Conspicuous Absences & Rule Exceptions
2023 In Review & FabricationsHQ Roll Of Honour
2023 In Review & FabricationsHQ Roll Of Honour
Is that another year gone already?
Actually, publishing the annual In Review article at the top of the next year could point to how quickly time seems to move these days, certainly for those of us 'of an age' (last time I looked I was 35, what the decades-gone f*ck happened there?) but in reality that’s normal FabricationsHQ operating procedure, to ensure all 2023 ducks are in order.
It’s also an example of what seems to be the exception to the have-to-be-first-in-line rule.
Where others scramble over each other to be first to get their Best Of The Year/ Awards lists out before the Crimble presents have been unwrapped (hey ho (ho ho), each to their own devices or agendas), or race to get a review or interview up or out first for that "exclusive" (sometimes exclusive only in how rushed or amateurish it is) FabricationsHQ doesn’t kow-tow to such praise ‘em quick, praise ‘em high philosophies.
Similarly, in an ever evolving sorry, devolving trend, for bands or acts who need all the spread-the-word promotion they can get, any positive promotion, no matter how badly written but as gushing as possible with as much hyperbole as you can cram in, tends to get the attention first, with the more well considered, thoughtful and well written a distant second.
Indeed, while writing this In Review article I found myself not heartened by another good year (and it was) for music in various forms and genres, but disheartened by what seems to be a continual standard-slip or downgrade in various aspects and avenues of the music scene, one that continues to be weighed against a vast array of under-the-radar artists and bands, who struggle to get what is quality product in to the market place.
We’re not talking the industry cream that’s lavished atop the cake slices belonging to the 1% Club of Taylor Swift, Adele, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, et al, of course, but the middle to lower tiers where, now more than ever, Social Media saturation, heavy-duty marketing and expensive, widest reach promotion do more talking than the artist’s music, no matter how good, bad or indifferent said music, and talent quotient, may be.
But then part of the problem is music is now an off-the-shelf commodity, not a valued art-form, exemplified by Spotify (a favourite swear word here at FabricationsHQ); Daniel Ek and his streaming ilk offer artists the chance of increased exposure, but that ain’t paying the bills, and in most case not even stretching to a cup of coffee.
This was made worse by Spotify’s announcement late in 2023 that, starting in 2024, the platform would be eliminating royalty payments for songs with less than 1,000 annual streams; but not to worry, the +1000 brigade still get their humungous cut of between $0.003 and $0.004 per stream for their compositional or performing craft.
But then Mr Ek is down to his last $3.6 billion, so gotta recoup somehow, eh Danny boy?
But such streaming royalty pittances sum up just how radically different things are now, where marketable commodity runs roughshod over musical creativity.
Indeed, that we now have prime time masked singers (all of whom are already famous/ celebrities) warbling in front of an equally celebritised panel, while dressed in ridiculous costumed disguises, while the likes of The Old Grey Whistle Test and The Tube are long gone antiquities, tells its own, dumbed-down entertainment tale.
Actually, publishing the annual In Review article at the top of the next year could point to how quickly time seems to move these days, certainly for those of us 'of an age' (last time I looked I was 35, what the decades-gone f*ck happened there?) but in reality that’s normal FabricationsHQ operating procedure, to ensure all 2023 ducks are in order.
It’s also an example of what seems to be the exception to the have-to-be-first-in-line rule.
Where others scramble over each other to be first to get their Best Of The Year/ Awards lists out before the Crimble presents have been unwrapped (hey ho (ho ho), each to their own devices or agendas), or race to get a review or interview up or out first for that "exclusive" (sometimes exclusive only in how rushed or amateurish it is) FabricationsHQ doesn’t kow-tow to such praise ‘em quick, praise ‘em high philosophies.
Similarly, in an ever evolving sorry, devolving trend, for bands or acts who need all the spread-the-word promotion they can get, any positive promotion, no matter how badly written but as gushing as possible with as much hyperbole as you can cram in, tends to get the attention first, with the more well considered, thoughtful and well written a distant second.
Indeed, while writing this In Review article I found myself not heartened by another good year (and it was) for music in various forms and genres, but disheartened by what seems to be a continual standard-slip or downgrade in various aspects and avenues of the music scene, one that continues to be weighed against a vast array of under-the-radar artists and bands, who struggle to get what is quality product in to the market place.
