Freedom

Freedom
Freedom
A warm percussive foundation, acoustic guitars
from both sides of the spectrum, a sophisticated bass line – are we expecting a new Steely
Dan release? The flattering conclusion is not
entirely unfounded, because this is the work of
a German band that was once hailed as “more
American than the Yanks”, and invited Doobie
and Dan comparisons in the process: Lake.
But the suggestion also means that there must
be something in the voice of their Scottish lead
singer Lloyd Anderson to invite such comparisons to Donald Fagen. (Lloyd is the fourth Lake
voice from Connery Country by now, so the
band should really be called Loch.) And indeed,
the way Lloyd builds the first love story on this
album, it is only after the first verse that we
feel how the lady’s Passionate Eyes (by Conti
with lyrics courtesy of Ron Randolf) hit him like
a brick. That same impact is achieved via the
electrical guitar pyromania of Alex Conti – right
after the majestic chorus towards the climax of
this magic opener.
Out of breath already? The ballad Silvia offers
time and space – and seems to whisper the
words “single” and “radio friendly” – apart from
enjoying the multi-faceted keyboard layers
by composer Jens Skwirblies, who also played
behind Toto’s Bobby Kimball, and who accompanied the ex Lake-Scot Ian Cussick on tours.
Cussick – as the first little sensation – can be
heard in a duet with Lloyd Anderson here.
Before procedures become a little too emotional, thanks to the perfect rapport of those
two, Conti barges in again with a solo explosion – but not only on his trusted Les Paul, as
“for this album, I have tracked more than a
thousand overdubs, because I wanted to tap all
my resources and drill them into these songs.”
Thus, you can devote a complete spin of this
album to the guitar work, either following
your comprehension of all the hook lines and
harmonies or as first things first.
Die Just A Little by Swedish superstar Paulo
Mendonca impresses as one of the strongest
songs on the album. Conti lures the band to the
self-service Sixties Store: You pick the grapes
by Hendrix and the Beach Boys – and generate
a sound scape which is safely grounded in the
new millennium. This is a number you want to
experience live immediately.
It´s Only You seems to come from one of the
vintage Lake albums from the late Seventies,
that´s how typical its ingredients are with an
infectious riff, a little dose of Funk, dynamic
development and a punch line that positively
cries for some audience participation by the
respective stadium crowd. Alex, apart from
countless licks and solo passages, unveils his
notorious slide ring. He´s capable of anything
he did from Lake I to Ouch! – and then some.
Skwirblies´ Fender Rhodes piano gets woven in
congenially, and on drums, as on the previous
track, we get the experienced services of studio
drummer and co-producer Eddie Filipp.
Nightbirds is one of those haunting tunes
that give you a feeling of absolute well-being,
diving into Conti´s quint-span Wishbone-Ash
inspirations and the nagging question: “Where
did Lake borrow this killer chorus?” The answer
is sensation number two: The only guy familiar
with this track was its writer: Lake confidant
Andreas Becker in his small Brunswick studio.
He had wanted to give the fatally struggling
Lake founder James Hopkins-Harrison a last
chance to produce a demo with new music.
It was going to be his final recording – and the
cassette gathered dust in the archives after his
death. Would his inimitable voice get rescued
for posterity this time? One recalls a Hollies
project of 1993, enriching a historical Buddy
Holly tape of “Peggy Sue Got Married” with
a brand new performance. Conti: “We live in
the digital age, and so we were able to record
“Nightbirds” in our completely new, original
arrangement, and fly Jim´s voice into the mix
eventually!” Rescued, cleaned, refined – and
especially the partnership of Jens Skwirblies
and Eddie Filipp really worked hard on this one,
technically as well as creatively.
High profile songs work on several levels: Alex´
acoustic trio Arndt, Gross & Conti had already
performed Ted Nugent & The Gunners’ Blues
on their album Crossing Borders. But the way
the Swing conglomerate bass man Holger Trull
and drummer Mickie Stickdorn lay the groove
here, this version turns out to be indispensible
after one single listen: Lloyd Anderson gives
everything, Conti rescues his Martin acoustic
from the Country Blues idiom by adding
several dangerous axes – Skwirblies´ swirling,
Leslie-driven Hammond sound fills the gaps –
Beach Boys/10CC harmonies added as „icing
on the cake“!
Via Paulo Mendonca’s Gin And Tonic,
Lake prove how they manage to add fire to
potentially sentimental ballads – slowly but
surely, one of the strongest engine rooms the
country commands gets to work: Stickdorn &
Trull. They never take over, always serving the
overall sound; sophistication rules. Apart from
many other projects, the two comprised the
Hardrock trio Rosebud with Conti. The way
this threesome burns from a mere blaze to
open flames, they are clearly steered towards
’Lake land‘ by Anderson & Skwirblies’ astute
guidance.
