Believe – new details of “Seeing is Believing” DVD

Metal Mind Productions will release second live DVD by Believe on April, 30th in Europe and June, 19th in USA (MVD). This outstanding art-rock act was formed by guitarist Mirek Gil – the former leader and composer of Polish prog-rock legend Collage. The material entitled “Seeing Is Believing” was recorded in November 2011 in Wyspianski Theatre in Katowice, Poland. During this unique evening Believe in the line-up: Mirek Gil – guitars, Karol Wróblewski – vocal, Satomi – violin, Vlodi – drums, Przemas – bass guitar and Konrad Wantrych – keyboards, primarily presented material from their last studio album „World Is Round” (Metal Mind Productions, 2010).

The program of the DVD includes the following tracks:

1. No Time Inside
2. World Is Round
3. This Bread Is Mine
4. And All the Roads
5. What They Want (Is My Life)
6. Lay Down Forever
7. AA
8. Guru
9. New Hands
10. Cut Me Paste Me
11. Poor King of Sun / Return
12. Silence

“Seeing Is Believing” DVD will also include bonus video material: Interview with Mirek Gil and Karol Wróblewski, Music for One Leg (documentary), Live at Progresja, Warsaw, 2011. Other extras: Biography, Discography, Photo Gallery and Desktop images.

The audio version of track “AA” is a foretaste of this DVD and is now available on Metal Mind Productions’ channel on YouTube in THIS location.

New Single By Music Legend Jon Anderson and Renown Italian Composer/Producer Marco Sabiu

New Single By Music Legend Jon Anderson and Renown Italian Composer/Producer Marco Sabiu

“Limitless Lives” Now Available For Digital Download

3/7/2012 – London, UK - The international music community is buzzing with excitement over the new collaboration between legendary YES vocalist/songwriter Jon Anderson and Italian composer/conductor, international producer and arranger Marco Sabiu. “Limitless Lives” is the new single co-written and performed by Anderson and Sabiu, and is now available as a digital download. The song is also available on Marco Sabiu's most recent album 'Audio Ergo Sum', which was presented on February 18, 2012 on live TV before an audience of 12 million; the album has consequently reached iTunes Italy Top 10.

Music legend Jon Anderson, who has one of the most recognizable voices in music, and is best known for his work with YES, Vangelis and Kitaro, as well as his innovative solo efforts, and is currently in the midst of a successful US solo tour, had this to say about his musical collaboration with Marco Sabiu: “A good friend of mine, musician Alessandro de Rosa put Marco Sabiu and I in touch with each other just last month. I was instantly connected to Marco's music; he sent me the music track and within moments I had sang the song and lyric and sent back to him. Marco loved my singing, so we talked about releasing the song on his new album. I love his 'Limitless' theme for the song, as I wrote the lyric I realized we have so much to learn in this life, and we are truly Limitless human beings”

“The collaboration with Jon was born by chance, as most of the best things often do,” says Marco. “What I found in Jon is the ideal musical partner: I've never met anybody who has understood my music and bettered it so quickly and effectively as Jon did. I was always very passionate about prog-rock, and being able to work with a legend like Jon is an honor, and truly exciting.” Along with being a highly respected arranger (Take That, Kylie Minogue, Pavorotti, Morricone), Marco is currently a TV star and crossover chart artist in his native Italy, as well as orchestrator and conductor for major Italian rock stars, including the arena act Ligabue. Jon Anderson and Marco Sabiu are planning to record a full album together and a tour in 2013.

3/08/2012 - Baltimore Sound Stage - Baltimore, MD - www.baltimoresoundstage.com

3/10/2012 - B.B. King Blues Club & Grill - New York, NY - www.bbkingblues.com

3/11/2012 - The Hamilton - Washington, DC - www.thehamiltondc.com/live/calendar#/jon-anderson

3/14/2012 - Infinity Hall - Norfolk, CT - www.infinityhall.com

3/15/2012 - Wilbur Theatre - Boston, MA - www.thewilburtheatre.com

3/17/2012 - Narrows Center For The Arts - Fall River, MA - www.ncfta.org

3/19/2012 - Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) – Englewood, NJ - www.narrowscenter.com

