2024 Work in Progress..ive

[nicola]

STEVE HACKETT










ABOUT

STEVE HACKETT

...STEVE HACKETT
From Progarchives.com



Steve Hackett biography
Stephen Richard Hackett - Born February 12th 1950 (Pimlico, London, UK)

GUITAR BASED MUSIC WITH VARIOUS STYLES
(Blues, Classical, Folk, Jazz, New Age and Progressive Rock)


Steve HACKETT needs no introduction. He is definitely one of the major guitarists of this century. Ex-GENESIS, he is now a major force in the domain of music composed for guitar, rock as well as classical. Steve is a complex musician, drawing influence from a wide variety of styles and melding them into super compositions. His music has evolved over the years, and while some of it was not up to the standards that he set with other albums. They are still excellent.

HACKETT joined GENESIS as guitarist in early 1971 and featured across ten albums of their history. He replaced Anthony PHILLIPS, and stayed with the band during their successful mid-70s progressive rock period. I remember once reading that, if GENESIS lost their "brains" when Peter GABRIEL left, then they surely lost their "heart" when Steve left. In a way, it is easy to see how HACKETT was "crowded out" of Genesis in 1977. From "Nursery Crime" in 1971 to the double-live "Seconds Out" in 1977, he created in his solo albums his own style, dominated by his guitars, sometimes very classical or at times furious. His tracks go from a symphonic Progressive style to a more energetic rock.

From the first album "Voyage Of The Acolyte" while he was still with GENESIS to his most recent ones, all are MUSTS. For the most part, all of the compositions on HACKETT's first five solo albums are well-thought-out and impeccably well crafted. I would highly recommend "Voyage of the Acolyte" (missing GENESIS album), "Please Don't Touch" (powerful), his TRADEMARK "Spectral Mornings" (pure magic), "Defector" (another amazing album by Steve), and "Cured" (pop-oriented). This, along with "Time Lapse", "The Unauthorised Biography", "Guitar Noir", "Darktown" and "To Watch The Storms", are the best for people curious about the HACKETT "feel". However I believe these are his bests - it could rightly be called "THE HISTORY OF MUSIC ACCORDING TO STEVE HACKETT." Get them ALL...and HAPPY LISTENING!!!


















Hi friends

2024 Work in Progress..ive



These are my best tracks of 2024


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

Stranger Skies-ELLESMERE-Stranger Skies

Quasar-SONIQ THEATER-Solar Winds

The End-HUGO TORO-The Journey

Searching For Mr. Kite (Expanded Version)-KARFAGEN-Messages From Afar: Second Nature

Sky Coaster-SCOTT HENDERSON-KARNEVEL!

Ghost Moon and Living Love-STEVE HACKETT-THE CIRCUS AND THE NIGHTWHALE



























Ghost Moon and Living Love-STEVE HACKETT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYwwEfDv4yk





GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

DRIFTING SUN











ABOUT

DRIFTING SUN

...DRIFTING SUN
From Progarchives.com


Drifting Sun biography
Founded in Chesham, UK circa 1994 - Hiatus between 1999-2013 - Reformed in 2014

DRIFTING SUN were formed sometime during early-90's (originally named Drama), after French natives Pat Sanders (keyboards) and Manu Sibona (bass) left their homecountry and landed in the UK. There they met American singer Rafe Pomeroy and four pieces were recorded in a London-based studio, then sent to Musea for evaluation. The French label decided to sign the band on their branch-label Brennus and in 1996 the self-titled debut of the band sees the light with Karl Groom participating on one track.

Drifting Sun decided to move on as an independent group, the line-up was expanded with the addition of Tobin Bryant and Bryant's friend, guitarist John Spearman, while Pomerey was replaced by another American vocalist, Chris Martini.By the end of the year 1998 the band had launched the sophomore effort "On the Rebound".

What followed was a very long break, but recently Sanders gave his band another chance, gathering a new line-up with singer Peter Falconer, drummer Will Jones and bassist/guitarist Dan Storey. The third work of DRIFTING SUN "Trip the Life Fantastic" was released in early 2015, a digital album, available via several online digital stores.

