We’re not talking the industry cream that’s lavished atop the cake slices belonging to the 1% Club of Taylor Swift, Adele, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, et al, of course, but the middle to lower tiers where, now more than ever, Social Media saturation, heavy-duty marketing and expensive, widest reach promotion do more talking than the artist’s music, no matter how good, bad or indifferent said music, and talent quotient, may be.
But then part of the problem is music is now an off-the-shelf commodity, not a valued art-form, exemplified by Spotify (a favourite swear word here at FabricationsHQ); Daniel Ek and his streaming ilk offer artists the chance of increased exposure, but that ain’t paying the bills, and in most case not even stretching to a cup of coffee.
This was made worse by Spotify’s announcement late in 2023 that, starting in 2024, the platform would be eliminating royalty payments for songs with less than 1,000 annual streams; but not to worry, the +1000 brigade still get their humungous cut of between $0.003 and $0.004 per stream for their compositional or performing craft.
But then Mr Ek is down to his last $3.6 billion, so gotta recoup somehow, eh Danny boy?
But such streaming royalty pittances sum up just how radically different things are now, where marketable commodity runs roughshod over musical creativity.
Indeed, that we now have prime time masked singers (all of whom are already famous/ celebrities) warbling in front of an equally celebritised panel, while dressed in ridiculous costumed disguises, while the likes of The Old Grey Whistle Test and The Tube are long gone antiquities, tells its own, dumbed-down entertainment tale.
Negativity (albeit accurate observations) of the previous paragraphs aside, there were a number of artists and bands conspicuous by their absence at Fabbers HQ in 2023 for no other reason than they don’t need another music website promoting their wares, given the press and exposure they were/ are already guaranteed.
That also ties in with an ongoing Mission Statement that, if FabricationsHQ finds itself restricted for page space, or with too much to cover over a given month, or lack of that luxury so few of us have – time – then those that do make the cut are going to be those who need the promotional exposure, from the under-promoted and under-heard to those who genuinely have something special, different or creative to say.
That’s why the likes of Rival Sons, Black Stone Cherry, the Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, Steven Wilson, and Greta Van Fleet, didn’t feature in the 2023 Album Reviews, but all deserve mention, for one reason or another, in an end-of-year round up.
Black Stone Cherry delivered another contemporary, blues-rock solid outing with Screamin' at the Sky, while Rival Sons released seriously impressive rock light and weighty shade with Lightbringer and Darkfighter, respectively. Released just five months apart, the two albums work individually, but together combine in sonic effect to produce a perfect Yin & Yang dovetailing.
With Hackney Diamonds the Rolling Stones delivered not just their first album of all new material in 18 years but, for many a fan and critic, their best album since Some Girls 45 years prior.
Musically, and in critical review, the latter is a valid argument, but as a musician friend (and massive Stones fan) said to me just after its release, this is also the first Stones album to be fully and constructively promoted and advertised through Social Media.
Add in the smarts to feature a host of name guests (including Elton John, Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, and Stevie Wonder) and you have a Rolling Stones album guaranteed to gather no moss but a whole lot of media momentum on its way to the inevitable #1 slot in twenty countries.
Peter Gabriel used a now well established promotional/ streaming ploy, that of releasing songs well in advance as singles (including different mix variants); in this case however every song was released as a single (on full moons, no less) before the release of new album I/O.
The need for a review, anywhere, therefore became somewhat redundant given just about every fan had heard what was coming – an album that was worth the 21 years on wait from his last album of all new/ original material.
Steven Wilson is another with such an established place in prog-land that his new album, The Harmony Codex, was always going to garner far more praise than any criticism (although it received both).
Indeed if reading or hearing from the fawning SW can do no wrong’ers, one could be forgiven for thinking this particular Codex was a case of King Wilson’s new clothes (for FabricationsHQ, The Harmony Codex came across more as a mix between the well-sculpted and needless noodling).
Then there’s the older Zep clothes worn by young guns Greta Van Fleet on latest album, Starcatcher.
You don’t have to be a fan to fully understand and indeed appreciate the adoration, which predominately comes from a younger rock audience, who see and hear GVF as their generation’s Led Zeppelin.
