WELCOME TO BLITZ MAGAZINE'S WEB SITE!

IT'S ALL FOR YOU: After a hiatus from the recording studio of more than three decades, composer and vocalist Todd Lawrence, professionally known as MILO BINDER has re-emerged triumphant with an all new collection of original material, The Unspeakable Milo Binder for the Heyday Again label. Editor/Publisher  Michael McDowell has the story under the Previous Posts heading at right.  (Click on above image to enlarge).

WELCOME TO THE INTERET HOME

FOR BLITZ MAGAZINE
SINCE 1975 -
THE ROCK AND ROLL MAGAZINE
FOR THINKING PEOPLE

Welcome to the official web site for Blitz, The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People. Since 1975, Blitz has been the leading voice for the discerning music enthusiast. Blitz Magazine was also one of the first magazines of its kind to embrace the internet, having also been online since January 1996.

Here you will find news and updates about all of the key artists essential to the growth and development of rock and roll music and related genres, including rhythm and blues, country and western, jazz and easy listening. For highlights from recent past editions of the Bits And Pieces and Shape Of Things To Come columns, click on the archival postings on the right hand side of this page. Be sure and check back frequently for regular updates.

If you have any questions, please e-mail us at BlitzMcD@aol.com.

Michael McDowell
Editor/Publisher
Blitz Magazine
Since 1975 - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People
E-Mail us at BlitzMcD@aol.com for a list of available back issues.

Be sure to follow Blitz on Twitter:

@BlitzMagazine

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Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People

AUDREY'S MUSICAL JOURNEY:

Follow the fascinating and unfolding tale (through her favorite music) of the life and times of Blitz Magazine's late and beloved Photo Editor, Audrey McDowell, as told by her husband, Blitz Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell. A Facebook exclusive! "Like" us on Facebook at Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People, and watch for further installments.

IN THE BITS AND PIECES COLUMN:

LUV' co-founder PATTY BRARD celebrated her seventieth birthday with Patty's Panter Party; a summit meeting with nine colleagues from such legendary vocal outfits as Babe, Mai Tai, Maywood, Frizzle Sizzle and the Dolly Dots before a capacity crowd at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome on 14 March.

In keeping up with his role as the logical successor to the late James Brown's title of The Hardest Working Man In Show Business, JEREMY MORRIS has released a most impressive seven new albums within the past year. Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell catches up with the Portage, Michigan - based multi-tasking pastor in a free standing article under the Previous Posts heading at right.

Hers was a richly diverse body of work that has continued to inspire for more than a half century. Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell re-evaluates the legacy of ROBERTA FLACK, who succumbed to a three year battle against ALS on 24 February 2025 at age 88.

She was a fierce individualist and master of high drama, with such landmark releases as Come And Stay With Me, Broken English and This Little Bird to her credit. We pay tribute to MARIANNE FAITHFULL, who passed away on 30 January at age 78.

Their Double Dynamite image served them well, as they turned out some of the most enduring and influential recordings in music history. We salute SAM AND DAVE co-founder SAM MOORE, who succumbed to complications following surgery on 10 January.

In a free standing article under the Previous Posts heading at right, composer and vocalist MILO BINDER and producer WILLIE ARON discuss their triumphant new studio collaboration, The Unspeakable Milo Binder.

IN THE REISSUES / ANTHOLOGIES SECTION OF

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME COLUMN:

Archivist and historial Zev Feldman continues his acclaimed deep dive into the legacy of the legendary keyboard virtuoso BILL EVANS, with a deluxe edition of Evans' landmark 1970 concert at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival in Norway.

The current state of the genre has given many a purist the blues. However, Zev Feldman's Deep Digs label has come to the rescue with a heretofore collection of live recordings made in France in 1977 by the late guitarist and composer, B.B. KING.

True to form, Roger Maglio's prolific Gear Fab label remains ahead of the curve with its recent reissue of the enigmatic and highly charismatic Children Of The Lord, the 1975 album by the band SILVER.

Bob Seger And The Last Heard, Dion DiMucci, Bobby Darin, Eric Andersen, Donovan Leitch, Dino Valenti, Billy Joe Royal and P.F. Sloan are among the artists featured on Bear Family's twenty-five track He Took Us By Storm collection, featuring classic original recordings inspired by BOB DYLAN.

