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Friday, March 11, 2011

RUSH's GEDDY LEE, ALEX LIFESON To Help Celebrate 40th Anniversary Of JUNO AWARDS

According to MediaCasterMagazine.com, RUSH's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson will be part of the 40th anniversary of the Juno Awards airing from Toronto's Air Canada Centre on Sunday, March 27.

For the first time since CTV's inaugural Juno Awards broadcast in 2002, Canada's Music Awards will expand to two-and-a-half hours, the network has confirmed.

The show will air live on the main CTV network, will specialty channels providing additional red carpet coverage. The awards show will also be available online, on demand, following the TV broadcast.

RUSH has been nominated n the "Music DVD Of The Year" category for the documentary "Beyond The Lighted Stage".

Wednesday, March 9, 2011


"Glorious Collision", the new album from Swedish metallers EVERGREY, sold around 900 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 49 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Glorious Collision" track listing:

01. Leave It Behind Us
02. You
03. Wrong
04. Frozen
05. Restoring The Loss
06. To Fit The Mold
07. Out Of Reach
08. The Phantom Letters
09. The Disease ...
10. It Comes From Within
11. Free
12. I'm Drowning Alone
13. ... And The Distance
14. ... And The Distance (Carina bonus track)

Occasionally a musician has to take a step back into the past to develop artistically. Tom Englund, guitarist and vocalist with EVERGREY, took this risk and reorganized his artistic environment. "The most recent EVERGREY lineup had reached a point where we no longer had fun as a group," he confesses, adding: "So we went our separate ways to save our friendship. There were no angry words, and we're still friends privately."

Naturally, the decision to break up wasn't easy for these long-standing friends, especially for Englund and his remaining keyboardist, Rikard Zander, for whom a continuation of EVERGREY was never called into question. Yet they both had to face a new challenge. In the beginning, we weren't sure whether we'd be able to write a new album without the wealth of experience that the previous lineup brought in," Englund says. "But after Rikard and I had composed a full three numbers during the first week, we felt that was a real coup."

Listeners will feel this positive energy throughout "Glorious Collision", which is described as "a dynamic goody bag featuring the most diverse material ever released on an EVERGREY album." "This may sound like a contradiction in view of our personnel situation, but Rikard and I have allowed more influences on 'Glorious Collision' than ever before," Englund says. "Some elements on 'Glorious Collision' are classic rock, based on a metal format, sometimes the tracks are quiet and haunting, sometimes wild, demanding and gripping."

This diversity is also expressed in the instrumentation of this extremely dynamic studio production which presents the new band members Marcus Jidell (guitar), Hannes Van Dahl (drums) and Johan Niemann (bass). "It's great to hear what a breath of fresh air Marcus, Johan and Hannes have brought into the band," Englund enthuses. "Although the entire material, except for two songs to which Marcus contributed on the compositional side, had already been decided when we started recording, they all left their own, very personal mark on this album." The great experience of Jidell and Niemann, who have worked with acts such as ROYAL HUNT and THERION, among others, and have now contributed lots of positive energy together with the 20-year-old drummer Van Dahl, can be felt throughout the album.

SAVATAGE mastermind Jon Oliva, who co-founded TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA with producer/composer Paul O'Neill, has released the following statement:

"As many of you now know, a member of my immediate family was diagnosed with
a serious illness that forced me to leave the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA rehearsals. And while I am still unaware of their complete diagnosis, it is obviously impossible for me to participate in the upcoming European TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA tour. My family needs me here, and that is where I too need to be.

"I would also like to express my sincere apologies to all the SAVATAGE fans who were anticipating a SAVATAGE encore at the end of the show. I sincerely wish we could have given that to all of you. But, as usual, life is often beyond one's control.

"And to those out there who have heard ill-gotten 'rumors' about my health...trust me, I am doing quite well, thank you! I do appreciate the genuine concern from those that have asked.

"The Mountain King's got a lot of work left to do...

"Thank you for your prayers and please take care of yourselves and each other!"

Paul O'Neill told Billboard.com a year ago that he and company were re-recording "Gutter Ballet" (also the name of the second record O'Neill did with SAVATAGE) "in its original Broadway format," though there was no firm timetable on when it might go into full production. It's the culmination of a work that O'Neill began in the 1970s. Many of the songs have already had rock versions recorded by SAVATAGE, but will return to their roots for the Broadway show.

"We want to take it back to the original blues, gospel, Motown sound," O'Neill told TheNewsStar.com in a December 2009 interview. "For SAVATAGE, you've got to metal it up."

