HELIX mainman Brian Vollmer has posted the following update at the band's official website:

"Lately we’ve been blessed with several fortunate happenings. Firstly, Steelback Beer stepped in to sponsor our 30th Anniversary Concert. On Friday June 18th I judged the Steelback Karoke contest at Fanshaw College. Russ Blackburn won the first prize of $10,000.00, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. He says he’s going to use the money to set up a college fund for his kids. Thanks to Frank J. D’Angelo for his help with the concert and for running the contest. Also thanks to Scott Curran from The Hawk for all his invaluable guidance in helping to promote this special once-in-a-lifetime event.

Earlier this week I was contacted by Warren Stewart of EMI about the possibility of filming the 30th anniversary concert and releasing it later as a DVD with bonus tracks. I readily agreed and it looks like it’s going to happen. E.M.I. will be bringing in a four man camera crew and filming throughout the day. Cool, huh? I’m set to meet with E.M.I. and the film company this Tuesday just before I jump on our flight to St. John’s, Newfoundland.

E.M.I. is shooting for an August release on this CD. I’m also putting together my own anniversary CD entitled Never Trust Anyone Over 30. It will be mostly songs from our independent releases as opposed to EMI’s, which will of course, be mostly EMI product. EMI’s release will primarily be for the territory of Canada, although it will be available in the US. My release will not be available in Canada as I have 'Tug O’ War' and 'Sleepin’ In the Doghouse Again' on this disc, and the songs are still licensed to Aquarius in Canada.

After the Rockin’ In My Outer Space CD was completed I realized I needed to have more vocals in the band as some of the songs were lacking in that department. I had to let Dan Faucett (guitar) go (never an easy thing to do) and at that point Sean Sanders (guitar) decided to leave the band as well. Both were excellent people and musicians when they worked for me in Helix and I wish them the very best of luck.

Replacing Sean and Dan on guitar are Rhino Wiechmann (of the Newfoundland band KAOS - the same band that Gerry Finn came from) and Jim Lawson, whom people would know from CHERRY SMASH (another William Seip band). Ironically it was KAOS that opened for Helix on our very last tour of Newfound in 1987! Reiner (“Rhino” Wiechmann) plays guitar/keyboards and sings and Jim plays guitar and sings. Reiner’s wife Cindy (who was the lead singer for KAOS) sang on several tracks on the Rockin’ In My Outer Space CD so I asked her if she’d like to “guest appear” on the local Helix dates. She readily agreed. At our first practise together it sounded so good that I made the decision to hire her for the St. John’s, Newfoundland show and also for our dates out west. Cindy also plays guitar which adds a whole new dimension to our live sound. Seeing as husband “Rhino” plays keyboards, in songs such as 'Dream On', Rhino can switch to piano, Cindy to acoustic guitar, and Jim can handle the electric guitar parts. Cindy also plays all the percussion stuff like tamborine, cowbell, and an assortment of other percussion instruments.

The new set features several new songs that capitalize on the fact Cindy is in the band. On 'Six Feet Underground' for instance, Cindy sings back-up and plays acoustic guitar. In “Lint and Pennies” she adds the parts originally sang by Cheryl Lescom."

To view a picture of the current Helix lineup, head here.