Real Rock Today: September 3, 2015

— September 3, 2015 0 33

Scorpions’ ‘Wind of Change’: The Oral History of the Epic Power Ballad

These days, the Scorpions, still led by Meine, now 67, and Schenker, 66, continue to rock worldwide audiences like a hurricane. They’re set to release their 18th studio album, Return to Forever, stateside on September 11th (you can pre-order it here) and, also this month, are embarking on a U.S. tour celebrating 50 years as a band. But first, in anticipation of the 25th anniversary of “Wind of Change” (in November), the two Scorpions, along with key players in, and eyewitnesses to, the song’s history, take us back to Moscow and the “magic of the moment.”

Since then, “Wind of Change” has reportedly become one of the best-selling singles in history. And it is certainly the only power ballad to have been personally performed — and numerous times, at that — for former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (most recently in 2011, at his 80th birthday gala in London). Over the years, the Scorpions have also recorded the song in Russian and Spanish, and played it, in various configurations, with orchestras, children’s choirs and even as a duet with Spanish opera tenor José Carreras…

New Album For KISS All Set With New Songs Written By Gene Simmons?

“Having accomplished that, I feel we can move forward without new music. There are enough things going on in KISS that right now it doesn’t feel utterly necessary to make a new album.”

“There has to be a purpose to us doing an album,” the KISS singer said. “There was a time when we did albums because the contracts said so. But I only want to work now when it’s justified. Sonic Boom was an album that was very much needed to be done and Monster just felt like, ‘Well, we did Sonic Boom…'”

Progressive Music Awards Honor Late Yes Bassist Chris Squire by Renaming Virtuoso Award After Him

Yes has been paying tribute to Squire throughout its current North American summer tour with Toto . The trek is scheduled through a September 12 show near Vancouver, Canada.

Adds Downes, “We all want Chris to be remembered in the best possible way, and naming an award after him is a great honor, not just for Chris but for the band as well…I think it’s very fitting. As a pioneer of bass guitar, there’s probably no one who could match him…”

Kinks chance is fading says Davies

“They’re planning on shooting in March,” he reports. “It focuses mainly on the early days around 1964, then it progresses at light speed into fairly recently. Let’s hope everything works out with it.”

And he won’t close the door on drummer Mick Avory, the other surviving original member, taking part in a reunion. “It’s possible – I don’t know how he’s doing physically or psychologically…

Sound Check: Youngest Van Halen in solid in family band

Van Halen, whose high school graduation in 2010 was delayed a bit by his touring commitments with the band, has certainly had the backing of his father and uncle, drummer Alex Van Halen, as well as frontman David Lee Roth.

“And when people think I’m not doing it, that in their eyes what I’m doing is too good for me to actually be doing, I take that as a compliment, because I AM doing it.”

AC/DC behind the scenes: Building the stage in Ottawa | Ottawa Citizen

That may chill people who live near the stadium and remember, for example, a legendarily loud show by Pink Floyd in 1988. Live Nation promoter Ken Craig says today’s technology allows the sound to be more contained. Neighbours “will hear it,” Craig says, “but the sound is going to be a lot more contained than it was in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s when we did the Super Ex here.”

“I’ll just put it this way,” Skjerseth said. “We have five trucks of PA — just PA. Five trucks of speaker boxes.” AC/DC, he added, “wants the big sound. And it is big.”

Prog rock finally gets its own album chart

“You look at some of the best-selling and acclaimed artists of the modern era, like Muse, Radiohead, Mogwai, Tame Impala, what they do is incredible, they are challenging themselves, their audience, and inspiring a new generation, and the Official Progressive Albums Chart is the platform in which this will be recognised.”

Prog magazine editor Jerry Ewing said: “Prog artists have always pushed the boundaries of musical convention, and by doing so, many have gone on to be some of the best-selling and most influential artists of all time