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Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
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Gig review: STRAY – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
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Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – The Grace, London, 26 November 2024
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Monthly Archives: February 2020
Album review: RICHARD THOMPSON – Live At Rock City, Nottingham 86
Angel Air/Store For Music [Release date 13.03.20] An archive live performance from Richard Thompson from 1986 where he has backed by a veritable array of top notch folk musicians including Clive Gregson & Christine Collister (who were forging a successful … Continue reading
Gig review: MYKE GRAY featuring Kim Jennett – Camden Underworld, London, 23 February 2020
I’ve been an admirer over the years of Myke Gray’s very fluent, technically accomplished guitar playing style, particularly so as he has always been complemented by powerful, bluesy vocalists, be it in Jagged Edge, Skin or Red White and Blues. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Colin Parkinson, gig, Glenn Quinn, Kim Jennett, Myke Gray, Neil Ogden, Skin
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Album review: STATUS QUO – Perfect Remedy
UMC [Release date 06.03.20] Albums nineteen, twenty and twenty one. How many bands can say that? Each one now reissued, and expanded to within an inch of its life. With added liner notes and pics. “Perfect Remedy” (1989), “Rock Till … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, boogie, classic rock, Francis Rossi, Perfect Remedy, re-issue, review, Rick Parfitt, rock, rock 'n' roll, Status Quo
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Album review: DATURA4 – West Coast Highway Cosmic
Naturalsounds Records [Release date 17.04.20] Feels like only five minutes since Datura4 anointed us with their blessed brand of down-under boogie and yet here they are already with their fourth album release, “West Coast Highway Cosmic”. As consistent as white … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, blues rock, boogie, Datura4, Dom Mariani, review, rock, UFO, West Coast Highway Cosmic
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Book review: STEVE ROTHERY – Postcards From The Road
Astral Horizon Press [Publication date 21.05.20] Steve Rothery’s photo book was first published in 2016 when it was sold via a pre-order campaign and then at gigs and the band website. Now it gets a full release. Rothery was a … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, Fish, Marillion, photography, Postcards From The Road, review, Steve Rothery
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Gig review: JARED JAMES NICHOLS/COLLATERAL – Gibson Brands Studio, London, 24 February 2020
One of the most common gripes on social media when bands announce tours is ‘why aren’t they playing anywhere near me?’. With Jared James Nichols and Collateral going on a nine date nationwide spring tour excuses will be thinner than … Continue reading
Album review: ABSOLVA – Side By Side
Rocksector Records [Release date 18.10.19] Absolva formed from the ashes of Fury (UK) in 2012, featuring Chris Appleton (vocals, guitar), Luke Appleton (guitar, vocals), Martin McNee (drums) and bassist Karl Schramm, who joined the band in 2014. The band also … Continue reading
Album review: BLACK SWAN – Shake The World
Frontiers [Release date 14.02.20] You have to say (again) that Frontiers knows how to put a band together, in this case Black Swan. Here are four musicians – Robin McAuley, Jeff Pilson, Reb Beach and Matt Starr – whose well … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Black Swan, Dokken, Frontiers, hard rock, Jeff Pilson, Matt Starr, melodic rock, Mr Big, MSG, Reb Beach, review, Robin McAuley, Shake The World
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Album review: PHIL SAATCHI – Sun Come Up
Jobbing Brighton musician , singer, and writer Phil Saatchi’s main claim to fame seem to be collaborations with Sam Brown on her 1990 debut Stop!, and with Phil Manzanera on And The Beat Goes On in 1991. Oh, and a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Phil Saatchi, pop, review, rock, Sun Come Up
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Quick plays: JEFFREY FOUCAULT, AMBERLY CHALBERG, DANIEL STEER
JEFFREY FOUCAULT Blood Brothers Blueblade Records [Release date 27,03.20] No question, Americana is the new rock n roll. And the opening number – ‘Dishes’ – on Jeffrey Foucault’s follow up to his critically acclaimed 2015 album Salt As Wolves – … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Amberly Chalberg, Americana, Blood Brothers, country, Daniel Steer, Hi-Line, Jeffrey Foucault, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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Album review: STEVE HARLEY – Uncovered
Absolute [Release date 21.02.20] While Cockney Rebel never really made the A grade, The Psychomodo – an album that languished amongst my 1970s LP collection – has always been one that I’ve always felt a strange affinity for, even if … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, classic rock, Cockney Rebel, cover versions, Covers, review, singer, songwriter, Steve Harley, Uncovered
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Quick plays: LARS BOUTRUP, AL DI MEOLA
LARS BOUTRUP’S MUSIC FOR KEYBOARDS The Great Beyond Ex’cess Records (Release date 02.03.20) Danish keyboard wiz Lars Boutrup evokes organ grinders of a bygone age. In doing so he also fashions his own version of classic keyboard-led rock. ‘The Great … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged Across The Universe, Al Di Meola, album, guitar, guitarist, Hammond, instrumental, keyboards, Lars Boutrup, Lars Boutrup's Music For Keyboards, organ, progressive, review, rock, The Beatles, The Great Beyond
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Album review: THE BURRITO BROTHERS – The Notorious Burrito Brothers
