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CRAIG BROOKS - DESOLATION FREEWAY |
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Escape Music brought to you from Touch, and now we are bringing to you the Lead vocalist of Touch, Mr Craig Brooks, we are delighted to announce the signing and the release date for this much-anticipated debut solo album title “Desolation Freeway”
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£10.99 + Shipping Pre-order Now |
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Release Date: 21 February 2025 Catalogue No: ESM397 Bar Code: 5 031281 00397 3 Track Listing: 1.Testify 4:57 2. Fading Out Of View 4:27 3.End Of The Line 4:16 4.Desolation Freeway 4:14 5.Modern Love 5:05 6.Takes One To Know One 4:14 7.Chosen One 5:05 8.Don’t Say You Love Me 5:04 9.Across The Great Divide 5:43 10.Lady Lies 6:00 Produced by Craig Brooks and Mark Mangold
Mixed and Mastered with some additional production by Jimmy Westerlund Craig was born and raised in New Jersey. His love of music was sparked after watching the Beatles’ first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964. Being struck like so many others at the time with how exciting and new sounding it all was, Craig began thinking of taking up a musical instrument, and so he started guitar lessons. He progressed through his teens and fell in love with rock n roll. His many influences included “Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, The Allman Brothers, Johnny Winter, Jeff Beck, The Young Rascals, The Beatles, Stones…. on and on. In the Summer of ’75 Craig received a call to come to NY and audition for the AOR / progressive keyboard band AMERICAN TEARS and in 1976 was signed to his first recording contract with Columbia Records. Craig’s subsequent first album, which was AMERICAN TEARS’ 3rd, “Powerhouse” was released in 1977. The following couple of years were spent with the band playing dates throughout the US, writing new music and generally honing their sound. After a group realignment and a change of management, the band collectively decided to change the name to TOUCH. In 1979 Craig signed his second recording contract with Atlantic’s Atco Records. The critically acclaimed debut album, TOUCH was released with two significant singles “Don’t You Know What Love Is” and “Call Me When The Spirit Moves You”. The album had a strong showing but the single “Don’t You Know What Love Is” only made it to #69 on the Billboard hot 100. The album did however have several #1 chart positions in the UK and did well on the specialist Melody Maker Chart in Great Britain. In 1982 Craig performed on Michael Bolton’s first Columbia solo album, providing Vocals and Guitar. He also has co-writer credit on the hit “Fool’s Game”. In addition, a second touch album was recorded but never saw the light of day until many years later. The band all met up in NY City on May 19, 2019 and began writing and recording a third TOUCH album, “Tomorrow Never Comes”, which was released on Escape Music in 2021 and of the 10 songs on the album, 3 were written by Craig, “Fire and Ice,” “Scream At The Sky” and “Run For Your Life”. It was a worthy come back album which put the band back at the forefront of melodic rock. After the TOUCH album was completed, he continued writing songs and recording. Craig sensed that he had some new, interesting music at hand, a unique twist to his own song writing. At this point he asked buddy Mark Mangold if he would be interested in collaborating on a Craig Brooks solo effort. And the final result is a new album titled, “Desolation Freeway”, set to be released in 2025. An exciting new chapter begins..
