Category Archives: Reissues

Album review: DRIVE, SHE SAID – Real Life

DRIVE, SHE SAID - Real Life

Escape Music [Release date  23.03.18] ‘Real Life’ was originally released back in 2003 by Drive, She Said the band who featured vocalist/guitarist/bassist Al Fritsch and keyboards wizard Mark Mangold. This album has been re-mixed in 2017 by Brian Anthony and Mark … Continue reading

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Album review: CHRIS HILLMAN – The Asylum Years

CHRIS HILLMAN - The Asylum Years

Omnivore Recordings [Release date 09.02.18] This new CD brings together Chris Hillman’s first two solo albums, from 1976 and 1977 respectively.  Hillman had a fine pedigree as a member of The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Manassas. Immediately prior … Continue reading

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Album review: MARILLION – Holidays In Eden Live/Size Matters (reissues)

MARILLION - Holidays In Eden Live/Size Matters (reissues)

earMUSIC [Release date 19.01.18] Curious ‘mainstream’ releases for these two double CD sets, that fans will know were originally released on the band’s own Racket Records label (in fact, Size Matters is still currently available, albeit with a different sleeve), … Continue reading

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Album review: OSMOSIS (reissue)

OSMOSIS

Esoteric [Release date: 24.11.17] If the ‘assimilation of ideas’ inherent in the meaning of the term osmosis is also a process of ‘almost unconscious gradualism’, it is not reflected in the 1970 debut (and only) release by this US Bostonian … Continue reading

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Album review: STRAY – Fire & Glass (The Pye Recordings 1975-1976)

STRAY - Fire & Glass (The Pye Recordings 1975-1976)

Esoteric [Release date: 24.11.17] Regulars on the 70s’ gigging circuit in the UK, Stray harnessed consistently strong and varied repertoire with colourful performances supporting the likes of Black Sabbath and Ten Years After. But they were also signed to indie … Continue reading

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Album review: W.A.S.P. – Re-idolized

Napalm Records [Release date 02.02.18] Moving away from the trashy, good-time, OTT lyrics of earlier albums, The Crimson Idol (released in 1993) saw Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P. move into the territory of the concept  album. The Crimson Idol tells the … Continue reading

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Album review: DOWN ‘N’ OUTZ – My ReGeneration/The Further Adventures Of

DOWN

Frontiers [Release date 01.12.17] The Down ‘N’ Outz were formed by Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, when he was asked to be involved in the Mott The Hoople reunion shows in 2009. For this he was backed by Quireboys’ members Paul Guerin … Continue reading

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Album review: MAGMA – Mekanïk Destruktï? Kommandöh

MAGMA - Mekanïk Destruktï?

Seventh Records [Release date: 25.11.17] When the album ‘Mekanïk Destruktï? Kommandöh’ hit the racks in UK and US record stores in 1973, it was assumed to be a debut because nobody had heard of the band, and – judging by … Continue reading

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Album review: THE GARDENING CLUB

THE GARDENING CLUB

Gonzo Multimedia [Release date 22.09.17] A lost prog classic?  That might be applied to this reissue of an album originally released in 1983 and the work of UK-born, now Canadian resident Martin Springett. The album will appeal to fans of … Continue reading

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Album review: SKID ROW – Skid/34 Hours (reissues)

SKID ROW - Skid/34 Hours

BGO [Release date: 21.07.17] 2 on 1 CD “I remember Paris in ‘49” … five words guaranteed to cue the leery lads of the night to grab and clinch their squeezes for that last, up close smooch in the smoke … Continue reading

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Album review: BLACKMORE’S NIGHT – Winter Carols

BLACKMORE

Minstrel Hall Music [Release date 20.10.17] Ritchie Blackmore’s move from the hard rock of Rainbow and Deep Purple to the renaissance folk of Blackmore’s Night, with his wife Candice, has always been controversial among rock fans, When I reviewed the … Continue reading

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Album review: VERN DAYSEL – Shootin’ The Breeze/Blood Of A Wolf

VERN DAYSEL - Shootin’ The Breeze/Blood Of A Wolf

In this special showcase, Vern Daysel introduces his music with tracks from ‘Blood Of A Wolf’.  First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 17 December 2017 (38:26) Remember the philosophical story about the optimistic kid who wakes up on … Continue reading

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Album review: BLIND GUARDIAN – Re-issues

