23 April 2013: Steve Hillage et al "Cyberwar" Soundtrack and Area, Italian jazz fusion

        Cyberwar, a video game loosely based on Lawnmower Man, consists of three discs but also includes a CD with the soundtrack featured in the game. The soundtrack includes a number of tracks scored and played by Steve Hillage of Gong and System 7.   Copies of the soundtrack are very rare and difficult to come by as the CD itself was never available as a separate release.
        The game was briefly popular in the 1990s:  The player is assigned the role of Dr. Angelo, sent in to Virtual Reality to defeat Jobe, who, in the film was born simple but increased his brain capacity by 400% using Virtual Reality. He eventually leaves his physical body and enters VR permanently. The various gameplay elements are based on the Virtual Reality segments seen in the original film. For instance, one of the levels has the player flying through tunnels avoiding multiple objects, much like one of the games in the film.
       The game did not have multiple lives, but just one - if the player missed any part of any challenge, he would be sent to the "cyber-hell" where he would die. This proved brutal to many who played this game, but the puzzles were colorful and innovative - at least one required the player to remember a code from the first disc to be used in a room on the second disc. If the player entered the wrong code, he would die. 
      This game is now very rare but can sometimes be found on auction sites.

           Arbeit macht frei is the debut album of the Jazz fusion band Area. It is notable for featuring Patrick Djivas (which is now known better for his work with Premiata Forneria Marconi) on bass and Eddie Busnello on saxophone, which parted after the release of the album. According to the booklet the lyrics were written by Frankestein (which is an alias for Gianni Sassi), and the music was written by Patrizio Fariselli. "Luglio, Agosto, Settembre (nero)" became Area's first hit (even if most of the 7" censored the word "nero", which was a reference to Black September). It was only released as a juke box only item, and the b-side was the song "Miña" by Italian prog band Aktuala. On the posthumous live release "Concerto Teatro Uomo", Demetrio Stratos says that "L'abbattimento dello Zeppelin" was composed after a pub on which they were playing asked them to perform "Whole Lotta Love". They didn't know the song and played that one instead, and they got fired. Guitarist Paolo Tofani can be heard quoting the main riff during his solo. "L'abbattimento dello Zeppelin" was also released as a 7", backed by the title track of the album, but failed to hit any charts.
           "Arbeit macht frei" (German pronunciation: [ˈaɐ̯baɪt ˈmaxt ˈfʁaɪ]) is a German phrase meaning "labour makes (you) free".[1] The slogan is known for having been placed over the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps during World War II, including most infamously Auschwitz I, where it was made by prisoners with metalwork skills and erected by order of the Nazis in June 1940.

Track listing 

Side one

  1. "Luglio, Agosto, Settembre (nero)" – 4:27
  2. "Arbeit macht frei" – 7:56
  3. "Consapevolezza" – 6:06

Side two

  1. "Le labbra del tempo" – 6:00
  2. "240 chilometri da Smirne" – 5:10
  3. "L’abbattimento dello Zeppelin" – 6:45

Personnel

  • Eddie Busnello - Saxophone
  • Giulio Capiozzo - Drums, Percussion
  • Patrick Djivas - Bass, Double Bass
  • Patrizio Fariselli - Piano
  • Demetrio Stratos - Vocals, Organ, Steel Drums
  • Giampaolo Tofani - Guitar, Synthesizer
  • Ria Gaetano - Engineering

16 April 2013: Sound for Good Records Space Rock Compilation

The Sound for Good record label has partnered with the Farm Sanctuary to help educate people by offering the new release, "Space Rock: The Compilation" by Various Artists exclusively to everyone who donates just $1 USD (or more) to the Farm Sanctuary. This is our special gift to say thanks for helping to protect farm animals. In this way, artists can reward people for supporting good causes by offering something special they cannot get anywhere else.
Over 100 artists from all over the globe have generously donated tracks to this incredible collection. Take a journey through space with over 14 HOURS worth of psychedelic, tranceinducing music, while helping animals at the same time!

Released 31 October 2012
Farm Sanctuary has created a safe haven for hundreds of animals rescued from factory farms. All of the animals at Farm Sanctuary are named and cared for--each one as a separate individual with his or her own personality, likes, dislikes and desires. They are free to enjoy beautiful pastures, fresh air and play for the remainder of their lives. Visitors can learn about the animals, and meet them in person. It is an experience to see how friendly, gentile and forgiving these animals can be, considering what each of them has endured.
Farm Sanctuary is also an important educational center where people can learn about the billions of animals used for food every year. The conditions in which these animals are expected to live, and become nothing more than products, are shocking and appalling. Farm Sanctuary is working hard to have laws changed that would protect the rights of each of these animals, and have seen strides in the phasing out of gestation crates for pigs and battery cages for laying hens. Read more at www.farmsanctuary.org

The wonderful album cover featuring the artwork of Paul Nicholson was designed by Tony Gerber. Check out more of Paul's work at www.bluecanvas.com/paulnicholson/

Sound for Good is Record publishes and promotes new and innovative music as a means to support good causes. This is an independent project that is supported directly by the artists and is not for profit or monetary gain in any way. All the artists time and your donation are focused on support a good cause. Check out this and other music releases in our online catalog available for instant download at sound4good.bandcamp.com

NOTE: All recordings have been published directly from the files received. No processing or adjustments have been made to the original recordings. You may experience differences in track volumes, loudness, and other inconsistencies from track to track that were are part of the original material.

09 April 2013: Carmen and Long Distance Calling


    Carmen was a British-American band active from 1970-1975. Their style was a fusion of rock music and flamenco music and dance.
     Carmen's stage performances typically featured Amaral and Angela Allen dancing on a specially amplified stage floor, so that their flamenco zapateado became an integral part of the music. Additional Spanish influences in their sound included acoustic guitar interludes in flamenco style, occasional Spanish lyrics, themes of betrayed love reminiscent of Federico Garcia Lorca, and castanets, all supported by a traditional rock rhythm section.

Long Distance Calling is a German Post Rock band formed in 2006 in Münster. Their melancholic tracks, usually lasting five or more minutes, are mostly instrumental, but some of them feature guest vocalists: Peter Dolving from The Haunted (Built Without Hands, album Satelite Bay) John Bush from Armored Saint Ex- Anthrax (Middeville, album 'Long Distance Calling) and Jonas Renkse from Katatonia (The Nearing Grave, album Avoid The Light). Long Distance Calling have released two singles and three full-length albums, all of which were received very positively by critics: Satellite Bay (2007),[1][2][3] Avoid the Light (2009)[4][5][6] and Long Distance Calling (2011).[7][8][9] In 2008 the band played at the Rock am Ring[10] and Roadburn festivals; the band toured Germany in 2009.[11] In 2010 Long Distance Calling and Finnish Swallow The Sun supported Katatonia during the New Night Over Europe tour.[12] They most recently supported Protest The Hero on their 2012 European tour.

Members

Current members

  • David Jordan – guitar
  • Janosch Rathmer – drums
  • Florian Füntmann – guitar
  • Jan Hoffmann – bass
  • Martin Fischer - vocals and sounds

Discography

Studio albums

Demos & Split-EPs