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Gig review: WHITESNAKE, Foreigner, Europe – Hydro, Glasgow, 2 May 2022
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Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET- The Garage, London, 12 May 2022
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Gig review: CRAZY LIXX – Islington Academy, London, 6 May 2022
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Interview: Mark Kelly (Marillion) – In Conversation with my Uncle
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Book review: DECADES- MOTT THE HOOPLE & IAN HUNTER IN THE 1970s by John Van der Kiste
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Book review: BICKERSHAW FESTIVAL 50th ANNIVERSARY – Featuring Grateful Dead by Chris Hewitt
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Book review: DONT WORRY ‘BOUT THE BEAR (From the Blues to Jazz, Rock & Roll and Black Sabbath) by Jim Simpson with Ron Simpson
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Tag Archives: Classic Albums
Interview: Mark Kelly (Marillion) – In Conversation with my Uncle

You all know him as the keyboardist of Marillion, his solo project Mark Kelly’s Marathon, and as of this year, published author of his autobiography Marillion, Misadventures and Marathons: The Life and Times of Mad Jack. I knew him, before … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars
Tagged book, Caitlin Kelly, Classic Albums, classic rock, interview, keyboards, Marathon, Marillion, Mark Kelly, melodic, prog rock, progressive, rock
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Book review: Loud ’n’ Proud – 50 Years Of Nazareth by Martin Popoff

Wymer Publishing [Publication date 06.08.21] Scottish rock legends have been recording for 50 years now, and a book on the band and their fantastic legacy has been long overdue. Their charting days be over (they were chart and Top Of … Continue reading
Book review: Limelight: Rush in the 80’s by Martin Popoff

[Publication date 20.10.20] Martin Popoff’s follow up to ‘Anthem: Rush in the ‘70s’ he now covers the band’s 80’s albums – both studio and live. Different from the ever expanded ‘Track By Track’ books in that although Martin Popoff critiques … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged album, book, Classic Albums, classic rock, Limelight, Martin Popoff, melodic, prog rock, review, rock, Rush
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Book review: Decades – Marillion in the 1980’s by Nathanial Webb

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 09.10.20] Sonicbond have already published a series of enjoyable ‘On Track…’ books and now they delve a bit deeper into some bands’ histories with this Decades series. Marillion are one of the first artists to get … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged album, book, Classic Albums, classic rock, Fish, Marillion, Marillion in the 1980’s, Nathanial Webb, prog rock, review, Sonic Bond Publishing, Steve Hogarth
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Album review: GREG LAKE – The Anthology

BMG [Release date 23.10.20] Famously, the late Greg Lake was an integral part of King Crimson and more substantially, of Emerson Lake and Palmer. Both bands have had such a deep impact on progrock and indeed rock music generally, that … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Asia, Carl Palmer, Classic Albums, classic rock, ELP, Greg Lake, Keith Emerson, prog rock, review, The Anthology
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Album review: PAUL SABU – Heartbreak & Only Child

Rock Candy Records Remasters [Release date 07.08.20] From the moment he burst onto the disco music scene in the late seventies, the legend that is Paul Sabu has been inundated with accolades… “best this…”, “best that…”, but he never truly … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, AOR, Classic Albums, classic rock, Heartbreak, melodic rock, Only Child, Paul Sabu, review, Rock Candy
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Book review: A Platinum Producer’s Life in Music by Ted Templeman as told to Greg Renoff

ECW Press [Publication date 21.04.20] Ted Templeman started out on the other side of the mixing desk as a musician, being part of Harpers Bizarre who had a number of US hits, the most well-known being ‘59th Street Bridge Song … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged Aerosmith, book, Classic Albums, Dave Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Greg Renoff, Harpers Bizarre, producer, review, rock, soul, southern rock, Ted Templeman, The Doobie Brothers, Van Halen
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Book review: ELTON JOHN – Every Album, Every Song 1969 to 1979 (On Track) by Peter Kearns

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date 16.08.19] This book is nicely timed what with ‘Rocket Man’ recently being shown in cinemas and the DVD release in August, plus of course Elton John is currently on his worldwide farewell tour. The book covers … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged Americana, Bernie Taupin, book, Classic Albums, classic rock, Elton John, Every Album, Every Song 1969 to 1979, On Track, Peter Kearns, pop, review
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Album review: MARK BAKER – The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be

MelodicRock Records [Release date 26.07.19] The name Mark Baker may not be immediately recognizable to many, but he is the man behind the classic Signal ‘Loud & Clear’ album as well as many other songs for the likes of .38 … Continue reading
Book review: THE ROLLING STONES 1963-1980 – On Track by Steve Pilkington

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 27.06.19] Over the years I have read a number of these types of books, each telling the story behind well-known artists albums and songs, and the trouble is that a song can easily be interpreted differently … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, Classic Albums, classic rock, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, On Track, review, rock, Steve Pilkington, The Rolling Stones
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Album review: NAZARETH – coloured vinyl reissues (July 2019)

BMG [Release date 05.07.19] Celebrating their 50th Anniversary, Nazareth are still going, albeit with just founder member and bassist Pete Agnew at helm. Last year BMG issued the amazing Loud And Proud box (33CDs, 3 7” 45s, LP, picture disc … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, blues rock, Classic Albums, classic rock, coloured vinyl, Dan McCafferty, LP, Nazareth, Pete Agnew, re-issue, review, rock, Zal Cleminson
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Album review: AMERICA – Classic Album Collection

Caroline International [Release date 24.05.19] Formed in London, UK in 1970, this Anglo American group originally consisted of Deway Bunnell, Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley, who met as of US Air Force personnel stationed in London, where they began performing … Continue reading
Album review: NAZARETH – coloured vinyl (reissues)

Razamanaz (yellow vinyl LP, gatefold sleeve) Loud’n’Proud (orange vinyl LP, gatefold sleeve) Rampant (blue vinyl LP, inner sleeve) Hair Of The Dog (white vinyl LP, inner sleeve) Expect No Mercy (pink vinyl LP, inner sleeve) No Mean City (green vinyl … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, blues rock, BMG, Classic Albums, classic rock, coloured vinyl, Dan McCafferty, Nazareth, Pete Agnew, re-issue, review, rock
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Interview: VINCE CONTARINO (Led Zeppelin Masters)

Marking fifty years since the release of Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album – and its follow-up, ‘Led Zeppelin II’ – Australia’s Stairway To Heaven: Led Zeppelin Masters will return to the UK for ten-dates in April 2019 as part of their … Continue reading
Gig review: JEFF LYNNE’S ELO – Arena, Birmingham, 13 October 2018

To say I was excited at seeing Jeff Lynne and ELO play his home town of Birmingham would be an understatement! I have only see the Jeff Lynne fronted ELO once back at his comeback gig at Hyde Park in … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Billy Lockett, Birmingham, Classic Albums, classic rock, ELO, gig, Jeff Lynne, Jeff Lynne's ELO, music, pop, pop rock
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Interview: JULIAN LITTMAN (STEELEYE SPAN)

Next year iconic folk rockers Steeleye Span celebrate their fiftieth anniversary. 2019 will see a brand new album and associated tours as the ever-evolving band mark their half century. More immediately, however, there is the matter of an autumn tour. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars
Tagged Classic Albums, Dodgy Bastards, folk, folk rock, interview, Julian Littman, Maddy Prior, prog rock, Steeleye Span, Terry Prachett, Tour, Wintersmith
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Album review: DARE – Out Of The Silence II

Legend Records [Release date 29.06.18] Amazing to think the classic album ‘Out Of The Silence’ is thirty years old, and also frightening to think where did the time go?! Like fellow melodic rockers FM did on ‘Indiscreet’, Dare have decided … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 30th anniversary, album, AOR, Brian Cox, Celtic, Classic Albums, Dare, Darren Wharton, melodic rock, Out Of The Silence II, review, rock, Vinny Burns
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Interview: JIM LEA

Jim Lea, the former Slade bass-player and one half of the mega-hit Holder-Lea song-writing duo, has a brand new six-track EP out: Lost In Space. I caught up with Jim to discuss the inspiration behind the title track and the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars
Tagged bassist, Classic Albums, classic rock, Cuz I Luv You, Dave Swarbrick, EP, interview, Jim Lea, Lost In Space, Noddy Holder, rock, Slade, songwriter
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Gig review: MIKE GARSON performs Aladdin Sane – Birmingham O2 Institute, 25 November 2017

Lovers of 70s-era David Bowie have been in for a real treat this year. Not only have we had Tony Visconti and original Spider from Mars, Woody Woodmansey, touring the Ziggy Stardust album in full, we now have virtuoso Bowie … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 25 November 2017, Aladdin Sane, Birmingham, Classic Albums, classic rock, David Bowie, live review, Mike Garson, O2 Institute, rock, Roger Glover, Steve Harley
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Album review: TYKETTO – Live From Milan 2017

Frontiers [Release date 13.10.17] A novel idea here as Tyketto play their classic ‘Don’t Come Easy’ album in its entirety but back to front! The current line-up still has two original members in vocalist Danny Vaughn and drummer Michael Clayton … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Classic Albums, Danny Vaughn, Frontiers, Live From Milan 2017, melodic, review, rock, Tyketto
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Album review: THE JAM – 1977 (Box Set)

UMC [Release date 20.10.17] Punk/Mod Revival band formed in the early 70s and found fame when they signed to Polydor in 1977. That pivotal year saw them release two albums and start their run of a number of hit singles … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 1977, box set, Bruce Foxton, Classic Albums, mod, Paul Weller, review, Rick Buckler, rock, The Jam
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