Where are they now? - former Yes members

This page last updated: 6 Feb 2010
 
YES and projects with several Yesmen
Jon
Anderson
Chris
Squire
Steve
Howe
Alan
White
Rick
Wakeman
Bill
Bruford
Tony
Kaye
Peter
Banks
Patrick
Moraz
Trevor
Horn
Geoff
Downes
Trevor
Rabin
Billy
Sherwood
Igor
Khoroshev
Anderson & Wakeman
Asia
CIRCA:
Yoso
Oliver Wakeman
Benoît David
Others associated with the band


Jon Anderson

Anderson news is on its own page.
Bill Bruford Official website for Bill Bruford and Earthworks; News; MySpace page

Bruford has largely retired from performance. He continues to run his Summerfold and Winterfold labels. In his autobiography, he says:

Truth be told, I haven't really enjoyed my music-making for quite a while [...] There are bits of the procedure that are intensely agreeable: the watching as arms and legs produce genuine surprise; the applause at the end of the concert; the camaraderie of fellow musicians; the fleeting moments when everthing comes into focus live or on record [...] Like all occupations, there also exists the extremely disagreeable. But neither the agreeable nor disagreeable circumstamces surrounding the music-making should be confused with the pure enjoyment of the music-making itself. We musicians go a long way, literally, in seach of that most intense of feelings. Until recently, I've always found just enough petrol to keep going, but not a drop more. Now I'm running on empty.

All About Jazz's review of the book says, "he's not deserting music entirely, with plans to speak on the subject of a career in music, manage his burgeoning Summerfold and Winterfold record labels and more." To an interviewer in 2009, he said that he plays practices drumming, but not as much as he used to, in order that he can still teach. He talks further about his life now he's retired in an Aug 2009 interview with ProgressiveEars.com, saying, "No time yet to think of 2010, I'm too exhausted from being retired."

It appears Bruford did manage one live performance in 2009, playing in Soul House, described as an "occasional" band to back singer Ann Bailey (has done sessions for Martine McCutcheon, Damien Wilson, Donna Summer, Right Said Fred, Kurd Maverick & Eddie Thoneick). A 1 May performance is on YouTube with Bailey (lead vocalist), Bruford (drums), Tom Walker (guitar), Graham Brierton (bass), Andy Smith (keys), Elliot May (backing vocals), Kate Cameron (backing vocals), Jim Cheek (sax), Matijn Van Galen (trumpet).

pianocircus playing the music of Colin Riley featuring Bill Bruford
Bruford's last project of new music was with composer Colin Riley (MySpace page; Brunel Univ. page) and keyboard collective pianocircus (MySpace page; have worked with Brian Eno, Yumi Hara Cawkwell). Bruford and Riley met in the latter half of 2006. They played a show (described by Riley as more like an "open rehearsal" and by Bruford as "under-rehearsed") in Sep 2007 in London. After an opening set by pianocircus, Bruford and pianocircus (4/6 of the usual group, performing on keyboards) performed 6 pieces by Riley (with some improvised parts), who conducted.

The group recorded an album late 2008, Skin & Wire: pianocircus featuring Bill Bruford play the music of Colin Riley (Summerfold, BBSF023CD; album MySpace page), now out. Audio samples can be heard at the collaboration's MySpace page. Tracks (composed by Riley unless otherwise stated): "Kit and Caboodle" (by Riley/Bruford), "Pale Corridor", "Stalling Between Two Fools", "The Still Small Voice", "Achilles' Feel" (free to download here), "Without a Hand to Hold (for JM)", "Squiggle Zipper", "Tear", "Ebb Cast". Appearing on the album are Riley (programming), Bruford (drums, percussion), Julian Crampton (bass) and pianocircus (piano, keys), with David Appleton (worked with Kate Ryder, Yumi Hawa Cawkwell), Adam Caird (Ephyra), Semra Kurutaç (duoDorT), and Kate Halsall (duoDorT, Tamesis Ensemble).

Riley describes the work: "[it] will not only continue the sparse delicacy of recent electronic works, but also explore high-energy groove-based territory." Bruford described it in a Feb 2009 blog entry so: "In which a composer supervises a jazz drummer who used to be a rock drummer playing with a group of classical pianists best known for performing systems music." In a Mar 2008 blog entry, Bruford described an "experimental day" with Riley, recording engineer Chris Lewis, and musician/digital technologist David Plans Casal (Brunel Univ. page). In a Jun entry, he said:

Work continuing slowly on an album for composer Colin Riley and PianoCircus. We were back using the facilities at Brunel University this week. With all parameters up for grabs – when you’re making one of those albums which tries to offer fresh views of what is or is not appropriate for the drums to be doing, when chance and random acts may be as profitable as written parts, it’s going to take a while, but no-one’s in a hurry. We’ll see where it leads us.

In a Sep 2008 interview, Bruford said, "The CD is somewhat influenced by guitarist David Torn's recent album called Prezens. Like Torn, Riley reserves the right to judiciously alter, or tamper with, or wreck what he hears, but in Torn's case, the source material was mostly improvised, and in our case it is mostly written." Read my interview with Colin Riley about the collaboration here.
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Re-issues and archival releases
Now out is an archival live Moraz-Bruford release entitled In Tokyo (Winterfold, BBWF011CD), a 1985 live recording that has previously been bootlegged. Tracks: "Blue Brains", "Hazy", "Eastern Sundays", "Cachaca", "Galatea", "The Drum Also Waltzes", "Flags", "Children's Concerto", "Jungles of the World", "Temples of Joy". The album omits part of the set, namely "Impromptu, Too", "Machines Programmed by Genes", "Serenade" (from "Time for a Change"). 6 of the tracks on In Tokyo are those previously used as bonus tracks on the Winterfold re-releases of the prior Moraz-Bruford albums.

The next album on Summerfold is a re-release of One (BBSF024CD), the 2000 album by Pete Lockett's Network Of Sparks featuring Bill Bruford, due 25 Jan. He also said that the next Winterfold release "is as yet undecided".

Now out are two compilations: the 2CD The Summerfold Collection (1987-2008) (BBSF022CD) includes two rare tracks ("The Sound of Surprise", previously only released on the Japanese release of The Sound of Surprise; and "Beelzebub" performed by Earthworks feat. Tim Garland, from the Drum Nation sample). The 1CD The Winterfold Collection (1978-1986) (BBWF010CD) contains no rarities. A sampler DVD with a lengthy interview with Bruford (done by Jon Kirkman) is available. The DVD includes samples from releases by Bruford, Earthworks, Bruford-Borstlap and the World Drummer's Ensemble. 2000 copies of the DVD were available for free. The sampler will also be included with the DVD release of Earthworks' "Footloose in NYC" (BBSF 020DVD) and can be viewed on Voiceprint's YouTube page. It is also available for sale from Voiceprint under the name "Sampler and Interview".

In his 15 Jul 2008 blog, Bruford said: "I think Voiceprint is about to release a live Gong album from the short time I was with them, but you'd have to check their website". As yet, there has been no announcement from Voiceprint. Bruford played with Gong for a few months in late 1974. An example set from Dec 1974 went: "Invocation", "Master Builder", "A Perfect Mystery", "Never Glid Before", "White Christmas", "Solar Musik Suite", "Flute Salad", "Oily Way", "Inner Temple", "Outer Temple", "Sprinkling of Clouds".

The New Percussion Group of Amsterdam's 1986 Go Between (BBSF018CD), featuring Bruford and Keiko Abe, is out on Summerfold. Tracks: "Go Between", "Redbone", "Marimba Spiritual", "Maenaden". Bruford plays acoustic drums and percussion just on the 14-minute eponymous opener, composed by Rudd Wiener of the NPG. Wiener, Peter Prommel and Herman Rieken also perform on that track, all three playing xylophone, vibraphone, marimba and bass marimba. Abe just plays on "Marimba Spiritual".

As for future bonus tracks, in the May 2004 interview, Bruford says, "I have one or two strange bits and pieces up my sleeve and a fair amount of recorded live stuff. [...] I do have some very exciting playing from the Bruford group". In a Dec 2003 interview with Voiceprint radio, Bruford was asked whether he has any unreleased material in the archives for Winterfold. He replied:

Somewhat. The bands I'm in always tended to be playing new material, which [...] was likely to be recorded for some upcoming album. If that album never got made, then you find that that album is available in stocks... the material is available in some live concert. For example, the Stewart/Berlin/Holdsworth or John Clark group was working on a fourth studio album after Gradually Going Tornado, but it never got made. So there are some demos from rehearsal rooms and things which are just great and several tunes played live that were also very interesting. However, the only minor fly in the ointment back then of course is that the recording... bootleg recordings were pretty low quality. There's usually some guy just sticking up a cassette in a venue somewhere and not terribly great. And we didn't spend a lot of money recording things live all the time. Now, of course, with portable recording systems, everybody records everything. You record the rehearsal room. You record walking in to the rehearsal room. One of the nightmates in King Crimson was that everything was always recorded [...] The opposite problem occurred in the mid-seventies with Bruford, which was that almost nothing was recorded. So a lot of material went past, but we can, sure, find things
Alliance Entertainment are releasing limited edition (500 copies) 180g vinyl editions of the Bruford albums Feels Good to Me, Gradually Going Tornado, One of a Kind, and Rock Goes to College (previously only released as a DVD) on 18 Apr.

The 1976 album Absolute Elsewhere, on which Bruford drums, is being released in Japan in a 'mini-LP' sleeve format.

Phil Manzanera's website had described a possible archival collection entitled Rare Two including material with Bruford, but news of the release was withdrawn. In Apr 2003, bassist Bill MacCormick answered a question about the relevant sessions on the Phil Manzanera/Roxy Music forum saying:

Some of the early sessions for the Listen Now album [...] involved Bill Bruford + Phil, [Brian] Eno and me (not sure about Eddie [Jobson] though he certainly played on other sessions).  These tracks were never used though I believe Phil still has the 24-track masters somewhere.  Every now and then we talk about what we might do with them.  We haven't come up with an answer yet.
King Crimson
King Crimson Collectors' Club releases, consisting of varied archival Crimson material, are available via the DGM Shop. #37 Live at the Pier, NYC - August 2, 1982 and #38 Live in Philadelphia, PA, August 26, 1996 both feature Bruford and Levin. #40, Live in Boston, now out, does not feature Bruford, but is notable for being the show at which Crimson shared the billing with Yes and at which Robert Fripp asked Bruford to join the band. Various archival King Crimson (and ProjeKct) shows are available to buy for download through DGM Live. DGM Live offers some free tracks (registration required), including a 2:00 long recording featuring Bruford, Fripp and Jeff Berlin (ex-Bruford, worked with ABWH; bass) from around 1980/1, a predecessor line-up to the 1981 King Crimson reunion. The current line-up of King Crimson, without Bruford but with Levin, continues to play material co-written by both from the 1980s and 1990s line-ups and some tracks from the 1972-4 line-up with Bruford.

Red (KCSP7 CD/DVD-A) has been re-released in a special, double disc, CD/DVD-A edition. The CD has three bonus tracks: pre-overdub versions of "Red" and "Fallen Angel" and the full version of "Providence". The DVD-A has the album, CD bonus tracks and "Journey to the Centre of the Cosmos" in Hi-Res Stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound (except the pre-overdub "Red"). The release includes video of the band playing "Larks' Tongues in Aspic II", "The Night Watch", "Lament" and "Starless" on French TV in 1974. Bruford contributed to the new liner notes by Fripp and Sid Smith.

Dust is a collection of rarities from Adrian Belew. While once planned as a boxset, instead the collection of 85 tracks is being released as a series of downloads ("Dust particles") available from StoreBelew. Some of these features Bruford and Levin, including "Dust" (unreleased 1983 King Crimson song from sessions for Three of a Perfect Pair) and "Manhattan/Neurotica" (recorded by Belew/Bruford/Levin in 1982). At one stage, it was announced that the set would include an early version of "Heartbeat" and other outtakes from Beat.

A cover of King Crimson's "Starless" by Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy and Randy George is due as a bonus track on Morse's next release. Bruford describes the version as "brilliant". John Wetton also did King Crimson and UK material with iCon in 2009.

UK
News about archival and remastered UK releases is under Jobson. Meanwhile, Jobson's new band UKZ play UK, King Crimson and Bruford material live—see here.

Other news
Bruford's tenure in Genesis was covered by Live 1972-2007 (EMI). This 10CD/3DVD set includes the live albums Live, Seconds Out (with Bruford), Three Sides Live, The Way We Walk and Live At The Rainbow 1973.

Coinciding with his retirement from making music, Bruford has written his autobiography, "Bill Bruford: The Autobiography—Yes, King Crimson, Earthworks and More" (Jawbone Press; 336 pages; ISBN: 1906002231). The entire first chapter is available from Bill's site, with another chapter previewed at All About Jazz. The book is out in the US, Canada and the UK, and comes with an offer for a free copy of An Introduction to Winterfold or An Introduction to Summerfold. The book has now gone into a second printing. Bruford is also planning book promo/signing events in autumn 2009. In Jan 2009 comments to All About Jazz discussing his retirement from live performance, he said:

I will also still write and talk on The Pleasures and Perils of Playing Percussion in Public (!). My US agent, Laurel Wicks at Ted Kurland Associates, is already soliciting book-reading/guest speaker engagements at North American colleges for after the book release as we speak.

