News
October 22, 2003
THOSE NOT ABOUT TO DIE
That's going to be a minor event yet the one in a major key: nine years after their reunion and six years after "Bread And Circuses", their first studio record since the '70s, legendary prog-jazz-rockers COLOSSEUM are back. The classic line-up of Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Chris Farlowe, Clem Clempson, Mark Clarke and Dave Greenslade come up with a great new album called "Tomorrow's Blues", the mixing of which took quite a long time, but even rough mixes DME listened to at Dick's place sounded terrific.
The album is out this week in Germany, while the band have already embarked on tour. The first concerts featured Barbara Thompson on saxes, but Heckstall-Smith, who was ill, will be joining his friends shortly. (Check for the interviews with Clem and Dick to appear here soon.)
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1. Tomorrow's Blues |
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PLANT-ING SEEDS
Some may say, it's a cashing-in on success of LED ZEPPELIN's recent DVD, but twenty one solo years are more than a good cause for Robert Plant to compile his golden nuggets into a neat package. Called, rather enigmatically yet phonetically great, "Sixty Six To Timbiktu", the compilation, due out on November 4th, holds more treasures than anyone could ask for: while the first disc is comprised of the album tracks, one cut from THE HONEYDRIPPERS and one previously unissued, the second CD gathers Percy's rarities - from the '60s singles released under Plant's own name and demos by THE BAND OF JOY, a group with John Bonham on drums, to the B-sides and tribute album appearances.
Says Robert,
"I have prided myself in constantly seeking and always changing - to continue the tradition that we were proud of in LED ZEPPELIN: that we should always move the music and constantly try to move the intention and the topic and the whole game. The most important thing is to satisfy your own lust for music and creation rather than everybody else's need and expectation".
Yet we're gonna groove and be satisfied too.
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CD 1:
1. Tie Dye On The Highway CD 2:
1. You Better Run, Listen (single, 1966) |
GIVE 'EM SOME TRUTH
Next year the Broadway will see the staging of the musical based on John Lennon's life. No, not "The Ballad Of John And Yoko" that the ex-Beatle planned before his tragic death in 1980 and wrote the songs like "She's A Friend Of Dorothy" and "Sally And Billy" for, but one tentatively called "The Lennon Project". The show will use about 30 of John's songs with a full support from the late musician's widow, Yoko Ono, who said in a statement, "What we present on stage should again give people insight, encouragement, inspiration and fun, so they can go on with their lives with some assurance and hope". As to who's to take the lead role, there would be twelve actors playing Lennon at various periods of his glorious life.
Meanwhile, a DVD "Lennon Legend" comprising videos to John's hit singles is set for release on November 14th, the very same day that THE BEATLES' "Let It Be... Naked" CD and "A Concert For George" DVD and CD are out. Some videos are completely new cuts featuring previously unseen footage; and there's also the special features including the Old Grey Whistle Test performance of "Slippin' & Slidin'" and "Imagine" filmed at the "Salute To Lew Grade" concert in 1975.
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1. Imagine |
11. Stand By Me |
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RIFFING ALL OVER
Despite the claims not to indulge in doing covers anymore, STATUS QUO decided to give it a last shot on November 17th with a freshly made collection entitled, quite eloquently, "Riffs". There's nothing more to say, as there would be nothing more from QUO, save for another slab of high energy boogie, though re-tooling the ELO song guarantees a lot of fun to fans of both bands, which can hardly be said of "Born To Be Wild". Those eager to hear something original will rejoice listening to a couple of new tracks... and a new version of classic "Rockin All Over The World". Initial pressings of the album is to include a bonus DVD with a smattering of QUO live performances.
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1. Caroline (new recording) |
CAN YOU HEAR, TOMMY?
THE WHO re-issue program came finally to the band's benchmark album, "Tommy". Originally recorded in 1969 and re-did later with a stellar cast, the rock opera appeared to never have sounded as its author Pete Townshend wanted. So here's a chance to take to it in original form - in pristine quality on SACD / CD hybrid, remastered and a bit re-mixed by Townshend's re-issuing cohort Jon Astley. As usual with THE WHO latest releases, there are two discs, the first featuring the album itself and the second gathering previously unreleased cuts:
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1. I Was |
10. Tommy's Holiday Camp (band's version) |
October 13, 2003
FOUR ON THE FLOOR
Here's what THE ROLLING STONES' fans have been waiting for since it became clear that the band's last tour, that's just over, see them play a different set in different venues, sometimes doing all but one song different from the previous day's show. The excitement rose more and more, as Jagger and Co dusted off many tunes rarely - or never at all - delivered live before. So maybe not everything but over 5 hours of music will be out on a 4 DVD-set called "Four Flicks", the title referring to the number of discs as well as THE STONES' recent greatest hits collection, "Forty Licks".
50 odd tracks including gems like "Rock Me Baby" and "Monkey Man" - recorded at Paris' Olympia Theatre, New York's Madison Square Garden and London's Twickenham Stadium, all exteremely different places in size - comprise three DVDs, while the fourth one contains two exclusive behind the scenes documentaries, "Tip of the Tongue" and "Licks Around the World". The first movie documents the conception and preparations for the tour, and the second captures the ensemble on the road.
