The legendary British band Pendragon once again triumphed at the Classic Rock Society Best Of Year Awards. During the Saturday ceremony in Wath, the musicians received awards in the most important categories: Best Drummer - Scott Higham, Best Keyboards - Clive Nolan, Best Live Gig - Pendragon at the CRS, Best track - This Green & Pleasant Land, Best Album – Passion. Congratulations!
As previously announced Metal Mind Productions will release a brand new DVD by Pendragon. Out Of Order Comes Chaos DVD will be available on April, 23rd in Europe and June, 19th in USA (via MVD) and contains a show recorded in Katowice during the Polish leg of the tour promoting the band’s most recent album Passion. For the first time in their career, live material will be released also on a Blu-Ray.
Nick Barrett: "We've tried to do material that we haven't played very much before, particularly in Poland, and for the DVD we've changed the set drastically so that people don't buy the new DVD and it's just got the same songs as the last one.”
Here is the final tracklist:
1. Passion
2. Back in the Spotlight
3. Ghosts
4. Not of this World
5. Comatose
6. If I Were the Wind
7. Freakshow
8. Empathy
9. This Green and Pleasant Land
10. Shane
11. Feeding Frenzy
12. Nostradamus
13. Last Man on Earth
14. Indigo
15. Prayer
16. Paintbox
Bonus video:
Interview with Nick Barrett
"...Some of the Order"
"...Some of the Chaos"
Steve Hogarth Richard Barbieri - Not The Weapon But The Hand
Not The Weapon But The Hand, the new album from Steve Hogarth and Richard Barbieri, will be available on Kscope from February 27th 2012. Kscope recently caught up with Steve and Richard to discuss the album. The first part of this discussion can be now seen on the album mini-site. The site also features a 7 minute album sampler, downloads, pre-order link for the album and more.
More details can also be found on the Kscope app which has been updated to feature album artwork, audio and news.
Hogarth is best known as the frontman of Marillion, the progressive rock legends that he joined in 1989, following spells in The Europeans and How We Live. In addition to the 12 albums Marillion have released in this time he has also recorded and toured as a solo artist, under the name h.
In recent years Richard Barbieri has been a core member of Porcupine Tree playing keyboards on all the band's albums since 1993 as well as releasing two solo albums, Things Buried and Stranger Inside. Prior to this, it was in the new-wave pioneers Japan that he originally came to prominence, helping to create the groundbreaking synthesiser sound that defined the band and influenced the likes of The Human League, Duran Duran, Gary Numan, Talk Talk, Kate Bush and a whole raft of artists to follow.
The band also influenced Hogarth, at that point playing keyboards in The Europeans; 'When I was in my mid-twenties Japan's 'Tin Drum' album was a firm favourite and truly a groundbreaking work... Japan were one of those rare bands where each musician seemed to have reinvented his instrument overnight. Central to this sound was the unmistakable synthesiser programming/playing of my, now, chum Mr B.'
Many years later Porcupine Tree played some shows with Marillion and Steve invited Richard to be part of The H Band on his Ice Cream Genius album and subsequent tour ('I asked him "Can you make me a sound which starts off like a gong and turns into a jet engine?" - it took him roughly 2 minutes...') and this association developed into what Hogarth describes as 'an easy working relationship which rapidly became an understanding beyond music.'
It wasn't surprising then that the duo decided to collaborate on a joint project, a venture initiated by Barbieri as Hogarth recalls; 'I remember where I was when the email from Richard arrived airing the possibility of a collaboration. I was in Starbucks in Leeds on tour a few years back. From that day forward it was on my mind fairly constantly. The only problem was finding the time to collaborate in between my Marillion schedule and his Porcupine Tree schedule. This year - a week here and a week there - we have managed to do it. Richard has sent me a number of beautiful and unusual instrumentals and I have found lyric ideas to create sometimes songs, sometimes narratives against his musical landscapes.
'It also goes beyond what you might expect from the two of us... The album consists of music which is at times moving, complex, multilayered (both instrumentally and vocally) spooky, goofy and of course, very personal to me.
'I am now as excited about this album as I was at the prospect of the collaboration in the first-place. Ain't it great when a plan comes together?!...'
