The Velvet Underground - A closer look (documentary)

Beginning with original line-up consisting of Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker, John Cale and Lou Reed crafting those first, timeless songs that soon became 1967's The Velvet Underground & Nico - the following film follows the Velvets' story along with their entire discography as explained by former band members and associates.









Info albums:

1967 - The Velvet Underground & Nico:                                                                                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Velvet_Underground_%26_Nico

1968 - White Light/White Heat:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Light/White_Heat

1969 - The Velvet  Underground: 
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Velvet_Underground_(album)

1970 - Loaded:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loaded_(The_Velvet_Underground_album)

1973 - Squeeze: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeeze_(The_Velvet_Underground_album) 




documentary: https://youtu.be/45hRMCgyZBw

The Sacred Triangle: David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed - 1971-1973 (documentary/film 2010)

By 1971 David Bowie was branded a one-hit-wonder, Lou Reed was considered washed up following a disastrous debut and Iggy Pop was seen as merely a drug crazed ex-Stooge. But a meeting of minds in that year's closing months was the catalyst for an extraordinary turnaround for these three musical geniuses, resulting in the most dramatic shift of musical style since the dawn of the rock age. This fascinating film investigates the era in which these brilliant personalities worked most closely together. Told by those who were there at the time - including exclusive contributions from David's ex-wife Angie Bowie, Andy Warhol's Factory assistant Billy Name, and New York scenester/punk star Jayne (nee Wayne) County - and with rare, classic film footage and recently discovered archive material, The Sacred Triangle reveals a time of incredible creativity and a sublime chain of events that changed music forever.








Featured: Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, David Bowie

Appearing in this film: Jayne County,  Leee Black Childers, Angela Bowie, Billy Name


There's only a part 1!



The Sacred Triangle:   https://youtu.be/zmZsu8Ue7Hw

Cressida (prog. rock / England)

Cressida, one of the pioneers of progressive rock music made two classic albums in 1970 and then disappeared into obscurity, only to re-form in 2010 to play a memorable one-off gig for the band's many fans who travelled to London from around the world to see this legendary band.

Cressida was an excellent band of early British symphonic progressive scene. Their sound is mostly dominated by the most beautiful and symphonic Hammond organ (dirty, and mellow), piano, bass, guitar, and drums. The instrumental sections are equally good, and tend to be typical of early 70s English prog rock. Thanks to the captivating atmospheres and the technical ability of the musicians. Similar bands include Fantasy, Beggars' Opera, Cirkus, Gracious and Spring. 


Both albums are excellent and very rare now (both were original Vertigo "Swirls"). Their self-titled debut is an early seventies forgotton classic with delicate vocals, gobs of organ and acoustic guitar. Cressida's second "Asylum" is the best. The combinations of instruments used for this album featuring the flute and different keyboard configurations accompanied by acoustic guitar works. This album, though, was by far the better one, with long instrumental passages and more elaborate arrangements.


Members:

Angus Cullen - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion (1968-1970)
Kevin McCarthy - bass (1968-1970)
Iain Clark - drums, percussion (1968-1970)
John Heyworth - guitars, vocals (1968-70)
Lol Coker - organ (1968-69)
Peter Jennings - organ, piano (1969-70)
John Culley - guitars (1970)
Roger Niven - guitars (2011- present)



Cressida (full album): https://youtu.be/IkpyRZ5wJeM

Asylum (full album): https://youtu.be/wa8V1e0U20g

Discography:

- Cressida  (1970)
- Asylum (1971)

The Aerovons (psych, pop / USA)

The Aerovons was formed in 1966 in St Louis, Missouri by Tom Hartman. A 1967 demo record was heard by a representative of Capitol Records. In spite of an offer to record in Los Angeles, the group held out hope that they could record in London, the recording home of their heroes, The Beatles. 

In 1968 they travelled to London twice, receiving offers from both EMI and Decca. In 1969, the band returned to London and recorded an album at Abbey Road studio. Guitarist Bob Frank, a longtime member of the group, left the group just before they went to London to record, due to personal issues. Despite blogs and rumors to the contrary, Bob was never "let go" and was always missed, according to leader Tom Hartman. 

