MUSIC BLOG OF SALTYKA AND HIS FRIENDS

DISCO KIDS vs NEW WAVE KIDS 1984

2009-10-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

HAIR STYLE EQUIPMENT '84!

OMD

OMD (1980)
http://sharebee.com/f35ee572

Organisation (1980)
http://sharebee.com/0837eafc

Architecture & Morality (1981 remastered 2 CD)
http://sharebee.com/96cc143e

http://sharebee.com/80b2478f

Dazzle Ships (1983)
http://sharebee.com/cada8609

Junk Culture (1984)
http://sharebee.com/fa8fe654

Crush (1985)
http://sharebee.com/08d6b356

The Pacific Age (1986)
http://sharebee.com/590014d4

Pandora's Box (Maxi-Single) (1991)
http://sharebee.com/a62034d1

Sailing On The Seven Seas (Maxi-Single) (1991)
http://sharebee.com/55b141be

Then You Turn Away (1991)
http://sharebee.com/c8401133

Peel Sessions 1979 - 1983 (2000)
http://sharebee.com/c37cd824

NAVIGATION - The OMD B-Sides (2001)
http://sharebee.com/85d0470e

BELPOP 80's compilations

1980:
http://sharebee.com/30e2447e

PATRICK GAMMON (Patto)- Cold Fever (1984), the very rare synthpop album is here:
http://saltyka.blogspot.com/2007/11/patto.html

MESSAGE from Salty:

Just a quick note to say thanks for being so patient as i've been too slow in posting untill now. The main reason is i've been swamped and there was also a long travelling criss-cross Europe (mainly in France and in Germany). Now im back, but i think the next update will be only in december as i still have lot of work to do.
And also wanna say thank you for the kind comments!:)

MODERN ENGLISH

2009-10-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

"If you lived through the '80s without hearing Modern English then you must have been on a desert island."

"Modern English: This is one of the bands that helped define the '80s pop-rock sound"

"The epitome of the one-hit wonder, Modern English jammed radio waves around the world with "I Melt With You," then malingered on by cloning their one claim to fame into a seemingly endless number of blanched, bloodless remixes. With their dreamy, Byrds-inspired melodies and dandified vocals, this is the band who wrote the theme song for all those sensitive boys and girls of the '80s for whom hairspray and eyeliner were as necessary as air and water."
(http://eu.real.com/music/artist/Modern_English/)

"Modern English is one of those bands that really makes you think of your childhood. They have been around for so long, and it’s amazing how well they are doing. They are still around and their new songs are better than ever!"

Country:
UK
Genre:
Electronic, Rock
Style:
New Wave, Alternative Rock

Members:
Robbie Grey - Vocals, Guitar (1978-)
Michael Conroy - Bass (1979-91 and currently again)
Stephen Walker - Keyboards (1978-86)
Richard Brown - Drums (1978-86)
Gary McDowell - Guitar (1978-91)
Aaron Davidson (ex-March Violets) - Guitar, Keyboards (1986-1991)
Steven Walker (http://www.myspace.com/speedy_vespa and http://www.stevenwalkerphoto.com/ - one note: he is not the keyboard player Stephen Walker!) (He was in Spitfire, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spitfire_(UK_band), Tiny Monroe, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Monroe and The Auteurs, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Auteurs) - Guitar (1996-)
Ted Mason (http://www.mi5recordings.com/artists/bluemockingbirds/index.html and http://www.youtube.com/user/tmasonmi5) - Guitar, Vocals (1996)
Matthew Shipley - Keyboards (1996)
John Solomon (later Tiny Monroe, now in CJ & the Satellites, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CJ_&_The_Satellites) - Drums (1995-2001)
Ian Robbins (from Colourbox)- Bass (1998)
Nik Williams (Ballroom and Spectre) - Bass (1999)

VIDEO:
"I Melt With You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuN6gs0AJls

PEEL SESSIONS (1980-1981)

Line up:
Rob Gray - Vocals
Gary Mcdowell - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mick Conroy - Bass, Backing Vocals
Richard Brown - Drums
Stephen Walker - Synthesiser

Credits for the first session:
Producer - John Sparrow
Engineer - Mike Robinson
Studio - Langham 1

Credits for the second session:
Producer - Roger Pusey
Engineer - Nick Gomm
Studio - Maida Vale 4

FIRST PEEL SESSION (11/11/1980 (Langham 1))

01 Mesh And Lace
02 A Viable Commercial
03 Black Houses
04 Sixteen Days

SECOND PEEL SESSION (07/10/1981 (Maida Vale 4))

05 Someone's Calling
06 Face Of Wood
07 Being Peeled

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/289754282/modpee.rar

Info:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/m/modernenglish/

However, despite their painstaking, sublime work on After The Snow and its follow-up, Ricochet Days, Modern English's roots were defiantly in the primitive, aggressive punk scene. In 1977 the Sex Pistols inspired three Colchester residents, Robbie Grey (vocals), Gary McDowell (guitar) and Richard Brown (drums) to form a local "hobby punk band", The Lepers. "We played at little parties in people's houses," recalls Grey 20 years later. "Punk gave people like us an opportunity to make music because we couldn't actually play our instruments. The idea of being in a band seemed impossible before the Sex Pistols came along.""
"The Lepers evolved into Modern English a year later, when keyboard player Steve Walker and bassist Mick Conroy joined the band.
(http://beggarsgroupusa.com/modernenglish/biography/)

"Modern English recorded two radio sessions for BBC Radio 1. One was broadcast on 11th November 1980 and included the album tracks Sixteen Days, Black Houses, Mesh and Lace and A Viable Commercial. The second was broadcast on 10th July 1981 and included the tracks Someone's Calling, Face of Wood & The Choicest View (named as Being Peeled for the session). The first two tracks appeared over a year later on the 'After The Snow' album and you get a feel for what the original tracks sounded like before producer Hugh Jones helped them create their more pop sound. To hear some really great quality versions of these session tracks."
(http://richardanvil.blogspot.com/2008/07/modern-english-peel-sessions.html)

Modern English became one of 4AD's first signings, following a dark period for the band during which they'd moved to London and had their five-track demos returned without interest by most of the major record companies. Grey: "Basically we decided that we'd have to move to London if we were going to be serious about the band, so we put all our bags in a van and started squatting all over Ladbroke Grove in West London. We spent a few years in squats, living together, signing on and making music all the time."

In London, Modern English became involved with several very different music scenes. "We lived next door to Killing Joke," laughs Steve Walker, "Jaz Coleman used to wake us up at four in the morning by playing heavy dub." Other neighbours included The Clash and Throbbing Gristle's Genesis P. Orridge. Some band members used to hang out in the influential Goth club, The Batcave, and guitarist Gary McDowell was dressing up for nights at the Club For Heroes, and later Blitz, long before anyone had coined the phrase 'New Romantic'. Steve Walker recalls, "He was into Bowie and Robert Fripp and liked the extravagance of that whole club scene." Bassist Mick Conroy was also a fan of electronic music, especially Bill Nelson, but his playing was pure Joy Division - propulsive, melodic riffs that would hold Modern English's experimental songs together, along with the powerful work of drummer, Richard Brown.
(http://beggarsgroupusa.com/modernenglish/biography/)

MESH AND LACE (1981,reissued in 1992)

Credits:
Artwork By [Design] - 23 Envelope (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_Envelope)
Bass, Vocals - Mick Conroy
Drums - Richard Brown
Guitar, Vocals - Gary McDowell
Keyboards - Stephen Walker
Producer, Written-By - Modern English
Vocals - Robbie Grey
Engineer - Ken Thomas (http://www.recordproduction.com/ken-thomas.html) (tracks: 1 - 9) , Mike Kemp (http://www.sintefex.com/?targ=contact&src=home) (tracks: 10 - 15)
Producer - Modern English , Robin Mayhew (http://www.the-presidents.org.uk/Robin%20Mayhew.htm) (tracks: 10, 11)

Notes:
Re-release of the original album (1981) + tracks from singles.
1, 12 from 'Gathering Dust' single (AD 15)
10, 11 from 'Smiles and Laughter' single (AD 110)
13 from 'Presage(s)' compilation EP (BAD 11)
14, 15 from 'Swans On Glass' single (AD 6)

All songs recorded at Jacobs except track 11 recorded at Hillside Sound and tracks 10, 12 to 15 recorded at Spaceward.

VIDEO:
"Swans On The Glass"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5XEVc_6eVM&feature=related

Tracklist:

01 Gathering Dust
02 16 Days
03 Just A Thought
04 Move In Light
05 Grief
06 The Token Man
07 A Viable Commercial
08 Black Houses
09 Dance Of Devotion (A Love Song)
10 Smiles And Laughter
11 Mesh And Lace
12 Tranquility
13 Home
14 Swans On Glass
15 Incident

Bonus:

DROWNING MAN (7") (1979)

16 Drowning World
17 Silent World

DEMO SONGS (1979)

18 2001
19 Coming From You
20 Feel It
21 The Plunge
22 Sitting
23 Silent World

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/289752765/mesla.rar

Following the release of two 4AD singles, "Swans On Glass" and "Gathering Dust," in 1981 Modern English unleashed their uncompromising debut album, Mesh & Lace. Ranging from the claustrophobic "16 Days" to the anti-nuclear "Black Houses," the young band thrashed and contorted through a collage of bleak, industrial noises and scratched guitars, forsaking conventional songs. "It's my favourite album," enthuses Grey. "There's a lot of aggressive, dark stuff on there. "16 Days" is a really wild track, where we were messing around, rattling film cans for 20 minutes." Mesh & Lace's stark, unyielding sound still possesses a black magic, as raw emotions are vented in ugly / beautiful guitars and a blizzard of 'found sounds'.

However, the album's brutal atmosphere prompted a mixed response from the UK media. One of the more favourable reviews was written by rock critic, Andy Gill; "In some respects, theirs is a modern English sound: '80s dark power strung with a certain austerity - a loss of humanity, if you like - though never quite toppling into the Gothic vistas of say, Bauhaus, despite some similarities of tone and temperament." According to Steve Walker, "the press were put off us by some of our early gigs, which were pretty chaotic." Nevertheless, Modern English had become part of 4AD history, both on a musical level (another 4AD artist, This Mortal Coil, later recorded a medley of "Gathering Dust" and "16 Days") and as an early project for in-house designer, Vaughan Oliver, whose record sleeves were characterised by ethereal imagery and surreal visual shocks. "They didn't explain the masturbating fish on the cover of Mesh & Lace to us at all," says Robbie Grey with a wry smile, "but they were just experimenting, trying to find a new style."

"Vaughan credits us for giving him complete freedom at that point," says Walker. "We helped him on his way."
(http://beggarsgroupusa.com/modernenglish/biography/)

"The debut album by this overlooked 4AD outfit from Colchester in Essex. In many ways, Modern English helped to define the sound and image of that pioneering label; while admittedly pretentious at times, they were also sharp-edged, intellectual, and obsessed with aestheticism. The standouts here are the title track, "Smiles and Laughter," and "Gathering Dust," an epic post-punk exercise in aural dynamics. The keyboard rush that they employ is one of the punkiest uses of Stephen Walker's synthesizer imaginable — at least prior to the development of the industrial movement."
(http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hxfwxqe5ldte)

"It reaches the deep aches and soothes the soul. It remindes me of times long ago when life was so terrible and it gives me a place to echo the longing for something so much more than what I have. It is wonderful. It is one of my favorite albums of all time.
Mesh and Lace is melodic, trance-like, and moody. It's there when I need to have music that understands what I've been through in my life. It is very personal.

Mesh and Lace is a collector's item. If you own it, you will know what a priceless treasure you truly have."

"Everyone knows Modern English for their 80s hit single "Melt With You". In fact, they reference this album in that song "...never really knowing it was always mesh and lace".

This is Modern English before they became pop stars and still had a harder edge. It's a much darker album than "After the Snow". They sing about violence, nuclear war and other non-pop music topics. What's amazing is that you can hear flashes of brilliance, great hooks in these noisy, angst-filled cacophonous songs filled with audio clips, pounding drums and guitar feedback. Don't forget the headphones!

When I first heard the album, it didn't jump out at me as a classic. However, like all classic albums, it grew on me until I found myself repeating riffs and phrases from the album like "Can you count the seeds in an apple?" or "Religion Can't Help".

While I can't say that I bought this album before I heard "Melt With You", I did get it back in the early 80s at one of those cool college record stores that you probably can't find anymore and played it until it wore out. It proudly sits among my favorite albums of all times. I never got tired of it and I'm thrilled that it's available on CD. As a bonus you also get the "Gathering Dust" EP with songs that weren't included on the original album.
What does it remind me of? I hate comparing it to other groups, but if forced I would say I see similarities with Ministry, Joy Division, Siouxie and the Banshees and The Cure."

"A darkly ambiented realm of unsettling yet perfect bass, guitar drums et al harmonies,...of the gothic Bauhaus / Joy Division tradition. This album, being the only one that they've released that follows in this pattern, is utterly my favorite of them all."

More review:
http://www.leonardslair.co.uk/mesh.htm

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/modern_english/mesh_and_lace/

http://www.xsilence.net/disque-4972.htm (French)

AFTER THE SNOW (1983,reissued in 1992)

Credits:
Artwork By [Modified] - 23 Envelope (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_Envelope)
Artwork By [Original] - Vaughan Oliver (23 Envelope, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaughan_Oliver)
Backing Vocals, Engineer, Keyboards [Additional] - Hugh Jones (http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/enwiki/en/Hugh_Jones_(producer)#)
Bass, Violin - Michael Conroy
Drums, Percussion - Richard Brown
Guitar - Gary McDowell
Keyboards - Stephen Walker
Producer, Engineer - Hugh Jones (http://www.producermanagement.co.uk/hugh%20jones.html) (tracks: 1 to 11, 13)
Producer, Written-By - Modern English
Vocals - Robbie Grey
Engineer - John Madden (track 12), Mike Kemp (track 14)
Remix - Harvey Goldberg (http://www.greatcityprod.com/?page_id=836) and Mark Kamins (http://profile.myspace.com/markkamins) (track 09)
Remix - Harvey Goldberg and Ivo Watts-Russell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivo_Watts-Russell) (track 10)
Edited By [Additional] - Martyn Young (from Colourbox) (track 10)

Notes:
This is the re-issue of the 1992 CD:
Tracks 1 to 8: from 'After The Snow' LP (CAD 206).
Tracks 9, 10: from 'Someone's Calling' 12" (BAD 309).
Tracks 11, 12: from 'I Melt With You' 7" (AD 212)
Tracks 13, 14: from 'Life In The Gladhouse' 12" (BAD 208)

Recorded at Rockfield. Thanks to Faith for flute on 'Carry me down'.
Track 9, 10: remixed at Media Sound N.Y.C.
Track 12: engineered at Alvic Studios.
Track 14: engineered at Spaceward Studios.

VIDEO:
"Someone's Calling"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPmGpDWNZB8

Tracklist:

01 Someone's Calling (4:03)
02 Life In The Gladhouse (4:38)
03 Face Of Wood (5:55)
04 Dawn Chorus (4:41)
05 I Melt With You (4:10)
06 After The Snow (3:49)
07 Carry Me Down (4:33)
08 Tables Turning (4:33)
09 Someone's Calling (Remix) (3:46)
10 Life In The Gladhouse (Remix) (5:00)
11 I Melt With You (7" Mix) (3:50)
12 The Prize (3:32)
13 Life In The Gladhouse (12" Mix) (5:56)
14 The Choicest View (11:40)

Bonus:

THIS MORTAL COIL - Sixteen Days - Gathering Dust EP (1983)

Credits:
Bass - Michael Conroy (tracks: 15, 17)/ Guitar - Gary McDowell
Written-By - Modern English (tracks: 15, 17), Tim Buckley (track 16)

15 Sixteen Days - Gathering Dust 9:00
16 Song To The Siren 3:30
17 Sixteen Days (Reprise)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/290397404/mod-now.rar

More info for This Mortal Coil Ep:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixteen_Days/Gathering_Dust

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/this_mortal_coil/sixteen_days_gathering_dust/

When Modern English founder Robbie Grey wrote the words to "I Melt With You," little did the English singer-songwriter know that the song would haunt him for years to come. A dreamy, seize-the-moment tune that debuted in dance clubs and on MTV in 1983, "Melt With You" has since become the consummate '80s anthem, rearing up in greatest-hits countdowns and even a commercial for Burger King.

The cheerful and casual Grey, 40, remembers the song's beginnings 16 years ago as brief and inauspicious. "We were in Wales at the time and we hadn't even been to America yet," he says, "I wrote the lyrics in three minutes--we didn't have a clue what we were doing. It's amazing."
(http://articles.latimes.com/1997/nov/13/entertainment/ca-53120)

While living together and jamming songs in their Ladbroke Grove squat, it was Steve Walker who suggested they hire Echo & The Bunnymen producer Hugh Jones to work with them on new songs. "He came to see us play on New Year's Eve at London's ICA," remembers Grey, "and he didn't think much of the gig, to be honest." "He said we didn't have any songs," adds Walker, softly.

The band credit Jones' tireless enthusiasm - he worked non-stop for four weeks at Rockfield studios in Wales - and his emphasis on songwriting structures as opposed to weird, improvised textures, for the change in style showcased on 1982's After The Snow LP. "Hugh would play us stuff like Nick Drake, Fairport Convention and Todd Rundgren," says Walker. "He showed us things called choruses; we knew they were there, but we never knew how to get them." According to Richard Brown, "Hugh was influenced by '60s music and he brought vocal harmonies to the music and a straight, solid drum beat." The remote, quiet recording location also inspired the transcendental, semi-religious tone of the material, in particular Grey's life-affirming lyrics on "Dawn Chorus": "It's a song about where we recorded the album," he says. "You woke up in the morning - and we were staying in this really small cottage with a log fire - you threw open the window and it was just so inspiring. That's what 'Dawn Chorus' is about. In the song there's a line that says, 'Strange visions of balloons on white stallions' and that's what the front cover is - a line from the song." This warmer, more romantic approach was reflected in the title of the album. "The first LP was very cold," explains Grey, "and a very angry record and that's why we named this one After The Snow - as in, after the cold."

After The Snow's thawed, more vulnerable songwriting prompted a critical breakthrough in the UK, where they received the best reviews of their career. One prominent British rock magazine raved, "this record is a pleasant surprise - it's both traditional and forward-looking; familiar yet mysterious. Watch this space." Another was equally complimentary about their change in approach, claiming, "It's as far an advancement from Mesh & Lace as Einstein was from algebra . . . how can slush like ABC and Duran Duran get so much airplay to the exclusion of dynamism like this?" Unfortunately, the British public cold-shouldered the album, leaving the band in no-man's land. "Nothing much happened for a while," says Grey, "and we started recording a new album with Hugh. We'd done about four tracks when I had a phone call from a friend who said, 'Do you realise your song, "I Melt With You," is all over American radio?' It was the first I'd heard anything about it."
(http://beggarsgroupusa.com/modernenglish/biography/)

""I'll Melt With You" will forever be the one specific moment that's Modern English's place in pop history, but the album it came from, After the Snow, isn't anything to sneeze at. Indeed, in transforming from the quite fine but dour young miserabilists on Mesh & Lace to a brighter incarnation who still had a melancholy side, the quintet found exactly the right combination best-suited for their abilities. Like contemporaries B-Movie and the Sound, Modern English used punk and post-punk roots as a chance to introduce a haunting, beautiful take on romance and emotion, while the contributions of Stephen Walker on keyboard helped make the album both of its time and timeless. That said, the secret weapon on the album is the rhythm section of Michael Conroy and Richard Brown, able to shift from the polite but relentless tribal beat clatter on the excellent "Life in the Gladhouse" to the ever more intense punch of the title track, the album's unheralded masterpiece. None of this is to denigrate the contributions of singer Robbie Grey and guitarist Gary McDowell. The former's seemingly mannered singing actually shows a remarkable fluidity at points — "After the Snow" again is a good reference point, as is the fraught, slow-burn epic "Dawn Chorus" — while McDowell works around the band's various arrangements instead of trying to dominate them. Some songs, like "Face of Wood," even find Modern English — often dogged with Joy Division comparisons early on — predicting where New Order would go before that band got there itself. Still, "I Melt With You" is the main reason most will want to investigate further. A perfect pop moment that didn't have to strain for it, its balance of giddy sentiment and heartfelt passion matched with a rush of acoustic and electric guitar overdubs just can't be beat."
(http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:h9fyxq8aldte)

"This is probably my favorite early 80's so called "New Wave" album. I wouldn't even put this album in the New Wave or any other category, because I believe it shows a truly original creativity that transcends any genre. This record creates an "atmosphere" that takes the listener on a beautiful trip. I would compare it to a walk with your lover on a wonderful fall day in an English garden; you never tire of the feeling it gives. Personal favorites include "Someone's Calling" and "Face of Wood," but all the songs flow together as if being played in a suite. I think the entire album shows wonderful attention to detail in both lyrics and musicianship. In an era where a band's looks in it's videos were the most important element, Modern English threw that concept out the window and contributed an artisitc statement and musical feel that few bands from that era could capture. Ever notice how a winter snowfall brings beauty to everything it covers? "After the Snow" will add beauty and wonder to your CD collection."

"This album serves as a portrait of truly exquisite early 80's new wave - if they took off "Melt With You", which fits this album like a square peg in a round hole, "After The Snow" would be just about perfect. (I must note that I'm only familiar with the original, not the "bonus tracks" version) The only song on this album that has a pop sound (besides "Melt With You") is "Someone's Calling", which is still a standout (awesome percussion), especially played loud. The rest of the album is atmospheric and has that sparse, choppy yet melodic and raw sound that die-hard fans like me really love about new wave. Unlike the manufactured garbage du jour, this album has an honest and almost spiritual quality about it. It's not for your casual 80's music fan; this album packs substance and lacks the sheen and gloss of much of the era's offerings.2

"Melt With You" is synonymous with an era, no doubt about it. But should the album whence it sprang be relegated to oblivion?

I think not. While "Melt With You" might be early-80s pop of the moodiest and most perversely populist sort, the rest of the album is imbued with a personality of its own. "Life in the Gladhouse" is a stomping beast that gallops along to its own beat. "Dawn Chorus" and "Face of Wood" all have elements that linger in the recesses of memory. "Carry Me Down" is almost wistfully medieval in its execution, yet not in a pretentious proggy way. For the most part, the album's production aptly presents the music in a competent manner.

The bonus tracks that are tacked on the back of this re-issue are rather cumbersome, since most are demos and alternate takes. "The Choiciest View" is an interesting addition, since it somehow degenerates into self-indulgent feedback shenanigans of the most V.U.-esque quality.

Overall, this is worth checking out if you're a fan of post-punk bands. Synth-pop this isn't, mind you, and neither is it sparse Gang of Four/Public Image Ltd.-circa 1979 stuff. It's more along the lines of a less austere Joy Division having a crack at fun.

Final verdict: Recommended."

