Tag Archives: Michael Kamen

Queen: A Kind Of Magic

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Queen_A_Kind_Of_Magic

On June 2, 1986, “EMI” label released “A Kind of Magic”, the twelfth  Queen studio album. It was recorded September 1985 – April 1986, at “Musicland Studios” in Munich, “Mountain Studios” in Montreux and “Townhouse Studios” in London, and was produced by Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, Roger Taylor,  Mack and David Richards. The album is based on the soundtrack of the movie “Highlander”, directed by Russell Mulcahy. In the 1994 edition of “The Guinness All Time Top 1000 Albums” the album was ranked at number 171 in its “All-time Greatest Rock and Pop Albums”.

Personnel:

  • Freddie Mercury- lead and backing vocals,  piano, synthesizers,  sampler
  • Brian May- lead and backing vocals, electric guitars, keyboards,  programming
  • Roger Taylor- drums, electronic drums, keyboards, backing vocals, programming
  • John Deacon- bass guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, sampler, programming
  • Spike Edney- keyboards
  • Joan Armatrading- vocals
  • Steve Gregory- alto saxophone
  • String section arranged and conducted by Lynton Naiff
  • National Philharmonic Orchestra arranged by Michael Kamen and Brian May and conducted by Michael Kamen
  • Roger Chiasson –album cover

Track listing:

  1. One Vision – Roger Taylor
  2. A Kind of Magic – Roger Taylor
  3. One Year of Love – John Deacon
  4. Pain is So Close to Pleasure – John Deacon, Freddie Mercury
  5. Friends Will Be Friends – John Deacon, Freddie Mercury
  6. Who Wants to Live Forever – Brian May
  7. Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme) – Brian May
  8. Don’t Lose Your Head – Brian May
  9. Princes of the Universe – Freddie Mercury

Roger Waters: The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking

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Pros_Cons_HH

On April 30, 1984, “Harvest” label released “The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking”, the debut Roger Waters album. It was recorded February – December 1983, and was produced by Roger Waters and Michael Kamen.

Personnel:

  • Roger Waters– lead vocals, bass guitar, rhythm guitar, tape effects, design
  • Eric Clapton– lead guitar, Roland guitar synthesizer, backing vocals
  • Michael Kamen– piano
  • The National Philharmonic Orchestra – conducted and arranged by Michael Kamen
  • Andy Bown– Hammond organ, 12-string guitar
  • Andy Newmark– drums, percussion
  • Ray Cooper– percussion
  • David Sanborn– saxophone
  • Raphael Ravenscroft, Kevin Flanagan, Vic Sullivan – horns
  • Madeline Bell, Katie Kissoon, Doreen Chanter– backing vocals
  • Michael King – SFX boffin
  • Zuccarelli Labs – holophonics
  • The Artful Dodgers – co-ordination
  • Andy Jackson – recording
  • Laura Boisan – engineer assistant
  • Doug Sax, Mike Rees – mastering
  • Gerald Scarfe– design
  • Alex Henderson – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Roger Waters.

  1. 4:30 am (Apparently They Were Travelling Abroad)
  2. 4:33 am (Running Shoes)
  3. 4:37 am (Arabs with Knives and West German Skies)
  4. 4:39 am (For the First Time Today, Part 2)
  5. 4:41 am (Sexual Revolution)
  6. 4:47 am (The Remains of Our Love)
  7. 4:50 am (Go Fishing)
  8. 4:56 am (For the First Time Today, Part 1)
  9. 4:58 am (Dunroamin, Duncarin, Dunlivin)
  10. 5:01 am (The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Part 10)
  11. 5:06 am (Every Stranger’s Eyes)
  12. 5:11 am (The Moment of Clarity)

Eurythmics: Be Yourself Tonight

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Eurythmics_-_Be_Yourself_Tonight

On April 29, 1985, “RCA” label release “Be Yourself Tonight”, the fifth Eurythmics album. It was recorded in January 1985, and was produced by David A. Stewart.

