Author Archives: jason

Book review: No Off Switch by ANDY KERSHAW

Virgin Books Andy Kershaw is best known by many for his time as a Radio 1 DJ, along with later in his career working on Radio’s 3 and 4. Then there is his work presenting ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’ … Continue reading

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Album review: IAN DANTER – Prove You Wrong

www.iandanter.co.uk Ian Danter is better known for his radio work as he presents a weekly show, ‘Football First’ on talkSPORT. This album is a collection of songs he has been working on for the past ten years or more and … Continue reading

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Album review: SPOCK’S BEARD – Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep

Inside Out www.insideout.de Spock’s Beard return after the well received ‘X’ album and a major line-up change as drummer/vocalist Nick D’Virgilio left in 2011. In his place come two new members, drummer Jimmy Keegan and Enchant vocalist Ted Leonard (do … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE UNION Islington Academy, Thursday 28 March 2013

This was the rescheduled gig after the February one was postponed as vocalist Pete Shoulder was suffering badly from flu. Luckily he has since fully recovered and there was a decent turn out again. First up were Black Wolf, who … Continue reading

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Album Review: UFO At The BBC: On Air 1974 – 1985

UFO

Chrysalis This is a lovely thing. Admitedly, it is likely to be of most interest to collectors and completists. Then again, at just over £12 at a well known on-line music retailer (other retailers are available), who wouldn’t want to … Continue reading

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Quick plays: SPIDER ROCKETS, MY SOLILOQUY, RAGE OF ANGELS, SHANNON, STALA & SO

Spider Rockets – Bitten (SPV) Spider Rockets hail from New Jersey and produce hard rock with classic rock and, to a lesser degree, punk elements.  “Bitten” is the outfit’s third release. What you get is a modern take of in-you-face … Continue reading

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Album review: DEVILLE – Hydra

Small Stone Records www.smallstone.com There is definitely something good in the water in Sweden as not only do they produce a stream of top notch melodic rock and 70′s influenced acts, they have been producing some top draw modern rock … Continue reading

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Album Review: PAUL ROSE – Double Life

Mita Records From the rich and fluid guitar licks to the classic blues arrangements and even the tasteful splashes of delicious Hammond organ, the cream of this collection should prompt worthy comparisons with the playing of Walter Trout or Stevie … Continue reading

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News: THE MOODY BLUES – TIMELESS FLIGHT’ 17 DISC BOX SET

The Moody Blues will release a definitive career-spanning box set entitled ‘Timeless Flight’ on June 3rd 2013. Housed in a heavy-duty LP-sized hard-back slipcase, this lavish box set contains 17 discs including: * 11 remastered CDs featuring key album tracks, … Continue reading

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Interview: 10Q’s with STANDING OVATION

Standing Ovation’s latest album ‘The Antikythera Mechanism’ is a real mix of styles and will be of definite interest to fans of progressive metal. Here we catch-up with vocalist Jouni Partanen…  1.     What are you currently up to? At the … Continue reading

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Gig review: STIFF LITTLE FINGERS – The Forum, Kentish Town, 22 March 2013

The Men They Couldn’t Hang provided a perfect opening for Stiff Little Fingers. Their firebrand folk-punk set harked back to the glory days of The Pogues and the radical high water mark of New Model Army and Billy Bragg. Well-crafted … Continue reading

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Album review: THE NEW BLACK – III: Cut Loose

AFM This is the German band’s third release (slight hint in the title!) – not that I’ve heard either of their earlier releases though.  Their self titled debut appeared in 2009 with follow up “II – Better in Black” released … Continue reading

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Quick plays: URIAH HEEP, SAMSON, SIR REG

SAMSON – Head On Lemon / Cherry Red A real NWoBHM classic here, Samson’s second album and the first to feature vocalist Bruce Bruce, aka Bruce Dickinson. Samson issued what is widely considered one of the first NWoBHM LPs in … Continue reading

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Gig review: FM – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 23 March 2013

FM, Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 23 March 2013

2013 sees FM’s stock as high as it has been for some time. Hot on the heels of not one but two new albums, they filled the first three levels of Shepherds Bush Empire. While last year’s gigs celebrating the … Continue reading

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Album review: DE LA CRUZ – Street Level

Frontiers www.frontiers.it De La Cruz are yet another one of Frontier’s more recent signings that has seen them releasing albums by similar minded bands such as Crash Dïet and Crazy Lixx. Image yourself in Los Angeles, the Sunset Strip back … Continue reading

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News: JIMI HENDRIX POP-UP STORE

JIMI HENDRIX® POP-UP STORE ANNOUNCED TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF JIMI HENDRIX’S PEOPLE, HELL AND ANGELS GANTON STREET, CARNABY, LONDON Monday 1 April – Friday 12 April 2013  FEATURING FENDER® ‘PLUG & PLAY DEMO STATIONS’ AND GERED MANKOWITZ PHOTO EXHIBITION  … Continue reading

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Album review: BIG COUNTRY – The Journey

      Cherry Red (Released 15th April) This marks a major step in Big Country’s history as it is the first studio album not to feature the late Stuart Adamson and the recording debut of the Alarm’s Mike Peters … Continue reading

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Interview: 10Q’s with DAVE MEROS (SPOCK’S BEARD)

Spock’s Beard release their eagerly anticipated new album ‘Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep’ through Inside Out on March 25th. Here we catch-up with bass player Dave Meros… 1. What are you currently up to?  I am currently trying to sort … Continue reading

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Quick plays: STRYPER, PAPER AEROPLANES

STRYPER – The Second Coming         Frontiers www.frontiers.it Stryper are having second wind with two studio albums since they returned back in 2003 (plus a covers album) and they are currently working on a new album for … Continue reading

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Album review: ONWARD CHARIOTS – This Is My Confession

Ben Morss sure knows his stuff when it comes to music, and with his band, Onward Chariots, he shows off his immense knowledge in the form of the indie extravaganza “This Is My Confession”. It’s hard to get into the … Continue reading

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Album review: BIG BIG TRAIN – English Electric – Part Two

        GEP www.bigbigtrain.com Following hot on the heels of ‘English Electric – Part One’ Big Big Train release the second part and this has high expectations, as its predecessor was runner-up in the ‘Prog’ magazine’s ‘Reader’s Poll’, … Continue reading

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Album review: BLACK – Wonderful Life

        Universal (Released 15th April 2013) Black’s ‘Wonderful Life’ was originally released back in 1987 (this reissue is the CD version that had fifteen songs, the vinyl version only featured ten songs) and of course the title … Continue reading

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Quick Plays: ROCKY SHADE’S WILDSIDE RIOT, CYANIDE 4

ROCKY SHADE’S WILDSIDE RIOT  – No Second Take Livewire/Cargo Formed in 2010 by former Wrathchild UK front man Rocky Shades, Wildside Riot are best described as a having a hard rock sound somewhere between the light end of NWOBHM and … Continue reading

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Album review: THE WONDERSTUFF – Oh No It’s…The Wonderstuff

The Wonder Stuff - Oh No It

IRL (Released 25.03.13) This new album adds a second disc of cover versions, ‘The Midlands With Love’, where the Wonderstuff cover a number of songs from fellow Midlands based artists. Band leader Miles Hunt said this album would be a … Continue reading

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Album review: SEBASTIAN BACH – ABachalypse Now

        Frontiers www.frontiers.it Sebastian Bach is about to release the double live CD and DVD extravaganza that is “ABachalypse Now”. To get it out of the way first, there are not many bands who can replace such … Continue reading

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