Tag Archives: AOR

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 →

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

Posted on August 9, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

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 →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 8 August 2015, AOR, Club Academy, David Medd, Fee Waybill, gig, Manchester, melodic rock, Prairie Prince, punk, Quay Lewd, review, Rick Anderson, rock, Roger Steen, The Tubes | Leave a comment

News: RUSS BALLARD interview feature, Sunday 26 July 2015

Posted on July 26, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

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 →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS | Tagged 26 July 2015, AOR, Argent, feature, guitar, guitarist, interview, melodic, prog, progressive, radio, rock, Roulettes, Russ Ballard, Unit 4 + 2 | Leave a comment

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

Posted on July 25, 2015 by jason

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 →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions | Tagged AOR, Avenged Sevenfold, classic, Hardcore Supertar, melodic, metal, Michael Monroe, news, punk, rock, Shooting Star, the Melvins, UK dates | Leave a comment

Album review: THE BURNING CROWS – Murder At The Gin House

Posted on July 17, 2015 by david.wilson

Burning Crows Records [Release date 03.08.15] This is the second album release from The Burning Crows and on listening it would appear that the band are developing nicely. The thing which impresses here is the advanced song writing skills on … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Aerosmith, album, AOR, Bon Jovi, CD, Murder At The Gin House, review, rock, The Burning Crows, Whippz | Leave a comment

Album review: ROOM EXPERIENCE – Room Experience

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Phil Berisford

MelodicRock Records [Release date 22.05.15] First thing’s first…Room Experience…what an absolutely awful name for a band!!! Let’s hope the music improves things… Who are Room Experience then?…well it’s the name for Italian keyboard player Gianluca Firmo’s solo project which features … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Amos Monti, AOR, David Readman, Gianluca Firmo, Ivan Gonzalez, Pierpaolo Monti, review, Room Experience, Steve De Biasi | Leave a comment

Gig review: FLEETWOOD MAC – 02 Arena, London, 24 June 2015

Posted on July 1, 2015 by andynathan

When I paid over the odds to see Fleetwood Mac at the soulless 02 in Autumn 2013, it was in the knowledge that this was a chance to see the legendary band one last time, yet less than two years … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 02 Arena, AOR, Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac, gig, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, London, Mick Fleetwood, review, rumours, Stevie Nicks | Leave a comment

Quick plays: OSUKARU, DAVID CELIA, ED DUPAS

Posted on June 29, 2015 by jason

OSUKARU Transition www.osukarumusic.com [Release date 01.06.15] A band led by keyboards player/songwriter Oz Osukaru and this album is half new material, with some older songs given a reboot. Must admit not to knowing the name, however the songs on here … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged A Good American Life, album, AOR, David Celia, Double Mind, Ed Dupas, folk, melodic, Osukaru, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter, Transition | Leave a comment

News: Fee Waybill of THE TUBES interview and UK tour (June 2015)

Posted on June 25, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

In this exclusive interview edit Fee Waybill of The Tubes chats to David Randall about the forthcoming tour and meeting audience expectations (14:58) Gig review: Manchester, 8 August 2015 The Tubes tour continues! The Tubes Anniversary Special Get Ready to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS | Tagged AOR, Fee Waybill, interview, Johnny Bugger, June 2015, punk, Quay Lewd, radio, rock, The Tubes, UK tour | 1 Comment

Album review: ASIA, JAH WOBBLE, STRAWBS, GONG (Access All Areas)

Posted on June 22, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

Edsel Records [Release date 08.06.15] CD/DVD The latest batch of AAA releases run the full gamut from the melodic pop rock of Asia to the weird and wonderful meanderings of Daevid Allen’s Gong. All packages include a CD plus DVD … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged Access All Areas, album, AOR, Asia, Canterbury, CD, Daevid Allen, Dave Cousins, DVD, folk, Gong, Jah Wobble, Pat Thrall, Pip Pyle, pop, progressive, review, rock, The Strawbs | Leave a comment

