If there ever was a progressive rock record of a second-echelon ensemble that has seen more than a fair share of reissues over the years, it’s NEKTAR‘s 1973 epic “Remember The Future” which, for the last decade and even longer, used to be out augmented not only with bonus numbers but also with an entire bonus disc, usually with concert cuts – as it was on the album’s 40th anniversary edition. So the platter’s expanded release seemed like simply a matter of time – and this time has come.
While some artists, going solo from famous groups, shut the doors on their past, David Coverdale has always been fiercely proud of his tenure with DEEP PURPLE, including this ensemble’s numbers in the WHITESNAKE concert repertoire from their very first stage days. 45 years later the singer’s feelings remain the same, and though 2015’s “The Purple Album” didn’t seem to be too wise a move, what with DC basically competing with his younger self and setting his contemporary tight accompanists’ delivery against the loose playing of his legendary employers, the “Special Gold Edition” of that platter, prepared for issue on October 13th, looks to be special indeed.
The torture of Frank Zappa‘s reissue programme never stops! Yes, the torture – because what’s been getting released lately, if we’re talking about expanded variants of his studio albums rather than concert recordings, seems irresistible to an aficionado. It was like that with “Hot Rats” and “Funky Nothingness” – and it’s going to be like that with “Over-Nite Sensation” which will see the 50th anniversary expansion on November 3rd.
“I’ve always been conscious of writing the best songs I can,” Bernie Marsden told me many years ago, and songs were indeed everything the legendary English guitarist cared about – that and his friends about whom he was always much more ready to talk than he was about himself. This is why everybody loved Bernie and this is why everybody’s devastated by the news of his passing away yesterday, August 24th, at the age of 72 – everybody: those who knew Marsden and those fascinated with the deep tone of his instrument.
Michael Voss is hard rock vocalist – if aficionados forgot about his old band MAD MAX, they should remember his recent work, including that as a producer, on the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP albums – so one may assume the German singer’s role models were warblers from this genre. Yet, as it turned out, the veteran’s idol has always been one of STATUS QUO’s singing guitarists, Rick Parfitt, and it’s Parfitt Moss will honor on October 27th, with the release of his third solo album.
