“The Phoenix Has Risen” represents the work of drummer/songwriter Mark Murdock whose previous works included Cymbalic Encounters (With Brand X musicians) and Empire (Peter Banks of YES) and most recently The New Empire “Second Lifetime” release on Forward Motion Records. Mark was also a guest on the YES 50th Anniversary tribute album by Dave Kerzner and Fernando Perdomo
“The Phoenix Has Risen” was composed and produced by Mark during the lockdown of 2020. Mark sites the Phoenix in the title as a symbol of hope in these pandemic times. Mark just happens to be from Phoenix, Arizona but now resides in Tokyo. The music leans more to the Prog side with hints of rock and pop embellished in it.
The 12 song CD features guest artists, not only including guitarist Fernando Perdomo, but veteran Prog drummer Ronald Howden of Nektar who guests on two songs, and bassist Alan Thomson, who played with John Martyn and currently the Martin Barres Band, U.K. vocalist Tim Pepper and Joe Berger lead guitar and more.
Mark not only composed all music and lyrics but all the keyboard tracks including orchestral sections.
Watch the promotional video:
Mixed and Mastered by Mark Murdock and Joe Berger BEAM Audio NYC Artwork by Synergy/Leon Alvarado
Currently available on all digital platforms. Physical release through Disk Union Japan. For International orders
Track list: The Phoenix Has Risen Reoccurring Dreams Heal My Wounded Soul Compromised Exit Door The Starfish and the Four Phases of the Moon When Thoughts Collide Silence on Empty Streets All Fools Fade Away The Unknown Man Set Your Heart On Fire In The Future Of
Musicians: Mark Murdock- drums, synthesizer, piano, orchestra horns, percussion and backing vocals Tim Pepper- lead vocal *Courtesy of TheId Daniel Kubota- guitar Kenta Shimokuni-bass Katsumi Yoneda- guitar on songs 2, 3 & 12 *Courtesy of French TV Joe Berger- lead guitar on song 1 Preston Murdock- lead guitar on songs 4 & 7 David Rambeau- guitar on song 7 & acoustic guitar on song 8 Tatsuo Inoue-rhythm guitar on song 6 Rodolfo Falora- bass on songs 1, 6 & 9
Featured Artists: Ronald Howden- drums on songs 2 & double drumming on song 9 *Courtesy of Nektar Fernando Perdomo- guitar on songs 4, 6 & 9 *Courtesy of The Out To Sea Band Alan Thomson- fretless bass on song 4 *Courtesy of The Martin Barres Band
All music and lyrics composed by Mark Murdock *Song 7 was composed by Cary Bialac and Mark Murdock
Here’s what’s being said about “The Phoenix Has Risen”:
“While Mark Murdock may have seemed to venture beyond art-rock pastures he used to explore decades ago, prog remains a vital aspect of this EMPIRE and BRAND X associate, and even though there are collective projects the veteran was involved with lately, his individual style naturally led to a solo album, a record of a particularly personal stripe.” - DMME
“There are themes that could be Prog Soundtracks or Miniseries!” –
Anonymous musician in Tokyo
“Prog at its best! Mark Murdock’s new solo work, ‘The Phoenix Has Risen’ is most definitely carrying the innovative torch on this much missed genre of music” - Anonymous Prog Fan
The latest album from progressive odyssey Stefan Elefteriu escapes reality and lets listeners enter a world of optimism. Titled "Quantum Gates", the album features 12 tracks that soar through realms of uncertainty with reassurance. While Stefan's journey to this moment has been eventful, Stefan's no stranger to the world of music. From building his own synthesisers in Communist Romania to scoring a science fiction film, if you think it, Stefan's probably done it. An experience that showcases huge complexity, intelligence and imagination, 'Quantum Gates' is bathed in classical, rock and electronic elements.
Stefan mentioned that the release is based on, "Twelve portals open to twelve different worlds awaiting discovery through imagination, fantasy and feelings... Go beyond the Quantum Gates and, with each re-listening, you will perceive new territories of musical expression. Let the evolution and permanent dialogue of the melodic lines - based on symphonic counterpoint - take you through a new multidimensional sound universe."
For fans of Vangelis, Pink Floyd, Jean Michael Jarre and Kraftwerk, 'Quantum Gates' is truly a special album for all prog lovers.
Los Angeles, CA - Tis the season for holiday music to be heard on every street corner, in every grocery store aisle and over every personal stereo playing the same 5-10 songs over and over and over again. As mid-December approaches, the discernible music lover will be in search of the uniquely crafted, expertly arranged holiday versions to break the merry monotony. Enter Rick Wakeman’s much-loved album from 2000 Christmas Variations. Featuring a mix of familiar tunes - “Silent Night,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” - as well as lesser known classical-based compositions such as “Christians Awake Salute The Happy Mourn” and “Once In Royal David’s City,” this superb album offers bold interpretations of holiday songs as played by one of the most celebrated keyboardists in all of music. And this year brings a special offering as a deluxe reissue of Christmas Variations has just been released. Not only does this reissue offer a complete revamp of the artwork, it also 2 bonus tracks: “Silent Prayer” and a very moving live performance of “Amazing Grace.”
