu, Finland w/ Voivod, Electric Wizard, Nifelheim, Asphyx,
Paradox and more. “When Death Comes” will be released as a jewel case CD
and as a digipak CD including 2 bonus tracks. Japanese edition of the album
will include an exclusive bonus track which won’t be available elsewhere.
The tracklist looks as follows: 1. When Death Comes, 2. Upon My Cross I
Crawl, 3. 10.000 Devils, 4. Rise Above It All, 5. Sandbox Philosopsy, 6.
Delusions Of Grandeure, 7. Not A Nightmare, 8. Damned Religion, 9. Uniform
and 10. The End. Bonus tracks (European/US digipak version only): 1. Refuse
To Live - Part 2 and 2. Warhead (Morten Stützer/Søren Adamsen).
Bonus track (Japanese version only): 1. Chaos Ride. Metal Mind Productions
will release the “When Death Comes” on 15th June in Europe, 23rd July in
Japan (via King Records) and 11th August in USA (via MVD). Additional info
to follow soon! The preview tracks will be available on MMP's Myspace site
on Thursday, 23rd April!!!!!!! For more about please visit Metal
Mind Productions website. 04/21/2009
KNIGHT
AREA AND THEIR NEW ALBUM "REALM OF SHADOWS"
The
new album of the Dutch Power Sympho band Knight Area will be entitled "Realm
of Shadows". The artwork will be done by the Brasilian artist Gustavo Sazes.
The CD will be released at the end of September by The Laser's Edge USA.
You can already listen to a piece of music at Knight
Area Home Page. 04/19/2009
JOHN
WETTON'S “AGENDA/AMORATA/AMATA” WILL RELEASE A BOX 2CD/DVD BY METAL MIND
PRODUCTIONS
Metal
Mind Productions will release John Wetton's “Agenda/Amorata/Amata” BOX
in late May. This legendary vocalist, guitarist, bass player and producer
is known from his cooperation with King Crimson, Asia, Roxy Music, UK,
Uriah Heep, Phil Manzanera and Geoff Downes - just to name a few - as well
as from his solo projects. The tracklist of “Amata” includes compositions
such as "Heat of the Moment" (recorded with Asia) or "Book of Saturday"
(recorded with King Crimson), all in new, unique acoustic versions! “Agenda”
and “Amorata” DVD feature concert recorded in the following line-up: John
Wetton - lead vocal, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, John Mitchell - guitar,
harmony vocal, Martin Orford - keyboards, harmony vocal, Steve Christey
- drums. The tracklist includes such classics as "Starless", "Red" or "Book
of Saturday” (recorded with King Crimson), "In The Dead Of The Night" and
"Rendezvous 602" (recorded with UK), "Heat of the Moment" (recorded with
Asia). The DVD also includes an interview with John Wetton, Artist's biography
plus individual members' profiles, discography, photo gallery, desktop
images, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. “Agenda/Amorata/Amata” box will
be released on 25th May in Europe and 14th July in USA (via MVD). John
Wetton - “Agenda/Amorata/Amata”, Tracklist: CD1 - Agenda: 1. Red, 2. Sole
Survivor, 3. Nothing's Gonna Stand In Our Way, 4. Book Of Saturday, 5.
Emma, 6. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, 7. In The Dead Of Night, 8. Easy
Money, 9. After All, 10. Rendezvous 602, 11. Starless, 12. Battle Lines,
13. Heat Of The Moment. CD 2 - Amata: 1. The Circle of St. Giles (Introduction),
2. Mondrago, 3. Heat Of The Moment, 4. Book Of Saturday, 5. The Smile Has
Left Your Eyes, 6. Hold Me Now, 7. Emma, 8. Battle Lines, 9. Night Watch,
10. You're Not The Only One, 11. I Believe In You. DVD - Amorata: 1. Red,
2. Sole Survivor, 3. Nothing's Gonna Stand In Our Way, 4. Book Of Saturday,
5. Emma, 6. The Smile Has Left Your Face, 7. In The Dead Of Night, 8. Easy
Money, 9. After All, 10. Rendezvous 602, 11. Starless, 12. Battle Lines,
13. Heat Of The Moment. For more about please visit Metal
Mind Productions Home Page. 04/19/2009
MIKE
OLDFIELD AND NEW VERSION OF TUBULAR BELLS
Mike
Oldfield is an artist like no other. Over the last 37 years he has produced
timeless, unique and inspirational music that has enthralled listeners
the world over. Fans old and new can celebrate the great man’s work with
a special release of his classic, multiplatinum selling album Tubular Bells,
out on 8th June through the Mercury Music Group/Universal Music Catalogue.
This is the first classic album to be released from Oldfield’s back catalogue,
which was transferred from Virgin to Mercury/Universal in 2008. It is 35
years since the opening passage was used in the film THE EXORCIST, making
the album a global phenomenon. This exciting new version of his 1973 groundbreaking
album will not only be repackaged, but Mike himself has also remastered
the tracks from his home in the Bahamas. There will be FOUR physical editions
of the album, as well as TWO digital versions. All versions will carry
a new 2009 stereo mix of the album. The DELUXE EDITION has a 5.1 mix, while
the boxed ULTIMATE EDITION, complete with 60 page hardback book with a
foreword by Mike Oldfield, poster, plectrums and all manner of Tubular
delights, contains all of this as well as previously unheard demo and rough
mixes of this epochal recording. There will 500 of these superb, limited
editions available through www.mikeoldfield.com signed and numbered. For
those who like things old school, there is a vinyl version being released
as part of the acclaimed Back To Black series. There will also be a double-disc
edition of the album with a bonus disc of Oldfield’s biggest hits between
1974 and 1983. This edition will be extensively advertised on TV. To celebrate
the release, on June 6th at 6pm (6.6.6pm) a worldwide bell ringing event
will take place. Bells will be rung in Milan (MTV), Berlin (at Siegessaule,
the location were Mike performed the legendary millennium bell concert
on New Years Eve Y2K), Brussells (Atomium), Paris (the George Pompidou
centre), Sydney (Opera House), Japan/Narita (at one of the traditional
Japanese Temples) and finally London, where bells will be rung on at famous
landmarks. Footage will then be shown on Mike’s website. Collectors will
be able to purchase an autographed limited edition (of 500 copies) set
from www.mikeoldfield.com which will include a new stereo mix, the original
Tubular Bells, the album on vinyl, a new 5.1 mix, a video of the Second
House performance, Mike Oldfield's Single, a compilation of hits, the demo
version of Tubular Bells and an unreleased first mix of Tubular Bells.
Additionally, the ultimate edition will also include a 60 page hardback
book with foreword by Mike, poster, plectrums and other delights. More
details please check out Mike Oldfield
Home Page. 04/19/2009
TRANSATLANTIC
FLIES AGAIN!!!PROGRESSIVE ROCK SUPERGROUP REUNITES FOR NEW STUDIO ALBUM |
