Ryo Okumoto launches video for “The Watchmaker” from the upcoming solo album ‘The Myth of the Mostrophus’
The album features guest appearances by current and former Spock’s Beard
bandmates Nick D’Virgilio, Al Morse, Dave Meros, Ted Leonard, Jimmy Keegan, and
many more.
Ryo Okumoto, long-time keyboardist for prog rock group Spock’s
Beard, recently announced his new solo album ‘The Myth of the
Mostrophus’, due out on July 29th, 2022 on InsideOutMusic.
The six song prog extravaganza features Okumoto’s signature style accompanied
by the talents of a who’s who of progressive rock.
Today, Ryo is pleased to share the video for the single “The Watchmaker”
which you can see here:
"The Watchmaker" features the heavy rhythm and searing guitar
leads of Lyle Workman, along with the thundering bass of Dave Meros, both in
perfect sync with the propulsive drumming of Jonathan Mover, underneath the
unmistakably classic sounds of Hammond B3, Jupiter 8 and Minimoog synths of
keyboard wizard Ryo Okumoto, and christened by the soaring vocals of album
co-writer Michael Whiteman; this track provides a tantalizing taste of what is
to come on this star-studded progressive rock extravaganza!
Ryo had this to say about the single: “Immerse
yourself in the tale of "The Watchmaker", wherein oureponymous
character sets off on an odyssey through past, present and future.
Time is literally on his side, as the watch on his workbench allows him the
opportunity to try his hand at setting things right again.”
The album features guest appearances by a number of incredible musicians
including current and former Spock’s Beard bandmates:
Nick D’Virgilio (Big Big Train, Spock’s Beard) - Drums & Vocals
Al Morse (Spock’s Beard) - Guitar
Dave Meros (Spock’s Beard) - Bass
Ted Leonard (Spock’s Beard. Transatlantic) - Vocals
Jimmy Keegan (Spock’s Beard) - Vocals
Steve Hackett (Genesis) - Guitar
Michael Sadler (Saga, ProgJect) - Vocals
Mike Keneally (Steve Vai, Frank Zappa, ProgJect) - Guitar
Jonathan Mover (Joe Satriani, ProgJect) - Drums
Marc Bonila (Keith Emerson/Kevin Gilbert) - Guitar
Doug Wimbish (Living Colour) – Bass
Randy McStine (McStine & Minnemann, Porcupine Tree) – Guitars &
Vocals
Lyle Workman (Todd Rundgren) – Guitar
Michael Whiteman (I Am the Manic Whale) – Guitars & Vocals
You can watch the trailer for the album here:
Tracklisting:
1. Mirror
Mirror (9:27)
2. Turning
Point (6:53)
3. The
Watchmaker (Time On His Side) (6:25)
4. Maximum
Velocity (8:11)
5. Chrysalis
(7:35)
6. The
Myth Of The Mostrophus (22:14)
Engineered and Mixed by Rich Mouser
The album is now available for pre-order here:
https://www.ryookumoto.com/mostrophus/ &
https://ryookumoto.lnk.to/TheMythOfTheMostrophus
Twenty years since Ryo
Okumoto’s last solo album ‘Coming Home’ (2002), work on the new album began in
November 2000, when Okumoto reached out to I Am The Manic Whale
vocalist/bassist Michael Whiteman, following that band’s performance on a
livestream event that Okumoto had taken part in. An exchange of
demos resulted in the writing of the initial tracks for the album. Okumoto then
reached out the fellow Spock’s Beard bandmates (Nick D’Virgilio, Alan Morse,
Dave Meros, Ted Leonard and Jimmy Keegan) to join in and the album started to
take shape before rounding out with additional guest stars through his
Okumoto’s new group ProgJect including Michael Sadler, Jonathan Mover and Mike
Keneally. With the additions of Steve Hackett, Marc Bonila, Doug Wimbish, Randy
McStine, and Lyle Workman, the star-studded lineup was complete. The result is
a prog rock tour de force from one of the most entertaining and influential
artists of prog’s modern era.
RYO OKUMOTO online:
https://www.facebook.com/RyoOkumotoMusic
https://twitter.com/RyoOkumoto