I’m proud and pleased to announce that the ‘Clutching at Straws’ remaster is finally available for pre order with the release date of November 23rd. As my favourite of all the albums I created with my former band it was always going to be a special project. I realised it would also be demanding as it involved revisiting some turbulent times and scratching some old wounds.
The documentary we filmed for the Blu Ray on the CD box set version at the Old Reindeer Inn in Banbury back in May when we were interviewed by Mick Wall had a couple of awkward moments and makes for some interesting viewing. Old friendships however prevailed and the existing camaraderie is obvious. The footage is part of a great collection of material on the disc taking in demos from 1986 and from the follow up album that never happened in 1988. The promotional videos are all there and I have to admit having a big smile watching the ‘Incommunicado’ clip for the first time in years.
The 5-1 mix is truly wonderful and was created by Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh who was the original mixing engineer for producer Chris Kimsey in Advision studios back in 1987. Knowing the album inside out she has added, together with Andy an amazing new take on the songs and brought a whole new energy and life into both the 5-1 and new stereo mixes.
The live material that is on both the vinyl and CD versions is from a legendary show in Edinburgh on December 19th 1987 and this is the first time it’s been featured in its entirety. Again I had some happy memories of a breath-taking gig I’m glad to see unearthed and finally released in all its glory.
Mark Wilkinson as always has put together a great package and with Mick Wall’s new sleeve notes and a host of photos it makes for an interesting read. It was definitely a trip back in time for me on this project.
The full track listing of the 4CD/BRD box set and the 5 vinyl disc box set you can discover on the fishmusic.scot store, links to both editions below:
Clutching At Straws (4CD/Blu-ray set)
I have to say I was extremely disappointed that the timing of the project moved as it was originally intended to be released in September to coincide with the tour I had booked around the initially proposed release schedule. Due to matters totally out with my control the delay has meant that I won’t have the ‘Clutching at Straws’ products on the merchandise stall on the mainland European tour.
As with the previous ‘Misplaced Childhood’ box set re master I will be autographing both the vinyl and CD/BRD sets. Warners had originally moved the release to mid-November which would have meant it was impossible to sign them as I would be on tour. After explaining my predicament they were sympathetic and generously agreed to move the release back to the 23rd November. This means I can sign the copies when I come back from Europe and before the December UK tour.
Having the ‘Clutching at Straws’ box sets on the road would have meant a saving for people on postage but with the release now on November 23rd I’m afraid there is no other option but to buy them on mail order. I’ll be carrying the product on my UK tour in December but as these are both limited edition products I can’t promise there will be any available. I will only have 750 vinyl box sets and 2500 CD/BRD disc box sets which is roughly what I sold on the last release.
As I buy these from Warners I am effectively taking on the role as a retailer and as such my margins are relatively small. I’ve tried to keep the pricing as tight as possible but I appreciate that the postage costs I’d hoped to avoid by selling it on the road are expensive. I can’t reduce the price of the ‘Clutching’ box sets but after discussion with my team what I have decided to offer is a £2 reduction in price on any of the solo remaster catalogue which includes ‘Songs from the Mirror’, ‘Suits’, ‘Sunsets on Empire’, ‘Raingods with Zippos’, ‘Fellini Days’ and ‘Field of Crows’ if you order either of the ‘CAS’ remasters.
To clarify if you buy a ‘CAS’ remaster from fishmusic.scot you can order 1 or more of the Fish solo remasters at the same time and get a £2 discount on each solo remaster which will be calculated at checkout. The solo remasters will have postage and packaging added and will be sent separately from the ‘CAS’ remaster when we receive your pre order. The autographed ‘CAS’ remaster will be sent out after the official release date 23rd November. The vinyl box sets and CD box sets will also be sent out as separate packages.
I stress that these are limited editions and after we are sold out there will be no restocking. I know there were quite a few people left disappointed when the ‘Misplaced’ CD box set sold out and who thought there would be more available. Warners have informed me that both the vinyl and CD/BRD disc box sets will be discontinued after they have sold this production run.
