SPORTS:

The PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES are National League East Champions for the second straight year after holding on and beating the Washington Nationals 4-3 in a nail biter as Brad Lidge saves his 41st game. He was a perfect 40 out of 40 without a blown save and the Phillies were 77 wins and no losses leading after eight innings, but this one would not be easy as there were bases loaded, one out and a run already in. Zimmerman with home-run power, hit a ground ball up the middle as shortstop Jimmy Rollins dove and caught the ball and flipped it to Chase Utley who threw it to Ryan Howard for the game ending double play.

The PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES beat the MILWAUKEE BREWERS 3 games to 1 in the "best of five" NLDS (National League Division Series) and now they are playing the LOS ANGELES DODGERS in the "best of seven" NLCS (National League Championship Series) to see which team will play in THE WORLD SERIES.

The PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES beat the LOS ANGELES DODGERS 4 games to 1 in the "best of seven" NLCS (National League Championship Series) for their first WORLD SERIES appearance in 15 years. 

The PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES beat the TAMPA BAY RAYS 4 games to 1 in the "best of seven" WORLD SERIES for their second WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP in team history. The Phillies won their first WORLD SERIES title 28 years ago (1980).

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2008 WORLD CHAMPION PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES!

CD:

DAVE COUSINS has just released his third solo album called Secret Paths that features the songs he will play on his 2008 solo tour in the US and Canada.

Track listing:

    Song of a sad little girl
    Plainsong 
    The shepherd’s song
    I turned my face into the wind
    Ringing down the years
    Josephine
    (For better or for worse)
    Canada  
    How I need you now
    I’ll show you where to sleep
    Beat the retreat
    Falling in love again

EXPLODING MONSTERS with George Martindell on drums, percussion and sound effects and Frank Sonsini on lead guitar and synthesizer ... both former members of the progressive space rock band Science Friction (with me playing synthesizers and a fretless Rickenbacker bass) released their debut CD Exploding Monsters with original compostions of moody, modern soundscapes full of dark and ethereal sounds... combining a blend of progressive instrumental fusion that touches the ambient, rock and space metal genres. You can also hear Science Friction Sound Design music by these talented, innovative and unique sound designers on DR. SHROUD ... an online flash animated serial also available on DVD.

I will keep you up to date with any news regarding the release of their second album, which promises to be as good or even better than their debut CD www.scifrimusic.com and www.drshroud.com

In the meantime, Frank and George teamed up with Robusto Records and released a new CD under their Science Friction name called "Symphony of the Night - An Epic Halloween Journey" just in time for Halloween. Symphony of the Night is a bubbling cauldron of musical mayhem and spine-chilling sounds that will frighten and delight all who dare to embark on this Epic Halloween Journey.

For more information go to www.scifrimusic.com

FAYE DAVIS has released her second CD called Skybound. I first met Faye when she did some backup vocals on two BLUE SKY IT albums we did called Life (1996) and Truth (1998) before she was known as Faye Davis. Her given name is Kris Faye Grabowski, daughter of Rick Grabowski who was lead singer for Blue Sky It. Her voice was great ten years ago but now it has blossomed into something so beautiful and her songwriting ability completes this wonderful extraordinary talent. Skybound also boost some great musicians including Faye on piano. You can hear samples from 10 tracks when you visit www.cdbaby.com so treat yourself to a glimpse of heaven and listen to Faye's new CD today 

KLAUS SCHULZE has released a 2CD set called Farscape with Lisa Gerrard from Dead Can Dance on July 4, 2008 in Germany, a few weeks later for the rest of Europe and the United States. My discs arrived on 9/5/08.

STRAWBS released a new electric album called The Broken Hearted Bride in October of '08 featuring most of the Hero And Heroine line-up.

STRAWBS released The Strawbs, Dragonfly and Nomadness for the first time officially on CD with bonus tracks. Both The Strawbs and Dragonfly were previously released by Si-Wan (South Korea) and Nomadness was floating around as a bootleg and later released by an Australian label called Progressive Line. The new official compact discs have been remastered and sound very good.

www.artist-shop.com or www.witchwoodrecords.co.uk

DVD:

21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID BAND released a live DVD called Live In Japan. If you are a King Crimson fan ... this is a  must have as it features original members plus a supporting cast of musicians that play songs from early King Crimson note for note. Visit www.artist-shop.com for this and many other great titles ... and while you are there sign up for the Artist Shop Newsletter and keep up with new releases you may not find at your local CD/DVD store.