Hi friends

2024 Work in Progress..ive



These are my best tracks of 2024


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

Stranger Skies-ELLESMERE-Stranger Skies

Quasar-SONIQ THEATER-Solar Winds

The End-HUGO TORO-The Journey

Searching For Mr. Kite (Expanded Version)-KARFAGEN-Messages From Afar: Second Nature

Sky Coaster-SCOTT HENDERSON-KARNEVEL!

Ghost Moon and Living Love-STEVE HACKETT-THE CIRCUS AND THE NIGHTWHALE

Frailty-DRIFTING SUN-Veil


























Frailty-DRIFTING SUN
https://driftingsun.bandcamp.com/track/frailty



GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

HEAD SPIN










ABOUT

HEAD SPIN

...HEAD SPIN
From Progarchives.com


Head Spin biography
Nottingham, UK musician Andy SCOFFIN is single handedly writing, playing, programming and producing his instrumental psychedelic/space rock project HEAD SPIN which formed in 2020.

The lefthanded guitarist started playing at age 13, inspired by Jimi Hendrix, Steve Hillage, Andy Garcia and Frank Zappa among others. Over the next 10 years he played in a number of short lived bands before joining the Grateful Dead tribute band, the Grateful Dudes in 2015, remaining there until today. HEAD SPIN's debut, the 2021 ep "Digitalis" was followed by the single "Wax Donor" and the lp "Escape Velocity" the year after. 2023 saw the release of a single with a re-imagined version of "Moai", a track off the debut ep.

The music bears clear affinities with Ozric Tentacles - and Ed Wynne's solo material - as well as You-era Gong and the solo work of Steve Hillage.



















Hi friends

2024 Work in Progress..ive



These are my best tracks of 2024


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

Stranger Skies-ELLESMERE-Stranger Skies

Quasar-SONIQ THEATER-Solar Winds

The End-HUGO TORO-The Journey

Searching For Mr. Kite (Expanded Version)-KARFAGEN-Messages From Afar: Second Nature

Sky Coaster-SCOTT HENDERSON-KARNEVEL!

Ghost Moon and Living Love-STEVE HACKETT-THE CIRCUS AND THE NIGHTWHALE

Frailty-DRIFTING SUN-Veil

Half Remembered-HEAD SPIN-Refractor

























Half Remembered-HEAD SPIN
https://headspin.bandcamp.com/track/half-remembered



GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

BIG BIG TRAIN













ABOUT

BIG BIG TRAIN

...BIG BIG TRAIN
From Official Website


Big Big Train – 2023 Biography

‘Big Big Train have revisited the sound world of early Genesis and Yes and have managed to create music with great emotional clout‘

THE TIMES

‘Big Big Train channel the ambitions of 50 years ago but mix in enough of themselves to create work that sounds vivid and fresh. Melancholy has rarely sounded so seductive’ MOJO

‘They make beautiful, pastoral quintessentially English music’

BOB HARRIS, BBC RADIO 2

Big Big Train was founded by songwriter Gregory Spawton in 1990 and went through several line-up changes during the course of five albums. In 2009, with the recruitment of a new lead vocalist, David Longdon, and drummer, Nick D’Virgilio, the band embarked on a fresh start. Since then, Big Big Train have earned significant critical acclaim in both the mainstream and music press, won numerous Progressive Music Awards, played sold out shows and seen their albums reach number 1 in the Official UK rock charts and break into the top 40 in the Official UK album charts.

After a lengthy period as a studio band, Big Big Train returned to live performances in 2015. Following successful mini-residencies in London in 2015 and 2017, the band headlined the Night Of The Prog festival in Germany in summer 2018. They toured the UK for the first time in 2019, culminating in a sold out show at London’s Hackney Empire, subsequently released as the critically acclaimed Blu-ray Empire. The band also released two studio albums in 2021 and 2022, Common Ground and Welcome To The Planet.

