Yearly Archives: 2020

EP review: ICONIC EYE – Back From Beyond The Sun

Posted on December 13, 2020 by jason

www.iconiceyemusic.com [Release date 04.12.20] Iconic Eye formed back in 2016, although this latest line-up only includes one member from the start, guitarist/keyboards/songwriter Greg Dean. The rest of the line-up is Neil Hackett (lead guitar), Mike Dagnall (bass, backing vocals) and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged AOR, Back From Behind The Sun, Dante Fox, EP, FM, Iconic Eye, Jefferson Starship, melodic rock, review, rock, Romeo's Daughter, Vega | Leave a comment

Album review: JOHN DIVA & THE ROCKETS OF LOVE – American Amadeus

Posted on December 13, 2020 by jason

JOHN DIVA & THE LOVE ROCKETS – American Amadeus

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 15.01.21] John Diva & the Rockets of Love’s 2019 debut album ‘Mama Said Rock Is Dead’ charted in the top 30 of the German album chart and they had successful tours around Europe. Now … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, American Amadeus, glam rock, John Diva, melodic hard rock, review, rock, sleaze rock, the Rockets of Love | 1 Comment

Album review: IRON MAIDEN – Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City

Posted on December 13, 2020 by david.wilson

Parlophone [Release date 20.11.20] Jay Jay French of Twisted Sister stated a few years ago that older bands with hit laden back catalogues were idiots to record new songs and play them live. His argument was that the fans just want to hear the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 2019, Adrian Smith, album, Bruce Dickinson, CD, Dave Murray, Iron Maiden, Janick Gers, Jay Jay French, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City, live, Mexico, Nicko Mc Brain, Nights Of The Dead, Number of the Beast, Parlophone, Steve Harris, Twisted Sister, Where Eagles Dare, William Wallace | Leave a comment

Album review: THE OUTLAWS – Live At Rockpalast 1981 (CD/DVD)

Posted on December 13, 2020 by david.wilson

MiG Records [Release date 25.09.20] Back in 1981 The Outlaws were riding high on the success of their ‘Ghost Riders’ album and this show at the 1st Rockpalast Open Air Festival was the band’s debut show in Germany. Their brand … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile) | Tagged 1981, Billy Jones, CD, country, DVD, Freddie Salem, Ghost Riders In The Sky, Hughie Thomasson, MiG Records, Rockpalast, Rockpalast Open Air Festival, southern rock, The Outlaws | Leave a comment

Album review: MARK VENNIS & A DIFFERENT PLACE – Fighting On All Fronts

Posted on December 12, 2020 by jason

Cadiz Music [Release date 27.11.20] Moviehouse MD and modern day renaissance man, Mark Vennis, fresh from producing acclaimed documentary, Rebel Dread, has just released his third album, Fighting On All Fronts. It’s an album Vennis recorded primarily with long time … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A Different Place, album, blues, Fighting On All Fronts, Mark Vennis, review, roots rock, singer songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: DAVID COURTNEY – Isolation Symphony

Posted on December 12, 2020 by jason

The Store For Music [Release date 18.12.20] Those in the know are well aware that David Courtney is a Grammy award winning composer, producer and songwriter. Over the years, his musical partnerships with Roger Daltrey, Leo Sayer, Eric Clapton, David … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, cinematic, Dave Gilmour, David Courtney, Isolation Symphony, Leo Sayer, melodic, pop, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: UNRULY CHILD – Our Glass House

Posted on December 11, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.12.20] When Unruly Child arrived in 1992, Melodic Rock bands were crashing and burning all around them. AOR had been shot down in flames by the bands of the Pacific North West. Low altitude, below the radar … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Frontiers, Marcie Free, melodic rock, Our Glass House, prog rock, review, Unruly Child | Leave a comment

News: Vote for your favourite albums and artists in our Best of 2020 Popular Poll

Posted on December 11, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Every year the GRTR! Reviewers choose their top albums/reissues, live acts and breakthrough artists. With the decimation of live music this year they have focused on three categories and you can vote for: Top Albums Breakthrough Act We’ve reduced their … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, The Best of 2020 | Leave a comment

