LINK: Rick Wakeman - The archives opened

http://damusic.be/achtergrond/progrock/rick-wakeman-de-archieven-ontsloten

Rick Wakeman - The archives opened

RE: Introducing

Rick Wakeman The perfect prog icon, known for his dexterous keyboard playing and his capricious revolving door relationship with the legendary Yes.But "Grumpy Old Rick" is also a very prolific solo artist. More than a hundred albums to his name the man, and they keep coming. 'In The Nick Of Time "is a concert recording from 2003, and the bootleg box' Caped Crusader Collectors Club" now appears volume two of his personal archives.

All you have to expect in the latter case bootleg quality.The recording at London's Hammersmith Odeon in March 1976, this five-piece box already a false start.This undoubtedly decent concert (based on his first solo record and therefore best) is trapped in a messy and spaceless sound. The effect of binding Wake Mans funny texts - a constant in his solo career - this is also partly lost.

The much more recent (and better sounding) concert in Norwich in '97 lets hear some nice surprises. With beautiful versions of David Bowie Space Oddity and Life On Mars Wakeman reminds us that his talent often at the service of the greats.

With his son Adam, he brought in the sprankelende'Tapestries '96 ', of which the peak Summer's End here in duet is played. The selection of '1984 'with vocalist Ashley Holt offers a pleasant listening experience. The version of some Beatles classics like then pulled by the hair.

The performance at Crystal Palace in '74 - the contents of CD three - suffers from the same recording quality as the first disk, but you can hear passionate renditions of material from 'Six Wives Of Henry VIII "and" Journey To The Centre Of The Earth '.

The other two CDs contain the concert in Preston Lancs in '81 and give a diverse sampling of the very productive early years as a solo artist. Wargames off on George Orwell's book based '1984 'serves well here as the overture, the album is amply endowed as these tour to promote it served.

The royal highnesses Arthur and Henry VIII pays tribute through a convincing medley. Also The Journey / Recollection and Chamber Of Horrors (from the acclaimed 'Criminal Record') are like a house. The keys tornado in White Rock provides an appropriate climax.

However we will exchange our five-part bootleg box like for a disc, "In The Nick Of Time '. Wakeman's been so long renowned for his showmanship that you almost forget that he is primarily a gifted musician and composer.'Out There' (2003) is one of his best work and the excellent live album "In The Nick Of Time" was recorded during the promotion tour that year.

His solid backing band English Rock Ensemble is renamed the New EUA, because Ant Glynne (guitar) and Lee Pomeroy (bass) to the line-up. Pomeroy is a particular value, witness alone his bass solo in the Yes classic Wurm . Fixed values ​​remain Tony Fernandez (drums) and Ashley Holt. Holt replaces Damian Wilson, 'Out There' and then later with inzong Pomeroy and Adam Wakeman formation Headspace would form.

'In The Nick Of Time' is a string of highlights from the title track and The Cathedral In The Sky from 'Out There' by the virtuoso Dance Of A Thousand Lights to classical things as Catherine Parr, White Rock and a selection of 'No Earthly Connection '. Wakeman may be a qualitatively very uneven oeuvre written, live, he knows damn well what choices he must make. Only regret that tie texts are not included.

"Caped Crusader Collectors Club Vol. 2 "is published by Floating World and is distributed by Bertus. 'In The Nick Of Time' is published by Gonzo Multimedia.

July 21, 2012

Christoph Lintermans

Check out his Gonzo Artist Page

PORTUGUESE INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL DES BARRES

With a career spanning 40 years divided between the rock and representation, Michael Des Barres decided to return to its roots and, accompanied by the elite of rock , signed a veritable masterpiece of the genre. In Carnaby Street London musician returns to the 60/70 and mark his return brilliantly. In an interview fast English musician he reviewed his long career and spoke of his new job.

Michael Live! For me it's a great honor that you have agreed to answer this short interview Via Nocturna. Thanks to these minutes. First of all, congratulations for your fantastic new album. Carnaby Street is a very strong album full of rock feeling . You feel in great shape ...

Thanks for your opinion! I feel particularly good about the original receção to our album! My band is very pleased that you and all others have understood our intention to recreate our memories.

When you decided it was time to return and begin to work on this new album?

Decided to begin working on a new album for 2 years. I wanted to get back in touch with all that inspired me early in my career by rock'n'roll !

Musicians who accompany you on this recording?

My band is amazing. Paul III on bass, is my partner in everything, the guitar is Eric Schermerhorn Iggy Pop's band, the keyboards are Jebin Bruni's band on drums is Fiona and David Goodstein. All brilliant musicians who love music I like. Rock with an orientation blues .

Regressaste this album to your roots of 60 years ...

Yes! When I was 16 I went to all the nightclubs in London and took contact with the revolution of the blues British. I saw Hendrix, The Faces, Cream, etc, etc ...

