JOHN CORABI – ‘New Day’ Interview

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JOHN CORABI has a brand new solo album coming out, titled ‘New Day‘, on Frontiers. New Day is produced by Marti Frederiksen (credits include Brother Kane, Aerosmith, Foreigner, Def Leppard, Dead Daisies….). This album is Corabi’s first full album of new rock material, and is the best new album I’ve heard so far this year, with the title track, and tunes like “Your Own Worst Enemy”, “When I Was Young”, and a cool version of Sly & The Family Stone’s “Everyday People”. In our converxation John talks in detail about the new album, the songs, the artwork, as well an update on The Dead Daisies, and a look back at Union. It was a pleasure talking to the guy; one of the coolest rockers out there. Check out ‘New Day‘, it is highly recommended listening for any rock fan. *Please also check out the links below.

I want to talk about your new album. I love it. I didn’t dawn on me that this is actually your first solo album of new material because you’ve been around for so long that there’s been other releases under your name.

Well, it’s kind of a misconception a little bit because I did do an acoustic record a few years back. And probably 60, 65% of that record was new material that I’d never released before, but I just did like an acoustic thing. There wasn’t even drums on it, it was more just percussion.

(I hold up the Live in Nashville CD).

That one was in 2014. I was doing the Motley record live in it’s entirety. And I loved being in Motley and it was a great record, but I sang this stuff like 30 years ago! So I don’t want to do this anymore, and so I recorded one show in Nashville for prosperity, put it out on a record. So, I mean, technically this is my third solo record, but this is my first one with all new material, full band, drums, keyboards, the whole bit. So, it is what it is. It’s all good.

I loved it. I think I got about eight songs through and I went on Amazon and ordered it. It’s a very upbeat album, uplifting. And I don’t think, for those people that have heard your name and the association with Motley Crue or whoever else would be misjudged or misguided to think that it’s going to be a metal album, right? It’s not, obviously it’s a very diverse, wide open album.

Yeah. in all honesty when I signed the record deal with Frontiers, I told them right up front, I said, if you’re looking for Motley Crue Part Two, it’s not going to happen. I’m not interested. And I told them what I wanted. And one of the things that I don’t want to say irritates me, but irritates me to a degree about the music business now, is that once, once you’re like, once you’re, and I say, ‘an established artist’, but once you’ve done a few things, you’re kind of locked into that box, it’s like people don’t really want you to step outside of that box.

And all the bands that I grew up listening to, you, the great bands like the Beatles, the Stones, Zeppelin, Queen was huge. Those bands weren’t afraid to experiment from track to track. I mean, if you look at the Stones considered the greatest rock and roll band in the history of music, they weren’t afraid to do songs like “Dead Flowers”, or “Waiting On A Friend” or “Wild Horses”, which technically now could be considered country songs. Even Led Zeppelin did “Hot Dog” on their last record, which is basically nothing more than an old country rockabilly song.

So what I wanted to get back to was just that time or that era where bands had the freedom to just be as creative as they wanted to be. There was no categories, no boxes, and just do what you want, man; if it’s a cool tune – have at it! If you’ve heard the record, you know, there’s a song on my record called “Good To Be Back Here Again”. And I’ve had a few people, not many, but if you go, “Oh obviously Nashville is rubbing off on you. ..You’re kind of doing a little bit of country stuff”. And I’m like, Nashville is nothing to do with it. I literally just sat down, I was playing the guitar. I came up with the first line of the song and I thought it was cool, so I just stopped. I wrote the rest of the song and then I brought it into Marty the next day and he thought it was awesome. But again, if you listen to “Dead Flowers” or “Waiting On A Friend” by the Rolling Stones, kind of the same thing. So again, I just wanted to do something that was category free, and just creative without being full of myself.

The album is very, like when you say creative, it’s very creative in that there’s so much going on. The opening track was the first track I heard. That’s a great song, very uplifting, very, it rocks, but it’s obviously it’s not a metal song. It’s not really just a simple rock song. it’s a good feel good song. So where did that sort of stuff come from lyrically?

Marti and I, when we were mapping everything out; we usually map the song out and then have like a loose or rough idea of what the song is going to be called. And we came up with the title “New Day”. And honestly, one of the things about being human is you can have the shittiest day ever, but the blessing that we all have is that we can go to sleep at night and reset and then get up the next day with a new attitude, new, fresh – “It’s a new day”. Just keep moving forward. And personally, I’m not a big fan of people that sit and whine and complain about how life’s unfair. I’m just like – well, if you want to change it, do something about it!

So it was just basically putting a lot of those cliched things down in lyrics and yeah, it’s positive, but it’s just like, man you’re kind of writing your own story. So if you work hard and you just keep not taking no for an answer and just keep plugging away, something positive is going to happen for you. Do you know what I mean?

Yeah. And there’s, there’s a few songs on here that you you’ve had around for a little while, obviously,

Yeah, “Cosi’ Bella” and “Your Own Worst Enemy”.

I love that song. That’s another one that kind of jumped out at me. It’s got a bit of a bit of funk to it,

It’s probably the heaviest song on the record, but it was, um, again, it’s just about, you know, I have some friends and stuff that have had issues in the past, whether it was drinking or drugs or whatever. And it’s just like, (again) you’re sitting here complaining about things, but you’re not doing anything about it. You’re your own worst enemy. So, I just put pen to paper and it just kind of happened. …But those two songs, I initially wanted to do this record. and then during COVID and all that stuff, I started to talk to Marti, and Marti was like “people are doing things different now, they’re putting a song out, let it sit while you’re working on the record. And then you put another single out and you do this like three, four times, and then you release the record”. And at the time I wasn’t even going to do a record label, I was just going to self-print the records and sell them at my shows. But I wound up getting the call to come back to the Dead Daisies, which I did and got in that span of,…well, I came back in ’23. So in three years, we’ve done three records there. And then I got offered (last year) to do this thing with Frontiers. I was like, “Okay, cool!” I need to make sure I tell my manager, I need to make sure that everything’s coordinated perfectly with the Daisies so that I don’t interfere with them – they don’t interfere with me. And then as it turned out, the Daisies said, “Hey, we’re going to take a year off.” Well, so I was “All right, this is perfect!”

At that point, we had those three songs and Marti and I just got in and started writing. There’s still a bunch of other songs that Marti and I worked on that we haven’t even looked at yet; that we started working on and we never got around the finishing. So, I’m already starting to think about record number two.

There’s a lot of different things like “Faith, Hope and Love”. Maybe it’s the backing vocals but it’s got a bit of a gospel feel at times. You got a bit of Southern rock, and blues and everything. What can tell me a bit about what you listened to or what kind of influences, when you go to do stuff.

Honestly, again, I, I hate the category thing. To me, there’s two categories of music – There’s good music and bad music. It’s really weird because I love everything. I mean, it’s not unusual for me to get on my motorcycle and listen to Zeppelin or Sabbath, or some of the heavier stuff. And then you might see me the next day and I might be listening to the greatest hits of Glenn Campbell or Bob Seger. So, when I sit down and I write, I just kind of allow things to just happen organically. I’ll show it to Marti. And then even when I’m showing it to Marti, I kind of have an idea of what I want it to sound like, but as we’re in the studio, it’s gone through this metamorphosis and it just winds up becoming what it is. I just personally, there’s so much good music out there.

And when I was doing this record, I told Marti “No categories”. And I just really want to be musical. I want to incorporate as much different influences as I can on this record.

And, without blowing smoke up my own arse, I think we kind of accomplished that.

I think it’s a very widely appealing album. I think anybody that knows you will like it. And I think a lot of people don’t know you’re going to love it, just because there’s so much in there.

From your mouth to God’s ears, buddy.

Do you write usually with a title first or… (?)

No, not really. It usually comes with like a riff or a chord progression and I’ll start working on it. Then I’ll bring it to Marti, and then we kind of map it out. And between Marti or myself, one of us will just be scatting a melody and one of us will come up with what eventually becomes the title. I came up with the title for “1969”. Marti was just scatting something over a chord progression I had. And then he was like “when I was young”, so I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of cool’; write it down. Then we map the kind of idea out and then I’ll come home with that title. I wrote down…”when I was young”, and then I start working on the lyrics, I immersed myself in the title. How could I, how could I tie this in and make it work? So usually it’s the music first getting mapped out, and then again, between Marti and I, one of us will just be scatting just a melody idea. And then somehow the title winds up coming out. Even back with the Dead Daisies, like I was struggling for lyrics on an idea we had, and it was just something David Lowy said. We passed each other in the hallways. I was in one room, he was in another, and I just said to him, “Hey dude, how the guitar tracks going?”, and he goes, “long way to go. No time to get there”. And I immediately went back into the room and I started working on lyrics to a song, which eventually became “Long Way To Go”. So it’s usually the music first.

