Progressive Rock LP Review: The Hallucinant Telepherique-Absorbed By The Forest

Release Date: January 4, 2015

Label: erRRatic Records

Website

The Montoya Brothers, Sergio and Gino, are The  Hallucinant Telepherique. In other words, they are saying they are a hallucinate cable car or cableway. Their 2015 debut is titled Absorbed By The Forest, a nine-track instrumental progressive voyage. They are originally from Peru and reside in Texas.

What happened with the LP they sent me, well, it was absorbed by my music collection, it got lost in the shuffle as they say. At times this can happen in the world of a reviewer. 

I am so glad I found the LP and my apologies go out the brothers. The artwork is eye-catching and bizarre, actually perfect for a prog album. It is time the prog community started paying more attention to this music. This is one album that has flown under the wire, unfortunately.

Sergio is the main driving force of the band contributing guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals, an entire band worth of instruments so essentially a one-man-show.  Brother Gino played lead guitar on the track “Sanctuary.”  All the music with the exception of “Sanctuary” was written and produced Sergio. I would say that is a lot of talent to possess for one artist and then have the intestinal fortitude to record the first album without any help says a lot about the man. 

I really enjoyed Absorbed By The Forest quite a lot and I mean from beginning to end. There are no throwaway tracks on the album. Sergio works from strength to strength, which obviously is everything! I am always so impressed by that kind of drive and passion and you can hear it in the music.

The music ranges from keyboard driven rock to jazz-rock fusion influenced passages. The diversity of selection is the modus operandi here. Because the music is instrumental it has to be interesting consistently. Most popular prog music includes tracks with lyrics and long instrumental runs so I think there is enough here for most prog lovers to find interesting and entertaining. On their Facebook page, they say “Absorbed by the Forest is a collection of instrumental tracks that flow through dynamic moods echoing the sounds of classics prog giants like Camel, Pink Floyd, Genesis, and King Crimson.” Ok, I can go with that assessment as all three of those bands put out some very intense eclectic music over their careers. I would add that they do “echo” it rather than trying to duplicate or emulate it. They need to mature quite a bit more to reach that esteemed level.

Absorbed By The Forest may be 4 years old now but I think we all need to get caught up to this marvelous music and inspire the creator to get back into the studio to continue on. This a solid debut that deserves much more attention than it has received.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-ProgRockMusicTalk Founder

March 25, 2019

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Side One:
1. The Main Hall 5:51   
2. Sanctuary 7:45   
3. Inciter 6:22   
4. Unobserved, Pt. I 1:18     
   
Side Two: 
5. Unobserved, Pt. II 3:35   
6. What You See as the End 3:20   
7. Pishtaku 5:57   
8. The Evil Clergyman 4:37   
9. Timing Is Nothing 4:24
 

10cc/Godley & Creme Legend Kevin Godley Creates New Videos For 10cc Concerts

Is this a 10cc reunion? Well, sort of.... Former band member and legendary director Kevin Godley has created 2 new videos for Graham Gouldman's touring version of 10cc. This is not the first time the two founding band members have collaborated. Godley and Gouldman created some fascinating new music back in 2006 under the guise GG/06, in which the track used for one of the videos “Son of Man” was created.

In 2006, for the first time in over three decades original 10cc members Godley and Gouldman reunited to record new music. Best known for such classic 10cc hits as “Rubber Bullets,” “I'm Not In Love” and “The Dean & I,” as well as Godley and Creme's hit “Cry,”  Godley and Gouldman recorded six new download-only songs which received rave reviews from fans and critics alike worldwide! The music has recently been released on a limited edition CD only available at 10cc shows!

Kevin Godley, who has directed some of the most successful music videos in rock and roll for such artists as Peter Gabriel, Duran Duran, U2, Herbie Hancock, Hozier, Elbow, The Beatles, Paul McCartney and The Police to name just a few, graces all six tracks with his tremendous voice - arguably one of the great vocalists in music today!

Says Kevin, “I made this film of the GG/06 (that's me and Graham Gouldman) track 'Son Of Man' for the current 10cc touring band. It's a musical documentary about how 10cc started so it works as a kind of intro to the show. I ripped lots of stuff, shot everything on my iPhone X off my desktop screen, generated text, became a throwback using the MSQRD app and edited it all on Adobe Premier Pro. Tech head.”

Watch the video for “Son Of Man”:

Record Collector magazine described “Son Of Man” as “a tongue-in-cheek account of how a trio of studio-bound hermits called Hotlegs became the 70s chart-topping quartet known to all as 10cc. The song that was neither music nor art was Hotlegs' 1970 one-hit oddity, 'Neanderthal Man,' while 'Graham on bass' was none other than Graham Gouldman. And so, the 10cc story has come full circle.”

Kevin created a second video for 10cc's mega-hit “I'm Not In Love.” Kevin explains, “I directed and edited this film to visually enhance the current 10cc touring band's live performance of 'I'm Not In Love' and it was a 100% labour of love.”

Watch the video for “I'm Not In Love”:

“I'm Not In Love” was written by band members Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman and is known for its innovative and distinctive backing track, composed mostly of the band's multitracked vocals. Released in the UK in May 1975 as the second single from the band's third album “The Original Soundtrack,” it became the second of the group's three number-one singles in the UK between 1973 and 1978, topping the UK singles chart for two weeks. The song was also the band's breakthrough hit worldwide, reaching number one in Ireland and Canada and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, as well as reaching the top 10 in Australia, New Zealand and several European countries.

“I'm Not In Love” was originally conceived as a bossa nova song played on guitars, but Kevin Godley and Lol Creme disliked the track and it was abandoned. However, after hearing members of their staff continue to sing the melody around their studio, Stewart persuaded the group to give the song another chance, to which Godley replied that for the song to work it needed to be radically changed, and suggested that the band should try and create a new version using just voices.

Along with the 2 new videos, Kevin Godley created and starred in a previous innovative video for the song “Somewhere In Hollywood” which 10cc have used in concert during the past couple of years.

Watch the video for “Somewhere In Hollywood”: http://www.kevin-godley.com/new-page


In other news, Kevin Godley recently started recording his highly anticipated new solo album “MUSCLE MEMORY.” What makes this album special, along with being his very first solo album, is that it will be comprised of collaborations between Kevin and a cast of musicians he has only met via email or Skype, who have submitted instrumental tracks that he has chosen to turn into songs. Kevin is also in the early stages of pre-production to direct his first feature film, “The Gate,” based on Orson Welles' adventures in Ireland circa 1931.

Kevin Godley's official website: http://www.kevin-godley.com/
10cc featuring Graham Gouldman's official website: https://www.10cc.world/

Kevin Godley Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Twin-Guitar Pioneers Wishbone Ash To Kick Off 2019 US Spring Tour

UK classic rock legends Wishbone Ash US Tour begins April 10, 2019!

In the ramp-up to Wishbone Ash's 50th anniversary, the band is celebrating its 49th year in characteristic fashion: with an extended tour. Dubbed XLIX (49 in Roman numerals), the tour began in October 2018 in the UK, followed by early-2019 dates in Europe and Japan. This spring, XLIX arrives on these shores.

Longtime fans and new converts alike will revel in the group’s signature twin-guitar mastery and powerhouse rhythm section as they present classics spanning their career.

The US leg of the XLIX Tour will revisit some of the band's favorite venues as well as new ones from the Eastern seaboard to the Rocky Mountains.

“We always look forward to meeting old friends and fans alike on our annual Midwest and East Coast tours,” says founding member Andy Powell. “American audiences are so supportive and enthusiastic!”

Formed in 1969 in London, England, Wishbone Ash is one of the most influential guitar bands in the history of rock. True road warriors, each year they log around 30,000 miles, roughly equivalent to circumnavigating the earth.

Mark Abrahams, the group's newest member, has been trading licks with Powell for two years. Right out of the gate, Abrahams earned rave reviews from critics and fans on both sides of the Atlantic. Longtime rhythm section Bob Skeat on bass and Joe Crabtree on drums continue to provide the solid groove that is their hallmark.

By 1969, The Beatles, the blues boom and psychedelia had made their impact on classic rock, and the creative possibilities were infinite. Pioneering the use of twin lead guitars, Wishbone Ash jumped on board the burgeoning progressive rock scene. Taking full advantage of the fertile musical environment, they produced a distinctive brand of melodic rock.

Inspired equally by British folk traditions, American jazz and R&B, the group played to public and critical acclaim. Power and melody have made the Ash a hard act to follow, while they are currently being discovered by new generations of loyal rock fans.

Through the years the band has delved into various musical genres, from folk, blues and jazz to pedal-to-the-metal rock and electronica. Whatever the style, Wishbone Ash’s signature is the distinctive twin-melodic lead guitar interplay that has influenced such bands as Thin Lizzy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Iron Maiden and, more recently, Opeth.

The quintessential road band, Wishbone Ash has gained worldwide recognition based firmly on a regime of relentless touring.

“The band basically lives together year-round on the road, so we have a very strong level of communication that translates in our performances and recordings,” says Powell. “We’ve come to an era where the industry has to pigeonhole a band as Classic Rock, Prog Rock, Heritage Rock and so on. The truth is that we have always kept our options open and always relied on the musicianship of the players to lead the way. It’s fun to be stylistically diverse and this has, in its way, contributed to our longevity.”

