AOR Heaven are happy to announce two additions to their roster! After a successful performance at Sweden Rock Festival two weeks ago, 80’s UK Melodic Rock/ NWOBHM band LIONHEART will release their second album “Second Nature” in Europe via the German label on August 25. Norwegian 80’s Melodic Rock legends DA VINCI will unleash their comeback release “Ambition Rocks” on the same day world-wide on AOR Heaven except for Norway & Japan.
With the release of “Ambition Rocks", their first album in 25 years, and with a new lineup, AOR & Classic Rock band Da Vinci returns with brand new songs.
The group was formed in Norway back in 1986, and after a short round with demos, the band got a record deal with Polygram Norway and released their debut album the following year.
Looking back on the Norwegian melodic rock of the 80’s, one of the bands to leave a major impression were undoubtedly Oslo’s Da Vinci. Enjoying as much radio play and charting nationally in the same league as Return, Stage Dolls and TNT, Da Vinci released two albums, ”Da Vinci” and ”Back in the Business” and a single in 91 “Ain't No Goodbyes/ Blame it on the radio”.
Their greatest hits were “Forever in My Heart” and “Tarquinia” from the first album; and “Call Me a Liar” and “9&10” from “Back in Business”. DaVinci was touring constantly from late 86 to 92 and did over 600 performances in Norway. They also played as support for Status Quo on their Christmas Remedy tour in 1989 in Great Britain together with Ole Evenrude. The last concerts were two gigs at Wembley Arena. They split up in 93, but Selboskar, Westlie and Aass continued to write songs together for a few years. Some of these demo songs were illegally released in Europe.
Jarle Måløy moved to the north of Norway. Bjørn Boge started Street Legal together with Bjørn Olav Lauvdal and Selboskar was in the band on keys several years. Gunnar Westlie formed his own band called Tjugods and Lars Aass started working as a songwriter at Waterfall Productions. In 2004 Selboskar and Westlie started to write AOR songs together again and formed Eidsivating with the drummer from Son of Angels, Geir Digernes, and after some years with a lot of songs and different members, this project ended up in today’s Da Vinci.
“Ambition Rocks” was produced by Sverre E Henriksen and DaVinci; drums recorded in Oslo at Klang Studios with Johnny Skalleberg. The album was mixed by Sverre E Henriksen in hangar 7 and mastered by Nick Terry. Artwork & videos by Dag Selboskar.
Band: Gunnar Westlie - guitar, Dag Selboskar - keys, Erling Ellingsen en - vocal, Roy Funner - bass, Bjørn Olav Lauvdal - - drums
Sound clips in advance:
LIONHEART was formed in late 1980 by Dennis Stratton (lead guitar/backing vocals, ex-Iron Maiden), Jess Cox (lead vocals, ex-Tygers of Pan Tang), Steve Mann (lead guitar/backing vocals, ex-Liar), Rocky Newton (bass guitar/backing vocals, ex-Wildfire) and Frank Noon (drums, ex-Def Leppard). The band began playing gigs including regular shows at London's Marquee Club but had problems maintaining a consistent line-up. The core personnel of Dennis, Steve and Rocky remained but various singers passed through the band including Rueben Archer, John Farlham and Bob Hawthorn. They eventually settled as a 4-piece with Dennis and Rocky sharing lead vocal duties. The drummer's stool was variously occupied by Les Binks (ex Judas Priest), Niko McBrain (ex Trust and subsequently Iron Maiden) and Clive Edwards (ex Wild Horses).
Between 1981 and 1984 LIONHEART played regular live shows and filled the support slot for tours by both Def Leppard and Whitesnake. In between gigs they spent many hours writing and recording demos of new songs while searching for a record deal. It wasn't until 1984 that CBS Records in the USA offered them a contract, by which time they had recruited Chad Brown on lead vocals. They flew over to Los Angeles in March 1984 to record their debut album Hot Tonight with Kevin Beamish in the production chair and session man Bob Jenkins, who had previously worked with Leo Sayer and Kiki Dee, on drums. The album was recorded at the legendary Sound City Studios in Van Nuys and mixed at Kendun Recorders.
Upon their return to the England LIONHEART recorded a high-budget video for the single Die For Love. The late comic genius Rik Mayall played the part of the mad professor, which in later years achieved cult status on YouTube due in part to the wonderfully wooden acting of the band! Unfortunately, planned UK tours as support to Kansas and Foreigner were cancelled at the last moment. Promotion of the album suffered and LIONHEART found themselves in limbo. Chad Brown left the band in 1985 to be replaced by Keith Murrell, with Toby Sadler coming in on keyboards. More demos were recorded with the new line-up but unfortunately the momentum had been lost and the band eventually broke up. Rocky went on to record backing vocals on 2 Def Leppard albums and join Michael Schenker with Steve, while Dennis spent 15 years with Praying Mantis.
In 2016 Dave Herron, promoter of the Rockingham Festival in Nottingham, asked LIONHEART to reunite for one performance and all original members, apart from Chad Brown, did so. The reunion created quite a stir, not least within the band itself, and it was decided to carry on with the subsequent recording of a new album followed by an acclaimed appearance at Sweden Rock.
The new record, Second Nature, was created between November 2016 and May 2017 and was produced, engineered and mastered by Steve Mann in his own studio in Hannover. A mini tour of Japan with Praying Mantis was scheduled for June/July with further UK shows with Airrace in November/December. The album release on AOR Heaven throughout Europe is set for 25th August.
Band: Lee Small (lead vocals), Dennis Stratton (lead guitar / backing vocals), Steve Mann (lead guitar / backing vocals), Rocky Newton (bass guitar / backing vocals), Clive Edwards (drums)
Live with Praying Mantis:
30/06/2017 Umeda Club Quattro - Osaka - Japan
01/07/2017 Toyosu PIT - Tokyo - Japan
Live with Airrace:
30/11/2017 Fuel - Cardiff - Wales
01/12/2017 Slade Rooms - Wolverhampton - England
02/12/2017 The Underworld - London - England
03/12/2017 Hard Rock Hell - Sheffield - England
05/12/2017 The Cluny - Newcastle - England
06/12/2017 Bannermans - Edinburgh - Scotland
Soundclips:
