Mastermind , obscure find.

[JKL2000]

I've seen Mastermind many times, including a few shows opening for Fish and the first NEARfest. Before he moved to Brazil, Bill reached out to me about 10 years ago that he and Rich would be playing a small bar in Queens, NY, where they were billed as the Berends Bros. It was likely one of their last performance together before Bill left the States. They played a few cover tunes and some Mastermind songs. Sadly, I was one of only a handful of people tops who were actually watching the band play.

I think a little later than that I saw Bill do a show (forget who played with him) where he did all covers of Mahavishnu Orchestra tracks. This was in Tribeca. Not a big crowd for this show either.

I was at that Fish show at the TLA as well, notable for being Fish's first solo show in North America, and yes, that was a great show, and Mastermind was good as well.

I also saw Mastermind at one of the Progscape festivals in Baltimore, and at a handful of club shows in Manhattan.

[dropforge]

Hmm...I'd say you got the better end of that deal. I would surely have said so at the time.

I saw SB at ProgFest '97 (the one where Bigelf subbed for Ritual). Good performance, and I did like them (I had The Light), but I wanted to see Mastermind. They had a few albums under their collective belts and I was a symph nut.

[dropforge]

Bill Berends married a Brazilian woman and moved there. He’s on Facebook. He posted a short clip of him playing Blue Wind with a bass player and drummer. I bought a Jack Bruce album from Bill with Jack’s autograph.

In that case, Bill should lay down some new stuff and send it over to Mylodon.

[moecurlythanu]

^ He could invent the Samba-SymphMetal subgenre and become a legend over at Progarchives.

[Dave (in MA)]

A bit of trivia - Mastermind's drummer Rich Berends is now the drummer for the Jimmy Sturr polka Orchestra:

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ Oh, I don't want her, you can have her,
She's too prog for me. ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

[zeprogmeister]

I saw them open for the Fish tour too. They had just made the album with Jens Johannson but for the tour Mickey Simmonds from Fish's band took over that role (and did quite a good job too). I didn't really care for the change in direction when they added the female vocalist and went more for a metal sound. Still like the first two albums the best.

[dropforge]

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ Oh, I don't want her, you can have her,
She's too prog for me. ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

[Zalmoxe]

A bit of trivia - Mastermind's drummer Rich Berends is now the drummer for the Jimmy Sturr polka Orchestra:

Oh boy, how the mighty have fallen (no offence to the Polka Orchestra)!

[Zalmoxe]

- Excelsior!' (1998):
First one recorded with the Swedish metal keyboardist Jens Johansson ... I think?!?.

This made me review the album on YT. One of my all-time favourites. Hearing Jens Johansson on Heavy Machinery (with Allan Holdsworth and his brother Anders) led me to Mastermind's Excelsior many years ago. Fantastic discovery. I still get a sugar rush when I play it.

[JKL2000]

I saw SB at ProgFest '97 (the one where Bigelf subbed for Ritual). Good performance, and I did like them (I had The Light), but I wanted to see Mastermind. They had a few albums under their collective belts and I was a symph nut.

Wow, SB played too many ProgFests. I saw them at the 94 ProgFest, and I see they played the 2000 one as well.

[JKL2000]

I saw them open for the Fish tour too. They had just made the album with Jens Johannson but for the tour Mickey Simmonds from Fish's band took over that role (and did quite a good job too). I didn't really care for the change in direction when they added the female vocalist and went more for a metal sound. Still like the first two albums the best.

I don't remember this - anyone know if Mickey played with Mastermind at the TLA show in Philly? If so, I just plum forgot that.

[tommy_n_chucky]

Bill Berends married a Brazilian woman and moved there. He’s on Facebook. He posted a short clip of him playing Blue Wind with a bass player and drummer. I bought a Jack Bruce album from Bill with Jack’s autograph.

I remember him playing ProgDay '96 or '97. Great show!

MASTERMIND 6/29 NEARfest aftershow
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.music.progressive/bill$20berends|sort:date/rec.music.progressive/D0Vswvx3B_8/yl6c1RsztIYJ

Who misses the Usenet group: rec.music.progressive?

Bill Berend was a frequent poster there. If I remember correctly he was arguing that digital files should move to MP3 back in the late 90s...and it was considered a prog 'sin' to Burn CDs to CD-R or rip to MP3s without the intent of purchasing the CD. My my, times have changed.

Google Groups is a service from Google that provides discussion groups for people sharing common interests. The Groups service also provides a gateway to Usenet newsgroups via a shared user interface.

Google Groups became operational in February 2001, following Google's acquisition of Deja's Usenet archive. Deja News had been operational since 1995.

Google Groups allows any user to freely conduct and access threaded discussions, via either a web interface or e-mail. There are at least two kinds of discussion group. The first kind are forums specific to Google Groups, which act more like mailing lists. The second kind are Usenet groups, accessible by NNTP, for which Google Groups acts as gateway and unofficial archive. The Google Groups archive of Usenet newsgroup postings dates back to 1981. Through the Google Groups user interface, users can read and post to Usenet groups.

In addition to accessing Google and Usenet groups, registered users can also set up mailing list archives for e-mail lists that are hosted elsewhere.

