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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK- Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO- London Palladium, 13 November 2024
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Gig review: HRH XVII, Great Yarmouth, 7-10 November 2024
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Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET, CHANTEL MCGREGOR, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES- Dingwalls, London, 7 November 2024
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Gig review: DEEP PURPLE – 02 Arena, London, 6 November 2024
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Gig review: ELLES BAILEY- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 2 November 2024
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Featured Album Reviews
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Tag Archives: SPARKS
Book reviews: On track…SPARKS, ROXY MUSIC, DAVID BOWIE
On Track…Sparks 1969-1979 by Chris Sutton (Sonicbond Publishing) Chris Sutton has penned a few titles previously for SonicBond including a couple on Alice Cooper and an AC/DC one. Unlike some titles in the series this Sparks one features interviews specifically … Continue reading
Album review: PATTERNS ON THE WINDOW – The British Progressive Pop Sounds Of 1974 (3 CD Boxset)
Grapefruit (Cherry Red) [Release date : 16.02.24] 1974. The UK seemed to be locked into an endless cycle of political and economic crises. The 3 day week. Fuel shortages, and an unheralded post war recession in full swing. Hardly a … Continue reading
Album review : ANDY SHARROCKS – Country Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ Durty Blues
Pete Feenstra chatted to Andy Sharrocks for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast August 2023. Roach Records Vinyl [Release date: 09.23] Singer-songwriter, multi instrumentalist, tour manager, label boss, painter, and man of many parts, Andy Sharrocks is veteran of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged Accident On The East Lancs, album, Alex Harvey, alt country, Americana, Andy Sharrocks, blues, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Captain Beefheart, Country Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ Durty Blues, county. folk, Danny Bourrassa, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, Henry Botham, interview, John Cooper Clarke, McGuinness Flint, Michelle Turnbull, Neil Young, Phil Watts, radio, review, rock, roots, singer songwriter, soul, SPARKS, Steve Earle, The Rolling Stones, The Smokin Jackets, Tom Waits, Victor Brox, Wilful Damage
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Feature: GRTR!@20 Anniversary – Eclectic – Primer
Over two decades Get Ready to ROCK! has demonstrated that it is a broad church and not just featuring the usual classic rock and metal. The website content reflects the very wide tastes of the review team and so folk, … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, FEATURES, GRTR!@20, The Primer
Tagged 2003-2023, anniversary, Bellowhead, Eclectic, folk, indie, Josh Taerk, Ninebarrow, pop, primer, SPARKS, summary, THE DOWLING POOLE
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Album review: TODD RUNDGREN – Space Force
Cleopatra Records [Release date 14.10.22] For the next twelve months or so we will be celebrating 20 years of GRTR! During the past two decades Todd Rundgren is one of those artists who has raised his profile in the UK. … Continue reading
Film review: SPARKS: Annette / Cannes Festival Opening – The Vox, Montignac-Lascaux, SW France 6 July 2021
It’s early evening in heart of Montignac-Lascaux, a small sleepy South West French town. And I’ve just discovered that the once thriving (pre-covid) art house cinema – which used to double as an outdoor gig – is showing a world … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, FILM REVIEWS
Tagged Adam Driver, Annette, film, Leos Carax, Marion Cotillard, Montignac-Lascaux, Nick Cave, opera, operetta, rock, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, Simon Helberg, soundtrack, SPARKS, Spike Lee, The Vox, vocals
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Album review: VARIOUS – Oh! You Pretty Things Glam Queens And Street Urchins
Cherry Red [Release date 26.02.21] Oh! You Pretty Things is a 3 disc, 66 track Glam (and more) boxfest, which disappointingly, despite its title, doesn’t feature the late David Bowie song. And ironically, nothing from Hermans Hermits, who turned it … Continue reading
EP review: THE LICKERISH QUARTET – Threesome Vol. 1
Lickerish Quartet/Label Logic [Release date 15.05.20] The Lickerish Quartet formed in 2017, featuring former Jellyfish members Roger Manning Jnr. (Imperial Drag), Eric Dover (Slash’s Snakepit, Alice Cooper, Imperial Drag) and Tim Smith. All three of them toured in support of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Cheap Trick, ELO, EP, Jellyfish, melodic, pop rock, power pop, quirky pop, review, SPARKS, the Lickerish Quartet
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Album review: SPARKS – A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip
BMG [Release date digital 15.05.20; physical 03.07.20] There are not many artists that have been going for over fifty years and still regularly tour and release good new music, and Sparks are one of those few. Their last album, 2017’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, BMG, pop, quirky pop, review, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, snyth pop, SPARKS
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Album review: SPARKS – Past Tense: The Best Of Sparks
BMG [Release date 08.11.19] For many people of a certain age Sparks are famed for the high vocals and scary looking bloke on the keyboards, yet there is so much more to their music aside from the big hits ‘This … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, best of, classic rock, dance, Franz Ferdinand, pop, quirky, review, rock, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS, synth pop
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Album review: SPARKS – Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins
BMG [Release date 01.11.19] ‘Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins’ originally came out in 1994 and came after a six year gap by Sparks since 1988’s ‘Interior Design’ album. The band were said to be on hiatus, something Ron Mael takes … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Christo Haydon, dance, Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins, pop, quirky, review, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS, synth pop, Techno
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Album review: REDD KROSS – Beyond The Door
Merge [Release date 23.08.19] Amazingly this year marks the fortieth year that Redd Kross have been playing live (albeit originally under the name Red Cross) and it is the band’s first new album in seven years. The band are still … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alt rock, Beyond The Door, Melvins, pop rock, power pop, punk, Redd Kross, review, SPARKS
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Album review: ULYSSES – On Safari
[Release date 21.06.19] Ulysses released their first album in 2002 and since then they have been building up a loyal and growing following, along with some positive reviews in the music press. Ulysses consist of Luke Smyth (vocals, guitars), Jimmy … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 70's rock, album, funk, glam rock, Jellyfish, melodic, On Safari, pop rock, power pop, Psychedelic Rock, review, rock, SPARKS, The Beach Boys, Ulysses
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Album review: ERIC GALES – The Bookends
Provogue [Release date 08.02.19] Back in his psychedelic rock days, I always used to think that it was Eric Gales’s second solo that defined both the song itself and the guitarist’s signature style. Just like a boxer he bobbed, weaved … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, B.Slade, beth Hart, blues, Bobby McFerrin, Doyle Bramhall 11, Eric Gales, Frank Zappa, funk, fusion, guitar, Jeff Beck, Matt Wallace, metal, Nina Simone, review, rock, soul, SPARKS, Stevie Wonder, The Bookends, vocal, Wired
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Album review: P.O.D. – Circles
Mascot Records[Release date 18.11.18] After a 26 year existence played out over a fast changing music scene, San Diego’s rap-rock into metal band P.O.D. (Payable On Death) are too long in the tooth to be caged in by any specific … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Circles, Duran Duran, electronica, grunge, heavy, Marcos Curiel, metal, P.O.D., Payable On Death, pop, punk, rap-rock, reggae, review, Sonny Sandoval, SPARKS, Sublime
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Album review: AYREON – Into The Electric Castle
Music Theories Recordings [Release date 26.10.18] Aside from being the 20th anniversary of its release and a long overdue vinyl release, the most significant thing about the Arjen Lucassen’s remixed and re-mastered 1998 Ayreon project, is the way it successfully … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album review, Anneke van Giersbergen, Arjen Lucassen, Asia, Ayreon, blues, Bob Calvert, Clive Nolan, Ed Warby, electronica, Fish, folk, gothic funk, Into The Electric Castle, Jon Anderson, metal, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, pop, prog, psychedelia, rock, SPARKS, Thijs van Leer, Todd Rudgren, Uriah Heep, Yes
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Album review: GLAS – Blue
The Last Music company [Release date 30.03.18] South Wales band Glas describe themselves as a: “blues rock n’ roll roots band”, which is a handy ‘catch all’ banner with which they explore their naturally eclectic style. Glas is that rare … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile)
Tagged album, Bill Kirchen, Blue, blues, boogie, Brian Setzer, Bruce Springsteen, Commader Cody, country, David John, Deke Leonard, George Harrison, Glas, guitar, James Oliver, Jason Ricci, John David, Love Sculpture, psychedelia, review, rock, rockabilly, Sam Andrew, SPARKS, Steve Gibbons, swing, The Yardbirds
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Album review: SPARKS – Hippopotamus
BMG [Release date 08.09.17] ‘Hippopotamus’ is a triumph of pop’s true potential over the usual clichéd familiar fare. It’s a cross genre album bursting with creativity, humour and stylistic diversity. The lyrical word plays, eclectic themes and nuanced melodies are … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017
Tagged album, art rock, chamber pop, disco, glam, Hippopotamus, lounge, New Wave, pop, pop art, Rebecca Sjöwall, review, rock, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS, spoken word
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Gig review: SPARKS – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 28 September 2017
Sparks breezed into an extra second night at a packed London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire to deliver a thematically driven show – right down to the band’s sailor tops – to promote the new ‘Hippopotamus’ chart album. The Mael brothers have … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017
Tagged art rock, disco, Frank Zappa, gig, Hippopotamus, lounge, Mr. Goodnite, review, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS
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Gig review: SPARKS Album Launch Party – ICA, The Mall London, 7 Sept 2017
In many respects the ICA provides the perfect backdrop for the album launch party of ‘Hippopotamus’, Sparks’ 23rd album. The LA based brothers Ron and Russell Mael have long reached beyond the simple rock and roll format to realize their … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Album Launch, Bob Harris, electro, funk, Hippopotamus, ICA, Joseph Wallace, Matt Everritt, Muff Winwood, opera, review, rock, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS, spoken word, Tony Visconti
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Gig review: SPARKS – Union Chapel, London, 2 December 2013
“When the whole world is running headlong towards the precipice, one who walks in the opposite direction is looked on as being crazy.” T.S. Elliot could have been talking about Sparks. Their restless stop-start career has occasionally brushed the mainstream … Continue reading
Album review: SPARKS – New Music For Amnesiacs – The Essential Collection
Lil Beethoven Records (2CD) This two CD, 40 song best of is a condensed version of the recent box set, which features 83 songs. Sparks may be masters of pop yet they have had an influence in the rock world … Continue reading
