Dutch Music Legends Focus Announce Release of New Studio Album “Focus 11”

Exclusively available on the band’s November UK tour and via the band’s official online store ONLY!

The current line-up of Focus, which features Thijs van Leer, Pierre van der Linden, Menno Gootjes and Udo Pannekeet – completed the new studio album titled “Focus 11” earlier this year and are debuting the CD edition on their November UK Tour.

The 11 track album will be released as a CD, gatefold coloured LP and Download on the band’s own In And Out of Focus Records, via Cherry Red, in late January. The album features artwork by Roger Dean.

When asked about the album, Thijs van Leer responded with this poem:
Wow, my joy could not increase
To see this new release
It has Mazzel, Palindrome and Heaven
Plus a title track called Eleven
Both angelic and a beast
It’s Focus, to say the least!

For fans who can’t attend the November tour, the only place where the CD can be ordered online (with orders being fulfilled in November 2018) is the band’s own webstore: https://burningshed.com/store/focus

For fans wishing to pre-order the CD and LP for when they are released in January, Amazon is starting to take pre-orders now. The CD is identical. Amazon CD: http://geni.us/Focus11CD and Amazon LP: http://geni.us/Focus11LP

Official Focus Website: www.focustheband.com
Official Focus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Focus-the-band-197272485986/

Focus tour dates:
10th November – LONDON – London 100 Club SOLD OUT
11th November – WOLVERHAMPTON – Robin 2
12th November – MILTON KEYNES – The Stables
14th November – HULL – The Fruit
15th November – NEW BRIGHTON – Floral Pavilion Theatre
16th November – WOKINGHAM – Wokingham Football Club SOLD OUT
17th November – KINROSS – Green Hotel SOLD OUT
18th November – GLASGOW – The Ferry
19th November – EDINBURGH – The Caves
20th November – ABERDEEN – The Assembly
21st November – DUNDEE – The Church
22nd November – GATESHEAD – The Sage
23rd November – LOWDHAM – Lowdham Village Hall
24th November – DERBY – The Flower Pot
25th November – HOLMFIRTH – Picturedrome
27th November – MANCHESTER – Band on the Wall
28th November – ALDERSHOT – West End Centre SOLD OUT
29th November – SOUTHAMPTON – 1865 Club
30th November – FLETCHING – Trading Boundaries
1st December – FLETCHING – Trading Boundaries

22 Release New Single ‘Chroma Key’ Double Album “You Are Creating” Coming November 23rd

Norwegian Progressive Rock Band 22 is releasing their new single “Chroma Key” today. It’s the second new song taken from the double album “You Are Creating“, which will be released on November 23rd via Long Branch Records and Indie Recordings (Nordics).

Guitarist Magnus Børmark about “Chroma Key”:
” ‘Chroma Key’ is a song about our physical reality being in a reciprocal reflecting relationship with our inner world. Where to start if you want to make a change? It is lyrically somewhat inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Man in the mirror”, though our song encourages crushing the looking glass, and see what happens then. I also thought of this song as a good song to drive to, and the guitar riff was based on some tom-pattern that Andreas (the drummer) made. The title of the song alludes to a rainbow, and how all the colors combined can unlock something bigger than the individual parts. Since light is basically sound at a much higher frequency, we have used specific colors for the respective instruments in “22”, so as to visually match what is going on aurally.

 

 

22 have defined their own musical domain as an eclectic, melodic, energetic and stadium-appealing progressive rock outfit. “You Are Creating” is a conceptual album divided into two limbs, making it up to the listener to create a whole of these two parts, trusting the active participation of the listener.

“You Are Creating” is an assertion made by 22 that the listener is the one creating the effects of the music they are hearing. Pitch and rhythm in different arrangements (songs) are just tools provided by the artist, which the listener utilizes and thus creates the experience of music.