Personnel:

  • Annie Lennox – vocals, keyboards, keyboard sequencers, keyboard programming
  • David A. Stewart – electric and slide guitars , 6-string octave guitar, keyboards, sequencers, bass sequencer, drum programming, mixing
  • Mike Campbell– guitar
  • Benmont Tench– organ
  • Stevie Wonder– harmonica
  • Dean Garcia– bass guitar, wood stomping
  • Nathan East– bass guitar
  • Olle Romo– drums, wood stomping
  • Stan Lynch– drums
  • Dave Plews – trumpet
  • Martin Dobson – saxophones
  • Sadie (and other uncredited performers) – gravel stomping
  • Michael Kamen– strings , celeste, keyboard
  • Aretha Franklin– vocals
  • Angel Cross – backing vocals
  • The Charles Williams Singers – backing vocals, gospel choir
  • Elvis Costello– harmony vocals
  • Shelly Yakus – recording
  • Don Smith – engineer, mixing
  • Adam Williams – , drum programming, engineer, mixing
  • Jay Willis – engineer assistant
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering
  • Laurence Stevens – art direction, design
  • Paul Fortune – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, except where noted.

  1. Would I Lie To You
  2. There Must Be an Angel (Playing With My Heart)
  3. I Love You Like a Ball and Chain
  4. Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves
  5. Conditioned Soul
  6. Adrian
  7. It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)
  8. Here Comes That Sinking Feeling
  9. Better to Have Lost in Love (Than Never to Have Loved at All)

Lenny Kravitz: Mama Said

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Lenny_Kravitz-Mama_Said

On April 2, 1991, “Virgin” label released “Mama Said”, the second Lenny Kravitz studio album. It was recorded in 1990, and was produced by Lenny Kravitz.

Personnel:

  • Lenny Kravitz – vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums
  • Slash– guitar solos
  • Dean Menta– lead guitar
  • Karl Denson– saxophone
  • Butch Tomas– saxophone
  • Henry Hirsch – bass
  • Phenix Horns– horns
  • David Domanich – engineer
  • Henry Hirsch – engineer, mixing
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • Melanie Nissen – art direction
  • Tom Bouman – design
  • James Colderaro – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Lenny Kravitz, except where noted.

  1. Fields of Joy – Michael Kamen, Hal Fredricks
  2. Always on the Run – Lenny Kravitz, Slash
  3. Stand by My Woman – Lenny Kravitz, Henry Hirsch, Stephen Mark Pasch, Anthony Krizan
  4. It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over
  5. More Than Anything in This World
  6. What Goes Around Comes Around
  7. The Difference Is Why
  8. Stop Draggin’ Around
  9. Flowers for Zoë
  10. Fields of Joy (Reprise) – Michael Kamen, Hal Fredricks
  11. All I Ever Wanted – Lenny Kravitz, Sean Ono Lennon
  12. When the Morning Turns to Night
  13. What the Fuck Are We Saying?
  14. Butterfly

Pink Floyd: The Final Cut

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Final Cut

On March 21, 1983, “Harvest” label released “The Final Cut”, the twelfth Pink Floyd studio album. It was recorded July – December 1982, at “Mayfair Studios”, “RAK Studios”,”Olympic Studios”, “Abbey Road Studios”, “Eel Pie Studios”, “Audio International Studios” and “The Billiard Room” in London, and “Hookend Manor” in  Oxfordshire, and was produced by Roger Waters, James Guthrie and Michael Kamen. “The Final Cut” was band’s last studio album to include Roger Waters, and also the only Pink Floyd album that does not feature keyboardist Richard Wright. In 1997, the album was certified 2 x Platinum in US by “RIAA”.

Personnel:

  • David Gilmour – co – lead  and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitars
  • Roger Waters – lead vocals, bass guitar, acoustic and rhythm guitar, synthesizers, tape effects, sleeve design
  • Nick Mason – drums, tape effects
  • Michael Kamen– piano, harmonium
  • Andy Bown– Hammond organ
  • Ray Cooper– percussion
  • Andy Newmark– drums
  • Raphael Ravenscroft– tenor saxophone
  • National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted and arranged by Michael Kamen
  • James Guthrie, Andrew Jackson – engineer
  • Andy Canelle, Mike Nocito, Jules Bowen – engineer assistant
  • Doug Sax– mastering
  • Artful Dodgers – sleeve design
  • Zuccarelli Labs ltd – holophonics
  • Willie Christie – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Roger Waters.

