Time Horizon Interview with Leading Man Ralph Otteson

Time Horizon’s leading man Ralph Otteson opens up during a recent interview about the birth of a band, Pandoras Box, the upcoming 3rd album, and everything in-between.

PoP: 
Hello, Ralph thank you for doing this interview with us.

Ralph: 
Absolutely! I am so glad to talk to you Thank you!

PoP: 
You’re the founding member of Time Horizon a California-based Christian, Progressive Crossover AOR band How long have you been a professional musician, and what professional training have you had if any? 

Ralph: 
Well, first I wouldn’t consider myself “pro” because I support my family by working a day job in the high tech industry, but as far as my involvement with music, I would say I have a lot of years working part-time and I have been able to do a lot with limited time. I hope to do more than I have in the past.

PoP: 
What is your role in Time Horizon and what instruments do you play?

Ralph: 
I am the keyboardist and principal writer. I also sing background vocals. I think I am the driving force behind the band because I take on most of the responsibilities, so in a sense, I am the leader.

PoP: 
Tell us about the birth of Time Horizon, how did that come about, and what does this band mean to you? 

Ralph: 
Time Horizon started because I had recorded an album with a band I was playing with. we wrote original music. The band was called Iron Clay Poets. We disbanded before finishing the album, but I wanted to finish it. The problem was I had recorded on ADAT digital tape system and could only do 16 tracks at a time for mixdown. I had about 30 tracks of music, so our then drummer knew another drummer that was also an engineer and had a computer system that I could mix it down with. That drummer ended up being the drummer for Time Horizon. He dug the music and after the mix, he wanted to jam on some of the songs….well, we ended up writing the first album.

PoP: 
What was the defining moment in your life that sparked the eternal flames to become a musician, and was it a particular band or individual? 

Ralph: 
Well, my family are all musicians, we had an upright piano that I would mess around with it but never had any lessons. In 1977 I saw ELP – the Works Tour. The year before a friend played their record and I loved the sound of the synth. When I saw Keith do his thing, I said that’s what I want to do! mind you, I had not yet started playing. I took lessons in my Senior year and sold my car to by a Fender Rhodes piano so I could play in a band. I learned covers but found writing songs was what I enjoyed most.

PoP: 
Your first release was released through your label Angelic Noise Records, what was the publics’ perception of the debut Living Water?

Ralph: 
It was well-received. I started my label because there were a few labels interested in wanting to sign us, but things kind of went weird so I decided to form my label.

PoP: 
Was Living Water a charity album?

Ralph: 
I recorded the album with some friends,  Bruce was the drummer and we recorded it at his studio. We had all but one song mixed and for several reasons, it sat for a year. it looked like the same thing was happening again with this band. Like before, I took it soon myself to finish it. I had gone to a Christian Men’s conference and saw an organization called Living Water International (LWI). I had lost my job and was feeling worried about how I was going to get by. I sold stock I had from my previous employer funded the album with the intent to give 100% of the sale from physical CDs to LWI to help people in the world that do not have even the most basic need….water. What do I have to complain about? So in a sense yes it was a charity album. I have not financially benefited from it. I considered it a MinistryThe album sales were okay and we were able to help a village in Ghana, Africa install a well, so I would call that a success.

PoP: 
Tell us about the concept/meaning behind the name of Living Water?

Ralph:
Well, the meaning of Living Water is what Jesus is to Christians. He said he can give living water that in us is welling into eternal life. So, along with the purpose behind the album project, it made sense to name the album that. 

PoP: 
What was the most defining moment of Living Water?  

Ralph:
I think after we wrote the song Life Fantastic. The bass player at the time was Steve Gorley, an amazing musician that studied jazz and I wrote the riff that he just latched onto and would complement the line with some nice runs on the bass which I doubled on the synth. Bruce came up with a great melody and killer drums. after mixing that I sent it off to Randy George as he was putting together a compilation CD for Cprog or Christian Prog Rock. we released it as a single for the CPR3 album. That was great because we made friends which I still hold dear today. If you get a chance to hear it, it’s fantastic! Unitopia, Ted Leonard, and Phil Keaggy are just a few of the artists on that CD.

PoP: 
Your sophomore album Transitions was released four years later in 2015, how was this different than your debut?  

Ralph:
That album was called Transitions because it’s just that. Steve Gorley the original bassist traveled back to Cambodia to continue his humanitarian work there. He could have stayed here and rocked out with us, but he had a deeper calling and love for the oppressed and poor. He helped the street kids there, preventing child slave labor and trafficking. I found a replacement in Allen White who I played in a band within the ‘80s early ’90s. He fit right in. The original guitar player left and we got help in that area with Dave Miller. Bruce got about 1/2 way through and had to leave for personal reasons…Now I was down a drummer and a singer, so I recruited help from friends David Walliman,  Lang Bliss, and a singer from the band Allen and I played with Rich Reif. I had Billy Sherwood mixing and helping me on post-production. So it is the transition to what Time Horizon is now. That album has a lot of great tunes on it. slightly different, but still maintaining a signature sound.

PoP: 
You formed a partnership with Melodic Revolution Records for the second release, how did that come about and why was it so important for the follow up of Living Water?

