March 5, 2003

GOAL IS THE WESTERN SHORE

The rumours have been circulating for a long time but eventually led-zeppelin.com broke the news on the upcoming 3 CD-set of live recordings by LED ZEPPELIN called“How The West Was Won”, tied-in with a 2 DVD-set. There’s no official announcement yet, with a tentative release date set for May 27th.

March 4, 2003

THAT STRONG ARM OF THE LAW

SAXON still lead their battle over the band’s name, that started when the group split in two factions, original singer Biff Byford leading one, and guitarist Graham Oliver and bassist Steve Dawson at the helm of the other.

On February 25th, the High Court in London ruled that Dawson and Oliver had registered the name SAXON for themselves in 1997 without Byford in the know and, therefore, stated it’s Biff’s ensemble the real SAXON. Two days later, OLIVER-DAWSON SAXON issued a statement claiming the trademark was owned by all members of the partnership and should not have been registered by any individual partners, that’s why they added their surnames to the group they formed, while Byford still prefers to stick with what he – or Paul Quinn, another original player – have no rights to. All attempts to sort out the differences between two factions had been dismissed by what’s known as SAXON now, so the battle may rage again any time.

GONE INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN

Another rock ‘n’ roll loss: Howie Epstein, whose bass was so prominent on the Tom Petty & THE HEARTBREAKERS records followed the John Entwistle suit on Ferbuary 23rd. 47 year-old died from a heroin overdose. The funeral service was attend by his former bandmates pianist Benmont Tench and drummer Stan Lynch.

STRIKING BACK

If one suspected 2001’s "Hypnotica" was a one-off project by guitarist Rolf Munkes and there’s no such band as EMPIRE, he’s proved wrong now, with an impending second album called “Trading Souls” featuring alongside Rolf two mammoth players from the previous one, Neil Murray and Don Airey as well as HAMMERFALL’s Anders Johansson sitting in on two tracks while Gerald Kloos takes the stool for the rest. And a singer? This time the vocals are even mightier than before, with ex-BLACK SABBATH Tony Martin at the mike. The album is out on April 21st.

1. One In A Million 2. Pay Back Time 3. Teenage Deadhead 4. Big World, Little Man 5. You 6. Perfect Singularity 7. Wherever You Go 8. Did You Ever Love Me 9. Comin’ Home 10. Back In The Light

MARCHING OUT THE GODS

June will see the release of “Live At The Gods” CD and DVD documenting Jeff Scott Soto‘s performance at last year’s The Gods festival. It seems, there’s no better retrospective of the great singer’s versatility, as the set includes pieces Jeff recorded both as a solo artist and a member of Yngwie Malmsteen’s RISING FORCE, TALISMAN and HUMANIMAL. Something for everyone and a celebration of great talent, indeed.

1. Your Heart (intro) 2. Let Me Entertain You 3. Break Your Chains 4. How Long 5. Love Parade / Drum Solo 6. Stand Up 7. Eyes Of Love 8. Warrior 9. Again 2 Be Found 10. I’ll Be Waiting

11. Mysterious 12. Crazy 13. 4 U 14. Nobody Said It Was Easy 15. Just Between Us 16. Stranded 17. Don’t Let It End 18. On The Run Again 19. I’m Viking 20. I’ll See The Light Tonight

Meanwhile, Soto is to appear at the Official QUEEN Fan Club UK convention on May 10th, in North Wales, to blast off with a full set of the British legend’s songs.

STANDING AT THE CROSSROADS

He wasn’t the first and he wasn’t the last, he even wasn’t the best – but the most legendary of all his is. Robert Johnson may have lived a short life and recorded only three and a half dozen of songs, yet each one became a classic and a staple in the repertoire of many a blues and rock idol. Tutored by Son House and rivalled by Muddy Waters, Johnson is nevertheless seldom observed in the musical history context rather than an icon, an aspiring artist who sold his soul only to play the blues. So here’s a chance now, with a release of a 3CD-set“Down At The Crossroads: The Robert Johnson Connection” that puts Robert’s work in the center of what had been before and after him. A must have, especially when a price is said to be only J12.