For more information on Jon Anderson's solo tour go to www.jonanderson.com/tour.html

Jon Anderson's OPEN is available as a digital download and can be obtained at:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/open-single/id474552662?ls=1

'Anderson / Wakeman - The Living Tree In Concert Part One' CD on Gonzo MultiMedia can be obtained at http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/product_details/15405/Anderson_-_Wakeman-Live.html

www.jonanderson.com, www.facebook.com/thejonanderson, www.olias-jewelry.com

MIKE PORTNOY: DREAM THEATER's GRAMMY Nomination 'Was Heartbreaking For Me On A Personal Level'

Fingers of the Babylon, New York rock radio station WBAB recently conducted an interview with drummer Mike Portnoy (ADRENALINE MOB, DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD). You can now listen to the chat at this location. A couple of excerpts from the interview follow below (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On what it was like to see DREAM THEATER nominated for a Grammy Award a year after his departure from the band:

Portnoy: "It was a tough thing for me to see because I worked so hard for all
those years to always fight to get the band mainstream acceptance and
acknowledgement. We always did so well on our own for all those
years — we kind of climbed the ladder on our own terms. We'd sell out
Radio City Music Hall [in New York City] on our own terms. So we were
doing things on our own terms and always hoping for, kind of,
mainstream, commercial acceptance or acknowledgement. So to see it
finally come a year after I left, it was heartbreaking for me on a
personal level. On a professional level, I'm happy that it finally
happened for the band. It was a long time coming; it should have
happened many, many years ago. So, on one hand, it was, like, exciting
that the band finally got recognized, but it was just kind of strange
that it finally happened… the timing of it all — after all the
hard work and blood, sweat and tears that I put in. But you know what?!
Better late than never. But the other reality of it… I don't wanna sound bitter, but the reality of it is even all the years when I was in the
band, I never really cared about the Grammys anyway; it was always like, 'F the Grammys.' To me, it was always a bit of a joke, and I never put that much weight
or value in it to begin with. So I don't wanna come out and say that now and it's gonna look like I'm bitter because they got nominated, but the reality is, it's nice to get the tip of the hat, but realistically,
that was never an important thing for me. I was always more concerned
about how we did things on our own terms. . . I think, honestly, that
the tip of the cap with that nomination was more of a career nod and the fact that DREAM THEATER existed and made such a splash on our own terms. I honestly don't think it had anything to do with just the new album ['A Dramatic Turn Of Events'] and that particular song ['On The Backs Of Angels']. I mean, of course, it's easy for me to say that, and I'll probably get
[slammed] for saying that, but I think the reality is it was more of a
career nod, and if so, if that's the case, then I think it's well
deserved. Whether or not I'm there, I think the band really made its
mark for what we did, so I think it deserves to be recognized."

On the dramatic way in which his split from DREAM THEATER played out in the media:

Portnoy: "The reality is we live in an age where everything is on the Internet
in real time. Every band goes through breakups or splits. When we grew
up and it happened to VAN HALEN and it happened to KISS and it happened to this band and that band and PRIEST and MAIDEN, it was before the Internet and these things wouldn't be so widely open
and publicized. And I live a very open life. I value my relationship
with the fans and I utilize Twitter and Facebook and my
web site, so my day-to-day activities are an open book for me to share
with the fans, for better or for worse. So I think because of that, a
lot of the shit got blown up and twisted around in the public eye when,
realistically, back in the day — in the '70s, '80s and '90s — a lot of
this stuff would have been behind closed doors. We live in an age when Twitter and Blabbermouth and everything is out there in real time. So, unfortumately, a lot of
the [details behind the split] probably, really, should have not been up for public discussion and dissection, but, unfortunately, it was. . .
The difference is back [in the '70s, '80s and early '90s], only the
journalists and the record DJs and people like that were able to really
comment on the bands and the music. Now every 12-year-old kid with a
computer has an open forum to get involved. [laughs] So when you have
something like a band split or a breakup, then you have thousands of
comments feeding it and fueling it and commenting on it, it's much
different than it was back in the '80s and '90s for us. . . Anytime I
tried to defend myself, it would get ripped apart and overanalyzed and
misinterpreted, so I've learned the hard way over the past year that the best reponse is no response. And it's sad, because I've always valued
being very, very open honest with the fans. You see people like Lars Ulrich [METALLICA] and Dave Mustaine [MEGADETH] and usually the people that have the honesty and the open mouths to
talk about things are the ones that get shut down and made examples of.
So… live and learn."

