GLASS TIGER'S popular frontman ALAN FREW has suffered a stroke and is recovering in hospital. He posted this message on his Facebook page earlier. I'm sure all will join me in wishing Alan all the best and a speed recovery.
BON JOVI have walked from their decades long association with Mercury Records. JBJ talked to Billboard about the departure, which you can read below.
But taking a look at recent developments, here's my little cobbled together theory.
Bon Jovi has long been run as a family business. Jon's signing to Irving Azoff Management suggests to me that Jon is looking at the end game now. Azoff does not do small. Azoff only does big, or bigger. So this to me looks like a partnership designed to ensure the most amount of money possible can be extracted from the remaining years of BON JOVI.
My guess is that Azoff has gone to Mercury with a deal in mind and the label has rejected it based on the lack of Richie Sambora involvement. So the guys walk, delivering a final studio album that's really cobbled together with little effort and no real passion. 10 tracks, mainly leftovers (for good reason) and a really shitty physical product with no liners, no pictures, no nothing. 'Burning Bridges' indeed...
So be on the look out for a new mega-deal that someone will swallow encompassing a huge worldwide tour, that 'great' new studio album Jon has already spoken of and a merch tie-in deal beginning in 2016. Perhaps then you'll see a final 'reunion' world tour for even bigger money.
Watch this space I guess!
Here's the Billboard article:
After 32 years on Mercury Records, "It's the end of an era," the singer tells Billboard.
Bon Jovi's 32-year relationship with Mercury Records is ending, Jon Bon Jovi tells Billboard.
"It is the end of an era," says the singer just before taking the stage for a show with his sideband, Jon Bon Jovi & The Kings of Suburbia at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada.
The news comes one day after the release of Bon Jovi's "fan album," Burning Bridges. The record, he explains, is a collection of songs that was meant to accompany the group's upcoming 12-show tour of Southeast Asia, but in reality, it was something more, he said.
"[It fulfills] a commitment to Mercury Records," he tells Billboard. "After 32 years, we have parted ways. That is the big news. If you listen to 'Burning Bridges,' the song, it is clearly spelled out."
The song is last on Burning Bridges' tracklist, and includes the scathing lyrics, "After 30 years of loyalty, they let you dig the grave / Now maybe you can learn to sing or strum along / Well I'll give you half the publishing / You're why I wrote this song."
The Sayreville, New Jersey native says he's fully aware that the song is targeting the label, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group which effectively operates under the Island Records banner. Says Bon Jovi: "This hits it right in the head and tells you what happened. Listen to the lyrics because it explains exactly what happened. And that's that."
Bon Jovi has sold 21.8 million albums in the United States, according to Nielsen Music, including five which hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The band has also notched 25 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including 10 top 10s and four No. 1s.
Bon Jovi adds that he is looking towards the future with a new album and tour scheduled for the spring of 2016. He intends to complete recording by the end of this year, and he promises that the material -- which comes after a difficult 2014 that saw longtime collaborator Richie Sambora leave the group -- is worth the wait.
"A lot happened," says Bon Jovi. "Richie's sudden departure, my trying to buy the [Buffalo] Bills and now this with the label. I have a lot of material to write about. Believe me, the new record is good. It's pointed. It is something we are going to be very proud of in the spring when we put it out."
Right now, Bon Jovi says he is focusing on the evening's show at Rogers Arena, which was scheduled to take place in Stanley Park but moved to the arena after plans fell apart with the original promoter, Paper Rain Promotions. A "stressful" week involved discovering all of the pieces weren't in place for his show with The Kings.
"When it all fell apart, my initial reaction was it's too bad, make sure everybody gets their refunds," he shares. "And the second sentence was, there isn't going to be any refunds. Now we got to take over. So we called the arena and God Bless them for coming to help and the Tourism Board. We made it happen."
Bon Jovi describes the Kings as a group of friends from New Jersey who give him "the freedom as a player to go and make music when it's not in official capacity." And the snafu as "a situation that turned left," adding, "All I care about is the folks who paid their hard-earned money. We are like the International Silver String Submarine Band from The Little Rascals... We're gonna do a show! So we're playing baby!"
Billboard has reached to Mercury/Island Records for comment.
The first week in December sees the release of the first ever Ten picture disc, with the stunning 'The Gragon And Saint George EP' in glorious 12' vinyl.
At first the 4 month manufacturing turnaround seemed a big disappointment but then we realised this would allow us to use the 'Albion' Japanese bonus track for this release, so not only are the awesome THREE unreleased tracks featured on here ('Musketeers ' Soldiers of the King', 'Is There Anyone With Sense?' and 'The Prodigal Saviour'), we also have 'Good God In Heaven What Hell Is This', making this a stunning seven song collection.
Restricted to a very limited 350 copies, this glorious picture disc will be available for £10.99 plus postage, with pre-orders being taken now at www.rocktopiarecords.com. All orders will be sent out as soon as stock arrives and will be the PERFECT stocking filler for this Christmas.
Fireworks #71 sees our pages once again graced by everyone's favourite minstrel Ritchie Blackmore, who, along with his wife Candice Night, discuss the excellent new Blackmore's Night album, along with talking about reconnecting with David Coverdale, and Ritchie's thoughts about returning to rock out with some Deep Purple and Rainbow songs next year'
If that wasn't enough to catch you eye, we have another Deep Purple connection as the 'Voice Of Rock' Glenn Hughes discusses hitting the road for his biggest ever tour, flanked by none other than ex-Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich. Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick talks about delving into his archives, Buckcherry proudly announce they are back to 'Rock N' Roll', and we also have Progressive Rockers Spock's Beard speaking about their new record.
