Category: General News

STORM CORROSION – THE HIGHLY REVERED 2012 COLLOBORATION BETWEEN STEVEN WILSON AND MIKAEL ÅKERFELDT – DUE FOR RE-RELEASE ON KSCOPE ON 27TH SEPTEMBER 2024

NEWLY REMIXED INTO DOLBY ATMOS BY STEVEN WILSON

A DEEP-DIVE INTO THE AVANT-GARDE FROM TWO OF PROGRESSIVE ROCK’S MOST INNOVATIVE MINDS  

As two of the leading figures in contemporary progressive music, Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt have treated their fans to all sorts of thrillingly unconventional and atmospheric sounds over the years. But even by their own talismanic standards, the duo’s 2012 collaboration as Storm Corrosion exists in its own psychedelic lane of peculiarity, throwing listeners into a world of haunting and unsettling ambience like no other. 

WATCH THE STORM CORROSION TRAILER:

Some 12 years on from its original release, the album will be reissued on 27th September via Kscope on LP, CD and Blu Ray forms with a new Dolby Atmos remix by Steven Wilson. It will include a bonus cut of Drag Ropes – the only song they’ve performed live to date – recorded when Mikael guested with Steven and his band at London’s Royal Albert Hall in September 2015, plus extra documentary insights and footage. Given how the album clearly holds a special place in the hearts of both of its creators, and naturally their collective army of fans around the world, the new release will be a timely celebration of the ethereal magick encased within its six ground-breaking tracks.

“In many ways it’s become the cult classic we always intended it to be”

Steven Wilson

A love letter to the esoteric and abstruse sounds of the past, crossing the mystifying noises of late 60s/early 70s German groups like Tangerine Dream and Popol Vuh with the sound of British folk heroes like Nick Drake and Bert Jansch, while also embracing the eclectic oddities of cult figures like Scott Walker, it’s the kind of album that takes you on a transcendental journey that you never really come back from. For the two friends, this kind of fierce originality is precisely what they set out to achieve…

“Storm Corrosion was the 2012 album made by myself and Mikael Åkerfeldt of the band Opeth, and one which both of us considered a deeply satisfying artistic success,” says Steven. “It remains one of my favourite releases in my whole catalogue. Part of what made it so much fun was that pretty much anything that either of us suggested, the other would agree it should definitely be pursued, no matter how crazy and off the wall it sounded.”

That sense of pride is shared by his accomplice Mikael Åkerfeldt, who feels it’s easily one of the most experimental, if not bizarre, things either of them have ever recorded, and all the better for it. For him, and countless others, these enigmatic recordings seem to exist in a genre of their own – at times sounding more acoustic and minimalistic, and others infinitely more cerebral and foreboding, but in any case, always intoxicating.

“Everything about this record is strange in the best way possible”

Mikael Åkerfeldt

“Throughout all of my years as a musician, it’s very rare for me to return to a record I have participated in myself for the sheer listening pleasure alone,” notes Mikael. “Storm Corrosion is the exception. It’s such a lovely record to me. I can distance myself from my own work on it and just experience it as a fan of its music. Everything about this record is strange in the best way possible.”

“We’d talked many times over the years about doing a project with just the two of us,” continues Steven. “In 2011 we quietly got together for a week at my studio, and started to make music, not knowing where it would take us, but knowing that the last thing we wanted to do was the obvious. Instead, we found ourselves making an album of weird psychedelic chamber folk music, almost child-like in places, with lots of dissonance, orchestral arrangements and weird bits.”

STORM CORROSION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE FOLLOWING FORMATS:

Orange & Purple vinyl 2LP, gatefold packaging, 8-page booklet

(includes bonus track live recording of Drag Ropes from Royal Albert Hall in 2015)

Yellow vinyl 2LP, gatefold packaging, 8-page booklet

(includes bonus track live recording of Drag Ropes from Royal Albert Hall in 2015)

Black vinyl 2LP, gatefold packaging, 8-page booklet

(includes bonus track live recording of Drag Ropes from Royal Albert Hall in 2015)