"After the Snow is truly an expression of Eighties music at its near-best. In addition to the euphoric and well-known "I Melt With You," After the Snow contains 7 other (mostly) great songs, as well as 5 bonus tracks. What we find here is rich '80s New Wave rock, held together by a gentle, distinctly folky mellowness ("Carry Me Down" even features a trilling flute and a gentle acoustic guitar) that's just British enough to be umistakeably a gem of an era gone for nearly 15 years, and to resemble The Cure's less depressing times. This calm sound, parallel with Robbie Grey's clear, deadpan English vocals is decorated sparsely with thin, jerky guitars worthy of early Siouxsie and the Banshees or U2. The two contrasting styles compliment each other quite nicely, and are punctuated occasionally by Stephen Walker's bubbly, robotic keyboards, which sound as if they remain buried in the mix for most of each song and are only allowed to come up for air every once in a while. These keyboards can sound typically and humorously '80s, but overall they do not detract from the soung. The songs, conveniently helped along by their folkiness, mostly center on reflection and often the beauty of nature, but at times can escalate into tense, dark cynicism, as as in the dark reminsicience of "After the Snow". These explosions have more in common with the darker, '80s Goth bands; unexpected in light of the more optimistic tone of this CD, but not totally mysterious, since After the Snow was released on 4AD, the division of Beggar's Banquet, which has been home to such Goth greats as Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, The Birthday Party, Gary Numan and The Cult. While delineating each aspect of this music may make each one sound clashing or egregious they blend together very harmoniously. This album may be too calm or bland for some, but I highly recommend it to fans of New Wave or other '80s styles, and younger fans raised on more recent Alternative Rock may find something relaxing and pleasant here."

More review:
http://www.leonardslair.co.uk/modern.htm

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1101125

http://www.xsilence.net/disque-2002.htm (French)

http://www.rockline.it/review3285.html (Italian)

RICOCHET DAYS (1984,reissued in 1992)

Credits:
Vocals - Robbie Grey
Guitar - Gary McDowell
Keyboards - Stephen Walker
Drums - Richard Brown
Bass - Michael Conroy
Artwork By [Design] - 23 Envelope
Backing Vocals - Lorita Grahame (from Colourbox)
Cello - Caroline Lavelle (http://www.carolinelavelle.com/about.html)
Congas - Jeff Seopardie (from Boy's Don't Cry, see: http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/Diner/2674/seopardie_jeff_a.htm)
Engineer - John Fryer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fryer_(music) and http://www.myspace.com/johnfryerproducer) (tracks: 10 to 12)
Oboe, Arranged By [String Quartet] - Nicky Holland (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gpfpxqw5ld6e~T1 Oboe, English Horn [Cor Anglais] - Kate St. John (from The Dream Academy, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_St_John)
Producer, Engineer - Hugh Jones (http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/enwiki/en/Hugh_Jones_(producer)#) (tracks: 1 to 10)
Producer, Written-By - Modern English
Tabla - Pandit Dinesh (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iiY4gjiwC0)
Viola - Sally Beamish (http://www.sallybeamish.com/)
Violin - Nick Barnard (http://www.pellyorchestra.co.uk/), Nicola Lewis (http://www.sydneysymphony.com/about_us/symphony_family/Strings/first_violins/)

Notes:
Tracks 1 to 8: from 'Ricochet Days' album (CAD 402).
Tracks 9 to 11: from 'Chapter 12' single (BAD 401), engineered at Blackwing.
Track 12: Previously unreleased. This was supposed to be the next single on 4AD. However, they left the label.
Tracks 1 to 9 were recorded and mixed at The Producers Workshop, the Garden and Rockfield.

VIDEO:
"Spinning Me Round"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkpkQXgfYVE&feature=related

Tracklist:

01 Rainbow's End (3:07)
02 Machines (5:49)
03 Spinning Me Round (4:51)
04 Ricochet Days (5:13)
05 Hands Across The Sea (4:54)
06 Blue Waves (4:00)
07 Heart (6:58)
08 Chapter 12 (3:57)
09 Chapter 12 (Twelve Inch Mix) (4:37)
10 Ringing In The Change (4:09)
11 Reflection (4:19)
12 Breaking Away (Demo) (2:52)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/289749037/mo-ric.rar

Check this also if you wanna listen to their concert in New York '84:

http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/modern-english-concert/20051148-4845.html (ConcertRitz (New York, NY))

The joyful "I Melt With You" was still only available on import at this point but a deal with Sire Records set the band up for an American promotional tour in 1983. "We were only supposed to be out there for a month or so, but we ended up playing 82 gigs in 100 days," reveals Walker. Grey: "It was so strange, to go from playing to 200 people looking inquisitively at you in the ICA to 10,000 people on a beach in Florida. We were so naive we actually got off the plane wearing long coats." As well as the touring, Modern English made an impact by becoming one of the first British acts to enjoy heavy rotation on MTV. "That was another weird thing," says Grey, "because suddenly we became part of this wave of British music that was doing well in America - people such as Duran Duran and Flock Of Seagulls. The only thing we had in common with those bands was Gary's haircut. Our video was done in a London basement rather than a yacht in some exotic far-flung place." In fact, the song Life In The Gladhouse was a direct swipe at the "cocktail set" embodied by the likes of Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet.

"I Melt With You" eventually peaked just outside the American Top 40, while After The Snow was rapidly certified Gold. "We played the Ritz in New York one night in 1983 and Matt Dillon introduced us on stage," says Grey, illustrating just how far Modern English had travelled from their Colchester roots. "The place was sold out to the rafters, with Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan in the audience."

After The Snow's runaway success delayed the final sessions for their next album Ricochet Days, which was completed a year after they'd started recording. Hugh Jones's sophisticated production and the band's willingness to experiment created a mature but understated follow-up. In a relatively short space of time they'd journeyed from the heavy dynamics of post-punk to an airy, psychedelic style, painstakingly detailed with string sections, oboe and textured keyboards.

"I'm still proud of that record," claims Walker, "but the problem was it didn't have a hit single on it." Accurately described by one American critic as "an eloquent work of passive art," Ricochet Days is a beautiful-sounding album which features some flowing, abstract songwriting and some of Grey's finest vocal performances. Unfortunately for Modern English their success had isolated them from the record company, who were quietly developing other British acts, such as Cocteau Twins, at their own pace. For much of 1984, Modern English were on tour in America, feeling cut-off from 4AD and increasingly under pressure from their USA major label. The next single, "Hands Across The Sea," stalled outside the charts and a stressed and over-worked Modern English began to fall apart. "It's the usual story," laments Walker. "Some band members started squabbling and at the end of the tour myself and Richard were dismissed.""
(http://beggarsgroupusa.com/modernenglish/biography/)

"Leaving behind the artistic adventures of their first two albums (particularly impressive was 1982's After the Snow), Ricochet Days begins Modern English's slow decline toward the status of just another synth band. The material, though beautifully produced by the reliable Hugh Jones and boasting some pliable hooks, lacks the conviction and attack of old. "Hands Across the Sea" and "Spinning Me Round" are serviceable but hardly vital additions to the band's songbook."
(http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:f9frxqw5ldje)

"This CD seems to have gone unnoticed by the mainstream who seem only to remember "Melt with you"...this album is really strong, definitely at least as good as After the Snow...Rainbows End, Machines, Spinning Me Round, Blue Waves are all extremely excellent, and the remaining tracks are almost as good as they (I enjoy turning the volume up during the sweet little classical intro to Chapter 12 too)....I love to discover unheralded gems, and this CD certainly fits the bill. If you enjoy ME's more popular music, please give this album a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised!"

"What a nice piece of pop, this is what New Wave was all about: once the rage of punk finished, the hangover left sharper ears and creative skills, so a mixture of pop and experimental never seen or heard before was produced by this and other seminal bands, oh lord if only contemporary pop might be like this...
Great songs with lovely harmonies all over, strings and oboe arrangements, highly recomendable indeed. "

""Ricochet days", the band's third studio album, does greatly benefit from a slightly streamlined sound, better production, and dancier rhythms. Adding a string quartet and other classical instruments, tracks like "Heart" or the title cut even sound experimental and ambitious. While "Ricochet days" lacks an absolutely catchy hit single like "I melt with you" and the punk edge of the previous two albums, it's a bit more consistent and will ultimately prove the most satisfying ME effort. The rocking "Rainbow's end" is ME's most immediate number in years, and "Machines", "Spinning me round", and "Hands across the sea" display that the band hasn't forgotten how to write catchy refrains. But the stand-out track here is "Chapter 12", which has a very memorable, crystalline synth melody. There's even a video clip of this song available, it shows the band playing on the roof of a house. The extra tracks are taken from 1984's EP release "Chapter 12", including a great dance mix and two other tracks. The previously unreleased "Breaking away" is a simple but enchanting number. Well, ME never were a groundbreaking band like several other 4AD artists (Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Pixies), but they created some of the best and most sophisticated wave-rock of the early-'80s."

STOP START (1986)

Credits:
Aaron Davidson - Keyboards, Guitar
Gary McDowell - Guitar, Songwriter
Mick Conroy - Bass and Guitar
Robbie Grey - Lead Vocals, Songwriter, Lyrics
Stephen Stewart-Short (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Short) - Producer
Artwork By [Sleeve] - 23 Envelope (see the first album)
Drums - Graham Broad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Broad and http://www.grahambroad.com/)
Guitar - Tony Lowe (http://www.tonylowe.com/about.html)
Horns - Gary Barnacle (http://saltyka.blogspot.com/2007/10/leisure-process.html)
Programmed By - Neil O'Connor (http://www.myspace.com/nocroc)
Recorded By - Tim Baldwin (http://www.matinee.co.uk/site3/events/main.htm)
Recorded By, Mixed By - Alan Moulder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Moulder)
Written-By - Modern English
Written-By - Kelly Solloum , Tommy Dunbar (track 02)

VIDEO:
"Ink Paper"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrss1jrdpxs&feature=related

Tracklist:

01 The Border
02 Ink And Paper
03 Night Train
04 I Don't Know The Answer
05 Love Breaks Down
06 Breaking Away
07 The Greatest Show
08 Love Forever
09 Start Stop
10 Stop Start
11 Ink And Paper (Live)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/293894695/mosto.rar

I asked about thttp://rapidshare.com/files/292922314/moen-so.rarhe departure from 4AD in 1984 and Robbie likens it to the way Cocteau Twins felt when they left the label. There wasn't any sour feelings in the spilt; it was just deemed to be time to leave and explore other labels and expand. A single "Breaking Away" was planned for spring 1984 but scrapped in light of the departure. Robbie even admitted that in hindsight, leaving 4AD at the time probably wasn't the best thing to do.

After 4AD, Modern English signed to Beggars Banquet in the UK and to Sire in the US, who they had aleady been distributed by for the last two 4AD albums. Sire exerted a great deal of control over the group and the overall lack of promotion given to the first official Sire album "Stop Start" led to a bad feeling all around while on a US tour. The "Ink And Paper" single did OK but apparently, not good enough and the group was given the Sire pink slip. Go ahead, just ask Robbie's opinion of Sire!"
(http://www.evo.org/html/interview/ModernEnglish.interview.toronto1996.html)

"Modern English's 4th studio album Stop Start was released in 1986 by Sire Records. Later, Modern English broke away from Sire (hence the song "Breaking Away") was in part both a message put on the album at the last minute in spite of conflicts with the record label, and also trying to break away from their past traditional musical accomplishments (i.e. “I Melt With You” from the album After The Snow).

With sounds bordering on punk, modern rock, alternative, and a little touch of hard rock at times, Stop Start should not be ignored! This is truly one of Modern English’s “alternative” albums from the early accomplishments of “After The Snow” and “Ricochet Days”. Lead singer Robbie Grey mentioned “...they wanted to try something different and break away from the old, try something new.”

Unfortunately this did not work out the way the band wanted. Due to poor advertising, management, and infrequent radio play, the band eventually split up and went their separate ways. It was a bitter departure from Sire and this great album was pulled, never released again. It is available mostly on vinyl, occasional cassette tape if you’re lucky, and has rarely been seen on CD or mp3 digital media.

The radio plays that Modern English did get from this album were "The Border", "Ink & Paper", and "Breaking Away". A video was also released for "Ink & Paper", but did not get much airplay. It was mostly played in department stores and rarely seen on MTV. Modern English truly influenced the New Wave/Modern Rock era of the time.

Later, in 1992, a demo version of “Breaking Away” was released for the first time on a reissue of Ricochet Days from the label 4AD."
(http://www.soundunwound.com/sp/release/view/Stop-Start-Modern-English?releaseId=2542991)

"Picked up by Sire Records, Modern English found it difficult to break free from perceptions of them as a de facto 4AD band (a situation which also occurred with the Cocteau Twins). So they made this rather regrettable, overtly commercial album which impressed no one. Songs such as "Night Train" and "Love Breaks Down" were all sheen and polish rather than substance. Others, like "The Greatest Show," simply meander endlessly. An interesting footnote is that ex-Rubinoo Tommy Dunbar co-wrote "Ink and Paper.""
(http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9frxqw5ldje)

More review:
http://www.shiftlesspitch.com/2009/03/modern-english-stop-start.html

MODERN ENGLISH AT THE PALACE review:
http://articles.latimes.com/1986-05-31/entertainment/ca-8158_1_modern-english

PILLOW LIPS (1990)

Credits:
Performer - Aaron Davidson , Michael Conroy , Robbie Grey and Gary McDowell
Artwork By [Art Direction, Design] - Vaughan Oliver (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49586923568 and http://rateyourmusic.com/lists/list_view?list_id=13797&show=100&start=200)
Artwork By [Calligraphy] - Chris Bigg (23 Envelope, see: http://yourkindisrare.blogspot.com/2009/05/lectures-chris-bigg.html)
Backing Vocals - Elaine Banks
Drums, Percussion - Roy Martin (http://www.roymartin.co.uk/)
Engineer - Jess Corcoran (http://www.urbanstreet.co.uk/studio_gravity.htm), Steve Nunn (???: http://www.cornwallsolar.co.uk/cornmill/career.htm)
Photography [Colour] - Dominic Davies (http://www.dominicdavies.com/)
Photography [Portrait] - Marcus Graham
Producer - Pat Collier (ex-The Vibrators, see: http://www.myspace.com/perryvalestudios)
Producer, Written-By - Modern English
Violin - Martin Bell (ex-The Wonder Stuff)

Notes:
Recorded at Greenhouse Studios. Released with an additional postcard

Credits for I Melt With You EP:
Keyboards - Jerry Deaton (Eddie Money, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mihoko, Mike Reno/Loverboy) (http://www.media-match.com/profile.php?uid=802815 and http://www.productionhub.com/directory/view.aspx?item=171369) (tracks 11,13)
Keyboards - Eric Kupper (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Kupper and http://www.myspace.com/erickupper) (tracks 12,14)
Remix - John Potoker (http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Potoker/636845930) (tracks 11,13), Carl Segal (tracks 12,14)
Engineer - Jess Corcoran, Steve Nunn, John Potoker (Tracks 11,13)
Producer - Pat Collier/Producer, Written-By - Modern English

Tracklist:

01 I Melt With You (3:55)
02 Life's Rich Tapestry (4:05)
03 Beauty (2:24)
04 You're Too Much (2:29)
05 Beautiful People (3:10)
06 Care About You (2:56)
07 Let's All Dream (2:35)
08 Coming Up For Air (3:46)
09 Pillow Lips (3:30)
10 Take Me Away (3:42)

Bonus:

I MELT WITH YOU (12") (1990)

11 I Melt With You (Toke's Rock The World Mix)
12 I Melt With You (Carl's Stop The World Mix)
13 I Melt With You (Toke's Rock The Radio Mix)
14 I Melt With You (Bass Meltdown Mix)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/289746118/pilli.rar

After essentially breaking up, it wan't until Robbie got a call from New York based TVT Records in 1990 that Modern English came back to life. Robbie recruited former bandmate Michael Conroy and friend Aaron Davidson to become the new model Modern English. The deal was, TVT would pony up the bucks for a new album only if they re-recorded "I Melt With You", which they did, in almost the exact version as the 1982 original, for the "Pillow Lips" album.

Well, Robbie has some nice things to say about TVT as well. Another gap of six years goes by and a deal is struck with the imago label. Robbie then recruited three friend's to join him in the new version of Modern English, with three others for the touring band.
(http://www.evo.org/html/interview/ModernEnglish.interview.toronto1996.html)

"This was the group's first album after re-forming around original members Robbie Grey (vocals), Mick Conroy (bass), and ex-March Violets member Aaron Davidson (guitar/keyboards), who had joined in 1986 only to see the current lineup at that time disintegrate. The trio moved to the U.S. and conjured a minor hit single with a remixed version of the portentous "I Melt With You." Older fans of the band despaired of their new, slicker variant. Despite their modest breakthrough, the group broke up again in 1991."
(http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:h9frxqw5ldje)

""Pillow lips" was not the comeback it should have been. The line-up here is slightly different than on ME's first three albums, but that's not the main reason why this 33-minute disc is such an utterly disappointing affair. The songs are the weakest in ME's career and the overly slick production cuts off any edge. Also, the plastic drum machines and outdated synth sounds recall '80s pop music at its least inspired and have few in common with ME's once tasteful musicianship; much of "Pillow lips" is simply lifeless. I really wonder where the band which wrote such gems as "Gathering dust" or "Chapter 12" has gone. The only song that really stands out among the fair amount of undistinguished tracks is "I melt with you", a remake of ME's 1982 stateside hit single which comes up with new-recorded vocals. "Beautiful people" was also released on CD-single, however, both items failed to enhace the album's commercial appeal in Europe - it proved to be a serious flop. ME's first three albums, "Mesh and lace", "After the snow", and "Ricochet days", come highly recommended..."

"I'm usually not one to write bad reviews unless I find something so bad I find it necessary to warn others. Enjoying their earlier material (especially the early postpunk/new wave classic After The Snow), I was excited to find this album used in a store for only a buck. After listening to it, I felt completely ripped off.
The opening track, a well-done remake of their classic "I Melt With You", can easily lure you in. However, it's setting you up for a big fall. The album's other 9 tracks seem like filler.. Horrible, sugary, repetitive pop songs with no substance, each based primarily on 2 chord melodies. Most amateur songwriters I know could probably write the last 9 tracks on this album in about a day...and I can't think of anyone that would want to listen to any one of those songs more than once. In fact, I have to admit to writing this review without listening to the whole album all the way through myself because there were a few tracks I still haven't been able to make it all the way through. Basically, the album is almost entirely glossy production with no substance whatsoever.

Then, to top it all off, the album clocks in at under 33 minutes! Apparently they only had the ability to write and record half an hour of horrible filler...go figure... Of course, on the other hand, the quality of the songs does give the album the interesting ability make those 33 short minutes seem like an eternity...

If you really like glossy, mindless, totally generic pop, then you should listen to the samples and make up your own mind. Who knows, you might love this album even though I can't even fathom that possibility at the moment. Otherwise, there are only 3 reasons I can think of to buy this CD: 1. You only want the CD to put "I Melt With You" on repeat play (in which case After The Snow would still be a better purchase) 2. You want a really shiny frisbee to play with 3. You're a very sadistic interrogator in need of an effective new torture device.

Definitely check out the band's earlier material, though. This album is very uncharacteristic of the quality of their work overall...chalk it up to lineup changes, an attempt to make a comeback and go mainstream, whatever...this one falls flat on its face."

"This cd holds many great memories for me. Some of the songs on here(Life's rich tapestry,Take me away,Coming up for air, Pillow lips) had a great emotional impact on me. It was a rough time in my life and these songs helped to get me through it. I listen to these same songs today and they still have an impact on me. They're like old friends or comfort food. I still love them. They might be different then their earlier material but still great alternative rock! Highly recommended to listen and let them become your old friend one day also!"

I Melt With You remix EP:

"I found this CD to be very enjoyable! It contains 4 unique versions of "I Melt With You", all of which are different from versions heard on the radio. The first track is a new remix from one of the eighties versions of the song (of which I believe there were even three of those alone!). It's nice to hear instruments and sections of the song you wouldn't normally hear because they're lost in the background. The second track is a remix of the re-recorded 1990 version (man this song was recorded a lot!). Track 3 is "Beautiful People" (which seems to be a bit different than I remember it). Track 4 is the original 12" single version ('80s). And the Last track is the 1990 extended version. Believe it or not, I enjoyed listening to all of these interpretations. Remember, old songs never die, they just get remixed! At least the great ones like this. Great CD single."

"wasn't familiar with the other versions of "melt with you" but really enjoy them. i think this is a great disc."

"The version of this song on "Pillow Lips" is different than the one on "After the Snow". You can tell the difference by the middle 8. Just listen carefully. They must have felt this was the only way to get back on the charts. They're back together, and are working on a new CD. Just hope they won't have to record this again, except live."
(http://richardanvil.multiply.com/music/item/59/I_Melt_With_You_1990_mixes)

EVERYTHING'S MAD (1996, reissued in 2007)

Credits:
Cello - Matt Goeke (http://www.myspace.com/mattgcellist)
Co-producer - Modern English
Drums - Robert Brian (http://sites.google.com/site/drummerrobbrian/professional-drummer/experience)
Engineer, Mixed By - Giles Hall (http://www.ensemblerobot.org/artists.shtml)
Guitar, Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Programmed By, Bass, Strings, Producer - Ted Mason (http://www.mi5recordings.com/artists/bluemockingbirds/index.html)
Keyboards, Programmed By, Sampler - Matthew Shipley
Mastered By - Rick Rowe (http://www.rickrowemastering.com/)
Photography - Marcus Graham , Steve Sullivan
Viola - Ina Litera (http://www.thirdstreetmusicschool.org/faculty/litera.htm)
Violin - Christoph Franzgrote (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wcfixqqgldhe~T4), Erika Atchley (http://www.saugatuckmusic.org/archive/erika_atchley.htm) , Yue Xu (http://www.taylororchestra.org/events.htm)
Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Programmed By - Robbie Grey
Other [Sourangy] - Mahandar Singh (track 01)
Other [Tabla] - Shamim Miah (http://www.myspace.com/shamimmiah) (track 01)
Rick Rowe (http://www.rickrowemastering.com/)- Mastering
Richard Delingpole (http://www.lhiw.org.uk)- Cover Design
Engineer - John Paul Mabarek, Jerry Pilato (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Pilato)
Steve Sullivan (http://www.kls-photo.com/)- Photography
Written-By - Grey, Mason (tracks 01-05,08)
Written-By - Shipley, Grey(tracks 09,10)
Written-By - Shipley, Grey, Mason(tracks 09,10)

Notes:
Recorded at Planet Sound, New York and Bath, UK

VIDEO:
Interview contains "I Don't Know Anything"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0yOYyhAjKc&feature=related

Tracklist:

01 The Planet (3:41)
02 That's Right (3:49)
03 Waves (When I Cum) (4:28)
04 Heaven (2:38)
05 I Can't Breathe (2:29)
06 Here We Go Again (3:32)
07 I Don't Know Anything (2:37)
08 Elastic (2:21)
09 Flim One (3:25)
10 The Killing Screens (4:07)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/290147787/mo-evim.rar

Now touring with an entirely new lineup--drummer Jonathan Solomon, guitarist Steven Walker, keyboardist Matthew Shipley and bassist Ian Robbins--Grey has mixed feelings about the song's powerful grip on fans.

"It's great to watch people enjoying your music," he says, "but most people know Modern English from 'Melt With You,' and the reason we're on the road is we've got a whole new bunch of songs and the new stuff's excellent. It's great to put a half-dozen new songs in the set because you can balance it with the 'Melt With You' thing, which we've played a thousand times before."
(http://articles.latimes.com/1997/nov/13/entertainment/ca-53120)

Halfway through their North American tour, Modern English touched down in Toronto on May 9th.

