The Gonzo Daily: November 2015

Monday, 30 November 2015

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Daevid Allen & The Magick Brothers - Wise Man In Your Heart / Magick Brothers (Live 1992)

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO

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?"

Re: there the dog stands & stares

CERBERUS vs CANIS

Anubis vs hyena/jackal

"A dingo took my baby!"

@the front of the Global Climate demonstration,

a woman with two beefy dogs on tight leashes

Pit bulls?Front lines outside the Governor's mansion

lines of empty police cars defending the Sunday air

with three live police vans ahead of the demonstration.

No tension,apart from those dogs' eagerness to sniff,sometimes snarl

and strain @those leashes which revealed ancestral wolf alacrity

and a desire to change the current Governor's refugee stance

Protectors?Guard dogs?Ancient as the hunt,and fire,

and our desire to ride their power,these Janus dogs

took their owner to the very very front of the pack of humans

walking for peace and peaceful change/while these eager animals

were hungry for the hunt...

AUBURN – MIXED FEELINGS – CD REVIEWS

July 2015 - Auburn Us Review http://annecarlini.com/ex_cd.php?id=1617

Title - 'Mixed Feelings'
Artist - Auburn

OK, for the record, did you know that acoustic ensemble Auburn actually broke up almost a decade ago? I know, right! But luckily for us fans they reformed back in 2011, subsequently released the critically acclaimed, and quite brilliant, Nashville last year, and now have a brand new album, Mixed Feelings due out this upcoming September 11th, 2015.

Chock full of sonic world elements of fused blues, Alt-country and roots music, with soulful lyrics and catchy pop rhythms, Mixed Feelings will not have you harboring anything of the kind for its indepth, and tuneful musical output.

Moving swiftly on and having saddled up their unique blend of Americana, the first track is the title track, 'Mixed Feelings.' Brought forth by the raw, real, emotional blues roots tone of lead singer Liz Lenten, her lyrically genius and vocal expertise are a perfect match for the band that backs her at every turn. Consisting of Lynn Williams (drums), Mark Fain (bass), Justin Moses (fiddle, banjo, dobro), Barry Walsh (piano, wurlitzer, organ), JT Brown (Harmony vocals) and award-winning producer Thomm Jutz on guitars, the album fairly begs for repeat plays after each and every listen.

Next up is the poppier vibe of 'Love Lost Its Way,' a delightful cut that wouldn't have been out of place had it have existed in the mid-70's. With all the songs recorded on her beloved vintage Martin guitar called Rosie, Lenten's troupe are precise, detailed and come to the fore as a collective force on each and every track. Cuts such as the tale of domestic abuse, 'New Years Day,' the gentle beauty of 'Friends,' and the banjo-fury of 'Hell Hath No Fury' are prime examples of not only Lenten and her band's musical expertise, but of the producing talents of Nashville, Tennessee-based Jutz (Nanci Griffiths, Mary Gauthier, Kim Richey).

Mixed Feelings contains 12 brand new songs, covering all the usual emotional issues, such as love, loss, domestic abuse and manslaughter, confusion, perseverance, trust, friendship and psychotic-stalker-dumped-girlfriends, but one of the true highlights for me is the brilliant 'Crystal Stairs.' A blend of old school, gentle blues funk and plucked guitar sway from Jutz, Lenten's voice starts to resemble Joplin quite like no other track before it.

With a new album and a major UK tour supporting the legendary Jefferson Starship’s 40th anniversary tour, Auburn has been captivating audiences around the country with their unique blend of Americana, blues and roots music for a long time now. Mixed Feelings is an album that sounds like it was born on the calming breeze of the 70's, and has been gently unearthed for our listening pleasure here in 2015. The simple storytelling of 'Lovers Lullaby' is next, and that is followed by both 'Out There' and then the country-tinged 'More Than Everything.'

