News
A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
John Lennon
December 26, 2002
SO HERE IT IS, MERRY CHRISTMAS
There's no better time for a kind-hearted charity than this time of the year, and some classic rock artists immersed themselves into some good action which resulted now in an album simply called "A Classic Rock Chritmas" with all the profits to be donated to The Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame Education Fund and The Port Authority World Trade Disaster Survivors Fund. Either it a hit or a perennial, each song is recorded anew - a great present, indeed.
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1. STYX - All I Want |
STRUMMER'S GONE
Another sad loss, and what a loss! Joe Strummer, founder and lead singer of mighty THE CLASH died of a heart attack at his Somerset home on December, 22nd. He was only 50 years old.
Seaming rockabilly imagery with punk and social concern with a great tunefulness, the Strummer-led THE CLASH ventured far beyond your regular "no future" band and became a blueprint for many a new group, with 1979's "London Calling" having arisen in its status to one of the most influential albums ever recorded.
THE CLASH over in 1985, Joe embarked on a mid-profile solo career and then found himself briefly fronting THE POGUES in 1991-1992 before making a much-acclaimed comeback with an ensemble of his own, THE MESCALEROS, who still were on the rise in time the Combat Rocker passed away.
May God bless his ever-shining soul.
BYRON'S LOST POEMS
Robin George is a well-known guitar wizard in his own right, what many don't know though is Robin's association with two of the greatest rock singers, one being Phil Lynott and the other David Byron. Before starting his solo career, George and former URIAH HEEP vocalist had a group together, BYRON BAND, who had the only album out, 1981's "On The Rocks", the last record in David's life - he died four years later.
Now, Robin delved into his personal archives and found some precious material - demos, rehearsals, a concert recording and work tapes - that underwent remastering and are ready to be out any day soon as a double album, presumably on Zoom Club, with some of the proceeds
to be given to a charity in Byron's name.
GIVE HIM REGARDS. AND REGALIA
A knight for some five years, it's only now that Sir Paul McCartney has been granted his own coat of arms - not so impressive really, yet rather expressive in its clear reading. A Liver Bird in the crest is a reference to Paul's homeground, four black shapes on the string instrument resemble beetles and, therefore, point to a band McCartney used to be in during the '60s, and the motto, "Ecce Cor Meum" ("Behold My Heart" in Latin) is the title of a classical composition of Macca's.
McCartney originally applied for the crest in 1997, but the death of his sweetheart Linda got on the way.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
A man with a peculiar voice and a glorious past, Roger Chapman, former FAMILY leader, has a box set called "Family & Friends" out on January 27th. Its four CDs cover several bands Chapman fronted through the years and contains a loadful of previously unreleased material, a detailed booklet and Leicester City FC programme from 1972 which advertises FAMILY gig at Filbert Street. It makes good sense to order it the sooner, as the first 1000 sets will include an extra CD.
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Disc 1:
1. Burlesque |
Disc 2:
1.Chilli Con Carne (live) * |
Disc 3:
1. Can’t Stand It (a) |
Disc 4:
1. Hot Night To Rhumba |
Disc 5 - Bonus CD:
1. Imbecile |
December 19, 2002
COCONUT'S GROOVER
Quite a sad year, this one: Zal Yanovsky, a brilliant guitar player and a mock character behind LOVIN' SPOONFUL, died of a heart attack on December 13th at his farm near Kingston, Ontario, just a few days short of his 58th birthday. Having left the influential band he co-founded with John Sebastian after meeting at Mama Cass' appartment, Zalman had a moderate solo career before becoming a successful restaurateur. Burn a candle for the one who believed in magic.
PAGE TURNING UP
While the rumour has it the next March will see the release of LED ZEPPELIN live DVD and the first title in a series of concert recordings, the band's mastermind Jimmy Page gets into real business, having donated a rare 3-CD ZEP promo set from his own personal collection to help raise funds for the UK's Bury Hospice. The item - autographed by Page and numbered mini box-set, #376 of the 2,500 limited edition pressing - is officially offered to the public for the first time ever. There's an auction going on here until January 9th, and the winner will get a copy of the "Led Zeppelin: The Montreux Concerts" book as well.