  1. The Post War Dream
  2. Your Possible Pasts
  3. One of the Few
  4. When the Tigers Broke Free
  5. The Hero’s Return
  6. The Gunner’s Dream
  7. Paranoid Eyes
  8. Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert
  9. The Fletcher Memorial Home
  10. Southampton Dock
  11. The Final Cut
  12. Not Now John
  13. Two Suns in the Sunset

 

Kate Bush: The Red Shoes

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Kate_Bush_-_The_Red_Shoes

On November 1, 1993, “EMI” released “The Red Shoes”, the seventh Kate Bush studio album. It was recorded 1990 -1993, and was produced by Kate Bush. Its release was accompanied by Bush’s short film, “The Line, the Cross and the Curve”.

Personnel:

  • Kate Bush – vocals, bass, keyboards,  piano, guitar, arrangements
  • Jeff Beck – guitar
  • Danny McIntosh – guitar
  • Eric Clapton – guitar
  • Prince – vocals, bass, guitar, arranger, keyboards
  • Paddy Bush – vocals, whistle, mandola, valiha, singing bowls, fujara, musical bow
  • Gary Brooker – Hammond organ
  • John Giblin: bass
  • Gaumont d’Oliver – bass, percussion, drums, sound effects
  • Stuart Elliott – percussion, drums
  • Charlie Morgan – percussion
  • Nigel Hitchcock – baritone and tenor saxophones
  • Steve Sidwell – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Paul Spong – trumpet
  • Neil Sidwell – trombone
  • Michael Kamen: orchestration
  • Nigel Kennedy – violin, viola
  • Lily – narrator
  • Lenny Henry – vocals
  • Trio Bulgarka – vocals
  • Colin Lloyd Tucker – vocals
  • Justin Vali – vocals, valiha, kabosy
  • Del Palmer – Fairlight sampler, engineer, mixing
  • Demetr Penev – vocal arrangements for Trio Bulgarka
  • Haydn Bendall – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Kate Bush.

  1. Rubberband Girl
  2. And So Is Love
  3. Eat the Music
  4. Moments of Pleasure
  5. The Song of Solomon
  6. Lily
  7. The Red Shoes
  8. Top of the City
  9. Constellation of the Heart
  10. Big Stripey Lie
  11. Why Should I Love You
  12. You’re the One

Metallica: Same

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Metallica-the-Black-Album

On August 12, 1991, “Elektra” label released the self-titled, fifth Metallica album (known as “The Black Album”). It was recorded October 1990 – June 1991, at “One on One Recording Studios” and was produced by Bob Rock, James Hetfield, and Lars Ulrich. The album received worldwide critical acclaim and became the band’s best selling album ever. As of November 2014, the album has spent 328 weeks on the “Billboard” album chart, making it one of the ten longest-running discs of all time. The album was certified 16× Platinum in the USA by the “RIAA”. On December 13, 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 225 on its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • James Hetfield– lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, lead guitar and harmony guitar solo
  • Kirk Hammett– lead guitar
  • Jason Newsted– bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Lars Ulrich– drums, percussion
  • Michael Kamen– orchestral arrangement

Track listing:

All lyrics by James Hetfield.

  1. Enter Sandman – James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett
  2. Sad but True –James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich
  3. Hotter Than Thou – James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich
  4. The Unforgiven – James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett
  5. Wherever I May Roam – James Hatfield, Lars Ulrich
  6. Don’t Tread on Me – James Hatfield, Lars Ulrich
  7. Through the Never – James Hatfield, Lars Ulrich
  8. Nothing Else Matters – James Hatfield, Lars Ulrich
  9. Of Wolf and Man – James Hatfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett
  10. The God That Failed – James Hatfield, Lars Ulrich
  11. My Friend of Misery – James Hatfield, Lars Ulrich, Jason Newsted
  12. The Struggle Within – James Hatfield, Lars Ulrich

Michael Kamen

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On November 18, 2003, Michael Kamen died aged 55. He was composer and orchestral arranger, has worked with many famous musicians and bands including Pink Floyd, Roger Daltrey, Tom Petty, David Bowie, Eurythmics, Eric Clapton, Rush, Metallica, Herbie Hancock, The Cranberries, Bryan Adams, Jim Croce, Aerosmith, Sting, Queen and Kate Bush.