ALAN PARSONS - Magic role backwards

ALAN PARSONS - Magische Rolle Rückwärts

15 years is between A Valid Path and The Secret. His excursion into the electronica realm had not brought any success to the eponym of the Alan Parsons Project, multiple Grammy winner and sound engineer of albums like "Abbey Road" or "The Dark Side Of The Moon". So the Englishman remained silent for a long time as an album artist. Now Parsons returns to the symphonic rock realms for which he is known and loved. But how much can "The Secret" really tear in 2019?

Of course, the English sound inventor Alan Parsons used the span between his last studio album from 2004 and the current recording: for projects like tours or various concert recordings, of which "The Alan Parsons Symphonic Project, Live In Colombia" was particularly ambitious. In addition, the 70-year-old produced his successful album "The Raven That Refused To Sing" together with Steven Wilson and was responsible for the remasters of all Alan Parson project albums (including box releases for "Tales Of Mystery And Imagination" and "Eye In The Sky"). There were also a few shameful download singles.

eclipsed: I've been punching you in interviews for years with the question of a new album. Now it's actually there. How did this happen?

Alan Parsons: I don't want to rush things. (laughs) You also know that I haven't been completely idle for the past 15 years. But to tell you the truth, I just didn't have a record deal anymore. Until Frontiers came up to me, for whom I had made a live record before with "Eye 2 Eye".

eclipsed: Was the commercial failure of "A Valid Path" partly responsible for the long album break? And on the other hand, did the work on Steven Wilson's "Raven" whet your appetite for your own album again?

Parsons: Yes, both are right. I really enjoyed working with Steven. "A Valid Path" was an Electronica-style experiment that failed because I left my roots there. The new album therefore offers much more of the style for which I am known.

eclipsed: Guest musicians include Steve Hackett and former Foreigner singer Lou Gramm.

Parsons: I got in touch with Lou Gramm through my new guitarist Jeff Kollman. I sent him the song "Sometimes" and he said he would love to sing it. I met Steve Hackett a few years ago on tour in Italy. He is a perfect musician, can read scores and played a wonderful guitar on "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", special effects included.

Alan Parsons - "As Lights Fall" (Official Music Video)

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