Blu-ray edition

(includes high-resolution stereo, 2024 Dolby Atmos and 5.1 DTS-HD surround audio mixes & instrumental mixes of each track. Also includes a mini album documentary, the promo video for the track ‘Drag Ropes’, alongside two demo versions and an 8-page printed booklet. Additionally, a 2015 live recording of ‘Drag Ropes’ from The Royal Albert Hall when Mikael guested at one of Steven’s solo concerts has been newly mixed for this edition)

CD edition

(digipak CD edition includes 8-page printed booklet, plus a bonus track the live recording of ‘Drag Ropes’ from The Royal Albert Hall in 2015)

PRE-ORDER HERE:

Storm Corrosion (lnk.to)

Its impact was keenly felt the world over – so much so, that there have been on-going calls for a follow-up. It’s something both musicians are open to but given how busy they are in their main projects, Steven as a solo artist and Mikael in charge of all things Opeth, whether it happens anytime soon remains to be seen. And if the members of Storm Corrosion do end up working on new material, chances are it will be done behind closed doors, in a similar spirit to their brilliantly leftfield debut.

“I get the notion that some listeners are completely and utterly in love with it,” continues Mikael. “I really understand that, since that’s how I feel myself. It’s strange and crazy in many ways. This record has got something. It’s quite unique. I’m so happy to see it available again.”

For Steven, who first started working with Opeth as the producer for seminal albums like Blackwater Park, Deliverance and Damnation, the sheer delight he takes from working with someone as utterly devoted to the surreal and obscure is something he has been continually vocal about. They are kindred spirits, and in more ways than one – this particular masterpiece demonstrating that in the most poignant of ways.

“That security in our collaboration could only have come from a place of mutual respect and admiration, even a sense of awe at what the other was capable of,” continues Steven. “We loved the finished result. It had seemed so effortless to make it.”

Once it was unveiled to the world, Storm Corrosion created just as much excitement as it did confusion. And as anyone familiar with either of these musicians will know, that’s precisely what they were aiming for.

“I don’t know what the people expecting a full-on heavy rock album made of it,” laughs Steven. “In many ways it has become the cult classic we always intended it to be…”

Jo Beth Young Announces New Album – ‘Broken Spells’ – Pre-Orders Open Now, Release Date 1st March, 2024.

An ethereal, powerful and emotional expedition in the art of breaking spells personally and collectively, BROKEN SPELLS is the eagerly anticipated 3rd album from acclaimed UK Neo-Folk artist Jo Beth Young (formerly Talitha Rise/RISE). 

Welcome to a world of electro-folk, dreamy, progressive and sometimes gut punching tracks from Neo-folk singer/songwriter and musician Jo Beth Young. ‘Broken Spells’ does not shy away from diving straight into difficult and deeper themes such as overcoming narcissistic abuse (Wolf Song) the lies that lead a soldier into war (Lazuli) spiritual warfare (Adversity) a collective book-of-revelations-style warning (Burning) themes of guilt and wrongdoing for an upcoming film soundtrack (Standstill) and ultimate truths being revealed in (Ockham’s Razor) to name a few.  

Over the four years she spent making it, Jo Beth went from “confirmed life-long” pagan and non dualist to a born again Christian, a radical journey she says can be heard in the songs as they unfold.  

Jo Beth says: “I think I was questioning absolutely everything in life when I started this album. What was happening in the media, the government, the World and to us as beings. I  was also looking into what was happening inside of me. This meant asking myself deep questions such as whether for all my beliefs I was a good person? Had I been corrupted in any way? Did I need to purify my intentions in life? Looking at the World I started asking, does evil really exist? And if it does, does that mean the opposite must also exist and be true?” 

“I started to see that there was something bigger than personal and physical conflict going on, that there was indeed a bigger spiritual war at play. I came to realise that spells are everywhere. When we believe anything we’re told or is spoken over our life, that is a spell in itself. I was exploring how I could break these? How we could find truth and clarity? I think that’s really the living impetus behind the songs; Seeking truth and breaking strongholds and illusions.“

Pre-order the album here:

Broken Spells – JO BETH YOUNG

Unlike anything Jo Beth has attempted before, this record has her hand in it from conception to mixing and features stunning performances from regular contributors Peter Yates on Guitars (Fields Of The Nephillim) Ben Roberts on Cello (Silver Moth/Prosthetic Head) Jules Bangs on Bass (Herija) as well as a guest appearances from her Nightsong colleague John Reed (Steel Guitar) and band member Jay Newton (Abrasive Trees) on Piano.  

