Avoid Like the Plague!

Avoid this album like the plague!

Seriously. This is not an album to put on while you are working, sleeping, walking, meditating, or doing something else that involves “sitting still”, “focusing”, or anything else remotely connected with “cognition”.

As I am typing in my review, Huntsman by “One Devious Monkey” came on… so I am typing to the beat, while trying to hold my body still.

Without success. Those rises, the beat, the “pump it up”-sample… much love, fellow Garageband-enthusiast!

Gribbles “For Good” appears. And I must turn it up a bit to catch every nuance of the floating vibe… just waiting for the words to appear after the full-bodied intro that just drags on-and-on, relieved by some arps that are so well-placed they bring tears to my eyes … and then. “All together for Good!”

My mind flies off to Ukraine. This is a song for them. A song that can soothe the wounds of that proud nation, fighting against a bear of a man…

SchizoFranic’s “From the Sky” is next. Soothing, smoothing, loving. The Feminine Divine, calming, with pure vocals that lifts the song into the stratosphere.

And then … “Climbing Up” by Peter Harich… listen to the vocal work on this one. Spot on! “Climbing up, wait for me…”

I could go on for another 19 songs, but if you dare … take a listen yourself:

https://songwhip.com/various-artists/future-sounds-anthology-30

I like albums that grow.

I curate playlists, and I am not talking about such … they tend to grow into hundreds of songs.

This is an album curated by Bufinjer, one of the three artists behind the Electronic Music Alliance (@1EMAlliance on Twitter), who is also featured on the album.

Albums where you hear one track, and you go “this is my favourite!”.

And then another track comes up: “No, that one!”

And when you revisit the album, another song shines like a star.

Future Sounds Anthology 3.0 has got it all. Dark, industrial vibes. Light, ethereal soundscapes. Music for loving & healing & listening. For reflection, introspection, dancing. Music that will illuminate you, touch your soul …

Do you want to hear the sounds of the future? Click the link.

Reviewer

Håkon is a Tulku - a living Buddha. He has now left music, as he is sick of the greed, the broken promises, and the egotism that also has grown in him.

His music - and his book - can be found here: https://songwhip.com/mancient where you can find his socials.

Get Your Vibe On!

VIBES by SchizoFranic

Adoring You 

Born Free
Every Single Moment

Everything I Have
In my Head
In your Eyes
Needing you, on the other side.
Open Heart
Thoughts of you Till the End of Time
Waves

When you create electronica, titles matter.

Music is emotion materialised.

Born into this world, carried on an outstretched hand.

“This is my gift to you. Please … make it yours.”

Music matters.
People matter.
We are born free.
Be you.

SchizoFranic (@FranicSchizo on Twitter) has released her new album on Minds Behind the Music Records, the charitable label. An album for “Thinker Listeners”, as Coen Rhys called it. Give it a spin or 108 … I am sure you will love it just like I did! My personal favourite is “In your Eyes”. On all major streaming services - here: https://songwhip.com/schizofranic/vibes


Review by Håkon (“Hawk”) aka mAncient is an artist and monk. He can be found on the new Fenix360-app: https://mancient.fenix360.net

You Need a Doctor

We Interviewed Dr Hook!

Dennis Locorriere with Dr. Hook received more than sixty platinum and gold albums and had number one chart success in over forty-two countries. His songs have been recorded by Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Helen Reddy, Crystal Gale and Jerry Lee Lewis to name a few. Today, Dennis still tours, writes books and is still a popular recording artist. We interview Dennis and gets to grips with the real Dr. Hook.

Hi Dennis, my first question is, what would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning? Or the gold suit?

I’m gonna do the best I can to accurately represent who I am and let it go where it’s gonna go. The people who really know me will remember me for who I really was. The rest will read something written by someone who read it somewhere else.

We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what’s your opinion of the politics of the world today?

I hear what they say and wonder what they really mean. The more they tell us, the more I assume we don’t know.

Can you tell us all about your past, present and future? And especially your solo work!

I was a long-haired kid who loved The Beatles and just wanted to sing.
I would have handed my young life over to the devil for that opportunity and in many respects, I did (think I’m kidding?).
I’m grateful that Hook had the success it did but I don’t choose to relive the same brief period of my life over and over again. There’s something very sad and desperate about doing that. My present is whatever’s burning now (which also happens to be the title of my new book of poetry and cartoons).
My future? Talk to me tomorrow.

Tell us a little about your kind of music please!

These days I write everything I record and much of what I perform in concert. I’m at an age where expressing what I think is more important to me than trying to calculate what will bring commercial success. I can tell you exactly what inspired every song on my latest album, Post Cool, and what it means to me. It’s autobiographical but not to the exclusion of the listener. If a song or story makes someone else say ‘Yeah! Me too!’ then it’s done it’s job.

Which decade was best for music, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or 90’s or the 00’s?

The 60s, hands down. The rest would not have happened the way it did without them.

How have you coped with being a sex symbol? I can offer advice if you need it.

That’s a question that obviously must have wound up in my pile by mistake. Honestly, there were a few years there, when I was singing all the love songs, that some of that sort of attention came my way. Celebrity of any kind was never really what I was striving for. I’m always taken by surprise when someone just starts talking to me as if they’ve known me all their lives.
I wouldn’t dream of stealing any of your ‘secrets’.

Have you ever heard of a band called Dr Hook and how is Sylvia’s mother these days?

Yes, and much of what I’ve heard is fiction. The poor dear is very old and has to rest for long, long periods of time .

If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would you turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?

I’d probably take a look around and stretch my legs (or whatever I got around on) after all those light years spent just sitting in the saucer. How long I stayed would depend on what I found. I’m not the conquering type.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

Maintaining my sense of humour.

What has been mankind’s greatest achievement?

Continually extending the life expectancy so we can all die of new things.

If you had the chance to speak to every human being on earth, what would your message be?

We didn’t book passage on this trip. We all woke up onboard.

Do the best you can .

If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?

I don’t really know much about them but a wordless walk-on in one of those Mexican soaps might be fun.

If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?

That’s where even a cheap tape recorder would come in handy.

Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?

I don’t have that much sway over society and would never want to have.I ponder whether I’m doing the right thing for part of each and every day.

What advice would you give to musicians today? And what’s your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?

