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Category Archives: BOOK REVIEWS
Book review: MARTIN BARRE – A Trick Of Memory
David Randall chatted to Martin Barre at the start of his UK tour dates in November 2025. This hour special includes tracks from several albums including Tull and Alan Simon’s ‘Excalibur’ project McNidder & Grace [Publication date 06.11.25] “The music … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged A Trick Of Memory, autobiography, book, classic rock, guitar, guitarist, Jethro Tull, Martin Barre, Progressive Rock, review
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Book review: DEREK SHULMAN – Giant Steps
Jawbone Press [Publication date 07.10.25] Let’s be clear. This is an essential book for Gentle Giant fans, another wallet siphon on the back of the recent revamped live set. For those, like this reviewer, who are just as interested in … Continue reading
Book review: On track…ANTHONY PHILLIPS 1977-1990 by Alan Draper
Anthony Phillips chatted to David Randall about his career in March 2015. First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio where he is a Featured Artist. Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 25.04.25] When this new “On track…” tome landed at GRTR! … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged Anthony Phillips, Anthony Phillips 1977-1990, book, Genesis, guitar, instrumental, new age, On Track, Progressive Rock, review, rock
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Book review: Richard Houghton – LED ZEPPELIN – Whole Lotta Love – A People’s History
Spenwood Books [Publication Date: 01.12.24] We’ve all heard or read about the history of one of the greatest rock bands to bestride the world through film, television and a number of mighty tomes over the years. From “Hammer Of The … Continue reading
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Tagged A People's History, book, Led Zeppelin, review, Richard Houghton, rock music, Whole Lotta Love
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Book review: HOGGIN’ THE PAGE – Groundhogs The Classic Years by Martyn Hanson
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 07.02.25] Sonicbond have been well featured at GRTR! with their “On track…” and “Decades” imprints amongst a plethora of publications since 2018. The publisher has now taken to resurrecting books out of print or giving these … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged blues, blues rock, classic rock, Groundhogs The Classic Years, history, Hoggin' The Page, Tony McPhee
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Book review: On track… DAVID BOWIE, GERRY RAFFERTY, TALKING HEADS, THE BEATLES, DEEP PURPLE
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication dates Feb.-Mar. 2025] The On track… series continues and the first of 2025 includes David Bowie 1983-2016, the perfect complement to the earlier tome covering 1964-1982. This time Don Klees reflects the genre-changing nature of Bowie, especially … Continue reading
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Tagged book, classic rock, David Bowie, Deep Purple, Gerry Rafferty, On Track, Porcupine Tree, review, Talking Heads, The Beatles
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Book review: On track…SPARKS, ROXY MUSIC, DAVID BOWIE
On Track…Sparks 1969-1979 by Chris Sutton (Sonicbond Publishing. 2024) Chris Sutton has penned a few titles previously for SonicBond including a couple on Alice Cooper and an AC/DC one. Unlike some titles in the series this Sparks one features interviews … Continue reading
Book review: THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE ROCK SOUND SYSTEMS, VOLUME 4 by Chris Hewitt
Dandelion Books [Publication date 23.10.24] You might imagine that this being Volume 4 of ‘The Development of Large Rock Sound Systems’, that there would be a natural chronology at play. Not so, for having dealt with the history of the … Continue reading
Book review: GET YER ‘AIR CUT by Alan Clayson
Oldcastle Books [Publication date 17.09.24] They say you should always try and start a book with a bang, or at least a significant event. Alan Clayson’s ‘Get Yer Air Cut’ most certainly does that, opening with a 15 year old’s … Continue reading
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Tagged Ace Keffor, Alan Clayson, Black Sabbath, book, Dave Berry, Dick Taylor, Frank Zappa, Get Yer 'Air Cut, Jim Simpson, John Lennon, Lennart Wrigholm, Mick Pini, Phil May, PJ Proby, review, Screaming Lord Such, The Beatles, The Move, The Pretty Things, The Rolling Stones, The Walker Brothers
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Book review: DANCE WITH THE DEVIL – The Cozy Powell Story by Laura Shenton
Wymer Publishing Drummer Cozy Powell, famed for his work with Jeff Beck, Rainbow, MSG, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath and Bian May, has a CV longer than most could ever wish for, with success and obscure sessions and a family tree that’ll … Continue reading
Book review: Rock Classics – MEAT LOAF – BAT OUT OF HELL by Geoffrey Feakes
Sonicbond Publishing (Publication date: 26.04.24) Having issued numerous tomes in their two series of ‘On Track’ song by song analysis, and looking at a band in a particular decade, Sonicbond take this to a fresh level of detail with a … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged Bat Out Of Hell, book, Geoffrey Feakes, Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf
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Book review: REMEMBERING LIVE AID by Andrew Wild
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 30.08.24] Although the fortieth(!) anniversary of Live Aid is next July, this book by Andrew Wild gets in early on any anniversary events/books and is a great way to jog the memories of those who were … Continue reading
Book review: ULTRAVOX – Every Album, Every Song by Brian J Robb
SonicBond Publishing [Publication date: 26.07.24] Ultravox had 17 UK top 40 singles between 1981 and 1984, yet never had a number one single. ‘Vienna’ was famously kept of the top spot by Joe Dolce’s ‘Shaddap You Face’ (a song that … Continue reading
Book review: On track…THE DIVINE COMEDY by Alan Draper
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 29.02.24] At end of the 1980s Neil Hannon formed his first line-up of The Divine Comedy. In 1989, he signed a deal with independent label, Setanta Records, which led to The Divine Comedy becoming the label’s … Continue reading