CD 1: Roots, Origins & Influences 1. Roll And Tumble Blues – Hambone Willie Newbern 2. Milk Cow Blues – Kokomo Arnold 3. Devil Got My Woman – Skip James 4. When The Sun Goes Down – Leroy Carr 5. Walkin’ Blues – Son House 6. Sitting On Top Of The World – MISSISSIPPI SHEIKS 7. Blue Ghost Blues – Lonnie Johnson 8. Dry Southern Blues – Blind Lemon Jefferson 9. Revenue Man Blues – Charley Patton 10. Kokomo Blues – Scrapper Blackwell 11. No Job Blues – Ramblin’ Thomas 12. Shelby County Blues – Big Bill Broonzy 13. Booze And Blues – Ma Rainey 14. Police Station Blues – Peetie Wheatstraw 15. Red River Blues – Henry Thomas 16. Sagefield Woman Blues – Kokomo Arnold 17. My Black Mama – Son House 18. 22-20 Blues – Skip James 19. Mr Carl’s Blues – Carl Rafferty 20. Lead Pencil Blues – Johnny Temple 21. Change My Luck Blues – Blind Lemon Jefferson 22. Show Me What You Got – MISSISSIPPI SHEIKS 23. Life Saver Blues – Lonnie Johnson 24. Tom Rushen Blues – Charley Patton 25. Go Ahead, Buddy – Casey Bill Weldon

CD 2: The Robert Johnson Songbook 1. Kind Hearted Woman Blues 2. I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom 3. Sweet Home Chicago 4. Ramblin’ On My Mind 5. When You Got A Good Friend 6. Come On In My Kitchen 7. Terraplane Blues 8. Phonograph Blues 9. 32-20 Blues 10. They’re Red Hot 11. Dead Shrimp Blues 12. Cross Road Blues 13. Walkin’ Blues 14. Last Fair Deal Gone Down 15. Preachin’ Blues 16. If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day 17. Stones In My Passway 18. I’m A Steady Rollin’ Man 19. From Four Until Late 20. Hell Hound On My Trail 21. Little Queen Of Spades 22. Malted Milk 23. Drunken Hearted Man 24. Me And The Devil Blues 25. Stop Breakin’ Down Blues 26. Traveling Riverside Blues 27. Honeymoon Blues 28. Love In Vain 29. Milkcow’s Calf Blues (Performed by Robert Johnson)

CD 3: The Legacy 1. Little Boy Blue – Robert Jr. Lockwood 2. I’m A Highwayman – Big Joe Williams 3. Baby Don’t You Want To Go – Jimmy McCracklin 4. Evil Hearted Woman Blues – Johnny Shines 5. Muskadine Blues (Take A Little Walk With Me) – Little Walter 6. Walkin’ Blues – Muddy Waters 7. Rollin’ & Tumblin’ (parts 1 & 2) – Baby Face Leroy Foster Trio 8. Fishtail – Johnny Shines 9. Dust My Broom – Elmore James 10. Ramblin’ – Johnny Shines 11. Milk Cow Blues – THE KINKS 12. Hellhound On My Trail – Alexis Korner 13. Come On In My Kitchen – John Renbourn 14. Kind Hearted Woman – Peter Green & Duster Bennett 15. If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day – Tony McPhee 16. Terraplane Blues – FOGHAT 17. Sweet Home Chicago – Joe Carter 18. Crossroads – Homesick James 19. Love In Vain – Tony McPhee 20. Rollin’ & Tumblin’ – BLUES BAND (feat. Dave Kelly) 21. Sittin’ On Top Of The World (live) – Jack Bruce 22. Robert Johnson – Alexis Korner

March 5, 2003