THE WINNING BET
It’d be quite dramatic to listen to a new BEE GEES record, with two-part harmonies where used to be three majectic voices. But Maurice is gone and Barry and Robin Gibb’s trepidations are understandable. Still, the brothers pursue some projects currently, one of these being a theatrical musical called ”You Win Again”, after the song off 1997’s “E.S.P.” album, that follows the template of QUEEN’s ”We Will Rock You” and ABBA’s ”Mama Mia”. The production telling a story of a fashion designer and the model he falls in love with will be taken to both Broadway and London’s West End by the end of 2006. Sounds quite banal, but there’s always the music…
MIGHTY MIGHTY WHITEY
Alan White now has a band of his own, WHITE, which is no news already. The news is that YES’ drummer took his buddies – singer Kevin Currie, bassist Steve Boyce, guitarist Karl Haug and the old friend, keyboard maestro Geoff Downes, who surprisingly find time off touring with ASIA – to the studio. The group’s debut record, solid progressive rock, is finished at the moment, and there’s a fascinating Roger Dean-commissioned artwork already submitted. As of release date, it’s July 18th, and some snippets of new songs can be listened to at the ensemble’s new site. And here’s the tracklisting of the album:
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1. New Day 2. Beyond The Sea Of Lies 3. Fate 4. Dreamaway 5. Loyal 6. Crazy Believer 7. Waterhole 8. Mighty Love 9. Give Up Giving Up 10. Once And For All |
THE REGAL DOINGS
QUEEN, now officially the biggest album selling band in the UK chart history who, with 1,322 weeks on the hit parade, exceeded THE BEATLES’ result of 1,293 weeks, aren’t going to stop – if QUEEN + Paul Rodgers could be accounted for as the same act. Nevertheless, this combination will release live CD on September 12th and a DVD and LP on October 24th. All three formats come from the Sheffield performance of May 9th, but the DVD is to also include rehearsal and backstage footage, interviews and highlights from the outdoor shows. Hopefully, the concert recording will appear in its entirety. The set played on that day looked – and sounded – like this:
| Reaching Out Tie Your Mother Down I Want To Break Free Fat Bottomed Girls Wishing Well Another One Bites The Dust Crazy Little Thing Called Love Under Pressure Say It’s Not True ’39 Love Of My Life Hammer To Fall Feel Like Making Love |
I’m In Love With My Car Guitar Solo Last Horizon These Are The Days Of Our Lives Radio Ga Ga Can’t Get Enough A Kind Of Magic I Want It All Bohemian Rhapsody The Show Must Go On All Right Now We Will Rock You We Are The Champions |
RE-KOOPER-ATING AGAIN
It’s been a long time coming for legendary Al Kooper whose proper solo album was last heard back in the ’70s. Now the meister’s back and still strong. His tasty “Black Coffee” album is out on July 12th and has been available on iTunes even some days before that. Quite an impatience here – deservedly! THE BLUES PROJECT and the BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS fans must form a line.
| 1. My Hands Are Tied 2. Am I Wrong 3. How My Ever 4. Going Going Gone 5. Keep It To Yourself 6. Get Ready 7. Imaginary Lover 8. Green Onions 9. Another Man’s Prize 10. Childish Love 11. Got My Eye 12. Just For A Thrill 13. Cadillac 14. Tell Me The Truth |
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THE MODERN PSYCHOSIS
While Robert Fripp leads his current version of KING CRIMSON, his former band mates quench the thirst of those who miss the group’s old indentity. Operating under the21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID BAND moniker, sax player Mel Collins, flautist Ian McDonald, drummer Michael Giles, his bass-toting brother Peter and guitarist Jakko Jakszyk toured the Land of Rising Sun back in 2002. The document of the tour, the “Live In Japan” DVD recorded in Tokyo on November 6th, features classic CRIMSO material and numbers from the players’ solo records, such as McDonald’s "Drivers Eyes". Extra features include interviews, the footage of “The Official Bootleg Vol 1”recording as well as that from the debut performance at Canterbury Fayre Festival and Queen Elizabeth Hall.
