MATT & KIM Get Nekkid! New video!

So, have you heard the new Matt & Kim album, Grand (One Label)? Well, it's the second album from this Brooklyn-based duo and reviews have been great from critics and fans. If you thought that the underground word on this duo wasn't hot enough, the temperature is going to rise a lot more once people get a chance to check out their new video for "Lessons Learned". I don't think that they are going to be an 'underground' act any longer!

Check it out!

Lessons Learned


So, whaddya think?

Peace, love & pancakes,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

PRINCE BUSTER/Ten Commandments Review

"Buster, he sold the heat

With a rocksteady beat..."



Those are the opening lines to the song "The Prince", the debut single from MADNESS, the most successful band to emerge from the UK's Ska movement in the late '70s. They were singing about Jamaican Rocksteady/Ska legend PRINCE BUSTER, an artist who barely cracked the charts in the States but was extremely influential in Jamaica during the '60s and beyond. This popularity spread throughout the UK in the '70s, and every Jamaica-obsessed British youngster adored Buster alongside his more famous Reggae contemporaries (Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, etc.).

While many of the mid to late '70s Punk acts incorporated Reggae and Dub into their sound, there was a new breed of bands who loved the earlier Ska and Rocksteady grooves of acts like Alton Ellis, Desmond Dekker, The Maytals, The Paragons and Prince Buster amongst many many others. These bands included the aforementioned Madness plus The Specials, The Selecter, The (English) Beat and Bad Manners to name just a few. All of these acts formed the core of what has been called 'the second wave' of Ska or 'The 2-Tone Movement', named after the 2-Tone label set up by Jerry Dammers of The Specials. And 30 years later, this second wave remains perhaps more memorable than the first wave of the '60s and the third wave of the '90s.

So,that's it for your history lesson today.

Um... Where was I?

Oh, yeah. I want to tell you about this fabbo reissue of PRINCE BUSTER's 1967 album, Ten Commandments (Reel Music), or to list it's full title, Prince Buster Sings His Hit Song Ten Commandments, which was a U.S. only release at the time, consisting of a handful of various Buster recordings that leaned more towards the soulful side of Jamaican music. In fact, throw it on in your store, at a party, in your car, etc. and what you'll hear is a groovy slice of '70s Soul, but listen beyond the surface and the core of each and every track is pure Jamaican pleasure (or Rocksteady, if you will), right down to the rhythm and backing vocals.

The album is a smooth and self-assured collection of tracks that may have been the U.S.'s first real introduction to Buster (being released through RCA at the time), but it was, by no means, the beginning or the end of his incredible recording career.

The title track, "The Ten Commandments (From Man To Woman)" is about as sexist as as song can get and woud never be played on the radio today, but he does try to balance it later on the album with "The Ten Commandments (From Woman To Man)" by one Princess Buster (who incidentally verbally beats him down when he tries to interrupt HER ten commandments!) Other tracks of note include "Wings Of A Dove" (did Cat Stevens steal the melody of this chorus?), "Girl, Answer To Your Name" and 'They Got To Come".

If you're searching for the Ska beat that inspired 2-Tone, it's not as prevelant here as on some of his other releases, but it is definitely here. The album contains so many musical reference points that were later used by the British Ska bands (Madness even used the title from the aforementioned "Wings Of A Dove" for a later single).

But if you're searching for classic Rocksteady and music that helped pioneer the Jamaican music scene, then Prince Buster is a name to be reckoned with and The Ten Commandments is a more than worthy reissue that must be added to your collection pronto, mon!



Peace, love & pancakes,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

DEPECHE MODE on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

On Thursday, April 23rd, 2009, I experienced a few firsts:

1. After being a Depeche Mode fan for 28 years, I finally saw them live for the first time!

2. After being a television fan for 45 years, I went to my first taping of a real honest-to-goodness hit TV show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!

I'm sure that there were more firsts, but those are the two that stand out in my mind.

But I'm sure you are not reading this to find out more in depth things about MY life, right?

So, anyway, me and my buddy Mike made the trek up to L.A. to attend the taping, thanks to the V.I.P. passes provided by the very wonderful Jacki Feldstein over at EMI. Now, V.I.P. doesn't necessarily mean that we are special... although it was pretty darn cool to stand in a reserved area on stage right.