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Tagged Alan Draper, alt pop, book, indie, indie pop, Neil Hannon, On Track...THE DIVINE COMEDY, pop, review, rock, The Duckworth Lewis Method, Thomas Walsh
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Book review: On track…OASIS, NEIL YOUNG, AC/DC, PROCOL HARUM (every album, every song)
Sonicbond Publishing www.sonicbondpublishing.com [Publication dates 26.01.24*, 29.02.24**, 05.04.24***, 10.05.24****] The wide spread of the On Track… series is confirmed by Paul Tornbohm’s dissection of Carpenters*. Surveying the pop duo’s output from 1969, Tornbohm approaches his task from the viewpoint of a … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged AC/DC, book, Brit Pop, Carpenters, classic rock, hard rock, INXS, Neil Young, Oasis, On Track, pop, pop rock, Procol Harum, review
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Book review: On track…MAGNUM – every album, every song – by Matthew Taylor
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 26.04.24] The merits of these “On track…” books lie in the authors’ comprehensive trawling of sources as much as subjective opinion. Matthew Taylor’s expose of Magnum drives a balance between the two. He has used a … Continue reading
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Tagged Bob Catley, book, hard rock, Magnum, Mark Stanway, melodic rock, On Track, review, Tony Clarkin
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Book review: On track…THE POLICE – Every Album, Every Song by Peter Braidis
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 12.04.24] Forming when punk was starting to become a force, The Police – drummer Stuart Copeland, vocalist/bassist Sting and guitarist Andy Summers – released five albums between 1978 and 1983, coupled with a succession of hit … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged Andy Summers, book, classic pop, classic rock, Every Song, Peter Braidis, pop, reggae, review, rock, Sting, Stuart Copeland, The Police On Track: Every Album
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Book review: Hello Tolworth, I’m Ziggy by Tim Harrison
Good Life Publishing [Publication date:17.09.21] ‘Hello Tolworth, I’m Ziggy, The life And times of the Toby Jug pub – And The Launch of David Bowie’s Most Famous Character’ is a meticulously researched book that is at its best when covering … Continue reading
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Tagged and the launch of David Bowie's most famous character, book, Chicken Shack, David Bowie, Edgar Broughton, Family, Fleetwood Mac, Free, Gary Brewer, Hello Tolworth, I'm Ziggy: The life and times of the Toby Jug pub, Jethro Tull, JOE COCKER, Led Zeppelin, Little Sister, review, SavoyBrown, Stray, TASTE, Ten Years After, The Groundhogs, The Toby Jug, The Yardbirds, Tim Harrison
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Book review: On track…THE BEAT, DEPECHE MODE
On Track…The Beat, General Public & Fine Young Cannibals by Steve Parry Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 30.06.23] A fascinating read into how the Beat led to the creation of General Public (who many may ask and they once supported Queen!) … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged 80's pop, alternative, books, Depeche Mode, electronica, Fine Young Cannibals, General Public, On Track, pop, review, rock, synth pop, The Beat
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Book review: On track … BOB DYLAN, HAWKWIND, YES, LOU REED, THE JAM (Sonicbond Publishing)
“For the fan a chance to revisit songs and albums and for newcomers a roadmap to hopefully enhance their listening habits. Of course in an age of renewed vinyl interest these books may be the perfect complement.” We catch up … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged blues rock, Bob Dylan, book, folk, Hawkwind, Humble Pie, Linda Ronstadt, Lou Reed, Progressive Rock, Ralph McTell, review, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, singer songwriter, Sonicbond, Suzanne Vega, The Byrds, The Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins, Yes
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Book review: Decades – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND in the 1970s by John Van der Kiste
SonicBond Publishing [Publication date: 27.01.23] After seeing the Earth Band live this Summer and being very pleasantly surprised, I found this book in my pile of review material and so I’m following up that excellent gig in Budapest with a … Continue reading
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Tagged 1970's, book, Manfred Mann, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, prog, review, Sonicbond
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Book review: ON TRACK… REO Speedwagon- every album, every song by James Romag
Sonic Bond Publishing (Release Date 28.04.23) The ever growing On Track series is now spreading its wings to bands with at best cult status in the UK, in this case REO Speedwagon who, despite three big power ballad hits in … Continue reading
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Tagged AOR, book, melodic rock, On Track, REO Speedwagon, Sonic Bond
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Book review: SLADE in the 1970s (Decades) by Darren Johnson
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 26.05.23] Slade were one of the biggest British bands of the 1970s, three UK number one albums (and one in Australia), six number one singles in the UK and Irish charts, numerous top 10 hit singles and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, Classic Albums, classic rock, Darren Johnson, Dave Hill, Don Powell, glam, glam rock, hard rock, Jim Lea, Noddy Holder, review, rock, Slade, Slade in the 1970s (Decades), Sonicbound Publishing
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Book Review: DEFINITELY: THE OFFICIAL STORY OF DEF LEPPARD
Genesis Publishing [Release Date 09.05.23] Def Leppard’s profile is as high now as at any time since their eighties heyday. The Stadium tour travelled America and has hit the UK this summer, ‘Diamond Star Halos’ was released to general acclaim … Continue reading
Book review: On Track….EAGLES- every album, every song by John Van der Kiste
SonicBond publishing (Publication date 03.03.23) For the latest in the ‘On Track’ series John Van Der Kiste has the unenviable task of saying something fresh about one of the best selling artists of all time, whose story has already been … Continue reading
