After the weirdest year in living memory, we all need a distraction. With no live concerts or shows currently happening now, what better way to enjoy yourselves and even reminisce.
It seems that it will soon be that time of year, the record companies know it and the record/boxset/CD/Blu Ray/DVD/Book buying public know it. So here is an interesting list of what is out there or going to be released in time for the big day!
Steve Hackett has released a live DVD/BLU RAY/CD/VINYL Box set, depending on which version you purchase format wise titled: Live At Hammersmith
It’s an excellent box set capturing the feel and production of the Genesis Revisited 2019 tour, focusing mainly on the Genesis classic album; Selling England By The Pound and one of Steve’s very own classic albums “Spectral Mornings” . Filmed and recorded at The Hammersmith Apollo, on the 29th November 2019. Steve Hackett celebrates the worldwide release of his new live album Selling England By The Pound & Spectral Mornings: Steve Hackett was joined by his touring band of Roger King (keyboards), Jonas Reingold (bass), Rob Townsend (saxes/flutes), Craig Blundell (drums and percussion) with Nad Sylvan on vocals. Special guests for this performance were Steve’s brother John Hackett (flute) and Amanda Lehmann (guitar and vocals).
To order your own copy (choose your format wisely) Click Steve Hackett Official store
Nick Mason’s “Live at the Roundhouse” is unlike any other concert film connected with Pink Floyd. It’s the nearest thing you can get to a time machine, transporting you back to the very earliest days of the band. Nick Mason, the only band member to have played on all of Pink Floyd’s studio albums, returns to the group’s earliest records, joined in the line-up by Gary Kemp, Guy Pratt, Lee Harris and Dom Beken. Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets took the drummer back to clubs for the first time in 1967, then to theatres, across the UK, North America and Europe, playing only music his old band had recorded before The Dark Side of the Moon.
Captured from the band’s celebrated shows at London’s Roundhouse, where Pink Floyd played some of their most revered early shows in the 1960s, the film features a uniquely thrilling setlist including songs hailing from Syd Barrett’s time with the band. Only four songs from this eclectic roster have ever previously appeared on official live releases by Pink Floyd or its members.
To order your copy – Nick Mason AMAZON UK
King Crimson have a new box set out, this one seems to include a lot of material from In The Court Of The Crimson King,
Ultimate Boxed Set Edition of one of rock music’s seminal debut albums. Blu-Ray 4 features all-new, 2020, Dolby Atmos mix by Steven Wilson. Complete, fully mixed stereo recording sessions feature on Blu-Ray, DVD & across 6 CDs Blu-Rays also feature the original master edition of the 1969 album mix in 24/96 stereo, the 2019 stereo & 5.1 mixes, the 2009 stereo & 5.1 mixes, a complete alternate album comprising 2019 mixes & more. ‘Let’s Make a Hit Waxing’ – single CD ‘in the studio with the band’ mixed & compiled by David Singleton – also features in 24/48 on DVD & 24/96 hi-res on Blu-Ray. 13 further CDs present all known live recordings of the band, BBC sessions, a CD compilation of Giles, Giles & Fripp material (1968) & all studio recordings & alt takes of the main album. Presented in an album sized box with outer slipcase, containing a 12 inch booklet featuring an intro from Robert Fripp, notes about the source tapes by David Singleton, sleeve-notes by King Crimson biographer Sid Smith & previously unseen photos from the recording sessions plus memorabilia. Artwork derived from 2019 scans of the original paintings, meticulously restored. The eighth boxed set in the series documenting King Crimson’s studio & live recordings from 1969 onward’s.
To order your copy from Amazon UK click KC 1969 Box set
Pink Floyd have A Delicate Sound Of Thunder on release in November…
It was recently confirmed that the show – filmed at Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum in 1988 during the band’s tour in support of A Momentary Lapse Of Reason album. The new release of Delicate Sound Of Thunder has been taken from the original 35mm negatives and transferred into 4K. It’s been completely re-edited by Benny Trickett under the creative direction of Aubrey Powell from Hipgnosis, while the 5.1 surround sound audio has been remixed by David Gilmour, Andy Jackson and Damon Iddins.
‘Delicate Sound of Thunder’ encapsulates a band at their best. This deluxe edition includes: 2-CD version of the album remixed from the original tapes, Blu-Ray & DVD (each containing 21 songs), 40-page booklet, a double sided poster and 5 postcards. Blu-Ray audio format is stereo PCM (96/24), 5.1 DTS master audio (96/24) and DVD audio format is stereo PCM (48/16), 5.1 Dolby Digital (48/16), 5.1 DTS (48/16).
To PRE-order your copy… Amazon UK
Steve Hackett – A Genesis In My Bed – the long overdue autobiography from guitar great and former member of Genesis, Steve Hackett. As with his music, Steve has written a highly detailed, entertaining and embracing tome that charts his life in full, but with a firm emphasis on his years with Genesis that saw the band’s meteoric rise to become one of the most successful British bands of all time.
Steve talks candidly about his early life, his time with Genesis, and in particular his personal relationships with the other four band members, with great insight into the daily goings on of this major rock band.
On joining Genesis…
He lifted his head and looked at me with a steely gaze… “You’ve heard of them, haven’t you?”
Once again I was up against that invisible wall, aware I could either choose to sit there and give in or climb over it. But once over the wall, you can never go back. I knew there and then I was about to take a leap of faith into that new world and that my life was about to change for good. I was to board a spaceship to a new planet with a bunch of aliens. I emptied my glass, put it down and walked out through the door into the sunshine, clutching that ticket to Mars.
Hardback: 234 x 156 mm, 224pp, plus 8 page photo section. To order your copy Book Steve Hackett Official store
Genesis – Genesis 5 by Robert Ellis. This hard back book measures 250x297mm, has 282 pages, and contains over 630 images. It is not a history or a biography. It is a collection of my photographs from the Genesis line up of Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins, and Steve Hackett, It is arranged in chronological order and spans the tours and events I was at. It begins in 1972 with ‘Nursery Cryme’ and continues through the next two tours up to 1975 and ‘The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’.
It then continues with the ‘Wind & Wuthering’ tour of 1977 which featured Phil Collins upfront and was the last tour with Steve Hackett on board. The book ends with the ‘Six Of The Best’ event from 1982 as all five took part. I have unearthed a few surprises along the way that even I had forgotten. Take a colourful and spectacular journey down Genesis memory lane with me and a few fans who have contributed their stories. I will not make this book available through Amazon or in any bookshop. The price is £105 UK pounds plus shipping, to order your copy GENESIS 5
Genesis – Genesis 3 by Robert Ellis, This hard back book measures 250x297mm, has 286 pages, and contains over 600 images. It is not a history or a biography. It is a collection of my photographs from the Genesis line up of Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins.
It is arranged in chronological order and spans the tours and events I was at. It begins in 1978 with ‘…and then there were three…’ and continues up to 1987 and ‘Invisible Touch’. I have unearthed a few surprises along the way that even I had forgotten. Take a colourful and spectacular journey down Genesis memory lane with me and a few fans who have contributed their stories. The price is £105 UK pounds plus shipping, to order your copy GENESIS 3
Most importantly, keep well, keep safe and stay in touch with people.