2/2/2009 - LOS ANGELES, CA - John "Drumbo" French has reunited fellow Magic Band alumni Bill Harkelroad (aka "Zoot Horn Rollo"), Mark Boston (aka "Rockette Morton"), Greg Davidson (aka "Ella Guru"), and John Thomas for a solo recording of all new compositions entitled City of Refuge. The self-produced album was recorded in London and at various locations in the U.S., and lands stateside November 18th on Proper Records."I think City of Refuge is important because it re-visits a style of music that was founded by Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart) and developed by various Magic Bands over the years. The music on this album came to me as total inspiration from being involved in The Magic Band reunion project. Listening to the music of Don Van Vliet and singing with the band, I realized that I was re-visiting my musical roots and wondered about how I had strayed so far away," French says. As the drummer and music director for revered iconoclasts Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band, Drumbo made central contributions to a handful of LPs – notably 1969's mind-altering, revered masterpiece "Trout Mask Replica," on which French first acquired the antic stage-name "Drumbo" – that vastly expanded the parameters of contemporary music. French's influential contributions can also be found on projects with Frank Zappa, Mallard, Crazy Backwards Alphabet, Henry Kaiser and Richard Thompson, among others. French plans a U.S. tour in conjunction with his upcoming book, Captain Beefheart: Through The Eyes Of Magic, to be released early next year. BASIC RELEASE INFORMATION: Drumbo/City of Refuge Catalog: PRPCD024 Release Date: November 18, 2008 Track Listing: 1. Bogeyman 2. Bus Ticket Outta Town 3. Blood on a Porcupine Quill 4. City of Refuge 5. Abandon 6. Get So Mean 7. Maybe That’ll Teach Ya 8. To The Loft of Ravenscroft 9. The Shirt Off My Back 10. The Wicked Witch of War 11. Whose Side Ya On 12. The Withered Hand of Time On The Web: http://www.myspace.com/drumbojohnfrenchhttp://www.proper-records.co.uk
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ABOUT PROPER RECORDS Proper Records is a London-based independent roots music label founded by Malcolm Mills in 1995. Over the past decade Proper has released more than 300 records and spawned several new imprints, including its signature box sets featuring vintage and specialty titles. Recent releases include offerings from Joan Baez, Richard Thompson, Little Feat, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Art Garfunkel, and Nick Lowe. Proper Records Ltd. is part of the Proper Music Group of Companies that includes Proper Music Distribution—the largest distributor of independent music in the United Kingdom.
