Laying Down Vocals in USA
My charming wife Cheryl and I will be heading to Providence USA in late September / early October. We will spend some time in L.A. and Vegas, then fly 7 hours to Providence to meet with the great Steve Unruh in order to write and record new songs for “Planetary Overload – Loss and Hope”. I have already penned many lyrical concepts and have plenty of new ideas that will bring this project together. Meanwhile on the other side of the planet, Guy Manning has created two more arrangements that are being reviewed by the band. Guy has already collaborated with me on a new piece called “Dark Sun” (a 16 min piece about air pollution). Steve Unruh has embraced the demo and is adding ideas to the arrangement.
The great thing about all of these collaborations,is that every song will be recorded and we will all have a say on what makes the final package. The songs that don’t make it onto this next album, will probably be played live on the forthcoming tour. I am also catching up with Nick Magnus over the week-end to discuss arrangement ideas. More soon…. Truey X
Planetary Overload – Loss and Hope
UPF Australia had their first official get together with regards to working on new album, expectations, tour 2017 plus outlining lyrical ideas for the new project and what we wanted to achieve in the coming year. We will be announcing producers and guest artists in the coming months, watch this space for more. Truey X
12 Month Anniversary/More info on “Planetary Overload – Loss and Hope”
Hello to all UP frat members!
As the UNITED PROGRESSIVE FRATERNITY celebrates its first 12 month of existence, I am happy to announce that UPF band members around the world (we are truly international) are currently hard at work on the follow-up to our debut album ‘Fall in Love with the World’.
The concept behind the next project will delve deeper into the environmental issues that we all face as a united world. We have several band members working on the music, arrangements and lyrical ideas. Even our own Julia Bradshaw (UPF Manager) has come up with some very interesting ideas based on the book ‘Planetary Overload’ by Professor Tony McMichael, who sadly passed away in September 2014. We actually have clearance from the publisher to use the title of the book for the new album.
One of the first tracks that we are working on is ‘Mercenaries’. which was written and arranged by Steve Unruh. This track was specifically written for the upcoming ‘Decameron 3’ project but will also be featured on ‘Planetary Overload’. We are still looking for people who want to contribute towards our upcoming projects as we want to make this a truly united effort on all fronts. Contact me if you have an idea to contribute.
Many of you are asking about guest musicians and who they may be. I am glad to say we have commitments from several brilliant musicians and will continue to source for more. We are particularly interested in musicians who play unusual instruments, as this can set up some very unique hooks.
So, as you can see, “Planetary Overload” will be well worth the wait, both musically and lyrically, and will culminate with a series of exciting global musical events and collaborations that will raise further awareness about the plight of our planet and what we can all do to help. Our entire survival depends on what action humanity takes in the next few years, and the United Progressive Fraternity is striving to create the best communicated album ever made. Thank you for your continuing and endearing support, fellow UP frat members! Truey X
Decameron 3
Steve Unruh has just finished the template track for the upcoming Decameron 3. The track is called “Mercenaries” and will also feature on the upcoming “Planetary Overload” double album. Steve has set the track up for everyone to play their bits. It is quite different and will certainly appeal to the more progressive purist. I look forward to adding my voice to the piece. Truey X
Announcement: Planetary Overload – Loss and Hope
Hello All
Just an update on things….
We now have official permission to use the Title ‘Planetary Overload (some of you may know that a book was written in 1993 called Planetary Overload by Professor Tony McMichael, who sadly died suddenly last September so we had to approach the publisher to get permission) so the album looks like it will be called “Planetary Overload – Loss and Hope”. As it will be a double album, we envisage that the first disc will be Planetary Overload and will feature songs that reflect the [environmental] effects of that (‘Loss’), and the other disc will represent solutions and optimism (‘Hope’).
We will keep you posted!
cheers for now
Julia Bradshaw
Promotions/Media Admin & Logistics Manager for
UNITED PROGRESSIVE FRATERNITY
[email protected]
New Year’s Update
Hello and Happy New Year! Just a little update of what has been going on since Christmas…
We are all trying to throw a positive spin on what happened a fortnight ago with regards to misunderstandings as to credits on the album and some fabricated journalism. These sort things can happen and all though not intentional, they can be misleading and send out the wrong signals…
Some of the members of UPF have now started writing new music for the next album and our mission is to remain focused on the messages that we present lyrically and musically. During the next 12 months, we will be collaborating with many producers and writers along with some very special musicians. We want to make an album that will inspire us all to be better people. It’s going to be fun but challenging.
Stay Tuned – Truey.
Babyblaue Review
Unitopia are no more, but Mark Trueack, singer and one of the two mainsongwriter of the band, was of the opinion that this should not be the end. Sohe formed from the remaining quartet Unitopia together with the not quiteunknown musicians Guy Manning, Marek Arnold and Dan Mash the United Progressive Fraternity. And this Brotherhood wants to give Trueack around the world, yes, finally, everyone should have what it.
In addition Trueack yet Guy Manning is explicitly mentioned as a songwriter, so it should be clear in which direction it goes musically here (or maybe also helpsto look at the cover-disaster). Who has been inspired by Unitopia that can access unheard in “Fall In Love With The World” and revel in the pleasure. For better or stop in the not so good actually all trademarks of Unitopia find here.
Highly melodic music that past scars sometimes only a hair’s breadth of Kitschlimit (and occasionally exceeds this limit smiling) supported by anthemic guitarsand orchestral keyboard pads, accompanied by gently pulsating rhythm. Except for a few outbreaks (eg in “The Water”, or the central Long Track “Travelling Man”), the music subsides ahead in temperate mid-tempo. This album takesafter the beginning quite pleasing ride on until the first version of “The Water” afirecracker fledged follows. The second version of “The Water”, which concludes the album as a bonus track, is quite harder, because the arrangement isdesigned here more on rock. In this song Jon Anderson works with whose high voice forms a delightful contrast to the rather sonorous organ by Mark Trueack.
Clear highlight of the album is the Long Track “Travelling Man” goes throughmany moods from gentle to intense and shines with beautiful instrumentalexcursions. Thereafter, the album goes quickly but the air out and the next twosongs are the ones that still exceed the limits of kitsch and euphony too far. But at least you get at the end of said alternate version of “The Water” again earsblown out.
Who do not mind the ubiquitous euphony and yet consistently more leisurely pace of the album, which is here quite well maintained. The numerous guest musicians and instrumentalists own the pieces to win quite color, with justMarek Arnold does with some beautiful Sax and clarinet runs with slightly jazzycharacter out. So “Fall In Love With The World” has become a beautiful albumof melodic corner ‘our’ music.
Christmas Fun and beyond
On the 20th of December members of UPF will be getting together for some Christmas fun, we hope to be chatting with various members of the project along with some surprise guests. As we have members all over the globe, we will be using a form of Skype to communicate. The album continues to get glowing reviews and we are all very proud. Some of the praise should go to Sean Timms, as he was part of the early process. Travelling Man, Don’t look Back, Intersection, Choices, we wrote together. Meanwhile I have started to write lyrics for the next project tentatively titled “Planetary Overload” which will follow on from the theme of ‘Fall in Love with World’. This project will have many producers which will deliver a more diverse sound. I will be making announcements in the new year stay tuned. – Truey
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United Progressive Fraternity is a true fraternity in the sense of involving community and fan participation in all aspects of promoting sustainable care and concern for the environment and the human conditions of living under increasingly restricted resources such as food, water, and various types of oppression - through music.