Bruford attended the 2009 Groznjan International Summer Percussion Camp as a non-performer to promote the book and discuss issues raised therein. He has been doing further non-performing Evenings with Bill Bruford, mainly at academic institutions, but some are open to the public, including Swiss Cottage Library, London on 9 Dec.

Bruford also wrote a chapter for "The Drum and Percussion Cook Book: Creative Recipes for Players and Teachers" (Meredith Music; ISBN: 1574631012), edited by Rick Mattingly. He contributed to the new and official Genesis biography "Genesis: Chapter and Verse", now out. (Bruford drummed with the band on their 1976 tour.) He also contributed to another new book, "Mellotron: The Machine and Musicians Who Revolutionised Rock" (Desert Hearts) by Nick Awde.

Bruford has done some teaching at the Academy of Contemporary Music (Guildford) and Kingston University.

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Tony Kaye MySpace page

Since Back Against the Wall, Kaye has been working on multiple projects with Billy Sherwood that also include further Yesmen and so are covered here. These chiefly include CIRCA:, a new band project also with Jay Schellen and Jimmy Haun; their second album (CIRCA: HQ) is now out. Kaye, Sherwood and Haun are also working with Bobby Kimball (ex-Toto; vocals) in Yoso. Kaye also guests on a post-Conspiracy album by Sherwood and Schellen. Kaye also played on the Beatles tribute album, Abbey Road, organised by Sherwood—details here.

In May 2007, Kaye said on his MySpace blog that he has "been working on [a] project called End Of Inocence that is an orchestral interpretation of 9-11-2001." In an interview published Mar 2008, Kaye talks further about the project, saying:

I’m working on an instrumental album based on the events of 9/11. My wife co-wrote and sings on one of the songs. It’s mostly orchestral and I’d like to have an actual orchestra perform it, but they are very expensive.

In a Dec 2008 interview on Yesfans.com, Kaye talked more about the project:

It's an orchestrated work. I started writing it the day after 9/11 happened, and went into the studio and started writing a piece that actually musically follows what happened that entire day. [...]

it has 'Floyd-ey' YES-like moments [...] Band moments. [...] I keep reviewing and re-doing things, and it's getting closer to what I hear in my head. I think it's very different to do an orchestral album without an orchestra; Because of the purity of what it is. I'm a big fan of Trevor [Rabin], and what he's achieving now. But you see, he has the money to do it right, to get that purity of sound. [...]

to be totally authentic, I think to have a one-hundred piece orchestra is the way to go. But it's really a work in progress, and of course the subject matter is rather difficult [...] because of the intensity and the gravity of what it was [...]

Some of it is more melodic, it has Floydian rock and roll moments which kick-up the symphonic parts. [...]

I actually go between liking it and sort-of not liking it, which is why I keep going back to re-vamp it. It IS pretty dark and intense subject matter. I like playing inspirational music, but I also like to play with a song; With the lyrics, which this doesn't have. It's purely instrumental. It's not finished, not quite yet, but it's getting there. [...]

Some of it is pretty complex, and some of it is quite simple. It balances-out.

Kaye's wife is singer Daniela Torchia (MySpace page). Her debut album Have No Fear was executive produced by Kaye. Kaye also plays keys on the song "I Promise You". There is a Spanish-language version of the album entitled Sin Miedo. See Yescography for details. On his MySpace page, drummer Paul Cassarino (stage production for CIRCA:) says he is, "Currently, working along side Tony Kaye [...] and his wife Daniela Torchia's solo project." I am unclear whether this is the 9/11 project, another album from Torchia or something else.

Kaye reportedly played some live shows with Badfinger Feat. Joey Molland in 2008.

Kaye is also executive producing other artists. He was playing piano, Hammond and synths in The Neil Deal, a tribute band for Neil Young and Crazy Horse based in Los Angeles, CA, but seems to have left in 2007. The rest of the band are Dennis Neil (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, harmonica), Jim Altman (ex-Steve Vai, ex-Eric Burdon; guitar, backing vocals), Bruce Spiegel (bass, backing vocals), Bert Wolf (drums). The band play regularly in California. Their live set included "After the Gold Rush", "Alabama", "Barstool Blues", "Cinnamon Girl", "Cortez the Killer", "Cowgirl in the Sand", "Down by the River", "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere", "Harvest Moon", "Heart of Gold", "Helpless", "Hey Hey My My", "Hurricane", "The Loner", "Long May You Run Mr. Soul", "Mansion on the Hill", "Needle and the Damage Done", "Ohio", "Old Man (Look at My Life)", "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", "Out on the Weekend", "Over & Over", "Powderfinger", "Rockin' in the Free World", "Sedan Delivery", "Southern Man", "Sugar Mountain", "Tell Me Why", "Walk On", "Welfare Mothers", "When You Dance I Can Really Love", "After the Garden". The band were recording a studio album; it is unclear whether Kaye will be on this.



Peter Banks Peter Banks Home; MySpace page

Harmony in Diversity and Self-Contained
Harmony in Diversity is an improvisational trio with Peter Banks (guitar, MIDI guitar), Nick Cottam (Pulse Engine; bass) and Dave Speight (a.k.a. Jick; drums). Speight replaced Andrew Booker (Pulse Engine, Tim Bowness, Improvizone; MIDI drums, drums), who left the band in Jun 2006. The band's debut release is Trying, available only from their website; it features Banks, Cottam and Booker and largely consists of material recorded in late 2004, save for the last track recorded live in Jun 2005—details in Yescography. The new trio are compiling an album: Banks blogged in Apr 2008 about "the Harmony In Diversity project I have and the tracks are being worked on and assembled by H.I.D bassist Nick Cottam , who has done an outstanding job and continues to work on this up coming release." Speight's MySpace reports, "The latest HiD live album is currently being mixed and will feature live recordings captured in the UK and Eastern Europe in 2006/2007." Sound samples from Trying and from recent shows with the new line-up can be heard at their website, and at Speight's and Banks' MySpace pages.

Since 2007, Banks has had a call for collaborators on his MySpace blog. It currently reads:

 Diligence, tenacity, precision, a driven confidence, iconoclastic lateral thinking and er....stuff.

Pete Banks is looking to hear from musicians who like breaking rules, for his HARMONY IN DIVERSITY project. The gigs will be 80% improvised, no prisoners will be taken. If you're interested in playing between the lines, if you are in the London area I would like to hear from you.

Call today!
44-776-694-2372
Banks and Booker (without Cottam) recorded a set of studio improvisations in 2005, which was set to be released as a Harmony in Diversity album entitled What is This?, but it is unclear what has happened to this now. A piece from the album could be heard at Banks' MySpace page.

Harmony in Diversity played various European shows in 2007. A Feb 2007 show in Budapest, Hungary was recorded, either for a separate live release or material from it will be used on their forthcoming album.

Banks was planning a number of projects with Gonzalo Carrera (dB-Infusion, Whimwise, Karnataka, Wild Turkey; keys), including live work in London: they initially talked about a duo, Harmony in Diversity II, with the same improvisational ethos as its namesake. The pair were also planning live work as Self-Contained, playing rock instrumental material composed by Banks. In Apr 2007, Banks said he, Carrera and Dave Wagstaffe (Landmarq, Oliver Wakeman; drums) were planning some London gigs of composed material. However, these plans have stalled. Banks guested with dB-Infusion a few years ago, and he may guest on their next album.

Banks has also talked of wanting to assemble an instrumental band to play material from his 1990s solo albums: in a Nov 2006 interview, he said, "I'd like to put an instrumental band together and go and play my stuff, and do some covers of different songs and pieces, instrumentally, and put a whole different spin on it."

Yes & related collaborations
In an interview for Guitar Player (Sep 2006 publication date, but conducted in the first half of the year), Banks says, "I may be doing something with former King Crimson violinist David Cross, and there are two potential projects involving former Yes personnel that I'm sworn to secrecy about for now." One of these Yes-related projects was probably a reference to early ideas around what became CIRCA:
(with Sherwood, Tony Kaye and Alan White), but Banks ultimately was not involved with this. The other may have been writing with Jon Anderson. Banks and Anderson were writing some new material together, but the collaboration was abandoned—details also on main page.

Flash & re-releases
Banks and former Flash road manager George 'TheMiz' Mizer, through their production company AdequateSounds, are trying to arrange a release entitled In Public, an archival 16-track recording of a complete 1973 Flash concert recorded by the Record Plant. Banks blogged in Apr 2008 about the album, describing it as "a forth coming CD called FLASH "In Public" we have had many offers for a JAPAN release but this is worth a wider release. So we shall see what comes ." An edited version of one track ("There No More", a.k.a. "Room with a View", originally 18 min.s long) can be heard on Banks' MySpace page.

Esoteric are re-releasing remasters of The Two Sides of Peter Banks and the Flash albums In the Can, Flash and Out of Our Hands. The Two Sides of Peter Banks (eclec2165) and Flash (eclec2166; with bonus track of the single version of "Small Beginnings") are out.

Ray Bennett (now on guitar) and Colin Carter (vocals) are proceeding with their Flash reunion, without Banks. They now have a full band with their first rehearsal having been in Dec 2009 and including "Children of the Universe".

Other news
Banks' compilation release Can I Play You Something? has been re-released in digital form as The Roots of Yes 1964-68.

Banks has been planning a project with singer Reggie King (ex-The Action). In a Nov 2006 interview, Banks talks of producing King and assembling a backing band: "I'm hoping to put a special band together, can't say too much about it because I've not spoken to Reggie about it. [...] I'm hoping to tempt him into the studio. It would involve people who played the Marquee in the late 60s, like Phil Collins, Chris Squire, Stevie Winwood, this kind of thing. But we're still discussing things."

Banks was announced to be guesting on a number of tracks on the next studio album by Yesterdays, now expected around 2009, but I am unclear whether this is still happening. Harmony in Diversity's Speight has, however, been working with them. (Banks' Harmony in Diversity were supported by Yesterdays at MiniProg Festival in Budapest in Feb 2007.)

In an interview in Record Collector (circa Oct 2006), Banks says, "I have almost enough material for a solo album too, but I'm not sure I want to release one, as I burned myself out on the previous one. If I did, it'd be live-in-the-studio with my wish-list of players. It's been suggested to me to do an album of Yes pieces, but why? I don't want to repeat something I did 200 years ago."

Some while back, Banks recorded parts for three tracks on Ant-Bee's planned album Electronic Church Muzik (as Billy James, Ant-Bee co-wrote Banks' autobiography "Beyond and Before"). Other guests include Daevid Allen (Gong), Gilli Smyth (Gong), Jan Akkerman, Napoleon Murphy Brock (ex-Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention; vocals), Don Preston (ex-Mothers), Bunk Gardner (ex-Mothers), Rockette Morton (ex-Capt Beefheart's Magic Band), Zoot Horn Rollo (ex-Capt Beefheart's Magic Band), Moogy Klingman (ex-Todd Rundgren; keys), Roger Powell (ex-Todd Rundgren; keys) and members of the the Alice Cooper Group. At last report, Ant-Bee is still working on the album.

He said in the aforementioned Nov 2006 interview that he wanted to write another book: "not a biography, about music in general and the way I view it now and the way it was. I'm pretty opinionated and want to get it out of my system."

Peter Banks has a MySpace page. This may feature some archival recordings Banks has, including The Syn live in the 1960s.


Rick Wakeman

Wakeman news is on its own page.


Patrick Moraz PatrickMoraz.com; PatrickMoraz.net; MySpace page

Change of Space
Moraz's latest album is Change of Space (Time Wave (Voiceprint), IDVP020CD; dur. 60:00). Voiceprint erroneously described the album as having been recorded over the previous two years in the US, but in a Mar 2009 interview with the official MorazNews e-mail list, Moraz describes it as "a collection of songs and instrumental pieces of never released material which I worked on, composing, recording, mixing and "polishing" over a period of about 14 years." The album is largely instrumental and composed by Moraz, but there are, as I understand it, two songs co-composed with Don Adey (ex-The Jamme) and a third piece, "The Power of Emotion", composed by Moraz with lyrics by Adey and Alex Ligertwood (ex-Santana, ex-Brian Auger). Musicians on the album include Moraz (keys, synths, Moog, keytar, backing vocals), Adey (lead vocals), Ligertwood (lead vocals), John Wackerman (Chad Wackerman's brother, ex-Kazumi Watanabe, ex-Lindsay Buckingham; acoustic and electronic drums), Bunny Brunel (ex-Chick Corea, ex-Kazumi Watanabe; electric bass), Kazumi Watanabe (worked with Bill Bruford; electric guitars), Alex Acuna (ex-Weather Report, ex-Joe Zawinul; percussion), Ronnie Ciago (drums), the late Mark Craney (drums) and Michael Tovar (rhythm guitar), with backing vocals from Janis Liebhart (worked with Michael Bolton, ex-The Moody Blues), Nicol Mecerova (ex-Bunny Brunel, ex-Herbie Hancock), Wendy McKenzie (ex-The Moody Blues), Naomi Starr and Jill Meschke (also keys). Technicians on the album include Barry Radman, Lee Bales, Joseph Rivers and Eric "Woody" Wood. There are some audio samples here.

