Tag Archives: Marcus Blake

Rain Parade: Last Rays Of A Dying Sun

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On August 4, 2023, “51 Recordings” label released “Last Rays of a Dying Sun”, the third Rain Parade studio album. It was recorded 2022 – 2023, at “25th Street Recording”, “Wally Sound”, and “Skyline Studio” in Oakland, California, “Babwe Sound” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Jim Hill.

Personnel:

  • Matt Piucci – vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, baritone guitar, sitar, bass
  • John Thoman – vocals, guitar
  • Derek See – vocals, guitar, keyboards
  • Steven Roback – vocals, bass, acoustic guitar
  • Stephan Junca – drums, percussion
  • Mark Hanley – vocals, keyboards, bass
  • Jim Hill – vocals, treatments and manipulations, synthesizer, tambourine
  • Meena Makhijani – tabla
  • Mac Hill – synthesizer
  • Aryeh Frankfurter – strings
  • Debbi Peterson – backing vocals
  • Vicki Peterson – backing vocals
  • Greg Moore – backing vocals
  • Thom Moore – backing vocals
  • Rob Bonfiglio – backing vocals
  • Marcus Blake – backing vocals
  • Darian Sahanaja – backing vocals, backing vocal arrangements
  • Jim Hill – engineer
  • Gabriel Shepard – engineer assistant
  • Wally Sound – engineer assistant
  • Varun Kejriwal – engineer assistant
  • Chris Bellman – mastering
  • Stefanie Beltran – art direction
  • Jon Krop – packaging layout
  • Emily Wick – cover photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Matt Piucci and Steven Roback.

  1. Angel Sister
  2. Last Rays of a Dying Sun
  3. Couldn’t Stand to Be Alone
  4. Bring You Back
  5. Got the Fear
  6. Share Your Love
  7. Sundays Almost Gone
  8. Green
  9. Forgetfulness
  10. Other Side of You
  11. Left the Fire

Sparks: The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman

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On August 12, 2009, “Lil’ Beethoven” and “SR Records” labels released “The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman”, the 22nd Sparks album. It was recorded 2008 – 2009, at “Hollywood American Studios” in Hollywood, “Radio Drama Studio” in Stockholm, Sweden, and was produced by Ron Mael, Russell Mael, and Marie Wennersten (producer for Swedish recording). The album was conceived as a radio drama, commissioned by “Sveriges Radio Radioteatern”. It was created to be listened as a single piece, rather than a collection of stand-alone songs.

Personnel:

  • Russell Mael– vocals, studio chief, policeman 1 and 2
  • Ron Mael– keyboard, limo driver, Hollywood tour guide
  • Marcus Blake – autograph hound, Woody
  • Tammy Glover – Hollywood welcoming committee, Gerry
  • Saskia Husberg – interpreter
  • Elin Klinga– Greta Garbo
  • Marie-Chantal Long – Cannes Festival announcer
  • Jonas Malmsjö– Ingmar Bergman
  • Steve McDonald – hotel concierge
  • Steven Nistor– hotel doorman
  • Katie Puckrik– hotel operator
  • Rebecca Sjöwall– Hollywood starlet
  • Jim Wilson – first A.D, autograph hound
  • Jim Wilson – guitar
  • Dean Menta– guitar
  • Marcus Blake – bass
  • Tammy Glover– drums
  • Steven Nistor – drums
  • Marie Wennersten – director for Swedish recording
  • Magnus Lindman – translations
  • Sabina von Greyerz – SR Records project manager

Track listing:

All tracks are written by Ron Mael and Russell Mael.

  1. 1956 Cannes Film Festival
  2. I Am Ingmar Bergman
  3. Limo Driver (Welcome to Hollywood)
  4. Here He Is Now
  5. Bergman, How Are You?
  6. He’ll Come ‘Round
  7. En Route to the Beverly Hills Hotel
  8. Hollywood Welcoming Committee
  9. I’ve Got to Contact Sweden
  10. The Studio Commissary
  11. I Must Not Be Nasty
  12. Quiet on the Set
  13. Why Do You Take That Tone with Me?
  14. Pleasant Hotel Staff
  15. Hollywood Tour Bus
  16. Autograph Hounds
  17. Bergman Ponders Escape
  18. We’ve Got to Turn Him ‘Round
  19. Escape (Part1)
  20. Escape (Part 2)
  21. Oh, My God
  22. Garbo Sings
  23. Almost a Hollywood Ending
  24. He’s Home