Michael Manring updates

From his recent newsletter:

I've been working on a much needed overhaul to my personal web site, www.manthing.com, lately and I hope you'll have a look. I've included what I hope is all the relevant information about concerts, recordings, etc., but it's a work in progress so let me know if there's anything I've missed!

I've got two performances coming up in Southern California this weekend, on Friday a show in Woodland Hills and on Saturday a clinic at Bass San Diego with Joe Zon. Joe is the guy who builds my instruments, so we'll be talking about some of the projects we've done together and of course I'll be doing some playing. Please stop by if you'd like to learn more about Zon Basses, my music, or if you'd just like to say hello. You'll find all the details for both performances below.

I'd also like to mention I recently participated in a really interesting book project entitled "The Spiritual Significance of Music" by Justin St. Vincent. It's a collection of brief interviews with thousands of musicians about the connections between music and spirituality. If you'd like to learn more about it please look here:

http://www.xtrememusic.org/

Finally I'd like to thank the editors at CD Baby for choosing the recording I made last year in Provence with my friend Cyril Achard as one of their Top Ten Editors' Picks. The CD is called A Place in Time and you can check it out here:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/manringachard

A breather...

Well now...

My other writing out of the way for another month or two, I can finally turn energies back to here. Thanks for your patience over the past few days as I worked diligently at getting other stuff out of the way :-)

I'm working on 'nagging' a few of my outstanding interviewees to get back to me. I am pleased to say most of them are busy with new projects, including live dates and recording, so it's understandable that their energies and attentions are elsewhere. But I hope to have a new spate of interviews to post for you soon. And there are several reviews in the works as well...

I will be reviewing the new Ayreon boxed set, Time Line.

I will be reviewing the new Frost* album, Experiments in Mass Appeal.

I will be reviewing the new Gamma Ray 2CD 2 DVD set Hell Yeah!

I should be reviewing the new Karmakanic release, Who's The Boss in the Factory?

All this and more. So stay tuned, wouldn't you?

Coming soon to a Bill's Prog Blog near you...

Wow, not a lot of planning on my part today. Sorry, constant readers. I have to admit that I've been spending much of the day working on some transcription of an interview from a few weeks back (I have two to do, and thank dog for friends willing to transcribe as well, or I'd be more than cross-eyed right now). Until my work is done there'll be no real pithy post up here.

But let me give you some teasers of upcoming content:

An interview with Jason Blake of progressive rock trio Aziola Cry (their last EP, Ghost Conversarions, made my 2007 year end top 10)...
An interview with Gary Lauzon, bassist of Quebecois band The Rebel Wheel (debut album now out on 10T records)...
A mid-year look at albums that have been blowing me away (a bit early, but forewarned is forearmed, or something)...

I am working on setting up a few more interviews as well...but you'll get nothing, not even a tease...until they're confirmed.

Until then, sit back, relax, and listen to some Jade Warrior or Enid whilst enjoying a cold frosty drink of your choice!

TFK update

From their official MySpace:

Just a quick hello to tell We're alive.

In fact we're alive to the point where we decided to rehearse a bit and to rehearse with two new members of the TFK tribe, 2 ? , yes that's correct.........most of you are already familiar with Erik Hammarstöm who will play drums for TFK but we've decided to bring in yet one more handyman.

Ola Heden will sing, play keyboards, guitar, percussion (dance)......well to augment where our little hands and heads are too busy......or used to be.

We've been working on getting the songs from last album into shape and lift them to a more detailed level even live. I left the rehearsal with a big smile........you'll figure out the rest.

btw.
go get CARPE DIEM - Live in USA when released (check your dealers)
also hurry to get tickets to our upcoming shows.
(yes we hope for a few more USA shows last week of August , but no west coast gigs this time, sorry.)

Frogg Cafe updates - and a note on this blog

I tried posting this yesterday, but Blogger was being difficult.

The original line-up of the band is in the studio right now recording our 4th studio album. Last month we laid down the foundation tracks for tunes called Terra Sancta (Sussman), From the Fence (Lieto), and Move Over I'm Driving (Lieto) and in mid-May we are going to attempt to lay down guitarist's Frank Camiola's latest epic called Belgian Boogie Board. You won't be spinning "Boogie Board" at your grandmother's 90th birthday party unless you tragically want it to end early. Hold onto your Charles Ives knickers for this one.

This is the longest break we've ever taken from playing live shows and we definitely miss it. But it has given us the freedom to concentrate on this CD which we are having a blast creating for you. I'm sure that once this CD is done we'll be able to play some shows as long as we get some prog fans who don't mind changing a diaper or two for us in the parking lot. And NO, it's not for our drummer. How dare you. He may be old, but he is spry.

See you soon.

Best,
Frogg Cafe
http://www.froggcafe.com

~~~~~~~~~~

Now:

I'll keep this simple and to the point. When I started this blog, I opened up anonymous replies to allow people who were reading an opportunity to comment on posts and allow their viewpoints and opinions to be heard as well. I will not support or allow discourse that is less than civil on this blog. I trust that is something that is easy enough to achieve.

I do NOT want to remove or delete comments. But should there be further replies similar in tone to the one received this morning I will re-evaluate the anonymous poster policy.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum updates (incl. tour dates)

New Shows / Weddings / Documentaries

New shows! Are they not grand?! We promise to play each of these shows with great fervor. In fact, with increasingly greater fervor, until we combust. On stage! (all shows, with the exception of Vancouver, will feature the talented Mr. Jason Webley for your listening and dancing pleasure)

We then will be attending the wedding of our famous illuminator, Mr. Allen Wilner! Sorry ladies!

And then, for the ladder half of July, the Sleepytime Gorilla Museum will be filming a short, documentary feature: The Last Human Being.

And don't worry, rest of America. We are coming your way in the fall. Promise you.

In Glorious Times,

The Museum

7 / 3 / 08 - Neumos, Seattle, WA
7 / 4 / 08 - The Plaza, Vancouver BC
7 / 5 / 08 - Dantes, Portland OR
7 / 9 / 08 - The Troubador, Los Angeles, CA
7 / 10 / 08 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA