Tag Archives: AOR

Album review: MARK BAKER – The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be

Posted on July 11, 2019 by jason
MARK BAKER - The Future Ain

MelodicRock Records [Release date 26.07.19] The name Mark Baker may not be immediately recognizable to many, but he is the man behind the classic Signal ‘Loud & Clear’ album as well as many other songs for the likes of .38 … Continue reading →

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Gig review: RICHARD MARX – British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 7 July 2019

Posted on July 9, 2019 by andynathan
RICHARD MARX- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 7 July 2019

It’s been eight years by my reckoning since Richard Marx last played the UK, and he ended this famine in unusual circumstances, added to the bill of the British Summer Time show headlined by Barbra Streisand just a couple of … Continue reading →

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Book review: GENESIS – Every Album, Every Song (On Track) by Stuart Macfarlane

Posted on July 1, 2019 by GRTR! HQ
GENESIS – Every Album, Every Song (On Track) by Stuart Macfarlane

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 5.07.19] For those wishing to find out more about the prog rockers who went pop, this is a useful summary following the band’s progress from shaky beginnings in 1969 to their final studio album ‘Calling All … Continue reading →

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Gig review: TOTO – Royal Chelsea Hospital, London, 13 June 2019

Posted on June 19, 2019 by andynathan
TOTO- Royal Chelsea Hospital, London, 13 June 2019

In the ever more crowded gigging season, a fresh trend over the last few years has been for London’s finest historic settings to be used for concerts. Following in the footsteps of Hampton Court and Greenwich is now a short … Continue reading →

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Gig review: STYX – London Palladium, 4 June 2019

Posted on June 10, 2019 by andynathan
STYX- London Palladium, 4 June 2019

It’s been eight long years since Styx last crossed the pond and on that occasion they opened a three way battle of the AOR behemoths with Foreigner and Journey, and for many observers stole the show. This belated return was … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: ROYAL REPUBLIC, ROB MORATTI, FINE SOFT DAY, TRAGIK

Posted on June 10, 2019 by jason
ROYAL REPUBLIC - Club Majesty

ROYAL REPUBLIC Club Majesty Nuclear Blast [Release date 31.05.19] Royal Republic are on the up and up with their mix of rock, dance, disco, funk, rock n roll – heck they will put in any style of music into their … Continue reading →

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Gig review: SWEDISH AOR CONVENTION – Malmo, Sweden, 30 May-2 June 2019

Posted on June 9, 2019 by andynathan
State of Salazar

Melodic rock and AOR is an unlikely addition to the list of things-  ergonomic design, environmental awareness, and dark crime dramas- where Scandinavia leads the world.  The scene is particularly strong in Sweden, home of many of my favourite bands … Continue reading →

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Album review: MICHAEL THOMPSON BAND – Love & Beyond

Posted on May 28, 2019 by andynathan
Michael Thompson Band- Love-and-Beyond

Frontiers [Release Date 26.04.19] Michael Thompson is one of the most respected session guitarists in rock – alongside Steve Lukather and Bruce Gaitsch he is probably the go-to man, particularly for the so-called West Coast sound where soft rock and … Continue reading →

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Album review: FORTUNE – II

Posted on May 28, 2019 by andynathan
FORTUNE - II

Frontiers [Release Date 26.04.19] Fortune’s 1985 self-titled albums is one that always featured highly in the list of obscure but brilliant melodic/AOR classics. While singer Larry (LA) Greene and keyboard player Roger Scott Craig went on to another cult AOR … Continue reading →

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Album review: ALLIANCE – Fire and Grace

Posted on May 14, 2019 by jason
ALLIANCE – Fire and Grace

Escape Music [Release date 24.05.19] Robert Berry (vocals, bass, keyboards), Boston guitarist Gary Pihl and drummer David Lauser (Sammy Hagar), are back with a new Alliance album – their first in ten years. Only missing from the previous albums is … Continue reading →

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Album review: JIM PETERIK & WORLD STAGE – Winds of Change

Posted on May 6, 2019 by jason
JIM PETERIK & WORLD STAGE – Winds of Change

Frontiers [Release date 10.04.19] The first World Stage came out way back in 2001, so it is well overdue a follow-up from Jim Peterik, although he has of course been playing live shows under the World Stage banner. The backing … Continue reading →

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Gig review: AIRRACE – London Borderline, 19 April 2019

Posted on April 24, 2019 by andynathan

Airrace’s stop-start career seems to have been characterised by support slots, whether with Queen back in 1984, or since they reformed a decade ago, a periodic set of shows consisting mainly of high profile support slots to the likes of … Continue reading →

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Album review: FM – The Italian Job (CD/DVD)

