Stalwarts of the modern ‘psych’ genre, they are known for their prolific discography of reverb-drenched recordings and liquid-projected live performances. With a sound all their own and neo-psychedelic / shoegaze learnings, they are often compared to acts like Spacemen 3 and Paisley Underground kingpins The Rain Parade.
Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area, The Asteroid No.4 originated in Philadelphia in the latter half of the 1990s and gradually began to relocate westwards in 2011. After several lineup changes, for the last decade, the band has been foundationally comprised of Scott Vitt (vocals, guitar), Eric Harms (guitar), Adam Weaver (drums, vocals) and Matty Rhodes (bass, vocals).
‘Northern Songs’ is the band’s tenth full length record, following up the ‘Collide’ LP in 2018. Here, the 12-string folk-rock jangle of the mid-60’s Byrds is overlaid with the washed-out vocal harmonies of Ride and topped off with psychedelic drones familiar to Spacemen 3. This is a hypnotic hybrid of several different genres filtered through the kaleidoscope of all things psychedelic.
On this new album, they did all writing, playing, recording, mixing and mastering in their own studio. This is the first time they’ve gone fully DIY since their fourth album ‘An Amazing Dream’(2006), where the band finally found their own trademark sound.
“This is a first for us as we’ve always had at least guest musicians or someone else mix or master. It was an experiment on what we could do ourselves and testing our new studio in San Rafael, CA for the first time. Our sound is primarily rooted in the British indie music from the 80s and 90s. This is the music we grew up on, we still listen to today, and what happens as a natural result of our songwriting,” says Scott Vitt.
“Lyrically there’s reference to what is happening both socially and politically in the world around us. We wanted to make an album that brought an air of calm or even nostalgia, to remind people that there was a time, not all that long ago, when things seemed way more normal compared to what we’re experiencing today.”
A dynamic live act, The Asteroid No.4 integrate multi-textured guitars and reverb-drenched vocal harmonies over an unwavering rhythm section. Their prolific output has earned them a dedicated fan base within the flourishing underground psychedelic scene, with over a dozen compilation appearances, digital-only rarity releases, and multiple singles and EPs.
Named after Vesta, the brightest asteroid in our solar system, their moniker is an obvious nod to Spacemen 3, one of the band’s main influences. In fact, one of the group’s earliest recordings was a faithful cover of their ‘Losing Touch with My Mind‘. Released via UK label Rocket Girl’s tribute compilation to the 80’s legends, Pete ‘Sonic Boom’ Kember himself named the song as a stand-out track in an interview with Magnet Magazine.
As of September 18, the ‘Northern Songs’ LP will be available digitally online, including via Apple Music,Spotifyand directly from the band via Bandcampand their ownwebsite.
Schizo Fun Addict were formed in Manchester by Jet Winter and Jayne Gabriel on January 1st, 2000.
Two months later, their ‘lo-fi Mary Chain meets Pet Sounds’ sound got the band a great review in UNCUT and feature in MOJO.
In 2008, they became the first band to appear on the Fruits de Mer label – in fact, FdM would never have happened without them – and in 2018 they gave a lucky bunch of FdM club members and festival goers exclusive (AND FREE!) copies of ‘The Sun Yard‘ on vinyl; the relationship continues on this release which joins Fruits de Mer with the rather more legendary Flicknife Records.
In 2018, indie legend Rex John Shelverton (Tamaryn/VUE) joined on guitar and production for their album ‘El Shoegaze Bossa Nova‘ (released on Sugarbush Records) that got a 5/5 review in Shindig and was chosen by Goldmine’s Dave Thompson as one of his top 10 new music releases of 2018; Dave recently called the band, “the greatest musical secret of the 21st century“!
Now, their new album (also produced by Shelverton), ‘The Final Wave’ is released in a very limited edition clear/turquoise vinyl LP including various goodies, available in very limited numbers to FdM club members (Flicknife have produced the CD version, which sold out rather quickly).
