Francie Conway knows where he’s going on holiday this year. Like most people, he’s staying close to home. Staycation is a specially written and recorded single to embrace the stay-at-home vacation, and to add music to the word of the moment – Staycation.

Francie Conway first came to prominence in Ireland during the 1970s as founder of the band ‘Clutch’. By 1980 he had signed as a solo artist to RCA Records, with The Zombies’ Chris White as his producer. The first few singles were popular with radio, due in part to the all-star group of musicians used and some excellent songs, but didn’t chart in the UK.
In 1984 Francie Conway wrote all of the material for his debut album, and had a major hit single in Europe with ‘To The Edge Of Time’. It led to a career defining headline appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, where he also met long-time collaborator (Queen’s producer) Dave Richards.

Although the song missed the charts in the UK, it provided the platform for a long and successful career and raised his profile to such an extent in his native Ireland that his next full-length release (Wake Up LP) spawned cover versions of 7 of the tracks. The Fureys, Stevie Wright, and Dolores Keane (amongst others) recorded successful versions of ‘Somewhere In Heaven’, ‘Striking It Rich’, and ‘Walking On Seashells’. Since then there have been regular releases from Francie for a number of different projects.

Most recently, Francie has released a new album ‘Hidden Gems’ and has been playing his ‘Happy Birthday’ alternative song for friends across the world on the internet. It has become so successful that he has performed it for Kris Kristofferson and Ireland’s president, Michael D. Higgins.

Francie Conway - Staycation is the holiday song for this summer. Find out more at: francieconway.com

Staycation

STAYCATION - Francie Conway

The all-female acapella Know Your Crazy Choir present their innovative version of the Argent classic ‘Hold Your Head Up’. Recorded throughout lockdown, both professional and non-professional singers came together to make their voices heard on this anthem to women. The choir features Bianca Kinane (Steve Swindells, The Chris White Experience) on lead vocals with spirited backing from all of the women involved.

Hold Your Head Up Woman has become the soundtrack to the Know Your Crazy art book and presentation boxset. This collaboration between Vivienne Boucherat, Cindy da Silva and Rene Harbison is forming a growing movement with women at its centre. The song, penned by Rod Argent and Chris White (The Zombies) was the obvious choice to accompany the whole project.

The Know Your Crazy book brings the work of renowned multimedia artist Vivienne Boucherat to the fore again. Her art was previously seen in ‘The Odessey: The Zombies In Words and Images’ from BMG Books which featured Viv’s work alongside handwritten lyrics and remembrances by the band. This new work celebrates the individuality and strength of women for the Know Your Crazy project. For all our differences we are very much the same.

Hold Your Head Up Woman

Slicko DiCaprio returns with a new 12 track EP - Cosmic Highway - and a brand new single 'Won't Rest Can't Rest' for release on November 8th, 2021.

Slicko DiCaprio’s creative world is an ever changing place: a universe of growth and introspection governed by love and instinct. His energy is felt intensely through work that ranges from subtle investigations of heartbreak to synthesised rage, and has led to a strong catalogue of music and numerous prosperous collaborations. He projects a strong identity across many disciplines. DiCaprio is at once rapper, singer, producer, and director, always studious and looking to learn through artistic dedication.

DiCaprio’s voice is uncompromisingly unique. He sings in a driven glide and raps in tight bursts, often swapping between the two in an instant. Across full length projects like “22” and “Mortal Bodies” stories are told as a collection of unpredictable jigsaw sequences. He’s also a keen collaborator, having worked closely with blkglam, AKMZ, Heartbreak SZN, and The John Williams Syndicate. Often mystically produced, these songs are given a sense of reality by DiCaprio’s consistently open use of emotion - each hazy beat and catchy hook is an invitation to truly feel the journey unfold.

Now based in London, Slicko DiCaprio has committed to exploring new ideas. He’s never content with stasis, and never loses sight of his artistic language; whether in music, video, or any one of his other roles, he remains committed to fashionably intricate style, pushing as hard as ever to make space for creative ideas.

Cosmic Highway

Won't Rest Can't Rest

Won't Rest Can't Rest (Clean version)

The band Phoenix rose from the ashes of Argent in 1976 and immediately scored a major label deal with CBS. Their debut album was released to much critical fanfare, and they recorded their follow-up and finest record in 1977. Unfortunately, the musical landscape was changing. Disco was on the airwaves and punk was around the corner when CBS decided against releasing Phoenix’s second album.

The album ‘Out of the Sun’ was recorded at Trident Studios in 1977, and has been lying dormant since. A few months ago John Verity rediscovered the album and set about preparing it for release:

“Bob Henrit, Jim Rodford and I recorded and released our first Phoenix album in 1976 at Trident Studios in Central London and released on CBS Records. We toured extensively to promote the album, fitting in time between shows to write and demo new songs with the intention of getting into the studio fresh from playing live, whilst ‘match fit’, to put a follow-up album together.”
“Our timing couldn’t have been worse…There was a New Wave of ‘Punk’ music on the streets and overnight we were about as unfashionable as you could be on the UK music scene. CBS decided not to take up the option to release a new Phoenix album so these recordings were put on ice.”
“Our management company wanted us to take a different musical direction. Bob remembers this was known to us as “Boston-Foreigner-Styx” though this was very much like what we’d been doing with Argent. We had wanted to be the Worlds first ‘Power Trio’ and came up with one track that would have surprised the hell out of the guys who eventually did it first – it was ‘Day Tripper’ complete with thundering double bass drums and screaming guitars!”
“As a band we set about trying to come up with something new.There followed a period during which we did try new things, and released further singles and an album of new material, first on Rocket Records, then on Charisma Records. For a time, Phoenix became a four-piece, then Jim was offered the opportunity to join the Kinks and left with our blessing.”
“We continued as a 3-piece for a while but though I hadn’t realised at the time, without Jim Rodford the heart had gone from Phoenix. Something special can happen when certain groups of musicians get together, and I think that our ‘something special’ only truly happened with Jim in the lineup.
So, the second Phoenix album seemed to be lost forever but recently by a twist of fate I got the opportunity to look again at these recordings with a view to releasing them over 40 years after they were recorded.
To me they sound as fresh as the day they were recorded, with all of us at the top of our game.”

Out of the Sun

Winds of Change

Opening track from the lost 1977 Phoenix album.

Are You Ready

Sparrow - Eli's Coming

Volume Five

12. Take Me Another Way Home (feat. Moonstone)

11. Chocolate Cake (feat. John Verity)

UKSZT2000037

10. Magic Carpet Ride (feat. Free Ferry)

09. Security (feat. Diana Dors)

05. Rain (feat. Bianca Kinane)

The Chris White Experience - Chris White is the songwriter, producer bass player in the 60s classic British rock n' roll band The Zombies. Volume One represents the start of the story of his songwriting. Promo enquiries - sunfishpromotion@gmail.com

www.thechriswhiteexperience.com

Sunfish Music

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