Along with her diverse and accomplished vocals (which are very much forefront) Jo Beth plays a multitude of instruments on the record, from acoustic and electric guitars, pianos, keys and synths, bowed guitars, home made percussion and field recordings including a recording of her washing machine in ‘Kinder Sea’. This time she experiments with loops and beats with the help of another long term collaborator; Alpujarra based Producer and Musician Matt Blackie (Spain). 

The whole project was recorded on her laptop in the attic of her home at the time in the West of Ireland. Jo Beth was turned down for a grant to finish the record over 5 times, forcing her to  mix the last of it herself; an endeavour she was surprised to take on. 

Jo Beth says: “I thought ‘Strangers’ was a very DIY record but this one has absolutely no studio hours in it at all and is very home made. Perhaps the most ambitious bit of ‘bedroom’ recording yet. They say necessity is the mother of invention and  I’ve become fond of the imperfections of the record caused by the situation. For instance on ‘Kinder Sea’ you can hear the old electric meter running through my guitar amp at the intro, a situation I couldn’t remedy so left in!”

For all it’s DIY creation, Broken Spells is potentially Jo Beth Young’s strongest work yet; An accomplished set of cinematic, dreamy, powerful, hypnotic and deeply thought provoking songs that lead the listener from darkness to the light. 

The album single ‘Standstill’ will be released at the same time as the album on March 1st 2024. 

After her 2023 Shadow Navigation Show Tour, Jo Beth will be performing a few select UK dates later in 2024 tba via her website. 

Pre-order ‘Broken Spells’ Here:

Broken Spells – JO BETH YOUNG

MOLYBARON release new single “Breakdown” from upcoming new album SOMETHING OMINOUS

Something Ominous will be released on the 15th September (InsideOutMusic) / Touring Europe with SOEN in September/October.

Album pre-order begins today!

French/Irish alternative rock-metal outfit MOLYBARON, known for their energetic, hard-hitting sound, will release their new album Something Ominous on September 15th on InsideOutMusic/Sony Music. The announcement of the new album comes following the success of the recent single and video “Something Ominous.”

Over the course of two subtly radical records, 2017’s self-titled debut and 2021’s acclaimed The Mutiny, this eclectic quartet have casually bent and broken all the usual rules of modern heaviness. 

In 2023, they return with their third and most fervently diverse record to date, Something Ominous: further evidence that MOLYBARON are operating in a field of precisely one. 

When MOLYBARON released The Mutiny in 2021, the world was still reeling from the effects of a global pandemic. Nonetheless, the album struck its mark with ease, garnering countless glowing reviews and comparisons to the likes of System Of A Down, Tool and Muse. Two years on, Something Ominous reveals a band that have sharpened their focus and found their groove. Comprising ten succinct and characterful songs, which range from thunderous acts of aggression to noirish, mutant balladry, MOLYBARON’s third full-length is invigorating and immersive in equal measure.

“I don’t think our sound can be defined by one genre,” says guitarist/vocalist Gary Kelly .“It’s certainly not by design. I write and produce all the music in the band, but I’m strange – I never really listen to music. I have no idea what’s hot or what’s not these days. I suppose this makes it easier for me to create songs, I’m not trying to mirror any one style, I just write as it comes to me, probably based on what I hear floating in the ether; in the cinema, on the TV, on the elevator, it really doesn’t matter!” 

MOLYBARON are also pleased to share the second single from the album. 

You can check out the lyric video for “Breakdown” here:

“Breakdown” is a heavy, pop-tinged track, with lyrics conveying the struggle of a mind on the edge of collapse, capturing a sense of isolation, confusion, and vulnerability that accompanies these dark moments. A rousing, emotional mix of melodies, driven by aggressive guitar riffs, crushing bass, and electronic synth-scapes, “Breakdown” is invigorating and immersive in equal measure. 

