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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"
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Muirsical Thoughts, Muirsical News
As just about every British blues rock fan will be aware, King King have a new rhythm to their rock.
Following co-founder and bassist Lindsay Coulson’s departure form the band last month (bowing out on the final show of the band’s spring UK tour in Glasgow) Zander Greenshields was announced and introduced as the band’s new bassist on stage at that same gig.
A fellow Glasgow musician and long-time friend of Alan Nimmo (playing with the guitarist in Nimmo’s first band Silvertrain as well as the Blackwater Blues Band (who featured Alan and Stevie Nimmo) and the Nimmo Brothers), Zander Greenshields was more lately seen as part of Stevie Nimmo’s live band.
All of which meant the Glasgow based Greenshields was such an obvious and goof-fit choice that, frankly, there would have been a public inquiry launched by those of us around the Glasgow music scene locale if he hadn’t been chosen to be King King’s new bassist.
As blues fate and rock circumstance would have it, the King King Glasgow show was also the last to feature long-standing drummer Wayne Proctor, whose departure from the band was announced earlier this month.
Currently touring with the Oli Brown Band, Proctor also has numerous production or mixing projects on the go in his House of Tone Productions guise (the British Blues Awards Hall of Famer is fast becoming as respected for his audio skills as he is for his talents behind a kit).
Replacing one of the best groove drummers in the British blues rock scene is a hard ask but bringing in a Boston Berklee College of Music graduate and one Scotland’s finest drummers isn’t a bad answer.
Andrew Scott, a favoured session player for many years, brings a new percussive dynamic to the band – and blues rock fans who appreciate or love progressive rock (the more modern, post-rock instrumental equivalent), should check out Scott’s Leviathan Owl project, which has thus far produced two excellent EPs
https://leviathanowl.bandcamp.com/
Following co-founder and bassist Lindsay Coulson’s departure form the band last month (bowing out on the final show of the band’s spring UK tour in Glasgow) Zander Greenshields was announced and introduced as the band’s new bassist on stage at that same gig.
A fellow Glasgow musician and long-time friend of Alan Nimmo (playing with the guitarist in Nimmo’s first band Silvertrain as well as the Blackwater Blues Band (who featured Alan and Stevie Nimmo) and the Nimmo Brothers), Zander Greenshields was more lately seen as part of Stevie Nimmo’s live band.
All of which meant the Glasgow based Greenshields was such an obvious and goof-fit choice that, frankly, there would have been a public inquiry launched by those of us around the Glasgow music scene locale if he hadn’t been chosen to be King King’s new bassist.
As blues fate and rock circumstance would have it, the King King Glasgow show was also the last to feature long-standing drummer Wayne Proctor, whose departure from the band was announced earlier this month.
Currently touring with the Oli Brown Band, Proctor also has numerous production or mixing projects on the go in his House of Tone Productions guise (the British Blues Awards Hall of Famer is fast becoming as respected for his audio skills as he is for his talents behind a kit).
Replacing one of the best groove drummers in the British blues rock scene is a hard ask but bringing in a Boston Berklee College of Music graduate and one Scotland’s finest drummers isn’t a bad answer.
Andrew Scott, a favoured session player for many years, brings a new percussive dynamic to the band – and blues rock fans who appreciate or love progressive rock (the more modern, post-rock instrumental equivalent), should check out Scott’s Leviathan Owl project, which has thus far produced two excellent EPs
https://leviathanowl.bandcamp.com/
Zander Greenshields and Andrew Scott will join King King on their upcoming European dates (which include two UK shows) before entering the studio to record what will be King King’s fifth studio album and the follow up to their acclaimed chart album, Exile & Grace.
King King will also join Joe Bonamassa's Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Mediterranean Blues Cruise, taking in Barcelona, Monte Carlo and Valletta, from August 16th-21st
www.kingking.co.uk/tour and www.bluesaliveatseaeurope.com
KING KING European Dates:
Festival Jazz en Nord, Marcq en Baroeul, France - Thursday 28th March
La Traverse, Cleon, France - Friday 29th March
Retro Bar og Livescene, Gjøvik, Norway - Thursday 4th April
Kulturhuset Banken, Lillehammer, Norway - Friday 5th April
Outlaw Cruise, Stena Line, Norway-Denmark - Saturday 6th April
Grenswerk, Venlo, Netherlands - Thursday 18th April
Flux, Zaandam, Netherlands - Friday 19th April
Hilhoef, Tilburg, Netherlands - Saturday 20th April
Dru Cultuurfabriek, Ulft, Netherlands - Sunday 21st April
The Picturedome, Holmfirth, UK - Friday 10th May
KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton - Saturday 11th May
Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands - Sunday 9th June
Ribs N Blues Festival, Raalte, Netherlands - Monday 10th June
Le Toit Rouge, Montélimar, France - Friday 14th June
Rock Festival, Barcelona, Spain - Friday 5th July
Festival Guitare en Scene, Saint-Julien en Genevois, France - Thursday 11th July
Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea: Friday 16th August – Wednesday 21st August
King King will also join Joe Bonamassa's Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Mediterranean Blues Cruise, taking in Barcelona, Monte Carlo and Valletta, from August 16th-21st
www.kingking.co.uk/tour and www.bluesaliveatseaeurope.com
KING KING European Dates:
Festival Jazz en Nord, Marcq en Baroeul, France - Thursday 28th March
La Traverse, Cleon, France - Friday 29th March
Retro Bar og Livescene, Gjøvik, Norway - Thursday 4th April
Kulturhuset Banken, Lillehammer, Norway - Friday 5th April
Outlaw Cruise, Stena Line, Norway-Denmark - Saturday 6th April
Grenswerk, Venlo, Netherlands - Thursday 18th April
Flux, Zaandam, Netherlands - Friday 19th April
Hilhoef, Tilburg, Netherlands - Saturday 20th April
Dru Cultuurfabriek, Ulft, Netherlands - Sunday 21st April
The Picturedome, Holmfirth, UK - Friday 10th May
KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton - Saturday 11th May
Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands - Sunday 9th June
Ribs N Blues Festival, Raalte, Netherlands - Monday 10th June
Le Toit Rouge, Montélimar, France - Friday 14th June
Rock Festival, Barcelona, Spain - Friday 5th July
Festival Guitare en Scene, Saint-Julien en Genevois, France - Thursday 11th July
Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea: Friday 16th August – Wednesday 21st August
The new look King King (l to r) Zander Greenshields, Alan Nimmo, Jonny Dyke, Andrew Scott
(photo: Graham Milne)
(photo: Graham Milne)
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Ayrshire’s impacting emo-rock trio Twin Heart, featuring Dawn (vocals, guitar) and Murray (drums, vocals) Baxter, will be both celebrating and wrapping up ten years of music together with a selected collection of final dates in April.
The pair, who were also part of Ayrshire’s lyrically emotive and musically angular rock quartet Mechanical Smile, produced a musical nod to both bands last month with their Mechanical Heart EP.
The five track EP features a new track (the mellower and spacious vignette 'Mechanical Heart'), three atmospheric reworks of Mechanical Smile songs ('Arrows,' 'Kaleidoscope,' 'Leap Of Faith') and recent Twin Heart single 'This Place is Not My Own.'
Twin Heart also made an impact beyond the county borders of Ayrshire, making the announcement of a run of final shows (including a final TBC date in their hometown of Kilmarnock) and disbandment a seemingly curious decision, but as Murray Baxter confirmed to FabricationsHQ, it’s more a case of right time for the right reasons…
"Basically we just need a break from it all; Dawn and I been going at it full pelt for over ten years and we sacrificed a lot over those years to push ourselves as far as we could, musically.
We played some amazing shows, but we feel it’s the right time to call it a day – but who knows what the future holds…!"
The pair, who were also part of Ayrshire’s lyrically emotive and musically angular rock quartet Mechanical Smile, produced a musical nod to both bands last month with their Mechanical Heart EP.
The five track EP features a new track (the mellower and spacious vignette 'Mechanical Heart'), three atmospheric reworks of Mechanical Smile songs ('Arrows,' 'Kaleidoscope,' 'Leap Of Faith') and recent Twin Heart single 'This Place is Not My Own.'
Twin Heart also made an impact beyond the county borders of Ayrshire, making the announcement of a run of final shows (including a final TBC date in their hometown of Kilmarnock) and disbandment a seemingly curious decision, but as Murray Baxter confirmed to FabricationsHQ, it’s more a case of right time for the right reasons…
"Basically we just need a break from it all; Dawn and I been going at it full pelt for over ten years and we sacrificed a lot over those years to push ourselves as far as we could, musically.
We played some amazing shows, but we feel it’s the right time to call it a day – but who knows what the future holds…!"
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This recently YT posted blast from the all-girl rock (with a touch of pop, soul and funk) past helps underline and remind just what a consummate, talented and (sadly not fully recognised at the time) outstanding band Fanny were.
Seen by many as a "gimmick" band (Warner Bros only signed them to their Reprise label on that very pretext, ignoring their genuinely strong musicianship, vocals and songwriting) the band had a smattering of successful hit singles but their albums never did the higher charting business they should have; it would be decades before the industry recognised their talent/ efforts to all-female music.
Fans of the original band should also check out the 2018 spin-off album Fanny Walked the Earth featuring the Millington sisters and the band's original / pre-debut album drummer-singer, Brie Howard.
Seen by many as a "gimmick" band (Warner Bros only signed them to their Reprise label on that very pretext, ignoring their genuinely strong musicianship, vocals and songwriting) the band had a smattering of successful hit singles but their albums never did the higher charting business they should have; it would be decades before the industry recognised their talent/ efforts to all-female music.
Fans of the original band should also check out the 2018 spin-off album Fanny Walked the Earth featuring the Millington sisters and the band's original / pre-debut album drummer-singer, Brie Howard.
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Eighteen months on from his last studio album Reunited, acclaimed British guitarist Snowy White has announced the release of his new album The Situation, which will be available on the 19th of April.
The album is preceded by the title track as a single, available now.
The new twelve track album once again features a number of the guitarist's "White Flames" musical collaborator’s and friends, including Max Middleton, Ferry Langendrijk and Jessica Lauren (keyboards), Kuma Harada and Walter Latupeirissa (bass), Juan van Emmerloot and Jeff Allen (drums).
Since the late 1960s Snowy White and his characteristic guitar-playing have made their mark on tasteful blues rock. Whether as a member of Thin Lizzy (featuring on the albums Chinatown and Renegade), working with Peter Green, an indispensable tour musician for Pink Floyd and later Roger Waters, or as a highly respected solo artist, Snowy White has remained true to his love for excellent, handmade music.
Talking about The Situation, Snowy White says "These songs are my expression of where I was in 2018… up and down, good and bad, weak and strong – it’s all here… just doing my thing as usual, enjoying playing with all my musician friends."
The album is preceded by the title track as a single, available now.
The new twelve track album once again features a number of the guitarist's "White Flames" musical collaborator’s and friends, including Max Middleton, Ferry Langendrijk and Jessica Lauren (keyboards), Kuma Harada and Walter Latupeirissa (bass), Juan van Emmerloot and Jeff Allen (drums).
Since the late 1960s Snowy White and his characteristic guitar-playing have made their mark on tasteful blues rock. Whether as a member of Thin Lizzy (featuring on the albums Chinatown and Renegade), working with Peter Green, an indispensable tour musician for Pink Floyd and later Roger Waters, or as a highly respected solo artist, Snowy White has remained true to his love for excellent, handmade music.
Talking about The Situation, Snowy White says "These songs are my expression of where I was in 2018… up and down, good and bad, weak and strong – it’s all here… just doing my thing as usual, enjoying playing with all my musician friends."
The guitarist has also given a quick snap-shot insight behind the meaning of each song in reflective, song-by-song summary…
The Situation – "Well, we’re all in a 'situation' of some kind or another…"
This Feeling – "When did I lose it? Time passes and we all see changes in ourselves."
LA Skip – "Venice Beach in LA, watching the jugglers as the sun went down and the air cooled."
We Can’t Seem To Do Much About It – "Well, maybe that’s a bit defeatist, but things do seem to be getting out of control…"
Crazy Situation Blues – "Got the blues in my heart most of the time, that’s just the way it is."
Blues In My Reflection – "Someone somewhere out there loves me? I wonder… "
So, Why Do I Still Have The Blues? – "Good question. But one thing I do know is that 'You Can’t Take It With You,' so better make the most of it while you can."
Migration - "I need a change of direction maybe? A new environment, could do the trick. It’s hard out there though, can’t always trust what you hear, plenty of people playing 'The Lying Game.' We can only make the most of things, go through these 'Hard Blues' and hope to come out the other side in one piece. As for the future, getting older, some hard times coming and, honestly, I 'Can’t Imagine' how it’s going to be…"
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The Situation – "Well, we’re all in a 'situation' of some kind or another…"
This Feeling – "When did I lose it? Time passes and we all see changes in ourselves."
LA Skip – "Venice Beach in LA, watching the jugglers as the sun went down and the air cooled."
We Can’t Seem To Do Much About It – "Well, maybe that’s a bit defeatist, but things do seem to be getting out of control…"
Crazy Situation Blues – "Got the blues in my heart most of the time, that’s just the way it is."
Blues In My Reflection – "Someone somewhere out there loves me? I wonder… "
So, Why Do I Still Have The Blues? – "Good question. But one thing I do know is that 'You Can’t Take It With You,' so better make the most of it while you can."
Migration - "I need a change of direction maybe? A new environment, could do the trick. It’s hard out there though, can’t always trust what you hear, plenty of people playing 'The Lying Game.' We can only make the most of things, go through these 'Hard Blues' and hope to come out the other side in one piece. As for the future, getting older, some hard times coming and, honestly, I 'Can’t Imagine' how it’s going to be…"
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Singer-songwriter Heather Findlay, who comfortably crosses and blends the boundaries of progressive, folk, ballad and rock, is gearing up to release her new, and long-awaited, solo album Wild White Horses.
Scheduled for a spring release the album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales in collaboration with, and production from, Thunder’s Luke Morley.
A number of short promotional teasers have been released, culminating in the Making Of trailer that features selected audio of tracks from the forthcoming album -- all of which points to a multi-faceted release that may well turn out to be not just the ex Mostly Autumn vocalist’s finest work to date but the album that widens and increases the audience numbers the captivating voice and talents of Heather Findlay so richly deserve.
Scheduled for a spring release the album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales in collaboration with, and production from, Thunder’s Luke Morley.
A number of short promotional teasers have been released, culminating in the Making Of trailer that features selected audio of tracks from the forthcoming album -- all of which points to a multi-faceted release that may well turn out to be not just the ex Mostly Autumn vocalist’s finest work to date but the album that widens and increases the audience numbers the captivating voice and talents of Heather Findlay so richly deserve.
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The Stray Cats are back!
Original founding members of the acclaimed and iconic American rockabilly rollers - Brian Setzer (guitar, vocals), Lee Rocker (bass, vocals) and Slim Jim Phantom (drums, vocals) - are celebrating their 40th anniversary with a new album and tour.
The album, entitled 40, is the band’s first new album in twenty-six years; it will be released on May 24th via Surfdog Records and distributed by Mascot Label Group in Europe and the UK.
The song titles alone, including 'Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me),' 'Rock It Off,' 'Mean Pickin’ Mama' and 'Devil Train,' instantly let listeners know they’re in for a non-stop rocking time.
Pre-orders and Merchandise can be obtained from the Mascot label Group Shop Store (Europe Only):
https://www.mascotlabelgroup.com/Pre-orders/
Album options and Merch includes T-shirt bundles with new Stray Cats 40 design (sizes M-XXL); Blue Marble vinyl - Limited to 500, only available from the MLG store; Silver vinyl - Limited to 2000 in Europe; Black vinyl; Deluxe CD box set with 2 bonus tracks (not on regular CD or vinyl); Stray Cats-themed coasters, stickers and postcard.
Original founding members of the acclaimed and iconic American rockabilly rollers - Brian Setzer (guitar, vocals), Lee Rocker (bass, vocals) and Slim Jim Phantom (drums, vocals) - are celebrating their 40th anniversary with a new album and tour.
The album, entitled 40, is the band’s first new album in twenty-six years; it will be released on May 24th via Surfdog Records and distributed by Mascot Label Group in Europe and the UK.
The song titles alone, including 'Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me),' 'Rock It Off,' 'Mean Pickin’ Mama' and 'Devil Train,' instantly let listeners know they’re in for a non-stop rocking time.
Pre-orders and Merchandise can be obtained from the Mascot label Group Shop Store (Europe Only):
https://www.mascotlabelgroup.com/Pre-orders/
Album options and Merch includes T-shirt bundles with new Stray Cats 40 design (sizes M-XXL); Blue Marble vinyl - Limited to 500, only available from the MLG store; Silver vinyl - Limited to 2000 in Europe; Black vinyl; Deluxe CD box set with 2 bonus tracks (not on regular CD or vinyl); Stray Cats-themed coasters, stickers and postcard.
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Black country based blues rock singer and songstress Rebecca Downes will release her highly anticipated third studio album More Sinner Than Saint on the 24th of May through her own label, Mad Hat Records.
It will be available in both CD and Vinyl.
The album, mixed by Thunder’s Chris Childs and Bill Drescher (Rick Springfield, The Bangles) takes the music of Rebecca Downes into rockier territory yet with huge airplay potential; it also features guest guitar appearances from King King’s Alan Nimmo and Magnum’s Tony Clarkin.
With exciting new material that continues the evolution of Rebecca Downes’ blues infused music towards rock, More Sinner Than Saint has been worth the wait.
At the outset, the singer consulted with noted producer Chris Kimsey, who selected and refined the twelve chosen tracks to help achieve what Rebecca Downes and her co-writer Steve Birkett see and hear as the perfect expression of their current writing partnership.
With five of the twelve tracks mixed by Californian based Bill Drescher and seven by Chris Childs of Thunder, Rebecca Downes sonically shines throughout; her powerful yet soulful vocals lead the charge, backed by her superb studio band of Steve Birkett (guitars), Dan Clark (bass), Lloyd Daker (drums) and Magnum’s Rick Benton (keyboards).
The multi-blues award winning Alan Nimmo plays on 'If I Go To Sleep' while Magnum’s Tony Clarkin features on 'Breathe Out.'
"We were honoured and humbled to receive Chris Kimsey’s guidance. He gave us confidence about the direction of our writing; changing to a rockier sound and advice on the way the material should be recorded. Meeting Bill Drescher in LA was fantastic; such a lovely, down-to-earth guy and his mixing took the five tracks to the next level. Chris Childs has since done an excellent job on the rest in matching Bill’s mixing style.
We are very proud of this album and the way the music has evolved towards rock. More than ever before we believe it captures the best of our song writing."
- Rebecca Downes
There will be the opportunity to see this rising star of rock-blues live when Rebecca Downes plays a quartet of dates with The Quireboys in March (Marine Hall, Fleetwood, 22nd; Flowerpot, Derby, 23rd; The Boileroom, Guildford, 28th; Met Lounge, Peterborough, 29th) as well as her headline and Festival gigs throughout 2019.
Rebecca Downes Discography
Real Life EP (2013)
Back To The Start (2013)
Believe (2016)
BeLive (2017)
More Sinner Than Saint (2019)
Awards:
Female Vocalist of the Year; Emerging Artist of the Year; Runner-up Song of the Year (Believe)
British Blues Awards 2016
Female Vocalist of the Year
FORM UK Blues Awards 2018
Rebecca Downes – More Sinner Than Saint
Released May 24th on Mad Hat Records; catalogue no: MADHAT005 (CD) & MADHAT006 (Vinyl)
Track Listing:
Take Me Higher + More Sinner Than Saint # Chains Fall Down # If I Go To Sleep + Screaming Your Name # Stand On My Feet # Hurts + Big Sky + With Me # In Reverse + Wave Them Goodbye + Breathe Out +
+ Mixed by Chris Childs
# Mixed by Bill Drescher
Pre-sale link: https://www.rebeccadownes.com/new-album-pre-order-1
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It will be available in both CD and Vinyl.
The album, mixed by Thunder’s Chris Childs and Bill Drescher (Rick Springfield, The Bangles) takes the music of Rebecca Downes into rockier territory yet with huge airplay potential; it also features guest guitar appearances from King King’s Alan Nimmo and Magnum’s Tony Clarkin.
With exciting new material that continues the evolution of Rebecca Downes’ blues infused music towards rock, More Sinner Than Saint has been worth the wait.
At the outset, the singer consulted with noted producer Chris Kimsey, who selected and refined the twelve chosen tracks to help achieve what Rebecca Downes and her co-writer Steve Birkett see and hear as the perfect expression of their current writing partnership.
With five of the twelve tracks mixed by Californian based Bill Drescher and seven by Chris Childs of Thunder, Rebecca Downes sonically shines throughout; her powerful yet soulful vocals lead the charge, backed by her superb studio band of Steve Birkett (guitars), Dan Clark (bass), Lloyd Daker (drums) and Magnum’s Rick Benton (keyboards).
The multi-blues award winning Alan Nimmo plays on 'If I Go To Sleep' while Magnum’s Tony Clarkin features on 'Breathe Out.'
"We were honoured and humbled to receive Chris Kimsey’s guidance. He gave us confidence about the direction of our writing; changing to a rockier sound and advice on the way the material should be recorded. Meeting Bill Drescher in LA was fantastic; such a lovely, down-to-earth guy and his mixing took the five tracks to the next level. Chris Childs has since done an excellent job on the rest in matching Bill’s mixing style.
We are very proud of this album and the way the music has evolved towards rock. More than ever before we believe it captures the best of our song writing."
- Rebecca Downes
There will be the opportunity to see this rising star of rock-blues live when Rebecca Downes plays a quartet of dates with The Quireboys in March (Marine Hall, Fleetwood, 22nd; Flowerpot, Derby, 23rd; The Boileroom, Guildford, 28th; Met Lounge, Peterborough, 29th) as well as her headline and Festival gigs throughout 2019.
Rebecca Downes Discography
Real Life EP (2013)
Back To The Start (2013)
Believe (2016)
BeLive (2017)
More Sinner Than Saint (2019)
Awards:
Female Vocalist of the Year; Emerging Artist of the Year; Runner-up Song of the Year (Believe)
British Blues Awards 2016
Female Vocalist of the Year
FORM UK Blues Awards 2018
Rebecca Downes – More Sinner Than Saint
Released May 24th on Mad Hat Records; catalogue no: MADHAT005 (CD) & MADHAT006 (Vinyl)
Track Listing:
Take Me Higher + More Sinner Than Saint # Chains Fall Down # If I Go To Sleep + Screaming Your Name # Stand On My Feet # Hurts + Big Sky + With Me # In Reverse + Wave Them Goodbye + Breathe Out +
+ Mixed by Chris Childs
# Mixed by Bill Drescher
Pre-sale link: https://www.rebeccadownes.com/new-album-pre-order-1
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British rock quintet Piston has just released their new single 'One More Day;' the song has been remixed by Romesh Dodangoda (Bring Me The Horizon, Stone Broken, Wille & The Bandits, Bad Touch, Funeral For A Friend).
The single can be ordered as a digital download from iTunes via: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/piston/595541815
Piston, who have appeared with various noted acts including The Temperance Movement and Sebastian Bach, have made a name for themselves via their raw, rock sound and energetic live performances.
Of the single, Piston vocalist Rob Angelico says "One More Day is about learning to trust in the natural progression of life. We can't turn back time here, we can only progress and move forward. We always have another day to find the light."
As regards plans for 2019 the band commented that "we are all really looking forward to getting back out on the road again, catching up with the fans and playing them a bunch of new songs - it has been almost six years since our last release, and it has been one hell of a journey.
We recorded a whole album and scrapped it and re-sculpted our sound! 2019 is the year for Piston!"
The single can be ordered as a digital download from iTunes via: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/piston/595541815
Piston, who have appeared with various noted acts including The Temperance Movement and Sebastian Bach, have made a name for themselves via their raw, rock sound and energetic live performances.
Of the single, Piston vocalist Rob Angelico says "One More Day is about learning to trust in the natural progression of life. We can't turn back time here, we can only progress and move forward. We always have another day to find the light."
As regards plans for 2019 the band commented that "we are all really looking forward to getting back out on the road again, catching up with the fans and playing them a bunch of new songs - it has been almost six years since our last release, and it has been one hell of a journey.
We recorded a whole album and scrapped it and re-sculpted our sound! 2019 is the year for Piston!"
Piston – March Dates in support of 'One More Day'
(tickets – www.pistonuk.com/shows )
The Big Red, London – Thursday, 14th March
Gifford Arms, Wolverhampton – Saturday, 16th March
Redrum, Stafford – Friday, 2nd March
The Patriot, Crumlin – Friday, 29th March
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(tickets – www.pistonuk.com/shows )
The Big Red, London – Thursday, 14th March
Gifford Arms, Wolverhampton – Saturday, 16th March
Redrum, Stafford – Friday, 2nd March
The Patriot, Crumlin – Friday, 29th March
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Escape Music have announced the release of Attitude, the debut from British melodic/ rock supergroup Lonerider featuring FM vocalist Steve Overland, legendary drummer Simon Kirke of Free and Bad Company fame, Steve Morris (Heartland) on guitars & keyboards, Thunder’s Chris Childs on bass and Brian J Anthony (acoustic guitar, mandolin, percussion).
The album will be released on April 26th and available on CD and Limited Edition Double LP Vinyl (only 500 vinyl copies will be produced, in transparent gold and individually numbered).
The album was produced by the band and mixed and mastered by Brian J Anthony.
Lonerider - Attitude (all songs by Steve Overland/Steve Morris)
1- My Imagination 2- Lonerider 3- Hard Heart to Break 4- Fast Train 5- Wanted Man 6- Yesterday Heroes
7- Angel without Wings 8- Rock ‘N Roll Dreamer 9- One in A Million 10- Gimme Your Love 11- Rhythm of Life 12- Heart & Soul.
Bonus tracks (Double LP Vinyl ONLY):
When Love Leaves Town; Have A Little Faith; Rock ‘N Roll Dreamer (acoustic version); Yesterday Heroes (acoustic version).
If you like Bad Company then Lonerider are going to be a treat for you; with the feel of classic Bad Company yet with modern, fresh and vibrant songs, Lonerider certainly have the quality – and the Attitude.
The album will be released on April 26th and available on CD and Limited Edition Double LP Vinyl (only 500 vinyl copies will be produced, in transparent gold and individually numbered).
The album was produced by the band and mixed and mastered by Brian J Anthony.
Lonerider - Attitude (all songs by Steve Overland/Steve Morris)
1- My Imagination 2- Lonerider 3- Hard Heart to Break 4- Fast Train 5- Wanted Man 6- Yesterday Heroes
7- Angel without Wings 8- Rock ‘N Roll Dreamer 9- One in A Million 10- Gimme Your Love 11- Rhythm of Life 12- Heart & Soul.
Bonus tracks (Double LP Vinyl ONLY):
When Love Leaves Town; Have A Little Faith; Rock ‘N Roll Dreamer (acoustic version); Yesterday Heroes (acoustic version).
If you like Bad Company then Lonerider are going to be a treat for you; with the feel of classic Bad Company yet with modern, fresh and vibrant songs, Lonerider certainly have the quality – and the Attitude.
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Sad news that Peter Frampton’s next tour will be almost certainly be his last, especially given the reason behind such an announcement.
The celebrated musician made the "last tour" announcement on Friday 22nd February then spoke about the reasoning behind it to Anthony Mason on CBS This Morning: Saturday the following day – he has a degenerative muscular disease known as inclusion body myositis (a rare and incurable inflammatory condition which causes the muscles to slowly weaken).
Frampton was diagnosed with the condition some three and half years ago but has only now spoken publicly about it. Says Frampton of the condition, and the future:
"What will happen, unfortunately, is that it affects the finger flexors. That's the first telltale sign is the flexors, you know. So for a guitar player, it's not very good.
The reason I'm calling it the 'farewell tour,' again, is because I know that I will be at the top of my game for this tour and I will make it through this and people won't be saying, 'Oh you know, he can't play as good.' I can. But we just don't know for how long.
If this is the farewell tour, then maybe if the drug trial works, there'll be the miracle tour... I wish, but I'm realistic, too — this really is the farewell tour.""
The full interview can be viewed here: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/peter-frampton-farewell-tour-will-be-his-last-singer-reveals-inclusion-body-myositis-diagnosis-in-cbs-this-morning-interview-2019-02-23/
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The celebrated musician made the "last tour" announcement on Friday 22nd February then spoke about the reasoning behind it to Anthony Mason on CBS This Morning: Saturday the following day – he has a degenerative muscular disease known as inclusion body myositis (a rare and incurable inflammatory condition which causes the muscles to slowly weaken).
Frampton was diagnosed with the condition some three and half years ago but has only now spoken publicly about it. Says Frampton of the condition, and the future:
"What will happen, unfortunately, is that it affects the finger flexors. That's the first telltale sign is the flexors, you know. So for a guitar player, it's not very good.
The reason I'm calling it the 'farewell tour,' again, is because I know that I will be at the top of my game for this tour and I will make it through this and people won't be saying, 'Oh you know, he can't play as good.' I can. But we just don't know for how long.
If this is the farewell tour, then maybe if the drug trial works, there'll be the miracle tour... I wish, but I'm realistic, too — this really is the farewell tour.""
The full interview can be viewed here: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/peter-frampton-farewell-tour-will-be-his-last-singer-reveals-inclusion-body-myositis-diagnosis-in-cbs-this-morning-interview-2019-02-23/
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Welsh heavy blues rockers Everyday Heroes, winners of the StormBreakers Battle of the Bands event last year that led to their highly impacting spot at WinterStorm Troon 2018, continue to impress with their hard 'n' gritty, guitar-led storytelling variant of the genre.
Latest song/ single, 'Soul to Save,' also bodes well for the forthcoming debut album…
Latest song/ single, 'Soul to Save,' also bodes well for the forthcoming debut album…
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Renowned guitarist Ariel Posen, member of award winning Canadian alt-country group The Bros. Landreth, has just released his debut solo album, How Long – you can check out FabricationsHQ's review of the album on the 2019 Reviews page.
Ariel Posen was travelling the globe playing solo gigs before joining The Bros. Landreth; now the Winnipeg born singer-songwriter-guitarist-producer is once again embarking on a run of solo dates, this time to promote How Long, including a tour of Britain and Ireland (and an appearance at the Ards Guitar Festival in Belfast).
How Long showcases Ariel Posen’s chops as an instrumentalist and talents as a Heartland based, multi-styled songwriter.
Posen’s songcraft encapsulates rootsy blues, cool R&B grooves, melodic rock & roll and smooth soul-blues as featured on latest Music Video 'Can't Stop Thinking About You;' the number also features the musician's distinct and thick slide guitar sound.
While those resonant guitar tones are a feature of How Long Ariel Posen's six-string weapons of choice are just one part of the whole or, as Posen himself says: "The guitar is the tool to get the music out but always serve the song first. Otherwise, you're just playing an instrument."
Ariel Posen was travelling the globe playing solo gigs before joining The Bros. Landreth; now the Winnipeg born singer-songwriter-guitarist-producer is once again embarking on a run of solo dates, this time to promote How Long, including a tour of Britain and Ireland (and an appearance at the Ards Guitar Festival in Belfast).
How Long showcases Ariel Posen’s chops as an instrumentalist and talents as a Heartland based, multi-styled songwriter.
Posen’s songcraft encapsulates rootsy blues, cool R&B grooves, melodic rock & roll and smooth soul-blues as featured on latest Music Video 'Can't Stop Thinking About You;' the number also features the musician's distinct and thick slide guitar sound.
While those resonant guitar tones are a feature of How Long Ariel Posen's six-string weapons of choice are just one part of the whole or, as Posen himself says: "The guitar is the tool to get the music out but always serve the song first. Otherwise, you're just playing an instrument."
Ariel Posen Britain and Ireland tour dates:
Wednesday 13th February - Andertons Clinic, Guildford
Friday 15th February - Wrotham Arms, Broadstairs
Saturday 16th February -Bulls Head, Alton
Sunday 17th February -Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
Monday 18th February - Ashington White House, Ashington
Tuesday 19th February - The Jam House, Birmingham
Wednesday 20th February - The Brook, Southampton
Thursday 21st February - The Vic, Swindon
Friday 22nd February - Causeway Hall Live Music Club, Tonbridge
Sunday 24th February - Borderline, London
(pre-show Regent Sounds)
Monday 25th February - Komedia, Brighton (pre-show GAK)
Tuesday 26th February - Tuesday NightMusic Club, Coulsdon
Wednesday 27th February - Peach Guitars, Colchester
Thursday 28th February - The Flowerpot, Derby
Thursday 7th March - Coughlans Bar, Cork
Sunday 10th March - The Sugar Club, Dublin
Saturday 6th April - Ards Guitar Festival, Belfast
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Wednesday 13th February - Andertons Clinic, Guildford
Friday 15th February - Wrotham Arms, Broadstairs
Saturday 16th February -Bulls Head, Alton
Sunday 17th February -Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
Monday 18th February - Ashington White House, Ashington
Tuesday 19th February - The Jam House, Birmingham
Wednesday 20th February - The Brook, Southampton
Thursday 21st February - The Vic, Swindon
Friday 22nd February - Causeway Hall Live Music Club, Tonbridge
Sunday 24th February - Borderline, London
(pre-show Regent Sounds)
Monday 25th February - Komedia, Brighton (pre-show GAK)
Tuesday 26th February - Tuesday NightMusic Club, Coulsdon
Wednesday 27th February - Peach Guitars, Colchester
Thursday 28th February - The Flowerpot, Derby
Thursday 7th March - Coughlans Bar, Cork
Sunday 10th March - The Sugar Club, Dublin
Saturday 6th April - Ards Guitar Festival, Belfast
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Live, soul blues songstress Jo Harman continues to make sonic waves with her outstanding voice, vocality and gospel inspired cries but, studio wise, it's been a far quieter time of late.
The good news however is that’s something now being addressed – two years on from the outstanding People We Become (recorded in Nashville with noted composer/ producer Fred Mollin and featuring a collection of songs that suited Harman’s incredibly emotive voice to soulful, gospel and rock and pop blues perfection) the highly acclaimed singer is now writing for what will be her third studio release.
Meanwhile to whet that third album appetite Jo Harman has just released an intimate take of Average White Band number 'Cloudy,' recorded by multi award winning producer, James McMillan.
Upliftingly gorgeous, 'Cloudy' showcases a singer not just in the moment (vocally and emotively blending Gospel and genuine soulfulness) but in the song – or, as AWB alumnus and 'Cloudy' co-writer Hamish Stuart declared, "when Jo sings it, I believe her!"
The good news however is that’s something now being addressed – two years on from the outstanding People We Become (recorded in Nashville with noted composer/ producer Fred Mollin and featuring a collection of songs that suited Harman’s incredibly emotive voice to soulful, gospel and rock and pop blues perfection) the highly acclaimed singer is now writing for what will be her third studio release.
Meanwhile to whet that third album appetite Jo Harman has just released an intimate take of Average White Band number 'Cloudy,' recorded by multi award winning producer, James McMillan.
Upliftingly gorgeous, 'Cloudy' showcases a singer not just in the moment (vocally and emotively blending Gospel and genuine soulfulness) but in the song – or, as AWB alumnus and 'Cloudy' co-writer Hamish Stuart declared, "when Jo sings it, I believe her!"
'Cloudy' and People We Become also help underline why, from a personal point of FabricationsHQ (re)view, I haven’t been this captivated or moved by a "mainstream" / radio friendly female vocalist since the late Eva Cassidy's material started to air on BBC Radio 2 some twenty years ago.
Such comparisons however are becoming redundant, because Jo Harman is a singer with her own voice – on any Cloudy day of the week.
Jo Harman opened BluesFest at the O2 Arena late last year and continues to tour internationally; upcoming live dates include:
16th February - Theater de Huiskamer, Netherlands
7th March - West Country Wonder Women (private event)
9th March - Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, West Midlands (full band)
30th March - France, Festival event
3rd April - St Nicholas Church, Harwich, Essex (Harwich Festival of the Arts)
4th April - Arlington Arts, Newbury (full band)
6th April - The Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
12th April - The Garage Music Venue Swansea (full band)
20th April - Echo Hotel Music Club, Hook, Hampshire (with special guest Jade Like The Stone)
26th April - Poland, Festival event
9th May - Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis (with special guest Joanna Alice Cooke)
11th May - Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead, Berkshire
17th May - Serbia, Festival event
23rd May - Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham-by-Sea (with special guest Elles Bailey)
25th May - France, Festival event
Ticket enquiries joharman.com/tour-dates
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Such comparisons however are becoming redundant, because Jo Harman is a singer with her own voice – on any Cloudy day of the week.
Jo Harman opened BluesFest at the O2 Arena late last year and continues to tour internationally; upcoming live dates include:
16th February - Theater de Huiskamer, Netherlands
7th March - West Country Wonder Women (private event)
9th March - Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, West Midlands (full band)
30th March - France, Festival event
3rd April - St Nicholas Church, Harwich, Essex (Harwich Festival of the Arts)
4th April - Arlington Arts, Newbury (full band)
6th April - The Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
12th April - The Garage Music Venue Swansea (full band)
20th April - Echo Hotel Music Club, Hook, Hampshire (with special guest Jade Like The Stone)
26th April - Poland, Festival event
9th May - Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis (with special guest Joanna Alice Cooke)
11th May - Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead, Berkshire
17th May - Serbia, Festival event
23rd May - Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham-by-Sea (with special guest Elles Bailey)
25th May - France, Festival event
Ticket enquiries joharman.com/tour-dates
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New British melodic rock and county band Collateral have released a radio remix of their single 'Midnight Queen' along with accompanying official music video.
The single has been remixed for rock radio by Romesh Dodangoda, who has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for his production work on Bring Me The Horizon’s single 'Mantra.'
At the end of 2018 Collateral released their debut 4-track EP 4 Shots! on Roulette Records.
The EP can be purchases here www.roulettemedia.uk/collateral-store; it is also available on all digital platforms.
The melodic rock and country hooked 'Midnight Queen' features on the EP along with the southern-meets-melodic rock of 'Going With the Wind,' the country clothed 'Angels Crying' and powerful melodic rock ballad 'Just Waiting For You'.
The single has been remixed for rock radio by Romesh Dodangoda, who has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for his production work on Bring Me The Horizon’s single 'Mantra.'
At the end of 2018 Collateral released their debut 4-track EP 4 Shots! on Roulette Records.
The EP can be purchases here www.roulettemedia.uk/collateral-store; it is also available on all digital platforms.
The melodic rock and country hooked 'Midnight Queen' features on the EP along with the southern-meets-melodic rock of 'Going With the Wind,' the country clothed 'Angels Crying' and powerful melodic rock ballad 'Just Waiting For You'.
Collateral are a melodic hard rock band that should appeal to both old and new rock fans who love the sound of classic Bon Jovi, Tyketto, Def Leppard and Little Angels.
Collateral burst on to the music scene in 2018 when they attracted the attention of venues, festivals (they played Hard Rock Hell’s private VIP party), press and hard melodic rock lovers.
Five years on from the Angelo Tristan Band, formed around singer-guitarist Angelo Tristan and bass player Jack Bentley Smith, ripped jeans, cowboy boots, long hair (and plenty of eye-liner) have become as much a part of Collateral (who also feature guitarist Todd Winger and drummer Ben Atkinson) as the quality brand of hard melodic rock heard on 4 Shots!
Upcoming Collateral shows:
Leo’s Red Lion, Gravesend (supporting Bad Touch) - Friday 26th April
Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk
Borderline, London (Co-headien wiuth Daxx & Roxanne) - Saturday 8th May
Tickets: www.alttickets.com www.seetickets.com
Camden Rocks, London - Sunday 2nd June
Tickets: https://camdenrocksfestival.com/tickets
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Collateral burst on to the music scene in 2018 when they attracted the attention of venues, festivals (they played Hard Rock Hell’s private VIP party), press and hard melodic rock lovers.
Five years on from the Angelo Tristan Band, formed around singer-guitarist Angelo Tristan and bass player Jack Bentley Smith, ripped jeans, cowboy boots, long hair (and plenty of eye-liner) have become as much a part of Collateral (who also feature guitarist Todd Winger and drummer Ben Atkinson) as the quality brand of hard melodic rock heard on 4 Shots!
Upcoming Collateral shows:
Leo’s Red Lion, Gravesend (supporting Bad Touch) - Friday 26th April
Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk
Borderline, London (Co-headien wiuth Daxx & Roxanne) - Saturday 8th May
Tickets: www.alttickets.com www.seetickets.com
Camden Rocks, London - Sunday 2nd June
Tickets: https://camdenrocksfestival.com/tickets
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Following her recent clutch of dates in the UK European Blues Award winning singer songwriter and slide guitarist Erja Lyytinen will return to the UK in March 2019.
The acclaimed Finnish musician (who has been nominated for the second year in a row as Guitarist of the Year by the European Blues Awards) will embark on a 12-date tour next March, starting in Brighton on the 19th and finishing with a show in Bromsgrove on the 30th.
Tickets for all dates are available now via www.solidentertainments.com/presents.htm#ERJA-TOUR
or from the Box Office (no booking fee): 01472 349 222.
Erja Lyytinen will also release a new studio album in 2019, on her own record label, Tuohi Records. The new album will feature guest performances from Sonny Landreth and Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson). The album will include Without You and Another World, which were both released as digital singles with accompanying Music Videos in 2018.
As regards the recently released Another World and the video, Erja Lyytinen explains that “the song has a lot of meanings. First of all, it is a love story. It´s a dream about loving somebody in another dimension, because it´s not possible in this world. I have always loved sci-fi movies, so I wanted to add something extra-terrestrial and supernatural to the video, too. It also points out how important it is for us to be aware of environmental aspects. Do we need to find another planet someday to be able to breathe? All this has been wrapped together by these two worlds happening at the same time, and how in the end it is important that we as lovers, and as a human race, could survive.”
The acclaimed Finnish musician (who has been nominated for the second year in a row as Guitarist of the Year by the European Blues Awards) will embark on a 12-date tour next March, starting in Brighton on the 19th and finishing with a show in Bromsgrove on the 30th.
Tickets for all dates are available now via www.solidentertainments.com/presents.htm#ERJA-TOUR
or from the Box Office (no booking fee): 01472 349 222.
Erja Lyytinen will also release a new studio album in 2019, on her own record label, Tuohi Records. The new album will feature guest performances from Sonny Landreth and Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson). The album will include Without You and Another World, which were both released as digital singles with accompanying Music Videos in 2018.
As regards the recently released Another World and the video, Erja Lyytinen explains that “the song has a lot of meanings. First of all, it is a love story. It´s a dream about loving somebody in another dimension, because it´s not possible in this world. I have always loved sci-fi movies, so I wanted to add something extra-terrestrial and supernatural to the video, too. It also points out how important it is for us to be aware of environmental aspects. Do we need to find another planet someday to be able to breathe? All this has been wrapped together by these two worlds happening at the same time, and how in the end it is important that we as lovers, and as a human race, could survive.”
ERJA LYYTINEN – MARCH 2019 UK TOUR
Brighton, Komedia - Monday 18th March
Bridport, Electric Palace - Tuesday 19th March
Milton Keynes, The Stables - Wednesday 20th March
Sheffield, The Greystones - Thursday 21st March
Scarborough, Blues Festival - Friday 22nd March
Glasgow, Nice ‘N’ Sleazy - Saturday 23rd March
Kinross, The Green Hotel - Sunday 24th March
London, 100 Club - Tuesday 26th March
Oxford, The Bullingdon - Wednesday 27th March
Birmingham, Hare And Hounds - Thursday 28th March
Southport, The Atkinson - Friday 29th March
Bromsgrove, The Artrix - Saturday 30th March
Tickets for all dates: http://www.solidentertainments.com/presents.htm#ERJA-TOUR
Box Office: 01472 349 222.
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Brighton, Komedia - Monday 18th March
Bridport, Electric Palace - Tuesday 19th March
Milton Keynes, The Stables - Wednesday 20th March
Sheffield, The Greystones - Thursday 21st March
Scarborough, Blues Festival - Friday 22nd March
Glasgow, Nice ‘N’ Sleazy - Saturday 23rd March
Kinross, The Green Hotel - Sunday 24th March
London, 100 Club - Tuesday 26th March
Oxford, The Bullingdon - Wednesday 27th March
Birmingham, Hare And Hounds - Thursday 28th March
Southport, The Atkinson - Friday 29th March
Bromsgrove, The Artrix - Saturday 30th March
Tickets for all dates: http://www.solidentertainments.com/presents.htm#ERJA-TOUR
Box Office: 01472 349 222.
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Up and coming Americana & country-blues styled British singer-songwriter Elles Bailey is keeping seriously good company these days.
Having toured full-length 2017 debut album Wildfire beyond the UK into parts of Europe and America, playing dates with Jo Harman and Eric Gales and headlining her own tours, the Bristol based roots meets blues artist has been rising up the ranks and festival listings (Black Deer, Swing Westplaar and The Great British R&B Festival).
Perhaps even more notably, Elles Bailey has once again been nominated at the prestigious European Blues Awards (for Female Vocalist of the Year) alongside Layla Zoe and Beth Hart; later this year, on July 21st, Bailey will grace the Blues Stage of the Ramblin’ Man Fair with Beth Hart.