I find it interesting because there’s some very memorable titles here. Like you said, “1969” was the first one I thought of, and “When I Was Young”, and “New Day”, they’re all very memorable titles as opposed to 12 songs with love in the title. Who else played on this album with you?

On the record, it was mainly me on guitar, Marti on bass and his son, Evan on drums. And then whoever was better at a keyboard part or…we just kind of layered things on top. I was very fortunate to have Charlie Starr from Blackberry Smoke, he played all the lead guitars on the song, “Faith, Hope, and Love”. And then Charlie actually sent me a little phone recording while we were recording, we were doing the actual record and he sent me an idea, which eventually became “That Memory”. So Charlie’s on the record; he’s got his fingerprints on the record. But also Richard Fortus has just called me out of the clear blue. Richard and I had played together on the first Dead Daisies record that I did. He just said, “Hey dude, I saw you’re doing a solo record. If you need any help with the guitars, I’m here for you”. So I sent him a couple tracks thinking he’d pick maybe one song, and he wound up doing all three and he sent them back and it worked. Then I had Paul Taylor, from Winger play some keyboards for me on the record. And it was just, honestly, this is probably the most organic effortless record that I’ve ever done in my life. This is weird. Everything just kind of fell into place.

I’m curious to see what you do next, because obviously following this up would be interesting.

I’m curious as well. I have no idea where I’m going with this.

Obviously it’s been a long time that, like I said, in the beginning, a long time for you, you been around for so long that you finally have a full album, a rock album that’s under your name and that, do you have any plans for playing it live ?

Well, we did three and a half weeks in Europe and the UK and it went over great. I’m going back in April to do maybe five more shows. I’m ending with, Frontiers Records does a music festival every year in Milan, Italy, so I’m going to do that. And then I’m coming back over. Let me see… I play the 3rd there, the 4th I’m on an airplane, and the 5th I start with Tom Kiefer in New Jersey, Tom Kiefer and BuckCherry. We’re doing a bunch of dates together. So, I’m going to have a busy summer it looks like

How much )of the new stuff) do you actually put into the set?

Maybe somewhere between a quarter and half, because we’re doing some Scream stuff. Now it depends because there’s three different versions of this set that I need to put together because I’m doing some headline shows on my own. And then when it’s just me and Tom, I think I’m playing about 40 to 45 minutes. And then when BuckCherry’s on the bill, I’m only doing like 35 minutes. So, depending on where you see me, the set’s going to be a little shorter, longer, whatever. But, when I do a full set, when I do like a 90 minute set there’s a little bit of Scream, some Union, some Motley, some Dead Daisies. And then I focus on about four or five tracks from the new record.

You did do one cover on this album, “Everyday. People”, the Sly And The Family Stone song.

Yes. Love that!

A very interesting choice.

My wife thought so too. She goes, “I have no idea how you’re going to pull this off”. And she couldn’t figure out, she’s like, “I don’t get how you’re going to do this”. But, Marti and I came up with a version and we recorded it and I brought it home and played it forward. She was like, “Holy shit, this is awesome!” So I’m really pleased with it.

You strike me as a guy that. while growing up, you would have had a very diverse record collection.

Absolutely. I still do. Obviously now our records are on our phones and in the cloud, but I’ve got everything from Sabbath to, (like I said earlier) Glenn Campbell, Frank Sinatra… I got some Tony Bennett,. So I run the gamut of music. I just love music and a good song is a good song, a bad song is a bad song. That’s the only categories you need to know about.

The other thing I want to ask you about is the album artwork. I like asking those guys that actually do the album artwork and get their stories. That’s a very interesting, very colorful cover and kind of jumps out.

If you do artwork, you’ll understand this, but I feel like this is a very ’60s, ’70s type record. Originally, I just wanted to find like something like a strong word, or something poetic that I could call the album. Finally I was just sitting here; I’ve got this little area in my back patio and I was sitting here having a whiskey and I’m listening to the record, and the more I listened to the song “New Day”, I liked the message. So I called my manager and I said, “I think I want to call the record ‘New Day'”, and he goes “Awesome!” It’s got a kind of a positive meaning and there’s a line” in the song that says “It’s a new day, just let the sun shine down on you. So I decided on the title and then I went on Google and I just wanted, like, I was looking for, I don’t know if you remember or not, but when I was a kid, I’m older than you, but I just remember seeing like those Hait-Ashbury Concert posters that they used to put on telephone poles. They were really colorful, like bright orange, or the old velvet paintings that they used to do back in the sixties and seventies. So I wanted something colorful, and I wanted to include like a sun image because of the lyrics. So I typed up sun image and the first thing that came up was the sun tarot card. And I’m like, “Oh, that’s kind of cool” Showed it to my wife, “Yeah, that’s kind of cool. It’ll look cool on a t-shirt”. So what I did is I looked up the meaning and the meaning was about rebirth, growth, positivity, just all these things. Okay, I like the meaning. I sent it to a friend of mine and I asked him to manipulate it. So everybody that knows me, knows my lot of people nicknamed me ‘Crabby’, so there’s a couple hidden crabs in the artwork and we squared it off and just made it more for like a CD or vinyl record. But then the other thing that was weird is there’s a Roman numeral on the card and it’s the number 19. I looked it up and the sun card is the 19th card in a deck of tarot cards. And I was like, “Well, that’s kind of weird because this is my 19th record”. So I just kind of manipulated a tarot card. I just loved the meaning of it. It was colorful and we made like some black t-shirts for when we were in Europe and that’s just on the front and it just looks awesome. So it’s colorful. It was very ’60s retro looking and it’s got a great meaning.

I want to ask a bit about the Dead Daisies and update, because obviously I saw that announcement yesterday with Glenn Hughes doing a show. When you left the band, was it on your own, like you had things to do? I look at the Dead Daisies, I’ve got those albums and I think, That’s kind of where you belong; that’s kind of like your home. So I was kind of glad to see when you rejoined. So what is the status right now with you guys?

Well, to be honest with you, like I was told last year that they were taking a year off. So to be quite honest with you, I was just as surprised when I saw the ads for the show as well. So I have no idea what, why they’re doing a show with Glenn. Couldn’t tell you.

I have no idea. I just been kind of focused on my solo career. Like, and, and it, and it, like I said, as far as I was told, they were taking a year off, and then we were going to get back on at things. They had already posted some dates for like March of 2027. So if you’re asking why they’re doing this show, I have no idea. That would be a question for them. I didn’t know about it yesterday. I got up and my phone just started blowing up my, the guys that handle my social media and friends are like, did you leave the Daisies again? And I’m like, “not that I know of”, I couldn’t tell you. So this was a kind of a left field curve ball from everybody.

So it appears to be a one-off show… I was curious. But when you actually left the band, how much of that was merely on your own…

It was my doing, you know, at the end of the day. When I first joined the band in 2015, Marco called me to ask me if I’d be interested in singing with this band that he was working with. And honestly, I was out doing those live ’94 shows. My son was playing drums with me, and we were doing ok, it was fine. So when Marco called and said “hey, do you want to come check this band put?”, I was “No, I’m good.” And he was “well, hear me out, and come and check this thing out.” So, I flew out to LA, and I had a meeting with David Lowy, Richard Fortis, and the manager. Initially it was “we’re going to tour half the year, and then you’ve got the other half of the year to do what you want. Your thing will help our thing, and our thing will help your thing.” And I’m, “yeah, Ok, I could probably do both.” So we went to Cuba, did those shows, and then we did the first record I did with them, which was called Revolucion, and mind you, when I got asked to do The Dead Daisies I didn’t even know who they were. My guitar tech told me “Oh yeah, it’s this band I saw last year. They opened for Kiss or whatever.” So, I just assumed that they’d use me in June and July, in the summer, and then I could go tour with my band in the winter, but when Revolucion came out…I don’t want to say it blew up, but it kind of blew up and started getting gigs. And for the next 3-4 years it became Do a record, go tour for 6,7, 8 months, then come back – do a record, tour for 6, 7, 8 months…. So, I’ve got my son in one ear “Oh great dad, I moved out to Nashville to be in your band, and now I never see you!” And I had a new wife; I’d just gotten married in August of 2014, and in February of 2015 I was in the Daisies. It was like I had to call her and let her know I was coming in so she wouldn’t shoot when I walked in the door.

So I just said to the guys “Look, I really appreciate the offer. I want to take a break; I want to hang out with my family, just kind of do my own thing at my own pace.” And they were like “Ok, cool”. And I was good with them. Even when they were with Glenn, there was a few times Glenn was sick, and with rehearsals I flew up to New York, and I sang whatever set they were doing with Glenn, and helped them run their paces. And then they went on tour with Glenn. So everything was good; I talked to everybody throughout the whole thing, and then Glenn decided to go back and do Black Country Communion or his Deep Purple shows, and David Lowy called and said “Hey, are you rested, are you ready to come back? Because if you’d want to come back, I’d love to have you back.” So I went back. I did the ‘Best of‘ tour with them, and then we did the blues record, and Light Em Up. I was just told we were having a year off this year. I was like “Ok, Awesome! I just got offered my solo deal. I can put out my record and go tour on it. And it won’t interfere with anything the Daisies are doing…. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! (Lol)

I interviewed you years ago, around the time the 2nd Union album came out. I’m curious if you still keep in touch with Bruce (Kulick)?

