Legendary US band will be releasing their 50th Anniversary 3rd night show, from New York, recorded in 2022. This set includes a performance of the band’s 3rd album , and my favorite BOC album – Secret Treaties. There is also a video for the live performance of the classic “Career Of Evil”. *Check out the press info, tracklisting, and pre-order link below!
Riding the triumphant success of their 50th Anniversary celebration, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT is rolling into the release of ‘50th Anniversary Live – Third Night,’ the final installment of the live album celebrating the band’s 50th Anniversary.
This electrifying performance, which includes the band’s third album ‘Secret Treaties‘ performed back-to-back, is set to hit the shelves on December 13, 2024 and promises to be a spectacular follow-up to the band’s historic three-night stint at Sony Hall in NYC.
In September of 2022, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT enthralled fans with a unique trilogy of sold-out shows, each dedicated to one of their first three albums. Founding member Albert Bouchard made a special appearance on all three nights, adding a nostalgic touch to the historic milestone. For nearly three hours each night, the band delivered a spellbinding set, weaving through the entirety of their now-classic initial trilogy of albums and treating fans to a mix of favorites, deep cuts, and classic hits. The atmosphere was electric, and Frontiers Music captured the magic, releasing each night as a special individual package.
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT‘s legacy spans over five decades, captivating fans with intelligent hard rock loaded with classic songs. Hailing from Long Island, NY, the band is renowned in the hard rock and heavy metal scene
Cited as a major influence by acts like Metallica, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT boasts a timeless catalog, including iconic tracks like “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” “Godzilla,” and “Burnin’ for You.” The creative vision of the original core duo, Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser and Eric Bloom, is complemented by Richie Castellano, Danny Miranda, and Jules Radino, forming a powerhouse lineup.
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT remains an force, ready to ignite thes tage once again with the upcoming release of ’50th Anniversary Live – Third Night’ on Frontiers Music Srl.
50th Anniversary Live – Third Night‘ Track List: Album 1
1. Career of Evil 2. Subhuman 3. Dominance and Submission 4. M E 262 5. Cagey Cretins 6. Harvester of Eyes 7. Flaming Telepaths 8. Astronomy Album 2
1. Stairway to the Stars 2. Golden Age of Leather 3. Tainted Blood 4. Burnin’ for You 5. Shooting Shark 6. Black Blade 7. Train True (Lenny’s Song) 8. Godzilla
Album 3
1. Buck’s Boogie 2. Tenderloin 3. Sinful Love 4. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper 5. The Alchemist 6. I Love the Night 7. Joan Crawford 8. Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll
Italian prog-rockers BLIND GOLEM have a new album coming out. Wunderkammerwill be released November 22, on Andromeda Relix Records. This is the follow up to 2021’s debut A Dream Of Fantasy. Wunderkammer includes an interesting cover version choice. For more details check out the press info below. Artwork is (again) done by Rodney Matthews. And the first single/video is the song “Born Liars”!
Description: organ, wah-wah heavy Les Paul guitar, massive choruses: all the classic ingredients that made Blind Golem debut album such an intriguing cult classic in 2021 for lovers of bands like Uriah Heep, Magnum, Rainbow, are back in full force for second album “Wunderkammer”, 11 songs showing a more developed personality and also featuring a great cover version of one of Heep’s more obscure songs, the “Demons and Wizards” outtake “Green Eye”. Cover art is once again an impressive painting by the great Rodney Matthews! Influences for the Album: Uriah Heep, Magnum, Lucifer’s Friend, Rainbow, Black Bonzo
Blind Golem is a project born out of a lifelong passion for classic hard rock, with a big Hammond organ, screaming wah-wah guitars, massive choruses. The original seed comes from members of the seasoned hard blues band Bullfrog (5 albums) joining with members of the tribute band Forever Heep, dedicated to the classic Uriah Heep repertoire, that played several times as a backing band for Ken Hensley himself, founding member of Heep. In 2021 the band released its first collection of original material, “A Dream Of Fantasy”, which featured Hensley himself on keyboards and slide guitar. The album got enthusiastic reviews especially from fans of that specific and immortal sound, the marriage of Hammond organ and big guitars. After several shows, including a prestigious appearance at the prestigious Porto Antico Festival in Genoa, the band entered the studio to produce it’s album of original material, showing a clear growth in personality, still maintaining firm roots in the classic, powerful and melodic sound of the first album. As an homage, the album features a strong cover of the most obscure Uriah Heep deep cut, “Green Eye”, an outtake from the 1972 classic ‘Demons and Wizards’ sessions. Cover art was made once again by none other than the legendary Rodney Matthews, responsible for countless classic covers for bands like Thin Lizzy, Nazareth, Magnum, Diamond Head, etc. The members of Blind Golem all come from experienced bands, having released several albums with Bullfrog, Rocken Factory and Forever Deep, and played thousands of shows through the years backing rock legends like Don Airey, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Bernie Marsden, and opening for Uriah Heep, John Lawton, Uli Jon Roth, Dan Baird, Doug Pinnick. Like the first album, ‘Wunderkammer’ is released by Andromeda Relix Records and it will also be issued on splendid double LP, in a gatefold package, in the near future.
Band Line-up: Andrea Vilardo, lead vocals. Simone Bistaffa, Hammond Organ, Piano, Keyboards. Silvano Zago, Guitars. Francesco Dalla Riva, Bass, Lead & Backing Vocals. Walter Mantovanelli, Drums.
A new TRAPEZE album is set for release – Lost Tapes vol. 2. Like Vol. 1, which came out last year, Lost Songs vol. 2 features previously unreleased recordings from the band’s career. The band’s guitarist was Mel Galley (RIP), who was also the band’s only constant member from beginning to end, in a band that was also known for the other ‘name’ players that were there from Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Dave Holland (Judas Priest), and Peter Goalby (Uriah Heep). Galley was also songwriter (along with his brother Mel) and shared vocal duties. His son, Marcus Galley is a graphic designer and has created a number of album covers, most notably and recently the last year’s Lost Tapes vol. 1, and the forthcoming ‘Lost Tapes vol. 2‘. Both album covers share a theme of old tape boxes, quite cool and retro looking. I haven’t seen the rest of the packaging for vol. 2 yet, but vol. 1 comes in a brilliant package. Below is my exchange with Marcus Galley on his involvement & work on these Trapeze projects, his favorite cuts from these releases, a bit about his other work, and a bit more. I’ve included a couple of galleries featuring some of Marcus’ other designs, and links at the bottom.
Pre-Order TRAPEZE Lost Tapes vol. 2 (available on CD & vinyl) HERE or HERE
Can you tell me a bit about your own work (own your own company?) – what all does it entail aside from the few album covers I see you credited on?
I set Mammoth Creative Works up in 2010 but had been in the design industry a long time before that. MCW is mainly focused within the music industry, where I design tour and general merch, posters etc for a lot of bands. Also book covers, album artwork, skateboard graphics, different sports brands… I’ll do anything that I find interesting really.
Prior to the Trapeze covers, you did a couple of others. Any brief recall on 1 or 2 of those?
I’d done a lot of covers before the recent Trapeze ones. A couple of which were also connected – the Phenomena albums created by my uncle, Tom Galley. Dad, a bunch of the Whitesnake and Trapeze guys and some great guest artists also played on those. Amongst the most recent, I’ve done 5 or 6 over the last couple years for a new label that specialize in 100% eco-friendly vinyl presses, they’re putting some great music out, and have a couple HUGE releases lined up for this autumn… but I can’t talk about that yet. I’ve done a bunch of reissue covers for albums originally out in the 80’s / 90’s. It’s always fun revisiting old artwork and of course advancements in printing and computing mean you can clean up images and really go to town.
Lost Tapes Vol. 1 had such a cool retro cover concept. What inspired that whole idea, and the details involved? and can you tell me about the process involved in achieving that cover?
