Phenomena (band)

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Phenomena is a heavy metal (music) multi-media project started by producer Tom Galley and developed by project director and co-producer Wilfried F. Rimensberger. Phenomena's music has its roots in the classic hard rock genre and many of Phenomena's contributers have been members of classic hard rock bands such as Deep Purple, Queen or Trapeze.The main body of work consist of several album recordings by a mix of top league rock music stars and lesser known but highly talented musicians and other creative forces. Also part of the concept are a Phenomena musical show, Phenomena action-adventure movies and a computer game. During the past 20 years Phenomena has released several albums and Phenomena II's Dream Runner, featuring the best rock voices of 1986, has become a critically acclaimed rock music classic. A script for the feature film exists but a first production attempted with some big Hollywood names involved was abandoned, just at the start of the shoot. A movie trailer exists in the form of the music video for the single "Did it all for Love" (*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz9UNyEKBjg). A touring stage musical show was also prepared with sponsors like Suzuki, Swatch and media agency Dorland backing it but so far it has not been realised. The same with the computer game.

Although Tom Galley has started Phenomena in 1985, the project started to be taken seriously only when Wilfried F. Rimensberger joined the project during the recording of Phenomena I. He negotiated international recording and publishing contracts and strongly influenced creative aspects, strategies and developed Tom’s songs and further idea in to a viable multi-media project. Apart from bringing talents like Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy fame, Brian May (Queen) and many other names to the Phenomena recording sessions, in Phenomena II he engaged possibly the best AOR vocalists from 1986 and they chose Tom Galley songs that suited their vocal talents best. Rimensberger's line-up of vocalist like Ray Gillen, Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, John Wetton (Asia) and Max Bacon for this recording has proven to be a guarantee for on-going interest in this album as it has become a rock music classic and backbone of the Phenomena name so far. John Wetton's "Did it all for love", which was the first Phenomena single at the time, is still getting airplay on radio stations around the globe. Phenomena was originally on BMG RCA International with released albums selling well in Europe, South America and Japan.

1 History
2 The Phenomena phenomenon
3 Source
4 Line up
5 External links

[edit] History

In the 1980s, Phenomena released 3 albums and some singles and maxi singles and became one of the most exciting international rock projects. The combination of Tom Galley as the original producer of Phenomena and Rimensberger's wider creative and strategic approach was the key to the success this music act enjoyed at the time. Originally a very basic concept of straight forward heavy metal songs with simple lyrics and a minuscule TV movie idea, Phenomena started to be taken serious with Rimensberger' s excellent network of contacts to the best talents in the international music and entertainment world. This enabled Tom Galley to record with some of the most brilliant musicians and singers. Overcoming complex contractual barriers, Rimensberger was able to bring in big name musicians from different backgrounds that normally would prevent such participation, to join in a Phenomena rock music recording. Their enduring impact clearly was and still is elevating Phenomena to a status that is enjoyed by legends. Difficulties between Tom and at the time more famous brother Mel Galley Whitesnake could also be smoothed over by Rimensberger and Mel's hardly mentioned impact on song writing and specifically during recording sessions was also a contributing factor to the success of the Phenomena II album.

With vision and diplomatic skills, Rimensberger pulled together talents like film and stage set Designer Anthony Furst (Batman, The Who), Executive Movie Producer Raymond Homer and BMG international Vice President Heinz Henn, who signed Phenomena for a 3 album deal to RCA, and developed DreamRunner from Tom Galley's video synopsis and stills to a full length feature movie project that attracted talents such as Sean Connery, Emily Lloyd and Eddie Kid. However, during the recording of Phenomena III, Tom Galley opposed views by Rimensberger and Henn, who both wanted the recordings on the third album to be harder and some of the lyrics and songs rewritten. Tom was not going to oblige. Consequently BMG withdrew the contract and without further funding the Phenomena project collapsed within months, including the movie. Tom Galley eventually sold 'his rights on the Phenomena III recording' to Parachute Records, with whom he later run into difficulties too. Nevertheless, after a gap of nearly 15 years Phenomena IV Psychofantasy has finally been released at the beginning of 2006. Reviews are mixed and Henn's and Rimensbergers worries from nearly 20 years ago echo back: some good stuff but lots of weak lyrics, inconsistent level of song writing and a final record with no focus. However, applying Rimensberger's "Dream Runner" album success concept of using a variety of credible rock singers on one record again gives this latest release credibility, at least with related fans and collectors’ community.

Today, it is notable that Wilfried Rimensberger's credit is missing on Tom Galley’s Phenomena website, clearly understated or completely omitted on CD and album references, and when confronted in interviews, Tom Galley speaks of the 'disappeared manager' or 'manager troubles' as his only references to the big and more than managerial influence of Rimensberger on this project. For the recording industry and the involved illustrious artists in this project so far, it is very clear, that most related to Rimensberger and withdrew from the project once Tom Galley stopped following his advice. In view of the new and previous album's critics it becomes clear who ensured that the big vision, necessary focus and the required song and recording quality was applied to the earlier Phenomena recordings. The question remains: will the two (Tom and Wilfried) swallow their pride, come together again to sort out their differences and do their magic one more time? Phenomena could become phenomenal!

