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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2025
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2026)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Latest Album Reviews
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Album review: SPOCK’S BEARD – The Archaeoptimist
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Album review: ROSS HARDING – The Blood and the Blues
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Album review: PETE KOSANOVICH – Beauty Within You
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Album review : ROB MORATTI – Sovereign
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Album review : BRAZEN ABBOT – Live And Learn and Guilty As Sin (CD reissues)
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Album review : GRAHAM BONNET – Lost In Hollywood Again (Live)
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Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: STEVE OVERLAND AND JIM KIRKPATRICK- The Weir, Brentford, Middlesex, 9 December 2025
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Gig review: JOHN OTWAY – Face Bar, Reading, Thursday 11 December 2025
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Gig review: CURVED AIR – The Sub Rooms, Stroud, 20 November 2025
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Gig review: MARTIN BARRE & FRIENDS – Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 18 November 2025
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GRTR! Greats
Featured Album Reviews
Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Category Archives: ALL POSTS
Album review: SAVATAGE – Sirens and Dungeons Are Calling (remasters)
ear-MUSIC [release date 3.09.21] We’re cranking the machine way back to 1982, and Savatage’s twin debuts, Sirens and Dungeons Are Calling, both independently released. The band, Jon and Criss Oliva, Keith Collins and Steve Wacholz recorded and mixed all the … Continue reading
Album review: INGLORIOUS- Heroine
Frontiers Records (Release Date 10.09.21) In the seventies it was not uncommon for bands to release two albums a year but it is virtually unheard of these days. So I was surprised when I learned that a little over six … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Covers, Inglorious, melodic rock, Nathan James
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Album review: LEAVES EYES – The Last Viking, Midsummer Version
AFM Records [release date: 17.09.21] Leaves Eyes’ latest release, The Last Viking, Midsummer Version, is a multi media concept album, a high impact audiovisual story. The “Last Viking” was Harald III of Norway, known as Harald Hardrada (Harald the Hard … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 1066, AFM Records, album, Audiovisual, Celtic, DVD, England, folk metal, Harold Hardrada, Norway, review, symphonic rock, YouTube
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Feature: Albums that time forgot…THE STORM (Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory, Steve Smith)
Interscope/Atlantic 1991 The Storm is very much a case of “what we did in our down time”. With Journey on hiatus in the late eighties Neal Schon formed Bad English then Hardline (debut album Double Eclipse in 1992) whilst Journey … Continue reading
Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES
Tagged album, AOR, feature, Gregg Rolie, Josh Ramos, Journey, Kevin Chalfant, melodic rock, review, Ross Valory, Steve Smith, the Storm
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Album review: BONNIE TYLER – The East West Years 1995-98 (3 CDs)
Cherry Red [release date: 17.09.21] Bonnie Tyler’s two most famous songs, ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’ (1983) and ‘It’s A Heartache’ (1977) are among the best selling singles of all time, with combined sales of over 12 million. She’s enjoyed … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Alan Parsons, album, Andy Hill, Bonnie Tyler, Chris Thompson, David Foster, Eric Troey, Frankie Miller, Franz Gruber, Glen Burtnik, Harold Faltermyer, Jim Steinman. Humberto Gattica, Jimmy Smyth, Kasim Sulton, pop, review, rock
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Album review: IRON MAIDEN – Senjutsu
Parlophone [Release date 03.09.21] It’s been almost 6 years since Iron Maiden released Book Of Souls to an eagerly waiting world. For me it was one of the most disappointing releases of the band’s career, over long, plodding and ultimately boring, not a … Continue reading
EP review: MUDDIBROOKE – Luncay
