Los Angeles rock and rollers the Bulletboys will tour Australia for the very first time this May!
Emerging from the LA glam rock scene at its zenith with more blues licks than lipstick, Bulletboys have been a mainstay of the rock scene for the past 30 years.
Formed by frontman Marq Torien after stints in King Kobra and a then unsigned Ratt, Bulletboys hit the ground running with their Platinum selling 1988 self titled debut which featured the now seminal classics
Smooth Up In Ya, Hard As A Rock, and their rocking cover of For The Love Of Money.
While being part of the scene, it was Torien that set the band apart from the pack, with vocals and showmanship that drew comparisons to everyone from David Lee Roth through to Terence Trent Darby.
Throughout their three decade career, Bulletboys have released 11 studio albums, evolving with the times whilst maintaining that hard rock edge that brought them to the forefront in the late '80s.
Album number twelve, From Out Of The Skies will be released in 2018 and will finally see the band play to their long waiting Australian fans!
Marq and the ‘boys invite you to come and experience one of the most consistent and rockin' live bands up close and personal for the first time on Australian shores this May!
Joining Bulletboys on all shows are Melbourne’s hardest working and hardest hitting rockers, Dellacoma
Drummer and founding member of MR. BIG, Pat Torpey, passed away Wednesday, February 7 at the age of 64 from complications of Parkinson’s disease. Family, band and management request privacy at this very difficult time. Services are pending.
MR. BIG (Torpey, Eric Martin, Billy Sheehan, and Paul Gilbert) released their ninth original studio album,DEFYING GRAVITY, July 21.
MR. BIG, formed in 1988, produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres – be it ballads, heavy metal, or blues rock. Their hits included “Alive and Kicking,” "Just Take My Heart" and the chart-topping ballad, "To Be With You" (Billboard Hot 100 #1 single in 15 countries for weeks in 1991, propelling the band the band to huge international success and multi-Platinum record sales).
Billy Sheehan:
My dear friends, I'm sorry to be the bearer of such sad news. Pat Torpey has been my closest friend in music for over thirty years. He passed away yesterday from complications as a result of Parkinson's disease. Pat was one of the finest human beings I've ever had the privilege of knowing, and the honor of working with.
All of us in Mr Big had nothing but the highest respect and admiration for him. He is loved by anyone and everyone who ever met him. And surely one of the finest rock drummers the world has ever known.
Please keep his sweet wife and wonderful son in your prayers.
I Love You, Pat. You made the world a better place. We will miss you. We will never forget you. Rest In Peace, my brother.
Billy
What can one say about the great Pat Torpey? One of the great drummers in rock, he was also one of the nicest guiys in the business and I'm personally grateful for the privilage of knowing him.
His contributions to rock music cannot be overstated. Mr. Big have a 25 year legacy, to which his drumming style made ever so better. He was the heart of the band and I know the guys were hit hard by his initial diagnosis of Parkinson's. But take a look at any of his live performances - he's always smiling.
I will remain an eternal fan of Pat's spirit and his work with Mr. Big, Impellitteri, Jeff Paris, Velocity, Richie Kotzen and many others...
Dennis DeYoung announces a special live tour celebrating the 40th Anniversary of STYX's iconic 1977 album release, THE GRAND ILLUSION. DeYoung will reflect back on more than 4 decades of musical excellence throughout the performance. This includes performing the entire Grand Illusion album plus all the greatest hits written and sung by DeYoung including - “Come Sail Away,” “Babe,” “Mr. Roboto,” “The Best Of Times,” and “Lady.” Other hit songs attendees may expect include fan favorites "Renegade," "Blue Collar Man," "Suite Madame Blue" and more.
The excitement of the Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Tour is the magic of DeYoung's instantly recognizable voice bringing the classic STYX catalog to the live stage. For fans that weren't witness to the original album tour, DeYoung shares, "The Grand Illusion album was STYX’s greatest achievement, and this year my band and I will bring its sound and spirit to life nightly on concert stages across America."
The Grand Illusion was STYX's seventh studio album, but historically serves as the album that would launch the band to super stardom with DeYoung's song "Come Sail Away" reaching number 8 on Billboard's Top 100 in 1977. The song pushed album sales to more than 3 million copies and gave STYX a multi-platinum album certification bringing STYX critical commercial success. The album remains a staple on classic rock radio stations worldwide.
Of the Grand Illusion album, DeYoung adds "I formulated the theme behind the Grand Illusion album after observing how American culture creates illusions through advertising and entertainment to convince us that our lives our lacking, in order to sell products. I told the audience that we were part of the Illusion and warned them not to be “fooled by the radio,” which was us, and that in the end, despite the illusions and hype created, that “deep inside we’re all the same."
2018 offers opportunities for fans to see Dennis DeYoung and his band at a hometown venue. New dates are being added and ticket sales are available through DeYoung’s official website. For a detailed list of venues and performance dates, visit http://www.dennisdeyoung.com/tour.
The current tour schedule includes:
2-9-18 - Wausau, WI - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
2-10-18 - Waukegan, IL - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
2-16-18 - St. Louis, MO - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
2-17-18 - Wichita, KS - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
2-23-18 - Las Vegas - Dennis DeYoung and the music of STYX
2-24-18 - Las Vegas - Dennis DeYoung and the music of STYX
3-11-18 - Private Show - Dennis DeYoung and the music of STYX
3-15-18 - Plymouth, MA - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
3-16-18 - Montclair, NJ - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
3-22-18 - Verona, NY - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
3-23-18 - Williamsport, PA - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
3-24-18 - Bethlehem, PA - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
4-20-18 - Bow, WA - Dennis DeYoung and the music of STYX
4-21-18 - Bow, WA - Dennis DeYoung and the music of STYX
5-18-18 - Torrington, CT - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
5-19-18 - Concord, NH - Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour
6-1-18 - Austin, TX - Dennis DeYoung and Night Ranger
6-9-18 - Florence, IN - Dennis DeYoung and the music of STYX
Find Dennis DeYoung online through the following links:
Dallas, TX- February 8, 2018. North American syndicated Rock radio show IN THE STUDIO with Redbeard: The Stories Behind History’s Greatest Rock Bands returns to February 10, 1978 and the release, forty years ago, of the debut album from the band who would single-handedly usher in a new era of hard rock. Van Halen’s first, with Eddie Van Halen’s soon-to-be signature guitar sound (take one listen to “Eruption”) literally changed how thousands would play guitar, forever.
Having become the biggest band in Pasadena California, Van Halen would start to migrate to Hollywood for that chance to get noticed. In this classic interview with Alex & Eddie Van Halen, the guys recall to IN THE STUDIO producer and host Redbeard, how a forgettable rainy Monday night at the Starwood Club would end up convincing two important Warner Bros Records execs to sign the band. Alex Van Halen starts, “It was 99 cent beer night and three people were in the audience and two of them were (WB President) Mo (Ostin) and (producer) Ted (Templeman)...Ted was at that time, I think, one of the most purest recording kinda guys. He wasn’t interested in special effects, he wasn’t interested in overdubbing... At the time, I would have liked to have the record to be more like a Zeppelin record that had layers of sound, but Ted wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted to record the purity of it.” - Alex Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen interjects, “That was my fault, because I had never been in a studio and I didn’t know how. So we just played live. When you write songs and you just play them live, I’ve gotta solo. And I’d have had to write rhythm guitar parts underneath, and I wasn’t prepared to do that. So blame me, it wasn’t Ted’s fault.” - Eddie Van Halen
Van Halen’s debut album was immediately embraced by rock radio and would go on to sell over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone.
PRE-ORDER NOW: THE CYBERIAM - "The Cyberiam" ($14 + $5 worldwide airmail shipping) AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 21
The Cyberiam is a new progressive rock / metal band from Chicago that boasts some of the top musicians in the city coming together to create history.
MelodicRock Records is excited to be a part of The Cyberiam team and this fantastic album.
MRR is handling the CD release worldwide, released officially FEBRUARY 21.
The debut Cyberiam album boasts almost 80 minutes of progressive rock creativity. 10 songs that feature a variety of styles, feelings, time signatures and emotion. Ranging from emotional to purely technical and everything in between.
"2020 Visionary" is a hard rock progressive track that has some serious depth and power. Compare that with the lighter tones and style of "The Fall."
Wether you are a fan of Tool and Opeth or like the more classic tones of Dream Theater or Symphony X, not to mention the alternative deeper feel of Porcupine Tree, this album has something for every progressive rock fan out there today.
Keith Semple - Vocals, Guitar
Frank Lucas - Keys
Tommy Murray - Drums
Brian Kovacs - Bass guitar, Vocals
PRE-ORDER NOW: THE CYBERIAM - "The Cyberiam" ($14 + $5 worldwide airmail shipping) AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 21
RELEASE DATE: February 21
GENRE: Progressive Melodic Hard Rock
CAT#: MRR076
01. Alice In Afterland 8.53
02. Cool Kids 6.59
03. The Fall 5.20
04. Don't Blink 9.47
05. 2020 Visionary 5.46
06. The Historian 8.10
07. My Occupation 8.49
08. Juxtaposer 6.02
09. Brain In A Vat 7.22
10. Nostalgia 8.58
PRE-ORDER NOW: THE CYBERIAM - "The Cyberiam" ($14 + $5 worldwide airmail shipping) AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 21
KEITH SEMPLE
Keith was born in Northern, Ireland, in the small town of Larne. He started professionally playing music at the early age of 16, where he performed all throughout Europe. He played with a few different bands during that period of time, but always maintained a certain vision for his own music, which he loved to write and perform. Since 16 years old, Keith has played all over the world in small venues through large sold out shows of more than 80,000 seats.