Not The Weapon But The Hand was completed in late 2011 and features occasional appearances from Danny Thompson on double bass, Arran Ahmun (John Martyn) and Chris Maitland (ex-Porcupine Tree, No-Man, Blackfield) on drums and guitar and string arrangement contributions from Dave Gregory (XTC).
Gavin Harrison - new album from Porcupine Tree drummer
The Man Who Sold Himself, the new album from the collaboration between Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison and the multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter 05Ric, will be released on Kscope on February 27th 2012.
Gavin has recently created a new signature drum stick in conjunction with Vic Firth, his drum stick supplier.
In addition to being voted Best Progressive Drummer four years in a row in the Modern Drummer Magazine's readers poll, Gavin was also recently invited to perform on the David Letterman show as part of his Drum Solo week.
Best known for his work with Porcupine Tree, he has also played extensively with King Crimson as well as providing session drumming for a host of respected artists but his work with 05Ric has allowed him to develop some of the work that he has created outside these projects.
05Ric uses his voice, extended range bass and guitars to turn his love of sound into sonic tapestries. His vocals, virtuoso playing and a chance meeting between the two has led to one of the most interesting and complex musical collaborations in recent years.
The Man Who Sold Himself will be released as a 2 disc set which, alongside the stereo mix of the album on CD, features a 5.1 mix on DVD, allowing fans to enjoy the intricate complexities of the album in full surround glory. A montage of the tracks can be heard on The Man Who Sold Himself mini-site.
The union of 05Ric’s distinctive style with Gavin’s extraordinary drumming has already produced some unique results but Gavin has stated that with The Man Who Sold Himself, 'we have continued to push the boundaries of our rhythmic and harmonic possibilities, I believe these are some of the wildest rhythmic concepts that I have ever conjured and 05Ric has snaked his bass around.'
05Ric goes on to explain that lyrically the album deals with themes “based on the greed of the financial global crisis, the empty shallowness of goal seeking without passion or for its own sake and the destructive force left behind by selfish behaviour - but the central character through heightened awareness and right action discovers his true calling.”
The album, which was written over the last two years and recorded in mid-2011, is the duo's first release since Circles in 2009. Circles was described by Classic Rock Prog as 'bristling with instrumental technique and firepower... it is peppered with a pulsating, muscular funk that pushes through generic barriers to create its own unique space.'
The Man Who Sold Himself looks set to push these barriers even further.
The set can now be ordered from The Man Who Sold Himself mini-site. In addition to the montage, the site also features a free MP3, downloads and more.
Hemel Hempstead based prog genius Steven Wilson has spoken about his decision to rename his latest album, Grace For Drowning, to King For Crimson.
In an exclusively imaginary interview, Wilson told us that, though he was exceptionally proud of his magnum opus, a body of work that has generally been acknowledged as "the greatest piece of music written, ever", he had been touched by a letter from one of his fans.
"It was just a simple letter" he told us, "written in multi coloured crayon. In it, Matthew, aged 47 1/2, said that although he loved and worshiped the album like every one else does, he felt that it sounded more like a homogonised King Crimson album than a Steven Wilson one"
Wilson, who has spent most of the last two years lovingly remastering the King Crimson back catalog, confirmed that an expanded version of the renamed album would be available for fans on May 16th, the birthday of one of Progressive Rocks greatest heroes.
North Atlantic Oscillation & Mothlite live in London, Wednesday 2nd May
At the end of September Kscope hosted a special night at the Union Chapel in London. Nosound, Engineers, Bruce Sord from The Pineapple Thief and Anathema all performed stripped back sets in front of a sold-out crowd at this breath-taking venue.
On Wednesday 2nd May Kscope will be hosting another evening, this time to celebrate the release of the new albums from North Atlantic Oscillation and new signings Mothlite. North Atlantic Oscillation will release Fog Electric on April 30th with Dark Age from Mothlite following on May 14th.
The venue will be The Tabernacle in London’s Notting Hill and tickets are now available from the venue’s website.
Touchstone reissue 3 albums with bonus stuff and tour!
Modern progressive rockers announce catalogue reissues with bonus material and spring UK tour.
Rapidly rising effervescent British progressive/modern melodic rock five-piece Touchstone are set to release their back catalogue on March 26 (Europe) & March 23 (GSA) through SPV/Steamhammer. The group, who are currently promoting new album The City Sleeps, will embark on a mini UK tour in the spring to mark the occasion.
