STUDIO UPGRADE (SUMMER 1999)

The SYNERGY STUDIO is undergoing an upgrade for the first time in about three years. We're installing a new 450 MHz Blue and White G3 Macintosh and Mark Of The Unicorn digital audio system to complement the older Digidesign ProTools / Opcode StudioVision Pro system we've been upgrading in one form or another since about 1989. Now we can run some of the new cool software synthesis packages like the BitHeadz Retro AS-1 and get those analog sounds without fighting with all of the old modular equipment as much. Since a lot of people have been asking for it, we've put up a small equipment section in the Productions & Studio page.

RECENT INTERVIEWS AND ARTICLES (updated August 1999)

A couple of items have run recently. They're worth checking out:

There was a feature article in the May issue of Stereo Review's Sound and Vision. The article is called "Upstairs/Downstairs" and shows a bit of my studio at home. The article is posted at the Sound & Vision site for a while, though it's unclear how long the publisher will leave it on the server.


There's a long interview by Barry Cleveland that ran in the March 1999 issue of Electronic Musician. You can read a copy of it posted here at the Synergy site.

There was a cover story in Issue 28 (summer/fall 1998) of Progressionmagazine, page 20.

There's an interview and some sound clips posted at Cosmik Debrishttp://www.cosmik.com/aa-january99/synergy.html

Check out Synergy reviews in Babysue: http://www.babysue.com/LMNOP-Reviews-Jan-99.html#anchor2191963

There are reviews posted at Pitchfork: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/s/ . Find Synergy under the S heading.

Album reviews have been printed in Expose magazine. Their web site is athttp://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/1831/expo-nl.html

USA Today had a half-page feature in the Living section on August 31, 1998. The article was posted at http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/lmds335.htm for a while, though it's unclear how long USA Today leaves old news on the server.

There have been a bunch of reviews at Spinme:

Electronic Realizations http://spinme.com/ddo/view.hts?full+1+196+2+100
Sequencer http://spinme.com/ddo/view.hts?full+1+186+2+100
Cords http://spinme.com/ddo/view.hts?full+1+186+1+100
Games http://spinme.com/ddo/view.hts?full+2+40+1+100
Audion http://spinme.com/ddo/view.hts?full+2+40+2+100
Computer Experiments Volume One http://spinme.com/ddo/view.hts?full+2+82+1+100
The Jupiter Menace http://spinme.com/ddo/view.hts?full+2+101+1+100
Semiconductor http://spinme.com/ddo/view.hts?full+2+13+1+100
Metropolitan Suite http://spinme.com/ddo/view.hts?full+2+101+2+100

Wind & Wire's July/August, 1998 issue ran an interview with Larry Fast by Judy Markworth which is posted with permission here on this site.

electronicmusic.com ran an interview in 1997.

so did MIX MAGAZINE May,1997 page 84

more to come . . .

APPEARANCE AT NEARFEST (JUNE 1999)

The NEARfest, the northeast progressive rock festival in Bethlehem, PA on June 26, 1999 went beautifully. It was a sold out conference and concert. The promoters are already planning NEARFest 2000 in a bigger location. You can visit the NEARfest site at http://ghostland.com/nearfest/ to find out more.

Just clear up any confusion, I didn't play or perform a music set. What I did was a talk with audio examples about my experiences with, and thoughts regarding, creating progressive music. There were slides and studio reference (work) mixes from mid-production showing the evolution of several songs including those from my own Synergy works, Peter Gabriel, and some historic background about my earliest technical work with Rick Wakeman. And we did takes some questions from the audience.

My talk and many of the other performances are to be webcast by Studio M. I'm not sure if this will be in real time or broadcast at some time in the future. When we know more we'll let you know.

SYNERGY WEBSITE'S NEW URL and EMAIL ADDRESSES

We've got a new domain name for the Synergy site. Now you can reach us at synergy-emusic.com. You can continue to use www.eclipse.net/~synergy which will remain active. And it seems that www.synergy-emusic.com works too, but you don't actually need that "www" for this URL. Email is stillsynergy@eclipse.net though we're moving that to synergy@synergy-emusic.com. For now you can use either one.

NEKTAR RUMORS

There's been a lot of buzz about a Nektar reunion. The buzz is largely true. There's movement toward getting the Nektar catalog reissued, and getting back together to do a new album. I'll probably be involved. There are many logistical problems to be worked out so it won't happen quickly. You can keep up on the latest developments by checking out the Nektar site at www.nektar.com. As of March, 1999 it looks like this is going to take a long time to get together, but the guys want it to happen so hopefully it will.

SYNERGY MOVES TO POLYGRAM

If you haven't heard, there are some big changes at Third Contact/Synergy. The Synergy catalog of recordings is now manufactured and distributed in North America (the US and Canada) by the PolyGram/Chronicles label. This includes the three titles that had been independently distributed on the Third Contact Media label. These titles moved over to Chronicles in April, 1998. These three, and all of the rest of the Synergy albums are out now. All nine of the Synergy albums are available from our favorite internet online retailers (like The Artist Shop), and from a bunch of new places including your local record store.

Out Now (as of December 1, 1998):

• "Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-042-2)
• "Sequencer" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-043-2)
• "Cords" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-044-2)
• "Games" (PolyGram/Chronicles" 314-558-045-2)
• "Audion" (PolyGram/Chronicles" 314-558-046-2)
• "Semi-Conductor, release 2" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-048-2)
• "The Jupiter Menace" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-047-2)
• "Metropolitan Suite" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-049-2)
• "Computer Experiments, Volume One" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-050-2)

There are still a few copies of the first three CDs on the Third Contact label which might become collectors items now that all of the new copies are from PolyGram/Chronicles. They're available at The Artist Shop.

For you eagle-eye fans, there's a typo on the first reissue copies of The Jupiter Menace that made it into circulation. It might become a collectors item someday.

Watch for further announcements about the releases and distribution on this news page and other locations here at the Synergy site. (If there is anything important about the acquisition of PolyGram by Universal we'll let you know about it.)

LATEST REISSUE RELEASES (Q4 1998)

This finishes it up, they're all out. PolyGram/Chronicles has put out the digitally remastered versions of the atmospheric "Computer Experiments, Volume One", my first feature film score to 1982's sci-fi docudrama "The Jupiter Menace", and the last of the first chapter of Synergy recordings, the electronic-orchestral "Metropolitan Suite".

__ __

All nine SYNERGY albums are available now on the PolyGram/Chronicles label. Visit the HOW TO GET CDs page if you want to get your copies.

If you're new to the SYNERGY recordings, you might want to try the compilation album, the two CD set "Semi-Conductor, release 2". This is an expanded and remastered version of the double LP from 1984 including additional tracks, a revised chronological running order, and a new cleaner and more vibrant digital remastering of the original mixes. Until now, this collection has never been available on CD. There's something from each of the eight other SYNERGY albums, plus two tracks only available on this set.