Music News Blog

What’s happening in the world of prog and other related scenes. News about gigs, record releases, new videos and band changes.

HAS Returned


Not content with playing keys for Also Eden, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Howard Sinclair has formed a new band.

Howard Sinclair is very pleased to announce his progression from Singer-songwriter to lead singer of new band “HAS-Retuned” with the introduction of their first two new members, Becky Baldwin on bass guitar and drummer Jenn Haneef.

The band will eventually be a four-piece with a lead guitarist to complete the lineup. And I think it’s the first time I’ve heard anyone cite Panic Room as an influence.

Read the full press release here.

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Congratulations to Chantel McGregor for winning not one but two awards in the 2013 British Blues Awards. Not only has she won Best Female Vocalist again, but best guitarist as well. As anyone who’s familiar with Chantel’s music will know, both are well-deserved.

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Fish – Feast of Consequences Promo

Fish has released a promo for his new album “Feast of Consequences”. The pre-orders should be shipping in a couple of week’s time.

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Nigel Durham joins Morpheus Rising

Big announcement from Morpheus Rising today.

We are very pleased to announce that Nigel Durham (ex Saxon, ex Oliver/Dawson Saxon) has joined Morpheus Rising as full time drummer. Nigel is a fantastic drummer with an outstanding pedigree, and we’re delighted to welcome him into the band.

Nigel is no stranger to rock audiences, having played on Saxon’s Destiny album, and several albums with Oliver/Dawson Saxon, including Re:Landed and It’s Alive. We are really looking forward getting stuck into rehearsals with him, preparing current material for the live set and new songs for the album sessions.

We are extremely grateful to the one and only Henry Rogers for stepping in to the breach and filling the drum vacancy for the recent tour with Panic Room, and the Bikes Bands and Booze show last weekend. Without all his outstanding hard work and dedication at relatively short notice, we could not have done these gigs, and we’ve really enjoyed having him as part of the MR gang – even if only briefly!

We’re all looking forward to the new album and a new era with Melodic Revolution Records, and with Nigel joining the band too, we’re really hungry to get cracking. As Nigel says “Can’t wait to get my teeth into Morpheus Rising!”

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RIP Allen Lanier

Allen Lanier, keyboard player and guitarist for Blue Öyster Cult has passed away at the age of 66. As reported on the Blue Oyster Cult Official Web Site.

We have extremely sad news to report. We’ve lost our friend and bandmate Allen Lanier.

Allen succumbed to complications from C.O.P.D. He is survived by his wife Dory, sister Mary Anne and mother Martha.

Although he retired from touring in 2006 Allen returned to the stage for what turned out to be his final appearance, reuniting with BÖC at the 40th Anniversary show in New York this past November.

DFTR sweet man. We love you and miss you.

Allen Lanier was one of those unsung heroes of rock; not the charismatic frontman or the flashy lead guitarist but the skilled multi-instrumentalist who made a significant contribution to the band’s sound, swapping back and forth between keyboards and guitar. His playing was understated but effective, adding a lot of colour to their sound. On keys he wasn’t a lead player in the style of Jon Lord or Ken Hensley, but he came up with some impressive playing when the need arose, with spooky organ sounds and some great jazz-inflected piano runs. That spectacular classically-flavoured into to “Joan Crawford” from Fire of Unknown Origin is something that stands out.

While never as prolific a songwriter as Buck Dharma or Albert Bouchard, he nevertheless contributed some interesting songs over the years, including the single “In Thee” from Mirrors, and the excellent “Tenderloin” from Agents of Fortune. The one time he sang lead for the band was aother of his own songs, “True Confession”, the song immediately preceding “Don’t Fear The Reaper” on Agents of Fortune.

Allen had been in poor health for some time. Indeed the last time I saw Blue Öyster Cult while he was an official touring member of the band they played the gig as a four-piece because he was too unwell to perform.

Even though I never got to see the original lineup of the band, I did get to see Allen on stage with them on a number of occasions, the first being at Hammersmith Odeon in 1989, the last being at the Live Café in Manchester in 2003, both superb gigs with Allen on good form.

Rest in peace. Allen

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Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas is the new band featuring former Stolen Earth vocalist Heidi Widdop.

Something entirely new and it’s been a long time coming! Working closely alongside Martin Ledger and with a host of excellent musicians, our debut album will be available this year. The website will be launched soon and details of how to pre-order will follow shortly.

The lineup features one or two names that may be familiar to a few people; Martin Ledger and Dave Randall were in the final lineup of Stolen Earth, and Stu Carver was an early member of Mostly Autumn.

Heidi WiddopVocals & Acoustic
Martin LedgerGuitars
Stu CarverBass
Neil ScottDrums
Dave RandallKeyboards

It will be very interesting to hear how they sound and see how they develop.

