Monthly Archives: June 2017

Quick plays: EZOO, KAI HANSEN & FRIENDS

Posted on June 19, 2017 by jason

EZOO Feeding the Beast earMUSIC [Release date 02.06.17] Graham Bonnet has been very busy of late with his own Graham Bonnet Band releasing a studio and live album and now this, Ezoo which features guitarist Dario Mollo (Voodoo Hill/Tony Martin). … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Dario Mollo, Ezoo, Gamma Ray, Graham Bonnet, Helloween, Kai Hansen, Rainbow, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE STONE ROSES – Wembley Stadium, 17 June 2017

Posted on June 19, 2017 by jason

For a band that have still only managed to release two albums (and one of those pretty underwhelming), whose singer is hardly renowned for having the strongest vocals in the world, and whose members spent the majority of the past … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged 17 June 2017, gig, Ian Brown, John Squire, Mani, Oasis, Reni, review, the Stone Roses, Wembley Stadium | Leave a comment

Album review: CAPTAIN BEYOND – Lost And Found 1972–1973

Posted on June 19, 2017 by jason

Cleopatra [Release date 02.06.17] Somewhat of a trans-Atlantic supergroup in their day, Captain Beyond formed in 1971 and originally featured guitarist Larry Rhino Reinhardt and bassist Lee Dorman (both of Iron Butterfly), original Deep Purple vocalist Rod Evans (wanting to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Captain Beyond, Cleopatra, Cleopatra Records, Deep Purple, Iron Butterfly, Lost And Found 1972–1973, review, Rod Evans, Uriah Heep | Leave a comment

Album review: RIOT – Reissues

Posted on June 19, 2017 by jason

Metal Blade [Release date 30.06.17] Riot are a US heavy metal band that formed in the mid 70s and came to the fore in the late 70s and early 80s, before moving into a more power metal direction. The band … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Bobby Jarzombek, Mark Reale, megal, Metal Blade, reissues, review, Riot, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: DIAMOND HEAD – Death and Progress/Evil Live

Posted on June 19, 2017 by jason

Dissonance [Release date 23.06.17] Diamond Head were at the forefront of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, and were influential on many, most notably Metallica, who covered several Diamond Head tracks, most famously Am I Evil. Formed in the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Brian Tatler, Death and Progress, Diamon Head, Dissonance, Evil Live, metal, NWOBHM, reissues, review | Leave a comment

Interview: GRAVE DIGGER (Chris Boltendahl)

Posted on June 18, 2017 by Yiannis

In my capacity as a music journalist, I have had the chance of meeting up and chatting with Grave Digger’s frontman Christ Boltendahl many times over the years and there’s never been a single occasion where I have found the … Continue reading →

Posted in INTERVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Interviews | Leave a comment

Album review: SIMPLE MINDS – Acoustic In Concert

Posted on June 16, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Eagle [Release date 16.06.17] CD/DVD Well, if Status Quo can do it, why not Simple Minds? The Scottish band’s eighties heyday was always predicated on big, anthemic, arrangements and in this BBC Radio 2 gig we get trimmed down versions … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Acoustic In Concert, album, BBC, Charlie Burchill, Hackney Empire, Jim Kerr, live, pop, review, rock, Simple Minds | Leave a comment

Album review: STANLEY CLARKE, NORMAN CONNORS, HARVEY MASON (Jazz Funk compilations)

Posted on June 16, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

STANLEY CLARKE - The Definitive Collection

Cherry Red Records/imprints The mid to late 1970s was a golden age for disco/jazz-funk. Bands like Earth, Wind & Fire were ascendant in the charts whilst our more home-grown Level 42 picked up the baton for the burgeoning Brit Funk … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Arista, Buddah, collection, compilation, funk, Harvey Mason, jazz funk, jazz fusion, Norman Connors, R&B, review, Sho Nuff Groovin' You The Arista Records Anthology (1975-1981), Stanley Clarke, The Definitive Collection, Valentine Love The Buddah/Arista Anthology | Leave a comment

Album review: SELWYN BIRCHWOOD – Pick Your Poison

Posted on June 16, 2017 by petefeenstra

Alligator [Release date: 19.05.17] Mentored by Sonny Rhodes and now some 7 years into his own solo career, Selwyn Birchwood’s second album ‘Pick Your Poison’ is a celebration of everything that makes him a unique presence on a blues circuit … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alligator, blues, Courtney “Big Love” Girlie, funk, gospel, guitar, Huff Wright, Pick Your Poison, Regi Oliver, review, Selwyn Birchwood, Sonny Rhodes, soul | Leave a comment

