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Band page - Spock´s Beard
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| Thursday, July 23, 2009 - New Spock's Beard CD | News from Spock's Beard:
Yes, that's right a new CD! Most of the material has already been written and we're ready to go to the next phase of tightening up arrangements, making changes where needed and starting production.
We've decided to go commando on this one... lean, mean and without record label support.
We have been free agents since the release of our last CD and after lots of deliberation have decided to release our next CD independently rather than re-sign with InsideOut or shop other labels.
There have been a lot of great suggestions relating to this topic by the members of our forum, and the one that made a lot of sense to us was to take pre-orders for our not-yet-recorded CD similar to the approach that Marillion has taken in the past.
We will organize a retail store distribution deal at some point in the future, but the initial release will be an independent limited edition offering of only 5,000 CDs.
This pressing will be a one-time only release, with at least one bonus track that will not exist on any subsequent pressing. By pre-ordering, you will receive our next CD one full month before it exists in any other form or is (legally) available in any other way. In other words, it won't be in stores, it won't be on iTunes, it won't be available on Amazon or anywhere else on Earth except directly from us for at least one month after the release date, and the special version that you pre-order will never be reprinted again after those first 5,000 units are gone.
We will also not be sending pre-release copies to the media for CD reviews because frankly we're tired of seeing our new CD available as a "free" bittorent download weeks before release date. Not sending out pre-release copies will stop this leak and guarantee that the people who pre-order our CD will be the very first people to hear it besides the people directly involved in the recording and production process.
Release date depends on how quickly the CD is "financed" by pre-orders, but our initial goal is to have the CD finished and the pre-orders filled by the end of this year or early 2010.
During the pre-production and recording process, we'll keep you up-to-date with the progress here as well as with a video blog on YouTube (subscribe there if you haven't already).
So... to be the first one on your block to have the next Spock's Beard CD, click here to pre-order!
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| Saturday, September 15, 2007 - Update from Spock´s Beard | News from Spock's Beard:
Hi Everybody,
Sorry for taking so long since the last update. A lot has been happening, but not too much of it very interesting so we've just been quietly inching forward, waiting for something exciting to announce. But, it looks silly having the last band update being from June, so here's a new one!
We are still working on our DVD... it's been very stop-and-start mainly due to bureaucratic issues that seem to go unnecessarily slow. (First we have to wait for this, then we have to wait for that, then we have to wait for the next thing, etc, etc., and each one takes weeks).
The good news is that a lot of the video has been cut together, rough edited, and looks fantastic. I've only seen a few minutes of it, but what I've seen looks really nice. That's actually been done for quite some time and has just been sitting on the production table waiting for final tweaks and waiting for the mixed audio to be laid in.
We had an unexplained delay getting the audio tracks to Rob's studio. I think it actually got lost in the mail for nearly a month (!!!). .. the hard drive probably sat there in the same room with all of our missing merchandise orders having tea and biscuits for a while, but now it has finally arrived. Pretty soon he can start to mix. .. . as soon as we get his budget approved!! (another bureaucratic delay no doubt.... )
We were really trying to get this thing out by Oct / Nov, but it would be a miracle to do that at this point. . .we're still shooting for end of the year, though...it's all so unpredictable, though.
In the meantime, we've all been doing our own things. . .Here's a really quick version of what we've been up to as it relates to music -
Nick has had a few gigs with Tears For Fears, some trips out of the country as a clinician for Meinl (his cymbal company) and has done a few drum sessions for various very cool artists.
I had the pleasure of playing with Nick as guest artists on the new Big Big Train CD, which was just finished and put on pre-sale last week. (Nick played on two tracks, one with me and one with Pete Trewevas). You should definitely check it out....in my humble opinion it is one of the best prog releases of the decade. You can hear audio clips on their website: www.bigbigtrain.com.
NIck and I also played on a few tracks for Martin Orford for his newest solo CD project which is still in it's beginning stages. That's also some VERY good stuff!!
Ryo has been busy with his Las Vegas band and also going back and forth like a maniac to Japan for various musical projects he's involved with.
Al has been compiling ideas for the next CD and has taken an interest in lyric writing lately, so that will be a nice addition to our songwriting arsenal I'm sure.
Jimmy has been doing drum sessions, playing lots of gigs and working furiously on getting his wife over here to the U.S.A. on a permanent basis.
But NOW it's time to get this DVD finished and start getting our heads back into the writing mode so we can start working on SB10!!