So, we get there two hours after we leave (more than double the normal time it takes to get to this area of Hollywod), meet up with Jacki, who gives us our wristbands and then, when we find out that drinks are on the house, yours truly starts to drink like a fish. One drink gone in moments, followed by another. And then another. And then a few more. I must have finished off around six cans of Coke Zero by showtime!!

So, Kimmel comes out, says a few things to 12,000+ crowd (I wasn't one of the 12,000. I was one of the +) and before you know it, Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andrew Fletcher are on stage (with their two longtime tour musicians) and then proceed to perform "Wrong", the first single off of their fab new album Sounds Of The Universe!



So, I'm pleased as pie, obviously. Even though the band seemed to be a bit stiff, it was well worth finally seeing them in the flesh. I think Dave even waved at me. Well, he could have been waving at the other 12,000 folks around me, but I doubt it. I think he meant that first wave for me.

So, a few moments after "Wrong" ends, Kimmel and the show's other guests come out on stage, Jimmy says his closing bit and then D-Mode kick into "Personal Jesus". Thought this song was being performed only a few minutes after "Wrong", the band were certainly a lot more loose...



So, the Kimmel taping may have ended there (and they didn't even broadcast the full "Personal Jesus" performance) but the band continued playing more music!

They slipped into "Walking In My Shoes" before tackling a few more songs from Sounds Of The Universe: "Come Back" and "Peace" (on of my fave songs on the album). For what I thought was going to be the last song, the Mode boys performed an extended version of "Enjoy The Silence" (which featured Martin getting funky on guitar). Surprisingly, instead of ending the set with that killer track, they then played "Never Let Me Down Again", yet another great set closer!

After that great performance, we race back to the car, drive over to Tommy's Burgers on Hollywood Blvd and grab a much needed and well-deserved meal (and there's really no better place to go for burgers than Tommy's!)

A great night was had by all.... apart from some of the few guys selling bootleg t-shirts, who were busted by the cops! Nya-Nya-Nya-Nya-Nya! That'll teach you!!

Hope that everyone else at this party had a great time! Thanks to Mike P. for tagging along and especially Jacki for inviting me! So, any V.I.P. passes for their upcoming gigs at the Hollywood Bowl? I want Dave to wave at me again!



Peace, love and pancakes,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

RECORD STORE DAY 2009: An Editorial

If you happened to visit a record store on Saturday, April 18th, 2009 in honor of the 2nd annual RECORD STORE DAY, then THANK YOU! If you are a record store who participated, then THANK YOU! If you are a label that supported RECORD STORE DAY, then THANK YOU!

Though I almost missed the opportunity to support RECORD STORE DAY since I was attending the equally cool Fangoria Convention in Los Angeles, my buddy and I stopped at Amoeba Music in Hollywood on Sunset in order to partake in the festivities. I was overwhelmed by the amount of folks in the store. If you've been to any of the Amoeba Music stores (Berkeley, San Francisco and Hollywood), you know that there are many folks trolling through the bins, searching for that special gem or just checking out the latest releases. But yesterday, the aisles at the Hollywood store were filled with music fans and the line for those who were waiting to buy their treasures extended all the way to the back of this big and beautiful store. It didn't hurt that I managed to catch Wendy & Lisa spinning a sexy, funky DJ set either! Ah, it made me feel so damn good.

I certainly wish that I'd saved some dinero, since there were so many items that I would have loved to purchase. I did manage to buy one title (although it cut into my week's lunch budget): the import digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition of BUZZCOCKS' third album, A Different Kind Of Tension (my fave album by them). I almost cried because there were so many other things I truly NEED to add to my collection including the other two BUZZCOCKS reissues, almost everything CHERRY RED has released in the last year, great new releases I've heard in the office, some choice CAPTAIN OI titles missing from my collection and so many others.

