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The Seventh Degree of Seperation

Started by Teunis, Fri, 2011-09-09, 20:16:58

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Teunis

About two months before the release of the new album, time to open a topic for it.

The artwork of the new album has been revealed today:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150290650897406&set=a.10150290650892406.336769.19448417405&type=1&theater

How would I call it, rather dark I'd say ;)
'I will surrender my heart to the sky
Oh, our love doesn't end here, it lives forever on the wings of time'
-------------------------------------------------------
Toto - Wings of time (Kingdom of Desire)

erik

The tracklist has now also been revealed (courtesy of DPRP) and is as follows:

01. The Great Escape
02. Rapture
03. One Last Au Revoir
04. The Ghost Walks
05. Thief Of Souls
06. Close Your Eyes
07. Echoes Of The Fall
08. Bed Of Nails
09. What If?
10. Trebuchet
11. Burning Down
12. Catching The Bullet
13. The Tinder Box

We stare at our screens
All our lives
What a waste of eyes..

PH

So, news has to come to us, the loyal fans of the Shattered Room, via DPRP now?

Except for that, the tracklist looks good!
Arena enters the bands-that-have-The-Great-Escape-as-a-title-for-a-song club. ;)
Expectations are running high! :)

But regarding my first sentence in this post: to be honest, sometimes I feel a bit sad about this forum. What exactly are we here for?

I entered "Clive Nolan 2011" in Google and had to find out about a new Clive Nolan project (with the cd already released!) on a @#$% download site!

For further info, I had to look on ProgArchives...

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=79185

Why?
I can't help but feel saddened about this and just have to mention this. I know it's hard for a band to write music and do all sorts of projects individually, playing live all around the world and such, but, well, I don't know what it is... I love the band, I love their music and am really looking forward to this release, but...
I miss some sort of mutual connection between the band and the fans.

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack this thread, but seriously, couldn't help it.

erik

#3
I see your point, seems that Clive's Facebook page is really the place to be for getting the latest news, not this forum. The forum more seems a place for discussion than the place for all the latest news. :-\

Maybe part of the problem (besides the overriding fact that as you say the band members are just very busy) is that there are just too many official Arena-related websites and news gets first to Clive's Facebook page cause that's the easiest and fastest way to announce it.

http://www.verglas.com/ArenaWorld/
http://arenaband.com/
http://welcometothecage.com/
http://www.myspace.com/arenaatverglas
http://www.verglas.com/
http://www.clivenolan.net/
We stare at our screens
All our lives
What a waste of eyes..

erik

P.S. No idea where DPRP got the tracklisting from by the way, haven't found the source, they refer to http://thenears.blogspot.com/ but I don't see a tracklisting there..
We stare at our screens
All our lives
What a waste of eyes..

The Butterfly Man

Quote from: PH on Mon, 2011-09-12, 23:03:04
So, news has to come to us, the loyal fans of the Shattered Room, via DPRP now?

But regarding my first sentence in this post: to be honest, sometimes I feel a bit sad about this forum. What exactly are we here for?

I entered "Clive Nolan 2011" in Google and had to find out about a new Clive Nolan project (with the cd already released!) on a @#$% download site!

For further info, I had to look on ProgArchives...

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=79185

Why?
I can't help but feel saddened about this and just have to mention this. I know it's hard for a band to write music and do all sorts of projects individually, playing live all around the world and such, but, well, I don't know what it is... I love the band, I love their music and am really looking forward to this release, but...
I miss some sort of mutual connection between the band and the fans.

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack this thread, but seriously, couldn't help it.

Exactly! I just had to come out of my little hiatus to react to your post. The lack of first-hand information regarding Arena's new album was the biggest reason for my break from the Room in the first place (the other reason is that I got tired of posting what I was listening to, it felt like talking to a wall). Like you, I felt sad that I had to read bits of news on the new album in other places. I used to hope that, with Arena finally releasing a new album this place would become a bit more crowded again just like it was in the 'good old days'. But it seems that Arena themselves ignore the Room, which probably means that those days are truly over. :-\

Tom
There will be white clouds beyond the hills...

PH

Quote from: The Butterfly Man on Tue, 2011-09-13, 12:07:59
Like you, I felt sad that I had to read bits of news on the new album in other places. I used to hope that, with Arena finally releasing a new album this place would become a bit more crowded again just like it was in the 'good old days'. But it seems that Arena themselves ignore the Room, which probably means that those days are truly over. :-\

Yes, that's frustrating. It almost means nothing to be a member of this forum anymore. The time of fanclubs is over? Where do we gather a loyal fanbase? I thought it was this forum, but indeed, Arena themselves don't seem to think so.

