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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: ANTHRAX – Hammersmith Apollo, London, 23 November 2024
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Gig review: BLACK STONE CHERRY – Wembley Arena, London, 23 November 2024
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Gig review: SQUEEZE – Roundhouse, London, 22 November 2024
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Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK – Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO – London Palladium, 13 November 2024
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Gig review: HRH XVII, Great Yarmouth, 7-9 November 2024
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Featured Album Reviews
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Tag Archives: albums
Album review : GIRLSCHOOL – From London To Nashville (2 CD Set)
The Store For Music [Release date: 21.01.22] Girlschool experienced their share of heartache… label let downs, revolving door membership issues, conflicting views on musical direction and the struggles to sustain their ambitions in the face of all of the above, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 2 CD Set, albums, Biker Rock, Camden Palace, garage rock, GIRLSCHOOL, live, MTV, Nashville, Radio Rock, review
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Album review: MINISTRY – Bad Blood, The Mayan Albums, 2002-2005 (4 CDs)
Cherry Red [release date: 17.12.21] There are Industrial Metal bands and there is Ministry. After the breakthrough in 1983, Al Jourgensen’s minimalist metal-in-extremis became the benchmark for the genre pretty rapidly. You could argue that this 4 CD snapshot, originally … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (October 2021 – December 2021)
DEEP PURPLE Turning To Crime (earMUSIC) While the production is big, solid and bright, there’s also a live-in-the-studio feel, like it was recorded quickly and spontaneously. Listen with open ears and the album shows the band on great form, and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged Afterlight, albums, blues rock, Burntfield, classic rock, December 2021, Deep Purple, Eclipse, Leverage, melodic rock, November 2021, October 2021, Progressive Rock, review, singer, songwriter, Thea Gilmore, Thorbjorn Risager
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News: The Best of 2021 – Get Ready to ROCK! reviewers choose their Top Albums of the Year
2021 has been another horrendous year for live music, largely silenced by the coronavirus pandemic. In August, live events in the UK started cautiously with several festivals and, with restrictions lifting for smaller venues, some semblance of live music returned … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, The Best of 2021
Tagged albums, Best of 2021, blues rock, breakthrough acts, classic rock, hard rock, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, reissues, singer songwriter
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Album review: ASIA – The Official Live Bootlegs (10 CD Boxset)
BMG UK [release date 26/11/21] Asia : In 1997, Paul Stump wrote in “A History Of Progressive Rock” that the band’s “links with the genre were as tenuous as George Formby’s links with Mozart”. It is a memorable quote. And … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, AOR, Bootlegs, boxset, Carl Palmer, ELP, Geoff Downes, John Wetton, King Crimson, live, progrock, Steve Howe, Yes
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Album review: SPIRIT – Sunrise And Salvation, The Mercury Era Anthology (Remasters, 8 CD Boxset)
Cherry Red [release date: 08.10.21] Accidentally or on purpose, Spirit managed to avoid true success, giving the firm impression that if their career ever got anywhere near the glittering shop window of fame, they put the pedal to the metal, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, boxset, Dylan, Hendrix, Jay Ferguson, live, Mick Skidmore, Randy California, review, seventies, sixties, Spirit, studio, unreleased, Zappa
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News: Albums of the Month (July 2021 – September 2021)
EDGE OF PARADISE The Universe (Frontiers) It’s passionate, articulate symphonic metal, occasionally conducting lightning raids onto hard rock terrain… ****1/2 Review by Brian McGowan AMANDA LEHMANN Innocence And Illusion (indie) Lehmann is not afraid to explore different moods on this … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged albums, Amanda Lehmann., August 2021, blues rock, classic rock, Edge Of Paradise, heavy rock, Iron Maiden, July 2021, melodic rock, metal, Progressive Rock, review, September 2021, Steve Hackett, symphonic metal, the Petal Falls, Tommy Castro