The band claims that it is not the artist’s stories and emotions that are “given” to the listener. The listener uses music actively to explore their own emotional, mental and spiritual realms. Therefore, music is able to create experiences on such an intimate and personal level, having millions of different people from different cultures thinking: “they are singing about my life!” or “that’s exactly how I feel” in response to hearing the exact same recording of the exact song. Consciously or not, humans use music to explore their own life, world and being.

Every song on “You Are Creating” is made with the above-mentioned mechanism as an all-permeating creative principle.

“You Are Creating” is available in the following editions:
inner sleevesShirt Bundle
– LBR LP+T-Shirt Bundle
– Double Gatefold LP incl. ‘Limb1’ on mint colored vinyl and ‘Limb2’ on purple colored vinyl, printed inner sleeves and download code
– 2CD Digipak
– Digital (as single albums “You Are Creating: Limb1” & “You Are Creating: Limb2”)

Discography:
E.S.P (Extra Sensory Play) EP – 2009
FLUX – Album – 2010
PLASTIK EP 2011
KNEEL ESTATE EP – 2012
FLUX Japan Edition – 2012
FLUX Uk Edition – 2012
THE POOL SESSIONS – Live DVD – 2012
YOU ARE CREATING – 2018

For More Info Visit:
https://www.facebook.com/22newenergymusic
https://www.instagram.com/22newenergymusic
https://twitter.com/22NEWENERGY

LONG DISTANCE CALLING launch live video for “TRAUMA – live at Wacken O.A. 2018” and begin “Boundless” Tour Part 2

LONG DISTANCE CALLING are ready to return to the European Stages with the second part of their “Boundless” tour.

Right before the tour kicks off, a live video for “TRAUMA” is released today. Shot at Wacken O.A. 2018, the video let you experience the stunning live performance of the band and brings back the vibes of this year’s festival summer. The band comments:
“Thanks to you all for this fantastic festival summer 2018,
Pls find a short cut of this year’s WACKEN O.A – enjoy!
In case you like to get some encore – we’ll be back soon for you!
You can find information about the upcoming tour through Europe here – see you!”

Watch the video here:

After the release of “Boundless” in February and the massive success of the following tour, LONG DISTANCE CALLING continue the celebration of their sixth studio album by announcing the tourdates of the “Boundless” Tour Part 2.

The tour starts this week and features the German psychedelic doom rockers Motorowl.

LONG DISTANCE CALLING comment, “We are happy to announce our special guest “MOTOROWL” and to have this talented band with us on our journey through Europe! Everybody can look forward to this exciting support act, there is much to discover musically. – Stay tuned, LDC”

See the complete list of the upcoming dates here:

LONG DISTANCE CALLING – BOUNDLESS TOUR PART 2
Special Guest: Motorowl
22.11.18 GER-Leipzig // Täubchenthal
23.11.18 CZE-Prague // club Nova Chmelnice
24.11.18 POL-Krakow // Zascianek
25.11.18 GER-Potsdam // Waschhaus
29.11.18 GER-Karlsruhe // Stadtmitte
30.11.18 SUI-Pratteln // Z7
01.12.18 AUT-Dornbirn // Conrad Sohm
02.12.18 GER-Augsburg // Kantine
06.12.18 GER-Trier // Ex-Haus
07.12.18 FRA-Paris // Backstage by the Mill
08.12.18 NED-Helmond // Cacaofabriek
09.12.18 NED-Amsterdam // Melkweg
13.12.18 GER-Bochum // Rotunde
14.12.18 GER-Rostock // M.A.U Club
15.12.18 GER-Braunschweig // Eule
16.12.18 GER-Frankfurt // Zoom
20.12.18 GER-Bielefeld // Forum
21.12.18 GER-Schweinfurt // Stattbahnhof

tickets available at: http://www.longdistancecalling.de/meet.html

Some press reactions to ‘Boundless’:
“a cinematic homecoming” – Metal Hammer
“this return to first principles finds LDC sounding Boundless indeed.” – Kerrang!

