Norway was (is?) a band from New Jersey. Many years back I received the band’s 2nd album – Arrival (on Frontiers). It was a good disc of AOR/Hard rock featuring excellent cuts like “Givin’ It All”, “One Night Alone”, and “Find My Way Home”.
The band featured Jim Santos (guitar, synth prog), Glenn Pierson (vocals, keyboards), Joe Slattery (bass) & Marty Brasington (drums). In 2006 the band changed singers with Pierson being replaced by Dave Baldwin (ex Voices), and issued Rising Up From The Ashes (MTM). Not sure how this album did at the time, but I was unaware of it til I stumbled on it a few months ago. The songs and performances here are still just as good than the previous 2 albums, though the production and approach comes up a bit more AOR than Arrival. Plenty of appealing radio friendly tracks like “Save Me”, this could’ve been a hit in a slightly different era, But there’s plenty of good pop/rock songs here – “Anything At All”, “The Power of Gold”, as well as ballads like “Haunted”, and “The Only One I Need”
Much of this stuff bordering on Bon Jovi and Journey. type tunes and sound not so much keyboards, but in the backing vocals. Guitarist Jim Santos notes that the album did not turn out as planned- “MTM basically released our demos;-the drums and guitars were supposed to be re-done in a proper studio — didn’t happen.”
Santos is planning to put together a ‘Best of Norway‘ for possible release later this year, and having heard one of his much improved remixes, it sounds like it will be a welcome release for those who dug those Norway albums – “There are 5 songs from Night Dreams and 5 from Arrival, and 2 from Rising Up-that Glenn will redo the lead vocals that were sung by Dave Baldwin, plus we’re thinking of 2-3 brand new tunes and a pile of ‘extra’s’ -demo’s, lost unreleased tracks, and possibly a few special collector editions. Might be two discs. We’ll see what happens.”
Although Santos insists the band never really broke up, the members have gone on to other things, but intend to get back together for the upcoming Best of – “Drummer Marty Brasington had moved to Columbus Ohio shortly after Rising , which made it “difficult”. There were other individual personal matters that each of us had to handle. I moved to California for 5 years which didn’t make it any easier, lol. For my part I stay active playing everyday, recording, songwriting. I wrote lyrics for one song on the forthcoming new Frozen Rain album, and played guitar on a couple of things for Adry A (Mattsonn) and we wrote one song together. I know Marty plays with a classic rock band in Ohio. He has a small recording setup, and will be working on drums for a couple of new songs for the Best Of. Glenn also just writes and plays piano at home. Now he moved to South Carolina only 3 1/2 hours away from me, so we’re planning some catchup sessions. Bassist Joe Slattery, I think still lives in NJ, not sure what he is doing these days.”
CACTUS sprung up following the break up of the legendary VANILLA FUDGE, and drew immediate comparisons to the [fairly new] and mighty Led Zeppelin with their first album of heavy blues rock. This performance is the band’s debut, consisting of mainly tracks from the band’s debut album, plus a couple of tracks from then-future albums (“One Way…Or Another” and Sweet Sixteen”). It’s a great sounding recording, and despite being their first live show, it’s a performance from a well rehearsed band, all well in tune with the material and an energetic performance. A brand new band that was making their mark right off the get-go.
*For more info & ordering, see press release below:
Historic First Ever Live Concert From Classic Rock Legends CACTUS Finally Sees An Official Release!
Los Angeles, CA – This is where it all began for the quartet dubbed “The American Led Zeppelin” – on a 1970 bill that also featured the likes of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Grateful Dead and Steve Miller Band. Vocalist Rusty Day, guitarist Jim McCarty, bassist Tim Bogert, and drummer Carmine Appice, collectively known as Cactus, made their auspicious debut in their very first public performance that night. Fortunately, this stunning and historic show was captured on tape and has now been unearthed from the archives and released on all formats!
The Birth Of Cactus 1970 finds the freshly minted quartet ripping through some of the key tracks from their landmark debut album including “Parchman Farm,” “Feel So Good” and “No Need To Worry” plus some smokin’ hot blues numbers. The performances are not only supremely confident, but also fluid and dynamic as each member locks into the groove and relentlessly rides it.
Drummer Carmine Appice had this to say about the concert recording, “I remember doing that first gig, hanging out with Hendrix who was a friend of Cactus. We got on stage and the energy level was off the charts! All the songs kicked major ass. We were so excited to get Cactus going and this show helped. Crowd was great and we did ROCK!!”
The Birth Of Cactus 1970 will be available on digipak CD and on PURPLE vinyl everywhere on January 21st!
Track List: 1. One Way…Or Another 2. Sweet Sixteen 3. No Need To Worry 4. Medley: Let Me Swim / Big Mama Boogie / Oleo 5. Feel So Good 6. Parchman Farm
Envy Of None, the new band and debut self-titled album from Alex Lifeson (Rush), Andy Curran (Coney Hatch), Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne due for release on Kscope on April 8th
PRE-ORDER HERE(https://eon.lnk.to/EnvyOfNone) Alex Lifeson is no stranger to the concept of evolution. As a founding member of Rush, he’s been able to explore more musical ground than just about any other guitar player out there – taking rock to new progressive heights throughout the decades and always in the most wildly inventive of ways. His influence can be heard on countless bands around the world, from indie shoegaze and math rock to heavy metal and beyond. Over the last few years Lifeson has been focusing on a new project that, no matter how well-acquainted you are with his discography, will undoubtedly shatter all seeds of expectation and blow the mind. That project is Envy Of None.
