Yearly Archives: 2020

Quick plays: DELAIN, JESSICA WOLFF, BEFORE SUNDAY

Posted on May 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
DELAIN - Apocalypse & Chill

DELAIN Apocalypse & Chill (Napalm Records) [Release date 07.02.20] There was a time – around 10 years ago – when I was rather taken with Delain, and for that matter, Within Temptation.  Both brought a slightly more commercial edge to … Continue reading →

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Album review: MICHAEL McDERMOTT – What In The World

Posted on May 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
MICHAEL McDERMOTT - What In The World

[Release date 06.05.20] I’ve been reasonably positive about previous releases by Chicago based Americana singer songwriter Michael McDermott.  And if you’re looking for a singer songwriter in the great American troubadour mould, look no further. That is, so long as … Continue reading →

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Album review: LUCIFER – Lucifer III

Posted on May 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
LUCIFER - Lucifer III

Century Media [Release date 20.03.20] It says a lot, when you can’t immediately recall that you reviewed a band’s last release only 2 years ago!  In the case of Lucifer = a Stockholm based outfit owing much to the likes … Continue reading →

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Album review: TIGER MOTH TALES – A Visit To Zoetermeer (CD/DVD)

Posted on May 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
TIGER MOTH TALES - A Visit To Zoetermeer

White Knight Records [Release date 21.02.20] Peter Jones was something of a revelation when fellow scribe Dave Randall and I saw Camel on their 2018 Moonmadness tour.  Had it not been for the sheer brilliance of Andy Latimer, Jones’ keyboard … Continue reading →

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Feature: Bands that time forgot – BAD COMPANY (1986-1996)

Posted on May 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
Bad Company in 1995

For most, Bad Company conjures up the classic seventies line-up fronted by Paul Rodgers and with Mick Ralphs, Simon Kirke and Boz Burrell.  The eponymous and classic first album yielded a handful of airplay and chart hits and set the … Continue reading →

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Album review: MIKE BATT – The Penultimate Collection

Posted on May 6, 2020 by jason
MIKE BATT - The Penultimate Collection

Dramatico [Release date digital 08.05.20; physical 26.06.20] Mike Batt’s long and varied career is celebrated on this double album, which highlights his work as performer, composer and arranger. This collection features Mike Batt’s original solo material, along with his own … Continue reading →

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Album review: FOGHAT – Family Joules

Posted on May 6, 2020 by jason
FOGHAT - Family Joules

Metalville [Eelease date 22.05.20] Released originally in 2003, this was always going to be a tough gig for Foghat. Slide guitar wizard Rod Price had recently left, and then they were knocked for six by the untimely death of their … Continue reading →

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – NEAL SCHON – Late Nite

Posted on May 6, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
Neal Schon - Late Nite

Columbia [1989] Years ago there was a very good record store in the Liverpool area and with a branch in my nearby shopping bolthole Chester.  Penny Lane Records yielded a fine selection of import albums at a reasonable price.  It … Continue reading →

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Album review: CHAMPLIN WILLIAMS FRIESTEDT – 2

Posted on May 5, 2020 by andynathan
CHAMPLIN WILLIAMS FRIESTEDT-2

Black Lodge [Release Date 15.05.20] In that genre of the softest and smoothest AOR given the shorthand ‘West coast’, CWF are something of a superstar collaboration. Former Chicago singer and keyboard player Bill Champlin and Joseph Williams, singer with Toto … Continue reading →

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Feature: Bands that time forgot – CELTUS

Posted on May 5, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
Celtus in 1997

The two brothers John and Pat McManus had previously been members of eighties Irish heavy rockers Mama’s Boys. Both were multi-instrumentalists and their desire to achieve a more atmospheric, reflective groove was partly influenced by the premature death from leukaemia … Continue reading →

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – 21 GUNS – Nothing’s Real

Posted on May 5, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
21 GUNS - Nothing's Real

Z Records [1997] The 1990s was a hard time for melodic hard rock bands feeling the chill wind from Seattle.  Joey Tempest from the band Europe told me that they also succumbed to the prevailing trend, and that when visiting … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: MILAN POLAK, EVERYDAY HEROES

Posted on May 4, 2020 by jason
MILAN POLAK - Can’t Please Everyone

MILAN POLAK Can’t Please Everyone Lion Music (Release date 10.05.20) Guitar wizard Milan Polak is back with his fourth album to feature vocals. All the songs were composed by him, along with him playing most of the instruments. Plus there … Continue reading →

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Single reviews: THE DARKER MY HORIZON, MILTON HIDE, ALLAN CLARKE, CWF, THE LICKERISH QUARTET

