HEAR THEM BALALAIKAS RINGING OUT
Who knows what inspired Paul McCartney to write “Back In The U.S.S.R.” back in 1968 – except, sure, for the Chuck Berry’s “Back In The USA” and THE BEACH BOYS harmonizing – but now that the veteran’s tour brought forth "Back In The U.S." and“Back In The World” live albums, he’s ready to go to the former Soviet Union and play Russia. Moscow’s Red Square will see Macca perform on May 24th – and that’s quite strange, as some ten years ago Paul claimed he would never do so after the Russian market got inundated with THE BEATLES and McCartney’s pirate LPs! Is he becoming as volatile as his movie grandfather?
Meanwhile, April will see the Canadian charity compilation called “Warchild” release for which many a big name give their tracks. The McCartney’s one is a live recording of “Calico Skies”, original version to be found on “Flaming Pie”.
SHADOWS TALLER THAN A SOUL
Now, when the artwork for the forthcoming LED ZEPPELIN releases – “How The West Was Won” CD and“Led Zeppelin” DVD (see the tracklistings here) – is confirmed, the band mastermind Jimmy Page was inevitably asked again about the possibility of the almighty vehicle flying once more. And once more the guitarist said “no” to reunion, having added that he would be playing ZEPPELIN tunes “on my DVD player”only, although strutting their stuff live was great, and that there would be no more of archive releases.
THE PROGRAMME WILL BE LIGHT
With ASIA enjoying the success of their recent “Live In The USA” CD and DVD, the band leader Geoff Downes and the singer / bassist John Payne are planning to trek across America this summer to perform “intimate” acoustic shows for the faithful – a brilliant idea.
And in order to keep the fans on their toes, Downes has a new solo album, his fifth, out soon, “Shadows & Reflections”. Similar in its new age, ambient vein to the solid “Light Programme”, it has a different tone to it – even conceptually. There’s only two tracks:
1. Shadows
2. Reflections
IN THE CAGE
Who could guess the featured vocalist on John Cage‘s “The Works for Piano 5” would be none other than heavy-weighter Jack Bruce! Indeed, Jack’s voice is all over the piece called Four Walls”, a “dancedrama” written using only the white keys of the piano, with text and dance by Cage’s long-time collaborator Merce Cunningham. It was performed only once in 1944 in a production with actors and dancers, and was not heard again until it was revived some 30 years later. At Cunningham’s request, Cage also devised “Soliloquy”, a shorter “solo” piece extrapolated from “Four Walls”, which Cunningham performed several times in his early recitals:
1. Four Walls
2. Soliloquy
3. 3 Easy Pieces