Yearly Archives: 2024

Album review: THE DEAD DAISIES – Light ‘Em Up

THE DEAD DAISIES - Light 'Em Up

SPV [Release date 06.09.24] One of my musical regrets in recent years is that I didn’t get to see The Dead Daisies UK tour with Glenn Hughes in December 2022 . As he does, Hughes sprinkled his gold dust over … Continue reading

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Book review: REMEMBERING LIVE AID by Andrew Wild

live aid

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 30.08.24] Although the fortieth(!) anniversary of Live Aid is next July, this book by Andrew Wild gets in early on any anniversary events/books and is a great way to jog the memories of those who were … Continue reading

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Album review : RING THE BELLS AND SING – Progressive Sounds of 1975 (4 CD boxset/Remasters)

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Cherry Red [Release date : 30.08.24) Ring The Bells And Sing is one more in a carefully (and imaginatively) curated series of Progrock sounds from the Cherry Red label. This one focuses exclusively on 1975. Always good to have some … Continue reading

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Gig review: FIREVOLT FESTIVAL – Whitebottom Farm, Stockport, 9-11 August 2024

FIREVOLT FESTIVAL- Whitebottom Farm, Stockport, 9-11 August 2024

I will freely tell anyone who will listen that Firevolt has, within a very short space of time, become my favourite festival in the UK. The festival is in beautiful surroundings, on a farm at the end of a delightful … Continue reading

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Album review : THEN JERICO – Before The Future: 1984-89, 4 CD Boxset

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Cherry Red [Release date : 23.08.24] If ever a band deserved recognition it was Then Jerico. And it still does. Having performed a few acoustic gigs this year, founder member Mark Shaw has put together an electric show for the … Continue reading

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Album review : FANNY – The Reprise Years 1970-1974 (4 CD set)

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Cherry Red [Release date : 23.08.24] Signed by Reprise Records (owned by Frank Sinatra) in 1970, all girl group, Fanny, recorded and released 4 albums between then and 1974. Formed by sisters June and Jean Millington, on guitar and bass, … Continue reading

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News: Rest In Peace – MICK UNDERWOOD

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GRTR!’s Joe Geesin penned a tribute to musician and friend Mick Underwood… Drummer Mick Underwood, best known for his work with Ian Gillan in Gillan, died on 28 July, after a long illness. Pictured left to right: Pete Robinson, John … Continue reading

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Album review: STEAL THE CITY – Road To Nowhere

STEAL THE CITY - Road To Nowhere

Facebook  [Release date 20.09.24] Sheffield-based hard rock 4-piece outfit Steal the City have emerged in the UK-Rock scene with the sharpest hooked riffs and chorus lines this side of the Atlantic.  While individual influences range from the heavy rock, punk, … Continue reading

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Album review: FAST EDDIE CLARKE – Make My Day The Rock ’n’ Roll Story Of…

FAST EDDIE CLARKE - Make My Day

BMG [Release date: 06.09.24] Guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke came to prominence as the guitarist for Motorhead, playing on Motorhead (1977, Chiswick), and Bomber, Overkill, Ace Of Spades, No Sleep ‘Till Hammersmith and Iron Fist (1979-82, all on Bronze), and a … Continue reading

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Album review: BRAVE RIVAL- Fight or Flight

BRAVE RIVAL- Fight or Flight

    Independent (Release Date 16.08.24) Brave Rival have become one of my favourite live bands over the past 18 months, with brilliant dual female vocals, excellent musicianship and a warm hearted stage show. 2022’s impressive debut album ‘Life’s Machine’ was … Continue reading

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Album review : JON ANDERSON AND THE BAND GEEKS – True

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Frontiers [Release date : 23.08.24] An almost 80 year old Jon Anderson, and the Band Geeks will be finishing off their second annual US tour in September. Just about when their first album, True, is being released by Frontiers. Quite … Continue reading

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Album review: HEALTHY JUNKIES – Listen To The Mad

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Banana Castle Records [Release date 22.11.24] www.healthyjunkies.co.uk With the success of the 2024 Olympics the French must be feeling rather proud. A band with a French female singer might now have a distinct advantage. But Nina Courson is no Celine … Continue reading

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Gig review: MAID OF STONE FESTIVAL – Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent, 20 July 2024

MAID OF STONE FESTIVAL- Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent, 20 July 2024