On the circumstances that led to his departure from DREAM THEATER:

Portnoy: "Basically, we were together for 25 years, at least 15 to 20 of which
were very, very active — you know, write-record-tour, write-record-tour… an endless cycle. And to be honest with you, within those cycles, I was always overseeing everything — from the production to the DVDs to the
web sites to the merchandise to the fan clubs — so I never got a rest
whereas the other guys would get to go home and have time off with their families. So I was getting burnt out. And granted, I like doing other
things with other projects and things like that, and I think that,
sometimes, a break from the family — meaning, the full-time band — it
was sometimes good. But anyway, towards the end, I was just feeling
burnt out. On the surface, the band was making new strides — we had just done a tour with IRON MAIDEN, we played Madison Square Garden
for the first time. So the band was still building and growing and
developing. But after 25 years, I mean, I just felt we needed a break. I just felt like backstage, there was no camaraderie and everyone was in
separate dressing rooms. I was out there, I did a run [as the touring
drummer] with AVENGED SEVENFOLD, and I was seeing this brotherhood and this camaraderie that was exciting and inspiring to me, and I wasn't seeing that with DREAM THEATER, so I just suggested, 'Hey, guys, let's take a little break, a little
hiatus. It might do the band some good. It might internally respark the
fire and rekindle the relationship. The fans could be, maybe, a little
hungry after a year or two.' So I suggested that, and obviously, they
didn't wanna stop, they didn't wanna take a break, and I desperately
needed one — not from working, but from those guys and that endless
cycle. . . I always tell my wife, in our relationship, I think one of
the reasons me and my wife have had such a great relationship, and we're now together over 20 years, is that I'm away a lot. I'll go on tour.
And people always say to me, 'Well, how can a marriage last when you're
away as much as you are?' And I always say, 'Well, absence makes the
heart grow fonder. That time apart from each other has actually
strengthened our relationship. And I think the same thing could have
been said for DREAM THEATER. I think we were just together so
much for so long that I think a little time [off] could have done us
well. I mean, everybody from METALLICA to RUSH to MAIDEN, at one point, you take a year or two off. In any case, it is what it
is, and I'm not lingering on it, and I've accepted what it is and we've
decided to go our separate ways. I'm very, very happy with where I'm at, and I have no regrets. It is what it is and I'm looking at where I am
today and where I am going tomorrow and I'm not worrying about the past. My time and my legacy with DREAM THEATER will always be a part
of me, it's something I'll always be proud of. But, you know, it's 2012
and they are where they are and I am where I am, and everybody is moving on."

RUSH Wins Governor General's Award

According to CBC News, legendary Canadian rockers RUSH have won a Governor General's Performing Arts Award. The bandmembers are among the laureates announced Tuesday in Calgary.

Each laureate receives a cash award of $25,000 from the Canada Council For The Arts and a commemorative medallion struck by the Royal Canadian Mint.

According to Amazon.co.jp and HMV.co.jp, RUSH's long-awaited new album, "Clockwork Angels", will be released in Japan on May 23 via Warner Music. The band started work on the follow-up to 2007's "Snakes & Arrows" in late 2009 with the production team of Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR) and engineer Richard Chycki (AEROSMITH, DREAM THEATER).

Two songs from "Clockwork Angels" that were previously digitally released, "BU2B" and "Caravan", were reportedly re-recorded for the forthcoming CD due to a record label change in the middle of the making of the album.

RUSH Vs. RUSH LIMBAUGH

According to TMZ.com, Canadian rock legends RUSH have sent a cease-and-desist letter to conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh demanding that he stop using their music on his radio show.