Ralph:
I wrote a majority of the album, did the leg work in getting it finished, but realized I need help with promotion. I knew Nick Katona and noticed that he did a lot of albums for great causes. I felt we would work well together as I think we share that desire to help bless others through music in a real tangible way. I am a principal writer for the band, a dad and husband, I appreciate MRR and everything they do to help promote. I am not good at that, it’s difficult for me.

PoP: 
What influences your songwriting lyrically and musically? 

Ralph:
Great question. I have always loved prog music. Odd time Signatures, blending genres, and of course melody. The first bands for me were in the ‘70s really. ELP was what got me into prog, followed by Yes, then Genesis. I also loved rock like Toto, Queen, Boston, and the like. The ’80s brought me Saga which is a huge influence. Lyrically, I think Saga’s style but the Beatles and Rush. I know that’s all over the place, but my faith is something that is from my inner core, so it is expressed in lyrics. Sometimes more overtly, sometimes more subtle.

PoP:  
You brought in some big guns for the production portion of the album, I am speaking of Billy Sherwood (Yes, Circa, World Trade) and Major Appelbaum (Nektar, Angra, Lana Lane) how did that come about and why was this essential to this releases?

Ralph:
Yeah, with Transitions album I wanted to raise the bar. I had contacted Billy Sherwood as I know he has worked with other bands. I sent him a demo of the song “Prisoner” which was a song written when I was on a band 180 with Allen W. Billy liked the tune and so I started a correspondence with him. because he worked with Tony Kaye in Circa, I asked if he could get Tony to play on it. You have no idea how cool it was for me to hear a Hammond organ from him. I had the Yes album on my turntable for weeks. I still can’t believe he is on Transitions. a huge thrill for me. Billy also played as we decided to do a cover of a World Trade song ” The Moment is Here” We changed some of the lyrics to fit our Christian world view and he was Ok with it. He also plays the lead guitar on the track so another cool thing.

Billy Sherwood

PoP:  
Billy Sherwood also guested on the album along with David Wallimann, Lang Bliss, Tony Kaye, and Jake Livgren. What was it like to work with these musicians?

Ralph: 
David Walliman is fantastic to work with, he would pump out these amazing guitar tracks in really fast. I used him first for the song Prisoner but found I kept turning to him for the next tune. It was hard not to. He does quality stuff in record time! Lang and I go back a long time. I knew him in the 80s. We had mutual musician friends and hung out jamming at times. He moved to Nashville and got on with a Christian record label there. He is quite the pro. He toured with Michael W. Smith who is a well-known gospel artist. He met his wife Renee who was a backup singer for Amy Grant. Together they write and produce talent. They released some songs that made the Billboard Top 10 last year. I finally met Tonybackstage after a Yes concert. He was super nice and remembered the song which I was glad! I got Jake to sing the last song after Rich was no longer available. It was on the suggestion of the artist Ken Westphal who did our album artwork. I originally was talking to John Elefante and asked him, but he declined, so Ken mentioned Jake while he sang in Proto-KawJake was great, I paid for a studio session in Topeka, Kansas and Jake said he would play on the album, his uncle Kerry Livgren (Proto-Kaw, Kansas) gave him the thumbs up so that’s good.

PoP: 
From what we understand the long-awaited 3rd album is 99% complete, why has it taken so long to do another album?

Ralph: 
Oh, man. We’ll all I can say is first….it’s worth the wait. When Bruce joined back with the band to tour the 2nd album, I said we need a frontman/vocalist. We spent time looking for and auditioning a singer. We were also down a guitar player/utility guy. It took a long time to find people that are up to playing this style of music. If they are good enough, it usually means they are not available. We got a call from a Sacramento-based singer David Mau who heard about us and thought he would be a great fit. He works with Brad Gillis from Night Ranger and Ozzy. He also worked with Derek Sherinian and loves prog! We started rehearsing and did a few shows, but again, had someone leave because of work. back to Square one. It is difficult to find people that want to do original music because there is not much money in it. It seems musicians have to play in Tribute bands to survive, which is kind of sad. All that said, we got some material from our new singer David Mau, once we got into writing mode, we just kept going. we did a lot of music and half of the next album is already done, so the fourth one should not be so long a wait. Could have done a double album, but…

PoP:  
What’s the album called and why?

Ralph: 
The new album is still having names considered. We just started the process of getting the artwork started so that might have an impact on the final name. We first thought about a song title, but then the concept of the album something in “3” for the third album. Time Horizon  “cubed” maybe…I think it will be a surprise.

PoP: 
Do you have the same line-up as Transitions?

Ralph: 
The same lineup for the most part. Bruce G.  on drums Bruce sings lead on one song, but Dave is the main guy for that role now. Myself on keys and vocals, Allen White on Bass again, Dave Miller on acoustic and rhythm electric. We had David Walliman do lead but guitar for a song, but that song is one we have decided to release on the next album. Both Bruce and Dave Mau had worked with a guitarist from Sacramento, Michael GregoryBruce played with him in the ’80s and Dave most recently.  Michael G. was a sought after session musician in Nashville and was approached by Neal Morse to play with him. He was in the middle of finishing a degree so couldn’t do it, but that shows what his abilities are. The tracks by him have been Stellar! Overall this is the best line up to date. I am really excited about it.

