PLUGGING IN AND SPARKING ON
Five last years, since the Mael brothers unleashed their “Lil’ Beethoven” on us, have seen a surge of interest in SPARKS, and 2008 is the year when the band release their 21st album. That’s a full age of sorts and, therefore, a cause to celebrate. And be sure, Ron and Russell know many ways to do so in style. This time the brothers decide to premiere the record on June 13th at Shepherds Bush Empire where they’re going to be playing this as yet untitled album in its entirety – but this is not the trick. The trick is to precede the premiere night by playing live all of the LPs on 20 consecutive nights in London, from start to finish for the Shepherds Bush date to be the grand finale. As Maels said, “That’s approximately 250 songs, or for you musicians, 4 million, 825 thousand, 273 notes. Come celebrate each and every one of those notes with us!”
WISHING WELL
If there’s a dream British blues collaboration, it’s for Paul Rodgers and Maggie Bell to do something together, not only for Maggie to be covering FREE’s “Wishing Well”. Now, there’s a chance, with the two being on the Swan Song label in the ’70s, both are scheduled to appear alongside their friends LED ZEPPELIN at O2’s stage on December 10th.
THE RIOTER QUIETENS
What a sad news! On November 19th the QUIET RIOT effusive frontman, Kevin DuBrow, passed away. His body was found only six day later. Glenn Hughes is said to have called from LA to Las Vegas and alarmed DuBrow’s friend to look for paramedics, after Kevin failed to attend a party at the Hughes’, an occasion he tried to never miss on. The death’s cause is still not announced but there was no invasion in the singer’s appartment. Perhaps, his wasn’t metal health as DuBrow’s would have it under the title of his band’s most famous album which, in 1983, spearheaded by the “”Cum On Feel The Noize” cover, helped shape the glam metal scene. He will be sorely missed by many,
ALL BLUES AND NO DINNER
While the British blues aficionados are eagerly expecting a new album from Jack Bruce and Robin Trower, that’s going to be out any day soon, the former CREAM singer / bassist has come up with a new live recording. “Live At 37. Deutschesland Jazzfestival” was laid down in Frankfurt on October 26th, 2006 and feature the Hessischer Rundfunk Big Band. The swinging combo may be an interesting collaborators for Jack who’s always dabbled with jazz and shaped his first solo album, “Things We Like” as a pure jazz record (it was released as Bruce’s second, after more viable commercially “Songs For A Tailor’. So here’s something like a full circle for the veteran.
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1. Never Tell Your Mother She’s Out Of Tune 2. Rope Ladder To The Moon 3. Spoonful 4. Smiles And Grins 5. Born Under A Bad Sign 6. Theme For An Imaginary Western 7. Milonga 8. The Consul At Sunset 9. We’re Going Wrong 10. Deserted Cities Of The Heart 11. Sunshine Of Your Love |
SAY THIS IS REAL
“Say It’s Not True” is not a new song as such: QUEEN + Paul Rodgers unveiled it on their "Return Of The Champions" DVD. But there it was the song’s writer, Roger Taylor’s solo spot. Now, there’s a full recording, with Taylor, Brian May and Paul Rodgers taking a verse each and complete with a heavy section. Before the entire album arrives – it\s likely to see the light of day in 2008 – this, new version and a video for it are available for a free download through Queenonline. It’s made available for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 before World AIDS Day that was December 1st. There was a 46664 concert on November 30th but, having played two previous events, this time the band are in the studio and couldn’t appear there; instead, they sent such a special musical message.
QUEEN who lost their singer Freddie Mercury to AIDS are very likely campaigners for the cause. Says Roger Taylor, “By making the song available for free, we hope to help Mandela with his campaign to get across the message that no-one is safe from infection. We have to be aware, we have to protect ourselves and those we love. The song follows the line of his personal message: it’s in our own hands to bring a stop to this”.