Pioneering rocker, Gospel witness extraordinare and virtuoso guitarist SISTER ROSETTA THARPE is the subject of a magnificent collection of heretofore unavailable live recordings from 1966, which are now available on the Deep Digs label.

IN THE NEW RELEASES SECTION OF

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME COLUMN:

Indoor Safari, the all new NICK LOWE album with LOS STRAITJACKETS is rapidly proving to be one of the best new albums of the year. Michael McDowell covers both album and tour support. 

With Half & Half, Bay Area composer and vocalist LARA PRICE has turned in an album on par with her 2015 masterpiece, I Mean Business.

Following a few personnel changes, the Northern California - based MONOGROOVE is back with a vengeance with their all new Tje Flip Side album for Tap Tunes Records. 

The tour de force New Jersey nartive known as DEVON MARIE is creating quite a sensation among aficionados of high drama with her brand new Steve Brown-produced single, Miss You Blue.

The CYRKLE is back with a vengeance with their all new, ambitious Big Stir label album, Revival. 

Composer and vocalist AMANDA FISH brings the world to its knees before presenting it  with the ultimate solution in her third and latest Vizztone label release, Kingdom.

With its cerebral approach to the subject of unrequited love, it became an instant classic upon its release on the nineteenth of April. Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell takes a look at the creative process behind The Tortured Poets Departtment, the all new album by TAYLOR SWIFT. 

JEREMY MORRIS INTERVIEW

ROAD TO PARADISE: With a remarkable seven new albums to his credit in 2024 alone, JEREMY MORRIS has once again reiterated his right to being the logical successor to the late James Brown's title of The Hardest Working Man In Show Businews Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell catches up below (Click on above image to enlarge).

NEW ADVENTURES:

CATCHING UP WITH

JEREMY MORRIS

By Michael McDowell

Many people long for a Brighter Day. But Jeremy Morris sang of it and lives it.

As the logical successor to the late James Brown's title of The Hardest Working Man In Show Business, the Portage, Michigan - based Morris successfully balances an itinerary that staggers the imagination: Pastor, family man, record label president, session musician, producer and musicologist are among the many responsibilities that he nevigates on a daily basis. 

And of course recording artist.

"I released seven albums in 2024", said Morris. 

Those in addition to an impressive catalog that includes more than five dozen releases, dating back to the 1970s. Comprised primarily of original material, Morris' albums reflect a healthy blend of the Gospel, garage and psych rock and prog rock.

Of those, The Future Is The Past is one that is most likely to placate all factions, with such standout titles as The Writing's On The Wall and Brand New Brain. Among his most endearing such projects since his extended cover of the Lemon Pipers' 1967 signature single, Green Tambourine some months ago.

The most recent of the lot is one that also lives up to its title: The Promise.

"Released on the ninth of December", said Morris. 

While of course a tie-in with Christmas was inevitable, The Promise more accurately celebrates the timeless truths of the Gospel via such engaging cuts as Can't Judge A Book, Shake The Dust and the eyebrow-raising The Redemption Of Dirty Mac.

Moreover, Wonderful takes the impact of the Gospel a step further with Morris' occasionally otherworldly delivery. Standout tracks such as You Make It All Work, Sing It Shout It, He's The Light and Jesus Is Brighter make Wonderful a musical overview of the Gospel in their own right. Its ad hoc companion piece, Mystery Of The Seven Stars takes the message to the next level via seven extended tracks that are sure to placate the Prog Rock contingent among the faithful.

Several other related projects have recently also seen the light of day from Morris' JAM label. Foremost among them is the archival Soul Saver.

" '70s recordings", said Morris.

"First time on CD!"

While Morris generally opts for the solo route in his recordings, he does have a number of acclaimed duo and/or group projects to his credit. The latest among them is the twelve-track collection, Footprints.

"With Ken Stringfellow", said Morris. 

The Hollywood native's credits include various projects with the Posies, Big Star, White Flag, Hawk and others. Stringfellow and Morris' studio chemistry is particularly evident in this latest project. 