PoP:  
Is it true that Michael Sadler of Saga is doing vocals on a track on this album, what song and how did that come about? 

Ralph: 
Yes, it is! I am super stoked to be able to say that! I have been a long time Saga fan! I met Michael once at Calprog in LA a few years ago. We sat down at lunch break and I was thrilled to talk with him. Later, he and I had a Skype meeting after the release of Transitions. I asked him then if he would be interested in guesting on our next release. He asked me to send him something and if he feels he can do it justice he would. It took me a long time after that writing quite a few songs before I felt I had one that he would fit right in. I intentionally tried to make it Saga-ish sound. He loved it and with his vocals, It sounds like something He would do, so I think mission accomplished!

PoP: 
Do you have any other special guests appearing on this release, can you give us a hint?

Ralph: 
The only other special guest is Michael Manring who plays fretless bass on a song in tribute to our first bassist Steve who recently passed We went to see Michael in concert as he was a favorite of Steve’s. It was the last time I saw my friend who helped start Time Horizon so …It seemed fitting and Michael was happy too. I love it as it is a very emotional piece for me. It still is hard for me not to tear up listening.

PoP: 
How many tracks on the new album? Can you give us a song by song breakdown?

Ralph: 
Yes, we have seven completed songs, still working on song order, they are in no particular order.

Living for a Better daySaga like approach with a rock edge.
The Great Divide …..a hard-driving rock tune with prog influence. 
Digital Us…..kind of Rush meets Pink Floyd maybe?
Steve”s song “It’s not goodbye”….instrumental with a new-age feel.
Razors Edge…..this is to me Spocks Beard meets Mike & the Mechanics.
I Hear, I see…….kind of more Toto like, this would be the more Top 40 hit.
Time to Wonder…..a ballad that has a Phil Collins approach. really beautiful tune.

PoP: 
Who is the production team for the 3rd record?

Ralph: 
We are going to do as much as we can to self-produce. We self-produced the first one, and we have even more experience between myself, Bruce, and David Mau to do this, but I think when you self-produce, it generally takes longer.

PoP: 
Ken Westphal, who created the band-logo and the artwork for the first two albums has retired since Transitions, who will step up to the plate to continue making album art for great Time Horizon?

Ralph:
We have contacted Ed Unitsky and are in the process of starting the artwork. I think he is one of the go-to artists in the Prog community. He does really good work.

PoP: 
We hear this album will be released in many formats including vinyl, can you tell us what prompted you to press wax on this one?

Ralph: 
2 reasons. FirstVinyl is cool, I miss it! It has a vibe, and it’s becoming more popular as a medium to listen to again. We will still have CDs as well. Second, I like the shorter length. Back in the day, bands were releasing albums on a more regular basis partly because instead of having a 74-minute album every few years 45 min is a great length. I mentioned the fourth release is in the wings and about half-finished already.

PoP: 
Do you collect vinyl yourself?

Ralph: 
I have my collection from years ago still. I have a lot of original LPs. I think the millennials are discovering how great the music was years ago because of the rise in vinyl popularity again….which is very cool. I do have my wish list of albums.

PoP: 
Name 10 albums that should be part of any serious record collection?

Ralph: 
Wow, that’s a great question! Let me think hmm…I think a mix of styles and genres is important. I have Classical, Jazz, Rock some R&B and some newer Country. Works I have from, Chic Corea to The Fixx. Gino Vanelli to Jean Michel Jare, but here is a list of favorites 

1) The Yes Album…Yes
2) And then there were Three…Genesis
3) Works…ELP
4) Abbey Road…Beatles
5) Toto… .the first one
6) World’s Apart…Saga
7) V ….Spock’s Beard
8) The Vigil …Kemper Krabb (worship)
9) More Power to Ya…Petra 
10) Boston……the first one

…can I add the next Time Horizon to the list Ha, ha!

PoP: 
Describe what success means to you, as a person, not a musician?

Ralph: 
Success to me is loving what you do, knowing you are valued and matter in God’s eyes, knowing how to Love God in all things, and knowing how to love others. It’s not found in money or recognition. Maybe that sounds sappy to some, but I think it is true.

PoP: 
2020 devastated the global community in many ways, how has 2020 affected you personally and the band?

Ralph: 
Thankfully I can design circuit boards for income, I can do that remotely, so that helps. The other guys are retired or work at home as well. Bruce is an automotive mechanic so he can bring in non-music related income. Sometimes it helps to have additional skills.

PoP: 
What were your plans for 2020 before the pandemic hit and do you plan to resume these plans at some point?

Ralph: 
We had started recording before the pandemic. There had also been family emergencies that band members became unavailable for some time, so they slowed things as well. We are also trying to find a booking agent, but again it is Tribute and Top 40 bands they want. Hopefully, we can find help in that area once this pandemic subsides.

PoP: 
Have you ever considered releasing a solo album?

Ralph: 
Yes, actually. I have a lot of musical ideas that I want to develop. they are just phrases and pieces, but that is how all the material I have contributed starts out as. the songs take on their own life and write themselves. I would love to work with other musicians and put together something very proggy. I tend to be the more Prog head in the band. I would also like to do a worship album.

PoP:
What makes a song stand the test of time such as The Beatles’ Let It Be?