Only once in England did the band realize that his replacement, Phil Edholm, and the group had differences that proved insurmountable. He left shortly after they began recording.

Once the album was finished, the band returned to St. Louis where more personal problems between a group member and his family caused the group to splinter. EMI decided not to release the album. EMI invited Tom Hartman to come to England and reload, so to speak, but Hartman felt moving to England was too great a step at his age, and the partnership with EMI was dissolved. The album was not released until a CD release in 2003 by RPM.

Members:

Tom Hartman - piano, guitar
Bob "Ferd" Frank - guitar
Phil Edholm - guitar
Mike Lombardo - drums
Bill Lombardo - bass


Resurrection (full album): https://youtu.be/eOXfmHxI1N4

 Discography: 

- Resurrection  (1969)



Source: wikipedia

Happy New Year

I wish you all a

                                                                                                                                   butterfly

Canamii - "Concept" album (South Africa)

The name Canami was derived from the star signs of Phil Nel (Cancer) and Claire Whittaker (Gemini).

Both Claire and Phil worked for EMI as engineers. Claire being a tape mastering engineer and Phil being a studio engineer. Phil went on to become chief engineer of EMI (SA) and chief engineer at Downtown studios (Gallo Africa). 

Hailing from South Africa, CANAMII was a studio-based project,  where a few principal members recorded an entire album utilizing outside musicians as needed. The main members in this case were Phil Nel (keyboards) and Claire Whittaker (vocals), and soon after they started working on the project, Paul Woodley (guitars) got heavily involved as well.

Due to Phil and Claire's full time job as studio engineers they were able to use the recording studios of EMI without cost - the label considered this project as good training - and whenever the studio wasn't booked and the threesome had spare time simultanously they used the opportunity to work on this project. Various musicians were brought in as needed, and in 1980 it was ready to be released. 

A band name was constructed by assembling selected syllables from the star signs of Phil and Claire - Cancer and Gemini. The album was named Concept and issued in 1980, and turned out to be the sole production of this project.

Canami Concept was inspired by Abby Road (EMI) engineer Allen Parsons (Allen Parson Project) where studio musicians were used instead of a dedicated band.

Although not originally part of the initial concept Paul Woodley was asked to join the project because of he’s jazz/rock influenced guitar playing as can be heard on the tracks Afrock, Phantom Players, And the Moon Be As Bright. Claire’s vocal style was very much influenced by Annie Haslam from the band Renaissance. Claire also had very strong 70’s folk influence in her vocal style.Phil’s forte’ was in programming synths such as the Synclavier, Fairlight, Jupiter 4, Korg, Moog, RMI and the ARP.

Phil also has grade 8 classical piano (Royal Schools of Music) and he’s major musical influence was Emerson, Lake and Palmer, especially ELP’s LP release Tarkus as can be heard on the Canimi Concept tracks Toccata and Tri. Phil’s other influences were Rick Wakeman, Yes and King Crimson along with the Russian classical composers such as Rimsky Korsakov, Mussorgsky and Khachaturian. 

Tim Kensella, a long time friend of both Phil and Claire was asked to do the vocals on the track Spiral. This track also features the RMI synth. Short of one track to complete the LP, Phil, Claire and Paul spent an entire night in EMI studios and wrote the track Children, using just guitar, a Jupiter 4 synth and the Dr Rhythm drum box. 


Musicians:

Philip Nel - Keyboards
Paul Woodley - Guitar
Claire Whittaker - Vocals
Mickey Woitynek - Guitar
Ashley Kelly - Bass
Herman Eugster, Kendall Kay, Tony Moore - Drums
Tim Kensella - Vocals



Concept (1980 - full album): https://youtu.be/N6VY8eJAJd4

Little Tragedies (prog rock, art rock, symphonic rock / Russia)

Little Tragedies is a Russian language progressive rock, art rock and symphonic rock band from Kursk in Russia. The band described its style as "a battery of keyboards - drums - bass; hard rhythm section support and soloing keyboards". Little Tragedies has their very own style, influenced by classical music and heavy art rock. The music of Little Tragedies is very melodic and always features a keyboard solo with an improvisation accent.The band are one of the only progressive rock bands in Russia using Moog and Hammond keyboards. Most of the songs of the band are based on known Russian poets, especially Nikolai Gumilev. Due to the fact Ilyin moved to live in Germany, he sends the music scores to the band members via email, and after they learn it he arrives to Kursk for the rehearsals and recordings.

"Little Tragedies" was founded in 1994 by the graduate of St. Petersburg Conservatory, composer Gennady Ilyin after previously performing with a band called Paradox. The name was taken from a play by Alexander Pushkin. The group's first recording, 1, was never recorded as an album. It exists only on an amateur videotape made from the group's only concert at that moment. They started as a trio in 1994.

Years active: 1994 – present

Members:

Gennady Ilyin - composer, keyboards, vocals) (1994-present)
Oleg Babynin - bass guitar (1994-present)
Yuri Skripkin - drums (1994-present)
Alexander Malakhovsky - guitar (2000-present)
Aleksey Bildin - saxophone(2000-present)




Prodigal Son:  https://youtu.be/BUMxWFgptN0

In the Moonlight: https://youtu.be/oOdudWp36rE

There Came An Unexpected Guest: https://youtu.be/QjNRZ4oKRNc

In The Heavens: https://youtu.be/8EcXyRw_ROI

In The Heavens: (from Porcelain Pavilion (2000). 

Originally this album was released as a work by Little Tragedies.The album is basically a solo work by Gennady Ilyin, Little Tragedies' keyboard player, founder and composer and it was reissued under his name in 2009.

Discography:

Studio albums:

- Porcelain Pavilion (2000)
- The Sun of Spirit ( 2000)
- Return  (2005) 
- New Faust  (2006) 
- The Sixth Sense (2006) 
- Chinese Songs  (2007) double album
- Cross (2008) 
- Paris Symphony (2009) 
- The Magic Shop (2009) 
- Obsessed (2011) 
- At Nights  (2014)

 • Re-released in 2009 as Gennady Ilyin's solo albums.



Sources: wikipedia

Vespero (psych rock, prog rock.space rock / Russia)

Biography:

Vespero got together as a quartet in Astrakhan (south of Russia) 2003 on the common interest in playing psychedelic music. Later Natalya Tjurina (vocals) joined, and the band moved into more progressive rock-related areas. As their Moscow fellows Kaftan Smekha, Vespero are deeply influenced by avant theatre and experimental poetry. Since the very first demos their sound has been influenced by Gong, early Pink Floyd, Faust and related bands from that era. 

Vespero have been quickly developing into one of the most exciting instrumental bands on the contemporary Space Rock scene. Utilizing elements of Space Rock, Psychedelia, Krautrock, Progressive Rock and ethnic influences, Vespero morph, mutate and blend their various influences into music that varies from one album to the next, but is always uniquely Vespero." 

Formed in early 2003 in Astrakhan, South Russia, Vespero went through several personnel changes, produced numerous low budget recordings, and turned into a mainstay of local scene before releasing their official debut album in 2007. They spend most of the time diligently honing their musical craft and inventing their own fantasy world somewhere near the crossroads of psychedelia, space rock, progressive rock, kraut-rock, ethno-fusion, and improvised music.



Current members: 

Arkady 'Ark' Fedotov (bass, synths, flutes, voice) 
Ivan Fedotov (drums, percussions) 
Alexei Klabukov (synths, keyboards, accordion)
Alexander Kuzovlev (guitars, electronics)
Alexander Krupin (percussions) 
Natalya Tjurina (vocals) 

Amaryllis: https://youtu.be/SPN98orhmt0

Inna's Burst In Tears: https://youtu.be/qL_ckDAPjHA

Discography:

- By The Waters Of Tomorrow (2010) 
- Surpassing All Kings (2009) 
- Liventure #19 (2008) 
- Foam - Live 2006 (2008) 
- Rito (2007) 

Also Eden (Melodic rock, rock, prog rock, art rock / UK)

Biography:

Also Eden is a 5-piece South-West UK progressive rock band comprising vocals, keyboards, guitars, bass and drums.

