SPEARFISH – The English Project [Our Tribute to Jon English] (2020)

SPEARFISH, the Swedish hard rock band that backed Aussie/English vocalist Jon English when he performed in Sweden in 2013, just made available their tribute album to the late vocalist titled “The English Project“.
This was supposed to be the new album of the band with John English, but unfortunately he passed away while recording. Spearfish and Jon English first met in 2013 when they played together at a Swedish rock festival. This happened again in 2015, and after that Jon decided he wanted to record a new studio album with Spearfish as backing band.
Unfortunately, English died in 2016, but the band together with the initiator of the project Johannes Lindstron (Sweden Rock) decided to complete the album with the help of invited artists. However, Jon managed to sing in two songs that are on the disc. These are brand new songs written by him and Spearfish.
Among the stellar guests there’s Dan McCafferty of Nazareth, Rick Brewster of The Angels, John Lawton (Uriah Heep), Tony Carey (ex- Rainbow), Darren Wharton (Dare, ex-Thin Lizzy) and many more.

This is classic rock with a traditional UK hard rock vibe, played & recorded old-school (analog recording). Indeed, the album was only released on vinyl LP two years ago – not on other format.
But because there’s only few copies remaining, Spearfish decided to release digitally all these songs for a world-wide availability.

Other remarkable musicians involved include Nicky Moore (Samson), Dave Gleeson (The Angels, Screaming Jets), Mark Stanway (Magnum), Rob Tognoni, Eric Oblander (Five Horse Johnson), Mark Taylor (The Alarm), Pontus Snibb (Bonafide), Bernie Tormé (Ozzy, Gillan), Laurence Archer (Phil Lynott’s Grand Slam, UFO), Clive Edwards (UFO, Wild Horses), David Lowy (The Dead Daisies), Nils Patrik Johansson (Astral Doors) and many more.

Among the highlights, there’s opener ‘Never Happen To Me’, where English himself fronts the mic.
‘Crossing Lines’ is another favorite, with none other than John Lawton (Uriah Heep, Lucifer’s Friend) on vocals and he rocks. This is better than good, and I spontaneously exclaim: “It sounds exactly like in the 1970s!” Tony Carey also lifts the song to dizzying heights with his beautiful organ.
Nazareth’s singer Dan McCafferty is the man who gets the honor of making the song that made Jon English popular back in the day: ‘Six Ribbons’, and he does it in his own way, with his peculiar raspy voice.

But closer ‘Enola Gay’ should be the winner here, which I would even like to call a small masterpiece: Deep Purple’s Perfect Strangers era meets Thin Lizzy’s ‘Emerald’. We hear a fantastic guitar dueling by Laurence Archer and Mikael Fässberg and the superb singing effort is made by Nils Patrik Johansson.
Another song that sticks as an adhesive is ‘The Shining’, the other song where Dan McCafferty handles the vocals.
Highly Recommended

Never Happen To Me (English, Lundin, Thulin, Höher)
Jon English-Lead vocals
Thomas Thulin-Bass, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Guitars
Marcus Höher-Drums
Mark Stanway-Keyboards
Clive Edwards-Cowbells. (We need more cowbells!)
Anette Andersson, Emma Beau, Debbie Leaney-Backing vocals

Rhythm Of A Heartbeat (English, Lindström, Lundin, Thulin, Höher)
Jon English-Lead vocals
Dave Gleeson-Lead vocals
Thomas Thulin-Bass, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Guitars
Marcus Höher-Drums
Rick Brewster, Guitars
Anette Andersson, Amy Vee, Debbie Leaney-Backing vocals

Wheels Keep On Turning (Lundin, Thulin, Höher, Lindström, English)
Pontus Snibb-Lead vocals
Thomas Thulin-Bass, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Guitars
Marcus Höher-Drums
Bernie Tormé- Guitar solo
Anette Andersson-Backing vocals

Crossing Lines (Lundin, Thulin, Höher, Lindström, English)
John Lawton- Lead vocals, backing vocals
Thomas Thulin-Bass, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Guitars
Marcus Höher-Drums
Tony Carey—Keyboards

Gone (Song for Jon) (Fässberg, Lindström. Arrangement: Spearfish)
Thomas Thulin-Lead vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Guitars
Marcus Höher-Drums
Tony Carey–Keyboards
Anette Andersson-Backing vocals

Tomorrow Is Another Day (English, Lindström, Lundin, Thulin, Höher)
Rob Tognoni-Lead vocals
Thomas Thulin- Bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Guitars
Marcus Höher-Drums
Pontus Lundin-Guitars
Mark Taylor – Keyboards
Eric Oblander-Harmonica

The Shining (English)
Dan McCafferty-Lead vocals, backing vocals
Thomas Thulin-Bass, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Guitars
Marcus Höher-Drums
Björn Gustavsson-Keyboards
Anette Andersson, Amy Vee, Debbie Leaney-Backing vocals

Six Ribbons (English)
Dan McCafferty-Lead vocals, backing vocals
Thomas Thulin-Bass, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Electric and acoustic guitar
Marcus Höher-Drums
Emma Beau-Violin
Joe Kalou-Flute
Pontus Lundin-Acoustic guitar
Anette Andersson, Amy Vee, Debbie Leaney-Backing vocals

Renegade (Zevon)
Nicky Moore- Lead vocals
Thomas Thulin-Bass, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Electric and acoustic guitar
Marcus Höher-Drums
Matilda Strid Bomander-Violin
David Lowy-Guitars

Try To Be A Hero (English)
Nicky Moore- Lead vocals
Thomas Thulin-Bass, backing vocals
Peter Lundin-Electric and acoustic guitar
Marcus Höher-Drums
Matilda Strid Bomander-Violin

Enola (Fässberg, Lindström, English)
Nils Patrik Johansson-Lead vocals, backing vocals
Thomas Thulin-Bass
Peter Lundin-Guitars
Marcus Höher-Drums
Darren Wharton-Keyboards
Laurence Archer-Guitar duel
Mikael Fässberg-Guitar duel

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www.recordheaven.net/index.cfm?x=browseSearch&ID=&iID=10156
www.amazon.co.uk/English-Project-Explicit-Spearfish/dp/B08662S6VF