by blake | Jul 8, 2012 | Uncategorized
(« Multiac Nylon » by poligraf)
« Sooner Or Later » does not comes from Poligraf’s catalogue as such. Rather, it is a piece for solo guitar that I intend to publish on an album of about ten acoustic compositions, all featuring the classical guitar, either playing solo or accompanied by other acoustic instruments.
The original title of this piece was « Maybe Later, » but I never liked it that much because of the element of doubt and uncertainty that it conveys, which doesn’t fit the music. I reworked some parts while getting ready to record the present demo, and along with the changes came the new and more appropriate title.
While the first half of the piece starts in a reflective mood that leads into a peaceful passage, the second half remains upbeat and playful until the tongue-in-cheeky coda.
Here’s the poetry that I composed for this instrumental :
say do you remember
when you renounced your throne
time had come to gather
the fruits that you had sown
couldn’t stand no longer
circumstances outgrown
nor could future further
unconsciously postpone
true love is forever
and you had always known
that sooner or later
that road would be your own
setting out to conquer
noble the enterprise
chariot of fire
you hero on the rise
driven by the hunger
and the smile in those eyes
sometimes lows would deter
but you thrived on the highs
tipped off by the spider
rewarded by the flies
shooting star of ardour
serendipitous skies
angelic caretaker
inspired you to surmise
that sooner or later
you would obtain the prize
once blindfolded juggler
one hand behind your back
willing to consider
one more torch in the stack
consummate plate spinner
you always had the knack
to wow the onlooker
while avoiding the wrack
but that challenge greater
had you taken aback
fearful of disaster
prone to panic attack
tyro wire walker
trembling above the pack
left with daily wonder
why life cut you no slack
would it have been clearer
written in white on black
that sooner or later
your step would miss the track
witnessing in horror
your creation finespun
destroyed in a quarter
the dream had come undone
down under the weather
by your guilt overrun
dark clouds of dishonour
were obscuring the sun
but life wasn’t over
though the event did stun
and still your endeavour
could be a fruitful one
had you known your labour
was meant for the long run
much sooner than later
your quest would have begun
as hope touched your shoulder
you lifted up your chin
finding back your valour
you recovered your grin
and against your fervour
you knew walls would give in
and sooner or later
that you couldn’t but win
looking back together
and enjoying the view
pray this question answer
tell me you always knew
was it any wonder
that it had to be you
that sooner or later
you would be set free too
by blake | Jul 1, 2012 | Uncategorized
Studio Report:
Scarlet Hollow: Scarlet Hollow is in the mastering stage of “What If Never Was” due out late summer early fall 2012. Ian Shepherd of Mastering Media in the UK is going to be mastering “What if never Was”. Ian is well known for his work with bands like Deep Purple, The Orb, Porcupine Tree, Ozric Tentacles, and King Crimson among others. “What If Never Was” will be released on Vinyl and CD no digital release is planned at the moment.
Official Website
The Phil and John Show: The Phil and John Show are hard at work on their follow up to “Cover Art (2006)” in-between performing as much as six nights a week. The yet untitled release may see the light of day in the spring of 2013. The Phil and John Show are Emmy Award vocalist, singer, songwriter and producer Phil Naro (DDrive, Talas, Druckfarben, Jim Crean) and Johnny Rogers best known for his association with Canadian rockers, “Brighton Rock”. Official Website
Barbara Rubin: We are proud to announce that we are working closely with Barbara Rubin to reissue “Under The Ice”. “Under The Ice” is currently being re-mastered and will be reissued and pressed on White Vinyl, and features a new bonus track. “Under The Ice” was original self released on CD in 2010 and features 11 tracks. More news as it develops. Facebook
Paul D’Adamo. Paul to once again work with long time friend Leon Alvarado who will create the new album cover art and additional artwork for the forthcoming release of “Rawfully Organic” by Paul D’Adamo due out fall of 2012. Lean has produced some great artwork for artists like Ian Anderson, Peter Gabriel & Roger Waters among others. Facebook
David Rohl: David has been very busy since the 2011 release of AD – Sangreal by his band MandalaBand. For those of you that are unaware besides being a musician and producer David is also an Author and an Egyptologist.
• David is Co-producing a solo album for Ashley Mulford
• Producing and performing on Last Knight an epic double album.
• Producing a solo album for Andrea Garrison.
• Writing and recording the music for a cinema release documentary film on the Exodus.
• Writing the music for three one-hour documentaries on great Arab leaders of the Middle East.
• Writing a book called ‘Exodus: Myth or History?
Facebook
Studio Report In Brief:
Finishing up albums for late fall early winter are John Orr Franklin, Unified Past, Murky Red and Aisles.
Happiness Is Being Single:
Cary Clouser unveils the 1st track “Anthem in Bm” from the forthcoming release “As Loud as Silence” no release date is available at the moment. Oceans 5 new single “Empty Hands” has been released as a charity single.
New to the revolution family, The Minstrel’s Ghost, Barbara Rubin, and Anuryzm.
