Italian heavy psych rock stalwarts MR.BISON reveal the second single taken from their new album “Echoes From The Universe”, to be issued on February 16th through Heavy Psych Sounds. Enter the stratosphere with “Collision” exclusively on It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine!
Their upcoming fifth album ‘Echoes From The Universe’ invites the listener to a prismatic voyage that explores the notion of freedom and destiny through Norse mythology and weaves together a vivid and majestic sonic tapestry that brims with liquid riffs, graceful psychedelia, progressive grandeur and vibrant vocals. A modern and fulfilling space trip that should please fans of the likes of Elder, King Buffalo, Howling Giant.
About the album, the band says: “The theme of “Echoes from the Universe” is the attempt, as human and temporal beings, to escape the idea of an alleged destiny predetermination by managing to build one’s life path through willpower. Its concept is based on the Norse Norns myth, who weave the threads of universal destiny on a tapestry, in which all existence, in a continuous mix of past, present, and future, intersect and influence each other, thereby generating a kaleidoscopic vortex of infinite and unpredictable possibilities. For this reason, we have used them as a symbol of freedom of choice, which never excludes but indeed implies, the element of chance.”
It was produced by guitarist Matteo Barsacchi, mixed by Nicola Giorgetti at the Indipendente Recording Studio and mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering in Chicago.
MR.BISON masters the art of melding heavy psychedelia with progressive elements and evocative soundscapes. Formed in a small coastal town in Tuscany (Italy) in 2009, the band has reinvented their sound through four albums from stoner psych to heavy progressive rock, firmly establishing themselves in 2018 with the acclaimed “Holy Oak” and their 2020 concept album “Seaward”. The band has toured Europe and North America several times and played various festivals such as Desertfest Berlin, London and Antwerp, Krach am Back, Duna Jam.
Mr BISON introduced their brand of Heavy Blues influenced by groups like Captain Beyond, Nektar, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and the more.
ENIAWAR have released their 2nd album (as of December 1st). The band from Croatia consists of Marin Tramontana (guitars, music ), and Katarina Tramontana (vocals, and lyrics), as well as Hugo Ribeiro (drums). Another World is a 10 track set of hard rock, with great vocals, and a cool set of fresh sounding rockers. Love the overall sound and production on this album! I’m just getting in to this, but it is easily likeable right away. Check out the 3 videos I’ve included below, as well as the links below!
DOKKEN’s latest album Heaven Comes Down features the eye-catching cover art created by the band’s bass player Chris McCarvill. Chris has also designed the cover for the band’s 2012 album Broken Bones, as well as his other band Maxx Explosion. In our exchange below Chris details the album’s artwork, as well as his other art and covers he’s designed (also see links below).
You are known more so as a musician, and member of Dokken, but can you tell me a bit about your art work, how you got in to that, and what you do as far as professionally and as hobby/interest in it?
I’ve been a professional graphic artist for 30 years, mainly in screenprinting. I now co-own a screenprinting company, Savin Rock Printing. I’ve always been interested in art; my dad and younger brother are great artists, and my mother was pretty good too. I’m not trained or schooled; I just like it.
You’re credited with the cover art on the new (and previous) Dokken album. Can you tell how the album cover idea / inspiration for Heaven Comes Down came about? was the cover your idea / design, and/or input and suggestions from other bandmembers?
I had visited Don’s house in Beverly Hills in 2016 when we were playing the Whiskey, and he had an Asian wooden griffin statue that caught my attention. He said that was the first piece of art he had bought when the band had started making money. It’s not restored, it looks very old and it’s quite large. Dokken cover art features a phoenix sometimes and this piece seemed to just fit, it’s the right style, its heavy metal looking, but also artistic and classy. I’d mentioned to Don that the griffin was my vote for an album cover more than once.
That said, it’s in a very static, boring, standing position which is not exciting for an album cover. I looked at a lot of pictures of mainly lions jumping and based the dynamics on that but used the head, features, and details of the griffin.
Is there a story behind the cover in terms of a meaning relating to Dokken or any of the songs?
It’s more of a symbol of Don and how he rises in the face of many difficulties.
What all did you do on the Heaven Comes Down cover (as you are not the only one credited)? And can you explain a bit of how it was done (technique used, drawing?, computer?, lay out, etc…)
This started as a good old pencil sketch. I did 2 sketches. Don thought the first one was too skinny, so version 2 was more muscular. I decided to make most of the griffon vector, or object based, meaning I could move elements around as I figured there would be many changes – and there were. Illustrating it this way allowed me to move and re-proportion things without having to completely redraw, and I could use the objects as masks in photoshop, like how an airbrush artist uses stencils. So, I sketched it, did a lot of color work, then Hiro (I think he works with Silver Lining – our record label) did better hands than mine, and a couple other details. He also did an entirely different griffon, in different colors, but we ended up going with mine. I had thought the art was approved, Don liked it, and we were sent a final version that had been photoshopped with different colors and different backgrounds. I thought it looked great, though I don’t know who did that final coloring/layering. So, this cover was a bit of a group effort.
You’ve done a few other album covers, any you wish to touch on (or elaborate on a bit) and were particularly happy with?
I’m never super happy with my own work. Out of the few I’ve done I probably like the Maxx Explosion records. I’m sure you’ll see the Hugh Syme influence. I’ve never pursued art the way I’ve pursued music. I think I’m ok at it, but I’m definitely not in the same category as my influences.
Were you a fan of album covers growing up? any favorite album cover artists and a perhaps top 5-10 list of favorite album covers?
Oh yeah. Growing up for me was pre-internet, so album covers felt like a window into the world of the band. I liked Hugh Syme’s covers a lot, I had the Whitesnake 1987 album. I constantly wondered what the brass logo icon was or if it did something, like was it some sort of portal, or lock, or gateway? Hugh’s concrete and marble textures always gave the music a sort of classy mystery. His concepts are usually breathtaking as well (look at Dream Theater’s Distance Over Time). I love Doug Johnson’s Judas Priest covers (Screaming for Vengeance / Defenders of the Faith / Turbo). They have a glossy, stylized, almost surreal look that’s instantly recognizable. Hipgnosis also did great stuff like Black Sabbath’s Technical Ecstasy cover, Storm Thorgurson’s Pink Floyd Division Bell, Muse’s Absolution. I also like Mark Norton’s work with the Rolling Stones very much. Roger Dean’s fantasy landscapes always captured my imagination too.
As for the new Dokken album, any favorite songs and ones you look forward to playing live?
We haven’t played much of the record live yet, so I’m not super sure, but I like Just Like a Rose, Fugitive, and Gypsy. I’m not sure that we’ll ever do it, but I love the song, Santa Fe. Having known Don for a little while now I know he writes very sincerely and that one is so him.
British bands URIAH HEEP and SAXON will be co-headlining a US tour throughout April, May and June of 2024. (Dates to be announced in a few weeks). Heep who released their 25th studio album, Chaos & Colour, in January (this year) and Saxon have a new album set to be released January 19 titledHell, Fire And Damnation.
Earlier this year Saxon released their 2nd album of cover songs titled More Inspirations, which included their rendition of Heep’s “Gypsy”. Guitarist Paul Quinn retired from touring, and Brian Tatler (Diamond Head). Heep played shows to commemorate their 50th anniversary last year, and recently finished a tour of Brazil, but haven’t featured Chaos & Colour songs in their show as of yet, so presumably 2024’s performances will see some of these great tracks performed. Prior to the US , Saxon and Heep, as well as Judas Priest, tour as the European Metal Masters.
TRAPEZE was a British band, perhaps better remembered for the players that were in it and went on to bigger success with other acts, instead of the of excellent albums they made in the ’70s. The band existed from 1969 til 1981 (or 82), and seems to be best known as the band that Glenn Hughes got his recording start in. But, TRAPEZE was not particularly just Hughes’ band; in fact the band based around the guitar sound of Mel Galley carried on well after Hughes left to join Deep Purple in 1973, and released a few very good albums in the latter ’70s. The band also featured (drummer) Dave Holland before he joined Judas Priest, and their last recording line-up – Peter Goalby, before he joined Uriah Heep. Mel Galley was there beginning to end ’til he had an offer to join Whitesnake, so I think it’s safe to say that Trapeze was Mel’s band.
This 14 track album of previously unreleased and unheard material is a most welcomed addition to the band’s catalogue, which in recent years has been reissued in expanded versions, compilations and live releases, undoubtedly bringing back the name Trapeze to many who previously may not have been very familiar, myself included! My initial interest years back was the Hughes-Deep Purple connection, and the Peter Goalby connection (being a Heep fan), and Hold On (the band’s last studio album) remains my favorite. The band’s debut featured a 5 piece band that was signed to the Moody Blues label, but Trapeze seemed to be best remembered as the short-lived trio that released the 2 classic albums Medusa and You Are The Music…We’re Just The Band. After Hughes left, Mel Galley took on lead vocals as well, and added guitarist Rob Kendrick and bass player Peter Wright, and recorded the classic Hot Wire (love that album cover), followed by Trapeze (self-titled), Running/Hold On (with Peter Goalby), and the Live in Texas: Dead Armadillos. Lost Tapes Vol. 1 features tracks from the band’s early days right through to the end with Goalby, and a few from the band’s short-lived reunion in the ’90s. Though the songs aren’t in chronological order, this album features a pile of outstanding Trapeze tunes that might make you wonder why this stuff has never surfaced before. Trapeze was known for their funk-rock style, something that made them a fairly unique band in the ’70s, though often lumped in with early ‘heavy metal’ acts, they were far from it, though they could deliver some heavy hard rockers, and here we get standouts like the heavy Hughes’ sang “Breakdown” – which sounds so fresh one could easily mistaken this for a much more modern recording. There’s the ’80s production sound of “Destiny”, the funkier “Lover”, and closing track “Going Home” (which is a heavier take of the song that appeared on 1974’s Hot Wire).
