Happy Friday from all of us here at Cherry Red HQ! We’ve got five fantastic titles out today and available to order now, with a new release from prog legends Nektar, as well as reissues from Tangerine Dream’s Edgar Froese, Mass Production, The Honeycombs, and The Meters. Find out more below and follow the links to order now!
EANTCD1082 NEKTAR THE OTHER SIDE
• THE STUNNING NEW STUDIO ALBUM FROM THE LEGENDARY NEKTAR
• US CONCERTS IN JANUARY & REMAINDER OF 2020
Esoteric Antenna is delighted to announce the release of the stunning new studio album by the legendary band Nektar. Throughout the 1970s Nektar released a series of acclaimed albums, scoring chart success in Germany (where the British band was based) and later in the USA (where the band relocated). Following the passing of original guitarist / vocalist Roye Albrighton in 2016, fellow founder members Derek “Mo” Moore (bass, vocals), Ron Howden (drums, vocals) & Mick Brockett (lyrics, visual conceptions) reunited along with Randy Dembo (bass, 12-string guitar), Ryche Chlanda (guitar, vocals) & Kendall Scott (keyboards) to begin work on a new album.
Ryche Chlanda originally recorded with Nektar in 1978, and for “The Other Side” the band updated some of those ideas which evolved in the basement of Mo Moore’s house in Chatham, New Jersey. Ron Howden, Mo and Ryche collaborated on much of the music heard on the album. The 1978 unrecorded song ‘Skypilot’ has evolved into ‘Skywriter’ in 2020.
‘I’m On Fire’ is the musical adaptation of a poem written by Mo for his soon-to-be wife, Nicki, during that same time period of 1978. The closing track, ‘Devil’s Door’, was originally performed live in 1974, but never featured on a Nektar album. Updated and recorded for this album, the song features the presence of the late Roye Albrighton on the introduction to the track, whose wonderful guitar part was taken from a live soundboard recording made in 1974.
Kendall Scott’s distinctive & versatile keyboard presence has enhanced this considerably, whilst Randy Dembo, who originally joined Nektar in 2004, brings a uniting presence on 12-string and bass guitars, rounding out the instrumental arrangements. Ron Howden has been a continual driving force of the band, weathering all versions of Nektar since its conception in 1969. With Mick Brockett now back in the fold (with his visual concepts and ideas as an essential part of the band making the music and light theatre a reality). “The Other Side” is a stunning album from a legendary band.
EREACD1040 EDGAR FROESE DALINETOPIA0
• THE FIRST EVER FULL COMMERCIAL RELEASE OF THE 2004 ALBUM BY TANGERINE DREAM FOUNDER EDGAR FROESE
• COINCIDES WITH TANGERINE DREAM EXHIBITION ‘TANGERINE DREAM: ZEITRAFFER’ – SHOWING AT THE BARBICAN, LONDON FROM 16 JAN – 02 MAY 2020.
Esoteric Reactive is delighted to announce the first ever full commercial release of the 2004 recording by Tangerine Dream founder Edgar Froese, “Dalinetopia”.
In 1967, the young Edgar Froese met the unique and eccentric artist Salvador Dali. Visiting the painter twice and performing together with Tangerine Dream a few times in his villa in Port Lligat, Spain, Edgar was one of the few musicians who knew the man face to face.
Nearly four decades after these meetings, Froese
decided to transform his experiences with Salvador Dali into sound, forming his own tribute to Dali.
The album was originally made available as a mail order only item, but now finally makes its appearance as a wider release on Esoteric Reactive for the first time.
“Dalinetopia” is a profound listening experience and a fine tribute from one much missed artist to another.
QROBIN41CDT MASS PRODUCTION THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION: 3CD DIGIPAK
For the very first time you can now get your hands on a triple CD Definitive Collection of the Funk & Soul sensation that is Mass Production.
• Robinsongs have compiled the biggest and best tracks from all their Cotillion albums, this package also includes the 7” versions of their biggest singles.
• Disc One features tracks from the albums “Welcome To Our World” and “Believe” plus a track from “Three Miles High”. The title track from their first album “Welcome To Our World (Of Merry Music)” was to become a dance floor classic and the band’s first charting single.
• Disc Two includes tracks from the albums “Three Miles High”, “In The Purest Form” and “Masterpiece”. The standout tracks being Mass Production’s biggest hit ‘Firecracker’ and the instrumental ‘Shante’.
• Disc Three concludes the package featuring cuts from the albums “Turn Up The Music”, “In A City Groove” and “83” plus the seven bonus 7” single versions of key tracks.
• “Turn Up The Music” was Mass Production’s most successful album peaking at #6 in the Billboard R&B chart.
• The package also features sleeve notes by Charles Waring contributor to both MOJO & Record Collector magazines.
