Starcastle
Star Castle is a Founded in 1969, American progressive rock band. In 2007, she published after almost 30 years of absence, a new studio album.
- 4.1 Reviews and References
- 4.2 websites
History
St. James
Star Castle was founded in 1969 at the University of Illinois as a local cover band under the name of St. James. The original line-up consisting of Mike Castle Horn, Stephen Hagler and Paul Tassler, fell apart soon as Castle horn in a car accident was killed and Tassler later the bass eintauschte little against the role of band manager. The position of drummer was occupied by Pauls brother Stephen Tassler, and as a replacement for the bassist Gary Strater came into the group, which should remain the only constant member until his death in 2004.
Mad John Fever
There was now of the original cast of St. James only guitarist Stephen Hagler in the band, they gave themselves a new name. The new lineup began playing as Mad John Fever more experimental rock; so were the first time covers of groups like Jethro Tull and Wishbone Ash in their repertoire, also found appearances instead of together with Styx and Blue Öyster Cult.
From the city of Champaign came next Star Castle also REO Speedwagon, whose singer Terry Luttrell sang after leaving a group called Sea Daddy. The same band was also the guitarist Matthew Stewart, who had achieved a certain notoriety in that it already occurred spontaneously at a young age in clubs.
Both were a little later a member of Mad John Fever.
Pegasus
In order to meet the significant shift towards progressive rock justice, the group decided in 1974 to change its name again. The name Pegasus should, however, again only briefly endure: After Pegasus was performed together with the Strawbs in St. Louis and had received positive feedback from the daily press, was another group of the name Pegasus, who also came from Illinois, attentive to the five musicians and threatened with legal action should not be discarded, the name Pegasus.
The search for a new name, which both the image of the band represent and should be a unique identifier as possible, eventually led to the final band name Star Castle.
Star Castle
To 1978
The unchanged up to the name of group to Stephen Hagler graduated the following year numerous appearances, and for the first time the music industry has been aware of them. The distribution of demo recordings and concert recordings by the group of several radio stations eventually led to a recording contract with CBS, where in the spring of 1976 also appeared the self-titled debut album.
The album was very well received, and the following performances together with Gentle Giant and Jethro Tull were accordingly well attended. The success of the album Star Castle led the record company to have included the follow-up album, the group already in 1977. As a producer Roy Thomas Baker was committed, which was already been responsible for the first albums by Queen among others.
Baker, however, knew the style of the band to begin not much, and the single Diamond Song ( Deep is the Light) failed to enter the charts. Although the finished produced album Fountains of Light did not correspond to the original ideas of the band members, it was nevertheless enthusiastically received by critics and was just like the tour, participated on the Foreigner and Journey as opening acts, again a commercial success.
Despite the fact that punk rock and disco began to displace the Progressive Rock, Star Castle took in England in the same year the album Citadel on, again produced by Roy Thomas Baker. Although the singles " Can not Think Twice" and "Could this be Love" were played back and also on the radio again, the sales figures rising expectations CBS could not fulfill, and the increasing pressure on the band led increasingly to tensions.
Their previous studio album Real to Reel, released in 1978, marked a turning point in the history of Star Castle: In order to meet the expectation of the record company, the group -oriented for the first time on the listening habits of the mass audience. The Yes -like style of previous albums gave way to a catchy pop rock, although it opened the band to a wider audience, but did not meet the expectations of most of the band members. Live recordings from this year were released on the album Concert Classics in 1999.
Schildt keyboardist and singer Luttrell left Star Castle after the last concert of the tour to the album Real to Reel to devote himself to other projects. Since the sale of the plate was sluggish, the Star Castle CBS finally announced the record deal, so manager Paul Tassler turn was solely responsible for the band.
1979-1998
From 1979 Star Castle went on tour again. In the course of the tour was replaced in the summer of Stephen Hagler as a singer by Ralph Goldhiem, the singer of contracted also on CBS tape Timberline. The group moved now from Champaign to Atlanta to where they soon an agreement with producer Jeff Glixman met, who had already produced some publications of Kansas among others. Were added yet during first demo tapes, you also got the former Queen manager Jack Nelson into the boat, the negotiations with A & M Records and Arista Records led, but this was unsuccessful. Undeterred, the group continued their appearances, even considered a new name change - in 1979, they performed at once as The Pack - until finally 1980 Stephen Hagler and Stephen Tassler left the band. Temporary replacement of Tassler on drums was Mauro Magellan, but to The Georgia Satellites changed only a little later, which were also produced by Jeff Glixman.
With Hagler now also the last founding member of Star Castle was leaked, and most of the remaining band members took a break to concentrate on other projects, or to devote themselves to their private lives. Only bassist Strater tried to recruit new members for more Star Castle recordings. After the collaboration with singer Goldhiem he moved to California, where he introduced a new Star Castle cast with singer George Harp and guitarist Bruce Botts. The trio was augmented from time to time by the drummer Scott McKenzie. The search for a new keyboard player was without success.
Over the next six months writing and rehearsing the band new pieces. The members decided to continue to occur despite the new occupation and thereby resulting in a change of style turn slightly rougher sounding direction as Star Castle. Some music producers, including Bill Graham, were aware of the band, but to a new record deal came it not for the time being.
Until the mid- nineties Star Castle had the most creative phase of the band's history in which, many new pieces in various formations. Gary Strater, dissatisfied with the unsteady interaction of frequently changing musicians, eventually decided to promote the recording of a new album, which should capture the energy of all occupations alike.
Since 1999
In 1999, first appeared some concert recordings from 1978, still with singer Luttrell, on Renaissance Records. Followed in 2001 under the label of South West Label Group with Chronos I is a compilation of demo recordings from the period of the first two albums, including three previously unreleased tracks. Both publications reaped positive response.
At the same time, the band appeared on several progressive rock festivals, which again attracted a larger audience for several years, and moved to free up increasingly in the public consciousness. 2004 finally Gary Strater was "his" project is realized by: Star Castle, now reinforced by the singer Al Lewis, took after 26 -year break, under the title song of Times a new album.
On the album, almost all former members were involved from the Star Castle, and Terry Luttrell is heard in one of the pieces. Even during the recordings, however, succumbed to Gary Strater cancer, so that the publication of Song of Times had to wait another three years away.
Style
Except for the oriented more on the mainstream album Real to Reel recordings of Star Castle are clearly influenced by Yes; especially the distinctive bass and the high singing of Terry Luttrell often lead to Star Castle with the band to Chris Squire was compared and is. Nevertheless, Star Castle has a decidedly autonomous elements such as the frequent chorus that is consistently present on the album Song of Times.