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Interview with Tony Clarkin of Magnum, first broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 2 March 2014 (3:23)
There is a longer extract of this interview together with the album review here
250+ eager fans awaited the launch and their first full listening of the new album from Midlands-based melodic rockers Magnum. ‘Escape From The Shadow Garden’ is the band’s 17th studio album and again features the artwork of sci-fi/fantasy artist Rodney Matthews who was also present tonight.
There is a great atmosphere in the venue and plenty of souvenir cards around to get signed, although looking at the number of album shaped plastic bags around fans have bought their own swag to get signed as well. The band aren’t actually playing tonight which in a way is better as it leaves plenty of time for everyone to meet them.
With the album played out, a marathon one-and-a-half hour signing session ensued and Rodney Matthews was swamped as much as the band for photos and autographs.
A welcome part of the evening was the free raffle where one lucky fan got a fully framed and signed copy of the original album artwork, this along with over 30 other prizes all went down well especially with the winners.
‘Escape…’ is a classic Magnum album; it has the riffs, sweeping keyboards, incredible vocals and shows Tony Clarkin is still writing some amazing music with a nice modern rockier feel to please the current fans and open up to new ones. Great comments flying round the room and the usual discussions about fave tracks and comparisons between earlier works all make for a fun time.
For those more inquisitive, looking round the crowd there were some notable faces that had turned up to take part in the event. Reuben Archer (Stampede) was there doing a few interviews for his radio show, the legendary Krusher Joule (artist, DJ and just about everything else rock related) and Al Atkins (founder and original singer with Judas Priest) and Paul May (Guitarist/Writer/Producer) who – as the Atkins May project – and are due to release their latest work imminently.
All in all an extremely enjoyable evening for the fans and the band and everyone else involved.
Review and photos by Simon Dunkerley
MAGNUM Tour Dates 2014
EU TOUR
07.04. FI-Helsinki – Tavastia
09.04. DK-Copenhagen – Amager Bio-with NeonFly
10.04. SE-Gotheburg – Sticky Fingers-with NeonFly
11.04. SE-Borlange – Liljan-with NeonFly
12.04. SE-Sandviken – Backstage Rockclun-with NeonFly
UK TOUR
19.04. UK-Southampton – The Brook -with NeonFly
20.04. UK-Buckley – Tivoli-with NeonFly
22.04. UK-Oxford – O2-with NeonFly
23.04. UK-Bristol – O2 -with NeonFly
24.04. UK-Norwich – Waterfront-with NeonFly
25.04. UK-Leamington Spa – Assembly Halls-with NeonFly
26.04. UK-Manchester – The Ritz-with NeonFly
28.04. UK-Nottingham – Rock City-with NeonFly
29.04. UK-Glasgow – Garage-with NeonFly
30.04. UK-Newcastle – O2-with NeonFly
02.05. UK-Holmfirth – Picturedome-with NeonFly
03.05. UK-Wolverhampton – Wulfrun Hall-with NeonFly
04.05. UK-London – Islington Town Hall-with NeonFly
06.05. NL-Uden – De Pul
07.05. B-Vosselaar – Biebob
MAGNUM & SAGA
GERMANY & SWISS DOUBLE HEADLINER TOUR*
08.05. D-Dortmund – FZW*
09.05. D-Cologne – E-Werk*
10.05. D-Emden – Nordseehalle*
12.05. D-Hamburg – Docks*
13.05. D-Berlin – Huxley`s Neue Welt*
15.05. D-Saarbrücken – Garage*
16.05. D-Filderstadt – FILharmonie*
17.05. D-Offenbach – Capitol*
19.05. D-Regensburg – Airport Obertraubling*
20.05. D-Nürnberg – Rockfabrik*
22.05. D-Munich – Circus Krone*
23.05. CH-Pratteln – Z7*
24.05. D-Ravensburg – Club-Oberschwabenhalle*
26.05. AT-Kufstien – Kulturfabrik
27.05. AT-Dornbirn – Conrad Sohm
MAGNUM live 2014 (Festival)
04.-07.06. SE-Sölvesborg – Sweden Rock Festival
The latest Facebook Live session from Canadian singer-songwriter Josh Taerk was streamed on Sunday 20 December., imbued with a festive flavour to raise the spirits
More about Josh: http://getreadytorock.me.uk/blog/?s=%22Josh+Taerk%22
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 BST (GMT+1, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. This show was first broadcast on 20 December 2020 and announces the results of the Popular Poll for Best of 2020.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 ( BST, GMT+1) as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 20 December 2020 and includes Pete’s best of the year selections
Listen in to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio…
Click the appropriate icons at the top of the page.
Featured Albums w/c 11 January 2021 (Mon-Fri)
09:00-12:00 UNRULY CHILD Our Glass House (Frontiers)
12:00-13:00 SERGEANT STEEL Truck Tales (Boyz Tyme Records)
14:00-16:00 DAN REED Liftoff (Zero Entertainment)
Power Plays w/c 11 January 2021 (Mon-Fri)
BLACK SPIDERS – Good Times (Dark Riders Records/Cargo Records)
GRAVITY MACHINE Standing Stones (Zyse Records)
EMPIIRES Love Or Hate (TLG Entertainment/INgrooves)
RAY FENWICK Tam Tam (Singsong Music)
DEAD REYNOLDS Voices (The Fort)
LAYLA ZOE Don’t Wanna Help Anyone (indie)
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