Limbaugh reportedly played RUSH's song "The Spirit Of Radio" before and after commercial breaks. Blogger Bob Cesca contacted the band, and has since received a copy of the cease-and-desist letter that was sent to Limbaugh by the group's attorney. The letter reads in part, "The use of RUSH's music in this manner implies an endorsement of the views expressed and
products advertised on the show, and is in breach of not only copyright
and trademark rights, but also, of section 51 of the New York Civil
Rights Law ... Accordingly, we hereby demand that you immediately stop
all use of RUSH's music and confirm that you will do so."

Limbaugh made several inflamatory remarks about a Georgetown University law student last week, calling Sandra Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute" after she argued that birth control should
be covered by health insurance at religious institutions. He
subsequently apologized, saying his choice of words was not the best.

DREAM THEATER's MIKE MANGINI To Take Part In Q&A At 'A Drummer's Dream' Screening

Drummer Mike Mangini of progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER will take part in a question-and-answer session after the Saturday, March 10 screening of the "A Drummer's Dream" film at the Boston Museum Of Fine Arts.

Featuring Nasyr Abdul Al-Khabyyr, Dennis Chambers, Kenwood Dennard, Horacio "El-Negro" Hernadez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Mike Mangini and Raul Rekow, "A Drummer's Dream" engages us with the rich music styles and influences that are as
dynamic as the performers themselves. We are lifted to another dimension as we connect to the powerful forces of nature embodied in the music of these master musicians. The creative and spiritual freedom of
expression these artists display is overwhelming — from Latin rhythms to the wildly original compositions of Kenwood Dennard. Rock, jazz, Latin fusion, soul — these master drummers have backed up the likes of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Carlos Santana and now — each other.

At the center of the film is the warm-hearted Nasyr, and his musician friends who share their knowledge with forty students
for this incredible, unforgettable week of music and camaraderie. The
overriding philosophy of these musicians is driven by love, compassion
and joy of life. At the end of the film you will be tapping the rhythms
that live within us all and the positive energy these masters display
will continue to pulse through you for days to come.

For more information, visit www.adrummersdream.com.

MIKE PORTNOY Says Playing With AVENGED SEVENFOLD Was 'A Great Experience'

Drummer Mike Portnoy says that recording and touring with AVENGED SEVENFOLD was "a great experience" despite the fact that the band ended up
recruiting a younger musician to replace him on the road only a few
months after Portnoy quit DREAM THEATER.

AVENGED's original drummer James "The Rev" Sullivan, died in December 2009 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

Following Sullivan's death, the band recruited his favorite drummer, Portnoy, to record the drum tracks for its latest album, "Nightmare", and all its 2010 tour dates before dismissing him at the end of the year.

AVENGED's current drummer is Arin Ilejay, who began playing with them in early 2011.

Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER more than 20 years ago, abruptly quit the band in September 2010 while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD. He has since been replaced by Mike Mangini (ANNIHILATOR, EXTREME, JAMES LABRIE, STEVE VAI).

When asked by Noisecreep how he looks back on his time playing with AVENGED SEVENFOLD now that he's had some time away from it, Portnoy said, "It was a great experience. The DREAM THEATER thing overtook the spotlight, and that was never the intention. The intention all along was to be there to serve them and Jimmy's memory. It got overshadowed in the end, which was never my intention.
The media hype blew everything else up, so I totally understand their
need to go with younger drummer. I come with history and baggage. As
much as I love those guys, I tweet and stay in touch with my fans on Facebook, whereas they are more private. It makes total, total sense to go with someone new and young."

In a December 2011 interview with the San Francisco, California radio station 107.7 The Bone, AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Zacky Vengeance stated about being caught in the middle of the drama between Portnoy and DREAM THEATER, "It was something that we were not used to at all. We had never, ever
experienced any kind of in-the-spotlight drama; we just always stay in
the shadows and keep any of our personal business private. And [Mike is] a very different character — he always goes straight to fans [on] Twitter or whatever… That's how he dealt with his band, and it was new to us.
We like to be in touch with our fans, but we're also very private."

