Interview with Tony Clarkin of Magnum, first broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 2 March 2014 (3:23)

There is a longer extract of this interview together with the album review here

Magnum Album Launch - 25 March 2014

250+ eager fans awaited the launch and their first full listening of the new album from Midlands-based melodic rockers Magnum. ‘Escape From The Shadow Garden’ is the band’s 17th studio album and again features the artwork of sci-fi/fantasy artist Rodney Matthews who was also present tonight.

There is a great atmosphere in the venue and plenty of souvenir cards around to get signed, although looking at the number of album shaped plastic bags around fans have bought their own swag to get signed as well. The band aren’t actually playing tonight which in a way is better as it leaves plenty of time for everyone to meet them.

With the album played out, a marathon one-and-a-half hour signing session ensued and Rodney Matthews was swamped as much as the band for photos and autographs.

Magnum Album Launch - 25 March 2014

A welcome part of the evening was the free raffle where one lucky fan got a fully framed and signed copy of the original album artwork, this along with over 30 other prizes all went down well especially with the winners.

‘Escape…’ is a classic Magnum album; it has the riffs, sweeping keyboards, incredible vocals and shows Tony Clarkin is still writing some amazing music with a nice modern rockier feel to please the current fans and open up to new ones. Great comments flying round the room and the usual discussions about fave tracks and comparisons between earlier works all make for a fun time.

Magnum Album Launch - 25 March 2014

For those more inquisitive, looking round the crowd there were some notable faces that had turned up to take part in the event. Reuben Archer (Stampede) was there doing a few interviews for his radio show, the legendary Krusher Joule (artist, DJ and just about everything else rock related) and Al Atkins (founder and original singer with Judas Priest) and Paul May (Guitarist/Writer/Producer) who – as the Atkins May project – and are due to release their latest work imminently.

All in all an extremely enjoyable evening for the fans and the band and everyone else involved.

Review and photos by Simon Dunkerley

Album review

MAGNUM Tour Dates 2014

EU TOUR
07.04. FI-Helsinki – Tavastia
09.04. DK-Copenhagen – Amager Bio-with NeonFly
10.04. SE-Gotheburg – Sticky Fingers-with NeonFly
11.04. SE-Borlange – Liljan-with NeonFly
12.04. SE-Sandviken – Backstage Rockclun-with NeonFly

UK TOUR
19.04. UK-Southampton – The Brook -with NeonFly
20.04. UK-Buckley – Tivoli-with NeonFly
22.04. UK-Oxford – O2-with NeonFly
23.04. UK-Bristol – O2 -with NeonFly
24.04. UK-Norwich – Waterfront-with NeonFly
25.04. UK-Leamington Spa – Assembly Halls-with NeonFly
26.04. UK-Manchester – The Ritz-with NeonFly
28.04. UK-Nottingham – Rock City-with NeonFly
29.04. UK-Glasgow – Garage-with NeonFly
30.04. UK-Newcastle – O2-with NeonFly
02.05. UK-Holmfirth – Picturedome-with NeonFly
03.05. UK-Wolverhampton – Wulfrun Hall-with NeonFly
04.05. UK-London – Islington Town Hall-with NeonFly

06.05. NL-Uden – De Pul
07.05. B-Vosselaar – Biebob

MAGNUM & SAGA
GERMANY & SWISS DOUBLE HEADLINER TOUR*
08.05. D-Dortmund – FZW*
09.05. D-Cologne – E-Werk*
10.05. D-Emden – Nordseehalle*
12.05. D-Hamburg – Docks*
13.05. D-Berlin – Huxley`s Neue Welt*
15.05. D-Saarbrücken – Garage*
16.05. D-Filderstadt – FILharmonie*
17.05. D-Offenbach – Capitol*
19.05. D-Regensburg – Airport Obertraubling*
20.05. D-Nürnberg – Rockfabrik*
22.05. D-Munich – Circus Krone*
23.05. CH-Pratteln – Z7*
24.05. D-Ravensburg – Club-Oberschwabenhalle*

26.05. AT-Kufstien – Kulturfabrik
27.05. AT-Dornbirn – Conrad Sohm

MAGNUM live 2014 (Festival)
04.-07.06. SE-Sölvesborg – Sweden Rock Festival

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)