Author Archives: GRTR! HQ

Feature: Albums that time forgot…THE STORM (Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory, Steve Smith)

Posted on September 13, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
The Storm - 1991

Interscope/Atlantic 1991 The Storm is very much a case of “what we did in our down time”.  With Journey on hiatus in the late eighties Neal Schon formed Bad English then Hardline (debut album Double Eclipse in 1992) whilst Journey … Continue reading →

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Album review: GUS G – Quantum Leap

Posted on September 12, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
GUS G - Quantum Leap

AFM Records [Release date 08.10.21] When I interviewed Gus G back stage in Manchester in 2012 all the talk was how he had fared with Ozzy.  He contributed to the album ‘Scream’ (2010) and there were high hopes of a … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: JACK RUSSELL’S GREAT WHITE, LEGENDS PLAY THE BEATLES, ACROSS THE SEA

Posted on September 4, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
JACK RUSSELL's GREAT WHITE Great Zeppelin II

JACK RUSSELL’s GREAT WHITE Great Zeppelin II Deadline Music/Cleopatra [Release date 13.08.21] There can be few reasons for revisiting Zeppelin back catalogue unless you can bring something new to the party.  And, in truth, something more radical and it might … Continue reading →

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Album review: THREE COLOURS DARK – Love’s Lost Property

Posted on September 4, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
THREE COLOURS DARK - Love's Lost Property

Firefly Music [Release date 10.09.21] www.threecoloursdark.com 2020 marked the musical reunion of Rachel Cohen and Jonathan Edwards founder members of long-standing prog rockers Karnataka.  In the hiatus following The Reasoning (Cohen) and Panic Room (Edwards) they released an exquisite debut … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE GRAFENBERG DISCIPLES – Johnny On The Spot

Posted on August 16, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
THE GRAFENBERG DISCIPLES - Johnny On The Spot

The Highlander Company Records [Release date 02.07.21] The opening track of this album really sets the scene and the influences.  Sounding like a mash up of something by Level 42, Phil Collins’ ‘Another Day In Paradise;’ and Roachford the controls … Continue reading →

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Album review: CHANTEL McGREGOR – Shed Sessions Volume One & Two

Posted on August 7, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
CHANTEL McGREGOR - Shed Sessions Volume One

www.chantelmcgregor.com [Release date 12.07.21] Reasons To Be Cheerful Part 3.  In Chantel McGregor’s case, parts 1 and 2 aka Shed Sessions.  Gather together the fish tank, an acoustic guitar and a tame keyboard player (Jamie Brooks) and you have a … Continue reading →

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Album review: AMANDA LEHMANN – Innocence And Illusion

Posted on July 27, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
AMANDA LEHMANN - Innocence And Illusion

www.amandalehmann.co.uk [Release date 20.08.21] It must be nice to have such close supporters as Steve Hackett and, via his connections, Nick Magnus, Rob Townsend and Roger King.  All heavyweights who will assure the sonic qualities of any enterprise.  But it … Continue reading →

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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) July 2021 – September 2021

Posted on July 27, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
Bernie Marsden - Kings

Compiled by Jason Ritchie January-March 2021 April-June 2021 October-December 2021 July 2nd AT THE GATES ‘The Nightmare Of Being’ Century Media JIMMY BARNES ‘Flesh & Blood’ Bloodline Records RICHARD MARX ‘Stories To Tell: Greatest Hits And More’ (2CD inc. demos … Continue reading →

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Album review: LEE AARON – Radio On!

Posted on July 26, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
LEE AARON - Radio On!

In this exclusive interview edit, containing non-broadcast material, Lee Aaron chats about her “return” to a hard rock format in 2016. The full interview, first broadcast 1 August 2021,  includes a selection of tracks from her earliest albums to the … Continue reading →

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Album review: CATS IN SPACE – Diamonds (The Best Of)

Posted on July 25, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
CATS IN SPACE - Diamonds (The Best Of)

Harmony Factory [Release date 10.09.21] The last time I saw CiS was in December 2019 – little did we know that a few months later the live music scene would change dramatically.  A pre-Xmas gig it certainly emphasised just how … Continue reading →

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News: Albums of the Month (April 2021 – June 2021)

Posted on July 11, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
Albums of the Month (April-June 2021)

SMITH KOTZEN (BMG) Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) and Richie Kotzen (Poison, Mr Big, Winery Dogs) have pitted their combined guitaring and songwriting skills to fashion nine tracks of pure unadulterated hard rock heaven.  ****1/2 Review by David Randall THE DUST … Continue reading →

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Album review: DIM GRAY – Flown

Posted on July 3, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
DIM GRAY - Flown

Grim Day Records [Release date 25.06.21] One band that came to mind when listening to Dim Gray’s debut album is Celtus.  And the Norwegian “post prog” art rockers may well appeal to those who warmed to that now defunct band’s … Continue reading →

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Book review: On track…CAMEL (Every album, every song) by Hamish Kuzminski

Posted on July 2, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
On track...CAMEL (Every album, every song) by Hamish Kuzminski

