Sunday, 5 April 2015

BILL BRUFORD INTERVIEW PT.3 (exclusive)




CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO


Bill Bruford took up music and drumming at the age of 12. By age 27 his musical character had already been forged in the fiery furnace of four of the biggest progressive rock groups of the day: Y..


'Skin and Wire: PianoCircus featuring Bill Bruford play the music of Colin Riley', in which a composer supervises a jazz drummer who used to be a rock drummer playing with a group of classical pianist..


Inside the beating heart of some of one of the world’s greatest orchestras, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, lies a percussion section with a very individual and separate identity. The Ne..


British percussionist Bill Bruford and Dutch keyboard master Michiel Borstlap are two of the leading lights in contemporary improvised music. Since their first meeting at the Nijme..


Pete Lockett is one of the world’s leading multi-percussionists. An authority on Indian percussion and an expert on tablas, kanjira and bongos, he has played and recorded with countless artists ..


Unmissable jazz collaboration sees Bill Bruford teaming up with ECM-label regular Ralph Towner on 12-string guitar and piano, and bassist Eddie Gomez, a veteran of the Bill Evans Trio, to record eleve..


Bill Bruford’s Earthworks was for 22 years one of the longest-running and most successful of the UK-based jazz groups. Having already spent twenty years on the cutting edge of modern rock p..

Saturday, 4 April 2015

GONZO WEEKLY #124

Spirits Burning & Bridget Wishart - Make Believe It Real

XSpirits Burning made its first appearance in 1986 in the psychedelic underground scene from San Francisco when a number of musicians from different bands started jamming together. In 1996 Don Falcone, keyboard player of Melting Euphoria and Fireclan, revived the project with the idea of bringing different musicians together and allow everyone to play, but also bring in musical input. A first album was released in 1999 which included Steven Wilson amongst others. Over the years to follow several albums were released in different line ups.

Make Believe It Real is the third album together with Bridget Wishart, after Earth Born (2008) and Blood Lines(2009). Bridget Wishart was shortly the singer for Hawkwind and later for Astralfish and Mooch and several more bands. Spirits Burning has a large number of people with a Hawkwind connection on this release: Dave Anderson,Harvey Bainbridge, Steve Bernard, Richard Chadwick, Alan Davey, Simon House, Paul Hayles and Dan Thompson. Furthermore there are contributions from regular Spirits Burning contributor Daevid Allen (Gong) andTwink (The Pink Fairies, Hawkwind and Stars, a band that also featured Syd Barrett). And a lot of other little less known but still experienced people.

With so many people with a Hawkwind connection it is no surprise that the album is dominated by space rock. But it also has elements of psychedelic folk, progressive rock and even some psi-trance influences. With so many people involved it sounds remarkably coherent. The jamming and improvisations have been carefully worked out to proper songs, very well orchestrated and it sounds like the album of a small group of fixed people rather than a loose collective. Bridget Wishart is not a very expressive singer. Her singing is rather soft and introvert but it gives the music a mystical atmosphere. The closing track of the first disc is a quiet track that starts with a piano improvisation and acoustic guitar and violin, reminding a bit of Popol Vuh. A second similar track has been left on the shelf for a follow up album and it provides a blue print for a new direction.

Read on...

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO

Spirits Burning is one of the most unique entities in the space rock galaxy. The group consists of one main member, Don Falcone, and many other participants from various  bands and projects...


Spirits Burning is a musical collective that has released a combination of ambient, jazz and full-on space-rock with input from many of the genre's luminaries, most notably Gong's&..


Healthy Music In Large Doses is the latest offering from the Spirits Burning space rock collective, this time featuring keyboardist Cyrille 'Clearlight' Verdeaux. Clearlight is a project of French son..

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem


Rob Ayling writes: 

"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Tom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied with in seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not? why not indeed!!" (The wondrous poetpic is by Jack McCabe, who I hope forgives me for scribbling all over it with Photoshop)

IF YOU LOVE(and you want to know
why it is your writer made this Golden
there are those who follow(as well as those who lead)
They listen,seek witnesses,distil stories
find those living to authenticate silver
Assay this common clay to hold what we deem precious-
the sharing of wisdom in lines.Dust hides bones of ideas
many never make the covers of a bed or a book-just shed Light
upon the character of a writer's life.Hemingway &the Great War,
Whitman &the Civil War,themes of slavery &the South,
Michener&Texas.Each writer has context (although it changes)

Book is just a mirror to the sun.Reflection is every thing.

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Eternal Father strong to save

Being Sunday I always post sacred music. The name of the deity may change, or even the deity Him/Herself but the spirit remains the same. This was my Father's favourite hymn...