Wishbone Ash has to its credit 24 original studio recordings, 11 live albums and five live DVDs along with a DVD rockumentary (“This is Wishbone Ash”). Released April 2018, “The Vintage Years” 30-disc box set, three-and-a-half years in the making, is a special collection dedicated to the band's output from 1970 to 1991, including all 16 studio albums, three live albums, eight previously unreleased live shows from 1973 to 1980, a 156-page coffee-table hardcover book and an assortment of memorabilia.

Also available is the fifth Roadworks CD, “Live in Sacramento,” recorded on the 2018 North American tour; and the first official re-releases in decades of “Twin Barrels Burning” from 1982 and “Raw to the Bone” from 1985. In addition, some older recordings are emerging from the vaults, including Snapper Records’ most recent release, “Live in Glasgow” from 1977. The legendary and eagerly awaited “Live from Rockpalast” TV show recording from 1970s Germany will also soon be available on the label Made in Germany Music.

In 2015, Powell released his musical memoir, “Eyes Wide Open: True Tales of a Wishbone Ash Warrior,” co-written with renowned Irish music journalist Colin Harper and available in Kindle and Apple iBook formats.

“It’s quite an undertaking to put 46 years of being a touring musician in this one band into book form,” he says. “I’ve seen a lot of changes in the music business and the world in general, as you can imagine.”

There is no other rock band in history that has done more with the twin guitar concept than Wishbone Ash. Be sure to catch them on the XLIX US Tour in April-May 2019, and stay tuned for the 50th anniversary tour in 2020!

Tour dates and more information can be found at: www.wishboneash.com.
To download electronic press kit: www.wishboneash.com/epk



WISHBONE ASH XLIX US SPRING TOUR DATES

April 10 - The Soiled Dove - Denver, CO
April 12 - Knuckleheads - Kansas City, MO
April 13 - Wildey Theatre - Edwardsville, IL – SOLD OUT
April 14 - Wildey Theatre - Edwardsville, IL – SOLD OUT
April 16 - River Music Experience - Davenport, IA
April 17 - Wilebski's Blues Saloon - St. Paul, MN
April 18 - Back Room @ Colectivo - Milwaukee, WI
April 19 - Arcada Theatre - St. Charles, IL
April 20 - Fur Peace Ranch - Pomeroy, OH – SOLD OUT
April 22 - Club Cafe - Pittsburgh, PA
April 24 - Sportsmen's Tavern - Buffalo, NY
April 25 - Daryl's House Club - Pawling, NY
April 26 - Bull Run - Shirley, MA
April 27 - Boulton Center - Bay Shore, NY
April 28 - Sellersville Theater - Sellersville, PA
April 30 - The Tin Pan - Richmond, VA
May 1 - The Blue Note Grill - Durham, NC
May 2 - Rams Head on Stage - Annapolis, MD
May 3 - Mauch Chunk Opera House - Jim Thorpe, PA
May 4 - The Record Collector - Bordentown, NJ

For more information:
www.wishboneash.com
Facebook: @wishbone.ash.official
Twitter: @wishboneash_com

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com
Kate Goldsmith - kate_goldsmith@wishboneash.com

North American Booking: Steve Ozark, Ozark Talent (785) 760-3143, OzarkTalent@gmail.com

Singer/Songwriter Steve Rodgers Debut Album "Head Up High" Receives Rave Reviews!

“He's fantastic” - Jimmy Page

The long awaited debut album by Steve Rodgers released in 2017 was well worth that wait! With eleven tracks in total, Steve opens with his first single “I Will Grow” and his second single, the title track from the album, “Head Up High.” As you listen through all the tracks you will find this album is both uplifting and emotive at the same time. Steve Rodgers writes from experience and from the heart so expect a truly personal experience.

“Great singing and songwriting – I'm impressed” - Roger Taylor of Queen



Steve Rodgers, singer songwriter, completed recording his much anticipated first album, released in 2018 and produced by Ken Nelson (Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini) mixed by Adrian Bushby (Foo Fighters, Muse). His songs reflect his passion for life’s depth, mystery and wonder, recorded with his band of like-minded musicians. Critics compare his music to a mix of Jack Johnson, Paolo Nutini and Cat Stevens.

“Steve Rodgers has a sweet, soulful pop voice... His songwriting is also very pop-oriented with lots of wistful piano and subtle guitar. 'Head Up High' is a solid debut by a talented artist.” - Blues Rock Review

At 14 he began to write his own songs on guitar and piano. He started a band with his friends at 17, Lost Sons of Davros. From the Lost Sons came Boa who created two great albums – their first single “Duvet” was the title track to the Japanese multi award-winning animation series Manga “Lain – Serial Xperiments.” They toured the States, the UK and after much enjoyment, Steve decided to follow his own path.