Reinforcing Elles Bailey’s musical credentials is new album Road I Call Home, which has been inspired by her road touring life of these last few years.
The new album, which will be released on 8th March, was preceded late last year by the song 'Medicine Man.' The single charted #1 in the iTunes Blues Charts, #7 in the Amazon Blues Charts and garnered BBC Radio 2 support from Cerys Matthews.
Now, as a further double helping of what to expect on Road I Call Home, Elles Bailey has released a double-A single featuring the darker country-blues rock of 'Wild Wild West' and questioning blues ballad 'What’s the Matter With You.'
Contrasting but complementary, the songs help showcase Elles Bailey’s blues breadth while being inexorably linked through her storied lyricism and husky vocal tones (at the age of three she contracted life threatening viral and bacterial pneumonia and had to breathe through a tube for seventeen days - "I know how fortunate I am that I walked away with a husky voice. And my life").
Of the songs, Elles Bailey says "Wild Wild West is about the darker side of the music and entertainment industry, It’s about those who try to use, abuse and take advantage of those who love their art."
The ballad What’s 'The Matter With You' (written by Bailey, Ivor Novello Award winner Roger Cook and Memphis & Nashville musician-songwriter Bobby Wood) is, continues Bailey "pretty self- explanatory; it's desperately asking the question to someone you love 'What’s the matter with you?' and trying to find out what’s gone wrong."
Having toured full-length 2017 debut album Wildfire beyond the UK into parts of Europe and America, playing dates with Jo Harman and Eric Gales and headlining her own tours, the Bristol based roots meets blues artist has been rising up the ranks and festival listings (Black Deer, Swing Westplaar and The Great British R&B Festival).
Perhaps even more notably, Elles Bailey has once again been nominated at the prestigious European Blues Awards (for Female Vocalist of the Year) alongside Layla Zoe and Beth Hart; later this year, on July 21st, Bailey will grace the Blues Stage of the Ramblin’ Man Fair with Beth Hart.
Reinforcing Elles Bailey’s musical credentials is new album Road I Call Home, which has been inspired by her road touring life of these last few years.
The new album, which will be released on 8th March, was preceded late last year by the song 'Medicine Man.' The single charted #1 in the iTunes Blues Charts, #7 in the Amazon Blues Charts and garnered BBC Radio 2 support from Cerys Matthews.
Now, as a further double helping of what to expect on Road I Call Home, Elles Bailey has released a double-A single featuring the darker country-blues rock of 'Wild Wild West' and questioning blues ballad 'What’s the Matter With You.'
Contrasting but complementary, the songs help showcase Elles Bailey’s blues breadth while being inexorably linked through her storied lyricism and husky vocal tones (at the age of three she contracted life threatening viral and bacterial pneumonia and had to breathe through a tube for seventeen days - "I know how fortunate I am that I walked away with a husky voice. And my life").
Of the songs, Elles Bailey says "Wild Wild West is about the darker side of the music and entertainment industry, It’s about those who try to use, abuse and take advantage of those who love their art."
The ballad What’s 'The Matter With You' (written by Bailey, Ivor Novello Award winner Roger Cook and Memphis & Nashville musician-songwriter Bobby Wood) is, continues Bailey "pretty self- explanatory; it's desperately asking the question to someone you love 'What’s the matter with you?' and trying to find out what’s gone wrong."
That Wildfire was a such positively received success in critical terms wasn’t a surprise given its quality, but its cross-genre appeal was, at least to the artist - "That was such a surprise. Everyone really liked it, from roots and acoustic to rock and country."
Wildfire charted at #2 in the iTunes blues charts, reached #1 in the Independent Blues Broadcasters (IBBA) charts and has clocked up over 2.5 million streams on Spotify.
Where Wildfire was a labour love over time (written over five years) Road I Call Home was written "over only one" confirms Elles Bailey. "It tells the story of touring Wildfire, and how much my life has changed since.
I feel it delves deeper, and deals with loss, love, anger, determination and life on the road and many miles travelled."
Recorded in Nashville (Sound Emporium, Blackbird Studios, Warner Studios) and Mono Valley Studios in Wales, Road I Call Home features both Elles Bailey’s UK band and a dozen Nashville musicians.
The results are an album that should elevate Elles Bailey even further up those Americana and blues ranks.
2019 Road I Call Home UK Tour Dates:
Feb 9: Bristol, Christchurch album listening party.
March 2: Settle, Victoria Hall
March 3: Glasgow, King Tuts
March 5: Eyemouth Hippodrome
March 7: Dublin, Wheelan’s
March 8: Belfast, Enlar Delta Blues Club
March 9: Roscommon, Ireland, JJ Harlows
March 12: London, The Lexington
March 13: Birmingham, O2 Academy 3
March 15: Leek, Foxlowe Arts Centre
March 21: Bridgwater, Bar Brunel
March 22: Bristol, Jazz and Blues Festiva
March 24: Southampton, 1865
March 29: Horsham, The Rec Rooms
March 30: Bath, Chapel Arts Centre
March 31: Bournemouth, Madding Crowd
May 10: Grimsby, Old Clee Social Club
May 11: Lincoln, Lincoln Drill Hall
May 23: Ropetackle Arts Centre special guest w/Jo Harman, Shoreham By Sea
May 30: Hungerford, Arts for Hungerford
June 1: Bristol, Sodfest
June 14: Torquay, Boogaloo Blues In Torquay
June 15: Canterbury, Blues On The Farm,
July 21: Ramblin’ Man Fair, Blues Stage
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Wildfire charted at #2 in the iTunes blues charts, reached #1 in the Independent Blues Broadcasters (IBBA) charts and has clocked up over 2.5 million streams on Spotify.
Where Wildfire was a labour love over time (written over five years) Road I Call Home was written "over only one" confirms Elles Bailey. "It tells the story of touring Wildfire, and how much my life has changed since.
I feel it delves deeper, and deals with loss, love, anger, determination and life on the road and many miles travelled."
Recorded in Nashville (Sound Emporium, Blackbird Studios, Warner Studios) and Mono Valley Studios in Wales, Road I Call Home features both Elles Bailey’s UK band and a dozen Nashville musicians.
The results are an album that should elevate Elles Bailey even further up those Americana and blues ranks.
2019 Road I Call Home UK Tour Dates:
Feb 9: Bristol, Christchurch album listening party.
March 2: Settle, Victoria Hall
March 3: Glasgow, King Tuts
March 5: Eyemouth Hippodrome
March 7: Dublin, Wheelan’s
March 8: Belfast, Enlar Delta Blues Club
March 9: Roscommon, Ireland, JJ Harlows
March 12: London, The Lexington
March 13: Birmingham, O2 Academy 3
March 15: Leek, Foxlowe Arts Centre
March 21: Bridgwater, Bar Brunel
March 22: Bristol, Jazz and Blues Festiva
March 24: Southampton, 1865
March 29: Horsham, The Rec Rooms
March 30: Bath, Chapel Arts Centre
March 31: Bournemouth, Madding Crowd
May 10: Grimsby, Old Clee Social Club
May 11: Lincoln, Lincoln Drill Hall
May 23: Ropetackle Arts Centre special guest w/Jo Harman, Shoreham By Sea
May 30: Hungerford, Arts for Hungerford
June 1: Bristol, Sodfest
June 14: Torquay, Boogaloo Blues In Torquay
June 15: Canterbury, Blues On The Farm,
July 21: Ramblin’ Man Fair, Blues Stage
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It would be easy to assume The End Machine, a brand-new project featuring classic era Dokken members George Lynch, Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown plus Warrant singer Robert Mason, are just Dokken without Dokken - or a past-members get together of George Lynch’s own band, Lynch Mob.
But the self-titled debut album, released on 22nd March via Frontiers Music, showcases a band that’s delivering in its own right, while not hiding their past.
"There's bound to be moments that will be reminiscent of Dokken. That's only logical," says Jeff Pilson.
"But, there will be less of that than people would expect. Some people who have heard it say they think it's closer to Lynch Mob than Dokken but, really, it is pretty much its own thing. It has its own personality and I think that's important."
"This is decidedly not me 'stapled' onto a Dokken record," adds Robert Mason. "I wouldn't have been involved if that was the intent. Fans will hear bits of our styles in this collection of songs, and while reminiscent signatures are undeniable, The End Machine was purposely built to stand apart and on its own merit."
Comments that are reinforced by the first song to be released from the forthcoming album; The End Machine are Alive Today on their own strengths...
But the self-titled debut album, released on 22nd March via Frontiers Music, showcases a band that’s delivering in its own right, while not hiding their past.
"There's bound to be moments that will be reminiscent of Dokken. That's only logical," says Jeff Pilson.
"But, there will be less of that than people would expect. Some people who have heard it say they think it's closer to Lynch Mob than Dokken but, really, it is pretty much its own thing. It has its own personality and I think that's important."
"This is decidedly not me 'stapled' onto a Dokken record," adds Robert Mason. "I wouldn't have been involved if that was the intent. Fans will hear bits of our styles in this collection of songs, and while reminiscent signatures are undeniable, The End Machine was purposely built to stand apart and on its own merit."
Comments that are reinforced by the first song to be released from the forthcoming album; The End Machine are Alive Today on their own strengths...
The End Machine – Robert Mason (vocals); Mick Brown (drums); Jeff Pilson (bass); George Lynch (guitars)
Self-titled debut album released 22nd March via Frontiers Records
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Self-titled debut album released 22nd March via Frontiers Records
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Ben Poole will return to the UK stages in May as special guest support to Ana Popovic, who released her own, new solo album, Like it On Top, in 2018.
Recorded in Nashville, the blues and funk influenced album features guest appearances from Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robben Ford and four-time Grammy winner Keb’ Mo’, who also produced the album.
Ana Popovic – May 2019 UK Tour
with special guest Ben Poole (*except Chester)
Tickets via www.thegigcartel.com and
24 Hour Box Office: 0844 478 0898
The Globe, Cardiff - Friday 3rd May
The Live Rooms, Chester - Saturday 4th May *
The Deaf Institute, Manchester - Sunday 5th May
The Cluny, Newcastle - Tuesday 7th May
Oran Mor, Glasgow - Wednesday 8th May
Brudenell Social Club, Leeds - Thursday 9th May
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham - Friday 10th May
Borderline, London - Saturday 11th May
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Recorded in Nashville, the blues and funk influenced album features guest appearances from Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robben Ford and four-time Grammy winner Keb’ Mo’, who also produced the album.
Ana Popovic – May 2019 UK Tour
with special guest Ben Poole (*except Chester)
Tickets via www.thegigcartel.com and
24 Hour Box Office: 0844 478 0898
The Globe, Cardiff - Friday 3rd May
The Live Rooms, Chester - Saturday 4th May *
The Deaf Institute, Manchester - Sunday 5th May
The Cluny, Newcastle - Tuesday 7th May
Oran Mor, Glasgow - Wednesday 8th May
Brudenell Social Club, Leeds - Thursday 9th May
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham - Friday 10th May
Borderline, London - Saturday 11th May
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Burnt Out Wreck, fronted by Gary Moat, were recently back in the ex Heavy Pettin’ musician’s Scottish homeland for two dates with support from Welsh contemporary rock outfit Scarlet Rebels.
FabricationsHQ took the opportunity to have a few words with Gary Moat about the band (see further below)
Burnt Out Wreck’s debut album, Swallow, takes its influence from the High Voltage rock and roll that used to be the order of the 70s and 80s day but both band and album sit firmly and squarely in the present, delivering a brand of unpretentious, honest, well-written and well-performed swaggering rock and roll...
FabricationsHQ took the opportunity to have a few words with Gary Moat about the band (see further below)
Burnt Out Wreck’s debut album, Swallow, takes its influence from the High Voltage rock and roll that used to be the order of the 70s and 80s day but both band and album sit firmly and squarely in the present, delivering a brand of unpretentious, honest, well-written and well-performed swaggering rock and roll...
Swallow, along with a heavy schedule of headline, special guest and festival dates in 2018, helped the band make a dent in the rock ‘n’ roll landscape, something Gary Moat confirmed to FabricationsHQ:
"The critical reaction to Swallow was fantastic, to say the least; not a bad word was said about it, over all.
We also had a great year in 2018, playing to thousands of people up and down the UK; we loved all the gigs but especially enjoyed the tour dates as special guest to Anvil, particularly at the Cat House in Glasgow.
Leo’s Gravesend with Bad Touch was another great gig but so was Monsterfest in Inverness and Trillians in Newcastle, to name just a few more. You can’t beat playing live!"
The recent Scottish dates were a welcome and quick return north of the border for Burnt Out Wreck; at the end of last year they played Paisley and Dundee with support from Scarlet Rebels.
The band also played the Jagermeister Showcase Stage at WinterStorm Troon, a performance that had many hoping for a Main Stage appearance in the future…
"WinterStorm turned out to be just awesome; we have to thank all the people that got behind us and made our performance, and WinterStorm, what it was. We would love to be asked back and, of course, a main stage performance would be the icing on the cake!
The dates we played in Scotland with Scarlet Rebels were great too. We first met the Scarlet Rebels boys at The Underworld in London, when they were called Void; we were both supporting Anvil and we struck up a great relationship there and then.
They are a great young band and really know how to rock; just top blokes all round to be honest!"
Burnt Out Wreck were born out of the disbandment of previous band Mother’s Ruin, featuring Gary Moat and lead guitarist Adrian Dunn. But what prompted the change of name/ new band?
"It was just time for a change, simple as that. I also thought I had best change it before recording Swallow, and that worked out really well!
Adrian and I recorded Swallow, with Mike Ivory adding some of the drums, but Burnt Out Wreck are myself, Adrian, Alex Carmichael on bass, Paul Gray on drums and Miles Goodman on rhythm guitar.
We’ve played non-stop since the release of Swallow, and still are! [laughs]; the next step is to get on to the next rung of the ladder but by heck it’s tough out there.
But we just love playing live and that rubs off on the fans and audiences who come to our shows."
Given the high-energy performances delivered by Burnt Out Wreck and the rock (and roll) solid groundwork laid by Swallow, that step up to the next rung on the ladder could well be provided by the forthcoming second album and further exposure via bigger shows…
"Yes, I’ve been told to pull my finger out by the management – that’s my wife, Claire, the witch of music management [laughs] – and get on with writing that second album!
"We really did not have a minute the whole of 2018 but I have started writing new songs; right now April looks likely for the recording, with a release date later this year.
Expect more of the same good old rock ‘n’ roll!
"Beyond that we have our blended Burnt Out Wreck whisky out and will be playing bigger gigs, starting with Hard Rock Hell AOR in March, where we’ll see our friends the Scarlet Rebels again.
We also have Bonfest in May, the Sunshine Festival in August and plenty more to come!"
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"The critical reaction to Swallow was fantastic, to say the least; not a bad word was said about it, over all.
We also had a great year in 2018, playing to thousands of people up and down the UK; we loved all the gigs but especially enjoyed the tour dates as special guest to Anvil, particularly at the Cat House in Glasgow.
Leo’s Gravesend with Bad Touch was another great gig but so was Monsterfest in Inverness and Trillians in Newcastle, to name just a few more. You can’t beat playing live!"
