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Welcome to FabricationsHQ
Home to the musical articles, reviews and features by
Ross Muir
Independent Music Reviewer & Music Promotion
Freelance Writer
"Putting the Words to the Music"
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Welcome to FabricationsHQ
Home to the musical articles, reviews and features by
Ross Muir
Independent Music Reviewer & Music Promotion
Freelance Writer
"Putting the Words to the Music"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Muirsical Thoughts, Muirsical News
Renowned bluesman Luke Winslow-King will tour the UK in September in support of his recently released Bloodshot Records’ album Blue Mesa.
Luke Winslow-King’s latest album is an example of the musician’s craftsmanship, mixing country, blues, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, and folk influences intuitively and masterfully. Blue Mesa is also approachable yet deeply personal.
What sets this album above Winslow-King’s previous work is how he’s absorbed the offerings of a life in music.
Born and raised in the Northern Michigan town of Cadillac, he moved to New Orleans at nineteen and spent the next fifteen years fully immersing himself in the musical waters that flow through there.
Now that he’s moved on, it is the larger world, and the people and places in it, that enthrals him.
From these travels and friendships comes a deeper and richer perspective on the American musical traditions he fell in love with at an early age.
But no matter where he goes, the current of the Crescent City still tugs at Luke Winslow-King’s music.
The sweaty riffs of 'Thought I Heard You' are as hot as the beer is cold; the psychedelic swamp-boogie of 'Leghorn Women' brims with both suave and sinister charm; the syncopated horns on ‘Chicken Dinner’ are a big, playful flirtation…
Luke Winslow-King’s latest album is an example of the musician’s craftsmanship, mixing country, blues, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, and folk influences intuitively and masterfully. Blue Mesa is also approachable yet deeply personal.
What sets this album above Winslow-King’s previous work is how he’s absorbed the offerings of a life in music.
Born and raised in the Northern Michigan town of Cadillac, he moved to New Orleans at nineteen and spent the next fifteen years fully immersing himself in the musical waters that flow through there.
Now that he’s moved on, it is the larger world, and the people and places in it, that enthrals him.
From these travels and friendships comes a deeper and richer perspective on the American musical traditions he fell in love with at an early age.
But no matter where he goes, the current of the Crescent City still tugs at Luke Winslow-King’s music.
The sweaty riffs of 'Thought I Heard You' are as hot as the beer is cold; the psychedelic swamp-boogie of 'Leghorn Women' brims with both suave and sinister charm; the syncopated horns on ‘Chicken Dinner’ are a big, playful flirtation…
Blue Mesa was recorded in the Tuscan fortress village of Lari, Italy, and features long-time collaborator and Italian blues guitar dynamo Roberto Luti, Chris Davis (of King James and the Special Men) and organist Mike Lynch (Bob Seger, Larry McCray), among others.
LUKE WINSLOW-KING · UK TOUR · SEPTEMBER 2018
Tue 4th - London, Bush Hall (with special guest Tami Neilson)
https://www.seetickets.com/event/luke-winslow-king-special-guests/bush-hall/1206396
Wed 5th – Bristol, The Hen & Chicken
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/433372
Thu 6th – Oxford, The Jericho Tavern
https://halfwayto75.com/buy-tickets/
Fri 7th – Chester, St. Marys
https://www.seetickets.com/tour/luke-winslow-king
Sat 8th - Scrooby, Notts, Scrooby Village Hall
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scrooby-Village-Hall/619739688040990
Sun 9th - Lutterworth, Leicester, Long Road Festival, Stanford Hall (Afternoon show)
https://the-long-road.lnk.to/ticketsGA
Sun 9th – Portsmouth, The Square Tower
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/433281
Acclaim for Blues Mesa:
"Winslow-King has raised the bar a few notches with every new album and it’s the unadorned and heartfelt sincerity of the songs that elevates Blue Mesa above the horizon." - Associated Press
"An adept example of mood and melodic stirred in equal measure, Blue Mesa indeed finds Winslow-King climbing to a higher plateau." - Glide magazine
"Blue Mesa is a mature, reflective recording that should help garner Luke Winslow-King the recognition he truly deserves." - Offbeat magazine
"Blue Mesa is yet another remarkable record from an awe-inspiringly consistent songwriter. Blues, rock-and-roll, rockabilly, country, jazz, soul, gospel – it’s all here and all done with an authenticity that transcends pastiche and comes off as the real deal." - Spectrum Culture
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LUKE WINSLOW-KING · UK TOUR · SEPTEMBER 2018
Tue 4th - London, Bush Hall (with special guest Tami Neilson)
https://www.seetickets.com/event/luke-winslow-king-special-guests/bush-hall/1206396
Wed 5th – Bristol, The Hen & Chicken
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/433372
Thu 6th – Oxford, The Jericho Tavern
https://halfwayto75.com/buy-tickets/
Fri 7th – Chester, St. Marys
https://www.seetickets.com/tour/luke-winslow-king
Sat 8th - Scrooby, Notts, Scrooby Village Hall
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scrooby-Village-Hall/619739688040990
Sun 9th - Lutterworth, Leicester, Long Road Festival, Stanford Hall (Afternoon show)
https://the-long-road.lnk.to/ticketsGA
Sun 9th – Portsmouth, The Square Tower
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/433281
Acclaim for Blues Mesa:
"Winslow-King has raised the bar a few notches with every new album and it’s the unadorned and heartfelt sincerity of the songs that elevates Blue Mesa above the horizon." - Associated Press
"An adept example of mood and melodic stirred in equal measure, Blue Mesa indeed finds Winslow-King climbing to a higher plateau." - Glide magazine
"Blue Mesa is a mature, reflective recording that should help garner Luke Winslow-King the recognition he truly deserves." - Offbeat magazine
"Blue Mesa is yet another remarkable record from an awe-inspiringly consistent songwriter. Blues, rock-and-roll, rockabilly, country, jazz, soul, gospel – it’s all here and all done with an authenticity that transcends pastiche and comes off as the real deal." - Spectrum Culture
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Martin Barre, best-known as guitarist in Jethro Tull (and the band’s longest serving member after Ian Anderson), will release his new solo album Roads Less Travelled on Garage Records on October 5th.
Martin Barre developed his own distinctive style within the framework of Jethro Tull and his instantly recognisable, original sound form the basis of Roads Less Travelled; the album features eleven original tracks by Barre, which reflect his esteemed, fifty year musical career.
Reflecting on the tracks and recording of the album, Martin Barre says "I’ve concentrated on improving my songwriting over the last few years and as a result, I am really pleased with this new CD.
Although my playing has a lot of space in the music, I’ve worked a lot harder on the arrangements and lyrics. My goal is to have a CD that keeps the listener from beginning to end. Roads Less Travelled reflects my belief in taking music somewhere new."
While all the songs showcase his exceptional electric guitar, acoustic guitar and mandolin playing, the Martin Barre Band also shine throughout Roads Less Travelled.
A long-time resident of Devon, Barre’s band features several talented, local musicians - Dan Crisp (vocals), Alan Thompson (bass / fretless bass), Darby Todd (drums), Becca Langsford (vocals / backing vocals),
Josiah J (Percussion / Hammond), Aaron Graham (drums), Alex Hart (vocals / backing vocals) Buster Cottam (stand-up bass).
Martin Barre – Roads Less Travelled. Released Friday October 5th.
Track listing:
1. Lone Wolf 2. Out of Time 3. On My Way 4. Roads Less Travelled 5. Badcore Blues 6. Seattle
7. For No Man 8. (This Is) My Driving Song 9. You Are An Angel 10. Trinity 11 And The Band Played On
Martin Barre was the guitarist for folk-rock/progressive band Jethro Tull from 1969 to 2012; his solo on the song 'Aqualung' has been repeatedly voted as one of the top guitar solos of all time.
For four decades, Barre’s career focused on Jethro Tull but in the 1990s Barre began to perform as a solo artist and has since released seven studio albums.
In addition to his Jethro Tull and solo work, the noted guitarist has worked live with many other artists including Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa and Chris Thompson.
Martin Barre has also been cited as an important influence by many virtuoso players including Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and the aforementioned Joe Bonamassa.
He can also count the likes of Mark Knopfler and Geddy Lee amongst his many fans.
For more information and upcoming shows: www.martinbarre.com
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Martin Barre developed his own distinctive style within the framework of Jethro Tull and his instantly recognisable, original sound form the basis of Roads Less Travelled; the album features eleven original tracks by Barre, which reflect his esteemed, fifty year musical career.
Reflecting on the tracks and recording of the album, Martin Barre says "I’ve concentrated on improving my songwriting over the last few years and as a result, I am really pleased with this new CD.
Although my playing has a lot of space in the music, I’ve worked a lot harder on the arrangements and lyrics. My goal is to have a CD that keeps the listener from beginning to end. Roads Less Travelled reflects my belief in taking music somewhere new."
While all the songs showcase his exceptional electric guitar, acoustic guitar and mandolin playing, the Martin Barre Band also shine throughout Roads Less Travelled.
A long-time resident of Devon, Barre’s band features several talented, local musicians - Dan Crisp (vocals), Alan Thompson (bass / fretless bass), Darby Todd (drums), Becca Langsford (vocals / backing vocals),
Josiah J (Percussion / Hammond), Aaron Graham (drums), Alex Hart (vocals / backing vocals) Buster Cottam (stand-up bass).
Martin Barre – Roads Less Travelled. Released Friday October 5th.
Track listing:
1. Lone Wolf 2. Out of Time 3. On My Way 4. Roads Less Travelled 5. Badcore Blues 6. Seattle
7. For No Man 8. (This Is) My Driving Song 9. You Are An Angel 10. Trinity 11 And The Band Played On
Martin Barre was the guitarist for folk-rock/progressive band Jethro Tull from 1969 to 2012; his solo on the song 'Aqualung' has been repeatedly voted as one of the top guitar solos of all time.
For four decades, Barre’s career focused on Jethro Tull but in the 1990s Barre began to perform as a solo artist and has since released seven studio albums.
In addition to his Jethro Tull and solo work, the noted guitarist has worked live with many other artists including Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa and Chris Thompson.
Martin Barre has also been cited as an important influence by many virtuoso players including Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and the aforementioned Joe Bonamassa.
He can also count the likes of Mark Knopfler and Geddy Lee amongst his many fans.
For more information and upcoming shows: www.martinbarre.com
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Acoustic roots & Americana duo Martin Harley and Daniel Kimbro have announced a September 2018 UK tour in support of their acclaimed 2017 album Static in the Wires.
Martin Harley & Daniel Kimbro are a dynamic, transatlantic duo consisting of acoustic/ slide guitar (Harley), double bass (Kimbro) and delightful harmonies.
In March of this year the celebrated pair filled London’s Union Chapel in Islington, cementing their reputation in the UK’s burgeoning Americana scene (a DVD/ download of the concert will be available soon)...
Martin Harley & Daniel Kimbro are a dynamic, transatlantic duo consisting of acoustic/ slide guitar (Harley), double bass (Kimbro) and delightful harmonies.
In March of this year the celebrated pair filled London’s Union Chapel in Islington, cementing their reputation in the UK’s burgeoning Americana scene (a DVD/ download of the concert will be available soon)...
Martin Harley & Daniel Kimbro’s original recordings benefit from the pair’s continual pursuit in pushing the boundaries of blues, folk and American roots music.
Live, song improvisation and good-humoured banter are vital ingredients of their live shows, which have featured across a number of significant world stages including Glastonbury, The Royal Albert Hall, Grand Ole Opry, New Orleans Jazz Fest, The Blue Note and the Transatlantic Sessions.
Martin Harley grew up in South East London and was heavily influenced by the decades of blues music synonymous with the area. Total Guitar rated him at #16 in their best acoustic guitarists in the world 2017. Harley is a rambler, a story teller, and a highly original slide guitarist.
From an early age Daniel Kimbro performed in Appalachian and Bluegrass bands throughout East Tennessee before studying double bass at the local university. He’s a member of the Grammy-nominated Jerry Douglas band and recently toured with the Transatlantic Sessions.
Static in the Wires was recorded in Nashville and follows their 2015 debut Live at Southern Ground.
The album, voted 'Best Roots/ Acoustic Based Release of 2017' by FabricationsHQ, features 14-time Grammy winner Jerry Douglas along with Derek Mixon (Chris Stapleton) and Micah Hulscher (Alabama Shakes, Margo Price).
MARTIN HARLEY AND DANIEL KIMBRO - SEPTEMBER 2018 UK TOUR
Wed 19th – Hereford, Courtyard Theatre
Thu 20th - Selby, North Yorkshire, Selby Town Hall
Fri 21st – Guildford, Holy Trinity Church
Sat 22nd - Hornchurch, East London, Fairkytes Arts Centre
Sun 23rd - Looe, Cornwall, Looe Music Festival
Wed 26th – Southampton, The 1865
Sun 30th - Honiton, Devon, The Beehive
"…they have a similar sort of musical telepathy to that of the late John Martyn with the great Danny Thompson." - Blabber ‘n’ Smoke
"The songwriting, the guitar, the singing - are all masterful." -Blues Matters!
"…one of the best examples of acoustic based roots and blues music you’ll find this side of the Mississippi Delta" -FabricationsHQ
"Static in the Wires, an album that surprises and delights at every turn." -fRoots
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Live, song improvisation and good-humoured banter are vital ingredients of their live shows, which have featured across a number of significant world stages including Glastonbury, The Royal Albert Hall, Grand Ole Opry, New Orleans Jazz Fest, The Blue Note and the Transatlantic Sessions.
Martin Harley grew up in South East London and was heavily influenced by the decades of blues music synonymous with the area. Total Guitar rated him at #16 in their best acoustic guitarists in the world 2017. Harley is a rambler, a story teller, and a highly original slide guitarist.
From an early age Daniel Kimbro performed in Appalachian and Bluegrass bands throughout East Tennessee before studying double bass at the local university. He’s a member of the Grammy-nominated Jerry Douglas band and recently toured with the Transatlantic Sessions.
Static in the Wires was recorded in Nashville and follows their 2015 debut Live at Southern Ground.
The album, voted 'Best Roots/ Acoustic Based Release of 2017' by FabricationsHQ, features 14-time Grammy winner Jerry Douglas along with Derek Mixon (Chris Stapleton) and Micah Hulscher (Alabama Shakes, Margo Price).
MARTIN HARLEY AND DANIEL KIMBRO - SEPTEMBER 2018 UK TOUR
Wed 19th – Hereford, Courtyard Theatre
Thu 20th - Selby, North Yorkshire, Selby Town Hall
Fri 21st – Guildford, Holy Trinity Church
Sat 22nd - Hornchurch, East London, Fairkytes Arts Centre
Sun 23rd - Looe, Cornwall, Looe Music Festival
Wed 26th – Southampton, The 1865
Sun 30th - Honiton, Devon, The Beehive
"…they have a similar sort of musical telepathy to that of the late John Martyn with the great Danny Thompson." - Blabber ‘n’ Smoke
"The songwriting, the guitar, the singing - are all masterful." -Blues Matters!
"…one of the best examples of acoustic based roots and blues music you’ll find this side of the Mississippi Delta" -FabricationsHQ
"Static in the Wires, an album that surprises and delights at every turn." -fRoots
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Photo by Rob Blackham
In 2016, when FabricationsHQ spoke to legendary British producer Mike Vernon (a man of whom Mick Fleetwood said, in relation to the original British Blues scene "did more than anyone knows to further the music and nurture the artists") it was to talk about his recent out-of-retirement production work with artists including Sari Schorr (debut album Force of Nature) and Laurence Jones (Take Me High).
The conversation also touched on his love of 40s/ 50s R&B & swing music and performing just such material with his band in Spain, where he now resides.
Two years on however we have not Mike Vernon, blues producer but Mike Vernon, blues swinging front man.
Production has taken a back (make that empty) seat in the studio while Vernon’s band, The Mighty Combo, bring their foot tapping and party dancing atmosphere to various stages and festival events across parts of Europe and the UK.
Mike Vernon stopped by at FabricationsHQ for a quick catch-up chat about The Mighty Combo, the band’s debut album Beyond the Blue Horizon (the title is a nod to his record label/ producing past) and his enthusiasm for, and love of, all things swing…
Some recordings are done for fun; others as a labour of love.
Beyond the Blue Horizon comes across as both, equally…
Mike Vernon: Labour of love for sure but determined to try for the fun element too!
Our stage performances are full of energy and it seemed to me that it would be essential to get some of that flavour into the recording process. Not going to suggest that we have nailed that target totally but I believe we have achieved a degree of success – the whole CD sounds like a positive statement and that makes me happy!
You’ve also captured a great 40s swing vibe and 50s R&B mood on the album. Clearly this was intentional – a favourite era for you as regards artists and blues-swing R&B…
MV: The swing/ 50s R&B mood is most definitely intentional... as you mentioned a very important era in my life. I grew up listening to Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five, The Ink Spots and Mills Brothers... all my father’s fault!
He was a huge Swing Band fan – Stan Kenton, Glenn Miller et al and all that great music rubbed off on me I guess. Once the likes of Fats Domino, Little Richard and Chuck Berry appeared on the airwaves I was totally hooked.
This debut CD for The Mighty Combo defines where we are musically and, hopefully, where we will be going in the future... with original songs now taking precedence.
As many folks will know or remember, but as many may not be aware, this is not your first foray into performing, recording or singing…
MV: Getting on with fronting my own band is a first, but not being part of a band unit.
I sang with doo-wop group Rocky Sharpe & The Replays for some four years appearing on pretty much everything they ever recorded – and that was a lot of material!
Thankfully there were some major chart successes with them too, but my involvement ended when my production chores elsewhere became more productive – Level 42 and Roachford spring to mind.
I was also a founder member of The Olympic Runners, a very successful studio band featuring Pete Wingfield, George Chandler of London Beat fame and Chicago born blues guitarist Joe Jammer.
The conversation also touched on his love of 40s/ 50s R&B & swing music and performing just such material with his band in Spain, where he now resides.
Two years on however we have not Mike Vernon, blues producer but Mike Vernon, blues swinging front man.
Production has taken a back (make that empty) seat in the studio while Vernon’s band, The Mighty Combo, bring their foot tapping and party dancing atmosphere to various stages and festival events across parts of Europe and the UK.
Mike Vernon stopped by at FabricationsHQ for a quick catch-up chat about The Mighty Combo, the band’s debut album Beyond the Blue Horizon (the title is a nod to his record label/ producing past) and his enthusiasm for, and love of, all things swing…
Some recordings are done for fun; others as a labour of love.
Beyond the Blue Horizon comes across as both, equally…
Mike Vernon: Labour of love for sure but determined to try for the fun element too!
Our stage performances are full of energy and it seemed to me that it would be essential to get some of that flavour into the recording process. Not going to suggest that we have nailed that target totally but I believe we have achieved a degree of success – the whole CD sounds like a positive statement and that makes me happy!
You’ve also captured a great 40s swing vibe and 50s R&B mood on the album. Clearly this was intentional – a favourite era for you as regards artists and blues-swing R&B…
MV: The swing/ 50s R&B mood is most definitely intentional... as you mentioned a very important era in my life. I grew up listening to Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five, The Ink Spots and Mills Brothers... all my father’s fault!
He was a huge Swing Band fan – Stan Kenton, Glenn Miller et al and all that great music rubbed off on me I guess. Once the likes of Fats Domino, Little Richard and Chuck Berry appeared on the airwaves I was totally hooked.
This debut CD for The Mighty Combo defines where we are musically and, hopefully, where we will be going in the future... with original songs now taking precedence.
As many folks will know or remember, but as many may not be aware, this is not your first foray into performing, recording or singing…
MV: Getting on with fronting my own band is a first, but not being part of a band unit.
I sang with doo-wop group Rocky Sharpe & The Replays for some four years appearing on pretty much everything they ever recorded – and that was a lot of material!
Thankfully there were some major chart successes with them too, but my involvement ended when my production chores elsewhere became more productive – Level 42 and Roachford spring to mind.
I was also a founder member of The Olympic Runners, a very successful studio band featuring Pete Wingfield, George Chandler of London Beat fame and Chicago born blues guitarist Joe Jammer.
There were also a couple of solo albums in the 70s…
MV: There were, although I don’t often talk about those!
The Blue Horizon album, Bring it On Home, featuring Paul Kossoff and Rory Gallagher, suffers, in my opinion, from poor audio quality.
A follow-up, Moment of Madness, was released a couple of years later on Sire Records and featured many sidemen from a host of well-known rock and blues bands as well as totally original material.
I personally prefer this later recording but it more or less disappeared into oblivion soon after its release.
Four years ago I recorded a homage CD in Spain that can be seen to be a precursor to the current release and that I like, but Beyond The Blue Horizon gets my vote to date.
I am confident that this is the beginning of a new career and look forward to getting back into the studio to record more groovy music with my mighty men!
Glad to hear it. On the subject of those mighty men, can you tell me a little about the band?