Here, the 12-string folk-rock jangle of the mid-60’s Byrds is overlaid with the washed-out vocal harmonies of Ride and topped off with psychedelic drones familiar to Spacemen 3. This is a hypnotic hybrid of several different genres filtered through the kaleidoscope of all things psychedelic.
Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area, The Asteroid No.4 originated in Philadelphia in the latter half of the 1990s and gradually began to relocate westwards in 2011. After several lineup changes, for the last decade, the band has been foundationally comprised of Scott Vitt (vocals, guitar), Eric Harms (guitar), Adam Weaver (drums, vocals) and Matty Rhodes (bass, vocals).
‘Northern Songs’ is the band’s tenth full length record, following up the ‘Collide’ LP in 2018. On this new album, they did all writing, playing, recording, mixing and mastering in their own studio. This is the first time they’ve gone fully DIY since their fourth album ‘An Amazing Dream’(2006), where the band finally found their own trademark sound.
“This is a first for us as we’ve always had at least guest musicians or someone else mix or master. It was an experiment on what we could do ourselves and testing our new studio in San Rafael, CA for the first time. Our sound is primarily rooted in the British indie music from the 80s and 90s. This is the music we grew up on, we still listen to today, and what happens as a natural result of our songwriting,” says Scott Vitt.
Considered stalwarts of the modern ‘psych’ genre, they are known for their prolific discography of reverb-drenched recordings and liquid-projected live performances. With a sound all their own and neo-psychedelic / shoegaze learnings, they are often compared to acts like Spacemen 3 and Paisley Underground kingpins The Rain Parade.
“‘Northern Songs’ is a nod to us now being a Northern California band and finally settled in our new home and studio. Even with our past two albums, both released while we were CA residents, there was still a song or fragments that were carried from when we were still in Philadelphia. This is our first west coast record through and through,” says Scott Vitt.
“Lyrically there’s reference to what is happening both socially and politically in the world around us. We wanted to make an album that brought an air of calm or even nostalgia, to remind people that there was a time, not all that long ago, when things seemed way more normal compared to what we’re experiencing today.”
Known as a dynamic live act, The Asteroid No.4 integrate multi-textured guitars and reverb-drenched vocal harmonies over an unwavering rhythm section. Their prolific recording output has earned them a dedicated fan base within the flourishing underground psychedelic scene, with over a dozen compilation appearances, digital-only rarity releases, and multiple singles and EPs.
Named after Vesta, the brightest asteroid in our solar system, their moniker is an obvious nod to Spacemen 3, one of the band’s main influences. In fact, one of the group’s earliest recordings was a faithful cover of their ‘Losing Touch with My Mind‘. Released via UK label Rocket Girl’s tribute compilation to the 80’s legends, Pete ‘Sonic Boom’ Kember himself named the song as a stand-out track in an interview with Magnet Magazine.
As of June 19, ‘The After Glow’ will be available digitally online, including via Bandcampand Spotify. The full album ‘Northern Songs’ will released later this summer.
Fuchsia’s first album was released in 1971, and it is widely regarded as one of the best examples of the prog folk scene of the 1970s. It has been hailed by Mojo Magazine as a “forgotten classic” and is regularly republished.
“Strange Roads: The Songs Of Rolled Gold” was a more bizarre case because Sidewalk Society is a trio from Long Beach, CA that took to the task to re-record the entire album of “Rolled Gold”, an album of the 60’s English mod band, The Action.
The sender of the package was the English label, Fruits de Mer Records and when I kept receiving more of their wonderful releases, such as the triple album “Three Of A Kind” on which Polish multi-instrumentalist Kris Gietkowski re-recorded the first albums of Atomic Rooster, The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown and Egg, I told myself “there’s something’s going on here”.
After a few more awesome recordings such as Sendelica’s 3×10” “Cromlech Chronicles III“, the triple compilation for the celebration of the first 10 years of the label, Moon Goose’s album “Source Code” and many more, I asked Keith Jones, the man behind the Fruits de Mer Records, for an interview and he was kind enough to take some time and talk about the “Fruits of the Sea”.
