Apr 11th, 2024
Just finished a session at Mill Hill Music Complex, with Joe the Drummer, where we have recorded the drums for five of the tracks from the forthcoming album (working title Olympus Mons); a very productive couple of days, the guy is amazing!
Mar 22nd, 2024
Today, I got the final mixes of the tracks destined for the second EP, out shortly; working title The Epigraph; and they are sounding awesome. Along with some new artwork from the maestro Andrew Turner; the digital EP is ready to go, watch this space. I can also report that next week Joe Donegan (drummer) and I will be going into the studio to record the drums for the second LP (CD) scheduled for release later this year; all coming together nicely.
Feb 9th, 2024
The German Prog Rock Magazine, Empire, came out this week and The Book of Revelations feature on the cover cd and there is an interview and an album review within. I believe the mag is only available by subscription, but I have done another interview with Renald Mienert from Eclipsed Magazine due for release next month, and that will be available in bookstores and supermarkets.
Jan 18th, 2024
Spent the day yesterday with Joe Donegan (drummer), rehearsing for the second album, and we did a few test recordings of the kit which sounded awesome. Bodes well for when we do the real thing, hopefully not long after he returns from his cruise round the Med in about 6 weeks; lucky man!
Jan 1st, 2024
Happy New Year to you all, let's hope it's a good one! We are in the process of producing a new EP for release early this year and planning has already started for the second LP, so onwards and upwards; really looking forward to a creative New Year, and hope to see you all in the, not too distant, future.
Dec 18th, 2023
As a follow up to yesterday's post, I would like to mention Eddie who broadcasts KISS THAT PROG (Great title) on Listen Lanarkshire Radio and on Progcore in Montreal, who has been a supporter from the start. This year he has included The Book of Revelations on four separate occasions, including “Album of the Week” back in July. At the end of the year KISS THAT PROG run a Listener Poll, (go to kissthatprog.com) including Best Debut Album in which The Book of Revelations are nominated. It is open until Jan 2nd, so it would be great if you could vote for us, and maybe have a listen to Eddie, who always delivers a great Prog Rock Music Show every week.
Dec 17th, 2023
As we come to the end of the year I would like to thank everyone who has bought the album, downloaded the EP on Spotify, come to see us play, posted pics from gigs, played us on their radio show, published reviews of the album both in print and online or said nice things about our music; I really appreciate the support and A Very Merry Christmas to you all.
Nov 29th, 2023
Now looking to release a second digital EP as a fore-runner to the second album; working title “Olympus Mons” after the largest mountain in our solar system, over three times higher than Everest; and, of course, the home of the Ancient Gods.
Nov 14th, 2023
Just home from Great Yarmouth and HRH PROG XII where we opened the
proceedings on Stage One on Saturday; followed by Solstice, Gandalf's Fist, Focus and Tangerine Dream; YES I know, amazing to be in their illustrious company! We had to play without a drummer so we used the drums from the album to play along to; not ideal, but it was either that or cancelling, which I didn't want to do. Big shout out to the crew at HRH who are under a lot pf pressure but the organisation was first class and the sound system awesome!!
Oct 5th, 2023
We had a great time at Trillian's Rock Bar in Newcastle supporting EBB on the 21st Sept, and now I can announce that we are playing at HRH PROG in Great Yarmouth on Saturday Nov 11th, on stage at 1 pm. Following us on the main stage are Solstice, Gandalf's Fist, Pearl Handled Revolver, Magenta, Focus and Tangerine Dream; illustrious company indeed. Can't wait, see you there, come and say hello!
Sept 15th, 2023
Just got word that we are playing at HRH PROG XII in Great Yarmouth, not sure of the slot yet but likely to be the Friday or the Saturday (10th or 11th of November, 2023). Can't wait, always a blast to play for die-hard PROG fans, watch this space for more details.
Sept 4th, 2023
We will be playing at Trillions Rock Bar Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 21st Sept, supporting the excellent EBB. We are doing a mostly acoustic set but will include a couple of “rockers” to finish the set with a bang. There will also be a couple of songs getting their first airing, so will be interested to hear what people think? It's free to get in, so come on down and say hello.
Aug 19th, 2023
Sadly, we have to announce the cancellation of the gig in Chichester on the 8th Sept. This is due to circumstances out of our control, but apologies to anyone who was thinking of coming to see us and The Gift on that Friday. The Book of Genesis tribute band are still playing on the Saturday night so Chichesterians are not going to be entirely deprived of their PROG Rock fix that weekend!!
