MASS

***German Heavy Metal Band's 'Angel Power' (1980) & 'Swiss Connection' (1982) albums re - released on April 12th ­ First of new SPV "Rare Classics" Series***

German hard rock band Mass, whose star shined bright for just ten years after formation in 1976, before drug addiction and alcoholism took their heavy toll and forced the group's implosion in 1986, are set to re-release two of their classic albums on April 12th.

'Angel Power' and 'Swiss Connection', originally released (only on vinyl) in 1980 and 1982 respectively, have both been re-mastered, enriched with bonus tracks, liner notes, plus rare photos, and will be issued in CD digipak versions on April 12th, the first releases under the new banner "SPV 'Rare Classics'".

Mass, from Regensburg, not only built a sizeable following in Germany, but also in Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Benelux, Greece, and the UK, where they were championed by Tommy Vance on the Radio One Rock Show and Tony Jasper on BFBS (who played 'Time Runs Out' numerous times) in the early 80's. During their heyday Mass played up to 180 concerts a year, and toured with the likes of Rose Tattoo, Thin Lizzy, UFO, Pretty Things, Golden Earing, Krokus, Loudness, Wild Turkey, Spencer Davis Group and The Edgar Broughton Band.

Mass sold over 200,000 albums before imploding in 1986, but could have achieved much, much more; "We were too young and took too many noxious substances" reflects bassist Gunter V Radny, founder member, and the only musician still fully fit today. He regrets that "A reunion of the classic line-up would not be possible anymore, not even for a million Euros", noting the high price his former band members paid for ten years of plentiful alcohol and drug consumption; "Johannes Eder has been half paralysed by a stroke, Jack Burnside also lives in a care home, while Dave Schreiber has psychologically spaced out and lives on another planet."

At the time 'Angel Power' was recorded in the Union Studio in Munich in 1980, Mass were playing at a lot of biker gigs, inspiring the title track and album name but "No small number of people believed that 'Angel Power' was an indication of drugs, however this was not the case" states Radny.

Particular highlights on 'Swiss Connection', recorded in 1982 in New Sound Studio in Pfeaffikon, Switzerland, with producer Martin Pearson, are 'Red Lights And Whiskey' ("which describes our former lives") as well as 'Fade Out', dedicated to Bon Scott of AC/DC. "I have chosen 'Firebird' which is almost ten minutes long, as bonus track. This was the highlight of our concerts in the starting days and we recorded it together with Josef (Beppo) Hartl as a singer (deceased in 1998) and our former English guitarist Mick Thackeray in the Studio 70 in Munich in 1975. Unfortunately, the original tapes are missing, and this track has been restored best possible from an old music cassette. In my view the zeitgeist is exactly reflected by this song." (Radny).

Critical Mass - Roland Hyams on 020 8677 8466 / 8769 6713

roland@workhardpr.com

www.mass-rock.com

17th March 2010

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