AUDIENCE are back with a brand new live album

Buy it now

Midway through 2004, the cult art rock band, Audience, reformed for a series of UK gigs. Each was better than the last and this friendly, unselfconscious live album (some of the band were unaware the recording was actually taking place) was made at Deal's Astor Theatre in December. Punctuating the end of the band's first tour in 32 years, it proved, happily, to represent a comma rather than a full stop, the band having now taken the decision to reform more permanently.

Although the four original members of Audience - Howard Werth, Keith Gemmell, Trevor Williams and Tony Connor - had come together several times over the years, in various pairs and trios, nothing ever came of the collaborations. Perhaps it was never the right time. Between them, they always seemed to have other projects going on. But there was always a sense they had been part of something unique; something none of them could satisfy by other means.

Since Audience split in 1972, Howard had pursued a solo career both in the UK and USA after an initial spell with The Doors. Keith spent time with Stackridge and other rock bands of the day before abandoning the rock scene completely for a freelance career, which eventually led to a long stint with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra. Trevor went on to work with the Nashville Teens and singer Jonathan Kelly. Tony joined Hot Chocolate, with whom he remains to this day.

In Tony's absence, the others had to search long and hard to find someone equally versatile and innovative to take over the empty drum stool, but John Fisher seemed right from the off. He had plenty of rock experience, including a stint with the Blue Bishops, but had also served in big bands and was pretty well open to any form of music. As Audience were always just as likely to slide into bossa, folk or jazz as kick off on heavy prog rock or a blues riff, and refused point blank to be categorised as any of these things, John's open-mindedness was vital.

This album contains ten tracks, five of them - You're Not Smiling, I Had A Dream, House On The Hill, Leave It Unsaid, and Nothing You Do are taken from the band's first three albums, Audience, Friend's Friend's Friend and House On The Hill. Two more are from Howard's third solo album The Evolution Myth Explodes and include Zig Zag and Swirl and Howard's laid back interpretation of Lennon and McCartney's I Wanna Be Your Man. The remaining two tracks are a version of Tim Rose's anti-war anthem, Morning Dew, and an improvised echo sax solo by Keith entitled Call Me Responsible, which segues into a powerful, bluesy version of James Brown's The Bells.

There's something about this album that defies the notion these guys have been apart for more than three decades. How can they be so tight, yet so relaxed? How does one explain the moments during improvisation when the only logical answer is telepathy? And seeing them on stage today, grinning at each other and chattering amiably to the audience, one could be forgiven for wondering if they've ever done anything else.

This album is a great little document representing a milestone in the career of a great band. As I write they are also writing, hard at work on new material and re-vamping other old favourites. Audience is still moving on, still inventing. Get into them now. Go get their back catalogue. Audience is unique stuff.

Click here for Hairless Hearts Herald review

Click here for Mott the Dog review

Satisfied customers

• "Just received the live album - its brilliant!" - Denis Brandom
  
  
• "I got the new Audience CD yesterday and have played it through a couple of times - this is just how I remember your gigs, brilliant!" - Geoff Skates
  
  
• "Great to see (and hear!) the new live album - really captures the feel of the live experience" - Sean Kelly
  
  
• "Thanks a million for the new CD, just in. A masterpiece!" - Hugo Schwaller
  
  
• "You guys should be proud of the live album, it's a great listen" - Dave Dyment
  
  
• "I got the album Keith, phenomenal. Great versions of these songs" - Rick Ray
  
  
• "Excellent live album - it was like being back at the Astor but with a superior sound/mix" - Chris Tyas
  
  
• "…just wonderful stuff - wonderful memories,'alive x kicking etc'on permanent !" - John Hall
  
  
• "… all I can say is it's brilliant! I could go on to say I like this track because and that track because but suffice to say it's an hours worth of superb listening. You could sum it up as raw and exciting! - John Battersby