Avantasia - Here Be Dragons

Avantasia - Here Be DragonsDigitally remastered and expanded two CD edition. Contains a bonus disc featuring 13 previously unissued demos from the band. After forming The Left Banke, Montage, and Stories, the world became familiar with the brilliant songwriting of Michael Brown. Post Left Banke, Brown was introduced to singer Scott Trusty by a mutual friend. They collaborated on a Trusty solo single in 1970 just before Brown formed Stories. Reconnecting with Trusty a few years

Digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition. Contains a bonus disc featuring 13 previously unissued demos from the band. After forming The Left Banke, Montage, and Stories, the world became familiar with the brilliant songwriting of Michael Brown.

Post-Left Banke, Brown was introduced to singer Scott Trusty by a mutual friend. They collaborated on a Trusty solo single in 1970 just before Brown formed Stories. Reconnecting with Trusty a few years later, Scott introduced Michael to a few Kansas City musician friends who had just relocated to New York - Jimmy McAllister and Gary Hodgden (soon to be rechristened as Gary West) - and the new collective quickly began writing and recording songs in a loft space.

Known as "Brown's Band," the demos soon found their way to Seymour Stein, and The Beckies (renamed after West's wife) had a home. Sadly, as happens, the lack of live performances and promotions saw their debut sink without a trace, but those who heard it loved the power pop and lush Brown and Hodgdon compositions. A bit of a holy grail for those in the know, the album found folks scouring the used bins for a copy of The Beckies. Now, nearly 40 years after it's original release, the original album (and more!) returns on Good To Know: The Beckies Story.

The original 11-track album appears on the first disc, while the second contains 13 previously unissued songs from those original demo sessions - displaying the band's dynamics in a way the way their eventual album sometimes hinted at.

Remastered by Grammy-winning engineer Michael Graves, Good To Know: The Beckies Story also contains new liner notes from set co-Producer Daniel Coston, featuring interviews with remaining band members telling the story of The Beckies and their post-Beckies journeys. Good to know, indeed.