The Daily Mining Gazette - Published: Thursday, October 04, 2007 Print Article | Close Window Following ‘A Valid Path’ back to the Rozsa By KELLY FOSNESS, DMG Writer HOUGHTON – Two quite separate music worlds will fuse when the Alan Parsons Live Project joins the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. “The world of rock and roll, with the lights and amplification, and the world of the symphony orchestra,” explained Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra Conductor Dr. Milton Olsson. And it won’t be the first time these two worlds join forces on one stage. World-renowned rock group, the Alan Parsons Live Project, will reunite with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra for two evening concerts Oct. 12 and 13 at Michigan Technological University’s Rozsa Center. It’s the second year in a row the group is making a stop in the Copper Country, and lead singer and Houghton native, PJ Olsson, son of Milton, said he’s pretty excited. “It’s an incredibly special environment to be with the band and with my dad,” PJ Olsson said. “It’s just a little bit wild to have it happen again.” Joining Parsons and PJ Olsson on stage are band members Godfrey Townsend on lead guitar, Steve Murphy on drums, bassist John Montagna and Manny Focarazzo on keyboard. PJ Olsson said the show will be comprised of some of Parsons well-known songs, in addition there are some original orchestrations. Hits like “Eye in the Sky,” “Don’t Let It Show,” and “Old and Wise,” are just a few of what the audience can expect. “There’ll be many big hits and songs that people have come to know and associate with Alan Parsons,” Milton Olsson, who is also music director for the Michigan Tech Concert Choir, added. “Part of the important consideration is Alan’s original conception for most of these songs was symphonic rock. It’s really a neat spectacle for the audience.” PJ Olsson agreed, adding that “combining rock and roll with a symphony orchestra adds that many more layers to the sound.” Parsons is an accomplished audio engineer, musician and record producer. He emerged in the music industry in the late 1960s, gaining fame as the assistant engineer on the Beatles’ “Abbey Road.” Other notable works include Paul McCartney’s “Wild Life” and “Red Rose Speedway,” a handful of albums by The Hollies and Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon,” for which he received his first Grammy nomination. In 1975, Parsons teamed with songwriter Eric Woolfson and formed the Alan Parsons Project. Other accomplishments include gold and platinum awards from across the globe and several Grammy nominations for engineering and production. Parsons received his most recent Grammy Award nomination, along with PJ Olsson, for Best Surround Sound Album for “A Valid Path. Parsons has left an unforgettable mark in music with his contributions to recordings. And as he looks back at his career, he knows it’s not a dream when he hears his name in connection to some of music’s all-time legends. The “dream” Parsons said, happened back in the ‘60s and ‘70s. “Back then I was thinking to myself, ‘How can I be doing this? How can I be working with the Beatles?’” he said. “Now I’m grown up without virtually a single day to forget it. I look back upon it fondly. It’s something I wouldn’t change.” Parsons said he’s “warmed to” the performance end of the music business, yet he still feels more at home the studio. “There are several similar activities that lead to end results in being a leader of a band and being a record producer,” Parsons said. “It’s just that in the studio you’ve got an infinite number of tries. In a performance, you’ve got one chance and it’s gone. So if you screw up, then that’s the way it’s going to be.” Milton Olsson said although Parsons is a very imposing figure on stage, he works primarily in the background. And standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, you can’t miss him. “He’s a wonderful, big man. A gentle giant would be a good way to describe him,” he said. After last year’s “tremendous reaction” from the audience with both concerts, Parsons said he’s looking forward to another good show and he’s expecting to see a lot of the same faces. “To be honest, I think we’ll get a lot of return business. My guess is 60 to 70 percent will be back for the second time,” he said. “That means we’ll have to modify the show slightly so they don’t feel like they’re coming back to the same show.” Tickets can be purchased online at www.tickets.mtu.edu, by dropping in or calling the box office at 487-3200. Ticket prices are $40/$35 for the general public, and $25/$20 for students. The first three rows are $50. Kelly Fosness can be reached at kfosness@mininggazette.com