Christmas Variations is available now on digital, digipak CD and a glorious 2LP colored vinyl set in a gatefold jacket!
Track List: 1. Silent Night 2. Hark The Herald Angels Sing 3. Christians Awake Salute The Happy Mourn 4. Away In A Manger 5. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night 6. O Little Town Of Bethlehem 7. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear 8. Once In Royal David's City 9. O Come All Ye Faithful 10. Angels From The Realms Of Glory BONUS TRACKS 11. Silent Prayer 12. Amazing Grace (Live At Lincoln Cathedral 2018)
Includes performances by Glenn Hughes, Rick Wakeman, Robby Krieger, Huw Lloyd-Langton, Nik Turner, Jürgen Engler, Nigel Potter, Adam Hamilton, Danny Faulkner, Steve Leigh and more!
Los Angeles, CA - 2020 has been one helluva productive year for Alan Davey. Not only did Mr. Davey, best known as the former bass player for British space rock legends Hawkwind, launch a new album by his Hawkwind supergroup Hawkestrel, the adventurous Pioneers Of Space, but he also saw the release of a 4CD set of demos called Four-Track Mind as well as a 3CD set from Davey’s prog rock side project Pre-Med and even joined Danny B. Harvey’s rockabilly project Headcat 13 for an album! And now to top it all off, Davey has returned with a sleigh full of superb musical guests on an all-new Hawkestrel Christmas album! SpaceXmas includes performances by former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes, keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman, The Doors’ Robby Krieger plus Hawkwind alums Huw Lloyd-Langton, Nik Turner, and lots more who blaze their way through revamped versions of holiday favorites such as “We Three Kings,” “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Silent Night” next to original compositions such as “It’s A Wonderful (Funny Old) Life” and the hilarious “Twelve Daze Of Drinxmas.”
Davey had this to share about the album, “My goal with this album was to turn Xmas songs into non-cheesy space rock pieces anyone could enjoy listening to. That was difficult enough, but in 110 degrees Fahrenheit in July/August and in the Californian high desert was kind of surreal. It turned out better than I expected.......Happy SpaceXmas!”
SpaceXmas is available now digitally as well as on CD and in a very special limited edition Christmas color splattered vinyl!
Track List: 1. Oh Holy Night 2. We Three Kings 3. It's A Wonderful (Funny Old) Life 4. Silent Night 5. Seasons 6. Little Drummer Boy 7. Für Kirsty 8. Ein Weihnachliches Lustobjekt 9. O Come All Ye Faithful 10. Jingle Bells 11. Hallelujah 12. Twelve Daze Of Drinxmas
Featuring special guests Billy Sherwood (YES/ASIA), Adam Holzman (Steve Wilson Band), Rachel Flowers, Lenny White (Return to Forever), Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa Band), Jan Dumée (Focus), Marc Madoré, Karla Downey, Jamison Smeltz, Damilton Viana, Esdras Ferreira and Adriano Campagnani (Beto Guedes Band)
“Identity Crisis” is the new guitar virtuoso Marcelo Paganini prog rock jazz fusion album to be released on his birthday December 11, 2020. The album features special guests Billy Sherwood (YES/ASIA), Adam Holzman (Steve Wilson Band), Rachel Flowers, Lenny White (Return to Forever), Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa Band), Jan Dumée (Focus), Marc Madoré, Karla Downey, Jamison Smeltz, Damilton Viana, Esdras Ferreira and Adriano Campagnani (Beto Guedes Band). 5 out of 6 songs of the album were mixed and mastered by Gudjon Sveinsson in Iceland. The single “Circus is empty” was mixed by Daniel Boivin in France and mastered by Maor Appelbaum in LA, California, USA.
“When Allan Holdsworth passed away all of a sudden it was up to me and the others to keep guitar composition and playing moving forward. ‘Do your own thing’ he said every time we met. Now Eddie Van Halen passed away as well and we realize how hard it will be,” remembers Marcelo Paganini about his intentions when he started this project. “I changed the tuning of the guitar so I could not repeat anything I knew before. I decided to only use in the whole album, except for acoustic 12 string intros, the black guitar X-Ing Ibanez, no vibrato bar, bare bones. And to record just one guitar per track, to be able to play it live and sound like the album, or better. When live concerts will come back.”