Watch the video for ‘Like A River’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ091jdthdk
Watch the video for ‘Ascending’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU7WE1XejEk
Watch the video for ‘Out There’ (directed by Iconographic), here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dh5vUlQdl4

The album is available as a special edition digipak CD, Gatefold 2LP + CD (incl. etching on side D) & as digital download. Order now:
www.insideoutmusicshop.com

With “Boundless”, German rock powerhouse Long Distance Calling have gone back to basics and created a purely instrumental record. The band adds: “This is probably the purest LDC album ever, no guests, no vocals, all instrumental.  We’re stoked how it turned out and this album got a lot of energy, heaviness, melodies and twists, we hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.

The track-listing of the album is as follows:
1.  Out There
2.  Ascending
3. In The Clouds
4.  Like A River
5.  The Far Side
6.  On The Verge
7.  Weightless
8.  Skydivers

Long Distance Calling tear everything down and let it blossom again. ‘Boundless’ sounds like freedom found again, sometimes weightless, sometimes oppressively heavy.

LONG DISTANCE CALLING online:
www.longdistancecalling.de/
www.facebook.com/longdistancecalling
www.instagram.com/longdistancecalling
https://longdistancecalling.merchcowboy.com/

INSIDEOUT MUSIC online:
www.insideoutmusic.com
www.youtube.com/InsideOutMusicTV
www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic
www.twitter.com/InsideOutUSA
www.insideoutmusicshop.com

INSIDEOUTMUSIC Spotify Playlist:
http://spotify.com/progrockessentials

Fernando Perdomo Releases Eagerly Anticipated 5th Album “Zebra Crossing”

London – “Zebra Crossing” is the eagerly anticipated 5th full length album by Fernando Perdomo, guitarist and bassist of The Dave Kerzner Band and Jakob Dylan’s Echo In The Canyon Band.

 

This NEW STUDIO ALBUM was predominantly recorded at ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS and features all new original titles building up to a beautiful cover of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ featuring Diane Birch, Shawn Lee, and Jason and Daphna Rowe.

“Zebra Crossing” also features songwriting collaborations with Zak Nilsson (son of Harry Nilsson), Cyndi Trissel, and Beach Boys lyricist Stephen Kalinich.

The first single, “Find Love (Hold On)” features Danny Ayala and Megan Zeankowski formerly of The Lemon Twigs as well as Ken Sharp.

“’Zebra Crossing‘ is the culmination of my lifelong dream of making a record at Abbey Road Studio 2. When the opportunity arose I got very inspired and the songs just flowed out of me!

“The date I was given just happened to be the 50th anniversary of the day George Harrison and Paul McCartney came in to record the first version of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ (as heard on “Anthology 3”), naturally I decided to record a cover of that song that day. I called up my London family and an all star band came together and that performance closes the record.

“’Zebra Crossing” is my love letter to Abbey Road Studios.” – Fernando Perdomo

Tracks:
1. I’M HERE
2. SOMETIMES I FEEL NOTHING AT ALL
3. FIND LOVE (HOLD ON)
4. WE WERE RAISED WITH HEADPHONES ON
5. SOMEHOW
6. NOT MEANT TO BE
7. SMILE
8. SUNDAYS
9. CROWN OF STARS
10. HOME
11.ZEBRA CROSSING
12.WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS

To Purchase:
Bandcamp: https://fernandoperdomo.bandcamp.com/album/zebra-crossing
Amazon CD: http://geni.us/ZebraCrossing

Follow Fernando Perdomo
Producer/Singer Songwriter/Multi-Instrumentalist
http://www.fernandoperdomo.com
https://www.facebook.com/Fernandoperdomomusic/

Watch Fernando Perdomo‘s stunning new video for “We Were Raised With Headphones On”, the first official video from “Zebra Crossing”:

VARIOUS ARTISTS // THE THREE SEASONS // FRUITS DE MER RECORDS


I only recently discovered Fruits de Mer Records, but they are rapidly becoming one of my very favorite records labels as they seem incapable of putting out a bad release. This triple vinyl album came out in October, but the pressing has already sold out, and having been playing this it is not difficult to see why. What we have here are 27 songs that were originally recorded between 1966 and 1968, which have now been given a new lease of life, providing more than two hours of incredible music. One thing to note is that two of the songs are new live versions by the original bands, namely The Yardbirds and The Pretty Things, while The Electric Prunes also make an appearance with their take on “7 And 7 Is”.