“Blessed with a powerful, melodic Bluesy voice, Rodgers kept the ever growing crowd transfixed throughout his set!” - Metro Arena, Newcastle 

“Steve Rodgers was exceptional! His acoustic and electric guitar playing is inventive and rhythmic. His songwriting is thoughtful, intriguing and at times simply joyful. His voice is superb – expressive, soulful, powerful, subtle and effortlessly dynamic. His pitch and inflections impeccable…even when weaving in and out of complex cadences…” - Mick Burgess Chronicle Live

Steve has 'guested' at Wembley for Bad Company, Aerosmith's Joe Perry and the Robert Randolph Band. Tours have included support slots for Bad Company in the UK and Japan and his own headline dates in the UK and Canada. Along with Joe Walsh, Steve has also supported The Deborah Bonham Band and Midge Ure on their respective tours in the UK and Europe. In 2014 he supported Bad Company again with Lynyrd Skynyrd for their coast to coast US tour and in September 2015 he joined Stackridge for a three month tour of the UK.

Steve has headlined solo shows in the US and is planning to tour the US and the UK later this year.

Steve is currently completing his second album which is slated for release in 2019! He has also collaborated with his father Paul Rodgers on the song “This Place Called Home.” All proceeds from the single will be donated to Zoe's Place Baby Hospice in Middlesbrough. More Information:

For more information: https://steverodgersmusic.com/

US - PR and Events
SeaSide Music Management
Inside MusiCast
www.seasidemusicmgmt.com
PH: +1 561-350-3867

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: +1 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Esoteric Recordings Release Expanded & Remastered Renaissance Titles "A Song For All Seasons," "Ashes Are Burning" and "Prologue"

Renaissance latest release “A Symphonic Journey” also available through Esoteric Recordings

Esoteric Recordings Release Expanded & Remastered Renaissance Titles “A Song For All Seasons,” “Ashes Are Burning” and “Prologue.” The band's latest release “A Symphonic Journey” is also available through the label. Expanded & Remastered versions of Renaissance's “Carnegie Hall,” “Scherezade” and “Novella.” are soon to follow!



Renaissance: “A Song For All Seasons” 3CD Remastered & Expanded Clamshell Box Edition

Released March 29, 2019.

TRACKLIST
A NEWLY RE-MASTERED 3 CD EXPANDED CLAMSHELL BOXED SET EDITION OF THIS CLASSIC RENAISSANCE ALBUM

FEATURING 15 BONUS TRACKS INCLUDING THE ENTIRE CONCERT RECORDED AT THE TOWER THEATER, PHILADELPHIA IN DECEMBER 1978 RELEASED IN FULL FOR THE FIRST TIME

WITH ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET WITH A NEW ESSAY AND A REPRODUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL ALBUM POSTER

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of a newly re-mastered and expanded 3CD clamshell box edition of the classic album, “A Song for All Seasons” by RENAISSANCE. Released in March 1978, the album featured the song “Northern Lights”, a Top Ten hit single in the UK and Europe, and was a successful hit album in the UK, USA and Canada. By the late 1970s the line-up of highly gifted vocalist Annie Haslam, Michael Dunford (acoustic and electric guitars), John Tout (keyboards, vocals), Jon Camp (bass, acoustic & electric guitars, vocals) and Terry Sullivan (drums, percussion) had recorded a series of acclaimed albums that fused classical music influences with progressive rock and had earned a loyal following in Europe and had enjoyed wider success in the United States and Japan.

Working with producer David Hentschel (who had also produced the albums “A Trick of the Tail” and “Wind and Wuthering” for Genesis), the material on “A Song for All Seasons” was some of the most carefully crafted work of the band's career. Flying in the face of the prevailing musical fashions of the time, “A Song for All Seasons” would be the band's most successful album in Europe and is one of their best-loved works.

This expanded edition has been newly re-mastered from the original master tapes and features 15 bonus tracks, including the previously unreleased promotional edit and a “Top of the Pops” recording of “Northern Lights”, along with a BBC Radio session from August 1978 and a further two CDs comprising the entire concert recorded at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia on 4th December 1978, appearing in full on CD for the first time, with an additional 55 minute's worth of unreleased tracks.

The release also features an illustrated booklet with a reproduction of the band's 1978 US tour programme and new essay. The set also includes a reproduction of the original album poster given away with the initial pressing of “A Song for All Seasons”.