But that’s a double edged sword, because for others it’s more a case of still seeing and hearing GVF as a homage-pastiche that’s so close to Led Zep in look and sound (particularly vocally), to become parody.
A well-written and performed one, mind.
Two other big names in rock missed the review cut but, again, for no other reason than too much choice over too little time.
Paul Rodgers solo album Midnight Rose (his first of all original material for 24 years) didn’t hit the critical highs, primarily because it didn’t sound like, or wasn’t perceived to be, as good as Free or Bad Company (note to many a fellow music scribe – such comparison does not a bad album make and, as importantly, he’s still one of the voices in roots blues, Stax and Motown influenced rock).
Ian Hunter, who, at 84 years young can Rant and Roll better than most half his age, delivered Defiance Pt.1.
A damn fine album (one of his best, if not the best, of his 21st century catalogue), Mr Hunter can also still pretty much out lyricise anyone out there in rock land. 'Defiance,' indeed.
That also ties in with an ongoing Mission Statement that, if FabricationsHQ finds itself restricted for page space, or with too much to cover over a given month, or lack of that luxury so few of us have – time – then those that do make the cut are going to be those who need the promotional exposure, from the under-promoted and under-heard to those who genuinely have something special, different or creative to say.
That’s why the likes of Rival Sons, Black Stone Cherry, the Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, Steven Wilson, and Greta Van Fleet, didn’t feature in the 2023 Album Reviews, but all deserve mention, for one reason or another, in an end-of-year round up.
Black Stone Cherry delivered another contemporary, blues-rock solid outing with Screamin' at the Sky, while Rival Sons released seriously impressive rock light and weighty shade with Lightbringer and Darkfighter, respectively. Released just five months apart, the two albums work individually, but together combine in sonic effect to produce a perfect Yin & Yang dovetailing.
With Hackney Diamonds the Rolling Stones delivered not just their first album of all new material in 18 years but, for many a fan and critic, their best album since Some Girls 45 years prior.
Musically, and in critical review, the latter is a valid argument, but as a musician friend (and massive Stones fan) said to me just after its release, this is also the first Stones album to be fully and constructively promoted and advertised through Social Media.
Add in the smarts to feature a host of name guests (including Elton John, Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, and Stevie Wonder) and you have a Rolling Stones album guaranteed to gather no moss but a whole lot of media momentum on its way to the inevitable #1 slot in twenty countries.
Peter Gabriel used a now well established promotional/ streaming ploy, that of releasing songs well in advance as singles (including different mix variants); in this case however every song was released as a single (on full moons, no less) before the release of new album I/O.
The need for a review, anywhere, therefore became somewhat redundant given just about every fan had heard what was coming – an album that was worth the 21 years on wait from his last album of all new/ original material.
Steven Wilson is another with such an established place in prog-land that his new album, The Harmony Codex, was always going to garner far more praise than any criticism (although it received both).
Indeed if reading or hearing from the fawning SW can do no wrong’ers, one could be forgiven for thinking this particular Codex was a case of King Wilson’s new clothes (for FabricationsHQ, The Harmony Codex came across more as a mix between the well-sculpted and needless noodling).
Then there’s the older Zep clothes worn by young guns Greta Van Fleet on latest album, Starcatcher.
You don’t have to be a fan to fully understand and indeed appreciate the adoration, which predominately comes from a younger rock audience, who see and hear GVF as their generation’s Led Zeppelin.
But that’s a double edged sword, because for others it’s more a case of still seeing and hearing GVF as a homage-pastiche that’s so close to Led Zep in look and sound (particularly vocally), to become parody.
A well-written and performed one, mind.
Two other big names in rock missed the review cut but, again, for no other reason than too much choice over too little time.
Paul Rodgers solo album Midnight Rose (his first of all original material for 24 years) didn’t hit the critical highs, primarily because it didn’t sound like, or wasn’t perceived to be, as good as Free or Bad Company (note to many a fellow music scribe – such comparison does not a bad album make and, as importantly, he’s still one of the voices in roots blues, Stax and Motown influenced rock).
Ian Hunter, who, at 84 years young can Rant and Roll better than most half his age, delivered Defiance Pt.1.