SQUIRE’S S-CHOIR
Another Christmas comes, another artist serves up the traditional fair, and this time up comes such a non-traditional artist as Chris Squire. The YES leader hushed his thunderous bass for the English Baroque Choir’s voices and Steve Hackett‘s guitar to shine through. A good pairing with Jon Anderson’s newly re-issued, with a holiday card’s pack, “3 Ships” seasonal album, it features quite an interesting coda, Squire’s own “Run With The Fox”.
| 1. Adam Lay Y’Bouden 2. I Saw Three Ships 3. Come O Come Emmanuel 4. Silent Night / Night Of Silence 5. Ding Dong Merrily On High 6. The Three Kings 7. Sans Day Carol 8. Personal Hodie 9. Sussex Carol 10. Gaudete 11. In The Bleak Midwinter 12. Past 3 O’Clock 13. Run With The Fox |
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EIGHT MILES HIGH
For years, the German TV’s Beat Club performances have been a treasure trove for the classic rock diggers, and a brief switching of of VH1 Classic will be suffice to ignite the interest, so the “Progressive Times” eight-DVD collection, out on January 19th, is a tremendous visual treat for everyone. Some of the videos previously released on the respective artists collections and some volumes less interesting than the others, there’s enough to enjoy nevertheless. Fortunately, each DVD will be available for grabs on its own.
| Vol. 1 HUMBLE PIE – The Sad Bag Of Shaky Jack FREE – Mr. Big RENAISSANCE – Island SPIRIT -1984 COLOSSEUM – The Machine Demands A Sacrifice JOHN MAYALL – I’m Gonna Fight For You J.B. CANNED HEAT – Let’s work together TASTE – It’s Happened Before, It’ll Happen Again BADFINGER – Come And Get It Joe Cocker – Dear Landlord JETHRO TULL – Witch’s Promise ASHTON, GARDNER & DYKE – Rolling Home EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND – American Boy-Soldier Marsha Hunt – Keep The Customer Satisfied LED ZEPPELIN – Whole Lotta Love ASHTON, GARDNER & DYKE – Billy And His Piano Without EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND – Love In The Rain Taj Mahal – Tomorrow Will Not Be Another Day Johnny Winter – Johnny B. Goode IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY – Soapstone Mountain THE FLOCK – Introduction THE FLOCK – Clown Taj Mahal – Sweet Mama Jenice Johnny Winter – Meantown Blues |
Vol. 2 BLACK SABBATH – Black Sabbath RARE BIRD – Sympathy BLODWYN PIG – See My Way CANNED HEAT – Future Blues VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR – What Ever Would Robert Have Said? BRINSLEY SCHWARZ – Ebury Down SANTANA – Jingo FAMILY – The Weaver’s Answer SANTANA – Incident ATOMIC ROOSTER – Save Me STEAMHAMMER – I Wouldn’t Have Thought EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND – Apache Drop Out Dr. John – Mardi Gras Day JETHRO TULL – With You There To Help Me JETHRO TULL – Nothing Is Easy THE PRETTY THINGS – Cries From The Midnight Circus FREE – Fire And Water HUMBLE PIE – For Your Love FREE – All Right Now STATUS QUO – Spinning Wheel Blues STATUS QUO – (April) Spring, Summer & Wednesdays |
| Vol. 3 BLACK SABBATH – Iron Man BLACK SABBATH – Paranoid Eric Burdon & WAR – Paint it Black-Medley Eric Burdon & WAR – Spill The Wine AMON DUUL II – Between The Eyes AMON DUUL II – Eye-Shaking King INCREDIBLE STRING BAND – Everything’s Fine Right Now Ginger Baker’s AIRFORCE – Early In The Morning Ginger Baker’s AIRFORCE – Sunshine Of Your Love Ginger Baker’s AIRFORCE – Toad STONE THE CROWS – Danger Zone COLOSSEUM – Take Me Back To Doomsday FOTHERINGAY – Too Much Of Nothing Muddy Waters – Blow Wind Blow COLOSSEUM – Tanglewood ’63 STONE THE CROWS – Love 74 |