Clutching At Straws (5LP vinyl set)
I’ll be announcing the pre order of ‘A Parley with Angels’ EP next week. I’m glad to say that there won’t be such a long wait on this with the digipak version scheduled for release on the 20th September. More details will be on social media and the website on the 12th September together with the release on digital download and streaming platforms of the first of the ‘Weltschmerz’ tracks, ‘Man with a Stick’. The three new songs for the new release are sounding fantastic and the live material packs a punch on its own. I think it’s a good combination and a great wee package to introduce fans to the new material and direction. You’ll find out more next week.
Your help and support on these releases is highly and sincerely appreciated and I hope you’ll be as pleased as I am with the new ‘Clutching at Straws’ packages.
Thanks again for being out there
Take care and stay alive
Fish
Tickets go on sale today September 4th, 2018 at Noon
The Platinum Package gives you admittance to three days of the Festival with exclusive access and amenities plus the best seats in the theater! Included are limited preproduction sound checks and exclusive access with the bands, plus VIP Lanyards and a RoSfest t-shirt.
Limited Platinum Package Tickets are $505.00 (+ processing fee) per seat for the weekend.
How to order tickets.
Step 1. Call George at 484.432.7357 to select your seats.
Step 2. Pay by credit card or by check.
The credit card prompt will be available through square on the website.
Checks should be made out to Roldan Entertainment and mailed to the following address.
George Roldan
P.O.Box 35234
Sarasota, Florida
34242
RoSfest is in its 16th year and will be taking place on May 3rd, 4th & 5th, 2019.
RoSfest 2019 will take place on May 3rd through 5th, 2019 at the Sarasota Opera House, Florida.
Scheduled bands to play:
Friday, May 3rd – Cryptic Vision and Von Hertzen Brothers.
Saturday, May 4th – Entransient, Mile Marker Zero, Karmamoi, Phideaux and Jethro Tull 50th Anniversary Tour with Martin Barre, Clive Bunker and Jonathan Noyce.
Sunday, May 5th – Edge of Reality, Traverser, Flor de Loto, and Riverside.
The complete schedule with times will be posted shortly on the RoSfest website. http://rosfest.com
We love this 2019 lineup and think that you will too! Hope to see everyone in Sarasota next May!
Platinum package tickets on sale Today September 4th, 2018
Gold seat tickets on sale October 5th, 2018
Regular seat tickets on sale December 7th, 2018
2017 marked SAGA’s 40th (!) anniversary. The band that has combined hard rock, progressive rock and pop like no other celebrated their anniversary with a tour around the globe, saying thank you and farewell to the fans… for now. Now, one year later, the exciting live recording “So Good So Far – Live At Rock Of Ages” sees its release.
Featuring the most iconic of songs that SAGA has been known and loved for by fans for more than 40 years, “So Good So Far” delivers the epitome of the band’s long and proud history – all recorded at the Rock of Ages festival in Seebronn, Germany in 2017 on both audio and video. SAGA, the headliner of the evening played, an energetic 1,5 hours set in front of thousands of festival-goers, featuring the best of 21 SAGA studio albums with classics such as “On The Loose”, “Humble Stance, “Wind Him Up” or “Don’t Be Late”.
Says Michael Sadler: “SAGA has a very special history with the legendary ROCK OF AGES festival in Seebronn, Germany. Founder Horst Franz invited us to perform for the very first one in 2006!
Fast forward to 2017 – SAGA returns to the coveted Saturday night stage by special request, celebrating the band’s 40th Anniversary with our Final Chapter Tour.
This release captures the sound and atmosphere of that spectacular night with our musical family and friends that will never be repeated…or will it?”
Adds Ian Crichton: “Over the years it’s been a privilege to play to audiences in Europe, it all started in Germany!”
“So Good So Far – Live At Rock Of Ages” is going to be released as 2CD Digipak, 2LP Gatefold+download code, DVD, Blu-ray and Digital on September 28th, 2018 on earMUSIC.