Store For Music [Release date 06.03.20] This is one of those situations where a little knowledge is a bad thing. Without any “previous” one would pick up this disc and be introduced to very pleasant, competent country rock. Non-threatening, if … Continue reading
Album review: RAGE – Wings Of Rage
SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 10.01.20] Every family has a black sheep. That one relative who never gets invited to Christmas lunch. Rage are that family member, the unhinged uncle who is usually locked in an attic or roaming around the woods. … Continue reading
Album review: METAL CHURCH – The Elektra Years 1984-1989
Cherry Red Records [Release date 28.02.20] Before Kurdt Vanderhoof went off to invent a new genre with his band, Hall Aflame, in 1991, he released 3 albums with his startup venture, Metal Church. Cherry Red Records have bundled these into … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues
Tagged album, box set, Cherry Red Records, classic metal, David Wayne, Keith Howe, Kurdt Vanderhoof, metal, Metal Church, review, The Elektra Years 1984-1989, thrash metal
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Book review: ON TRACK…Toto/The Solo Beatles/Steely Dan (“Every album, every song”)
Sonicbond Pubishing [Publication date January/February 2020] Liked and loathed in equal measures by the music press in the 1970s and 1980s, ultimately the band may have had the last laugh. As author Jacob Holm-Lupp reiterates, their latest offering – XIV … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged AOR, book, classic rock, Donald Fagen, fusion, George Harrison, Jazz rock, John Lennon, melodic rock, On Track, Paul McCartney, pop, review, Ringo Starr, Steely Dan, The Solo Beatles, Toto, Walter Becker
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Album review: BIRDEATSBABY – The World Conspires
Bandcamp [Release date 18.10.19] ‘The World Conspires’ is the fifth album from birdeatsbaby, who started out in 2009. Birdeatsbaby’s current line-up consist of Mishkin Fitzgerald (vocals, piano, accordion, synths), Hana Maria (violin, cello, vocals, harp, hurdy-gurdy), Garry Mitchell (bass, guitars, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Birdeatsbaby, experimental, folk, gothic, metal, progressive, review, rock, World Conspires
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Album review: THE HERBAL REMEDY – Land Of The Livin’
1454875 Records DK [Release date 04.09.219] The Herbal Remedy is a roots rock band from the North East of England who play their music the way they feel it. ‘Land Of The Livin’ is a live album in all but … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, Bo Diddley, Coen Brothers, Davey Curtis, Eric Burdon, Gary Boner, Gary Grainger, George Thorogood, Helen Armstrong, John Timney, Land Of The Livin', Nick Phillips, review, Rick Estrin, Roadhouse, Robin Trower, rock, roots, Rory Gallagher, Ry Cooder, The Herbal Renedy
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Album review: POPA CHUBBY – It’s A Mighty Hard Road
Dixie Frog Records [Release date 14.02.20] Popa Chubby’s ‘It’s A Mighty Hard Road’ is the self proclaimed ‘Beast From The East’s 30th anniversary album. It’s a song driven set encompassing rocking blues shuffles, funky feels and surprisingly soulful moments, all … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, Captain Beefheart, Ernie Isley, funk, guitar, It's A Mighty Hard Road, Latino, Leon Russell, Popa Chubby, Prince, review, rock, vocal
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Album review: ROSS THE BOSS – Born Of Fire
AFM Records [Release date 06.03.20] Just when you thought that there was no band more ‘metal’ than Manowar or Judas Priest, along comes Ross ‘the Boss’ Friedman and his crew to combine elements of both and more to provide an … Continue reading
EP review: SILVERTHORNE – Tear The Sky Wide Open
Golden Robot Records [Release date 21.02.20] We’ve not heard much from Pete Shoulder since the last Union album, a band he formed in tandem with Thunder’s Luke Morley. Now he’s back with Silverthorne where he is joined by drummer Brian … Continue reading
Album review: JESSE DAMON – Damon’s Rage
AOR Heaven [Release date 28.02.20] Jesse Damon will be best remembered by many 80s rock fans as he was the lead singer and guitarist for the band Silent Rage. Silent Rage rose to fame in 1989 when signed by Gene … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS
Tagged album, AOR Heaven, Gene Simmons, hard rock, Jesse Damon, melodic rock, Paul Sabu, review, SILENT RAGE
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Album review: DIRTY SHIRLEY – s/t
Frontiers Music [release date: 20.01.20] Yep. George Lynch has pretty much nailed this. Dirty Shirley is a rich and classy hard rock album that holds the ‘80’s/early ‘90’s template tight to its chest, but offers enough twists and turns to keep … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Dino Jelusic, Dirty Shirley, Dokken, George Lynch, guitarist, hard rock, Lynch Mob, review
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Album review: RUSS BALLARD – It’s Good To Be Here
On Thursday 20 February at 22:00 GMT Get Ready to ROCK! Radio replays a two-part special when David Randall chatted to Russ Ballard about his long career. BMG [Release date 21.02.20] If you’ve done any world travelling, out of desire … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, It's Good To Be Here, Kiss, melodic rock, pop, pop rock, Rainbow, review, rock, Russ Ballard
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Album review: JAN JAMES – Justify
Website [Release date 27.03.20] Jan James met her partner, songwriter/guitarist Craig Calvert, at Michigan State University, before the pair of them moved to Chicago. They performed regularly in Chicago, released a series of albums, including one on the blues label … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, blues rock, Jan James, Janis Joplin, Justify, review, rock, Rolling Stones
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