A blend of musical genres from electronic, jazz, ambient classical to experimental rock
Elliot Nelson is a British born instrumental solo artist, composer and producer from the north of England. Son of Be-Bop Deluxe frontman ‘Bill Nelson’, Elliot has grown up his entire life surrounded by music and creativity. His sound blends and bends musical genres from electronic, jazz, experimental rock, folk and classical. Pushing his music to the brink of sonic creativity in his debut album “As He Now Appears”. A journey taking you through warping ethereal melodies into the depths of dark and atmospheric soundscapes.
Says Elliot, “‘As He Now Appears’ is centered around the experiences we have in life which evolve and change us into who we are now. I used to observe how people around me changed in particular situations, around different people or different environments. I think it shows how susceptible we are as humans to everything, it’s like a cycle of change but somehow we always return to the same point, with more life under our belt.”
Elliot has played guitar and drums in numerous British underground bands in the past, namely ‘Honeytone Cody’, where he also collaborated in a joint writing venture with his sister Elle Nelson. The band quickly became one of the most popular underground bands in Britain, receiving airplay from John Peel, a remixed track by BBC Radio One DJ Kissy Sellout and a photoshoot with Mick Rock for a ‘Tommy Hilfger’ clothing range. Honeytone Cody disbanded in mid 2015 after 16 years.
From 2017-18, Elliot went on to form an avant garde musical project under the guise of ‘The Wolf and The Ape’, again another musical endeavour which received high praise from critics and musicians alike.
The Wolf and The Ape solely produced music for old silent films which included a 1920’s art film by Dziga Vertov, “A Man with a Movie Camera” and also Lottie Reininger’s short animation, “Cinderella”.
Now Elliot is releasing his first instrumental solo album, “As He Now Appears”, which encompasses an eclectic mix of music, using jazz, classical, folk, electronica to alternative rock. From track to track, it shows no bias to one particular genre. Stretching and pulling the music to sculpture an emotional narrative about the transition of time, change and life.
Says Elliot, “The album was incidental, instead of using something such as a journal or diary, I would use my music to express a certain point of time or event that would be happening in my life, I guess I used a similar motif to Sergei Prokofiev’s ‘Peter and The Wolf’, I would use a particular instrument to represent a person or creature within the narrative of what I was feeling, or an event I was experiencing. It was recorded over a course of 2-3 years, mainly using a laptop equipped with Ableton Live using various acoustic and electric instruments. The drums were recorded in old industrial mills in West Yorkshire, I’d either use a guide guitar or play against a drone or a sample of some sort. It would be all instinctive to how I felt, once the tracks took upon a certain emotional shape, everything else fell into place.”
Tracks:
1. As He Now Appears 2. Crusade of The Marionettes 3. Land of The Forgotten 4. Cats and Otherwise 5. Pierrot 6. Internally Set to Zero 7. The Ethereal Ballon 8. God's Pythons 9. From The Blonde to The Beast 10. The Black Dot 11. Beach Waltz
All music written, performed and produced by Elliot Nelson Mastered by John Spence Illustration and design by Elle Nelson
A blend of musical genres from electronic, jazz, ambient classical to experimental rock
Elliot Nelson is a British born instrumental solo artist, composer and producer from the north of England. Son of Be-Bop Deluxe frontman ‘Bill Nelson’, Elliot has grown up his entire life surrounded by music and creativity. His sound blends and bends musical genres from electronic, jazz, experimental rock, folk and classical. Pushing his music to the brink of sonic creativity in his debut album “As He Now Appears”. A journey taking you through warping ethereal melodies into the depths of dark and atmospheric soundscapes.
Says Elliot, “‘As He Now Appears’ is centered around the experiences we have in life which evolve and change us into who we are now. I used to observe how people around me changed in particular situations, around different people or different environments. I think it shows how susceptible we are as humans to everything, it’s like a cycle of change but somehow we always return to the same point, with more life under our belt.”
Elliot has played guitar and drums in numerous British underground bands in the past, namely ‘Honeytone Cody’, where he also collaborated in a joint writing venture with his sister Elle Nelson. The band quickly became one of the most popular underground bands in Britain, receiving airplay from John Peel, a remixed track by BBC Radio One DJ Kissy Sellout and a photoshoot with Mick Rock for a ‘Tommy Hilfger’ clothing range. Honeytone Cody disbanded in mid 2015 after 16 years.
From 2017-18, Elliot went on to form an avant garde musical project under the guise of ‘The Wolf and The Ape’, again another musical endeavour which received high praise from critics and musicians alike.
The Wolf and The Ape solely produced music for old silent films which included a 1920’s art film by Dziga Vertov, “A Man with a Movie Camera” and also Lottie Reininger’s short animation, “Cinderella”.
Now Elliot is releasing his first instrumental solo album, “As He Now Appears”, which encompasses an eclectic mix of music, using jazz, classical, folk, electronica to alternative rock. From track to track, it shows no bias to one particular genre. Stretching and pulling the music to sculpture an emotional narrative about the transition of time, change and life.
Says Elliot, “The album was incidental, instead of using something such as a journal or diary, I would use my music to express a certain point of time or event that would be happening in my life, I guess I used a similar motif to Sergei Prokofiev’s ‘Peter and The Wolf’, I would use a particular instrument to represent a person or creature within the narrative of what I was feeling, or an event I was experiencing. It was recorded over a course of 2-3 years, mainly using a laptop equipped with Ableton Live using various acoustic and electric instruments. The drums were recorded in old industrial mills in West Yorkshire, I’d either use a guide guitar or play against a drone or a sample of some sort. It would be all instinctive to how I felt, once the tracks took upon a certain emotional shape, everything else fell into place.”
Tracks:
1. As He Now Appears 2. Crusade of The Marionettes 3. Land of The Forgotten 4. Cats and Otherwise 5. Pierrot 6. Internally Set to Zero 7. The Ethereal Ballon 8. God's Pythons 9. From The Blonde to The Beast 10. The Black Dot 11. Beach Waltz
All music written, performed and produced by Elliot Nelson Mastered by John Spence Illustration and design by Elle Nelson
A blend of musical genres from electronic, jazz, ambient classical to experimental rock
Elliot Nelson is a British born instrumental solo artist, composer and producer from the north of England. Son of Be-Bop Deluxe frontman ‘Bill Nelson’, Elliot has grown up his entire life surrounded by music and creativity. His sound blends and bends musical genres from electronic, jazz, experimental rock, folk and classical. Pushing his music to the brink of sonic creativity in his debut album “As He Now Appears”. A journey taking you through warping ethereal melodies into the depths of dark and atmospheric soundscapes.
Says Elliot, “‘As He Now Appears’ is centered around the experiences we have in life which evolve and change us into who we are now. I used to observe how people around me changed in particular situations, around different people or different environments. I think it shows how susceptible we are as humans to everything, it’s like a cycle of change but somehow we always return to the same point, with more life under our belt.”
