Tag Archives: AOR

DVD review: JOURNEY – Live In Manila

JOURNEY - Live In Manila

Eagle Vision [Release date 09.09.16] Back in 2009, when this gig was filmed, vocalist Arnel Pineda was still very much the new boy.  Recorded in Pinel’s hometown of Manila in the Phillipines the sound and visual quality is excellent and … Continue reading

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Album review: CRY OF DAWN featuring Goran Edman- Cry of Dawn

(Release Date 23.09.16) In melodic rock circles, the name of Goran Edman is spoken of in hushed terms as one of the genre’s top vocalists, in a long career ranging from singing with John Norum and Yngwie Malmsteen to gracing … Continue reading

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Quick plays: FOREST FIELD, CTP (Christian Tolle Project)

FOREST FIELD - Lonely Desert

FOREST FIELD Lonely Desert Rock Company [Release date 21.10.16] Thankfully this time the band have an album cover more suited to their prog rock leanings than last year’s ‘Angels’ cover. The band is focused around Peter Cox who wrote all … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE TUBES – Club Academy, Manchester, 8 October 2016

THE TUBES - Club Academy, Manchester, 8 October 2016

Interview/news item We’re being spoilt.  Legendary San Francisco shock rockers The Tubes don’t play a gig in the UK for over 10 years and then we get two tours almost within the space of a year.  If the Mondo Pulp … Continue reading

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Gig review: MITCH MALLOY – Camden Underworld, 18 September 2016

MITCH MALLOY - Camden Underworld, 18 September 2016

Ever since the release of his classic self-titled debut in 1992, chock full of memorable anthems and heartfelt ballads, Mitch Malloy has been one of AOR and melodic rock’s cult figures. However despite several appearances at Firefest it has been … Continue reading

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Album review: MECCA – III

MelodicRock Records [Release date 14.10.16] It seems ages since the last Mecca album came  out, ‘Undeniable’, although in fact it came out in 2011 and not that long in some bands eyes. However, this third album has been recorded over … Continue reading

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DVD review: TOTO- Live At Montreux 1991

TOTO- Live at Montreux 1991

Eagle Vision [Release Date 16.09.16] Few bands can have had such a revolving cast of musicians, many joining and rejoining, as Toto, which makes the history of the AOR giants such a fascinating one. One interesting period of their career … Continue reading

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Gig review: KIP WINGER – The Borderline, London, 17 September 2016

KIP WINGER- The Borderline, London, 17 September 2016

Kip Winger’s acoustic shows at the Borderline, now billed as the 5th Annual Evening with Kip Winger, have become legendary events, not just from an ever growing number of diehard fans, but from the artist himself, who bounded on stage … Continue reading

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Album review: ANGELS OR KINGS – Go Ask The Moon!

AOR Heaven [Release date 30.10.16] Angels Or Kings started out back in the 1980′s but it wasn’t until 2014 when the band got back together that they actually got to finally release their debut album. That was a corker, chock … Continue reading

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Album review: PALACE- Master of the Universe

PALACE- Master of the Universe

Frontiers  [Release Date 26.08.16] No relation (sadly) to the footballing pride of South London, Palace is the eponymous project of poodle-haired Swedish singer Michael. I remember his band Big Time showing promise when they supported Houston in London in 2014, … Continue reading

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Quick plays: CHANGE OF HEART, THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE

CHANGE OF HEART - Last Tiger

CHANGE OF HEART – Last Tiger Escape Music [Release date 22.07.16] Change Of Heart first appeared back in 1998 and released their last album way back in 2005 ‘Truth Or Dare’. They are back with their polished Brit AOR/melodic rock … Continue reading

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EP review: THE ANN WILSON THING – Focus

THE ANN WILSON THING - Focus

Rounder Records [Release date 12.08.16] Essentially Heart minus Nancy Wilson, The Ann Wilson Thing is a vehicle for Ann to ‘give it large’ without her younger sibling by her side. The band’s second EP features two cover live covers – … Continue reading

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Quick plays: TRICK OR TREAT, DANTE FOX, DIMH, DIVAN