The album is available for pre-order now here:

https://molybaron.lnk.to/SomethingOminous

Tracklisting:

1 Something Ominous 4:07

2 Set Alight 3:26

3 Billion Dollar Shakedown 3:39

4 Breakdown 3:17

5 Anyway 4:15

6 Daylight Dies In Darkness 4:07

7 Dead On Arrival 3:22

8 Pendulum 3:35

9 Reality Show 4:18

10 Vampires 3:46

SOMETHING OMINOUS comes as CD in sleeve pack, 180g black LP in 12’’ inch vinyl sleeve and digital album.

Check out the video for the previous single “Something Ominous” here:

In addition, MOLBYARON will support SOEN on their upcoming MEMORIAL TOUR 2023 in Europe, starting September 20th: 

Formed in Paris, early 2015, by Dublin-born singer/guitarist Gary Kelly, MOLYBARON have become one of the most talked-about bands in the modern metal scene.

Fusing together elements of alt rock, hard rock, and modern metal to create an eclectic, sonically dynamic experience, MOLYBARON deliver an intensely raw, original musical signature, appealing to fans across the genres.

MOLYBARON are:

Gary Kelly – Guitar/Vocals

Florian Soum – Lead Guitar

Sébastien de Saint-Angel – Bass

Camille Greneron – Drums

Big Big Train sign worldwide deal with InsideOutMusic

Big Big Train | Trieste, May 2023 | ph Massimo Goina

InsideOut Music is delighted to announce that it has signed Big Big Train to a multi-album deal for new studio releases. The band are currently working on a new studio album, expected to be released in spring 2024, and have recently been recording in Trieste, Italy, where lead vocalist Alberto Bravin is based.

Big Big Train bassist/founder Gregory Spawton comments: “We have ambitious plans for Big Big Train and are very pleased to have signed this deal with InsideOut. Having run our own record label, English Electric Recordings, for a lengthy period, it’s clear that the music industry has changed enormously in recent years and we believe that we are best positioned to grow BBT further by becoming an InsideOut band. Over the last decade we had received offers from various labels. When we considered the different options, signing up with the premier label for progressive music was the logical choice. We’re very excited about this new era for the band and working with InsideOut/Sony.”

Drummer Nick D’Virgilio adds: “It’s an absolute thrill for me that Big Big Train has become an InsideOut band. Over the years, previously as member of Spock’s Beard and more recently alongside Neal Morse and Ross Jennings, I’ve worked extensively with Thomas Waber and his team at InsideOut/Sony. From experience I know that there is no better label for Big Big Train to be working with. It’s wonderful to join a roster that includes the biggest names in the prog genre such as Dream Theater, Steve Hackett, Jethro Tull, Kansas, Devin Townsend and Yes. We’ve got a lot of new Big Big Train music in the works and with InsideOut’s unrivalled reach across the progressive rock world we hope to reach plenty of folks who may not be familiar with us yet.”

Label head Thomas Waber comments: “We have been in talks with the band for a while and are happy that we can finally announce our partnership. Big Big Train have been proudly carrying the flag for progressive music, and we look forward to helping them on their very bright journey ahead. We are all excited to be stepping on board this particular train!”

Check out a teaser of brand new music here:

In parallel with this deal with InsideOut, Big Big Train will continue to run their English Electric Recordings label and expect to commence a re-issue campaign for previous studio BBT albums in late 2024.

Big Big Train’s latest album, Ingenious Devices, was released on 30th June 2023 (CD, 2LP black and 2 LP sky blue vinyl; Bandcamp) and is available to stream.