Album review: VANDEN PLAS – The Ghost Experiment, Illumination

Posted on December 9, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.12.20] Vanden Plas are something of an institution in their native Germany, and indeed increasingly in the wider world. The Ghost Experiment, Illumination is their 12th studio album. So many Progressive Rock bands succumb to Must Have … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Illumination, melodic metal, prog metal, prog rock, review, The Ghost Experiment, VANDEN PLAS | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (October 2020 – December 2020)

Posted on December 9, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

FISH – Weltschmerz (Fish Music) …this is a rich, accessible, profound album invested with heaps of integrity, passion and insight. ‘Weltschmerz’ stands as the best album of Fish’s solo career, and easily amongst the best of the year by anyone… … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged AC/DC, albums, art rock, Blue Oyster Cult, blues rock, December 2020, Doris Brendel, Fish, hard rock, L.A. Guns, Muddy Manninen, November 2020, October 2020, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: ART OF ILLUSION – X Marks The Spot

Posted on December 8, 2020 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 29.01.21] This is the debut album by Art Of Illusion, a duo consisting of composer and producer Anders Rydholm (Grand Illusion) and singer Lars Säfsund (Work Of Art) – see what they did there with the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anders Rydholm, AOR, Art Of Ilusion, Grand Illusion, Lars Safsund, melodic rock, pomp rock, review, Work Of Art, X Marks The Spot | 1 Comment

Album review: DAN REED – Liftoff

Posted on December 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Zero One Entertainment [Release date 04.12.20] At the end of a horrific year for humanity, and also for music, Dan Reed’s latest solo album arrives to provide the perfect antidote. Dan’s solo works since the “comeback” – ‘Coming Up For … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Dan Reed, Dan Reed Network, Liftoff, melodic rock, review, singer, songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: PHENOMENA – Still The Night

Posted on December 6, 2020 by jason

Cherry Red [Release date 27.11.20] Tom and Mel Galley put Phenomena together in 1984. Glenn Hughes, Don Airey, Cozy Powell, Neil Murray had been enlisted…Whitesnake versus Deep Purple, a metalised marriage made in hard rock heaven. The following year they … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, classic rock, Cozy Powell, Glenn Hughes, Mel Galley, melodic rock, Neil Murray, Phenomena, Review. Tom Galley, rock, Still The Night | Leave a comment

Album review: STEVE BALSAMO – The Millennium Tapes

Posted on December 6, 2020 by jason

Facebook [Release date 04.12.20] Steve Balsamo has unearthed these songs during lockdown that were recorded back at the start of the millennium as the album title suggests. Balsamo worked with Micky Lister on these songs. Lister was signed back in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, mellow, melodic, Micky Lister, pop, review, singer songwriter, Steve Balsamo, the Millennium Tapes | Leave a comment

Book review: Limelight: Rush in the 80’s by Martin Popoff

Posted on December 5, 2020 by jason

[Publication date 20.10.20] Martin Popoff’s follow up to ‘Anthem: Rush in the ‘70s’ he now covers the band’s 80’s albums – both studio and live. Different from the ever expanded ‘Track By Track’ books in that although Martin Popoff critiques … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged album, book, Classic Albums, classic rock, Limelight, Martin Popoff, melodic, prog rock, review, rock, Rush | Leave a comment

Album review: MAGNUM – Dance Of The Black Tattoo

Posted on December 4, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

David Randall chatted to Tony Clarkin for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio with tracks from the forthcoming compilation. First broadcast 20 December 2020. SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 08.01.21] What do inveterate songwriters do in Lockdown when they’ve no band to steer … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, Bob Catley, compilation, Dance Of The Black Tattoo, hard rock, interview, Magnum, melodic rock, review, Tony Clarkin | Leave a comment

EP review: HM JOHNSEN – Serenity

Posted on December 4, 2020 by jason

EP link [Release date 27.11.20] Norwegian singer songwriter HM Johnsen certainly has an interesting backstory as his 2017 debut album ‘Chased’ was funded by a small community in western Norway, which allowed the album to be mastered at Abbey Road. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged album, alt pop, alt rock, blues, EP, HM Johnsen, jazz, melodic, review, Serenity, singer songwriter | Leave a comment