Tracks:

  1. "Peace in Africa" (Adey on lead vocals, with Moraz and others on backing vocals)
  2. "Change of Space" (Ligertwood on lead vocals)
  3. "Sonique Prinz (Movt. 1)"
  4. "Sonique Prinz (Movt. 2)" (Moraz on keytar)
  5. "Sonique Prinz (Movt. 3)"
  6. "One Day in June"
  7. "Cum Spiritu"
  8. "The Power of Emotion" (Ligertwood on lead vocals, additional keys by Meschke)
  9. "Stellar Rivers and Streams of Lucid Dreams" (in 4 movements: the first three are 6:37 long, with the fourth, "Adagio Cantabile", is 5:31 and segues into the next track)
  10. "Alien Spaces"

In 1989, Moraz was working on a follow-up to Human Interface. At the same time, he was renting his Los Angeles studio out to Watanabe, who was recording his solo album Kilowatt with Brunel, Wackerman, Ligertwood, Acuna, Wayne Shorter (ex-Miles Davis, ex-Weather Report; sax) and others. These musicians, minus Shorter, played on sessions for Moraz, while Moraz also played on Kilowatt. The deal with Cinema Records fell through, but some material from these sessions appears on Change of Space, namely the tracks "Peace in Africa", "Change of Space", "Cum Spiritu", "The Power of Emotion" and "Stellar Rivers & Streams of Lucid Dreams". "Cum Spiritu" was begun by Moraz earlier: he had previously composed the piece and recorded all his parts in London, with Brunel then writing and adding a fretless bass part in this period.

The remaining pieces were recorded in the late 1990s/early 2000s in Orlando, FL. The basis for "One Day in June" was a 1998 session with Ciago on drums, which Moraz then added to. The "Sonique Prinz" suite and "Alien Space" were recorded entirely by Moraz.

Moraz was to play two solo piano concerts (17-18 Apr 2009) in Issaquah, WA, but these have been postponed. Moraz hopes to reschedule. He said in the MorazNews interview that, "some other dates are in the works in the States and also hopefully in Europe and Switzerland" and that he hopes to subsequently tour in support of the album with a band including some of the musicians who appear on the album.

Other recent work
In the MorazNews interview, Moraz says:

there are quite a lot of recordings and works which have never been released, and there are also some new productions, recent works, in the "classical" section and also in the "prog-rock and avant-jazz fusion" section. Of course, I have quite a lot of projects already "earmarked", so-to-speak, for the coming years.

Moraz has done music for a forthcoming DVD release called "Transmuteo" by Jean-Luc Bozzoli; trailers featuring Moraz' music are now online. In his interview for Innerviews, Moraz expands:

it’s a story made up entirely of visuals and music, with no story or words. [...] The music will have a very symphonic approach and some of the pieces are very emotional.
He also seems to be working on further film scores. In the Innerviews interview, he says, "my time is currently being spent in Los Angeles working on film scores and it’s very satisfying."

Moraz guests on Ahmin Bhatia's new album Virtuality. The album is dedicated to Bob Moog and endorsed by the Bob Moog Foundation. Its second half is a piece entitled "Bolero Electronica", a realisation of Ravel's "Bolero" to celebrate 75 years of synthesizers, including the use of ondes martenot, theremin, Moog, Roland and Yamaha synths, appearing in chronological order. It is on this track that Moraz and Steve Porcaro (ex-Toto, worked with Yes) guest. The album was recorded and mixed by David Greene and Jeff Wolpert. In the Innerviews interview, Moraz said he is "generally not interested in doing cameos", but mentioned this project as an exception.

Around May 2007, Moraz recorded a solo show for XM Radio, with a set including new material written for this show. The recording was broadcast the next month on XM Fine Tuning. In an Oct 2006 interview with the Francophone Yes fanclub, Nous Sommes Du Soleil, Moraz talked about possible live work in the US, Japan, UK and the Netherlands. In a Feb 2007 interview, Moraz talked of his desire to play live with a band and that he was rehearsing for live performances, but he did not seem to have any specific plans for shows. Moraz had said that Vega Music, a Japanese label who are re-releasing Moraz's solo album Resonance there (see below), would like to bring him to Japan for both some piano and electronic concerts. In a interview for Innerviews published in May 2007, Moraz talked about what material he might play live, describing delving deep into his back catalogue with material from Mainhorse, Refugee ("like "Papillon" or a bit of "Credo.""), The Story of i, Out in the Sun, Future Memories, and "even" Timecode. He adds, "Perhaps I'll play some Moraz-Bruford pieces like "Children's Concerto" as well" and that he "might consider playing something from Yes like "Soon"".

Moraz has been working on a CD with himself on piano and electronic keyboards and drummer Jacob Armen (ex-Prince). Moraz also appears on one piece on Armen's forthcoming solo album: called "Cachaca II", it is an arrangement for piano and drums of Moraz's "Cachaca" on The Story of i. In the 2007 Innerviews interview, Moraz says, "It features the piano base of the original track which you can't really hear on my album, in addition to the original chord structure from the middle of the piece. The rest of it is quite different—almost a different tune." The duo have played a small number of live dates and further shows, possibly with the addition of a bass player, are under consideration. They performed together at Keyboard magazine's 30th anniversary party at the 2005 NAMM convention. The duo improvise, play their new material and pieces from Armen's and Moraz' individual back catalogues, including from The Story of i (all of side 1), Patrick Moraz III and both Moraz/Bruford albums.

Moraz and Ronnie Ciago (percussion) have been working on an album together; one piece with Ciago appears on Change of Space (see above). Moraz played on sessions for bassist Dave LaRue (The Dixie Dregs, John Petrucci) for a second solo album which has yet to appear.

Longer term plans
Moraz has talked of multiple further projects, but many of these appear to be some way from producing any output. He has plans for a third "Future Memories" show, which he discusses in a new interview on a forthcoming DVD release of the first two "Future Memories" TV programmes (see below). For some years, Moraz has been working on an "electro-ethnic" solo album, A Way to Freedom. In an interview circa May 06 (Notes from the Edge #299), Moraz said:

A WAY TO FREEDOM seems to be taking a long time to come out. It's not the lack of material, but more about the inherent inertia which has surrounded the project from the beginning. I have lots and lots of recorded material already, but I never seem to be able to put the finishing touch to the production as a whole. Especially now that I have all these [re] releases [...] coming out [see below] [...] It is still a work in progress and I cannot announce its release yet. But it will come out in the not-too-distant future.
Moraz has also been working on an album with Michel Sanchez (Deep Forest) for some time. A report circa Feb 2005 said that Moraz has two electronic albums close to completion, one of which seemed to be the one with Sanchez. It is unclear whether the other was A Way to Freedom, with Armen or some other project.

Moraz has expanded "Modular Symphony (1st Movement)" from his 1987 Human Interface album into an entire piano conerto, which he intends to release at some point according to a Mar 2005 interview.

Although he has no immediate plans, in his Mar 2005 interview, Moraz talked of his willingness to do a video or film project based on his solo album The Story of i. In his NftE interview (Jan 2001), he said, "I've also been writing and researching some stories. I'd like to do a movie of THE STORY OF I either in 3-D computer graphics, an animated version, or the real thing. I have also written a couple of other movie scripts; one is a science fiction story and the other is about the life and times of a composer who lived three hundred years ago." In an earlier interview (Oct 2000), he said: "I have just about 30 other projects that I have already composed, I've composed hundreds of pieces of music in the last 9 years. [...] I have also, maybe, studying to get a commission for a symphony orchestra perhaps in europe for next year [2001]." At some point, he has been planning to do a charity Christmas album.

In the 2005 interview, Moraz mentioned too his desire to do some live shows with flautist Syrinx to play music from their album Coexistence/Libertate, although again there are no specific plans at present. Moraz has said he may collaborate with Annie Haslam in the future.

Re-releases and previously unreleased archival material
Released in 2009 was The Grandfather Paradox: A Journey Through 50 Years of Minimalistic Music (Barely Breaking Even, BBE120CCD), presented by Henrik Schwarz, ÂME & Dixon. This 2CD compilation album has one disc where the music has been mixed by Schwarz, ÂME and Dixon, and a second where the music has just been compiled. Both discs include a Patrick Moraz track, "Metamorphoses 1st Movement (Live)". There appears to be a (possibly digital only) shorter version too.

In an Oct 2006 interview with the Francophone Yes fanclub, Nous Sommes Du Soleil, Moraz was asked whether there might one day be a release of a Dec 1987 live-in-the-studio performance in support of Human Interface. Moraz replied yes:

Oui, celui-là j’en ai le master sur DAT et je vais le mastériser avec Jean Ristori dans les semaines à venir. Bien que la partie électronique de la musique soit très similaire à l’album de studio de « Human Interface », ayant tout joué « live » en direct,  avec l’aide d’ordinateurs et de « midi » cependant, le son lui, est plus « urgent », peut-être un peu moins sophistiqué que sur l’album de studio, et les tempi sont dans certains cas plus rapides ! Et puis les lignes improvisées sont évidemment différentes de celles de l’album de studio. [...] J’ai retrouvé des enregistrements inédits de pièces pour pianos préparés que j’avais enregistrés ultérieurement et que j’ai mis en bonus sur le CD.
The set ended with a medley of Beatles tunes.

Out on Winterfold is an archival live Moraz-Bruford release entitled In Tokyo (BBWF011CD): see under Bruford.

[Support this website by buying the Moraz remasters and other releases through Amazon (US or UK): go to the Where Are They Now? Amazon listings page.]

Refugee
Refugee consisted of Moraz (keys), Lee Jackson (ex-The Nice, ex-Jackson Heights; bass, vocals) and Brian Davison (ex-The Nice, ex-Jackson Heights; drums). Voiceprint, within their series of Moraz releases, have re-released the band's only contemporary album, Refugee (IDVP001CD), plus a live Refugee CD, Live in Concert - Newcastle City Hall 1974 (VP421CD), one of the band's earliest concerts, sourced from tapes held by Davison and fully endorsed by the band. The set was mainly drawn from the album, but with some further pieces played: "Outro - Ritt Mickley", "One Left Handed Peter Pan" (previously unreleased Refugee original), "The Diamond Hard Blues Apples of the Moon" (originally by The Nice), "Someday", "Papillon", "She Belongs to Me" (originally by The Nice), "Grand Canyon Suite", "Refugee Jam" (previously unreleased original). In his 2007 interview for Innerviews, Moraz says that he is "not ruling out regrouping Refugee either. I'm in touch with Lee Jackson and Brian Davison every few weeks and we're talking about maybe doing a couple of reunion shows in Europe." However, sadly Davison died in Apr 2008.

Other news
Moraz is one of many musicians to appear in Dianna Dilworth's documentary film about the Mellotron, "Mellodrama: The Mellotron Documentary".


Trevor Horn Official site; SPZ website; ZTT Records website
US/The Producers
The Producers consisted of Trevor Horn (bass, vocals), Steve Lipson (worked with Grace Jones, S Club 7, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Annie Lennox, Will Young; guitar), Lol Crème (Art of Noise, ex-10cc; guitar, vocals), Chris Braide (Malmo, written for Cheryl Cole, Glenn Tilbrook, Clay Aiken, Will Young, Kylie Minogue, S Club 7; keys, vocals) and Ashley 'Ash' Soan (Rick Wakeman's English Rock Ensemble, ex-Del Amitri, ex-Squeeze, worked with Will Young, Enrique Iglesias, Robbie Williams; drums). Braide was the main vocalist, but Horn and Crème sang lead on some songs. The band began recording their debut album in Dec 2006 at Hook End Studios. In Mar 2008, the band announced they had finished mixing it and that release under the title Studio 1 would follow on Stiff Records (a sister label to ZTT). However, by Jun 2008, the band were back recording and the album was entitled Watching You Out There and to be released on a different label. Braide then left the group and the band, under the leadership of Horn and Crème, changed their name to US with an album due called The Path of Sydney Arthur, a concept piece based around the fictional life story of a man born on the same day as the first Moon landing. (An associated short video promoting the new album name had appeared on MySpace, while "Freeway" and "Man on the Moon" were on the album's MySpace page and "Freeway" can be heard at the Perfect Songs site.) Album tracks for Studio 1 were to be: "Freeway", "Waiting for the Right Time", "Watching You Out There", "Your Life" (Horn on lead vocals), "Barking Up the Right Tree", "You and I", "Stay Elaine", "Man on the Moon" (Braide on lead vocals), "Music From BelAir" (inspired by Horn's time as a homeowner in California). A song entitled "Seven" (in 7 time about an escort agency, with Horn on Vocoder) was played live; I presume it is included in that list under some other name. "You and I" is confirmed for The Path of Sydney Arthur; preview video here. It is unclear how much of the material or recordings for Studio 1 will be carried over to The Path of Sydney Arthur given Braide's departure, but some of the Braide co-written material is expected to be used. Gary Langan (ex-Art of Noise, worked with Yes) mixed and engineered. The debut single was "Barking Up the Right Tree" (3:21; Crème on lead vocals, Horn on double bass), backed with "Freeway" (5:55; Braide on lead vocals; originally announced as the debut single), out (Stiff Records, CDBUY270). The single was co-written and co-produced by all five of the band. A number songs could be heard on their their MySpace page, which has since disappeared, and at the Stiff Records website. The band is managed by Luke Mitzman (Lipson's stepson).

The band played two London dates in Apr and May 2008 (as support for Zucchero). Braide then re-joined for what was described as a one-off show in Oct 2009, but then returned again for another show on 28 Jan 2010 (set included "Owner of a Lonely Heart", "Freeway" and "Video Killed the Radio Star").

