New music coming from Billy Sherwood, Circa:, and a reunited World Trade!

[Dan Roth]

Lots going on with Billy at the moment:

From Billy's Facebook:

So as an opener to the many projects going on let's start with THE NEW CIRCA: !!!! TK and I have 1 last session for some keys/organ and then I mix that last track and the record is finally DONE !!!!! Song Titles = 1: SILENT RESOLVE 2: EMPIRE OVER 3: VALLEY OF THE WINDMILLS and 4: OUR PLACE UNDER THE SUN. We are very proud of the way this new record has come out and can't wait for everyone to check it out.... I'll keep you all posted on it !!!

The Beatles tribute I told you all about months ago is finally released... It was a lot of fun to make. There are very cool Artists involved, it was an honor to work with all of them to create this humble tribute to one of the worlds greatest bands ever !!

1. Across The Universe – Ann Wilson
2. Penny Lane – John Wetton
3. Eleanor Rigby – Jack Bruce
4. Blackbird – Liz Madden
5. Norwegian Wood – Andrew Gold
6. Hide Your Love Away – Todd Rundgren
7. All You Need Is Love – Helen Reddy
8. I’ll Follow The Sun – Judy Collins
9. And I Love Her – Howard Jones
10. Ticket To Ride – Felix Cavaliere
11. Let It Be – KC
12. Yesterday – David Clayton Thomas
13. Nowhere Man – Martha Davis
14. All I Gotta Do – Stephen Bishop
15. Something – Billy Sherwood
16. Hey Jude – Leo Sayer
(Available here: http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Salute-Be.../dp/B00UART6T4)

From melodicrock.com:

Frontiers Records are pleased to announce the signing of former Yes (official) member Billy Sherwood for the release of a new, exciting band and concept album entitled 'Citizen'.

The creator of the record is former YES member/producer Billy Sherwood, who is well known for gathering amazing musicians together to perform on his projects. For this record, he has his eyes on some of the best in the business, once again, to help bring his vision to life....

In Billy's words, 'Citizen is the story of a lost soul wandering through time and living through many lives during historic periods of time. A reincarnate, he finds himself as a conscript to the ancient Roman legionaries, fighting in the last battles and as a witness to the fall of the Empire. As a close friend discussing the myth of the flat earth with Galileo. As an apprentice to Oppenheimer, he questions the ethics of splitting the atom and it's morality. As a messenger to the high command during WWI, racing through the trenches of Belgium and France. As a factory worker during the rise of the industrial age, merging man with machines. As a victim of the great depression with no options left....and more situations that place the "Citizen" in controversial, emotional and historic settings."

Billy has written all the music and production is now in full swing. Guest artists joining Billy in this journey through music, time and space include:

1 John Wetton (Asia [Original Asia])
2 Rick Wakeman Music (Yes)
3 Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater)
4 Tony Kaye (Yes)
5 Geoff Downes (Yes, Asia)
6 Chris Squire (Yes)
7 Steve Hackett (Genesis)
8 Jerry Goodman (The Mahavishnu Orchestra)
9 Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs)
10 Steve Hillage (Gong)
11 Patrick Moraz (Yes)
12 John Wesley (Porcupine Tree)

More guests and musicians are TBA.

We hope to release this new album in early 2016.

In related news, Billy has also reformed his original band WORLD TRADE along with all the original members Bruce Gowdy on guitar, Guy Allison on keyboards and Mark T. Williams on drums. A new album in a musical direction close to Toto's most recent releases and Yes (90125/Big Generator era) will be unleashed after the release of 'Citizen'.

[ThomasKDye]

Before the snark knives are drawn around here, I honestly do hope that this might be interesting. Sherwood can create some decent music once in a while.

[jgprogbear]

Personally, I'm looking forward to hearing what Billy comes up with. The Citizen project in particular sounds promising. And as a fan of the original World Trade, how could I not be interested in the reunion?

[Scott Bails]

Could be interesting. I like some of Sherwood's stuff - I just hate his "sound" and production.

[2steves]

Before the snark knives are drawn around here, I honestly do hope that this might be interesting. Sherwood can create some decent music once in a while.

I drew my knife and put it away---his name dropping, and personal lack of greatness is not worth commenting on. Oopps! Sorry. lol

[gearHed289]

John Wetton doing Penny Lane sounds interesting.

[Scott Bails]

John Wetton doing Penny Lane sounds interesting.

That was my thought, too. No interest in Helen Reddy or Judy Collins, though. Didn't realize that they were still singing!

[Dan Roth]

I wonder how long Billy has been working on that Beatles tribute...Andrew Gold passed away in 2011. That being said, I was a fan of his and will be interested in hearing his take on Norwegian Wood, along with the Todd and Wetton tracks.

[timmy]

Reuniting World Trade original line up? Wow. Played the shit out of that CD when I bought it in 1989. Still have it, too. It's a bit metal-ish but the vocals are straight out of 90125 Yes vocal playbook. I'm interested in hearing this for sure.

[zeprogmeister]

Does anyone buy these Sherwood tribute projects and collaborations? I guess some people must because he keeps crankin' them out..