 

Friday, 3 April 2015

Prog-rock superstars annoyed by independence campaigners stealing the word 'Yes'

*This article was published on April 1st ... please keep that in mind folks!
THE National has learned that Prog-rock superstars Yes are attempting to take legal action to stop the word “Yes” being used by campaigners in Scotland.
The group claim that since the referendum they have found their concerts in Scotland are now packed with supporters of an independent nation rather than the dedicated fanbase they’ve spent the past 50 odd years building up.
“It’s really affecting our merchandise sales,” said a spokesperson for the band.
According to sources, the band had tolerated the use of the word Yes by the pro-independence campaigners because they thought it might ultimately help shift copies of their new album, Progeny, which is released on May 25.
It was only when the band learned that Jim Murphy had created a “Yes For Labour” campaign that they decided that action needed to be taken.
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO
Union (Standard DVD)
DVD - £9.99

Union
DVD - £12.99

Union (2CD)
2CD - £7.99

Rock Of The 70's
DVD - £12.99

The Lost Broadcasts
DVD - £7.99

Rock of the 70s
DVD - £9.99


Joey Molland from Badfinger on NYRockstv



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The Pilgrim
CD - £9.99

Demos Old And New
CD - £9.99

Return To Memphis
SCD - £9.99

This Way Up
CD - £9.99

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem


Rob Ayling writes: 

"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Tom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied with in seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not? why not indeed!!" (The wondrous poetpic is by Jack McCabe, who I hope forgives me for scribbling all over it with Photoshop)

YOU KNOW
IT IS (K)NOT THAT WE CANNOT MOVE ON
Hijacked via mortality,we occupy timed seats
Look@the empty spaces where those we loved sat
Recall their smiles,passionate adventures,actions
Each of us in a room with a projector on
screening different memory movies 
(many more forgotten).Kindnesses linger-
remembrance of soft in a time of hard,
gentle in a time of force,wise when intemperate voices
shouted down the (k)new.You know those passed
who cannot speak for themselves.Once they sang-
now we need carry their voices/choices into this second-hand day
and trust the night will know it's own stars..


FOR ALL WHO EVER LOVED 

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Mike Oldfield - Moonlight Shadow ft. Maggie Reilly



CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO
Looking Back, Moving Forward
CD - £9.99

Starcrossed
CD - £7.99

Rowan 
CD - £9.99

BILL BRUFORD INTERVIEW PT.2 (exclusive)




CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO


Bill Bruford took up music and drumming at the age of 12. By age 27 his musical character had already been forged in the fiery furnace of four of the biggest progressive rock groups of the day: Y..


'Skin and Wire: PianoCircus featuring Bill Bruford play the music of Colin Riley', in which a composer supervises a jazz drummer who used to be a rock drummer playing with a group of classical pianist..


Inside the beating heart of some of one of the world’s greatest orchestras, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, lies a percussion section with a very individual and separate identity. The Ne..


British percussionist Bill Bruford and Dutch keyboard master Michiel Borstlap are two of the leading lights in contemporary improvised music. Since their first meeting at the Nijme..


Pete Lockett is one of the world’s leading multi-percussionists. An authority on Indian percussion and an expert on tablas, kanjira and bongos, he has played and recorded with countless artists ..


Unmissable jazz collaboration sees Bill Bruford teaming up with ECM-label regular Ralph Towner on 12-string guitar and piano, and bassist Eddie Gomez, a veteran of the Bill Evans Trio, to record eleve..


Bill Bruford’s Earthworks was for 22 years one of the longest-running and most successful of the UK-based jazz groups. Having already spent twenty years on the cutting edge of modern rock p..

Thursday, 2 April 2015

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem


Rob Ayling writes: 

"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Tom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied with in seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not? why not indeed!!" (The wondrous poetpic is by Jack McCabe, who I hope forgives me for scribbling all over it with Photoshop)

TOO MUCH MONKEY BUSINESS!
REDOLENT & RICH IN RESONANCE
Receiving&Believing&Blessed
i hold loyal to redundant formats just in case
we fall back into RETROMANIA
Boxes of cassette tapes
when even Wal-Mart sells no players
Videos-hundreds-with no time to watch!
45 boxes of unread poetry(that will remain so
unless fate extends my Permit to Occupy Space
and Mountains of Memories are unpacked like precious china
My mother gives me a pen and a wrist watch
i carry Noh time like the Present.Write less than type
Process words as if they are screams @open mikes.
Bernie Saunders?Elizabeth Warren?They get my vote
Same as Wendy Davis has my loyalty.And Lloyd Doggett eternally
Few luminaries shine in a time of disposable/dispensable cliches
"IT IS WHAT IT IS"is not good enough.Dance faster than time-
but remember where you come from."Dance with those who brought you -
and "If it ain't broke,don't fix it".But if it is(broken)-time to dance ..faster..O Dervishes!-

"If you are skating on thin ice..You May As Well Dance!"(Jessie Winchester)

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Hopper / Dean / Tippett / Gallivan - Seven Drones



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Cruel But Fair/Mercy Dash
2CD - £9.99

BILL BRUFORD INTERVIEW PT.1 (exclusive)



CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO


Bill Bruford took up music and drumming at the age of 12. By age 27 his musical character had already been forged in the fiery furnace of four of the biggest progressive rock groups of the day: Y..


