Category Archives: ALL POSTS

Album review: FALCON TRAILS – Coming Home

Falcon Trails - Coming Home

Metalville Records [Release date 19.07.24] Having a lifelong love of all things VW Campervan, the cover alone was enough to pique this reviewer’s interest! Falcon Trails features vocalist Lee Small (Sweet, Lionheart, Phenomena), composer/lyricist and mutli-instrumentalist Mika Grönholm (who released a couple of … Continue reading

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Gig review: AC/DC – Wembley Stadium, London, 3 July 2024

AC/DC- Wembley Stadium, London, 3 July 2024

Over recent years, AC/DC seem to have transcended our own world of rock’n’ roll to have a wider cultural resonance. Fans range from Prince William who allegedly works out to Thunderstruck’ to Ally McCoist whose wide-eyed ‘is that AC/DC?’ enthusiasm … Continue reading

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Album review : THE GEORGIA THUNDERBOLTS – Rise Above It All

The Georgia Thunderbolts - Rise Above It All

Mascot [Release date : 23.08.24] The Georgia Thunderbolts are an unapologetic retro band with a Southern rock meets early 70’s British blues-rock feel, which will hold wide appeal for heritage rock fans. ‘Rise Above It All’ is a suitably titled … Continue reading

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Album review : THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE – Timescape (2 CDs)

CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE image 150

Brave Words [Release date : 19.07.24] There’s drummers and there’s Chris Slade. Rock royalty. A musician who knows no boundaries. One who fits seamlessly into most any genre. His CV includes 6 years with Asia, 5 years with AC/DC and … Continue reading

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Album review: STEVIE JONES & THE WILDFIRES – Getting There

STEVIE JONES & THE WILDFIRES - Getting There

Website [Release date 16.08.24] Stevie Jones (vocals, acoustic guitar) is joined by the three piece Wildfires – Alfie Dabrowski (guitar), Bob Dabrowski (bass) & Dave Carter (drums) – for album number three under this name. They are joined by special guests … Continue reading

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Album review : UNCLE SLAM – Will Work For Food and When God Dies (2 CD Reissue)

UNCLE SLAM Cover 150

Cherry Red [Release date : 26.07.24] Uncle Slam’s roots grew and blossomed in the fertile ground of Punk and Thrash, California style, in the late 80s, taking shape initially in the form of Suicidal Tendencies. Then splintering off into various … Continue reading

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Album review: TUK SMITH & THE RESTLESS HEARTS – Rogue To Redemption

tuk smith and the restless hearts rogue to redemption

Gypsy Rose Records [Release date 30.08.24] Second album by Tuk Smith & the Restless Hearts, who are fronted by ex-Biters frontman Tuk Smith. Produced by Tuk and mixed by Chris Dugan (Green Day, Iggy Pop, U2), the album was written over the last three years … Continue reading

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Album review: ELLES BAILEY– Beneath The Neon Glow

Elles Bailey-Enjoy The Ride

Cooking Vinyl [Release date 09.08.24] Elles Bailey represents different things to different people. She schooled in roots, rock, blues and Americana. And it’s the latter genre along with her openness to song writing collaborations which gives ‘Beneath The Neon Glow’ … Continue reading

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Gig review: TOWER OF FIRE FESTIVAL – Rebellion, Manchester, 29 June 2024

TOWER OF FIRE FESTIVAL- Rebellion, Manchester, 29 June 2024

Although the UK live scene is thriving, thanks largely to the efforts of the New Wave of Classic Rock movement, those of us with a specific interest in the melodic rock and AOR scene, weaned on the glory years of … Continue reading

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Album review : JOHN MILES – The Albums 1983 – 1993 (3 CDs)

JOHN MILES Boxset image 150

Cherry Red [Release date : 19.07.24] Behind the John Miles’ name and his launchpad hit single ‘Music (Was My First Love)’ in 1976, there lay a musician whose full-on career in music can barely be crammed into a Wikipedia page. … Continue reading

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Album review: KISSIN’ DYNAMITE – Back With A Bang

KISSIN' DYNAMITE - Back With A Bang

Napalm Records [Release date: 05.07.24] German rockers Kissin’ Dynamite have been pounding away since 2006 but their current mission statement is simple: Bring Back Stadium Rock. ‘Back With A Bang’ supports their strategy with a series of hard rock anthems … Continue reading

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Album review : PAUL DI’ANNO’S WARHORSE

PAUL DIANNO cover 150

BraveWords Records [Release date : 19.07.24] The music here serves as a fully realised reminder of the gifts that vocalist Paul Di’Anno has displayed numerous times, originally with Iron Maiden, and then anything he’s been involved with since. Despite (or … Continue reading