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News: ANVIL, TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT, ALAN PARSONS (September 2021)
Abba release a new album ‘Voyage’ – their first in 40 years – on November 5. They have also announced a new live show, ‘Abba Voyage’, will open at the new 3,000 capacity Abba Arena in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Exhibitions, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged Alan Parsons, albums, alternative, Americana, anvil, blues, country, festivals, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, New releases, news, pop, prog rock, RIP, rock, singles, Temperance Movement, tours
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Album review: VANDENBERG – The Complete Atco Recordings 1982-2004 (4 CD Boxset w/bonus tracks)
Cherry Red [release date 27.08.21] Vandenberg (1982) Heading For A Storm (1983) Alibi (1985) Demos and Live (2004) Emerging unbloodied and unbowed from the golden age of AOR, Vandenberg’s 3 albums (now remastered) embody all that was good and all … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, Alibi, bonus tracks, boxset, Coverdale, demos, Heading For A Storm, Japp Eggermont, Kolodner, live, melodic hard rock, review, Vandenberg, Whitesnake
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Album review: LYNCH MOB – The Elektra Years 1990-92 (2 CDs w/bonus tracks)
Cherry Red [Release date 27.08.21] A 2 CD Lynch Mob package. Wicked Sensation (1990) and Lynch Mob (1992). All that’s missing is the “best before 1989” label. And that problem undermined any notion of commercial success. Either one of these … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, Dokken, George Lynch, Lynch Mob, Mick Brown, Oni Logan, review, Robert Mason, Wicked Sensation
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Album review: 38 SPECIAL – Wild Eyed Southern Boys and Special Forces (2021 Vinyl Remasters)
Snakefarm Records [Release date 30.07.21] In 2008, a major fire in Universal Studios’ Hollywood Warehouse devastated the company’s music archives. 38 Special were one of the bands to suffer a significant loss…and if nothing else, that gives these releases added … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (April 2021 – June 2021)
SMITH KOTZEN (BMG) Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) and Richie Kotzen (Poison, Mr Big, Winery Dogs) have pitted their combined guitaring and songwriting skills to fashion nine tracks of pure unadulterated hard rock heaven. ****1/2 Review by David Randall THE DUST … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, alt rock, April 2021, classic rock, hard rock, Ian McNabb, indie rock, June 2021, May 2021, metal, review, Smith Kotzen, symphonic metal, The Dust Coda, The John Williams Syndicate, Timo Tolkki's Avalon, Trucker Diablo
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Album review: STONE THE CROWS, MAGGIE BELL (reissues)
Repertoire [Release date 25.06.21] Noted blues rock band Stone The Crows formed in Glasgow 1969 after Alex Harvey introduced his younger guitarist Leslie Harvey to singer Maggie Bell. Bell already had a notable career and her voice, big bluesy and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged albums, blues, classic rock, Jimmy Page, Maggie Bell, reissue, review, rock, Stone The Crows
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Album review: LESLIE WEST – 5 Originals, Got Live
5 Originals (3CD) Voiceprint [Release date 21.05.21] The late great Leslie West is, perhaps, best known as the founder, guitarist and vocalist of the legendary American rock band Mountain, also pioneers of heavy metal and blues rock. The band took … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 5 Originals, albums, blues, classic rock, Got Live, guitarist, Leslie West, Mick Jagger, Mountain, reissues, review, rock
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Album review: THE MERSEYBEATS and THE MERSEYS – I Stand Accused, The Complete Sixties Recordings
Grapefruit / Cherry Red [Release date 11.6.21] The output of The Merseybeats and The Merseys has been relatively poorly served on CD over the years. Cherry Red’s Grapefruit imprint now rectify this with a definitive 63 track collection. The … Continue reading
Album review: SILENT RAGE – Shattered Hearts and Don’t Touch Me There (Remasters)