You founded Fruits de Mer Records with Andy Bracken in 2008. Andy was operating Bracken Records but did you have any previous experience with any record label?
None at all! I only got involved with Fruits de Mer because Andy was a mate and we had an idea for a label that released classic and long-lost tracks from the 60s/early 70s on vinyl and he wanted someone to share the pain!
After Andy left Fruits de Mer Records in 2012, I guess it must have been difficult for you in the beginning. How did you manage to continue with the label?
Yes, Andy had already spent a few years running Bracken and had taken things as far as he really wanted to. I was just warming up – and had retired from the real world – so taking on the running of FdM was perfect timing for me; I couldn’t have done it without being able to call on some key people – Nick Leese at Heyday Mail Order, producer Fran Ashcroft and the people at the Record Industry pressing plant and Clear Spot Distribution; but most of all, the people who found FdM through Andy and Bracken stuck with the label – it only works if people actually want to buy the records.
What is the mission of Fruits de Mer?
To release records that I’d buy myself if I saw them, to share some great music and artists that might otherwise be missed, to have some fun and hope other people who are music obsessives pick up on it.
Why only vinyl releases and how many have you put out so far? Lately, there is a feeling that the market for vinyl records is doing a come-back. Is it true? Are you a record collector yourself?
Actually, I’m releasing more and more on CD – I’m starting to feel nostalgic for CDs already! Vinyl always comes first, but CDs are an excellent way to share and store a lot of music cheaply and it’s possible to recreate some of the physical/tactile aspects of vinyl – they’re a second-best of course, but they do mean something, unlike downloads.
I’m not sure how many releases there have been in total – around 150 on vinyl?
I think the vinyl revival has been seriously overhyped – we launched FdM when vinyl was dead in the water, just because we loved the look, feel and sound of vinyl; it then became a fad a few years ago…collecting for the sake of it – fed by Record Store Day and major label reissues – it’s all calming down again now, people buying records for the music.
And yes, I’ve been collecting records for 50+ years – I’ve got rather a lot of CDs too!
Which are the 5 non Fruits de Mer releases that you would take with you to a desert island?
Every day a different choice – but today: The Pretty Things’ ‘SF Sorrow’, Led Zeppelin IV, Pete Namlook & Richie Hawtin’s ‘From Within, Jethro Tull’s ‘Thick As A Brick’ and a very large Sandy Denny box-set.
Fruits De Mer Records has several imprint labels, including Regal Crabomophone, Strange Fish, Friends Of The Fish, Head Cleaner and Tiny. What is the difference between them?
We set up ‘Regal Crabomophone’ to release a single by The Chemistry Set that included a newly-written song, so it became the home for releases that include tracks that aren’t covers.
‘Strange Fish’ is for the more ‘out there’/experimental releases (I didn’t want people who liked to collect everything on FdM to feel they had to buy releases that didn’t necessarily match our psych/prog/acid-folk/krautrock slogan).
“Friends of the Fish” is a bit of a catch-all…for limited-run lathe-cut releases (usually produced as specials for gigs), some CD compilations and for records that artists self-release but I like enough to want to help on the promotion side).
‘Head Cleaner’ was a one-off for a Cranium Pie double cassette and ‘Tiny’ is home to (so far) three 5” lathe-cut singles.
It’s all got pretty confusing – but I like to think that just adds to the fun (that’s my excuse, anyway)
Do you believe that the music today misses something compared to the music of the ‘60s or the 70s?
I think the big difference is that music meant so much more, to so many more, in the 60s/70s, when I was growing up; it meant everything – owning records, seeing bands, arguing who was the best, reading the music mags…now it‘s a niche thing, a background to other stuff, it doesn’t matter in the way it once did.
Some of your releases are sold out before they are even released. How does this happen? Is there a members club that are lucky enough to put their hands on your releases first? How can one become member of this club?
The least interesting thing about running a record label is packing and posting records! I’m not trying to make money out of FdM, I’m trying to have fun – I’d sooner sell out and move onto the next release than spent weeks/months pushing the back-catalogue (although I do that as well!). The members club is free to join and there are no commitments to buy future releases, but it’s really there for people who like most of what we do, who want to get their orders in early and can cope with lots of irritating emails from me; there’s a longer email list for people who just want to dip in and out – I try to explain it on the FdM website!
