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Sunday, January 31, 2010

柳ヶ浦へ行きませんか？
Category: Music

嬉しいお知らせ！今から、私のMyspace (http://www.myspace.com/gillessnowcat)で、『柳ヶ浦』 (satin caress of the 猫 mix)と『Chase Around 大分駅』 (warm hypno 猫 mix)の抜枠が聞こえるよ。一分だけけど、もう直ぐシングルがオンラインで買える。
どうですか？

10:41 PM

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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Awa-news 18: Release release? They burn the mountain in 柳ヶ浦
Category: Music

n°18, 28th of January, 2010

www.awaken.be

Dear friends, fans and passing smiles,

I don't see any better way to depict the year 2010 as it began than by a title of a Yes' song: RELEASE RELEASE! Two weeks after Awaken's new single, it's Snowcat's turn to release a new EP (see the news). And as we know some of you are a bit disapointed that our music isn't free anymore, there's a special present for you. Here in Awa-news.

OK, time to jump into Awa-news number 18!

Artists sometimes say very smart sentences, with or without knowing.

It's rock'n'roll philosophy time!

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. (Albert Einstein)

What are the hottest news in Awaken's Universe?

SHOP FOR HOW MANY 'L' ON CD BABY

AND HEAL WITH MUSIC FROM KYÛSHÛ

You may have waited for this moment: How Many 'L' Were In Your Name? is available! Our CD BABY shop page made it easy for you to become owner of the newest release of AWAKEN. We already told you much about the unexpected return of AWAKEN, so it's now your turn to take the plunge and enjoy the delights of a psychedelic experience, a soulful introspection and a hi-NRG explosion.

Soulful, did we say soulful? Actually, right after finishing to record the AWAKEN single, the sleepy Snowcat decided to go further in mixing emotions, sensations from Kyûshû with his own music. The result is a new EP, Yanagigaura, featuring two relaxing, smooth, hypnotic, spiritual tunes, based on two recent compositions of Mr Snowcat: "Yanagigaura" and "Chase Around Ôita Eki".

The ‘satin caress of the Neko mix’ of “Yanagigaura” departs from the lo-fi electro take you heard the album This Mouth (nha.c cho em Mèo), to spread some jazzier, more organic waves.
Thanks to a brand new ‘warm hypno Neko mix’, “Chase Around Ôita Eki” reaches here a higher level of introspection, relaxation, meditation, rather different from the breathtaking speedy version that you knew from the B-side of “My Last Evening In Ôita”.

You can expect to hear it online in the beginning of February 2010.

Let's end with a little present for you: the live take of "They Burn The Mountain", recorded at the Comme Sur Des Roulettes radio show, on January 13th 2010. Click here to listen (free -it's a present)

Our interview:

Hey, the Cat, it's your turn!

Let's reverse roles today: instead of interviewing other musicians, it's sleepy Snowcat's turn to be asked a few questions by the Vietnamese indie webzine M!osaic.
You can read it in English and Vietnamese.

Links: http://www.m-mosaic.com/

What happened on January some years ago?

Let's jump into Awa-news' time machine...

24/01/1941: Neil Diamond says hello again to the world. He's then headed for the future...

20/01/1984: Tarzan actor Johnny Weissmuller dies. Uh, not related to music? And Tarzan's yell, isn't it music in its own way?

23/01/1989: David Crosby, shortly after CSNY's American Dream, releases his own Oh Yes I Can.

You like Awaken? You *will* like these albums:

DAVID BOWIE, Diamond Dogs (1974)

Bowie was there before fashions, and he made his music turning raw before the Sex Pistols would ever think of doing anything. Bowie plays here all the guitars, doing a great job, proving that if his collaboration with Ronson was fruitful, he was also able to handle everything by himself. And what do you think of his "Sweet Thing" covered by your beloved Awaken?

Links: www.davidbowie.com

BOB JAMES & DAVID SANBORN, Double Vision (1986)

Cool smooth jazz, featuring Marcus Miller and Al Jarreau, to name a few. Some great melodies ("Maputo") and stunning playing from the band of Sanborn, who, should we remind you, used to play with Bowie too.

Links: www.davidsanborn.com

No Awa-news next week, but news when they come! Which might be quite soon.