Battalions Of Fear/Follow Me Blind/Tales From The Twilight World/Somewhere Far Beyond/Tokyo Tales’/Imaginations From The Other Side/The Forgotten Tales (compilation)/Nightfall In Middle Earth/A Night At The Opera/Live Nuclear Blast [Release date 27.10.17] German power metal band Blind Guardian have produced some … Continue reading

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Album review: ANTHONY PHILLIPS – Invisible Men

ANTHONY PHILLIPS - Invisible Men

Esoteric [Release date 13.10.17] The former Genesis guitarist’s solo career has been enjoying a boom courtesy of Esoteric Recordings and their expansive reissue programme of his back catalogue. We’ve had the 70s – acoustic, analogue, much meditative melancholy resonating nicely … Continue reading

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Album review: ROSE TATTOO – Tatts Live In Brunswick 1982

ROSE TATTOO - Tatts Live In Brunswick 1982

Golden Robot [Release date 24.11.17] Classic Australian hard rock band synonymous with the shaven headed frontman Angry Anderson and a tattoo or two, as well as a few AC/DC connections, Rose Tattoo were formed in the mid 70s and took AC/DC’s … Continue reading

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Album review: THOMAS LANG – Scallywag Jaz (2 disc expanded edition)

THOMAS LANG - Scallywag Jaz

SFE/Cherry Red [Release date 10.11.17] As we learn from the informative liner notes Tom T. Jones made his first demos in a studio in Birkenhead (Lily Savage’s spiritual home) before returning to his day job as a British Rail joiner.  … Continue reading

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Album review: GAMMA RAY – Reissues (Land Of The Free/Alive ’95)

earMUSIC [Release date 29.09.17] earMUSIC’s Gamma Ray re-issue schedule continues with the band’s fourth studio album (original released in 1995) getting a deluxe 2CD re-issue. The second disc adds three songs (including the band’s blistering cover of Holocaust’s ‘Heavy Metal … Continue reading

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Quick plays: A II Z, INTO THE UNKNOWN

A II Z - The Witch Of Berkeley

A II Z The Witch Of Berkeley Caroline Records [Release date 18.08.17] Part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, AIIZ (pronounced A To Z) were formed in Manchester in 1979 and recorded one album, this live set (like … Continue reading

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Album review: VARDIS – Reissues

VARDIS - Quo Vardis

Dissonance [Release date 22.09.17] Vardis have to be one of the most underrated and overlooked bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal genre. Their brand of metal, often dipping into boogie/biker metal, could also be seen as a … Continue reading

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Album review: SAXON – Solid Book Of Rock (Box set)

SAXON - Solid Book Of Rock (Box set)

Edsel/Demon Music Group [Release date 18.08.17] It seems that – exhausting the market for CD expanded or deluxe editions – 2017 might be the “Year of The Box Set” as labels try and find new income streams.  We’ll be getting … Continue reading

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Album review: EMERSON LAKE & PALMER – Fanfare 1970–1997

EMERSON LAKE & PALMER - Fanfare 1970–1997

BMG [Release date 29.09.17] As the world of prog and rock continue to mourn the sad loss of Keith Emerson and Greg Lake, and with Carl Palmer kicking off a tour, we get this mammoth box set that is as overblown … Continue reading

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Album review: COZY POWELL – The Polydor Years

COZY POWELL - The Polydor Years

Caroline International [Release date 25.08.17] Drummer extraordinaire Cozy Powell is one of the biggest hitters in the hard rock word, making his name with Jeff Beck, Rainbow, Whitesnake, MSG, Black Sabbath, and Brian May; just before he died in 1998 … Continue reading

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Album review: BLACK SABBATH – The Ten Year War (Box Set)

BLACK SABBATH – The Ten Year War Box Set

BMG  [Release date 29.09.17] Black Sabbath’s Ozzy-fronted albums have been given a monster remaster and the full luxury box set re-issue treatment. It is quite a piece of work. The package has even had a roadshow of launch events. The … Continue reading

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Album review: THE TUBES – The A&M Albums

THE TUBES - The A&M Albums

In Part 1 (above) of a two-part special, Fee Waybill chats about the formative years of The Tubes. (First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 28 June 2015) Part 2 (above) discusses the band’s progress from the early-1980s to … Continue reading

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Album review: QUARTZ – Against All Odds

Dissonance Often associated with the NWoBHM, Quartz were at the melodic end; a bit like Magnum without the pomp. And before splitting in 1983 they produced some fantastic hard rock (and since their reformation too). The catalogue has been reissued … Continue reading

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