Yearly Archives: 2023

Album review: LAURENCE JONES – Bad Luck & The Blues

Posted on September 4, 2023 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra chatted to Laurence Jones for his show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 17 September 2023. Marshall Records [Release date 25.08.23] ‘Bad Luck & The Blues’ is Laurence Jones’s ninth release in all and it’s a cracking hard … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, Ash Sheehan, Bad Luck & The Blues, Chris Sheldon, Deep Purple, funk, Gary Moore, grunge, guitar, interview, Jack Timmis, Jimi Hendrix, Laurence Jones, power trio, radio, review, Robin Trower, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: TEMPT – Tempt

Posted on September 3, 2023 by jason

Better Noise Music [Release date 25.08.23] Tempt’s website states they are “rock music for the modern age.” To date they have supported the likes of Bon Jovi, Shinedown and Iron Maiden, plus released a number of well received covers and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, debut, Def Leppard, hard rock, melodic rock, modern rock, review, rock, Tempt | Leave a comment

Album review: SAM MILLAR – More Cheese Please

Posted on September 3, 2023 by jason

Bandcamp [Release date 01.09.23] Sam Millar is the epitome of an artist determined to get their music out there despite setbacks. Previously a member of the highly touted Big Foot, who split just as they were about to reap the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 80's rock, album, AOR, Big Foot, melodic rock, More Cheese Please, review, rock, Sam Millar, Sass Bandits | Leave a comment

Album review: DBA – Celestial Songs

Posted on September 1, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red Records [Release date : 08.09.23] Right from the Downes Braide Association’s (DBA) first album (this is their fifth), the duo sounded like they’d been round the block a few times. Like they’d done things we couldn’t, seen things … Continue reading →

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Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – STEVE HACKETT (September 2023)

Posted on September 1, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

With the Genesis genie well and truly out of the bottle, Steve Hackett continues the legacy whilst topping up his own illustrious back catalogue. Prog-tastic! Photo: Simon Dunkerley The ascent of GRTR! since 2003 coincides with the rise and rise … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, FEATURES, GRTR!@20, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview, The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness | Tagged feature, Genesis, guitar, guitarist, interview, prog, Progressive Rock, radio, retrospective, Steve Hackett | Leave a comment

Album review: TRANCEND – Lilac

Posted on August 31, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

www.trancend.band [Release date 07.08.23] No matter what you might say, some good things did come out of Lockdown. And whilst you scratch your head let me give you one positive: Trancend. The musicians behind this album (the three Maurus brothers) … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, art rock, Lilac, prog, Progressive Rock, review, TrancEnd, trip hop | Leave a comment

Album review: HANFORD FLYOVER – Source

Posted on August 31, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

Fruits de Mer Records [Release date 11.10.23] We first came across Hanford Flyover on a sampler from the Fruits de Mer label who specialise in psych, prog and anything slightly leftfield. Much of the label output harks back to the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, electronica, folk, Hanford Flyover, prog, Progressive Rock, psych, psychedelic, review, Source | Leave a comment

News: ELLES BAILEY, HELMET, STEVEN WILSON (September 2023)

Posted on August 31, 2023 by jason

BRAVE RIVAL- Tropic at Ruislip, London, 5 March 2023

Bryan Adams releases a 35 track box set ‘Live at the Royal Albert Hall’ on December 8. Bachman Turner Overdrive have announced US tour dates, plus next year the band will release a concert film, shot in 1976, and a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, blues, blues rock, classic rock, Covers, Elles Bailey, folk, gigs, Helmet, metal, news, prog rock, Re-issues/special editions, RIP, Steven Wilson | Leave a comment

Album review: IAN SHAW – Greek Street Friday

Posted on August 30, 2023 by petefeenstra

Silent Wish [Release date 20.10.23] With previous album titles such as ‘In A New York Minute’, ‘Soho Stories, ‘A Ghost In Every Bar’ and the new ‘Greek Street Friday’ it’s tempting to regard vocalist Ian Shaw’s oeuvre as akin to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, funk, Greek Street Friday, Guy Bellamy, Ian Shaw, Jamie Safir, jazz, Mark Murphy, Randy Newman, review, Rickie Lee Jones, singer, songwriter, soul, Steely Dan, vocal | Leave a comment