He added, "Jon and I are kind of psyched to be doing it because Broadway is something we've always wanted to take on."

UK Reunites Featuring Eddie Jobson And John Wetton


32 years after their last U.S. performance together, the two progressive-rock legends and founding members of UK, Eddie Jobson and John Wetton, reunite to perform some of their classic material from UK and King Crimson. They will be joined by Austrian guitar virtuoso Alex Machacek and German drumming phenomenon Marco Minnemann.

Apr 8 – Regent Theater, Boston (Arlington)

Apr 11 – Highline Ballroom, New York

Apr 15 – Club Citta, Tokyo

Apr 16 – Club Citta, Tokyo

Apr 23 – Regency Ballroom, San Francisco

Ulver Signed To K-Scope Records

Kscope are very proud to announce that Ulver are the latest band to join the roster. Early pioneers of Norwegian black metal, the band have continually evolved throughout their career and now stand as living legends of the dark music industry, blending rock, electronica, symphonic and chamber traditions along with noise and experimental music to create ground-breaking material.
The last two years have also seen Ulver manifest into a live band. Following their first live performance in May 2009, at the Norwegian Festival of Literature, the band toured Europe in 2010 selling out prestigious venues such as the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Volksbühne in Berlin and Casa da Música in Porto, to great acclaim:
‘Ulver’s presentation is surreal and stark. A psychedelic excursion, an immersive experience, fuelled by haunting, progressive art. After such a night, you don’t want to see another band for a few days. Because anything else would pale when put alongside Ulver.’ Classic Rock Magazine
The band will be going back out on tour in March ahead of the release of their new album Wars of the Roses which will be released on Kscope on April 24th.
Full tour dates are at
www.kscopemusic.com/ulver where you can also sign up to the mailing list for updates on the album.

March News Bytes

  • Nearly 7 years after the release of“The Birthright Circle”, Zen Rock and Roll is back with “Undone” due to be released on the Progrock Records label.
  • The Pineapple Thief are on tour in April and May: http://thepineapplethief.com/gigs

Legendary Colosseum, Natural Gas, Uriah Heep, Rainbow Member Mark Clarke To Release Debut Solo CD of 'New Classic Rock'

Philadelphia, PA - The rock world is buzzing with the debut release of legendary Colosseum, Natural Gas, Rainbow, Uriah Heep member Mark Clarke called Moving To The Moon on Philadelphia record label ItsAboutMusic.com. Encompassing all the styles of music he has worked with the past 40 years, Mark Clarke's new solo album is a must for collectors and music enthusiasts worldwide. It's a masterful collection of extremely well recorded and performed tracks that rival any from the bands he's played in.

“From the opening track right through to the closer this album begs to be listened to over and over again and even memorized note for note. I've had the pleasure of hearing it more times than most people would hear almost anything in their collection and it keeps getting stronger with each listen. We're very proud to be the exclusive distributor of this album from one of the nicest and most talented guys in the world.” Dean Sciarra – President / ItsAboutMusic.com
Mark Clarke was born in Liverpool in the north of England, not a well known place except for its dock's and then, in the 1960's The Beatles came along and put it firmly on the map, forever! After seeing the Beatles and many other groups as a young kid at age 12 he knew what he wanted to do... play the bass guitar.

Going from group to group until one day he met up with his first real band St James Infirmary (a blues band) with whom he gigged and built up quite a reputation, as one Liverpool news paper said he was " Liverpool's Joe Cocker" but after a year or so of local gigs, it was time to move south to London. There he met up with many of the Liverpool musicians who had moved down south for the work and was introduced to the guitarist Clem Clempson, who had just joined one of the most well known groups at that time, COLOSSEUM.

