Author Archives: GRTR! HQ

Album review: GROUNDHOGS – United Artists Years 1972-1976

Posted on June 29, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

EMI [Release date 20.05.13] ‘Split’ with its black and white glossy gatefold sleeve was a staple in the knowing rock fan’s early-1970s collection. The Groundhogs, led by one-time John Lee Hooker sideman Tony ‘TS’ McPhee, were also a staple on … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, BBC In Concert, Black Diamond, blues, Crosscut Saw, Groundhogs, Hogwash, review, rock, Tony McPhee, United Artists Years 1972-1976 | Leave a comment

Album review: MARILLION – The Singles Vol.2, 89-95

Posted on June 29, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

EMI [Release date 22.04.13] This collection is a reissue of the now deleted 12-CD box set (2002) when all the singles had a nice repro card sleeve. The album charts the band’s more commercial Hogarth era from 1989 (and ‘Season’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 89-95, album, collection, compilation, Marillion, review, rock, Steve Hogarth, Steve Rothery, The Singles Vol 2 | Leave a comment

NEWS: Cherry Pickin’ – win six featured albums in our label showcase!

Posted on June 27, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Thursday 5 September, 21:00 (GMT) The latest of our Cherry Red Records showcases is broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio This hour long sequence signposts latest releases (June/July) from the Cherry Red group of labels including Esoteric, Big Break … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Competitions, NEWS | Tagged Accept, Cherry Red Records, competition, Isley Brothers, Ken Hensley, label, New releases, promotion, reissue, Shalamar, showcase | Leave a comment

Gig review: STEVE WINWOOD, The Lowry, Salford, 24 June 2013

Posted on June 25, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

If Steve Winwood’s only banter tonight included playful reference to both the ‘vintage’ crowd and the vintage music, we didn’t need to worry. The sheer historical potency – and nostalgia – was what the vintage crowd expected and what Winwood … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 24 June 2013, Blind Faith, gig, Manchester, review, rock, Salford, Spencer Davis Group, Steve Winwood, The Lowry, Traffic | Leave a comment

Album review: EMILY MAGUIRE – Bird Inside A Cage

Posted on June 24, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

GRTR! only ‘discovered’ British born singer songwriter Emily Maguire with the release of her third album – ‘Believer’ – in 2009. As a calling card it was a sufficiently strong hand to make me browse her back catalogue and the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bird Inside A Cage, Emily Maguire, review, singer, songwriter | Leave a comment

Gig review: TRACER, The Plug, Sheffield, 8 June 2013

Posted on June 24, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Tracer - Sheffield, The Plug, 8 June 2013

As normal with gigs at The Plug they are preceded with an afternoon session at Nelsons Rock bar which also usually hosts any aftershow meet and greets that are happening. This works very well as the bar is just round … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 8 June 2013, Cage The Gods, gig, review, rock, Sheffield, The Plug, Tracer | Leave a comment

Album review: X CONTRACT – Territory:Hours

Posted on June 20, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Phillipa Records [Release date 19.08.13] Given the Brits love affair with all things Danish after the great success of ‘The Killing’ TV crime series, X Contract should clean up. We really liked their debut in 2012 – ‘Dearest Dream’ – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Danish, Denmark, review, rock, Territory:Hours, X Contract | Leave a comment

DVD Review: GARBAGE – One Mile High Live

Posted on June 15, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Eagle Rock [Release date 27.05.13] Somewhere, lurking in my CD collection I have a copy of Garbage’s eponymous 1995 debut album. But that aside, they’re a band I’ve never felt any great compunction to track over succeeding years. So it was … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged Denver, DVD, Garbage, One Mile High Live, review, rock, Shirley Manson | Leave a comment

