YES' CHRIS SQUIRE AND STEPHEN NARDELLI REUNITE IN THE SYN FOR FIRST NEW ALBUM FROM LEGENDARY PROG PIONEERS IN 40 YEARS
USA Release : "Syndestructible" on Umbrello/ADA 8th Nov UK Release : "Syndestructible" on Umbrello Records/Nova 31st Oct Europe Release : "Syndestructible" on Umbrello Records/SPV 4th Nov LOS ANGELES, CA, Sept. 28, 2005 – As one of the most well-respected bands of the swinging ‘60s, THE SYN were a regular at London’s famed Marquee Club, where they opened for the likes of The Who, Pink Floyd, Cream and, most memorably, Jimi Hendrix's first-ever performance in the U.K. That night, THE SYN played before an audience that included all four Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Pete Townsend, among other rock royalty.
"We were part of rock history that night," explains the group's lead singer Stephen Nardelli, who formed the group with Yes bassist Chris Squire more than 40 years ago.
THE SYN featured Squire before he went on to found the prog-rock pioneers Yes, and vocalist Nardelli, who became a successful businessman in the clothing and sporting goods business. Now, 40 years later, the two have re-teamed to revive the legendary band and release their first album of brand-new material in Syndestructible, scheduled to hit retail shelves in the U.S. on Nov. 8 through their own Umbrello Records and independent distributor ADA.
The new album was recorded at London's Strangeways Studios, with all tracks co-written by the team of Squire and Nardelli, including the first single, "Cathedral of Love."
"That was a song we wrote as a centerpiece of the record," explains Nardelli.
Syndestructible has already been greeted with enthusiastic response by the music industry. Former Virgin Records U.K. head Jon Webster describes it as "the album that will bring people rushing back to prog-rock. Brilliant!"
Last year, THE SYN released an Internet-exclusive, two-CD set of the archival recording, Original Syn, featuring 12 historic tracks from the '60s, a new recording of the song "Illusion" and a new, hour-long interview with Squire and Nardelli. Original Syn 1964-2004 went to U.K. and European retail outlets last month, featuring two more new tracks, "Grounded 2004" and an extended version of Yes' "Time and a Word."
THE SYN was the prototype for many of the progressive and art-rock bands that emerged from that fertile scene, including Genesis, Asia, GTR on up to Tangerine Dream, the Flaming Lips and Porcupine Tree.
The new band, featuring Squire and Nardelli, also includes classically trained keyboardist Gerard Johnson and twin brothers Paul Stacey (Oasis) and Jeremy Stacey (Sheryl Crow, the Finn Brothers) on guitar and drums, respectively. THE SYN will play their first gig in four decades at the very same Marquee Club where they opened for so many great bands on Nov. 14-15. "We're going back to our roots," said Nardelli. "To where it all started."
Squire and Nardelli are scheduled to come to the U.S. in October for a radio promotion tour, with a series of stateside East Coast concert dates starting January 2006 in Boston, including a showcase at New York's famed Joe's Pub.
"It was a natural coming together for Chris and I," explained Nardelli. "The timing was right. We just picked up as if we stopped yesterday. Creatively, we gelled immediately. THE SYN had a reputation for fantastic musicianship and innovation, and that's what this new band has."
Calling themselves "Prog Modernists," THE SYN tap their rich past and bring it into a new century with all the sterling musicianship you might expect from a band that is intent on continuing to make rock history.
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