Some of his achievements to date include:
- “Anytime Anywhere” hits #40 on I-tunes Country Album chart Feb 2016
- "Keith Semple is like Keith Urban, only better" Rambling Ray US99.5 Country Chicago
- “Anytime Anywhere” hits #08 on Midwest Billboard Charts March 2016
- Seen on Season 9 of NBC's Emmy award winning show “The Voice.”
- Getting to the last 20 people out of 50,000 applicants on NBC's "The Voice."
- Ranked #1 on Reverbnation Chicago Rock charts 2016; 10th nationally; 15th Globally
- New EP “Anytime Anywhere” on regular radio play NOW!
- Performed 6 sold out UK arena tours to over 1 million people with Young Voices UK since 2003
- Lead singer of Chicago's busiest touring band 7th heaven from 2006-2013
- Performed 2000+ shows in 10 years in the mid west area
- Performed to over 4 million people since 2006
- Written 3 #1 albums on the Chicago Billboard chart
- Opened for Bon Jovi and Kid rock at Soldier Field
- Performed live on Chicago WGN news, ABC, NBC & FOX
- Performed live on many top Chicago radio stations; The mix 101.9, 103.5 Kiss Fm, 102.3xlc, Star 105.5, Star 96.7, US 99.5 Country Chicago and many more
- Performed 5 sold out nights at 02 arena London with SEMPLE 23,000 people a night
- Over 50,000 followers across social media
FRANK LUCAS
Frank Lucas is a Chicago-based keyboardist/composer whose background is in classical piano and voice. His studies were completed at DePaul University in Chicago with both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education / Performance and Educational Administration, respectively. Since 1994, Frank has studied piano, synthesis and theory with Jordan Rudess, the acclaimed Dream Theater keyboardist and former Juilliard child prodigy.
Frank has performed and recorded with the likes of Pat Metheny Group drummer, Paul Wertico, bassist Andy West of the Dixie Dregs, guitarists Paul Chapman (U.F.O.), Neil Zaza and Michael Angelo, Brandi, Journey's Steve Augeri, as well as acclaimed violinists Rachel Barton and Edgar Gabriel (Cirque Du Soleil). In 2006, Frank released a critically acclaimed progressive rock album on the ProgRock Records label entitled LWE -Lucas, White and Edsey with bassist Steve Edsey and drummer Chuck White.
Most recently, Frank has recorded with Fire Garden, Malik Yusef, Jennifer Lopez, Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child, Twista, American Idol's Chris Medina and legendary rockers, War. He recently finished recording keyboard tracks for the upcoming Dee Snider album, "To Hell and Back."
Frank has recently released two albums on the Tonepainter Music Label. The first is a piano jazz trio interpretation of classic Christmas songs entitled "Christmas Is..." (2014) featuring Lucas on piano, Barry Kleiber on bass and Vince Consolo on drums.
February 2015 brought about The Romantic Piano Sensation's release, "A Little Secret" just in time for Valentines Day. Piano sensation Frank Lucas takes your heart and mind on an emotional journey through 11 tracks filled with beautiful melodies, painting pictures of love, passion and romance featuring "The Promise" with Joseph Schwartz on violin and the title track "A Little Secret" featuring vocalist, Jennifer Vera.
MelodicRock Records is excited to announce the release of one of the finest melodic hard rock records for 2018 – JK Northrup & David Cagle’s first collaboration together, titled ‘That’s Gonna Leave A Mark’.
There is no doubt whatsoever that this record is gonna leave a mark on fans of hard rocking, guitar driven melodic rock, with a production to die for and songs dripping in hooks and melodies.
JK Northrup & David Cagle ‘That’s Gonna Leave A Mark’ arrives March 30 worldwide.
A very early demo form of this album was on select digital platforms under the Liberty & Justice banner, but ‘That’s Gonna Leave A Mark’ is a whole new ball-game from the ground up.