Lost Tapes also features 3 tracks with Goalby on vocals, including the first one “Cool Water”, an excellent catchy feel-good rock tune, and one of many to feature a memorable guitar riff/intro from Galley, who also doubles up on the vocals on this, with a solid drum performance from Dave Holland (RIP). There’s also the memorable “You’ve Got It” from this era, featuring some excellent slide guitar as well. But my favorite track here is Goalby’s “Who Do You Run To” (the one song written by PG, himself here), absolutely outstanding late ’70s hard rock with influences from the period, a killer little intro and chorus. (Maybe someone can explain how this chorus and similar title ended up on the 1982 Hughes-Thrall album!?).
This makes a great addition to the Trapeze catalogue for fans of the band. The 14 tracks here are all well worth hearing; this is no exercise in ‘cleaning out the vaults’ of anything and everything, this was properly put together for fans to enjoy, and a tribute / reminder of this great band. One of my favorite releases of 2023! I am curious and looking forward to a Volume 2 (presumably there will be!?) Lost Tapes Vol. 1 can be purchased in digital form, CD, and limited orange vinyl (which I am awaiting!)
Helsinki’s SATAN’S FALL has an outstanding new album out – Destination Destruction(SPV/Steamhammer). Check out my review elsewhere on this site, but if you’re in to SAXON, HELLOWEEN, or JUDAS PRIEST’s later albums – I highly recommend checking this album out. In tis following interview guitarist – Tomi Mäenpää answers my questions about the band’s forming, the making of and songs on Destination Destruction, and the band’s upcoming plans.
Enjoy the read, check out the new album, and links below!
Can you tell me a bit about the band’s beginnings, the band name choice, and up through the changes that happened since the band’s previous album?
Satan’s Fall started almost by accident and I’ve often laughed that this is a band that was never supposed to be a band. The band started when we played together with another founding member, i.e. our former guitarist Kride. We didn’t intend to start a band, just to drink beer and play the guitar together, but when riffs and melodies started to emerge, we started asking more people to join us. At that point, when we were looking for other guys to join the band, Satan’s Cross was chosen as the name. The name was meant to be attention-grabbing and maybe a little infuriating. At the same time, when we recorded the first ‘Seven Nights’ demo, some Mexican band managed to grab the name for themselves. Kride and I then thought about a new name and ended up with the name Satan’s Fall. We didn’t think of any Mercyful Fate connection at the time, even though everyone knows they have a song of the same name. Satan was thrown out of heaven because he started to rebel, and heavy metal has a similar rebellion against authority figures.
When did writing and recording begin for the new album? And what sort of direction or new ideas were decided upon for this new line-up and album?
I composed the first song ‘Lead the Way’ as soon as Final Day came out, so it was 2021. Then I did ‘Dark Star’ and Lassi (ex-guitarist) did ‘Garden of Fire’. With the demos of those songs, we approached record companies, which then led to a recording contract with Steamhammer. After that, it was a bit quieter, because Ville (ex-drummer) decided to leave the band, as a result of which Lassi also left. We got new and current guitarist Ville Koskinen in the band immediately when Lassi announced his departure, but I had to look for a drummer for several months until I found Arttu. Basically, we don’t think that now we have to make this or that type of song, but they are created purely by playing and feeling. Personally, I at least want to try different approaches to music, as I did with the song ‘Dark Star’. I tried to see what kind of song you could build on one rhythm guitar riff. After all, everything else is built on top of that one rhythm track. I think it worked out well.
How do Satan’s Fall songs come together? Who writes them musically & lyrically, and what inspires musical & lyrical ideas?