They signed to the latest incarnation of the imago label and released album number six "Everything's Mad" two or so months back. The only original member remaining from the 4AD days is vocalist Robbie Grey with the current touring band featuring five new members, most of which are friends of Robbie's.

If you've heard the new album then you know it's far from the style and standards that were evident on the 4AD and Beggars Banquet albums. However, with repeated listenings, it does grow on you. Songs like "I Don't Know Anything" have the same feel as "Hands Across The Sea" or "I Melt With You". Technically, the new album sounds rich and lush; production from lead guitarist Ted Mason shines on the album's ten tracks. Keyboardist Matthew Shipley rounds out the core of the group.
(http://www.evo.org/html/interview/ModernEnglish.interview.toronto1996.html)

More interview:
http://www.radcyberzine.com/text/interviews/me.html

"I'm stumped as to why this album is showing up for 25 cents on Ebay and 43 cents on Amazon Marketplace. It's a pretty good album. Still sounds like Modern English and then some. Robbie Grey is and always has been the heart of the band. He gives Modern English its sound. Heaven is an especially good track. It's definitely worth having at under a dollar."

"Why, oh why, is this release available for 25 cents? I took the advice of the other reviewer and did, in fact buy it for 24 cents. A great purchase. It is true that this album has a different lineup, but it is a good one (while McDowell's guitar work is sorely missed, this sound is a different kind of good). I'm guessing there was no promotion behind this album. It is far superior to later outings like the abysmal "Pillow Lips." Is it on a par with ME's classic albums? The short answer is no. What sets this album below those is that there are some filler songs that experiment a little with euro-dancy sounds that i feel fail pretty hard. However, the songs that are winners are big winners. Any fan of ME should add this to their collection, especially for the surreal Everly Brothers cover or the undeniably catchy/too much information "When I Cum.""

"this album has a different lineup, but it is a good one (while McDowell's guitar work is sorely missed, this sound is a different kind of good). I'm guessing there was no promotion behind this album. It is far superior to later outings like the abysmal "Pillow Lips." Is it on a par with ME's classic albums? The short answer is no. What sets this album below those is that there are some filler songs that experiment a little with euro-dancy sounds that i feel fail pretty hard. However, the songs that are winners are big winners. Any fan of ME should add this to their collection, especially for the surreal Everly Brothers cover or the undeniably catchy/too much information "When I Cum.""

More review:
http://www.westword.com/1996-05-16/music/they-re-melting-they-re-melting/

LIFE IN THE GLADHOUSE:1980-1984 (2001)

Credits:
Artwork By [Art Direction] - Vaughan Oliver (23 Envelope)
Artwork By [Design] - Martin Anderson (23 Envelope)
Artwork By [Original Sleeve Design] - 23 Envelope
Bass [Guitar] - Michael Conroy
Drums - Richard Brown
Guitar - Gary McDowell
Keyboards - Stephen Walker
Mastered By [Remastered] - John Dent (http://www.masteringworld.com/EngineerDetails.asp?EID=3)
Photography - Dominic Davies (http://www.dominicdavies.com/studio.htm)
Photography [Original Sleeve Photography] - Nigel Grierson (23 Envelope, see: http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/3920-nigel-grierson)
Photography [Portrait] - Sheila Rock
Producer - Hugh Jones (tracks: 3, 6. 7. 9 to 13, 15, 16) , Modern English (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 14) , Robin Mayhew (tracks: 4, 8)
Vocals - Robbie Grey
Remix - Harvey Goldberg , Ivo Watts-Russell (track 16)
Written-By - McDowell* , Conroy* , Brown* , Grey* , Walker*

Notes:
Remastered at Loud Mastering.

Tracks taken from:
1, 5: Mesh & Lace Album (CAD 105)
2: Gathering Dust Single (AD 15)
3: I Melt With You Single (AD 212), title is adjusted.
6, 10, 11: After The Snow Album (CAD 206)
7, 9, 13, 15: Ricochet Days Album (CAD 402)
8: Smiles And Laughter Single (AD 110)
12: Unreleased single mix, title is adjusted.
14: Swans On Glass Single (AD 6)
16: Unreleased alternate remix, title is adjusted.

Tracklist:

01 16 Days (4:37)
02 Gathering Dust (4:21)
03 I Melt With You (7" Mix) (3:49)
04 Mesh And Lace (4:18)
05 Black Houses (5:42)
06 After The Snow (3:50)
07 Rainbows End (3:06)
08 Smiles And Laughter (3:10)
09 Ricochet Days (5:13)
10 Dawn Chorus (4:42)
11 Carry Me Down (5:25)
12 Machines (Single Mix) (5:54)
13 Heart (6:57)
14 Swans On Glass (4:35)
15 Blue Waves (3:58)
16 Life In The Gladhouse (Alternate Remix) (5:04)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/289746045/mo-lif.rar

Product Description
Life In The Gladhouse - The Best Of Modern English 1980-1984 is an exquisite pop retrospective celebrating the joy of youthful romance (and a huge American video hit in the early days of MTV), 'I Melt With You' was something of an anomaly for this moody and experimental crew, whose songs generally tended to have titles like 'Black Houses' and 'Swans on Glass'. 16 tracks. 2001 4AD release.

"This is a Best Of compilation which is quite different. The people who made this compilation (for better or worse) decided to leave out many of the singles that were actually released by Modern English and did actually get some decent airplay. This CD, is not about playing all of the songs everyone knows - since most people aren't familiar with Modern English anyway. This CD is about telling the story about one of the most underated bands of all time. Yes, After The Snow is definitely a better album. And I really do wish they might have included some of their later singles, and not just included album cuts from the later albums, but the music none-the-less is excellent. It includes some of their earlier, dark post-punk experimental rock music, which is ultra hard to find. It has the most popular songs from Mesh & Lace, as well as some of the better stuff from After The Snow, including the classic anthem, "I Melt With You". It also features many excellent songs from the underrated Ricochet Days album. The CD liner notes includes a history of the band as well as an intervue with two of the band members. If you love post-punk or new wave music, you will love this album. The bassist is as good as Peter Hook, the synths are phenomenal, the melodies and harmonies and lyrics are all excellent as well. If you like the Cure, New Order, Joy Division or similar music, definitely check this album out!"

"Modern English are certainly deserving of a decent Best Of, but this one featuring songs from their 4AD years is just one big question mark. The darker, harsher debut MESH AND LACE gets far too much coverage here and their best two albums -- AFTER THE SNOW and RICOCHET DAYS -- are weakly represented. For starters, why on earth someone would omit "Someone's Calling" and "Hands Across the Sea" is absolutely beyond me -- two of their quintessential songs. I almost get the impression that this one was compiled by a fan of their earlier "goth" sound who almost begrudgingly (and smugly?) includes the smash "I Melt With You", sandwiched inappropriately between MESH AND LACE material.
It would be nice to see material from STOP START ("Ink and Paper" was a great song) and possibly even PILLOW LIPS included in a truly comprehensive compilation, because this one widely misses the mark by purporting to be a "Best Of"."

"Notorious for the single "I Melt with You", Modern English produce a dark brand of pop that is also dark. Like the other reviews claim, this is one of the most highly under-rated bands. If you like Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Dada Pogrom or Gary Numan then you will enjoy this album. There is a lot of similarity with The High Dials in a strange but curious way. The melodies with get you up on the dance floor. Listen and see."

More review:
http://www.drawerb.com/2001/05/12/modern-english-life-in-the-gladhouse-1980-1984-4ad/

Biography:
Modern English are an English rock band best remembered for their songs "I Melt with You," "Hands Across the Sea," and "Ink and Paper". The group disbanded for a period in 1991,but later recorded in 1995 with some new members.
Formed in Colchester, Essex, England, in 1979 by Robbie Grey (vocals), Gary McDowell (guitar, vocals), and Michael Conroy (bass, vocals), Modern English were originally known as The Lepers. The group expanded to "Modern English" when Richard Brown (drums) and Stephen Walker (keyboards) were subsequently added to the line-up of the band ).

After a single on their own 'Limp' label in 1979, the band signed to 4AD the following year, with two further singles released, and a session for John Peel recorded before the band's debut album, Mesh & Lace, in 1981, the band in the early days showing a strong Joy Division influence. A second Peel session was recorded in October 1981. The follow-up, After The Snow (April 1982), was more keyboard-oriented and was compared to Simple Minds and Duran Duran. It was also released in the United States by Sire Records the following year, where it reached number 70 on the Billboard chart, and sold over 500,000 copies. Grey said of the album, "We used to think 'God, we'll never make a pop record. We're artists!', but things don't always turn out as you planned and when you actually create a pop record, it's so much more of a thrill than anything else". The second single from the album was also a hit in the US, the jangly "I Melt With You" reaching number 78. When he reviewed the album, Johnny Waller of Sounds described the track as "A dreamy, creamy celebration of love and lust, which deserves to be showcased on as 12" single all by itself, with no b-side", while his colleague Tony Mitchell described it as "suburban amateurism at its most unrewarding".The band relocated to New York City and worked on a third album, Ricochet Days, which again made the top 100 in the US, after which the band left 4AD and were solely signed to Sire outside the UK and Canada. The album Stop Start (1986) was the last record Modern English record released by Sire, with the band splitting up after its release.

Grey and Conroy along with Modern English worked with This Mortal Coil before re-forming Modern English with Mick Conroy and Aaron Davidson for a new album in 1990, Pillow Lips, now on the American TVT label.The album featured a re-recorded "I Melt With You", which was released as a single, and saw the band again in the Billboard top 100.The band split up for a second time in 1991, after contractual problems with TVT, with Grey forming Engine. In 1995, with the legal issues with TVT sorted out, Engine evolved into the next incarnation of Modern English and signed to the Imago label, with Grey and Matthew Shipley (keyboards). This line-up recorded the 1996 album Everything Is Mad.

Robbie Grey toured the US with a new Modern English lineup coast to coast across the US and recorded a new album with Hugh Jones (producer of earlier Modern English records). The songs written with guitarist Steven Walker and including Matthew Shipley came together on the road and back home in London between tours , after a few years on the shelf this collection of songs is due to be released later this year.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_English_(band))

More biography:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fifexqe5ldte~T1

http://paulcollegio.net/juke/4ad/history_01.html

ALBUMS:
Mesh and Lace (1981)
After the Snow (1982)
Ricochet Days (1984)
Stop Start (1986)
Pillow Lips (1990)
Everything Is Mad (1996)
Life In The Gladhouse: 1980-1984 (2001)
Soundtrack (2001) (Unreleased)
?The Road to Mecca (2009) Mi5/EMI
?Evolution (2009) Mi5/EMI

I have found this old article about ROBBIE GREY:
"On October 26 1981, Modern English played C.O.D. Although they still get a fair amount of airplay today, the crowd really wasn't that large, and it was easy to get good close photos. Singer Robbie Grey hung out on the stage and talked to us afterwards; a few of my friends already knew him, I'm not sure how. Robbie was one of the least pretentious people I met in my several years of involvement in the music scene. Just a regular guy, he acted as if he were playing a local pub instead of a major club halfway around the world."
(http://www.kmier.net/mixed/punks6.html)

Robbie Grey about the other members:
"Actually, it’s really funny. We got interviewed by Key Magazine in England and none of us had seen each other in a long time.
I’ve seen Mick Conroy and Stephen Walker,but the others like Gary McDowell and Richard Brown - the drummer and guitarists - I don’t know what they’re doing to be honest. I found what they were doing through the magazine.
Richards started drumming again, Gary is still making music, Mick started making music again and Stephen has his own record store. That’s all I really know to be honest."

MICHAEL CONROY
Mick Conroy also played for Felt and later Moose (1999 and 2000)
as well also appearing at early Stereolab's live shows and albums. And currently he is again with Modern English.

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/metropolitanmick

http://www.facebook.com/people/Mick-Conroy/1310804755

http://twitter.com/mudlarkmick (perhaps this is also belongs to him, but not sure)

It is also mentioned that Mick Conroy,Gary McDowell and Aaron Davidson were temporary musicians in Living In Texas The Group (www.myspace.com/livingintexasthegroup)

!!!NEWS!!!
"The new reformed band of 2009 mixes the influences of world music including Western World music, combining traditional Indian instruments (sitar, sourangi, tablas) with classical strings, harps as well as western rock guitars/drums and sampling.
Two new albums are to be released in 2009 by Mi5 and EMI entitled The Road To Mecca and Evolution The new Modern English will be touring with UB40's Ali Campbell in the US in 2009 and with many of the artists on Mi5 (Papa Wemba, Jeff Beck, Lagbaja) in 2009"
(http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Modern_English_(band))

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/modernenglish2009

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=87222847085

http://richardanvil.blogspot.com/

http://www.beggarsgroupusa.com/modernenglish/

http://www.evo.org/html/group/modernenglish.html

http://www.4ad.com/modernenglish/

http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=modern_english

http://www.myspace.com/modernenglishmi5

http://andwhatsnext.com/bands/category/80s-artists/modern-english

http://www.newwavephotos.com/ModernEnglish.htm

http://www.photos.nos.cc/album/MODERN+ENGLISH+(BAND)_pictures_ssyzpic/

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=9828

http://raveandroll.wordpress.com/2009/01/04/80s-music-rules-criminally-underrated-artistsbands-modern-english/

http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/m/modernenglish2645.html (Lyrics)

http://rocketsciencerecords.blogspot.com/2009/05/modern-english-smiles-and-laughter-mesh.html

http://theloveprojectinc.com/?p=1797

http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/513552/19990416/modern_english.jhtml

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42009198@N06/3872415685/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33462708@N06/3526194531/in/set-72157617971190373/

http://www.dailynebraskan.com/features/modern-english-melts-with-90s-mode-1.297985

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-6835188.html

http://www.lastfm.de/music/Modern+English

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/m.htm

http://www.minimal-wave.org/site/modules.php?name=topMusic&op=artist&idartist=152&osCsid=ad22ecb72bb649e56633f0111cf5f133#

Interview:
http://www.radcyberzine.com/text/interviews/me.html

http://www.rice.edu/projects/thresher/issues/83/960419/AE/Story6.html

http://www.radcyberzine.com/text/interviews/me.html

Italian info:
http://www.ondarock.it/dark/modernenglish.htm

MYSTERY SLANG (Latif Gardez)

2009-10-14T21:20:00.000-07:00

"latif gardez this elegant dandy, this spiritual son of the beatniks poet has a deep hoarse voice . listening this brillant and dark album you will think of tom waits, captain beefheart."
(http://www.rokkets.com/ayukawawards/)

"Probably the most striking thing about Latif Gardez is that he is an individual. He is not part of any current trend, or fashion (not even any anti-fashion!); nor does he seem to be manipulated by the desire to maintain any set image."

"Latif Gardez at his magical best, dark and dangerous"

Country:
UK
Genre:
Pop, Rock
Style:
Alternative Rock, Avantgarde

Member:
Latif Gardez (ex-Gardez Darkx)

VENUS GROVE (1991)

Credits:
Latif Gardez - Vocals and Guitar
Chris Musto (http://thephilistinesuk.com/chris.htm) - Mystery Slang Drums
Paul Mcwhinnie (ex-Treatment, see: http://www.delerium.co.uk/bands/treatment/archive.html and The Harrison Fjord, see: http://www.theharrisonfjord.com/band.htm) - Hammond Organ, Piano and Keyboards
Mark Tayler - Bass
Produced by Latif Gardez
Engineered by Nigel Gilroy Recorded at Jam Studios
Mixed at The Workhouse by Latif Gardez and Nigel Gilroy (http://www.davenportlyons.com/html/about_us/associates_profile/nigel_gilroy.html)
Mastered by The Townhouse. Tape op: Joe Capriani
Photographs of Mystery Slang taken by Sheila Rock
Design - Valerie Hawthorn and Steve Byrne (also worked for Peter hamill and David Bowie etc.)
All Lyrics written by Latif Gardez, except
Written by John Lee Hooker, Arr. L. Gardez (track 04) /L. Gardez/C. Musto/S. Kennedy (track 06)

Tracklist:

01 They All Run Like Numbers
02 Seven In A Ditch
03 Eddies Dance
04 I'm Mad At You
05 Along The Midway
06 Blind Joe
07 The Dark Archer
08 Billy Hit The Ten Ball
09 Babael Towers
10 The Golden Cross

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287892455/mysyven.rar

"Lets start with some basics first, like Mystery Slang is not a 'they' it's a 'he'. Latif Gardez was born of a Scottish mother and an Italian journalist father. It was a distinctly creative, distinctly volatile upbringing.Latif has spent a lot of time drifting around the country going from job to job, town to town, hanging around in bands, teaching himself to play and devouring books, catching up on a lost education. He has immersed himself in the words of Rimbaud, Conrad, Samuel R Delaney, Baudelaire, Bukowski and T S Eliot…. the 'Blue Period' music of Scott Walker, Miles Davies and Sinatra.He moved to Bristol for a long period and released two singles, one for New Bristol Records and another for Wavelength Records.

After a time...Latif moved back to London where he found himself stepping into the vacated shoes of King Triggers vocalist but soon found that the bands desperate repertoire was pulling them into two halves with Gardez' natural inclination towards the darker, more intense side rather than the pop that King Trigger had hitherto been involved with. The end was inevitably more or less in sight.Latif spent a few years wandering around Soho. As his personal life hit a downward spiral, Mystery Slang was born. He found himself staying at a flophouse in Westbourne Grove called The Venus Hotel where his fellow hostellers were all shades of dodgy. The six months he spent there later became the main source of inspiration for the first album 'Venus Grove'."
The album 'Venus Grove' was a critical success and Latif went back to the studio to write and record the follow up. Regrettably, contractual problems occurred with Virgin and Latif moved on with the second album in hand."

"Pleasant, threatening, scary and nevertheless relaxing. Perhaps that’s the best way to describe the music of Mystery Slang. It may sound like a strange combination, when listening to songs such as They all ran like numbers and Eddie’s dance, there just isn’t a better way to describe it. Musically Mystery Slang sounds very unloaded and relaxed, like a blues band can also create very relaxing music. But beneath the musical level, there’s a never ending threat. Think back to The Doors, but especially think back to the early Nick Cave and The Birthday Party. For the same insane and fierce threat Nick Cave used in his music in the 80’s can be found at this album. Although there’s one big difference, Nick Cave loves to let his music get out of control and Mystery Slang is always in control. That’s what’s giving this album a indefinable class and it’s making the music fragile. All the credits for that result should go to Latif Gardez, an Italian man with Scottish blood, who moved to London long ago. Gardez is Myster Slang. And Venus Grove is the album Mystery Slang released in 1992. The album didn’t brought a big success to Gardez, but perhaps that’s because there wasn’t much interest for post-punk and indefinable indie bands in the early nineties. Venus grove did however survived all these years and is finally released on compact disc. Very properly, for this music is just to good to be forgotten."
(http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&reviews=5923)

RIVER TOWNS (1992)

Credits:
Latif Gardez - Guitars, Harmonica, Bass, Vocals
Paul McWhinnie - Piano, Organ, Keyboards
Mark Tayler - Bass
Stephen Case - Drums, Percussion.
Shola (http://www.uk.singerspro.com/cv/shola.kaye) - Backing Vocals
Mixed and engineered by Latif Gardez and Nigel Gilroy (http://www.davenportlyons.com/html/about_us/associates_profile/nigel_gilroy.html)
Assistant Engineers are Bernhard Speyer, Oggi, Pete.
Design and Photgraphy - Valery Hawthorn
Assistant - Paul Macinella.
Mastered by Tim Young at the Hit Factory
All Lyrics written by Latif Gardez

Notes:
Recorderd at the Farmhouse Studios and Jacob Studios

Tracklist:

01 Off Them Metal Walls
02 Stranded Man
03 Cooler Girl (Blues)
04 You're A Fury
05 Shakers Inn
06 The Bears Run
07 Last Call
08 Calling Shelter
09 Lonesome pride

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287888187/mysari.rar

The second album was released in certain territories in Europe to yet again huge critical acclaim, however, Latifs' personal life hit rock bottom and Mystery Slang was put on hold until…. Sugar Shack Records UK have released the second album. Two of the original tracks have been replaced and it is issued under the working title 'Purple The Sails'...

"Weirdness sells on a good day, Mystery Slang, a man with a vision hatched in a booze bottle and given flight in a lot of bad dreams. 'Purple The Sails' reveals someone with one ear tuned into Tom Waits electric blues, the other to the Doors and dayglo rock. The strength of this set of songs is the uncluttered spaciousness of the arrangements set against a spoken narrative lyric. The album was originally released in Europe in 1992 under the working title of 'River Towns'. It has now been repackaged with two additional tracks as 'Purple The Sails'."

"Mystery Slang with Latif Gardez is a band full of relaxing sounds. The style is mostly compared with Nick Cave, But it is even better. Smooth, ever-repeating bluesy sounds appear with a warm story-telling voice. Like a lonesome cowboy in a bar in a corrupted and dark city. Like no one to love is no one to hate. Latif Gardez understands. One of the most interesting parts of Mystery Slang's music is that Latif Gardez speaks about harsh feelings, like 'you been set on by a cooler girl, your knees shake so hard they could play Danny Boy, your hands trembling over a jar at noon......
Both Mystery Slang CD's (River Towns and Venus Groove) are one of my most personal albums. I've got two of each of them...just for sure in my safe...
Critical as I am, I would give it a 9.5 on a scale from 1 to 10."

"Where is Latif Gardez today? This album along with the other Mystery Slang masterpeice 'Venus Grove' rate as two of the best albums of the 90's. Kind of Tom Waits'ish but with a number of other influences and the coolest lyrics ever. If you are lucky enough to find a Mystery Slang album BUY IT!"

"Together with the other album 'Venus Grove' Latif Gardez did produce two real masterpieces. The style of Gardez's music is mostly compared to Tom Waits, The Doors and Nick Cave, but is often described as 'Dayglow Rock' Gardez is an illusionist with lots of bluesy influences, dark lyrics, smooth guitars and a deep and dark voice. Listening to some songs on River Towns, like 'Last Call', 'Shakers Inn' and 'You're a Fury' I think I might be lucky having this album. Just perfect for losing your stress after todays work. If you find this album, don't hesitate, buy it!!!"

ALBUMS:
Venus Grove (1991)
River Towns (1992)
Purple The Sails (1992 alter version of River Towns-two tracks have been replaced)

Biography:
The life of Latif Gardez remains a mystery. There is not much we can know about him. He was in several bands all around the UK before formed Gardez Darkx in the late 70's. Gardez was the leader and wrote all of their songs. The band released two singles titled: "Bliss/Winter Scene" and "Freeze (In The U.L. Zone) / Heartbeat". The single Bliss remains an indie classic.
You can download them and read a lot about it here!: http://asfm.blogspot.com/2007/12/gardez-darkx-heartbeat.html

and also lot more here:
http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com/bands/Gardez_Darkx_Biography.html

After the split of Gardez Darks "Latif moved to London and signed with EMI and later Virgin, he recorded and released two albums under the name Mystery Slang." Ok it was in the late 80's, early 90's. But what happened between 1980 and 1990??? And after 1992??

If you know the answers, please message me!