So this is an album inspired in London?

London was a creative paradise! I could explore every crack of the tours of the city swing !

Read on...

Check him out at his Gonzo Artist Page

LINK: Erik Norlander - The Galactic Collective: Live at Gettysburg

Erik Norlander is our region not known, but is an American progressive rock keyboard player, composer and producer from California.Since 1993, he and his wife, the singer Lana Lane, Rocket Scientists and his band, more than thirty albums composed and produced.His evocative keyboard technique reminiscent of Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Patrick Moraz and John Lord, while he still retains his individuality. Erik takes a lot of his heroes on classical techniques and find them with a high emotional twist, again. Personally, he has sound design at several big names led synthesizers, and his knowledge of them is high. Although he was born in Hollywood, he studied all of young jazz and classical music. At the University he earned a degree in English literature.

In 2007 he joined the supergroup Asia featuring John Payne as keyboard player and toured with them the next two years. In 2009 to 2011 toured with the supergroup Big Noize featuring Joe Lynn Turner, Vinny Appice, Phil Soussan, Carlos Cavazo and Simon Wright. He also works with The Bob Moog Foundation and played with Keith Emerson in 2009 a concert at the exhibition 'The Legacy of Moog' at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, California, and the epic "Moogus Operandi 'concert in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010, to open.

Since 2001, he started out playing solo sets.The DVD "The Galactic Collective - Live at Gettysburg" is now working with two CDs. On the DVD he plays live at "The Rites of Spring Festival" on 21/05/2011 the complete instrumental "Galactic Collective 'album. 'Garden of the Moon', however, was recorded live in Cleveland. Some tracks are introduced by a short interview. It includes the best tracks that he played over the years, but now in a larger view. He goes back to 1997 with 'Arrival', 'Neurosor "and" Trantor Station. "The DVD is introduced by the daughter of Robert Moog, Michelle Moog-Koussa viz.

Erik plays synthesizers, piano and organ and is accompanied by drummer Nick LePar, guitarist Freddy DeMarco, bassist Mark Matthews, his wife, singer Lana Lane and singer Debrissa McKinney.

Read on...
And check out the dedicated Gonzo artist page for Asia featuring John Payne, and for Erik solo

‘He just owns that role’: Chris Squire on Yes’ new singer Jon Davison, and what’s next

As Chris Squire and Yes retake to the road for another round of North American tour dates, the co-founding bass-playing leader of the band reflects on a season of change.

Since the release of 2011′s well-received Fly From Here, the legendary prog rock band’s first album in a decade, Yes has transitioned to another frontman. Benoit David had joined in 2008, when longtime vocalist Jon Anderson was unavailable to tour, and would over the next three years perform in more than 200 concerts as well as both the Fly From Here and In The Present: Live From Lyon albums.

But then breathing problems surfaced in late 2011 for the Canadian singer — who, ironically had replaced Anderson after similar health issues arose. Yes eventually announced Jon Davison, of the Yes-influenced American prog outfit Glass Hammer, as the group’s newest singer then continued an ongoing tour this year into Australia, New Zealand, Japan and now, the U.S.

Read on...

Check out the Yes artist page at Gonzo

COMPETITION: Win tickets to see Gordon Giltrap at London Acoustic Guitar Show, plus a Santos Martinez Ray Burley signature model guitar

Just a quick note to tell you about an exciting GG-related competition.

Ents24 is a website that provides entertainment listings and information, encompassing live music, clubbing, cinema, theatre, arts, and stand-up comedy. The site contains details of thousands of events happening across the UK every day. Check them out at http://www.ents24.com/

They are running a competition for free tickets to the London Acoustic Guitar Show (Sun 23 Sept.) where Gordon is playing, plus the chance to win a Santos Martinez Ray Burley signature model guitar

They say, "As a fan of Gordon Giltrap we wanted to let you know about a great new competition we have running that's exclusive to our fans on Facebook in which you can win tickets to London Acoustic Guitar Show, plus over £600 worth of acoustic guitar!

To enter, simply visit the Ents24 Facebook Fan Page here: http://www.facebook.com/ents24

... and then follow the instructions on the competition post itself. Easy!

Make sure you've hit the 'Like' button at the top of the page as well, and be among the first to know about all of the great competitions, interviews and news from Ents24 on Facebook."

Good Luck!
The Ents24.com Team

And Good Luck! from us here at ewaves too (although I would like to win the prize myself!!)

