NEW FROM DESERT♥HEARTS BOOKS WWW.DESERTHEARTS.COM PRESS RELEASE JUNE 2008 GENESIS • KING CRIMSON • YES • MOODY BLUES • STRAWBS • BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST • PAVLOV’S DOG • STEVE HACKETT • FLOWER KINGS • IQ • ENGLAND • XTC • ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK • 21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID BAND • Mellotron The Machine and the Musicians that Revolutionised Rock
A history of one of rock’s mythical keyboards by Nick Awde
Published: September 1st 2008 592 pages, 300 B&W photos £19.95 ISBN: 978-1- 898948-02-5
THE BOOK Top musicians, songwriters and producers chart their careers with the Mellotron, the first sampler keyboard affectionately known as the ‘Beast’. The result is a unique insight into the social history of British pop and rock music—in particular progressive rock—and its influence worldwide. Across 20-plus interviews, classic acts include the Moody Blues, Strawbs, King Crimson, Yes and Genesis as well as later groups like Steve Hackett, XTC, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, IQ, the Flower Kings and the 21st Century Schizoid Band. Musicians featured are: Tony Banks (Genesis), Mike Pinder (Moody Blues), Ian McDonald (King Crimson, Foreigner), Woolly Wolstenholme (Barclay James Harvest), Greg Lake (King Crimson, Emerson Lake & Palmer), John Wetton (King Crimson, UK, Asia), Nick Magnus (Autumn, Steve Hackett Band), Martin Orford (IQ, Jadis), Roine Stolt (Flower Kings, Transatlantic, Tangent), Jakko Jakszyk (Level 42, 21st Century Schizoid Band, Tangent), John Hawken (Renaissance, Strawbs), Doug Rayburn (Pavlov’s Dog), Tony Clarke (Moody Blues), David Cross (King Crimson), Dave Cousins (Strawbs), Blue Weaver (Strawbs, Bee Gees), Robert Kirby (Strawbs), Robert Webb (England), Dave Gregory (XTC), Andy McCluskey (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark). Providing a drummer’s view of working with four classic Mellotron bands is Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson), and there are also perspectives from Geoff Unwin, the first Mellotronics demonstrator, John Bradley & Martin Smith of Streetly Electronics, the original mak- ers of the Mellotron, and Planet Mellotron’s Andy Thompson. THE MELLOTRON Launched in 1963, the Mellotron was the world’s first workable sampler. Technically it’s a ‘tape replay key- board’, where the keyboard activates playback heads that play the sounds on tapes inside the machine. The tapes (strips and not loops!) can be recorded with any sound and therefore a Mellotron can be configured to sound like a symphony orchestra, a church choir, a samba combo, rock’n’roll band or any other instrument or ensemble. Classic tracks include The Beatles’ Strawberry Fields Forever, The Moody Blues’ Nights In White Satin and Genesis’ Watcher Of The Skies. THE AUTHOR Nick Awde is a journalist who currently writes for The Stage newspaper and TheatreguideLondon.co.uk. He has also written, edited or illustrated more than 40 books, including an Illustrated History of London and a novel The Virgin Killers. He wrote the music, lyrics and book for Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Musical, and, with Chris Bartlett, the recent West End hit Pete & Dud: Come Again, about the comedy partnership of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. WATCH OUT FOR DETAILS OF THE AUGUST ‘MELLOFEST” BOOK LAUNCH—PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS! For further information, interview requests and review copies, contact Fred Hill at: Desert Hearts PO Box 2131, London W1A 5SU, UK • Tel: 07961 154 590. E-mail: [email protected] Orders: www.deserthearts.com • Marston Book Services • or all good bookshops.