I can’t imagine what it would be like to just be starting out today. I doubt it would appeal to me at all.The charts are not relevant to what I do these days. I just do what I do and let water seek it’s own level.

Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?

These days I’m not sure that’s true. Too many exotic dancers and not enough philosophers.
I write more poetry than I do songs lately.

What kind of movies do you watch and why?

I find myself drawn to documentaries more than any other genre. I also like character and dialogue driven films. I’m fascinated by the way people speak to each other. Realistic verbal exchanges are the hardest to write and act.

What are your opinions about the power of the internet?

It’s called the ‘information highway’ and there are bodies strewn all along the way. Social networking will eventually bring about the end of civilization. It proves we’ve never had more ways to communicate and less to say.

Do you think man is created in the image of God (or Goddess) or the other way around?

I’m convinced that God was created because we’re so afraid to be responsible for ourselves.

A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What’s your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?

I’m antitheist. I believe religion is the most dangerous and destructive of all of mankind’s contrivances. I’ve heard it said that the best argument against religion is all the other religions.

Is “free will” the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?

Not as long as we live in such a competitive, commercial world. There are people who live in the remotest parts of Australia who don’t even know there is a Sydney. That’s probably about as close to ‘freedom’ as is possible.

Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.

I own a microwave, if that’s what you mean.
That reminds me, I must clean it. It’s disgusting!

Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO’s (i.e. aliens visiting planet earth)? God?

As cool as I think it would be to discover there is something besides us, I don’t believe there is.

Have you ever experienced altered states of consciousness? How, why and was it beneficial? And would you recommend it to all politicians, business and religious leaders?

Everything doesn’t work for everybody.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

I constantly struggle to make sense of the randomness of life.

What would you still like to achieve?

I’d like to leave just enough blank space to be able to fill in as and when I see fit.

Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?

I can’t imagine what the point of that exercise would be, but it would be interesting to just have a chat with the boy and see what makes him run.

Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?

The planet is going to do a certain amount of evolving on it’s own, but I think we can all agree that humans are the only species that threaten the environment and that we are making things harder in the long run by attempting to make them easier in the short term. As the late, great Bill Hicks said ‘We’re just a virus with shoes!’

Is It a Byrd?

The One and Only Gene Parsons Speaks to Minds

Gene Parsons is an American drummer, banjo player, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and engineer, best known for his work with the Byrds from 1968 to 1972. Parsons has also released solo albums and played in bands including Nashville West, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Parsons Green. Along with guitarist Clarence White, he is credited with inventing the B-Bender (also known as the StringBender), a device which allows a guitarist to emulate the sound of a pedal steel guitar. The device is often referred to as the Parsons/White B-Bender, a trademarked name.

But his biggest accolade now is that he spoke to Minds Behind the Music!

If you had to name one song from any genre that really speaks to you, which one would it be and why?

When I first heard ‘Salty Dog Blues’ by Flatt & Scruggs it was a wonderful introduction to what could be done with a banjo or any instrument for that matter. When I slowed the 33 rpm record to 16 rpm I realised that Earl was not really playing all that many notes, but it was HOW he played them that made the driving sound and rhythm I was hearing.

The song that is on my mind just over the last few days is ‘From A Distance’. The lyrics speak strongly about what is happening with our planet . . . RIGHT NOW.

Are you a Mulder or Scully? Do you believe aliens have visited planet earth and if so what do you think they think about mankind?

I certainly would not dismiss the possibility that aliens may have visited planet Earth in the past. If I were an alien to this planet and was visiting today I would wonder if humans would be able to find a way to be more cooperative, less greedy and more compassionate and reverent to all life. I am afraid I would be very concerned that humans don’t look to be up to the task of saving many of the species on Earth, including our own.

What was the happiest day of your life and why?

I have had so many ‘happiest days’ that it would be difficult to choose just one. I know that when I can finally see a point of completion to a large and challenging project there can be moments of extreme joy. Other people’s accomplishments and happiness can cause me to have joy. I have had moments of extreme happiness and joy playing music with wonderful musicians.

I have come close to death and ‘dodged the bullet’. There were a couple of those very happy days. Sometimes just having my morning cup of coffee and listening to the birds sing makes me very happy.

If “God” (whatever your idea is on that) were stood before you now, what one question would you ask him/her and why?

Oh God . . . why can’t we humans learn to enjoy our diversity and learn to care for one another?

As an expressive artist in the music industry, how does the state of the planet make you feel?

I am very concerned and a bit panicked that we are not going to leave a habitable planet for our children or the other creatures.

Do you think as a person of some influence that there is a duty on us to help influence humanity for the better?

Yes I do. And even if it at times seems futile, we must carry on and do all we can to make this a better world, for everyone and all the beings that remain.

If you were stood before the leaders of the world, what would you say to them?

Listen to Greta!! And listen to the children, the impoverished and the desperate people of the world. We need ACTION now and we need CHANGE now! NOW!! Brave leadership and action is the only thing that will have a chance to save this world.

And finally my last question is in fact one written by Freddie Mercury in the song “Is This the World We Created”:

This world was once so beautiful. And in many ways, in spite of our callous and selfish abuse of her, Mother Earth is still quite beautiful. Given a chance, at least some of her lost splendour could be encouraged to return. But we would have to stop logging all her forests, burning coal and oil, polluting the ocean with sewage and plastics and radioactive waste and . . . . over populating the planet with billions of human beings that have little or no access to educations, food or shelter. And we would have to learn to cooperate as a planetary community and cease all war and war industries. When I was born in 1944, there were barely 2 billion humans on the planet. Now there are nearly eight billion? And it is estimated at the rate of births happening now, we will be at ten billion during this century. What is wrong with this picture?

No . . we did not create the natural world. However, yes, we, or the ones in power ARE responsible for creating the world we live in today by nearly destroying it for short sighted, short term, selfish PROFIT.

O.K. I’ll get off my soap box now.

Yours truly,

Gene Parsons

Learn more about the Minds Behind the Music Project CLICK HERE

Join the Cult

SPECKY CULT “SONGS FROM THE MUSICAL”

You probably get a thousand of these a week and everyone of them is the next big thing.

To be fair we weren’t even sure about releasing the tunes on an album.

Let me explain, Specky Cult isn’t a real band, it’s the fictional band from the musical we wrote. Yup, it’s meta or pompous you chose.

Its 4 people going down to London to do their big break gig and what goes wrong and then right and then… well that would be spoilers.

