Tragic Magic is the 4th release from Vancouver’s SPELL, who are described/labelled as ‘hypnotic heavy metal’. Hypnotic is one word, but there’s a number of words that spring to mind in describing the band’s latest album. First and foremost, they are Canadian, so I hear the likes of Rush in their sound, as well as Harlequin and Red Rider, maybe it’s the vocals, the melodies with the latter… And then there’s the cool hooks, riffs, and fantasy type songs that have elements of Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Wishbone Ash…. Tragic Magic has all the elements of a classic 70s early metal album, but with clever melodies, perfectly timed uses of 80s synths, and songs that will grow on the listener, and elements of prog and space-rock, Each track offers something unique that will demand repeated plays. “Ultraviolet” may be the standout track here, but this album keeps me interested with every tune, the latest single being “Fever Dream” instantly reminding me of early 80s Rush and Red Rider, like this could’ve been a big arena favorite 40 years ago! Favorites include “A Ruined Garden”, “Cruel Optimism” (with that heavy riff, lighter verses, and hard-edged chorus) , and “Watcher Of The Seas” (love the 80s Rush, and metal feel of this). Album ends with the short instrumental “The Watching”, a bit space/prog rock., a great ending. Ten tracks here, most of which come in under 4 minutes, but yet one feels there’s much more. +Tragic Magic available on vinyl LP (multiple colors), CD and digital
*for more info, check out the press release and links below. Highly recommended!
(Photo: David P. Ball)
Hypnotic Heavy Metal Band, SPELL, Streams New Video “Fever Dream”
Vancouver Progressive Duo to Drop New LP, ‘Tragic Magic’, October 28
“Music is magic, and Spell is a spell. Fundamentally, it is a forum to make our dreams come true”- Spell bassist/guitarist/vocalist Cam Mesmer
Fantastical heavy metal band Spell will release its new LP, ‘Tragic Magic’, on October 28 via Bad Omen Records. Featuring ten tracks of prime, progressive heavy music flooded with mesmerizing atmospheres, ‘Tragic Magic’ sees Spell take a decidedly grittier lyrical approach, leaning less into escapism, while confronting real life challenges of modern times. Striking cover art (Frenzy of Exultations by Władysław Podkowiński, 1863) featuring an angelic woman riding a frenetic horse, portends the palpable potency that the record promises. In its review of the new Spell song, “Ultraviolet”, Metal Injection says the band’s sound treads “the line between dreamy progressive rock in the vein of King Crimson and more straightforward old-school heavy metal like Blue Öyster Cult.” Pre-order ‘Tragic Magic’ at THIS location.
In advance of the release of ‘Tragic Magic’, Spell streams a video for the new track, “Fever Dream”, (Directed by Scotti Gibson, with cinematography by Kyle Samuels & make up effects by Caitlin Rose Delaplace and edited by Vince Edwards) an enticing earworm that fuses darkwave and progressive psych in hypnotizing fashion while exploring the realms of “nightmares and sleep paralysis”.
“Fever Dream” comes directly from the most evil and frightening moments I’ve experienced in the depths of illness and sleep,” offers Spell vocalist/guitarist Cam Mesmer. “These things may not make sense in the light of day, but once they take hold you have no choice but to follow their twisted path. Deep within nightmares and sleep paralysis, I have conflicting desires: first the urge to shake myself and escape, but also a second, deeper instinct – to give in to the feeling and allow it to conquer me completely to see where it will take me. This song represents your darkest subconscious, urging you to allow that evil inside of yourself and give it the agency to take you somewhere new, somewhere unholy. Now go back to sleep…”
‘Tragic Magic’ is the highly anticipated follow up to Spell’s critically acclaimed 2020 LP, ‘Opulent Decay’, a record hailed as “fantasy rock” by Blabbermouth, “enchanting” by Heavy Blog is Heavy, and “captivating” by Revolver. The record’s songcraft is steeped in the atmosphere of the arcane, yet the hooks are more razor-sharp than ever. While influences like the esoteric charge of the aforementioned Blue Öyster Cult and the elemental expansions of Camel drift through these crepuscular melodies, Spell are as likely to be influenced by the life-affirming energy of ‘60s Motown, the ethereal dimensions of Cocteau Twins, the strident woe of Candlemass, and the classic songwriting chops of Russ Ballard.
Another taste of what ‘Tragic Magic’ holds in store can be ingested now on the previously unveiled video for the LP’s radiating first single “Ultraviolet”. Created by Sean Edwards for Ramble Films (Freeways), the eye-catching clip showcases Spell at the height of its powers.
“The themes on this album are more concrete, guided by personal experience,” offers Mesmer. “Tragic Magic’ has to do with mental illness, ageing, the death of a loved one, the decay of time… this is what ‘tragic magic’ means to us – loss and tragedy outside of our control, which fundamentally alters our perceived reality. This album is our response to the world as it currently is music for an ascetic age. The identity of Spell came into sharp focus as it was always intended to be.”
Ultraviolet” explores the hidden terror of forces that rule us but cannot be perceived or understood,” says Spell vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Cam Mesmer. “Our world is shaped by powers that the limitations of our physical bodies prevent us from directly encountering. Will we fall victim to the lust for that which cannot be ours, or harness them to fulfil our wildest dreams?”
“If this band was a van, they would be the raddest, most pimped out airbrushed 70’s van with plush interior and a BOOMING system. SPELL is a perfect name for them, because their songs are jamming heavy metal magic.” – Cvlt Nation
“Psychedelic space rock exploration steeped in sludge and fuzz. Tipping their caps to a range of classic hard rock influences like Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Rush and even old-school Mercyful Fate, Spell captures a dreary, overcast and lo-fi vibe” – Exclaim!
