News
November 28, 2002
COSMIC LAKE
Having finished tour with Ringo Starr, Greg Lake immersed himself in a couple of projects, some taking in something new, the others not so new. The latter - i.e. Lake's classic songs both as a solo performer and a member of KING CRIMSON and ELP - sees Greg re-record the material in 5.1 Dolby surround sound format, while the former means the artist is tuning up not only for a collection of Christmas songs (why not compete with Keith Emerson, really?) but also for bringing forth a 10-minute symphonic suite to be used in conjunction with the upcoming Team Encounter space launch. The piece, encapsulated, will be rocketed in space then.
AN OCTOPUS' GARDENER
Ringo Starr's next album is said to be out in March, and there's one detail of it leaked out. Mr. Starkey has co-written with Eric Clapton and recorded a special song dedicated to their dear friend, late George Harrison. The song also features a famous morbid man, Roger Waters.
COLD OF THE MOMENT
Usually, the site doesn't report on concerts yet special kind of events make it to these web pages once in while. And here's one of those shows, a low-key at the first glance but of importance due to rumours that are bound to ensue: John Wetton and Geoff Downes will perform a one-off concert at London's "Mean Fiddler" club on December 21st, accompanied by Wetton's long-time sidekicks John Mitchell on guitar and Steve Christie on drums. Not talking to each other since ASIA's 1999's failed reunion, the former writing partners played together on July 20th-21st at the John Wetton Fan Convention, and now, seemingly in peace, are back in the action. Hopefully, Carl Palmer won't drop by, for the peace is a fragile thing.
H TO HE, WHO AM BACH
J. S. Bach's music has always been considered as an art of the highest order, whilst music that VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR brought to the world suggests some disorder, to say the least. So one may wonder why the band's keyboard player, Hugh Banton, took to recording Bach's "The Goldberg Variations" that's out as an album now. A sort of explanation comes with the classic piece story...
Johann Gottlieb Goldberg was one of Bach's pupils who served as a harpsichord player for the Russian ambassador at the court of Dresden. The boss had insomnia and would call up his pet musician to ease his suffering, and that's when Goldberg asked the great master to help him out with cheering up the Count. Bach came up with the variations.
Now there's something clicking, ain't it? And what Hugh played on organ looks like this:
1. Aria
2-30. Variations
31. Aria
ONCE SNAKE-BITTEN
The future of THE COMPANY OF SNAKES is uncertain: the band don't break up but are put on hold. Lacking a record company support during the last year which saw the release of "Burst The Bubble", and getting busy in the projects of their own, Bernie Marsden, Mickey Moody and Neil Murray decided not to plan anything for at least until the next summer, though there's a talk of a possible DVD release.
LIKE A WILD HURRICANE
"Machine Head" is undoubtedly the most popular album ever recorded by DEEP PURPLE, and now it underwent the DVD treatment. Not that it's a regular DVD-Audio thang but rather a documentary of how the 1972's classic LP came about, this "we all came out to Montreux" story.
The story's told with a full participance of all five DP Mk 2 members who, in separate interviews, reveal how it was being done and demonstrate their immortal riffs and licks. Most surprisingly though is that Ritchie Blackmore didn't refuse to delve into his past and took an acoustic guitar to show it all, while producer Martin Birch and Roger Glover went into the original multitrack tapes for the best analysis.
Except of the featured songs from the album as well as "When A Blind Man Cries" and "Black Night," the DVD has extra material that didn't make it to the TV edition, including live footage from 1973's show at Hofstra University NY. A must.
November 21, 2002
SEE THE FLASH
It became clear that the reunited FLASH line-up differs from the one behind the classic '70s albums. There are three veteran players on-board: Ray Bennett, Colin Carter and Mike Hough but no Peter Banks this time around. So the guitar duties are handled by Mr Bennett, who prefers six strings over four these days, and bass is handed over to Clint Bahr.
In Ray's own words,
"We will be getting a keyboard player, probably someone from a well-known prog rock background. The band will be based in New York and should be ready to perform early next year. The recording plans at the moment are for a new studio album and a live album".
You can read about FLASH reunion - and much more - in Bennett's interview to be published on the site in the next two weeks.
