Category Archives: FEATURES

A selection of interviews and longer articles including updated archive material

Feature: Albums that time forgot – IOMMI – Fused (Tony Iommi/Glenn Hughes)

IOMMI - Fused (Tony Iommi/Glenn Hughes)

Sanctuary [2005] In 2005 Tony Iommi and Glenn Hughes collaborated on the album ‘Fused’.  It was Iommi’s second solo album.  The pair had worked together on ‘Seventh Star’ in 1986,  with drummer Kenny Aronoff, and this was originally destined to … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – ELEKTRADRIVE – Living 4

ELEKTRADRIVE - Living 4

Valery Records (2009) Elektradrive is one of the more significant Hard Rock/AOR bands to emerge from Italy. At the very start, in 1983, the name of the band was Overdrive and they had a four-piece line up without keyboards; after … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – JONATHAN TYLER & THE NORTHERN LIGHTS – Pardon Me

JONATHAN TYLER & THE NORTHERN LIGHTS – Pardon Me

F-Stop/Atlantic [2010] I do like a good rummage through the charity and record shops bargain CDs to take a punt on an unknown album based either on the cover, band members/instruments played or song titles (the latter can be a … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – TERRAPLANE – Black And White

Back in the depths of time there was a programme on Channel 4 called No Limits. It was a youth culture show presented by Jonathan King (we will gloss over that one!) and a host of new presenters. It also … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – SARAYA – When The Blackbird Sings

SARAYA - When The Blackbird Sings

Polygram (1991) There was a lot happening at the turn of the eighties and a glut of excellent CDs (and bands) that were destined for obscurity. We’ll feature some in this series, but these were good times for melodic hard … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – CHIMPAN A

Chimpan A (2006)

F2 Music (2006) Chimpan A, released in 2006, was a project featuring Rob Reed (better known for his work in the prog-rock band Magenta), and two members of country rock band The Storys: Rob Thompson (guitar) and Steve Balsamo (vocals). … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – SHADOW KING

Shadow King (1991)

Atlantic (1991) Shadow King was Lou Gramm’s first foray in a band format since his departure from Foreigner in April 1991. The charismatic vocalist had been working on songs with Bruce Turgon for a third solo album and these developed … Continue reading

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Feature: Bands that time forgot… LOVE AND MONEY (James Grant)

Love And Money - 2011

Love And Money formed out of Glasgow-based ‘Friends Again’ in the early eighties and whilst their debut album ‘All You Need is…’ hinted at the funky tunesmithery to come it wasn’t until 1988′s Strange Kind Of Love that the band … Continue reading

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Feature: Bands that time forgot…RIVER CITY PEOPLE

River City People - 1991

River City People consisted of two brothers Tim and Paul Speed (guitars and drums respectively)and Dave Snell (bass) who in 1987 were all studying at Liverpool Polytechnic. Vocalist Siobhan Maher had previously worked with Snell in a band called Peep … Continue reading

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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to NIGHT RANGER

Night Ranger - HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Friday 9 March 2018

Andy Nathan favourites Night Ranger remained a largely USA-based phenomenon until their reformation in the late 1990s.  Their UK gigs from 2011 onwards would make grown men cry… When Night Ranger played their first-ever headline show in England at the … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – GRAND PRIX – Samurai

Chrysalis [1983] Back in 1983 I ventured along to my first gig on my own at the tender age of 14 to see Iron Maiden at the Playhouse in Edinburgh (Friday 13th May to be exact) and what a show … Continue reading

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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to RORY GALLAGHER

Rory Gallagher - Isle of Wight 1970

Rory Gallagher’s legacy has been maintained with a raft of posthumous releases including the more recent ‘Blues’ anthology.  Joe Geesin takes up the story. Irish born blues/rock guitarist/vocalist Rory Gallagher made his name in the 70s and 80s, and is … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – IT BITES – Map Of The Past

