Eurock for Jan 1977


The New Year starts off with a lot of developments on the Eurock scene. John Lawton, lead singer of LUCIFER's FRIEND, has left the group to become the new lead vocalist for URIAH HEEP. . . DAVID BOWIE has a new LP coming ou this month tentatively titled "New Music Night and Day". One side features backing tracks done entirely by ENO. . . By the time you read this, the new GENESIS album "Wind and Wuthering," will be out. . .A new PINK FLOYD album is due to be out soon and it's called "Animals" . . .RANDY PIE's latest single "England, England" has been released here by Polydor. . .CAN have added a new member to their group. He's ex-Traffic bassist, Rosko Gee. . . STEVE HILLAGE, ex-Gong lead guitarist, has his solo LP "L" released here on Atlantic. It was produced and engineered by Todd Rundgren and includes backing by some of the Utopians and Don Cherry. . . From Norway comes a new album by guitarist TERJE RYPDAL. He plays all instruments on the LP including acoustic and electric guitars, string ensemble, acoustic and electric pianos, flute, soprano sax and tubular bells; it's on ECM. . .JADE WARRIOR have a new album out on Islnad called "Kites". . . .Another record has been released this month that includes VANGELIS. This time he acts as producer for a Greek group called SOCRATES. The album is called "Phos" and also features some of the keybaord work of Vangelis. . . .OVER THERE: RICK WAKEMAN has rejoined YES. . . .JON LORD has put together a new band, as of yet un-named, with Ian Paice, Bernie Marsden, and Paul Martinez. An LP will be out early this year. . . .ACE KEFFORD, ex-bassist of the MOVE, has put together a band called ROCKSTAR. Their debut album will be released in England next month. . . .There's a new album by Italy's BANCO called "As In A Last Supper." . . . .Also from Italy is NOVA. Their new album is called "Vimana" and features guest musicians Michael Narada Walden (ex-Mahavishnu Orch.) and Percy Jones (of Brand X). . . ."New Age of Earth" is the title of the new LP by ASH RA TEMPEL relaesed in France on the Isadora label. However, these days A.R.T. consists soley of Manuel Gottsching who performs on a variety of keyboards, synthesizers and Gibson guitar. . . .KEITH JARRETT's latest for ECM is a double album set called "Hymn Spheres." It is an album of total improvisation, recorded on the Baroque organ at the Benedictine Abbey of Ottobeuren in Southern Germany. U.S. release is due next month. . . .ciao 4 now