On an album that was (remarkably) recorded, and mixed in just 6 days, the bluesy soundscape for Lenten’s distinctive vocals continue onwards with 'Wood For The Trees,' a track which personifies the entire troupe perfectly. This glorious album then comes to a close with the ridiculously lyrically stunning 'Quite Life,' and then, finally, the mid-tempo flow of 'Feel The Sun.' As Hunter S. Thompson once said: “Buy the ticket, take the ride”, as you will not be disappointed.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO:

Auburn

Liz Lenten formed AUBURN in the summer of 1999. Their first gig was at the jam-packed launch party of Scarlet Records held at the salubrious and smoky Madame JoJo’s in Soho to

Clash founder Keith Levene to headline Manchester literary festival

KEITH Levene, a founding member of The Clash, co-wrote songs on their 1977 debut LP and played guitar on Public Image Limited’s first three albums, including the propulsive dub inspired rhythms of Metal Box.

“It all happened so quickly in The Clash, and then I just walked away after a few months,” recalled Levene, who will headline this weekend's Louder Than Words Literature Festival in Manchester.

“It was me that got Joe (Strummer) into The Clash - when I stole him from an RandB band, The 101ers.

“We had a pint and I said: ‘Joe, come to my squat and play.’

“Joe was an anti-hero. He looked so cool, dressed in a mid-1950s rockabilly style baggy suit and a pair of black crepes.

“We just set up our amps, plugged in, and ripped through a couple of tunes, Janie Jones, and What’s My Name?

“It was just one of those moments, you know.

“The squat was dark and cold, just tiny, but the music was pure white heat and it was one of those moments that, to this day, remains burned into my consciousness.”

While Levene is best known for his abrasive guitar style, once alongside John Lydon and Jah Wobble in Public Image Limited, he is also a highly respected artist, composer, musician, producer and writer.

Rick Wakeman Teams With 15-Year-Old For Christmas Single (Top Story)

On Monday Rick Wakeman Teams With 15-Year-Old For Christmas Single was a top story. Here is the recap: (USI) Rick Wakeman's new collaboration with 15-year-old soprano Emmie Beckitt is set to be released on Friday December 4th, in CD and digital single formats in the UK. We were sent the following details:

Welcome A Star is the first single from Beckitt, in collaboration with the classically trained pianist, composer and TV presenter, Wakeman. The former Yes star first met Emmie, who has been singing classical repertoire since the age of ten, at a fundraiser for Kids'n'Cancer - and was so impressed by her crystal clear voice and effortless range that he decided to record a song from his oratorio The New Gospels, with her.

This beautifully melodic Christmas song features Emmie on lead vocals, accompanied by the Orion Orchestra, with Rick on keyboards, and the English Chamber Choir.

Currently studying for her Grade 8 exam in singing, Emmie Beckitt takes part in the Senior School Chamber Choir at St Augustines, Scarborough, North Yorkshire and is also a member of her school orchestra and jazz band, as she plays tenor saxophone, violin and piano. When aged only 13, she supported Katherine Jenkins in concert and a year later, appeared at Roy Wood's sell-out show at the Birmingham Symphony Hall, where she received a standing ovation. She recently sang The Hymn, composed by Sir Tim Rice and Rick Wakeman, with an orchestra and choir, at The Sage Gateshead, as part of the Tim Rice Concert Series.

Sunday, 29 November 2015

PLAYLIST: SF143

Strange Fruit is a unique two-hour radio show exploring the world of underground, strange and generally neglected music. All shows are themed and all shows set out to give the most hardened of sound-hounds some new delight to sample.

The show is also unique in providing homework for undergraduate students

on North West Kent College’s Foundation Degree in Professional Writing (who dig up many of the odd facts featured in the links between tracks).

Neil Nixon, the founder and co-presenter of the show has released a book about rare albums for Gonzo Multimedia.

The show is broadcast on Miskin Radio every Sunday from 10-00-midnight.

06-12-2015 – Blue Cheer

Malcolm Muggeridge/Salvador Dali:

Dali’s Moustache

Gong: Radio Gnome Invisible

Saint Etienne: Stars Above Us

Blue Cheer: Summertime Blues

Ritchie Havens: It’s All Over Now Baby Blue

The Unthanks: Mount the Air

Pink Floyd: Embryo

Lloyd Cole: Slight Orchestra

Judy Carne: Sock It To Me

Bassekou Kouyate and Nigoni Ba:

Fama Magni

Viv Albertine: The False Heart

Laura Huxley: Introduction

Linda Jardim: Energy in Northampton

Evilkid Sushi: The Car of Murder

Sister Irene O’Connor: Teenager’s Chorus

Blue Cheer: Doctor Please

Toto: Robot Fight

Hannah Peel: Unwound

Helen: Pass me By

Remotely: Ritual

Frost Lake: Dark Winds

The Bodines: William Shatner

Blue Cheer: Parchment Farm

Lewis Baloue: Bon Voyage

Rick Wakeman: Brid's Emmie to launch first single

15-year-old Brid girl Emmie with classically trained pianist, composer and TV presenter, Rick Wakeman.

