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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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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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Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET, CHANTEL MCGREGOR, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES – Dingwalls, London, 7 November 2024
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Gig review: DEEP PURPLE – 02 Arena, London, 6 November 2024
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Tag Archives: instrumental
Album review: DANIELE LIVERANI – An Innocent Challenge
Lion Music [Release date 26.08.16] Danielle Liverani was last seen with the rather good guitar instrumental album ‘Fantasia’ and now he has come back with a piano concerto! Classical and rock music have always been linked, with many rock musicians … Continue reading
Interview: ERIK NORLANDER
Erik Norlander has just released his latest album, ‘Surreal’ and here he talks about the stories behind the music, along with Last In Line who he recently joined… Could you take us through the songs on your new album ‘Surreal’? … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions, Interviews/Rock Stars
Tagged Asia, Dio, Erik Norlander, instrumental, interview, John Payne, Lana Lane, Last In Line, prog, progressive, rock, Surreal
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Album review: APOCALYPTICA – Plays Metallica By Four Cellos (20th Anniversary Edition)
Odyssey Music Network [Release date 22.07.16] Metallica played by a string quartet? Keen-eared readers will know that this isn’t such a wayward proposition. Back in 1999 Hetfield’s Heroes recorded a live album with the San Francisco Symphony demonstrating the tunes … Continue reading
EP reviews: NIAMH CROWTHER, MIKE DEDIC
NIAMH CROWTHER www.niamhcrowther.com Niamh Crowther came to prominence aged 16, when she beat over 15,000 other young people to claim the prestigious Youth Music Awards in Ireland. She has received lots of airplay on Irish radio and has transferred this … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged EP, guitar, instrumental, Mike Dedic, Niamh Crowther, pop, reviews, rock, singer songwriter, the Black Bullets
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Album review: ADRIAN WEISS – Easy Game
CD Baby [Release date 06.07.14] Just in case you dozed off listening to too much AOR, or you’ve have been concussed by too much metal, you may have missed the emergence of a whole new school of prog-metal instrumentalists including … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Adrian Weiss, album, Christian Muenzner, Demian Heuke, Easy Game, Forces At Work, fusion, Gloryful, guitar, instrumental, Jason Becker, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Lars Zehner, Manuel Korsakow, Marcel Willnat, metal, Paul Gilbert, prog, review, rock, Steve Vai, Thought Sphere, Tony McAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen
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Album review: FORBIDDEN PLANET – From Bedroom To Oblivion
CD Baby [Release date 11.10.15] Not to be confused with anything pertaining to science fiction, save for some obtuse voice-over snippets, Forbidden Planet is a Singapore based instrumental prog rock outfit with an open ended style that finds them truly … Continue reading
Album review: DOCKER’S GUILD – The Heisenberg Diaries Book A: Sounds of Future Past
Lion Music www.lionmusic.com [Release date 21.01.16, digital only] This is the second album from the Docker’s Guild, the brainchild of Douglas R. Docker. This album is part of a series of 4 transitional albums placed between the 5 main “seasons” … Continue reading
Album review: ANDY SUMMERS – Metal Dog
Andy Summers Music/Cargo Records [Release date 15.01.16] A new solo album from Andy Summers? He of the heavily arpeggiated, chorused but always ear-friendly guitaring? He’s released a string of solo albums since ‘XYZ’ in 1987 and his last release was … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, ambient, Andy Summers, fusion, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, Metal Dog, Police, review, rock
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Album review: ANDREAS VOCKRODT – Adventures In Foggyland
7music (Membran) [Release date 13.03.15] From his opening shred on ‘21 is Only Half The Truth’, through several shifting rhythm patterns, an ever present melodic undertow and the gnawing riff conclusion of ‘Transition To Reality’, its obvious that German guitarist … Continue reading
Quick plays: THE GRISWOLDS, MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY, THE UGLY GUYS, LOTTA LENE
THE GRISWOLDS – Be Impressive Wind Up Records www.wearethegriswolds.com [Release date 25.05.15] Australian four piece the Griswolds (named after the family in National Lampoon’s Family Vacation) are one for those who like a little bit of synth led indie pop. … Continue reading
Album review: NEAL SCHON – Vortex
This is an exclusive edit from an interview with Neal Schon using non-broadcast material. An extended version will be broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in a special edition of ‘Assume The Position’ presented by David Randall on Sunday … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, audio, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, interview, jazz fusion, Jazz rock, Journey, Neal Schon, review, rock, Santana, Solo, Vortex, world
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Album review: SWUNG – Vol.1 & 2 (feat. members of FOCUS)
In And Out Of Focus Records [Release date 03.11.14] ‘Swung’ was evidently conceived and recorded during downtime from the “day job” – for Bobby Jacobs and Pierre van der Linden this means the current incarnation of Focus. Although that band … Continue reading
Album review: SIMON PHILLIPS – Protocol II