NEARfest '99 first day review
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.music.progressive/bill$20berends|sort:date/rec.music.progressive/bkgWlvu7xZs/0jhhgNjtl5IJ

Mastermind

Loud? Is that what you said? I had to laugh often upon hearing that comment a
couple of times as people left the building between bands. As if this were a
complete surprise? You weren't expecting progressive rock that would cause the
building to tremble?
Mastermind, energetic progressive metal rockers with excellent fusion ideas
came on with every intention of waking up the mass of progfans. It was a vivid
irony that the Larry Fast's electronic/sound lecture was sandwiched between two
bands whose musical statement is much more about musicianship and composition
than programming and sampling. Oh and did I mention rocking a crowd to it's
collective knees?
Resembling bikers more than innovative and gifted musicians, they place a
large emphasis on the "rock" in progressive rock. The Berends brothers, Bill
and Rich, and excellent bass guitarist Bob Eckman did not let up for a solid
hour and a half. Without question 3 of the most hard working progressive
rockers i've ever seen.
They were joined on stage by Mickey Simmonds who has also worked with the
likes of Mike Oldfield, Camel and Fish, looking like quite angelic, in bright
white attire complete with long coat, in contrast to the rest of the band;
including the powerfully voiced Lisa Bouchelle dressed in black leather. All
that notwithstanding, his mastery of Masterminds much-heralded compositions on
their newly -released "Excelsior" made for a technically excellent performance
and an incredible parry of instruments with the speed and power of Bill
Berends blues-filled guitar.....i was going to say wizardry or magic......but
this isn't tricks friends....this is hard work and sweat that would be
minimized by using adjectives that suggested anything else. even on the more
mellow acoustic electric tune "Decide for Yourself" this point is not lost.
I was pleased with vocalist Lisa Bouchelle's performance.....she has a
powerful rock voice in the order of Heart, which is perfect match for the punch
of Mastermind's sound. No comparisons can be made to Kate Bush or Annie
Haslam......it's just not what Mastermind does. But her voice has excellent
range and never loses strength. I'm not sure why she picks up a
guitar.....which she did during 3 tunes. First, in no way did she embarrass or
minimize the band's performance.....she definitely was a steady performer
instrumentally.....but she also didn't contribute much either.
It seemed more patronizing than anything else.....it wasn't necessary in my
opinion.......she's a legitimate participant as a vocalist and can stand up to
the challenge that position brings alone. There certainly is no need to put her
in a position where her instrumental skills are blatantly inferior to the rest
of the band so that she has to bear the criticism. I don't say that to
disparage her ability....it's just not on the same level. So, why do it? I just
didn't get it. It seems that a female vocalist in a progband has to endure
enough criticism as it is........why put her in this position?

[Progbear]

Wow, SB played too many ProgFests. I saw them at the 94 ProgFest, and I see they played the 2000 one as well.

That was actually Transatlantic at the 2000 one but seriously? Same diff.

[calyx]

That was actually Transatlantic at the 2000 one but seriously? Same diff.

You're wrong - Spock's Beard did play ProgFest in 2000. TransAtlantic was at NEARfest, not ProgFest, that same year.

[AMP2112]

Did mastermind play at the rock n roll cafe in the 90’s in nyc?

[dropforge]

You're wrong - Spock's Beard did play ProgFest in 2000. TransAtlantic was at NEARfest, not ProgFest, that same year.

I was at ProgFest 2000. Transatlantic headlined the first night; Banco headlined the second night. Spock's Beard (with Rocket Scientists) played a pre-show on Thursday.

[Shadow]

I was at ProgFest 2000. Transatlantic headlined the first night; Banco headlined the second night. Spock's Beard (with Rocket Scientists) played a pre-show on Thursday.

I was there with my wife. I think that was the first time both Banco and Kenso played in the states and it still didn't sell out.

[Joe F.]

I was at ProgFest 2000. Transatlantic headlined the first night; Banco headlined the second night. Spock's Beard (with Rocket Scientists) played a pre-show on Thursday.

This is correct. I was there as well. SB played the Troubadour.

[tommy_n_chucky]

My favorite cut from the debut album:

MASTERMIND Volume One
Total Playing Time: 56:00

The first MASTERMIND studio album, originally released on cassette in April 1987. Released on CD by ZNR Records in 1990. Reissued as digital remasters in 1996 (Cyclops Records, UK / Prozone Dutch-East, USA / Belle Antique, Japan) with two *bonus tracks (included here).

Bill Berends - guitar, midi-guitar, vocal
Rich Berends - drums & percussion
Phil Antolino - live bass

PRODUCED by BILL BERENDS & RICH BERENDS
All music & lyrics written by Bill Berends
©1986-2009 BILL BERENDS MUSIC PUBLISHING (ASCAP)
©1986 ©1990 ©1996 Bill Berends. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Source material (all tracks): 1996 digital remaster reissue.
Album download includes PDF cover art.
Cover painting acrylic on canvas by Bill Berends
mastermindband.com/volume_1.html
credits: released December 1, 1990

https://mastermind.bandcamp.com/track/tidings-of-battle

[calyx]

I stand corrected. I thought TA was a NEARfest exclusive in 2000, and that SB and TA couldn’t both have played ProgFest that year.

[JKL2000]

Did mastermind play at the rock n roll cafe in the 90’s in nyc?

They might have - I don't remember. But I know they played some other clubs in NYC around then. One night there was a triple bill at some other club of Mastermind, Braindance, and Power Windows (the Rush tribute band). Awesome!!

[dropforge]

I was there with my wife. I think that was the first time both Banco and Kenso played in the states and it still didn't sell out.

With Mona Lisa and Codice, too!

[Joe F.]

With Mona Lisa and Codice, too!

And Supersister!

[dropforge]

And Supersister!

"Wow Wow Wow!"

[rickawakeman]

Recommend the live album Prog, Fusion, Metal, Leather and Sweat! from the Nearfest iteration.