A damn fine album (one of his best, if not the best, of his 21st century catalogue), Mr Hunter can also still pretty much out lyricise anyone out there in rock land. 'Defiance,' indeed.
In commercial terms however, neither Paul Rodgers or Ian Hunter got to the chart levels their respective albums deserved, but that perfectly sums up the age-old (in both senses) issue of being known and revered for your famous/ successful past, and now seen to be knocking out the odd, semi-decent album or three, for the decades thereafter ("just give us the (re-recorded) hits!" was the tired cry).
Related, I still shake my head in disbelief when bands with serious Social Media/ marketing savvy (and a handle on one-dimensionality for lowest common denominator gain) can 'Kitchen Sink' an album into the Top 10 (only for it to disappear out the Top 200 the very next week) while Defiance only dents the top 100.
Not that I'm bitter or cynical about it.
In terms of music, artists and bands that did garner page space and make an impression here at FabricationsHQ in 2023, and put themselves in the running for the Roll Of Honour awards (found at the bottom of this article), there was no shortage of contenders across a myriad of genres.
(FabricationsHQ covers and champions music and artists from Celtic/ trad folk to jazz fusion, and pretty much all points in between).
One such example of championing the lesser known against the bigger hitters was LALU (a band project formed around French composer, keyboardist and producer Vivien Lalu) with the wonderfully creative The Fish Who Wanted To Be King, featuring Damien Wilson on vocals .
While Messrs Gabriel & Wilson (should be a successful marketing company – and in a way they are) took the prog plaudits elsewhere, TFWWTBK got the Prog based Album of the Yeart nod, thus giving Monsieur Lalu his second Prog-nod in a row at FabricationsHQ (having also won out in 2022 with Paint The Sky).
Good as it was, as were a plethora of albums and artists across the rock, blues, prog, metal, ambient, fusion and rootsier/ trad fields, none came close to beating out The Journey by insanely talented Matteo Mancuso.
Young Signore Mancuso, who has received plaudits from the luminary likes of Al De Meola, Steve Vai, Tosin Abasi and Joe Bonamassa, knocked it out the park with his debut album, both in terms of compositional skill and exceptional blend of technical and natural guitar skills (enhanced by a unique, finger picking style) that players twice his age are still trying to master.
The Journey being heralded as best album of the year allowed other excellent albums to take deserved Roll of Honour awards in the debut and instrumental categories, while there was quite a queue of potential winners for the rock orientated categories, including Stray (About Time), Skinny Knowledge (twentytwo), Trevor Rabin (Rio), Albany Down (Born in the Ashes), King Falcon (King Falcon), She Burns Red (Out Of Darkness), and The Daybreakers (Get Through This & Live).
Who came out on top, along with all other categories (blues, metal, ambient, etc) you can find at the end of this article.
Special mention too for (Suzy) Starlite & (Simon) Campbell, a forward thinking duo who favour compositional creativity over commercial gain, as heard to wonderful effect on STARLITE.ONE, an album that’s as future-forward thinking as its title.
A highly creative mix of art-rock meeting electronica and indie-pop with deeper themes and concepts?
Yes please.
Related, I still shake my head in disbelief when bands with serious Social Media/ marketing savvy (and a handle on one-dimensionality for lowest common denominator gain) can 'Kitchen Sink' an album into the Top 10 (only for it to disappear out the Top 200 the very next week) while Defiance only dents the top 100.
Not that I'm bitter or cynical about it.
In terms of music, artists and bands that did garner page space and make an impression here at FabricationsHQ in 2023, and put themselves in the running for the Roll Of Honour awards (found at the bottom of this article), there was no shortage of contenders across a myriad of genres.
(FabricationsHQ covers and champions music and artists from Celtic/ trad folk to jazz fusion, and pretty much all points in between).
One such example of championing the lesser known against the bigger hitters was LALU (a band project formed around French composer, keyboardist and producer Vivien Lalu) with the wonderfully creative The Fish Who Wanted To Be King, featuring Damien Wilson on vocals .
While Messrs Gabriel & Wilson (should be a successful marketing company – and in a way they are) took the prog plaudits elsewhere, TFWWTBK got the Prog based Album of the Yeart nod, thus giving Monsieur Lalu his second Prog-nod in a row at FabricationsHQ (having also won out in 2022 with Paint The Sky).
