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| Close to the Fire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1999 at ABT Studio and Down Under Studio, Hilversum, The Netherlands | |||
| Genre | Progressive rock | |||
| Label | Europe: ProActs, Japan: Avalon | |||
| Producer | Ton Scherpenzeel, Pim Koopman | |||
| Kayak chronology | ||||
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Close to the Fire is the 9th studio album by Dutch progressive rock band Kayak, released in 2000. It was a comeback album, the first since their split in 1982. The line-up was almost the same as the one that recorded the album Royal Bed Bouncer in 1975. Only guitarist Johan Slager was not involved. He was replaced by Rob Winter.
Progressive rock is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States throughout the mid- to late 1960s. Initially termed "progressive pop", the style was an outgrowth of psychedelic bands who abandoned standard pop traditions in favour of instrumentation and compositional techniques more frequently associated with jazz, folk, or classical music. Additional elements contributed to its "progressive" label: lyrics were more poetic, technology was harnessed for new sounds, music approached the condition of "art", and the studio, rather than the stage, became the focus of musical activity, which often involved creating music for listening rather than dancing.
Kayak is a Dutch progressive rock band formed in 1972 in the city Hilversum by Ton Scherpenzeel and Pim Koopman. In 1973, their debut album See See The Sun was released, including three hit singles. Their popularity was mainly in the Netherlands, with their top hit reaching No. 6 on the Dutch charts in March 1979. They disbanded in 1982 after releasing nine albums.
Royal Bed Bouncer is the third album by Dutch progressive rock band Kayak, released in 1975. Their progressive approach from the first two albums was mixed with a more basic pop/rock sound. Nine of the ten songs were written by Ton Scherpenzeel, with Pim Koopman only contributing the instrumental "Patricia Anglaia". The album was produced by Gerrit-Jan Leenders and Kayak.
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By 1997, Kayak founder members Ton Scherpenzeel and Pim Koopman decided to work on new material. They had no name for their project yet, and it was not their intention to release the songs as Kayak. Apart from Scherpenzeel and Koopman, no former Kayak members were involved at this stage. Lead singer on the demo versions was Alex Toonen, from Dutch progressive rock band "For Absent Friends". Record companies were not immediately interested, and the songs were not developed further. Then, original Kayak singer Max Werner offered to have a go at the demo's. With his vocal sound the songs got a genuine Kayak feel, and it was decided to release the songs as the new Kayak album.
Ton Scherpenzeel is a keyboardist and a founding member of the Dutch rock band Kayak, together with Pim Koopman and Max Werner whom he met whilst at the Hilversum Muziek Lyceum.
Wilhelmus Frederikus (Pim) Koopman was the drummer and percussionist of the Dutch progressive rock band, Kayak.
Max Werner was lead singer, drummer, and percussionist of the Dutch Progressive rock band, Kayak. In 1972, he co-founded the band along with keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel, guitarist Johan Slager, and drummer Pim Koopman.
The album was relatively successful, reaching # 54 in the Dutch album top-100 and staying in that top-100 for 6 weeks. [1] More important was that media and fans were interested in the band again. Scherpenzeel and Koopman decided to continue the 'new' Kayak. Max Werner left after a short tour in 2000.
The last song on the album is a newly recorded version of "Ruthless Queen", Kayak's biggest hit from 1978. Lead vocalist on the new version is Syb van der Ploeg. He was lead-singer of Dutch band "De Kast". Members of that band were big Kayak fans, and in 1999 De Kast asked Kayak to join them in a TV-special. That was one of the things that encouraged Kayak to reunite. Apart from Syb van der Ploeg, Kast-members Sytze Broersma and Peter van der Ploeg also play on "Ruthless Queen".
Syb van der Ploeg is a Dutch singer and songwriter.
The song "Full Circle" has a guitar solo by Andrew Latimer, leader of the British progressive rock band Camel. Ton Scherpenzeel played in Camel, though not constantly, from 1984 until 2003.
Andrew Latimer is an English musician and composer. He is a founding member of the progressive rock band Camel and the only member who has been with the band since their formation in 1971. Best known as a guitarist and singer, Latimer is a flautist and keyboardist as well.
Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in Guildford, Surrey, in 1971. Led by founder-member guitarist Andrew Latimer, they have produced fourteen original studio albums and fourteen singles, plus numerous live albums and DVDs. Predominantly instrumental, with melody paramount, Camel's music combines elements from rock, pop, jazz, blues, folk, classical and electronica.
