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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: PAUL McCARTNEY- 02 Arena, London, 18 December 2024
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Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
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Gig review: STRAY – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
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Author Archives: brianmc
Album review : RICHARD PINHAS / HELDON – Le Plan and Winter Music
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
Album review : GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS I Like It (3 CD Anthology)
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 3 CDs, Brian Epstein, Cherry Red, George Martin, Gerry, Liverpool, Merseybeat, Pacemakers, review, Rodgers Hammerstein, Sinatra, The Beatles
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Album review : PARALYDIUM – Universe Calls
Frontiers [Release date : 09.08.24] The success of a Progressive Rock album is almost totally dependent on creating a unique sonic landscape. The reviews of Paralydium’s previous release criticised the band’s lack of ambition. That there was no apparent attempt … Continue reading
Album review : JIM PETERIK and WORLD STAGE – Roots and Shoots Vol 2
Frontiers [Release date : 09.08.24] Peterik needs no introduction, but we’ll introduce him anyway. Most famously, he was guitarist and songwriter with Survivor, as well as several other charting bands. It’s all well documented online. But that was then. Nowadays, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AOR, Chicago, Frontiers, Jason Scheff, Jim Peterik, melodic rock, Neil Donnell, review, Survivor
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Album review : BLUE OYSTER CULT – 50th Anniversary Live : Second Night (2CDs+DVD)
Frontiers [Release date : 09.08.24] BOC’s 1972 album, Tyranny And Mutation (their second), continues to get 4 and 5 star reviews in the mainstream music media in its many reissued forms… special vinyl editions, special Japanese releases, 1990 and 2001 … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 50th anniversary, album, Blue Oyster Cult, Buck Dharma, CD and DVD, Eric Bloom, Frontiers, live, review, Sony Hall New York
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Album review : MISTER MISERY – III
AFM Records [Release date : 02.08.24] Looking like a reimagined Kiss in a Gothic horror movie, Mister Misery’s dress and music sense could not be more theatrical. Nor could it fit the music any better, and vice versa. On III, … Continue reading
Album review : PRODUCERS – self titled (5 CD Boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date : 26.07.24] To call them a Supergroup would be a cliché. This collection of musicians transcends tired headlines. Chris Braide, Trevor Horn, Steve Lipson, Lol Creme and Ash Soan need no introduction to tuned in music … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Ash Soan, boxset, Cherry Red, Chris Braide, Daryl Easlea, Lol Creme, Princes Trust, Producers, review, Stephen Lipson, Trevor Horn
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Album review : TORME – The Bernie Torme Archives 1985-93 (5 CDs)
Cherry Red [Release date : 26.07.24] A second volume of remastered material taken from Bernie Torme’s extraordinary career. He was a guitarist and a songwriter whose personality and positivity affected everyone he worked with. A musician with “lightning in his … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Archives Vol 2, Back To Babylon, Bernie Torme, Dee Snider, Demolition Ball, Gary Owens, John McCoy, LA Guns, Phil Lewis, review, Samson, TNT
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Album review : THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE – Timescape (2 CDs)
Brave Words [Release date : 19.07.24] There’s drummers and there’s Chris Slade. Rock royalty. A musician who knows no boundaries. One who fits seamlessly into most any genre. His CV includes 6 years with Asia, 5 years with AC/DC and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AC/DC, album, Chris Slade, Genesis, James Cornford, Kansas, Manfred Manns Earthband, Timeline, Timescape, Uriah Heep
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Album review : UNCLE SLAM – Will Work For Food and When God Dies (2 CD Reissue)
Cherry Red [Release date : 26.07.24] Uncle Slam’s roots grew and blossomed in the fertile ground of Punk and Thrash, California style, in the late 80s, taking shape initially in the form of Suicidal Tendencies. Then splintering off into various … Continue reading
Album review : JOHN MILES – The Albums 1983 – 1993 (3 CDs)
Cherry Red [Release date : 19.07.24] Behind the John Miles’ name and his launchpad hit single ‘Music (Was My First Love)’ in 1976, there lay a musician whose full-on career in music can barely be crammed into a Wikipedia page. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Alan Parsons, AOR, Jimmy Page, JOE COCKER, John Miles, Night Of The Proms, Play On, review, soft rock, Tina Turner, Transition, Upfront
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Album review : PAUL DI’ANNO’S WARHORSE
BraveWords Records [Release date : 19.07.24] The music here serves as a fully realised reminder of the gifts that vocalist Paul Di’Anno has displayed numerous times, originally with Iron Maiden, and then anything he’s been involved with since. Despite (or … Continue reading
Album review : NIKOLO KOTZEV – Nostradamus, The Rock Opera – studio album version and Live In Sofia version
