Those who think of John Sloman as of lightweight champion of hard rock – the perception based on his role as a front man for LONE STAR and URIAH HEEP – miss out on the veteran’s experience as a singer-songwriter par excellence. There’s always been more to John’s talent – what with his playing keyboards, not only vocalizing, with Gary Moore – so the title of his solo debut, the Todd Rundgren-produced 1989’s “Disappearances Can Be Deceptive…” (which is a sign of Sloman’s success as a composer), seemed quite telling. Yet, from 2003’s “Dark Matter” on, his oeuvre became somber and deeper, the artist’s participation in the “Occupy” movement revealing his political stance, and "Don't Try This At Home" is John’s masterpiece. Still, all of this, emotional as it were, didn’t feel very personal – unlike Sloman’s new record which will be released on May 30th.
Dramatic in bluesy way, “El Dorado” reflects a family tragedy. “It tells the story of my brother Robert’s experiences after moving from Wales to Arkansas, USA, getting sick and returning to Wales, where he spent almost a year in hospital before eventually dying,” says John who put his heart and soul in this record. The album’s going to be as riveting as it is harrowing. Here’s the full tracklist – with John’s own commentary for each of the pieces – and, below, the video of one number:
El Dorado
1. Going To America
“about the sadness my parents and siblings felt about him leaving”
2. Housebuilding
“about his first summer in USA framing houses”
3. Welshman (Living In The USA)
“more about the crazy people he worked with,
guys looking to buy guns, etcetera”
4. Down To Memphis
“about travelling to USA with my mother to visit Rob
and a four-day road trip we took to Memphis”
5. Trick Or Treat
“about Rob discovering what his American wife was up to”
6. El Dorado
“about Rob getting sick and me travelling to El Dorado
where he was living to bring him home to Wales”
7. If I Live Through This Night
“about Rob fighting for his life in hospital for eleven months”
8. I Love This Land
“Rob telling the story of his American adventure and how much he loves his homeland of Wales”
9. Jason And The Argonauts
“Rob talking about buying a boat once he was well again…
and me telling him we could be like Jason looking for the Golden Fleece.
I recorded this track while Rob was in hospital and sent it to him. He loved it, so it’s kind of special to me”
10. In A World Of Pain
“the last track is kind of self-explanatory”