As an addictive straight shuffle, Conti/
Anderson´s Love Is Like A Wizard may well be
the album´s crucial invitation to get moving.
With a killer bass line by Trull and a ferocious
guitar workout which makes a certain Ted
Nugent pale towards soft pop, the band turns
into a wonderful Motown atmosphere by way
of their catchy chorus – an experiment that
works thanks to a strong composition. “The
Isley Brothers meet Rosebud”: this is meant as
a compliment.
Interlocking numerous acoustic and electric
guitars makes Heaven Is Closer count as ideal
“loud music in cars” – and you may still sing the
chorus by the time you´re already seated in the
peace and quiet lounge of a highway restaurant. Courageous fills in the bass-and-drums
department are just as significant as Conti´s art
of not letting his axe work interfere with the
tender piano parts courtesy of Skwirblies. Once
again, Anderson´s own song works thanks to
his sensitive vocal input.
Whether it happens on purpose is beside the
point, but Freewheeling surely sounds like
a dedicated tribute to The Doobie Brothers
– slick falsetto choir included, and another
unforgettable chorus is guaranteed anyway.
Conti shows his love of Wes Montgomery and
George Benson type Jazz licks which he had
demonstrated so intensively on his instrumental love collection Shetar, Ron Randolf succeeds
in providing a fitting lyric.
One Latin touch in the beginning – and one in
the end: the title track Freedom hypnotizes
in its compulsive combination of rhythm, a
completely unique guitar balance between
Santana and Satriani, and a harmonic vocal
backing that confidently highlights Anderson
in the mix – after two years on the road Lloyd
really has arrived in Lake – writing with Conti
being another sure sign.
Does the world need another Lake album?
The fact is that you will simply not hand this
collection over again. Maybe you will get rid
of another “Desert Island Disc” – this one will
endure!
Uli Twelker
ALEX CONTI
1969 CURLY CURVE
1972/73 England FEVER (ex SAM APPLE PIE)
from 1974 ATLANTIS, first US experience:
support for AEROSMITH, LYNYRD SKYNYRD
from 1975 RUDOLF ROCK und die SCHOCKER,
and LAKE, with the three successful LPs LAKE,
LAKE 2 and LAKE 3 (Paradise Island)
1976 Lake on European tour with WISHBONE ASH
1980 Lake 4 (Ouch!) and split from LAKE
1981 First solo album: CONTI
1984 Second solo album: CONTINUED
1985 ELEPHANT
1986/87 HERWIG MITTEREGGER:
two albums ‘IMMER MEHR’ and ‘JEDESMAL’
1989 ROSEBUD, three albums until 1994: ‘
ROSEBUD’, ‘SAN SIMEON’ und ‘KEEP SMILING’;
1992 HAMBURG BLUES BAND, four albums,
more than 1000 concerts
1996 ROCKSHIP mit INGA RUMPF.
Further releases:
1997 CD ‘ROUGH ENOUGH’ (ROCKSHIP),
Solo project ELECTRIC BALLROOM
2000 BERLIN BLUES with FRANK DIEZ,
COLIN HODGINSON, WOLFGANG N. DALHEIMER
and TONY HICKS
2001 CONTI and HAMBURG BLUES BAND
meet Mike Harrison
2003 Re-shuffle of LAKE
2005 LAKE comeback album
2006 LAKE DVD live
2007 RORYMANIA
2010 Alex Conti ‘SHETAR’
2011 ALEX CONTI Retrospective
1974–2010
Alex checking voices on piano
Yamaha Acoustic
Bingenheimer & Kortmann
Bingenheimer & Kortmann
Gibson 335
Gibson Les Paul
Gibson SG
Alex would like to thank:
Bine (for everything ...), Bruno (for being there ...),
Holger (for your friendship ...), Jens (for this excellent
guitar coaching ...), Mickie (for always finding a
sympathetic ear for me ...), Lloyd (bringing this voice
to us ...), YAMAHA (for this great Acoustic-Guitar ...),
Doc Dee (for saving my life and my teeth ...),
Martin & Tommi (for my health ...), Wolfi & Kathy
(for making me happy every time I’m staying in
Berlin ...), Eddie (for NOT making us sound like
Lady Gaga ...), Ines (being a part of my life for quite
a time and always staying a friend and host ...),
Birsel & Nura, Dagi & Hein (for making Kassel a little
bit nicer ...), Uwe (for keeping my car running
forever ...), Uli Twelker (for attending to my musical
projects ...), Hansi (for being a REAL personal
manager ...) and all the others
that I have forgotten ...