Me and Ville, i.e. the guitarists, mainly wrote the music for the new album and Miika then does the lyrics and vocal arrangements. Anything can be a source of inspiration, and it often is. Less often, I’m personally inspired by listening to old heavy metal to make my own music. I do notice which bands do that, because then they all sound exactly the same. Most of the time, things seem to arise by themselves and subconsciously. I don’t really know how to describe it any better, since I don’t really have any answer. Miika’s lyrics are very much about the downfall of humanity.
Destination Destruction has an excellent sound, great production. Can you talk a bit about how happy you are with how things turned out?
We are satisfied with how the album sounds, but of course some things could have been done differently, but I guess everyone thinks the same way about their albums. Our former guitarist Lassi was again responsible for recording, mixing and producing. Of course we also shouted out our ideas and how we wanted certain things to sound. The main thing is not to start repeating the same things we have already done.
You guys have an awesome 2 guitar heavy sound? Any 2 guitar bands you like to look up to or like to be compared to?
At this point, I’m not interested in comparing ourselves to anyone else or whether we’re being compared to another band. Totally irrelevant to us.
Can you talk a bit about some of the new songs – any antidotes or stories behind tracks like Afterglow, No Gods No Masters, Lead The Way…? Any that stand out for you guys personally?
Each song has it’s own story and you can read it in the lyrics. The listener can then draw their own conclusions about the theme of the song’s lyrics. A song like ‘No Gods, No Masters’ is a pretty clear statement based on the name alone. Or what do you think? My favorite is ‘Afterglow’, but I like all the songs on the album, because each song has its own place on the album.
I really like the last track ‘Dark Star”, a powerful track musically and vocally. I gotta say (if this doesn’t seem odd) the guitar solo (and faint keyboards!?) kinda reminds me of Neil Young’s ‘Like A Hurricane’. Love it.
I do not know. Neil Young has nothing to do with this song, but people hear things in their own way. Dark Star was the second song I wrote for the new album. I wanted to try out what kind of song I could compose based on just one rhythm guitar riff. So the song has only one rhythm riff and everything else is built on top of it. We got a nice little extra spice to it with the synths and Ville plays a brilliant and atmospheric solo guitar at the end.
Interesting couple of cover songs as bonus tracks! Especially the Power Ranger theme, which is instantly recognizable here (my older kids watched this show way back). How did this idea even come up to record it?
The record company wanted two bonus songs for the CD version, so we selected a couple of our favorites. I personally don’t care for the bonus tracks on the album because they spoil the overall feel. There’s nothing worse than listening to a great album set and then after the last song a bonus song starts playing. At worst, they are some old shitty quality live or rehearsal tracks.
Can you guys tell me a bit about the album’s cover-art — who created it, how much input and ideas or suggestions did you put forth?
The cover art was created by Dan Goldsworthy, who has done covers for Accept and Gloryhammer, among others. The idea was ours, but the execution was then completely in the hands of the artist. We didn’t like the first draft, but then Dan nailed it perfectly with this second version that ended up on the cover. In the picture, people are walking towards the light, even though they are walking into a human slaughterhouse.
What have been some of the live highlights for the band over last few years – favorite festivals, bills you were on, opening slots, bands you’ve shared stage with and got to meet?
Perhaps the best gig memory is when we played the 2017 Headbangers Open Air in Germany to a big crowd that was very involved throughout the gig. Good memories are also when we played a couple of times with Manilla Road (R.I.P. Mark Shelton) and warmed up Pentagram and Satan.
We also warmed up Primordial with a couple of gigs in Finland. After those gigs came the first member change, when singer Markus, drummer Tommi and Kride left the band after the second gig.
What is coming up for you guys in the near future? Any major festival announcements or tours?
We are trying to build a European tour for next spring, but the situation seems pretty impossible at the moment, because Venues don’t respond to e-mails or offer ridiculous deals where the artist pays for everything from sound technicians to drinks. We have a few festival gigs coming up, but no major festival shows. Heavy metal is not of much interest to big festival organizers these days, and it is unlikely that there will ever be a change.
There is a great hard rock & metal scene in Finland, can you give us a few bands or albums you guys would recommend to check out from there?
All Stratovarius material from 1989-2000, Children of Bodom’s first three records and Tarot’s first two records.