ACOUSTIC STRAWBS released Live In Toronto on November 15, 2004. This trio of acoustic guitarists features Dave Cousins, Dave Lambert and Brian Willoughby... and they play acoustic versions of classic Strawbs songs... another must have

GENTLE GIANT has released another must have DVD called GG at the GG - Sight & Sound In Concert ... that you can buy direct from the band or order it from The Artist Shop. It features a live concert from 1978 plus live footage from the Old Grey Whistle Test recorded in 1974 ... plus other bonus meterial www.gentlegiantmusic.com

JAPAN has a new DVD called The Very Best Of and it includes Oil On Canvas - Live from Hammersmith Odeon, 1983 with David Sylvian (vocals & keyboards), Mick Karn (bass, saxophone & vocals), Steve Jansen (drums & marimba), Richard Barbieri (keyboards), Masami Tsuchiya (guitar & keyboards) and begins with seven promotional videos ... that includes Gentlemen Take Polaroids.

PORCUPINE TREE has released their first DVD, a two disc set called Arriving Somewhere... on September 13, 2006. The first disc will be a live performance from their Deadwing Tour and the bonus disc will have footage from various shows and other artifacts that best examplifies the many talents of Steven Wilson and fellow band members www.burningshed.com or www.porcupinetree.com

The first 2000 are Special Editions that comes with six Porcupine Tree post cards and numbered. My DVD is #456.

OS UPGRADE:

EVENTIDE released a new OSv3.5 upgrade for the Eclipse in January '08.

MANIKIN ELECTRONIC released a new OSv1.0d that adds a drum mode for the Schrittmacher MIDI Step Sequencer. The drum mode sets all steps to the same note and the knobs of the line control the velocity.

MOOG released a new OSv3.2 software upgrade that categorizes the sounds in groups (e.g. bass, lead, pads etc.)

Visit www.moogmusic.com for more information.

WALDORF released OSv1.03 that fixes a number of bugs reported by users and beta testers on 8/17/08

Blofeld Firmware OSv1.03

Improvements:

• Fixed noise in PPG Filter type in combination with Wavetable Oscillator type.
• Fixed spurious crackling in Phaser in FX1 slot.
• Fixed Parts 5 to 16 stereo output assignment.
• FX2 Mix now correctly mixes the signals of Parts 5 to 16 into Parts 1 to 4.
  
• Fixed Sustain Pedal bug reported by users.
• Fixed Arpeggiator One Shot mode.
• Fixed abrupt volume increase when changing sound volumes of held notes.
• Only audible Effect parameters can be edited.

WALDORF released OSv1.04 that fixes the final bugs reported by users and beta testers on 9/4/08.

Blofeld Firmware OSv1.04

 Improvements:

• S&H and Random LFO shapes decorrelated.
• Sustain works as Modulation Source.
• Tempo always edited from Part 1.
• Multi Sound buffers accessible by SysEx request.
• Effects shown properly after Init and SysEx reception.
• Occasionally silent Delay and Reverb fixed.
• Snow problem eliminated.

OTHER UPGRADES:

MANIKIN ELECTRONIC has released another brand new collection of sounds for the Memotron called Vintage 2 that features sounds used by Jean-Michel Jarre and others that brings the total to 60 classic sounds found on the Mellotron.

WORTH MENTIONING:

ALIENS, GHOSTS and DEMONS are officially together after recording 11 tracks at LA SCI FRI STUDIO on December 28, 2007 and 13 tracks at QUAD PALACE STUDIO on March 21, 2008. Once the track selection is made and the final mix is complete ... a debut CD will be available at www.scifrimusic.com

Update: The CD is now available.

Visit www.myspace.com/aliensghostsanddemons to hear six sample tracks.

COSMIC TESTICLES are taking a break as we begin a new project called FLUORESCENT ECLIPSE.

FLUORESCENT ECLIPSE features keyboards only. George Martindell is putting down his drum sticks and bringing over a few keyboards and synthesizers to create some atmospheric music with Steve Siers AKA Quad The Qrazy Synth Man.

Update: A Limited Edition 2CD Set is now available.

Visit www.myspace.com/fluorescenteclipse to hear four sample tracks.

EM PORTAL is a very cool forum centered around electronic music but also touches other areas like progressive music, new releases, synthesizers and other gear, virtual jukebox, links and many other things worth discussing. You can join this forum for free just by going to www.EMPortal.info and sign up to begin viewing posts, replying to post left from others or start new topics of your own right after you create a profile. This forum is hosted from the Netherlands with members from around the world. If you were ever interested in joining a forum but you kept putting it off then this is the one to join because it will never clog up your email in box and it is very easy to navigate.