But the build up to this day (and the day itself) really got me thinking: why only celebrate RECORD STORE DAY once per year? I mean, I do understand the idea behind it, the co-ordination, the organization, etc., but I want to celebrate RECORD STORE DAY every single day of the week/month/year. I'd settle for celebrating it every weekend if someone wants to set up a committee to organize it: you'll definitely have my support!! :)

I've been thinking an awful lot about record stores in general over the last few years. I remember getting together with friends 25 years ago and visitng every record store we were able to hit in a given amount of time, whether it was a Friday night trip to LA or a weekend trek to different parts of OC. Two and a half decades ago, there was so much on offer here in OC in regards to record stores: Music Market, Camel Records, Music Plus, Licorice Pizza, Record Trading Center, Pepperland, The Wherehouse, Beggars Banquet, Up Another Octave, Tower Records and many others that are swimming around in my memory banks. Of all those great spots, only Pepperland remains. The others disappeared over the years (and many of them long before downloading began replacing the shopping experience).

Now, I'm not one who is against the idea of legal downloading (I've done the odd track here and there myself), but at the end of the day, after you've paid your money, what do you have? NOTHING! There are files in your computer that seemingly play the music for you, but is that really enough? Can you hold it? Can you feel it? Can you smell it? Can you see it? You didn't buy anything tangible: there are nothing but files on your hard drive made up of numbers, letters and codes. Where is the fun in that? What kind of memories will that leave behind?

An imperfect (and slightly offensive) analogy would be: does internet porn REPLACE an intimate physical relationship with someone? I think not. It may enhance it, but it will never replace it. Same with music: how can someone possibly be satisfied with a download of an entire album when they can actually own a physical piece of product? As I stated before, I am NOT anti-downloading; I am pro-record store! I must admit that the internet IS a great place to LISTEN to new stuff and make your purchasing decisions, though.

In terms of buying your item, the ideal situation is to go to your local indie record store and buy it. If it's not in stock, then have them special order it. It may not be instant gratification, but within a few days, you'll have what you need and you will enjoy the heck out of it. You'll be able to hold it, look at it, listen to it, read the liner notes, etc. You can then load it into your computer and enjoy listening to it that way as well, but the important thing is that you own it. It is yours. It is something you can show to your friends. It is something physical... something REAL.

When I was younger, I spent as much time in local record stores as possible. After school... after work... and, when I got my first record store job, I spent quality record store time AT work! It was more than a hobby... it was an emotional experience that is hard to describe. There are those of us who LIVE for music. It's not just something that is played in the background: it is the soundtrack to our lives!

(About a decade ago, I came up with a motto that fits me to a T: "Some of my best friends are three minutes long"! And that still rings true.)

Even today at the age of 45, I listen to music in the morning, afternoon and evening. I write about music all day long. I still get together with friends on a regular basis and discuss music, play music and hear new music that they share with me. I'm not the only one like this: there are others! Perhaps even YOU! But are there places for all of us to meet anymore? The record store was (and is) more than just a place to spend money: it was a place to spend time, meet like-minded people and learn about new music (or even older releases you may have missed first time around).

There are still plenty of sports bars around for all the sports fans to gather and enjoy a game together and that is awesome. There are upscale coffee shops everywhere where folks can get together and be arty and pretentious, and that, too, is awesome.

But all the record stores I remember from my youth have closed down. It is up to US to support the ones that are still left standing. And if you visited one of them on RECORD STORE DAY, than THANK YOU again. Visit them again tomorrow... or next weekend, too! Perhaps the kids of today and tomorrow will one day realize that the record store experience is amazing indeed. It is up to US to show them the way.

P.S. After all these years, the same friends I used to go record shopping with 25 years ago are STILL my friends and I'd like to give a shout-out to them: Chuck, Jeff G, Jeff K, Jannette, Matthew, Kristin and many others.

Peace, love and pancakes,

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

The views and opinions expressed in this posting are strictly those of the author.

New STOCK, AITKEN & WATERMAN reissues on the CHERRY POP label!

PRINCESS, LONNIE GORDON and MANDY SMITH:

The SPECIAL EDITIONS

CHERRY POP RECORDS releases three of the most in-demand titles from the STOCK, AITKEN & WATERMAN vaults!

So, who are STOCK, AITKEN & WATERMAN and why should you already know those names?

Well, because those three gentlemen (Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman) were the most popular production team (and songwriters) during the latter part of the '80s and early part of the '90s. They had an incredible run of hits, including 100 Top 40 chartbusters! In fact, their partnership remains one of the most successful in all of music history!

