October 15, 2004

James Parker visited the "Best Disco In Town" tour at Wembley Arena in London on Saturday October 9th, 2004. He wrote this review especially for the Liz Mitchell Fanclub.

"During the Autumn of 2004 a combination of top disco acts from the late 70s and early 80s made a tour of the UK. The Best Disco in Town 2004 featured Evelyn King, Chic, The Emotions, The Three Degrees, Candi Staton and The Pointer Sisters, yet at the concert on 9 October at the Wembley Arena it was Liz Mitchell's Boney M that set the crowd alight!

Looking splendid in a red dress Liz and the group opened the show with 'Sunny' which immediately had the crowd on their feet and singing along.

The group sang live and had a live band supporting them, and it was a superb set as we all danced and chanted to the hits of our youth...Daddy Cool/ Hooray/Rivers of Babylon/ Brown Girl in the Ring. The crowd cheered in appreciation as the male singer/dancer Tony took off his shirt and then showed off his acrobatic skills.

Of all the artists performing it is Boney M that have been the most successful in the UK, and the people I talked to thought they were the highlight of the bill - yet they were the first act on that evening. People were really hoping they'd come back as the finale, but that honour went to Nile Rodgers and Chic.

Boney M are a class act and it is a credit to Liz that she has kept the same line up for such a long period now. The audience had a huge appreciation for the group's performance which, as Liz said, was for her a special occasion as she was raised in Harlesden, just up the road from Wembley."

James Parker
October 2004

Thank you very much, James!

December 24, 2004

The year has almost come to an end, and we can say that it was a great Liz Mitchell year; finally her long awaited album "Let It Be" is available, and those who already recieved their copy will admit that it's one of Liz Mitchell's best albums so far...

For those who haven't purchased their copy of Liz Mitchell new album "Let It Be" yet; it's available at the new website www.dovehouserecords.com where you can also purchase the previous Liz Mitchell albums "Share The World" and "A Christmas Rose" and the new single "Let It Be".

Specially for the people who haven't heard the new single "Let It Be" yet, you can find it here in the audio section where it will be online for the coming month as streaming audio file.
Today I talked to Liz, and she told me many interesting things about her new album, future plans, Boney M. etc. You can read parts of our conversation in the interviews section here.

The Fanclub staff (Peter, Casper and Johnny) wishes you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy 2005! We want to thank all the fans for their support to the Official LIZ MITCHELL Fanclub.

May 2005

Finally it’s available; the new 2005 album “Liz Mitchell Sings The Hits Of Boney M.”. On this brandnew album Liz Mitchell pays tribute to some of the greatest songs of the group that made her famous. But this aren’t simply re-recordings of the old hits; all the songs are recorded with the Czech Orchestra in new arrangements.
Everybody knows Boney M.’s hits and the characteristic voice of lead singer Liz Mitchell belonging to them. After many years a brand new CD is released where this member of the legendary group sings, among others, unforgettable hits of Boney M in new unusual arrangements for a symphonic orchestra. It’s interesting to mention that almost the whole album has been recorded and mixed in the Czech Republic and the producers Thomas Pemberton, Robert Porkert together with co-producer Martin Hrdinka and Libor Capek (arrangements) gave the songs an interesting brand new modern form.
The album also contains 2 brandnew tracks, which aren’t Boney M. tracks, “Want You To Sleep (Chtíc Aby Spal)” and “Somewhere” (a stunning version of the Bernstein classic from “West Side Story”). One of the biggest surprises on the album is a jazz version of Boney M.’s legendary hit “Sunny”, which proves that Liz also is a great jazz performer. The title track of Liz’s recently released Inspirational album “Let It Be” is featured as a bonus track.
The album is released on Dove House Records/Popron Music (catalogue number: 54723-2) and available HERE
and according to Thomas Pemberton it will soon be available at Liz Mitchell’s own company site and web shop Dove House Records - Home Of Liz Mitchell

The plan is to release “No Woman No Cry” as a single, and currently remixes are in the works.

Here’s the complete tracklisting of Liz Mitchell’s 5th solo album to date, “Liz Mitchell Sings The Hits Of Boney M.”

