Watch guitarist Randy McStine discuss his set-up with Julien Bitoun for Steven Wilson's The Overview tour. Most of it stock, which might come as a surprise, and he is always looking for opportunities to simplify his pedalboard.
Showing posts with label Randy McStine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Randy McStine. Show all posts
August 12, 2025
June 12, 2025
McStine & Minnemann: III
In 2020 multi-instrumentalists Randy McStine (Porcupine Tree) and Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats) released two albums in quick succession. The first one showed a lot of promise and the follow-up pushed all the right prog buttons and then some. Since they both have a full agenda, finding some shared down time to go at it again was a challenge, but lo and behold, the rather unimaginatively titled III is here.
They came up with a balancing act of hard-hitting prog metal and pastoral pop, both of them with a busload of rhythmic shifts that demand (and deserve) and undivided attention. McStine has found his voice, a late 80s version of heavy rock phrasing that finds its way to late night classic rock radio, where DJs are allowed a bit of leeway to try something new. Minnemann's octopus-alike handling of his drum kit allows to channel Keith Moon and Neil Peart simultaneously. The uninitiated are lured in with accessible intros and easy-on-the-ears melodies, only to find themselves lost in a maze of dazzling musicianship.
November 25, 2024
Randy McStine: the Innerviews interview
photo: Hajo Müller
Anil Prasad has an in-depth interview with singer and multi-instrumentalist Randy McStine for his Innerviews website. About his new solo album Mutual Hallucinations:
The album title refers to the idea that we’re sharing a space in which algorithms and politics intersect and divide us into hyper-individualistic perceptions of the world. We’re all walking around with a different take on what the world even is, much less what’s happening in it. It’s a hallucination of sorts. What I think happens these days is we try to form a sense of everything that’s going on, and mostly converse with people who land on the same side of a particular issue. These are the people we band together with. But it’s all happening within a vortex of information and disinformation. The distinction becomes “my truth” and “your truth.” So, Mutual Hallucinations is about how society has crossed the point to arrive where we’re together and completely apart, simultaneously. It’s also about the things we’re ignoring at our own peril.
May 06, 2022
Nate Navarro & Randy McStine join the Porcupine Tree touring line-up
With Colin Edwin being out of the picture for the reformed Porcupine Tree tour in the Fall, there was a vacancy for a bass player and also the need for an extra guitarist. Enter Nate Navarro and Randy McStine, who will join Steven Wilson, Richard Barbieri and Gavin Harrison on stage. They are currently in the midsts of rehearsals.
February 02, 2021
McStine & Minnemann: "The Horse Is Dead" video
Watch the new McStine & Minnemann video for The Horse Is Dead, a track from their sophomore release II: "a raw album, its dirty sound has "come hither" written all over it, plus great hooks, solos and quite a bit of smokes and mirrors trickery with chord changes and challenging rhythms".
HCTF review of II.
January 05, 2021
McStine & Minnemann: "Distant Bodies" (Marco Minnemann Drum Playthrough) video
Watch Marco Minnemann doing a drum playthrough of Distant Bodies, a track from the new McStine & Minnemann release II: "a raw album, its dirty sound has "come hither" written all over it, plus great hooks, solos and quite a bit of smokes and mirrors trickery with chord changes and challenging rhythms".
HCTF review of II.
December 15, 2020
McStine & Minnemann: "Big Wave" video
November 27, 2020
McStine & Minnemann: II
Randy McStine (Lo-Fi Resistance) and Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats) are quick to release another McStine & Minnemann album. They named it II and it is a big step up from their rather uneven self-titled debut record that came out earlier this year. They went for the darker side of electric (and sometimes hectic) prog this time. Sex is a big thing in the lyrics and some song titles - Girls At The Gig, Quarantine Sex Slave - guarantee that they will be labeled as explicit before even hearing a note.
The debut lacked focus - which could be blamed in on the haphaxard, prolonged recording process - but now they have nailed it. II is a raw album, its dirty sound has "come hither" written all over it, plus great hooks, solos and quite a bit of smokes and mirrors trickery with chord changes and challenging rhythms. The breakneck speed of Old Sparkey will frustate drum students in their futile attempts to replicate it. A must for prog fans of all ages.
June 30, 2020
McStine & Minnemann: McStine & Minnemann
Randy McStine (Lo-Fi Resistance) and Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats) recorded their collaborative album in fits and starts over between October 2019 and March 2020. Both are A-list players in the prog scene and McStine & Minnemann lives up to the expectations mostly, but some of the material feels a bit crowded, which is likely op happen when two multi-instrumentalists are egging each other on.
When everything does fall into place, the results are top-shelf: Program celebrating and showing concern about modern day technology, the good-humoured horror in Fly and the dark love song - ELO meets metal - Voyager. On the downside they are tracks like the cheesy Your Offenses and the run of the mill attempt at an anthem Tear The Walls Down (No Memories), a song with a couple sections that sound more am assemblage of loose ends. As a whole McStine & Minnemann is not a bad album, but it lacks consistency.
June 09, 2020
McStine & Minnemann: Your Offenses
Randy McStine (Lo-Fi Resistance) and Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats) have made a video for Your Offenses, the second single from their forthcoming McStine & Minnemann album. Not as adventurous as Program, their first one, but with just enough guitar and drums pyrotechnics to appease - and possibly please - prog fans.
McStine & Minnemann ia available for pre-order from their website (CD, digital), Limited vinyl (100 copies) via Diggers Factory . Release date: July 3rd.
HCTF review of Program.
May 11, 2020
The Prog Report: Prog From Home concert
The folks of The Prog Report were the initiators for the Prog From Home webcast on May 9, featuring a wide variety for artists performing from the comfort of their own home. Nearly three hours of music in all. The show was "in support and celebration of doctors, nurses, first responders, health-care workers, and all affected by the current global crisis".
Some highlights from the show then. Yes, Here Comes Was played, with Randy McStine and Adam Holzma doing the honours. The Fierce & The Dead's Matt Stevens and Kev Feazey performed a stripped down version of Ark. Dani Rabin from jazz-rock band quartet< strong>Marbin showcased hi uncanyn dexterity with Nauges. And of course it makes sense to end the concert with Jellydish classic I Wanna Stay Home, performed by Mike Portnoy with Melody Portnoy, Jason Falkner and Roger Manning Jr..
May 06, 2020
McStine & Minnemann: Program
Randy McStine (Lo-Fi Resistance) and Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats) have teamed up for a collaborative rock album, due for release on July 3rd. They share a love for wide range of artists (XTC The Knack, Queen, and Frank Zappa) and they added their own twist to it in the album's lead single, Program, a song that is both a celebrating and showing concern about modern day technology. Videographer Christian Rios came up with the concept for the video.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)