DISC ONE:
“A SONG FOR ALL SEASONS”
RE-MASTERED
1. OPENING OUT
2. DAY OF THE DREAMER
3. CLOSER THAN YESTERDAY
4. KINDNESS (AT THE END)
5. BACK HOME ONCE AGAIN
6. SHE IS LOVE
7. NORTHERN LIGHTS
8. A SONG FOR ALL SEASONS BONUS TRACKS
9. NORTHERN LIGHTS PROMOTIONAL SINGLE EDIT (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ON CD)
10.DAY OF THE DREAMER – BBC SESSION – 19TH AUGUST 1978
11.MIDAS MAN – BBC SESSION – 19TH AUGUST 1978
12.THE VULTURES FLY HIGH – BBC SESSION – 19TH AUGUST 1978
13.NORTHERN LIGHTS – “TOP OF THE POPS” VERSION (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

DISC TWO:
LIVE AT THE TOWER THEATER, PHILADELPHIA – 4th DECEMBER 1978
1. CAN YOU UNDERSTAND (LIVE 1978)
2. CARPET OF THE SUN (LIVE 1978)
3. THINGS I DON’T UNDERSTAND (LIVE 1978)
4. OPENING OUT (LIVE 1978) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
5. DAY OF THE DREAMER (LIVE 1978)
6. MIDAS MAN (LIVE 1978) – LIVE AT THE TOWER THEATER, PHILADELPHIA – 4th DECEMBER 1978

DISC THREE:
1. NORTHERN LIGHTS (LIVE 1978)
2. A SONG FOR ALL SEASONS (LIVE 1978) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
3. TOUCHING ONCE IS SO HARD TO KEEP (LIVE 1978) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
4. ASHES ARE BURNING (LIVE 1978) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

For more information:
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/renaissance-a-song-for-all-seasons-3cd-remastered-expanded-clamshell-box-edition/


Renaissance: “Ashes Are Burning” Remastered & Expanded Edition

TRACKLIST
NEW REMASTERED & EXPANDED EDITION OF THE CLASSIC 1973 ALBUM BY RENAISSANCE

FEATURING THREE PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED LIVE BONUS TRACKS RECORDED FOR BBC RADIO IN 1974

FULLY RESTORED ARTWORK AND LINER NOTES WITH EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of a newly re- mastered and expanded edition of the classic 1973 album by Renaissance, “Ashes Are Burning”. Formed in 1969 by former Yardbirds members Jim McCarty and Keith Relf, by the 1971 Renaissance had undergone a series of line-up changes and had evolved into a completely different band from the one that had recorded the albums “Renaissance” and “Illusion”. By June 1972 Renaissance had signed to EMI’s Sovereign label and had settled into a line-up featuring the highly gifted vocalist Annie Haslam, John Tout (keyboards, vocals), Jon Camp (bass, vocals), Terry Sullivan (drums, percussion) and Rob Hendry (guitar, mandolin, vocals) who recorded the album “Prologue”, featuring material written by Michael Dunford (a member of the group who had decided to eschew performing with the band to concentrate on song writing) and lyricist Betty Thatcher.

By April 1973 Rob Hendry had departed the band and Michael Dunford rejoined on acoustic guitar in a guest capacity to record the album that would break Renaissance to a wider audience, (particularly in the USA), “Ashes Are Burning”. Featuring such classic material as “Can You Understand”, “Carpet Of The Sun”, “At The Harbour” and the epic title track (featuring Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash on electric guitar). Released in October 1973, “Ashes Are Burning” would establish Renaissance as one of the finest symphonic progressive rock acts.

This Esoteric Recordings edition has been re-mastered from the original Sovereign Records master tapes and adds a previously unreleased thirty minute live performance for BBC Radio One's In Concert programme in 1974 (recently discovered in the archives).

The booklet features a new essay and exclusive interviews with Annie Haslam and Terry Sullivan and fully restores the original album artwork.

1. CAN YOU UNDERSTAND
2. LET IT GROW
3. ON THE FRONTIER
4. CARPET OF THE SUN
5. AT THE HARBOUR
6. ASHES ARE BURNING

BONUS TRACKS
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
7. CAN YOU UNDERSTAND (LIVE -BBC RADIO “IN CONCERT” 1974)
8. LET IT GROW (LIVE -BBC RADIO “IN CONCERT” 1974)
9. ASHES ARE BURNING (LIVE – BBC RADIO “IN CONCERT” 1974)

For more information:
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/renaissance-ashes-are-burning-remastered-expanded-edition/


Renaissance: “Prologue” Expanded & Remastered Edition

TRACKLIST
NEW REMASTERED & EXPANDED EDITION OF THE CLASSIC 1972 ALBUM BY RENAISSANCE

FEATURING ONE BONUS TRACK PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ON CD

FULLY RESTORED ARTWORK AND LINER NOTES WITH EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of a newly re-mastered and expanded edition of the classic 1972 album by Renaissance, “Prologue”. Formed in 1969 by former Yardbirds members Jim McCarty and Keith Relf, Renaissance had by 1971 undergone a series of line-up changes and had evolved into a completely different band from the one that had recorded the albums “Renaissance” and “Illusion”.