Ralph: 
Funny you mention the Beatles. That was one of my album choices. The Beatles are timeless I think because the songs have melodies that you can remember. They are creative and appear simple, but when you analyze what the cord structure is doing, it’s genius.

PoP:
Do you see value in streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube for example?  

Ralph:
Hmmm, To me, it is bittersweet. What a nice convenience it is. The problem is how it is hurting the artist financially. The royalties paid are very, very small. I mean, you have to have 100’s of thousands and maybe millions of streams per song to see actual viable income from that. The music industry has changed. I am thankful that I have sources of income to provide for my family, on the other hand, Time Horizon is on those platforms and I hope people use that as well as physical merchandise. That is still how artists keep going. Everyone said…well you just have to play concerts and sell out venues…. .um hmmm… ok, now what?

PoP:
What’s been the most memorable time in your music career thus far?

Ralph: 
The very first time I heard a song I recorded playing on the radio in my car. Back in the ’80s, I was in a band with Allen and we were featured on local F M radio shows and College radio as well. I was driving in my car and listening to the local station when I heard a song I was on….big big smile! I think the second was being able to work with musicians that I looked up to Billy and Michael Sadler and Michael Manring come to mind.

PoP: 
Let’s say I asked you to describe your musical style as if you were a painter. How would you describe your music pallet using vivid colors?

Ralph: 
I think I paint with blended colors like watercolors can bleed from blue to green to yellow. You can see those colors, but the color between them is really interesting. The music I do is different from song to song, but still maintaining a recognizable sound.

PoP:
If you could put one thing back into Pandoras Box what would it be?

Ralph: 
Nothing. I think we have to work with what we are given. I think it’s all about what we do with it.

PoP: 
If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be and who would be your warm-up act, or co-headliner? 

Ralph: 
I would love to tour Europe. It is where most of our album sales are, so maybe would have more people interested in seeing us play. I think we would be a good warm-up band for Neal Morse band, but he plays three-hour shows, so that isn’t gonna happen. Bands like Life Signs from England has a similar sound also Mystery from Canada. I think if we have enough material to do a 2-hour set so, a co-headliner would also be possible.

How has the music landscape changed since you have become a professional musician? 

Ralph: 
I started writing songs as I learned how to play my instrument. I was in the studio at 19 and playing clubs circuit by 21. It was a vibrant time. Original bands were found everywhere. The radio would play local bands. Now every radio station is owned by a handful of companies. the club scene is a small remnant. People were not afraid to pay to go check out bands. Usually, you heard of the headliner but often I liked the opener or support band more.

PoP: 
Did MTV or the internet kill the radio star?

Ralph:
Yes and No. Yes, it killed the radio for the most part, but the internet opened great opportunities to find new music. I still find new music from artists I never heard of. Time Horizon has fans in Europe, Asia, and South America. That is still mind-boggling to me. They would not have me without it.

PoP: 
People often say that music is dead because no good music is still being produced, is that true?

Ralph: 
Music is not dead, the bands are there, but they are crippled in some areas. I think modern pop music is cookie cutter. There are just a few songwriters providing for the stars to perform. That’s why the songs all sound alike. If you turn on the radio, you will find Country, R&B / Rap, and Gospel. The only rock is classic rock. When was the last rock song you heard on FM? I hear new rock and prog on the internet all the time.

PoP:
What is the best advice you’ve been given professionally? 

Ralph: 
As far as music composition, What you don’t play is just as or more important than what notes you choose to play. For bands, tour, tour, and tour some more. I am still trying to get the second advice into motion.

PoP: 
What advice would you give to the next generation of future musicians? 

Ralph: 
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Don’t be afraid to be different. Learn from older music and listen to all genres. There are things to learn from every style And whatever music you do, do it with conviction. Be honest with it.

PoP:
Where can people get information about the band and purchase Time Horizon’s music? 

Ralph:
Well, Time Horizon Website, and a Facebook page that gets updated more than the website ( Not as much as it should) but it is probably the best way to follow current news. The Angelic Noise record label was the band’s store, it has closed for now so our Bandcamp Store, and Melodic Revolution Records. You can find us at all the other Outlets like iTunes, Tidal, Spotify, YouTube, and the like. I think there will be another store set up from the band website in the near future.

PoP:
Have you ever thought about being something other than a musician? 

Ralph: 
Originally I thought I would be an illustrator, I studied for a couple of years in college but realized if I want to be a good illustrator, I would need to lay down the music. I couldn’t do it, so I played down my brushes, got a job to buy keyboards, and start a great original band. I did not regret that decision and still feel the same today.

PoP: 
Do you have a mailing list where fans and voyeurs of information can sign up too? 

Ralph: 
I had a mailing list with angelicnoise.com, but that website is debunked at the moment. I am okay for people to reach out to me personally. I will be looking over the mailing list I have to let those that have ordered past albums can get involved with this new project. Give a like to the Time Horizon fan page and follow us there and at MRR.

PoP:  

In closing I want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us, do you have anything that you would like people to know that we did not talk about? 

Ralph: 

Well, yeah I just want people to know that I appreciate the support we have received and, I am doing my best to fulfill the expectations of an artist. I hope that I can do more and more. I hope you see improvement as I am always striving to be better at this. I do fall short in the promotion area, I have never been one to point attention to myself, which when you are a music artist you have to do. I feel uncomfortable saying….hey look at me!.. But, please hang in there as I will be trying to update more and all I have to say is I am excited as to what Time Horizon is doing.

