FROM THE FRONTIERS
Frontiers Records announce an array of classy new projects in the making.
AMBITION is, er, ambitious work from the former TRILLION singer, Thom Griffin, who came up with songs co-written with MECCA’s Joe Vana, MR MISTER’s Richard Page, AMBROSIA’s David Pack and “Mr. AOR”, Jim Peterik himself, among others. The release is planned for early 2003.
Another new sign-up is SHOTGUN SYMPHONY frontman, Tracy White, releasing her solo album featuring Russell Arcara of PROPHET fame, ZEBRA’s leader Randy Jackson, Joe Cerisano of TRANS SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, TAKARA’s Gary Schutt, three MELODICA asociates – Gerhard Pichler, Laura Diamond and Charlie Calv – and others. Recording will stars in the summer with the street date set for the fall.
HARDLINE have completed the sessions for their comeback album, “II” with three songs pending left unfinished for Neal Schon to provide with guitar parts. The album is pencilled in for release in September.
Another comeback is from mighty STARSHIP, who are getting ready now for the recording of their new album containing songs submitted by HAREM SCAREM’s Harry Hess, Stuart Smith, omnipresent Jim Peterik, John Waite, Jeff Scott Soto and Richard Marx with some more big names to pop up later, as the CD will appear only in the beginning of 2003.
The third return in a row is from Robert Fleischmann getting near to the recording of the “Reawaken” album under the guidance of HURRICANE’s Kelly Hansen, who provides becking vocals as well. The CD will see the light of day this fall.
KHYMERA featuring KANSAS’s Steve Walsh on vocals, who’s recording currently, will finish the work for the album in a couple of days. Among the writers are: Giorgio Moroder, Kip Winger, Reb Beach, Neal Schon and Jim Peterk (again!). Album will hit the shelves before the end of the year.
Former Malmsteen singer Jeff Scott Soto is said to be writing songs for his second solo album under the working title of “The Calm Before The Storm”. Strange, as the album was, reportedly, completed before Soto has left Z Records in favor of Frontiers. That’s the same album, which is proved by having included SLY & FAMILY STONE’s “I Wanna Take You Higher” featuring a duet with Glenn Hughes. OK, let’s wait until the end of 2002 to see.
RENAISSANCE STRIKE FROM JAPAN
What was a rumour in the community now appears reality: RENAISSANCE are releasing concert album, “Live In Japan – In The Land Of Rising Sun”, recorded at the band’s Tokyo gig on March 16, 2001. A double CD including all 15 songs from the show, including Annie Haslam‘s solo pieces and material of 2001’s "Tuscany":
Carpet Of The Sun, Opening Out, Midas Man, Lady From Tuscany, Pearls Of Wisdom, Dear Landseer, Northern Lights, Moonlight Shadow, Precious One, Ananda, Mother Russia, Trip To The Fair, One Thousand Roses, I Think of You, Ashes Are Burning.
The band’s keyboard player Rave Teasar writes at the RENAISSANCE message board: “It was mixed and mastered at my studio here in the U.S. I don’t know an exact release date, but it is coming soon and It turned out great and I’m sure you will agree it was worth the wait.” Let’s keep fingers crossed.
DRAGON KILLER
DIO are currently in the studio recording the album featuring new guitarist, Doug Aldrich. A heavy endeavour, entitled “Killing The Dragon”, will include the following tracks:
Killing The Dragon, Along Came A Spider, Scream, Better In The Dark, Rock And Roll, Push, Guilty, Throwaway Children, Before The Fall, Cold Feet.
The release date is tentatively set for May – Ronnie’s always quick.
ARGENTINA WATCH
As it was reported before, John Wetton has the new live album out, “Live In Argentina”, recorded in 1986. Presently, covert its artwork isn’t available while the song list is:
CD1: In The Dead Of Night, Sole Survivor, Only Time Will Tell, Voice Of America, Book Of Saturday, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, 30 Years, Hold Me Now, Quilmes, Rendezvous 6:02
CD2: Drum Solo, Caught In The Crossfire, Easy Money, Battlelines, Heat Of The Moment, Starless, Don’t Cry
Note the rare appearance of ASIA’s “Voice Of America” and “Caught In The Crossfire” off Wetton’s first solo album in the set.
THE MIGHTY PAIR
In the Sixties, there was mighty soul duo, Sam & Dave. Then, in the last years, there were rumours abound as to who would fill in as new VAN HALEN singer, Dave Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar. Finally, now both said vocalists unite as Sam & Dave Show for the summer tour, currently pending to be officially confirmed.
