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Music For Nations (1993)
Graham Bonnet’s career started in the late 1960s with a conventional pop approach and early solo albums. It was only in 1979 when he came to Ritchie Blackmore’s attention as a potential frontman of Rainbow (replacing original vocalist Ronnie James Dio) that he captured a much wider – and heavy rock – audience. Following Rainbow there was Michael Schenker’s band and then Alcatrazz.
Graham’s career has taken an upturn in recent years with several anthologies, reissues and touring. The focus now seems to be on the latest configuration of Alcatrazz and they’ve just released a new – well received – album “hard rock for grown ups” as described by GRTR!’s Brian McGowan.
But back in 1993, following a time when Alcatrazz was on hiatus he and Jimmy Waldo formed Blackthorne. The band also included Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali (died August 2020) and bassist Chuck Wright.
This is a much over-looked debut album, even it has to be said by Bonnet himself. When I interviewed him in 2017 it seemed unlikely he would resurrect any of the band’s songs in his current live set, notwithstanding the Alcatrazz connection.
In his most recent outings towards the end of 2019, under the Alcatrazz moniker, the band did play the Blackthorne song “We Won’t Be Forgotten”. However, this was almost certainly because there was the new anthology release of collected recordings (see below).
Part of the problem is that producer and band member Bob Kulick (who died May 2020) wanted Bonnet to sing in a different register which he was not comfortable with. And, as I gathered in that interview, Bonnet wasn’t exactly complimentary about Kulick’s overall attitude.
Reviewing the 2016 reissue, I wrote: “There’s a consistency and darkness to this album and some real gems, including the title track, ‘We Won’t Be Forgotten’ , ‘Over And Over’ and the quite wonderful ‘Baby You’re The Blood’ (a co-write with Autograph guitarist Steve Plunket). Others were brought in to assist on the sessions, including rock writer Steven Rosen and Bob Kulick’s brother Bruce on guitar.” This reissue includes a couple of acoustic tracks recorded on a Japanese promotional visit (see video below).
The band made demos for an intended follow-up but they were reduced to a trio and Bonnet had returned to Australia and his family contemplating his next musical adventure. These demos were collected on the album ‘Don’t Kill The Thrill’ (Cherry Red, 2016).
And, continuing with my review, “…viewed in the context of Bonnet’s varied output over the years and the pre-grunge years in particular, ‘Afterlife’ emerges as a heavy metal masterpiece. “
David Randall
In this remixed interview edit, recorded in August 2017, Graham Bonnet chats to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio about Blackthorne (4:22)
Worth investigating:
We Won’t Be Forgotten: The Blackthorne Anthology (Cherry Red, 2019)
Album review (Original review, 2016)
Album review (Born Innocent, 2020)
Album review (Afterlife/Don’t Kill The Thrill, 2021 reissue plus interview)
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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)
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