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BOB CATLEY - LEGENDS |
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The Vinyl will be double gatefold limited edition of 500 copies only, “Savannah” and “Mimosa Marble” colours, all will be numbered 1-500, 180g Audiophile Vinyl, and 1000 CDs limited edition only all will be numbered 001 to 1000
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CD VERSION £10.99 + Shipping Buy Now |
VINYL VERSION £27.99 + Shipping Buy Now |
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Release
Date: 24th January 2025 Musicians are: PRODUCED BY GARY HUGHES Vinyl Side
B Side
C Side
D CD Born in Aldershot on 11 September 1947, Catley's family moved to the Tile Cross area of Birmingham when he was young. He went on to attend the nearby Central Grammar School for Boys (Birmingham) and left to start an apprenticeship at the GPO before deciding on a musical career shortly after meeting similarly minded individuals at college. Whilst at college he joined several bands, such as The Smokestacks (Jeff Clark-guitar, Ron Savage-guitar, Derek Danks-bass & Brian Worrell-drums, Life and Clearwater). His first professional band was when he joined local outfit The Capitol Systems. The initial line-up was Bob Catley (vocals) Paul Sargent (guitar) Paul Whitehouse (bass), Dave Bailey (keyboards) and Bob Moore (drums). Shortly afterward they changed their name to Paradox, inspired by a science-fiction novel. A one-off deal was arranged with Mercury after Paradox had come to the attention of Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt. The tracks were "Ever Since I Can Remember", backed with "Goodbye Mary". In addition, they recorded "Mary Colinto" and "Somebody Save Me". All of these songs were written by Dave Morgan. Paradox played festivals in the Netherlands and Italy before splitting up upon their return to the UK in 1970. Formed in 1972, Magnum throughout the next 16 years consisted mainly of Bob Catley on vocals and Tony Clarkin on guitar. Magnum began as the house band at Birmingham's famous Rum Runner night club (later the home of Duran Duran). They began to develop their own style by playing Clarkin's songs at a residency at The Railway Inn, in Birmingham's Curzon Street, in 1976. Joining Clarkin and Catley were drummer Kex Gorin and bassist Dave Morgan (later a member of ELO). Their most notable success during these early years was the Jeff Glixman produced Chase The Dragon (1982) which reached No. 17 in the UK, and included several songs that would be mainstays of the band's live set, notably ‘Soldier of the Line’, ‘Sacred Hour’ and ‘The Spirit’. Their breakthrough album came in 1985 with On a Storyteller's Night which featured the single ‘Just Like an Arrow’. This success continued in the following years with the Roger Taylor (Queen) produced Vigilante in 1986, the top 5 album Wings of Heaven in 1988, and the Keith Olsen produced Goodnight L.A. reaching No. 9 in the UK album charts in 1990. Subsequently, Clarkin decided to maintain a tighter control, and after their initial mainstream success, the band lost their major label backing and returned to a more personal level of production. This finally found the band splitting and the formation of Hard Rain in 1995, which saw Clarkin pursue a more Pop orientated direction with a band that included Sue McCloskey on lead vocals. This new direction didn’t sit well with Catley, and after a headline performance at The Gods in the late 90s, a conversation with Bruce Mee of Now & Then Records saw Catley agree with a decision which eventually led to his debut solo album, ‘The Tower’. This release was completely written by Gary Hughes of Ten, with the writing completely decided to be in the vein of classic Magnum. The album itself was recorded by various members of Ten, including the amazing Vinny Burns (Dare) on guitar. On release, the many positive reviews concluded that the release of ‘The Tower’ had succeeded beyond its wildest imagination…..and Bob Catley’s solo career had been launched with amazing success!! After the great success of ‘The Tower’, Bob and Gary got together again for the follow-up – ‘Legends’. While not a full-blown concept album, each track was written about legendary figures from literature, mythology and real-life. Where else would one see songs about Elvis Presely and Marilyn Monroe standing should to shoulder with tales of Dracula, the Phantom of the Opera, Medusa and the Hydra amongst others. With the band again mostly consisting of members of Ten, such as Vinny Burns and Steve McKenna, this time the drum stool was occupied by Dante Fox’s Jon Cookesy. Artwork has once again been provided my world-renowned artist Rodny Matthews, whose career is inextricably linked with Magnum/Bob Catley. Maintaining his lyrical acumen and the melodic splendour seen on ‘The Tower’ and countless Ten releases, Gary Hughes and Bob Catley proved that there’s really was a magic created in this working relationship, and Catley’s voice caressed the words with some of his best vocal performances ever. A little heavier at time than its predecessor, songs like opener ‘The Pain’ really took the Melodic Rock world by storm, and those lamenting the current hiatus of Magnum at the time found their appetites well and truly whetted. Bob Catley’s second solo album continued to show that he was one of the UK’s best vocalists. In fact … LEGENDARY!!
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