Author Archives: GRTR! HQ

Gig review: HARD ROCK HELL 8 – Pwllheli, 13-14 November 2014

Posted on November 27, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

HARD ROCK HELL - Pwllheli, 13-14 November 2014

Simon Dunkerley writes: The time has come to rally the HRH tribe for the last time this year to yet another sold out celebration of all things rock with a lineup that has so many great names both old and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Photo Galleries, Special Events | Tagged 13-14 November 2014, Buffalo Summer, Hard Rock Hell 8, Lizzy Borden, Pwllheli, Queensryche, The Brew, Western Sand, Y&T | Leave a comment

News: Get Ready to ROCK! Radio – December 2014 highlights

Posted on November 25, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

December 2014 Highlights More information at the dedicated website Check back here as we add new features throughout the month. All times, GMT We are posting selected shows to our Mixcloud page. Photo: Simon Dunkerley Special features this month Christmas … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS | Tagged Biff Byford, blues, Christmas, December 2014, feature, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, interview, Mike Vernon, progressive metal, radio, rock, Saxon, session | Leave a comment

Gig review: FM – The Globe, Cardiff, 22 November 2014

Posted on November 25, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

A packed house in the Globe for this much loved band and huge respect should be given to the promoter at Major Minor Productions for delivering a sold out show with a fantastic sound quality in a city that is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 22 November 2014, AOR, Cardiff, FM, gig, Hand of Dimes, Kooga, melodic rock, Nev MacDonald, review, Skin, Steve Overland, The Globe | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE TEXAS FLOOD, Hard Rock Hell, Pwllheli, 14 November 2014

Posted on November 21, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

The opening slot on any of the stages can be daunting but for The Texas Flood it’s even more so as these young guys take on their biggest gig yet. After going to Glasgow and winning the top slot at … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 14 November 2014, gig, Hard Rock Hell, Pwllheli, review, rock, The Texas Flood | Leave a comment

Gig review: VARDIS – Hard Rock Hell, Pwllheli, 15 November 2014

Posted on November 21, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Band reformations always form differences of opinions but the few thousand people watching Vardis on the main stage at Hard Rock Hell delivered their overwhelmingly positive verdict. After being apart for almost 30 years, drummer Gary Pearson, after a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 15 November 2014, gig, Hard Rock Hell, heavy rock, NWOBHM, Pwllheli, review, Vardis | Leave a comment

Gig review: SOiL, American Head Charge – Rock City, Nottingham, 1 November 2014

Posted on November 18, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

SOIL - Rock City, Nottingham, 1 November 2014

Another early start due to the trend of running club nights after the gig – but that didn’t seem to bother the crowd already queued up the road for tonight’s gig. Headliners SOiL had toured earlier in the year supporting … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged (HED) P.E, 1 November 2014, American Head Charge, gig, Nottingham, review, Rock City, Soil, Wolfborne | Leave a comment

Gig review: HARD ROCK HELL 8 – Pwllheli, November 2014 (Overview)

Posted on November 17, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

HARD ROCK HELL, Pwllheli, 15 November 2014

Photo: David Randall Seeing Grifter on the second stage made me reflect on the current state of the rock scene. There are many similar bands plying their trade, in this case inspired by the heavy rock first purveyed widely by … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Leave a comment

Gig review: NAZARETH – Metropolis Studios, London, 14 November 2014

Posted on November 17, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

A new chapter in Nazareth’s long history was captured for posterity at this very special gig. They used Metropolis, one of London’s top studios in a converted power station in Chiswick, to record a live DVD in front of an … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 14 November 2014, DVD, gig, hard rock, Metropolis Studios, Nazareth, recording, review, rock | Leave a comment

Interview: NAZARETH – Metropolis Studios, London, 14 November 2014

Posted on November 17, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Pete and Lee Agnew with artist Rodney Matthews Andy Nathan took time out to chat to founder member Pete Agnew, vocalist Linton Osborn and guitarist Jimmy Murrison prior to the band’s DVD recording at Metropolis Studios in front of an … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars | Tagged 14 November 2014, hard rock, interview, Jimmy Murrison, Linton Osborne, London, Metropolis Studios, Nazareth, Pete Agnew, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: BRYAN ADAMS – Reckless (reissue)