Thank you! I’ve got a real thing for good packaging design, and as soon as we came up with the title for the album I had the idea in my head what I wanted to do. We always had reel to reel tapes around the house and there’s some gorgeous utilitarian design on those. I took various ideas from a few. Budget unfortunately wouldn’t allow for what we really wanted to do – The idea was to house the two 12″s in a box and have loose photographs, info sheets etc enclosed, make it look like something that had been lost in the loft for years. It’d be nice to do that one day, maybe with Vol. 2 in there too. It was good looking through our photo archive here and picking which of Carl’s images to use.
Did you have a pretty firm mental picture of how you might’ve wanted either cover to look before you got started? And did you have any input from anyone else involved in the projects?
Pretty much. I did insist it was pressed on clear orange vinyl to carry the logo theme on, same as Vol. 2 being on a clear smoke grey to replicate a tape reel. I work very closely to Tom on these, and luckily, he trusts me to come up with something half decent! Tom’s very artistic too and has a great vision (sometimes too grand!) I’m pretty bloody minded when it comes to anything Trapeze related, so I’ll always stick to my guns on the look.
Lost Tapes vol 2 is a very different cover, but also very retro, and as you mention it retains that ‘tape box’ theme. I presume you’ve seen plenty of those from old recordings, etc… did you have specific recollections, photos and tapes that you might’ve used for inspiration, ideas….?
There are a few Japanese brands that had the best packaging, they just do stuff like that better over there. I’ve got folders on hard drives full of images that I know I can use on something one day. I think Vol. 2 is based on bits from three or four different ones. Of course, I’m not going to tell you which, where’s the fun in that!
Aside from the tape boxes, was there any other old LP covers that had any influence of how either ‘Lost Tapes’ covers look?
Without giving it away…yes. There’s a nod to two Trapeze albums inside Vol. 2. I recreated a couple pieces of artwork imagining how they’d look if you were to visit today. You’ll have to buy the album to see! Of course, there’s the logo used on Volumes 1 & 2, based on the logo from the self-titled album, I’ve always liked that logo, so we just recreated something similar.
As you are attached to Trapeze very personally, can you tell a bit about how much it meant to have these recordings finally released and being such a big part of it? And do you have any favorite tracks from Lost Tapes Vol 1 ?
It’s a weird mix of emotions to be honest. I’ve heard these songs in every incarnation from being hummed on the dog walk, played on a guitar sat in front of the TV etc, so I don’t get that same ‘wow!’ as someone else hearing the tracks for the first time will get, but that doesn’t take it away from the fact that I’m a fan, and it’s great to give people something new (to their ears at least) to listen to. I’d buy the album’s if I had to (I’ve had to buy all the Trapeze ones again over the last few years, as we never really had copies in the house, they were always given away to friends). Favorites from Vol.1, ‘Goin’ Home’ for sure, Hot Wire being my favorite Trapeze album. It’s the album that sounds like Trapeze should, given the influences at the time.
Favorite tracks off Vol.2, I just put the masters on now to listen again. I’d say ‘Can You Feel It’, ‘Turn It On’ & ‘Midnight Flyer’, but they’ve always been favorites anyway. They sound like Trapeze should sound, a great groove. The couple gigs I played drums for my dad, we did ‘Way Back to the Bone’ and ‘Coast to Coast’ in the set. We were just about to start rehearsing for another couple gigs when he got taken ill, so that was a shame we never got to play those. There’s a CD here in my office that he sent with the 24 songs to learn that were going to be in the set.
As one who creates album covers – do have a short list of some of your favorite album covers or favorite artists (album designers)
A short list!?!?! are you kidding!?!? I’ve always bought records; I’ve spent a fortune over the years on albums just because they had a great cover, so to narrow it down is a tough call, and definitely not a short list. Barney Bubbles could do no wrong in my eyes, a huge inspiration. Hipgnosis, Stylorouge, tDR (of course), Vaughan Oliver, Peter Saville, all absolute genius. I could go on all day…but they’re the first names that come to mind.
