Yearly Archives: 2016

Album review: GRAHAM BONNET – Reissues

Graham Bonnet - Line-Up

Hear No Evil Recordings/Cherry Red [Release dates March-May 2016] The Graham Bonnet “backstory” before his tenure with Rainbow is highlighted by these reissues.  It was clearly evident in 1979 that Bonnet came from the pop mainstream – coming to wider … Continue reading

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Quick plays: LISA WEINT, AVI ROSENFIELD

Lisa Weint - Vurbei

LISA WEINT Vurbei Three piece band from Austria who formed in 2012 and who consist of Markus Baumgartner (vocals) , Ronald Wintersteiner (synths/vocals) and Tomasz Ploszajski (guitar). The band have an interesting mix of the lighter metal moments of say … Continue reading

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Gig review: SOS FESTIVAL, Manchester, 15-17 July 2016

Absolva - SOS FESTIVAL, Manchester, 15-17 July 2016

With suitable tunes on the car stereo we headed over to Prestwich, Manchester for the Rocksector Records annual get-together, ‘SOS Festival’.  Now in its ninth year it has a new home and has moved out of the now demolished Civic … Continue reading

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Album review: AARON NEVILLE – Apache

Tell It Records [Released 15.07.16] Aaron Neville releases his latest album to mark not only his 75th birthday, but also the 50th anniversary of his first number one single, ‘Tell It Like It Is’ (also a hit for Heart in … Continue reading

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Gig review: Festival D’ete De Quebec, 7-17 July 2016

Festival D

If I was to ask you if you had ever heard of Festival D’ete De Quebec I am betting the answer would be NO … me neither so when I was handed the opportunity to experience this event I jumped … Continue reading

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News: LEVEL 42 – October 2016 UK tour and interview/feature (Sunday 24 July)

LEVEL 42 - The Lowry, Salford, 4 October 2016

David Randall chatted to Mark King for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in July 2016. This hour long special traces the rise of Level 42 in the 1980s and their subsequent reformation. Part 2 of this feature showcases some of … Continue reading

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Album review: GUNHILL – Nightheat/One Over The Eight (John Lawton)

GUNHILL - Nightheat/One Over The Eight

In 2012 David Randall interviewed John Lawton for an hour-long special on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.  In this exclusive edit he chats about the band Gunhill.  (2:36) JLB Media/Gunhill [Release date 08.07.16] Gunhill is the missing link in the … Continue reading

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Gig review: SHAKURA S’AIDA, The Howlin Blues Trio – Relache Festival, Bordeaux, 20 July 2016

Relache Festival, Bordeaux, 20 July 2016

In an age of instant celebrity where the mundane too often passes for the exceptional, the Canadian double Maple Blues award winner Shakura S’Aida (pronounced Shack-oora Sigh-ee-da), is here to remind us of the true merits of a soulful blues … Continue reading

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Album review: CURVED AIR – The Curved Air Rarities Series Volume 1 – Tapestry Of Propositions

CURVED AIR - The Curved Air Rarities Series Volume 1 - Tapestry Of Propositions

Curved Air Records [Release date 05.08.16] We live in age when every album, every gig, seems to be heavily choreographed.  With albums pieced together and artists not necessarily sharing the same studio, or even continent, and gigs fixed to a … Continue reading

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Album review: FATES WARNING – Theories Of Flight

FATES WARNING – Theories Of Flight

Century Media [Release date 1.07.16] Those of you who have been following Fates Warning’s career as closely as I do remember damn well the almost decade-long period we had to suffer until 2013’s “Darkness In A Different Light” finally saw … Continue reading

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Album review: SEVI – The Battle Never Ends

SEVI - The Battle Never Ends

Will Brexit mean there’s no freedom of movement of rock within the Europe?  Bulgarian rock is a new one on me, but while there’s the faintest whiff of the European mainland about the vocals, you’d be hard pushed to identify … Continue reading

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Album review: DAVID FOSTER – Dreamless

DAVID FOSTER - Dreamless

[Release date 27.05.16] The second solo album from Panic Room and Steve Rothery Band guitarist Dave Foster is a remarkably different beast from his excellent debut (Gravity, 2011).  While the former was a showcase for his ability to deliver a … Continue reading

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Gig review: GINGER WILDHEART – Stereo, Glasgow, 15 July 2016

GINGER WILDHEART – Stereo, Glasgow, 15 July 2016

There can’t be many roads in the UK that Ginger Wildheart doesn’t know like the back of his hand. He appears to be constantly on tour either solo, with The Wildhearts or on one of his many side projects. It’s … Continue reading

