DPRP News Blog

Happy New Year! Oh – we already did that…well Happy February! We know we’ve been quiet so far this year but there is lots going on behind the scenes.

We’ve just come back from another successful week at Real World Studios. It’s a fantastic place to work with a great atmosphere. Most studios (including the Racket Club) consist of a Studio room, where the band set up and play and a Control Room where the recording equipment and mixing desk are situated. This is normally where the producer is located too. Real World has such a big Control Room that there is plenty of space for the whole band and the producer to set up without the need for a separate live room. The drum kit can get a bit loud at times, spilling over into the guitar and vocal mics but it’s worth it for the improved working environment, especially when we need to talk a lot about what we are doing.

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In response to recent rumors circulating about music legend and original Yes vocalist / songwriter Jon Anderson being asked to re-join YES – these rumors are unfounded and false. Jon Anderson is busy with his solo career; he is currently on tour performing solo, as well as recording new music.

Jon’s solo tour promises to deliver an exciting mixture of material from his prolific solo career, collaborations with Vangelis and classic Yes songs, along with new compositions from his new CD ‘Survival & Other Stories’.

Jon Anderson US 2012 tour dates can be found HERE!

iO Pages announces their returning progfestival in Zoetermeer at October 6th in De Boerderij.

First names already presented: Sylvan, DeeExpus and Knight Area.
More names soon to be announced.

Arjen is proud to announce that he was able to enlist the talents of legendary screen actor Rutger Hauer as the narrator on his forthcoming solo album. “This is a dream come true,” he says. “Rutger is not only one of my favorite actors, he also starred in my all-time favorite sci-fi movie, Blade Runner.”

Rutger also enjoyed the collaboration with Arjen, saying “it was marvelous work, very creative.”

Arjen’s solo album (title TBA) is scheduled for release by InsideOut on 23 April (Europe) and 8 May (USA). More info to follow soon!

From all of us at ArjenLucassen.com and until next time!

Unfortunately this sad news only came in today.

Brett Douglas Stranne, 52, a popular Marin musician lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, passing away on Thanksgiving Day 2011. Stranne has worked as church music director at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Novato. Known in the rock music industry as Bret Douglas, he was lead vocalist in Cairo, a band that has released three progressive-rock albums.

Bret was married with two college-age children, he lived in Novato, CA.

Guitar maestro Gordon Giltrap recently announced that he will return to his prog rock roots for his next studio album, which will also see Oliver Wakeman on keyboards…

This year is going to be a bit special, as I have invited Oliver Wakeman, son of Rick to be my collaborator on a project. I’m delighted to say that he has said “YES” Please forgive the obvious connection with a certain band!

To that end I have started the painful process of composing material for a new more rock orientated album, with almost a return to my Prog Rock Roots of the 70’s.I’m currently working on a piece dedicated to Hilary called ‘One For Billie’ that I started nearly 20 years ago, and which in its original form is on YOUTUBE. What I have done is basically to de-construct the piece and start afresh with new ideas and a new approach which I believe has improved the piece beyond recognition, whilst retaining the essence of the original.

I have to confess that the older I get the longer it takes to write this stuff. Maybe it’s to do with the passing years or maybe just the desire to create as near a perfect piece as possible. That intention has always been there within everything I write, but not everything has that “magic” quality to it like Down the River, Heartsong or Camber Sands, but one keeps trying to aim for the stars and by so doing one hopefully creates work of lasting value.

With Oliver’s input I’m certain it will make the creative journey, sometimes PERILOUS (sorry about that), so much easier and satisfying.

We couldn’t find any footage of Gordon and Oliver, however - perhaps a taster of what might be from Gordon & Rick?

After an absence of 8 years legendary British band “Caravan” return to The Netherlands for a three day convention together with bands as Lady Lake and Flamborough Head. This weekend you can expect lots of music and workshops and signing sessions during the breakfast.

Caravan will play a peculiar gig. Which songs do you like to have on the setlist? Send the band your favourite ten songs.

Starting Fridag 23th March – Andijk (NL)

Mostly Autumn are very proud and excited to announce the pre-sale of the special edition of their new album… “The Ghost Moon Orchestra.”

The special edition will be limited to 2000 and will consist of, as well as The Ghost Moon Orchestra; a second album entitled A Weather For Poets, which will be an acoustic album with some new and some re-worked Mostly Autumn songs.

“Some songs, which don’t fit the ‘vibe’ of the main album, but work beautifully as acoustic songs make this special edition album the ideal place to showcase them. Also some Mostly Autumn songs work really well acoustically and again, this is the ideal way to put a different slant on them. I hope you will enjoy it.” Also Bryan Josh.

Due to medical treatment, Benoît David is missing the April dates in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Hawaii, with Glass Hammer’s Jon Davison filling in.

The band then plan to return to North America and possibly Europe in the summer. Whether Benoît returns is not known at this time!

Vocalist Benoît David, a native of Montreal, Canada, has been singing with Yes since 2008. Benoît has also been the lead singer of Mystery since 1999, and has appeared on two albums: Beneath the Veil of Winter’s Face and One Among the Living. Fly From Here is Benoît’s first studio recording with Yes.

UPDATE:
“Jon Davison is coming in because of Benoit’s departure. I always hope that when there is a member change in the band that it will be a permanent thing. Only time will tell really”, founding member Chris Squire told Noise11.com this morning.
“I don’t know if I’m meant to be telling you this yet, so I guess you’ve got a scoop,”

Like Benoit David, Jon Davison was discovered fronting a Yes covers band. Benoit had joined Yes after the departure of original singer Jon Anderson. He has been suffering from respiratory failure this year and could not continue on for the Australia tour in April. However, his departure is permanent.

“Yes, he has officially left Yes,” Chris says.

We’re finished, “Map of the Past”!! (after an extented period of tinkering and fairy dust dispersing by our beloved king JB). The new album is in the hands of the recordcompany which means it’s someone elses problem now.

I can honestly say it’s been a much more rewarding experience and much less painful one than last time. JB feels the same. To summarise, of all the things I have ever been involved in the writing of, this is the thing which I am most proud of… To such an extent that I really really won’t be looking at any reviews LOL! (Or marvelling at how badly it sells).

Anyways, we’re looking at organising a listening party very soon and inviting along anyone who has the remotest of interest in hearing the beast before it gets thrown to the vipers!

Needless to say everything is totally different now and as sparkly as Ben Eltons 80s jacket!!

So there! Until we meet again. It Bites

This particular show will focus on 1971′s Nursery Cryme in its entirety with the addition of some rarely played material from 1976, which by all reckonings was a pretty terrific year for Genesis.

The Watch will try and shake the formula up a bit this time by playing post Gabriel era Genesis with the best tracks of the formidable duo of A Trick of The Tail and the wonderful Wind and Wuthering album. Ever wonder what the Genesis songs would have sounded like had Peter Gabriel not left the band way back then? Rossetti’s unique “gabrielesque” voice will let you discover, so wonder no more. What’s more the instrumentation will be totally early ’70s and the sound is sure to be different but I guess there’s only one way of knowing what it will sound like… All of this with highlights from the band’s smash hit last albums from Vacuum to Timeless.

10 March – Mons (BE) / with John Hackett
20 April – Zoetermeer (NL)
22 April – Verviers (BE)
12 May – Ulft (NL)
18 May – Leeuwarden (NL)