Perhaps the most acclaimed of Morris' side ventures is his body of work with the Lemon Clocks. Their latest release, New Adventures contains much that will please the demanding garage and psych factions, including Vultures, Atmosphere and Cosmic Happy Helmet.

Most notably, the family man aspect of Morris' curriculum vitae shines particulatly brightly on one of JAM's  first new releases for 2025 by the Overly Polite Tornadoes.

"Mark and Holly Morris", said Morris, in reference to the group's Leave A Space album. Their trademark dreamscape approach avails itself quite succintly in Gravity's Pull, Lighting All The Candles and A Dream Of Golden Spoons.

Most encouragingly for the new year, Morris and the JAM label have stepped outside of the family plan for the debut album by compose and vocalist Jim Sadler.

"An eighty-four year old artist", said Morris.

"(With a) blues flavor. He makes his debut on JAM".

On top of this ongoing whirlwind of activity, Morris has also found the time to host a podcast, in which his musicologist side is showcased via his celebration of various albums from his vast archives. Recently in the spotlight on his podcast have been such classics as The Kink Chronicles compilation by the Kinks and Sugarloaf's 1970 debut album for Liberty. 

In all of it, Morris also finds the time to diligently search for additions to those archives. 

"I saw him at the recent record show in Kalamazoo", said one prominent area vinyl vendor. 

"There you go!", said Morris.

Indeed, Morris' ability to successfully balance such a vast array of responsibilities on an ongoing basis is reflective of his prioritization of the Gospel which he champions in his music, in the pulpit at Freedom Church in Portage and in the shining example he sets overall. In the words of one of the standout cuts from his Wonderful album, Morris is a sterling example of what happens when one opts to Let Love Flow.

MILO BINDER INTERVIEW

I ASKED THE WORLD: More than three decades after the release of his debut album, composer and vocalist Todd Lawrence, professionally knowns as MILO BINDER has returned with a magnificent collection known as The Unspeakable Milo Binder. Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking Peolple Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell discusses the highlights of this project with Binder and producer Willie Aron   (Click on above image to enlarger).

I THINK I HEARD

HIS NAME BEFORE:

THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN

OF MILO BINDER

By Michael McDowell

Sometimes inspiration takes a while to avail itself.

In the case of the Vancouver, Washington-based composer and vocalist Todd "Milo Binder" Lawrence, that inspiration took more than three decades to bear fruit. Despite the acclaim afforded his 1990 self-titled debut album for Atlas Records, it wasn't until 2024 that Binder's remarkable gift for a turn of phrase was manifest in The Unspeakable Milo Binder for the Heyday Again label.

"The reason I took so long (was) a bunch of life circumstances", said Binder.

"The main ones were the birth of my daugher with a serious disability, making life on the road impossible; and the death of my manager, John Schillaci, not long after the release of the first album."

One fellow visionary who discerned that the time was right was Binder's long time colleague, Willie Aron. As co-founder of Thee Holy Brothers (with Lone Justice alumnus Marvin Etzioni) and the game changing Balancing Act, Aron was instrumental in encouraging Binder to return to the studio.

"Todd Lawrence / Milo Binder has been my best friend since the late 1980s, ever since he and John Schillaci saw the Balancing Act perform at Be Bop Records in the San Fernando Valley", said Aron.

"We had an immediate soul connection that we have maintained for nearly forty years. I was immediately captivated by Todd's incisive, witty, wry, soulful songwriting craft".

As demonstrated in abundance in The Unspeakable Milo Binder, that craft both uplifts and challenges exponentially, in a cerebral / emotional hybrid not unlike that which which characterized the art of such like minded visionaries as Eric Andersen, Dave Van Ronk and perhaps even the Balancing Act itself. 

"The songs are a mix of ones left over from the old days, and things I wrote in the last year or two", said Binder. 

Not surprisingly, Aron came on board as producer for the project. 

"I trusted Willie to manage the sonic landscape", said Binder.

Ultimately, that landscape turned out to be a logical progression from the acoustic settings in which the overall repertoire was developed.

"We kept the personnel small", said Binder.

"Just Willie and me, Victor Krummenacher, Kevin Jarvis and engineer Jeff Peters".

To be certain, players such as Krummenacher were an ideal fit for the proceedings. 