Other bands are doing it a lot better on this area.

I hate to be so negative, but I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who feels this way.

maddox

#7
Quote from: PH on Tue, 2011-09-13, 12:38:25
Yes, that's frustrating. It almost means nothing to be a member of this forum anymore. The time of fanclubs is over? Where do we gather a loyal fanbase? I thought it was this forum, but indeed, Arena themselves don't seem to think so.

Other bands are doing it a lot better on this area.

I hate to be so negative, but I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who feels this way.

An understandable reaction, and yes I feel the same but when you look at the reactions on Facebook that isn't really a strange thing because there are more people connecting with Nolan and his projects on Facebook than in this Room.
The community is tighter there.

I wonder if most of his 'friends' on Facebook ever heard about this forum in the first place.

But you all have a solid point:

Why not reveal anything of the forthcoming album in the Shattered Room?

That's disappointing. ...

Cause of Injury: Lack of Adhesive Ducks.

Nicky007

Quote from: erik on Mon, 2011-09-12, 23:46:59
The forum more seems a place for discussion than the place for all the latest news. :-\

I would be quite happy having the Room as "a place for discussion" - NP's, takes, tips, on music, lyrics, films, and more - but it requires that there are more than 2-3 Roomies who make an effort on a regular basis  ;)

Looking forward to the Arena album  :)

Nicky.
So you've come of age
And so you want to meet God
Sure you can
He's right here next to me

PH

Quote from: maddox on Tue, 2011-09-13, 14:54:49
An understandable reaction, and yes I feel the same but when you look at the reactions on Facebook that isn't really a strange thing because there are more people connecting with Nolan and his projects on Facebook than in this Room.
The community is tighter there.

Exactly.

So what do we do?
Should we go to the Facebook page now and have all our discussions there?
Should we think of this forum as obsolete?

Facebook is not a discussion site, that's what forums are for.

To make an announcement, you do it on Facebook alright, but when you want to talk about it, or better, INTERACT, you go to a forum for that.

Quote from: maddox on Tue, 2011-09-13, 14:54:49
I wonder if most of his 'friends' on Facebook ever heard about this forum in the first place.

And what if they DO know about this forum? Perhaps they do know, but they can't be bothered to join this forum.

I think on Facebook there are a lot of 'shallow' fans. Fans who like the occasional Arena album. When there's an announcement about a new album they think: "A new Arena album? Nice. The Visitor was a nice album too." and they post a reply: "Can't wait!" and right after that, they go to the Dream Theater Facebook page for instance.

Here in the Room we are desperately waiting for a new album, checking the forum on a (somewhat) daily basis for news, for interaction, for something that binds us Arena fans together. We have been waiting in anticipation for a new Arena album since 2005, the moment I joined this forum. We have been talking about Arena, their albums, their solo projects for a long time almost every day. We're not the shallow kind, we want to talk about the band, we dream about the band, we want to be in the band.

Ok, I'm being a bit dramatic here, perhaps.

Anyway, the Facebook kind of Arena fans won't come to this forum.

And I can't even blame them. There's nothing new here. It's all there.

Nicky007

Quote from: PH on Tue, 2011-09-13, 16:21:42
Ok, I'm being a bit dramatic here, perhaps.

;)


Quote
I think on Facebook there are a lot of 'shallow' fans.

I think that Facebook is rather shallow in general. I used it to get in contact with some old classmates from school, and to that end it worked wonderfully - I even met up with some of'm in firstlife  :)

... but else I havent benefited much from FB. Now I go there about once a week. You don't get anything near the music chats that we, after all, have in the Room  8)

Personally I'm not so peeved that the Arena guys don't come around in the Room. Arena are still one of my fave groups, but since I became a Roomie, I'v gained quite a number of fave groups  ;)

Nicky.
So you've come of age
And so you want to meet God
Sure you can
He's right here next to me

bellanova

I refuse to join Facebook on principle. Ive just heard too many bad things about it and have never felt the need to aquire a load of so called friends i will never meet. I may miss out on stuff but you guys seem to supply all the info i need when you put links here. Thanks for that.
I am so looking forward to the new album and i know the boys will do us proud and maybe things will liven up a bit with the tour coming up but i feel that fanclubs are fairly obsolete in this age of technology. Its all too easy with F/B and downloading. Artistes are just going along with the times i suppose. I dont download stuff, i would rather feel an album in my hands and nothing will make me join F/B, so i still visit this forum everyday and i have discovered new music from you that i may have otherwise missed.

The track list sounds interesting and the couple of new songs they did in Kingston last november showed great promise so im looking forward to the Leamington gig. Who's going?

maddox

Quote from: PH on Tue, 2011-09-13, 16:21:42
Exactly.