Might we see either of your Trapeze album covers be used in official merch for fans? (t-shirts, posters)
I hope so! Prints are a thing I’d particularly enjoy to do, mainly due to the size and unlimited colors you’ve got to play with, especially of the two reimagined pieces I mentioned a few questions ago for starters, but we’ll definitely do shirts. They’ll have to be slightly different to the Vol. 2 cover, that nine color screenprint would come out super expensive! Merch based on old promo bits has always appealed to me, there was a cool raglan / baseball shirt and coach jacket I’d like to make available at some point.
The Warriors one there is a giant poster to mark the anniversary of the film, there’s a t-shirt and a double-sided picture disc too – MG
With URIAH HEEP’s 55th Anniversary coming up, the band have decided to wind things down with the upcoming ‘The Magician’s Farewell’ tour starting next year. Watch Mick Box’s announcement below.
DEEP PURPLE have a new single/video out from their soon to be released album. “Lazy Sod” is the 3rd single from ‘=1′. *Check out the video below, info & links in the description.
UK Prog Legends Curved Air “: The Rarities Series Box Set”
Spirit of Unicorn Music are pleased to announce the release of “The Rarities Series Box Set” from Curved Air, which will be released on 20th September, 2024. This 6 CD box set brings together all the CD’s previously released in the Rarities series but which have been out of print for some considerable time. The package also includes a booklet featuring brand new sleeve notes, written by PROG magazine’s editor, Jerry Ewing. Ewing has interviewed the band’s enigmatic and beguiling lead singer, Sonja Kristina, viewed by many as the first lady of prog; providing a new, fresh perspective on these recordings.Curved Air formed in 1970 and brought together the influences of rock, folk and classical music into their work, developing a fascinating and ground-breaking progression fusion sound. They went on to become a seminal band within the British progressive rock movement who have endured the test of time and still perform live to this day.The box set includes:Tapestry of Propositions: An hour-long version of “Propositions”, recorded live at 14 different locations during 2013/14.Curved Space: previously released as Francis Monkman’s “Jam” but now featuring 2 unreleased bonus tracks.Infinity: featuring all new 2016 studio recordings.The Second British Rock Meeting 1972: Features the only known recording of this line-up improvising. The last track is an extended jam on their hit, Vivaldi, and lasts over 30 minutes.Live Under The Bridge: Featuring a performance of the legendary “Air Conditioning”, in its entirety.Set to be an exciting Summer for Curved Air, July will see an acoustic line-up of the band fly to the USA and Canada for a string of 21 live shows, as part of the Heat Of The Moment Tour alongside other progressive music greats, Asia, Focus and Martin Turner – ex Wishbone Ash.
VANILLA FUDGE was (is) a highly influential New York band from the 60s. Their blend of guitar & organ had a big influence on British bands like Deep Purple, as well as Led Zeppelin, and along with their backing harmonies were a huge influence on Uriah Heep. Esoteric is releasing a 9 disc box all the band’s 60s recordings, including singles, bonus tracks, and live material. VF had hits with their slowed down, heavier arrangements of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (Supremes), “Eleanor Rigby” (Beatles). “Shotgun” (Junior Walker), and “Season Of The Witch” (Donovan). The band split at the end of the decade (w/ a couple members forming CACTUS), but reformed years later, and are still performing today! Info below. To pre-order and check out full track-listing check out link below. To be released September 27! Looking forward to this.
9CD BOXED SET FEATURING OF THE COMPLETE ATCO RECORDINGS BY VANILLA FUDGE MADE BETWEEN 1967 AND 1969. NEWLY REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES.
INCLUDES THE ALBUMS ‘VANILLA FUDGE’ (mono & stereo versions), ‘THE BEAT GOES ON’ (mono & stereo versions), ‘RENAISSANCE’, ‘NEAR THE BEGINNING’ AND ‘ROCK & ROLL’, ALONG WITH A 2CD LIVE RECORDING AT THE FILLMORE WEST IN 1969, SESSION OUT-TAKES AND RARE SINGLES.
WITH AN ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET WITH A NEW ESSAY FEATURING EXCLUSIVE BAND INTERVIEWS.
