Tag Archives: 2023

Denny Laine

On December 5, 2023, Brian Frederick Arthur Hines aka Denny Laine died aged 79. He was musician (guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, and harmonica), singer and songwriter, a founder of the Moody Blues, member of Electric String Band, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Denny Laine and the Diplomats, Denny Laine Band, but was best known as founding member of The Wings. Laine recorded and performed with variety of artists including Mike McGear, Steve Holley, Laurence Juber, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Balls and Linda McCartney. As leader he released twelve albums. In 2018, Laine was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” as a member of the Moody Blues.

The Smashing Pumpkins: Atum: A Rock Opera In Three Acts

On November 15, 2022, “Martha’s Music” and “Thirty Tigers” labels released “Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts”, the twelfth Smashing Pumpkins (The) studio album. The album was released in three separate installments of 11 songs – “Atum: Act One” was released on November 15, 2022, “Atum: Act Two” was released on January 31, 2023, and “Atum: Act Three” was released on May 5, 2023. It was recorded 2020 – 2022, and was produced by Billy Corgan.

Personnel:

  • Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards
  • James Iha – guitar
  • Jeff Schroeder – guitar, keyboards
  • Jimmy Chamberlin – drums
  • Katie Cole – backing vocals
  • Sierra Swan – backing vocals
  • Linda Strawberry – backing vocals
  • Matt Walker – additional incidental programming

Track listing:

Atum: Act One

  1. Atum
  2. Butterfly Suite
  3. The Good in Goodbye
  4. Embracer
  5. With Ado I Do
  6. Hooligan
  7. Steps in Time
  8. When Rain Must Fall
  9. Beyond the Vale
  10. Hooray!
  11. The Gold Mask

Atum: Act Two

  1. Avalanche
  2. Empires
  3. Neophyte
  4. Moss
  5. Night waves
  6. Space Age
  7. Every Morning
  8. To the Grays
  9. Beguiled
  10. The Culling
  11. Springtimes

Atum: Act Three

  1. Sojourner
  2. That Which Animates the Spirit
  3. The Canary Trainer
  4. Pacer
  5. In Lieu of Failure
  6. Cenotaph
  7. Harmageddon
  8. Fireflies
  9. Intergalactic
  10. Spellbinding
  11. Of Wings

Zodeon at Crystal Hall

  1. Simmatar
  2. Magdalena
  3. Saffron
  4. Zope
  5. Huzzah
  6. Automation
  7. Mary Q
  8. Burr
  9. Excelsior
  10. Necromance

Carla Bley

On October 17, 2023, Lovella May Borg, aka Carla Bley died aged 87. She was composer, musician (piano, organ) and bandleader, one of the most important figures in the free jazz movement of the 1960s. Bley started the record label “JCOA “, who recorded over two dozen important albums between 1966 and 2019, and became a pioneer in the development of independent artist-owned record labels. As leader, she released 29 albums, including her magnum opus, the jazz opera “Escalator over the Hill”.

John Marshall

On September 16, 2023, John Stanley Marshall died aged 82. He was musician (drums, percussion), member of Soft Machine, but was best known as founding member of Nucleus. He recorded and performed with various musician and bands including Arthur Brown, Allan Holdsworth, J.J. Jackson, Barney Kessel, Alexis Korner, Eberhard Weber, Arild Andersen, John Abercrombie, Charlie Mariano, John Surman, Graham Collier, Michael Gibbs, Keith Tippett, Centipede, Jack Bruce, John McLaughlin, Dick Morrissey, Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Vassilis Tsabropoulos, Michael Garrick, Neil Ardley, Mike Westbrook, Georgie Game, Indo-Jazz Fusions, Bill Fay, Mike d’Abo, Chris Spedding, Top Topham, Chitinous Ensemble, Linda Hoyle, Spontaneous Music Orchestra, Volker Kriege, John Williams, Pork Pie, Jasper van’t Hof, Alan Skidmore, Gil Evans, Uli Beckerhoff, Towering Inferno, Wolfgang Mirbach, Theo Travis and Rot Powell.

Randy Meisner

On July 26, 2023, Randall Herman Meisner died aged 77. He was musician (bass guitar, guitar), singer and songwriter, recorded and performed with Poco, Rick Nelson, The Poor, Black Tie and Drivin’ Dynamics, was member of Meisner, Swan & Rich, but was best known as founding member of The Eagles. As leader, Meisner released three studio albums.

Sinéad O’Connor

On July 26, 2023, Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor, died aged 56. She was singer, musician and song-writer, best known by the song “Nothing Compares 2 U” (written by Prince). In 1990, “Billboard Music Awards”, named it number one world single. As leader O’Connor released ten albums.

Mo Foster

On July 3, 2023, Michael Ralph “Mo” Foster died aged 79. He was multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, author, and public speaker. In his career spanning over half a century, Foster recorded and performed with dozens of artists, including Jeff Beck, Gil Evans, Phil Collins, Ringo Starr, Joan Armatrading, Gerry Rafferty, Brian May, Scott Walker, Frida (of ABBA), Cliff Richard, Van Morrison, Dr John, Hank Marvin, Heaven 17, the London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Green, Micheal Schenker, Gary Moore, Sting, Cher, Olivia Newton John, Elkie Brroks, Neil Innes, Judie Tzuke, Sheena Easton, Meat Loaf, Trevor Rabin, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Luka Bloom, Tim Rice, Nigel Kennedy, Affinity, Mike d’Abo, Roger Glover, Jimmy Helms. Fancy, Veronique Sanson, Mike Smith, Cerrone, Ray Russell, Andy Bown, The Walker Brothers, Chris Rainbow, Dollar, Dennis Waterman, Eric Clapton, RMS, Bob Geldof, Joe Walsh, Tony Banks, Leo Sayer, Russ Ballard, Claudio Baglioni, Kenny Rogers, Howard Jones, Tanita Tikaram, Georger Martin, Nancy Griffith and Maggie Bell. As leader, Foster released several albums, and authored a humorous book on the history of British rock guitar. In 2014, he was awarded with the “BASCA Gold Badge Award”.  

Tony McPhee

On June 6, 2023, Anthony Charles McPhee aka Tony McPhee, died aged 79. He was musician (guitar), singer and song-writer, founder of the band Groundhogs. The band backed Champion Jack Dupree and John Lee Hooker on UK concerts in the mid-1960s, and in 1966, McPhee released a duet single with Champion Jack Dupree. As leader McPhee released 13 albums.