Elliot has played guitar and drums in numerous British underground bands in the past, namely ‘Honeytone Cody’, where he also collaborated in a joint writing venture with his sister Elle Nelson. The band quickly became one of the most popular underground bands in Britain, receiving airplay from John Peel, a remixed track by BBC Radio One DJ Kissy Sellout and a photoshoot with Mick Rock for a ‘Tommy Hilfger’ clothing range. Honeytone Cody disbanded in mid 2015 after 16 years.
From 2017-18, Elliot went on to form an avant garde musical project under the guise of ‘The Wolf and The Ape’, again another musical endeavour which received high praise from critics and musicians alike.
The Wolf and The Ape solely produced music for old silent films which included a 1920’s art film by Dziga Vertov, “A Man with a Movie Camera” and also Lottie Reininger’s short animation, “Cinderella”.
Now Elliot is releasing his first instrumental solo album, “As He Now Appears”, which encompasses an eclectic mix of music, using jazz, classical, folk, electronica to alternative rock. From track to track, it shows no bias to one particular genre. Stretching and pulling the music to sculpture an emotional narrative about the transition of time, change and life.
Says Elliot, “The album was incidental, instead of using something such as a journal or diary, I would use my music to express a certain point of time or event that would be happening in my life, I guess I used a similar motif to Sergei Prokofiev’s ‘Peter and The Wolf’, I would use a particular instrument to represent a person or creature within the narrative of what I was feeling, or an event I was experiencing. It was recorded over a course of 2-3 years, mainly using a laptop equipped with Ableton Live using various acoustic and electric instruments. The drums were recorded in old industrial mills in West Yorkshire, I’d either use a guide guitar or play against a drone or a sample of some sort. It would be all instinctive to how I felt, once the tracks took upon a certain emotional shape, everything else fell into place.”
Tracks:
1. As He Now Appears
2. Crusade of The Marionettes
3. Land of The Forgotten
4. Cats and Otherwise
5. Pierrot
6. Internally Set to Zero
7. The Ethereal Ballon
8. God's Pythons
9. From The Blonde to The Beast
10. The Black Dot
11. Beach Waltz
All music written, performed and produced by Elliot Nelson
Mastered by John Spence
Illustration and design by Elle Nelson
Billy Livesay, best known for his work with E Street Band legend Clarence Clemons as his Guitarist & Vocalist, is releasing a new album with his group The Livesays, independently. The majority of The Livesays' new album “The Rhythm of Love and Dysfunction” was recorded in 2018 and was set to be released early in 2019. Tragically, on November 2nd, 2018, the band experienced unimaginable sorrow when their drummer, Eddie Zyne, passed away from a heart attack. Eddie, who began his illustrious career as the drummer in Hall and Oates, was an original co-founding member and integral part of The Livesays.
Eddie had been so excited about the upcoming release of The Livesays’ fourth album, particularly the new songs which showcased his solid metronome-like drumming style. Losing Eddie was not only a tremendous setback, it caused the band members to cancel all of their upcoming shows and contemplate calling it quits. Instead, the band persevered and, in turn, decided to dedicate this album to their fallen musical brother Eddie Zyne.
Finding a replacement for Eddie would prove to be no easy task as he left tremendous shoes to fill. In the Spring of 2019, along came Howard Goldberg, formerly of the indie funk band “Rudy.” Says Billy Livesay, “Howard knew us from playing around South Florida through the years. He was a tremendous fan of Eddie’s, knew of his passing, and asked if he could audition for us. Much to our surprise and delight, he turned out to be a great fit. He brought a revived energy to our band. We were back up and running in a few months."
The songs were recorded in Billy Livesay's home studio in Pembroke Pines, FL, mixed by Grammy nominated engineer Steve Gordon and mastered by Grammy winning engineer Mike Fuller at Fullersound in Ft Lauderdale. The original plan was to have the song “The Rhythm of Love” be the title cut, and the album was to include songs written and recorded over a two year period after the release of The Livesays' 2016 release “Hold On…Life Is Calling.”
Circumstances changed after losing Eddie. Turmoil set in due to ongoing political unrest, the upcoming election, protests, the Covid-19 pandemic, unemployment, isolation, and having to quarantine. The general feelings of uncertainty and uneasiness, and the ever-changing dysfunctional social and political climate, inspired some fresh new songs and a reevaluation as to which songs to release. Armed with twenty songs, the band narrowed it down to thirteen that reflected a congruent theme, which gave birth to the adjusted title “The Rhythm of Love and Dysfunction.”
Billy explains the meaning and inspiration behind the songs… “When I Dream” - Everyone has some sort of aspiration; being successful playing music has always been mine. Even when the odds seem stacked against me, I have never given up on my dream. 'It may be a leap of faith but it's a leap I’m going to take, when I dream'. I’d be remiss if I did not mention that I wrote this song while mourning the loss of my bandmate Eddie Zyne who I know would be disappointed if his passing had led to the demise of the band and the end of my dream.
“Another Mile” and “Better Than You” - Many couples are quick to dissolve their relationships after disagreements. I view relationships as a constant work in progress. It’s hard for people to admit when they're wrong. Admittedly, it took me awhile, but I have learned to take the blame when I realize that I am wrong. I wrote the song "Another Mile" for my wife. It was my way of apologizing after an argument over something petty. My wife, Vicki, is also the inspiration behind the song “Better Than You.” She has stood by me and supported me throughout my career. Her mother once said that our “love affair was hanging on by a wing and a prayer.” To this day, I’m glad my wife “took that dare.”
“Can I Have (What You Have)?” - This song was inspired by a newspaper article I read about a man convicted of armed robbery. In his own defense and to lessen his sentence, he blamed his own reprehensible behavior on having been raised by a father who beat him and a mother who was a drug addict. With pen in hand as I began crafting the lyrics, I happened to look out the window and noticed the sky had turned gray. I wrote down the line “looked out my window storm clouds coming, I don't know how long they will last.” I tasked myself with writing this particular song without a rhyming pattern, which is something that I don’t normally do. We ended up recording this song at Power Station Studios, in Pompano Beach, FL and released a video of the recording session filmed and edited by Miami-based award winning film maker David Liz. Watch the video here:
“Book Of Rules” - One evening, while at a restaurant eating dinner, I witnessed a group of people acting asinine and causing a ruckus. The line “a jester holding court is something that I ain't” popped into my head and I wrote it down on a napkin. I went home and wrote a “Book of Rules,” a dark rocker with verses that are vignettes about how people seem to have their own codes by which they live.
“That's The Trouble With Love” actually started out as two separate songs. I was working on a song about a guy who experienced love at first sight after offering an umbrella to a girl in the rain, and another song intended to be called “Whole Lot of Trouble,” both of which included lyrics sent to me by a Nashville artist named David Graham with whom I have co-written multiple songs in the past. The concepts were similar in nature in both songs and blended together nicely into one acoustic song which sounds a bit Santana-esque.