MV: The Mighty Combo is made up of drummer Mike Hellier, familiar to many when he worked with Sherman Robertson and Mud Morganfield; upright bass man Ian Jennings – founding member of The Big Town Players and currently also working with Mud; pianist Matt Little who also worked with Sherman and, currently, Mud; sax player Paul Tasker who calls Southampton his home is, at this moment, not as well-known as the other band members but he is a great player and the perfect man for this band.
Finally we have guitarist Kid Carlos, another comparative unknown.
Carlos is from Sevilla – his hometown is Guillena – and is going to be a star on the blues scene if I have anything to do with it! He’s been with us now for almost two years and he turns ears wherever he plays.
This young man is a maestro of his instrument and 100% committed to The Blues - I am both proud and excited to have him in the band. Long may it stay that way!
Given your obvious enthusiasm for this project and your love of singing with this band, have you now left the production desk behind or will we be hearing more from Mike Vernon, noted producer?
MV: As far as production work is concerned I am now retired from what became an irksome chore!
My heart was no longer in it and my desire to get in behind a microphone with my own R&B band was too much to resist; I will probably continue to oversee sessions with the band but might get someone else to mix the next album, assuming there is one.
It seems to me that now is the perfect time for me to be doing this and I am loving it. It’s hard work for sure at my time of life but there’s a tiger or two in my tank yet and I am determined to make this new venture work. And I get to write songs and that is a process that is very rewarding.
Singing them is also a challenge but when it’s nailed – exhilarating!
Mike Vernon and The Mighty Combo release their debut album Beyond the Blue Horizon on Manhaton Records on Friday 7th September.
Upcoming UK Tour Dates:
Old Bakery Studio, Truro - Friday 17th August
Blues at Broom Hill Festival - Saturday 18th August
The Hope Tavern, Market Rasen - Sunday 19th August
Wrotham Arms, Broadstairs - Tuesday 21st August
Haven Club at The Bulligdon, Oxford - Thursday 23rd August
Bluefunk, Poynton - Friday 24th August
Darvel Music Festival, Darvel, Ayrshire - Saturday 25th August
Great British RnB Festival, Colne - Sunday 26th August
Venue 77, Ipswich - Friday 7th September
Market Lavington Music & Comedy Club, Devizes - Saturday 8th September
*Borderline, London - Friday 14th September
Forest Arts Centre, New Milton - Saturday 15th September
Keighley Blues Live, Keighley - Friday 28th September
Carlisle Blues Rock Festival - Saturday 29th September
Discovery Centre, Winchester - Wednesday 3rd October
*Double Headline show with Sari Schorr
MV: There were, although I don’t often talk about those!
The Blue Horizon album, Bring it On Home, featuring Paul Kossoff and Rory Gallagher, suffers, in my opinion, from poor audio quality.
A follow-up, Moment of Madness, was released a couple of years later on Sire Records and featured many sidemen from a host of well-known rock and blues bands as well as totally original material.
I personally prefer this later recording but it more or less disappeared into oblivion soon after its release.
Four years ago I recorded a homage CD in Spain that can be seen to be a precursor to the current release and that I like, but Beyond The Blue Horizon gets my vote to date.
I am confident that this is the beginning of a new career and look forward to getting back into the studio to record more groovy music with my mighty men!
Glad to hear it. On the subject of those mighty men, can you tell me a little about the band?
MV: The Mighty Combo is made up of drummer Mike Hellier, familiar to many when he worked with Sherman Robertson and Mud Morganfield; upright bass man Ian Jennings – founding member of The Big Town Players and currently also working with Mud; pianist Matt Little who also worked with Sherman and, currently, Mud; sax player Paul Tasker who calls Southampton his home is, at this moment, not as well-known as the other band members but he is a great player and the perfect man for this band.
Finally we have guitarist Kid Carlos, another comparative unknown.
Carlos is from Sevilla – his hometown is Guillena – and is going to be a star on the blues scene if I have anything to do with it! He’s been with us now for almost two years and he turns ears wherever he plays.
This young man is a maestro of his instrument and 100% committed to The Blues - I am both proud and excited to have him in the band. Long may it stay that way!
Given your obvious enthusiasm for this project and your love of singing with this band, have you now left the production desk behind or will we be hearing more from Mike Vernon, noted producer?
MV: As far as production work is concerned I am now retired from what became an irksome chore!
My heart was no longer in it and my desire to get in behind a microphone with my own R&B band was too much to resist; I will probably continue to oversee sessions with the band but might get someone else to mix the next album, assuming there is one.
It seems to me that now is the perfect time for me to be doing this and I am loving it. It’s hard work for sure at my time of life but there’s a tiger or two in my tank yet and I am determined to make this new venture work. And I get to write songs and that is a process that is very rewarding.
Singing them is also a challenge but when it’s nailed – exhilarating!
Mike Vernon and The Mighty Combo release their debut album Beyond the Blue Horizon on Manhaton Records on Friday 7th September.
Upcoming UK Tour Dates:
Old Bakery Studio, Truro - Friday 17th August
Blues at Broom Hill Festival - Saturday 18th August
The Hope Tavern, Market Rasen - Sunday 19th August
Wrotham Arms, Broadstairs - Tuesday 21st August
Haven Club at The Bulligdon, Oxford - Thursday 23rd August
Bluefunk, Poynton - Friday 24th August
Darvel Music Festival, Darvel, Ayrshire - Saturday 25th August
Great British RnB Festival, Colne - Sunday 26th August
Venue 77, Ipswich - Friday 7th September
Market Lavington Music & Comedy Club, Devizes - Saturday 8th September
*Borderline, London - Friday 14th September
Forest Arts Centre, New Milton - Saturday 15th September
Keighley Blues Live, Keighley - Friday 28th September
Carlisle Blues Rock Festival - Saturday 29th September
Discovery Centre, Winchester - Wednesday 3rd October
*Double Headline show with Sari Schorr
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"It's been a long time comin'..." indeed.
No Erasin' is the first track to be featured from Steve Perry's long-awaited would-it-ever-happen new solo album Traces.
A geared for radio airplay 'homecoming' of sorts (certainly lyrically) and typical of what would be expected, song structure wise, the album however promises to be lyrically emotional and musically eclectic, with themes of memories, closures and catharsis.
Vocally thinner now and that rasp is even thicker but I hope the naysayers and critics don't home in on that – I mean, what would you expect and/ or have of the guy?
Steve Perry has been pretty much retired for two decades and is 70 in a few months time but he still has that rich tone, those little trademark vowel/ note lifts and is more vocally soulful now than he ever was back in the day.
Doesn't seem like more than twenty years since his last major vocal hurrah but his true Trial By Fire, however, will come on October 5th when the album is released.
Nice to see/ hear you back, Steve – now excuse me, I'm off to start the now necessary update of the One in a Million ePaper...
No Erasin' is the first track to be featured from Steve Perry's long-awaited would-it-ever-happen new solo album Traces.
A geared for radio airplay 'homecoming' of sorts (certainly lyrically) and typical of what would be expected, song structure wise, the album however promises to be lyrically emotional and musically eclectic, with themes of memories, closures and catharsis.
Vocally thinner now and that rasp is even thicker but I hope the naysayers and critics don't home in on that – I mean, what would you expect and/ or have of the guy?
Steve Perry has been pretty much retired for two decades and is 70 in a few months time but he still has that rich tone, those little trademark vowel/ note lifts and is more vocally soulful now than he ever was back in the day.
Doesn't seem like more than twenty years since his last major vocal hurrah but his true Trial By Fire, however, will come on October 5th when the album is released.
Nice to see/ hear you back, Steve – now excuse me, I'm off to start the now necessary update of the One in a Million ePaper...
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Dan Reed Network have just released a brand new single, 'Fade To Light;' the song is lifted from their forthcoming new studio album Origins, which will be released on November 23rd.
The Music Video for 'Fade To Light' encapsulates the whole experience of recording Origins, as Dan Reed explains:
“The video for Fade To Light is taken from the inaugural live studio recording session at Blueprint Studios in Manchester and is the perfect microcosm for this entire process. What I think really translates throughout is how having an audience in the room fed the band with a unique energy that pushed us to expand our creative horizons. We’re thrilled with the results.”
While recording Origins DRN invited fans and members of the public to be a part of an exclusive series of recording sessions that spanned the globe (Blueprint Studios in Manchester, The Power Station in NYC, Nia Studios in Portland and Studio 4 in Stockholm); those sessions produced tracks that would eventually become part of the album Origins.
The concept allowed supporters of the band to intimately witness the whole process of recording a brand new song from scratch with the band individually tracking drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and vocals before inviting the audience to participate and provide backing vocals...
The Music Video for 'Fade To Light' encapsulates the whole experience of recording Origins, as Dan Reed explains:
“The video for Fade To Light is taken from the inaugural live studio recording session at Blueprint Studios in Manchester and is the perfect microcosm for this entire process. What I think really translates throughout is how having an audience in the room fed the band with a unique energy that pushed us to expand our creative horizons. We’re thrilled with the results.”
While recording Origins DRN invited fans and members of the public to be a part of an exclusive series of recording sessions that spanned the globe (Blueprint Studios in Manchester, The Power Station in NYC, Nia Studios in Portland and Studio 4 in Stockholm); those sessions produced tracks that would eventually become part of the album Origins.
The concept allowed supporters of the band to intimately witness the whole process of recording a brand new song from scratch with the band individually tracking drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and vocals before inviting the audience to participate and provide backing vocals...
Dan Reed Network will head out on their Origins tour of the UK in November.
Joining the Dan Reed Network on tour in November are two of the best up and coming British rock bands, Mason Hill and Hollowstar; their potential, and the burgeoning New Wave of British Rock scene, is something Dan Reed is well aware of: "There’s a whole new wave of energetic rock bands in the UK who are ready to explode. DRN are thoroughly looking forward to sharing the stage with these talented young bands and hopefully we can help be a small part of their rise to the top!"
Glasgow based contemporary hard rock-metal band Mason Hill, who have been making a serious name for themselves with a number of high-impact shows, are currently working on their debut album which will be released on Frontiers Records.
Hollowstar, the Cambridgeshire based contemporary rock outfit, caught some attention with latest single 'All I Gotta Say.' The high-energy number follows on from the success of last year’s Top 20 iTunes rock chart EP, Some Things Matter.
Dan Reed Network Origins November 2018 UK Tour
Special Guests : Mason Hill & Hollowstar
Tickets: www.danreed-network.com/tickets
Bilston, The Robin 2 - Wednesday 7 November
Newcastle, Riverside - Thursday 8 November
Inverness, Monsterfest, The Ironworks - Saturday 10 November
Glasgow, The Garage - Tuesday 13 November
Wakefield, Warehouse 23 - Wednesday 14 November
Pontypridd, Muni Arts Centre - Friday 16 November
Chester, The Live Rooms - Saturday 17 November
Bristol, The Fleece - Tuesday 18 November
Stoke, Eleven - Wednesday 21 November
Derby, The Venue - Thursday 22 November
London, 229 Venue – Album Launch Party - Friday 23 November
*London, The Landor – Exclusive Album Listening Party - Saturday 24 November (SOLD OUT)
Manchester, Club Academy - Sunday 25th November
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Joining the Dan Reed Network on tour in November are two of the best up and coming British rock bands, Mason Hill and Hollowstar; their potential, and the burgeoning New Wave of British Rock scene, is something Dan Reed is well aware of: "There’s a whole new wave of energetic rock bands in the UK who are ready to explode. DRN are thoroughly looking forward to sharing the stage with these talented young bands and hopefully we can help be a small part of their rise to the top!"
Glasgow based contemporary hard rock-metal band Mason Hill, who have been making a serious name for themselves with a number of high-impact shows, are currently working on their debut album which will be released on Frontiers Records.
Hollowstar, the Cambridgeshire based contemporary rock outfit, caught some attention with latest single 'All I Gotta Say.' The high-energy number follows on from the success of last year’s Top 20 iTunes rock chart EP, Some Things Matter.
Dan Reed Network Origins November 2018 UK Tour
Special Guests : Mason Hill & Hollowstar
Tickets: www.danreed-network.com/tickets
Bilston, The Robin 2 - Wednesday 7 November
Newcastle, Riverside - Thursday 8 November
Inverness, Monsterfest, The Ironworks - Saturday 10 November
Glasgow, The Garage - Tuesday 13 November
Wakefield, Warehouse 23 - Wednesday 14 November
Pontypridd, Muni Arts Centre - Friday 16 November
Chester, The Live Rooms - Saturday 17 November
Bristol, The Fleece - Tuesday 18 November
Stoke, Eleven - Wednesday 21 November
Derby, The Venue - Thursday 22 November
London, 229 Venue – Album Launch Party - Friday 23 November
*London, The Landor – Exclusive Album Listening Party - Saturday 24 November (SOLD OUT)
Manchester, Club Academy - Sunday 25th November
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Norfolk based blues rockers Bad Touch have released a new single, 'Skyman.'
The song is a big beat, blues raucous and air punching nod to the high times and all-too-short life of Duane "Skydog" Allman of the Allman Brothers.
The song is a big beat, blues raucous and air punching nod to the high times and all-too-short life of Duane "Skydog" Allman of the Allman Brothers.
'Skyman' is lifted from the band’s forthcoming third album, Shake A Leg, released worldwide on Marshall Records on the 5th of October.
The new album, which will be available on CD, Gold vinyl and digital download, delivers in the southern affected blues rock vein of predecessors Half Way Home (2015) and Truth Be Told (2016) but with a bolder, bigger sound and more personal lyrical statements.
Anyone that has caught the band live of late will have caught a great taster of what’s in store via a number of new songs including the swaggering, southern-tinged slice of Bad Touch blues rock entitled 'Take Me Away.'
Other Shake A Leg numbers previewed live include the up-tempo rock ‘n’ good times roll number 'Lift Me Up' and 'I Belong,' which has become a fan favourite over the last year or so.
An emotive and highly effective song about place and home, 'I Belong' is a perfect example of the band's more personal approach to the lyrics on Shake A Leg, as lead guitarist Ron Glendinning confirms:
"We wanted to the album to embody songs that not only sounded fresh and exciting, but also communicated lyrics that meant something to us on a personal level that our fans could identify with."
Shake A Leg was recorded at Orange Tree Studios in Norfolk, produced and mixed by Andy Hodgson and mastered at Abbey Road Studios; it can be pre-ordered from the band’s Pledge Music page: www.pledgemusic.com/badtouch
Anyone pre-ordering the album will receive 'Skyman' as instant digital download grat track.
The album will be supported by a nationwide 18-date UK headline tour through October and November, with Special Guests Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics and Daxx & Roxanne.
Tickets: www.planetrocktickets.co.uk
Newcastle, University Union - Wednesday 17 October
Glasgow, The Cathouse - Thursday 18 October
Inverness, Ironworks - Friday 19 October
Edinburgh, Bannerman’s - Saturday 20 October
Manchester, Academy 3 - Wednesday 31 October
Derby, The Flowerpot - Thursday 1 November
Hull, The Welly - Friday 2 November
Sheffield, Corporation - Saturday 3 November
Leeds, The Wardrobe - Monday 5 November
Stockton-on-Tees, ARC - Tuesday 6 November
Stoke-On-Trent, Eleven - Thursday 8 November
Norwich, The Waterfront - Friday 9 November
London, ULU Live - Saturday 10 November
Southampton, The 1865 - Thursday 15 November
Bridgewater, Cobblestones - Friday 16 November
Saltash, Livewire - Saturday 17 November
Oxford, The Bullingdon - Sunday 18 November
Wolverhampton, The Robin 2 - Monday 19 November
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The new album, which will be available on CD, Gold vinyl and digital download, delivers in the southern affected blues rock vein of predecessors Half Way Home (2015) and Truth Be Told (2016) but with a bolder, bigger sound and more personal lyrical statements.
Anyone that has caught the band live of late will have caught a great taster of what’s in store via a number of new songs including the swaggering, southern-tinged slice of Bad Touch blues rock entitled 'Take Me Away.'
Other Shake A Leg numbers previewed live include the up-tempo rock ‘n’ good times roll number 'Lift Me Up' and 'I Belong,' which has become a fan favourite over the last year or so.
An emotive and highly effective song about place and home, 'I Belong' is a perfect example of the band's more personal approach to the lyrics on Shake A Leg, as lead guitarist Ron Glendinning confirms:
"We wanted to the album to embody songs that not only sounded fresh and exciting, but also communicated lyrics that meant something to us on a personal level that our fans could identify with."
Shake A Leg was recorded at Orange Tree Studios in Norfolk, produced and mixed by Andy Hodgson and mastered at Abbey Road Studios; it can be pre-ordered from the band’s Pledge Music page: www.pledgemusic.com/badtouch
Anyone pre-ordering the album will receive 'Skyman' as instant digital download grat track.
The album will be supported by a nationwide 18-date UK headline tour through October and November, with Special Guests Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics and Daxx & Roxanne.
Tickets: www.planetrocktickets.co.uk
Newcastle, University Union - Wednesday 17 October
Glasgow, The Cathouse - Thursday 18 October
Inverness, Ironworks - Friday 19 October
Edinburgh, Bannerman’s - Saturday 20 October
Manchester, Academy 3 - Wednesday 31 October
Derby, The Flowerpot - Thursday 1 November
Hull, The Welly - Friday 2 November
Sheffield, Corporation - Saturday 3 November
Leeds, The Wardrobe - Monday 5 November
Stockton-on-Tees, ARC - Tuesday 6 November
Stoke-On-Trent, Eleven - Thursday 8 November
Norwich, The Waterfront - Friday 9 November
London, ULU Live - Saturday 10 November
Southampton, The 1865 - Thursday 15 November
Bridgewater, Cobblestones - Friday 16 November
Saltash, Livewire - Saturday 17 November
Oxford, The Bullingdon - Sunday 18 November
Wolverhampton, The Robin 2 - Monday 19 November
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Photo by Alwyn R Coates
Blues rocking Scottish siblings Alan and Stevie Nimmo may be making musical waves via the celebrated and multi-award winning act King King and with the Stevie Nimmo Trio/ as solo artist (Sky Won’t Fall) respectively, but as the highly regarded Nimmo Brothers the guitar and vocal pair have been producing high-energy performances and delivering blues-rock solid albums for nigh on twenty years.
Or were, until the success of the aforementioned King King and the Stevie Nimmo Trio took touring and performing priority.
Good news indeed then that the Manhaton Records recording artists return to the stage as The Nimmo Bothers for an eleven date reunion tour across the UK this November.
Nov 2 – Glasgow, Oran Mor
https://www.ents24.com/glasgow-events/oran-mor/the-nimmo-brothers/5387709
Nov 4 – Aberdeen, Lemon Tree
https://www.ents24.com/aberdeen-events/the-lemon-tree/the-nimmo-brothers/1073903898
Nov 5 – Preston, Live Room @ The Guild Hall
https://prestonguildhall.co.uk/shows/the-nimmo-brothers-the-stumble/
Nov 6 – Darlington, The Forum
https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/the-nimmo-brothers-darlington-forum-music-centre-tickets/8624995
Nov 7 – Carlisle, Old Fire Station
https://www.oldfirestation.carlisle.city
Nov 8 – York, Fibbers
https://www.ents24.com/york-events/fibbers-moved/the-nimmo-brothers/5381537
Nov 10 - The Hammersmith Club, London
http://www.feenstra.co.uk
Nov 11 Derby, Flowerpot
https://www.ents24.com/derby-events/the-flowerpot/the-nimmo-brothers/5381445
Nov 12 Southampton, 1865 Club
https://www.ents24.com/southampton-events/the-1865/the-nimmo-brothers/5381505
Nov 13 Shoreham, Ropetackle Arts
https://ropetacklecentre.co.uk
Nov 14 Exeter, Barnfield Theatre
http://www.barnfieldtheatre.org.uk/whats-on/
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Or were, until the success of the aforementioned King King and the Stevie Nimmo Trio took touring and performing priority.
Good news indeed then that the Manhaton Records recording artists return to the stage as The Nimmo Bothers for an eleven date reunion tour across the UK this November.
Nov 2 – Glasgow, Oran Mor
https://www.ents24.com/glasgow-events/oran-mor/the-nimmo-brothers/5387709
Nov 4 – Aberdeen, Lemon Tree
https://www.ents24.com/aberdeen-events/the-lemon-tree/the-nimmo-brothers/1073903898
Nov 5 – Preston, Live Room @ The Guild Hall
https://prestonguildhall.co.uk/shows/the-nimmo-brothers-the-stumble/
Nov 6 – Darlington, The Forum
https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/the-nimmo-brothers-darlington-forum-music-centre-tickets/8624995
Nov 7 – Carlisle, Old Fire Station
https://www.oldfirestation.carlisle.city
Nov 8 – York, Fibbers
https://www.ents24.com/york-events/fibbers-moved/the-nimmo-brothers/5381537
Nov 10 - The Hammersmith Club, London
http://www.feenstra.co.uk
Nov 11 Derby, Flowerpot
https://www.ents24.com/derby-events/the-flowerpot/the-nimmo-brothers/5381445
Nov 12 Southampton, 1865 Club
https://www.ents24.com/southampton-events/the-1865/the-nimmo-brothers/5381505
Nov 13 Shoreham, Ropetackle Arts
https://ropetacklecentre.co.uk
Nov 14 Exeter, Barnfield Theatre
http://www.barnfieldtheatre.org.uk/whats-on/
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New York blues rock singer Sari Schorr will release her highly anticipated second album, Never Say Never, on the 5th of October.
