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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
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Album review : JACK BRUCE – Halfway To The Stars – The Recordings 2001-2003 (5 CD Boxset)
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Album review: ELEGANT WEAPONS – Evolution
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Album review: LONG DISTANCE CALLING – The Phantom Void
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Album review : URIAH HEEP – Beautiful Dream, The Recordings 1975-77 (4CDs)
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Album review: XTASY – Phoenix
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Album review: HOKKA – Via Miseria IV
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Author Archives: jason
Album review: JOSEPH ARTHUR – The Ballad of Boogie Christ
Real World Records Joseph Arthur has built up a loyal following of fans as well as plaudits from fellow musicians including Peter Gabriel. This two disc set is loosely based on a fictionalised character, Boogie Christ, who bears some resemblance … Continue reading
Album review: HAKEN – The Mountain
Inside Out www.insideout.de This is Haken’s third album, although they only came across my musical radar after seeing an excellent performance at this year’s Celebr8.2 prog festival. This is a concept album about each everyone’s personal mountain they have to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album review, Dream Theater, Haken, Inside Out, prog metal, Queen, Ross Jennings, The Mountain
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Interview: 10Q’s with LAWLESS
Lawless are a new band who have just released their debut album ‘Rock Savage’ through Escape Music. Here we catch-up with vocalist/guitarist Paul Hume to find out more about the band, their new album and what they have planned in … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged classic metal, DEMON, Escape Music, LAWLESS, Nigel Ogden, Paul Hume, Rock Savage, Stoke-on-Trent
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Album review: STEVE CRADDOCK – Travel Wild, Travel Free
Proper Records (released 30th September 2013) This is the third solo album from Ocean Colour Scene/Paul Weller’s guitarist Steve Craddock, who also has his wife Sally help out on vocals adding a folk air to the proceedings in places. The … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album review, Ocean Colour Scene, Paul Weller, Proper Records, Steve Craddock, Travel Free, Travel Wild
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Book review: Cher: All I Really Want To Do by Daryl Easlea and Eddi Fiegel
Backbeat Books Despite being well into her 60’s Cher is still instantly recognised as one of the most famous female singers of all time. From her big 1960’s hits with ex-husband Sonny Bono to massive solo success in both music … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged All I Really Want To Do, Backbeat Books, book review, Cher, Daryl Easlea, Eddi Fiegel
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Book review: Rhapsody in Black: The Life and Music of Roy Orbison by John Kruth
Backbeat Books I have personally been looking for a good biography of Roy Orbison for a number of years and John Kruth’s “Rhapsody in Black: The Life and Music of Roy Orbison” has certainly met my expectations. With a sense … Continue reading
Quick plays: REBELLIOUS SPIRIT, UGLY KID JOE, KING KOBRA
REBELLIOUS SPIRIT – Gamble Shot (SPV) The recent success of Reckless Love has had an impact on a number of young bands. A good example of this is young German band Rebellious Spirit, whose logo is not dissimilar from the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Doll, Gamble Shot, II, KING KOBRA, Ragdoll Diaries, Rebellious Spirit, review, Stairway To Hell, The Quill, UGLY KID JOE
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Album review: FERGIE FREDERIKSEN – Any Given Moment
Frontiers www.frontiers.it Fergie sang on Le Roux’s wonderful So Fired Up and then joined Toto for one of my absolute favourite Toto albums, namely Isolation…it was just a shame that his time in the band was so short. Back in … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Any Given Moment, AOR, FERGIE FREDERIKSEN, Frontiers, melodic rock, review, Toto
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Album Review: MINISTRY – From Beer To Eternity
AFM Records The enigma that is Al Jourgensen. A man who does not do things by halves. In a career with more diversions than the M1 junction 13 roadworks, Jourgensen returns here with a Ministry album that seemed unlikely to … Continue reading
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Tagged AFM Records, Al Jourgensen, album review, From Beer To Eternity, Ministry
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Album review: SAGA – Spin It Again Live In Munich
Ear Music/Edel [Release date 30.09.13] 2-CD Also available on DVD and Blu-Ray this was recorded on the band’s 2012 tour which marked the return of original vocalist Michael Sadler and the live debut of new drummer Mike Thorne. Saga have … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Michael Sadler, prog, progressive, review, rock, Saga, Spin It Again – Live In Munich
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Gig review: DEADLY CIRCUS FIRE – The Borderline, London, 23 August 2013
Deadly Circus Fire take their moniker from the Hartford circus fire of Connecticut in 1944, one of the worst fire disasters in US history. Many burned to death while others, overcome by hysteria, were reported to have run round in … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 23 August 2013, DEADLY CIRCUS FIRE, gig, London, review, The Borderline
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Album review: UNTIL RAIN – Anthem To Creation