SPELL is: Cam Mesmer: vocals, bass, rhythm guitar/ Al Lester: vocals, drums, lead guitar. (* Synthesizers by Gabriel B)
Canadian rock biographer Jeffrey Morgan has a new book out titled Alice Cooper Confidential: Confessions! Secrets! Fan Mail! Morgan wrote for many years for iconic 70s & 80s rock mag Creem, being invited by the legendary Lester Bangs. Creem was the next biggest music publication after Rolling Stone. Morgan became Alice’s official biographer writing Alcohol and Razor Blades, Poison and Needles: The Glorious Wretched Excess of Alice Cooper, All-American, which came in the 1999 box set The Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper. With Alice Cooper Confidential, Jeffrey Morgan puts together a pile of Alice features, most notably being pages of fan mail (emails) from AC fans who want to contact Alice. Interesting to read, as so many fans have no problem inviting Alice over for a BBQ, a birthday party, a wedding, out for a game of golf – you name it! Or they just want to share some odd story about something to do with him, most of which will leave you shaking your head. Beware if you think you wrote to him in the past! Elsewhere this138 page coffee table read book is full of fantastic photos from every era of Alice’s career, on & off stage (cool to see the late Nash the Slash’s early photos of the AC band in Toronto), various other images! Most interesting is a previously unpublished interview from 2009. An interesting addition to any Alice fan’s collection.
British Hard Rock Supergroup Snakecharmer Anthology 4-CD Box Set Feat. Former Members of Whitesnake, Wishbone Ash, and Thunder Available for Pre-order
An awesome line-up of veteran British rockers, Snakecharmer put out 2 albums in 2013 and 2017. Both albums are full of British classic rock ala early Whitesnake, Bad Company, and the other respective bands some of these guys were a part of. Really, just excellent British rock, as you’d expect Founding member and original Whitesnake guitarist Micky Moody left after the first album to be replaced by Simon McBride, a much younger player who has recently been named the new permanent guitarist for Deep Purple! This 4-disc set comes with bonus tracks, as well as 2 live shows recorded a year apart, featuring the band’s own favorites, as well as a number of Whitesnake classics. *Check out the press info below, track-listing, and links below!
British hard rock supergroup Snakecharmer was formed in 2013 by former members of Whitesnake, Wishbone Ash, and Thunder.
The resulting line-up is a veritable who’s-who of classic hard rock: Vocalist Chris Ousey (Heartland), Guitarist Laurie Wisefield (Home/ Wishbone Ash), Drummer Harry James (Thunder/ Magnum), and Keyboardist Adam Wakeman (Ozzy Osbourne) Guitarist Micky Moody (Whitesnake)
Given the band’s pedigree, it was inevitable that the music would sound like good-time, classic melodic hard rock with a blues edge, their eponymous debut was released in 2013 by Frontiers. The response from fans and critics alike was rapturous, and the band toured to wide acclaim.
In 2015, Moody left the band, replaced by young Irish-born virtuoso Simon McBride (now of Deep Purple). Snakecharmer’s follow up album, Second Skin, arrived in 2017.
This 4-CD box set collects the bands two studio albums as well as two live shows from Milton Keynes which show the band at work in a live environment, the booklet has notes by Classic Rocks Dave Ling talking to the band about their career as well as newly mastered studio albums done by Tony Dixon.
Featuring: Chris Ousey – Vocals Simon McBride – Guitar Laurie Wisefield – Guitar Adam Wakeman – Keyboards Neil Murray – Bass Harry James – Drums Micky Moody – Guitar
Track list: DISC ONE: Snakecharmer My Angel Accident Prone To The Rescue Falling Leaves A Little Rock & Roll Turn Of the Screw Smoking Gun Stand Up Guilty As Charged Nothing To Lose Cover Me in You BONUS TRACKS White Boy Blues A Breath Away – Japan Only Bonus Track
DISC TWO: Second Skin Sounds Like a Plan That Kind of Love Are You Ready to Fly? Follow Me Under I’ll Take You as You Are Hell Of a Way to Live Fade Away Dress It Up Punching Above My Weight Forgive And Forget Where Do We Go from Here? BONUS TRACK On My Way – Japan Only Bonus Track
DISC THREE: Live at The Stables, Milton Keynes 26/01/2014 Guilty As Charged A Little Rock & Roll Ready An’ Willing Accident Prone Walking In the Shadow of The Blues Falling Leaves Moody’s Blues Slow An’ Easy My Angel [Band Introductions] Cover Me in You Nothing To Lose Here I Go Again Fool For Your Loving
DISC FOUR: Live at The Stables, Milton Keynes 17/01/2015 Intro. Guilty As Charged A Little Rock & Roll Ready An’ Willing Cover Me in You Accident Prone Falling Leaves Walking In the Shadow of The Blues My Angel Moody’s Blues Slow An’ Easy Nothing To Lose Here I Go Again Take Me with You Fool For Your Loving
Walter Egan’s upcoming album titled Pluck, will be out in late November via Red Steel Music. The first single is a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”. Egan’s version is a must-hear, with a different approach, giving the song a fresh new sound that didn’t want me to run and put the Mac version on afterwards! In the late 70s members of Fleetwood Mac produced and played on Egan’s first 2 solo albums. The single was produced by Walter Egan and Robert Corich, while the video was filmed & directed by Callum Fernandes – Clarke.
John Sloman has a new video out. It’s “Blind”, on Red Steel Music. The track has been produced by John & Robert Corich, and remastered by Bella Corich, who adds a livelier sound to an already excellent song from 2016. “Blind” will be featured on John’s forthcoming retrospective double album The Missing Link. Art for the single also by Callum Fernandes-Clarke.
John Sloman recently posted – “This is the new video for the soon to be released single (Blind) taken from the retrospective album ‘The Missing Link’ which will be released in a couple of months. The video is brilliantly directed by Callum Fernandes-Clarke who directed all three of my previous videos. Blind originally featured on the album ‘Don’t Try This At Home’.”
Further, the track was recently featured on Classic Rock’s Louder Sound‘Tracks Of The Week‘. You can check that out And vote for “Blind” there!
Troy Redfern has become well known as Great Britian’s ‘King of the slide guitar’. The blues rocker has a new album titled The Wings of Salvation and is currently on tour in the UK with British rockers Dare. The Wings of Salvation is Redfern’s most accessible and talked about album yet, so if you’re not familiar – check out his latest singles/videos “Come On”, “Gasoline” and “Sweet Carolina”! You can also order The Wings of Salvation in various formats from his website, as well as previous albums, t-shirts, and art prints (Redfern has also created his latest few albums covers, among other pieces). In this interview Troy Redfern talks about his influences, favorite albums, his past recordings, and plenty about his new album. *Check out the links below for ordering and more info on Troy Redfern.
Can you give me a bit of background as far as where you hail from and how you came about to take up the guitar and blues direction?
I grew up on the Welsh border, near Hergest Ridge, which was made famous by Mike Oldfield – who recorded an album by the same name. It’s quite a rural area, and that’s probably one of the things that sort of lead me to play guitar. I was into soul music from an early age, from about the age of 5.
I think one of the most important things was I first saw the film Back To The Future – that really sort of solidified my desire to want to play the guitar, and my parents got me a guitar when I was about 12, I think. And I started getting in guitar music, from Back ToThe Future I heard Van Halen, and then I got into Jimi Hendrix, and the Beatles and all those kinds of bands. And then a friend lent me a Son House album on vinyl, and that was my introduction to early blues music, and that was kind of a game changer in discovering that, because this was pre-internet days. So yeah, that album really got me into blues and slide
I’ve read some of your favorite guitar players, a wide range of rock, fusion, and blues players. Could you give me a ‘top 10’ list of your favorite/influential guitar rock or blues albums?
My top 10 would probably be – Son House – Library of Congress recordings Zappa – Shut Up ‘N’ Play Yer guitar, box set. Allan Holdsworth’s – Road Games Steve Vai’s Flex-able Queen 2 Aerosmith’s Toys In The Attic Deep Purple In Rock Frank Zappa’s Overnight Sensation R.L. Burnside’s A Ass Pocket of Whiskey
You’ve made a name as ‘king of the slide guitar’. Can you tell me a bit about your attraction to this style and sound?
Like I said hearing Son House when I was really young got me interested in that style of music, but i really started getting into it probably when i was about 18 or 19. A girlfriend, her dad showed me how to tune a guitar to open tunings, and sort of module tunings, and major-minor, and from that point on I just kind of started experimenting with tunings and finding my way around the fret board and obviously because it’s completely different to standard tunings, so you have to re-learn everything. It’s just kind of something that’s developed over the years, I’ve put a lot of time into that style and found that to be one of the most natural ways for me to play. It’s just completely comfortable, and when you enjoy something, and you feel like you connect with something that’s that
You also sing – did this come about naturally or out of necessity? How do you feel about (or see yourself as) singing? Any favorite singers that either influenced you or you like in blues / blues-rock?
As far as singing goes, I enjoy singing, but it’s sort of one of those things – it’s a necessity thing. When I started going out under my own name, I just felt that it was right to not only have a voice on my guitar but to use my voice to sing. I think Elmore James was sort of one of my biggest influences
Your latest album is a great set of blues rock, and I think very accessible for those that aren’t familiar to your previous work. So, with that being said – can you give me some background on your pre-lockdown recordings? Personal favorites and highlights, successes…(?)
Background on my previous Lockdown recordings. the one I released in 2017 was called Dirt Blues Ritual, and that was maybe a bit less rock orientated, obviously still slide playing, but probably had more of a rockabilly-blues sound. It’s still identifiable with what I do now, but just the production I did was slightly different, and I was producing that stuff myself. Most of that stuff is on Bandcamp. And there’s an album I released through a Belgian label called Blues Boulevard Records; it was called Back Door HooDoo. And that was sort of a collection of material that I’d released digitally, the first album being Werewolf Etiquette, the second one being Mother Tongue and the third one being Playing with Fire – those were all released on Bandcamp. So that was like a collection of material, all the ‘best of’ from those albums, but they’re still available on Bandcamp. And like I said I was producing that stuff myself and it was sort of a free sort of time where I just learned, over the years, to record myself, and I got my home studio, so I was free to put stuff out without being self-conscious about what I was writing and just enjoying it. I think Werewolf Etiquette is one of my favorites
You made 6 (!?) albums during covid lockdown — what inspired so much writing & recording? And (again), can you give me a round-up in brief or those albums – their direction, how they varied, personal favorite tracks or highlights?
Yeah, I made 6 albums during lockdown, released that many. Well, it was actually 6 albums across that time period, one was actually released before lockdown – that was called This Raging Heart. And then as soon as lockdown happened, I decided I wanted to record something slightly more acoustic and little more experimental, and that became the album that was called Island. And then we realized lockdown was carrying on, so I decided to release more material that was on my hard drive, because you know I’ve recorded lots of material over the years, and I archived that stuff. And then I put (out) a leftovers album called Deep Cuts, which was stuff that didn’t make it onto This Raging Heart. I put out a resonating improvisation album called Improvisations Part 1. And then I put out an instrumental album called Thunder Moon – that’s one of my favorites, because that’s non-genre specific, really. It’s all instrumental music; it shows just different aspects of my creative output that isn’t sometimes released on the official releases, you know. So that’s really why I like Thunder Moon – because it’s so free. I enjoy that one!
Did you approach your latest album any differently to your previous few albums? Any changes in writing, recording,?
Yeah, normally I take quite a while to write stuff, and I’ll make a lot of demos over a long period. The Fire Cosmic I think took probably almost a year to sort of put that together before recording it, but this one was the complete opposite where we wrote and recorded everything from scratch in just over 4 weeks. So, it was a completely different way of approaching it; it was a lot more compressed. We sort of gave ourselves a deadline, which I think really helped you know – it really drew out ideas and it got them from the initial idea to being a fully developed song very quickly, which I think really helped keep the inspired part of the song in there. And I also worked with a producer named Dave Marks who really helped with different aspects. we talked about arrangements, and sort of stylistic choices we were going to make. So that was great – working with someone like that, working with someone closely crafting an album. And like I said, when I was producing all the stuff myself, you’re doing that in isolation, in a bubble, and this was a completely different process where you’re sort of bouncing off of someone and getting things done super-quickly, you know!?