The music on “Identity Crisis” mixes up the best influences from classic prog rock, with unexpected contemporary harmonic solutions and melodic turns. The songs can break loose by surprise in furious jazz fusion improvisations. As impressive as the casting in the album can be, and it is, the incredible alchemy that happened between Marcelo Paganini and Rachel Flowers in 4 out of 6 songs, at the 11th hour, was a game changer in the intensity of that musical language. Mr Bowler Music Agency in the Netherlands is booking Marcelo Paganini Band featuring Rachel Flowers.
TRACK LIST: Bacteria Circus is empty Soul much further away Learn to love to wait Tangerine way Captain's face
Wobbler originated in Honefoss, Norway in 1999, and with the release of this new album, Dwellers of the Deep, the band have now released 5 albums, since the debut, Hinterland, saw the light of day in 2005. I was fortunate enough to see this band in December 2019 when they headlined a mini-festival in Glasgow. The Prog Before Xmas (PB4X) is an annual one-day event featuring 4/5 bands with the proceeds going to named charities. This has been taking place for 5 years, but Covid-19 has caused this year’s festival to be cancelled. Last year, Wobbler played a set including many great tracks from their back catalogue, interspersed with music from the Dwellers of the Deep album and they simply “blew” the crowd away. Dwellers of the Deep is a 4 track album with a total time of just under 46 minutes and the final track, “Merry Macabre” is the longest on offer with a playing time of 19:00 minutes, and the penultimate track, “Naiad Dreams” is the shortest at 4:24 minutes.
The band on the album are Andreas Wettergreen Stromman Prestmo (vocals/guitar), Marius Halleland (guitar/backing vocals), Lars Frederik Froislie (keyboards), Kristian Karl Hultgren (bass) and Martin Nordrum Kneppen (drums), with Lars, Kristian and Martin original members of Wobbler. Kristian also guested on the Airbag current release, A Day At The Beach. Andreas was present in the band by album No 3, Rites At Dawn, in 2011 and Marius was onboard by album No 4 in 2017, From Silence To Somewhere.
The opening track, “By The Banks" (13:49), bursts into life with the band in full flow, soon to be joined by a bit of vocalization, then a simple keyboard and bass passage underpinned by excellent drumming. The bass and keyboards carry the track on before Andreas pitches in with his clear powerful vocals. The keyboards continue to "run" the track with those superb bass notes just in behind. The track builds and then gently subsides and the listener is both drawn in and carried along. At around the 5-minute mark, the piano has an excellent passage, very tranquil compared to what has gone before. Behind the vocals, the bass slowly builds and the guitar, drums and keyboards join the proceedings again. At the 9+ minute mark, there is a return to the tranquil style passage, and indeed, it is this contrasting switch that makes “By The Banks” an engrossing start to the album. Each member makes an amazing contribution to the sound, the clear vocals, the sweeping, soaring keyboards, the thundering, but so controlled bass, the subdued, but occasionally crunching guitar work and that superb drumming, both intense then very subtle at times.
The two shorter tracks are very different, with "Five Rooms" (8:28) being a close relative, musically speaking, to the opening track and "Naiad Dreams" (4:24), being a simply beautiful ballad with an excellent acoustic guitar start, showing the simpler, gentler side of the band. Both are excellent in their own way and set the listener up for the finale of the album.
The 19:00 minute "Merry Macabre" is a real tour-de-force, starting with a gentle introduction before the keyboards appear around the 1:00 minute point. As the vocals, bass, guitar and drums all add their presence, the band are off on a journey that encompasses all the areas that Wobbler have demonstrated throughout their back catalogue. Symphonic slices, eclectic sections and even a little jump in and out of the jazz world, appear and morph into one another, providing the listener with a stunning aural experience.
Each release has taken the band further and these 5 musicians know exactly what they want to do, and on Dwellers of the Deep, they have shown the world just what they are capable of. This is a superb album and should find a space on the cd/vinyl shelves in all progressive music followers’ collections.
Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson – Prog Rock Music Talk Staff November 27, 2020
Tracks: 1. By The Banks (13:49) 2. Five Rooms (08:28) 3. Naiad Dreams (04:24) 4. Merry Macabre (19:00)
Due to popular demand, The Official Keith Emerson Tribute Concert, which is scheduled for March 11, 2021 release, has added the DVD format to its roster. The concert will now be available in both the DVD Digipak format and also in a Blu-Ray Hi-Def downloadable version, playable on any device, both accompanied by a bonus audio version of the concert.
To be released on Cherry Red Records, this official 3-disc set brings you the historical 2016 tribute show in Los Angeles featuring a once-in-a-lifetime lineup of musical luminaries performing music from Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Nice, Emerson, Lake & Powell, The Keith Emerson Band and the Three Fates Project.
The 2 1/2 - hour concert film features many stellar performances by over two dozen prominent artists in rock, jazz and classical music as well as artist interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, tribute speeches, and a gallery of personal never-before-seen photos from the Emerson estate.