Influenced by traditional progressive rock music such as Genesis and Yes along with the more modern progressive sounds of Porcupine Tree and the Flower Kings, the band was initially formed as a recording project in 2005 by Huw Lloyd-Jones (vocals) and Ian Hodson (keyboards/vocals). 

With the addition of Simon Rogers (guitars/vocals), Ralvin Thomas (bass) and Mark Hall (drums), the band sound began to take evolve, culminating in the 2006 release "About Time". About Time has since received many favourable reviews, and the band's live appearances helped win new audiences both in the UK and on the Continent following live performances at Summers End Festival 2005 and 2006, and ProgFarm (Bakeveen, Holland) in 2006.

The addition of vocalist Rich Harding in 2010 coincided with a change in overall musical style and direction for the band. Guitarist and founding member Simon Rogers has mentioned attempts "to impress" in the bands' early albums, with sections featuring multiple keyboard and guitar solos, whereas in later works the releases have become "more song based.". The credits to the Differences As Light EP include thanks to Harding's two biggest influences, Hazel O'Connor and Billy Mackenzie, a lyric from each of whom is included in the three-part track, Reality Cheque.

The band underwent some personnel changes due to personal and work commitments in 2007, and recruited Steve Byrne (drums) and Steve Dunn (bass/vocals). This line-up performed at Summer's End, Progfarm and ProckFest (Bunde, Germany) and these performances have enhanced Also Eden's profile to a new audience. Also Eden have since parted with Steve Byrne, but are busy writing and recording their second album (due for release in March 2008) and are very excited by the new sound and change of direction" and the prospect of live work in 2008.

Years active: 2005 – present


Current members:

Rich Harding – Vocals, rhythm guitar (live)
Andy Rigler – Keyboards, backing vocals
Simon Rogers – Guitar, backing vocals
Graham Lane – Bass
Lee Nicholas – Drums

Former members:

Huw Lloyd-Jones – Vocals
Ralvin Thomas – Bass
Steve Dunn – Bass
Tim Coleman – Drums
Mark "DB" Hall – Drums
Steve Byrne – Drums
Dave Roelofs – Drums
Ian Hodson – Keyboard, Backing Vocals

Howard "H" Sinclair – Keyboards, backing vocals



The Greater Game: https://youtu.be/cxIeqMifHic

Artificial Light: https://youtu.be/MRpPodF9mHc

Discography:

Studio albums:

About Time (2006)
It’s Kind of You to Ask (2008)
Think of the Children! (2011)
[REDACTED] (2013)


EP's:


Differences as Light (2010)

Arena (neo prog rock/metal rock / UK)

Arena is a British neo-progressive rock musical group.
The band was founded in 1995 by Clive Nolan keyboardist of Pendragon and Shadowland, and Mick Pointer, the original drummer of Marillion, his tenure lasting from 1979 until 1983. The other founding members of the band were guitarist Keith More, vocalist John Carson, and bassist Cliff Orsi. Orsi was replaced by John Jowitt (of IQ) in the band's inaugural year, whilst Carson and More left the band in 1996 and 1997, and were replaced by Paul Wrightson and John Mitchell (of Frost*) respectively. Both Jowitt and Wrightson left the band in 1998, to be replaced by Ian Salmon and Rob Sowden, creating the band's most stable lineup to date (from 1998 until 2010). This lineup came to an end with Paul Manzi replacing Sowden in 2010. In 2011, Jowitt rejoined the band to replace the departing Salmon, leaving again in 2014 and being replaced by Kylan Amos.

Most of the band's lyrics are written by Nolan, though Pointer contributed lyrics to Sirens and other tracks on the first two albums.