Still not clicking with you? Well, perhaps you know some of these songs? The SAW team either produced or wrote (or both) these worldwide hits:

DEAD OR ALIVE/You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)
BANANARAMA/Venus
RICK ASTLEY/Never Gonna Give You Up
KYLIE MINOGUE/I Should Be So Lucky
SAMANTHA FOX/Touch Me (I Want Your Body)
DONNA SUMMER/This Time I Know It's For Real

There are tons more tracks I could list, but I'm sure you'll be familiar with those, right?. If you never really linked the songs together before in your head, I'm sure it might make some sense to you now? That incessant rhythm, those infections melodies... the SAW production team had a way of making even the most banal song entertaining (not saying any of the above songs are banal... far from it!). When the three head honchos were too busy, they also had great producers like Pete Hammond, Phil Harding and Ian Curnow working alongside them in their PWL studios.

(Believe it or not, SAW actually produced three tracks for Judas Priest some 20 years ago, which remain unreleased to this day. If you thought this was a rumor, think again: I asked Rob Halford about it and he confirmed that it was true and perhaps, one day, the public will hear the results!)

The Stock, Aitken & Waterman sound and style was like an '80s version of Motown: great, catchy tunes and an array of vocalists moving through their Hit Factory offices like a human production line. Add in a bit of Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards' Disco flair and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis smooth R&B grooves and the PWL/SAW sound was familiar yet unique. Staunch music critics frowned upon the very idea of SAW, but Pop and Dance music lovers (ie: the consumer) ate it up like it was food from the Gods.

So, after that semi-brief history on the production team, let's concentrate on today's delicious three course meal, direct from the Stock, Aitken & Waterman kitchen! These three releases come courtesy of of of UK label CHERRY RED's latest imprints, CHERRY POP.


So, let's start with the appetizer:

PRINCESS-"Princess (Special Edition)"
PRINCESS was a session singer who came in to lay down some vocals for SAW tracks that they intended to shop around to various artists. She essentially made "Say I'm Your Number One" her own and SAW, while hesitant at first, released her version... and the rest is history! With this enormous hit under their belts, they started work on more tracks together. This, her 1986 debut album, was the result. More hits followed, including "After The Love Has Gone", "I'll Keep On Loving You" and "In The Heat Of A Passionate Moment". While an R&B album at it's core, this full length had an extremely tasteful Pop production, adding to it's crossover appeal. While the original album featured only eight tracks, every one of them is a treat with absolutely no filler. Thankfully, the fine folks at Cherry Pop have added an additional seven tracks including remixes PLUS Princess' original demo of "Say I'm Your Number One', the track that started it all! This digitally remastered and expanded editions is available and is worth your time and attention.



Moving on to the main course:

LONNIE GORDON-"If I Have To Stand Alone (Special Edition)"

With some great R&B/Soul/Dance session work already under her belt, Philadelphia-born vocalist Lonnie Gordon made her way to the UK in the late '80s, eventually finding herself snug in the welcoming arms of the SAW/PWL corporation. While releasing a slew of singles that should have dominated the upper reaches of the Top Ten, Lonnie's SAW career didn't pan out as well as many expected. While she is best remembered for the hit single 'Happenin' All Over Again", none of her other singles made as much of an impact and this album was only released in Europe, Japan and Australia. To be honest, it's truly hard to understand why she didn't chalk up more hits and become a worldwide Dance music sensation! Lonnie's voice was (and still is) a big, booming and beautiful thing. Like Donna Summer, Freda Payne and Gloria Gaynor all rolled into one, Lonnie had the chops and the charm to become a superstar. The album itself is one of the most consistent full-length albums in the SAW catalog, filled with great Dance/Pop and fully deserving of the Special Edition treatment it receives here. Not only do you get the original 10 track album, there are seven bonus tracks added featuring great mixes PLUS the amazing "How Could He Do This To Me?", one of SAW's finest moments that was initially scrapped and remained in the vaults for many years. Full of flavor and depth, this is a tasteful and filling meal for the body and soul.