The reissues, which include the enhanced edition of the band's first EP Mad Hatters (2006) as well as debut full length album Discordant Dreams (2007) and Wintercoast (2009), will contain rare and previously unreleased live bonus tracks recorded at 2010's High Voltage Festival in London's Victoria Park, as well as additional never-seen-before artwork by guitarist Adam Hodgson.
The Wintercoast album release will contain fully mixed and mastered live renditions of ‘Shadow’ and ‘Joker In The Pack’, whilst Discordant Dreams will feature the epic ‘Wintercoast’ and energetic crowd favourite ‘Strange Days’. Full track listing for the releases is below.
Touchstone released new studio album The City Sleeps on SPV/Steamhammer in October 2011 to critical acclaim. The album went straight into the UK Top 40 Official Rock Charts at No. 36 and featured in the top 20 of Classic Rock Magazine and Classic Rock Presents PROG’s Best Albums of 2011 Critics Choice.
Spring headline tour dates are as follows, and a European tour is currently in the pipeline for autumn 2012:
Friday 30th March – The Duchess, York + Heather Findlay & Chris Johnson Saturday 31st March – The Peel, Kingston-Upon-Thames + Haken Sunday 1st April – The Tunnels, Bristol + Shadow Of The Sun
WINTERCOAST
1. Prelude
2. Wintercoast
3. Strange Days
4. Joker In The Pack
5. Original Sin
6. Voices
7. Zinomorph
8. Solace
9. Line In The Sand
10. The Witness Pt1
11. The Witness Pt2
12. Zinomorph (Radio Edit) BONUS TRACKS:
13. Shadow (Live at High Voltage 2010)
14. Joker In The Pack (Live at High Voltage 2010)
DISCORDANT DREAMS
1. Intro
2. Discordant Dreams
3. Curious Angel
4. See The Light
5. Being Hannah
6. Shadow
7 .Winter Coast Instrumental
8. Ocean Down
9. Blacktide
10. Dignity
11. The Beggar’s Song BONUS TRACKS:
12. Wintercoast (Live at High Voltage 2010)
13. Strange Days (Live at High Voltage 2010)
MAD HATTERS EP - ENHANCED
1. Misguided Fool
2. One Shot
3. Hear Me
4. The Mad Hatter’s Song BONUS TRACKS:
5. Original Sin - Live
6. Dignity – Live
Steven Wilson has announced that he will be playing four dates in South America as part of the second leg of the Grace For Drowning tour. In addition to the shows in Venezuela, Chile, Argentina and Brasil, the tour will also visit the West Coast of the US and Europe. Full listings are below and ticket links are available on the Steven Wilson Facebook page.
Here's a taster of what to expect (recorded on the first leg of the tour)...
Wednesday April 4th - Showbox, Seattle, USA Friday April 6th - Fillmore, San Francisco, USA Saturday April 7th - House of Blues, Los Angeles, USA Monday April 9th - House of Blues, Dallas, USA Friday April 13th - Metropolitan, Mexico City, Mexico Sunday April 15th - Ciec Universidad Metropolitana, Caracas, Venezuela Tuesday April 17th - Teatro Oriente, Santiago, Chile Wednesday April 18th - Teatro Oriente, Santiago, Chile Thursday April 19th -Teatro Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina Saturday April 21st - Santana Hall, Sao Paulo, Brazil Wednesday April 25th – KB, Malmo, Sweden Thursday April 26th - Gota Kallare, Stockholm, Sweden Saturday April 28th - Grieg Hall, Bergen, Norway Sunday April 29th - Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway Monday April 30th - Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark Wednesday May 2nd – 013, Tilburg, Netherlands Thursday May 3rd - Alte Feuerwache Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany Friday May 4th – Trianon, Paris, France Sunday May 6th – Garage, Saarbrücken, Germany Monday May 7th -Theaterhaus, Stuttgart, Germany Wednesday May 9th - Konzertfabrik Z7, Pratteln, Switzerland Thursday May 10th – Alcatraz, Milan, Italy Friday May 11th – Orion, Rome, Italy Sunday May 13th – FZW, Dortmund, Germany Monday May 14th - Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium Tuesday May 15th - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, London
For more details on Grace for Drowning, visit the album site at gracefordrowning.com
Progging legend Damian Wilson (Threshold, Headspace, Landmarq, Ayreon) will close his celebration of 20 years in the music industry with the reissue of his debut solo album Cosmas.
