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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: ANTHRAX – Hammersmith Apollo, London, 23 November 2024
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Gig review: BLACK STONE CHERRY – Wembley Arena, London, 23 November 2024
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Gig review: SQUEEZE – Roundhouse, London, 22 November 2024
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Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK – Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO – London Palladium, 13 November 2024
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Gig review: HRH XVII, Great Yarmouth, 7-9 November 2024
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Featured Album Reviews
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Album review: FAIRGROUND ATTRACTION – Beautiful Happening
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Album review: TIMSON AOR – Forever’s Not Enough
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Album review: PICTUREHOUSE – How Do I Explain How This Came To Be?
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Album review: RICK ESTRIN & THE NIGHTCATS – Groovin’ In Greaseland
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Album review: PATSY MATHESON – Domino Girls
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Album review: ALBERT HAMMOND – In Symphony
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Features
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Author Archives: brianmc
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Album review : ANVIL – One And Only
AFM Records [Release date: 28.06.24] There’s Old School Heavy Metal bands, and there’s Anvil. On their 20th album now, the aptly titled One And Only, these Canadian legends have shed any pretence of “modernising” their sound, reaching back to the … Continue reading
Album review : AS I ROVED OUT – THE STORY OF CELTIC ROCK 1968-78 (3CDs)
Cherry Red [Release date: 21.06.24] Celtic music dates back to the 17th century. It’s part of the musical scenery in western Europe… mainly Portugal, Spain and France. And across the Atlantic in Canada … most especially among the island communities … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Al Stewart, Cape Breton, Celtic rock, France, Ireland, Newfoundland, Pentangle, Portugal, review, Runrig, Scotland, Spain, TASTE, Thin Lizzy
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Album review : STATUS QUO – Official Archive Series Vol.3 (2CDs)
Ear Music/Edel [Release date : 12.07.24] If ever a band knew how to mine a rich back catalogue it’s Status Quo. We’ve said that before and no doubt we’ll say it again, and again. This third “Archive” release, Live at … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Archive Vol.2, Eike Freese, Forestry Commission, Kai Hansen, live, review, Rick Parfitt, Status Quo, Westonbirt
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Album review : DANA GILLESPIE – First Love
Fretsore Records [Release date : 31.05.24] Had it been published in the midst of today’s gender wars, the title of Dana Gillespie’s controversial autobiography, “Weren’t Born A Man” would have new resonance. As it is, celebrating 60 years in the … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Bob Dylan, Dana Gillespie, Green Day, Janis Ian, Laura Nyro, Leonard Cohen, Matt Gest, Python Lee Jackson, review
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Album review : KURT FROHLICH – 1977
Golden Robot Records [Release Date : 07.06.24] Kurt Frohlich, currently vocalist with Riley’s LA Guns, has already fronted Faster Pussycat and Mark Ramone’s band. Limited as that pedigree might be, it lets us know where he’s coming from. 1977 is … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Clash, Faster Pussycat, glam, Green Day, Kurt Frohlich, LA Guns, Mark Ramone, punk, review, Sex Pistols, television, Weezer
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Album review : NIGHTMARE – Encrypted
AFM Records [Release date: 06.06.24] Formed in 1979, French Power Metal band, Nightmare have been worshipping the mighty riff for 11 albums now. Their 12th album, Encrypted, sees ex Songbird songbird, Barbara Mogore (a smart bit of recruitment by Yves … Continue reading
Album review: McCOY – The Sound Of Thunder (3 CD set)
Cherry Red [Release date : 31/05/24] CD1: 1985: McCoy : Hard Thinking (incorporates 1982 EP) CD2: 1998: McCoy : Brainstorm CD3: 1977: McCoy : Live 1977 The real (John) McCoy, bass player extraordinaire, was as much known for his fearsome, … Continue reading
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Tagged Al Romano, Bernie Torme, boxset, Brainstorm, Fleetwood Mac, Ian Gillan, John McCoy, Mile Sciotto, Paul Samson, review, Think Hard, ZZ Top
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Album review : RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Challenge The Wind
AFM Records [Release date : 31.05.24] Fans of the Symphonic Metal genre will know ROF is a band big on concept. This new album, Challenge The Wind, is the third in their “Nephilim Empire Saga”. The second, Glory For Salvation, … Continue reading
