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CD/DVD Releases: Metal Mind Productions Announce A New SBB Album

Posted on Saturday, September 22 @ 06:30:10 UTC by nightowl

Polish progressive rock band SBB announced a release date of their new material. Full length album entitled The Rock will be released via Metal Mind Productions on the 5th November 2007 (20th November in US via MVD). The band in a refreshed line-up: J?zef Skrzek, Apostolis Anthimos, Gabor Nemethis is working on the follow up to the New Century album from 2005. Gabor is known from his work with Hungarian bands Scorpi? and P. Mobil. The final decision about the line-up changes was made during the gig in the Słowianin Club in Szczecin (Poland) earlier this year. It was only their third concert in the new line-up but the warm reception proved it was the right step.



Skrzek: "New line-up means more dynamic and rock sound of SBB. It's very likely that we will start to play older songs in their original arrangements without improvisation on the theme. It was a huge surprise for us that Gabor, SBB's fan for years now, knows the album versions of the songs so well."

In this line-up SBB entered Zbigniew Preisner's studio to record material. Soon after premiere of The Rock album the band will hit the road to play several gigs in Poland. The highlight of the tour will take place at Wyspianski Theatre in Katowice, where SBB will record the show for the purposes of their future live DVD release.

The Rock will be available in two formats: regular CD and a digipak CD with bonus tracks. More details to follow soon!

SBB is with no doubt a legend of Polish music scene. The band started in 1971 as Silesian Blues Band, then the musicians played for 2 years with Czesław Niemen in his group Niemen, to finally return as SBB in 1974. From that moment on, the three letters have meant Search-Break-Build. Till 1980, J?zef Skrzek, Apostolis Anthimos and Jerzy Piotrowski have recorded dozens of albums in Poland and abroad, they gave hundreds of concerts all around Europe, sharing stages with Bob Marley (Roskilde Festival '78), Elton John, Soft Machine, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Charles Mingus Dynasty, Jack Bruce Group, Thin Lizzy, Canned Heat, Omega or Klaus Szultze.

In the early 90's they returned in an extended line-up after almost 10-year break to play a series of concerts in USA. Another comeback took place in 1998, when Jerzy Piotrowski was replaced by Miroslaw Muzykant. 2 years later the drums were taken over by Paul Wertico, acclaimed as one of the best drummers in the world. For the previous 18 years he performed with Pat Metheny Group (on albums: First Circle, The Falcon And The Snowman, Still Life Talking, Letter From Home, Secret Story, The Road To You, We Live Here, Quartet, and Imaginary Day).

SBB started with blues, but fascinated with Mahavishnu Orchestra soon began to search for new means of expression. Gradually, music became more and more lyrical, and the band started to join wild, Hendrix-line energy with peaceful, gentle, calm moments. The band has soon worked out their own model of prog-rock, in which they skilfully mixed elements of classical music with jazz-rock instrumental frenzy. The albums that followed showed the band's perfect evolution, bringing grand and marvelous music.

SBB - Anthology 1974-2004 box and Lost Tapes, Vol. 1, Lost Tapes, Vol.2 were a certain summary of their career so far. The 2004 releases, especially the anthology, were received with real enthusiasm. It was the final "pro" for recording a new album New Century and the world tour. Jozef Skrzek, Apostolis Anthimos and Paul Wertico set to work on the record.

In June 2005 the New Century 2005 World Tour, Part 1 hit several cities in Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic. Sold out gigs and fantastic reception of new compositions proved that SBB were still at their best. The tour's final gig took place in Międzyzdroje at the Celerity Festival, during which the band was given Platinum Album award for the sale of SBB - Anthology 1974-2004. Then the band entered Zbigniew Preisner's studio in Niepołomice to record New Century. The album was made with the help of Mack - a world-famous producer, who had worked with Queen, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin. It was the first album in Poland recorded in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. Soon after releasing New Century album the band gave 3 great shows in Poland. The last one from Wyspianski Theatre in Katowice was recorded for the first DVD of SBB as a trio Skrzek-Wertico-Apostolis.

Year 2006 marks their appearance as a support for the two Deep Purple shows in Poland. In March 2006 SBB headlined Baja Prog Festival, one of the most important progressive festivals in the world. In late August 2007 Metal Mind Productions released a 20-CD box with complete Skrzek's solo discography starting from the 70s till today. The anthology includes electro-rock tracks, film music etc. This Autumn certainly belongs to SBB!

Posted in Album Release News