British Music Legends
S T R A W B S
To Release New Album
“The Magic Of It All”
followed by documentary later this year
ZOOM TV SPECIAL EVENT
with
founding member...singer...musician...
and most active songwriter since 1967
D A V I D C O U S I N S
SUPERB
NEW ALBUM BY STRAWBS FEATURING DAVID COUSINS, BLUE WEAVER AND JOHN FORD
British music legends Strawbs will be releasing their new album “The Magic Of It All” on July 14th! Recorded in Cape Town, the album features David Cousins, Blue Weaver, and John Ford from classic 1970’s line up joined by some of the finest musicians and singers in South Africa.
Strawbs were high in the charts with “Grave New World” and “Bursting At The Seams” 50 years ago which coincided with a pivotal moment in the struggle for freedom in South Africa, when students and workers launched a new wave of resistance against so-called “resettlement”. The resistance in South Africa identified with Strawbs songs, especially “Part Of The Union”, “Lay Down”, and “New World”.
Recognizing this, South Africa documentary maker, Niel van Deventer, approached David Cousins with the idea of producing a documentary about Strawbs and the band’s influence around the world. Niel wanted to film while new songs were being recorded in a Cape Town studio. David Cousins came up with a bunch of his finest songs; Blue Weaver flew over to produce the sessions and co- write some of the material, while John Ford joined in with his contribution to the songs from New York.
Featuring brand-new songs recorded at the Academy Of Sound
Engineering in Cape Town, with engineer Peter Pearlson, who worked with Paul
Simon when he was recording South African musicians for the “Graceland” album.
The South African musicians on this album include Mauritz Lotz, Schalk Joubert,
Kevin Gibson, Byron Abrahams, Simangele Mashazi, Marzia Barry and Luna Paige.
Cathryn Craig and Nicole Tee joined the singers from the UK. The documentary
“The Magic Of It All” will be released July 14, 2023.
BY
STRAWBS
The Magic Of It All
Cherry Red press release announces the new Strawbs album, to be released on CD, vinyl and download on 14 Jul 2023. You can pre-order the album from Cherry Red from the Cherry Red website. Purchasers will get signed postcards whilst stocks last.
The new Strawbs studio album was recorded in Cape Town in 2022.David Cousins, Blue Weaver, and John Ford from classic 1970s Strawbs join with the some of the finest musicians and singers in South Africa.
Strawbs were high in the charts with Grave New World and
Bursting at the Seams fifty years ago in the early 1970s. It coincided with a
pivotal moment in the struggle for freedom in South Africa when students and
workers launched a new wave of resistance against so-called “resettlement”. The
resistance in South Africa identified with Strawbs songs, especially "Part
of the Union", "Lay Down", and "New World". Strawbs
albums sold well and became highly prized.
Recognizing this, South Africa documentary maker, Niel van
Deventer, approached David Cousins with the idea of producing a documentary
about Strawbs and the band’s influence around the world. Niel wanted to film
while new songs were being recorded in a Cape Town studio. David Cousins came
up with a bunch of his finest songs, Blue Weaver flew over to produce the
sessions and co-write some of the songs, while John Ford joined in with his
contribution to the songs from New York.
The album is called The Magic Of It All - 11 brand-new songs recorded at the Academy of Sound Engineering in Cape Town in Sep 2022. Engineer Peter Pearlson worked with Paul Simon when he was recording South African musicians for the Graceland album. The South African musicians on this album include Mauritz Lotz, Schalk Joubert, Kevin Gibson, Byron Abrahams, Simangele Mashazi, Marzia Barry and Luna Paige. Cathryn Craig and Nicole Tee joined the singers from the UK.
David Cousins says: “The Academy of Sound Engineering is a
college for training young audio engineers. We were surrounded by several
students every day while we recorded, and they were involved in setting up the
studio and lining up the desk. They learned a lot – and so did I. It was
magic!”
Blue Weaver says: “It really was 'Magic' working in Cape Town
especially having such great musicians and an engineer who made my job very
easy. It was wonderful also to see how the students reacted to our ways of
recording live in the studio and to answer their questions. I‘m looking forward
to seeing the documentary especially the "fly on the wall" video
recordings that were made during the sessions.“
The Magic Of It All is released simultaneously on vinyl, CD
and download by Cherry Red on 14 July. The documentary "The Magic Of It
All" will be released later this year."