We are recording actors playing the parts and we are then inserting the songs to create a pod cast of the show. We are creating two, both an hour long.

We intend to release these recordings as podcasts and as cd’s once they are complete.

This will hopefully be an introduction to our project. We can then develop this into a live stage show or as someone was recently helping us with, make them in to 4 half hour tv shows.

The real reason we are releasing the music first is in truth a covid related desire to get out of the house and do something creative as soon as possible.

We hope you like the music, it will make more sense in context with the show.

We can send you the full pod cast show when its finished as well if you like.

We hope this has pricked your interest to either want to interview us so we can elaborate on our crazy plans or to want to review the album.

CLICK HERE TO FIND MORE!

SPECKY CULT will return in “SPECKY CULT must die”

So Sweet

It’s a Ballroom Blitz! Andy Scott of The Sweet Talks to Minds

Glamrocker of the 1970’s was the ultimate in fashion meets music. Painted faces and sparkling jumpsuits were the order of the day. Several big bands appeared and hit the world with their catchy rock songs. Bands such as T-Rex, Roxy Music and of course, The Sweet. With memorable songs such as Ballroom Blitz, Wig Wam Bam and Block Buster, anybody who remembers the decade will remember the songs.


My first question is, what would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning?

My role in the band was taking care of the music so the answer is fairly obvious. I was the one who arranged the songs, vocal harmonies etc and in the end was the guy sitting behind the mixing desk until the early hours as producer [unpaid]. The recordings have stood the test of time.

We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what’s your opinion of the politics of the world today?

In the late sixties when I was first able to vote I'm afraid I didn't, believing that my vote didn't really matter and politics was for others not musicians. However by the seventies we had become successful with money coming in and the taxman was helping himself to great big chunks of it so I certainly voted to try and change things. Now 40 years later, it seems any one of us could have made the kind of mess the politicians have made so it's back full circle for me, keeping my head down.

Can you tell us all about your past, present and future?

My past rears it's head from time to time, mostly good and I do realise that I am extremely privileged to have grown up with and also participated in the most definitive music eras ever - the 50s, 60s and 70s. I am still completely blown away by the quality of the recordings back then on such primitive equipment by today's standards - "God Only Knows" and "Sgt. Pepper" et al - we used what we had, lots of talent.

The present finds me still touring after 41 years with The Sweet, seeing and meeting all the other artists back on the road since their record royalties dried up.

I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in 2009 and my treatment and ongoing tests are pretty damn good but I now believe in the mantra "Take each day and live it as if it is the last" - oh and keep taking the tablets! My future? - Touring until I drop!

Tell us a little about your kind of music please!

I am on the road so much and playing on stage that I don't really listen to much these days, however we've just returned from Australia where we were on the same bill as the Doobie Brothers and naturally I have reacquainted myself with their material. Opera has become a passion and I go whenever I can, Vienna is a favourite place, but recently I saw Madame Butterfly at the Albert Hall and was completely blown away.

Is 70’s music still cool?

It must be in Europe - we're still filling the halls

If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would you turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?

Aliens? Seen too many sci-fi movies I think.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

I haven't quite finished yet but reaching 60 is pretty good. My Ivor Novello for "Love is Like Oxygen". Meeting and getting on stage with Spinal Tap at Wembley on my 60th Birthday.

What has been mankind’s greatest achievement?

Man has made many huge strides until someone suggested Digital!

If you had the chance to speak to every human being on earth, what would your message be?

Why? Why? Why?

If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?

Not a fan but I do have a mate in Eastenders.

If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?

Of course it does but with so many people on earth someone's bound to hear it - the real answer is "who cares?'

Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?

Some of our lyrics were decidedly dodgy in the early years, then they became rather verbose but I guess it's the profanity that is most cringe worthy. A nice boy turned into an angry young man and miraculously turned back into a nice old geezer.

What advice would you give to musicians today? And what’s your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?

I think musicians are playing gigs again which is a start as long as governmental regulation keeps its distance. I am afraid we're in the Digital Age, which leaves me fairly cold. I like to hear a band play absolutely live not half playback with most of the vocals mimed. The Sweet are 100% live.

Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?

Poetry has its place obviously but add music and you naturally reach a wider audience. If both art forms have symmetry then that is perfection.

What kind of movies do you watch and why?

My age precludes me from so many modern films but the odd one gets through. I take my solace in the classic tour bus comedies starting with Spinal Tap.

What are your opinions about the power of the internet?

The internet is a monster that has become impossible to control. For every good site there is a hundred bad ones but life can be like that so why not cyberspace. Of course we all use it to send emails, well I do (no facebook chat for me) and use it for buying/selling, air travel check in and information etc but there is a darker side that will have to be addressed sooner than later.

Do you think man is created in the image of God (or Goddess) or the other way around?

I think that Gods were created to appease man's imagination but as we have developed as a species we can think outside the box more and more, thus making it more difficult to accept certain beliefs.

A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What’s your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?

A bit of both - let people believe what they want to as long as they don't go to war over it.

Is “free will” the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?

I loved "The Prisoner". "I am not a number I am a free man". I suggest compulsory viewing for all who believe in freedom.

Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.

We are witnessing so many World disasters right now that for most of us the big question has to be "is it natural phenomena or man's intervention" - until we get the answer everything must be under the microscope.

Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO’s (i.e. aliens visiting planet earth)? God?

Not really but I have had some odd things happen - when we recorded the album "Level Headed" at Chateau d'Herouville in France, I stayed in the tower that Chopin occupied when he was there and on a few occasions I woke in the night to see someone writing at the desk in the corner. I put it down to late nights, good wine etc but the owners told me others had experienced this kind of vision and they believed Chopin was still there passing on his creative know-how. Mind you, I did write some good songs there.

What would you still like to achieve?

When I was 18 I knew another musician who had turned 30 which to me seemed ancient but now of course I would like to live longer and spend some time with my partner and my ever diminishing family especially granddaughter Samantha (born on my 60th birthday).

I will need to keep touring to afford the life style to which we have all become accustomed.

Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?

Who is he? If you asked him he would probably say the same.

Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?

I love to drive my cars so I'm probably biased.

And lastly please feel free to say anything at all you want to the world of readers and tell us all about what you’re upto these days, plug an album, website or car boot sale.