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Album review: NEKTAR – Mission To Mars

Nektar - Mission To Mars jpeg

Deko [Release date 30.06.24] And so Nektar are back with another new line-up, but without keyboard player Klaus Henttatch, the last mainstay of the band since the passing of Roye Albighton. Sadly drummer and founder member Ron Howden also passed … Continue reading

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Gig review: SHANIA TWAIN- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, 7 July 2024

SHANIA TWAIN- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, 7 July 2024

Shania Twain being reviewed by a website devoted to rock music? Hear me out for a moment. Her multimillion selling ‘Come On Over’ album changed the relationship between the previously insular world of country and the wider rock and pop … Continue reading

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Album review : NIKOLO KOTZEV – Nostradamus, The Rock Opera – studio album version and Live In Sofia version

NIKOLO KOTZEV Rock Opera image 150

Frontiers [Release date : 19.07.24] Writing and producing Nostradamus, the Rock Opera, was a hugely ambitious undertaking and took its architect, Nikolo (Brazen Abbot) Kotzev, 3 years to complete. Released in 2001, it sold 50,000 worldwide. A significant achievement for … Continue reading

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Album review : CAN’T SEEM TO COME DOWN – The American Sounds of 1968

AMERICAN SOUNDS 1968 150

Cherry Red [Release date : 19.07.24] In 1968, the comedown from 1967’s “Summer Of Love” quickly dissipated, leading directly into a year of inventive, eclectic rock music, often groundbreaking, frequently influential. That’s reflected in the 3 CDs of Cherry Red/Grapefruit’s … Continue reading

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Interview: ROB LAMOTHE

Rob Lamothe

Singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Rob Lamothe rose to fame as the lead vocalist for the Los Angeles rock band Riverdogs. His soul-stirring debut solo album, ‘Gravity’ (1996), introduced an introspective side to his songwriting, exploring the human experience and … Continue reading

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Gig review: SCORPIONS – Wembley Arena, London, 8 June 2024

SCORPIONS- Wembley Arena, London, 8 June 2024

As one of my all time favourite bands, and one whose commercial breakthrough came earlier in this country than most, it has been a disappointment that we have not seen more of the Scorpions in recent years. Presumably on the … Continue reading

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Album review: DAVID BOWIE – David Bowie

David Bowie

Deram [Release date 26.07.24] The late David Bowie had a long, successful and influential career, and most will (or should) be familiar with the bulk of his catalogue. Finally finding his ‘sound’, a groove, at the turn of the 70s, … Continue reading

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Album review : PALACE – Reckless Heart

PALACE Reckless cover 150

Frontiers [Release date : 12.07.24] Michael Palace has long since proved that his classy debut, Master Of The Universe, was too good to be a fluke. On Reckless Heart, his fifth album, he continues to display his considerable gifts as … Continue reading

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Album review : MR. BIG – Ten

MrBig Ten image 150

Frontiers [Release date: 12.07.24] Holding the world in their hands, Mr Big say goodbye to the late Pat Torpey, the band’s drummer, who lost his battle with Parkinson’s disease in 2018. And after 35 years of flying highs and way … Continue reading

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EP review: RANCID EP

Rancid

Rancid – EP by Rancid | Spotify Emerging from the blue-collar swamps of Berkeley, California, Rancid has now been a living, breathing punk rock band for over a quarter century. Back in 1991, after the demise of their much beloved … Continue reading

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News: TWISTED SISTER, ULTRAVOX, JESSICA LYNN (July 2024)

MR. BIG- Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 23 March 2024

Accept will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2025-2026 with a “unique anniversary tour” planned for the end of 2025. An anniversary album will be released early 2026. Avantasia return with their latest album ‘Here Be Dragons’ due for release early … Continue reading

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Single review : DUST RADIO – Tupelo

Dust Radio - Tupelo

Bandcamp [Release date 18.06.24] ‘Tupelo’ is a down-home tale of drifters and grifters in the Deep South. It’s a digital equivalent of an old school 45 rpm single, in which the musical feel and narrative creep up on you like … Continue reading

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Album review: ORDEN OGAN – The Order of Fear

Orden Ogan - Order of Fear

Reigning Pheonix Music [Release date 05.07.24] Album number eight by the power metal veterans Orden Ogan (well, they have been around since 1997 under the Orden Ogan name!) and their first for their new record label, Reigning Phoenix Music. Mainman Sebastian “Seeb” … Continue reading

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