1. No Woman No Cry 03:38
2. Mary´s Boy Child 03:15
3. Heart Of Gold 03:28
4. Mandela 04:13
5. Brown Girl In The Ring 03:18
6. Still I´m Sad 05:04
7. Sunny 03:49
8. Ribbons Of Blue 04:34
9. Want You To Sleep 03:53
10. Somewhere In The World 04:27
11. Where Did You Go 03:58
12. Time To Remember 04:19
13. Somewhere 03:42
14. Rivers Of Babylon 04:09
15. Let It Be 04:06

Thanks to Roman Somol

May 2005

A new interview “Boney M. was based on a lie” by Kathrin Hedtke of ZDF Online with Liz Mitchell translated by the Official Liz Mitchell Fanclub in English can now be found in the interview section. Liz Mitchell gave this interview during the recordings of the ZDF “30 Jahre Disco Fieber” TV special (TV broadcast May 12th 2005). It has become a very interesting interview. Click HERE to read it.

May 2005

Since many years the Official Liz Mitchell Fanclub Forum is THE place where fans can meet, discuss and share news, opinions and feelings about Liz Mitchell. If you aren’t a member yet, we would love you to subscribe and you’ll always be the first to know the latest of the wonderful Liz Mitchell. Please check HERE

Shaftesbury Ave, London, WC2
Tube Holborn
Telephone 020 7379 5399

DADDY COOL - BONEY M MUSICAL
book by Amani Naphtali , songs by Frank Farian

Location West End
Genre Musical
Previews from 26 Apr 06
Opens 16 May 06
Booking to
Closes
Time Mon-Thur at 7.30pm, Friat 5.00pm and 8.30pm, Sat at 3.00pm and 7.30pm
B/O Price £ 17.50 - £ 45
B/O Tel Fee!
Standby Concs
Tickets
Performers So Solid Crew member Michael Junior Harvey
Director Andy Goldberg
Design Jon Morrell
Lighting David Hersey
Choreography Sean Cheesman
Costume Jon Morrell
Producer Robert Mackintosh and Frank Farian
Press
Synopsis

Set in multicultural London, to the music of Boney M (and other Frank Farian artists including Milli Vanilli and No Mercy), this new musical includes classics such as Rivers of Babylon, Brown Girl In The Ring, Ma Baker, Girl You Know It's True, Where Do You Go, One Way Ticket, Mary's Boychild.

DADDY COOL tells the story of 'Sunny', a young man who lives for his music. Caught up in local rivalry between East and West London crews, he meets and falls in love with 'Rose', daughter of the East End's notorious club owner 'Ma Baker'. Echoing Romeo and Juliet, the lovers' relationship fuels the hostility between the two gangs, leaving their families face to face with past secrets and forcing them to confront their future.

Length
Review
SEATING PLANS
MAP
HOTELS NEAR THEATRE

Other Info Boney M was created by Frank Farian in 1975 and has sold over 800 million records around the world, including 22 top ten hits and five number ones in England alone. Their hits include Rivers Of Babylon, Brown Girl In The Ring, Mary's Boychild and, of course, Daddy Cool. In addition to phenomenal sales, Boney M also broke down barriers, becoming the first Western band to play the Communist Soviet Union. Farian's other artists, whose music is also featured in the show, include legendary mime artists Milli Vanilli and late 90s boy band No Mercy.

(by Søren Jensen)

December 2005

When Liz Mitchell and her husband/manager Thomas Pemberton built their own studio and founded their own label Dove House Records in 1996, a Christmas album was one of the things Liz Mitchell always wanted to do. With Boney M., Liz had recorded one of the most successful Christmas singles of all time back in 1978 - that was, of course, the traditional 'Mary's Boy Child' coupled with producer Frank Farian & lyricist Fred Jay's original 'Oh My Lord'. The single reached #1 all over Europe and has become one of the 10 most successful singles ever in the UK.
Since Liz joined Boney M. in 1976, she'd become the lead vocalist of the group, but she also wanted to do something in her own name.