Lipson, Crème, Soan and Langan all commonly appear on Horn's productions. For example, they all worked on Escala's eponymous debut; Horn and Lipson are working together on Jeff Beck's new album; Soan appeared on the Horn-produced Aviv Geffen; and Horn, Soan, Braide and Crème are all on Robbie Williams' Reality Killed the Video Star.

Production and solo work
Trevor Horn did a film score in 2007 for the forthcoming drama/comedy "Young Americans" (formerly "Kids in America") from Universal Pictures, but said in a May 2008 interview that he wasn't particularly interested in doing many more films. The film, starring, co-written and co-executive produced by Topher Grace and written by the writers of That '70s Show, is now expected in 2010. On the 2008 film "Wanted", the score was by Danny Elfman. Elfman wrote and sung "The Little Things" (3:27), the song over the closing credits, and Horn produced the vocal sessions. (Various reports suggest Horn wrote, or co-wrote, or sung, or co-sung the piece, but these are erroneous.) "The Little Things" is the first of 15 tracks on the soundtrack release, Wanted (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Lakeshore Records, LKS 340212).

Horn and Steve Lipson (US, worked with Grace Jones, S Club 7, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Annie Lennox, Will Young) are co-producing Emotion & Commotion (Atco Records (Rhino)), due 13 Apr, the next solo album from Jeff Beck (ex-Yardbirds, working with Eric Clapton). The album was recorded late 2009 (Aug onwards) at Horn's Sarm Studios in London. Tracks: "Corpus Christi Carol" (cover of the Jeff Buckley song), "Hammerhead" (original piece), "Never Alone" (original piece), "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" (from "The Wizard of Oz"), "I Put A Spell On You" (cover of the Screamin' Jay Hawkins' song; vocals by Joss Stone), "Serene", "Lilac Wine" (vocals by Imelda May), "Nessun Dorma" (from Giacomo Puccini's opera "Turandot"; with a 64-piece orchestra), "There's No Other Me" (original song; vocals by Stone), "Elegy for Dunkirk" (cover from Dario Marianelli's score for the film "Atonement"; vocals by Olivia Safe, with orchestra). Familiar Beck collaborators also appear: Vinnie Colaiuta (ex-Frank Zappa, ex-Asia, worked with Billy Sherwood; drums), Tal Wilkenfield (MySpace page; ex-Chick Corea, worked with Rod Stewart, Prince; bass), Jason Rebello (Sting; keys).

Horn co-produced about half of the first English-language album from Israeli artist Aviv Geffen (English-language page, MySpace page; Blackfield), called simply Aviv Geffen (Mars Records/Rough Trade) and now out in parts of Europe. They recorded at Sarm Studios in London with players including Steve Wilson (Porcupine Tree, Blackfield; guitar) and Mike Garson (ex-David Bowie, ex-Smashing Pumpkins). The electronic press kit for the album, including a brief comment from Horn, can be seen on YouTube. Later sessions for the album were in Israel with producer Ken Nelson (worked with Coldplay, Echo & The Bunnymen, Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini). One track, "Love Song", is produced by Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio, worked with Yeah Yeah Yeahs).

Tracks (international version): "Black & White", "It was Meant to be a Love Song", "Berlin", "It's Alright", "Heroes", "It's Cloudy Now" (version of Geffen's signature song "Ahshav Meunan" from his 1993 Hebrew-language album of the same name, which was also released in an English-language version on the debut Blackfield album), "October", "Now or Never", "The One", "Forest in My Heart". Tracks (UK version): "It was Meant to be a Love Song", "Black & White", "It's Cloudy Now", "It's Alright", "Berlin", "Silence", "Heroes", "The One", "Forest in My Heart", "Now or Never", "October", Thrillers vs. Aviv Geffen: "It was Meant to be a Love Song (Time Waits for No One Edit)"; enhanced CD features: "It was Meant to be a Love Song" (video), "Black & White" (video). Details in Yescography.

"It was Meant to be a Love Song" was the debut single, but did not involve Horn. A digital-only second single followed: "It's Alright" (2:56), "It's Alright (Stonemasons Remix)" (6:49), "It's Alright (Thrillers Remix)" (3:09), "It's Alright (Loverush Uk! Remix)" (6:49), "It's Alright (Axon Dubstep Remix)" (4:17).

Horn also produced the new solo album from Robbie Williams (ex-Take That), now out and called Reality Killed the Video Star in reference to The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star". The debut single was "Bodies" (digital only in North America) and a second single, "You Know Me", followed in Dec 2009. The album and single (where applicable) are on Virgin/EMI in the UK, Chrysalis/EMI in central Europe and EMI in Mexico.

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Reality Killed the Video Star was recorded in London in early 2009. Also performing are Horn himself, Ash Soan (Rick Wakeman's English Rock Ensemble, US, ex-Squeeze, worked with Escala), Anne Dudley (Art of Noise, ex-ABC; strings arranger, conductor), Chris Braide (ex-The Producers), Jamie Muhoberac (worked with Seal, Art of Noise, Fleetwood Mac, My Chemical Romance), Tim Weidner (worked with Yes, Dead or Alive, Escala), Steve Lipson (The Producers/US, worked with Frankie Goes to Hollywood) and Bruce Woolley (ex-Tina Charles, ex-The Camera Club, ex-Grace Jones). In his 17 Apr 2009 blog, Williams said:

Trevor Horn [...] he's absolutely amazing. At this point in proceedings (which is still early doors) I've got to say I've never felt as positive about any record I've done before.

[...]

We've got well over 50 songs and another 20/30 ideas..It's proving to be very difficult whittling them down to 12/14 for the album...nice problem to have though...everything sounds like a single.

Tracks: "Morning Sun" (4:05; written by Williams/Danny Spencer/Kelvin Andrews/Scott/Ralph/Don Black (worked with John Barry, Andrew Lloyd Webber)), "Bodies" (4:04; written by Williams/Brandon Christy/Craig Russo), "You Know Me" (4:27; written by Williams/Spencer/Andrews/Françoise Hardy, based on an original French song, "Voilà", by Hardy), "Blasphemy" (4:18; co-written by Williams/Chambers, a left-over from earlier writing sessions), "Do You Mind" (4:06; written by Williams/Spencer/Andrews/Chaz Jankel (The Blockheads)), "Last Days of Disco" (4:50; written by Williams/Spencer/Andrews), "Somewhere" (1:01; written by Spencer/Andrews/Stubbs/Hand/Cadman), "Deceptacon" (5:01; written by Williams/Spencer/Andrews/Scott/Ralph), "Starstruck" (5:21; written by Williams/Spencer/Andrews/Beard), "Difficult for Weirdos" (4:29; written by Williams/Spencer/Andrews), "Superblind" (4:46; co-written by Williams/Eisler), "Won't Do That" (3:38; written by Williams/Spencer/Andrews/Scott/Ralph), "Morning Sun (Reprise)" (1:19). A deluxe version of the album will have expanded packaging and a documentary/behind-the-scenes DVD. The Japanese and iTunes versions have an exclusive bonus track, "Arizona" (5:38; written by Williams/Spencer/Andrews); the iTunes release also has an edited version of the DVD documentary. Details in Yescography.

The album sold >85,000 copies in its first day in the UK and had sold >238,000 in its first week, entering the UK album chart at #2. It was the 3rd fastest selling album in the UK of 2009 and has now gone double Platinum in the UK (>600,000 sales) and Germany (>400,000 sales). It certified Gold in its first day of sales in Poland (over 10,000 copies). It entered the Dutch chart at #1, #1 in Australia, #6 in Ireland, #9 in Finland, #1 in Switzerland, #12 in Flanders (Belgium) and #17 in Wallonia (Belgium). It made #160 in the US. Worldwide sales are now over 1.2 million.

"Bodies" was released to radio stations on 5 Sep. The video, directed by Vaughan Arnell, can be seen at Williams' official website. The CD version comes with "Bodies (Body Double Remix)" (6:14), a remix done by Horn himself, while the digital version comes with an additional, third track, "Bodies (Fred Falke Remix)" (6:53). The second single was "You Know Me", out 7 Dec in the UK; a video for it, directed by Phil & Olly a.k.a. Diamond Dogs, can be viewed at Williams' website. It made #6 in the UK, #10 in the Netherlands, #22 in Italy and Ireland, #26 in Germany and lower positions in Australia, Austria, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The third single will be "Deceptacon".

"Bodies" album chart performance
Country/chart Peak chart position Current chart position
UK
2 (18 Oct) 9 (7 Nov)
UK airplay
7 (20 Sep)
Germany 1 (23 Oct) 1 (23 Oct)
Germany airplay
1 (24 Sep)
France
8

Australia
4

Switzerland 1 (25 Oct) 1 (25 Oct)
Switzerland airplay
4 (24 Sep)
Netherlands
3
Netherlands airplay
1
Austria
1 (23 Oct) 1 (23 Oct)
Austria airplay
12 (24 Sep)
Italy
2
Italy airplay
4 (1 Oct)
Denmark
2

Denmark airplay
6 (4 Oct)
Belgium (Flanders)
5

Belgium (Wallonia) 3

Belgium airplay
7 (28 Sep)
Sweden
4

Norway
19

Finland
2

Finland airplay
6 (28 Sep)
Ireland
3

Ireland airplay
11 (3 Oct)
Poland airplay
17 (25 Sep)
New Zealand
30

Eurochart
1 (31 Oct) 1 (31 Oct)
Europe airplay
5 (4 Oct)
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Williams opened the BBC Electric Proms (The Roundhouse, London) on 20 Oct with Horn as musical director, MC and on bass for most of the concert. Williams performed with his usual 8-piece touring band and 30 additional musicians, most of whom played on the album, including further keyboardists, guitarists, drummers, backing vocalists and an opera singer, two percussionists and a harpist, plus string and horn sections. This backing band included regular Horn collaborators Anne Dudley (keys) and Lol Crème (backing vocals). The show was broadcast on BBC Radio 1 with highlights on BBC2 TV, and is available on BBC iPlayer (although it appears to miss half the final song). The show broke the world record for most simultaneous cinematic screenings for a live concert, being shown in more than 250 theatres across 23 countries. In Nov, it will also be screened at an 8,000 seat auditorium in Mexico City, 18 cinemas in Australia, 20 cinemas in South Africa and 7 cinemas in New Zealand. The set focused on the new album, but also included earlier Williams material and closed with a cover of "Video Killed the Radio Star". Set: "Bodies", "Morning Sun", "Come Undone", "Blasphemy", "Starstruck", "Feel", "I will Talk and Hollywood will Listen", "Supreme", "Deceptacon", "No Regrets", "Won't Do That", "You Know Me", "Angels", "Millennium", "Video Killed the Radio Star".

Horn produced and plays on the debut, eponymous album from electronic string quartet Escala (MySpace page), who signed to Simon Cowell's record label, Syco Music, after appearing on TV show Britain's Got Talent. The band are Izzy Johnston (ex-Wild; violin), Chantal Leverton (ex-Wild, ex-City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, worked with Blue, War of the Worlds, Aled Jones; viola), Nastasya (Tasya) Hodges (ex-London Symphony Orchestra, ex-The Heritage Orchestra, worked with War of the Worlds, Arctic Monkeys, Take That, The Streets; cello) and Victoria Lyon (ex-Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, ex-City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, worked with Simply Red, War of the Worlds; violin). The group came together doing session work for McFly.

The album is now out in the UK (Syco/SonyBMG), backed by a substantial advertising campaign. It made #2 in the UK chart (31 May) and #13 in Ireland (28 May). US release followed in Jun. Tracks are all covers of existing pieces: "Requiem for a Tower" (a version of Clint Mansell's "Lux Aeterna"), "Palladio" (by Karl Jenkins), "Kashmir" (feat. Slash (ex-Guns 'n' Roses); originally by Led Zeppelin), "Finding Beauty" (by Craig Armstrong), "Children" (by Robert Miles), "Live and Let Die" (by Paul McCartney & Wings), "Chi Mai" (by Ennio Morricone), "Feeling Good" (a version of "I am Feeling Good" by Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse, originally for the musical "The Roar of the Greasepaint—The Smell of the Crowd"), "Sarabande" (by Handel), "Clubbed to Death" (by Rod Dougan), "Adagio for Strings" (by Samuel Barber). A version of Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars" was planned, but does not appear. "Palladio", I think on downloads alone, made #39 in the UK chart (31 May) and #49 in Ireland (28 May).