I said in a BBC Documentary in the seventies that The Sweet would probably be around for 10 years, well we broke the 40 year barrier last year so here's to another 40 (I wish...)
I come from an era when good manners were the norm, you had respect for your elders and if you behaved badly you got a clip round the ear, sadly missing in today's society. You didn't need ASBOS when the threat of your misdemeanors being brought to the attention of your parents was all that was necessary.

Inner Peace

Music Review - Lying to Myself

Andrew Neil’s “Lying to Myself” is a rock anthem about one man’s journey to spirituality and inner peace.

Though lying typically has a negative connotation, it was a lifeline for Andrew Neil. His new single with TIEZZI, “Lying to Myself” is an alt-rock retelling of how Andrew protected himself with positivity and “lies” throughout his battles with psychosis, depression, PTSD, and cancer until he realized that these lies are masked spiritual truths.

The song starts with upbeat drums and electric guitar, reminiscent of 90s grunge and indie alt rock. The first lyric, “Walkin’ on the railroad tracks/ I have a cross on my back,” illustrates the singer as a martyr for all he has gone through. His journey resonates with anyone who has struggled with depression. “And I slept all day/I tell myself it’s okay” he sings. But what’s unique about this song, compared to other grunge songs, is that “Lying to Myself” puts a positive spin on the lies we tell ourselves.

“Lying to Myself” is a semi-autobiographical saga of Andrew’s struggles. “It is a song that basically extolls the attitude of being positive no matter what life throws at you. I’ve ‘walked on railroad tracks’ before in search of peace and truth and I suppose ‘Lying to Myself’ is a reflection of that journey,” he said.

Andrew Neil began writing songs in 2009 after a traumatic brain injury unlocked his creative capabilities. He was hospitalized again from 2014 to 2017 after a psychotic episode, and again in 2019 when he was diagnosed with cancer. Like Kurt Cobain, Andrew allows his challenges to inform his art. As with many great musicians of our time, Andrew Neil is a testament to how some of the best art comes from suffering.

TIEZZI front man, Travis Tiezzi, met Andrew Neil through his brother Kyle. Tiezzi was so impressed with Andrew’s songwriting that the two decided to collaborate. Hence, “Lying to Myself.” TIEZZI and Andrew both release music through Ray Maternick’s label, Tree Heart Records.

The song’s rhythm centers on the structure of the chorus. “Lyin’ to myself it’s alright,” Andrew sings as TIEZZI’s background vocals echo “It’s alright” and “it’s alright now,” with a funky cadence that pair Andrew Neil’s pervasive positivity with his varied musical repertoire.

In “Lying to Myself,” TIEZZI and Andrew Neil create the ultimate percussive catharsis. The chorus is catchy and passionate, uniting the musicians through mental illness, self-consolation, and music’s power to heal.

The amazing thing is, Andrew Neil has no musical experience. He does not read music, and simply plays what he hears in his head. musicians. From Mozart and Vladimir Horowitz to Jimmy Hendrix and Bob Marley, Andrew’s musical inspirations are diverse and complex. “Lying to Myself” demonstrates Andrew’s commitment to musical fusion, a grunge rock melody with soulful touches and optimistic messages.

“Lying to Myself” is produced in collaboration with Tree Heart Records and is streaming on Spotify, Reverb Nation, and Youtube. For more Andrew Neil, check out his previous albums Code Purple and Freak. You can also follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for performance and release updates.

Surreal Music

Those Men

I want to introduce you to Those Men. Why? Because I absolutely love them. They're different. And that's not easy in this world of ours. 

The duo work in the area of concept albums dealing with subjects ranging from the disposability of the modern world (Sobgod 2007) to a day in the life of a municipal car park (Car Park 2003); pollution on the earth in its many facets (Ponky Hates Pollution 2000) to reflections on the overrated concept of movement (Why Move? 2006); a musical interpretation of the pituitary gland (Pituitary 1999) to a four second internal journey of a middle aged man’s thought processes in response to his wife’s question ‘What’s the matter darling you don’t seem yourself?’ (Theman Simpulse 2010).

Using diverse musical forms ranging from pop songs to prog epics, from ballads to comedy moments, from dance to new millennium psychedelia Those Men have addressed these issues in a number of recordings and videos stretching over four decades.

Find them here

And here's their video for the next Born Free Foundation fundraising album! More about that will be HERE soon. 

Not a Burdon

Eric Burdon of The Animals - The Interview

'The House of the Rising Sun', 'We Gotta Get Out of This Place' and 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' are just three of the mega-hits from the British 60's band, The Animals. Under the name 'Eric Burdon and the Animals', they moved to California, and have gone down in history as one of the greatest pop-rock bands ever. Here, Eric Burdon unleashes his animal instincts.

My first question is, what would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning?

I feel that the music IS the meaning.

We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what's your opinion of the politics of the world today?

In New York City recently, I saw the congregation of a black church departing after Sunday morning service. Next to the doorway, inside a glass case, was the prayer of the week. It read: “Show respect to your enemies, after all, you helped create them.”

That's my feeling toward today's democratic process and the so-called regimes we feel don't fit “our ideals,” but you can't force democracy on anyone. People must come to it.

Can you tell us all about your past, present and future?

The past is past, nothing you can do about it. Lord knows I have made my share of trouble, but I'm grateful to all of the people who remember the better things. The present has me involved in continuing basically the same endeavours. Only I can now use my experience from the past to do it better than previous works. As for the future, we're all going to have to be stronger than before as the challenges are greater than ever, but everyone should try to live in the 'now'.

Tell us a little about your kind of music please!

The music I love must be from the centre of the soul. I listen and feel anything that has reached my heart. I decided, years ago (age 15 or so) that the human voice was the first instrument ever, and words and stories needed to be conveyed. I believed and still do, that I am an instrument.

Have you ever heard of a band called The Animals? Any good?

We started out young and strong. We had a collective belief in music: music from another land, the music that was stronger outside the land that gave birth to it. America tried its best to crush the sounds of black music and rock and roll, and so we reached into the collective trash and we found the Blues, which gave birth to Rock n' Roll. Yeah, we were good, until money got in between us.

If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would you turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?

