Tag Archives: blues rock

News: The Best of 2021 – Get Ready to ROCK! reviewers choose their Top Albums of the Year

The Best of 2021

2021 has been another horrendous year for live music,  largely silenced by the coronavirus pandemic. In August, live events in the UK started cautiously with several festivals and, with restrictions lifting for smaller venues, some semblance of live music returned … Continue reading

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News: ELLES BAILEY, STONEDEAD, URIAH HEEP (December 2021)

Michael Schenker, photo by Simon Dunkerley

Tim Arnold releases his new album, ‘Maybe Magic’, on January 7 via Bandcamp. Pretty Maids vocalist Ronnie Atkins releases his new solo album ‘Make It Count’ on march 18 via Frontiers. Elles Bailey has opened pre-orders for her next album, ‘Shining in … Continue reading

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Gig review: ELLES BAILEY – Cambridge Junction 2, Tuesday 23 November 2021

ELLES BAILEY Road I Call Home

A natural born storyteller, Elles Bailey also has the sort of voice that could make angels weep and this combination is like a siren draw into her endlessly colourful and wonderful world. Back on the road now after an extended … Continue reading

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Album review: COLIN JAMES – Open Road

COLIN JAMES – Open Road

Stony Plain Records [Release date 05.11.21] Since releasing his debut album in 1988 Colin James has been a stalwart of the blues scene, with trips into swing and rock ‘n’ roll with his Little Big Band and on this, his … Continue reading

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Gig review: REBECCA DOWNES – 100 Club, London, 19 October 2021

P1200975 - Copy

Just before the pandemic struck, one of the artists I was looking forward to seeing more of was Rebecca Downes, a very enjoyable support slot to Brian Downey’s Live and Dangerous at the Underworld proof that she was successfully diversifying … Continue reading

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Gig review: MUSIC FOR THE MIND- Hammersmith Club, London, 8 October 2021

MUSIC FOR THE MIND- Hammersmith Club, London, 8 October 2021

As the old BT advert once said, it’s good to talk. Of mental health in particular. Despite growing awareness of its importance, not least with the struggles nearly all of us have faced in some way or other during the … Continue reading

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Book review: BEAST – JOHN BONHAM & THE RISE OF LED ZEPPELIN by CM Kuskins

BEAST – JOHN BONHAM & THE RISE OF LED ZEPPELIN by CM Kuskins

  Hachette [Publication date 30.09.21] John Bonham had drumming in his blood it seems, having first learned to play the drums at the age of five. Despite never taking formal lessons, he began drumming for local bands immediately after leaving … Continue reading

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Album review: MOUNTAIN – Live In The 70s

MOUNTAIN - Live In The 70s

Voiceprint [Release date 12.11.21] Fronted by guitarist and vocalist Leslie West, Mountain formed in New York in 1969, taking their name from the former Vagrants West’s first solo album, and their classic line-up saw West joined by bassist Felix Pappalardi, … Continue reading

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Album review: MOONSHINE SOCIETY – Sweet Thing

MOONSHINE SOCIETY – Sweet Thing

Bandcamp [Release date 05.11.21] Moonshine Society formed back 2009 to craft their own brand of soulful blues, roots rock and old-school R&B. The main focus is singer/songwriter Black Betty aka Jenny Langer, who has appeared on stage with the likes … Continue reading

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News: Albums of the Month (July 2021 – September 2021)

Albums of the Month (July-September 2021)

EDGE OF PARADISE The Universe (Frontiers) It’s passionate, articulate symphonic metal, occasionally conducting lightning raids onto hard rock terrain… ****1/2 Review by Brian McGowan AMANDA LEHMANN Innocence And Illusion (indie) Lehmann is not afraid to explore different moods on this … Continue reading

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Album review: THE PAT McMANUS BAND – Full Service Resumed

THE PAT McMANUS BAND - Full Service Resumed

David Randall chatted to Pat McManus for his show ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio,  Sunday 3 October.  The interview includes tracks from the new album. The Store For Music [Release date 01.10.21] Pat McManus is the … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE CINELLI BROTHERS- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 16 September 2021

P1200119 - Copy

One of the advantages of being an active gig goer is picking up recommendations from like minded ‘gig buddies’ of new acts to discover. One such that were being raved about prior to the pandemic were blues band The Cinelli … Continue reading

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Gig review: CONNOR SELBY BAND- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 26 August 2021

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

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Album review: THE LIVESAYS – Not What I Bargained For

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

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Album review: BLACKTOP MOJO – Blacktop Mojo

BLACKTOP MOJO

Self-released [Release date 13.08.21] Blacktop Mojo are a new name to this reviewer, however, the band have been around since 2012 and this is their fourth album. Blacktop Mojo consists if Matt James (vocals), Ryan Kiefer (guitar), Chuck Wepfer (guitar), … Continue reading

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Album review: CHANTEL McGREGOR – Shed Sessions Volume One & Two

CHANTEL McGREGOR - Shed Sessions Volume One

www.chantelmcgregor.com [Release date 12.07.21] Reasons To Be Cheerful Part 3.  In Chantel McGregor’s case, parts 1 and 2 aka Shed Sessions.  Gather together the fish tank, an acoustic guitar and a tame keyboard player (Jamie Brooks) and you have a … Continue reading

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Album review: LEE AARON – Radio On!

LEE AARON - Radio On!

In this exclusive interview edit, containing non-broadcast material, Lee Aaron chats about her “return” to a hard rock format in 2016. The full interview, first broadcast 1 August 2021,  includes a selection of tracks from her earliest albums to the … Continue reading

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Quick plays: MURRAY McLAUCHLAN, SEAN CHAMBERS, MARK GERMINO

MURRAY McLAUCHLAN Hourglass

MURRAY McLAUCHLAN Hourglass True North Records [Release date 09.07.21] Folk and country artist Murray McLauchlin has been recording and touring since the early 70’s. In his native Canada he is an eleven-time Juno award winning artist, received the Order of … Continue reading

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Album review: STEFAN BERGGREN – These Are The Times

STEFAN BERGGREN – These Are The Times

Grandjam Production [Release date 04.06.21] Stefan Berggren (Snakes in Paradise, Company of Snakes, Berggren Kerslake Band) is back with his latest solo album, following on from 2016’s ‘Strangers In A Strangeland’. Stefan Berggren (vocals, guitars, keyboards) is joined by fellow … Continue reading

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Gig review: PAPA GEORGE AND VAL COWELL- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 28 May 2021

PAPA GEORGE AND VAL COWELL- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 28 May 2021

A return to normality for gigging is a long way off, just witness the continuing cancellation or postponements of shows into 2022. However at least lockdown has lifted enough for a few socially distanced shows to resume. Last autumn I … Continue reading

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Gig review: JIM KIRKPATRICK- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 20 May 2021

JIM KIRKPATRICK- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 20 May 2021

If 2020 was a desert for live music, the road out of lockdown in 2021 has been an even longer and gloomier slog. Down in South West London, Cavern owner Noel Nevin has been fighting the good fight to stay … Continue reading

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Quick plays: PINK FLOYD TRIBUTE, UNTIL THE SUN, CIRCUS MIND

VARIOUS - Still Wish You Were Here

VARIOUS Still Wish You Were Here (Cleopatra Records) [Release date 28.05.21] Continuing the theme of “what do rock stars do in Lockdown?”, in this example Cleopatra’s A&R supremo John Lappen has opened his contact book.  Unlike many of these offerings … Continue reading

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Quick plays: BADFINGER, CACTUS

BADFINGER No Matter What Revisiting The Hits

BADFINGER No Matter What Revisiting The Hits  Cleopatra Records [Release date 02.04.21] Badfinger were one of our greatest pop rock bands with a criminally short life-span, not least due to the sad demise of the band’s two main movers and … Continue reading

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Album review: ELIANA CARGNELUTTI – Aur

ELIANA CARGNELUTTI - Aur

www.elianacargnelutti.com [Release date 07.05.21] When we saw Eliana at Giants Of Rock in January 2020 we would never have guessed that in the space of a few weeks live music famine would ensue.  She apparently had breezed in last minute … Continue reading

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Album review: FLESH & BLOOD – Blues For Daze (remaster w/ 2 bonus)

flesh&blood cover

Bad Reputation France [Release date 05.03.21] Something of a Melodic Rock Supergroup, Flesh & Blood was put together in the early nineties by Touch/Drive She Said’s talented songwriter and producer, Mark Mangold. Tyketto’s Danny Vaughn and Al (TSO/Savatage) Pitrelli were … Continue reading

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