The sky’s the limit for a Bridlington teenager who feels ‘overwhelmed’ ahead of the release of her debut single.
Classical singer Emmie Beckitt, 15, is to release the Christmas single ‘Welcome a Star’ in collaboration with classically trained pianist, composer and TV presenter, Rick Wakeman.

She said: “I felt overwhelmed with excitement and extremely grateful to be given the opportunity when I got the call.

“The song gives a true meaning of Christmas. The lyrics have been taken from the Gospel, but it is not a Christmas carol or a hymn.

“It is a melodic Christmas song and is truly beautiful so I just hope I can do it justice.”

Emmie is in her final year at St Augustine’s School in Scarborough where she sings in the senior school chamber choir.

She admits that juggling school work with music can be difficult but also very rewarding with the help of staff and planning ahead.

“It’s a very busy time for me. I have at least six concerts, radio interviews, my grade eight singing exam and GCSE mocks so it can be a bit of a struggle.

Read More...

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO:

Rick Springfield

Rick Wakeman

Rick Wakeman and Gordon Giltrap

Richard Christopher 'Rick' Wakeman (born 18 May 1949) is an English keyboard player and composer best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock ..

Rick Wakeman, Alan Parsons, John Wetton , Chris Squire, Steve Hillage and others

Musician, producer and former Yes member Billy Sherwood has put together what he’s dubbed “the biggest super group of progressive rock players ever assembled,” to form ..

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem

Rob Ayling writes:

CRY!CRY!CRY!

YOU DO NOT NEED A REASON

Every Season has cause / whereby tears are effects

There is always a way to cry it out-grief,surprise,happiness,joy

Tears change the way you see whatever you are looking at

Through tears we rejoice and release-whatever emotions we experience

Whether irritated or emancipated,each tear liberates us!

We are human.It is human to cry.There are crocodile tears and artificial tears-

tears produced for a funeral or other drama/disaster.Empathy and sympathy are aroused

when we see someone cry.We ask WHY?We hold,hug,cuddle,support,affirm

Every tear is a cry for linking.There is no app for teardrops.No robo-tears.

EXPRESS!let waterfalls commence!Your tears are rain for emotional deserts!

Water table rises.As the song goes"Eye am drowning in my tears"...RELEASE!

interesting about tears....I always say if everyone laughed everyday, cried everyday, the world would be a better place.

I fucking love science

16 May 2014 ·

This photo series by Rose-Lynn Fisher captures tears of grief, joy, laughter and irritation under the microscope.

Tears aren't just water. They're primarily made up of water, salts, antibodies and lysozymes, but the composition depends on the type of tear. There are three main types - basal tears, reflex tears, and weeping tears.

As you can see, they can look incredibly different when evaporated and placed under a microscope.

More info: http://bit.ly/RJqvK7

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Taoist Hymn " Incense Hymn " 道教音樂發爐讚

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.

Saturday, 28 November 2015

GONZO WEEKLY #158

Friday, 27 November 2015

COMING TOMORROW

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem

Rob Ayling writes:

FOR OUR FOUNDING FATHERS

For the Myths of Patuxet (Plymouth)

For Squanto and the Wampanoag

Even for Massasoit! For capricious history

that gives us fat turkey with cranberry sauce

Translates into Shopping in Mecca Malls for Baal and Mammon

For Consumerism and NO SHOPPING DAY

For GO VEGAN @THANKSGIVING and pardoning selected turkeys

For the release of wild turkeys into wilderness

and the release of all myths apart from GRATITUDE

as we zoom past Black Friday,Cyber Monday

with only 25 shopping days to Xmas..