Take care and see you!

email: awamail(at)hellokitty.com

Awaken main sites: www.awaken.be

11:27 PM

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Sunday, January 24, 2010

柳ヶ浦や大分からヒーリングでリラックスな曲
Current mood:

artistic
Category: Music

嬉しいお知らせ！雪猫ジルの新しい『柳ヶ浦』と『CHASE・AROUND・大分駅』の「猫ミックス」はレコーディングし終わったよ！

もう直ぐiTUNESやCD・BABYで買う事が出来ますけど、待機中アートワークが見せます。

宜しくお願いします。

雪猫ジル

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Awa-news 17: Watching the wheels of Evidence(s)
Category: Music

n°17, 21st of January, 2010

www.awaken.be

Dear friends, fans and passing smiles,

full moon inspires some artists. Full snow inspires bad cats. Therefore, a bunch of news await you on this 17th issue of Awa-news.

By the way, everyone talks about it:music business has changed quite a lot these last years. One can say it's going back to the time of classical composers such as Mozart, who were paid by patronage rather than on the sales of their records, for the good reason that there were no records then. :D

Now, the tangible records (vinyls, CDs) tend to vanish and artists need to find sponsors again to make a living with their work.

You too can become a sponsor of the Awaken Galaxy, and becoming a part of the magnetic mission of Awaken / Snowcat / Nekokawa. Just click on the donate button and make your choice :

How exciting it can be to feel that the next release will have something to do with your donation! :)

Well, more news are waiting for you on the Awa-news 17, so...

... go!

What are the hottest news in Awaken's Universe?

More than watching the wheels

On a snowy Wednesday of January, Snowcat was kindly invited to sing and play live at the radio show Comme Sur Des Roulettes.

After an interesting discussion with the journalists and the airplay of "How Many 'L' Were In Your Name?" + the It's Oh! Music version of "Wasabi Kiss", it was time for a piano-voice minimalist live set to experiment visions and feelings music can bring in an unusual place.

The songs were sometimes supported by the team who used several objects to pretend a drummachine. Amazing! An improvisation based on team member Annette's poetry started the show. Thereafter, the setlist was:

-They Burn The Mountain

-Diamond Ring Department / Riding The Yellow Line Gives Vibrations

-Excerpts from:
~ A´o Dzài Màu Hô`ng
~ My Last Evening In Ôita
~ Don’t Worry Em Mèo
~ Nha.c Cho Em Mèo
~ The Blue Hanger

-Beppu Nights

Comme Sur Des Roulettes used to air on Radio Si, but now they spread their shows on internet and sonn back on air. We'll tell you the frequency once we know it.

Obviously...

It is out! The double compilation album Evidence(s) is the result of a long process that started 2 years ago. The idea was to gather indies musicians whose common ground was to be members of the forum of Genesis-fr, the official French site dedicated to English band Genesis.
Despite a common passion for Genesis, it was not planned to do yet another tribute album, but most likely an original compilation with contributors' own pieces. And don't expect clones of Banks, Collins, Rutherford, Wilson, Phillips and c° either: Evidence(s) has surprisingly little to do with the style of the band of Invisible Touch, Calling All Stations or Nursery Cryme.

As you can guess, your beloved Awaken recorded a song for the album: a brand new take of Blurping The Blurp, for those who remember the acid ice cream era. Awaken's brother artists like Sousbock, Nicolas Leroy, TrustNo1 and Zoé de York are also part of the project.

CD1
1. Amanyth A Town Called Kill (07.14)
2. Matis Journey Through the Mind (07.06)
3. Salmacis The End (04.17)
4. Big Gremlin Catwalks (14.34)
5. Owl Geezer Tree Mantra Sardonique (06.53)
6. Squonk 66 Back To Life (10.00)
7. Qurtis Oriane Express (04.36)
8. NicOzark Tightrope Walk (13.08)

CD2
1. Sousbock Le vide et l'imparfait (07.48)
2. Le Nobre Le sourire de Chaplin (03.11)
3. Phil VSD Piano Sound (03.42)
4. Lord Sinclair Ode à la mer (10.17)
5. TrustNo1 Atlas (17.38)
6. Zoé De York Face The Change (05.53)
7. Awaken Blurping The Blurp (09.43)

The two CD's are available online here: http://www.genesis-fr.com/evidence(s)

Briefly...

