The Official Kino Thread v. NEW ALBUM OUT 3/23/18 Radio Voltaire

[The Letter M]

So I am probably one of four people on this board who know who this band is and probably the only one who loves what they did on their singular, and debut, album Picture.

For some background information on them, if you've never heard of them, Pete Trewavas was interested in working with John Beck (It Bites) and was informed Beck was working with John Mitchell (Arena, The Urbane), and so the three of them got together (after Trewavas had already met Mitchell) over the years leading up to the Kino project. They eventually got ex-Porcupine Tree drummer Chris Maitland and Kino was born.

The music is a mix of their respective bands in some instances, and it's a bit of AOR, a bit of pop, a bit of rock, sprinkled generously with prog. Don't expect anything too complicated, but it definitely ROCKS, with a good mix of up-tempo rockers and mid-tempo ballads and some great playing by each of the four players. Also, all four players do vocals on the album, so you get some great vocal harmonies throughout amongst the undeniably catchy melodies.

The band only released one studio album, in both a regular edition and a special edition with a bonus DVD, a collection of four songs performed live at the Underground (where a stand-in drummer was brought in as Chris could not perform live with Kino, at any of their shows - busy busy man).

Their only other release was only available online at, I think at their (few) shows, titled Cutting Room Floor, which features a few demos, live tracks, and an unreleased Kevin Gilbert cover "Parade". Of the demos is the stand-out 14+ minute "Say You Will". Also, among the demos is a track titled "Throw It Away", which I suspect was mostly Pete's as it has that Beatles flute-mellotron sound and a guitar-melody that's VERY similar to a melody used on his Transatlantic track "Lending A Hand" (from The Whirlwind bonus disc).

I've been listening to them, and Frost*, a LOT lately, and for years I've wished Kino would reform. In some ways, most of the band still performs as It Bites. John Beck and Bob Dalton (Kino's live drummer) reformed It Bites and replaced their lead vocalist and guitarist Francis Dunnery with former Kino bandmate John Mitchell in 2006, amidst the creation of Frost*'s first album. Since then, both John's have been busy with It Bites (and Mitchell with Frost*), Trewavas with Marillion (and recently Transatlantic), and Maitland did Arjen's Guilt Machine last year. Having been 5 years, I'd love to see the four of them get back together and write some more music!

Basically, this is for the other three-four people on here to discuss/appreciate this band, and hopefully, introduce them to more!

-Marc.

[MetalManiac666]

Just having Trewavas and Maitland in the band makes me curious.

[The Letter M]

Just having Trewavas and Maitland in the band makes me curious.

You can sample the band's music here - https://www.kinomusic.com/music.htm

There's a free downloadable medley of snippets from the album.

And Chris' drumming is pretty fantastic and probably one of my favorite things about this album IS his drumming.

-Marc.

[MetalManiac666]

Thanks!  I'll give it a listen in a bit.

[The Letter M]

I guess I'm the only one here that knows about this band, let alone is a fan of them...

Thanks!  I'll give it a listen in a bit.

Any chance you got a moment to check them out yet?

-Marc.

[Dr. DTVT]

I'm one of those 3-4 people.  Have had the album for years (huge Arena and Marillion fan...wasn't missing this).  Damnit you made me think they were working on another album; though I find the prospect a long shot due to current schedules.

[MetalManiac666]

Thanks!  I'll give it a listen in a bit.

Any chance you got a moment to check them out yet?

Indeed I did.  It wasn't bad, but not really my thing.

[ytserush]

I guess I'm one of those people. I got it a few months after it came out.  I'm a sucker for Pete's bass playing. What can I say?

But ignoring that, it's still an entertaining listen.

[The Letter M]

I guess I'm one of those people. I got it a few months after it came out.  I'm a sucker for Pete's bass playing. What can I say?

But ignoring that, it's still an entertaining listen.

Pete's bass playing is pretty good on this album, although I'll admit not as good as his playing and performance on TA's The Whirlwind. However, I'd like to think he did a good amount of writing during the sessions for Picture, and if he did, kudos to him because every song on the album (plus the demos on their Cutting Room Floor album) are all great songs.

-Marc.

[ytserush]

I guess I'm one of those people. I got it a few months after it came out.  I'm a sucker for Pete's bass playing. What can I say?

But ignoring that, it's still an entertaining listen.

Pete's bass playing is pretty good on this album, although I'll admit not as good as his playing and performance on TA's The Whirlwind. However, I'd like to think he did a good amount of writing during the sessions for Picture, and if he did, kudos to him because every song on the album (plus the demos on their Cutting Room Floor album) are all great songs.