CLOSING DATE IS 30TH JULY SO BE QUICK!
http://giltrap.co.uk/ -- powered by http://www.slabmedia.com/

And check out Gordon at Gonzo:

http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/artists/6066/Gordon%20Giltrap

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART PAINTING

http://alanemartinez.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/captain-beefheart/

LINK: Chris Thompson: Berlin Live Aschaffenberg & The Remains - Live At The Colos-Saal

http://www.keysandchords.com/6/post/2012/07/chris-thompson-berlin-live-the-aschaffenberg-remains-live-at-the-colos-saal.html

"Berlin Live Aschaffenberg & The Remains - Live At The Colos-Saal" by Chris Thompson is a nice looking box containing two CDs and a DVD.

All the researchers among us who evince some interest in the career of Manfred Mann should ever the name of Chris Thompson bumped.
In 1972 Manfred Mann Earth Band with vocalist Mick Rogers. When Mick left the group in October 1976 he was replaced by Chris Thompson, who in turn, Manfred Mann's Earth Band remained until 1987. In February 1977, adorned 'Blinded By The Light' at the first spot of the Billboard Hot 100. There were a few squatters of Manfred Mann's Earth Band with Chris Thompson on vocals, like "Davy's On The Road Again ',' Do not Kill It, Carol and Bob Dylan song 'You Angel You'.
All these songs live plus revivals of "Spirit In The Night ',' Blinded By The Light 'and' Mighty Quinn 'can be found on' Live Berlin. The last three titles mentioned you as a link to Manfred Mann considered, but for clarity, the original recordings was ever completed by the lead vocals Mick Rogers and Mike d'Abo.
I have not the least objection to Chris Thompson here now to those days raked back, because he does this in a sublime way. The two CDs 'Berlin Live' captivate from beginning to end and not least by the Advisory Board with Mads Eriksen (guitar), Gunnar Bjelland (keyboards), Frank Hovland (bass) and Zsolt Meszaros (drums).
CD1 and CD2 were recorded live in the studios of Radio Berlin (88.8 MHz). Besides all the aforementioned songs jump 'Father Of Day' and the unadulterated blues' Whole Lot To Give "(with Dirk Naessens on violin) above it. The raw rocker "Do not Kill It, Carol" is used here in a refreshing bath submerged.

The accompanying DVD is even better. The picture quality is excellent thanks to the lighting of the stage, a feast for the eyes. Chris Thompson looks like a retired schoolteacher who has grown considerably through his hair, but he does give a wonderful road show with highlights including "Demolition Man" and an almost unrecognizable subdued version of Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song'.
Just before the action were Chris Thompson and the band members interviewed by Jon Kirkman and this interview was linked to the DVD as a bonus.
For me there is still a little unclear. The inlay booklet with the DVD as a drummer Steinar Krokstad mentioned, while the disc itself Zsolt Meszaros gets the credit assigned.

At the same inlay booklet focuses Chris Thompson into 'The wonderful audience at the Colos-Saal "with the words" Thank you for the fantastic night (18.01.11), followed by a list of all names of those on the fateful night in the audience were. I do not think this ever happened. A precedent spoken!

"Berlin Live Aschaffenberg & The Remains - Live At The Colos-Saal" is an ideal opportunity for Chris Thompson to rediscover and understand why Manfred Mann in the past always a singer with a rasp of a voice has chosen.

Chris Thompson This double CD and DVD is a delight for everyone with the slightest interest in Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

Want to watch Chris live to work to see? That can Terrace Bilzen this year on 10 August 2012 Market Bilzen.

Check out his Gonzo Artist Page

LINK: Michael Des Barres review

Well Michael Des Barres is, without any doubt, a very famous guy. I’m sure that most of you are aware of his work in music & acting generally since the late 60s. He’s mostly known for playing the Murdoc role on the TV show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in Power Station, fronting the band in the 1985 Live Aid concert. He formed the bands Silverhead & Detective in the 70s as well. Anyhow, his career is far too long to be mentioned in a CD review so let’s better focus on his new work.

Read on...
Check him out at his Gonzo Artist Page

ERIK NORLANDER REVIEW

Moog synthesizer engineer and performer Erik Norlander continues his plight, melding classic '70s progressive rock stylizations via the wholesome sounds emanating from his arsenal of analog synths and keys. With concurrent DVD/2CD releases including the studio set The Galactic Collective: Definitive Edition (Gonzo Multimedia, 2012), the artist's live experience transfers to disc in luminous splendor on Live in Gettysburg.

Sheened by immaculate audio engineering processes, the program boasts a crisp and impacting soundstage, as Norlander elevates the Moog back to where it was in the glory days of progressive rock. With wailing anthems, highly melodic tone poems, and ringing vocal parts by Lana Lane and Debrissa McKinney, the band's pulsating rhythmic element and shifting time signatures, equate to a comprehensive musical showcase.

Read on...