By June 1972 Renaissance had settled into a line-up featuring the highly gifted vocalist Annie Haslam, John Tout (keyboards, vocals), Jon Camp (bass, vocals), Terry Sullivan (drums, percussion) and Rob Hendry (guitar, mandolin, vocals). The album “Prologue” was recorded in June and July 1972 and featured material written by Michael Dunford (a member of the group who had decided to eschew performing with the band to concentrate on song writing) and lyricist Betty Thatcher. Featuring such classic material as the album title track, “Kiev”, “Spare Some Love” and the epic “Rajah Kahn”, “Prologue” was also notable for the presence of guest musician Francis Monkman (of Curved Air) who would play VCS 3 synthesiser on “Rajah Khan”. The album would pave the way for the future success of Renaissance and would effectively be regarded as the band's first true album.

This Esoteric Recordings edition has been re-mastered from the original Sovereign Records master tapes and adds the rare single version of “Spare Some Love” as a bonus track (appearing on CD for the very first time). The booklet features a new essay and exclusive interviews with Annie Haslam and Terry Sullivan and fully restores the original album artwork.

1. PROLOGUE
2. KIEV
3. SOUNDS OF THE SEA
4. SPARE SOME LOVE
5. BOUND FOR INFINITY
6. RAJAH KAHN

BONUS TRACK
7. SPARE SOME LOVE (SINGLE VERSION)
(PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ON CD)

For more information:
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/renaissance-prologue-expanded-remastered-edition/



Renaissance: “A Symphonic Journey” 2CD / 1DVD Digipak Edition

TRACKLIST
A WONDERFUL NEW LIVE SET COMPRISING 2 CDS & A DVD (NTSC / REGION FREE) SET OF LIVE RECORDINGS MADE IN CONCERT IN OCTOBER 2017 IN THE USA WITH THE RENAISSANCE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

FEATURING CLASSIC MATERIAL

INCLUDES AN ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET WITH QUOTES FROM ANNIE HASLAM

RENAISSANCE PERFORMING TWO EXCLUSIVE CONCERTS IN TOKYO 17th & 18th SEPTEMBER 2018

Symphonic Rock Recordings is delighted to announce the release of a new 2 CD and DVD live album by Renaissance, “A Symphonic Journey”. This wonderful recording captures in sound and vision a very special concert staged at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside PA, USA on 27th October 2017. Renaissance perform an extensive set of classic material with the Renaissance Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble especially formed for a series of American concerts.

Annie Haslam comments: “Renaissance has touched so many hearts across land and sea, for what seems to be most of a lifetime now, in the performance of this exquisite and unique music. I cannot imagine my life apart from being the 'voice' of Renaissance, to carry our message out into the world. For a long time now it has been a dream of mine for Renaissance to perform 'live' again with an orchestra, but the how and when of this was unclear. I felt however, deep inside that it would one day come to pass.

“I was filled with pride and overwhelmed with emotion when we finally stepped onto the stage for this performance. To look over my shoulder and see all of the classical musicians with their instruments, brought back my vivid memory of our orchestral performance forty years ago in London, of Renaissance at The Royal Albert Hall with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

“Renaissance band members Rave Tesar, Mark Lambert, Leo Traversa, Geoffrey Langley and Charles Descarfino are impeccable on this DVD in their performance of the timeless music. In the culmination of a perfect blend with the Renaissance Chamber Orchestra who graced our stage, how wonderful it was and is to be able to share this incredible, unforgettable evening with our loyal supportive fans who have accompanied us on this musical-spiritual journey”.

“A Symphonic Journey” captures on two CDs and a DVD (NTSC / Region Free) the magic of the concert and features such classic material as “Trip To The Fair”, “Carpet Of The Sun”, “Mother Russia”, “A Song For All Seasons” and “Ashes Are Burning” and is a fine souvenir of a perfect musical evening.

DISC ONE:
1. PROLOGUE
2. TRIP TO THE FAIR
3. CARPET OF THE SUN
4. AT THE HARBOUR
5. GRANDINE IL VENTO
6. SYMPHONY OF LIGHT

DISC TWO:
1. KALYNDA
2. ISLAND
3. MOTHER RUSSIA
4. SONG FOR ALL SEASONS
5. ASHES ARE BURNING

DISC THREE: DVD
1. PROLOGUE
2. TRIP TO THE FAIR
3. CARPET OF THE SUN
4. AT THE HARBOUR
5. GRANDINE IL VENTO
6. SYMPHONY OF LIGHT
7. KALYNDA
8. ISLAND
9. MOTHER RUSSIA
10.SONG FOR ALL SEASONS
11.ASHES ARE BURNING
NTSC / REGION FREE

For more information:
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/renaissance-a-symphonic-journey-2cd-1dvd-digipak-edition/

You can learn more about the band by visiting:
www.renaissancetouring.com
facebook.com/renaissancetouring
www.anniehaslam.com
facebook.com/anniehaslamart

Press inquiries (North America): Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Distribution is being handled in the US exclusively by Amped Distribution www.ampeddistribution.com and wholesale inquiries can be made to Alex Jimenez at alex@ampeddistribution.com

HAWKWIND Co-Founder NIK TURNER Boldly Goes Into THE FINAL FRONTIER!