The band will embark on their most extensive ever tour in August and September this year, with 17 shows taking place across 9 countries. Big Big Train will also be on board Cruise To The Edge in March 2024. Find the full list of dates in 2023 below:

24th August – The Court Theatre, Tring, UK (warm-up show)

26th August – Cultuurpodium Boerderij, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands

27th August – Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany

28th August – Stora Teatern, Gothenburg, Sweden

29th August – Cosmopolite, Oslo, Norway

30th August – Fryshuset Klubben, Stockholm, Sweden

31st August – Viften, Copenhagen, Denmark

2nd September – 2 Days Prog + 1 Festival, Revislate, Italy

3rd September – Z7, Pratteln, Switzerland

5th September – Neuberinhaus, Reichenbach, Germany

6th September – Victoria Carlswerk, Cologne, Germany

7th September – Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany

8th September – Mozart-Saal, Stuttgart, Germany

10th September – Queens Hall, Edinburgh, UK

11th September – Town Hall, Birmingham, UK

12th September – Cadogan Hall, London, UK

13th September – Cadogan Hall, London, UK

GLEB KOLYADIN ANNOUNCES NEW SOLO ALBUM ‘THE OUTLAND’

OUT JULY 21st / AUGUST 11th (US) VIA KSCOPE 

LISTEN / PREORDER – HERE 

Piano virtuoso GLEB KOLYADIN unveils new solo album ‘The Outland’ out July 21st via Kscope.

Written throughout the past years, the record speaks to the introspective nature of the Iamthemorning pianist, whilst exploring facets of his sound that have yet still to be uncovered. 

Utilising the silence afforded from the pandemic, it offered a new perspective of introspection and the perfect outlet to mould his melancholic creativity. Entirely instrumental, the album emphasises melodic themes through different tracks to create a six part symphonic suite in a way that only Gleb Kolyadin could. 

The piano mastermind himself had the following to say regarding the album: 

“The Outland was recorded over 2020 and 2021 which was a very troublesome time for us all and I wanted to capture this feeling. During the period of covid when we were unable to travel I found I would create new worlds in my head, as a way of being able to escape.” 

Over time however, this idea transformed into something much deeper for me. I’ve since moved to the UK, and now it represents a new beginning. A rebirth if you will and ironically has more of an escapist air around it and has been given a new lease of life.  

Gleb continues:  

It’s a combination of being both an uplifting and introspective work that has been a long time coming. I am happy to finally share the music that is The Outland. A world within a world, assembled from disparate fragments, in many ways, like all of us.   

Acting as the protagonist in ‘The Outland’, piano is certainly the focal point of the album yet there are some truly stunning performances alongside Kolyadin. They come from an all star cast in the form of Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree / King Crimson) on drums, Tony Levin (King Crimson / Peter Gabriel) on upright bass and Vlad Avy on guitar.

Not confined to genre, the pianist traverses the landscape of classical piano to jazz-rock and fusion effortlessly as he glides across ‘The Outland’. The album is bookended by both the longest tracks of the record, ‘Voyager’ and ‘Hermitage’ each just as vital yet different as the other. The first opens with a ten minute symbiosis of Jazz-Rock and Fusion whereas the latter ‘Hermitage’ offers more of a look into the world of Jazz. 

Moments of self analysis are littered throughout ‘The Outland’. They vary in the form of the introverted ‘Ascension’ that ruminates on darker moments which are then counterpointed by the contemplative shimmering of ‘Cascades’. Matched only in scope by the experimental ‘Apparatus’.

The Outland’s musical inspirations reflect Kolyadin’s increasingly varied musical palette that include, Pat Metheny and Hiromi, Steve Reich, 1970’s Progressive Rock in the vein of legends Gong and Mike Oldfield alongside British Folk adorned with a cinematic edge. Welcome to The Outland.

The artwork, designed by Andhika Ramadhian, is an abstract portrayal of a hermit, trapped within a geometrically paradoxical space symbolising the turbulent times that ‘The Outland’ was penned in. However as time has gone on since it’s original writing, 

 The Outland tracklisting: 

1.     Voyager

2.     Ascension

3.     Cascades

4.     Mercurial

5.     Apparatus

6.     Hermitage

The Outland will be available on CD / black LP and digitally on July 21st via Kscope.

Big Big Train share live performance of “Atlantic Cable” in advance of upcoming tour

Big Big Train will be on tour this summer and to celebrate and promote the forthcoming ‘The Journey Continues’ Tour this August & September, the group have been sharing videos of songs filmed on tour last year. The band recently shared the videos for “The Florentine” and “The First Rebreather” recorded in September 2022 at The Boerderij in The Netherlands.