Musically the band's style ranges from symphonic to hard rock. Some of the band's recent albums have a similar sound to Nolan's earlier band, Shadowland.


Allmusic called them one of the dominant neo-prog groups of the 1990's.

Their musical style has always had a harder-edge, but their first three albums are softer and more traditional progressive rock. After the album 'Immortal', Arena explored their hard rock side more and the two albums 'Pepper's Ghost' and 'The Seventh Degree of Separation' even have some metal influences in them. Their most recent album 'The Unquiet Sky' was released April 27th 2015.

Years active: 1995 – present


Current members:

Clive Nolan - keyboards, backing vocals (1995-present)
Mick Pointer - drums, backing vocals (1995-present)
John Mitchell - guitars (1997-present)
Paul Manzi - vocals (2010-present)

Kylan Amos - bass (2014-present)


Former members:

Keith More - guitars, backing vocals (1995–1997)
John Carson - vocals (1995-1996)
Cliff Orsi - bass (1995)
John Jowitt - bass, backing vocals (1995–1998, 2011-2014)
Paul Wrightson - vocals (1996–1998)
Ian Salmon - bass (1998–2011)
Rob Sowden - vocals (1998–2010)

Solomon: https://youtu.be/PLM-HCc0BIM

Sirens: https://youtu.be/ii3Srrre1Aw

Eyes of Lara Moon: https://youtu.be/JwD7cHmaqNg

Discography:

Studio:

Songs from the Lion's Cage (1995)

Pride (1996)

The Visitor (1998)

Immortal? (2000)

Contagion (2003)

Pepper's Ghost (2005)

The Seventh Degree of Separation (2011)

The Unquiet Sky (2015)

Live:

Welcome to the Stage (1997)

Breakfast in Biarritz (2001)

Live & Life (2004)

Arena: Live (2013)

EP: 

Contagious (2003)

Contagium (2003)

Compilations:

The Cry (1997)

Ten Years On (2006)

Contagion Max (2014)

Anubis (neo prog rock / Australia)

Biography:

The Australian band ANUBIS was formed in 2004 (Sydney) and the specific aim of the band was to create a concept album. While the plan initially was to honour a dear, departed friend by writing the album in his honour, they have chosen to make this person a more anonymous inspiration as the work progressed. Anubis describe the final result as pure fiction, while the protagonist became anonymous to represent the fact he wasn't actually anyone at all. The final result of this process was finalized in 2009 as the album "230503", and was made available in digital and physical formats towards the end of autumn the same year. 

With this first goal achieved it will be interesting to see where this outfit will go next. They have an outspoken vision along the lines of making music that excites them, disregarding whatever trends are popular and they don't have much of an interest in the commercial aspect of their craft either: Their aim, vision and goals are of an artistic nature only.



Current Line-up:

Robert James Moulding: Vocals, Bass Guitar (on Hitchhiking), Percussion, Guitar
David Eaton: Keyboards, Guitars and Vocals
Douglas Skene: Electric Guitar and Acoustic and Vocals
Dean Bennison: Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar and Vocals
Anthony Stewart: Bass Guitars and Vocals (New bassist, did not play on album)
Steven Eaton: Drums, Percussion and Vocals 

Martyn Cook: Saxophone, Flutes, Brass



Heaven On Earth: https://youtu.be/j83jmvrPjVc

Discography:

-  '230503' (2009)
-  'A Tower of Silence' (2011) 
-  'Hitchhiking to Byzantium' (2012)

Leap Day (prog. rock / The Netherlands)

Biography:

The Dutch band Leap Day was formed in 2008, but the events leading up to the band formation started a year earlier. Drummer Koen Roozen (Flamborough Head) had been looking for musicians with a desire to play symphonic rock to cooperate with, and in his search met keyboardist Derk Evert Waalkens (King Eider) who also were looking for like-minded musicians. Shortly after vocalist Jos Harteveld (Pink Floyd Project) joined this so far unnamed project. Koen and Derk then started discussing the possibilities of performing the King Eider material at Progfarm 2007. Guitarist Hans Gerritse (King Eider) liked this idea and hooked up for this project, along bassist Peter Stel (Nice Beaver). They needed another keyboard player for this gig though, and Gert van Engelenburg was asked to join.

