THE DECCAN TRAPS (feat. Brian May) – The Deccan Traps (2025) HQ*
320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2
THE DECCAN TRAPS project began in Manchester, UK, when Neil Fairclough (bass player for ‘Queen + Adam Lambert’) and guitarist John Dagnall started writing songs together over a decade ago. Between them, they had a shared passion for Rock, Funk, Jazz and Classical music, having grown up listening to everything from Queen and Rainbow to Stevie Wonder and Weather Report, to Mozart and Prokofiev.
However, they were writing epic Classic Rock songs and wanted to create a true band with the guys to do the music justice; not only to record but to play live. Only one thing missing… Big songs needed a big singer; enter Ricardo Afonso, the lead role of Galileo in Queen’s musical We Will Rock You at the Dominion theatre, London, and blitzed the role of Judas in Andrew Lloyd Webbers Rock Musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
The band recorded their debut album with attention to detail, including a real string section, and polished production. The result is debut album ”The Deccan Traps”, a record with an authentic classic British rock sound plenty of soaring vocals and powerful riffs.
The QUEEN connection brought a guest appearance by Brian May on the 10-minute track “Dream of a Thousand Nights,” which includes a terrific guitar solo and and his voice for narrated passage from Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot. May also contributed arrangements – this song along worth the entire CD – think QUEEN meets JOHN MILES classic song ‘Music’.
01 – Sun & Moon
02 – Chain Me (To the Wall)
03 – Spellbound
04 – Until You Love Me
05 – The Great Divide
06 – Are You Ready to Rock
07 – Moonlight
08 – Live It Up
09 – Beautiful
10 – Dream of a Thousand Nights (Feat. Brian May)
Vocals – Ricardo Afonso
Piano, Guitar, Drums, Backing Vocals – John Dagnall
Guitar – Johnny Heyes
Bass, Backing Vocals – Neil Fairclough
Drums – Andy Treacey
Keyboards, Organ [Hammond], Piano – Neil Edwards
Vocals, Backing Vocals – Lois Dagnall
Backing Vocals – Alex Dee (4), Harriet Dagnall (tracks: 1, 2, 8, 10)
Violin – Natalie Purton, Sarah Brandwood-Spencer
Violin, Viola – Kay Stephen
Cello – Liz Hanks
Strings – Up North Session Orchestra (tracks: 5, 10)
Guest Guitar, Narration – Brian May
Pre order:
roughtrade.com/product/the-deccan-traps/the-deccan-traps