Dare we ask why and how Solstice and Yule

became suborned by Mega-Malls?

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Eugene Chadbourne - Jimmy Carl Black "Orange Claw Hammer"

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO

When Do We Get Paid?
CD - £7.99

THE RAZ BAND: Interview

http://musicguy247.typepad.com/my-blog/2015/11/an-inteview-with-michael-raz-of-the-raz-band-with-joey-molland-of-badfinger-and-joe-vitale-of-csny-the-eagles-joe-walsh.html

11/17/2015

An interview with Michael Raz from "The Raz Band", which includes Joey Molland from "Badfinger" and "Joe Vitale" from Joe Walsh and CSN. "I always incorporate what I learn into songs."

RAZ

Michael Rescigno is a guitarist out of Madison Park New Jersey who now resides in Los Angeles California. His father was a big band singer, so Michael was exposed to a lot of music in his youth. After trying out numerous instruments, he decided the guitar was for him. Living in the New York tri-state area, there was no shortage of world class rock bands playing concerts, so "Raz" and his friends took in many shows and eventually would meet one of his favorite musicians, Joey Molland from The Beatles protégé band Badfinger. When "Raz" and his buddy "Hutch" wanted to take their own music a step further, they picked up and moved to Los Angeles to try and sell their originals. Their band "Raz Nasty" was very successful and before you know it, Joey Molland and other well known musicians were jamming with them on stage. Skip to 2015... The Raz Band now has a new album out called "Madison Park" and Joey Molland and Joe Vitale (From Joe Walsh, The Eagles and CSNY) are now in the band. I recently corresponded with "Raz".

R.V.B. - Congratulations on your new album "Madison Park". The name came your hometown in New Jersey... can you describe what it was like growing up there.

M.R. - Thank you very much for taking the time to interview me, I truly appreciate it. Madison Park is a development of about 710 homes with the streets named after Colleges. It's a small town in Central New Jersey located at the beginning of the Jersey Shore area. Madison Park's homes were built in the mid 1950's. We had a local elementary school in the center of "The Park" where we played stick ball, a Firehouse with Volunteer Fireman as well as a Volunteer First Aid Department. Three Baseball Fields. A Little league, Major League and Babe Ruth baseball field, Pop Warner Football. Lots of woods, ponds, turtles, snakes and streams. A church that rang bells at noon and a firehouse whistle that blew at six o’clock. We rode are bikes everywhere. We would play sports in the streets like Touch Football telephone pole to telephone pole. In the winter there was sleigh riding at Suicide Hill in the cemetery. And the best part of it, all the kids that were within a few years of each other in age knew each other. Many great memories of people that I have known my whole life.

R.V.B. - Did you come from a musical family? What inspired you to pick up an instrument?

M.R. - Yes a very musical family. My father Bob was a big band singer. Dad sang under the name Bob Roberts instead of Bob Rescigno. He sang with many big bands in the New York City area in the 1940's through the early 1950's.

His last 4 recordings featured Legendary Pianist Hank Jones,( Lifetime Grammy Award winner), Edgar Sampson on Sax, (writer of "Stomping at the Savoy) and members of the Tito Puente Orchestra. Dad also recorded songs written by Ray Rivera.

Interestingly enough, in the current internet age we live in, I've met many Rescigno's and a large majority of them are involved in the music world somehow or someway.

When I started playing for real, I picked up a guitar to put music to the poems I had been writing. I had messed around with Keyboards, Clarinet, Harmonica, banjo. But I'm a guitar slinger kind of guy. I play "Nancy" my 1968 Gibson Les Paul Custom. I am definitely a Gibson Guitar guy with Marshall Amps.

R.V.B. - Was the guitar your only instrument? What kind of songs did you tackle at first? Who were your early influences?

M.R. - My guitar is an extended part of me which allows me to get the music that I see inside my head out. At first I learned chords and wrote my own songs. I would also play songs by The Beatles, Stones, Who, Creedence, Badfinger, Joe Walsh, Chuck Berry. They really influenced me as a guitar player. Later on I got into Hendrix , Beck & Page. I like Slash as a guitar player. I loved Lennon as a Rhythm Guitar player, I love Keith's Open G stuff. John Fogerty's tone, Joey Molland's ability to come up with licks.