The new band, also featuring Coney Hatch founder/bassist Andy Curran, accomplished producer and engineer Alfio Annibalini and singer-songwriter Maiah Wynne, will be releasing their self-titled debut album on April 8 via Kscope. Its 11 tracks – which ricochet between various shades of alternative, experimental and synth rock – throw surprises at every turn, twisting dark melodies against contemporary pop hooks. Lifeson himself is proudly aware of how little of it crosses over with the band that made him famous.
However, it was only when singer Maiah Wynne became involved that this truly started to feel like a band destined to go somewhere. Her haunting melodies and soul-baring intensity is – by the admission of her own bandmates – what truly brought this music to life. All things considered; she is a star in the making… “I sent over an early version of the song Shadow,” explains Andy Curran. “When I played what she’d done back to the others they were like, ‘Who is this crazy talented person?!’”
The album’s first single, Liar, is out now. Its industrial beats, driving fuzz bass and atmospheric guitars concoct a seductive swirl indeed – thrilling in ways closer to the darker art rock of Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle than anything these musicians have been known for prior.
“Maiah became my muse,” continues Alex Lifeson. “She was able to bring this whole new ethereal thing through her sense of melody on tracks like Liar and Look Inside. After hearing her vocals on Never Said I Love You, I felt so excited. I’ve never had that kind of inspiration working with another musician. When we say she’s special, it’s because she’s really fucking special!”
“One of my favourite things about these songs is the intimacy of them,” reveals Maiah Wynne. “It makes them feel different and more honest. There are some heavier songs too, like Enemy, and then tracks like Kabul Blues, that sound completely different to anything else.”
The album closer, Western Sunset, which was penned by Alex Lifeson in tribute to his dear friend Neil Peart. It’s a highly emotive piece of music to honour a man deeply missed by the rock community at large, and even more so by those who were lucky enough to know him. “I visited Neil when he was ill,” says Alex Lifeson. “I was on his balcony watching the sunset and found inspiration. There’s a finality about a sunset that kinda stayed with me throughout the whole process. It had meaning. It was the perfect mood to decompress after all these different textures… a nice way to close the book.”
It’s a book you’ll almost certainly want to be reading. Envy Of None’s self-titled album is due for release on April 8 via Kscope.
Envy Of None track listing 1. Never Said I Love You [04:06] 2. Shadow [03:21] 3. Look Inside [04:44] 4. Liar [03:13] 5. Spy House [02:23] 6. Dog`s Life [04:36] 7. Kabul Blues [03:12] 8. Old Strings [05:15] 9. Dumb [04:19] 10. Enemy[04:16] 11. Western Sunset [02:25]
Ltd Edition deluxe version – presented in a gatefold sleeve with a blue coloured vinyl LP, 2 CDs including a 5 track bonus disc, 28 page Booklet with exclusive content CD – includes a 16 page poster booklet LP – on black vinyl / baby blue coloured vinyl (North America exclusive) / white coloured vinyl Digital
Envy Of None are: Alf Annibalini – Guitar, Keyboards, Programming Andy Curran – Bass Guitar, Synthesized Bass, Programming, Guitar, Background Vocals, Stylophone Alex Lifeson- Guitar, Mandola, Banjo, Programming Maiah Wynne – Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Keyboards
Saxon may not have caught on in North America the way fellow NWOBH leaders Iron Maiden did in the ’80s, but for the past few decades the band has consistently released solid albums, toured regularly, and also released live gems from their archives. Battering Ram [from 2015] got me back on track with the band, and then I saw Saxon in 2017 [w/ UFO] and it was a real eye opener. So, following the excellent Thunderbolt, a few side projects, such as Biff Byford’s solo album, the band’s covers’ album – Inspirations (released earlier this year), a slew of reissues and live releases, we get a brand new album Carpe Diem. By now most Saxon fans would be familiar with the title track issued a while back, a classic heavy riff & anthem based around the song “Carpe Diem (Seize The Day)” and a fine opener to an even better album, Saxon may be a heavy metal band who should’ve peaked decades ago, but here they are still coming up with an album full of songs amongst their best, offering not only their own thundering approach, but enough changes to keep things fresh from their previous records. On Carpe Diem, there is no shortage of tunes that will appeal to the Saxon faithful, from those big dark sounding riff rockers like “Super Nova”, “Black Is The Night”, “Dambusters”, and speedier “Living On The Limit (do I hear a twist on Sabbath’s “NIB” in there?). And Saxon never shy about timely topics and anthems deliver “Remember The Fallen” and “All For One”. Favorites here are the slightly slower “The Pilgrimage” which sits in that same class as “Lionheart”, (for me) and “Age Of Steam”, the best of the heavies here, killer intro and solo, with one of Biff’s historical content tales. Fantastic album from a band who’s still delivering their best. *Available on CD, vinyl (+colored0, cassette, and in Box set form!
*See the press release below for track-listing and more info…
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Life hath no fury like a legend in full roar… and on February 4th, 2022, Saxon will show just that to the world when they release their 23rd studio album, Carpe Diem, through Silver Lining Music, serving notice to anyone who ever felt otherwise that they remain both vanguards and masters of British Metal. Comprised of 10 titanic tracks bristling with steel-clad riffery and proud intent, the Barnsely (UK) born band draw on a variety of ingredients from their career to forge what is their most dynamic release in many a year.
“It all starts with the riff,” says front man and co-founder Biff Byford, “if the riff speaks to me, then we’re on our way. It’s a very intense album, and that’s all down to the fact that the essence of a great metal song is the riff that starts it, and this album has loads of them.”
Unleashing today the title track’s roll-back attack, this is Saxon at their purest and most definitive; aggressively parading the pure metal flag and imploring fans old and new to gather and celebrate the very best of both Saxon and the genre itself.
“In Latin it means ‘seize the day’ and I think it’s a great thing to say;” continues Biff “it’s what the Romans used to say to each other on a regular basis, apparently, never having met one, I wouldn’t know! But we’re gonna do the Seize the Day world tour, the album’s Carpe Diem, this song’s called “Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)” and it’s such a powerful thing to say.”
Produced by Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Accept and Priest guitarist) at Backstage Recording Studios in Derbyshire with Byford and Sneap mixing and mastering, Carpe Diem strikes the ear as one of the most essential British metal statements of the last few years and not lacking in pace or bite, an album which will ignite the joy in stalwart supporters and attract a whole new legion to the Saxon fold.
“We want every album we make to go platinum,” says Biff defiantly. “We never make an album that we don’t expect to be fantastic because there are no laurels around here, and as a band, we’re always trying to do something a little bit new, a little bit daring. I love fast metal like “Princess of the Night” and “20,000 Feet”, and I try and bring that style of Saxon into the music now, but in a more modern style. We don’t sound like an old band on records because we’re not sitting back on our past success, we’re always trying to make a great album.”
The genesis of Carpe Diem’s fierce intensity lies in two extremely significant life events – “It’s been a difficult two years,” offers Biff with considerable understatement, “because I had the heart attack back in September 2019, so things went a bit pear-shaped for the band. And then Covid hit two or three months later, but luckily, we started writing and recording this album before Covid. We did the drums in Germany and we did the guitars in various places. I was doing a lot of writing while I was in the hospital bed, and we spent quite a long time writing and arranging the ideas that we all had. I do think it’s a very intense album, and maybe some of that intensity comes from the frustration of not being able to do anything in the Covid period.”
Carpe Diem Track Listing: Carpe Diem (Seize the Day) Age of Steam The Pilgrimage Dambusters Remember the Fallen Super Nova Lady In Gray All for One Black is the Night Living On the Limit
Produced by Andy Sneap and Biff ByfordAlbum mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap
Guitars recorded by Andy Sneap at Backstage Recording Studios, Derbyshire (UK); Vocals recorded by Seb Byford at Big Silver Barn, York (UK); Drums recorded by Jacky Lehmann (Audiosound) at Velbyproductions, Grünenplan (Germany).
All lyrics by Biff Byford. Backing vocals by Seb Byford
If you’ve seen a few of my recent posts you should know that British rock legend John Verity has been very busy lately with new releases from his ’70s post-Argent band PHOENIX, as wel as a new studio album. I’d also re-posted an interview I did with John back in 2000. So here was my chance to dig a bit more in to John’s career, as he talks about ARGENT, PHOENIX, his solo career, and his new and more more recent releases.
Interested to know how much say / input you had on the 2 ARGENT albums? How were songs brought in and put together?
Recordings for the Circus album were well advanced by the time I joined the band, so material was pretty much decided on.
I didn’t play any guitar on Circus, my contributions were just vocal, as all the basic tracks were completed.
I was involved from day one on Counterpoints but didn’t feel I had anything ready in terms of song material that would fit the project, so I didn’t put anything forward.
I did contribute fully in the recording of the album though, both on guitar, and most of the vocals.
Generally what would happen is prior to the planning of an album everyone in the band could submit demos of songs/material that they felt might fit.
It was clear to me that Counterpoints was going to follow a bit of a Jazz/Rock feel generally and I had nothing that I felt would work.
Of the 2 albums you did, do you have a preference, and what were your favorites off those albums to perform live? Favorite Argent tunes from before your time?
I don’t have a preference, I feel that both albums have their moments, there are some great songs, and some lovely playing from everyone involved.
I wasn’t too familiar with the band before I toured as their opening act. I had been living out of the country for some time, totally focused on my own music and didn’t get to hear Argent stuff until I returned to the UK in 1972. Rod, Russ, and Chris White are amazing writers and their material is great to sing and play so again I have no real favourites as everything in the show was both challenging and satisfying to perform. It was a great time and everyone in the band was as the top of their game.
Did you come to North America with Argent? Any memorable gigs, festivals…?
Yes I toured North America with the band. Always a bit of a whirlwind to be honest with each day melding into the next so it’s hard to remember… I always did prefer the smaller gigs, like the Agora clubs, and the Starwood in LA. I like to see faces!!
With Phoenix, did you guys have a say in the album’s artwork? Very cool cover. Wondering if you’d having any recall on that?
Yes, one of our strict rules on forming the band was that we would have total control.
We usually came up with a concept, then met with a team specializing in album art to bring it to fruition.
The only time this didn’t work was In Full View. We recorded the basic tracks in LA and did a photo shoot for our proposed cover.
On our return to the UK our label, Charisma didn’t like concept and persuaded us to change. It was a mistake!
You had previously told me there was unreleased Argent songs, as well as songs from an aborted reformation. Curious if any of this stuff has ever seen the light of day, or will?
