GFreedom's Juke Box No.203

Hello all!
  This is the last Saturday of September, and there is a rather cloudy cold and cloudy day outside here in Athens. So, I am sitting here listening to music, and preparing tomorrow's radio show.
  During this week I listened to lots of music, but I focused on Clive Nolan's new musical, which we are going to present tomorrow on Prog & Roll. But further than that, I listened to other songs as well, but not so many like other times; therefore my options are kind of limited.
I decided not to add any of Clive's songs in this Top-5 list, because I cannot decide on which ones I should add.
So, here's my Top-5 song list for this week:
PINK FLOYD: Julia Dream (single - 1968 / Relics - 1971)
GAZPACHO: Hell Freezes Over II (March of Ghosts - 2012)
MACHINES DREAM: Heavy Water (Black Science - 2017)
PSYCHOTIC WALTZ: I Remember (A Social Grace - 1990)
THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND: Sunday Song (Earthspan - 1972)
If you click on the following YouTube links, you will able to listen to the songs I have in my list right away.
Enjoy the music!
Thank you!
PINK FLOYD: Julia Dream
GAZPACHO: Hell Freezes Over Pt.2
MACHINES DREAM:Heavy Water
PSYCHOTIC WALTZ: I Remember
THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND: Sunday Song

PROG & ROLL Proudly Presents: KING'S RANSOM - A musical by CLIVE NOLAN.

Hello all!
  I am writingthis piece in order to inform you about the forthcoming Prog & Roll radio show, that will be online on Sunday the 1st of October, at 20.00 UK time.
  We have a very different and interesting show prepared for our listeners, that will include an extended presentation of the new Rock opera/musical King's Ransom, by Clive Nolan. Given the opportunity, we will also play songs from other Rock operas and Rock musicals, but the "main dish" will be King's Ransom.
  But that's not all! We are also going to have 3 narrators, that will "guide" our listeners through the story, and explain what is going on in the plot. The 3 narrators will be the usual producers of Prog & Roll, which is me and my wife, and... Clive Nolan himself! Yes, that's right! Clive Nolan will be the one that will do the introduction to the whole opera, and to each of its 2 acts. I mean, who knows better the story than the person who wrote it?
 Further than all these nice things, we are going to have Clive Nolan on our shoutbox as well, most probably together with some musicians and/or singers from the cast of King's Ransom. So, altogether will be listening to music, and they will be chatting with us and the people who are going to be there at the time of the show.
  This is going to be a very interesting show, and a unique chance to meet one of the greatest musicians of Progressive Rock of the last decades. So, try not to miss it! 
  I would also like to inform you that, Prog & Roll is a bilingual live broadcast, and its always on time! In case you want to listen, just click on the following link at the day and time I mentioned above: www.justincaseradio.com
Here’s a video teaser we made especially for the occasion.
Enjoy!

PROG & ROLL Radio Show (24/9/17). The complete playlist...

Hello all!
  Last night, the 2nd Prog & Roll Radio show of the new season was online. This time, we had nothing special prepared for our listeners, further than the rather interesting and enjoyable playlist.
  We divided the show into 4 half-hour parts and on each part we played different styles of music. We begun with some classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal from the 70's and the 80's; next we played songs from new Prog releases, we continued with some Classic Rock tracks, and we finished with the 4rth part, that was including songs from new Prog releases once more.
We had a good crowd listening, and I believe that it was an enjoyable and fun 2-hour show.
Here you can take a look at the complete playlist:

1st Part: LED ZEPPELIN: Trampled Under Foot / THIN LIZZY: Do Anything you Want to / GARY MOORE: Military Man / JUDAS PRIEST: Electric Eye / RIOT: Restless Breed.

2nd Part: COLIN TENCH PROJECT: See How She Runs / ANUBIS: These Changing Seasons II / THE SAMURAI OF PROG: Growing Up / SOUL ENEMA: Eternal Child / STEVEN WILSON: Pariah.

3rd Part: FLEETWOOD MAC: The Chain / EAGLES: Victim of Love / FREE: Wishing Well / COLOSSEUM: Theme for an Imaginary Western / JANIS JOPLIN: Get it While You Can.

4rth Part: DISCIPLINE: Captives of the Wine Dark Sea / THIS WINTER MACHINE: After Tomorrow Comes / MOSTLY AUTUMN: Hammerdown / MACHINES DREAM: Weimar.

  As for next Sunday the 1st of October, we are preparing something very special! Be a little patient and I will inform you about it in a few days...

  I would like to thank all those who chose to spend their Sunday evening/night with us and our show. 

Thank you very much!

GFreedom's Juke Box No.202

Hello all!
Here I am again, with my usual Saturday post, which is my weekly Top-5 song list for you.
I listen to lots of music during this week, and the songs I've picked as best ones are the following:
GARY MOORE: Military Man (Run for Cover - 1985)
THE SAMURAI OF PROG: Growing Up (On We Sail - 2017)
BLACK HEART PROCESSION: Topics of Love (Amore Del Topico - 2002)
THE NEAL MORSE BAND: Broker Sky/Long Day (Reprise) (The Similitude of a Dream - 2016)
CLIVE NOLAN: Solitary Man (King's Ransom - 2017)
I will conclude this post by adding the YouTube links of the songs in my list, so you will be able to listen to them right away. (Assuming that you will be interested of course). Unfortunately, once more I wasn't able to find all the songs in YT, so I added just the ones I found.
Enjoy the music and have a nice weekend.
Thank you!
GARY MOORE: Military Man
BLACK HEART PROCESSION: Topics of Love
THE NEAL MORSE BAND: Broken Sky/Long Day

KING’S RANSOM – A Musical by CLIVE NOLAN (2017). My review...