She agreed with Farian to do a Christmas Album for Far Music Productions, and once Boney M. had completed the final sessions for their fifth studio album 'Boonoonoonoos', Liz went to London in the summer of 1981 to record her album with Harry Baierl and a special Christmas Choir - the cream of London session singers. They'd recorded several songs (Little Drummer Boy, White Christmas, Christmas Medley, Petit Papa Noël, Zion's Daughter, When A Child Is Born, Darkness Is Falling, Winter Fairytale) when suddenly Farian informed her it was better that the album was released as a Boney M. album so Farian now took over the production and also called in other Boney M. vocalist, Marcia Barrett, to join Liz on the songs 'Feliz Navidad' and 'Jingle Bells'. Farian also did a duet with Liz on the song 'I'll Be Home For Christmas'. Packaged with 'Mary's Boy Child', 'Christmas Album' was released on Nov. 23, 1981, only three weeks after 'Boonoonoonoos', it was accompanied by the single 'Little Drummer Boy' for which Boney M. did a video - just before Bobby Farrell was fired. In November 1982, 'Zion's Daugher' was released as the second single in Germany. In Scandinavia, they opted for 'Feliz Navidad' while Spain preferred 'Jingle Bells'.

By 1983, 'Christmas Album' had garnered 6 Platinum and 15 Gold records world-wide, not a bad record for a seasonal album. It is also one of Liz' own personal favourites although she was of course disappointed that it wasn't released in her own name as originally planned.
Repackaged and released with some additional Christmas recordings that Liz did with Boney M.'s new male member Reggie Tsiboe in the summer of 1984, the 'Christmas Album' kept selling over the years with different names such as 'Die 20 schönsten Weihnachtslieder der Welt' (1986), 'The Most Beautiful Christmas Songs Of The World' (1992), 'Happy Christmas' (1995) and 'Christmas Party' (1997).

In 1996, Liz & Thomas built their own recording studios and also founded their own record label, Dove House Records. The first recordings they ever did were reggae-flavoured re-recordings of 'When A Child Is Born', 'Zion's Daughter', 'Feliz Navidad' and 'Mary's Boy Child'. The demo recordings were put on a special CD-single as an exclusive Christmas present for the members of the Liz Mitchell Fanclub in 1996. In 1999, just after releasing her first solo album in 10 years, 'Share The World', Liz released a new Christmas single, her own 'A Christmas Rose' (backed by the Dove House Gospel Choir) and 'Lord's Prayer'. Both songs were wonderful inspirational titles with strong melodies and good arrangements. One year later, in November 2000, Liz could finally present a Christmas album in her own name. Also entitled 'A Christmas Rose', the new album featured both titles from the 1999 single as well as Liz' own 'I Want To Go To Heaven'. Although not strictly a Christmas song, but rather an inspirational song, it definitely marked a highlight for Liz Mitchell as a solo artist. A beautiful video was also shot with Liz surrounded by a lot of people with each their different ethnic roots. Liz also interpreted two classical themes - 'O Holy Night' and Schubert's 'Ave Maria' which she dedicated to one of the Liz Mitchell Fan Club's founders Casper Janssen and his wife Suzanne. The remaining songs were new recordings of songs from Boney M.'s 'Christmas Album' - or the album that was intended to have been Liz Mitchell's Christmas Album in the first place. Those songs were 'When A Child Is Born', 'Mary's Boy Child', 'Petit Papa Noël', 'Darkness Is Falling', 'Feliz Navidad' and the medley of 'Silent Night, Holy Night', 'Snow Falls Over The Ground' and 'Hear Ye The Message' (based on German traditionals).

It is always a risky affair to make a re-recording of familiar titles that the public know and love - the more admirable it is that Liz and Thomas managed to make new recordings that recaptured the magic of the original 1981 recordings. All the recordings were done with real studio musicians in a time when most music is only made on synthesizers - all this together with Liz' profound love of those songs and the warmth and depth of her voice made the magic happen once again, nearly 20 years after. A Christian label picked up the distribution rights for 'A Christmas Rose' in The Netherlands and Germany, and so Liz did a promotional tour to support the album in December 2001. Christmas is around again, so put on Liz Mitchell's 'A Christmas Rose' for the perfect soundtrack of the season .......

Thanks to Søren Jensen from Denmark for writing this article for the Liz Mitchell Fanclub