jueves, 13 de abril de 2023

Jeff Cook - Travellin' Band

 Jeffrey Alan Cook (August 27, 1949 – November 7, 2022) was an American country music artist. He was best known for being a founding member of the band Alabama, in which he contributed to occasional lead vocals, guitar, fiddle, piano and other musical instruments.

Jeffrey Alan Cook was born in Fort Payne, Alabama, and was of English and Native American descent. He was a graduate of Fort Payne High School and Jacksonville State University. He obtained a broadcast engineer license three days after his fourteenth birthday, and worked at a local radio station as a disc jockey while still in high school.

Cook co-founded the band Wildcountry, along with his cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry, in 1972 (the name was changed to Alabama in 1977). He contributed lead as well as backing vocals, lead guitar, keyboard, and fiddle to the group's productions. Since the band ceased active production and performance in 2004, Cook has formed the groups Cook & Glenn and the Allstar Goodtime Band, with which he performed.

In addition to his performance work, Cook founded Cook Sound Studios, Inc., in his native Fort Payne, and also established radio station WQRX-AM, which he later sold, in adjacent Valley Head, Alabama. Cook is also noted for his culinary endeavors, having operated a restaurant and marketed his own sauce.

Cook endorsed the 2008 presidential candidacy of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, and made appearances with the candidate in Alabama.

Cook was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019.

Cook toured in 2022 with Alabama for their 50th Anniversary tour. On April 11, 2017, Cook disclosed that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years earlier. He stopped touring regularly with Alabama in 2018. Cook died from complications of the disease in Destin, Florida, on November 7, 2022, at the age of 73.


miércoles, 12 de abril de 2023

Parralox - Enjoy the Silence

 Parralox is an Australian synthpop band formed by John von Ahlen in 2008. Originally featuring lead vocalist Rowena "Roxy" Martin and producer, songwriter John von Ahlen of dance act Nova; the band has undergone a number of line-up changes, most notably the replacement of lead vocalist Roxy with Amii Jackson and the addition of The Human League's Ian Burden on bass guitar.

Their debut single "I Fell in Love with a Drum Machine" released February 2008, caught the attention of the international EDM community propelling the duo from local to international prominence. In 2009, Parralox remixed Swedish electronica artist Emmon's  "Lips on Fire" single earning the band an official release on Wonderland Records. Parralox digitally distribute their music through independent label Subterrane Records; in 2009 the band signed to German electro label, Conzoom Records. Parralox have gained support and acclaim from Perez Hilton and veteran music blogger, Arjan Writes.

The band have released 7 albums, 4 EPs and 13 singles. They have performed internationally in Germany, Sweden, Spain, US and England.




martes, 11 de abril de 2023

Vocaldente - Rosanna

 vocaldente are an a cappella quintet from HanoverGermany  were founded in 2004 by five singers - Tobias "Tobek" Kiel (1st tenor), Johannes "Johnny" Gruber (baritone / mouth percussion) Niklas Turmann (2nd tenor), Ansgar Pfeiffer (countertenor), and Arndt Schmöle (bass). The group primarily emerged from the Knabenchor Hannover (Hanover Boys Choir) and the Hanover University of Music and Drama. Their line-up has altered three times, in 2006, when Tobias Pasternack, né Wunschik replaced Schmöle, in 2008, when Michael Schöpe was recruited in place of the departing Turmann and in 2009 when Timo Klemm came in for Pfeiffer who retired. 2011 Christoph Grasse joined as new Countertenor and Jakob Buch as 2nd Tenor. Schmöle, Schöpe, Klemm and Turman left to pursue new musical challenges.

The ensemble began by building their support base locally and then began to perform across Germany. By 2007, they were frequently undertaking foreign tours, most notably to the United States and South East Asia, where they've been continuously building up a loyal and enthused following of fans ever since. In 2007 and 2008, they won first prizes at several renowned international A cappella competitions such as the Tampereen Sävel Contest for Vocal Ensembles in Finland and the Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival in the U.S.