So what do we do?
Should we go to the Facebook page now and have all our discussions there?

No, because the only reactions you get on fb are 'great!', 'can't wait!', 'it's been too long, Clive! Awesome!'.
And the likes.
There simply isn't a discussion that safes the day.

QuoteShould we think of this forum as obsolete?

I certainly hope not.

QuoteFacebook is not a discussion site, that's what forums are for.

That's why they call it 'Forum' on the first place.

Forum is a place for discussion.
I think the Romans invented that.

QuoteTo make an announcement, you do it on Facebook alright, but when you want to talk about it, or better, INTERACT, you go to a forum for that.

True, no doubt about that but there are also things happening in Clive's life that you just can't discuss or let the people be involved with on this or any kind of forum, unless you have thousands of members who actually participate.
Like the She-fundraiser for instance.

Clive Nolan, the artist has 3743 'friends'.
The Caamora Theatre Group has 344 members.

So it's obvious that you can reach twenty times more people, if you'd only count the active members in the Room, than over here.
The world is wider on FB.
I really understand why Clive publish more news over there than over here.

QuoteAnd what if they DO know about this forum? Perhaps they do know, but they can't be bothered to join this forum.

That can be resolved: just say hi on clive's pages and drop the message that it's great work what he does and we all love the support and if they are interested, visit the Shattered Room for active discussions.

The danger is that there are people who believe that the articles on FB are discussion enough but if from the 3743 'friends' about a hundred become a member of the board then life is getting better here in the Room, not? ;)

QuoteI think on Facebook there are a lot of 'shallow' fans. Fans who like the occasional Arena album. When there's an announcement about a new album they think: "A new Arena album? Nice. The Visitor was a nice album too." and they post a reply: "Can't wait!" and right after that, they go to the Dream Theater Facebook page for instance.

Hence what I said about the pages of Nolan.

'Great work, Clive'. 'Can't wait!'. ... etc etc etc.

QuoteHere in the Room we are desperately waiting for a new album, checking the forum on a (somewhat) daily basis for news, for interaction, for something that binds us Arena fans together. We have been waiting in anticipation for a new Arena album since 2005, the moment I joined this forum. We have been talking about Arena, their albums, their solo projects for a long time almost every day. We're not the shallow kind, we want to talk about the band, we dream about the band, we want to be in the band.

Ok, I'm being a bit dramatic here, perhaps.

Not at all, I see your point.
And partly feel the same way.

QuoteAnyway, the Facebook kind of Arena fans won't come to this forum.

And I can't even blame them. There's nothing new here. It's all there.

Clive is a busy man, with the new album of Arena in prospect and the She-fundraiser project, not to mention the Caamora Theatre Company but I agree, it would be nice if he would drop a line in the Room.
No matter what it would be.

This is the official Arena Forum, right?


Quote from: Nicky007 on Tue, 2011-09-13, 18:15:49
;)


I think that Facebook is rather shallow in general. I used it to get in contact with some old classmates from school, and to that end it worked wonderfully - I even met up with some of'm in firstlife  :)

Mwuah, FB can be a bit more, but basically that's the whole purpose of FB or Myspace (totally overrated) and the Dutch equivalent Hyves.

Quote
Personally I'm not so peeved that the Arena guys don't come around in the Room. Arena are still one of my fave groups, but since I became a Roomie, I'v gained quite a number of fave groups  ;)

Nicky.

Our love of the music binds us together and the Room is indeed a great place to discover new music.

But a visit from one of the band with news to tell, would be nice from time to time.

We don't ask for an in dept interview or something.
Just some news.

Cause of Injury: Lack of Adhesive Ducks.

PH

Thanks for the long post Maddox. I won't quote it, because that would make a long post, but I agree to all you've said.

Jem Godfrey, the man behind Frost* did it wonderfully. He really knows how to connect with his fans. It felt special.

Now, I'm not asking that Clive or anyone in the band will do it just like Jem, because that would be time consuming. But to be honest, I think at least something should be done to keep the forum alive and the Arena fans together.

erik

Quote from: bellanova on Wed, 2011-09-14, 15:13:49
I refuse to join Facebook on principle. Ive just heard too many bad things about it and have never felt the need to aquire a load of so called friends i will never meet.
Totally agree, I don't like their so-called "privacy policy" and refuse to sign up.