The follow-up to the critically acclaimed, Mike Vernon produced Force of Nature (2016), the new album was recorded between lengthy touring schedules, a change of band personnel and collaboration with a number of songwriters and musicians.
The longer than originally anticipated gestation period is summarised by Sari Schorr in the New York Hall of Famer’s typically lyrical fashion:
"Over the last 18 months, I have travelled from a loft apartment in New York, to a finca in Spain, lived over a bakery in Bath, on to a factory in Germany, stayed for a while at a sheep farm in Wales, stopped off at a holiday chalet in Skegness, UK, then to a gîte in France, and finally to a barn in Norfolk, England. In each place I have set down my suitcase, full of half-written songs, met up with amazing musicians, writers and producers and finished my second album.
It has been a long, hard journey, full of trials and tribulations, full of tears, full of joy, full of laughter, full of friendship, but most of all, totally worthwhile. I hope you'll agree!"
- Sari Schorr
The album will be preceded by a September tour of the UK; Sari Schorr and her band will also play at two UK festivals in August.
Sari Schorr – UK Autumn Tour Dates
AUGUST
18 SAT - Leicester - Leicester Rocks
19 SUN - Farnham - Weyfest Music Festival
SEPTEMBER
13 THU - Leicester - The Musician
14 FRI - London - The Borderline
15 SAT - Durham - Mickleton Live RnB Club
18 TUE - Wolverhampton - Robin 2
19 WED - Bristol - The Louisiana
21 FRI - Pontypridd - Muni Arts Centre
22 SAT - Derby - The Flowerpot
27 THU - Oxford - The Bullingdon
28 FRI - Poynton - Blue Funk Rhythm & Blues Club
29 SAT - Godalming- Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre
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The follow-up to the critically acclaimed, Mike Vernon produced Force of Nature (2016), the new album was recorded between lengthy touring schedules, a change of band personnel and collaboration with a number of songwriters and musicians.
The longer than originally anticipated gestation period is summarised by Sari Schorr in the New York Hall of Famer’s typically lyrical fashion:
"Over the last 18 months, I have travelled from a loft apartment in New York, to a finca in Spain, lived over a bakery in Bath, on to a factory in Germany, stayed for a while at a sheep farm in Wales, stopped off at a holiday chalet in Skegness, UK, then to a gîte in France, and finally to a barn in Norfolk, England. In each place I have set down my suitcase, full of half-written songs, met up with amazing musicians, writers and producers and finished my second album.
It has been a long, hard journey, full of trials and tribulations, full of tears, full of joy, full of laughter, full of friendship, but most of all, totally worthwhile. I hope you'll agree!"
- Sari Schorr
The album will be preceded by a September tour of the UK; Sari Schorr and her band will also play at two UK festivals in August.
Sari Schorr – UK Autumn Tour Dates
AUGUST
18 SAT - Leicester - Leicester Rocks
19 SUN - Farnham - Weyfest Music Festival
SEPTEMBER
13 THU - Leicester - The Musician
14 FRI - London - The Borderline
15 SAT - Durham - Mickleton Live RnB Club
18 TUE - Wolverhampton - Robin 2
19 WED - Bristol - The Louisiana
21 FRI - Pontypridd - Muni Arts Centre
22 SAT - Derby - The Flowerpot
27 THU - Oxford - The Bullingdon
28 FRI - Poynton - Blue Funk Rhythm & Blues Club
29 SAT - Godalming- Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre
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On the back of the news for Joe Bonamassa’s highly anticipated new album Redemption, released 21st September, and the release of a new music video for Redemption track 'Molly O' comes word that the noted blues rock musician will return to the Royal Albert Hall for three shows in April of 2019 (Wednesday 24th, Thursday 25th and Friday 26th).
Joe Bonamassa will also be in the UK this October for his three arena dates in support of Redemption.
A 48-hour ticket pre-sale for the RAH shows will start at www.planetrocktickets.co.uk from Wednesday 25th July.
Tickets go on general sale on Friday 27th July from www.jbonamassa.com/tour-dates and www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
Joe Bonamassa – October 2018 UK Arena dates
Book online : www.jbonamassa.com/tour-dates and www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Plymouth Pavilions - 11th October
Nottingham Motorpoint Arena - 12th October
Bournemouth International Centre - 13th October
Joe Bonamassa's thirteenth studio album Redemption promises to be both a definitive album in the career of Bonamassa and a defining musical moment in the life of the acclaimed blues rock singer-guitarist; a twelve song collection, the new album reflects the re-birth that Bonamassa is currently going through.
"I’m going through some other stuff in my life I didn’t expect to be going through" explains the musician, adding that "it’s a rising, it’s contrition, it’s acceptance, it’s everything.
It’s painful, but knowing that there’s a rising coming."
You can pre-order the album (CD and Vinyl) here: https://www.mascotlabelgroup.com/joe-bonamassa
Redemption reunites Joe Bonamassa with some of Nashville’s finest music minds including Tom Hambridge, James House, Gary Nicholson, Richard Page and Dion Dimucci.
The album also continues his long creative relationship with Kevin Shirley, who says, from his producer’s perspective, that Redemption "is far and away the most challenging and diverse album that Joe has ever made."
Joe Bonamassa will also be in the UK this October for his three arena dates in support of Redemption.
A 48-hour ticket pre-sale for the RAH shows will start at www.planetrocktickets.co.uk from Wednesday 25th July.
Tickets go on general sale on Friday 27th July from www.jbonamassa.com/tour-dates and www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
Joe Bonamassa – October 2018 UK Arena dates
Book online : www.jbonamassa.com/tour-dates and www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Plymouth Pavilions - 11th October
Nottingham Motorpoint Arena - 12th October
Bournemouth International Centre - 13th October
Joe Bonamassa's thirteenth studio album Redemption promises to be both a definitive album in the career of Bonamassa and a defining musical moment in the life of the acclaimed blues rock singer-guitarist; a twelve song collection, the new album reflects the re-birth that Bonamassa is currently going through.
"I’m going through some other stuff in my life I didn’t expect to be going through" explains the musician, adding that "it’s a rising, it’s contrition, it’s acceptance, it’s everything.
It’s painful, but knowing that there’s a rising coming."
You can pre-order the album (CD and Vinyl) here: https://www.mascotlabelgroup.com/joe-bonamassa
Redemption reunites Joe Bonamassa with some of Nashville’s finest music minds including Tom Hambridge, James House, Gary Nicholson, Richard Page and Dion Dimucci.
The album also continues his long creative relationship with Kevin Shirley, who says, from his producer’s perspective, that Redemption "is far and away the most challenging and diverse album that Joe has ever made."
BMG have just released the next three deluxe editions in their ongoing Saxon classic albums re-issues.
Innocence Is No Excuse, Rock The Nations and Destiny, which were released on the 10th of August, sport
24-page media books (containing original lyrics, rare photos and memorabilia) as part of the CD package as well as a selection of bonus tracks.
Coloured/ Splatter Vinyl editions (with original track listing/ no bonus tracks) are also be available.
Innocence Is No Excuse, Rock The Nations and Destiny, which were released on the 10th of August, sport
24-page media books (containing original lyrics, rare photos and memorabilia) as part of the CD package as well as a selection of bonus tracks.
Coloured/ Splatter Vinyl editions (with original track listing/ no bonus tracks) are also be available.
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Originally released on the 24th of June 1985, Saxon’s seventh album Innocence Is No Excuse was their first for then new label EMI after their departure from Carrere Records (this was also their last album to feature long standing bassist Steve Dawson).
This version features the B-Sides of the singles 'Back On The Streets' and 'Rock 'N' roll Gypsy' plus demo versions of tracks from the album recorded at Chapel Studio, Thorsby.
On the 13th of October 1986 Saxon released their eighth studio album Rock The Nations.
Biff Byford, who had begun his career as a singer/bassist, recorded all the bass parts on the album (although Paul Johnson is credited on the album as he joined prior to the album’s release.
Rock The Nations also features the unlikely guest of Elton John on piano on the tracks 'Northern Lady' and 'Party Til You Puke.'
This version of the album features radio edits of the singles from the album, some live B-Sides and three songs recorded by the BBC from Saxon’s set at the 1986 Reading Festival.
Saxon’s ninth studio album, Destiny, was originally released on the 20th of June 1988 and is the only Saxon album to feature the rhythm section of Nigel Durham (drums) and Paul Johnson (bass).
Being a fan of Christopher Cross’s song writing, Biff Byford came up with the idea of covering 'Ride Like The Wind' as the album’s lead-off single, after giving it a Saxon makeover.
This version of the album includes a 12" mix of 'I Can’t Wait Anymore' plus live B-Sides and two, alternative monitor mixes.
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This version features the B-Sides of the singles 'Back On The Streets' and 'Rock 'N' roll Gypsy' plus demo versions of tracks from the album recorded at Chapel Studio, Thorsby.
On the 13th of October 1986 Saxon released their eighth studio album Rock The Nations.
Biff Byford, who had begun his career as a singer/bassist, recorded all the bass parts on the album (although Paul Johnson is credited on the album as he joined prior to the album’s release.
Rock The Nations also features the unlikely guest of Elton John on piano on the tracks 'Northern Lady' and 'Party Til You Puke.'
This version of the album features radio edits of the singles from the album, some live B-Sides and three songs recorded by the BBC from Saxon’s set at the 1986 Reading Festival.
Saxon’s ninth studio album, Destiny, was originally released on the 20th of June 1988 and is the only Saxon album to feature the rhythm section of Nigel Durham (drums) and Paul Johnson (bass).
Being a fan of Christopher Cross’s song writing, Biff Byford came up with the idea of covering 'Ride Like The Wind' as the album’s lead-off single, after giving it a Saxon makeover.
This version of the album includes a 12" mix of 'I Can’t Wait Anymore' plus live B-Sides and two, alternative monitor mixes.
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Steve Hackett has announced the release of a 6CD & 2DVD box set entitled Broken Skies - Outspread Wings (1984-2006); the comprehensive and collectible set will be released on the 5th October via InsideOutMusic.
Following on from 2015’s box set Premonitions (1975-1983), this special art-book compiles the albums Till We Have Faces, Guitar Noir, Darktown, Feedback 86, To Watch The Storms and Wild Orchids, all newly remastered, alongside a host of bonus tracks.
In addition, two DVDs are included which feature several recent live rarities and 5.1 mixes of selected songs, as well as the Somewhere in South America DVD featuring a Steve Hackett set from Buenos Aires.
This package is completed by brand new artwork from Roger Dean, beautifully presented as a 60-page book with liner notes, rare photos, lyrics and more.
"I'm excited to announce the release of a special bumper retrospective 1984 - 2006 box set. This will include six remastered albums, several 5.1 surround sound tracks including a new version of the GTR track When the Heart Rules the Mind, three previously unreleased live videos and the whole of the DVD Somewhere in South America.
I'm incredibly proud of this collection which highlights a huge variety of styles and musical dreams in development over the course of more than twenty years."
-Steve Hackett
Steve Hackett and his band will also play eight special UK shows in October, accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra.
The decision to undertake this tour was cemented following the critical success of last year’s one-off US performance of the Genesis Revisited music with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Bradley Thachuk.
Additionally, such was the gusto and verve brought to the performance by the charismatic Bradley Thachuk that he will fly over to the UK to conduct the October shows.
The show will feature some of the best-loved songs from the Genesis catalogue (including 'Supper’s Ready,' 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight' and 'Firth of Fifth') but Steve Hackett will not be neglecting his remarkable solo repertoire; a number of classic Hackett tracks will be included such as 'Shadow of the Hierophant,' 'El Niño' and 'The Steppes.'
A number of the shows have already sold out tickets for the remaining dates are available from https://myticket.co.uk/artists/steve-hackett and venue box offices.
1st October - Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
3rd October - Bridgewater Hall, Manchester SOLD OUT
4th October - Royal Festival Hall, London SOLD OUT
5th October - Symphony Hall, Birmingham SOLD OUT
7th October - The Sage, Gateshead
8th October - Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
10th October - Regent, Ipswich
11th October -Palladium, London
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Following on from 2015’s box set Premonitions (1975-1983), this special art-book compiles the albums Till We Have Faces, Guitar Noir, Darktown, Feedback 86, To Watch The Storms and Wild Orchids, all newly remastered, alongside a host of bonus tracks.
In addition, two DVDs are included which feature several recent live rarities and 5.1 mixes of selected songs, as well as the Somewhere in South America DVD featuring a Steve Hackett set from Buenos Aires.
This package is completed by brand new artwork from Roger Dean, beautifully presented as a 60-page book with liner notes, rare photos, lyrics and more.
"I'm excited to announce the release of a special bumper retrospective 1984 - 2006 box set. This will include six remastered albums, several 5.1 surround sound tracks including a new version of the GTR track When the Heart Rules the Mind, three previously unreleased live videos and the whole of the DVD Somewhere in South America.
I'm incredibly proud of this collection which highlights a huge variety of styles and musical dreams in development over the course of more than twenty years."
-Steve Hackett
Steve Hackett and his band will also play eight special UK shows in October, accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra.
The decision to undertake this tour was cemented following the critical success of last year’s one-off US performance of the Genesis Revisited music with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Bradley Thachuk.
Additionally, such was the gusto and verve brought to the performance by the charismatic Bradley Thachuk that he will fly over to the UK to conduct the October shows.
The show will feature some of the best-loved songs from the Genesis catalogue (including 'Supper’s Ready,' 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight' and 'Firth of Fifth') but Steve Hackett will not be neglecting his remarkable solo repertoire; a number of classic Hackett tracks will be included such as 'Shadow of the Hierophant,' 'El Niño' and 'The Steppes.'
A number of the shows have already sold out tickets for the remaining dates are available from https://myticket.co.uk/artists/steve-hackett and venue box offices.
1st October - Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
3rd October - Bridgewater Hall, Manchester SOLD OUT
4th October - Royal Festival Hall, London SOLD OUT
5th October - Symphony Hall, Birmingham SOLD OUT
7th October - The Sage, Gateshead
8th October - Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
10th October - Regent, Ipswich
11th October -Palladium, London
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Ex Magnum keyboardist Mark Stanway, an integral part of that melodically progressive band’s sound through their classic era and later highly successful reunion in 2001 and on through a number of critically acclaimed albums until his departure in 2016, has put together a new live band for a celebration of Magnum’s highly regarded back catalogue circa 1978-1994.
Kingdom of Madness, named after Magnum’s debut album and its now classic title track, features Magnum alumni Mark Stanway, Micky Barker and original member Richard Bailey along with Laurence Archer, Neil Murray, Chris Ousey and Mo Birch.
Both Archer and Birch made contributions to Magnum while Neil Murray needs no introduction to rock and blues rock fans. Murray also plays alongside singer Chris Ousey (also of Heartland) in blues rock supergroup Snakecharmer.
Outside of the Magnum material, a number of Grand Slam songs will also be performed; the sadly short-lived band formed and fronted by Phil Lynott in 1984-1985 featured Mark Stanway and Laurence Archer.
Kingdom of Madness
Mark Stanway – keyboards
(Magnum 1980-2016)
Micky Barker - drums
(Magnum 1985-2005)
Laurence Archer – guitars
(Magnum 1984, Grand Slam, Stampede)
Chris Ousey – vocals
(Snakecharmer, Heartland)
Richard Bailey - keyboards / flute (Magnum 1975-80)
Mo Birch - backing vocals / percussion (Magnum, Go West, UB40)
Neil Murray – bass
(Whitesnake, Snakecharmer)
One of the UK’s finest exponents of melodic rock music, Magnum achieved high album and singles chart positions in both the UK and Europe and gained a reputation as one of the hardest-working bands on the touring circuit.
Highlights of the band’s career include regular sold-out theatre tours, including a memorable five nights at London’s legendary Hammersmith Odeon in 1988 together with headline appearances at Birmingham NEC and Wembley Arena.
"There is an extensive catalogue of great songs from the classic years of Magnum which have not been performed on stage in many years and which audiences have constantly requested.
Having said that, I should state that we by no means consider ourselves a Magnum "tribute" – how can it be when five of the members have a shared legacy with the band?
I’m delighted to be working with Richard, Micky, Laurence and Mo again and in Neil and Chris we have two musicians with their own distinct history who will obviously bring their personal musical identity to the project.
In addition, with our focus being firmly on the music from the earlier period, we do not perceive ourselves as being in "competition" with the current Magnum.
There is more than enough music to keep both bands busy - a fitting testament to the song-writing of Tony Clarkin. I’m truly looking forward to performing classic Magnum music with such a prestigious line-up."
- Mark Stanway
Confirmed dates:
Sheffield – Corporation, December 15th
Wolverhampton - Newhampton Arts Centre, December 21st
Swindon - Level III, December 22nd
Rock & Blues Festival, Skegness - January 20th 2019
Giants of Rock festival, Minehead - January 26th 2019
York - Fibbers, March 2nd 2019
http://www.kingdomofmadness.co.uk
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Kingdom of Madness, named after Magnum’s debut album and its now classic title track, features Magnum alumni Mark Stanway, Micky Barker and original member Richard Bailey along with Laurence Archer, Neil Murray, Chris Ousey and Mo Birch.
Both Archer and Birch made contributions to Magnum while Neil Murray needs no introduction to rock and blues rock fans. Murray also plays alongside singer Chris Ousey (also of Heartland) in blues rock supergroup Snakecharmer.
Outside of the Magnum material, a number of Grand Slam songs will also be performed; the sadly short-lived band formed and fronted by Phil Lynott in 1984-1985 featured Mark Stanway and Laurence Archer.
Kingdom of Madness
Mark Stanway – keyboards
(Magnum 1980-2016)
Micky Barker - drums
(Magnum 1985-2005)
Laurence Archer – guitars
(Magnum 1984, Grand Slam, Stampede)
Chris Ousey – vocals
(Snakecharmer, Heartland)
Richard Bailey - keyboards / flute (Magnum 1975-80)
Mo Birch - backing vocals / percussion (Magnum, Go West, UB40)
Neil Murray – bass
(Whitesnake, Snakecharmer)
One of the UK’s finest exponents of melodic rock music, Magnum achieved high album and singles chart positions in both the UK and Europe and gained a reputation as one of the hardest-working bands on the touring circuit.
Highlights of the band’s career include regular sold-out theatre tours, including a memorable five nights at London’s legendary Hammersmith Odeon in 1988 together with headline appearances at Birmingham NEC and Wembley Arena.
"There is an extensive catalogue of great songs from the classic years of Magnum which have not been performed on stage in many years and which audiences have constantly requested.
Having said that, I should state that we by no means consider ourselves a Magnum "tribute" – how can it be when five of the members have a shared legacy with the band?
I’m delighted to be working with Richard, Micky, Laurence and Mo again and in Neil and Chris we have two musicians with their own distinct history who will obviously bring their personal musical identity to the project.
In addition, with our focus being firmly on the music from the earlier period, we do not perceive ourselves as being in "competition" with the current Magnum.
There is more than enough music to keep both bands busy - a fitting testament to the song-writing of Tony Clarkin. I’m truly looking forward to performing classic Magnum music with such a prestigious line-up."
- Mark Stanway
Confirmed dates:
Sheffield – Corporation, December 15th
Wolverhampton - Newhampton Arts Centre, December 21st
Swindon - Level III, December 22nd
Rock & Blues Festival, Skegness - January 20th 2019
Giants of Rock festival, Minehead - January 26th 2019
York - Fibbers, March 2nd 2019
http://www.kingdomofmadness.co.uk
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Early days for The Chosen Few (labelled as "New Blues & Rock from Cornwall") but this is as tasty as the pasties they seemingly demolished during the one-day session...
"Back in April We got together to do a bit of recording. We just had the one day – we were using a large canteen building, and a cobbled together set of microphones, but had the talents of Ramsey Racekite at the mixing desk and keyboards.
On vocals we have Bill Smith of The Salt Flat Rats, Archie Fugill on guitar and Alan Williams on drums.
A good day all round (we took a break for pasties, thank you Archie Fugill) and then back to it... a lot of fun to do!" - Tim Chapple, July 2018.
The Chosen Few – The Pasty Sessions – recorded in Cornwall, April 2018
Archie Fugill - Guitar; Bill Smith - Vocals; Alan Williams - Drums
Tim Chapple - Bass; Ramsey Racekite - Keyboards
1. Sent By Angels (Arc Angels); 2. Feeding Time (The Hoax); 3. Living In A Dream (Arc Angels); 4. Full Time Lover (Fabulous Thunderbirds); 5. White Room (Cream)
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On vocals we have Bill Smith of The Salt Flat Rats, Archie Fugill on guitar and Alan Williams on drums.