A sad day for Canadian music with the passing of APRIL WINE founding member, guitarist, singer, and songwriter – Myles Goodwyn. This one hits hard because being Canadian, April Wine was one of the first bands I ever saw live, and the band was a regular on Canadian radio. The band was formed out east in 1969, relocated to Montreal and signed to Aquarius Records, where they would go on to be the label’s biggest band. By the time of the band’s third studio album, Electric Jewels, Goodwyn would be the sole remaining founding member, and would go on to guide the band to huge success, particularly in the early late 70s -80s with the albums First Glance, Harder…Faster, Nature Of The Beast and Powerplay. Throughout the 70s and 80s, Goodwyn wrote, sang, and produced a steady string of singles and hits for the band, even before the band became a hit in the US. Anyone growing up in Canada could not turn on the radio here without hearing an April Wine song at some point. Many of the band’s favorites still feature on FM radio here, whether it’s the early ones like “You Could Have Been A Lady” or late 70s-80s classics like “Say Hello”, “Just Between You And Me”, or the band’s epic take on Lorence Hud’s “Sign Of The Gypsy Queen”. Not to mention “Roller” , the band’s breakthrough US hit, which can still be heard not only on radio, but at arenas during hockey games (Junior & pro…). Being Canadian, if you grew up in the 70s or 80s — you had heard Myles with April Wine; the band played high schools and arenas across the country in the 70s, and was a staple of Canadian radio.
Earlier this year Myles announced his retirement from touring with the band and selected his own replacement (Marc Parent). In the last few years, Goodwyn recorded and released his own solo albums Myles Goodwyn and Friends Of The Blues (1 & 2) , as well as his 2016 autobiography Just Between You and Me. RIP Myles, a Canadian rock n roll legend.
Below are 10 classics April Wine tracks written and sang by Myles Goodwyn.
Roller
from the band’s 1978 breakthrough (US) single and album (First Glance).
Rock N Roll Is A Vicious Game
Also from First Glance. A classic April Wine number, once tributed to Bon Scott (AC/DC) ; nicely covered by Sebastien Bach of Skid Row.
Comin’ Right Down On Top Of Me – also fromFirst Glance
Say Hello – from 1979’sHarder…Faster
Also from Harder…Faster
Just Between You And Me
From the band’s biggest album Nature Of The Beast
Sign Of The Gypsy Queen
Enough Is Enough
The first single from 1982’s Powerplay
Anything You Want You Want It
Also from Powerplay, a great opening number.
This Could Be The Right One
The first single and only track play played live from 1984’s Animal Grace.
Sons Of The Pioneers
Another single and great track from the underrated Animal Grace album. This would mark the end of the band’s most successful line-up and era.
Love Has Remembered Me
the hit single from the 1985 album Walking Through Fire
If You Believe In Me
In 1993 April Wine returned with the album Attitude, which was ful of Myles Goodwyn gems, and April Wine favorites.
Also from Attitude
Look Into The Sun
From 1994’s Frigate album. Perhaps the heaviest thing Myles and AW ever recorded. The best track on the album!
British rock icons MAGNUM share “Blue Tango”, the first single from their upcoming studio album, ‘Here Comes the Rain’, out January 12th, 2024 via Steamhammer / SPV (Pre-OrderHERE) . The track is accompanied by a new lyric video.
Tony Clarkin had this to say about “Blue Tango,” : “Apart from MAGNUM’s typical trademarks, ‘Here Comes The Rain’ also holds a number of thoroughly pleasant surprises in store, such as ‘Blue Tango’, which is a real riff-rock number that makes you want to move your feet.”
There are few great bands on our planet that can be infallibly identified within the first few bars of one of their songs. With unique melodic skill, tasteful instrumentation, an amazing balance of depth and catchiness, and, of course, that charismatic voice: MAGNUM are Magnum!
The same can be said of their latest studio album ‘Here Comes The Rain’, which will be released via CD + DVD, double vinyl LP, as a box set and for digital download, proving once again that classic rock music could hardly sound more atmospheric.
The album’s highly inspired artwork is once more designed by the great Rodney Matthews, who has already created a number of MAGNUM sleeves to support the band’s atmospherically dense music. Says Tony Clarkin: “The back cover features a kind of avian battalion in attack mode, which I think is a great allegory!”
Apart from MAGNUM’s typical trademarks, ‘Here Comes The Rain’ also holds a number of thoroughly pleasant surprises. First single, “Blue Tango”, is a catchy, guitar rock groover while “The Seventh Darkness”, is filled with awesome brass sections courtesy of guest musicians Chris ‘BeeBe’ Aldridge (saxophone) and Nick Dewhurst (trumpet), which lend the song brilliance and shape.
There is no doubt about it: ‘Here Comes The Rain’ sees the MAGNUM line-up consisting of Catley, Clarkin, keyboardist Rick Benton, bassist Dennis Ward and drummer Lee Morris, once again succeed in creating an outstanding, colorful, varied and inspired new studio album. “Everyone played their part without me dictating anything,” Clarkin enthuses, “everyone just instinctively played what their inspiration told them.”
Irish singer & bass player Merv Spence more recently released Phenomena Recovered. A solo project that saw him revisiting many of the Phenomena tracks from the 80s & 90s. Phenomena was project in that was conceived by producer Tom Galley and his brother, guitarist – Mel (Trapeze, Whitesnake). In this interview, Merv details his involvement in Phenomena, his new release, as well as talks about his time with Trapeze and Wishbone Ash, other recordings, and what else he’s been up to in recent years, *For more on Phenomena Recovered see my previous post on it’s release, and check out the links below.
How did you originally get involved with the Phenomena project? (You were first involved as Exec Producer on the Inner vision album, correct?)
I knew Tom Galley (the creator of Phenomena) from when I was in the band Trapeze. While recording songs for a new Trapeze album (circa1982) unbeknown to me we also started recording some pre-production song ideas on what would become the birth of the debut Phenomena album. The Trapeze album was never completed as Mel Galley was offered Whitesnake and I then went on to join Wishbone Ash. It was many years later (circa 1990) while working on an album in Switzerland; I got a call from Tom who had just completed recording Phenomena III. He basically told me that BMG rejected the album and asked if I could help place the album with a new record company in Europe. To cut a long story short no major label wanted to get involved due to legal issues between Tom and BMG, so he asked if I would be interested in acquiring Phenomena and offered to sell the entire Phenomena concept and copyright to me, which I accepted. To secure a commercial release, I first had to clear a backlog of debts built up on the production of Phenomena III. This included unpaid studio fees, musicians, engineers etc. as well as negotiating and reaching an acceptable agreement with BMG to release the Master Tapes. It was a nightmare to sort out but I managed to resolve things. I managed to secure a successful release in Sweden with Phenomena III (Inner Vision) reaching no12 in the album charts. After that other territories approached me to license the project.
This new release includes the tracks (remastered!?) that you originally recorded in 1995 for the Initiate album. How did that album come about? Why the recordings of Phenomena tracks then, as well as under the name of O’Ryan?
Around 1994, a copy of my first solo album O’Ryan “Something Strong” fell into the hands of AVA Aura Ltd., a new Japanese music & media company who had set up offices in London. They had major investment for acquiring new media and music projects in the UK and when the MD heard my debut album, he contacted my solicitor to set up a meeting. They wanted to work with me on a new album and offered me a deal I could not refuse. I already had my own studio and I was given full creative control. MD of AVA Aura Hisa Seki selected all the songs he wanted me to re-record for the Initiate album and even though it was kind of a weird concept? I accepted the challenge. I installed an old 24track 2-inch Soundcraft analogue recorder in the studio with a Mackie 48 cannel desk and the entire album was produced using this format. My main objective was to try and arrange and produce the songs with a different interpretation to the originals, which was no easy feat. Engineer/Producer Simon Hanhart, Co-producer Jason Fillingham, and myself mixed the album at PUK Studios in Denmark. The name O’Ryan was an Irish pseudonym I choose to use rather than my birth name but with the Phenomena Recovered reissue I choose to put it out under Merv Spence.
How was the reaction to Initiate? It was only released in a few territories!?
I think it was received very well but like any album everyone has an opinion, some people will love it and some will not. When I finish an album I tend to let it go and I really will not listen to it again for a long time. I had no control over the release or the distribution in other territories but I did travel to Japan several times for promotion. Also one of the songs (Emer May) was used on a TV advert in Japan for a sports car which helped. The people at AVA Aura were great to work with and very enthusiastic but had no real experience of the Music Industry and doing music business in the UK and Japan is so different. They took up the option to record another album with me that I started recording in 1996. Unfortunately due to ill heath with the MD, the relationship with AVA regrettably terminated.
How did this new release (to remaster, reissue, and record) the Phenomena songs come about?
Explore Rights Management Ltd. approached me and put the suggestion of remarketing and reissuing the Phenomena tracks on “Initiate”. They also asked if I would be prepared to record a couple of additional bonus songs. The song “Slave” that is also an additional track has a strong connection to the visionary/artist William Blake and inspired me to use one of his paintings for the front cover. “Slave” was originally written and used on a film called “The Gnostics” (circa 1987) which I updated it for a new Phenomena album. The lyrics are a combination of a William Blake poem and additional lyrics I added to enhance the song commercially.
There are 2 brand new recordings on this release – what inspired those, and can you tell me details about recording them (who else is involved, etc..)?
I wanted to keep the continuity of the Phenomena theme so I picked “Rock My Soul” & “Dance With The Devil” to record as the additional bonus tracks. I originally was going to record the songs acoustically but I kind of got carried away creatively with the arrangements in the studio. Like most musicians or producers I have a small writing setup at home and the majority of the material was recorded and produced there. I did record acoustic guitars and some live vocals on “Rock My Soul” in Donegal on the West coast of Ireland, which are the main template of that song. You never know how things will transpire which is part of the magic.
Going back to the beginning, can you tell us a bit about your beginning in music – influences, earliest bands…?
Being born and brought up on the East Coast of Ireland I had and still have a really strong connection with traditional Irish and country music. Artists like Neil Young, America, Horslips, Eagles heavily influenced me, as well as a great Irish songwriter called Jonathan Kelly. I first heard Led Zeppelin II at my grandparents, a copy that my uncle had bought before immigrating to Canada. From listening to that I got into more progressive acts such as Pink Floyd, Yes, Deep Purple and Rush. I got my first guitar at aged 13 (a 6 string Eko Ranger acoustic) and the first song I ever wrote was entitled “Money Man”. I left Ireland for UK mainland when I was sixteen to train as an engineer but it also gave me the opportunity to get closer to the UK Music Industry. I qualified after four years and by this time I was already playing bass and singing lead vox in local bands in and around The Midlands (The birthplace of heavy metal). I was in a three-piece band called Big Daisy & later Jury with musicians Degg Newman (Drums) Roger Fox (1st Guitarist) Tim Rowe (2nd Guitar) and we recorded our first single at Woodbine Street Studios in Leamington with Producer Johnny Rivers. We continued to record a lot of material, which eventually was released on the Big Daisy debut album on both 12” vinyl and CD on German label HR Records (circa 2014)
How did you get involved with Trapeze? Can you give details on that period – who else was in the band still, how long and (roughly) how many gigs this was?
Some people recommended me to Mel Galley and he just turned up at some of the Big Daisy gigs. Trapeze (circa 1982) was made up of Mel Galley (Guitars & Vocals) Richard Bailey (Keyboards) Steve Bray (Drums) Kex Gorin (Drums) and myself (Bass & Vocals). We went into rehearsals at the Managers nightclub/music venue in Wolverhampton and performed a few warm-up shows round the Midlands before embarking on a UK tour supporting Edgar Winter in 1982. It was a very short period of this line-up before Mel left to join Whitesnake.
Trapeze ended when Mel joined Whitesnake(!?) But had the band recorded an album while you were there? And what became of these recordings?
I have a live cassette recording of 2 shows in 1982 (Oxford & London) from the Edgar Winter tour, which was taken off the out front mixing console. Some of the new songs were included in the live set. I also have a cassette copy of several recordings from the unfinished studio sessions before Mel Galley joined Whitesnake.
You also joined Wishbone Ash for the Raw To The Bone album. How did the WA gig come about?
I got a call from a musician friend who told me bass player Trevor Bolder had left Wishbone Ash and that the band was after a replacement bass player. I put a call into their manager John Sherry and an hour later I was asked if I could come to London the next day as the band were in rehearsals. I turned up and did about three/four songs and went home. I got a call from Andy Powell about 11.pm that night and the following week I was off on a 6-week tour of America. I then went on to take front of stage as bass player/lead singer and I was actually in the band for about a year before we started recording Raw to the Bone. We recorded the album at Surrey Sound with Producer Nigel Grey and I continued to tour with the band internationally for about four years. Touring is an amazing life if you have no ties but I left after my first daughter was born.
Raw To The Bone was a more hard-rock (for the times) Ash album, and you are credited as a co-writer throughout. What are your thoughts on this album and your contributions to it? Did any tracks come directly from you?
When I joined WA I think the band were at a crossroads in they’re career needing a bit of enlightenment in finding a fresh direction and I do not think the guys would disagree with me on this. After a very successful career with MCA Records and headline tours in America the guys were slightly lost and without a record deal. When we went into the studio to start work on Raw To The Bone I did bring a lot of new song ideas but everything was democratic and it was agreed we all have an equal split, no matter who contributed the ideas. As a lead singer my vocal style would obviously give the songs a slightly heavier edge and I respect the guys for giving me the opportunity without manipulating this. But we must also appreciate that WA is predominately a highly respected guitar band who were responsible for creating that classic twin lead guitar technique and the band still continues to pack audiences in all over the globe. As a musician, songwriter and producer I do not create music or compositions to please fans, I just do what I do as a creator and if the fans like it great if not tough. Again I did not listen to the album for a long time but, when I have done guest appearances with the band, the fans demand certain songs off that album. I am very proud of it.
Any other ‘name’ band offers over the years?