Featuring Mark Stein (vocals, organ), Vincent Martell (guitar, vocals), Tim Bogert (bass, vocals) and Carmine Appice (drums, vocals), the band were originally known as The Pigeons and gained notoriety thanks to their radical, slowed down and heavy interpretations of current hits. They signed to Atco Records, a division of Atlantic in April 1967 and changed their name at the insistence of Atlantic founder Ahmet Ertegun to Vanilla Fudge. Their radical cover version of The Supremes’ hit “You Keep Me Hanging On” was issued as a single in June 1967. Dominated by the hard-hitting approach of their rhythm section and the powerful Hammond organ playing of Mark Stein it became a US top 10 hit.
The band’s self-titled debut album was released in August 1967 and was a psychedelic rock tour-de-force, featuring a seven-minute version of ‘You Keep Me Hanging On’, it also featured imaginative cover versions of compositions by The Beatles, The Zombies and Curtis Mayfield among others. Over the next two years, VANILLA FUDGE would record a series of albums that would evolve from psychedelic rock to heavy rock and influence many emerging bands, among them Deep Purple, before disbanding in 1970.
This nine CD boxed set has been remastered from the original Atco tapes and features the albums ‘VANILLA FUDGE’ and ‘THE BEAT GOES ON’ (in both mono and stereo versions) and ‘RENAISSANCE’, ‘NEAR THE BEGINNING’ and ‘ROCK & ROLL’. It also features a complete concert recorded at the Fillmore West on New Year’s Eve 1968 / 1969 over two CDS and a host of session out-takes and singles.
The set also features an illustrated booklet with new essay featuring exclusive interviews with Mark Stein and Carmine Appice.
Progressive-rock legends FOCUS have a new single from FOCUS 12 – to be released next week, just as the band starts their North American tour as part of the. ASIA Heat Of The Moment bill (along with Martin Turner, ex WHISHBONE ASH, and CURVED AIR).
*Check out the new track “Focus 13” below, as well as the press release and album pre-order link.
Spirit of Unicorn Music are pleased to announce the release of Focus 13, the new single from Focus, taken from their forthcoming album Focus 12, which releases on July 5th. Focus 13 was written by progressive music legend and long-standing band leader, Thijs Van Leer. About the single, bassist Udo Pannekeet comments “Focus 13 is a composition full of strong, emotive and beautiful melodies which only Thijs could write.” The track features the highly skilled drumming touch that only a true elder statesman of progressive music can deliver. Pierre van der Linden excels, providing a flow and rhythm which creates tension yet also allows the melody to breath. Pannekeet continues “The drum part is totally unique!” He concludes “As part of our line of numbered Focus tracks, 13 really sticks out.” The enigmatic Van Leer agrees, “I began this composition with nothing. Zero. Yet it has ended up as a true hero!” The album Focus 12 was recorded at the world-renowned Wisseloord Studios, in the band’s native country of the Netherlands and is produced by both Pannekeet and guitarist Menno Gootjes. Set to be an exciting Summer for Focus, July will not only see the release of Focus 12 but the band will also fly to the USA and Canada for a string of 21 live shows, as part of the Heat Of The Moment Tour alongside other progressive music greats, Asia, Curved Air and Martin Turner – ex Wishbone Ash. Fjord 13 is available to download now from all good streaming services. The album Focus 12 releases on July 5th and once again features the stunning artwork of Roger Dean. It will be available on CD Digipak, vinyl (housed in a gatefold sleeve) and via digital download. You can pre-order the album here:
Trevor Hensley has put together and issued a new book on his late brother Ken. Titled ‘Our Brother – the Legend ‘, it is 110 pages full of stories about Ken from the perspective of his family. There are rare and family pics of Ken, stories of his early days growing up, of the band’s he was in, hobbies, and as part of the Hensley family. There’s also stories from musicians Ken worked with like Joe Konas,, Jack Williams and Ken Ingwersen (among them), as well as some nice recollections from a few fans who’d met and seen Ken over the years. Discographies, Trevor’s picks of his favorite Ken Hensley & Uriah Heep songs, and more. A fun and excellent read, with plenty of previously unheard tales, and unseen images. Love the story of Ken’s mom coming to see Heep only to pull out her knitting! 🙂
You can order a copy of ‘Ken Hensley: Our Brother – the Legend’ through Trevor simply by sending him a private message on Facebook. A nice little addition to the Ken Hensley/Uriah Heep collection!