Rock Candy Records [release date 07.05.21] US rock band, Silent Rage’s worldwide hit song, ‘Don’t Touch Me There’ (1989) gained them considerable notoriety. Perhaps a surprise then that once you peel away the risque lyrics, you reveal a band of … Continue reading
Album review: ALICE COOPER – Three Temptations From Alice
Floating World [Release date 11.6.21] With Alice Cooper’s new album “Detroit Stories” garnering plenty of media attention, this timely 2CD set collects his three Epic label albums which were originally released between 1989 and 1994. For “Trash” he teamed up … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (January 2021 – March 2021)
THUNDER All the Right Noises (BMG) Thunder fans will love this album as it touches all the band’s key strengths – memorable songs, party rockers, ballads, lyrics to make you think and above all, well-crafted hard rock tunes. An Album … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged albums, Anneke van Giersbergen. Troy Redfern, AOR, Ben Randall, blues rock, February 2021, guitar, hard rock, instrumental, January 2021, March 2021, Progressive Rock, review, Scardust, singer songwriter, Thunder, Touch
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News: QUEEN, SABATON, ANGEL, RAMMSTEIN (March 2021)
Rammstein (pictured) have been working on a new studio album during the current lockdown. No news as yet on a release date, title, etc. Alice Cooper has already announced plans for his next album. It will be recorded by his … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged albums, blues, folk, gigs, metal, New releases, news, Queen, Rammstein, rock, Sabaton, THE WHO, tours
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Album review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Live albums
Frontiers Records [Release date 04.12.20] Even when hearing familiar Blue Oyster Cult material performed live, you are reminded of just how different they are to all in their peer group. These two live recordings are densely packed with reasons that … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (October 2020 – December 2020)
FISH – Weltschmerz (Fish Music) …this is a rich, accessible, profound album invested with heaps of integrity, passion and insight. ‘Weltschmerz’ stands as the best album of Fish’s solo career, and easily amongst the best of the year by anyone… … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged AC/DC, albums, art rock, Blue Oyster Cult, blues rock, December 2020, Doris Brendel, Fish, hard rock, L.A. Guns, Muddy Manninen, November 2020, October 2020, Progressive Rock, review
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News – NEAL SCHON, HEART, MAGNUM, THE DARKNESS (December 2020)
Journey’s Neal Schon (pictured) releases his new album ‘Universe’ this month. Dream Theater have started work on their new album. In the meantime they have released a seasonal medly ‘The Holiday Spirit Carries On’, available for download at dreamtheaterofficial.bandcamp.com Magnum … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions
Tagged albums, blues, festivals, folk, gigs, Heart, Journey, Magnum, metal, Neal Schon, New releases, news, rock, tours
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News – KING CRIMSON, NEIL YOUNG, ULTRAVOX (September 2020)
King Crimson release a 26-disc set, ‘The Complete 1969 Recordings’, through Panegyric on October 23. It features a brand new Dolby Atmos mix by Steven Wilson of the band’s 1969 debut album ‘In The Court of the Crimson King’, and includes … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged albums, Broken Teeth, classic rock, country, folk, King Crimson, metal, Neil Young, New releases, news, Nightwish, pop, prog, re-issues, rock
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Album review: ROY WOOD AND WIZZARD – Mainstreet/Eddy &The Falcons
Main Street Cherry Red Records [Release date 28.08.20] Two years later, apparently stifled by the “hit machine” expectations that weighed upon him, Wood wrote, recorded and released “Main Street”. It was his first real attempt to climb off the pop … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged albums, avnat garde, Eddy and The Falcons, ELO, jazz, Mainstreet, melodic, pop, pop rock, re-issue, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, Roy Wood, The Move, Wizzard
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News: URIAH HEEP, SLADE, DEF LEPPARD, JON GOMM (August 2020)
Uriah Heep have announced they will start work on their next studio album in February. Overkill are currently ‘hard at work’ on their next album. Slade release a new best of, a double CD entitled ‘Cum On Feel The Hitz’ … Continue reading