Aug 9th, 2023
Just one month to go to the gig in Chichester at The Assembly Rooms on North Street. We will be supporting The Gift on the Friday Night of PROGNOSIS Weekend (8 - 9th Sept). Should be doing the whole of The Plumes of Enceladus album, time permitting. On Saturday, The Book of Genesis (GENESIS Tribute band) will be playing, so a great weekend of PROG Rock is there for the taking!!
July 19th, 2023
I had an amazing review sent to me from Artur Chachlowski of MLWZ Radio in Poland yesterday, and I have put a link to it on Facebook. It is in Polish, but there is a translation of it here. Also, last night Chuck Simons of Prog Rock Radio played four of the tracks from the album, and I joined in the live-chat room and met some of his regular listeners who are clearly great Prog fans.
July 12th, 2023
You can hear some tracks from the album, The Plumes of Enceladus, on the Game of Prog Podcast Program #15, scheduled for 18th July, 2023 (17.30 CST, 23.30 GMT) and I will be chatting with the host Chuck Simons; why not tune in and say hello!
June 18th, 2023
Results are in from PROG Magazine Track of the Week, and we came a creditable second, only 6% fewer votes than first place IO Earth; so congrats to them and a BIG SHOUT OUT to all who voted for The Book of Revelations, appreciate the support.
June 13th, 2023
Just seen this great review of the album from John Wenlock-Smith of PROGRADAR.ORG, check it out here. We are currently second place in this week's Reader's Poll for PROG Magazine's “Track of the Week”; if you haven't already voted, please do here.
June 4th, 2023
Just heard from ISKC Radio in The Netherlands that they have added The Plumes of Encelad
us to their “Albums in the Spotlight”, alongside such luminaries as YES; what an honour. Check them out here.
May 29th, 2023
Had the great pleasure of being interviewed by Glenn Williams (Writer in Japan) over Zoom the other day, and here it is:- Gerard Freeman Interview 2023 (writerinjapan.com). Also got word from The Friday Night Prog Radio Show (out of New York) that The Book of Revelations will feature in Episode 538 going out on 2nd June, 2023.
May 20th, 2023
Here is an article from Nature on the Plumes of Enceladus; surely the closest we have got, so far, in the search for signs of extraterrestrial life in our Solar System, or indeed anywhere in the Cosmos. Enrico Fermi's praradox may well be answered in our lifetime; an exciting prospect I'm sure you will agree!! JWST spots biggest water plume yet spewing from a moon of Saturn (nature.com)
May 8th, 2023
A couple of weeks after the album launch and we are getting some great revues and worldwide radio plays e.g. check out the album review here, and listen to the opening track of the album on FNP (Friday Night Progressive) Broadcast, this Friday (12th May) which can be found here.
April 17th, 2023
HRH PROG XIII at The O2 Academy in Sheffield was an amazing experience, the band were on
fire, the venue was packed and the sound was awesome, so a big thank you to all at HRH PROG, especially Mike on the sound desk, for making the gig a memorable occasion. Looking forward to doing it all again at HRH PROG XII, Great Yarmouth in November.
April 12th, 2023
All system go for the launch of the album on the 21st April, very excited. Already had a couple of plays of the opening track, The Hypocratic Oaf, on PROG Radio stations, Midlands Metalheads Radio (The Lost Art with Steve and Lou) and Going Underground Prog and Rock Show with Brian McAllister; big thanks to those guys. Here is a link to get you orders in early!
March 28th, 2023
Just had confirmation that the album, The Plumes of Enceladus, will now be officially released on 21st April, 2023, although anyone lucky enough to get to HRH PROG XIII at The O2 Academy in sunny Sheffield, on the 14th April, will be able to get their hands on a pre-release copy. You can also get your order in early at Amazon!
March 9th, 2023
Just had confirmation that The Book of Revelations will be playing at HRH PROG in Sheffield on Friday 14th April, 2023. We will take to the stage at 8.10 pm, hope to see you there. We will be playing the majority of the album The Plumes of Enceladus which now has its launch date brought forward to the 14th April to coincide with the show. It's getting close and it's getting exciting!!
Feb 21st, 2023
The first confirmed gig of 2023, for The Book of Revelations is at The Chichester Assembly Rooms on Sept 8th, as part of a PROG weekend (Fri/Sat) supporting The Gift. There will be many more, I'm sure!! Watch this space. We also have a provisional release date for the album, The Plumes of Enceladus, of April 21st; can't wait; and Spotify downloads for The Prologue EP are up to >152k; Back of the Net!!
Jan 16th, 2023
We are getting tantalisingly close to the launch date of the album The Plumes of Enceladus, so I thought I would post a clip of the live band playing the opening track, The Hypocritic Oaf, at The Dublin Castle in May 2022. We hope to be out playing the whole album by the summer at various PROG festivals across the land, watch this space for gig details.