ROCK THE BELIEVER
As mentioned before, February 14th will see the release of John Wetton's new album, "Rock of Faith", through Giant Electric Pea label - the Japanese fans are, as usual, to get a hold of it a bit earlier, on January 22nd. Recorded with John Mitchell on guitar and Steve Christey hitting the skins, and featuring a lot of friends - ASIA's Geoffrey Downes and Clive Nolan of PENDRAGON and ARENA, ELO's Hugh McDowell and IT BITES' Francis Dunnery, Ian McDonald of KING CRIMSON and FOREIGNER fame and Wetton's lifelong lyricist friend Richard Palmer-James - the album looks like this (thanks to Martin Orford):
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1. Mondrago |
OPEN UP AND...
Ever wanted to be a true rocker who's adored not scorned when opening a mouth? Video courses are pretty OK - but now there's a chance to scream following the instructions from Joe Lynn Turner, Bruce Dickinson and QUEENSRYCHE's Geoff Tate, who all contributed among others to a book called "Pro Secrets of Heavy Rock Singing", up to take now. The book points a reader to vocal techniques in a singer's own words rather than going into physiology, and contains interviews with 30 professional singers.
IT BITES
So he's a cheater, David Coverdale, isn't he? Pretending that WHITESNAKE were an independent beast rather than a mindchild of his and putting it on ice before venturing into the work on "Into The Light" album back in 2000, Coverdale said the band wouldn't arise. Not true as, having abandoned his next record he demoed with Tony Franklin, the singer is ready to take on the road again. The January tour is already mapped out through North America, Europe, Scandinavia and the UK, and plans to release a live album and a DVD are there as well. As for the line-up, David called to arms his old pals Tommy Aldridge on drums and Marco Mendoza to pluck a bass, and invited some new guys: keyboardist Timothy Drury who played previously with Don Henley and famous guitarists Reb Beach and Doug Aldrich. Which is funny, because Aldrich played on DIO's 2002's "Killing The Dragon" album and toured with it, and WHITESNAKE had a former DIO axeman, Vivian Campbell, in their ranks before. History repeating?
December 12, 2002
CRANK IT IN!
It's been sixteen years now since Bernie Shaw joined URIAH HEEP ranks having lent his disctinctive voice before to GRAND PRIX and PRAYING MANTIS. Throughout all this time, the singer had only a couple of outside flirtations, those with his native Canadian bands. Not now though, as - while HEEP are readying themselves to be recording a new album - he enjoys a company of ex-NAZARETH Billy Rankin on guitar, John O'Leary on drums, Kenny Cobain on guitars, Steve White on bass and Alan Shipman on keyboards, and the company is collectively known as MORTICE. No word on the project's plans at the moment - just first fruits: three songs stored for your ears' delight here.
IN THE FOCUS
Who can tell the FOCUS story better than Thijs Van Leer? Well, Jan Akkerman's not a part of the band anymore so... So embark on a journey to the Dutch legend's lore with Thijs as a guide. From the 1971's rehearsals for the pivotal "Moving Waves" album to their 2002's powerful comeback tour through the unique performances, the DVD put out by Classic Rock Productions isn't something to be dismissed. Or missed. Or moved out of focus.
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1. Focus Pocus |
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HEAR A MILLION VOICES SINGING
Of the multitude of albums Rick Wakeman has been feeding to the market in the recent years, the fans always stick with works that involve either rock band or orchestra (better both of them), yet here's something different, a suite called "The Wizard And The Forest Of All Dreams" which sees the maestro team up with English Chamber Choir conducted by Guy Protheroe. No orchestra, no band - just classic piano and the voices... voices... voices...
