Period: 2004-2005

History: 2004-2005

February '05   /  Dave Off to the USA Troy works together with the producer on editing the film of his and Dave's improvised performance from Lincoln Cathedral, which is scheduled for release on DVD later in 2005, along with some accompanying interview footage was also captured on film at the time.

Troy is on tour throughout the UK with Barbara Dixon in February and March.

Dave and family head off to the USA to attend the Son-Rise Intensive programme at the Autism Treatment Centre, thanks largely to money raised from sales of 'Songs for Luca'. Luca has a great time there!

A short feature on the Lindisfarne Gospels is aired in February as part of the programme 'The 700 Club' on the cable channel CBN. The feature uses music from the tracks 'Lindisfarne', 'Heaven's Bright Sun', and 'Songs of Ascent (Parts 1 & 2)' and is also aired on 'God TV' a month or two later.

March '05   /  Writing for New Album Jo and Dave get together to continue writing for the next studio album. A short feature film on the Lindisfarne Gospels aired as part of the programme 'The 700 Club' on the cable channel CBN is accompanied by some of the band's music.

Troy is on tour throughout the UK with Barbara Dickson in February and some of March.

The band plays a few dates in Germany.

Dave is busy working on editing the Live DVD music and mixing the Troy and Dave 'When Worlds Collide' album.

April '05   /  Jo Sings in Chicago Jo sings at a promotional concert in Chicago for the 'New Irish Hymns' album series along with US singer Margaret Becker and Kirsty Getty.

Dave completes the 'When Worlds Collide' duo album mixes and the Live DVD concert music is sent to LA to be mixed in 5.1 surround sound by John Kellogg.

May '05 - June '05   /  Introspective Series DVD Planned to be a comprehensive history of the band featuring much rare archive footage, quite a bit of new material was filmed in 2005 for an 'INTROSPECTIVE SERIES' DVD release by Voiceprint, including interviews with band members past and present and discussion of some of the band's classic tracks with examples from the original multi-track tapes. co-founders Dave Bainbridge and David Fitzgerald reunited at Dave's Open Sky Studio, where they were filmed for the DVD discussing and playing pieces from the band's first 2 albums and also jamming together. Sadly the DVD (and several others in the series) is later shelved following a dispute between Voiceprint and the company who were filming the DVD .....
July '05   /  First Norway Gig The band play their first ever gig in Norway in the beautiful location of 'The Seaside Festival'.

Troy works again with Maddy Prior on a new album during the summer (and tours with her in the winter).

August '05   /  When World's Collide Released Joanne is filmed on the island of Lindisfarne for a 'Songs of Praise' special on the island to be broadcast in November. She sings (appropriately!) the song 'Lindisfarne'. Later in the month Jo has a serious back & neck operation which keeps her out of action for several months, but the surgery goes very well.

Troy and Dave's second album 'When World's Collide' is released. Featuring five live tracks recorded in the UK at the end of 2003 and five studio tracks, this is a good representation of the material that Troy and Dave have been performing to enthusiastic audiences in both the UK and Japan between 2003 and 2005. With a mix of material spanning Troy's solo projects, the repertoire and the traditional, the album features big dynamic contrasts ranging from the intimate to the full on epic.

September '05   /  Live in London DVD mixed The last week in September saw Troy heading off to sunny Los Angeles to supervise the final tweaks of the audio mixes by John Kellogg at Future Disc Systems for the Live In London DVD. Dave and Troy report that the 5.1 surround mixes are sounding fantastic! The final mixes are mastered by world renowned mastering engineer Steve Hall.
October '05   /  New Album Tracks Quite a bit of work is done on the new studio album, with most of the drum tracks and vocals being completed in Dave and Frank's respective home studios, Troy and Dave add more of Troy's pipes and whistles and Joanne completes most of the main vocal parts - her first singing since her operation.

Jo also records vocals for a new version of the track 'Journey Into The Morn' for the new 'Songs for Luca 2' album. This features a new extended, rocky instrumental section on which Dave hopes to feature some very special guests....

November '05   /  From Silence DVD Released Troy and Dave's 'From Silence' DVD is released.
December '05   /  Songs for Luca 2 Work continues on the new album recording at Dave's, Frank's and Troy's respective home studios.

Dave and Debbie Bainbridge report that they're getting a fantastic response from artists wanting to be involved in the new 'Songs for Luca 2' album to help raise more funds to finance their homebased Son-Rise program for their autistic son Luca. Artists on board to date include: Moya Brennan (Clannad vocalist) who's sent a beautiful exclusive track from a radio recording, Dave Beegle (davebeegle.com) - a superb US guitarist, whether playing flamenco or blistering rock! Joanne Hogg (our very own!) - with a new version of 'Journey Into The Morn', featuring (we hope) some very special guests... Nick Fletcher - brilliant classical guitarist who's coming over to Open Sky Studio to record one of his own compositions exclusively for the album, Mssrs Donockley and Bainbridge (probably an exclusive live track) and Debbie Bainbridge - (haunting piano piece).

Other artists whom we hope will be included: Oliver Wakeman (son of Rick), Chasing the Monsoon - (splinter group from Karnataka) Heather Findlay - (lovely singer from Mostly Autumn), Kenso - fantastic Japanese progressive band, Keith Baker - (US dulcimer player), Jason Williams - (US guitarist, keyboardist) on a collaboration with Frank and Dave, Richard John Thompson - (singer songwriter), and Roine Stolte - (wonderful Flower Kings guitarist)
December - Jo and Dave spend a long day with the Live In London DVD editor Tom Grimshaw in Manchester overseeing the final video edits.


Other 2005 highlights:

LATEST COMPILATION ALBUM RELEASE
'CPR volume 2' (short for Christian Progressive Rock!) includes 'Over the Waters' from Dave's solo album as well as contributions from Neal Morse and others. (For further details see )

Troy contributes, uilleann pipes, low whistle, tin whistle and E-Bow guitar to a superb new album from US folk artist Jennifer Cutting.

A nice history of the band (in German) appears at ww.radio-euro.de

2005 is the year that many people start hearing Iona's music being played in various retail chains throughout the UK - Kwik Save, Wilkinsons, Carphone Warehouse, B & Q, IKea, Mcdonald's etc etc! The track being heard is Matthew - The Man which has somehow made its way onto a compilation tape assembled specifically as background music for these stores!! Luke-the Calf is also heard as telephone hold music for Carphone Warehouse!

After publishing a printed newsletter for the last 15 years for subscribers to 'Friends of Iona', the band finally take the decision to send only email newsletters from now on due to rising print costs and speed of communication.

History by Album:
Iona  ('90)
The Book Of Kells  ('92)
Beyond These Shores  ('93)
Journey Into The Morn  ('96)
Heaven's Bright Sun  ('97)
Woven Cord  ('99)
Open Sky  ('00)
The River Flows: Anthology Vol. 1  ('02)
Songs for Luca  ('03)
Iona  ('04)
Veil of Gossamer  ('04)
Live In London  ('06)
The Circling Hour  ('06)
Songs for Luca 2  ('07)
Live In London  ('08)
Life Journey  ('09)
Raphael's Journey  ('10)
Another Realm  ('11)