Graham Bonnet & Alcatrazz - London 1666

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Graham Bonnet & Alcatrazz - London 1666 Dec 8, 2020 22:44:09 GMT

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Post by Admin on Dec 8, 2020 22:44:09 GMT

Graham Bonnet has clarified his recent comment that he will "still be recording and performing with ALCATRAZZ" despite the fact that he has parted ways with the musicians who performed with him on the band's latest album, "Born Innocent".

On December 4, ALCATRAZZ members Jimmy Waldo, Joe Stump, Gary Shea and Mark Benquechea issued a statement saying that will be joined by singer Doogie White (RAINBOW, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST) for all their 2021 touring. The announcement came less than a month after Bonnet said that he was "no longer affiliated" with ALCATRAZZ's manager Giles Lavery." At the time, the other ALCATRAZZ members shot back, saying that they were "still represented" by Lavery and blasting Bonnet for "dictat[ing] to us who our collective or individual manager may or may not be."

Not long after, Bonnet released a statement via his social media in which he said that he "will still be recording and performing with ALCATRAZZ. I am the founder and main songwriter and have been since the band's inception in '83." He added that he will "be announcing the incredible new ALCATRAZZ lineup in the spring" and promised to take the new band on the road.

Bonnet's comments naturally created confusion within ALCATRAZZ's fan base, prompting him to issue a follow-up statement explaining his position.

Graham wrote: "Hi everyone! Since my last post, I've received many emails expressing confusion about the band situation and again, rather than respond individually, I will clarify here.

"When my manager resigned in June, I asked the band collectively if they would be interested in touring to support the new album. They informed me that they were only interested in touring if my former manager was included. No one was 'fired,' we just parted ways. As that signaled the end of this version of ALCATRAZZ, I immediately began to seek new players for yet another new ALCATRAZZ line-up.

"I have performed with other versions of ALCATRAZZ since the demise of the original band, this was just the first time I played with any original members and the first time I recorded using the name ALCATRAZZ. The day my manager resigned, he also removed me as admin of the 'Graham Bonnet and ALCATRAZZ' band FB page so I was unable to let fans know what was happening until recently when FB returned my page.

"The first misunderstanding happened when I posted on the band page that 'Graham Bonnet and ALCATRAZZ' were no longer associated with Giles Lavery management. When I said that, I wasn't referring to the recent line-up. They had already informed me months earlier that they would only tour with my former manager and to me, that meant that they had quit. My reference was to my new version of ALCATRAZZ. I have no plans to relinquish the name ALCATRAZZ and I expect that they don't either. This is an old story, bands break up and there becomes two versions. I'm not bothered by it. I've toured with Doogie the past few years with [MICHAEL] SCHENKER FEST and he is a good friend and a damn fine performer. In my opinion, there is no such thing as too much music. People can listen to one or the other or both versions and choose whatever they like. I'm not interested in squabbling over a name, I'd rather just make music."

When Waldo, Stump, Shea and Benquechea announced that they were working with White, they vowed to put on "an explosive live show featuring all of the ALCATRAZZ classics that you know, plus added selections from Doogie's work with RAINBOW and MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST/TEMPLE OF ROCK." They also floated the possibility of "a couple [of] new songs as well."

Waldo, Stump, Shea and Benquechea's version of ALCATRAZZ has launched a Facebook page where they will be posting all their news going forward.

"Born Innocent" was released in July via Silver Lining Music. The LP featured Bonnet alongside fellow founding members Waldo and Shea, plus guitarist Joe Stump. Chris Impellitteri wrote the music and played all guitars on the "Born Innocent" title track, while Bob Kulick wrote and laid down guitar for "I Am The King". Former ALCATRAZZ guitarist Steve Vai wrote "Dirty Like The City".

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Graham Bonnet & Alcatrazz - London 1666 Dec 9, 2020 4:15:03 GMT

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Post by Admin on Dec 9, 2020 4:15:03 GMT

Bonnet was asked if he reached out to Yngwie Malmsteen to contribute to Born Innocent: "No, (laughs) and that’s because I know him. I know he’s very, very busy and he wouldn’t want to. I remember him saying, 'I don’t want to go back, always go forward'. And that’s OK with me. Maybe one day he might play in this band or with my band or some other band, I don’t know. Right now, he’s doing things completely on his own. So, good luck to him. He’s still a great player and a great musician."

