Bjork - Experimental Pop (Iceland)

Björk Guðmundsdóttir (born 21 November 1965), known as Björk is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, actress, record producer, and DJ. Over her four-decade career, she has developed an eclectic musical style that draws on a wide range of influences and genres spanning electronic, pop, experimental, classical, trip hop, IDM, and avant-garde styles. She initially became known as the lead singer of the alternative rock band The Sugarcubes, whose 1987 single "Birthday" was a hit on US and UK indie stations and a favorite among music critics. Björk embarked on a solo career in 1993, coming to prominence as a solo artist with albums such as Debut (1993), Post (1995), and Homogenic (1997), while collaborating with a range of artists and exploring a variety of multimedia projects.

Post (1995)

CRYSTALS - Rock Progressivo Italiano

Crystals biography (http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=2885)

Crystals is a sort of supergroup composed in the 1973 year by experienced and famous musicians, former members of name bands like PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI (Giorgio Piazza), BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO (Marcello Todaro), RACCOMANDATA RICEVUTA DI RITORNO and SAMADHI (Nanni Civitenga), ALPHATAURUS (Giorgio Santandrea), and under the guidance of Paolo Tofani (AREA and ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN) that composed all of their tracks.

They recorded an album that was intended for release on Cramps label, but for mysterious reasons, it never appeared, and has only seen the light on CD in the early 90's.

The record shows an excellent musicianship. The lyrics are sung in english and the album has long instrumental parts. A Led Zeppelin influence is evident even if two guitarists make the sound original.

Crystals (2003)

Thanks Magal

FAR OUT - Psychedelic/Space Rock • Japan

Far Out biography (http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=874)

This early 70's psychedelic Japanese quartet were more or less the precursors of The FAR EAST FAMILY BAND (see this band's biography), guitarist/vocalist Fumio Miyashita being the only link between the two. Miyashita would later join other musicians on FEFB which included among their ranks Masanori Takahashi, better known as "Kitaro". Under the name FAR OUT, they released one album in 1973.

Although « Nihonjin » is definitely a spacey album, the keyboards are only prominent on the opening notes and the synths are used sparingly throughout, for the occasional sound effect. The psychedelic atmosphere comes mostly from the guitars, electric sitar and drums, resulting in a sound somewhat reminiscent of PINK FLOYD's "A Saucerful of Secrets". The original LP, replete with weird sound effects, consisted of two epic tracks clocking in at 18 and 20 minutes respectively. The 7 bonus tracks of the CD edition are actually taken from The FAR EAST FAMILY BAND's first album "The Cave Down to the Earth" and feature some Japanese vocals that turn out in English on "The Cave" album. These tracks also lack the spacey synths of the latter.

Recommended for fans of early PINK FLOYD, or simply for a taste of the early Japanese psych scene. 

: : : Lise (HIBOU), CANADA : : :

1973 - Nihonjin

Thanks Magal

Billy Strange & The Secret Agent File

William Everett "Billy" Strange (September 29, 1930 – February 22, 2012) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He was a session musician with the famed Wrecking Crew, and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum as a member of The Wrecking Crew in 2007. Strange teamed up with Mac Davis to write several hit songs for Elvis Presley, including "A Little Less Conversation", the theme from Charro!, and "Memories". Strange also composed the musical soundtrack for two of Presley's films Live a Little, Love a Little and The Trouble with Girls. He also wrote "Limbo Rock" that was recorded by The Champs and Chubby Checker. Strange recorded arrangements of James Bond movie themes for GNP Crescendo Records and provided the instrumental backing and arrangement for Nancy Sinatra's non-soundtrack version of "You Only Live Twice" as well as Nancy and Frank Sinatra's "Somethin' Stupid". He was recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame for his pioneering contribution to the genre.

 Secret Agent File

Brazen Abbot - Rock\Heavy Metal (Finland)

Brazen Abbot is a Finnish rock band. Originally a studio project of Bulgarian guitarist, producer and song writer Nikolo Kotzev, who is a Finnish resident, the band has since made several live performances.

One of the defining aspects of Brazen Abbot is the employment of multiple singers; every album features three or four singers, with Göran Edman and Joe Lynn Turner having appeared on most Brazen Abbot albums. Nikolo Kotzev originally intended to use only one singer; original singer Göran Edman could only commit to recording two songs for the first album due to contractual obligations. Glenn Hughes was then supposed to record the remaining songs; however contractual obligations hindered him from recording more than three songs, at which point Kotzev brought in Thomas Vikström to record the remaining songs. Kotzev was so pleased with the result that he decided to keep using multiple singers for future albums. When performing live, however, Joe Lynn Turner is typically the only singer.

