S4: E1: Tony Carey (Rainbow, Planet P Project, Pat Travers, Joe Cocker) A Musical Magician From Hawkeye Rd.

Date: January 11, 2023
Name of podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
Episode title and number:  S4: E1: Tony Carey (Rainbow, Planet P Project, Pat Travers, Joe Cocker) A Musical Magician From Hawkeye Rd.


Artist Bio -

Tony Carey & Planet P Project

 Tony Carey first appeared on the international stage in 1975, playing keyboards for Ricthie Blackmore’s Rainbow.

 Carey played on the classic albums ‘Rising’ and ‘On Stage’, in the Rainbow lineup including Ronnie James Dio, Cozy Powell, Jimmy Bain and Ritchie Blackmore, touring the world for 2 years.

 A California native, Carey relocated to Germany in 1978 to pursue a solo career. Learning-by-doing, he recorded several instrumental albums, playing the lion’s share of the instruments: keyboards, bass, guitars, and drums.

 He tried his hand at singing in 1980, recording his vocal debut album, ‘In the Absence of the Cat’, followed by ‘I Won’t be Home Tonight’, which was signed by fledgling (and scandal-ridden) label Rocshire Records in Anaheim, California.

 ‘I Won’t Be Home Tonight’ was a radio sensation in America in 1982, with the single reaching #8 on the Rock Radio Billboard chart.

 The prolific young songwriter was in the studio daily between 1978 - 83, recording in different styles.

His science fiction - themed ‘Planet P Project’ caught the attention of Geffen Records, and the eponymous album containing the single ‘Why Me’ was an MTV smash, followed by the album ’Some Tough City’, which yielded 2 Top 40 singles in 1984: ‘A Fine, Fine Day’ and ’The First Day of Summer’.

This was followed by the now-classic ‘Pink World’ double pink vinyl release by Planet P Project.

A more detailed discography/biography appears here:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Carey

​Hampered by serious illness in 2009, Carey made a full recovery and has spent the last years recording and touring in Europe and Scandinavia.

 Carey has recorded and released over 40 records, and produced records by John Mayall, Chris Norman, David Knopfler, Joe Cocker, and Peter Maffay (Germany’s top-selling rock artist). He has done several film scores and published well over 1,000 songs.

​Carey's 2013 release 'Steeltown' (Planet P Project') reflects his love of and appreciation for Norway, thematically exploring the history and struggles of this fascinating country.

​2019 marks Carey's 50th Anniversary as a Beat Poet/Still Hippie/Not- Dead- Yet Person, and will be commemorated by the release of 'Lucky Us', his first non- Planet P  Project Record in, well, a very long time - and the re-release of 12 Catalog albums, which include five 'PPP' records, two albums of other folks' songs (Stanislaus County Kid I & II), a Christmas record (!), and a movie-soundtrack-without-a-movie, in addition to 3 solo albums.

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