Stone Premonitions Retrospective 1994-2004 Reviews

At a really bargain price, this excellent CD celebrates ten years of one of the most musically conistent underground CD labels in the UK to date. Across two CD's you get nearly 150 minutes of music from Census Of Hallucinations, Body Full Of Stars, Krom Lek, Spacehopper, Mr Quimbys Beard, The Rabbit's Hat & Terri B. Quite a few of the tracks are different from the versions that have appeared on CD before, including the original mix of the ten minute Mr Quimbys Beard track. If you've not discovered the world of this label before and are into mostly song-oriented compositions of the best quality with influences from a wide variety of seventies groups such as Gong, Daevid Allen, Ozrics & that sort of "free festival-meets-new age" mixes of rock and folk with a decided spiritual feel, then there is plenty for you here. For me, it's worth the asking price for the 60 minutes of tracks from the Census/Krom Lek/Spacehopper/MQB quartet, but I found the rest of the tracks remarkably engaging in this context, things I wouldn't have bought as a whole album but here in small doses, just perfect. A neat item and worth supporting both for the cause and to hear some criminally underrated musicians, singers and songwriters - may Tim and Terri have another ten years and more if this is what the first ten years was all about - recommended!

by Andy Gee at CD Services/Dead Earnest Records

A double CD with 34 tracks digitally re-mastered by Tim Jones at the Stone Studio, Alston, Cumbria, UK is now available from the Tim and Terri at Stone Premonitions (www.Aural-Innovations.com/stonepremonitions), Stuart at Zeitgeist (www.zeitgeist-scot.co.uk) and all good record shops. This is a fascinating history of Stone Premonitions who, to quote from the liner notes, 'inhabit a musical world that is rich in its diversity' and is 'honest and true' in a way that will 'appeal to all discerning music lovers everywhere'. This retrospective is a compilation CD with a difference, a kind of 'rockumentary' where the music takes centre stage of course but those who have supported and broadcast the music of Census of Hallucinations, The Rabbit's Hat, Kromlek, Mr Quimby's Beard, Somebody Famous, Body Full of Stars et al over the years also have their say! Even those who already own some of the Stone Premonitions releases will find something new here like a great hitherto unreleased live version of 'Mountain Climbing' recorded for Radio Newcastle. A tribute CD 'with a difference' is also available featuring 10 tracks that are either interpretations of or inspired by two Tim and Terri songs called 'The Moon' and 'Orion'. Pride of place must go to two incredible versions of 'The Moon' by legendary 1970 Vertigo band Clear Blue Sky who have gone from strength to strength in recent years with recordings like 'Mirror of The Stars' on Aftermath Records. There has also been much radio airplay of Australian psychedelic space rockers Brainstorm's version of 'The Moon', Dave Dill's stunningly beautiful rendition of the same song and DJ/ musician Lord Litter's 'customary sonic surprise' on 'Orion.' There are many others to enjoy and we hope that music lovers can join in celebrating 10 years of a very special and influential label- Stone Premonitions! 'The Moon Orion Project' is also available direct from Stone Premonitions, from Zeitgeist and many other outlets.

by Phil Jackson - Karnaval