NO LORD IN THE DEEP
Now it’s official: on the verge of Russian tour Jon Lord has left DEEP PURPLE for ever. 61-year old powerful organist decided to retire and, thus, left drummer Ian Paice the only founding member in today’s line-up. The keyboardist’s replacement is another veteran, who had already stepped in for Lord for DEEP PURPLE’s last summer tour and played previously with WHITESNAKE and RAINBOW among zillion other acts, so there couldn’t be a better switch. All the best to Lordy, then, who surely will appear on the surface in the future with some studio work.
DETECT YOUR BAND
That’s what came in from the rock books frontline:
Published in September are the next two volumes in the Rockdetector Extreme Metal series of books “Rockdetector A-Z of Thrash Metal” and “Rockdetector A-Z of Doom & Gothic Metal”. Following this Rockdetector is releasing two mammoth 800 page reference works: “Rockdetector Classic American Rock” and“Rockdetector Classic British Rock” for late 2002. These works will cover all the greats and the bands that made a sizeable impact upon the scene. In 2003 the“Rockdetector A-Z of Christian Rock” is scheduled. Further genres will be covered into the future.
Any bands that fall within these categories can check their entries at www.rockdetector.com. Any and all extra factual information will be added, especially looking for live photos. The more is provided, the bigger an entry is. The writer Garry Sharpe-Young says, “Rockdetector has had a quite phenomenal response globally. The take up from bands and labels submitting information has been much greater than expected. For some reason though we’ve been flooded by acts at the harder end of the spectrum with melodic Rock & AOR labels being strangely slow off the mark. We include everything we’re sent, of any genre, so I’ll put a call out to all melodic Rock labels to pull their fingers out!”
The previous 400 page Rockdetector guides, “Black Metal” and “Death Metal” are both available now. Both are at the top of their publishers best sellers list. The Ozzy Osbourne biography is scheduled for May release.
LIVING WHERE?
The wait is almost over! JETHRO TULL release “Living With The Past” CD and DVD featuring some of the group’s greatest songs performed in a variety of locations and arrangements.
The CD, to be out on April 30th, in addition to classic songs recorded at London’s Hammersmith Odeon features an acoustic home session and a one-off club reunion of the group’s original line-up. The DVD, which is penned in for May release, differs from the CD in its content and includes video of Ian Anderson performing as a guest with FAIRPORT CONVENTION and URIAH HEEP, photographs, backstage footage and a virtual ticket window that allows the watcher to experience a song from any seat at the Hammersmith Odeon.
As for actual tracks, they go like this:
CD:1. Intro |
DVD:1 Locomotive Breath |
HUGHES ON THE TRAIL
Before venturing with Joe Lynn Turner off to Japan for the joint HTP tour, Glenn Hughes will appear at Europe’s stages. On March 30th-31st in Koblenz, Germany, he’s playing at the Drum & Sounds Festival 2002 as a part of “A Tribute to Jeff” entourage. The event is being held in memory of TOTO’s Jeff Porcaro. The other participants are Joe Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Bobby Kimball, Steve Ferrone, Greg Bissonette, Alex Ligertwood, Mike Miller, Lenny Castro, Larry Klimas Steve Gadd and David Garfield.
As if reliving his experience in the dance field with THE KLF in 1992, ten years on Hughes has provided the vocals for “Its Gonna Break” off the LA’s electronic music duo, APE QUARTER’s album “Please Where Do We Live?”.
NO WAY!
Recently there were ads in circulation of upcoming “One Way Or Another” CD from URIAH HEEP ex’s, John Wetton and Ken Hensley. Classic Rock Productions, who are to release HENSLEY-WETTON’s “More Than Conquerors” live album soon, say they’re not associated with “One Way Or Another” and, therefore, the CD is not endorsed by any party involved.
YOKO IN LIVERPOOL
The famous house at 251 Menlove Ave, where John Lennon lived with his aunt Mimi and her husband, was bought by Yoko Ono, who passes the building to The National Trust. The Trust already takes hold of Paul McCartney’s childhood home, which is being open it to the public.
Lennon’s widow arrived in England to unveil, together with PM Tony Blaire’s wife, a 7-foot bronze statue of John at the recently re-named Liverpool John Lennon Airport, saying of the statue “It’s brilliant. I think it captures John and shows him moving, alive, rather than standing still like some statues. The world needs communication and this Liverpool John Lennon Airport will promote the growth of international communication for Liverpool and for the world. Communication and exchanging will lead to understanding and understanding will create love and peace. And the world needs peace.”