And now, for dessert:

MANDY SMITH: Mandy (Special Edition)
MANDY was the self-titled 1988 album from the British teenage model and gossip column favorite MANDY SMITH (who was married at the age of 13 to Rolling Stones' bassist Billy Wyman, who was 47 at the time!). Like SAMANTHA FOX before her, Mandy's beauty and notoriety made her the perfect vehicle for SAW's Pop tunes: the public were so fascinated by her anyway, she was bound to shift a few units just out of the curiosity factor. Her singing career under the PWL banner began when she was 16 and ended just three years later, but there is enough tasty treats left behind to satisfy your sweet and fluffy cravings. This album features her hit singles, some nice album tracks and, on this Special Edition, eight bonus cuts that includes remixes and non-album tracks. Highpoints include "Boys & Girls", "Positive Reaction", the Giorgio Moroder-inspired "My Boy" and her 1989 recording of Human League's "Don't You Want Me" (retitled "Don't You Want Me Baby?" with slightly altered lyrics). While a few tracks veer unconvincingly towards a straight Pop sound ("Victim Of Pleasure" sounds like a weak Stacey Q impression), it's the light-hearted Dance tracks that end up working the best. Though not as soulful as Princess and Lonnie Gordon, Mandy Smith's Dance/Pop is light, tasty and the perfect ear candy to top of this delicious SAW meal.

Needless to say, these albums are unpretentious and fun, the perfect antidote to the dreary and drab news that we hear each and every day on TV and the internet. Add a little fun and sun to your life with Cherry Pop's latest offerings!

Peace, love and pancakes,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

New PET SHOP BOYS video for "Love Etc."

Howdy!

Here's the video for the first single lifted from the Pet Shop Boys' 2009 album Yes. The song is called "Love, Etc." and is one of their best singles in years!






PET SHOP BOYS-Yes (EMI)
Available April 21st!

LEVEL 42 reissues coming from Demon/Edsel

Great

LEVEL 42

news, gang!

Two sorely overlooked albums by LEVEL 42 are getting the deluxe two CD treatment from the fabulous UK label Demon/Edsel: Guaranteed (1991) and Forever Now (1994)!

Each of the CDs will contain all tracks from the original releases (including the bonus tracks found on the cassette and CD versions plus the extra tracks found on the reissue of Forever Now) and each will also include a bonus CD filled to the brim with b-sides, remixes and more!

Both albums are worth your while if you are a fan of their earlier material. In fact, it'd be safe to say that Forever Now is one of their best albums!

Just check out some of these great songs!

From GUARANTEED








From FOREVER NOW:

JOHN WETTON & GEOFFREY DOWNES Interview

ICONversation:

An Interview with John Wetton and Geoffrey Downes

Text by Stephen SPAZ Schnee

John Wetton and Geoffrey Downes are true Rock icons. Wetton, an extraordinary bassist, vocalist and songwriter, played with King Crimson, Roxy Music and UK before joining forces with Yes guitarist Steve Howe and forming the 'supergroup' Asia in 1981. The third recruit to the Asia fold was another Rock legend: drummer Carl Palmer, formerly of Emerson Lake &... In need of a keyboardist, Howe suggested Geoffrey Downes, who had recently gained fame as both a member of Synthpop duo The Buggles and as Rick Wakeman's replacement in the short-lived Drama-era line up of Yes. Downes was a perfect fit and the band became a unit: four exceptional musicians playing together as one. Wetton and Downes became the core songwriting unit of Asia, writing all of their hits including “Heat Of The Moment” and “Only Time Will Tell”.
Though the original Asia quartet splintered after their sophomore album, members of the band continued to work together, on and off, over the next few decades. Wetton teamed up with Phil Manzanera for an album and released some fantastic solo work. Meanwhile, Downes continued using the Asia name with an entirely new line-up through the '90s. Though this line-up of Asia did not reach the commercial highs of the original quartet, they recorded some fantastic AOR albums in their own right.
Wetton and Downes renewed their writing partnership in the early part of the millennium, finally releasing, Icon, their first full-fledged effort as a duo, in 2005. Icon II: Rubicon followed in 2006. Asia fans were overjoyed when the original quartet reformed and toured to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the band's original formation. An Asia studio album, Phoenix, was released in early 2008, followed by even more touring.
During a break in Asia's hectic schedule, Wetton and Downes wrote and recorded Icon 3, an album that might well be their most consistent and inspiring full length collaboration to date. From beautiful ballads to accomplished rockers, Icon 3 is filled with fantastic melodies, artful musical passages (from Downes) and Wetton's most confident vocals to date. AOR, Icon and Asia fans will be blown away, to say the least. And with any luck, Icon 3 might connect with a whole new audience of young listeners eager to hear how honest and real music is made.
Wanting to know more about this latest Icon release, Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with Wetton and Downes just before they took off on another leg of their world tour with Asia.

SPAZ: With all the activity going on in your careers, how did you find time to put together Icon 3? It's barely been a year since Phoenix was released...
JOHN WETTON: We were on tour when we made our decision to go ahead with Icon 3. In May, Geoff and I had lunch in Bratislava, and made plans to meet to start work on this project in June. Our first meeting was at my house, at the piano where we wrote many Asia anthems in the '80s, and we ended the afternoon with 11 ideas. They are the same 11 ideas that are on the CD.
GEOFFREY DOWNES: We set aside a time-frame and started afresh on the new Icon album. As Asia was on hiatus, we could concentrate our efforts solely on Icon

SPAZ: Were the songs on Icon 3 specifically written for this project or were any of them left over from the previous Icon albums or Phoenix?
JW: A good idea is never wasted. 'Peace in Our Time' is a tune that was born around the time I was rehearsing with Bill Bruford and Rick Wakeman in 1976. 'Sex, Power and Money' was a title that had been flown when I was writing in California in 1991 for (solo album) Battle Lines. 'Don't Go Out Tonight' was written (by us) in 1987. Lots of the stuff is new, however, but not all. That's normal for us.
GD: We went in and the 11 ideas we had penned in from the beginning stayed right to the end, and made up the exact formation of the album.

SPAZ: The second Icon album, Rubicon, was loosely based on a concept that John had. Does Icon 3 have an overt or underlying concept as a whole?
GD: I don’t think there is a particular theme to 3, although we were conscious of putting across a positive message. We had a lot of fun writing and recording the material, and hopefully this shines through on the album.

SPAZ: Was there any particular event (s) or inspirations that inspired the songs on Icon 3?
GD: Without going into specific songs, they all have an experience-related idea behind them. For instance, 'Green Lights & Blue Skies' is based around the atmosphere in a nightclub. But there is a wealth of diverse experiences we hung the songs on.
JW: We chose the symbol 'Aum', which looks remarkably like a 3, because it means an all-encompassing, non-specific deity. Everything.


SPAZ: Icon 3 has a nice variety of songs, ranging from gorgeous ballads to anthemic rockers. What tends to dictate the arrangement of the songs: the lyrics or the melody?
JW: It just happens: we don't know how it works ourselves. The mood, or spirit, of the song will dictate to us what the arrangement is and further musical decoration will enhance this.
GD: I think it’s all about contrast, and possibly this album (of the three Icons) boasts the most diversity. We like the idea of going from a high power rock track to a subtle orchestral arrangement. Music is, after all, all about dynamics. There are no rules in creation of the material. We just let it invent itself and mature over a period of time.

SPAZ: When you write together, do you approach writing for Icon and writing for Asia with different mindsets or do you just let the songs come naturally?
JW: Sometimes, we’ll say 'This would be good for Icon', or 'This will never fly with Asia', but, in general, we just write, and then the only difference between Asia and Icon is purely in the ear of the listener. For instance, we have written for other people ('We Move As One' for Agnetha from Abba) and performed the song at an Icon concert.
GD: To be honest, we are generally focused on one project at a time. Therefore, when we have an Asia album to write, we are not really thinking in terms of Icon. Therefore, the ideas rarely overlap.

SPAZ: Do you find songwriting easier now at this stage of your career?
JW: No, it’s never easy, it's always tough, and sometimes my muse will leave it till the last minute to visit, which can be stressful.
GD: I think both John and myself have re-invented our partnership over the last few years, and we never seem to have a problem coming up with ideas. We do view music with very similar perspectives, so many things are assumed, and left unsaid. As long as we have new ideas and visions, the music will keep coming.

SPAZ: John's voice sounds better than ever, especially on tracks like “My Life Is In Your Hands”, “Under The Sky” and “Destiny”, while Geoff's personality really shines with outstanding keyboard work throughout the album. At times, do you still feel that you have something to prove?
GD: Very kind of you to say so. I believe the challenges we set each other help to fuel the fire. Certainly, John is singing at the top edge of his game, and, yes, I think we both feel we’ve got something to prove, and continue to challenge ourselves in the future.
JW: If you enjoy what we do, then there's always more to come. We have less fear these days, and rather relish the idea of doing something unconventional.