TO THE ONE WHO KISSED THE SKY
With mass attention drawn to the news on the George Harrison Memorial Concert to be played on November 29th, the Jimi Hendrix sixtieth birthday celebration which will take place on November 27th in Los Angeles, is to feature all-stars line-up as well. The performers are: Noel Redding, LOVE - yes, fronted by Arthur Lee - and members of the ELECTRIC PRUNES and IRON BUTTERFLY. And there's another Hendrix tribute scheduled three days earlier, in Seattle, with participants to include BAND OF GYPSYS, Buddy Guy and members of EARTH WIND AND FIRE.
CHAMPAIGN BUBBLERS
"The Champaign-Urbana Sessions, 1983" is a new title in the KING CRIMSON Collectors' Club catalogue. Out in December, the album is a collection of material recorded between "Beat" and "Three Of A Perfect Pair". Not that it made to the latter album, though... Anyway, the die-hard Crimheads will, no doubt, be delighted to listen to all the bits 'n' pieces.
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1. San Francisco |
8. Reel 3 Jam |
MANY MORE OF THEM LIVE NEXT DOOR
As the saying goes, Tell me your friends and I'll say who you are. Jools Holland is a star, but his friends are superstars. Last year's "Small World Big Band" featured many of those including George Harrison who contributed a song called "Horse To The Water." The success of the album and his BBC show made Jools continue, and here's "Small World Big Band Volume Two: More Friends" out now - and it rocks and rolls and swings. And the performers and songs are as follows:
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1. Sam Moore and Sam Brown - |
12. Ray Davies - |
DECLARE THE PENNIES ON YOUR EYES
It seems, the first song dealing with politics recorded by a pop artist was THE BEATLES' "Taxman". There, George Harrison named the guilty, Harold Wilson and Edward Heath. Now, following that same route, Kenney Jones, formerly drummer with SMALL FACES and THE FACES, has come up with a song called "Mr Brown" to have a go at the Chancellor, Gordon Brown.
An anti-stealth taxation single was recorded - and will soon be released - with a band comprised of Robert Hart (ex-BAD COMPANY) on vocals, Rick Wills (ex-FOREIGNER) on bass and Gary Grainger (worked with Rod Stewart and Roger Daltrey) on guitar.
BOYZ STIL MAKE NOIZE
Whoever still keeps an eye on what SLADE do, has all the reasons to be glad because November 25th is the release date for the band's new album, "Cum On Let's Party." Dave "Superyob" Hill trades his licks exactly as back then, and Don Powell hits the skins with the same power, but don't expect Noddy Holder or Jim Lea to have dropped by. It's rock 'n' roll, yet it's far far away from what's been before.
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1. Cum On Let's Party |
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November 14, 2002
THAT'S FLASHY!
Well, it's a fait accompli: the blistering FLASH are back! The band's name is not an empty sound for those who got their kicks from Peter Banks' playing in YES and followed the guitarist's career later on. With more details to follow, there's a huge interview in the works with the band's bass player Ray Bennett to appear here soon.
And attention!!! There are some more interviews to be here - all the DME's counterparts in conversation are the '60-'70s British blues scene key players. So keep an eye on the "In The Pipeline" section.
GLAD IN RAGS
Many tend to not know his name but Mike d'Abo is the rock singer, a vocalist par excellence, who worked in the Manfred Mann's early combo having replaced mighty Paul Jones, a man who wrote zillion-times covered song "Handbags And Gladrags", and sang the King Herod's part in the original recording of "Jesus Christ Superstar". In June 2000 Mike did five shows at the Ronnie Scott's club in Birmingham, and here's the result - a live album "Live At Ronnie Scotts" which covers all the highlights of the singer's 40-years rock road:
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1. How Sweet It Is |
10. Ha! Ha! Said The Clown |
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GO EAST!
That's already a part of history - and not only music history but also political, as it was URIAH HEEP who broke down the Iron Curtain back in 1987. Not the first rock artists to play in the Soviet Union - Elton John was there in 1978 - they went down a storm, and that was the big break of the band's new line-up as well, by now the longest serving line-up in HEEP's career. There hardly were Western Heepsters in the 120.000 crowds filling the Olympiyski stadium, so here comes a time to get the picture in full, not only the sound captured on the "Live In Moscow" album. The DVD by Classic Rock Productions is titled "Moscow And Beyond" and features also previously unseen footage from the 20th Anniversary show.
