Francesco Di Fiore - Keyboards/Electronics Victoria Melia- Vocals Alex Welford - Horns Stan Ambrose - Celtic Harp Dan Owens- Bass Liam Carey- Bass Christine Horton - Keyboards
Influences
Adrian Belew, Agitation Free, Air, Al Di Meola, Allan Holdsworth, Amon Duul II, Andrew Poppy, Andy Summers, Anglagard, Aphex Twin, Aphrodite's Child, Art Zoyd, Arvo Part, Ashra, Autechre, Bang on a Can, Bill Bruford, Billy Cobham, Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, Bozzio Levin Stevens, Brand X, Brian Eno, Camel, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, Caravan, Robert Fripp, California Guitar Trio, Can, Cornelius, David Borden, David Lang, David Torn, Dead Can Dance, Deus Ex Machina, Durutti Column, Djam Karet, Dominic Frasca, Dun, Edgar Froese, Egg, Erik Satie, Faust, Francesco di Fiore, Le Orme, Premiatea Forneria Marconi, Focus, Frank Zappa, Eskaton, Eloy, forever Einstein, Future Sound of London, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Gryphon, Godspeed you Black Emperor, Grobbshnitt, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, This Heat, Ruins, Bacamarte, Devin Townsend, Opeth, Meshuggah, Samla Mammas Manna, Gong, Gorecki, Hawkwind, Harmonia, Harold Budd, Heldon, Jethro Tull, Battles, Karda Estra, Passport, Area, John Cale, John Surman, John Martyn, Jade Warrior, Jan Hammer, Jean Luc Ponty, Jim O'Rourke, Jon Anderson, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, Kate Bush, Khan, Klaus Schulze, Korekyojin, Liquid Tension Experiment, Laurie Anderson, Magma, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Michael Mantler, Quiet Sun, Mars Volta, Massive Attack, Michael Brook, Michael Gordon, Mike Oldfield, Pekka Pohjola, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Happy the Man, Nik Bartsch, Guapo, Far Corner, National Health, Neu!, The Orb, Ozric Tentacles, Pat Metheny, Porcupine Tree, Blackfield, Steven Wilson, No Man, Philharmonie, Present, Philip Glass, Pink Floyd, Thinking Plague, Plaid, Popol Vuh, Return to Forever, Rhys Chatham, Zaar, Roni Size, Rush, Soft Machine, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Steve Hackett, Shub Niggurath, Porcupine Tree, Universal Totem Orchestra, Michael Mantler, Steve Hillage, Sky, System 7, Steve Martland, Steve Tibbetts, Steve Howe, Susumu Yokota, Steve Reich, Shylock, Sigur Ros, Sotos, Somei Satoh, Scalpel, Tangerine Dream, Terry Riley, Trey Gunn, Todd Levin, Tortoise, UK, Ulrich Schnauss, Univers Zero, Von Zamla, Van Der Graaf Generator, Vangelis, Weather Report, Yang, Schicke, Fuhrs and Frohling, Sotos, Yes etc
Sounds Like
King Crimson meets Yes meets John Martyn meets Pink Floyd meets Roni Size meets Philip Glass, meets nice gummie bears & transformers for a picnic with Ewoks on the Moon of Endor, inhaling the smoke of a crack pipe under a twisted tree reminiscent of the smile of a flatulent clown
Neil's new composition 'Frankenstein' received its first performance on Friday 30th October at Liverpool's St George's Hall Concert Room. The evening began with a performance of 'Ghost Stories' and then, following an interval, The Neil Campbell Collective, featuring Neil on guitar (and sound cues), Mark Brocklesby (drums), Nicole Collarbone (cello), Anne Taft (soprano), Chris Bradshaw (keys) and Andy Maslivec (bass) along with the fantastic Sense of Sound Choir, led by Perry Alleyne-Hughes, performed the new 45 minute composition. Visual projections by Valeria Di Matteo featuring art by George Jones were projected behind the ensemble. After the performance of the new piece the audience of around 300 were given an encore of the NCC's ten minute epic 'Rainstorm 2', specially arranged to include additional keyboards, soprano and choir.
Photos by David Munn (see his website) of the event:
The Neil Campbell Collectives latest project ‘FRANKENSTEIN’ is a new multimedia work with music written by Neil Campbell and based on the famous Mary Shelley novel. The composition has been scored to be performed by an expanded version of the Neil Campbell Collective, an ensemble which combines the energy and intensity of a rock band with classical instrumentation such as classical guitar, cello and operatic soprano. Also performing will be Sense of Sound Choir, special guests for the project. The piece will feature sound design, narration and specially developed visuals synchronised with the live music. This world premiere performance in St. George’s Concert Room in Liverpool, will take the audience on a musical journey through the Frankenstein story.