The special features are aplenty thereon: among them bootleg tracks "Beast Of Burden", "Bitch", "You Don't Have To Mean It", inside commentary and the "Backstage Pass" bonus allowing the viewer to see what's going on behind the scenes during a song and then get back on-stage. A treat, no doubt - especially when the set can be obtained exclusively from Best Buy for mere $29.99.
January 18th, 2003 - MSG
1. Street Fighting Man |
August 24th - Twickenham
1. Brown Sugar |
July 11th - Olympia
1. Start Me Up |
The Bootlegs
Paris Studio: |
THE GYPSY ROAD
Relocating to Spain has left a good mark on Ken Hensley, who's been exploring the gypsy motif for two albums in a row, the second, "The Last Dance", to be released soon. Well, it's already released in Russia, where the artwork and the running order is different from what the Western fans will see, and as a limited edition which can be purchased through the veteran's own site. A title track is said to rank amongst the best songs Ken's ever done. Let's hope the rest is on the level too.
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1. The Last Dance |
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REVEALING SILENCE
YES' Full Circle Tour just had to be preserved for posterity, as it brought the band into the new millenium with a classic line-up of Chris Squire, Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Alan White and Rick Wakeman - not mentioning the fact that 2003 marks the 35th anniversary since the group inception. Which means, there are many reasons for "YesSpeak", a double DVD that will be released in Europe on November 24th and in the US next January. Sure, there will be music - details on this are still to be revealed - yet the main thing here will be the stories and observations from the five. Boring it won't be for certain, Wakey's anecdotes will compensate everything.
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Part One: Sacred Ground |
IT'S-TOO-GEEZ!
"Raw Power" was the last albums by THE STOOGES, and it took no less than three decades for Iggy Pop to record again with the Asheton brothers, bassist Ron and drummer Scott. But it's better late than never, so Ig's new album, "Skull Ring", sees the old friends perform together on four tracks. And it's not the only collaboration on the LP - in fact, there's only one song that Pop does solo. If you think new punks are scary though fake a bit, then imagine how intimidated the likes of SUM 41 must have been when working with the Iguana. But he's great, Geez!
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1. Little Electric Chair |
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9. Dead Rock Star |
Tracks 1, 3, 5, 9 - with THE STOOGES
Tracks 2, 4, 8, 11, 13, 16 - with THE TROLLS
Tracks 6, 14 - with GREEN DAY
Track 7 - with SUM 41
Track 10 - with PEACHES
Track 12 - with FEEDOM feat. PEACHES
Track 15 - Iggy solo
October 5, 2003
ADDICTED TO BE LOVED
Sometimes he seemed an old-fashioned man, and on September 26th Robert Palmer died in an old-fashion way, from heart attack, aged only 54. Many remember Robert for his megahit, "Addicted To Love", the striking video to which was re-hashed later by Shania Twain, but there was more to the British singer. Palmer was the rocker, having sung with THE ALAN BOWN SET and amazing starr-loaded formation VINEGAR JOE before going solo, and had been kept in such respect that the backing band on his 1974's debut, "Sneakin" Sally Through The Alley" included LITTLE FEAT's Lowell George. Then, he scored hits on and on, yet found himself brave enough to embarl on a new venture, a band called POWER STATION, that proved successful too, as well as his collaboration with UB40 on Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight". A big-hearted man, he was - and will be - loved, and will be sorely missed.
MORE ASH TO THE FIRE
Thirty odd years on since WISHBONE ASH came to be, the interest in them is still solid, and that's all the good reason for Andy Powell to dig into his archives and unearth a great smattering of rarities. Last year, the band released the collection called "Tracks", which is joined now by "Tracks 2" spanning three decades, from 1972 to 2002. Looks appetizing:
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1. Bona Fide |
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13. Underground |
THOSE CLEVER HEADS
To some, TALKING HEADS sound boring, to others David Byrne and his colleagues were the sound terrorists and true revolutionaries, but a box set "Once In A Lifetime", out on November 10th, can change the minds of both fractions, providing a wonderful perspective of the band's output, with both standard cuts and rarities. What's there on 3 CDs and a DVD is compiled with a say from all the group members. Why not, then, try and understand why Tom Jones is a fan and chose to cover "Burning Down The House" on his acclaimed "Reload"? (The tracks indicated * are previously unreleased),
CD1:
1. Sugar On My Tongue |
CD 2:
1. I Zimbra |
CD 3:
1. And She Was |
DVD:
1. Once In A Lifetime |
THE LAST SLAMMIN'
That's quite strange: for almost twenty years there was no official release from Phil Lynott's GRAND SLAM, except for the "Dedication" which appeared as a title track on a THIN LIZZY compilation; but 2002 saw the gates open, and here's the third collection out now. "Twilight's Last Gleaming" is said to contain the band's very last live performances, coming mostly from the Marquee gig of December 4th, 1984. The set is rather usual yet Philo was such a great artist that it's a worthy thing anyway. The aficionados must look for a limited edition, which comes in digipack with a bonus CD with alternative live cuts of "Nineteen", "Crime Rate" and "Military Man" thereon.
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1. Yellow Pearl |
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