I very much doubt this will resurface. I don’t even know where the tapes are…. Sorry!
That first Phoenix album is a classic guitar rock album, IMO. Can you give me any insight to a few of the songs and the writing & recording of tracks like “Easy”, “Woman Like You”, “From The Ashes” …. ?
Yea, I wrote a lot of the material with live performance in mind. ‘Easy’ for example was meant to be a show opener. I visualized Jim starting with bass line on a darkened stage, then Bob’s big drum fill leading into the main guitar riff. Same with “Woman Like You’, which has dynamics suited to a live show. These two really did worked when we took them on the road. “From the Ashes’ was a song I’d had in my head for while. Jim had been messing around with Rod’s Mellotron and that finally gave me the idea for a mood that would suite the song and then it came together really quickly.
What did the Phoenix set list consist of back then [after debut]? and do any live recordings exist?
You know what? I really can’t remember the setlist. I know we did Easy, Woman Like You, You Got Soul, Are You Ready. I remember we did a drum feature called Dirty Water.
There is a well recorded bootleg from our show in Zurich but I never kept a copy unfortunately.
Can you detail the time and time frame of when the Out Of The Sun album was written and recorded?
We were writing material for Out of the Sun when we were on the road promoting the first Phoenix album. We even did some of the new material in the show.
This was 1977. When we came off the road after touring with Aerosmith we went straight into my home studio to make demos of the songs and pretty soon thereafter into Trident Studios in London to complete the actual album recordings. I asked Rod to play on the album and he has played on a lot of my recordings over the years. We’re still great friends.
Do you recall any clear memories or specifics on the tracks on Out Of The Sun? Any insight in to some of the tracks?
We worked really quickly, meeting each day at my place we would play basic ideas to each other and thrash out arrangements whilst I recorded everything we did.
Next morning we’d start by listening to the previous day’s stuff and choose/reject songs each time until we were happy with enough strong material for an album.
Once I had nice recordings to refer to we’d get our Management to book Trident and we’d start again, fine tuning and laying down the proper album tracks.
How did the making of Out Of The Sun differ from the first Phoenix album? and can you recall how it was put to you that the record company wanted something different?
We worked in the same way as we did the first album. Same studio, same routine except that I wanted to stretch out a bit on a production level. Tying stuff out like real phasing and backwards guitar tracks… I think CBS were worried that what we were doing was out of stride with what was currently happening musically. Record companies tend to follow fashion…
So, where were the tapes for Out Of The Sun for the past 40 years, and can you tell how you came back in to possession of them?
I kept the multi-track tapes for many years. Magnetic tape doesn’t age well, and when I brought the masters out of storage and tried to play them they simply fell apart on the tape machine.
There is a process whereby you bake the tapes and are then able to play them once and copy them but that didn’t work either.
So… I thought they were gone forever…
Then late last year (2021) Steve Rodford (Jim’s Son) called me to say that he’d found some recordings amongst Jim’ stuff. Steve hadn’t looked through everything since Jim had passed, and had spotted a box that looked ‘interesting’. To cut a long story short, I had forgotten that back in the day I had given Jim some mixes of the album when I was working on the tracks at Trident Studios. Jim took them home to listen to and then put them away safely. We all forgot about it. Steve said that in Jim’s writing it said ‘Out Of The Sun’!. So I jumped in my van and drove straight to Steve’s to grab the stuff and check it out. Together with Matthew White I was able to restore the recordings, then bring them to my studio to remaster. You’ve heard the results.
Was there more than just the 8 tracks on the album? Anything left out or any alternate takes?
I’ve used everything…
One thing that’s interesting, is that you joined Argent on Russell’s recommendation [whom you replaced], but over the years you’ve covered some of the songs he wrote, obviously kept in touch, in a distant working relationship. Can you talk a bit about Russell as someone you’ve worked with, a friend or mentor [?]. And Russell as a songwriter, baring in mind all of the classic songs he’s written that ended up being hits for other artists!? I think more people know a few Russ Ballard songs than actually know who Russell is.
I was obviously aware of Russell but didn’t really know him until the late ‘70s when I had a call from his management.
Russ was working in the studio and the engineer had become unwell. Russ had heard about my reputation as an engineer and wondered if I could help him out. That was the beginning of our relationship really and for a time we worked together every day in the studio as Russ wrote and recorded songs. (don’t ask me to list them!! Russ is very prolific.
I learned a lot during that time and have approached Russ for songs when I needed strong material – Phoenix was the first band to record ‘I Surrender’ (That’s another story).
We’re still good friends and talk regularly to put world to rights…
There were a couple of Phoenix resurrections …[or attempts?] over the years. Can you mention a bit about any such shows or attempts to reform?
Bob Henrit was in my band for many years after Phoenix ended, and we did think about doing some Phoenix stuff from time to time.
In 2010 an agency showed an interest in putting some Phoenix dates together and we decided to record an album to fit in with this.
The album ‘Still Burning’ featured Bob & I, with Mark Griffiths on bass and Ian Gibbons on keyboards. We finished it and were preparing to go on the road to promote it when the same agency suddenly announced a tour by ‘Argent – the original line-up’. This came as quite a shock to me of course, so I shelved the Phoenix album and used some of the tracks on my ‘Verity – Rise like the Phoenix’ CD.
Over the last few decades you’ve recoded a lot of albums. Can you touch on some of these more recent ones, such as Zep It Up, My Religion, and Blue To My Soul?
Zep it Up was really just a bit of fun recording a bunch of my favorite Zeppelin tracks.
At the time my studio was in a truck, as I wanted to try recording in different locations/acoustic environments etc.
I was in the Northwest of the UK at the time and was checking out one particular location for rehearsing with my current band – John Clark on drums and Dave Kinley on bass.
It sounded great so I drove the truck there, ran some mic lines in and we spent a few hours messing around recording stuff we liked. In the end we recorded about 14 Zep tracks that day, and I spent another day recording vocals, tidying up and mixing. It became the ‘Zep it Up!’ album.
Soon after that I moved to my current home in the Southeast of England and built my current studio.
I write and record all the time here, with various guests and the guys in my current band lineup, sometimes just by myself.
Every couple of years I put out a new album and tour to promote it.
Over the years my albums have often been a mix of my own material with covers of some of my favourites from other writers.
If I do a cover it is seldom anything like the original…
As of writing, my latest album ‘Passion’ is all originals, it just worked out like that.
I tend to write about the things I care about, such as being in a band, touring and relationships though my stuff can be a little political too – with tongue in cheek…
You released Passion in 2020. I presume this was recorded before the pandemic and lockdowns!?
Yep, my timing is diabolical!
‘Passion’ was released just as the pandemic hit. We were 2 days into the tour and had just played a festival in Scotland when the Lockdown was announced. That was the end of our tour, so we came home.
Passion definitely sounds inspired and energetic. Is making new music now still a labor of love? How happy were/are you with how Passion turned out?
Music is my life. I formed the first John Verity Band in America in 1970 and I had already been playing professional in bands since the early 60s.
Fronting my own band was a big move for me.
I love doing what I do, my whole life from early teens has been about music, to the detriment of everything in my life. I’m very lucky to have found an amazing woman, Carole who’s prepared to put up with it. I sing and play every day, our home is a 300 year old cottage far enough from neighbours for me to make music anytime without interruption. It’s bliss!!
I’m really pleased with ‘Passion’ but like most musicians there are things I would change. A note here, note there…
Can you touch on what inspired some of the tracks [musically] on Passion? [I know there’s details in the liner notes on lyric ideas] ?
My music has swung between blues and rock over the years and I wanted to do an album that reflected that, and touched on some of my influences.
‘Higher’ is much like the stuff I was doing in the 80s and lyrically its about how I feel about my music. My harmonies are typical of stuff from that time, intentionally. It’s time-warp!
‘Get Wise’ it about what was the current political situation in the US. I think it’s sad that kids don’t seem to care about what’s going on around them…
‘Sand In My Pocket’ is a tongue in cheek conversation on what it’s like to be in a band being lied to by promoters/agents time and again. You end up with no money – just sand in your pocket… But we love it so much we do it anyway…
‘Broken Heart’ is about what we’re doing to our planet.
‘Big Stick’ I think it was Franklin D Roosevelt who spoke about Big Stick Diplomacy. The current (at time of writing) President should maybe take a leaf out of this book. The song, again with tongue in cheek refers to Trump and the UK Prime Minister Johnson.
‘Red Devil’ In the style of Cream I wanted to write about one of my musical heroes Ginger Baker.
‘Bad Boy’ I suppose is a really obvious tribute to another one of my heroes, Chuck Berry. He was a very bad boy, but he changed everything musically for me and countless other musicians like me.
‘The Open Road’ was never meant to be released, I just recorded it one day when I was feeling a bit blue. My Wife Carole pushed me to include it on the album.
I see you have vinyl copies of Passion at your website, might we see a vinyl edition of Out Of The Sun?
I don’t have the budget to do this at the moment – but you never know…
I presume you have a home studio [?] Have you spent more time in it during covid? Any extra music projects to keep you busy until live gigs come back fulltime?
I’m in my studio every day. As we speak I’m recording acoustic versions of some of my electric songs.
During pandemic I’ve been streaming weekly to a private group of fans from the studio.
Can you talk a bit about your own guitar playing and singing and who’s sort of influenced you, especially in later years, with more blues stuff?
I was into blues early in my career and the influence has be there throughout but maybe not so obvious.
I started like a lot of kids in the UK in the 60s. Skiffle had just finished and we were listening to Blues & R&B records from America, and of course Rock & Roll plus pop chart stuff.
I joined a group and we would play the easy 3 chord stuff, then as the instrumental groups like the Shadows, Ventures & Duane Eddy came along we’d some of that too.
I wasn’t really interested in anything else so would play whatever I had to play to get gigs. A bit of a musical tart!
I would play R&B and soul, sometimes a little Jazz, and of course Pop hits of the time. My influences by then were the up and coming blues players like Eric Clapton and Peter Green. I was already heavily influenced by BB King & Albert King.
I was in a band playing Soul & Chicago Blues at the end of the 60s when the ‘Underground’ music scene kicked off and we morphed into a band called ‘Tunnel’. We would stretch out musically and that’s when I started writing. By then I was pretty confident to solo on guitar and I think I was getting my own style together. We were living in America by then and doing some pretty amazing shows. When Tunnel came to an end in 1970 I decided to stay in the US and formed my first John Verity Band with drummer Teddy Napoleon and bassist Mark Troisi.
By that time Jimi Hendrix had arrived and scared all of us guitarists to death, and I had the honor of opening for him in Miami, 2 days after my 21st birthday in ’71.
This first JV Band lasted for about a year then my visa ran out and I had to return to the UK.
At home I continued to work on the songs I had started in Miami, and began looking for musicians for the next chapter of the JV Band.
After a few false starts I found a great lineup with Ron Kelly on Drums, Gerry Smith on bass and Geoff Lyth on guitar and keyboards.
I had just negotiated a record deal with Probe/ABC/Dunhill and we set about recording what would be my first album.
My timing once again was dreadful!
There were political problems in the UK resulting in a 3-day working week meaning studio time was scarce, but we managed to get the album finished at last.
With the album finished the label wanted me to tour, and secured an opening slot of the upcoming ‘Argent’ tour.
To support the release, DARE will embark on a 12-date UK headline tour in October 2022. Planet Rock will start at 48-hour ticket pre-sale at 9am on Wednesday 12th January via www.planetrocktickets.co.uk.
Road To Eden follows Dare’s critically acclaimed albums Sacred Ground (2016) and Out Of The Silence 2 (2018). Both albums reached Number #1 in the Amazon Classic Rock Charts in four countries including the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Dare entered the top #5 in the official UK Rock charts, number #6 in the US Amazon Classic Rock Charts and Number #1 in Japanese rock imports.
Road To Eden is destined to be another modern DARE classic. Produced by their lead singer songwriter Darren Wharton (ex-Thin Lizzy) at his studio the majestic mountains of North Wales. The new album has a harder rock edge than previous albums, whilst still retaining the atmospheric sound, and anthemic melodies that has become the band’s signature trademark.
Road To Eden features ten brand new beautifully crafted songs that captures the very heart of DARE. With a full headline UK tour set for the UK in October 2022, plus dates in Spain, Scandinavia, and Germany, it’s going to be an exciting year for the band.
“We wanted to write an album that translated well to live performance,” says Darren. “Road To Eden has some great anthems, energy and power. We can’t wait to play the new songs live.”
With previous DARE albums now having well over 4 million streams on Spotify, it’s clear that for the growing army of DARE fans, the wait is nearly over, as they prepare to join DARE on The Road To Eden.
BAND LINE-UP
DARREN WHARTON – VOCALS, KEYBOARDS VINNY BURNS – GUITARS NIGEL CLUTTERBUCK – BASS GUITAR KEV WHITEHEAD – DRUMS MARC ROBERTS – KEYBOARDS
TRACK LISTING
1. BORN IN THE STORM (4:45) 2. CRADLE TO THE GRAVE (4:21) 3. FIRE NEVER FADES (3:51) 4. ROAD TO EDEN (4:07) 5. LOVERS AND FRIENDS (3:43) 6. ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG (4:37) 7. I ALWAYS WILL (4:24) 8. GRACE (3:44) 9. THE DEVIL RIDES TONIGHT (3:49) 10. THY KINGDOM COME (4:30) 11. BORN IN A STORM (ROMESH REMIX) (4:21)
PRODUCED BY DARREN WHARTON
Planet Rock in association with The Gig Cartel presents
Swedish hard-rock/metal band who released 7 albums from 1992-2011, before taking a break, but returned last year with Back On Track, a 15 song CD of hard rock, melodic rock, and metal. A well produced album, with attention to detail on song intros, solos, backing vocals, and well placed keyboards. Lots of hooks, melodies, and changes from song to song. I will say that I am not a fan of long albums, 10 tracks i enough for me, but hey, fans of the given band will appreciate more.
The title track leads off this album with a brief intro leading in to the heavy crunchy riff. A fine opener and first video released from this album. Favorite tracks rocks include rockers “Narrow Mind Land”, “Get Down To Biz”, “Doctor Lööv”, and “Rising”.
*check out the press release and links below …
It’s time, not just to celebrate the 30:th anniversary of the first M.ILL.ION album, but also to get back to that pure feeling of joy of the early days! Take note, people: This is not a reunion of tired middle aged men for nostalgic reasons. This is for real and a serious attempt at creating great new rock music, to kick some classic ass on stage again and to have lots of fun doing it all! Four original M.ILL.ION members reunited in the autumn of 2020: Hans Dalzon (Lead Vocals), CT Rohdell (Guitar) Marcus Berglund (Keyboards) and B.J Laneby (Bass Guitar). New, and very talented recruits Henrik Andersson (Lead Guitar) and Magnus Rohdell (Drums) completes this powerful six piece. Founder & bassist B.J Laneby comments: ”It’s so much fun, creativity & energy again! It’s really like the title track says: ” BACK ON TRACK – Time to make boys out of men!” The band has spent the spring of 2021 working on the reunion album BACK ON TRACK. This 15 track production includes three brand new songs and two re-recordings/re-arrangements of tracks from the No.1 album. Adding to this: Rare recordings have been found, remixes have been done + remasterings of songs from the first three albums; ”No.1”, ”We, Ourselves & Us” and ”Electric” as well. All very highly praised albums, all getting updated sounds. Indeed, quite a cool package of classic melodic hard rock! The new recordings on the Back On Track album were mixed by the world famous British producer Simon Hanhart (David Bowie, Bryan Adams, Saxon, Marillion, Asia, Yngwie Malmsteen, Waysted. a.o). Mastering was handled by another world class guy: Tim Debney of Fluid Mastering, UK. (Deep Purple, Rod Stewart, Judas Priest…) M.ILL.ION recently signed a deal with the well known German label AOR Heaven for the European release.