PoP:  
Thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview.

Ralph: 
It was truly my pleasure and I enjoyed answering these questions, which I might add were brilliant! You are for sure gifted in this area.

Time Horizon Band
Ralph Otteson: Keyboards, background vocals
Bruce Gaetke: Drums, lead and background vocals
Allen White: Electric and acoustic bass
David Miller: Electric and acoustic guitars
David Mau: Lead Vocals and support keys

Contributing musician Michael Gregory: Lead electric guitar 

Time Horizon Online
Website: http://www.timehorizonmusic.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeHorizon/
MRR Profile: https://mrrmusic.com/project/time-horizon/

Time Horizon Bandcamp Store
https://timehorizon.bandcamp.com


An In-depth Interview with John Blangero, Sun King Rising and Harlequin Reborn

PoP:
Thank you for sitting down with us here at Power of Prog. 

John:
Thank you. It is a privilege!

PoP:
Tell us a little about yourself, your musical training? 

John:
I started taking piano lessons when I was five years old but stopped at around ten years of age. My teacher, a wonderful elderly woman, would only let me play classical music and hymns…but it introduced me to some gospel-type playing.  I then did not play much until I was about 14 when I got into my first rock band. At that point, I returned to the piano and taught myself all about chords so that I could start to write music. In college, I took a few music theory courses and I continue to learn to this day.

PoP:
How long have you been a professional musician, and who or what inspired you to become a musician?

John:
My first inspiration to get into a band came from artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Humble Pie, Deep Purple, and many others. My first paid gig was when I was 15 in a band named Anxiety’s Moment. It was a good introduction because most of the band were at least 4 years older and experienced.  I fronted that band as lead vocalist but didn’t play keyboards. We did a lot of Uriah Heep and Deep Purple.  After that I started to get into prog-rock bands like King Crimson, Genesis, Yes, and ELP, which led me and my close friend, guitarist Ron Dominicis, to start bands that largely did original material. That culminated in the formation of a band named Harlequin (currently renamed Harlequin Reborn) that booked out of Pittsburgh and played the Pennsylvania/Ohio/West Virginia market. That band was a combination of prog and glam with a lot of theatrics.  I gave up on music for quite a while to get my Ph.D. and become an active biomedical research scientist. After a twenty-year hiatus, I started playing with other musicians in blues bands in San Antonio where I rediscovered my love of the piano, songwriting and playing live.

PoP:
You are working on your debut album with your band Sun King Rising an Americana Rock band, can you tell us a bit about the album? For example who is on the album?

John:
Sun King Rising is just what I call my solo non-prog project versus being a full-blown band, although it is likely that I will put a band together around it. This album is really focused on my love of more organic rock music like that of Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, early Elton John, Dan Penn, and a host of others. It reflects my love of southern rock and country soul. The album is called Delta Tales because it focuses on southern themes and I live in the Texas delta of the Rio Grande Valley.  I have a lot of great musicians on this album. Steve Acker, from the great 70s band LAW, is producing. He also plays guitar and provides background vocals.  Without Steve, this album would not be getting done as fast or be as good as we think it is. My cousin, Steve Schuffert, is playing lead guitar on the album. He is an amazing musician who spent a lot of time in Nashville as a session musician as well as producing quite a few albums as a solo artist or as part of his blues band.  David Granati of the Granati Brothers is also playing some guitar, as well as doing some of the engineering. The drummers include George Perilli who played extensively with Michael McDonald, John Sferra of the incredible band, Glass Harp, Andy Taravella of the ADD Band, and Mark Francis who is my drummer from Harlequin Reborn. The bass players include Jeff Bremer, Bambo Kino, and Eddie Costa (also of Harlequin Reborn). Hermie Granati, also of the Granati Brothers, provides some additional very soulful keys. Jacob Wynne wrote the horn charts and provides the talents of the fantastic Cold City Horns. Katherine O’Neill also plays some pretty violin parts on it. Most of these players are from the Pittsburgh and Northeast Ohio area where I grew up. There are also some fabulous back-up vocals by great singers such as Shawn Mayer of Nashville.

PoP:
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time?

John:
I’ve written most of the songs on the album. Steve Acker is contributing an additional two songs and Steve and I have co-written another.  While not a concept album, Delta Tales is thematically coherent. It is about the southern experience. The songs reflect vignettes of love found, love lost, family, faith, historical burden, betrayal, sin, and redemption set in a southern cultural landscape.  The root subjects are pretty universal.

PoP:
What makes a song stand the test of time such as The BeatlesLet It Be

John:
The song needs to have a great hook and it needs to connect to the listener emotionally. Most of the great classics have these features.  Take the songs of the truly great songwriter, Jimmy Webb. A song like Wichita Lineman paints a picture that draws the listener in and then imprints it in memory with an awesome melody. The true greats of Americana songwriting like Randy Newman and Leon Russell have this ability. They are literate, melodic, harmonically interesting, and classically memorable. Their songs are strongly evocative, loaded with atmosphere, and can mean different things to different people.

PoP:
What is the creative process like? 

