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Latest News, Album releases, Tour News and more
MABEL GREER’S TOYSHOP to Release New Album “THE SECRET”
The band who sprouted the first seeds of YES – Mabel Greer’s Toyshop return with the release of their second album THE SECRET on 8th December.
THE SECRET features previously unreleased guitar parts by original YES guitarist Peter Banks (1947-2013), with bass player Hugo Barré and Max Hunt on keyboards joining Clive Bayley (guitar and vocals) and Robert Hagger (drums). It follows the release in 2015 of their debut album which featured Tony Kaye on keyboards and was co-produced by Billy Sherwood (New Way Of Life).
Steve Hackett releases Live DVD of Genesis Revisited with Classic Hackett Tour on 26th January
Look out for Steve Hackett’s new DVD/Blu-Ray/CD Wuthering Nights : Live in Birmingham out on 26th January.
Filmed at the Birmingham Symphony Hall in May 2017 on the Genesis Revisited with Classic Hackett tour which also celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the iconic Genesis album Wind & Wuthering this live show is a must for any prog fan.
Former Yes Guitarist Peter Banks Posthumously Rejoins MABEL GREER’S TOYSHOP For The Last Song On New Album “THE SECRET”
The band who sprouted the first seeds of YES – Mabel Greer’s Toyshop return with the release of their new album THE SECRET on 15th December. THE SECRET features previously unreleased guitar parts by original YES guitarist Peter Banks (1947-2013) playing a guitar duo with Clive Bayley who formed the band in the 1966.
The Secret follows the release in 2015 of Mabel Greer’s Toyshop’s debut album New Way Of Life, some 49 years later – for which we applied for Guinness World Record for longest time between a band’s formation and their debut album. New Way of Life featured Tony Kaye on keyboards and was co-produced by Billy Sherwood.
YES Release Live Album TOPOGRAPHIC DRAMA on 24th November
In the Summer of 2016, Yes toured in the USA. They performed Drama in its entirety, together with Sides 1 and 4 of Tales from Topographic Oceans – the first YES album to top the UK charts (UK Gold), as well as a selection of Classic YES tracks.
TOPOGRAPHIC DRAMA – LIVE ACROSS AMERICA – is the live recording taken from a selection of these shows
and is released on 24th November as a double CD or Triple LP. The sleeve for both formats is designed by Roger Dean.
THE DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION Release New CD SKYSCRAPER SOULS On 17th November
Super-duo Geoff Downes & Chris Braide, known as the Downes Braide Association (DBA), release their third album Skyscraper Souls on 17th November. Chris Braide is British singer, songwriter & producer and has worked with – well, everyone really – from Beyonce and Lana del Ray to Sia and Marc Almond – while prog legend Geoff Downes has played keyboards with The Buggles, Asia and Yes and co-wrote the hits Heat of the Moment and Video Killed the Radio Star. The album is a mixture of traditional progressive and classic rock and features several guests including Marc Almond, Andy Partridge (XTC) and David Longdon (Big Big Train).
SAXON to release Deluxe Best of Anthology DECADE OF THE EAGLE on 17th November
Saxon announce the release of ‘Decade Of The Eagle’, a Deluxe Anthology, on 17th November.
The 4LP or 2CD set features 34 tracks taken from their first nine albums – where Saxon notched up five Top 40 albums and four Top 20 singles.
MARILLION ANNOUNCE UK TOUR DATES
Prog rock giants MARILLION announce 7 new UK dates in April 2018 on the back of their October show at The Royal Albert Hall and The London Palladium in November, which are both sold out.
#YES50 – YES Announces 50th Anniversary Tour
2018 marks half a century since the formation of legendary group YES. To celebrate this milestone YES will embark upon a 10 Date UK Tour in March 2018 – #YES50.
Tickets go onsale on Friday 8th September from 10.00am.
JETHRO TULL Announce 50th Anniversary Tour
Prog pioneers Jethro Tull have announced an 8 date UK tour to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the band.
The tour opens in Manchester on 3rd April 2018.
Into The Unknown Release Debut Album “Out of the Shadows”
Into The Unknown have announced the release of their debut album ‘Out of the Shadows’.
The 11-tracks album will be out on 20th October via Vigilante Records.
Garth McLean Brings Yoga Workshop for Multiple Sclerosis To London in August
Garth McLean brings Yoga Workshop for Multiple Sclerosis and other neurological conditions To The Iyengar Yoga Centre in Maida Vale, London on August 26th, 27th and 28th August.
Please listen to this interview on Phoenix FM radio: http://www.phoenixfm.com/2017/06/27/body-talk-24617/
YES, Steve Hackett and Vangelis nominated for Prog Awards 2017
YES feature on the cover of the current issue of Prog Magazine and have been nominated for Prog Awards for both
Event of the Year and Reissue of the Year for Tales from Topographic Oceans.
Also nominated for Prog Awards are Steve Hackett for Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for The Night Siren
and Vangelis for Reissue of the Year for his Delectus Box Set.