This highly-anticipated concert captures the essence of what made Keith Emerson a pioneer of prog rock, a treasure among his many fans and friends, and a legendary keyboardist and composer with the iconic supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
“Performing ‘Tarkus’ at the Keith Emerson Tribute event was incredibly meaningful. It was truly an amazing night. Having the opportunity to pay my respects to the man who changed my life by playing my favorite piece of music with incredible musicians, made it a memory that will never be forgotten. I’m so thrilled that this incredible evening of music is now going to be shared with the world.” - Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater)
“It’s difficult to express what an honor it was to participate in this tribute to Keith. Surrounded by friends and heroes, it was such a privilege to be part of a group of musicians who were as affected by Keith’s life, music and friendshipas I was. Not surprisingly there’s a lot of us. To play Hammond on The Barbarian, the first song I ever saw him play live, is a cherished memory I’ll never forget. Many thanks to Marc and Mari for keeping this idea and dream alive.” - Steve Porcaro (Toto)
THE OFFICIAL CONCERT ROSTER AND SONG LIST:
The Keith Emerson Band (Marc Bonilla - Gregg Bissonette - Jonathan Sindelman - Mike Wallace - Joe Travers - Mick Mahan - Travis Davis - Troy Luccketta) With Eddie Jobson - Jordan Rudess - Brian Auger - Steve Porcaro - Philippe Saisse - Rachel Flowers - CJVanston - Jeff “Skunk” Baxter - Steve Lukather - Vinnie Colaiuta - Terje Mikkelsen - Rick Livingstone - Kae Matsumoto - Michael Fitzpatrick
1. PRELUDE TO A HOPE (Featuring Kae Matsumoto) 2. KARN EVIL 9 (1ST IMPRESSION, PT.2) (Featuring Jonanthan Sindelman & Gregg Bissonette) 3. THE BARBARIAN (Featuring Steve Porcaro & Rachel Flowers) 4. HOEDOWN (Ed Roth & Jeff “Skunk” Baxter) 5. TOUCH AND GO (Featuring Steve Porcaro) 6. A PLACE TO HIDE (Featuring Ed Roth & Steve Lukather) 7. TRIBUTE TO KEITH (Featuring CJ Vanston & Michael Fitzpatrick) 8. THE ENDLESS ENIGMA (Featuring Rachel Flowers & Troy Luccketta) 9. TAKE A PEBBLE (Featuring CJ Vanston, Travis Davis & Gregg Bissonette) 10. TANK (Featuring Joe Travers & Brian Auger) 11. FANFARE FOR THE COMMON BLUE TURKEY (Featuring Brian Auger, Karma Auger & Dan Lutz) 12. RIDE (Featuring Aaron Emerson) 13. FROM THE BEGINNING (Featuring Philippe Saisse) 14. BITCHES CRYSTAL (Featuring Eddie Jobson) 15. NUTROCKER (Featuring Philippe Saisse) 16. TARKUS (Featuring Jordan Rudess & Troy Luccketta) 16. LUCKY MAN (Featuring Eddie Jobson, Steve Lukather & Rick Livingstone) 17. GREAT GATES OF KIEV (Featuring Eddie Jobson) 18. FANFARE FOR THE COMMON MAN (Featuring Eddie Jobson, Steve Lukather & Maestro Terje Mikkelsen) 19. ARE YOU READY, EDDY? (Featuring CJ Vanston & Rick Livingstone) THE PRE-SALES LINK HAVE JUST BEEN ESTABLISHED IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS! (Add link)
All proceeds go to the The Leon Fleisher Foundation for Musicians with Dystonia. All of the artists, crew, and support personnel have kindly donated their skills and time gratis for this worthy cause, which afflicts thousands of musicians annually.
NEW! Commemorative T-Shirts and Posters designed by digital artist Jerry LoFaro are now available for pre-order here:jerrylofaro@mcttelecom.com
You can see the entire line of Keith Emerson commemorative art at:https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/jerry-lofaro • Pre-Shrunk, Medium Weight, 100% Cotton • Relaxed, Classic Fit • Hand-Dyed and Printed Using Soft, Non-Toxic Water-Based Inks • Reinforced Double-Stitching On All Seams Printed directly to garment, not dye-sublimation transfers!
Mustafa Khetty aka composer and genius behind the collective Morpheus Project returns with second single 'Nights to Remember' from highly anticipated upcoming album. An artist that's already making a name for himself both in the progressive and classical world, Mustafa has already gained support from the likes of BBC Introducing, Prog Magazine and Classic FM. Drawing influence from as far afield as the Far East and South America, Mustafa's new musical venture pushes boundaries and is a force to be reckoned with in the prog field.
Building a team of top musicians for Morpheus Project, the second insight into their upcoming album showcases Onur Çobanoğlu's angst ridden vocals and Emircan Ünsev and Arda Keremoğlu's epic guitar playing. An explosive single that captures your attention instantly, the complex soundscape gives listeners an understanding of the creative juices inside Mustafa's mind.
