Over the last year or so, Ive been trying to increase the availability of Cloud9 Mission music on the internet. Ive created accounts with most of the leading Download Stores as well as CafePress to ensure that all current and future Cloud9 Mission releases are more widely available.

Here is a list of links where you can download/purchase Cloud9 Mission music:

  – Buy Cloud9 Mission CD’s and other merchandise

  – Download Cloud9 Mission music at Itunes

  – Download Cloud9 Mission music at Rhapsody.com

  – Download Cloud9 Mission music at Napster.com

  – Download Cloud9 Mission music at Emusic.com

  – Download Cloud9 Mission music at Sony Connect

  – Download Cloud9 Mission music at TuneTribe.com

More stores will be added in the future. Stay tuned and huge thanks to those that have bought Cloud9 Mission music via these providers so far.

You can now also purchase and download Cloud9 – Disc One and all other forthcoming albums at the Sony Connect store.

Download Cloud9 – Disc One at Sony Connect

Visit The Cloud9 Mission at Sony Connect

You can now also purchase and download Cloud9 – Disc One and all other forthcoming albums on the Emusic.com store.

Download Cloud9 – Disc One on Emusic.com

Visit The Cloud9 Mission on Emusic.com

On Emusic.com, you can only listen to a 30 second sample and downloads only cost $0.99 each. Get the full album for a total of $8.91. If your new to Emusic.com, you also get 25 free downloads when you sign up.

Cloud9 – Disc One Preview Tracks:

1. Cloud9
2. Greatest Fool
3. Scenic Route
4. Phunckibitch
5. Thump
6. What Really Matters
7. Folded Wings
8. Let Me Show You
9. Make Funk Not War

Preview full album

(Please note, an Emusic.com account is required)

Another awesome night! Got a ticket for this gig at the last minute as one of my students was going and had an extra one.

Had much better seats this time, I was sitting in row C seat 74. I was so close he even made eye contact with me during the guitar solo in Purple Rain (geeky I know, but cool lol). The sound seems to have been fixed from last time too, not sure if it was just the better seats though. I could actually hear the bass and drums properly and I have to say that Cora and Josh are awesome. Cora especially has a very interesting and inventive touch on the drums, he even used the ‘not bad for a girl’ line lol. No instrumentals from the band tonight, just Renato and Mr hayes on Synths. Prince played a lot more guitar and the horns were a little more toned down.

The set was a little short and people were booing before and after the encore whenever Prince disappeared off stage which I thought was a little unecessary (it was’nt that short really). I feared there would be a riot before the encore as a lot of people were complaining and booing around me. Prince came onstage around 9:00 and it was all finished by about 10:45. Beverly Knight was an awesome addition, been a fan of hers for ages. She walked past me and I could’nt believe how tiny she was, one of the best voices in UK soul at the moment.

Was a little dissapointed that it was almost the same setlist but there was enough variety to keep me intrigued. Heres a list of the songs played tonight:

• 1999
• Musicology
• Cream
• U Got The Look
• Shhh
• Take Me With U
• Guitar
• Somewhere Here On Earth
• 7
• Forever In My life
• If I Was Your Girlfriend
• Black Sweat
• Kiss
• Purple Rain
• Mr Hayes and Renato on synths
• Alphabet Street
• I Feel For U
• Controversy
• Let’s Go Crazy

Then there was a long break and the house lights came on followed by booing at the short length of the set. Prnce and the band made their way through the crowd and played the following encores:

• Crazy
• Nothing Compares 2 U

Was not expecting 1999 as he said he had retired it on the 2000 concert video I have. Also Forever In My Life (and pretty much anything from Sign O The Times) is one of my favourites. He performed it minus the band at first with a backing track. No solo Guitar or Piano tonight but it made my night when he played a Bass solo on Black Sweat. I was really hoping he would get the Bass out as hes one of my biggest influences on Bass (and the rest). After the solo he went to hand the bass to a member of the crowd but cheekily pulled it back when the fan made a grab for it lol.

I stayed around for a while after the encore just incase he did another like on opening night. While we were waiting to see if he’d come back on, the crew carried a keyboard with a heart shaped stand onto the stage. The crowd cheered, clearly thinking there would be another encore (and a solo Piano one at that!). Then an anouncer said they would be closing shortly and we had to leave over the tannoy.

Like many, the aftershow would have meant missing the train home but I did get the impression he was saving his energy for something tonight hence the fairly short performance. Wish I could have gone though. I think I will still try to see the last night and Im gonna try my best to get to the aftershow. Many thanks to Alex for the ticket tonight!