The band is pleased to share the performance clip of “Atlantic Cable” recorded live at Friars, Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury, UK in September 2022. The live audio recording of the song is included on the band’s forthcoming Ingenious Devices album to be released on 30th June 2023 (full details below).

You can see the video of that performance here:

Bassist Gregory Spawton says: “One of the recurrent themes we’ve explored in Big Big Train over the years is how humans have been able to harness technology to make the world a better place. Atlantic Cable is a song about the laying of the first telegraph cables across the Atlantic Ocean in the 19th century. It was a mighty endeavour which helped to bring people together. We really enjoyed playing Atlantic Cable at the legendary Friars, Aylesbury last year and are pleased to share this film of the performance.”  

Keyboardist Oskar Holldorff adds: “Following a warm-up show the night before, the gig in Aylesbury was my first official performance with Big Big Train, and what a night it was! Atlantic Cable was positioned early on in the set, and it felt great to work our way through a proper BBT epic in the beautiful Waterside Theatre. I particularly enjoyed the instrumental section starting at the 11-minute mark, in which Rikard Sjöblom’s brilliant clavinet solo was followed by Dave Foster shredding the house down!”

Watch the video for “The First Rebreather” here:
https://youtu.be/cMMlag0uPRE

Watch the video for “The Florentine” here:
https://youtu.be/tOEd18p0iwA

You can see a short, recent message from Gregory Spawton about the tour and the next BBT studio album here https://youtu.be/cwbgqkjudME .

There are also new messages from a few of the members which you can see here:
Alberto Bravin: https://youtu.be/rtoVceCWqc4
Oskar Holldorff: https://youtu.be/VcTAE5T3uuw
Maria Barbieri: https://youtu.be/bTgmUSRbGGQ

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023 DATES

Saturday 26th August – Cultuurpodium Boerderij, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands
Sunday 27th August – Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany
Monday 28th August – Stora Teatern, Gothenburg, Sweden
Tuesday 29th August – Cosmopolite, Oslo, Norway
Wednesday 30th August – Fryshuset Klubben, Stockholm, Sweden
Thursday 31st August – Viften, Copenhagen, Denmark

Saturday 2nd September – 2 Days + 1 Festival, Revislate, Italy
Sunday 3rd September – Z7, Pratteln (Basel), Switzerland
Tuesday 5th September – Neuberinhaus, Reichenbach, Germany
Wednesday 6th September – Carlswerk Victoria, Cologne, Germany
Thursday 7th September – Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany
Friday 8th September – Mozart-Saal, Stuttgart, Germany

Sunday 10th September – The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, UK
Monday 11th September – Town Hall, Birmingham, UK
Tuesday 12th September – Cadogan Hall, London, UK
Wednesday 13th September – Cadogan Hall, London, UK

Support at all shows except Wednesday 13th September comes from rising Norwegian stars Dim Gray, who feature BBT’s Oskar Holldorff. There will be no support at the Wednesday 13th September show.

Please see www.bigbigtrain.com/live for ticket links to all venue box offices.

Big Big Train will release the album titled ‘Ingenious Devices’ on 30th June 2023 on CD, double vinyl (black and sky blue vinyl) and hi-resolution (24/96) Bandcamp download. ‘Ingenious Devices’ will be available on all major streaming platforms from 28th July 2023.

‘Ingenious Devices’ features 59 minutes of music, including new versions of “East Coast Racer”, “Brooklands” and “Voyager,” which prominently feature an elite 17 piece string section recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London and have been re-mixed for this release.

Additionally, ‘Ingenious Devices’ includes a previously unreleased orchestral piece called “The Book of Ingenious Devices”, which links “East Coast Racer” and “Brooklands”, as well as a live version of “Atlantic Cable”, which was recorded on the band’s tour in September 2022.

Ingenious Devices is available to pre-order here:
https://burningshed.com/store/bigbigtrain
https://thebandwagonusa.com/collections/big-big-train
https://bigbigtrain.bandcamp.com
 

John Wetton book, ‘An Extraordinary Life’, will be published on 19th June

John Wetton An Extraordinary Life will be published on June 19 2023, in two editions. Created with John’s family and management, both the Classic and black-jacketed Signature edition (signed by John’s widow Lisa and son Dylan) contain the first-person testimony of some seventy-plus people who knew and worked with John from his school days and throughout his long, illustrious career, including Family, King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash, Roxy Music, U.K., Asia, the John Wetton solo band and beyond.