Good as it was, as were a plethora of albums and artists across the rock, blues, prog, metal, ambient, fusion and rootsier/ trad fields, none came close to beating out The Journey by insanely talented Matteo Mancuso.
Young Signore Mancuso, who has received plaudits from the luminary likes of Al De Meola, Steve Vai, Tosin Abasi and Joe Bonamassa, knocked it out the park with his debut album, both in terms of compositional skill and exceptional blend of technical and natural guitar skills (enhanced by a unique, finger picking style) that players twice his age are still trying to master.
The Journey being heralded as best album of the year allowed other excellent albums to take deserved Roll of Honour awards in the debut and instrumental categories, while there was quite a queue of potential winners for the rock orientated categories, including Stray (About Time), Skinny Knowledge (twentytwo), Trevor Rabin (Rio), Albany Down (Born in the Ashes), King Falcon (King Falcon), She Burns Red (Out Of Darkness), and The Daybreakers (Get Through This & Live).
Who came out on top, along with all other categories (blues, metal, ambient, etc) you can find at the end of this article.
Special mention too for (Suzy) Starlite & (Simon) Campbell, a forward thinking duo who favour compositional creativity over commercial gain, as heard to wonderful effect on STARLITE.ONE, an album that’s as future-forward thinking as its title.
A highly creative mix of art-rock meeting electronica and indie-pop with deeper themes and concepts?
Yes please.
Similarly appealing, in a widescreen sweep of atmospheric, melodic prog, was The Round Window with second album Everywhere & Nowhere; TRW are another band who probably won’t scare the charts, but in compositional & lyrical terms are, like Starlite & Campbell, a breath of fresh musical air.
Two of the biggest 2023 rock music news stories came from very disparate artists in terms of their musical playgrounds...
You’d be hard pushed to find acts further apart musically than American Country icon Dolly Parton and Rock and Roll All Niters, KISS.
But with Dolly deciding, having been inducted into the Rock And Hall Of Fame, she should record her own rock album in the company of a veritable who’s who of rock royalty, you have a genuine rock connection between the Queen of Country and the Kings of Cartoon Rock and Roll.
(Rockstar was a massive Billboard, Country, Rock and Alternative chart success, and even made review here at FabricationsHQ – on curiosity alone it becomes a must listen, but certainly not a must-have).
KISS, on the other hand, wrapped up their End Of The Road world tour after close to five years (lengthened due to the touring hiatus courtesy of Covid-19) with a panto-rock and roll circus of epic proportions at New York’s Madison Square Garden in December.
While most of us, from KISS fanatics who didn’t want it to stop to those who welcomed news of a final curtain call, knew this wouldn’t be the end, very few of us saw the shape of the "new era" coming, nor so quickly.
Immediately after the final encore, a video ran announcing that KISS, now "immortal," courtesy of the love and power of the KISS Army (stop snickering at the back) would continue in the guise of Sock Puppets sorry, Avatars.
When the original KISS line-up went out on the 1996/1997 Reunion tour, Todd Rundgren mentioned to me that "It’s KISS’s world, we just happen to be living in it."
Turns out, even with the face-paint put away and the ankle breaking stack heels hung up, it still is, through animated antics that will no doubt out-live us all.
Two of the biggest 2023 rock music news stories came from very disparate artists in terms of their musical playgrounds...
You’d be hard pushed to find acts further apart musically than American Country icon Dolly Parton and Rock and Roll All Niters, KISS.
But with Dolly deciding, having been inducted into the Rock And Hall Of Fame, she should record her own rock album in the company of a veritable who’s who of rock royalty, you have a genuine rock connection between the Queen of Country and the Kings of Cartoon Rock and Roll.
(Rockstar was a massive Billboard, Country, Rock and Alternative chart success, and even made review here at FabricationsHQ – on curiosity alone it becomes a must listen, but certainly not a must-have).
KISS, on the other hand, wrapped up their End Of The Road world tour after close to five years (lengthened due to the touring hiatus courtesy of Covid-19) with a panto-rock and roll circus of epic proportions at New York’s Madison Square Garden in December.
While most of us, from KISS fanatics who didn’t want it to stop to those who welcomed news of a final curtain call, knew this wouldn’t be the end, very few of us saw the shape of the "new era" coming, nor so quickly.
