News
July 31, 2003
OBJECT INDENTIFIED
Having finished 2002's "Sharks", British heavyweights U.F.O. found themselves at the crossroads not being sure if Michael Schenker was going to stay in the band any longer. Singer Phil Mogg's hopes for some festivals proved vain, but now there's a real reinforcement in the camp, with a new members joining the ensemble to play alongside Mogg and his bass-brandishing sparring partner Pete Way.
Well, one of the newcomers isn't actually new: keyboard player and guitarist Paul Raymond bolstered the U.F.O. sound back in the '80s, yet there's no questioning the skills of those who make it onboard for the first time. Vinnie Moore is famous enough for both his solo work and stint with TEN, while the name of drummer Jason Bonham speaks for itself - the one good enough to take over his late father's stool in LED ZEPPELIN on several occasions won't let the Object down.
THE LAW IS BLUE
When many a famous musician has extracurricilum activities, WISHBONE ASH leader Andy Powell might seem a black sheep, yet he flies other colors. Blue, because originally the guitarist played a brass-splashed rhythm-and-blues, traces of which are obvious on WISHBONE's "No Easy Road". That's why some years ago Powell became a part of American band BLUE LAW, who have their mojo workin' the similar way.
BLUE LAW songs have appeared on the soundtracks of many films and in MTV's reality show "The Real World", so there's a certain interest in their music, as proved by a bootleg from 1996's English date doing rounds. Until now, that is, when the band had remastered and repackaged the recording and made it available as a 2CD-set featuring both classics and originals. Something up for grabs, sure: send your inquiries to MuchoMojoMusic@aol.com.
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Disc one:
1. Five O'clock Whistle |
Disc two:
1. One Too Many Times |
9. One More Mile |
OLD JACK'S NOT DIVINE
This year see another round of interest in the music of Jack Bruce but, what with his old albums re-issued and CREAM's BBC recordings put out, the veteran's active as ever, playing and recording. August 5th is the release date for Jack's new album "More Jack Than God". A follow-up to 2001's acclaimed "Shadows In The Air", it also has some well-known gems from Bruce's back catalogue cut afresh, and this time it seems to be back to blues...
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1. So They Invented Race |
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THE FIVE ALIVE
It's a muted issue which of THE YARDBIRDS' line-ups was the best - with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck or Jimmy Page, yet there's never been an argument whether "Five Live Yardbirds" was a band's definitive concert document. Now, comes a real contender, the one which never made it even unto bootleg. "Live Blueswailing!" was recorded on July 25th, 1964 at St. George's Hall before that classic set and features unrecorded originals "Sky Is Crying" and "Someone To Love". If Keith, Eric and their friends were in brilliant form then, this album must be indispensable.
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1. Someone To Love |
FOR THE BRIGHT FUTURE
There's nothing better than a good music for a good cause, and the Swedish band SPEARFISH are aware of it alright, to delve headlong into a charity project that see them recording a set of classic tunes. Out on October 31st, the album's called "Back For The Future", with the profits to be given to the Childrens Cancer Foundation. In order to draw attention to the proceedings, the Swedes invited some luminaries to help out, including guitarists Mick Box of URIAH HEEP and Robin George famous for his work with Phil Lynott and David Byron, and singers Paul DiAnno, Dave Hill (DEMON), Nicky Moore (ex-SAMSON) and John Nitzinger (ex-Alice Cooper). While there are still things to be done, the tracks will be the following, the original performers indicated as well:
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1. Mercury Blues (David Lindley) |
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THEY'RE AIN'T HEAVY, THEY'RE THE BROTHERS
Having released their solo albums each, Glenn Hughes' being "Songs In The Key Of Rock" and Joe Lynn Turner's "JLT", the Purple family wayward offsprings are ready to give the people the second outing by HUGHES-TURNER PROJECT. In the wake of last year’s "HTP" and the ensuing tour success, the future of "HTP II” looks bright, with music hardly innovative but definitely pleasant.
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1. Revelation |
SLAMMIN’ THE MARQUEE
There have been several Phil Lynott-related releases over the last two years, and here’s one more, due out on September 15th. Called "Twilight Was Gleaming: Last Of Grand Slam", most of the album tracks come from Phil's GRAND SLAM outfit's Marquee concert of December 4th, 1984. The limited edition will be issued with a bonus CD:
Disc 1:
1. Yellow Pearl |
Disc 2:
1. Nineteen (alt. version) |
BIG FOR THE LAST TIME
The tracklisting for the MR. BIG’s ”Influences And Connections. Volume One” that the band draw a curtain on their career with, has been finalized. Comprising the group’s own classics and the songs the ensemble love, the album features an array of famous guests alongside MR. BIG members, and should be out on August 6th. The initial pressing will come with a DVD on making the record.