A good day all round (we took a break for pasties, thank you Archie Fugill) and then back to it... a lot of fun to do!" - Tim Chapple, July 2018.
The Chosen Few – The Pasty Sessions – recorded in Cornwall, April 2018
Archie Fugill - Guitar; Bill Smith - Vocals; Alan Williams - Drums
Tim Chapple - Bass; Ramsey Racekite - Keyboards
1. Sent By Angels (Arc Angels); 2. Feeding Time (The Hoax); 3. Living In A Dream (Arc Angels); 4. Full Time Lover (Fabulous Thunderbirds); 5. White Room (Cream)
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Germany’s hottest young rock band The New Roses embark on an 11-date UK Headline Tour in November and December, presented by Shock City Productions in association with Brainstorm Music Marketing AG.
Special guests on the tour are British hard rock band Departed, except for the shows in Carlisle (Heartbreak Remedy), Newcastle (Saints Of Arcadia) Southampton (Voodoo Vegas) and The Brink.
The band, whose song 'Without a Trace' (the title track of their 2013 debut) was featured on the soundtrack of the US cult series Sons Of Anarchy, made their breakthrough when their 2017 album One More For The Road became a Top 20 success on the German Album Charts.
The album also received rave reviews from the British media, Powerplay Magazine stating that One More For The Road was "an album for any self-respecting hard rock fan."
Special guests on the tour are British hard rock band Departed, except for the shows in Carlisle (Heartbreak Remedy), Newcastle (Saints Of Arcadia) Southampton (Voodoo Vegas) and The Brink.
The band, whose song 'Without a Trace' (the title track of their 2013 debut) was featured on the soundtrack of the US cult series Sons Of Anarchy, made their breakthrough when their 2017 album One More For The Road became a Top 20 success on the German Album Charts.
The album also received rave reviews from the British media, Powerplay Magazine stating that One More For The Road was "an album for any self-respecting hard rock fan."
Just before hitting the road in the UK The New Roses will hit the high seas as the only European act to be featured on the KISS KRUISE VIII, from 31st October to 5th November, from Miami to Nassau to Key West.
This year the band have already toured Germany and France, were special guests on The Dead Daisies European tour and will play more than thirty festivals this summer including Sweden Rock, Open Road Fest, Matapaloz, Rock Of Ages and Rock Hard Festival.
THE NEW ROSES – ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 UK HEADLINE TOUR
With Special Guests Departed except at *(Heartbreak Remedy), **(Saints Of Arcadia), ^(Voodoo Vegas)
Tickets: www.thenewroses.com/tour
*The Brickyard, Carlisle - Wednesday 21st November
Yardbird Rock, Grimsby - Thursday 22nd November
Winter Storm, Troon - Friday 23rd November
Corporation, Sheffield - Saturday 24th November
**Trillians, Newcastle - Sunday 25th November
The Louisiana, Bristol - Tuesday 27th November
^The 1865, Southampton - Wednesday 28th November
The Underworld Camden, London - Thursday 29th November
Rebellion, Manchester - Friday 30th November
Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff - Saturday 1st December
The Robin 2, Bilston - Sunday 2nd December
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This year the band have already toured Germany and France, were special guests on The Dead Daisies European tour and will play more than thirty festivals this summer including Sweden Rock, Open Road Fest, Matapaloz, Rock Of Ages and Rock Hard Festival.
THE NEW ROSES – ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 UK HEADLINE TOUR
With Special Guests Departed except at *(Heartbreak Remedy), **(Saints Of Arcadia), ^(Voodoo Vegas)
Tickets: www.thenewroses.com/tour
*The Brickyard, Carlisle - Wednesday 21st November
Yardbird Rock, Grimsby - Thursday 22nd November
Winter Storm, Troon - Friday 23rd November
Corporation, Sheffield - Saturday 24th November
**Trillians, Newcastle - Sunday 25th November
The Louisiana, Bristol - Tuesday 27th November
^The 1865, Southampton - Wednesday 28th November
The Underworld Camden, London - Thursday 29th November
Rebellion, Manchester - Friday 30th November
Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff - Saturday 1st December
The Robin 2, Bilston - Sunday 2nd December
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"Cream was a chemical explosion like no other" reads part of the text on the promo video for The Music of Cream 50th Anniversary Tour.
If the original was a chemical explosion The Music of Cream, who celebrate and perform Cream’s timeless and truly classic material, is rooted in the DNA and familial ties that link directly to Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton.
The Music of Cream touring band, hugely successful on their inaugural visits to Australia and New Zealand in 2017, feature Malcolm Bruce, son of Jack Bruce, on bass and vocals, Ginger Baker’s son Kofi Baker on drums and guitarist & vocalist Will Johns, son of noted Rolling Stones engineer and producer, the late Andy Johns.
To complete the family circle, Will Johns is also the nephew through marriage of Eric Clapton.
The Music of Cream 50th Anniversary tour will play the UK for the first time this November; the shows will feature all of Cream’s seminal songs while the band is accompanied by a giant screen showing archive footage of Cream plus rare family snaps of Malcolm Bruce and Kofi Baker with their fathers.
The results are a true multi-media concert and a fitting tribute to one of the most successful and greatest ever power-trios.
If the original was a chemical explosion The Music of Cream, who celebrate and perform Cream’s timeless and truly classic material, is rooted in the DNA and familial ties that link directly to Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton.
The Music of Cream touring band, hugely successful on their inaugural visits to Australia and New Zealand in 2017, feature Malcolm Bruce, son of Jack Bruce, on bass and vocals, Ginger Baker’s son Kofi Baker on drums and guitarist & vocalist Will Johns, son of noted Rolling Stones engineer and producer, the late Andy Johns.
To complete the family circle, Will Johns is also the nephew through marriage of Eric Clapton.
The Music of Cream 50th Anniversary tour will play the UK for the first time this November; the shows will feature all of Cream’s seminal songs while the band is accompanied by a giant screen showing archive footage of Cream plus rare family snaps of Malcolm Bruce and Kofi Baker with their fathers.
The results are a true multi-media concert and a fitting tribute to one of the most successful and greatest ever power-trios.
Roger Brooks Photography
In a recent interview for The Sunday Post with Scottish music journalist and DJ Billy Sloan, Malcolm Bruce stated that "We honour the music in the right way.
We’re not just apeing it, we’re improvising on what already exists. We’re also integrating some home video footage of my dad, Eric and Ginger playing together – and Tony Palmer has given us permission to use shots from his movie.
There will be times you will see Cream on the big screens and we’re playing along with them.”
You can read the full interview by clicking here
The four-date UK tour starts at the Glasgow O2 Academy on Friday 23rd November; the UK dates also celebrate fifty years since Cream’s farewell UK concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 26th, 1968.
The Music of Cream 50th Anniversary World Tour.
UK Dates:
Glasgow, O2 Academy - Friday 23rd November
Leamington Spa, Assembly - Saturday 24th November
London, O2 Forum - Sunday 25th November
Manchester, Ritz - Monday 26th November
Book Tickets at www.themjrgroup.com/moc50th/
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We’re not just apeing it, we’re improvising on what already exists. We’re also integrating some home video footage of my dad, Eric and Ginger playing together – and Tony Palmer has given us permission to use shots from his movie.
There will be times you will see Cream on the big screens and we’re playing along with them.”
You can read the full interview by clicking here
The four-date UK tour starts at the Glasgow O2 Academy on Friday 23rd November; the UK dates also celebrate fifty years since Cream’s farewell UK concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 26th, 1968.
The Music of Cream 50th Anniversary World Tour.
UK Dates:
Glasgow, O2 Academy - Friday 23rd November
Leamington Spa, Assembly - Saturday 24th November
London, O2 Forum - Sunday 25th November
Manchester, Ritz - Monday 26th November
Book Tickets at www.themjrgroup.com/moc50th/
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Martin Turner and his band return to touring duty this autumn to perform another classic Wishbone Ash album from the "Vintage Years" in both a celebration of the band’s iconic and critically acclaimed 1970 self-titled debut and the recently released Deluxe Limited Edition 30CD retrospective box-set.
The upcoming tour follows on from the successful 2017 and spring 2018 excursions in which Turner and band performed Wishbone Ash’s seminal 1972 album Argus, and 1974’s There’s the Rub, respectively.
The current success being enjoyed by Martin Turner includes the recent release of the 2CD/DVD set via Cherry Red Records, The Beauty of Chaos : Live at the Citadel.
The live album was recorded on the Written in the Stars Tour (promoting Turner’s 2015 solo album) and features the current line-up of the band, Martin Turner (vocals, bass), Danny Willson (guitars, vocals), Misha Nikolic (guitars) and Tim Brown (drums, vocals).
Earlier this year Wishbone Ash released a Limited Edition, Deluxe 30CD career retrospective box-set entitled The Vintage Years (1970-1991).
Including all the studios albums over that period, a collection of live recordings and loaded with rarities, memorabilia, new interview and lavish 156-page hardback book, a third of the collection features previously unheard & unreleased material.
Released in December 1970, the Wishbone Ash debut album contained an eclectic mix of progressive rock, hard-rock, blues, jazz and folk influences, with the band’s pioneering twin guitar harmonies showcased throughout.
Unlike many groups who develop an identifiable style across the course of several albums, the still youthful band set the distinct and memorable Wishbone Ash blueprint with their very first offering.
Featuring perennial stage favourites such as 'Blind Eye,' 'Lady Whiskey' and album closing tour-de-force, 'Phoenix,' Wishbone Ash received rave reviews from the music media with legendary broadcaster John Peel proclaiming "I haven't been so impressed with a relatively new band for a long time. Their music is original, exciting and beautifully played."
Five decades on the album remains a firm favourite with fans of the band and the classic rock genre.
Further vintage album tours from Martin Turner and his band are likely in the future (including New England, confirmed for spring 2019); a chance to experience these much-loved works performed live, and in full.
Martin Turner plays the music of Wishbone Ash.
UK Tour Dates:
September
Thurs 13th - Chislehurst, Beaverwood Club
Fri 14th - Worthing Pier, Southern Pavilion,
Sat 15th - Maidenhead, Norden Farm Centre for the Arts
Fri 21st - Buckley, Tivoli
Sat 22nd - St. Helens, Citadel Arts Center
Sat 29th - Deal, The Astor
Sun 30th - Colchester, Arts Centre
October
Fri 5th - London, Boom Boom Club @ Sutton FC
Sat 6th - Pocklington, Arts Centre
Sun 7th - Sutton in Ashfield, The Diamond
Sun 21st - Cardiff, The Globe
Thurs 25th - Bilston, Robin 2
Fri 26th - Darlington, The Forum Music Centre
Sat 27th - Rotherham, Cutlers Arms
For tickets go to: https://www.martinturnermusic.com/concerts
www.martinturnermusic.com
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The upcoming tour follows on from the successful 2017 and spring 2018 excursions in which Turner and band performed Wishbone Ash’s seminal 1972 album Argus, and 1974’s There’s the Rub, respectively.
The current success being enjoyed by Martin Turner includes the recent release of the 2CD/DVD set via Cherry Red Records, The Beauty of Chaos : Live at the Citadel.
The live album was recorded on the Written in the Stars Tour (promoting Turner’s 2015 solo album) and features the current line-up of the band, Martin Turner (vocals, bass), Danny Willson (guitars, vocals), Misha Nikolic (guitars) and Tim Brown (drums, vocals).
Earlier this year Wishbone Ash released a Limited Edition, Deluxe 30CD career retrospective box-set entitled The Vintage Years (1970-1991).
Including all the studios albums over that period, a collection of live recordings and loaded with rarities, memorabilia, new interview and lavish 156-page hardback book, a third of the collection features previously unheard & unreleased material.
Released in December 1970, the Wishbone Ash debut album contained an eclectic mix of progressive rock, hard-rock, blues, jazz and folk influences, with the band’s pioneering twin guitar harmonies showcased throughout.
Unlike many groups who develop an identifiable style across the course of several albums, the still youthful band set the distinct and memorable Wishbone Ash blueprint with their very first offering.
Featuring perennial stage favourites such as 'Blind Eye,' 'Lady Whiskey' and album closing tour-de-force, 'Phoenix,' Wishbone Ash received rave reviews from the music media with legendary broadcaster John Peel proclaiming "I haven't been so impressed with a relatively new band for a long time. Their music is original, exciting and beautifully played."
Five decades on the album remains a firm favourite with fans of the band and the classic rock genre.
Further vintage album tours from Martin Turner and his band are likely in the future (including New England, confirmed for spring 2019); a chance to experience these much-loved works performed live, and in full.
Martin Turner plays the music of Wishbone Ash.
UK Tour Dates:
September
Thurs 13th - Chislehurst, Beaverwood Club
Fri 14th - Worthing Pier, Southern Pavilion,
Sat 15th - Maidenhead, Norden Farm Centre for the Arts
Fri 21st - Buckley, Tivoli
Sat 22nd - St. Helens, Citadel Arts Center
Sat 29th - Deal, The Astor
Sun 30th - Colchester, Arts Centre
October
Fri 5th - London, Boom Boom Club @ Sutton FC
Sat 6th - Pocklington, Arts Centre
Sun 7th - Sutton in Ashfield, The Diamond
Sun 21st - Cardiff, The Globe
Thurs 25th - Bilston, Robin 2
Fri 26th - Darlington, The Forum Music Centre
Sat 27th - Rotherham, Cutlers Arms
For tickets go to: https://www.martinturnermusic.com/concerts
www.martinturnermusic.com
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Fresh off his G3 European and UK tour with Joe Satriani and John Petrucci, former Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth, widely regarded as one of the great rock guitar players, will celebrate his upcoming 50th Anniversary as a performer (he played his first ever show in December 1968 at the age of 13) with six very special UK concerts.
The two hour-plus show will consist of selected highlights from Uli Jon Roth’s entire musical career, including revisiting his Scorpions days, as was done in such fine fashion with the Scorpions Revisited 2CD set in 2015 and the Tokyo Tapes Revisited - Live in Tokyo 2015 DVD/Blu-Ray, released in 2016.
The 50th Anniversary shows will naturally include the best of that timeless material, including 'The Sails of Charon,' 'In Trance' and 'Fly to the Rainbow,' among others.
ULI JON ROTH – 50TH ANNIVERSARY UK TOUR
Tickets: www.seetickets.com, stables.org, www.ulijonroth.com/tourdates
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The two hour-plus show will consist of selected highlights from Uli Jon Roth’s entire musical career, including revisiting his Scorpions days, as was done in such fine fashion with the Scorpions Revisited 2CD set in 2015 and the Tokyo Tapes Revisited - Live in Tokyo 2015 DVD/Blu-Ray, released in 2016.
The 50th Anniversary shows will naturally include the best of that timeless material, including 'The Sails of Charon,' 'In Trance' and 'Fly to the Rainbow,' among others.
ULI JON ROTH – 50TH ANNIVERSARY UK TOUR
Tickets: www.seetickets.com, stables.org, www.ulijonroth.com/tourdates
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DBA (Downes Braide Association) have announced their debut live performance at Trading Boundaries (voted #2 venue on Prog Magazine’s 2017 poll, after the Royal Albert Hall) in East Sussex, on Friday 28th of September.
For the performance Geoff Downes and Chris Braide will be joined by bassist Andy Hodge, who worked with the duo on their recent album Skyscraper Souls (which was a a Feature Review album on FabricationsHQ).
Other guests are expected to be announced shortly.
DBA is a labour of love for both Geoff Downes and Chris Braide and a unique combination of musical influences that has delivered high-quality progressive pop.
Together the pair have produced three critically acclaimed albums with Skyscraper Souls being their most ambitious yet – it features the talents not only of the principals but a number of guest singers and musicians including Marc Almond, Kate Pierson (B-52s), Andy Partridge (XTC), Ash Soan (The Voice) and David Longdon (Big Big Train).
"Working with Geoff on the Skyscraper Souls album and its two predecessors has reacquainted me with the kind of music I love. Epic and euphoric. To be able to make music like this with my dear friend is a real pleasure and reminds me why I got into music in the first place. I’m looking forward to opening up the songs in a live setting." - Chris Braide
For the performance Geoff Downes and Chris Braide will be joined by bassist Andy Hodge, who worked with the duo on their recent album Skyscraper Souls (which was a a Feature Review album on FabricationsHQ).
Other guests are expected to be announced shortly.
DBA is a labour of love for both Geoff Downes and Chris Braide and a unique combination of musical influences that has delivered high-quality progressive pop.
Together the pair have produced three critically acclaimed albums with Skyscraper Souls being their most ambitious yet – it features the talents not only of the principals but a number of guest singers and musicians including Marc Almond, Kate Pierson (B-52s), Andy Partridge (XTC), Ash Soan (The Voice) and David Longdon (Big Big Train).
"Working with Geoff on the Skyscraper Souls album and its two predecessors has reacquainted me with the kind of music I love. Epic and euphoric. To be able to make music like this with my dear friend is a real pleasure and reminds me why I got into music in the first place. I’m looking forward to opening up the songs in a live setting." - Chris Braide
"It’s been both a revelation and inspiration for me, working with Chris on our DBA project together, and long may it continue. He is extremely gifted, both as a writer and producer, and I am very proud of our collaboration. We immediately hit it off when we first met some eight years ago, and since then, have gently nurtured our way through three studio albums. Now, taking this onto the live stage is going to be a real thrill for both of us." - Geoff Downes
Roger Dean created the cover artwork for Skyscraper Souls; the original painting will be on display on the night.
Sponsored by Prog magazine, this rare live show is going to be a very special evening of music from DBA and their special guests, in the candlelit, atmospheric surroundings of Trading Boundaries, a shop, café, music venue and gallery situated within in a Georgian manor house with beautiful surroundings.
DBA at Trading Boundaries - Friday 28 September 2018
Tickets: £55 with dining, £25 standing
Box office: 01825 790200 www.tradingboundariesmusic.com
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Roger Dean created the cover artwork for Skyscraper Souls; the original painting will be on display on the night.
Sponsored by Prog magazine, this rare live show is going to be a very special evening of music from DBA and their special guests, in the candlelit, atmospheric surroundings of Trading Boundaries, a shop, café, music venue and gallery situated within in a Georgian manor house with beautiful surroundings.
DBA at Trading Boundaries - Friday 28 September 2018
Tickets: £55 with dining, £25 standing
Box office: 01825 790200 www.tradingboundariesmusic.com
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In celebration of their 50th Anniversary Nazareth will release a new album, Tattooed On My Brain, on Frontiers Music sol on October 12th.
The album is the first to feature singer Carl Sentence (ex Persian Risk, Don Airy) who joined the band in 2015. It’s also Nazareth's first studio album since 2014’s Rock 'N' Roll Telephone, which was the last to feature original singer Dan McCafferty, who retired from the band for health reasons.
You can pre-order Tattooed On My Brain, which will be available on CD, vinyl and digital, here:
http://radi.al/TattooedOnMyBrain
An exclusive 2xLP Red Splatter Colour Vinyl edition is available direct from the Frontiers EU webstore: https://bit.ly/2NXo4Sp
The first track to be released from the album, 'Pole to Pole,' is also available as an instant download with all digital pre-orders.|
Remaining founding member, bassist Pete Agnew, says of the new album:
"What I know and expect is that this record, because of our new line up, will come under the highest scrutiny of any record in Nazareth’s history and after that, hopefully be judged as one of the best of Nazareth’s career.
While there is always going to be hints of the classic Nazareth sound on our albums, what is fresh, and inspired the new songs and new approach, is the fact that we have a new singer, Carl Sentance.
There is nothing that changes a band’s approach so definitively as the sound, style and performance of a new frontman; it also influences the way the other guys write songs because mostly when you write a song for the band you have in mind whether it will suit your singer’s style and how he’ll sound singing it.
And of course, with Carl we have not only a new singer but a great new songwriter as well, so the whole project was always going to be fresher than a new laid egg. Tastes fantastic, by the way!"
The album is the first to feature singer Carl Sentence (ex Persian Risk, Don Airy) who joined the band in 2015. It’s also Nazareth's first studio album since 2014’s Rock 'N' Roll Telephone, which was the last to feature original singer Dan McCafferty, who retired from the band for health reasons.
You can pre-order Tattooed On My Brain, which will be available on CD, vinyl and digital, here:
http://radi.al/TattooedOnMyBrain
An exclusive 2xLP Red Splatter Colour Vinyl edition is available direct from the Frontiers EU webstore: https://bit.ly/2NXo4Sp
The first track to be released from the album, 'Pole to Pole,' is also available as an instant download with all digital pre-orders.|
Remaining founding member, bassist Pete Agnew, says of the new album:
"What I know and expect is that this record, because of our new line up, will come under the highest scrutiny of any record in Nazareth’s history and after that, hopefully be judged as one of the best of Nazareth’s career.
While there is always going to be hints of the classic Nazareth sound on our albums, what is fresh, and inspired the new songs and new approach, is the fact that we have a new singer, Carl Sentance.
There is nothing that changes a band’s approach so definitively as the sound, style and performance of a new frontman; it also influences the way the other guys write songs because mostly when you write a song for the band you have in mind whether it will suit your singer’s style and how he’ll sound singing it.
And of course, with Carl we have not only a new singer but a great new songwriter as well, so the whole project was always going to be fresher than a new laid egg. Tastes fantastic, by the way!"
Nazareth formed in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1968, releasing their eponymous debut album in 1971.
The band broke through to a larger audience when, after supporting Deep Purple on tour, they released the Roger Glover-produced Razamanaz album in 1973.
A string of hit albums including Loud 'N Proud, Rampant and their biggest success Hair of the Dog, plus a host of hit singles including worldwide success with 'Love Hurts,' helped cement the band's legacy in the history of hard rock.
Nazareth – Tattooed On My Brain. Released on Frontiers Records 12th October
Track listing:
Never Dance With The Devil; Tattooed On My Brain; State Of Emergency; Rubik’s Romance; Pole To Pole; Push; The Secret Is Out; Don’t Throw Your Love Away; Crazy Molly; Silent Symphony; What Goes Around; Change; You Call Me
Pete Agnew - Bass, backing vocals; Carl Sentance - Lead vocals
Jimmy Murrison - Guitars; Lee Agnew - Drums
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The band broke through to a larger audience when, after supporting Deep Purple on tour, they released the Roger Glover-produced Razamanaz album in 1973.
A string of hit albums including Loud 'N Proud, Rampant and their biggest success Hair of the Dog, plus a host of hit singles including worldwide success with 'Love Hurts,' helped cement the band's legacy in the history of hard rock.
Nazareth – Tattooed On My Brain. Released on Frontiers Records 12th October
Track listing:
Never Dance With The Devil; Tattooed On My Brain; State Of Emergency; Rubik’s Romance; Pole To Pole; Push; The Secret Is Out; Don’t Throw Your Love Away; Crazy Molly; Silent Symphony; What Goes Around; Change; You Call Me
Pete Agnew - Bass, backing vocals; Carl Sentance - Lead vocals
Jimmy Murrison - Guitars; Lee Agnew - Drums
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Swedish melodic rockers Snakes In Paradise will make a welcome comeback/ return on September 14th when they release Step Into The Light on Frontiers Records.
Snakes In Paradise came to the attention of melodic rock fans in 1993 when they acted as the back-up band for Mark Free. The band then introduced themselves formally with a debut album of original material in 1994. The album mixed British hard rock with American AOR fronted Stefan Berggren’s strong and soulful blues rock voice.
The band’s second album, Garden of Eden, followed in 1999 and was inspired by Whitesnake and that band’s most popular and well-known material; following the release of Dangerous Love in 2002 the band called it a day.
Stefan Berggren went on to work with Company of Snakes (formed by classic Whitesnake alumni Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody, and Neil Murray) before recording an album with Lee Kerslake (ex-Uriah Heep, Ozzy Osbourne); he then worked with Razorback for a stretch of time.
In 2016, the members of Snakes In Paradise reconvened to discuss making more music together.
"I was asked to write some songs in the Snakes style by a few different musicans" says Berggren, continuing that "one of them was Alessandro Del Vecchio, with whom I did an album called Revolution Road.
On that album, some of the Snakes guys were guests. The album turned out great and, eventually, the Snakes started to get lots of show offers. I then decided to send one of the songs I had written to Serafino, the President of the Frontiers label. He liked what he heard and offered us a record deal immediately.
And here we are!"
Step Into The Light is the band's first album in sixteen years and melds the melodies of 80s US AOR with classic hard rock. "Fans should expect a Snakes In Paradise album with a familiar sound," continues Stefan Berggren. "Not much has changed musically from the first couple of albums, still the same drum kit and same guys playing together! That makes this our signature sound, but perhaps this time a bit beefier and more mature. This could be the strongest album of all the albums we have done. We also hope to see the fans on the road someday soon!"
Snakes In Paradise came to the attention of melodic rock fans in 1993 when they acted as the back-up band for Mark Free. The band then introduced themselves formally with a debut album of original material in 1994. The album mixed British hard rock with American AOR fronted Stefan Berggren’s strong and soulful blues rock voice.
The band’s second album, Garden of Eden, followed in 1999 and was inspired by Whitesnake and that band’s most popular and well-known material; following the release of Dangerous Love in 2002 the band called it a day.
Stefan Berggren went on to work with Company of Snakes (formed by classic Whitesnake alumni Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody, and Neil Murray) before recording an album with Lee Kerslake (ex-Uriah Heep, Ozzy Osbourne); he then worked with Razorback for a stretch of time.
In 2016, the members of Snakes In Paradise reconvened to discuss making more music together.
"I was asked to write some songs in the Snakes style by a few different musicans" says Berggren, continuing that "one of them was Alessandro Del Vecchio, with whom I did an album called Revolution Road.
On that album, some of the Snakes guys were guests. The album turned out great and, eventually, the Snakes started to get lots of show offers. I then decided to send one of the songs I had written to Serafino, the President of the Frontiers label. He liked what he heard and offered us a record deal immediately.
And here we are!"
Step Into The Light is the band's first album in sixteen years and melds the melodies of 80s US AOR with classic hard rock. "Fans should expect a Snakes In Paradise album with a familiar sound," continues Stefan Berggren. "Not much has changed musically from the first couple of albums, still the same drum kit and same guys playing together! That makes this our signature sound, but perhaps this time a bit beefier and more mature. This could be the strongest album of all the albums we have done. We also hope to see the fans on the road someday soon!"
Snakes In Paradise – Step Into The Light. Released on Frontiers Records on September 14th.
Stefan Berggren - Lead vocals, acoustic guitar & keyboards
Thomas Jakobsson - Electric guitar & acoustic guitar
Stefan Zimman Jonsson - Lead guitar
Tomas Pomma Thorberg – Bass
Peter Petterson - Drums
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Stefan Berggren - Lead vocals, acoustic guitar & keyboards
Thomas Jakobsson - Electric guitar & acoustic guitar
Stefan Zimman Jonsson - Lead guitar
Tomas Pomma Thorberg – Bass
Peter Petterson - Drums
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Blues-rock-soul singer guitarist Ben Poole will release his third studio album Anytime You Need Me on the 14th of September on Manhaton Records.
You can Pre-order for a signed CD of the album and receive a free download now of album track 'Holding On' here: https://www.manhatonrecords.com/product/ben-poole-anytime-you-need-me
Anytime You Need Me was recorded at Superfly Studios by Wayne Proctor and the House of Tone team.
"It was an absolute joy to work again with Wayne," says Ben Poole. "He has a great ear and knows me well; the result is amazing."
The album is also Ben Poole’s most definitive recording to date, covering all the trademark Poole bases from crossover blues-pop and soul-smooth balladeering to great covers (Jude Cole’s 'Start the Car' and Don Henley’s 'Dirty Laundry') and groove-driven, grittier soul-rock...
You can Pre-order for a signed CD of the album and receive a free download now of album track 'Holding On' here: https://www.manhatonrecords.com/product/ben-poole-anytime-you-need-me
Anytime You Need Me was recorded at Superfly Studios by Wayne Proctor and the House of Tone team.
"It was an absolute joy to work again with Wayne," says Ben Poole. "He has a great ear and knows me well; the result is amazing."
The album is also Ben Poole’s most definitive recording to date, covering all the trademark Poole bases from crossover blues-pop and soul-smooth balladeering to great covers (Jude Cole’s 'Start the Car' and Don Henley’s 'Dirty Laundry') and groove-driven, grittier soul-rock...
Anytime You Need Me is more guitar based than previous album, Time Has Come.
The main focus was still on writing great songs but the studio team was kept small to avoid having too much outside influence on the direction of the music (other than the covers, Ben Poole co-wrote the album with his writing partners Wayne Proctor and Steve Wright).
The results are an album that showcase Ben Poole’s most expressive guitar work to date.
To promote the album Ben Poole will undertake an extensive UK & European tour from September right through to December 2018 (tickets via http://benpooleband.com/live)
Ben Poole UK Dates 2018:
Secret Widget Festival, Isle of Wight – 9th September
Latest Music Bar, Brighton – 21st November
The Stables, Milton Keynes – 22nd November
Old Schoolhouse, Barnsley – 23rd November
The Meeting Room, Elland – 24th November
The Beaverwood Club, Chislehurst – 28th November
Oran Mor, Glasgow – 29th November
Cafe Drummonds, Aberdeen – 30th November
The Green Hotel, Kinross – 1st December
Früit, Hull – 5th December
Real Time Live, Chesterfield – 6th December
The Ropewalk, Barton upon Humber – 7th December
Half Moon Putney, London – 12th December
The Musician, Leicester - Thursday 13th December
The Railway, Winchester – 15th December
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The main focus was still on writing great songs but the studio team was kept small to avoid having too much outside influence on the direction of the music (other than the covers, Ben Poole co-wrote the album with his writing partners Wayne Proctor and Steve Wright).
The results are an album that showcase Ben Poole’s most expressive guitar work to date.
To promote the album Ben Poole will undertake an extensive UK & European tour from September right through to December 2018 (tickets via http://benpooleband.com/live)
Ben Poole UK Dates 2018:
Secret Widget Festival, Isle of Wight – 9th September
Latest Music Bar, Brighton – 21st November
The Stables, Milton Keynes – 22nd November
Old Schoolhouse, Barnsley – 23rd November
The Meeting Room, Elland – 24th November
The Beaverwood Club, Chislehurst – 28th November
Oran Mor, Glasgow – 29th November
Cafe Drummonds, Aberdeen – 30th November
The Green Hotel, Kinross – 1st December
Früit, Hull – 5th December
Real Time Live, Chesterfield – 6th December
The Ropewalk, Barton upon Humber – 7th December
Half Moon Putney, London – 12th December
The Musician, Leicester - Thursday 13th December
The Railway, Winchester – 15th December
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Stockport based blues rockers Federal Charm have announced that their third album, Passenger, will be released on the 14th of September. Fans who pre-order the album will get the first single 'Choke' as a free & instant digital download track.
Passenger was recorded, produced and mixed at Willow Terrace Studios in Manchester; the band
co-produced the album with John Simms (Hidden Colour Audio) who also engineers for fellow Stockport band, Blossoms.
"John was really good to work with," says Federal Charm co-founder and guitarist Paul Bowe; "he’s highly technical, has a great set of ears and commands an invaluable ability to locate and add that missing ingredient to make a song stand out from the crowd."
First single 'Choke' is a standing out case in point – contemporary and punchy, new lead vocalist Tom Guyer's equally punchy vocal style has given the band additional tonal colour.
Passenger was recorded, produced and mixed at Willow Terrace Studios in Manchester; the band
co-produced the album with John Simms (Hidden Colour Audio) who also engineers for fellow Stockport band, Blossoms.
"John was really good to work with," says Federal Charm co-founder and guitarist Paul Bowe; "he’s highly technical, has a great set of ears and commands an invaluable ability to locate and add that missing ingredient to make a song stand out from the crowd."
First single 'Choke' is a standing out case in point – contemporary and punchy, new lead vocalist Tom Guyer's equally punchy vocal style has given the band additional tonal colour.
For Passenger the band wanted to retain the Federal Charm sound but also create an exciting new sonic platform for their new vocalist to let loose and show what he can do. And, as Paul Bowe confirms, "It’s a heavier album. There was no way to tame the beast!"
The band will feature material from Passenger on their co-headline UK tour with the Bad Flowers in September (see below); the CD edition of the album will be available at the shows via the band’s merchandise desk.
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The band will feature material from Passenger on their co-headline UK tour with the Bad Flowers in September (see below); the CD edition of the album will be available at the shows via the band’s merchandise desk.
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Midlands based hard rock band The Bad Flowers and Federal Charm will co-headline a Planet Rock Presents tour in September; the tour starts at the Thekla, Bristol, on Wednesday the 19th of September and ends on Sunday the 30th September at London’s Borderline.
British contemporary rock outfit Those Damn Crows will support on all dates.
Following their self-titled EP in 2016, The Bad Flowers – Tom Leighton (vocals, guitar), Dale Bollard Tonks (bass), Karl Selickis (drums) – released the critically acclaimed debut album Starting Gun in February 2018.
The band undertook a UK tour supporting Stone Broken and Jared James Nichols the same month and this summer play several festivals including Steelhouse, Stone Free and Hard Rock Hell (they will also play at Planet Rockstock in December).
After a successful Planet Rock Roadstars triple bill tour with SIMO and Aaron Keylock at the end of 2016 Federal Charm recorded some new demos in an away-from-it-all cottage in Wales.
The demos ultimately led to line-up changes a few months later; founding members Paul Bowe (guitar) and L.D. Morawski (bass) recruited Southampton vocalist Tom Guyer and top Manchester drummer Josh Zahler.
With a new energy and purpose the retooled Federal Charm team of Bowe, Morawski, Guyer and Zahler set to work writing and recording new material and opening shows for UFO, Y&T and Brian Downey’s Alive and Dangerous band.
Federal Charm will release their new album Passenger on the 14th of September.
British contemporary rock outfit Those Damn Crows will support on all dates.
Following their self-titled EP in 2016, The Bad Flowers – Tom Leighton (vocals, guitar), Dale Bollard Tonks (bass), Karl Selickis (drums) – released the critically acclaimed debut album Starting Gun in February 2018.
The band undertook a UK tour supporting Stone Broken and Jared James Nichols the same month and this summer play several festivals including Steelhouse, Stone Free and Hard Rock Hell (they will also play at Planet Rockstock in December).
After a successful Planet Rock Roadstars triple bill tour with SIMO and Aaron Keylock at the end of 2016 Federal Charm recorded some new demos in an away-from-it-all cottage in Wales.
The demos ultimately led to line-up changes a few months later; founding members Paul Bowe (guitar) and L.D. Morawski (bass) recruited Southampton vocalist Tom Guyer and top Manchester drummer Josh Zahler.
With a new energy and purpose the retooled Federal Charm team of Bowe, Morawski, Guyer and Zahler set to work writing and recording new material and opening shows for UFO, Y&T and Brian Downey’s Alive and Dangerous band.
Federal Charm will release their new album Passenger on the 14th of September.
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The passing of "of an age" musicians in rock and pop or those who made an name for themselves or their bands impact over the decades is a fact of life and death in the 21st century.
In June 2018 four drummers who played their parts in dramatically differing genres, and who all made a successful, significant or highly impacting mark in those genres, passed away.
Jon Hiseman, founder and percussive driving force behind the ground-breaking and innovative jazz-rock fusion band Colosseum (as well as a number of other notable bands or projects including Jon Hiseman’s Tempest, Colosseum II and most lately the JCM trio with fellow Colosseum alumni Clem Clempson and Mark Clarke) lost his battle with a cancerous brain tumour on June 12th. He was 73.
The next day D.J. (Dominic Joseph) Fontana, one of the most legendary names in rock and roll drumming, passed away at 87.
In 1954 D.J. Fontana hired to play drums for Presley; it was the beginning of a fifteen-year relationship with Presley and a hiring that saw him join Presley, guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black.
Initially known as The Blue Moon Boys, they were also the band that recorded the majority of Presley's hits of the 1950s, including 'Heartbreak Hotel,' 'Hound Dog' and 'Jailhouse Rock.'
In June 2018 four drummers who played their parts in dramatically differing genres, and who all made a successful, significant or highly impacting mark in those genres, passed away.
Jon Hiseman, founder and percussive driving force behind the ground-breaking and innovative jazz-rock fusion band Colosseum (as well as a number of other notable bands or projects including Jon Hiseman’s Tempest, Colosseum II and most lately the JCM trio with fellow Colosseum alumni Clem Clempson and Mark Clarke) lost his battle with a cancerous brain tumour on June 12th. He was 73.
The next day D.J. (Dominic Joseph) Fontana, one of the most legendary names in rock and roll drumming, passed away at 87.
In 1954 D.J. Fontana hired to play drums for Presley; it was the beginning of a fifteen-year relationship with Presley and a hiring that saw him join Presley, guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black.
Initially known as The Blue Moon Boys, they were also the band that recorded the majority of Presley's hits of the 1950s, including 'Heartbreak Hotel,' 'Hound Dog' and 'Jailhouse Rock.'
The Cramps were as far removed from Elvis Presley in time and musical style as you could get but the psychobilly-garage band from California did, curiously, hit their largest popularity and appeal in 1986 on the back of third album A Date With Elvis (an appropriation of the 1959 Presley album of the same name) and European tour that same year.
Drummer Nick Knox (born Nicholas George Stephanoff) was part of that successful era and also The Cramps longest-serving drummer (1977-1991) across the band's thirty-three year career.
Nick Knox died on the 15th June; he was 60.
A week later, on June 22nd, Vincent Paul Abbott, best known as Vinnie Paul and the drummer/ co-founder (with his guitarist brother Dimebag Darrell (Darrell Lance Abbott)) of successful US metal band Pantera, died at the age of only 54.
From glam metal beginning in the 80s Pantera hit the groove metal heights in the 90s with multi-Platinum sales and a #1 Billboard album in the shape of Beyond Driven.
Following the break-up of Pantera in 2003 the Abbott brothers formed Damageplan; the band were short-lived, suffering the tragedy of Dimebag Darrell being shot dead on stage in a nightclub in Columbus Ohio in 2004.
In 2006 Vinnie Paul joined metal supergroup HELLYEAH; the band have released five albums since 2007 with all five making the Top 25 of Billboard including two in the Top 10.
Drummer Nick Knox (born Nicholas George Stephanoff) was part of that successful era and also The Cramps longest-serving drummer (1977-1991) across the band's thirty-three year career.
Nick Knox died on the 15th June; he was 60.
A week later, on June 22nd, Vincent Paul Abbott, best known as Vinnie Paul and the drummer/ co-founder (with his guitarist brother Dimebag Darrell (Darrell Lance Abbott)) of successful US metal band Pantera, died at the age of only 54.
From glam metal beginning in the 80s Pantera hit the groove metal heights in the 90s with multi-Platinum sales and a #1 Billboard album in the shape of Beyond Driven.
Following the break-up of Pantera in 2003 the Abbott brothers formed Damageplan; the band were short-lived, suffering the tragedy of Dimebag Darrell being shot dead on stage in a nightclub in Columbus Ohio in 2004.
In 2006 Vinnie Paul joined metal supergroup HELLYEAH; the band have released five albums since 2007 with all five making the Top 25 of Billboard including two in the Top 10.
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It's a testament to the hard work and tireless non-profit making efforts of the Darvel Music Company (effectively a continuation of what was the Darvel Music Festival, a successful sometimes multiple weekend event that ran in the small Ayrshire town for fifteen years) that such high quality shows are still being put on at the Town Hall along with smaller, but no less entertaining gigs at the Darvel Bowling Club (which help fund the larger shows) also part of the Darvel Music Company bill.
Following the successful King King show which took place on the 21st of April, the next Darvel Music Company Town Hall event is a welcome return to Darvel, on August 25th, for Texan blues-soul-funk musician Hamilton Loomis and his band.
Loomis, a regular fixture at the Darvel Music Festival and who performed in Darvel last year while promoting his latest album Basics (his most personal and stripped back work to date), is a must-see artist who puts the capital E in Entertainment.
Following the successful King King show which took place on the 21st of April, the next Darvel Music Company Town Hall event is a welcome return to Darvel, on August 25th, for Texan blues-soul-funk musician Hamilton Loomis and his band.
Loomis, a regular fixture at the Darvel Music Festival and who performed in Darvel last year while promoting his latest album Basics (his most personal and stripped back work to date), is a must-see artist who puts the capital E in Entertainment.
The August 25th show is a triple bill event.
Legendary British producer and singer Mike Vernon – who is having so much fun with his good time crooner-swing band The Mighty Combo it should be illegal – will ably support the Hamilton Loomis Band in the soul-funk company of Fife based eight-piece, Lights Out By Nine.
Tickets for the concert are £22.50, unless you live in the Irvine Valley – if you are local to the area you can visit any of the local sales outlets and get your ticket for £20 (please present evidence of your address when purchasing).
All ticket outlet information can be located at: www.darvelmusiccompany.com
The Darvel Music Company organisers would like to thank all of their current 2018 sponsors and advertisers.
Special thanks to the Miss Bessie C. Roxburgh Bequest, Skipton Building Society, Grassroots Giving Scheme, Tesco Bags for Help, Scot-Mid, West Siphonics Limited, The Loudoun Valley Trust and the Darvel Improvement Group for their generous financial support.
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Legendary British producer and singer Mike Vernon – who is having so much fun with his good time crooner-swing band The Mighty Combo it should be illegal – will ably support the Hamilton Loomis Band in the soul-funk company of Fife based eight-piece, Lights Out By Nine.
Tickets for the concert are £22.50, unless you live in the Irvine Valley – if you are local to the area you can visit any of the local sales outlets and get your ticket for £20 (please present evidence of your address when purchasing).
All ticket outlet information can be located at: www.darvelmusiccompany.com
The Darvel Music Company organisers would like to thank all of their current 2018 sponsors and advertisers.