Quote from: bellanova on Wed, 2011-09-14, 15:13:49
Its all too easy with F/B and downloading. Artistes are just going along with the times i suppose. I dont download stuff, i would rather feel an album in my hands and nothing will make me join F/B, so i still visit this forum everyday and i have discovered new music from you that i may have otherwise missed.
Agreed again, I do listen to and exchange/download mp3's but just to try out new music/bands/albums (or get out of print stuff and hard to trace b-sides and rarities), when I really like it I buy the original. Otherwise I don't feel I really "have" an album in my collection, mp3's are just too virtual for me and I miss the artwork and booklet. The idea of an album sort of evaporates in the digital age, you just pick out tracks you want/like and create a playlist. Steve Wilson has made some comments in this vein and I really relate. Guess I'm just old fashioned ::)
We stare at our screens
All our lives
What a waste of eyes..

Draco chimera

#15
Quote from: erik on Wed, 2011-09-14, 19:01:45
Guess I'm just old fashioned ::)
No, you're not. I was born in a generation that now lives on the "frequency" (sorry for the obvious reference, couldn't help it), and where many things are virtual. But many people in my generation also think it is nice to have a real disc, with artwork, content, and not just the superficial aspect of a simple MP3 file. To me, the CD itself, its artwork, its packaging and everything is part of the work the artist has done. So, you're rally not old-fashioned.  ;)

About the cover of the album, I think it looks darker than Arena's previous work. Maybe because gray is overly dominant, while Arena's covers are usually coloured. Also, the text on Arena's Verglas site also make it sound darker, but the concept is very interesting. Got my ticket for their next gig in Paris. *horns*

I will not overly take part in the FB/Forum talk, because I've not been here for a long time, and also because I do not participate as much here as most of you (truly sorry about that!  :-\), but I just wanted to say that I do not have a FB account, and am not interested in it. Sounds too superficial to me, and I think it is much easier to say pointless/superficial stuff this way (like Maddox pointed out) , as it takes 5 seconds to post a message, while forums or other ways of communiation demand you to think before you act.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to their next album - can't tell why, but it feels like it is going to be something different.
Let your conscience decide !

Peter

Heya folks,

I surely have placed my opinion on the level and frequency of band interaction in the Shattered Room at some time in the past - too lazy to search now, though ;) Fact is that Clive's last post is about a year old (see the list), Mick's even four years. Before 2008 Clive was at least a regular poster about fan concerns and questions... Can't force anyone, yaknow.
Arriving somewhere, but not here....

Crazy Diamond

Quote from: bellanova on Wed, 2011-09-14, 15:13:49
The track list sounds interesting and the couple of new songs they did in Kingston last november showed great promise so im looking forward to the Leamington gig. Who's going?

Leamington is just down the road from me, so I am going with a couple of friends, including an Arena newbie  :)  Ordered tickets a while back now, but they have still not arrived through the post.

Have been to Leamington recently to see a few bands (Anathema, Blackfield) and it is a great venue...


PH

Quote from: Peter on Fri, 2011-09-16, 09:13:18
Heya folks,

I surely have placed my opinion on the level and frequency of band interaction in the Shattered Room at some time in the past - too lazy to search now, though ;) Fact is that Clive's last post is about a year old (see the list), Mick's even four years. Before 2008 Clive was at least a regular poster about fan concerns and questions... Can't force anyone, yaknow.

Thanks Peter. Yes we know, and we still love them! :-* ;)

Nicky007

On Arena's FB-page one can also find: "the concept album about the journey from the last hour of life into the first hour of death."

Intriguing  8)

Nicky.
So you've come of age
And so you want to meet God
Sure you can
He's right here next to me

Draco chimera

Quote from: Nicky007 on Sun, 2011-09-18, 19:55:03
On Arena's FB-page one can also find: "the concept album about the journey from the last hour of life into the first hour of death."

Intriguing  8)

Nicky.
Indeed. That was what I was mentionning in my post; it's also on Verglas' site. Sounds quite dark, doesn't it?  ;D
Let your conscience decide !

Teunis

Copied from the Clive Nolan newsletter I received today:

New Arena Album:

The mixes have just been completed for the new Arena album, 'The Seventh Degree of Separation'. Mastering takes place this week, and the artwork is mostly complete. The album will be available to coincide with the tour in November.

Clive: "I must say the album is sounding great; very powerful and atmospheric. The music to me is another part of the Arena evolution, although there is still that intrinsic 'arena-sound' pervading the album."

This is a concept album, which explores the last hour of life and the first hour beyond. It's truly dark in the way that only Arena can do!
'I will surrender my heart to the sky
Oh, our love doesn't end here, it lives forever on the wings of time'
-------------------------------------------------------
Toto - Wings of time (Kingdom of Desire)

maddox

Cause of Injury: Lack of Adhesive Ducks.

PH


Peter

Also, there's a new ARENA website, no more verglas subdirectory, but arenaband.com, currently with tour dates only.
Arriving somewhere, but not here....