“Better Than He Ever Was” is autobiographical in nature, but more so, it's a shout out to my musical peers who, like a fine wine, have improved with age. Too often in the entertainment industry, we are cast aside as we grow older, when in many cases, our maturity lends itself to a better, more polished performance.
“Let It Flow” is a song about addiction, inspired by a close friend’s father who was a train-riding hobo who was always down on his luck as a result of his alcoholism.
“The Rhythm Of Love” is a bluesy dance song about the magic and emotional power of love that sometimes takes control of our senses.
“There’s Something Coming Now” - My drummer and I co-wrote the lyrics to this song, inspired by the current dysfunction of our government, the upcoming election, the country-wide protesting, and overall sense of turmoil we are all feeling during the pandemic. With so much misinformation circulating, we’re all left wondering what’s coming next.
“How Can I Be?” was inspired by a close friend who went through a painful breakup with a domineering woman who cheated on him. It’s a song about love-gone-bad in a dysfunctional relationship that left a man questioning his own self-worth and trying to rediscover himself.
Billy explains why there are two cover songs on this album: “Woodstock” - When the virus hit and I found myself quarantined, I was reflecting on how I was feeling about the current political state of the country. When the “Black Lives Matter” protests began, it reminded me of the vibe of the 60's movement and the public demand for civil rights and equality. This feeling prompted me to start noodling around with Joni Mitchell’s classic tune “Woodstock.” During a rehearsal, my bandmates and I put our own creative spin on the song. In celebration of the life and legacy of Ms. Mitchell, and because its subject matter fit in nicely with our other songs, we decided to record our version for our album.
“The Heart Of The Matter” - I have been told countless times over the years that my voice was reminiscent of Don Henley. By chance, shortly after Eddie’s passing, while The Livesays were on hiatus, I was asked to fill in for a few months with a touring Eagles tribute band called “The Long Run,” assuming the role of Don Henley. After I finished my stint with the tribute band, we had added Howard to our lineup and began playing out again. The guys in my band decided that we should cover “The Heart Of The Matter,” and it instantly became a fan favorite. It fit the theme of the songs we were compiling for our album, so we decided to record it. Since it has been thirty years since the original release of this monumental song, we opted to stay true to its original composition instead of putting our own spin on it.
Here's what the press has said about The Livesays:
“There is some exceptional music here. The sound of this really channels a lot of old school classic rock textures, but at times brings some modern elements to it. I really like this album a lot. There are no bad songs here at all.” - G. W. Hill Music Street Journal
“The kind of commercial classic rock that doesn’t make hipsters feel self conscious for liking this stuff, the voice, the tunes and the moves all merge into a swell stew of the rock we grew up with and still think is out there. Not only do you get some eloquent melodies on this disc, but you also get some thought- provoking material that will no doubt make an impact on you as a listener.” - Chuck Dauphin, Music News Nashville
“As singer/songwriter, lead guitarist and frontman for The Livesays, Billy Livesay, takes the pop-rock music art form to new heights with The Livesays 2016 Springsteen influenced release “Hold On … Life Is Calling.” - Robert Silverstein - MWE3.com
“Hold On… Life Is Calling” delivers 13 chewy hunks of pop rock bliss. Without a doubt Billy Livesay has a terrific voice, impassioned and dramatic, and when it coincides with a suitably vast tune, the results are mesmerizing.” — Rocktologist.com
“Billy Livesay's soulful voice and deeply heartfelt lyrics make “Hold On …Life Is Calling” a must-have in any self-respecting classic rockers music collection” - Exclusive Magazine
“Melodic rock fans should eat this one up. It’s an enjoyable album from a group of veteran musicians who have been around the block a time or two.” - SeaOfTranquility.org
UPCOMING PLANS- The Livesays will release “The Heart of the Matter” as a video single on their YouTube channel and their Facebook page with a link in the caption to direct viewers to purchase a digital download of the song with a “name your price” option. Proceeds from the sale of the single will benefit the MusiCares Foundation, a charity that has provided more than $60 million in health, financial, and rehabilitation resources to fellow musicians in times of need. More info on the foundation: https://www.grammy.com/musicares. The video link is here:
A pre-sale of the CD (signed hard copies and digital downloads) will begin on Monday, Aug. 10th, 2020. The official release date of the CD has been set for Sept 20th, 2020. As soon as it is safe for music halls and concert venues to reopen, The Livesays plan to tour in support of the release of “The Rhythm of Love and Dysfunction.” The band anxiously awaits getting back in front of live audiences where they shine.
In closing, Billy has this message to impart: “During these times of turmoil, isolation, quarantining, anxiety and uncertainty, what has pulled us through is love and music. While we all have our own problems, dysfunctions, shortcomings, and varying opinions, we are all human beings who basically have the same needs and desires. Hopefully the issues we have been facing lately will lead people to take less for granted, apologize quicker, listen more and talk less, smell more roses, and just be better, kinder people. Love may sometimes be ‘a whole lot of trouble,’ but love is definitely worth traveling ‘another mile.’
The Livesays’ lineup: Billy Livesay - Guitar / lead vocals Jorge Laplume - Bass / vocals Howard Goldberg - Drums Victor "Cuqui" Berrios - Organ / vocals Tim Murphy- Piano / vocals
Billy Livesay, best known for his work with E Street Band legend Clarence Clemons as his Guitarist & Vocalist, is releasing a new album with his group The Livesays, independently. The majority of The Livesays' new album “The Rhythm of Love and Dysfunction” was recorded in 2018 and was set to be released early in 2019. Tragically, on November 2nd, 2018, the band experienced unimaginable sorrow when their drummer, Eddie Zyne, passed away from a heart attack. Eddie, who began his illustrious career as the drummer in Hall and Oates, was an original co-founding member and integral part of The Livesays.
Eddie had been so excited about the upcoming release of The Livesays’ fourth album, particularly the new songs which showcased his solid metronome-like drumming style. Losing Eddie was not only a tremendous setback, it caused the band members to cancel all of their upcoming shows and contemplate calling it quits. Instead, the band persevered and, in turn, decided to dedicate this album to their fallen musical brother Eddie Zyne.
Finding a replacement for Eddie would prove to be no easy task as he left tremendous shoes to fill. In the Spring of 2019, along came Howard Goldberg, formerly of the indie funk band “Rudy.” Says Billy Livesay, “Howard knew us from playing around South Florida through the years. He was a tremendous fan of Eddie’s, knew of his passing, and asked if he could audition for us. Much to our surprise and delight, he turned out to be a great fit. He brought a revived energy to our band. We were back up and running in a few months."
