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Higher quality versions of the Distant Shores album are now available
for download from both the HTML and FTP sections of this site
thanks to the efforts of Joe Dedischew.
The files are differentiated by the letters "mc" in the file name
designating "master copy."
Long lost pictures from the New Baltimore Michigan concert circa 1974
New downloads of music by the first Northwind configuration
with Steve White are available for download. The quality of the
recordings is that of the record it was taken from. Enjoy.
The music and cover art are now available for
download.
Please limit your downloads to one at a time. Our connection is easily saturated.
Because of this we are looking for someone to host our site or at least our downloads.
If you are interested please contact us (see below).
The Northwind album Distant Shores was reviewed
in the Spring 2003 issue of
Progression Magazine
(the premier magazine of progressive rock) by Larry Nai.
He gave it a rating of 14 out of 16 stars and wrote,
“Often exciting...Highly recommended.”
HISTORY
The original Northwind band was founded in 1968 by Roland Ernest and Jan Stepka.
They were inspired originally by bands such as the Doors, Cream, the Moody Blues,
the Beatles, and Procol Harum.
Northwind was later heavily influenced by ELP, Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis. Echoes of these styles
are found in the Distant Shores recordings.
The band went through four membership changes. The first incarnation had drummer Steve White.
In 1970 they created and performed an original rock opera entitled “Looking Back.”
In 1972 they recorded an untitled demo album featuring the song “Last Day at Lokun.”
Tom Iacaboni replaced Steve White on drums when Steve left the band to pursue the guitar.
In 1974 Tom, Jan and Roland recorded the world famous (in collectors' circles) Northwind demo album
in Roland's family's basement. This album is often erroneously referred to as “Woods of Zandor.”
Tom was at heart a jazz drummer, and when he left Tim Cahill joined on drums and percussion.
For a short period, Bob Pascoe contributed his rock guitar to Northwind's sound.
Northwind then performed mostly in clubs and created a reputation in Canada. This period
largely had the band playing covers of other rock bands' material.
In 1977 returning to original music, Roland took over guitars and the band added the talents
of Rob Foster on wind instruments. In 1978 the band recorded their magnum opus “Distant Shores”
in Roland's family's basement in Sterling Heights, Michigan.
One song, “Just Yesterday,” was released as part of a local radio station's
compilation of Detroit area bands' music entitled “Home Grown.”
Tim Cahill's religious calling conflicted with his perception of the rock and roll lifestyle
leading him to leave secular musical performing. Howard Wells joined the band on drums and percussion
for rehearsals while Roland and the band's manager Ron Geddish vainly persued a record contract.
Northwind broke up in 1978 largely because of this failure. In the end, the
“Distant Shores”
songs were never performed outside of Roland's basement.
Jan Stepka created this site in 2002 to keep Northwind's music and memory alive.
And shall all our sound and fury fade
Listen: for our voices have joined
the song of the wind and the waves,
bound for distant shores - Jan Stepka 2002
DOWNLOADS are now available!
Please continue to visit this site –
higher quality Distant Shores recordings are now available for download.
Send e-mail to us at
contact@northwindband.com
with comments or to get on our mailing list.
Northwind - Distant Shores (©1977)
Roland
Ernest – composer, guitars, keyboards (Just Yesterday),
vocals
Jan Stepka – keyboards
Rob
Foster – winds
Tim Cahill - drums, percussion, vibes
Joseph
Dedischew – sound
Special credit to:
Howard Wells – drums, percussion (after Tim Cahill left)
Comment on Distant Shores from Clay Gaunce WRFL radio host, Lexington, Kentucky USA
(Distant Shores is) “unequivocally ... nothing short of a treasure from the golden age of progressive rock”
Northwind - Northwind (©1974)
Song
Titles: Live,
Nightmares, Zandor, Some Other Way, Aftermath
Roland Ernest - composer, guitars, vocals
Jan Stepka – keyboards, vocals
Tom Iacaboni – drums, percussion, vocals
Joseph Dedischew, James Allen Lee – sound and lighting
This is the album known on the internet as “Woods of Zandor.”
This title is a fabrication
by album collectors, although Zandor is a song about an evil wizard on the album.
A single limited pressing in 1974 was released as a demo.
The label on the record is blank. The cover art was done by the late Tom Iacaboni.
The cover art is posted. Eventuall we will have mpg and wav files for download.
“Woods of Zandor” presently has a rating of 9 (out of a possible 15) on Gnosis.
The production values were not as good as we would have liked –
for example, no phasing was added to the Hammond organ,
and the piano/harpsichord work was done on an RMI electric piano.
The music on this album is interesting primarily as a harbinger of the Distant Shores recordings.
We know of no available copies of the album and will not respond to questions on that subject.
Northwind - Last Day at Lokun (©1974)
Song
Titles: Waited Long Enough, Green Hills of Earth, Autumn's Song,
DASC, Remember the Rain, Last Day at Lokun
Roland Ernest - composer, guitars, vocals
Jan Stepka – keyboards, vocals
Steve White – drums, percussion, vocals
Joseph Dedischew, James Allen Lee – sound and lighting
Special thanks to:
Parents of Roland – who put up with the music in the basement and things rattling off the shelves almost every night for over ten years
Cheryl Goodwin Dedischew – equipment
Ron Geddish – management
Lynda Turgeon
Karen McConachie
Steve White – original Northwind drums and percussion (Looking Back, Last Day at Lokun)
James Allen Lee (Jim Lee)– sound and lighting
Contact webmaster@midama.com
a
Updated 2004-07-12
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