Author: The Doorway

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-43ae9-9bc42e

I hope you all enjoy this week’s show.

What a week!

I’ve attached the podcast of yesterday’s show. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for all the positive comments after last week.

As I said in last week’s post, I went to see Steve Hackett at the Nottingham Royal Centre on Monday. He’s touring Genesis Revisited with a full orchestra. He was talking about doing this back in February and explaining the complexity of getting the orchestral scores written and arranged, so it was great to see the plans come to life.  I did hope to interview him and the band backstage after the gig but the meeting with his PR agent on the night didn’t materialise.

The gig itself was great. I must say though, whether it was the acoustics of the room or having to compete with Roger King’s epic keyboard skills, but it was only towards the end of the first set that the orchestra came into its own.  The material was a perfect blend of classic Genesis and Hackett’s own songs.

We were treated to classics like Firth of Fifth, Selling England by the Pound, and the highlight of the evening, all twenty-two minutes of Suppers Ready!  The orchestra came into its own during the quieter songs, especially Blood on the Rooftops (sung by drummer, Gary O’Toole).

Hackett has surrounded himself with five stellar musicians.  Nad Sylvan, whose theatrical vocal performance brings the songs to life as well as Gabriel ever did.  Jonas Reingold whose ability to switch between bass and guitar adds real depth to the arrangements. The huge talent of keyboardist Roger King, whilst at times overly competing with the orchestra, provides the huge wash of sound that is the Genesis trademark.  The amazing Gary O’Toole on drums (and speaking as a drummer myself I don’t know how he can play in a suit and tie!), and lastly Rob Townsend on Flute, Sax Keys and percussion!

It obvious from the warmth of the audience and HUGE ovation at the end, how much affection there still is for this music. Given Hackett’s significant contribution to the original writing and the ability of his band to reproduce it (probably) better than the original band, it’s as well that he is the Guardian of the Genesis back-catalogue.

Roll on next year when he is touring Selling England By The Pound in its entirety! (Tickets on sale now……)

Have a great week!

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-rnxzt-9b251a

I’m a musician and presenter of the Doorway Rock Show on 103 The Eye. My show takes listeners on a journey through the very best Progressive Rock. It’s blend of old and new. It shows how the classic artists of the 1970s have influenced the very best contemporary artists. It also provides a platform for those artists to get their work exposed to a wider audience.

Last night’s show was a success. Lots of good feed back which is always appreciated. I’m just uploading the show as a podcast, but only after some judicious editing to eliminate the minor glitches in the radio show. I mean, what planet was I on to announce the wrong song – especially the first song as well!

Now I am really excited about a phone call I received yesterday.

I’m going to see Steve Hackett’s Genesis Revisted Gig in Nottingham tomorrow  (Oct 1st) and I’ve been asked to review the show for my Radio Station, 103 The Eye!

I’m meeting Steve Hackett’s PR lady at the gig, and there’s a good chance I can get back stage to meet Mr Hackett and his band, and perhaps record an interview!

I’ll do a full write – up here, naturally.

I hope you all enjoy the podcast – no doubt you will let me know…….

Thanks for joining me, stick around, this is going to be good fun!!

This is the start of a whole new adventure of musical discovery. I’ve always had a deep love of music, as a performer and as a listener. I have never followed fashions or trends and now that I finally have the opportunity to create my own radio show and podcast I have no intention of starting.

It amazes me how the media generally ignores the great majority of musical output. How the most amazing talent, across all musical styles is largely ignored.

My particular love is progressive rock – there, I’ve said it!! You may be surprised to learn that “prog” didn’t die in the 1970s; cast roughly aside by the brash onset of the Punk era. At least that’s what the broadcast media generally would have you believe anyway.

It lived on. It absorbed the influence of New Wave in the 1980s; grunge in the 90s as well as hip hop and the more traditional elements of folk, jazz and heavy metal. Its still evolving and the contemporary prog scene is more lively and dynamic and varied than at any point in its history.

Except hardly anyone knows that its there. And that’s where I come in………………..!

I now have the opportunity to create a Radio Show. It’s called The Doorway (after the Spock’s Beard track on Beware of Darkness). My aim is to create the link between the vast back catalogue of classic prog from the 1970s – material most of you will be familiar with – and show you how this has inspired the amazing variety of contemporary artists from around the globe.

The show goes out on Saturdays at 21.00 UK time. Unless you’re lucky enough to live in the small Leicestershire town of Melton Mowbray in the UK where you can hear it on 103 The Eye, you’ll need to go to http://www.103theeye.co.uk or use the Tunedin Radio app.

It will soon be available as a podcast from here too.

I hope you’re going to enjoy the ride!