Self-release [Release date 22.10.21] ‘Lunacy’ is the debut EP from Derby based alt rockers MuddiBrooke who formed in January 2020. They have previously released two singles and music videos which have seen them receive airplay on Kerrang! Radio and earn … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged alt rock, EP, grunge, Lunacy, MuddiBrooke, review, rock
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Album review: GUS G – Quantum Leap
AFM Records [Release date 08.10.21] When I interviewed Gus G back stage in Manchester in 2012 all the talk was how he had fared with Ozzy. He contributed to the album ‘Scream’ (2010) and there were high hopes of a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Firewind, guitar, guitarist, Gus G, instrumental, metal, Quantum Leap, review
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Album review: EDGE OF PARADISE – The Unknown
Frontiers Music [Release date 17.09.21] Edge Of Paradise is a duo made up of Armenian/ Russian/ American singer, “the female Robin McAuley”, Margarita Monet, and American guitarist and songwriter, Dave Bates. The Unknown is their fourth album, and second on … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Dave Bates, Edge Of Paradise, Frontiers, Howard Benson, Margarita Monet, Mike Plotnikoff, review, Symphonic Rock Metal, Unknown
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EP review: JESSICA LYNN – Reimagined
www.jessicalynnmusic.org/music [Release date 17.09.21] This new four song EP from Jessica Lynn is influenced by her weekly livestreams during the pandemic. “Since the pandemic started,” Jessica reflects, “I have been performing piano livestreams every week, where my fans have challenged … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged acoustic, country, EP, Jessica Lynn, melodic, pop, Reimagined, review, singer songwriter
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Album review: NEWMAN – Into The Monsters’ Playground
AOR Heaven (Release date 10.09.21) For a remarkable near quarter of a century Steve Newman has turned out a series of finely crafted albums. He never remotely hinted at the big time, but as compensation his name enjoys almost universal … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, melodic rock, NEWMAN, Steve Newman
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Album review: IAN PARRY’s ROCK EMPORIUM – Brute Force
Metal Mind [release date 14.07.21] Singer/songwriter, Ian Parry has always been master of his own destiny, moving from project to project and label to label over the course of his 30 year career. He counts Hammerhead, Elegy, Ayreon and Vengeance … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Allan Sorensen, Ayreon, Elegy, Hammerhead, Ian Parry, Kris Gildenlow, Lucas Sillito, Metal Mind, Neo Classical, Patrick Johansen, Patrick Rondat, review, Rock Emporium, symphonic metal, Vengeance
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Album review: PETER H NILSSON – Sign Of Myself
AOR Heaven [Release date 10.09.21] Peter H Nilsson’s debut ‘Little American Dream’ was a very enjoyable AOR/ West Coast listen and still played regularly by this reviewer. The good news is that this follow-up album sees Nilsson still teamed up … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Chris Biano, melodic rock, Peter H Nilsson, review, Sign Of Myself, singer songwriter
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Book review: BOBBY RUSH with Herb Powell – I Ain’t Studdin Ya: My American Blues Story
Hachette Books [Publication date 15.07.21] Grammy award winner Emmett Ellis Jnr aka Bobby Rush’s ‘I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya: My American Blues Story’ is easily one of the best musical biographies of the year. It’s the life and time of a … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged 'I Ain't Studdin ya: My American Blues Story, Alan Freed, BB King, Big Joe Turner, biography, Bobby Rush, book, Chess Records, Chitlin Cicuit, Chuck Berry, comedy, drums, fats Domino, guitar, harp, Herb Powell, Little Richard, Little Walter, Luther Allison, Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, review, Rufus Thomas, Sonny Boy Williamson
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Album review: BRIAN SETZER – Gotta Have The Rumble
Surfdog Records [Release date 27.08.21] The 70’s and 80’s were a glorious time for music. Whilst that may smack of rose-tinted spectacles and the purposeful forgetting of several horrific ‘novelty’ records that came out in those decades, few can argue … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Album review: THE PETAL FALLS – All These Years