The backing band on the album includes Horn (guitar, piano, bass, programming), Ash Soan (Rick Wakeman's English Rock Ensemble, US, Robbie Williams, ex-Squeeze; drums, percussion), Steve Lipson (US, ex-Grace Jones, ex-Annie Lennox, ex-Frankie Goes to Hollywood; guitar), Lol Crème (US, Art of Noise, ex-10cc; guitar), Pete Murray (arranger, conductor, Hammond, piano, Wurlitzer, programming), Simon Hale (arranger), Earl Harvin (worked with Air, Seal, Art of Noise, Pet Shop Boys; drums), Jamie Muhoberac (worked with Seal, Pet Shop Boys, Phil Collins, Backstreet Boys; guitar samples), John Shanks (guitar), Jeff Rothschild (drums), Tom Norris (violin), Thomas Carroll ('cello), Fiona Winning (viola), Phil Palmer (worked with Pet Shop Boys, Tina Tuner, Dire Straits; guitar), Ian Thomas (drums) and the Metro Singers choir. Isobel Griffiths was the orchestral contractor and fixer, with Perry Montague-Mason as the orchestra leader. Gary Langan (ex-Art of Noise, worked with Yes) was one of the recording engineers, as was Tim Weidner (worked with Yes), who also did some programming and mixing. The album was recorded in late 2008/early 2009.
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Horn produced Set the Mood, the debut album from David Jordan for ZTT/Mercury Records, now out. Tracks: "On the Money", "Place in My Heart", "Sun Goes Down", "Set the Mood", "Love Song", "Move On", "Sweet Prince", "If I'm in Love", "Glorious Day", "Only Living Soul" (co-written with Chris Braide (US)), "Fight the World". The album peaked at #8 in the UK and #60 in Switzerland. "Place in My Heart" was the lead single, with remixes by Joey Negro and StoneBridge. While it failed to chart, the second single, "Sun Goes Down", peaked at #4 the UK, #20 in Ireland, #34 in Italy and #42 in Switzerland. The third single is "Move One", including new track "Ghost Train" as a b-side, and also charted in the UK. Musical director for David Jordan's band is Paul Sayer (also guitar), while also working on the album were Braide and Steve Lipson (The Producers).

Horn has produced the debut album, Once (Young Turks), from singer/songwriter Kid Harpoon (a.k.a. Tom Hull; MySpace page). Tracks: "Stealing Cars", "Colours", "Back from Beyond", "Buried Alive", "Burnt Down House", "Flowers by the Shore", "Once", "Hold on", "Running Through Tunnels", "Death of a Rose", "Marianna", "Childish Dreaming". The album and two singles ("Back from Beyond" and "Stealing Cars") are now out. (Kid Harpoon is also in Arrows of Love, who are working with producer Aaron Horn, Trevor's son.)

On Evolver, from R&B singer John Legend, Horn co-produced the final song with Devo Springsteen (a.k.a. Devon Harris; worked with Estelle, Kanye West, Aretha Franklin), "If You're Out There", which was inspired by Barack Obama's Presidential campaign. The track was released on digital download in the US. It made #10 in the Billboard US Bubbling Under singles chart (i.e. approx. #110 on the singles chart), #135 in the UK chart and #41 in the Netherlands.

Evolver album chart performance
Country/chart Peak chart position
USA (Gold)
4 (15 Nov)
US R&B/hip-hop
1
Japan
26
Japan foreign artists
5
UK
21 (1 Nov)
France
38
Canada
14
Italy
29
Sweden 36
Belgium
37
Netherlands
72
Ireland
52
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Israel - Home of Hope was a double CD put together by Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks in 2008 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel, mixing music and spoken word. Three tracks were arranged and produced by Horn: "Ke-she-halev Bocheh" ["When the Heart Weeps"] (3:15; mus: Shmuel Elbaz; lyr: Yossi Gispan/Arlet Tzfadia), sung by Levi Levin; "When You Believe" (5:13; from "The Prince of Egypt", written by Stephen Schwartz), sung by Shimon Craimer; and "Hatikvah" [The Hope"] (2:05; words by Naftali Herz Imber), sung by Lionel Rosenfeld & The Shabbaton Choir. Tracks can be downloaded from the album's website.

Vocalist Fiona Renshaw (worked with Lisa Stansfield, Kubb, Mr. Scruff) has recorded some vocal sessions with Horn and Lol Crème (The Producers, Art of Noise, ex-10cc), although for what project is unknown: Horn does not seem to be working on her forthcoming album. She's also signed to Horn's publishing company Perfect Songs.

Horn had been working with Enrique Iglesias on an album, at one point expected in Nov 2005, but delayed. Geoff Downes has played on two tracks of the project, including a cover of Cutting Crew's "(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight". However, this material appears to have not been used.

In a Yahoo chat in Oct 1999, Horn wrote: "I'm writing a musical [...] about Robots." In a 2008 interview, Horn said he had an upcoming "Musical/Show project".

The Buggles
The Buggles' second album, Adventures in Modern Recording from 1981, is being released on CD by Union Square, under exclusive license from ZTT Records, on their Salvo label (SALVOCD036); this is the album's first CD release outside Japan. Horn has been involved in this release, due 9 Feb in the US and thereabouts or soon after elsewhere, including the selection of the 10 bonus tracks (2 b-sides, 1 alternate mix and 7 demos). Bonus tracks: "Fade Away" (2:37; b-side of "I am a Camera"; written by Horn/John Sinclair), "Blue Nylon" (2:25; b-side of "Lenny"; Horn/Sinclair/Simon Darlow), "I am a Camera (12" mix)" (4:15), "We Can Fly from Here Part 1" (5:09; also demo'd and performed by Yes on the Drama tour, but this version appears to post-date those; Horn/Downes), "Dion (Mix II)" (5:03; Horn/Downes), "Videotheque" (3:34; released by Dollar in 1982; Horn/Darlow), "On TV" (3:52; demo), "Walking on Glass" (3:14; demo of "Lenny"), "Riding a Tide" (4:50; Horn/Downes), "We Can Fly from Here Part 2" (4:02; Horn/Downes). The demos come from Jan/Feb 1981 and are sourced from the ZTT vaults or Horn's own personal cassettes.

Horn and Downes were discussing the possibility of reforming the Buggles. In his blog for 20 Jun 2005, Downes wrote, "I was supposed to have a meeting with Trevor Horn and Jill in London today, but [...] we did it remotely. [...] It's just about a new Buggles album we've been talking about for some time and maybe to coincide with the 25th year anniversary next year of MTV." As well as appearing at the Produced by Trevor Horn show in Nov 2004, thought has also been given to further live work. An article in Jul 2004 in The Independent (UK newspaper) reported that "The idea for reforming Buggles for a belated tour emerged when [Horn] performed "Video Killed the Radio Star" at a Belle and Sebastian concert in Los Angeles last year [2003] and the audience went wild. [...] no decision has yet been made on a full tour because of the cost, leaving the Wembley concert [of 2004] as possibly the only option for older pop fans to see Buggles perform live." At the Produced by Trevor Horn concert, Horn said his original idea had been a low-key Buggles tour. Downes also previously hinted at the possibility of live Buggles work, saying in an interview in early 2004: "The Buggles was much more a studio environment idea, which we never actually took on the road. Things may change though - watch this space later this year [2004]!" A Nov 2009 interview with Downes reports that, "Mr Downes is still in contact with Mr Horn and they are considering reforming The Buggles."

The reunited Asia, including Downes, have been playing The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" in their set—see details here.

Art of Noise
In the Apr 2008 interview for Future Music, asked about whether the Art of Noise will be doing anything new, Horn said, "We keep talking about it." He also describes how they worked on a "visual sampler" before The Seduction of Claude Debussy: "So when you hit a note, you get a picture as well as sound. [...] there's about a 20 minute video that Lol Creme did, and I'm going to put it on DVD."

And What Have You Done With My Body, God? (ZTT) is a 4CD box set about the early Art of Noise. The set includes a 36-page booklet with track-by-track commentary by Horn and the other four original members, Anne Dudley (ex-ABC), Gary Langan (worked on 90125), JJ Jeczalik (worked on 90125), Paul Morley. One track is entitled "Close to the Edge" in reference to the Yes song of the same name on which this piece was loosely modelled; Alan White plays drums. Disc 1-3 consists of previously unreleased material, including from the original Who's Afraid... demo tapes, and Anne Dudley has collated fragments into a set of finished pieces (including "It's Not Fair" and "It Stopped"). Disc 4 consists of the full 'Into Battle with the Art of Noise' EP and 'Close (to the Edit)' and 'Moments in Love' cassingles, released on CD for the first time. ZTT also produced a limited edition, promo-only sampler CD (ZTT202CD) taken from the box set, shipped free with orders over £10 placed at the ZTT shop. It has 12-tracks, including "Once Upon a Lime" and "Close to the Edge".

Frankie Goes to Hollywood
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's first album, Frankie Say Greatest, is an album of old and new remixes, rare material and cover versions, now out in the UK on ZTT/Universal. This, in various formats, will include some b-sides that have not previously been released on CD: "Is There Anybody Out There", "Happy Hi", "Suffragette City", "Get It On". There will be two CD versions and a limited edition vinyl. Trevor Horn, of course, worked on both the original Frankie albums (Welcome to the Pleasuredome and Liverpool), while both Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin did session work on both.

Regular album track list (unless otherwise stated, the versions used are from the original albums, Welcome to the Pleasuredome and Liverpool): "Relax (Move)" [7" single version], "Two Tribes", "Welcome to the Pleasuredome (Alternative Reel)" [Escape Act Video Mix], "War (Hide Yourself)" [b-side to "Two Tribes" 7"], "The Power of Love (7" Mix)" [album version], "Ferry Cross the Mersey" [b-side to "Relax" 7"], "Is There Anybody Out There" [alternate mix], "(Tag)", "Born to Run", "Rage Hard (7" Mix)", "Warriors of the Wasteland", "Watching the Wildlife", "Happy Hi" [b-side to "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" 7"], "The Waves" [slightly shorter version], "Relax (Chicane Radio Edit)" [2009 remix by Nick Bracegirdle], "Two Tribes (Hibauska)" [1984 Japanese 12" remix], "Relax (Lockout)" [2009 remix by Kenny Hayes]. The Special Edition adds a second disc, tracks: "Relax (Sex Mix)" [12" mix], "Two Tribes (Annihiliation)" [12" mix], "War (Hidden)" [12" mix], "Welcome to the Pleasuredome (Fruitiness Mix)" [extended version of 12" mix], "Rage Hard (Freddy Bastone Vocal Remix)" [from the US 12"], "Watching the Wildlife (Hotter)" [12" mix], "Relax (Scott Storch)" [2009 remix by Scott Storch], "Suffragette City" [b-side to "Rage Hard" 7"], "Our Silver Turns to Gold" [short version, previously only released on vinyl], "Get It On" [edit version from "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" 12"]. The album made #27 in the UK (8 Nov).

A 2LP vinyl release has a very different listing, including new remixes: disc 1—"Relax (Jody Broden Club Mix)", "Two Tribes (Surrender)", "Welcome to the Pleasuredome (Brothers in Rhythm Remix)"; disc 2"Relax (Spencer & Hill Remix)", "Warriors of the Wasteland (Attack Mix ft Gary Moore)", "Power Of Love '93 (Alternative Mix)"; disc 3"Two Tribes (Intermissions Legends Mix)", "Relax (Club 69 Future Anthem Part 1)", "Ragehard (Broad)"; disc 4"Maximum Joy (DJ Rene Club Mix)", "Warriors of the Wasteland (Fruitiness Mix)", "Watching the Wildlife (Die Letzen Der Menschheit)".

There is also a DVD under the same name; tracks: "Relax", "Two Tribes", "The Power of Love", "Welcome to the Pleasuredome", "Rage Hard", "Warriors of the Wasteland", "Watching the Wildlife", "Relax Live Versions", "Relax Laser Version", "Two Tribes '93", "The Power Of Love - Version 2", "Welcome to the Pleasuredome '93", "The Power of Love: 2k", "Two Tribes 2k".

"Relax" has also been re-released as a single with a new video (viewable here). 12" tracks: "Relax (Chicane Remix)", "Relax (Lockout's Radio Edit)", "Relax (US Mix 12")", "Relax (Den Broeder, Cox, Cantrelle Radio Edit)"; digital version: "Relax (Original 7)", "Relax (Chicane Radio Edit)", "Relax (Den Broeder, Cox, Cantrelle Radio Edit)", "Relax (Lockout's Radio Edit)", "Relax (Spencer & Hill Radio Edit)".

Buy from Amazon.co.uk (UK):

Buy from Amazon.com (US):

(2CD Special Edition)

(1 CD regular version)

(DVD)

(MP3 version)
             

(2CD Special Edition)

(1 CD regular version)

(DVD)

Other news
Zang Tumb Tuum: The ZTT Box Set (Salvo Music (Union Square Music), SALVOBX405) is a 3CD/1DVD box set compilation of 25 years of ZTT Records. The set includes both hits and rarities, plus remixes, from multiple artists, including many produced by Horn. The DVD is 72 min.s long, consisting of music videos. The box was compiled by ZTT's archivist Ian Peel, who has also penned a 72-page booklet, with contributions from Horn and particularly Paul Morley (Art of Noise). Details in Yescography. The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" and Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Relax" are both on the 3CD Island Life: 50 Years of Island Records (Universal/Island).

Seal has released a new compilation album, Hits (Warner Bros.), available in a 1CD, 2CD or (in the US) 1CD+1DVD format. The album includes numerous tracks produced by Horn.

Due Dec is It's Christmas Time (Universal), a compilation including Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "The Power of Love" and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas", both produced by Horn.

"Inspired* by music" (Shoehorn Media Ltd., ISBN 978-1-907149-01-6; sponsored by Starbucks) is a 168-page book raising money for The Prince's Trust with stories by various celebrities of how music has changed lives. The book is available online or at Starbucks outlets. Contributors include Trevor Horn, as well as Tony Blair, P Diddy, Kevin Spacey, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, Gerald Scarfe, Al Pacino, Take That, Boris Johnson, Richard E Grant, George Martin, Gary Lineker, Jane Asher, Cerys Matthews and many others. The book has a foreword by Prince Charles. There are 4 pages on Horn, although this only includes one paragraph by him, talking about Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" as a piece of music that inspires him.