Dec 31st, 2022
The last day of 2022, and I wanted to report on the Spotify downloads for the year; very pleased to announce that we managed over 136,000 plays across the five tracks of The Prologue EP. Still haven't got an official release date for the album, The Plumes of Enceladus, but it won't be long now so watch this space. A Very Happy New Year to all the downloaders and a great big THANK YOU!!
Nov 21st, 2022
The monthly count for downloads of the five tracks of The Prologue EP on Spotify is up to 125,736 as of yesterday. A renewed thank you to all who are listening. It won't be long before the album The Plumes of Enceladus is released (currently the proposed date is mid-Jan) and then we will be looking at more gigs in 2023. Can't Wait!
Oct 21st, 2022
A big shout out to progessor.net (head office in Tashkent, European office in Norway) for reviewing The Prologue EP, on their Facebook Page and website; and for the very nice things they said! Great to see we are, indeed, "Rocking All Over The World!!" Current download count from Spotify is just under 120k across the five tracks of the EP; onwards and upwards.
Sept 29th, 2022
Had a great time last Sunday at The Hampton Hub supporting The Gift, where we played the whole of album, The Plumes of Enceladus. The turn-out was a little "light", but the response was encouraging. Sold the first 10 copies of the album, and we have been asked back to play again, hopefully before the end of the year. Watch this space. A big shout-out to The Hellenic Bookservice (local shop in Kentish Town which sell books, dvds and cds all with a Classical bent), who have agreed to stock the album when it is released.
Sept 18th, 2022
So, we are 3 days short of 9 months from the release of the EP, The Prologue, and I can report we are up to over 106k plays across the 5 tracks on Spotify alone, and to top it all, look what arrived on my doorstep on Wednesday, some pre-release samples of the CD; as you can imagine I am very happy! These will be exclusively available at the gig next Sunday, (Hampton Hub, TW12 2JA; on stage at 6 pm, playing the album in its entirety) prior to the official release, now due for early 2023.
Aug 22nd, 2022
Here is the monthly update on Spotify downloads of The Prologue EP. We are delighted to announce that we are now just 2,300 short of 100, 000 plays; we should reach that magic number just as the album is released in Sept. The gig at the Hampton Hub has had a bit of a shake-up with personnel, and, at time of going to press, the running is now Oddly Valid opening at 4 pm, The Book of Revelations on at 6 pm and The Gift, headlining at ~8 pm. Doors open at 3.30 pm. You are all very welcome!
July 21th, 2022
Another month passes and Spotify downloads for the The Prologue EP rise to over 87,000; so once again a great big THANK YOU goes out to all downloaders. We will be playing the album The Plumes of Enceladus, in its entirety on Sunday 25th September at an all-day PROG FEST at The Hampton Hub. We are on at 3 pm, so don't be late!! Topping the bill are The Gift, and other acts are to be announced.
June 27th, 2022
Six months on from the release of The Prologue EP, and I can report we have topped 77,000 downloads on Spotify alone, and currently 1,533 monthly listeners; so a great big thank you to all who have downloaded. Now preparing for the album release in September and launch gig at The Hampton Hub on Sunday 25th, Sept 2022; very excited!!
May 13th, 2022
A FAB time was had by all at The Dublin Castle (LONDON) last night. We had our biggest turn-out of the year so far, so a big thank you to all who came. We filmed the show, so we'll have some footage available on Facebook etc shortly.
April 21st, 2022
Four months on from the release of The Prologue, we have topped 31,000 plays on Spotify alone; so a big thank you to all you downloaders. Hope to see some of you at The Dublin Castle (Camden, LONDON) on 12th May, where you can hear The Prologue, plus some extracts from the forthcoming album, The Plumes of Enceladus.
April 11th, 2022
Debut gig at The Fiddler's Elbow in London on Thursday last went really well, so a big THANK YOU to all who came out to see us. We played four parts from Malice Aforethought (except Pandora) plus a couple of excerpts from The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance, as on the EP, The Prologue. We're up again on May 12th at The Dublin Castle (Camden, London) so hope to see you there.
Mar 21st, 2022
More airplay, this time on THE PROGRESSIVE TRACKS SHOW (US), so big thank you to DJ Mike Pollack, who assures me The Book of Revelations will open the show this Wednesday (23/03/2022). Also to PROG PALACE RADIO (Canada) who have added the EP to their playlist; cheers to DJ Greg Stafford. I can also report steady progress on Spotify with the play count for the EP, after 3 months, up to 22,733.
Mar 15th, 2022
Just got confirmation of the gig at The Fiddler's Elbow in Camden, London, on April 7th. It would be amazing if you could be there. We are on stage at 7.50 pm, so don't be late! Really looking forward to getting out on the road; the band are primed and ready with a selection of The Book of Revelations songs from The Prologue EP, and the forthcoming album, The Plumes of Enceladus.
