Author Archives: GRTR! HQ

Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – STEVE HACKETT (September 2023)

Posted on September 1, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness

With the Genesis genie well and truly out of the bottle, Steve Hackett continues the legacy whilst topping up his own illustrious back catalogue.  Prog-tastic! Photo: Simon Dunkerley The ascent of GRTR! since 2003 coincides with the rise and rise … Continue reading →

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Album review: TRANCEND – Lilac

Posted on August 31, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
TRANCEND - Lilac

www.trancend.band [Release date 07.08.23] No matter what you might say, some good things did come out of Lockdown.  And whilst you scratch your head let me give you one positive: Trancend.  The musicians behind this album (the three Maurus brothers) … Continue reading →

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Album review: HANFORD FLYOVER – Source

Posted on August 31, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
HANFORD FLYOVER - Source

Fruits de Mer Records [Release date 11.10.23] We first came across Hanford Flyover on a sampler from the Fruits de Mer label who specialise in psych, prog and anything slightly leftfield.  Much of the label output harks back to the … Continue reading →

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News: STEVE HACKETT is the latest entrant in The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness (September 2023)

Posted on August 28, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness

The latest entrant in the ongoing 20th anniversary promotion – “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness” – is progmeister guitarist Steve Hackett. Hackett’s refashioning of classic Genesis seventies material coincides with the development of the website Get Ready to ROCK! (www.getreadytorock.com) … Continue reading →

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Album review: AOR – Bewitched In L.A.

Posted on August 21, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
AOR - Bewitched In L.A.

Bewitched In L.A. Perris Records [Release date 08.09.23] The advent of AI in music is the subject of much discussion.  Listening to this latest offering from melodic rock plagiarist Frederic Slama you could be forgiven for thinking that everything – … Continue reading →

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Album review: RUFFYUNZ – Ruffyunz III

Posted on August 20, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
RUFFYUNZ - Ruffyunz III

Hyperspace Records [Release date 11.08.23] It’s safe to say that the third album offering from Ruffyunz takes up where II left off. The major change is Carmine Appice replacing Bobby Rondinelli’s drums and, at least on the cover, taking centre … Continue reading →

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Album review: BOB HOLZ – Holz-Stathis Collaborative

Posted on August 9, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
BOB HOLZ - Holz-Stathis Collaborative

MVD Audio [Release date 08.09.23] This album, by veteran drummer Bob Holz, takes me back to the mid-late 1970s when there was a profusion of fusion. In the form of Return To Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra and less prominent bands like … Continue reading →

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Album review: KARNEY – Creatures In The Garden

Posted on August 8, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
KARNEY - Creatures In The Garden

www.karney.org [Release date 18.08.23] Who is Karney? Well she obviously feels the need to protect her intellectual property as her name is trade marked. Say hello to Anna Karney® who at various times has been a games music composer, a … Continue reading →

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EP review: /SIN’DOGS/ – Renascence EP

Posted on July 27, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
/SIN'DOGS/ - Renascence EP

www.facebook.com/Sindogs [Release date 01.08.23] When I was compiling my “Best of” two decades in terms of ‘Live Acts’ for GRTR!@20 it would have been very tempting to include Zal Cleminson and /sin’dogs/ appearance at the 2019 ‘Giants Of Rock’. My … Continue reading →

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Album review: ROBBIE CUMMING – Choons Vol.1 & 2

Posted on July 27, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
ROBBIE CUMMING - Choons Vol.1 & 2

Absolute [Release date 12.05.23] I’ve often wondered about a canal boat holiday, traversing the criss-cross network hopefully in the sunshine, away from congested roads, and with regular stops for refreshment. And, maybe, if I took the plunge as it were … Continue reading →

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Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – CATS IN SPACE (August 2023)

Posted on July 18, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness

Pop rock revivalists whose rise and rise has been almost purr-fect… damn that pandemic… Cats in Space are a unique proposition among the new generation of classic rock bands that have emerged in recent years (writes Andy Nathan). Acts that … Continue reading →

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Gig review: THE WHO, O2 Arena, London, 12 July 2023

Posted on July 17, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
whohits_2023

On the verge of their sixth decade as a band and The Who really have nothing to prove but still don’t care about what they’re being told by others. This is The Who and they’ll do exactly as they want. … Continue reading →

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Gig review: THE WHO – Badminton Estate, Gloucestershire, 16 July 2023

Posted on July 17, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
The Who - Badminton Estate, Gloucestershire, 16 July 2023