Can you give us a bit of insight (with reference to the new album’s tracks) how you come up with songs – musically and lyrically?
As far as I come up with songs, and lyrics and what-not – usually all the ideas would’ve started with an acoustic guitar or a resonator – I use a 1929 National Triolian Resonator. So, we sketch the ideas, and they would just be non-conscious stream of thought kind of whatever comes out ideas, which is how I like to work because I feel that that’s the most inspired way of getting something – because you’re not actually consciously trying to force something out, you’re just playing and seeing what happens. Let’s take an example – “Gasoline” – I just started playing a riff, which happened to be in 7/8, and I would just play that riff and see where it went, and then just sort of take different turns you know – where the chorus would go and just feel my way through those changes. And as far as lyrics go, that was the hardest part of the album because I had 10 songs to write lyrics for in a very short space of time. There were thematic ideas and narratives that I wanted to get in this time. “Navajo” is about the great walk of the native Americans in 1865, a thing sort of about loss of freedoms, and just trying to tie those 2 things together with that sort of modern loss of personal freedoms and tying it back to that narrative. And “Dark Religion” is the combination of 2 different themes – one personal of the loss of a friend who died of an overdose, all stemming back to a strict Christian upbringing, but then also wrapping that story in a narrative about a woman leaving this country in the 1800s to go to America and set up a new life and realizing that the grass isn’t greener – that kind of narrative, which is basically the same character I used a song called “Ghosts” off The Fire Cosmic and “The Line” from Dirt Blues Ritual. So, I was pleased with the lyrics on that one because they felt like little self-contained stories instead of being too abstract
There is a wide range of guitar sounds, feel, and solos on this album – can you talk a bit about the different sounds and guitars you used on this?
On this album a big part of the album was the Dobro, I’ve got a 1935 Dobro M32, so a lot of the ideas were sort of recorded on that, using a Magnatone Twilighter stereo amp, and also the National Triolian- a 1929 National Triolian, I used that one. A couple of Danelectric guitars made appearances, and an old 1962 Silvertone Jupiter. So, it was mainly vintage guitars that I was using because I think they have unique characteristics that I kind of wanted to get tonally into the tracks, so the stuff’s still quite ‘rock’ but with those kinds of nuanced sounds that has some character that you wouldn’t get with just a standard Humbucker, maybe.
Can you tell me a bit about the album’s cover art/shot? Whose idea and who put it together? (Influences in creating that look?)
On the The Fire Cosmic, the last album, I did the artwork which is kind of in a Jack Kirby comic style. And I was really pleased with that – people seemed to like it, you know. So, I thought well on this one I need to do the same sort of thing. I enjoy making the complete package – where it’s not just the music, it’s the artwork as well. When I was speaking to Dave about needing to do the artwork, we’re both comic book and Star Wars geeks, and he said to me “this album is more Tatooine than it is Jack Kirby”, and I knew exactly what he meant – the sort of browns and reds of that kind of ‘desert’ environment. So, one afternoon I just decided to get some paper, and I managed to find some sort of sandy colored textured paper and I found some charcoals and pastels. And there was a photo that my daughter took, maybe 7 or 8 years ago, and just always loved the lighting on that. So, one of the original ideas was to use the photo and recreate that lighting, but instead I decided to have a go at charcoals and pastels, and I just worked on it, worked it up. And I was kind of pleased because it has that kind of slats of desert-y rough feel to it, texturally, and for me that seems to tie in with the music really well.
Any personal favorite tracks, solos, performances on the new album?
I really like “Dark Religion”, because that’s a style I’ve not written anything – I don’t think, in 3/4, and it has just a completely different vibe to anything I’ve done. And the solo section – I was really pleased with that, the chord progression under that kind of really octave of waves and sea which is sort of what the story’s about. And “Gasoline”, I was really pleased to get that one in there because that one’s in 7/8, and like I said before that’s something you don’t generally get in blues-rock and southern music, so it was nice to get a 7/8 in there that doesn’t throw you around and feel like jarring. And I really enjoyed the solo on “Mercy” because that’s actually not a slide solo, that’s just a standard tuning guitar solo, and I think that was just kind of nice to put it on there because it gives a different aspect, again, to just the slide thing that I’m kind of generally known for.
Have you played in North America as of yet? And when might we see you in Canada?
No – I’ve not played in North America – I’d love to. But it’s just one of those things, you know if the opportunity comes then I’ll be there like a shot because it’s somewhere … you know I’ve played in Europe, Russia, but have not been to the US or Canada yet, but I’d absolutely love to!
American Rocker is Joe Bouchard’s new album, and it tells a number of stories relating to Joe’s past with Blue Oyster Cult, in particular – ‘the golden age’ of the ’70s rock era (see video in links). The album’s cover features stands out with a ’70s-period portrait of Joe, created by American artist Alan Ayers, who is better known for book covers (see the link to his website below). The album’s typeface was created by artist Wallace McBride (aka Unlovely Frankenstein). who also designed those classic looking book covers that appear in the videos for American Rocker. JB: “I did the videos, but I edited a lot of his art into the videos. He also did the typeface for the album cover. He’s very creative. I love his nostalgic approach.” The latest video is for the song “Deadly Kisses”, one of my favorite tracks on the album. Check it out, and check out the links below!
Below, Alan Ayers tells us about his work on the cover for American Rocker, as well as his favorite BOC tunes, and what else he has been involved in.
How you got involved with American Rocker
I was thrilled when Joe contacted me and asked if I would do the cover art for American Rocker. I met Joe through Joan Levy Hepburn, who has been a dear friend for 30+ years.
As an experienced illustrator, and being of the same generation as Joe, he and Joan felt I would be able to recreate the wonderful energy of ‘70s art.