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1. Mr. Big |
July 24, 2003
TONY IN "WONDERLAND"
After a year-worth work - and, be assured, a lot of effort - Tony Franklin is ready to push the "release" button for his second solo album, a successor to 2000's "Brave New Tomorrow". It's called "Wonderland" and, to be true to its Carroll-ish title, the record's cover features an animated Tony as a bass-wielding Mad Hatter. This will be out in Japan on August 21st, with other territories to follow approximately at the same time that Franklin, John Sykes and Carmine Appice will tour as BLUE MURDER.
MAN FULL OF YESTERDAYS
It's been almost a year now since the first-ever URIAH HEEP official biography saw the light of day, and here's a new HEEP-related book in the pipeline. Entitled "Born To Perform", the tome which due out in early October, is dedicated to the sorely-missed David Byron, the band's original singer who died in 1985 not having soared as high as he could. Long-time Byron aficionado Jeff Perkins talked to many of those who knew David and worked with him, including Ken Hensley, John Lawton, John Wetton, Clem Clempson and Rabbit, that's why the book's filled with personal letters, documents and many previously unseen photographs. "Born To Perform" is available for pre-order here.
HERE COME THE NICE
Last year heralded return of mighty THE NICE featuring original members Keith Emerson, Brian Davidson and Lee Jackson, plus phenomenal Dave Kilminster on guitar. Those who visited their unique shows though are a small bunch compared to those who couldn't make it to the gigs. Still, there's an opportunity to have a bite of experience with the fresh album called "Vivacitas: Live At Glasgow 2002", a three-CD set that has the band's classic pieces on the first disc, the ELP material (sure, Emerson wouldn't have leave alive without this) on the second, and a chat with a well-known rock scribe Chris Welch on the third.
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Disc 1:
1. America |
Disc 2:
1. Blade Of Grass Disc 3:Interview with Chris Welch |
DI'ANNO'S ANNO MUNDI
Paul Di'Anno may have not had a high-profile career after his original position as the IRON MAIDEN frontman, yet he's a solid following all around the world. So many people will undoubtedly enjoy the singer's first DVD release, "The Beast In The East", the East this time being not Japan but Krakow, Poland. The brilliant performance saw Paul do a cream of his solo crop, while the main part is MAIDEN classics. There's an extra material as well: bonus video material from Warsaw concert and from Norway, interview with Di'Anno, previously unreleased audio tracks, biography, fullest discography and photo archive. Quite a must.
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1. Transylvania |
Bonus video: |
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THOSE MASCARA'D EYES
This autumn will meet the wry look of "The Eyes Of Alice Cooper", a new album from an artist formerly known as Vincent Furnier. About time to remember the time when the singer with the band ALICE COOPER was called so, as the forthcoming recored signals a glorious return to the days when the songs were being recorded mostly live, with minimum overdubs, and also because it's a very Detroit, Alice's hometown, sounding album, with none other than MC5's Wayne Kramer providing a guitar noise for the opening cut. Cooper's old producer Bob Ezrin makes a cameo appearance as well.
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1. Detroit City |
NOTORIOUSLY BIG
They were heavy, not only musically but also physically, that's why they were called MAMMOTH. The band which roamed the Earth in 1986-1989 featured two biggies in its ranks, former SAMSON singer Nicky Moore and bassist John McCoy, mostly known for the foundation he provided for GILLAN. The trio, rounded off with guitarist Kenny Cox released their self-titled album in 1988 and broke up, so now there's a chance to hear not only the demos for the second LP which were available before: on "Larger And Live, there are some live cuts recorded in November 1987 to boot. Among the guest players is McCoy's former GILLAN colleague, Bernie Torme.
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Live: |
Larger: |
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July 14, 2003
STEEL-EY DONE
It's anyone's guess as to what's been a point of insistent denial of the forthcoming event and how long it's destined to last, but it's official now: JUDAS PRIEST are adopting their maverick singer Rob Halford back into the ensemble to embark, after 12 years spent apart, on a world tour scheduled for 2004, with some more projects being on the cards to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary. Quite a sensation for, with all the success of Rob's solo output, as witnessed by his last "Crucible", and the work of the Ripper Owen-fronted group, as documented on their latest, "Live In London", the reunion will surely be more exciting. And Ripper? He's stepped aside amicably - there's always a way back in such cases, isn't it?