And check out their dedicated Gonzo artist page for Asia featuring John Payne, and for Erik solo

HAWKWIND FANS ARE NOT UNDESIRABLE - AND THAT'S OFFICIAL

Following a story that we posted the other day about a festival cancelling an appearance by Hawkwind, claiming that their fans were "the wrong sort of people", we are disappointed to find that the organisers have no claimed that the whole thing was a misunderstanding. Our very own Graham Inglis (whom I have lived with for seven years and known for 22, and will confirm is not the wrong type of person for anything except possibly a Take That concert) has been trying to get a statement from them, but to no avail. Now they have claimed the story as nonsense, which is a pity. I had hoped that it would run and run...

ORGANISERS of an all-day music event at a National Forest attraction have refuted claims they pulled the plug after allegedly slaiming that the headline act’s fans were an ‘undesirable audience’.

Hawkwind

Mike Scott, of the National Forest Folk Festival, poured cold water over the accusations by space-rock veterans Hawkwind that the event, due to be held at Conkers, in Rawdon Road, Moira, later this year, was cancelled because they ‘attract the wrong sort of audience’.

He described the accusations as ‘nonsense’ and a ‘total misunderstanding’.

Mr Scott told the Mail: “The venue became inappropriate for the event that we had planned.

Read on...

JON ANDERSON SAYS ‘THE DOOR ISN’T CLOSED’ FOR A YES REUNION

Although he’s currently busy performing as a solo artist, former Yes vocalist Jon Anderson can still see the possibility that he might reunite once again with his former group someday.

He told Classic Rock that “something could happen,” referencing his old bandmate Chris Squire, who “keeps saying, ‘the door isn’t closed,’” to which Anderson says “I say the same.”

While he’s in very occasional contact with some of his former bandmates, he allows that it isn’t necessarily warm and fuzzy. “They get on with their lives, I get on with mine. There’s no point pretending we’re all mates.”

In the meantime, he continues to push forward with his solo work, revealing in a new press release that he’s currently working on a follow-up to the epic 21 minute piece ‘Open’ that he released digitally last year. “Music is constantly happening all around me. I’m busy working on ‘Ever’, [which is] part two of my journey into the longer form music I love to create.”

Read on...
Check out the Yes's artist page at Gonzo
Check out Jon Anderson's Gonzo Artist Page

HELEN McCOOKERYBOOK: Girls Allowed

Some weeks ago I interviewed the multi-talented Helen McCookerybook, and as a result, I was so impressed that I ended up going on to Ebay and buying a copy of her remarkable book The Lost Women of Rock Music, Female Musicians of the Punk Era. I have been promising to do a review of it for some weeks, but life and other stuff gets in the way, and I wanted to give this remarkable book a proper review rather than a lightweight cursory gloss over, which – I am afraid – is all it would have got if I had tried to write about it during the last month or so.

Because it covers a subject which is dear to my heart; the much misunderstood subject of punk rock, which – even now – tends to be an emotive term which conjures up a whole range of media-fuelled images which actually have very little relevance to what the subject was really about.

Like many writers of my age, punk was the social and musical movement which first inspired me, and which set me on the life path that I have followed ever since. Mine wasn’t the punk rock of Malcolm and Viv in the King’s Road, but rather the firmly independent DIY attitude of the Desperate Bicycles who trumpted that it was ‘It was easy, it was cheap, go and do it’, and Crass who by selling two million records from a cottage in the middle of nowhere, with minimal involvement with the mainstream media provided a social and political roadmap for my life, which I have followed ever since.

The main crux of Helen’s book is the role of women in punk music. Now this is where I show my age. I was 17 in 1976 when Anarchy in the UK was released, and punk rock was the first social and musical sub-culture with which I was properly involved. It was also the first social and musical sub-culture through which I made friends of both sexes, and so the fact that there were girls palying in bands was not as momentous a thing for me, as it would have been if I had been a few years older and had been a veteran of one of the previous social and musical movements. It is only now, working regularly with Gonzo Multimedia that I have found myself re-examining hippie and other movements from the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with a critical eye. And it has to be said, that I don’t always like what I see. Last year, for example, while working on Tony Palmer’s Trials of Oz, I got hold of scans of quite a few issues, as well as a hard copy of the notorious schoolkids’ issue, and I am afraid that I was disturbed by the level of sexist bullshit that I found. As somebody who discovered alternative society firstly through Crass and then through the neo-hippie movement of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, to find that one of the seminal organs of British hippie publishing was not just full of adolescent smut, Helen’s but that other editions contained material which these days would be considered not only pornographic, but an offence under the Protection of Children Act 1978 and the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

So, although I didn’t realise it at the time, the fact that many punk bands featured female members, and furthermore female members who did not conform to traditional rock and roll gender stereotypes, was a seriously big deal.