Your background, and artwork you’re also known for
I’ve been illustrating professionally since 1979. My early career was as an advertising illustrator, but I transitioned to publishing in 1987. My work now is primarily novel covers. Occasionally I will work on a non-fiction title. I recently completed the cover for Bill O’Reilly’s latest book, Killing the Legends. I’m still managing multiple deadlines and have no plans on retiring.
Familiar with Joe’s and BOC’s music, favorite songs
I have very fond memories of early Rock and have been a fan of BOC for many years. There are so many BOC classics, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Don’t Fear The Reaper and Burning For You are two of my absolute favorites. I am nuts for all the tracks on American Rocker, but if I had to pick a fav it would be Deadly Kisses.
How you created the American Rocker cover art
Although I was trained traditionally and created images in acrylic and oil for many years, I’ve been working digitally since 1995. I am very comfortable working with a tablet, and often forget I’m not “pushing paint around”. The American Rocker cover was “painted” digitally, combining reference photos provided by Joe. The trip back to the 1970s style was great fun! My main visual influences were the great Daniel Maffia, with a touch of Warhol’s playful style.
You were involved in a Rolling Stones’ cover
Yes, I did work on the Stones Bridges To Babylon insert — mostly on the interior desert scene with Gerard Howland. I did do the final adjustments on Kevin Murphy’s wonderful lion painting for the cover.
My more recent work is on Instagram — traditional illustrations, far different from the wonderful, crazy art of the 70s!
CROSSOVER is a British band of veteran rockers put together by guitarist Paul Gaskin (Gaskin) and drummer Gary Pearson (Vardis) in 2017. Originally, the band also featured singer Mike Starrs (ex Lucifer’s Friend, Colosseum II). Kevin Riddles (Angelwitch, Tytan) on bass and Martin Howells on keyboards. Following a couple of years of major health issues, and a few members moving and leaving the band regrouped with a few new faces, and Gaskin & Starrs writing new songs together. Ken Lorenz joined on bass in early 2020, just as the pandemic kicked in. From then the band was limited in their activities – “We literally could do nothing, except write new songs on our own, or Mike would send me lyrics, and I’d come up with the music. As things were easing in 2021, I decided we should get into the studio and start recording some of the songs, so at least we’d have something to work at and aim for. “ recalls Paul Gaskin. As Ken Lorenz left for a bit, Neil Murray (a friend of Mike Starrs) came in to play on a few songs. There are a few clips of the band on youtube, but at present the band has released a very limited (signed) CD single “Shangri-la” & “Gypsy Blood”. “We are currently looking for a label that suits us. In the meantime, I thought it would be a good idea to bring out a limited edition single to get some airplay. I chose a “radio friendly” number, and it’s one of those that Neil plays on.” PG.
The band: Mike Starrs – vocals Martin Howells – keyboards/vocals Ken Lorenz – bass/vocals David Pick – drums/vocals Me – guitars/vocals Guests; Neil Murray – bass Gary Pearson – percussion Kevin Riddles – bass *The single has Neil on bass and Gary on percussion on “Shangri – la”, and the regular band on “Gypsy Blood”.
The BEATLES Revolver is being issued next month in a box set, with loads of extra material and a new mixes. Originally released in August of 1966, Revolver featured the hits as “Taxman” and “Eleanor Rigby”, and was #1 (almost everywhere). Read on for press details and tracklistings.
GET THE BEATLES’ REVOLVER INTO YOUR LIFE WITH THE NEWLY MIXED AND EXPANDED SPECIAL EDITION
– AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE OCTOBER 28, 2022 –
Revolver Album Presented in New Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes + Original Mono Mix;
Expanded with Never Before Released Session Recordings and Demos + “Paperback Writer” and “Rain” EP
Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream…
On 28th October, ‘Revolver’ will be released worldwide in a range of beautifully presented, newly-mixed and expanded Special Edition packages.
Revolver: The Beatles’ 1966 album that changed everything. Spinning popular music off its axis and ushering in a vibrant new era of experimental, avant-garde sonic psychedelia, Revolver brought about a cultural sea change and marked an important turn in The Beatles’ own creative evolution. With Revolver, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr set sail together across a new musical sea.
On October 28, Revolver will be released worldwide in a range of beautifully presented, newly mixed and expanded Special Edition packages by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe. The Special Edition’s new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes of the album’s opening track “Taxman” make their digital release debuts with today’s announcement and preorder launch.
Revolver’s 14 tracks have been newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell in stereo and Dolby Atmos, and the album’s original mono mix is sourced from its 1966 mono master tape. Revolver’s sweeping new Special Edition follows the universally acclaimed remixed and expanded Special Editions of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (2017), The BEATLES (‘White Album’) (2018), Abbey Road (2019), and Let It Be (2021).
All the new Revolver releases feature the album’s new stereo mix, sourced directly from the original four-track master tapes. The audio is brought forth in stunning clarity with the help of cutting edge de-mixing technology developed by the award-winning sound team led by Emile de la Rey at Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films Productions Ltd. The physical and digital Super Deluxe collections also feature the album’s original mono mix, 28 early takes from the sessions and three home demos, and a four-track EP with new stereo mixes and remastered original mono mixes for “Paperback Writer” and “Rain”. The album’s new Dolby Atmos mix will be released digitally.
Across all the configurations, Revolver’s Special Edition showcases the GRAMMY-winning original album artwork created by The Beatles’ longtime friend, German bassist and artist Klaus Voormann. The Super Deluxe CD and vinyl collections’ beautiful book features Paul McCartney’s foreword; an introduction by Giles Martin; a thoughtful, enlightening essay by Questlove; and insightful chapters and detailed track notes by Beatles historian, author, and radio producer Kevin Howlett. The book is illustrated with rare and previously unpublished photos, never before published images of handwritten lyrics, tape boxes, and recording sheets, as well as 1966 print ads and extracts from Voormann’s graphic novel, birth of an icon: REVOLVER.