Lucky you: you can hear excerpts of Awaken's single "How Many 'L' Were In Your Name?" on our Myspace and on It's Oh! Music site.

After Awaken's single How Many 'L' Were In Your Name?, rumour has it that Gilles Snowcat is preparing his new single, another excerpt from the album This Mouth (nha.c cho em Mèo) to be on sale around February or March of this year.

Our virtual discography page has been updated with an easier navigation and more reviews. Begin your magnetic trip here and now!

Artists sometimes say very smart sentences, with or without knowing.

It's rock'n'roll philosophy time!

The more I can learn about music, the more I learn about other things. (Pat Metheny)

What happened in January some years ago?

Let's jump into Awa-news' time machine...

14/01/1938: Producer Allen Toussaint comes on Earth to start his journey.

23/01/1978: Terry Kath, from Chicago fame, goes to his final destination, with a little help with a toy in shape of a real gun.

25/01/1988: The Cross releases the album Shove It. All songs are written by Queen's Roger Taylor.

You like Awaken? You *will* like this album:

PHILIP GLASS, Music With Changing Parts (1973)

Remasters are in many cases a good way to make some more money (which is not a bad thing in itself), but on an artistic point of view, the new mix is in many cases unnecessary and sometimes even worse than the vinyl version (cf Deep Purple's 3rd album). The only interest in remasters is in the bonus tracks -when there are some. Vinyl albums are still unbeatable for those who are old enough to have grown up under their protection. There's one exception though: Phil Glass' long hypnotic pieces that were rudely interrupted by a fade-out at the end of each side of the record. Do you remember the double vinyle of Music With Changing Parts? Not only were there three cuts in the opus, but also the sides were not following each other in the right order! Now, thanks to the CD era, we can enjoy Glass' unusual music and get our full hypnosis session without moving from our bed/seat/etc...
Music With Changing Parts This open score performance could last up to 2 hours, following the group's inspiration. was written in 1970 and played several times by the Philip Glass Ensemble in the first half of the 70s. A version was recorded in 71 and released two years later. is known as being a bit more psychedelic than Glass' usual work at the time, but there are all the characteristics of his music during the 62 minutes of that masterpiece. Is it a good album to discover the Philip Glass Ensemble? Although it is not the most accessible, you'll surely be caught by the hypnotic human loops: everything is played from A to Z.No sequencer, no tape. Humans with fingers.

Links: http://www.philipglass.com

Next issue of your beloved Awa-news will tell you more about Gilles Snowcat's solo single. If you please. :)

Take care and see you!

email: awamail(at)hellokitty.com

Awaken main sites: www.awaken.be

8:34 PM

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Friday, January 08, 2010

Awa-news 16: How many 'L' were in your name?
Category: Music

n°16, 09th of January, 2010

www.awaken.be

Dear friends, fans and passing smiles,

should we wish you a happy 2010? May the Magnetism be with you during these 12 new months!

Awa-news takes a new rhythm, something you can call 'cool', 'relax' or just... 'lazy'. You'll receive your favorite e-zine not every week but when you least expect it. Be aware!

2010 starts with the brand new long awaited Awaken single (see "Inside Awa") and more projects: Nekokawa, Snowcat and a few unexpected collaborations.

OK, time to jump into Awa-news number 16!

What are the hottest news in Awaken's Universe?

HOW MANY 'L' WERE IN YOUR NAME?

1. How Many 'L' Were In Your Name? 7:34
2. My Last Evening In Ôita (Awaken version) 4:36
3. How Many 'L' Were In Your Name? (hi-NRG mix) 8:19

So what? Is that all? Be patient, my friend... And if you click on the artwork, you may be able to listen to a teaser of the single. You bet?

Links:

Awaken: http://www.awaken.be

Sousbock: http://www.sousbock-fr.com

The Narcotic Daffodils: http://www.myspace.com/thenarcoticdaffodils

Trust No 1: http://trustno1.jimdo.com

Yours truly Gilles Snowcat will be revisiting a few of his songs on Radio (Facere, previously Radio Si), on an acoustic piano/voice set, and discuss with the team about this and that and more or less. You'll be warned of the time of airing, of course.

