News
September 17, 2008
THE SILENCE GROWS, IT HAS NO PLACE WITH LIFE
It's with great sadness everybody learnt of untimely death of Richard Wright, the keyboard maestro and one of the PINK FLOYD founders. Aged 65, Rick passed away on September 15th after a short battle with cancer. The silent one in the band to be effectively ousted from FLOYD by Roger Waters at the time of "The Wall", Wright's playing was a major part of the quartet's sound, and without him, there'd be neither "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" nor "Echoes" as we know them; in the latter he even shared vocals with David Gilmour. And that's without saying Richard Wright's "The Great Gig In The Sky" is as marvellous piece of "The Dark Side Of The Moon" as the collectively written "Time". A soft-spoken gentleman, he never held any hostility towards his more in-your-face friends and will be sorely missed. Now, the high hopes of PINK FLOYD reunion are tragically put to end.
...AND YOU CAN TELL EVERYBODY THIS IS YOUR SONG
Quite a unique proposition will come in October: a music memorabilia auction SongVest will offer everyone interested to buy a percentage of the writer’s share of some good songs including AEROSMITH's "Gotta Love It", Ozzy Osbourne's "Denial", Cher's "My Song (Too Far Gone), Ringo Starr's "Never Without You", THE MONKEES' "Theme From 'The Monkees'" and BON JOVI's "Two Story Town". Press release states it will be the songwriters' right to determine the terms of each auction, including what percentage - up to 100% - of each song they’d like to sell, the reserve price that guarantees nothing will sell for less than what they want, and the auction duration. Still, it's only a share but not the copyright, as the writers retain control of usage. Buyers will earn every time the songwriter does. What a generous offer!
NOT JUST A SIGN IN THE SAND
Originally planned for 2004, it's only on May 6th, 2008 that WISHBONE ASH played their 1972's classic album "Argus" in its entirety - although without an orchestra, as it was for the Washington's XM Satellite Radio. Not a mean feat for Andy Powell who was sick due to food poisoning the night before the recording, the band consisting of him, Muddy Manninen, Bob Skeat and Joe Crabtree delivered a poweful performance before a live studio audience and added some more songs to bookend the "Argus" collection. Now, the recording will be for all to hear: available initially at the AshCon fans meeting and the upcoming UK tour, "Argus "Then Again" Live" will be sold via the ASH site rather soon.
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1. Introduction |
QUITE A ROUNDABOUT
It won't be the first time YES play fronted by some other than Jon Anderson, but the band's early '80s incarnation came to be due to the singer's - and Rick Wakeman's for that matter - amicable splitting and was dramatically different from what had been before. Now, though, they're going to be looking a bit like cover ensemble. "In The Present" tour starting November 4th in Canada to mark the group's 40th anniversary will be good on the keyboards front thanks to Oliver Wakeman stepping in for his non-toruing-anymore father, yet the vocalist's position left vacant by asthma-stricken Jon will be taken by Benoit David, a Montreal native found via the Internet while checking out the YES tribute bands. Too much of an Anderson copy, he's unlikely to give the veterans a new lease of life.
TURN FROM HOT TO VERY COOL
THE MOVE must be the most underrated of all British classic rock bands. The clever psych and hotel-thrashing pioneers as well as masters of fantastic tunes, mostly written by Roy Wood, they could have given THE KINKS a run for their money in the tunes and lyrics department... if only THE MOVE had the money. Having had turned into ELO soon after Jeff Lynne joined the ranks, they've found the coveted success at the price of their coolness that;s in the focus of "Anthology 1966-1972", a 4CD box set due out on September 29th. The 62 tracks include not only hit singles, best albums tracks and B-sides but also rarities and previously unreleased material while one of the discs catches THE MOVE on stage. With 72-page booklet with photos, an extensive band history, interviews and complete track-by-track info, it's an essential purchase.
Disc 1: 1966-1967
1. You're The One I Need |
 Disc 2: Live At The Marquee 1968
1. Move Bolero |
Disc 3: 1968 - 1969
1. Somethin Else (EP version) |
Disc 4: 1969 - 1972
1. I Can Hear The Grass Grow (Fillmore West, 1969) |
GIRLS CAN HELP IT!