The most interesting parts (to me at least) of Helen’s book are the bits that involve one particularly remarkable lady – Vi Subversa of The Poison Girls who not only defied rock and roll convention by not possessing a Y chromosome, but was also well into her ‘40s at the time the band were most active. At the time I was far more aware of the controversy surrounding her age than that surrounding her gender. I vaguley knew some of the members of Crass, particularly Andy Palmer, and had met Joy and Eve on a number of occasions. In fact, Joy taught me to cook brown rice, which is probably quite good for my anarcha-feminist credibility. I never actually met The Poison Girls, however, and it wasn’t until I read the relevent chapters of Helen’s book that I realised quite how important Vi had been in the whole social milieu surround the punk movment, especially in Brighton.

Indeed, it is the Brighton chapter that is most interesting, because it tells the story of the slice of the punk and post-punk movement with which Helen was pivotally involved with her own bands Joby and the Hooligans, and The Chefs. The whole book is written in an uncompromising academic style, which – as it is an academic tome – complete with full references, end notes and bibliography is not surprising. However, having read some of Helen’s other writings, I know that she is an amusing and stylish raconteur and I would rather like to see a book of the story of her life as a spiky haired young Herbertess written for a more mainstream audience (if you can call people who buy books about obscure punk bands from 35 years ago mainstream in any shape or form).

This is a major work of sociocultural importance and tells a story that has been ignored for too long. Bands like The Raincoats and The Slits are too often relegated to footnotes in the better known stories of the Sex Pistols and The Clash, and as both bands, and many of their other female contemporaries stayed far more true to their idealism and cultural mores than did many of their male counterparts, this is just not fair. Well done Helen for such an important work.

A WORD TO THE WISE

So, The Word has finally ceased publication after the best part of ten years. It was probably my favourite magazine, although in recent years it had become slightly smug and less exciting than it used to be. I don’t know if it is just me getting weirder as I get older; I don’t think so. But the magazine said less and less to me about my life (I tried very hard to put a Smiths’ pun in there, but ended up giving up as a bad job). It said a lot to middle aged men who had fairly ordinary jobs, but might take their family to a rock festival once or twice in the summer, but very little to someone who listens to Comus and introduced his twelve-year-old nephew to Wild Man Fischer.

But, it was good while it lasted, and I am sad to see that there is one less thing of interest on the news stands.

In his valedictory editorial, Mark Ellen noted that one of the very real contributory factors towards The Word’s demise was the decline of traditional media, and implied that the rise in electronic publishing may well have sounded the death knell for the poor old Word.

There is, however, a very real gap in the niche market (in non-traditional publishing) for a publication aimed at people who still, despite their advancing age, have wild staring eyes and believe that while love may not be completely all we need, that if we chant loud enough we might be able to stop it raining. You know - like the Gonzo Daily, but expanded a bit. Someone ought to start a magazine like this, and I have a horrible idea that despite everything else that is on my plate, that somebody will probably end up being me.
Watch this space.

…………..and to Mark Ellen et al, thank you for the last ten years.

Michael Des Barres Band Rock & Roll Party!

Not for the first time recently, I wish I could afford to pop over to LA for a few days. This sounds absolutely fantastic and I am sorry that I am going to miss it. I wonder whether I can persuade Rob to bring the band over to play at The Farmers Arms in the village...

http://slippeddiscentertainment.ticketleap.com/michael-des-barres-band/t/bf2beb5a88a5fc3269b7c8b16122b55b/

ERIK NORLANDER: Review - The Galactic Collective: Definitive Edition

Erik Norlander is our region not known, but is an American progressive rock keyboard player, composer and producer from California.Since 1993, he and his wife, the singer Lana Lane, Rocket Scientists and his band, more than thirty albums composed and produced.His evocative keyboard technique reminiscent of Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Patrick Moraz and John Lord, while he still retains his individuality. Erik takes a lot of his heroes on classical techniques and find them with a high emotional twist, again. Personally, he has sound design at several big names led synthesizers, and his knowledge of them is high. Although he was born in Hollywood, he studied all of young jazz and classical music. At the University he earned a degree in English literature. In 2007 he joined the supergroup Asia featuring John Payne as keyboard player and toured with them the next two years. In 2009 to 2011 toured with the supergroup Big Noize featuring Joe Lynn Turner, Vinny Appice, Phil Soussan, Carlos Cavazo and Simon Wright. He also works with The Bob Moog Foundation and played with Keith Emerson in 2009 a concert at the exhibition 'The Legacy of Moog' at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, California, and the epic "Moogus Operandi 'concert in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010, to open. Since 2001, he started out playing solo sets.

The DVD "The Galactic Collective - Definitive Edition 'now comes together with two CDs. On the DVD he plays the complete instrumental "Galactic Collective 'album in the studio. Each track is introduced by a short interview in which he deeper it goes. It includes the best tracks that he played over the years, but now in a larger view. He goes back to 1997 with 'Arrival', 'Neurosar "and" Trantor Station.

