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Known throughout the music world as a talented solid bass player for
bands like Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Journey, Ted Nugent and The Dead
Daisies to name a few, Marco Mendoza has recorded a body of amazing
music in his own right. But when his fourth effort in his own name, “New
Direction”, hits the streets in September this year, it will be a very special
beast of its own.
Working with world-class producer Soren Andersen, owner of Medley
Studios in Copenhagen, dubbed by some as ‘the new Mutt Lange’, the
partnership that has already produced the career-defining “Viva La Rock”
2017 album has created in “New Direction” another future masterpiece
together.
As it often happens, demanding times produce special opportunities,
and writing and recording amidst a pandemic was a trigger for
Mendoza’s creativity.
With Andersen himself handling guitars and keyboards as a background
for Mendoza’s top-class bass lines and superb vocals, Tommy Gentry
(Gun) stepped in for guest guitar solos in selected tracks, while
drumming duties were split between Morten Hellborn (Electric Guitars)
and Allan Tschicaja (Pretty Maids). A super-team surrounding Marco. But
then again, the bassist/vocalist is used to working with the best of the
best, and wouldn’t have it any other way in what is clearly the tightest
set of songs he has ever recorded in his own name.
“New Direction” is out now on digital, CD and LP (black and turquoise
vinyls, each limited to 500 units) via Mighty Music.
Lineup:
Marco Mendoza: lead vocals, bass
Soren Andersen: guitars, keyboards
Morten Hellborn: drums (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Allan Tschicaja: drums (tracks 3, 4, 10)
Tommy Gentry: guitar (tracks 3, 5, 6, 7, 9)
Ivan Pedersen: backing vocals (track 4)
Jorgen Thorup: backing vocals (track 4)
Peter Busborg: backing vocals (track 4)
The biggest small rock club in Zagreb celebrated its twelfth
birthday.
Those of us who are a bit older, remember the opening of a club
near Kvatrić (slang name for Kvaternikov square), a club that
brought many famous and legendary rock performers to the
stage and where we have wonderful memories. In the
meantime, Hard Place moved near the National and University
Library, but with the move, "The Good Spirit of Rock'n'Roll" did
not disappear, in fact, it even grew.
Only the pandemic silenced the work of the club, but we all
kinda were, right?
Year after year, Hard Place made it to its twelfth birthday, mostly
thanks to the rocker Pišta, who stands behind his "baby" - soon
to be a teenager.
It coincided that for this birthday the club was sponsored by
Marco Mendoza, the legendary bass player of the big hard rock
bands (Whitesnake, The Dead Daisies, Thin Lizzy) who visited the
club for the
first time in 2015, when he was on tour with The Dead Daisies
supporting Whitesnake. He had a day off in Zagreb then, so I
took him to Hard Place, and he liked the place so much that he
"bummed" Pišta for a gig thereon every tour. Marco is currently
on a very long tour, promoting his fourth solo album, which he
is very proud of,called "New Direction". It is interesting that he is
accompanied by, as he himself said, "two of us" - Ivan Keller on
guitar and Mario Lepoglavec on drums.
The concert in a full club started a little after 11 with "Viva La
Rock", the song that carries the same name as one of Marco's
albums. This was followed by a speech in which Marco
introduced his band, "getting to know" the audience. After "Take
It to the Limit", Mendoza got to know each other to the extent
that he got off the stage and played in the front rows with some
well-known choruses like "Give Peace a Chance", which of
course was more than well received by the audience.
After the first half of the concert, it was time for Hard Place's
celebratory birthday cake, the candles were extinguished and
then licked by the club's new godfather for the next year. He
was the first to cut the first slice of cake and eat it, and then
continued with the concert. He did not forget to say that he is
also celebrating his 35th birthday of sobriety and getting off all
drugs. Although he coughed during the performance, alluding to
the cigarette smoke that bothers him, he suddenly asked for a
cigarette from the audienceand took a puff, and the funniest to
me was the expression on the face of the young guitarist Ivan,
who was stunned by that.
Marco also left one song to the drummer Mario to sing.
He concluded the concert with the song "Sweetest Emotion",
and he invited the audience to join him in hanging out near the
stage after the performance, where he signed the albums and
took photos with everyone who wanted to.
Marco Mendoza, in addition to his godfathering the club for this
year's birthday, brought an awesome gig and a very good party
to the club,
so I don't believe that anyone was disappointed.
The cake was shared, the birthday was celebrated, and we can
only wish the biggest little rock club many more birthdays like
this."
https://www.soundguardian.com/index.php/izvjestaji-s-
glazbenih-dogadjanja/60297-hard-place-proslavio-12-i-
rodendan-uz-kumstvo-marca-mendoze?hitcount=0
Interview with The RMA podcast
https://rockmusicalliance1.podbean.com/.../e23-marco.../
MARCO MENDOZA (THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE, THE DEAD
DAISIES) JOINS BLACKSTAR AMPLIFICATION
We are thrilled to welcome the legendary Marco Mendoza to the Blackstar family. With an unparalleled resume featuring collaborations with Blue Murder, John Sykes, David Coverdale, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Ted Nugent, Lynch Mob, Neal Schon, Dolores O’Riordan of the Cranberries, and The Dead Daisies, Marco is a true rock n’ roll icon. "I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be joining the Blackstar family and playing the Unity Elite amplifiers! After testing them during my recent tour in Europe, I was blown away by the rich tone and incredible power they deliver. I’m excited to take my sound to the next level with Blackstar. Let’s shoot for the stars together!" — Marco Mendoza James Evans of Blackstar Amps adds, “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Marco into the Blackstar family using our Unity Elite range of products. Marco is an incredibly versatile and talented player and an all-around lovely guy. It’s been a pleasure to work with him so far, and we’re looking forward to what this relationship will bring down the line.” Marco is currently touring Europe with his band. Check out his website for the full list of dates and experience the Blackstar Unity Elite rig in action: Upcoming Shows - Marco Mendoza. For more information on the Blackstar Unity Elite, visit Unity Elite - Blackstar
GREAT MUSIC STORIES WEBSITE:
MARCO MENDOZA – ‘NEW DIRECTION’
SEPTEMBER ALBUM OF THE MONTH - 5/5 Stars!
Click Here to read the review ~
Ahead of his new album release
this Friday, Marco Mendoza
catches up with Straight To
Video and enthuses about it,
bass guitars and stories from
his illustrious career so far.
Listen & subscribe:
https://www.stvpod.com/.../epis
ode-204-marco-mendoza