Mar 3rd, 2022
Happy to report that we are now getting air-play! So, a big thank you to Ron Marquiss (The Friday Night Prog Radio Show) on PROGWAVERADIO in the US, Eddie at KISS THAT PROG (great name!!) and Adrian Bell from The Adrian Bell Prog Show on Brooklands Radio both in the UK, for featuring The Book of Revelations over the past few days.
Feb 21st, 2022
Two months on from the release of the EP, The Prologue, and the count rate is up to 15,036 on Spotify alone, so once again a big thank you to all who have downloaded the tracks. Currently talking to several Prog Rock radio stations around the world, and we are getting played in the US (Progwave Radio), Canada (Prog Core Live) and here the UK (Kiss That Prog). The Word is getting out there; onward and upward!
Jan 21st, 2022
One month from release of The Prologue EP and so far it's clocked up 7,697 listens on Spotify alone. So thank you to everyone who has downloaded and listened, and thank you for your kind comments on Facebook etc. Pencil in April 7th for The Book of Revelations live at The Fiddler's Elbow, London; confirmation of date and details to follow.
Jan 7th, 2022
First entry for 2022, so Happy New Year to one and all. Between the release date (21st Dec, 2021) and midnight yesterday the lead track on The Prologue EP, Survival of the Wittest, has clocked up 2,039 listens on Spotify, so thank you all for the support. I believe that means they owe me 2p!! Rehearsals going well, so we are aiming to gig in March/April time; watch this space for news of where and when.
Dec 21st, 2021
Here we go, just in time for Christmas, with the release of the digital EP The Prologue. Five tracks for your enjoyment, which you can download here. Check out the track listing and you'll find the lyrics here. This project started on Aug 14th 2017, see earlier News posts, and has been a labour of love of PROG ROCK music, in particular, early GENESIS, without whom it would not have been possible. So I thank them, and the record label Aquarius for having the faith in The Book of Revelations.
Dec 2nd, 2021
At long last we can announce the release date for The Prologue EP. The date is Dec 21st, 2021; (it has not
gone unnoticed that as 2112, this is an iconic number in the world of Prog Rock!! A good omen, I'm sure.) It will have 5 tracks, some of which you may recognise from the lock-down videos posted on You Tube and Facebook over the past 18 months, plus two, as yet, unheard songs; see track listing and lyrics pages. As you await with bated breath, you can also click pre-save to get notification of the release from all the usual outlets.
Sept 13th, 2021
Another photo-shoot with Matthew Ward today, this time at Kontiki Studios (check out www.kontikistudios.com) an amazing space with a plethora of props to play with, including my favourite, a pulpit!! I think we "nailed it" this time, some great shots that will soon adorn the website.
July 24th, 2021
A photo-shoot with the talented photographer, Matthew Ward, completed today, and there is talk of the digital EP being released in October, so watch this space.
June 6th, 2021
Possibly the last of the "lock-down" videos, we'll see?? A beautiful tune from the pen of Adam Duritz of The Counting Crows called Omaha. It is a bit bleak in its sentiment, but this is contrasted with a glorious melody, so couldn't resist! You can see all sixteen videos on either Facebook or You Tube.
Mar 29th, 2021
Here we go again; for this month's "lock-down" video we are covering a song by the amazing Peter Gabriel, without whom, neither Genesis nor The Book of Revelations would be here. This is called Family Snapshot, a song from his 3rd solo album released in 1980. It was inspired by An Assassin's Diary by Arthur Bremer, who unsuccessfully attempted to kill US Senator George Wallace in 1972. Peter Gabriel tells the story, but of course, adds layers of nuance to the narrative, making it a very personal introspection. Genius!!
Feb 22nd, 2021
The "lock-down" video this time is another cover from the incredible Stephen Merritt (also known as The Magnetic Fields); a song called Grand Canyon. Stephen writes the most amazingly simple songs, but they are always full of angst, emotion and often humour. This one also prompted me to watch the film Fargo again, as it is partly set in the town of Brainerd, North Dakota; apparently the home of Paul Bunyan. You can see all fourteen videos on either Facebook or You Tube
Jan 19th, 2021
Happy New Year to you all.
This month, for the "lock-down" video we are back to original material, and a song called Grand Prix. It was inspired by TV programs such as Flog It, The Antiques Roadshow etc., and the responses of the participants as the value (or indeed, lack of value) is revealed. I do actually watch, and enjoy, some of these programs, so it should be listened to with that in mind; it is a little "tongue in cheek". You can see all thirteen videos on either Facebook or You Tube
Dec 24th, 2020
We are on to the 12th lock-down video, just in time for Christmas; and I've posted a cover by Susan Enan, a wonderful song writer, who had an album out in 2009 called Plainsong, which contains the most exquisite tunes; well worth a listen. This is from that album, and is called On Your Side. You can see the video on either Facebook or You Tube
Nov 17th, 2020
After a cover last time, it's back to the album for this lock-down video, and we have a section from The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance. This follows on nicely from the 9th lock-down video, where now we see the Deities working their vengeful kind of magic on the troubled Argos Clan, in particular, Orville and Ellie. You can see the videos on either Facebook or You Tube.
Oct 21st, 2020
This month it is another cover song, The Adventure by Tom Delonge; a beautiful tune and an optimistic offering, although there is an element of suspense (not as in a horror movie, but in the sense of things being on hold!!) which could be considered appropriate for our times. All videos can be seen on Facebook and there is a link to them on You Tube under the main page menu heading RECORDINGS.
Sept 21st, 2020
After the cover of Drive on Driver last month, we are back to the album, The Plumes of Enceladus, for this, the 9th lock-down video posted on Facebook. It is the opening section of The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance, setting the scene for the monumental battle between the royal family of Argos and the avenging angels Alecto, Tisiphone and Megaera, collectively known as The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance.
Aug 25th, 2020
Another video posted on Facebook yesterday, this time a cover of Drive on Driver by The Magnetic Fields (written by the highly underrated Stephen Merritt). My only excuse is that I love the song; and it was fun getting the heavenly choir back together again (see entry for Jan 25th 2018). You can check out the original here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaWXt6tQ3a4.
Aug 1st, 2020
So, after a short (but sweet) departure from the album excerpts, we return with a (semi) lock-down video of Survival of the Wittest, part of Malice A Forethought, the first track on The Plumes of Enceladus, soon to be released on Aquarius records. This is the part of the story where Prometheus challenges Zeus to a game of wit and wisdom, ultimately resulting in Prometheus claiming the fire from the Gods; and thus the predictable mayhem ensues!
July 10th, 2020
A bit of a departure this week on the lock-down video front; I have gone for a cover of a song by the beautiful wordsmith Richard Thompson, called Keep your Distance. A song I have listened to and loved for years, and one with a certain resonance in these "unprecedented" times. Check it out on Facebook. Enjoy. Next time we will be back to excerpts from the first album.
June 14th 2020
We are now on the fifth video excerpt from the forthcoming album The Plumes of Enceladus, soon to be released on Aquarius Records. So far we have concentrated on the folkier side of the album, but here is the opening section of Malice A Forethought, called The Hypocratic Oaf. Here we are introduced to the nemesis of Prometheus, namely Zeus.
May 30th, 2020
Upward and onward, with a fourth sh
ort video extract from the forthcoming album, The Plumes of Enceladus. This time we introduce you to Theseus in a piece called Safe as Sofas, the first section of The Labyrinth (full suite to be found on the Second Album).
May 18th, 2020
We had another wonderful response to the second "lock-down" video on Facebook, so we've posted a third excerpt yesterday. This time we have a short section of The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance ; where we meet the three deities in question, Alecto, Tisiphone and Megaera, and it gives you an insight into their back-stories; a pleasant bunch I'm sure you'll agree.
May 3rd, 2020
Great response to the first "lock-down" video, so check out Facebook for the second song posted; A love Letter from a Newspaper to a Coffee Cup. This is destined to be included on the debut album, The Plumes of Enceladus soon to be released on Aquarius Records. Already working on a third offering; watch this space.
April 20th, 2020
We launched the first "lock-down" video yesterday on Facebook and so far we've reached over 700 people. The song is Pandora,
a section of Malice A Forethought from the debut album soon to be released on Aquarius Records. Hope to do a few more in the next couple of weeks, watch this space.
Mar 14th 2020
Many thanks to photographer Matthew Ward for the excellent photo shoot today. See the results here.
Feb 22nd 2020
Band rehearsals going really well, we are about to launch The Book of Revelations onto an unsuspecting public. Watch this space for dates. Also, about to get some promotional pics of the band looking suitably wind-swept and interesting!!
Jan 21st 2020
The finishing touches to the video are being made as I type, and the band is very nearly gig-ready. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Ian Corlett (keyboards), but this meant we had the amazing good fortune to find Chris Millwater, a true keyboard genius who has early Genesis running through his veins.
Nov 24th, 2019
Saw the first draft of the video for Survival of the Wittest today, and it's looking mighty fine. Great work from our Art Director, Andrew Turner. We are now on the brink, on a knife-edge, at a precipice if you will, with alignment almost complete; docking procedure has begun and the long awaited first murmurings from The Book of Revelations are about to be released on a unsuspecting Universe; are you ready?