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1. The Meeting Of Minds |
CAN'T SAY "NO"
Meanwhile, the YES completists should start to get rid of their CD collections, as Rhino plans for 2003 include the re-releases of the band's albums expanded with bonus tracks. And the first batch of those will have the following rarities on:
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"Yes" Everydays (single b-side) |
"Time And A Word" Dear Father (single version) |
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"The Yes Album" Your Move (single version) |
"Fragile" America (single version) |
A FIDDLER UNDER THE ROOF
Maybe, Ric Sanders' name isn't as famous as the versatile violinist deserves having adorned with his playing many albums by FAIRPORT CONVENTION he's a member of, SOFT MACHINE and THE ALBION BAND. Sometimes though, Ric gathers up an ensemble of his own, and now the RIC SANDERS GROUP has a live album out, "In Lincoln Cathedral", the first in a series of recordings made at the famous dome. Caught on tape - well, it was done digitally, to be precise - in September 2002, the set features Rick Wakeman on a version of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing." The second disc has binaural sound and digital total surround tracks on there and an MPEG of the band performing Miles Davis's classic "In A Silent Way."
Disc 1:
1. A Lifetime's Love |
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Disc 2:
1. Little Wing (binaural) |
A FIERY LOVER
Sting may come a long mile talking about tantric sex, yet Gordon Sumner's hardly in the same madcap league with Arthur Brown whose new release is titled "Tantric Lover". Mostly in acoustic mode, the album was recorded in 2000 but is released only now. Let's love crazy, then.
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1. Paradise |
December 5, 2002
TO THE SCOUSE DISTINCTION
February 25th, 2003 could be the day of George Harrison's 60th birthday that the artist, sadly, never reached. Yet, to make it a bit warmer to all who miss The Quiet One sorely, there's a bit of consolation, as on that date a tribute album to George is due out. Called "Songs From The Material World," it'll feature the following songs and performers:
1. I Want to Tell You - THE SMITHEREENS
2. Devil's Radio - MASTERS OF REALITY
3. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Todd Rundgren
4. Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) - Dave Davies
5. I, Me, Mine - Marc Ford
6. Within You, Without You - Big Head Todd and THE MONSTERS
7. It's All Too Much - Wayne Kramer
8. Isn't It A Pity - Jay Bennett and Edward Burch
9. Old Brown Shoe - Leslie West
10. Here Comes the Sun - John Entwistle
11. Savoy Truffle - THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
12. Something - Bonnie Bramlett
Meanwhile, November 29th saw a grandiose concert held at the Royal Albert Hall, an event marking the frist year since 's passing. Great as it was, there's no question the show will be released on DVD, at least, any day soon, so it'll make sense to be salivating looking at the heavy guests' list, and here they are - the songs according to the lead singer:
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I Want To Tell You - Jeff Lynne |
Isnt It A Pity - Eric Clapton with Billy Preston |
IN FOR THE CLASSICS
The very same day that the George Harrison tribute concert was taking place, there was another great event there, in London. Spread over November 29th and 30th, the Classic Rock Festival included performances by the JOHN LAWTON band, URIAH HEEP and ASIA, with John Wetton and one of the IRON MAIDEN guys in attendance.
To be more precise, that was the British leg of the festival born of traditional HEEP-centered The Magician's Birthday Party. This time though, the event took on a special meaning for ASIA celebrating their 20th anniversary, and that's why Chris Slade got invited to be drumming. The show was caught on tape during the American leg, on October 5th and 6th in Trenton, New Jersey, and it to be released early in 2003 as "America: Live In The USA" with the following songs therein:
Disc 1:
1. The Heat Goes On |
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Disc 2:
10. Kings Of The Day |
As of John Wetton, his new solo album, "Rock Of Faith", is out on in Europe on February 14th through Giant Electric Pea. Featuring Ian McDonald, Geoff Downes and Richard Palmer-James and mixed at the Abbey Road studios, it must come out huge. On the downside, the Wetton / Downes concert scheduled for December 21st at "The Mean Fiddler," is unlikely to be played.