Gerritse left after the Progfarm gig.The rest of the guys wanted to continue on though, and when guitarist Eddie Mulder (Trion, Pink Floyd Project, Flamborough Head) agreed to join, Leap Day was born. 


Years Active: 2007 - present                 



Members:

Gert van Engelenburg
Jos Hartevelt
Eddie Mulder
Koen Roozen
Peter Stel 
Derk Evert Waalkens

Former Member: Hans Gerritse


Hurricane: https://youtu.be/5TUSzjR6mSs

Discography:

2007: Somateria Spectabilis onder de naam King Eider (Musea Records)
2008: Demo (Eigen Beheer)
2009: Awaking the Muse (OSKAR)
2011: Skylge's lair (OSKAR)
2013: From the days of Deucalion chapter 1 (OSKAR)

Lonesome Wyatt & The Holy Spooks / Those Poor Bastards ( Gothic Country / USA)

Lonesome Wyatt is the Ambrose Bierce of underground country. He plays the kind of music you’d hear while walking down a dirt road headed deep into the woods weaving your way through haints and shadows. When he isn’t touring with Those Poor Bastards, Wyatt’s penning pulp novels or working on his side project, Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks. His music is dark, atmospheric, desperate, and pained by life and the people in it. Murder ballads, ghost tales, broken hearts, bad relationships, benders, lost souls – it isn’t exactly uplifting, and yet, this isn’t a man who is weltering in misery. There’s a difference between shouting out wrongs and awfuls and wallowing in them. Lonesome Wyatt is a mad-eyed architect of exquisitely desperate music.



Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks - The Golden Rule: http://youtu.be/naLrecSbp1E 

Discography:

- Halloween Is Here (2013)
- Ghost Ballads (2013)
- Heartsick (2011)
- Moldy Basement Tapes (2010)
- A Bitter Harvest (2009)
- Sabella (2001)

Those Poor Bastards play miserable and primitive old-time gothic country music. 

Those Poor Bastards own a unique sound that only touches the edges of traditional roots music, a sound that repeatedly smashes the molds that have shaped country and blues for nearly a hundred years. It’s a sound that was decidedly born too late, for it seems to long for a time its creators never knew, a simpler, more primitive time. Rather than commit itself entirely to the time in which we presently live, their sound finds itself treading through the stinking gutter of a Depression era alleyway, only to sit amongst other lost souls, all of them sitting around a mighty fire burning in the guts of a metal waste container. They proceed to pick up guitars, banjos, fiddles, buckets for percussion, and various other instruments, some homemade, some not, and play song after song as if their very lives depended upon it.



Members:

Lonesome Wyatt – Vocals, Guitar
The Minister – Banjo, Bass, Percussion, Backing Vocal (Studio recordings)

Vincent Presley – Drums, Moog (Live shows)


Those Poor Bastards - Sacrificial Lamb: http://youtu.be/ETO4Qo-yXIU

Discography:

- Vicious Losers (2014)
- Behold The Abyss (2012)
- Is This Hell? (2011)
- Gospel Haunted (2010)
- Gospel Outtakes EP (2010)
- Abominations EP (2009)
- Black Dog Yodel EP (2009)
- Satan Is Watching (2008)
- The Plague (2008)
- Hellfire Hymns (2007)
- Pills I Took 7″ (2006)
- Songs of Desperation (2005)
- Country Bullshit (2004)

Aunt Mary (prog rock / Norway)

Aunt Mary was/is a prog rock band formed in Fredrikstad, Østfold in Norway in the early 70's. Signed a contract with Polydor in Denmark to release Aunt Mary in 1970. The group gradually moved towards progressive rock with the records Loaded in 1972 and Janus in 73. The group was disestablished in 1973 but has been reunited for several concerts since 1978.