   Clive Nolan is one of the greatest musicians in the modern Progressive Rock music scene. His name is involved in a rather big number of bands or projects, such as Pendragon, Arena, Casino, Shadowland and others. 
  However, as Clive told me once, he always has been a great fan of musicals.  In 2008 he released his first musical named as She, under the name Caamora. (The story  was based on the book with the same name, written by H. Rider Haggard).

  His second musical was Alchemy and it was released in 2013, under his name this time. The plot took place in Victorian England in “Alchemy Universe”, and it was based on a fictional story, written by him.  
  When I bought Alchemy, I couldn’t believe how wonderful it was, and I have no idea how many times I listened to it! (Even today, it still is one of my most beloved albums of the last decade).    

  When I learned about King’s Ransom, which is the sequel of Alchemy, I wasn’t very surprised, mainly due to the fact that at the end of Alchemy there was a hint that the story could be continued in the future. I was also a little bit worried, because Alchemy was a really great album and I wasn’t sure if he could repeat something like that again. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded…  
  I pre-ordered King’s Ransom, and what I received was a box set, including 4 CD’s, 1 DVD and 3 booklets. A very impressive and expensive production as it seems.

       Now, let’s take a look at the album itself.
 It is divided in 2 parts (Act I & Act II), and includes 33 tracks in total. Don’t forget that it's not a Progressive Rock album, it’s a musical.

For the recordings of the album, Clive used 6 musicians and 11 singers who play the different characters of the story.
  In comparison with Alchemy, I think that King’s Ransom is more sophisticated, and a bit “darker”. The music is astonishing once more, and it changes according to the situations that the characters find themselves in. As for the performance of the singers, it is excellent on most occasions. (But that’s totally a matter of personal taste).   

  I will not get into details for each song separately, because that is an unfair thing to do. The songs follow a story line, and each of them has something to offer to the story. Therefore, there might be some songs not so “strong” like others, but they add something and they move the story forward.

Also, I enjoyed the dialogues that bind the songs together, because it gives a theatrical touch to the album.

  Despite the fact that I put the CD’s in my CD player and listen to them without skipping not even one song, there are some songs that I enjoy more than others. Some of them are the following:

Act I: Poison Runs the Course, Silent Army, The Deal is Made, Legend of the Unicorn Orchid, and of course the wonderful Solitary Man, with the fantastic voice of Gemma Ashley. (Goosebumps. Everytime!)

Act II: In Harm’s Way, Stand Fast, Turning the Tables, St Paul’s and Epilogue.

  I will conclude this post by saying that, King’s Ransom is a definite must-have for every fan of Clive Nolan, but not only for them. Every person can enjoy this, because it is definitely a serious piece of art! I don’t know about you, but I know I am going to enjoy it for a long long time.

  And as Clive Nolan writes in the first page of the booklet; “Turn the lights down, and the speakers up… and immerse yourself once more in the ‘Alchemy Universe’…
In case you are interested, check here: www.kingsransomthemusical.com 

   My rating: 5 solid stars without a second thought.

  By clicking on the following YouTube links you can watch a couple of trailers for King's Ransom and have a small idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiuz57TkCv8 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VawfdxfXt-A 

   

         

Prog & Roll's premier show of the 6th Radio Season...

Hello all!
  After a long Summer break, last night Prog & Roll had its premier show for the 6th radio season. As I wrote here a few days ago, we had a special show prepared for our listeners, and I am very glad to say that it was a blast!
  We did make a presentation to the new album of Drifting Sun, Twilight, we had the band's leader Pat Sanders on the chatbox, but also as the show's co-host. (In a manner of speaking). Because he couldn't be with us, we decided to pre-record a few parts, where he was introducing his songs to our audience. To be honest, the whole thing was kind of confusing, but everything went fine and we had a good laugh. Furthermore, we did 2 music quizzes, and the winners won a copy of Twilight, gently offered by Pat. (Thank you Pat).
 We had a good crowd that was listening, from many countries once more, and some of them were listening to Prog & Roll for the first time. Like Chris for example, who was listening from California, and he used to be Drifting Sun's singer in the 90's; or the owner of the famous site Progradar. And near the end, Colin Tench joined our company, even for a little while.
The playlist was including songs taken from new releases exclusively, with only one exception; the song we played in the 2nd music quiz.
  Personally speaking, I am very pleased with last night's show, and I hope that everybody enjoyed it.
I would like to thank all those who listened to Prog & Roll last night, and especially Pat Sanders for his help and for the prizes he offered.
Here you can take a look at the complete playlist:

1st Part: COBALT BLUE: Bereaved / SIENA ROOT: Sundown / SOEN: Jinn / TIME COLLAPSE: The Messiah Complex Pt.1 / EARTH ELECTRIC: The Endless Road.

2nd Part: DRIFTING SUN: Twilight / COMEDY OF ERRORS: One Fine Day / CELLAR NOISE: Move the Stone / DRIFTING SUN: Wings of Hope.

3rd Part: FUN LOVING CRIMINALS: I’m not in Love (Music Quiz) / ROGER WATERS: Picture That / DRIFTING SUN: Soldiers / STEVE HACKETT: Inca Terra.

4th Part: DRIFTING SUN: Remedy / BIG BIG TRAIN: The Second Brighter Star / BAROCK PROJECT:  Alone / DRIFTING SUN: Summer Skies.