With the debut album being released late January, early February, Morpheus Project is certainly an outfit that deserve your recognition.
Features guest performances by members of Blue Öyster Cult, Hawkwind, Nektar, The Strawbs and more!
Los Angeles, CA - Fantasy writer/art rock visionary Michael Moorcock, who has been named by The Times as one of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945 and has collaborated with bands such as Hawkwind and Blue Öyster Cult, has teamed up once again with Don Falcone's space rock collective Spirits Burning for an epic new album! The Hollow Lands is a continuation of a trilogy of Moorcock’s stories, dubbed The Dancers At The Ends Of Time series, that began with An Alien Heat, released in 2018. For this second installment, Falcone has assembled a stellar cast of progressive rock luminaries including BÖC members Albert Bouchard, Eric Bloom, Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser and Joe Bouchard, Hawkwind associates Harvey Bainbridge, Steve Bemand, Bridget Wishart, Adrian Shaw and Dead Fred, PLUS Nektar’s Ron Howden, The Strawbs' Chas Cronk, and many more!
Michael Moorcock writes: “The Hollow Lands is a beautiful piece of work, building on An Alien Heat with musical subtlety and intelligence. I am delighted by the interpretation and can't wait to hear the resolution to this amazing project! They are a wonderful complement to what is one of my own favourite sequences and I could not hope for a better interpretation.”
Don Falcone writes “This album was another opportunity to work closely with Al (Bouchard) on Mike's Dancers series. Al started 7 of the songs and played on 15. Together, we invited a special group of musicians, and they brought an amazing amount of enthusiasm and passion to this adventure. Plus, it was great to record Mike again. He provided vocals or harmonica to 16 of the 18 songs.”
The Hollow Lands is available now on digital, CD and a very special limited edition colored vinyl pressing with full color printed sleeve!
Track List: CD 1. To Hollow Lands 2. Isn't It Delicious? 3. Playing At Ships 4. Dance Through Time 5. Warm Snow Peaks 6. On The Hunt 7. A Haze Of Crimson Light 8. Conflict & Illusions 9. Robot Nurse & The Children Of The Pit 10. A Conversation With H.G. Wells 11. Awful Dilemma 12. Mr. Underwood's Soliloquy 13. Time Machine Cabriolet 14. We May Yet Be Saved 15. Morphail Megaflow 16. Memorable Night At Café Royal 17. To The Time Machien, At Last 18. Make A Fire
VINYL SIDE A 1. To Hollow Lands 2. Playing At Ships 3. Dance Through Time 4. A Conversation With H.G. Wells
SIDE B 1. Awful Dilemma 2. We May Yet Be Saved 3. Memorable Night At Café Royal 4. To The Time Machine, At Last 5. Make A Fire
Peter Chilvers & Jon Durant Release “Always Golden Sands” & “Vista” - An ambient jazz album in two parts
English keyboardist and Brian Eno collaborator Peter Chilvers teamed up with American guitarist Jon Durant to create a series of stunningly beautiful aural vistas, which blend ECM inspired chamber jazz improvisation with ambient music. For both artists, this recording was an opportunity to explore their introspective sides as well as their textural tendencies. Gentle melodies weave their way through atmospheric clouds, at times reminiscent of Budd and Eno, but with a sense of interplay between the guitar and keys those ambient pioneers left out.
The duo settled into a rhythm of working across distant time zones during the pandemic. Tracks often began with a morning keyboard improvisation from Chilvers, which would be embellished and transformed by Durant as daylight hit his side of the Atlantic. Having completed Vista, the momentum built up, and three further tracks emerged. These stood well on their own and will be released first as “Always Golden Sand” - a starter to Vista’s main course.
The EP features the exquisitely melancholic “Always Autumn”, the playful dialog of guitar and percolating synths on “Shifting Sands”, and the pensive “Golden”, a reworking of the more rhythmic “Age of Steam” from Vista. The album also includes the darker shades of “Embers” and the expansive “Sunset” - multiple piano loops slowly build around each other, augmented by Durant’s signature cloud guitars before giving way to a deep dusky atmosphere to close the album. Best enjoyed with a glass of whisky.
Chilvers commented, “As a teenager, I fell in love with the great ECM recordings of the 70s and 80s. Working with Jon has felt like travelling back to that period and finding an undiscovered star. It’s been a joyful and effortless recording, a live album somehow recorded despite lockdowns on opposite sides of the Atlantic. I wish I could beam it back to my teenage self.”
Durant noted, “My favorite aspect of this record is the level of interplay we managed to achieve, especially given the difficult circumstances in which we made this record. Peter’s lovely piano melodies were an inspiration for me to add not just beautiful textures but also play melodically with and around his piano and synths.”