The recent Scottish dates were a welcome and quick return north of the border for Burnt Out Wreck; at the end of last year they played Paisley and Dundee with support from Scarlet Rebels.
The band also played the Jagermeister Showcase Stage at WinterStorm Troon, a performance that had many hoping for a Main Stage appearance in the future…
"WinterStorm turned out to be just awesome; we have to thank all the people that got behind us and made our performance, and WinterStorm, what it was. We would love to be asked back and, of course, a main stage performance would be the icing on the cake!
The dates we played in Scotland with Scarlet Rebels were great too. We first met the Scarlet Rebels boys at The Underworld in London, when they were called Void; we were both supporting Anvil and we struck up a great relationship there and then.
They are a great young band and really know how to rock; just top blokes all round to be honest!"
Burnt Out Wreck were born out of the disbandment of previous band Mother’s Ruin, featuring Gary Moat and lead guitarist Adrian Dunn. But what prompted the change of name/ new band?
"It was just time for a change, simple as that. I also thought I had best change it before recording Swallow, and that worked out really well!
Adrian and I recorded Swallow, with Mike Ivory adding some of the drums, but Burnt Out Wreck are myself, Adrian, Alex Carmichael on bass, Paul Gray on drums and Miles Goodman on rhythm guitar.
We’ve played non-stop since the release of Swallow, and still are! [laughs]; the next step is to get on to the next rung of the ladder but by heck it’s tough out there.
But we just love playing live and that rubs off on the fans and audiences who come to our shows."
Given the high-energy performances delivered by Burnt Out Wreck and the rock (and roll) solid groundwork laid by Swallow, that step up to the next rung on the ladder could well be provided by the forthcoming second album and further exposure via bigger shows…
"Yes, I’ve been told to pull my finger out by the management – that’s my wife, Claire, the witch of music management [laughs] – and get on with writing that second album!
"We really did not have a minute the whole of 2018 but I have started writing new songs; right now April looks likely for the recording, with a release date later this year.
Expect more of the same good old rock ‘n’ roll!
"Beyond that we have our blended Burnt Out Wreck whisky out and will be playing bigger gigs, starting with Hard Rock Hell AOR in March, where we’ll see our friends the Scarlet Rebels again.
We also have Bonfest in May, the Sunshine Festival in August and plenty more to come!"
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Girl-Power trio Rock Goddess will release a new album entitled This Time, on Friday 1st March; it will be released on the band’s own label, Bite You To Death Records
Proudly flying the all-female band flag in the field of British metal-rock with the likes of Girlschool and The Amorettes, Rock Goddess remain an uncompromising, hard-rock hitting act in the 21st century, four decades on from their New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) beginnings.
Originally featuring Jody Turner (guitar/vocals), younger sister Julie Turner (drums) and school friend Tracey Lamb (bass), the young trio started to make a heavy rockin’ mark around London before a landmark appearance at the Reading Festival in 1982 led to a record deal with A&M.
In 1983 the band's self-titled debut (featuring 'Heavy Metal Rock 'N' Roll' and single 'My Angel') was released. Later that year Tracey Lamb was replaced by Dee O'Malley who brought an extra keyboard dimension to the band, as featured on second album Hell Hath No Fury, produced by Chris Tsangarides.
A third album Young And Free was released but by the end of 1987 (following further line-up changes that had taken place in 1986) the band had split up.
In March 2013, the original Turner-Turner-Lamb trio reunited to perform live again; four years later, in May of 2017, the trio released the It’s More Than Rock And Roll EP, the first new recording from Rock Goddess in thirty years.
In July 2018, Tracey Lamb left the band due to unforeseen personal circumstances; Jenny Lane was later confirmed as the band's new bassist (the new album however features Lamb).
Rock Goddess will be supporting Cats in Space (with Special Guests Dirty Thrills) in March at:
Thekla, Bristol (8th March)
Institute 3, Birmingham (9th March)
Academy 3, Manchester (14th March)
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (15th March)
The Garage, London (16th March)
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Proudly flying the all-female band flag in the field of British metal-rock with the likes of Girlschool and The Amorettes, Rock Goddess remain an uncompromising, hard-rock hitting act in the 21st century, four decades on from their New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) beginnings.
Originally featuring Jody Turner (guitar/vocals), younger sister Julie Turner (drums) and school friend Tracey Lamb (bass), the young trio started to make a heavy rockin’ mark around London before a landmark appearance at the Reading Festival in 1982 led to a record deal with A&M.
In 1983 the band's self-titled debut (featuring 'Heavy Metal Rock 'N' Roll' and single 'My Angel') was released. Later that year Tracey Lamb was replaced by Dee O'Malley who brought an extra keyboard dimension to the band, as featured on second album Hell Hath No Fury, produced by Chris Tsangarides.
A third album Young And Free was released but by the end of 1987 (following further line-up changes that had taken place in 1986) the band had split up.
In March 2013, the original Turner-Turner-Lamb trio reunited to perform live again; four years later, in May of 2017, the trio released the It’s More Than Rock And Roll EP, the first new recording from Rock Goddess in thirty years.
In July 2018, Tracey Lamb left the band due to unforeseen personal circumstances; Jenny Lane was later confirmed as the band's new bassist (the new album however features Lamb).
Rock Goddess will be supporting Cats in Space (with Special Guests Dirty Thrills) in March at:
Thekla, Bristol (8th March)
Institute 3, Birmingham (9th March)
Academy 3, Manchester (14th March)
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (15th March)
The Garage, London (16th March)
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Photo by Tony Joe Gardner
The recent passing of Scottish drummer Ted McKenna was particularly tragic and unexpected, given the still performing fitness of the man and that his death came from complications (haemorrhage) during a routine operation for a hernia.
The news of the outstanding and acclaimed musician’s death was initially announced on social media by a close friend of the family, who confirmed his passing from "a haemorrhage during elective surgery. Freak occurrence and a huge surgical team fought for 10 hours to save him."
Born in Lennoxtown in East Dumbartonshire in 1950, Ted McKenna had been musically active since the late 60s, developing in to one of the greatest, and most highly respected sticksmen in rock (a genuinely lovely guy and true educator, you'd be quicker making a list of drummers who haven’t had at least one lesson from Ted McKenna than those who have).
His most successful and celebrated works came as a member of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band (1972-1977), Rory Gallagher (1978-1981) and the Michael Schenker Group (1981-1984) but his career and percussive CV is littered with so many noteworthy projects (including appearances with, or sessions for, the likes of Dan McCafferty, Ian Gillan, the Greg Lake Band with Gary Moore, Womack and Womack and individualistic blues rock guitarist Gwyn Ashton) you begin to wonder how he ever found time to put his drum sticks down.
Although not his first band, the progressively styled Tear Gas were the outfit that led to bigger and better things (the core members of the band would become the late Alex Harvey’s Sensational ensemble).
Post SAHB, Rory Gallagher and MSG Ted McKenna formed his own band, McKenna's Gold, before later forming The (Sensational) Party Boys which led to a partial reformation of SAHB; that led, in turn, to a full reunion in 2004 of the remaining SAHB members (Ted and Hugh McKenna, Chris Glen and Zal Cleminson, joined by vocalist Max Maxwell), which lasted five years.
Although primarily plying his trade in rock (and blues with Rory Gallagher) Ted McKenna was a multi disciplined musician who also worked with, among others, jazz guitarist John Etheridge, Juno Award-winning blues guitarist Amos Garrett, the aforementioned Gwyn Ashton and the group Band of Friends.
The latter, put together as a celebration of the music of Rory Gallagher and featuring Dutch guitarist Marcel Scherpenzeel and ex Gallagher alumni McKenna and bassist Gerry McAvoy, won Best Blues Band of 2013 at the European Blues Awards; Ted McKenna then won the Best Musician (Performance) award at the 2015 European Blues Awards.
Latterly, Ted McKenna reunited with Michael Schenker Group alumni for the Michael Schenker Fest, a celebratory touring reunion that released the Live Tokyo CD+DVD in 2017 and studio album Resurrection in 2018.
Ted McKenna died on the 19th of January 2019. He was 68.
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The news of the outstanding and acclaimed musician’s death was initially announced on social media by a close friend of the family, who confirmed his passing from "a haemorrhage during elective surgery. Freak occurrence and a huge surgical team fought for 10 hours to save him."
Born in Lennoxtown in East Dumbartonshire in 1950, Ted McKenna had been musically active since the late 60s, developing in to one of the greatest, and most highly respected sticksmen in rock (a genuinely lovely guy and true educator, you'd be quicker making a list of drummers who haven’t had at least one lesson from Ted McKenna than those who have).
His most successful and celebrated works came as a member of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band (1972-1977), Rory Gallagher (1978-1981) and the Michael Schenker Group (1981-1984) but his career and percussive CV is littered with so many noteworthy projects (including appearances with, or sessions for, the likes of Dan McCafferty, Ian Gillan, the Greg Lake Band with Gary Moore, Womack and Womack and individualistic blues rock guitarist Gwyn Ashton) you begin to wonder how he ever found time to put his drum sticks down.
Although not his first band, the progressively styled Tear Gas were the outfit that led to bigger and better things (the core members of the band would become the late Alex Harvey’s Sensational ensemble).
Post SAHB, Rory Gallagher and MSG Ted McKenna formed his own band, McKenna's Gold, before later forming The (Sensational) Party Boys which led to a partial reformation of SAHB; that led, in turn, to a full reunion in 2004 of the remaining SAHB members (Ted and Hugh McKenna, Chris Glen and Zal Cleminson, joined by vocalist Max Maxwell), which lasted five years.
Although primarily plying his trade in rock (and blues with Rory Gallagher) Ted McKenna was a multi disciplined musician who also worked with, among others, jazz guitarist John Etheridge, Juno Award-winning blues guitarist Amos Garrett, the aforementioned Gwyn Ashton and the group Band of Friends.
The latter, put together as a celebration of the music of Rory Gallagher and featuring Dutch guitarist Marcel Scherpenzeel and ex Gallagher alumni McKenna and bassist Gerry McAvoy, won Best Blues Band of 2013 at the European Blues Awards; Ted McKenna then won the Best Musician (Performance) award at the 2015 European Blues Awards.
Latterly, Ted McKenna reunited with Michael Schenker Group alumni for the Michael Schenker Fest, a celebratory touring reunion that released the Live Tokyo CD+DVD in 2017 and studio album Resurrection in 2018.
Ted McKenna died on the 19th of January 2019. He was 68.
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Multi-award winning American blues guitarist singer-songwriter Samantha Fish will return to the UK for a nationwide tour in May 2019 - Please Note a new date, at The Sage in Gateshead, on Tuesday 7th May, has since been added.
Tickets are on sale now via: www.alttickets.com/samantha-fish-tickets
The tour will dovetail with the noted roots-based musician’s new studio album, scheduled for release in early 2019; it will be the follow-up to her critically acclaimed brace of albums from 2017, Belle of the West and Chills & Fever.
Support on all dates comes from London-based Americana band, Curse Of Lono.
The band released their second album As I Fell last year; the album has been described as a "sumptuously cinematic record that combines harmony-laden Americana with driving, gothic alt-rock."
Since launching her recording career in 2009, Samantha Fish has become a rising star and powerful live performer; her series of acclaimed albums have highlighted a creative spirit that continues to take her music in new and exciting musical directions.
As far as Samantha Fish is concerned, her musical future is an open road:
"I'm never gonna be a traditional blues artist, because that's not who I am. But it's all the blues for me.
When Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf came out, what they were doing didn't sound like anything that had been done in blues before. You've gotta keep that kind of fire and spirit. I'm never gonna do Muddy Waters better than Muddy Waters, so I have to be who I am and find my best voice."
"An impressive blues guitarist who sings with sweet power… one of the genre's most promising young talents." - The New York Times
"Samantha Fish displays more imagination and creativity than some blues veterans exhibit over the course of their careers." - The Kansas City Star
"This particular Fish has gone so deep in to the bluesy waters of the famous Mississippi River that they could have put the recording studio on the riverbed." - FabricationsHQ in review of Belle of the West
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Tickets are on sale now via: www.alttickets.com/samantha-fish-tickets
The tour will dovetail with the noted roots-based musician’s new studio album, scheduled for release in early 2019; it will be the follow-up to her critically acclaimed brace of albums from 2017, Belle of the West and Chills & Fever.
Support on all dates comes from London-based Americana band, Curse Of Lono.
The band released their second album As I Fell last year; the album has been described as a "sumptuously cinematic record that combines harmony-laden Americana with driving, gothic alt-rock."
Since launching her recording career in 2009, Samantha Fish has become a rising star and powerful live performer; her series of acclaimed albums have highlighted a creative spirit that continues to take her music in new and exciting musical directions.
As far as Samantha Fish is concerned, her musical future is an open road:
"I'm never gonna be a traditional blues artist, because that's not who I am. But it's all the blues for me.
When Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf came out, what they were doing didn't sound like anything that had been done in blues before. You've gotta keep that kind of fire and spirit. I'm never gonna do Muddy Waters better than Muddy Waters, so I have to be who I am and find my best voice."
"An impressive blues guitarist who sings with sweet power… one of the genre's most promising young talents." - The New York Times
"Samantha Fish displays more imagination and creativity than some blues veterans exhibit over the course of their careers." - The Kansas City Star
"This particular Fish has gone so deep in to the bluesy waters of the famous Mississippi River that they could have put the recording studio on the riverbed." - FabricationsHQ in review of Belle of the West
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British guitar rock quintet The Treatment have announced the forthcoming release of their fourth album, Power Crazy. It will be released on Friday the 22nd of March.
To coincide with the release of Power Crazy The Treatment will embark on a quartet of co-headline dates with Airrace in March; they will hit the road again in May on the Power Crazy Tour with special guests, Bigfoot.
The twelve track Power Crazy continues the band’s successful full-on n feisty formula of big beats, riffs and punchy choruses; it’s also the first album to feature new singer Tom Rampton, who can be heard to full voiced effect on lead off number taster track 'Bite Back.'
To coincide with the release of Power Crazy The Treatment will embark on a quartet of co-headline dates with Airrace in March; they will hit the road again in May on the Power Crazy Tour with special guests, Bigfoot.
The twelve track Power Crazy continues the band’s successful full-on n feisty formula of big beats, riffs and punchy choruses; it’s also the first album to feature new singer Tom Rampton, who can be heard to full voiced effect on lead off number taster track 'Bite Back.'
A high-energy live outfit, The Treatment have toured with such names as Alice Cooper, Steel Panther, Thin Lizzy, KISS, Motley Crüe and Slash; they have also performed at a number of UK festivals including Download and Hellfest.