The songs were recorded in Billy Livesay's home studio in Pembroke Pines, FL, mixed by Grammy nominated engineer Steve Gordon and mastered by Grammy winning engineer Mike Fuller at Fullersound in Ft Lauderdale. The original plan was to have the song “The Rhythm of Love” be the title cut, and the album was to include songs written and recorded over a two year period after the release of The Livesays' 2016 release “Hold On…Life Is Calling.”
Circumstances changed after losing Eddie. Turmoil set in due to ongoing political unrest, the upcoming election, protests, the Covid-19 pandemic, unemployment, isolation, and having to quarantine. The general feelings of uncertainty and uneasiness, and the ever-changing dysfunctional social and political climate, inspired some fresh new songs and a reevaluation as to which songs to release. Armed with twenty songs, the band narrowed it down to thirteen that reflected a congruent theme, which gave birth to the adjusted title “The Rhythm of Love and Dysfunction.”
Billy explains the meaning and inspiration behind the songs…
“When I Dream” - Everyone has some sort of aspiration; being successful playing music has always been mine. Even when the odds seem stacked against me, I have never given up on my dream. 'It may be a leap of faith but it's a leap I’m going to take, when I dream'. I’d be remiss if I did not mention that I wrote this song while mourning the loss of my bandmate Eddie Zyne who I know would be disappointed if his passing had led to the demise of the band and the end of my dream.
“Another Mile” and “Better Than You” - Many couples are quick to dissolve their relationships after disagreements. I view relationships as a constant work in progress. It’s hard for people to admit when they're wrong. Admittedly, it took me awhile, but I have learned to take the blame when I realize that I am wrong. I wrote the song "Another Mile" for my wife. It was my way of apologizing after an argument over something petty. My wife, Vicki, is also the inspiration behind the song “Better Than You.” She has stood by me and supported me throughout my career. Her mother once said that our “love affair was hanging on by a wing and a prayer.” To this day, I’m glad my wife “took that dare.”
“Can I Have (What You Have)?” -
This song was inspired by a newspaper article I read about a man convicted of armed robbery. In his own defense and to lessen his sentence, he blamed his own reprehensible behavior on having been raised by a father who beat him and a mother who was a drug addict. With pen in hand as I began crafting the lyrics, I happened to look out the window and noticed the sky had turned gray. I wrote down the line “looked out my window storm clouds coming, I don't know how long they will last.” I tasked myself with writing this particular song without a rhyming pattern, which is something that I don’t normally do.
We ended up recording this song at Power Station Studios, in Pompano Beach, FL and released a video of the recording session filmed and edited by Miami-based award winning film maker David Liz. Watch the video here:
“Book Of Rules” - One evening, while at a restaurant eating dinner, I witnessed a group of people acting asinine and causing a ruckus. The line “a jester holding court is something that I ain't” popped into my head and I wrote it down on a napkin. I went home and wrote a “Book of Rules,” a dark rocker with verses that are vignettes about how people seem to have their own codes by which they live.
“That's The Trouble With Love” actually started out as two separate songs. I was working on a song about a guy who experienced love at first sight after offering an umbrella to a girl in the rain, and another song intended to be called “Whole Lot of Trouble,” both of which included lyrics sent to me by a Nashville artist named David Graham with whom I have co-written multiple songs in the past. The concepts were similar in nature in both songs and blended together nicely into one acoustic song which sounds a bit Santana-esque.
“Better Than He Ever Was” is autobiographical in nature, but more so, it's a shout out to my musical peers who, like a fine wine, have improved with age. Too often in the entertainment industry, we are cast aside as we grow older, when in many cases, our maturity lends itself to a better, more polished performance.
“Let It Flow” is a song about addiction, inspired by a close friend’s father who was a train-riding hobo who was always down on his luck as a result of his alcoholism.
“The Rhythm Of Love” is a bluesy dance song about the magic and emotional power of love that sometimes takes control of our senses.
“There’s Something Coming Now” - My drummer and I co-wrote the lyrics to this song, inspired by the current dysfunction of our government, the upcoming election, the country-wide protesting, and overall sense of turmoil we are all feeling during the pandemic. With so much misinformation circulating, we’re all left wondering what’s coming next.
“How Can I Be?” was inspired by a close friend who went through a painful breakup with a domineering woman who cheated on him. It’s a song about love-gone-bad in a dysfunctional relationship that left a man questioning his own self-worth and trying to rediscover himself.
Billy explains why there are two cover songs on this album:
“Woodstock” - When the virus hit and I found myself quarantined, I was reflecting on how I was feeling about the current political state of the country. When the “Black Lives Matter” protests began, it reminded me of the vibe of the 60's movement and the public demand for civil rights and equality. This feeling prompted me to start noodling around with Joni Mitchell’s classic tune “Woodstock.” During a rehearsal, my bandmates and I put our own creative spin on the song. In celebration of the life and legacy of Ms. Mitchell, and because its subject matter fit in nicely with our other songs, we decided to record our version for our album.
“The Heart Of The Matter” - I have been told countless times over the years that my voice was reminiscent of Don Henley. By chance, shortly after Eddie’s passing, while The Livesays were on hiatus, I was asked to fill in for a few months with a touring Eagles tribute band called “The Long Run,” assuming the role of Don Henley. After I finished my stint with the tribute band, we had added Howard to our lineup and began playing out again. The guys in my band decided that we should cover “The Heart Of The Matter,” and it instantly became a fan favorite. It fit the theme of the songs we were compiling for our album, so we decided to record it. Since it has been thirty years since the original release of this monumental song, we opted to stay true to its original composition instead of putting our own spin on it.
Here's what the press has said about The Livesays:
“There is some exceptional music here. The sound of this really channels a lot of old school classic rock textures, but at times brings some modern elements to it. I really like this album a lot. There are no bad songs here at all.” - G. W. Hill Music Street Journal
“The kind of commercial classic rock that doesn’t make hipsters feel self conscious for liking this stuff, the voice, the tunes and the moves all merge into a swell stew of the rock we grew up with and still think is out there. Not only do you get some eloquent melodies on this disc, but you also get some thought- provoking material that will no doubt make an impact on you as a listener.” - Chuck Dauphin, Music News Nashville
“As singer/songwriter, lead guitarist and frontman for The Livesays, Billy Livesay, takes the pop-rock music art form to new heights with The Livesays 2016 Springsteen influenced release “Hold On … Life Is Calling.” - Robert Silverstein - MWE3.com
“Hold On… Life Is Calling” delivers 13 chewy hunks of pop rock bliss. Without a doubt Billy Livesay has a terrific voice, impassioned and dramatic, and when it coincides with a suitably vast tune, the results are mesmerizing.” — Rocktologist.com
“Billy Livesay's soulful voice and deeply heartfelt lyrics make “Hold On …Life Is Calling” a must-have in any self-respecting classic rockers music collection” - Exclusive Magazine
“Melodic rock fans should eat this one up. It’s an enjoyable album from a group of veteran musicians who have been around the block a time or two.” - SeaOfTranquility.org
UPCOMING PLANS-
The Livesays will release “The Heart of the Matter” as a video single on their YouTube channel and their Facebook page with a link in the caption to direct viewers to purchase a digital download of the song with a “name your price” option. Proceeds from the sale of the single will benefit the MusiCares Foundation, a charity that has provided more than $60 million in health, financial, and rehabilitation resources to fellow musicians in times of need. More info on the foundation: https://www.grammy.com/musicares.
