RELEASE OF "AS I WAS SAYING" ON CHERRY
RED
John has been interviewed by journalist Helen Wright for the MusicOhm site. Click here to read this fantastic article!
There is also a to-die-for review of the new LP right here. Enjoy!
It will be the first time in about thirty years that John plays with a complete band .
The record is already available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk, with a very interesting and touching review written by John. You can read it here.
October 7th
Obviously, the main man's last live appearance didn't go unnoticed...
Click here to read the article.
Thanks to Dickon Edwards for the link.
I eventually found the time to complete a brief review of "The Dangerous Hours", which is, in my opinion, much more my way to pay tribute to John and Rob's talent, than a proper piece of music criticism...
But why bother with objectivity in the face of Genius?
Here's the link to the Glam-ou-rama web site, where I posted the review .
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July 5th
Click here to read.
Thanks to Billy for the link.
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First is 'The Dangerous Hours' , which includes only brand new songs, written in collaboration with brilliant Mancunian poet Rob Cochrane.
The other one is 'The Pros And Cons Of Passion', an album never released till now, though recorded in 1996. This limited edition also features covers of John's favourite songs.
For information on how to buy these CDs, please contact Neil France :
[email protected]
But now it's finally out we can play it as often as we want to, and it was really worth waiting !
The enhanced video is simply stunning, John gives us a great performance, as well as a deliciously retro nod to his past story.
It will include four bonus tracks produced by Trevor Horn, and a rare video clip of John performing
his January '76 single 'I Got My Lady' on BBCTV show The Musical Time Machine.
Quite a great treat for us fans, indeed !
This album is also the long-awaited 'missing key' of John's '70s trilogy, in addition to the 'Kid In A Big World' and 'Technicolour Biography' albums.
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John performed a lot of his new material, which not surprisingly got 'a really positive response', John himself is pleased to say.
There you'll find the link.
March 29th
John's forthcoming 'Can You Hear Me Ok' mentioned on a German website dedicated to famous producer Trevor Horn,
who worked with our main man during the 70s.
Apparently the fact that four Horn produced bonus tracks will be on the album creates some interest in his fanbase ...
Here's the link : www.Trevor-horn.de.
Click on 'community', then 'guestbook' to find it.***********************************************
March 24th
Charming John Howard agreed to
answer a few questions
especially for the site.
In his usual witty way, obviously ...
You're about to do your final show at The Briton's Protection, during which you'll perform songs from your forthcoming 'The Dangerous Hours'. The audience won't know the songs, therefore. So, do you think the reaction of the audience is a kind of a foretaste of what's in store for the once-released album ?
What were you most surprised about throughout the 2004 year, since your comeback ?
JH:
I guess the incredible response from Uncut magazine to Kid In A Big World was my first really big surprise. I was astonished by their reaction to the reissue of Kid. It was a joy to know that music I made thirty years previously could affect people so much now. And to see people like yourself, young people who were not born when I recorded Kid and Technicolour Biography, who respond to my songs so positively always surprises and delights me.
Looking back on the past, what are you most satisfied with, and what would you manage differently today, if ever you had a chance to ?
JH:
The music I wrote and recorded then brings back many good memories, working with great people like Tony Meehan and Paul Phillips, recording at Abbey Road and Apple, dreams come true really. I suppose there is a wish inside me that I had not given up when I did (in 1984). It was difficult carrying on then, I felt I had given my music its 'best shot' and no-one seemed to be interested. I felt out of step. I was 31 and it seemed to me my time had gone. I do wonder what would have been created if I'd continued to write and record. But we'll never know that.
What's the craziest thing that ever happened to you as a young artist ?
JH:
By crazy, if you mean incredible, in 1973 I had just left home in the north of England, a small village, and there I was, a few months later, sitting in a huge hotel suite in Madrid, having just met Peter Fonda and director Peter Collinson, being asked to write the theme song for their latest movie. I sat on the edge of my bed and burst out laughing. It seemed totally crazy! By crazy if you mean bizarre - well, I guess the night I was at the Albert Hall, in my own private box, with a drinks bar to myself, being invited to meet Mahavishnu John McLaughlin backstage, and there having a long conversation with his mother-in-law which I now totally forget the content of! Too many vodka and tonics no doubt! And then being whisked off home to my bedsit in a fabulous limousine. It's a bit like a dream now.
Now the last one : have you got any pet at home (a bit childish that one, I know ...) ?
JH: We have four cats, Daisy, Doris, Gertie and George. They are, of course, all adorable!
Thanks, John, for kindly sparing some of your time !
Sheridan Quaint, March 05
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March 22nd
A
message from Neil
France, re the forthcoming release of John's 'Can You Hear Me Ok ?'
album.
Hi everyone,
Thought you'd like to know that on April 25th, the third of John's 1970s albums, Can You Hear Me Ok, will be released by RPM Records. The album was recorded through 1975, produced by Biddu with strings arranged by Pip Williams and Gerry Shury.
The production is suitably lush with massive strings through the ten specially written tracks. There are also four bonus cuts on this RPM release: the four tracks John recorded with Trevor Horn in 1977/8, released as singles 1978/9. These were the first Trevor Horn productions released commercially, predating Buggles by many months, featuring musicians such as Anne Dudley, Geoff Downes, Bruce Woolley and backing vocals by John, Linda Jardim, Bruce Woolley, Kip Trevor and Trevor Horn. And as a final very special bonus there is an ECD track, playable on your pc, showing John in 1975 performing the single taken from Can You Hear Me Ok. A '70s time capsule, all diamonte and orange sets. This promo clip has not been seen for thirty years.
If you click on www.amazon.co.uk and type in John Howard, the album will come up on the list of releases, and if you click on that, there is a detailed write-up (it is titled Can You Hear Me Okay on there).
JOHN HOWARD - CAN YOU HEAR ME OK
On Rpm Records April 25th 2005
Cat. No: RPM 293
Also by John on RPM:
Kid In A Big World (RPM 271)
Technicolour Biography (RPM 282)
John's website:
www.kidinabigworld.co.uk
Tell all your friends!
Thanks and best as ever,
Neil