Several of the band members have also appeared on Nikolo Kotzev's ambitious rock opera Nostradamus (2001); Brazen Abbot was on hiatus during the time Kotzev was working on the rock opera (1998–2001).

Former members include Mic Michaeli, John Levén and Ian Haugland, all members of the famous rock band Europe.

Current members:

Nikolo Kotzev - guitars, violin, production, mixing

Göran Edman - vocals

Joe Lynn Turner - vocals (1996- )

Tony Harnell - vocals (2005- )

Erik Mårtensson - vocals (2005- )

Nelko Kolarov - organs (2005- )

Wayne Banks - bass (2004- )

Mattias Knutas - drums (2005- )

Former members:

Glenn Hughes - vocals (1995)

Thomas Vikström - vocals (1995–1997)

Jørn Lande - vocals (2003)

Mic Michaeli - keyboards (1995–2003)

Lars Pollack - keyboards (2004)

Svante Henryson - bass (1995)

John Levén - bass (1996–2003)

Ian Haugland - drums (1995–2003)

Thomas Broman - drums (2004)

 Guiliy as Sin

Thanks Magal

Fugazi - Post Hardcore Band (USA)

Fugazi is an American post-hardcore band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1987. The band consists of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty. Fugazi are noted for their DIY ethical stance, manner of business practice, and contempt towards the music industry. Fugazi have performed numerous worldwide tours, produced six studio albums, a film and a comprehensive live series, gaining the band critical acclaim and success around the world. Fugazi has been on an indefinite break since 2003. After the hardcore punk group Minor Threat dissolved, Ian MacKaye (vocals and guitar) was active with a few short-lived groups, most notably Embrace. MacKaye decided he wanted a project that was "like The Stooges with reggae", but was wary about forming another band after Embrace's break up. MacKaye recalled, "My interests were not necessarily to be in a band, but to be with people who wanted to play music with me."

MacKaye recruited ex-Dag Nasty drummer Colin Sears and bass guitarist Joe Lally, and the trio began practicing together in September 1986. After a few months of rehearsals, Sears returned to Dag Nasty and was replaced by Brendan Canty (earlier of Rites of Spring). One day Canty's Rites of Spring bandmate Guy Picciotto dropped by during a practice session to see how his friend was getting along; he later admitted he secretly harbored the idea of joining the group. But Picciotto was disappointed that there seemed to be no place for him. After some uncertainty from Canty about what he wanted to do with his future, the trio regrouped and booked their first show at the Wilson Center in early September 1987. The group still needed a name, so MacKaye chose the word "fugazi" from Mark Baker's Nam, a compilation of stories of Vietnam War veterans, it there being a slang acronym for "Fucked Up, Got Ambushed, Zipped In [into a body bag]". The band began inviting Picciotto to practices. Inspired by use of a foil in hip hop, Picciotto sang backup vocals. After his band Happy Go Licky broke up, he became more involved with Fugazi. MacKaye eventually asked Picciotto to become a full member, which he accepted.

13 Songs

Flashmen - Italian Prog

This melodic pop band was formed in Cremona around 1967, and had a rather anonymous career with the early production, their only interesting album being the nice Pensando from 1972.

Their first album Cercando la vita contains the typical Italian melodic pop of that era, with the voice in evidence and the organ as the main instrument, a short (around 30 minutes long) LP that includes eight tracks all around three minutes with the sole exception of the long title track; the album was re-released a year later as Hydra with just an extra track.

Pensando is a surprisingly good album, mainly organ-driven and with some fuzz guitar. Vocal parts are good despite some melodic influences and not great lyrics typical of the Italian post-beat groups. There are very nice tracks on it like Un pugno di mosche, also on single, Maria and Amo mia madre, but the 10 tracks, all in the 3-4 minute range could have better instrumental developments.

The band disbanded around 1975 and their last production was again in a commercial direction, their last single Piccolo amore was presented at that year's Disco per l'Estate contest.

1972 - Pensando

Personnel:

- Silver Scivoli - keyboards, vocals

- Luciano Spotti - guitar

- Giuliano Quarantotto - bass, vocals

- Roberto Caroli - drums

Second album of the group of Cremona Flashmen that, after the first album "Looking for Life" in 1970, sounding very melodic with organ and voice out (re-released the following year under the title "Hydra", a song and a more cover more "attractive"), published from a disk that is fully embedded in the mainstream Italian progressive. Thinking is hard technically well played, with great individuality (all Caroli Roberto on drums, a driver, and the organ of Silver Slides, also voice of the band). We do not find long suites in the album, but ten songs, some a bit 'short, other 5-minute, making this work 

a kind of exception in the band's career.

Grazie, Magal