I HEAR VOICES
The URIAH HEEP world has always been one of the most adventurous and fruitful in rock, and here's another project's brewing up: the band's current - and longest-serving singer - Bernie Shaw and John Lawton, the group's voice in 1976-1979, are to start recording THE SHAW-LAWTON PROJECT any day soon, as the two struck a chord a long ago - John stepped in in mid-'90s when Bernie had a throat problem, then both pulled a great performances together at the Magician's Birthday Party in 2001, as seen on the DVD, and now Lawton and Shaw have found a label to place a record with.
Regarding material to end up on the album, there will be HEEP songs, some new tracks and classics, suggestions for which are welcome to be sent to JLB@ntlworld.com.
THE ORCHID ORCHESTRA PLAY
The URIAH HEEP re-issue programme proceeds apace, and there are two more titles are out, both newly remastered and supplied with bonus tracks.
The first is "Live 1973", now with the radio edits segues into one piece and film mixes made for TV broadcast taking the whole of the second disc:
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The Radio Show: |
- Stealin' |
Easy to notice though, that's the material for the film was recorded not in 1973 but in 1974, being the one used for the "Live In Shepperton" album.
The second title is an all-time classic, 1972's "The Magician's Birthday":
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- Crystal Ball |
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July 10, 2003
MUSIC OF THE POSITIVE
After an unexpected delay, another batch of the YES re-issues will finally make it to the fans' hands on August 26th. Each of the newly remastered albums is augmented with a smattering of unique bonus material, some previously unreleased.
Close To The Edge (1972):
- America (single version)
- Total Mass Retain (single version)
- And You And I (alternate version)
- Siberia ("Siberian Khatru" studio run-through)
Tales From Topographic Ocean (1973):
- Dance Of The Dawn (studio run-through)
- Giants Under The Sun (studio run-through)
Relayer (1974):
- Soon (single edit)
- Sound Chaser (single edit)
- The Gates Of Delirium (studio run-through)
Going For The One (1977):
- Montreux's Theme (issued on "YesYears")
- Vevey (Revisited) (edit of track issued on "YesYears")
- Amazing Grace (issued on "YesYears")
- Going For The One (rehearsal)
- Parallels (rehearsal)
- Turn Of The Century (rehearsal)
- Eastern Numbers ("Awaken" early version)
WHAT'S IN THE NAME
Dealing with exotic instruments like sitar back in the '60s and tapping onto electronica buzz in the '90s, Jeff Beck invariably remains on the forefront of the music experimenting. There won't be an exclusion, then, with his new album, called simply "Jeff", that's to hit the stores on July 22nd and be followed by tour later on:
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1. Hot Rod Honeymoon |
HACKETT TO SPLINTERS
When an artist is busy, the fans must prepare to be shelling out the dough, yet there's hardly any complaining aficionado of Steve Hackett's talent. Veteran guitarist has two new titles now in the pipeline to satisfy the lot with a healthy appetite.
The first of those, called "The Hungarian Horizons", is a DVD / 2CD set, although it's only in Europe that this will be available in such a form, while the US market is subscribed to a single DVD, and a 2CD edition will be obtainable exclusively through Hackett's website. Recorded in Budapest on January 26th 2002, the acoustic performance by Steve, his brother John on flute and Roger King on keyboards is included in its 104-minute entirety; also the DVD contains "A Weekend In Budapest" documentary feature.
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1. Horizons |
20. Gymnopedie #1 |
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The second title, "Live Archive NEARfest", is an Internet-only release continuing Hackett's "Live Archive" series. Taped in New Jersey on June 30th 2002, the great show played by Steve's electric band stretched to two hours and runs across two CDs:
CD 1:
1. The Floating Seventh |
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CD2:
1. Spectral Mornings |
THE BLUE LINER
Whatever you may think, he's a bluesman, Bernie Marsden, and always has been him, even back in WHITESNAKE days. So there's no surprise now, when the master guitarist puts out his new blues work, a double album "Big Boy Blue", recorded with a help from faithful friends like Geraint Watkins, Henry Spinetti, Andy Pyle and Don Airey. The second disc is, surely, an extra but it gives quite an insight into the musician's working method. Available through the guitarist's own website.
Disc 1:
1. Burn Your Bridges |
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Disc 2:
1. Wiggin's Wail |
THE CLOWNS' SYMPHONY
July 22nd will see the release of long-touted KISS concert album, "Alive IV", or "Kiss Symphony", as it's been recorded with Melbourne symphony orchestra. Another funny tricks from the old clowns, two of which get serious: Paul Stanley and Peter Criss are currently working on their own solo projects.
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1. Deuce |
11. Shandi |
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