Cheers........Dave
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| Friday, September 22, 2006 - Spock´s Beard album news | News from Spock's Beard:
Hi Everybody,
As you probably know by now, we're calling our 9th studio release simply "Spock's Beard." No big heavy reasoning behind that, really, it just seemed like a cool thing to do. (Of course, you are more than welcome to help us invent some heavy philosophical or hidden meaning so we'll have something interesting to say in interviews... )
There are a few cool song titles that could have become the CD title (see below) but we've done that a lot before. Then there is the obvious "SB9" and it's variations, or the clever play on words thing, like "nein" or "asinine" or something like that.
But, in the end, we decided to just not name it at all. We saved all of our energy for the CD itself. It's going to be one big, fat CD filled to the brim with close to 78 minutes of material.
We're still mixing, so things can change, and things can also change in mastering, but here's a tentative song list:
01. On A Perfect Day - 7:41
02. Skeletons At The Feast (instrumental) - 6:31
03. Is This Love - 2:54
04. All That's Left - 4:41
05. With Your Kiss - 11:31
06. Sometimes They Stay - 4:25
07. Slow Crash Landing Man - 5:45
08. Hearts Of All Men - 5:21
09. Hereafter - 5:00
As Far As The Mind Can See - 17:10
10. part 1 - Dreaming In The Age Of Answers
11. part 2 - Here's A Man
12. part 3 - They Know We Know
13. part 4 - Stream Of Unconsciousness
14. Rearranged - 6:07
The stuff is sounding really, really great. . .Rich is doing an amazing job mixing this CD. What a big job this CD has been, though. Sometimes I think it would have been easier to build a house! But in the end, we'll really have something cool to show for all the creative effort, painstaking work and attention to detail.
We're still looking towards a late November release date. We should be finished mixing and mastering by Sept 28, and then off it goes.
Hopefully we'll have some sound samples up soon so you can actually hear what I'm talking about.
Cheers........Dave.
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| Thursday, August 25, 2005 - Spock´s Beard live cd details | The new Spock's Beard double live CD "Gluttons For Punishment" is scheduled for release in Europe on Sept. 5, 2005 and in the U.S. on Sept. 13. It's now available for pre-order on the Buy Stuff page. You can listen to audio samples at the Spock's Beard MySpace page.
Here is the full tracklisting:
Disc 1
01. Intro
02. The Ballet Of The Impact
03. I Wouldn't Let It Go
04. Surfing Down The Avalanche
05. She Is Everything
06. Climbing Up That Hill
07. Letting Go
08. Of The Beauty Of It All
09. Harm's Way
10. NWC
Disc 2
01. At The End Of The Day
02. The Bottom Line
03. Ryo's Solo
04. Ghosts Of Autumn
05. As Long As We Ride
06. The Light
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| Monday, November 8, 2004 - Spock´s Beard news | Here are the latest Spock´s Beard news from Nick D'Virgilio:
Hi everybody!
Well, it's finally time. We've finished our new CD, come up with a title, Thomas Ewerhard, our wonderful art director from InsideOut, came up with great artwork again, and now it's time to let all of you know about it!
The new CD is called "OCTANE", and the release date is January 25, 2005. It's a collection of 12 new songs. The first seven songs form an epic song-cycle called "A Flash Before My Eyes". Then, there are five more great tracks. We think there's something for everybody on this new record. The total running time is 55:55.
There's also going to be a special edition package released with a bonus disc that contains another five brand new tracks, three little outtake pieces from Flash, and a QuickTime video about our wacky time in the studio that you can play on your computer.
Well, that's it for now. I have to head out to my gig.
All the best to everybody, NDV
More info including a full tracklisting at the official Spock´s Beard website.
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| Wednesday, September 8, 2004 - Spock´s Beard - Snow DVD news | Latest update from Spock´s Beard:
Hi everybody. I know it's been a while, but things have definitely been busy. We have all been working and traveling, along with finishing the new SB CD. This update today is going to be short because I wanted to let you all know that Radiant Records (aka Neal) is taking pre-orders for the new "Making of SNOW" DVD. Please take a moment and click on the link and grab it up. Neal sent me a statement about it and it is included here. So, enjoy everybody! I will be back in the next day or so with a lot more. - All the best, Nick
Spock's Beard - The Making of Snow DVD
This DVD (made up of footage shot on camcorders and edited by Phil Satterley) is at the least an interesting view into the making of a classic prog album; at the most it will make the viewer feel a part of the band, a sharer of the experience...and what an experience it is!