Every year Fruits de Mer releases a double album recorded on previous year’s Dream of Dr. Sardonicus, a festival in which exquisite names of the scene appear. The 17th will be released in late July and it’s already sold out. Can you give us some information regarding the Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus Festivals that you organize every year?
It’s really organised by Pete Bingham from Sendelica – I just help with spreading the word, running a stall at the venue (The Cellar Bar in Cardigan) and pulling together the almost-legendary FdM goodie-bags – free to everyone attending. It’s got a life of its own – it’s become a gathering of the friends of the label – small, relaxed, a bit scruffy but very friendly (a bit like me), with some mazing bands agreeing to play, such as The Bevis Frond, Groundhogs, The Chemistry Set, Vibravoid and, of course, Sendelica. This year, Man were due to headline – but the virus has meant we’ve had to skip a year – we’ll be back in 2021!
Are the artists free to choose which songs to cover for compilations like “Goldfish – Fruits De Mer Records 10 years on vinyl” or “The Three Seasons – The Spring, Summer And Autumn Of Love”?
With ‘Goldfish’, that was a personal selection of some of my favourite recordings from the first 10 years of the label, but usually the artists come up with the tracks – sometimes I’ve suggested a ‘theme’ for a project and sometimes with artists I’ve known for a while I might subtly suggest specific songs – The Honey Pot are a bit like the FdM house band, they have been willing to take on some of the wilfully obscure tracks from the 60s I’ve thrown at them!
Which ‘60s psychedelic artist or band do you think is the most underrated and why?
The Pretty Things. Not just for ‘SF Sorrow’, ‘Parachute’ is a remarkable LP too. But they started as an R&B band and they came back to those blues roots in recent years, they were brilliant live and Phil May, who died earlier this year, became one of the best lead singers the UK has ever seen and heard.
Did Covid-19 made things more difficult for your label?
It put the mockers on our summer festival and I’ve had to delay everything by about three months and cut back on pressings – but if that’s all I’ve got to worry about this year I’ve been bloody lucky.
Is there a new psychedelic or prog scene in the UK?
Not that I’ve noticed. For there to be a scene, there needs to be lots of psych/prog bands playing live regularly and lots of venues that welcome new psych/prog bands – I’ve not seen either; sadly, the number of venues seems to be declining steadily and the ones that are hanging on can get a bigger audience for a Bowie/Bolan impersonator than for a new band.
What’s next on your list for Fruits de Mer Records? What plans do you have?
We’ll be making up for lost time for the rest of 2020 – in the autumn there’ll be a big Sendelica retrospective, another fundraising project for Cardigan’s Cellar Bar and a couple of return visits to what is probably my favourite genre of music – krautrock…and quite a bit more!
“Sacred Core is a song about getting lost, drifting away and trying to find the way back to your safe haven – guided by swirling, hypnotic guitars and an insistent, heavy beat. Compared to the shoegazey post-punk of the album’s previous singles ‘Vultures’ and ‘Swallow’, this track digs deeper into haunting, psychedelic territories, yet still maintaining our trademark dark and atmospheric sound,” says frontman Trond Fagernes.
The accompanying video was directed by Astrid Serck, who also created the videos for previous singles ‘Swallow’ and ‘Vultures’.
“To me, the song is like an open landscape – it’s grounded, but at the same time moving. I wanted to capture that feeling visually with footage from windmill fields and beaches, where there’s constant movement – like a rhythm, as opposed to the solid ground. A contrast between motion and stillness. Something to hold on to as well as something loose and vibrating,” says Astrid Serck.
“The core is what you hold on to. The motion is what you can let go. The sunbeams are blinding you, like a sacred light. The ceiling of a church is another symbol for sanctity. The moon is dancing, in disturbing ways, on the screen. In the video there is also an abandoned house, left with the door open. It´s a metaphor for the feeling of something that is lost, you can go back there, but only the memories are left. In addition there’s live footage of the band filmed from shows in Oslo and San Diego.”