Immediately after the final encore, a video ran announcing that KISS, now "immortal," courtesy of the love and power of the KISS Army (stop snickering at the back) would continue in the guise of Sock Puppets sorry, Avatars.
When the original KISS line-up went out on the 1996/1997 Reunion tour, Todd Rundgren mentioned to me that "It’s KISS’s world, we just happen to be living in it."
Turns out, even with the face-paint put away and the ankle breaking stack heels hung up, it still is, through animated antics that will no doubt out-live us all.
On the subject of live performance, Amigo The Devil (aka Danny Kiranos), the Bard of macabre folk and dark lyrical humour, stole the sold-out Glasgow show for FabricationsHQ in 2023.
Still in Glasgow, but decades past, significant live shows/ performances have been given a new lease of live life in the sharing shape of Rescued Recordings (From The Glasgow Apollo), a now ten tear old venture led by Jack McCafferty and his band of helpers.
Starting out a decade back as something akin to a mail-order, non-profit exchange (no money has ever changed hands, we are talking fan recorded bootleg concerts, after all); RRFTGA allows fans to share music (and memories) of classic gigs from the famous, and sadly missed, Glasgow Apollo via the group's Facebook page.
Hundreds of shows are available (from fan recorded rarities to official radio broadcasts), but the fact Rescued Recordings is still going strong after just about every gig that can be found has been found, is the most satisfying aspect for Jack…
"It's amazing that Rescued Recordings is now 10 years old! Apollo shows are still coming in, but sadly there’s only one or two more and we think we will be finished, although we are looking to get a lot of shows remastered this year. It's great to hear people say such nice things about Rescued Recordings and happy about the Group Page. Makes it all worthwhile!"
The above also inspired FabricationsHQ to revise and reboot it’s previously archived Retrospective Reviews series (based on classic Apollo gigs attended, available as Recued Recordings).
The first two can be read by clicking on Blue Oyster Cult (April 1978) and Slade (March 1982).
South west of Glasgow, in my own 'Shire, various artists, acts, events and venues in Ayrshire continue to impress in a County more famous for Links Golf and Robert Burns than the likes of alt-rock, Indie-pop, and blues based bands.
Yet they all, with others genres such as folk and a healthy singer-songwriter scene (the latter two having unsurprisingly, a bit of Burns in them) do very well, thank you very much; some happy with their local lot and others casting their music net further.
One Ayrshire artist making a mark in 2023 was Debbie Campbell, who released her first ever solo album thirty years on from her singing debut; a lovely album of melody and melancholy, it was unsurprisingly entitled About Time.
New blood continues to pour through Ayrshire’s musical veins, too; from the Indie pop-rock of Ocean Views (check out their singles 'Cider Blues' and 'Rainclouds') to the Celtic, prog and punk influenced mixture of Culann, who released their excellent EP Songs Of Saints & Reivers toward the end of 2023.
Leading (stage) light in Ayrshire is the WinterStorm Rock Weekender, which continues to go from strength to rocking strength in Troon.
Underlining its rise to become Scotland’s best and favourite indoor rock festival, the 2023 edition featured more than three dozen acts across not two but three days, plus the now traditional After The Storm Acoustic Sunday.
This particular WinterStorm was sub-titled Legends & Legacies, and with good reason – German guitar legends Uli Jon Roth and Michael Schenker were featured acts on the Main Stage, as were Dutch progressive giants Focus, while the legacy of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal was represented by the likes of the still-going-strong Tygers of Pan Tang and Praying Mantis.
Add in a Sessions Stage for newer bands and special appearances (such as the reunion of Ayrshire’s rock-punk band The Penetrations) and you had another WinterStorm winner, one that went beyond the usual events pages of various music sites to reach the gloss and diversity of Ayrshire Magazine.
Still in Glasgow, but decades past, significant live shows/ performances have been given a new lease of live life in the sharing shape of Rescued Recordings (From The Glasgow Apollo), a now ten tear old venture led by Jack McCafferty and his band of helpers.
Starting out a decade back as something akin to a mail-order, non-profit exchange (no money has ever changed hands, we are talking fan recorded bootleg concerts, after all); RRFTGA allows fans to share music (and memories) of classic gigs from the famous, and sadly missed, Glasgow Apollo via the group's Facebook page.