R.V.B. - How did some of your early gigs go? what type of venues did you play?

M.R. - As a kid I would play anywhere we were allowed. We always thought we were much better than we were. We played High Schools, Swim Clubs, parties, Colleges, live on College radio.

R.V.B. - Did you go to New York city a lot to catch concerts? Who did you see there?

M.R. - I saw so many great concerts in New York City. I saw John Lennon at the Garden from the 15th row. Bowie at Radio City as Ziggy. Lou Reed at The Academy for "The Rock & Roll Animal" concert recording. Todd Rundgren Jamming with Joe Walsh & Barnstorm at the Academy of Music. The first time I saw Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe & Rockpile was at The Bottom Line. The Stones at the Garden when Clapton came out on the encore & played Sympathy For The Devil & Keith played Bass. I saw Electric Light Orchestra go from playing little places to selling out the Garden. Joe Vitale & the Madmen at the Academy of Music and Flo & Eddie at the Bottom Line. Badfinger at Central Park. I've got lots of these.

R.V.B. - Why did you move to California and how did you network yourself into the music scene there?

M.R. - I asked Hutch if he would go to L.A. We wanted to start playing our original songs live so it was either N.Y.C. or L.A. It was October and we knew it would be warm in L.A. We also thought L.A. would have a cool music scene, (which it did) and of course Joey Molland was there. And we were going to find him.

When we first got to L.A. we hung out on the Sunset Strip and we met many people in the music business and in bands. We started a band with three girls, then we ended up recording with a cool cat named David Della Rossa. David had been in a band "Bandit" who I believe were signed to Casablanca Records. After nine months we met Joey, some of our New Jersey buddies moved out to L.A. so we formed a band, "The Contents", then Joey Molland produced The Contents. Over an eighteen month period The Contents played many gigs in and around Los Angeles including Gazzari's, The Troubadour & Madame Wongs in China Town and West L.A. We were also working with Mark Richardson at Sound City and that was our home base. After The Contents broke up I formed "The RAZ Nasty Band"

R.V.B. - The RAZ band... how did it originally form and did you concentrate on originals from the start?

M.R. - I have always concentrated on original songs. I have been writing since I was as kid. After The Contents broke up I formed "The Raz Nasty Band" with Hutch and a few other guys. We cut the "Criminals Off The Streets" EP which featured songs I had written. We recorded & mixed it at the legendary United Western studios in Hollywood. It was mastered by Bernie Grundman at A & M Studios.

Over the next couple of years the RAZ Nasty Band had a very fluid membership. After several incarnations of "RAZ", we eventually evolved into today's version of The RAZ Band. One of the really cool things is while the five of us have been playing together forever, "Madison Park" is the first album by us as The RAZ Band.

R.V.B. - Where did you meet Hutch?

M.R. - I met Hutch in a sandbox when we were 4 years old. We were in the same classes from Kindergarten through fifth grade, played Little League together, went to Cedar Ridge High School and we were both on Gymnastics for all four years. Hutch was the team Captain and I was the troublemaker. From the time we were little kids through today we've been friends.

R.V.B. - How did you meet Joey Molland and did you record in the studio or play live with at first?

M.R. - I met Joey when I was 16 at a Badfinger show in Atlantic City. After that I would say hello to him at Badfinger shows. I re-met Joey after a Badfinger show in Hollywood at The ROXY. They did four shows, two each night, I went to all four and was backstage hanging out both nights. At the time Joey lived on Coldwater Canyon. As much as possible I hung out at the Coldwater Canyon house. Joey and I would jam, we'd talk about song writing, arranging, things he learned over the years. His recording experiences with John Lennon & George Harrison. My early recording experiences with Joey were at the Coldwater Canyon house. We recorded on his Studer Revox sound on sound two track that Apple Records gave each member of Badfinger when their hit song "Day After Day" went gold. Then I borrowed the Revox and we went to Hutch's house and set up in the garage and stuck the Revox on the outside of the garage door. Our friend Joe Reisman was the engineer and we recorded five songs with a makeshift band including the late great Dr. Billy Lemas. When I brought the Revox back to Joey and played him the songs he told me to get some of my friends together and form a band and he would produce us. So that's what I did and then Joey produced our band "The Contents". Joey would also jam with The Contents at some of our early shows.