‘Prepared For a Nightmare’ presents a dark and distinctive blend of post-punk, shoegaze and psychedelia. Here, the band delves deeper into their own distinctive blend of psych-noir and post-punk with elements of shoegaze and noise-rock.
Hailing from Oslo, Mayflower Madame is Trond Fagernes (vocals, guitars, bass), Håvard Haga (guitars) and Ola J. Kyrkjeeide (drums). Formed in 2011, they first rehearsed in a desolate industrial building, sharing space with a carwash company. Their hazy, smoke-laden sound was conceived naturally amidst these gritty surroundings. They soon recorded a four-track demo and became ‘Unsigned Band of the Week’ on a major Norway stations.
After a few years of touring, Mayflower Madame finally released their debut album ‘Observed in a Dream’ in 2016, followed by the‘Premonition’ EPin 2018. Through eight tracks of theatrical psych-gaze exploration and dark romanticism, the album conveyed the wintry feeling of their home country – icy and gloomy, haunting and majestic.
Mayflower Madame has shared the stage with bands like Killing Joke, Moon Duo, Night Beats, Psychic Ills, Froth, The Underground Youth, Crocodiles, Cosmonauts and La Femme. They have also toured North America, the UK and Europe.
‘Prepared for a Nightmare’ was released on vinyl and CD on June 12. It is available through Bandcamp in all formats, as well as digitally via iTunesand Spotify.
CREDITS
Trond Fagernes – vocals, guitars, bass
Håvard Haga – guitars
Ola J. Kyrkjeeide – drums
Kenneth Eknes – synth on all tracks except 2, 6 & 7
Petter G. Marberg – bass on track 1 & 10
All songs written by Mayflower Madame / Trond Fagernes
Recorded by Trond Fagernes & Ola J. Kyrkjeeide at MaMa Studio, Oslo
Mixed by Bob de Wit (track 1, 5, 6 & 7), James Aparicio (track 2, 3 & 4) and James Trevascus (track 8, 9 & 10)
Mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri at Black Knoll Studio, New York
Έβαλα χτες να δω την ταινία Godzilla εναντίον Hedorah. Μια παραγωγή του 1971, των Ιαπωνικών Toho Studio.
Οι ταινίες με τον Godzilla ήταν η Κυριακάτικη διασκέδαση των παιδικών μου χρόνων, όταν όλα τα παιδιά της γειτονιάς ξεκινούσαμε να πάμε στο Σινάν, τον κινηματογράφο της περιοχής για να δούμε δύο ταινίες: η μία είχε πρωταγωνιστή τον Godzilla ενώ η άλλη ήταν κάποια ταινία με τον Ταρζάν, ή Ελληνική, ή Τούρκικη ή καράτε, western κλπ.
Φυσικά μαζεύονταν πιτσιρίκια απο ολη την γύρω περιοχή, και η κινηματογράφος ήταν κατάμεστος, Κυριακή μεσημέρι, ενώ το κυλικείο ξεπουλούσε τα κορνέ και τα σάμαλι στο διάλειμμα.
O Godzilla είναι η πιο γνωστή δημιουργία των Ιαπωνικών Toho Studio και πρόκειται για ενα kaiju, οπως ονομάζονται αυτές οι Ιαπωνικές ταινίες με τα τεράστια παράξενα τέρατα. Ο όρος kaiju μπορεί επίσης να χρησιμοποιηθεί για να περιγράψει τα ίδια αυτά τέρατα, τα οποία συνήθως επιτίθενται σε μεγάλες πόλεις και συγκρούονται με στρατιωτικές μονάδες ή με άλλα τέρατα.
Το είδος kaiju είναι ένα παρακλάδι της tokusatsu (特 撮, «ειδική κινηματογράφιση») και μπορεί να θεωρηθεί συνώνυμο με τον όρο «Ιαπωνικές ταινίες με τέρατα».
