X is for X, the first album released by the band "Ten"

I know some of you were wondering where X was going to go. Oh, I could have written about the punk band X or the band called XTC, but I know neither one of them and they would have been pure research articles. Since I make a living writing research articles (I call it hair-balling), I say: no thank you!

Instead, X is for X, the first album released by the band called Ten. Perhaps because it's the Roman numeral for ten? Just speculation on my part. The funny thing is, I was going to do Ten for T, then I realized I could just use their first album and kill two birds with one stone.

Ten is a new discovery for me (we are talking only a couple of months here). I found them on Facebook because a friend posted a video on his wall. Always check your friends' music, you never know what you'll find!

X is mainly the brain child of singer/songwriter Gary Hughes. Before the band Ten existed, Gary was working on his third solo album, but he ended up with too many songs. The album was supposed to be mixed in the USA with guitar tracks laid down in the UK, but somehow the collaborate effort of Vinny Burns (guitars), Mike Stone (producer) and Greg Morgan (drummer) turned into the formation of the band Ten in 1995.

X was released in May 1996 and made it big in Japan. I have always said that the Japanese know their music and when something is successful there, it's good. In my opinion, some of the best live albums have been recorded in Japan. Anyway, since X was so successful there, bassist Martin Shelton, keyboardist Ged Rylands and guitarist John Halliwell were brought on board so they could tour and support the album. Europe followed suit on the popularity meter and the rest is history--which includes the inevitable subsequent member changes, but they are still going strong with 12 studio album and one live album.

Here is the full info for X, and videos to follow. The CD is mostly heavy ballads, not my usual cup of tea, but it's still good. (They did do much faster, heavier stuff in the future) Videos are arranged in order from hard to soft.

    "The Crusades/It's All About Love" – 8:06 (Hughes/Vinny Burns)

    "After the Love Has Gone" – 5:27

    "Yesterday Lies In the Flames" – 5:06

    "The Torch" – 5:25

    "Stay With Me" – 5:52

    "Close Your Eyes and Dream" – 6:24

    "Eyes of a Child" – 5:02

    "Can't Slow Down" – 5:29

    "Lamb to the Slaughter" – 4:50

    "Soliloquy/The Loneliest Place In the World" – 10:30

    Gary Hughes – lead and backing vocals

    Vinny Burns – guitars

    Greg Morgan – drums and percussion

    Mark Harrison – bass guitar

    Lee Goulding – keyboards

    Howard Smith – keyboards

    Andy Thompson – keyboards

    Francis Cummings – first violin

    Peter Leighton-Jones – first violin

    John Wade – first violin

    Fiona Payne – second violin

    Julia Parsons – second violin

    Jean Ambrose – viola

    Anne Morrison – viola

    Anna Frazer – cello