R.V.B. - How did Joe Vitale work into RAZ? He's a multi talented musician... does he contribute on other instruments other than drums?

M.R. - I first met Joe Vitale at a Joe Walsh and Barnstorm concert when I was 17. Same thing as I did with Joey Molland, almost every time Vitale was playing in town, (N.J./N.Y./Philly), I would go see him play and make sure to say hi. A few years after we moved to L.A., I re-met Vitale at a C. S. & N. show. From there we started to hang out whenever he was in L.A. Then Joe offered to produce RAZ. At that time RAZ was a three piece band…me on guitar, Hutch on drums, Jim on Bass and the songs were reflective of what we sounded like live. Joe was our Producer on our "Tough Love" cd plus he played keyboards, flute and sang. Joe also played drums on the song "Only Forever". Joe has played on all RAZ albums since. The current version of The RAZ Band formed from years of playing together live and on albums.

R.V.B. - How is it playing live with punk legend Carla Olson?

M.R. - Carla Olson is very talented singer songwriter, guitar player, producer etc. I originally met Carla and Kathy Valentine in Hollywood shortly after Hutch and I moved here. They were both in the Textones at the time. However, after the early LA years Hutch and I re-connected with Carla in the late 90's. It was a blast performing with Carla, she rocks. Working with Carla in the studio is also great. She sings lead vocals on the song "Sitting On My Bed" which will be released on "The Best of RAZ" by Gonzo MultiMedia after the new year.

R.V.B. - The song "$1.50 for your Love"... isn't that asking for a pretty cheap date?

M.R. - The song is very tongue in cheek. The message is that we'll do anything for our loved one. You know, jump in front of a train, jump off a bridge, move mountains. However it's not about the money, (yeah sure lol).

"$1.50 For Your Love" came about when we were rehearsing at the Alley Cat Studios in North Hollywood. Jim Manzo the bass guy in the RAZ Band said, "I got a $1:50 for you" I immediately said " I got a $1.50 for your love", then I came up with the chords. When we recorded the song, Joe Vitale was there to ensure that the back tracks were recorded properly. I asked Joey Molland to come up with a Keith Richards guitar lick. Like Keith did on Happy or Tumbling Dice. Actually that Stones time period, "Let It Bleed", "Sticky Fingers" and "Exile On Main Street" was very influential in my thought process for this song. As usual, Joey came up with the perfect lick and played a superb slide on the bridge. Vitale added piano and backing vocals. Then we brought in Paulie Cerra to play multiple Saxophone parts. I explained to Paulie what I was looking for with the horns and once I mentioned the Stones , Paulie said he knew a guy, Paul Literal who played trumpet in the Stones touring band. So at midnight Paulie calls Paul, Paul comes down and then they started working out the parts to fit the idea. I really like this song and honestly think the Stones could have a hit with this if they recorded it.

Read on...

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO

The Best of RAZ
CD - £9.99

Madison Park
CD - £9.99

THE CHRIS SQUIRE SOLOS

Read More...

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO:

Union (Standard DVD)
DVD - £7.99

Union
DVD - £10.99

Union (2CD)
2CD - £7.99

Rock Of The 70's
DVD - £10.99

The Lost Broadcasts
DVD - £7.99

Rock of the 70s
DVD - £7.99

Thursday, 26 November 2015

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: LET'S ZAPPALIN' e NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK, Florentine Pogen de Frank Zappa.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO

After Frank 1st Movement
CD - £7.99

Chris Squire’s Spirit Dominates Yes’ Cruise to the Edge 2015: Exclusive Review

The most crucial attendee of the third-annual Cruise to the Edge wasn’t even physically on the ship. The presence of late Yes bassist and co-founder Chris Squire, who died in June from a rare form of leukemia, radiated throughout the four-night jaunt – in tributes both major (Mike Portnoy‘s all-star musical dedication) and minor (door-decorating posters, “THANK YOU CHRIS” bracelets).

