A LITTLE SILHOUETTO
There’a a few parodies on QUEEN but none’s been more hilarious than the recently released version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” by the entire MUPPETS cast. Using what sounds like the original backing tracks of this classic, Gonzo and his buddies deliver one fantastic version the star of which is, of course, the demented drummer Animal. With almost a 10-million views in the first week since the video’s debut on YouTube, it’s bound to be a huge hit very soon, once the track will have seen an official release. That’s around Christmas. QUEEN have approved a new look at “Bo Rap”, and the version will bear the band’s name on it. A vingle – read: a video single – and audio are to be available through all digital service providers.
FALSE ILLUSIONS LEFT BEHIND
If not for Eric Woolfson, Alan Parsons could have never become more than a genial producer. It was Woolfson, a talented songwriter whose numbers – while at Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate stable – were recorded by the likes of Chris Farlowe and Marianne Faithful, who, having failed to join 10CC, became Parsons’ manager and then co-author in THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT. It’s mainly thanks to Eric’s imagination that this band turned into such a huge progressive entity. After a creative rift with Alan, Woolfson carried on staging musicals based on his songs such as“Edgar Allan Poe”, “Gaudi” and “Freudiana”. Far from a spent force, Eric would have done so much much more but he died of cancer on December 2nd, aged 64.
THERE’S THE RUB
“Around Christmas”, usually says Peter Gabriel when asked about the next album’s release. His last one, 2002’s "UP , is a tremendous work but Peter kept his composer’s urged back this time around. And February 15th isn’t Yuletide anyway. But it’s on this day of 2010 that Gabriel’s “Scratch My Back” will be released – a covers album. The former GENESIS man being a huge Otis Redding fan, one could assume there would be some soul classics on, yet no, Peter chose his fave tunes, all unexpected, from a rockier realm, by artists both old and new. By the way, all of them are to record, in turn, one of Gabriel’s songs making it the second part of the project. The first one is produced by the legendary Bob Ezrin who manned the recording of Peter’s self-titled 1977 debut.
1. Heroes (David Bowie) 2. The Boy In The Bubble (Paul Simon) 3. Mirrorball (ELBOW) 4. Flume (BON IVER) 5. Listening Wind (TALKING HEADS) 6. The Power Of The Heart (Lou Reed) 7. My Body Is A Cage (ARCADE FIRE) 8. The Book Of Love (THE MAGNETIC FIELDS) 9. I Think It’s Going To Rain Today (Randy Newman) 10. Apres Moi (Regina Spektor) 11. Philadelphia (Neil Young) 12. Street Spirit (RADIOHEAD) |
RELEASING THE “MASK”
Who’d think Sonja Kristina, the CURVED AIR grace, might place her talents not only with prog and folk strains but also within the ambient music world. Yet she did – and does, in the company of Marvin Ayres. Partial to the successes of CULTURE CLUB, SIMPLY RED and FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, Ayres has recharged his batteries after last year’s "Eccentric Deliquescence" , while Kristina has revelled in the glory of her former band’s reunion, but now they’re back together as MASK. The duo’s second album “Technopia”, a thematical follow-up to the previous one, “Heavy Petal”, is out in January, and in April and May 2010 the little band will tour UK and Europe.
MR. BIG: YOU BETTER WATCH
As reported last month, Andy Fraser whose new album is out next year, has embarked on a great environmental campaign with regard to the negative effects of climate change. Giving away his latest song, “This Is The Big One”, to go with a competition to bring awareness of the ecological issue, the legendary bassist doesn’t say that it’s all right now no more, but came up with an impressive video. There’s a sensational, in every meaning of the word, part in it where a beautiful mermaid – that’s Hannah, one of Andy’s daughters – swims with whales which are rarely seen in the wild.
Filmed in Tonga, “they were so incredibly graceful, and it is such an amazing feeling when they are curious about us puny humans and decide to spend some time with us. It really drives home how insanely bizarre it is that anyone could kill these magnificent creatures”, said Hannah. What else could one expect from Mr. Big’s kid? But there’s more: the young lady is also featured swimming with 14-foot great white sharks during in a National Geographic special on them, to be released in 2010.
ALL TOGETHER NOW!
This year actvity around THE BEATLES has brought more fruits than it seemed possible. The least involved in all things Fab, Ringo Starr amassed an impressive array of guests on his new album, “Y Not”, including his most famous rhythm section partner Paul McCartney. Macca plays and sings on two tracks: “Walk With You”, the first single, and “Peace Dream”. Out on January 12th, the record also features Van Dyke Parks, Starr’s old guitar compadre Joe Walsh, Richard Marx, Joss Stone, Ben Harper, Dave Stewart, Benmont Tench of THE HEARTBREAKERS’ fame, the SPOOKY TOOTH’s Gary Wright, the beautiful violinist Ann Marie Calhoun and more. With people like these, it can’t be less than great.
