Dateline: April 2005 (est.)

Pioneer Psychedelic Band Syn Rejoined

Source: Intuitive Music

http://www.intuitivemusic.com/content/view/1409/1/

The British pioneer psychedelic band Syn has rejoined after 38 years to record a new material album and a world tour. The line-up includes original members Chris Squire (Yes), and Steve Nardelli, and is focusing their revival on modern progressive rock music.

Syn was born in 1964 and was one of the most active bands in London's psychedelic scene during the late 60's, having played in legendary clubs such as UFO, Speakeasy, The Marquee, and Roundhouse, along with other psychedelic bands like Tomorrow, Soft Machine, and Pink Floyd. Syn split in 1968 to give birth a new band named Marbel Greer's Toyshop, featuring bass player Chris Squire and guitarist Peter Banks, which would shortly become the legendary progressive rock band Yes.

The new line-up of the band includes Chris Squire (bass), Stephen Nardelli (vocals), Jeremy Stacey (drums), Gerard Johnson (keys) and Paul Stacey (guitar). The band have been working in a new album called "Syndestructible" on Umbrello Records (a new label dedicated to quality alternative music) and it's first single "Cathedral" is due to be released in May. Also the latest version of the Syn archive album will now be released through Umbrello and will be called, "Original Syn 1964-2004", a double CD charting the band's history from 1964 with The Self's through to their 2004, 14 minute version of the Yes classic "Time and a Word". The album also includes their classic song "Illusion" and both old and new versions of "Grounded".

The new Syn have described themselves as "Prog Modernists" and have stated that they are "taking the concept of Progressive music into the 21st century". Some critics are pointing that the band is leading a renaissance of progressive music.

Although the original band's guitarist Peter Banks was one of the founding members of the comeback of Syn in October 2003 along with Steve Nardelli, he will not be part of the line-up and he was apparently dropped from the band. Banks has made a statement in his official website, where he shows his deception and disagreement with the band saying "The whole Syn project, which I worked on the 1st Nov 2003 to the 4th April 2004, with so much enthusiasm and energy has become a complete waste of time; I have never been thanked or credited and it has been thrown back in my face. They deserve no success or credibility as a band or as human beings".

Peter Banks also claims for his credit in the writing, playing and production of the new band's material. He says: " I find the behavior of Nardelli, Adleman, and Johnson totally mystifying. Their deceitful, hypocritical and cowardly behavior and inability to deal with the situation that I find myself in is something that I have never had to deal with in this profession. They refuse to even discuss this matter and release Syn material without any consultation with myself whatsoever. This also applies to the compilation album which I am featured on and was asked to produce, having already supplied a lot of archive material from my own personal collection. Incidentally, I do not include Chris Squire amongst this cast of villains, as he joined the band after my departure."

A North American tour (organized by 10th Street Entertainment, who also manage Yes) is planned for July/August and it may include the separate concerts of Syn, Yes guitarist Steve Howe, and Yes drummer Alan White's band that includes keyboardist Geoff Downes (Buggles, Yes, Asia). This is part of the one year break that the band Yes has taken and possibly Squire, Howe, and White and the other musicians will be playing on stage together in the encores. The band also plans to do a two month tour in Europe (Sep/Oct) and some dates in Japan or further US dates.