So how refined that The Who, along with the Heart of England Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Keith Levenson, are playing at the renowned Badminton Estate, to promote a new live album, in an open-air concert arena with a capacity of … Continue reading →

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News: CATS IN SPACE are the latest entrants in The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness (August 2023)

Posted on July 17, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness

Rock website Get Ready to ROCK!’s 20th anniversary celebration continues with the latest entrants in “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness”. Pop rockers Cats In Space will be honoured in August ahead of UK tour dates in September. Jason Ritchie, News … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE MAGPIE ARC – Glamour In The Grey

Posted on July 14, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
THE MAGPIE ARC - Glamour In The Grey

Collective Perspective [Release date 07.07.23] Now here’s a listen.  I didn’t quite know what to expect from this band.  From the name, it could be an alt-rock band couldn’t it?  From the opening track ‘All I Planted’ it is immediately … Continue reading →

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News: Albums of the Month (April – June 2023)

Posted on July 10, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
Albums of the Month (April – June 2023)

WINGER Seven (Frontiers) Winger are a great group of musicians and they write great songs.  And ‘Seven’ matches up to their very best work. ***** Review by David Randall  HOUSE OF SHAKIRA XIT (Frontiers) No question, XIT is a perfect pop … Continue reading →

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Album review: FIREBORN – Reflections

Posted on July 7, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
FIREBORN - Reflections

Deko Entertainment [Release date 16.06.23] Some readers might say if an album is potentially sub-three stars why bother reviewing it? Well, in truth, at GRTR! we don’t shy away in giving an album our honest appraisal and if nothing else … Continue reading →

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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) January 2023 – June 2023

Posted on July 5, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
BLACK STAR RIDERS- Wrong Side of Paradise

Compiled by Jason Ritchie July – December 2023 To search quickly within this page (“Find In Page”): Press Ctrl+F (on Windows PC, Chromebook, or Linux system), or Command+F (on a Mac) on the keyboard. The “F” stands for “Find,” and … Continue reading →

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Album review: TIZANE – Forever Is Nothing

Posted on July 3, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
TIZANE - Forever Is Nothing

Burning Girl Records [Release date 23.06.23] This is the second album from Tizane following 2021′s ‘Cherry’ which I have to say completely escaped our attention. Described as dark pop-rock the album starts almost invisibly with ‘Off The Edge’ and it … Continue reading →

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Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – MARILLION (July 2023)

Posted on July 1, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness

Photo: David Randall Self sufficient free spirits who keep getting better, and in spite of “Sugar Mice”… Marillion’s entry into our hallowed portal coincides with the period that they have been self-sufficient.  By 1998 ostracised by the likes of EMI … Continue reading →

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Album review: LEAH WAYBRIGHT – Dreamed

Posted on June 22, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
LEAH WAYBRIGHT - Dreamed

Invasion Merch [Release date 17.07.23] One of the great things about GRTR! as we reflect on our twenty year lifespan is the eclectic nature of our brief.  We don’t ever feel compelled to review the latest Jethro Tull or Yes … Continue reading →

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Album review: MVI (Mark Vickness Interconnected) – In The Rain Shadow

Posted on June 22, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
MVI (Mark Vickness Interconnected) - In The Rain Shadow

www.markvickness.com [Release date 17.05.23] “Sit back, pour a glass of your favourite tipple, and let this album wash over you.”  That’s what I wrote about ‘Interconnected’ in 2020 making it one of my “best ofs” that year.  And it could … Continue reading →

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News: MARILLION enter The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness in July 2023

Posted on June 20, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness

The latest inductees to “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness” are prog rockers Marillion. A major retrospective tracing Marillion’s progress in the millennium will be published on 1 July by rock website Get Ready to ROCK! and throughout the month Get … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE PAT McMANUS BAND – Live In France

Posted on June 9, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
THE PAT McMANUS BAND - Live In France

The Store For Music [Release date 21.07.23] It’s about time we had a new live album from Pat McManus.  In August 2022 he recorded his gig as part of the Tribal Rock festival nestling above the Cote d’Azur in south-east … Continue reading →

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Album review: POCO – The Sony/BMG A’s and B’s

Posted on June 1, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
POCO - The Sony/BMG A's And B's

BGO Records [Release date 31.03.23] Poco were the nearly-men of country rock and whilst achieving a modicum of chart success in their early incarnation are perhaps better known for supplying luminaries to other bands.  Enter (or exit) Timothy B. Schmit … Continue reading →

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