John:
It varies quite a bit. Usually, a song comes to me when I’m sitting at my Yamaha grand piano and playing, which I try to do for at least an hour a day.  I’ll develop a chord progression and a melody. Sometimes, I’ll already have a lyrical theme in mind or even a title. I keep a document filled with phrases that I come up with that I can incorporate in songs.  The Sun King Rising songs tend to be simpler and shorter, of course, than what I write for Harlequin Reborn.

PoP:
Where do you sing besides the studio or a live performance?

John:
I sing in the car a lot when I’m working out phrasing! Also, I’ve been known to go out to do competitive karaoke.

PoP:
What instruments do you play? 

John:
I mainly think of myself as a singer/songwriter but the piano is my number one instrument that I connect with the most strongly. I’m not bad at playing Hammond organ either. I play both on the SKR album. Of course, I play lots of other keyboards in HR including various synths and my prize mellotron.

PoP:
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into as a musician?

John:
Ha! Luckily, I’ve not been in much trouble at all.   

PoP:
What was the most memorable time in your music career?

John:
It probably has been working on the Delta Tales album. It has been a truly wonderful experience to work with such great musicians.  The first Harlequin Reborn reunion show in 2015 also was awesome.

PoP:`
How about a track by track break down?

John:
Sure. We are still working out the exact list and running order of songs. Because we want to put it out on vinyl also, we have some physical constraints that remain to be worked out. Beneath the Southern Sun is a new song that I wrote for the album that is a real rocker and features a jaw-dropping guitar solo by Steve Schuffert. It is a song about a fictional southern family’s history.  Let There Be Light is a song with a hope-filled message that I probably wrote 10+ years ago. It is also up-tempo and has a pretty good hook in it. Milkweed and Thistle is one of my favorites. It’s a new song about loss but still rocks and probably has my favorite lyric on the album. It has the flavor of an early Elton John song when he was in his more country period. Horns play an important role in several songs since I am a big fan of those powerful horn sections heard so often on southern soul records.  Love Turns Grey is a Leon Russell-Esque funky song that has some awesome horn lines in it. In a State of Grace is a mid-tempo rocker that also has a good horn section in it. There is also an amazing cover version of an old R&B song, The Snake, with a huge horn and background vocal sound that is like something that Joe Cocker and Leon Russell could have put together on their Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour!  Down the Delta Road is a poignant southern love song with a cool violin part by Katie O’Neil.  Evangeline is a newer song I wrote with Steve Acker.  It is a beautiful southern ballad of lost love with only piano and strings backing it. Steve also has contributed two other songs on the album including a remake of his wonderful song Take It Down that he originally recorded with LAW. He also wrote The Lions of Gettysburg which is a song about the Civil War with an awesome hook in the chorus.  

PoP:
Let’s say I asked you to describe your musical style as if you were a painter.  How would you describe your music pallet using vivid colors?

John:
For the Sun King Rising, I’d use the colors of earth, sea, and sky to depict the cotton and cane fields of the southern delta country. Maybe they can be painted in an expressionist style so you can sense the heat, humidity, and the smells of the soil and wetlands. Figuratively, I’d want to show the southern human textures of toil, honor, hospitality, and grace infused with religious references that still dominate the southern cultural environment. 

PoP:
How long has this project been around and when do you plan to release it? 

John:
Some of my songs on it are as old as fifteen years but several are very recent having being written specifically for the album. The album will be released on PeacockSunrise Records hopefully in the summer of 2020. The vinyl may be a problem due to a worldwide shortage, but we will also be releasing it digitally and on CD. 

PoP:
You are also in a progressive rock band, Harlequin Reborn, a band that is as different as night and day from the Sun King Rising. Can you tell us about this project?

John:
Harlequin Reborn is my symphonic prog rock band that has been resurrected, or reborn. It allows me to write more complex and longer pieces. I also tend to sing quite differently in HR. Basically, I suppress my southern twang! HR songs are harmonically more complex and let me write more literary lyrics that can be more abstract.  HR songs generally start from a concept and then I find the music within myself that fits the story.  HR also functions as a live act with a significant stage show, although we haven’t played in the past two years. We had to cancel a gig recently because of the untimely death of our incredible keyboard player and my close friend, Tom Dyer. 

PoP:
Are you working on a release for Harlequin Reborn

John:
We have worked on a release since 2015 but have abandoned our original idea to initially put out a live album. We scrapped that and are now well into a studio album.  It will be called Scenes From the Harlequinade. I will return to the studio to finish it up after we wrap up all the final bits of the Sun King Rising project. We have not signed with a record company yet but are in initial talks. 

PoP:
Are you planning a tour or select shows with either of the bands? 

John:
We are just now working on some initial plans to do a couple of select gigs for Sun King Rising.  SKR is substantially easier to organize for live performances than HR which is really limited to large stages due to the theatrics. Luckily, we do have a complete production company (led by my production manager, Jeff Schuffert, and our front-of-house genius Pat Benigas) that can handle quite a range of venues. Anything more than a short tour would be hard due to the burdens of day jobs etc.  We would also be very interested in any festival work that may come our way once we are out of the plague season!

PoP:
What process is more magical, playing live and sharing your music or creating the magic of music? 

John:
For me, it is the creative process. Writing the song, arranging it, and searching for that golden artistic spark is extremely satisfying.