Los Angeles, CA - After suiting up as the Space Gypsy in 2013, blasting off on an epic Space Fusion Odyssey in 2015 and enjoying Life In Space in 2017, pioneering musician/songwriter Nik Turner is now set to venture to the outer reaches of space rock with his awe-inspiring new studio album The Final Frontier! Picking up where his last album left off, Turner brings another set of psychedelic freak-out grooves that will take listeners on a journey they won’t soon forget! Standout tracks include the album opener “Out Of Control,” a super-collider of rollicking psych rock that unites saxophone and guitar in spectacular fashion, and the dramatic space ballad “Interstellar Aliens.” Once again joining our intrepid traveler Turner is Nicky Garratt of UK Subs and Hedersleben, Jürgen Engler of Die Krupps, and Jason Willer of UK Subs and Jello Biafra’s band as well as special guest appearances by Hawkwind alumni Simon House and Paul Rudolph. Available on CD in a digipak case as well as a gorgeous limited-edition yellow vinyl in a gatefold jacket! The Final Frontier will be in stores everywhere starting March 8.

Check out the video for the first single “Out Of Control”:

Track List:
1. Out Of Control
2. Interstellar Aliens
3. Thunder Rider
4. The Final Frontier Part 1
5. Back To The Ship
6. Calling The Egyptians
7. Strange Loop
8. The Final Frontier Part 2
9. PAD4

To purchase:
Buy the CD here: https://cleorecs.com/store/shop/nik-turner-the-final-frontier-CD/
Buy the vinyl here: https://cleorecs.com/store/shop/nik-turner-the-final-frontier-limited-edition-yellow-vinyl/
Buy the digital here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-final-frontier/1451880667

Nik Turner's official website: http://www.nikturner.com/

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com


CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
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International Rock Collective Sontaag Release Hawkwind Cover "Silver Machine" feat. Nik Turner!

Featuring Killing Joke's Youth, Dave Barbarossa of Adam And The Ants/Bow Wow Wow and ex-Hawkwind legend Nik Turner!

New York/London - International rock collective Sontaag, whose conceptually ambitious, eponymous debut album (a sonically cinematic, cross-generic space opera) arrived into the progressive firmament to critical acclaim in 2014, are finally set to re-establish contact with our much-troubled earthly realm.

On March 15th, 2019, Sontaag return with a fiercely contemporary interpretation of Hawkwind's iconic 1972 hit, “Silver Machine.” The Sontaag crew on this particular mission finds core creatives Richard Sontaag (guitars, keyboards, producer) and Ian Fortnam (vocals and guitar) joined by Killing Joke's Youth on bass, Dave Barbarossa (Adam And The Ants/Bow Wow Wow) on drums and ex-Hawkwind legend Nik Turner on sax.

“Silver Machine” is mixed by Youth.

Design and photo montage by Julie Cunnah. Thanks to Kevin Nixon.

“Silver Machine” is available through Cleopatra Records via all digital platforms and also comes in radically remixed form courtesy of Sontaag's fellow travellers in outer and inner psychedelic space, The Orb.

Ian Fortnam: “Hawkwind were punk-proof. Even in '77, Richard and I would jam on 'Silver Machine.' Hawkwind were the UK's counter-cultural underground incarnate. I discovered them in that narrow space between Bolan and Bowie, simultaneous to Alice, in the summer of '72. Astral explorers. Eyes aflame with psychedelic visions. The people your parents dreaded you becoming. The coolest band alive. 'Silver Machine' was Hawkwind's magnum opus, a spiralling maelstrom of riff-driven brilliance. Who wouldn't want to cover it? Four years ago I found myself spirited to Nik Turner's place in Wales, where we spoke of the Great Pyramid, orgone accumulators, space rituals, hallucinogenics, sonic generators, woodwind and Hawkwind. Before we parted, I gave him a copy of the first Sontaag album and the seeds of the 'Silver Machine' project were sown. Obviously, the very best material deserves the very best band, so calls were made to maestro Youth and Dave Barbarossa (the dream rhythm section) and here we are. And what a rare privilege to work with The Orb whose 'Imaginarium Translucent JellyFish Dub' remix is a work of art in and of itself.”

Richard Sontaag: Ian's been pestering me to do a Hawkwind cover since way back when -- the coolest kid in our school, he was often seen walking around with the Doremi Faso Latido LP under his arm between classes. But our Silver Machine came about in an unexpected way. I was alone in the studio late one night, and noticed that the guys had strung up a microphone from the ceiling. I put all the amps in a circle around it -- which is really bad technique - and went round each one, blasting out Silver Machine on different instruments. That was the most fun I have ever had in a studio -- and some of it even made it on to the final track.