Colosseum were really hitting well at that point but they had a small problem, they were quietly looking for a new bass player, and after Mark's band St James Infirmary opening for them at what was Mark"s biggest gig ever at a huge hall in of all places, Liverpool he was asked to come and do a session on their new album in a studio down in London. Mark walked in to sing background vocals on a couple of tracks and spotted his bass on a guitar stand. Jon Hiseman, whose band it was asked Mark if he knew a Jack Bruce (Cream) song called "Theme from an Imaginary Western"... He did, they played just that one song and Jon and Clem asked, "So do you want the gig.” Touring with Colosseum was harsh, very, very harsh, but truly amazing and for the rest of his career has been a constant part of his life… a true love. Whilst touring with them, such bands as Free (with Paul Rogers, Simon Kirke and Paul Kossof) became friends and still are years on. The same is true for Gentle Giant, Badfinger, (he later formed Natural Gas with Joey Molland) and many more.
Not knowing what the hell to do Mark went to a club in London that was THE place to be... The Speakeasy! You would find the who's who of the rock world in that place, in fact The Speak (as it was known) is where Led Zeppelin were named by of all people Keith Moon of the Who. Whilst there Ken Hensley from Uriah Heep appeared and asked Mark to help out as they needed to replace their bass player, so the next day they rehearsed on the train to Scotland and Mark joined Uriah Heep. Mark recorded with them and co-wrote "The Wizard" with Ken Hensley, toured mercilessly again and then left the group to work with Dick Heckstall-Smith on his solo album. “In 1972 Colosseum folded and within just two days I had been asked to join Uriah Heep,” Mark recalls. “After recording and also writing (I co-writ 'The Wizard') and some of the hardest touring I've ever done in just one year we parted company. Although I have worked with Ken Hensley on many of his solo projects throughout the years Uriah Heep still follows me every place I go.”

In 1972 Jon Hiseman and Mark formed Tempest and found a guitarist of some note, Alan Holdsworth. After two albums Mark left Tempest, played with Manfred Mann and the formed Natural Gas with Joey Molland (Badfinger) and Jerry Shirley (Humble Pie) moved to America, (he still lives there) and went on to record, and tour with: Billy Squier, Mountain with Leslie West, The Monkees,Davy Jones, Roger Daltry, British Rock Symphony with Alice Cooper and Peter Frampton, and sessions with Meatloaf, Mink Deville, Cher and Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.
Along with Mark Clarke's 'Moving To The Moon', ItsAboutMusic.com has also remastered and reissued the Natural Gas album on CD. Mark recently embarked on the 40th anniversary tour with Colosseum all over Europe. He then tours again with Billy Squier in the summer of 2011. “He's still a great writer and also a great friend,” says Mark.


Other new releases from ItsAboutMusic.com: Natural Gas 'Natural Gas', Space Opera 'Safe At Home', Michael Stanley 'Shadowland', 'Nektar – A Tab In The Ocean – Deluxe Edition' (2 CD Set), Barry Goldberg 'It's All My Vault', Dino Valenti 'Get Together'


For more information visit www.ItsAboutMusic.com/newreleases.html

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

TCP Releases Second Album on 10T Records Entitled "Fantastic Dreamer"

TCP Releases Second Album on 10T Records Entitled “Fantastic Dreamer”

Charleston, SC – March 8, 2011 (10T Records) - 10T Records is proud to announce the pending release of the new full length CD by TCP, entitled Fantastic Dreamer on April 11, 2011, with a retail street date following on June 15th. TCP is a project based around the collective artistry of Henry Tarnecky (vocals), Blake Tobias (keyboards, bass), and Jack Wright (guitars, drums). This new progressive release includes guests Tom Shiben (bass), Nicole Tarnecky (backup vocals), and features Glenn Arpino (keys) along with his epic piece, Vision.

TCP’s 2009 debut CD, The Way, was a critical success that landed the band on many top 10 lists for the year. Fantastic Dreamer sees them further refine their sound, adding depth and layers to the foundation previously established. Deftly blending elements of classic-era and modern progressive rock, the nine tracks that make up Fantastic Dreamer showcase a haunting and emotive blend of vocals with layers of soaring guitar and keyboard passages which often ride a shifting and complex rhythm section.

“While not lacking for things to say musically, this time around the band focused more on Jack Wright’s prolific writing and playing styles to shape the basic direction for Fantastic Dreamer,” says TCP’s Blake Tobias. “Jack has a unique method of expressing his angular guitar. It tends to infuse our sound with an addictive progressive math rock type of foundation. In addition, I believe Fantastic Dreamer benefits from the extra scrutiny as a result of a truly band effort in production decisions. As for this new release, we remain very pleased to have our continued association with 10T Records, where we feel the label management support, artist quality and market visibility are paramount.”

“We couldn’t be happier about bringing TCP’s newest release to the public,” says 10T Records president Steve Carroll. “When I first heard the advance demos I was excited about how the band had evolved and deepened their sound. I think fans of the debut CD will be ecstatic and new listeners will become converts.”

Fantastic Dreamer by TCP is available for immediate pre-order through the 10T Records website. All orders received between now and the official release date will ship by the end of the week prior to the official release.

Additionally, selected tracks from Fantastic Dreamer are now available to preview on the TCP artist page at the following link:

http://10trecords.com/artists/genres/progressive-experimental/tcp/discography/