It’s like we don’t really get to see each other that often because he’s out doing his thing, guitar clinics, and conventions, and I’m doing the Daisies or whatever I’m doing at the time. We still communicate; I mean I’ll text him on his birthday and vice versa. It’s weird, I’m going to do a Kiss convention in April, in Indianapolis, and I know Brent’s going to be there, and Chuck Garric, Eric Singer, a few friends, Paul Stanley…and I was hoping Bruce was going to be there, but I’ve been told Bruce has other comittments. Everybody’s Good in Union. It wasn’t like we fought and broke up. If you followed Union, you know what I’m talking about – we couldn’t get any support from radio, MTV, nobody. So Bruce got offered a better gig with Grand Funk Railroad , and I got offered a better (paying) gig with Ratt. And it just kind of fizzled. But we’re all still good. Like i said, on occasion I’ll talk to Bruce; Jamie still reaches out, he’s been on tour with Roger Daltrey, and Brent’s been out with his band Toque, and Slash & The Conspirators. We’re all still pals; it’s all good.

I saw you guys (Union) just after the second album, you played some bar in Buffalo or Niagara Falls, NY…

If it’s the one I’m thinking of, I will never forget it. It was a small bar, and it was hotter than balls in that place!

Yeah, I think we went out the side door because it was so hot.

Yeah, it was f**king ridiculously hot in that bar. I totally remember that place.

I don’t want to ask about Motley Crue, I’m sure you’re sick of talking about that…

(Thank You)

I do want to ask if there’s any prospect of you doing anything with Mick (Mars) ?

I haven’t talked to Mick because he’s going through a bunch of bullshit with lawsuits and stuff. But Mick and I were texting a month or so ago. I would love to sit down and write with Mick – something. i had an idea of what I thught Mick should do , and he didn’t necessarily agree… I was trying to get Mick to go in more of. almost like Mountain, just a heavy guitar tone, almost like a blues base to it. But Mick wants to do a certain thing, and that’s fine. I’d love to help him out. I love the guy to death. He is truly one of the nicest people in music, period! So, anything he needs from me, I’d be more than happy to help him with.

LINKS:

https://ffm.bio/johncorabi_newday

https://www.frontiers.it/album/6095

https://frontiers-us.shop/search?q=john+corabi&type=product
John Corabi Announces New Album ‘New Day’

https://www.facebook.com/JohnCorabiMusic

https://www.instagram.com/johncorabiofficial/

VINNY BURNS – interview from the archives, January 2001

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This is an interview I posted in early 2001. At that time I’d been sent British band TEN’s latest album ‘Babylon’. It was a story based or concept album, with some spoken words between songs to tie things together. I really liked the songs on Babylon, and could’ve done without the between songs speaking, as there is a lot of very good songs here. I also ended up with the previous album ‘Spellbound’ and ‘Far Beyond The World’, released later in 2001, which would be the last album to feature founding guitarist/writer Vinny Burns. Vinny had previously been with ULTRAVOX, DARE, and ASIA. He also played with Bob Catley (MAGNUM), Gary Hughes (solo), as well as his own solo album (‘The Journey’, 1999), and later returned to DARE in 2015. Dare’s latest album was 2022’s ‘Road To Eden’.

Anyway, back to this interview. In it I did via email, and covered much of Vinny’s career up to that point – Dare, Ten, Gary Hughes solo…. He left TEN later in 2001.

(01/01) UK band TEN’s latest release is the excellent “Babylon” disc. The band remains somewhat of a mystery in North America, but in parts of Europe and especially Japan – Ten are a big band!
TEN has a string of albums released overseas, and a growing fan-base that will [Hopefully!] eventually see them get some credit in North America someday soon. The band’s catalogue is available through Frontiers Music. Ten is fronted by singer/songwriter Gary Hughes, and here I had the opportunity to swap some questions and answers with guitarist Vinny Burns. Burns is co-founder of Ten, and also worked with Dare, Ultravox, and Asia.
[Thanks to Vinny for answering my Qs, and to Mark Ashton for arranging it.]

Can you give me some of your biggest influences growing up? and perhaps a ‘top 5 list of favorite guitar players that have been influential to you as well ?
VB: UFO, Nazareth, Thin Lizzy, Rush, ELP, Foreigner, Journey, Y+T etc… As far as guitarist’s go, my main influences are Michael Schenker, Kee Marcello, David Meniketti [Y&T], Steve Lukather.

What bands / music did you grow up on ? Can you give me a ‘Top 10’ list of all-time fave albums ?
VB: I have an older brother Russell. He is five years older than me so I got into rock music that little bit earlier because of hearing his records. He was really into Nazareth, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ted Nugent and UFO. That was a big influence on me. He also played guitar so as you can guess I wanted to play as well. He showed me chords and helped me out. By the time I was getting better though he got married and moved out of the house so I was on my own from there on.
My top ten albums would be (in no particular order).
1) Pink Floyd ‘Wish you were here’
2) Nazareth ‘Rampant’
3) Lynyrd Skynyrd ‘Street Survivors’
4) UFO Obsession
5) Foreigner ‘Four’
6) Toto ‘Isolation’
7) Journey ‘Frontiers’
8) Neal Schon ‘ Late Nite’
9) Y&T ‘Black Tiger’
10) Thin Lizzy ‘ Black Rose’

Prior to TEN, you were with ‘DARE’. Could you give me the Dare story in a nutshell’ ? Highlights? Biggest hits?
VB: Dare was formed by Darren Wharton and myself in 1985. We spent a couple of years getting a record deal. Signed to A&M in 87. Did the first album in 88 with Mike Shipley and Larry Klein producing. It was recorded in the UK and US. The album was called ‘Out of the Silence’ and was very well received by press and public. A tour with Jimmy Page in the UK in 88 got us used to playing to bigger crowds than we were used to and in 89 we did a four month tour with Europe. We played to about 12,000 people a night and had a great time. After that a few UK headline tours followed and also a tour with Gary Moore. We did the second album in 90/91. Darren and myself got an apartment in Los Angeles and stayed there until the album was finished. It was produced by Keith Olsen and mixed/ engineered by Shay Baby. I still like the
album now. A lot of people thought the album was to heavy but it was a good album. It was also the album that we wanted to make at the time so I have to stand by it. We went to tour the album in the UK and Germany but I got a little fed up with the band. Me and Darren had a big fight in Berlin and I left the band. We were under a lot of pressure to sell a lot of albums and we were both still quite young. Darren was fronting a band and it was a lot of pressure to handle for someone who was used to just playing keyboards. We made him stop using the remote keyboard he used to use and become the frontman of the band. Looking back it must have been a really tough thing to do for him. I cannot imagine someone taking my guitar off me and then having to go on stage. Not surprisingly Darren started to drink before the gigs and
that lead to friction between us. No big deal really but when the press get hold of stories, they want to make more out of it. Dare was 99% of the time a great band to be in. I think if we had all been a bit older we may have held it together. There are no hard feelings anymore. We were very good friends for years before we started to fight. I saw him (Darren) just before Christmas and we had a lot to drink and it was a good laugh. Just like it used to be. I grew up in Dare and have nothing but fond memories of my time in Dare. There is nothing better than starting a band from Scratch and taking it that far. It was quite an achievement. I cannot remember chart positions or anything like that but make no mistake, Dare was a very successful band. We created a massive amount of press and interest. We had all the top producers wanting to work with us and all the top labels wanting to sign us up.

What other recording acts, big gigs have you been involved in ? [Did you have an association with Asia?]
VB: The biggest gig I ever did was 55,000 people at the Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami for Hurricane Relief in 92. It was with Asia and we opened the event. The next day we played on the back of a truck on Virginia Beach to about 250 people. Talk about one extreme to the other. I played guitar for Asia on the ‘Aqua’ world tour. We started in Japan in ’92 and took in Russia, Europe, Canada and two tours of the US bringing
proceedings into 93. It was a great time for me. I had been to the US a lot to record and do video’s with Dare but never played a gig there so to play to 55,000 people for the first gig was unbelievable. {ED: the following is from manager Mark Ashton : “He didnt record any albums with them but he did do a World Tour. I know that he did all over Europe, the U.S. and even Japan with them. It was when John Payne, Geoff Downes and Trevor Thornton were in the band, and Steve Howe toured as Special Guest, playing an acoustic set before they came on and then joining them on stage for most of ASIAs set”.}
After we finished the world tour nothing seemed to be happening. I sat around for a few months then my old manager rang to say that Ultravox needed a guitarist for a festival in Germany the next week. I was doing nothing so I went to London, rehearsed, got the new singer fired on the first day because he could not sing, auditioned Sam Blue for the gig and we (Sam and myself) stayed in the band for a couple of years.

