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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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Tag Archives: pop
Album review: EXTREMES – CD/DVD (Supertramp, Arc)
Gonzo Multimedia [Release date 30.06.17] Ah, those heady early 1970s. Flower power, the permissive society, long hair and … dangly bits. There are a lot of them on show in this fascinating social snapshot. Heady times indeed. “Extremes” was a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged 1970, Arc, CD/DVD, Extremes, film, Isle of Wight festival, Michael Lytton, pop, progressive, rock, soundtrack, Supertramp, Tony Klinger
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Album review: TIM ARNOLD – I Am For You
TA Music [Release date 01.09.17] Tim Arnold has had a busy year to date with the ‘Sounds To Pictures’ album earlier this year, a re-issue of the ‘No Coincidence’ album by indie rockers Jocasta, who Arnold was a member of, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, I Am For You, melodic, pop, review, rock, singer songwriter, Stephen Fry, Tim Arnold
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Gig review: REWIND FESTIVAL – Scone Palace, Perth, 22 July 2017
Although I am a rock fan through and through I have always had a sneaking love of all things 80’s. Being a teenager during the decade meant that although I was mastering in Iron Maiden and Saxon at the time … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 10CC, 22nd July 2017, 80s, Carol Decker, Chesney Hawkes, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Go West, Heather Small, Human League, Level 42, Lol Creme, M People, Mark King, Musical Youth, Nik Kershaw, Perth, pop, Relax, Rewind festival, rock, Rusty Egan, Scone Palace, Scotland, T'Pau, The Real Thing, The Undertones, Tom Robinson, Trevor Horn, Yes
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Album review: MILES HUNT & ERICA NOCKALLS – We Came Here To Work
Good Deeds Records [Release date 09.09.17] I can’t say that I’m overly ‘au fait’ with The Wonder Stuff. They’ve always struck me as one of those ‘almost’ bands with a small but fanatical fan base, who – despite a number … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Erica Nockalls, Miles Hunt, pop, review, rock, The Wonder Stuff, We Came Here To Work
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News: JON STEVENS announces new album Starlight (September 2017)
On September 15th Jon Stevens returns with his new solo album, ‘Starlight,’ out on BMG. ‘Starlight’ is 11-track collection bursting with soulful artistry and honesty, masterfully crafted by one of Australia’s most prolific rock stars. Different as they are, each track overflows with … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged Dave Stewart, INXS, Jon Stevens, new album, news, Noiseworks, pop, Ringo Starr, rock, September 15 2017, Starlight
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Quick plays: MATISYAHU, DAVID RAMIREZ, MATTHEW LOGAN VASQUEZ
MATISYAHU Undercurrent Fallen Sparks/Thirty Tigers [Release date 19.05.17] Reggae, hip hop, rap and beatboxing. Four musical styles I’d cross the road to avoid. Period. Add in Orthodox Jewish themes, and Matisyahu should be a big no, no, no, no, NO. … Continue reading
Album review: NICOLE ATKINS – Goodnight Rhonda Lee
Single Lock Records [Release date 21.07.17] Nicole Atkins returns with her fourth album and one recorded against a backdrop of personal issues as she stopped drinking and finding out her dad as lung cancer. Often such life changing events can … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Chris Isaak, country, crooner, Goodnight Rhonda Lee, Nicole Atkins, pop, review, singer songwriter, soul
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Album review: PICTUREHOUSE – How Do I Explain How This Came To Be?
Vinyl/digital release This album is not so much a best of more a collection of songs, some previously unreleased, that PictureHouse recorded between 1995 and 1998. There are twelve songs in all, with a couple drawn from the ‘Shine Box’ (1996) and ‘Karmarama’ … Continue reading
Album review: STACKRIDGE – The Final Bow, Bristol 2015
In late-June 2017 David Randall chatted to James Warren for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. This hour special features Stackridge highlights and tracks from James’ solo career. First broadcast 25 June 2017. (58:12) Angel Air Records [Release date 14.07.17] Stackridge … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged album, Andy Davis, Bristol 2015, James Warren, live, Mutter Slater, pop, progressive, review, rock, Stackridge, The Final Bow
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Single and EP reviews: JOSH TAERK, SLYDIGS, PETER DONEGAN
JOSH TAERK Rock N Roll On Josh Taerk has released a new single digitally and it has been a little while since we heard anything new from him. ‘Rock N Roll On’ is a classy upbeat rocker, complete with … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged country, EP, How Animal Are You?, Josh Taerk, Lonnie Donegan, melodic, Peter Donegan, pop, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, Rock N Roll On, single, Slydigs, Superman
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Album review: THEA GILMORE – The Counterweight
WMW/Cooking Vinyl [Release date 02.06.17] So what’s a girl to do? She’s got bills to pay just like the rest of us, so is this the moment that Thea Gilmore drifts into the mainstream? From the release of the bile-spitting … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017
Tagged acoustic, album, Nigel Stonier, pop, review, rock, Singer/Songwriter, The Counterweight, Thea Gilmore
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Album review: SIMPLE MINDS – Acoustic In Concert
Eagle [Release date 16.06.17] CD/DVD Well, if Status Quo can do it, why not Simple Minds? The Scottish band’s eighties heyday was always predicated on big, anthemic, arrangements and in this BBC Radio 2 gig we get trimmed down versions … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Acoustic In Concert, album, BBC, Charlie Burchill, Hackney Empire, Jim Kerr, live, pop, review, rock, Simple Minds
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Quick plays: THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE, TUESDAY THE SKY
THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE Under Your Spell Metropolis Records [Release date 09.06.17] I first came across the Birthday Massacre with last year’s enjoyable ‘Imagica’ album, which was a reworking of some of their earlier songs, so was looking forward to hearing new … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Drift, Fates Warning, Jim Matheos, pop, progressive, review, rock, the Birthday Massacre, Tuesday The Sky, Under The Sky
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Gig review: BEARDED THEORY – Catton Park, Derbyshire, 25 – 28 May 2017
BEARDED THEORY – TEN YEARS OF MUSIC, MAGIC AND MISCHIEF… Once a year the grounds of Catton Park in Derbyshire are transformed into one of the happiest places on earth. If this conjures images of a saccharine sweet world of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Alabama 3, Bearded Theory, Beardy Keef, Blackballed, Catton Park, Derbyshire, Don Letts, Dreadzone, Ferocious Dog, festival, gig, Goldblade, Madness, may 2017, New Model Army, pop, punk, review, rock, Seasick Steve, Selector, Seth Lakeman, Skunk Anansie
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Quick plays: SCARVED, OOBERFUSE
SCARVED Lodestone [Release date 03.03.17] What springs to mind when you think about Belgium? World class beer, chocolate, and a national football team? Could female fronted rock be added to that impressive roster with the sophomore release from Scarved? Fronted … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Belgium, electronica, hard rock, Lodestone, Ooberfuse, pop, review, Scarved, The Odd Ones
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Album review: NASHER – 432-1 Open The Vein
Babylon Pink [Release date 23.06.17] Whatever happened to Frankie Goes To Hollywood guitarist Brian ‘Nasher’ Nash? The opener – ‘Salt In Her Veins’ – sounds like you’ve put the radio on FM by mistake and it’s drifted ‘off station’. But … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 432-1 Open The Vein, album, Brian Nash, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Nasher, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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News: STACKRIDGE release The Final Bow (July 2017)
Pop prog rockers Stackridge played their “Farewell” Tour in late 2015 and their gig at The Fiddlers Club, Bristol on 19 December 2015 is released on 14 July by Angel Air Records. The band appeared at the formative Glastonbury Festival … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged Andy Davis, Angel Air Records, James Warren, pop, progressive, Stackridge, The Final Bow Bristol 2015, The Korgis
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Gig review: BOOTLEG BEATLES – Royal Albert Hall, 1 June 2017
The Bootleg Beatles were performing tonight with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra to celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic albums of all time, ‘Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. The sold out Royal Albert Hall providing … Continue reading
Quick plays: WILL LUDFORD, DAUDI MATSIKO, HANNAH ALDRIDGE
WILL LUDFORD Addicted Big Buzzard Songs Blues guitarist Will Ludford has worked in the past with Joe Meek, met George Harrison and jammed with Jimi Hendrix – not a bad musical CV! ‘Addicted’ has a distinctive 60′s feel to the music, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged Addicted, album, Americana, An Introduction to Failure, blues, Daudi Matsiko, Gold Rush, Hannah Aldridge, indie, pop, Quick Play, reviews, rock, Will Ludfor
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Book review: THOMAS DOLBY – The Speed of Sound
Icon Books www.iconbooks.co.uk [Published 08.06.17] Thomas Morgan Robertson become Thomas Dolby after his friends named him after the famous Dolby noise reduction device found on many 70′s and 80′s sound systems. Most will know the name for his early 80′s … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, David Bowie, Foreigner, memoir, Michael Jackson, Mick Jones, music, pop, Prefab Sprout, review, technology, The Speed of Sound, Thomas Dolby
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Album review: NIKKA & STRINGS – Underneath And In Between
Metropolis Recordings [Release date 02.6.17] Despite a background as a teen star, a high profile backing singer and a songwriter who has worked with the likes of Clapton and Prince, Nikka Costa still has a way to go before carving … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, Eartha Kitt, Erc Clapton, Frank Sinatra, funk, Jeff Buckley, Motown, Nikka & Strings, Nikka Costa, pop, Prince, review, soul, Underneath And In Between
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Gig review: ELEANOR McEVOY – Alexander’s, Chester, 14 May 2017
In this hour long interview/feature David Randall chats to Eleanor McEvoy about her career. Part of The GRTR! Archive series and recorded in June 2008. (57:23) Eleanor McEvoy wowed an attentive audience on her continuing Naked Music tour – not … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 14 May 2017, acoustic, Alexanders, Chester, Eleanor McEvoy, gig, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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Album review: THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA – Amber Galactic
Nuclear Blast [Release date 19.05.17] There are a good number of bands paying homage to the classic 70′s and 80′s hard rock/AOR/pop sound, with Brother Firetribe (another band who’s members are drawn from heavier sounding bands) and Cats In Space being … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Amber Galactic, AOR, Arch Enemy, disco, Night Flight Orchestra, pop, review, rock, Soilwork, Survivor
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EP reviews: THE LOFT CLUB, DIG DEEPER, GOODWOOD ATOMS
THE LOFT CLUB Heart’s Desire www.facebook.com/theloftclubband The Loft Club released this EP back in October 2016 and have had big success on Spotify with a Niklas Ibach dance remix of the EP’s title track. Their sound recalls greats like the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged alternative, Bandcamp, Dig Deeper, EP, Goodwood Atoms, indie, melodic, pop, review, rock, the Loft Club
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Quick plays: MICHAEL KIWANUKA, THE DAWN BROTHERS
MICHAEL KIWANUKA Love And Hate Since my son and I are “live on Sky” football junkies, my dear lady busies herself with her own TV series and was bowled over by the opening soundtrack to “Big Little Lies” which happens to … Continue reading