PoP:
If you could put together a band of your idols (past or present) for a one-time album and tour, who would be a part of it and why?

John:
Leon would be playing the piano that is for sure. Maybe add Booker T on the organ! I’d like to have Ray Charles backup singers also!  There are tons of great rhythm sections that I’d be happy with. On guitar, I’d want my cousin, Steve Schuffert, because he is as good as anyone I have ever heard.

PoP:
What ten albums should be in every seriously good music collection?

 John:
I can’t do it. There are way too many. It changes daily for me!  From a SKR perspective, I would have to include albums by Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Randy Newman, Jimmy Web, Carole King, Laura Nyro, John Hiatt, William Topley, and Al Green. 

PoP:
What’s the last album you listened to?

 John:
The last three according to my Amazon music account are: Music for Piano, Voice and Chamber Ensemble from The Thomas De Hartmann Project, All in the Downs by the remarkable William Topley, and the Italian prog band Saint Just’s eponymous album, a little known gem from 1973.

PoP:
What makes you happy and what ticks you off?

John:
People being kind and thoughtful to one another makes me happy.  A beautiful work of art or a great book also make me happy. Being with my friends, hearing live music, and playing music make me happy. Traveling the world makes me happy. Debussy’s harmonies make me happy. A fine champagne definitely makes me happy.  Ignorance and greed tick me off.  People who abuse children or animals enrage me. Bad drivers upset me.  And bands who wear shorts and tennis shoes on stage (unless you are a drummer and then I’ll probably hide you behind tinted plexiglass)! Not being able to tell the band from the audience is a real drag for me, although I realize it is idiosyncratically shallow of me to reveal such sartorial contempt.

PoP:
What does success mean to you, not as a musician, but as a person? 

John:
Success is reflected in the kindness and charity that you show others in need.  I have been very fortunate in life. I try to help others, especially musicians when I can.

PoP:
How has the music landscape changed since you have become a professional musician? 

John:
There are nowhere near as many live venues for young musicians to hone their performance skills and they don’t pay nearly as well as they once did. However, the ability to have high-quality recording technology in the home has benefited musicians by giving them greater access to audiences. The sheer amount of new music that is now available due to this technological egalitarianism is daunting, however.

PoP:
If you could put one thing back into Pandoras Box what would it be?

John:
The advent of software-based autotuning tools that have led people who should not be singing to put out records that are fit only for the demons of Gehenna to listen to. 

PoP:
Do you see value in streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube for example? 

John:

I don’t use Spotify but I often go first to YouTube when I’m checking out a new band or trying to find an old song.  I like Bandcamp because they have an incredible variety of great music available and it is “close” to the source of the music, the musicians themselves.

PoP:
If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be? And who would be your warm-up act? 

John:
My goal is to play in Europe, especially the UK and Italy.  I am friends with lots of musicians, so I’d probably choose somebody local who complements whatever act I was touring.  If it was a prog show, there is no doubt that I would want my good friends in This Winter Machine to play on the bill, although I think it more likely that we’d be warming up for them!

PoP:
What influences your songwriting? 

John:
My mood, a painting that I see, or a nice lyrical phrase all can stimulate the process. 

PoP:
What is the best advice you’ve been given professionally? 

John:
Frankly, it was to go to graduate school because the likelihood of having a career in music was vanishingly small. Also, in my early years, someone suggested that I learn as much music theory as possible because it would greatly expand my musical palette. They were correct!

PoP:
What advice would you give to an aspiring musician? 

John:
Make sure you get a good education that can provide you with the necessary expertise and a skill set that can help you have a sustainable career even if the ultimate focus is not music. Music will always be there to inspire.

PoP:
Have you ever thought about being something other than a musician? Oh, wait you do… you have a Ph.D. in Genetics. That’s some pretty heavy stuff, tell us a little about it?

John:
Ha! I am a professor of Human Genetics at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine. I am a biomedical research scientist working in the area of the genetics of common complex diseases like heart disease, diabetes, psychiatric diseases, neurological diseases, and infectious diseases to name a few.  My group does a wide variety of things including genome sequencing, stem cell biology, and the development of mathematical and statistical models to enhance discoveries relevant for advancing human health. I am far better known in science than I am in music!  I’ve published about 700 peer-reviewed papers in the biomedical literature and have been fortunate to have been asked to give talks in more than 40 countries and all continents except Antarctica (still waiting for that invitation!).  It has been a wonderful career that I have been very fortunate to have experienced.  I also co-own a predictive data analytics company, 4TellX, that is based in Austin and that primarily works in the education space by helping school districts better understand and utilize their data to tailor education appropriate for individual students.

PoP:
Dare I ask your thoughts on the current situation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19)? How do you see this affecting the musician and the people of our planet in general?

John:
It has certainly been an eye-opener to see how the planet can almost come to a stop due to an extremely simple organism. It has already been devastating to musicians who require live engagements to sustain their lives. In general, I think it is very scary for people and there is a lot of disinformation that would be less impactful if we did a better job at teaching the importance of scientific process and knowledge.  I grieve for places like Italy that have been hit so hard.  As a scientist, I am confident that we can quickly minimize the loss of life with existing treatments and then develop a vaccine that will reduce the potential for future outbreaks. I also have developed a project in the last few weeks for identifying human genetic variations that are contributing to the different responses that we see amongst individuals who are infected.  

