Bliss Band Members Page
'Loveprayer' album
Rachel Morrison - Vocals
Paul Ralphes - Electric and Acoustic Bass
Chris Baker - Drums, Percussion
Paul Sirett - Electric, Acoustic and Slide Guitar
Roger Askew - Hammond Organ, Piano and Keyboards
'A
Change In The Weather' album
Rachel Morrison - Vocals
Paul Ralphes - Bass, Acoustic Guitar
Thomas Schmieder - Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin & Accordian
Karl Michael Witzel - Drums, Percussion
Guest Musicians :-
Keyboards
- Rupert Hine
Piano - Liam Ó Maonlai (from The Hothouse Flowers)
Hammond Organ - Paul Carrack (from Mike And The Mechanics)
Geoff Richardson - Violin, Viola and Penny Whistle
Elliott Mackrell - Violin on "Life Don't Let Me Down"
Your Love Meant Everything :-
Patricia Kueckelmann - Organ / Piano
also Keyboards, saxophone
Roddy
Lorimer - Trumpet
I Hear You Call :-
Richard Hall - Organ
Roger King - Organ/Piano
Big Joe - Congas
Rachel Morrison (Solo)
Rachel Morrison - Vocals
Tom E. Morrison - Guitar, Harmonica, Bassdrum,
and additional Keyboards
(Karl?) Michael Witzel- Additional Percussion
Meeker
Rachel
Morrison - Vocals
Tom E. Morrison - Guitars & loops
Link to information on Paul Ralphes >>>
Other band members projects
Roger Askew (keyboards)
Roger Askew has played, engineered and produced for many artists over his career which began in the mid 1970's. His first venture was to form a band with his sister Joy Askew who later toured with Peter Gabriel, Laurie Anderson and Rosie Vela. After the band split Roger then started to work with the 'Caffrey Brothers' in the band 'Arbre' and several albums and singles were released. Later he played keyboards on Christy Moore's highly acclaimed 'smoke And Strong Whiskey' album and had a co-production credit on 'King Puck' her biggest selling studio album. Roger also produced Eleanor Shanley's first album for WEA Ireland and more recently has produced two albums for the blues band 'Spikedrivers'. He has also completed production on some of the tracks for the band Delta Blue' and works regularly for Sky Television as a music editor and dubbing mixer.
Roger also played keyboards with 'Hambi And The Dance' and Kiki Dee and worked with Joe Strummer on the music for the film 'Sid And Nancy'. He played with Bliss on one of their singles just prior to the band being signed to EMI. When Bliss broke up Roger worked with the former band members Paul Sirett and Chris Baker and they put together 'Scarab Moon'. In the 1990's Roger produced Martin Southwood's debut album and started a run of engineering work for Wilko Johnson.
'Scarab Moon' is brilliantly crafted and the musicians create a stunning sound working together as a highly talented team. The sound has been compared to the best of John Martyn and even the raw matured vocals of Pete Townsend.
Roger Askew - A brief history
Roger grew up in Newcastle, had a band with his sister Joy Askew, who is now a well established solo artist herself. She eventually moved to New York and has played with Peter Gabriel, Laurie Anderson and Rosie Vela, and she also dropped in on Lindisfarne's Bottom Line show (New York on Feb 21st, 2000).
After Bliss returned from Brazil in 1990 the band became a duo and Paul Sirett, Chris Baker and Roger, finding themselves with slightly less to do, started working on some songs that Roger had written which eventually became the album Scarab Moon.
Roger has been very busy on the music scene, and has played with and produced other artists such as Arbre, Kit Hain, Kiki Dee, Martin Southwood, Ruby Blue, Nicola Hitchcock, Stereolab, Christy Moore, Eleanor Shanley, Spikedrivers, Brian Kennedy, Roger Chapman, Wilko Johnson, a fabulous album with Guo Yue from China, The Pasadenas, The Fruits, Hambi and the Dance, Michelle Gayle, Steve Booker, David Gray, The Triangl soundtrack (Oscar nominated animation), MN8, Eternal, Wally Page, the wonderful Joyland album from Liberty Horses, engineered and mixed a number of things including tracks with Joe Strummer for the film Sid and Nancy, Peggy Seeger, Daedalo... and many more
He is currently working on his second album with Sheri Kershaw, recording in the near future with Ayo Bamidele of Delta Blue, working on songs with Phoene Cave and finding time to occasionally write for himelf. Think of John Martyn and you won't be far wrong.
Siren Music information on Roger's new single/album
Lindisfarne.de information on Roger Askew
** LATEST
NEWS >> Roger will be doing various gigs around the UK in September
and October 2001 -
most probably with Chris Baker and Paul Sirett. Check the www.rogeraskew.com
website for further details.
Thursday 6th September
Kashmir Klub
Downstairs at Fabrizio's, 6 Nottingham Place, London
W1
Brilliant Venue, mainly acoustic featuring some great artists and broadcasting
live on the internet
From 8.30pm
Thursday 27th September
Partners In Crime
Held in the bar at RADA, Malet St, London W1
A monthly acoustic showcase attracting some interesting acts
From 8.00pm
ROGER ASKEW - Time On Our Side - promo single review
Time moves on - especially when you’re as busy as Roger. This must be the main reason why an album of the calibre of 'Scarab Moon' found itself "consigned to the back burner" , to quote the man himself. With a recording, performing and production c.v. that includes Christy Moore, Eleanor Shanley, Wilko Johnson, Eternal and Brian Kennedy and considerable commercial success as a member of Bliss, it should be no surprise that many of these inform this self written track. Think John Martyn - or the raw, matured vocals of Pete Townsend…
Roger Askew - Scarab Moon (solo) album
Songwriting with a flair from a musician whose credits include time with one of Europe's fave bands, Bliss, and Christy Moore ... Great songs, fine musicianship and a polished, refined production job. Stick this one on the car CD player- music to cruise by!
