BOURGEOIS PIGS AND MORE…
Frontiers Records and Now & Then Productions announce their super signing, the band called BOURGEOIS PIGS.
The still unknown formation is a mega-star project consisting of vocalist Richard Black formerly of SHARK ISLAND, Jake E. Lee who had his share of fame with Ozzy and BADLANDS, HOUSE OF LORDS guitarist Michael Guy, mighty Tony Franklin on bass and Linsday Vannoy, who played with Alice Cooper, on keyboards. (Well, isn’t that the thing Tony gave me a hint of recently?) As guests for the record will be contributing: drummers Matt Sorum of THE CULT and GUNS N’ ROSES fame, Ken Mary from HOUSE OF LORDS and HURRICANE’s Kelly Hansen on backing vocals. The album is being recorded in Michael Guy’s Californian studio.
The tentative title is “Calamity Of Vanities” and the album is to see the light of day towards the end of the year.
Another news from Frontiers and Now & Then is the forthcoming “Union 4” compilation which will be out on May 14. As its predecessor, "Union 3" is a double CD set featuring tracks from all the recent hits of the label’s releases plus some previews of what’s coming next.
The artists to make the album are: Bob Catley, BAILEY’S COMET, Iain Ashley Hersey, PRIME TIME, Brad Gillis, Kip Winger, HEAVEN & EARTH, Mark Boals, INTO THE LIGHT, MILLENIUM, PRAYING MANTIS, David Glen Eisley, VOODOO HILL, TEER, THE SIGN, TEN, Kelly Keagy, EMERALD RAIN, SEVENTH KEY, Stan Bush, Terry Brock, UNDER SUSPICION, HURRICANE, SKIN TAG, Johnny Lima, Robert Fleishmann, HARDLINE, BOURGEOIS PIGS, GIANT, URBAN TALE and two more bands to be announced shortly as contracts are in the final process of being signed.
Reviews on many of records that are out at the moment can be found here.
As for URBAN TALE – it’s the most recent Frontiers’ license signing, the Finnish band with debut album scheduled for release this summer.
RUNNING WITH THE PACK
BAD COMPANY reportedly stick with STYX for a summer US tour. The bands will be co-headlining the bill.
The BAD CO lineup for the tour includes Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke with guitarist Dave Colwell and bassist Rick Wills as original players Mike Ralphs and Boz Burrell can’t make the tour. Nothing is confirmed still and seems strange with Rodgers’ Australian tour set to begin in April.
OZZY COMEZZ
In the wake of IRON MAIDEN and others, Ozzy Osbourne decided to get cyberized and became a protagonist for a computer game. It’s called “Ozzy’s Black Skies” and developed by iROCK Interactive for Sony’s PlayStation 2, Microsoft’s Xbox and Windows-based PCs. In addition to the wide array of creatures and characters, “Black Skies” also features a dynamic storyline that drives the game through dozens of cool environments such as lush canyons, desecrated ruins, and hellish wastelands. Also “Black Skies” is the title of a new song Ozzman recorded exclusively for the game.
This summer will see the new re-issue of the Osbourne catalogue. The 24-bit remastering process is in hands of producer Bruce Dickinson (not the singer!). The CDs will have new liner notes for which Ozzy was exclusively interviewed, lavish booklets with rare photos and vintage poster art and bonus tracks which the previous editions didn’t have.
PAPA’S DEAD
On March 18 John Phillips, the founder and lead songwriter of THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS, died in Los Angeles, aged 65, of a stomach virus that affected his kidneys.
Before his death Phillips had completed a new album titled “Slow Starter”, which includes an updated version of THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS’ biggest hit “California Dreamin’”, and “Pay Back And Follow”, an album he started over 25 years ago with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The album is set for release in May.
