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Artist News: Magellan Releases Cover Of Immortal Kansas Hit

Posted on Sunday, June 10 @ 21:10:00 UTC by nightowl

"Dust In The Wind" Reinterpreted By California Prog Band

Veteran progressive metal/rock group Magellan have just released a cover of the classic Kansas hit "Dust In The Wind" as a digital only single. The song showcases Magellan's interpretation of the iconic piece which was produced by Trent Gardner. Simultaneously, they have also released a full-length digital album entitled, Innocent God [which was first released in 2007 -ed.].

The original song "Dust In The Wind" was released by Kansas in 1977 and reached number six on the Billboard Charts. That made it the group's only top ten hit. While Magellan's version is certainly a new interpretation, both the vocal melodies and lyrical concepts are delivered expertly by guest vocalist Rob Lopez. Indeed, it was those lyrics, particularly "Now, don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky / It slips away, and all your money won't another minute buy" that inspired Trent Gardner to create a new version of the song.

Magellan was formed in the San Francisco Bay area in 1985. The Gardner brothers have been the core of the group since its inception. Guests on various Magellan albums have included Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, Tony Levin and Twisted Sister's Joe Franco. Throughout the group's history, one of the driving motivations in terms of musical direction for Magellan is to keep the "rock" part of "progressive rock" alive in their music. Like the explorer whose name the band took, Magellan strives to forge new and unexplored paths.

That explorative nature is also reflected in Trent Gardner's other project, Explorers Club. With that group Gardner worked with such musical luminaries as Billy Sheehan, Yes’ Steve Howe, Steve Walsh of Kansas, several members of Dream Theater (John Petrucci, James Labrie, John Myung) and Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons, Frank Zappa).

[If you visit the Magellan website, you see more currently they note: "We've always wanted to do a cover of this Beatles track {'Hello Goodbye'} - enjoy! Available here now - or via iTunes beginning June 14. 2012" -ed.]

[Source: G.W. Hill]

Posted in Band News (tours, comings/goings, etc)