The 256-page hardback book Classic edition retails at £39, while the Signature edition costs £42.50 and is only available from Rocket 88 Books

Among the stories of friendship, music and sometimes craziness in this much-anticipated book from Bill Bruford, Geoff Downes, Robert Fripp, Carl Palmer, Rick Wakeman, Phil Manzanera, Steve Hackett, Steve Howe and others, are reflections on what made John such an unforgettable musician, all-round good guy, and prog rock legend. But along with tales of musical success from those who knew him best are testimony from friends and family, who do not steer clear of John’s problems, but rather explain the why, the how, and eventual triumph over them, in honest and touching recollections. 

John Wetton An Extraordinary Life is only available at www.johnwettonbook.com

www.johnwettonbook.com

Jay Schellen joins YES as a permanent member

YES are delighted to announce that drummer Jay Schellen has joined the band as a permanent member.  Following the sad passing of our iconic drummer, Alan White on 26th May 2022, Jay will fulfil Alan’s wishes in becoming the new drummer with YES.

Jay Schellen was Alan White’s choice to stand in during the Topographic Drama tour, in 2016, and shared drumming duties with him from 2018 onwards. Jay had previously played alongside YES’ keyboardist Geoff Downes and late bassist Chris Squire together with long working relationships with Alan and YES bass guitarist Billy Sherwood.  This gave Jay a deep insight into the workings of the dynamic rhythm section that drives YES’ music.

Steve Howe says “We’re all delighted to welcome Jay officially into the fold! He’s been a great support throughout the last seven years, and we couldn’t have found a better all round team player.”

“I am thrilled to become the new drummer with YES,” says Jay. “I grew up playing along to YES records and I am proud to have worked so closely with my musical hero and great friend Alan White these past few years. I will strive to honour his memory as we drive towards the future with the band.”

Arc of Triumph shine light on billionaire greed with new release: ‘The New Adventures of the Superhumans’

Leeds duo Arc of Triumph release their double a-side single this week, The New Adventures of the Superhumans/In My Arms, the first material from the band since their 2021 album Rampjaar.

Picking up the thread laid by their previous two albums, Arc of Triumph’s political leanings are more evident than ever in The New Adventures of the Superhumans. It gives a scathing commentary on society’s inequalities.

The song warns of a dystopian future where the rich are still untouched by the damage to our planet caused almost exclusively by them:

“The final age is looming / so save the superhumans / they haven’t flown this far to lose.”

Although imagining a distant future, the song’s themes are applicable today. Simon Elvin said:

“Inequality is greater than ever. People can’t afford to eat. And the planet is in mortal danger. Yet, billionaires continue to hoard wealth hand over fist. Piling misery and suffering on the vast majority.”

Rory Holl said:

“Sometimes it feels as though there’s nothing you can do. We wanted to document our feelings on the current situation. If it did make anyone think differently, then that would be amazing. But I think most people have made their minds up already.”

Musical influences for Arc of Triumph (made up of Simon Elvin and Rory Holl) are wide-ranging from 70s prog of Yes! and Genesis to 80s electro pop, with a nod towards latter-day Radiohead.

And the “electronic textures and moody synth sounds” described by James R Turner in his review of their second album, Rampjaar, last year are certainly back in this new release.

The song is heavily driven by 80s synth and organ sounds, with hypnotic, delayed guitar lines and glitchy drum machines, giving way to jarring drum rhythms and falsetto vocals.

After a brief hiatus following the release of Rampjaar, the pair were back in the studio in the spring to start work on new material. The double a-side marks the first release for their third album due for release next year. So, watch this space!

In a review of Rampjaar in The London Economic in 2021, Jack Peat described the album as harnessing a “superb technical ability to deliver a futuristic prog-rock album befitting of its time”.

And Superhumans is certainly befitting of its time too. The video imagines the Earth as a dead planet with the only survivors being the privileged few who are able to preserve themselves from the destruction they have caused.