Track list: 1. Back On Track, 2. Rising, 3. Circle Of Trust, 4. 90-60-90, 5. Sign Of Victory, 6. Judgement Day, 7. Eye Of The Storm, 8. Narrow Mind Land, 9. Lovely Eyes, 10. Burn In Hell, 11. Doctor Lööv, 12. Mother Earth, 13. Get Down To Biz, 14. Tear Down The Walls, 15. Candyman . So, ladies & gentlemen, rockers & rollers: Get Ready! M.ILL.ION is BACK ON TRACK! http://www.millionsweden.com //http://www.facebook/Millionbackontrack
Canadian/American band Steppenwolf had a string of hits in the late 60s to early 70s, best known for the classics “Magic Carpet Ride” and “Born To Be Wild” (a top 10 hit from their 1968 debut LP), and for that phrase “heavy metal thunder” which helped (?) to categorize the hard and heavy bands years later, and probably get the band unfairly lumped in the genre. This CD box set from Esoteric features the band’s first 7 albums, which was their golden era. Each album comes with bonus tracks, many of which are single edits on mono. As well there is Early Steppenwolf (Live 1967). Going through each disc, it is not surprising to recognize at least 1 hit single from each, plus radio hits; but this collection is a great reminder that Steppenwolf were more than just an early ‘metal’ band (haha) who charted a number of times from 67-71. Following 1971’s For Ladies Only, (which featured the hits “For Ladies Only” and “Ride With Me”), the band took a 3 year break before 1974’s Slow Flux (not included here). Although later albums wouldn’t match the success of the ones here, there’s still plenty of decent albums and great music (see 1976’s Skullduggery). So here’s hoping there’s a Volume 2….
Steppenwolf “Magic Carpet Ride: The Dunhill / ABC Years (1967-1971)” 8CD Set To Be Released November 19, 2021
• NEWLY REMASTERED EIGHT DISC BOXED SET FEATURING EACH ALBUM RECORDED BY THE LEGENDARY STEPPENWOLF FOR THE DUNHILL/ABC LABEL BETWEEN 1967 AND 1971 • WITH 26 BONUS TRACKS DRAWN FROM RARE SINGLES AND MONO MIXES • INCLUDING THE ALBUMS “STEPPENWOLF”, “THE SECOND”, “AT YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY”, “EARLY STEPPENWOLF”, “MONSTER”, “STEPPENWOLF LIVE”, “STEPPENWOLF 7” and “FOR LADIES ONLY” • REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL DUNHILL/ABC MASTER TAPES
Steppenwolf was formed in 1967 in LA by John Kay (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Goldy McJohn (organ, piano) and Jerry Edmonton (drums) who were previously members of the Canadian band The Sparrows. They were joined by Michael Monarch (lead guitar) and Rushton Moreve (bass). The band signed to Dunhill/ABC the same year and with producer Gabriel Mekler they recorded their self-titled debut album. The band were propelled to success with their classic single “Born To Be Wild” (a #2 hit in the USA) and became even wider known when the track was featured, along with their version of “The Pusher” in the classic 1969 counterculture film “Easy Rider”.
“The Second” was released in October ‘68 and featured the hit single “Magic Carpet Ride” (another US #2 hit). In March ‘69 “At Your Birthday Party” was released to further success and was their first record to feature Nick St Nicholas on bass and their last to feature Michael Monarch. The July 1969 release “Early Steppenwolf” featured live recordings made at The Matrix in San Francisco in May 1967 and featured a 20-minute version of “The Pusher”.
The band’s next studio album, “Monster”, was issued in November 1969 and dealt with America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. 1970 saw the band release two albums, the double LP “Steppenwolf Live” and “Steppenwolf 7”. By the release of the latter the band’s popularity began to wane slightly, although they would retain a large and loyal fan base. Their November 1971 album “For Ladies Only” was their last for Dunhill/ABC and Steppenwolf disbanded in February 1972 only to reform in 1974.