But, for me the highlight is The Luck Of Eden Hall and their crazed version of Alice Cooper’s “Reflected” which appeared on their debut album ‘Pretties For You’. Alice themselves revisited the song and turned it into “Elected”, but the guitar on this version as it goes through distortion and a wah-wah pedal, along with Keith Moon-style drumming is just wonderful. Kris Gietkowski’s keyboards sound as he is in Procol Harum, and no-one could ever imagine that this is a new recording, so vintage does it seem. I also had to smile when I heard a great version of “Beck’s Bolero”. I undertook my degree in Wolverhampton a million years ago, and the Wolverhampton song at the time was Jeff Beck’s “Hi Ho Silver Lining”, so needless to say we all had copies of the single, and this was the B-side so is a song I know really well, although I hadn’t played it for years, and Icarus Peel do it proudly.

This really is a wonderful album, so get onto eBay and see if you can track down a copy, and get on the FdM mailing list so you don’t miss out next time! 10/10

side 1
1. The Past Tense – Magic In The Air (originally by The Attack : recorded in 1967)
2. LoveyDove – Bedazzled (originally by Drimble Wedge and the Vegetations : 1967)
3. Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder – Amelia Jane (originally by Made In Sheffield : 1967)
4. Jack Ellister – Aquarius (originally by The Zodiac:Cosmic Sounds : 1967)
5. Rob Gould – Granny Takes A Trip (originally by The Purple Gang : 1967)

side 2
1. Mark McDowell and Friends – Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire (originally by The Small Faces : 1966)
2. Anton Barbeau – Sunshine Superman (originally by Donovan : 1965)
3. The Electric Prunes – 7 and 7 is (originally by Love : 1966)
4. Moonweevil – Child Of The Sky (originally by The Deviants : 1967)
5. Kris Gietkowski – A-Minor Explosion (originally by Don Shinn : 1966)
6. The Yardbirds – Think About It (live in 2016) (originally by The Yardbirds : 1968)

side 3
1. The Locker Room Cowboys – We Love You (originally by The Rolling Stones : 1967)
2. King Penguin – White Bird (written : 1967, released by It’s A Beautiful Day : 1969)
3. Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin – Solitary Man (originally by Neil Diamond : 1966)
4. The Luck Of Eden Hall – Reflected (originally by Alice Cooper : 1968)

side 4
1. The Honey Pot – Kites (written by Hackaday/Pockriss; recorded by The Rooftop Singers / Simon Dupree and the Big Sound : 1967)
2. Cary Grace – 1983 (A Merman I Should Be…) (originally by the Jimi Hendrix Experience : 1968)

side 5
1. Sidewalk Society – A Saying For Today (originally by The Action : 1968)
2. Jay Tausig – Let No Man Steal Your Thyme (trad. recorded by Anne Briggs : 1963 / Pentangle : 1968)
3. Magic Bus – Tribal Gathering (originally by The Byrds : 1967)
4. Proud Peasant – Down At Circe’s Place (originally by Touch : 1968)
5. Icarus Peel – Beck’s Bolero (originally by Jeff Beck Group : 1966)

side 6
1. The Green Ray – Dusty (originally by John Martyn : 1968)
2. Ex-Norwegian – Winter (originally by Family : 1968)
3. Consterdine – Fly (originally by J.K. & Co : 1968)
4. The Gold Needles – The Smell of Incense (originally by West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band : 1967)
5. The Pretty Things – Loneliest Person (live at the Half Moon, 2010) (originally by The Pretty Things : 1968)

By Kev Rowland