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Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL- Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
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Gig review: STRAY- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
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Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – The Grace, London, 26 November 2024
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Monthly Archives: May 2022
Album review: SEVENTH WONDER – The Testament
Frontiers [Release date: 10.06.22] Sixth album from Swedish Prog Metal band Seventh Wonder, for whom life began at the turn of the century. The band is full of virtuoso musicians. Guitarist Johan Liefvendal and bassist, Andreas Blomqvist are the driving … Continue reading
Book review: BRITPOP, BLUR
Britpop – Decades by Peter Richard & Matt Pooler SonicBond Publishing The 1990’s in the UK in pop terms, and indeed charts, were dominated for the most part by Britpop, which these two authors (themselves in a 90s band) provide … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged Blur, book, Britpop, classic pop, Matt Bishop, Matt Pooler, Oasis, On Track, Peter Richard, pop, Pulp, review, Suede
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Album review: CHUCK WRIGHT – Chuck Wright’s Sheltering Sky
On Sunday 5 June, David Randall chatted to Chuck Wright about the new album. On Sunday 12 June – as part of ‘The Eclectic Mix’ – there was a more in-depth look at Chuck’s career based on the recent interview … Continue reading
Album review: DEF LEPPARD – Diamond Star Halos
UMC {Release date 27.05.22] Def Leppard are back after a seven year gap (pretty fast by their standards!) since 2015′s self-titled album, which was rather good. ‘Take What You Want’ starts the album off with all the things you love … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alison Krauss, classic rock, Def Leppard, Diamond Star Halos, glam rock, hard rock, Joe Elliott, melodic, review, rock
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Album review: BROOKS WILLIAMS & AARON CATLOW – Ready For The Times
Red Guitar Blue Music [Release date 24.06.22] A chance meeting a few years ago while on tour in The Netherlands led to collaboration of acoustic guitarist Brooks Williams (Boo Hewerdine, Rab Noakes) and violinist Aaron Catlow (Hawes and Catlow, Mad … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Aaron Catlow, album, blues, Brooks Williams, folk, Ready For The Times, review, traditional
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Album review: BRAVE RIVAL – Life’s Machine
www.braverival.com [Release date 06.05.22] The debut album from Portsmouth rockers Brave Rival places them in a trajectory from Abba via Heart and Fleetwood Mac to Zeppelin. This should mean at least that the band will appeal to a wide age … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2022
Tagged album, blues rock, Brave Rival, classic rock, Life's Machine, review
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Album review: ART GRIFFIN’S SOUND CHASER – The Seven Ages Of Starlight
Artsounds Music [Release date 08.04.22] A self-confessed sucker for a bit of jazz rock/fusion, I couldn’t really resist the latest offering from Canadian bassist Art Griffin. Ably assisted by his band including violinist Victoria Veh and Saga drummer Steve Negus, … Continue reading
Album review: LIV KRISTINE – Enter My Religion (bonus tracks)
Liv Kristine chatted to David Randall for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in June 2022. This hour special includes a track from each of her solo albums. First broadcast 10 July 2022. Allegro Talent Media [Release date 19.08.22] There … Continue reading
News: CORNBURY FESTIVAL 8-10 July, 2022
To celebrate, the majority of acts on the 2022 bill are returning festival favourites. Joining the heavy weight line up of headliners James Blunt & The Darkness (Friday), Bryan Adams & The Waterboys (Saturday), Ronan Keating & Jools Holland (Sunday) … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Festivals & Large Events, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars, NEWS
Tagged 8-10 July 2022, Altered Images, Bryan Adams, Cornbury Festival, Great Tew Park, Hugh Phillimore, interview, James Blunt, Jools Holland, Mica Paris, near Chipping Norton, news, Ronan Keating, Steve Winwood, the Christians, The Darkness, The Magic Numbers, The Waterboys
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Gig review: BRYAN ADAMS – Royal Albert Hall, London, 9-11 May 2022
Of all those gigs I’d already booked when the pandemic started, it was the trio of Bryan Adams shows at the Royal Albert Hall, playing an album in its entirety each night, that I’d most looked forward to seeing and … Continue reading
Album review: RAVEN – Rock Until You Drop (the 4CD Over The Top Edition)
Cherry Red/Sanctuary [release date : 27.05.22] Raven, the legendary heavy metal band from England’s industrial North East, have the perfect resume. They have recorded for six different labels (and never been without one) including major and major-ish imprints like Atlantic, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged 4 CDs, albums, Atlantic Records, boxset, Brute Force, John Gallagher, John Tucker, Lead Weight, Mark Gallagher, Megadeath, Megaforce, Metallica, Motorhead, Neat Records, NWOBHM, Proto Thrash, Sasso Marconi, SPV
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Gig review: MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE – Stadium MK, Milton Keynes, Saturday 21 May 2022
So, my daughter aged 14 likes My Chemical Romance (MCR) and I wanted to introduce her to the sort of things the world has to offer. I managed to get tickets to Stadium MK to see MCR and support on … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged alt rock, Barnes Courtney, Charlotte Sands, emo, gig, MCR, melodic, Milton Keynes, MK Stadium, My Chemical Romance, Placebo, review, rock, Saturday 21 May 2022
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Album review: STRANGEWAYS – Complete Recordings Volume 1, 1985-1994