Neil Campbell said “The piece uses the Frankenstein story as a basis to construct a series of musical movements for rock band with classical instruments and choir integrating specially developed visuals and sound design....it will be a gothic and dramatic musical experience taking the listener into the world of Victor Frankenstein, a visionary whose high scientific ambitions ultimately lead to tragic consequences“.
Neil Campbell’s FRANKENSTEIN is being produced by the team that brought Liverpool ‘Ghost Stories – A Night Opera’, a spectacular performance which took place at St. Luke’s (Bombed Out) Church on Thursday 16th July. FRANKENSTEIN.
Credits:
Neil Campbell – classical guitar
Nicole Collarbone - cello
Anne Taft - soprano
Chris Bradshaw - keyboards
Andy Maslivec - bass
Mark Brocklesby - drums
Featuring Sense of Sound Choir
Michael Beiert - sound design
Brian Dodd - recorded narration
Music Composed and Arranged by Neil Campbell
Visual Projections Designed by George Jones and Valeria Di Matteo
Event Produced by Bill Elms in association with Gordon Ross of Creative Universe Ltd
Marketing and PR – Bill Elms Associates Ltd
Performance Details:
Neil Campbell’s FRANKENSTEIN
St. George’s Hall Concert Room
North Entrance, William Brown Street, Liverpool, L1 1JJ
Friday 30th October 2009 - Doors: 7.30pm, Performance 8.30pm
Tickets £16.50 (Stalls and Curved Seating) and £12.50 (Balcony)
Box Office: 0151 709 4988 or in person at the Unity Theatre, Hope Place, Liverpool.
Tickets: Public on sale Tuesday 8th September 2009
Click here for a Live Review/Feature on Neil supporting Jan Ackerman at Baby Blue Live Lounge, Liverpool.
Click here for a Live Review of the NCC's 8th May gig at Static Gallery by Alicia Rose.
Critical response to The Neil Campbell Collective's 'Particle Theory' CD (released Feb 2008):
"...The Liverpool band prove that three-minute pop ditties is not all that comes out of the 2008 European Capital of Culture. Cleverly layered sounds and atmospheres collide to keep the listeners attention as the Camelesque meets Canterbury scene head on. This album leaves the musicians to put themselves in a unique rock shop window and you just know the guys do this for the love because it is just too damn clever for the mainstream", Martin Hudson, Classic Rock Society
"... more fine and melodically pronounced material, ... a crossover between true progressive rock and intelligent pop music with a certain acoustic as well as some chamber quality to it which, this time around is often joined by elements of classical Minimalist music .... this is accessible, yet elegant, warm, deeply beautiful and tasty music, 5/6 stars ..." , Vitaly Menshikov, Progressor.net
"This is definitely progressive rock, but it's very fresh and very uncontrived and unconventional sounding. The classical-style guitar and cello are especially prominent and define the over-all sound. Some really great, moody melodies are explored. I was VERY impressed. You will be too.', Steve Feigenbaum, Wayside Music/Cuneiform Records
"[Particle Theory] dissolves the conceptions of time and space with its instrumental richness and sumptuous compositions, and it is a delight of sounds and intense moods that will consume one’s musical imagination for many listens", Alex Jasperse, Muse's Muse
"If you're looking for a "progressive" album, in the finest sense of the word, go straight to Particle Theory....Neil Campbell and colleagues give life to a carefully thought out and deep progressive style which impresses straight away and continues to impress the more you listen to it.", (translated by Paul Vaughan from the French) - http://www.cosmosmusic.fr/nouveautes.html
"This music is like a film, sounds flow into your head like pictures, captivating, and then reveal an abyss in all, mostly instrumental songs, in which to lose yourself. ..An exiting album, full of surprises and intelligently set arrangements. Not Prog, but Progressive Rock” , (translated from the German by Michael Beiert) - http://www.ragazzi-music.de/neilcampbellcollective08.html
"Musically, this stuff is all over the map and right from the start, I was impressed here. ....This is some very interesting and inventive music that is derivative of practically nothing at all. Excellent production effects and a unique approach to the overall delivery of the music make this a truly progressive release... ", www.progressiveears.com
"...a dense and complex suite of music that constantly challenges your perception of how music should be. With imaginative arrangements and some imaginative use of instrumentation (aided by Nicole Collarbone ..o, Mark Brocklesby on drums and percussion, Dan Owens and Liam Carey on bass, Stan Ambrose on Celtic Harp and Alex Welford on horns), Mr Campbell has certainly created a constantly challenging musical experience.', Stuart Hamilton, space-rock.co.uk