Frontiers [Release date : 19.07.24] Writing and producing Nostradamus, the Rock Opera, was a hugely ambitious undertaking and took its architect, Nikolo (Brazen Abbot) Kotzev, 3 years to complete. Released in 2001, it sold 50,000 worldwide. A significant achievement for … Continue reading
Album review : CAN’T SEEM TO COME DOWN – The American Sounds of 1968
Cherry Red [Release date : 19.07.24] In 1968, the comedown from 1967’s “Summer Of Love” quickly dissipated, leading directly into a year of inventive, eclectic rock music, often groundbreaking, frequently influential. That’s reflected in the 3 CDs of Cherry Red/Grapefruit’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 3 CDs, American Sounds 1968, Blue Cheer, boxset, Buffalo Springfield, Dylan, Hendrix, Nixon, review, Spirit, Summer of Love, The Byrds, The Seeds, Zappa
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Album review : PALACE – Reckless Heart
Frontiers [Release date : 12.07.24] Michael Palace has long since proved that his classy debut, Master Of The Universe, was too good to be a fluke. On Reckless Heart, his fifth album, he continues to display his considerable gifts as … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alessi, Aztec Camera, Christopher Cross, Frontiers, Kenny Loggins, Michael Palace, review, Richard Marx, soft rock, Steely Dan
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Album review : MR. BIG – Ten
Frontiers [Release date: 12.07.24] Holding the world in their hands, Mr Big say goodbye to the late Pat Torpey, the band’s drummer, who lost his battle with Parkinson’s disease in 2018. And after 35 years of flying highs and way … Continue reading
Album review : KRYPTOS – Decimator
AFM Records [Release date : 05.07.24] On their magnificent seventh album now, Indian heavy metal band, Kryptos still have their eyes on the prize. It’s always tantalisingly out of reach for most bands. Few ever get their hands on it. … Continue reading
Album review : THE BYRON BAND – On The Rocks… Again, 3CD Box Set
Cherry Red [Release date : 28.06.24] CD1: On The Rocks (1981) CD2: Demos recorded for unreleased second album (1982) CD3: Rehearsal Recording (1981), plus Live In Liverpool (1980) The title of the Byron Band’s debut album, On The Rocks, is … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Byron Band, David Byron, On The Rocks, review, Robin George, rock, Uriah Heep
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Album review : CHATEAUX – Spirit Of The Chateau (3 CD Reissue)
Cherry Red [Release date : 21.06.24] CD1: Chained And Desperate (1983) CD2: Firepower (1984) CD3: Highly Strung (1985) Led by guitarist, Tim Broughton, English metal band Chateau signed to Ebony Records, a NWOBHM startup label, in 1981. The band (previously … Continue reading
Album review : PALLAS – Eyes In The Night (The Recordings 1981-86, 7CD boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date : 28.06.24] You have to credit Cherry Red with their even handed approach to reissues/remasters. No offence to fans of neo-Prog band, Pallas, but the band is not front page news, and never have been, but … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged boxset, DVD, Eddy Offord, ELP, Genesis, King Crimson, London, Marillion, neo prog, Pallas, review, Scottish, Yes
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Album review: VICIOUS RUMORS – Welcome To The Ball (Remaster)
Rock Candy [Release date : 24.05.24] Rock Candy Records are perhaps, unfairly, more associated with AOR and Melodic Rock than they are Metal, but among reissue labels they have no peers when it comes to value judgement. The always underrated … Continue reading
Album review : AXE – The Offering (Remaster)
Rock Candy Records [Release date 24.05.24] Third time lucky for Axe. The Offering, released in 1982, got enough sales and radio airplay to put them firmly on the USA’s Melodic Rock map, leading directly to tours with Kiss, The Scorpions … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AOR, Axe, Bobby Barth, Edgar Riley, Kiss, melodic rock, Mike Osborne, remaster, review, Rock Candy Records, Scorpions, ZZ Top
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Album review : THE LADDER – S/T (Remaster)
Rock Candy Records [Release date : 24.05.24] Another “obscure” 1980’s American AOR album, rescued by Rock Candy Records. It was “big in Japan” though. Aren’t they all. The Ladder – writers Joe and Lou Parente, with vocalist Frank Mancano – … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AOR, ATCO, Chicago, David Foster, Frank Mancano, Joe Parente, Lou Parente, Philadelphia, review, Rock Candy, The Ladder
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Album review : STRIDER – Exposed and Misunderstood (Remasters)
Rock Candy Records [Release date: 24.05.24] In 1970, Strider formed in London. Wrong place, right time? Right place, wrong time? Who knows. Certainly wasn’t for lack of talent or quality songs. Hugely popular with a core UK fanbase, Strider could … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Babys, blues, Eddie Money, Exposed, Gary Grainger, Misunderstood, review, rock, Rock Candy, Rod Stewart, Strider, Terry Brock
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Album review : TKO – Total Knockout – The Complete TKO 5 CD Boxset
Cherry Red [Release date 28.06.24] CD1: Let It Roll (1979) CD2: Lost Demos (1980) CD3: In Your Face (1981) CD4: Below The Belt (1984) CD5: Early Mixes 1979, 14 years before Brad Sinsel’s War Babies became the only band not … Continue reading
