Clive Nolan is a British musician, composer and producer who has played a prominent role in the recent development of progressive rock. He has been the regular keyboard player in Pendragon (1986 - current), Shadowland (1992 - 1996), Strangers on a Train (1993 - 1994) and Arena (1995 - current), as well as writing lyrics for Arena and producing or co-producing several other bands' albums. In an interview he claimed that the only reason he can manage so many projects at once is that he has no life outside music. In 1999 Nolan teamed up with Oliver Wakeman to create the all-new progressive rock album Jabberwocky. This album was released under Verglas label. A vast array of artists was involved in this project, including Peter Banks (Yes), Peter Gee (Pendragon), Ian Salmon (Shadowland, Janison Edge) on guitar and Tracy Hitchings (Quasar, Gandalf, Strangers on a Train, Landmarq) vocals. Rick Wakeman narrates the piece. Some vocal parts are performed by Michelle Young. (full album review)
Recent career
In 1998, he played synth solos on Ayreon's album Into the Electric Castle, and again in 2000 on Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator, on the song "Into the Black Hole", which was sung by Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, with backing vocals by Lana Lane. In 2002, Nolan created a musical adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles, also featuring Tracy Hitchings on vocals, with Karl Groom (Shadowland), Arjen Lucassen and Peter Banks on guitars, Peter Gee and John Jowitt (IQ) on Bass and Tony Fernandez on drums. Vocalists playing characters in the story include Robert Powell as Doctor John Watson, Bob Catley as Sir Henry Baskerville, Michelle Young as Mrs Laura Lyons, and Ashley Holt as Doctor James Mortimer. In 2003 Nolan wrote lyrics for Edge of Sanity's "Crimson II". In 2004, Nolan also sang backing vocals for Dragonforce's second album Sonic Firestorm. There is also a video of Clive Nolan playing a keyboard solo on Dragonforce's official website. Nolan has performed a number of concerts with Nick Barrett, Pendragon's lead singer, as Nolan & Barrett, playing what they describe as stripped-down versions of songs by Nolan's bands using only acoustic guitar, electric piano and vocals. One of such concerts was released on DVD as A Rush of Adrenaline (2006). Nolan is currently creating a double-cd and dvd called: She, helped by a Polish female singer Agnieszka Swita and has already released a 5-track EP called Closer. The project has got the name "Caamora". The first production will be a musical version of the novel, She due to release in 2007.