The video link is here:
A pre-sale of the CD (signed hard copies and digital downloads) will begin on Monday, Aug. 10th, 2020. The official release date of the CD has been set for Sept 20th, 2020. As soon as it is safe for music halls and concert venues to reopen, The Livesays plan to tour in support of the release of “The Rhythm of Love and Dysfunction.” The band anxiously awaits getting back in front of live audiences where they shine.
In closing, Billy has this message to impart: “During these times of turmoil, isolation, quarantining, anxiety and uncertainty, what has pulled us through is love and music. While we all have our own problems, dysfunctions, shortcomings, and varying opinions, we are all human beings who basically have the same needs and desires. Hopefully the issues we have been facing lately will lead people to take less for granted, apologize quicker, listen more and talk less, smell more roses, and just be better, kinder people. Love may sometimes be ‘a whole lot of trouble,’ but love is definitely worth traveling ‘another mile.’
The Livesays’ lineup:
Billy Livesay - Guitar / lead vocals
Jorge Laplume - Bass / vocals
Howard Goldberg - Drums
Victor "Cuqui" Berrios - Organ / vocals
Tim Murphy- Piano / vocals
Los Angeles, CA - Legendary proto-punk guitar heroes, James Williamson & Deniz Tek, have joined forces for a brand new, odds-defying studio album, Two To One, set to be released September 18 by Cleopatra Records. An inductee into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, Williamson was the guitarist and co-songwriter for one of the most iconic and influential albums of all-time, Iggy & The Stooges Raw Power, while Tek launched and occupied the same role for what became Australia’s ground zero for the punk movement with his band, the revered Radio Birdman. The album features 11 all-new original compositions highlighted by the first single “Stable” and the explosive lead-off track “Jet Pack Nightmare.”
Watch the video for “Stable”:
Williamson had this to say about the project; “It was really a lot of fun working with Deniz to make a no-frills, good old-fashioned guitar album. Took me back to Raw Power and Kill City days. Deniz comes from a very similar approach to music that I do, both of us have had many years of experience in Detroit and Ann Arbor, Michigan.”
Tek adds: “Raw Power shaped my path as a young guitar player. It was great to partner up with James to make this album. Everything fell into place beyond expectations - the songs, the band, the production, and even the timing. I am very happy with it."
Two To One will be available on CD, digital and in your choice of red, blue, yellow or classic black vinyl!
Los Angeles, CA - Legendary proto-punk guitar heroes, James Williamson & Deniz Tek, have joined forces for a brand new, odds-defying studio album, Two To One, set to be released September 18 by Cleopatra Records. An inductee into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, Williamson was the guitarist and co-songwriter for one of the most iconic and influential albums of all-time, Iggy & The Stooges Raw Power, while Tek launched and occupied the same role for what became Australia’s ground zero for the punk movement with his band, the revered Radio Birdman. The album features 11 all-new original compositions highlighted by the first single “Stable” and the explosive lead-off track “Jet Pack Nightmare.”
Watch the video for “Stable”:
Williamson had this to say about the project; “It was really a lot of fun working with Deniz to make a no-frills, good old-fashioned guitar album. Took me back to Raw Power and Kill City days. Deniz comes from a very similar approach to music that I do, both of us have had many years of experience in Detroit and Ann Arbor, Michigan.”
Tek adds: “Raw Power shaped my path as a young guitar player. It was great to partner up with James to make this album. Everything fell into place beyond expectations - the songs, the band, the production, and even the timing. I am very happy with it."
Two To One will be available on CD, digital and in your choice of red, blue, yellow or classic black vinyl!
With the release of Rick Wakeman’s new studio album, The Red Planet due on August 28th 2020, described by BBC Radio 2’s Steve Wright as “King of the Prog rock keyboard .. one of our most successful and prolific musicians”, has released the first single to be taken from the album entitled “Ascraeus Mons”.
Inspired by 2021 being the anniversary of mans’ first expeditions to mars plus the fifty since including many landings Wakeman states “the incredible information discovered and of course some astonishing images. You just have to look at the photos online or in books to be inspired, the landscapes are fascinating and the volcanoes are huge …..bigger than anything on earth. It was the perfect subject for me to be inspired musically.”
He explains further “The main themes and ideas were all written on the piano, with photographs of Ascraeus Mons scattered around. I wanted the start of the album to be a statement and I always felt the church organ as an initial solo instrument said it all. This is certainly a track that screams out to be played live.....so I’d better get practising !!”
The Red Planet features 8 newly composed pieces, especially for this project, and harks back to Wakeman's critically acclaimed debut album The Six Wives of Henry VIII where there were 6 heavy keyboard pieces based around a central subject matter. It is a serious return to “Wakeman Prog”...
“It’s all a grand musical gesture ... this record “sizzles” and “melts” with old-time vinyl prog passion” Somethingelsereviews.com
“Rick Wakeman himself is a true visionary, a maestro, and a storyteller that has brought The Red Planet to life.” Echoes And Dust
Rick has blown the dust off his favourite analogue keyboards and along with his with the latest keyboards, has used the same formula he devised when making his legendary albums The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Criminal Record.
Upon being asked about the expectations of his Prog Fans, that they are hoping he will have shoved the “Prog Fader” up to 11, he replied, “That could be a problem.... as it's already at 14!!!”
The album, produced by Rick Wakeman and Erik Jordan, has already garnered high praise and coverage in the worldwide media including Vanity Fair, Billboard, plus making the cover feature in the UK’s Prog Magazine and multiple interviews on BBC radio stations.
Madfish will be releasing worldwide to retail The Red Planet as a CD Digipack with 20 page booklet, a black vinyl 2LP in gatefold sleeve and digitally on 28th August 2020, these are available to pre-order HERE (https://rickwakemanmadfish.lnk.to/TheRedPlanet)
With the release of Rick Wakeman’s new studio album, The Red Planet due on August 28th 2020, described by BBC Radio 2’s Steve Wright as “King of the Prog rock keyboard .. one of our most successful and prolific musicians”, has released the first single to be taken from the album entitled “Ascraeus Mons”.
Inspired by 2021 being the anniversary of mans’ first expeditions to mars plus the fifty since including many landings Wakeman states “the incredible information discovered and of course some astonishing images. You just have to look at the photos online or in books to be inspired, the landscapes are fascinating and the volcanoes are huge …..bigger than anything on earth. It was the perfect subject for me to be inspired musically.”