Peter Chilvers: Remodelled Pianos, Synths, Generative processes, Fretless bass Jon Durant: Cloud Guitar, Fretless Guitar, Mixing
Release dates:
December 11. 2020 The three song EP “Always Golden Sands” will be released digitally on Bandcamp and all streaming services.
January 15, 2021 The full length “Vista” will be released digitally on Bandcamp and all streaming services.
Peter Chilvers is a musician and software designer. Best known for creating the iOs applications Bloom, Trope, Scape and Reflection with Brian Eno, he has also toured with Karl Hyde (Underworld) and recorded numerous albums with vocalists Tim Bowness and Sandra O’Neill, as well as several solo instrumental albums. Many of these were released through Burning Shed, the online label he co-founded in 2001 with Tim Bowness and Pete Morgan.
Since 2006 he has worked as a musical and technical assistant to Brian Eno on projects including the soundtracks to “The Lovely Bones” and “Spore”, album collaborations with David Byrne and the Warp releases “Small Craft on a Milk Sea”, “Drums Between the Bells” and “Lux”. He worked as Assistant Producer on Eno’s 2016 release “The Ship”, for which he also helped develop a multi-speaker installation which has been shown in many countries.
As one of the earliest successes when Apple’s App Store’s debuted in 2008, Bloom continues to be fondly remembered. This led in 2018 to a collaboration with Microsoft to produce Bloom: Open World, an augmented reality installation shown in Denmark, and Bloom: 10 Worlds, a complete reimagining of the app for modern phones and tablets. Eno and Chilvers were also commissioned to create Hypnotised, a customized version of Bloom for use in Coldplay’s live stadium shows.
Innovative guitarist Jon Durant brings a unique sense of texture and melody to his instrument. His distinctive “cloud guitar” soundscapes and engaging lead work have graced numerous CD recordings and film soundtracks and his very distinctive use of fretless guitar has been widely admired.
Durant has previously released 10 solo albums and three Burnt Belief records (with Colin Edwin of Porcupine Tree). Durant has also been featured on the Astarta / Edwin album which was released in 2016. Durant, Colin Edwin and Ukranian singer Inna Kovtun released a CD in 2019 which featured a completely unique and modern take on traditional Ukranian folk music, with a blend of progressive rock, ambient, and pop elements. Durant’s acclaimed 2018 solo release “Parting Is” was his first “solo guitar’ recording and the follow up solo guitar album “Alternate Landscapes” continues to stretch the boundaries of what a guitar record can sound like. Both solo CDs have been nominated for “Best Ambient Album” in US new age radio publications, while “Alternate Landscapes” also spent multiple weeks at the top of the NACC Chill Charts. In 2020, Durant released the well-received duo album Across the Evening with Estonian guitarist Robert Jürjendal as well as his most recent solo album, Soul of a River which featured Jon playing guitars and piano.
The Encyclopædia Hawkwindia is the ultimate guide to more than fifty years of Hawkwind, from the first show in August,1969, to the next scheduled gig in February, 2021.
Arranged alphabetically, the encyclopædia contains over 1,750 entries, from “Abducted” to ZZZ, and includes every song… every single… every album… every band member… dancers… festivals… spin-offs… side projects… solo albums… live shows… support bands… cover versions… venues… characters… crew… record labels… managers… reissues… compilations… tributes… culture… friends and relations…. and more.
More than seventy interviews, many undertaken specifically for the encyclopædia, include recollections, anecdotes and personal details from such icons of Hawkwind history as founder members Dave Brock and Nik Turner, classic line-up mainstays Lemmy, Robert Calvert, Stacia and Del Dettmar, and a host of names from throughout the band’s long history - Alan Davey, Paul Rudolph, Adrian Shaw, Huw Lloyd Langton, Bridget Wishart, Mr Dibs, Simon House and more.
There are entries for members’ pre- and post-Hawkwind projects - Magic Muscle and Krel, Smartpils and Spirits Burning.
For like-minded travellers through space rock and beyond - Michael Moorcock and Motörhead, the Pink Fairies and Gong.
For the Bath Festival and the Battle of the Beanfield, Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid of Cheops.
200 illustrations include vintage press cuttings, memorabilia, art and rare photographs from musicians’ personal collections.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dave Thompson is author of over 150 books, mostly on music, but other themes besides.
He is co-author of autobiographies by Nik Turner, photographer Bob Gruen, Motown legends Eddie and Brian Holland, New York Doll Sylvain Sylvain, Heartbreaker Walter Lure, The Yardbirds’ Jim McCarty, Fairport’s Judy Dyble, folkie Steve Ashley and Nektar’s Roye Albrighton (forthcoming). He also wrote the official tenth anniversary history of Fruits de Mer Records.
Thompson has written at length about Space Rock, Glam Rock, Industrial, Goth, Alternative and Punk, including biographies of David Bowie, the Sweet, Sparks, Genesis, Jeff Beck, Robert Plant, Deep Purple, Rozz Williams (forthcoming) and Cream.
