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Listening to the new Black Country Communion album this weekened. Heavy blues based rock, very old school. Cherry on top is of course The Voice, Glenn Hughes. Very enjoyable to have on while I am working on the Deep Purple Family collection. They really need to shoot another concert performance somewhere for posterity, maybe at Red Rocks or somewhere epic like that. The day will come when everybody will realize just how brilliant this band was. Or project, rather. This might be the last one.

(My shot of said CD, ad from UK publication Power Play Magazine seen as well)

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Midsummer (2)

Took a stroll and captured some local scenery with the phone. Moving to Stugun (Jämtland County, Sweden) is the best thing I ever did in my life. Such a beautiful place.

(My shots taken today)

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Major Discovery

Imagine finding out about this particular group and this particular album (with this particular cover) on Midsummer? Must be fate. Tusmörke is a Nowegian folk music/prog kind of band out of Skien (Telemark, Norway). Formed as Les Fleurs du Mal in 1994, they then changed their name to Tusmörke in 2009. They have recorded several albums and the one I point you to here, “Hestehoven” (2023), is an absolut joy. Simply put, this is one hell of a discovery. The musical tapestry takes you on a wild journey and friends of keyboards (think Uriah Heep and Deep Purple) will be very happy to delve into this. It is what it is. Not very commercial, but highly enjoyable. Lyrics are in Norwegian, but that does not bother me at all. I am listening to music from Japan almost every day. If anything, it hightens the pleasure. I suggest that you listen to the song “Den Behornede Guden” (translates to “The Horned God”) on YouTube. You will be transported to a wonderful world. So glad that I have discovered this. I have ordered the CD and the Limited Edition LP.

(Cover is from official platforms – incredible cover art by Sverre Malling)

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Donald Sutherland Is Gone

Sad to hear that actor Donald Sutherland has passed away. To me he will always be remembered for his role as Sergeant Oddball in the 1970 classic “Kelly´s Heroes” (best WWII heist movie ever), but he was one of those guys that was always great. When you saw that he was in a film, you knew that he would be good and that the film might be good too. His career never really waned, the younger generation will know him from the Hunger Games franchise.

(My shot of “Kelly´s Heroes” movie poster hanging in my hallway – art by the great Jack Davis)

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The Empress

Saki released a new video on YouTube yesterday called “The Empress”. Beautiful instrumental, great video. Today we have the new Saki EP “Germinans” as well, so make sure to order that (there are, as mentioned earlier on this blog, two versions of this). “The Empress” is a track from said EP. The title track of the EP was released as a video four months ago. Also, her final release as a member of Nemophila, the new live DVD from the Budokan show, is also out in Japan now. I hope to receive my copy within a few weeks on import. Fans will be able to see Saki perform in Okinawa next (see June 3 post “7th Heaven Summer Festival 2024”). Lucky bastards.

(EP cover is from official platforms, the small image is a screenshot from the new video – now go and check it out!)

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Midsummer

We celebrate Midsummer this weekend in Sweden. Sun is up 24/7. Apart from Christmas, this is the most important days of the year over here.

(Cover seen here is Swedish publication Hemmets Journal, 26 1943)

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When It Rains…

When the rain hits and outdoor activities are less attractive (it is my holiday after all), then it is a good thing to be able to spend some time on the collections. I am at the final stages of completing the old Deep Purple Family collection now. Numbering the binders, cutting out articles from magazines etc. It is a wonderful hobby and it is starting to look darned good. Here is an old BRAVO article from Germany, covering a Rainbow show (opening for REO Speedwagon) in Los Angeles at the Shrine Auditorium in May 1978. Rainbow worked hard in America to crack it. Did not really happen, but they laid a pretty solid foundation. The hits would come a year later.

(My shot of said article in binder 13)

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Christmas Candy In July

This popped up at my local grocery store today, Juliskum. Remove the “i” and it says Julskum, “jul” meaning Christmas (“Juli” obviously meaning July). It would still be funny with just the art with Santa in holiday mood, but they really nailed it. Somebody deserves a medal for this idea.

(My shot of said candy)

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Hanabie On The Road

Japanese high energy attitude rockers Hanabie has Scandinavian dates coming up in early July. They are constantly on the road and they also have a North American trek with Jinjer coming up in September/October. Their video for “Pardon, I Have To Go Now” has notched up over 7,000,000 views on YouTube. If you check out live clips on YouTube it is obvious that people love them. Very high energy. It is like a party rolling into town. It is all happening in Japan.

(Ads are from official platforms)

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Kampfgruppe Falken Is Back

Kampfgruppe Falken was a popular comic in the UK that first saw print in Warlord in 1977. It now returns in Commando 5759 this week (as part of the 5759-5762 package). Story by Dominic Teague, art and cover by Manuel Benet. Looks like a new run begins here.

(Cover courtesy of Commando)

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