Escape Music www.escape-music.com Until Rain hail from Greece and were formed back in 2004, since then they have released one full album and an EP. Now they have signed with Escape Music to release this rather good slab of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Anthem To Creation, At Vance, Evergrey, Greece, progressive metal, review, Symphony X, UNTIL RAIN
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Gig review: HAWKWIND, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 24 August 2013
A very full and enthusiastic crowd tonight, possibly larger than usual as the band are playing the whole of their classic ‘Warrior On The Edge Of Time’ album, in sequence and recently re-issued on Cherry Red Records. I have seen … Continue reading
Album review: BLUE OCTOBER – Sway
Up/Down Records www.blueoctober.com [Release date 26.08.13] Blue October are one of those bands that mean a big deal in their native US yet have yet to make a big splash over here in the UK and Europe. If you give … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, BLUE OCTOBER, review, rock, Sway
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Quick plays: DIO, HEAVEN RAIN, OLIVA, VANDROYA, EVILYN STRANGE
Nick van der Meulen gives us a run through new releases from Heaven Rain, Giunitini Project, Oliva, Vandroya, Evelyn Strange and another Dio reissue… HEAVEN RAIN – Second Sun Music Buy Mail Another slipped through my fingers: this album was released … Continue reading
Album review: SINNER – Touch of Sin 2
AFM Records www.afmrecords.de This is another case of a young band signing their rights away and now years later trying to reclaim some of their legacy back. Sinner are amongst a growing number of bands that are now re-recording some … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album review, Judas Priest, Matt Sinner, metal, Sinner, Thin Lizzy, Touch Of Sin 2
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Album review: LITTLE RIVER BAND – Cuts Like A Diamond
Frontiers www.frontiers.it Led by vocalist/bassist Wayne Nelson, who has been with the band since the early 80’s, the band may lack original members or the 80’s AOR sound of the John Farnham fronted days, but they still sound like the … Continue reading
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Tagged album review, Cuts Like A Diamond, LITTLE RIVER BAND
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Quick plays: BALFLARE, CHRIS NORMAN
Album review: BALFLARE – Downpour Balfare are a Japanese power metal band who have been around since 2004 and this is their fourth studio album. The music is keyboard led and keyboards player Tommy is the star of the show, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Balflare, Chris Norman, Downpour, Japan, pop, power metal, review, Smokie, There And Back
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Backstage Heroes: Interview with Neil Daniels
Author Neil Daniels is as busy as ever with three new books out now published by Createspace Books (‘AOR Chronicles’ ‘Rock & Metal Chronicles’ & ‘Hard Rock Rebels’) and titles on Pantera, UFO, Bon Jovi’s classic ‘Slippery When Wet’ album and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Backstage Heroes
Tagged AOR, author, Bon Jovi, book, metal, Neil Daniels, Pantera, publication, rock, UFO, writer, ZZ Top
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Book reviews: ERIC CLAPTON – All You Need To Know FAQ and Day by Day
Published by Backbeat Books Normally reserved for the ranks of more obsessive fans and anoraks (and before you ask, I am one myself- KISS, Rolling Stones and Hanoi Rocks) of late these kinds of books have taken on a whole … Continue reading
Album review: PARTHENON HUXLEY – Thank You Bethesda
www.parthenonhuxley.com Parthenon Huxley is fine purveyor of pop rock tunes and over here in the UK maybe best known as the guitarist in The Orchestra, the band that features former ELO members (one of these, Eric Troyer helps out on … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Cheap Trick, ELO, Eric Troyer, Gordon Townsend, PARTHENON HUXLEY, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter, Thank You Bethesda, The Orchestra
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Gig review: LAST IN LINE – Islington Academy, 1 August 2013
LAST IN LINE + SWEET SAVAGE + DENDERA A two thirds full Islington Academy to see the surviving members of the classic Dio line-up from the early/mid-80’s, no mean feat as August is never a great month for gigs outside … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 11 August 2013, Dendera, Dio, gig, heavy metal, Islington Academy, Jimmy Bain, Last In Line, London, review, rock, Sweet Savage, Vinny Appice, Vivian Campbell
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Album review: SOIL – Whole
AFM Records [Release date 19.08.13] Soil – or should that be SOiL – have been with us for a while now as their major label debut album Scars was released back in 2001. The band hail from Texas and are … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AFM Records, album, grunge, metal, post grunge, review, Soil, Whole
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Interview: 10Q’s with STEVE NEWMAN
Steve Newman and his band Newman have just released their tenth album, ‘Siren’ on AOR Heaven and it is quite possibly the best yet. Here Steve gives us an update on the new album, tour plans and more… What are … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged AOR, AOR Heaven, interview, melodic rock, NEWMAN, Siren, Steve Newman
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Quick plays: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, THE CUSTODIAN, HEAVENS FIRE
FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – Echogenetic Dependent (released 19th August) Front Line Assembly are a Canadian electro-industrial band who have been going for over 25 years now. This new album had the band stating they would return to their more electronic … Continue reading