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Panic Room announce new guitarist

From the Panic Room Facebook Page: a studio update that names the lead guitarist for the forthcoming album and tour.

Some of you have been asking, and we’ve been biding our time to tell you (while we jam & learn our new songs together)… but for this album, we are delighted to welcome on lead guitar a fantastic musician by the name of Adam O’Sullivan!!!

Many of us in the band have known Adam for a few years now, as he and his family are well-known as some of the most respected musicians in this area… Gav & Yatim even play occasionally in a band with his dad, Paddy!

But for a few years Adam was away in London studying music at university, so our paths didn’t cross for a little while…

He’s now back in Wales though, and after spending a long time debating our options this year, we realised we needed someone local to us for working together on the future Panic Room music.

We’ve been absolutely blessed to have the amazing skills & energy of Pete Harwood on guitar with us for this year’s shows so far, but as will become apparent this week, his band Morpheus Rising have some big stuff coming up, and we want to wish him an incredible future ahead with all the success he and the band so thoroughly deserve!

He will always be a part of our Panic Room family, and we’re sure it won’t be the last time we all share a stage / tour together!

But now, for the new Panic Room album and this next unfolding chapter of our journey, we knew it was important to be brave and leap into the future, and think about who could possibly fit our band sound & vibe the best while being close enough to jam and create with…

And we all thought of Adam, as one of the best and most versatile players we know, and certainly one of Wales’ finest!

He’s a rare find, in that he can rock hard & yet play with great sensitivity too, as well as having a fantastic funky/jazz flair which will suit our stuff all round!

We think you’ll all Love his playing.

And that’s good, because he’ll be playing all lead guitar parts on this new album! …As well as joining us on stage for the autumn/winter shows..

And after that, who knows! If he likes what he finds, he might stick around ;oD

As anyone who saw those two incredible shows at Bilston and Manchester at the end of the Summer tour will attest, Pete Harwood did an incredible job, absolutely nailing the guitar parts and adding so much energy it was like having two Yatims on stage (or, as happened in at Bilston, in the middle of the audience). Quite a few fans would have loved to see him stay for longer, but with Morpheus Rising having ambitious plans of their own it was always going to be unlikely that he’d ever be able to continue double duty in both bands.

So, we welcome Adam O’Sullivan to the band, for the next few months, at least.

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Morpheus Rising sign to Melodic Revolution Records

Morpheus Rising at Bilston Robin 2, July 2013

Morpheus Rising are the latest band in the “scene” to sign a record deal with US Label Melodic Revolution Records. As stated in their press release:

Melodic Revolution Records is proud to announce the signing of British Hard Rock Act Morpheus Rising.

Morpheus Rising is a five piece hard ‘n’ heavy British rock band formed in 2008. The band is heavily influenced by their peers; Saxon, UFO, Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden. Morpheus Rising has forged a reputation for their stage shows and music by incorporating precision twin guitars, power chords and fast guitar solos, upbeat tempos, soaring melodic vocals, rounded out by a tight rhythm section. The band has incorporated many elements of the NWOBHM bands of the late 70’s and early 80’s which set the standards and made these bands famous.

As the band say in their own announcement.

Based in Orlando, Florida, Melodic Revolution Records has a great roster of acts from across America, Europe and the UK. We’re very excited to be part of this family of creative, like minded people, artists and bands and looking forward to working with Nick Katona and MRR who will be fighting our corner in the USA. We’re already making plans with them for the new album which we also hope to announce very soon. Don’t worry, we’re not selling out, we are still in complete control – nothing has changed creatively!

Exciting times, and with a promise that they won’t start sounding like Nickleback. Interesting that they’re signing to a US label, though.

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Tony Turrell leaves The Reasoning

Tony Turrell with The Reasoning at Bury Met

Announced on The Reasoning’s Facebook page this morning: Tony Turrell is leaving The Reasoning.

“I’m sorry to announce that as of this summer, I am no longer a part of The Reasoning. This is totally my own choice, and down to where I am at the moment in terms of time, health and head space. The band have been incredibly supportive and whilst not wanting me to go, whole-heartedly respected my decision. My reasons are not the ones normally associated with someone leaving a band – fighting, dislike or the good old-fashioned “musical differences” (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) – and every member of the band has become a dear and close friend over the course of the last 3 years (or year in Keith’s case).

It was a bit of a coup for The Reasoning when Tony joined, given his standing and the much higher profile artists he’s played with, such as Fish.

He made a very strong impression live, especially when the band slimmed down to a five-piece leaving his keys to fill out a lot more of the sound. He even too over the male lead vocal role. I did get the feeling the band never quite made as much use of his skills as a composer and arranger as they could have done, and it will be interesting to see what projects he’s involved with next.

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Magenta release promo for The 27 Club

Promo video for the forthcoming Magenta album “The Twenty Seven Club”, now available for pre-order at www.magenta-web.com.

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