Yes’ headlining shows opened with an emotional moment of calm: a Rickenbacker bass guitar, Squire’s trademark instrument, resting center-stage, illuminated by a spotlight. The starlit strains of “Onward,” the bassist’s ballad from 1978’s Tormato, filled the theater, soundtracking a montage of still images from throughout his four-decade Yes run.

The quintet – now with former member Billy Sherwood attempting to fill Squire’s massive boots – didn’t include any obvious nods to the bass giant during its two-hour shows, but the group did dust off some unexpected rarities, freshening up a set list that’s grown stale with recent full-LP tributes. The serene folk of “Nine Voices” (a nod to 1999’s The Ladder, one of two LPs featuring Sherwood on various instruments) and synth atmosphere of “White Car” balanced out the requisite bombast of standard prog pieces like “Siberian Khatru.”

Portnoy’s heartfelt tribute to the Fish was hampered by Yes’ odd request that he not rely on the band’s classic ’70s material (the bread and butter of their current set list), but those restrictions forced the Dream Theater co-founder to probe the random corners of Squire’s discography, and his hour-long pool-side set nourished a crowd ever-hungry for obscure gems. Backed by the Neal Morse Band and a crew of rotating guest singers and bassists (including Marillion’s Steve Hogarth and Pete Trewavas, respectively), Portnoy divided the performance into three chapters: the ’60s (early Yes covers including the Beatles‘ “Every Little Thing”), ’70s (the entire first side of Squire’s underrated 1975 solo album, Fish Out of Water) and the neon-tinted ’80s (highlighted by 90125 instrumental “Cinema”).

Read More...

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE:

Union (Standard DVD)
DVD - £7.99

Union
DVD - £10.99

Union (2CD)
2CD - £7.99

Rock Of The 70's
DVD - £10.99

The Lost Broadcasts
DVD - £7.99

Rock of the 70s
DVD - £7.99

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem

Rob Ayling writes:

WHERE YOU WANT TO BE

When you stop.Time stops-eternity

is a meditation.Moments open.Lotus petals

Is it the flower -or the fruit?What you see?or touch?

How much beyond these net senses /gross ?

Carry ,thin Bodhis,the weight of this world-

Two butterflies.

Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Burdon of proof: Legendary singer heads to Napa

FAIRFIELD — More than five decades in the music business, numerous top 10 hits and the voice behind the classic “House of the Rising Sun,” are all the clues one needs to figure out the subject is the legendary Eric Burdon.

Burdon found favor with American music audiences during what has been labeled the British Invasion. It was the mid-1960s. The Kinks, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were topping charts. So were Burdon and the Animals.

He later went on to form War and the Eric Burdon Band.

Now 74, Burdon still maintains a vigorous touring schedule. He stops Monday at Napa’s City Winery for a show.

Here’s what the artist shared via email with the Daily Republic.

Q: Please name an artist you would like to share the stage with for the first time. Why?

A: Most of the people I’ve wanted to share a stage with, I’ve already had the chance to. Others, I will never get the chance to because they are no longer with us. Maybe we’ll meet in rock ‘n’ roll heaven.

Interview with Captain Beefheart (Live)

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CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO:

Captain Beefheart

Don Van Vliet (born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter, artist and poet known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work..

Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band

Don Van Vliet (born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter, artist and poet known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem

Rob Ayling writes:

"WASTA!"

There are those who live a Lotus life in coffee shops

Conversation our currency,loose and unaffiliated our lifestyle

Choice is golden here,and we want no Daesh controlling life

We need no religion nor religious lifestyle.We have a Right to Be Secular!

Given that much of Middle East is corrupt and conflicted

many may opt for a "Caliphate" as a remedy.Their choice-but not ours.

In the same way as Christian Fundamentalists are rejected both by electorate and media,

Muslim Fundamentalists make media enemies with their atrocities.

This may be different for those who wish to live that lifestyle.Well and good.We do not.

Imposed lifestyles violate our hard-fought freedoms.We have a Constitution and a Bill of Rights.

We do not have "sharia"law,nor religious courts.We are based upon separation of Church and State.

I can type this in a Wi-Fi Cafe,knowing no Thought Police will kill poets.Just because we are secular

Just because we wish no Daesh in our free and flowing lives

...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.