Monthly Archives: May 2014

Album review: POOBAH – U.S. Rock

Poobah - US Rock

Ripple Records [Release date 10.02.14] This album was originally released back in 1976 during the peak of Poobah’s career and has now been lovingly re-mastered and reissued by Ripple Records. Poobah were formed by guitarist Jim Gustafson back in 1972 … Continue reading

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Gig review: JEFF BECK – Birmingham Symphony Hall, 20 May 2014

Jeff Beck - Birmingham Symphony Hall, 20 May 2014

In my research recently for an interview with Steve Lukather I came across a 1986 video of him performing at a Japanese festival with Carlos Santana and Jeff Beck.  Luke is arguably the least recognisable now, the poodle perm long … Continue reading

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Album review: FLOTSAM AND JETSAM – No Place For Disgrace 2014

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM – No Place For Disgrace 2014

Metal Blade – Out Now. For better or worse, Flotsam And Jetsam will always be known as the band where ex-Metallica bassist learned his skills and that is perhaps the reason why “Doomsday For The Deceiver” (1986), the band’s debut … Continue reading

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Album review : 21OCTAYNE – Into The Open

21OCTAYNE - Into The Open

AFM Records [Release date 23.05.14] This is a little different from AFM’s usual output of Teutonic metal and the change is refreshing to these ears. 21Octayne has been put together by current Axxis guitarist Marco Wriedt to create a band … Continue reading

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Album review: DIESEL – Into The Fire

Diesel - Into The Fire

Escape Music [Release date 23.05.14] www.escape-music.com This is an interesting one, as it sees the return of Robert Hart, formerly of Bad Company, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and the excellent Distance album working with FM’s guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick. Drummer Jimmy … Continue reading

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Album review: DOME DWELLERS – Maybe I Should Have Some Pride

DOME DWELLERS – Maybe I Should Have Some Pride

MondoTunes [Release date 15.01.14] Dome Dwellers are an indie rock trio from Denton,Texas, with art rock elements and free form pretensions. The band is very much the sum of its idiosyncratic parts, as all three players spiral into different directions … Continue reading

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Album Review: SWEET – Level Headed Tour Rehearsals 1977

SWEET - Level Headed Tour Rehearsals 1977

Angel Air  [Release date 2.06.14] Angel Air always find a niche and an angle. They’ve done it again here by unearthing an album that captures Sweet rehearsing for one of their most important tours. As the well-researched and extensive liner … Continue reading

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Album review: ATOM STRANGE – The Lost Cosmonauts

ATOM STRANGE – The Lost Cosmonauts

        RayGun Records [Release date 01.10.13] Welcome to Atom Strange’s world of ‘Hi-Fi Sci-Fi’ where ‘substance, groove, depth and style’ prevail in multi genre format that is rooted in hard rock but pulls towards AOR, metal, prog … Continue reading

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Album review: WAMI – Kill The King

Metal Mind Records [Released 13.05.14] Who is WAMI? Well they are a new band built around young Polish guitarist Iggy Gwadera from Anti Tank Nun (what a legendary band name!), after Marco Mendoza was impressed seeing him perform as a … Continue reading

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Album review : JOHN MAYALL AND THE BLUESBREAKERS – Reissues

JOHN MAYALL AND THE BLUESBREAKERS – Reissues

Eagle Rock [Release date 17.03.14] With a near 60 album discography, you probably don’t worry too much about the ebbs and flows of commercial success. Suffice it to say that John Mayall remains the most consistently enduring figure in the … Continue reading

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Album review : GADI CAPLAN – Look Back Step Forward

GADI CAPLAN – Look Back Step Forward

Musea Paralèlle [Release date 09.07.13] Israeli born, Brooklyn domiciled and trained at the Berklee College of Music, Gadi Caplan is an electric/acoustic guitarist and composer who refuses to be restricted by one style of music. As a result, ‘Look back … Continue reading

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Gig Review: H.E.A.T. – Highbury Garage, London, 16 May 2014

H.E.A.T. - Highbury Garage, London, 16 May 2014

Never was the Glen Frey classic ‘The Heat is On’ a more appropriate choice as a band intro. Not only was the Highbury Garage a sweltering sweatbox on the hottest day of the year to date, but Sweden’s melodic rockers … Continue reading

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Album review : THE RIOTOUS BROTHERS – The Tree