Horn was awarded an outstanding contribution award at the Radio Academy's Radio & Music Forum conference in Mar 2009. He was honoured with a Sound Fellowship from the Association of Professional Recording Services (APRS) at their Sound Fellowship Lunch on 17 Nov in London. The award is for music industry professionals who make a significant contribution to the art, science or business of sound recording.

A Jul 2004 article in The Independent (UK newspaper) reported Horn as saying "that he knows he will have to give up producing some day because the hours are "just crazy"." The article goes on to quote Horn directly: "It's a tough game being a record producer. I've always worked very hard and very intensively. I've never left anything to chance." In a May 2008 interview, Horn said that his children and running the business (since his wife's accident) takes up most of his time, but that he still likes making records.

Horn's music business concerns are complex, but there is SPZ Holdings Ltd., which then owns Sarm Studios (who operate recording studios and manage record producers and engineers), Perfect Songs (music publishing company) and ZTT Records Ltd. (record label; MySpace page), which also owns Stiff Records.


Geoff Downes Official site; Official online store; MySpace page; Twitter

Asia
The Four Original Members of Asia
The original Asia line-up—namely Downes (keys), Steve Howe (guitar), John Wetton (ex-King Crimson, ex-UK; bass) and Carl Palmer (ex-Emerson, Lake & Palmer; drums)—have re-united, have a new album, Phoenix, and are touring. Details are on the Asia page.

iCon
The Wetton/Downes collaboration iCon continues in parallel to their work together in Asia. (In a Mar 2006 interview, Downes said, "It's important to point out [...] that the Icon stuff is quite a different approach [...] So this is Icon, this is Asia. There are really two quite different styles we address to each one.") The pair's third album, 3 (dur. 53:53), is out on Frontiers Records (FRCD406) and worldwide partners; tracks: "Twice the Man I was", "Destiny", "Green Lights and Blue Skies", "Raven", "Sex, Power and Money", "Anna's Kiss", "Under the Sky", "Don't Go Out Tonight", "Never Thought I'd See You Again", "Peace in Our Time". All tracks were written and produced by Wetton/Downes; the album was mixed and engineered by Steve Rispin. See Yescography for details. Some samples are available on Downes' website. There were live dates in support in Feb 2009. The new line-up is with Hugh McDowell (ex-ELO) on electric 'cello, who has worked with Asia and iCon previously, plus Dave Kilminster (MySpace page; Roger Waters, ex-John Wetton, ex-Qango, ex-Keith Emerson; guitar) and Pete Riley (Dave Kilminster, ex-Keith Emerson; drums). Guesting on the album are Andreas Vollenweider (harp; on "Raven" and "Anna's Kiss") and vocalist Anne-Marie Helder (MySpace page; ex-Karnataka, Panic Room, Mostly Autumn, ex-Fish, ex-Dave Kilminster) on three tracks ("Raven", "Don't Go Out Tonight" and "Peace in Our Time"). The band toured Japan with 8 shows in Feb without McDowell. They played two back-to-back shows each night, with the sets on the first night being: first show—"Countdown to Zero" (from Asia's Astra), "Go" (Astra), "Elstree" (The Buggles' The Age of Plastic), "Rendezvous 6:02" (U.K.'s Danger Money), "Angel" (Dave Kilmimster's Scarlet), "The Night Watch" (King Crimson's Starless and Bible Black), "Heat of the Moment" (Asia; acoustic version), "I've Come to Take You Home" (Wetton's Rock of Faith), "Twice the Man I Was" (3), "Voice of America" (Astra), "Rubicon" (Icon II: Rubicon), "My Own Time" (Asia's Alpha); encore: "Days Like These" (Asia's Now and Then). Second show—"Countdown to Zero", "Paradox/Let Me Go" (Icon), "Meet Me at Midnight" (Icon), "The Die is Cast" (Icon II: Rubicon), "True Colours" (Alpha), "In the Dead of Night" (U.K.'s U.K.), "Book of Saturday" (King Crimson's Larks' Tongues in Aspic), "Battle Lines" (Wetton's Battle Lines), "Tempus Fugit" (Yes's Drama), "Don't Go Out Tonight" (3), "Starless" (King Crimson's Red); encore: "Rock and Roll Dream" (Astra). They then played the Netherlands on 19 Feb, with Helder joining the line-up.

On 21 Feb 2009, they—Wetton (bass, vocals), Downes (keys, backing vocals), McDowell (electric 'cello), Kilminster (guitars, backing vocals), Riley (drums), Helder (backing vocals, shakers)—played a special sold out concert at St Mary-Le-Bow Church in London for an audience of 200, which was recorded for a live DVD ("Urban Psalm") and CD release: see press release here. Set: "Countdown to Zero"/"Go", "I've Come to Take You Home" (Helder on flute at end), "Twice the Man I Was", "Elstree", "Angel" (Kilminster on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Riley and Wetton sat out), "Voice of America", "The Die is Cast", "To Catch a Thief" (Icon II: Rubicon; duet with Helder); interval; "Starless" (Helder sat out), "Paradox/Let Me Go", "Meet Me at Midnight" (Kilminster on acoustic guitar, Wetton on vocals only), "Raven" (3; duet with Helder, Wetton on vocals only, Kilminster on backing vocals only, Riley sat out), "True Colours", "Heat of the Moment" (acoustic; Wetton on acoustic guitar and vocals, Kilminster on acoustic guitar, Riley sat out), "Rubicon", "Don't Go Out Tonight", "My Own Time", "Days Like These"; encore: "In the End" (Icon; Wetton on vocals only, duet with Helder, who also played flute), "Rock and Roll Dream". The DVD was mixed in Aug. There is a limited, signed edition (1000 copies) of this that has been sent to all members of the audience first, with remaining copies now available to buy exclusively online. Attendees have also been given a link to download a 2006 performance of the band live in Japan; this is also available in a bundle pack for purchasers. Artwork and sleeve notes are by Nick Shilton. A full commercial release will, it seems, follow in 2010. A live CD will also follow.

On his website forum in Jan 2010, asked about iCon, Wetton said:

No live plans for iCon right now, Mike---we have a couple of releases which are currently under discussion, but I don't see why there will not be more live in the future. One thing I have learned about iCon, is that it must remain special.

There is also a plan being considered for a joint Asia/iCon/Steve Howe Trio/Carl Palmer Band tour for 2010. See under Asia for details.

Downes and Wetton are among guests on a forthcoming charity EP by It Bites to raise money for the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund. They are re-recording It Bites' hit "Calling All the Heroes". Also participating were Marillion, Jem Godfrey (Frost*, ex-Atomic Kitten), Jason Perry (A), Dick Nolan and former It Bites member Francis Dunnery (ex-The Syn). The EP was recorded on 4 Dec at Wetton and Downes' studio near Milton Keynes and is due in the first half of Dec, with an accompanying video produced by Russell Cherrington (University of Cumbria). Single and video will be available soon from the It Bites website.

Anneke van Giersbergen covered "To Catch a Thief" from Icon II: Rubicon on her solo album Pure Air (Agua Recordings), with Wetton guesting on vocals. See Yescography for details. Van Giersbergen guested on the original version.

[Support this website by buying Icon releases through Amazon (US or UK): go to the Where Are They Now? Amazon listings page.]

Solo projects & other collaborations
In a Dec 2006 interview, Downes indicated he was continuing with solo projects, but, in reference to plans with Asia and iCon, said "I'm trying to find time for the solo stuff, but there's a very busy year ahead!" He is working towards the next New Dance Orchestra album, which he plans to include some visual material. In his Jan and Feb 2007 blog entries, Downes described a project of "short pop-songs" with his friend, long-time collaborator and lyricist Ben Woolfenden. They "are looking for a few killer vocalists to do this work justice (hopefully) and finish it all off."

Again in his Feb 2007 blog, Downes described a new project also involving Tony Levin (bass), Michael Holmes (IQ), Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard, ex-Genesis), Thomas Lang (ex-John Wetton; drums), Rob Aubrey (worked with Wetton/Downes; engineer). Downes writes:

[In Feb 2007] We [Downes, Holmes & Aubrey] were working on a few tracks that they have been putting together at their respective studios. At the moment it's what you might call a 'virtual' project, with people sending in their stuff/parts from all over the World. [...] It's a fairly interesting but low-key kind of project, and the material - quite different and unusual, but at the moment is still very much a kind of 'work-in-progress' type of thing. Any of you prog-heads out there will probably love it all and lap it up

In 2009, Aubrey described a project called Pulse as being close to completion with Levin (bass), Holmes (guitar), D'Virgilio (drums, vocals) and Lang (drums), but did not mention Downes.

Other news
The Buggles news is under Horn, including a re-release of Adventures in Modern Recording with bonus tracks. Downes also plays on an Enrique Iglesias project being produced by Horn—details under Horn.

Downes appears on a number of projects headed by Billy Sherwooddetails here. He appears on one track of Steve Howe's Homebrew 4details under Howe.

Downes appears on a new project from Starwood, a spin-off from the band Lizzy Borden.

Jerusalem were an early 1970s British heavy rock band whose one album was produced by Deep Purple's Ian Gillan. Robert Cooke (guitar) and Lynden Williams (vocals) have reformed the band for an album produced by Rob Aubrey and, in his Jan 2007 blog, Downes describes doing a session for the project. The album, Escalator (Mausoleum Records), is now out and the full line-up is Williams (vocals), Cooke (guitars), Downes (keys), Dave Meros (Spock's Beard; bass) and Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard; drums). Tracks: "Hooded Eagle", "Midnight  Steamer", "Stone Free" (Jimi Hendrix cover), "Over the Chasm", "Kamikaze Moth", "The Void", "Banging All Night Long", "Spiders Rendezvous", "Faith Healer" (Alex Harvey cover), "When the Wolf Sits".

Downes sometimes plays with the Loco All-Stars, also with Hugh McDowell (Wetton/Downes, ex-ELO; cello), Paul Martinez (ex-Paice Ashton & Lord, ex-Robert Plant Band; bass), Ian Luther (guitar), Nicky Hopkins (ex-Robert Plant Band; drums). The band, who have a fluid line-up, were recording a CD to be sold at live shows; Downes is on six tracks including "How Long", "Keep on Rocking", "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Superstition".

In 1989, Downes and Chris Squire joined Tony Iommi, Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, David Gilmour, Brian May, Alex Lifeson, Keith Emerson and others took part in the Rock Aid Armenia project, with a group cover of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" and a subsequent compilation album. This was to raise funds for victims of the 1988 Spitak earthquake. On 2 Oct, the Prime Minister of Armenia awarded Downes, Gillan, Iommi, Gilmour, May and organiser Jon Dee the Order of Honour medal, the highest Armenian state award that can be conferred on foreign citizens (see Downes' description here). Squire and other participants received the Honorary Medal of the Prime Minister of Armenia. In Nov, the original recordings are to be re-released along with a making-of DVD, "The Making of Smoke on the Water", to raise funds for the Gyumri music school that was built near the eathquake's epicentre. Also to be released digitally is a re-mix of their recording of "Smoke on the Water".

News about Asia Featuring John Payne and associated releases is on the Asia page.



Trevor Rabin Homepage; News

(Not) live
A live show by Trevor Rabin was being advertised for 24 Oct at Blakes in Berkeley, CA. However, the listing has now been pulled. This and some other listings were a hoax: Rabin was never planning such a show and had no knowledge of this listing. Rabin's website says: "Recently a number of venues are promoting concerts presenting "Trevor Rabin". Please be aware these are scams perpetrated by persons fraudulently representing themselves as Trevor's agent. Trevor will not be appearing live at any venues in the immediate future."

New solo album
Rabin is actively working on a new solo album. A Feb 2009 interview says:

Rabin is also currently recording material for an upcoming instrumental solo album. The new music—which he describes as, “jazzier than rock, with a bluegrass Dobro kind of feel”— features him playing nearly every instrument.

In an interview published Mar 2008, Tony Kaye said, "I think [Rabin i]s working on a jazz album. [...] I think he's doing all the instruments himself." Talking to Innerviews back in late 2003, Rabin said he hoped to record a new solo album soon. "But if I get a call from someone I'm excited about working with, it's very difficult to turn down." He continues "I've got quite a lot of material together that I'm happy with. When I get enough together I'll start to do an album." In an Aug 2002 interview for Notes from the Edge, he said:

I've got enough material for about half an album at least [...] I just haven't got time to get around to it.
In his Innerviews interview, Rabin talked about the format of the album. He wants to use an orchestra and also suggests it will not be a singer-songwriter album:
I think I'd sing on it, but it would be far more instrumental. The previous solo albums were very much singer-songwriter efforts with me delivering a lyric and performing as a guitar player [...] Now, I think it would be a little more eclectic and a lot more natural maybe. It wouldn't stick to a certain genre. I wouldn't do what I'm expected to do. I think it would be a lot freer.
In an e-mail to me in Jul 2004, Rabin spoke of his focus on writing for orchestra, both in his film scores and a next solo album, rather than the traditional rock line-up. He said that when he does an album, it will be different to anything he has done before as a solo artist or in a band. He also said that he misses playing live.

Film scores etc.
Rabin's next score is for "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and due out 16 Jul 2010.