Recommendation. If you like Mystery Slang try also:
Jimmy Pettit - Vegas Hotel (2009)(http://www.myspace.com/jimmypettit)
Dave Graney & The Coral Snakes - Night of the Wolverine (1993)

More info:
http://www.mysteryslang.com/

http://www.sugarshackrecords.co.uk/slang/reviews.htm

http://teennightingale.blogspot.com/2009/06/mystery-slang.html

http://altcountrynl.blogspot.com/2008/02/valentine-six-en-mystery-slang.html

THE CATCH

2009-10-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

(pics from BRAVO 1984, click on to enlarge)

Country:
UK
Genre:
Electronic, Rock
Style:
Synth-pop, Pop

Members:
Chris Whitten, Don Snow, Andy Duncan (only 1983)

VIDEO:
"25 Years"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaaguUgzJ0k

BALANCE ON WIRES (1984)

Credits:
Don Snow - Lead and Backing Vocals, Kexboards, Guitars, Bass, Sax (track 04, 08), Drum Machine Programing, Producer, Album Cover Concept
Chris Whitten - Drums and Percussions
Dave Bitelli (http://www.southampton.university-music.co.uk/jazz-pop/bitelli.html) and Spike Edney (fifth member of Queen, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Edney) - Horns
Graham Jarvis (Cliff Richard band, http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/credits/graham-jarvis/448775) - Drums (track 04)
Andy Duncan (http://www.a7music.com/andy_duncan.php and http://www.myspace.com/andyduncanpdc) - Drums (track 01)
Backing Vocals - Paul Muggleton (http://www.discogs.com/artist/Paul+Muggleton), Mark Williamson (http://www.myspace.com/markwilliamsonmusic), Mo & Annie & Chris Porter
Co-Produced By and Engineered By Chris Porter (produced also lot of The Pet Shop Boys, see: http://mixonline.com/news/headline/seelectronics-gemini-porter-091906/ and http://www.recordproduction.com/chris-porter.html)
Album Cover Artwork - Kouji Shimamura

Tracklist:

01 25 Years
02 Work So Hard
03 Dirty Boy
04 Thin Ice on a Frozen Heart
05 Under the Skin
06 Check the Alley
07 Understood
08 Balance on Wires
Bonus:
09 On The Road Again
10 25 Years (Ultrasound Re-Xtended Mix)
11 Find The Love (Extended)
12 Roger Daltrey - Balance On Wires (1987)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/289837513/thecat-ba.rar

(click on the pics to enlarge)

Again an underrated band with a rare album.
The sensational floating synthpop song "25 Years" shines like a diamond here to make them a "one hit wonder" band at least in the German speaking areas. I always listen to it together with Saphir - The Witch-Queen Of New Orleans (you can guess out why). The rest of the album is rather on the path of Robert Palmer, and perhaps Go West except the reggie influenced "Understood".
There are also two sweet calm songs "Thin Ice on a Frozen Heart" and "Balance on Wires" on it.
Interestingly, the singer has the same singing style -on some songs- as Moti Specials' fame Tissy Thiers.
The bonus tracks: On The Road Again is a cover version of Canned Heat's classic. Released in 1984 as the A side of the single with the same name.
Roger Daltrey - Balance On Wires (1987) is the rework of The Catch song from 1984. It was written by Don Snow who also played on keyboards here.

A plus note about the band, Don Snow and Chris Witten guested on ABC's How to Be A Zillionaire! (1985) album.

WALK THE WATER (1986)

Credits:
Don Snow - Lead and Backing Vocals, Kexboards, Guitars, Bass, Sax, Producer
Chris Whitten - Drums and Percussions
(if you have more info please message me)

Tracklist:

01 Soul Information
02 The Difference
03 Across the Great Divide
04 The Power to Change
05 I Don't Want to Fight
06 Find the Love
07 No Smoke Without Fire
08 The American Visitor
09 Through the Looking Glass
10 Supernatural
11 The End of the Day
12 Voices
13 25 Years (Album Version)
14 25 Years (Original 12" Mix)
15 A Man's Gotta Do, What a Man's Gotta Do

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/291051819/catch2.rar

While this music is done in the same style that they had been doing already on the first album, this is a good and enjoyable dance album perhaps even better than their first one. The album migrates between catchy soul/funk, American style pop, and reggie-blues like the most exciting instrumentationed song "The Power to Change" . The second song "The Difference" is Earth Wind and Fire influenced. My favourites are "Across The Great Divide" and "Find The Love" both should had been a hit. And there are also two wonderful slow songs "I Don't Want to Fight" and "Through the Looking Glass". If i have to describe what powers this recording, then have to say that it sounds just as fresh as the day I'd first heard it back in '86.
It's a pity that it was less succesful than "Balance On Wires" leading them to split.

Biography:
The Catch is an English pop band formed in 1983 by Don Snow and ex-Linx (electronic,disco band) drummer Andy Duncan (http://www.a7music.com/andy_duncan.php). After recorded their first song "25 Years" Duncan left to be replaced by Chris Witten (Julian Cope band). "25 Years" was a big success in Germany but the song and the band remained unknown in England.
They released one more album in 1986 but soon disbanded to pursue a solo career.

Don Snow (11.28.08):
"What a nice surprise! That old chestnut of mine "25 Years" is once again in the German charts, currently sitting at number 18 as part of a compilation CD. It's about 25 years since the original record came out - who would have thought it would still have some life left in it."

ALBUMS:
Balance On Wires (1984)
Walk The Water (1986)
25 Years The Album 1990 Version (1990)

DON SNOW
Don Snow (born 13 January 1957, Nairobi, Kenya) is a Hammond organ, guitarist, bass guitarist, and drummer who is primarily known for his work with Squeeze and Procol Harum.
In December 1992 he changed his name to Jon Savannah.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Snow)

Now known as Jonn Savannah, Don Snow has had great success as The Catch, and had an international hit with his song “25 Years” and has had a long and successful recording career. A talented multi-instrumentalist, the founder member of 'The Sinceros'. Jonn also worked with Lene Lovich on the second Stiff Tour, after which he embarked on a UK and American tour as keyboard player with Bill Nelson and the Practical Dreamers before joined 'Squeeze'(three separate times), but is most remembered for his contribution to “Sweets From A Stranger”. After a year of heavy touring with 'Sweets from a Stranger' album the band split and Jonn formed The Catch.

"Jonn subsequently co-produced a self-penned single, on which he sang and played most of the instruments. The single, entitled '25 Years' was quickly picked up by Metronome Records in Germany and released all over Europe. While the single was gaining ground Jonn sang and played keyboards for Judie Tzuke on a short UK tour. '25 Years' was released under the name of 'The Catch' and started to attract a lot of attention. Jonn teamed up with drummer Chris Whitten and performed '25 Years' on German television. The single sold half a million copies and reached number 3 in the Musikmarkt Top 75, remaining in the charts for 40 weeks. 'The Catch' made two albums and several singles for Metronome Records selling a total of three quarters of a million records.
In 1991 he produced a remake of '25 Years' for Hansa Records in Germany. '25 Years - The Album' was released by Hansa late in 1991, and another single, 'A Man's Gotta Do What A Man's Gotta Do,' was released in February 1992."

He has performed, recorded and toured extensively with the likes of; Tina Turner, Procol Harum, Squeeze, Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, Tom Jones, The Belle Stars to name but a few.

Today he continues to tune vocals for various UK singers and producers, his reputation growing as one of the few people to be able to keep the humanity of a vocal performance, while bringing it into tune.
Jonn is currently building a recording studio. The project started in April 2008 and should be completed early 2009.
(http://www.packetofthree.com/html/don_snow_-_solo.html)

More info:
http://jonnsavannah.com/disc.php

http://www.myspace.com/jonnsavannah

http://www.procolharum.com/procolds.htm

http://wikibin.org/articles/don-snow-aka-jonn-savannah.html

CHRIS WHITTEN

Chris Whitten (born March 26, 1959) is a British session drummer who provided drums for the classic hits "What I Am" by Edie Brickell, "World Shut your Mouth" by Julian Cope and "The Whole Of The Moon" by The Waterboys. Two critically acclaimed projects in the 1990s were Paul McCartney's Flowers In The Dirt album and Dire Straits final world tour from 1991-1992 to accompany their last studio album, On Every Street.
Chris unusually has used a Noble & Cooley drumkit which are radically designed drums. The toms and snare are single-ply, steam-bent shells which give them (especially the snare) a very distinctive sound. He has also recorded with such varied artists as Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, The Pretenders, ABC and The The.
Chris has been an active participant and Honorary VIP Member of the Drummer Cafe community forum since 2003.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Whitten)

In 2006 he joined The Beauty Room (http://www.myspace.com/thebeautyroom)

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/chriswhittendummer

http://www.australianmusician.com.au/DisplayStory.asp?StoryID=178

http://www.toontrack.com/artists.asp?id=4

GANZHEIT

2009-10-14T19:40:00.000-07:00

"Astonishing Industrial EBM. Pure classic synth stuff!"

Country:
UK
Genre:
Electronic
Style:
Synth-Pop, EBM, Electro

Members:
Paul Cullivan & Paul Pugh

VIDEO:
"Traitor"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2hcdFHucxw

BRAINS TO THE WALL (12") (1986)/ HAMMER (12") (1987)

Credits (tracks 01-03):
Engineer - Shan Hira (ex-Stockholm Monsters, see: http://saltyka.blogspot.com/2009/05/stockholm-monsters.html)
Guitar - Jelly-Roll-Ricketts
Written-By, Producer - Ganzheit

Notes:
Tracks 01-03: Brains To The Wall EP
This E.P. contains three songs recorded in the North of England, Summer 1986.

Tracks 04-05: Hammer Ep

Tracklist:

01 Bolt It Down (Why Work?)
02 Independence
03 Harmony
04 Traitor!
05 Choke On It
06 Preface And Hostilities (from "Discreet Campaigns" (Compilation 1985)
07 Marvellous (from "The Third Mind" Compilation 1990)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287934360/ganzh.rar

"Raw, energetic EBM. Think Skinny Puppy, but faster. Nice !"

"Contains "Traitor", a strange and beautiful track with industrial rhythms and female vocals."

This brilliant band has only 7 songs ever released -to me all classics.
The outstanding richness of Ganzheit's musical world assimilates the musical intentions of such bands like Soft Cell, Cabaret Voltaire, Wire, A Split Second, Front 242, Portion Control to create something perfectly beautiful from all of this.
These rich instrumented, impulsive songs rolling beautifully to make permanent surprise with their versatility. They are never boring, can't stop to listening to them!

They are undoubtedly geniuses to rank among synth pop's greatest bands. (saltyka)

Biography:
Ganzheit were Paul Cullivan & Paul Pugh.

“Years ahead of their time, this pioneering hard anarcho-electro band from the late 80s unfortunately split before their mini album, “Dynamite!” could be released. “Dynamite!” was to include superior remixes of the two singles and the unreleased third single, ‘Marvellous”, which is probably the best track to have been recorded during the acid house period (a mix of it can be found on the Third Mind Records sampler). This unique album, originally thwarted by record company hiccups, may soon see a limited-issue release on CD.” (Greatbeast)

They released two singles, “Hammer” & “Brains to the Wall” both sounding like a proto acid house meets electronic body music. Ish. A variation of “Choke on It” from the ‘Hammer’ 12” appeared as “Preface to Hostilities” on the ‘Discreet Campaigns’ cassette in 1985, which sounds like the aforementioned acid house with Cosey Fanni Tutti’s distinct trumpet playing
(http://www.last.fm/music/Ganzheit)

ALBUMS:
Brains to the Wall (EP 1986)
Hammer (Ep 1987)
Dynamite! (1990, still unreleased)

!!!NEWS!!!
The good news is that the long awited limited edition resissue CD will come out soon!

"Ganzheit originally intended to release a mini-LP in 1990 ("Dynamite!"), which had superior remixes of the singles and unreleased stuff. However, the record company lost its distribution deal. This album will hopefully come out some time later this year on CD."

Wow! I just hope won't be any delay!

I have to ask Paul Cullivan -hope will see this- to send us at least a biography of the band, because there is hardly anything to find about Ganzheit.

THIRTEEN AT MIDNIGHT - Last True Friends (1985)

2009-10-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

"A shamefully underrated band, an absolute must for any fans of synthpop."

Country:
UK
Genre:
Electronic
Style:
New Wave, Synth-pop

Members:
Neil Howes - Vocals, Synthesizers, Sequencers, Guitars
Geoff Hemsley - Drums, Percussions
Dean Brannagan - Vocals, Keyboards (1982 only)
Dave Turner - Keyboards
Greg Sager - Bass
Vic Healey - Sax

VIDEO:
"Time is Tight 12 inch"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueTxHVQtkFM&feature=related

Credits:
Climb Down/On The Beach 82
Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards [Sequencer], Synthesizer, Written By Neil Howes
Keyboards - Dean Brannigan (tracks 03, 04) and Dave Turner
Drums, Percussion - Geoff Hemsley
Vocals, Written-By - Dean Brannigan , Neil Howes
Backing Vocals - Molly & Polly (Molly Jackson and Polly Jackson who also worked for The Boomtown Rats, Elvis Costello, The Specials...) (tracks 02, 05, 07)
Bass - Greg Sager
Engineer, Producer - Phil Chilton (record producer and studio owner, also worked for Alien Sex Fiend, Action Pact, The Exploited etc.)
Saxophone - Vic Healey
Written By - J. Carter , M. Daniel (track 07)

VIDEO:
"Other Passengers"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa58D0nlwD0

Tracklist:

01 Time Is Tight
02 Other Passengers
03 Climb Down
04 On The Beach
05 Skin Deep
06 Last True Friends
07 Shack Up
08 Time is Tight (12 inch)

CLIMB DOWN (12") (1982)

10 Climb Down
11 On The Beach
12 Other Passengers (Club Mix Francaise)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/289836631/thirteen_at_midnight_.rar

Another brilliant obscure band from Sudbury, an absolute must for any fans of synthpop.
Originally Neil Howes and Jeff Hemsley were in The Dials, which was a punk band circa 1978-1980.

"On this date in 1979, The Dials released their debut single, "All I Hear". It was backed by "Running". The Middlesex, England punk/power pop band released just two singles before disbanding in 1980."

Drummer Geoff Hemsley:
"Hi I was the drummer in the Dials -Geoff Hemsley.
After this single 'All I hear" the band recorded 'Get up and Dance' with the B side 'I thought her nose was bleeding but it was not'. It was a great time and the band gigged a lot on the London scene. We got friendly with 'The Members' and did some great supports with them at the old Marquee, Music Machine, The Venue. There is good live recording of the Dials at the Venue Victoria 1980.
The band didn't split but morphed into the house new dance scene as the group 'Thirteen at Midnight"
The original singer died very young which destroyed the band and by the early 1980's the punk thing had run its course." You can download all from The Dials here:
(http://thep5.blogspot.com/2008/07/dials-all-i-hear.html)

Finally here are two reviews about "Shack Up":

"Obscure take on the Seventies funk classic from Thirteen At Midnight. Tougher to find than the twelve inch and a different mix too."

"Great new wave / disco / boogie version of the Banbarra classic."

This is all you can find about them.

I'm a pretty big fan of them since the very first time i heard the awesome "Time Is Tight" on a radio back to '84. This is exactly one of those songs i am mad about and can listen all the day. Another one is "Other Passanger" i have played to death:)

This is a spectacular album with a catchy dance music supported fully by dynamic synthesized sounds. Their songs are pumped with energy and with elaborate synths which comparable to Blancmange, Human League and early Ministry, and in sompe parts even to Thopmson Twins. What more to say? I just can repeat what i have written about Ganzheit. Thirteen At Midnight is among the best '80s band at least to me.

GEOFF HEMSLEY (Drummer)

Geoff has a wealth of talent. From TV sessions to live playing, from touring to tutoring. Geoff has recorded soundtracks for acclaimed BBC television series 'Holding On', ITV series 'Prince Among Men' and 'Sex and Death' starring Martin Clunes. He works with soul man Geno Washington and has toured the UK and Europe many times. In 99 Geoff was on the UK support slot for the legendary blues guitarist BB King. He has frequently appeared at the Edinburgh festival and appeared on the BBC TV show Edniburgh Nights hosted by Mark Lamar. You can hear Geoff on Genos latest album ' The return of the G'-www.genowashington.com. In addition Geoff has recorded many albums incuding 'Whats in the Pot', 'Change your thougts you change your life'. On top of that he has played on records like 'Here After' and 'In our lifetime' for the songwriter Jamie Marshall. Geoff was a regular tutor at the Musicians institue london and for schools in the borough of Chelsea.
(http://www.lccm.org.uk/tutors.php?TutorId=11)

"I have been playing professionally since 1981. For the past 10 years I have been the regular drummer for Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band.
Since then the band have been on tour backing Pauline Black, Eddie Floyd 2008, PP Arnold and Jimmy James 2009. Like all musicians I have other bands I play with, but Geno is the main commitment
I have been playing since 1976 and had drum lessons with John Taylor of Footes drum store in Golden Square Picadilly."
(http://www.myspace.com/geoffhemsley)

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/geoffhemsley

http://www.myspace.com/genoramjamband

http://www.facebook.com/srch.php?nm=Geoff+Hemsley#/profile.php?id=769112674&hiq=geoff%2Chemsley&ref=search

I ask the band members to send me more info if they see this!

SKYSCRAPERS - Mad Hatters And Autumn Rain (1981)

2009-10-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

"must have for rare punk/powerpop collectors from Zilch Records."

Country:
UK
Genre:
Electronic, Rock
Style:
New Wave, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock

Members:
John Keegan - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Ronnie Jones - Vocals, Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Tubular bells, Front Cover Concept
David Carlisle Harding - Bass
Kevin Kinson - Guitar, Keyboards, synthesizer, backing Vocals
Mark Roberts - Drums, Percussions

Credits:
Martyn Watson (from Pookah Makes 3??)- Acoustic Guitar (track 11)
Sean Tyla (from Tyla Gang, http://www.myspace.com/seantyla) - Acoustic Guitar (track 01)
Daryl Way (http://www.curvedair.com/darryl.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darryl_Way) - Violins (track 04)
Lapki and Sandy - Extra Vocals (track 10)
Produced By Ronnie Jones and Mark Dodson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Dodson)
Executive producer- Fred Cantrell
Engineered by Mark Dodson/ Assistant engineer Butch Yates
All songs written by Ronnie Jones except track 03: written by Ronnie Jones & Steve Emberton
Photography - Paul Wakefield (http://www.paulwakefield.co.uk/)

Notes:
Recorded at Ramport Studios (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramport_Studios), London

VIDEO:
???

Tracklist:

01 Hot Line from washington
02 Radio Show
03 Too Late Simone Lorraine
04 Chiffon Chiffon
05 Nobody's Fool
06 B.B. Air
07 Read The Papers
08 Another Guy
09 Jenny
10 Winston's Town Weather
11 Mad Hatters & Autumn Rain

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287879906/Skyscrapers.rar

Biography& review:
Very obscure band from - as far as i know- Liverpool, with only one album which is a rarity. Their style is somewhere between new wave and rock. The A side is definitely a really enjoyable with some excellent songs. Their most famous song is "Hot Line From Washington". If you like J. Geil Band's Centerfold, then this song is yours. There are also some Magazine's Real Life influenced songs among my favourites like "Chiffon, Chiffon", "Nobody's Fool" and "Winston's Town Weather".

I have asked their drummer Mark Roberts about the band, and he told me that he has no current info relating to the other band members. And "all but the vocalist had a reunion 3 years ago with no significant contact since." He also promised me to try to reach the bass player and to send some more info later. I will update this entry as soon as possible.

MARK ROBERTS
was also a member of Cry Cry Cry (1982), Some Party (1985-1989, see: http://link2wales.co.uk/liverpool-n-z/liverpool-sl-sz/), Tambourines (1990-1993) (http://link2wales.co.uk/liverpool-n-z/liverpool-t/), The Singing Ringing Tree (1992-96, see: http://link2wales.co.uk/liverpool-n-z/liverpool-s/), and now plays in the U2 tribute band Elevation:

"Mark's career began signing his first record deal with 'The Skyscrapers' for Zilch Records in 1979, releasing 3 single's and the album 'Mad Hatters & Autumn Rain' .
In 1982 Mark fronted his own band 'Cry Cry Cry' which ended in 1983 when he moved on to form 'Some Party', performing his own songs. The band signed a managent contract with London based 'Nomis' and recorded demo's financed by EMI. As a favour to a friend Mark became a backing singer, originally for a couple of gigs, but continued for 2 years! The band 'One More Story' released their own independent album and toured the UK. Mark then joined 'The Tambourines' (with Tony and Alan) chasing the illusive record deal, recording and touring until "desperation drove the singer off his bonce!" Soon after, Mark joined 'The Singing Ringing Tree', signing a publishing deal with Warner Chapel and record deals with Sire, Elektra and ultimately Elton John's Rocket Records. They played New York and shot a video in LA before the band finished in the Late 90's."
(http://www.ukstars.co.uk/tribute-band/u2/index.php and http://www.myspace.com/elevationu2tribute)

More info:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Roberts/779559846#

KEVIN KINSON
played on Tyla Gang 1980 album, which is also produced by Mark Dodson. Since then whereabout unknown.

If you know more message me please!

PANARAMA - Can This Be Paradise (1982) Alan Parsons Project related

2009-10-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

"Alan Parsons meets the '80s Camel"

PANARAMA - Can This Be Paradise (1982)

Credits:
Ian Bairnson (Guitarist for Pilot (1974-77) and The Alan Parsons Project (1975-87, 1993-99)) - Guitar, Vocals
Chris Rainbow (ex Camel, also played on many LP of The Alan Parsons Project) - Vocals
Hermann Weindorf (ex-Zara-Thustra, Great Empire, Oktagon http://www.weryton.de/13941/home.html) - Keyboards, Vocals
Dieter Petereit (Stefan Waggershausen & Band, Triumvirat, Passport, http://www.triumvirat.net/petereit.htm) - Bass
Berthold Weindorf (ex-Zara-Thustra, http://www.weryton.de/13941/home.html) - Saxophone
Curt Cress (Great Empire, Oktagon, Passport, Triumvirat, http://www.triumvirat.net/cress.htm) - Drums
Engineer - Pit Floss (Peter Flos)
Mastered by Chris Blair (http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5098405/Chris-Blair-1951-2005.html)
Arranged and Produced by Bairnson/Weindorf
Executive Producer - Curtis Briggs (http://www.event-and-music.de/bio.htm)
(Orchestra Co-ordinator for Alan Parsons Project on The Turn Of A Friendly Card LP)
Photography - Cheyco Leidmann (http://www.cheycoleidmann.com/)

Notes:
Recorded at Olympia Studios Munich

VIDEO:
"I Belive In You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm9pnq4k9Tc

Tracklist:

01 Dry Ice (Instrumental)
02 When
03 I Don't Know
04 Out of the Way
05 I Believe in You
06 In My Life
07 Run Away
08 Honesty
09 Video Fever
10 Hairy Legs (Instrumental)
Bonus:
11 Burn Me (from Protection 1985 Lp)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287887629/Panarama.rar

IAN BAIRNSON:
"This is an album made and produced by Ian and his German friend Hermann Weindorf. It is interesting in many ways. Ian wrote most of the songs and even provides the lead vocal on some of them. Whilst he can be heard on backing vocals on many Kate Bush, Pilot and Project tracks, these are probably the only tracks where he can be heard singing lead parts. There is also a guest appearance by Chris Rainbow. "Dry Ice" is a great instrumental that really showcases Ian's guitar work."
(http://www.ianbairnson.com/discography/panarama/panarama.htm)

Chris Rainbow and Ian Bairnson are also friends and often worked with each other (Alan Parsons albums). Ian Bairnson guested on Rainbow's '78 and '79 albums.