MRR’s Andrew McNeice: “I’m immensely proud and excited to finally be releasing this killer record from JK and David. I’ve worked with JK since the very first MR.com compilation over 15 years back and he’s been there for me as a mastering engineer every time since. His work with me remastering some important archive releases in the last couple of years has only further emboldened my respect for him as a first rate professional and someone who can bring out the very best results in any situation. On top of that, he is a Grade A gentleman who I value as a friend and college.
Everyone I have recommended Jeff to as an engineer or producer has ended up using him and continuing that relationship. But I’ve long felt that his name is undervalued as a writer and guitarist and I think this record is his finest achievement to date and a truly stunning release – in all facets – the guitar playing, the writing and production and David Cagle is one hell of a vocalist who I think we need to work with again ASAP!”
Jeff Northrup: “David Cagle and I had worked together in the past and started this album back in 2014. Unfortunately, it was shelved due to 'circumstances'. We knew we had something special even then, and the time was right to pull out this great collection of songs, dust it off and polish it up. The result is 12 of the best songs put together on any album I've been a part of!
Fast forward to 2017… After rewriting some of the lyrics, some arrangement changes, re-recording guitars and vocals, then bringing in the powerful rhythm section of Larry Hart - bass (Montrose, Gypsy Soul, King Kobra) and Steve Brown - drums (Montrose, Oleander-and Mick Brown's younger brother), the album has truly come to life!
Larry and Steve have been playing live together for a couple years and are TIGHT. I've played on a few albums with Larry including King Kobra, Shortino-Northrup and Gypsy Soul, which began in 1987.
When you hear the opening track 'The Night Is Mine', you'll know right away that you are going to Get Rocked HARD!!! David's modern approach on vocals is a breath of fresh air and I pull no punches on guitar!! With some heavy, powerful rock songs, to more main stream rockers and a couple killer ballads, it's all here!!!
Although a predominately guitar driven album, Eric Ragno does a masterful job playing keyboards on 6 songs.
The title track, 'That's Gonna Leave A Mark' was written by myself several years back, but sounds as fresh and powerful as if written today. Some of the lyrics are based on true life experiences about love, hate and a relationship gone bad, which is reflected in the artwork that was done by the great Nello Dell'Omo. 'The Siren' cuts out your heart and leaves you still alive, clutching your chest. Been there, done that!!! I truly am excited for everyone to here this album!! Cheers!" ~ JK Northrup
JK Northrup's professional career began in 1982 when bassist-songwriter Bruce Turgon (Lou Gramm, Foreigner) heard his demo tape and asked if he would like to record with him in Los Angeles. That offer was accepted and the next thing that happened was they were in the studio at Pasha Records being produced by the legendary Billy Thorpe (Children Of The Sun). In the next room, Quiet Riot was mixing their debut album 'Metal Health'. Billy asked JK, Bruce and Frankie Banali to tour for his new release and that's how it all began!
Since then, JK has recorded with, toured with and produced some of the biggest names in music and that list continues to grow today. Not only known as an elite guitarist, songwriter and producer, but also as a recording engineer and mastering specialist. In 2017 alone, JK produced, mixed and/or mastered some of the top-rated rock albums for a who's who of recording artists.
Having written songs that have been recorded by artists such as Foreigner, King Kobra, Great White, XYZ and including television and movies, the list continues to grow.
JK has appeared on over 30 albums over the years as a songwriter, guitarist and producer, and has mixed and mastered many others.
Now in 2018 comes a new album called JK Northrup & David Cagle, 'That's Gonna Leave A Mark'. This album showcases all of JK Northrup's skills as a songwriter, guitarist, producer, recording and mastering engineer.
In JK's words, 'I'm just getting started! Enjoy the ride folks'.
Award-winning international singer David Cagle has recorded vocals on more than 1000 songs over the past 10 years for clients all over the world, covering multiple genres of music. Although a singer of many styles, Cagle is most known for his melodic, soulful rock voice. A few of Cagle's credits include:
- February Fallen: Black and White (all lead and backing vocals)
- Marty and the Bad Punch: Moon Over Baskerville (all lead and backing vocals) *Winner of 4 awards at the 2015 German Rock and Pop Awards
- Brannon: Welton St. and The Road Less Traveled (all lead and backing vocals), and many individually released singles *Winner of multiple international songwriting competitions
- Majestic: V.O.Z, Epsilon 1, Epsilon 2 (lead and backing vocals on select tracks)
- Fiction Syxx: Tall Dark Secrets (backing vocals on Given Sight and Your Promised Land)
'That's Gonna Leave A Mark' guest performers:
Gunnar Nelson - backing vocal on ‘Forever Starts Tonight’
Richard Kendrick - backing vocal ‘Can't’
Kelly Keeling (MSG, Blue Murder) - backing vocal ‘For Sure Thing’