The Minstrel’s Ghost Musicians Include:
Blake Carpenter, vocals, keyboards and guitars.
Colin Tench (BunChakeze, Odin of London) Guitars.
Marco Chiappini (Gandalf’s Project) Keyboards.
Troy James Martin (LeeAnne Savage, Loren Dirks) Bass.
Zoltan Csörsz Jr (The Flower Kings, Karmakanic) Drums
Anuryzm Is:
John Bakhos – Guitars
Miltiadis Kyvernitis – Guitars
Nadeem Bibby – Vocals
Imad Dahleh – Drums
Rami Lakkis – Bass
Jay Jahed – Synth
Martin Lopez – Drums (session)
In related news ANURYZM have started recording their follow up to ‘Worm’s Eye View’
On Tour Now:
Oceans of Time& Lisleby Musikkorps hosts a Symphonic Rock & Metal concert with Jorn Lande and Eirikur Hauksson November 10th 2012
You can buy tickets here!
https://pay.ebillett.no/velg_antall.php?arrnr=22506&p_id=178&kanal=fw
Don Mancuso (DDRIVE) speaks about his upcoming appearance as the guitarist with “The Sound Remains The Same”
Busy preparing for the Rapids Theater show in Niagara Falls with “The Sound Remains The Same” a Led Zeppelin Tribute act recreating the 1973 Zeppelin show at the Aud in Buffalo, NY, which will also include a bonus mini set!
The original show was Sunday July 15, 1973. This one is Sunday July 15, 2012! 970 tickets will be sold for the same price as the show was in 1973. $6.00!! They are going fast… 97 ROCK in Buffalo will be giving tickets away as well! They are sponsoring the show.
Turns out the theater is haunted too, here are some of the facts…
A woman hung herself on the stage we are playing on, just behind the curtain, a projectionist died of a heart attack in the old projection room when it was a movie theater, there is also an old janitor that haunts the place … When Stone Temple Pilots played there recently several people complained of being pushed from behind by unseen hands, and they caught him on camera in the crowd … Typically activity peaks immediately following a show due to the increase in energy, you may feel a whisper in your ear, electric chill, or hear and see the apparition of the woman who killed herself by hanging on stage … The Three Stooges filmed a short movie on the stage there, and Marilyn Monroe was there during her filming of the movie Niagara …
You can see the episode of Ghost Hunters below where they investigated the Rapids Theater hauntings.
Part 1 http://youtu.be/3TDiz5YIZ_E
Part 2 http://youtu.be/_YkE8WO4GIw
Part 3 http://youtu.be/3UrGPf4L-54
Part 4 http://youtu.be/XMkLkaFAUrI
John Orr Franklin
Saturday July 21st at Central Presbyterian Church in Austin Texas. Doors open at 7:00pm show starts at 8:00pm. ADMISSION IS FREE!!!
MORRE CD Release Show for “Morphine”. This will also be the last MORRE’s show this year in Toronto, as the band is going on their 2nd European tour in August.
For more tour news http://www.melodicrevolution.com/on-tour
A very special thank you to Tessa Merckenfor making us a beautiful Vector image of our logo
by blake | Jun 28, 2012 | Uncategorized
The Minstrel’s Ghost Embarks On A Journey On The Road to Avalon
In 2011 Blake Carpenter assembled some very talented musicians from around the globe to create “The Road to Avalon” a concept album of the stories about King Arthur and his Knights.
The Road to Avalon is the follow up to The Minstrel’s Ghost 2011 debut “Dream Things True.”
About The Minstrel’s Ghost:
Originally from Rhode Island, The Minstrel’s Ghost was founded by Blake Carpenter, A well-rounded singer/songwriter/musician with a multitude of influences ranging from classical to metal and spanning all genres in between. His favorite styles of music are those that showcase passion and emotion, drive and talent. Blake’s writing in style ranges from folk, classic prog, hard rock and even metal. The Minstrel’s Ghost will take you on a journey beyond imagination.
Blake Carpenter: It has been eight years in the making but I am finally getting it done. These guys I am working with are all phenomenal musicians and I couldn’t be happier with the way thing are progressing. I am extremely excited about this project and the music that is being created. Joining the Melodic Revolution Records family is a real pleasure and I look forward to our work together as a team.
The Minstrel’s Ghost Musicians Include:
Blake Carpenter, vocals, keyboards and guitars.
Colin Tench (BunChakeze, Odin of London) Guitars.
Marco Chiappini (Gandalf’s Project) Keyboards.
Troy James Martin (LeeAnne Savage, Loren Dirks) Bass.