Posted on November 15, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Universal [Release date 10.11.14] Bryan Adams fourth album, Reckless, was a career defining release. It was the album he’d worked towards through his previous three releases – a multi-million selling record that established him as a worldwide draw and produced … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Bryan Adams, deluxe edition, DVD, Reckless, review, rock, Tina Turner | Leave a comment

Album review: PINK FLOYD – The Endless River

Posted on November 15, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Parlophone [Release date 10.11.14] A new Pink Floyd album – 4 sides of ‘new’ material – fan-tastic! Or is it? The hype, or at least expectation, surrounding the release of The Endless River – the first Floyd album since The … Continue reading →

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

News: Family man ROGER CHAPMAN chats about his new album Peaceology, 16 November 2014

Posted on November 15, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Photo: Mark Hughes Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sunday 17 November, 19:00 GMT Roger Chapman is perhaps best-known as the frontman of Family, a staple on the touring circuit in the early 1970s and who had several hit singles. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS | Tagged 17 November 2014, Family, feature, interview, Peaceology, rock, Roger Chapman | Leave a comment

Gig review: MOTORHEAD – Manchester Apollo, 4 November 2014

Posted on November 13, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

“We are Motorhead and we play Rock and F***n’ Roll”- a line I have heard so many times thunder from the PA over the years but none more welcome than tonight. The current tour has been postponed and cancelled twice … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 4 November 2014, gig, heavy metal, Lemmy, Manchester Apollo, Motorhead, punk, review, rock, The Bosshoss, The Damned | Leave a comment

Album review: STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE – The Complete Epic Recordings Collection

Posted on November 10, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE - The Complete Epic Recordings Collection

Sony/Legacy [Release date 03.11.14] Of all the blues rock superstars of the last 30 years the figure of Stevie Ray Vaughan looms large and casts a shadow over a generation. Sadly his life was cut short in 1990 at the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, blues, box set, Double Trouble, guitar, guitarist, reissue, review, rock, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Complete Epic Recordings Collection | Leave a comment

DVD review: GENESIS – Sum Of The Parts

Posted on November 7, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Eagle Vision [Release date: 17.11.14] It’s difficult to know who this documentary was made for. Early Genesis fans would feel short changed. Later ones wouldn’t learn that much. If you then factor in several lesser known talking heads and a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged Bluray, documentary, DVD, Genesis, interview, Mike Rutherford, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, prog, progressive, rock, Steve Hackett, Sum Of The Parts, Tony Banks | Leave a comment

DVD review: JEFF BECK – Live In Tokyo

Posted on November 7, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Eagle Rock [Release date: 24.11.14] When I reviewed Jeff Beck’s gig in Birmingham in May this year – only a month or so after this Tokyo gig – the main criticism was the lack of audience interaction. Beck didn’t engage … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged DVD, guitar.guitarist, Jeff Beck, Live In Tokyo, Nicolas Meier, review, rock.fusion | Leave a comment

News: Interviews on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 9 November – GERRY McAVOY (Rory Gallagher) and CARL DIXON (Coney Hatch)

Posted on November 6, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Photo: Noel Buckley Gerry McAvoy picks his favourite tracks Long-serving Rory Gallagher bass player Gerry McAvoy chooses the music in the ‘Favourite Tracks from Favourite Artists’ sequence on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on Sunday 9 November at 17:00 GMT. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS | Tagged 9 November 2014, April Wine, Band Of Friends, blues rock, Carl Dixon, Coney Hatch, Gerry McAvoy, interview, melodic rock, radio, Rory Gallagher, The Guess Who | 1 Comment

Album review: RORY GALLAGHER – Irish Tour ’74 (Box set)

Posted on November 3, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Gerry McAvoy – Rory Gallagher’s long-serving bass player – chats about the Irish Tour ’74, Rory in the studio, and the impact on his own musicality (9:34) This is an outtake from a forthcoming hour special on Get Ready to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, blues rock, box set, documentary, Donal Gallagher, DVD, Gerry McAvoy, guitarist, Irish Tour '74, reissue, review, Rory Gallagher, Tony Palmer | Leave a comment