Tragedy struck Big Big Train in November 2021 with the death of David Longdon. After careful consideration, and with the full support of David’s partner, in spring 2022 the band decided to continue and brought Italian vocalist Alberto Bravin on board.

Big Big Train played their first live shows in almost three years in September 2022 in the UK and the Netherlands. Joining Spawton, longstanding American drummer Nick D’Virgilio (Genesis, Spock’s Beard, Tears For Fears), Swedish guitarist/keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom (Beardfish, Gungfly) and the Big Big Train brass ensemble, these shows marked the live debuts of Alberto Bravin (PFM), Norwegian keyboardist Oskar Holldorff (Dim Gray) and British violinist Clare Lindley (Stackridge) and guitarist Dave Foster (The Steve Rothery Band, Mr So & So).

For their shows in August & September 2023, Italian guitarist Maria Barbieri is deputising for Dave Foster, who has prior commitments with the Steve Rothery Band.

In August and September 2023 the band played 17 shows in nine countries over the course of 21 days, with Maria Barbieri deputising for Dave Foster. The band will release their first album featuring Alberto Bravin as lead vocalist on 1st March 2024. This will be the band’s recording debut for the InsideOut/Sony label. The album will be issued as a limited edition media book, featuring Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes by The Pineapple Thief’s Bruce Soord as well as the regular stereo mixes by Rob Aubrey and Alberto Bravin, as well as a standard CD and in four different vinyl formats (black, tangerine orange, olive green and sky blue), as a Bandcamp hi res download and via all major streaming platforms. The band has announced a number of live shows for 2024 including four shows in the United States, co-headlining Cruise To The Edge in March and Night Of The Prog in July and performing at Cropredy in August



















Hi friends

2024 Work in Progress..ive



These are my best tracks of 2024


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

Stranger Skies-ELLESMERE-Stranger Skies

Quasar-SONIQ THEATER-Solar Winds

The End-HUGO TORO-The Journey

Searching For Mr. Kite (Expanded Version)-KARFAGEN-Messages From Afar: Second Nature

Sky Coaster-SCOTT HENDERSON-KARNEVEL!

Ghost Moon and Living Love-STEVE HACKETT-THE CIRCUS AND THE NIGHTWHALE

Frailty-DRIFTING SUN-Veil

Half Remembered-HEAD SPIN-Refractor

Beneath the Masts-BIG BIG TRAIN-The Likes Of Us




























Beneath the Masts-BIG BIG TRAIN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFXIp3-ygGY



GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

SAQQARAH











ABOUT

SAQQARAH

...SAQQARAH
From Official Website


Saqqarah biography
Overlooked French group from Vannes, formed in 1992 by Patrice Mauvieux on guitars, Lou Van Der Cruyssen on vocals, Dominique Renault on drums, Christophe Bastien on keyboards and Herve Juguet on bass. Two years later they recorded a 3-track mini CD (''Peti eref tra su''), but the following year Bastien quit with Mauvieux playing also the keyboards. In 1996 a very good debut is released under the title ''Genese'', but another departure put the group on ice for four years, this time it was Lou Van Der Cruyssen who moved permanently to Egypt in 1998. In 2002 Saqqarah returned with new singer Jack Feys and released another album, ''Awakening'' in 2005. The same year Christophe Bastien rejoined forces with Saqqarah and stayed with the band for another four years, before parting ways again due to many constraints. Since 2009 Saqqarah continued as a quartet, but any further album activity has yet to see the light.


















Hi friends

2024 Work in Progress..ive



These are my best tracks of 2024


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

Stranger Skies-ELLESMERE-Stranger Skies

Quasar-SONIQ THEATER-Solar Winds

The End-HUGO TORO-The Journey

Searching For Mr. Kite (Expanded Version)-KARFAGEN-Messages From Afar: Second Nature

Sky Coaster-SCOTT HENDERSON-KARNEVEL!

