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Band Member ProfilesO'RyanMervyn Spence, vocalist and bassist for Wishbone Ash on their 1984 album “Raw to the Bone”, has released two acclaimed solo albums under the name of “O’Ryan”. After leaving Wishbone Ash in 1986, Mervyn worked on various studio projects before making a concerted effort to establish himself as a solo artist in the early nineties. With his considerable vocal range, he remains one of the UK’s best kept musical secrets. After forming his own record company Parachute Music, Mervyn Spence released the first O’Ryan album “Something Strong” in 1992. Featuring ten original tracks, the album was written and recorded with Spence’s then musical partner Dieter Petereit in Munich and Nashville. For anyone only familiar with Spence’s Wishbone Ash work, the musical direction of his solo output may come as something of a surprise. O’Ryan is high quality melodic AOR, with strong vocal work and occasional hints of Mervyn’s Irish roots. At the time of its release the album was compared to Michael Bolton and Richard Marx. This does not do Mervyn’s talents credit, as although his voice has the same soulful qualities as Bolton, Marx, et al (and has matured considerably since his Wishbone days), his musical direction has a greater degree of originality and integrity. Something Strong TRACK LISTING 1. Stronger Than Love 2. Reaction 3. Don't Let It Slip Away 4. Shaky Ground 5. Something Strong 6. Emer May 7. Blood Upon a Stone 8. Lying Eyes 9. Deeper Than the Ocean “Something Strong” is a classic album of its particular musical field with a good mix of uptempo numbers and powerful ballads - tracks such as “Stronger Than Love”, “Don’t Let It Slip Away” and “Emer May” are some of the finest examples of commercially-tinged melodic rock you will find. The O’Ryan project was given its live debut with an appearance at the 1994 Wishbone Ash Fan Convention in Solihull, W.Mids, where Spence and his current collaborator Jason Fillingham played acoustic versions of two tracks from “Something Strong”. “Something Strong” soon attracted the attention of executives at top Japanese record company AVA Aura, who signed Mervyn to their label in 1995 (the track “Emer May” was featured in a Japanese TV commercial). This alliance led to the recording of a second O’Ryan album, “Initiate”.
Initiate TRACK LISTING 1. No Retreat, No Surrender 2. Still the Night 3. A Whole Lot of Love 4. Believe 5. Emer May 6. Did It All for Love 7. Something Strong 8. Shape It Up 9. What About Love 10. Phoenix Rising 11. Don't Let It Slip Away 12. It Must Be Love 13. Stop “Initiate” had a different slant it that the material featured was not written especially for the album. At the request of AVA Aura, Mervyn and Jason re-recorded several tracks from “Something Strong” as well as several tracks which had featured on the “Phenomena” series of albums (an all star concept which had featured the likes of John Wetton, Glenn Hughes, Scott Gorham, Cozy Powell, Brian May and a host of other rock notables, to which Mervyn’s company Parachute had aquired the rights). This resulted in an album that lacked the originality and integrity of “Something Strong”, but still stands as a fine album in its won right. Both “Something Strong” and “Initiate” are currently available through Parachute (distributed by Voiceprint) and a third O’Ryan album is presently in production. |
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