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Author Archives: jason
Gig review: HAWKWIND, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 24 August 2013
A very full and enthusiastic crowd tonight, possibly larger than usual as the band are playing the whole of their classic ‘Warrior On The Edge Of Time’ album, in sequence and recently re-issued on Cherry Red Records. I have seen … Continue reading
Album review: BLUE OCTOBER – Sway
Up/Down Records www.blueoctober.com [Release date 26.08.13] Blue October are one of those bands that mean a big deal in their native US yet have yet to make a big splash over here in the UK and Europe. If you give … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, BLUE OCTOBER, review, rock, Sway
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Quick plays: DIO, HEAVEN RAIN, OLIVA, VANDROYA, EVILYN STRANGE
Nick van der Meulen gives us a run through new releases from Heaven Rain, Giunitini Project, Oliva, Vandroya, Evelyn Strange and another Dio reissue… HEAVEN RAIN – Second Sun Music Buy Mail Another slipped through my fingers: this album was released … Continue reading
Album review: SINNER – Touch of Sin 2
AFM Records www.afmrecords.de This is another case of a young band signing their rights away and now years later trying to reclaim some of their legacy back. Sinner are amongst a growing number of bands that are now re-recording some … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album review, Judas Priest, Matt Sinner, metal, Sinner, Thin Lizzy, Touch Of Sin 2
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Album review: LITTLE RIVER BAND – Cuts Like A Diamond
Frontiers www.frontiers.it Led by vocalist/bassist Wayne Nelson, who has been with the band since the early 80’s, the band may lack original members or the 80’s AOR sound of the John Farnham fronted days, but they still sound like the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album review, Cuts Like A Diamond, LITTLE RIVER BAND
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Quick plays: BALFLARE, CHRIS NORMAN
Album review: BALFLARE – Downpour Balfare are a Japanese power metal band who have been around since 2004 and this is their fourth studio album. The music is keyboard led and keyboards player Tommy is the star of the show, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Balflare, Chris Norman, Downpour, Japan, pop, power metal, review, Smokie, There And Back
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Backstage Heroes: Interview with Neil Daniels
Author Neil Daniels is as busy as ever with three new books out now published by Createspace Books (‘AOR Chronicles’ ‘Rock & Metal Chronicles’ & ‘Hard Rock Rebels’) and titles on Pantera, UFO, Bon Jovi’s classic ‘Slippery When Wet’ album and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Backstage Heroes
Tagged AOR, author, Bon Jovi, book, metal, Neil Daniels, Pantera, publication, rock, UFO, writer, ZZ Top
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Book reviews: ERIC CLAPTON – All You Need To Know FAQ and Day by Day
Published by Backbeat Books Normally reserved for the ranks of more obsessive fans and anoraks (and before you ask, I am one myself- KISS, Rolling Stones and Hanoi Rocks) of late these kinds of books have taken on a whole … Continue reading
Album review: PARTHENON HUXLEY – Thank You Bethesda
www.parthenonhuxley.com Parthenon Huxley is fine purveyor of pop rock tunes and over here in the UK maybe best known as the guitarist in The Orchestra, the band that features former ELO members (one of these, Eric Troyer helps out on … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Cheap Trick, ELO, Eric Troyer, Gordon Townsend, PARTHENON HUXLEY, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter, Thank You Bethesda, The Orchestra
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Gig review: LAST IN LINE – Islington Academy, 1 August 2013
LAST IN LINE + SWEET SAVAGE + DENDERA A two thirds full Islington Academy to see the surviving members of the classic Dio line-up from the early/mid-80’s, no mean feat as August is never a great month for gigs outside … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 11 August 2013, Dendera, Dio, gig, heavy metal, Islington Academy, Jimmy Bain, Last In Line, London, review, rock, Sweet Savage, Vinny Appice, Vivian Campbell
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Album review: SOIL – Whole
AFM Records [Release date 19.08.13] Soil – or should that be SOiL – have been with us for a while now as their major label debut album Scars was released back in 2001. The band hail from Texas and are … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AFM Records, album, grunge, metal, post grunge, review, Soil, Whole
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Interview: 10Q’s with STEVE NEWMAN
Steve Newman and his band Newman have just released their tenth album, ‘Siren’ on AOR Heaven and it is quite possibly the best yet. Here Steve gives us an update on the new album, tour plans and more… What are … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged AOR, AOR Heaven, interview, melodic rock, NEWMAN, Siren, Steve Newman
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Quick plays: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, THE CUSTODIAN, HEAVENS FIRE
FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – Echogenetic Dependent (released 19th August) Front Line Assembly are a Canadian electro-industrial band who have been going for over 25 years now. This new album had the band stating they would return to their more electronic … Continue reading