This very rare album is interesting in one more way, beacuse Bairnson and Rainbow were parts of Alan Parsons Project at that time (read more about it here: http://www.the-alan-parsons-project.com/otherapp01.php). So the first Panarama album was a kind of Alan Parsons side project and came out in the same year as Alan Parsons' Eye in the Sky (1982).

And one more note about Hermann Weindorf (http://www.whalesongs.de/index.php?cat=3&cat_sub=12&cont=pers_dtl.php&id=419) and Curt Cress.
Panarama was released by Jupiter records, which also released Cress and Weindorf 's prog. rock supergroup Oktagon. Read more here:
http://www.litschman.com/interview.htm

Curt Cress from Passport is a well known jazz drummer,percussionist and producer who played on many Electronic, Funk / Soul, Jazz, Rock and synth pop records.(http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_Cress)
I have already mentioned him here: http://saltyka.blogspot.com/2007/11/mick-jackson-mick-jackson-1979.html and http://saltyka.blogspot.com/2007/11/patto.html

Back to the album:

"This is an album which was recorded and produced by Ian Bairnson (yes the one from The Alan Parsons Project) and a German artist called Hermann Weindorf. Ian Bairnson wrote allmost every song on the album and did the lead vocals on some of these songs, so you might understand how the album sounds. Chris Rainbow features as a guest appearance.

Actually there were two releases of the album in the same year. The second release was somewhat later in 1982 and featured two different tracks."
(http://melosprogbazaar.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=18o8sq2ou76eidpqcanlhmi491&topic=5182.msg28421#msg28421)

It starts with the beautiful but slightly melancholy Dry Ice, the next tracks are rather west coastish. The first song which is really Alan Parsons influenced: "Out of the Way".
"Run Away" is a nice song again similar to Foreigner's "I Don't Want To Live Without You". The wonderful "Honesty" is Alan Parsons influenced as well.
"Video Fever" sounding pretty good for a soundtrack."Hairy Leg" is an instrumental blues song for the evening hours.

The bonus song was the opening track on their second '84 album which is still missing. Please let me know if you have, or at least some other songs from it.
Same with "In This World" and its instrumental version which appeared only on the alternative version of Panarama's 1982 LP.

One more note for the credits. Italo disco fans perhaps know that Herman Weindorf, Berthold Weindorf and Curt Cress contributed on Righeira's 1983 album. Earlier Weindorf and Cress also guested on Harry Thumann 1979 LP.

"Anyone partial to Bairnson should get hold of the Panarama album "Can This Be Paradise" which he made with German Keyboard player, Herman Weindorf in the 80's. Both of them sing and another excellent muscician from the Parsons fold, Chris Rainbow also sings lead on a couple of tracks. It's a cracker and stronger than many of the Alan Parsons albums."
(http://www.itbites.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=45157&sid=9f358f27ad2fa537f9357e5fe1a23fc3)

"This album is quite enjoyable ! From melodic rock to instrumental fusion, all songs are good to very good. I saw from http://www.ianbairnson.com/recordings/pana.htm there are two versions of this album, the original seems the better one. I have the re-releasesd version which I think is already good enough. The replaced songs are Dry ice and Honesty."

"Ian Bairnson and Hermann Weindorf play their own compositions on this album.
Very much in the style of the Alan Parsons Project in that time. Nice album."

More review (Japanese):
http://yokohama.cool.ne.jp/january/session.special.html

BONUS:

Various - FEUER UND EIS / FIRE AND ICE (Original Soundtrack) (1986)

Genre:
Pop
Style:
Electro, Synth-pop, Disco

Credits:
Artwork By [Cover Design] - Petra Louis
Artwork By [Photos] - Barry Stott , Willy Bogner

Track 01:
Producer, Written-By - Harold Faltermeyer/ Vocals - Marietta/ Written-By - Tom Whitlock
Tracks 02,08,10:
Producer, Vocals, Written-By - Gary Wright
Track 05:
Producer, Vocals - Gary Wright/ Written-By - Gavin Sutherland
Track 06:
Producer, Vocals, Written-By - Gary Wright/Vocals - Laurie Alda/Written-By - Tom Kean

PANARAMA songs (tracks 03,04,07,09):
track 03: Producer, Written-By - Curtis Briggs, Hermann Weindorf/Vocals - Hermann Weindorf , Tina Toule
tracks 04,07,11: Producer - Curtis Briggs/Producer, Written-By - Hermann Weindorf/ Vocals - Panarama
track 09: Producer, Written-By - Curtis Briggs , Hermann Weindorf/Vocals - Mario Lehner/Written-By - Willy Bogner

Notes:
Original-Soundtrack aus dem gleichnamigen Willy Bogner-Film

Tracklist:

01 Marietta - Fire And Ice (4:07)
02 Gary Wright - Ski Dancing (4:00)
03 Panarama - Heavens Forever (3:59)
04 Panarama - Mistral (3:33)
05 Gary Wright - Sailing (4:45)
06 Gary Wright - And Laurie Alda Back To The Magic (4:20)
07 Panarama - Snow Chase (2:12)
08 Gary Wright - The Way I Feel (3:26)
09 Panarama - Ski Dance (Edit) (3:02)
10 Gary Wright - Dreamweaver (4:20)
11 Panarama - Neptune Suite (4:45)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287879594/firi.rar

More info of Marietta:
http://www.myspace.com/mariettawaters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marietta_Waters

More info for Gary Wright (ex-Spooky Tooth):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Wright

http://www.thedreamweaver.com/

ALBUMS:
Can This Be Paradise (1982)
Protection (1984)

IAN BAIRNSON

Legendary guitarist Ian Bairnson (born August 3 1953 in Levenwick, Shetland Isles, Scotland) has been one of the most sought after sessionists in the music industry, working with a myriad of artists from a plethora of musical genres. Producer, engineer, and composer and long time collaborator Alan Parsons has said of Ian, "he is arguably the best guitarist in the UK".
Although born in the Shetlands, Bairnson grew up in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.

His commercial success started in 1974, with the band Pilot. During this time with Pilot, he collaborated with Parsons, the producer on their debut self-titled album. It was this relationship that helped move most of the band's members (bassist/lead singer David Paton and drummer Stuart Tosh) into The Alan Parsons Project.

His guitar work, emphasis, and influence is evident all throughout the Project's long history, however critics feel his strongest performances came from the early 1990s, when the Project became the Alan Parsons Band. Critical acclaim is drawn to songs from the album Try Anything Once (especially "Mr. Time" and "Jigue"), as well as songs from the follow-up album On Air (especially "Cloudbreak" and "Blown By The Wind").
Collaborations
Besides working with Alan Parsons, Bairnson has also worked with the following artists:

Yvonne Keeley, Scotch Mist, Jack Harris, David Courtney, William Lyall, Marylin Miller, Arlan Greene, Hudson-Ford, Paul McCartney & Wings, Don Black & Geoff Stephens, Steve Harley, Kate Bush, Rab Noakes, Chris De Burgh, Chris Rainbow, John Townley, Lenny Zakatek, Eberhard Schoener, Maximum Penetration, Les Lavin, Jon Anderson, Bucks Fizz, Elaine Paige, Paris, Mick Fleetwood, Bob Fish, Bananarama, Esther Ofarim, Bardo, Panarama, Akira Inoue, Prelude, Rick Cua, David Van Day, Julia Downes, Andrew Powell, Bobby Gee, Keats, Kenny Rogers, Mari Iijima, Uwe Buschkotter, David Sylvian, Anri, James Reyne, Nobuhide Saki, Thomas Anders, Masamichi Sugi, Eric Woolfson, Yukio Sasaki, Yui Asaka, Kyoko Koizumi, Chage & Aska, Marie Claire, Tom Jones, David Paton, Tam White, Marian Gold, Stefano Pieroni, Beverley Craven, Jim Diamond, Marajan, Takafumi Ishida, Mary Mac, Jargon, Manolo Garcia, Alfonso XII, Carola, and Liverpool Express.

Bairnson's proficiency as a saxophone player was made evident on The Time Machine, his collaborative effort with Parsons. More recently, he is doing session and touring work with a number of different bands, the latest being that of the band Junk (Ian Bairnson, Jesús Gabaldón, Pau Chaffer, Sarah Rope, Ángel Celada).
(http://en.allexperts.com/e/i/ia/ian_bairnson.htm)

Guitarist for Pilot (1974-77) and Alan Parsons Project, The (1975-87, 1993-99). Also played guitar for Kate Bush.

More info:
http://www.ianbairnson.com/discography/ofarim/ofarim.htm

http://home.hetnet.nl/~nickgielkens/who_bairnsonian.htm

http://www.theavenueonline.info/site1/bios/bairnson.htm

CHRIS RAINBOW (Chris Harley)

Chris Rainbow (born Christopher James Harley, 18 November 1946 in Glasgow) is a Scottish rock singer/musician who had two minor hit songs, 'Give Me What I Cry For' and 'Solid State Brain' in the 1970's. Apart from his solo career he also made frequent vocal contributions to The Alan Parsons Project, starting on their 1979 Eve album through to their 1987 album Gaudi, and Eric Woolfson's Freudiana (1990) (an APP album in all but name).

He adopted the name "Rainbow" to avoid confusion with Steve Harley, saying, "Steve Harley was at his peak and I didn’t want any confusion. The name Rainbow was found one evening as me and some friends were watching TV and the reporter’s name flashed on the screen as ‘Christopher Rainbow’, so that was that."

Before joining the Project, Rainbow was involved in a band called Hope Street for a year. Following this, he released 3 solo albums Home of the Brave in 1975, Looking Over My Shoulder in 1977, and White Trails in 1979, characterised by evocative songwriting and lush vocal harmonies, often reminiscent of Brian Wilson. Tracks from the latter two albums are collected on The Best of Chris Rainbow, 1972-1980, which has appeared in single and double CD sets and includes radio spots, and rare and unreleased material. At this time Rainbow received much wider recognition for his music through the support of Kenny Everett, then on Capital Radio in London, who featured his music extensively. Some of the jingles that Rainbow made for Capital at this time were later released on an album of out-takes, demos and unreleased material.

Rainbow recorded and toured with Camel, including singing some lead vocals on studio albums The Single Factor (1982) and Stationary Traveller (1984). He worked with Camel keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel on his 1984 album Heart of the Universe in a duo format, performing five lead vocals.

More recently, Rainbow produced several albums for Scottish Gaelic rock group Runrig.

Chris Rainbow also runs the Vital Spark Music Studio (http://www.vitalsparkmusic.co.uk/) on the Isle of Skye. He is currently writing again and hopes to release new album in 2008.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Rainbow)

More info:
http://home.hetnet.nl/~nickgielkens/who_rainbowchris.htm

http://www.theavenueonline.info/site1/bios/rainbow.htm

LUSTHANSA

2009-10-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

Country:
Germany
Genre:
Electronic, Rock
Style:
New Wave (NDW), Synth-Pop

Members:
Jutta Pardeike - Vocal
Pello Bender (Bernd Bender) - Guitar
Eddy Hinterscheid - Drums
Uwe Meinelt - Keyboards, Vocals
Peter Heckmann - Bass
Michael Kernbach (ex-Guildo Horn Band) - Bass, Producer (1999-2002),
Michael Schneider (alias Mihailo Szabo, ex-Guildo Horn Band) - Keyboards (1999-2002)
Albert Bisenius (http://www.pointoo.de/poi/Trier/Firma-Albert-Bisenius-472321.html)- Keyboard (2000-2001)

VIDEO:
"Traumsprayer"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ze5-yB9-OM

NUR FJUTSCHA (1982)

VIDEO:
"Nix neues in Poona"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM21cVPGKGQ

Tracklist:

01 Traumsprayer
02 Gib mir deine Hitze
03 Geiler Macker
04 Pinnochio
05 Werbepsychologe
06 Maklerschwein
07 Nix Neues in Poona
08 Anal-Lütick-Typen
09 Carlos, der Rächer
10 Babylon
11 Ritt zum Friedhof
12 Der letzte Tanz
13 Jet Set Star

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287943023/Lustha1.rar

NEUE STREICHE (1984)

Tracklist:

01 Kingston auf Jamaica
02 Wilde Kerls
03 Anschlag in der Nacht
04 Reißwolf
05 Freizeitkaubeuys
06 Rebell
07 Flashlight
08 Atomwaffenfreie Zone
09 Arbeitslos im Wunderland
10 Knastsong

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/289738689/Lusth2.rar

The first album is full of pretty good fast tracks showing the band's rock/punk side. Jutta Pardeike's strong, powerful voice superbly adjusts to these songs. The first Lp is better and more homogeneous, than -the also enjoyable- second one. It has a lighter sound with more reggie rhythms and synths. I prefer B side with such highlights as "Rebel", "Flashlight" and the beautiful slow "Arbeitslos im Wunderland". On the A side ma favo is "Wilde Kerls".

Biography:
The band formed in 1982 in Trier which was a conservative jazz rock city at that time. The members of Lusthansa originally played in a jazz rock band Elbereth which was famous in Trier and around. Lusthansa career started when some members of Elbereth -Uwe, Pello, Phil and a young girl called Uschi- teamed up to play something different and new from jazz rock. They played their own songs and some from Police, Ideal and Nina Hagen.
They even found a name: Bushband. But there were already few bands with the same name and they had to drop it.
At the beginning all of this was just a hobby, and nothing serious. But everything has changed when Elbereth disbanded.
Now they could concentrate more seriously on their new project.Soon a new singer Pascaline arrived to replace Uschi who left the band in the meantime.
Her role is important because she was the person who gave their new name: Lusthansa.

More about the name:
There was a humorous label (or sticker) appeared on the market in 1980 showing two cranes as they copulate in a plane. This inspired Pascaline and the band to call themselves Lusthansa and to release the first album with yellow-blue coloures. They had also included a folder modelling a Lufthansa flight in size and colour with the history of the band and the members.

Their first concert in dec. 1981 was surprisingly succesful.They gave more and more gigs and their early doubtfulness and farfetched sterility faded away.

In April they made a record contract with Boney M fame Frank Farian and their first singel "Nix Neues in Poona" became soon a radio hit.
They were happy and not so happy at the same time. There was a six-month delay before the album was released which made them unsatisfied. But finally the album was on the market so they were pleased.
But problems just flocked around them. They had to give unexciting and multitudinous interviews and had to play in such places they tried to avoid like disco bars and in front of "sterilized" and boring public which didnt enjoy their music.
In the meantime, the second album "Neue Streiche" came out in 1984 which wasn't so succesfull leading them to split soon.
They reunited again between 1999-2002 with two new members (Kernbach and Schneider). They made few gigs and released a new cd "Die Neue" with some new songs and reworks of some older ones.

They prefered live performances to studio work. These live performances remain the stuff of legend. They gave many concerts lasted more than 4 hours depended on what their fans wanted! They were much wilder and more experimental on the stage. Unfortunatelly you won't find these 20 minutes long live songs loaded with fantastic improvisations on either albums. Just hope that some of them will be released some time in the future. (http://www.ndw-wiki.org/index.php?title=Lusthansa and http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lusthansa )

ALBUMS:
Nur Fjutscha (1982)
Neue Streiche (1984 or 1985?)
Die Neue (2000)

JUTTA PARDEIKE
If my info is correct Jutta Pardeike married the drummer Eddie Hinterscheid and works as a freelance graphic designer in Trier.
Also found somewhere that she played with a Soul/Funk coverband "Springform" around 1983-1984, so it was between the two Lusthansa albums. And also made some solo works, but there is no more info about it.

More info:
http://www.facebook.com/jutta.pardeike?ref=fs

http://www.stayfriends.de/h/97723/Jutta-Pardeike.html

http://www.xing.com/profile/Jutta_Pardeike

PELLO BENDER (Bern Bender)
if i found the right man, then he leads a driving school in Trier.
http://www.abz-trier.de/firma_team_herr-bender.php

More info:
http://www.facebook.com/jutta.pardeike?ref=fs#/profile.php?id=100000150513050

http://www.bolzen-online.de/community/bolzprofil.popup.php?user=Pello

UWE MEINELT
1985/86 he played in Die Heiratsschwindler (http://www.mayouthebetter.com/html/die_heiratsschwindler.html)
now lives in Berlin and works as "DV Kaufmann" (i don't know what is it) and he is also in the independent film industry as actor,componist and director

More info:
http://www.hundertsekunden.de/beitrag.php?id=242&title=1+ungleich+2

http://kinoberlino.contentcontrol-berlin.de/about_kabaret/

http://forum.hamburgerkino.de/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=40

http://www.facebook.com/jutta.pardeike?ref=fs#/profile.php?id=549855587

MICHAEL KERNBACH
born in 1965,
1992 - 1998 bassist, author und mastermind of „Guildo Horn und die orthopädischen Strümpfe“
ECHO (best German speaking band), Viva - Comet (best live act), “Goldene Stimmgabel” (best German speaking act)
Since 1999 freelance producer, author, manager, marketing consultant for
WERNER, Michael Holm, Üebermutter(feat. Luci van Org) , Planschi, die Klostertaler, die GerdShow, Rokken, Ambee, Lusthansa and many more.
Double platinum and Gold as co-author of the #1 – hit ´Der Steuersong´ from ´Die GerdShow´ and the album ´Der Kanzler sin(´k)gt´, four other top 20 placements with ‘Die GerdShow’ in Germany
(http://www.popfarm.de/michael-kernbach.html?&L=1)

and columnist for 16 Vor magazine since 2007:
http://www.16vor.de/index.php/2007/10/10/kernbach-wird-kolumnist-bei-16vor/

More info:
http://www.popfarm.de/197.html?&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=23&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=221&cHash=9321d8ab59

http://www.politycki-partner.de/php/filedownload.php?dateiname=1730_presseinfokernbach.pdf (short bio)

More info for Lusthansa:
http://www.ichwillspass.de/ndw/bands/lusthans.htm

http://members.fortunecity.com/hardy_rupp/lustha.htm

http://best-of-80s.de/showthread.php?t=8754

http://www.mario-boesen.de/lusthansa.html

http://www.mayouthebetter.com/html/lusthansa.html

http://redaktion.trier.de/praefectus/trier?_SID=00177813619432&_bereich=artikel&_aktion=detail&idartikel=111655

ASTROMILL

2009-10-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

"Astromill is the electro sci-fi creation of singer / keyboard player Sheryl McMillan. Think a Beatlesque mixture of Imogen Heap and Kate Bush on Cyber Pop."

"The futuristic audio palette covers the whole era of synthesizers & electronic percussion, from the early analogs, to the latest digital plug-ins by electro-pop virtuoso, Sheryl McMillan."

"Female vocals, cool dance beats, heavy Pet Shop Boys influence, spacey lyrics and imagery, yet twittering silence from the synthpop crowd. Was she too weird? Too spacey? Too dancey? Not enough." (http://dyingaslowdeath.blogspot.com/2007/11/astromill.html)

"Astormill creates music that seems to be either from the other side of the universe or straight out of the year 2100. I have both CD’s and they will be cherished!"

"Astromill is top notch synthpop"

Country:
USA/UK
Genre:
Electronic
Style:
Synth-pop

Member:
Sheryl McMillan

VIDEO:
"Hello Heaven"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAv-QFcbkzc

ASTROMILL (2005)

Credits:
guest guitar by George Hutton (track 05)
Masterd by Brian Hazard (http://resonancemastering.com/)
Producered and Engineered by Sheryl McMillan

VIDEO:
"No Stranger"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Qo-RJv6hA

Tracklist:

01 Spaceblade 2001 (4:22)
02 No Stranger (5:26)
03 A Different Emotion (5:50)
04 Hello Heaven? (3:47)
05 Allison In TV Land (4:08)
06 Technosphere (3:35)
07 Do Without (3:19)
08 Not In Love With 'Love' (3:46)
09 Stranded In Manchester (5:07)
10 Isolation (5:10)
11 Keep Your Distance (5:01)
12 Yesterday's News (4:10)
13 Home (5:10)
Bonus:
14 It Isn't Pretty (from va-Rocket - A Tribute To Dead Or Alive 2005)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287914048/asmi1.rar

"this cd is very cool. she makes all the music herself, lists gary numan, thomas dolby, and pet shop boys as inspirations, so if she needs a boyfriend or something, i'm right here!
anyway, the intro is a great re-adjustment to the atmosphere created which is dense, cold, and emotional at once, like the names mentioned above. no stranger is a modern day synth-pop masterpiece, the end.
while other songs are as brilliant, that will probably be the one to jump out at you upon first listen. stranded in manchester has a great st. etienne/dubstar vibe, while intentional or not, is sheer brilliance. other songs are great as well, these 2 stand out for mention."

"This is the debut album for the UK-based project Astromill, which is made up of Sherry McMillian, with guest guitar assistance by George Hutton. Astromill debut to the world on the Electricity Volume II compilation, released in 2003, and her unique vocal sound captured interest immediately in the Electronic Underground. Her vocals have a pinched, very distinctive sound to them that's very hard describe.
On to the album: The album contains two instrumental tracks, the opening track and "Technosphere". Of the two, "Spaceblade 2001" is quite random and irritating. There's very little in the way of melody established in it, and it comes off seeming like unnecessary padding to the album. "Technosphere", however, is a much more focused instrumental, and more enjoyable for it.

Oddly enough, Sherry's vocals have a lot of processing and effects added to them in the first track with vocals, "No Stranger". The cumulative effect of the additional processing is to take some of the edge from her voice, which actually makes the track harder to get into. "A Different Emotion" settles into more familiar territory, with Sherry's vocals basically unaltered and a strong pop hook driving the song. "Hello Heaven?" brings back in the heavy vocal distortion, but contains the usage of it to the chorus. That discretion helps the song to be much more listener-friendly.

Lyrically, "Allison In TV Land" is probably the sharpest and most pointed of the songs here. It's a real wake up call to those of us who get caught up in TV shows and allow them to grow into being the only common interest we can share with other. It doesn't hurt at all that the song is extremely catchy and well-written musically. "Do Without" is a bit of a more basic and stripped down popsong compared with the previous tracks, but it really works well both in a contrasting sense and on it's own. "Not In Love With 'Love'" is another slower, not as immediately catchy song, but it's easily one of the best tracks on the album, both lyrically and for simple catchiness. A great song that, while not being the most danceable track on the album, is still one of the best.