"...a very high level of creativity in the music. Add to that excellent performances, very good production and you get an album you will want to listen to quite often. When Particle Theory's last track ended, my reaction was "What... already over?". It did not take me long to put it back on again because Particle Theory merits numerous listenings. This very much unexpected gem gets my highest recommendation indeed.", www.prognosis.com
""Particle Theory" recalls both the symphonic folk music of Mike Oldfield and the large ensemble work of Ian Carr but also has obvious ties to the 'prog' scene with hints at Camel and King Crimson in a few places. Having done the necessary name-dropping I must say that this disc does a remarkably good job of not sounding like anyone in particular...The music is fresh, original and highly enjoyable! "Particle Theory" gets my highest recommendation!!", ZNR Records (www.znrcds.com)
"The Liverpool Collective has produced a real masterwork. After the 42 minutes is over one sits in front of the speakers and wonders in silence – “What? Over already?” – but then there is always the repeat button which this reviewer used a hell of a lot when reviewing this CD. Aside from being a talented multi-instrumentalist Neil Campbell is an accomplished songwriter and arranger who understands how to translate his personal mental cinema into sublime listening experiences. Without a warming up phase the Neil Campbell Collective plays straight to the heart of the listener and this reviewer is putting himself into the queue for their next album awarding 8/10 for ‘Particle Theory’.", www.rocktimes.de (translated from the German by Andy Fernihough)
"‘Particle Theory’ is a very beautiful guitar and cello coloured album. But also there are synth elements. The pieces present a mix of Progressive Rock, Symphonic/Melodic Rock, Electronica, Folk and Acoustic music. Above all the combination of whooshing bubbly synths (like the Berlin School or Ozric Tentacles) with these instruments has a special quality which I like very much. [It is] is a very varied album with lots of acoustic guitar, synths and cello that in itself works very naturally. You can listen relaxed because the melodies and sounds sink into the ears very smoothly. I like this album a lot.", www.musikzirkus-magazin.de (translated from the German by Andy Fernihough)
"Bands such as the NCC with an original style are not as easy to describe as bands who sound like so-and-so. The first thing that is apparent is that these are musicians with classical training. At times the NCC sound like a chamber orchestra playing rock, more rock-oriented than Karda Estra, more melodic and warm than Univers Zero. While they don’t strongly resemble any of the 1970’s progressive bands, the NCC share the same true progressive ethos and the same desire to incorporate several centuries of western musical development into rock.", www.kinesiscd.com
"...eight songs that perfectly blend together all the best elements of progressive rock., folk and even classical music, with traces of experimental electronics, to offer what is arguably one of the most diverse musical productions of the year. If you've never heard of Neil Campbell or his collective of musicians then Particle Theory is a perfect place to start. 4+1/2 stars", Ryan Sparks, Sea of Tranquility (www.seaoftranquility.org)
"....This is a very unique sounding album which holds your attention from start to finish. It does have some references and suggestions of other musical influences here and there if you want to spend time looking for them, but they just serve to allow you into the musical delights contained within this thoroughly enjoyable album.", Kevin Wallbank at psychedeliccentral.com
"I found this to be one of the most enjoyable new releases of 2008. With each listen it becomes a classic in my opinion due to the innovative sounds Neil and company create. I found each song on this album to be fantastic and I never grow tired of any of them especially the two part title track. If you‘re not convinced, I would suggest checking out the tracks on their MySpace page. Particle Theory is highly recommended and should be on many (hopefully) people’s top releases of 2008!", Ron Fuchs, ProgNaut
thanks for finding us really like the sound of the frankenstein project, sounds like a very interesting and delightfully spooky a/v event hope you like our less spooky sounds
Hello Mate, Really interesting projects you..ve got going there, just my cup of tea really...I for one would love to see Frankenstein a story with certain other Gothic tales that has always interested me....Some great influences i see as well...i..ll be visiting your page quite a bit i should imagine.....Cheers Pete D
Thanks for Sunday afternoon at The Slaughter House Pub, Neil. It was a privilege to be there, listening to yet another superb line-up of musicians. I eagerly anticipate your gig at Static Gallery 0:)x