Here's what Neal Morse said about it:
"...this contains the footage of the making of the Snow album and two acoustic performances, my last with the band. I'm sorry that it's not of higher quality; although, in the video department, we never did have a really first rate one. But, here we are...here's what we have...here's how it was. I think this shows some but regrettably not all of the making of 'Snow', there's much that was never filmed because who wants a guy with a camcorder in your face all the time? But, what there is shows the band in all it's quirky creativity, humor and sheer brilliance..."
THE MAKING OF SNOW
Filmed by Neal Morse and Jim Harrel
Produced & Edited Philip J. Satterley
Plus:
ACOUSTIC SHOWS
2 COMPLETE ACOUSTIC CONCERTS!
The Good Don't Last * Thoughts II * Stranger In A Strange Land * Open Wide The Flood Gates * In The Name of Love * Carie * June * Looking For Answers * Solitary Soul * Wind At My Back * The Doorway
DOLBY DIGITAL SOUND
Running time is Approx. 4 hours!! (240 min)
REGION FREE NTSC - COLOR
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| Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - Spock's Beard news | Latest news from Spock's Beard:
Hello everybody! Well, it has been a little quiet on the SB front for a number of reasons and here they are.
We have been recording a lot and the music is turning out great. Rich has mixed a few of the songs and boy oh boy!!!! PHAT is the word. But...we have decided to put off releasing the record until late January, 2005. The biggest reason is that we feel that this is going to be our best CD ever. Those are big words I know, but we truly believe that and we don't want to rush this one. There are some scheduling issues going on with Rich and we would of had to push it to get all the little bits done to have it finished by mid August for an October release. So, after looking at everything, we think it will be best to tweek everything with a little time left over. It will be worth it. The time table is to be finished with all tweeks and mixing/mastering by the beginning of October for a late January release. As fast as time flies, it is really not that far off.
So, thank you everybody for your patience and support. - NDV
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| Tuesday, April 29, 2003 - New Spock's Beard Album | According to the official web page www.spocksbeard.com Nick writes in his "studio Report":
The Spock's record is really coming along nicely. Rich Mouser really knows how to make magic come out of the speakers. We are slated to be done in a week. When that is all finished I will have a lot more info for you all. The record is slated for release at the end of June. Exact release date will be coming soon. That is a little bit behind but not too much. Things are just taking a lot of time. We are also working on tour plans, so plan on seeing us live in the early autumn.
I, for one can't wait to get to hear the next album of the brilliant Spock's Beard, and hopefully get to see them live sometime soon.
In other Spock's Beard News, a new fan based web site has been started at www.spocksbeard.org, which offers some great links to reviews of the Spock's Beard albums.
...And last, but certainly not least:
The new Spock´s Beard album is entitled Feel Euphoria. Street date is the 30th of June... "Feel Euphoria" will be also available as a Special Edition. Spock´s Beard are coming to Europe in Autumn.
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| Tuesday, March 4, 2003 - Spock's Beard In The Studio | According to www.spocksbeard.com the band is currently working hard on the next album, that is prophesised to appear sometime in July 2003. The drummer turned lead singer, Nick D'Virgillio has reported on www.spocksbeard.com that the new tracks sound great, and he and the band can't wait to get it out there, and then touring the world. Nick also revealed that he will do the drumming on the album and some of the live stuff as well, and that he has made the Phil Collins move from drums to vocals. I for one, can't wait to hear the next album by Spock's Beard.
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Other information
Spock's Beard is a progressive rock band. With some great instrumentalists, they play a great form of progressive music. It is hard to define what they play, because of the progressive elements. At times there are some very strange, yet beautiful arrangements.
The Band released the sixth studio album "Snow" in 2002 and it is a great album. Other excellent albums are "V" and "The Light". Spock's Beard have also released two live albums.
The style of Spock's Beard music is different from album to album and from song to song, and from part to part in each song. The bottom line is: This is music for people that like music and the innovative things you can do with music.
Added by Mads - 9/9/2002
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| Articles on this site
Band Information - Band information
(Mads)
Interview - Interview with Neal Morse
(Mads)
Interview - Interview with Alan Morse
(Mads)
Album Review - Feel Euphoria
(Hashman)
Album Review - Octane
(Tommy)
Album Review - Gluttons for Punishment - Live on ´05
(Hashman)
Event - A night with Spock´s Beard at BB King´s - May 10th 2006
(Paul)
Related Links
Spock´s Beard - Official Website |
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