Album review: BONNIE TYLER – Rocks And Honey

Posted on June 14, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Celtic Swan Recordings [Release date 6.05.13] Bonnie Tyler was asked back in the 1980s to represent the UK at Eurovision but politely declined. With success since those heady days coming primarily in Europe and relying heavily on past glories, she … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bonnie Tyler, David Huff, Desmond Child, Eurovision, Nashville, pop, review, rock, Rocks And Honey, Vince Gill | Leave a comment

DVD Review: PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS – Rockshow

Posted on June 14, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Eagle Rock [Release date 10.06.13] 15 September 1975, seat A19 in The Royal Circle, Liverpool Empire. I was there for Macca’s hometown gig on the UK leg of the ‘Wings Over The World’ tour. My diary at the time recounts … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged 1976, Beatles, Denny Laine, DVD, Jimmy McCulloch, Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney, pop, review, rock, Rockshow, Tour, Wings | Leave a comment

Album review: THE WYNNTOWN MARSHALS – The Long Haul

Posted on June 14, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Wynntown Recordings [Release date 15.07.13] Whether their album title is a play on The Eagles’ last long player of the 1970′s or not, there are distinct similarities in style between The Eagles West Coast country rock sound and that of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged acoustic, album, country, Eagles, review, rock, The Long Haul, The Wynntown Marsahals | Leave a comment

Album review: STONECRAFT – Behind The Door

Posted on June 14, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

www.stonecraftmusic.co.uk Behind The Door is the third album of acoustic, alternative, Celtic music from multi-instrumentalist singer / songwriter Andy Morgan, and singer / songwriter Viil Hov Fjose. And while Andy started out as a rock guitarist who developed an affinity … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged acoustic, album, Behind the Door, folk, instrumental, review, Stonecraft | Leave a comment

Album review: FAY & LATTA – Beauty In Chaos

Posted on June 14, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Avid GRTR! browsers may have spotted our 2009 review of Brit female fronted heavy rockers Exoterik’s ‘Butterfly In Your Hand’ – an album we saw as throwing down a gauntlet to the Evanescence pop / rock dynasty. We noted then, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged acoustic, album, Anneka Latta, Beauty In Chaos, electro, Exoterik, Fay & Latta, review, rock, singer, songwriter | Leave a comment

Gig review: JOE SATRIANI – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, 11 June 2013

Posted on June 12, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Up in the circle of the ornate Philharmonic Hall there was a distinct whiff of charity shop. This was a slightly bizarre change from the whiff of bowel disorder that one often encounters at gigs where the audience is of a certain … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 11 June 2013, gig, guitar, guitarist, Joe Satriani, Liverpool, Mike Keneally, Philharmonic Hall, review, rock | 1 Comment

Gig review: BON JOVI, Etihad Stadium, Manchester, 8 June 2013

Posted on June 11, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Bon Jovi - Manchester Etihad Stadium, 8 June 2013

2013 has been a challenging year to Keep the Faith for Bon Jovi fans. Not only was their ‘What About Now’ CD perhaps the lamest of their career, but for undisclosed personal reasons Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi’s right hand … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 8 June 2013, AOR, Bon Jovi, Etihad Stadium, gig, Manchester, melodic, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: ANOUSCHKA – Hollywood Ending

Posted on June 8, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

My review of Anouschka’s My Kind Of Heartbreak album (2007) pretty much said all you need to know about a US army brat with a Swedish mother who by 16 had seen a lot of the world and started her … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anouschka, Hollywood Ending, review, singer, songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: TESS OF THE CIRCLE – Thorns

Posted on June 8, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Cadiz Music [Release date 15.07.13] While British male singer songwriter Tess Jones’ debut Magpie (2010) was an introspective acoustic based set, his follow up sees the addition of ‘the Circle’ – a collective of musicians that bring the ‘sounds of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, review, singer, songwriter, Tess Jones, Tess Of the Circle, Thorns | Leave a comment