Alex Conti plays:
Gibson, Fender, Bingenheimer
& Kortmann, ESP, Marshall
Amps, Fender Amps, etc. etc. ...
and YAMAHA Acoustic Guitars
MICKIE STICKDORN
1982–1984 first drum lecturer at the Musikhochschule Hamburg
(Popularmusik Popkurs)
1979–today Live on tour (world wide) as well as studio recordings/
productions as a drummer for and with:
INGA RUMPF (also as a producer), ACHIM REICHEL, DUESENBERG,
ALTO, GITTE, TONEBAND, PETER SCHILLING, HEINZ RUDOLF KUNZE,
JEFF ROSS (also as a producer), FALCO, MILVA, GEORGIE RED
(including production), OTTO, REINHARD FENDRICH, JENNIFER
RUSH, AL BANO & ROMINA POWER, TIM (featuring OLLI DITTRICH),
ELEPHANT, ROLAND KAISER, JOACHIM WITT, ROSEBUD, BONNIE
TYLER, JULIANE WERDING, UWE BUSSE, MIKE BATT, MARC ALMOND,
PAUL CARRACK, STOPPOCK, JULIA NEIGEL, RAINER BAUMANN,
HUGO EGON BALDER, THE BEAT CLUB and
many more.
Mickie Stickdorn would like to thank:
Tatjana, Antonia, Mama Ingi, Papa Manni,
Mike Starrs, Ian Cussick, Christopher Thornton jr.,
Eddie Fillip, Britta Rex, DOC Dee, Hotte Schmidt,
Hugo Egon Balder, Matt Charles, Daniel Bergmann,
Christoph Pfeifer,
Günni Luers, Hansi Nath;
Frank Boestfleisch:
Sibbi Siebert:
JENS SKWIRBLIES
1980 first rock band FEEDBACK
further Jazzpiano studies with Rainer Schnelle
(Eartha Kitt, Hildegard Knef)
1983 co-founder of North German Pop-Band DENO
1984 Pop Music Degree at Musikhochschule
Hamburg
1989–2007 Keyboard player and MD Ian Cussick
1991–2011 Steinberg Media Technologies
(Cubase, Nuendo) demonstrator
1999 – today Yamaha Europe Endorser
2003 Keyboard player with Bobby Kimball (TOTO)
2006 Keyboard player with Rolf Stahlhofen
(Soehne Mannheims)
2007/2009 Promoter Summer Beach Festival
Eckernfoerde Joe Cocker/Rod Stewart
2009 – today Keyboard player with LAKE
2010 – Keyboard player with Katrin Wulff
(Xavier Naidoo, Udo Lindenberg)
Jens uses Yamaha Keyboards and Steinberg
Hard- and Software exclusively!
I would like 2 thank the following guys and companies
for their continuous support and their believe in me for
making my way thru THIS life being an artist:
Charlie Steinberg, Andreas Stelling, Frank Simmerlein, Lars Slowak,
Jonas Baumbach, Ed Doll, Stefan Schreiber and Markus Engel:
all@Steinberg Hamburg, GER; Claus Kruse, Thorsten Martens and
Lars Elfendahl@Yamaha Europe Rellingen, GER; Andy Lewis and
Phil Cummings@Sennheiser London, UK; Manfred Rürup@Vhaus
Hamburg, GER; Ralf Dreeßen@MusikMarkt Rendsburg, GER; Tim
Drewing @DPP Rechtsanwälte Kiel, GER; Barrie and Jenny Marshall@Marshall Arts Ltd. London, UK; Ray Neapolitan@Mad Dog
Touring Encino, USA; Roger Davis@RDM Los Angeles, USA;
Arnold Stiefel@The Stiefel Company Los Angles, USA; Dennis
Arfa@ AGI New York, USA; Sally Bourne@FruitPie Music London,
UK; Andreas Waschkowski, Jan Harke and Hans Fintzen@OPUS
Showtechnik Kiel, GER; Hauke Femerling@Opus Cases Kiel,
GER; Lars Brogaard@Major Tom Salisbury, UK; Karsten Jahnke@
Jahnke Konzertagentur Hamburg, GER; Peter Gorges@UJAM
Menlo Park, USA; Reiner Jochens@ Barrier24 Felm, GER; Mario
Mendryzcki@TME Munich, GER; Holger Orf@ XLS Tourservice, SUI
Mascha, Nele and Nik, Rosemarie+Günther Skwirblies, Lars
Skwirblies+Cornelia Scharrmann, Amaree, Gene Black, Joachim
Bonack, Jack Bruno, Claus Buchholz, Irene Carrie, Holger Ceglars,