Η πρώτη αυτού του είδους θεωρείται το Godzilla του 1954 και οι χαρακτήρες των ταινιών αυτών είναι συχνά μεταφορικοί. Ο Godzilla για παράδειγμα, αντικατοπτρίζει τον φόβο της μεταπολεμικής Ιαπωνίας για τα πυρηνικά όπλα, μετά από τις επιθέσεις με ατομικές βόμβες στην Χιροσίμα και στο Ναγκασάκι, καθώς και μετά το συμβάν με το αλιευτικό Lucky Dragon 5, τα 23 μέλη του οποίου μολύνθηκαν από τα πυρηνικά απόβλητα της δοκιμής που έκαναν οι Αμερικάνοι στο Bikini την 1 Μαρτίου του 1954. Άλλοι kaiju χαρακτήρες είναι οι Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah και o Gamera.
Συνολικά μέτρησα 32 ταινίες του Godzilla απο το 1954 μέχρι και το 2018, Ιαπωνικές και Αμερικάνικες παραγωγές.
Το “Godzilla εναντίον Hedorah” που είδα χτες λοιπόν, δεν ήταν καλό. Θέλω να πω πως, μετά από τόσα χρόνια και έχοντας δει ταινίες με ειδικά εφέ που έχουν πλέον φτάσει σε πολύ υψηλό επίπεδο, ίσως να είμαι πολύ σκληρός με την κριτική μου αλλά σε αυτό το θέμα η ταινία ήταν τουλάχιστον παιδική.
Όμως, το μήνυμα της, το 1971, ήταν πάρα πολύ σύγχρονο: Ο Hedorah είναι ένα τέρας το οποίο έχει δημιουργηθεί από την μόλυνση που υπάρχει στους ωκεανούς. Από τα σκουπίδια και τα απόβλητα δηλαδή των ανθρώπων και βγαίνει στην στεριά για να τραφεί από την κάπνα και την ατμοσφαιρική ρύπανση της σύγχρονης ζωής.
Όλα αυτά, παρουσιάζονται μεταφορικά από τον σκηνοθέτη Yoshimitsu Banno ως ένας θανάσιμος κίνδυνος για τον πλανήτη, πριν 50 περίπου χρόνια.
Βέβαια, στην περίπτωση της ταινίας, αναλαμβάνει την λύση ο Godzilla.
Αυτό που κέρδισε σε εμένα τις εντυπώσεις είναι η μουσική του Riichiro Manabe ο οποίος έγραφε μουσική για ταινίες επιστημονικής φαντασίας και τρόμου.
Η ταινία ανοίγει με το “Kaese! Taiyo Wo” (Return! The Sun) το οποίο τραγουδά η 23άχρονη τότε Keiko Mari.
Η μουσική του Manabe δανείζεται πολλά στοιχεία από την jazz αλλά έχει και κάποια γκαράζ ροκ περάσματα.
Έτσι, πέρα από την αφέλεια των ειδικών εφέ, το προφητικό μήνυμα του σεναρίου, η ταινία διαθέτει ενα αρκετά καλό soundtrack που θα ακουστεί αρκετά προοδευτικό στα αυτιά μας με την εικόνα που έχουμε για την Ιαπωνία των αρχών της δεκαετίας του ’70.
Μην δείτε την ταινία, δεν θα το αντέξετε αν είστε πάνω από 10 ετών, δώστε όμως μια ευκαιρία στο soundtrack της το οποίο ποστάρω εδώ:
Ολα ξεκίνησαν με μια εμφάνιση στο φεστιβάλ The Avalon Ballroom στο Glastonbury, ένα μέρος όπου οτιδήποτε μπορεί και θα συμβεί. Καθώς οι Honey Pot έπαιζαν το τραγούδι “Hadron Kaleidoscope” από το τελευταίο τους άλμπουμ, “Bewildered Jane” το οποίο κυκλοφόρησε φέτος η Mega Dodo Records, κάποιος απο το ακροατήριο που είχε γεμίσει ασφυκτικά τον χώρο, έδινε παραπάνω προσοχή απο το υπόλοιπο κοινό.