The Treatment are: Tom Rampton – vocals; Tagore Grey - guitars; Tao Grey – guitars; Rick Newman – bass;
Dhani Mansworth – drums
The Treatment and Airrace – co-headline dates:
Thurs 21st March - 02 Academy, Oxford
Fri 22nd March - The Iron Road, Pershore
Sat 23rd March - Queens Hall, Nuneaton
Sun 24th March - The Waterloo, Blackpool
Power Crazy Tour with special guests Bigfoot
Wed 22nd May - The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton
Thurs 23rd May - Hanger 18, Swansea
Fri 24th May - The Underworld, London
Sat 25th May - The Waterfront, Norwich
Mon 27th May - The Portland, Cambridge
Wed 29th May - Corporation, Sheffield
Thurs 30th May - Rebellion, Manchester
Fri 31st May - Stereo, Glasgow
Sat 1st June - The Brickyard, Carlisle
Sun 2nd June - The Cluny, Newcastle
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The Treatment are: Tom Rampton – vocals; Tagore Grey - guitars; Tao Grey – guitars; Rick Newman – bass;
Dhani Mansworth – drums
The Treatment and Airrace – co-headline dates:
Thurs 21st March - 02 Academy, Oxford
Fri 22nd March - The Iron Road, Pershore
Sat 23rd March - Queens Hall, Nuneaton
Sun 24th March - The Waterloo, Blackpool
Power Crazy Tour with special guests Bigfoot
Wed 22nd May - The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton
Thurs 23rd May - Hanger 18, Swansea
Fri 24th May - The Underworld, London
Sat 25th May - The Waterfront, Norwich
Mon 27th May - The Portland, Cambridge
Wed 29th May - Corporation, Sheffield
Thurs 30th May - Rebellion, Manchester
Fri 31st May - Stereo, Glasgow
Sat 1st June - The Brickyard, Carlisle
Sun 2nd June - The Cluny, Newcastle
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2018 was a good year for a number of bands emerging in, or starting to rise from, the New Wave of Classic Rock movement in the UK.
One of many notable acts looking to make even bigger headway in 2019 are Scarlet Rebels from South Wales.
Previously active as V0iD the revamped line-up/ band, as Scarlet Rebels, have been around a little over a year but have already garnered some ear and eye catching attention through a heavy gigging schedule and powerful songs.
Front man Wayne Doyle spoke to FabricationsHQ about the band’s hectic 2018, plans for 2019 and his hopes and aspirations for Scarlet Rebels...
FabricationsHQ: 2018 was a busy and interesting year for Scarlet Rebels; emerging from the Void, as it were…
"Yes! We went from being V0iD to changing the name to Scarlet Rebels and signing a multi album record deal with ROAR! Rock of Angels Records.
We opened for Anvil, Jared James Nichols, Aaron Buchanan and the Cult Classics, The Wild! and played with Those Damn Crows, the Heretic Order, Burnt Out Wreck, SKAM! and Theia... we also played Hard Rock Hell Road Trip in Ibiza.
2018 was our first year in this line-up; we’ve been flat out writing, recording, gigging and rehearsing!
So, yeah, 2018 was awesome. I think we may finally be turning people onto us so we’re positive about things going forward."
FHQ: Part of that 2018 live schedule included the Stormbreakers Battle of the Bands event, playing for an opening slot at WinterStorm 2018.
Your fellow countrymen Everyday Heroes won out that night but it has to be gratifying you were included in an event showcasing some of the best upcoming talent in the New Wave of Classic Rock…
"Yeah, of course. Everyday Heroes were on fire that night but to be honest they are pretty much anytime we’ve seen them! They’re amazing live, top guys too!
It’s always nice to be asked to play anywhere, so if we’re free, we do. The bands that were on that night all have a good reputation and following, so it was nice to be involved."
One of many notable acts looking to make even bigger headway in 2019 are Scarlet Rebels from South Wales.
Previously active as V0iD the revamped line-up/ band, as Scarlet Rebels, have been around a little over a year but have already garnered some ear and eye catching attention through a heavy gigging schedule and powerful songs.
Front man Wayne Doyle spoke to FabricationsHQ about the band’s hectic 2018, plans for 2019 and his hopes and aspirations for Scarlet Rebels...
FabricationsHQ: 2018 was a busy and interesting year for Scarlet Rebels; emerging from the Void, as it were…
"Yes! We went from being V0iD to changing the name to Scarlet Rebels and signing a multi album record deal with ROAR! Rock of Angels Records.
We opened for Anvil, Jared James Nichols, Aaron Buchanan and the Cult Classics, The Wild! and played with Those Damn Crows, the Heretic Order, Burnt Out Wreck, SKAM! and Theia... we also played Hard Rock Hell Road Trip in Ibiza.
2018 was our first year in this line-up; we’ve been flat out writing, recording, gigging and rehearsing!
So, yeah, 2018 was awesome. I think we may finally be turning people onto us so we’re positive about things going forward."
FHQ: Part of that 2018 live schedule included the Stormbreakers Battle of the Bands event, playing for an opening slot at WinterStorm 2018.
Your fellow countrymen Everyday Heroes won out that night but it has to be gratifying you were included in an event showcasing some of the best upcoming talent in the New Wave of Classic Rock…
"Yeah, of course. Everyday Heroes were on fire that night but to be honest they are pretty much anytime we’ve seen them! They’re amazing live, top guys too!
It’s always nice to be asked to play anywhere, so if we’re free, we do. The bands that were on that night all have a good reputation and following, so it was nice to be involved."
Becky O'Grady Live Photography
FHQ: Mention of Everyday Heroes, along with yourselves and others such as Kane’d, to name but three, points to a strong young crop of Welsh rock bands…
"There are so many good rock bands in Wales at the moment. There’s a lot of Indie rock flourishing around Wales as well but I think the rock scene is flourishing all over the place – it’s nice to see people support the NWOCR movement through Social Media; that’s given an outlet for people to find new bands and long may that continue."
FHQ: Scarlet Rebels are very much a contemporary rock band with meaty riffs and pacey tempos but there’s a melodic sensibility to the songs; songwriting is clearly as important as the energy, and intensity, of the final product…
"To me it’s the most important thing. Everything we do has to be about the songs.
What we record has to serve the song well and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t get used. I believe in the songs I’ve written previously but what we’ve written for our next release are the best I’ve been involved with; I’m so excited for it to be put out!"
FHQ: You are also a high-energy band on-stage; that gives both band and songs extra impetus…
"Yeah I guess so. Gary Doyle, our drummer, is a powerhouse, so you need to try and match that.
Chris Jones is a complete ball of energy as well; he’s a showman and plays lead guitar like it should be. Everything we do live is higher intensity and quicker than on record as well; we love playing live so hopefully that comes across as well!"
FHQ: You performed in Scotland recently in support to Burnt Out Wreck, fronted by ex Heavy Pettin’ man Gary Moat. Your contemporary rock-metal dovetailed well with Burnt Out Wreck’s old-school, highly impacting hard rock...
"Man, Burnt Out Wreck are just so good. They’re real gents as well.
Being able to spend time with Gary and just talk to him and soak in the advice he has to offer was an absolute pleasure. Gary and Claire, their manager, have been hugely supportive of us, particularly Claire. It’s unreal to be honest and it’s massively appreciated."
FHQ: Scarlet Rebels’ Stormbreakers Battle of the Bands performance and Burnt Out Wreck’s appearance on the Jagermeister showcase stage of WinterStorm 2018 leads to the observation that both bands would be a great fit for WinterStorm 2019. A festival you would love to play?
"Well, being completely honest, that’s the reason we came up to play Stormbreakers last year!
As much as we wanted to do it last year, we went with the intention to put ourselves forward for 2019; we drove from Wales to Scotland in a day and back, to basically audition for it this year.
They know we want to play it and I think we’ve shown how much we want to play it, so hopefully they will give us the opportunity!"
FHQ: From stage to studio – I believe there will be an album from Scarlet Rebels this year and a lot more gigging…
"Correct! I’m so proud of the album – all the boys pulled out brilliant performances to make the songs kick.
We wrote a lot of it between us as well, so it’s a true collective effort. I can’t wait for people to hear it.
Right now we’re discussing what singles we’ll be releasing and when the album will be released, so keep your eyes peeled!
And, yeah, we have a lot on this year! We have some gigs and festivals already booked and others being booked. My main ambition is, as cheesy as it sounds, to get the album and songs heard as much as possible, whether that’s by people buying the album, or streaming, or watching videos on YouTube, or airplay.
We’re going to spend this year pushing all of that as well as playing live as much as we can – then we start recording the next album at the end of this year!
So we aren’t going anywhere for a while yet; we’re going to be getting into peoples’ faces as much as we can!"
"There are so many good rock bands in Wales at the moment. There’s a lot of Indie rock flourishing around Wales as well but I think the rock scene is flourishing all over the place – it’s nice to see people support the NWOCR movement through Social Media; that’s given an outlet for people to find new bands and long may that continue."
FHQ: Scarlet Rebels are very much a contemporary rock band with meaty riffs and pacey tempos but there’s a melodic sensibility to the songs; songwriting is clearly as important as the energy, and intensity, of the final product…
"To me it’s the most important thing. Everything we do has to be about the songs.
What we record has to serve the song well and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t get used. I believe in the songs I’ve written previously but what we’ve written for our next release are the best I’ve been involved with; I’m so excited for it to be put out!"
FHQ: You are also a high-energy band on-stage; that gives both band and songs extra impetus…
"Yeah I guess so. Gary Doyle, our drummer, is a powerhouse, so you need to try and match that.
Chris Jones is a complete ball of energy as well; he’s a showman and plays lead guitar like it should be. Everything we do live is higher intensity and quicker than on record as well; we love playing live so hopefully that comes across as well!"
FHQ: You performed in Scotland recently in support to Burnt Out Wreck, fronted by ex Heavy Pettin’ man Gary Moat. Your contemporary rock-metal dovetailed well with Burnt Out Wreck’s old-school, highly impacting hard rock...
"Man, Burnt Out Wreck are just so good. They’re real gents as well.
Being able to spend time with Gary and just talk to him and soak in the advice he has to offer was an absolute pleasure. Gary and Claire, their manager, have been hugely supportive of us, particularly Claire. It’s unreal to be honest and it’s massively appreciated."
FHQ: Scarlet Rebels’ Stormbreakers Battle of the Bands performance and Burnt Out Wreck’s appearance on the Jagermeister showcase stage of WinterStorm 2018 leads to the observation that both bands would be a great fit for WinterStorm 2019. A festival you would love to play?
"Well, being completely honest, that’s the reason we came up to play Stormbreakers last year!
As much as we wanted to do it last year, we went with the intention to put ourselves forward for 2019; we drove from Wales to Scotland in a day and back, to basically audition for it this year.
They know we want to play it and I think we’ve shown how much we want to play it, so hopefully they will give us the opportunity!"
FHQ: From stage to studio – I believe there will be an album from Scarlet Rebels this year and a lot more gigging…
"Correct! I’m so proud of the album – all the boys pulled out brilliant performances to make the songs kick.
We wrote a lot of it between us as well, so it’s a true collective effort. I can’t wait for people to hear it.
Right now we’re discussing what singles we’ll be releasing and when the album will be released, so keep your eyes peeled!
And, yeah, we have a lot on this year! We have some gigs and festivals already booked and others being booked. My main ambition is, as cheesy as it sounds, to get the album and songs heard as much as possible, whether that’s by people buying the album, or streaming, or watching videos on YouTube, or airplay.
We’re going to spend this year pushing all of that as well as playing live as much as we can – then we start recording the next album at the end of this year!
So we aren’t going anywhere for a while yet; we’re going to be getting into peoples’ faces as much as we can!"
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Steve Hackett will be embarking on his latest Genesis Revisted tour in November; the 20 date schedule will be formed around two highly significant albums' from the acclaimed guitarist's illustrious career.
The 2019 Genesis Revisited and Classic Hackett shows will showcase the seminal Genesis album Selling England By The Pound in its entirety, together with most of Steve Hackett’s classic solo album Spectral Mornings, which will be then celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Released in 1973, Selling England By The Pound went to No. 3 in the UK Album Charts; it has been described as the definitive Genesis album and remains a firm fan favourite.
The album includes classic Genesis cuts such as 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight,' 'Firth of Fifth,' 'Cinema Show' and 'I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe).'
Other classic Genesis tracks will also feature in the show.
2019 marks the 40th anniversary of one of Steve Hackett’s most popular solo albums, Spectral Mornings; the anniversary milestone will be celebrated by Hackett and his band (Roger King - keyboards, Jonas Reingold - bass, Gary O’Toole - drums/percussion, Rob Townsend - saxophones/flutes, Nad Sylvan – vocals) performing numbers from the album on the 2019 tour.
The 2019 Genesis Revisited and Classic Hackett shows will showcase the seminal Genesis album Selling England By The Pound in its entirety, together with most of Steve Hackett’s classic solo album Spectral Mornings, which will be then celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Released in 1973, Selling England By The Pound went to No. 3 in the UK Album Charts; it has been described as the definitive Genesis album and remains a firm fan favourite.
The album includes classic Genesis cuts such as 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight,' 'Firth of Fifth,' 'Cinema Show' and 'I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe).'
Other classic Genesis tracks will also feature in the show.
2019 marks the 40th anniversary of one of Steve Hackett’s most popular solo albums, Spectral Mornings; the anniversary milestone will be celebrated by Hackett and his band (Roger King - keyboards, Jonas Reingold - bass, Gary O’Toole - drums/percussion, Rob Townsend - saxophones/flutes, Nad Sylvan – vocals) performing numbers from the album on the 2019 tour.
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Cormac Neeson, lead singer with acclaimed Northern Irish rock outfit The Answer, will release his first solo album, White Feather, on April 26th.
The album, fund assisted by a successful Pledge Music campaign, firmly roots the singer in his life affirming world of country soul, folk rock and Celtic influences.
The results are an album of well-crafted and introspective songs that draws heavily on Cormac Neeson's personal experiences of upheaval and change over the last number of years.
Since mid-2016 Cormac Neeson has been working with a number of leading Nashville country song writers including Tennessee Songwriter of the Year Corey Lee Barker, Steve O'Brien, James Elliot, Allen McKendree Palmer and the late Blue Miller.
The White Feather recordings, which began in Nashville in January 2018, were also produced by Blue Miller.
Sadly and tragically, the ex Bob Seger guitarist and India.Arie producer died of a brain aneurysm on August 11th 2018. He was 66.
Cormac Neeson’s song 'Broken Wing,' written for his son, was co-written with Blue Miller.
It was later showcased in a live session performance at The Live Room in Belfast.
The album, fund assisted by a successful Pledge Music campaign, firmly roots the singer in his life affirming world of country soul, folk rock and Celtic influences.
The results are an album of well-crafted and introspective songs that draws heavily on Cormac Neeson's personal experiences of upheaval and change over the last number of years.
Since mid-2016 Cormac Neeson has been working with a number of leading Nashville country song writers including Tennessee Songwriter of the Year Corey Lee Barker, Steve O'Brien, James Elliot, Allen McKendree Palmer and the late Blue Miller.
The White Feather recordings, which began in Nashville in January 2018, were also produced by Blue Miller.
Sadly and tragically, the ex Bob Seger guitarist and India.Arie producer died of a brain aneurysm on August 11th 2018. He was 66.
Cormac Neeson’s song 'Broken Wing,' written for his son, was co-written with Blue Miller.
It was later showcased in a live session performance at The Live Room in Belfast.
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Ear and eye-catching blues rock power-trio Wille & The Bandits, who mix 60s and 70s blues rock with contemporary rock and roll and more modern influences, recently released a new single, 'Find My Way.'
The weighty track is taken from forthcoming album Paths, released on February 1st, 2019.