[edit] The Phenomena phenomenon

In the mid-Eighties, Tom Galley started Phenomena as a heavy metal project centred on former Trapeze musicians, with an added on idea for a video-movie based on a series of stills – all his own drawings. At the time of Phenomena I, Bronze Records, who were desperate to get some guidance into an evermore-confused recording session at the Roundhouse Studio in London involved Wilfried F. Rimensberger as a consulting producer. He had just set-up office in London to start Metal Hammer Magazine, the concept of a global rock music lifestyle publication which he conceived and started publishing in 1984 in England for the global market and together with Jürgen Wigginghaus in Germany. Wilfried immediately saw a wider potential for Phenomena. Apart from giving his input during the first Phenomena recording and covering the project extensively in Metal Hammer, he secured further major promotion in Japan and on the European continent, subsequently Phenomena I had it’s first success with over 100000 units sold. After the demise of Bronze Records, Wilfried negotiated a worldwide three albums publishing and recording contract with BMG/RCA in New York. Furthermore, he motivated some of his famous musician friends such as Ray Gillen, Scott Gorham, Brian May, John Wetton etc. to contribute to Phenomena II and follow-ups. Although Tom Galley officially occupying the producer’s chair and considerably supported by recording engineers Leif Johansson and Gerry Kitchingham as well as Mell Galley, it was Wilfried who was charged by BMG to guide the recording in the studios, made the critical decisions and exerting key influence on the album’s music production and visual presentation. Although (for reasons unknown) not credited as a producer on the album, he directed the selection of song material, recordings and sound-mix of “Dream Runner”, to its celebrated style. Phenomena’s second album charted in Germany, UK, Japan and sold over 300’000 units. Additionally, he developed Tom's stills and story idea into a full-blown sci-fi adventure movie project with a credible screenplay that attracted such screen-talents like Sean Connery, Emily Lloyd and Eddy Kidd, set designer Antony Furst (Batman) and a $10 Mio production and distribution deal with US film producer Raymond Homer. A Phenomena III tour was also taking shape. With all these, plus the success of the “Dream Runner” album, and a third album at PUK studios in the making, Phenomena gathered Super Group status. At that stage Tom Galley rejected Wilfried's further involvement in Phenomena’s music recordings, which eventually led to BMG's rejection of Tom’s final recordings on Phenomena III. Together with ongoing delays in the financing of the movie project and BMG's refusal to fund any further recordings made by Tom Galley, his production company Blackbird collapsed. At that time, Wilfried was asked by MTV Europe]] to advise the music video TV channel on how to develop its network across Europe and later helped to establish the Premier League Football information service ClubCall into an international audiotex brand.

Tom eventually sold his rights on the existing Phenomena recordings to Parachute Music and never again spoke to Wilfried, who still holds rights on Phenomena. Over 10 years later, Tom Galley is still trying to get Phenomena going again. Right now Phenomena is back to where it started before the two joined forces in the mid-Eighties in potentially one of the histories greatest multi-media rock music projects! Without that, Phenomena is not more - but also no less - than the still celebrated “Dream Runner” Album that has become an existing reminiscent to what could have been.

[edit] Source

Interviews with W.F. Rimensberger and published articles (1986, 1988, 1991, 2001, 2005), Tom Galley (1986, 1988, 2006), Merve Spence (2006), original Phenomena material provided by Wilfried F. Rimensberger

[edit] Line up

The full recording line-up on Phenomena:

Phenomena I (Bronze 1984):

Vocals: Glenn Hughes
Guitar: Mel Galley
Bass: Neil Murray
Drums:Cozy Powell
Keyboards: Don Airey, Richard Bailey
Producer: Tom Galley
Production and concept consultant: Wilfried F. Rimensberger

Phenomena II Dream Runner (BMG/RCA 1987):

Vocals: Ray Gillan, Glenn Hughes, John Wetton, Max Bacon
Guitar:Kyoji Yamamoto, Mel Galley, Scott Gorham, John Thomas
Bass: Neil Murray, John Wetton
Drums: Michael Sturgis, Toshihiro Niimi
Keyboards: Leif Johansen, Richard Bailey
Producer: Tom Galley
Project Director/Co-Producer: Wilfried F. Rimensberger
Cover Design: Tim P. Davies

Phenomena III Inner Vision:

Vocals: Keith Murrell
Guitar: Mel Galley, Scott Gorham, Brian May
Drums; Michael Sturgis
Keyboards: Leif Johansen
Producer: Tom Galley
Project Director/Co Producer: Wilfried F. Rimensberger
Co-Producer: Leif Johansen

Psychofantasy (2006):

Vocals: Glenn Hughes, Tony Martin, Keith Murrell,, Lee Small, Matt Morton, Joy Strachan
Guitar: Mel Galley, Andy Shortland, J.J. Marsh
Bass: Richard Lymn
Keyboards: Ian Rowlands, Tom Brown
Producer: Tom Galley
Album Coordinator: Tom Brown

Phenomena I,II , III - Boxed Set of the classic Phenomena recordings with additional material from the forthcoming PHENOMENA IV album (2006 Escape Music)

Producer: Tom Galley
Co-Producer/Phenomena project director: Wilfried F. Rimensberger
Boxed set producer: Merve Spence

Tom Galley recorded Psychofantasy for Phenomena IV but is in dispute with Merve Spence about contractual obligations after Tom sold his rights in Phenomna to Merve Spence who was involved one time as a musician in 1985, playing bass on 4 demo tracks of PHENOMENA I but never performed on the actual recordings.