Οταν τελείωσε η συναυλία, προσέγγισε την τραγουδίστρια Crystal Jacqueline, και συστήθηκε ως Django.
Μια τέτοια εισαγωγή απαιτεί την πλήρη προσοχή σου κυρίως όταν ο άλλος σου λέει πως είναι ο άνθρωπος που σχεδίασε την αίθουσα ελέγχου του Large Hadron Collider.
Ο Large Hadron Collider είναι ο μεγαλύτερος και ισχυρότερος επιταχυντής σωματιδίων στον κόσμο. Αποτελείται από ένα δακτύλιο 27 χιλιομέτρων από υπεραγώγιμους μαγνήτες με αριθμό επιταχυντικών δομών που ενισχύουν την ενέργεια των σωματιδίων κατά την πορεία τους. Ξεκίνησε στις 10 Σεπτεμβρίου 2008 και παραμένει η τελευταία προσθήκη στο συγκρότημα επιταχυντών του CERN.
Αυτή η συναρπαστική προσφορά ήταν τόσο μοναδική, γιατί μόνο οσοι συνδέονται με την περιοχή επιτρέπεται να παίξουν εκεί.
Οπότε τους δόθηκαν τα πάσα, έγιναν οι αυστηροί έλεγχοι ασφάλειας και οι κρατήσεις για την πτήση. Σε αντίθεση με τις περισσότερες προσφορές που ξεθωριάζουν οταν χαράζει η επόμενη μέρα, αυτή η προσφορά έστεκε
Την Τετάρτη η Crystal Jacqueline και ο κιθαρίστας Icarus Peel περνούν μέσα απο την Γαλλία με το βανάκι τους κουβαλώντας Fenders, Moogs και Rickenbackers ενώ ο μπασίστας Andy Budge, η κημπορντίστρια Victoria Reyes και ο ντράμερ Jay Robertson παίρνουν την Παρασκευή το αεροπλάνο.
Η συναυλία είναι για το Σάββατο μπροστά σε ενα πλήθος 72.000 ατόμων, δηλαδή όσων επισκέπτονται τον χώρο κατά τη διάρκεια του Σαββατοκύριακου, αλλά ίσως και να μην προλάβουν να τους δουν ολοι…
O Alan Davey έγινε γνωστός ως μπασίστας των Hawkwind οταν τον κάλεσε ο Dave Brock στο συγκρότημα το 1984 μετά την πρώτη του εμφάνιση στο Stonehenge Free Festival εκείνης της χρονιάς.
Μαζί τους κυκλοφόρησε επτά στούντιο άλμπουμ και τέσσερα live πριν αποχωρήσει το 1996, μετά την εμφάνισή τους εκείνη την χρονιά στην Ελλάδα (που φαντάζομαι μερικοί απο εσάς είδαν αλλά εγω δεν είχα πάει μιας και τους ειχα δει πέντε χρόνια πιο πριν) για να δημιουργήσει το 1998 τους Bedouin, μια hard-rοck μπάντα με πολλά στοιχεία απο την μουσική της Μέσης Ανατολής.
Μετά το 2000 ξαναπήγε στους Hawkwind για δύο ακόμα studio άλμπουμ και τρία ηχογραφημένα ζωντανά πράγμα που τον έκανε το δεύτερο μέλος με την μεγαλύτερη διάρκεια στην μπάντα μετα τον Brock.
Εχει παίξει ακόμα, με τον Nick Turner και τους Hawklords (μπάντα απο μέλη των Hawkwind), τους Gunslinger και τους black metalάδες Meads of Asphodel, τους Dumpys Rusty Nuts, Spirits Burning ενώ μέσα σε όλα τα άλλα, εκανε και μια tribute μπάντα των Motorhead με ονομα Ace of Spades.
Το “Time is Made of Gold” που ακούω τώρα, κυκλοφόρησε φέτος και είναι η νεώτερη δουλειά των Bedouin μετά το “As Above So Below” του 2001.
