Landmarq & ESP Project

LANDMARQ (www.landmarq.net) Formed in 1990 and celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2020, Landmarq are a UK-based 'neoprogressive' rock band. The band have an extensive catalogue having so far released a total of ten albums, four of which were recorded live at various concerts in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, plus two official concert DVDs filmed in Poland (2006) and The Netherlands (2015). The band has also travelled further afield to perform at the Prog Day Festival in the USA and the Baja Prog festival in Mexico.

Following an enforced break around the end of the 2000's, Landmarq re-emerged in 2012 with the release of their eagerly anticipated album, “Entertaining Angels”. This proved to be a triumphant return for the band and was followed up with "Angels On Tour" with Landmarq performing once again at various festivals and venues in the UK and Europe.

A major change of line-up then occurred in 2018 when, due to relocation in both cases, vocalist Tracy Hitchings and drummer Danny Martin separately made the difficult decisions to move on from Landmarq. The three remaining members, Uwe D’rose, Mike Varty and Steve Gee, resolved to continue writing new material for a proposed new album while also beginning the search for Tracy’s and Danny’s replacements.

Following a series of auditions, the band settled once again back to full strength with the addition of vocalist Wolf Campen and drummer Andy Allen who were thrust straight into some intensive rehearsals in preparation for a series of live shows beginning in October 2018.

Landmarq went on to play a number of headline shows and festivals through 2018/19 with plans to continue writing and recording material for their new album, originally aiming for a 2020 release.

However, as we all know, in early 2020 the world changed. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the arts and entertainment industries were severely and drastically hit, particularly with all live performances being virtually stopped in their tracks. As with many other bands, artists and live performers, Landmarq had various shows cancelled in 2020. Various restrictions and lockdowns also prevented the band from recording, although they did manage to take part in the online Fusion 3 Lockdown Festival following the cancellation of the Fusion 3 live festival, an early ‘casualty’ of the pandemic.

Thankfully, as certain restrictions were eased, Landmarq were able to play a couple of dates between lockdowns in 2021, including the “Prog For Peart” festival plus a headline show at The 1865 venue in Southampton.

Now in 2022, as things seem finally to be returning to normal, Landmarq have several shows lined up through the year, including the now re-named and long-awaited Fusion 3.5 festival, the Soundle Festival, plus a series of double-headline shows with fellow ‘proggers’ ESP.

"...(Entertaining Angels album) ...a triumph...full of power and passion..." - Geoff Barton, Editor, 'Classic Rock' magazine, UK “...With 'Entertaining Angels', Landmarq not only live up to the quality of their back catalog, they exceed it...” - Jeff Matheus, Prognaut.com, USA

ESP Project:Tony Lowe’s ESP Project began in 2015/16 with ‘Invisible Din’ featuring numerous prog guests. Followed in 2018 by ’22 Layers of Sunlight’, with vocals and lyrics from Peter Coyle, they release their sixth studio album, anarchic curves in Spring 2022. Featuring the compositions of Tony Lowe, the poetic lyrics, and vocals of Peter Coyle – this album is a mesmerising addition to a highly reviewed body of work. Tony and Peter take us yet again into a conceptual and imaginative world full of beauty and passion with songs that move from melodic and symphonic to intense rock, creating an unforgettable offering to the ESP Project catalogue. The live band featuring Tony Lowe on guitar, Peter Coyle on vocals, Pete Clark on bass, Dave Etheridge on drums, and Cheryl Stringall on keyboards, go on the road with Landmarq Summer 2022.

Since 2016, the five ESP Project albums have garnered a combination of over 50 4-4.5/5-star reviews from the Music Press and several top 10 albums of the year awards. All albums are produced by Tony Lowe and released on the Sunn Creative label.

More at - http://esp-project.com/

Current Line-Up

• Peter Coyle – Vocals - formed The Lotus Eaters in 1982. He is best known for the international hit The First Picture of You which still enjoys regular airplay on many radio shows today and remains a firm favourite with both old and new listeners. He left the band in early 2017. Peter has written and recorded with Toyah, The Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie, Space’s David Yorkie Palmer, OMD’s Mal Holmes. A talented producer, he has worked with Steve Power (Robbie Williams, Julian Cope) Ronnie Stone (The Pixies) and has composed for the film (Powder 2011). He also recently worked with Heaven 17’s, Martyn Ware, where he performed at the National Portrait Gallery in London. He joined The ESP Project in 2018 and has also worked with Tony Lowe on a side project, 22 LAYERS.

• Tony Lowe – Guitars with Simon Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Modern English, Julian Lennon and many more. Producer to 'David Cross & Peter Banks' - ‘David Cross & Robert Fripp’, John Foxx, Toyah, Bram Stoker, Simon Townshend and more. In 2019 he produced Pete Banks tribute album ‘Crossover’ featuring David Cross and members of King Crimson and Yes and in 2021 began a side project with Peter Coyle called 22 LAYERS. He started The ESP Project in 2016 as composer, instrumentalist, and producer.

• Pete Clark – Bass – has played in many original bands since the early 1980’s. His taste in music is eclectic but a constant favourite has always been progressive rock. This interest has led to his current involvement with tribute bands “What The Floyd” and “Progfathers”. He has been a professional musician since 1989 and has performed with numerous cover/function bands including T-BASS where he met his singer/songwriter wife, Fran. Together they set up their own label and have produced and released two solo albums for Fran, “To Fly” (2007) and “Beautiful People” (2013). Pete has worked with the ESP Project since 2018.

• Dave Etheridge - Drums - began playing drums back in 1978 and has since played on many artists albums, in cover bands and was also bassist and co-lead vocalist with "Think Floyd" in 1997. With decades of drumming experience, he is currently playing with "Progfathers" and now joins the ESP Project.

• Cheryl Stringall  aka String – Keyboards – hails from a musical family and started playing and singing at age twelve. In her teens she took up guitar and percussion continuing until revisiting the keyboards during lockdown. Cheryl is the owner of the Sunn Creative label and the graphic artist, designer, and photographer for most of the albums released under the label. She has spent most of her life working in the musical spheres.

• Website: http://esp-project.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ESPProgProject - Handle for events @ESPProgProject

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESPProgProject

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esp.air/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ESPProject