TRICK OR TREAT Rabbit

TRICK OR TREAT Rabbit’s Hill Pt. 2 Frontiers [Release date 08.07.16] A concept album from a power/melodic metal band (who used to be a Helloween covers act) based on Richard Adams’ classic novel ‘Watership Down’. What could possibly go wrong?! Nothing … Continue reading

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Album review: CORNERSTONE – Reflections

CORNERSTONE - Reflections

Atom Records [Release date 29.07.16] One of the most extensive PR packs that I’ve seen accompanies this release – it looks more like an upmarket property purchase pack than a band/album synopsis.  Although listings for the last three years of … Continue reading

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Album review: GUNHILL – Nightheat/One Over The Eight (John Lawton)

GUNHILL - Nightheat/One Over The Eight

In 2012 David Randall interviewed John Lawton for an hour-long special on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.  In this exclusive edit he chats about the band Gunhill.  (2:36) JLB Media/Gunhill [Release date 08.07.16] Gunhill is the missing link in the … Continue reading

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Album review: CULVER KINGZ – This Time

CULVER KINGZ - This Time

Escape Music [Release date 24.06.16] Culver Kingz maybe a new name, however the ideas for the musical pairing started back in 1983 when Michael Thompson and Billy Trudel planned a band called Slang. Sadly this never came to fruition and … Continue reading

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Album review: HEART – Beautiful Broken

HEART - Beautiful Broken

UMC [Release date 08.07.16] Heart’s sixteenth studio album is their first since Fanatic (2012) and finds the Wilson sisters serving up a mix of old, new, and borrowed material with Metallica’s James Hetfield duetting with Ann Wilson on the title … Continue reading

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Album review: FIRST SIGNAL- One Step Over The Line

FIRST SIGNAL- One Step Over The Line

Frontiers Records [Release Date 03.06.16] Even by the standards of the production line mentality that bedevils the melodic rock genre,  First Signal’s second album may appear to risk a lack of cohesion. The one survivor from the team that created … Continue reading

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Gig review: HEART – O2 Apollo, Manchester – 30 June 2016

HEART - O2 Apollo, Manchester - 30 June 2016

In 2014 GRTR!’s David Randall chatted to Ann Wilson about her influences and Heart (First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 23 March 2014) One of the the main trends in the topsy-turvy music industry in the past 10 … Continue reading

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Album review: PUNKY MEADOWS – Fallen Angel

Escape Music [Release date 20.05.16] I will admit from the start I have never really been a big fan of 70′s pomp rockers Angel. I have tried many times to get into their music as I love pomp rock, but … Continue reading

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Album review: PARIS- The World Outside

(Release Date 01.07.16) France is not best known as a hotbed of melodic rock, but singer/keyboardist Frederic Dechevanne and guitarist Sebastien Montet and their band named after the French capital represent one of the the best attempts yet from a … Continue reading

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Album review: DARE – Sacred Ground

DARE - Sacred Ground

Legend Records [Release date 15.07.16] Dare return with their first all new album since 2009′s ‘Arc Of The Dawn’ – although we did have ‘Calm Before The Storm 2′ in 2012 which was a re-recording/revamp of the 1998 album of … Continue reading

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Album review: TED POLEY- Beyond The Fade

TED POLEY- Beyond The Fade

Frontiers [Release date 13.05.16] A matter of weeks after some erstwhile bandmates produced one of the albums of the year with the Defiants, Danger Danger singer Ted Poley responds with his own latest solo album. A solo album is usually … Continue reading

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Gig review: VEGA – Islington Academy, London, 30 May 2016

VEGA - Islington Academy, London, 30 May 2016

Midway through a successful tour supporting Magnum, UK melodic rock hopefuls Vega slipped in a headline show of their own at the smaller of Islington Academy’s two halls. Judging from easily the biggest crowd for a headline London show yet, … Continue reading

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Gig review: DAUGHTRY – Hammersmith Apollo, London, 27 May 2016

DAUGHTRY - Hammersmith Apollo, London, 27 May 2016

Proving that it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good, even the music destroying reality TV shows can throw up genuine stars from time to time. One such was American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry, who burst onto the scene … Continue reading

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