The band Venice will release their new album "What Summer Brings" on November after a seven year recording hiatus, during which time three of the band's vocalists toured stadiums and arenas as Roger Waters' backup singers on his "Pink Floyd's The Wall" world tour. You can watch and listen to the first single "What's Done is Done" as a lyrics video HERE!

On september 19, we had the pleasure to meet Kip, Pat and Mark Lennon at their Hotel in Paris before the Roger Waters shows. We shot this interview to share with you stories about the band, their experience with "Pink Floyd's The Wall" tour and their upcoming new album. Enjoy!

 

Christian Singer Kenny Snyder released a 4 demo-track album back in 1998 in L.A. with a "who's who" of musicians, including Joseph Williams (Toto), John Patitucci , Steve Reid (Rippingtons),Gregg Bissonette, Dawayne Bailey (Chicago), Bill Champlin (Chicago) and others. "It was a joy to share the lessor talent I possess with giants of the music industry. It was also great to work on this project years ago with my dear friend David Harris" says Kenny.

You can download the songs here! Enjoy!

For more than twenty-five years, Billy Greer has definitely been the Seventh Key in the ongoing success of the classic rock band Kansas. With his unique voice and bass style, Billy has elegantly carved his own distinctive sound with one of rock's finest bands. 

In 2001 he launched his own solo project, ironically called Seventh Key together with former partner in crime, guitarist, songwriter and producer, Mike Slamer with whom he had been playing with in the band Streets in the early 80’s.



Seventh Key released two highly rated studio albums (the self-titled debut in 2001 and the follow up “The Raging Fire” in 2004) and morphed into a real band when they performed live in studio for the “Live in Atlanta” cd / dvd release in 2005. Seventh Key also played live in Germany at the United Forces of Rock in the same year. 



“I Will Survive” marks the long awaited follow up to the albums and brings back Billy and Mike in top form. The songwriting and instrumental arrangements for this album, plus the caliber of the production and performances by all on board brings the fans another total masterpiece of Melodic Hard Rock.




The journey down Revolution Road began when producer Alessandro Del Vecchio and Avenue Of Allies label owner Gregor Klee sat together on the riverside of the Ticino in Northern Italy in the spring of 2011 and talked about some of their favourite singers who didn't release new material during the last couple of years. One of the names that came up during the conversation of the two Classic Rock fans was Stefan Berggren. The distinctive sound of the voice of the former lead singer of Snakes In Paradise and Company Of Snakes was missed by both of them and surely quite a few more followers of the Swedish vocalist and the bands he sang in. Shortly after the exchange of some ideas for the new project Alessandro contacted Stefan, who immediately expressed interest in a cooperation. During the fall and winter of 2011 / 2012 an album began to take shape with Stefan submitting some of his own compositions to the pool of 20 songs for the record, that also included song contributions from Alessandro and his writing partners Paul Logue (Eden's Curse), Carmine Martone and Francesco Marras.

The final song selection, made by executive producer Gregor Klee, sets great store in delivering a track list of the highest order for all lovers of Classic Hard Rock with a touch of Melodic Rock and AOR. With Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge Of Forever, Hardline, Lionville, Fergie Frederiksen) in the producer's seat all of the songwriters also took part in the recording sessions performing as a band on each tune of the record. Carmine Martone and Francesco Marras delivered some smokin' hot guitar work with amazing solos, Paul Logue provided the bass tracks and Francesco Jovino (U.D.O., Sapphire Eyes, Hardline, Skill In Veins) layed down the solid drum groove. Alessandro, who was of course also responsible for the keyboards and some mean Hammond B3 playing, also invited Voodoo Circle main man Alex Beyrodt (Sinner, Primal Fear) to bring the marvelous "Ain't Gonna Give My Heart Away", a particular highlight of the album, to another level. As guests on guitar Stefan brought in his former Snakes In Paradise colleagues, Stefan Jonsson and Thomas Jakobsson as well as Marcus Jidell (Royal Hunt, Dougie White, Alfonzetti).