We see the likes of Boris Johnson, Putin, Trump, members of the royal family, Jeff Bezos, Roman Abramovic and Jacob Rees-Mogg escaping the dying Earth. They rocket off in cryotubes to a new planet while the rest of us perish. A metaphor for their financial ability to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

The final chorus imagines how history will judge these people:

“In cryogenic futures / they’ll raise the superhumans / and make them pay for what they’ve done.”

Watch the video to see their fate:

Listen here:

Simon said:

“As well as the emergency of climate change, the way the rich can shield themselves from the problems they cause is reminiscent of the current cost-of-living crisis. We have nurses using foodbanks. We have schools with lower budgets next year than they did in 2015.”

Rory added:

“People are struggling more than ever just to exist. But it doesn’t affect the rich and privileged so it’s hard for them to care. We don’t think people who have grown up in luxury and who have never had to worry about money should be running the country.”

COMING IN FALL 2023 THE NEW ALBUM BY BUILT FOR THE FUTURE.

2084: MANIFEST DESTINY

PART ONE OF A TRILOGY/SERIES BASED ON ORWELL’S DARK FUTURE.

BUILT FOR THE FUTURE LAST RELEASED ‘BRAVE NEW WORLD’ IN 2020, WHICH GARNERED VERY POSITIVE REVIEWS FOR BEING A MORE EXPANDED PROG EXPERIENCE. THE ALBUM WAS A SATISFYING RELEASE AND EPIC IN NATURE.

FOR THE NEW ALBUM, BUILT FOR THE FUTURE HAS DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE SHORTER SONG FORMAT THAT THE DEBUT ALBUM DEMONSTRATED, AND TO FLAVOR THE PROG WITH A FULL CONCEPT AND A THREE ALBUM ARC. 

THE TEMPLATE FOR THE NEW ALBUM HAS KENNY AND PATRIC FOCUSING ON MORE DIRECT DELIVERY AS WELL AS A HEAVIER ALTERNATIVE SOUND. THE MELLOTRON IS THE DOMINANT KEYBOARD FOR ITS EMOTIONAL TEXTURE. PATRIC IS USING A FENDER JAZZ BASS THROUGHOUT, AND THE RICKENBACKER 12-STRING IS THE HEAVY HITTER THAT PROVIDES A RICH TEXTURE TO EACH SONG. THE FOCUS IS THE SONG.

THE CONCEPT IS THE INTERESTING PARALLEL BETWEEN ORWELL’S 1984 AND WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY. THE THEMES OF 1984 RUN THROUGHOUT THE ALBUM BUT WITH A NEW TARGET FOR DYSTOPIA: THE YEAR 2084(AS THAT IS STILL AHEAD OF US). 

FOR THIS ALBUM, PATRIC WROTE THE MUSIC AND KENNY PROVIDED VOCALS/MELODIES. 

INFLUENCES FOR THIS INCLUDE: STEVEN WILSON, FAILURE, RPWL, THE PINEAPPLE THIEF, PINK FLOYD, ULTRAVOX, TEARS FOR FEARS, AND EVEN FLAVORS OF NIN.

THE THREE ALBUMS PLANNED:

2084: MANIFEST DESTINY

2084: OCEANIA

2084: THE EMPIRE STATE

THE FIRST INSTALLMENT WILL BE TARGETING A NOVEMBER RELEASE DATE 2022. THE OTHERS MONTHS APART TO GIVE EVERYONE TIME TO DIGEST.

2084:MANIFEST DESTINY(TRACK LIST)

MEMORY MACHINES

THE THOUGHT POLICE

ARGOT

PROLETARIAT

SUPERNATIONAL

DIASPORA

ZEIT

HERETIC

SUBTERRANEAN

101

MANIFEST DESTINY

B4TF:

PATRIC FARRELL-GUITARS/BASS/DRUMS/MELLOTRONS/E-PIANO/VOCALS

KENNY BISSETT-VOCALS/GUITARS

LALO-DRUMS

THE COLLECTIVE/SINGLE IS THE FIRST RELEASE TO BEGIN THE JOURNEY. THE SONG IS SLATED FOR THE THIRD ALBUM(THE EMPIRE STATE).