Ghost Moon and Living Love-STEVE HACKETT-THE CIRCUS AND THE NIGHTWHALE

Frailty-DRIFTING SUN-Veil

Half Remembered-HEAD SPIN-Refractor

Beneath the Masts-BIG BIG TRAIN-The Likes Of Us

The Watcher-SAQQARAH-THE RUNAWAY






























The Watcher-SAQQARAH
https://saqqarah.bandcamp.com/track/the-watcher



GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

LEVIATHAN









ABOUT

LEVIATHAN

...LEVIATHAN
From progarchives.com


Leviathan biography
It's very common to find Italian Symphonic bands, but no so much when we are talking about Italian Neo Prog bands. So when I knew I had to write again the LEVIATHAN bio, I placed special interest in them, to see how they blended their traditional and peculiar melodic sense with the strength and modernity of Neo Prog.

LEVIATHAN was formed in 1985 by three very young Italian musicians, Alex Brunori (vocals and lyrics), Franco Pezzella (keyboards) and Andrea Moneta, drums. Immediately the band started to work at their first demo "The 7% Solution EP" which saw the light in the same year. This demo has two long tracks, but sadly and because it was a tape and the distribution was limited, there are almost no copies of it today. But the point was made and they caught the attention of the critics due to their particular sound.

In 1987 LEVIATHAN recruits Sandro Wlderk (bass) and Rocco Paterna (guitar) and their definitive lineup was complete, with Wlderk credited for all the compositions and Brunori for all the lyrics and the conceptual art direction. Just before recording their first album, Rocco Paterna leaves the band, replaced by Giorgio Carana (recently deceased in 2016). They produced and released their official debut called "Heartquake", which for many is the first Neo Prog Italian release, in 1500 copies, 300 of which in red vinyl limited edition. The band starts a long and successful Italian tour in 1988 to support the album.

"Heartquake" presents clear influences of GENESIS, MARILLION and PENDRAGON, but with a clear respect to the lyrical and melodic roots of Italian Symphonic bands like PFM or BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO.

In 1989 Pezzella leaves the band and is replaced by the classically trained keyboardist Andrea Amici and they start the recording sessions of their second album, "Bee Yourself", which was again released independently in 1500 copies, 300 of which in yellow vinyl limited edition. The album was later reprinted on CD by Contempo and on vinyl by the Korean label Jigu Records (in 1991).

The album was a great success among critics and fans. It presented a 25 minutes suite, "Bee Yourself", that gave them the chance to perform not only in Italy, but also in France as well as in an epic presentation at the Teatro Olimpico in Roma.

In this occasion the Neo Prog tendencies blend with an exquisite Jazzy vibe which makes of "Bee Yourself" a rich and versatile album.

In 1993, Musea Records gets interested in the band and releases a CD version of "Heartquake" with a previously unreleased bonus track, but it was the beginning of the end. Giorgio Carana first and Sandro Wlderk later left the band with internal problems culminating with Alex Brunori, singer and lyricist, leaving the band as well. LEVIATHAN remained almost in a sabbatical until 1998, when they released their third album "Volume", which was the first to be sung exclusively in Italian by the new singer, Paolo Antinori (while the previous ones where sung in English).

Sadly, according to their fans, "Volume" is also the weakest of the trilogy, but still you can find many wonderful sounds, arrangements and solid guitar performances that make it worth getting.

In 2003 the Finnish Prog Conceptual Epic Opera "Kalevala" was released, and LEVIATHAN was invited to contribute to the project, adding the 10 minutes track "Filo di Lama" (Edge of the Blade). The success was so strong that they were invited to participate in a similar project called "Colossus of Rodhes" in 2004, where they contributed with a 26 minutes suite called "Un Pensero e Sempre Libero", which symbolizes their long and solid 24 year career.

Still it's not too late to see more from them.


Iván Melgar Morey

Thanks to Ghost Rider for the translations of the Italian material and to Alex Brunori for the latest (2016) updates.



