The band performed a special concert in the Balver Caves in 2009, celebrating the 5th anniversary of their formation.  A DVD of this concert is planned for release in Autumn 2009.


lunes, 10 de abril de 2023

Callinaz - Perfect

 Callinaz is a Swedish dansband presently made up of Carolina, Andreas, Mikael, Tom and Simon. The band debuted with the 2011 album Från mörker till ljus that reached number 8 on Sverigetopplistan the official Swedish Albums Chart. The band has released 5 albums, Från mörker till ljus (2011), Så kom jag till Provence (2012), Fest i folkets park (2014), Lite som du vill (2015).

domingo, 9 de abril de 2023

Kaiser Chiefs - Should I Stay or Should I Go

 Kaiser Chiefs es una banda indie rock británica de Leeds, West Yorkshire (Inglaterra, Reino Unido), formada por Ricky Wilson (vocalista), Andrew 'Whitey' White (guitarra), Simon Rix (bajo), Nick 'Peanut' Baines (sintetizador, teclado) y Vijay Mistry (batería).

El álbum debut de la banda, Employment, fue lanzado en 2005 y muestra influencias del new wave y el rock punk de los años 1970. El álbum obtuvo un gran éxito internacional, con tres millones de copias vendidas. El rápido ascenso del quinteto a la escena internacional musical a principios de 2005 tuvo su momento culminante cuando abrieron el concierto Live Aid de Filadelfia. En 2007, sacaron a la venta su segundo álbum, Yours Truly, Angry Mob, cuyo primer sencillo Ruby llegó a ser número uno en el Reino Unido.

El 13 de octubre de 2008 lanzaron su tercer disco, Off with Their Heads. Su cuarto disco, The Future is Medieval, fue publicado sin previo aviso el 3 de junio de 2011, mientras que su quinto disco fue lanzado el 31 de marzo de 2014 Education, Education, Education & War, su sexto álbum Stay Together el 7 de octubre de 2016, y su séptimo álbum Duck, el 26 de julio de 2019.


sábado, 8 de abril de 2023

Last Autumn´s Dream - Take It on the Run

 Last Autumn's Dream is a hard rock band formed in 2002 by vocalist and keyboardist Mikael Erlandsson from Sweden and guitarist Andy Malecek from the German hard rock band Fair Warning.

When searching for other band members, they asked bassist John Levén, drummer Ian Haugland and keyboardist Mic Michaeli, all from the band Europe, if they were interested to be part of this new musical project and since that moment the band began working on their self-titled debut album, which was released in 2003.

By the time they began working on their second album, II, Europe had reunited, and Last Autumn's Dream had to replace Levén, Haugland and Michaeli with Marcel Jacob (Talisman), Jamie Borger (TalismanTreat) and Thomas Lassar (Crystal Blue), respectively. II was released in 2005.

Thomas Lassar left the band after II, paring the band down to a quartet. The band then released the albums Winter in Paradise in 2006 and Saturn Skyline in 2007.

On June 6, 2007, the band released their first greatest hits album, Impressions: The Very Best of LAD, an exclusive released for the Japanese market. The band performed at the United Forces of Rock festival in Ludwigsburg, Germany on September 30, 2007 alongside Joe Lynn Turner, Stan Bush, White Wolf, Soul Doctor, Human Zoo and Danger Danger.

The band released their fifth studio album, Hunting Shadows in Japan on February 22, 2008 as well as the live album Live in Germany 2007.

The sixth album release from Last Autumn's Dream is called Dreamcatcher was released for Japan on December 24, 2008 and was out in Europe on January 26, 2009.

On July 21, 2009, Marcel Jacob committed suicide. He was 45 years old. Nalle Påhlsson was brought in as his replacement.

The band's seventh and eighth albums, A Touch of Heaven and Yes, were both released in 2010.