Στο “Time is Made of Gold” ο Davey παίζει τα πάντα, ενω τραγουδά η ηθοποιός Michelle Jimenez-Alder.
Τα 18 τραγούδια του άλμπουμ δεν έχουν καμμία σχέση με τους Hawkwind, έχουν μια μαλακή ηχητική φόρμα, με τα αραβικά μουσικά στοιχεία που ανέφερα, η οποία την κάνει λίγο ονειρική…
Σκεφτόμουν οτι μερικές φορές με το ένα χέρι κρατιέται απο το prog-rock και με το άλλο αγγίζει τα όρια του gothic rock των Eden House, αλλά καταφέρνει να ακούγεται πιο προσωπικό, καθόλου gothic και σε κερδίζει ευχάριστα όλο και πιο πολύ, με κάθε νέο τραγούδι που ακούς.
Αν θυμάμαι καλά, ήταν το 1991 όταν είδα τους Hawkwind να παίζουν ζωντανά στο Ρόδον, στην Αθήνα.
Θα πρέπει να ήμασταν 500-600 άτομα στο κοινό και πολλοί το σχολιάζαμε μετά, πως ήμασταν πολύ λίγοι για ένα τόσο ιστορικό συγκρότημα.
Δύο απο τα μέλη τους που έπαιξαν εκείνη την βραδιά, ο ιδρυτής του συγκροτήματος, κιθαρίστας , τραγουδιστής και πληκτράς, Dave Brock και ο τρομερός ντράμερ Richard Chadwick, ο οποίος προσχώρησε στην μπάντα απο το 1988, είναι ακόμα στην σύνθεση.
Μαζί τους απο το 2008 είναι και ο μπασίστας και πληκτράς Niall Hone με τον κιθαρίστα και τραγουδιστή Magnus Martin.
Οι Hawkwind φτιάχτηκαν το 1969 στην κεντρική Αγγλία και άνοιξαν τον δρόμο για το space rock.
Μέσα σε λίγες εβδομάδες από το σχηματισμό τους, είχαν δημιουργήσει ενα καλό όνομα στο κύκλωμα των φεστιβάλ και έπαιζαν ζωντανά χωρίς χρέωση, οπουδήποτε μπορούσαν. Μέχρι τη στιγμή της κυκλοφορίας του άλμπουμ τους ‘X In Search Of Space‘ το 1971, είχαν γίνει ηδη γνωστοί για την θεατρικότητα των συναυλιών τους, οι οποίες φημίζονται για το light show, την κατανάλωση LSD και για (μεταξύ 1971-75) την γυμνή Ιρλανδή χορεύτρια Stacia Blake.
Το συγκρότημα φλερτάρισε αρκετές φορές με το folk rock, την heavy metal, το new wave, την ambient και την techno.
Απο τις τάξεις του πέρασαν μουσική όπως ο Lemmy (ο οποίος θα πήγαινε κατόπιν θα έκανε μεγάλη πορεία με τους Motörhead, όνομα που χρησιμοποίησε απο ενα τραγούδι που ειχε ο ιδιος γράψει για τους Hawkwind), o Ginger Baker των Cream και ο συγγραφέας και πατέρας της Βρετανικής επιστημονικής φαντασίας, Michael Moorcock.
Αυτές τις ημέρες, η Cheery Red Records ανακοίνωσε πως ο τιτλος του νέου άλμπουμ των Hawkwind, είναι “All Aboard The Skylark”.
Πρόκειται για το 32ο άλμπουμ των Hawkwind και με εννέα νέα τραγούδια, σηματοδοτεί την επιστροφή τους στον space rock ήχο.
Θα κυκλοφορήσει σε διπλό CD στις 25 Οκτωβρίου 2019 και οποιος θέλει μπορεί να το προπαραγγείλει απο ΕΔΩ.
Twentieth Century Zoo was an American psychedelic rock band formed from the remnants of The Bittersweets in Phoenix, Arizona in 1967. The band released several singles, and an album to reach regional acclaim before disbanding in 1970. Their later works spanned across multiple genres, including early examples of proto-punk. The band was known for playing amo […]
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