Vol. 4 UFO – Boogie THE MOVE – When Alice Comes Back To The Farm ELP – Take A Pebble ELP – Knife Edge PATTO – San Antone ASHTON, GARDNER & DYKE – Mister Freako ASHTON, GARDNER & DYKE – Resurrection Shuffle IRON BUTTERFLY – Easy Rider (Let The Wind Pay The Way) IRON BUTTERFLY – Butterfly Bleu Ike & Tina Turner – Higher GOLDEN EARRING – Holy Holy Life ATOMIC ROOSTER – Tomorrow Night John Mayall & USA UNION BAND – My Pretty Girl T. REX – Ride A White Swan T. REX – Jewel Ike & Tina Turner – Get Back Ike & Tina Turner – River Deep, Mountain High Ike & Tina Turner – Honky Tonk Women Ike & Tina Turner – Proud Mary |
| Vol. 5 CURVED AIR – It Happened Today SOFT MACHINE – Composition Based On Three Tunes CURVED AIR – Vivaldi YES – I’ve Seen All Good People MAN – Daughter Of The Fireplace POPOL VUH – Bettina MAN – Will The Christians Wait Five Minutes? The Lions Are Having A Draw SANTANA – Jungle Strut YES – Yours Is No Disgrace Rory Gallagher – Laundromat THE BYRDS – Chestnut Mare Rory Gallagher – Sinner Boy KRAFTWERK – Ruckstoss Gondoliere THE BYRDS – Black Mountain Rag THE BYRDS – So You Want To Be A Rock And Roll Star THE BYRDS – Eight Miles High |
Vol. 6 LUCIFER’S FRIEND – Ride The Sky WARHORSE – Ritual FRUMPY – Take Care Of Illusion FLEETWOOD MAC – Dragonfly MOUNTAIN – Don’t Look Around MICK ABRAHAMS BAND – Not To Rearrange MICK ABRAHAMS BAND – Greyhound Bus CARAVAN – Golf Girl GREASE BAND – Let It Be Gone ET CETERA – Raga, Lady Blue, Thursday Morning Sunrise JAMES GANG – Walk Away EMERGENCY – Times Passed By CAN – Paperhouse BEGGARS OPERA – Raymond’s Road BIRTH CONTROL – Give Me Shelter CANNED HEAT – A Long Way From L.A. IF – Forgotten Roads FAMILY – Holding The Compass |
| Vol. 7 DEEP PURPLE – Highway Star CURVED AIR – Back Street Luv CANNED HEAT – Big City DEEP PURPLE – No, No, No T. REX – Jeepster T. REX – Life’s A Gas Richie Havens – Here Comes The Sun Klaus Doldinger’s PASSPORT – Uranus ALICE COOPER – Under My Wheels PROCOL HARUM – In The Wee Small Hours Of Sixpence THE MOVE – Down On The Bay HARDIN & YORK – Like A Rolling Stone SLADE – Coz I Luv You Rory Gallagher – Used To Be STONE THE CROWS – Going Down SANTANA – Black Magic Woman Alexis Korner & Friends – Oh Lord, Don’t Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me Rory Gallagher – In Your Town POCO – C’mon (Come On) EPITAPH – Early Morning |
Vol. 8 LIVIN’ BLUES – Livin’ Blues Boogie NAZARETH – Morning Dew ATOMIC ROOSTER – Break Through GURU GURU – Oxymoron MC 5 – Kick Out The Jams THE JEFF BECK GROUP – Definitely Maybe Stephen Stills’ MANASSAS – It Doesn’t Matter Stephen Stills’ MANASSAS – Hide It So Deep Stephen Stills’ MANASSAS – Rock & Roll Crazies, Cuban Bluegrass Stephen Stills’ MANASSAS – Jet Set Stephen Stills’ MANASSAS – Jam PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC – Are You Ready THE KINKS – Muswell Hillbillies GRATEFUL DEAD – One More Saturday Night THE DOORS – Tightrope Ride Captain Beefheart & HIS MAGIC BAND – I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby FRUMPY – Going To The Country THREE DOG NIGHT – Try A Little Tenderness ALICE COOPER – Public Animal No. 9 ALICE COOPER – I’m Eighteen STONE THE CROWS – Livin’ In The Palace Of The King STONE THE CROWS – Good Time Girl |