Take care and see you!

email: awamail(at)hellokitty.com

Awaken main sites: www.awaken.be

5:59 PM

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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Awa-news 15: Lonely Lady #17?
Category: Music

n°15, 17th of December, 2009

www.awaken.be

Dear friends, fans and passing smiles,

it's been 3 months that you read Awa-news every week. Thank you for your faithfulness. Awa-news takes a little break for Xmas and New Year, then will be back in January. In waiting, why not telling Awa-news what you think of it, what you would like to read, what you like, what you hate...?

Feel free to send your opinion here!

OK, time to jump into Awa-news number 15!

Line

Artists sometimes say very smart sentences, with or without knowing.

It's rock'n'roll philosophy time!

Cherish forever what makes you unique, 'cuz you're really a yawn if it goes. (Bette Midler)

What are the hottest news in Awaken's Universe?

AWAKEN IS BACK

I see your surprised face: "Awaken is back? But Awaken never ceased to release songs! We're overwhelmed by Awaken songs! How dare you say it's back?".

Calm down dude! The last official record of Awaken was in early 2008, it was the single I Know Time Is Passing By... and since then, no new release has been seen around. Capito?

"What about the album This Mouth then? And the Yellow Line? And the Blue Hanger?"

Yep, but this isn't Awaken, this is Gilles Snowcat from Awaken. Awaken, as a band, has been sleeping until September of this year. And now we have a new single currently on the mixing process, if ever we can say there is a mixing process in Awaken. It will be available soon online on pay-per-download only.

You will be delighted to hear musicians begged, borrowed or stolen from the cream of the indie scene.

Links: http://www.awaken.be

Our interview:

SASTIEN: I don’t have a boss anymore, it’s useless.

The online market brings its lot of discoveries, even some bands having split for years. How to describe Tertius' music? Can we say it's based on jams and sounds like a punk band with progressive influences? Hmmm... the saxophone brings a touch of jazz too. But let the stickers go to hell, and let's ask Tertius' drummer, Sastien, to tell us more.

-Nice to meet you, Sastien. Please use three words to introduce yourself.
-Sastien: My first boss nicknamed me: hunger, tiredness and stress. I don’t have a boss anymore, it’s useless.

-What brought you to become an active musician?
-Sastien: Phil Collins. I was a fan of his career as a drummer and wanted to become one. I always think there is magic in the air when he seats behind a kit.

-You were drummer of the Tertius, a band that seemed to love to jam. Can you tell us more about that experience?
-Sastien: When we started, we were suffering from a big lack of technique. So we jammed a lot because it was the only thing we were able to do. As time passes by, we improved a lot and finally began to write structured pieces.

-Among your work, what is the piece that you think represents you the most, and why?
-Sastien: One of our last tunes was named “La tête du batteur”. Very fast and groovy, very complicated, with a lot of changes. I guess we were a progressive band who ignored it. I was the only one in the band who liked progressive music, I kinda liked the idea that we were making that kind of stuff.

-Any song you’re ashamed of, and why?
-Sastien: No, I am not ashamed of anything we played during almost 15 years. Even of the song “Sexy woman”. I have written the lyrics and was the one who sang it. It was a crying shame but it was a lot of fun to sing (while drumming).

-If you had a magic wand, in what band would you play right now?
-Sastien: Hard to tell. I mean, when I really like a drummer, I don’t see why I should replace him! Maybe Awaken, this band really needs a drummer…

-What would you say to Awa-news readers who might not know you, to convince them to listen to your albums?
-Sastien: I am proud of that music, but unfortunately we never got the chance to record an album properly. We were a live band, and now we have split. It’s a shame.

-In the 70’s, drummers like Ian Paice, Carmine Appice, John Bonham, Bill Ward or Peter Criss, who had the ‘hard-rock’ label sticked on their forehead, were usually influenced by jazz and classical music, which made their style so rich and tasty. Nowadays hard-rock drummers seem to be influenced by those hard-rock musicians only. Therefore, do you feel that their style lack of something?
-Sastien: Sometimes, the groove is missing. They also sometimes beat their drums to strong (even if like that very much!), forgetting that a drum kit is also a musical instrument. You have forgotten Vinnie Appice in your list, the guy has a great sense of musicality, like his brother.