** Roger's new album 'Scarab Moon' on the newly founded Siren Music label, is to be finally released on CD (there is no single) to retail on August 6th. However, anyone wishing to purchase the CD by mail order can do so via the www.voiceprint.co.uk web site.
** Original Bliss band members, Chris Baker (Drums) & Paul Sirett (Guitars) teamed up once again with Roger on this recording.
Scarab Moon - Album details
Artist: ROGER ASKEW
Title: SCARAB MOON
Price: £ 12.99
Label: APROPOS/SIREN MUSIC
Cat No: SRNA403CDTrack Listing:
1. Coming Up From The Silence
2. Mahalia's Dancing Shoes
3. Landslide
4. Til Morning Comes
5. Time On Our Side
6. Hearts On Fire
7. Waiting For The Train
8. Long Way Home
9. Gates Of Babylon
10.Places Where We Met
Information on Spikedrivers
Ben Tyzack's childhood in the southern United States seeps into his band's delta blues music. Roger produced their first two albums in the late nineties and did several gigs with Spikedrivers over the past five years. He was originally introduced to Ben by Chris Baker who was playing drums in the band at the time.
Chris Baker (drums)
Chris studied drums in LA before joining Bliss, who started back in '85. He then toured and recorded with Bliss and then moved onto work with experimental rock group Slab, formed by Paul Jarvis who now works with ex Microdisney singer Cathal Coughlan. Notably Paul Jarvis, Rachel & Paul Ralphes were all students at Warwick University, as well as Wendy Page & Jim Marr who later formed the rock band called Skin Games.In 1990 after Bliss became a duo, he joined CBS band Space Angels for a couple of years, then Chris recently returned to the UK after a period studying and playing music in Los Angeles, and played in a band from SE London called 'Public Supply', described as 'Electrojazz explorations'.
The blueprint for South East London group 'Public Supply's electronic jazz hybrid was drawn up and constructed amongst the breakers yards of Bermondsey. They are the missing link between 70's era Miles Davis and European film noir. Their first album 'Fume' contained nine unwritten messages picked up by radio receiver from places known only on shortwave frequencies.
Darchy
RobinsonIt is available now from Rough Trade or by mail order from :
P.O.Box
24954
London SE23 3GR
price
(inc.p +p) £11.00
please make cheques payable to Neil Robinson
During this time Chris & Paul Sirett all teamed up again once more with Roger Askew, on the recording of his "Scarab Moon" album. Whilst Paul Sirett was becoming a successful playwright, Chris played with a number of London bands including six years in Spikedrivers with whom he recorded two albums. He is currently in the London based Jazz group Mongoose and has also played drums with Roger Askew on recent gigs.Info on Mongoose
Mongoose is an 11 piece future funk orchestra, that boasts a four piece horn section, three vocalists and one of the tightest rhythm sections around were formed five years ago in London by bassist/band leader Jason C. Rogers. The band have a regular slot at Ronnie Scott's. They feature the vocal talents of brother & sister team Steve and Lisa Hughes plus Charlie Foncerello. The horn section features Camilla Sheldon on baritone sax (who recently toured with the funky drummer Clyde Stubblefield) , Justin Thurgur on trombone, Linus Bewley on Soprano and tenor Saxophone, Shaun Griffith on trumpet and flugelhorn and Donal Whelan on flute. The rhythm section is completed by Tom Szergis on keyboards, Simeon Harris on guitars and Christopher Baker is the foundation on electronic and acoustic drums.
The sound of Mongoose is a fusion of Steely Dan grooves with the fire power of Tower of Power and Earth Wind and Fire, mixed with a little JB's and P-Funk, add a shower of Jazz and you have the 'future groove' - the m-funk!!
Mongoose are currently completing their first album of new material entitled "Spirit Soul" and they will release the first single from it very soon. They are also planning future collaborations with assorted rappers scratch DJ's and various soloists.
** LATEST NEWS **
Mongoose Live gig - September
Sunday,
September 10 £8.00 Adv at 7.30
MONGOOSE plus TRACIE HUNTER
Paul Sirett (guitars)
Paul Sirett has now formed a new career as a successful and experienced playwright and dramaturg.
He is an Associate Writer of the Theatre Royal Stratford East where four of his plays have been produced. Other plays have been produced on the London and Edinburgh fringe, on tour in the UK and around the world. Paul has also written for radio and television.
Amongst
Paul’s awards are:
Best
Play (Thames Theatre Writer);
Best
Play & Best Writer (New York International Radio Festival);
Best
Comedy (Time Out);
Special Commendation (Prix Italia).
Paul was a tutor and Theatre-Writer-in-Residence at Essex University from 1992-1993.
He is currently the Literary Manager of the Soho Theatre Company.
** He has recently teamed up with Roger Askew & Chris Baker, playing guitar on Roger's new 'Scarab Moon' album.