When / How did TEN come about ? What can you tell me about the other guys?
VB: Ten came about from a phone call from Mark Ashton in 1985. Mark had started a new label called Now And Then Records in the UK. His first signing was a singer song writer called Gary Hughes. Gary was doing a solo album and wanted a session guitarist to play on it. I had known Gary since about 87/88. we both used to go to the same rock club in Manchester. It was called The Banshee. He had just signed to
Polygram and Dare had just signed to A&M. There were a lot of bands who went in the club but we were the only two people who had got a deal. I knew he had a great voice. we kept in touch. I tried getting something going with Gary when I left Dare but he was busy. We wanted to get something going after that but I was in Asia and then Ultravox. Finally it was Mark Ashton who got us working together. When we started work on what was supposed to be Gary’s solo stuff, we had such a good time that talk again turned to getting something together. We thought that it would be best to just start the band there and then and
that’s what we did. We spent a long time working on the songs in the studio and we knew they were good.
We went after Mike Stone to mix it. Back then it was just the two of us in the band. The first mix had programmed drums so we decided to remix the album and use real drums. That is when we brought Greg Morgan in (second Dare drummer). After that we asked Shelly (our old Dare bass player to join. We went to do a video for ‘After The Love Is Gone’ and need two more members and through various suggestions we brought John Halliwell (2nd Guitar) and Ged Ryland (keyboards). Thus Ten was formed.

Gary Hughes is writer / singer / producer. Is Ten ‘his’ band ? What can you tell me about Gary as far as his role in Ten, his reputation as a singer in the UK [comparisons, possible influences…] ?
VB: The amount of work put into this band by myself, Gary and the other guys is unbelievable. Yes, Gary writes the songs, but he does not tell me how to play guitar and I do not tell him how to sing. The songs
just evolve into what they are. Everyone’s comments are taken in as to how an album is taking shape from record company to studio engineer. As far as reputation as a singer goes. He is the best singer in this
band :-). That is a hard question to ask anyone on the ‘inside’ of a band. Gary is well rated and respected round the world as a singer. He was good enough for me to want to work with him for a long time. What else can I say. As far as influences go (you would be better asking Gary this one), I would say John Waite, David Coverdale etc are the biggest influences.

Prior to the latest album what have been some of the biggest highlights, chartings, and tours you guys have had ?
VB: We charted higher than Metallica in Japan on ‘Spellbound’. Higher than the Spice Girls on the first album:-). We have sold over 250,000 records in Japan alone with Ten. All of them Chart round about the top ten in The Japanese National and International charts on the first week of sales. Our tours out there have always been very successful. We are just trying to get Europe to the same stage.

Ten’s market is mainly in Europe and Japan !? Have you guys been to the USA at all, or plan to ever tour over here [North America], and perhaps break it here? Do you see a growth in the North American fan-base ?
VB: To be quite honest, until we get decent distribution out there in the US we have no plans of coming over. We have a lot of US fans if going off messages left on the Ten web-sites are anything to go by but it’s hard to tell what we are selling as a lot of them can’t find the records in the shops and are buying them on the net.

What happened to keyboardist Ged Rylands ? And how did you guys get Don Airey involved ? [Is he a permanent member?]
VB: Ged left. Don’t really know why and I don’t really care. I met Don at a gig in Manchester. He was playing with The Company Of Snakes. My friend Robert Hart was singing for them so I went down mainly
to see Robert. I had met Don at a festival we did with Dare in Northern Ireland years before. We were talking and he asked what I was up to. I mentioned Ten and he said that if ever we need any keyboards doing to get in touch with him. A week later Ged left so we got in touch with Don. He is a guest member and that suits both parties. Don can work on whatever he wants and we just give him enough notice for him to keep things free for when we tour.

Was the new story based idea of ‘Babylon’ mainly Gary’s ? How did the whole ‘concept’ thing come about?
VB: Yes it was Gary’s idea. You would be better asking him about that. The concept was designed not to get in the way of the songs on the album. By that, I mean that each song can also stand independently from the album. There is no big message being forced on the listener. You can just listen to it as an album if you don’t want to be involved with the concept.

You guys must draw some comparisons to the likes of Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Foreigner … [!?] Are these fair comparisons? What sort of ‘class’ of bands do you see yourselves in ? 😉
VB: We think of ourselves only as a British rock band. Nothing else. As far as ‘class’ is concerned, this band can hold it’s own against any band. We are a very powerful and proud band live. On our day we fear no one:-)

How has critical and fan reaction been to Babylon? What track[s] are getting air-play? What markets is it having biggest success in, so far ? Err, any plans to undertake promotion [tour] in North America ?
VB: Both have been superb. The album was our first chart entry in the German National charts, has been our biggest selling album in pretty much every country in Europe and the letters / e-mails we`ve had from the fans suggest that they like it a lot. At the moment there are no plans to visit the US. There has been
plenty of talk in the past about coming over to do promotion and a gig but nothing ever happened.

Can you give me a few lines about a few tracks from Babylon , such as The Stranger, Barricade, Love became The Law, Timeless, Valentine ..? What are your personal faves from Babylon ? As far as your own playing, what riffs or solos are you happiest [proudest] with ??
VB: I think that my favorite is ‘Love Became The Law’. I love the way that I split the solo into two and the build that happens when the second part comes in is great. I used a similar thing on the main solo in ‘The Name Of The Rose’.

What are the band’s current plans as far as touring and promoting Babylon? How much of it will feature into the band’s live set ? Any plans for the next album ?
VB: We are currently planning how we are going to structure the Babylon tour. We hope to do all of Babylon on any headline tours. We are about to start the next Ten album in the first quarter of this year.

[For someone like myself in North America who has never seen the band live] What can you tell me about Ten as a live act ?
VB: Ten is a very powerful act. I love the gigs when they happen. If this band had been around in the 80’s we would have cleaned up. That sounds really arrogant but I really believe that it is true. Right band, wrong decade.

What other projects are you and Gary involved in these days? Do you have any side projects / other recordings happening ?
VB: Yes, we are just putting finishing touches to the new Bob Catley album. After that I will be starting my next solo album. There is a Gary solo album and also the next Ten album.

What are you listening to these days? What’s your thoughts on the music scene over there ?
VB: I seldom get time to sit down and listen to music anymore. If I have spare time I try and do something with it. I have just discovered Tom Petty though and have been buying lots of his stuff. I play it all the time in the car. I love the songs, lyrics and the guitar playing (Mike Campbell). great stuff.

LINKS:

https://www.facebook.com/TenOfficial

https://www.facebook.com/darebandofficial

STEF BURNS – Interview from the archives, 09/2000

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This is an interview from September of 2000 with Amreican guitarist Stef Burns. At the time Stef was promoting his first full length solo album Swamp Tea. That album came out in 1999 (late ’98 in Japan). Like many back then, this was done via email. I’ve added in some links and songs here as well. In retrospect, some of these questions may seem a bit dorky now. At the time I was excited getting to send interview questions to someone who’d been on an Alice album (being an AC fan). Stef has released a few more solo albums since Swamp Tea (not all instrumental).

AN INTERVIEW WITH FORMER Y & T and Alice Cooper guitarist for his solo album ‘Swamp Tea’.

“Guitarist Stef Burns is best known for his time in Alice Cooper’s band in the early ’90s, as well as being in the last incarnation of Y & T. Recently Stef’s been working with Huey Lewis, and has released his first solo CD “Swamp Tea”. Swamp Tea is an instrumental album. Here I did some Questions and Stef answered, and gathered more info on his career, his time with Alice, Y&T, and his solo project. ”

Who were your earliest influences? how did you get into guitar?
SB: Jazz, blues, soul records of my parents. My dad played a little guitar and I picked it up around 7 years old. Then I became more influenced by the great guitarists like, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, B.B. King, etc. Allman Bros, then later by Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Mike Stern, Scofield, Pat Metheny, sax players, singers, drummers all were very influential.

What were your favorite albums & bands growing up? favorite guitarists in early days?
SB: Hendrix – Are You Experienced, Jeff Beck – Blow By Blow, Allman Bros. – Live at Fillmore East, Montrose, Deep Purple – Machine Head, Led Zeppelin – All of them, The Beatles – All.

What was your first professional gig?
SB: Touring with the R&B group – “Omega” featuring members from the Elvin Bishop Group.

How did you get involved with Y & T?
SB: Being a San Francisco Bay Area musician we kind of hear about each other. They asked me to join and I accepted. Was really a good hard rocking time.