Over its five years Ramblin’ Man Festival in Kent established itself as one of the festivals of choice for us middle-aged rockers with a relaxed atmosphere and selection of bands from variety of classic rock genres, both old and new. … Continue reading

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Album review: MICK PINI – Papa Voodoo

MICK PINI - Papa Voodoo

Pete Feenstra chatted to Mick Pini and Craig Marshall for his show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, playing tracks from the new album.  First broadcast 18 August 2024. Audio 54 Records/Cadiz [Release date 15.08.24] ‘Papa Voodoo’ is another collaboration … Continue reading

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Album review: LEON ALVARADO – The Changing Tide

LEON ALVARADO

Melodic Revolution Records  [Release date: 31.05.24] Leon Alvarado is an American multi-instrumentalist who started his recording career in 2009 with an album called ‘Plays Genesis And Other Stuff’ and has progressed (see what I did there?) to Pink Floyd on … Continue reading

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Album review: JOE MEEK’S TEA CHEST TAPES – From Taboo To Telstar (3CD Anthology)

JOE MEEK Taboo Telstar 150

Cherry Red [Release date 16.08.24] Legendary British Music producer, Joe Meek, cut his electronics’ teeth in the 1950s, operating and maintaining the complexities of the RAF’s radar equipment. His transition to recording studio maestro led to a groundbreaking series of … Continue reading

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Quick plays: AUTUMN KILLERS, PETE LAMBERT, DELICATE STEVE

Autumn Killers - Making Waves

AUTUMN KILLERS Making Waves [Release date 12.09.24] Autumn Killers are Rob Reece (vocals, bass), Duncan Richardson (guitar, keys, synths & backing vocals) and Graeme Hoy (drums, percussion & backing vocals). They are a bit different as they mix dance beats with … Continue reading

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Album review : MIKE TRAMP – Songs Of White Lion Vol 2

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Frontiers [Release date 23.08.24] Few musical artists get the chance to rerecord their old material. Still fewer improve upon the originals. White Lion’s material usually had more to say than your average rock song, lyrically it was more illustrative in … Continue reading

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Gig review: MALMO MELODIC – Plan B, Malmo, Sweden, 27-29 July 2024

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Scandinavia, and Sweden in particular, is the undisputed epicentre of the melodic rock community with a seemingly endless stream of bands emerging. There have been festivals in Malmo pre-pandemic (Melodic Rock Fest and the Swedish AOR Convention) so when last … Continue reading

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Album review : RICHARD PINHAS / HELDON – Le Plan and Winter Music

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Other Side Music [Release date 02.08.24] It somehow seems right that “avant garde” is a French language term for something that is aesthetically innovative, especially a “work of art”, which these pieces of music from French musician, Richard Pinhas surely … Continue reading

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Album review : GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS I Like It (3 CD Anthology)

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Cherry Red [Release date 16.08.24] As the sixties’ “Merseybeat” pop explosion recedes further into the past, ten album, multiple hits band, Gerry And The Pacemakers seem less and less likely to get the credit they deserve. And so this anthology … Continue reading

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Album review : DANIELLE MORGAN AND FRIENDS – Explore The Layers

Danilelle Morgan - Explore the Layers

Self Release [Release date : 07.03.24] ‘Explore The Layers’ is essentially a double album of catchy pop-rock songs with a reggae and funky influences. Helpfully subtitled ‘Songs About Life & Love’, it’s a concept album of love songs of which … Continue reading

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Book review: ULTRAVOX – Every Album, Every Song by Brian J Robb

Ultravox - Every Album, Every Song

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date: 26.07.24] Ultravox had 17 UK top 40 singles between 1981 and 1984, yet never had a number one single. ‘Vienna’ was famously kept of the top spot by Joe Dolce’s ‘Shaddap You Face’ (a song that … Continue reading

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News: Albums of the Month (April – June 2024)

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ATLANTIC Another World (Escape Music) This summer’s AOR album has arrived! Lush keys, harmonies, plenty of lovestruck lyrical themes, soaring guitar solos and the vocals of Mark Grimmett, who adds that extra bit of class to the whole musical proceedings. … Continue reading

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Album review: SCARLET REBELS – Where The Colours Meet

SCARLET REBELS – Where the Colours Meet

Earache Records [Release date: 16.08.24] I was excited to get to review the latest offering from Scarlet Rebels, I have long been a fan of their music and even better I got the opportunity to discuss ‘Where The Colours Meet’ … Continue reading

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