In May 2011 the DVD set Cheers Lads! 20 years of avoiding a job was released, containing a Damian Wilson Band concert, interviews and footage from the last 20 years.
In November 2011 he released the double disc set I Thought The World Was Listening 1997-2011 (Silhobbit review here, a retrospective album containing songs from his solo albums and previously unreleased material.
On March 23rd a re-mastered edition of his debut solo album Cosmas will be released on all major digital platforms and as limited edition digipack CD.
"Cosmas was originally mastered in 1997 by Chris Blair the Senior Mastering Engineer at Abbey Road Studios. Chris worked with the Beatles, Queen, Pink Floyd, Radiohead and many many more of my favourite artists. So I felt very fortunate. With changing times, equipment and 'ears', the CD now feels like it was mastered more for vinyl than CD. Today albums are often excessively limited and over compressed through digital formatting. I have always tried to stay clear of this, but felt that the original master, while good for it's time, could be improved on, so it can stand up against the modern recordings of today."
Hastings based psychoproggers KingBathmat have just released their fourth free song this year.
Dives And Paupers, described as a 6 min Psychedelic Progressive Rock Song of epic aspirations can be downloaded from their website at www.kingbathmat.com or through SoundCloud.
Previous free downloads can be got from their Facebook page, while the "Dives and Paupers" track can be heard on YouTube
Walter Trout has added a new date to his March 2012 UK Tour. The former guitarist for John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Canned Heat, and John Lee Hooker, will play the Boom Boom Club at Sutton Utd Football Club on Tuesday 13th March.
Walter Trout is one of the world’s great guitarists. Having recently celebrated his 20th year as a solo recording artist, Trout’s UK tour precedes the release of his new studio album Blues For The Modern Daze. The album is released by Provogue Records in the UK on Monday 23rd April, the same day Trout performs a session on BBC Radio 2’s Paul Jones Rhythm & Blues Show.
Tuesday 6th March - The Brook, Southampton Wednesday 7th March - O2 Academy, Newcastle Thursday 8th March - City Varieties, Leeds Friday 9th March - O2 Academy, Sheffield Saturday 10th March - The Grand, Clitheroe Sunday 11th March - The Lowry, Salford Monday 12th March - Arts Centre, Pontardawe Tuesday 13th March - Boom Boom Club, Sutton Wednesday 14th March - Robin 2, Bilston Thursday 15th March - The Tunnels, Bristol Friday 16th March - The Wharf, Tavistock
Legendary Polish proggers SBB return in early April with a brand new studio album simply titled SBB. Today the band revealed its cover artwork created by the well-known Polish architect Tomasz Konior.
Józef Skrzek, the leader of the band, recalls the first meeting with Konior: "We had many common things to talk about - we were talking about Krystian Zimerman, the remodeling of the market place in Katowice and so on. I mentioned that he could work on SBB’s new album cover - Tomasz said he has never done anything like this before, but he took on this challenge... We have the same sensibility on beauty – that’s another common thing. For me, the album cover is extremely important, and Tomasz just hit the mark. This is our first but surely not the last project."
The album will be released by Metal Mind Productions on April 2nd in Europe and June 5th in USA (via MVD). Skrzek describes the new material as "a new sound - fresh, mature yet spontaneous and full of youthful energy". SBB currently consists of Józef Skrzek and Apostolis "Lakis" Anthimos.
Van der Graaf Generator legend Judge Smith creates "Orfeas", a movie for your ears
Independent composer and recording artist Judge Smith, who in 1967 co-founded with Peter Hammill the influential underground band Van der Graaf Generator, has created a movie for your ears – a new concept CD titled Orfeas; a retelling of the ancient myth of Orpheus, the magical musican who travels to the Land of the Dead in search of the lost Eurydice. Since his Van der Graaf Generator days, Judge Smith has been responsible for a wide variety of music projects, including four stage-musicals (with productions at the Edinburgh Traverse, Sheffield Crucible and the Lyric, Hammersmith), opera and cantata libretti, songs for the ‘70s TV show Not The Nine O’clock News, and songs recorded by Peter Hammill and Lene Lovich. His film The Brass Band has won several international awards. Judge Smith's music is complex in structure and often fragmented, but is always tuneful and strangely memorable, with humor never far from the surface. In the course of a twenty-year independent solo career, he has released ten CDs and DVDs.