On December 14, 2011, the band released for Japan market their ninth studio album called Nine Lives. In this recording were included The Last to know with Jeff Scott SotoAngel Eyes, a duet with Jenny Redenkvist and Waited A Long Time as Bonus Track.


viernes, 7 de abril de 2023

Brian May & Kerry Ellis - Parisienne Walkways

Sir Brian Harold May CBE (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and astrophysicist. He achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen, which he co-founded with singer Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor. His guitar work and songwriting contributions helped Queen become one of the most successful acts in music history.

May previously performed with Taylor in the blues rock band Smile, which he had joined while he was at university. After Mercury joined to form Queen in 1970, bass guitarist John Deacon completed the line-up in 1971. They became one of the biggest rock bands in the world with the success of the album A Night at the Opera and its single "Bohemian Rhapsody". From the mid-1970s until 1986, Queen played at some of the biggest venues in the world, including an acclaimed performance at Live Aid in 1985. As a member of Queen, May became regarded as a virtuoso musician, identified with a distinctive sound created through his layered guitar work, often using a home-built electric guitar called the Red Special. May wrote numerous hits for Queen, including "We Will Rock You", "I Want It All", "Fat Bottomed Girls", "Flash", "Hammer to Fall", "Save Me", "Who Wants to Live Forever", "Too Much Love Will Kill You", and "The Show Must Go On".

Following the death of Mercury in 1991, aside from the 1992 tribute concert, the release of Made in Heaven (1995) and the 1997 tribute single to Mercury, "No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)" (written by May), Queen were put on hiatus for several years but were eventually reconvened by May and Taylor for further performances featuring other vocalists. In 2005, a Planet Rock poll saw May voted the seventh-greatest guitarist of all time. He was ranked at No. 26 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". In 2012, he was ranked the second-greatest guitarist in a Guitar World magazine readers poll. In 2001, May was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Queen and in 2018 the band received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

May was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2005 for services to the music industry and for charity work. May earned a PhD degree in astrophysics from Imperial College London in 2007,and was Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University from 2008 to 2013. He was a "science team collaborator" with NASA's New Horizons Pluto mission. He is also a co-founder of the awareness campaign Asteroid Day. Asteroid 52665 Brianmay was named after him. May is also an animal rights activist, campaigning against fox hunting and the culling of badgers in the UK. May was knighted by King Charles III in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to music and charity.

Kerry Jane Ellis (born 6 May 1979) is an English actress and singer who is best known for her work in musical theatre and subsequent crossover into music. Born and raised in Suffolk, Ellis began performing at an early age before training at Laine Theatre Arts from the age of 16.

Ellis made her first professional stage appearance in 1998 and went on to make her West End debut in the 2001 revival of My Fair Lady as an understudy for the role of Eliza Doolittle. In 2002, she landed the role of Meat in the original London cast of We Will Rock You and has subsequently played lead roles in musicals Les MisérablesWicked (in the West End and on Broadway), Oliver! and Cats as well as appearing in national tours and concert productions of musicals like Miss SaigonChessThe War of the WorldsRENT, and Anything Goes. Ellis, who has received several awards and nominations for her performances, has become recognised as the First Lady of West End musicals. She has also worked sporadically in film and television.

After meeting Queen guitarist Brian May in 2002, Ellis expanded her repertoire as a solo artist. She has released four studio albums Anthems (2010), which reached number 15 on the UK Albums Chart, the self-titled Kerry Ellis (2014), Golden Days (2017) and Feels Like Home (2020) as well as an extended play Wicked in Rock (2008) and a live album Acoustic by Candlelight (2013). Ellis also appears as a featured artist on several other albums. Ellis has performed in concerts across the world in addition to headlining solo concert tours like Anthems: The Tour and The Born Free Tour.

In addition to her musical work, Ellis involves herself in charity work for the Born Free Foundation with May and is the patron of several arts organisations. In 2019, Ellis received an honorary fellowship from the University of Suffolk.