*You can check out Trevor’s radio show at wwe.redfiveradio.co.uk , as well as visit the Ken Hensley Fan Club on Facebook.
Badfinger Legend Tom Evans Rare Home Recordings “I Am Myself” Available On Y&T Music June 5, 2024!
“I Am Myself” is a collection of never-before-heard home demo recordings by Liverpool’s Tom Evans, bassist and co-lead singer of the iconic power pop group Badfinger. It will be released as a limited-edition CD by Y&T Music and available on all streaming platforms on June 5, 2024 to celebrate what would have been Tommy’s 77th birthday.
Like his Badfinger bandmate Pete Ham, Tom Evans was a prolific songwriter; he gave the quartet many of their greatest ‘deep cuts,’ including “Money,” “It’s Over,” “Believe Me” and “Blind Owl.” Evans and Ham co-wrote “Without You,” which went to No. 1 for both Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest pop ballads of all time.
He sang lead on “Come And Get It,” Badfinger’s smash hit debut, written and produced by Paul McCartney; his soaring tenor voice made “Maybe Tomorrow,” recorded for the Beatles’ Apple Records when they were still calling themselves The Iveys, an international sensation.
Among the 21 tracks on “I Am Myself,” two went on to be recorded by The Iveys/Badfinger: “Fisherman,” and “No Escaping Your Love”.
Performed mainly on acoustic or electric guitar, with frequent vocal and instrumental overdubs, the album’s freewheeling musicality, lyrical playfulness and clever song-construction showcase Tommy’s songwriting talents at an early period in his musical career.
“I Am Myself” came to be after a long review of material. While reviewing Iveys demo recordings, Tom Brennan discovered that there was more than enough material of Tom Evans’ solo recordings to put together a robust album. Before Brennan could even present the idea, mastering engineer Kevin McElligott proposed the idea of a Tom Evans solo album. McElligott felt strongly that the time was long overdue for Tommy’s demos to have a formal release: “Such a supremely talented singer/songwriter who struck an emotional chord within so many. I felt a real strong responsibility to Marianne, Stephen and the Badfinger community to bring these songs out sounding as best they can. This is just the beginning of hopefully many more releases. It’s an honor for me to sit down and work on these tracks. I do hope everyone enjoys this release.” Everything just came together like it was meant to be. Badfinger historian Dan Matovina made the initial digital transfers. The recordings were then compiled & edited by Tom Brennan, and restored & mastered by Kevin McElligott.
Stephen and Marianne spent time listening to these songs during the process of putting this project together, as well as contributing photos to this album. Tim Boyle gave permission to use some of his pictures for this project and was excited to hear about a new Tommy album, as he is an Evans family friend and worked closely with the band as a booking agent and an assistant for many years.
Released with the full support and cooperation of the Evans Estate, “I Am Myself” is a limited edition of 1,000 CDs. An art print of a rare early photo of Tom is included.
Earlier in 2024, Y&T Music issued “Gwent Gardens,” a collection of unreleased demo recordings by the late Pete Ham.
“I AM MYSELF” TRACK LISTING: 1. Hello 2. I Am Myself 3. Our First Night Together 4. Water Lily 5. Goldfish 6. How Does It Feel (original demo) 7. Honey Lovin’ Ways 8. Uncle C 9. I Should Have Loved You (original demo) 10. Fisherman (original demo) 11. Dancing Girl 12. I Don’t Want The Bother 13. Handsome Malcolm 14. In My World Of Yesterday 15. No Escaping Your Love (original demo) 16. Good Times Together 17. The Leaves 18. Stay By Me, Baby 19. A Simple Song 20. Wine, Women And Song 21. I Am Myself (reprise)