Inakustik [Release date 13.10.14] It’s been fourteen years since the release of ‘Vantage Point’, Simon Phillips’ last solo album. This is understandable given that for most of that period he’s been tied up drumming for Toto. But of course in … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Andy Timmons, Danger Danger, drummer, drums, Ernest Tibbs, instrumental, jazz fusion, Protocol II, review, rock, Simon Phillips, Steve Lukather, Steve Weingart, Toto
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Quick plays: GRAND DESIGN, 220 VOLT, JUDE GWYNAIRE
GRAND DESIGN – Thrill Of The Night AOR Heaven [Release date 29.09.14] Grand Design are back with their 80’s influenced hard rock, or as I like to think Def Leppard with a helium infused vocalist! Vocalist Pelle Saether has a … Continue reading
Quick plays: GASOLINE STARS, DUST BOWL JOKIES, THOMAS ZWIJSEN, DR.JOHN
GASOLINE STARS – Good Looks, Bad Behaviour Self Release Good Looks, Bad Behaviour is the debut full length album from Gasoline Stars who formed in 2012 in Sweden. Gasoline Stars are a fivesome although they have split with the drummer … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Bad Behaviour, blues, Cockaigne Vaudeville, Coldplay, Crucified Barbara, Dr John, Dust Bowl Jokies, Empire Of The Damned, epic rock, Falling Red, Gasoline Stars, Good Looks, guitar instrumental, Guns 'N' Roses, hair metal, In-Flight Safety, instrumental, jazz, metal, Motley Crue, Nylonized, review, rock, Ske-Dat-De-Dat…Spirit of Satch, sleaze rock, Sweden, Thomas Zwijsen
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Album review: PETER FRAMPTON – Hummingbird In A Box
Red/Sony [Released 07.07.14] There are not many artists who pursue a new musical direction deep into their career let alone on their 15th studio album. But Peter Frampton is no ordinary artist. He’s never stood still since his days with … Continue reading
Interview: CHRIS PICTON (August 2014)
Multi-instrumentalist Chris Picton first came to the attention of GRTR! as a member of prog rock band Quecia. Now Chris has a new digital album out called ‘Journey of Broken Dreams‘ and we caught up with him for an update plus … Continue reading
Album review: JOHN LUTTRELL – The Dream Exchange
www.johnluttrell.com [Release date 15.05.14] In the mid-late 1980s there was a fad for what was termed ‘new age’ music which produced ambient albums in their abundance and presaged the “chill-out” genre a decade later. Some nasty critics likened the genre … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, ambient, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, John Luttrell, new age, review, The Dream Exchange
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Album review: BRIAN MAILLARD – Reincarnation
www.brianmaillard.com [Release date: 01.02.14] Brian Mailliard is an accomplished guitarist who came to wider attention with the band Solid Vision and perhaps more widely with the ill-fated if rather good Dominici albums (2005-7) fronted by original Dream Theater vocalist Charlie … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Brian Maillard, Dominici, Dream Theater, fusion, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, Reincarnation, review, rock, Solid Vision, Swiss
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Album review: ROBERT REED – Sanctuary
Tigermoth Records [Release date 21.07.14] I don’t get this. Robert Reed (erstwhile Magenta man and architect of the stupendous Kompendium last year) ploughing a furrow that was well tilled by Mike Oldfield forty years ago and even using his collaborators … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, instrumental, Kompendium, Magenta, Mike Oldfield, prog, progressive, review, Robert Reed, rock, Sanctuary, Tubular Bells
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Album review: MATT STEVENS – Lucid
Esoteric/Cherry Red [Release date 31.03.14] Matt Stevens (Fierce & the Dead) releases his latest solo album which has been three years in the making and features a whole host of guest musicians. These include drummer Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson); bass … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Fierce & the Dead, instrumental, Lucid, Matt Stevens, prog, progressive, review, rock
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Album review: DANIELE LIVERANI – Fantasia
SG Records www.danieleliverani.com Daniele Liverani is a very accomplished Italian guitarist and this latest instrumental album from him is very accessible and melodic. Joining Danielle are drummer Simon Ciccotti, bass player Nicolo Vese and on keyboards Marco Zago. Lots of … Continue reading
Album review: BEN GRANFELT – Melodic Relief
Supersounds Music [Release date 02.11.12] Ben Granfelt used to partner Andy Powell in Wishbone Ash and it’s no surprise that fellow Finn (and former bandmate in Gringos Locos) Muddy Manninen and Powell contribute to one track, ‘New 7’. It may … Continue reading
Interview: 10Q’s with THE FIERCE & THE DEAD
The Fierce & the Dead have just released a rather good album ‘Spooky Action’ and here we catch-up with band members Matt Stevens and Kev Feazy… 1. What are you currently up to? Matt – We’ve just had the Spooky … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged ber 2013, Dece, instrumental, interview, Matt Stevens, progressive music, rock, The Fierce & The Dead
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Album review: ANXTRON – Brainstorm
Self-release www.anxtron.com I guarantee if you heard this album playing in the background of your local wine bar, you’d find it strangely addictive as you got progressively inebriated. That’s not being disrespectful to Anxtron, it could be the perfect antidote … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Anxtron, Brainstorm, Brazil, Brazilian, instrumental, prog, progressive, review, rock
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