Sept 23rd, 2019
Great rehearsal yesterday, plus some more footage of the band for the video. EP entitled The Book of Revelations Prologue is with the mastering engineers as we speak. On a related topic, data from the Cassini fly past of Saturn, in particular The Plumes of Enceladus, is being meticulously scrutinised and may yet reveal life flourishing in our galaxy other than on Earth. This could indeed be considered a second GENESIS; life will never be the same again!
Aug 20th, 2019
Second rehearsal with full complement yesterday; everything coming together very nicely. Also choosing tracks for an EP to be released soon; and with video footage of rehearsal in the edit suite, I can feel a cosmic alignment taking place. Not long before you won't need a telescope to see "The Plumes of Enceladus" up close and personal.
June 8th, 2019
First "Test Drive", for guitars only; It Happened Today. Can't tell you how amazing it feels to hear the music played live, and with such panache and effortless grace. Can't wait for full band rehearsal on 13th July. Planning for September Release and Promo shows; watch this space, "The Plumes of Enceladus" are about to bathe you in a quintessential elixir.
May 2nd, 2019
Great to announce a full complement of players now signed up for the "mission". As well as Andrew Christou in the Engine Room, we have a second guitar maestro (joining Nick Gauntlett on the "Bridge"), Dan Monaghan, for the sub-200 Hz plus shared responsibility on the 12-strings. Finally, keyboard wizard, Ian Corlett, brings his special kind of magic to the party. Phasers set to stun, we are about to "Boldly go!"
Apr 1st, 2019
So far a great response to the Call to Arms; several excellent players from every corner of the galaxy have shown an interest in coming aboard. We now have the "Engine Room" manned by an amazing drummer and on the "Flight Deck", a guitar
maestro has signed up for the ride. We have a few possibles for the other roles, namely keyboards and bass/12-string guitar; hope to be able to announce the full crew shortly.
Feb 1st, 2019
Mastering coming along nicely, and we are awaiting announcement of a possible launch date, very exciting! Whilst we wait in anticipation, there is the "little" matter of presenting this opus to the world in the form of live performance. I am starting the process of finding Prog Rockers with the necessary skills (and patience) to assemble where the stars align, where the lay lines meet and where the Gods decree to take this first chapter of "The Book of Revelations" from the recorded medium to the stage of life.
Jan 1st, 2019
Mixing over, and now onto Mastering, hopefully the final process! As the Gnomes of the Universe plough on with that, I am putting together the art-work for the album sleeve and booklet. If you go to ART-WORK you can see some of the amazing pencil drawings by Andrew Turner (not the one from Wishbone Ash!!) which, with the lyrics will enhance the Holistic Experience whilst listening to the music.
Nov 9th, 2018
Spent the day with the "Mixerman", Keith More. Some of you will know who this is, some may not ,but he
has the most impressive c.v. in the world of PROG ROCK; playing, writing, engineering, mixing, producing etc.. I learned a lot, and heard some amazing things. His attention to detail is inspiring, not least when you see the results of his labours in another artistic field, that of HYPER REALISM; you will not believe what can be achieve with pencil alone. Check out https://momentsjournal.com/keith-more-amazing-hyperrealistic-pencil-drawings/.
Sept 4th, 2018
Received the first mixes of The Plumes of Enceladus and, though I say so myself, it sounds truly amazing. It still has to go through the Mastering process, so by then it will be even more amazing I'm predicting AWESOME. We will have a soupcon available on the web site as soon as possible, but in the meantime, to whet your appetite, check out https://thebookofrevelations.org/lyrics where you'll find all the lyrics for the album. We're getting there!!
Jun 28th, 2018
Did I say imminent release date of The Plumes of Enceladus in my last post?? Well, what I meant was mixing is a slow process and it cannot be hurried; what will be will be. I do know it will be worth the wait, I've waited 40 years so a few more days can't hurt. We are in the post-gestation period of heightened expectation, with senses firing on all cylinders, every axon and synapse charged to capacity awaiting the "crack of the starting gun" which will trigger a simultaneously discharge and a wave of euphoric phantasmagoria.
May 8th, 2018
Launch date imminent; Chapter 1 of The Book of Revelations entitled The Plumes of Enceladus will open very soon! The anticipation is palpable. The subterranean (or should that be subsaturnalian?) planetary force has climaxed and the Song of the Sirens released, ‘tis indeed a wondrous thing; the power and the glory are out there. All need to sample the delights and bathe in The Plumes of Enceladus as they rain down. Watch this space.