In addition there is a featurette on "Behind the Wall of Doom: The Synthesizer of the Galactic Collective'. Erik plays synthesizers, piano and organ and is accompanied by drummer Nick LePar, guitarists: John Payne, Mitch Perry, Mark McCrite, Freddy DeMarco and Ron Redfield, bassist Mark Matthews, his wife, singer Lana Lane and backing vocalist John Payne. All tracks are also on YouTube. The DVD can be heard in 2.0 stereo or 5.1 surround. On the first disc is the original album, while the second disc includes a new studio recording you hear of "Space: 1999".

Impressive progressive rock, interesting for science fiction fans. Patrick Van de Wiele (3 to 4)

And check out the dedicated Gonzo artist page for Asia featuring John Payne, and for Erik solo

LINK: YES' 'GOING FOR THE ONE' TURNS 35

On Yes‘ eighth studio album, ‘Going for the One,’ progressive-rock’s figurehead act were undeniably in a transitional state, both sonically and physically.

Originally released on July 22, 1977, just as punk-rock was reaching its critical and commercial apex (and just as prog itself was starting to vanish into the ‘dinosaur’ dust bins), ‘Going for the One’ wasn’t a likely candidate for a hit album, and the departure of keyboard virtuoso Patrick Moraz (who added his jazz-fusion touch to Yes’ prior album, ‘Relayer’) only made prospects even bleaker.

But the return of keyboard whiz Rick Wakeman in 1976 signaled a creative re-invigoration, helping Yes re-emerge with one of the finest albums in their rich catalog — and one of progressive rock’s most overlooked treasures.

Read on...

Check out the band's artist page at Gonzo

THE LAST WORD on Jon Lord

BBC’s Last Word: Listen to Ritchie, Rick Wakeman and Geoff Barton speak about Jon Lord — and Jon speaking about how he would like to be remembered (from an interview given the week before he died):

PETER MCADAM INTERVIEW

NARC INTERVIEW
with Peter McAdam re: THE NINE HENRYS

I suppose the most obvious question would be, what is a Henry?
There are nine Henrys, purported to be the world’s first cloned cartoon character.
They live in a strange lo-fi domestic surrealist world peopled by talking rock buns and elephants on wobbly stilts. They mooch around in their minimalist universe suffering from an existential crisis with some genetically modified humour thrown in .

How does a book like The Nine Henry's start out? Did you have an idea for the character first, or the idea for a book?
In my numerous writings, ie. plans for world domination and draft letters suing God, my pen would wander over to the margin of the page and I would doodle a cartoon character, then in a night vision, (I recommend Pilgrim Premier cheese for lucid dreaming, ASDA mild cheddar for astral projections) a word written down in a dream “The Nine Henry’s” I awoke wrote down the dream in my dream diary and forgot all about it.

After scanning through my ‘genius books’ (notebooks of ideas that never see the light of day), I noticed all these daft cartoons, so I cut them out, placed them alongside each other and the dream word popped into my head… “The Nine Henry’s” The rest is history, with a little bit of eczema attached.

There's quite an extensive “roll of honour” inside, how did these people contribute?
I thought I would get into this crowd sourcing lark so I signed up to a website and with luck
on my side it went bust and it took some of the money I had raised, so I made a decision to do it myself using the Nine Henry Facebook page and I raised about a quarter of what I needed to get the book published.

Those thirteen people are the first contributors, but then signed to Gonzo and kept my promise in mentioning the early funders in the roll of honour in the book.

If possible, can you give some idea of what the process for creating a Henry illustration is like?
Do you tend to plan ideas out or is it nowhere near as complicated as that...
It’s really quite simple to explain but it’ll take me 700 pages, so I’ll summarise: when you hit a brick wall in a project, go off and do something completely different, doodling Henry opens up the stream of consciousness aspect, by playing around with ideas and concepts, I’m just a kid really, playing with mental plastercine. My most subtle work is produced by drawing a Henry in some surreal situation and a few days later when I’m flicking through my book(s), there might be something said on the TV and I’m looking at the drawing and Voila! I call them ‘creative collisions’ whereby you’re thinking of something, then from leftfield another idea collides and this transforms the content.

It’s like the creative process, it’s all about questions and answers, I draw an enigmatic Henry cartoon (question), later I write down a caption or overhear something and it gives it meaning (answer).

On a personal level, what's your artistic background? If any...
I studied Fine Art I have a BA and two MA’a and my mam says all I need now is another MA and an ALA then I’ll have an ALABAMAMAMA… it’s more funnier when you say it.
I’ve been called a dilettante I had to look it up coz I thought it meant ‘someone of French Aristrocacy’. But that’s okay I am a bit of a dilettante and maybe eclectic? I make films, not very good ones, must remember to take the lens cap off, write songs for the air guitar.