Thompson’s journalism and music writing has appeared in a wide variety of publications, including Goldmine, Record Collector, Mojo, Alternative Press, Rolling Stone, Spin, Melody Maker, Zig Zag, huH, Seattle Times, Music Week and others.
CLEARLY HUMAN TOUR CONSISTS OF 25 GEO-TARGETED ONLINE SHOWS BEGINNING FEBRUARY 14
Legendary recording artist, producer, songwriter and tech pioneer Todd Rundgren has announced his 2021 Clearly Human virtual tour, featuring 25 performances, each geo-fenced and tailored to a different US city. With each performance emanating from a Chicago venue (the most convenient time zone to allow for 8pm showtimes in every market), the shows will be “localized” to give both the band and the fans a sense of place (e.g. local landmarks will appear on the video wall, catering for the band and crew will feature dishes associated with each city, etc). Single-ticket purchases within the US will be limited to fans with zip codes corresponding to that show’s greater metropolitan area. US-based fans not living in a designated tour market can also “attend" any or all dates via multi-show ticket bundles, which, like internationally-based fans purchasing single-show tickets, will exempt them from geofencing restrictions. In Chicago, there will be a licensed COVID compliance officer on staff at all times, with both the band and crew testing regularly throughout the duration of the virtual tour.
Emulating a traditional routing itinerary, the Clearly Human Tour will kick off February 14 “in” Buffalo, NY, and wrap up March 22 “in” Seattle, WA. Single tickets are priced at $35, with an array of premium add-ons and multi-date bundles available.
Produced by NoCap, the live streaming company recently launched by Cisco Adler, and Panacea Entertainment chairman Eric Gardner, Todd’s longtime manager, each show will feature Rundgren and an expanded 10-piece band performing standouts from his 50-year-plus catalog, as well as his entire 1989 classic album ‘Nearly Human’, which Warner Music Group will also be re-releasing on CD and colored vinyl. Remote meet-and-greets with Todd will be available at every show, as will options to select viewing from multiple camera angles and to be featured on several rows of video screens that will serve as the real-time “virtual audience” for the evening. Subject to Chicago’s COVID policy regarding public gatherings in force at the time, there will be a handful of tickets available to attend in person and sit safely distanced amongst the virtual audience, with each attendee required to show proof of a negative test within 72 hours of the event.
Todd sat down with Rolling Stone recently (https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/todd-rundgren-announces-clearly-human-virtual-tour-1097199/) to discuss the origins of the Clearly Human tour and to share the world premiere of his holiday single from Cleopatra Records - his interpretation of the 1978 Christmas tune “Flappie,” originally by Dutch comedian Youp van ’t Hek. Ever the contrarian, it’s suggested that one listen/watch at one's own risk….
Watch the video for “Flappie”:
While the concept of Clearly Human lends itself naturally to our current socially-distanced world, Todd actually conceived of the idea years ago as a solution to the growing challenges of touring amidst climate change and a way to reduce his own carbon footprint. Seeing this as “setting the gold standard” for what he predicts will become a new touring paradigm, it’s not the first time Todd has been out front with a tech-savvy new idea. he designed the first-ever graphics tablet for Apple in 1979; other “firsts” include the first-ever live interactive television concert (1978), the first live national cablecast of a rock concert (1982), the first commercial music downloads (1992), the first online direct artist subscription service, “PatroNet” (1998), and the first full-length concert shot with multiple Virtual Reality 360º cameras (2016).
Todd's band for the Clearly Human Tour will feature Kasim Sulton (Bass), Prairie Prince (Drums), Eliot Lewis (Keys), Gil Assayas (Synth), Bruce McDaniel (Guitar), Bobby Strickland (Sax), Steven Stanley (Trombone), plus the erstwhile “Global Girls” : Michele Rundgren, Grace Yoo, and Ashle Worrick (Background Vocals).
February 14: Buffalo, NY February 16: Albany, NY February 17: New York City, NY February 19: Virginia Beach, VA February 20: Pittsburgh, PA February 22: Cleveland, OH February 23: Detroit, MI February 25: Indianapolis, IN February 26: Chicago, IL February 28: Madison/Milwaukee, WI March 1: Minneapolis, MN March 3: Kansas City, MO March 4: St. Louis, MO March 6: Nashville, TN March 7: Dallas, TX March 9: Houston, TX March 10: Austin, TX March 12: Denver, CO March 13: Salt Lake City, UT March 15: Phoenix AZ March 16: San Diego, CA March 18: Los Angeles, CA March 19: San Francisco, CA March 21: Portland, OR March 22: Seattle, WA
About Todd Rundgren:
“A Wizard, A True Star.” The title of Todd Rundgren's 1973 solo album aptly foreshadows the contributions of this multifaceted artist to state-of-the-art music. As a songwriter, video pioneer, producer, recording artist, computer software developer, conceptualist, interactive artist, and author, over the past 50+ years Rundgren has made a lasting impact on the form, content, and delivery of popular music. His seminal album “Something/Anything?” (1972), on which he played all the instruments, sang all the vocal parts and acted as his own producer, catapulted Rundgren into the superstar limelight, prompting the press to unanimously dub him “Rock's New Wunderkind.” His 21 solo albums, plus 14 with his prog rock/power pop ensemble Utopia, spawned such hit singles as “I Saw The Light,” “Hello It's Me,” “Can We Still Be Friends,” “Bang The Drum,” and with his band Utopia, “Love Is The Answer.” As a producer, Rundgren has brought his creativity to bear on nearly one hundred albums, including with Patti Smith, Cheap Trick, The Psychedelic Furs, The Tubes, XTC, Grand Funk Railroad, Hall & Oates, The Band, and Meat Loaf’s 50-million-selling “Bat Out Of Hell.”