"Stranded In Manchester" appears here basically in the same form as on Electricity II, perhaps with some more spit and polish on the production, but overall still the very same addictive song as you're heard before. "Isolation" is just another in a string of excellent pop songs Sherry has strung together on this disc. Both it and "Keep Your Distance" are just amazingly good songs, "Keep Your Distance" topping even "Stranded In Manchester" to become the best song on the album easily. The album closes on a bit of a down note, however, as both "Yesterday's News" and "Home" seem to fall somewhat flat. Overall, though, Astromill has crafted a very excellent album here, and one I can easily recommend!
(http://www.synthpop.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=1213)

METHOD TO MY MADNESS (2006)

Credits:
Artwork By - Mirai (http://wisdomcore.com/)
Mastered By - Adam Smith , Rael Jones (www.myspace.com/raeljones )
Performer - Sheryl McMillan
Recorded By - Sheryl McMillan

VIDEO:
"Control-Alt-Delete"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPUxhrebU2Y&feature=related

Tracklist:

01 No Promises (5:33)
02 All The Same (6:03)
03 Control-Alt-Delete (6:17)
04 Cold In The Middle (4:20)
05 Ice Station Zebra (6:04)
06 Method To My Madness (4:20)
07 Tea In China (6:07)
08 Spin Cycle (5:04)
09 Changed Man (5:01)
10 All Been Done Before (4:33)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287909991/asmime.rar

"AstroMill featured on the recently reviewed 'World Wide Kind 2' CD and, though I did enjoy the track, it didn't really jump out at me. This CD was totally different however. From first listen I was hooked. If you are into melodic, infectious, synth-pop from the very top drawer then this is for you!
The album opens with 'No Promises' which is based on a lilting electronic beat and quite whimsical lyrics which get (as with many of the vocals on the album) the vocoder-type treatment. As an opener it certainly gets the interest sparked, but it doesn't quite prepare you for the brilliance to come. I can't quite decide between tracks 2 or 3 as my favourites. Either way, they are both sensational, and in isolation would make this a "must buy". 'All the Same' has more completely superb treated vocals, the electronic rhythmics are great, but the hook is the infectious nature of every nook and cranny. It's such a finely crafted slab of synth-pop, I can't get it out of my head! There seems to be only antidote, play the next track! How to describe 'Control-Alt-Delete'? "WOW" seems the only way! A sensational electro-beat gets proceedings underway, then sumptuous synth lines pick out a killer riff. Then the vocals, which are totally magnificent, are added to the mix - heavily treated in so many different ways. So infectious that it should only be handled in sterilised conditions. About the only way to top it is you listen to it with the accompanying video (look on youtube) which paints a cutting-edge CG backdrop to this awesome track. Totally top drawer, if I hear two better back-to-back tracks this year I'll be very surprised.

But we're only at track 4 and next is 'Cold in the Middle' which opens a bit like a Beatles song! More great vocals, pleasing melody, a real grower. There are a couple of purely instrumental pieces on this album, and the next track 'Ice Station Zebra' is one of them. It builds purposely as insistent electro-patterns twist and turn, the percussive beat building in definition. Then it gets stripped down to ambience before being re-constructed. The approach is often "less is more" and the subtlety is impressive Next is the title track which is a real grower. Yes, there are more great vocals, yes there are more superb lilting electronic beats. Throw in a Numan-style synth riff, and this listener is in heaven. Brilliant.

The quality continues with 'Tea In China'. Downbeat, melodic, infectious (yes I know I keep using this word, but it really is!). A short piano riff plays with the different elements; lots of electronic effects keep you guessing. 'Spin Cycle' is the most "electronic" piece on offer, an instrumental which slowly develops on expert sequence lines. The beat is a killer, the quirky electronics very entertaining, but somehow the purely instrumental tracks don't quite match the quality of the vocal ones. 'Changed Man' lacks some of the infection of its siblings but is still a great slab of synth-pop, more "in yer face" vocals and grungy style rhythmics-with-attitude. The album signs off on another high both in terms of quality and fun-factor. It's 'All Been Done Before' it may very well have been, but when it's this good I really don't care! The vocal hook is great, the synth lines rasp and cajole, the rhythm picks you up. Superb.

I'm a big fan of synthpop, especially with vocoder/treated vocals. What transcends this album to greatness is the way many of the tracks burrow into the brain and take up residence. I've played this CD more than 90% of the stuff I heard in 2006. And 2007 is only a month old as I write! Yes, it's that good! Buy without hesitation." (GG)

"This album is absolutely amazing! You know, it\'s so well done, it puts me in a trance. Especially No Promises. That song is soooooooooooooooooooo lovely, it soothes my soul. Seriously, don\'t miss out on this excellent music."

Biography:
Astromill is the electro sci-fi creation of singer / keyboard player Sheryl McMillan. Sheryl grew up in the USA and played keyboards in numerous rock and new wave bands in the early 1980's, eventually moving to Nashville and working as assistant engineer in a recording studio and touring the USA before moving to Los Angeles. In LA, the seeds of what would eventually become Astromill were sewn. Since then she has recorded as session keyboardist / programmer and/or singer on numerous demos and record projects as well as spending countless hours performing in live bands from spacey electronic to jazz to heavy metal.
Sheryl appears as Astromill on the Ninthwave compilation 'Electricity 2' alongside artists such as White Town and Heaven 17. She recently co-wrote and sang guest lead vocals on a CD by Synthetik FM and has done remixes for bands like Spray and Moulin Noir. In 2004 she contributed tracks to tribute CDs for The Fixx and Dead Or Alive and in 2003 scored the soundtrack of a documentary film shown on various cable channels in the UK and Europe. Sheryl currently resides in Kent, England where a dimly-lit room is often alive with the blinking lights and buzzing sounds of electronic machines built a long time ago in a land far away.
(http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/astromillmusic)

This is the unique electronic project of Sheryl McMillan, an electronic artist from the UK who is heavily influenced by
new wave an alternative artists as diverse as Kate Bush, Imogen Heap, and the Pet Shop Boys. Her voice has a very unique quality to it, and her musical styles are numerous. Her image is very much influenced by science fiction, especially British sci-fi such as Doctor Who. In addition to producing her own music, she has also been active in the underground electronic scene as a remixer. One of her remix projects was for the legendary British electro band Heaven 17, of their song "Hands Up To Heaven", which got her all the way to #6 on the US Billboard Dance charts. Sheryl is working away in her sci-fi lab, concocting more sounds. Stay tuned!
(http://www.twothousandbc.com/synthbands.html)

"Astromill at present consists solely of singer /songwriter/ keyboardist Sheryl McMillan. Like many of us, Sheryl recalls with fondness the years of the late 1970's and early '80's as a time of great change and experimentation in pop music and much of her work bears the lasting influence of artists like The Fixx, Thomas Dobly, Gary Numan etc. Astromill HQ is located in sunny Kent England where a dimly lit room is often aglow with the blinking lights and strange buzzings of musical machines built a long time ago in a land far away." (http://www.doatribute.com/artists.html)

ALBUMS:
Astromill (2005)
Method To My Madness (2007)

More info:
http://www.astromill.com/

http://www.myspace.com/astromill

http://mobi.earthacademy.org/ast/index.html

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=astromill&w=8952319%40N07

Interview:
http://www.earthacademy.org/astromill/pix/astromill_interview.jpg

FREDRIK LUNDVALL (Presto Fervant/ Novelty/ Spektron/ Octolab)

2009-10-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

"Fredrik is one of the most talented songwriters in the Swedish electronic music scene"

Country:
Sweden
Genre:
Electronic
Style:
Synth-pop

PRESTO FERVANT

Genre:
Electronic
Style:
EBM, Synth-pop

Members:
Fredrik Lundvall
Ron2-D2 (Ronny Larsson)

PRESTO FERVANT - Hard Years (2006, re-release of 1992 album)

Credits:
Artwork By [Design & Layout], Photography - Ronny Larsson
Engineer - Peter Rosenbach
Performer, Backing Vocals, Music By, Programmed By - Fredrik Lundvall
Performer, Vocals, Backing Vocals, Lyrics By, Other [Tape And Ideas] - Ronny Larsson
Producer - Presto Fervant

Notes:
Recorded at Studio Skyline (http://www.musikverkstan-ea.se/), Eskilstuna (Sweden).

Tracklist:

01 First Impact (2:35)
02 Remain In Death (4:43)
03 Evilation (3:51)
04 Liebe (4:07)
05 Hell On Highway (4:23)
06 Game Over (3:42)
07 Butchers Knife (3:12)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287926726/prefe.im.rar

It is an impressive work where the carefully crafted songs pulsing overall on the waves of agressive beats and screaming but gorgeous vocal while the music also carrying an emotional potency at the highest level. A highly recommended stuff! (salty)

"Presto Fervant "Game Over" all out pounding power of epic ebm magnitude!"

"Presto Fervant was one of the icons of the new EBM and synth scene that sprung up in Sweden in the late 80's. This is a classic and outstanding EBM album! !

More on EBM:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_body_music

ALBUMS:
Impact (1992)
Hard Years (re-release of Impact 2006)

Biography:
In 1989 Fredrik & Ronny starded composing hardbeating EBM-tracks.
3 years later, DDT Productions released a split-CD with Presto Fervant and Punch & Judy, called IMPACT.
One of Presto Fervants biggest performance was at the swedish "Hultsfred"-festival in 1992.
DDT Productions In 2006, Electric Tremor, re-released Presto Fervants tracks on a CD called "Hard Years"

They had the first gig since 13 years in 2007 Dessau/Germany
(http://www.last.fm/event/142931+5+JAHRE+ELECTRIC+TREMOR)

RONNIE LARSON
is a cult figure of Swedish EBM. His bands are Container 69 (side project of Container 90), Container 90 (2004-, see: http://www.myspace.com/container90), Gordon Shumway (1995) and Presto Fervant

Container 90 (2005) Cd was producer by Fredrik Lundvall
Container 90 (2008) Cd was mastered /co-produced by Fredrik Lundvall

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/prestofervant

http://www.last.fm/music/Presto+Fervant

NOVELTY

"Novelty musical influences stretch from the late -70's electronic & disco, via the melancholic -80's to modern techno and ambient music of today and tomorrow."
Members:
Fredrik Lundvall - Keyboard, Composing, Sound Construction, Lyrics
Peter Segerdahl - Lead Vocal, Back Vocal, Keyboard, Composing, Sound Construction, Lyrics
Bengt Tarre - Percussion, Back Vocal, Keyboard, Marimba, Accordion, Composing, Sound Construction, Lyrics

NATURAL (1997)

Credits:
Artwork By [Cover Design] - Robert Erixon At Digital Rembrandt
Artwork By [Layout Design] - Kirt Wade Pierre
Composed By, Lyrics By, Keyboards, Programmed By [Sound Construction] - Fredrik Lundvall
Composed By, Lyrics By, Keyboards, Programmed By [Sound Construction], Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals - Peter Segerdahl
Composed By, Lyrics By, Keyboards, Programmed By [Sound Construction], Percussion, Marimba, Accordion, Backing Vocals - Bengt Tarre
Photography - Peter Arvidsson (http://www.myspace.com/stigher)
Producer - Novelty
Mastered By - Rob Craner (http://www.dogstaraudio.com/about_us.html)

Notes:
Natural was recorded during the spring, and summer of 1997. Finally it was released October 31, 1997.

Tracklist:

01 Things we do
02 Paradise
03 Coming Over
04 Soul of Mankind
05 Elevenpointforty
06 Natural
07 Trapped in Reality
08 Camera Lights
09 Brightness Empire
10 RedNblue
11 There has been days
12 Paraclub (140 Bpm)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287918494/nov-na.rar

"I liked this CD quite a bit. The singer has a unique voice that is hard to compare to other bands (sort of a "new wave" sound to the vocals ) while the programming was quite good.

If you have the compilation, Synthpop - The Next Generation, then you've heard one of the slower songs from this album, Coming Over."

"First CD for this band coming from the west coast of Sweden. Twelve tracks that are fresh and easy to listen.

All the fans of the early 80's sound of moogs or of the TR 606 (one of the first drum machines made by Roland) could be happy listening to these tracks that show the influence of the new romantic bands of the 80's (do you remember the Duran Duran?) but without forgetting the Krafwerk lesson (like in "Paradise" and mainly into "Elevenpointforty-instrumental", where the synthetic bass lines and the moog melodies are soft and intriguing).

Most of the tracks have got something that make you remember of them: the title track "Natural", for example, has got a background sound that seems to round in circle while the voice does the rest or "Camera light" that has got a melodic voice with an hard moog lines that punch.

To conclude: this is an album that mix together the atmospheres of the very first Depeche Mode, the sounds of bands like Kraftwerk with the melody of the new romantic bands. Good to be the first work."

More review:
http://www.industrial-bible.com/IB/Reviews/N/NOVELTY-Natural.htm

http://home.swipnet.se/~w-37647/

Biography:
NOVELTY are Fredrik Lundvall, Peter Segerdahl and Bengt Tarre.

All three members have been involved in other electro/rock/pop/ebm/ambient projects since the early eighties (for instance Cosmic Dog, New View, Tin Drum and Presto Fervant) but it was not until in the beginning of 1996 we all got together and started NOVELTY.

Peter Segerdahl:

"1995: After working very hard with the software for a few years I decided that I should start up with music again. I saw an advertisement in a Swedish music magazine (MM) that a person in Lyseikil (Sweden) was looking for a good synthpop singer to form a new band. This was Fredrik. I called him, sent him some tapes, he liked my voice and we started to work together.

Fredrik had previously been involved (1988-1993) in a band called Presto Fervant that had gain some success and played for instance at "Hultsfred festivalen". They played very hard electronic music. After that Fredrik had a project called Cosmic Dog (1994-1995) and attended on the compilation Circuit One with "Space Man"."

1996: Nothing really happened until Fredrik decided to buy a new better sampler. Soon he sent me a very rough version of a song. I liked what I heard and together we turned it into "Paradise".

Fredrik sent away our only song "Paradise" to a music/band competition arranged by a Swedish TV station called Z-TV.

Novelty reached an honorable second place in Z-TV's pop-band competition (dance/rap genre) 1996 called Zoom 96.
Thousands of bands from all over Sweden competed. We performed Paradise and Red'n Blue.

A few weeks later I was out dining with Bengt and told him about this and that if we got accepted I wanted him to play with us live. He accepted but we both laughed at it, as neither of us thought that NOVELTY would ever get accepted. But we did! We even won the first competition in Göteborg.

Now this was fun!! Fredrik's brother, Thorbjörn, also joined NOVELTY. We started to work on a new song, "Redn Blue". Then there was time for the 2:nd competition where we met the best from southern Sweden. We won again! Now we had made it to the regional finals in Stockholm (the capital city of Sweden). In the middle of summer 1996 we went to Stockholm to perform RednBlue and Paradise. There were TV cameras all over the place and lots of people. We did not win but ended up as second place (as all the others finalists that did not win).

After that NOVELTY became reality and Bengt joined the band as a true member."

1997: After writing more songs we wanted to make our songs available to the public so we attended on a Swedish electro compilation by Mellotron Records called Mark One with "Paradise" and "Soul of Mankind". Mellotron Records liked our music so much that they places our songs first and second on the CD.

Menawhile David Lin, from Strangers Thoughts, invited us to attend on their US synthpop compilation "Synthpop: The next generation". They chosed "Coming over" for the compilation."

"After a couple of months David called me and said that he had joined a new record company called Synthphony Records and that they were interested in signing us for a full length CD. In the middle fo July 1997 the contract was signed.

At the end of September (two weeks before dead line) all recordings for the full length CD, Natural, were done."

In July 1997 NOVELTY signed a record contract with the New York based US label Synthphony Records for the release of a full length CD. "

BENGT TARRE
was a member of Votum (1984)

Beng Tarre and Peter Segerdahl were members of New View released one tape "Memories from the country" (1985), later (before Novelty) they formed Tin Drum (synthpop covers but also rock, funk etc) and Cyber Funk (synthpop-funk)

PETER SEGERDAHL

"The BeatSlicer is a FruityLoops add-on product, created by Peter Segerdahl (http://www.vinga.se/w2/en/default.htm) at Button Production who also have developped Zero-X BeatCreator (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov04/articles/beat.htm). Zero-X BeatCreator is a great standalone program for editing/creating rhythm loops."

ALBUM:
Natural (1997)

More on Novelty:
http://home.swipnet.se/~w-37647/index.htm

SPEKTRON

Members:
Arielle Andersson (ex-Aggregath, see: Octolab) - Vocal, Composing, Programming, Synth
Fredrik Andreasson (ex-Third Door Left, http://www.facebook.com/kirderf) - Vocal, Composing, Programming, Guitar
Hanna Larsson (ex-Aggregath, http://www.facebook.se/people/Hanna-Larsson/692979172) - Vocal, Composing, Programming, Synth
Fredrik Lundvall (http://www.facebook.se/people/Fredrik-Lundvall/567142010) - Composing, Programming, Synth, Producer

SPEKTRON (2003)

Tracklist:

01 Mr Lee (3:38)
02 Reciever (4:27)
03 Dreamland (3:43)
04 Faller Som Snoe (3:07)
05 Signaler (Anamorphic Widescreen Version) (4:47)
06 Tidsmaskin (3:21)
07 Guld Silver Och Diamanter (Pop Mix) (3:48)
08 Guld Silver Och Diamanter (Airliner Version) (3:36)
09 Som Det Var (Ambient Version) (4:47)
Bonus:
10 Code 64 - Without You (Spektron Mix) (2003) (3:57)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/290389970/Speron.rar

There is no review on the web about this mini album. This is an intersting release because only the first three songs are in English and the rest are in Swedish. It is strange that nobody reviewed it. In my opinion it is a nice effort from the band, perhaps the most romantic album from Fredrik. The music is slower than in Novelty and in Octolab and even more melodious, more happier. And as on Novelty, their music flirts again with '80s sound in a very catchy way. The sound is great, the music is emotional and heart-warming, so recommended for all synthpop lovers. (salty)

ALBUMS:
Www.spektronmusik.com (4 songs mini album 2002)
Spektron (mini album) (2003)

Biography:
Spektron is an electro pop act from the west coast of Sweden. Originally they were a four piece band. The two girls Hanna and Arielle played together in a woman electro group Aggregath before joined Spektrum. .After two released CD Arielle and Fredrik left the band to form Octolab.

HANNA LARSSON
apart from Aggregath she was guest vocalist on another Swedish band Z Prochek - Viewers (2004) CD. I have no more info. Or maybe this where a woman with the same name makes digital art, paintings and photographs:
http://hem.passagen.se/hanna.m.larsson/photo.htm

FREDRIK ANDREASSON
appeared on a compilation cd released in 1998 and called "Tekno Music 1997 - The Winners Of The Tekno Music Competition" with a song "Render Harmless".
If my info is correct, he has a new project since 2006 called Modiga Agenter. This is duo with Jonas Kapla playing melodic synthpop following the footsteps of Spektron
Check them here:
http://www.modigaagenter.com/sound.html and http://www.myspace.com/modigaagenter

More info for Spektron (Swedish only):
http://w1.752.telia.com/~u75202138

OCTOLAB

"the Swedish act Octolab, is out now and offers female fronted synth pop that sounds like a mash-up between Human League, OMD or yet Ladytron."

Members:
Arielle Andersson (http://www.facebook.com/people/Arielle-Andersson/572695875) - Synth, Vocals and Lyrics
Fredrik Lundvall - Synth and Mixing/Producer.

THE TIMELESS ROOM (2007)

Credits:
Producer - Bjorn Marius Borg (http://www.myspace.com/bariuz) (aka Bariuz track 11)

Tracklist:

01 Hunting (4:27)
02 Hidden Camera (3:40)
03 Overcome Suspicion (4:31)
04 Mindcontrol (3:28)
05 Tv-Spell (4:58)
06 Clouds Of Clowns (5:08)
07 Made On Stage (4:14)
08 The Doll (4:37)
09 Tumbledown (3:59)
10 Timeless Room (5:02)
11 Hunting (Bariuz Remix) (5:39)
12 Tumbledown (Disco Digitale Remix) (3:43)
13 Tv-Spell (In[Perfektion] Remix) (5:23)
Bonus:
14 Videogirl (Octolab Remix) (from va-Computer Dreams 2008)
15 Cosmic Dog - Spaceman (from va-Circuit One - The Swedish Synthpop 1995)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287918980/Oc-tiro.rar

Notes:
Two songs "TV Spell" and "Hunting" appeared on many compilation.

"Minimalistic Synth-Pop melodies and great tunes, Super female vocals and pure Electro Pop a great combination for a new breed of Synth Pop. This band WILL take the Electro World by Storm!!

If you like anything from Human League, OMD to Ladytron, Wolfsheim or Client.. You will absolutely LOVE this CD!!!
(http://www.cryonica.com/cryonica/store.htm)

"Cryonica have been making a lot about this Swedish duo's supposed 'minimalist' synthpop sound but, to these ears, nothing on this fine album sounds any more minimalistic than most of the mid 90s Scandinavian synthpop bands that Fredrik & Arielle seem to be influenced by (such as Restricted Area or Perpetuum Mobile to pick a couple of obscure examples).

That's not to say they're in any way copyist (certainly notcompared to some bands I could mention!) but with its almost clinical, but not unemotional, approach it's sure to appeal to synthpop purists with its ever-so-slightly quirky edge aided by some endearingly odd turns of phrase, as well as that old stand-by, the vocodered vocals that add an extra harmonic element to the chorus of 'Mindcontrol', all combining to give the album a certain retro appeal. Only the electronica-flavoured 'Cloud Of Clowns' takes on any noticeably modern elements (a couple of the remixes notwithstanding) but it provides a nice change of pace & a definate contrast to the pacey & somewhat more strident 'TV-Spell', which preceeds it.

What really stands the album in good stead, though, is the constantly appealing compositional skills which might not make too many demands upon the listener but engage the mind time & time again with some fine sequencing adding to the appeal of 'Hidden Camera' & the lively 'Tumbledown' while the music does a decent job of complimenting the sensuous vocals of 'Made On Stage'. The highlights, however, come in the form of the title track where the absorbing melodics & fine vocals work together to fine effect & 'The Doll' which is an instantly memorable piece with a slight gothic appeal in the lyrics although the use of the phrase 'were' instead of 'was' ("the doll were crashed/against the wall she were smashed) might leave you with the impression that the duo are actually from Yorkshire! Still, this just adds character to the whole album which is sure to go down a storm with synthpoppers the world over so if that's your thing you'll not want to miss this!"
(http://www.electrogarden.com/reviews/octolab-egnReview_r218.html)

"The debut release of this Swedish duo is a quite surprising synth-pop release. Well, it?s just more than simply synth-pop as Octolab has some clear 80s influences (reminding me of Erasure) next to pure (and more commercial) ?dance? influences. Take both influences, which you next shake hard with a touch of Swarf and you?ll enter ?The timeless room?. The songs are well crafted and bring some excellent dance vibes. I personally prefer the more underground style, which they only show on a very few pieces like ?The doll? and the Bariuz remix of ?The hunting?. A few more attention grabbers are ?Overcome suspicion? for the more technoid feeling, Clouds of clowns? from a more commercial angle and ?Timeless room? for the link with Erasure. I?m not sure about the ?commercial? potential of this album although it?s a pleasant piece of pop! (DP:7)DP."
(http://www.side-line.com/reviews_comments.php?id=27219_0_17_0_C)

Chain D.L.K.:
Did you have any musical experience before forming Octolab? What led you to form the band?

Arielle:
"Well OctoLab started off as a side project to the very synth-poppish band Spektron. But it was hard for us to get together, since we were four persons who lived in different cities. I and Fredrik felt that the collaboration between us was good, so we decided to move in together and make music."

Fredrik:
"We both had experience in music before. I started with the EBM-old-school band Presto Fervant in 1988. I started the synthpop band Novelty who got signed by Synthphony Records."

Arielle:
"I grew up with music, as a child I often followed my stepfather out on tours. I spent most of my teens at the music center. I started the girl electro band Aggregath. I also had a very short career as a drummer in a hardrock group. I took part in a number of different bands. But OctoLab is my number one priority."

Chain D.L.K.:
What's the concept behind "The timeless room"?

Arielle:
"We are little too restless to stick to one concept. The music is more like episodes, where the lyrics hold it together, they are much about obsessions, time and growing old."

Chain D.L.K.:
Most of your songs have a danceable rhythm. Is this a key factor for you?