How was the 1998 “Endangered Species” album received? What has the band done over the past decade?
SB: That was the last album recorded by the band. I hardly had anything to do with it other than one song as I was busy working in Italy that year (’96). I like that album though because it has a raw trio kind of feel to it. Dave plays his ass off on that one as well as “Musically Incorrect” (’94). I was more involved with “Ten” (’90) and “Yesterday and Today, Live” (’91)

You mean you only played on 1 track on the album??
SB: Yes.

Did you write & record on ‘Ten’? where & when was Live recorded? [what labels are these on?]
SB: Yes, I played a lot on “10”, 4 solos. It is on Geffen. “Yesterday and Today, Live” is on Metal Blade.

Seeing as Dave M. and Jimmy D. both played on your album, are there any plans for future Y & T gigs or recordings? What are the other Y & T guys currently up to?
SB: No plans as of now, but I think some day we’ll get together and do something. Don’t know exactly what though. Dave works with his band and does other projects in his studio. Jimmy is in Megadeth. Phil has a bunch of great songs I hope he releases some day.

What other recordings and name bands were you involved with prior to working with Alice Cooper?
SB: Well, there was Michael Bolton, Sheila E., Pablo Cruise, Berlin, Jesse Colin Young, (we’re going back to ’82 now). There was a band I was in, in ’88 called the VU. The stuff we did then will be released in Europe next year. It’s power pop rock, I guess you would call it, and sounds really good.

A lot of “pop” stuff! Who was in VU? anyone of notoriety ?
SB: Ross Valory, Prairie Prince, Kevin Chalfant and Tim Gorman.

How did you get involved with Alice Cooper? what do you recall of the auditions, etc… ?
SB: I was recommended to Alice by Joe Satriani, whom I know from the Bay Area, and I sent Alice a tape, got hired to do the “Hey Stoopid” album, then to tour. Then I recorded “The Last Temptation” which I felt more involved in creating sonically.

You were not in the songwriting credits on ‘Hey Stoopid’ or ‘The Last Temptation’; why not? was songwriting a ‘closed shop’ with Alice due to his working with outside ‘pro’ writers?
SB: I don’t know. I really didn’t have anything prepared that was in the Alice Cooper style.

Hey Stoopid had a lot of big names on the album, including other guitarists. What do you recall of these sessions?
SB: I was only present during the Motley stuff. Oh yeah, and Slash too. He was super cool, little bit drunk, but…

Why were there almost no big name guest stars on The Last Temptation?
SB: I guess that was Alice’s choice to make more of a band sound.

When did you tour with Alice ? Any stories or recollections?
SB: Toured a lot with Alice from 91 to 95. Again in the end of 98. It was always fun.

How close were you to Alice? How was he to work with? Are you still in contact?
SB: Alice is a breeze to work with. Very easy on stage and rehearsal. Great poker games on the bus. Haven’t talked to him in a while though we sent messages to each other through mutual friends.

What are your personal favorites [songs] from the stuff you recorded with Alice Cooper?
SB: The Last Temptation.

The song? anything else ?
SB: No, the record. Some of my favorite songs are, “Stolen Prayer”, “Cleansed By Fire” and “You’re My Temptation”.

What have you been doing since The Last Temptation?
SB: Vasco Rossi, tons of sessions, released “Swamp Tea”, Huey Lewis etc…

What’s your involvement with Huey Lewis? [Recordings, tours, etc…] [What’s Huey been doing for the past 15 years?]
SB: Right now it’s just touring. The new album to be released first of 2001 was finished before I joined. Chris Hayes plays his ass off on this CD. Some of his best playing ever, I think. Huey has always been working.

Have you done any recording with Huey? How long you been in his band? [where have you toured? where’s his market these days, cause I ain’t seen anything of him until the other day when i saw him in the promo for the “Duets” movie].
SB: Have not done any recording yet. Will play on one live track that I think will be for Europe. I have been playing with The News since March. The band’s market is spread out. We just played for 12 000 people at Pine Knob in Detroit.

How did the solo project come about? [who runs Lakeside Records? ]
SB: I did it myself with the help of my friends and collaborators. Always wanted to. John Seppala and I worked a lot together to finish it. He’s amazing.

‘Swamp Tea’ is less of the Alice Cooper riff-rock stuff, and more of a almost progressive / fusion sound. Is that the style of music you are more into? How did the sound / idea come about to not be a ‘metal’ album, but a more prog style?
SB: We just came up with music that we liked. Sometimes very melodic or jazzy. I never wanted to do a metal album. 

What can you tell me about a few of your favorites on Swamp Tea? Any stories behind any of the tracks? any favorites?
SB: Some of my favorites are Walking the Penguin, Echo Lake, Summer of ’68. These have a bit more of a soulful melody style.

How was the response to Swamp Tea in Europe and Japan? What promo plans are in the works for North America – any gigs, tracks receiving any radio attention, major mag features, etc.. ?
SB: I did an Italian tour and it went well. There were features in a few of the Italian guitar mags. I think I’ll go back to Italy first of the year. My Italian band is great. Next I think I’ll get working on my next CD.

What would you compare it to? Familiar with [fond of] Steve Morse’ work?
SB: I don’t compare it at all, but some of the influences that I hear are Todd Rundgren, Led Zeppelin, Toto, Deep Purple, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Mike Stern. I am familiar with Steve Morse but I am not really influenced. John’s song – “Wayfunner”, has a ‘Dregsish’ line in the verse.

How has the reaction been so far? any plans to do a follow up?
SB: Good and yes.

Any ideas for the next CD ?
SB: Not sure yet really.

Aside from the Italian mags, any major features, chart placings [ie internet, foreign countries, etc…]
SB: Haven’t got my first statement yet, so don’t really know what I sold.

What are you listening to these days? what guitarists out there do you admire these days?
SB: I still listen to the old guys. Beck, Hendrix, more Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Pat Martino, Rage Against the Machine.

( KJ: thanks Stef!)
SB: You’re welcome. This is the longest interview I have ever typed in my life!

https://www.facebook.com/stefburnsofficial

https://www.discogs.com/artist/300337-Stef-Burns

IAN HARRIS – Interview with album artist, songwriter, performer

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IAN HARRIS has had a lengthy career as a musician, as a songwriter, and as an album cover artist! In this interview, Ian details his career early on as a musician in a band with Alan Parsons, as well as his lengthy association and some of the album covers he did for WISHBONE ASH. And along the way some interesting stories of those he came in contact with through his art or through his music.

Can you tell me a bit about THE EARTH? What was the time frame of this band, and can you tell me about a few of the other players, whom had some interesting rock connections, as well as big opportunites, opening slots, etc…?

The Earth evolved from my previous band in the mid 1960’s – Conviction – formed in 1964 with 3 mates from school in North West London. We were Mods, loved Blues & Soul music and thought it would be a great idea to play cover versions of our favourite music to fellow Mods. We would check out bands playing at our local clubs and go ‘Up West’ to The Marquee, Flamingo etc. in Soho. The Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, Graham Bond Organization with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, Zoot Money, Chris Farlowe, even seeing Howling Wolf, Sonnyboy Williamson and many more play live. At that time the band members were Ian Harris vocals, Barry Mitchell Bass guitar, Phil Brockton Drums and Alan Owen Guitar. We were semi pro and played local gigs. 

As our music progressed, we needed a more proficient lead guitar player and in 1967 we put an ad in Melody Maker for a lead guitarist, very few answered but along came a guy who knocked us out – Alan Parsons – who at that time was working in the EMI factory in Hayes. His audition piece was Jeff’s Boogie by Jeff Beck; we couldn’t believe our luck!

With Alan Parsons in the band our set list expanded beyond our expectations playing cover versions of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, Cream and Blues songs. We began getting more gigs, changing our name along the way to The Earth. In 1968 I answered an Ad in Melody Maker for a band to run Ronnie Scott’s Old Place in Soho, we got the gig, played Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm to 4am and changed the name of the club to The Coffin. This was the autumn of 1968 the time of the Blues Boom in the U.K. we became well known and the club was packed out; we even had jam sessions in the small hours attracting jazz and blues musicians. An A&R scout from Mercury Records spotted us one night and offered us a deal to write and record an album, with one proviso, he wanted to expand the band and add an Organ player, we agreed apart from Alan Owen who sadly left the band. So now with new member Roy Quilley on Hammond Organ, we booked a rehearsal studio and wrote 8 or 9 songs in a week.

 I had been writing lyrics for a few years and had an exercise book of ideas, the band wrote the bones of the songs, and I sang the top line melodies. It was quite amazing how well Roy fitted in; we had only just met but the guys were all great musicians and gelled immediately. In December 1968 we recorded the album in Studio 2 Regent Sounds Studios. The whole album took only one day, it was a Sunday, I can visualise it now, the band playing the songs live in the studio and me overdubbing my vocals nearly losing my voice in the process, a truly great experience. We were all very pleased with the result and Alan Parsons helped mix it (by this time he was George Martins 2nd engineer at Abbey Road Studios working with The Beatles). I still have the songwriting publishing contracts, one shilling in old money up front! 