"Victor Krummenacher, bassist for Camper Van Beethoven and the Third Mind - in which I perform as guest keyboardist - completed work on the album in Los Angeles at Kevin Jarvis' Sonic Boom Room", said Aron.

"As a producer, I tried to stay out of the way by eschewing going for a sonic imprint. I added instruments like piano, organ, harpsichord, guitar and percussion as sparingly as possible, and only if they served the songs. 

"You know the record producer Mickie Most? I should start calling myself Mickie Least!"

The resultant album is a triumph on all counts. Binder's lyrical strengths are particularly evident in such attention getting tracks as I Asked The World, Green Coin Purse, You And Your Boyfriend and Our Little War. In turn, such magnificent examples of the subtle intensity pioneered by such pioneers as the late Michael Holliday make their mark in Tipped-Over Night, You Must Break The Heart, Don't Fly Away and I Should Be Your Man.

"I don't know", said Binder.

"I think these are pertinent things. What do I know?"

Aron is quick to put Binder's concerns into perspective.

"After a long period of musical inactivity, Todd started writing again and again and again", he said.

"He had amassed an impressive group of songs. I encouraged him to record."

Indeed, the accolades afforded The Unspeakable Milo Binder in the weeks since its release have both served to underscore Aron's observations and assuage Binder's concerns. To invoke a standout track from that 1990 debut, it has brought Suffering Into Art full circle.

BITS AND PIECES - NEWS ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS By Michael McDowell

LIFE IS ON MY SIDE: LUV' co-founder PATTY BRARD celebrated her seventieth birthday in grand fashion before a capacity crowd at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome on 14 March with Patty's Panter Party. Therein, she teamed up with nine fellow legends from such pioneering vocal outfits as Babe, Mai Tai, the Dolly Dots, Frizzle Sizzle, Maywod and Centerfold.  Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell celebrates accordingly below. (Photo courtesy of Patty Brard) (Click on above image to enlarge).

THE NIGHT OF LUV':

PATTY BRARD'S

PANTER PARTY

REUNITES THE GREATS

Sometimes a summit meeting is answered prayer.

Such was the case in Amsterdam on 14 March, when nine of the giants of the Netherlands' most treasured vocal groups joined forces to celebrate Luv' co-founder Patty Brard's seventieth birthday. 

With such monster classics as Trojan Horse (issued on Polydor in the U.S.), Casanova, You're The Greatest Lover and Saint Tropez to their credit, Luv' (Brard, Jose Hoebee and Marga Scheide) and their producer, the late Hans van Hemert firmly established themselves as one of the twentieth century's premier vocal trios. Sadly, Hoebee's health challenges have prevented them from persevering as a unit for the time being. 

Undaunted, and with her seventieth birthday approaching, Brard called upon veterans of several other pioneering vocal units to join forces for a one-off summit meeting. That event, Patty's Panter Party took place before a capacity crowd at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome on 14 March. 

Chief among the other participants was Babe lead vocalist Marga Bult. Together with Rita van Rooy and Margot van de Ven, Babe established one of the most impressive legacies in all of music with such game changing singles as Dolly The Doll, Explosive, (Don't You Ever) Shop Around, Boomerang, Shocking, Indian Habits and their utterly stupendous Together In Love Again. While Babe has been on a professional sabbatical since 1986, Bult, van Rooy and van de Ven remain close.

Also participating in the summit meeting were veterans of several other beloved vocal groups. They included Rowan Moore of Centerfold, Caren Wood of Maywood, Anita Heilker and Esther Oosterbeek of the Dolly Dots (whose 1981 Keep On Doing It single saw release on Atlantic in the United States), Caroline De Windt and Jetty Weels or Mai Tai, and Laura Vlasblom and Mandy Huydts of Frizzle Sizzle. 

"Thank you for a fantastic birthday party", said Brard.

"Nothing but love!"

"You and your entire production team threw a great birthday party", Bult added.

"Made so many people happy!"

To quote a classic cut from the 1978 debut album by Luv', it was a Dream Dream come true.

LOVE AND LET LOVE:

REAPPRAISING

ROBERTA FLACK

(1937 - 2025)

Sometimes first impressions should not be enduring ones.