Fredrik:
"Yes, I guess. We like groovy stuff, with a touch of hard beats."

Chain D.L.K.:
"Made on stage" talks about fans envying a performer who doesn't seem to have a successful life outside his performing "role". What made you write this song?

Arielle:
"Hmm... I don’t know; guess that’s how I see performing life. Just because people are beautiful or successful doesn’t mean they are happy, but that’s what we often want to believe. Money and beauty, then you got it all, it is not so often that people think of the quality of life. I didn’t want to focus on women, so it´s about male modelling. I don’t think I´m biased. Please interpret it however you like. That’s what I strive for."

Chain D.L.K.:
Does "The doll" talk about a woman who got back the control on her life?

Arielle:
"Well, I want people to identify themselves, that’s why most of my texts are written in metaphors. So without saying too much, but it´s something like "The Doll" is more a combination of feelings I had in a dream and dreams are often reflections of our waking hours."

Chain D.L.K.:
Arielle, taking inspiration from "The doll", are you experiencing sexual discrimination during your normal life and also in the musical scene?

Arielle:
"No I don’t. But you never know, I´m well aware that it exists. It happens all the time in other circumstances. Discrimination makes me very angry, so I try not to think of it too much."

Chain D.L.K.:
You remixed tracks for other bands. What is your method? Do you try to redo the song with the Octolab style or do you prefer to change it totally just to make it more interesting and peculiar?
Octolab: F: Totally change it.

Arielle:
"Yes, we like to do it our way. We usually don’t use the remix package except for the songs. We think it´s more fun that way."
(http://www.chaindlk.com/interviews/index.php?interview=Octolab)

Q:
How would you describe Octolab's music?

Octolab:
"Synthmusic vs video game and horror movies in a cheerful atmosphere.... We are both very open minded to alots of different musicstyles, so the mixture of everything results in Octolab, offcourse it sounds very electronic. ( If "the robots" had been played with different instruments I don't know how OctoLab should have sounded... hahaha)." (http://www.cyber-angels.nl/InterviewOctolab.html)

Biography:
"OctoLab is an alternative electro-synthpop band based in Gothenburg Sweden. We both have long experience in doing music, watching horror movies and playing videogames.

Some of you might recognize us from earlier bands like Spektron, Presto Fervant, Aggregath or Novelty. From the beginning OctoLab took form as a side project, but it didn’t take long before we realized that OctoLab was the obvious band for us.

So in middle of 2005 OctoLab become official, Started off with the first song TV-spell, which appears on the 2CD compilation Cryonica Tanz v4. Also on the CD-Compilation "3 Years Anniversary of Electro-Shock-Records, and this was the beginning for OctoLab.

We are now happy to be contracted on the English label Cryonica Music. Who released our first album “The Timeless Room” In December 2007."

ALBUM:
The Timeless Room (2007)

!!NEWS!!
"We have made a new track called 'Mind and Matter'.
Hope you like the little bit harder sound ;-)"

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/octolab

http://home.swipnet.se/~w-37647/person.htm

http://www.octolab.se/ (you can reach it only in this way: http://web.archive.org/web/20070830141713/http://www.octolab.se/)

http://www.releasemagazine.net/News/news0711a.htm

http://electr-on.pl/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3026

Interviews:
http://www.cyber-angels.nl/InterviewOctolab.html

http://www.cyber-angels.nl/InterviewArielle.html (Arielle interview)

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=7727859 (Swedish)

http://www.side-line.com/interviews_comments.php?id=28612_0_16_0_C

CINDY & ROY (Cindy Wallman and Roy Wallman) and some bonus

2009-10-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

"white duo play black disco music in a perfect way!"

CINDY & ROY - Feel It (1979)

Genre:
Electronic
Style:
Disco

Credits:
Lead Vocals Cindy & Roy
Drums, Percussions - Rich Cissel (http://www.bellanotteristorante.com/entertainment/Frame-10-entertainmentpicturespage10.html?refresh=1202750934518 and http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Cissel/1254011455)
Arranged By - Jack Ebbert (Karen Young 84, Sister Sledge 82, http://www.haverford.edu/organizations/jazzband) (tracks: 01, 02, 04, 05), Rick Kunis (track 03)
Producer - Walter Kahn
Written By Walter Kahn (tracks 01,02)/ George Clinton & Daron Taylor (track 03)/ Ted Worthan & Cinthia Biggs (track 04)/ David Morris & Robert Meltzer (track 05)

VIDEO:
"I Wanna Testify"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-jwuyvDbUc

Tracklist:

01 Can You Feel It (8:33)
02 Changin' Jobs (9:25)
03 I Wanna Testify (9:35)
04 While We Still Have Time (4:40)
05 Gotta Love Somebody Else (4:10)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/291051245/ciro.rar

"One thing is for sure, their music has stood the test of time and is a prime example of good disco music that was still being made in the late 70s, despite the abundance of really bad disco."

"the lp is excellent, full of joie de vivre. These songs (and the album as a whole) are good uplifting disco music heavily orchestrated (50 musicians or vocalists collaborated) with every expected ingredients of the genre. It's like Dante's Inferno's album or Maxine Nightingale's "Hideaway", excellent pieces of disco music unfortunately unknown, and not forgettable obscure oddities. IMO every disco music lover would love it"

More review:
http://www.worldsoul.com/CINDY_&_ROY__4364_html

Rich Cissel:
"I was the live drummer for Cindy and Roy in 1979 - 1980. My name is Rich Cissel and I have some great live recordings of us playing live in Annapolis Md. The album " Can you Feel it " was recorded in Philly by session players. The song " While we still have time " went to number 29 or 39 on the Billboards black hits listing. The album was in the 50s when it entered the charts. It was rumored that bad timing for our signing to Casablanca ( new wave was just starting ) and having a picture of Cindy and Roy on the album cover was not a smart move. They were a beautiful couple with blonde hair and blue eyes with very soulful voices. We recorded some demos for our follow up album called " Back to Nature " but it never got released due to the passing of Neil Bogart and the changes made within the label.
We were managed by Primetime productions in Silver Spring Md. they also managed Van Mcoy and Peaches and Herb. Cindy and Roy were the greatest people that I ever worked with PERIOD !!!! Never an argument or a disagreement. They went on " The Merv Griffen Show " to promote their release of " Can you feel it " Does anybody have acces to it??? I hope that I answered your questions. I have more info. if need be. Peace, Rich Cissel"

We were called " Cindy and Roy and The New Censations Band " Originally we had 4 front vocalists 2 black males and Cindy and Roy. Clay Hunt ( he had a solo album produced by Freddie Perrin from the Peaches and Herb fame ) Tony Tillman ( he had his own Vegas act for many years and played Sammy Davis Jr. in " The Rat Pack " in vegas ) Roy Wallman ( he was originally the bass player ) Cindy Wallman ( Uhlhorn ) on vocals. There are two great press articles regarding them from Billboard, March 8th, 1975"
(http://www.discomusic.com/forums/disco-music-70s-80s/12317-cindy-roy-casablanca-2.html)

"I didn't realize they were members of New Censation! That's pretty cool. That LP they did in 1974 was released on Pride and was produced by Van McCoy. It featured the first versions of many tracks that would later be remade by McCoys other artists: First Round Knockout and I've Got Nothing But Time by David Ruffin; Come Down To Earth and Everybody's Got A Story by Choice Four. They were with him before he finalized his trademark sound, so their grooves are more straight up funk soul rather than latin soul.

Cindy and Roy were disco #55 in August 1979 with the two best songs of the album, both issued as 12"s in re-edited versions: "Can you feel it" and "I wanna testify""

Cindy&Roy are alive & well and still playing together! Check them here:
http://www.newcensation.com/

ALBUMS:
Feel It (1979)
Back to Nature (1980?, still unreleased)

More info:
http://www.discomusic.com/forums/disco-music-70s-80s/26007-anyone-familiar-cindy-roy.html

http://www.discomusic.com/forums/disco-music-70s-80s/12317-cindy-roy-casablanca.html

www.mlmforums.com/forums/showthread.php%3Ft%3D15356+%22cindy+and+roy%22+casablanca&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=9

WALTER KAHN (producer & song writer of Cindy&Roy)
now the president of Sunshine Entertainment Co Inc (http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_652jmx)

"Walter Kahn worked in Music Production on movies such as Rookie of the Year, Showdown in Little Tokyo, and This Is My Life.

Walter "Kandor" Kahn began his music career as a Top 40 radio DJ/announcer and recording engineer. His early music productions include "Loves Me Like A Rock", written by Paul Simon, performed by The Dixie Hummingbirds, and released on ABC Records. In 1974, he was awarded a Grammy for producing that recording.

In 1978, he was executive producer of "Hot Shot" by Karen Young, which reached #1 on Billboard Magazine's Top Dance Singles chart. He has produced artists for ABC, Atlantic, CBS, Casablanca, MGM, PolyGram, RCA and Warner Bros. In 1992, Kahn produced The Movement's single "Jump!", which was released on his L.A.-based Sunshine Records. It reached #1 on Billboard's Top Dance Singles chart and #53 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. He entered into a deal with Arista Records in New York to distribute the single and the subsequent album, which he also produced. In 1995, Kahn produced the hugely successful rap single "I Wish", by Skee-Lo, which topped the charts in the U.S. and throughout most of Europe. He produced Skee-Lo's first album and was nominated for a Grammy as producer under "Best Rap Album". Kahn's music is also heard in more than 20 films and TV shows."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_%22Kandor%22_Kahn)

More info:
http://www.disco-disco.com/artists/andy.shtml

CINDY WALLMAN (Cindy Hund, born 1948)

"I am a working performer/musician and have been for more than 20 years. As a first call vocalist in the Maryland-Washington area I've had the terrific experience of singing on local and national jingles as well as some promos for TV spots. My husband and I are producers for a major fitness music company, Power Music. I teach vocals and beginning/intermidiate piano in my studio. Our home also has a state of the art digital recording studio that enables us to produce the best quality for audio sound.
My husband and I had an album in 1979-80 with Casablanca Records. (Same label as Donna Summer) and we enjoyed success for 1 year. We were managed by the same management team as Peaches and Herb. I am a songwriter/musician with ASCAP. I have been blessed."

"Voice Description
My voice is of the middle range tone. My best performances are of the warm and friendly nature. My singing voice is strong and soulful with 25 years of singing leads and stacking vocals for group backups."

She was a member of Cindy & the Censations between 1967-1969

She guested on the following albums:
Tom Principato 1989 blues album
Lloyd Marcus 1991
Kevin Kline 2000
Jose Mari Chan 2007
(http://www.showmehowtoplay.com/artist/Cindy-Wallman/?key=P000135751)

Now works for Stageworkz (http://www.stageworkz.com/index.html) as a Voice Educator.

And president of SUN PRINTING HOUSE is in the Commercial Printing, N.E.C. industry in PHILADELPHIA, PA :
http://start.cortera.com/company/research/k3r3krj8r/sun-printing-house/

Her newest project is "Talent Machine Presents “The Wiz”":
http://www.suburbanscene.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=627&Itemid=63

and there was a 10 weeks long vocal workshop in march this year where she contributed in:
http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:8iHBad8octMJ:www.stageworkz.com/vocal_cwallman.pdf+Cyndi+Wallman+severn&hl=hu&sig=AFQjCNFJ2CINNTPgwCH6zApCou-sCcDgDQ

More info:
http://voice123.com/cyndiwallman

ROY WALLMAN (born 1947)
now the President of New Censation Inc (Severn, MD Baltimore, MD Metro Area)
which is an Entertainment Group for Independent Artists, Writers, & Performers

BONUS :

THE NEW CENSATION - New Censation (1974)

Genre:
Funk / Soul
Style:
Soul

Members:
Roy Wallmann - Bass, Vocals
Cindy Wallmann - Vocals
Clay Hunt - Vocals
Tony Tillmann - Vocals

Credits:
Artwork By [Art Direction] - Bob Defrin (was the one who designed the AC/DC logo,see: http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_hswjfq)
Artwork By [Design] - Alan Pecolick , Carnase , Lubalin , Smith
Executive Producer - Michael Viner (from Incredible Bongo Band, see: http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/08/14/remembering-michael-viner-the-man-who-recorded-apache/)
Producer - Van McCoy (http://vanmccoymusic.com/van/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_McCoy)
Written-By - Joe Cobb (tracks: 06) , Van McCoy

Tracklist:

01 First Round Knockout (4:32)
02 Let's Get Back Together (3:08)
03 I Was Made For You (3:04)
04 In So Many Words (4:30)
05 I'm So Glad (3:23)
06 The Wings Of Love (7:57)
07 I'm Bettin' All My Love (3:36)
08 Everybody's Got A Story (4:03)
09 I've Got Nothing But Time (2:18)
10 Come Down To Earth (4:48)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287935427/newce.rar

It seems they have faded into obscurity as there is hardly to find anything about New Censation. If i have to compare it, then perhaps there are some similarities with Hues Corporation, George McCrae, The Four Tops, early Temptations... but it is not the typical sound you can expect from Van McCoy, who was their producer and song writer. Though there's nothing terribly special here, the music is melodic and fun with good instrumentals and fine vocal backing. Some songs are really rock. The nuggets are "Everybody's Got A Story" and "Come Down To Earth" hang around in my head for many many times. For collectors and hard core Van Mccoy fans an acceptable choice. (salty)

Some about the other two members of The New Censation:

TONY TILLMANN
is truly a dynamic entertainer. Often compared to Sammy Davis Jr. and Ben Vereen, this Baltimore native, who now lives in Las Vegas, has traveled the world giving knockout performances to enthusiastic crowds. Tony's fast-paced and energetic style helped him secure an opening act spot with Bill Cosby that lasted over ten years.

His versatility, powerful voice and incredible stage presence have garnered him accolades from all quarters of the entertainment press.

Tony's early entertainment years were spent as a member of a popular singing group known as 'New Censation'. Their standout vocals took them to Europe where they performed in some of the most prestigious supper clubs with such international notables as Victor Borge, who invited the group to perform with him for the Queen of Denmark.
(http://www.insidervlv.com/RatPackShow/TonyTillman.html)

Joining the band in the early 1970's, he refined his singing talents while still in high school.
The group later toured all across the world, in countries such as Germany,Switzerland, Canada and Spain.
He formed his own group in 1979. It was The East Coast Brass
(http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=932&dat=19930722&id=waYNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tFUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6924,2488684)

The East Coast Brass, a show band that toured all over the eastern U.S.,
(http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19790918&id=LHcUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kwIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7057,4935440

He is currently working with Common Culture
(http://entertainment.b-conceptmedia.com/index.pl?p=9&styleID=94&catID=&bandID=126)

More info:
http://www.specialvarietyacts.com/Tony-Tillman

http://www.insidervlv.com/RatPackShow/TonyTillman.html

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/May-03-Fri-2002/weekly/18647617.html

CLAY HUNT
still living in Maryland and currently performing as Clay Hunt's Pure Delite "A fabulous dance band that are popular in nightclubs in Baltimore, " (Weddings - Conventions - Private Parties - Bar Mitzvahs)

CLAY HUNT - Part One (1981)

Credits:
Freddie Perren - Producer (died 2004, see: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Freddie+Perren and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Perren)

VIDEO:
"Keep Me On Fire"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krhgATAt3TM

Tracklist:

01 Keep Me On Fire
02 Midnight Plane
03 I Know Something We Can Do Together
04 (I'm Claimin') Finders Keepers
05 You Turned My Head Around
06 Love Hoppin'
07 I've Been Loving You Too Long
08 Distance

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/292936160/clay_hunt.rar

Here we are again with a very underrated, forgotten work which would deserve moooore! Perhaps it came out too late in 1981 when disco was already off its heyday.Or the problem was the poor promotion and/or modest record sales? I really don't know, but the sound is still fresh and strong. It is something like Peaches & Herb without female vocal.
And the songs are varied here nicely -upbeat, up-tempo disco funk at some points, mellow and a bit more romantic at others. An excellent production and arrangements from disco master Freddie Perren !

But let's talk about what makes this album more interesting. If you check the names have been credited on the album:

SAMM BROWN III:
"As a producer/songwriter or as an arranger/conductor he has contributed successfully to the careers of such recording artists as: Michael Jackson, Maxine Nightingale, David Naughton, The Jacksons, Tavares, The Sylvers, The New Edition, Jerry Butler, Gemini, Arpeggio, Peaches and Herb, Clay Hunt, The Supremes, The Atkins, and many others, both here in the U.S., as well as in Europe and Japan.

Along with Quincy Jones and Freddie Perren, Samm Brown III is the only other record producer to have a #1 international hit ("One Day In Your Life") with megastar Michael Jackson during the 1970's and the 1980's. "One Day In Your Life" was also Michael Jackson's first #1 record in the U.K.

Samm is also a former staff writer and producer for Motown Records..."
(http://sbrownkpfk.com/sbrown.php)

FREDDIE PERREN:
Legendary Disco / R&B Producer (http://www.discomusic.com/people-more/3621_0_11_0_C/)
Production and songwriting on Jackson 5 hits such as "I Want You Back" and "ABC". He also co-wrote and co-produced hits such as Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive", Peaches and Herb's "Reunited" and the Sylvers' "Boogie Fever".
It's no exaggeration to say that the '70s wouldn't have been the same without him, as he contributed to some of the decade's signature songs, particularly in the dance field. "He was an up-tempo guy," said his widow, Christine. "He thought all the up-tempo songs should have the heartbeat of somebody who was dancing, and he always checked his rhythms to that."
He established himself as a leading behind-the-scenes figure of the funk-disco era, working on hits like "Love Machine" (the Miracles, 1975), "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel" (Tavares, 1976) and "If I Can't Have You" (Yvonne Elliman, 1978). He won a Grammy for "I Will Survive" (best disco recording, 1980), as well as one for producing two songs from the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack (album of the year, 1979).
He also worked on the soundtracks of the movies "Hell Up In Harlem" (1973) and "Cooley High" (1975). Like most top producers, Freddie Perren could be a perfectionist. Herb Fame of Peaches and Herb once said of the duo's 1978 "2 Hot" album, which Perren produced, "Making that album took us a month, working 13 hours a day, including Saturdays and Sundays. Sometimes Freddie would make us do one word over and over again, 50 or 60 times, until we got the sound he wanted."
(http://www.spectropop.com/remembers/FPobit.htm)

RIC WYATT, Jr.
who also cooperated with Freddie Perren on many good albums and "'70s wouldn't have been the same without him". Few Perret/Wyatt albums:
The Miracles (1975), Peaches & Herb (1979 and 1981), Gloria Gaynor (1979), Atkins (1982), The Spinners (1982), andJohnny Gill (1983) .

And what is that you can expect?

"Funky R&B with a smooth, shimmering Disco sheen is a hallmark of the Freddie Perren sound." (http://blogcritics.org/music/article/legendary-disco-rb-producer-freddie-perren/)

So i think it is a great addition to any classic disco library, and also highly recommended to Freddie Perren collectors!

More info:
http://www.clayhunt.com/ClayNew/PicturePage.html

ABRAHAM BURTON/ ERIC MCPHERSON an artistic brotherhood lasting about ten years

2009-10-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

"Abraham Burton and Eric Mcpherson have come to prominence both as apprentices to key figures in creative music. Burton with drum legends Arthur Taylor, Roy Haynes & Louis Hayes. McPherson with legendary saxophonist, Jackie McLean and innovative pianist and composer, Andrew Hill. Together they produce a sound that is connected to the broad creative template of jazz history and thrive in the continuum of contemporary music."

“If the young saxophonist Abraham Burton was ever to be drawn in a cartoon, he’d have flames coming out of his saxophone. His solos are powerful and creative. He began developing his natural skills by attending Hartford's Hartt School of Music where he learned well from talented artists like Michael Carvin and Jackie McLean." (http://www.tsahara.com/Public/Artist.php?page=1&ID=831&ancestor1=105&genre=&country=)

"Eric McPherson is at the vanguard of his generation's creative music drummers. His command of multiple percussion instruments is matched by the originality, electricity, versatility and sensitivity he adds to the continuum of the music. New York saxophonist Abraham Burton's music has been called exquisite jazz. His solos are powerful and creative."
(http://www.winterjazzfest.com/2008/2008artistbioslinks.html)

Country:
USA
Genre:
Jazz
Style:
Neo-Bop/Post-Bop/Straight-Ahead Jazz

VIDEO:
"abraham burton eric mc pherson"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3gEXcw2Bfk

ABRAHAM BURTON - Closest To The Sun (1994)

Credits:
Abraham Burton - Alto Sax, Producer
Eric McPherson - Drums, Producer
Marc Cary (http://www.marccary.com/) - Piano
Billy Johnson - Bass
Michael Marciano (http://www.myspace.com/michaelmarciano311) - Engineer
Jimmy Katz (http://www.jimmykatz.com/) - Photography
Gust William Tsilis (http://gusttsilis.com/main.htm) - Producer
Elisabeth Winckelmann - Design
Matthias Winckelmann (Enja Records Co-founder, see: http://www.jazzweekly.com/interviews/enja.htm) - Executive Producer

Tracklist:

01 Minor March
02 Laura
03 E=MC
04 Romancing You
05 So Gracefully
06 Corrida de Toros
07 Left Alone
08 Closest to the Sun
09 So Gracefully (Radio Version)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287903613/abma-cosu.rar

"This man is a refreshing new sound in the jazz world. He remind me of
a young Coltrane developing a new style in the 90's and the 2000's. I suggest if you like music on the style of " My Favorite Thing" , then you should listen to this man."

"Burton's sound and approach is scintillating! This album, like The Magician, is a riveting and jolting musical experience! It brings relief at a time when many musicians are conforming to immitation of late jazz rather than innovation. This recording is inspiring to the spirit and awakens passion within. Seeing him live is unforgettable however."

"Mr. Burton should be of proud his "four" fathers John Coltrane, Dizzy, Miles and Monk Sphere. His creative yet Lustful Rhythm apply to all that these gentilman were trying to settle in there times, spirit color and consciousness. My Brother I'll give "you" the Phases. Just keep on creating. The Heavens ring with joy, When Abraham Burton sounds his Horn. Yes sir, a star is born and he is "Closest to the sun"."

"In 1994, Burton released his debut LP, "Closest to the Sun", recorded by ENJA. This collection includes a wonderful instrumental version of the Mat Waldron classic "Left Alone" (often sung by Abbey Lincoln), which instantly won over the public. The alto saxophonist, born in 1971 and taught by Jackie McLean, has the potential to develop a unique voice."
(http://www.porgy.at/old/okt96/241096.htm)

More review:
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-2294396.html

ABRAHAM BURTON - The Magician (1995)

Credits:
Abraham Burton - Alto Saxophone
Eric McPherson - Drums
Marc Cary (http://www.marccary.com/ and http://www.jazzreview.com/article/review-4865.html)- Piano
Billy Johnson (http://www.answers.com/topic/billy-johnson-jazz-artist) - Bass
Matthias Winckelmann (Enja Records Co-founder, see: http://www.jazzweekly.com/interviews/enja.htm) - Producer
Jimmy Katz (http://www.jimmykatz.com/) - Photography
Wolfgang Meyscheider - Mastering

Notes:
Recorded live at Visiones, New York, New York on March 17 & 18, 1995. Includes liner notes by K. Leander Williams

Tracklist:

01 I Can't Get Started
02 Little Melonae
03 Addition to the Family, An
04 Dedicated to You
05 Mari's Soul
06 Gnossienne #1
07 The Magician

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287894472/ab-ma.rar

"...Abraham Burton is one of the more striking young jazz musicians on record today. His passion is unmistakable and the rhythmic drive and heartfelt saxophone concept he is evolving is like a good stiff jolt, like a hit of vinegar in your collard greens..."

