The Will to Live on

Herman Wouk has ranged in his novels from the mighty narrative of The Caine Mutiny and the warm, intimate humor of Marjorie Morningstar to the global panorama of The Winds of War and War and Remembrance.

"The Will to Live" is a 1997 album by Ben Harper which showed his continuing folk-centric focus, while at the same time expanding on his rock talents. The record would yield his first UK Top 75 single, Faded. To date it remains his only UK single entry. This was his second album with the Innocent Criminals as backing band.

The Will to Live was produced by Titus Andronicus singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles and Canadian icon Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Leonard Cohen, The Whole Nine Yards) at the latter’s Hotel 2 Tango recording studio in Montreal. Drawing on maximalist rock epics from Who’s Next to Hysteria, Bilerman and Stickles have crafted the richest, densest, and hardest hitting sound for Titus Andronicus yet. All at once, the record matches the sprawl and scope of the band’s most celebrated work, while also honing their ambitious attack to greater effect than ever before. “It may strike some as ironic we had to go to Canada to record our equivalent to Born in the USA,” quips Stickles, “but the pursuit of Ultimate Rock knows no borders.”

When selecting the works for their recording at ARS PRODUKTION, Tiffany Butt and Maria Cecilia Munoz looked at different eras to understand the impact that oppression and lack of freedom had on the creative process. They were not so much interested in what people were unable to do due to restrictive situations and adverse circumstances, but above all in what they achieved despite these circumstances. During their research, they came across impressive artistic personalities who have left behind music of great value.

The Bee Gees, Live on Air 1967 - 1968 The Brothers Gibb arrived in the UK in February 1967, virtually penniless. They promptly signed with Robert Stigwood and together with bandmates Vince Melouney and Colin Petersen - soon became the hottest new property in pop, fuelled by their own unique songs.