Hundreds of shows are available (from fan recorded rarities to official radio broadcasts), but the fact Rescued Recordings is still going strong after just about every gig that can be found has been found, is the most satisfying aspect for Jack…
"It's amazing that Rescued Recordings is now 10 years old! Apollo shows are still coming in, but sadly there’s only one or two more and we think we will be finished, although we are looking to get a lot of shows remastered this year. It's great to hear people say such nice things about Rescued Recordings and happy about the Group Page. Makes it all worthwhile!"
The above also inspired FabricationsHQ to revise and reboot it’s previously archived Retrospective Reviews series (based on classic Apollo gigs attended, available as Recued Recordings).
The first two can be read by clicking on Blue Oyster Cult (April 1978) and Slade (March 1982).
South west of Glasgow, in my own 'Shire, various artists, acts, events and venues in Ayrshire continue to impress in a County more famous for Links Golf and Robert Burns than the likes of alt-rock, Indie-pop, and blues based bands.
Yet they all, with others genres such as folk and a healthy singer-songwriter scene (the latter two having unsurprisingly, a bit of Burns in them) do very well, thank you very much; some happy with their local lot and others casting their music net further.
One Ayrshire artist making a mark in 2023 was Debbie Campbell, who released her first ever solo album thirty years on from her singing debut; a lovely album of melody and melancholy, it was unsurprisingly entitled About Time.
New blood continues to pour through Ayrshire’s musical veins, too; from the Indie pop-rock of Ocean Views (check out their singles 'Cider Blues' and 'Rainclouds') to the Celtic, prog and punk influenced mixture of Culann, who released their excellent EP Songs Of Saints & Reivers toward the end of 2023.
Leading (stage) light in Ayrshire is the WinterStorm Rock Weekender, which continues to go from strength to rocking strength in Troon.
Underlining its rise to become Scotland’s best and favourite indoor rock festival, the 2023 edition featured more than three dozen acts across not two but three days, plus the now traditional After The Storm Acoustic Sunday.
This particular WinterStorm was sub-titled Legends & Legacies, and with good reason – German guitar legends Uli Jon Roth and Michael Schenker were featured acts on the Main Stage, as were Dutch progressive giants Focus, while the legacy of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal was represented by the likes of the still-going-strong Tygers of Pan Tang and Praying Mantis.
Add in a Sessions Stage for newer bands and special appearances (such as the reunion of Ayrshire’s rock-punk band The Penetrations) and you had another WinterStorm winner, one that went beyond the usual events pages of various music sites to reach the gloss and diversity of Ayrshire Magazine.
Then there’s the Darvel Music Company, who, even with cutbacks and lack of financial support, continue to put on half-a-dozen club-level music gigs through the year, helping set up not one but usually two major Darvel Music Company events at the Town Hall later in the year, which is exactly what transpired in 2023 (and is planned again for 2024).
Smaller venues are also getting in on the keeping music live act.
Venue38 in Ayr town centre and the Harbour Arts Centre in Irvine, to name but two, work hard to bring live music and other entertainment to their respective towns; highlights presented by both in 2023 included Ayrshire’s Brownbear (aka singer-songwriter-musician Matt Hickman) playing the Harbour Arts Centre as part of his acoustic tour promoting the excellent Indie-pop/ Indie-folk of second album Demons, while Venue38 packed them in for Scottish duo Hue And Cry’s Piano & Vocal show.
In closing, before heading to the Roll Of 2023 Honour, while jaded by the more negative aspects of trying to get good, new music to a wider audience but not unbowed, FabricationsHQ will continue to fight the good music fight, with not so much as name-check for those who don’t pass muster or don’t need any further exposure.
The latter examples will continue to remain conspicuous by their absence while FabricationsHQ, with like-minded others, stand as the exceptions to the fawning, faux-ingratiating rule.
Drop mic, cue final song and follow with the FabricationsHQ 2023 Roll of Honour…
Smaller venues are also getting in on the keeping music live act.