Here's what the press have raved about Sontaag:

“Progressive restored to its original sense. By referencing the last five decades of music and film, Sontaag create a highly original sci-fi morality tale for the future, and one of the year’s most unusual listening experiences, itself crying out for movie status.” 8/10 - Classic Rock

“Progtastic!” 4/5 - Daily Mirror

“Just download it to your brain from the nearest orbiting space station.” - Huey Morgan, BBC Radio 2

"A schizophrenic head fuck of an album, switching between ambient electronica and crunchy hard rock." - Detroit-Metro Times

“A spectacular collision of British eccentricity and dramatic storytelling.” - Line Of Best Fit

“Sontaag have created one of the year’s most unusual listening experiences with this 21st century take on a sci-fi morality tale.” - Shindig

To purchase:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/silver-machine-single/1454878221?ls=1&app=itunes
Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/39eOqbnGw0A3Pd9npzHqKy

For more information: https://twitter.com/Sontaag

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com


CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com ;
Facebook @Cleopatrarecords
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Linkedin @cleopatra-records
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Exit North's Debut Album "Book of Romance and Dust" Feat. Japan's Steve Jansen Now Available In US On Inner Knot Records

Lush, Atmospheric and Melancholic Debut Recording 

An uncompromising debut album that explores the collective psyches and diverse influences of its renowned members. The focus is on songcraft that seamlessly combines genres and lyrical perspectives that shift between shadows and light. Exit North's “Book of Romance and Dust” traces the edges of darkness and hope across a nuanced, provocative song cycle

Exit North is a new quartet featuring Japan co-founder Steve Jansen, Thomas Feiner, Ulf Jansson, and Charlie Storm. A co-writing partnership first formed when Feiner worked with Jansen on his solo albums “Slope” (2007). In 2014 they enlisted Ulf Jansson and Charles Storm to form Exit North. Over a 4-year collaborative timeline, Steve Jansen, Charlie Storm and Thomas Feiner have contributed in multiinstrumentalist capacities and Ulf Jansson has focused on piano and keyboards. All the instruments one associates with the world of rock are involved, but employed within an eclectic mindset. The recording also features trumpet, harmonium and a string quintet. Legendary jazz bassist Lars Danielsson contributes upright bass. Feiner's deep, rich vocals are vivid and emotional. They pair perfectly with the recording's spectral qualities, incorporating the ambient and orchestral, the meditative and kinetic. The album is one that rewards repeated engagement. Full of layers and complex lyrical turns of phrase, the record requires an investment to absorb. It also includes an instrumental in North that finds Jansson conveying melodic intrigue in the absence of a voice.



“The group has a patience and attention to detail that I find rare to come across these days,” said Jansen. “Most people want to rush the process and find the nuggets as quickly as possible, but the years spent on this album have been well worth it. The recording reflects a constant pursuit for the best we can achieve without a concern for the time it takes. This type of music is timeless, so there is no bandwagon to rush towards. We each have great attention to detail and a determination to avoid superfluous musical and lyrical content. We wanted to dig deep and express our connections with music and make the type of album we felt represented a culmination of our years of experience.”

A co-writing partnership first formed when Feiner worked with Jansen on his 2007 solo album “Slope.” Jansen sensed a kindred spirit and pursued a long-term working relationship. Feiner was already partnering with Jansson on other projects and brought him into the fold. The trio officially planted the seeds for a new group. Feiner then realised the potential of inviting renowned Swedish producer and engineer Charles Storm to join the group. The two met years earlier at a Jansen performance in Stockholm, so Feiner was aware of Storm's appreciation for Jansen's previous output. They also had a mutual friend in Jansson. Everyone felt a sense of trust, shared experiences and camaraderie that informed their sessions.

“The creative process for us is successful because we can communicate progress in composition and structure without being too precious about personal choices,” said Jansen. “The tracks have been through a number of changes and this process of raising the bar was only achieved by never resting on our laurels or believing one person's own way is the best way. It's truly a collaborative band in that sense. It's why we credit all the music to the entire group.”

“There is something exciting and new about the music on this record....it is the impression of a perfect band playing together in a musical realm that is as close to perfect beauty as it could be.” - Sputnik Music

Exit North is truly about generating an aural gravity that pulls the best out of its participants. Those who admire Jansen's instrumental, experimental solo output, as well as his song-based work with Japan and Rain Tree Crow, will find much to enjoy on “Book of Romance and Dust.” Similarly, the audience Feiner has cultivated with his group Anywhen and its acclaimed recording “The Opiates,” will encounter a related, spacious aesthetic. Jansson and Storm have also worked on countless sessions across myriad genres that have enriched the global mindset they brought to this expansive ensemble.

Available April 12, 2019.

For more information:
https://www.exitnorthmusic.com

Inner Knot Records:
https://www.facebook.com/Inner-Knot-Records-90931722573/

North American press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: +1 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com