FabricationsHQ's review of the album can be found on the 2019 Reviews page.
Wille & The Bandits will support the album with an twenty-four date tour of the UK (plus two festival appearances) through January to March 2019.
Special Guests on the majority of the March dates are the excellent blues soul rock outfit, Rainbreakers.
Paths, on Fat Toad Records and distributed by Proper, has captured not just the band’s live energy but manages to encapsulate the band’s multi-influenced style that shapes their blues rock and roll sound, as vocalist and guitarist Willie Edwards confirms:
"I feel that we have finally managed to capture the various soundscapes and unusual instrumentation of our sound on one album without losing the raw, live energy of Wille and the Bandits"
The weighty track is taken from forthcoming album Paths, released on February 1st, 2019.
FabricationsHQ's review of the album can be found on the 2019 Reviews page.
Wille & The Bandits will support the album with an twenty-four date tour of the UK (plus two festival appearances) through January to March 2019.
Special Guests on the majority of the March dates are the excellent blues soul rock outfit, Rainbreakers.
Paths, on Fat Toad Records and distributed by Proper, has captured not just the band’s live energy but manages to encapsulate the band’s multi-influenced style that shapes their blues rock and roll sound, as vocalist and guitarist Willie Edwards confirms:
"I feel that we have finally managed to capture the various soundscapes and unusual instrumentation of our sound on one album without losing the raw, live energy of Wille and the Bandits"
Wille & The Bandits have toured with the likes of Deep Purple, Status Quo, Joe Bonamassa, the Jon Butler Trio and Warren Haynes.
In 2014 the band was voted in the Top Ten bands to see at Glastonbury. They also played the Isle of Wight festival and the London Olympics; they were picked to play at the latter by being voted one of UK’s best live acts.
Paths is the follow-up to 2017’s studio album Steal; the band released a double live album Living Free in 2018.
Wille & The Bandits – UK Tour, March 2019
Special Guests: Rainbreakers (except *)
* Giants of Rock, Minehead* - Saturday 26 January
* Phoenix, Exeter* - Wednesday 30 January
* The Factory, Barnstaple* - Thursday 31 January
* The 1865, Southampton* - Friday 1 February
* The Cobblestones, Bridgwater* - Friday 8 February
* The Old Bakery, Truro* - Saturday 9 February
* Guildhall, Gloucester* - Friday 15 February
Ropetackle, Shoreham - Wednesday 6th March
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff - Thursday 7th March
The Junction, Plymouth - Friday 8th March
Thekla, Bristol - Saturday 9th March
The Bodega, Nottingham - Wednesday 13th March
O2 Academy 2, Liverpool - Thursday 14th March
O2 Academy 2, Sheffield - Friday 15th March
* The Continental, Preston - Saturday 16th March
* Victoria Hall, Settle - Sunday 17th March
Fibbers, York - Tuesday 19th March
The Hug & Pint, Glasgow - Wednesday 20st March
Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh - Thursday 21st March
O2 Academy 2, Newcastle - Friday 22nd March
* Top Secret Blues, Scarborough - Saturday 23rd March (festival appearance)
Junction 2, Cambridge - Sunday 24th March
The Waterfront, Norwich - Wednesday 27th March
O2 Academy 3, Birmingham - Thursday 28th March
O2 Academy 2, Oxford - Friday 29th March
O2 Academy 2 Islington, London - Saturday 30th March
Tickets on sale now: https://www.willeandthebandits.com/tour-dates
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In 2014 the band was voted in the Top Ten bands to see at Glastonbury. They also played the Isle of Wight festival and the London Olympics; they were picked to play at the latter by being voted one of UK’s best live acts.
Paths is the follow-up to 2017’s studio album Steal; the band released a double live album Living Free in 2018.
Wille & The Bandits – UK Tour, March 2019
Special Guests: Rainbreakers (except *)
* Giants of Rock, Minehead* - Saturday 26 January
* Phoenix, Exeter* - Wednesday 30 January
* The Factory, Barnstaple* - Thursday 31 January
* The 1865, Southampton* - Friday 1 February
* The Cobblestones, Bridgwater* - Friday 8 February
* The Old Bakery, Truro* - Saturday 9 February
* Guildhall, Gloucester* - Friday 15 February
Ropetackle, Shoreham - Wednesday 6th March
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff - Thursday 7th March
The Junction, Plymouth - Friday 8th March
Thekla, Bristol - Saturday 9th March
The Bodega, Nottingham - Wednesday 13th March
O2 Academy 2, Liverpool - Thursday 14th March
O2 Academy 2, Sheffield - Friday 15th March
* The Continental, Preston - Saturday 16th March
* Victoria Hall, Settle - Sunday 17th March
Fibbers, York - Tuesday 19th March
The Hug & Pint, Glasgow - Wednesday 20st March
Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh - Thursday 21st March
O2 Academy 2, Newcastle - Friday 22nd March
* Top Secret Blues, Scarborough - Saturday 23rd March (festival appearance)
Junction 2, Cambridge - Sunday 24th March
The Waterfront, Norwich - Wednesday 27th March
O2 Academy 3, Birmingham - Thursday 28th March
O2 Academy 2, Oxford - Friday 29th March
O2 Academy 2 Islington, London - Saturday 30th March
Tickets on sale now: https://www.willeandthebandits.com/tour-dates
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FabricationsHQ was a champion of the Liverpool based Matchstickmen, a four piece whose 2011 debut album Through Hell… And Kept Going showcased solid, 90s styled alternative rock in a contemporary setting.
It was followed by the even stronger From Our own Ashes, five years later.
From Our Own Ashes was the sort of album that made you keen to hear what the Matchstickmen would come up with next, but the album was somewhat prophetic in its title...
Fate, the departure of bassist Iain Forsyth (Matchstickmen were a true All For One and One For All quartet) and a rebranding meant the Matchstickmen extinguished themselves to rise from their own ashes as Attic Theory, with new members Tim Cunningham (guitars) and Kenny McArthur (bass) joining Lewis Wright (vocals), Peter Donnelly (guitars) and Dave Hornby (drums).
Four of the band also perform as the only UK tribute to the late Scott Weiland and the Stone Temple Pilots (as the Stone Temple Pirates) but new material was always the Sherlock Holmes inspired name of the new band’s game, as the groove meets grunge of debut single 'Saints Among Us' loudly and proudly showcases...
It was followed by the even stronger From Our own Ashes, five years later.
From Our Own Ashes was the sort of album that made you keen to hear what the Matchstickmen would come up with next, but the album was somewhat prophetic in its title...
Fate, the departure of bassist Iain Forsyth (Matchstickmen were a true All For One and One For All quartet) and a rebranding meant the Matchstickmen extinguished themselves to rise from their own ashes as Attic Theory, with new members Tim Cunningham (guitars) and Kenny McArthur (bass) joining Lewis Wright (vocals), Peter Donnelly (guitars) and Dave Hornby (drums).
Four of the band also perform as the only UK tribute to the late Scott Weiland and the Stone Temple Pilots (as the Stone Temple Pirates) but new material was always the Sherlock Holmes inspired name of the new band’s game, as the groove meets grunge of debut single 'Saints Among Us' loudly and proudly showcases...
Attic Theory are also working toward the release of an EP in 2019 with launch help from Toby Jepson and Rob Town in their Lightning In a Bottle guise (a new music consultation agency designed to help musicians and bands).
Website: http://attictheory.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/AtticTheory/
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Website: http://attictheory.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/AtticTheory/
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Styx have an announced an exclusive UK show for 2019.
The American melodic hard rock giants will play the prestigious London Palladium on the 4th June for An Evening Of Styx. The band will perform music that celebrates their now forty-seven year career, including tracks from their most recent album, The Mission.
For the last four decades Styx have been a staple of Rock radio playlists with songs such as 'Crystal Ball', 'Come Sail Away,' 'Lorelei,' 'Blue Collar Man,' 'Renegade,' 'The Grand Illusion,' 'Too Much Time On My Hands' and 'Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man).'
This will be the first Styx headline show in the UK since 2005 and their first performance in the UK since their tour with Journey and Foreigner in 2011.
The current line-up of Styx has been working together for over fifteen years : co-founder James "JY" Young (vocals, guitars), Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitars) who joined the band in 1976, Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), Todd Sucherman (drums) and Ricky Phillips (bass).
Original bassist Chuck Panozzo still makes occasional appearances with the band.
Formed in Chicago in 1972 Styx released six studio albums between 1972 and 1977; they broke out with their album The Grand Illusion, released in July 1977.
Through the later seventies and eighties, the band released the albums Pieces Of Eight, Cornerstone, Paradise Theatre and Kilroy Was Here.
Styx released The Mission, their conceptually themed and sixteenth studio album, in June 2017; it became their biggest charting album since Kilroy Was Here in 1983.
The album debuted on various Billboard charts including No. 6 in Top Rock Albums, No. 29 in Digital Albums and No. 45 in the Billboard 200 (including catalogue and streaming).
A special two-disc reissue of The Mission was released in 2018; it includes a CD of the original album, a Blu-ray version mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound by singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw and producer Will Evankovich (accompanied by visualizations for each of the album’s fourteen songs based on the album artwork), Making of The Mission Documentary, four music videos and three hi-res audio playback modes.
Tickets for the London show are on sale now via https://myticket.co.uk/artists/an-evening-with-styx
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The American melodic hard rock giants will play the prestigious London Palladium on the 4th June for An Evening Of Styx. The band will perform music that celebrates their now forty-seven year career, including tracks from their most recent album, The Mission.
For the last four decades Styx have been a staple of Rock radio playlists with songs such as 'Crystal Ball', 'Come Sail Away,' 'Lorelei,' 'Blue Collar Man,' 'Renegade,' 'The Grand Illusion,' 'Too Much Time On My Hands' and 'Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man).'
This will be the first Styx headline show in the UK since 2005 and their first performance in the UK since their tour with Journey and Foreigner in 2011.
The current line-up of Styx has been working together for over fifteen years : co-founder James "JY" Young (vocals, guitars), Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitars) who joined the band in 1976, Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), Todd Sucherman (drums) and Ricky Phillips (bass).
Original bassist Chuck Panozzo still makes occasional appearances with the band.
Formed in Chicago in 1972 Styx released six studio albums between 1972 and 1977; they broke out with their album The Grand Illusion, released in July 1977.
Through the later seventies and eighties, the band released the albums Pieces Of Eight, Cornerstone, Paradise Theatre and Kilroy Was Here.
Styx released The Mission, their conceptually themed and sixteenth studio album, in June 2017; it became their biggest charting album since Kilroy Was Here in 1983.
The album debuted on various Billboard charts including No. 6 in Top Rock Albums, No. 29 in Digital Albums and No. 45 in the Billboard 200 (including catalogue and streaming).
A special two-disc reissue of The Mission was released in 2018; it includes a CD of the original album, a Blu-ray version mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound by singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw and producer Will Evankovich (accompanied by visualizations for each of the album’s fourteen songs based on the album artwork), Making of The Mission Documentary, four music videos and three hi-res audio playback modes.
Tickets for the London show are on sale now via https://myticket.co.uk/artists/an-evening-with-styx
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FM, the UK’s premier melodic rock band, will double-headline on tour with raucous rollers The Quireboys in April 2019; the seven tour dates also double as a celebration of the 35 years since both acts started out.
The main acts will be joined by blues rockers Bad Touch and hard melodic rockers VEGA, making for a septet of special four band shows.
Tickets are available now, via alttickets.com and gigantic.com
FM will also perform six dates earlier in 2019, including two festival appearances:
19th January – SKEGNESS
(Great British Rock & Blues Festival)
27th January – MINEHEAD
(Giants Of Rock Festival)
8th February – PRESTON, Guild Hall
(with DARE)
16th February – HOLMFIRTH, Picturedrome
1st March – READING, Sub 89 (with DARE)
2nd March - LEAMINGTON SPA,
The Assembly (with DARE)
The main acts will be joined by blues rockers Bad Touch and hard melodic rockers VEGA, making for a septet of special four band shows.
Tickets are available now, via alttickets.com and gigantic.com
FM will also perform six dates earlier in 2019, including two festival appearances:
19th January – SKEGNESS
(Great British Rock & Blues Festival)
27th January – MINEHEAD
(Giants Of Rock Festival)
8th February – PRESTON, Guild Hall
(with DARE)
16th February – HOLMFIRTH, Picturedrome
1st March – READING, Sub 89 (with DARE)
2nd March - LEAMINGTON SPA,
The Assembly (with DARE)
FM’s April dates are preceded by the release of a live album, The Italian Job; you can read FabricationsHQ's review of the album on the 2019 Reviews page.
Recorded in April 2018 at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, the album is released on the Frontiers label.
It will be available on CD+DVD, Blu-ray and Digital.
FM - The Italian Job - Track listing
Intro; Black Magic; I Belong To The Night; Life Is A Highway; Let Love Be The Leader; Someday (You’ll Come Running); Killed By Love; Metropolis; Over You; Closer To Heaven; Does It Feel Like Love; Story Of My Life; Love Lies Dying; Bad Luck; Tough It Out; That Girl; Other Side Of Midnight
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Recorded in April 2018 at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, the album is released on the Frontiers label.
It will be available on CD+DVD, Blu-ray and Digital.
FM - The Italian Job - Track listing
Intro; Black Magic; I Belong To The Night; Life Is A Highway; Let Love Be The Leader; Someday (You’ll Come Running); Killed By Love; Metropolis; Over You; Closer To Heaven; Does It Feel Like Love; Story Of My Life; Love Lies Dying; Bad Luck; Tough It Out; That Girl; Other Side Of Midnight
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American rock legends Toto have been announced as one of the first artists to perform at the Live At Chelsea Concert Series 2019, which is celebrating its fifth year of bringing live music to the spectacular outdoor grounds of the Royal Hospital, home of the Chelsea Pensioners.
Toto will headline the Live At Chelsea Concert Series on Thursday 13th June 2019 (The Gipsy Kings will headline the event on Friday 14th June).
Currently celebrating 40 years since the release of their acclaimed self-titled debut album, Toto are one of the world’s foremost rock bands.
With their current line-up built around a core of Joseph Williams (lead vocals), David Paich (keyboards, vocals), Steve Porcaro (keyboards) and Steve Lukather (guitars, vocals), the group continue to celebrate a legacy of hits ('Hold The Line,' 'Africa' and 'Rosanna' to name but three) and accolades (six GRAMMY Awards including Best Record in 1983 for Toto IV and inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2009).
The London show is part of Toto’s 40 Trips Around The Sun World Tour in celebration of their 40th Anniversary; the band recently released an album of the same name, which contains a selection of their best and biggest songs plus three previously unreleased tracks.
Guitarist and Toto ever-present Steve Lukather recently published his autobiography The Gospel According to Luke.
The Live At Chelsea Concert Series has established itself as a welcome fixture in the summer music calendar, in no small part due to the eclectic range of artists who have previously featured, including Rufus Wainwright, Simply Red, Belle & Sebastian and the Kaiser Chiefs.
Every year a portion of the ticket sales from the event is donated towards the care of the Chelsea Pensioners, as well as the maintenance of the Grade I listed site which has provided care and comradeship to ex-military personnel since 1682 when it was founded by King Charles II.