“My principal interest is in telling stories with words and music,” explains Judge. “Some of my CDs are collections of songs, the usual format for an album, although people say that my songs are unusual and idiosyncratic. However, three of my projects are in a different category. Over many years, I have developed a new way of making extended musical narratives that I call ‘Songstories’, which are more complex than song-cycles or ‘rock operas’. They are not ‘musicals’ either, since they are pretty well un-stageable, and are each intended to be being complete as an ‘audio experience’. The three Songstories are all very different. The first, Curly’s Airships, a double CD with a running time of two hours and twenty minutes, was completed in 2000 after six years full-time work, and tells the story of the 1930 R-101 Airship disaster. It is probably one the largest and most ambitious pieces of rock music ever recorded. The second, The Climber, released in 2009, in complete contrast, is performed by me with an unaccompanied Norwegian male voice choir, and a double bass. The third Songstory is Orfeas, my own interpretation of the Classical myth.”
This Songstory uses wildly contrasting styles of music to tell its story, including instrumental Rock, Mediterranean guitar music, modern classical string sextet music, classical Trance dance music and Death Metal. 'Orfeas' also features a radical, and little-known, technique for transforming recorded speech into melody. “As far as I am aware, I am the only person making work like this, and I think it would be probably fair to say that no one else does what I do,” says Judge.
“Best known for his role in the formation of Van de Graaf Generator, Judge Smith is clearly not an artist with much interest in toeing the line. 'Orfeas', a three-act 'songstory' in which Smith and a host of guest performers re-imagine the titular Greek legend as he headlines at Wembley Arena, is effectively an exercise in schizophrenic musical theatre, replete with rambling soliloquies and plot-revealing dialogue set to avant-garde chamber music, that takes in everything from Jaunty rock radio-jingles and ethereal pop.” Dom Lawson – Classic Rock Presents Prog
In recent news, on November 6, 2011 a performance of Judge Smith's The House That Cried was held in Como, Italy. The show also took place on November 20, 2011 in Chiasso, Switzerland.
Weather Systems, the new album from Anathema, available on Kscope on April 16th 2012
Anathema return in April with Weather Systems, their brand new studio album.
Weather Systems, is the follow-up 2010’s We're Here Because We're Here. That album featured prominently in numerous end-of-year polls and the producer, Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), has described it as 'definitely among the best albums I’ve ever had the pleasure to work on.'
The bar for Weather Systems, has been set pretty high then but Daniel Cavanagh from the band is certain that the album will exceed these lofty expectations, ‘it feels like we are at a creative peak right now, and this album reflects that. Everything from the production to the writing to the performances are a step up from our last album.’ He continues, ‘This is not background music for parties. The music is written to deeply move the listener, to uplift or take the listener to the coldest depths of the soul.’
The intertwining melodic structures of these profoundly beautiful songs are intensely powerful, yet simple. These are songs that will transport the listener closer to the heart of life, that is to say, to the heart of themselves. It is also an album of polarity. The play of opposites; light and shade, birth and death, love and fear. The simple truths of life and loss, hope and strength and darker internal themes are all explored here.
The album was recorded in Liverpool, North Wales and Oslo, each place significant to Anathema past, present and future. The record was produced and mastered by 5 times Norwegian Grammy nominated Christer-André Cederberg (Animal Alpha, In the Woods..., Drawn), who Daniel has described as ‘a revelation. His calmness and brilliance has helped to bring about the greatest inter-band chemistry that Anathema have experienced together in their career.’
This career stretches back to 1990 when the band formed in Liverpool. Since then the band have embarked on a remarkable musical journey, initially emerging as pioneers of melodic heavy music and continually evolving over the ensuing years, always remaining true to their original goal of creating forward thinking, meaningful, passionate and honest music.
Anathema are a collective of two families; brothers and childhood friends. This album will please fans who call for more of ’s vocals, as her role within Anathema’s brand of alternative, melodic rock has matured to become an integral energy. In this way and more, Weather Systems is the sound of a band finding their voice and growing in stature, moving further along their artistic path with a truly stunning musical vision.