He explains further “The main themes and ideas were all written on the piano, with photographs of Ascraeus Mons scattered around. I wanted the start of the album to be a statement and I always felt the church organ as an initial solo instrument said it all. This is certainly a track that screams out to be played live.....so I’d better get practising !!”
The Red Planet features 8 newly composed pieces, especially for this project, and harks back to Wakeman's critically acclaimed debut album The Six Wives of Henry VIII where there were 6 heavy keyboard pieces based around a central subject matter. It is a serious return to “Wakeman Prog”...
“It’s all a grand musical gesture ... this record “sizzles” and “melts” with old-time vinyl prog passion” Somethingelsereviews.com
“Rick Wakeman himself is a true visionary, a maestro, and a storyteller that has brought The Red Planet to life.” Echoes And Dust
Rick has blown the dust off his favourite analogue keyboards and along with his with the latest keyboards, has used the same formula he devised when making his legendary albums The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Criminal Record.
Upon being asked about the expectations of his Prog Fans, that they are hoping he will have shoved the “Prog Fader” up to 11, he replied, “That could be a problem.... as it's already at 14!!!”
The album, produced by Rick Wakeman and Erik Jordan, has already garnered high praise and coverage in the worldwide media including Vanity Fair, Billboard, plus making the cover feature in the UK’s Prog Magazine and multiple interviews on BBC radio stations.
Madfish will be releasing worldwide to retail The Red Planet as a CD Digipack with 20 page booklet, a black vinyl 2LP in gatefold sleeve and digitally on 28th August 2020, these are available to pre-order HERE (https://rickwakemanmadfish.lnk.to/TheRedPlanet)
With the release of Rick Wakeman’s new studio album, The Red Planet due on August 28th 2020, described by BBC Radio 2’s Steve Wright as “King of the Prog rock keyboard .. one of our most successful and prolific musicians”, has released the first single to be taken from the album entitled “Ascraeus Mons”.
Inspired by 2021 being the anniversary of mans’ first expeditions to mars plus the fifty since including many landings Wakeman states “the incredible information discovered and of course some astonishing images. You just have to look at the photos online or in books to be inspired, the landscapes are fascinating and the volcanoes are huge …..bigger than anything on earth. It was the perfect subject for me to be inspired musically.”
He explains further “The main themes and ideas were all written on the piano, with photographs of Ascraeus Mons scattered around. I wanted the start of the album to be a statement and I always felt the church organ as an initial solo instrument said it all. This is certainly a track that screams out to be played live.....so I’d better get practising !!”
The Red Planet features 8 newly composed pieces, especially for this project, and harks back to Wakeman's critically acclaimed debut album The Six Wives of Henry VIII where there were 6 heavy keyboard pieces based around a central subject matter. It is a serious return to “Wakeman Prog”...
“It’s all a grand musical gesture ... this record “sizzles” and “melts” with old-time vinyl prog passion” Somethingelsereviews.com
“Rick Wakeman himself is a true visionary, a maestro, and a storyteller that has brought The Red Planet to life.” Echoes And Dust
Rick has blown the dust off his favourite analogue keyboards and along with his with the latest keyboards, has used the same formula he devised when making his legendary albums The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Criminal Record.
Upon being asked about the expectations of his Prog Fans, that they are hoping he will have shoved the “Prog Fader” up to 11, he replied, “That could be a problem.... as it's already at 14!!!”
The album, produced by Rick Wakeman and Erik Jordan, has already garnered high praise and coverage in the worldwide media including Vanity Fair, Billboard, plus making the cover feature in the UK’s Prog Magazine and multiple interviews on BBC radio stations.
Madfish will be releasing worldwide to retail The Red Planet as a CD Digipack with 20 page booklet, a black vinyl 2LP in gatefold sleeve and digitally on 28th August 2020, these are available to pre-order HERE (https://rickwakemanmadfish.lnk.to/TheRedPlanet)
“Young Love” is the first single from NYC based power trio OGD from their forthcoming debut album “The Big Game” produced by master drummer Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, John Mayer). The band features Derek Olivero (Guitar, Lead Vocals), Bobby Gavin (Drums, Vocals), and Dave De Ranieri (Bass, Vocals). The band recorded the album in upstate New York at Dreamland Recording Studios. Famed album cover designer Hugh Syme (Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater) was recruited to create a package for the CD and vinyl harking back to the pre-digital days of rock-n-roll including a 20-page booklet of Hugh’s art.
The video was produced by Doug Hatley inspired by the album artwork from legendary artist Hugh Syme. Watch the video for “Young Love” here:
Hailing from the ashes of Outland, Olivero and DeRanieri joined forces with Gavin to form OGD creating modern day rock with shades of Rush, Kiss, and even Clutch. “The Big Game” features 10 original compositions co-written by Olivero, Gavin, DeRanieri. The album was mixed by Michael Cozzi who’s worked his sonic magic on releases from Phil Keaggy, Tony Levin, Deep Energy Orchestra, and Security Project, his band with Jerry, Trey Gunn and Happy Rhodes. The album was mastered by world-class mastering engineer Chris Athens with the vinyl cut by Chris Muth.
Get ready to join the game when the album drops on August 25 with a full vinyl package set to release later in the year.
“I was so impressed by the prog-level energy and complexity and how it coexists wonderfully with the accessible and ‘radio-friendly’ aspects of the song structure. ‘The Big Game’... some really big music ... great playing, arrangements, and lead vocal .... and a world class sound overall! And no wonder — with the masterful production by maestro Jerry Marotta and his team!” - Hugh Syme
Says Derek, “Writing music for me is about a feeling or mood brought on by past or current life events. It could be from a memory, walking away from something or someone, a deserted highway, experiencing unknown, going into the wild, the universe and what is out there or a scene from a movie. Something that sticks out and strikes a chord in me. I'm always exploring and wondering where does the path lead. Most of the songs were written based on life experiences. The meaning is left up to the listeners interpretation. Always searching, The Journey continues with our first studio Album ‘The Big Game’ recorded at Dreamland studios NY. Produced by the legendary Jerry Marotta.”
Says Dave, “I’m thrilled with the OGD album. It was amazing to work with Jerry Marotta who I listened to and admired for so many years. We all did our best to do justice to these songs. I love albums you want to hear without skipping a song. I think we achieved that with ‘The Big Game.’ The album artwork is beautiful. The cover draws you in, and the images inside reflect each song. Hugh Syme did stellar work and that is yet another thrill, as I’ve been admiring his work on all my Rush album covers for years. Now he’s done our album!”
Says Bobby, “We all have added our mark on the music and it shows drive, passion, creativity and anything to anyone with an ear to listen too. There is something for everyone to enjoy and get down with the momentum and drive of OGD.”