SPAZ: The Icon albums seem more organic, personal and warm compared to Asia's albums. Is this intentional or is it simply a case of less cooks in the kitchen?
JW: No, it's back to fear again. We have absolutely no constraints on Icon writing, production or performance. There's always a feeling while the same process with Asia is that it must be 'Asia'. That doesn't enter into our mindset with Icon; we deliberately include duets with female singers, bring in special guests (Andreas Vollenweider, Katie Jacoby) who take the music into a seriously different firmament.
GD: It’s a very different process working with Asia. We are a band of four individuals who all contribute the sound, and it’s a total group effort. With Icon, it’s very much just me and John creating the ideas. Within this, we feel a certain freedom to add elements such as acoustic orchestral instruments, female vocals, etc., which wouldn’t work within the Asia framework.

SPAZ: Apart from John and Geoff, there's some exceptional vocal and instrumental work on Icon 3. Who worked on the album with you?
JW: Hugh McDowell (ELO's cellist) works on all the Icon recordings, Andreas Vollenweider (harp) is a major feature on two songs ('Raven' and 'Anna's Kiss'), Anne-Marie Helder's voice is a stunning addition, and new guys Dave Kilminster (guitar) and Pete Riley (drums) make amazing contributions.
GD: The song is the all important aspect on Icon. We see this in a joint conceptual direction, and the orchestrations are there to embellish the song and voice. We view Icon almost as a classical ensemble rather than a rock band.

SPAZ: While your fanbase is exceptionally strong and dedicated, do you have hopes that Icon 3 might reach listeners outside your normal demographic?
JW: It's a nice thought: we'll have to see. We don't consciously make a great effort to change our style or write hit material because, these days. those things are not pertinent to our corner of the record market. People who like Icon love it.
GD: I sometimes think, maybe naively, that one day, our music will reach other audiences such as Radio 2. It’s all down to promotion, but certainly, I see no reason why the Icon project should not touch and reach a wider audience.

SPAZ: What's next for Wetton & Downes?
JW: Asia tour starting in Moscow: we'll tour through the summer then start thinking about recording again in September.
GD: I think we’ve established our own style with Icon, and having completed the third album of our ‘trilogy’, maybe later in the year, we’ll sit down and talk about another album. Certainly, I think we’ve done enough so far to justify continuing with the project.


SPAZ: What is currently spinning on your CD and DVD players?
GD: This may well be where our personal musical tastes differ. I’m fairly sure John would not be too enthusiastic about some of my tastes in dance music! I’m often drawn to music which features keyboards, naturally, and so you would not be surprised to hear me playing some Ministry Of Sound or Ibiza-based dance anthems.
JW: Last CD I bought was Bruce Springsteen's Working On A Dream. The latest DVDs are Dark Knight (Director's Cut) and Atonement.

WETTON/DOWNES-Icon 3

AVAILABLE NOW!

HIGH SOCIETY-I Never Go Out The Rain (Angel Air Records)

I love those "WOW!" moments when listening to new albums and reissues. You know, those moments when you slide a disc into the CD player while you're driving and then something comes on that makes you want to pull over and just enjoy the album in it's entirety without being bothered by annoying drivers, traffic and the long drive home. But alas, you must continue that trek home and deal with the trials and tribulations that life throws out in front of you. Until you get home, that is! When home, you can slip on the headphones and be transported into whatever world the music takes you...

Well, I was aware of who HIGH SOCIETY were, but had never actually heard the album before. When my good friends over in the UK sent me a copy of the self-titled reissue on Angel Air, I was very pleased indeed. And what I heard gave me many "WOW!" moments on my long drive home! But before I tell you about the album, let me fill you in on the band...

The band was formed in England at the tail end of the '70s by Richard Hudson, John Ford and Terry Cassidy. Hudson and Ford had been members of The Strawbs before moving on as a duo, scoring a handful of hits in the '70s. They then formed a New Wave-influenced band called The Monks with Terry Cassidy. No, this was not the same Monks that are best known for their insane '60s Garage Rock and questionable haircuts. This was an entirely different band. Hudson, Ford and Cassidy's Monks scored a few hits (and sold very very well in Canada, I might add) but, being talented musicians and songwriters, there was more to these three maestros than anyone could imagine.

