by Nick | Aug 23, 2018 | Festivals, News
The Inaugural On The Blue Cruise
We are pleased to announce the inaugural, 2019 On The Blue Cruise, featuring special performances by your host, Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues, along with one of the finest Classic Rock lineups in the history of our company. This incredible 5-night Classic Rock Cruise, sails from Miami, Florida February 10-15, 2019 for five days and nights, visiting Nassau/Paradise Island, Bahamas and the Private Isle of Labadee!
Expect all the great events and production that sets our cruises apart from the rest. This is going to be a cruise to remember, showcasing the talents of Justin and our featured Artists and Bands!
Our line-up rivals any in our history and includes not only Justin Hayward, but, The Zombies, Dave Mason, Steve Hackett, Al Stewart, Wishbone Ash, POCO, Vanilla Fudge, Colin Blunstone, Danny Seraphine from the band Chicago, Rick Derringer, Randy Hansen and our favorite Irish band, the Young Dubliners…with more to come soon!
We are delighted to announce that our home for the 2019 On the Blue Cruise is the magnificent Royal Caribbean, Mariner of the Seas. This is one of our favorite ships for Music Festivals at Sea because it has not just one, but two, huge music venues inside the ship. No chance of rainout on the concerts you don’t want to miss!
In addition, the Mariner is getting the biggest facelift in the history of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. This is a stem to stern makeover of epic proportion…over $100 MILLION! Even better, they will be completing the renovation before we sail, giving us a pristine vessel for the kickoff of the inaugural On the Blue Cruise!
The new Mariner of the Seas has more ways to play, delicious new dining concepts and a few surprises to thrill even the boldest cruisers. Launch yourself into a virtual world on a new bungee trampoline experience — Sky Pad. Hang ten on the newly added FlowRider surf simulator or race down The Perfect Storm waterslides. Have a tiki-chic rendezvous over rum punches in The Bamboo Room or bond over family-style Tuscan eats at Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver. This is going to be a “WOW” ship with some of the finest music and events featuring some of the greats in Classic Rock…what a show!
Tickets will go on sale to our past Moodies Cruise Alumni on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at 2 pm Eastern. Alumni will receive an email prior to this date with their personalized booking link. Later in the month, our general on sale to new guests will open up at www.OnTheBlueCruise.com/booknow so be sure to grab your spot aboard!
On The Blue Cruise is a playground for the serious fan where music and a luxury cruise unite for the vacation of a lifetime.
Website
http://onthebluecruise.com
by Nick | Jan 7, 2018 | News
It is with profound sorrow and sadness that Cherry Red Records and Esoteric Recordings regret to announce that Ray Thomas, founder member, flautist and vocalist of the Moody Blues, passed away suddenly at his home in Surrey on Thursday 4th January 2018.
We are deeply shocked by his passing and will miss his warmth, humor, and kindness. It was a privilege to have known and worked with him and our thoughts are with his family and his wife Lee at this sad time.
Born in Stourport-on-Severn on 29th December 1941, Ray was a member of various Birmingham Blues and Soul groups in the early 1960s, notably with El Riot and the Rebels, who also featured John Lodge and Mike Pinder at various stages in their existence. Ray formed The Krew Cats with Mike Pinder in 1963 and the group performed on the Hamburg club scene that year. Returning to Birmingham, Thomas and Pinder formed the Moody Blues with Denny Laine, Graeme Edge, and Clint Warwick. The band signed to Decca Records and enjoyed a worldwide hit with their cover of Bessie Banks’ “Go Now” in January 1965.
In October 1966 the Moody Blues line-up changed with the recruitment of Justin Hayward and John Lodge to replace the departing Denny Laine and Clint Warwick. The musical style of the group changed dramatically with the incorporation of the Mellotron into their sound, along with Ray’s evocative flute playing.
The band’s 1967 single “Nights in White Satin” (from the groundbreaking album “Days of Future Passed” – a number one album in the USA in 1972) was graced by a magical flute solo from Ray, contributing to the evocative arrangement of the song.
Over seven albums released between 1967 and 1972, the Moody Blues enjoyed major success, and each album was graced with compositions by Ray such as “Legend of a Mind” (about the psychedelic champion Timothy Leary), “Eternity Road”, “And the Tide Rushes In” and “For My Lady”.
In the mid-1970s, Ray recorded two successful solo albums; “From Mighty Oaks” (1975) and “Hopes Wishes and Dreams” (1976). The Moody Blues success continued into the 1980s. Ray’s song “Veteran Cosmic Rocker” (from 1981’s “Long Distance Voyager”) highlighted Ray’s marvelous sense of humor.