QRPMBX548 THE HONEYCOMBS HAVE I THE RIGHT? THE COMPLETE 60s ALBUMS & SINGLES: 3CD BOXSET
Often remembered for their foot stomping classic 60s hit ‘Have I The Right’ and the presence of Honey Lantree as their drummer. There was more, and this is a long overdue complete collection of one of producer Joe Meek’s most successful artists.
• Presented in a clam shell box with an extensive biography from major collector and contributor to The Joe Meek Society magazine Thunderbolt, Paul Moy, a fan of the group since buying their first single in 1964, plus rare images from Paul’s collection.
• The set includes both studio LPs The Honeycombs (1964) and All Systems Go (1965), presented here in their original mono versions, comprising Disc 1 and 2.
• Also on these discs are the non LP b-sides, the rare US only single version of ‘I Can’t Stop’, and the German language version of the major hit as ‘Hab Icht Des Recht’. Together with the unreleased alt.version of the backing track to the hit complete with Joe Meek count in.
• The Honeycombs made a strong impression in Japan at the time and the box set includes their third LP In Tokyo (1966), a live recording. Also the Japan only singles recorded at Nippon Columbia Studios.
• To complete the 60s recordings round-up we have two tracks recorded not long before Meek’s death in 1967, ‘Tell Me Baby’ and ‘I Can Tell (Something’s Up)’ which remained unreleased at the time. Then following their time in the group the solo singles by guitarist Martin Murray and lead singer Denny D’ell.
• An important addition to any Joe Meek collectors archive, as well as 60s pop fans in general.
Among the most sampled groups of the 60s and 70s by a slew of top rap and hip-hop artists of the 90s and beyond (including 2 Pac, Ice-T, A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy and Beastie Boys among others), the legendary New Orleans band and Grammy Lifetime Achievement awardees The Meters created an instantly recognizable sound through almost a decade of recording, initially for the Josie label and then for Reprise and Warner Brothers. Group members guitarist Leo Nocentelli, bassist George Porter Jr., drummer Joseph ‘Zigaboo’ Modeliste and keyboardist/singer Art Neville formed the core of the band, later augmented by Art’s younger brother, percussionist/singer Cyril who joined The Meters in 1975.
• With a superb, informative and extensive essay by renowned UK writer Charles Waring that includes quotes from Nocentelli, Porter and Cyril Neville from interviews conducted for the liner notes, first class mastering by Nick Robbins and stellar artwork by Roger Williams (featuring rare photos supplied by Warner Music), this wonderful 116-track, 6-CD SoulMusic Records’ box set (produced by SoulMusic.com’s David Nathan) showcases The Meters’ entire recorded output for Josie Records (1968-1971), Reprise and Warners Brothers (1972-77). In addition to their eight full albums (almost all consisting of original material by the group), this luxurious package (with a 40-page booklet) includes non-album singles, bonus material, single edits and a rare 1977 disco mix of ‘Disco Is The Thing Today’, available for the first time on CD.
• Disc One comprises an expanded edition of the group’s 1969 debut Josie LP, THE METERS (including the US charted singles, ‘Sophisticated Cissy’ and ‘Cissy Strut’ and bonus tracks, ‘The Look Of Love’ and ‘Soul Machine’) plus the entire follow-up album, 1970’s LOOK-KA PY PY.
• Disc Two is an expanded edition of 1970’s STRUTTIN,’ their third and final Josie LP (featuring the US hit, ‘Chicken Strut’) along with two bonus tracks, ‘Grass’ and ‘Borro’ and the ‘A’ and ‘B’ sides of three non-album US R&B-charted singles.
• Disc Three marks the start of The Meters’ association with Reprise Records and consists of an expanded edition of 1972’s CABBAGE ALLEY (with the ‘A’ and ‘B’ sides of the single ‘Chug Chug Chug-A-Lug (Push And Shove)’ as bonus tracks); and the first six tracks from the 1974 LP, REJUVENATION including the classic ‘Hey Pocky A-Way’ and funk’n’groove favourite, ‘Just Kissed My Baby’.
• Disc Four kicks off with the remaining three tracks from REJUVENATION plus an expanded edition of the group’s best-selling Reprise album 1975’s FIRE ON THE BAYOU (with four bonus cuts).
• Disc Five features an expanded edition of the 1976 set TRICK BAG (with five additional tracks including versions of The Beatles’ ‘Come Together’, Neil Young’s ‘Down By The River’ and Stephen Stills’ ‘Love The One You’re With’)
• Disc Six concludes the box set with the group’s sole Warner Brothers’ album, 1977’s NEW DIRECTIONS, rounding out with edits of various tracks including the single versions of charted hits, ‘Hey Pocky A-Way’, ‘People Say’ and ‘Be My Lady’ plus the long version of ‘Running Fast’.