In the early 1970s, mainstream rock demonstrated a high level of enamoration with dirges. That is, slow to mid tempo material, with the emphasis on mood (which was frequently melancholy or somber), and often at the expense of songwriting. Its omnipresence was enough to inspire a backlash among the increasingly disenfranchised purist contingent, ultimately leading to the indie rock revolution at mid-decade. 

Ironically one hit 45 which fit that model impeccably was a three year old album cut when it made its mark as a single in 1972. Composed by Ewan McColl and previously recorded by the Kingston Trio on their New Frontier LP in 1962, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face ultimately became a hit from the Atlantic label First Take album by composer, vocalist, pianist, one time school teacher and Black Mountain, North Carolina native, Roberta Cleopatra Flack.

At the time, that single was not exactly met with enthusiasm on this end. The so-called dirge era did much to fuel disillusionment with what the great Michael Nesmith astutely referred to as the Grand Ennui. And while subsequent Flack singles such as Killing Me Softly With His Song and her Where Is The Love duet with the late Donny Hathaway did raise the enamoration factor somewhat, the impetus to investigate further was ultimately long in coming.

Nonetheless, it came. 

Around the turn of the century, a journalistic colleague who was an ardent champion of Flack's work encouraged further investigation. As it turned out, he was right. 

From the onset, Flack's catalog proved to be full of pleasant surprises. They included an astute pairing of Leonard Cohen's Hey That's No Way To Say Goodbye and the Gene McDaniels-penned Les McCann and Eddie Harris monster classic, Compared To What on a 1969 Atlantic 45. It was followed by the utterly stupendous, Gospel-flavored Go Up Moses, the magnificent Heaven Above Me duet with Peabo Bryson for Capitol in 1983 and 1988's ambitious Shock To My System.

In turn, Flack's albums reflected rich and inspiring diversity of genre that ran the gamut from her cerebral Blue Lights In The Basement LP to the soul/Gospel fervor of her 2006 live album for Deluxe. Suffice to say that any such initial misgivings about that 1972 Atlantic single were more than assuaged in the process. 

Sadly, Flack was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in 2022. She succumbed to the disease on the morning of 24 February 2025. Flack was 88.

DREAMIN' MY DREAMS:

REMEMBERING

MARIANNE FAITHFULL

(1946 - 2025)

Rare is the vocalist who can both master the high drama approach and sustain it at optimum level over long periods of time.

Among the absolute masters in that respect are Gene Pitney, Janis Joplin and George Jones. Standing tall alongside of them would be vocalist, actress and Hampstead, London native Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull. 

The daughter of a military intelligence officer and and an aristocrat, Faithfull endured health challenges in her formative years; mostly via recurring bouts of tuberculosis. She also attended a convent school, where she studied drama. 

By 1964, Faithfull's interest in folk music led to frequent appearances at coffee houses. That year, she was discovered by Rolling Stones manager and producer, Andrew Loog Oldham. She signed with London records in the United States and Decca in the UK. By October, her As Tears Go By single toppled the Supremes' Baby Love off of the number one position on suburban Detroit's highly influential AM radio outlet, WKNR Keener 13.

The triumphs followed in rapid succession, including This Little Bird (also recorded by the Nashville Teens for MGM), Go Away From My World, Counting and the sublime Come And Stay With Me. Her magnificent Summer Nights single was also covered impeccably for Dot by Lawrence Welk.

Although Faithfull faced a number of well publicized challenges by decade's end and into the 1970s, she ultimately bounced back with a vengeance. Her 1971 Rich Kid Blues album was widely hailed as a game changer, as was 1979's Broken English. She had also made her mark in motion pictures, with key roles in Hamlet, Marie Antoinette and The Girl On A Motorcycle.

Sadly, Faithfull passed away in her London home on 30 January, with family members at her side. She was 78.

I THANK YOU:

REMEMBERING

SAM AND DAVE'S

SAM MOORE

(1935 - 2025)

"Dave and I may have had some differences in the past. But when it comes to music, we are FOR REAL!!"

So said Sam And Dave co-founder and Miami, Florida native Samuel David "Sam" Moore in an interview published in Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People in 1978. Indeed, few musical duos delivered as consistently and intensely as did Moore and his late colleague, David Prater Junior. So much so that one of their acclaimed albums for the Stax label was aptly titled, Double Dynamite.

