In 1982 the English band, Esquire was formed by Nikki Squire after her husband, Chris Squire (Bassist, backing vocalist and a founding member of the progressive rock band, Yes.) went on tour and leaving their home studio free. While assisting the band, New Cross in their home studio Nikki was soon asked to sing lead on a couple of their songs. By the time Chris got off tour he came home to find his wife apart of the band. The band was short lived, but Nikki Squire continued to work and write with the bassist Nigel McLaren.
First they finished the song, Hourglass and continued to work on each song one by one until they had a full album. This 1987 album would their debut album as the band, Esquire.
“Esquire’s first album had a lot of talent that contributed to the production of the album.” Jonie Lyle, inventory assistant at Renaissance Records explains. “Chris Squire was also very supportive of Nikki’s music endeavors.”
“Chris Squire, Alan White (Drummer in Yes), Trevor Horn (Producer/ Former Singer in Yes) and Nikki Squire’s eldest daughter, Carmen Squire, all assisted on their first album.” Lyle states.
Renaissance Records has announced the arrival of the vinyl reissue of Esquire by Esquire. Esquire features tracks, ‘To The Rescue’, ‘Blossomtime’, ‘Sunshine’ and ‘Moving Together’. This Limited Edition 180g LP will include extra incentives that Renaissance Records is known to include in their vinyl packaging. These extra incentives include lyrics sheets, exclusive photos, restored liner notes
and trading cards of the original band.
This English famous rock band is led by their solid lineup of lead vocalist Nikki Squire, bassist and vocalist Nigel McLaren and keyboardist and vocalist Charles Olins.
Track List
Side 1
1. To The Rescue 2. Sunshine 3. Knock Twice For Heaven 4. Up Down Turnaround 5. Blossomtime
Side 2
1. Hourglass 2. Moving Together 3. Silent Future 4. Special Greetings 5. What You’ve Been Saying
Pre-orders are available on their online store. Additional information on this release and upcoming releases is available at www.RenaissanceRecordsUS.com
Progressive rock band Mars Hollow has announced that they will be recording a new album after a nearly 5-year hiatus. The announcement was made during a semi-reunion show and subsequent radio interview in June, and came on the heels of a show billed as “John Baker and Steve Mauk Perform the Music of Mars Hollow” in Chicago. The show was the first time Mars Hollow has performed live since May, 2012. The most recent studio effort from the group was the track “So Far Away,” which also had a video release and was included on the Mars Hollow Live album. The album, also available on DVD, documented the band’s ‘Church of Prog’ spot at RosFest, 2011 and was released in Fall of 2012.
However, guitarist and lead vocalist John Baker says that the new band will update both its name and line-up to fit the spirit and music of the new incarnation, and will be called “Life After Mars.” The band’s debut album release is tentatively scheduled for Summer, 2018.
Says John, “As Life After Mars is the newly reformed incarnation of Mars Hollow, the best way to explain it is ‘Mars Hollow…the Next Generation.”
Mars Hollow landed on the progressive rock scene in 2010 with their self-titled debut album, produced by Ronan Chris Murphy, and followed up in 2011 with “World In Front of Me,” co-produced by Mars Hollow’s John Baker and Billy Sherwood, now of Yes. Playing festivals and numerous gigs in the USA, Mexico and Canada, the band also played and toured with Billy Sherwood’s Circa, and received accolades and positive reviews for several years. In the spirit of progressive rock, “Life After Mars” seems a natural progression.
Says John, “I think of this as good timing. A perfect time to rethink your mindset, and have a new jumping off point. At one time, walking on the moon, or landing on Mars was the future. Everyone wondered if there was life on mars, and now they are talking about colonization of Mars. Truly, the FUTURE is life AFTER mars.”
Life After Mars features:
John Baker – lead vocals and guitars
Don Schiff – NS stick, various basses and string instruments
Lisa LaRue – keyboards
Emily Dolan Davies – drums
Bios:
JOHN BAKER
Throughout the years, John Baker has held stints as guitarist and backing vocalist for various original bands and musicians, including Christian Love of “The Beach Boys” and bassist for The Little Girls. Since 1995, John has been operating a successful studio business, comprised of music projects, audio drama, and dialogue work. In the music field, John has worked with many musicians and producers, including Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones) and Richie Zito (Elton John, Tina Turner, Heart). In the dialogue field, John has directed, engineered, and edited hundreds of audio books including works by authors such as Robert Ludlum, Danielle Steele and Deepak Chopra. John Baker, an original member of Mars Hollow, is also the lead vocalist for the LA-based progressive rock band, Forever Twelve, who has just completed their 4th studio album, Home, on Melodic Revolution Records.