I have an open mind. Out here in the Mojave desert I've seen some unexplained things in the night sky, but after all these years, I now believe that people have been deluded by a great cover up put into action by the military, since 1947, as a means to cover up their need to spend trillions of dollars on experimental aircraft and keep the fear level up in the world. This is all based on the fact that people see and believe what they want to see and believe.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

“Ooohoooh! Stayin alive, stayin' alive!”

A thought… Jazz music's dawn was around 1911, which morphed into blues. R&B, which became rock and roll. It's still alive today, so one could say that this form of music has lasted almost a century. I'm proud to have been a part of that cultural expression. Rock On!

What has been mankind's greatest achievement?

The printed word comes close, but I am still waiting and watching. I hope I won't be disappointed.

If you had the chance to speak to every human being on earth, what would your message be?

Save the oceans! It's our last chance! We should be ashamed of ourselves. Reduce plastic use, and wherever possible, “revolt” against atomic energy use.

If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?

I would love to be with Joan Collins in a Mexican daytime soap opera, killing all of her lovers with an ice pick.

If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?

About as much as a teardrop. You don't need to hear it, when you can feel it.

Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?

Chaos is the foundation to life itself.

What advice would you give to musicians today? And what's your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?

Stay in the garage until the whole street knows who you are, then find a good manager. Don't trust anyone, but when you do need to, pray you used your own gut feelings. If things go wrong, you only have yourself to blame.

Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?

Charles Dickens didn't play Harmonica. I believe that words by themselves can be just as effective.

What kind of movies do you watch and why?

American and French gangster films circa 1947-1958 (Jean Pierre Melville).

My favourite directors are Stanley Kuberick, John Ford, the Cohen Brothers, David Lean, Guy Richie, Sergio Leone and many more.

What are your opinions about the power of the internet?

I think we've yet to find out.

Do you think man is created in the image of God (or Goddess) or the other way around?

God created woman, then the silence was broken forever. I tend to lean toward the belief that God is a woman and that she is black.

A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What's your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?

So that means that Science will be the new religion? As long as there is a human element, there will be religion. Science has also recommended that atomic power s the cleanest, most efficient form of power for the people on our planet, so who can we trust?

Is “free will” the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?

A good, healthy night of sexual activity will “free” you up for a few hours, but death does a better job. Amen!

Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.

I'd like to back Nuclear Power all the way back into the ground. But the genie is out of the bottle. We all know it's too late. There's been so much big money in 'clean-ups' and security. If we want to stop it we can, but man would even put a reactor in the rear of a Volks Wagon.

Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO's i.e. aliens visiting planet earth? God?

I live in the land of astronomical events. A large meteor strike could wipe us all out, that's for sure. None of us can confidently say he or she will still be living the next day. Now it's known that there are fingerprints embedded into asteroids that the space program has found and may be the key to human space exploration. But no little green men in UFOs are going to find us. We have to find them, their traces, and clone what we find. Then we could have our choice of colour when it comes to little space creatures.

Have you ever experienced altered states of consciousness? How, why and was it beneficial? And would you recommend it to all politicians, business and religious leaders?

During a session in 1964, I consumed mescaline and was embraced by Karli, the Indian goddess of death and destruction. It was a frightening experience. I survived to be stronger and lived to tell the tale. Could you imagine Carl Rove doing the same thing?

What's the craziest thing you've ever done?

I am crazy! It's the best defence mechanism in this crazy world.

What would you still like to achieve?

Peace of mind. And more regular sleeping habits as I get older. This is becoming more difficult as time races by.

Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?

Sure! I've got a cool song for the dude, the title is '27 Forever'

Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?

I knew it was coming, so I moved to the desert where the summer temperatures can get up to 120 and nights in the winters are freezing cold. But the air is clean and the night skies are beautiful so it's an even trade.

Enter the Ancient Mysteries Through Music

FAR FROM YOUR SUN

Art can be universal and transcend cultures, points of view, traits and many other things. It can connect us with one another and it can make the world a lot better and a lot more meaningful for a lot of people out there.

That is the core basis of Far From Your Sun (FFYS) and what we have to offer.

This musical project came to be as a way the FFYS musicians could express themselves through music and at the same time make recordings that could mean something to the listeners. This is not an ego trip or something we do for personal glory, which is why the Far From Your Sun band is anonymous and studio-based.

The expression Far From Your Sun is a reference to how human beings can live fulfilled and happy in the shadow of the artificial lights, far from the fads, far from a flattering, but often elusive, misleading sun. This is something we have always wanted to express through Rock music, combined with the beauty and oftentimes tragic feel of poetry, thus making for a 
very compelling and unique experience.

The Origin of Suffering, the second Far From Your Sun album, (available March 31, 2022), will take you from the banks of the Nile in Ancient Egypt to the heart of the 19th century and the poems of Emily Dickinson and Oscar Wilde, from the coming of Jesus on earth to the signs of the end of the world. Prepare yourself for a historical, spiritual, emotional and artistic journey.

Water for Osiris, the first single from the album The Origin of Suffering is based on an excerpt from the book Awakening Osiris: A New Translation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead by Ellis Normandy (1988). This guitar-rich first track, with its catchy melodies and strong rhythmic harmonies, creates a hypnotic atmosphere that fits perfectly with the translation of a millennia-old text.

Embark with Osiris on a journey to the afterlife and dive into the universe of the Egyptian gods.

Find out more here https://farfromyoursun.com

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

The Graham Bonnet Interview

Graham Bonnet is a hard rock singer who has had an extremely colourful and successful career. He first came to prominence in 1968 as one half of the duo The Marbles, who had a huge and enduring hit with the song 'Only One Woman', which was written by Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees. In 1978, he was invited by Ritchie Blackmore to join Rainbow, where his soulful and incredibly powerful vocal style made an immediate impression. Rainbow entered the singles charts with 'Since You Been Gone' and 'All Night Long' from the Down To Earth album, while they headlined the first ever Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in 1980.

After leaving Rainbow, Graham Bonnet had another hit with the single 'Night Games' from his solo Line Up album, where he was joined by musicians from Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Rainbow and Status Quo. After this, he sang with Michael Schenker of UFO fame, then formed another band named Alcatrazz with yet another guitar giant in the form of Yngwie Malmsteen, then Steve Vai, but his prolific touring and recording output continues to the present day.

I interviewed the rock legend for Minds.

What would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning?

I think I would like to be remembered for the meaning of the music because I put a lot of work into telling stories, but of course I would also like the melodies to be remembered. If its a serious question I would like all of it to be remembered... As I said I put a lot of work on the songs and it can take me weeks to work on one. I just have to be inspired.

