Album:
Band History
September '01 - June '02 / Box Set Prepared
Work continues behind the scenes to set up the 'Open Sky' label, and to prepare the box set for release. The latter is a huge task, as the box set contains a 60 page full colour booklet with around 80 archive photos which have to be collated from various sources, and around 10,000 words of text, much of it newly written.
In addition, original master tapes have to be sourced and transferred to new digital media, several tracks are reworked and remixed, and a whole CD of new and unreleased material is prepared. Unsurprisingly, the original release date has to be delayed.
In addition, original master tapes have to be sourced and transferred to new digital media, several tracks are reworked and remixed, and a whole CD of new and unreleased material is prepared. Unsurprisingly, the original release date has to be delayed.
September '01 / Issac Hogg Born
Baby Issac Hogg is born to proud parents Jo and Steve.
June '02 / Back to Gigs
After a break of a whole year from playing live concerts due to Jo's pregnancy and subequent giving birth, IONA are overjoyed to be back on stage! After a few days rehearsals, the band are back with a very well received run of concerts, starting at the Orange Wow (Fish Quay) Festival in North Shields and then on the Germany for two appearances.
September '02 / Expo 2002
The band perform in the open air at Expo 2002 in Switzerland. Over dinner, Jo announces the miraculous news that she is pregnant again.
October '02 / Dave starts Son-Rise
Dave & Debbie begin their exciting home-based Son-Rise programme with their autistic son Luca. This cuts down the time Dave is able to spend on IONA matters.
November '02 / Last Concerts
At the end of the month, the band perform their last concerts (in Germany and at the Winter Wonder Rock Festival in Holland), before Joanne's maternity leave. IONA plans are put on hold.
March '03 / Joanne Records for 'Veil'
Despite being almost eight months pregnant, Jo manages to record some stunning vocal performances for Dave's solo album, although she has to do it sitting down and with plenty of rests in between takes! April Troy's second solo album 'In Pursuit of Illision' is released on his own Lantern Records label.
May '03 / Ethan Hogg Born
Jo's second son Ethan is born. The 'Songs for Luca' 2 cd album is released to help Dave and Debbie fund their Son-Rise programme for Luca and also to eventually help pay for Luca, Dave and Debbie to attend the Son-Rise 'Intensive' course at the Autism Treatment Centre in the USA. All the artists involved kindly donate tracks for free and even the artwork, mastering and manufacturing are donated!
June '03 / Luca Removed from School
Dave and his wife Debbie make the decision to take their 5 year old autistic son Luca out of school straight away so that they can devote more time to his home-based Son-Rise program
July '03 / First 3 Album Rights
The band get the rights back for their first 3 album releases (Iona, The Book Of Kells and Beyond These Shores) and plan to re-release them on their own Open Sky label later in the year.