DON SCHIFF
Don Schiff has worked with some of the best – including Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, Pat Benatar, Sheryl Crow, Sammy Davis, Arjen Lucassen among many others. Don is also a member of Rocket Scientists. Having scored soundtracks as well as acted in TV shows and films such as “Live From Death Row” and “84 Charlie Mopic,” he has also received gold records for co-writing for Pat Benatar’s “Wide Awake in Dreamland” and Winfield/Schiff’s “Cerebral Man.” Don is internationally known for his expertise with the NS/Chapman stick. He was also a member of Lisa LaRue’s former band 2KX.
LISA LaRUE
Keyboardist Lisa LaRue has worked with many musicians including: John Payne (Asia), Don Schiff (Rocket Scientists, Tina Turner, Elvis, and more), Ryo Okumoto (Spock’s Beard), Michael Sadler (Saga), Oliver Wakeman (Yes). Esquire (Nikki Squire) and others. Lisa has been awarded Oklahoma Native American Artist of the Year and nominated for other awards including the Hollywood Music Awards, Los Angeles Music Awards, and the Native American Music Awards. She collaborated with Gilli Smyth of Gong on a self-released album titled “Dreamscapes,” and has released 5 solo albums, 1 album with Lisa LaRue Project 2K9, 2 albums with Lisa LaRue 2KX, and 1 album with Federico Fantacone (Fantacone/LaRue – Sonic Landscapes).
EMILY DOLAN DAVIES
Emily Dolan Davies is a British drummer who has been playing since age 11, with full time gigging beginning at age 18. She has extensive experience in many genres as a session and live drummer, in addition to playing with artists such as Bryan Ferry, The Thompson Twins, The Darkness, and many more. She is currently touring with Howard Jones.
Here’s what the press have said about Mars Hollow:
“It’s quite clear that Mars Hollow is a band to be reckoned with. This is no garage band, but a very serious group of players with some serious chops.” – Rok Podgrajšek – The Rocktologist
“If you take a little bit of Yes – mostly in John Baker’s vocals – and a little bit of Rush (also there in the vocals), that’s a bit what Mars Hollow sound like.” – Stephanie Sollow – ProgressiveWorld.net
“Each member of the quartet is a star player in his own right. Their sound is a rocking and melodic mix of the best of Yes & Genesis with a bit of latter-day King Crimson.” – Mike Flavin – USA Prog Music
“I would consider Mars Hollow to be a band that will withstand the test of time for the advancement of the progressive genre.” – Grant Hill – Music Street Journal
London, UK – Much to the excitement of prog fans worldwide, Esquire featuring Nikki Squire, the first wife of Chris Squire from YES, has released their first new album in several years! On their new release “No Spare Planet”, the band has championed a unique and sophisticated sound and they have straddled traditional music boundaries and essentially unleashed an innovative style of progressive rock that is varied, accessible and modern.
Esquire is now set to extend their musical legacy with this 3rd studio album. Comprising of nine unreleased songs, the last that Nikki Squire and Nigel McLaren wrote together before Nigel’s untimely passing in 2015.
Says Nikki, “Nigel and I started work on these songs a few years ago. Our intention was to create an album that although still ‘progressive’, would bring a modern and fresh outlook and move forward to build a meaningful album…a solid basis that was to become ‘Esquire 111 – No Spare Planet’. Nigel my co- writer suddenly passed away in 2015, just as we were getting ready to mix and master our music. Many things that happened after this led me to complete the album alone, which has now become a Tribute to Nigel McLaren.”
Fronted by Nikki Squire, Esquire is a British rock band noted for their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Formed in 1982, Esquire released two studio albums – the self-titled “Esquire” in 1987, written and produced by Nikki Squire, Nigel McLaren & Esquire, and then a follow-up album “Coming Home” in 1997. Chris Squire and Mark Wallis produced the mixes, YES drummer Alan White, YES producer Trevor Horn and Chris and Nikki’s eldest daughter, Carmen Squire and Charles Olins, all worked on the band’s debut album. The second album, “Coming Home”, was written by Nikki Squire and Nigel McLaren; it also included Danny Isaacs on guitar on three tracks and Tony Matteucci on drums, Also WINGS Denny Laine on backing vocals, to name but a few…
Now, completing the Esquire trilogy after their last album, “Esquire III – No Spare Planet” brings the band right up to date in 2016!
Special Appearances by John Baker, former Mars Hollow, and Lisa LaRue of 2KX on No Spare Planet, as well as Robbie Blunt and others.
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