Monthly Archives: March 2023

News: RAVEN, THE FIERCE & THE DEAD, CRAZY LIXX (April 2023)

Aerosmith - DOWNLOAD, Donington Park, 11 June 2017

Fates Warning vocalist Ray Alder release his second solo album, ’II, on June 9 via InsideOut Music. A 40th-anniversary super deluxe edition of Black Sabbath’s ‘Live Evil’ is released on June 2 through BMG. Bonfire have re-recorded their ‘Point Blank’, ‘Fireworks’ and … Continue reading

Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: ALLY VENABLE – Real Gone

ALLY VENABLE - Real Gone

Ruf Records [Release date: 24.03.23] When we reviewed the previous Ally Venable album we suggested that whilst the young guitar slinger/singer/songwriter had made great progress the perfectly formed finish was yet to come.  ‘Real Gone’ takes things a step further … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: PIXIES – Roundhouse, London, 21 March 2023

Gig review: PIXIES – Roundhouse, London, 21 March 2023

The last time I saw Pixies live, they played the Forum in Kentish Town which was still called the Town & Country Club, and when the band’s brand of punky, indie, noisy alternative rock was still in its first flush. … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: ANN-MARGRET – Born To Be Wild

ANN-MARGRET - Born To Be Wild

Cleopatra Records [Release date 14.04.23] ‘Born To Be Wild’ is what, at first look, is often called a novelty album.  Bring together a one-time Hollywood (and musical) icon (of a certain era) and hook them up virtually with a whole … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

News: JOE BONAMASSA enters The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness in April 2023

The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness

The latest inductee to “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness” is blues/rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa. A major retrospective feature charting Bonamassa’s rise and rise in the millennium will be published on 1 April by rock website Get Ready to ROCK! and … Continue reading

Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

EP review: TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN – Dirty Work

TYLER BRYANT AND THE SHAKEDOWN - Dirty Work

Facebook [Release date 24.03.23] Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown’s ‘Shake The Roots’ album released last year was a real treat, mixing blues rock, southern rock, country and rock n roll to great effect. The EP features Tyler Bryant’s wife Rebecca … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: WARFARE – The Lemmy Sessions (3 CD Boxset)

warfare_lemmy1

Cherry Red/HNE  [Release date : 24.03.23] Late on in the last century’s timeline, around 1990, Co. Durham’s one and only anarchic metal band, Warfare, were outselling stablemates, Venom and Raven. On stage and off stage they were living up to … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: STEVE HILLAGE – LA Forum 31.1.77

STEVE HILLAGE - LA Forum 31.1.77

Madfish [Release date 17.03.23] Yet another Steve Hillage live album?  And again focusing on the “classic era”?  One for the fans, definitely, for whom the main attraction will be three bonus tracks recorded in London in March 1977 and seemingly … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: NICK WATERHOUSE – The Fooler

NICK WATERHOUSE - The Fooler

Innovative Leisure/PRES [Release date 31.03.23] ‘The Fooler’ is the sixth album from Nick Waterhouse and his last album, 2021′s ‘Promenade Blue’ was a real find and musical highlight for this reviewer. Recorded in just a few days with Mark Neill … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: BLUE LIGHT EFFECT – Songs From The Frontier

BLUE LIGHT EFFECT - Songs From The Frontier

Bandcamp [Release date 22.12.22] The pandemic has seen all sorts of creative ideas and music coming out, the latest being Blue Light Effect, a band composed of first responders, frontline workers, and a registered nurse. Hailing from Long Island, NY … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: FLOOR JANSEN – Paragon

FLOOR JANSEN – Paragon

Pias/Revamp Music [Release date: 24.03.23] Floor Jansen’s addition as a permanent member to the Nightwish family back in 2013 found most of the fans of the Finnish outfit in total agreement, as the three-octave ranged soprano was already a singer … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: FOGHAT – Road Fever – The Complete Bearsville Recordings 1972-75 (6 CD boxset)

foghat_box1

Cherry Red/HNE [Release date 24.03.23] Britband Foghat clocked up a considerable number of tour miles after relocating to the USA in 1970, road testing their material, looking to kickstart their career. It worked a treat. It’s on the road that … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: FLEETWOOD MAC IN THE 1980s by Don Klees