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Album review: GREGG KOFI BROWN – Rock ‘n’ Roll And UFO’s

GREG KOFI BROWN – Rock

Gonzo Multimedia [Release date 05.02.16] Gregg Kofi Brown’s ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll And UFO’s is an archtypal summer album, with a broad based appeal stretching from the beach to the dance floor. The career anthology by the Osibisa vocalist is full … Continue reading

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Gig review: NAZARETH – Under The Bridge, London, 17 July 2016

NAZARETH - Under The Bridge, London, 17 July 2016

Gigs by Nazareth in the UK –certainly in London – used to be as rare as rocking horse dung with the veteran Scots finding the European and world markets more receptive to their enduring charms. However this nightclub, tucked away … Continue reading

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Album review: Q5 – New World Order

Q5 - New World Order

Frontiers [Release Date 08.07.16] Q5’s ‘Steel The Light’ was one of the cult classic metal albums of the eighties, blending an uncompromising approach with class vocals and massive hooks in distinctive fashion, lifting it above the myriad of average releases … Continue reading

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Album review: LEON ALVARADO – Future Left Behind

LEON ALVARADO – Future Left Behind

Melodic Revolution [Release date 30.07.16] Based on an original short story by multi instrumentalist keyboard player Leon Alvarado, ‘Future Left Behind’ is a prog rock instrumental concept album that is a triumph of innovation and musical substance over recycled ideas … Continue reading

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Gig review: 10cc – Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, 9 July 2016

10cc - Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, 9 July 2016

Some of the great historic and cultural attractions in London are now opening their doors to a more contemporary entertainment form with a summer concert series. Following the likes of Hampton Court, Somerset House and Kew Gardens is now the … Continue reading

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Album review: CULVER KINGZ – This Time

CULVER KINGZ - This Time

Escape Music [Release date 24.06.16] Culver Kingz maybe a new name, however the ideas for the musical pairing started back in 1983 when Michael Thompson and Billy Trudel planned a band called Slang. Sadly this never came to fruition and … Continue reading

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Gig review: SELWYN BIRCHWOOD, JAMES LEG, THE LIMBOOS, ELLI de MON – Relache Festival, Bordeaux, 12 July 2016

Relache Festival, Bordeaux, 12 July 2016

Bordeaux’s Relache Festival has quickly carved an important niche on the Euro Summer Blues Festival circuit. It’s an annual umbrella for two months worth of rock/blues/soul and related music in different parts of the city. Tonight we’re treated to the … Continue reading

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Album review: THE NEAL MORSE BAND – Alive Again

THE NEAL MORSE BAND – Alive Again

Radiant Records/Metal Blade [Release date 05.08/16] This is a slightly more modest release – 2CD/DVD – after last year’s impressive ‘Morsefest 2014’ box set. This live show was recorded near the end of the ‘Alive Again’ world tour in Holland. … Continue reading

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Album review: MARC BOLAN & T.REX – Born To Boogie The Concerts

MARC BOLAN & T.REX - Born To Boogie The Concerts

Edsel [Release date 17.06.16] Filmed at the height of T.Rextasy, and directed by Ringo Starr, the Born To Boogie film – centring around Wembley Empire Pool concert footage, a studio jam session with Ringo and Elton John, a four-song acoustic … Continue reading

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Quick plays: THE ESKIES, CIRCULINE, THE DEEP HOLLOW

THE ESKIES After The Sherry Went Round

THE ESKIES After The Sherry Went Round Parochial Dancehall Records [Release date 26.08.16] The debut from this Dublin based quintet is a rip-roaring unhinged concoction of sea soaked gypsy folk. They’re like The Coral and the Mumfords rolled into one … Continue reading

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Album review: LARKIN POE – Reskinned

LARKIN POE - Reskinned

RH Music [Release date 08.07.16] We rather liked Larkin Poe’s last release – Kin (2014), a move by sisters Rebecca and Megan Poe towards a more pop/mainstream orientated style, albeit laced with their blues, rock and folk/country influences. Two years … Continue reading

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Album review: HEART – Beautiful Broken

HEART - Beautiful Broken

UMC [Release date 08.07.16] Heart’s sixteenth studio album is their first since Fanatic (2012) and finds the Wilson sisters serving up a mix of old, new, and borrowed material with Metallica’s James Hetfield duetting with Ann Wilson on the title … Continue reading

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