We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what’s your opinion of the politics of the world today?

Nothing, because nothing ever changes. All the guys who work within the government are all the same anyway. Basically it's a very well paying job and they get a very nice house to go with it.

Is it true that rock stars like yourself get laid at least twice daily? Or is this a myth?

Of course we get laid twice daily. Everybody does don't they?

What’s your favourite Monty Python film and why?

The Life or Brian because it took the piss out of religion. I'm very anti religious as everybody knows. I also don't believe in Santa Clause anymore I'm afraid...

If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?

I would just go home!

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

Being born I think...

What has been mankind’s greatest achievement?

Having me!

If you had the chance to speak to every human being on earth, what would your message be?

To get rid off money and get rid off guns. There would never be a war. Money, religion and guns are the biggest cause of wars on this damn earth. If we didn't have them I think we'd be still alive and not blow each other up and poor little innocent children. All is big business... but if we didn't have guns or money the world would be totally different but of course that's never going to happen because we are the way we are, a bunch of idiots.

If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?

I have no idea because I don't watch any!

If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?

Yes...

Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?

I think I always did the right thing and I always try to make comments on the way society is. What I think about good songs is that they are observations about the way people live and the truth about the world. Real stuff. Not your heavy metal dungeons and dragons... Probably it's still kind of political in a way but its only my opinion and my opinion doesn't really count because it doesn't really affect anyone. I'm just saying what I think. But some people do really listen and think "where do those words come from?" Well just look around...

What advice would you give to musicians today? And what’s your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?

To musicians today I would say don't do it... get a real job.... and my opinion about the engineered music well I don't call that music anyway, it's just electronic bullshit with auto tuning and all that stuff. To me it just sounds like elevator music. There is no soul, there is no rhythm, there is no real emotion as everything is just too perfectly processed. So I would like to make an album, which I will eventually, with no effects, it will be basically as you will hear it, raw. And the music that comes out I have already heard ten million times before. Also now you don't have to be a real performer, you just need to have the right kind of haircut.

Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?

I think people remember melodies more than they do phone numbers. I can never remember a phone number but if I put a melody to it then I will remember it, and I think people remember words because they like the tune, if they like the tune then they remember the words. That's why I forget all the words to all my songs...

What kind of movies do you watch and why?

I like horror movies, adventure movies... I like a lot of movies. I don't particularly have one real special genre so I would watch anything as I'm basically mindless... I would watch a movie until the end and then I decide why the hell did I watch it in the first place. But I like loads of loads of different kind of movies, anything with a good story telling and good pretenders, you know the people who get paid to pretend to be people they are not. They call them actors I believe.

What are your opinions about the power of the internet?

The internet has become something I try not to use too much. I had several Facebook pages and all that kind of things and eventually I had my identity stolen and my bank account was cleared so I think the internet has become ridiculously like something like big brother and we are all going to die and sit in front of the screen and go nowhere, have all our food, all our everything delivered and never go out and meet real people. We'd all become just fat, lazy, blind people with very thick glasses...

Do you think man is created in the image of God or the other way around?

No comment...

A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What’s your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?

Well obviously a good thing. It will die out. How come people all around the world have a different God? Which is the real one? "Pick your God! door number 1, door number 3..." Which is the real God? There isn't one. We invented God because people are scared of dying. And if you are told that if you don't listen to God's "rules & regulations" the whole place would burn to death or something stupid, or you would be turned into a worm... Religion is based on fear of death, that's why I don't agree with it. It's a lot of bullshit. So there, I have spoken, for I am God.

Is "free will" the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?

Not as long as we are govern by people and having to follow other people's rules, I don't think so.

There were the hippie times though..., one of which I was part of, but then of course you suddenly realised you didn't have a job and you couldn't eat or do this or that or whatever.

But I don't think we will ever be free as long as there are guns around and things like that to kill each other with.

As a rock star, it’s a given that you’re obviously deeply involved in the occult, child sacrifice, Satanism and taking the virginity of young ladies. Why is this?

Because it's in the rule book...

Have you ever heard of David Coverdale?

No...

You are one of the giants from a period full of giants. Who, from that revolutionary period, do you admire and why, apart from Abba, which goes without saying!

I like Abba very much. I also like the Japanese version of Abba, which is called Jabba. They actually opened up for Rainbow when we first played in that wonderful country of Japan and they were great.
And well, before everybody else there was the Beatles. Every band had an element from them as we all "stole" from the Beatles as they covered every kind of music that there was and is. People now are still trying to be as good as the Beatles as they were the greatest songwriters ever. They changed the whole world of fashion. We all had long hair until the Beatles came along with all those funny clothes and everybody changed. They also changed loads of opinions. I remember because I was there when it happened back in the 1960s.

Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.

No because is damn dangerous. Look at the tsunami in Japan... do I need to say any more? We could all die from it thank you very much.

Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO’s (i.e. aliens visiting planet earth)? God?

No... I'd like to. I'd like to believe in ghosts and about aliens visiting planet earth well maybe they did... why are we all so different? why are we so different in our colours, why are there different animals in different countries which are so different. Do all these different creatures and different looking people come from different planets? To me it feels as though possibly, I mean I don't really know... but its like we were all planted here and we all came from different worlds. That's why we are all so different. And do I believe in God? Of course not.

Have you ever experienced altered states of consciousness? How, why and was it beneficial? And would you recommend it to all politicians, business and religious leaders?

No, I think they need to be as straight as possible. I think they get drunk too much. I think they are always in a state of unconsciousness rather than consciousness.
Have I experienced it? yes, back in the 60s when I was a hippie type. Of course I did, like everybody else. It's something I would never do again though. I don't miss it for the love of the sun.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

I exposed myself onstage...

What would you still like to achieve?

Greatness (laughs) and to write music forever, to sing better and to keep on singing.

Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?

Only if he sung the bass parts...

Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?

I think its natural.

And lastly. Please feel free to say anything at all you want.

I don't give a shit about the world leaders basically. They don't interest me, they bore me. I'm bored of world leaders. And there is the world of actors too... and bitter musicians but I may be one of them...

