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Tag Archives: AOR
Album review: KHYMERA- The Grand Design

Frontiers Records (Release Date 04.12.15) Khymera have now released four albums under a variety of line ups. I must admit the only one I bought was their 2003 debut which had the ‘production line’ trademarks of too many melodic rock … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AOR, Dennis Ward, Erik Ragno, Frontiers Records, Khymera, melodic rock
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Album review: BLOOD RED SAINTS- S/T

Frontiers Records (Release Date 4.12.15) One of 2014’s unexpected surprises in the world of melodic rock was a very impressive debut by Brits In Faith, unleashing a real vocal find in Pete Godfrey. They seem to have had a short … Continue reading
News: Melodic rockers FM top popular poll for top rock album of 2015

FM and Vintage Trouble scoop popular poll In the Get Ready to ROCK! end of year popular poll melodic rockers FM were voted top album with ‘Heroes And Villains’ whilst readers and listeners confirmed the reviewers rating by making Vintage … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, The Best Of 2015
Tagged album, AOR, Best of 2015, FM, live act, melodic rock, poll, rock, Vintage Trouble, vote
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Album review: WIGELIUS – Tabula Rasa

AOR Heaven [Release date 29.01.16] New rock music out of Sweden is getting more prolific than a Joe Bonamassa release – like a long-running TV soap opera, sometimes it’s great and mostly it’s annoying. But fair’s fair, open mind and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, AOR Heaven, Journey, melodic rock, review, Tabula Rasa, Wigelius
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Album review: GRAND SLAM – A New Dawn

AOR Heaven [Release date 29.01.16] Next up – guess what….a melodic, AOR release out of Sweden ! If I didn’t get a free promo copy from the record label, this would undoubtedly be on my annual wish-list to the North … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged A New Dawn, album, AOR, AOR Heaven, Grand Slam, melodic, review
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Gig review: FM/Vega – Guildhall, Gloucester, 7 November 2015

A Saturday night gig with two of the best melodic rock bands in the country, a two hour drive away but totally worth it. A four date trot around the country playing in some venues that you don’t often hear … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 7 November 2015, AOR, FM, gig, Gloucester, Guildhall, melodic rock, review, Steve Overland, Vega
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Gig review: ROCKINGHAM FESTIVAL – Rock City, Nottingham, 23-25 October 2015

Ten great years of melodic rock festivals at Nottingham’s Rock City seemed to have come to an emotional end with the final ever Firefest last year. However just 12 months on with the Rock City organisation having taken on the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 23-25 October 2015, Ammunition, AOR, Care of Night, Cinderella, Dan Reed Network, Dokken, Eclipse, Electric Boys, festival, gig, Giuffria, Gotthard, Issa, Jim Peterik, Last Autumn’s Dream, melodic rock, No Hot Ashes, Nottingham, review, Robby Valentine, Robert Tepper, Rock City, Rockingham, Romeo's Daughter, Royal Hunt, Santa Cruz, Serpentine, STAN BUSH, Survivor, TOM KEIFER, Vega
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Quick plays: FEROCIOUS DOG, FRANKIE LEE, EQUATOR, SAFFIRE

FEROCIOUS DOG From Without www.ferociousdog.co.uk Well with a name like Ferocious Dog they are not going to be a lounge jazz act that’s for sure! They are a six piece folk punk rock band from Nottingham and this is their … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Ameircana, American Dreamer, AOR, Equator, Ferocious Dog, folk, Frankie Lee, From Without, melodic rock, punk, review, rock, Saffire, Skintasia
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Album review: SAGA – Generation 13/Steel Umbrellas (Reissues)

earMUSIC [Release date 27.11.15] Released originally back in 1995, Generation 13 is a concept album based on a storyline by Jim Crichton inspired in part by the book ’13 GEN abort retry ignore fail’ by Neil Howe and Bill Straus. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, AOR, Generation 13, Ian Crichton, Michael Sadler, progressive, reissue, review, rock, Saga, Steel Umbrellas
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Album review: CHAMPLIN, WILLIAMS, FRIESTEDT – CWF

AOR Heaven [Release date 26.10.15] CWF is a West Coast AOR supergroup teaming up Toto’s Joseph Williams with former Chicago vocalist Bill Champlin and guitarist/producer Peter Friestedt. The trio have released a live DVD already and Williams & Friestedt released … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bill Champlin, Champlin, Chicago, CWF, Friestedt, Joseph Williams, melodic rock, Peter Friestedt, review, Toto, West Coast, Williams
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News: HAREM SCAREM, MAJOR INSTINCT, DEE SNIDER – Tuesday 29 September 2015