Im definatly feeling the Prince geek in me making a comeback. Ive been a huge fan since I was 12. I would’nt say I had gone off him but I had a few disappointments with recent releases and I listen to mostly Gospel music these days. But now Prince has been back in my CD player for two weeks now. Hes the number one reason I learned to play so many instruments and started The Cloud9 Mission project in the first place. Ive always dreamed that one day I will play Drums in his band.

My Other Prince Ticket

As you all have probably gathered from the videos just lately, first and foremost Im a Drummer. I play other instruments but Ive only ever gigged on Drums. Tonight was a little surreal as I ended up playing Bass for New Groove Formation! I usually play drums for this band but we were doing an accoustic gig and the bass player had to work. So the Percussionist took care of the drums while I played bass.

It was surreal for so many reasons. I don’t really have problems with nerves when I play drums anymore as I guess Im getting used to it. But Ive not been that nervous before a gig for a long time. Not only that but I didnt really know the bass parts very well as I dont usually worry about what key the music is in when Im drumming lol. Also, it felt strange to be with my usual band but playing the wrong instrument. I always knew our bass player Faz was awesome but I have even more respect now after trying to play his lines. Lets just say I was putting in half as many notes as he does. Respect Faz!

All in all, I felt it didnt go too bad. A few bum notes and timing issues but I think it was ok, just hope the rest of the band think so lol. Huge thanks to Pat from Carousel Sound Lab for lending me some bass equipment! Check out the mighty New Groove Formation on Myspace and on the videos page on this website.

What an awesome opening night. Ive been a huge Prince fan since I was about 12 years old but Ive never had a chance to see him live before for one reason or another. Let just say that the concert videos and live CDs I have do not do him enough justice. Ive never seen a show like it, the new symbol shaped stage looks awesome and the band is the tightest Ive seen him with. I was sitting in row R seat 292 which seemed a little too far from the stage at first but, as the symbol stage and show is really meant to be viewed from above, it was a great seat. Prince kicked off the show with Purple Rain and next thing I know, I’m sat about 50ft from one of my biggest musical influences!

True I missed John Blackwell and Rhonda Smith but Cora Dunham and her husband are a worthy replacement. Maceo Parker was really on form with some spine tingling solos and one note that lasted well over a minute (must have been circular breathing or something). The concert really featured the band a lot and they played a few solo/instrumental numbers while Prince changed the wardrobe. Renato and Mr Hayes did a great job making the relatively small ensemble sound huge. The Twinz really reminded me of Diamonds and Pearls too. 

Prince was exclusively Guitar and Vocals on this gig, no Piano, Bass or Drums etc. The sound in the venue was pretty bad, could not hear much bass or spoken words but that seems to be the case with a lot of venues this size. The set list was awesome, lots of my favourites in there. Here’s a set list in running order:

• Purple Rain
• Girls & Boys (with DMSR)
• Satisfied
• Cream
• U Got The Look
• Shhh
• Musicology
• Controversy
• I Feel For You
• What A Wonderful World
• Somewhere Here On Earth
• Lolita
• Black Sweat
• Kiss
• If I Was Your Girlfriend
• Pink Cashmere (with ‘The One U Wanna C’)
• 7
• Come Together (Beatles)
• Take Me With U
• Guitar
• Planet Earth
• Crazy (with ‘One Nation Under a Groove’ by Funkadelic on a vocoder)
• Nothing Compares 2 U
• Let’s Go Crazy 

After this the house lights came on and people began to head towards the exits. It all seemed a little short but then we heard the crowd cheer, Prince was in the audience surrounded by 6 body guards. We rushed back into the venue and Prince walked on stage to play a few solo guitar/vocal songs before inviting the band back up for some encores. I had an even better view as, much to the security’s dismay, the seating arrangements went out of the window and people were standing around the stage. It was quite odd as the venue was almost half empty now and I think some people may have missed the encores thinking the show was over. Here’s the list of encores:

• Little Red Corvette
• Raspberry Beret
• Sometimes It Snows in April
• Get On The Boat
• A Love Bizarre
• Le Freak (Chic)

The house lights came on again and we were a little scared to leave at this point just in case he started up again lol. There was another cheer as we were walking out which sounded like another encore but Ive since found out it was a roadie tripping over whilst clearing the stage.

Definitely the best £31.21 Ive ever spent. I enjoyed it so much that Im going to try and get tickets to the last night of the concert and aftershow too. Prince has rehearsed 120 hits for the 21 nights at the O2 so its likely it will not be the same set list anyway. Shame we had to get the train back as there were still tickets available on the door for the aftershow!

My Prince Ticket

Photo by soulville21 on myspace (stardance on Prince.org)