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 14.06.21] Camel are a band that certainly deserve both a concise overview and a continuing recognition of their collective greatness, and significant contribution to the world of prog. None other than Steve Rothery supplies the foreword, … Continue reading →

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Album review: JOE JACKSON & TODD RUNDGREN feat. ETHEL – State Theater, New Jersey 2005 (CD/DVD)

Posted on June 25, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
JOE JACKSON & TODD RUNDGREN feat. ETHEL - State Theater, New Jersey 2005

Purple Pyramind [Release date 18.06.21] Back in 2005 the pairing of Joe Jackson and Todd Rundgren may have seemed rather incongruous.  I remember thinking at the time that Rundgren had just released an excellent solo album ‘Liars’ and it would … Continue reading →

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Book review: Decades – Curved Air in the 1970s by Laura Shenton

Posted on June 11, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
Decades - Curved Air in the 1970s by Laura Shenton

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 18.06.21] Author Laura Shenton makes no excuses for compiling a series of extracts from previously published work.  This includes contemporaneous snippets from the likes of Disc & Music Echo to more recent cribs from Prog magazine.  … Continue reading →

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Album review: MICK PAUL – Parallel Lives

Posted on June 4, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
MICK PAUL - Parallel Lives

[Release date  09.06.21] www.mickpaulbassist.com David Cross (ex-King Crimson) collaborator Mick Paul is a bassist/guitarist and ‘Parallel Lives’ is characterised by his bubbling bass and Sheila Maloney’s excellent keyboard textures and arrangements. Craig Bundell (Steven Wilson)  lends his drums including on … Continue reading →

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Album review: LAURA MEADE – The Most Dangerous Woman In America

Posted on June 4, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
LAURA MEADE - The Most Dangerous Woman In America

Doone Records [Release date 21.05.21] www.laurameademusic.com Reviewing Laura Meade’s previous album – ‘Remedium’ -  GRTR! scribe Pete Whalley’s enthusiasm was such that he was quoted in despatches in a full page print media advertisement.  Vocalist in New York based prog … Continue reading →

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Book review: On track…Marc Bolan, Tyrannosaurus Rex and T.Rex (Every album, every song) by Peter Gallagher

Posted on June 3, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
On track...Marc Bolan, Tyrannosaurus Rex and T.Rex (Every album, every song) by Peter Gallagher

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 11.06.21] By the time of his untimely death in 1977 Marc Bolan was still releasing singles, although the big hits of earlier this decade were behind him, he had his own successful TV show and more … Continue reading →

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Book review: On track…ASIA (Every album, every song) by Peter Braidis

Posted on May 25, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
On track...ASIA (Every Album, Every Song) by Peter Braidis

Sonicbond Publishing [Release date 14.05.21] Asia were formed in 1981, one of the enduring melodic rock “supergroups” of that decade and one of the most successful.  Many readers will only remember the “classic” original line-up (and debut album) but this … Continue reading →

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Book review: On track…STEVE HACKETT (Every album, every song) – Geoffrey Feakes

Posted on May 19, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
On track...STEVE HACKETT - every album, every song by Geoffrey Feakes

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 30.05.21] The hallmark of a good rock read has to be when the reader genuinely learns something new about the subject matter.  Geoffrey Feakes is evidently a real fan of Hackett’s work but once again there … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: PINK FLOYD TRIBUTE, UNTIL THE SUN, CIRCUS MIND

Posted on May 17, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
VARIOUS - Still Wish You Were Here

VARIOUS Still Wish You Were Here (Cleopatra Records) [Release date 28.05.21] Continuing the theme of “what do rock stars do in Lockdown?”, in this example Cleopatra’s A&R supremo John Lappen has opened his contact book.  Unlike many of these offerings … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: TUBULAR WORLD, ROBERT REED

Posted on May 4, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
TUBULAR WORLD Tubular Bells

TUBULAR WORLD Tubular Bells Tigermoth Records [Release date 14.12.20] You wonder.  Is there any need for yet another version of ‘Tubular Bells’?  I mean, the masterwork’s creator has fine dined off the back of it for nearly 50 years now, … Continue reading →

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Album review: RAY FENWICK – Playing Through The Changes Anthology 1964-2020

Posted on May 4, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
RAY FENWICK - Playling Through The Changes Anthology 1964-2020

Ray Fenwick chatted to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio about his career and the anthology. Lemon Records/Cherry Red [Release date 30.04.21] Perhaps not the first name to be checked in a conversation about music front runners, British composer/guitarist Fenwick is … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: BADFINGER, CACTUS

Posted on May 3, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
BADFINGER No Matter What Revisiting The Hits

BADFINGER No Matter What Revisiting The Hits  Cleopatra Records [Release date 02.04.21] Badfinger were one of our greatest pop rock bands with a criminally short life-span, not least due to the sad demise of the band’s two main movers and … Continue reading →

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Book review: Decades – Focus in the 1970s (Stephen Lambe)

Posted on April 26, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
Decades - Focus in the 1970s (Stephen Lambe)

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 30.04.21] At the outset I should declare an interest.  As an inveterate Focus-watcher since the early 1970s, author of articles about the band for Record Collector magazine, liner notes, and the first book about Jan Akkerman … Continue reading →

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