Did the band name ever come into conflict or overlap with the band ‘Earth’ that went on to become Black Sabbath?

This is where Ozzy Osbourne comes into the picture…just after the recording the band split up, we disagreed about musical policy with Roy, Barry and Phil joined another band and went pro and Alan Parsons was too busy at Abbey Road, so I was left with the only shellac copy of the album. I had a good job as a commercial artist at the time.  I do think that Ozzy and co had seen us at the Coffin Club, liked the name and called themselves Earth. They later went on to record ‘Paranoid ‘and the Black Sabbath L.P. at Regent Sounds studios by coincidence and I wonder if they heard the tapes of our album, as one track I wrote ‘Angel of Death’ (I too was a fan of Aleister Crowley) could have given them ideas, I will never know! 

Barry Mitchell went on to become the Bass player in Queen for a year. He left just before they had their first hit because they weren’t doing enough gigs.  He could never talk about it, now very ill and living in a nursing home. Phil Brockton became a structural engineer, never played the drums again and died at the age of 47.  I am still in touch with Alan Parsons who lives in Santa Monica. 

During this time, I did many speculative designs for album sleeves for my favourite bands, I was a great fan of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and one night I saw that he was playing the Marquee Club in Soho. I Had designed some sleeves for his next LP to show the band so went to the club and sneaked in through the stage door while the band were bringing their gear in. The manager of the club asked me who I was and I said I had Artwork for Arthur Brown and he let into the dressing room! Arthur arrived, I showed him my designs, and he asked me to see him the next day at Track Records offices in Old Compton Street, he introduced me to Kit Lambert and they liked my Art. I did some more rough ideas for Track Records including the next Jimi Hendrix album, but nothing came of it sadly. Arthur Brown left the label, and the Jimi Hendrix album Electric Lady Land had the notorious nude cover! 

The music business back them was very loose, everyone was hustling and winging it but it was an exciting time to be alive! I also pitched an idea for a new Beatles album sleeve. My design featured a Lunar landscape with the Beatles heads carved into a rock formation (like Mount Rushmore) , this was before the first Moon landing! I did get a thanks but no thanks letter from them (now lost) and that LP became The White Album. 

How did The Earth (limited) edition LP come about via Record Collector? When were these recordings from? And why/how did they come out in 2015?

In 2015 I noticed an Ad in Record Collector Magazine seeking anyone who had an unreleased album from the 60’s / 70’s for their limited edition ‘Rare Vinyl’ series, that would be me then! I called Ian Shirley, the writer and expert on rare vinyl, told him about The Earth LP and took my precious shellac album to him and he loved it, the clincher being Alan Parsons, it was Alan’s first ever recording, Ian loved it and described it as Underground Blues/Rock – Proto Prog Rock! During our conversation I told Ian I wanted to do the artwork for the sleeve as I had by this time designed quite a few L.P sleeves. I came up with the name Elemental as the four original members of the band Astrological signs were the four elements Earth Wind Fire & Water. The design just appeared once my creative juices got flowing, the lyrics being the inspiration – UFO’s – Magic – the elements – and I begged Ian to get my black pen &ink artwork printed onto Silver reflective card, ala Wheels of Fire by Cream, it cost a fortune apparently but looked amazing. The limited edition of 500 sold out within weeks and had great reviews and I re connected with Alan Parsons after many years. Alan complimented me on the cover and invited me to Abbey Road studios where he was doing a gig talking about the recording of Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd ‘s masterpiece on which he was the engineer. During his talk mentioned the fact that his first band was The Earth and the LP had just been released after 50 years gathering dust, he made me take a bow! 

 You also had a period as Terry Tonik in the late 70s, which is a fascinating story. Were you surprised the initial single didn’t lead to a bigger deal? You obviously have fond memories of that period.

After the demise of The Earth, I settled in to married life working as an Art editor and illustrator for Hi Fi Sound and Practical Hi Fi magazine although I continued to write and record my own songs and send cassette demo tapes to record companies, I have a pile of rejection letters!  1971, I was introduced to Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash by an old school friend of his who I knew, we hit it off right away having similar working-class backgrounds and music taste. During the 1970’s I met up with Andy backstage at many Wishbone Ash gigs and we became good friends.

In 1979 I wrote and recorded a demo of a song I had written called ‘Just A Little Mod’ about my experiences as a Mod in the 1960’s, the ‘Mod Revival’ was in full swing and I had something to say about being an original Mod! I gave the tape to Andy Powell who played it to his manager John Sherry who was planning on forming a new record company and wanted my song as the first release. (The name Posh Records derived from the first 2letters of both their surnames PO SH). We used a small recording studio I knew called Gooseberry Studios in Gerrard Street Soho which was legendary as a rehearsal room in the 60’s, Led Zeppelin had their first rehearsal there in 1968 (around the time I was playing opposite at the Coffin!). The studio was also used by The Sex Pistols and Gary Newman who recorded Are Friends Electric and Cars there. 

 I wrote another new song – Smashed & Blocked – for the B side, Andy produced it, played lead guitar and got an amazing drummer and bass player in for the recording session. I now needed a stage name, after a long boozy lunch next day we came up with Terry Tonik, my brothers name was Terry and Tonik was the name of the Tonik mohair suits I wore in the 60’s. I had a photo session dressed in my mohair suit and became Terry Tonik.

 I designed the logo for Posh records and the 7” vinyl single sleeve, I also wrote a one-off fanzine called Talkin’ ‘bout My Generation which was all about my favourite bands in the 1960’s which we sold separately. Safe to say the charts were untroubled by the release of Just A Little Mod so Andy decided to have another crack and I recorded 3 more songs  – a cover version of the 60’s protest song Eve of Destruction and 2 more of mine, Lost In A World of My Own & Wishing Your Life Away, recorded at De Lane Lea studios in Wembley with my old friend Terry Murray on guitar and the drummer from Big Country. In 1994 Record Collector mag published an article about Mod Revival and included my single as one of the rarest 7”vinyls worth £25 (now changing hands @ £70)! They didn’t have a clue who Terry Tonik was, even saying they thought it might have been Ian Dury! …. I wrote to them and they published my letter. Since then Just A Little Mod along with the other Terry Tonik tracks has been released on C.D. by Detour Records ‘A Tonik For The Nation’ available on Spotify etc., also last year Mod writer Eddie Pillar included Just A Little Mod on his Mod Revival C.D. Box set, gratifying! 

Had you been around much for the Wishbone Ash album Number The Brave, with John Wetton? Any recall on John with the band?

In 1980 I did more design work for Wishbone Ash and pitched some designs for what was to become the ‘Number The Brave’ Album all of which were rejected! I found out that the design company they used – Cream – copied a WW1 poster exactly and were paid thousands for it!  I was introduced to John Wetton at one of their rehearsals in London, there was a lot of tension around the band at that time, bit of a transition period after Martin Turner left, John Wetton was only bought in for the recording of that album as far as I remember, he didn’t want to tour as I recall. I do know they paid a lot of money for the design of Number the Brave and many years later I found out that the design company they used – Cream – copied a WW1 poster exactly! 

Were you around for the making of the album? (Any co-writes?) As it was an interesting period with Trevor Bolder on bass (ex Bowie, Uriah Heep) and producer Ashley Howe. Any stories?

I persevered offering ideas and finally got a commission for the new WA album sleeve. I met Andy at ‘The Sol’ studios in Cookham Berkshire (owned by Jimmy Page) during the Twin Barrels Burning recording sessions and showed him some rough sketches. The band decided on an image of twin exhausts on an American Hot Rod style car and arranged a photo session of the band posing with a Hot Rod car and with further research in magazines etc I managed to capture. I painted the designs (front and back covers) with gouache on art board. The whole thing took about 2 weeks including the lettering and artwork for the actual record label. They also used the artwork for the vinyl single ‘Engine Overheat’ and a cassette release. The band were delighted with the result and I got paid £800. I was pleased with that in 1982! The album was released on AVM Records Ltd, John Sherry’s new label and peaked at No.22 on the charts in the U.K. their last showing on the charts I believe. 

I do remember going to Surrey Sound when they were recording the track “My Guitar” where I was introduced to Trevor Bolder who was very reserved, nice guy. I was a bit in awe as I was a huge Bowie fan! Stuart Copeland was around then; The Police recorded at Surrey Sound and Stuart was a good friend of Andy.  I wasn’t involved with any songwriting on that album and the remix and new cover was probably because of a licensing deal later on? 

You did a couple of other Wishbone Ash covers, such as Strange Affair and The Power of Eternity. Both kinda old comic book / sci-fi (?) Love the Strange Affair cover, kinda like an old Dick Tracy comic. Can you tell me a wee bit about these 2, such as where ideas came from, suggestions, techniques, antidotes….?