-Last but not least, would you openly admit that you are an Awaken fan?
-Sastien: Of course, I even thought of playing the drums with that band!

Links: http://www.jamendo.com/fr/artist/tertius_%28Jamendo%29

What happened on December some years ago?

Let's jump into Awa-news' time machine...

07/12/1984: Foreigner releases the album Agent Provocateur.

09/12/1984: Razzle, drummer of the glam band Hanoi Rocks, dies in a car crash which seriously injured two other innocents. The driver of the car survived and is hopefully still haunted by the loss of his friend.

19/12/1941: Maurice White says hello to the Elements. Mainly a drummer from the Chicago scene, he creates Earth Wind & Fire in the beginning of the 70's and gradually becomes the lead singer of the band, until recently.

You like Awaken? You *will* like this album:

NEIL DIAMOND, Lovescape (1991)

Released in 1991, Lovescape in another proof that many singers are like good wine: they get better as they grow older. Neil Diamond releases a rather modern album, although less obviously high-tech than his records from the 80's. Some pieces are quite easy FM songs but are enhanced by Diamond's unique voice ("Mountains Of Love", "Don't Turn Around"), while other are nothing but jewels ("Fortune Of The Night", "Lonely Lady #17", "Someone Who Believes In You", "When You Miss Your Love" or the lively cover of "One Hand, One Heart"). Kim Carnes was around for a duo ("Hooked On The Memory Of You") and fans of the classic Diamond won't be disappointed with the opener "If There Were No Dreams". A must-listen. Can you swear you resist to "Lonely Lady #17"?

Links: www.neildiamond.com

Awa-news takes some vacation and will be back with a new serie of interviews and more news about the Awaken Galaxy. Enjoy your end-of-the-year parties and if you're still alive, we'll surely meet again.

Sayônara!

email: awamail(at)hellokitty(dot)com

Awaken main sites: www.awaken.be

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Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Awa-news 14: Inside the lonely building...
Category: Music

n°14, 10th of December, 2009

www.awaken.be

Dear friends, fans and passing smiles,

are you shopping in some depaato, expecting some snow to fall? The Christmas songs are now everywhere, till the point you start to puke. You thought you could escape them in the Awaken Magnetic Universe? Missed! Here they are too. But... in a magnetic way.

OK, time to jump into Awa-news number 14!

Artists sometimes say very smart sentences, with or without knowing.

It's rock'n'roll philosophy time!

In writing songs I've learned as much from Cezanne as I have from Woody Guthrie. (Bob Dylan)

What are the hottest news in Awaken's Universe?

XMAS WON'T BE
THE SAME THIS YEAR

What!? After more than 20 years, Awaken-Nekokawa-Snowcat-whatever still hadn't release any Christmas album!? Sad but true. This old dream now comes true. Well, this is not an album, but a virtual 45-rpm. And to be included in the bootlegs collection. Yep, only true fans will receive it, this is a very special private present.

You Make It Feel Like Christmas Won't Be The Same This Year features two Xmas classics covered by the old cat Snowcat: Neil Diamond's "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" and the Jackson 5's "Christmas Won't Be The Same This Year". But would a Snowcat Xmas record be complete without an original tune? Well, that's why a special mix of "The Blue Hanger", the 'Merry Xmix', is closing the single on a disco mood.

You can download for free the single here. And enjoy your Xmas, whatever you do, wherever you are.

Links: http://bit.ly/55BUNr

Our interview:

MARCO MARIANI: C'est mon esprit qui rêve

Anam... Anam.. Anam... Peut être entendras tu ce nom, chanté par la pluie ou soufflé par le vent. Peut être te sera t'il susurré par le feu ou crié par la terre. Peut être l'entendras tu si tu tends l'oreille dans la forêt ou le verras tu inscris dans les étoiles. Peut être ton âme le percevra t'elle au plus profond d'elle même... Ouvre ton coeur et laisse toi porter par ce nom ancestral... Car Anam arrive et espère te combler te paix.

These French words are the mysterious introduction to Eirenya and Marco Mariani's band Anam, an interesting project exploring the fields of celtic music with the passionate spirit of Marco, whom we interviewed today.