Their best ever work? ‘Not yet’ says Daniel, but he does believe that with Weather Systems they have surpassed previous glories; ‘we are pleased and proud of the record and we feel that, alongside the best moments of WHBWH, this record contains our very best work so far in what is becoming a long career.’
Weather Systems will be available on Kscope from April 16th 2012.
Dark Age, the second album from Mothlite will be released on Kscope in May
Mothlite is the brainchild of Daniel O’Sullivan. A prolific composer and multi-instrumentalist, O’Sullivan is a member of Ulver and a regular collaborator with Sunn O))), Guapo, Æthenor, Miracle and Grumbling Fur.
Mothlite allows him to move in different musical directions to those taken by his other projects, recalling the deepest remnants of 80’s sounds (Talk Talk, Japan, Cocteau Twins) and fusing it with an innovative, forward-thinking approach to programming and sound design. The result is a grandiose gothic-pop euphoria that retains a subliminally progressive musical depth and O’Sullivan’s songwriting collaborations with The Big Pink and Ulver are apparent in Mothlite’s keen sense of production and lush atmospheric arrangements.
Mothlite transcend any obvious reference point and follow a most novel path of paradoxes. Love, death, death of love, selfloathing, megalomania. All dipped in a thick treacly molasses of ecstatic melody.
Dark Age will be available on CD, vinyl and to download. The digipack CD and vinyl editions are now available to pre-order from the Kscope store.
The vinyl edition of Dark Age is packed in a 5 colour gatefold sleeve with a matt laminate finish and the inner bag is on uncoated stock with 2 colour pantone print. All copies ordered from Kscope come with a code to download the album, and the first 500 orders will come with an exclusive, limited edition 7" single featuring the radio edit of Something In The Sky b/w a cover of Why by Carly Simon.
If you've listen to the latest Proggy Style podcast, then you'll know than Germans RPWL are back with a new album, Beyond Man And Sky to be released on 9th March. We played the track We Are What We Are on the show, and, probably, after hearing that, the band have released a single version and video of a different track, Unchain The Earth
Fog Electric, the new album from North Atlantic Oscillation
North Atlantic Oscillation’s new album Fog Electric will be released on April 30th through Kscope. It produced by Tony Doogan (Super Furry Animals, Mogwai, Teenage Fanclub, Belle & Sebastian). Fog Electric is the follow-up to Grappling Hooks, NAO‘s debut which received massive critical acclaim when it was released in 2010.
The title, taken from the lyric of the track Mirador, introduces a stormy theme that runs throughout the record's sounds - in the crashing electronics, delicate lulls, mystery and hidden soul beneath the surface: a leitmotif also reflected in the typically stylish and dramatic artwork.
"It's an album about doubt and loss, but there's a counterbalancing sense of resignation and even optimism too," explains singer Sam Healy. "One of the main themes is that of searching for meaning in a scientific, post-religious world. Science is absolutely a force for good, but after it showed us that the physical world is all there is, and that far from stripping experiences of their mystery this revelation actually makes them more mysterious, it sort of left us to our own devices in terms of producing the unscripted, improvised drama that is life-minus-god."
North Atlantic Oscillation is the climactic phenomenon caused by fluctuations in the atmospheric pressure between the Icelandic low and Azores high; a clash of hot and cold. It seems a perfect tag. Fog Electric is an album of contrasts from a band of contrasts. Timeless Rock influences collide with the latest laptop technology, amidst a combination of dark foreboding tones and blissed-out serotonin-fuelled pastoral sweeps.
The album will be available on CD, vinyl and to download. The digibook CD and vinyl editions are now available to pre-order from the Kscope store.
All copies of the vinyl edition ordered from Kscope will come with a code to download the album and the first 500 orders will come with an exclusive, limited edition 7" single featuring the radio edit of Soft Coda b/w a cover of One Good Reason (by Bob Mould).
