Plans for 2012 taking shape
Plans for 2012 are coming together for my solo work and for Skyclad. These include the first gig in Newcastle for my solo album (at the Cluny on Friday, April 20), Skyclad playing at the ‘Up The Hammers’ Festival in Athens (on Saturday, March 3) and the Ragnarok festival in Germany (on Saturday, April 14) as well as working on new material. More updates will be posted shortly about gigs and videos and … well everything!
Irish-Pubtastic
Finally, we did it! There were a few echoes of Skyclad’s ‘unplugged’ Irish Pub tours here as we did the first gig for the ‘Flying In The Face Of Logic’ album at Paddy Whacks in Sunderland. Despite a few technical shortcomings – and the distinct lack a punters on this rainy Wednesday night – the band played ten of the fourteen album tracks without a hitch. I should say that this was really the point of this first ‘test’ gig and my thanks to Arron, Dave, Steve and Sophy for all their hard work and commitment because, in the first instance, I needed to get the band together and be able to perform a long enough set for festivals, support slots and so on, and we have now achieved this in some style (so time for more gigs I hear you say). Thanks also to Sarah Holmes for her support set. The set list was:
- Flying In The Face Of Logic (Intro)
- Eat The Sun
- Where We Want To Go
- Angel at Harlow Green
- De Profundis (Back Home Again)
- Point Of Departure
- Which Is Why
- They Dance Till Tomorrow
- Good Intention
- Still Lucid After All These Beers
Rehearsal
Rehearsals are now well underway for the band’s first gig at Paddy Whacks in Sunderland (UK) on Wednesday, October 5th. The band is mostly comprised of people who played on the album (Arron, drums – Dave, bass and Sophy, fiddle) with the addition of Steve Reay on guitar/vocals. Photos courtesy of Matze who popped in while on holiday.
Skyclad Confirmed For Germany’s Ragnarök Festival
Skyclad has been confirmed for next year’s Ragnarök festival, set to take place April 13-14, 2012 in Lichtenfels, Germany.
FITFOL Reviews
The first album reviews are flying in – we’ve linked them at the Album Reviews – page.
‘Flying In The Face Of Logic’ Available For Presale
‘Flying In The Face Of Logic’ is available for presale now at the Global Music Online Shop.
Tracklisting:
1. Flying In The Face Of Logic (Part 1)
2. Eat The Sun
3. Angel At Harlow Green
4. De Profundis (Back Home Again)
5. The Linton Flyer
6. Good Intentions (A Young Man’s Tale)
7. Point Of Departure
8. (We All Get) Where We Want To Go
9. Still Lucid After All These Beers
10. Which Is Why (2010 mix)
11. Knotwork
12. They Dance Till Tomorrow
13. Lost For Words
14. Flying In The Face Of Logic (Part 2)
Video For ‘Point Of Departure’
Video for ‘Point of Departure’ from the album ‘Flying in the Face of Logic’
Directed by Fernando J. Martinez
Solo Album: Press Release
SKYCLAD FRONTMAN RELEASES DEBUT SOLO ALBUM
23/05/2011
KEVIN RIDLEY – ‘FLYING IN THE FACE OF LOGIC’
**Available 4th July 2011**
GLOBAL MUSIC are pleased to announce the release of ‘Flying In The Face Of Logic’, the first solo album from singer/songwriter Kevin Ridley; producer/vocalist with folk-metal pioneers Skyclad.
The album contains 14 original tracks, mainly inspired by the singer’s native Northeast (England) so fittingly, it features several northern session players – notably Northumbrian pipes player Andy May, Folkworks fiddle player, Sophy Ball, and Blitzkrieg’s Dave Anderson on bass – as well as contributions from the current members of Skyclad.
Ridley describes the record as a form of continuation from Skyclad’s ‘Semblance of Normality’:
“‘Semblance…’ was the first album where all the band members involved had roots in Northern England and references were buried within the songs. It was something I wanted to explore, so ‘Flying In The Face Of Logic’ became autobiographical and based upon my personal stories of life, love and growing up in the North-East of England.”
After spending 35 years in the music industry, engineering and producing for thrash-metalers Venom, Forgodsake, Anathema, Pariah and Skyclad, Kevin Ridley took the opportunity to emerge from behind the mixing desk and experience the role of a player, rather than Producer.
Five years in the making, Ridley described the journey of writing the album as a challenge of learning “how to fly and make my own rules”.
‘Flying In The Face Of Logic’ was produced by Kevin Ridley; recorded at Newcastle’s Blast Studio, and mixed by Dario Mollo (Glenn Hughes/Tony Martin/Lacuna Coil). Available 4th July 2011.
For more information about Kevin Ridley visit
http://kevinridley.groovemachine.net | www.myspace.com/kevinridleyofficial
