News
October 21, 2006
ROCK ISLAND LINE
The rumors of ALCATRAZZ getting back prove true. Graham Bonnet has confirmed he teamed up with guitarist Howie Simon, bassist Tim Luce and drummer Glenn Sobel for an "Alcatrazz featuring Graham Bonnet" project that he insists isn't his old band's reunion. Who cares about reunions, though, when ALCATRAZZ was the ex-MARBLES and RAINBOW singer mindchild? Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were no more than his sidekicks... Anyway, good news. More so, having toured together during the last couple of years, Bonnet and his RAINBOW colleague Don Airey, now in DEEP PURPLE, are to meet in the studio: Don's working on another solo record and invited his old friend to lay down some great vocals.
KICK THE BLUES
J.J. Cale could have remained a cult hero for ever if not for Eric Clapton who made hits out of couple of his songs: "After Midnight" and "Cocaine". The two have never really worked together, though, no matter how Slowhand admired the equally not-hurrying master. They haven't - until August, 2005. "The Road To Escondido" is a title of the album, due out on November 7th, which marks the first real collaborations of the blues veterans who both contributed their songs to it and called for some great friends to help out. Among them are Pino Palladino on bass, Taj Mahal on harmonica, Derek Trucks and Albert Lee on guitars and the great late Billy Preston on keyboards.
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1. Danger |
RED ON THE TRACKS
Ken Hensley is finishing another album, called epically "Blood On The Highway". There'd be nothing special about the fact if not for another fact: the record sees Hensley re-unite with his old URIAH HEEP buddy who he had a short-lasting band with, John Lawton who lent his amazing voice to one of the tracks.
TALL COOL ONE... TWO... NINE!
Unfair that can be but, 25 years after stepping out on a solo road, Robert Plant still lives in the shadow of the band he once was a part of. Percy seemed to have never tried to break out of this situation, though his fans cheered every attempt of anthologizing his work. Not that there were too many. There was one: "Sixty Six To Timbuktu", a solo retrospective which took in both album and rare pre- and post-LED ZEPPELIN cuts. Now, though, there's a grand release is in the pipeline. "Nine Lives", out on October 2nd, is a box set consisting of all eight records Plant issued under his own name, plus the EP credited to HONEYDRIPPERS, a pseudo-band that included, alongside Robert such luminaries as Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Each CD comes augmented with bonus tracks - some concert recordings, some studio cuts, some unreleased but most previously released as B-sides. Also in the box is a DVD with a documentary and most of Plant's promo videos. And that's what most of the fans don't have and now have a chance to have:
Pictures At Eleven (1982)
- Far Post
- Like I've Never Been Gone (live)
Principle Of Moments (1983)
- In The Mood (live)
- Thru' With The Two Step (live)
- Lively Up Yourself (live)
- Turnaround
Honeydrippers Volume One (1984)
- Rockin' At Midnight (live)
Shaken 'N' Stirred (1985)
- Little By Little remixed long version)
Now And Zen (1988)
- Billy's Revenge (live)
- Ship Of Fools (live)
- Tall Cool One (live)
Manic Nirvana (1990)
- Oompah (Watery Bint)
- One Love
- Don't Look Back
Fate Of Nations (1993)
- Great Spirit (acoustic)
- Rollercoaster (demo)
- 8.05
- Dark Moon (acoustic)
Dreamland (2002)
- Dirt In A Hole
- Last Time I Saw Her (remix)
Mighty Rearranger (2005)
- Red White And Blue
- All The Money In The World
- Shine It All Around Girls (remix)
- Tin Pan Valley (Girls remix)
- Enchanter Unkle (reconstruction)
DVD:
1. Nine Lives - documentary
2. Burning Down One Side
3. Big Log
4. In The Mood
5. Rockin' At Midnight
6. Sea Of Love
7. Little By Little
8. Pink And Black
9. Heaven Knows
10. Tall Cool One
11. Ship Of Fools
12. Hurting Kind (I've Got My Eyes On You)
Yet that's not all. Robert Plant has always been underserved in the video department: none of his tours was documented visually, and even his Montreux concert shown on TV isn't officially released yet. On October 23rd, though, Percy's first DVD will see the light of day. Titled simply "Robert Plant And THE STRANGE SENSATION", the show was recorded at the Soundstage Studios in Chicago on September 16th, 2005. It's not that long but features a nice selection of songs from the ZEP catalogue and Plant's latest album, "Mighty Rearranger":
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1. No Quarter |
October 2, 2006
THE PLAYGROUNDS OF THE ONE CALLED GOD
With a good possibility of a new album coming in 2007, there's something more's brewing in the Ronnie James Dio camp.
One thing that's certain and true is that Ronnie and no-less-golden-pipe-endowed Meat Loaf have lent their voices to Ronnie's friend Tenacious D's - Jack Black aka Tenacious В appeared in DIO video "Push" - song "Kickapoo". The piece will appear in the "Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny" movie, out in November, and on the soundtrack album.
