Avantasia - Sleepwalking

Avantasia is a heavy metal/hard rock supergroup project created by Tobias Sammet, vocalist of the band Edguy. Avantasia is often referred to as a rock opera, as it features the participation of many renowned vocalists and musicians.

The project's title is a portmanteau of the words "avalon" and "fantasia" ("fantasy") and describes "a world beyond human imagination" (a quotation from the booklet).

The project consists of three different installments. The first is a self-titled single and two full-length albums with the subtitle The Metal Opera. The second consists of the EPs Lost in Space Part I & II and the The Wicked Trilogy, composed of the albums The Scarecrow, The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon. The third installment begins with the full-length album The Mystery of Time.

Todays tune "Sleepwalking", from their upcoming album "The Mystery Of Time", out on March 29th.

The videoclip was produced by Oliver Sommer
  

Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism or noctambulism, is a sleep disorder belonging to the parasomnia family. Sleepwalkers arise from the slow wave sleep stage in a state of low consciousness and perform activities that are usually performed during a state of full consciousness. These activities can be as benign as sitting up in bed, walking to the bathroom, and cleaning, or as hazardous as cooking, driving, violent gestures, grabbing at hallucinated objects, or even homicide.

Although generally sleepwalking cases consist of simple, repeated behaviours, there are occasionally reports of people performing complex behaviours while asleep, although their legitimacy is often disputed. In 2004, sleep medicine experts in Australia claimed to have successfully treated a woman who claimed to have sex with strangers in her sleep. In December 2008, reports were published of a woman who sent semi-coherent emails while sleepwalking, including one inviting a friend around for dinner and drinks. Sleepwalkers often have little or no memory of the incident, as their consciousness has altered into a state in which it is harder to recall memories. Although their eyes are open, their expression is dim and glazed over. Sleepwalking may last as little as 30 seconds or as long as 30 minutes.

Join Avantasia Live at the following shows:

12.04. B Moens - PPM Festival

The Mystery World Tour 2013

13.04. CH Pratteln - Z7
14.04. CH Pratteln - Z7
16.04. I Mailand - Alcatraz
18.04. D Ludwigsburg - MPH Arena
19.04. D Kaufbeuren - All-Karthalle
20.04 D Fulda - Esperanto Halle
22.04. D Berlin - Tempodrom
23.04. D Hamburg - Große Freiheit
25.04. D Oberhausen - Turbinenhalle
26.04. D Lichtenfels - Stadthalle

10.05. NL Amsterdam - Melkweg
31.05. ES Madrid - Sonisphere
01.06. ES Barcelona - Sonisphere
08.06 S Sölvesborg - Sweden Rock Festival
21.06 F Clisson - Hellfest
23.06 RU Moscow - Milk
25.06 ARG Buenos Aires - El Teatro
27.06 CHI Santiago de Chile - Teatro Caupolican
29.06 BR Sao Paolo - HCBC Hall
03.07. CR San Jose - Peppers
05.07. MX Mexico City - Circo Volador
10.07 JP Tokyo -Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball
13.07 D Ballenstedt - Rock Harz
14.07 CZ Zlin - Masters Of Rock
08.08. SLO Snina - Festival Rock Pod Kameňom
10.08 UK Derbyshire / Catton Park - Bloodstock Festival

The Mystery of Time Album Tracks

1. "Spectres" Joe Lynn Turner 6:09
2. "The Watchmakers' Dream" Turner 4:14
3. "Black Orchid" Biff Byford 6:52
4. "Where Clock Hands Freeze" Michael Kiske 4:35
5. "Sleepwalking" Cloudy Yang 3:52
6. "Savior in the Clockwork" Turner, Byford, Kiske 10:40
7. "Invoke the Machine" Ronnie Atkins 5:30
8. "What's Left Of Me" Eric Martin 5:07
9. "Dweller in a Dream" Kiske 4:45
10. "The Great Mystery" Turner, Byford, Bob Catley 10:03

Limited Edition Bonus Tracks
11. "The Cross And You" 4:14
12. "Death Is Just A Feeling (Alternative Version/Tobias Sammet)" 5:24

Personnel

Tobias Sammet - lead vocals, bass guitar
Sascha Paeth - guitars, producer
Miro – keyboards
Russell Gilbrook - drums

Special guests

Guitars

Bruce Kulick (on tracks 3, 6, 10)
Oliver Hartmann (on tracks 4, 7, 9)
Arjen Anthony Lucassen (on track 2)

Singers

Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Rainbow, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen) (on tracks 1, 2, 6, 10)
Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Place Vendome, Unisonic) (on tracks 4, 6, 9)
Biff Byford (Saxon) (on tracks 3, 6, 10)
Ronnie Atkins (Pretty Maids) (on track 7)
Eric Martin (Mr. Big) (on track 8)
Bob Catley (Magnum) (on track 10)
Cloudy Yang (on track 5)


More info @

Official Avantasia Web

Listen to "Avantasia - Sleepwalking" on Spotify here!

Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here!

Kottak - Sunset Blvd

 

James R. Kottak (born December 26, 1962, Louisville, Kentucky), who has beaten up the drums for the German super group Scorpions for the last 16 years.

Prior to joining Scorpions, Kottak was a drummer for Nut House, Mister Charlie, Buster Brown, Montrose, Kingdom Come, Wild Horses, the McAuley Schenker Group, Warrant, and Ashba. In February 1997 he helped Dio on their US tour by replacing Vinny Appice for four or five shows when Vinny Appice had pneumonia. He also gave drum lessons at Far-Out Music in Jeffersonville, Indiana, once having former Bride drummer, Jerry McBroom, as a student. He was married to Athena Lee, rocker Tommy Lee's younger sister, who is also a drummer and was a fellow member of Kottak. The couple has three children; one girl, Tobi, and two boys, Miles and Matthew. Athena was nominated for "BEST DRUMMER" (Males and Females) category. She was the first female ever nominated in the history of the L.A. Music Awards.