Yes, I have worked on a number of albums in Europe and have been in rehearsals with various named musicians for new and existing projects but I would rather not say who they were. Some times the chemistry is just not right or I was not really interested. One project that was fantastic came about when I started writing songs with a partner in Germany. The songs were so good and we both signed an amazing deal with Warner Brothers International. We recorded the album in Germany and mixed it in Nashville with Producer John Guess. We delivered what I believed was a great album but some at Warner’s thought different. To this day I am not sure why Warner’s had an issue but through the grapevine I was told someone felt my lyrics were too political for the label? In the end they paid us off and I demanded that they also sign the Master tapes over to us. This album ended up being my debut solo album O’Ryan “Something Strong”. When rock music went through that “Dinosaur” period (circa 2000) of not being cool I got more involved in Artist Development, Artist Management and promoting major outdoor Events.
What else are you currently up to — any recordings, live gigs?
I relocated back to my native Ireland in 2016 and as well as continuing to write and produce music, I embarked on a DL Masters Degree in Music Composition at Bath Spa University qualifying in 2019, I am also in the first stages of a PHD. Pre Covid I was in discussions with musicians and Management in Sweden to record a new album with the objective of touring in 2020 but covid unfortunately terminated that idea. The pandemic was a really difficult time especially for the creative industries with an unknown resolve but I tried to keep busy working on songs and developing projects. I currently have two albums that I am updating for reissue with additional tracks and new artwork. The first is my debut solo album “Something Strong” (circa 1987) and the other with the working title (Insurrection) has never been released, I have also written about 20 new songs for an acoustic album that I hope to start working on in December 2023. There are various other ideas in the pipeline and since the release of Phenomena Recovered; several labels in the UK, Europe & Japan have approached to get involved. My plan at the moment is to just get the product right and after that I will make a decision about releasing and possibly doing some acoustic live shows. I have no rules when it comes to the creative process and started creative writing and script writing during lockdown. I have a film script in development entitled “The Maidens” that I hope to produce as a film short but the logistics are a bit difficult as the story is based around two abandoned lighthouses off the East coast of Ireland.
KILLINGTON PIT consists of singer Terry LeRoi (Granny 4 Barrel), bassist Chuck Garric (Alice Cooper, Beasto Blanco), as well as guitarist Troy Mclawhorn and drummer Will Hunt (both of Evanescence) . The new band’s first single release was a cover of the 1983 Accept classic, “Balls to the Wall,” and they have a new single – a rendition of the Rainbow classic, “Kill the King”. This features guest guitarists Stef Burns (Alice Cooper, Y&T, Huey Lewis & The News) and Jeff Blando (Slaughter, LynchMob). *Chck out the videos and links below the band’s info and comments…
Terry LeRoi says, “Recording “Kill The King” was an incredible experience! We were fortunate enough to have 2 insanely talented special guests on this recording; Stef Burns and Jeff Blando! It really was a privilege working with everyone on this! I’ve always been a huge fan of the Blackmore/Dio “Rainbow” era and paying tribute to that band and those musicians is a true honor. “Kill The King” is a legendary track and was one of our first choices as we were assembling our collection of songs for the Killington Pit covers album. I had read some past articles where Ronnie explained the song was inspired by the game of chess. That inspired us to create a video that we hope Ronnie would’ve loved and the fans of Rainbow will truly enjoy!”
Stef Burns – “Kill The King is killer!! It was super fun blasting out that classic Rainbow track with great players such as Will Hunt, Blando, and my Alice Cooper brother Chuck Garric! Terry sings his butt off! Of course I’m a longtime Blackmore fan so that made it extra fun.”
Jeff Blando – “What a blast it was rocking out with all these great and talented musicians. My partner in crime, William Hunt on drums, Power Vocals from Terry LeRoi, Wild Man Chuck Garric on bass and I’ve always wanted to jam with the Incredible Stef Burns on guitars. Getting to pay homage to one of my all-time favorite vocalist, Mr. Ronnie James Dio was an incredible fun and rocking experience. I hope everyone digs this track as much as I had fun being a part of it. ROCK ON!!!!”
Will Hunt – “I had a blast tracking this classic Rainbow tune Kill The King with the fellas. It was a great opportunity personally for me to pay homage to the legendary Cozy Powell who was taken from us way too soon. I wanted to copy a lot of what he did because it was so perfect for the song while adding some of my own flavor to it. I think the end result is pretty bombastic.”
Chuck Garric – “It’s an honor to pay homage to my mentor and my friend!…..To the King “Ronnie James Dio”
LeRoi adds – “Over the coming months we will be releasing our full length covers album with accompanying videos. 2024 will see us playing select shows worldwide and releasing original Killington Pit music. We’re looking forward to sharing this with all of the fans!”
Outsider Rock 