About NoCap:
NoCap, the brainchild of Roxy Theater co-owner and musician Cisco Adler along with an all-star list of partners in the music and tech industries, is both a platform and promoter of venue-based livestream concerts giving fans around the world access to intimate live performances with unlimited capacity. With its easy-to-use text-based ticketing technology and custom concert streaming solution, NoCap is providing a much-needed lifeline for artists, crews and venues suffering during the Covid-19 pandemic that will remain a viable outlet post pandemic while becoming the new general admission creating unlimited profit potential for a new live music model. NoCap gives fans globally a chance to experience live shows by top-tier talent in storied venues, including The Roxy (Los Angeles), Belly Up (Solana Beach, CA/Aspen, CO), SOhO (Santa Barbara), Sony Theatre ( NYC ) and even Drive-In Concert Venues across the country , from home or on the go with visually stunning concert-quality sound, creating unforgettable performances. For more info, visit www.nocapshows.com.
NEW REMASTERED & EXPANDED RELEASE OF THE SECOND SOLO ALBUM BY JON ANDERSON FROM 1980 WITH TWO BONUS TRACKS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ON CD FEATURING GUEST MUSICIANS JACK BRUCE, SIMON PHILLIPS, JOHN GIBLIN, CLEM CLEMPSON & JOHNNY DANKWORTH FULLY RESTORED ARTWORK AND NOTES
Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce Jon Anderson’s classic 1980 solo album SONG OF SEVEN is getting a new lease of life as a Remastered and Expanded release. Jon recently sat down with Esoteric Recordings’ Mark Powell to talk about recording SONG OF SEVEN and what it meant at the time.
Please note there is some audio discrepancies on the recording, we have tried to minimise these as much as possible.
Watch the video:
The album was recorded during Jon’s first hiatus from YES, with whom he had become an internationally known vocalist and songwriter and followed on from his 1976 solo album OLIAS OF SUNHILLOW. Working with keyboard player RONNIE LEAHY, Anderson created an optimistic album of varying influences and he gathered together a fine ensemble of musicians to assist him such as celebrated bass players JACK BRUCE and JOHN GIBLIN, guitarists CLEM CLEMPSON and IAN BAIRNSON, saxophonist JOHNNY DANKWORTH and percussionists MORRIS PERT and SIMON PHILLIPS.
SONG OF SEVEN was a UK top forty hit upon its release by Atlantic Records in November 1980 and spawned a solo tour which established Jon Anderson as a regarded artist in his own right. This Esoteric Recordings edition has been newly remastered from the original Atlantic Records master tapes and is expanded to include two rare US single edits previously unreleased on CD and restores the original album artwork in a digipak. The booklet also features a new essay with an exclusive interview with Jon Anderson.
So great to listen again to where I was musically 40 years ago…still dreaming the same dreams, and in my early years of orchestration ideas…very gentle reminders to stay cool…don’t hurry, all will be well, ‘take your time’…wonderful bass work, and all the wonderful friends and musicians just came into my life for a couple of months…Jack Bruce even!!! Everybody Loves you, but I love you a little bit more…sweet lyric, and then the wild and crazy SONG OF SEVEN lyric..most of it was spontaneous and feeling very open about life…and the mystery of it all…still do….
As always I’m here in my studio still juggling lyrics and music and songs..I’m excited that this can be heard again..
Best wishes to everyone…be well be safe…Love and ‘Light’…Jon Anderson
Track List: 1. FOR YOU, FOR ME 2. SOME ARE BORN 3. DON’T FORGET (NOSTALIGIA) 4. HEART OF THE MATTER 5. HEAR IT 6. EVERYBODY LOVES YOU 7. TAKE YOUR TIME 8. DAYS 9. SONG OF SEVEN
BONUS TRACKS 10.SOME ARE BORN (US SINGLE PROMO EDITED VERSION) 11.HEART OF THE MATTER (SHORT VERSION)
