Curved Air retrospective details

(I'm not quite sure how new this is, but I just found out about it, and it looks to be a very good introduction to a very British band, with an essay from Sonja Kristina, so...I'm posting it :-) )

Specially compiled by Sonja Kristina, Retrospective is the most comprehensive and authoritative Curved Air compilation ever issued.

A re-mastered double CD set with an illustrated full-colour booklet (written by respected journalist Chris Welch and containing an in-depth interview with Sonja), the collection features a superb cross-section of material spanning the entirety of Curved Air's illustrious career.

An ideal introduction to a groundbreaking band.

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Curved Air were an instant success when they formed in 1970.

Founder members Darryl Way (electric violin and vocals), Sonja Kristina (vocals), Francis Monkman (keyboards), Pilkington-Miksa (drums) and Ian Erye (bass) were signed to Warner Brothers and their astonishing debut Air Conditioning (1970) was promoted as the first ever picture disc album.

In 1971 they scored a Top 5 hit single with the gritty 'Back Street Luv' and the accessible, yet experimental, Second Album (1971) ably showcased the band's innovative fusion of electronic rock and classical music.

The group underwent several personnel changes during the 1970s.

Later members included legendary violinist/keyboard player Eddie Jobson (Roxy Music, UK, Frank Zappa) and soon to be superstar drummer, Stewart Copeland (The Police).


Disc 1:
1. It Happened Today
2. Screw
3. Blind Man
4. Hide and Seek
5. Rob One
6. Young Mother
7. Back Street Luv
8. Jumbo
9. Puppets
10. Piece Of Mind
11. Whose Shoulder Are You Looking Over Anyway?
12. Melinda (More or Less)
13. Over and Above

Disc 2:
1. Purple Speed Queen
2. Elfin Boy
3. Metamorphosis
4. Easy
5. Dancer
6. Dance Of Love
7. Love Child
8. Woman On A One Night Stand
9. Desiree
10. Broken Lady
11. Marie Antoinette
12. Vivaldi

Bonus tracks:
13. Lambent Spire - Sonja Kristina's MASK
14. Space In Between - Sonja Kristina's MASK
15. Beloved - Sonja Kristina's MASK

Find out more:

http://www.curvedair.com/

http://www.burningshed.com/store/marvinayres/product/35/2314/

Curved Air continues reunion

9/27/2008 - London, UK - After a thrilling performance at this year's Isle of Wight Festival, the legendary progressive rock band Curved Air's re-union Tour continues with 6 more U.K concerts in October, an Italian mini tour in mid November and Japanese dates in Jan 2009. Curved Air's new album Reborn (Classic Curved Air Revisited) is available at all concerts and from www.curvedair.com

Curved Air originally formed in 1969. They were a groundbreaking progressive art-rock band renowned for their showmanship. Each member pushed the boundaries of possibilities for rock music performance. Darryl Way with his flamboyant virtuoso exploration of electric violin, Francis Monkman with his brilliant innovative sound manipulation using the VCS3 synthesiser, keyboards and fiery intricate guitar playing. and Florian's expressive approach to rock drumming. Vocalist Sonja Kristina won the hearts of a generation of music lovers and was voted top British Female Vocalist of the 70's whilst the three top twenty albums that this lineup released are regarded as classics.

Curved Air's current line-up features three original members - the pioneering rock violinist, Darryl Way, with drummer Florian Pilkington-Miksa plus new members Andy Christie on Guitar and Chris Harris on Bass - and of course iconic vocalist Sonja Kristina.

Curved Air vocalist Sonja Kristina's other project in collaboration with composer/ producer Marvin Ayres (www.marvinayres.com) is called MASK and on October 6th they release a single and video 'Technopia' ahead of their forthcoming second album release. The Technopia video is directed by Pavel Rudanovsky and features London Clubland celebrity Mika Doll. Technopia is currently in heavy rotation at art/gothic clubs, and at London fashion events popular with the fashion, art and experimental clubbing audience.

MASK will appear in national in-club PAs during the autumn, and a series of performances to promote the single and the forthcoming album 'Technopia' are being planned for 2009. The audience will experience an ambient Tim Burtonesque contemporary gothic show with artist and director Pavel Rudanovsky and his event styling team Unfashion Events. The performances will feature exciting artistic visual effects and 3D technology.

The first MASK album, 'Heavy Petal', was released in Dual Disc format (CD and DVD) in 2005. MASK toured extensively throughout the UK, playing many festivals including several stages at Glastonbury, clubs and new music venues.

'Heavy Petal' video "Lambent Spire" was selected for film festivals in London and Europe, and the dance mix of the track "Waking the Dream" charted in the Music Week club charts in 2006.

Check out the 'Technopia' video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh3znUxHSQg

CURVED AIR DATES
08-Oct Queens Hall, Edinburgh
09-Oct The Duchess, York
11-Oct Union Chapel, London
12-Oct Colchester Arts Centre
30-Oct Holmfirth Picturedome, Nr Huddersfield
31-Oct Stables, Milton Keynes

13-Nov Italy
14-Nov Italy
15-Nov Italy
16-Nov Italy

2009 CLUB CITTA', Kawasaki (Tokyo) / gig
16-Jan 2 shows
17-Jan (Kawasaki is a satellite city of Tokyo)