Album review : DEACON BLUE – All The Old 45s, The Very Best Of Deacon Blue

Posted on August 28, 2023 by brianmc

Cooking Vinyl [Release date : 01.09.23] 1987, and the critics said they wouldn’t last, and here we are, 36 years later, and Deacon Blue are releasing… wait for it… a 41 track, double CD album titled All The Old 45s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 2CDs, album, blues, Dougie Vipond, Glasgow, Hits, James Prime, Lorraine McIntosh, pop, review, Ricky Ross, rock | Leave a comment

News: STEVE HACKETT is the latest entrant in The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness (September 2023)

Posted on August 28, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

The latest entrant in the ongoing 20th anniversary promotion – “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness” – is progmeister guitarist Steve Hackett. Hackett’s refashioning of classic Genesis seventies material coincides with the development of the website Get Ready to ROCK! (www.getreadytorock.com) … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged feature, Genesis, guitar, prog, Progressive Rock, retrospective, Steve Hackett | Leave a comment

Album review: NINEBARROW – The Colour of Night

Posted on August 27, 2023 by jason

Website [Release date 01.09.23] Ninebarrow, Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere, are at the forefront of folk artists building their own musical community. In this case Ninebarrow have the ‘Barrow Bods’, which helps them spread the word about their marvellous music, along with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, folk, Jay LaBouchardiere, Jon Whitley, melodic, Ninebarrow, review, The Colour of Night, traditional | Leave a comment

Album review: SKINDRED – Smile

Posted on August 25, 2023 by jason

Earache Records [Release date 04.11.23] This reviewer knew Skindred by name but never really listened to them (more fool me!) until hearing ‘Gimme That Boom’ on a new arrivals playlist on a streaming service. Then off down to HMV to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Benji Webbe, melodic, metal, pop rock, punk, ragga metal, rap, review, Skindred, Smile | Leave a comment

Album review : OLIVER / DAWSON SAXON – Screaming Eagles – The Complete Works (6 CD boxset)

Posted on August 25, 2023 by brianmc

OLIVER DAWSON SAXON Screaming Eagles cover 200

Cherry Red [Release date: 25.08.23] CD1 : Motorbiker (studio album 2012) CD2 : ReLanded (Live 2000) CD3 : It’s Alive Pt 1 (2003) CD4 : It’s Alive pt2 (2003) CD5 : Victim You (Son Of A Bitch, pre OD studio … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged 6 CD boxset, album, Bill Byford, boxset, Graham Oliver, heavy metal, NWOBHM, old school metal, Oliver Dawson Saxon, review, Screaming Eagles - The Complete Works, Steve Dawson | Leave a comment

Album review: PROMETHIUM – Bleeding The Ghost

Posted on August 25, 2023 by jason

Load 4 Records [Release date 15.09.23] Post-pandemic has seen a lot of bands undergo line-up changes, and in some cases calling it a day, as musicians re-evaluate what they want to do and achieve musically. Promethium are one such band … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Bleeding The Ghost, classic metal, Doom Metal, heavy metal, melodic metal, metal, Promethium, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: FIREVOLT FESTIVAL- Whitebottom Farm, Stockport, 11-13 August 2023

Posted on August 25, 2023 by andynathan

Last year’s inaugural Firestorm festival defied the naysayers to be a roaring success. Indeed the combination of the friendly atmosphere, beautiful setting on a farm at the end of a country park and wall to wall music made it instantly … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Absolva, Ashen Reach, Atack, A’priori, Black Spiders, Cardinal Black, Collateral, Dare, festival, Firevolt, gig, Gin Annie, Hell's Addiction, Hollowstar, Jack J. Hutchinson, Kris Barras Band, Luna Marble, Mason Hill, Massive Wagons, New Wave of Classic Rock, Royal Republic, Scruffy Bear, Sons Of Liberty, THE ANSWER, The Golden Leaves, The Hot One Two, The Virginmarys, Thieves Of Liberty, Valhalla Awaits, Vega, When Rivers Meet, White Raven Down | Leave a comment

Livestream review: METALLICA, AT&T Arena, Arlington, Texas, 18 & 20 August 2023

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Davoski

A unique double-header even in the storied history of thrash trailblazers, Metallica: a live-to-cinemas feed of their two Arlington, Texas shows 48 hours apart, featuring two entirely different sets. The idea of beaming gigs to remote venues is not new … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 72Seasons, broadcast, cinema, gig, James Hetfield, Lars Ullrich, live, livestream, metal, Metallica, review, Thrash | Leave a comment