Rabin did the score for Disney's "Race to Witch Mountain" (remake of the 1975 film; now out), now out. The former was recorded around early Feb 2009 by a 78-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony, conducted by orchestrator Gordon Goodwin, and a 24-person choir conducted by music librarian Marshall Bowen. The score producer was Paul Linford, who also handled additional arrangements. The scoring mixer was Steve Kempster, with Robbie Boyd, the music editor; Larry Mah, the ProTools recordist; and stage recordist Adam Michalak. (Trevor Horn visited one of the scoring sessions.) The soundtrack, Race to Witch Mountain, has received a digital release only. The 19 track album opens with 3 tracks not by Rabin, with the rest from his score: "Emergency" (Steve Rushton; 2:59), "Boogie Woogie Saturday Night" (Brokedown Cadillac; 3:30), "Southern Nights" (Brokedown Cadillac; 3:53), "Into the Fridge" (6:50), "), "Long Goodbye" (3:01), "Siphon Searches" (4:00), "Make Me a Believer" (4:09), "Bump and Run" (1:14), "Unidentified Main Titles" (3:10), "Jack and Kids Escape" (2:58), "Tell Mr. Wolf I Meant It" (0:50), "Train Wreckage Survey" (0:46), "Burke's Deal" (4:19), "Tracking the E.B.E.'s" (2:13), "Stand Off" (1:48), "Tunnel Flight" (2:17), "Excess Baggage" (2:08), "Convention Escape" (3:12), "Meet the Press" (1:36).

Trevor Rabin has also done the score for another Disney film, "G-Force" (now out; #1 at the US box office in its opening week). Here, Rabin takes over from former collaborator Harry Gregson-Williams, as he has moved to another Disney project. Tommy Vicari and Steve Kempster were mix engineers, while Linford, Goodwin and Don Harper also return. The score includes one track, "Mexicano", credited to Trevor and son Ryan Rabin.

Rabin also worked on "12 Rounds", directed by Reny Harlin. This was recorded around Dec 2008, again by the Hollywood Studio Symphony (including Jon Lewis, trumpet; Wayne Bergeron, trumpet; Cécilia Tsan, 'cello; Bill Booth, trombone; Bob Sanders, bass trombone; Jim Self, tuba), while the studio team included Linford, Kempster, Tom Hardisty, Peter Rotter, Robbie Boyd and Erik Swanson.

Rabin has also done the theme for the National Basketball Association. Turner Network Television's coverage of the NBA will continue to use the theme for the 2009-10 season, making it the longest theme used in NBA history.

Rabin was a speaker at the Fimucité (Festival Internacional de Música de Cine de Tenerife/Tenerife International Film Music Festival) in Jun in Tenerife, Spain. The festival included a performance of Rabin's film music by the Tenerife Film Orchestra & Choir, a 90-piece orchestra and 60-member choir; set (conducted by Joel McNeely): "Gettysburg/Virginia" (from "Remember the Titans"), "Closing Cards (Overture)" (from "The Great Raid"), "Launch" (from "Armageddon"), "Aftermath" (from "Deep Blue Sea"), "Ben" (from "National Treasure"), "The Game" (from "Remember the Titans").

Rabin scored "Get Smart: The Movie". There is a 20-track release, Get Smart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Varèse Sarabande, 302 066 904 2). The score incorporates the original TV show's theme, by Irving Szathmary, with the album including several re-interpretations in different styles. The score was performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony, conducted and orchestrated by regular Rabin collaborator Gordon Goodwin, as well as using electronic elements, guitar and percussion. It was produced by Linford. A sequel is planned with Rabin to do the music again. Rabin won his 11th BMI Award for the score.

Rabin's "Closing Titles" from the score for "The Great Raid" and "Heroes" from the score for "Flyboys" are included on the 4CD compilation Varèse Sarabande: A 30th Anniversary Celebration (Varèse Sarabande). His "Titan's Spirit" (from "Remember the Titans") was used at the end of Barack Obama's acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention in Aug 2008 and again at the end of his acceptance speed on winning the election. Both times were without any consultation with Rabin, but Rabin is an Obama supporter and talked in a Nov 2008 interview of being proud his music was used. In 2009, he said there were subsequent plans for him to perform the piece with a Marine band, but this didn't come about.

The instrumental introduction to Rabin's "Promises" (from his 1989 solo album Can't Look Away) is used in a scene in the new animated film "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs".

Collaborations, guest appearances & other news
In Oct 2009, YesWorld's Paul Secord described regular collaborator, drummer Lou Molino (Yoso), as "working with Trevor on some new material." It is not known for what project this would be.

In 1989, Rabin played on about half the sessions for a Mr. Mister album entitled Pull that was never released. Richard Page reportedly said earlier in 2009 that this would be released some time soon.

Rabin was writing with Jon Anderson. Anderson has also talked about the possibility of tour playing YesWest music—see details on main page. Alan White, Chris Squire and Rabin all participated in the Imagine a Cure Benefit Concert honouring the music of John Lennon, in Washington state in Apr 2009.

In Jan 2008, Rabin announced that he had been approached about touring with Yes, but that he was too busy—see details on main page. An Oct 2006 report quoted Alan White as saying that Rabin was keen to move on from soundtrack work and return to band work. During CIRCA: dates in Jan 2008, Kaye reportedly said Rabin would love to play in a band but for his schedule. Rabin has often spoken of how he misses playing live, but his film work keeps him too busy.

Rabin guests on Dream and Variations (LuminAria Records) from composer/conductor Don Harper's Oceana Orchestra; Harper has worked on several soundtrack projects with Rabin. Tracks: "Dream and Variations", "Where Do We Go from Here?", "End of Days", "Morning in Montana (Heartland Prelude #1)", "Shades of Grace (Heartland Prelude #2)", "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded (Heartland Prelude #3)", "Blackwater Run (Heartland Prelude #4)", "Her Touch", "When You Close Your Eyes", "Dream and Variations (full version)". The album was recorded by Harper's 70-piece Oceana Orchestra (save three of the "Heartland Preludes" that were recorded by a chamber group), with solo vocals and a choir added later. Lyricist Tom Child also worked on the project, while musicians include Rabin (guitar on "Where Do We Go from Here?" and a second track), Dan Higgins (soprano sax, flute, featured on "Dream and Variations"), Lisbeth Scott (vocals, on "End of Days"), Tim Davis (vocals, on "When You Close Your Eyes"), Karen Harper (vocals, on "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded"), Russell Ferrante (The Yellowjackets; piano), Dave Stone (upright bass), Sid Page (violin), Steve Erody (cello), Brian Kilgore (Jonathan Elias; percussion), Gregg Bissonette (ex-David Lee Roth, ex-Toto, ex-Santana, worked with Billy Sherwood; drums), Grant Geissman (guitars), Dean Parks (guitars), Fred Selden (ethnic woodwinds).

Rabin did session work on both of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's original albums and thus can be heard on the new Frankie Say Greatest compilation: see under Horn.

Rabin is signed to Kraft-Engel Management, his agent being Laura Engel. Rabin is also a painter and his work can be viewed and purchased at the Entertainers Art Gallery.



Billy Sherwood Homepage; Homepage for solo projects; MySpace page; MySpace for Billy Sherwood Productions; Billy on Twitter; Billy on YouTube

Projects with multiple Yesmen
Billy Sherwood is the nexus for a number of projects involving other Yesmen, both current and former band members (particularly Tony Kaye and Alan White), which are covered on their own page. In summary, there is:

Sherwood has also been working regularly with various other musicians, including Schellen, Kimball and Robby Krieger (ex-The Doors, Riders on the Storm)—see news about a post-Conspiracy album and various tribute albums. The Table below gives a summary of Sherwood's projects and some of his regular collaborators:
 
Projects headed by Billy Sherwood Tony Kaye Alan White Geoff Downes Steve Howe Rick Wakeman Jimmy Haun Michael Sherwood Jay Schellen Robby Krieger Bobby Kimball
John Wetton
notable others
CIRCA:
on 1st album and DVD, but now left band



guests on album and some live shows




some material on 1st album co-written with Trevor Rabin
Yoso







now left band



Lou Molino III
Psy-Op (Conspiracy spin-off)










Bruce Gowdy, Gary Green
Abbey Road: A Tribute to The Beatles











Mickey Thomas, Dweezil Zappa, Albert Lee
An All-Star Salute to Christmas










Zappa, Molino
Jim Ladd's Headsets on From Here to Infinity
on From Here to Infinity
on From Here to Infinity on From Here to Infinity

on Chapter 1: Alone Out Here
on From Here to Infinity

Jim Ladd, Thomas on From Here to Infinity

Solo work, including At the Speed of Life...
Sherwood released his third solo album At the Speed of Life... exclusively available through his website. Some of the material dates back years, even as far as when he was 15, Sherwood said in a Sep interview for Delicious Agony. In an Apr 2008 interview, Sherwood said:

It is extremely proggy [...] the whole album is a reflection basically on time and life, you know, how precious it is. How we all as people do what we have to do every day to get through this life but really the key to life is living it, enjoying it and realising that every minute is precious. So it is kind of, as I get older and now I am a father I guess these thoughts are in my head. [...] A lot of cool bass stuff on there because I’m back into playing bass a lot

Tracks: "Forward" (6:27), "In the Maze of the Garden" (8:35), "In Memory of..." (2:36), "Face the Dawn" (6:30), "Alive and Wondering" (5:51), "At the Speed of Life..." (10:04), "Seeing Through the Walls" (10:57); written, produced, and all instruments performed by Billy Sherwood. Audio samples are available at Sherwood's MySpace page. The album has a certain lyrical unity around "life and time and how it should be cherished", as Sherwood discusses in an interview circa Sep 2008. Photos in the CD booklet are by wife Michi. CIRCA: are planning to cover "Seeing Through the Walls" on their planned "CIRCA: HQ LIVE" DVD—see on the CIRCA: page.

Sherwood's fourth and latest solo album is called Oneirology (it was originally announced as Dream Analysis, "oneirology" being the scientific name for the study of dreams), consisting of 8 tracks for a 64 min. duration in total. Again, the album is exclusively available through his website; samples are available through his MySpace and YouTube pages. Tracks: "Oneirology", "Setting Sun", "Wake Up Call", "The Following", "The Recurring Dream", "Lost Inside", "The Gate", "Walking with You". Sherwood tweeted on 27 Nov about mastering the album with Joe Gastwirt (worked with Yes). He said in Jun:

I recently got inspired on bass and created a new piece and have slotted it for the next solo CD I have in the works. I had a dream about the next solo project being about a dream [...] I'm going to make all the songs dreamscapes and fantasy based theme wise. I dream often and in very intense ways, so I have plenty to draw from for each song.

He said in Dec 2009 that the album is "Very proggy". In tweets in late Oct/early Nov 2009, Sherwood described "writing, recording, playing etc." for his next solo album. To Yesfans.com in Nov 2009, he said:

I've been head down in studio working like mad on my 4th solo CD.

About a year ago or so.... I had a dream about making a record about dreams, I took it as a preminition of sorts. The next CD will be songs with concepts all based on various dream states I have encountered. It will be a conceptual record in a sense of the theme being the surreal nature of our dreaming.

I have 48 minutes completed, planning to stop when I reach about 60 minutes.

I love working with other musicians and singers on music, that said there is something about creating music all by myself, with no influences one way or the other that I really do enjoy. Like having Disneyland all to yourself

Rights to Sherwood's first two solo albums have reverted to him and he is working to re-release them through his website. No Comment is now available digitally through iTunes.

Jim Ladd's Headsets (MySpace page)
Sherwood is working with radio DJ Jim Ladd on a series of albums based on Ladd's Headsets freeform radio shows of the same name. The improvised radio show adds effects and spoken word material to other artists' songs, but the first Headsets release was planned out and uses mostly original material. Chapter 1: Alone Out Here, only available from the Headsets webpage, is on the theme of space, based on a concept by Ladd; tracks are given below; the lyrics and speeches were written by Ladd (with Sherwood), save for two poems, while the music was largely written and performed by Sherwood. The album largely consists of songs sung by Sherwood and tracks of an ambient nature backing speech by Ladd.

  1. Remnants of Creation (Part I)—spoken by Ladd; 30s. duration
  2. The Launch—with spoken word fragments by DJ Pat "Paraquat" Kelly, DJ Joe Reiling, Damian Bragdon, John Densmore (ex-The Doors) and Sherwood; 22s. dur.
  3. We are Sailors—sung by Sherwood
  4. Reaching for the Stars—spoken by Ladd, intro to next track
  5. Sons of Our Suns—sung by B. Sherwood, with additional voice work by his young son, Ethan
  6. The Mission—spoken by Ladd
  7. The Lonesome Trail (re-make of Conspiracy song)—sung by Sherwood with some additional spoken word fragments by Ladd
  8. Finding Our Way—poem written and spoken by Helene Hodge, with drum solo by John Densmore
  9. Universal Garden (re-make of Yes song)—sung by Sherwood
  10. The Family Business—spoken by Ladd
  11. Alone Out Here—spoken by Ladd in a segue from previous track; Schellen on drums
  12. Systems Failure—spoken by Ladd
  13. Reflections—sung by Sherwood
  14. Message from Home—poem written and spoken by Victoria Cyr over music by Sherwood
  15. 2,000 Light Years From Home (re-make of The Rolling Stones song)Billy Bob Thornton + his band
  16. Perspective—spoken by Ladd
  17. Melancholy Deity——sung by Sherwood; Schellen on drums
  18. Remnants of Creation (Part II)—spoken by Ladd
  19. One World Going Round (re-make of World Trade song)—sung by Sherwood

A live production and DVD of this first album was being planned: in a Nov 2007 interview for Notes from the Edge, Sherwood said, "we have plans to make a live production out of it and include perhaps special guests and friends who, between Jim and I and the people we know, put together a unique kind of show, and just make an event out of the whole thing [...] hopefully early in the first quarter perhaps of next year [2008] somewhere we actually bring this to a live setting and film it and record it and create a live DVD of the experience". The live production was not planend as a tour: rather it seems a series of local dates was under consideration. The live band would probably be CIRCA: plus special guests. In mid-Jul 2008, Sherwood said, "There is interest in a "Headsets Live" production." While this has yet to come about, Sherwood and Ladd are working with the Laserium Theater in Hollywood, CA to turn the album into a Headsets/Laserium production for early 2010 that is then expected to go into rotation there. The production is due to be complete by Dec. According to Sherwood in Aug 2009, "The show will include lasers, projections, music {Headsets 1: CD being the soundtrack} and a "visually compelling, emotional driven, adventurous movie" within the production itself."