Interview: 10Q’s with LEPROUS
Guitarist/lyricist/co-founder of Leprous, Tor Oddmund Suhrke answers our questions as the band have just released their new album ‘Coal’ on Inside Out… 1. What are you currently up to? This summer we’re playing a lot of festival shows worldwide both … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged Coal, Devin Townsend, Inside Out, LEPROUS, prog metal, progressive music, Tor Oddmund Suhrke
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Album review: LAWLESS – Rock Savage
Escape Music www.escape-music.com Lawless feature two current Demon members, guitarist Paul Hume (who also sings on the album) and drummer Neil Ogden, who are joined by Persian Risk guitarist Howie G and bassist Josh ‘Tabbie’ Williams from Stoke based hard … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album review, DEMON, LAWLESS, Persian Risk, Rock Savage
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Gig review: Cambridge Folk Festival, 25-28 July 2013
Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge Friday 26th July It almost comes as a surprise reaching the festival site as it is right on the outskirts of Cambridge’s sprawling suburbs and the festival is in a lovely, green setting. It must be … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 25th-28th July 2013, Amadou & Mariam, Andy Irvine, Bellowhead, Cambridge, Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall, Donal Lunny, Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo, folk festival, Folk Roots, gig review, Heidi Talbot, Heritage Blues Orchestra, LAPD, Le Vent Du Nord, Liam O’Flynn, Paddy Glackin, Patsy Griffin, Planxty, Steeleye Span, The Levellers, Tommy Emmanuel
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Gig Review: THE INTERNATIONAL SWINGERS – The Lexington, London, 19 July 2013
First a word about the venue, because on one of the steamiest New Orleans-like nights of this British heatwave, the upstairs gig had ceiling fans and a cool, chilled out lounge-bar atmosphere. It also had clear, uninterrupted sightlines, padded seating … Continue reading
Interview: 10Q’s with MASCHINE
Maschine release their debut album ‘Rubidium‘ on Inside Out on 29th July . Here we catch-up with founding member and guitarist Luke Machin for his thoughts on the album and the awards the band have already won to date… 1. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged Inside Out, Luke Machin, Maschine, Rubidium
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Album review: MAGGY SIMPSON – Lab Rat and Lobster
Voodoo Bones www.facebook.com/maggysimpsonrocks Maggy Simpson consists of Shane Counter and Bat Kinane (of Glyder fame), who have previously worked together on Bat Kinane’s solo album. That album was a singer/songwriter one with a folk feel, whereas Maggy Simpson is more of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Glyder, Lab Rat and Lobster, Maggy Simpson, review, rock, Shane Counter
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Album review: EDENBRIDGE – The Bonding
SPV There are a lot of female fronted symphonic and progressive metal bands out there now, possibly too many and it takes something a bit special to make the listener sit up and take notice. Luckily Edenbridge are one such … Continue reading
Album review: NEWMAN – Siren
AOR Heaven Amazingly this is the tenth studio album by Newman, which is basically Steve Newman plus long time drummer Rob McEwen. However this album features some guests in the shape of guitarists Shaun Bessant on ‘When It Comes To … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, melodic, NEWMAN, Nick Workman, Pete Newdeck, review, Robert Sall, rock, Shaun Bessant, Siren, Steve Newman
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Album review: REUBEN ARCHER’S PERSONAL SIN
Toxic Arrow [Release date 19.08.13] Reuben Archer has been around the block enough times to know every doorhole, boozer and bookie by heart. The current (and previous) vocalist with hard rockers Stampede is also fronting up the Paul Raymond Project … Continue reading
Album review: DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD – Sticky Wickets
Duckworth Lewis Method (Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy and Thomas Walsh of Pugwash) return with their second album following on from their fantastic debut album released back in 2009. This album is one of this year’s most eagerly awaited … Continue reading
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Tagged album, DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD, Neil Hannon, review, Sticky Wickets, Thomas Walsh
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Album review: THE POODLES – Tour De Force
Frontiers www.frontiers.it With fifth album “Tour De Force” The Poodles have come up with another quality slab of polished, melodic Euro rock. From the album’s ultimate highlight “Kings &Fools” to bonus track “En För Alla För En” (an almost Eurovision … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, review, rock, The Poodles, Tour De Force
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Album review: D-A-D – Dic.Nii.Lan.Daft.Erd.Ark
AFM Records (Deluxe Edition) [Release date 25.03.13] Following the original 2011 release of “Dic.Nii.Lan.Daft.Erd.Ark” D-A-D enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence, with the Danish band playing further afield then they had done for some years. The band’s 11th studio album in … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, bonus, D A D, deluxe edition, Dic.Nii.Lan.Daft.Erd.Ark, reissue, review
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