Ray remained with the Moody Blues until 2002 when he retired from the band due to health issues. Despite mobility issues, Ray continued to play and record occasionally, contributing a new song, “The Trouble with Memories” to a 2010 boxed set release of his two solo albums and more recently to the John Lodge album “10,000 Light Years Ago” in 2014. In 2017 it was announced that the members of the Moody Blues, including Ray Thomas, were to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
by Nick | Oct 22, 2017 | New Releases, News
London – Alan Simon is a French folk-rock musician and composer best known for his rock operas which are performed with collaboration from other noted rock musicians. Simon is associated with Breton Celticism, and his most ambitious works are typically on themes linked to Celtic myth and history. Simon has also branched out into film-making. Alan Simon is the creator of the legendary EXCALIBUR: THE CELTIC ROCK OPERA.
This 40 TRACK collection, released on Cherry Red, features a cross-section of Alan Simon’s work from his various projects and rock operas.
“The 40 songs on the compilation are all personal selections from my rock operas and concept albums: ‘Excalibur (the quadrilogy)’, ‘Gaia’, ‘Anne de Bretagne’, ‘Tristan & Yseult’, ‘Captain Kid’ and various soundtracks…Some of these tracks fans may know already and other tracks offer a deeper insight into my work! ‘Songwriter’ a sentimental and personal collection which also includes a comic strip of my journey.” – Alan Simon
This collection features songs with guest appearances by:
Members of Supertramp
Midnight Oil
Alan Parsons
Jon Anderson
Fairport Convention
Moya Brennan
John Wetton
Justin Hayward
Maddy Prior
Billy Preston
Roberto Tiranti
Martin Barre
Les Holroyd
Mick Fleetwood
And Zucchero
This collection was previously vinyl only and is now being given its first mainstream CD release.
TRACK LISTING:
DISC ONE
1. CELTIC RING (Feat. Alan Parsons)
2. LES CAVALIERS DU VENT
3. WORLD (Feat. Brankica Vasic)
4. MORHOLT
5. THE ORIGINS PT 1 (Feat. Moya Brennan)
6. THE KINGS
7. LETTRE À YSEULT (Feat. Christian Décamps)
8. DIHUN
9. WAR
10. AD LIBITUM (Feat. Carlos Nũnez)
11. CELTIC LAND
12. BELTAINE (Feat. Fairport Convention)
13. SKYE (Feat. Skilda)
14. CASTLE ROCK (Feat. Fairport Convention)
15. DUN AENGUS (Feat. Martin Barre)
16. THE END
17. IN THE WIND OF THE CELTIC DREAM (Feat. Konan Mevel)
18. THE VISION (Feat. John Wetton)
19. ADELA (Feat. Jesse Siebenberg)
20. I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE (Feat. Jesse Siebenberg And John Helliwell)
DISC TWO
1. NO MAN’S LAND (Feat. Midnight Oil)
2. COME (Feat. Jesse Siebenberg)
3. THE ELEMENTS (Feat. Roger Hodgson & Dan Ar Braz)
4. DANCING HEART (Feat. Roberto Tiranti)
5. CIRCLE OF LIFE (Feat. Jon Anderson)
6. FAME AND GLORY (Feat. Fairport Convention)
7. PEACE ON EARTH (Feat. Heather Small & Billy Preston)
8. ANGEL’S TEARS (Feat. Jeremy Spencer)
9. WHERE IS THE WAY (Feat. Billy Preston)
10. ON THE ROAD (Feat. Justin Hayward)
11. JANGADERO (Feat. Cesaria Evora)
12. EVIL DAY (Feat. Roberto Tiranti)
13. SECRET GARDEN (Feat. Maddy Prior)
14. WORLD (Feat. Zucchero & Anggun)
15. MOTHERLAND (Feat. Jimmy O Neill)
16. SAMAN (Feat. Les Holroyd & Mick Fleetwood)
17. MARIE LA CORDELIÈRE (Feat. James Wood & Fairport Convention)
18. LUGH (Feat. John Wetton & Martin Barre)
19. DESIRE (Feat. Les Holroyd)
20. A PRAYER FOR MY LOVER (Feat. Siobhan Owen)
To purchase:
Amazon: http://geni.us/BAB001
Alan Simon’s official website: http://www.alansimononline.com/eng.html
Forthcoming on November 3, 2017!
Alan Simon’s EXCALIBUR IV is the widely anticipated fourth NEW STUDIO ALBUM in the Celtic Rock Opera series, following on from the GOLD and PLATINUM selling original trilogy. EXCALIBUR IV was played live in its entirety to 12 ARENAS in Germany in December 2016 and will be touring again in 2018.
This new album based on the legendary story of KING ARTHUR features guest appearances from:
Alan Stivell, Michael Sadler (Saga), Jesse Sibenberg & John Helliwell (Supertramp), Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Moya Brennan (Clannad), Roberto Tiranti (Labyrinth), Bernie Shaw (Uriah Heep), Siobham Owen, Sonja Kristina (Curved Air), John Kelly (The Kelly Family), Maite Itoiz (Elfhental)
Official Excalibur Facebook page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/Excalibur.The.Celtic.Rock.Opera/
Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), [email protected]