'Skin and Wire: PianoCircus featuring Bill Bruford play the music of Colin Riley', in which a composer supervises a jazz drummer who used to be a rock drummer playing with a group of classical pianist..


Inside the beating heart of some of one of the world’s greatest orchestras, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, lies a percussion section with a very individual and separate identity. The Ne..


British percussionist Bill Bruford and Dutch keyboard master Michiel Borstlap are two of the leading lights in contemporary improvised music. Since their first meeting at the Nijme..


Pete Lockett is one of the world’s leading multi-percussionists. An authority on Indian percussion and an expert on tablas, kanjira and bongos, he has played and recorded with countless artists ..


Unmissable jazz collaboration sees Bill Bruford teaming up with ECM-label regular Ralph Towner on 12-string guitar and piano, and bassist Eddie Gomez, a veteran of the Bill Evans Trio, to record eleve..


Bill Bruford’s Earthworks was for 22 years one of the longest-running and most successful of the UK-based jazz groups. Having already spent twenty years on the cutting edge of modern rock p..

Wednesday, 1 April 2015

SPIRITS BURNING & BRIDGET WISHART – Make Believe It Real


SPIRITS BURNING & BRIDGET WISHART - Make Believe It RealSPIRITS BURNING
& BRIDGET WISHART -
Make Believe It Real
A new bout of cosmic unconsciousness from the spaceball dancefloor.
Since 1996, when American multi-instrumentalist Don Falcone resurrected his old band, this loose collective of kindred minds has been having a romance with the Old World purveyors of psychedelia. Usually with a HAWKWIND member on board of such an interstellar ship, Falcone’s most productive collaboration is one with Bridget Wishart, the voice of "Space Bandits", and “Make Believe It Real” forms the third instalment of their journey into the pounding heart of the Universe. Its beat ranges from disco groove to serious rocking so stardust pieces come in various forms and sizes here.
The most touching one is the delicately hypnotic “Journey Past The Stars” where Wishart’s voice is sprinkled with the legendary Twink’s tambourine, yet there’s a gentle strain in opener “Make Believe (It Acoustic)” as well that reimagines the title track – issued before on a HAWKLORDS compilation, with Simon House’s violin, to take a pride of place on this package’s second disc alongside other relevant material, remixes and all – featuring another veteran, GONG’s Daevid Allen.
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO

Spirits Burning is one of the most unique entities in the space rock galaxy. The group consists of one main member, Don Falcone, and many other participants from various  bands and projects...


Spirits Burning is a musical collective that has released a combination of ambient, jazz and full-on space-rock with input from many of the genre's luminaries, most notably Gong's&..


Healthy Music In Large Doses is the latest offering from the Spirits Burning space rock collective, this time featuring keyboardist Cyrille 'Clearlight' Verdeaux. Clearlight is a project of French son..

Hawkwind on BBC TV news, Norwich 2013, stage set-up, Dave Brock



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Space Ritual Live - Special Edition
2DVD/2CD - £29.99

Space Ritual Live 
2CD1DVD - £19.99

Space Ritual Live
DCD - £11.99

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem


Rob Ayling writes: 

"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Tom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied with in seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not? why not indeed!!" (The wondrous poetpic is by Jack McCabe, who I hope forgives me for scribbling all over it with Photoshop)

CORE CANADA
THERE ARE VOICES THAT WE GREW UP WITH
who sang to millions as if they were one and young
enough to follow in her footsteps-as she sang WOODSTOCK
through the voices of Crosby,Stills,Nash and Young.
We followed her to jazz and scat,to improv and HEJIRA modes
HISSING OF SUMMER LAWNS that extended our aural spectra.
We are elders,now-and she ,still ahead,reminds us how far she came
Canadian leading us to Future Nations.We have arrived
waving folk flags and colorfilled concert ticket stubs.
All her trajectories are ours-her talents loved.
Now she needs our energies-to heal and to extend
a life of song that sometimes
like each butterfly/is made for beauty
but not for long...

Joni Mitchell was reportedly hospitalized after being found unconscious on March 31, 2015.
ultimateclassicrock.com

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Berlioz - Grande Messe des Morts (Requiem): Dies Irae



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I, Berlioz
DVD - £9.99

...BECAUSE SOME OF US THINK THAT THIS STUFF IS IMPORTANT
What happens when you mix what is - arguably - the world's most interesting record company, with an anarchist manic-depressive rock music historian polymath, and a method of dissemination which means that a daily rock-music magazine can be almost instantaneous?

Most of this blog is related in some way to the music, books and films produced by Gonzo Multimedia, but the editor has a grasshopper mind and so also writes about all sorts of cultural issues which interest him, and which he hopes will interest you as well.