THE RIOTOUS BROTHERS – The Tree

Riotous Brothers [Release date 26.02.14] ‘The Tree’ is the Riotous Brothers third album and it’s a notable step forward for the Mash Sonnet/Paul Long songwriting partnership. The duo contributes 7 co-writes and 3 solo efforts that combine good melodies with … Continue reading

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Gig Review: ECLIPSE – Camden Underworld, London, 14 May 2014

ECLIPSE, Camden Underworld, 14 May 2014

Having built quite a reputation with their critically acclaimed last two albums, Are You Ready To Rock in 2008 and 2012’s Bleed And Scream, it is perhaps surprising that this was Eclipse’s first headline UK show, a sole date squeezed … Continue reading

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Album review: JEFF GREEN PROJECT – Elder Creek

JEFF GREEN PROJECT – Elder Creek

F2 Records This is a really fine album. Full of poise, creativity and craft. It is Jeff Green’s second album and has been some while in the making since the debut ‘Jessica’ appeared in 2009. Not that Green has been … Continue reading

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Album review : KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD – Goin’ Home

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD – Goin

Provogue [Release date 05.05.13] Kenny Wayne Shepherd tells us that: ‘These are songs that helped shape who I am’. It might seem a little early in his career to be indulging in a ‘Goin’ Home’ scenario especially, as he’s still … Continue reading

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Album review : WALTER TROUT – The Blues Came Callin’

WALTER TROUT – The Blues Came Callin

Provogue [release date 02.06.14] The thing that distinguishes Walter Trout from his peers isn’t just his big tone, his passionate solos, his stagecraft or his distinguished career in the blues-rock field, but simply the fact he’s always searched for meaning … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE YOUNG FOLK – Surya, King’s Cross, London,15 May 2014

It’s amazing the gig venues you keep discovering in London as I had never heard of the Surya before and it has a whole host of gigs put on by the promoters Glasswerks. A dinky little venue with a bar … Continue reading

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Album review : TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON – Angels of the Apocalypse

TIMO TOLKKI

Frontiers [Release date 16.05.14] It doesn’t seem five minutes since Timo Tolkki released “The Land Of New Hope” and now he’s back with the next instalment under his Avalon moniker. Timo has come up with a bonkers storyline where “The … Continue reading

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News: STEVE LUKATHER chats to GRTR!

Steve Lukather, photo by Rob Shanahan

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio: “The Guitarists” Sunday 18 May, 22:00 GMT (repeated Mon 19 and Fri 23, 22:00 GMT) Legendary guitarist Steve Lukather chats about his career, including sessions, solo and Toto.  GRTR!’s David Randall caught up with him … Continue reading

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DVD review: TOTO – 35th Anniversary Live In Poland

Toto - 35th Anniversary Live In Poland

Steve Lukather interview on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio Sunday 18 May 2014, 22:00  See website for details Eagle Rock [Release date 28.04.14] Having sold over 35 million records across 17 studio albums, Toto toured last year to celebrate their … Continue reading

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Gig review: IAN ANDERSON – Regent Theatre, Ipswich, 10 May 2014

Ian Anderson, photo by Martin Webb

Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson has been confusing and entertaining Rock fans around the globe since he first formed the short lived The Blades back in 1963. While his latest ‘solo’ effort “Homo Erraticus” has … Continue reading

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Album review : NEAL SCHON – So U

Neal Schon -So U

Frontiers [release date 19.05.14] When the record label description uses the words “unique” and “jazz and blues-inspired” in the promotional material the alarm bells started ringing in my head. Blues I can live with but Jazz… Neal Schön (what’s with … Continue reading

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Gig Review: FRONTIERS ROCK FESTIVAL, Italy, 1-3 May 2014

Frontiers Rock Festival, Italy, May 2014

Famous Italian bands can be counted on the fingers of one hand, yet it is an Italian label, Frontiers Records, who have emerged as the world force in melodic rock. Starting with the underground acts, they have accumulated a huge … Continue reading

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Album review: DAWN OF DESTINY – Forgotten, Enslaved, Admired, Released

www.phonotraxx.de [Released March 2014] If like me you’ve become a little fed up of the seemingly endless stream of power/prog metal bands releasing so-so albums then rejoice as Dawn Of Destiny have created a mighty album here. It’s a concept … Continue reading

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