I have a film showing at the Star and Shadow weekend of 25th August called Helter Skelter, it’s weird as shit! It’s about a series of dreams I had, I love dreams, dreams are my main source of inspiration like a mixtape of poetry and you can recall them before the ink dries.
And I have an interactive art and sound smartphone app. released this month in collaboration with Foof productions, it’s called i-coda, download it and make me rich so I can record a crap solo album and buy a deckchair in Seaburn.

How did Gonzo Media get involved? Did you approach them or did they seek you out?
As I was asking for funding requests on the Henry Facebook page to get the ball rolling and my friend Martin Stephenson told me to get in contact with Rob Ayling from Gonzo Multi Media as they were looking for new book projects. I met Rob and he loved them and he passed me on to the editor Jonathan Downes to get Henry into a book.

I signed the book deal at a crossroads in Houghton le Spring? And the weather didn’t half change after that.

Who, or what, is Geordie Nettledyke?
When I was about 6-7 my dad used to come in the from the club half popped, he’d tell me about the exploits of a fellow Miner called Geordie Nettledyke from Nettlesworth, a kind of Mr Bean meets Andy Capp… he had great catchphrases like “half the lies I tell are not true” he would get up to all sorts of mischief.

When I was old enough to go to the club I asked my dad if I could meet him, he agreed to introduce me to this really funny guy. So I waited and waited he never turned up. Then my dad confessed he didn’t exist he created a fictional character as a vehicle for his jokes. I guess that’s what Henry is to me, if I didn’t have these well I would go insane and end up talking to an invisible Mr Nettledyke on a park bench swigging from a bottle of Lightning.

Do you have any plans any future Henry exploits? Henry on his holidays? Henry at the Olympics? Henry solves the banking crisis?
Next for the Henrys is an app. game, a Youtube animation show and…then I will unveil my plans for Total World Domination, the Nine Henrys are the Illuminati, Metaphysical Gangsters, the Nine God’s of Cheesey Bacon Flavoured Crisps, they are the Comte Saint-Germain rolled into one.

They are the future, in three years time there’ll be a Henryocracy… and half the lies I tell are not true.

JON ANDERSON IN THE NEW EDITION OF PROG MAG

Prog 28 is on sale today. Cover star Jon Anderson talks us through the year in prog – 1972 – which celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year, with help from Genesis, Renaissance, VdGG, BJH, Greenslade, Caravan and Hatfield & The North. It’s an intriguing read and there’s also your own Top 10 prog albums from 1972 for you to peruse over as well (don’t complain – you voted for them!). Jon also talks, in an exclusive interview, about life outside of Yes, his future plans, including his long-awaited follow-up to Olias Of Sunhillow and his forthcoming liv show at the Sadlers Wells Theater in London in August.

http://www.progrockmag.com/news/new-prog-mag-on-sale-3/

Check out Jon Anderson's Gonzo Artist Page

IN WHICH I VOLUNTARILY BLOW MY OWN TRUMPET

I hope that you will forgive me shamelessly plugging something of my own, but amongst the other things that I do, I am the editor of this rather fine UFO magazine. I was brought in a few months ago to mastermind the relaunch, and my first edition is now on sale through those jolly nice people at MagCloner. I am, actually rather proud of it!

UFO MATRIX is not just a magazine about UFOs, it is also a magazine about the wider implications of UFO Culture. It examines the history and the mystery of the subject in depth, bringing on board the cream of the world's UFOlogical and Fortean researchers.

Issue Eight brings a new and chilling aspect to the Roswell mythos, an examination of one of Scotland's best known abduction cases, a little known facet of the Betty and Barney Hill case, a look at the truly unsettling aliens created by H.P.Lovecraft, and columists including representatives of BUFORA and MUFON (UK).

Editor Jon Downes has been a central figure of British paranormal and Fortean research for several decades, and is one of the best known British researchers and authors in the field. Contributors to issue 8 include veteran researchers such as Nick Redfern, Richard Freeman, Malcolm Robinson, Stanton Freiedman, and exclusive content from John Hanson and Dawn Holloway of the Haunted Skies Project.

At last a valid UFOlogical magazine for the 21st Century.

Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Language: English

Read on...

RICK WAKEMAN IS A JOLLY FUNNY CHAP

Somebody called 'Pondo' sent me this edition of Have I got News for You featuring the Caped Crusader himself. I'm not sure who 'Pondo' is. Actually, I haven't a clue who he is, but it seemed a damn good idea to post this jollity on a monday morning.


HIGNFY S26E08 - Boris Johnson, Rick Wakeman &... by bobalmighty

He also plays keyboards. Check out his Gonzo Artist Page

LIZZY'S DIZZY - SHE GOT BUSY!