STEVE VAI TO RELEASE NEW MODERN PRIMITIVE ALBUM ON JULY 7, 2017
Legendary guitarist and composer Steve Vai has announced the release of “Modern Primitive”, previously published as a companion disc to the 25th anniversary edition of “Passion and Warfare”.
“Modern Primitive” will be out on July 7th through Steve’s own label Favored Nations Entertainment as a standalone limited edition album, the 7th instalment of the Vai’s 2001 collectors release “Secret Jewel Box”.
THE SOLID BOOK OF ROCK – SAXON
British metal legends SAXON have announced the release of a very special collection in ‘The Solid Book of Rock’. The set includes 14 discs – 9 studio albums from 1991 to 2009, 2 bonus CDs and 3 DVDs – packaged in a sumptuous 24 page 12” x 12” booklet with lyrics and credits. The ‘Book-set’ will be out on August 18th via Demon Records.
KANSAS LAUNCH VIDEO FOR ‘RHYTHM IN THE SPIRIT’
Kansas have launched a live concert video for the track ‘Rhythm In The Spirit’, taken from the bands latest album ‘The Prelude Implicit’ released last September. Watch it by clicking the link to the full story below.
‘The Prelude Implicit’ is the first new album release in 16 years. Kansas will be appearing at several European Festivals in the summer, including Ramblin’ Man Fair in Maidstone UK on 30th July.
JETHRO TULL TOP BILLBOARD CHART
Jethro Tull ‘The String Quartets’ has entered the Billboard Chart at Number 1 and is at Number 2 in the iTunes Classical Chart this week.
STEVE HACKETT ENTERS THE ROCK CHART AT NO.3
Steve Hackett’s album The Night Siren entered the Rock Chart at No. 3 and is at 28 in the official album chart.
Hackett’s 15 date UK Genesis Revisited with Classic Hackett Tour starts in Dublin on 26th and Cardiff on 28th April.
‘GENESIS REVISITED WITH CLASSIC HACKETT’ UK Tour – April/May 2017 4 SHOWS NOW SOLD OUT!
Tickets for Steve Hackett’s ‘Genesis Revisited With Classic Hackett’ tour are going fast, with 4 of the 15 shows already sold out.
The tour celebrates the 40th anniversary of classic Genesis album ‘Wind and Wuthering’, with a rich setlist including tracks from the record. Hackett will also perform favourites from the Genesis catalogue as well as songs from his extensive solo work and material from his new album ‘The Night Siren’.
Check out the full story to watch band rehearsals footage of ‘El Niño’ from ‘The Night Siren’.
An Evening of Wishbone Ash music… and beyond – MARTIN TURNER 2017 TOUR DATES
Wishbone Ash founder Martin Turner has announced The Beauty of Chaos 2017 UK tour, 33 dates including Festivals starting in April.
Seminal album Argus, celebrating its 45th Anniversary, will be performed in its entirety, together with material from Wishbone Ash’ classic repertoire and more recent album “Written in the Stars”.
WORLD’S No.1 ALL-FEMALE IRON MAIDEN TRIBUTE BACK IN THE UK IN 2017
World’s most famous all-female Iron Maiden tribute will return to the UK in October 2017 for a 5 dates tour.
The Iron Maidens made their UK debut last year, with an acclaimed one-off London show at Islington O2 Academy.
JETHRO TULL ON THE COVER OF NEW PROG MAGAZINE!
After their recent troubles, we’re glad to welcome back Prog Magazine! The much loved publication celebrates its return to all news stands with a massive cover feature on Jethro Tull, accompanied by a review of upcoming album ‘Jethro Tull The String Quartets’, to be released on 24th March. Prog Magazine is out now.
YES TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2017
Prog legends YES will be finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the Class of 2017.
The induction follows two previous nominations, and will precede the iconic band’s 50th anniversary in 2018.
JETHRO TULL – THE STRING QUARTETS Christmas Tracks “RING OUT THESE BELLS” & “PASS THE BOTTLE”
Following fast on the footsteps of Pass The Bottle (A Christmas Song), Jethro Tull announce the release of a second Christmas single after “Pass The Bottle (A Christmas Song)”. “Ring Out These Bells,” an adaptation of Jethro Tull’s “Ring Out, Solstice Bells,” from forthcoming album The String Quartet.
Both singles are available from iTunes as immediate downloads with preorder of the album, due out in March.
STEVE HACKETT: THE NIGHT SIREN
InsideOut Music (Sony) has announced the release of Steve Hackett’s new album ‘The Night Siren’ on 24th March 2017.
The Night Siren – a warning alarm in an era of division – calls for empathy and unity, celebrating multicultural diversity with musicians and instruments from around the world.
VANGELIS COVER FEATURE ON PROG MAGAZINE!
Prog Magazine is out with a Synth issue, and no one could do the cover honours better than Vangelis! Read an exclusive interview with the Maestro where he open’s up about Aphrodite’s Child, Jon & Vangelis and much more.