Gig review: STEVE HACKETT – The Lowry, Salford, 2 November 2014

Posted on November 3, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Steve Hackett chats about the Genesis Revisited and Extended tours (11:16). This is an edit from an extended interview that was first broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 5 October 2014 The interview is replayed on Christmas Day 2014, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 2 November 2014, Gary O'Toole, genesis Extended, Genesis Revisited, gig, interview, Nick Beggs, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Rob Townsend, Roger King, Salford, Steve Hackett, The Lowry | Leave a comment

Gig review: FIREFEST – Nottingham Rock City, 24-26 October 2014 (Day 3)

Posted on November 2, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Axxis - Firefest, Nottingham Rock City, 26 October 2014

DAY 3 - DANGER DANGER, AUTOGRAPH, CONEY HATCH, BROTHER FIRETRIBE, TOUCH, GUILD OF AGES, AXXIS The final day of ‘the final fling’ began with a slightly left field choice of veteran German rockers Axxis, and yet they blew the cobwebs … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 26 October 2014, AOR, Autograph, Axxis, Brother Firetribe, CITA, Coney Hatch, Danger Danger, Firefest, gig, Guild Of Ages, melodic rock, Nottingham, review, Rock City, Tommy Denander, Touch | Leave a comment

Gig review: FIREFEST – Nottingham Rock City, 24-26 October 2014 (Day 2)

Posted on November 2, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Rage Of Angels - Firefest - Nottingham Rock City, 25 October 2014

DAY 2 – FIREHOUSE, BLACK N BLUE, PRETTY MAIDS, BABYLON AD, BOULEVARD, FROM THE FIRE, RAGE OF ANGELS Day 2 also began with home grown talent in Rage Of Angels, formed by Ged Rylands who was playing guitar rather than … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 24 October 2014, AOR, Babylon AD, Black N Blue, Boulevard, Firefest, Firehouse, From The Fire, gig, melodic rock, Nottingham, Pretty Maids, Rage Of Angels, review, Rock City | Leave a comment

Gig review: FIREFEST – Nottingham Rock City, 24-26 October 2014 (Day 1)

Posted on November 2, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Pretty Maids - Firefest, Nottingham Rock City, 25 October 2014

GRTR!’s resident Melodic Rock/AOR expert Andy Nathan has been covering Firefest for us right from the start. Andy’s informed report and Simon Dunkerley’s inspired photos celebrate ‘The Final Fling’ as the festival bows out in style… The announcement last year … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 24 October 2014, Angels Or Kings, AOR, Circus Maximus, Firefest, gig, H.E.A.T., melodic rock, Nottingham, Redrum, review, Rock City, Shy, TEN, The Poodles | Leave a comment

Quick plays: X-DRIVE, ADRENALINE RUSH, DALTON, DR JOHN

Posted on November 2, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

ADRENALINE RUSH Adrenaline Rush Frontiers [Release date: 25.08.14] ‘Adrenaline Rush’ is the debut album from the Scandinavian band of the same name, musically the album is up a notch from most debut albums I’ve heard this year and reminds me … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged Adrenaline Rush, album, AOR, blues rock, Dalton, Dr John, Flicker, Get Your Rock On, Luke Gasser, Maxxwell, melodic rock, Monkeys of XXI, Pit Stop, review, Ske-Dat-De-Dat…Spirit of Satch, Stardust Circus, Tabula Rasa, X-Drive | Leave a comment

Album review: SARAH DUNN BAND – You Or The Whiskey

Posted on November 2, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Audacity Records [Release date 19.08.14] When you hear the opening bars of ‘Finish What You Started’ – the opening number on You Or The Whiskey – a mix of Southern blues rock, rootsy fiddle and mandolin, a crisp production and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, country, pop, Reba McIntyre, review, rock, roots, Sarah Dunn Band, Tim McGraw, Vince Gill, You Or The Whiskey | Leave a comment

Album review: ALEX HART – On This Day

Posted on November 2, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

Right Track [Release date: 10.11.14] I was hoping, having heard Alex Hart’s debut single ‘Orange Van’, with its subtle ‘folktronic’ beat, that the Devon based singer songwriter may be the next Beth Orton. But while she describes her style as … Continue reading →