TRACKLIST
CD1
1. Take A Chance
2. On The Loose
3. Help Me Out
4. Keep It Reel
5. Time’s Up
6. Will It Be You? (Chapter Four)
7. Careful Where You Step
8. Frog Bite (Drum Solo)
9. What’s It Gonna Be?
CD2
1. Someone Should
2. Humble Stance
3. Scratching The Surface
4. You’re Not Alone
5. Don’t Be Late
6. The Flyer
7. Wind Him Up
DVD/Blu-ray
1. Take A Chance
2. On The Loose
3. Help Me Out
4. Keep It Reel
5. Time’s Up
6. Will It Be You? (Chapter Four)
7. Careful Where You Step
8. Frog Bite (Drum Solo)
9. What’s It Gonna Be?
10. Someone Should
11. Humble Stance
12. Scratching The Surface
13. You’re Not Alone
14. Don’t Be Late
15. The Flyer
16. Wind Him Up
2LP
SIDE A
1. Take A Chance
2. On The Loose
3. Help Me Out
4. Keep It Reel
SIDE B
1. Time’s Up
2. Will It Be You? (Chapter Four)
3. Careful Where You Step
4. Frog Bite (Drum Solo)
SIDE C
1. What’s It Gonna Be?
2. Someone Should
3. Humble Stance
4. Scratching The Surface
SIDE D
1. You’re Not Alone
2. Don’t Be Late
3. The Flyer
4. Wind Him Up
Featuring the original 1988 album with live bonus tracks never before released on vinyl + 2CDs and an exclusive signed 12 x 12 inch album artwork print from Mike Rutherford.
30 years on since its original release The Living Years has been re-imagined in this beautiful double LP, deluxe 40 page picture book. Includes new extensive liner notes from acclaimed journalist Neil MacCormick and rare behind the scenes photos and memorabilia from the band.
Earthlings! My new album ‘Friendship’ has been officially announced today. Below is the press-release.
Rikard Sjöblom’s Gungfly are pleased to announce ‘Friendship’, their brand new studio album, due out on 9th November 2018. Following the release of 2017’s ‘On Her Journey To The Sun’, as well as 2018’s retrospective 5CD collection ‘Rumbling Box’, the band masterminded by former Beardfish frontman & current Big Big Train member Rikard Sjöblom, are happy to reveal their fourth full-length release.
Rikard comments: “The idea for ‘Friendship’ came to me because of an old photo of me as a child. I found this old photo at my parents’ house, depicting me standing on top of this really tall treehouse in a glade near our house. Although I of course remembered it as being really high up in the tree tops as a child, this picture proved that it really was! As I reminisced about the treehouse I started thinking about my childhood friends with whom I built it. We were the best of friends and we spent so much time together in this little village where I used to live. This of course made me think about all the friends I used to have, these relationships where you hung out all the time, went through childhood together, grew up and knew everything about each other and then all of a sudden, for some reason, disappeared from each other’s lives. This phenomenon of falling out with someone is still a mystery to me, but I’ve learned to accept it, much like the separation of death it’s just a part of life and the nature of our course of life, I guess. So this is a collection of songs about and for all of my friends, dead or alive, past and present. I chose to base the stories around the treehouse in the glade, not because all of my memories are from there, but rather that it’s the place that made me think back on all of this.”
The album will be available as a limited CD Digipak & Gatefold 2LP + CD (both including 3 bonus tracks) as well as digital download. Pre-order now from my own online store (Courtesy of my dear friend and webmaster extraordinarie Joel Barrios) and get an exclusive 100-copies clear red vinyl, only available through this website.
The full track-listing is as follows:
Ghost of Vanity
Friendship
They Fade
A Treehouse in a Glade
Stone Cold
If You Fall, Pt. 2
Crown of Leaves
Slow Dancer (Bonus Track)
Past Generation (Bonus Track)
Friendship (Utopian Radio Edit) (Bonus Track)
Rikard comments of the musical direction: “Musically, what can I say? This is prog rock, but I want to be free to move in whatever direction the music wants to go and I happily go exploring where it wants to take me. Even though there are a few softer songs and sections, most of the album turned out to be a rocker; a collection of hard rock songs with lots of tricky parts, some heavier moments and some downright jazzy elements too!”
Rikard Sjöblom is perhaps best known as the multi-instrumentalist front-man of Beardfish, who established themselves as one of the most consistently brilliant modern-day progressive rock bands over the course of eight studio albums. In recent years, he has also become known for his work with English progressive collective Big Big Train, playing live with them as well as performing on their most recent studio album ‘The Second Brightest Star’ as well as the new live album ‘Merchants of Light’.
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