Special thanks to the Miss Bessie C. Roxburgh Bequest, Skipton Building Society, Grassroots Giving Scheme, Tesco Bags for Help, Scot-Mid, West Siphonics Limited, The Loudoun Valley Trust and the Darvel Improvement Group for their generous financial support.
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Having recently been delighted to report on the Dreadnoughtrock in Bathgate being recognised at the Scottish Hospitality Awards with a Highly Commended nod (see news item directly below this one), it’s great to also be able to report on a truly fantastic achievement for the Edinburgh Blues Club, which picked up the award for Best Blues Club of the Year at the UK Blues Awards 2018.
The EBC beat out competition from the likes of London’s St Harmonica Blues Club and Manchester’s Blue Funk Rhythm and Blues Club; the award is all the more impressive when you consider the Edinburgh Blues Club was only established in 2014 and is a not for profit endeavour run by volunteers who are passionate about their blues based music and bringing the best of that blues to Edinburgh.
The Edinburgh Blues Club is also programming and promoting The Edinburgh Blues ‘N’ Rock Festival 2018 which takes place at the Corn Exchange on the 22nd of September; the festival will feature British blues rock stalwarts Ten Years After and American blues soul songstress Dana Fuchs, who released her excellent Memphis/Southern Soul album Love Lives On earlier this year.
With the ‘Nought’s Highly Commended nod and The Edinburgh Blues Club’s prestigious British Blues award, it’s not a bad time for live rock and blues over Lothian way.
Serious and hearty congratulations from the other side of the country/ FabricationsHQ to both clubs.
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The EBC beat out competition from the likes of London’s St Harmonica Blues Club and Manchester’s Blue Funk Rhythm and Blues Club; the award is all the more impressive when you consider the Edinburgh Blues Club was only established in 2014 and is a not for profit endeavour run by volunteers who are passionate about their blues based music and bringing the best of that blues to Edinburgh.
The Edinburgh Blues Club is also programming and promoting The Edinburgh Blues ‘N’ Rock Festival 2018 which takes place at the Corn Exchange on the 22nd of September; the festival will feature British blues rock stalwarts Ten Years After and American blues soul songstress Dana Fuchs, who released her excellent Memphis/Southern Soul album Love Lives On earlier this year.
With the ‘Nought’s Highly Commended nod and The Edinburgh Blues Club’s prestigious British Blues award, it’s not a bad time for live rock and blues over Lothian way.
Serious and hearty congratulations from the other side of the country/ FabricationsHQ to both clubs.
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Alan Russell (photo: The Daily Record)
As mentioned above, fantastic to see and hear that the Dreadnoughtrock music venue in Bathgate had been recognised at the Scottish Hospitality Awards.
Scotland’s longest running rock club (which has played host to numerous international and national rock based artists over the decades including The Quireboys, Gun, Dan Reed of the Dan Reed Network and original Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell) was Highly Commended at the national awards ceremony after being nominated in the Best Live Music Venue category.
Alan Russell, part of the team who make the Dreadnoughtrock the friendly and renowned rock club it is, said of the recognition to the Daily Record:
"We at the Dreadnought work very hard to make it a great place to be, and find it a great honour to have this recognised by the public and to be shortlisted for such a prestigious event as The Scottish Hospitality Awards.
"Our live music sessions have featured some top internationally renowned bands and artist from all over the world and this has helped to enhance the standing of the club as being a great place to play.
"We have also been working hard to establish, nurture and feature local original bands, some of which have gone on to bigger and better things in the music industry. This has been one of our goals from the outset, to keep live music growing in the area.
"In order to achieve this and to keep the venue popular as a live music platform, we try to make the experience just as enjoyable for the artists as it is for the customers who come to see and hear them."
The Dreadnoughtrock also makes significant contributions for charity – the venue has raised over £35,000 through their annual RushFest Scotland events for causes such as Teenage Cancer Trust and McMillan Cancer Support (this year’s RushFest event raised £6500 for St Columba’s Hospice).
The club also hosts an annual event for the music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins Scotland, with this year’s event scheduled for the 18th of August (you can read the review of last year’s event here including a little more on Nordoff Robbins Scotland and those it helps).
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Scotland’s longest running rock club (which has played host to numerous international and national rock based artists over the decades including The Quireboys, Gun, Dan Reed of the Dan Reed Network and original Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell) was Highly Commended at the national awards ceremony after being nominated in the Best Live Music Venue category.
Alan Russell, part of the team who make the Dreadnoughtrock the friendly and renowned rock club it is, said of the recognition to the Daily Record:
"We at the Dreadnought work very hard to make it a great place to be, and find it a great honour to have this recognised by the public and to be shortlisted for such a prestigious event as The Scottish Hospitality Awards.
"Our live music sessions have featured some top internationally renowned bands and artist from all over the world and this has helped to enhance the standing of the club as being a great place to play.
"We have also been working hard to establish, nurture and feature local original bands, some of which have gone on to bigger and better things in the music industry. This has been one of our goals from the outset, to keep live music growing in the area.
"In order to achieve this and to keep the venue popular as a live music platform, we try to make the experience just as enjoyable for the artists as it is for the customers who come to see and hear them."
The Dreadnoughtrock also makes significant contributions for charity – the venue has raised over £35,000 through their annual RushFest Scotland events for causes such as Teenage Cancer Trust and McMillan Cancer Support (this year’s RushFest event raised £6500 for St Columba’s Hospice).
The club also hosts an annual event for the music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins Scotland, with this year’s event scheduled for the 18th of August (you can read the review of last year’s event here including a little more on Nordoff Robbins Scotland and those it helps).
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Uriah Heep will play a quintet of dates in the UK in December to promote their forthcoming 25th studio album Living The Dream, released via Frontiers Music Srl. On Friday the 14th of September.
The ‘eavy and ‘umble rockers will play shows in Manchester (Ritz, 12th December), Glasgow (02ABC 13th December), London (Shepherd's Bush Empire, 14th December), Nottingham (Rock City, 15th December) and Hull (City Hall, 16th December). Tickets are on sale now.
Uriah Heep fans can pre-order Living The Dream via the band's Pledge Music page.
Packages range from a £10 digital download to £500 for a Golden Ticket, which guarantees entry to all headlining dates on the Living The Dream tour together with a meet-and-greet with the band.
Co-founder and guitarist of Uriah Heep Mick Box says: "We are excited to announce the release of the new album on the 14th September. The producer for this project was famed producer Jay Ruston, and the album will be released on Frontiers Records. The new album rocks and, thanks to our fans and your continued support, we are still Living that Dream! 'Appy days!"
Heep’s lead vocalist Bernie Shaw adds that "Jay Rushton’s production has brought the power from our live shows onto the record. A now invaluable member of the 'Heep Family!' Can’t wait to play these songs live!"
The ‘eavy and ‘umble rockers will play shows in Manchester (Ritz, 12th December), Glasgow (02ABC 13th December), London (Shepherd's Bush Empire, 14th December), Nottingham (Rock City, 15th December) and Hull (City Hall, 16th December). Tickets are on sale now.
Uriah Heep fans can pre-order Living The Dream via the band's Pledge Music page.
Packages range from a £10 digital download to £500 for a Golden Ticket, which guarantees entry to all headlining dates on the Living The Dream tour together with a meet-and-greet with the band.
Co-founder and guitarist of Uriah Heep Mick Box says: "We are excited to announce the release of the new album on the 14th September. The producer for this project was famed producer Jay Ruston, and the album will be released on Frontiers Records. The new album rocks and, thanks to our fans and your continued support, we are still Living that Dream! 'Appy days!"
Heep’s lead vocalist Bernie Shaw adds that "Jay Rushton’s production has brought the power from our live shows onto the record. A now invaluable member of the 'Heep Family!' Can’t wait to play these songs live!"
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Blues rock singer-guitarist Kris Barras and his band, who released their third album The Divine And Dirty earlier this year, will embark on a seventeen date tour of the UK through September.
The tour kicks off at the Phoenix in Exeter on the 7th of September and culminates with a headline slot at the Kent Blues Collective Festival in Gillingham on the 29th of September.
The Kris Barras Band gave themselves a hard to act to follow with second album Lucky 13 in 2016, of which FabricationsHQ said in review "Barras, with Lucky 13, is clearly rolling sevens."
Two years on, with The Divine And Dirty, Kris Barras and band (bassist Elliott Blackler, drummer Will Beavis, keyboardist Josiah J Manning) are rolling the dice again – new label Provogue and Barras are hoping their numbers come up with an album that mixes the blues rock sound of the band's self-titled debut and Lucky 13 alongside tracks with AOR polish, 80s styled melodic rock sounds and bigger production values.
You can read FabricationsHQ’s review of The Divine And Dirty over on the 2018 Album Reviews page
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The tour kicks off at the Phoenix in Exeter on the 7th of September and culminates with a headline slot at the Kent Blues Collective Festival in Gillingham on the 29th of September.
The Kris Barras Band gave themselves a hard to act to follow with second album Lucky 13 in 2016, of which FabricationsHQ said in review "Barras, with Lucky 13, is clearly rolling sevens."
Two years on, with The Divine And Dirty, Kris Barras and band (bassist Elliott Blackler, drummer Will Beavis, keyboardist Josiah J Manning) are rolling the dice again – new label Provogue and Barras are hoping their numbers come up with an album that mixes the blues rock sound of the band's self-titled debut and Lucky 13 alongside tracks with AOR polish, 80s styled melodic rock sounds and bigger production values.
You can read FabricationsHQ’s review of The Divine And Dirty over on the 2018 Album Reviews page
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It’s easy to see, hear and assume the new wave of classic rock is just that; a contemporary variation on the musical themes that made 60s and early 70s blues-rock, later 70s heavy rock, the melodically rocking 80s and grungier, weightier 90s the successes they were.
But there’s rootsier based materials being re-imaginatively mined too.
Providing a serious slice of hillbilly home brewed, double bass, banjo picking, down home, dirty country bluegrass that’s full of contemporary-fied (or should that be contemporary Cajun-fried) Dixie goodness are the Outlaw Orchestra, who have just released The Devil Made Me Do It EP.
It might only be an EP but the songs, including 'Back To Georgia,' sound like the band (a line-up change means these Outlaws are now orchestrated around David Roux - guitars/ lead vocals, Ryan Smith - drums/ percussion/ vocals, Stephen Welch - banjo and Alex Barter - double bass/ vocals) are becoming an even stronger proposition than heard on 2017 debut album Dirty Diesel (although it’s hard to argue with the cheekily titled 'Too Much Willie Nelson' and the barn dancin' bluegrass in overdrive of 'Hangin’ Tree').
Keep on Cajun rockin', boys.
But there’s rootsier based materials being re-imaginatively mined too.
Providing a serious slice of hillbilly home brewed, double bass, banjo picking, down home, dirty country bluegrass that’s full of contemporary-fied (or should that be contemporary Cajun-fried) Dixie goodness are the Outlaw Orchestra, who have just released The Devil Made Me Do It EP.
It might only be an EP but the songs, including 'Back To Georgia,' sound like the band (a line-up change means these Outlaws are now orchestrated around David Roux - guitars/ lead vocals, Ryan Smith - drums/ percussion/ vocals, Stephen Welch - banjo and Alex Barter - double bass/ vocals) are becoming an even stronger proposition than heard on 2017 debut album Dirty Diesel (although it’s hard to argue with the cheekily titled 'Too Much Willie Nelson' and the barn dancin' bluegrass in overdrive of 'Hangin’ Tree').
Keep on Cajun rockin', boys.
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Iconic 80s Canadian rock band Glass Tiger, best known for their 1986 transatlantic hit single 'Don’t Forget Me (When I'm Gone)' (#1 Canada, #2 USA, #29 UK) and other chart successes including 'Someday' and 'My Town' (featuring Rod Stewart), will return to the UK for the first time in twenty-seven years to play two shows.
The band, last in the UK when they supported Roxette on their 1991 nationwide UK tour, play the University of London Union on Friday 19th October and the Rockingham Festival at Nottingham Trent University on Sunday 21st October.
Tickets for the University of London concert can be booked from Eventbrite, Eventim, and Gigantic.
Tickets for Glass Tiger’s Rockingham Festival performance are available from Ticketsource.
To celebrate the band’s longevity, the band released 31 earlier this year.
The fifteen track release is a re-recorded and reimagined compilation of their hits with contributions from a number of guest artists; the album also features two new songs.
Glass Tiger feature original members Alan Frew (lead vocals, guitar), Sam Reid (keyboards), Al Connelly (guitars) and Wayne Parker (bass).
Drummer Chris McNeill joined in 2000 when the band reformed after a seven year hiatus.
Glass Tiger’s Jim Vallance produced debut album, The Thin Red Line (1986), became the fastest selling debut recording in Canadian history and reached quadruple-platinum sales in their home country.
The band also won three Juno Awards that year.
The album and its success led to far wider recognition, arena tours with bands such as Journey and support to Tina Turner on her 1987 UK tour.
Subsequent albums Diamond Sun (1988) and Simple Mission (1991) solidified Glass Tiger’s reputation as Canada’s premier melodic rock and hard pop outfit.
Glass Tiger UK dates:
University of London Union - Friday 19th October
Rockingham Festival, Nottingham - Sunday 21sr October
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The band, last in the UK when they supported Roxette on their 1991 nationwide UK tour, play the University of London Union on Friday 19th October and the Rockingham Festival at Nottingham Trent University on Sunday 21st October.
Tickets for the University of London concert can be booked from Eventbrite, Eventim, and Gigantic.
Tickets for Glass Tiger’s Rockingham Festival performance are available from Ticketsource.
To celebrate the band’s longevity, the band released 31 earlier this year.
The fifteen track release is a re-recorded and reimagined compilation of their hits with contributions from a number of guest artists; the album also features two new songs.
Glass Tiger feature original members Alan Frew (lead vocals, guitar), Sam Reid (keyboards), Al Connelly (guitars) and Wayne Parker (bass).
Drummer Chris McNeill joined in 2000 when the band reformed after a seven year hiatus.
Glass Tiger’s Jim Vallance produced debut album, The Thin Red Line (1986), became the fastest selling debut recording in Canadian history and reached quadruple-platinum sales in their home country.
The band also won three Juno Awards that year.
The album and its success led to far wider recognition, arena tours with bands such as Journey and support to Tina Turner on her 1987 UK tour.
Subsequent albums Diamond Sun (1988) and Simple Mission (1991) solidified Glass Tiger’s reputation as Canada’s premier melodic rock and hard pop outfit.
Glass Tiger UK dates:
University of London Union - Friday 19th October
Rockingham Festival, Nottingham - Sunday 21sr October
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Cambridgeshire-based rock band Hollowstar have released a new single 'All I Gotta Say.'
The single follows on from their Some Things Matter EP, a critically acclaimed six track release that featured 'Lay Down' and the slow build 'Feel the Burn.' The 2017 EP made #13 on the iTunes rock chart.
Hollowstar have been cited as taking inspiration from Blackstone Cherry, Thunder and Slash but as 'All I Gotta Say' emphatically declares, with some serious swagger and a whole dose of sonic energy, they are fast developing their own contemporary rockin’ sound with storytelling lyricism, as front man and bassist Joe Bonson explains:
"The song is about that moment when you reach your end and you come to the realisation that something isn’t right for you. You no longer have the desire to fight for something you recognise as wrong and are happy to walk away and start again. With every end comes a new beginning."
The single follows on from their Some Things Matter EP, a critically acclaimed six track release that featured 'Lay Down' and the slow build 'Feel the Burn.' The 2017 EP made #13 on the iTunes rock chart.
Hollowstar have been cited as taking inspiration from Blackstone Cherry, Thunder and Slash but as 'All I Gotta Say' emphatically declares, with some serious swagger and a whole dose of sonic energy, they are fast developing their own contemporary rockin’ sound with storytelling lyricism, as front man and bassist Joe Bonson explains:
"The song is about that moment when you reach your end and you come to the realisation that something isn’t right for you. You no longer have the desire to fight for something you recognise as wrong and are happy to walk away and start again. With every end comes a new beginning."
To coincide with the new single, Hollowstar have announced a run of tour dates and festival slots throughout the country; they will also join the Graham Bonnet Band for four shows in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Louth and Newcastle, which form part of Bonnet’s UK and Ireland 2018 tour.
Hollowstar 2018 UK dates
(* supporting the Graham Bonnet Band)
Cambridge Rock Festival - Saturday 28th July
*The Assembly, Aberdeen - Thursday 9th August
*Bannermans Bar, Edinburgh - Friday 10th August
*Louth Town Hall - Saturday 11th August
*Trillians, Newcastle - Sunday 12th August
Leicester Rocks Festival - Saturday 18th August
Rock the Lakes Festival - Sunday 19th August
Fire and Forge Festival - Saturday 15th September
The Iron Road, Evesham - Saturday 22nd September
Four Sticks Festival - Saturday 6th October
Kaiser Bill Festival - Friday 12th October
Rock 'N' Roll Charity Xmas Bash - Saturday 8th December
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Hollowstar 2018 UK dates
(* supporting the Graham Bonnet Band)
Cambridge Rock Festival - Saturday 28th July
*The Assembly, Aberdeen - Thursday 9th August
*Bannermans Bar, Edinburgh - Friday 10th August
*Louth Town Hall - Saturday 11th August
*Trillians, Newcastle - Sunday 12th August
Leicester Rocks Festival - Saturday 18th August
Rock the Lakes Festival - Sunday 19th August
Fire and Forge Festival - Saturday 15th September
The Iron Road, Evesham - Saturday 22nd September
Four Sticks Festival - Saturday 6th October
Kaiser Bill Festival - Friday 12th October
Rock 'N' Roll Charity Xmas Bash - Saturday 8th December
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Hard rock quintet Burnt Out Wreck, fronted by vocalist, primary songwriter and ex Heavy Pettin’ drummer Gary Moat, have announced their run of shows and festivals (including Ilfracombe Rocks, Monster Fest, the WinterStorm Rock Weekender Jägermeister stage and the Great British Rock and Blues Weekender) for 2018 and early 2019.
The band can be seen across the country at:
1st September - New Cross Inn, London
8th September - The Cavern, London
15th September - Leo's Red Lion, Gravesend, Kent (supporting Bad Touch)
20th September - The Shed, Leicester
5th October - New Cross Inn (with Diamond Head)
3rd November - Ilfracombe Rocks, Ilfracombe
10th November - Monster Fest (featuring The Dead Daisies and Dan Reed Network)
11th November - Pontins, Southport
13th November - Robin 2 (with Pat McManus Band)
17th November - New Cross Inn, London (with Pure DC)
24th November – Jägermeister Stage, WinterStorm Rock Weekender, Troon, South Ayrshire
14th December - Trillians Rock Bar, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
15th December - Stereo Bar, Glasgow
16th December - Church, Dundee
Confirmed for 2019
18th January - Great British Rock and Blues Festival, Skegness
15th February - Hard Rock Café, Glasgow
16th February - Bannermans, Edinburgh
Swallow, The debut album from Burnt Out Wreck, is a huge slice of full on, punchy, guitar-led classic hard rock. Released on TRHRC through Cherry Red Records.
The album was co-produced by Gary Moat and Steve Rispin (Asia, Inglorious) and mastered by Pete Maher (U2, The Killers, Jack White, Rolling Stones).
"Burnt Out Wreck and Swallow unashamedly take their major influences and lead from the High Voltage rock and roll that used to be the order of the day.
But both band and album sit firmly and squarely in the present; they deliver a brand of unpretentious and honest rock and roll that’s untouched by political correctness, what the musical flavour of the month is or whoever the latest classic rock band to become a partially reformed or re-imagined version of itself might be."
– FabricationsHQ
Burnt Out Wreck:
Gary Moat - vocals, rhythm guitar, Adrian Dunn - guitar, backing vocals, Alex Carmichael - bass, backing vocals, Miles Goodman, guitar, Paul Gray - drums
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The band can be seen across the country at:
1st September - New Cross Inn, London
8th September - The Cavern, London
15th September - Leo's Red Lion, Gravesend, Kent (supporting Bad Touch)
20th September - The Shed, Leicester
5th October - New Cross Inn (with Diamond Head)
3rd November - Ilfracombe Rocks, Ilfracombe
10th November - Monster Fest (featuring The Dead Daisies and Dan Reed Network)
11th November - Pontins, Southport
13th November - Robin 2 (with Pat McManus Band)
17th November - New Cross Inn, London (with Pure DC)
24th November – Jägermeister Stage, WinterStorm Rock Weekender, Troon, South Ayrshire
14th December - Trillians Rock Bar, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
15th December - Stereo Bar, Glasgow
16th December - Church, Dundee
Confirmed for 2019
18th January - Great British Rock and Blues Festival, Skegness
15th February - Hard Rock Café, Glasgow
16th February - Bannermans, Edinburgh
Swallow, The debut album from Burnt Out Wreck, is a huge slice of full on, punchy, guitar-led classic hard rock. Released on TRHRC through Cherry Red Records.