Chapter 2: Sides, based on a concept by Sherwood, is now out and again is only available from the Headsets webpage. The music on the album was written, arranged and performed (guitars, bass, drums; there are no keys on the album) by Sherwood, with spoken word performances by Ladd (except for one spoken word piece, "Haunted by Diversity", written by Helene Hodge and performed by Hodge and Ladd). Ethan Sherwood (Billy's young son) gets one line too. Artwork is by Michi Sherwood (Billy's wife). Two pieces from the album ("War and Peace", "In Between") can be heard at their MySpace page. Sherwood described mastering the album with Gastwirt in May. He tweeted on 12 Apr about completing mixing on a 10-track album. Recording sessions had begun in early Mar. One song is entitled "2 Sides to Everything". Back on 13 Jan, he talked about creating one of the songs on the album:

I write on all instruments, that said the last song I wrote for the upcoming "Jim Ladd Headsets 2" CD was started by a drum groove I had in my head. I was walking around my house with a particular drum groove ringing in my mind and keep humming it to myself, so I ran to the studio and played just the drums, no "music" so to speak. {not that drums are not music for any drummers out there [...] Once the track was cut I grabbed my guitar and sorted out a chord progression and the rest and it became a song called "Opposing Forces".

A preview of the album was broadcast on KLOS 95.5 FM (US radio) and can be seen on YouTube here. There was a "listening party" for Sides on 23 Sep at the Laserium Theater with video projections, including of Ladd narrating, and a live laser show, followed by the second ever showing of a film made to accompany Alone Out Here. All of CIRCA: were in attendance. Sherwood said later that month that the Sides presentation may go into rotation at the Laserium.

On 10 Oct 2009, CIRCA: and Ladd performed the entire second Headsets album live, followed by "Universal Garden", "Ever Changing World", "Brotherhood of Man", "Cut the Ties, at the Laserium Theater, with multi-media visual effects including pre-filmed segments and lasers. This was a 90 minute show, with two performances that evening. The show was recorded. The band was also supplemented by Dan Smolley (acoustic guitar, backing vocals). West Coast Sound and Light did front of house. Brian Chatton (ex-The Warriors) was in the audience. Official rehearsal footage was earlier posted to YouTube. This is also being turned into a Laserium production as with Alone Out Here. Sherwood said to ProgressiveEars.com in early Sep 2009:

We may be doing it again in a few months time, Laserium has plans for "re-ocurring" productions. I'm speaking with them now about producing several different "themed shows" for thier theater in Hollywood. Should "CIRCA: plays Jim Ladd Headsts Chapter 2: Sides" become one [...]

In the NftE interview, Sherwood said: "we plan on doing as many as we like [...] so in the same way that, for me CIRCA: is doing its thing, and naturally taken on a life of its own, that's what's going kind of happen in this case as well with HEADSETS, so there will be multiple records as years roll by I'm sure." Future chapters may also have live productions too and will probably not re-use as much material.

However, that's not the end of the story. An alternate first, space-themed, Headsets album was released earlier in 2007 as From Here to Infinity (duration 42:09) by Jim Ladd's headsets, on Purple Pyramid (Cleopatra). It was released digitally through distributor The Orchard, but did not have a physical release. With many of the same people involved, it is unclear whether there is any overlap in content between the two releases. The album includes covers of well-known songs, including "Starship Trooper" with Sherwood (bass, backing vocals), Rick Wakeman, Tony Kaye, Steve Howe, Alan White and Mickey Thomas (Starship; lead vocals). This was then re-released later in 2007, still digitally only, as Rock Infinity (and without the Headsets name) with a bonus track of "More Than a Feeling" performed by Sherwood, White and Kaye, presumably the track previously released on Cleopatra's '70s Box: The Sound of a Decade. Details in Yescography. "Across the Universe" was then released on Abbey Road: A Tribute to The Beatles (Cleopatra Records)—see here. In Aug 2007, Sherwood described to Yesfans.com the cover of "Starship Trooper", saying, "That song was for a record that was dereailed mid way through.... record comapny snafu." He later continued, "Let's just say there was a major SNAFU that madse us back up and re-look at the project. I will explain more when the dust settles."

Speaking about From Here to Infinity and about the future for Headsets, Sherwood said in Jan 2009:

It had to do with downloads vers[u]s CD distr[i]bution. Since it is a conceptual project the idea of downloads went against the "conceptual" aspect of needing the running order to remain set in stone and presented on a CD.

Based on that we and the label had a rethink about it all. I am writing/producing the next Headsets CD with Jim as we speak. Lot's of interesting tunes on the table already, should be out in a few months time.

Tribute albums
Abbey Road: A Tribute to the Beatles has Sherwood, White, Downes and Kaye: details here. An All-Star Salute to Christmas has Sherwood, Downes and others: details here.

In Jan 2010, John Wetton (Asia, ex-UK, ex-King Crimson) said on his website forum:

I just got a mail from Billy Sherwood, to offer me one more rock tribute compilation. Couldn't be more fun. You will honestly pe* your p**ts when you hear what it is.

Of course, I agreed to sing it.

There are no further details as to what this might be.

In an Apr 2008 interview, Sherwood said he is working on a tribute to The Police, saying, "I was planning on kind of inviting just like great guitar players to come on and play some great solos and play over the top of the stuff and keep the music kind of pure."

Other news

In Sep 2007, Sherwood was reported to be producing "a number of bands". In a Mar 2008 interview, he said of his home studio, "I do a lot of production work here. I do a lot of writing for Japanese anime' cartoons. I also work for Master Source, which is a large music library. They're featuring me as their artist of the month on their website, which is quite an honor." Sherwood has continued to do a variety of material for Mastersource Music, a music source company, including, according to various tweets, orchestral cues, kids songs and a vocal session with Nancy Ellis. In an Apr 2008 interview, Sherwood talked about writing "about 8" Xmas songs for MasterSource Music Catalog and, more generally, that he writes "a lot" for them. Over Xmas 2007, he put a set of Xmas songs on his MySpace page: "Peace and Love Xmas", "Bring It on Santa", "Xmas Time is Here", "Swingin' Xmas" and "The Santa Letter". These were originally written for film and TV work, presumably the same company, and are entirely performed by Sherwood, except lead vocal on "Swingin' Xmas" by Pat Tezilino. "Bring It on Santa", "Xmas Time is Here", "Swingin' Xmas" and seemingly a new piece "Dear Santa" are or were available on the Billy Sherwood Productions MySpace page.

Several Billy Sherwood pieces for film/TV work are available on some digital-only compilations. Big Movies, Big Music Volume 1 includes "On Approach" and "The Summit" from the film "Man of the Year". Big Networks, Big Music Volume 2 includes "Christmas Ball" from "Ghost Whisperer"; and Big Networks, Big Music Volume 9 includes "Rockin' Hannukah" from the TV series "Brothers and Sisters". Various of these songs are also on the digital-only compilations Ultimate Holiday Party Volume 1 and Ultimate Christmas Party Volume 3.

In mid-Dec 2008, he said, "I have met some incredibly talented musicians/writters on myspace [...] I've recorded some things for people on their records and I am about to mix a great sounding prog band who contacted me through myspace." In May, he tweeted that he was mixing material for Brazilian prog band Banda Do Sol, and in Jun, he tweeted that he was mastering their album with Joe Gastwirt (worked with Yes).
Buy MP3 from Amazon (US):


Buy MP3 from Amazon (US):


Buy MP3 from Amazon (US):

Buy MP3 from Amazon (US):

Sherwood is a guest vocalist on two tracks ("The Challenge", "Going Home") on the concept album Shackleton's Voyage by Eureka (MySpace page), now out on InsideOut. Eureka is Frank Bossert's project and he plays guitars, keys, bass, mandolin, drums and percussion on the album; both tracks on which Sherwood guests can be heard on his MySpace page. Other guests include choir band Kalema with lead singer Martje Johannsen, Troy Donockley (Iona, Mostly Autumn) on Uilleann pipes and whistling, and Yogi Lang (RPWL) on Moog. The album is being mastered.

The Future is the debut solo album from Air Supply's Graham Russell. Sherwood, who worked with the band in the 1990s, co-wrote two songs: "Let Yourself Go" (written by Russell/Jonni Lightfoot/Stina/Sherwood) and "Our Love" (Russell/Mike Zerbe/Lightfoot/Jed Moss/Jeff Allman/Stina/Louis Clarke/Sherwood). He also mixed three tracks. The second album from Julia Francis is entitled Lucky Penny and has additional engineering and production from Sherwood and Ted Stockwell (Treason, ex-White). The album was co-produced by Victor DeLorenzo (Violent Femmes) and Mike Hoffmann (EIEIO); players include Vinnie Colaiuta (ex-Frank Zappa, ex-Asia, worked with Sherwood; drums), Ben Smith (ex-Heart, ex-Cyndi Lauper; drums), Andy Stoller (ex-Tracy Chapman; bass) and Jeff Fielder (Sera Cahoone; bass). The record was mastered by Joe Gastwirt (worked with Yes, CIRCA:).

Sherwood and Bob Kulick head up Fearless Music West, a spin-off from Jamie Lamm's New York-based Fearless Music, doing music for commercials.

Sherwood has been working with Bob Cesca (cover art for Yes and Conspiracy) and his production studio Camp Chaos. Sherwood composed the theme song for Camp Chaos's anime series "Kung Fu Jimmy Chow" (for Heavy.com; lyrics by Cesca) and for their series "Superficial Friends" (also for Heavy.com). In an Apr 2008 interview, he said he had "recently completed" another.

On his MySpace blog in May 2007, Sherwood recounted how he met Malcom McDowell prior to recording Back Against the Wall: "I met Malcolm while doing a session for him and Brian Johnson {acdc singer} BJ wrote a broadway play which he had cast MM in. I did the session". Sherwood's role in this session or any further details are unknown.

Work began late in 2003 on a new World Trade album. In a Jun 2004 interview, Schellen says, "We [Sherwood and Schellen] have recently begun a new World Trade record with Bruce [Gowdy], it truly sounds amazing. [...] [Gowdy] sounds better than ever. The sound is more powerful and explosive than before, with all the hallmark vocals and melodic lead guitars. The partnership is strong and this record is going to be a monster!" It appears the project stalled. In a Jan 2006 interview, Sherwood is asked whether World Trade is now defunct and replies, "It lives on in my mind and in Bruce Gowdy's mind and in Jay Schellen's mind. We talk about it, but life gets busy and it just doesn't seem like it's something we ever focus on. Two of the tracks on the new Conspiracy project [now to be released under another name—see CIRCA: page for details] were written by Bruce and me with the idea that maybe we would start working on a new World Trade record. But Bruce got really swamped, and so did I, and it fell on the back burner. But those two tracks blend in perfectly, so there's a World Trade flavor to the new Conspiracy record." In Jun 2007, Sherwood said, "Bruce and Jay and I always speak of doing another record so, you never know."

In Dec 2009, Sherwood said that, "I got a message from a guy who has a "reissue" label and he wants to reissue "world trade 1" and "world trade euphoria" along with a few bonus tracks and a booklet etc... Should be cool !!"

The original incarnation of The Key—Sherwood, Jimmy Haun (CIRCA:; guitar), Mark T. Williams (drums)—recorded an album in 1991, Delta Sierra Juliet, which was never released. Sherwood has said they hope to release it one day, but in May 2007, Sherwood wrote on his MySpace blog that, "The original "Key" record with myself, Jimmy haun, Mark Williams won't be released, it was on Impact/MCA a now defunct record comapny." To ProgressiveEars.com in Feb 2009, he said the album "is caught up in ownership issues and most likely will never see the light of day". However, the rights to The World is Watching, The Key's 1997 album, have reverted to Sherwood and guitarist Marty Walsh and Sherwood continued that he is "Thinking of sprucing it up and re-releasing it via my on line store".



Igor Khoroshev Homepage

Khoroshev has been working with Holly Knight (worked with Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Heart).



On to Others associated with the band
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YES and projects with several Yesmen
Jon
Anderson
Chris
Squire
Steve
Howe
Alan
White
Rick
Wakeman
Bill
Bruford
Tony
Kaye
Peter
Banks
Patrick
Moraz
Trevor
Horn
Geoff
Downes
Trevor
Rabin
Billy
Sherwood
Igor
Khoroshev
Anderson & Wakeman
Asia
CIRCA:
Yoso
Oliver Wakeman
Benoît David
Others associated with the band

Any news, additions or corrections, please e-mail Henry Potts. Thanks.