Mar 7th, 2018
As the Elves of the Mixing Studio weave their special kind of magic with Chapter One, The Plumes of Enceladus, I want to point out that this chapter would not be complete without the exquisite touches from the brush of South London’s own Michaelangelo, recently returned from the frozen Ice caps of the North where he was “sound-effective” with great success in a work inspired by the eighth Muse, Thalia. Artwork, SMARTWORK!!
Feb 13th, 2018
The new Chapter from The Book of Revelations, entitled The Plumes of Enceladus, in near completion; all tracks are finished and are with the Mixing Elves, whose magical sorcery will combine them to make something truly wonderful and vastly greater than the sum of the parts. No-one knows how they do it, or where they come from, but it must be from a galaxy far, far away as their travelling expenses are astronomical!! But worth every penny.
Jan 25th, 2018
Slight hitch!!! I know, hard to believe, but The Book of Revelations just discovered a spanner in the works. There is a report that some of the heavenly choirs had a “bit of an off day” when recording a track for the new Chapter; and so some kind soul is painstakingly putting right all the “bum notes”; should be sorted by next week; oh those pesky Cherubim!! We could perhaps get them back in and do it all again, but I believe they have now all dispersed across the infinite galaxies; so the transport costs alone would be prohibitive.
Jan 16th, 2018
Final paragraph of The Plumes of Enceladus in sight, just the finishing touches to go, a little sprinkling from the Solar Winds (not a band, as far as I know?) and re-immersion into the Plumes is all that’s required. This will instill Chapter 1 with the element of otherworldliness, the sound of the Seraphim and the Wisdom of the Age.
Jan 2nd, 2018
After a short break for The Winter Solstice, work resumes on The Book of Revelations first Chapter, The Plumes of Enceladus. Trepidation lies ahead; any day now the heavenly choirs will have to put in an appearance (goes without saying the lyrics are works of genius, classical musings and worthy of celebrating, so justice needs to be heard to be done!) Word has it that the heavenly choirs contain a blend of every human and every extraterrestrial tongue; but for the purposes of The Book of Revelations their lingua franca will be English, with a hint of Yorkshire.
Dec 7th, 2017
News from The Plumes of Enceladus. Even more 12-string guitars arrived, this time from the planet Rickenbacker, and now sit majestically alongside the glorious orchestral polyphony. The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance (verse 2) is almost complete. I can only imagine that this is what Odysseus heard as, tied to the mast, he sailed past the Sirens. Untie me, untie me, let me at ‘em!!!
Nov 28th, 2017
Chapter 1, verse 2 of The Book of Revelations called The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance gets the orchestral treatment today. Can’t wait! It is about to be bathed in the liquid gold of a polyphonic envelope that will bind the sputterings and flutterings of plucked instrumentation with the silken-smooth sublimity of the bow. Include the visceral reeds, the rasp of the horns and breathiness of the woodwind and there you have the recipe for perfect symphony, rhapsody and harmony.
Nov 14th, 2017
The orchestra from Heaven (or at least from a little know planet called Mellotron in the outer reaches of the Galaxy) has just left its indelible mark on the first verse, Malice À Forethought, of The Plumes of Enceladus. Mediocrity 0, PROG ROCK 1!! The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance (verse 2) up next. Oh, boy, those Mellotronians really can play!
Nov 7th, 2017
Looking at the possibility of bonus verses for chapter 1 of The Book of Revelations (working title The Plumes of Enceladus) so currently reviewing the archives and re-living the canon of work henceforth referred to as The Prologue. A likely contender is Love Letter from a Newspaper to a Coffee Cup (a collaboration with an alien species whose language is difficult to comprehend; but with an allure, charm, intellect and beauty difficult to ignore!), check out the lyrics here:- www.thebookofrevelations.org
Oct 31st, 2017
Another page is turned within Chapter 1 entitled The Plumes of Enceladus; Track 1, Malice À Forethought needed a bit of MENACE adding to the calm serenity of the acoustic, English country garden soundscape; it was time to get off-road, deep beneath the undergrowth and digging in the dirt. From nirvana to nadir and the intervening gamut; BRING IT ON, PROG's got it all.
Oct 18th, 2017
Chapter 1 of The Book of Revelations which includes Malice À Forethought and The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance is coming together nicely. All 12-string acoustic guitar tracks now in the bag, along side the bass and keyboards. The overall aural “image” is beginning to emerge from the primitive primordial depths deep beneath the Plumes. The clouds are parting ,the sun is rising, and if you are in just the right location in the Solar System a trace of a rainbow is visible; a wonderful countenance to behold (and hear).
Oct 11th, 2017
As the Gnomes of the Recording Studio work their special kind of magic on all other instruments, the drum tracks appear, as if by magic, from beyond the outer reaches of the M25 orbital. A drummer who can recreate that early Genesis feel is a wonder to behold – it is truly amazing the difference live drumming makes. A massive thank you goes out to “batteur extraordinaire”, Russ Wilson. Check him out at https://myspace.com/russwilsonuk and https://thebookofgenesis.co.uk/album/russ-wilson/.
Saturday Sept 30th, 2017
As Chapter 1 of The Book of Revelations takes shape, next up are the multiple 12-string acoustic guitars which emanate from the majestic Plumes. They are generating a flutter, a frisson, a thrill in the space-time continuum that can be felt across the whole Solar System. Jingle Jangle Little Star; Oh what a shimmering glimmering delight you are!
Tuesday Sept 20th, 2017
Here is a quote from NASA's official Cassini website, "Before Cassini arrived at the Saturn system, planetary explorers only had hints that something interesting might be happening on Enceladus". I can now assure them it certainly is!! Cassini last passed Enceladus in Oct 2015; and sadly, with its demise on Sept 15th 2017, it will have missed the ethereal emissions of The Plumes of Enceladus as soon to be expounded in Chapter 1 of The Book of Revelations.
Friday Sept 15th, 2017
Work on Chapter 1 of The Book of Revelations has now moved up a gear! The bedrock is in place and it is time to "tickle the ivories". From the familiar pianoforte and organ to the supramundane output of synthesisers, the next intricate interwoven layers emerge. It makes you look back at those piano lessons, at the time tedious, with a little more affection. PROG ROCK keyboard solos would be infinitely more tricky were it not for all those practiced scales and arpeggios.
Tuesday Sept 12th, 2017
Today we finished all the low end frequencies for the first chapter of The Book of Revelations, working title The Plumes of Enceladus, and mighty fine they sound too. As an aside, did you know Enceladus is now top of the list of Saturn’s 62 moons in the search for extra-terrestrial life forms, after the discovery of the water plumes issuing from its South Pole. Maybe Enrico Fermi's Paradox will soon be resolved.
Tuesday Sept 5th, 2017
Verse 2 of The Plumes of Enceladus, The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance coming along nicely; once again the bass is the key, the corner-stone, the linchpin upon which the sonic building blocks can be layered. The subsequent harmonics and musical nuances adorning this solid sub-structure fall into place so much more easily when the underpinning groundwork is SOUND. All hail to Dr Robert Moog (that's "oo" as in rogue not "oo" as in rouge!!)
Tuesday Aug 29th, 2017
And so onto the bass for Verse 2 of The Plumes of Enceladus, The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance (pronounced Thonic, the "ch" very much supernumerary, unless you are a Greek Scholar). Amongst many of chthe underworld gods, we concentrate on chthose dedicating chtheir existence to vengeance, Alecto, Tisiphone and Megaera. A motley crew who focus chtheir attention on Clytemnestra and Orestes who are getting up to no end of mischieve in chthe land of Argos. Happy Days!
Wednesday Aug 23rd, 2017
Verse 1 of The Plumes of Enceladus called Malice À Forethought now with as much bottom end as is feasibly possible. Any more and we would be in danger of exceeding the critical mass and it would start to resemble the aural equivalent of a Black Hole; nothing would be heard, nothing would escape; forever destined to teeter on the Event Horizon with no way back!! Can't have that, can we?
Monday Aug 21st, 2017
Chapter 1, Verse 1 of "The Book of Revelations" is being built on firm foundations. "More bass, more bass!", they cry, and just when you think enough is enough; frequencies so low, so fundamental that they surely emanate from Hades, wash over you and a revitalisation takes hold. The planets align, the stars come out and all's well from Ganymede to Gallifray; Supper might be Ready but it will have to wait a little while longer.
Wednesday Aug 16th, 2017
Chapter 1 of The Book of Revelations, is taking shape; working on the bass for Malice À Forethought (verse 1). We will get onto The Chthonic Deities of Vengeance (verse 2) in the next few days. The timbre of the lower registers beautifully reflect the turmoil and tumult that lurks beneath; powering the Plumes from the deep as they soar far out into the ether. Palpable, I swear! It’s not real bass unless it rattles the pit of your stomach. You might not be able to hear in Space but you can FEEL!
Monday Aug 14th, 2017
THE OPENING OF THE BOOK!
Exciting times ahead, rehearsals are over and the recording of Chapter 1, (working title “The Plumes of Enceladus”) starts tomorrow. I can’t wait to get going on this latest Prog Rock epic. Plan A is to include two “Symphonies” gleaned by osmosis from Calliope, Erato and Euterpe! (Google them). I’ll let you know if and when Plan B kicks in!