Asked if he thinks that reactivating Alcatrazz is “going back”, Bonnet replies: "Sort of, yeah because it is like going back to relive what we had in the first place. Because I think now by doing this album and what this album sounds like, is very much like we did on our very first album. It has that same feel but with a modern production, I think. And to go back to your question I will say that I’ve never left really. I’ve always been there because I’m still writing the same kind of songs and people who are in the band now know how I write songs and I know how they write, so it’s not really going back; it’s going forward but at the same time using elements of the past."

Alcatrazz have released their brand new full-length, Born Innocent, via Silver Lining Music. Order here.

Born Innocent is their first studio venture since 1986’s Dangerous Games. Alongside the unique vocal prowess and range of star frontman and founding member Graham Bonnet, Born Innocent also features fellow founding members Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea. Debuting on Born Innocent is the latest of the illustrious Alcatrazz guitarists to bring their extreme six-string talents to the band, with Boston-based Berklee College of Music Assistant Professor of Guitar, and one-man metal impresario Joe Stump.

Mixed and mastered by Andy Haller, Born Innocent also sees former stars from Bonnet's long career making guest appearances, from Chris Impellitteri, who wrote the music and played all guitars on the arpeggio-powered "Born Innocent" with Bonnet's vocals soaring to old-school heights, and Bob Kulick who wrote and laid down guitar for "I Am The King". Virtuoso Japanese guitar maestro Nozomu Wakai - a new invitee to the party- similarly wrote and played guitars on the double-kick steel-plated Irish warrior ode "Finn McCool", while Steve Vai wrote "Dirty Like The City". Meanwhile, "Something That I Am Missing" and "Warth Lane" were written by - and feature the guitar work of- Italian six-string hero Dario Mollo, with Riot bassist Don Van Stavern playing bass on the title track, "Polar Bear", "Finn McCool", "London 1666", "Dirty Like The City" and "Paper Flags". Add D. Kendall Jones’ writing and guitar work on "We Still Remember" and even a quick solo by another new invitee to the Alcatrazz mega-sound, Annihilator's Jeff Waters on "Paper Flags" (the second one to be precise), and it’s clear that studio Alcatrazz 2020 is one giant piece of rock for sure.

Tracklisting:

"Born Innocent"
"Polar Bear"
"Finn McCool"
"We Still Remember"
"London 1666"
"Dirty Like The City"
"I Am The King"
"Something That I Am Missing"
"Paper Flags"
"The Wound Is Open"
"Body Beautiful"
"Warth Lane"
"For Tony"

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Graham Bonnet & Alcatrazz - London 1666 Dec 9, 2020 21:34:06 GMT

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Post by Admin on Dec 9, 2020 21:34:06 GMT

ALCATRAZZ Live at the Country Club, Reseda, California, USA 31st October 1983
1. Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live 0:00
2. General Hospital 4:39
3. Kree Nakoorie 9:21
4. Island In The Sun 15:20
5. Evil Eye 19:15
6. Since You Been Gone 24:21
7. Hiroshima Mon Amour 27:55
8. Suffer Me 31:36
9. Desert Song 36:21
10. Jet To Jet 41:55

The California Country Club show on 31 October 1983 with a young Yngwie Malmsteen who shook guitar fans around the world.

This is a rare opportunity to hear Yngwie and Graham Bonnett perform together in the highest quality of sound. Especially "General Hospital" is a rare take.

By this time Yngwie was playing Graham's glorious songs such as MSG's "Desert Song" as well as "Since You Been Gone". His incisive, rapid-fire playing on each song is truly amazing and all of it is worth listening to.

Graham Bonnet - Vocal, Yngwie Malmsteen - Guitar, Jimmy Waldo - Keyboards, Gary Shea - Bass, Jan Uvena - Drums

Last Edit: Dec 9, 2020 21:34:35 GMT by Admin