Gig review: GEORGE HARRISON – I Me Mine – Free Pop Up Exhibition, Elms Lesters Painting Rooms, London,16-18 June 2017

Posted on June 15, 2017 by petefeenstra

‘George Harrison – I Me Mine’, is a free pop up exhibition which exhibits in London on 16-18 June. It’s already done the rounds in LA where Ringo reputedly went to see it, and now its closer to home, giving … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Allan Klein, Brian Epstein, David Randall, exhibition, George Harrison, I Me Mine Free Pop Up Exhibition, Klaus Voorman, Phil Spector, review, The Beatles, Yoko Ono | Leave a comment

Album review: HAT FITZ AND CARA – After The Rain

Posted on June 15, 2017 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date: 11.11.16] The Irish-Australian duo of Hat Fitz and Cara stand out among their contemporaries because of their hill country grooves, their bluesy minimalism, some well crafted folky songs, occasional great hooks and an essential contrasting dynamic … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged After The Rain, album, Aretha Franklin, blues, Cara Robinson, folk, Govinda Doyle, guitar, Hat Fitz, Hat Fitz And Cara, hill country, metal, Peter Green, review, roots, vocal | Leave a comment

Quick plays: THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE, TUESDAY THE SKY

Posted on June 15, 2017 by jason

THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE Under Your Spell Metropolis Records [Release date 09.06.17] I first came across the Birthday Massacre with last year’s enjoyable ‘Imagica’ album, which was a reworking of some of their earlier songs, so was looking forward to hearing new … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Drift, Fates Warning, Jim Matheos, pop, progressive, review, rock, the Birthday Massacre, Tuesday The Sky, Under The Sky | Leave a comment

Album review: IT – We’re All In This Together

Posted on June 15, 2017 by jason

Progressive Gears Records [Release date 01.03.17] This is the fifth album by IT and judging by this album I have some catching up to do. IT is the mastermind of Nick Jackson and Andy Rowberry, with the band completed by James Hawkins … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, I am Daniel Blake, IT, melodic, political, prog, progressive, review, rock, We're All In This Together | Leave a comment

Album review: REX BROWN – Smoke On This

Posted on June 15, 2017 by jason

[Release date 28.07.17] Judge a book by its cover at your peril, especially when that man is former Pantera/Down bass-slinger turned six-stringer, Rex Brown – who comes off an entire life of rocking the road with a firm vow to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged album, Down, Pantera, review, Rex Brown, rock, Smoke On This, southern rock | 1 Comment

DVD review: DEEPLY VALE FESTIVAL– 40th Anniversary Weekend

Posted on June 14, 2017 by petefeenstra

Ozit/Dandelion [Release date: 23.06.17] Steve Hillage the big headliner at the groundbreaking 1978 Deeply Vale Festival describes the event as: “a legendary seminal event at an important moment in the development of British music culture in terms of free festivals.” … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged 40th Anniversary Weekend, Brian John Lewis, Chris Hewitt, Crude Oil Inc, Deeply Vale, DVD, Gong, Graham Clark, Graham Massey, Guitar George Borowski, Here & Now, Jaki Windmill, Mark E. Smith, Mike Howlett, Miquette Giraud, Nik Turner, Ozit/Dandelion, Rev Mike Huck, review, Shankara Andy Bole, Spizz, Steffe Sharpstrings, Stephen Lewry, Steve Cassidy, Steve Hillage, The Beatles, The Drones, The Falls, The Psychedelic Furs, The Ruts, Victor Brox | Leave a comment

Album review: RADIATION ROMEOS – S/T

Posted on June 13, 2017 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 02.06.17] Radiation Romeos is the new band featuring former Warrior and Steve Stevens’ Atomic Playboys vocalist Parramore McCarty – the band name comes from the Atomic Playboys album. He is joined by Dag Heyne (guitars), Jogi Spittka … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Atomic Playboys, Casanova, Frontiers, melodic, Michael Voss, Parramore McCarty, Radiation Romeos, review, rock, Silver, Steve Stevens, Warrior | Leave a comment

DVD review: JOE BONAMASSA – Live At Carnegie Hall – An Acoustic Evening

Posted on June 13, 2017 by petefeenstra

JOE BONAMASSA – Joe Bonamassa Live At Carnegie Hall - An Acoustic Evening

Provogue [Release date 23.06.17] From the opening Manhattan rooftop shots to the individual band instruments, the familiar team of producer Kevin Shirley and director Philippe Klose cleverly draws us into the latest J&R Adventures extravaganza. ‘Live At Carnegie Hall – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged Bette Middler, blues, DVD, Eric Brazilian, Gary Pinto, guitar, Hossam Ramzy, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Bonamassa Live At Carnegie Hall - An Acoustic Evening, Kevin Shirley, Philippe Klose, Reese Wynans, review, Tina Guo, unplugged, world music, Zeppelin | Leave a comment