As regular readers will no doubt know, for some reason known only to myself (and I have forgotten it), I write the Sunday notifications in rhyme. What notifications? Every day I post a witty digest of the Daily Gonzo stuff (the same thing that you can see on the Scoop-it page each day) to various Facebook groups and fora, and email out to those who ask for it (and some who don't). Six days I do them relatively sensibly, but on the 7th, for no particular reason I do them in bad verse.

Why bad verse? That is simple. I am a lousy poet, and to be horribly honest I doubt whether my silly doggerel counts as poetry, but it amuses me, and it also amuses various Gonzofolk such as Erik Norlander, and the lovely Liz Lenten of Auburn. Now, Liz opened a real can of Pandora's boxlike worms the other week, because she sent me a poem in reply, and ever since then I make sure that there is a Lizstory every Sunday. (Note to other artists: I am easily bribed and a few lines of verse, or a double concept album, song story or eight movement Rock Opera each week will guarantee your placing in the sunday news).

Yesterday, I pinched some arty pictures from some arty pictures from the Auburn Facebook page and wrote the following lines in my defence:

And it would not be a Sunday blog
although the rest is quite diverse,
I always try to find the space
for 8 lines of Liz Lenten verse,
because her album Indian Summer
is really bloody good you know,
so each week I still try to plug it,
and I've done it once again (ho ho)

To which the Divine Ms L replied:

Now Jon, let me make this very clear,
To me, you have become quite dear
So, anything you ‘nick’ to post is fine
What’s mine is yours…….its in the rhyme

Now Phil Reeves is a clever bloke
Of which you have already spoke (en!)
His shots are always so unique
And he makes me look so cool and chic

There’s more to come, so just for you
We’ll send exclusive pics straight thru
And then you’ll know when you next post
the shots were seen on Gonzo blog first (!)

Liz
x

PS - sorry for the awful rhymes - it is Sunday and I am tired!!

There really is nothing that I can say to that except to bow graciously, and point you in the direction of her Gonzo Artist page

P.S. I hope my mate Biffo who once was scriptwriter for Sooty and Sweep appreciates the headline

RIGHT ON BRIAN!

I don't usually mention politics in these hallowed pages. I know that the political views of our readers, and - indeed - those whom we write about are many and varied, and I also know that my politics which have essentially changed little since I first discovered Crass and their ilk some thirty years ago are hardly mainstream. But this story is heartwarming, is incontravertably rock and roll, and Brian May deserves our plaudits. Well done mate - I owe you a beer!

Queen guitarist Brian May has spoken out against a planned cull of badgers in the West Country. He was speaking at a meeting of The League Against Cruel Sports in Taunton on Friday evening. On 12 July a legal bid by The Badger Trust to block a cull in England failed in the High Court. The cull is likely to begin in Somerset and Gloucestershire later in the year. Mr May called for vaccination of cattle rather than a cull.

Read on...

I would also like to put my oar in as a scientist of sorts. From the evidence I have seen, the badger cull is neither good economics nor good science. It will cost a fortune and achieve very little, (that is quite apart from the moral question of killing even more of God's wild creatures in the name of commerce) and I am reminded of the sage words of Sir Humphrey Appleby who commented on the motivation of Government Ministers thirty odd years ago.

"Politician's logic:
We must do something.
This is something.
Therefore we must do it."

Related Stories
Appeal started over badger cull
Bid to block badger cull denied
Badger cull plan 'legally flawed'

HELEN McCOOKERYBOOK'S VIEWS ON LIFE

Life gets confusing here at the Gonzo Daily. It has not been the best of weeks with a whole battery of family, health and computer issues with which to deal. But some things are a constant; Helen McCookerybook's prose can always bring a smile to my somewhat beleagured countenance. Which is why I am posting this excerpt from her must-read blog...

There is a pile of post-it notes on the table that I managed to ignore all day; they are still there, sticky, curled and pink, trying to nag me, but I'm not in the mood. This morning I went over to Gina's. She's sorting out a short film of The Raincoats and I am helping her to structure and edit it, which is fascinating, tiring and exciting all at the same time. Punk survivors, from the people in the bands to the people who wrote about them, are a colourful and interesting bunch of people. After a short turnaround at home I headed back out, this time to Rich Mix in Shoreditch to see my friend Fred Gehrig perform. My route took me through some characteful streets, the like of which I have not seen before. There was a square that was more of a circle with a little park full of teenagers and hollyhocks; the iPhone satnav had adventures in mind. I'd never been to Rich Mix before. It was thronging with people, most of them young and unfeasibly trendy, going to see films, dance, theatre, the whole lot. Close-cropped dodocephalic heads with tufts of bleached hair at the front and mismatched little beards we the order of the day...

Read on...
...and check out her Gonzo artist page