Sam And Dave made their debut for Henry Stone's Marlin label in 1961. The following year, the ambitious duo joined forces with the great Morris Levy at Roulette Records, for whom they recorded several additional singles and an album.

It was during their tenure with Roulette that Moore and Prater learned a valuable lesson that would ultimately shape and define their musical mission statement. At one recording session, the legendary Sam Cooke stopped by the control booth to offer encouragement and advice. Duly motivated, Moore and Prater gave it their all in the studio for Cooke, complete with their on stage choreography.

To their dismay, Cooke turned his back to them during their entire performance. Moore perceived Cooke's gesture as an affront and confronted him. However, Cooke explained that the average listener who purchased their records would not have such a visual image at their disposal, and would only be able to assess them via the music found in the record itself. 

That bit of sage advice stuck with Moore and Prater, and served them well upon signing with Stax in 1965. Indeed, their partnership with Stax proved to be one of the most productive in music history, producing such monster classics as You Don't Know Like I Know, I Take What I Want, Soul Man, I Thank You and their utterly stupendous Hold On! I'm Comin'.

When Blitz Magazine met with Moore in 1978, years of the realities of the business had taken their toll.

"We just released a version of the Beatles' song, We Can Work It Out", he said.

"I don't have any hope for it though, because I don't think the company will give it any push".

Nonetheless, their live performance that evening assured them otherwise.

"I leaned over to one of the tables in the middle of the show and said to a guy sitting there, 'I don't understand this. How come you people are enjoying us so much?' ", he said. 

"And he said, 'Because we're starving for this kind of music, man!' "

Moore and Prater continued to perform together until Prater's tragic passing in an automobile accident in Georgia in April 1988. Sadly, Moore also succumbed to complications following surgery in Coral Gables, Florida on 10 January. He is survived by his wife Joyce, daughter Michelle and two grandchildren. Moore was 89.

HOT SHOT:

BABE'S MARGA BULT'S

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

OF GRATITUDE

Birthdays can be a mixed blessing.

On one hand, a birthday can signify accomplishment and joy. Conversely, birthdays can also serve as a reminder of everything from loss to the aging process. 

In general, Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People does not chronicle birthday and / or anniversary celebrations, primarily because of the high volume of celebrants involved. Nonetheless, exceptions are made upon occasion when the event occurs in tandem with other developments in the career of a given artist. 

Such is definitely the case this year with Babe lead vocalist Marga Bult, whose recovery from injuries sustained in a fall at home several weeks ago has been chronicled extensively in Blitz Magazine. Thankfully, Bult's recovery has progressed to the degree that she has pretty much been able to resume her normal day to day routine.

Since succeeding outgoing lead vocalist Gemma Van Eck (who opted for a solo career) in the closing weeks of 1981, Bult and her Babe colleagues Rita van Rooy and Margot van de Ven spent the next half decade establishing the beloved Dutch trio as one of the premier vocal groups of the twentieth century. 

In the process, Babe also tirelessly championed the most essential attribute of relentless optimism in their mission statement. Not surprisingly, that virtue (along with her trademark sense of humor) continued to serve Bult well as she made plans for her 02 July birthday celebration in the wake of her recent challenges. 

"I notice now that I'm getting older that I'm getting much stronger", Bult said with tongue in cheek.

"I can lift 150 Euros' worth of groceries now! That didn't work before".

On a slightly more serious note, Bult opted to trransform her 02 July birthday observance into a combination celebration with her son (whose celebrated his own birthday on 01 July) and a family holiday.

"I turned a year older, but for the first time, I'm celebrating it in Altea", she said.

"You have to experience everything in life at least once, right? (My family and I) are making it a very sunny and cozy party together".

Meanwhile, Babe's legions of devotees continue to hold out hope that one of Bult, van Rooy and van der Ven's frequent reunion meetings will result in the most welcome news of  a return to the recording studio, to live performance or both. Babe has been on a professional sabbatical since 1986, although they remain in close contact with one another. 

"Sweet, thank you", said Bult, who is also a registered nurse.

And a reciprocal thank you to Marga Bult from Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People, with a benediction for birthday blessings in abundance.