Album review: VONDA SHEPARD – Rookie

Posted on June 22, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

[Release date 07.08.15] Best known (obviously) for her association with the Ally McBeal, singer songwriter Vonda Shepard has released five albums and toured extensively in Europe since the five season TV series run ended 13 years ago. Rookie, her 14th … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Ally McBeal, AOR, pop, review, Rookie, singer, songwriter, television, TV, Vonda Shepard | Leave a comment

News: VINDICTIV, CONSTANCIA, JOURNEY – Monday 22 June 2015

Posted on June 22, 2015 by jason

MelodicRock Records release the following two albums on July 10th. Vindictiv release ‘World Of Fear’ and feature Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen) on vocals. Also out on the same day is Constancia’s new album ‘Final Curtain’. The band features Mikael Rosengren … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions | Tagged AOR, Chris De Garmo, classic, gigs, Journey, melodic, metal, news, Queensryche, rock, tours, upcoming albums, VINDICTIV | Leave a comment

News: NEWMAN, EVERGREY, MUSE – Sunday 14 June 2015

Posted on June 14, 2015 by jason

DeathDealer (who feature Ross the Boss ex-Manowwar/The Dictators) release their new album ‘Hallowed Ground’ on September 11th via SMG Records. Newman will release their new, as yet untitled album, by the end of the year. Trixter’s Steve Brown will stand-in … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions | Tagged AOR, Drive She Said, Evergrey, gigs, Joel Hoekstra, melodic, metal, NEWMAN, news, rock, upcoming albums | Leave a comment

Album review: LUNDEN REIGN – American Stranger

Posted on May 4, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

Cleopatra Records [06.04.15] OK, let’s get the name out of the way first. It’s pretty naff. And unimaginative. Isn’t it about time that this purposeful phonetic misspelling malarkey faded into obscurity? It may be my 11+/grammar school education, but it … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, American Stranger, AOR, hard rock, Lora G, Lunden Reign, melodic rock, Nikki Lunden, review | Leave a comment

Album review: PETERIK-SCHERER – Risk Everything

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Phil Berisford

Frontiers Records [Release date 17.04.15] Founding Survivor member Jim Peterik returns with his latest project featuring his latest vocal find in Marc Scherer. “Risk Everything” was written specifically to suite the vocal talents of Scherer who he first met during … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alex Ligertwood, AOR, Bill Syniar, Bob Lizik, Ed Breckenfield, Frontiers, Jim Peterik, Klem Hayes, Marc Scherer, melodic rock, Mike Aquino, Nick Rich, Peterik-Scherer, review, Risk Everything, Shoshana Bean, Survivor, Toby Hitchcock | Leave a comment

News: ANVIL, TIM BOWNESS, REO SPEEDWAGON – Thursday 30 April 2015

Posted on April 30, 2015 by jason

Burning Point release their self-titled new album on June 12th on their new record label AFM Records. Supremacy is a new band featuing singer Claus Lessmann (ex-BONFIRE), Michael Voss (CASANOVA/MAD MAX),Robby Boebel (ex-FRONTLINE/EVIDENCE ONE), Axel Kruse (ex-JADED HEART) and former … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS | Tagged anvil, AOR, Boston, Chicago, classic, grunge, indie, metal, news, Paul McArtney, pomp, REO Speedwagon, rock, Stone Temple Pilots, Tim Bowness, tours | Leave a comment

Album review: DENNIS CHURCHILL DRIES – I

Posted on April 26, 2015 by jason

AOR Heaven [Released 01.06.15] Vocalist/bassist Dennis Churchill Dries (DCD) is known to lovers of melodic rock as the vocalist in White Sister and their successor band Tattoo Rodeo. White Sister issued two immense melodic rock/AOR albums in the 80′s and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AOR, AOR Heaven, Dennis Churchill Dries, melodic, Paul Sabu, rock, White Sister | 1 Comment