The album was co-produced by Gary Moat and Steve Rispin (Asia, Inglorious) and mastered by Pete Maher (U2, The Killers, Jack White, Rolling Stones).
"Burnt Out Wreck and Swallow unashamedly take their major influences and lead from the High Voltage rock and roll that used to be the order of the day.
But both band and album sit firmly and squarely in the present; they deliver a brand of unpretentious and honest rock and roll that’s untouched by political correctness, what the musical flavour of the month is or whoever the latest classic rock band to become a partially reformed or re-imagined version of itself might be."
– FabricationsHQ
Burnt Out Wreck:
Gary Moat - vocals, rhythm guitar, Adrian Dunn - guitar, backing vocals, Alex Carmichael - bass, backing vocals, Miles Goodman, guitar, Paul Gray - drums
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Legendary Mountain drummer, songwriter, singer and raconteur Corky Laing will return to the UK this October to play seven shows including headline performances at both the Whitby and Clitheroe Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festivals (see article on the festival further down).
The UK shows double as part of Corky Laing’s 70th Birthday Celebration Tour and a celebration of the classic Mountain songs as they were originally written and heard on the original recordings (a number of West, Bruce & Laing tunes will also feature).
For the performances Corky Laing will be accompanied by Chris Shutters (guitar, vocals & flute), Mark Mikel (bass, vocals & keyboards) and Phil Baker (guitar, vocals and keyboards).
Although best known as a long-time member of the pioneering American hard rock band Mountain and as part of the noted power trio West, Bruce & Laing, the ever active musician continues to play both one man shows and gigs around the world with his band; Corky Laing also lectures at Universities and has recently completed his memoirs (to be released soon as Letters to Sarah).
Corky Laing, who turned 70 this January, says of his life "I never expected to make it here, but regardless, here I am and I plan on keeping going! I’m lucky to be alive and so very lucky to have all these wonderful people collaborating with me on various projects; it seems like there’s always new stuff to get excited about. If nothing else, I still get the kicks just rehearsing daily on my kit, and when I’m performing to audiences together with the brilliant musicians sharing the stage with me, well, that’s when it all comes together.
It doesn’t matter whether I’m playing for dozens, hundreds or thousands of people, it’s always exhilarating. Looking forward to seeing you at the gigs!"
The UK shows double as part of Corky Laing’s 70th Birthday Celebration Tour and a celebration of the classic Mountain songs as they were originally written and heard on the original recordings (a number of West, Bruce & Laing tunes will also feature).
For the performances Corky Laing will be accompanied by Chris Shutters (guitar, vocals & flute), Mark Mikel (bass, vocals & keyboards) and Phil Baker (guitar, vocals and keyboards).
Although best known as a long-time member of the pioneering American hard rock band Mountain and as part of the noted power trio West, Bruce & Laing, the ever active musician continues to play both one man shows and gigs around the world with his band; Corky Laing also lectures at Universities and has recently completed his memoirs (to be released soon as Letters to Sarah).
Corky Laing, who turned 70 this January, says of his life "I never expected to make it here, but regardless, here I am and I plan on keeping going! I’m lucky to be alive and so very lucky to have all these wonderful people collaborating with me on various projects; it seems like there’s always new stuff to get excited about. If nothing else, I still get the kicks just rehearsing daily on my kit, and when I’m performing to audiences together with the brilliant musicians sharing the stage with me, well, that’s when it all comes together.
It doesn’t matter whether I’m playing for dozens, hundreds or thousands of people, it’s always exhilarating. Looking forward to seeing you at the gigs!"
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Soild Entertainments list of high-quality summer blues-rock based festivals for 2018 continues with the announcement of the back-to-back Whitby & Clitheroe Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festivals.
With Corky Laing headlining and five other attention grabbing bands on the bill (each delivering their brand of blues rock with their own identities and influences, from southern gothic and progressive blues to r&b and shades of soul-funk), blues rock fans in and around Northern England should be marking their diaries for either the 13th or 14th of October and the Whitby Pavilion or The Grand in Clitheroe as the places to be.
Corky Laing, the legendary Mountain drummer, songwriter, singer and raconteur from Montreal, will be playing seven shows in the UK with his band (Chris Shutters - guitar, vocals, flute; Mark Mikel - bass, vocals, keyboards; Phil Baker - guitar, vocals, keyboards) including the headline slots at the Whitby & Clitheroe festivals.
Mountain forged a style and sound that made them one of the rock bands of the 70s.
Driven by the powerhouse drumming of Corky Liang and fronted by the great Leslie West, Mountain produced many a classic including 'Mississippi Queen,' 'Nantucket Sleighride' and their cover of the Pete Brown - Jack Bruce penned 'Theme from an Imaginary Western.'
Although Corky Liang is best known as a long-time member of Mountain and as part of the impressive power trio West, Bruce & Laing, during the past few years he has been living, and thriving, in the fast lane.
In between his one-man shows, playing with his band, lecturing at Universities around the world, creating Playing God: The Rock Opera and doing some production work, Laing has found time to complete his memoirs, which will be released as a book soon, titled Letters to Sarah.
For this tour Corky Laing and his band will be playing the classic Mountain songs as they were originally written and heard on the original recordings; a number of West, Bruce & Laing tunes will also feature.
Also performing at Whitby & Clitheroe:
Chantel McGregor – delivering songs that salutes contemporary rock while displaying her gradual transition from conventional blues to a harder, bigger and bolder rock sound with progressive and southern gothic influences, as delivered to great effect on her 2015 album, Lose Control.
Stevie Nimmo Trio – enjoying making music now as much as at any point throughout his twenty years in the business, Stevie Nimmo, one half of the Nimmo Brothers with younger sibling Alan, loves to play live.
His multi-faceted blues rock album Sky Won’t Fall was critically acclaimed upon its 2016 release.
Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion – this acclaimed outfit don’t just have the chemistry (excellent new album The Blues and I Should Have a Party is the band’s fifth studio album in six years and seventh overall); their vibrant R&B swing stylings (incorporating jazz, pop and trad. blues) also deliver one of the coolest and original sounds on the blues circuit, courtesy of a vocal and guitar led song writing tandem and a groove driven organ-drums rhythm section.
Catfish – British Blues Award winners have carved a reputation as an excellent live band, bolstered by the dovetailing guitar-keyboard sound as delivered by father and son team Paul Long (keyboards, guitars) and Matt Long (vocals guitars).
|ith latest offering, 2017’s Broken Man, the band have produced a thoroughly entertaining and diversified album (traditional blues meets contemporary meets progressive) that showcases an outstanding band.
Southbound – with inspirations drawing from blues, rock, jazz, funk and soul, the band provide a highly distinctive take on British Blues, with serious groove.
The Whitby & Clitheroe Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festivals 2018
Saturday 13th October (Whitby) & Sunday 14th October (Clitheroe).
Early Bird tickets are only £24.00 and can be purchased by calling 01472 349 222 or head online to http://www.solidentertainments.com/presents.htm to see all the Solid Entertainments events.
Times (both events): Doors open at 1.30pm; Music starts at 2.00pm; Events end at 10.00 pm.
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With Corky Laing headlining and five other attention grabbing bands on the bill (each delivering their brand of blues rock with their own identities and influences, from southern gothic and progressive blues to r&b and shades of soul-funk), blues rock fans in and around Northern England should be marking their diaries for either the 13th or 14th of October and the Whitby Pavilion or The Grand in Clitheroe as the places to be.
Corky Laing, the legendary Mountain drummer, songwriter, singer and raconteur from Montreal, will be playing seven shows in the UK with his band (Chris Shutters - guitar, vocals, flute; Mark Mikel - bass, vocals, keyboards; Phil Baker - guitar, vocals, keyboards) including the headline slots at the Whitby & Clitheroe festivals.
Mountain forged a style and sound that made them one of the rock bands of the 70s.
Driven by the powerhouse drumming of Corky Liang and fronted by the great Leslie West, Mountain produced many a classic including 'Mississippi Queen,' 'Nantucket Sleighride' and their cover of the Pete Brown - Jack Bruce penned 'Theme from an Imaginary Western.'
Although Corky Liang is best known as a long-time member of Mountain and as part of the impressive power trio West, Bruce & Laing, during the past few years he has been living, and thriving, in the fast lane.
In between his one-man shows, playing with his band, lecturing at Universities around the world, creating Playing God: The Rock Opera and doing some production work, Laing has found time to complete his memoirs, which will be released as a book soon, titled Letters to Sarah.
For this tour Corky Laing and his band will be playing the classic Mountain songs as they were originally written and heard on the original recordings; a number of West, Bruce & Laing tunes will also feature.
Also performing at Whitby & Clitheroe:
Chantel McGregor – delivering songs that salutes contemporary rock while displaying her gradual transition from conventional blues to a harder, bigger and bolder rock sound with progressive and southern gothic influences, as delivered to great effect on her 2015 album, Lose Control.
Stevie Nimmo Trio – enjoying making music now as much as at any point throughout his twenty years in the business, Stevie Nimmo, one half of the Nimmo Brothers with younger sibling Alan, loves to play live.
His multi-faceted blues rock album Sky Won’t Fall was critically acclaimed upon its 2016 release.
Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion – this acclaimed outfit don’t just have the chemistry (excellent new album The Blues and I Should Have a Party is the band’s fifth studio album in six years and seventh overall); their vibrant R&B swing stylings (incorporating jazz, pop and trad. blues) also deliver one of the coolest and original sounds on the blues circuit, courtesy of a vocal and guitar led song writing tandem and a groove driven organ-drums rhythm section.
Catfish – British Blues Award winners have carved a reputation as an excellent live band, bolstered by the dovetailing guitar-keyboard sound as delivered by father and son team Paul Long (keyboards, guitars) and Matt Long (vocals guitars).
|ith latest offering, 2017’s Broken Man, the band have produced a thoroughly entertaining and diversified album (traditional blues meets contemporary meets progressive) that showcases an outstanding band.
Southbound – with inspirations drawing from blues, rock, jazz, funk and soul, the band provide a highly distinctive take on British Blues, with serious groove.
The Whitby & Clitheroe Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festivals 2018
Saturday 13th October (Whitby) & Sunday 14th October (Clitheroe).
Early Bird tickets are only £24.00 and can be purchased by calling 01472 349 222 or head online to http://www.solidentertainments.com/presents.htm to see all the Solid Entertainments events.
Times (both events): Doors open at 1.30pm; Music starts at 2.00pm; Events end at 10.00 pm.
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Solid Entertainments have announced an eye and ear catching three day event in Bude.
The Bude Blues, Rhythm and Rock Festival will take place at Penstowe Manor Resort across the Friday 9th, Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th of November.
Traditionally held in Ilfracombe, the 2018 edition has been relocated 17 miles down the road across the border into North Cornwall to Penstowe Manor.
To celebrate the new venue and location, Solid Entertainments are presenting one of their most ambitious events and certainly the largest as regards their previous festivals held in the region.
With a mix of noted classic rock and blues rock names and from the UK and around the world, the three day event – featuring Focus, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado and Wishbone Ash as headliners - will be one not to miss for blues and rock fans in the South West of England.
Friday 9th November:
Focus – Aynsley Lister – John Verity Band – Storm Warning – Federal Charm – Chris King Robinson
With their unique brand of progressive primarily instrumental rock, Focus manifested themselves at the start of the '70s as the most successful and appreciated of all the Dutch pop-rock exports.
Fronted by founding member, keyboardist and flautist Thijs Van Leer, and best known for their hits 'Hocus Pocus,' 'House of The King' and 'Sylvia,' as well as a number of critically acclaimed albums including Moving Waves, Focus 3 and Hamburger Concerto, the iconic Dutch music masters returned with the acclaimed Focus X in 2012 followed by Golden Oldies, which features newly recorded versions of some of their most popular songs from their classic back catalogue.
Saturday 10th November:
Thorbjørn Risager & the Black Tornado - Grainne Duffy – Steve Hill – The Luke Doherty Band - Connor Selby Band - Born Healer
Now in their fourteenth year, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado have opened new doors in many new territories; and with all the hard work they put into their artistry, they surely deserve it.
The Danish outfit have become one of the most successful blues & roots bands on the European continent, so it’s no surprise when they sell out most venues when they return to play for only the second time.
Sunday 11th November:
Wishbone Ash – Chantel McGregor - Erja Lyytinen – Billy Walton Band - Lightnin' Willie & The Poor Boys – The Zoe Green Band
Wishbone Ash remain one of the most enduring and popular bands in British Rock.
With millions of albums sold, their iconic twin-guitar sound inspired bands from the classic rock of Thin Lizzy to the iconic metal of Iron Maiden; the band have written and delivered countless classic tracks including 'The King Will Come,' 'Throw Down The Sword' and 'Blowin’ Free.'
Combining old songs with the new, Wishbone Ash still deliver quality live sets, one year short of fifty on the road.
The Bude Blues, Rhythm and Rock Festival will take place at Penstowe Manor Resort across the Friday 9th, Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th of November.
Traditionally held in Ilfracombe, the 2018 edition has been relocated 17 miles down the road across the border into North Cornwall to Penstowe Manor.
To celebrate the new venue and location, Solid Entertainments are presenting one of their most ambitious events and certainly the largest as regards their previous festivals held in the region.
With a mix of noted classic rock and blues rock names and from the UK and around the world, the three day event – featuring Focus, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado and Wishbone Ash as headliners - will be one not to miss for blues and rock fans in the South West of England.
Friday 9th November:
Focus – Aynsley Lister – John Verity Band – Storm Warning – Federal Charm – Chris King Robinson
With their unique brand of progressive primarily instrumental rock, Focus manifested themselves at the start of the '70s as the most successful and appreciated of all the Dutch pop-rock exports.
Fronted by founding member, keyboardist and flautist Thijs Van Leer, and best known for their hits 'Hocus Pocus,' 'House of The King' and 'Sylvia,' as well as a number of critically acclaimed albums including Moving Waves, Focus 3 and Hamburger Concerto, the iconic Dutch music masters returned with the acclaimed Focus X in 2012 followed by Golden Oldies, which features newly recorded versions of some of their most popular songs from their classic back catalogue.
Saturday 10th November:
Thorbjørn Risager & the Black Tornado - Grainne Duffy – Steve Hill – The Luke Doherty Band - Connor Selby Band - Born Healer
Now in their fourteenth year, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado have opened new doors in many new territories; and with all the hard work they put into their artistry, they surely deserve it.
The Danish outfit have become one of the most successful blues & roots bands on the European continent, so it’s no surprise when they sell out most venues when they return to play for only the second time.
Sunday 11th November:
Wishbone Ash – Chantel McGregor - Erja Lyytinen – Billy Walton Band - Lightnin' Willie & The Poor Boys – The Zoe Green Band
Wishbone Ash remain one of the most enduring and popular bands in British Rock.
With millions of albums sold, their iconic twin-guitar sound inspired bands from the classic rock of Thin Lizzy to the iconic metal of Iron Maiden; the band have written and delivered countless classic tracks including 'The King Will Come,' 'Throw Down The Sword' and 'Blowin’ Free.'
Combining old songs with the new, Wishbone Ash still deliver quality live sets, one year short of fifty on the road.
Situated in a beautiful part of the country and set in private grounds, the Penstowe Manor holiday resort has a wide range of self-catering accommodation with facilities that include two bars, a restaurant (and a take-away), indoor heated swimming pool, on site gymnasium, coffee shop and an amusement room.
Additionally, car parking is free for the weekend.
The festival itself will also have a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available and a varied food menu.
Situated close to the Hartland Cornwall Heritage Coast and a stone’s throw from the historic village of Kilkhampton, Penstowe Park is ideally located for exploring the many delights of North Cornwall.
The Bude Blues, Rhythm and Rock Festival - 9th, 10th and 11th November 2018
Penstowe Manor Resort, Penstowe Road, Kilkhampton, Bude, North Cornwall EX23 9QY
Advance Ticket of £129 per person based on 4, 5 or 6 persons sharing 2 or 3 bedroom apartment
Advance Ticket of £139 per person based on 3 persons sharing 2 bedroom apartment
Advance Ticket of £149 per person based on 2 persons sharing 1 or 2 bedroom apartment
Above prices Include 3 Nights Self Catering Accommodation and 3 Day Festival Ticket
PLEASE NOTE Advance Single Tickets (own apartment) have now sold out
Advance Ticket of £85 per person 3 day festival ticket (accommodation NOT included)
£60 for 3 nights of Motor Home or Caravan serviced pitches are now available
Tickets can be purchased at 01472 349 222 and online at: http://www.solidentertainments.com/blues/bude/tickets.html
To find out more about line up and the festival in general, please visit: http://www.solidentertainments.com/blues/bude/index.html
Doors open at 1.30 p.m., Music starts at 2.00 p.m. Festival ends at 11.30 p.m. each day.
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Additionally, car parking is free for the weekend.
The festival itself will also have a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available and a varied food menu.
Situated close to the Hartland Cornwall Heritage Coast and a stone’s throw from the historic village of Kilkhampton, Penstowe Park is ideally located for exploring the many delights of North Cornwall.
The Bude Blues, Rhythm and Rock Festival - 9th, 10th and 11th November 2018
Penstowe Manor Resort, Penstowe Road, Kilkhampton, Bude, North Cornwall EX23 9QY
Advance Ticket of £129 per person based on 4, 5 or 6 persons sharing 2 or 3 bedroom apartment
Advance Ticket of £139 per person based on 3 persons sharing 2 bedroom apartment
Advance Ticket of £149 per person based on 2 persons sharing 1 or 2 bedroom apartment
Above prices Include 3 Nights Self Catering Accommodation and 3 Day Festival Ticket
PLEASE NOTE Advance Single Tickets (own apartment) have now sold out
Advance Ticket of £85 per person 3 day festival ticket (accommodation NOT included)
£60 for 3 nights of Motor Home or Caravan serviced pitches are now available
Tickets can be purchased at 01472 349 222 and online at: http://www.solidentertainments.com/blues/bude/tickets.html
To find out more about line up and the festival in general, please visit: http://www.solidentertainments.com/blues/bude/index.html
Doors open at 1.30 p.m., Music starts at 2.00 p.m. Festival ends at 11.30 p.m. each day.
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Edinburgh heavy soul-blues outfit The Rising Souls have released a new song entitled 'Escape.'
The contemporary soul-blues meets spacious, Zeppelin-esque sound of the song also acts as a precursor to a full album that the band are currently working towards.
The contemporary soul-blues meets spacious, Zeppelin-esque sound of the song also acts as a precursor to a full album that the band are currently working towards.
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Diamond Black, the London based dark-rock quartet founded by Sisters of Mercy guitarist Ben Christo have just released a new single entitled 'Ghost in the Glass.'
The new song and debut single 'Sorrow,' released in October of last year, help define and describe what Diamond Black are all about musically and lyrically - intense riffs, electronica and cinematic choruses; powerful and muscular musicality that can also be fragile and haunting, with lyrical themes that are often nuanced, introspective and emotive with vocals ranging from brooding whispers to venomous screams.
The band’s influences are as musically diverse as Katatonia, Depeche Mode, Type O Negative and The Cult but with Finnish singer J.I. Turunen’s distinctly Scandinavian melancholy, backed by Ben Christo’s thick riffs and emotive lead-lines and a powerful rhythm section in the shape of drummer Jan-Vincent Velazco and bassist Adam Lightspeed (all encased within the darkwave/electro-rock production of noted Finnish musician and producer Jaani Peuhu) the results are definitively, and dynamically, Diamond Black.
The new song and debut single 'Sorrow,' released in October of last year, help define and describe what Diamond Black are all about musically and lyrically - intense riffs, electronica and cinematic choruses; powerful and muscular musicality that can also be fragile and haunting, with lyrical themes that are often nuanced, introspective and emotive with vocals ranging from brooding whispers to venomous screams.
The band’s influences are as musically diverse as Katatonia, Depeche Mode, Type O Negative and The Cult but with Finnish singer J.I. Turunen’s distinctly Scandinavian melancholy, backed by Ben Christo’s thick riffs and emotive lead-lines and a powerful rhythm section in the shape of drummer Jan-Vincent Velazco and bassist Adam Lightspeed (all encased within the darkwave/electro-rock production of noted Finnish musician and producer Jaani Peuhu) the results are definitively, and dynamically, Diamond Black.
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Due to popular demand Brian Downey’s Alive and Dangerous will play five dates in the UK in September and October as part of their ongoing performance tribute to the 40th Anniversary of Thin Lizzy’s iconic live album Live and Dangerous.
Tickets are on sale now, direct from the venues.
Original Thin Lizzy member and one of the great rock drummers, Brian Downey, says of the shows:
"We will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Live and Dangerous by performing the album in its entirety when we tour it in the UK in September and October. Thin Lizzy fans have been asking us when we will embark on a UK tour. The time has finally arrived!"
Brian Downey’s Alive And Dangerous features Brian Grace (best known as the guitarist for the Commitments’ Andrew Strong), plus former Low Rider band members Matt Wilson (lead vocals, bass), and Phil Edgar (lead guitar).