Back to URIAH HEEP, the band's acoustic and electric performances recorded at the Classic Rock Festival are to be released in CD and DVD formats in 2003 as well. In their unique tradition, HEEP did some songs not played for a long time if at all, such as "The Other Side Of Midnight," "Seven Stars," "Shadows Of Grief" and "Pilgrim." To bide the waiting time, some may stick to the band's early albums currently being repackaged by Terrapin Music as special expanded deluxe collectors editions. Newly remastered from the original master tapes of both UK and US editions, with enhanced 20-page booklet and sprinkled with bonus tracks, the CDs set to tease those who already have the whole HEEP catalogue remastered. But if one's to buy the new ones, the bonus material is like this:
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"Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble": |
and
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"Salisbury": |
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Also up for taking is URIAH HEEP's "Gypsy - Live 1985" DVD featuring the line-up of Mick Box, Lee Kerslake, Trevor Bolder, John Sinclair and Peter Goalby and track-by-track audio review from rock journalist Dave Ling:
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1. Sell Your Soul |
7. The Wizard |
With all the interest stirred by the DVD, it doesn't look as the HEEP-approved, as is material being put out by Classic Rock Productions. The enterprise announced the upcoming titles of their catalogue now which, beside ASIA and URIAH HEEP releases will include the CD / DVD sets from FOCUS, one with early tracks on, and the other containing the live recordings of the band's show at Trenton (FOCUS didn't make it to the British part of the Classic Rock Festival due to technical problems), and the early '90s sets from MAGNUM and BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST. No details on these yet, but there are some on a couple of others.
The one by ATOMIC ROOSTER has rare 1972's footage on it featuring Chris Farlowe:
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1. Breakthrough |
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The CURVED AIR one is sourced from 1972 as well featuring Sonja Kristina, Daryl Way, Francis Monkman, Mike Wedgewood and Florian Pilkington Miksa:
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1. Marie Antoinette |
And there's something from the mighty heavyweights BLACK SABBATH: "Inside Black Sabbath" is a visual master class with Tony Iommi who, with his own examples, reveals the band's kitchen secrets. Still, it's not for musicians only as the DVD contains live archive footage and previously unreleased promo videos of "Headless Cross" and "Feels Good To Me."
1. Black Sabbath
2. Paranoid
3. Headless Cross
4. Orchid
5. Feels Good To Me
6. Laguna Sunrise
7. Embryo
8. Smoke On The Water
MORE OR LESS COLOSSAL THINGS
Angel Air widens the spectrum of their catalogue and dives into the DVD pool with the titles no less intriguing than the ones the British label releases on CD. The most intriguing performances to see the light of day in the near future are two. The first, the complete version of Eddie Hardin's "Wind In The Willows" recorded live in 1991 with an all-star cast including Donovan, Tony Ashton, Jon Lord, Graham Bonnet, Zak Starkey, Don Airey, Denny Laine, Ray Fenwick, Maggie Bell and Danny Thompson. An excellent show, capped with "Love Is All" Hardin co-wrote with Roger Glover for the PURPLE bass player's "The Butterfly Ball" album.
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1. Wind In The Willows (Main Theme) |
10. Maggie's Theme |
The second gem comes from COLOSSEUM being the second concert of the band's reunion tour of June 1994 and featuring the classic line-up of Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Clem Clempson, Dave Greenslade, Chris Farlowe and Mark Clarke (vocals), joined by Danny Lyons and Dylan Amey. The bonus, a 90-minute "Story Of COLOSSEUM" documentary, makes it all even more valuable.
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1. Those About To Die |
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RIDING THE COLOSSUS
The fans of Steve Hackett have all the reasons to be happy getting a hold of "Somewhere In South America... Live in Buenos Aires," an amazing addition to the great musician's catalogue. Shot at Buenos Aires' Teatro Coliseo in 2001, the 105 minutes of magnificent performance including several previously unheard songs, are to be available in four different formats: December 9th will see the release of a VHS video and a 2CD digipack, while on January 27th debuts the edition comprised of DVD and 2 CDs in a 3-disc boxed digipack. The DVD sound is 5.1 Dolby Digital audio and there's a bonus called "Somewhere In Italy," a documentary with backstage footage and interviews shot in 2000.
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1. The Floating Seventh |
8. Walking Away From Rainbows |
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