Less certain, although those close to the wishing well say it may well happen, is a possibility of the project called HEAVEN & HELL which will feature Ronnie Dio, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler and take it to the road next year. Yes, that's going to be BLACK SABBATH Mk II only under diffetent name because the original line-up with Ozzy Osbourne at the mike is still functional - at least, live. That's about the only reason of using another moniker, and not because the Osbournes have a share of rights to the band's name - they belong solely to Iommi. Ronnie re-built the bridges to SABS when he agreed to record a couple of new songs for the forthcoming box set which will comprise the Dio-era BLACK SABBATH albums.
THUMBS UP... OR DOWN
Very much in the latter day fashion, Peter Frampton's new album, "Fingerprints", feature a line of guests. There are some of the singer's peer, some of those who were flying high before he led THE HEARD to the pen of pop glory and some of those who shot to fame in the '90s. Don't expect the "Sgt. Pepper"-like extravaganza because Peter didn't call BEE GEES to help out this time, but as most of the veteran's solo effort's it is good, though not oustanding if you don't count a SOUNDGARDEN cover.
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1. Boot It Up - feat. Courtney Pine |
BURRELL OF TEARS
There was a good myth about Boz Burrell: Robert Fripp wanted the singer to join KING CRIMSON so much that he taught Boz to play bass and made a fantastic player out of the vocalist. Maybe that's true, maybe not, but the fact is that Raymond Burrell had a little bit of success even before Fripp needed his services. It was on Boz's solo single that Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Paice and Jon Lord recorded together for the first time ever prior to forming a group they called DEEP PURPLE, so the footnote in rock history was guaranteed for Burrell. But, having sung on CRIMSO's "Islands" and "Earthbound" he made a good name for himself to be called by The Godfather of British Blues, Alexis Korner, to play with the latter's SNAPE and then proceed to Korner's proteges, Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke, new ensemble, BAD COMPANY. In the line-up through the band's classic years, Burrell was back for the 1999's reunion but then left to pursue jazzy road in the distant recesses of the visible map.
Boz was playing at home on September 21st when, guitar in his hands, a tragedy struck. It was heart attack that robbed us of this heavy duty, big-hearted man. He was only 60...
SOMEONE CALLED IT BABYLON
It's been a talk of the town for some time but now Elton John has finally released "The Captain And The Kid" an album that should have been a follow-up to 1975's astonishing "Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy". Good intentions, although an attempt to document El and his songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin's impressions of their first visit to America feels stupid more than 30 years on. But the theme's not the problem, it's the music that's solid yet nowhere near as marvellous as on that old masterpiece. Well, you can guess that by having a glance at the two albums' covers. Then, if you're a real fan, go for the deluxe edition of the new CD which has a bonus DVD with interviews attached.
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1. Postcards From Richard Nixon |
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TURKEY'S ON THE LOOSE AGAIN
More than three decades on since they released two highly acclaimed albums WILD TURKEY are back with a new record! "You & Me In The Jungle" features alongside original members, bassist Glenn Cornick who formed band after leaving JETHRO TULL, Gary Pickford-Hopkins whose voice shone bright in Rick Wakeman's ENGLISH ROCK ENSEMBLE, guitarist Mick Dyche who's been playing with Maddy Prior and pianist Steve Gurl who graduated to BABE RUTH two new players with suchlike glorious CVs: Clive Bunker, the original TULL drummer, and former GENTLE GIANT percussionist John Weathers. They have a web presence now, where the new disc can be listened to and ordered.
NO REST FOR MERRY GENTLEMAN
Having traded the Christmas frozen waters with a single that was a bonus to 2004's "Beyond The Sunset" collection, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT bring a full-blown Yuletide album on November 24th. Titled "Winter Carols", it features both traditional and original pieces including those that have been out on the single:
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1. Hark The Herald Angels Sing / Come All Ye Faithful |
The sound isn't everything, still. While there's an unauthorized Ritchie Blackmore biography, "Black Night" is out, the guitar supremo and his fiancee, Candice Night, have decided to tell their fans some good yarns in the book called "The Next Stage", which will be available soon through the BLACKMORE'S NIGHT's official website.
But the good old folks who cherish not only the current activities of the veteran but also his past feats won't be left disappointed - there's a couple of RAINBOW DVD releases in the pipeline, both previously issued on VHS and now remastered.
The first is "Live At Budokan, Tokyo, 1984" documenting Ritchie's band's last tour on the verge of DEEP PURPLE's reunion.
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1. Spotlight Kid |
11. Drum Solo / Blues |
The second DVD brings together two programmes, "Live Between The Eyes" from 1982 and the videos collection, "Final Cut".
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Live Between The Eyes |
Final Cut |
After these, the only RAINBOW video still to be officially released is their Rockpalast concert from 1995.
CROSS THE LINE
While on tour as part of the resurrected ASIA, John Wetton and Geoff Downes don't forget about their other project, ICON. The end of this month will see a release of their live album, "Never In A Million Years" but November will bring something new, a new studio CD, "Rubicon". Recorded with longtime Wetton's accompanists, drummer Steve Christey and guitarist John Mitchell, it also features ELO's Hugh McDowell who played on the ICON debut album as well as Anneke van Giersbergen from the doom metal giants THE GATHERING and who sings with John on two cuts and 15-years old violin prodigy Katie Jacoby.
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1. The Die Is Cast |
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