Brian Downey’s Alive And Dangerous - September/October UK Dates
South Shields, Queen Vic - Tuesday 25th September
Stoke, Eleven - Thursday 27th September
London, Camden Underworld - Friday 28th September
Wolverhampton, The Robin 2 - Saturday 29th September
Glasgow, Classic Grand - Monday 1st October
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Tickets are on sale now, direct from the venues.
Original Thin Lizzy member and one of the great rock drummers, Brian Downey, says of the shows:
"We will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Live and Dangerous by performing the album in its entirety when we tour it in the UK in September and October. Thin Lizzy fans have been asking us when we will embark on a UK tour. The time has finally arrived!"
Brian Downey’s Alive And Dangerous features Brian Grace (best known as the guitarist for the Commitments’ Andrew Strong), plus former Low Rider band members Matt Wilson (lead vocals, bass), and Phil Edgar (lead guitar).
Brian Downey’s Alive And Dangerous - September/October UK Dates
South Shields, Queen Vic - Tuesday 25th September
Stoke, Eleven - Thursday 27th September
London, Camden Underworld - Friday 28th September
Wolverhampton, The Robin 2 - Saturday 29th September
Glasgow, Classic Grand - Monday 1st October
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Photo by Laurence Harvey
Following his sold-out Perfection Kills March 2018 UK Tour, South African singer-songwriter and blues rock guitarist Dan Patlansky will return to the UK in November for a further nine dates.
Patlansky’s latest album Perfection Kills is the follow up to 2016’s Introvertigo which was met with universal critical acclaim and voted #1 Blues Rock Album 2016 by Blues Rock Review.
Perfection Kills was recorded at Scherzo Productions, a recording studio in Dan Patlansky’s home town of Pretoria, South Africa. The musician chose Scherzo because he wanted to make a different sounding record and he felt it was the right studio for his vision.
Dan Patlansky was nominated as one of Classic Rock magazine’s hotly tipped new artists of 2015 when his Dear Silence Thieves album received numerous accolades and praise from the British blues and rock press. He’s been voted Most Promising Male Blues Artist by Blues & Soul Magazine and was also nominated as Best International Solo Artist at the Planet Rock Radio ‘Rocks’ Awards.
Dan Patlansky – November 2018 UK Dates
(Tickets - thegigcartel.com, danpatlansky.com )
Nottingham, Rescue Rooms - Wednesday 21st November
Norwich, The Waterfront - Thursday 22nd November
Newbury, Arlington Arts Centre - Friday 23rd November
Chester, The Live Rooms - Saturday 24th November
Bury, The Met - Sunday 25th November
Leeds, Brudenell Social Club - Tuesday 27th November
Bromsgrove, Artrix - Wednesday 28th November
London, O2 Academy Islington - Thursday 29th November
Bristol, The Tunnels - Friday 30th November
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Patlansky’s latest album Perfection Kills is the follow up to 2016’s Introvertigo which was met with universal critical acclaim and voted #1 Blues Rock Album 2016 by Blues Rock Review.
Perfection Kills was recorded at Scherzo Productions, a recording studio in Dan Patlansky’s home town of Pretoria, South Africa. The musician chose Scherzo because he wanted to make a different sounding record and he felt it was the right studio for his vision.
Dan Patlansky was nominated as one of Classic Rock magazine’s hotly tipped new artists of 2015 when his Dear Silence Thieves album received numerous accolades and praise from the British blues and rock press. He’s been voted Most Promising Male Blues Artist by Blues & Soul Magazine and was also nominated as Best International Solo Artist at the Planet Rock Radio ‘Rocks’ Awards.
Dan Patlansky – November 2018 UK Dates
(Tickets - thegigcartel.com, danpatlansky.com )
Nottingham, Rescue Rooms - Wednesday 21st November
Norwich, The Waterfront - Thursday 22nd November
Newbury, Arlington Arts Centre - Friday 23rd November
Chester, The Live Rooms - Saturday 24th November
Bury, The Met - Sunday 25th November
Leeds, Brudenell Social Club - Tuesday 27th November
Bromsgrove, Artrix - Wednesday 28th November
London, O2 Academy Islington - Thursday 29th November
Bristol, The Tunnels - Friday 30th November
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Finnish singer-songwriter and outstanding slide guitarist Erja Lyytinen has released a brand new single, 'Without You.'
The song, a bluesy rock number with a funky undertone (an Erja Lyytinen strength and trait), lyrically deals with having to live with something or someone now out of reach. It will also feature on what will be Lyytinen's next studio album, due for release in the autumn.
'Without You' was written by Erja Lyytinen and recorded with her new band, which features Kasperi Kallio (keyboards), Tatu Back (bass) and Iiro Laitinen (drums).
Says Erja Lyytinen of the song "I started writing Without You a few years back, but never found the right moment to finish it. I brought the song into the rehearsal studio at the beginning of 2018 and the band and I started to work on it. The arrangement was completely different at first, with some R&B elements, but it turned out to be something that I´m keen doing on stage nowadays – it’s loud, rocky and frank!"
The song, a bluesy rock number with a funky undertone (an Erja Lyytinen strength and trait), lyrically deals with having to live with something or someone now out of reach. It will also feature on what will be Lyytinen's next studio album, due for release in the autumn.
'Without You' was written by Erja Lyytinen and recorded with her new band, which features Kasperi Kallio (keyboards), Tatu Back (bass) and Iiro Laitinen (drums).
Says Erja Lyytinen of the song "I started writing Without You a few years back, but never found the right moment to finish it. I brought the song into the rehearsal studio at the beginning of 2018 and the band and I started to work on it. The arrangement was completely different at first, with some R&B elements, but it turned out to be something that I´m keen doing on stage nowadays – it’s loud, rocky and frank!"
Erja Lyytinen has also confirmed a clutch of headlining UK tour shows for November 2018 to support the release of the forthcoming album:
London, Borderline - Tuesday 6th November
Bridgwater, Bar Brunel - Wednesday 7th November
Wolverhampton, Robin 2 - Thursday 8th November
Darlington, R&B Club - Friday 9th November
Bude, Blues Festival - Sunday 11th November
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London, Borderline - Tuesday 6th November
Bridgwater, Bar Brunel - Wednesday 7th November
Wolverhampton, Robin 2 - Thursday 8th November
Darlington, R&B Club - Friday 9th November
Bude, Blues Festival - Sunday 11th November
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The Devon Allman Project with special guest Duane Betts, will play six dates in the UK in September.
Tickets for all shows are priced at £20 and available through www.thegigcartel.com or the 24HR Box Office 08444 780 898.
On August 12th, 2017, after spending much of the summer off the road, Devon Allman, former leader of Royal Southern Brotherhood and Devon Allman's Honeytribe, reignited his career with an appearance at an all-star tribute to his father Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks at Peachfest (an Allman Brothers curated festival). Chuck Leavell, Jaimoe, Duane Betts, Marc Quinones, Peter Levin, Oteil Burbridge, Dave Schools and others participated in the tribute.
The Devon Allman Project, with special guest Duane Betts (son of Dickey Betts and former member of Dawes and Great Southern) kicked off their 2018 World Tour with a special show at the Fillmore in San Francisco on December 8th, 2017.
The Fillmore show featured guest appearances by Luther and Cody Dickinson (North Mississippi All-Stars), Samantha Fish, Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie, Jeff Beck, Hank Williams Jr.), Bobby Whitlock (Derek & The Dominos, Dr. John, Rolling Stones ) and long-time Gregg Allman keyboardist, Peter Levin, acting as the musical director.
On the forthcoming UK tour, The Devon Allman Project with Duane Betts will perform sets of Duane Betts and Devon Allman originals, a number of Royal Southern Brotherhood and Honeytribe songs and an encore set that will include Allman Brothers songs.
Devon Allman Project featuring Duane Betts – UK Dates:
Bristol, The Fleece - Sunday 2nd September
Bilston, Robin 2 - Monday 3rd September
London, Islington Assembly Hall - Tuesday 4th September
Newcastle, Riverside - Thursday 6th September
Leeds, Brudenell Social Club - Friday 7th September
Manchester, Academy 3 - Saturday 8th September
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Tickets for all shows are priced at £20 and available through www.thegigcartel.com or the 24HR Box Office 08444 780 898.
On August 12th, 2017, after spending much of the summer off the road, Devon Allman, former leader of Royal Southern Brotherhood and Devon Allman's Honeytribe, reignited his career with an appearance at an all-star tribute to his father Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks at Peachfest (an Allman Brothers curated festival). Chuck Leavell, Jaimoe, Duane Betts, Marc Quinones, Peter Levin, Oteil Burbridge, Dave Schools and others participated in the tribute.
The Devon Allman Project, with special guest Duane Betts (son of Dickey Betts and former member of Dawes and Great Southern) kicked off their 2018 World Tour with a special show at the Fillmore in San Francisco on December 8th, 2017.
The Fillmore show featured guest appearances by Luther and Cody Dickinson (North Mississippi All-Stars), Samantha Fish, Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie, Jeff Beck, Hank Williams Jr.), Bobby Whitlock (Derek & The Dominos, Dr. John, Rolling Stones ) and long-time Gregg Allman keyboardist, Peter Levin, acting as the musical director.
On the forthcoming UK tour, The Devon Allman Project with Duane Betts will perform sets of Duane Betts and Devon Allman originals, a number of Royal Southern Brotherhood and Honeytribe songs and an encore set that will include Allman Brothers songs.
Devon Allman Project featuring Duane Betts – UK Dates:
Bristol, The Fleece - Sunday 2nd September
Bilston, Robin 2 - Monday 3rd September
London, Islington Assembly Hall - Tuesday 4th September
Newcastle, Riverside - Thursday 6th September
Leeds, Brudenell Social Club - Friday 7th September
Manchester, Academy 3 - Saturday 8th September
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Glenn Hughes, known to millions of music fans as the 'Voice of Rock,' a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee with Deep Purple and front man for rock super group Black Country Communion, has announced he will be performing Deep Purple only material with his "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live" show when he plays the UK in October.
The nine October dates, preceded by two Irish shows in September in Belfast (Waterfront, 29th) and Dublin (Olympia, 30th), promise to be a dynamic, turn-back-the-clocks homage to Hughes' tenure in the MK III and MK IV incarnations of Deep Purple, one of music history’s most seminal and influential rock and roll groups.
"I'm excited to be touring the Classic Deep Purple Live in the UK this October. I first toured Classic Deep Purple Live in Australia and New Zealand last year and it went down like a storm. We’re also touring the show throughout South America in April, and festivals throughout the summer. By the time we tour the UK in October, we’ll be on fire!" -- Glenn Hughes
GLENN HUGHES PERFORMS CLASSIC DEEP PURPLE LIVE – OCTOBER 2018 UK TOUR
Tickets: 08444 780 898 (24HR Box Office) www.thegigcartel.com All Tickets £27.50 (Except London: £30.00)
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The nine October dates, preceded by two Irish shows in September in Belfast (Waterfront, 29th) and Dublin (Olympia, 30th), promise to be a dynamic, turn-back-the-clocks homage to Hughes' tenure in the MK III and MK IV incarnations of Deep Purple, one of music history’s most seminal and influential rock and roll groups.
"I'm excited to be touring the Classic Deep Purple Live in the UK this October. I first toured Classic Deep Purple Live in Australia and New Zealand last year and it went down like a storm. We’re also touring the show throughout South America in April, and festivals throughout the summer. By the time we tour the UK in October, we’ll be on fire!" -- Glenn Hughes
GLENN HUGHES PERFORMS CLASSIC DEEP PURPLE LIVE – OCTOBER 2018 UK TOUR
Tickets: 08444 780 898 (24HR Box Office) www.thegigcartel.com All Tickets £27.50 (Except London: £30.00)
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Geoff Carne and the Hatz (the live performance duo of rock/ blues singer-guitarist Geoff Carne and long-time musical partner, drummer Mick Hatz) have released a new EP entitled 4 Play.
4 Play follows on from the rock and garage blues stylings of the duo’s 2016 album Get Close, which garnered favourable review from the likes of Liverpool Sound and Vision and Pete Feenstra for Get Ready To Rock!; Geoff Carne’s 2014 solo album, One To One, also received favourable review, including from FabricationsHQ.
On the EP the Carne and Hatz team are joined by Paul Mex (producer, mixer, bass guitar, piano).
As regards the direction of the 4 Play material and the differences between Geoff Carne and the Hatz as a live duo and the three-piece heard on 4 Play, Geoff Carne explained to FabricationsHQ that "on the EP we moved more into a riff and 12 bar blues route for the first three songs ('Down and Out,' 'Maybe Someday,' 'Medicine Man') before finishing with a piano mix of the rock ballad 'Forgiven,' which was a single last summer.
Our producer Paul Mex plays piano on the track and added some subtle bass lines all to the songs, making them more radio friendly.
Live, we remain the vocal, guitar and drums two-piece outfit Geoff Carnes and the Hatz!"
4 Play follows on from the rock and garage blues stylings of the duo’s 2016 album Get Close, which garnered favourable review from the likes of Liverpool Sound and Vision and Pete Feenstra for Get Ready To Rock!; Geoff Carne’s 2014 solo album, One To One, also received favourable review, including from FabricationsHQ.
On the EP the Carne and Hatz team are joined by Paul Mex (producer, mixer, bass guitar, piano).
As regards the direction of the 4 Play material and the differences between Geoff Carne and the Hatz as a live duo and the three-piece heard on 4 Play, Geoff Carne explained to FabricationsHQ that "on the EP we moved more into a riff and 12 bar blues route for the first three songs ('Down and Out,' 'Maybe Someday,' 'Medicine Man') before finishing with a piano mix of the rock ballad 'Forgiven,' which was a single last summer.
Our producer Paul Mex plays piano on the track and added some subtle bass lines all to the songs, making them more radio friendly.
Live, we remain the vocal, guitar and drums two-piece outfit Geoff Carnes and the Hatz!"
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Good to see and hear Belfast based rock outfit Baleful Creed starting to make a noise (and a heavy, weighty one at that) with second album Seismic Shifter.
On the latest album the band – Fin Finlay (vocals, guitar), John Allen (guitar), Davy Greer (bass, vocals) and Dave Jeffers (drums) – mix stoner rock and more contemporary influences with the purposeful riffage of Black Sabbath while lyrically shunning the usual suspects for weightier, real life subjects (the album’s title reflects the changing political landscapes, nationally and globally, and not the ground shaking volume of the music within).
Baleful Creed have already picked up some solid recognition through dedicated rock radio stations on both sides of the pond and more lately featured on Planet Rock; on the strength of Seismic Shifter the band’s debut album (a remixed and remastered package of earlier EP releases) is now close to selling out in its hard copy/ CD form.
On the latest album the band – Fin Finlay (vocals, guitar), John Allen (guitar), Davy Greer (bass, vocals) and Dave Jeffers (drums) – mix stoner rock and more contemporary influences with the purposeful riffage of Black Sabbath while lyrically shunning the usual suspects for weightier, real life subjects (the album’s title reflects the changing political landscapes, nationally and globally, and not the ground shaking volume of the music within).
Baleful Creed have already picked up some solid recognition through dedicated rock radio stations on both sides of the pond and more lately featured on Planet Rock; on the strength of Seismic Shifter the band’s debut album (a remixed and remastered package of earlier EP releases) is now close to selling out in its hard copy/ CD form.
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It's always an ears-pricked-up pleasure when something or somebody comes out of left field to pique your musical interest or adds a different colour to what you perceived to be their chosen pallette.
Making very different musical marks from previous or current endeavours are two Scottish musicians by the names of Edward Mackay and Fraser Clark.
With the greatest respect Ed Mackay is not a name that will be familiar to those outside of the Ayrshire music scene or Gourock, where he now resides.
Ed was a member of Ayrshire based band Rose Parade, a group whose indie-folk and quirky, melodic charm should have got them well beyond the Radio One airplay and FabricationsHQ page space they received and on to the wider alt-pop appeal they deserved, but destined never to achieve.
Ed Mackay’s latest venture, under the name Point Cove (inspired by the Isle of Lewis where Mackay grew up) is, at this stage, a collection of four home/ computer recorded tracks known collectively as the They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To EP.
Ed is now actively seeking routes toward making Point Cove and the debut EP a distributor based or self-released realisation.
Based on a mixture of computer created rhythms, post-rock, string effects, pop and the use of vintage, spoken word recordings the four tracks link to themes about our relationship with, and discovery of, sound through technology.
'Written in Wax' is about the original vinyl record; 'I Am the Edison Phonograph' declares itself just that; 'From Any Place at Any Time' heralds the advent of radio; 'Hear Me Speak' features some of the earliest recordings of peoples' voices.
The results are a mini-work that remind of Bill Nelson’s similarly themed instrumental-with-spoken-word creations that pepper his vast solo catalogue (an exceptionally creative artist whose pop & rock-art stylings mean his mainstream, rock star days are decades behind him, Nelson manages a successful and satisfying (but small scale) cottage industry career).
The point (cove) being, if you’re compared to Bill Nelson, you’re doing something right – and creative.
Making very different musical marks from previous or current endeavours are two Scottish musicians by the names of Edward Mackay and Fraser Clark.
With the greatest respect Ed Mackay is not a name that will be familiar to those outside of the Ayrshire music scene or Gourock, where he now resides.
Ed was a member of Ayrshire based band Rose Parade, a group whose indie-folk and quirky, melodic charm should have got them well beyond the Radio One airplay and FabricationsHQ page space they received and on to the wider alt-pop appeal they deserved, but destined never to achieve.
Ed Mackay’s latest venture, under the name Point Cove (inspired by the Isle of Lewis where Mackay grew up) is, at this stage, a collection of four home/ computer recorded tracks known collectively as the They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To EP.
Ed is now actively seeking routes toward making Point Cove and the debut EP a distributor based or self-released realisation.
Based on a mixture of computer created rhythms, post-rock, string effects, pop and the use of vintage, spoken word recordings the four tracks link to themes about our relationship with, and discovery of, sound through technology.
'Written in Wax' is about the original vinyl record; 'I Am the Edison Phonograph' declares itself just that; 'From Any Place at Any Time' heralds the advent of radio; 'Hear Me Speak' features some of the earliest recordings of peoples' voices.
The results are a mini-work that remind of Bill Nelson’s similarly themed instrumental-with-spoken-word creations that pepper his vast solo catalogue (an exceptionally creative artist whose pop & rock-art stylings mean his mainstream, rock star days are decades behind him, Nelson manages a successful and satisfying (but small scale) cottage industry career).
The point (cove) being, if you’re compared to Bill Nelson, you’re doing something right – and creative.
Coming from an entirely different musical angle, but one that is equally creative, is the From The Depths EP by Fraser Clark, a keyboard player whose name will be familiar to anyone who follows the UK’s blues rock scene and the "soul-deep rhythm and blues" outfit Redfish (who recently opened the main day of the returning Carlisle Blues Festival).
Fraser Clark’s highly animated on stage persona and bluesified keyboard remarks have been exchanged for a far calmer and contemporary solo venture – his piano instrumental offering are about as far removed from the Redfish brand of rhythm and blues as you could imagine – but his nu classical / semi-progressive piano pieces are imagined very well indeed.
Opening with the slightly sinister 'From The Depths' (not so much "look out behind you" as "look out below you") the space between the notes (reflecting what lies hidden beneath the surface) adds atmosphere to the EP's title track.
'Broken' adds traditional, yet still contemporary, melancholic contrast before the eight minute 'Glacier' acts as a slow moving soundtrack to the much slower moving icy giant.
The delicate 'Dust' and brighter allegro of 'Silver' close out what could be described as a Redfish out of Water but, like Ed Mackay and Point Cove, From the Depths is artistic passion over musical fashion – and that’s the kind of melody that will always appeal to, and be supported by, FabricationsHQ.
Fraser Clark’s highly animated on stage persona and bluesified keyboard remarks have been exchanged for a far calmer and contemporary solo venture – his piano instrumental offering are about as far removed from the Redfish brand of rhythm and blues as you could imagine – but his nu classical / semi-progressive piano pieces are imagined very well indeed.
Opening with the slightly sinister 'From The Depths' (not so much "look out behind you" as "look out below you") the space between the notes (reflecting what lies hidden beneath the surface) adds atmosphere to the EP's title track.
'Broken' adds traditional, yet still contemporary, melancholic contrast before the eight minute 'Glacier' acts as a slow moving soundtrack to the much slower moving icy giant.
The delicate 'Dust' and brighter allegro of 'Silver' close out what could be described as a Redfish out of Water but, like Ed Mackay and Point Cove, From the Depths is artistic passion over musical fashion – and that’s the kind of melody that will always appeal to, and be supported by, FabricationsHQ.
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"A language works best when we have something interesting to say. Many music teachers never find out what their students have to say; we only tell them what they are supposed to say."
Victor Wooten, musician
"What Victor said."
Ross Muir, FabricationsHQ
Victor Wooten, musician
"What Victor said."
Ross Muir, FabricationsHQ