Melodic Revolution Records is thrilled to sign Iconic Keyboardist & Composer Lisa LaRue who is set to release her new album Origins featuring Gilli Smyth, John Payne, Michael Sadler among others.

by | Feb 14, 2018 | News

LaRue became the first female artist signed to the Sound of America Records label (SOAR) a sub label of Natural Visions, the first all-Native American record label founded by Grammy Winner and Motown producer Tom Bee.

In 2008 LaRue was nominated for a Hollywood Music Award and was also awarded The Oklahoma Music Award for “Native American Artist of the Year.” Her band 2KX was Nominated as Instrumental Band of the Year in 2011 by the Los Angeles Music Awards.

Lisa has also appeared on recordings by others, including Head Transfer Process (Stargazer), Esquire with Nikki Squire (“Stay Low”), Don Schiff, Ryo Okumoto, Oliver Wakeman, Steve Gresswell, Quester and Beyond the Labyrinth.

Origins is a double album celebrating 25 years and 11 release by LaRue, featuring some of the best musicians in the business; John Payne (Asia, GPS), Michael Sadler (Saga), Mitch Perry (Talas, Aerosmith), Gilli Smyth (Gong), Don Schiff (Rocket Scientist, Kracked Earth), Federico Fantacone (Orchestre Celesti) John Baker (Forever Twelve, Mars Hollow) as well as Steve Adams, Brenda K, Michael Wheeler, Merrill Hale, Svetlan Raket (Par Lindh Project), John “Yafke” Timothy, Michael Alvarez.

A Statement from Lisa
“I look forward to being part of the Melodic Revolution family, and hope to collaborate with other MR artists, and interact with the fans. Great prog has come from the vaults of Melodic Revolution, and I hope I can contribute to that.”

Important Links:
Official Website: https://www.lisalaruemusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisalarue2kx
ReverbNation https://www.reverbnation.com/lisalarue
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/LisaLaRue2KX/videos
Melodic Revolution http://mrrmusic.com/lisa-larue/

 

 

 

EXCALIBUR IV – THE DARK AGE OF THE DRAGON The Rock Opera Album Featuring Members of Jethro Tull, Saga, Uriah Heep, Curved Air, Clannad, Supertramp and others! OUT NOW!

by | Nov 11, 2017 | New Releases, News

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.

Released by Babaika Productions, via Cherry Red Records, the album features appearances by:
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)

Excalibur – the legendary rock opera is back!
After a thousand years of imprisonment, Merlin – the wizard – finally escapes from Morgana’s spell. Initially intrigued by the beauty of the new world that he returned to, he soon discovers the decay of knightly and sublime virtues, which once had been so bravely defended by King Arthur’s roundtable. An enraged Merlin casts his biggest spell over this world and brings the mighty dragon to life. An epic return of the legendary Celtic rock opera on to German stages, a new chapter in the saga around the sword Excalibur – this is “EXCALIBUR – The Dark Age Of The Dragon”.

A trailer for the album can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4rRmUpT3xs

Track List:

1. THE WINGS OF THE DRAGON
2. ALONE
3. STONEHENGE
4. I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE
5. CALLING FOR YOU
6. DON’T BE AFRAID
7. SILVER MOON
8. DREAMERS
9. THE LAST LAMENT OF A FAIRY
10. THE NEW TIMES
11. FORGET YOUR SORROW
12. THE FIFTH SEASON
13. THE PASSION
14. I WILL BE FOR EVER
15. BEHIND THE MIST
16. YOU DON’T KNOW
17. YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE
18. THERE IS SOMEONE
19. DUN AENGUS II

To purchase EXCALIBUR IV:
Amazon CD: http://geni.us/Excal4
iTunes: http://geni.us/Excal4dig

For more information:
Official Excalibur Facebook page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/Excalibur.The.Celtic.Rock.Opera/ ;
Alan Simon’s official website: http://www.alansimononline.com/eng.html ;
Excalibur is represented by Daniel Earnshaw of QEDG Management [email protected]
Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), [email protected]

John Baker Frontman From Progressive Rock Band Mars Hollow Announces New Album, New Line-up, and New Name – Life After Mars

by | Jul 10, 2017 | News

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

For further details and to watch the project progress, please follow the Life After Mars Fan Page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lifeaftermarsmusic or https://www.lifeaftermarsmusic.com ;

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr @ gmail.com

 

Excalibur Set Sights On Germany For The Celtic Rock Opera Tour

by | Nov 15, 2016 | News, Tour

Excalibur - The Celtic Rock Opera

There is a reason why Excalibur is visiting Germany in winter 2016. The heartwarming legend of knightliness and honor lightens up the cold months of the year and entwines the soul into the mythologies of the story. In the biggest venues of Germany you can listen – side by side with thousands of like-minded people – to the rock-opera-saga of the sword of swords, which destroys the darkness of late evening hours with Celtic sounds and roaring pyrotechnics.