Life is a Riddle

I Caught up with Nik Kershaw

The 1980’s teen-idol is wearing well. Collaborations with Elton John and Bonnie Tyler amongst others, and varying degrees of critical & commercial success with the release of every new album push this creative songwriter periodically back into the limelight. He never really went anywhere of course, and it’s easy to forget how much of Nik’s music is woven into the fabric our lives. Whether it’s the iconic Live Aid performance of mega-hit ‘The Riddle’, or the entire summer where it was impossible to walk from one street to another without hearing ‘I am the one & only’ blaring from a car radio, this is one artist that has truly stood the test of time.

My first question is, what would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning?

Not sure I give a toss. When you’re dead, you’re dead.

We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what’s your opinion of the politics of the world today?

I’m sure David Cameron actually believes the sanctimonious, self righteous shite that comes out of his gob when he talks about bombing Libya but, at the end of the day, it’s all about the money. He knows it and we know it. Mind you, somebody has to be in charge. Being a politician is a thankless job and I have no idea why anybody would want to do it. I admire their courage, confidence and work ethic. That doesn’t mean they’re not all smug, self-aggrandizing, patronising scumbags.

Before I embark on a career in the music industry, is it true that pop stars like yourself get laid at least twice daily? Or is this a myth? And if not, what’s the point?

Not twice and not daily, but you do get to hang out with Roland Rat.

What’s your favourite Monty Python film and why?

“Life of Brian”, without a doubt. Not least because it pissed so many people off. It gets quoted more than Spinal Tap in this house. “Wolf nipple chips, get ‘em while they’re ‘ot”.

If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?

I’d turn around and go back, were it not for the fact that I wouldn’t be able to afford to fill up my spaceship with diesel. I might have to get a Saturday job with my comrades in Games Workshop.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

I think my crème brulee takes a bit of beating.

What has been mankind’s greatest achievement?

I’m torn between landing on the moon, sequencing DNA and ‘Cheeky song (touch my bum)’ by the Cheeky Girls.

If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?

Eastenders. I am, by nature, a miserable git. I’d fit right in.

If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?

We weren’t around when the big bang happened but I’m pretty sure that would’ve been quite loud. Anyway, if a squirrel or woodlouse heard it, it made a sound.

Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?

Christ, I’m not Bono. I just write and sing about stuff that interests me. If anyone’s dumb enough to think I’m some kind of oracle, that’s their problem. My songs are an NCP car park, anyone parking in it do so at their own risk.

What on earth was The Riddle all about?

Nothing on Earth. It was a guide lyric that never got changed. Bollocks from start to finish.

What advice would you give to musicians today? And what’s your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?

Do it ‘cos you love it and play to anyone who’ll listen. I’m hoping that people will tire of the whole X Factor thing. Far too much attention being lavished on far too few people. Everything goes in cycles. The revolution is coming. Today Mubarak, tomorrow – Cowell.

Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?

“The music is the missile and the words are the payload”, I think somebody who knows stuff said that once. If they didn’t, they should’ve done. It’s bloody genius.

What kind of movies do you watch and why?

I love a good, intelligent Sci-Fi. Also clever, “out there” movies like “Being John Malkovich and “Memento”. Nothing annoys me more than a glossy, star studded, high-budget pile of crap.

What are your opinions about the power of the internet?

I don’t think there’s much point in having an opinion. It’s here and we have to deal with it. The music business spent years trying to stem the waters with sandbags before it figured out it was better off bunging on a pair of Speedos and going for a splash (I do love a good metaphor – songwriter, you know).

Do you think man is created in the image of God or the other way around?

I’m pretty sure we created God but, if we didn’t and Ed Milliband was created in his image, we’re all screwed.

A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What’s your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?

As an atheist, that’s fine with me. Too many people are still dying in the name of some God or other. Paradoxically, I find myself envious of those with an unshakeable belief system. My mum lived the last five years of her life totally convinced that one day she would be reunited with my dad in Heaven. It sustained her through each day and I wasn’t about to argue otherwise. Must be great to have that kind of faith in something. And think on this, without religion there would be no Sistine Chapel, no Mozart Requiem…..And no Aled Jones!

Is “free will” the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?

I’m free between 18:00 and 07:00. The rest of the time I’m £17.50 per hour.

As a pop star, it’s a given that you’re obviously deeply involved in the occult, child sacrifice, Satanism and taking the virginity of young ladies. Why is this?

There’s nothing on the telly.

Have you ever heard of Howard Jones?

Very funny. Howard is a worthy adversary and a true friend.

You are one of the giants from a period full of giants. Who, from that revolutionary period, do you admire and why, apart from Human League, which goes without saying!

I love Scritti Polliti. Green’s voice is something special, Dave Gamson’s arrangements were groundbreaking back in the 80s and the songs continue to be strong. Tears for Fears made some great records. There’s always Talk Talk and, if we’re talking of giants, fish is 6’7”.

Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.

I did until a few weeks ago. Not wise to build a reactor on a fault line. Still think it’s better than burning an ever dwindling supply of fossil fuels.

Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO’s (i.e. aliens visiting planet earth)? God?

I’ve seen a ghost, seen a UFO (it was unidentified, it was flying and it was an object), have yet to see a God of any description. I’m not holding my breath. I believe in Our Lord Richard Dawkins (Ironic or what?)

Have you ever experienced altered states of consciousness? How, why and was it beneficial? And would you recommend it to all politicians, business and religious leaders?

I’m partial to a cheeky merlot but, fortunately, drugs either put me to sleep or kept me awake so I never really got a taste for them. I’d love to see prime minister’s questions on crack, most business leaders are off their face most of the time and religious leaders are permanently in an altered state.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

I worked in an Unemployment Benefit Office for three years.

What would you still like to achieve?

I’d still like to score the winning goal in the FA cup final and win the Monaco Grand Prix but I’m beginning to come to terms with the fact that these two achievements will ultimately elude me. I’d settle for writing the perfect song. Haven’t even come close yet.

Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?

Although I can’t conceive of the series of events that would have to conspire to make such a liaison likely or possible, I cannot say for certain that it would never happen any more than I could say that I would never have Pope Benedict’s baby.

Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?

I’d love to believe that the whole global warming thing was a big corporate conspiracy but most of the science tells us otherwise. I take solace in the fact that this planet will do fine without us; and that, in Universal terms, we’re completely insignificant.

And lastly. Please feel free to say anything at all you want to the world of readers and tell us all about what you’re up to these days, plug an album, website or carboot sale.