Prog-Trio BangTower release new videos in support of forthcoming tour
Progressive rock/fusion ensemble BangTower, in association with Pig Light Show and Declassified Records, are releasing several new music video's over the next four weeks in preparation for the forthcoming 2012 BangTower tour, currently being scheduled by Backstreet Booking of Cincinnati, OH. In addition to celebrated bassist Percy Jones, who is also known for his work with Brand X, a band he formed along with Genesis legend Phil Collins, BangTower also features Grammy Award winning guitarist, engineer and producer Neil Citron. Completing this trio of master musicians is drum virtuoso Walter Garces, who also performs with '60s psychedelic marvels The Electric Prunes and is celebrating a partnership of 25 years with Premier Percussion, Paiste Cymbals and Gongs, and Calato/Regal-Tip sticks as an endorsing artist.
Eight of the new BangTower music videos were created by Marc Rubinstein of the world famous Pig Light Show, as a preview to elements of select upcoming live shows currently being designed. These video releases comprise all the tracks from the band's internationally acclaimed 2010 Declassified Records release Casting Shadows, produced by Neil Citron (who also engineered, mixed and mastered) and Jon Pomplin. The holiday video I'll Be Home For Christmas comes from a downloadable song Neil produced for the holiday season which is available for free from the BangTower website.
Yes folks, Essex pub proggers Exhibit A live in Brentwood. That's live as in Clive, not live as in Bolivia. Though they may actually live in Brentwood. It's not something we here at Silhobbit know about. And we don't usually harp on about where proggers live. Except Steven Wilson of course.
Anyway, as I was saying, Exhibit A will be playing at the Seaxe Bar (in the Essex Arms) in the aforementioned Brentwood, on Saturday March 10th.
The band will later be appearing at this years Cambridge Rock Festival in August, as well as working on their fourth album.
Open Doors Will Always Open Hearts... "OPEN" The New Opus By Jon Anderson
Much to the excitement of music fans across the globe, on October 25, 2011 legendary Yes vocalist Jon Anderson will release as a digital download an epic musical work entitled Open. A return to the long-form composition that Jon Anderson is best known for, (Close To The Edge, Gates of Delirium, Revealing and Awaken), Open is a 21-minute exhilarating musical journey; a pioneering effort that weaves intricate melodic and harmonic themes within a classical music framework whilst showcasing Anderson's iconic vocals and timeless melodies throughout. In many ways Open is a return to Jon Anderson's musical roots, as Yes music continually flows through his veins, making it only natural to revisit now and again. Coupled with wonderful orchestration by his neighbor and good friend Stefan Podell, messages of peace, love, light and freedom are further explored within Open, making listening an uplifting and joyous experience!
"'Forever taken to that place of understanding,' are the first lyrics of Open, as though I am always remembering my true musical journey. To create this work, I sat with my 19th Century guitar and strummed ideas last spring 2010. Songs just poured out of me that week, and before I knew it I had created a long form musical idea, and with the help of Stefan Podell's powerful orchestration, we put together what is now Open.
It has 4 movements all intertwined, and seems to have a life of its own. For those who love this kind of music, I feel so happy to present it as one of many I hope to create over the coming years. My love Janee has helped in production with her unique musical observations and her angel voice. I am so happy and thankful... Many Blessings."
Jon Anderson - October 2011
In other news, Jon Anderson is currently on tour in the US and Canada with fellow former YES member Rick Wakeman. The legendary duo performed a series of successful concerts in the UK in 2010 in support of their critically acclaimed CD release The Living Tree, and have now brought their highly anticipated show to America! In December 2011 Jon will be performing select solo concerts in South America. Go to www.jonanderson.com for more information. Lastly, Jon Anderson's latest CD release Survival & Other Stories has been garnering rave reviews worldwide by critics and fans alike. You can purchase the CD at: www.amazon.com
Jon Anderson's OPEN is available as a digital download on October, 25, 2011 and can be obtained at: itunes.apple.com
Frost* to reform in 2015 to record expected fourth album
Hot news reaches the Silhobbit newsdesk that Prog impresario Jem Godfrey has hatched up top secret plans to reform his band Frost* in 2015 in order to record and perform their, by then, long awaited fourth album.
Jemery, who has just announced the bands second phoenix-like reincarnation, is already planning out their third album, while he also plans to fold the band again in the spring of 2013, by which time he will be working on Kerry Katona's short-lived comeback album.
Hot News
Progging legend Damian Wilson (Threshold, Headspace, Landmarq, Ayreon) will close his celebration of 20 years in the music industry with the reissue of his debut solo album Cosmas.