Disc One: Steppenwolf – Remastered Released In January 1968 1. Sookie Sookie 2. Everybody’s Next One 3. Berry Rides Again 4. Hootchie Kootchie Man 5. Born To Be Wild 6. Your Wall’s Too High 7. Desperation 8. The Pusher 9. A Girl I Knew 10. Take What You Need 11. The Ostrich Bonus Tracks (Mono Single Versions) 12. Sookie Sookie 13. Born To Be Wild 14. Everybody’s Next One 15. Take What You Need 16. A Girl I Knew 17. The Ostrich 18. The Pusher 19. Berry Rides Again
Disc Two: The Second – Remastered Released In October 1968 1. Faster Than The Speed Of Life 2. Tighten Up Your Wig 3. None Of Your Doing 4. Spiritual Fantasy 5. Don’t Step On The Grass Sam 6. 28 7. Magic Carpet Ride 8. Disappointment Number (Unknown) 9. Lost And Found By Trial And Error 10. Hodge, Podge, Strained Through A Leslie 11. Resurrection 12. Reflections Bonus Tracks 13. Magic Carpet Ride (Mono Single Version) 14. Spiritual Fantasy (Mono Single Version)
Disc Three: At Your Birthday Party – Remastered Released In March 1969 1. Don’t Cry 2. Chicken Wolf 3. Lovely Meter 4. Round And Down 5. It’s Never Too Late 6. Sleeping Dreaming 7. Jupiter Child 8. She’ll Be Better 9. Cat Killer 10. Rock Me 11. God Fearing Man 12. Mango Juice 13. Happy Birthday Bonus Tracks (Mono Single Versions) 14. Rock Me 15. Jupiter Child 16. It’s Never Too Late 17. Happy Birthday
Disc Four: Early Steppenwolf – Remastered Released In July 1969 (Live At The Matrix 1967) 1. Power Play 2. Howlin’ For My Baby 3. Goin’ Upstairs 4. Corina, Corina 5. Tighten Up Your Wig 6. The Pusher
Disc Five: Monster – Remastered Released In November 1969 1. Monster / Suicide / America 2. Draft Resister 3. Power Play 4. Move Over 5. Fag 6. What Would You Do (If I Did That To You) 7. From Here To There Eventually Bonus Tracks 8. Monster (Single Version) 9. Move Over (Mono Single Version) 10. Power Play (Mono Single Version)
Disc Six: Steppenwolf Live – Remastered Released In April 1970 1. Sookie Sookie 2. Don’t Step On The Grass 3. Tighten Up Your Wig 4. Monster 5. Draft Resister 6. Power Play 7. Corina, Corina 8. Twisted 9. From Here To There Eventually 10. Hey Lawdy Mama 11. Magic Carpet Ride 12. The Pusher 13. Born To Be Wild Bonus Tracks (Mono Single Versions) 14. Hey Lawdy Mama 15. Twisted 16. Corina, Corina
Disc Seven: Steppenwolf 7 – Remastered Released In November 1970 1. Ball Crusher 2. Forty Days And Forty Nights 3. Fat Jack 4. Renegade 5. Foggy Mental Breakdown 6. Snow Blind Friend 7. Who Needs Ya 8. Earschplittenloudenboomer 9. Hippo Stomp Bonus Tracks 10. Screaming Night Hog 11. Snowblind Friend (Single Version) 12. Hippo Stomp (Single Version)
Disc Eight: For Ladies Only – Remastered Released In November 1971 1. For Ladies Only 2. I’m Asking 3. Shackles And Chains 4. Tenderness 5. The Night Time’s For You 6. Jaded Strumpet 7. Sparkle Eyes 8. Black Pit 9. Ride With Me 10. In Hopes Of A Garden Bonus Tracks 11. For Madmen Only 12. For Ladies Only (Single Version)
John Verity marked 50 years as a performer & recording artist with 2020’s album – Passion. The British guitarist/singer/songwriter was a part of Argent and then Phoenix in the ’70s,, and since 2001 has been releasing his own albums pretty regularly. Passion features Verity delivering 8 new blues rock, and blues ballads tunes. The first 2 tracks jump out right away – “Higher”, a great driving rock tune, followed by “Wise Up” with a cool guitar riff opener and a heavy drum sound (this one being in that Zeppelin / Bad Company class), love the organ throughout this one (courtesy of Jamie Pipe of The Mentulls), lyrically dealing with frustrations of worldly issues. “Sand In My Pocket” is a mid tempo blues number, a nice groove, fantastic playing and vocals. Next up is a bluesy ballad dealing with global environmental issues, delivered in this rather laid back and sad feeling tune “Broken Heart”. John pays tribute to Ginger Baker in the heavy blues cut “Red Devil”, while doing the same to Chuck Berry on “Bad Boy”. “Passion” ends with another heavy blues number titled “Big Stick”. Also included is the slowed paced, reflective guitar piece “The Open Road”; love the playing and the feel on this.
What I like a lot about this album is, aside from the fantastic playing, singing, and songs, is that Passion is kept to a solid production, without any excesses of added instrumentation, guests, and pieces that detract from the flow of it all, simply letting John (and company) deliver an appropriately titled album. Now to start working my way backwards through John’s more recent solo releases….
Line-up: JV – guitars & vocals / Bob Skeat & Roger Inniss – bass / Liam James Gray – drums / Jamie Pipe – keyboards.
Passion was issued on CD and Limited vinyl, and can be ordered at John’s site > http://www.johnverity.com
With members hailing from Sweden, Norway, and Finland, one can expect something pretty heavy, and pretty good. Flames Of Fire, fronted by singer Christian Liljegren [Narnia] and made of experienced metal players, debuts with this album, featuring plenty of power and heavy tunes. The band members site such influences as – Europe, Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Michael Schenker, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Iron Maiden and Thin Lizzy. After a brief light intro [“New Dawn”], this disc kicks off with first video release “Gloria”, that has a definite classic Iron Maiden feel to it, fast paced, strong vocals, big guitar solo… A great start. The band’s lyrical content is Christian belief, with references to the end of time, Jesus, the bible, etc….if you deal with that, you’ll dig this album . Excellent metal tracks like “Flames Of Fire”, ‘Madness” [cool drum & guitar riff intro reminds me of WASP’s Crimson Idol era], and “Time To Live” . A good listen throughout, well produced.
Line-up: Christian Liljegren – Vocals Mats-Åke Andersson – Guitars, composer Jani Stefanovic – Guitars, keyboards, drums & producer Stephen Carlson – Guitars Per Schelander – Bass
Track-listing: New Dawn, Gloria, Flames Of Fire, Madness, I Am, Time To Live, Solution, Soldiers Of The King, End Theme.
Outsider Rock 