PoP:
In closing, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us. Do you have anything that you would like people to know that we did not talk about?

John:
I think it has been pretty wide-ranging!  Thank you very much for the stimulating questions and this opportunity to introduce myself to your audience.

For more information
https://sunkingrising.rocks/
https://www.facebook.com/pg/SunKingRising/
https://peacocksunriserecords.com/sun-king-rising/
http://www.harlequinreborn.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HarlequinReborn/

MonaLisa Twins Releases Till There Was You Video

Today we are sharing with you a cover of one of our favorite non-Beatles Beatles songs! Till There Was You – From the musical “The Music Man”, covered by the Beatles back in ‘63.

We can’t think of many songs with a melody sweeter than this one.

It’s dedicated to our friend and long-time supporter “Steve from Miami”, who we lost this Winter. It was one of his favorite songs, and today would be his Birthday ♥

We often reminisce about the time when we “caught the Beatle bug” in our early teens and would experience our very own Beatlemania together with our best friend from high school.

When the three of us first saw the video of the Beatles doing this song for the Royal Variety Performance we just about lost our minds and immediately fell in love with it – Paul surely knew what he was doing with all that cute head bobbing!

For several weeks to follow we would sing this song to … no, AT anyone who would listen. During gym class, in the locker rooms (great acoustics!), at the bus stop and even in the tram on the way back from school. We couldn’t get the pretty melody (that includes George’s stunning solo) out of our heads.

Our guitar teacher at the time even transcribed the guitar parts for us although they were a little too advanced for us at the time. We still tried!

Ten years later, and after learning that it was one of Steve’s favorite songs too, we want to try it again.

We hope you’ll enjoy the song and video. Let us know if you have any memories connected to the song yourself!

Much love to you all,
Mona & Lisa

Alan Parsons is working on a new studio album, tentatively scheduled for release in the spring of 2019.

BREAKING NEWS: Frontiers Music Srl is thrilled to announce the signing of Alan Parsons!

Alan and Frontiers‘ relationship began in 2010 when the label released “Eye 2 Eye – Live in Madrid”. They have kept in close contact since, with the ultimate goal to release another album together. Alan wanted it to be a really special album and only recently have the right plans and ideas fallen into place where Alan felt ready to enter the studio to record what he had in mind.

“The writing and recording sessions are going incredibly well,” says Alan. “The album already has a working title, which is THE SECRET, and it will include musical and lyrical themes that are very close to my heart and my own interests and passions. I do not really want to reveal a lot about it, except that for the moment everything that surrounds THE SECRET is going to be just that….a secret!”

The overall musical approach of the album is expected to be in keeping with the symphonic rock that Alan explored on his earlier solo records and the “Project” albums. But, of course, there will be new twists and turns and robust new creative inspiration behind the album. Some special guests will be on the album, but those will be revealed later….again, in keeping with the working title of the album, “The Secret“.

Frontiers President Serafino Perugino commented, “This is pretty much a dream come true for me. For Frontiers being able to represent the artistry and the talent of such a huge artist is a magnificent opportunity. We look forward to this release as much as Alan’s fans and it will see the light of day in multiple exciting formats. Stay tuned!”.

Alan Parsons said, “I wish to thank Serafino and the team for the commitment and the patience to make this happen. To the fans…We’ll see you soon on a world tour!”

Alan Parsons‘ music career started at 19 when he earned one of his his first credits as assistant engineer on The Beatles “Abbey Road”, an album recorded in the legendary London studios of the same name. He soon become a well respected studio engineer, working for Paul McCartney, The Hollies, and many others. He is particularly renowned for his work as recording engineer on the Pink Floyd masterpiece, “The Dark Side of The Moon“. This classic album was recorded in 1972 and Parsons experimented with many of the most advanced recording techniques of the time. As a producer, he enjoyed many successes with Pilot, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, John Miles, and Al Stewart, including the masterwork, “Year Of The Cat”.

In 1975, Alan Parsons formed The Alan Parsons Project along with principal songwriter (and occasional singer) Eric Woolfson. The Project consisted of a group of studio musicians and vocalists, often involving the members of three bands Alan produced: Pilot (Ian Bairnson, Stuart Tosh and David Paton), Cockney Rebel’s Stuart Elliott on drums, and (on the first album) American progressive pop/rock band, Ambrosia.

The Alan Parsons Project released ten acclaimed studio albums, but never performed live during the heyday of the albums, even after several US and European Top 20 hits. The Project made its final album at the end of the 80’s with the album “Gaudi“. Since then, Alan has released a number of recordings under his own name using several musicians that also appeared on the “Project” releases.

As well as receiving gold and platinum awards from countless countries, Parsons has received eleven Grammy Award nominations for his engineering and production work. In 2007, he was nominated for Best Surround Sound Album for his studio album, “A Valid Path“.

In 1994, Alan Parsons started touring regularly as The Alan Parsons Live Project and has released a number of live releases in audio and video. His live concerts continue to this day, to audiences worldwide.

http://alanparsons.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alanparsons/
https://www.instagram.com/alanparsonsmusic/
https://twitter.com/alanparsons