Keepers of the Flame — Phoenyx

The former members of Phoenyx bring us good news for 2025: Keepers of the Flame will be re-released this coming spring!

If you haven’t already heard of it, Phoenyx was a pioneering Fusion band. They exploded into the San Francisco Bay Area music scene in 1989. Their original songs (often written by Heather Alexander) told magical stories of Celtic lore, with a sound rooted in the folk-rock tradition.

The band released an epic and widely-praised CD (produced by Larry the O), “Keepers of the Flame” — of which rare copies sell for as much as $500 on eBay, when they appear. And then, Phoenyx disbanded.

For decades, fans have wanted this album back in print. We’re so grateful to all five of the former members of Phoenyx for allowing this dream to come to life:

• Heather Alexander: lead vocal, guitar, electric violin, mandolin… now reborn as Alexander James Adams
• Cat Taylor: electric violin, bodhran, vocals
• Mark Ungar: lead vocals, lead guitar, pennywhistle
• Larry the O: acoustic and electronic percussion, vocals — and producer/engineer of Keepers of the Flame
• John Land: bass, flute, vocals
  

 

SONG LIST

1. Banish Misfortune/Lark in the Morning
2. Stormbringer (by Philip Obermarck/Heather Alexander)
3. King of Elfland’s Daughter (by Mark Ungar)
4. Black Unicorn (by Heather Alexander)
5. Cat and the Fiddle (by Heather Alexander)
6. Marley O’Reilly (by Mark Ungar)
7. Voices of the Sea (by Heather Alexander)
8. Creature of the Wood (by Philip Obermarck/Heather Alexander)
9. Musical Priest/Butterfly/Swallowtail Jig
10. March of Cambreadth (by Heather Alexander)
11. Up in the Loft (by Heather Alexander)
12. Concentration (by Cat Taylor)
13. Yo Ho! (by Heather Alexander)

 

SAMPLE TRACKS

 

BAND VIDEO

Never saw Phoenyx live? We’ve got your time machine! (recordings from the 1991 Counter Culture San Francisco cable access TV show)