Gig review: BEARDED THEORY – Catton Park, Derbyshire, 25 – 28 May 2017

Posted on June 12, 2017 by david.wilson

BEARDED THEORY – TEN YEARS OF MUSIC, MAGIC AND MISCHIEF… Once a year the grounds of Catton Park in Derbyshire are transformed into one of the happiest places on earth. If this conjures images of a saccharine sweet world of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Alabama 3, Bearded Theory, Beardy Keef, Blackballed, Catton Park, Derbyshire, Don Letts, Dreadzone, Ferocious Dog, festival, gig, Goldblade, Madness, may 2017, New Model Army, pop, punk, review, rock, Seasick Steve, Selector, Seth Lakeman, Skunk Anansie | Leave a comment

Album review: ALESTORM – No Grave But The Sea

Posted on June 12, 2017 by jason

Napalm Records [Release date 26.05.17] Pirate metal heroes Alestorm are back to wreck havoc! If you have not heard the folk metal shenanigans of Alestorm you really are missing out. They weave many a piratical and sea faring tale, taking … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alestorm, Christopher Bowes, folk metal, metal, Napalm Records, No Grave But The Sea, pirate metal, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: SONNY LANDRETH – Recorded Live In Lafayette

Posted on June 12, 2017 by petefeenstra

Provogue [Release date: 30.06.17] Not so much a live career résumé – there’s no ‘Speak Of The Devil’ or ‘Congo Square’ – Sonny Landreth’s ‘Recorded Live In Lafayette’ is more of a dip into a re-invigorated past and a tip … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged blues, Brian Brignac, cajun, Dave Conn, Dave Ranson, Eric Johnson. rock, fusion, gig, guitar, Louisianna, Recorded Live In Lafayette, review, Sam Broussard, Sonny Landreth, Zydeco | Leave a comment

Quick plays: SCARVED, OOBERFUSE

Posted on June 12, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

SCARVED Lodestone [Release date 03.03.17] What springs to mind when you think about Belgium? World class beer, chocolate, and a national football team? Could female fronted rock be added to that impressive roster with the sophomore release from Scarved? Fronted … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Belgium, electronica, hard rock, Lodestone, Ooberfuse, pop, review, Scarved, The Odd Ones | Leave a comment

Album review: NASHER – 432-1 Open The Vein

Posted on June 12, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Babylon Pink [Release date 23.06.17] Whatever happened to Frankie Goes To Hollywood guitarist Brian ‘Nasher’ Nash? The opener – ‘Salt In Her Veins’ – sounds like you’ve put the radio on FM by mistake and it’s drifted ‘off station’. But … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 432-1 Open The Vein, album, Brian Nash, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Nasher, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW – Live In Birmingham 2016

Posted on June 10, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Eagle Records [Release date 09.06.17] You may wonder why – after the release last year of the German gigs – we have yet another version of Ritchie’s hard rock comeback? As we commented in our original review, it is a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Deep Purple, live, Live In Birmingham 2016, review, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Ronnie Romero | Leave a comment

Gig review: THUNDERPUSSY/The John Doe Trio – The Beaverwood, Chislehurst, 8 June 2017

Posted on June 9, 2017 by petefeenstra

While ‘booty’ may be in the eyes of the beholder, Thunderpussy, Seattle’s up and coming classic rock, indie and psychedelic musical hybrid, aren’t hanging around for any subjective evaluation. They know exactly who they are, where they are going and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Photo Galleries | Tagged blues, Fleetwood Mac, gig, GIRLSCHOOL, Kate Bush, Leah Julius, Led Zeppelin, Molly Sides, Peter Green, psychedelia, review, rock, Ruby Dunphy, Seattle, Stevie Marriott, The Beatles, THE DOORS, The John Doe Trio, The Runaways, Thunderpussy, Whitney Petty | Leave a comment

Album review: JFKBlue – Rough Round The Edges

Posted on June 8, 2017 by petefeenstra

Busy B [Release date: 05.05.17] ‘Rough Round The Edges’ is an impressive debut album with plenty of depth. It’s born of 11 strong and original tracks that jump out the grooves on the back of emotive vocals and fine band … Continue reading →