-Marc.

They are good songs - with some cool hooks - if I recall correctly, Pete was involved in the writing.

[pogoowner]

I've heard one of their songs in the past. I can't remember which one, but it had a somewhat Kansas-like vibe to it, which I enjoyed. I don't know why I haven't checked them out further.

[The Letter M]

Semi-related to Kino, Jem Godfrey recently performed with John and Pete for their Defence Of The Realm gig, and they played 4 Kino songs, in addition to a couple Marillion songs and part of Transatlantic's "All Of The Above"! I really hope there's an audio release of one of the DOTR gigs, just to hear these Kino songs again. Hopefully John playing with Pete will reignite the flame to make more Kino music! Here's hoping...

-Marc.

[The Letter M]

Been listening to this band again lately, and hoping that by bumping this, I will get more people interested in this semi-unknown prog-related supergroup starring Porcupine Tree's ex-drummer Chris Maitland and Marillion's bassist Pete Trewavas.

-Marc.

[rogerdil]

I like the album, but not pining for another since I get my fix of Mitchell and Beck with It Bites, which I prefer.

[T-ski]

I've had "Picture" since it came out.  Excellent album.  They should do another one.

[Dr. DTVT]

Been listening to this band again lately, and hoping that by bumping this, I will get more people interested in this semi-unknown prog-related supergroup starring Porcupine Tree's ex-drummer Chris Maitland and Marillion's bassist Pete Trewavas.

-Marc.

No, by reviving the thread you pissed me off by making me think there might be news of a new album or something.  Jerk. 

[The Letter M]

Been listening to this band again lately, and hoping that by bumping this, I will get more people interested in this semi-unknown prog-related supergroup starring Porcupine Tree's ex-drummer Chris Maitland and Marillion's bassist Pete Trewavas.

-Marc.

No, by reviving the thread you pissed me off by making me think there might be news of a new album or something.  Jerk. 

  Whoops??

Well, who knows! I think if we let all the original members know how much another Kino album would be wanted, I think they could be persuaded to regroup for a 2nd album!

-Marc.

[ytserush]

Been listening to this band again lately, and hoping that by bumping this, I will get more people interested in this semi-unknown prog-related supergroup starring Porcupine Tree's ex-drummer Chris Maitland and Marillion's bassist Pete Trewavas.

-Marc.

No, by reviving the thread you pissed me off by making me think there might be news of a new album or something.  Jerk. 

[rumborak]

Man, I was getting excited too. What the hell?

[The Letter M]

Man, I was getting excited too. What the hell?

 

Sorry guys... didn't mean to bring up all of your hopes and then dash them.

-Marc.

[r0cken]

Excellent album, I always wished they would reform, but oh well.

Now I got the beginning of "Losers' Day Parade" stuck in my head, 'cause of this thread.

[Nekov]

This sounds like something I'd like. I'll have to give it a listen later

[XeRocks81]

Big thread bump, but I figured it was ok.  I  Listened to this a couple days ago for the first time in a looong while.  For my money Picture by Kino is one of the best albums in the previous decade,  I feel like maybe it's been forgotten a little bit and somewhat overshadowed by the work John Mitchell did after with It Bites (The tall Ships is almost as good),  Frost* and now Lonely Robot wich all kind of descend from Kino in one way or another.   I mean watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsONM5vvqws  and tell me Loser's Day Parade is not fucking awesome

[ytserush]

Big thread bump, but I figured it was ok.  I  Listened to this a couple days ago for the first time in a looong while.  For my money Picture by Kino is one of the best albums in the previous decade,  I feel like maybe it's been forgotten a little bit and somewhat overshadowed by the work John Mitchell did after with It Bites (The tall Ships is almost as good),  Frost* and now Lonely Robot wich all kind of descend from Kino in one way or another.   I mean watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsONM5vvqws  and tell me Loser's Day Parade is not fucking awesome

Was thinking about pulling Picture off of the shelf for a listen the other day but that's a far as I got opting for Kevin Gilbert's Thud instead.

[ich bin besser]

Okay, let's hijack this thread: Thud is a MASTERPIECE. 

[ytserush]

Okay, let's hijack this thread: Thud is a MASTERPIECE. 

No argument from me.

[The Letter M]

https://burningshed.com/store/InsideOutMusic/kino_picture_vinyl

Oddly timed with this thread's resurrection, Kino's only album will now be available on vinyl!

-Marc.