Interview: IZAKMAN

Posted on December 4, 2020 by jason

Israeli musician and award-winning animator Izakman (aka Itamar Isaak) released his second UK single ‘Real Boy’ recently, we caught up for a chat: Your music is eclectic, which artists (musical and otherwise) influence your sound? My sound is heavily influenced … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars | Tagged alternative, art, Hanif Kureishi, interview, Izakman, Kutiman, musician, punk, Richard Elfman, rock | Leave a comment

News: The Best of 2020 – Get Ready to ROCK! reviewers choose their Top Albums of the Year

Posted on December 4, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

2020 has been a horrendous year for live music, silenced by the coronavirus pandemic. With live music off the agenda, there has been no shortage of album/EP releases, so this year our reviewers have concentrated on selecting their Top Albums, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, The Best of 2020 | Tagged 20/20, album, best of, blues rock, breakthrough act, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, reissue, reviewer.top albums, singer songwriter | 2 Comments

News – NEAL SCHON, HEART, MAGNUM, THE DARKNESS (December 2020)

Posted on November 30, 2020 by jason

Journey’s Neal Schon (pictured) releases his new album ‘Universe’ this month. Dream Theater have started work on their new album. In the meantime they have released a seasonal medly ‘The Holiday Spirit Carries On’, available for download at dreamtheaterofficial.bandcamp.com Magnum … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions | Tagged albums, blues, festivals, folk, gigs, Heart, Journey, Magnum, metal, Neal Schon, New releases, news, rock, tours | Leave a comment

Album review – VOLBEAT – Rewind, Replay, Rebound (Live in Deutschland)

Posted on November 29, 2020 by david.wilson

Republic Records [Release date 27.11.20] Live music has been absent in all our lives for far too long throughout 2020 so the chance to relive the German leg of Volbeat’s 2019 tour is an enticing package to anyone starved of gigs. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 2019, album, CD, Denmark, Hamburg, live, Lola Montez, Michael Pulson, Rebound (Live In Deutschland), Replay, review, Rewind, Rob Caggiano, Stuttgart, VOLBEAT | Leave a comment

Album review: RUNRIG – One Legend – Two concerts (Live At Rockpalast 1996 & 2001)

Posted on November 29, 2020 by david.wilson

MiG Records [Release date 30.10.20] A year or so ago I went along to the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow for the world premiere of the Final Dance DVD which was recorded at the band’s final show in Stirling. It … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alba, album, Bruce Guthro, CD, Christmas, Cologne, Donny Munro, Dusseldorf, DVD, live, Malcolm Jones, Mara, MiG Records, Pete Wishart, review, Runrig, Skye, Stamping Ground, The Last Dance | Leave a comment

Album review: HEAVY PETTIN – Best Of

Posted on November 29, 2020 by jason

Burnt Out Wreckords/Cherry Red Records (Release date 27/11/20) Heavy Pettin never quite made it to the inside of the glittering shop window of fame. Along with Scotland’s other great white melodic rock hopes, Strangeways, they had the talent, the ability, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, best of, Cherry Red Records, hard rock, Heavy Pettin', melodic hard rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: PICTUREHOUSE – 1999 Live in Dublin

Posted on November 28, 2020 by jason

Website [Release date 27.11.20] Ahhh live music we miss you so and even someone like me who isn’t normally a big fan of live albums has been playing a lot of live tracks this year. So when of the many … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1999 Live in Dublin, album, David Browne, indie pop, indie rock, melodic, PictureHouse, pop, pop rock, power pop, review | Leave a comment

Album review: GRYPHON – Get Out Of My Father’s Car!

Posted on November 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Talking Elephant/Gryphon [Release date 20.11.20] Gryphon will always occupy a small but significant place in my musical heritage. Coinciding with my interest in (and performance of) early music, in the early 1970s they became a cross-genre novelty act. And with … Continue reading →