The road leading Kurt Michaels to the release of his second CD,
Outer Worlds, Part Two, is a long and winding one.
As a child armed with a stack of 45s and a transistor radio, he became immersed in the Top 40 hit makers of the early 60s—Chuck Berry, Spencer Davis, and Otis Day, to name a few. When the Beatles came to America, Michael's destiny became irrevocably cast to a future involving music.
Michaels' 35-year musical career has allowed him to share the stage with many of his jukebox heroes, including Berry, Davis, and Day, not to mention Wolfman Jack, Badfinger, Bobby Vinton, the Marvelettes, and the Chiffons.
"It was a surreal, cartoonish experience, like scenes out of some Fellini movie," he said. "But in the end what I got out of the experience was just that—out."
"Out," means the development of a harmonic palette that defies conventional parameters.
Anton Roolaart's extroverted enthusiasm and passion for life seems ever expanding and well in tune with the musical genre he has embraced,
Progressive Rock.
In April of 2007, Anton released his debut album "Dreamer", completely written, arranged, and produced by himself.
Recorded mostly in his home studio, "Dreamer" boasts the participation of some of New Jesey's most prominent musicians including, Rave Tesar
(Keyboards - Renaissance, Anni Haslam), Rich Berends (Drums- Mastermind), and Vinnie Puryear (bass).
Anton came to the US from the Netherlands with his family when he was young. Growing up, Anton was exposed to classical music
which his father played on the record player at home. Eventually, Anton started taking classical guitar lessons at age 13 before
exploring this instrument on his own. Anton's life long love affair with music took firm grip in his early adolescence when the
music from Yes, Genesis, Beatles, and Bowie and others illuminated a path that he readily started down. In his late teens,
Anton also began writing his own songs and performing in various clubs and cafes in the Charlotte, NC area. Anton's college
studies included electrical and multi-track sound engineering. These studies went hand in hand with the maturating of his musical skills.
Twenty years before "Owner of a Lonely Heart" became the No. 1 hit for
progressive-rock giants
Yes, there was
THE SYN.
In 1965, in the days of the groovy British modster beat scene, 17-year-old Chris Squire (Yes bassist)
and Stephen Nardelli (Syn songwriter/vocalist) met at a local battle of the bands, competing against each other.
From that experience, they forged a friendship that has endured for 40 years. The musical partnership that was born
that day is now fueling a true renaissance in the Progressive Modernist Movement.
Phil Collins, a solo artist in his own right and drummer for Genesis, reminisced about seeing The Syn at
the Marquee Club: "There were many a great band in the mid- to late-'60s to play the Marquee Club in Wardour
Street. The Syn seemed to be always on, supporting someone or headlining on their own night.
They were a very musical band, great musicianship and arrangements.
They also concentrated on harmonies, which must have been quite tricky.
I remember them as being a great live band."
The Syn have reunited and
discovered that their friendships and interpersonal chemistry are as strong and positive as they ever were.
The reunion of Chris Squire and Stephen Nardelli has resulted in phenomenal new musical creations.
