Jem Godfrey says he planning to start writing tracks for a new Frost* album in the near future, however the material may not be released as a conventional CD collection and could be made available in small groups of short songs or one long song in download format every three months or so. Speaking on the band website on April 13th Godfrey says: "So my current plan is to start writing, recording and releasing either single longer pieces or small clusters of shorter songs made available roughly every 3 months or so, with a caveat to the variety of inevitably random external factors that will no doubt crop up along the way. The Dividing Line was the first of these. Thomas Dolby has spoken already of doing something similar with his new album, as has Imogen Heap. I’m sure others will follow. Perhaps it’s something to do with the “now now now!” attitude that the internet has bred in me that makes me think that big gap-album-big gap is not the way of the future anymore."

For the full story see www.frost-music.co.uk.

Shadow Gallery announced today that they will be the headliner on Saturday, October 2nd at ProgPower Europe 2010. After the successful release of “Digital Ghosts” in November 2009 via InsideOut Records, the band is set to bring their epic progressive rock music to the stage. Shadow Gallery, known purely as a studio band until this point, has released 6 albums while the members juggled other music-related jobs and careers with their recordings. After the lost of their original singer MIKE BAKER in October 2008 due to a sudden heart attack, the band vowed to honor their fallen band mate and the fans who loved him by moving forward. They found singer BRIAN ASHLAND who stepped in to add his own graceful style to “Digital Ghosts”.

In their upcoming performance at ProgPower Europe, the band will play selections from “Digital Ghosts”, as well as music from all of their previous releases. Guitarist Gary Wehrkamp states, “I have known Rene Janssen from ProgPower Europe a long time and am thrilled that we are going to play our debut European date at his event. The band is enthusiastic to perform in the Netherlands this coming fall. We anticipate a great time and are eager to meet so many friends from this part of the world face to face as we bring the music of Shadow Gallery to the stage”.

Headliner on Sunday 3 October will be Jon Oliva's Pain, who will make their return at ProgPower Europe after their excellent performance back in 2007. Christopher Kinder, drummer of JOP says “Wow...it is with obvious energy and enthusiasm that we are offered the opportunity to headline this killer festival once again. We will arrive ready and eager to satisfy all JOP/Savatage fans. Holland is JO's favorite country as we are always forced to hit the coffee shop before the beginning of every tour! We will spend much time planning this tour. The setlist will be reviewed many, many times so that we can bring the very best of the past and the present to everyone. Thanks again to Rene and all his staff for this warm and very appreciative invitation. And as he said...we will not disappoint! Cheers one and all...our FESTIVAL is coming to your stage soon.”

May 14th – De Nor, Heerlen (NL)
Double headliner gig with Knight Area

May 21st – Gigant (theaterzaal), Apeldoorn (NL)
Unique acoustic theatre concert. Featuring the special guest appearance of the passionate drummer/percussionist Aldert Glas. Guitar player and vocalist Roland van der Horst says: "We have never done this before so it's really unique for us. And it is a great chance for Mangrove to shine a new light on the many songs we've written in the last 9 years. To play with some exciting new but yet well-known melodies and sounds is just wonderful." Sit down comfortable and relaxed in your easy chair. And enjoy these exciting 'new' songs in the intimacy of the ‘Gigant’ theatre. And of course the boys will be pleased to meet & greet their fans after the show.

May 28th – Das Rind, Rüsselsheim (D)
To the German fans of progressive rock we would like to say: Judge for yourself! Don’t let others let you know afterwards! A unique concert in Germany. This concert is promoted by Progressive Promotion Records. Check out their website they have also many great progressive rock music on offer.

It was my honour and privilege to have worked with Greg and his brother Phil in the last line up of Dagaband for 1985 and 1986, a time I remember with great fondness.

This sad news is made all the more poignant by the fact it comes on the eve of Gregs planned return to the music scene, with a full on relaunch for the Dagaband planned for later this year to commemorate the 25th anniversary of our having split up in 1986.

At the age of 61 Greg had all the energy and enthusiasm for the Dagaband as he would undoubtedly have had at the age of 21 (long before I met him) and work had already commenced on exchanging and sifting through ideas for a long awaited Dagaband album. An album that had actually been started in 1986 and shelved for nearly two and a half decades, - an album Greg had always dreamed about completing, but which will now sadly never see the light of day. Fired up with a revitalised determination and ambition Greg had just bought a Hammond C3 (a model he had always wanted) and was scouring ebay for a replacement for his long gone minimoog to equip himself for Dagabands return, when tragedy struck just over a week ago.

He had entered hospital for a checkup because he felt unwell, tests showed no obvious problems, however he passed away in the hospital that same night due to suspected heart failure. The post mortem could find no reason for this - and an open verdict was recorded.

A planned feature on Dagaband in "Classic Rock presents Prog" magazine (still upcoming) by writer Malcolm Dome was the catalyst that had brought Greg and myself back together earlier this year after a very long gap. Greg was thrilled and inspired that after two and a half decades of inactivity there could still be enough interest in Dagaband to warrant a magazine feature and we had enthusiastically set about making plans for the Dagabands return. However these plans were to be cut tragically short and this reformed Dagaband - 2010 style, was only to have lasted a mere two months. - Ironically Greg didn't even live long enough to see his interview for the magazine come to print.

Originally formed in 1975, many people will remember Dagaband through the early eighties so called progressive rock revival when they came to the public eye alongside groups such as Pallas, Marillion, Solstice and Twelfth Night, though additionally they had actually also already enjoyed a period of comparative success a few years earlier, by having been associated with what was then known as the new wave of British Heavy Metal - NWOBHM. A firey performer onstage, Greg who'd played his very first gig in 1967, had become known for his flamboyant stage show and was definitely one of the more colourful characters of the UK prog scene at that time. Dagaband gigs were legendary for his onstage antics and he will be remembered for having brought a sense of fun to an idiom that had a reputation for po faced seriousness. - However to dwell on his showmanship too much, would be doing a great disservice to his extraordinary level of musicianship; a great improviser, his lengthy wild and free-form improvs interspersed between classical structures were utterly compelling - and it was their inspired spontaneity not to mention their sheer intensity that helped set Dagaband apart from their contemporaries.

It was a very different Dagaband announcement we had been preparing ourselves to make. - On the cusp of a new chapter, Greg had been psyching himself up for what he thought was going to be a triumphant return, a second coming and we were expecting to make an announcement about new beginnings, new horizons and new life for The Dagaband. - A "Second Time Around" to quote the title of the 1983 vinyl EP single release.

Instead I find myself having to write these words for him, saying Goodbye. - Goodbye both to and from Greg Boynton...

R.I.P. Greg