1 2 3 Orion . . .
The Hardest Working Rock
and Roll Band in Seeb
If you need tour dates and locations to see 1 2 3 Orion, all you need to do is email their manager - Wahleed Daley on wahleeddaley@123orion.com , he will be more that willing to fill you in. With all the latest and greatest musical information. Wahleed has been in 'the business' for many years and has been responsible for the success of many well know Omani acts. He has been a close friend of Victor Sheene since the late 50's and has never even been to Tiwi........OK.
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To get regular updates straight to your intray, just email fanzine@123orion.com . Please send any contributions, articles and photographs to this email address as well. Anything that we think represents a classic 1 2 3 Orion performance will be published on the web and the best from each months contribution will win a evening of 1 2 3 Orion entertainment. We will pay for a first class return train ticket direct to Muscat central, you will be picked up by limousine and be wined and dined by the band (or their management - should they not be available). |
1 2 3 Orion go “Into Orbit”
by Fritz Bandi
King Critic
King Fritz here with another exclusive ---- the long awaited release of Into Orbit by those Seeb rockers 1 2 3 Orion. Of course I have the inside track (ugh) on the recording of this album – I was there! No sacrifice from Fritzie for his fans!
It is a mixture of raunchy, sensual, haunting, sentimental tracks, featuring the interplay and harmonies of Vanya and Muffin, Erich varying from smooth to screaming, Ozzie supplying the galvanizing bass(!) also smooth, and sensitive or not backing from Zoon and Prof.
11 tracks are featured, 10 originals and 1 cover. Listen to King Fritz – go for the covers on live gigs, originals on tracks. Fritzie knows!!
Halo features Vanya, ethereal, ephemeral, oriental and definitely full of spirit.
Following – no surprise – Running Blind a really raunchy rendering by the girls.
Vanya’s and Muffin’s vocals intertwine in Body, definitely one for late nights with a friend.
Imagine – sea, surf, moonlight, waves washing and crashing on rocks. Let Muffin carry your thoughts away with Siren. Sensitive guitar work by Erich replicates the waves, rich bass from Ozzie and effects and percussion from Zoon and Prof make this one to really listen to! (percussion effect by hitting one’s head with mouth open!)
Factory will waken you – story of youth, temptation, ----- carefully balanced sensitive vocals, blending with bass, light rhythms, to crashing crescendos of guitar by Erich ( he'll pull the neck off his Fender!!! ), throbbing bass by Ozzie (who didn’t!) and Zoon and Prof flying.
Garden of Eden is a sensitive, passionate love story highlighting Muffin/Vanya vocal conversations, a feature of the band. But it is punctuated by Ozzie’s superb bass riffs, and Erich on guitar breaks. But why did Muffin have the giggles, or hysteria at the start? What was she looking at??? Wait for the video folks, this King Critic is not on for telling!!
That sad slow rocker Man in Black is superbly delivered by the band. Known to be Prof’s favourite, he was observed in the recording studio of moving his left leg very slightly.
Ongo Boing is one of the band’s originals. Zoon is up front on rock/carribean/African/ drumming, and Ozzie features some great bass work. But this may be a unique track and a collector’s item as those groupies will know he is going to Japan, having had a bad experience swallowing his whistle, to concentrate on the Japanese one string violin as opposed to the Bolivian nose-flute. (Bolivia out-bid Japan!)
Erich has an unending quest for perfection in his arrangements, and the next track Sinbad based on the history and traditions of Oman and Zanzibar, of the sea, love, presented a challenge – the sea. He suggested Prof took a shower (the rest of the band agreed), and the recording took place with the door open!! I know!! The King Critic was there!! Vanya leads, Erich goes oriental, one of the best tracks. (Thankfully the main tracks were laid before Prof finished his shower as he started playing the Flight of the Bumble Bee on the rubber shower adaptor hose!!)
The one cover – House of the Rising Sun – is a great live performance, uncut, unedited, uncompromising, - and revealing! Listen at the end! Vanya lets loose on the band – with an accent that confirms the rumours! She is a descendant of Gracie Fields (ask your great grandfather) and was exported from Oldham as part of the Liechtenstein underground woollen trade! (“goat herder!) also known as the SMN, ( Societe’ Mouton Noire).
The album finishes with Horse inspired by life in Brixton, Bankok, Bath (Lady Godiva), listener – take your pick. A rock/country number with interesting lyrics, and wait for the video!!! (who is Lady bloody Godiva anyway).
Fritzie’s Freakouts: Bo(a)dy, Siren, Factory, Man in Black, Sinbad