IT BITES - Map Of The Past

Inside Out (2012) www.itbites.com The second (and final) album released by the reformed It Bites, that saw John Mitchell (Arena, Kino) take over from Francis Dunnery in fronting the band. John Beck (keyboards) and Bob Dalton (drums) remained from the … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – PRIDE OF LIONS – The Roaring Of Dreams

PRIDE OF LIONS - The Roaring Of Dreams

Frontiers (2007) With his Pride of Lions project, former Survivor keyboardist and songwriter Jim Peterik recreated the glory days of eighties AOR with no concession to 2000′s  musical trends other than updated production values. As a result both their first … Continue reading

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Feature: What GILLAN mean to me

Gillan in 1978

Gillan (the band) made an impression on a young Joe Geesin but he maintained his interest interviewing band members and writing their sleevenotes.  Here he recounts an enduring hard rock and collecting passion. Gillan in 1978 (left to right) Liam … Continue reading

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Feature: What THE MOTORS mean to me

The Motors - 1978

Joe Geesin reveals his first vinyl purchase and a longer term love of the pop rock band The Motors Many will remember the track ‘Airport’, by The Motors, or at least recognise it, a pop track often played on television … Continue reading

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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to DEMON

Demon - 2016

Jason Ritchie highlights the recording history of NWOBHM band Demon Formed in Stoke back in the NWOBHM the band initially lived up to their name with singer Dave Hill rising up from coffins on stage, along with lots of devil references … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – DISTANCE – Under The One Sky

DISTANCE - Under The One Sky

Reprise Records [1989] The Distance were a natural successor to the Power Station who featured legendary producer Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson, both of who were members of Chic. Taking the place on vocals of Robert Palmer was Robert Hart, … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – LENNY KRAVITZ – 5

LENNY KRAVITZ – 5

Virgin [Release date 12.05.98] Lenny Kravitz has always been hard to define; it’s entirely possible to imagine Kravitz in the crowd at Woodstock or strutting down a Parisian catwalk. Despite being effortlessly cool and the very embodiment of old school … Continue reading

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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to WISHBONE ASH

WISHBONE ASH - The Tivoli, Buckley, 3 November 2018

GRTR!’s melodic rock maestro Andy Nathan charts the progress of Wishbone Ash, currently celebrating their 50th anniversary Wishbone Ash may have a criminally low profile in the wider world, but there aren’t many bands that can boast both a history … Continue reading

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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to COZY POWELL

Cozy Powell

Joe Geesin recalls Cozy Powell’s long career, the key albums, and a friendship with one of rock’s finest drummers Colin Flooks, better known as Cozy Powell, was a renowned rock drummer who, like many, lived like he played – hard … Continue reading

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Feature: Call Collect: An introduction to FOCUS

Focus - Hard Rock Hell Prog, Pwllheli, 21-22 March 2014

In their own words, Thijs van Leer and Jan Akkerman discuss the early days of Focus and their wider success…and demise in the late 1970s.  This feature is based on interviews in 1990 for a ‘Record Collector’ article published in … Continue reading

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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to BLUE OYSTER CULT

Blue Oyster Cult

Jason Ritchie picks out some of the key albums from the heavy metal masters Formed from the late 60’s band Soft White Underbelly, Blue Oyster Cult (BOC) are often dubbed ‘the thinking man’s heavy metal band’. But for me they … Continue reading

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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to MAGNUM

Bob Catley - Magnum

David Randall has followed Magnum since the 1990s when they consolidated their earlier successes.  They split in 1995, subsequently re-generating in 2001.  Since that time they have gone from strength to strength,  maintaining a consistency across several albums and touring … Continue reading

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Feature: What NAZARETH mean to me…

Nazareth - STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL Day 1 - Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 25 July 2015

Joe Geesin revisits one of his favourite bands – Nazareth – and discusses the impact they made on his musical interests and signposting their recommended albums. The long enduring Scottish rockers Nazareth have been around since the late 60s (and … Continue reading

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