Author Archives: andynathan

Album review: TEN- Here Be Monsters

Posted on March 13, 2022 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release date 18.02.22) It’s been over three years since Ten released the rather underwhelming ‘Illuminati’, though mainman Gary Hughes had a busy 2021 with a solo album and compilation and writing the critically acclaimed ‘Tao’ project.’ ‘Here Be … Continue reading →

Album review: LIONVILLE – So Close to Heaven

Posted on March 12, 2022 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release date 11.02.22) The brainchild of Italian multi-instrumentalist Stefano Lionetti, Lionville have produced a series of quality AOR albums at regular intervals over the past decade. So Close to Heaven is their fifth and there are few changes … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Lars Safsund, Lionville, melodic rock, Robbie La Blanc, Stefano Lionetti | Leave a comment

Gig review: HOLLOWAY STRIP (Revival Black et al) – Camden Underworld, London, 19 February 2022

Posted on February 26, 2022 by andynathan

I can’t remember the last time the British rock scene seemed to be so awash with young hopefuls, mostly under the banner of the New Wave of Classic Rock. The one frustration is that it can be hard to keep … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Ashen Reach, Bastette, festival, Gallows Circus, gig, Holloway Strip, New Wave of Classic Rock, Revival Black | Leave a comment

Gig review: SLIM CHANCE- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 17 February 2022

Posted on February 23, 2022 by andynathan

When Ronnie Lane quit the Faces, he got away from it all and retreated to the country, as many rock stars did in the seventies. However he took things a stage further when, with his band Slim Chance, he conjured … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Billy Nicholls, Charlie Hart, Eel Pie Club, folk rock, Frank Mead, Geraint Watkins, gig, Ronnie Lane, Slim Chance, Steve Bingham, Steve Simpson | Leave a comment

Gig review: RUSS BALLARD – 100 Club, London, 10 February 2022

Posted on February 16, 2022 by andynathan

The over used word ‘legendary’ applies in Russ Ballard’s case, as one of the very best and most prolific songwriters for a wide range of pop and rock artists, not to mention a distinguished and long career as singer and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, Argent, gig, Jos Henrit, Marc Rapson, melodic rock, Roly Jones, Russ Ballard, singer songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: GIANT – Shifting Time

Posted on February 14, 2022 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release Date 21.01.22) In the small and incestuous world of melodic rock the release of a new Giant album has caused the liveliest controversy for many years. Their first two albums are widely seen as classics of the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Dan Huff, David Huff, Giant, John Roth, Kent Hilli, melodic rock, Mike Brignardello, Shifting Time | Leave a comment

Gig review:JIM KIRKPATRICK- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 3 February 2022

Posted on February 9, 2022 by andynathan

One of my favourite gigs of last year was when FM guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick played The Cavern bar in suburban South-west London. The occasion was special enough, being my first show after the 2021 lockdown was relaxed, but the musical … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged blues rock, FM, gig, Jem Davis, Jim Kirkpatrick, Leon Cave, melodic rock | Leave a comment

Gig review: SAXON- Hammersmith Apollo, London, 29 January 2022

Posted on February 4, 2022 by andynathan

Saxon’s 40th anniversary show was a case of deferred pleasure even by current standards. It was actually first scheduled as long ago as October 2019 but delayed when singer Biff Byford underwent heart surgery, and subsequently rescheduled at least twice … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Biff Byford, Diamond Head, Doug Scarratt, gig, GIRLSCHOOL, metal, Nigel Glockler, Paul Quinn, Saxon, Uriah Heep | Leave a comment

Gig review: TEN YEARS AFTER- 100 Club, London, 24 January 2022

Posted on January 27, 2022 by andynathan

Ten Years After have a considerable pedigree- leading lights in the British blues explosion and participants at Woodstock, as the sixties gave way to the seventies they were a big enough draw at the time to notch four top ten … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged blues rock, Chick Churchill, Gerry Jablonski, Gerry Jablonski And the Electric Band, gig, Jonathan Noyce, Marcus Bonfanti, Ric Lee, Ten Years After | Leave a comment

Album review: OUT OF THIS WORLD – S/T

Posted on January 13, 2022 by andynathan

Atomic Fire Records (Release date 14.01.22) Kee Marcello’s recording debut with Europe was 1988’s ‘Out of This World’ and I well remember how, celebrating 30 years of the album on a solo tour, the guitarist expressed his pride in the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Darby Todd, Europe, Kee Marcello, Ken Sandin, melodic rock, Out Of This World, Tommy Heart | Leave a comment

Album review: PERFECT PLAN- Live at Sharpener’s House

Posted on December 30, 2021 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release Date 10.12.21) Among the finest of this golden generation of Scandinavian acts, Perfect Plan‘s second album ‘Time for a Miracle’ was voted GRTR’s melodic rock album of 2020. That year also saw them play a ‘live in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Kent Hilli, live album, melodic rock, Perfect Plan | Leave a comment

Gig review: BRITISH LION- Camden Underworld, London, 4 December 2021

Posted on December 9, 2021 by andynathan

The phrase living legend is overused but in the world of metal Steve Harris deserves this description, as Iron Maiden’s founder member, single-minded visionary, principal songwriter and with his prominent bass playing a big part in the band’s sound. Hell, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Airforce, British Lion, gig, Iron Maiden, metal, Richard Taylor, Steve Harris | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE JONES GANG- 229 Club, London, 3 December 2021