Following the December 1965 release of their groundbreaking album, Rubber Soul, and after wrapping up that year’s tour dates, a late decision to cancel shooting plans for a third Beatles film, A Talent For Loving, would have a significant effect on the creation of Revolver. The time allocated for filming and recording songs for a soundtrack was removed from the band’s schedule, allowing the group to take a four-month break before the Revolver recording sessions began. “One thing’s for sure,” John said a few weeks before the band’s return to the studio, “the next LP is going to be very different.”
On April 6, 1966, The Beatles gathered in Studio Three at EMI Studios (now called Abbey Road Studios) for their first Revolver recording session. With their producer George Martin flanked by recording engineer Geoff Emerick and technical engineer Ken Townsend, they went in blazing, starting with “Tomorrow Never Knows”. John’s ethereal vocals (fed from his mic through a rotating Leslie speaker), innovative tape loops – including Paul saying ‘ah, ah, ah, ah’, which when sped up produced a sound similar to a seagull’s screech – converge with Ringo’s thunderous drum pattern, George’s tambura drone, and a backwards guitar solo. “Tomorrow Never Knows” propelled The Beatles and popular music into exciting new terrain. In an interview before Revolver’s August 5, 1966 release, Paul explained to NME, “We did it because I, for one, am sick of doing sounds that people can claim to have heard before.” Revolver’s Special Edition also features The Beatles’ first take of “Tomorrow Never Knows” from the April 6 session and a mono mix that was issued on a small number of records before the LP was recut with the correct version.
The next day, The Beatles returned to Studio Three, completed most of their “Tomorrow Never Knows” recording, and started work on the first version of “Got To Get You Into My Life”. As heard on the Special Edition’s Sessions One, this recording sounds very different from the released track. Revolver’s Special Edition also spotlights two more stages of the finished track’s evolution: an unreleased mono mix and a special mix highlighting the overdubs of three trumpets and two tenor saxophones.
One of George’s most important songwriting influences is heard in “Love You To”. The previous year, his deepening interest in Indian music and learning how to play sitar had brought him together with Ravi Shankar, who became his close friend and occasional musical collaborator. The Beatles began recording “Love You To” in Studio Two on April 11, the third anniversary of the UK release of “From Me To You”. Taken with the whole of Revolver, the short three-year span between these songs illuminates the band’s astonishing creative progression.
“It was one of the first tunes I wrote for sitar,” George later recalled. “This was the first song where I consciously tried to use the sitar and tabla on the basic track.” With George on sitar and vocals, Paul on tamboura and vocal harmony, and university student Anil Bhagwat on tabla, the song’s intricate arrangement began to take shape over several takes. Overdubs included an additional harmony vocal by Paul, omitted from the released version but now faded up in a mix of Take 7. Revolver’s Special Edition also features Take 1 and a previously undocumented and only recently discovered rehearsal for the song with George playing sitar and Paul on tambura.
Between April 13 and 16 in Studios Two and Three, The Beatles recorded their chart-topping “Paperback Writer” single (with layered harmonies, riffing guitars, and Paul’s booming bass lines) and its B-side “Rain” (achieved with tape machines slowed down for the recording and mixing processes). Prior to the single’s release on June 10 (May 30 in the U.S.), The Beatles spent a couple of days away from recording to shoot several promotional films for both songs with director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who would later direct the Let It Be film. In addition to the songs’ new stereo mixes and original mono mixes, Revolver’s Special Edition features “Paperback Writer” Takes 1 and 2 – Backing track and two versions of “Rain” Take 5: one at the actual speed The Beatles played it and the other, a slowed down evolutionary mix used to create the master tape.
The album’s opening track, “Taxman”, was recorded across three Studio Two sessions in April and May. One of three songs on the album by George, in “Taxman” he expresses his frustration with the UK’s ‘super-rich’ tax rate at the time (90%), with a vocal wink to the “Batman” TV theme song. In a 12-hour session on April 20, The Beatles recorded and mixed the first version of “And Your Bird Can Sing” (for this song, the Special Edition features two Version One/Take 2 recordings and Version Two’s Take 5), then began recording “Taxman”. They returned to the song the next day, laying down George’s foundational guitar, Paul’s bass and his dynamic, raga-style guitar solo, and Ringo’s drums and cowbell. Revolver’s Special Edition also features Take 11, with falsetto backing vocals by John and Paul with different words from the released version.
“Yellow Submarine” was recorded on May 26 and June 1 in Studios Three and Two, respectively. The iconic, sunny rite of singalong passage for children everywhere and a favorite for the young-at-heart began quite differently than it finished. Parts 1 and 2 of the Special Edition’s songwriting work tape for “Yellow Submarine” reveal the song’s evolution from a rather sad verse sung by John over acoustic guitar – “In the town where I was born / No one cared, no one cared…” – to its adaptation by John and Paul to suit the jollier subject matter of the chorus. Revolver’s Special Edition also includes “Yellow Submarine” Take 4 and highlighted sound effects (a complex and merry sonic seascape, including Mal Evans’ sand-shoveling and Brian Jones’ glass-clinking) for listeners to journey with The Beatles through the song’s progression. “We were really starting to find ourselves in the studio,” Ringo explained later. “The songs got more interesting, so with that the effects got more interesting.”
The Beatles’ final Revolver recording session took place in Studio Two on the evening of June 21, 1966 into the wee hours of June 22, just one day before the band traveled to Munich to start their international summer tour. The lyrics for “She Said She Said” drew upon the memory of a disorienting day of misadventure The Beatles had experienced in Los Angeles. Having received George’s help to create a whole new song from some unfinished fragments, John led the group through the rehearsals and recording while the clock ticked away the last remaining session time. Revolver’s Special Edition also features John’s home demo for the song and Take 15 – Backing track rehearsal, with its introductory speech revealing convivial banter between The Beatles as they worked out the arrangement (later praised by composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein as “remarkable” with “real inventions”).