Zoltan Csörsz Jr (The Flower Kings, Karmakanic) Drums
The Road To Avalon Track listing:
Part 1: The Design
01. The Journey Begins (The Avalon Overture)
02. Avalon Part 1
03. Merlin
04. Lady Of The Lake
05. Excalibur
06. Avalon Part 2
Part 2: The Life
01. Camelot
02. Betrayal
03. The Son
04. Avalon Part 3
05. Le Morte D’Arthur
06. The End
Links:
by blake | Jun 24, 2012 | Uncategorized
A very special thank you to Ed Unitsky for the wonderful Power of Prog Site banner and artwork which was originally created as demo artwork for MANNING, and a special thank to Guy Manning
Ed Unitsky is an international visual artist and designer, well known for his surrealistic fantasy images and mesmerizing album covers. He designed cover art for the albums of The Tangent, Guy Manning, The Flower Kings, Tomas Bodin, Starcastle, D’Arcana, Jay Tausig, Robert Svilpa, Laurie Larson, Moongarden, Unitopia, Mandalaband, Nine Stones Close, Oresund Space Collective, Jim Crean, Silhouette, Riversea and many others, primarily progressive rock bands and musicians. There are more than 60 CD, DVD, digital albums, vinyl releases with his artworks at the moment. Working in the field of the digital art Ed Unitsky has created a number of artworks for other music projects as well – from logos to stage set designs. Ed has got thousands of completed spiritual artworks and continues to design album covers while expanding his artistic energies to his personal artwork pursuits.
Discover the world of Ed Unitsky Art!
Ed Unitsky Official Website: www.edunitsky.com
Official Facebook fanpage www.facebook.com/Ed.Unitsky.fanpage
Official Store www.edunitsky-store.com
Power Of Prog: https://powerofprog.com/profile/EdUnitsky
Guy Manning Official Website: www.guymanning.com
Power of Prog: https://powerofprog.com/profile/GuyManning
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guy.manning.716
by blake | Jun 22, 2012 | Uncategorized
Chapter 18 : Lightning Strikes
Richard Ramsay is the star of the eighteenth episode of The Threshold Series, the concluding chapter of « 2206 : Window Onto A New World. »
We find the veteran politician staring outwards from a window of the sky lounge of his private yacht, musing about the weather, while on a visit to Bahía Alegría.
« The former Chancellor had needed to take a short vacation from all the craziness, to let the dust settle after the spectacular collapse of the schemes of his party. But apparently, even right in the heart of the bay of joy, satisfaction didn’t come easy for him. The ordinarily hot and sunny resort had been showered by storms ever since the luxury vessel had moored in the small inlet after which the popular holiday spot had been named. And so, instead of savouring a fun escape in the sunshine in the company of some of the people he truly appreciated, he had spent most of his time ruminating. He had voyaged all the way across the globe only to ponder the events of the recent years, and how they had ultimately culminated in his defeat in the Federal election. »
Forced to stay inside the boat, the retiring statesman passes the time talking with his sister Chloe and his assistant, Peter Conrad. The conversations will lead to surprising revelations.
Here’s « Lightning Strikes, » the culminating instalment of the first season of the Threshold Bookcast. I wish you all a most enjoyable reading !
★
★
Interestingly enough, this concluding chapter is being published on June 22, which is the date that has inspired the title of the novel. This wasn’t something I planned when I decided to release the series. Rather, the move came as a response to the circumstances of the moment. I had been considering the possibility since the end of 2011, mostly because of my frustration that the book was not attracting readers as fast as I had expected. It was waiting patiently on virtual shelves, hoping to be discovered, and that seemed somewhat of a waste. So I improvised a first episode, and when I eventually organized the process for the following weekly instalments, as I entered the events in my calendar, I realized that the series would end today. I considered it a sign that I had made the right decision.
At this time, I have no idea of when I will publish the second volume, nor of if I will release it in a similar manner. However, I can safely announce that the tentative title of that novel is « 2207 : Mechanics Of Change, » and that I’m just about done with the first fourteen chapters. Contrary to 2206 which covers only the last quarter or so of the corresponding Ovelian year, the second tome will span all of 2207. If I follow the plan that I have mind mapped thus far, I still need to write about twelve or thirteen more chapters before the story is told. In other words, that means I’m about halfway through, and given that I’ve been working on it since mid-October 2011, I’m not sure whether or not I’ll be able to complete it before the end of the year. That being said, I am sometimes tempted to begin the second season before I finish the book. My mind is not made up at the moment.
If you want to stay updated on how it all unfolds, I invite you to follow the Facebook and Google+ profiles of the series, which are linked at the end of each chapter, in the « About the Series » section. You can also subscribe to my Issuu channel, where the episodes are currently available.
And on this note ends the first season of the Threshold Bookcast. Thanks to all who have taken interest and enjoyed the story thus far ! Hopefully, I will be able to announce my plans during the summer, depending on how the writing and other projects develop. Farewell until then !
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On a background of environmental and financial crises, and religious influences intertwining with political manoeuvres to determine the fate of an overpopulated planet, The Threshold Series chronicles the saga of the Ovelian civilization, a society very similar to our own, as it heads towards one of the most dramatic chain of events of its history.
The first book, « 2206 : Window Onto A New World, » focuses on the end of the year 2206, which culminates on an important federal election that will be impacted by the discovery of an anomaly in the nearby outer space.
Each episode of The Threshold Bookcast consists in a complete chapter of the series, made available for free online reading.
For more details about the series and the bookcast, please see the introduction.
The previous chapters are available here :