Jane Comerford, Christopher Cross, Ian Cussick, Dr. Horst Dahl,
Udo Dahmen, Lance Eagen, Kiki Ebsen, Mike Finnigan, Norbert
Fimpel, Agnes Flügel, Steve Hansen, Marianne Bork-Larsen Jegsen,
Bruce Jones, Silvia Jürgensen, Nik and Sarah Kershaw, Peter Keys,
Bobby Kimball, Martin Krohn, Marc Lauenstein, Jon Lord, Ian +
Jane + Stuart Mann, Paulo Mendonca, Nick Milo, Joy Morrison,
Nina Meyer, Maike Neumann, Jon Flemming Olsen, Detlef Petersen, Steve Porcaro, Claudia Rausch, Katja Rieckermann, Rainer
Schnelle, Eddie Shea, Jörg Sibbel, Barnie Söhnel, Rolf Stahlhofen,
Chris Thompson, Reinald Uecker, CJ Vanston, Katrin Wulff, Hans
Zimmer
... and last but definitely not least 2 all the ones I might have
forgotten – u know who u r - and of course 2 all the LAKE fans
thru-out the world ... peace’ n rock on, Jens!
LLOYD ANDERSON
Lead Vocals – Backing Vocals – Whisper Vocals &
Tambourine .
Desrcibed by legendary rock music newspaper
N M E as “the amazingly charismatic Lloyd Anderson”
Lloyd dedicates his life to Singing – Drumming &
Writing from a perspective of Soul – Truth & Passion.
35 years of working in many genres of Music, Art
& Photography give his performances depth &
dimensions .
Tributes to his Vocals & Drumming come from
diverse Artists such as:
John Parr , Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), Micheal
Marra, Billy McKenzie (Associates), Andy Powell
(Wishbone Ash), Mike Garson (Bowie), Alex Ligertwood (Santana), Lenny White (RTF), Andy Newmark
(Session Great) & Chris Barber (Jazz legend) to name
but a few.
Lloyd says “It’s an honour to have Music as an integral
force , & i try to take each moment & fill it with a higher
energy, I thank my Lake Brothers Jens, Holgi, Mickie
& Alex for their music & loving friendship, also our
brothers on the & off the road, Hansi, Günni, Daniel
& Christoph & the lovely Management & Venue People
too. Extend a further thanks to my family, Elizabeth
& Bud Anderson & the 3 other L‘s ... Lorraine, Lydia
& Lindsay. Lloyd jnr, Karly, Angel Eve, & Sam & the new
one on the roundabout ... Holly ... Auntie Pat and Uncle
Ross, my extended Family & friends ... & those you hold
close. Charlie, Lyle, Brian, Steve, Rab, Grant, Gregor,
Ricky, Alan & Stuart & those you hold close.”
For extra Love – Inspiration &
help ...‘ Lady A ‚ ... Mark – Sally
– ( Santana – Bowie – Sinatra
– Wonder – Rich – Jarrett ) –
George *– Nessie – Tam & Irene
– Peter – Nan, Charlie & Vince,
– Claudia – All my special FB
friends ... Sonor Drums – Paiste
Cymbals – Evans Drum skins –
Mother Nature – to name only
a few ... & those ‚ you ‚ hold close
... & ... of course – the ‚ Ultimate
companion ‚ in the Sky ! *
Neverrr forget ! –
Lloyd Lloves You *
HOLGER TRULL
In the 1980s, he was still with the German-English
New Wave-Band SWEATY FEET, subsequently
played in cover bands, adapting all sorts of styles
(Folk Rock, Jazz Fusion, Hard Rock, Musical, Jazz
Standards, Pop & Soul, Rhythm & Blues).
With the BOOZE BAND, he travelled through
Australia for half a year in 1988 (hailed as Europe‘s
Hottest Rhythm & Blues Band, including the
legendary Broadford Festival), until he met
Alex Conti in 1990.
1991 Member of Alex‘ ROSEBUD with Mickie
Stickdorn. 2 CDs and several tours. After that,
regular encounters for all sorts of projects (e.g.