1. Fill In The Blanks 2. Peace Dream 3. The Other Side Of Liverpool 4. Walk With You 5. Time 6. Everyone Wins 7. Mystery Of The Night 8. Can’t Do It Wrong 9. Y Not 10. Who’s Your Daddy |
THE SQUIRRELING GOES ON
It’s sad but in November the great Mick Abrahams of JETHRO TULL and BLODWYN PIG fame has suffered a major heart attack and stroke. The master guitarist is recuperating now but whether he’ll be able to play remains a question, mildly addressed in the change of wording on Mick’s site: previously it said about “forseeable future” and now “the next few months”, so there’s a hope. Meanwhile, Abraham’s autobiography, “What is a Wommett”, is out. Must be a riveting read.
Wishing the Squirrel to get well the soonest, DME proudly presents an exclusive interview with Mick’s old partner in crime, Jack Lancaster.
PRISON BREAK
A music book for free is a rare thing now but there’s a gift from underground journalist Ryan Bartek: a rock travelogue titled “The Big Shiny Prison – available for download here. Covering all forms of music, mostly extreme, it features interviews with the likes of BRUTAL TRUTH, MILLIONS OF DEAD COPS, and GENGHIS TRON.
Says the author, “For the past three years I’ve sacrificed everything for the successful completion of this project. I spent a year on the road, another year completing and shopping it, and another year of total rejection. I was never in it for the money, nor the aspect of celebrity. I have spent an upwards of $10,000 on it, which I remark only to underline my absolute sincerity. I have decided to offer it to the public domain. While I retain the copyright / trademark, I both encourage and support file sharing. It is my only wish that this manuscript be circulated and appreciated. Perhaps when all is said and done, someone might offer a physical print run. Readers may be horrifically alienated / insulted by the views of some in this book. I endorse none but my own, and I think it’s fairly obvious where I stand”. Quite clear!
ON THE ANGEL’S WINGS
Angel Air, one of the finest indepedent labels out there, announced a line of February releases.
It’s pleasant to start with the re-issue of ZZEBRA‘s two albums, augmented with bonus tracks. The liner notes for the 2CD package have been written by yours truly. DME would like to thank three members of this fantastic jazz rock outfit: John McCoy, Steve Byrd and Dave Quincy. The deadline didn’t allow for Liam Genockey’s contribution to the text, as the drummer was busy with STEELEYE SPAN, but interview with the great man is on the cards.
Zzebra 1. Cobra Woman 2. Mr J 3. Mah Song 4. Ife 5. Spanish Fly 6. Amuso Fi 7. Rainbow Train 8. Hungry Horse bonus tracks: 9. Mr J (single mix) 10. Amuso Fi (single mix) 11. Zardoz (Beethoven Opus 92) |
Panic 1. Panic 2. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling 3. Karrola 4. Limao 5. Death By Drowning 6. Tree 7. Put a Light On Me 8. La Si Si-La So So bonus tracks: 9. Karrola (alt. mix) 10. Put A Light On Me (alt. mix with Jeff Beck) 11. Liamo (live) |
Next up is “Radio Sessions 1971-1977” by MEDICINE HEAD. Compiled by John Fiddler, the compilation spans different line-ups but shows the best of that band’s moments.
1. (And The) Pictures In The Sky (1971) 2. Coast To Coast (1971) 3. To Train Time (1973) 4. Medicine Pony (1971) 5. But The Night Is Young (1971) 6. Rock’n’Roll Kid (1973) 7. Rainy Day Blues (1973) 8. Morning Light (1973) |
9. Only To Do What Is True (1972) 10. Instant Karma Kid (1972) 11. How Does It Feel? (1972) 12. One And One Is One (1973) 13. Rising Sun (1974) 14. Walkin’ Blues (1974) 15. Slip And Slide (1977) 16. (I Ain’t Cryin’) Over You (1976) 17. His Guiding Hand (1977) |
Last but by no means least: CONSORTIUM‘s “13th Hour”. The group dented the charts four decades ago with “All The Love In The World”, a new version of which is on this, their new album. It’s a follow-up to “Rebirth” that was recorded in 1975, the year the band broke up, but released only in 2006, on Angel Air. That lost gem was met with a great joy, with four of its cuts featured in different films since then, and the ensemble returned to action. Here’s the result; more so, the title track of “13th Hour”has already found its way to the soundtrack of skateboarding film “And Now” to hit the screens in early 2010.
1. Where 2. 13th Hour (radio edit) 3. All The Love In The World 4. Inside Outside 5. Lady Doctor 6. Sad Girl 7. Evolution 8. Nightmare 9. 13th Hour (full version) |