Author Archives: GRTR! HQ

Album review: DAN REED – Liftoff

Posted on December 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Zero One Entertainment [Release date 04.12.20] At the end of a horrific year for humanity, and also for music, Dan Reed’s latest solo album arrives to provide the perfect antidote. Dan’s solo works since the “comeback” – ‘Coming Up For … Continue reading →

Album review: MAGNUM – Dance Of The Black Tattoo

Posted on December 4, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

David Randall chatted to Tony Clarkin for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio with tracks from the forthcoming compilation. First broadcast 20 December 2020. SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 08.01.21] What do inveterate songwriters do in Lockdown when they’ve no band to steer … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, Bob Catley, compilation, Dance Of The Black Tattoo, hard rock, interview, Magnum, melodic rock, review, Tony Clarkin | Leave a comment

News: The Best of 2020 – Get Ready to ROCK! reviewers choose their Top Albums of the Year

Posted on December 4, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

2020 has been a horrendous year for live music, silenced by the coronavirus pandemic. With live music off the agenda, there has been no shortage of album/EP releases, so this year our reviewers have concentrated on selecting their Top Albums, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, The Best of 2020 | Tagged 20/20, album, best of, blues rock, breakthrough act, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, reissue, reviewer.top albums, singer songwriter | 2 Comments

Album review: GRYPHON – Get Out Of My Father’s Car!

Posted on November 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Talking Elephant/Gryphon [Release date 20.11.20] Gryphon will always occupy a small but significant place in my musical heritage. Coinciding with my interest in (and performance of) early music, in the early 1970s they became a cross-genre novelty act. And with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Brian Guilland, Dave Oberle, folk, folk rock, Get Out Of My Father's Car, Graeme Taylor, Gryphon, Home Service, medieval, review | Leave a comment

Quick plays: ANNA ELIZABETH LAUBE, PEACH & QUIET

Posted on November 25, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

ANNA ELIZABETH LAUBE Annamania (Ahh…Pockets! Records) [Release date 22.01.21] You’ll find reviews of Americana singer songwriter Anna Laube’s last two releases – ‘Anna Laube’ (2015) and ‘Tree’ (2016) buried in the Get Ready to ROCK! archives. Sufficient to say the … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE QUESTIONNAIRES – Atlantic Ridge

Posted on November 25, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Boom Chang Records [Release date 15.01.21] It seems a bit disingenuous in the PR blurb to refer to Jane Wade and Steve Hall, aka The Questionnaires, as having been ‘around a bit’. For most, me included, their formative bands – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged acoustic, album, Atlantic Ridge, pop rock, review, singer, songwriter, The Questionnaires | Leave a comment

Album review: ZEBRAS DON’T SMOKE – Don’t Mention The Swedes (ABBA Tribute)

Posted on November 23, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Singsong Music [Release date 20.11.20] www.singsongmusic.com ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus said what he thought of streaming live music during Lockdown. He wasn’t impressed and thought kitchen gigs will never be a substitute. I wonder what he would have thought of the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Abba, album, Deckchair Poets, Don't Mention The Swedes, Geoff Downes, Lynden Williams, Nick D’Virgilio, pop rock, review, tribute, Zebras Don't Smoke | 1 Comment

Album review: HUNTED BY ELEPHANTS – Carry On

Posted on November 18, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

www.huntedbyelephants.com [Release date 15.01.21] You can imagine: we receive so many promos from independent artists here at GRTR! and many, sadly, have to be jettisoned having never made the cut. The second album from London-based rockers Hunted By Elephants had … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Carry On, heavy rock, Hunted By Elephants, review | Leave a comment

Album review: MARK VICKNESS – Interconnected

Posted on November 9, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

www.markvickness.com [Release date 15.09.20] Mark Vickness is a classically trained guitarist but has also worked in jazz and fusion genres. He freely mixes world flavours with classical/acoustic/rock. On ‘Interconnected’ he is joined by some talented collaborators such as the Grammy … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged acoustic, album, classical, fingerstyle, folk, guitar, guitarist, Interconnected, Mark Vickness, review | Leave a comment

Album review: DORIS BRENDEL & LEE DUNHAM – Mass Hysteria

Posted on October 22, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Sky Rocket Records [Release date 01.09.20] A new Doris Brendel album is a bit like Christmas coming early. That moment when your Aunty Doris invites you to dip blindfold into a tub of Quality Street, only to discover she’s mixed … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, alternative, art rock, blues, Doris Brendel, Lee Dunham, Mass Hysteria, pop rock, progressive, review | Leave a comment

Feature: Albums that time forgot…EUROPE – Secret Society

Posted on October 13, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Sanctuary (2006) Back in 2007 my fellow GRTR! reviewer and pal Pete Whalley, and my aspiring guitar hero son Ben, made our way through a February snowstorm to Liverpool Academy. It was a fairly low key gig for the Swedish … Continue reading →

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Feature: Albums that time forgot…JAMES LABRIE – Elements Of Persuasion

Posted on October 10, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

InsideOut (2005) For many band members, the band becomes all consuming. It means, as a result of the constant cycle of touring, writing and recording, they can’t deliver their own solo album. There are 15 years between John Petrucci’s first … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES | Tagged album, Dream Theater, Elements Of Persuasion, feature, heavy metal, James LaBrie, Marco Sfogli, Matt Guillory, Mike Mangini, nu-metal, progressive metal, review | Leave a comment

Feature: Albums that time forgot…DON DOKKEN – Up From The Ashes

Posted on October 10, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Geffen Records (1990) At the turn of the 1980′s there was a last hurrah for the genre that had sometimes been called glam metal, or more specifically hair metal. Bolstered by albums such as Whitesnake (1987) and Winger (1988) the … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES | Tagged album, Billy White, Don Dokken, feature, hair metal, hard rock, interview, John Norum, melodic, review, Up From The Ashes | Leave a comment