The thing that always gets to me when I’m listening to music is sincerity. Neil Young has it. Bruce Springsteen has it. Otis Redding. Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin. Sinatra. The Band. The Beatles. You get it. As time goes by I find it harder and harder to buy into what music is selling these days. It’s fake, manufactured, constructed etc … When Derek Olivero, Bobby Gavin and Dave De Ranieri contacted me looking for a space upstate to set up and jam I sold them on Dreamland Studios which I’ve been running for about 12 years. Large Church built in the late 1800’s. Big sound. Big acoustics. I greet them at the Church entrance and say hi. Okay … he’s gotta be from Brooklyn. This ones gotta be from the Bronx and the 3rd guy sounds either Queens or Brooklyn. They set themselves up. Bobby Gavins drums sound like cannons! Derek’s guitar is screaming at me. Slapping me in the face. Daring me to utter a single sound. Dave Da Ranieri's Bass is enabling me to forego my next colonoscopy. Okay, these guys know how their instruments are supposed to sound. Check. I’m all ears now. They start rocking it. I hear lyrics like ‘Innocence Ran’ next up ‘The Word’ The freaking Word!!! How brazen is that! Does Derek Olivero actually think he knows what ‘The Word’ is? That’s badass if you ask me. Then ‘Setting Sun’ ‘Out In The West’ ‘Scary Night’ ‘Unknown’ and finally … ‘Young Love’ I get my engineer to start rolling tape. Let’s record some of this stuff and listen back later to see if I wasn’t imagining what I’d heard. In the end I told them they had to let me make the record for them and we had to record it at Dreamland with a few guitar overdubs done at Jersville Studios. My studio in my house.
I love the record we made. I love these maniacs. We are now lifelong friends and the record is finally about to hit the airwaves. ‘The Big Game’ watch for the videos. Seek out the music. I mean what I say …
Sincerely, Jerry Marotta
OGD: Derek Olivero - Guitar, Lead Vocals Bobby Gavin - Drums, Vocals Dave De Ranieri - Bass, Vocals
“Young Love” Written by Olivero, Gavin, DeRanieri Audio Produced by Jerry Marotta Video Production and Animation by Doug Hatley Band Video by Jerry Marotta Album Cover Artwork, Direction, and Illustrations by Hugh Syme Audio Recorded at Dreamland Recording Studios in West Hurley, NY Additional Recording at Jersville Studios in Woodstock, NY Audio Engineer - Ken Helmlinger Assistant Engineer - Ariel Shafir Mixed by Michael Cozzi at Moscozzi Studio in Seattle, Washington Mastered by Chris Athens for Chris Athens Masters in Austin, Texas Band Photography - Natalie De Gennaro & Francis X DeGennaro Strategic Liaison - A.J. Chippero
“Young Love” is the first single from NYC based power trio OGD from their forthcoming debut album “The Big Game” produced by master drummer Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, John Mayer). The band features Derek Olivero (Guitar, Lead Vocals), Bobby Gavin (Drums, Vocals), and Dave De Ranieri (Bass, Vocals). The band recorded the album in upstate New York at Dreamland Recording Studios. Famed album cover designer Hugh Syme (Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater) was recruited to create a package for the CD and vinyl harking back to the pre-digital days of rock-n-roll including a 20-page booklet of Hugh’s art.
The video was produced by Doug Hatley inspired by the album artwork from legendary artist Hugh Syme. Watch the video for “Young Love” here:
Hailing from the ashes of Outland, Olivero and DeRanieri joined forces with Gavin to form OGD creating modern day rock with shades of Rush, Kiss, and even Clutch. “The Big Game” features 10 original compositions co-written by Olivero, Gavin, DeRanieri. The album was mixed by Michael Cozzi who’s worked his sonic magic on releases from Phil Keaggy, Tony Levin, Deep Energy Orchestra, and Security Project, his band with Jerry, Trey Gunn and Happy Rhodes. The album was mastered by world-class mastering engineer Chris Athens with the vinyl cut by Chris Muth.
Get ready to join the game when the album drops on August 25 with a full vinyl package set to release later in the year.
“I was so impressed by the prog-level energy and complexity and how it coexists wonderfully with the accessible and ‘radio-friendly’ aspects of the song structure. ‘The Big Game’... some really big music ... great playing, arrangements, and lead vocal .... and a world class sound overall! And no wonder — with the masterful production by maestro Jerry Marotta and his team!” - Hugh Syme
Says Derek, “Writing music for me is about a feeling or mood brought on by past or current life events. It could be from a memory, walking away from something or someone, a deserted highway, experiencing unknown, going into the wild, the universe and what is out there or a scene from a movie. Something that sticks out and strikes a chord in me. I'm always exploring and wondering where does the path lead. Most of the songs were written based on life experiences. The meaning is left up to the listeners interpretation. Always searching, The Journey continues with our first studio Album ‘The Big Game’ recorded at Dreamland studios NY. Produced by the legendary Jerry Marotta.”
Says Dave, “I’m thrilled with the OGD album. It was amazing to work with Jerry Marotta who I listened to and admired for so many years. We all did our best to do justice to these songs. I love albums you want to hear without skipping a song. I think we achieved that with ‘The Big Game.’ The album artwork is beautiful. The cover draws you in, and the images inside reflect each song. Hugh Syme did stellar work and that is yet another thrill, as I’ve been admiring his work on all my Rush album covers for years. Now he’s done our album!”
Says Bobby, “We all have added our mark on the music and it shows drive, passion, creativity and anything to anyone with an ear to listen too. There is something for everyone to enjoy and get down with the momentum and drive of OGD.”
The thing that always gets to me when I’m listening to music is sincerity. Neil Young has it. Bruce Springsteen has it. Otis Redding. Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin. Sinatra. The Band. The Beatles. You get it. As time goes by I find it harder and harder to buy into what music is selling these days. It’s fake, manufactured, constructed etc … When Derek Olivero, Bobby Gavin and Dave De Ranieri contacted me looking for a space upstate to set up and jam I sold them on Dreamland Studios which I’ve been running for about 12 years. Large Church built in the late 1800’s. Big sound. Big acoustics. I greet them at the Church entrance and say hi. Okay … he’s gotta be from Brooklyn. This ones gotta be from the Bronx and the 3rd guy sounds either Queens or Brooklyn. They set themselves up. Bobby Gavins drums sound like cannons! Derek’s guitar is screaming at me. Slapping me in the face. Daring me to utter a single sound. Dave Da Ranieri's Bass is enabling me to forego my next colonoscopy. Okay, these guys know how their instruments are supposed to sound. Check. I’m all ears now. They start rocking it. I hear lyrics like ‘Innocence Ran’ next up ‘The Word’ The freaking Word!!! How brazen is that! Does Derek Olivero actually think he knows what ‘The Word’ is? That’s badass if you ask me. Then ‘Setting Sun’ ‘Out In The West’ ‘Scary Night’ ‘Unknown’ and finally … ‘Young Love’ I get my engineer to start rolling tape. Let’s record some of this stuff and listen back later to see if I wasn’t imagining what I’d heard. In the end I told them they had to let me make the record for them and we had to record it at Dreamland with a few guitar overdubs done at Jersville Studios. My studio in my house.