Album review: JULIAN LENNON – Everything Changes

Posted on June 8, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Music In Another Room [Release date 03.06.13] When it was originally released in October 2011 in the UK and Ireland, Julian Lennon’s sixth studio album failed to tickle the Top 100, and neither of the singles lifted from it – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Beatles, Everything Changes, Julian Lennon, Mark Spiro, Paul Buchanan, Peter Vettese, pop, review, rock, Steven Tyler | 1 Comment

Album review: CASSIE TAYLOR – Out Of My Mind

Posted on June 8, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Hypertension [Release date 13.05.13] Having served a 10 year apprenticeship playing bass and singing in her father, modern-day blues innovator Otis Taylor’s band, Cassie Taylor has paid her dues at the age of only 26. With one album already under … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, Cassie Taylor, Otis Taylor, Out Of My Mind, review, rock | Leave a comment

DVD Review: JETHRO TULL – Around The World Live

Posted on June 8, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Eagle Vision EREDV982 (4-disc/Book) One of the “strange decisions in rock” in recent years has been that of Ian Anderson to seemingly cast off his first lieutenant: Martin Lancelot Barre. It seems that his trusty cohort since 1969 hasn’t really … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged Around The World Live, Chile, DVD, German, Hilversum, Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull, progressive, review, rock, Switzerland, Tampa, TV | Leave a comment

Gig review: Johnny’s Rock N Roll Show – THE ZOMBIES, ARGENT, Aylesbury, 2 June 2013

Posted on June 3, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Two years on, following a life-changing trampoline accident, Johnny Beer Timms has maintained a warming sense of humour as he presided over this evening’s tribute and fundraiser. The guitarists Danny Prendergast and Jerry Playle provided a tranquil and reflective acoustic … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 2 June 2013, Argent, Aylesbury, charity, Derik Timms, fundraiser, Johnny's Rock Show, Marillion, Steve Hogarth, Steve Rothery, The Moondogs, The Zombies, Waterside Theatre | Leave a comment

Gig review: Bearded Theory Festival, Kedleston Hall Park, 17-19 May 2013

Posted on June 1, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Bearded Theory Festival 2013, photo by Simon Dunkerley

Bearded Theory is one of the multitude of smaller festivals that still holds its roots in the rue meaning of festivals. It’s not about big corporate sponsorship, VIP this and that to get the better camping/showers etc and making money … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 17-19 May 2013, Bearded Theory Festival, festival, gig, Karine Polwart, Kedleston Hall Park, Levellers, New Model Army, review, Seth Lakeman, Stiff Little Fingers | Leave a comment

Quick plays: GAVIN ROSSDALE – Wanderlust, INSTITUTE – Distort Yourself

Posted on May 27, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

GAVIN ROSSDALE – Wanderlust earMUSIC [Release date: 01.07.13] English-born Gavin Rossdale is perhaps best known now for fronting Bush, but back in 2008 he released his debut solo album Wanderlust. Highly accessible, it produced some chart success in the States … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays, Reissues | Tagged album, alt rock, Bush, Chris Traynor, Distort Yourself, Gavin Rossdale, grunge, Helmet, Institute, review, Wanderlust | Leave a comment

Gig review: JOURNEY, WHITESNAKE – Manchester MEN, 23 May 2013

Posted on May 24, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Thunder - Manchester MEN, 23 May 2013 - Photo by Steve Goudie

Interview edit: David Coverdale, 15 March 2013 First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on 17 March 2013 Talking to David Coverdale a couple of months ago he confirmed that the band would be playing a full set and, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 23 May 2013, Danny Bowes, David Coverdale, Doug Aldrich, gig, Jonathan Cain, Journey, Luke Morley, Manchester, MEN, Neal Schon, Reb Beach, review, rock, Russ Valory, Thunder, Whitesnake | 3 Comments

Album review: BENT NOT BROKEN – Same Planet Different World

Posted on May 21, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

yearningrocks.com [Release date: April 2013] It would be a shame if the second album from this German-based band went unnoticed. From the opening track ‘Watching The World’ the riffs are angular, the songs consistently engaging, and the sense of urgency … Continue reading →