-Nice to meet you, Marco. Please use three words to introduce yourself.
-Marco: Italien du côté du père, espagnol-pied noir du côté de ma mère. J'ai 21 ans, presque 22, je suis brun aux cheveux légèrement longs et je fais 1m73. J'aime la vie, les grands paysages, les amis et bien sûr la musique.

-What brought you to become an active musician?
-Marco: Hé bien c'est la musique, tout simplement. Le fait d'écouter en boucle la live 93 de Laurent Voulzy, les vieux disques des Who, ainsi que Dire Straits m'a donné envie d'acheter ma première guitare. Ce n'est que depuis que j'ai commencé à être fan de Genesis que je me suis mis à composer.

-What's the meaning behind the name of your new band, Anam?
-Marco: C'est tout simplement le mot "âme" qui se trouve ici dans sa consonance gaélique, la seconde langue de l'Ecosse et de l'Irlande. Nous l'avons choisi ainsi car avec Eirenya, nous sommes grands fans de musiques celtiques, en particulier d'Enya, et nous voulions leur rendre hommage. Ce sont des musiques qui, selon nous et bien plus que d'autres, s'adressent directement à l'âme.

-Among your work, what is the piece that you think represents you the most, and why?
-Marco: Pour l'instant, nous et même pas moi tout seul n'avons pas une oeuvre très conséquente et je dirais que chaque chanson que j'ai composé me ressemble à un moment ou à un autre de ma vie, aussi bien les "dépressives" (même si elles ne sont plus d'actualité) que les plus enjouées, celles qui parlent de voyage (c'est mon esprit qui rêve) et les plus romantiques.

-Any song you’re ashamed of, and why?
-Marco: Pour le moment, il n'y en a aucune. Mis à part peut-être celle que j'ai écrite sur mes amis, parce que je n'ai pas pris la liberté de tous les citer et du coup elle ne sera même pas enregistrée, je l'ai laissée tomber.

-If you had a magic wand, in what band would you play right now?
-Marco: Je ne suis pas assez pro pour jouer avec n'importe quel groupe de mon choix malheureusement. Mais si j'y arrivais, ce serait bien sûr Genesis.

-What would you say to Awa-news readers who might not know you, to convince them to listen to your albums?
-Marco: Je leur dirai "Laisser reposer votre esprit, laissez-le se promener pour cette nouvelle aventure".

-You have a strong admiration for Camel and Phil Collins. How do they influence your own music?
-Marco: Phil Collins, ce sera surtout pour les ballades, et tout comme Camel, j'en retiens principalement les ambiances et les mélodies, ainsi que la sensibilité contenue dans toute cette oeuvre.

-Last but not least, would you openly admit that you are an Awaken fan?
-Marco: Pas pour le moment, car je ne connais pas assez bien l'oeuvre d'Awaken. Mais ce n'est que partie remise !

Links: http://www.myspace.com/ceilteachanam

What happened on December some years ago?

Let's jump into Awa-news' time machine...

18/12/1938: Chas Chandler says hello to the world, without knowing that he would become a famous Animal years later.

16/12/1988: Sylvester says bye-bye to the world, but is still alive in the hi-nrg disco mind. Mighty unreal?

15/12/2006: Awaken releases the "Beppu Nights" EP. (hee hee hee).

You like Awaken? You *will* like this album:

AL STEWART, Russians & Americans (1984)

The 80's were such an interesting era. The last really creative period for modern music. Nowadays music just recycles previous decades and plays it a bit too safe. That's why it's great to jump into the heart of those underrated albums like Al Stewart's Russians & Americans. Famous for his Year Of The Cat and labeleld 'folk singer', Al Stewart is much more than that and was, in the 80's, at the peak of his creativity. Follwing a rocky 24 P/Carrots, Russians & Americans changes direction to cover grounds of more synthesized music ("Rumours Of War"), sophisticated melodic pop ("Lori Don't Go Right Now"), introspective acoustic songs ("Accident On 3rf Street"), grandiloquent cabaret rock (the slightly pinkfloydish "Cafe Society") or new-wave ("Strange Girl", typically 1984). Stewart doesn't forget his stylistic habits either: some Spanish guitar ("The Gypsy & The Rose"), some folk (the superb "Russians & Americans") and a funny cover of Len Barry's "1-2-3", with a funky touch. The album ends with a stunningly beautiful dark tune, "The Candidate", putting a melancholic mood in the air and leaving us into a bitter-sweet spleen like ir was the case with 1978's "End Of The Day". Stewart's voice is as unique as ever and his lyrics always clever or ironic or most likely both.