I love the record we made. I love these maniacs. We are now lifelong friends and the record is finally about to hit the airwaves. ‘The Big Game’ watch for the videos. Seek out the music. I mean what I say …
Sincerely, Jerry Marotta
OGD: Derek Olivero - Guitar, Lead Vocals Bobby Gavin - Drums, Vocals Dave De Ranieri - Bass, Vocals
“Young Love” Written by Olivero, Gavin, DeRanieri Audio Produced by Jerry Marotta Video Production and Animation by Doug Hatley Band Video by Jerry Marotta Album Cover Artwork, Direction, and Illustrations by Hugh Syme Audio Recorded at Dreamland Recording Studios in West Hurley, NY Additional Recording at Jersville Studios in Woodstock, NY Audio Engineer - Ken Helmlinger Assistant Engineer - Ariel Shafir Mixed by Michael Cozzi at Moscozzi Studio in Seattle, Washington Mastered by Chris Athens for Chris Athens Masters in Austin, Texas Band Photography - Natalie De Gennaro & Francis X DeGennaro Strategic Liaison - A.J. Chippero
“Young Love” is the first single from NYC based power trio OGD from their forthcoming debut album “The Big Game” produced by master drummer Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, John Mayer). The band features Derek Olivero (Guitar, Lead Vocals), Bobby Gavin (Drums, Vocals), and Dave De Ranieri (Bass, Vocals). The band recorded the album in upstate New York at Dreamland Recording Studios. Famed album cover designer Hugh Syme (Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater) was recruited to create a package for the CD and vinyl harking back to the pre-digital days of rock-n-roll including a 20-page booklet of Hugh’s art.
The video was produced by Doug Hatley inspired by the album artwork from legendary artist Hugh Syme. Watch the video for “Young Love” here:
Hailing from the ashes of Outland, Olivero and DeRanieri joined forces with Gavin to form OGD creating modern day rock with shades of Rush, Kiss, and even Clutch. “The Big Game” features 10 original compositions co-written by Olivero, Gavin, DeRanieri. The album was mixed by Michael Cozzi who’s worked his sonic magic on releases from Phil Keaggy, Tony Levin, Deep Energy Orchestra, and Security Project, his band with Jerry, Trey Gunn and Happy Rhodes. The album was mastered by world-class mastering engineer Chris Athens with the vinyl cut by Chris Muth.
Get ready to join the game when the album drops on August 25 with a full vinyl package set to release later in the year.
“I was so impressed by the prog-level energy and complexity and how it coexists wonderfully with the accessible and ‘radio-friendly’ aspects of the song structure. ‘The Big Game’... some really big music ... great playing, arrangements, and lead vocal .... and a world class sound overall! And no wonder — with the masterful production by maestro Jerry Marotta and his team!” - Hugh Syme
Says Derek, “Writing music for me is about a feeling or mood brought on by past or current life events. It could be from a memory, walking away from something or someone, a deserted highway, experiencing unknown, going into the wild, the universe and what is out there or a scene from a movie. Something that sticks out and strikes a chord in me. I'm always exploring and wondering where does the path lead. Most of the songs were written based on life experiences. The meaning is left up to the listeners interpretation. Always searching, The Journey continues with our first studio Album ‘The Big Game’ recorded at Dreamland studios NY. Produced by the legendary Jerry Marotta.”
Says Dave, “I’m thrilled with the OGD album. It was amazing to work with Jerry Marotta who I listened to and admired for so many years. We all did our best to do justice to these songs. I love albums you want to hear without skipping a song. I think we achieved that with ‘The Big Game.’ The album artwork is beautiful. The cover draws you in, and the images inside reflect each song. Hugh Syme did stellar work and that is yet another thrill, as I’ve been admiring his work on all my Rush album covers for years. Now he’s done our album!”
Says Bobby, “We all have added our mark on the music and it shows drive, passion, creativity and anything to anyone with an ear to listen too. There is something for everyone to enjoy and get down with the momentum and drive of OGD.”
The thing that always gets to me when I’m listening to music is sincerity. Neil Young has it. Bruce Springsteen has it. Otis Redding. Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin. Sinatra. The Band. The Beatles. You get it. As time goes by I find it harder and harder to buy into what music is selling these days. It’s fake, manufactured, constructed etc … When Derek Olivero, Bobby Gavin and Dave De Ranieri contacted me looking for a space upstate to set up and jam I sold them on Dreamland Studios which I’ve been running for about 12 years. Large Church built in the late 1800’s. Big sound. Big acoustics. I greet them at the Church entrance and say hi. Okay … he’s gotta be from Brooklyn. This ones gotta be from the Bronx and the 3rd guy sounds either Queens or Brooklyn. They set themselves up. Bobby Gavins drums sound like cannons! Derek’s guitar is screaming at me. Slapping me in the face. Daring me to utter a single sound. Dave Da Ranieri's Bass is enabling me to forego my next colonoscopy. Okay, these guys know how their instruments are supposed to sound. Check. I’m all ears now. They start rocking it. I hear lyrics like ‘Innocence Ran’ next up ‘The Word’ The freaking Word!!! How brazen is that! Does Derek Olivero actually think he knows what ‘The Word’ is? That’s badass if you ask me. Then ‘Setting Sun’ ‘Out In The West’ ‘Scary Night’ ‘Unknown’ and finally … ‘Young Love’ I get my engineer to start rolling tape. Let’s record some of this stuff and listen back later to see if I wasn’t imagining what I’d heard. In the end I told them they had to let me make the record for them and we had to record it at Dreamland with a few guitar overdubs done at Jersville Studios. My studio in my house.
I love the record we made. I love these maniacs. We are now lifelong friends and the record is finally about to hit the airwaves. ‘The Big Game’ watch for the videos. Seek out the music. I mean what I say …
Sincerely, Jerry Marotta
OGD:
Derek Olivero - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Bobby Gavin - Drums, Vocals
Dave De Ranieri - Bass, Vocals
“Young Love”
Written by Olivero, Gavin, DeRanieri
Audio Produced by Jerry Marotta
Video Production and Animation by Doug Hatley
Band Video by Jerry Marotta
Album Cover Artwork, Direction, and Illustrations by Hugh Syme
Audio Recorded at Dreamland Recording Studios in West Hurley, NY
Additional Recording at Jersville Studios in Woodstock, NY
Audio Engineer - Ken Helmlinger
Assistant Engineer - Ariel Shafir
Mixed by Michael Cozzi at Moscozzi Studio in Seattle, Washington
Mastered by Chris Athens for Chris Athens Masters in Austin, Texas
Band Photography - Natalie De Gennaro & Francis X DeGennaro
Strategic Liaison - A.J. Chippero