Posted on May 3, 2020 by jason
TDMH - Carpe Diem

THE DARKER MY HORIZON Carpe Diem Another band utilising their lockdown time wisely are the Darker My Horizon, who made the video with help from their fans with all proceeds going to the NHS charities. Nice riff-tastic tune with lyrics … Continue reading →

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Single reviews: JESSICA LYNN, SCORPIONS, QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT, ROBERT JON & THE WRECK

Posted on May 2, 2020 by jason
JESSICA LYNN - Run To

JESSICA LYNN Run To Jessica Lynn releases her first single of 2020 and despite the country label, this is one of those timeless pop power ballads. She has a vocal and a half, backed by a big production and guitar … Continue reading →

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News: ALCATRAZZ, IRON MAIDEN, STEVE HOWE, KROKUS (May 2020)

Posted on May 1, 2020 by jason
KING KING - Koko, London, 7 February 2019

Alcatrazz release their first new album in over thirty years on July 31. Called ‘Born Innocent’ the line-up features founding members Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea Iron Maiden release ‘The Live Collection’ on June 19, which will feature … Continue reading →

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Book review: HAWKWIND On Track – Every Album, Every Song by Duncan Harris

Posted on May 1, 2020 by jason
Hawkwind On Track – Every Album, Every Song by Duncan Harris

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 26.03.20] ‘Hawkwind – every album, every song’ is another volume in Sonicbond’s ‘On Track’ series, this time taking on the Herculean task of documenting the prolific adventures of Dave Brock’s gang of space rockers in the … Continue reading →

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – KEATS

Posted on May 1, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
Keats (1984)

EMI [1984] Released in 1984 the eponymous album by Keats might be considered as an Alan Parsons Project off-shoot.  It was produced by Parsons and includes the core band members that feature on most of the Project albums, Ian Bairnson, … Continue reading →

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Album review: MYRATH – Live In Carthage

Posted on April 30, 2020 by david.wilson

earMusic [Release date 17.04.20] Carthage has a lot of history, not all good unfortunately. It was one of the richest cities in the ancient world and was the centre of the Punic empire which proved to be a thorn in … Continue reading →

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Album review: CRYPTEX – Once Upon A Time

Posted on April 30, 2020 by jason
CRYPTEX – Once Upon A Time

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 08.05.20] Cryptex are the trio of Simon Moskon (lead vocals, keys), Marc Andrejkovits (bass, backing vocals) and Andre Jean Henri Mertens (guitars, backing vocals), with drums being handled by Simon Schröder. Cryptex have been around since 2011 … Continue reading →

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Book review: Broken Greek by Pete Paphides

Posted on April 30, 2020 by jason

Quercus [Publication date 05.03.20] An entertaining memoir that works on two levels, first and foremost as a musical journey through the hits (and some misses) of the 70s and 80s charts, and secondly as Pete Paphides recalls his own family … Continue reading →

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – VOODOO RAMBLE – That’s Why

Posted on April 30, 2020 by petefeenstra
Voodoo Ramble - That

Self Release [Release date 31.08.18] We’re currently in lockdown as I write this review. And having been encouraged to pen some reviews of albums that we may have missed for review – but have certainly played – there’s no better … Continue reading →

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – PUBLIC SYMPHONY

Posted on April 29, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
Public Symphony

[2006] Public Symphony is the brainchild of TV music composer (including ‘The Travel Show’, ‘Rogue Traders’) Dobs Vye who, together with James Reynolds, released their one and only album in 2006. When reviewing the album I opined: “‘Public Symphony’ is … Continue reading →

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Gig review: TOBY JEPSON – Online, Thursday April 23 2020

Posted on April 29, 2020 by jason
Toby Jepson

In these strange and unsettling times one part of the music we love that has been hit hard is that of live music. Currently venues are closed and artists are off the road, many tours and gigs have been postponed … Continue reading →

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Feature: What FREE mean to me…

Posted on April 29, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
Free

Alan Jones on a woman in a diaphanous dress, a wailing Les Paul, and a T-shirt that said it all… It could have gone either way. In the late sixties my musical experiences were limited to my mother’s meagre collection … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE BLOODY MALLARD – Realm

Posted on April 28, 2020 by jason
BLOODY MALLARD - Realm

Bandcamp [Release date 08.05.20] The Bloody Mallard came into being from another worldly place it could be said, as the musical ideas formed were reminiscent of many mushroom trips in rural Kent by guitarist and main man Tom Walding. Production … Continue reading →

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