By 4am on June 22, The Beatles finished “She Said She Said”, wrapping up their Revolver recording sessions. The album’s final mono and stereo mixes were completed that evening, and the next day The Beatles were once again off and running on tour. They would next return to Abbey Road in November 1966 to begin recording Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Released on August 5, 1966, Revolver spent seven weeks at number one on the UK albums chart, and a double A-side single with “Eleanor Rigby” and “Yellow Submarine” topped the UK singles chart for four weeks in August and September. In the U.S., Capitol released an 11-track version of Revolver, which spent six weeks at number one on Billboard’s albums chart. “I’m Only Sleeping”, “And Your Bird Can Sing”, and “Doctor Robert” had been previously plucked from the sessions for Capitol’s North American release of the Yesterday And Today compilation album in June. That album’s sleeve was originally printed with the infamous “butcher cover” before pre-release controversy resulted in Capitol recalling and re-covering well over one million mono and stereo LPs with an innocuous photo of The Beatles gathered around a trunk.
Revolver: Special Edition:
SUPER DELUXE [5CD + 100-page hardbound book in slipcase | digital audio collection]
CD1: Revolver (New stereo mix)
1. Taxman (2022 Mix) 2. Eleanor Rigby (2022 Mix) 3. I’m Only Sleeping (2022 Mix) 4. Love You To (2022 Mix) 5. Here, There and Everywhere (2022 Mix) 6. Yellow Submarine (2022 Mix) 7. She Said She Said (2022 Mix) 8. Good Day Sunshine (2022 Mix) 9. And Your Bird Can Sing (2022 Mix) 10. For No One (2022 Mix) 11. Doctor Robert (2022 Mix) 12. I Want To Tell You (2022 Mix) 13. Got To Get You Into My Life (2022 Mix) 14. Tomorrow Never Knows (2022 Mix)
CD2: Sessions One 1. Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1) 2. Tomorrow Never Knows (Mono Mix Rm 11) 3. Got To Get You Into My Life (First Version / Take 5) 4. Got To Get You Into My Life (Second Version / Unnumbered Mix 5. Got To Get You Into My Life (Second Version / Take 8) 6. Love You To (Take 1) 7. Love You To (Unnumbered Rehearsal) 8. Love You To (Take 7) 9. Paperback Writer (Takes 1 & 2 / Backing Track) 10. Rain (Take 5 / Actual Speed) 11. Rain (Take 5 / Slowed Down For Master Tape) 12. Doctor Robert (Take 7) 13. And Your Bird Can Sing (First Version / Take 2) 14. And Your Bird Can Sing (First Version / Take 2 / Giggling)
CD3: Sessions Two 1. And Your Bird Can Sing (Second Version / Take 5) 2. Taxman (Take 11) 3. I’m Only Sleeping (Rehearsal Fragment) 4. I’m Only Sleeping (Take 2) 5. I’m Only Sleeping (Take 5) 6. I’m Only Sleeping (Mono Mix Rm1) 7. Eleanor Rigby (Speech Before Take 2) 8. Eleanor Rigby (Take 2) 9. For No One (Take 10 / Backing Track) 10. Yellow Submarine (Songwriting Work Tape / Part 1) 11. Yellow Submarine (Songwriting Work Tape / Part 2) 12. Yellow Submarine (Take 4 Before Sound Effects) 13. Yellow Submarine (Highlighted Sound Effects) 14. I Want To Tell You (Speech & Take 4) 15. Here, There and Everywhere (Take 6) 16. She Said She Said (John’s Demo) 17. She Said She Said (Take 15 / Backing Track Rehearsal)
CD4: Original Mono 1. Taxman (Mono) 2. Eleanor Rigby (Mono) 3. I’m Only Sleeping (Mono) 4. Love You To (Mono) 5. Here, There and Everywhere (Mono) 6. Yellow Submarine (Mono) 7. She Said She Said (Mono) 8. Good Day Sunshine (Mono) 9. And Your Bird Can Sing (Mono) 10. For No One (Mono) 11. Doctor Robert (Mono) 12. I Want To Tell You (Mono) 13. Got To Get You Into My Life (Mono) 14. Tomorrow Never Knows (Mono)
REVOLVER – SPECIAL EDITION SUPER DELUXE VINYL BOX SET 180g 4LP/1EP (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe)
LP One: Revolver (new stereo mix) Side 1 1. Taxman 2. Eleanor Rigby 3. I’m Only Sleeping 4. Love You To 5. Here, There And Everywhere 6. Yellow Submarine 7. She Said She Said
Side 2 1. Good Day Sunshine 2. And Your Bird Can Sing 3. For No One 4. Doctor Robert 5. I Want To Tell You 6. Got To Get You Into My Life 7. Tomorrow Never Knows
LP Two: Sessions One Side 1 1. Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1) 2. Tomorrow Never Knows (Mono mix RM 11) 3. Got To Get You Into My Life (First version) – Take 5 4. Got To Get You Into My Life (Second version) – Unnumbered mix – mono 5. Got To Get You Into My Life (Second version) – Take 8 6. Love You To (Take 1) – mono 7. Love You To (Unnumbered rehearsal) – mono
Side 2 1. Love You To (Take 7) 2. Paperback Writer (Takes 1 and 2) – Backing track – mono 3. Rain (Take 5 – Actual speed) 4. Rain (Take 5 – Slowed down for master tape) 5. Doctor Robert (Take 7) 6. And Your Bird Can Sing (First version) – Take 2 7. And Your Bird Can Sing (First version) – Take 2 (giggling)
LP Three: Sessions Two Side 1 1. And Your Bird Can Sing (Second version) – Take 5 2. Taxman (Take 11) 3. I’m Only Sleeping (Rehearsal fragment) – mono 4. I’m Only Sleeping (Take 2) – mono 5. I’m Only Sleeping (Take 5) – mono 6. I’m Only Sleeping (Mono mix RM1) 7. Eleanor Rigby (Speech before Take 2) 8. Eleanor Rigby (Take 2)
Side 2 1. For No One (Take 10) – Backing track 2. Yellow Submarine (Songwriting work tape – Part 1) – mono 3. Yellow Submarine (Songwriting work tape – Part 2) – mono 4. Yellow Submarine (Take 4 before sound effects) 5. Yellow Submarine (Highlighted sound effects) 6. I Want To Tell You (Speech and Take 4) 7. Here, There And Everywhere (Take 6) 8. She Said She Said (John’s demo) – mono 9. She Said She Said (Take 15) – Backing track rehearsal
LP Four: Revolver (original mono master) Side 1 1. Taxman 2. Eleanor Rigby 3. I’m Only Sleeping 4. Love You To 5. Here, There And Everywhere 6. Yellow Submarine 7. She Said She Said
Side 2 1. Good Day Sunshine 2. And Your Bird Can Sing 3. For No One 4. Doctor Robert 5. I Want To Tell You 6. Got To Get You Into My Life 7. Tomorrow Never Knows
Revolver EP (7-inch) Side 1 1. Paperback Writer (New stereo mix) 2. Rain (New stereo mix)
Finnish blues rock slide guitarist and singer songwriter Erja Lyytinen is pleased to announce the release of “Last Girl”, the second single taken from her upcoming ninth studio album Waiting For The Daylight.
The single, released Wednesday September 7th, is available to stream and buy on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music via https://ffm.to/ylyrxan. Watch the Last Girl music video
Released by Tuohi Records on Friday October 7th, Erja’s new album Waiting For The Daylightfeatures nine original songs, and is available to pre-order from https://erjalyytinen.com/waiting-for-the-daylight.
In November, Erja heads out on a co-headline UK tour with the award-winning Belfast-based blues guitarist Dom Martin. Tickets are available from https://erjalyytinen.com/tour and www.dommart.in/tour. Dates include Southampton, The 1865 (Nov 7), Bilston, The Robin (Nov 8), London, The Grace (Nov 9) and Grimsby, Yardbirds (Nov 10).
“Last Girldeals with the subject of bullying in schools and the feeling of being left out of a friendship group, says Erja. “This song is for those who feel as if they are outsiders, which is a current topic as the new school year is about to start. A lot is happening in the song, and it is quite intense and energetic, just like the school world is.”
“Continues Erja, “Making the music video for ‘Last Girl’ felt essential because it’s such an important topic to me. A young girl features in the music video, and at the end, she is playing an electric guitar with me as part of the group and having a good time. The song speaks out on many levels.”
“It was fascinating to create guitar parts for ‘Last Girl’. It has some vibes from rock bands like Iron Maiden, but I also wrote twin-part guitar harmonies to the C – part in the style of an Allman Brothers Band. I wanted to create a song with an old classic rock feel but executed with modern sounds and techniques.”
“The intro has pull-offs and some fast licks and flute notes combined which creates the main guitar theme for the whole song. This song has probably one of the most challenging guitar parts I have written so far.”
For musicians, the last two years have been a period of reflection and soul searching. What to do with oneself in the absence of life on the road? And would live music ever be able to return to the way it was pre-pandemic? Artists and music fans alike waited for that glimmer of hope and the return of some semblance of normality. Written largely during the pandemic era Erja Lyytinen’s new studio album Waiting For The Daylight encapsulates these emotions.
With time on her hands, Lyytinen was able to pause, dig deep and fully process her feelings. Some of which she had been carrying for a long time. This journey of self-exploration proved to be a source of inspiration for the artist’s latest offering. Carrying on from the gifted guitarist’s last two studio albums, Stolen Hearts, and Another World, respectively, Lyytinen continues to explore themes such as love, loss, heartbreak, and sometimes even revenge. Events transpiring around the world occasionally fed into the storyboard of Lyytinen’s songwriting.
The album was recorded during the first half of 2022, between Erja’s hectic touring schedule, with the bulk of the sessions taking place at The Hollywood House in Helsinki, Finland. Lyytinen was joined in the studio by long-standing bass player Tatu Back and drummer Iiro Laitinen. Having played on every one of Lyytinen’s albums since 2008, Harri Taittonen features once again on Hammond and keyboard. Waiting For The Daylight illustrates a new chapter in Erja’s musical and artistic trajectory. The album was proudly produced by Lyytinen herself. Subsequently, Erja simultaneously explored sounds on the periphery of the blues-rock genre. She fearlessly pushed herself and the band further than previously before.
During her formative years, Erja was schooled on the sounds of the ’60s and 7’0s by her mother, and with her latest offering, she pays homage to rock greats such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Uriah Heap. With its heavy groove, atmospheric textures, and passionate delivery the title track is a testament to this. The song Waiting For The Daylight also features perhaps one of the artist’s most mesmerizing and emotive solos to date. Lyytinen further showcases her chops during the album’s hook-laden opening number and lead single, “Bad Seed”.
The artist pours her heart and soul into the cathartic number “Last Girl”. Erja describes the latter a cross between Satriani meets Iron Maiden. Says Erja, “The song talks about bullying in schools and how you can be left out of a friendship group. I always put something of my own in the songs as well, so it became a very important song on many levels.”
Just as the title dictates, at approximately seven minutes long, “The End of Music”concludes the release to great effect. “The song talks about missing being back on stage and the audience, as many of us musicians did during the pandemic,” explains Erja.
For Erja and her fans alike, the new studio album and her return to touring the UK is worth the wait.
TRACK LISTING:
Bad Seed (5:13) Last Girl (5:28) Run Away (5:00) Waiting For The Daylight (6:12) Never Really Had You (5:15) Diamonds On The Road (4:25) You Talk Dirty (6:17) Love Bites (3:58) The End of Music (6:55)
LINE-UP:
Erja Lyytinen – Vocals, Guitars, Violin, Keyboards Harri Taittonen – Keyboards, Hammond Tatu Back – Bass Iiro Laitinen – Drums
Recorded and mixed by Matias Kiiveri at Hollywood House in Helsinki Finland 2022 .
Produced by Erja Lyytinen Executive producer Erja Lyytinen for Bluesland Productions Photographer and digital design by Antti Karppinen, Alias Creative Graphic design by Jan Yrlund, Darkgrove Design . All songs, lyrics, and music by Erja Lyytinen