Posted on December 8, 2021 by andynathan

Few living people can claim as rich a classic rock pedigree as Kenney Jones- the only Small Faces member still with us, a mainstay in the Faces and Keith Moon’s replacement in the Who. Its not surprising then that the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Dave 'Bucket' Colwell, gig, Kenney Jones, Pat Davey, Robert Hart, Stevie Smith, The Faces, the Jones Gang, The Small Faces, THE WHO | Leave a comment

Gig review: KIP WINGER – The Black Heart, Camden, London, 27 November 2021

Posted on December 1, 2021 by andynathan

Kip Winger’s acoustic shows in London at the much missed Borderline became the stuff of legend with their mixture of intimate songs and storytelling and fan participation. They even achieved the ultimate accolade of being a numbered series, so this … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 27 November 2021, acoustic, Camden, gig, review Kip Winger, Robby Rothschild, The Black Heart, Winger | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE DARKNESS – Reading Hexagon, 26 November 2021

Posted on November 30, 2021 by andynathan

Never mind the hysteria that surrounded them in the early 2000’s, proof of how quickly time marches lies in the fact that it now a full ten years since the Darkness triumphantly reformed at Download. Since then they have surprised … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Dan Hawkins, Frankie Poullain, gig, Justin Hawkins, Massive Wagons, Rufus Taylor, The Darkness | Leave a comment

Album review: JIM PETERIK & WORLD STAGE – Tigress – Women Who Rock the World

Posted on November 23, 2021 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release date 05.11.21) Jim Peterik’s World Stage project, whether live or in the studio, is characterised by the Survivor founder using the widest array of musical chums to sing his songs. ‘Tigress’ (what is it with his obsession … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Cathy Richardson, Chez Kane, Chloe Lowery, Janet Gardner, Jim Peterik, melodic rock, Survivor, World Stage | Leave a comment

Album review: GROUNDBREAKER – Soul to Soul

Posted on November 23, 2021 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release date 12.11.21) Groundbreaker’s debut album was a Frontiers Records project to reunite Steve Overland with the pure AOR sound of early FM. That was a collaboration with Work of Art’s Robert Sall, but the latter is not … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, AOR, FM, Groundbreaker, melodic rock, Steve Overland, Sven Larsson | Leave a comment

Gig review: WISHBONE ASH – Islington Academy, London, 18 November 2021

Posted on November 21, 2021 by andynathan

Sitting out live action during the pandemic must have been particularly galling for Wishbone Ash who always keep up a punishing live schedule. So there was a relief for both band and audience seeing them back in their familiar habitat … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Andy Powell, Bob Skeat, classic rock, gig, Mark Abrahams, Mike Sturgis, Wishbone Ash | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE DEAD DAISIES – Shepherds Bush Empire, 10 November 2021

Posted on November 14, 2021 by andynathan

To quote the title of one of their songs, in many ways the Dead Daisies are ‘like no other’, even to the extent that they have been described as a collective rather than a band. Line ups have regularly changed, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged David Lowy, Dead daisies, Doug Aldrich, gig, Glenn Hughes, Grand Slam, Guy Griffin, Quireboys, Spike, Tommy Clufetos | Leave a comment

Gig review: MARTIN TURNER- Boom Boom Club, Sutton, 5 November 2021

Posted on November 8, 2021 by andynathan

I must admit that the longer the pandemic went on, the more I began to fear that many of the acts from rock’s original golden era who we are lucky enough to still see performing might not resume touring, Wishbone … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Boom Boom Club, Danny Willson, gig, Martin Turner, Misha Nikolic, Tim Brown, Wishbone Ash | Leave a comment

Gig review: MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 31 October 2021

Posted on November 3, 2021 by andynathan

For many years it seems I was fated never to experience one of my teenage guitar heroes Michael Schenker, at his finest. My only experiences of him in the last millennium were the McAuley Schenker Group’s short support slot to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Doro, gig, Michael Schenker, Michael Schenker Group, MSG, Ronnie Romero, Steve Mann, UFO, Warlock | Leave a comment

Gig review: REBECCA DOWNES – 100 Club, London, 19 October 2021

Posted on October 26, 2021 by andynathan

Just before the pandemic struck, one of the artists I was looking forward to seeing more of was Rebecca Downes, a very enjoyable support slot to Brian Downey’s Live and Dangerous at the Underworld proof that she was successfully diversifying … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged blues, blues rock, gig, Nigel Darvill, Rebecca Downes, Steve Birkett, The 251's, The Mojo Preachers | Leave a comment

Album review: HEARTLAND – Into The Future

Posted on October 25, 2021 by andynathan

Escape Music [Release date 15.10.21] I assumed Chris Ousey had kicked the long career of Heartland on the head with their last album of new material coming back in 2007. However, after his time with Snakecharmer and also fronting Kingdom … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Chris Ousey, Heartland, Into The Future, melodic rock, Mike Slamer, review | Leave a comment

Book review: ERUPTION – CONVERSATIONS WITH EDDIE VAN HALEN by Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill

Posted on October 25, 2021 by andynathan

Hachette Publishing [Publication date 28.10.21] When Eddie Van Halen lost his prolonged struggles with cancer last autumn the rock world mourned – the number of Facebook friends who put his ‘Frankenstein’ guitar patterned design as their cover photo in memoriam … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, Brad Tolinski, Chris Gill, Eddie Van Halen, review, Van Halen | Leave a comment

Album review: ECLIPSE – Wired

Posted on October 25, 2021 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release date 08.10.21] Eclipse have been on one the hottest streaks in melodic rock of recent years- even last year’s stop-gap live album ‘Viva la Victouria’ being a reminder of quite how many anthems they have written. And … Continue reading →