Friday 25 December 2020

Happy Christmas Day From The FAS

Okay, here we are, Christmas Day and I'm correcting some 'interesting' spelling and general mistakes in the first proper drafts of issues #155, #156 and #157. I seem to recall I was doing exactly the same thing on this day last year as well! This is where doing a number of issues at once gets a bit mind numbing! Correct, check, correct, check, correct, and hope we catch most the errors... We never get them all, but we do try.

Anyway, as I have the, rather good looking, paged prints in front of me, I thought I'd give you a sneaky Christmas Day peak at them -  so here you are. A little Christmas cheer at the end of a crappy year.

#158 is little nowhere near complete yet but the cover is mocked up and the diary section (I nearly always type 'dairy' - Oops) is complete, so it's on the way. I'm really waiting for the final vinyl pieces to come in the post so I can check the matrix numbers - and as you are likely aware that's all VERY slow at the moment. Still, chins up, as we have FAS issues for January, February and March right now. They just need the final check before we print them - which is what I'm doing today. That's a pretty good FAS start to 2021, as we pull away at high speed from the very unpleasant 2020.

Also here's a 'Merry Kossmas' outtake for your enjoyment. Rabbit and I thought the one with the somewhat 'dubious' Christmas spirited (literally) drummer was quite funny - but here's one without his contribution, so just Rabbit, Koss and sleigh bells.

 

Happy Christmas everyone, and today, please raise a glass for absent friends. Not everyone got this far, and some people have empty chairs that should have family members in them. This is very sad. Moving forward I wish you all a VERY good 2021. Lets hope we all move out of all this Covid shit quickly and safely, wherever you are.

Wednesday 16 December 2020

A Very Happy Kossmas

Well, here's just a little note to let you know that we are still working away here and things have been progressing well. While three of the proposed four 'Highway' related issues are pretty much done, due to the current situation they won't be coming out until next year. The plan currently is to try and get them out over the January - March period. Fingers crossed. We've not done bad though. Remember there have actually been FOUR issues this year and one of those was 88 pages! A real ballbuster. Holding the magazines back until next year will hopefully let the post get over the Christmas mess and settle back down. It's been a tricky year all round really, and I hope everyone has been keeping safe and well. Let's hope 2021 is MUCH MUCH better.

In the meantime I'd like to wish you all a very Happy Kossmas. Thanks to Rabbit, Richard Button and of course Koss for their help in getting this little treat together. Play it to the end!

 


Wednesday 9 December 2020

Free & Bad Company Encyclopedia

Japanese Overview

(English Translation)

50th anniversary of the announcement of the masterpiece "Fire and Water" including the eternal rock standard "All Right Now"!

Thorough detailed explanation of all works of Free & Bad Company, including the first public photos of the arrival date and time (In Japan)

■ British rock scene before free appearance

■ Reborn in 1972 (1971) & 1972 Free visit to Japan with historical photographs including many unused parts (50 pages in total)

■ Detailed explanation of all Free works

■ Rodgers / Kossoff / Fraser / Kirke / Tetsu / Rabbit Solo Works

■ Full of first public shots! Live photo book of the original Bad Company including the date and time of the first visit (32 pages in total)

■ Detailed explanation of all Bad Company works

■ Biography of all members of Free & Bad Company

■ Explanation of video archive

■ Kossoff's Shadow - Crawler's work review & unpublished live photos unearthed!

■ Free & Bad Company: Analog Edition Gallery (Japanese Single, etc.)

■ Reprinted Interview & Report Collection (Reprinted about 30 books including the first public full version from "MUSIC LIFE" and "YOUNG GUITAR")

■ Island Records and their people

■ Free best & compilation works

■ Paul Kossoff's session sound source

■ Kossoff's Les Paul in the hands of Rodgers

■ Genealogy of British rock singer

■ A list of cover artists of Free & Bad Company songs

■ Paul Kossoff playing method analysis, etc.

 

Rough guide to ordering from HMV Japan

https://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Free-Bad-Company_000000000210522/item_%E3%83%95%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC-%E3%83%90%E3%83%83%E3%83%89%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AB%E3%83%B3%E3%83%91%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E5%A4%A7%E5%85%A8_11264992

Price ¥3,850 (Approximately £28.00)

Shipping ¥2,200 (Approximately £16.00)

It is possible that the book can also be ordered from Tower Records in Japan and other sources, but it's actually quite difficult to find out!

Publisher Shinko Music Entertainment

Release Date November/2020

Japan Only

ISBN/Catalogue Number

ISBN 13 : 9784401649822
ISBN 10 : 4401649826

Monday 7 December 2020

Message From Simon Kirke

Hi Everybody!

I am pleased to announce that I will be performing a solo show on stageit.com 
December 18th at 4 PM EST. 
(21.00 /9pm in the UK)

I'll be playing songs from Free, Bad Company and my solo career.

Also, I'll be taking song requests in advance

(if I can do the one you chose).

I will also take some time for questions during the show.

It's gonna be fun...!

A percentage of the proceeds will go to www.nurseheros.org

Just go to this website for tickets...

https://www.stageit.com/simon_kirke/an_evening_with_simon_kirke/91403

Donations only.

Until then, stay safe & look after each other....

Love,

Simon x

 

(Photo by Monte Farber & shirt by Amy Zerner)