Hi friends

2024 Work in Progress..ive



These are my best tracks of 2024


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

Stranger Skies-ELLESMERE-Stranger Skies

Quasar-SONIQ THEATER-Solar Winds

The End-HUGO TORO-The Journey

Searching For Mr. Kite (Expanded Version)-KARFAGEN-Messages From Afar: Second Nature

Sky Coaster-SCOTT HENDERSON-KARNEVEL!

Ghost Moon and Living Love-STEVE HACKETT-THE CIRCUS AND THE NIGHTWHALE

Frailty-DRIFTING SUN-Veil

Half Remembered-HEAD SPIN-Refractor

Beneath the Masts-BIG BIG TRAIN-The Likes Of Us

The Watcher-SAQQARAH-THE RUNAWAY

Hellishade of Heavenue-LEVIATHAN-Heartquake_Redux






























Hellishade of Heavenue-LEVIATHAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSCEULVS3rcr




Heartquake-LEVIATHAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaaB...msHJlc&index=6





GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

MONKEY3











ABOUT

MONKEY3

...MONKEY3
From progarchives.com and official website


Monkey3 biography
Founded in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2001

MONKEY3 are an instrumental psychedelic rock band from Lausanne/Switzerland showing Picasso (bass), Walter (drums), Boris (guitar) and keyboarder Mister M aboard. The music units elements of stoner, post and space rock, all this presented with a rather hypnotic fundament, a repetitive nature. Their self-released debut came out in March 2003.

One year later Belgium label Buzzville re-issued this album including a differing artwork. Afterwards they extensively toured Europe alongside bands like Alabama Thunderpussy, Mono, Dozer and Hypnos 69. April 2006 they went to the studio again in order to work on the follower album. February 2007 saw the release of '39 Laps' then.

MONKEY3 are currrently preparing for the next album, entitled 'Beyond The Black Sky'. Bands similar in style are The :Egocentrics, 35007, Serpentina Satellite, Los Natas.

Following their latest, much-acclaimed album, Sphere(2019), instrumental psych rock frontrunners MONKEY3 will herald 2024 with a true album highlight of the new year: The Lausanne-based four-piece has announced a brand new, cosmic studio offering, entitled Welcome To The Machine, set for release on February 23, 2024 via Napalm Records!

Once again, MONKEY3envelops listeners in their unique, cosmic auditory haze. Welcome To The Machine not only marks their seventh and most epic, dark and captivating record to date, but will also clearly prove why they are one of the most exciting instrumental rock bands in the modern stoner and psychedelic rock scene.

Welcome To The Machine’s musical themes are inspired by movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Matrix, Sunshine, Solaris and1984, while unveiling an intense mankind vs. machines story that instantly launches the listener into deep space. Right from its first tones, the album immediately emerges as a perfect soundtrack to a journey into the unknown. Tracks such as "Rackman"perfectly showcase how MONKEY3, who formed in 2001, are one of only a few instrumental bands that know how to tell an enthralling story. Welcome To The Machineexplores as much as it poses questions. It is dark and menacing; evoking melancholic destruction while somehow bursting with hope at the same time, moving between haunting passages and progressive breaks, mesmerizing grooves and colossal riffs.



















Hi friends

2024 Work in Progress..ive



These are my best tracks of 2024


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

Stranger Skies-ELLESMERE-Stranger Skies

Quasar-SONIQ THEATER-Solar Winds

The End-HUGO TORO-The Journey

Searching For Mr. Kite (Expanded Version)-KARFAGEN-Messages From Afar: Second Nature

Sky Coaster-SCOTT HENDERSON-KARNEVEL!

Ghost Moon and Living Love-STEVE HACKETT-THE CIRCUS AND THE NIGHTWHALE

Frailty-DRIFTING SUN-Veil

Half Remembered-HEAD SPIN-Refractor

Beneath the Masts-BIG BIG TRAIN-The Likes Of Us

The Watcher-SAQQARAH-THE RUNAWAY

Hellishade of Heavenue-LEVIATHAN-Heartquake_Redux

Ignition-MONKEY3- Welcome To The Machine






























Ignition-MONKEY3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN4o2C6Fd3Q





GOOD LISTENING