Strawbs “The Magic Of It All” will be available on CD and vinyl.
To pre-order: www.cherryred.co.uk/artist/strawbs
AUGUST 11TH
AT FAIRPORT'S CROPREDY CONVENTION
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THURSDAY 10 AUG 2023
NILE RODGERS & CHIC
Toyah
& Robert Fripp
Damien
Wilson & Adam Wakeman
Merry
Hell
Fairport
Acoustic
FRIDAY 11
AUG 2023
10CC
Fisherman's
Friends
Strawbs
(farewell show)
Peat and
Diesel
Kiki Dee
and Carmel Luigieri
Joshua
Burnell
Two more
Friday Acts TBA
SATURDAY
12 AUG 2023
Fairport
Convention & Friends
Gilbert
O'Sullivan
The Young
'Uns
Solstice
Beans on
Toast
Morganway
Richard
Digance
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT
DAVID
COUSINS
AND
STRAWBS
VISIT
Official
website
www.facebook.com/groups/strawbs
Facebook
https://twitter.com/strawbsband?lang=en
Twitter
STRAWBS
Discography
Strawbs
(1969)
Dragonfly
(1970)
Just a
Collection of Antiques and Curios (recorded live) (1970)
From the
Witchwood (1971)
Grave New
World (1972)
Bursting
at the Seams (1973)
All Our
Own Work (1973; recorded 1967)
Hero and
Heroine (1974)
Ghosts
(1975)
Nomadness
(1975)
Deep Cuts
(1976)
Burning
for You (1977)
Deadlines
(1978)
Don't Say
Goodbye (1987)
Ringing
Down the Years (1991)
Heartbreak
Hill (1995)
Baroque
& Roll (2001)
Strawberry
Sampler Number 1 (2001; recorded 1969)
30 Years
in Rock (2001; Issued with "Wondrous Stories" magazine)
Blue
Angel (2003)
Déjà Fou
(2004)
Live at
Nearfest (2006)
The
Broken Hearted Bride (2008)
Dancing
to the Devil's Beat (2009)
Hero
& Heroine in Ascencia (2011)
Prognostic
(2014)
The
Ferryman's Curse (2017)
Live in
Concert CD / DVD (2020)
Best of
The Strawbs - Live in Concert Vinyl (2020)
Settlement
(2021)
The Magic
Of It All (2023)
SOLO ALBUMS
Two Weeks
Last Summer (1972) (with Roger Glover, Rick Wakeman, Dave Lambert, etc)
Old
School Songs (1980) (with Brian Willoughby)
The
Bridge (1994) (with Brian Willoughby)
Hummingbird
(2002) (with Rick Wakeman)
Wakeman
and Cousins "Live 1988" (2005) (with Rick Wakeman)
High Seas
(2005) (with Conny Conrad)
The Boy
in the Sailor Suit (2007)
Secret
Paths (2008)
Duochrome
(2008) (with Ian Cutler) live recordings from the US tour in March 2008
Moving
Pictures (2015) solo acoustic live recording from The Kent Stage, Kent, Ohio US
15 March 2008
NOW STREAMING ON THESE SITES
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ENTITLED
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
SERIES ONE
CHRONICLES,TRUTHS
CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM
FROM THE MUSIC LEGENDS
THAT SET US FREE!
BY MUSIC JOURNALIST ...TALK SHOW HOST...
AUTHOR ... TV SITCOM SCRIPT WRITER
RAY SHASHO
…Order yours today on (Collector edition) Hardcover or E-book at bookbaby.com and amazon.com
Featuring over 45 intimate conversations with some of the greatest rock legends the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR. JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA… JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL KANTNER... RAY THOMAS... RONNIE MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE... BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX... RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER... ROGER FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK... SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY... PETE BEST
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
BOOK TRAILER
BOOK REVIEW
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles by Ray Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the 70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists, legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to get them comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock music. The second noteworthy thing is the use of high-definition pictures to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones. Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts, aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new things by going back in time.
https://literarytitan.com/2020/05/03/literary-titan-book-awards-may-2020/
Gold Award Winner
