Absolute

My first volume of poetry is released on June 1st 2006 entitled "Absolute" - 32 poems written between January 1984 and July 2005.

"Everybody has to fight their demons..." as Rick Springfield once sang and I guess that's what "Absolute" is about. It's me fighting my demons and trying to make sense of it all.

Consequently some of the poems are a bit dark, some are a bit sentimental, some of them are a bit of a whinge and some of them have aged better than others. It's all where I was at the time.

It's also an opportunity for me to draw a line under the past; to be able to move on with the next phase of my life, embrace the new experiences and maybe write something new.

Anyway, "track listing" is as follows:-

Talk
The Evangelical Hit Squad
Loneliness
To A Friend
Elements
Silent Scream
Touch Sensitive
Diamond Words
The Literary Sea
The Slow Dance
Sunday Morning
Behind The Mask
As Boys Do
Union
Learning Curve
The Bomb
Keepin' It Locked
The Dream
Even Now
Running Thru Walls
Emotion
The Runner
Drift
Shelf Life
So Why Am I Crying Again?
Chrysalis
Between The Heart And Mind
The Icarus Heart
The Bus Queue
Rainwalk
Life Beckons
The View From Here

Music News

Dannii Minogue - Dannii Minogue has a new single released on 12th June entitled "So Under Pressure" this is followed a week later by a greatest hits compilation called " The Hits And Beyond". A limited edition version will feature a bonus DVD containing 16 of Dannii's promotional videos. All of this gives me a good excuse to put a picture of the gorgeous Dannii on my website!!

http://www.danniimusic.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81NvgbABK28&search=dannii%20minogue

Dollar - The Dollar "Platinum Collection" previously mentioned on this site will now be released on July 24th.

Asia - The Asia line up of Wetton/Downes/Howe/Palmer are touring the USA in September 2005.

Jon Anderson & Rick Wakeman - With Yes on hold while the band embark on other projects, Jon Anderson & Rick Wakeman are - astonishingly enough - playing the Robin2 in Bilston in October!!

https://www.therobintickets.co.uk/ticketshop/giglist.asp?month=10&year=2006

Jay Aston - There are plans to re-release Jay's early nineties cassette only "Lamb Or Lizard" album on CD with bonus tracks. As I only have a rather muffled third generation cassette copy this is welcome news! Further details can be found at her website

http://www.jay-aston.co.uk/

Also if you click on the 'discography' section you'll find Jay describing the meaning behind the tracks on her "Alive & Well" album which makes for interesting reading...

Video Killed The Radio Star?

Did you know that ELO made a video to "It's Over"? Or that there is a different (and better) video to "Wild West Hero" than the one made for the UK? Nope me neither! However I've seen them both for the first time this week at this great little site, which shows streaming videos online:

http://www.youtube.com/

I'm not telling you what to search for but I would recommend entering the words 'Buggles' 'New Musik', 'Styx' 'Agnetha' & 'Kate Bush' in the search engine as well...

New Releases!

ELO

The ELO remasters originally planned for May 22nd has been delayed yet again. A statement from Jeff Lynne's manager Craig Fruin states "The remasters have been put on hold pending resolution of issues with business affairs. Hopefully things will be resolved soon so we can stay close to the original schedule." Flippin hell!!

DOLLAR

The Dollar "Platinum Collection" is still on course for a release on 19th or 26th June. Tracklisting is as follows:

Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour)
Give Me Back My Heart
Hand Held In Black And White (7" Version)
Videotheque
Give Me Some Kinda Magic (7" Version)
Second Time Around (Long Version - Previously Unreleased)
Pink And Blue
Don't Change Your Life
Radio
The Girls Are Out To Get Ya
Young Love
You Take My Breath Away
Takin' A Chance On You
Living A Life Of Dreams
Dangerous Blondes (Full Version 2006 - Previously Unreleased)
Two Hearts (Previously Unreleased In The UK)
Hand Held In Black And White (Original 12" Version)
Give Me Some Kinda Magic (Dean Murphy Extended Remix 2006)
Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour) (Demo Version - Previously Unreleased)

BUCKS FIZZ

Another three tracks have been added to the Bucks Fizz "The Lost Masters" project. These are the "She Cries (Original Version)", "Young Hearts (Unfinished Version - Shelley on lead vocals)" and an acapellas version of "You & Your Heart So Blue" version 1 with Cheryl on lead vocals.

ART OF NOISE

ZTT are planning to release a box set of early Art Of Noise material. The set will consist of 3CDs and 1 DVD. Tracklisting for CD1 has been announced and is as follows...

Beat Box (One Made Earlier) / Once Upon A Lime / War (Demo 2) / Close to the Edge / Confession / Moments in Love 7:52 / Sign of Relief / Who's Afraid of Scale / So What Happens Now (Take 2) / The Subject Has Moved Left / It's Not Fair / Close to the Edge (Ruff Mix) / A Time for Fear (Who's Afraid?) / Moments in Bed.