First four Blackmore’s Night albums are apparently being deleted by SPV and will be reissued by the in-house label Minstrel Hall Music. Differences from the previous pressings are summarized below.

Shadow of the Moon
(MHM001)

Tracklist as per the 1998 UK re-issue/US release. Artwork at the rear loses the BMG logo and gains the MHM logo. The track listing is in a darker/bolder type face. CD artwork and inner rear CD tray artwork now incorporates the central section from the front cover.

Under a Violet Moon
(MHM002)

Tracks as per the original UK version. Artwork on rear has the track listing done in a different font and is centralized. The production notes have been removed, and there is the MHM logo. The band’s logo appears on the spine of the cover. CD artwork, band’s name and album name are in a large font size, and the production notes have been removed. The track listing is again in a new font. CD Booklet is 12 pages long and is different from the original 16 page UK version.

Fires at Midnight
(MHM003)

Tracks as per original UK release, not the same as the deluxe box version. Rear cover artwork, the band logo is slightly larger with a black outline, making it more distinguishable from the fiery background. Has MHM logo.

Ghost of a Rose
(MHM004)

CD artwork removes SPV logo and replaces it with MHM logo. The band’s logo appears on the spine of the cover. Track listing is same as the basic UK version, however Way to Mandalay video has been added.

Thanks to Kevin Dixon for the info.

Very interesting interviews with Roger Glover, Ronnie Dio, Eddie Hardin, Ray Fenwick, and Alan Aldridge (author of the book). This was filmed circa 1999 (a poster of a 1999 DP gig in Hamburg can be seen at one point).
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In Kevin Shirley’s online diary, he confirms what Jason Bonham said about Black Country and also confirms the rumour that there is a keyboard player in the group. Maybe no one told Bonham that. 🙂

Kevin Shirley writes:

So there it is folks – the cat is out the bag! This is BLACK COUNTRY.

I am producing the debut album and we already have six tracks cut. We’re going to do the next session in March when I’m through with my current project, and I hope to finish in early April. The band is Jason Bonham on drums, Derek Sherinian on keyboards, Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals and Joe Bonamassa on guitar and vocals. The songs are all original and what a lineup! They are all the very best players in the world, for my money!

Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner) is a totally unique drummer and a supreme, yet oh-so-tasty powerhouse. Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Billy Idol, Alice Cooper) is super versatile, and is playing mostly overdriven Hammond organ in this ensemble and is the color on the palette. Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Trapeze) plays bass and sings with a range VERY, VERY few can even get close to, and Joe Bonamassa, perhaps the best Blues guitarist around, plays hard riffing guitar as well as adding his signature vocals alongside Glenn. You’ll just have to wait – we’re planning to get this out late summer, and it’s promising to be phenomenal! Perhaps if you’re around San Bernadino about March 17………

Meanwhile, Glenn Hughes’ website has this to say:

There is a lot of speculation and talk about the new project that Glenn is involved with, and at this stage, all we can say, is that an official statement/announcement is forthcoming and will be made very soon. However, this will not be made until the time is right.

Joe Bonamassa comments on his Facebook page:

So it is out of the bag… I am in a band again.. Really cool bunch of guys who are so good. The first tracks are really great..

And here’s a very small taster of what’s to come. Hughes and Bonamassa joins Bonham at 2.20.

It looks like the band will spend this spring (or autumn, depending on how you look at it) in Australia and Far East. Lennard Promotions has just announced the 2010 Deep Purple Australian tour Continue Reading »

Joe Bonamassa has reported on Facebook that he recorded with Don Airey this week. No more information at this moment but Bonamassa referred to it as “Don Airey’s record”.

At the Guitar Center’s Drum-Off last weekend, Jason Bonham did a tribute to his father, the late John Bonham from Led Zeppelin. Glenn Hughes was Bonham’s guest at the show. In an interview before the show, Bonham talked about his new band featuring Joe Bonamassa and Glenn Hughes.

“I just literally went into the studio last week for two days with one person I’d done an album with before, very quickly, and then the other was a friend of my father’s I got to meet later on, Joe Bonamassa and Glenn Hughes, and we’re working on a new project with a working title of Black Country.”

“We just went in with [producer] Kevin Shirley and played riffs and just jammed for two days. And that’s really exciting.”

There has been rumours floating around about a keyboard player joining the group. For now at least, Bonham denies that.

“Joe just wanted to play guitar so with Glenn on bass and vocals, it’s a power trio.”

Jon Lord will release his new all instrumental album, “To Notice Such Things”, on April 5, 2010 through Avi Records.

Titled after its main work – a six movement suite for solo flute, piano and string orchestra – the album was inspired by, and is dedicated to the memory of Jon’s dear friend Sir John Mortimer who died in January of 2009. Mortimer was an English barrister, a dramatist, screenwriter, author and creator of Rumpole of The Bailey.

– He was a great friend and a great inspiration to me and I hope my love and respect for him comes out in the music, says Jon Lord.

Read the full story and new interview with Jon Lord on his website, JonLord.org.

On January 3rd Steve Morse spoke at length to the Long Live Rock show. The hour-long interview covers a lot of ground — touring all the weird places, the act of recording being a charitable event, his new SMB album, Steve Howe influences, Steve’s stint with Kansas, Purple camp plans for 2010 (touring in Australia, Asia and US was mentioned as a possibility, but no immediate plans to go into the studio), and many other things. Listen to the interview (mp3, 32kbps, 14MB).
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Steve Morse has six dates lined up in California in January with his band. He will support himself, with the public debut of the Angelfire project — a collaboration with young vocalist Sarah Spencer. Back in 2008 they recorded an album, which apparently is finally coming out in early 2010. The album will be available for a special preview purchase at those concerts. Dave LaRue and Van Romaine provided the rhythm section in the studio, whereas the live lineup will be rounded out by Bill Evans on keyboards and Ron Spencer on bass..

Preview Angelfire’s music at angelfiremusic.com.

Update (Jan 4): Angelfire will appear only on January 14th, 15th and 16th dates, not on all six as we reported earlier.

Thanks to Daniel Bengtsson for the info.

Glenn Hughes has broken the news that he’s been indeed working with Kevin Shirley, and they are working on the Come Taste The Band remixes. Still a work in progress, songs that have received the treatment so far include You Keep On Moving, Gettin’ Tighter, Dealer and I Need Love.

Update (Jan 2): Kevin Shirley writes in his blog:

Just finishing a remix of the Deep Purple album, Come Taste The Band. What a trip!! It’s been such fun – started off with The Drifter and didn’t want to stray too much from the originals, but by the end I’m pushing it, and there are some different bits and pieces all over – I’m diggin’ it. Sent the mixes to both David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes, who also came up to my studio, The Cave, for a day – Coverdale: “Kick arse. KS…a veritable sonic treat…” Glenn Hughes: “Yeah baby!…sounds great…Drums are way better…sounds more cohesive…2 thumbs up…” * I was a Deep Purple fan before I was a Zeppelin fan…