For more information on the Chelsea Pensioners and the Royal Hospital Chelsea, please visit:
ww.chelsea-pensioners.org.uk
Tickets start from £45; for more information on tickets and hospitality event packages, please visit: www.liveatchelsea.com
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Toto will headline the Live At Chelsea Concert Series on Thursday 13th June 2019 (The Gipsy Kings will headline the event on Friday 14th June).
Currently celebrating 40 years since the release of their acclaimed self-titled debut album, Toto are one of the world’s foremost rock bands.
With their current line-up built around a core of Joseph Williams (lead vocals), David Paich (keyboards, vocals), Steve Porcaro (keyboards) and Steve Lukather (guitars, vocals), the group continue to celebrate a legacy of hits ('Hold The Line,' 'Africa' and 'Rosanna' to name but three) and accolades (six GRAMMY Awards including Best Record in 1983 for Toto IV and inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2009).
The London show is part of Toto’s 40 Trips Around The Sun World Tour in celebration of their 40th Anniversary; the band recently released an album of the same name, which contains a selection of their best and biggest songs plus three previously unreleased tracks.
Guitarist and Toto ever-present Steve Lukather recently published his autobiography The Gospel According to Luke.
The Live At Chelsea Concert Series has established itself as a welcome fixture in the summer music calendar, in no small part due to the eclectic range of artists who have previously featured, including Rufus Wainwright, Simply Red, Belle & Sebastian and the Kaiser Chiefs.
Every year a portion of the ticket sales from the event is donated towards the care of the Chelsea Pensioners, as well as the maintenance of the Grade I listed site which has provided care and comradeship to ex-military personnel since 1682 when it was founded by King Charles II.
For more information on the Chelsea Pensioners and the Royal Hospital Chelsea, please visit:
ww.chelsea-pensioners.org.uk
Tickets start from £45; for more information on tickets and hospitality event packages, please visit: www.liveatchelsea.com
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Multinational melodic metal exponents Eden’s Curse have announced their headline Testament UK tour for April 2019.
The tour is in support of their new 2CD Best Of + Bonus / Rarities album Testament, out now on AFM Records (the album also includes new song 'Forever').
Joining Eden’s Curse on the tour in dual Special Guest support are German melodic metal outfit Mob Rules and up and coming Swedish melodic rockers, Degreed.
Of the special guests and tour Eden’s Curse founder and ever-present, bassist Paul Logue, says:
"Mob Rules have been one of my favourite bands for many years. It just made perfect sense, as musically we are not too dissimilar and they haven't been to the UK in many years.
I caught Degreed opening for H.E.A.T last year and they were absolutely brilliant. We then followed them on the bill at MelodicRock Fest in Sweden earlier this summer, and loved what I saw. I think it makes it a brilliant package for the fans. Expect an evening of gigantic guitars, titanic choruses and fist pumping anthems!" Tickets are on sale now from http://www.edenscurse.com/tour
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The tour is in support of their new 2CD Best Of + Bonus / Rarities album Testament, out now on AFM Records (the album also includes new song 'Forever').
Joining Eden’s Curse on the tour in dual Special Guest support are German melodic metal outfit Mob Rules and up and coming Swedish melodic rockers, Degreed.
Of the special guests and tour Eden’s Curse founder and ever-present, bassist Paul Logue, says:
"Mob Rules have been one of my favourite bands for many years. It just made perfect sense, as musically we are not too dissimilar and they haven't been to the UK in many years.
I caught Degreed opening for H.E.A.T last year and they were absolutely brilliant. We then followed them on the bill at MelodicRock Fest in Sweden earlier this summer, and loved what I saw. I think it makes it a brilliant package for the fans. Expect an evening of gigantic guitars, titanic choruses and fist pumping anthems!" Tickets are on sale now from http://www.edenscurse.com/tour
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Tankus the Henge have one of the most memorable band names in music but they are also a band that are genuinely impossible to categorise (lead vocalist Jaz Delorean has stated that their sound is a mix of "dirty guitar music and New Orleans Jazz" but their wide and varied influences range from Tom Tom Waits to Queens of the Stone Age).
All the above shape both Tankus the Henge and their recently released album I Crave Affection Baby, But Not When I Drive.
Not only did they deliver one of the most interesting albums of 2018 (and surely a nomination for Best Album Title) they musically feature on what is, for FabricationsHQ, the best (and multi-award winning) Music Video of 2018 via the puppetry and visual storytelling (with an impacting twist ending) of 'Things Were Better Before,' which tells of a Dystopian future while commenting on environmental issues...
All the above shape both Tankus the Henge and their recently released album I Crave Affection Baby, But Not When I Drive.
Not only did they deliver one of the most interesting albums of 2018 (and surely a nomination for Best Album Title) they musically feature on what is, for FabricationsHQ, the best (and multi-award winning) Music Video of 2018 via the puppetry and visual storytelling (with an impacting twist ending) of 'Things Were Better Before,' which tells of a Dystopian future while commenting on environmental issues...
Tankus the Henge have built their reputation on a myriad of influences, clever song writing and spectacular live shows – the band have played hundreds of shows across Europe, subsequently building a strong and devoted fan base.
The band are supported and championed by the likes of BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, Sunday Brunch and BBC Radio 4; The Guardian has described their live performances as "…a virtual carnival of sound that’s high on energy and deep on soul."
I Crave Affection Baby, But Not When I Drive is out now on the Freshly Squeezed label.
'Things Were Better Before' short-film animation credits:
22S Productions in co-production with Trukitrek Puppet Company.
Tankus the Henge fully support the 2018 Plastics Bill sponsored by British MP Geraint Davies, which will bring forward the ban of non-recyclable plastics to 2025.
To make a difference share this video and (if in the UK) email your MP to ask them to support the Plastics Bill by signing Early Day Motion 1863 - https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/52338
https://tankusthehenge.com/
http://www.trukitrek.net/
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The band are supported and championed by the likes of BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, Sunday Brunch and BBC Radio 4; The Guardian has described their live performances as "…a virtual carnival of sound that’s high on energy and deep on soul."
I Crave Affection Baby, But Not When I Drive is out now on the Freshly Squeezed label.
'Things Were Better Before' short-film animation credits:
22S Productions in co-production with Trukitrek Puppet Company.
Tankus the Henge fully support the 2018 Plastics Bill sponsored by British MP Geraint Davies, which will bring forward the ban of non-recyclable plastics to 2025.
To make a difference share this video and (if in the UK) email your MP to ask them to support the Plastics Bill by signing Early Day Motion 1863 - https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/52338
https://tankusthehenge.com/
http://www.trukitrek.net/
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British progressive luminaries Marillion return to the road in the UK and Europe late in 2019 with an extended line up of musicians joining the band.
The Friends From The Orchestra shows will feature the In Praise of Folly String Quartet plus Sam Morris (French Horn) and Emma Halnan (Flute), all of whom will feature on select numbers throughout the show.
In December 2017 Marillion played a sold-out show at The Royal Albert Hall which was the fastest selling concert of the band’s career; it featured this same ensemble of musicians who featured on the spring 2018 UK tour.
The concert at the Royal Albert hall was hailed by fans and critics alike as one of the best concerts of Marillion’s history. The recording of the show, All One Tonight, has since been released on DVD, Blu-Ray, CD and vinyl, topping the charts in five countries.
On the November 2019 tour Marillion will play a selection of songs that span their fourteen album career with lead vocalist Steve Hogarth; 2019 celebrates thirty years of Hogarth joining the band.
Says the front man "Has it really been 30 years?! (guitarist) Steve Rothery tells me it’s his 40th anniversary so it’s a double celebration! It’s amazing to be in this position after all this time. We’ve added this wonderful six-piece to the band for this entire tour. They’re brilliant players, good friends, and the chemistry we have together has already spoken for itself. I thought we’d never beat that night at the Royal Albert Hall... but there’s going to be two nights and two different RAH set lists this time, so let’s see what we, and our legendary fans, can do."
Tickets are on sale now and available from https://myticket.co.uk/ and venue box offices.
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The Friends From The Orchestra shows will feature the In Praise of Folly String Quartet plus Sam Morris (French Horn) and Emma Halnan (Flute), all of whom will feature on select numbers throughout the show.
In December 2017 Marillion played a sold-out show at The Royal Albert Hall which was the fastest selling concert of the band’s career; it featured this same ensemble of musicians who featured on the spring 2018 UK tour.
The concert at the Royal Albert hall was hailed by fans and critics alike as one of the best concerts of Marillion’s history. The recording of the show, All One Tonight, has since been released on DVD, Blu-Ray, CD and vinyl, topping the charts in five countries.
On the November 2019 tour Marillion will play a selection of songs that span their fourteen album career with lead vocalist Steve Hogarth; 2019 celebrates thirty years of Hogarth joining the band.
Says the front man "Has it really been 30 years?! (guitarist) Steve Rothery tells me it’s his 40th anniversary so it’s a double celebration! It’s amazing to be in this position after all this time. We’ve added this wonderful six-piece to the band for this entire tour. They’re brilliant players, good friends, and the chemistry we have together has already spoken for itself. I thought we’d never beat that night at the Royal Albert Hall... but there’s going to be two nights and two different RAH set lists this time, so let’s see what we, and our legendary fans, can do."
Tickets are on sale now and available from https://myticket.co.uk/ and venue box offices.
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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 a further set of UK dates on the back of his successful Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live tour.
The eight date 2019 tour will be a dynamic, turn-back-the-clocks, two-hour live homage to Glenn Hughes’ tenure in the MKIII and MK IV incarnations of Deep Purple.
"I'm excited to be touring the 'Classic Deep Purple Live' in the UK in May 2019. I first toured Classic Deep Purple Live in Australia and New Zealand last year and it went down like a storm. We’re looking forward to a second round of dates in 2019"
Glenn Hughes
Support on the tour will come from British blues rock singer-guitarist Laurence Jones, who supported Glenn Hughes on his 2018 run of Classic Deep Purple shows in the UK.
Tickets are on sale now.
GLENN HUGHES PERFORMS CLASSIC DEEP PURPLE LIVE – MAY 2019 UK TOUR
Tickets: 08444 780 898 (24HR Box Office) and www.thegigcartel.com
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The eight date 2019 tour will be a dynamic, turn-back-the-clocks, two-hour live homage to Glenn Hughes’ tenure in the MKIII and MK IV incarnations of Deep Purple.
"I'm excited to be touring the 'Classic Deep Purple Live' in the UK in May 2019. I first toured Classic Deep Purple Live in Australia and New Zealand last year and it went down like a storm. We’re looking forward to a second round of dates in 2019"
Glenn Hughes
Support on the tour will come from British blues rock singer-guitarist Laurence Jones, who supported Glenn Hughes on his 2018 run of Classic Deep Purple shows in the UK.
Tickets are on sale now.
GLENN HUGHES PERFORMS CLASSIC DEEP PURPLE LIVE – MAY 2019 UK TOUR
Tickets: 08444 780 898 (24HR Box Office) and www.thegigcartel.com
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UFO, with ever-present Phil Mogg second from left, on their Starters and Last Orders for the 2019 UK tour
UFO will embark on a very special 50th anniversary UK & Ireland tour next spring.
The influential British hard rockers will play a total of 22 shows, opening at Bristol O2 Academy on Thursday 7th March and wrapping up four weeks later at London Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Thursday 4th April.
Tickets are on sale now.
As well as commemorating the band’s half-century, the dates will also be their last UK & Ireland shows with co-founder and only sole, constant member, vocalist Phil Mogg.
The band’s ever-present front man announced his retirement in May, with a statement that confirmed he had considered stepping away from the UFO microphone earlier but that the time was now right:
“I’ve considered stepping down at the end of UFO’s previous two tours. I don’t want to call this a farewell tour as I hate that word, but next year’s gigs will represent my final tap-dancing appearances with the band.
2019 marks UFO’s 50th anniversary, so the timing feels right.
Being out on the road isn’t always tremendously luxurious and although the playing is as great as it ever was, the stuff that surrounds it becomes very tiresome. I always told myself that when I reached that stage I would step down, and that’s what I’m going to do. This is the right time for me to quit.”
UFO 50th Anniversary / Last Orders Tour:
MARCH 2019
Bristol O2 Academy – Thu 7th
Leamington Spa The Assembly – Fri 8th
Oxford O2 Academy – Sat 9th
Bournemouth O2 Academy – Sun 10th
Cardiff Tramshed – Tue 12th
Birmingham Town Hall – Thu 14th
Pwllheli Hard Rock Hell AOR Fest – Fri 15th
Manchester O2 Ritz – Sat 16th
Leeds O2 Academy – Sun 17th
*Dublin Academy – Tue 19th
*Belfast The Limelight 1 – Wed 20th
Cambridge The Junction – Fri 22nd
Northampton Roadmender – Sat 23rd
Norwich The Waterfront – Sun 24th
Nottingham Rock City – Tue 26th
Newcastle O2 Academy – Thu 28th
Edinburgh Queen’s Hall – Fri 29th
Inverness Ironworks – Sat 30th
Glasgow O2 Academy – Sun 31st
APRIL 2019
Hull City Hall – Tue 2nd
Southampton The Brook - Wed 3rd
London Shepherd’s Bush Empire – Thu 4th
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The influential British hard rockers will play a total of 22 shows, opening at Bristol O2 Academy on Thursday 7th March and wrapping up four weeks later at London Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Thursday 4th April.
Tickets are on sale now.
As well as commemorating the band’s half-century, the dates will also be their last UK & Ireland shows with co-founder and only sole, constant member, vocalist Phil Mogg.
The band’s ever-present front man announced his retirement in May, with a statement that confirmed he had considered stepping away from the UFO microphone earlier but that the time was now right:
“I’ve considered stepping down at the end of UFO’s previous two tours. I don’t want to call this a farewell tour as I hate that word, but next year’s gigs will represent my final tap-dancing appearances with the band.
2019 marks UFO’s 50th anniversary, so the timing feels right.
Being out on the road isn’t always tremendously luxurious and although the playing is as great as it ever was, the stuff that surrounds it becomes very tiresome. I always told myself that when I reached that stage I would step down, and that’s what I’m going to do. This is the right time for me to quit.”
UFO 50th Anniversary / Last Orders Tour:
MARCH 2019
Bristol O2 Academy – Thu 7th
Leamington Spa The Assembly – Fri 8th
Oxford O2 Academy – Sat 9th
Bournemouth O2 Academy – Sun 10th
Cardiff Tramshed – Tue 12th
Birmingham Town Hall – Thu 14th
Pwllheli Hard Rock Hell AOR Fest – Fri 15th
Manchester O2 Ritz – Sat 16th
Leeds O2 Academy – Sun 17th
*Dublin Academy – Tue 19th
*Belfast The Limelight 1 – Wed 20th
Cambridge The Junction – Fri 22nd
Northampton Roadmender – Sat 23rd
Norwich The Waterfront – Sun 24th
Nottingham Rock City – Tue 26th
Newcastle O2 Academy – Thu 28th
Edinburgh Queen’s Hall – Fri 29th
Inverness Ironworks – Sat 30th
Glasgow O2 Academy – Sun 31st
APRIL 2019
Hull City Hall – Tue 2nd
Southampton The Brook - Wed 3rd
London Shepherd’s Bush Empire – Thu 4th
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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
Victor Wooten