Venue38 in Ayr town centre and the Harbour Arts Centre in Irvine, to name but two, work hard to bring live music and other entertainment to their respective towns; highlights presented by both in 2023 included Ayrshire’s Brownbear (aka singer-songwriter-musician Matt Hickman) playing the Harbour Arts Centre as part of his acoustic tour promoting the excellent Indie-pop/ Indie-folk of second album Demons, while Venue38 packed them in for Scottish duo Hue And Cry’s Piano & Vocal show.
In closing, before heading to the Roll Of 2023 Honour, while jaded by the more negative aspects of trying to get good, new music to a wider audience but not unbowed, FabricationsHQ will continue to fight the good music fight, with not so much as name-check for those who don’t pass muster or don’t need any further exposure.
The latter examples will continue to remain conspicuous by their absence while FabricationsHQ, with like-minded others, stand as the exceptions to the fawning, faux-ingratiating rule.
Drop mic, cue final song and follow with the FabricationsHQ 2023 Roll of Honour…
Ross Muir
2023 In Review
(with thanks to Nelson McFarlane for his reviews and contributions)
FabricationsHQ 2023 Roll of Honour
Album of the Year: Matteo Mancuso - The Journey
Rock Album of the Year: Doomsday Outlaw - Damaged Goods
Blues Album of the Year: Robin Trower (featuring Sari Schorr) - Joyful Sky
Blues Rock Album of the Year: Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Dirt On My Diamonds Vol.1
Debut Album of the Year: The Blue Lena - Darkwood
Melodic Rock Album of the Year: VEGA - Battlelines
Metal based Album of the Year: King Kraken - MCLXXX
Ambient based Album of the Year: Paul Mallatratt - Let Me Sleep
Progressive Album of the Year: LALU - The Fish Who Wanted To Be King
Roots Album of the Year: Steve Dawson - Eyes Closed, Dreaming
Singer-Songwriter Album of the Year: Adam Norsworthy - Talking Pictures
Trad/ Folk Album of the Year: Joy Dunlop - Caoir
Instrumental Album (Rock) of the Year: Martin Miller - Maze of My Mind
Instrumental Album (Jazz/ Fusion) of the Year: High Pulp - Days in The Desert
Gig of the Year: Amigo The Devil - Classic Grand, Glasgow
Supplemental Awards
Finally Got The Official Release It Deserved: Glenn Hughes & Robin George - Overcome
Artistic Expression over Commercial Gain: Starlite & Campbell – STARLITE.ONE
I’m Sorry, But I Really Don’t Hear What All The Fuss is About: Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Ones to Watch: The Blue Lena, King Falcon, She Burns Red, The Daybreakers, Skinny Knowledge, Ollie Brown & The Dead Collective, King Kraken
2023 In Review
(with thanks to Nelson McFarlane for his reviews and contributions)
FabricationsHQ 2023 Roll of Honour
Album of the Year: Matteo Mancuso - The Journey
Rock Album of the Year: Doomsday Outlaw - Damaged Goods
Blues Album of the Year: Robin Trower (featuring Sari Schorr) - Joyful Sky
Blues Rock Album of the Year: Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Dirt On My Diamonds Vol.1
Debut Album of the Year: The Blue Lena - Darkwood
Melodic Rock Album of the Year: VEGA - Battlelines
Metal based Album of the Year: King Kraken - MCLXXX
Ambient based Album of the Year: Paul Mallatratt - Let Me Sleep
Progressive Album of the Year: LALU - The Fish Who Wanted To Be King
Roots Album of the Year: Steve Dawson - Eyes Closed, Dreaming
Singer-Songwriter Album of the Year: Adam Norsworthy - Talking Pictures
Trad/ Folk Album of the Year: Joy Dunlop - Caoir
Instrumental Album (Rock) of the Year: Martin Miller - Maze of My Mind
Instrumental Album (Jazz/ Fusion) of the Year: High Pulp - Days in The Desert
Gig of the Year: Amigo The Devil - Classic Grand, Glasgow
Supplemental Awards
Finally Got The Official Release It Deserved: Glenn Hughes & Robin George - Overcome
Artistic Expression over Commercial Gain: Starlite & Campbell – STARLITE.ONE
I’m Sorry, But I Really Don’t Hear What All The Fuss is About: Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
Ones to Watch: The Blue Lena, King Falcon, She Burns Red, The Daybreakers, Skinny Knowledge, Ollie Brown & The Dead Collective, King Kraken