This year GIRLSCHOOL celebrate their 30th anniversary and come up with a new album, appropriately titled "Legacy". It features some great guests, including the band's old friends frim MOTORHEAD, namely Phil Campbell and Eddie Clarke who nails down some solos, plus Lemmy singing and playing on "Don't Talk To Me", as well as TWISTED SISTER's J.J. French and Eddie Ojeda, veteran bassist Neil Murray and, on bonus mix of "I Spy", Ronnie James Dio on vocals and Tony Iommi on lead guitar. The most poignant is an appearance of the band's guitarist, Kelly Johnson, who died last year: on "Everything's The Same" her ashes are used as percussion!
GETTING TO THE BONE
He must be playing the great gig in the sky for 32 years now yet while Paul Kossoff is gone he's surely not forgotten, with FREE's "All Right Now" blaring from the TV every now and again and Gary Moore's grimace reflecting that of Koss. Before the fame kicked in and Paul Rodgers came into the picture, the teenage guitarist had played with BLACK CAT BONES, an otherwise unremarkable bluesy outfit whose recordings with Kossoff are gathered now on "Paul's Blues". A 2CD collection, out on September 29th, is for the fans only.
Disc 1:
1. Rock Me Baby (version 1) |
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Disc 2:
1. Rock Me Baby (version 3) |
September 3, 2008
JIVE BUNNY: BEHIND THE SMILE
Some of us used to cut the rug to the rock 'n' roll megamixes by enigmatic but jolly dude called Jive Bunny. The man behind the monicker, Terry Webster, appears to be much more serious artist than it may seem. He came across this site where the band he was in, THE WES MINSTER FIVE, is mentioned in both Jon Hiseman and Tony Reeves' interviews. And that's what Terry has to say to the visitors:
"I used to be bass player and lead vocalist with WES MINSTER in 1964. I notice our line-up is never mentioned in the WES MINSTER's history. I got the gig through drummer Jim Ellis; we were both in Jet Harris’s JETBLACKS before Tony Meehan. Clive Burrows was in the band on baritone [sax], and Paul Raymond on keys, who later joined Tony Jackson from SEARCHERS. We would do gigs across England for about 4 pounds each and recorded at Carnival records, and I sang and played on "Mickey's Monkey" and "Sticks 'n' Stones" plus backing various Blue Beat artistes. We also became Tony Brook (me) and THE BREAKERS briefly on EMI Columbia with my own song "Meanie Genie" and B-side "Ooh Poo Pa Doo". I used to live in a bedsit in the same block as Brian (Wes) in Fulham and he bought my Fender Jazz bass as I couldn't afford HP and was leaving the band to play guitar and sing at the Kings Arms Old Kent Road with Zac Lawrence quartet.
Terry Webster - www.terrywebster.co.uk
RENAISSANCE FAIR
As it's been stated before, there'd be no RENAISSANCE reunion but the possible collaboration between the former band members weren't ruled out. So on September 20, Annie Haslam will be joined on Sellersville, PA's stage not only by brilliant young musician Jann Klose, who's recently released a great album, "Reverie", but also by her old friend, the RENAISSANCE keyboard maestro, John Tout. Hopefully, the set will be recorded, though at this time there's no word on it.
THOUGHTS OF THE ILL-FATED DAY
The day has almost come! On September 29th the eagerly-awaited "Fotheringay 2" album by - who else? - FOTHERINGAY is out. Restored and remastered by the band's guitarist, Jerry Donahue - read his reports here - the second album from Sandy Denny's band featuring also Pat Donaldson on bass, Gerry Conway on drums and Trevor Lucas on guitar and vocals was never finished, and most of the group joined FAIRPORT CONVENTION, but the recording sessions did take place, and here's the result:
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1. John The Gun |
VOX POPULI?
"Chinese Democracy" isn't only the title of fourteen-years-in-the-making GUNS N' ROSES album - it's also an oxymoron. And now it's a sinister figure of speech, as the last week a 27-year-old American blogger Kevin "Skwerl" Cogill was arrested by FBI - not called to court as he should have been - for sharing nine unreleased Axl Rose and Co's tunes on his webspace. Skwerl has been released on bail now, but is he guilty? In fact, the fans must have turned their backs on the jerker singer who feeds them with false promises and has done nothing for a long long time. But the pitch is high so it's not surprising that what leaks is circulating and being downloaded. But why there's no prosecution for those who let the studio walls crack? In this case violation of the copyright laws is the mute point...