Years active: 1970–1973, several reunions since 1978

One of the early and by many considered to be one of Norways definitely best prog bands. Their music is a mix of heavy hard-rocking tunes, combined with clear influences from the symphonic genre. The more symphonic sound however didn't appeared until their third, and last studio album, "Janus", a great concept-album.
The album  "Loaded" saw the arrival of (keyboardist) Bengt Jenssen, who brought in some classically balanced organ to counterbalance the others.


Musicians:

Jan Groth - Vocals, keyboards, guitar
Bjørn Kristiansen - Guitar, vocals
Svein Gundersen -Bass, piano, vocals
Ketil Stensvik - Drums, vocals
Bengt Jenssen - Keyboards
Eirikur Hauksson - Bass
Per Ivar Fure - Flute, sax, vocals
Ivan Lauritzen - Drums

Øystein Selenius Olsen - Bass

Fire of my Lifetime: http://youtu.be/pplf9NrN1wQ

  


Discography:

1970 - Aunt Mary (Polydor LP)
1972 - Loaded (Philips LP)
1973 - Janus (Vertigo LP)
1974 - Whispering Farewell (Karussell RE AV 1.LP)
1974 - Best Of Vol. 1 (comp.) (Philips LP)
1975 - Best Of Vol. 2 (comp.) (Philips LP)
1977 - Janus (Philips RE - LP)
1981 - Live Reunion (Philips LP)

1992 - Bluesprints (Sonet CD)

Fuchsia (prog. folk rock / England)

Fuchsia was a British progressive folk rock band formed in 1970. Named after "Fuchsia Groan" they released one album before disbanding. Their self titled album was featured as one of Mojo's Forgotten Classics. Their style was similar to their contemporaries Jade and Comus.

The band was formed by Tony Durant (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lead vocals), while a student at Exeter University, and comprised Michael Day (bass guitar), Michael Gregory (drums, percussion). The trio was soon augmented by Janet Rogers (violin, backing vocals), Madeleine Bland (cello, piano, harmonium, backing vocals) and Vanessa Hall-Smith (violin, backing vocals) so that Durant could explore his musical ideas.

Produced by David Hitchcock the album was recorded at Sound Techniques Studios by Vic Gamm. It was released by Pegasus (PEG 8) in the UK and Kingdom (KV 6002) in France. A single advertisement in the Melody Maker and their manager's failure to arrange an often promised tour resulted in minimal sales and the demise of the band. Durant went to work in Australia with Dave Warner and later learned of the popularity of the album amongst collectors and the unlicensed re-pressings. Using his original master tapes he digitally remastered the album at Sound Practices Studios in Sydney which was released on CD.


In 2013 came the release of the CD album From Psychedelia to a Distant Place (Sound Practices 001) under the name Fuchsia II featuring a new band assembled by Durant in Australia and comprising Durant himself (guitars and vocals), Lloyd Gyi (drums, percussion), Emily Duffill (cello), Tracy Wan (violin), Lidia Bara (violin) and Jo Bara (cello), with Suzy Toomey (accordion) and Isabel Durant (backing vocals). The album gained favourable reviews in the British music press. The album contained mostly new material, although the track The Rainbow Song included a re-working of Shoes and Ships from the first album recorded forty-two years previously.


2013 also saw the release of the single The Band, a song which was written for a second album that was never recorded before Fuchsia disbanded in the 70's. In the 2013 release, The Band is performed by Swedish band Me and My Kites (named after a song on the Fuchsia debut album) with Durant on vocals.


Fuchsia (1971) - Full Album: http://youtu.be/Pt6vYF4ZxZQ

Tony Durant - acoustic & electric guitars, vocals
Michael Day - bass
Michael Gregory - drums, percussion
Janet Rogers - violin, backing vocals
Madeleine Bland - cello, piano, harmonium, backing vocals
Vanessa Hall-Smith - violin, backing vocals

Recorded At Sound Techniques, London.