[The Letter M]

KINO have announced the release of their new album ‘Radio Voltaire’, arriving 13 years after the band’s much-loved debut ‘Picture’ back in 2005. Out on the 23rd March 2018, it sees John Mitchell (It Bites, Lonely Robot) & Pete Trewavas (Marillion) teaming up once more, with Craig Blundell (Steven Wilson) on drums & John Beck (It Bites) guesting on keyboards.

Recorded at the end of 2017, writing began at the end of that Summer. “We actually began the writing process in late August” says John Mitchell. “Pete had a few tunes and so did I, and we went from there.” Mitchell and Trewavas were both a crucial part of the original band more than a decade ago, with the former providing lead vocals and guitar parts, while the latter played his trademark bass lines and also contributed backing vocals.

Keyboard player John Beck, who is also a band-mate of Mitchell's in It Bites, has been brought back. But while he was fully involved on the debut album, this time his role is that of a guest musician. “Yes, I am delighted to say we've got John on board. His keyboard playing is splattered throughout the album, and I've also done the odd keyboard part myself.” The task of drummer this time fell to Craig Blundell, as Mitchell explains: “This time around Craig was the obvious choice to be the drummer, as far as I was concerned. I have worked with him so much that there was nobody else in the frame.”

Of the albums direction, Mitchell illustrates: “The title sounds very cool and obviously there's a connection with the band Cabaret Voltaire. But Voltaire himself (the 18th century French philosopher) had a fascination with death, which appealed to me. He also stood for freedom of speech and freedom of religion. On top of that, I love the idea of a radio station that would reflect his views on life and cut through the bullshit which seems to be all over politics. Now, that is the type of radio station I think would reflect what a lot of us want to hear.”

The album will be available on Limited CD Digipak (including bonus tracks), Gatefold 180g Double Vinyl (incl. CD) & Digital Download.

-Marc.

[XeRocks81]

I am so thrilled by this news!   

[The Letter M]

Here's the cover.


And the full tracklist.

1. Radio Voltaire
2. The Dead Club
3. Idlewild
4. I Don’t Know Why
5. I Won’t Break So Easily Any More
6. Temple Tudor
7. Out of Time
8. Warmth of the Sun
9. Grey Shapes on Concrete Fields
10. Keep The Faith
11. The Silent Fighter Pilot

Bonus Tracks
12. Temple Tudor (Piano Mix)
13. The Dead Club (Berlin Headquarter Mix)
14. Keep The Faith (Orchestral Mix)
15. The Kino Funfair

EDIT - my thoughts, now that I'm not on mobile. This was definitely a HUGE HOLY CRAP moment for me this morning. Just scrolling past my FB newsfeed and I saw the post from InsideOut and thought it was a joke, had to do a double-take to make sure it was the same KINO band, and sure enough, after reading synopsis, I was still in shock. Hard to believe they'd reconvene nearly 13 years after their debut to record a new album and release it this year, and in about two months from now!!! Now the re-release of their debut on vinyl makes more sense!

It's a shame they didn't get Maitland back on board, but I trust John's intuition on having Blundell play - he's a very good drummer in his own right and he really has played with John a lot over the years, so I trust the synergy there. I really hope this album lives up to the first one!

-Marc.

[RoeDent]

Great news! A real bolt out of the blue when Craig Blundell tweeted about it this morning.

[jingle.boy]

Yup.  Definitely interested to hear this one.

[XeRocks81]

I do wonder a little bit,  between Kino and It Bites  John Mitchell and JOhn Beck seemed to have a really strong song writing kinship,  Picture and The Tall Ships are masterpieces in my book, and it seems to have evaporated.  I guess officially that lineup of It Bites still exists but seems dead in the water and now Beck is just guesting on the new Kino and didn't write anything.

[The Letter M]

I do wonder a little bit,  between Kino and It Bites  John Mitchell and JOhn Beck seemed to have a really strong song writing kinship,  Picture and The Tall Ships are masterpieces in my book, and it seems to have evaporated.  I guess officially that lineup of It Bites still exists but seems dead in the water and now Beck is just guesting on the new Kino and didn't write anything.

I'm sure it won't affect how the album will sound. Mitchell seems confident that Beck's playing will stand out much in the way it did on the debut. Just because he didn't write any music doesn't mean his contributions won't be felt, but if there was a strong writing kinship between the two, as you say, then I wonder what the genesis of this album was - did Pete and John M. begin it together, write all the music, then decide to bring in Beck and Blundell for the tracking and recording?

Also, funny how on the debut, we had the ex-drummer for Porcupine Tree, and now we have the current drummer for Steven Wilson's band. Weird...

-Marc.

[T-ski]

loved the first Kino album.

I am excited.