Nota #1: Awaken fans already know that "The Candidate" has been covered on Party In Lyceum's Toilets (and if you don't, it's time to remember, don't you think?), but other songs from Russians & Americans were awakenized on other tapes and on the You Should Have Listened To AsmL tribute albums.

Nota #2: The American edition features, for no reason that I know, a different track-listing.

Links: http://www.alstewart.com

Next week is next week. And to quote Al Stewart: you'll be a movie star... next time.

Take care and see you!

email: awamail(at)hellokitty.com

Awaken main sites: www.awaken.be

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Saturday, December 05, 2009

スペシャルなクリスマス・カード / Thẻ Giánh Sing đặc biệt / Special Xmas card
Category: Music

Dear friends, fans and passing smiles,

メリークリスマス！Chúc mừng Giáng Sinh vui vẻ! Merry Xmas!

私はスペシャルなクリスマスカードを作った。３曲のカードで、是非ダウンロードして下さい。http://bit.ly/55BUNr

Tôi vừa mới ghi âm 3 bài hát để làm một thẻ Giáng Sinh đặc biệt. Download ở kia: http://bit.ly/55BUNr

Guided by a magnetic inspiration, I just recorded 3 Xmas songs for you, to make a special Xmas card. Download it here: http://bit.ly/55BUNr

Thank you for your faithfulness!

あなたの忠信いただき、ありがとうございます！

Cám ơn các bạn vì lòng trung thành!

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Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Awa-news 13: Refuse to be loose
Category: Music

n°13, 3rd of December, 2009

www.awaken.be

http://www.myspace.com/matthreen

Dear friends, fans and passing smiles,

here we are, the last month of 2009 is here. While most of the projects are still on their way (new song from Awaken, solo album from Snowcat and even -yeah- some new Nekokawa pieces in sight), we will close this year with a special present for you fans. What? To know more, just...

...jump into Awa-news number 13!

Artists sometimes say very smart sentences, with or without knowing.

It's rock'n'roll philosophy time!

One of my mottoes is that if you want to get unusual results, work fast and work cheap, because there's more of a chance that you'll get somewhere that nobody else did. Nearly always, the effect of spending a lot of money is to make things more normal. (Brian Eno)

What are the hottest news in Awaken's Universe?

SOMEDAY AT XMAS?

Are you a true Awaken fan? If so, you will soon be able to get your own copy of the online 45rpm from Snowcat himself. Let the sleighbells rock! In waiting, why not refresh your magnetic mind by taking a new trip into Awaken's Parallel World? Ah, and if you look closer to the selective discography below, you may find the Xmas record too.

Links: http://www.awaken.be

Our interview:

KEVIN SHAKEY: Strange, Radical and “Hitchhiker”.

Once upon a time, there were the 70s. Creative. All excesses were permitted. Music was a large field of experimentations, some that remained obscure, some that gained credibility to the eyes (and ears) of an underground audience (Gong, Can, just to name a few), and some that got the huge success they deserved (David Bowie, Tangerine Dream). Then came the 80s, with their electronic rhythms that were, if you look closer, a commercial recognition for what we still can call 'experimental', although the pop format kept those creations into an underrated mold. Yes the 80s were money-related, but still flamboyant, creative, excessive. Then, to our big misery, the 90's saw music started to play it safe.'Safe' is the worst sticker that can ever be put on art. Kevin Shakey definitly doesn't play it safe at all: having a wide range of inlfuences covering Neil Young, Léo Ferré and the German Kosmische Musik, Shakey records and spreads his quite personal style without seeming to care much of pleasing the average audience. Having recently releasedan album with Ted Melvins, and still working on several projects, Shakey kindly replied the Awa-news interview.

-Nice to meet you, Kevin. Please use three words to introduce yourself.
Kevin Shakey: Strange, Loner and Electric.