Dave Gilmour topped the UK album charts this week with his new album ‘Rattle That Lock’. Major Instinct release their debut album, ‘High Five’ on Nov 27th via AOR Heaven. The band features M.ILL.ION founder, main songwriter and bass guitarist B.J. Laneby. Harem Scarem … Continue reading
Gig review: KIP WINGER – The Borderline, London, 12 September 2015

Kip Winger’s solo acoustic shows at the Borderline have began to take on such a mythical status that the promotional blurb for this year’s show even marketed it as the ‘4th annual evening with Kip Winger’. It was noticeable that … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 12 September 2015, AOR, Borderline, gig, Kip Winger, London, melodic rock, review, Voodoo Vegas, Winger
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Album review: NEWMAN – The Elegance Machine

AOR Heaven [Released 31.08.15] Steve Newman is back with his band Newman and joining him are his long term drummer Rob McEwen and on backing vocals Geoff Wootton and Mark Thompson-Smith (who worked with Steve Newman on the criminally underrated … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, AOR Heaven, melodic, NEWMAN, review, rock, Steve Newman, The Elegance Machine
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Gig review: THE TUBES – Club Academy, Manchester, 8 August 2015

I really hope The Tubes don’t leave it another decade before their next UK tour. I mean the 50th anniversary will be in 2025 and their oldest member will be nearly 80. The band have always had a soft spot … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 8 August 2015, AOR, Club Academy, David Medd, Fee Waybill, gig, Manchester, melodic rock, Prairie Prince, punk, Quay Lewd, review, Rick Anderson, rock, Roger Steen, The Tubes
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News: RUSS BALLARD interview feature, Sunday 26 July 2015

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio Part 1, Sunday 26 July, 16:00 GMT Part 2, Sunday 2 August, 16:00 GMT In the first of a two-part special rock writing royalty Russ Ballard chats to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio’s David Randall. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS
Tagged 26 July 2015, AOR, Argent, feature, guitar, guitarist, interview, melodic, prog, progressive, radio, rock, Roulettes, Russ Ballard, Unit 4 + 2
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Album review: THE BURNING CROWS – Murder At The Gin House

Burning Crows Records [Release date 03.08.15] This is the second album release from The Burning Crows and on listening it would appear that the band are developing nicely. The thing which impresses here is the advanced song writing skills on … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Aerosmith, album, AOR, Bon Jovi, CD, Murder At The Gin House, review, rock, The Burning Crows, Whippz
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Album review: ROOM EXPERIENCE – Room Experience

MelodicRock Records [Release date 22.05.15] First thing’s first…Room Experience…what an absolutely awful name for a band!!! Let’s hope the music improves things… Who are Room Experience then?…well it’s the name for Italian keyboard player Gianluca Firmo’s solo project which features … Continue reading
Gig review: FLEETWOOD MAC – 02 Arena, London, 24 June 2015

When I paid over the odds to see Fleetwood Mac at the soulless 02 in Autumn 2013, it was in the knowledge that this was a chance to see the legendary band one last time, yet less than two years … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 02 Arena, AOR, Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac, gig, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, London, Mick Fleetwood, review, rumours, Stevie Nicks
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Quick plays: OSUKARU, DAVID CELIA, ED DUPAS

OSUKARU Transition www.osukarumusic.com [Release date 01.06.15] A band led by keyboards player/songwriter Oz Osukaru and this album is half new material, with some older songs given a reboot. Must admit not to knowing the name, however the songs on here … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged A Good American Life, album, AOR, David Celia, Double Mind, Ed Dupas, folk, melodic, Osukaru, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter, Transition
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News: Fee Waybill of THE TUBES interview and UK tour (June 2015)

In this exclusive interview edit Fee Waybill of The Tubes chats to David Randall about the forthcoming tour and meeting audience expectations (14:58) Gig review: Manchester, 8 August 2015 The Tubes tour continues! The Tubes Anniversary Special Get Ready to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS
Tagged AOR, Fee Waybill, interview, Johnny Bugger, June 2015, punk, Quay Lewd, radio, rock, The Tubes, UK tour
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Album review: ASIA, JAH WOBBLE, STRAWBS, GONG (Access All Areas)

Edsel Records [Release date 08.06.15] CD/DVD The latest batch of AAA releases run the full gamut from the melodic pop rock of Asia to the weird and wonderful meanderings of Daevid Allen’s Gong. All packages include a CD plus DVD … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged Access All Areas, album, AOR, Asia, Canterbury, CD, Daevid Allen, Dave Cousins, DVD, folk, Gong, Jah Wobble, Pat Thrall, Pip Pyle, pop, progressive, review, rock, The Strawbs
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