Album review: JAKKO M. JAKSZYK – Secrets & Lies

Posted on October 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

On Sunday 11 October, in the first hour of his weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, David Randall chatted to Jakko M. Jakszyk about his career with tracks from the new album. InsideOut Music [Release date 23.10.20] Jakko … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, classic rock, interview, Jakko M. Jakszyk, King Crimson, review, rock, Secrets & Lies | 1 Comment

Album review: BLACK SABBATH – Paranoid (50th Anniversary Super Deluxe)

Posted on October 3, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Black Sabbath - Paranoid - 50th Anniversary Edition

BMG [Release date 09.10.20] Another year. Another anniversary. At the dawn of heavy metal as we know it, 1970, Black Sabbath released their second album which went on to achieve multi-million selling status. A fan favourite it yielded a handful … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 50th anniversary, album, Bill Ward, Black Sabbath, box set, Doom, Geezer Butler, heavy metal, interview, Ozzy Osbourne, Paranoid, review, super deluxe, Tony Iommi | Leave a comment

Album review: CIRCULINE – CircuLive New View (DVD/Blu-ray)

Posted on October 2, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Inner Nova Music [Release date 09.10.20] Starting out covering Yes, Genesis, ELP, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, UK, Jethro Tull, Rush, and Pink Floyd, three members of New York based tribute band Downing Grey decided to form Circuline in 2014 as … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Blu-ray, Circuline, CircuLive New View, DVD, prog, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: DAVID MINASIAN – The Sound Of Dreams

Posted on October 2, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Golden Robot Records [Release date 11.09.20] An American film producer, screenwriter, director, and a musician, singer and songwriter, David Minasian’s work includes music videos and concert films for Camel, and Moody Blues frontman Justin Hayward. Which goes some way to … Continue reading →

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Album review: BLUES PILLS – Holy Moly!

Posted on October 2, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Nuclear Blast [Release date 21.08.20] Blues Pills have always scored highly with GRTR! reviewers. John Stefanis was bowled over by their ‘next best thing [to the 70s]‘ 2014 eponymous debut, while Jason Ritchie considered their 2016 follow up Lady In … Continue reading →

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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2021)

Posted on September 28, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Compiled by Jason Ritchie Please check with venue and/or relevant website(s) to confirm availability. Updated 10/11/2021 ALLMAN FAMILY REVIVAL November 27 – The Factory – St. Louis, MO 29 – Majestic Theater – Dallas, TX 30 – ACL Live at … Continue reading →

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News: Albums of the Month (July 2020 – September 2020)

Posted on September 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

MAGENTA Masters Of Illusion (Tiger Moth) It turns back the years without ever being ‘retro’ and I would suggest is comfortably the best Magenta album since Home. Masters Of Illusion – The Musical, anyone? ***** (Pete Whalley) WALTER TROUT Ordinary … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged 20/20, albums of the month, AOR, Arctic Rain, August, blues, blues rock, classic rock, Deep Purple, hard rock, July, Kat Riggins, Legacy Pilots, Magenta, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, September, Walter Trout | Leave a comment

Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) January 2021-March 2021

Posted on September 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Compiled by Jason Ritchie January – March 2020 April – June 2020 July – September 2020 October – December 2020 April – June 2021 July-September 2021 October-December 2021 2021 January 1st THE BLACK KEYS ‘Brothers’ (10th anniversary edition) 8th Frozen … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions, Upcoming (Tours & Releases), Video | Tagged 2021, album, AOR, Bluray, CD, classic rock, DVD, February, heavy rock, January, March, melodic rock, metal, New releases, progressive, rock | Leave a comment

News: WIN a copy of BLACK SABBATH Paranoid – 50th anniversary super deluxe box set

Posted on September 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Celebrating the 50th anniverary of the multi-million selling album ‘Paranoid’ BMG release a 5-LP/4CD edition on October 9th, featuring the vinyl debut of two 1970 concerts. We have a copy of the CD version and the vinyl super deluxe edition … Continue reading →

Posted in Competitions, NEWS | Tagged 50th anniversary, Bill Ward, Black Sabbath, box set, competition, Geezer Butler, heavy metal, Ozzy Osbourne, Paranoid, super deluxe, Tony Iommi, win | Leave a comment

Album review: MARTIN BARRE – 50 Years Of Jethro Tull (2-CD)

Posted on September 26, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

On Sunday 18 October, Martin Barre chatted to Pete Feenstra for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, about his time in Tull and beyond. (40:33) The Store For Music [Release date 16.10.20] The first thing to say is that the cover, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged 50 Years Of Jethro Tull, Alan Thomson, album, anniversary, blues rock, classic rock, compilation, Dan Crisp, guitar, guitarist, interview, Martin Barre, prog, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Book review: On track…MIKE OLDFIELD (Every album, every song) – Ryan Yard

Posted on September 18, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 18.09.20] As Ryan Ward suggests in this survey of Mike Oldfield’s music, his calling card Tubular Bells – in 1973 – defined him and was never surpassed. He was only 20. Those of a certain age … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, classical, dance, Every Album, Every Song, guitar, instrumental, Mike Oldfield, music, On Track, prog, progressive, review, rock, Ryan Yard, Tubular Bells, world | Leave a comment

Album review: IAN DURY – Hit Me! The Best Of

Posted on September 16, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

BMG [Release date 16.10.20] 3-CD Reasons To Be Cheerful? Well we certainly need some of those and who better than to supply a cheery soundtrack to covid-crocked times than the cheeky chappy from Harrow. Ian Dury may have died in … Continue reading →