[JKL2000]

I wonder what will come out of him?

[Dan Roth]

Reuniting World Trade original line up? Wow. Played the shit out of that CD when I bought it in 1989. Still have it, too. It's a bit metal-ish but the vocals are straight out of 90125 Yes vocal playbook. I'm interested in hearing this for sure.

Not sure when he has had the time to record this, but looks like it's coming:
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/KICP-1852

image.jpg

[Dan Roth]

More on the new World Trade album coming in August:

http://bravewords.com/news/world-tra...lbum-in-august

[interbellum]

More on the new World Trade album coming in August:

http://bravewords.com/news/world-tra...lbum-in-august

Thanks for the links. I went for the Japanese version with a special bonus-track. Hopefully it will be in the same vein as their debut, which I've played very often.

[iguana]

More on the new World Trade album coming in August:

http://bravewords.com/news/world-tra...lbum-in-august

this could be interesting. i have the two WT albums and sherwood’s “the big peace” which is almost a lost third album. lots of cool material on these. let's hope that sherwood does not dominate proceedings too much and makes it sound like another CIRCA:/CONSPIRACY/TheProgCollective venture (which i somewhat doubt).

[Dan Roth]

First new song from the new World Trade:

[Paulrus]

First new song from the new World Trade:

Not bad (nice bass work). The downside is that if Billy is going ahead with new solo work it probably means we shouldn't hold our breath waiting for anything from Yes.

[bondegezou]

Not bad (nice bass work). The downside is that if Billy is going ahead with new solo work it probably means we shouldn't hold our breath waiting for anything from Yes.

I'd say that's the right conclusion for the wrong reason.

Sherwood is ridiculously productive. He's constantly writing and recording. 2015, for example, saw him release two solo albums, produce another two projects and do various other sessions. I sometimes wish he concentrated on quality more than quantity, but I'm sure he'll go on doing multiple projects along side his work in Yes. Anyway, the writing and recording for Unify was mainly done in 2015: it sat with Frontiers for a while. So I doubt it interfered with any Yes writing work. And I suspect Gowdy and Allison shared the writing load with Sherwood anyway. (Indeed, one of the songs dates back to a Sherwood/Gowdy co-write in ~2004.)

However, it doesn't look like there will be a new Yes album any time soon. They do appear to have been slowly working on some material for a while, but the most recent interview from White had him say, "Maybe after this cycle of touring we can reconvene in the studio. We're doing a summer tour, and we may be going to South America at the end of the year. After that, maybe we'll put pen to paper and see what we come up with." So that would point to a new Yes album no earlier than mid-2018... which would line up well with the band's 50th anniversary.

Henry

[Paulrus]

I'd say that's the right conclusion for the wrong reason.

Sherwood is ridiculously productive. He's constantly writing and recording. 2015, for example, saw him release two solo albums, produce another two projects and do various other sessions. I sometimes wish he concentrated on quality more than quantity, but I'm sure he'll go on doing multiple projects along side his work in Yes. Anyway, the writing and recording for Unify was mainly done in 2015: it sat with Frontiers for a while. So I doubt it interfered with any Yes writing work. And I suspect Gowdy and Allison shared the writing load with Sherwood anyway. (Indeed, one of the songs dates back to a Sherwood/Gowdy co-write in ~2004.)

However, it doesn't look like there will be a new Yes album any time soon. They do appear to have been slowly working on some material for a while, but the most recent interview from White had him say, "Maybe after this cycle of touring we can reconvene in the studio. We're doing a summer tour, and we may be going to South America at the end of the year. After that, maybe we'll put pen to paper and see what we come up with." So that would point to a new Yes album no earlier than mid-2018... which would line up well with the band's 50th anniversary.

Henry

OK, I'll buy that. I just feel like there's enough stylistic overlap between World Trade and Yes (Billy's version of it, anyways) that I can't imagine him holding anything back from the WT album because he wants to use it for Yes. And by your reporting Billy probably figures he has loads of time to concoct new music for Yes once they all agree to record something new.

[interbellum]

Just listened the new World Trade-album once and I'm not disappointed. For me it sounds more like the first album than Euphoria, which was more a Sherwood-recording.

[Guess Who]

Just listened the new World Trade-album once and I'm not disappointed. For me it sounds more like the first album than Euphoria, which was more a Sherwood-recording.

I'm MUCH DISAPPOINTED! To put it short, "Unity" is the worst WT album.

[Tom]

3. Eleanor Rigby – Jack Bruce

It seems wrong to take any cover of "Eleanor Rigby" except Wakeman's version in the style of Prokofiev.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ixDUjvLcE

[interbellum]

I'm MUCH DISAPPOINTED! To put it short, "Unity" is the worst WT album.

Well, I hope you'll give some more details about what's so bad about it.
For those who don't have made their mind up, here's another tune:

[Guess Who]

Well, I hope you'll give some more details about what's so bad about it.
For those who don't have made their mind up, here's another tune:

"Gone All The Way" is a good song. But I don't like the rest of new material.

[floyd umma gumma]

Classic Rock Mag reviewed the new World Trade album in the latest issue - not a favorable review