The recording debut of Revolution Road with its magnificent production of a terrific variety of songs and the more than solid musical performances by seasoned players is the very welcome return of Stefan Berggren, a high class Rock shouter, who is finally back with an album that will convince any Rock fan.

Melodickrock.com

SPARKLANDS is a journey back to a first love – AOR

Music was everything for Thomas Riekerk and his brother Robert Riekerk when they grew up in the Netherlands and AOR was Thomas’ first love. Band posters of Bad English, Giant, Toto and Foreigner were all over the walls of their rooms and in every corner there were guitars and amps. Back then music was not available digitally so the record store became their second home, when they were in search of that one album that was only available through import.

AOR was the music the parents of the Riekerk brothers played at home. Not a day went by without banging drums or screaming guitar solos, Thomas remembers there was always a Giant or Toto track coming from his parents’ stereo. These are the memories that both brothers cherish a lot after their father passed away a few years ago. Times were tough for the Riekerks and the sadness they all experienced could not have been channelled better than through a song. In remembrance of their father, Thomas and Robert wrote the song “Tomocyclus” together, named after the boat of their late father. This song could be described as the beginning of SPARKLANDS and it also became the album title.

Despite all the different musical directions they had both travelled since the AOR filled days of their youth, suddenly there was the urge to make a record together that could have been played on their dad’s stereo. Their first love AOR, the remembrance of father Riekerk: it all comes together in SPARKLANDS. The first noteable appearance of the Riekerk brothers in the music business dates back to the early 90s, when they started to work with the Dutch AOR artist Ralph Van Manen. Ralph’s “Face The Feeling” record from 1992 is one of the best AOR records to come from the Netherlands, on this masterpiece Robert co-wrote several tracks and played guitar and Thomas sang backing vocals.

The Riekerk’s continued to work with Ralph Van Manen on his next albums and Robert had the pleasure of co-writing “Testify To Love” with Ralph, Henk Pool and Paul Field. The song earned them several awards and it became a huge hit for the American band Avalon. Also Wynonna Judd’s version was a big success, later the song was recorded by numerous other artists as well.

Read more at MelodicRock.com

 

More than two decades on from the partnership that produced the multi-platinum albums Edge (1988) and Rise (1990), Sony Music Australia is ecstatic to announce it has re-signed the legendary Daryl Braithwaite and is set to release his brilliant new mini-album, FOREVER THE TOURIST.

Far from an exercise in revisiting past glories and greatest hits – of which, of course, there are plenty – FOREVER THE TOURIST reveals a brand new stunning chapter in Daryl's unparalleled career.

And the centrepiece of this new chapter is the anthemic and sparkling new single, "Not Too Late". In light of the renewal of his partnership with Sony, there could hardly have been a more apt title. It's a story of hope, aspirations and most definitely reflections of life, and the obvious choice – to have a go or not.

"It seems quite appropriate," says Daryl. "Even though it's about a relationship situation, it's saying that maybe it's not too late to try anything, whether it be music or anything else. We've been playing ‘Not Too Late' live and it's been getting a surprisingly good reception, considering the audiences don't know it."

 

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More than 10 years in the making, BOSTON's new studio album, "Life, Love & Hope" is ready for release! Finally emerging from his Hideaway Studio II, Tom Scholz says, "These are songs from the heart, each of them taking many months of effort to write, arrange, perform and record, always up to the demands of BOSTON's harshest critic, me. They have all been meticulously recorded to analogue tape on the same machines and equipment used for BOSTON's hits for the past 35 years."

Available on December 3 on Frontiers Records, this album includes lead vocals from Brad Delp, Tommy DeCarlo, Kimberley Dahme, David Victor, and Tom Scholz, and features tracks with the classic BOSTON sound, as well as the latest in the evolution of Scholz' musical artistry. "I intentionally stayed close to the early BOSTON style on some of the songs, even using the same amps and instruments; on others I let my imagination run wild," says Tom.

All the tracks have the characteristic BOSTON trademark guitars, harmonies, and immaculately-crafted sound. Tom worked very hard to fulfill the expectations of BOSTON fans new and old, and has created a diverse yet cohesive album that truly has something for everyone.