Holger and Mickie with JOACHIM WITT), but
whatever happened, there was continuous
contact, not least Holger´s CD cover layout and
design for almost all CDs of the Hamburg Blues
Band und Conti´s further projects as well as the
LAKE CD „The Blast of Silence“. Since 2008 bass
player with LAKE (still with Mike Starrs and Ingo
Bischof, keyboards)
More projects with and for CHRIS ANDREWS,
ANDREAS BECKER (MAFFAY), INGA RUMPF,
THE KINGFISH, TADEUSZ JAKUBOWSKI, ANNIKA
BRUHNS, KEATON SIMONS, THE COCKER COVER
CREW, X-FACTOR VOLKER SCHLAG etc.
Holger Trull would like to thank:
Jochen Krüger, Günter Stein, Hans-Otto Köhler,
Hans Schmidt, Beate Müller, Peter Savic, Rüdiger
Faix, Ingo Faix, Philip Markin, Daddy Zbroinski,
Long Meyer, Herbert Weise, Hartmut Frenk, Ralli
Lewitzki, Norbert Windhorst and THE BOOZE BAND,
Stuart Wood, Kalle Voges, Gerd Harmel, Reinhard
Döring, Matthias Bergstedt, Bernd Bröger, Klaus
Grözinger, GUD, Gerdina & Carlotta, Ulrike &
Norbert, Sybille & Willi (†), Gerdine & Johan,
Nektar, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jaco Pastorius,
Larry Taylor.
Holger Trull plays:
MusicMan, Sandberg, Fender, Hoyer,
Marshall Amplification, EBS Octaver
01 Passionate Eyes
Music: Alex Conti
Lyrics: Ron Randolf
05 Nightbirds
Music: Andreas Becker
Lyrics: Hein Altenbroxter
02 Silvia
Music: Jens Skwirblies
Lyrics: Ian Cussick
06 Ted Nugent
Music: Alex Conti
Lyrics: Ron Randolf
03 Die Just A Little
Music/Lyrics: Paulo Mendonca
07 Gin And Tonic
Music/Lyrics: Paulo Mendonca
04 It’s Only You
Music: Jens Skwirblies
Lyrics: Lloyd Anderson
08 Love Is Like A Wizard
Music: Alex Conti
Lyrics: Lloyd Anderson
09 Heaven Is Closer
Music/Lyrics: Lloyd Anderson
10 Freewheeling
Music: Alex Conti
Lyrics: Ron Randolf
11 Freedom
Music: Alex Conti
Lyrics: Lloyd Anderson
Special guests:
Ian Cussick
Lead vocals in duet with
Lloyd Anderson on 02 “Silvia”
Jim Hopkins-Harrison †
Vocal track from his last
recording session (1991) on
05 “Nightbirds”
Eddie Filipp
Drums on 03, 04, 08, 09 and
percussion on all tracks.
Eddie Filipp plays Masterwork
Cymbals and uses Steinberg
products
LAKE is:
Lloyd Anderson – lead vocals, backing vocals
Alex Conti – guitars and backing vocals
Jens Skwirblies – keyboards
Mickie Stickdorn – drums
Holger Trull – bass
Recording engineer pre-takes:
Jens Skwirblies at redroomrecorders,
Eckernförde
LAKE would like to thank
Chris Thornton jr.
Ingo Bischof
Hansi Nath
Daniel Bergmann
Lead vocals 2009/2010
Keyboards 2008
Recording engineer final takes:
Eddie Filipp at Studio West, Braunschweig
Recorded 2011 and 2012
Mixed and mastered by Eddie Filipp
Cover Concept and Design: Holger Trull,
frontcover using basic layout from the first 3 LPs
Photographers:
Stefan Malzkorn, www.konzertnachlese.de.,
Nina Meyer, Holger Ceglars, Marcel Benoit,
Heiko Bintz, Gerd Obermann, Klaus Weis,
Martin Becker, Holger Trull, Alex Conti,
Eddie Filipp
– Bandphotos: Stefan Malzkorn
– Make up artist: Claudia Rausch
Produced by Jens Skwirblies,
Eddie Filipp & Alex Conti
Executive Producer: Alex Conti
Personal manager
Günni Luers
Touring
Live Sound
Christoph Pfeifer
Live Sound
... and Mike Starrs, Adrian Askew, Bexi Becker,
George Kochbeck, Butschi & Bärbel, Gert Lange,
Stefan Jahnke, Ralf Neumann, Rolf Baierle (roba
Music Publishing), Rainer Moslener, Ralph Tegeler,
Hotte Schmidt, John Charles Constable etc. etc.
... and Uli Twelker!
www.lake-music.de
Booking: KBN Veranstaltungsagentur, Phone +49+40-547 652-94, www.k-b-n.de