Gig review: HEARTS & HAND GRENADES – Six Six Bar, Cambridge, Saturday 19 August 2023

Posted on August 24, 2023 by jason

Somehow generating the same levels of heat best found on the surface of the sun, Cambridge’s Six Six Bar is a venue whose attributes echo the long gone and much missed Marquee Club when it was in Wardour Street. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Cambridge, gig, Hearts & Hand Grenades, Löwdown, Mikey Ball & the Company, review, Saturday 19 August 2023, Six Six Bar, SoulSwitcht | Leave a comment

Album review: OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW – Jubilee

Posted on August 23, 2023 by jason

ATO Records [Release date 25.08.23] Hot on the heels of last year’s enjoyable ‘Paint This Town’, Old Crow Medicine Show are back with their eighth studio album. ‘Miles Away’ was released as the lead single from the album. It was … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, bluegrass, country, folk, Jubilee, Mavis Staples, Old Crow Medicine Show, old time music, review | Leave a comment

Album review : MR BIG – The Albums 1976-1978 (3 CD set)

Posted on August 21, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 18.08.23] This Mr. Big (the UK band) boxset is as close to a full blown “life and career” retrospective of the original iteration of the band as we’re likely to get. It comprises the 3 most … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AC/DC, Bob Hirschman, Dicken, Ian Hunter, Journey, Kansas, Mott the Hoople, pop, Queen, review, rock, Steve Gibbons, Sweet, The seventies, Tom Petty, Zulu | Leave a comment

Album review: AOR – Bewitched In L.A.

Posted on August 21, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

Bewitched In L.A. Perris Records [Release date 08.09.23] The advent of AI in music is the subject of much discussion. Listening to this latest offering from melodic rock plagiarist Frederic Slama you could be forgiven for thinking that everything – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Bewitched In L.A., Frederic Slama, melodic rock, Paul Sabu, review, Tommy Denander | Leave a comment

Album review: RUFFYUNZ – Ruffyunz III

Posted on August 20, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

Hyperspace Records [Release date 11.08.23] It’s safe to say that the third album offering from Ruffyunz takes up where II left off. The major change is Carmine Appice replacing Bobby Rondinelli’s drums and, at least on the cover, taking centre … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Billy 'Spaceman' Patterson, Bumblefoot, Carmine Appice, Dave Meniketti, Derek Sherinian, Ed Terry, hard rock, III, Jim McCarty, Pat Thrall, Pat Travers, Randy Platt, review, Ruffyunz, Tony Franklin, Tracy G, Vinnie Moore | Leave a comment

Album review : MAGNUM – The Great Adventure, The Jet Years 1978 – 1983 (6 CD Boxset)

Posted on August 18, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red / HNE [Release date: 25.08.23] CD1 : Kingdom Of Madness (1978) CD2 : Archive (1976) CD3 : Magnum II (1979) CD4 : Marauder (1980) CD5 : Chase The Dragon (1982) CD6 : Eleventh Hour (1983) This Magnum 6 … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AOR, Bob Catley, boxset, prog, review, Rodney Matthews, The Great Adventure, The Jet Years 1978 - 1983, Tony Clarkin | Leave a comment

Album review : MARCH OF THE FLOWER CHILDREN : The American Sounds of 1967 (3 CD set)

Posted on August 13, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 24.08.23] March Of The Flower Children is a fascinating journey through pop (and rock) music in the USA circa 1967… the year of the so called “Summer Of Love.” 3 CDs, 85 tracks, 4 hours … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged boxset, Buffalo Springfield, Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa, Love, March Of The Flower Children, Moby Grape, Paul Revere And The Raiders, pop music, review, Summer of Love, The American Sounds of 1967, The Beau Brummels, The Blues Magoos, The Byrds, The Electric Prunes, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Monkees, The Seeds, The Turtles, The Young Rascals, Tim Buckley, Tim Rose, USA, Vanilla Fudge, Velvet UndThe Grateful Dead | Leave a comment

Album review: RUMOUR – Raised On River Blues

Posted on August 13, 2023 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date 04.08.23] The UK West Midlands based Rumour revel in West Coast swept soft rock with Americana style imagery. They mix a acoustic-into-electric style musical landscape mixing a lightness of touch with tougher Brit blues-rock influences in … Continue reading →