News

October 23, 2008

YES LAID DOWN

Taking a reconfigured YES on the road, the band's leader Chris Squire seems not to firmly believe in the endeavor's success, as he marked the beginning of 2009 as the time of another collaboration with Steve Hackett. Unlike 2007's "Swiss Choir", credited to Squire alone with Hackett guesting, this new project is a joint venture that the bass supremo gives a jocular moniker of SQUACKETT. Joke or not, the release is nigh, and some European dates are scheduled for the spring.

ICON IS THE IMAGE

Many fans weren't so happy with the ICON's 2006 DVD which captured John Wetton and Geoff Downes awkwardly miming to their own pre-recorded tracks. All will be corrected once the band's London's concert will be filmed. The performance they are to give in St. Mary-Le-Bow Church on January 30th, 2009, will feature not only the material from their first two albums - and, of course, ASIA classics - but also from the upcoming third. It is being recorded currently with Wetton's old sidekick Dave Kilminster on guitar, ELO cellist Hugh McDowell, who played with the pair before, and Pete Riley on drums. It's this line-up that will go on the church stage.

INSIDE THEIR OWN EXISTENCE

2006 saw Annie Haslam digging her personal archives and unearthing gems from her solo backlog. Now, the singer came to the surface with a live recording by RENAISSANCE. "Dreams & Omens: 'Live' At The Tower Theatre, Philadelphia PA 1978", which has just been released, features five lengthy tracks including two from the then-fresh "A Song For All Seasons" LP. Artwork is from Annie herself, of course.

1. Can You Hear Me
2. Carpet Of The Sun
3. Day Of The Dreamer
4. Midas Man
5. Northern Lights
6. Things I Don’t Understand

October 1, 2008

THE SINGER, NOT THE SONG

That's quite a tendency. YES, as it was reported before, are going to tour without their original vocalist, Jon Anderson, who's fallen ill. Jon feels all too bitter about it. In his words, he's "disappointed and very disrespected", as it was only the band's drummer, Alan White, who's once been in touch with the singer since he'd opted out. Anderson stresses that "this is not YES on tour", and quite rightly so, especially with someone from a tribute band taking his place. It's not like Oliver Wakeman stepping in his father's shoes.

Meanwhile, the similar story goes around LED ZEPPELIN. While Robert Plant is happily pursuing his country success with Alison Krauss, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham are said to have convened for rehearsals and found such a great pleasure in writing new material that, as the grapevine has it, send the singer the ultimatum: either he joins the band for a tour following their December 2007's reunion - by the way, where's the DVD, fellas? delayed until the tour, eh? - or they'll take to the road with another warbler. Despite the rumors of agreement, Percy said he'd not be in it at the moment. Will the three go on without him? They might. Although it'd be too unfair and, again, disrespectful, as when Page and Plant toured together, they didn't call themselves LED ZEP, and the presence of Bonham Jr. won't justify it.

CROSS' FIRE

Violin-led heavy rock band? There is one! And, of course, it's David Cross who's in charge. Former KING CRIMSON classicist has released a string of highly successful albums over the years, the most fab of these being 1997's "Exiles" and 2005's "Closer Than Skin", and it's the cream of them, plus some old smashes, that DAVID CROSS BAND bring on on "Alive In The Underworld", recorded on-stage back in 2006. One hell of a set, and one hell of a band. Come down, then.

1. Out Of The Darkness
2. Nurse Insane
3. Learning Curve
4. Are We One?
5. Exiles
6. Tonk
7. I Buy Silence
8. Starless
9. Twenty-First Century Schizoid Man
10. Floodlights

OF THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU WERE HAPPY

It can be for real, THE KINKS' reunion. At least, Ray Davies says so, yet all depends on his brother Dave's well-being, as the stroke's consequences are still felt. But what's for sure is that on December 1st, "Picture Book", a 6 CD box set is out, compiled by Ray and containing 137 tracks and 60-page booklet. A third of the recordings are previously unreleased - at least on CD: there are demos, mono versions, alternate mixes as well as tracks laid down for TV, radio and live, some going back to the pre-KINKS times. Details on the tracks will follow, so it doesn't make sense now to post a full listing.