All that, plus Mike Tramp, Gus G, The Dead Daisies, Russ Ballard - 27 features in total, a round up of the Download and Sweden Rock Festivals, over 100 new releases reviewed, as well as the usual round of of DVDs, books and EPs.
What, you want MORE? Fine, will 77 FREE SONGS do? Yes, that's right, SEVENTY SEVEN mp3 tracks mounted on the cover CD' or available as a download if you buy the PDF version or are having thew magazine shipped overseas. If that's not value for money, we don't know what is.
Lions Pride Music is happy to official announce the release of Marenna's EP, My Unconditional Faith, on the 31th August.
The EP will contain a high dose of melodic hard rock and AOR, alongside 3 music videos added to the release. Marenna serves up some of the best melodic rock songs inside the genre, so treat yourself to a slice of heaven, with this release.
Marenna is a project that came about in 2014 by the composer and lead singer Rodrigo Marenna in solo format, parallel work with the band Lacross Rock, who is the creator and lead singer since 2007 in Caxias do Sul. In this new challenge, Marenna will explore the most of his experience in the music business leading to public his own compostions and his unique style that combines influences from the 90s Melodic Hard Rock (AOR) and contemporary elements of sounds and arrangements. The other focus of the project is to launch the singer in an international career.
To Marenna, the big bet of the project is the involvement of regional musicians with an unique talent that play in bands that Marenna had the privilege of meeting during his artistic journey. With this support, the singer believes his contributing to the discovery of new talents and building a strong and synergistic relationship with the market through their music.
Marenna is here to stay, it is an innovative and audacious project, betting on the instrumental identity style, blended with melodies of easy perception, daring vocal technique and feeling, facing the contents about, feeling, victory and messages of optimism.
"Give It All You Got" is the first official radio single and video from Mike Tramp's upcoming album "Nomad".
This summer Mike Tramp was back in Copenhagen where the video for "Give It All You Got" was filmed and edited. Tramp has this to say about the production.
"For Someone who was a big part of the MTV video generation of the 80's where videos became short movies, record companies spent big cash on production and the artist's motto was "we want it bigger and better than the other bands", I can't express how gratifying it is to be able to do my new video, spanning across two evenings and with just one other person involved, who in this case wears both the cameraman and director hat. Yes, it might be late in my career, but I finally feel that I recognize and identify with the person on the other side of the camera, I am finally me, and tha'ts what it's all about..."
The "Nomad" album will the released on the 28th of August world wide on Target Records and Tramp is afterwards heading on an extensive European tour with support/backing back LUCER.
EUROPEAN TOUR DATES:
28 Aug 2015 Ph Caféen,Copenhagen, Denmark (album releases how)
29 Aug 2015 Sticky Fingers, Gothenburg, Sweden
30 Aug 2015 Debaser Strand,Stockholm, Sweden
05 Sep 2015 Rock Cafe St. Pauli, Hamburg, Germany
06 Sep 2015 De Boerderij Zoetermeer, Netherlands
07 Sep 2015 Bada Bing,Oostende, Belgium
09 Sep 2015 The Diamond Sutton in Ashfield, UK
10 Sep 2015 Bannermans Bar, Edinburgh, UK
11 Sep 2015 The Classic Grand,Glasgow, UK
12 Sep 2015 Diamond Rock Club,Ballymena, UK
13 Sep 2015 Roundy Bar Cork, Ireland Tickets
14 Sep 2015 The Workman's Club, Dublin, Ireland
16 Sep 2015 Marine Hotel Colwyn Bay, UK
17 Sep 2015 Iron Road,Evesham, UK
18 Sep 2015 Fat Lil’s Witney, UK
19 Sep 2015 The Cluny,Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
20 Sep 2015 Yardbirds,Grimsby, UK
22 Sep 2015 The Live Rooms, Chester, UK
23 Sep 2015 Robin 2, Bilston, UK
24 Sep 2015 Our Black Heart,London, UK
25 Sep 2015 The Railway Music Venue Bolton, UK
26 Sep 2015 Corporation, Sheffield, UK
30 Sep 2015 Pacific Rock Cergy, France
01 Oct 2015 Rockpalast, Bochum, Germany
02 Oct 2015 Paunchy Cats Club, Lichtenfels, Germany
03 Oct 2015 Night On Fire Festival Pfinztal, Germany
Everywhere you turn right now, there’s George Lynch, whether it be a solo release, a collaboration with another high profile artist (such as Michael Sweet) and now here again with a brand new Lynch Mob record.
Terrific to see Oni Logan fronting the band for another album, for me, he has always been the voice of this band. And great to see all songs produced and written by the duo.
Joining in the fun here is the perfect rhythm section for the occasion – Jeff Pilson and Brian Tichy.
As expected George keeps to his current style, which are his much loved riff and solo guitar playing, over a pretty heavy, high impact contemporary sound.
I love the production on this album – it’s tight and well balanced – everything can be heard with no one element overpowering another.
Song wise you can’t go past the heavy commercial groove of Automatic Fix or the thumping bass of Between the Truth and a Lie; while Testify is slow moving, grinding, ear bending heaviness; and Sanctuary is another pretty cool uptempo rocker.
Pine Tree Avenue features the biggest R&B groove of the album and along with Dirty Money represent the most alt-modern tracks.
The Ledge is a cool slower track with a hint of sentiment and some acoustic thrown in for good measure.
War is one of the very few uptempo tracks and is instantly one of my favorites.
Lynch fans will love this unquestionably. Dokken fans…mostly. Outsiders…not sure.
The production is awesome, the guitar work sensational, but the pacing could be a little more varied. A couple more uptempo tracks would have been nice. But killer groove as always.