James has recorded 6 CDs and 5 DVDs with the Scorpions so far. He also plays in his own band Kottak, formerly known as KrunK. Kottak has just released its fourth studio album Attack, which was produced by Tommy Henriksen (Daughtry, BC Jean, Lady Gaga). It was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville at Henriksens’ Anarchy Studios.

The current line up is James Kottak (vocals, guitars), Stephanie Smith (lead guitars, backing vocals), Nils Wandrey (bass, backing vocals) and Francis Ruiz (drums).

Kottak is touring with Edguy atm on their Age Of The Joker tour.

James Kottak, yes, do not really know how to say this, a nice lad, lovely confused, a bit Ozzy over him, as when he and guitarist sang together as did the feeling that Ozzy stood there and did a duet with Courtney Love. It was a good gig, even James got behind the drum stool on one occasion. He offered truly of himself and it was a lot of humor on stage. He dragged up a photographer on the stage that had a worn Motley Crue t-shirt on as he pointed a little about, even a "Kottak 'fan did come up and sing a bit.

Soundcheck

Soundcheck

Live

Live

James Kottak surprises Edguy onstage at the Tyrol in Stockholm, Sweden on Sept 25th 2011....he shows up onstage in the middle of a song in a towel, to the suprise of Edguy and Tobias, and flashes the entire audience....with only a sock on!!! Classic insane Kottak moment....Kottak is currently having a blast on tour opening for Edguy on their Fall European tour!!!





Todays tune is "Sunset Blvd" is taken from his album Rock & Roll Forever, it's like “Cheap Trick meets Green Day on a bad day.”  Enjoy!




More info @

Official Kottak Web
Official Kottak MySpace

Listen to ”Kottak - Sunset Blvd" on Spotify here!

Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here!

Edguy - King Of Fools

 

Last Sunday, Did Edguy visited Stockholm and Tyrol, their 3rd gig under their Age Of The Joker tour. Did Edguy, or should we say Tobias Sammet and his musical bands that once again makes a visit to Sweden, a really nice guy, I must say. This was probably the fifty-eleventh time I was working with his project. The same crew as usual, a bunch of nice Germans who makes the job really fun, but damn what stuff they had!, Plus there traveled two other bands on this tour, which meant that there simply was no room to store all the stuff :) it ended with much of the support acts stuff was stored outside, lucky that it was not raining.

Yes the new album is released on Vinyl!

The day went quite smoothly and we had a great time, we joked and had fun. We ate dinner together and I ended up in the same table with Felix, he told a lot of stories, including that he was the only one in the band who had children, perhaps a future drummer ... who knows.

Micke Johansson was there to make a repotage of Edguy and Tobias went out for a spin in Gröna Lund, will be fun to see the pictures later.

Regarding the support acts ... that we take tomorrow.

What about the show ?, Yes it was entertaining, not that I am a direct fan of German Power Metal.
This time I actually had the opportunity to see the whole gig, because I did the followspot and Tobias was my target. As I understand it was played quite a lot from their new album Age Of The Joker, but mixed up with the classics. At one point did Tobias disappears and shows up later in the elevator in the middle of the audience, the song that got played when was up in the sky were Superheroes. At one point, James Kottak pops up on stage, newly showerd and wearing only towels, a surprised Tobias is struggling to keep from laughing when James let the towel up and show what he has, well, a tube socks hides the package, a laughter breaks out before the gig continues. The show had the classic build up with both guitar solos, drum solos and a really nice light show. King of Fools ends up the show, that also will be todays tune.

Soundcheck

Alien's elevator

Foto:
Linda Florin

Foto:
Linda Florin

Foto:
Linda Florin

Todays tune "King Of Fools" is taken from the album "Hellfire Club"

Edguy - King Of Fools - Official Video



Edguy - King Of Fools - Live At the Bang Your Head Festival (Balingen 6/23/2007)



Tobias Sammet talks about Edguy coming to Sweden in September 2011




2011: Age of the Joker Tour
Special Guest: Kottak (feat. James Kottak, Scorpions)

23.09.11, Malmö, Sweden, KB
24.09.11, Gothenborg, Sweden, Trädgarn
25.09.11, Stockholm, Sweden, Tyrol
27.09.11, Hamburg, Germany, Docks
28.09.11, Berlin, Germany, Columbia Club
30.09.11, Essen, Germany, Grugahalle
01.10.11, Fulda, Germany, Wartenberg Oval
02.10.11, Bamberg, Germany, Arena
04.10.11, Filderstadt, Germany, Filharmonie
06.10.11, Prague, Czech Republic, KD Vitavska
07.10.11, Langen, Germany, Stadthalle
10.10.11, Milan, Italy, Alcatraz
11.10.11, Pratteln, Switzerland, Z7
12.10.11, Lyon, France, Transbordeur
14.10.11, Madrid, Spain, Heineken
15.10.11, Barcelona, Spain, Apollo
16.10.11, Bilbao, Spain, Rock Star
18.10.11, Saarbrücken, Germany, Garage
19.10.11, Paris, France, Bataclan
21.10.11, Memmingen, Germany, Kaminwerk
22.10.11, Straubing, Germany, Messehalle
23.10.11, Zlin, Czech Republic, Rock Cafe

More info @

Official Edguy Web

Listen to ”Edguy - King Of Fools" on Spotify here!

Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here!