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1. Schizoid Intro 2. A Man A City 3. Catfood 4. Let There Be Light 5. Progress 6. Court Of The Crimson King 7. Formentera Lady 8. Ladies Of The Road 9. I Talk To The Wind 10. Epitaph 11. BirdMan 12. 21st Century Schizoid Man |
PLAYING WITH MAIDEN-NESS
Sometimes recording a tribute album feels like running amok. We’ve heard Latin tribute to BLACK SABBATH, and now time comes for something no less unusual: “The Piano Tribute To Iron Maiden” recorded by famous Scott Lavender and set for release on August 2nd. Still, it somehow makes sense, as MAIDEN are one of the most melodic metal collectives. Aces are high, even though axes are replaced with keys.
| 1. Two Minutes To Midnight 2. Wasted Years 3. Can I Play With Madness 4. Trooper 5. Brave New World 6. Run To The Hills 7. Caught Somewhere In Time 8. Aces High 9. Hallowed Be Thy Name 10. Flight Of Icarus 11. Number Of The Beast 12. Eddie’s Lament (original composition) |
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COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
Four years down the line from the marvellous "Not Of This World", PENDRAGON are ready to bring forth their new album, “Believe”. Seemingly less fantasy-driven than previous efforts, the record will find its way to the fans’ hands on August 29th as both a regular disc and a limited edition which is to include a DVD with rare live footage, studio diaries and other snippets of the band’s world shot on a home video recorder.
| 1. Believe 2. No Place For The Innocent 3. The Wisdom Of Solomon 4. The Wishing Well a. For Your Journey b. Sou’ By Sou’ West c. We Talked d. Two Roads 5. Learning Curve 6. The Edge Of The World |
SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK
Paul McCartney‘s never been famous for thinking up strange album titles, but what comes out on September 12th is Sir Ex-Beatle’s 20th post-Fab studio recording, and Paul let his imagination fly. Get it: “Chaos And Creation In The Back Yard” – that’s the title! As for the songs, their nomers are funny as well, yet that’s rather fab!
| 1. Fine Line 2. How Kind Of You 3. Jenny Wren 4. At The Mercy 5. Friends To Go 6. English Tea 7. Too Much Rain 8. A Certain Softness 9. Riding To Vanity Fair 10. Follow Me 11. Promise To You Girl 12. This Never Happened Before 13. Anyway |
THE AUSSIE DUAL LAYER
Teaming up with hard rock legends in LIVING LOUD wasn’t enough for the Australian belter Jimmy Barnes. International fame beckons, and the singer invited some fine singers to be duetting with him on “Double Happiness”, a double album that comes with a bonus DVD and is out om July 18th. If Jimmy’s relatives vocalising with him all over the record are of questionable interest to the most, the same can’t be said of partners like Joe Cocker or Tina Turner. The guy goes far!
CD 1:
1. Sit On My Knee (with Dallas Crane)
2. Out Of Time (with Tim Roger)
3. Got You As A Friend (with Mark Lizotte)
4. Settle For Me (with EJ Barnes)
5. Take Some Time (with Mahalia Barnes)
6. Resurrection Shuffle (with THE LIVING END)
7. Say It Ain’t So (with Rasshan Patterson)
8. Say It Ain’t So (Club Mix)
9. Attention (with Andrew Roachford)
10. The Same Woman (with Jackie Barnes)
11. What Will They Say (with Swanee)
CD 2:
12. I’ll Be There (with Elly-May Barnes)
13. Run (with Mica Paris)
14. Piece Of My Heart (with Tina Harrod)
15. Ain’t No Mountain (with Juanita Tippens)
16. Higher (with Gary Pinto)
17. Bird On A Wire (with Troy Cassar-Daley)
18. Cold Cold Heart (with Smokey Dawson)
19. Simply The Best (with Tina Turner)
20. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby (with John Farnham)
21. Good Times (with INXS)
22. Guilty (with Joe Cocker)
23. The Weight (with THE BADLOVES)
