Tag Archives: AOR

Gig review: TYKETTO/DAN REED NETWORK – Manchester Academy, 13 March 2016

Posted on March 14, 2016 by GRTR! HQ
TYKETTO - Manchester Academy, 13 March 2016

It seems that we all gain from an event like HRH AOR: it means that some of the bands tag a few gigs either side.  In this case, Tyketto and Dan Reed Network teamed up together for a unique pairing, … Continue reading →

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Album review: AOR – L.A. Darkness

Posted on February 23, 2016 by jason
AOR - L.A. Darkness

Escape Music www.escape-music.com [Release date 22.03.16] Frédéric Slama is back with the latest installment of the AOR series, number fifteen to be precise. Joining him are an impressive list of singers including Jeff Scott Soto and Steve Overland, plus Tommy … Continue reading →

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Gig review: JUST SAY YES/ARFM MELODIC ROCK FUNDRAISER – The Spot, Derby, 30 January 2016

Posted on February 12, 2016 by andynathan
JUST SAY YES/ARFM MELODIC ROCK FUNDRAISER - The Spot, Derby, 30 January 2016

Now in its second year, the ‘Just Say Yes’ and ARFM charity melodic rock fundraiser was a must on several grounds. First of all, in its own right as raising a substantial amount for a charity supporting young people with … Continue reading →

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Album review: LAST AUTUMN’S DREAM – Paintings

Posted on January 29, 2016 by jason

AOR Heaven [Released 26.02.16] Album number twelve from Last Autumn’s Dream who, with a couple of exceptions, release a new album at the start of each year. The line-up is the same as 2015′s ‘Level Eleven’, making this the second … Continue reading →

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Album review: MAGNUM – Sacred Blood “Divine” Lies

Posted on January 25, 2016 by GRTR! HQ
MAGNUM - Sacred Blood, Divine Lies

SPV [Release date 26.02.16] Tony Clarkin must surely receive a public award for services to consistent songwriting.  Since the mid-1970s he has been the main architect of Magnum’s wider and enduring success.  And on this – the band’s 19th studio … Continue reading →

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Album review: CUTTING CREW – Add To Favourites

Posted on January 20, 2016 by jason
CUTTING CREW - Add To Favourites

www.cuttingcrew.biz Everyone will know Cutting Crew for their big 80′s hit ‘(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight’ and they had a decent level of success until they split-up in 1993. The band returned in 2005 with frontman and sole … Continue reading →

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Album review: KHYMERA- The Grand Design

Posted on December 27, 2015 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release Date 04.12.15) Khymera have now released four albums under a variety of line ups. I must admit the only one I bought was their 2003 debut which had the ‘production line’  trademarks of too many melodic rock … Continue reading →

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Album review: BLOOD RED SAINTS- S/T

Posted on December 27, 2015 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release Date 4.12.15) One of 2014’s unexpected surprises in the world of melodic rock was a very impressive debut by Brits In Faith, unleashing a real vocal find in Pete Godfrey. They seem to have had a short … Continue reading →

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News: Melodic rockers FM top popular poll for top rock album of 2015

Posted on December 21, 2015 by GRTR! HQ
FM - Planet Rockstock, Porthcawl, 7 December 2014

FM and Vintage Trouble scoop popular poll In the Get Ready to ROCK! end of year popular poll melodic rockers FM were voted top album with ‘Heroes And Villains’ whilst readers and listeners confirmed the reviewers rating by making Vintage … Continue reading →

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Album review: WIGELIUS – Tabula Rasa

Posted on December 3, 2015 by jason
WIGELIUS - Tabula Rasa

AOR Heaven [Release date 29.01.16] New rock music out of Sweden is getting more prolific than a Joe Bonamassa release – like a long-running TV soap opera, sometimes it’s great and mostly it’s annoying. But fair’s fair, open mind and … Continue reading →

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Album review: GRAND SLAM – A New Dawn

Posted on December 3, 2015 by jason
GRAND SLAM - A New Dawn

AOR Heaven [Release date 29.01.16] Next up – guess what….a melodic, AOR release out of Sweden ! If I didn’t get a free promo copy from the record label, this would undoubtedly be on my annual wish-list to the North … Continue reading →

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Gig review: FM/Vega – Guildhall, Gloucester, 7 November 2015

Posted on November 18, 2015 by GRTR! HQ
FM - Guildhall, Gloucester, 7 November 2015

A Saturday night gig with two of the best melodic rock bands in the country, a two hour drive away but totally worth it. A four date trot around the country playing in some venues that you don’t often hear … Continue reading →

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Gig review: ROCKINGHAM FESTIVAL – Rock City, Nottingham, 23-25 October 2015

Posted on November 8, 2015 by andynathan
Santa Cruz - Rockingham Festival, Nottingham, 23-25 October 2015

Ten great years of melodic rock festivals at Nottingham’s Rock City seemed to have come to an emotional end with the final ever Firefest last year. However just 12 months on with the Rock City organisation having taken on the … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: FEROCIOUS DOG, FRANKIE LEE, EQUATOR, SAFFIRE