Album review: FM – Heroes and Villains

Posted on April 10, 2015 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release date 17.04.15] FM may have spent last autumn on a 30th anniversary tour, but they are neither a nostalgia band nor one to let the grass grow under their feet. Two years after a pair of new … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, FM, Heroes and Villains, Jim Kirkpatrick, melodic rock, review, Steve Overland | 1 Comment

Album review: KISKE SOMERVILLE – City of Heroes

Posted on April 9, 2015 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release Date 17.04.15] Despite the rather unimaginative name, some of rock’s most respected names are behind this project. The singers are former Helloween and more recently Place Vendome singer Michael Kiske and Trillium singer and vocal coach Amanda … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Amanda Somerville, AOR, city of heroes, Helloween, Kiske Somerville, Magnus Karlsson, Mat Sinner, melodic rock, Michael Kiske, power metal, review, symphonic rock, Trillium | Leave a comment

Interview: TOMMY DENANDER

Posted on March 31, 2015 by jason

Guitarist/songwriter/producer Tommy Denander is a busy man with Radioactive about to release their first new album in over ten years ‘F4ur’ on Escape Music. This features a stellar cast of melodic rock vocalists including the late, great Jimi Jamison, Jeff … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions | Tagged AOR, Bobby Kimball, Escape Music, F4ur, interview, Jimi Jamison, melodic, RADIOACTIVE, rock, Tommy Denander, westcoast | Leave a comment

Gig review: EUROPE, BLACK STAR RIDERS – Manchester Academy, 13 March 2015

Posted on March 14, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

EUROPE - Manchester Academy, 13 March 2015

I am still not convinced that two- or three-way bills are the best way forward for some of our premier bands. The last time I saw Europe was a three-way with FM and Foreigner and notwithstanding poor sound (for the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 13 March 2013, AOR, Black Star Riders, Europe, gig, hard rock, Joey Tempest, John Norum, Manchester Academy, melodic, review, Scott Gorham, The Amorettes | Leave a comment

Gig review: WHITE WIDDOW, NIGHT BY NIGHT, DEGREED – Underworld, Camden, 7 March 2015

Posted on March 9, 2015 by andynathan

March is now an even busier month in the gig calendar with bands fitting mini tours around the Hard Rock Hell United extravaganza in North Wales, and this was a welcome London showcase for three of the current generation of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 7 March 2015, AOR, Camden, Degreed, gig, London, melodic rock, night by night, review, Underworld, White Widdow | Leave a comment

Album review: TOTO – XIV

Posted on March 3, 2015 by jason

Frontiers [Released 20.03.15] Toto are back for their first new studio album since 2006′s ‘Falling In Between’. Since then the band have undergone a few changes with Joseph Williams back in the band since 2010 (he sang on their mid/late … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, classic, classic rock, David Hungate, David Paich, Frontiers, jazz, Joseph Williams, melodic, review, rock, Steve Lukather, Steve Porcaro, Toto, XIV | Leave a comment

News: BLACK STAR RIDERS, DORO, TEXAS – Monday 2 March 2015

Posted on March 2, 2015 by jason

Black Star Riders - Giants Of Rock, Minehead, 6-8 February 2015

Doro is working on a new studio album although it won’t be released until 2016. UK album chart placings w/e 1st March 2015: Public Service Broadcasting no.11; Black Star Riders no.13; Scorpions no.31; UFO no.50; Kid Rock no.52 Status Quo … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS | Tagged AOR, AOR Boulevard, Black Star Riders, Doro, gigs, Lynn Allen, metal, news, pop, rock, Starz, Status Quo, Texas, tours | Leave a comment

Album Review: ISSA – Crossfire

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Phil Berisford

Frontiers Records [release date 20.02.15] Issa Oversveen returns with “Crossfire”…an album of original material following on from her 2012 obscure AOR covers album “Can’t Stop”. The promotional literature mentions Issa in the same breath as both Heart and Roxette and … Continue reading →