Cherry Red/HNE [Release date: 27.05.22] The clamour for reissues of the first 3 Strangeways albums rose to fever pitch in the late 90s, as AOR made an attempt to get back on its feet. All 3 had been received with … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, And The Horse, AOR, Bonaire, Complete Recordings Volume 1 1985-1994, Hangdog Records, Hard RoxX, Ian Stewart, John Lee, John Punter, Kevin Elson, melodic rock, Mike Shipley, Native Sons, review, Strangeways, Terry Brock, Walk Into The Fire
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Album review: LAZARUS DREAM – Lifeline
Pride & Joy Music [Release date 17.06.22] Second album from Lazarus Dream, which was put together by vocalist Carsten “Lizard” Shulz (Evidence One, Domain, Devoid) and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Markus Pfeffer (Scarlett, Winterland). Drummer Markus Kullmann (Sinner, Glenn Hughes), percussionist Thomas Rieder, … Continue reading
Book review: MOTORHEAD (Duncan Harris), BLACK SABBATH (Chris Sutton)
MOTORHEAD – On Track … every album, every song by Duncan Harris Sonic Bond Publishing [Publication date 15.04.22] Two more books that give an insight into these legendary classic rock bands, and like others in the series they act as … Continue reading
Album review: JAMES LABRIE – Beautiful Shade Of Grey
InsideOut Music [Release date 20.05.22] The latest solo offering from James LaBrie stems from his involvement on the Eden’s Curse track “No Holy Man’ (a real highlight on their 2011 album ‘Trinity’) and a subsequent support slot for the band … Continue reading
Gig review – ROBERT JON & THE WRECK – The Garage, London, 15 May 2022
One of my most special London gigs of last year was Robert Jon & The Wreck’s show at the 100 Club, for a number of reasons- they were one of the very first American acts to make it over after … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged blues rock, gig, Henry James, Laura Evans, Robert Jon & The Wreck, Robert Jon Burrison, southern rock, Steve Maggiora
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Album review: LEE ROGERS – Gameblood
Zenith Café/Membran [Release date 13.05.22] This is Carrickfergus based Lee Rogers long awaited second album (his debut album, ‘Clocks’, was released way back in 2006). Produced by Gareth Dunlop (who also plays guitar, piano, synth and percussion on the album), … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, Foy Vance, Gameblood, Lee Rogers, pop, review, singer songwriter
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Album review: PAUL WALKER & KAREN PFEIFFER – Auf Wiedersehen, Me Duck
Crazy Moose Records [Release date 30.04.22] Paul Walker and Karen Pfeiffer are a folk duo who have been writing and performing since 2012. Karen is originally from Stuttgart, however, her southern German accent is already tinged with a ‘Staffordshire oatcake … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Auf Wiedersehen Me Duck, folk, Joan Baez, Karen Pfeiffer, Paul Walker, Potteries, review, traditional
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Single review: JESSIE DIPPER – Where Do I Go
Website [Release date 20.05.22] ‘Where Do I Go’ is taken from Jessie Dipper’s forthcoming new album ‘Sticky Floors’. Jessie Dipper has successfully self-released five singles, two EPs and an album over the last five years. Sehe describes her music as … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged folk, grunge, Jessie Dipper, pop, review, Scouting For Girls, single, Where Do I Go
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Gig review: WHITESNAKE, Foreigner, Europe – Hydro, Glasgow, 2 May 2022
For any rock fan old enough to remember the 70’s and 80’s the music of Whitesnake has been a constant soundtrack. The band may have had a revolving door installed in their tour bus for ease of access as members … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 12th May 2022, 80s, AOR, ballads, blues, David Coverdale, Europe, Foreigner, gig, Glasgow, Glasgow Apollo, Here I Go Again, Hydro, I Want To Know What Love Is, Ian Haugland, Is This Love, Joel Hoekstra, Joey Tempest, John Norum, Juke Box Hero, Kelly Hansen, live, Mick Jones, Reb Beach, rock, Rock The Night, Slide It In, Still Of The Night, The Final Countdown, Tommy Aldridge, Whitesnake
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Album review: WINTER IN EDEN – Social Fake
Firestreak Media [Release date 25.03.22] This is Winter In Eden’s fourth studio album and you may well be thinking: “I’ve never heard of them before”. You’re not alone. Although to be fair we were aware of their previous release ‘Court … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, progressive, review, rock, Social Fake, symphonic metal, symphonic rock, Winter In Eden
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Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET- The Garage, London, 12 May 2022
Not many can say this about themselves, but When Rivers Meet arguably had a good ‘lockdown’. The husband and wife team of Grace and Aaron Bond suffered the rotten timing of giving up their jobs to pursue music full-time just … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Aaron Bond, blues rock, gig, Grace Bond, Jamie Fox, Roger Inniss, Troy Redfern, When Rivers Meet
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Album review: BRIDEAR – Aegis Of Athena
Setsuzoku Records [Release date 13.05.22] All girl band, Bridear, from Fukuoka, Japan has created a global fanbase since its inception in 2014. Aegis of Athena is its third album. The band’s skilful merge of Melodic Metal and J-Pop might not … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Amaranthe. Operatic, Epica, Evanescence, heavy metal, J-Pop, melodic metal, progrock, review, rock, symphonic metal, Within Temptation
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EP review: THE LICKERISH QUARTET – Threesome Vol. 3
Lojinx [Release date 20.05.22] The Lickerish Quartet – ex-Jellyfish members Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Beck, Imperial Drag), Tim Smith (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Finn Brothers) and Eric Dover (Imperial Drag, Slash’s Snakepit, Alice Cooper) – release their third … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged ELO, EP, Jellyfish, pop rock, power pop, review, rock, Supertramp, the Lickerish Quartet, Threesome Vol. 3
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