He continued, "[Mike had] been talking about quitting DREAM THEATER, that he wasn't necessarily happy, and he was excited to be playing with us; we were playing huge shows and stuff. I think he got caught up in
the moment, got excited. We begged him to consider what he did, because
we were in no position to find a permanent replacement, because in all
honesty, you can't replace Jimmy, who was our best friend — first and foremost — besides beng an amazing drummer. So it just wasn't the
right time and the place. And he told us, 'Hey, I've got good news and
bad news. I quit DREAM THEATER.' We were like, 'Oh, no. Well, if
you're happy, then that's good.' [And he was like], 'Now I can be with
you guys.' And we were like, 'That's not necessarily what we decided
upon. And you should take your time and reconsider.' And he was like,
'Well, I put out my press release.' We were like, 'Dude, that's not how
we do business. You should have talked to us before.' Then it was back
and forth [between Mike and his former DREAM THEATER bandmates]. We were out of it; we had nothing to do with it. We were
just trying to get back on our feet. So when all that was going down, it was causing us a lot of heartache, to be honest — to see our name in
this drama-filled love triangle. He helped us out at a really vulnerable time, and for that we will always be extremely appreciative. But for
us, we were so unstable at that point that any unneeded attention was
just very harmful to us. Obviously, it didn't work out [between us and Mike], but I think it's for the best — for him and for us."

BLIND GUARDIAN To Guest On 'Nachtfahrt TV'

German power metallers BLIND GUARDIAN will guest on the German TV show "Nachtfahrt TV". The program is broadcast on several German TV channels, the list of which can be found at this location.

The "Nachtfahrt TV" episode featuring BLIND GUARDIAN will premiere on Friday, March 9 and be available online starting Monday, March 12.

A teaser for the episode can be seen below.

"Memories Of A Time To Come", the ultimate collection of BLIND GUARDIAN music from 1987 to 2011, was released on January 20 via Virgin/EMI.

"Memories Of A Time To Come" is available as a double CD, three-CD deluxe limited edition, including the band's demo recordings when they were called LUCIFER'S HERITAGE, and as download.

BLIND GUARDIAN is currently collaborating with Germany's best fantasy author Markus Heitz on an orchestral album which is expected to be released in 2013.

"At The Edge Of Time", the tenth studio album from BLIND GUARDIAN, sold around 4,400 copies in the United States in its first week of
release to debut at position No. 108 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD
landed at position No. 1 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.

BLIND GUARDIAN's previous CD, "A Twist In The Myth", opened with 3,000 units back in September 2006.

"At The Edge Of Time" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 2 — the band's strongest chart showing ever in its home country.
SOURCE: RNR COLA

STRATOVARIUS Launches Drummer Search

Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS have issued the following update:

"We have now played the final Latin America gigs with [drummer] Jörg Michael, who is leaving the band after 16 years.

"2011 started with the release of the 'Elysium' album and was a long year with a long world tour together with HELLOWEEN. After some time off, we are now looking to the future, composing
material for the next album, and we are also looking for the next
drummer.

"We have some great candidates already, but since we
have a bit of time, we decided to also cast a wider net to see what
comes up. So, if you have some touring and recording experience, are —
more important — musical and hard hitting, and — most important — a nice
dude, you might be the one we are looking for!

"If you think
this sounds like you, playing in a world-famous metal band for a living
sounds like something you'd enjoy, and if you want us to listen, please
put on some headphones and record a video of yourself playing any of
these three STRATOVARIUS songs: 'Coming Home', 'Father Time' or 'Deep Unknown'. You can for instance upload them to YouTube.

"Send the video links and a short letter with your personal information to this e-mail address: drummer@stratovarius.com

"What do you have to lose? The world awaits you! Plus money, fame, great times, and all the beer you can drink."

Jörg joined STRATOVARIUS in 1995 and made his recording debut with the band on the "Episode" album (1996). He has appeared on nine full-length releases from STRATOVARIUS and has played nearly 1,000 shows with the band.

Commented STRATOVARIUS singer Timo Kotipelto: "The rest of us just has to accept Jörg's decision with a lot of sadness and wish him all the best for the
future. But we can also assure that the band will still go on."

STRATOVARIUS and Jörg will not completely go their separate ways, however, since Jörg will still be working for the band through his booking agency, Twisted Talent Concerts.
SOURCE: RNR