Interviewing The Legends: Jon Courtney

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

BRITISH PROG ROCK GROUP ‘PURE REASON REVOLUTION’ ANNOUNCE THEIR NEW ALBUM AND SINGLE ZOOM SPECIAL EVENT WITH FOUNDER/SINGER/SONGWRITER/KEYBOARDIST/JON COURTNEY

BRITISH PROG ROCK GROUP

PURE REASON

REVOLUTION

ANNOUNCE THEIR NEW ALBUM

‘COMING UP TO CONSCIOUSNESS’

AND NEW SINGLE

“DIG TILL YOU DIE”

ZOOM SPECIAL EVENT

WITH

FOUNDER/SINGER/SONGWRITER/KEYBOARDIST

J O N

C O U R T N E Y

ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS

PURE REASON REVOLUTION is a British Rock group formed at Westminster University in 2003. Trying to fit PRR into a specific genre would be a difficult task, which is one of their attractive qualities. The group is set to release their sixth studio album Coming Up To Consciousness via InsideOutMusic. Their new to-be-released album will be out on September 6th. The album feature’s themes of betrayal, deception, fear, grief, mortality, and questions of sanity. Legendary musician Guy Pratt, known for working with the likes of Pink Floyd played the bass guitar on seven of the eight tracks on Pure Reason Revolution’s new album. The band tells fans to expect more ambitious bass lines in Coming Up To Consciousness than they’ve heard in any previous Pure Reason Revolution albums.

The band was equally thrilled to work with multiple members of prog icon The Pineapple Thief; the record was mixed by Bruce Soord and mastered by Steve Kitch. Jon Courtney comments: “Spawned from the bereavement after my dog was put down, a numb & dry creative spell ensued, but after a meeting with my writer friend Craig Walker (Archive/Power of Dreams) & sharing how the last months had been, he urged me to get this experience down in lyrics & music. Suddenly the album flew out of me/us! In terms of the recording process, this album was probably the most enjoyable to make, with the various collaborations firing creativity.”

After the announcement of their new album, The “Dead Butterflies” artists released their first single supporting the Coming Up To Consciousness album, “Dig Till You Die.” This new single, with bass guitar played by Pratt, will be the opening song on the band’s upcoming album. Pure Reason Revolution has also released a music video to accompany “Dig Till You Die.” The video features artistic visuals of a wooden marble track and shots of the band with special effects. As of today, the “Dig Till You Die” music video has been viewed over 110,852 views.

PREORDER

THE NEW ALBUM

PURE REASON REVOLUTION

Entitled

COMING UP TO CONSCIOUSNESS

Pre-order now here: https://purereasonrevolution.lnk.to/ComingUpToConsciousness

Progressive alternative rock band, Pure Reason Revolution is set to release their sixth studio album Coming Up To Consciousness via InsideOutMusic. Their new to-be-released album will be out on September 6th. The album feature’s themes of betrayal, deception, fear, grief, mortality, and questions of sanity.

The album will be available as a Limited CD+DVD Digipak (featuring 5.1 Surround Sound & High-Resolution Stereo Mixes), Standard CD Jewelcase, as well as a Gatefold ReVinyl LP (Recycled Vinyl), and digitally in both stereo and Dolby Atmos.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ABOUT

PURE REASON REVOLUTUON

VISIT

https://www.purereasonrevolutionofficial.com/

Official website

https://www.facebook.com/purereasonrevolution

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/purereasonrevolution

Twitter

https://www.instagram.com/purereasonrevolution_official/

Instagram

PURE REASON REVOLUTION

TOUR DATES

Confirmed first tour dates in support of the album, playing in Europe alongside Lesoir in September & October, starting at Be Prog! My Friend Festival in Barcelona.

27th September – Be Prog! My Friend, Barcelona, Spain*

29th September – Stummsche Reithalle, Neunkirchen, Germany

30th September – Backstage By The Mill, Paris, France

1st October – Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany

3rd October – Cpunt, Hoofddorp, Netherlands

4th October – Progpower Europe, Baarlo, Netherlands*

5th October – 013, Tilburg, Netherlands

*No Lesoir

*The band will also make their first appearance on Cruise To The Edge in 2025

PURE REASON REVOLUTION

Discography

Studio albums

The Dark Third (2006)

Amor Vincit Omnia (2009)

Hammer and Anvil (2010)

Eupnea (2020)

Above Cirrus (2022)

Coming Up to Consciousness (2024)

Live albums

Live at NEARfest 2007 (2008)

Extended plays

Cautionary Tales for the Brave (2005)

Valour EP(2011)

jon courtney

APPEARS

JULY 31st 2024

ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS

WITH RAY SHASHO

THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES

BOOK TRAILER

BOOK REVIEW

-By Literary Titan (5) STARS

The Rock Star Chronicles by Ray Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the 70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists, legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.

The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music fan.

Ray Shasho masterfully gets the interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to get them comfortable about talking about their lives.

The book’s cover is befitting of its subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock music. The second noteworthy thing is the use of high-definition pictures to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones. Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.

I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts, aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new things by going back in time.

https://literarytitan.com/2020/05/03/literary-titan-book-awards-may-2020/

Gold Award Winner