-What brought you to become an active musician?
Kevin Shakey: Music herself.

-Kosmische Musik is a strong influence of yours. Do you think of bringing it to a further step, making something revolutionary with it?
Kevin Shakey: Oh no, the KM is just one of my influence, but I don't (and I don't really want) to make it.
I am very electric in music, and I heard many different style of music.
I think I make "indie music", because I record many different things, like folk song, or drone, electronic things, rock, and other.
I don't want any label for my work, I record all that I want, I got no limit in my brain and in my heart.

-Among your work, what is the piece that you think represents you the most, and why?
Kevin Shakey: Very difficult question, I got just one album and a side project (Ted Melvins), and I record many things for the next album. But I don't got the answer, excuse me.

-Any song you're ashamed of, and why?
Kevin Shakey: Good question: I don't know too.

-If you had a magic wand, in what band would you play right now?
Kevin Shakey: With the Climax Golden Twins or Shellac.

-What would you say to Awa-news readers who might not know you, to convince them to listen to your albums?
Kevin Shakey: Let me sleep, let me dream.

-Would you like to live in a specific place just to be influenced by its atmosphere, like David Bowie did in Berlin?
Kevin Shakey: In Bordeaux, because this is a very beautiful place, and the musical scene is very good.
Or maybe record in Quebec city, because I love this place, and I really want travel in Canada one day.
Barcelona too, to record music about Antonio Gaudi work.

-Last but not least, would you openly admit that you are an Awaken fan?
Kevin Shakey: When I listen to "Beppu Nights" and "I Know Time Is Passing By..." live at Radio SI, I want to cry, because Snowcat got a beautiful voice, and an very important emotion through it. I love to me magnetised by Awa' record, that's a real pleasure to discover new records, and Gilles is a very cool guy, and I love it.

Links: http://www.myspace.com/kevinshakey

What happened on December some years ago?

Let's jump into Awa-news' time machine...

01/12/1988: Jerry Garcia, from the Grateful Dead, releases his "Almost Acoustic" album.

31/12/1948: Hello Donna Summer!

18/12/1987: Bye bye Conny Plank, producer of Kraftwerk, Killing Joke, Gianna Nannini, and a bunch of others...

You like Awaken? You *will* like this album:

SIEDAH GARRETT, Kiss Of Life (1988)

Suddenly famous thanks to her contribution to Michael Jackson's Bad, Siedah Garrett seized the opportunity to record her album on the following year: Kiss Of Life. Although released on the Quincy Jones' label Qwest, the Dude doesn't produce here. However, it sounds like if he had been there: tasty digital synthezisers, strong drumprogramming, amazing synth-bass lines, well, that kind of high-class electro-funk, with inspired songwriting and the great voice of Mrs Garrett. Some sounds seem to come directly from Jackson's Bad with a slice of Thriller's Rod Temperton unmistakable style, but Kiss Of Life has a life on its own and is strongly recommended by yours truly. No filler to regret, only strong and quality-oriented songs, like the swinging gem "The Legend Of Ruby Diamond", the powerful "Refuse To Be Loose" (what a beat!) or the smooth sexy "Nobody Does Me"... On the trivia part, it's fun to hear that her "Baby's Got It Bad" is actually Michael Jackson's "Got The Hots". Copyrights, anyone?

Links: http://www.siedah.com/

What's hot on the web side? Awa-net surfed for you and found this:

DIAGONALE

With the decline of record companies and the easy access to the internet, underground labels flourish everywhere on the web. This is a kind of revenge toward a system that ignored artists through the years, like the punk revolution in 1976. Diagonale Music is a kind of label created by Kevin Shakey (see our interview above) and Matt Reen to release their own side-projects, in order to gain more and more freedom in their music.
Wotnot and Ted Melvins are the first ones on the list.
Feel free to visit Diagonale, listen to their artists and, why not, submit your own work. Who knows?...

Links: http://www.myspace.com/diagnoalemusic

http://www.myspace.com/kevinshakey

Marco Mariani will tell us about his musical visions and projects, while you'll find a way to discover the Xmas 45rpm from Snowcat and know if Xmas will be the same thus year... or not.

Take care and see you!

email: awamail(at)hellokitty.com

Awaken main sites: www.awaken.be

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