On a lark, the three wrote a song called "I Never Go Out In The Rain", inspired by the classic vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley music of the '30s that they all admired while growing up in the Rock 'N' Roll era. The song turned out so well that they wrote and recorded an entire album in that style, renamed themselves HIGH SOCIETY and released it in 1981 to an unsuspecting world. Well, as you know, 1981 was not the greatest year for anyone to release an album influenced by vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley and, while they did have some success, it seemed that New Wave and Punk were still ruling the airwaves and the album sadly sailed off into the sunset...

Well, thanks to Angel Air Records, we can all relive the heyday of HIGH SOCIETY with this 2009 reissue of their album, now titled I Never Go Out In The Rain, along with some nifty bonus tracks. And let me tell you, although the style of the music reaches back to the '30s, the actual production of the album is so superb, you'd never guess that many of these tracks are nearly 30 years old! This is truly timeless stuff.

Imagine, if you will, a recording session with Rudy Vallee, Neil Innes, Vivian Stanshall and other assorted Bonzo Doo Dah Band members, Ian Whitcomb and Paul McCartney during his "Honey Pie" phase and you might be picking up what I'm laying down....

Other bands would reach back into the archives and re-record some classic songs of that era, but not High Society. Hudson, Ford and Cassidy actually wrote all original songs that sound so authentic, you could fool your dear ol' granny!

And the songs are really fab, too! "Got To Get Out Of This Rut", "Sitting On A Rainbow", "Down By The River" and "Top Hat & Tails" are just a few of the tracks that are on constant rotation here at Spaz Central. And even Mrs. Spaz is digging it, too!

If you are not feeling adventurous, it might become tiresome halfway through, but if you approach it with an open mind and let the music lift you and sweep you away, then you will be quite surprised on just how fun this ride really is!

If you are the type who likes a little taste before you dive in, then check out the band's music at their MySpace site:

http://www.myspace.com/highsocietyukband

AVAILABLE NOW!

TINTED WINDOWS-S/T (S-Curve/EMI)

OK, as much as I love music and long to listen to anything new, hip and exciting, I have to admit that I am usually skeptical when it comes to 'supergroups'. I love ASIA, but nothing since then has really floated my boat. So, when I heard that there was a new 'supergroup' on the horizon named TINTED WINDOWS that features James Iha (SMASHING PUMPKINS), Adam Schlesinger (FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE), Bun E. Carlos (CHEAP TRICK) and Taylor Hanson (HANSON... yes, HANSON!), I went into 'skeptic mode' almost immediately. But then I thought about it: all four of these guys were in bands that were unashamedly POP. And I LOVE Pop, be it Power Pop, Pure Pop, Synth Pop, Progressive Pop or Whatever Pop. Heck, I'll even listen to Soda Pop just cuz the word 'Pop' is in the name! So, I thought I'd give it a go...

All I can say is TINTED WINDOWS kicks more butt than you can possibly imagine! With guitar-fueled, glorious POP songs filled with hooks galore, this self-titled platter is everything a guitar Pop fan has been looking for... and maybe even better than that.

Every song is chock full of melody, harmony and energy (three key ingredients in Power Pop) and there is not a beat wasted here. The songs leap out of your speakers and never overstay their welcome. Only two of the album's 11 songs clock in over 4 minutes, while most stay within the 3 minute range (another key ingredient in the Power Pop stew).

More importantly, there is not one song here that seems forced or awkward; the band sounds like they are having fun from the first note to the last. No posing, no strutting... just energetic guitar Pop that should be blasting out of every car radio this summer. Yes, this is 'cruisin' down the boulevard with the top down and the stereo turned up' Pop/Rock.

More Cheap Trick and Fountains Of Wayne than Smashing Pumpkins or Hanson, Tinted Windows works because all four members are extremely talented musicians who bring their own talents to the table and never over-extend themselves.

Certainly one of the best albums of the year so far and that is saying quite a bit since there have been some fantastic releases recently! But you'll find out about those in other blog postings!

RELEASED APRIL 21st, 2009