[Release date 03.09.21] Just about a year ago I reviewed this band’s debut album, ‘Workin All Night, Workin All Day’ and I was literally blown away. I knew then that this band had reach and would appeal to a broader … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, All These Years, AOR, Keith Leahy, melodic rock. rock, review, the Petal Falls
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Album review: BRAINSTORM – Wall Of Skulls
AFM Records [release date 17.09.21] Judging by this new release, Brainstorm turned the pandemic related lockdown to good advantage, in writing and recording Wall Of Skulls. It’s no more than an incremental step up from last album, Midnight Ghost, but … Continue reading
Gig review: STONEDEAD FESTIVAL – Showground, Newark – 28th August 2021
“It was quite simply great for everyone – bands and fans alike - to be back in the groove doing what they love, and the set up was as a good festival should be…” Stonedead Festival was set up by genuine music fans who wanted to recapture some of the spirit of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 28th August 2021, Absolva, Black Star Riders, Blaze Bayley, Cats In Space, Dead Mans Whisky, festival, Giraffe, Gun, HEAT, inflatable, Kris Barras, Krusher, Massive Wagons, metal, Myke Gray, Newark, rock, showground, Stonedead, Stonedeaf, Stop Stop Stop, Terrorvision, The Hot Damn, Uriah Heep, Wayward Sons
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Gig review: CONNOR SELBY BAND- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 26 August 2021
Essex-based Connor Selby is a name to watch in the blues world: he was awarded young artist of the year two years running in the UK blues awards, and even came to the attention of the Who’s management and opened … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged blues, blues rock, Connor Selby, gig, guitarist, Joe Anderton, Steve Watts
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Album review: GAMMA RAY – 30 Years Live Anniversary
Ear Music/Edel [Release date 10.09.21] In 2020, it looked like this could become the new normal. A live gig without an audience. Kai Hansen’s Gamma Ray know what it is to play live…they’ve been doing it for 30 years. It becomes … Continue reading
Album review: THE LIVESAYS – Not What I Bargained For
www.thelivesaysmusic.com [Release date 03.09.21] The Livesays – singer/songwriter/guitarist Billy Livesay, drummer Howard Goldberg, bassist Jorge Laplume, Victor “Cuqui” Berrios on Hammond B-3 organ, Tim Murphy on piano – are back with their second album in two years. During the pandemic … Continue reading
Album review: OVERKILL – The Atlantic Years 1986-1994
BMG [Release date 29.10.21] New Jersey band Overkill, named after the Motorhead album/song, formed in 1980 and were part of the early US thrash scene. Nineteen studio albums, three live and three EPs later, there’s quite a legacy there. There … Continue reading
EP review: THE MANGOES – Pale Blue Dot
www.themangoesband.com [Release date 19.07.21] The Mangoes are a pop-rock duo formed by Tim Morse (vocals, keys) and Bret Bingham (lead vocals, guitarist, bass, keys, drum samples) in 2014 and conceived as a song writing collective. This new EP is as … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Beatles, EP, melodic, Pale Blue Dot, pop, progressive, review, rock, Styx, the Mangoes
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Album review: AL ROSS & THE PLANETS – Blue Crystal
Wienerworld Music [Release date 10.09.21] Al Ross & The Planets’ “stylistically diverse” (it sez ere) second album, Blue Crystal, had a difficult birth. As well as being handicapped by the pandemic’s side effects of lockdown and quarantine, this international band … Continue reading
Quick plays: JACK RUSSELL’S GREAT WHITE, LEGENDS PLAY THE BEATLES, ACROSS THE SEA
JACK RUSSELL’s GREAT WHITE Great Zeppelin II Deadline Music/Cleopatra [Release date 13.08.21] There can be few reasons for revisiting Zeppelin back catalogue unless you can bring something new to the party. And, in truth, something more radical and it might … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged Across The Sea, Air Supply, album, Andrew Gold, Ann Wilson, classic rock, concept album, Glenn Hughes, Great White, Great Zeppelin II, Howard Jones, Jack Bruce, Jack Russell, John Wetton, Judy Collins, Led Zeppelin, Legends Play The Beatles, Molly Hatchet, prog rock, review, space rock, Steve Morse
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