WHAT THESE BELLS ARE MADE OF
Did you ever think there's a direct link between the Hell's bells and the Christmas ones? If no, now it's time to think, as on October 14th out will be "We Wish You A Metal Christmas And A Headbanging New Year" - and this is not your usual yuletide covers album in silver foil, as the musos on this one are hard rock elite. Just imagine Ronnie Dio's pipes chiming "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" with Tony Iommi's guitar doing the riff... if only they called Ian Anderson's flute to arms! One hell of a Xmas gift, ain't it?
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1. We Wish You A Merry Xmas - |
 
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THE ANGELS WINGS FLAPPING
Angel Air has announced the label's release plan for October. Among the great-as-usual-artifacts, three are deserving the utmost attention.
NINE BELOW ZERO's "Both Sides Of" title refers to the CD/DVD package that is to be out on the verge of the band's 30th anniversary. They've done much over the years, these guys linked to the late great Rory Gallagher, and 2009 will bring a new album. Meanwhile, there's two live recordings: the audio one comes from the 2006 tour of Serbia, Slovakia, Macedonia and Croatia, while the visuals were captured in 2007 in England. That's what Gerry McAvoy, Mark Feltham, Dennis Greaves and Brendan O'Neill have to offer:
CD:
1. 11 + 11 |
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1. Duke |
Then, there's FIRE. To a certain extent legendary English band who in 1970 came up with a psych / prog concept album "The Magic Shoemaker". Now considered as a masterpiece, back then the success proved elusive and the group's driving force, Dave Lambert joined STRAWBS and still plays with them, while FIRE broke up. But that record's status has grown so that in the late 2007 the ensemble reunited to play their suite on the Surrey stage. The tapes, so to say, were rolling and the result is "The Magic Shoemaker Live".
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1. Overture (To A Shoemaker) |
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Sir John Betjeman was one of the most loved modern English poets who inspired many a musician. One of these was Mike Read who set the classic's verses to music and invited a stellar cast of singers to deliver the lines. Originally released in 1990, now "Sound Of Poetry" will be a rarity no more!
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CD 1:
1. Cliff Richard - November Night |
CD 2:
1. Justin Hayward - Tregardock |
TIME TO SIT DOWN AND REST ON THE PORCH
As John Fogerty's latest record, "Revival", shows, there's no diminishing in the interest to the CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL's legacy. There's been some re-issues of the band's back catalogue, even boxed, but what is going to be out on October 6th will be the definitive release: all six albums with bonus tracks - some live, some rare, some previously unheard. And this is what the fans are to grab:
Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Call It Pretending (B-side)
- Before You Accuse Me (out-take)
- Ninety-Nine And A Half (live at The Fillmore)
- Suzie Q (live at The Fillmore)
Bayou Country
- Bootleg (alt. take)
- Born On The Bayou (live in London)
- Proud Mary (live in Stockholm)
- Crazy Otto (live at The Fillmore)
Green River
- Broken Spoke Shuffle (instrumental)
- Glory Be (instrumental)
- Bad Moon Rising (live in Berlin)
- Green River/Suzie Q (live in Stockholm)
- Lodi (live in Hamburg)
Willy And The Poor Boys
- Fortunate Son (live in Manchester)
- It Came Out Of The Sky (live in Berlin)
- Down On The Corner (jam with Booker T.)
Cosmo’s Factory
- Travelin' Band (remake take)
- Up Around The Bend (live in Amsterdam)
- Born On The Bayou (jam with Booker T.)
Pendulum
- 45 Revolutions Per Minute (part 1)
- 45 Revolutions Per Minute (part 2)
- Hey Tonight (live in Hamburg)
AIN'T NO BAD DAY FOR THE BLUES
The color of the cover and the title of Gary Moore's new album, "Bad For You Baby", out on September 22nd, leave no doubt this will be another one in his glory row of blues records. Featuring covers such as Muddy Waters' "Walkin’ Thru the Park" and "Someday Baby", there's two guests, Otis and Cassie Taylor. More so, one track has the Irish guitarist playing harmonica. There'll be a bonus cut on the Japanese and download version of the album, an acoustic version of Lightnin' Hopkins' "Picture On The Wall", so choose your variant wisely.
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1. Bad For You Baby |
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