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1. Pacific Highway |
CURSE YOU ALL, YOU'LL NEVER LEARN
Looks like a flood, indeed, yet DEEP PURPLE fans are unlikely to be complaining about another forthcoming title in the official bootleg series. This time though, the show to be issued on the CD in January isn't as unique as all the previous albums released by Purple Records / Sonic Zoom, because a concert recorded on April 9th, 1974 at the San Diego Sports Arena wasn't too different from the set performed at the California Jam festival three days earlier - if only the words "not different" can be applied to a gig with Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, especially given that it was the last show of the USA tour and the PURPLE gang rocked at full tilt.
The release is called "Perks & Tit", and there's no tracklisting announced yet, only the tentative artwork, but original vinyl bootleg under the same title had the following tracks:
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1. Burn |
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Still, there's a difference from the LP, although Sonic Zoom found the tapes thought to be used for the vinyl disc: presuming that the second half of the concert was lost, the label restored the stage banter, "Smoke On The Water" usually played before "You Fool No One," and a four-minute keyboard solo.
THE LADY ENCHANTED
Anyone who ever heard a voice of Annie Haslam knows it's the voice, and has only been wondering how some songs might sound like given Ms Haslam treatment. Previously, there was "It Snows in Heaven Too" in 2000, Annie's Christmas album with many the seasonal standard sung, and now here's a new CD, "One Enchanted Evening," recorded live at the Upper Tinicum Church in PA in June 2001 at a benefit show for the church. There's no RENAISSANCE tune in - but the perennial classics that Annie loves dearly and performed there and then accompanied only by her friend Rave Tesar.
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1. Some Enchanted Evening (Rogers / Hammerstein) |
As for the cover of the album, it's an oil painting by Annie Haslam, called "WhalesTale," and very soon the songstress' web site will be re-designed incorporating her art works.
November 6, 2002
ROCK ISLAND DEADLINE
He always seemed to be the British music eternal constant, and hit immortality long before he entered eternity, but that's sad anyway: Lonnie Donegan, a pioneer of skiffle and an immense influence on many artists including John Lennon, died on November 3rd, aged 71. The grim reaper came knocking on his door when Lonnie was touring his homeland, the last concert being in Nottingham, the city he played first when having hit the stardom back in 1957. A Member of the Order of the British Empire, Donegan's "Rock Island Line" remains the staple in many a rocker's repertoire.
HARI, JEEVAS!
It's all too silent now, which is surprising if one remembers the hype surrounding Chrispian Mills' previous band, KULA SHAKER. Currently, his new team, THE JEEVAS not only have their first album out but also kicked off the British tour - all quite downplayed. And it means, we can get it before it gets hot, so look at the cover to know what to look for:
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1. Virginia |
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A FIERY TOWER
Never a slouch, with singer Mark Boals having just released a solo album, "Edge Of The World", the band he leads, RING OF FIRE, have a new thing in the bag, too. Called "Dreamtower", the album featuring Mark Boals handling the vocals and bass duties, Tony MacAlpine's guitar, Virgil Donati's drums and Vitalij Kuprij's keyboards, is out in Japan on November 21st, with no release dates for other countries at the moment - but, as of songs, here they are:
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1. My Deja Vu |
FANCY AN ESPRESSO?
Ever wondered what Peter Gabriel, Alice Cooper and John Lennon have in common? Sure, there's a musician who played with all three - and much, much more great artists. The name? Please, welcome - Tony Levin! A tireless chopper comes up with magnificient live album, "Double Espresso", credited to the TONY LEVIN BAND. The band comprise more than adequate foil to Levin's bass bricks and consist of Larry Fast on synthesizers, Jesse Gress on guitars, inimitable Jerry Marotta on vocals, guitars and, sure, his main choice, drums. And Tony himself sings too!
With CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO guesting, there's much to play and enjoyment oozes throughout, especially on the covers pulled into the set.
CD 1:
1. Pieces of the Sun |
CD 2:
1. Pillar Of Fire |
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BLONDE ON BLONDE
There's a new box set coming from Zoom Club, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP's "Reactivate Live". Spread across four CDs are three concerts and a rehearsal of what many consider classic line-ups of the band: alongside Michael Schenker on guitar, Gary Barden on vocals and Chris Glen on bass, discs one to three feature Paul Raymond on keyboards and mighty Cozy Powell on drums, whose places are taken by, respectively, Andy Nye and Ted McKenna on the disc four - which, by the way, sees two SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND members reunited (Glen and McKenna). The discs are presented as collectors' special edition with sleeve notes from Paul Raymond.
Disc One:
1. Armed & Ready |
Disc Two:1. Armed & Ready |
Disc Three:1. Armed & Ready |
Disc Four:1. Captain Nemo |