Neal Morse, has announced his resignation from the band, effective immediately. Morse's resignation was announced by the band last thursday (101002): blog.mostlypink.net | ||||
New members:
Look for a new live Spock’s Beard DVD and extensive European tour in early 2012, followed by our 11th studio release sometime in the summer. We’re energized and excited, and will be posting updates and sound samples as we progress.
The new sensation of heavy-symfo-land in the year '97:
The Offical Live Bootleg: The Official Live Bootleg album, which has been out of print for some time, is back on the shelves again (May 2002). The material on this album was taken from the Beard's performance at Progfest 1995, so this is some very early live Beard indeed.
The new studio-album is called Snow ('02) and is double ceedee, with the most beautifull ballads they've ever written and some other heavy parts i never heard before. Snow is an albums of extremes. If you can buy the limited edition box, 3 ceedees. The line-up didn't changed, they had some help from:
Neal Morse, has announced his resignation from the band, effective immediately. Morse's resignation was announced by the band last thursday (101002):
At this time we are officially announcing that Neal Morse will no longer be touring or recording with Spock's Beard. He has decided to put all his energy and focus on his spiritual path. We love and support Neal and wish him well in whatever he decides to do. It has been a privilege sharing the stage and studio with him all these years. We will miss him both personally and professionally. We had a lot of great times together.
The Mighty Beard will go on! We must Rock! We love this music and will keep on writing, recording, and performing it for you. We will be recording a new album in the next few months with a worldwide tour to follow. We appreciate the love and support of our fans over the years and hope you will continue to support us going forward. We will continue to perform your favorite SB songs, as well as our new material, in our live shows. See you all soon on the road!
A few mounths later:
They are working on a new album. Following are excerpts from a studio update that recently
appeared on the band's website:
(...) Song contributions from NDV, Ryo and the new writing team of Alan Morse and
John Boegehold (more on him later) provided the raw material and a jumping off point
for the band as they wrote and arranged a new collection of songs in the studio.
Sounding edgier, and more fusion/hard rock oriented, they are defining a brand new
Beard sound and style.
At the board again for this project is Rich Mouser, the engineer who masterfully
crafted the ground breaking concept album SNOW. He is bringing his considerable
expertise to the project providing just the right amount of continuity with prior
Beard works, while helping them to invent a fresh new sound.
With principal songwriter Neal Morse gone, a fresh new sound seems to be the only way to go.
Any which way, the aforementioned progressive rock community waits with anticipation.
At the end of 2002, shortly after the departure of Neal Morse, Spock's Beard finally released their long-awaited DVD, Don't Try This At Home + The Making Of V, more than three years after its recording in Tilburg during the "Day For Night" tour. The DVD can be seen as a farewell present of Neal Morse, with an astounding package of not one, but two extras packed DVDs *and* a bonus CD, with a total playing time of over five and a half hours.
The new Spock´s Beard album is entitled Feel Euphoria. Street date is the 30th June and it will be the first statement of the band, since Neal Morse left. New vocalist is drummer Nick D´Virgilio. "Feel Euphoria" will be also available as Special Edition. Spock´s Beard are coming to Europe in Autumn.
Octane (2005) (Release 31/01/2005).
Octane is the 8th and newest release from Spock's Beard.
It's a collection of 12 new songs. The first seven songs form an epic song-cycle
called "A Flash Before My Eyes". Then, there are five more great tracks.
The total running time is 55:55.
Tsunami Relief CD
Started out as a simple "what if..." idea in an online community. And it will become big too:
IQ,
Neal Morse and his band,
Randy George of Ajalon,
Mark McCrite from both Rocket Scientist and Lana Lane,
IZZ &
Jimmy Keegan, tour drummer Spock Beards.
Gluttons For Punishment - Live 05 (2005). A double live album.
The band's ninth studio CD is simple called Spock's Beard.
An album with fantastic prog songs, like the instrumental track "Skeletons At The Feast",
but also an album with some rock songs like "Wherever You Stand". Oh and I don't mind rock songs but I don't know if
it was wise to put them on the disc. Maybe a shorter disc witht the more excellent proggy
songs would grab my attention from the first till the last tune. But nevertheless a fine album from some
excellent musicians.
John Boegehold - voices, additional guitar and synths,
Stan Ausmus - voices and additional guitar,
Rich Mouser - voice,
The Barnhart Chorus,
The Section Quartet.
Neal Morse.
This he wrote on the website of Spock Beard, after his depature:
I want you all to know that I've given it careful consideration, thought and prayer, and it's with great sadness that I make this announcement.
The band is going on and I fully love and support them and I hope you will too.
Thanks to you all for making our dreams come true. My family and I wish you all the best.