‘Strange Affair’ was recorded at Andy Powell’s house in Buckinghamshire. He had a barn in the garden and built a modest studio there. It was all a bit weird in that place, he was trying to sell the house and move to America where his wife and kids had already moved to. Ted Turner was back in the band and Martin was the recording engineer but things were difficult. They got a deal with IRS Records (Miles Copeland’s label) and Andy got me to design the sleeve, he gave me a free hand on this one and I only liaised with the record label people. Martin Turner tried to get me to use one of his ideas, it was very hippy dippy with angels wings and not my style at all. I didn’t know what to say as Martin was a friend too so it was a bit awkward, I just did something more in keeping with the title. I love comic book art and had a ‘Strange Tales’ comic from which I adapted the lettering. I came up with a kind of Spy image, two guys in a film noir style. I thought Miles Copeland would like it  ( his father was in the CIA )! Again I painted it with Gouache on art board, the record company loved the design and said it was one of the best they had seen.

The ‘Power of Eternity’ name came about when Andy was speaking to his brother Len about having the power of attorney of his affairs, Len apparently said power of eternity by mistake! I had by coincidence written a song called The Power with new guitarist Muddy Manninen who had just joined the band after his friend Ben Granfeldt left WA ( both from Finland ). The green man idea was an image I had already painted, I have been writing songs and making paintings about the environment since 1989, showed Andy the painting and he liked the idea. I added the title to the painting in a simple tattoo style of lettering and it worked out well. That album was recorded in Finland, Muddy is a great guitarist and was a perfect fit bringing a bit of heft to the sound. The Power is the opening track on the album, Muddy and I wrote many songs for Wishbone over the next few years and continue our collaboration on his and my solo projects to this day.

 The other cover you did of interest, was the Indian Summer release for Record Collector. This was quite a package, along with the cover, which was obviously inspired by the original LP cover, but also all the photos, and things inside. Do you recall how you created this one? Did you get any help or feedback from bandmembers?

The Indian Summer cover came about after The Earth was released. Ian Shirley liked my work and I designed covers for 3 more releases in the Rare Vinyl series – Flare – Small Town Scenery and Indian Summer. The only clue Ian gave me about Indian Summer were the words Cactus and Fox……. That’s all he said. I had never heard of the band, knew nothing about them and he didn’t play the original album to me, all I had was the original band logo, so I had to come up with something original for a triple gate fold sleeve. I decided on a desert theme and painted slightly surreal images in neon fluorescent acrylic paint; I later found out that the original album was released by Neon Records! I played with the images of foxes and cactus and particularly like the cactus as record deck, made me smile along with the fox urinating against the cactus! I never met the band and got no feedback or input, Ian got all the ephemera and photos together, a big project. 

What else have you been up to in recent years? Any new art, music, or songwriting projects?

I never stopped writing songs and in 1988 began worrying about the environment, my daughter had just been born and I wondered what kind of world I was bringing her into. I knew a couple of musicians in Brighton where I was living and we got together and wrote some songs with an environmental theme which we recorded at Martin Turners home studio. I named the band Global FX but the world wasn’t ready for us! We did get an interview on Radio 1’s News Beat at Broadcasting House and an article in the Brighton Evening Argus as “the words first environmental band” – no one cared. Not to be out done I teamed up with a musician and computer geek and we recorded some house music with an environmental theme which I released in 2017 on Spotify along with a video.I was a huge Beatle fan in my youth and actually shook hands with all four at the first Beatles convention in December 1963 at Wimbledon Palais. In 1992 I wrote a tribute song for John Lennon called The Dakota which was recorded in Connecticut with Andy Powell on guitar which you can hear on Spotify. In 2005 I was invited was invited by the BBC to add to the 25th Anniversary tribute of John’s slaying on Radio 4. They played my song The Dakota.

I have written more songs with Muddy including one for his original band in Finland Gringos Locos who made a brief comeback with an album called Second Coming. Gringos Locos toured here in 1988 and supported Status Quo at Wembley Arena, made a few albums but same old story…..! Muddy has released 2 solo albums for which I wrote a song on each and got to sing on one track. He is living in the U.K. and still gigging.

I have worked in the creative arts since leaving school at 15 in 1963. I started out as a Commercial Artist in London, followed by a period in publishing as an art editor on magazines and then in the1970’s becoming a freelance artist, painting murals for quite a few musicians including in 1979 a mural for George Harrison at his mansion Friar Park Henley on Thames where I met George and told him we last met in 1963 at the fan club convention, he thought that was great! A lovely man.

In the 80’s I dabbled in the fashion world and had a successful company designing and manufacturing high end knitwear which caught the eye of the likes of Boy George, Spandau Ballet, Howard Jones and many more musicians here and in America. 

In 1995 I gave it all up and got a place at Chelsea School of Art which was a wonderful experience and changed my perspective on art. I have been painting ever since and will continue until I drop. 

*Go to http://www.ianharris.me.uk and http://www.terrytonik.com for links to most of my music.

https://www.instagram.com/harrisart2021/

ALAN PARSONS PROJECT official career spanning book

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There’s a new in-depth book on The Alan Parsons Project, which tells the story of the seminal Prog concept artists as an illustrated oral history. The book is filled with contributions from Alan Parsons, Eric Woolfson (from previously unheard interview tapes), various musicians, family and friends of the duo, it is illustrated with items from the Woolfson family archive, much of which has not previously been seen. The limited run Signature edition is signed by Alan and Sally Woolfson, and includes unique extras inside a bespoke clamshell box.

The book comes in a ‘classic’ edition, as well as a ‘signature’ edition. *Preordering gives you the chance to have a name printed in the book, for more information visit alanparsonsprojectbook.com

A FOOT IN COLDWATER – 10 Classic songs

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Canadian band A FOOT IN COLDWATER is one of those classic bands from this country that lasted 4 albums before breaking up, never having that major breakthrough outside of the country (see Moxy, Teaze, …). But the band did have a number of hit singles here in the early 70s, and left an excellent collection of classic rock. Reviews of their albums drew comparisons to UK heavy acts Led Zeppelin and Uriah Heep. These guys were unlike Rush, April Wine, or Triumph, in sound or success, but their first few albums are highly recommended Canadian rock. Perhaps with a bigger label, FICW could’ve gone further, instead of breaking up in the late 70s. Their albums barely got released outside of Canada; only 1 album saw a UK and US release, and 2 were issued downunder. So, for those who I always suggest to check out this band, here is a list of 10 outstanding ‘Foot songs, with some background, below. If you’re a fan already, drop your favorite FICW songs in the comments.

A Foot In Coldwater: Alex Machin (vocals), Paul Naumann, Hughie Leggat (bass), Bob Horne (keyboards), Danny Taylor (drums)

(Make Me Do) Anything You Want

OK, so if you’ve heard anything of this band, it is likely this song, their first single. A ballad that was a top 40 hit in Canada in 1972 from their debut album. It would be redone for their 3rd album All Around Us, two years later and hit the charts again. It was covered nicely by fellow Canadian band Helix in 1984, and was a hit for them as well. The first album came in a yellow gatefold jacket, designed by Paul Weldon (of Edward Bear, who also designed many album covers in the ’70s). Reissued in 1977 in a single sleeve, with the band photo on the front.

In Heat

A heavier, progressive track that ends the band’s debut album, written by Paul Naumann. These guys weren’t into lengthy prog rockers, but this is close at over 6 minutes, highlighted by over 2 minutes of heavy guitar and Danny Taylor’s drumming . One song well worth revisiting repeatedly!

Yalla Yae

One of the band’s hardest rocking songs, written by Hughie Leggat. A classic heavy guitar and Hammond organ sound, that is as good as any similarly type rockers by Deep Purple or Uriah Heep. Originally on the band’s debut, and even better sounding on the album All Around Us. I’ve included the latter version here, which is a bit heavier, omitting the strings.

Coming Is Love / Mose Into E

The Second Foot In Coldwater opens with 2 and a half minutes of acoustic guitar before the riff to “Coming Is Love” comes in, joined by organ, and eventually the full band. It’s a bit darker sounding, heavy rocking track, highlighted by Paul Naumann’s guitar performance. Cool lead off to such a solid album.

(Isn’t Love Unkind) In My Life

The band’s second single, another hit, and a ballad. Written by Paul Naumann. Love the production of this. My favorite of the ‘Foot’s hit singles. From The Second Foot In Coldwater, as well as All Around Us. I wonder why this wasn’t as big as “(Make Me Do) Anything You Want”.

Love Is Coming

Another ballad, another hit single. This one also from the The Second Foot In Coldwater, and later All Around Us, written and sang by Hughie Leggatt. Again, very different from the band’s previous 2 hits, but so memorable.

He’s Always There (Watching You)

The band’s first 2 albums were released in Canada (with the debut getting issued in New Zealand and Australia), but with their third, All Around Us, ‘Foot was signed to Elektra Records for the US and UK. So, this album would include remakes of the hits from the first 2 albums, as well as half new songs. all credited to the band. Recorded in Toronto and London, England, along with British producer John Anthony, and (engineer) Mike Stone, so a push must’ve been on. “He’s Always There (Watching You)”, was one of the new songs, a somewhat dark and heavy rock song, which was issued as a B-side to another new cut, “I Know What You Need”.

Midnight Lady

One of 2 singles (non-LP) released after the 3rd album, and before Daffodil Records went under. “Midnight Lady” was another rocker, with the band sounding tighter than ever. This one driven by Leggat’s bass lines, and a Naumann’s opening riff. A shame this one didn’t lead to more like it.

Why

With a few years since the All Around Us album, A Foot In Coldwater, the band was forced to find a new record label, as well as carry on without keyboard player Bob Horne, who left the business and moved south. ‘Foot would sign with the newly formed Anthem Records, which (I guess) sounds good, since the label had Rush and Max Webster. Not exactly sure when Horne left, but he did play on this stand out track from 1977’s Breaking Through. Production credited to Paul Naumann & A Foot in Coldwater, who wrote or co-wrote almost every track on this album.

Play My Guitar

Also from the band’s last album. The best of the rock cuts on this album; with a memorable dark riff, and then the song bouncing back into the verses. Great lengthy solo from Naumann. This album is more of a grower IMO, some fine songs, but missing Horne’s organ sound throughout it. The title track was issued as the single instead of the 2 songs here, and I can’t imagine the album cover helped.

*For more on A FOOT IN COLDWATER check out:

http://www.afootincoldwater.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/73281166822

JOHN CORABI – New Day (a review)

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If you’re not familiar with American singer/songwriter John Corabi, aside from his association with a certain 80s LA metal band, well, you’ve got some catching up to do. Corabi is the singer in the latter day old school rock heroes THE DEAD DAISIES, and in the 80s fronted THE SCREAM, and later did a few albums with KISS alumni Bruce Kulick in UNION. His previous ‘solo’ releases included live recordings of songs from his past, covers, etc.. So, New Day marks John’s first solo album of newly written songs. And well, if you were expecting something nearing ’80s styled metal, you’d be greatly mistaken, A New Day is a dozen very earthy songs, with lots of influences, and details in an excellent production. There’s rock in songs like “Your Own Worst Enemy”, “1969”, and the easily likeable title track. But there’s also bits of southern rock, Americana, blues, even gospel…in gems like “When I Was Young”, “Love That’ll Never Be”, and “Faith, Hope And Love”. It all ends with a cool cover of Sly And The Family Stone’s “Everyday People”.

This is one of those special albums that has so much to offer, musically and lyrically. Hope there’s more to come from John along these lines. John’s a guy that’s fronted a few major bands, but I think his best music is here, now, and in the future. Fitting cover art!

To pre-order – https://ffm.bio/johncorabi_newday

LINKS:

www.johncorabi.com

johncorabiofficial

https://www.facebook.com/JohnCorabiMusic

GRAND FUNK RAILROAD – Collector’s Series & More Of The Best (1991)

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Some times getting a compilation album on vinyl or CD was an introduction to a band I would really like, or allowed me to hear a bit more of their catalogue without shelling out for every album, in the event I wasn’t sure.

Growing up, for years once I began picking up records early on (be it used or new) I always looked forward to Christmas, even when I got older and Record shops still existed. For many years my uncle Jim would get me a gift certificate, usually for the Sam The Record Man outlet at the Pen Center, in St Catharines (maybe later Sunrise, after Sam’s closed out). That was usually a highlight for me at Christmas time, and I wouldn’t waste any time getting to the Pen when the stores reopened after the holiday. I had fought switching to CDs until about 1991 (never totally switched, but…) I knew a few GFR songs by then, as many of the hits still got played on the radio, and I think I’d picked up a VHS compilation of the band at the flea market! (Still got boxes of these things).

Anyway, following the Christmas of (either) 1991 or 92, I headed over to Sam’s and selected 2 Grand Funk compilations, both of which were issued in ’91, and retailed for about $18.99 back then – Collector’s Series (on Capitol) and More Of The Best (on Rhino). I don’t how close these 2 were coordinated and released, but they were/are the perfect pair of GFR compilations 16 hits on one, and 15 on the other, with no repeated tracks. While the Collector’s Series includes all the band’s biggest singles from 1969’s “Time Machine” and ending with 1975’s lighter “Bad Time”, More Of The Best includes the early live favorites like “Are You Ready”, “Into The Sun’: and “Loneliness” , as well as later lesser hits, like “To Get Back In”, “Sally”, and a few from the band’s early ’80s comeback albums. So, these 2 really cover something from the band’s entire career.

Each CD comes with extensive liner notes, images, chart placings, etc.. So, for someone just looking at getting in to the band at the time, these were perfect. Of course I went on to pick up the rest of the band’s catalogue on vinyl, I still grab these for the car ride on occasion.

ASIA – Live In England (a review)

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Going back to 1982, and remembering how big this album was at the time, and listening to it on the walkman, or just hearing most of these songs on the radio (when radio played more than just the singles on occasion). And here we are 44 years later with a new ASIA line up and a new live release of the debut, in it’s entirety, in order. Having seen the new ASIA a few years ago, I was quite happy with what I heard, especially in new singer/bass player Harry Whitley, who not only is close enough in sound to John Wetton, but also has the energy and passion to pull this off so well. There are times on this album, where one could close their eyes and forget what year this is. Hearing Whitley’s vocals on “Cutting It Fine” shows how just into this he is, and not just merely filling in. Asia have recorded the songs as they sounded on the original album (as close to), no deviations, the way fans would expect to hear it. No Palmer or Howe here, but check out the new single “Wildest Dreams” to hear how well this all sounds, especially John Michell’s performs on that one. Will be playing this one lots for the foreseeable future, which will lead to pulling out the original, and everything else Asia, in anticipation of the next 2 live sets (Alpha and Astra) that will come out down the road.

To order – https://ffm.bio/asia-liveinengland

ASIA:

Geoff Downes

Virgil Donati

John Mitchell

Harry Whitley

GOLDEN EARRING – 1970 album to be reissued w/ bonus tracks

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• Expanded edition of the band’s 1970 eponymous album, also known as ‘Wall Of Dolls’
• Including the Golden Earring classic Back Home
• Remastered for the first time from the original first-generation Phonogram Studio master tapes
• Three bonus tracks, including the follow-up single Holy Holy Life and the US single version of Back Home
• Including a 20-page booklet with liner notes, memorabilia, and photos

Founded in 1961 by George Kooymans and Rinus Gerritsen, Dutch rock band Golden Earring (or Golden Earrings, until 1969) started off as a beat band, experimented as a psychedelic quartet and finally became a heavy rock group. Their ninth album Moontan (1973) – including their classic track “Radar Love” – hit the international album charts and is the band’s most successful album in the United States, being the only Golden Earring album to be certified Gold by the RIAA.

‘Golden Earring‘ is the sixth, self-titled album that is also known as ‘Wall Of Dolls’ because of the cover photo. The record, released in September 1970, marks the debut of drummer Cesar Zuiderwijk with Golden Earring and is the first in a series of progressively oriented records that the group released in the 1970s.

The single “Back Home” from this album – written by George Kooymans during the American tour in 1969 – reached the top position of the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1970, while the single also reached the charts in Germany and France.

This expanded edition contains three bonus tracks: the single “Holy Holy Life” (#5 in the Dutch Top 40 in February 1971) with B-side “Jessica”, as well as the single version of “Back Home” as released in the United States on Dwarf Records in October 1970.

All tracks have been remastered in 24 bit/192 kHz from the original master tapes. The 16-page booklet contains a story about the creation of the album, written by Golden Earring biographer and archivist Jeroen Ras.

This expanded CD edition of ‘Golden Earring’ (‘Wall Of Dolls’) is the eighth in the series of remastered & expanded albums by Golden Earring, supervised by Red Bullet catalog and band archivist Wouter Bessels.

TRACKLISTING

1.        Yellow And Blue
2.        The Loner
3.        This Is The Time Of The Year
4.        Big Tree Blue Sea
5.        The Wall Of Dolls
6.        Back Home
7.        See See
8.        I’m Going To Send My Pigeons To The Sky
9.        As Long As The Wind Blows
+ BONUS TRACKS
10.      Back Home (US single version)
11.      Holy Holy Life
12.      Jessica

Golden Earring (remastered & expanded) will be released by Red Bullet Productions on 10th April 2026 and is available through all renowned music stores and online shops, plus all known digital channels (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.). The vinyl version released by Music On Vinyl will follow in late 2026.

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