 

A legend visits the federal republic

Even the start of the new show will be spectacular: From the moment of December 1st when the dragon illuminates the Olymphiahalle, Munich and enchants thousands of fans with the fight of Good and Bad. After the Excalibur shows in Basel, Nurenberg and Freiburg the rock opera even pays a visit to the highly modern convention centre of Erfurt, which is well known for its fabulous acoustics and wide array of international stars like Depeche Mode.

After Cologne, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Dortmund, Excalibur finally – with one of the last shows during this fantastic journey – reaches the Mercedes-Benz-Arena in Berlin, our capital. The arena along the Spree river can hold up to 20,000 Excalibur fans and is sure to impress the audience with modern sound engineering, which will add to the show around King Arthur. After some more shows in Bremen and Hamburg the rock opera’s final curtain will fall in Leipzig with a fantastic finale and one final performance of the roundtable’s destiny.

On musical trails

Whoever feels called out to prove that the virtues of knightliness are still waiting for their awakening deep within the hearts of mankind, should book a ticket right away. The Celtic rock opera Excalibur brings the medieval myth with Merlin, Arthur and singing knights, to top notch venues around Germany and is a widely interactive show. You can make yourself a part of the saga. There is no doubt that this folk-rock-delicacy, led by the luminary Michael Mendl as Merlin, will stick in your mind for a very long time…

The Soloist

Moya Brennan (Clannad), Michael Sadler (SAGA), Eric Fish (Subway to Sally), John Kelly and Maite Itoiz (Elfenthal), Bob & Jesse Siebenberg and John Helliwell (Supertramp), Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Maggie Reilly (Mike Oldfield), Dun Aengus (Roberto Tiranti), Siobhan Owen + Special guest and band and Michael Mendl as Merlin.

Michael Mendi – A Merlin like no other

Merlin smirks and mocks, considers and acts. He himself stands by the knights of the roundtable and supports their attempt to re-awaken the six virtues of knightliness. It’s not an easy task and therefore only Michael Mendl – one of the biggest character actors in the German drama and theatrical world – can become the great wizard of the rock opera Excalibur.

A life for the stage

In his early student times Michael Mendl, residing in Vienna and Essen at that time, studied theatre and drama play and soon after started his career as an actor at state- and national theaters throughout Germany, reaching from Berlin to Munich. In the 1970s and 1980s he began to engage his energetic acting with TV appearances and got discovered by a whole new audience.

Even back then his performances in “Derrick” and in the “Tatort” were honoured by newspapers, before he completely subscribed his life to film and television in the 1990s. He distinguished himself amongst others in “Kleine Haie” under the direction of Sönke Wortmann and keeps on delighting the public with character roles like in “Der Untergang” and “Soweit die Füße tragen”. His acting as the character of German chancellor Willy Brand in the documentary “Im Schatten der Macht” earned him a Goldene Kamera (German movie award) as best German actor.

A Merlin that nobody has seen before and that nobody ever forgets…

Michael Mendl’s wizard in Excalibur is not a passive spectator or even the wise guy in the back. Instead he is a very complex and active character, who can make you see into the depths of medieval soul at any time during his acting.

Mendl presents his character with energy and dynamic, without losing the gratitude and dignity of the legendary Celtic fairytale figure. It’s a great achievement that couldn’t be performed by any other actor than him. Excalibur is his story. It is the story of wizard and the knights of the roundtable. It is the story of the audience – and you will find yourself involved in the charming and frightening spells of an ancient world.

Orchestra and The Band in perfect symbiosis

As soon as Merlin and the knights of the round table enter the stage, in order to take away the audience to foreign lands of the Arthur saga, you will not only be taken through one of the biggest legends of all time with rock music, but also via the classic string notes of the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Martin Sanda. Where the rock music represents the harshness of the Celtic middle ages, the Symphonic Orchestra will enchant their listeners with the airwaves of myths and stories.

16 years of music

When the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra of Prague was founded in the year 2000, nobody knew what journey lay ahead of those educated, classic musicians.

From the beginning, the Orchestra has been able to prove their high standard of professionalism, with both the full cast of 70 musicians and a small chamber music ensemble.

The orchestra demonstrated their vast diversity in interests and their devotion to art by performing classical works from Mozart to Antonin Dvorak, with music of the Czech pop sensation Iveta Bartosova over to film- and gaming-soundtracks or musicals to stage adaptions of Jeff Waynes “War of the Worlds”.

The passion for rock music was demonstrated in the years of 2010 to 2015 with their engagement at “Rock meets Classic”, they had the chance to tour with the central masterminds of legendary rock acts such as Deep Purple, Status Quo or Alice Cooper. During that time they created breathtaking new interpretations of some of world’s biggest rock