"Abraham Burton, along with the personnel that is featured on this album, brings forth a passionate and powerful presentation of MUSIC at its finest. With a great balance of ballads and upbeat rhythmical tunes, Burton proves to be a formidable contender in today's jazz scene."

More review:
http://books.google.com/books?id=b-QCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA100&dq=ABRAHAM+BURTON+-+The+Magican&hl=hu#v=onepage&q=&f=false

JAMES HURT - Dark Grooves - Mystical Rhythms (1999)

"Pianist/composer James Hurt makes “spirit-cosmic” jazz deeper than Atlantis, higher than Kilimanjaro."

Credits:
James Hurt (http://www.allaboutjazz.com/iviews/jhurt.htm and http://www.tourdates.co.uk/james-hurt) - Piano
Abraham Burton - Alto Saxophone
Eric McPherson - Drums
Nasheet Waits - Drums
Russell Gunn (http://www.myspace.com/russellgunn and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Gunn) - Trumpet
Antonio Hart (http://www.antoniohart.com/ and http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=7472) - Sopran Sax
Sherman Irby (http://www.shermanirby.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/shermanirbymusic) - Alto Saxophone
Greg Tardy (http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=3208 and http://www.jazzweekly.com/interviews/tardy.htm) - Tenor Sax
Jacques Schwarz-Bart (http://www.brotherjacques.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/gwoka) - Tenor Sax
Robin Eubanks (http://www.robineubanks.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/robineubanks) - Trombone
Eric Revis (http://www.jazzreview.com/article/review-6971.html and http://www.myspace.com/ericrevis) - Double Bass
Francois Moutin (http://moutin.com/Francois.html and http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=1219) - Bass
Ari Hoenig (http://www.arihoenig.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/arihoenig) - Drums
Dana Murray (http://www.myspace.com/dmgroove1) - Drums
Elizabeth Kantumanou (http://www.myspace.com/elisabethkontomanou) - vocal chant on "Waterfall."
Eli Wolf (http://www.artistshousemusic.org/videos/eli+wolf) - Producer / Brian Bacchus (http://clivedavisdept.tisch.nyu.edu/object/bacchusb.html) -Executive Producer
Burton Yount (Art Director, Blue Note Records) - Art Direction, Design
Katsuhiko Naito - Editing, Mastering
David Baker (http://www.amuletrecords.com/ARTISTS/baker.htm and http://www.jazzhalo.com/homepage_baker.html) - Engineer, Mixing/ Dan Gellert (http://www.studioexpresso.com/profiles/DanGellert.htm) -Engineer

Tracklist:

01 Neptune
02 Tree of Life
03 Waterfall
04 Mars
05 Jupiter
06 Eleven Dreams
07 Venus
08 Dark Nines
09 Faith
10 Pyramids
11 Orion's View
12 Sun Day

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287909743/jahu-dago.rar

"For his first recording session as a leader, pianist James Hurt creates quite a rhythmic stir. Performing his own compositions, Hurt steers his piano trio and guests in a modern mainstream program that features drummers. Polyrhythms and frequent changes in meter or tempo keep the listener on the edge of his seat, while familiar structures, such as a New Orleans shuffle or calypso, duck in and out of the formula. Hurt’s bassists employ the acoustic stand-up bass, helping to capture a mood that has roots in the tradition and branches in the avant-garde. Each drummer presents his free patterns with taste; there are no backbeats or ungainly repetitive strides. Frequent ostinati from bass and piano allow the drummer to step up and create interesting solo passages. Guest saxophonists lend melody; there are three at once on "Waterfall."

Highly recommended, Hurt’s album ranges from smooth melody to harsh outside music, sometimes within the same piece. "Eleven Dreams," for instance, comes across as outright avant-garde at the start, then evolves into a loping blues. Similarly, each of the pianist’s arrangements allows for variety and passion that takes off in an impressive outing for a jazz newcomer. Style: Straightahead/Mainstream/Bop/Hard Bop/Cool"
(http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=4207)

"Pianist James Hurt's Blue Note debut, Dark Grooves, Mystical Rhythms, shows that the young pianist is adept not only in his heavily percussive and rhythmic soloing style, but also in crafting intricate compositions out of the varied rhythms found all over the disc. With 12 original Hurt compositions, the album is stocked with a mix of seasoned (though young) veterans and some of New York's freshest talent: alto saxophonists Antonio Hart and Abraham Burton, drummers Eric McPherson and Nasheet Waits, and bassist Eric Reevis, among many others, all make appearances in lineups that range from trio settings to full-blown septet arrangements. But the star of the show here is the groove, which Hurt does a masterful job of employing. His achievement is in building tunes from the ground up, starting with the syncopated funk groove of "Neptune" or the reggae-to-Latin bounce of "The Tree of Life" and building intricate arrangements around each rhythm. The end result is that Dark Grooves, Mystical Rhythms is that rare jazz album that employs funk grooves but doesn't come across sounding like a forced hybrid--instead, the rhythms here flow naturally and all sound like integral parts of each tune. --Ezra Gale"

"I can't believe this guy is only twenty years old! This bombastic record of pungent groove and cosmic vibe will introduce you to a rythmic circus that'll blow you away! This product of New York's freshest most exciting talent is a definite must! "

"Every time I hear this CD something new stands out. This is not some groove album, although it could be used for that. The music is intelligently done. The range of styles James Hurt plays seamlessly on this CD just blew me away. He is definitely not afraid to fly. Most of the songs begin with the rhythm, so you may not understand the ebb and flow of the songs from hearing the 30 second clips. However, if you appreciate music that takes you on a journey, you will probably love this CD. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have."

More review:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dpfixqrkldte~T1

http://www.sfweekly.com/1996-01-24/music/recordings/

Interview:
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/iviews/jhurt.htm

ABRAHAM BURTON/ERIC MCPHERSON QUARTET - Cause and Effect (2000)

"It is one of the finest examples of post-Trane quartet jazz I have ever heard. Everything about it cooks and is on a 5 star level."

Credits:
Abraham Burton - Tenor Saxophone, Producer
Eric McPherson - Drums
James Hurt (http://www.allaboutjazz.com/iviews/jhurt.htm and http://www.tourdates.co.uk/james-hurt) - Piano
Yosuke Inoue (http://www.geocities.co.jp/MusicHall/3814/english.html) - Bass
Ingo Wulff - Graphic Design
Arne Reimer - Photography
Written By James Hurt (tracks 01, 06), Abraham Burton (tracks 02, 04, 05), Eric McPherson (track 03)
Notes:
Recorded at Bleecker Street Studio, New York on July 21, 1998.

VIDEO:
"Punta Lullaby"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEtFkOudJIY

Tracklist:

01 Nebulai
02 Dad
03 Cause And Effect
04 Forbidden Fruit
05 Punta Lullaby
06 The Last Laugh

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287899392/abma-cae.rar

More info:
http://www.enjarecords.com/cd.php?nr=ENJ-9377

http://www.hbdirect.com/album_detail.php?pid=367791

"Abraham's 1998 recording entitled "Cause and Effect", is an independent project in collaboration with renowned drummer and friend, Eric McPherson. The band, under the name "Forbidden Fruit", features James Hurt on piano and Yosuke Inoue on bass. Recent reviews in the New York Times places them as formidable contenders in the contemporary jazz scene. " (http://www.jazzmap.de/artists/burton/burton.html)

"Forbidden Fruit, a collective band made up of Abraham Burton on saxophones, James Hurt on piano, Yosuke Inoue on bass and Eric McPherson on drums, is all about hurtling power and velocity."(http://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/04/arts/in-performance-jazz-183750.html and http://www.ejn.it/mus/forbidd.htm)

"Obsessed fans of John Coltrane’s classic quartet are forever searching for that pure energy that Trane, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison and McCoy Tyner bottled for a short time. Their music was perhaps the pinnacle of jazz’s most dynamic period. Few have tread the same path for fear of comparison and ultimately failure. Enter Abraham Burton and Eric McPherson. The two young men play jazz music with no fear.

Born three months apart, Burton studied under Jackie McLean, and McPherson became the fiery one’s drummer. Burton went on to learn his craft under legendary jazz Wailer Arthur Taylor. Both Taylor (now deceased) and McLean knew the art of he heavy-bop, passing its secrets and discipline on. Our young heroes recorded two albums The Magician and Closest To The Sun in the mid-1990s. Raw musically and beholden to their mentors, the first two efforts with Burton on alto saxophone were derivative but hopeful. Pianist Marc Carey left the band, to burn his own brand of bop (check him out) and Burton/McPherson reformed. This time, with Burton picking up the tenor saxophone and finding his voice.

Cause And Effect burns with that 1960’s jazz mentality on the verge of the ‘new thing’ in music. Burton/McPherson plus Yosuke Inuoe (bass) and James Hurt (piano) cut open an emotional torrent that carries through to Burton’s ballad “Dad.” Like Coltrane (who started on alto), Burton’s tone mines the upper register and applies speed when he deems the need. If we had to chart his horn, he would be descended from Trane through Pharoah Sanders and Eddie Harris. This quartet playing original music makes as strong a statement as any working group today. Listeners hungry for more Coltrane can find it right here."
(http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=5863)

"The album's spirituality-soaked sound attains its buoyancy and gravity through the group's striking rhythmic fluency....thriving on infectious, hypnotic and shape-shifting vamps..."

"Abraham Burton's confidence is mesmerizing in this volcanic set. Teamed up with long time friend drummer, Eric McPherson, whose exuberance burns like a furnace of melodic chaos and passion. Pianist James Hurt plays the "straight man" to these two pillars of energy, anchored by the consistent heartbeat bass of Yosuke Inoue. Be unafraid to give in wholly to this excellent example of where jazz is going. Thank You fella's. I look forward to seeing you live."

More review:
http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=33137

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fbfyxqrkld0e

http://www.wwuh.org/program/articles/janfeb01/chuck1.htm

http://www.rondomagazin.de/kritiken.php?kritiken_id=1076 (German)

http://www.musikklosen.no/nyheter/nyheter1999/1999%20week-uke%2050.doc (Norwegen)

ABRAHAM BURTON/YOUSUKE INOUE - Drifting Inward (2000)

Credits:
Abraham Burton - Alto Sax, Tenor Sax
James Carter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Carter_(musician)- Tenor Sax (Tracks 04,05,09)
James Hurt (see above)- Piano
Yousuke Inoue (http://www.geocities.co.jp/MusicHall/3814/english.html) - Bass
Eric McPherson - Drums

Tracklist:

01 Pithecanthropus Erectus
02 Rio
03 Salsamba
04 Just The Two Of Us
05 Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
06 Drifting Inward
07 On A Clear Day
08 A Song For My Teacher
09 Just Friends
10 Dad

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/287899696/abma-diin.rar

In 2000 Yosuke Inoue made a second leader album under his own name and Abraham Burton titled"Drifting Inward"(M&I Records) and toured with same group as recording. His group all over the world.

Actually the line up is the same as on "Cause And Effect" , except James Carter who was a guest muscian here. So if you like "Cause and Effect" and expect the same sound and the excellent quality of playing, than you won't be disappointed at all. They are killing throughout the entire album. Don't miss it!

"A collective band that features Abraham Burton on saxophone, James Hurt on piano, Yosuke Inoue on bass and Eric McPherson on drums. Given the players' pasts, this one looks like it's going to have some volume. Mr. Burton is a volcanic improviser, and he brings more proof to the table that the young mainstream is historically deep; his solos move across jazz history into free improvisation. And Mr. Hurt is one of the youth brigade's more innovative improvisers, with a blues-based, tempo-changing sense that is striking. There's no lack of imagination in the band. "(http://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/05/movies/pop-and-jazz-guide-189855.html?pagewanted=2 )

More review:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/threeviews/archives/29011685.html

ERIC MCPHERSON - Continuum (2008)

Credits:
Eric McPherson - Drums
Abraham Burton - Tenor, Alto, Soprano Saxophone and Flute
David Bryant (http://www.myspace.com/dblaque) - Piano
Dezron Douglas (http://www.myspace.com/dezrondouglas) - Bass
John Hebert (http://www.johnhebert.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/byzantinemonkey) - Bass
Shimrit Shoshan (http://shimritshoshan.com/ and http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=09MLWMNJZC) - Rhodes (track 04)
Carla Cherry - Vocal (track 03)
Trevor Todd - Yirdaki (track 03)
Producer & Engineering - Eric McPherson, Luke Kaven (producer and owner of Smalls Records, see: http://www.smallsrecords.com/press-swingjournal-kaven-interview-full.htm)
Painting - Trevor Todd
Photography/Design/Mastering - Luke Kaven (http://www.flickr.com/people/25237750@N06/)
Mixing - Barry Komitor
Mastering - Luke Kaven
Production Assistant - Lana Bortolot

Tracklist:

01 3rio Suite part (a) Mr. Hill
02 3rio Suite part (b) Of Mind
03 Misako
04 Black Pearl
05 The Collective Expression
06 De Javu Monk

Buy here:
http://smallsrecords.com/shop.htm

"Drummer Eric McPherson's auspicious recording debut as a leader is a crowning achievement for the former student of Jackie McLean (who also worked in the late alto saxophonist's band) and sideman of Andrew Hill. His band includes old friend Abraham Burton, a talented saxophonist with whom the drummer has played since childhood, bassists John Hebert and Dezron Douglas (heard jointly and individually), and pianist David Bryant. The two-part "3rio Suite" is a pianoless suite, featuring Burton's searching soprano sax and Hebert's droning arco bass complemented by McPherson's sensitive drumming. The exotic "Misako" is a quintet featuring one bassist playing arco and the other pizzicato, with Burton's lyrical flute playing in octave unison with the arco line. "Black Pearl" features Carla Cherry's spoken narrative, backed by the leader and Trevor Todd's droning yidaki (which sounds much like a didgeridoo). Shimrit Shoshan is on Fender Rhodes (replacing Bryant's piano) for the simmering rendition of McLean's "The Collective Expression." But it is Eric McPherson's engaging percussion that leaves the most lasting impression."
(http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3zfpxzejldhe)

"An onion analogy is especially apt when describing the New York jazz scene. Layers exist within layers with players routinely moving between them as collaborative ventures expand and ebb. Drummer Eric McPherson is a member of the Smalls circle, that loose cadre of creative musicians that operated out of the eponymous club in the Nineties. His musical activities also included a 15-year apprenticeship with Jackie McLean and a briefer tenure with Andrew Hill just prior to the pianist’s passing. McPherson also helps run MPI Studio, a performance/recording space owned by Nasheet Waits that also serves as the disc’s birthing place. MPI stands for Multi-Percussion Instrumentalist and it doubles as a fitting encapsulation of McPherson’s approach to the drumkit, polyrhythmic, with a fluid touch that consistently merges power and grace. His rhythms and fills feel full without miring in uncessary clutter or resorting to attention-grabbing bashing. All of the aforementioned experiences funnel positively into this debut disc as a leader and suggest that the date was well past due.

McPherson sequences the program like a lean LP, keeping the music corraled to the span of two vinyl sides. The relative economy still leaves time enough to pack in a manifold summary of his interests starting with the two-part “3rio Suite” in the company of saxophonist and childhood friend Abraham Burton and bassist John Hebert. Burton’s soprano almost sounds like a musette voicing slithery modal patterns against the surging oceanic backdrop built by Hebert and McPherson. Hebert seizes on a deep groove in the piece’s second part, the gritty snap of his strings heightening to intensity of the interplay. “Misako” nods to Hill in its dark chordal structure and the addition of second bassist Dezron Douglas. The tandem makes a second appearance on the disc closing “De Javu Monk” stoking a fair bit of pizzicato steam beneath Burton’s slowly boiling Wayne Shorter-inspired phrasings. Rounding out the program are “Black Pearl”, which teams McPherson’s kit with Trevor Todd’s yirdaki (didjeridu) as accompaniment for an anecdotal spoken recitation in memory of the drummer’s mother, and a rundown of the McLean tune “The Collective Expression” that carries fusionary touches in the presence of Rhodes and a patina of electronic echo around Burton’s alto. A lengthy gestation period makes for fully mature work and McPherson’s album certainly proves such to be so."
(http://www.bagatellen.com/archives/reviews/001929.html)

More review:
http://smallsrecords.com/emac-c.htm

ABRAHAM BURTON
New York saxophonist Abraham Burton's music has been called exquisite jazz. His solos are powerful and creative. He began developing his natural skills by attending Hartford's Hartt School of Music where he learned well from talented artists like Michael Carvin and Jackie McLean. Burton graduated from the school with a B.A. in music and a new love for the work of jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong and Lester Young. In 1992, the young Burton became a member of the Wailers, a jazz band headed by longtime artist Arthur Taylor. The group released two albums together. They also did a number of tours through Europe. Burton left the Wailers by 1994 to form his own band. With pianist Marc Cary, Eric McPherson on drums, and bassist Billy Johnson, Burton released his debut album, Closest to the Sun, in 1994 under the ENJA record label. The group toured Europe many times, performing at the North Sea Festival, the Leverkusen Festival, the Moers Festival, and many others along the way. With his career on a clear path, Burton released his next album, The Magician, in 1996. In 1998, he collaborated with drummer Eric McPherson, bassist Yosuke Inoue, and pianist James Hurt to release Cause and Effect. McPherson, Inoue, and Hurt stayed on for the next album as well, titled Forbidden Fruit.
(http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:dxfpxqr5ldhe~T1)

"Abraham Burton - of Belizean descent, is a native of New York. His interest in music began its development at the High School of Music & Art, during which time he was awarded by Downbeat and McDonalds in their Combo Competitions. He later studied under the tutelage of the jazz great, Jackie McLean at the Hartt School of Music, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Music, graduating with honors.

Abraham's professional career as a musician was initiated with the legendary drummer Arthur Taylor. During his five years with “Taylor's Wailers” he recorded on “Mr. A.T.” and “Live at the Village Vanguard” on Enja Records, touring throughout Europe and performing at notable New York clubs such as: The Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil, and Birdland.

Since his time, Abraham has developed a reputation as a veritable professional performing and/or recording with the most prestigious of musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Milt Jackson, Roy Hargrove, Louis Hayes, James Carter, Kenny Barron, and Jimmy Smith to name just a few.

He went on to form a band in '94 entitled “The Abraham Burton Quartet” which recorded “Closest to the Sun” and “The Magician” with Enja Records. The group's talent received worldwide acclaim, allowing them to tour and perform in countries such as Australia, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Holland, Japan, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Virgin Islands. They have also been showcased at venues such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, The Moors Jazz Festival, and the Panasonic Jazz Festival.

Abraham's most recent recording entitled “Rawbone”, is an independent project in collaboration with renowned drummer and friend, Eric McPherson. The band, under the name “Forbidden Fruit”, features James Hurt on piano and Yosuke Inoue on bass. Recent reviews in the New York Times places them as formidable contenders in the contemporary jazz scene.
(http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=5482)

He is also a member of Elevation Quartet since 2006 :
http://www.lucianban.com/live/video_popup.php/ELEVATION_Quartet_f24.pdf?filename=dl_file&gallery=true&id=21&download=1&start_dl=1

SOLO ALBUMS:
Closest to the Sun (1994)
The Magician (1995)
Cause & Effect (2000)
Drifting Inward (1998)

More info:
http://www.jazztet.com/AbrahamBurton/disco.htm

http://www.abrahamburton.com/

http://www.jodyjazz.com/abraham.burton.html

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/04/arts/in-performance-jazz-183750.html

http://www.jazzmap.de/artists/burton/burton.html

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7982842685

http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/burton-abraham-jr

http://www.enjarecords.com/bio.php?artist=Abraham+Burton

http://www.last.fm/music/Abraham+Burton

http://www.bohemian.com/citysound/?p=2081

ERIC MCPHERSON

"McPherson’s talents are immediately obvious. He has a level of skill that gives him the facility to travel anywhere, from anywhere, in time, no matter how difficult the move. He’s always listening hard and has heart and soul engaged, and that is reflected in an extraordinary musicality. He’s very articulate, and the dynamics have just the right expressive weight. He can create a small world in there, and summon up the one-man multi-percussion orchestra when he needs to. But he’s never showing off; he can just go wherever the situation calls for"

Born and raised in New York, Eric was immersed in music from birth on: Richard Davis, his godfather and an icon among jazz bassists, was present at his birth. It was Richard who suggested he be named after Eric Dolphy. Before Eric was three months old, his mother��”a superb dancer-choreographer deep in the jazz scene��”was taking him, strapped to her back, to rehearsals and performances. Her wide orbit of friends included lots of drummers, major jazz artists like Max Roach, Michael Carvin, Charles Moffett and Freddie Waits. Small wonder that Eric was beating on pots and pans before he could walk. At three, he told Elvin Jones, another household friend, that he was definitely going to be a drummer.

By the time Eric was eight, he was teaching himself to play on a drum set borrowed from Charles Moffett. At twelve, he started seven years of formal drum studies under Michael Carvin, a master drummer and a brilliant teacher. Within the year, he was jamming with another kid, Abraham Burton (now a major saxophonist). Together, they started doing street performances at anti-apartheid rallies, soon to be joined by young Nasheet Waits (now an up and coming drummer). A year later they were performing on-stage at Barry Harris' Jazz Cultural Theater.

About the same time, Eric was admitted to New York's prestigious LaGuardia High School of the Arts, a school for gifted students. Soon he was selected for the New York All City High School Big Band, making his Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center debuts with the Big Band ��” and winning several Outstanding Soloist Awards.

Upon graduating, his mentor Michael Carvin recommended Eric to Jackie McLean. That led to a full scholarship for attending the Jackie McLean Institute at the Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford. While still a student at Hartt, Jackie invited Eric to join the Jackie McLean Quintet��”along with Rene McLean, Alan Palmer and Nat Reeves. For the next 15 years, until Jackie's recent death, Eric was his drummer, following in the distinguished footsteps of drummers Michael Carvin, Billy Higgins, Jack DeJohnette and Tony Williams. Over those years, Eric recorded two CDs with Jackie and performed with him at major venues and festivals all over the Far East, Middle East, Latin America, Europe, the Caribbean, and the U.S.

In addition to his touring and recording with Jackie McLean, Eric has also performed with a wide range of major jazz figures, including Pharaoh Sanders, Andrew Hill, Richard Davies, Claudia Acuno, Jason Moran, Greg Osby and Avishai Cohen.
(http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=15378)

More info:
http://www.ericmcpherson.com/

http://www.jazzmix.org/Eric_McPherson.htm

http://harttweb.hartford.edu/faculty/emcpherson.aspx

http://hartfordjazzjam.com/musicians.html

!!!NEWS!!!
Abraham Burton and Eric McPherson formed a trio 3rd Eye with Nasheet Waits. 3rd Eye will go into the studio to record this summer. The new album "Future" came out in aug. 2009 (http://www.myspace.com/3rdeyeproductions1)

Another album originally recorded in 2005 but just came out this summer is Aruán Ortiz Quartet - Alameda featuring Eric McPherson and Abraham Burton. Very nice CD, but too fresh to share now. (http://www.myspace.com/aruanortiz)