Already have.

Thanks Nik, a truly entertaining interview, can I have my pen back?

Rock Legend - Francis Rossi

Status Quo: The Francis Rossi Interview

I managed to catch up again with legendary rocker, no-nonsense frontman and ‘Coronation Street’ fan Francis Rossi OBE, for a chat about life, the universe and everything.

Speaking of ‘Corrie’, you know you’re etched indelibly onto the minds of the public, when your fans can lop several syllables off your name, and everybody still knows exactly who you mean. Perhaps the most famous ‘Quo fan is ‘Coronation Street’ character Les Batters by, played by real-life fan Bruce Jones. Francis Rossi and band-mate Rick Parfitt had a memorable cameo on the long-running show in 2005.

Best known as the guitarist & frontman from Status Quo, prolific songwriter Rossi has also enjoyed success with a number of side projects and collaborations. 

My first question is, what would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning?

Neither.

We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what’s your opinion of the politics of the world today?

Bullshit propaganda. Same old, same old.

Can you tell us all about your past, present and future?

We haven’t got that long to live

Tell us a little about your kind of music please! Yeah, Rock right…But seriously, don’t you ever just want to rap or smile nicely at the camera like a boy band and sing lame songs?

No, I don’t want to rap. However I have no problem smiling at the camera, and I don’t have a downer on a boy band just because they’re a boy band.

If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would you turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?

Go back.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

Getting to 64.

What has been mankind’s greatest achievement?

You’d get the best or truest answer from someone who wasn’t of mankind.

If you had the chance to speak to every human being on earth, what would your message be?

Live and let live. There is no judgement. There is no punishment.

If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?

Done it. (Status Quo had a cameo in the longest-running British soap opera ‘Coronation Street’, and are ‘Corrie’ character Les Battersby’s favourite band)

If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?

Doh!

Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?

I don’t necessarily think that what Quo sing affects society.

What advice would you give to musicians today? And what’s your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?

Leave it. It is the logical course and progression for pop music, within the capitalist system that we live in.

Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?

I don’t believe the combination of music and words is any more or less potent than words alone. Music does however have a stimulatory effect on the senses, and is therefore more emotive.

What kind of movies do you watch and why?

No particular type or reason.

What are your opinions about the power of the internet?

It’s powerful!

Do you think man is created in the image of God (or Goddess) or the other way around?

No, I do not think man is created in the image of God or vice-versa.

A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What’s your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?

Good. However, any research or report usually has a bias towards the body that commissioned it.

Is ‘free will’ the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?

It’s man himself that creates his own restraints.

Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.

I don’t have enough knowledge concerning nuclear power to make a valid comment regarding this matter.

Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO’s i.e. aliens visiting planet earth? God?

Yes, believe in ghosts, UFO’s , aliens and God but not the one popularised by most religions.

Have you ever experienced altered states of consciousness? How, why, and was it beneficial? And would you recommend it to all politicians, business and religious leaders?

Been drunk a few times.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Pass.

What would you still like to achieve?

More.

Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?

You mean to endear myself to millions of young people around the world? When?

Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?

Natural and cyclical, but being accelerated by man.

And last of all, please feel free to say anything at all you want to the world of readers, and tell us all about what you’re up to these days. Plug an album, website or carboot sale.

Goodbye, and thank you.

Hello Hello Mr Mister

Are Your Wings Still Broken? - Mr Mister Meets Minds

Broken Wings, Kyrie and Is it Love: just three of the instantly recognisable Mr Mister hits from the 1980’s. With two Grammy’s under their belts, platinum selling albums and world tours, Mr Mister eventually broke up leaving their final album unreleased. This album was finally released in 2010, twenty years after its conception.

Lead singer Richard Page has penned hits for artists such as Madonna, Josh Groban, Donna Summer and Leona Lewis. Here, Page speaks to Minds.

What would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning?

I'd like to be remembered for my stunning good looks only. Kidding. Actually, Pat Mastelotto says, the music IS the meaning.

We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what’s your opinion of the politics of the world today?

Same as it's always been.

‘Kyrie Eleison’ means Lord have mercy in Greek, was there a religious meaning to this song?

Actually, it's “Carry a Laser.” No, seriously, it comes from the Greek mass. We had no intention of representing a religion; we just liked the way it sounded.

What’s your favourite Monty Python film and why?

‘Life of Brian’. The sermon on the mount scene where the two guys in the back can't hear well, and think Jesus is saying, "Blessed are the cheese makers".

Are your wings fixed yet?

Working on them.

If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?

Probably have a good cry and then turn back...but not until I grabbed a Starbucks.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

Haven't done it yet.

What has been mankind’s greatest achievement?

Mayonnaise

If you had the chance to speak to every human being on earth, what would your message be?

Grow up.

If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?

I don't know of any...I mean, ‘General Hospital’ definitely.

If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?

Who cares?

Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?

I figure that what we've said in our tunes probably has little effect on anything. But if someone benefits from them, then great.

What advice would you give to musicians today? And what’s your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?

Music is always evolving, yet borrowing from what's come before. There is always good music if you look for it. Advice: Sing it from your heart.

Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?

Music isn't as literal as words are. The reference point isn't so defined.

What kind of movies do you watch and why?

Comedies. I need to laugh more.

What are your opinions about the power of the Internet?

There's no going back now.

Do you think man is created in the image of God or the other way around?

Who's God? Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Scientology?

A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What’s your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?

Religions may die out, but the corruption of the self probably never will.

Is ‘free will’ the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?

As long as man thinks he's the most important thing in the universe, he'll never be free.

As a pop star, it’s a given that you’re obviously deeply involved in the occult, child sacrifice, Satanism and taking the virginity of young ladies. Why is this?

Oh, great, now you've exposed our little secret.

You are one of the giants from a period full of giants. Who, from that revolutionary period, do you admire and why, apart from Human League, which goes without saying!

I always thought Thomas Dolby was a clever dude. But there are so many others.

Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.

No. Japan.

Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO’s (i.e. aliens visiting planet earth)? God?

Does anyone really care what I believe in?

Have you ever experienced altered states of consciousness? How, why and was it beneficial? And would you recommend it to all politicians, business and religious leaders?

Absolutely, now you're talking!

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Got into the music business.

What would you still like to achieve?

Enlightenment.

Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?

Only if I could get my hair to look like his.

Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?

Both.