Premiata Forneria Marconi, PFM for short, have been the musical figurehead of so-called Italo-Prog, along with Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, since the early 1970s. Now their new album "I Dreamed Of Electric Sheep" has been released, which refers to a science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick and the movie "Blade Runner" based on it.
"I think I've written the best songs of my career in the last three years," the 82-year-old declares right at the beginning of the interview. An astonishing statement for someone who can look back on a musical career spanning more than 60 years, which gave him some megahits right at the beginning: "Runaround Sue" and especially "The Wanderer" from 1961 are real evergreens and probably the best-known songs of Dion Francis DiMucci, who was born in 1939 in the New York Bronx
His story is marked by personal ups and downs and numerous musical style changes. After Doo Wop came a songwriting phase, after successfully fighting his drug addiction, a turn to the Christian faith including a longer affinity for gospel followed. For some years now, the declared Hendrix fan has discovered blues and blues rock for himself. This enthusiasm led to a creative push.
The Lower Saxon has never made a secret of the fact that Christopher von Deylen, whose project is called "Schiller", is an ardent cineaste. Nor has he ever made a secret of his love of film music. But in contrast to his earlier, incidentally highly successful albums, this time the 51-year-old has realised all the acoustic requirements for imaginary soundtracks. He composed epic clouds of sound, in the spirit of Tangerine Dream, Popol Vuh or, in places, Ennio Morricone, in order to record them with a 40-piece symphonic orchestra in Vienna's Synchron Stage Studio. In conversation, the likeable, rather shy von Deylen is still surprised at how sovereign and emotional the final result sounds.
eclipsed: What distinguishes the new work from the earlier ones?
"Reutlingen was a home game, so to speak, and we were really looking forward to it. Finally performing live again is food for the soul," says Marcus Schnitzler, drummer of the Reutlingen psych'n'space trio The Spacelords, about the first concert after a long, long time. Bassist Ekhard "Akee" Kazmeier's joy about the first show in mid-November is also clear to see: "After 20 months on the sidelines, it naturally feels wonderful to be booked again. Suddenly you're standing in front of a great audience and playing live - wonderful!"
1971 marks a caesura in the history of progressive rock music: in that year, many of the bands that today are counted among the essential founders of this musical genre found their musical vision. At the beginning of a decade in which progressive rock was to play a prominent role, numerous albums were released that are today not only considered classics of the genre, but also laid the foundation for the careers of some of its central protagonists - be it "The Yes Album", "Fragile", "Aqualung" or "Pictures At An Exhibition".
Here we take an in-depth look at this important year for the development of prog and its famous and lesser-known protagonists, from Europe to South America. In particular, we will take a close look at the third Genesis album "Nursery Cryme" and the fourth King Crimson album "Islands". Current statements by Steve Hackett, Steve Howe and Peter Hammill round off the journey through time.
The year is 1968: A young band from the British county of Kent called Caravan co-founded the so-called "Canterbury Sound", musically somewhere between folk, jazz, pop, rock and psychedelic. The self-titled first album is released. At least a commercial success. More than 50 years later the quintet still exists. And with "It's None Of Your Business" they present a studio work that seamlessly recalls the peaceful and joyful times of yesteryear. Founding member Pye Hastings, singer and guitarist of the group, now 74 years old, talks about the meaning of Caravan in a rock context.
eclipsed: Why did you make us wait almost eight years for a new studio album?
The long-awaited sixth installment of the Marillion reissue series presents the album that many fans consider the band's best work: "Fugazi". However, this masterpiece, released in 1984, was also characterized by its less dynamic, clanking-cold sound, which was somewhat corrected by the remaster in the 1990s, but still did not sound appropriate to the strong songs. This has now been corrected in stunning fashion. Reason enough to talk to both frontman Fish and guitarist Steve Rothery about "Fugazi"
We meet a slightly late, but immediately usual talkative Fish in the Zoom interview in his living room. He was still at the hairdresser, says the Scotsman, but he then gets started right away, a coffee cup in one hand, a cigarette in the other, but still gesticulating wildly.