Posted on November 4, 2015 by jason

FEROCIOUS DOG From Without www.ferociousdog.co.uk Well with a name like Ferocious Dog they are not going to be a lounge jazz act that’s for sure! They are a six piece folk punk rock band from Nottingham and this is their … Continue reading →

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Album review: SAGA – Generation 13/Steel Umbrellas (Reissues)

Posted on November 2, 2015 by GRTR! HQ
Saga - Steel Umbrellas

earMUSIC [Release date 27.11.15] Released originally back in 1995, Generation 13 is a concept album based on a storyline by Jim Crichton inspired in part by the book ’13 GEN abort retry ignore fail’ by Neil Howe and Bill Straus. … Continue reading →

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Album review: CHAMPLIN, WILLIAMS, FRIESTEDT – CWF

Posted on October 18, 2015 by jason
CHAMPLIN, WILLIAMS, FRIESTEDT - CWF

AOR Heaven [Release date 26.10.15] CWF is a West Coast AOR supergroup teaming up Toto’s Joseph Williams with former Chicago vocalist Bill Champlin and guitarist/producer Peter Friestedt. The trio have released a live DVD already and Williams & Friestedt released … Continue reading →

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News: HAREM SCAREM, MAJOR INSTINCT, DEE SNIDER – Tuesday 29 September 2015

Posted on September 29, 2015 by jason
Dee Snider - STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL Day 2 - Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 26 July 2015

Dave Gilmour topped the UK album charts this week with his new album ‘Rattle That Lock’. Major Instinct release their debut album, ‘High Five’ on Nov 27th via AOR Heaven. The band features M.ILL.ION founder, main songwriter and bass guitarist B.J. Laneby. Harem Scarem … Continue reading →

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Gig review: KIP WINGER – The Borderline, London, 12 September 2015

Posted on September 17, 2015 by andynathan
KIP WINGER - The Borderline, London, 12 September 2015

Kip Winger’s solo acoustic shows at the Borderline have began to take on such a mythical status that the promotional blurb for this year’s show even marketed it as the ‘4th annual evening with Kip Winger’. It was noticeable that … Continue reading →

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Album review: JOEL HOEKSTRA’S 13 – Dying To Live

Posted on September 16, 2015 by jason
JOEL HOEKSTRA

Frontiers [Release date 16.10.15] www.joelhoekstra.com Current Whitesnake and former Night Ranger guitarist Joel Hoekstra has released a handful of instrumental only solo albums and this time he’s gone for vocals. He’s not the singer, instead we have two vocal giants … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: C.O.P., MARTINA EDOFF, TAD MOROSE

Posted on September 14, 2015 by jason
MARTINA EDOFF - Unity

C.O.P – State Of Rock AOR Heaven [Release date 25.09.15] C.O.P. are a new band featuring Grand Illusion’s vocalist Peter Sundell, who is joined by Ola af Trampe (guitar/bass) and his younger brother Christian (keys/drums). Take the first letter of … Continue reading →

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News: GHOST, THE SWORD, GTR – Monday 31st August 2015

Posted on August 31, 2015 by jason

Broken Teeth release a new album, ‘Bulldozer’ in October. Kansas have signed with Inside Out who will release their new studio album, the first in over fifteen years. This will mark the recording debut of new members David Manion (keys) … Continue reading →

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Album review: NEWMAN – The Elegance Machine

Posted on August 11, 2015 by jason

AOR Heaven [Released 31.08.15] Steve Newman is back with his band Newman and joining him are his long term drummer Rob McEwen and on backing vocals Geoff Wootton and Mark Thompson-Smith (who worked with Steve Newman on the criminally underrated … Continue reading →

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Gig review: THE TUBES – Club Academy, Manchester, 8 August 2015

Posted on August 9, 2015 by GRTR! HQ
THE TUBES - Club Academy, Manchester, 8 August 2015

I really hope The Tubes don’t leave it another decade before their next UK tour.  I mean the 50th anniversary will be in 2025 and their oldest member will be nearly 80.  The band have always had a soft spot … Continue reading →

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News: RUSS BALLARD interview feature, Sunday 26 July 2015

Posted on July 26, 2015 by GRTR! HQ
Russ Ballard

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio Part 1, Sunday 26 July, 16:00 GMT Part 2, Sunday 2 August, 16:00 GMT In the first of a two-part special rock writing royalty Russ Ballard chats to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio’s David Randall. … Continue reading →

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News: SHOOTING STAR, MICHAEL MONROE, ART NATION – Saturday 25th July 2015

Posted on July 25, 2015 by jason
Shooting Star - Firefest X

Shooting Star have released their new album ‘Into the Night’ for free as a download on their website. Download by going to www.shootingstarmaniacs.com and using the code “1980″. Art Nation release their new album ‘Revolution’ on AOR Heaven on 28th … Continue reading →

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