Posted on April 24, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 22.02.19] FM have delivered consistently excellent live performances since the second phase of the band effectively kicked off a decade ago with guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick’s arrival. However this era of their history has gone undocumented so far, … Continue reading →

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Album review: FIND ME- Angels In Blue

Posted on April 19, 2019 by andynathan

Release Date 22.02.19 For those in the know, Find Me has been one of the best melodic rock projects in recent years. A partnership between producer and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Flores and Blanc Faces singer Robbie Le Blanc, a stunning performance … Continue reading →

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Album review: CANNONBALLZ – 8Ballz2Many

Posted on April 9, 2019 by jason

MelodicRock Records [Release date 10.05.19] Andrew McNeice and his MelodicRock Records label have released some top quality AOR releases in recent years including Don Barnes and the excellent comeback album from Boulevard, now you can add to this Cannonballz. Who … Continue reading →

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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) April 2019 – June 2019

Posted on April 7, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

Compiled by Jason Ritchie January – March 2019 July – September 2019 April 5th ANIMAL DRIVE ‘Back To The Roots’ (covers EP) Frontiers BAD NEWS ’32nd Anniversary Box Set’ BRANT BJORK ‘Jacoozzi’ Heavy Psych Sounds Records DAVID BOWIE ‘Spying Through … Continue reading →

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Album review: BATTLE BEAST – No More Hollywood Endings

Posted on April 4, 2019 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 22.03.19] Battle Beast are back with their second album since founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter Anton Kabanen left in 2016 to form Beast In Black (who released their latest album earlier this year on the … Continue reading →

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Gig review: THE RADIO SUN – Water Rats, London,19 March 2019

Posted on March 27, 2019 by andynathan
THE RADIO SUN - Water Rats, London,19 March 2019

Melbourne-based melodic rockers The Radio Sun have over the past four years become regulars at the HRH AOR Festival in North Wales, winning friends both for their music and their sociable nature, entering into the spirit of the occasion. Though … Continue reading →

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Album review: JOURNEY – Live In Japan 2017: Escape + Frontiers

Posted on March 18, 2019 by jason
JOURNEY - Live In Japan 2017: Escape + Frontiers

Eagle Vision/Universal [Release date 29.03.19] In 2017 Journey played the Budokan arena in Japan for a special show where they played two of their classic albums – 1981′s ‘Escape’ and 1983′s ‘Frontiers’ – in their entirety and recorded the show, … Continue reading →

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Gig review: DAVE BICKLER/Chrome Molly – Highbury Garage, London, 11 March 2019

Posted on March 15, 2019 by andynathan
DAVE BICKLER/Chrome Molly - Highbury Garage, London, 11 March 2019

Sadly Survivor never made it to UK shores, the sad death of Jimi Jamison scuppering a scheduled show in 2014. However original singer Dave Bickler, who by that stage was back and sharing vocal duties, did play Rockingham Festival 18 … Continue reading →

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Album review: TRISHULA – Scared To Breathe

Posted on March 5, 2019 by jason
TRISHULA – Scared To Breathe

AOR Heaven [Release date 29.03.19] Neil Fraser (Ten, Rage Of Angels, Tony Mills) is the brains behind Trishula, where he handles guitars, bass and keyboards. He is joined by vocalist Jason Morgan and drummer Joao Colac, both of whom Neil … Continue reading →

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Gig review: FM/DARE – Sub 89, Reading, 1 March 2019

Posted on March 3, 2019 by jason
FM – Sub 89, Reading, 1 March 2019

FM and Dare were back in the UK for a couple more co-headliner shows following an eventful trip to Spain where FM had their equipment and merchandise stolen and in the FM set vocalist Steve Overland made it clear how … Continue reading →

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Album review: TOBY HITCHCOCK – Reckoning

Posted on February 28, 2019 by andynathan
TOBY HITCHCOCK - Reckoning

Frontiers [Release Date 25.01.19] Best known as the man who brings Jim Peterik’s songs to life in Pride of Lions, this is Toby Hitchcock’s second solo album. His first way back in 2013 was written by the prolific Erik Martensson … Continue reading →

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Album review: PETER H. NILSSON – Little American Dream

Posted on February 18, 2019 by jason
PETER H. NILSSON – Little American Dream

AOR Heaven [Release date 29.03.19] Swedish guitar player Peter H. Nilsson has been in the music business for many years in different bands in and extensive touring in his native Sweden. He hooked-up with singer Chris Biano (a Nashville based … Continue reading →

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Album review: STATE OF SALAZAR- Superhero

Posted on January 31, 2019 by andynathan

Release Date 07.12.18 Its four years since State of Salazar released their debut album, and also became the opening band at the very first Frontiers Rock Festival in Italy (to my frustration I was stuck en route waiting for non-existent … Continue reading →

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