Testimony is his double album from 2003, with MIKE PORTNOY from Dream Theater and KERRY LIVGREN of Kansas! A verry fine proggy album, a bit less heavier as we are used from Spock's Beard.
One ('04) is his new studio album with Mike Portnoy on drums, bassist Randy George and guitarist Phil Keaggy.
On his new album Secret ('05) are playing:
NEWS Jan 2010:
Drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER,
TRANSATLANTIC), guitarist
Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE, DIXIE DREGS), multi-instrumentalist Neal Morse (TRANSATLANTIC, SPOCK'S BEARD), bassist Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS) and vocalist Casey McPherson (ALPHA REV, ENDOCHINE) have joined forces in a brand new project. The as-yet-unnamed band has just entered the studio to begin work on a new album, due later in the year.
Commented Neal Morse: "We're all going to get together and work from scratch with no pre-prepared material and see what comes out.
"We're all excited about the project, but it is a bit of a mystery as to what will come. The vision is to do something a little more song-oriented and not quite so riffy, as one might expect. But still, of course, having the musical elements that people like Steve Morse, Dave LaRou, Mike Portnoy, and myself can provide."
Regarding how the new project came together, Neal Morse said, "Last April I got together with Steve Morse to do some writing and to see what would happen with a collaboration between the two of us and how I went down to his house in Florida and spent some days with him, getting to know him and writing some music and we had a really good time. So we've been talking about doing a project together for a while."
As for the musical direction of the new project, Neal said, "I'd like to do something different. Something to make it very different from like my solo stuff or TRANSATLANTIC. There are some demos and some things that Steve and I did in April that we've worked on and so we'll have some things to start with, but I think the plan is to get together and see what happens and write in the room."
He added, "We've mapped out about 10 days [in the studio for the project's first session]. We'll see what happens and see how much we can get done, if we can't get the basics down enough for an album then we'll have to continue on later. Everyone's schedules are a bit in flux and their very busy people so I don't know how long it will take us to actually finish and release the record."
SESSION:
Paul Kilkenny ('06)(with David Ragsdale ( formerly of Kansas, Salem Hill, solo ), Abe Laboriel Jr. (currently on tour with Paul McCartney), bassist Mel Brown (currently on tour with Marc Anthony), guitarist Tim Pierce (Christina Aguilera, Toy Matinee, Phil Collins, Don Henley), David Walliman ( Glass Hammer, solo ) and many others.
Amaran's Plight ('08)
Bryan Beller ('08)
Big Big Train ('09)(with Jem Godfrey and It Bites gitarist Francis Dunnery).
The Power of Two, A Flower Kings Side Project.
NDV will be playing drums and singing for Cirque Du Soleil (2010).
Big Big Train ('08 - '10).
Kevin Gilbert ('09).
Steve Thorne - Into the Ether ('09).
Cirque Du Soleil ('10).
Frost - The Philadelphia ('10).
Mystery, with Benoit David, yes he sings in Yes nowadays ('12).
He toured with: Tears for Fears, Mike Keneally, Jonatha Brooke, Eric Burdon, Spock's Beard, Kevin Gilbert, DeBarge, The Legends of Classic Rock w/ Spencer Davis-Glenn Hughes- John Cafferty-Mike Reno-Bobby Kimbal, Fates Warning!
Solo with the album Karma under the name NDV. On the album, Nick handles guitar, keyboards, bass and drum duties as well as providing an astonishing array of confident vocal directives. Along the way Nick is helped out by various colleagues including:
Spock's Beard drummer and now also their singer Nick D'Virgilio has become full member of the post-punk formation The Rubinoos. Recently, Nick was with the band in Spain and Japan to perform a lot of gigs. You can also hear Nick on their newest album "Crimes against music" on which the band bring you 13 covers in their own “bubblebum” way. Songs from amongst others, Eurythmics, Elvis Costello, American Breed, Sweet, Del Shannon, Beach Boys and Todd Rundgren's Utopia are given a specific Rubinoos arrangement. Certainly a very busy boy, our Nick!!!
LIVE & ACOUSTIC, a cd and dvd ('04).
Nick did first session for Big Big Train
but he became full member of this exceptional good Genesis stylish band.
He plays in K² ('05). K² is the brainchild of Atlantis bass player Ken Jaquess, with guitar maestro Allan Holdsworth, Shaun Guerin takes on the vocal duties, Doug Sanborn on drums and on violin; Yvette Devereaux. Additional guitar parts come from John Miner and Ken Jaquess.
John Payne, Guthrie Govan, and Jay Schellen from Asia as well as our Spock's Beard keyboard player Ryo Okumoto - are behind GPS. A band teamed up in 2006.
Ryo i involved with K2 aswell. They follow up their well received debut Book Of The Dead with Black Garden.
Symfo-Index.
Updated Oct - 2011 by Nick.
Shine On!