Fleetwood Mac in the 1980s Don Klees

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date 27.01.23] During the 1980’s Fleetwood Mac only released two albums, 1982’s ‘Mirage’, which topped the US album charts, and 1987’s ‘Tango In The Night’, which saw the band top the UK album charts with sales to … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: LAURENCE JONES, Boom Boom Club, Sutton – 10 March 2023

LAURENCE JONES, Boom Boom Club, Sutton- 10 March 2023

The 21st century has seen a huge number of young blues guitar prodigies emerge from the UK and then establish themselves to a greater or lesser degree- Joanne Shaw Taylor, Oli Brown, Virgil McMahon and Aynsley Lister to name but … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: LUST FOR LIFE – The Lexington, London, 12 March 2023

Gig review: LUST FOR LIFE – The Lexington, London, 12 March 2023

This was a proper throwback gig melding pioneering punk, art rock, new wave and all points in-between,  battered out by a scratch band pulled together specifically to celebrate the forty-fifth anniversary of Iggy Pop’s ‘Lust For Life’ album. Tony Fox … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review : CROSS COUNTRY DRIVER – The New Truth

cross country driver

Frontiers [Release date: 17.03.23] Rob (Riverdogs) Lamothe’s new bluesy, country, earthy rock music band is called Cross Country Driver. It consists of only him, his son Zander on drums, and old friend James Harper on guitar. An impressive guest list, … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: ANA POPOVIC – Islington O2 Academy, London, 10 March 2023

ap

The last vestiges of winter still had its cold tendrils curling around the country, falls of snow and a chill wind was everywhere, even in the midst of London town. Things though in Islington had rapidly heated up, the arrival … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: KING KING – Electric Ballroom, London, 9 March 2023

KING KING- Electric Ballroom, London, 9 March 2023

King King are a reliably regular touring act and this spring tour comes exactly a year after the last. If there was a sense of curiosity last year about the new line up with Alan Nimmo joined by big brother … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review : TRANSWORLD IDENTITY – Seven Worlds

transworld

Frontiers [Release date 17.3.23] Transworld Identity is a breath of fresh air. Vocalist Mila Bosa previously fronted a hard rock covers band, inevitably moving onto original material with her own band, T-ID. Hard to tell just how long they’ve been … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review : GUNTER WERNO – Anima One

gunter werno

Frontiers [Release date: 10.03.23] Like last month’s All My Shadows, Gunter Werno’s Anima One is yet another offshoot grown from the fertile ground that bred Prog Metal giants, Vanden Plas. While All My Shadows saw VP’s prime movers, Stephan Lill … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THE FLOOD – Hear Us Out

THE FLOOD - Hear Us Out

Escape Music [Release date 24.03.23] The Flood are an interesting proposition featuring vocalist Chris Ousey (Heartland/Virginia Wolf/Snakecharmer), FM guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick and former FM keyboards player Didge Digital. So far, so melodic hard rock and blues rock. However, it is the … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Tropic at Ruislip, London, 5 March 2023

BRAVE RIVAL- Tropic at Ruislip, London, 5 March 2023

In an ever more crowded field of new acts, particularly in the world of blues rock, it is hard to sort out the exceptional talent from the merely good. As a shortcut through this minefield, I tend to rely on … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: STONETRIP – Run Free

STONETRIP - Run Free

Golden Robot Records [Release date 10.03.23] If you’ve ever listened to our weekly new release show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio ‘New to GRTR!’ you’ll know that we feature a fair number of releases from Golden Robot Records.  Established … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THE ANSWER – Sundowners

theanswer_sd1a

Golden Robot Records [Release date 17.03.23] After a long wait, 7 years to be exact, Northern Irish rockers, The Answer return with a new album, releasing it on St Patricks day (of course!) and this fan girl gets to review … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THE BANISHMENT – Machine And Bone

the banishment

Frontiers [Release date 10.03.23] From Dokken and Lynch Mob to End Machine, KXM and more, George Lynch has been on quite some rock’n’roll journey. And is still. He and his new world bandmates, Producer/Mixer/Writer, Joe Haze and vocalist, Devix AKA … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment