News 2009

 

2009 News Archive

 

 

Thursday, December 31, 2009

MARCEL JACOB TRIBUTE CONCERT:
The remaining members of Talisman are forming one last time in memory of their dear friend Marcel Jacob who tragically passed away in July this year. The concert will take place at the Pub Anchor in Stockholm on 30th January 2010 and you are all invited. More information will be posted soon regarding tickets and special guests, or check out: www.pubanchor.com.

 

101 SOUTH UPDATE:
Roger Scott Craig sent me this update regarding 101 South orders in limbo - "REFUNDS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF BY SCOTT CUPP TODAY. AND EMAILS WENT OUT TO EVERYBODY ON OUR DATABASE WHICH SCOTT IS NOW IN CHARGE OF. THANKS."
If you are one of the people awaiting refunds, please keep me posted on this.

In a somewhat related matter - it has again been brought to my attention that the organiser of the failed UK Rockfest show, (cancelled a couple of months back) has still not replied to any queries and has thus far not refunded anyone for tickets purchased. This kind of dishonorable, shoddy and downright fraudulent behavior is condemned by myself and other reputable players in this scene, as it hurts us all. People must have confidence in what they are purchasing - be it CDs, concert tickets or merchandise.
All attempts to reach promoter Mark Owen for an update have been in vain, but I will continue trying to seek resolution in this matter, as he frequently used my Noticeboard to flog his show to readers. Say tuned...

EONIAN RECORDS SALE:
Eonian Records is having a year end sale on all ten titles: Charlemagne "Self-Titled", High Noon "No Turning Back", Gynger Lynn "Self-Titled", Pistol Dawn "Conversation Piece", Shake City "Self-Titled", UZI "Madhouse", Felony "Helltown Hotel", Strike Twice "Self-Titled", Sgt. Roxx "Weapon Of Miss Distraction", and Dr.. Grind "Speechless." All titles are "Limited Edition" and many of the titles are low in stock …so once they are sold out …they are gone!
Click on the banner to check out and purchase.

 

FATE IN SPAIN:
Press Release / On Saturday 9 January 2010, and for the first time in Spain, we will have the chance to see Fate live. Opening night have virtuoso guitarist Manuel Seoane Burnig Kindond the national revelation of Hard Rock. It will be an incredible night for all lovers of Hard Rock.
Venue: Ritmo y Compas, C/conde de vilches 22, Madrid, Spain.

 

UPDATES:
Happy New Year's Eve folks and Happy New Year for tomorrow. Good riddance to 2009 (apart from the music!)
We are well into NYE here and I'm off to buy some bubbly. It's stinking hot here right now (38C / 100F) so it's time to head indoors for the air conditioning. There's plenty of e-mail to get to and I will be here all next week for regular updates.

Coming up next week - interviews with W.E.T. and Out Loud and a few new Reviews from 2009 before the MelRock Awards need to be finalized. A major MR-X update will be online next Friday (MR-X Membership Details), but for subscribers - today I have added more stuff to the recently plugged Archive Folder, so you can get every last title remaining before a fresh clean out for 2010.
Thanks for the support in 2009 and keep the MelodicRockFest 2 feedback coming along. My head may be about to explode, but I welcome it all!

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

MELODICROCKFEST 2 - UPDATE:
I'm using the slower time of year to get some additional work done on MelodicRockFest 2 plans. Could really be an amazing event if everyone asked actually gets back to me with an affirmative answer. Stay tuned...
I'm also being approached by a number of smaller bands within this scene who are just hanging out for an outlet to perform at, so the choice is there for me to consider extending the Festival to include full Saturday and Sunday line-ups, as well as the VIP Friday night acoustic show.
The question is - would folks like a 2 day festival in a mainly standing venue (new Chicago venue, w/some seating available at this stage), and can they afford the time away and a weekend ticket price? And with the Monday following the April 30/May 1/May 2 weekend not being any kind of holiday - does that pose problems for those folks that had to be back at work Monday?
There would of course be options for separate tickets for both days for those that could only take in one of the days, but I'd welcome some additional feedback on this if you plan on attending. E-mail me, or comment via the MelodicRock Twitter and Facebook pages.
Cheers folks....stay tuned!

Also - still lots of feedback coming in regarding the Roger Scott Craig/101 South issue. Some worried about Roger's health, some bemused and a bunch of others still waiting for their money or CDs. I've been in contact with Roger and have asked him for a statement regarding these matters and hope to report that shortly.

And just FYI - I'm at work all next week for updates, but then I'm taking two weeks off for family vacation time, but spread over 3 weeks....so one on, one off, one on and another off....brining us up to Feb 1.

VINCE NEIL GETS SOLO IN SOUTH AMERICA:
Motley Crue's Vince Neil is planning an extensive South American tour in February 2010. The tour has confirmed stops in Brazil, Argentina and Chile with more countries and dates to be announced soon. The tour is being organized by Gabe Reed Productions which also promoted the opening night of the KISS Alive 35 South America tour in Santiago, Chile on April 3, 2009.
Confirmed South American dates are as follows:
Feb 24 - Santiago, Chile (Venue TBA)
Feb 26 - Buenos Aires, Argentina (El Teatro)
Feb 27 - Sao Paulo, Brazil (Carioca)
Vince is currently recording his new solo album, Tattoos And Tequila, with bassist Dana Strum and Jeff Blando (both of Slaughter) and drummer Zoltan Chaney. One of the tracks being laid down during the sessions is a cover version of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic "Who'll Stop The Rain?" An April release is expected.
In a recent interview with The News Tribune, Vince stated about the upcoming CD's title, "It's rock 'n' roll. That's it. It has nothing to do with Motley Crue. Tattoos and tequila is basically my life."
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Neil is also writing a book akin to Motley's autobiography, "The Dirt", with Esquire writer Mike Sager.

KIP WINGER TALKS KARMA:
Greek-based Rockpages Web Magazine sat down with Kip Winger and Reb Beach after their concert here in Greece and talked about almost anything in a candid interview. Here's an excerpt where Kip Winger reflects on the band's last couple of records:
Rockpages.gr: You have a new album called "Karma"…
Kip Winger: Do you like it?
Rockpages.gr: Yeah.
Kip Winger: What's your favorite Winger album?
Rockpages.gr: "Pull".
Kip Winger: Well, "Karma" is a cross between the first record and "Pull".
Rockpages.gr:…and you left aside all the elements of the fourth record.
Kip Winger: I did! That was an intentional move. Everybody seemed unhappy with the songs on the fourth album except for the musicians. The fans didn't get it. It was really a…dramatic, intense record. When we sat down with Reb and talked about the direction of "karma", we said that we should just rock out! Let's just try to capture the atmosphere of the first album and "Pull"…we didn't want any of the progressive stuff that was all over the fourth record".
You can read the whole interview on: www.rockpages.gr/detailspage.aspx?id=3279&type=1&lang=EN.

GEOFF TATE INTERVIEWED:
Geoff Tate was the guest on Long Live Rock this past Sunday - www.wewillrockyoublog.com/2009/12/28/interview-with-geoff-tate-of-queensryche-from-long-live-rock/.
They touched on a wide range of topics including Ronnie James Dio; the writing process in Queensryche; challenges of working in an album-length format in a digital download age; the changes in the music business marketing model; his upcoming movie role; his wine Insania and wine culture; the changing way the rest of the world views America; and Queensryche's upcoming album and live shows.

RONNY NORTH TO GUEST ON HARD ROCK NIGHTS:
Ronny North, "tomorrow's guitar hero today," will be the special guest on the internationally syndicated Hard Rock Nights radio program January 1-7. North, preparing to release a new CD, Light, will chat about his career as a guitarist, playing the Rhoads fest in honor of the late Randy Rhoads, NAMM, and the use of bunnies in his music videos. North's music has been used for MTV's "Real World" reality TV program as well as on compilations for his various sponsors and charities, and he won the Best Male Guitarist Award at the 2006 All Access Magazine Music Awards.
Hard Rock Nights is an internationally syndicated radio program heard on a number of rock and metal radio stations, on the FM and AM dials and on the internet. Visit: hardrocknights.wordpress.com for a full list of stations and times.

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Kerry Livgren has put up an update about his stroke, and his journey over the last few months. Quite an amazing read folks - www.numavox.com/mystroke.html.

John Waite will release an independent live album In Real Time in January via No Brakes Records. Pre-orders start Jan 1 at: www.rightrock.com/johnwaite/store/product.php?id_product=37.
John continues to work on new studio material with Kyle Cook form Matchbox Twenty. More info at: johnwaitethegreatest.web-log.nl/johnwaitethegreatest/2009/12/new-live-album.html.

Krokus are happy to announce that fans can communicate with the band via links to Facebook and YouTube. The new album Hoodoo is due out February.

 
xx

 

 

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas Eve folks! Just a quick note here to thank everyone for the support this year - the most challenging year of my time on this planet so far - but onwards and (hopefully) upwards for 2010. A lot planned and I'll talk about everything early in the new year, but to outline my hopes for the year:
- MelodicRockFest 2 - Chicago, April 30 (VIP night) and Saturday May 1, 2010 (Main Show Day). Be there! Line-up is still very much in a fluid state, but I'm hoping to deliver a few great surprises and a few classic names to make a great weekend of it for MelodicRock fans. News very soon as I lock down a venue finally (between 2 or 3 right now) and get those names locked in.
- MelodicRock.com Vers. 4 - A brand new all-interactive site that might finally get this old crusty site back up to date and possibly even a little ahead of the curve. Looking forward to do this next year.
- MRCD7 - Due in time for MRF2 I hope, and should include a DVD of footage from MRF1. Stay tuned.
- A new Reviews layout and more reviews added than have been done this year. Still love doing reviews and appreciate the positive feedback.

For right now - here's a few remaining news items. I hope everyone single one has a great Christmas break. I'll be here for a few days next week for some additional updates and some prep work on the 2009 MelRock Awards (which have to get done on time this year!!) and will take a couple of weeks off during January to soak up the Australian summer sun.

A lot of very positive responses from MRCD6, which has been landing in mail-boxes all over the world in the last 10 days. However, I am aware that some have not yet received due to delays in postage either from the AU end or with other countries. Hard to explain the varying delivery dates, but for those that do not yet have - please keep me posted and if any do not arrive, they will be replaced as is the usual case.

 
M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S F O L K S !


More Christmas tunes! Rose Falcon - www.rosefalcon.com - It Ain't Christmas / Steve Brown - Rockin' Christmas Time - itunes.apple.com/us/album/rockin-christmas-time/id340247952 / and Mass - free download right here: Download - Jingle Bell Rock.

MORE 101 SOUTH:
A lot of e-mail and message board posts all over the place following yesterday's unusual update. may from unhappy fans who have yet to get their orders and a few from artists stunned to see a fellow musician commenting the way Roger Scott Craig did.
For the record - no response to me from Roger, but any posts relating to this were deleted from his Facebook page and the following comment/rant added in their place:

"One out of twenty people are now willing to pay me for my music. The rest think it is okay to go get my creative work for free using an Illegal site in some foreign land and they obviously think that I do not need or deserve any revenues from this music!! Just for the record I will make NO MONEY on this new 101 South ...CD called 'No U Turn' rather it has cost me $10,000 more than I will ever earn in order to provide you the fans with my music. Apart from Illegal downloading we also have 'bootlegs' of our music being distributed in so many countries for which artists receive nothing. Plus so many people burn copies of CDs for their friends and family and from some reports for every one CD sold, ten copies are burned and again no revenues go to the artists. How unfair is this? When you think that 97% of all CDs make no money at all and with only a 3% success rate you would think that people would have some sympathy for musicians but obviously not! 19 out of people now walk into our ice cream store, enjoy the ice cream then leave without paying us for the ice cream! How do we run a business using this business model? The 101 South CDs are in transit and will soon be shipped out to the fans, signed by myself and by 101 South vocalist Gregory Lynn Hall. Sadly this involves four separate shipments which takes considerable time. For those who no longer want these signed CDs FULL REFUNDS will be going out this week. Then I will be heading down to McDonalds to get a job so I can pay my electric bill!! And my house is going into Foreclosure!! Oh well, just hope those 19 out of 20 people are enjoying my music today!"

I've said my piece, but I really think one e-mail I received (from Steve in the USA) summed up the thoughts of most. It reads:
"One, I think his complete lack of dedication to his fans is horrible. A couple years ago I purchased 2 autographed Twisted Sister CDs. One was to be a gift. Unfortunately, I only received one in the mail initially. I quickly contacted the seller, got an IMMEDIATE apology, and they sent me 2 extra signed picks for my trouble (of which I never asked for anything more then the 2nd CD). THAT is how you treat fans. Keep them happy.
Two, his crusade sounds nothing more then an overzealous politician looking for attention. You can't stop "piracy" any more then you can stop the rain. I'd love a better definition of "95% music stolen", since it is those overblown, undefined stats that seem to be built on sand. 100% of my music here has been paid for. I think the music industry needs to focus more on upping the content, rather then chasing after pirates. Unfortunately for Roger, I think he now has more than 88 people upset at him (you can add me to the list), and that will grow."


If I do hear from Roger at any stage, I'll be sure to post his response/comments/updates on this PR disaster.

RAVEN SET TO WALK THROUGH FIRE:
New Album Out in Europe on March 29th, 2010 (includes 1 Bonus Live Track) * European Festival appearances announced.
All For One - One For all.....Solid As A Rock With Swords In The Air - The undisputed kings of Athletic Rock are back! Harder and stronger than ever. With their new album Walk Through Fire they show all non believers what real metal is about. Screaming guitar riffs, pumping bass lines, exploding drums and a voice which is not from this earth!
It's now 28 years ago since their first album "Rock Until You Drop" was released and during this time Raven definitely influenced a lot of bands. Who played their first tour at the east coast in the USA as support to Raven?: Metallica. Who played their first gigs ever as support to Raven?: Anthrax. The list goes on and on.........ask Mille of Kreator or Tom Angelripper of Sodom..both will say that Raven was a big influence on their musical careers. The album will be released through SPV / Steamhammer in Europe on March 29th, 2010.
Raven`s line up still exists with John Gallagher (bass, vocals), Mark Gallagher (guitars) and Joe Hasselvander (drums). In the summer the band will play on prestigious festivals like the Sweden Rock Festival, the Hellfest in France and the Headbangers Open Air in Germany.

 

Tracklisting: 1. Intro 2. Against The Grain 3. Breaking You Down 4. Under Your Radar 5. Walk Through Fire 6. Bulldozer 7. Long day's Journey 8. Trainwreck 9. Grip 10. Running Around In Circles 11. Hard Road 12. Armageddon(the beginning) 13. Attitude 14. Space Station # 5 15. The King (live) bonus track.
Raven live 2010:
03.04. D-Lübeck - Rocktower Festival
12.06. SWE-Sölvesborg - Sweden Rock Festival
18.-20.06. F-Clisson - Hellfest
29.07. D-Brande bei Elmshorn - Headbangers Open Air
WebLinks: www.ravenlunatics.com / www.spv.de.

STEVEN TYLER ENTERS REHAB:
Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler has entered a rehab facility for pain management and an addiction to prescription painkillers resulting from 10 years of performance injuries, People has learned. "With the help of my family and team of medical professionals, I am taking responsibility for the management of my pain and am eager to be back on the stage and in the recording studio with my bandmates Joe Perry, Joey Kramer, Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford," Tyler says in a statement released to People.
"I love Aerosmith; I love performing as the lead singer in Aerosmith," he adds. "I am grateful for all of the support and love I am receiving and am committed to getting things taken care of."
WebLink: www.people.com/people/article/0,,20332576,00.html.

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Vocalist Chandler Mogel has launched his brand new official website. It contains an extensive bio, new photos, clips of brand new tracks, some demos which you may not have heard, and much more. He asks that you take the time to check it out and sign the guestbook: www.chandlermogel.com.

The Tree Lighting at the NY Stock Exchange featured Collective Soul, Stryper and Twisted Sister. Check out coverage at: piercingmetal.com/wordpress/?p=2481.

Strictly Stryper Podcast - Episode 4 (the 'Christmas Episode') can be checked out at: strictlystryper.mypodcast.com/index.html.

HARD BACK TO ROCK IN 2010:
No less than two new singles from the enhanced lineup of Hungarian hard rockers' HARD (who recently added Swedish vocalist Bjorn Lodin of Baltimoore, Balls, Six Feet Under) to their ranks.
'Love Goes With Anything' is the debut single from the new line up delivering a classic sounding melodic rock track which possesses a strong commercial punch. Check out and download at: www.max3.com/max3/view/uuid/60b30d06-d519-11de-8323-0030485f2b58/fid/daab3774-d5b8-11de-8323-0030485f2b58.
And newly released Time Is Waiting For Now One is the brand new single, get it now from max3.com.
Check out the band at: www.myspace.com/hardhungary. Album due early 2010.

 

WE WILL ROCK YOU INTERVIEW:
Bob Kulick and Brett Chassen were our guests on Long Live Rock this past Sunday to discuss 'We Wish You A Metal Christmas'. This turned out to be one of the funniest interviews I've ever gotten to be part of as they regaled us with inside stories from some of rock's greatest performers. Highlights include Lemmy from Motorhead keping Dave Grohl waiting for three hours; Bumblefoot telling them that Axl Rose does not attend his own rehearsals; and asking Bob Kulick if he could get Ace Frehley to do a Christmas track by simply recording it himself and giving Ace the credit!
Listen to the whole interview at: www.wewillrockyoublog.com/2009/12/22/interview-with-bob-kulick-and-brett-chassen-from-long-live-rock/.

LIBERTY & JUSTICE CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY:
Liberty N' Justice along with Shipwreck Island Studios is giving away LNJ's 2006 CD "Soundtrack Of A Soul" for free all day Christmas Eve at www.shipwreckislandstudios.com. The CD features guest vocals from Sebastian Bach, Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), Mark Slaughter (Slaughter), Pete Loran (Trixter), Tony Harnell, Leif Garrett and many more! Then on Christmas Day, Shipwreck Island is giving away a bunch more free music including a yet to be released LNJ tune featuring Terry Illous (XYZ), Alton Hood (D.O.C.) & JK Northrup!!! This is LNJ's way of saying Merry Christmas and don't forget that LNJ's new CD on Retroactive Records "Light It Up" is gonna be available 1-19-10 but preorders are shipping now and the CD can now be ordered through CD baby (cdbaby.com/cd/lnj) or LNJ's revamped website (www.libertynjustice.net)!

ALL PENS BLAZING: A ROCK AND HEAVY METAL WRITER'S HANDBOOK VOLUME II IS DUE 2010:
Ever wondered what it takes to be a heavy metal journalist? In this comprehensive collection, Neil Daniels has interviewed a staggering 65 of the world's most successful writers of heavy metal and hard rock. Many of these writers are successful biographers, editors and long-standing freelancers who have interviewed some of the genre's leading artists from KISS to Metallica and Black Sabbath to Slayer. They've travelled the world over, lived in tour buses, got drunk with their idols, attended some of the greatest gigs in history and are still alive to tell the tale. It's all here; the wild stories, the anecdotes…and the advice!
All Pens Blazing offers a potted history of the genre as well as the publishing industry from the legendary Sounds and Melody Maker to metal bibles Kerrang! and Metal Hammer to modern day magazines like Terrorizer, Powerplay and Classic Rock. There's also a wealth of information on fanzines and webzines as well as long-gone magazines like Metal Forces, RIP and RAW. With a foreword by the Canadian metal historian Martin Popoff, this collection makes essential reading for the heavy metal fan. It is also a worthy historical document for the serious enthusiast and can be used as a handy reference tool for the aspiring metal writer.
Includes exclusive interviews with: Geoff Barton, Dante Bonutto, Paul Brannigan, Steffan Chirazi, Ian Christe, Dave Dickson, Malcolm Dome, Paul Elliott, Lonn Friend, Neil Jeffries, Howard Johnson, Dave Lewis, Dave Ling, Peter Makowski, Matthias Madder, Joel McIver, Alexander Milas, Derek Oliver, Martin Popoff, Greg Prato, Dave Reynolds, Steven Rosen, Xavier Russell, Brian Slagel, Paul Suter and Jeb Wright, et al. PLUS: Mark Blake, Bailey Brothers, Carol Clerk, Mike Exley, Ian Glasper, Bruce Mee, Mick Mercer, Jonathan Selzer and Sterling Whitaker et al.
All Pens Blazing: A Heavy Metal Writer's Handbook By Neil Daniels
Published by Authors Online (www.authorsonline.co.uk) Available to buy from most online book stores, including Amazon Book Size (Paperback editions): 5 x 8" (203 x 127mm) Perfect Bound Approx Number of Words: 173,000 Pages: Black and White: 350.

 

 

 

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

101 SOUTH SHOCKER:
There are always things to deal with behind the scenes in this business, but sometimes something so utterly ridiculous comes along, that it just has to be posted for all to see. And today is one of those days.
I have been a long time supporter of all things Roger Scott Craig related - Harlan Cage, Fortune and 101 South. I have featured all releases prominently over the years and became a genuine fan of his music. I first started e-mailing him in 2001 and we've been friends ever since. Until today.

On July 28 of this year I once again gave prominent space to the launch of Roger's new 101 South album - being pressed as an independent release. It was being offered on his site as an autographed edition for a premium price and I promoted this offer and the website to order it from.
Sadly, to this day - the CDs ordered by fans of Roger and 101 South have not been delivered. A string of excuses have been offered to folks along the way, but it was clear something was wrong when the volume of complaints reaching me increased over the last 6 weeks. I immediately contacted Roger myself and was told of delays - and a promised imminent delivery.
On November 20, the album was released officially by AOR Heaven (after the label and Roger finally reached agreeable terms), with a retail price one third that of the signed version.

This week I was again informed by several unhappy fans that delivery had still not occurred.
Over the last 2 years Roger has become a fierce advocate for musicians rights and has been trying to implement ways to stop illegal internet downloads of music and make life fairer and easier for musicians. That is one mighty fine cause and something I also feel passionately about. It is something I have tried to be a part of myself - by promoting great music via this website and introducing new artists to old fans...and making it as easy as possible for fans to purchase this music.

So I was confused and upset by the message Roger was sending out to his most loyal fans - those that jumped in at the very start to support his music and purchase the new 101 South album. The same fans that paid the premium price.
I forwarded one of the complaint e-mails to Roger today with the additional message: "Totally selling your message short here Roger - please address ASAP!"
Pretty reasonable request I thought and as I have previously stated to Roger over the last few months, he is damaging his "support musicians" message by holding up the delivery of these orders.
Anyway...I got a very quick reply, but one that completely blew my mind. I have since sent Roger a couple of extra e-mails - the message I put back to him was pretty clear...but I'll leave that message up to your imaginations.

Like I stated, I rarely do this - but here is Roger's unedited reply to my call for him to act on these CD orders:

"THE BEATLES CAMP PLUS THE LARGEST UNION IN THE WORLD = MY FOCUS NOW
AND SADLY 88 PEOPLE MIGHT BE UPSET BUT I WILL APOLOGIZE TO THEM
THEY WILL GET REFUNDS THIS WEEK
BUT MY LIFE IS NOW DEDICATED TO FUTURE GENERATION OF MUSICIANS
AND I ABANDONED MY OWN CAREER TO DO SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT
SUPPORT MUSICIANS' IS GOING TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN ROGER SCOTT CRAIG AND STUPID 101 SOUTH
95% STOLEN MUSIC IS NOT COOL AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ANDREW TO ADDRESS THIS RIDICULOUS MESS??
AND DO YOU CARE ANDREW ABOUT 95% STOLEN MUSIC????
AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING????
NOTHING PROBABLY LIKE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE!!
WAKE UP PAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DO SOMETHING, SHIT OR GET OFF THE POT!!!
I LOOK TO MY FRIENDS AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING
SOME FRIEND OF THE MUSICAL COMMUNITY.............................
BUT TWO CEOS OF THE BEATLES DO CARE AND THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING
AND NOW THE AFM AS WELL WITH 100,000 MEMBERS AND WE WILL NOT SIT AROUND AND LET THIS CONTINUED THEFT OF MUSIC GO ON
WE DO CARE ABOUT FUTURE GENERATIONS OF MUSICIANS!!
DO YOU????????????????????????????????????????????????

And that was followed by this:
"88 PEOPLE UPSET BUT MILLIONS COMING ON TO MY TEAM SOON
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON HERE DO YOU????
JUST WATCH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY FRIENDS FROM THE BEATLES COME TOGETHER WITH THE LARGEST UNION IN THE WORLD
88 PEOPLE UPSET WILL NOT MATTER!!!"

Well Roger...they may not matter to you…but that's 88 readers of my site that gave YOU money - and that matters to me. I expect all refunds will be given to these folk by the end of this week.

You can purchase the 101 South AOR Heaven release via www.aorheaven.com and all good melodic retailers.

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

FREE JOHN ELEFANT MP3 DOWNLOAD:
Courtesy of John Elefante (vocalist on Mastedon's brilliant current album 3) and Frontiers Records, you can download John's brand new Christmas tune!
Download: John Elefante - Oh Come All Ye Faithful.

 

STRYPER BRING THEIR PRIDE TO AUSTRALIA:
Stryper will bring their 25th Anniversary Tour to Australia for the following dates:
Melbourne: Wednesday 7th April 2010, Billboard The Venue
Sydney: Thursday 8th April 2010, Metro Theatre
Brisbane: Saturday 10th April 2010, Hi Fi Brisbane

PRESS RELEASE / AVENUE OF ALLIES, DECEMBER 21:
Track-by-Track of Stargazer's debut album and first releases of 2010: In an interview with Arne Asbolmo of www.melodichardrocktoday.tk, Stargazer's lead vocalist Tore André Helgemo talked about the songs of the bands' debut album:
1. I needed you: A catchy A-major tune, with a hooky refrain, singing about needing someone to open your eyes to grab the love that is right in front of you! The middle section is something of a blend of Guns'n'Roses and Ozzy Osbourne, taking it a level up for the last refrains! My 8-year old (youngest) daughter and her friends have this one as their favourite Stargazer-song!;-)
2. Push me: This one was on the "Window to the world"-EP by F.R.I.E.N.D., and is here even heavier. One of our heaviest tunes so far. It is one of our live favourites!
3. Brother against brother: A very painful lyric about realising your closest relatives and people you used to relate to, turn their backs on you, and even worse; stab you in the back. Strong refrain, catchy hook in the opening riff which repeats.
4. This is the night: A song I have had in my mind since the start back in 2001. But, never until now quite found the way to put it. Steinar Krokstad (former drummer of Stage Dolls) suggested to slow it down a little, and that was the key to it! The calm I wanted, came with the tempo.
5. Whirlwinds: This is written by William, an instrumental building up to the next song, I love it!
6. You are the one: The opening riff tells you about the jam to come. The song is about a nightmare in fact, but it could have been true, somewhere on this planet! Note a rare bass-solo by Mr. Black himself! (Morty Black, former bass player of TNT).
7. Keep the good times: A song about people growing apart, but still being able to keep each other in both memory and heart. The drumbeat drives you away with a heavy guitar riff and floating, catchy melody-line on top.
8. Working on the end: The lyric is about being close to doomsday and a "couldn't care less"-mentality. It is a funny song on a serious topic. With its shuffle-beat, its stadium-rock-refrain and outro call-/response-sequence, this is a special number.
9. The cage: The only ballad, a song on believing in what you can do, and about daring to do it, no matter what people might say. Sounds easy, it is not!
10. Dancing on your grave: I hate it when people go around counting what they might inherit here and there. Sad to say many of us do, still trying to hide it. Shame on them! They are the ones "dancing on your grave". A hard rocking number with parallels to both AC/DC and Metallica.
11. Window to the world: The last one out. This is a re-write of "Look out of your window" from the earlier mentioned EP. We wanted to do it again, and when we presented the song to Steinar Krokstad, he said: "the riff is the refrain, why don't you sing on the riff?" . I added lyrics to the riff, and, the man was all right!


In addition to the specialised Melodic Rock retailers, the physical CD of the Stargazer album, as well as Fire's "Thrill Me" and "History Of A Bad Boy" by the Steve Grimm Band, is now listed on www.cdbaby.com. All albums will shortly also be available worldwide as Digital Downloads from iTunes, Amazon, Napster, Rhapsody and more download sites.
Avenue Of Allies' first release in 2010 will be Sora's "Desire And Truth". A guitar oriented Classic Rock and Melodic Hard Rock album feat. Erol Sora (John Lawton Band). The band's second album is recapturing the spirit and sound of great British bands from the late 70s/early 80s such as MSG, Whitesnake, Rainbow, UFO and Gary Moore. The CD will be in stores on the 26th of February 2010.

March 2010 will see the release of the solo debut of Sven Larsson, guitar player for the Swedish AOR band Street Talk. "Sunlight And Shadow" is a celebration of Sven's love for Westcoast AOR, showcasing his renowned guitar skills and including guest appearances of his Street Talk colleagues. We can look forward to an album in the classic Toto-vein with hints of Journey and Steve Lukather's solo albums.

 
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SYMPHONY OF ANGELS – APRIL 2010:
The Angels with The Adelaide Art Orchestra At Festival Theatre / Since the original & most revered Angels line-up reformed in early 2008, they have played over 100 live performances as part of their Reunited, Night Attack, By Request and Live tours as well as numerous festivals & events…
From the outset, the concept of blending The Angels brand of Australian Rock with classically trained musicians has inspired them to create something new and sophisticated. The band is proud to announce the Symphony Of Angels….
With the band originating from Adelaide, there couldn't be a more appropriate city for this one off event. The Festival Theatre in Adelaide will see the Symphony of Angels become a reality for one night only on Saturday April 17 with the 30 piece Adelaide Art Orchestra.
For John & Rick Brewster this is a dream come true, their father Arthur Brewster Jones was a conductor for the Brewster Jones String Orchestra and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra as well as being the principal cellist from the mid 1940's to mid 1950's. In 1949 their grandfather, Hooper Brewster Jones, a concert pianist and composer of over 600 works including symphonies, died tragically backstage at the Adelaide Town Hall after his son Arthur had conducted him in the Symphony Orchestra.
Rob Pippan, one of Adelaide's most respected musicians will be the event musical director. Rob was the co producer and musical director behind the ASO's sell out concerts 'ASO Plays Pink Floyd' in 2006, 'ASO Plays Queen' in 2007 and co producer of 2005's 'Zeppelin Flies Again'
"If you haven't seen The Angels since they reformed then 'Symphony Of Angels' is the perfect opportunity to see the band performing their greatest hits in a prestigious venue in an expanded rock/orchestral format, with full concert sound and the biggest lineup ever assembled to back the group. The combination of The Angels, the Adelaide Art Orchestra and the Festival Theatre as a venue will provide a special coming home for the band and fans alike in what will be a truly memorable concert." - Rob Pippan
"John and I grew up surrounded by classical music. Our father and both his parents were all classical musicians - performing, composing, teaching and conducting. These early influences have remained with us throughout our careers and we are at last about to realise our dream of one day performing our own music with an orchestra. It will add a whole new dimension to it. It's a very exciting and challenging prospect and I hope the end result is agreeable to the ancestors if they're listening ... they're a hard bunch to please! This one's for Dad, Gran & Bopo, I will definitely "make the melody sing"!" - Rick Brewster
"Rick & I have such a rich heritage of classical music through our family that when we come up with chord progressions and solos like 'Take A Long Line' I always thought that there was a classical element I was almost like Rick was playing the melodies on a violin. When we recorded Mr Damage we would hum orchestral parts to the song and thought it would be great to marry such a phonetic song with an orchestra. Bring it on!!" - John Brewster
This will be an event not to miss.
Tickets On Sale from all BASS outlets from Monday December 21 2009. Saturday 17 April at The Festival Theatre in Adelaide. For more information log onto: www.spitfiremusic.com.au/soa.

 

ACE FREHLEY TO RELEASE BEHIND THE PLAYER DVD WORLDWIDE JANUARY 19:
Legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley will release Behind the Player a retrospective DVD chronicling his work as one of the world's most influential guitar players. The DVD will be released worldwide January 19th, through IMV, Rocket Science Ventures and Sony/RED.
The DVD features the iconic Spaceman talking about his life as a guitar player, including rare photos and video footage. Ace also gives in depth lessons for his KISS classics Shock Me and Cold Gin. The DVD includes an all-star jam session of Ace playing with George Lynch, John 5, Matt Sorum, Chris Wyse and Tommy Clufetos. Frehley says, I havent done anything like this before, but liked what they were doing with the Behind The Player series. Jamming the tracks with the guys was a lot of fun. Ace Frehley Behind The Player will be available January 19th at music retailers and for digital download everywhere.
In September, Frehley released his first solo album in nearly 20 years, Anomaly, which debuted top 30 on Billboard 200. Ace is currently on tour in Europe, and will be heading off to Australia in early 2010.
WebLink: www.acefrehley.com.

NEW HELIX VIDEOS TO VIEW:
Dear Fans/Friends, Here's the two home movie videos that Helix fan Thane Silliker put together for Silent Night and Jingle Bells. Both tracks are from our "A Heavy Mental Christmas" CD which can be purchased at www.planethelix.com. The video features Planet Helix, our pets, and Lynda's over-the-top Christmas decorations.
Silent Night: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCiJx1WRHpc / Jingle Bells: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CRRbfFuq0s.
This is also the last week to buy a "Vagabond Bones" (our newest CD, released in November, featuring the original lineup from the 80's of Daryl Gray, Brent Doerner, Greg "Fritz" Hinz, and myself) and automatically get entered to win an autographed B.C. Rich Warlock guitar. The draw is to be held Christmas Eve. You can hear some of the new songs by going to www.planethelix.com.
London fans: We'll be at Norma Jeans on January 30.

MORE FOR SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL:
More artists locked in for Sweden Rock Festival 2010 (www.swedenrock.com):

In America, hair metal was long considered extinct - then came Steel Panther and showed just how wrong this was! Said Los Angeles-quartet have been around for roughly a decade, under different monikers - they released their debut "Hole Patrol" both in 2003 as Metal Shop, and in 2005 as Metal Skool. As Steel Panther, they debuted in 2009 with "Feel the Steel", and this album has made the public take serious notice. For the acclaimed music, reminiscent of glam/hair metal heroes like Poison, Slaughter et al, but even more for the ironic (?) lyrics. Titles like "Asian Hooker", "Stripper Girl" and "I Want Pussy" indicate, correctly, that the lyrics of Steel Panther would make a gangsta-rapper blush!

Scotsmen Alestorm have swiftly become one of the most talked-about new metal bands of our time. They debuted in 2008 with "Captain Morgan's Revenge", an album of the folk metal persuasion and with a pirate image that would have gained an appreciative nod from the legendary Running Wild (RIP). Album number two, "Black Sails at Midnight", arrived promptly the following spring, and it hasn't taken Alestorm very long to find an audience, by touring heavily but also because their music is quite impressive, musically and from its entertainment value. For those who have longed for a band combining tough heavy metal-riffs with Celtic rhythms, and with a singer (Christopher Bowes) who sings about pirates with a bona fide Scottish accent, their patience has now been rewarded.

ONE OF THOSE WEEKS:
On Sunday our family lost the last remaining grandparent - my Nan Thelma Stuart. At the ripe old age of 93, she lived it up until the end. May she rest in peace. Tomorrow is the funeral, which will be tough, but today was our 'middle' son Zackary's 4th birthday - amazing to see how he has grown and a real bright spot in the week. Then Friday is Christmas Day - a wonderful time, but the first without our 'head of family'. Been a strange week. Been a strange year…
Anyway… I'll do my best to do an update late tomorrow, but if not, tune in Thursday for the last pre-Christmas update - rounding up all the recent news and some things I have missed over the last month or so. Cheers...

 

 

 

Monday, December 21, 2009

DANGER DANGER CONFIRMED FOR ROCKWEEKEND FESTIVAL IN SWEDEN:
Legendary NYC-rockers Danger Danger will come to Sweden this summer and the third annual Rockweekend Festival, held in Söderhamn 2 hours north of Stockholm/Arlanda airport. The band will perform no less then two nights in a row, as guests at the Rockweekend Allstars concert on the 8th and a full show on the 9th. The bands last visit in Sweden was at the Sweden Rock Festival in 2004, and their gig was ranked by many as one of the best that year! Let's get naughty, naughty!
Also confirmed for the Rockweekend Festival 2010: Deep Purple, Over the Rainbow, Paul Dianno and many more to follow...
WebLink: www.rockweekend.se/2010/information/english.

THE OUTFIELD RETURN IN 2010:
Multi-platinum recording artist The Outfield are currently in a London recording studio recording their 7th studio album with original members John Spinks, Tony Lewis and Alan Jackman. The recording sessions have been powered by a promising surge of adrenaline and chemistry. The Outfield's explosive blend of power pop sparkle and classic rock swagger give the tracks an optimism and authenticity that is much needed in today's world. This highly anticipated release is tentatively scheduled for a summer 2010 release.
WebLink: www.theoutfield.com.

SLAUGHTER IN LAS VEGAS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE:
Slaughter in Las Vegas for New Year's Eve - When: December 31, 9 p.m. - Party kicks off 11 p.m. - performance by Slaughter. Midnight - Champagne toast, Rockin' into the early hours- enjoy a special post-midnight jam by Blandini.
Where: Feelgoods Rock Bar & Grill 6750 West Sahara Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89146
Must be 21 or older to attend. Admission tickets are $40 per person beginning at 9 p.m. There is a seating fee for table reservations. For more information or to make table and booth reservations, please call 702-220-8849 or visit www.feelgoodsvegas.com.

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X has been updated with 6 classic soundboard live shows. They are:
- Aerosmith Budokan Hall Tokyo, Japan September 20,1990
- The Hooters New York City, NY Electric Ladyland Studios 1/23/1990
- The Hooters S.I.R. Studios New York 2008-03-28
- John Mellencamp Deer Creek Music Center Noblesville , IN July 4th, 1992
- Kansas Palladium New York City USA November 20 1980
- REO Speedwagon Live in Concert at the Market Street Arena, Indianapolis - 31st December, 1984
MR-X Membership Details.

 

 

 

Friday, December 18, 2009

GIANT'S NEW PROMISED LAND:
Giant, the powerhouse Rock quartet, now formed by founding members David Huff and Mike Brignardello, together with Terry Brock and John Roth, will unleash their highly anticipated fourth album Promise Land on the international markets.
Formed by brothers Dann and David Huff, together with the experienced Jazz-Rock keyboardist Alan Pasqua and Nashville session bass player Mike Brignardello, Giant would soon become, with the release of their debut album "Last of The Runaways" (A&M Records, 1989), one of the most respected trademark bands of the Melodic Hard Rock scene. Following countless live performances, the band recorded the follow-up "Time to Burn" (Epic, 1991), an album still regarded as a main source of influence for many Melodic and Hard Rock bands nowadays.
With the sudden change of musical climate and after another World tour without Pasqua, Giant disbanded, with their members becoming involved again in different projects. Particularly Giant's frontman and lead guitarist Dann Huff went on to become one of the most in-demand producers of our era, working in the Rock, Pop and Country Music with countless artists including Shania Twain, Megadeth, Faith Hill, Madonna and Bon Jovi.
In 2001, the Italian uprising Melodic Rock indie Frontiers Records, prompted Giant to release "III", an album that would landmark the rise the new Melodic Rock scene, particularly in Europe.
Unfortunately Dann's busy schedule along with the other members' commitments, made the reunion impossible to carry on as planned. However the vision of bringing back Giant as a living band unit, with a recording and touring line-up and with of course the possibility to offer the enormous legacy of the music produced was developed, until it became apparent that Dann Huff could not be a full part of this concept, even though he loved everything that Giant was. Thus original members, drummer David Huff and bassist Mike Brignardello, started an endless research for the right musicians that could be part of a renewed Giant line-up. And in the end the choice fell on singer extraordinaire Terry Brock (Strangeways, Seventh Key) and John Roth (Winger) on guitars.

In April 2009 the band started the writing and the recording sessions of the new album, with Dann Huff himself participating to the sessions, co-writing with the new line-up members the haunting ballad Our Love and the straight out rockers Double Trouble, Plenty of Love, Save Me. He offered songs from his catalogue, such as the album title-track, Through My Eyes (both co-written with Mark Spiro) and Two Worlds. He also later guested on lead guitars on Save Me and Believer (Redux), the latter being a song written by Erik Martensson and Robert Sall of new Melodic Rock sensations W.E.T. with Miqael Persson (with two more: Never Surrender and Prisoner of Love fruit of the Martensson/Persson collaboration).
"We have worked so hard and we are very happy and proud of this record, along with Dann", says David Huff and truly the production and band members songwriting and performances shine all over the album!
Promise Land includes the following songs: Believer (Redux); Promise Land; Never Surrender; Our Love; Prisoner of Love; Two Worlds; Plenty of Love; Through My Eyes; I'll Wait For You; Dying To See You; Double Trouble; Complicated Man*, Save Me. Also includes "The Making of Promise Land" documentary - interactive multimedia bonus. *Bonus track only available in the first pressing in digipak.
"Promise Land" was mixed by Ben Fowler (Van Zandt, Cher, Meat Loaf) and mastered by Joe Palmaccio (3 Grammy Awards won).
WebLinks: www.frontiers.it / www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords.

 
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KROKUS LONG ANTICIPATED COMEBACK ALBUM TITLED HOODOO:
All good things take time and delicate "sound" flowers of the likes of Krokus need special care – especially when they are expected to climb the charts like an artillery of thundering tanks! For two years Krokus worked diligently on their highly anticipated comeback album. For the first time, the Swiss rock royalty from Solothurn sheds some light regarding their forthcoming release!
Hoodoo is the name of the new album, with which Marc Storace, Chris Von Rohr, Fernando Von Arb, Mark Kohler and Freddy Steady put you under their spell and prove once again that they are indeed ageless. You will be spellbound on February 26th, 2010, when the new cd is released.
Swiss boulevard paper "Blick" asked original founder Chris Von Rohr the question that was on most people's mind: why did the fans had to wait that long for this new release? "We are only together for about two years in the original line-up and a killer song – much less an entire album – cannot be written, recorded and produced over night. The material needs to evolve, mature like a fine wine and one needs to be critical with one self, set the standards high and allow only the best material to make it on the album. No fillers – no compromises."
When it's all said and done, the masterpiece should sound like a mixture of yesterday and tomorrow. Adds Chris: "It was my responsibility as producer to bring out of each musician their individual strength and to continue sound wise where we left off with Metal-Rendez-Vous and Headhunter. Back to the roots – but with today's power, unstoppable like a steamroller!"
It is no wonder that expectations are high. Next spring, when the Krokus namesake tough flower breaks through winter's ice and starts blooming, Krokus fans will witness firsthand what «Hoodoo» is all about. Describes guitarist Fernando Von Arb: "It's gonna be an avalanche like, uncompromising, straight forward rock. Fasten your seatbelts, enjoy the ride and rock on!». Adds vocalist Marc Storace: «Definitely a one of a kind original Krokus album that will please fans". Bassist and producer Chris Von Rohr sums it all up: "To keep the end result top quality, it was ok that during the process of writing songs and recording them occasionally tempers flared within the band. We are no lame pussycat rockers; instead we stay true to ourselves. All the blood, sweat and painstaking effort during this 2-year journey was worthwhile!" Drummer Freddy Steady and guitarist Mark Kohler, along with Chris, Marc and Fernando promise: "2010 will be a Krokus-Year – we will put a spell on everyone. "Hoodoo" style, one at a time!"

ARMORED SAINT ANNOUNCES TRACKLISTING FOR NEW ALBUM:
Los Angeles metal legends Armored Saint are pleased to announce the tracklisting for the band's recently completed album La Raza, the band's first new album since 2001's Nod to the Old School. La Raza was recorded at Tranzformer Studios in Burbank, CA, was produced by bassist Joey Vera, and engineered by Bryan Carlstrom and his assistant John Nuss.
La Raza tracklisting: 1. Loose Cannon 2. Head On 3. Left Hook from Right Field 4. Get Off the Fence 5. Chilled 6. La Raza 7. Black Feet 8. Little Monkey 9. Blues 10. Bandit Country.
Bassist, producer, and founding member Joey Vera comments on the unique recording process for La Raza: "We used nothing but analog gear, most of which was custom built by Rupert Neve for Bryan Carlstrom. We hit every signal (drum mics, guitars, vocals) with custom or vintage analog gear before recording into Pro Tools. We even used rare vintage amps for most of the guitar overdubs. At mix time, we mixed on an SSL 4000E console and went to a 1 inch tape reel (one of only 2 on the west coast) for our final masters. Uh…you DO know what tape is, don't you?
What does this all mean? It means we spit in the ear of the age of the mp3, teenie, tiny ear bud listening culture that has turned its back on what it means to experience music. This record is FAT. We mean, obese! Full on cardiovascular failure stuff! Old School, Baby!"
La Raza will be available everywhere March 16th 2010!
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/armoredsaint1 / www.twitter.com/thearmoredsaint.

REVIEWS UPDATED:
Online today is a host of new Reviews - Bon Jovi, Blackwood Creek, On The Rise, Los Angeles, Dare, Spin Gallery, Mike Tramp, Mr. Big and 101 South.

Also online are new InBrief Reviews for - The Poor, Paris Keeling, Subsignal, Pink Cream 69, Cinderella, Sister Hazel, Sweet, Steevi Jaimz, Native Window, Fair Warning, Voices Of Rock, Gregg Rolie Band, Empires Of Eden, Brunorock and Bill Leverty.
Check out all new reviews here.

MR-X:
I had to choose between Reviews and MR-X update and the reviews won. I'll be back with a MR-X update Monday. Thanks for understanding...

 

 

 

Thursday, December 17, 2009

RICK SPRINGFIELD & JEFF SILVERMAN OPEN THEIR VAULTS:
Frontiers Records to release From the Vault – (A Collection of works by Rick Springfield & Jeff Silverman) including previously un-released and remastered demos and a new edition of Rick Springfield's hit album Venus In Overdrive on February 26th, 2010.
Frontiers Records is set to release a collection of newly mastered and some previously un-released demos from Grammy-Award-Winner Rick Springfield and veteran producer, engineer, songwriter, and lead-guitar player from his first touring band, Jeff Silverman. Springfield and Silverman started recording together in the late 1970's. "I would go to [Jeff's] studio when I wanted to record some really great sounding demos", says Springfield. "We also wrote quite a few songs together, which was something I hadn't done with another musician before." Silverman states "Rick and I discovered that we had a great deal in common… our professional relationship began to evolve into more than just playing live. It grew to recording his demo's together, writing together and eventually making records together."
From the Vault (A Collection of works by Rick Springfield & Jeff Silverman) consists of 13 tracks, originally recorded between 1986 and 1999, that have been digitally re-mastered by Jeff Silverman, giving the audience an entirely new listening experience. Many of the tracks, such as Dancin' on the Edge of the World, Right Planet, Wrong World, You Write the Book, Dream in Colour, and Religion of the Heart are previously unreleased versions of the songs. Others such as Somewhere, Monkey, Love Receiver and My Depression were later recorded for Springfield's albums. Springfield states that "the songs on this CD are the result of long hours slaving over a hot studio console in Jeff's studio and have never been released like this before". "Even though many of the songs on the CD were never released", agrees Silverman, "the care, the hard work and love that went into making every song the best we could make, was always our main objective."
Final tracklisting of "From the Vault (A Collection of works by Rick Springfield & Jeff Silverman)" includes: Dancin' On The Edge of the World; Right Planet, Wrong World; You Write The Book; Monkey; Love Receiver; Hey Eileen; Dream in Colour (demo); Woman II; Religion of the Heart; Why Don't You Dance; Somewhere; My Depression; In Veronica's Head.

 
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As a perfect companion to this release, Frontiers Records will also be reissuing in Europe a special edition of Rick Springfield's latest album Venus in Overdrive, originally released in July 2008. Debuting in the USA on the Billboard chart at #28; this achievement marks Springfield's highest chart position since the mid 80's.
This 2010 version comes with the worthy addition of a bonus track (a new recording of Celebrate Youth) and a concert DVD, "Live in Rockford" originally released in October 2006 in the USA only. Filmed live as part of the HDNet Concert Series at the historic Coronado Theatre in Rockford, IL, Rick showcases his talent and everlasting energy in this special release.
"Live in Rockford" contents include: I'll Make You Happy; Will I; Affair of the Heart; I've Done Everything for You; Rock of Life; Red House; Don't Talk to Strangers; I Get Excited; Baker Street; Broken Wings; Beautiful You; Living In Oz; Love Somebody; Jesus Saves; Kristina; Human Touch; Jessie's Girl.

 

To date, Rick Springfield has sold over 19 million records and has charted a whopping 17 top 40 hits, including his #1 hit, Jessie's Girl. Having performed for millions of fans over the last three decades, and showing no signs of slowing down, Rick continues to play 100 shows a year, sharing his love of performing, unstoppable energy and his unique brand of crowd interaction with thousands of fans each night. Rick literally wades deep into the crowd at each show. His tour dates also include a 5-day fan oriented cruise. This year, the 3rd annual Rick Springfield & Friends cruise is set to sail in November 2010.  In 2005, Springfield returned to daytime TV's General Hospital as the character he originated in the 80's, Dr. Noah Drake as well as assuming an alternate character, Aussie rocker Eli Love.  More recently, Springfield appeared on a 4 episode ARC on Showtime's hit show Californication's 3rd season.
Jeff Silverman is a veteran producer, engineer, songwriter, accomplished musician and singer. He started playing piano at the age of 5, then guitar at 10 and made the decision to make music a lifelong career not long after. After traveling around the US in club bands after high school, he arrived in LA in 1976 and almost immediately met up with Rick Springfield for his first US tour of the Wait for Night album. He has been a staff songwriter at Motown/LA and has co-written with a number of artists including:  Rick Springfield, Michael Peterson and Tommy TuTone. Jeff has also mixed, mastered and edited for artists such as: Charice, Boyz to Men, David Cassidy, George Clinton and Prince and has performed live with Rick Springfield, Roger Miller and Redbone. He currently operates Palette Studios his own Pro Tools HD3 studio in Nashville, Tennessee where he writes, produces and records.
Weblinks: www.rickspringfield.com / www.palettemusic.net  / www.frontiers.it.

BRIAN HOWE OPENS HIS CIRCUS BAR FEBRUARY:
Frontiers Records is delighted to announce the release of Brian Howe's forthcoming solo album entitled Circus Bar on February 26th 2010 in Europe and March 9th in the USA.
Long regarded as one of rock's legendary voices, Brian Howe started his career in 1983 as lead vocalist for Ted Nugent on the "Penetrator" album and fronting its band on the subsequent world tour. In 1984, drummer Simon Kirke and guitarist Mick Ralphs asked Brian to replace Paul Rodgers as the lead singer in Bad Company. Brian decided to accept the offer and continue the legend of the band. This was not an easy task, but along with Kirke and Ralphs, Brian created, wrote, recorded and toured for the following 10 years, headlining every major venue around the globe.
Along with Bad Company's highly acclaimed 1993 live CD "What You Hear Is What You Get - The Best of Bad Company - Live", Brian wrote and sold with Bad Company something like 19 million of records, highlighted by such radio and video hits as "Holy Water", "If You Needed Somebody," "No Smoke Without A Fire," and "How About That," - not to mention a few of the group's previous hits as recorded on the "live" CD.
Thirteen years after the release of his debut solo album "Tangled in Blue" (later renamed "Touch" in Europe), Brian is back and ready to unleash his awesome new solo album entitled "Circus Bar". "When I decided I wanted to make a new CD" tells Brian, "I wanted to try to make everything memorable and enjoyable. Therefore I set aside a week for writing with my new producer Brooks Paschal and I decided we would go down to my favourite place in the entire world: Lake Atitlan , Guatemala, an incredibly inspirational place for me to be. We realized after three days that we had written enough songs for the CD and that took any pressure I had been feeling away and it soon became obvious that the CD should be named after that wonderful little bar where we spent our evenings eating, drinking and listening to the local music. The bar was started by circus performers and still has posters and pictures of all the great circus acts from throughout the years".
Some friends helped Brian in shaping up "Circus Bar", an album, which promises to be a career landmark for this amazing singer: Wayne Nelson of Little River Band dropped by the studio for a few days and also Pat Travers popped in and played guitar on "My Town". "I didn't want to have too many "established" musicians on the record because I wanted to keep the feel somewhat fresh and spontaneous", explains Brian.
The album includes also two stunning – newly recorded - remakes of the Bad Company hits "How 'Bout That" and "Holy Water".
Produced by Brooks Paschal and mixed by Rafe McKenna (Giant, Bad Company, Tesla, Ten) "Circus Bar" track listing includes: I'm Back; Life's Mystery; There's This Girl; Could Have Been You; Surrounded; Flying; How It Could Have Been; My Town; How 'Bout That; Feels Like I'm Coming Home; If You Want Trouble; Feelings; Holy Water; Little George Street.
"I like to think that this CD is representative of an established artist with a modern outlook on what happening in today's music scene" concludes Bryan. "It's been 13 years since my last record and on this CD I have given them everything I have: music that appeals to anyone that likes big melodies with an edge". 100% gold class awaits the faithful fans who will purchase "Circus Bar", better believe it: Brian Howe is back to Rock!
WebLinks: www.brianhowe.com / www.myspace.com/brianhowe01 / www.frontiers.it / www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords.

 
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FREEDOM CALL LEGEND OF THE SHADOWKING:
Freedom Call are about to release their 6th studioalbum. All 14 songs are based on the story of King Ludwig II. Although he hated politics and the real world with all it's responsibilities and duties throughout his life, his people loved him for his romantic nature, his blooming fantasy, his affection and support over art and music and his youthful but impressive appearance. When Bavaria lost its centuries-old independence and power after the foundation of the First German Empire on January 1st, 1871, he once said "I don't want to be a shadowking without power!". He escaped more and more into a self-created dream world which was inspired by Richard Wagner's compositions and preferred solitude. He neglected his state affair duties and eventually drove the state into financial ruin with his outrageous building projects. His fondness towards Wagner and especially his compositions was not returned. Wagner took advantage of his naivety and childish admiration and distanced himself when Ludwig tried to intervene in his works of art. This separation was only one of many disappointments during King Ludwig's life! He found himself in a devils circle, couldn't see a way out anymore. At one point he got pulled down more and more.
At the end he became a victim of a state's complot and dies in the dark waters of the Starnberger See lake on June 13th, 1886 - as stated in an official version.
Tracklisting: 1. Out Of The Ruins 2. Thunder God 3. Tears Of Babylon 4. Merlin - Legend Of The Past 5. Resurrection Day 6. Under The Spell Of The Moon 7. Dark Obsessions 8. The Darkness 9. Remember 10. Ludwig II. - Prologue 11. The Shadowking 12. Merlin - Requiem 13. Kingdom Of Madness 14. A Perfect Day.
Release Dates: Germany January 29th, 2010, Rest February 1st, 2010.

 

JON SCHAFFER (ICED EARTH) PRESS RELEASE:
Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth) Press Release - "Hello friends, For the last several months I have been working on a new project/solo album called Sons of Liberty. I am excited to unveil this and talk about the motivations behind it this Friday on the Alex Jones show. I will be in the studio with Alex on Friday December 18th at 2pm CST. The show is broadcast from 11am to 3pm CST to over 80 stations nation wide. To find a station near you, go to: www.gcnlive.com/affiliates.php or stream it LIVE for free from Infowars.com. Just click on www.infowars.com/listen.html and you will be able to follow the broadcast.
Prison Planet members can watch the interview from PrisonPlanet.TV.
On a newly created website that will go live Friday, December 18, you will be able to download and listen to this new album for free. You will also be able to purchase a high-resolution version. The web address is www.sons-of-liberty.net.
My desire is for Sons of Liberty to become part of a much larger movement that is happening around the world. This new website will be a think-tank containing lots of interesting web-links, book and movie recommendations, and much more. This will be an ongoing process, so check back often. I am very proud to be invited to Alex Jones' show and I feel this is the perfect place for me to reveal the first Sons of Liberty album entitled "Brush-fires of the Mind."
This is about the message and not the messenger. This is a project that I encourage you to copy and share with your friends. I care very much about what is happening in our world, we've been steamrolling down this road for a long time, so I assure you this is not a politically biased message. I'm hoping to set a few brush-fires in the minds of the listeners with this one. So please, check it out, do the research and get involved! Looking forward to getting your responses on this new chapter in my life! All the best, Jon Schaffer."

SECOND INSTALLMENT OF TODD RUNDGREN BIOGRAPHY TO BE PUBLISHED:
12/16/2009 - Asheville, NC - After a seven year gap, much to the anticipation of Todd Rundgren fans worldwide, A Dream Goes On Forever - The Continuing Story of Todd Rundgren vol. 2 is to be published by Golden Treasures Publishing on December 15. 2009. There is no more consumate musician than Todd Rundgren. There is no more complete collected account of his sonic accomplishments than A Dream Goes on Forever. This second volume of the biographic series tracks his history from the triumphant mid-'70s atop the golden pyramid to the challenging mid-'80s when he faced the demise of Utopia. Follow the album-by-album coverage from Todd's landmark 1977 production of Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell through to the persistence of vision which allowed him to continue creating music after the end of his video studio, record label and band. From Utopia to Oblivion and beyond.
No account of Todd Rundgren's second decade of creativity would be complete without extensive coverage of his pioneering efforts in music video. From his first forays into live TV to the founding of his state-of-the-art $2 million studio, Todd poured as much energy, money and talent into the advancement of music video as he did for his audio adventures. Relish the highs such as when "Time Heals" becomes the second video ever played on MTV, or Utopia presides over the channel's first birthday celebration with Nina Blackwood. Be there as Martha Quinn and Todd announce results of a Basement Tapes session, and when the band produces award-winning videography for "Feets Don't Fail Me Now". Follow along on the rollercoaster ride as Utopia's TV show plans get foiled by lost RCA satellites, and the studio ultimately and tragically goes up in flames.
Learn how, despite it all, Todd continues to forge ahead producing his own landmark solo albums along with pop gems like Skylarking by XTC and Forever Now by the Psychedelic Furs. It's all here, disc by disc, frame by frame, covering all the developments in unparalled detail. It's the continuing story of the one - the only - Todd Rundgren marching boldly through the Utopia years.
A Dream Goes On Forever vol. 2, featuring a foreword by Utopia member Kasim Sulton, is available through Amazon as well as directly through Golden Treasures Publishing (who, along with publishing the first volume of the Todd Rundgren biographic series, has released Beyond &Before - The Early Years of YES by Peter Banks).
For more information: www.goldtrespub.gemm.com / www.ant-bee.com.

AMERICAN CARNAGE TOUR - NEW DIGITAL CLIP POSTED:
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, Testament's Chuck Billy and all four members of Slayer talk about the upcoming "wet metal dream tour," The American Carnage Tour. Slayer and Megadeth, each nominated for 2010 Grammy awards, co-headline the 26-date trek, which kicks off January 18 in Seattle. Check out the digital press release here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9_gP4KJtuk.

GARY HOEY TO APPEAR ON HARD ROCK NIGHTS:
Gary Hoey, known extensively for his holiday releases as well as his top 5 cover of Focus' "Hocus Pocus," will be the guest on Hard Rock Nights, December 18-24. Hoey's renditions of Christmas classics, released in three volumes under the title "Ho! Ho! Hoey," have become favorites among hard rock fans. Gary will talk with JT about his work with the early-90s supergroup Heavy Bones (featuring Joel Ellis from Cats in Boots and Frankie Banali of Quiet Riot fame), how he chose "Hocus Pocus" for his 1993 debut solo album, his Christmas music, and his upcoming solo record, tentatively titled Only Human.
Hard Rock Nights is an internationally syndicated radio program carried on several rock and metal stations on the FM and AM dials as well as the internet. Visit hardrocknights.wordpress.com/affiliates for a full list of times and stations.

 

 

 

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

RICK SPRINGFIELD, TO WRITE MEMOIR FOR TOUCHSTONE FIRESIDE:
(December 14, 2010) Grammy-Award-Winner, singer, songwriter and actor, Rick Springfield has signed with Stacy Creamer, Vice President and Publisher of Touchstone Fireside, a division of Simon & Schuster, to write his memoir. Springfield is best known for his 17 top 40 hits including his now classic #1 song, Jessie's Girl, his role on ABC's hit day time drama General Hospital as Dr. Noah Drake and a wickedly twisted version of himself on the Showtime hit series Californication. Late, Late at Night shares the extremely candid story of Springfield's initial rise, subsequent fall and his rise again in the music and entertainment business as well as his life long battle with depression. Creamer acquired world English, first serial, and audio from Steve Fisher at APA. Touchstone will publish in October 2010. Aussie Springfield will be published in Australia by Simon and Schuster.
"Many of the things I have had to face in my life are universal issues; my lifelong battle with depression, fear of failure, self doubt and my journey to overcome these," commented Mr. Springfield. "There have been ups and downs in my life, and reaching the milestone of my 60th birthday made me want to tell my story finally and honestly. I seized the opportunity to tell my story in my own words, so those who may be going through similar things in their lives, can take my experiences, grow from them and hopefully have a good laugh along the way."
"As a longtime fan, I was naturally interested in Rick Springfield's memoir," said Ms. Creamer, "Reading his pages I was instantly taken with his great voice, great stories, and charmingly self-deprecating wit. His utterly candid discussion of the serious depression he's battled throughout his life is both chilling and inspiring. With Late, Late At Night, you'll really have to add 'writer' to Rick's already impressive rock star/actor status."
To date, Rick Springfield has sold over 19 million records. His most recent studio album, Venus in Overdrive, released in July 2008, debuted on the Billboard chart at #28; his highest chart position since the mid 80's. He maintains an active touring schedule, playing 90 to100 high-energy shows per year across the country. His tour dates also include a 5-day fan oriented cruise. This year, the 3rd annual Rick Springfield & Friends cruise is set to sail in November 2010. In 2005, Springfield returned to daytime TV's General Hospital as the character he originated in the 80's, Dr. Noah Drake as well as assuming an alternate character, Aussie rocker Eli Love. More recently, Springfield appeared on a 4 episode ARC on Showtime's hit show Californication's 3rd season.
Springfield's official website, www.rickspringfield.com, is the home for his incredibly active fan base. He also has a strong online following on MySpace, Facebook and Twitter and even has his own official Rick Springfield iPhone app.
Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Online, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at simonandschuster.com.

HELIX FRONTMAN UPDATES FANS:
An update from Helix vocalist Brian Vollmer - "Dear Helix fans, Helix has just released their 14th studio CD entitled Vagabond Bones featuring the original 80's lineup of Brent Doerner/Fritz Hinz/Daryl Gray and myself. You can hear some of the songs and order the CD by going to our website at www.planethelix.com. The songs start playing as soon as you go to the homepage. Everyone to buy a Vagabond Bones CD will automatically be entered to win a B.C. Rich Warlock guitar, draw to be held Christmas Eve. Also-don't forget our Christmas CD-also available on our site.
Please spread the word about the CD if you like the tracks. Word of mouth keeps us alive.
Dates for 2010:
Jan. 23rd: The Hardball/Milton,Ontario
Jan. 30th: Norma Jeans/London, Ontario
April 17th: The Mohegan Casino/Uncasville, Connecticut
May: **tentative: Western Canada
August 7th: Lewisporte, Newfoundland

INDIE ROCK BAND HYDRA DELIVERS CHRISTMAS GIFT:
This is the End of the Year and Hydra is happy to offer you a cool Christmas gift! You have a FREE download link here to discover the second unreleased album from the band: In The Stars. Download here. Find more info at: www.myspace.com/hydrathespecialone. And you still have the opportunity to send a picture of you to be in the new video of the band, check this: www.m-zic.com/hydra/concours.php.
We wish you a Merry Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

INTRODUCING KHALIDA - NEW ROCK FROM GERMANY:
On www.myspace.com/khalidarocks you can now hear the first snippets of Germany's new rock band Khalida. The band arose out of the collaboration of German melodic metal band S.I.N. with American vocalist Renee Walker. When recording their album "The 13th Apostle" back in 2007 Renee Walker took over the role of Junia in the plot of this concept album. Because of the magic moments in those recordings the idea was born to start something new!
Renee Walker is a well-known American singer who lives in Mannheim, Germany. She has worked with such acts as Bodo Schopf (MSG), Dreamwalker, The Renee Walker Band and many, many more. The debut-EP of Khalida, consisting of 7 songs, will be release round mid January and will be available by order directly from the band.
Khalida are: Renee Walker - vocals; Deddy Andler - guitar; Wolfgang Frank - guitar, bass; Alex Hlousek - drums; Ashley Whited - keys. Take a look at www.myspace.com/khalidarocks, listen to those tracks and tell the band what you think.

UPDATE FROM DRUMMER BOBBY JARZOMBEK:
Drummer Bobby Jarzombek posted this update online - "Speaking of reunions, I went to Japan in October with the Riot - 'Thundersteel' line-up. We did Osaka and two nights at Club Citta in Kawasaki. Japan has always been a special place for Riot and this time was no different. The fans were great and the shows went well considering we barely had any time to rehearse and couldn't do any warm-up shows stateside. As you've probably heard by now, these were our last shows with Tony Moore on vocals. There will be a statement from the band on this matter but let me just say we that plan to move on with a new vocalist and a new album in 2010. I'll also be doing a record with FATES WARNING next year. We played an exclusive show a couple of months ago headlining the ProgPower festival in Atlanta which seemed to over well. Always great to play with Jim and the guys. Wish we could've done a few more gigs but it wasn't in the cards this time around."

HARD ROCK HIDEOUT RADIO DEBUTS JANUARY 6TH, 2010:
Nearly two years in the making HardRockHideout.com is set to make the leap into radio with the Jan. 6th debut of its very own show.
Hard Rock Hideout has teamed up with KACV FM 90 in Amarillo, Tx to bring fans of not only hardrockhideout.com, but hard rock music in general, the bands and performers featured daily on the website that do not receive the airplay and attention of other commercial rock radio stations. KACV Program Director, Brian Lee "We are always looking to bring our listeners the best music available outside of the mainstream. We are excited about adding Hard Rock Hideout to our lineup at KACV FM."
Hard Rock Hideout will debut Jan 6th at 9:00 p.m. CST on KACV 89.9FM and online at kacvfm.org. Hosted by Brian Basher, Hard Rock Hideout will feature 3 hours of the best music in the hard rock genre from established acts, up and coming bands, and classic tracks from some of the biggest acts of the past; as well as interviews, contests, and more. Host Brian Basher, "Being able to put together a show like Hard Rock Hideout is something Rob Rockitt and I have talked and dreamed about since we started working together. Teaming up with KACV FM has allowed our dream to become a reality in bringing our readers and fans the best music available today and all the while staying true to the history of KACV FM and playing the best independent music available. We are excited about the opportunities being given to us by Brian Lee and KACV FM, and look forward to a long relationship between Hard Rock Hideout and KACV FM."
Remember, Jan 6th at 9:00 p.m. CST on KACV 89.9FM and online at kacvfm.org, the debut of Hard Rock Hideout.
Hard Rock Hideout is a music webzine dedicated to all things hard rock and metal.

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

LION MUSIC - LATEST ARTIST NEWS & RELEASE INFORMATION:
Charly Sahona is best known as the guitarist in the modern French progressive metal band Venturia. Late 2008 saw Charly begin work on what has become his debut solo album entitled Naked Thoughts From A Silent Chaos set for release on February 19th 2010 on Lion Music. This 8 track release is built around heavy riffs, catchy vocal lines and crazy solos. Comparisons can be made if one was to fuse Dream Theater with Muse and 30 Seconds To Mars. This album offers a fresh sound, modern and direct, heavy and begs to be heard.
Naked Thoughts From A Silent Chaos sees Charly Sahona not only perform all guitar and keyboard duties but also step up to the microphone for the first time. The rest of the trio of musicians are Venturia band mates Diego Rapacchietti (Drums ) and Thomas James-Potrel (Bass) who have created an ultra powerful power trio format.
This 8 song collection sees Charly Sahona show again his abilities as a talented multi-instrumentalist and as a songwriter as well. "Naked Thoughts From A Silent Chaos delivers an exceptionally high quality with immense crossover appeal.
Track Listing: 1. Relieved. 2. Raise the Shadow. 3. Away From Our Sins. 4. Forgotten Past. 5. River of Lies. 6. Living In A Dream Is Not Right. 7. It Will Fly Away. 8. All That Can't Be Said.
Full album info coming soon and video for "Relieved" coming soon.

 
xx

Lion Music have just signed progressive rock outfit Mastermind. The band will be releasing their first album for the label entitled Insomnia on February 19. The new album marks the bands first full length studio album in 9 years. Insomnia is the first album to feature new vocalist Tracy McShane who joins founding members Bill Berends (guitars, synths, bass) and Rich Berends (drums). Jens Johansson (Stratovarius) once again contributes keyboard solos. Full release information to follow shortly.
Check out Mastermind at the following links: mastermindband.com / myspace.com/mastermindband.

 
xx

Lion Music have just signed progressive rock outfit Gronholm. The band will see their debut album Eye Witness Of Life released on April 17th 2010. Led by guitarist/keyboardist Mika Gronholm, the album sees vocalist handled by Markku Kuikka (Status Minor) with drums from Tom Rask. The album also sees guest solos from Derek Sherinian and Ty Tybor and is comprised of 10 songs, 3 of which are instrumentals with album artwork coming from Hugh Syme (Rush, Iron Maiden, Megadeth).
Full release information to follow soon. Check out Gronholm at this link: www.myspace.com/mikagronholm.

 
xx

COMING UP ON FRONTIERS RECORDS:
Rick Springfield's next release will debut February 26 on Frontiers Records. The album features songs from the vault (some previously released under Sahara Snow and some exclusive unreleased tracks and demo versions), all with the common theme of being co-written with the great Jeff Silverman. Jeff and I actually cooked up the idea while working on the Rick Springfield Tribute project for Angelmilk Records - a project that unfortunately has thus far still not been released (but I hope will be in 2010!).
One example is the original demo of Religion Of The Heart with alternate lyrics. More info shortly...

Former Bad Company singer Brian Howe will have his new solo album Circus Bar released via Frontiers Records in February.

And yes February 19 is Giant time!

DEEP PURPLE SHOW TO BE BROADCAST LIVE:
Deep Purple's last concert of 2009, which will be held at Paladozza in Bologna, Italy, on Wednesday 16 December, will be broadcasted live by Radio2, a radio station operated by Italian public service broadcaster RAI. The live broadcast will start at 9pm (Italian time), 8pm GMT. Radio2 can be listeded via internet at this address: www.rai.tv/dl/RaiTV/popup/player_radio.html?v=2 / www.radio2.rai.it. From Deep Purple Italia www.deep-purple.it.

BIG 4 THRASHERS TOGETHER LIVE:
From: www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=602847 - "Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax . . . the rumors are true!
You've been posting and chatting about it for months and we're here now to confirm it . . . Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax will all share the same stage for the first time EVER! Look for the four of us at the Sonisphere shows in Warsaw, Poland and Prague, Czech Republic on June 16 and 19, 2010 with a few more of the festival dates still in the works, you can be sure these shows won't be the only ones.
In the words of Lars: "Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal's big 4 would not only still be around and more popular than ever, but will now play together for the first time...what a mindfuck! Bring it on!"

HELP WITH A GREAT CAUSE:
Guitarist Stuart Smith (Heaven & Earth, The Sweet) has been hit with horrendous medical bills since the birth of his daughter Sophia in April. And she still needs more surgery. So a benefit show has been announced for Wednesday, January 6. A friend of Stuart, Robert Tuozzo, the publisher of 22nd Century Rock Magazine has arranged the benefit and is holding it at The Avalon in Hollywood.
A website for tickets, donations and merch can be found at: www.help4sophia.org.

 

DORO - NEW RE-RELEASE "CALLING THE WILD" OUT IN EUROPE ON JANUARY 25:
It's been a long wait for the fans, but now Doro and SPV/Steamhammer are ready to present an imposing re-release of Calling The Wild (original release date was 2000).
The CD comes in a high class digipak with a bonus CD (tracks 10+11 previously unreleased). The extensive booklet includes new photos and liner notes by Doro Pesch and Nick Douglas. Release Dates: January 25th, 2010 (Germany: January 22nd).
Doro remembers the recording of some important songs: "Recording Love me forever with Lemmy was one of the highlights in my life! Lemmy was so cool in the studio. When I was ready to do my vocals he always gave me a big kiss on my forehead and said: Now you sing great, ok? Oh, yes I felt soooo good and I would sing my heart out. Sometimes Lemmy would move me to tears… Constant Danger and Who you love were written in Nashville with Gary as well… We had a great understanding and such a good vibe going… We always wrote at night and I always felt the magic! We were a great team since we've worked together on the True at heart record in 1991. Ich will alles was the first fast and heavy German song for me. I wrote it really fast and had so much fun singing it. It feels really good to have an aggression song in German and it became the first single of this album. I love to play it loud and proud and always with a sense of humour…Danke to all the fans and people in this world who love, support and understand me… "
Tracklisting: CD1: 1. Kiss Me Like A Cobra 03:18 2. Dedication (I Give my Blood) 03:54 3. Burn It Up 02:45 4. Give Me Your Reason 04:19 5. Who You Love 03:51 6. Scarred 04:39 7. Ich Will Alles 02:26 8. White Wedding 04:37 9. I Wanna Live 02:42 10. Love Me Forever 05:15 11. Fuel 03:50 12. Constant Danger 03:39 13. Black Rose 03:42 14. Now Or Never (Hope In The Darkest Hour) 03:51 15. Danke 02:57.
CD2: 1. Alone Again 04:20 2. I Want More 02:25 3. Rip Me Apart 03:42 4. I Adore You 03:22 5. Burn It Up (Thunder Mix) 03:03 6. Burn It Up (Lightning Mix) 03:03 7. Burn It Up (Burning Mix) 03:14 8. Burn It Up (Burning Hot Mix) 03:19 9. Burn It Up (Lightning Strikes Again Mix) 02:41 10. Ich Will Alles - acoustic 01:48 11. Burn It Up - acoustic 03:42.

KING KOBRA TO RECORD WITH PAUL SHORTINO:
As reported on Blabbermouth: Last night (Saturday, December 12), drum legend Carmine Appice (Slamm, Vanilla Fudge, Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne, Ted Nugent, King Kobra) joined the Sin City Sinners on stage in Las Vegas, Nevada. The band jammed such hits as "You Keep Me Hanging On", "Hot Legs", "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy", "Bark At The Moon", and "Crazy Train", but the surprise of the night was when they welcomed original King Kobra guitarist David Michael-Phillips to the stage, followed by their brand new singer, Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt, Quiet Riot). Together they performed the King Kobra classic "Hunger" with Sinners bassist Michael Ellis and singer Todd Kerns on guitar. This is the first time the band announced publicly that they will reunite to record a new CD with all original members and Shortino on vocals.
Sin City Sinners has fast become one of Las Vegas' top acts with its high-energy show. What began just two years ago as a weekly just-for-fun jam at a local dive bar evolved into standing-room-only shows regularly featuring some of rock's hottest musicians and celebrity guests. Sin City Sinners is composed of a tight-knit group of well-known musicians — Todd Kerns (Age Of Electric), Brent Muscat (Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns), Rob Cournoyer (Raging Slab) and Michael Ellis.
Sin City Sinners will release a CD of original songs in late December, titled "Exile on Fremont St.". For more information, visit www.myspace.com/scsinners.

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, December 14, 2009

FORMER JOURNEY VOCALIST ANNOUNCES NEW DESTINATIONS FOR 2010:
Steve Augeri, one-time lead vocalist for the bands Journey, Tall Stories, and Tyketto, has promised to ring in the new year in proper rock and roll fashion with the arrival of his eagerly awaited solo album in 2010. The album will be closely followed by a world tour that will showcase material from his career and feature a talented new group of musicians in what promises to be a highlight for his fans all over the globe.
For more information and latest news on Steve's new album, band and tour go to www.steveaugeri.com.

FIREWORKS MAGAZINE #38 - DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ON SALE NOW:
New issue of Fireworks out now in hard copy and download format. 100 full-colour pages PACKED to over-flowing with all the latest in the world of melodic hard rock. This issue sees interviews with Kiss, Winger, Yes, Steve Vai, House of Lords, Gotthard, George Lynch, Lynyrd Skynrd, Mr Big, Porcupine Tree, Twised Sister, Ace Frehley, Danny Vaughn, Outloud, Grand Design, Lita Ford, Russ Ballard, 69 Eyes, WASP and many more, as well as in-depth for many CDs, DVDs and books. The ultimate one-stop magazine for all your melodic needs.
Also this issue 2 free CDs, including tracks by WET, Winger, Overland, Salute, Grand Design and many, many more. Over TWO and a HALF hours of great melodic rock!!

All this for the incredible price of £5 (plus postage) or only £3.50 download (including audio in MP3 format). For hard copy, visit the Firefest shop at: shop.thefirefest.com.
For download copy, click below PayPal link, with all proceeds going towards support and upkeep of MelodicRock.com. Check out this first class publication now.
Important News: With Borders UK going into receivership, they will no longer stock the magazine. Anyone who has been buying the magazine from Borders is recommended to get a subscription. You can contact us here: fireworks.mag@ntlworld.com.

 

Fireworks #38 'Feel The Heat' track list: 1. W.E.T. – One Love 2. Overland – Where is the Love 3. Grand Design - Love Sensation 4. Salute – Running Away With You 5. Winger – Deal with the Devil 6. Strike Twice - Undress Me 7. Kings of Modesty – Never Touched the Rainbow 8. 4Bitten – Tell Me 9. Pump – Life in the Fast Lane 10. Grimmstine – To Catch a Killer 11. JoyFocus – Mr Hughes Come Home 12. Marenne – I Wished (Who Can Tell Me) 13. Naughty Boys – Endless Pain 14. Subsignal – To Hope the Road is Long 15. Stonelake – Shades of Eternity 16. Dr. Grind – Call of the Wild 17. Janey Summer – Flame 18. Heaven's Touch – Desire (How Much Does it Burn) 19. Bad Sign – Forget This Night.
TSM/SLW Vol 3: 1. Prozac Daisies – Jenny 2. Stockholm Stoner - Not Your Lover 3. Val Kinzler - Re'Sume 4. Hilary Scott - People On A Train 5. Brunorock – Liar 6. Musicspeak – Objects 7. Essenza - Devil's Breath 8. Naked – Hideaway 9. Kooznetz - Hit The Metal 10. Arbogast - Steal Me Some Luck 11. Naughty Boys - Endless Pain 12. Man The Destroyer - When Freedom Fails 13. Edgehill Avenue – Rambler 14. Phil Vincent - Top of the World 15. Alex Falcone AphasiA - Angel Blue 16. Trusties - You Can Only Lose 17. Big Rocket - Little Betty 18. Ray Gilman - Can't Stop Myself.

 

JIMI JAMISON TAKES IN SPAIN:
MetalSymphony.com has uploaded photos of Jimi Jamison's November 29, 2009 concert at Sala Heineken in Madrid, Spain. Also available are pictures of support act Guru and Indicco. Check them out at this location: www.metalsymphony.com/galeria/thumbnails.php?album=259. JJ's Barcelona and Madrid concerts were recorded for a future DVD. Jimi Jamison 's setlist was as follows: Burning Heart, High on You, Crossroads Moment, I'm always Here, Search Is Over, Friends we've never Met, Rebel Son, Alive, Cry Tough, Is this Love, I can't hold Back, Eye of the Tiger, Gimme all your Loving.

OUTLOUD INTERVIEWED:
Greek-based Rockpages Web Magazine sat down with Frontiers Records Band Outloud and talked about their debut and the upcoming tour in Greece. Here's an excerpt:
Rockpages.gr: When you listen to the album it sounds it sounds diverse. There is a lot more than just melodic hard rock in there…
Chandler: Right! It's interesting because it's not too eclectic but it's all over the map as far as rock is concerned. We kind of cover all the main styles, but keeping the main bond, keeping the Outloud sound, AOR melodic hard rock, more traditional hard rock, some power metal, heavy metal, and some soulful balladry as well, which I think it's really cool! It keeps the listener interested throughout the whole record as I see it.
Rockpages.gr: Would you say that every member's influences get together to become Outloud?
Chandler: I would say so, definitely. In more ways than one I guess. Everybody brings their influences to the table doing their thing…
Mark: You can easily see, and easily hear on the album that, as you said before, it's like influenced by all of us. It wasn't like this album was produced by somebody, or whatever. We did it ourselves. It was very spontaneous, and we kept this spontaneous moments on the recording as well, because that's what we actually wanted. We wanted to do it the old ways, to keep it really live, to be able to play it live as well, and make it sound like the album. Tony Hansen came into the game, who mixed, and mastered it. I think he was the right choice, because he is one of the old school guys. He approached the material exactly like someone should have approached it. If we'd do it with a young producer from nowadays, it would have sound totally different. He would have used different sounds, and not really the right levels to it. You can hear the analogue thing; you can really hear a live band, a real band playing. It's like real music, it's not over-produced, or whatever. We kept the sources as is from the original recording. That is the energy that Outloud has on the album, and that is the energy that Outloud will present live.

Read the full interview on: www.rockpages.gr/detailspage.aspx?id=3234&type=1&lang=EN.

METAL GOD ROB FEATURED ON NOIZE IN THE ATTIC:
Metal God Rob Halford was interviewed by the weekly two-hour classic hard rock and metal show "Noize In The Attic". He discusses the new Halford album Wintersongs, Judas Priest and much much more! The in depth chat will be broadcast as part of their special Christmas edition this Wednesday, December 16th between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. EST on Stickman Radio and the following day (Thursday, Dec 17th) between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST on WNHU 88.7 FM in New Haven, Connecticut (and streamed live on WNHU.net) as well as being repeated the following week.

 

 

 

Friday, December 11, 2009

NEW EDEN'S CURSE EP SHIPPING NOW:
Don't forget this exclusive Eden's Curse EP offer -

Metal Mayhem Music will release the UK Tour Collection E.P. from Eden's Curse on November 30 and in conjunction exclusively with MelodicRock.com, readers who pre-order from this site will receive an additional 4 Track bonus CD that is unavailable anywhere else in the world!
As a thank you to the support shown by Ryan & Sarah Northrop at Metal Mayhem Music the band have pulled out some true hidden gems from their personal archives to create a true collectors item for all fans of Eden's Curse, coupling as a great introduction to the bands music with songs from both the self-titled debut and sophomore record The Second Coming, which received lavish praise on this very site, being featured. The collection includes the US exclusive bonus track from The Second Coming release, Prisoner Of The Past, plus some rare demo tracks from both studio albums, one highlight being the Angels & Demons demo which features Joanna Ruiz (Steve Grimmett Band) on Female Lead Vocals. A stunning acoustic version of Sail On which the band recorded exclusively for the MRCD5 - Writing On The Wall CD and some rare soundboard recordings from the recent May 2009 UK Tour with Stratovarius and Firewind, recorded live at The Button Factory in Dublin, Ireland on the last night of the Tour.
Click on the artwork for a full CD Showcase and track by track comments + all audio samples from the EP and bonus tracks.

 
Michael Eden: "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going and no-one steps up to the plate quite like our US label partners Metal Mayhem putting others to shame and then some! Metal Mayhem believes in Eden's Curse and they knew that this band needed to take to the stage for longevity. Metal Mayhem and Metal Mayhem alone absolutely 100% made sure that this happened all in a territory that they had no vested interest in. This E.P. is our way of saying THANK YOU to Ryan and Sarah and letting them reap the rewards of the harvest that they sowed back in May. As a music collector and a fan of Eden's Curse I believe that this is a very cool little package for our fans that allows the listener an insight into the workings of our world and how our songs develop from the ideas that Paul Logue presents to us, to the midas touch of Dennis Ward, where everything that glitters is gold!"

The Condemned To Burn - UK Tour Collection E.P. features the following tracks:
CD - Prisoner Of The Past (US Bonus Track), Angels & Demons (Demo), Sail On (Acoustic Version), Man Against The World (Demo), Judgement Day (Demo), Eyes Of The World (Demo), Stronger Than The Flame (Demo - Featuring Carsten Lizard Schulz),Masquerade Ball (Live), Just Like Judas (Live).
MR.Com Bonus Disc - Fly Away (Live), Sail On (Live), The Voice Inside (Demo), After The Love Is Gone (Demo).

 
Purchase Condemned To Burn for the price of
US$15 + $5 shipping
(airmail worldwide). Click Paypal link below.

 


FRONTIERS RECORDS ANNOUNCES - THE NEW STUDIO ALBUM - MAY 2010:



NEW ROCK CANDY:
Rock Candy announce two new releases this month. Autograph 'That's The Stuff' CANDY063 and Fandango 'Cadillac' CANDY064. Both are available immediately from the labels website (www.rockcandyrecords.com) for a limited discount price of £11.99 including postage to anywhere in the world. Details as follows:

Autograph's debut album 'Sign In Please' contained a surprise hit single, the infectious 'Turn Up The Radio', whilst a sell out tour supporting Van Halen elevated them into the upper echelons of the eighties hard rock elite. Things were looking more than good. However, when a Stateside tour supporting Mötley Crüe was secured, RCA, their record label, hit the panic button, insisting that in order to keep momentum rocketing the band should get back into the studio and cut a follow up album as quickly as humanly possible.
It was inevitable that things began to slide; a rushed choice of producer, a lack of preproduction time and a touring deadline that was looming ever closer. Amazingly, when the album was released its cover had to be changed due to bungled copyright issues. And if that wasn't enough, in order to combat the appearance of Russian band Avtograf (pronounced Autograph), RCA thought it might be a good idea for Autograph to record a cover of Grand Funk Railroad's classic 'We're An American Band' adding it to the record half way through the campaign.
Under any other circumstance this set of events might have spelled disaster but for Autograph it was just a one more river to cross and one more hurdle to jump. 'That's The Stuff', despite all the pressures baring down on them, was hailed as another solid slice of prime-time American hard rock, big on hooks and crammed with some of the best guitar playing that Steve Lynch ever recorded.
24-bit remastering from original source tapes, one bonus track, 4,000 word essay about the making of the album and a new interview and full involvement from Steve Plunkett. Additional photos and memorabilia spread out over a 16 page full colour booklet.
Track Listing: 1. That's The Stuff 2. Take No Prisoners 3. Blondes In Black cars 4. You'll Get Over It 5. Crazy World 6. Six String Fever 7. Changing Hands 8. Hammerhead 9. Built For Speed 10. Paint This Town Bonus Track: 11. We're An American Band.

Fandango, signed to the powerful RCA label, recorded a total of three albums of varying quality and content prior to the release of 'Cadillac', a record which most fans agree finally saw them take flight as a mature and fully confident melodic hard rock band in the finest late seventies tradition. This was tough-guy melodic hard rock with great songs, memorable hooks and punchy guitar work. It was also the coming of age of vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, a man who would, after the demise of Fandango, go on to achieve huge success with a number of projects not least of all as the lead vocalist of both Rainbow and Deep Purple. It was also a record that divided the band internally whilst its commercial failure led to an inevitable final split.
Looking back there is no question that 'Cadillac' stands loud and proud alongside revered classic of the genre bolstered by a choice song writing quota, fiery guitar playing and just the right amount of controlled mayhem in the drum 'n bass department. An overlooked classic make no mistake.
24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 4,000 word essay about the making of the album and new interview with Joe Lyn Turner. Additional photos and memorabilia spread out over a 12 page full colour booklet.
Track Listing: 1. Blame It On The Night 2. Rock 'N Roll You 3. Hypnotized 4. Don't Waste My Time 5. Stranger (In A Strange Land) 6. Cadillac 7. Fortune Teller 8. Getaway 9. Headliner.

 
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DOKKEN SIGNS WITH CLEOPATRA RECORDS:
Multi-platinum hard rockers Dokken have signed with Los Angeles based Cleopatra Records for a spring 2010 album release. Fresh off their mega-popular internet commercial campaign for Norton Anti-Virus, the legendary southern California band is finishing up final mixes for a greatest hits package coupled with new material that will be released worldwide on Cleopatra's Deadline Records' imprint. The album's first single is a brand new song entitled "Almost Over" that will be made available to music programmers via download thru airplaydirect.com in early 2010.
Dokken has sold well over 10 million albums worldwide and continues to tour and enjoy media exposure courtesy of the successful web-commercials for the new Norton Ant-Virus 2010 version. The comedic spots imagine a computer as a chicken and Dokken as a malicious computer virus. Each ad features a different outcome, based on whether or not the "Dokken Virus" was allowed into the system.

 

RONNIE ACES 1ST CHEMO TREATMENT WITH FLYING COLORS:
An update from Ronnie Dio's wife Wendy - "Well, it has been a very exhausting month – after all the neverending tests in Los Angeles, we flew to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and as soon as we arrived, we got a call from the MD Anderson Hospital that they had an appointment for us with the doctor we originally wanted, so we then flew to Houston to the clinic, and of course MORE tests, but Ronnie finished receiving his first chemo treatment on Wednesday, and all is going very well.
I would like to thank Tony Martell from the T.J. Martell Foundation, Dr. Stuart Aaronson from Mount Sinai, Lindsay Brown and Mike Carden from Eagle Records, and our very own Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, for all your help in getting us into MD Anderson, and also our friends Geezer and Gloria Butler, who flew to Houston to be with Ronnie while he had his chemo.
Ronnie and I are totally overwhelmed by the amount of well wishes that we have received from friends and fans - we are reading them all. Some make us laugh, some make us cry, but all of them are so filled with love that it gives us so much support and makes Ronnie even more determined to fight this battle and win. Thank you all for the positive energy and prayers." --Wendy Dio.
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/dioofficial / www.ronniejamesdio.com.

MELODIC BRIEFS:
New Bruce Kulick Interview at: www.sleazeroxx.com/interviews/brucekulick.shtml. "I'm relieved that I wasn't asked (to wear the Ace makeup). Honestly playing the Ace role would be very awkward for me."

Vigier, pioneers of carbon fibre technology, are extremely pleased to welcome legendary bassist James Lomenzo to our family of Vigier artists. James, bass playing master, has been performing with his favourite Vigier 5 string Passion bass on Megadeth's current world tour. James says he is "honoured to be associated with these great basses" – just as we are honoured to have such a legend trust in Vigier to keep him thundering on stage night after night.

Sean Peck of Cage will be the featured guest on this Saturday's (December 12) Westlake and The Pig show on JFL Radio. The San Diego-based heavy metallers are just finishing up the 2009 leg of their tour supporting their "Science of Annihilation" album released earlier this year.

ANDRE MATOS NEW ALBUM "MENTALIZE" OUT IN EUROPE ON FEBRUARY 1:
The Brazilian Andre Matos is doubtlessly among the most charismatic and versatile vocalists on the international rock/metal scene. His voice is unmistakable, his compositional talent beyond all doubt. In the late Eighties, Matos formed the band Viper, practically a predecessor of his top-selling act Angra, which he launched in 1991. Three internationally successful albums, plus four EPs and sensational tours around the globe marked the Angra years from 1992 to 1999 with Matos as their frontman. Following his departure, he formed Shaman, simultaneously proving himself to be a multi-faceted musician, who also cuts a fine figure away from heavy metal, alongside guitarist/producer Sascha Paeth in their Virgo project. In 2008 Andre Matos released his first solo album Time To Be Free.
Now his new album, Mentalize, is due to be released, featuring twelve brand-new songs which confirm his unusual vocal range and underline that Matos has matured in every respect. The album is scheduled for release on February 1st 2010 in Europe (Germany: January 29th) on SPV/Steamhammer.
Matos was supported again by truly excellent musicians: His solo band includes the renowned trio consisting of Luis Mariutti (bass), Hugo Mariutti (guitar) and Fabio Ribeiro (keyboards) – all of them former members of Angra and Shaman – plus ex-Angra guitarist Andre Hernandes, with whom Matos worked in the early Nineties and who is considered one of Brazil's best guitarists, as well as Eloy Casagrande, a 18-year-old drum talent who came first at the Modern Drummer drum competition in the US.
The album was produced by Andre Matos and Sascha Paeth (Edguy, Kamelot, Rhapsody) in Brazil and Germany.
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/andrematossolo / www.spv.de.

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X has been updated with the following live, full concert features:
- Cobra - TV Club (Memphis, TN) Nov, 1983
- Brian May - Los Angeles, April 1993
- Fastway - WMMS-FM broadcast, Agora Cleveland OH Sept 5, 1983
- Aldo Nova - KBFH 1982 & 6-18-84
MR-X Membership Details.

MRCD6 ON ITS WAY:
All orders for MRCD6 are in the air and on their way after a small shipping delay (to me) and a lost box to make things even better! Anyone that wishes to order MRCD6 and have it sent Monday can do so now.

Artists interested in appearing on MRCD7 next year can contact me anytime...

 

 

 

Thursday, December 10, 2009

DEAN FASANO R.I.P.:
Singer Dean Fasano passed away suddenly earlier today. Dean was the well known singer for such bands as Prophet and Message. He was just 54. There are no details available yet, but posted on his MySpace page is the following note: "To everyone that has supported Dean Fasano and befriended him, God Bless You!! Dean passed away this morning. Say a pray for my brotha Dean and for his family..."
R.I.P. Dean. A sad loss for the melodic rock community.

 

SWEDEN'S DYNAZTY MAKING WAVES:
President Tom Mathers of Perris Records is proud to find another Swedish band to break onto the music scene by signing Sweden's new rock sensation Dynazty in 2009.
Dynazty's Bring The Thunder hit the CD stores worldwide this past summer and they have not slowed down with touring, CD reviews, radio and press interviews. Dynazty supported The Poodles on the "Clash Of The Elements" European Tour with successful shows in Sweden, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Italy and Netherlands.
Dynazty recorded at Polar studios in Stockholm, Sweden under the hands of producer Chis Laney (Zan Clan, Animal) This thunderous heavy metal group dominated the Swedish live scene with its flamboyant shows and powerful anthems for many months before hooking up with producer Chris Laney to record a debut album. For one month Dynazty worked with Laney creating a fierce album that will make a lasting impression. Dynazty features Rob Love, a former guitar slinger in ZAN CLAN along with Chis Laney.
Dynazty shared the Rocknation issue 13 cover with Sammy Hagar's Chickenfoot, Duff McKagan's Loaded and Shinedown, they also had a full page interview.
Drummer George Egg had this to comment on the deal: "While the record industry is suffering from severe crisis most labels don't take any chances in signing new bands. President Tom Mathers of Perris Records did a great thing by signing us (and several other new bands) and giving us the chance to get our music out to the whole world. I believe this proves that Perris is more concerned with promoting great MUSIC, which I am sure will lead to huge success in the long run. We in Dynazty need a label that believes in our music, and for that reason we are extremely happy to have become part of the Perris family."
Dynazty members: George Egg - Drums, Nils Molin - Vocals, John Berg - Guitars, Rob Love - Guitars, Joey Fox - Bass.
For more information: www.Dynazty.com / www.myspace.com/Dynaztyband / www.perrisrecords.com.

 

A CLEAN SLATE FOR WORLDS APART:
Perris Records/TSM Promotions is proud to announce the return of Worlds Apart with a new studio release Clean Slate. The official release date for the CD is Jan. 12th, 2010. CD is now available for pre-order at www.perrisrecords.com.
Worlds Apart appeared on the Hollywood Hairspray DVD along with Stephen Pearcy, Babylon A.D., Cherry St. and Dangerous Toys to name a few. Perris Records recruited Anthony Focx (Ace Frehley, Buckcherry, Foreigner) to master the CD. Worlds Apart, who have performed and recorded together since the early 90's is a powerful melodic rock band from the San Francisco Bay Area. Worlds Apart has released 3 CDs on Perris Records as one of their top selling artist. Since the beginning Worlds Apart has played to sold out crowds, headlining as well as directly supporting many national acts such as Dokken, Y&T, Night Ranger, Cinderella, Firehouse, Zakk Wylde, MSG, Montrose, Bang Tango, Enuff Znuff and many others. Worlds Aparts 4th and new CD "Clean Slate" brings the return of original guitarist Rich Cedillo. The band now consists of the entire original line up of Jay Davids - Vocals, Rich Cedillo - Guitars, Gary Silva - Drums and JAS on Bass. The new CD "Clean Slate" produced and engineered by JAS is a collection of songs which capture the bands live sound like never before.
Bass player JAS had this to say about the deal - "Worlds Apart is extremely proud of their new CD "Clean Slate" and looking forward to an exclusive release with Perris Records worldwide. We have worked with President Tom Mathers for over 15 years, and now Perris Records has Rocknation TV and newspaper to reach fans worldwide."
Track Listing: 1. Heaven Sent 2. All Your Lovin 3. The Light 4. We Can't Go On 5. Two 4 Nothin 6. Fight Hard 7. Hard Times 8. Body Double 9. Center Stage.

 

URIAH HEEP - ORIGINAL COVER ART FOR SALE:
The official Uriah Heep website by special arrangement with Dangerous Age Graphics is making an exclusive offer to Uriah Heep fans and music art collectors . The original artwork for both Wake The Sleeper and Celebration by Ioannis is now available to purchase. For more information please go to www.uriah-heep.com.
Greek born Artist Ioannis has created record cover artwork (over 170 albums) since 1983 for some of the most legendary bands in the music industry, his clients include Deep Purple, Allman Brothers, King Crimson, Blue Oyster Cult, Styx, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ufo, Dream Theater, Yngwie Malmsteen, Sepultura, Biohazard, Fates Warning, Quiet Riot, The Tubes, Extreme, Dokken and many more, he was one of the artists selected for Woodstock 1994, has been interviewed by magazines and websites internationally, his originals paintings and limited edition prints are selling in the thousands of dollars. Ioannis is currently setting up a series of international exhibitions and a merchandising line of his work.

 
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INTERVIEW BRIEFS:
Foreigner vocalist Kelly Hansen was a guest on Long Live Rock this past Sunday. You can hear the show at this link: www.wewillrockyoublog.com/2009/12/09/interview-with-foreigner-singer-kelly-hansen/. Kelly joined to discuss the new album 'Can't Slow Down', his career prior to Foreigner, his audition for the band, touring and establishing the new lineup, acceptance from old fans for a new lineup, how he keeps his voice in shape on the road singing such a challenging set list, and much more!

Virtuoso guitarist Blues Saraceno will be the special guest on the next edition of Hard Rock Nights, December 11-17. Saraceno joins JT to chat about his solo releases as a teenager 20 years ago, playing with Poison and Transmission OK, and his current television projects. Saraceno joined Poison after Richie Kotzen's departure and played lead guitar on the "Crack A Smile" record, which the record company shelved for several years due to a changing musical landscape. His solo albums, starting with the debut "Don't Look Back," have become cult classics among guitar players. Saraceno is currently active in scoring for television and wrote the theme song for USA Network's "The Dead Zone" since the fourth season of the show.
Hard Rock Nights is an internationally syndicated radio program heard on several rock and metal radio stations in the USA, Canada, and Europe. A full list of stations and times can be found at: hardrocknights.wordpress.com/affiliates.
Hard Rock Nights is a weekly syndicated radio program featuring hard rock music from the 1970s-today.

Seventh Calling singer/guitarist Steve Handel checked in with Hardrock Haven to talk about their new EP Prelude to Madness; the recording of their upcoming full-length release Epidemic; how MySpace has helped the band spread the word; why you should glom onto Seventh Calling's sound; and a whole lot more. To stream the interview, head to: hardrockhaven.net/online/2009/steve-handel-of-seventh-calling.

7HARD ARTIST UPDATE:
7HARD signed distribution deals in whole Europe: H'ART – Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Underclass – France, Soundforge – Greece, Andromeda Distribution – Italy, CARGO Records UK – UK & Rest Europe, 7HARD Direct Distribution – World. International partners - USA, Japan, China, Australia follow soon. 7Hard starts Promotion & Marketing Service Unit - more details in January 2010.
New releases:
A Sound Mind (Australia) - perfect bombast Alternative Melodic Rock! Videoclip Airplay with the single "Grace" in December and January in Germany at: McDonalds Instore-TV, Burger King "Kingchannel", Streetclip TV, Pupat TV, more soon! www.asoundmind.com.au.
Edge Of Forever (Italy) - the new album "Another Paradise" of the AOR Melodic Rock Stars comes at 15. January 2010. Alessandro Del Vecchio supported by Bob Harris (Axe, Frank Zappa, Steve Vai and former Edge Of Forever singer), Roberto Tiranti (Labyrinth), Jgor Gianola (U.D.O., Gotthard, Jorn), Carsten "Lizard" Schulz (Evidence One, Domain). Mastering by no one other than: Michael Voss (Casanova, Bonfire, Mad Max and Voices Of Rock)! Europe-Tour Dates 2010 and Video clip follows! www.edgeofforever.it.
Timesword (Italy) - progressive Metal at it's best in the vein of Dream Theater und Secret Sphere! Special Guest on Bass – Bryan Beller (Steve Vai, Mike Keneally, Dweezil Zappa). New album "Chains Of Sin" comes in early 2010! www.myspace.com/timeswordband.
Jeez Louise (Germany/Austria) - signed with 7Hard. Classic Rock with English and German lyrics. The band is now in the studio to finish the recording and mastering. Later in February 2010 a Video clip is ready with the album release. www.jeezlouise.at.
WebLinks: www.7hard.com www.trendxl.de www.rockngrowl.com www.trendfabrik.com.

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Piercing Metal has just reviewed the NYC appearance of Twisted Sister: piercingmetal.com/wordpress/?p=2315.

Billy Falcon is about to start recording the tracks for his next record. He would greatly appreciate feedback from his fans on which tracks on the Roughs CD stand out. The CD is available to listen to/Purchase here: www.billyfalcon.com/buy_billys_new_demos_here.html.

KissFAQ has conducted an interview with Bruce Kulick. Topics mainly focus on his new upcoming album, BK3, and special guests throughout, but also his tenure with Kiss, Grand Funk Railroad, Eric Carr and more. www.kissfaq.com/forum09/viewtopic.php?t=39880.

Hardway's Charlie Giardina has a brand new project underway - Flamedown. Check them out online at: www.myspace.com/flamedownband. An EP is due for release early in the new year.

Tod Howarth's new solo CD has been completed and can be sampled via a YouTube video teaser at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMyNBmUnQLo.

FREEDOM CALL "LEGEND OF THE SHADOWKING":
If you ask Freedom Call fans about the outstanding characteristics of their favourite band, they tend to list two main qualities: melodic and up-tempo. Both attributes will come to bear again on February 1st (Germany: January 29th), when vocalist/guitarist Chris Bay, drummer Dan Zimmermann, guitarist Lars Rettkowitz and the new bassist Samy Saemann, release their current album, Legend Of The Shadowking, proving emphatically that Freedom Call are still among the most passionate and dynamic German metal acts.
Stylistically, Legend Of The Shadowking is a successful liaison of the group's basic strengths and new, contemporary influences. Or, as Dan Zimmermann puts it: "Even if the two predecessors, The Circle Of Life and Dimensions, took very different directions, both albums had a number of strong moments. Legend Of The Shadowking combines the most successful elements from both albums, in other words: we included our penchant for fast and very melodic numbers from Dimensions with the more contemporary, bombastic components of The Circle Of Life."
The fourteen new numbers were recorded at the FC studios in Nuremberg, while the drum parts were cut at the Area 51 in Celle by Dan Zimmermann with the support of Tommy Newton (Helloween, UFO, Victory), who also mixed and mastered Legend Of The Shadowking. The cover artwork was designed by the young Bavarian artist Jens Reinhold.
The new album covers musically and lyric wise a concept about Ludwig II, King of Bavaria. He had a close connection to the composer Richard Wagner. Freedom Call was moved and inspired by King Ludwig's extravagance and his passion to musical theatricality.
Freedom Call are scheduled to play a full European tour with Gamma Ray around the album's release date, followed by various summer festivals and a headliner tour in autumn.
WebLinks: www.freedom-call.net / www.spv.de.

PURRFECT TIMING FOR HAIRBALL JOHN:
The Purrfect Timing Podcast can be downloaded for free at the ITunes store or by going to purrfect-timing.podomatic.com for listen and/or download. Purrfect Timing airs live every Friday night on ARfm with a Monday night repeat. Rebroadcasts throughout the week on affiliate stations, for more info www.purrfecttiming.com.

This week: "Many of my listeners have also been fans of The Hairball John Radio Show for years, and as you know John put the show on hiatus while his wife is recovering from cancer. In June of this year his dear friend and co-host Alan Schafer (the "Acid Chimp") passed away. This December 4th would have been Chimpy's birthday if he was still with us, and he is truly missed by friends, family and all the HBJ Show listeners. I am pleased to say that my good friend Hairball John was on the air with me for this special show, and we used the two hours to rock a mile with Chimpy. This week's show is dedicated to Alan Schafer....bless your big rocker heart, Chimpy. And this week...more than ever...the past is back to kick your ass!"

MRCD6 OUT-BOUND:
After losing part of my shipment for 2 days, a courier finally delivered the finished MRCD6 We Will Rock Yule CDs today. It looks and sounds great and Cath and I have been working all night to get them ready for shipping tomorrow morning. Copies should start arriving at their international destinations late next week.
If you haven't ordered yet - go for it!

 

 

 

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

INXS PLANS NEW ALBUM, WORLD TOUR WITH 'GUEST VOCALISTS':
Inxs has announced a new album featuring a group of guest singers and a world tour that will kick off with a show at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
Following a two-year hiatus from touring, Inxs has been in the studio collaborating with "some of the best-known singers from across the world," according to a representative from the band. A spokeswoman for the band would not confirm whether Inxs's former frontman, Canadian J.D. Fortune, is part of the new album, due out 2010. She said an announcement about the singers for the show would be made in the coming days.
According to the band's rep, their Feb. 24 show at Vancouver's BC Place - announced Tuesday as part of a series of Olympic concerts - will kickstart one of the band's "most extensive world tours ever." "We said early this year that Inxs was embarking on their most exciting project since 'Kick,' and we're not here to disappoint," Petrol Electric creative director and founder CM Murphy said in a release. "2010 will be one of the most dynamic, creative and diverse projects the band has undertaken."
Fortune - from Mississauga, Ont., - made headlines in February when he claimed that the band unceremoniously dumped him at a Hong Kong airport after a 23-month tour, leaving him to live out of a truck. There was no mention of the upcoming tour Tuesday afternoon on Fortune's website.
Inxs had a string of hits in the 1980s and '90s, including "Need You Tonight," "Devil Inside" and "Never Tear Us Apart." In 1997, the band's charismatic lead singer, Michael Hutchence, hanged himself in a hotel room. Since then, the group has had a series of lead singers, including Terence Trent D'Arby and Jon Stevens.
Fortune shot to stardom when he won the television reality contest "Rock Star: Inxs" in 2005 and became the new frontman for the Aussie rock group. A song he wrote on the show called "Pretty Vegas" became a popular single off the band's subsequent album, "Switch," reaching No. 1 on the charts in Canada.
But following the "Switch" tour, Fortune says the band dumped him at an airport. The band has since disputed the story, with a spokesman saying he wasn't even sure where the supposed incident Fortune referred to was to have taken place.
NewsLink: news.ca.msn.com/entertainment/article.aspx?cp-documentid=22822964.

EUROPE NOMINATED FOR SWEDISH GRAMMY:
News from Europe (the band!): "We're pleased to announce Europe have been nominated as a finalist in this year's Swedish Grammis! Round one of voting has already begun and will remain open until midnight Sunday Dec.13.
Here's how you can make your vote count - Click on the following link: vote.grammis.se/kategorier/arets-rock.aspx.
Be sure to select "1" next to "Europe", and choose "2" and "3" next to any two artists in the list above Europe. Remember that this is a competition for glory, but we still want to compete with the underdogs to be sure to bring home the prize! Fill in your name and email address in the fields that will appear, and click "ROSTA"
Make sure it is a valid email address, as you will receive an email which will ask you to confirm your vote by clicking on the link supplied. That's it, rockers!
Lets rally together and help get Europe get the recognition they deserve for their efforts this year with their storming gold album "Last Look at Eden"!
WebLink: www.europetheband.com.

TOO MANY R.I.P.:
Belated, but much needed R.I.P. notices must go to songwriter, singer, keyboardist Eric Woolfson (Alan Parsons Project) who has recently passed away from cancer. www.ericwoolfsonmusic.com.

And Pim Koopman, drummer of Kayak en Diesel (major Dutch band), died last week at the age of 56. His former college of Diesel (Saucalito summernight) bass player Frank Papendrecht died last week also at the age of 56 (both had a heart attack).

R.I.P. to all...

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Glenn Hughes gets me all excited with tasty posting on his Twitter feed: "My people...Rock is not dead...I have Fallen in love with Rock again...now its time 2 get SERIOUS !!!!!! GH"

Fatal Smile news: "We're really sorry to inform you that our dear bass player Alx felt down from the stage last weekend in Copenhagen and crushed his kneecap. He went thru surgery yesterday and had his kneecap replaced with steel, titanium screws and bones from his pelvis. Hopefully he will be back home before Christmas and recover fast as hell."

Guitarist Ryan Roxie has a free Holiday track for download now: roxie77.bandcamp.com/track/takin-a-vacation-bonus-holiday-track-song-of-the-week.

MELODIC-TUBE:
Finnish melodic metallers, Leverage, have just released a brand new live video captured from an album release gig in November '09 from their latest album "Circus Colossus" (Spinefarm records 2009). "Wolf and the Moon" video was shot and edited by Petri Siikanen and it can be viewed in this location: www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ePbjRMjsk.
Circus Colossus, the third full-length album from Leverage, entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 27. "Circus Colossus" was released on November 4 via Spinefarm Records. A song from the CD, "Legions Of Invisible", is available for streaming on the group's MySpace page: www.myspace.com/leverageband.

A promo video for the new On The Rise album Dream Zone can be viewed here:

 

SWEDEN ROCK GETS BETTER AND BETTER:
Magnum have been added to the Sweden Rock Festival bill. What a cracking year it looks like being! More at www.swedenrock.com.
"British pomp-rockers Magnum enjoy a massive cult status in Sweden, where the band earned their all-time biggest chart-success when the "Wings of Heaven" album made it to #2 in 1988. Many a Swede wept bitterly when Magnum, debuting with "Kingdom of Madness" in 1978 and also responsible for such monumental records as "Chase the Dragon" (1982) and "On a Storyteller's Night" (1985), decided to call it a day in 1995. Not surprisingly, the band's return to Sweden at SRF 2002 was a triumphant success, later cemented with more seminal records, including "Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow" (2007) and "Into the Valley of the Moonking" (2009). Guitarist/songwriter Tony Clarkin remains at the helm, with competent assistance from keyboard-wiz Mark Stanway, bassist Al Barrow, drummer Harry James (of Thunder repute) and - lest we forget - ever-soulful vocalist Bob Catley."

KEVIN RUSSELL LOOKING TO TOUR:
Kevin Russell (guitarist/singer) is looking for touring gig with established act. Kevin's credits include (707, Jersey Boys, Clarence Clemons, Levon Helm, Rick Derringer, Taxxi, The Temptations, producer-Mike Clink, Bob Gaudio, Whitesnake, Sea Hags, drummer-Steve Smith, Billy Kreutzman (The Grateful Dead), Ted Nugent etc.)
Please visit these links for more info: www.myspace.com/kevinjoelrussell / www.myspace.com/kevinrusselldetroit / www.myspace.com/kevinrussellblues.

TUNNEL VISION FROM DAVE HENZERLING:
"Hey everybody, This is Dave Henzerling, guitarist, songwriter and producer from the band Big C**k. I wanted to talk a little bit about the status of BC and also let you know about my new project called Tunnel.
First of all, what's going on with BC? Well, those close to the band know that lead vocalist Robert Mason is also doing double-duty singing in seminal 80s band Warrant. Warrant is a great opportunity for Robert and I wish him all the luck and success with those guys. What this means is that BC is on hiatus for the near term. We thought about getting another singer and continuing on without Robert, but it just wouldn't have been the same and wouldn't make sense considering the fact that every member of BC makes it what it is - fun, irreverent and (musically) satisfying. This doesn't rule anything out for the future, it just means that right now there is not a new album in the works or any shows planned.
Which brings me to Tunnel. You may or may not know that I played a few shows with my old buddies in Icon this year and that's where I met Scott Hammons. Scott is a great singer and the chemistry just clicked when we started writing together. I've been wanting to play some other music that didn't quite fit with the format of BC and Tunnel is the perfect vehicle - a 70s vibe based on good, traditional hard rock. I would really like you all to check it out if you're interested. You can stream the whole album for free at LaLa.com (www.lala.com/#album/2306124486335725037/Tunnel/Tunnel). There will also be an opportunity to get physical CDs as well in the next few weeks.
I hope you like the new stuff and hope you don't mind this informational correspondence. I appreciate everybody who's joined the mailing list and thank you for your support. If you have any questions, feel free to write any time and I'll try to answer as best I can. We also have a regular website (www.tunnelonline.net) and a MySpace page (www.myspace.com/tunnelonline) as well as a Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/tunnelonline). We're looking forward to 2010 and hope to see you out on the trail..."

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

CRIME HITS THE MR COMMUNITY:
It's a rock n roll crime spree....first this just in from guitarist/producer Jeff Northrup:

"I was carjacked late night on December 3rd in my hometown of Sacramento California. I had just finished recording and co-producing a new project with Terrry Ilous and Head East guitarist, Glen Bridger (which is going to be awesome by the way) at my Alien Productions Recording Studio. At about 2:00 a.m. I was dropping off Glen at his hotel. I stepped out of my car while it was still running to shake his hand and say "Have a nice flight and great job!" However, in a matter of about 3 seconds some thug jumped into my car and began speeding off before I had time to react!
In the heat of the moment, I actually tried to jump on the car and was hit by the car as he sped off. No broken bones, but I got a little banged up. Of course all of my valuables, wallet, bank cards, checks etc., were in my gig bag inside of the car. The bright side is the police found my car and made an arrest of the thug.
I also got my car back intact, but had to pay the towing company to get it out of impound. What an insult! However, I am grateful, as is my wife that we even got it back. Moral of the story is that in light of the economy, watch your back and be aware of everyone around wherever you are, because a lot of people want the stuff that we work our asses off to get, but they feel bold enough to take it from us without a second thought of what we, the victims have to go through....Bastards!"

And this unfortunate theft of Reb Beach's vintage guitar peddle:

"Hello this is Dee, from Rockaholics Records with a bit of an announcement. Last night, as many other rockers did, I went to watch Winger perform live for the second time in Athens, Greece. The gig was pretty good, even though Kip seemed to be battling a bad cold. At any rate, the gig would have been overall great, if an unfortunate event had not overshadowed, the proceedings. Some "fella" thought it was right, to rip off, guitarist Reb Beach, by stealing his effects pedal, which put him in a very foul mood afterwards. Now, I don't condone stealing under any circumstances, but I thought, what the hell – this guy is getting tons of endorsements, he'll probably be able to call up the company and get 5 replacements, first thing tomorrow morning. But when I spoke to him, he seemed inconsolable, as he said, it was a rather vintage, model, no longer in production, which was also a gift, so it had great sentimental value to him.

Now, even though this is not my beef, or something I was directly involved in – I'd like to plea, whoever did this totally stupid and rather disgraceful deed, to be a man and return the stolen property to the venue or even to us, so as to have it forwarded to the musician. He could do so, anonymously, by just putting the pedal in a box, writing some fake name and a random address and just send it in, no questions will be asked. Our address is Rockaholics Records, 6 Grigoriou Lambraki str, 16674, Glyfada, Athens, Greece and the details of the organizer and the venue are widely known so he'd have no trouble Googling them up – or giving them a call using a private number.
We're even willing to give this guy both of the releases of Rockaholics, signed as well as a fully signed copy of the newest Winger, record, that I will part with, (I can always re-buy it). Again, to ensure his anonymity – our guy can designate using a courier or whatever – using a fake addresses or whatever – no questions will be asked from our side. I know it sound rather silly and it's not much of a reward, we 're offering – but we just want to try and right a wrong. What happened last night made me feel really bad, both as a rocker and a person. People can be such $#$!!!$holes sometimes… Jees. Dee – out! More RR news soon."

And speaking of Rockaholics Records - www.darkology.com is now online. Check it out now!

LION MUSIC ARTIST UPDATES:
The Latest Artist News & Release Information from Lion Music - Released January 15:

Iron Mask - Shadow Of The Red Baron - 4 years on from the critically acclaimed "Hordes Of The Brave" Iron Mask are back with their most potent release yet in "Shadow Of The Red Baron". Home to a fine collection of melodic neo-classical tracks, this album is full of first class material from start to finish. Chief songwriter and guitar virtuoso Dushan Petrossi’s particular focus this time was to create superb songs first and foremost where the excellent musicianship only lift the music to an even higher level.
Shadow Of The Red Baron is home to 11 tracks which deliver melodic neo-classical metal yet is accessible enough for fans of traditional metal and power/symphonic metal to get into. Each of the 10 vocal tracks feature addictive vocal melodies in the verses and choruses. Dushan's virtuoso musicianship is stronger than ever here serving up a feast of metal treats. The lone instrumental Ghost Of The Tsar offers up something different with its aggressive vocals used to compliment Dushan's majestic fretwork.
Once again the stunning vocals of Valhalla Jnr are heard on the majority of the tracks whilst Oliver Hartmann has a guest lead vocal on Dreams as well as contributing to the backing choirs on the other numbers. New permanent drummer Erik Stout (Reign Of Terror) has added a solid backdrop to all tracks with Petrossi commenting "Erik is a real powerful drummer, I like his groove a lot, his tom files are like earthquakes, and he's the perfect guy for the melodic tunes we have on Shadow Of The Red Baron". A new keyboardist in Andreas Lindahl (Narnia / The Murder Of My Sweet) is also present adding deft touches and fluid solos to the album whilts long term member Vassili Moltchanov still anchors down the bass. Finally Lars Eric Mattsson has a guest spot with his guitar solo being heard on the 3rd guitar solo on Sahara.
On the album Dushan comments, "Once again there's a mix of epic tracks, melodic and neo classical numbers all with great musicians and vocalists, I'm very happy with the choruses of all songs, they stay in your head and this is really what I wanted. Nowadays it seems like bands have forgot how to write good songs, which is for me the most important thing."
In the run up to the albums creation Dushan endured a long family member illness followed by the passing away of his mother, this affected the lyrics and this emotional aspect can be heard in Forever In The Dark, My Angel Is Gone, We Will Meet Again etc. However, there are also the expected epic stories for the likes of Black Devil, Resurrection and the title track. The album was produced by Dushan and mixed and mastered by Jen Bogren in Sweden at Fascination Street Studio (Symphony X, Opeth etc). Artist Eric Phillipe again produced a visually grabbing piece of artwork around the idea of the title track.
In addition a promotional video has been filmed for Forever In The Dark (view at www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SGuA-UTSHk) which will be available on the limited edition first press only CD/DVD dual pack. The DVD is also home to in-depth interviews with the band as well as a guitar lesson with Dushan where he shows you how he plays various tracks on the album making this a must own release.
Track Listing 01. Shadow Of the Red Baron. 02. Dreams 03. Forever In The Dark. 04. Resurrection. 05. Sahara. 06. Black Devil Ship. 07. We Will Meet Again. 08. Universe. 09. My Angel Is Gone. 10. Only The Good Die Young. 11. Ghost Of The Tzar.
Musicians: Dushan Petrossi – All guitars and orchestral samples. Valhalla Jr - Lead Vocals Andreas Lindahl -keys Vassili Moltchanov – Bass Erik Stout - Drums.
WebLinks: www.iron-mask.com / www.myspace.com/ironmaskmetal / www.dushanpetrossi.com.

 
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Acacia Avenue - Acacia Avenue - Acacia Avenue is a new band led by Danish guitarist and songwriter Torben Enevoldsen (Section A, Fatal Force) in the melodic hard rock mold and features vocals from Tony Mills (TNT, Shy), Geir Ronning (Radioactive, Prisoner) and Torben Lysholm (Pangea, Mysterell) with drums by Thomas Heintzelmann (Section A, Decoy) and bass from Carsten Neumann (Savage Affair). Home to a clean punchy production, the album is rich in catchy vocal melodies and strong songs.
The style of the album is a blend of melodic hard rock and AOR. Torben spent most of 2008 writing new music with different people and some of the songs went in this direction. He then decided to pursue this particular style and ended up with around 20 songs and ultimately chose the best ones for what has become the debut Acacia Avenue album.
One the making of the album Torben comments, "The goal was simply to create a really great album, and for me personally, to try to write in a different style to that which I'm usually associated with. It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience. My influences for this album musically were bands like Toto, Giant, Dokken, TNT, Van Halen and so on i.e. Melodic bands with a powerful element to them."
Tony Mills (TNT, Shy) was the first to join in and together they wrote and recorded Don't Call Me Tonight and Wait No More. Geir Ronning (Radioactive, Prisoner) began writing with Torben immediately after and together they penned the songs Hold On, No Looking Back and Digging. whilst Torben Lysholm (Pangea, Mysterell) wrote the lyrics for Just Wanna Be With You and also sings lead on Can't Make You Stay. Finally Lars Sarfsund (W.O.A.) did the vocals on An Illusion. Apart from playing all guitars, bass and keyboards on the album, Torben Enevoldsen sang backing vocals on a few songs and also did the lead vocals on Jamie´s In Love and Let Go. Thomas Heintzelmann (Section A, Decoy) played all the drums and Carsten Neumann (Savage Affair) helped out with the bass.
The mix was done by Torben Enevoldsen at Funny Farm Studios and the mastering was done by Torben Lysholm at Tune Town.
Track Listing 01. Don't Call Me Tonight. 02. Hold On. 03. An Illusion. 04. Jamie's In Love. 05. Can't Make You Stay. 06. Mad Antenna. 07. Wait No More. 08. No Looking Back. 09. Just Wanna Be With You. 10. Let Go. 11. Digging.
Musicians: Tony Mills: Vocals Geir Ronning: Vocals Torben Lysholm: Vocals Lars Sarfsund: Vocals Torben Enevoldsen: Guitars, Bass, Keyboards & Vocals Thomas Heintzelmann: Drums.
WebLink: www.torbenenevoldsen.com.

 
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Mastercastle set to return in 2nd quarter of 2010 - After their acclaimed debut album "The Phoenix" Italian outfit Mastercastle return with their trademark brand of melodic metal/hard rock and classical influences in the 2nd quarter of 2010 for their second album "Last Desire".
The band formed by guitarist Pier Gonella and powerful female vocalist Giorgia Gueglio and completed by bassist Steve Vawamas and guest drummer Alessandro Bissa (Vision Divine) new album will consist of 10 tracks (2 instrumentals) and continues the sound heard and delivered so potently on their debut which was greeted by strong reviews worldwide as well as leading to a live appearance on Live Rock TV. More information to follow soon.

 

Get Your Free Lion Music 2009 Sampler - Every order (whilst stocks last) from the Lion Music Store will receive a free 16 track sampler featuring tracks from a wide selection of our 2009 releases. Packed in a cardboard sleeve with artwork by Carl Andre Beckston (Monowasp) these are a cool freebie to thank you for your support in 2009. The Lion Music store not only holds all the Lion Music back catalogue but a massive selection of releases across the rock/metal genre. All in stock items are normally dispatched same day and we aim to offer the best prices possible. Visit the store at www.lionmusic.com/ShopSelect.htm.

JOHN WAITE LIVE IN EUROPE:
John Waite complete European tour dates:
February 17th: Vienna (A), Szene Wien (Wednesday)
February 18th: Munich (GER), Metropolis Music Hall (Thursday)
February 20th: Karlsruhe (GER), Brauhaus (Saturday)
February 21th: Essen (Sunday) Turock
February 22nd: Verviers (B), Spirit Of 66 (Monday)
February 24th: Zoetermeer (NL): De Boerderij (Wednesday) + Support by Bert Heerink ** and band (Vandenberg)
February 25th: Weert (NL), De Bosuil (Thursday) + Support by Bert Heerink ** and band (Vandenberg)
February 26th: Hellendoorn (NL), De Lataarn (Friday)
February 28th: Carlisle, Cumbria (UK), The Brickyard (Sunday)
March 1st: Wolverhampton (UK), The Robin 2 (Monday)
March 2nd: London (UK), The Underworld Camden (Tuesday)
March 4th: Lissabon (Portugal), Cinema Sao Jorge (Thursday)
March 5th : Madrid (Spain) Ritmo y Compás (Friday).
March 6th : Roth. Kultur Fabrik (Saturday)

DEEP PURPLE TO ARMENIA?:
According to Armenian promoter Vibrographus (www.vgs.am), Deep Purple will perform at the Sports & Concerts Complex in Yerevan, Armenia, on May 25, 2010. Mediamax Media Company (http://www.mediamax.am/) reports that Ian Gillan will perform in Yerevan on March 26 and 27. The money raised from ticket sales will be spent on reconstruction of Gyumri N6 music school. bye Deep Purple Italia - www.deep-purple.it.

MOONDANCE JAM ANNOUNCES SUMMER HEADLINER:
Walker, Minnesota (December 7, 2009) – The Moondance Jam, the country's pre-eminent classic rock festival, has announced the initial booking for this year's festival, which takes place July 14-17, 2010. Legendary southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd will headline the closing night of the festival on Saturday, July 17 at the festival grounds in Walker, Minnesota. Tickets are available now at www.moondancejam.com or by calling 1-877-MOONJAM.
Tickets are now available in a variety of packages. Concert goers can purchase Rockstar All Access, three-day VIP, three-day general admission, weekend packages and single day admission, as well as camping sites and parking passes by contacting the Jam office in Walker. During the first two weeks of December (December 2-15), fans can take advantage of a special offer and save $40 off of their three-day ticket purchases.
An official announcement concerning the festival line-up is due sometime in early 2010. Expect 15 bands to pack the main stage over three days and many more side stage acts to be added in the coming months in addition to Skynyrd, who will be making its fourth appearance in Walker.
The Moondance Jam has been held at the same location in Walker since 1992. This year marks the 19th edition of the festival, which was started by resident Bill Bieloh. The Moondance Jam and its sister festival, Moondance Jamming Country Fest, help bring thousands of music fans to the Walker area every summer. Its bucolic location, situated near a huge lake on a site located three hours northwest of Minneapolis, houses thousands of camping sites during the festivals, and has been cited by many as to why they return year after year to Walker for the shows.

 

 

 

Monday, December 07, 2009

FRONTIERS RECORDS - ARTIST UPDATES:
Frontiers Records is excited to announce the release of Wig Wam's new album Non Stop Rock and Roll on January 29 in Europe (excluding Norway) and February 9 in the USA.
The Norwegian Glam Kings are finally back in the ring with their brand new album. Aptly titled "Non Stop Rock And Roll", this new record shows all the elements that made up the monster reputation these guys are internationally known for: driving energy, unstoppable force and never-ending fun! "Non Stop Rock And Roll" is easily the band's most complete album to date that offers 12 fresh sounding, breathtaking songs, that wears the guitars on it's sleeves, still showing a more mature and less cheesy band.
The catchy hooklines and melodic Hard Rock anthems that Wig Wam are known for are still very much present, yet the feel of this album brings you right in front of the Marshall amps. Blowing your speakers with full blown Rock 'n Roll this album is a Hard Rocking musical journey from the catchy opening track and first single "Do Ya Wanna Taste It" to the electrifying riff of "Walls Come Down", from the Glam Rock happy going sing along anthem "C'mon Everybody" to the fast and furious title track. And hey, the boys also have the ability to set your girlfriend's heart on fire with a couple of unique ballads for the ride. With three gifted songwriters – singer Glam, guitarist Teeny, bassist Flash - in the camp plus the rhythm machine drummer Sporty, "Non Stop Rock And Roll" shines, tweaks and pounds a full blooded rock 'n roll album ought to.
Tracklisting: Do Ya Wanna Taste It; Walls Come Down; Wild One; C'mon Everybody; Man In the Moon; Still I'm Burning; All You Wanted; Non Stop Rock And Roll; From Here; Rocket Through My Heart; Chasing Rainbows; Gotta Get It On (*). (*) Bonus track for Europe & USA only available in the first edition in digipak.
Wig Wam is finally ready to take you to the ultimate rock trip, and bring their wild live performances on the road in 2010.
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/wigwamania / www.wigwam.no / www.frontiers.it / www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords.

 
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Primal Fear will return to the U.S. & Canada in May/June 2010 for the second part of their "16.6 Over North America" tour, following up their highly successful select dates that took place late summer 2009. Support on the trek will come from Luna Mortis, with special guest Redemption on the West Hollywood and Santa Ana shows.
The dates, which go on sale today through EnterTheVault.com exclusively until December 29 (at which point they will be made available through all normal ticketing systems), will include a special VIP meet-and-greet ticket which not only gains the ticket holder 60-minute early entry but also includes a very special pre show meet-and-greet and an autographed customized poster. VIP tickets will be limited to 50 per show.
16.6 Over North America - Part 2
May 20 - New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
May 21 - Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
May 22 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
May 23 - Quebec City, QC @ Imperial
May 24 - Toronto, ON @ Opera House
May 26 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's
May 27 - Detroit, MI @ Blondie's
May 28 - Louisville, KY @ Phoenix Hill Tavern
May 29 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
May 30 - St Paul, MN @ Station 4
Jun. 01 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
Jun. 03 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Jun. 04 - Portland, OR @ Peter's Room
Jun. 05 - San Francisco, CA @ Slim's
Jun. 06 - Santa Ana, Ca @ Galaxy Theatre
Jun. 08 - West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
Jun. 09 - Mesa, AZ @ U.B.'s
Jun. 10 - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
Jun. 12 - Houston, TX @ Meridian
Jun. 13 - Austin, TX @ Emo's

And here is the new December YouTube Promo from Frontiers Records:

 

VENICE GET LIVE AND LOUD:
The new Venice CD is now in stock, and the band will begin sending out all of the pre-orders now. It is now available exclusively at Venice's shows and at www.venicecentral.com. The band set up a splash page at the entrance to the site, where folks can preview three of the tracks.
Track Listing: Electric - Live and Amplified. Running Time: 79:56. Track Listing: The Water / Bleeding / Circus in Town / My Woman / Pushed Her Too Far / Evolve / Things You Are / Baby's Calling / High So High / Very Real / My Own House / One Quiet Day / Think Again / All My Life / If I Were You.
Here's a direct link to order the CD: www.venicestore.macwebsitebuilder.com/catalog/item/4260962/7439219.htm.

 

MORE BIG NAMES FOR SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL:
Just added - Raven, Y&T and Ratt! Details at: www.swedenrock.com.
Y&T (US) San Francisco's Y&T caused a sensation within the metallic underground when they released "Earthshaker" in 1981. The album, and its successors "Black Tiger" (1982), "Mean Streak" (1983) and "In Rock We Trust" (1984) are all timeless classics with an equally melodic and aggressive heavy metal-sound and songs from the top drawer and then some. Sadly Y&T never played in Sweden during this golden age, so the expectations were immense when they finally arrived at SRF in 2003. The performance was a resounding success, which repeated itself on the band's return the following year. And now guitarist/vocalist Dave Meniketti, bassist Phil Kennemore and guitarist John Nymann, accompanied by (relatively) new drummer Mike Vanderhule, will return to the scene of this double triumph - at about the same time as Y&T's first new album in 13 years (!) sees the light of day.
Ratt (US) They brought down the house at SRF 2008 - now Ratt, one of the biggest glam metal-bands in history, return to Sweden and the festival. In the 80s, the band were the main competitors of Mötley Crüe, creating a multitude of classic tracks like "Round and Round", "Lay It Down", "You're in Love" and "Wanted Man". Then came an extended period during which Ratt came and went with ever-changing line-ups, none of which came close to the stature of the original band. Order was restored in 2007, when the band resumed touring with three of the five classic members, including vocalist Stephen Pearcy. And in April 2009 Ratt signed a new record deal with Roadrunner, where their highly anticipated comeback album "Infestation" will be released Spring 2010. No doubt about it anymore, the band is back and they're hungry again!

GLENN HUGHES - LIVE IN WOLVERHAMPTON DVD:
Glenn Hughes - "The Voice of Rock" - examines his own back pages on this historic in-concert recording - Live In Wolverhampton. Over two nights, June 6th & 7th 2009, Hughes' enthralled hometown audiences with his unique brand of rock-funk when he packed out The Robin 2 Hotel in Bilston, Wolverhampton, UK.
The first night, billed as 'Glenn Hughes with his Full Band' saw him performing music from his glory days with Deep Purple in 1973 on to 2009. Songs including 'Muscle & Blood' (from the album Hughes/Thrall), 'You Got Soul' (from Music for the Divine), 'Don't Let Me Bleed' (from Soul Mover) and 'Crave' (from First Underground Nuclear Kitchen) Hughes has rarely performed in the UK before.
The second night, billed as 'You Are the Music': An Evening of Trapeze' saw Hughes performing a full Trapeze set for the first time as a solo performer. Dedicated to the memory of his friend and former Trapeze guitarist Mel Galley, who passed away in July 2008, Hughes delivered emotionally charged versions of songs taken from the albums Medusa ('Touch My Life', 'Black Cloud', 'Medusa') and You Are the Music... We're Just the Band ('Way Back to the Bone', 'Coast to Coast', 'You Are the Music').
The music is often heavy, sometimes graceful and never less than riveting. Hughes' soulful, distinctive voice is superlative throughout, pleading, powerful and always from the heart.
Beautifully presented with superb sound quality, this DVD is a must for the Glenn Hughes aficionado and fans of Classic Rock.
Bonus Features: * Wolves - Visit The Molineux Stadium * Interview - Trapeze Manager, Tony Perry.
Disc Format: DVD-9 Picture Format: PAL 16:9 Duration: 202 minutes Audio: 2.0 Dolby Stereo. USD18.75
WebLink: www.glennhughes.com/thefunkemporium/liveinwolverhamptondvd.html.

STRYPER: "MURDER BY PRIDE" LIMITED PICTURE LP ANNOUNCED:
Ulterium Records are proud to announce the release of a limited 12" picture-disc edition of the latest Stryper album Murder by pride for the European market. A deal was inked with the Italian label Frontiers Records and the release date is set to December 4th.
The LP will be strictly limited to 500 copies, and comes with a full color poster inlay.
Side A: 1. Eclipse of the son 2. 4 leaf clover 3. Peace of mind 4. Alive 5. The plan 6. Mercy over blame.
Side B: 1. Murder by pride 2. I believe 3. Run in you 4. Love is why 5. Everything 6. My love (I'll always show).
The LP is available for ordering at the Ulterium Records Store: www.ulteriumstore.bigcartel.com.

 
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SACRED HEART CD LAUNCHED:
The official release of Sacred Heart's new album Darkness Falls is upon us - it is released today. The CD is currently being shipped from www.sacredheartband.com (includes 4 bonus tracks) & the digital download is available from www.cdbaby.com/artist/sacredheart now (iTunes, Amazon etc, coming soon).

 

KROKUS MIXING NEW ALBUM:
Just because you have not heard from us in a while does not mean Krokus isn't busy at work. The band finished recording the yet untitled forthcoming new CD release. Producer and founding Krokus member Chris Von Rohr is feverishly mixing and putting the final touches to the first cd of the originals after an over 20 years hiatus.
Also, Krokus have been confirmed as co-headliners of next year's Bang Your Head Festival in Balingen, Germany. Their appearance on July 16th, 2010 celebrates the festivals 15th anniversary. For tickets and more info visit their link on our TOUR page.
Krokus wishes all their fans a Happy Holiday Season and thank them for their loyalty and support. Have a rockin' X-mas!
And for tour updates visit www.krokusonline.com and click on "tour" or www.pollstar.com.

ROMEO'S DAUGHTER INTERVIEWED:
Greek-based Rockpages Web Magazine, sat down recently with Romeo's Daughter singer Leigh Matty and talked about the band's history, their comeback and the plans for the future. Here's an excerpt regarding the new album:
Rockpages.gr: I wanted to ask you about the new album you are thinking about releasing. Are you going to release it soon?
Leigh Matty: We have only done four tracks. What we want to do is to make sure that it is the best thing that we can do at this time. Three of the songs are songs that me and Craig (guitar) wrote fifteen years ago. And we already think they sound better than our second album. There were some good songs on our second album, but the production was terrible. We just want to make sure that whatever we release is done to the best of our ability. Actually we were going to record a mini cd with five songs to be sold here (on Firefest 6) but we decided it was too crazy to do that…
Rockpages.gr: …just like FM is doing with "Wildside"?
Leigh Matty: Yes, but they are releasing a new album next year. We want to see whether we can get back and work with some people we used to work with. We are open to a lot of options at the moment. We feel very excited about everything and we just want to put it out into the world and see what comes back after tomorrow. We are hoping to do a mini tour next year (maybe with FM?). But if we do that we'll have a new album.
Read the full interview on: www.rockpages.gr/detailspage.aspx?id=3209&type=1&lang=EN.

UPDATE APOLOGIES:
As some may have noticed, there are some server outages in the last couple of days resulting in MR.com being offline. I also had issues connecting to the server to upload Friday, so there was no update and no MR-X.
All should be fixed now (I was under DOS attack from some spam-bot), and I'll make this weeks MR-X update 3 times as tasty! Brian May, Cobra and maybe some Aldo Nova and Fastway also + more.
As usual, I'm now behind with news and still haven't caught up with mails going back weeks, so bare with me while I sort all this out this week, in and around writing new reviews.

 

 

 

Thursday, December 03, 2009

THE MURDER OF MY SWEET'S DIVINE DEBUT:
The Murder Of My Sweet highly anticipated debut album Divanity will see the light of day on January 29th in Europe and February 9th in the USA on Frontiers Records.
The Murder Of My Sweet is an exciting new band formed in early 2007, when drummer/producer and songwriter Daniel Flores met the awesome singer Angelica Rylin. "There was a rumour that Angelica was the finest vocalist in Stockholm and I wanted to see if that was true" tells Daniel "To my amazement she was!". Daniel had already a line-up formed by Daniel Palmqvist on guitars, Johan Niemann on bass and Andreas Lindahl on keyboards, so the next step after Angelica joined the guys was to start writing songs. "Angelica's voice needed another sort of songs than what we had on the table" continues Daniel "So we wrote more than 25 songs with 12 of them that will end up being on the album".
As band names go – perhaps there's never been a more fitting, so apropos than The Murder Of My Sweet – a moniker inspired by the 1944 movie "Murder, My Sweet. "We love all Film Noir movie styles (specially the old ones) and we wanted to combine that with our rock music" explains Angelica. "The Murder Of My Sweet's aim is to create a distorted film noir vibe and experience – put the wonder, sadness, humour and sheer zest of life into their music tour de force. The band offers a rich and cinematic musical landscape covering a wide spectrum of the Rock genre and reflecting the diversity of the five members own musical experiences."

The material selected for the band's debut album "Divanity" (a title describing a personal interpretation of diva, divine and vanity - all of them being essential ingredients in the record) includes all: from dark subject matters to pure fiction. "Kiss of Death" takes a glimpse into the state of love where you give up your self for the desire to have or to do something that you know you should avoid, while "Bleed Me Dry" describes the feeling of being different and wanting to go your own way in life. "Follow The Rain" is all about breaking a pattern from where you make the same mistakes over and over again into becoming a person with control of your life, "Storms Of The Sea" is a beautiful tale of a young woman on her quest around the world to seek her long lost lover and "No Evil" is the band's encouragement to embrace the dark rather than being afraid of it.
The grand finale of the album is the larger than life - described by Rylin and Flores as The Murder Of My Sweet's own "Bohemian Rhapsody" – track called "Death Of A Movie Star". A massive piece of music showcasing The Murder Of My Sweet's dynamics with a sense of playfulness by switching from soft, rippling sounds and beats to limitless rage with beautiful melodies!
The first single off "Divanity", "Bleed Me Dry" was launched last November 13th on the Swedish markets, and entered the national charts at position No. 14 (highest new entry of the week). The song was also on No. 2 on the singles download charts. This brought the fever for the new album's release to a very high temperature notwithstanding the cold Scandinavian winter! "I was truly excited and happy to see that our music gained some good impact and that there is already a lot of music fans aware of The Murder Of My Sweet" says Angelica, "It was such a great, happy moment to hear that our debut single actually made the top 20 in the Swedish single chart – A BIG thanks to all the fans who bought our single. Me and the guys are so thrilled with the attention and great early feedback were getting from media, press and radio and were looking forward to an exciting and big adventure to start in 2010."
"Divanity" tracklisting includes: No Evil; Follow The Rain; Bleed Me Dry; Chemical Attraction; Kiss of Death; One Bullet; Tonight; Storms of the Sea; Destiny; Revolution; Valerie; Death of a Movie Star.

First edition limited pressing in digipak includes bonus videoclip: Bleed Me Dry. Digital edition on I-tunes includes the exclusive bonus track "Mistaken".
"We are currently planning new gigs here in Sweden and in Europe and we are soon flying to Paris, France and Cologne, Germany to do promotion for Radio, TV and Magazines. There lots of ideas floating around but we must be smart and make the best out of the time we have right now. We are also planning to write new songs next year together with Jesper Strömblad from In Flames for our next album that will be big fun!" concludes Angelica Rylin. Enjoy the videoclip of the band's first single "Bleed Me Dry" and the album trailer on YouTube! The Murder Of My Sweet races ahead with an unforgettable thrill of your lifetime flavour. And whatever you do – don't miss the show! WebLinks: www.themurderofmysweet.com / www.myspace.com/themurderofmysweet / www.frontiers.it / www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords.

 
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BIG SIGNINGS FOR AOR HEAVEN:
The Mighty FM are back! FM spent 11 great years (1984-1995) releasing albums and touring all of Europe with the likes of Meat Loaf, Foreigner, Gary Moore, Status Quo, Magnum, REO Speedwagon and Bon Jovi and became Britain's biggest AOR band! 14 years on and FM are back with a monster of a new album titled "Metropolis".
"Metropolis" captures all best elements of FM's writing and performance skills, with tracks like the rockier 'Wildside' to the melodic power house that is 'Hollow' and sure fire hit 'Days Gone By', with outstanding vocals from Steve Overland and the band sounding as tight as ever, this could their best album yet! The band "hopes that everyone enjoys listening to the album as much as they have enjoyed recording it and playing together again" and with offers to perform in Europe, Japan and USA they are looking forward to playing in 2010.
Come and join them for the biggest party of 2010 and see The Mighty FM perform live at the 'Metropolis' album launch extravaganza, at The Roadhouse, Covent Garden, London on Sunday 7th February.
More details will be posted on the bands official web site www.fmofficial.com.
AOR Heaven signed this band for Europe (without UK). The European release date will be 26.02.2010.

 

The return of Grand Illusion! After a four and a half year absence Grand Illusion have decided to reunite and the boys also have a new album with the title, "Brand New World", in the pipeline. The band core of Anders Rydholm, Peter Sundell and Per Svensson are intact and guests on their new album are Gregg Bissonette, Tim Pierce, Danny Jacobs, Roger Ljunggren and Kjell Klaesson.
"In 2005 we needed a break and to work with other people to develop as musicians. The core of Grand Illusion started in 1986 (under the name Promotion). A lot of things has happened during the four years since the break up but now we all felt that it was time to get back together, have fun and make some great music. We have never before worked so hard on any album. Just having legends like Gregg on drums and Tim and Danny on guitar solos feels like magic. The band formula with strong melodies and over the top vocals are the same", says Rydholm.
We are also very proud to be back on the label where everything started. Georg Siegl and AOR Heaven helped us release our first album (Promotion – "Not for sale") back in 1997 and now we look forward to join the Metal Heaven team. Georg and Monika have put together an impressive rooster and we feel very welcomed to their label.
www.grand-illusion.se (soon online).

AOR Heaven sign Drive She Said - AOR Heaven are happy to announce the signing of renowned American AOR band Drive She Said. The collaboration will start with the release of a best of compilation due in May 2010. The band comments: "Al Fritsch and Mark Mangold are thrilled that their visit to Firefest resulted in being offered a record deal to include a compilation of previously recorded songs (digitally remastered), plus 3 or 4 new recordings, including new songs as well as some vintage tidbits that may surprise our much appreciated fans."

ASIA BACK AT WORK:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce that Asia are currently recording their second reunion studio album and the follow-up to 2008's acclaimed "Phoenix" album. The legendary Roger Dean is onboard to design the cover artwork, while the renowned Mike Paxman (Uriah Heep, Status Quo, Judie Tzuke) is in the producer's chair. The album is due for completion in mid-February with a release planned for spring 2010. Keep an eye on the official Asia website for more details: www.originalasia.com.

INTRODUCING RECKLESS LOVE:
Introducing Reckless Love! Another old-school good time hard rock outfit that fans of H.E.A.T. and Wig Wam and the like might enjoy. The debut album is out via Universal Finland early next year.

Bio: "Reckless Love is a four-piece group from Finland that plays exceptionally good rock n' roll. With it's rousing and joyful attitude the band offers a true alternative for today's rock scene where everything seems too dull, dark and serious. Reckless Love's formula is simple; big hard rock just for the fun of it!
The band was founded in 2001 and started to gradually gain underground reputation as an energetic live act. Eight years of small scale touring, two line-up changes and four demos later the band finally took it's current form and found it's own recognizable sound. In the spring of 2009 Reckless Love started recording it's debut album and signed a world wide record deal with Universal Music. The first single 'One More Time' was released on the 8th of June 2009.
During the summer 2009 Reckless Love will be finishing up in the studio and starting a promo tour for the upcoming debut album. The band is eagerly looking forward to take it's explosive live show back on stage next autumn."
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/recklessloverocks / allscandinavian.com/1033/spacescan09-24-reckless-love-and-killerchaps.
Check out the YouTube video for the new single Beautiful Bomb below.

 

BACHMAN TURNER WILL ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY AGAIN IN 2010:
The Bachman-Turner Overdrive principals Randy Bachman and Fred Turner have reunited to record the title track of Bachman's next album, "Rock 'n' Roll is the Only Way Out," which the guitarist describes to Billboard.com as "really rootsy, really AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, really fun, eager, hungry rock 'n' roll. It sounds like we're in our 20s again." Bachman and Turner plan to announce details of the album's release, which is expected next fall, as well as tour plans at a press conference Dec. 8 in Winnipeg, where both men reside.
They won't be joined by the rest of their bandmates, however; drummer Rob Bachman (Bachman's younger brother) and guitarist Blair Thornton have filed suit to prevent the duo from using the BTO name. But Bachman said that won't prevent he and Turner -- who are reportedly considering monikers such as Bachman-Turner or Bachman-Turner United -- from working together.
"We've been getting offers for the last five or six years," says Bachman, who served three separate tenures in BTO. "It started in 2000, with the reunion of the Guess Who. I went to see the Eagles, and the first thing Don Henley and Joe Walsh said was, 'How's Turner? Any chance you guys will do anything?' 'Why are you interested?' 'You're the last band of the '70s that hasn't gotten back together or put something out, that's why!' Mick Jagger said the same thing when we played the SARS show in Toronto (in 2003). So we'll see what happens when my CD comes out; the first cut people are gonna hear is this cut with me and Fred singing."
Bachman says he and Turner had been in contact for awhile before he presented the "Rock 'n' Roll is the Only Way Out" track to him. "I said, 'Fred, pick whatever vocal line you want and scream your head off, just like the old days...The guys recording it called me and said, 'We can't believe this. This is the greatest thing ever.' When I got the track and played it, i was like, 'Holy cow, no one has heard anything like this since the '70s. It's amazing."
Bachman -- whose album also includes appearances by Neil Young and the late Jeff Healey -- adds that since then Turner has given the guitarist a few of his songs to possibly work on as well.
During its run BTO sold an estimated 20 million albums worldwide, topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1974 with "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" and also scored Top 40 hits such as "Takin' Care of Business," "Roll On Down the Highway," "Hey You" and "Let It Ride."
StoryLink: www.billboard.com/news/bachman-turner-reunite-for-new-music-tour-1004049883.story.

 

 

 

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

STREETS OF KEEL STYLE ROCK N ROLL FOR YOU:
Keel – the band that gave you "The Right To Rock" – will unleash their brand new album Streets Of Rock & Roll on January 29 in Europe and February 9 in the USA on Frontiers Records.
The new recording contains twelve new rock anthems in the tradition of Keel's classic "The Final Frontier," "Keel," and "Lay Down The Law" albums: commercial Hard Rock featuring the twin-guitar attack of Marc Ferrari and Bryan Jay, drummer Dwain Miller and bassist Geno Arce's rock solid groove, Ron Keel's powerful vocals, and a collection of songs which the band feels is their best ever.
"We are not re-inventing our style – "Streets Of Rock & Roll" is a perfect follow-up to our previous albums," says Ron Keel presenting the new album. "The only real evolution is in the quality of the songwriting, musicianship, and production; the excitement and energy of the reunion really ignited our creativity and Marc, Bryan, and I were able to collaborate as a songwriting team like we've never done before. One characteristic this album shares with our classic releases is diversity – there are power anthems, relentless metal, and commercial hard rock. Some of the songs are designed to make you pump your fist and stomp your feet, some have lyrical content that is a little deeper and aims for the heart. There is a power ballad, "Does Anybody Believe" which I think is an instant classic and will be a very important song for us, one of those rare compositions that capture magic and translates it into words and music."

Keel first exploded onto the scene when "The Right To Rock," their major label debut produced by Gene Simmons of Kiss, became the fastest-selling debut album in A&M Records' history. Frontiers Records will commemorate the 25th anniversary of this historic release with The Right To Rock: 25th Anniversary Edition simultaneously with Streets Of Rock & Roll. This newly remastered edition adds two bonus tracks: "Easier Said than Done (Remix)" and a newly recorded version of the immortal Metal anthem "The Right to Rock" (click on the title to hear a sample). For this recording, Keel invited their fans to participate via the internet – Keelaholics could download a guide track, sing along with the chorus, and send in an MP3 to be blended with the all-star chorus of the song which also features Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt, Quiet Riot), Lez Warner (The Cult), Ron Mancuso (Beggars & Thieves) and other members of the Las Vegas rock scene (even Graham Russell from Air Supply joined in)!
Keel has sold over 2 million albums, garnering a reputation as one of the genre's most entertaining live acts by touring with/opening for Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Motley Crue, and many more. They were unanimously hailed as 1985's "Best New Band" in publications such as Circus, Metal Edge, and Hit Parader, and released three charting albums which spawned radio & MTV hits such as "Because The Night," "Tears Of Fire," "Somebody's Waiting" and of course "The Right To Rock."

In 2009 Keel returned stronger than ever with festival appearances across the U.S. at Rocklahoma, the M3 Festival, the South Texas Rock Festival, and the MidWest RockFest in addition to sold-out headline shows in Hollywood and Phoenix. The excitement and energy of these shows and the fans' response fuelled the creative fires that spawned "Streets Of Rock & Roll" and led to the band's union with Frontiers Records. "We're working on festival dates in the U.S. and Europe for 2010 and we're ready to rock when opportunity knocks" explains Ron, adding "I can't emphasize enough how much depends on sales – the more copies of "Streets Of Rock & Roll" and "The Right To Rock: 25th Anniversary Edition" we sell, the more attractive we are to concert promoters and venues who can help us get back on stage where we belong – so we're hoping that fans of commercial hard rock will embrace these albums and add them to their collection."
The new album was produced by Pat Regan (Kiss, Deep Purple, Warrant, and many others) and features guest background vocals by Jaime St. James (Black N Blue, Warrant) and Paul Shortino, who produced and recorded Ron's lead vocal tracks.
"The feeling in the band is triumphant," concludes Ron Keel. "We've been back together for over a year now, we've got some great shows under our belt, and the new album is finished and ready for release. We are thankful to all the fans for the incredible response to the reunion, and we're very proud of our new music. We can move forward with the confidence that we've accomplished a lot of our goals and done it on our own terms." Keel is confident that Hard Rock fans everywhere are going to feel right at home on the "Streets Of Rock & Roll", and plans are underway to promote this new release with shows around the world in the year to come.
Streets Of Rock & Roll track listing includes: Streets Of Rock & Roll; Hit The Ground Running; Come Hell Or High Water; Push & Pull; Does Anybody Believe; No More Lonely Nights; The Devil May Care (But I Don't); Lookin' For A Good Time; Gimme That; Hold Steady; Live; Brothers In Blood.

 
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ALDO NOVA TO SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL!:
MelodicRock.com is first to announce that Aldo Nova is back on stage, playing next summers Sweden Rock Festival!

Canadian AOR-hero Aldo Nova is best known internationally for the hit single "Fantasy" that propelled his debut "Aldo Nova" (1982) to double platinum status in the US. "Monkey On Your Back" off "Subject" (1983) was a decent hit as well, but Aldo Nova retired as a solo artist after his third album "Twitch" (1985) sold allot less than the previous two except in – Sweden! He has since gained greater recognition as a professional composer, creating massive hits for artists like Céline Dion and Clay Aiken. Over the years, he has also released a few more solo albums, for instance the superb, guitar-oriented "Blood on the Bricks" (1991) where he wrote most of the songs with Jon Bon Jovi. Apart from being a fantastic song writer he is also known for being a marvelous guitar player. His new album "Too Much Sex" due to release early 2010, finally brings him to Sweden and SRF!
Blood On The Bricks video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0BOZkWFLHE.

GLENN HUGHES ANNOUNCES AUTOBIOGRAPHY FOR 2010:
Legendary singer and bassist Glenn Hughes (ex-Deep Purple) has announced that he will be releasing his autobiography in 2010. The book, co-written with Joel McIver and featuring an introduction by Metallica's Lars Ulrich, will appear in a luxury first edition complete with rare photos and an exclusive 10" vinyl EP. The publisher, Foruli Publications, is a globally-recognised specialist in collectable, high-quality books. Pre-orders will be available from next spring. Further details will be released early in 2010.
Hughes said, "My autobiography is going to be a literary event. I've been working on this book for the last three years and you've never read anything like it. It's the true story of the Voice Of Rock, from my childhood via my career in Trapeze and Deep Purple to my addiction and recovery. I'm now on top of the world as a solo artist and after so many years of sobriety, I can hardly believe that I survived. I spent a million dollars on cocaine and, when you've read this book, you won't believe it either."
The as yet untitled book features contributions from Hughes' friend and comrade in Deep Purple David Coverdale, his lifelong musical collaborator Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath and a host of others including Angie Bowie, John Varvatos and the members of The KLF (with whom Hughes scored a global hit in 1991).
For more information, visit www.glennhughes.com and www.foruli.co.uk.

STRYPER LIVE IN EUROPE:
Stryper confirmed European tour dates: 1/15/2009 Barcelona Spain Sala Apolo http://www.sala-apolo.com/home.asp
1/16/2009 Madrid Spain La Riviera http://www.salariviera.com/
1/19/2009 Milano Italy Alcatraz http://www.alcatrazmilano.com/nuovo/index.asp
1/20/2009 Biel Switzerland Kongresshaus http://www.ctsbiel-bienne.ch/
1/22/2009 Prague Czech Republic Retro Music Hall http://www.retropraha.cz/index1.php
1/23/2009 Utrecht Netherlands Tivoli Oudegracht http://www.tivoli.nl/
1/24/2009 London England 02 Academy Islington http://www.o2academyislington.co.uk/
1/27/2009 Malmo Sweden Kulturbolaget (KB) http://www.kulturbolaget.se/
1/28/2009 Gothenborg Sweden Trädgårn http://www.profilrestauranger.se/tradgarn
1/30/2009 Helsinki Finland Nosturi http://www.elmu.fi/

INTRODUCING RHINE ROCK RECORDS:
News now from German specialist rock retailer Rock Papas Records: "We are proud to introduce our new German Rock Independent Label Rhine Rock Records, specialized on hard rock, melodic rock and AOR. First we signed the German hard rock band Wicked Temptation for the first release Seein' Ain't Believin' to come out in March 2010.
In future a lot of further releases will be followed. For any information please contact Frank Mohr on info@rockpapas.de.
RockPapas-Home of Rock starts with a great Christmas special selling and contest on December. Further information on www.rockpapas.de. Take your chance to get New Releases for a great price.

DOKKEN RE-UNITED....ON STAGE:
Dokken w/George Lynch - In My Dreams – First time on stage together in 14 years… Filmed @ HOB/Sunset Strip on 11/27/09. George Lynch came out for the encore with Dokken... playing the same guitar he played on this song when it was originally recorded: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k1xalhPHdA.

ARCANGELS RELEASE LIVING IN A DREAM, DVD/CD:
Nearly eight years after headlining the Austin City Limits Festival, the Arcangels have reunited and released Arcangels: Living in a Dream, a DVD/CD featuring their Live at Stubbs performance along with three new studio tracks and a full length Documentary.
Formed in the musical hotbed of Austin, Texas, the Arcangels consist of some of the finest musical talents to ever play an instrument. With a devoted fan base, the Arcangels are known as a tremendous band with an equally remarkable story that began in 1992, after the devastating loss of their friend and fellow musician Stevie Ray Vaughan. The miracle that came from that loss was the unique sound of four musicians aptly named – the Arcangels: drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon (the veteran rhythm section of Stevie Ray Vaughan's Double Trouble) coupled with musical wonders Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall II sharing lead vocal and lead guitar duties. The current band lineup consists of original members Bramhall, Sexton and Layton.
"Charlie and I started to write together again and decided that we should get the band back together. The chemistry that we all have together is one entity and it's something very real. It's fun," said Bramhall. "We're trying to take advantage and savor the good things and one of the good things is the Arcangels," added Charlie Sexton.
March 2009 marked the introduction of the band's new music and live tour launching at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, TX. Next they opened for Eric Clapton on his European tour before embarking on their own U.S. tour during the summer. "The stars kind of aligned once again. The band's back together and we're doing some new things," said Layton.
The past few months on the road have only reaffirmed the band's strong bond and collective passion for music. The Arcangels are back and here to stay. The release of their new DVD/CD gives fans an all access look at the long road of hardships and challenges that the band has overcome to become the heralded Arcangels.
The Arcangels were formed at the Austin Rehearsal Center (ARC) which so aptly gave them a name. There, Sexton had a writing room to work on his next solo album, Bramhall was working under a development deal with Geffen Records, and Layton had a drum room where he would often practice. The initial idea had been quite simple; create a band that can jam when people happened to be in town or not on tour with Stevie. But Vaughan's death changed everything. When the foursome came together, press were quick to dub them a "Texas supergroup," but the guys shunned that tag. The band was purely a musical outlet and inspiration to all of them.
Not intending to be a recording band, the guys played live and just for fun, opening for the likes of Robert Cray. But they soon found the excitement and challenges of being a band, worth the effort. Sexton and Bramhall tabled their solo projects and began creating music specifically for the Arcangels.
The band's 1992 debut album release, Arc Angels, on Geffen Records met with much critical acclaim and managed to break onto the Billboard Top 200 chart. The sound was unique -- raw and intense rock and roll steeped in the roots of Texas blues, but still radio-friendly and widely appealing. The group toured heavily after the album and on Tuesday, June 9, 1992, the Arcangels made their network television debut on the NBC show The Late Show with David Letterman where they performed "Living In A Dream." On Wednesday, January 6, 1993, they again performed on Letterman's show, this time playing "Too Many Ways to Fall." It seemed that this Texas quartet was poised to explode onto the national scene.
But their name proved a harbinger of things to come; the Arcangels fell as quickly as they rose. Creative differences, heavy touring, and Bramhall's admitted descent into a deep and nearly deadly heroin addiction caused the breakup of the band in 1994. The Arcangels came to an abrupt halt in October of that year with a series of farewell concerts at Austin's Backyard outdoor venue.
They each followed their individual paths from there. Bramhall went on to solo projects as well as touring with Roger Waters and Eric Clapton's band. Sexton made two critically acclaimed solo albums, toured with Bob Dylan, and has produced numerous high profile artist projects. Meanwhile, Layton recorded three albums with the Texas soul quintet Storyville and has backed such artists as Buddy Guy and John Mayer.
Produced and designed by Mark Proct and Charlie Boswell, the DVD/CD was recorded using Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) cutting edge live-audio technology, designed to give users the highest quality experience. "We wanted to give our fans more than they would have expected in both content and quality of content" said Mark Proct "From the Nuendo recording systems to the DVD rendering AMD played a major role in the production of the CD/DVD and the outcome exceeded all of our expectations." Now, after almost 5 years in the making, the DVD/CD is finally available to fans and rock & roll lovers of all ages.
Arcangels Official Site & MySpace: arcangelsmusic.com/index_2.html / www.myspace.com/arcangelsmusic.

 

OKLAHOMA MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES NEW STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP:
As suggested right here a couple of months back, the first signs of a "new look" Rocklahoma festival have begun to immerge. And it isn't good news for melodic fans...

Pryor, OK - "The producers of Rocklahoma announced today that they will be teaming with the world's largest producer of music festivals, AEG Live, to revamp the rock festival in 2010. The management team that created the critically-acclaimed rock festival in Northeast Oklahoma in 2007 has brought on board one of the most respected festival producers and promoters to serve as executive consultants of the festival in a multi-year deal.
"In keeping with the vision that we set out to realize three years ago, we have learned that we need the strength of a major player in the live entertainment business behind us if we want to continue to grow Rocklahoma," said Mark Nuessle, President and Co-owner of the festival.
Nuessle added, "AEG Live brings an incredible amount of expertise and credibility to the table, and that is exactly what we must have to continue the process of making this festival one of the premier destination rock festivals in the U.S."
As part of the multi-faceted deal, AEG Live will focus specialized attention on reworking and further developing Rocklahoma in several key areas including talent booking, marketing, sponsorship, ticketing and festival operations. The entertainment company will work hand-in-hand with the current Rocklahoma management team to grow and expand the festival to new levels of attendance and acclaim in the coming years.
"We're really excited to be working closely with the entire Rocklahoma team to create an even more incredible festival for the rock fans in Oklahoma and surrounding areas. Mark and his partners have built something very special with this festival that more people need to see and experience," commented Joe Litvag, Senior Vice President of AEG Live.
The first major changes come with this announcement that Rocklahoma will be a three-day festival in 2010, and it is moving from its past mid-summer dates to May 28-30, 2010, Memorial Day Weekend.
"One of the first things that we discussed with our team and AEG Live was the idea of eliminating a fourth festival day in an attempt to create more depth-of-talent on each of the remaining three days. We want to expand the reach of our audience to a greater distance by giving the fans who will attend from other parts of the country an extra day to return home on the long Holiday weekend," commented Nuessle. Litvag added, "Additionally, we felt that by moving Rocklahoma into May, the festival could capitalize on more suitable weather for the fans as well as deeper artist availability by not directly competing with the U.S. summer touring season and European festival season."
In keeping with the Rocklahoma tradition, next year's festival will include booking the most formidable classic rock bands in the world. But in addition, festival producers and AEG Live will create a much more diverse roster of rock artists that will include a large confluence of new active artists, as well as the classic rock artists that Rocklahoma is known for.
Announcements of the 2010 Rocklahoma line-up, on sale information, new VIP packages and additional festival upgrades and improvements will come later this fall."

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

QUEENSRYCHE CABARET FEATURING GO-GO AND BURLESQUE DANCERS, DRAG QUEENS, AND MORE:
Press Release / Ladies and Gentleman and "kids" of only adult ages, welcome to what promises to be the spectacle of all spectacles better known as the Queensryche Cabaret.
On Thursday, February 4th and Friday, February 5th, Queensryche -- Geoff Tate, Scott Rockenfield, Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson and Parker Lundgren -- will invade the Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom near the band's hometown of Seattle to perform a show-of-shows with a bunch of their friends who have a tendency to only come out late at night.
The Queensryche Cabaret -- heralded as "the first adults only rock show" (21 and over) -- will be Teatro ZinZanni meets Cirque du Soleil with the band performing their hits and never-heard-before selections accompanied by Go-Go dancers, burlesque dancers, drag queens, a juggler, ballet dancer, trapeze artist, a contortionist and others.
Definitely a fun-filled evening like no other full of freaks and shrieks! What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play!
Those who attend the Queensryche Cabaret will have the option of just sitting back and enjoying the music and theatrics or actually being a part of the elaborate stage show! Prior written consent will be required as it won't be for the faint of heart...
It'll be sights and sounds coming at you from all angles like never before! See some evil, hear some evil, speak some evil and have some fun.
Prior to each performance, Geoff Tate along with Three Rivers Winery, will be jump-starting the Cabaret festivities by having a wine-tasting event that will officially launch Geoff's new white wine blend of "Insania."
Life is a Queensryche Cabaret, old chum, come to the Cabaret! For the past eight months, Queensryche has performed over 75 dates in support of their most recent CD release, American Soldier, that came out on March 31st via Rhino/Atco Records.
While on tour, the band made stops at several military bases across the United States, speaking with (and sometimes performing for) those who serve our country every chance they had... "The whole tour was amazing for us. We met real people with real stories. It was an experience we will never forget," says Geoff Tate.
The American Soldier tour featured three suites of music from the band's Rage For Order, American Soldier and Empire releases and recently included a special guest appearance by The Queen of Heavy Metal, Lita Ford.
Fans who witnessed this year's shows were, once again, able to see Queensryche present their music in unique, dramatic fashion. Known for their excellent stage shows, Cabaret will certainly be no exception to the Queensryche "rule." It'll be things you thought you'd never see brought to you by people who can't wait to show it to you.
Be prepared... be very prepared.
For additional show and ticket information, please visit the band's official website at www.queensryche.com.

M.ILL.ION RECRUITS AUSTRALIAN KEYBOARD PLAYER:
The new keyboard player in M.ill.ion is Angelo Modafferi from Australia. Angelo now living in Sweden, was picked after the band scanned the market for two months and he auditioned last week. M.ill.ion's B.J Laneby comments: "Angelo is exactly what we were looking for; great musician, rock´ n roll attitude and he ´s singing backing vocals. And we have already had some good laughs, not the least important thing in this gang. He's been involved in the music industry for quite some time including touring and recording and has also been a piano teacher for 10 years. We clicked musically and socially right away."
Angelo Modafferi: "Totally wrapped to be a part of M.ill.ion ! It's Great! They're a cool bunch of guys and I'm really looking forward to working and rocking out with them."
The band is now complete again and this line up feels very strong. Make no mistake: M.ill.ion intend to deliver one hell of an album for 2010!
M.ill.ion MySpace: www.myspace.com/millionized.

RHINO BUCKET INTERVIEW:
A new 30-minute audio interview is online at The Musician's Voice (www.themusiciansvoice.com) with Georg Dolivo of Rhino Bucket. Georg chats about the latest Rhino Bucket album "The Hardest Town," as well as Rhino Bucket's early 1990s' heyday on Warner Brothers Records with MTV exposure and extensive touring. Georg also discusses some of the mechanics behind the music, such as his guitar tandem with Brian Forsythe, and how they achieve the dirty, AC/DC-inspired tone with their choice of amps and live sound. Some of the business aspects of keeping Rhino Bucket alive are also covered.

ADD YOUR REVIEWS:
Feature Reviews has been updated for you to get vocal on....add your own reviews to the following new titles: Mastedon / 3, Blanc Faces / Falling From The Moon, W.E.T. / W.E.T., Winger / Karma, Overland / Diamond Dealer, Kings Of Modesty / Hell Or High Water, Toy Soldier / Salute, Jaded Heart / Perfect Insanity.
Add Your Reviews Now.

 

 

 

Monday, November 30, 2009

ANOTHER GIANT PREVIEW:
For those anticipating just what the new Giant album is all about - here is an exclusive sneak peak MP4 video of scenes from the recording studio, backed with the audio of another brand new track titled - Believer (Redux). The track was written by the amazing team of Erik Martensson / Miqael Persson / Robert Säll and features solos from Dann Huff.
Download Video Here.

 

RICK SPRINGFIELD, SABATON, D-A-D AND ANVIL TO SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL 2010:
Another four bands have now been confirmed to next year's Sweden Rock Festival. 10 out of a total of around 60 bands are now confirmed.
Its been way too long, but finally Rick Springfield will come to Sweden and of course to Sweden Rock Festival.
He has had a long career as an actor, but it is with his music he really hit the big time, especially in the 80's when he released classic albums like "Working Class Dog", "Living In Oz" and "Rock Of Life". With last years "comeback" album "Venus In Overdrive", which broke the Billboard top 30, he showed his class as a song writer once again and live it's heavier and better than you can ever imagine.
We are also happy to announce the return to the festival of one of Sweden's biggest metal bands, Sabaton.
With a brand new album coming out this spring they will come to Sweden Rock to deliver the biggest and baddest stage show they have ever made. Those who are into melodic metal simply cannot miss this!
From Denmark comes one of the bands we get the most wishes for: D-A-D. As usual, they will give the audience heavy rock with a very characteristic sound influenced by both country and punk, and classic songs like "Sleeping My Day Away", "Bad Craziness" and "Laugh 'n a ½".
Last but not least Anvil, a classic Canadian heavy metal band that will do their second gig at the festival and this time they are riding high on the waves of the highly acclaimed documentary "The Story Of Anvil". A movie that show how this band has been fighting tooth and nail from the 80´s until now without ever really catching a break. After this film though, the world finally seems to be ready for them and Anvil is bigger than ever!
Sweden Rock Festival is held in Sölvesborg in southern Sweden on June 9-12 2010. Tickets are on sale on our homepage: www.swedenrock.com.
Out of a total of around 60 bands on the main stages, the following have been announced so far: Bachman & Turner (Can) Rick Springfield (Aus/Us) Sabaton (S) D-A-D (DK) Saga (Can) Unisonic (D) Bigelf (US) Anvil (Can) Mother's Finest (US) Jorn (N).
More bands to be announced soon!

 

ROCKING FOR A GOOD CAUSE:
For the 13th year, Rock 4 Xmas will bring together a who's who of the rock-and-roll world and hit the stage to raise money to benefit the less fortunate. 100% of the net proceeds from tickets sales will benefit Toys For Tots.
This year's slate of shows is once again headlined by the legendary Eddie Money, and will feature performances by Joey Molland of Badfinger, Kelly Keeling formerly of Blue Murder and Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Terry ILous of XYZ. Serving as MC for the shows will be Butch Patrick, best known as Eddie from the classic television show The Munsters.
The tour shapes up as follows: December 3 at The Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, NY; December 4 at the Seaport Inn and Marina in Fairhaven, MA;December 5 at the Cape Cod Community College in Hyannis, MA; December 13 at Johnny D`s in Somerville, MA; with future shows on the way in New England before wrapping up in Uncasville, Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun Casino on December 14.
As an added treat, Randy Jackson of Zebra will be a special guest at the Crazy Donkey show in Farmingdale, performing Zebra hits as part of the Rock 4 XMAS lineup. Monies raised through the Rock 4 XMAS shows will benefit local charities in each host location that help families in need enjoy a happy holiday season.
"Many of these stars have already lived that partying, rock-and-roll lifestyle," said Wayne Morrison, event organizer and head of the Rock 4 XMAS Foundation. "Now they just want to help."
"These shows are always very intimate," Morrison said. "When the performers are not on stage, they are meeting the people and signing autographs. They really want to meet the people of the communities they are helping." Tickets are $20, and expected to be right around that mark for subsequent shows as well.
"We know with the way the economy is, it's hard to find the cash to go out to rock shows," he said. "We want to keep it affordable, so that people can still get that good feeling from helping others without hurting themselves financially."
Rock 4 XMAS is also releasing a "Best Of" CD this season, bringing together some of the greatest tracks of the first two benefit albums on one disc. It will also feature new tracks such as "On a Clear Night," performed by Eddie Money, and "My Christmas Tree is Haunted," written by noted paranormal author Jeff Belanger.
In addition to raising money and collecting other donations for needy families, Morrison is also looking for volunteers to help with the show. In addition, individuals can donate frequent flyer miles to help defray the expense of flying in all the performers. All donations are tax deductible.
Updates regarding the shows and CD will be posted frequently on the foundation's web site, www.rock4xmas.com. The site already features numerous video and audio clips from past events. Tickets for the Seaport Inn show can be purchased by contacting the Inn at (508) 997-1281 or by visiting www.seaportinnandmarina.com. Tickets for Cape Cod Show available at Puritan Mens Store and Spinnaker Records, both in Hyannis.

FRANK VESTRY LIVE:
Frank Vestry and friends' to perform at "Kids' Song" Fundraiser Show:
The event will take place on Sunday, December 6, 2009 between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM at the Nutty Irishman in Bay Shore, NY. (Doors Open at 1:30 PM) Tickets are $20 at the door the day of the show and all proceeds will go to the kids benefit. For more info about this show go to www.frankvestry.com or www.lasttemptation.org.
In addition to this LT will donate $5 to the Foster Kids for every CD sold from now until the end of 2009.

CD SHOWCASE UPDATED:
Massive CD Showcase update for you today folks, with the following new albums previewed: Blackwood Creek, Spin Galley, on The Rise, Los Angeles & JSS (all Frontiers Records, December 4 release); Mr. Big & Pink Cream 69 (Frontiers Records, out now); 101 South & Sol Doctor (Metal Heaven, out now); Arch Rival & Darkology (Rockaholics Records, out now) and Grand Prix, Monstrose, Airrace & Teaze (all Rock Candy Records, out now).
Check out all these new Showcases now!

 

 

 

Friday, November 27, 2009

EDEN'S CURSE GET READY TO BURN:
Metal Mayhem Music will release the UK Tour Collection E.P. from Eden's Curse on November 30 and in conjunction exclusively with MelodicRock.com, readers who pre-order from this site will receive an additional 4 Track bonus CD that is unavailable anywhere else in the world!
As a thank you to the support shown by Ryan & Sarah Northrop at Metal Mayhem Music the band have pulled out some true hidden gems from their personal archives to create a true collectors item for all fans of Eden's Curse, coupling as a great introduction to the bands music with songs from both the self-titled debut and sophomore record The Second Coming, which received lavish praise on this very site, being featured. The collection includes the US exclusive bonus track from The Second Coming release, Prisoner Of The Past, plus some rare demo tracks from both studio albums, one highlight being the Angels & Demons demo which features Joanna Ruiz (Steve Grimmett Band) on Female Lead Vocals. A stunning acoustic version of Sail On which the band recorded exclusively for the MRCD5 - Writing On The Wall CD and some rare soundboard recordings from the recent May 2009 UK Tour with Stratovarius and Firewind, recorded live at The Button Factory in Dublin, Ireland on the last night of the Tour.
Click on the artwork for a full CD Showcase and track by track comments + all audio samples from the EP and bonus tracks.

 
Michael Eden: "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going and no-one steps up to the plate quite like our US label partners Metal Mayhem putting others to shame and then some! Metal Mayhem believes in Eden's Curse and they knew that this band needed to take to the stage for longevity. Metal Mayhem and Metal Mayhem alone absolutely 100% made sure that this happened all in a territory that they had no vested interest in. This E.P. is our way of saying THANK YOU to Ryan and Sarah and letting them reap the rewards of the harvest that they sowed back in May. As a music collector and a fan of Eden's Curse I believe that this is a very cool little package for our fans that allows the listener an insight into the workings of our world and how our songs develop from the ideas that Paul Logue presents to us, to the midas touch of Dennis Ward, where everything that glitters is gold!"

The Condemned To Burn - UK Tour Collection E.P. features the following tracks:
CD - Prisoner Of The Past (US Bonus Track), Angels & Demons (Demo), Sail On (Acoustic Version), Man Against The World (Demo), Judgement Day (Demo), Eyes Of The World (Demo), Stronger Than The Flame (Demo - Featuring Carsten Lizard Schulz),Masquerade Ball (Live), Just Like Judas (Live).
MR.Com Bonus Disc - Fly Away (Live), Sail On (Live), The Voice Inside (Demo), After The Love Is Gone (Demo).

 
Purchase Condemned To Burn for the price of
US$15 + $5 shipping
(airmail worldwide). Click Paypal link below.

 


KISS ALIVE IN LA:
By Gerry Gittelson (words and pictures), Melodicrock.com Los Angeles correspondent / Los Angeles – It's been 35 years since Kiss Alive came out, and the band is just as loud and over-the-top as ever.
The American foursome is touring in celebration – and to make a little money, because they need it so badly, wink wink – and their concert at the Honda Center on Tuesday, Nov. 25 was like a trip back in time.
Gene and Paul were there of course, flanked these days by guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, and so was the makeup, the great black and silver costumes and platform heels, and screaming fans who sang along to chorus-heavy anthem like Rock N Roll All Night, Strutter and Shout it out Loud, and, of course, an insane light and pyrotechnics show that is generally makes for about two-thirds of Kiss' appeal.
Stanley was in fine voice, and he still looks fantastic and in perfect shape. He is quite the band leader, quite the photogenic poser, and quite the party host. He seemed to be having as good a time as all of us, and certainly there is nothing wrong about that.
Gene Simmons is Gene Simmons – masculine to max and loving every roaring minute of crowd admiration. His bass guitar was way up in the mix – that's the way it is when you're a founding member – and, yes, the blood spit came out during his solo. Come to think of it, Simmons spits and drools a lot on stage, even without the blood, and in some ways it's a surprise he does not short out his bass one day.
Every year, there are fewer and fewer large-scale rock shows like this one, as arena rock continues to be pushed aside from the mainstream. There will become a point when I grow old and try to tell my grand kids about what an incredible spectacle Kiss was in concert back in my younger years. I wonder if they will believe me, too, because like I said, this is not going to go on forever.
Back to the present, Kiss is all about having a good time and not worrying about such things – Paul Stanley even said so between songs – so for two hours we left our troubles at the door and pumped our fists and sang along to Lick it Up like we didn't have a care in the world. It felt damn good, too. Kiss, thank you for that.

 
xx

xx

MORE LION MUSIC ARTISTS SPEAK OUT ON THE MURDER OF MUSIC:
In support of Borislav Mitic's statement on the murder of music more Lion Music artists are adding their own weight and support to our awareness campaign.

George Bellas "The Current State of Music Piracy"
Dear Music Lovers and Fans,
I want you all to know how much I love to create music and how much of a thrill it is to share this with you all. I have happily and very willingly invested a lifetime in developing and honing my skills both as a player and composer, all the while sacrificing many other things in life to be able to push my abilities to the brink and beyond. But quite unfortunately, due to the overwhelming situation of the illegal downloading of music, A.K.A. as stealing, producing and releasing albums has been exponentially increasing in difficulty.
It is disheartening to hear about the sales condition of albums, especially when I take 2 minutes and Google search "Music Download" and find all these illegal download sites that come up, a lot actually. I have put a lifetime into this, and with so much passion and commitment behind all the music I create, it really bums me out knowing that some people just turn around and download my life's work. When I see the amount of fans that write to me, and then look at the sales figures, it becomes very apparent that something is not right.
And the problem is not just with the downloading of electronic files... Shortly after my album "Venomous Fingers" was released, bootleg copies were showing up in record stores. And on top of that, right around the same time, my debut album "Turn Of The Millennium" had been illegally reprinted and was being sold on Amazon and through other music resellers. On this bootleg version of "Turn Of The Millennium" some of the text in the credits had been changed, and the artwork color was slightly more washed out than the legit version. I initially found this out from several fans emailing me asking what the correct song order was on the album because the songlist inside the booklet differed from what was printed on the CD face, and then to my surprise, one of my private students came in for a lesson with the same unauthorized version saying he bought it off of Amazon. I immediately called the record label to see if maybe the album had been remastered, but it hadn't been, and they ha d no idea about the distributed bootleg. The label did say a good amount of money has been invested to find and prosecute these crooks. So in these cases, not only myself and the record labels but it was the fans too that also had been robbed.
It costs money to make albums, and the artists and labels rely on sales to continue to do so. If you enjoy listening to music as much as I enjoy making it -- don't steal it.
Things you can do to help support the arts:
1) Buy the music you listen to. 2) When a friend offers to burn you a copy - say "No". 3) Don't make copies of music you purchased for your friends. 4) Don't upload copyrighted music to the internet. 5) Don't download copyrighted music from illegal file sharing sites.
Stealing copyrighted music is a violation of international copyright laws and subject to fees and imprisonment.
For more information please visit: 1) What is Copyright? 2) What is Piracy? 3) About Music Copyright Notices 4) Laws for Downloading Music.
Thank you for listening to my plea for the longevity of the International Recording Industry.
Sincerely, George Bellas- Bellas Music Studio www.GeorgeBellas.com.

Dushan Petrossi Of Iron Mask - "I will be straight and simple: If people just download or share the new Iron Mask album, which for information is by far our most expensive production, with a mix and master by Jens Bogren, there won't be another Iron mask album as the recording expense will not be recouped, so please beware and make the right choice before simply 'clicking'." Dushan Petrossi - www.iron-mask.com.

Sebo Xotta From Strings 24 - "I usually hear a lot of people saying old heavy rock music was better and better compared to all modern productions... Personally I don't agree with this point of view, especially talking about sound, single instruments tone and overall mix, but this is my opinion... We have to say today there is more attention about creating a good single hit to try to put it in the charts, so the songs structure is often influenced by this point...I agree we have no more works like old Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, etc... but I think they were able to do that....because they knew a lot of people would have bought their records!!!
Today, if you're a musician, you perfectly know a few guys will buy your release, most of the people will download it for free, so you know you're not going to get back the money you spent to record, mix and master your CD. This is the reason you try to create songs in order to be considered by radio stations, TV stations, all those places where you can get some royalties, even if you would like to put a 3 min intro to your favourite song, or a long psychedelic bridge in another one...
So, if you're tired of simple commercial stuff, my suggestion is "buy CD's!" This is the only input you can give to the musicians to focus more on their music rather than on their empty wallet!
Believe me, a musician who can use all his time to produce his music will create better works compared to the one who has to do another job to pay rent and bills.
You're warned, don't cry when you'll have to get a videogame to listen to some new music." Sebo / Strings24 - www.strings24.com.

Emir Hot - "I can only agree 100% with what Borislav has said. Unfortunately I see no progress in people's behaviour since file sharing became popular. I haven't given up yet but have been thinking to stop being musically active many times. I just hope that this text will change at least 1% minds of music killers and that will make many think before they act." www.emirhot.com.

EMPIRES OF EDEN: ENTERING THE STUDIO IN JANUARY:
Empires of Eden will hit the studio in January 2010 to complete the followup to the critically acclaimed debut, Songs of War and Vengeance. The next album will include an international all-star line-up of some of metal's most powerful singers, building on the original creative force that made the debut a must-hear release of 2009.
The brainchild of ex-Dungeon guitarist Stu Marshall, Empires of Eden is a collection of melodic power metal that has garnered unanimous praise worldwide. Incorporating huge melodic hooks, blistering guitar performances and a fresh approach to songwriting, the debut was a massive success in Japan, released by Rubicon records in July this year.
The forthcoming opus, with the working title "Silence Obscura", is set to deliver an aggressive and orchestrally focused tour de force, involving material that has be individually crafted to bring out the best of each singer's unique vocal strengths.
The project's director, Stu Marshall, says: "With the first album I was lucky enough to feature three incredible voices in Louie Gorgievski (Crimsonfire), Mike Zoias (Transcending Mortality) and Chris Ninni (Sydney session vocalist). The act has always had a focus on allowing the singers to compose all of their own lyrical parts and melodies, something that is rare these days when people are involved in projects like these. You do get a sense of what really makes these singers so good and you'll hear a deep range of their talent and soul. When formulating this album, I contacted many of the great artists who had influenced and inspired me for the last 20-plus years, and, out of the many I contacted, I was lucky enough to have five confirmed so far. From what I am hearing in these early stages, the concept is showing incredible promise."
The confirmed guests and all remaining mysteries of the album will be revealed in the future, but for now, the one thing that is no secret is that tracking will commence in January.
For additional information and copies of the band's debut release, check out www.empiresofeden.com.

MR-X UPDATE:
This week's MR-X update is an opportunity for all. The 2009 Archives have been opened and I have added all 2009 featured downloads into the one folder, for those that might have missed certain features to have one last chance to get them before they are deleted to make way for all new fresh content coming soon!
Hurry - must be deleted soon!!

MR-X Membership Details.

 

 

 

Thursday, November 26, 2009

BRUCE TAKES BK3 TO EUROPE:
Frontiers Records proudly announces the signing of Bruce Kulick for the European release of BK3 - his third solo album - on January 29th 2010.
Kulick, who first gained notoriety as a member of Meat Loaf's "Bat Out Of Hell" touring band, may be best known for his twelve years (1984-1996) as lead guitarist of Kiss, during which time he appeared on nine gold, two platinum and one multi-platinum albums. It is, however, the wealth of experience he has gained in his 13 post-KISS years that shines through on "BK3".
The album takes listeners for quite a ride over its twelve songs... from the frenetic and anger-fuelled "Fate" (co-written by Kevin Churko, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne), to the philosophical and uplifting "Life". Never one to mind sharing the spotlight with other talented musicians, Kulick invited several guest artists to appear on "BK3", including Gene Simmons of KISS on the anthemic "Ain't Gonna Die", Doug Fieger (lead vocalist of The Knack) on the soon-to-be pop classic "Dirty Girl", Tobias Sammett (Edguy, Avantasia) and Eric Singer (KISS) on the fierce "I'm The Animal", Nick Simmons (son of Gene) on "Hand of the King", former Union cohort John Corabi on the moody "No Friend Of Mine" and guitar legend Steve Lukather (Toto) on the exciting instrumental "Between The Lines."
In the works for nearly six years and produced by Jeremy Rubolino, "BK3" delivers explosive hard rock arrangements and addictive pop melodies that honour both Kulick's singular past and bright future. "Many albums lack cohesion with different vocalists, but I know that my guitar playing is the glue on BK3," Kulick says. "There was the clear goal of making absolutely the best record that I could put together. I feel like this is my Revenge."
BK3 includes the following tracks: Fate; Ain't Gonna Die (featuring Gene Simmons); No Friend of Mine (featuring John Corabi); Hand of the King (featuring Nick Simmons); I'll Survive; Dirty Girl (featuring Doug Fieger); Final Mile; I'm The Animal (featuring Tobias Sammet and Eric Singer); And I Know; Between The Lines (featuring Steve Lukather); Life; Skydome (from the BK CD "Audiodog")* * Exclusive Bonus Track for Europe.
Bruce plans to take "BK3" to his fans through as many avenues as possible, including live concerts, appearances at KISS Expos and media. While there have been many milestones along the way in his 30+ years of performing and recording, "BK3" marks a new pinnacle for Bruce Kulick.
WebLinks: www.frontiers.it / www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords / www.kulick.net / www.myspace.com/brucekulickmusic.

 
xx

DIO ILLNESS SHOCK:
From www.ronniejamesdio.com today - statement issued by Wendy Dio, the wife and manager of legendary vocalist Ronnie James Dio:
"Ronnie has been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. We are starting treatment immediately at the Mayo Clinic. After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his fans.
Long live rock and roll, long live Ronnie James Dio.
Thanks to all the friends and fans, from all over the world that have sent well wishes. This has really helped to keep his spirit up."


Get well soon RJD! Your legion of fans awaits...

MUSIC BUY MAIL WITH A FREE PROMOTION COMPILATION:
Music Buy Mail is delivering a free compilation to all customers / orders. The Power Of Rock Vol. 1 features 16 rock tracks incl. songs of W.E.T., Delany, Overland and many more! Tracklist:
01. W.E.T. - One Love (taken from "W.E.T.") Frontiers Records
02. DELANY - Love Tears (taken from ,,Blaze And Ashes") MusicBuyMail.eu
03. OVERLAND - You Lift Me Up (taken from "Diamond Dealer") Escape Music
04. X-SINNER - World Covered In Blood (taken from "World Covered In Blood") Image Records
05. EDGE OF FOREVER - Distant Voices (taken from forthcoming album "Another Paradise") 7hard - release early 2010!
06. 77 - Gimme Rock'n Roll (taken from "21st Century Rock") Weight Recordings - release shortly!
07. NAUGHTY BOYS - Endless Pain (taken from "Destiny Calls") N-Records
08. MAXXWELL - Bad to The Bone (taken from "Dogz On Dope") Fastball Music
09. SAVAGE BLADE - We Are The Hammer (taken from "We Are The Hammer") Pure Steele Records
10. SORA - Taste Of Rock & Roll (taken from forthcoming album "Desire And Truth"), Avenue Of Allies - release February 2010
11. ABI VON REININGHAUS - Seven Friends (taken from King Of Heart) Alnico Records
12. SANDSTONE - Hiding In The Shadows (taken from "Purging The Past") Limb Music
13. STARGAZER - I Needed You (taken from "Stargazer") Avenue Of Allies
14. ASPHALT VALENTINE - Bombshell (taken from "Strip Rock Roll") Chavis Records
15. CAGE - Planet Crusher (taken from "Science of Annihilation") MusicBuyMail.eu
16. A SOUND MIND - Grace (taken from "Harmonia") 7hard

 

RE-INTRODUCING TRI-ROCK RADIO:
Press Release / Tri-Rock Radio first came into existence back in November of 2003. Where the heck has all the time gone... we are now celebrating 6 years of Tri-Rock Radio www.trirockradio.com this November! We first started out as a Christian Rock station back then with the intentions of giving rockers some rock with clean lyrics and make it fun to listen to.
In the summer of 2007 we felt like our vision was going in a different direction, so we decided to change things up a bit and play some Regular Rock N' Roll most know about by playing over 40 years of Rock, Hard Rock and Classic Metal and also mix in some Christian Rock here and there... maybe 6 Regular Rock songs to 1 Christian Rock song. That's when we decided to change our slogan from "Your Internets Best Rock" and change it to "Your Intelligent Rock Station" and the reason for this is because we believe in making a real difference in this world through the different styles of cutting edge of Rock N' Roll with fairly clean lyrics and still give our listeners what they want to hear!
Our popularity has really grown over the last 6 years since we first started all of this. We are very fortunate to have been picked up by I-Tunes Radio and Windows Media.com under Classic Rock sections at both sites, plus we are now on over 400 other websites from around the world as well... sites like Hayag, Justin TV and many more. Some of these sites are dedicated to Video/Audio Cam. This gives us chance to be heard on sites that are using cams by having our popular Rocker Hostess Che-che be seen on the Cam at www.hayag.com/trirockradio.
If you would like to Request songs, you can chose from almost 10,000 songs. This is our popular feature that brings lot of our listeners back on a daily basis. We play songs you normally never hear on other stations. We want to play what our listeners what to hear. You can check out our songlist here trirockradio.com/playlistA.html We are here to stay and hope to bring lot of the great songs by the bands that are mentioned on MelodicRock.com daily and get them aired on Tri-Rock Radio - If you are in a band and would like to have you music on Tri-rock, please submit a CD to our address here: Tri-Rock Radio, 1804 S 244th PL, Des Moines, WA 98198 USA.

TO MY AMERICAN FRIENDS:
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers and friends. Stay safe and have a great day. Nice and warm downunder... :)

 

 

 

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

SOUL DOCTOR ON TOUR WITH FORMER KISS GUITARIST ACE FREHLEY:
Soul Doctor will support former Kiss axeman Ace Frehley on four of his European dates next month:
08.12.2009 D-Hamburg, Grosse Freiheit
11.12.2009 D-Berlin, Huxley's Neue Welt
12.12.2009 D-Frankfurt, Batschkapp
13.12.2009 D-Munich, Tonhalle
More tour dates are in the planning for March/April 2010 and will be announced shortly.

Soul Doctor have launched a competition in co-operation with one of Germany's biggest mainstream radio stations, STAR FM Berlin, where fans can win a real amp (Randall RX 15 M) sponsored by Randall Amplification. Fans are welcome to find out more info about what to do to take part in this competition here (in German language only): www.starfm.de/berlin/aktionen/2009/11/SoulDoctor.php.

PHOENIX RISES FROM THE ASHES OF ARGENT:
Philadelphia, PA - one of rock's lost classic band's Phoenix, featuring ex-Argent members John Verity, Bob Henrit and Jim Rodford, rises once again with a CD release by premier reissue label Renaissance Records, in conjunction with itsaboutmusic.com. A power trio with a style akin to Grand Funk, Boston, Starcastle and Argent, the short-lived band released two critically acclaimed albums 'Phoenix' and 'In Full View'. Both albums have been painstakingly remastered from the master tapes to insure ultimate sound quality, making this the definitive CD reissue (both albums are available on one CD).
In 1973 Rod Argent was looking for new lead vocalist for Argent following the departure of Russ Ballard. John Verity eventually joined Argent later that year and there followed a period of intense recording and touring until the band decided to retire from the road in 1976. It was during Argent's final tour of America that lead vocalist/ guitarist John Verity, drummer Bob Henrit, and bassist Jim Rodford decided to form a new band. The Argent split was amicable and out of its ashes arose Phoenix. A management deal was struck with Trident in London, who also had a studio in London's West End where many major artists recorded, including The Beatles. "Our intrepid 'Power Trio' was very soon burning the midnight oil, recording tracks for their first album; now under the watchful eye of CBS Records," recalled Verity.
The new band was orginally to be called 'H.R.V' - Henrit, Rodford, Verity. The album title was to be along the lines of: 'HRV like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of Argent' but the record company and the media soon latched onto the name 'Phoenix' so the band quickly changed the name. The album was released in 1976 and the band was soon touring Europe as special guests to headliners 'Aerosmith'. A second album recorded for CBS remains unreleased although a couple of singles, including a version of 'Time of the Season', were issued. 'In Full View' was the third and final Phoenix album recorded for Charisma Records without Jim Rodford who had left to join The Kinks. At this time the band also recorded a number of Russ Ballard songs including the original version of 'I Surrender', which subsequently became a hit for Rainbow.
Phoenix eventually turned into the band Charlie for one album on RCA records: 'Good Morning America' before Bob joined Jim in The Kinks and John Verity turned to record production and working on a solo album: 'Interrupted Journey' which featured Bob Henrit on drums. Never far apart, the pair were soon working together playing heavy blues/rock as the John Verity Band. Since then, in addition to his work with the Band, John has been gigging and working in recording studios throughout the world, producing, playing guitar, or singing with acts including Motorhead, Tank, Ringo Starr, Russ Ballard, Colin Blunstone, Mike Berry, Dave Berry, Brian Connolly, John Parr, John Coghlan, The Searchers, Mike Rutherford (of Genesis), Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, Zombies, and Michael Schenker - just to mention a few...
Phoenix - s/t and 'In Full View' CD will be available from Amazon, iTunes and your local retailer on November 10th. Other titles scheduled for release by Renaissance Records includes Graham Parker & The Rumour 'Live In San Francisco 1979', Network - s/t and 'Nightwork', Fran King 'My Sweet Elixir', City Boy 'It's Personal', Duke Jupiter - 'White Knucle Ride', Unicorn - 'Blue Pine Trees', 'Too Many Crooks' (prod. by David Gilmour), Nick Gravenites 'Bluestar' and Roxy Music 'Manifesto Alive' (live 1979).
For more information: www.itsaboutmusic.com.

NEW AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH KELLY HANSEN AVAILABLE:
Sometimes in life, an opportunity arises that's simply too good to pass up. Just ask Kelly Hansen, who landed the job that most people can only fantasize about - lead singer in a famous rock band. Matt Becker with Melodic Rock Concerts recently spoke with the frontman about what seems to be a dream job. "It almost feels like we're cheating," his bandmate in Foreigner jokes. "We get to play all hit songs, there's just too many great songs for every show," adds Hansen.
And he's right - the list of hits that includes smashes like "Hot Blooded", "Urgent", and "Cold As Ice" seems almost as endless as the parade of fans lining up all around the world to hear them played. But don't be fooled. The road to a life of sold-out shows, fun parties, and screaming fans wasn't paved with gold for the vocalist. There were trials and struggles, but today those experiences have helped to shape Hansen into a better singer with a true dedication to his profession. "I operate on the philosophy that every show is important," he says. "If I was going to a show, I wouldn't want someone on stage thinking that tonight's not important."
The rest of the interview can be listened to at this link: melodicrockconcerts.com/?p=1903.

JADED HEART JOIN RAGE ON TOUR:
Rage on tour with special guests Jaded Heart - Strings To A Web Tour 2010:
03.03.10 Wed DE München @ Backstage
04.03.10 Thu HU Budapest @ Diesel
05.03.10 Fri CZ Zlin @ Masters of Rock Cafe
06.03.10 Sat CZ Prague @ Abaton
07.03.10 Sun DE Hannover @ Musikzentrum
09.03.10 Tue DE Berlin @ K17
10.03.10 Wed DE Hamburg @ Markthalle
12.03.10 Fri DE Speyer @ Halle 101
13.03.10 Sat DE Andernach @ JUZ Live Club
14.03.10 Sun FR Colmar @ Grillen
15.03.10 Mon DE Nürnberg @ Hirsch
16.03.10 Tue CH Pratteln @ Z7
17.03.10 Wed IT Milan @ Magazzini Generali
19.03.10 Fri ES Barcelona @ Razz 2
20.03.10 Sat ES Bilbao @ Rockstar Live
Ticketservice Germany: www.eventim.de - on sale, soon!

MEGADETH'S SHAWN DROVER POSTS FIRST OF FOUR TOUR BLOGS:
Shawn Drover of Megadeth has posted his first or four tour blogs on the Sick Drummer Magazine website today [www.sickdrummermagazine.com/index.php/blog/tour-blog/1675-shawn-drover-of-megadeth-tour-blog-week-one.html]. Coming to you from the Endgame World Tour, the blogs will talk about life on the road for Shawn and the kinds of things he deals with. The first post covers week one of the tour and includes details on shows from: Grand Rapids, Peoria, Milwaulkee, Columbus and Covington.
Sick Drummer Magazine is the leading online resource for extreme metal drumming and has been for over three years. The now one-year-old digital magazine spawned from the success of the almost four-year-old website and now has a total reach of nearly 36,000 fans and growing. The magazine features legendary metal players, world-class players from other styles and offers interactive advertisements from some of the industry's leading manufacturers. The current subscription price is only $10.00 per year, so get in at that price before it's too late!
*Additionally, Sick Drummer Magazine (Grind Percussion) have recently re-launched Grindstix! and are offering a brick of stix anywhere in the US for $118.00 (shipping included).
For more information, visit: www.sickdrummermagazine.com / www.grindstix.com.

SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FIRST BANDS:
First off, we are proud to present Randy Bachman and Fred Turner, who will be performing together for the first time in 19 years and make their first festival appearance at Sweden Rock Festival. With songs like "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" and "Taking Care of Business" in their catalogue and all the way from Canada: Bachman & Turner. The concert will be their only in Scandinavia.
Fellow Canadians and progressive melodic rockers Saga will make their Sweden Rock Festival debut next summer. As will Atlanta, Georgia based kings (and queen) of funk rock, Mother's Finest.
Fans of melodic metal have waited long to see former Helloween singer Michael Kiske on stage. Next year's Sweden Rock Festival will see the first live performance by the legendary singer in 16 years when he takes the stage with his new band Unisonic. The group, which also features musicians known from Pink Cream 69 and Krokus, will be playing their own melodic hard rock originals as well as a few Helloween classics.
From Norway comes one of the greatest voices in rock history, Jorn, and last but not least Americans Bigelf will return to Sweden Rock after nine long years to deliver their unique brand of doomy, Beatles-influenced progressive rock.
More bands will be presented on Friday, so keep your eyes open! We have a lot of good things in the pipeline waiting to be confirmed and more than 50 bands left to announce!

TONY HARNELL LIVE IN 2010:
Tony Harnell has announced his first show for 2010 - "We're proud to announce an appearance at Norway Rock Festival with Queensryche and other yet to be announced headliners. It's the biggest rock festival in Norway with an average attendance of about 15,000. Show date is July 9, 2010." Check out the website here for details: norwayrock.no.

OUTLOUD SWAP BASS PLAYERS:
News from Outloud: "Following the release of our successful debut album, it is with great regret that we announce the departure of our bass man Jason Mercury. Jason, as Tony's best friend from childhood, joined the band last year to complete the lineup. He has done a lot to help promote the band and his energy in the studio, as well as in our video, will be missed. He has some other interesting projects in the works and we all wish him the best going forward!
On the other hand, we would like to welcome Sverd (www.myspace.com/sverd_) from the band Bare Infinity (www.myspace.com/bareinfinity) as the new bass player of Outloud! Hailing from Greece, Sverd is an incredible player who fits our style perfectly and we can't wait to get on stage with him for the Tour! We promise he won't disappoint.
With that being said, we have begun rehearsals for the "We Run All Over Greece" Tour, which starts in Crete on Dec. 13th and finishes in Athens on Dec. 20th. Wherever you are, make your way to Greece and don't miss it!"
WebLink: www.myspace.com/outloudtheband.

FROM THE PAGES OF DEEP PURPLE:
Wymer Publishing is pleased to announce it's next title will be the life story of Colin Hart, the former Deep Purple and Rainbow tour manager. Hart devoted over thirty years of his life to these great rock musicians. This is his story and indeed theirs. A tale of excess in terms of greed, petulance, anger and devotion. It is counter balanced by extremes of pure talent, showmanship and, of course musicianship. He was the constant 'man in the middle' through all of the break ups, make-ups and revolving door line-up changes. Joining them at twenty-four years old and leaving with a curt email dismissal thirty years later, he was there every step of their rock 'n' roll way. A story of two of the most innovative, often copied, rock bands; seen through the eyes, ears and emotions of their 'mother hen' (as Jon Lord described him). He was their minder, chauffeur, carer, provider, protector, father confessor & confidant. In truth he is the only one who can tell this tale of both bands as he was the only one there on the road throughout the life of, not one, but both gigantic bands.
Colin Hart joined Deep Purple following their 1971 tour of America with Rod Stewart and the Faces, and Matthew's Southern Comfort, for whom Colin was a roadie for at the time. He then endured a roller coaster ride, working for Purple, during the band's most successful period. Colin was there when the casino burnt down in Montreux, for the historical concerts in Japan, during the break-up of the Gillan / Glover line-up, the auditions that saw David Coverdale join the band, and the huge CalJam concert in front of 400,000.
When Blackmore left in early 1975 to set up Rainbow, Colin teamed up with him at the outset and continued as Rainbow's tour manager through the ever-revolving line-ups. He was invariably the man who had to break the news to many of the hopefuls that auditioned for the band: "We'll get back to you" being the stock reply! Once again Colin was in the thick of it during Rainbow's 9 year tenure; The classic Rainbow Rising period "the best lineup" in his eyes, the dramas during the making of Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, the departure of kingpin Ronnie James Dio, the Graham Bonnet era, culminating in the first Monsters Of Rock Festival at Donington, and the successful period with frontman Joe Lynn Turner.
In 1984 when Blackmore disbanded Rainbow for the Deep Purple reunion, Colin naturally resumed his role with these rock giants as they embarked on a world tour that included the hugely successful 1985 US leg- the second biggest grossing American tour that year after Bruce Springsteen. A déjà vu situation occurred as Colin was in the middle of yet more band break-ups as first, Gillan departed, Turner joined, Gillan, returned and Blackmore departed while Steve Morse emerged to take the band into the new millennium, although for Colin his thirty years on the road with two of the biggest bands in rock history came to an end in 2001.
Provisionally titled Hart of The Purple Rainbow, and written with life long friend Dick Allix, former drummer with sixties band Vanity Fare, Hart tells the story of his life from humble beginnings in the English North East costal town of South Shields, to setting up home in California with Rainbow, and eventually settling in Florida, where he still lives today. Of touring the world several times over, including adventures, not just with Deep Purple and Rainbow, but also encounters with Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Def Leppard, The Beatles' George Harrison, and many more from the world of rock 'n' roll. A truly fascinating read and insight from the other side of the stage.
Includes: • Foreword by Paul Mann.

INTRODUCING PLANK:
Plank has truly lived up to their motto on every stage they have played. Boston-based with a blue-collar edge, their music is perfectly yet unapologetically heavy and hook driven with anthem choruses, fist pumping rhythms and songs people can connect to. Their style, molded from the very roots of 70s and 80s hard rock combined with a modern heavy edge, is packed with energy, raw attitude, and soul. "Symmetry", their previous full-length CD, won rave reviews and its songs have stood up with some of the best hard rock on major market radio stations, with several songs charting in the Top 20 at select Clear Channel stations across the country, an impressive feat for any unsigned act.
Now Plank has teamed up with legendary rock producer Beau Hill, best known for his multi-platinum success with Ratt, Warrant, Winger, and so many more, to record their new CD, currently in production. This alliance has already won Plank rave reviews with the early release of their single "So Wicked" and the recently released "Wasted". Whether headlining a show or opening for a national act, Plank makes any stage seem like a major arena, and they NEVER disappoint. Their onstage energy is dominating and the music just doesn't let you go. Plank has arrived and their music will leave a lasting impression.
Website: www.plankband.com / sonicbids.com/plank.

CREED BRINGS REUNION TOUR 'FULL CIRCLE' WITH FIRST-EVER LIVE DVD:
New York - Fans of multi-platinum power rockers Creed are in for a special treat this Holiday Season as Creed Live, the first-ever live DVD from one of the most successful bands of the past decade, hits stores and all major online retailers on December 8, 2009, the day after its nationwide theatrical screening in movie theaters.
Creed Live, captured during the band's long-awaited "Full Circle" reunion tour, includes every favorite track a Creed fan would want, including "Higher," "My Sacrifice," "With Arms Wide Open" and "Bullets" plus new songs such as "Overcome" and "A Thousand Faces" from Full Circle, the band's first studio effort in seven years. Full Circle recently debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 Charts second only to Michael Jackson's This Is It. The DVD also includes a revealing documentary that follows Creed throughout "Full Circle" tour with exclusive band interviews and behind-the-scenes, and a photo gallery with over 100 intimate photos from the Summer 2009 trek.
Directed by Daniel E. Catullo III (Rush, Nickelback, Alter Bridge, Smashing Pumpkins, Godsmack) and produced by Catullo, Lionel Pasamonte, and Peter Bowers, the 239-camera, state-of-the-art high definition shoot was filmed in front of a fanatical audience of 18,000 screaming fans in Houston at The Woodlands - Cynthia Woods Pavillion" on September 25, 2009. The band gave the performance of a lifetime, setting four World Records – including most cameras utilized in a live concert recording - and using first-time technology in a live concert environment, highlighted by the "Big Freeze" effect immortalized in the hit film "The Matrix." The concert audio was mixed by Andy Johns (The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin) in 5.1 Surround Sound and the disc will feature Standard 5.1, Stereo and DTS audio streams.
"Making this DVD was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us," says Creed lead singer Scott Stapp. "Daniel Catullo and his staff not only set a world record filming this, but set a whole new benchmark for filming the live show with unprecedented vision and creativity. I have never seen anything like this, nor have our fans. I am so excited to finally give Creed fans something they will never forget. I know this is something that will keep us connected at all times through the live experience. Honestly, I am blown away!"
In addition to an arsenal of High Definition TV Cameras, jibs, cranes, etc, the "Big Freeze" technology required over 200 Nikon still cameras to create and entirely new concert viewing experience in scenes which will be made available in the "Deluxe Edition" of "Creed Live" coming out in early 2010. The "Deluxe Edition" promises to be a true collector's piece. The limited edition set will include a full feature-length film about the history of Creed, a live audio CD and special collectors' items such as a T-shirt, poster and a backstage pass from the "Full Circle" tour". Keep checking www.rockpit.com for an announcement soon on the "Deluxe Edition" release date.
"Being able to have access to so many different forms of technology and equipment for this shoot not only allowed me to capture Creed in a way never done before, it gives the viewers angles they would never otherwise be able to see," says Director/Producer Catullo. "This project was definitely a highlight of my career and I am sure that Creed fans will appreciate every bit of hard work and energy we put into this."
The main concert set list will include the following songs: 1. Bullets 2. Overcome 3. My Own Prison 4. Say I 5. Never Die 6. Torn 7. A Thousand Faces 8. What If 9. Unforgiven 10. Are You Ready? 11. What's This Life For 12. Faceless Man 13. With Arms Wide Open 14. My Sacrifice 15. One 16. One Last Breath 17. Higher.
Bonus features Include: Behind the Scenes Documentary of the Full Circle Tour / Photo Gallery / Trailer for the Upcoming "Deluxe Box Set".
To preview clips of Creed Live, go to: www.rockpit.com or www.creed.com or www.myspace.com/creed.

MRCD6 - LAST CALL FOR PRE-ORDERS:
MRCD6 - We Will Rock Yule
Pre-Order Now. Ships December 4.


MRCD6 is currently at the manufacturer and I'm only running a few days late! Stock will hopefully arrive that week for shipping out by Friday December 4.
So this is your last week to pre-order the new CD and obtain the 9 Bonus Tracks. Plus - due to their generally being less demand for holiday compilations - the number if units pressed for MRCD6 will be only 500! Once sold put - gone forever!

The link for ordering We Will Rock Yule is below as are the track details. More info on packages and other volumes at the MRCD Feature Page.

 
MRCD6 - We Will Rock Yule
US$23.00 each (Price Includes Worldwide Airmail Shipping)
1CD / 19 Tracks
PRE-ORDER NOW
 


We Will Rock Yule Final Track Listing and MP3 Samples:

01) Bombay BlackGoing Insane At Christmas (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
02) JK NorthrupThe Grinch (Previously Unreleased)
03) KickAll I Want For Christmas (Previously Unreleased)
04) 7th HeavenMerry Christmas In Chicago
05) Fraze GangChristmas Time In Canada (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
06) Keith LuBrantMy Best Gift Was You
07) HeartlandHappy Xmas (War Is Over) (Unplugged)
08) Jimi JamisonKeep It Evergreen (Japanese Bonus Track)
09) StratocruiserHolidaze
10) Tango DownUnder The Tree (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
11) Spin GalleryChristmas Home (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
12) Goober GunIn Reflection (Merry Xmas Baby)
13) Save PlutoIt's Christmas Time, Alright!
14) Secret SmileHave Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
15) HelixChristmas Time Is Here Again
16) Steve Lukather & FriendsJoy to the World
17) Ides Of March (feat. Jim Peterik)Sharing Christmas (2009 Remaster)
18) Ted PoleyA Letter To Santa
19) Erkka Korhonen's Heavy Christmas feat. Marco HietalaThe First Noel (Medley) - Live at Tavastia-Club, Helsinki, Finland December 2006 (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive Track)


Bonus MP3 Downloads for pre-orders:

Seven - Little Drummer Boy
Seven - O Holy Night
Gus Santana - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Ides Of March - Distant Trumpet
Markonee - I Believe In Father Christmas
Tango Down - Under The Tree (Vox Accapella Rough)
Tommy Denander - Miracles
Tommy Denander - We Wish You A Merry Christmas


 

 

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

FRONTIERS RECORDS ARTIST ROUND-UP:
Bleed Me Dry, the new single from Sweden's The Murder Of My Sweet, has entered the national chart in the band's home country at position No. 14. The song is also on #2 on the singles download charts.
Bleed Me Dry was released in Sweden last November 13. The band also presented the release with a launch gig in their hometown on the same day at the Roq Club. The CD single track listing includes: 01. Bleed Me Dry, 02. Bleed Me Dry (instrumental version), 03. Sands Of Time (non-album track).
The Murder Of My Sweet's debut album, entitled Divanity, will be released worldwide on Frontiers Records in late January 2010.
The band was formed by drummer, songwriter and producer Daniel Flores, who ­ after a few false starts of what was to become The Murder Of My Sweet ­ just by coincidence came across the magnificent singer Angelica Rylin, well endowed with the right look, voice and talents, being exactly what Daniel was searching for. The rest of The Murder Of My Sweet's lineup followed ­ guitarist Daniel Palmqvist, bass player Johan Niemann and keyboardist Andreas Lindahl all being mentally, creatively and spiritually the right combination to complete the perfect match.
The Murder Of My Sweet's sound is rich in influence and yet distinctly unique. The lush melodic cinematic landscapes reflect the diversity of the five members own musical experiences. From Angelica's soaring vocal melodies and sweeping choruses to the explosive layers of guitars from Palmqvist and the thrilling orchestral keyboard arrangements painted by Andreas Lindahl backed by the bombastic and dynamic rhythms of Niemann and Flores. The resulting collaborations are a work both haunting and uplifting ­ fuelled by the curiosity of seeing where their burning ambitions will take them.
The band will shortly embark on a promotional tour in France and Germany and will host personal meetings with the press and radios. In the meanwhile the band launched their official website: www.themurderofmysweet.com. Watch the "Bleed Me Dry" video clip on YouTube clicking on the image below.

 

Danish hard rock veterans Pretty Maids are about to enter the studio in January to begin recording their new studio album for a late spring/early summer release on Frontiers Records.
Pretty Maids' last album, entitled Wake Up To The Real World, was released in November 2006 still on Frontiers Records. Singer Ronnie Atkins stated about the CD, "The new record has all the trademarks a good Pretty Maids album should have, and that's the overall combination of good melodies and strong guitar riffs. But the key word, as far as I'm concerned, is it's gotta be melodic: whether it's the heavier and faster tracks or the more ballad/AOR-oriented kind of stuff; in other words 'good songs', and I think the album has got that!"
Pretty Maids is a legendary hard rock/heavy metal combo from Denmark founded in early 1982 by Atkins and guitarist Ken Hammer. They have released 11 studio albums and over the years have sold hundreds of thousands of records.

Drummer Brian Tichy (Foreigner, Billy Idol, Ozzy Osbourne, Velvet Revolver) and bassist Michael "Denim" Devin (Kenny Wayne Shepherd) have joined Lynch Mob as the band's new touring rhythm section.
Commented Tichy: "It will be fun to get loud and powerful with George [Lynch], Oni [Logan] and Denim as I've always been a fan and I'd be a liar if I was to say I didn't attempt to learn all his rhythms and leads on 'Tooth and Nail' [Dokken] in high school when I was 16! C'mon, he was tearing it up! I was obsessed with guitar back then, as I am now, and he was one of the cats... Well, he still is as so many people nowadays were influenced by him."
"George is so cool that he came over my house with a little rig and he, myself and Denim had two days of jammin' the tunes in my bedroom turned drum room. There was barely any space but we had a great time. Total high school vibe! I should have gotten a picture."
Upcoming Lynch Mob shows:
Nov. 27 - Hollywood, CA - House Of Blues (w/ Dokken)
Nov. 28 - San Diego, CA - The 4th and B (w/ Dokken)
Nov. 29 - Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues (w/ Dokken)
Dec. 12 - Las Vegas, NV - Feelgoods
Jan. 23 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Manifesto
Jan. 24 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Hard Rock Cafe
Audio samples songs that appear on Lynch Mob's comeback album, "Smoke And Mirrors", are available for download at the Frontiers website following this link: www.frontiers.it/Default.aspx?tabid=85&pl=L. The CD was released in Europe on September 18 (October 13 in the U.S.) via Frontiers Records. Lynch Mob's recording lineup on "Smoke And Mirrors" included Logan and Lynch alongside bassist Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy) and drummer Scot Coogan (Brides Of Destruction, Ace Frehley).

INTRODUCING ROCK-A-HOLICS RECORDS:
Rock-a-holics Records is a new and exciting record label, owned primarily by a London based company, with it's headquarters located in Athens, Greece.
Our motto is: We have a serious ROCKIN' problem and our intention is, to sign many bands and some exciting solo artists, both new and old, releasing many albums (both re-releases as well as originals) on CD and vinyl, over the course of the next few months!
Our repertoire promises to be really eclectic as our A&R team is highly selective and our editions are going to be characterized by the same principle, by being very lavish and offering the fans more value for their dollar/euro/yen...(We are talking about CDs and CD/DVD combos with chrome plating - cutouts - selective UV coating, Steel-boxes etc).
We are open to most kinds of modern rock oriented music! Anything from Lite-AOR to the most blackened Black Metal, will be considered, but only the best artists/releases will be chosen. Since our main A&R guy has a spot for all things classic and melodic however, we might as well be a little more inclined to center our attentions around those genres more often. At any rate, our label consists of many different sub-labels, so each genre, artist and release is going to be treated separately, by a different team, so as to attain the best possible results in a highly competitive market.
We do not intend to flood the market with sub-par releases. Every time that you will see the logo of our company – you will be guaranteed a release that will really sweep you off your feet, mesmerize your senses and blow your mind!
We will also be embracing the modern technology and distribution methods as well, for our newer releases, but with a few interesting twists in the concept and the business model.
Stay tuned for more information, like where to send your press packages, as well as our first artist and distributor announcements, very soon!
In the meantime feel free to visit us, bookmark us and become our friends: www.rockaholicsrecords.com / www.myspace.com/rockaholicsrecords / www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61324178218.
Also feel free to use the contact forms to get in touch with us or alternatively you could use your email client to send a mail our way at info@rockaholicsrecords.com.

 

Now to the label's first signings:

Arch Rival's debut, "In The Face Of Danger" is an excellent album by a great hard 'n heavy band from out of Ohio and will be re-released as a remastered and expanded 2 disk set featuring the original album plus 2 live cuts, as well as a 13 song, multi-camera DVD with promos and live performances. It's cover is newly designed and printed with selective matt UV coating which lends it a pseudo 3D/comic book cover look! Watch out for it. More info on it, will be made avail very soon!

We're also putting out Darkology's debut album Altered Reflections which is an awesome album and one that we hope could redefine the metal scene and make it interesting once again. It combines the best aspects of Megadeth (riffing, solos) with some brutal drumming, that either is pedal to the metal double bass pounding, or it grooves in a way not too dissimilar with a certain Vinnie Paul and also with some amazing vocals that rival Priest at their best (courtesy of Kelly "Sundown" Carpenter – those of you who have head him, know what we 're talking about – those who don't should check him out immediately.) The songs however are what set this album apart from all antagonism. Mark our words. This is one of the most technical but at the same time most catchy albums you 've heard in a long, long time. Maybe the best album of 2009 ! And some pretty big bands have put out some pretty respectable records this year…
Again the cover is matt UV coated, with details and the logo, sticking out done in pearlesque varnish. The digipack, simply looks stunning! More details on this album will be made available soon as well, along with proper samples from it. Both releases should see the light of day in mid to late November, depending on your locale.

Arch Rival - www.myspace.com/archrivalofficial / Darkology - www.myspace.com/darkologymetal.
Release Dates: UK, Greece and LTD US release Nov. 16 / Worldwide, incl Japan, January 8.

 
xx

Last but certainly not least we 're now open to Demo/Promo submissions: You can send your promo package to Rockaholics Records, P.O Box 60093, Post Code: 15301, Athens, Greece.
Please include a photo, a brief bio and either a previously published sample of your work or more, if you 've released an album or an EP previously, or a 3-4 song demo with your best work if you're a newcomer. Also include anything else that you think might support your case. (like printouts or cutouts of good reviews etc.)
All styles from lite AOR to extreme black metal will be considered, but will be put out through different sub-labels, should we decide to sign you.
Also please make sure that you really kick @$$ before you submit us anything. We've heard about a million mediocre releases, being touted as either the next big thing or being called "masterpieces" and guess what, they're neither. No weak productions, no tuneless/hapless vocalists and no 'I recorded this on my laptop crap' please, unless you feel that you have money to waste on postage and CDs!
Bribes in cold hard cash, naked photos and promises of rivers of alcohol, will not work (but feel free to try!) We promise to review your submission and in most cases we will respond to you, anywhere from within a few days after we've received your package, or up to a month at the latest! Don't be discouraged if we turn you down, you can always hit us back with (a brick or) something new after a few months!
Also note that you will need to have sorted your copyrights issues, before you send us anything. Unsolicited works will be received, and might as well be heard or just as easily placed in the bin, as we will carry no responsibility whatsoever about them. After all, you 're the ones who sent them, so please secure your legal rights before you submit anything to us. We're professionals and we expect you to be professional too.
Check out our website (www.rockaholicsrecords.com) (www.myspace.com/rockaholicsrecords) also join us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Reverbnation.

That's all folks, now get those promo packs prepared and watch out for our releases in November! Ah... and mark the last week of May on your calendars – for maybe the biggest release of 2010!!!

FM BACK WITH A NEW ALBUM AND LAUNCH PARTY:
After their overwhelming success at 'Firefest 6' FM hit the boards again early in 2010 with a gig to coincide with the launch of their brand new studio album "Metropolis". Come and join them for the biggest party of 2010 and see The Mighty FM perform live at the Metropolis album launch extravaganza.
The Roadhouse Covent Garden London, Sunday 7th February
FM on stage 9.00pm
Your ticket enters you into a free prize draw for a signed Peavey guitar used by Steve and Jim on "Metropolis". Full playback of the "Metropolis" album. Meet and Greet. Plus a wealth of other goodies and surprises. After show party with drummer Pete Jupp on the decks.
Tickets On Sale Now! Tickets £12.00 including postage are available, in advance only, from www.fmofficial.com.
It's been a long time coming, so make sure you're there to witness this monumental event when the boys in the band reclaim their crown as Britain's favourite AOR act. Please note tickets will be posted out during the first week of January 2010. More details will be posted on the bands official web site www.fmofficial.com.

ERIC MARTIN FROM MR. BIG RELEASES DEBUT SONY CD TIMELESS:
Eric Martin, the lead vocalist from the seminal 90s pop-rock group Mr. Big (who scored with the song To Be With You) releases his first solo CD Timeless on Sony International. The song reached #1 in six different countries.
In early 2008, Eric was approached to do a project wherein he covered various ballads sung by female artists. The resulting CD, Mr. Vocalist was released in Japan in November 2008 and was a chart topper for months. The multi-format success resulted in the follow-up, Mr. Vocalist 2.
Martin's take on such classics as Time After Time, Hero, Eternal Flame, and I Will Always Love You, make them shine again with his signature vocals. Says Eric, "I sang them with my own interpretations. I inherited these songs as a new messenger."
Martin's song choices have once again brought a renewed spotlight to the works. The online infotainment site The Improper said of the CD, "Frankly, the treatment he brings to each of these songs is tremendous and compelling. And, Times Square Gossip said, (Martin's) take on such chestnuts as Time after Time and My Heart Will Go On are decidedly terrific. He makes them his own!"
Mr. Big reformed earlier this year and are currently on the second leg of their European tour.
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/ericmartinband / www.myspace.com/mistervocalist.

 
xx

BORISLAV MITIC DISCUSSES THE MURDER OF MUSIC:
Lion Music have sent out this open letter from artist Borislav Mitic - his take on Internet piracy. Other Lion Music artist news follows...

"My internet friends, I would like to send a message for all those who intend to download my album for free:
Here are a few words on a very important subject to me - illegal Internet file sharing download!!! This is also known as - MURDER OF MUSIC! Since I have a new album "The Absolute" coming out on December 4th now would be the right time to get into this matter of life and death.
You see,... it is very hard to master an instrument. It takes a lot of years of practice, discipline, study and dedication (like going to a university and more) to reach the level of playing that I and similar musicians are at.
It is really very hard work to compose quality music and create something special for you listeners out there. It is very hard to make records too because the studio time is very expensive (making your own project studio is a big cost too and not many can afford it or even know how to operate it). It is also very hard to find a Record label to publish your music these days,... and even harder to arrange real retail music store distribution to circulate the music on the market and make it available everywhere.
But musicians go through all these pains because they love and believe in music and they believe in fair and just financial reward return for hard work of producing beauty of music they offer to the world. Don't you agree that musicians should be paid for their work?
When people illegally post or download free MP3 files on Internet of the music that musician made so many sacrifices to create - it is the sign of ULTIMATE DISRESPECT! This means literally taking the bread off the musician's table and spitting in their face!

The music business works like this... (if you don't know). Musicians who make the music give the album to the label under certain conditions. Then label sells it through its distribution channels and shares the percentage of return income with the musician. Stores and distributors also get their cut for the retail sale service to you - the customer. So the bottom line percentage per a CD that goes back to the musician is quite small in the end. Also don't forget that musician invested money in studio time so this has to be covered before musician makes any real profit money!!!
To make a living from music this way a lot of CDs have to be sold. That CD money also gets re-invested in touring, new albums, promotion, etc. Everybody in the chain of music industry is living from this system of sale... magazines, concert promoters, labels, music stores. Every single CD sold counts and especially today for smaller artists like myself who do not have a big budget at their disposal to promote themselves in mainstream media, TV, Magazines, etc (yes, all that actually has to be paid for and costs quite a lot).
I know,... CDs in stores cost money (16$ a piece?), the world is in economic crises and it's easier to get a free download so that you can put that money into buying your pants and cookies, right? Hey, you can make a cool free collection of thousands of albums with no money invested at all! Woohhhoooo, viva la internet!! How cool is this!!!??? Well,... NOT COOL AT ALL!!!!
Do you eat? Yes...? Me too! (in spite of legends you might have heard even we musicians need to eat). To get food I have to go to the grocery store and pay money for it like you. The same goes for clothes and other products. If you would try to take (or "download") food or clothes from the grocery or clothing store the people dressed in blue outfits called THE POLICE would try to stop you since this is considered a crime of stealing. What if everybody starts stealing food unpunished? How will the grocery store employees survive? What about their family? How would the farmers producing food survive if we take it from them for free? They would not.
Do you catch my drift? Just because you CAN download music for free today on the Internet doesn't mean you SHOULD. You CAN also beat up an old lady on the street and steal her pension from her wallet ... but somebody CAN beat you up too and do the same to you. Would you like this? Or would you perhaps like to go to work 9h-17h for free? Would you like musicians to visit your home and take some of your property for free? Why not? They can use it... the same way you can use illegally downloaded music without paying for it.
This all would be called robbery of course and is illegal and if we would apply this pattern of behaviour to the society in general as a rule of life we would very soon have a society of filthy, wild savages!
My point is - if there is no money coming back to us musicians for the ultra hard work we invest we will all eventually give up and stop making music. If the unchecked Internet theft goes on much longer very soon there will be no more new albums from the artists you like and cherish so much on your illegal free MP3 collections!!!

This will be THE END OF TIMES FOR MUSIC! After we musician give up the labels will fold, the music stores will turn into ... shoe shops for example (you can't download those through internet can you now?)! Soon after that the whole music industry, concerts, fun time, guitars,... will be dead and gone - thanks to Internet and illegal global pirate system! Game over!
So if anyone of you wants to continue supporting - KILLING MUSIC (that you are supposed to love) go and join the Internet gang of music hijackers for free through torrents and file sharing sites! The blood will be on your hands...But If you want the music to SURVIVE please treat it like you would like to be treated yourself and do the right thing by paying for it. I always paid for the music I wanted and I don't see why each of you can't - there's really no excuse!
SPREAD THE WORD!!! SAVE THE MUSIC YOU LOVE! Or let it bleed and die... It's all in your hands - the choice is yours to make. I vote for life but if it's death of music - so be it! We can also live in a world without real music but then don't complain in the future to come how the music in the media around you is bad and lame and "where have all the good times gone".
You have been warned!" - Borislav Mitic.
Borislav Mitic - The Absolute Available 4th December 2009 - more information at: www.lionmusic.com/cd/absolute.htm.

 

Get Your Free Lion Music 2009 Sampler - Every order (whilst stocks last) from the Lion Music Store will receive a free 16 track sampler featuring tracks from a wide selection of our 2009 releases. Packed in a cardboard sleeve with artwork by Carl Andre Beckston (Monowasp) these are a cool freebie to thank you for your support in 2009. We also hope they might entice you to check out more of the artists on the compilation. The Lion Music store not only holds all the Lion Music back catalogue but a massive selection of releases across the rock/metal genre. All in stock items are generally dispatched same day and we aim to offer the best prices possible. Visit the store at www.lionmusic.com/ShopSelect.htm.

Vendetta Featured On Bruce Dickinson's BBC Radio 6 Rock Show - British traditional metallers Vendetta who have just released their 2nd album "Heretic Nation" received airplay on BBC Radio 6's Bruce Dickinson's Rock Show, with the Iron Maiden frontman declaring the bands new album as "Classic metal all the way". Fans in the UK can catch the band live at Trillians Rock Bar in Newcastle Upon Tyne on Saturday 12th December 2009. More information and new merchandise is available now from the bands official website at www.vendetta-theband.com also check out www.myspace.com/nosafehole.
In addition also view the bands new video for the track "New Horizon" at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9SElfrEEYg.

Twinspirits, YtseJamKr and OnStage Agency are proud to announce a kickass Italian tour happening in December. The two progressive bands will bring what they can do best: a mix of powerful yet melodic songs from the new release "The Forbidden City" and a great selection of Dream Theater songs for the thousands of fans out there. Every stage will host a local prog-metal opening act! Every night will be unique and worth a visit! Here's the calendar, with more dates still in the works:
03/12 - Zoe Club - Milano
04/12 - Ke Me Meo - Argelato (BO)
05/12 - Country Star - Albignasego (PD)
06/12 - Il Blocco Music Hall - San Giovanni Lupatoto (VR)
10/12 - Urban - Perugia
11/12 - Oddly Shed - Caserta
13/12 - Locanda Blues - Roma
The new Twinspirits website has just been launched at www.twinspirits.net, also check out www.myspace.com/twinspiritsband.

Simone Fiorletta has officially become an ESP Guitars Endorser! Simone who released his third solo album When Reality Is Nothing on Lion Music in August 2009 is one of Italy's leading guitar authorities and is also a member of progressive metal merchants Moonlight Comedy who are in the process of writing their third album. More info on Simone Fiorletta can be obtained at www.myspace.com/simonefiorletta or www.simonefiorletta.it.

Guitarist Sean Baker of the Sean Baker Orchestra was recently interviewed by on the worlds leading metal Podcasts "Talking Metal" in Podcast #283 which available via i-Tunes or by following this link. Sean has also just scored an endorsement with Randall amplification. More information on the Sean Baker Orchestra can be found at www.theseanbakerorchestra.com and www.myspace.com/theseanbakerorchestra.

LAST CHANCE FOR DANNY VAUGHN TITLES:
Frontiers Records have deleted Danny Vaughn's last studio album Traveller and it is now officially out of print. Luckily Danny, together with HardRockHouse, were able to strike a deal with the label and have purchased the final 225 copies that Frontiers had in stock and these are now on sale via www.hardrockhouse.com/Shop.htm. As an added bonus to fans who may not have the album Danny has individually signed and numbered each of the 225 CD's to make this last batch of CDs even more special.
In addition to HardRockHouse also have available a very limited number of the 2 CD version of The Road Less Travelled. Only 500 of these were printed and from that batch 50 copies were held back from sale on the initial release as contingency in case of any that were lost or damaged in transit. These are now being released for sale so fans have a final chance to pick up a copy of the full line show recorded at the Cluny, Newcastle in December 2008. The 2 CD edition adds superb versions of Tyketto classics Burning Down Inside and Wings together with Danny's cover of Happy Christmas (War is Over), Is That All There Is, Fly Away & finally Better By Far to the songs contained on the single disc edition of the album.
Both of these albums are available individually, however in the run up to Christmas there are also some fantastic bundled offers available from HardRockHouse with Traveller, The Road Less Travelled & the Standing Alone EP all available @ www.hardrockhouse.com/Shop.htm.

LATEST BON JOVI DVD OUT TODAY:
In 2008 Bon Jovi returned to New York City from a globe-spanning, world-conquering tour to rock their spiritual home of Madison Square Garden. That night was an epic, career-spanning set of greatest hits including 'Always', 'Wanted Dead or Alive' and 'Livin On A Prayer'.
Now for the first time you can experience the power of live Bon Jovi in stunning high-definition and surround sound with the release of 'Live At Madison Square Garden' on DVD and Blu-Ray. Watch the trailer here.
In an exclusive Blu-Ray bonus feature you can discover the inner secrets of one of the biggest success stories in rock music.
Threading intimate band interviews together with candid scenes of life on the road, 'When We Were Beautiful' is a vivid no-holds-barred look at 25 years of brotherhood in one of the greatest rock & roll bands of all time.
'Live From Madison Square Garden' is released on TODAY worldwide (except in the US and Canada). Click here to purchase your copy!

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Roger Taylor's first solo track in a long long time - The Unblinking Eye (Everything Is Broken) - can now be heard and seen at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ZtaDOniZ0.

The Kiss - Live At Cobo Hall DVD (recorded in Sept 2009) - will get an official release in the summer 2010 (probably June my source suggests).

Carmine Appice interviewed at: piercingmetal.com/wordpress/?p=2240.

Joe Perry in concert feature: piercingmetal.com/wordpress/?p=2235.

KISS OVER EUROPE:
Kiss' European tour - dubbed Sonic Boom Over Europe: From The Beginning To The Boom commences in May 2010. The dates are:
Fri 7th May – Dublin 02 Arena
Sun 9th May – Glasgow SECC
Mon 10th May – Manchester MEN Arena
Tue 11th May – Birmingham LG Arena
Thu May 13th – London Wembley Arena
Sun 16th May – Zurich, Hallenstadion (Switzerland)
Mon 17th May – Geneva, Arena (Switzerland)
Tues 18th May – Milan, Mediolanum Forum (Italy)
Thurs 20th May – Vienna, Stadhalle (Austria)
Fri 21st May – Ostrava, Cez Arena (Czech Republic)
Sun 23rd May – Prague, O2 Arena (Czech Republic)
Wed 26th May – Berlin, O2 World (Germany)
Thurs 27th May – Leipzig, Arena (Germany)
Sat 29th May – Bratislava, Stadium (Slovakia)
Mon 31st May – Hamburg, Colorline Arena (Germany)
Tues 1st June – Oberhausen, Koenig Pilsner Arena (Germany)
Tues 8th June – Trondheim, Lerkendal Open Site (Norway)
Thurs 10th June – Tampere, Sauna Rock (Finland)
Sat 12th June – Stockholm, Stadium (Sweden)
Sun 13th June – Malmo, Stadium (Sweden)
Mon 14th June – Oslo, Valhall (Norway)
Wed 16th June – Aalborg, Gigantium (Denmark)
Fri 18th June – Arnhem, Gelredome (Holland)
Sun 20th June – Clisson, Hellfest (France)
Tues 22nd June – Madrid, Palacio De Los Deportes (Spain)
Fri 25th June – Vitoria, Azkena Rock Festival (Spain)
Sun 27th June – Graspop Festival (Belgium)

SUNCITY RECORDS RETURN TO ACTION:
Suncity Records are back in action and here's their new update. For more information on the bands and audio previews from these - log onto www.suncityrecords.com.

Hello all, We are back in action after a turbulent start to 2009. 2009 has been anything but smooth sailing with natural disasters, the well-publicized death of Gregg Fulkerson as well as a family tragedy too.
But the show must go on and I would like to say a big thank you to everyone for being so patient and hopefully the next bunch of signings will be well worth the wait.
Today we will be announcing 7 new signings, yes that's right 7 cracking new signings that will have fans drooling at the chops.

I will start with the announcement of the signing of Femme Fatale. Suncity Records will be releasing one of the most talked about, infamous unreleased albums of all, as we will be presenting Femme Fatale's second unreleased album Lady In Waiting.
Femme Fatale are an outfit that were remembered for the hot looks, rockin' voice and over the top stage presence of its front woman Lorraine Lewis. In an era that was dominated by testosterone driven rock, Femme Fatale became a popular frontrunner in the 80's Rock and Roll scene. The band came together in their hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico and consisted of Lewis (vocals), Mazzi Rawd (guitar), Bill D'Angelo (lead guitar), Rick Rael (bass and Lewis' brother) and Bobby Murray (drums). They quickly picked up and moved to Los Angeles amid the late eighties glam explosion, and after only ten live shows managed to score a major label contract.
The band remixed the song "Touch And Go" from their debut album to release it as a fourth single, which was released by Kerrang! (England's leading metal magazine) as a 'free' flexi disc with their magazine. Femme Fatale was asked by MCA to record a second album and even though a lot of songs were already written, the album was never released, Until now, And with that Suncity Records is proud to announce the release of Femme Fatale - Lady In Waiting. The album was written and recorded in 1988 in Hollywood California. It has been re-worked, re-mixed and re-mastered. The original recordings were engineered by Toby Wright and Femme Fatale. The album was re-mixed by Scott Gutierrez in Hollywood, California. Stand out tracks include, "Lady in Waiting", "I Know" (Co-written with Wes Arkeen - considered the sixth member of Guns 'N' Roses), "One More For The Road" and the heartfelt ballad, "Buried Alive". Lewis' voice is at the top of its game and the band sounds like an aggressive well-seasoned force to reckon with. Rock out!

 

Merri Hoaxx - Before Cats In Boots, Heavy Bones or Ellis Island there was The Hoaxx. Merri Hoaxx was forged out of the mid 1970s Rock and Roll melting pot of Cleveland, Ohio, the birthplace of "Rock and Roll". Its members; Joel Ellis, Denny Holan, Chris "Grizz" Gryzbowski and Kenny Delaro were weaned on the greatest rock era in history as the music blazed like a volcano from FM radio giants WMMS "The Home of the Buzzard" and M105.
The band hung out nightly in the notorious Rainbow Bar and Grill in the heart of Sunset Strip during its heyday, stepping out from time to time to play the Sunset Strip club scene in clubs like The Whiskey A Go-Go, The Roxy, Gazzarri's, The Troubadour, The FM Station, The Country Club in Reseda, Palominos' and other undisclosed spots in the L.A. underground and after hour parties. This is where they began to melt into the scene gaining immediate recognition from their peers. Merri Hoaxx also started attracting major record label interest from Atlantic Records, who brought the band onto the label for development through Kenny Ostin where the band worked with production greats like George Tutko and Richie Podlar at American Studios. The band began getting calls from helpful guys like Gene Simmons and Dweezil Zappa off of the cassette tape demos they handed out everywhere. They eventually found themselves becoming major Rock debut contenders in the mid-1980s. Before signing with Atlantic Records, Kenny was replaced on drums by Houston, Texas drummer Randy Meers of Black Oak Arkansas fame.
The 1980s Sunset Strip scene was, to say the least, wild!! The boys became deeply entrenched in the wild side of Hollywood. Unfortunately the record label dragged its feet due to the band's A&R staff at Atlantic being even farther gone into the void of Hollywood's wild side. Joel recalls: "I remember going up to the Atlantic Records offices on Sunset to meet with Kenny (Ostin) or Nick (Loft) to discuss the record's mastering or art work, ya know, the band's business and there would be more cocaine on Kenny's desk than contracts. There was always music playing on his stereo from some new band they were signing but I never heard any of those great new bands make it into the mainstream,".
The tracks that the band recorded between 1983-1987 in Southern California will be released on one CD called Merri Hoaxx The Hoaxx Never Jokes.

 

So to the next signing we go. Please welcome to the Suncity family, Oregon, Portland's very own - X-Piracy.
X-Piracy are a very hard band to describe but have all the trademarks that Suncity Records loves! In the summer of 1985 in Eugene, Oregon, population 100,000, singer Shane Thornton, guitarist Robb Dee Crabaugh, guitarist Tony Antone, Bassist Danny Jack and stepbrother, drummer Kevin Stacey had found their ways to one another via the popular record store, Record Garden. Thornton, Crabaugh and Antone had attended high school (most of the time) together in nearby Elmira, while Jack and Stacey attended Churchill High. In no time at all, the young men formed a tight bond of music and friendship a Brotherhood, if you will which would blossom into something very special for a long time to come.
In 1989, due to strong audience turnouts at a popular Portland club known as Starry Night (The Roseland, today), the band was invited to take part in the Northwest Battle of the Bands. The competition was solid, with a full evening of worthy talent taking the stage. Around midnight, as the event was winding down, X-Piracy was heralded as the evening's winner and there wasn't a soul in the house who felt inclined to protest.
Feeling confident and strong, the group returned home victorious and scheduled what would be the third sell-out in the Soreng Theater at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. It would also be perhaps the most talked about X-Piracy performance in the band's history, due in part to the mysterious showering of smelt upon the audience and stage at the end of the set. The group was well known for unauthorised stunts and surprises, but this would prove to be all the Hult Center would tolerate. X-Piracy was banned indefinitely from ever again performing at the prestigious hall.
Despite early warnings from some that the recording industry was turning it's attention north, away from California, the band prepared for a win all/lose all move to L.A., which took place between August and October of 1990. Despite many moments of exuberance and triumph there, the ensuing year would prove to be a tumultuous one for X-Piracy.
As 1991 began, X-Piracy continued to write and record new material, music coming forth amid a backdrop of big city turmoil and increasing hardships. The resulting songs struck a new level of maturity and depth, even pain. The track, "Ever-Lovin' River", set a new precedent within the band's growing repertoire and was as strong a song as any in the industry. Shane one a national poetry contest, which led to meeting comedian Sam Kinison. This new friendship, in turn, led to an invitation for X-Piracy to be the sole music entertainment at Kinison's Halloween Bash. Kinison, who had recently starred in a popular Motley Crue video, vowed to help promote the pirates. Sadly, however, he was killed when he was struck by a 17-year old drunk driver.
The Brotherhood had been broken. Stacey's departure and circumstances leading to it had dealt a painful blow to the pirate camp and the ship was losing momentum. By late summer of 1992, to the great dismay of many faithful fans, X-Piracy disbanded.

 

Eight lives gone, in a time not so long ago, in a galaxy of leather, lipstick, guyliner and lace sees our next signing Priscilla jump aboard the Suncity train.
There is no denying that Priscilla deserves their place in the footholds of eyeliner addicts and glam junkies the world over. Few bands have emerged onto the arena of rock music and immediately garnered the mass attention of audiences, critics and radio stations alike that Priscilla did when they exploded onto the scene.
Sex, drugs and rock n' roll, it was all there in abundance for Priscilla. From an enigmatic frontman awash in groupie-adorned excess, who nearly died after an accidental drug overdose, to a guitarist who battled his own demons and was at odds with the sudden and immediate glory of success that was thrust upon him and his band and felt he had to get out. The Priscilla story is a story of wasted youth. Not wasted in the classical sense, but in the sense that the rewards that are thrust upon the overnight heroes of a local glam generation are sometimes too much for any one group of young men to physically and mentally withstand. The lyrics to the band's Z-Rock chart topping anthem "Wake Up The Neighborhood" could have easily been "Grab Yourself A Line And A Joint" rather than "Grab A Bottle Of Beer", would it not have caused the song to be banned from being played on the radio. But, with the tragedy of chemical and physical excess there also comes the glory and this is also a tale of rock and redemption, atale of conquering hometown heroes set on the streets of a metropolitan city that was begging for something different.
So, as all good things eventually do, Priscilla had come to an end. But still, for a time the group were indeed the darlings of the underground glam and music scene. People who are fans of early Poison, early Tuff, Pretty Boy Floyd and even Roxx Gang will really dig these boys. The album will be entitled "Wake Up The Neigbourhood".

 

Signing number 4 sees the hard rocking Live Tongue get brought to the limelight. From the ashes of killer glam group Pretty Please, Live Tongue formed in the early 90's. Hailing from Texas, Live Tongue caught the eyes of the public, the world press and the music community in South Texas when they signed to independent label Perris Records.
The band released their first self-titled debut album in 1995 with rave reviews. Some scribes calling it one of the best produced and energetic independent hard rock CD's to emerge in recent decades. The roaring, melodic leads of Chris Johnson and Meatt, the blusesy sound of bassist Joey Monosmith, the thundering, powerful drums of Larry Jentz combined with the dymanic voice and individualistic style of singer Chase Jentz all serve to punctuate electro-acoustic music of Live Tongue.
Following trends is not the path Live Tongue have ever chosen. Their music is straight ahead, in your face, rock 'n' roll; music that has withstood the test of time and is heavily supported by millions of loyal fans throughout the world. They are a powerful live band that captivate their audience with realism and confidence.
Suncity Records will be releasing Live Tongue's second unreleased album that will be titled Snake Eyes.

 

Next up WOW! another amazingly talented group of rock and rollers with the signing of New Jersey's Kidd Skruff.
Kidd Skruff started as a side project for then Lead Singer/Guitarist Jimmy Forest, who was performing with the popular New Jersey band "Push" in the late 80's and early 90's. At that time, Jimmy was the Drummer/Songwriter for "Push", and had a plethora of musical ideas that he wanted to express but they just didn't quite fit the style of the band and he really needed another outlet.
By this time the Seattle "Grunge" scene had totally taken over and just as quick as it rose to the top, the new sound of Rock and Roll buried the successful 80's and 90's commercial metal scene. The days of long hair, make up, glitter, over indulgence and unrestricted partying was over. The small record company that had recorded "Skruff's" one and only album had gone bankrupt. The original recording was sold only on cassette, had a short release and sold only a few thousand copies.
With the overwhelming popularity of the internet, a lot of these classic "Hair Bands" have gained a whole new audience. Those same bands now tour again with the original lineups and sell out concert venues on a nightly basis. Now as the music of that time is being teamed with the development of guitar video games that often uses these bands songs as the backbone of the game, the youth of the world is once again yearning for that big sound of the guitars, bass, personalities and attitudes that only the 80's could deliver. As Forest sits back with that reminiscing look in his eyes, he states...."We never forgot how to play, people just forgot how to listen.
Suncity Records will be releasing the 10 track full-length album entitled Angels With Dirty Faces.

 
xx

The last signing for today are true legends of the sleaze rock scene. First we brought you Swingin' Thing, then there was Blackboard Jungle, now Suncity Records are thrilled to announce the signing of another killer group Alleycat Scratch.
Every Hard Rock fan that loves their Hollywood Glam/Sleaze bands will know about Alleycat Scratch's classic debut album Deadboys From Trash City. Regarded as one of the top Glam/Sleaze albums of all-time, Deadboys was sadly the only album that the boys ever released. The whole "In with the Grunge, out with the Rock" story doesn't need to be rehashed but Alleycat Scratch were just another band that fell by the way side with the change of the musical scene.
Alleycat's unreleased recordings were touted to be released on the Regeneration Records sometime is 2008 but the band were dropped from the label. Good thing is Suncity Records will be releasing a CD/DVD double disc package that will capture all the attitude, energy & unruly fun that the Deadboys had when headlining the Strip back in the day.
15 years later, the time has come for the world to hear the rest of the material Alleycat recorded as well as a bunch of amazing live material. Prepare yourself for Alleycat Scratch - Last Call.

 

 

 

Monday, November 23, 2009

Do Ya Wanna Taste some Wig Wam??

The Norwegian Glam Kings Wig Wam are finally back in the ring with their brand new album Non Stop Rock and Roll - released via Frontiers Records in Europe on January 29, 2010!

 

Aptly titled, this new record shows all the elements that made up the monster reputation these guys are internationally known for: driving energy, unstoppable force and neverending fun. This is easily the band's most complete album to date that offers 12 fresh sounding, breathtaking songs, that wears the guitars on it's sleeves, still showing a more mature and less cheesy band.

The catchy hooklines and melodic hardrock anthems that Wig Wam are known for are still very much present, yet the feel of this album brings you right in front of the Marshall amps. Blowing your speakers with full blown Rock'n Roll this album is a Hard Rocking musical journey from the catchy opening track and first single "Do Ya Wanna Taste It" to the electrifying riff of "Walls Come Down", from the Glam Rock happy going sing along anthem "C'mon Everybody" to the fast and furious title track. And hey, the boys also have the ability to set your girlfriend's heart on fire with a couple of unique ballads for the ride.
With three gifted songwriters in the camp, "Non Stop Rock And Roll" shines, tweaks and pounds a full blooded rock'n roll album ought to. Wig Wam is finally ready to take you to the ultimate rock trip, and bring their wild live performances on the road in 2010.
Line-Up: Glam — vocals, Teeny — guitars, Flash — bass, Sporty — drums.
Track Listing: Do Ya Wanna Taste It; Walls Come Down; Wild One; C'mon Everybody; Man In the Moon; Still I'm Burning; All You Wanted; Non Stop Rock And Roll; From Here; Rocket Through My Heart; Chasing Rainbows; Gotta Get It On (*) *Bonus track.
WebLink: www.myspace.com/wigwamania

Right now you can taste some Wig Wam right here! Download a 90 second MP3 preview of: Do Ya Wanna Taste It.

 

LIGHT UP A LIBERTY & JUSTICE PRE-ORDER:
Retroactive Records and Liberty N' Justice are excited to announce they are taking pre-orders for LNJ's new CD Light It Up. With a release date of 1-19-10, anyone who preorders will receive the CD way before the release date and as an added bonus Retroactive Records is throwing in a free CD sampler called A Salute To World Class Rock and a free Liberty N' Justice 11x17 poster. The disk features Phil Collen (Def Leppard), Chris Jericho (WWE Wrestler), Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister), CJ Snare & Bill Leverty (Firehouse), Phil Lewis (LA Guns), Marq Torien (Bulletboys), Oz Fox (Stryper), Jeff Pilson (Dokken/ Foreigner), Pete Loran & Steve Brown (Trixter), Robert Mason & Jerry Dixon (Warrant), Ted Poley (Danger Danger), Vic Rivera (Crunch), "Bumblefoot"(Guns N' Roses) JK Northrup, Dale & Troy Thompson (Bride), Les Carlsen (Bloodgood), Lynn Louise Lowrey (Vixen), Harry Hess & Pete Lesperance (Harem Scarem), Kelly Keeling (Baton Rouge), Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper), Chris Holmes (WASP), Sheldon Tarsha (Adler's Appetite/Tarsha), Shawn Pelata (Line Of Fire), Stephen Chesney (Frontiers) and many more...
OrderLink: www.bombworksrecords.com/cdInfo-retro.php?cd_id=5098.

Reviews to date:
Rock Eyez (5 out 5) "It's really cool when you can release a masterpiece like this" www.rockeyez.com/reviews/cd/libertynjustice/rev-2009-11-br-light-it-up-l...
The Refinery Rock (5 out of 5) "star-studded classic." www.therefineryrock.com/reviews.php?reviewid=11.
Shipwreck Island Studios (4.98 out of 5) "quite honestly I can't think of any other project which is this exciting to listen to" www.shipwreckislandstudios.com/?p=1293.
White Throne Metal Reviews (9 out of 10) "Listening to this disc I'm transported back in time and I enjoyed every minute of it." whitethronereviews.blogspot.com/2009/11/liberty-n-justice-light-it-up.html
Banophernalia (4 out of 5) "This really is the best yet" www.banophernalia.com/reviews/music/artists_lnj.htm#lnj2010
Rock Realms (88%) "essential purchase for lovers of hard rock" www.rockrealms.com/archive/l/lnj_liu.php.

 

OFFICIAL NEW VIDEO "SONIC SENSATIONS" from FACTORY OF DREAMS:
"Enter this World Of Living Music Where Everything is sound" Watch it @ Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9HuKCProUA.
Factory of Dreams and First Edition Pictures proudly presents, Sonic Sensations, the music video. A brand new production taken from Factory of Dream's new album 'A Strange Utopia'. A mysterious video, depicting the World of the Sonic Sensations song.
Breathe the music, hear it loud, feel the beat and let yourself and your eyes go as the mysterious film plays... This is what Factory of Dreams proposes with the Sonic Sensations video and song theme, after the successful Weight of the World videoclip already released here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVFKGBI8uGo.
Produced by Hugo Flores. Directed by Emil Jonsvik. Hear and download the song 'Sonic Sensations' for free at: strangeutopia.com or www.myspace.com/projectcreation.

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Special price for the Rocklahoma 2008 Coffee table book. We are having a special Holiday price of $35.00 plus FREE shipping between now and the Christmas Holidays. (December 31st). Click below for the special price of $35.00 and we will mail you a copy of the Rocklahoma 2008 coffee table book with FREE SHIPPING!
WebLink: www.vernongowdy.com/index.htm.

A new interview with NILS LOFGREN of E STREET Band is online at: www.bestofwny.com/nightlife.

TIME TO ROCK FOR A DIFFERENCE NEW YORK:
Rock For A Difference will be hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, November 28, 2009, at club Locale in Staten Island, located at 1221 Bay Street. There will be live musical performances, and an auction/raffle consisting of 2 Round Trip Airline Tickets donated by Spirit Air and an autographed Epiphone Les Paul Studio, Heritage Cherry Sunburst with Hardshell Case, in addition to other music and sports related items.
All proceeds from this benefit go directly to POAC (Parent's of Autistic Children) of Brick, New Jersey. POAC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and has a proven track record of providing services to children and adults with autism, their families, and the professionals who serve them. POAC has provided training, services, outreach and support for thousands of people throughout New Jersey and across the country. The vast majority of these services are provided 100% free of charge. POAC has focused its attention and resources on how best to help the children and families who are struggling with autism today.
Donating their time and talents to this great cause are The Spines, with The Infinite Staircase and Craving Strange.
The Spines are an Alternative Rock band out of Long Island New York with a reputation for catchy hooks, tasteful songwriting, solid musicianship and powerful live performances. The bandsdebut album Radiolarian has something for everyone from catchy, harmony laden songs to darker, heavier and more progressive material. Their album was released last February on Strawhouse Records/Sony Red, and is gaining national and international attention. www.myspace.com/thespinesinfo.
The Infinite Staircase, fresh off an 18 Date Tour with Legendary Ozzy Osbourne Guitarist Zakk Wylde and his band Black Label Society along with Sevendust & Dope. They have also opened for Candlebox, Jonathan Davis of Korn, Hellyeah, Alter Bridge, The Hiwatts, L.A. Guns, White Lion, Eddie Ojeda of Twisted Sister, and many more. In March of 2009, they released their full length debut album entitled 'The Road Less Taken' with a guest appearance by Former Poison band member and guitar virtuoso Blues Saraceno in addition to a guest appearance by Legendary Guitarist Earl Slick, currently of the David Bowie band and Slinky Vagabond. www.myspace.com/theinfinitestaircase.
Craving Strange is also from Long Island and consists of 4 musicians, combining personal and musical backgrounds in metal, pop, rock, indie, and alternative to create a new yet familiar sound. The music is intense and emotional, transcending age groups and musical tastes. The songs are filled with instant hooks, catchy choruses, and driving rhythms, without sacrificing heart or resorting to tired cliches. Their live shows have captivated a variety of different audiences throughout the east coast, earning the band a reputation as a must see attraction. www.myspace.com/cravingstrangemusic.
Our mission at Rock For A Difference is to improve the lives of families living with autism by providing financial support to the leading education provider for the Autism Community, POAC. We will provide this support through a collaboration with Musicians, Performers and Celebrities and by holding special Concert, Theatrical and Sports Related Fundraiser Events throughout the the year. Additional support will be solicited from partnerships with major sponsors and corporations.
We will achieve this mission, one gig at a time. ROCK ON!"

 

 

 

Saturday, November 21, 2009

METAL HEAVEN - THE RELEASES FOR JANUARY 29, 2010:
Four years after the last Frontline studio album "Circles", time was ripe for State Of Rock, the new band around Frontline guitarist Robby Böbel. "Hutch" Bauer and Rami Ali, two old Frontline comrades, jumped on board, so the only question left open was who could take the place behind the microphone. That was when label boss Georg Siegl pulled the strings and got in contact with Tony Mills (Shy/TNT).
After only three demo songs it was clear that the chemistry between the two songwriters, Robby Böbel and Tony Mills, was great. Their strengths complemented each other and pushed them to new horizons. It turned out instantly that this new band is about to become something special!
Their debut album, A Point Of Destiny, follows the slogan "75 % Frontline + 25 % Shy = 100 % State Of Rock", as it combines the qualities of these two classic Melodic Rock bands: melodic vocals by Tony Mills at the times of Shy classics like "Excess All Areas" plus the unique guitar-licks by Robby Böbel.
September Tony Mills came to Germany to put final touches on the album. The band used the opportunity and played some showcase-gigs in front of a handpicked audience to emphasize that State Of Rock are a real band and not just another project. "A Point Of Destiny" will be released on January 29th, 2010 – a date that any Melodic Rock fan should mark in his calendar.
Tracklist: 1. Black & Blue, 2. Without My Love, 3. Heartless Dreamer, 4. Don't Make Me Cry, 5. Hanging In The Balance, 6. Freedom, 7. Count Me Out, 8. A Point Of Destiny, 9. Friction, 10. Somewhere.
Soundfiles in advance: A Point Of Destiny / Black & Blue / Freedom
WebLink: www.stateofrock.net.

 
xx

Angels Of Baylon is a brand new line-up of metal stalwarts featuring former Manowar drummer Rhino, Arizona based power-metal vocalist David Fefolt, guitarist Ethan Brosh and former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson. Their forthcoming debut album "Kingdom of Evil" comprises 10 new original songs, featuring cuts like "Conspiracy Theory", "Second Coming" and "Apocalypse 2012".
Rhino states: "I started compiling these songs many years ago but was patiently waiting for the optimum lineup to record and release an album like this. I was introduced to Fefolt, Ellefson and Brosh a couple years back, and they provided the inspiration to forge ahead and complete the album. I think we have something really special for our fans with this new record.
Comments vocalist David Fefolt, "I think this album will surprise a lot of people due to its classic metal sound but with such majestic arrangements throughout. The melodic power on this album is definitely a force to be reckoned with!"
Kingdom of Evil will be released January 29, 2010 on Metal Heaven for Europe, with releases in other territories around the world to follow.
Line-Up: Drums – Rhino; Bass – Dave Ellefson; Vocals – David Fefolt ; Guitars – Ethan Brosh.
Track list: 1. Conspiracy Theory, 2. Apocalypse 2012, 3. Night Magic, 4. Tear Out My Heart, 5. Oh How The Mighty Have Fallen, 6. Tarot, 7. Kingdom Of Evil, 8. The Remnant, 9. Angels Of Babylon, 10. Second Coming.
Sound clips in advance: Conspiracy Theory / How The Mighty Have Fallen / Frontiers Records and the release date is set to January 21st for the three releases.
The discs are available for pre-ordering at www.innerwound.bigcartel.com.
Inner Wound recently signed their first two bands, with albums coming out early 2010. More details will be released during the coming month.
Jorn - Spirit Black
Side A: 01. Spirit Black 02. Below 03. Road Of The Cross 04. City In Between / Side B: 01. The Last Revolution 02. Rock And Roll Angel 03. Burn Your Flame 04. World Gone Mad 05. I Walk Alone.
Danger Danger - Revolve
Side A: 01. That's What I'm Talking About 02. Hearts On The Highway 03. Rocket To Your Heart 04. Dirty Mind 05. Fugitive 06. Beautiful Regret / Side B: 01. Ghost Of Love 02. Killin' Love 03. F.U.$. 04. Keep On Keepin' On 05. Never Give Up.
Winger - Karma
Side A: 01. Deal With The Devil 02. Stone Cold Killer 03. Big World Away 04. Come A Little Closer 05. Pull Me Under 06. Supernova / Side B: 01. Always Within Me 02. Feeding Frenzy 03. After All This Time 04. Witness.

 
xxx

BAD COMPANY ANNOUNCE 8 EXCLUSIVE 2010 UK DATES:
London 17th November 2009 – The original members of Bad Company - Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke have announced that they will reunite for a series of eight UK shows in April 2010. This marks the first time the original members have performed in the UK together in over three decades. The opening show will take place at the Birmingham LG Arena on 1st April and the final show will take place 11th April at Wembley Arena. All dates will feature very special guests, the Joe Perry Project. Tickets go on sale beginning 10am Friday 20th November. VIP Packages are on–sale now. Additionally, a new Bad Company live CD/DVD set iss set for release prior to the tour on 9th February 2010 (Image/Universal Music Group).
Rodgers, celebrating over four decades as a writing and recording artist (Free, Bad Company, The Firm, Queen + Paul Rodgers), was recently presented with the Classic Songwriter award by Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck at the annual Classic Rock Magazine Roll of Honour 2009. Rolling Stone recently named Rodgers one of the Top 100 Singers of All Time, Classic Rock UK placed him at #2 on their 50 Greatest Singers in Rock list and England's Planet Rock Radio fan poll placed him at #3 on their Greatest Voices of Rock list. His debut solo DVD Live in Glasgow is certified Gold and charted at #1 in Canada, #2 in Japan, #3 in the US and #4 in the UK.
These dates are to thank the fans for keeping the music alive, said Rodgers. It's great to be with Paul and Simon, said Ralphs. We made great music together and had the time of our lives doing it. I'm really looking forward to us bringing Bad Company back to the UK. Ralphs recently regrouped with 70s rock band Mott the Hoople for five sold–out reunion shows at the Hammersmith Apollo in London Autumn 2009.
After the break up of Free (known internationally for their smash hit All Right Now co–written by Rodgers) Paul connected with ex–Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs. Free drummer Simon Kirke would later join that year and the trio would begin rehearsing. Ex–King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell came aboard a few months later and the supergroup Bad Company was solidified. In 1974 they signed to Swan Song Records (owned by Led Zeppelin and distributed via Atlantic Records) to release their highly anticipated debut album, titled Bad Co. Rodgers' concept to write a song titled the same as the band's name was a first. Propelled by the hit single Can't Get Enough, the album would quickly hit #1 on the charts and remain in the Top 40 for four straight months. Bad Company were at the forefront of the 70's arena rock movement. To this day, the multi–platinum Bad Coo. album arguably remains one of the most accomplished debuts in rock history, reading as a virtual greatest hits set in itself.
Straight Shooter, Run with the Pack, Burnin' Sky and Desolation Angels would all follow within a five year run throughout the '70s with the writing team of Rodgers and Ralphs yielding more multi–platinum awards with hit after hit, Feel Like Makin' Love, Seagull, Run with the Pack, Burnin' Sky, Rock N' Roll Fantasy, making Bad Company one of the biggest concert attractions of the decade. In 1982, the band released their final recording Rough Diamonds and the single Electricland would be their last before disbanding. The group's multi–platinum award–winning greatest hits set 10 from 6 has become a music collectors staple.

Bad Company Confirmed UK Tour Dates - April 2010:
Thursday 1 Birmingham LG Arena
Friday 2 Manchester Evening News Arena
Sunday 4 Sheffield City Hall
Monday 5 Cardiff CIA
Wednesday 7 Newcastle Metro Arena
Thursday 8 Glasgow Clyde
Saturday 10 Brighton Centre
Sunday 11 Wembley Arena

Tickets go on sale at 10am Friday 20th November priced 38.50 London / 34.50 Regional (subject to booking fee) and are available from www.livenation.co.uk. VIP Packages are on–sale at: www.ticketmaster.co.uk. For more information, please visit: www.badcompany.com & www.paulrodgers.com.

THE OUTFIELD REGAIN JACKMAN:
Press Release / "It gives us great pleasure to announce that Alan Jackman has now rejoined The Outfield on a permanent basis and is looking forward to working with John and Tony on the new tracks being prepared in the studio for release in 2010.
John and Tony had always wanted to pick up the pieces with Alan and feel that in working together again on the new album they will re-create the energy of 'Play Deep', 'Bangin' and 'Voices of Babylon'. (It will also make a lot of AJ fans really happy). When the Outfield toured between 1998 - 2003 the fans were continually asking if AJ would ever come back to record with the guys again. We think it's fair to say that Most fans feel 'this is the way it should be'. We will keep you updated on a regular basis about their progress from the studio."
WebLink: www.theoutfield.com/news.html.

BRUCE KULICK SET TO RELEASE BK3 FEBRUARY 16:
Los Angeles - If you ever play Six Degrees of Bruce Kulick, the former KISS/current Grand Funk Railroad guitarist's resume will keep you happily busy for hours. Having been tapped by artists as diverse as Meat Loaf and Kanye West, the veteran axeman's boundless creative energy permeates his third solo LP, BK3. In the works for nearly six years and produced by Jeremy Rubolino, BK3 delivers explosive hard rock arrangements and addictive pop melodies that honor both Kulick's singular past and bright future. And then there's the jaw-dropping guest list, boasting members of KISS, the Knack, Toto, Motley Crue and more.
"Bruce was to KISS what Ronnie Wood is to the Stones," says Rocket Science GM & Fanboy Enterprises A&R executive Ken Gullic. "The new guy to one generation, and the long standing stable horse to another."
After getting his solo feet wet with 2001's Audio Dog and 2003's Transformer, Kulick—the often unheralded driving force on 12 years of cllassic KISS records, from 1984's Animalize to 1992's Revenge—assembled his own rock n' roll dreaam team. The roster: KISS icon Gene Simmons and up-and-coming son Nick (each vocally appearing separately), longtime friend John Corabi (Motley Crue, Kulick's own Union), Knack mainman Doug Fieger, Toto axe authoritarian Steve Lukather, Edguy power metal stalwart Tobias Sammet and even current KISS drummer Eric Singer.
"Many albums lack cohesion with different vocalists, but I know that my guitar playing is the glue on BK3," Kulick says. "There was the clear goal of making absolutely the best record that I could put together. I feel like this is my Revenge."
BK3 will be released February 16th on Twenty 4 Records/Rocket Science Ventures: www.brucekulick.net.

THE CLASSIC METAL SHOW'S NOSTRADAMUS TRIBUTE:
During an appearance on The Classic Metal Show (heard Saturdays from 9p-3a EST at www.cmsradio.net) on November 7, Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford commented about Nostradamus superfan Jim Bartek and his decision to end his listening streak of the album. Below are excerpts of the conversation:
The Classic Metal Show: You and the band too time this summer to graciously meet with one of our hardcore fans, Jim Bartek, who just won't stop listening to Nostradamus. Be honest. Was it kind of creepy meeting this guy?
Rob Halford: No, it wasn't. It was a joy because he's a really cool guy and he's a hardcore fan. He's like a Trekkie; like a Star Trekkie or a Star Warsie or whatever those fanatics are called. Those people are wonderful, you know. They just show you how much they love a particular band and that particular band's music. I wonder where he is today. I wonder how many times he's listened to it. He's definitely got to go into the Guiness Book Of Records.
The Classic Metal Show: Well Rob, I can actually tell you. He's over 500 times now. The streak is due to end; he's talking about putting an end to it on November 21. Would you like to take a moment and tell him not to?
Rob Halford: Well, you know Jim, firstly, you're a very special guy because I think you've listened to that particular record more than anybody else on the planet now, and probably forever in the future. I suppose there's a saying that all good things come to and end. Maybe after 24 hours with no Nostradamus you'll get withdrawal symptoms and fall the wagon (laughing). But Jim, we thank you very much for your support. We genuinely do. You certainly caused a lot of interest to the Nostradamus release; pretty much on a worldwide level because people were talking about Jim all over the planet. We got a bit of a bump from that. Anyway, I'm sure your dog is looking forward to listening to something different (laughing), (your dog) that sits with you each time you listen to Nostradamus. So thank you, Jim. Thanks for being a fan.
Jim "Nostradamus" Bartek will end his streak on Saturday, November 21 with one last listening party at the Maple Grove Tavern in Maple Heights, OH. The listening party is scheduled to be broadcast live online on the CMS Radio Network from 3p-7p EST, complete with the music of Judas Priest and recent interviews with Judas Priest members Rob Halford and Ian Hill. To listen, go to www.cmsradio.net.

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X has been updated with 3 'by request' features, while I await a fresh batch of goodies to feature in the coming weeks. Online today is:
- Tommy Shaw - Live In Montgomery 1985
- Stan Bush - 80s Demos (15 Tracks)
- Bad English - Live, San Jose, CA 1989
MR-X Membership Details.

REVIEWS UPDATED:
Reviews have been updated. Online today is new reviews for Mastedon, Blanc Faces, Kings Of Modesty, Angel House and Markonee. Read New Reviews.

 

 

 

Thursday, November 19, 2009

AEROSAGA CONTINUES:
Yet more Aerosmith speculation - more from Billboard: www.billboard.com/news/aerosmith-bandmates-fear-steven-tyler-is-1004043540.story#/news/aerosmith-bandmates-fear-steven-tyler-is-1004043540.story.
"Kramer and Whitford both say Tyler has become increasingly isolated from the rest of the band, hiring separate management and not communicating directly with anyone. "I have called him and left voice mails and texted him to no avail," says Kramer, who chronicles his complex, passive-aggressive relationship with Tyler in his new memoir "Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top." "I get no reply. One of his biggest things is that, 'Well, nobody calls me.' Well, that's bullshit, 'cause I have. I've always been there for him and I probably always will be. I can only hope and pray that Steven will put the focus on Steven and get healthy."

STAGE DOLLS PREVIEW:
Check out the brand new Stage Dolls single Raining On A Sunny Day at their website: www.stagedolls.com/rainningonasunnyday.mp3.

YNGWIE COMPILATION DUE:
Yngwie Malmsteen will release a new album called High Impact internationally on December 7/8. The set features a "surprise" bonus track — Yngwie's never-before-released interpretation of the Michael Jackson mega-hit classic "Beat It", which features Tim Ripper Owens on Vocals.
"High Impact" track listing: 01. Caprici Di Dablo 02. Brothers 03. Blitzkrieg 04. Trilogy Suite 05. Red House 06. Finale 07. Magic City 08. Arpeggios From Hell 09. Far Beyond The Sun 10. Cantabile 11. Blue 12. Overture 1622 13. Fugue 14. Beat It.

OWN A PART OF ZNUFF HISTORY:
Own A Song: SongVest To Auction Royalties From Enuff Z'Nuff Hits Fly High Michelle And Baby Loves You.
New Music Industry Revenue Model Allows Fans To Receive Royalties When Their Favorite Band Does; Music Memorabilia With A Paycheck Auction November 21-28 At SongVest.com.
Madison, WI - November 2, 2009 – SongVest, the company that reinvented music memorabilia by auctiooning song rights directly to fans, has announced their next auction will feature MTV hits Fly High Michelle And Baby Loves You from 80's power pop band Enuff Z'Nuff. The auction will take place November 21-28 exclusively at: www.songvest.com.
To help commemorate the band's 25th anniversary, Enuff Z'Nuff founders Chip Z'Nuff and Donnie Vie are rewarding fans with a piece of their shares to singles from their first two critically acclaimed albums. "Fly High Michelle," a touching rock ballad that topped the MTV Video chart, and "Baby Loves You," an in-your-face pop gem that combined metal and melody, will be available for bid. In addition to a portion of the song's royalties, the winners will also receive a personalized and signed one-of-a-kind platinum album award.
The auction will begin at 3PM EST on Saturday, November 21 and end at 3PM EST on Saturday, November 28. Fans can register now at www.songvest.com to learn more about royalty history and how the songs were written.
Since 2007, SongVest has offered music fans, collectors, and investors the unique opportunity to share royalties with the writers of their favorite music. Past auctions have included the rights to songs recorded by Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Carrie Underwood, Ringo Starr, Ozzy Osbourne, Natalie Cole, and The Monkees.
About SongVest - SongVest, Inc. is the world's first and only song rights auction house. The company provides 'music memorabilia with a paycheck' to fans, collectors, and investors by acting as a broker between songwriters (or their heirs) and rights buyers. When a songwriter is compensated for the performance, sale, or use of their song, so to will high bidders at SongVest auctions. The company's unique business model has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, CNBC, USA Today, Forbes, and countless online music, fan, collector, and investment outlets all over the world.

 

 

 

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

UK ART-ROCK LEGENDS CITY BOY GETS RARE CD RELEASE:
11/17/2009 - Philadelphia, PA - Along the lines of 10cc, Be-Bop Deluxe, Roxy Music, Alex Harvey and countless other bands of the UK Art-Rock movement in the '70s and early '80s comes City Boy, who also garnered much attention. In the course of their history, City Boy released several albums to much critical praise from fans and music press across both sides of the Atlantic. On November 10th foremost US reissue label Renaissance Records in conjunction with ItsAboutMusic.com (who have released all of the City Boy catalog) will be releasing the band's unreleased album from 1982 called 'It's Personal'.
Formed in the UK in the early 1970s, Lol Mason, Steve Broughton, Max Thomas and Mike Slamer were playing folk music in the Birmingham area. Towards the end of 1975 they were offered a contract by Phonogram records on the condition that they add drums and a bass. So Roger Kent and Chris Dunn were recruited. Although some critics wrote quite favorable reviews for 'City Boy' (1975) and 'Dinner At The Ritz' (1976), it was not until 1978 and their hit song "5-7-0-5" on the subsequent album 'Book Early' that the public began to take notice. The single went right into the Top 10 of the British charts, and the album entered the Top 30 in the album charts.
"We were on tour in Germany at the time, and I remember one of our managers talking to Steve and Lol for ages on the phone as we were lying around in this hotel room in Munich," Max Thomas recalled "Lol said 'Right, I've got an idea…we'll give them a telephone love-songg – '5-7-0-5' (or something like that anyway!) So the vocal was re--recorded, the record company expressed delight, and promised to really plug the song, and lo and behold, out of the blue – because it seemedd like that at the time – we had a hit single on our hands in thee UK, two months before we were committed to a four month tour in America! Fine, we thought, with a bit of luck, we'll carry our success to the States and will become extremely rich and famous." They were able to repeat their success with their 1979 album 'The Day The Earth Caught Fire' and its title song as a single release. City Boy had one more successful album with 'Heads Are Rolling' in 1980, which many critics believe to be their best, before their recording contract with Atlantic expired. "Atlantic had already written us off," said Thomas. "They responded to 'Heads' very lukewarmly, and delivered the last part of the advance most reluctantly for us to record 'It's Personal', which they never released. I think it was only released in Scandinavia because we were still signed to Polygram in certain territories. Zomba half-heartedly tried to sell 'It's Personal', but by 1982, all the contracts, including our management contract expired…and then the money ran outt, and suddenly there were no more wages. And we were all out of a job, and out of a career."
Unable to secure a contract with a major label, the band released a single on their own City Boy label in 1982. After this failed completely to attract anyone's attention, the group split. Now much to the elation of City Boy fans worldwide, the band's final album 'It's Personal' has been reissued on CD from the master tapes.
City Boy 'It's Personal' will be available from Amazon, iTunes and your local retailer on November 10th. Other titles scheduled for release by Renaissance Records include Graham Parker & The Rumour 'Live In San Francisco 1979', Network - s/t and 'Nightwork', Duke Jupiter 'White Knuckle Ride', Fran King 'My Sweet Elixir', Phoenix - s/t and 'In Full View' (ex-Argent), Unicorn - 'Blue Pine Trees', 'Too Many Crooks' (prod. by David Gilmour), Nick Gravenites 'Bluestar' and Roxy Music 'Manifesto Alive' (live 1979).
For more information: www.itsaboutmusic.com.

INTRODUCING UNISONIC:
A new band is about to enter the rock world: Unisonic marks the fusion of exceptional vocalist Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween) with Dennis Ward (bass) and Kosta Zafiriou (drums) of Germany´s Pink Cream 69. Swiss guitarist Mandy Meyer who is known for his work with Asia, Gotthard and Krokus completes the line-up.
Unisonic features Michael Kiske joining a real band situation for the first time in almost 16 years: Since his departure from Helloween in late 1993, he participated in various projects and released several solo albums. In the project Place Vendome four years ago he not only recorded with Ward and Zafiriou, he found two musical soul mates as well. After the sequel album of PV, the trio decided to join forces for a new band. Dennis Ward, who had previously produced a record for Krokus, suggested Mandy Meyer as the perfect addition for the vacant job on the guitar.
Sharing the vision of a rock band free from any musical corsets, the foursome already started writing songs for their debut album, which is scheduled for release in late spring of 2010.
Michael Kiske, one of the finest and most unique voices in contemporary rock music, explains his motivation of becoming a part of a band again: "Since the Place Vendome-productions I was impressed by Dennis Ward's skills as a songwriter and producer. We were occasionally fooling around since then via email that we should do more together in the future, so the idea came up to do a new band. I was generally getting a bit tired of doing everything on my own for so many years, so it just felt like the right thing to do now. We can all only benefit from working together. No matter how good you are solo, four people will always be better than one I think, if they manage to function together. And a real band is also a very good reason to finally go on tour again - after 17 years I can´t wait to get back on stage and have some fun with the band and the fans!"
In summer 2010, Unisonic will hit the festival stages all over Europe, further territories will follow the rest of the year, so watch out for dates in your area!

THE LATEST FRONTIERS RECORDS YOUTUBE PROMO:

 

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Solid Rock's latest interview features the one and only Blackie Lawless of W.A.S.P. in a revealing interview: www.solidrock.gr/index.php/lang-en/interviews/1138-wasp-blackie-lawless-interview-09.

With a Grammy Nomination with their last release Comatose and their new release Awake reaching Billboards top charts. John Cooper of Skillet talks about many different areas of the band and life. Read complete interview on RockEyez.com.

Be at RoadrunnerRecords.com at 11 AM Eastern U.S. time to watch the "Wither" video immediately when it launches. Get some special insight into Dream Theater as they tour: www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Dream-Theater--Wither-Debuts-Tomorrow-20706.aspx.

WICKED TEMPTATION FOR 2010:
Wicked Temptation is featuring Peter Wagner (ex-Powergod) on guitar, Marc Hermann (ex-Jo Hartmann Band) on bass and Dirk Hackenberg (ex-Salvage, Essex) on vocals. In the Rhein-Ruhr-area Dirk Hackenberg is also known from the cover band Powerstation with ex-Running Wild-guitarist Bernd Aufermann on guitars. The music of Wicked Temptation can be described as hard n' heavy rock of the 80ies and 90ies, in tradition of icons as Ozzy Osbourne or Dokken.
The band is now working on their debut album called "Seein' Ain't Believin'" which will be released at Rhine Rock Records/Sony Music on March 14th, 2010. More info: www.wicked-temptation.de.

PRETTY BOY FLOYD WORLD 20th ANNIVERSARY TOUR:
Formed in 1987, Pretty Boy Floyd is most famous for its 1989 LP "Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz" and the two singles from it, "Rock and Roll (Is Gonna Set the Night on Fire)" and "I Wanna Be With You".
This year brings upon the 20th Anniversary of "Leather Boyz" where founding members Steve "Sex" Summers and Kristy "Krash" Majors, along with newcomers Criss 6 and drummer Troy Patrick Farrell (White Lion) will embark on a four week tour starting in Japan onto Australia, Great Britain, Sweden, Italy and finally back in Los Angeles.
Plans for 2010 is to release a new original album as well as a cover album and release a DVD of the "20th Anniversary Tour".
More information can be found @ www.myspace.com/prettyboyfloydband. Pretty Boy Floyd Live in Las Vegas, NV: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i_hit_UTDs.

Pretty Boy Floyd 20th Anniversary Tour Dates:
11/22/09 Tokyo, Japan Cyclone
11/23/09 Tokyo, Japan Cyclone
11/26/09 Sydney, Australia Gaelic Club
11/27/09 Brisbane, Australia The Step Inn
11/28/09 Melbourne, Australia The Hi-Fi
12/03/09 London, United Kingdom The Underworld
12/04/09 Sheffield, United Kingdom Corporation
12/05/09 Nottingham, United Kingdom Rock City
12/06/09 Grimsby, United Kingdom Yardbirds
12/07/09 Dudley, United Kingdom JBs
12/08/09 Malmo, Sweden Horns Up
12/09/09 Stockholm, Sweden Harry B James
12/10/09 Stockholm, Sweden Harry B James
12/11/09 Vaxjo, Sweden Club Dirty Harry
12/12/09 Trollhattan, Sweden Backstage Rockbar
12/13/09 Moazzate, Italy Motorockas
12/18/09 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy Concert Theatre
02/27/10 Mexico City, Mexico Hard Rock Live
03/05/10 Guadalajara, Mexico Teatro Diana
03/06/10 Guadalajara, Mexico Private Function

BLACK ROSE RETURN:
After 23 years since their last studio release back in 1986, NWOBHM band Black Rose are going to release their third studio album tentatively titled Cure For Your Disease in early 2010. As a taster for the upcoming album some new song samples have been uploaded to the bands myspace site at www.myspace.com/blackroserockband.
Also a new book by author Mark Gregory called 'No Sleep Till Saltburn' has just been released and tells the story of the nwobhm scene in the North East of England in the early 80's featuring bands like Black Rose, Blitzkrieg, Raven, Satan, Battleaxe and many more.and is available from lulu.com with a free download link with each purchase for a brand new Black Rose track called 'Twice Shy Once Bitten'.

 

 

 

MRCD6 Pre-Order Now
 
MRCD6 - We Will Rock Yule
Pre-Order Now. Ships December 1.



MRCD6 is once again under the spotligtht for pre-order! I lost the plot there for a week dealing with my back, and before that had track delivery delays. So I'm pushing for it all to come together in time for the December 1 ship-out.

A few changes -
Sadly the Mecca track just was not ready in time to take part, but maybe I can pass that along at a later stage.
But I have added two extra tracks to compensate - one of them being a just amazing dirty little JK Northrup rock treatment of the tune You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch. The Grinch slots in behind the slamming opening track from Bombay Black (yes...same song as Screaming Santas, but this is a new 2009 recording with huge production).
Also - Jimi Jamison has kindly sent along his Keep It Evergreen track for inclusion - slotting in mid-way thru the compilation.
Below you can also take in audio samples of all songs for the first time - just added JK Northrup, Erkka Korhonen's Heavy Christmas, plus new Spin Gallery and Tango Down exclusives!

The link for ordering We Will Rock Yule is below. Also featured is links to various options for purchasing the MRCD Packages featuring past volumes you may not yet have. All essential of course!

The tracks are final, but audio samples are not yet mastered...but the audio below gives a great indication of the quality of these artists.
Those that once again support this series get an additional thank you in the way of 8 bonus tracks to download once the order is placed. Links to the bonus tracks are just about ready and will be e-mailed out tomorrow.


 
MRCD6 - We Will Rock Yule
US$23.00 each (Price Includes Worldwide Airmail Shipping)
1CD / 19 Tracks
PRE-ORDER NOW
 


We Will Rock Yule Final Track Listing and MP3 Samples:

01) Bombay BlackGoing Insane At Christmas (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
02) JK NorthrupThe Grinch (Previously Unreleased)
03) KickAll I Want For Christmas (Previously Unreleased)
04) 7th HeavenMerry Christmas In Chicago
05) Fraze GangChristmas Time In Canada (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
06) HeartlandMerry Christmas (Unplugged)
07) Keith LuBrantMy Best Gift Was You
08) Jimi JamisonKeep It Evergreen (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
09) StratocruiserHolidaze
10) Tango DownUnder The Tree (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
11) Spin GalleryChristmas Home (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
12) Goober GunIn Reflection (Merry Xmas Baby)
13) Save PlutoIt's Christmas Time, Alright!
14) Secret SmileHave Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
15) HelixChristmas Time Is Here Again
16) Steve Lukather & FriendsJoy to the World
17) Ides Of March (feat. Jim Peterik)Sharing Christmas (2009 Remaster)
18) Ted PoleyA Letter To Santa
19) Erkka Korhonen's Heavy Christmas feat. Marco HietalaThe First Noel (Medley) - Live at Tavastia-Club, Helsinki, Finland December 2006 (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive Track)


Bonus MP3 Downloads for pre-orders:

Seven - Little Drummer Boy
Seven - O Holy Night
Gus Santana - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Ides Of March - Distant Trumpet
Markonee - I Believe In Father Christmas
Tango Down - Under The Tree (Vox Accapella Rough)
Tommy Denander - Miracles
Tommy Denander - We Wish You A Merry Christmas


 
Package 1:
MRCD6 + MRCD5
US$40.00 (Price Includes Worldwide Airmail Shipping)
1 x 2CD set + 1 x single CD / Total 53 Tracks
Pre-Order
 
Package 2:
MRCD5 + MRCD4
US$38.00 (Price Includes Worldwide Airmail Shipping)
2 x 2CD Sets / Total 71 Tracks
Pre-Order
 
Package 3:
MRCD5 + MRCD3
US$30.00 (Price Includes Worldwide Airmail Shipping)
1 x 2CD set + 1 x single CD / Total 56 Tracks
Pre-Order
 
Package 4:
MRCD6 + MRCD4 + MRCD3
US$48.00 (Price Includes Worldwide Airmail Shipping)
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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

HUGO PRESS RELEASE:
Vocalist Hugo sent me this message in hopes of clearing the air further about the recent news surrounding Evolution (the Journey tribute band) and Valentine:

"I guess it's about time I post about the facts. As much as I loved doing Valentine the band broke up in 1993, I'm kinda thinking that's when I was no longer a part of Valentine?!? I continued doing my own stuff. Three solo albums, two co-written albums and then Valentine decided after Firefest IV to start an album. We did, and I am glad that we did-but honestly, it was more of a project album considering that we havn't been a band in nearly 20 years-but with no good material or inspiration it didn't make sense to get back together.
I do think that they have some things happening. Steve Augeri and I spoke a couple of months ago regarding using the Valentine band for his solo stuff. I said "Absolutely. You're a great singer and they need to keep playing. We don't play together, and I'm busy getting songs together for my next solo album anyhow so why not...go for it!!!"
Steve is an amazing guy and we are all friends. I hope it works out for him if that's the direction he moves. I really do think they should play w/Steve though. It would be difficult to start something new at this point in the game. Evolution was also something that needed to go away. We were wrongly promoted, mishandled, surrounded by inexperienced individuals that I was trusting were leading us in the right direction and almost ended up in a lot of hot water!! We were lucky. But it's a lesson in life and we go forward...no one died here.
But on a different note, I am compiling songs for a brand new album, looking to play live with my originals and going forward paying tribute to the best rock band, past and present. I will be careful not to be involved with any promoter, manager or musician who does not understand the trademark/infringement issues and now I surround myself with experienced and informative people and educate myself to know these things. Thanks for the forum, hardly newsworthy or consequential to the music scene especially when my buddy Nuno is playing with Rihanna. Thanks for listening. And please check out my website www.hugotunes.com for updates to be posted soon." - Hugo

SLAYER, MEGADETH TEAM UP FOR "AMERICAN CARNAGE":
Co-Headliners to Tour the U.S. Together For the First Time in Nearly Two Decades Testament to be Special Guest. Recession-Proof $10.00 Tickets Available in All U.S. Markets

Los Angeles, CA - Monday, November 16, 2009 -- Slayer. Megadeth. Two names synonymous with fierce, crunching power. Two bands whose histories are inevitably intertwined in defining the thrash/metal genre. Individually, their respective prowess and accomplishments are impressive; but together, they're brutal and unstoppable. Megadeth and Slayer will join forces to co-headline "American Carnage," the most blistering, the most explosive, and the most eagerly anticipated mega-tour of the winter - and you do not want to miss it.
"American Carnage" will kick off on January 18 in Seattle, WA for a 26-date trek across North America that will include the six Canadian dates postponed earlier this month. Tickets for most shows go on sale this Friday, November 20. Ticketmaster is offering a special presale for most shows from Wednesday November 18 at 10am until Thursday November 19 at 10pm.
"American Carnage" is the first time that Slayer and Megadeth will have toured the U.S. together since 1991's epic "Clash of the Titans" tour. To celebrate that and in recognition of the tough economic times that many of their fans are having, Megadeth and Slayer have decided to roll back the price of a chunk of tickets at every U.S. show to the "1991 price" of $10.00. These specially-priced tickets will be limited and when they're gone, they're gone. Megadeth has also teamed with iloveallaccess.com to provide an Ultimate Fan Package including premium seats, meet and greets, pre-show parties and more.
In addition, Testament - who was also on the "Clash of the Titans" bill, will be Special Guests on the entire tour, marking the first time that all three bands have shared a stage together in more than 18 years, and making this a "must see" metal event.
Both Megadeth and Slayer will hit the road supporting new albums: Megadeth's 2009 album, Endgame, while Slayer's World Painted Blood, the band's 10th studio venture, hit stores November 3. Testament's The Formation of Damnation: Special Tour Edition, will be released on February 23, 2010, with special unreleased bonus tracks.
Slayer and Megadeth have already massacred territories together outside of the U.S. - first with four explosive dates in June, 2009 across Western Canada - "Canadian Carnage" - marking the first time the bands had shared a stage anywhere in 18 years; and then six co-headlining "Carnage" dates in Australia followed in October.
According to various Canadian press outlets last summer: "It was a night of thrash impossible to trash..." "Tales about war, death, destruction, Satan, aliens and serial killers have never been so much fun..." "The two heavy metal heavyweights ...went head-to-head on a level playing field. Both bands brought their 'A' game. And the results were anything but pretty - unless you include pretty freakin' loud and pretty freakin' awesome."
Slayer. Few bands come close to matching the intensity that Slayer - guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, vocalist/bassist Tom Araya and drummer Dave Lombardo - brings to its live shows, having been named "Best Live Band" by numerous media outlets including Revolver, SPIN, and Metal Hammer. World Painted Blood offers a Slayer-ized point of view of our world - God's terrifying global genocide, the chaos of our broken political system, the way-too-close proximity of world horrors that technology has brought us, and a chilling hypothesis of how the rest of the world might view America. The album was recorded in Los Angeles over two time periods, during October 2008 and then between late January and March 2009. World Painted Blood was produced by Greg Fidelman, who's spent time in the studio with Metallica, the Gossip, the (International) Noise Conspiracy, Slipknot and others, and executive produced by long-time Slayer colleague, Rick Rubin, who suggested Fidelman for the project. One reviewer called the album "the heaviest, bloodiest and best album in almost two decades." Fans got a couple of early morsels of the brutal new Slayer material -- "Psychopathy Red," a Hanneman song inspired by the heinous Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, who confessed to savagely murdering 56 children, was recorded last October and then leaked online. Then, the King-penned track, "Hate Worldwide," was made available in July as a limited-edition single through Hot Topic. For "American Carnage," Slayer's Tom Araya promises, "no ballads, no acoustic numbers, no slow tempos."
Megadeth. 2009 saw the release of Endgame, what has been heralded as Megadeth's best album in years. It's the record where it all comes full circle in a career that has not only set standards in hard rock and metal, but defined them. Megadeth's signature shredding and rousing lyrics are the hallmarks of Endgame, with vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine once musing and making declarations about the world we live in, having named the album after a government document that should strike fear in the hearts of Americans! But that's Mustaine and Megadeth, using the vehicle of music to shake things up, to make a point and to rattle your brain, literally, figuratively and sonically. Revolver magazine said of Endgame, "One of their best albums." VH1's That Metal Show deemed it, "One of the metal albums of the year", and Popmatters said, "the record positively scorches with an intensity not heard since Rust in Peace."
Legendary thrash metal titans Testament, whose latest award-winning release (2008 Album of the Year, Metal Hammer's Golden God Award) The Formation of Damnation, displays them as the quintessential modern heavy metal band, whose experience and accumulated skill allows them to attack with reserves of anger, energy and finesse that make them more powerful than ever. Lead singer Chuck Billy says, "Uniting these bands is the heavy metal event of generations. We are so proud to be a part of it."
Slayer and Megadeth are also re-scheduling the east coast leg of the "Canadian Carnage" tour, postponed from this fall.
For more info, contact: www.slayer.net / www.megadeth.com / www.testamentlegions.com.

CAGE VOCALIST SEAN PECK FEATURED IN NEW THE RIGHT TO ROCK PODCAST:
TheRighttoRock.com has issued their latest podcast (episode #90), featuring vocalist Sean Peck. Sean took time out of his busy schedule to discuss Cage's latest release Science of Annililation as well as their current tour. Sean gives us the lowdown of how their latest CD came together as well as what fans can expect for the next one. Interview last approx. 45 min.
Boo! Alright, alright, we hear ya. You guys have demanded the Halloween show and you got it, baby! Sorry for the delay, but Genghis and I had been "detained". Long Story. Anyway it's long past that time of year again and we have protected you, the fan, once more from infestation. Yeah, while you pussies hunt deer, we hunt the undead (Put that in your pipe and smoke it).
Join Genghis and Ragman as they go on their annual zombie hunt and talk some metal, discussing their favorite horror movie soundtracks and metal-related horror movies. Next the boys channel in West Coast Zombie Killing Correspondent, Sean Peck from Cage, who called in during his battle with those menacing a-holes to discuss Cage's latest release, Science of Annihilation. So turn off the lights and light a candle, because this is our spookiest show yet.

JETBOY LOOK FOR NEW BLOOD:
Jetboy is vigorously searching for a new bass player and percussionist to replace the recently departed Michael Butler and Doug Hovan. The band has no intention of taking these departures lightly, and is totally focused on the task at hand which is moving ahead in a professional manner.
Jetboy has contractual obligations in place that the band is prepared to honor, not to mention the obligation the band feels to their very loyal fan base. "We have a new record for release in January of 2010, and just met with iTunes this past week, to map out strategies in conjunction with Jetboy's record company for our new EP" says Billy Rowe"This Band has faced a myriad of uncontrollable variables and the fans know this, as they also know that this is just an insignificant blip on Jetboy's radar".  "Our fans have already indicated their loyalty to the band through many positive blogs and personal e-mails, the same loyalty they've displayed throughout our career" writes Fernando Rodriguez"As the old adage goes, "What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger", and in the end our fan base will be rewarded for their patience".
Additional information on Jetboy can be found on the band's website: Jetboyrocks.com, as well as their myspace page at: myspace.com/jetboyrocks.

SPV PRESS RELEASE:
Following its insolvency on May 27, 2009, SPV GmbH, Hannover, is realigning itself with a new repertoire strategy, building on the reputation which it has gained in over 25 years in the recorded music market with artists such as Whitesnake, Motörhead, Xavier Naidoo, Simply Red and Alice Cooper.
"SPV is one of the most renowned addresses for rock and metal both nationally and internationally," says insolvency administrator and lawyer Manuel Sack. In the last few weeks following the signing of a partnership venture agreement with Sony Music Entertainment, under which Sony will be exploiting SPV rights initially for large acts and some selected parts of the catalog in the GSA territories, efforts have been focused on securing SPV's future with its remaining attractive assets. "SPV's reputation with record buyers has not suffered and the company will continue to play a significant role in the market as an independent."
With its own organizational structure, SPV GmbH will be actively engaging in the global exploitation of its existing catalog, which currently comprises more than 1,500 catalog-numbers. A team of experienced employees will be concentrating on the relevant core elements of the repertoire.
Under the aegis of the insolvency administrator Manuel Sack, Frank Uhle will be responsible for the operational management of SPV GmbH. He attaches particular importance to ensuring that export business, which has also been completely restructured, remains one of SPV's mainstays. Uhle is pinning great hopes to BVM, the company's new partner in Bremen, explaining that this will additionally enhance the quality of services and underpin the future service guarantee in the inventory and logistics segment. In this way, it will be possible to execute worldwide business professionally.
Sales and marketing manager Sven Gerke has announced the release of top premium products at SPV, namely the Max Raabe & Palast Orchester 2DVD/CD box set "Heute Nacht Oder Nie - Live in Berlin" and the 2CD Loreena McKennitt "A Mediterranean Odyssey", as well as the Live DVD/CD Annihilator "Live At Masters Of Rock". Further top sellers are also planned for early 2010 release and include Molly Hatchet and Axel Rudi Pell.

 

 

 

Monday, November 16, 2009

NUNO BETTENCOURT, WORLD RENOWNED GUITARIST, TO PERFORM ON WORLD TOUR WITH RIHANNA:
Chicago, IL—November 16, 2009— Guitar virtuoso, Nuno Bettencourt, has joined forces with Rihanna and will be her 2010 world tour lead guitarist. The unexpected combination of Grammy Award winning R&B artist, Rihanna, and Rock guitarist, Nuno Bettencourt, has in fact become what Nuno says, "A great opportunity to blend our talents to create a high energy experience".
Nuno is best known for his work in the multiplatinum rock band Extreme, where they were Grammy nominated for their Billboard Chart topping hit, "More Than Words". Nuno has worked on many projects including, multiple solo albums, film scores and has also worked with notable artists such as Janet Jackson, Perry Farrell, Robert Palmer and many others.
Rihanna's choice to have Nuno in her band is a great surprise, and Nuno assures that her live sound is really complimentary to his "style". When he heard the direction Rihanna wants to go in a live setting Nuno said, "Wow, this rocks! It's heavy and funky, and it hit me that this is "my" thing, this is "my" style…"
Once Nuno and Rihanna blended their talents and began the first round of rehearsals, Nuno stated, "…it did not disappoint. Even better than what I expected because she also has the most incredible band, and I get the privilege to add to their wall of sound. It's gonna be fun. Come see and hear it for yourself!"
Streaming Live from London, November 16, Rihanna and Nuno will be performing tracks from her album, Rated R, to a free online audience. Join in on the largest free music event of the year at: nowplaying.nokia.com/join-us/. Rihanna's latest album drops November 23rd.
Nuno's new endeavor as lead guitarist for Rihanna has just been one of many significant events for him in 2009. The renowned guitarist recently wrapped up dates of the Extreme reunion tour and just recently made a music video for the CBS hit comedy, "How I Met Your Mother". In addition, Nuno celebrated his twenty year anniversary as an endorser of Washburn Guitars with the debut of his signature N4XX and also released a signature Randall half stack, the NBKING100, both to critical acclaim.
It is clear Nuno has been one of the most influential rock guitarists of our time, and will continue to do what he does best, perform. As for the future of Extreme, Nuno explains, "NO… this is NOT the end of Extreme. We have a live DVD and CD coming out in early 2010 and we will be writing new material throughout the year. We had a great run across the globe on Saudades de Rock... and we'll be back."

VALENTINE PRESS RELEASE:
November 12 2009: "It is with great regret we inform you that Hugo is no longer part of Valentine. The band released Soul Salvation last year, the first Valentine release since their debut album back in 1990. The band was overwhelmed with the positive response to the album, and were looking forward to continuing to write and record new material in the future. Valentine played the Lokern Festival in August 2009 to almost 15,000 people and were completely blown away by the reaction.
Unfortunately, Lokern was Valentine's final performance. Faced with the challenge of finding a singer capable of replacing Hugo and continuing as Valentine, the four remaining members decided after twenty years together that it would be unfair to both themselves and the fans who have supported them loyally to continue without Hugo, who was an integral part of the band. The remaining band members are currently working on a brand new project, which will be announced shortly.
Gerard Zappa had the following to say "We'll miss Hugo. He made the decision to leave. We were all disappointed, especially as we had been together so long, but for whatever reason he just didn't want to be part of Valentine any more. We've been friends and in bands together for over twenty years. That's not something to be taken lightly. It's sad, as it marks the end of a long road together. We all love Hugo and we wish him nothing but happiness in the future. The rest of us have began a new journey that we will tell you about soon". - Gerard, Craig, Adam, Mike.

OUTLOUD'S WE RUN ALL OVER GREECE TOUR 2009:
Press Release: "We are proud to announce and bring to you the first Outloud Tour across Greece in December 2009, presented by Crossroads Productions! After the successful release of their debut album on August 28th in Europe, September 15th in North America and on September 30th in Japan, the band decided to get on the road and present their first album live!
Difficult times or not, Outloud seems to be restless and worked very hard to achieve their status and promises a strong performance of 80 + minutes pure groovy rock! 5 cities in Greece have been targeted and will be launched on December 13th with one show on Crete island, one TV appearance on one of Greece's most successful TV talk shows "Radio Arvylla" on ANT 1, and 3 more shows in Northern and Central Greece, and last closing with a unique show with friends and special guests in Athens at the legendary "Kyttaro " Live Club!
13.12.09 - "Notos Club" Hania, Crete Support: Soundtruck www.soundtruck.gr Location: Kalergon 12 - 73 100 Hania, Crete island Web: www.myspace.com/notoslive Tickets: 15,00€
16.12. - "Radio Arvyla" TV Talk Show Channel: ANT
17.12.09 - "Eight Ball" Thessaloniki Support: 1. W.A.N.T.E.D. www.myspace.com/wantedhome 2. Blank inverse www.myspace.com/blankinverse Location: Pindou 1 - Ladadika Thessaloniki Web: www.8ballclub.gr www.myspace.com/8ballclub Email: eightballclub@yahoo.gr Tickets: 15,00€
18.12.09 - "Stone Bar" Patras Support: Myst - www.myspace.com/myst2007 Location: Ermou 118 - Patras 26 500 Web: www.stonebar.gr Email: mail@stonebar.gr Tickets: 15,00€
19.12.09 "Legacy Rock Club" Ioannina GR Support: Dimansion - http://www.myspace.com/dimansiongr Location: Joseph Elegia 13 & Ethn. Antistasis 20 Tickets: 10,00€ (with drink)
20.12.09 "Kyttaro Club" Athens GR Support: 1. Cyanide 4 - www.myspace.com/cyani4de 2. Danger Angel - www.myspace.com/dangerangelrock Location: Ippirou 48 & Aharon Av. Web: www.kyttarolive.gr www.myspace.com/kyttarolive Tickets: 18,00€
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/outloudtheband / www.myspace.com/crossroadsproductions2009.

ROBERT TEPPER'S FIRST TWO ALBUMS RECEIVE DIGITAL RELEASE:
Legacy Recordings/Sony have digitally released the first two albums by Robert Tepper - No Easy Way Out and Modern Madness. Released in 1986, His debut album title track No Easy Way Out became a smash hit at rock radio and was prominently featured in the Rocky IV Soundtrack. It remains an international rock anthem. The debut album also includes Angel Of The City and Don't Walk. The follow-up Modern Madness was released in 1988 and includes The Unforgiven. Both digital albums are available at iTunes, Amazon.com, and all major online stores.
Robert Tepper lives in Los Angeles and has been producing, engineering, and remixing artists locally and abroad. Recently, Robert has been writing with Grammy winner Jeff Silbar ('Wind Beneath My Wings') and Mark Goldenberg (Jackson Browne). His official site is www.myspace.com/roberttepperonline.

JOHN WAITE SOLO TOUR DATES:
Updated John Waite European tour dates for 2010:

February 17th: Vienna (A), Szene Wien
February 18th: Munich (GER), Metropolis Music Hall
February 20th: Karlsruhe (GER), Brauhaus
February 21st: Essen (GER), Zeche Carl
February 22nd: Verviers (B), Spirit Of 66
February 24th: Zoertermeer (NL): Boerderij
February 25th: Weert (NL), De Bosuil
February 26th: Hellendoorn (NL), De Lataarn
February 28th: Carlisle (UK), The Brickyard
March 1st: Wolverhampton (UK), The Robin 2
March 2nd: London (UK), The Underworld Camden
WebLink: johnwaitethegreatest.web-log.nl.

QUEENSRYCHE'S GEOFF TATE GOes "INSANIA" ONCE AGAIN:
Press Release / "Hot on the barrels of his sold out "Insania" red wine signature blend, Queensryche front man Geoff Tate has announced a new collaboration with Walla Walla, Washington-based Three Rivers Winery (www.threeriverswinery.com) for a white wine blend of the same name.
The new "Insania" -- an artfully balanced offering that shines with honeydew melon, pear and apricot -- is a classic blend of Sauvignon Blanc (78%) and Semllion (22%) that will be available early next year for an anticipated price of $25 per bottle.
The initial tasting and launch of the new blend will take place at the Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie, Washington on Thursday, February 4th and Friday, February 5th, 2010 in conjunction with Queensryche's forthcoming performances of the highly anticipated "Queensryche Cabaret." (heralded as "The First Adults Only Rock Show!").
Crisp and lively, the finish of the "Insania" white lends itself to an encore performance with its bright, crisp acidity, leaving you wanting more...
"Insania" (a Latin word meaning insanity, irrationality, madness) has become a labor of love for Geoff Tate, who remains deeply involved with its development and looks forward to further collaborations with Three Rivers Winery in the future.
"Wine has been an important part of my life and the creation of Insania is yet another avenue to express my creativity and give my fans something more they can enjoy," states Geoff. "I hope to keep producing wine as long as I enjoy drinking it... and that's likely going to be for a very long time. May everyone enjoy this new white blend."
"Insania" is certainly off to a good start as Geoff and his red wine signature blend were prominently featured in the March 31, 2009 issue of Wine Spectator (online version available at: www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Wine-Talk-Geoff-Tate_4436).

 

 

 

Friday, November 13, 2009

EDEN'S CURSE BACK FOR ANOTHER UK TOUR:
Multinational Melodic Metallers Eden's Curse have confirmed their full run of December UK Tour dates as follows:
03/12/09 - The Yardbirds, Grimsby - England
04/12/09 - Hard Rock Hell III Festival, Prestatyn - Wales
05/12/09 - The Nightowl, Cheltenham - England
06/12/09 - Moho Live, Manchester - England*
07/12/09 - The Corporation, Sheffield - England*
08/12/09 - JB's, Dudley - England*
09/12/09 - The Cathouse, Glasgow - Scotland*
10/12/09 - Rock City, Nottingham - England*
11/12/09 - Central Station, Wrexham - Wales*
* - On tour with Alestorm and The Rotted.
For further details on the shows visit: www.edenscurse.com.

DELANY'S "BLAZE AND ASHES" RELEASED AND OUT NOW:
Delany is a brand new fascinating project with internationally well known musicians such as Lana Lane, David Readman and Davy Vain. The concept album "Blaze & Ashes" is based on Wolfgang Hohlbein's continuation of his successful fantasy novels "Chronicle of the Immortal". The adventures take place in London and are wrapped up in an exciting and emotional rock album. The main book actors Andrey, Abu Dun, Inspector Marcus, Frederic, Loki and Meruhe are spectacularly played to the gallery by the singers! Dennis Ward was once again responsible for a brilliant mix and mastering! Available at www.musicbuymail.eu and a lot other fine rock shops around the world.

 

BASSIST JAMIE MALLENDER ENTERS SOLO ARENA:
This summer, former Black Sabbath vocalist, Tony Martin should have been undertaking a 3 month tour of the USA and Canada, and was then scheduled to play several dates in Brazil. As was widely reported in the rock press at the time, the tour was pulled the night before the band were due to fly. Like the rest of the band, bass player Jamie Mallender was left devastated and without work. He returned home to his family and poured all his anger and frustration into completing his solo instrumental album. The album has now been released independently and CDBaby are looking after the sales: www.cdbaby.com/cd/mallenderjamie.
CDBaby describe the album as, "A bass guitar oriented fusion, crossover, progressive, instrumental album featuring a mishmash of genres, time changes and mood swings with a loose Sci-Fi B-Movie feel - more musical journey than virtuoso showcase, nevertheless displaying impressive chops."
Jamie Says, " In making "Return To Bass" I have ignored every formula in the book, every critic with an opinion of any kind and every opportunity to make it more commercially accessible. I have skipped from one genre to another and spliced musical styles together, always avoiding the obvious route. This album was not written to please anyone but me. Each track expresses how I felt at the time of recording, and goes on a musical journey that I enjoyed taking. It was not recorded to make a lot of money, or to make me famous. This album is my one finger answer to a music industry that needs a good old shake by the throat, and to all people who are happy to be spoon-fed manufactured music."
All instruments on "Return To Bass" are played by Jamie himself.

"RUN FOR YOUR LIFE" - NEW VIDEO FROM FATAL SMILE:
The new video from Sweden´s number one kick ass hardrockers Fatal Smile had worldpremiére for their new video "Run For Your Life" at The Cave Rock Club last friday. The video was filmed in Czech Republic earlier this year: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sofqixjvlWU.

STEEVI JAIMZ PLAYS ROCK CITY:
Steevi Jaimz plays Rock City, Uster, Switzerland, Saturday December 5th 2009. The band features Mick Priestley (Lead Guitar) Rob Wylde (Rhythm Guitar) Shell (Bass) and Alex Martin (Drums). The new and long-awaited studio album My Private Hell is out now through Cargo/SCS Records.
Jaimz was the legendary original voice of Tigertailz for the "Young & Crazy" album. My Private Hell combines Steevi's trademark Glam style melodies with Kiss and Ozzy Osbourne style Hard Rock. The album was written, performed and produced in Sweden with Chris Laney and Anders Ringman aka Platform (Europe, Candlemass, Crash Diet ) and mixed at Polar Studios (ABBA) in Stockholm.
WebLinks: www.steevijaimz.com / www.myspace.com/steevijaimz.

MAD MAX RE-ISSUES DUE:
Mad Max debuted on the German metal scene in 1982, delivering a brilliant combination of hard rock and heavy metal. Throughout the years the band managed to record eight full-length albums and one EP, with each release proving their amazing musical skills. This exclusive set of re-released early Mad Max albums - "Mad Max", "Rollin' Thunder", "Stormchild" and "Night of Passion" - brings back one of the most underrated German rock legends ever to walk the face of this planet...
"Mad Max" Their self-titled debut album was released in 1982 (and reissued by Roof Music in 1983), presenting nine dazzling tunes inspired by old school hard rock and heavy metal.
"Rollin' Thunder" The group's second full-length album (and first for Roadrunner Records) saw the light of day in October 1984, instantly gaining a lot of success on the European rock scene. As the LP received more and more excellent reviews, the label decided to release it in the U.S.A. "Rollin' Thunder" was eventually picked "album of the year" by the American heavy metal magazine Iron Planet.
"Stormchild" Mad Max released their third LP in 1985, showcasing a great musical progression. The album received great reviews in the British music press (especially in Kerrang!) and soon the band decided to organize a small tour across the UK. The tour turned out to be a great success, ending with a sold-out show in London's Marquee Club. New edition includes a bonus track.
"Night of Passion" Re-release of their fourth studio album from 1985. The album proved to be a very valuable work and once again the band met with warm reception from critics and fans (the LP was in the Top 10 of Germany's best selling rock albums). New edition includes a bonus track.
Metal Mind Productions will re-release Mad Max's albums on 9th November in a new digipak edition, each limited to 2000 copies. Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on a golden disc.
LabelLink: www.metalmind.com.pl.

YouTube Promo: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqH6rPa7804.

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X Updated with the following new features:
- Diving For Pearls - Rough Mixes (3 tracks from the Texas album)
Feature Albums - Tower City - All Or Nothing & Manic Eden - Manic Eden.
- Video Clips: Jerry Cantrell - My Song, Winger - Right Up Ahead (Live) and U2 - Magnificent.
MR-X Membership Details.

SITE UPDATE:
Apologies once again for the late update. My back is still giving me significant trouble and I'm doing my best to work around that. I hope to get back in order next week and get some long overdue Reviews online as well as catch up on e-mail - which I am running seriously behind with.

 

 

 

Thursday, November 12, 2009

STAGE DOLLS RELEASE DATES CONFIRMED + SERPENTINE:
February 26, 2010 is the date that everybody with an interest in rock music should make a note of, as this is the day when Stage Dolls – one of Norway's best bands through more than a quarter of a century – are releasing their seventh studio album via AOR Heaven in Europe (excluding Norway). The title Always underlines that this is a band you always can trust. And simultaneously with the release, the band can mark the 25th anniversary of their debut album, "Soldier's Gun".
Life on the road has been almost endless for Stage Dolls, but between concerts the boys have found the time to visit Nidaros Studio – where they made their earlier records – and the result is their new album, "Always". Torstein Flakne co-produced it with Ronny Wikmark, who also mixed it with Stage Dolls' former producer, Bjørn Nessjø. The American back-up singers from their success album "Stage Dolls" are also featured, so everything suggests a classic Stage Dolls album.
Here comes the official promo clip as a teaser for the album: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQbO1JgLbKQ.
Stage Dolls are: Torstein Flakne (guitar, vocals), Terje Storli (bass), Morten Skogstad (drums).

Stage Dolls comment further on the release at their website: "Finally the wait and the work is over, as you probably have noticed the first single from our new album is now being played on radio. Raining on a sunny day is a song that we wrote early in the process and you may have heard it in our live-show the latest year. The recorded version differs a lot from the 'live'-one but this is how we ended up...and we hope you like it. If you wonder, our good friend Darryl Tookes from NY has been contributing with some 'magic' lines in the middle and throughout the song. We're right now in the finalizing stages in the studio, things are looking good... We're really looking forward to the release-shows in Trondheim and Oslo."
For the record - the Norwegian release date is January 5.

 

Serpentine are delighted to announce that they have signed a worldwide deal with the respected German label AOR Heaven. The UK based band who feature the stratospheric vocals of Tony Mills (Shy, TNT) are set to release their 10 track debut A Touch Of Heaven in March 2010 and intend to play live dates to support the album. More info about the band can be found at their MySpace site: www.myspace.com/planetserpentine.
The band is: Vocals - Tony Mills; Lead & Rhythm Guitars; Christopher Gould; Rhythm & Add. Lead Guitars - John Clews; Keyboards - Gareth David Noon, Bass - Gareth Vanstone; Drums - Charlie Skeggs.

David Reece and his band Reece and the Dutch/German combo Cooper Inc. will perform at Dec 4th, 2009 at the Spirit of 66 in Verviers, Belgium.
David Reece is one of the world best heavy rock shouters with a respectful career, he was with Accept, Bangalore Choir, Sircle of Silence and Gypsy Rose before he recently released "Universal Language", his first solo CD on Metal Heaven.
Cooper Inc. has just released their new record titled "Pulling The Trigger". The 4 piece band has been on tour with Toto in Germany 2005, 2006 and 2007 and did plenty of shows in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Cooper Inc. is led by frontman John Cuijpers (Ayreon), guitarist Christian Tolle (Christian Tolle Project) and drummer extraordinaire Hans In't Zandt (Ex-Vengeance, Mad Max).
Additionally to this date, Cooper Inc. will support Norwegian singer Jorn Lande at the following date: 03.12.2009 - NL-Kerkade, Rock Temple.
WebLinks: www.cooperinc-music.com & www.reecerocks.com.

A COUP FOR TREAT FANS:




Coup De Grace - The New Album Coming Soon On Frontiers Records.

AEROSMITH CONFUSION CONTINUES:
The Aerosmith saga just took another bizarre twist...or two! First Steven Tyler turned up backstage in NYC at a Joe Perry solo show during the encore break, to be invited on stage for a version of the Aerosmith classic Walk This Way. But then he was gone and Joe Perry later told Billboard magazine that the band was till not prepared to wait 2 years for Tyler to work on his own projects and that anything was 'still possible' with the band.

Here ya go: www.billboard.com/#/news/aerosmith-s-joe-perry-on-steven-tyler-we-1004041884.story.

Tyler joined Perry and company for an encore rendition of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," telling fans before the song that "I want you to know that I'm not leaving Aerosmith." Now, Perry tells Billboard.com that Tyler "never said he was leaving the band" but further explains that the singer "said he wanted two years off to do his other projects," which is where things become problematic.
"Aerosmith wants to work," says Perry, who Tweeted earlier in the week that the band was "positively looking for a new singer to work with." He adds, "the band's been playing together for 40 years. It's a really powerful rock band, and I don't want to see it just go to waste and I don't think any of the other guys do, either. We're gonna work and we're gonna do something -- I'm not exactly sure what yet, but the band's too good to let it sit around. We're not going to wait for Steven."
Perry says he's had one conference call during the past week with bandmates Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer, but they have not made any firm decisions about anything -- including working with another singer while Tyler is pursuing his outside endeavors. "We're waiting for things to kind of settle down, and then we'll figure out what we're gonna do. Anything is possible," the guitarist says.
Perry also says that Tyler's appearance at Irving Plaza on Tuesday caught him completely by surprise. Tyler, he says, appeared backstage just as the Project was taking its encore break. "He was really the last person I expected," Perry recalls, "and then I saw him. He said, 'How ya doin'? What's going on? What songs are you playing -- anything good or what?' I said, 'Well, we've got a couple more to go...You want to come and sit in with the band?' and he said 'Yeah' and...[chose] 'Walk This Way.'"
"I was really blown away that he came to the show," says Perry, "but he showed up and was really anxious to come and sit in and play, so I figured, what the hell? He's been my partner for 40 years, and I figured I'd let him have some fun and...give the fans an extra treat."
As for spreading Internet rumors about Tyler's health, Perry says that the singer "came and went so fast I didn't even get a chance to check him out that much...We read the Tweets and the different bits of gossip here and there, but that's stuff you need to talk to Steven about."

JOHN WAITE IN EUROPE LIVE - 2010:
John Waite is in the middle of preparing a series of live dates for Europe, while also working on a new live album and an all new studio album set for 2010 release.
Dates so far are:
February 18th Munich Germany     Metroplis Music Hall
Frbruary 19th Germany (T.B.A.)
February 20th Germany (T.B.A.)
February 22nd Verviers Belgium     Spirit Of 66
February 24th Zoertermeer Netherlands     Boerderij
February 25th Weert Netherlands      De Bosuil
February 26th Hellendoorn Netherlands      De Lataarn
UK dates are being arranged and will be added to the Newsdesk when announced.

EROL SORA RETURNS WITH NEW DESIRE:
Sora, the band formed by guitarist/vocalist Erol Sora (John Lawton Band) release their 2nd album Desire And Truth on Marquee/Avalon in Japan on January 20th and on Avenue Of Allies throughout Europe mid February.
Says Erol, "My aim was to recapture the spirit and sound of great bands like MSG, Whitesnake, Rainbow, UFO, Thin Lizzy from the late '70s/early '80s era. I'd describe "Desire & Truth" as a very heavy, guitar oriented album, yet still melodic in terms of vocals and songwriting. It's taken a long time to complete but I simply didn't want to rush this 2nd release and honestly couldn't be happier with the results. If compared to the last album, I'd say this one's heavier, more intense in terms of both vocals and guitar playing but most importantly still based on the songs first and foremost. I really hope people give it a listen."
Sora's 1st album "Demented Honour" released on MTM Music in 2006 received rave reviews globally and earned them a position in melodicrock.com's Top 10 New Artists of that year.
Tracklist: 1. Taste Of Rock & Roll 2. The Storm Has Just Begun 3. What's It Gotta Do With You And Me 4. Winter 5. When You're Gone 6. Diamonds In The Wind 7. Invitation 8. Stop Messin' Around 9. Rock & Roll Dog 10. When You Gonna Love Me 11. Highway To Nowhere (Remix)* Bonus track for Japan.
Band: Erol Sora – All vocals and guitars; Jay Solyom – Drums; Brendon Mooney – Bass; Gregory MacDonald – Hammond Organ.
WebLinks: www.erolsora.com / www.myspace.com/erolsora.

 
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INTRODUCING SAHARA RAIN:
Sahara Rain is a mixture of modern and classic rock paired with oriental influences. Although the band was formed in 2007, it took another year until the final line-up was in place with Ricci (Vocals), Boet (Bass), Dave (Lead Guitar), Adrian (Lead Guitar), Bo (Keyboards) and Levent (Drums). All musicians have been playing their instruments for over 20 years, played in various bands and developed their own style on their instruments over time. In 2009 they successfully released their debut album Sand In Your Hands. Since the album was released, songs like 'Black Gold', 'The Man You Are' and 'Shadow' receive regular airplay in the USA and Europe as global interest for the band keeps growing.
Sahara Rain will be touring Germany and Switzerland between October 2009 and January 2010. In early 2010 they will be recording their 2nd album in Germany, which will be released early next year. This new album will also be produced by Michael Bormann and pre-production work has been going on since April this year.
Tracklisting: 1- Feels Like 2- Black Gold 3- Jungle 4- Higher Sky 5- The Dance 6- Shadow 7- Center Of Pain 8- Blinded Eyes 9- Be The Man You Are 10- With These Hands.
For more details: www.sahararain.com / www.myspace.com/sahararainmusic.

 
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CD SHOWCASE UPDATED:
CD Showcases added to the site today include: Angel House (Escape Music, November 20 release); Fire, Stargazer & Steve Grimm Band (Avenue Of Allies Music, all out now) and Vendetta, The Dreamside & Borislav Mitic (Lion Music, out now and December 4 release).
Check them out now.

 

 

 

Monday, November 09, 2009

BLACKWOOD CREEK AND ON THE RISE FOR FRONTIERS IN DECEMBER:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of Blackwood Creek self titled debut album on December 4 in Europe and January 12, 2010 in the USA.
Blackwood Creek is a Kip Winger side project put together with his brother Nate on drums and childhood friend Peter Fletcher on guitar. It all actually started in 1969 in Littleton, Colorado when a 7 year old Kip Winger walked up to Peter Fletcher and said: "Hey, you got big lips, you wanna fight?". Fletcher then stood up and towered over Winger at which point they started a band instead! They reconvened in the basement of the Wingers house where Kip's older brother Nate was pounding on the drums. Blackwood Creek was born.
They went on to play every Jr. High and High school and eventually night clubs in their path, performing songs by their favourite bands like Grand Funk, Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin and their original songs which they were particularly passionate about, to the point of getting fired from jobs for not playing enough popular material.
In 1980 they went their separate ways. Nate and Fletcher went to Los Angeles, Kip went to New York, where he landed a gig with Alice Cooper and then went on to form Winger. Nate recorded with many bands in L.A. including Ratt, Kix, Europe. Fletcher formed the Pigmy Love Circus, including drummer Danny Carey from Tool.
Blackwood Creek reformed in 2007 to record 11 new songs. It's obvious that the chemistry is still rock solid. These 11 tracks embody 40 years of blood, sweat and tears of 3 musicians who started out together, went their separate ways and reform on common ground.
"Blackwood Creek" includes: Out In Outer Space; Nothing But The Sun; Your Revolution; Dead Stung; After Your Heart; Albatross; Jimmy And Georgia; Rack Of Greed; Love Inspector; Joy Ride; Wooden Shoe.
Weblinks: www.myspace.com/blackwoodcreek / www.frontiers.it / www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords.

 
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Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of the long awaited On The Rise second album Dream Zone on December 4 in Europe and January 12 in the USA.
On The Rise debut album caused a stir among the Melodic Rock fans community in 2003. Several magazines stated that On The Rise created the Melodic Rock ultimate debut album, boasting influences from the likes of Toto, Nelson and Boston with elements of the typical Scandinavian melodic rock. Thanks to the amazing songwriting and vocal abilities of founding member Terje Eide, On The Rise were catapulted in a few weeks on the headlines of all the Melodic Rock press.
Hailing from Bergen, Norway, Terje Eide is now the only member of On The Rise. His musical career started at 17 when he won a local talent contest. He later enjoyed a stint with the band Heaven & Hell, a rock institution in Bergen in the 80s. In 1986 he won the Norwegian National Rock Championship on national TV with the band The Heat. Terje went back to his Melodic Rock roots in 2000 starting a project who later on became On The Rise. A demo was made in early 2001 which immediately raised the interest of Frontiers Records who signed the project in June 2002.
"I'm very happy with the new album" says Terje, "The songs are catchy, groovy and they've got the strong choruses and melody lines that I always want them to have. It's been a joyful musical journey. It's an album I can support 110%. It's got the typical On The Rise sound, but at some point it's a little rougher than what has been written and produced before". Some songs have been written by Terje in collaboration with Christian Wolff (who also appears playing keyboards and some bass and guitars on the record). Christian appeared already as songwriter in the Ambition album (featuring vocals by Thom Griffin of Trillion) and is currently collaborating with Joe Vana on the second Mecca record. Other musicians include Erik Engebretsen on drums and Eric Ragno on keyboards, while Terje took care of the vast majority of the guitar parts and all vocals, together with some keyboards and bass.
Dream Zone final tracklisting includes: Lifeline; Lost Your Track; Dream Zone; Edellyn; Alive; In the Line of Fire; Get Out of Here; Fly Away; No Time To Lose; Why Wait Another Day; Tomorrow Never Dies; Howling at The Moon, Find a Way (bonus track).

 
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November 6 was the official release date in Europe of the highly anticipated W.E.T. debut album featuring Jeff Scott Soto (Talisman), Erik Martensson (Eclipse) and Robert Sall (Work of Art). The album has gathered some amazing reviews on the specialized Rock and Hard Rock press, getting a glowing 100% review on the Melodicrock.com website which wrote "W.E.T. might just be the perfect balance of power and melody, emotion and attitude..." More amazing reviews include:
"A great record!" – Angel Lorenzo (This Is Rock Magazine, Spain)
10/10 - Review on Metal Hammer Hungary
"Brilliant Melodic Rock Album" 90% - Joost (Virtuosity One website)
"This album has some of the year's finest songs" Rock Realms website
"Sensational" – Fabio Magliano (Metal Maniac Magazine, Italy)
The album is being released in the first pressing as a digipak release with a bonus DVD which includes an in-depth interview with the band members plus the videoclip of "One Love", "Brothers In Arms" and for the haunting ballad "Comes Down Like Rain", the second single off the album. Enjoy the video clip by clicking on the image below:

 

MONTROSE AND AIRRACE ON ROCK CANDY:
The two latest Rock Candy releases are available now. Both are now in stock and available from www.rockcandyrecords.com for a limited two week discounted price, including shipping to anywhere in the world, of £11.99.

Montrose 'S/T' CANDY062 - The debut Montrose album is universally regarded as one of, if not the greatest hard rock albums of all time. Released in late 1973, it introduced both a sound and a swagger that single-handedly dragged heavy rock kicking and screaming from its turgid proto-metal roots into a modern streamlined era, opening up a brave new world of possibilities. It was the sound of a mould being smashed to smithereens and the birth of a new epoch; a sound that Van Halen would co-opt for their own earth shattering debut four years later. For guitarist Ronnie Montrose and frontman Sammy Hagar, this was indeed history in the making.
It has been rightfully said that there is not a weak track on this album. Every guitar riff, drum break and ball-squeezing vocal rings out with a pristine clarity that sounds as astounding now as it did when it was first released. Essential to their monumental sound is the creative axis of Sammy Hagar and Ronnie Montrose, who provide the classic guitar/vocalist foil, in a tradition set by Plant/Page, Jagger/Richards and Tyler/Perry. With Hagar's immediately identifiable vocals and Montrose's juggernaut guitar riffs the results are truly mind blowing.
It is an album full of classic hard rock moves. From 'Rock The Nation', to 'Bad Motor Scooter', through 'Rock Candy' (a track so good, in fact, that a record company was named in its honour!) to the truly Herculean 'Space Station #5' there is no denying the sheer thermo-nuclear power. With the emphasis on maximum mayhem we ask only that no prisoners be taken.
24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 4,000 word story of the making of the album, full involvement by the band, rare photos, all spread out over a superb 16 page full colour booklet.
Track Listing: 1. Rock The Nation 2. Bad Motor Scooter 3. Space Station #5 4. I Don't Want It 5. Good Rockin' Tonight 6. Rock Candy 7. One Thing On My Mind 8. Make It Last.

Airrace 'Shaft Of Light' CANDY061 - Influenced predominantly by superstar American acts such as Foreigner, Journey, Survivor and Heart came a new breed of British melodic rock band ready and willing to take on the competition with a sense of energy and professionalism that, if lady luck had been smiling in the right direction, might have catapulted them to the same dizzying heights of success.
FM, Shy, Tobruk, Lionheart, Strangeways and Grand Prix were the main frontrunners but it wasn't until Airrace arrived on the scene that the scene gained a real contender for the NWOBMM (New Wave Of British Melodic Metal) throne. Signed to the giant and hugely influential Atlantic label, they headed straight to New York City, recording with one of the top American producers of the day, namely Beau Hill, the man behind platinum albums from Ratt, Warrant, Winger, Kix, Europe and Twisted Sister.
'Shaft Of Light', originally released in 1984, is a masterpiece of catchy hook laden rock with tough-guy guitar riffs, quality keyboards and the superior vocals of frontman Keith Murrell, who has one of the greatest rock voices of all time. With Jason Bonham providing a solid swing to the rhythm section it remains a mystery why Airrace failed to connect on a multi-platinum level.
24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 4,000 word story of the making of the album, full involvement by the band, rare photos, two bonus tracks, all spread out over a superb 16 page full colour booklet.
Track Listing: 1. I Don't Care 2. Promise To Call 3. First One Over The Line 4. Open your Eyes 5. Not Really Me 6. Brief Encounter 7. Caught In The Game 8. Do You Want My Love Again 9. Didn't Wanna Lose Ya 10. All I'm Asking. Bonus Tracks: 1. Not Really Me (demo) 2. She Can't Come Out (demo).

 
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MELODIC BRIEFS:
Has Steven Tyler walked from Aerosmith? Is it "Brand Tyler" time? Will teh remaining 'smiths carry on without the iconic frontman?? All these questions are to be answered in the near future. Here is one of the latest articles on the mess: www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/06/joe-perry-steven-tyler-has-quit-aerosmith.

New Axel Rudi Pell for 2010 - from Axel's website: "I'm still in the process of getting the finishing touches to the new songs. We will be in the studio for the recordings starting at the end of November. All I can say is that I´m damn proud of the new material, a few of the best songs I ever wrote. There will be a new DVD coming out this year, called "One Night Live" and will feature our complete performance of this years "Rock Of Ages" Festival. Stay tuned for the cover and the release date very soon."

A new interview with much respected artist and album designer Ioannis can be found at: www.thehighwaystar.com/thsblog/2009/11/06/interview-with-ioannis/.

The Classic Metal Show has posted interviews with Judas Priest Vocalist Rob Halford and The Company Band/Fireball Ministry Guitarist Jim Rota on YouTube. The links to those interviews are as follows: Rob Halford - Part 1 / Part 2
Jim Rota / The Company Band: Part 1 / Part 2
The Classic Metal Show can be listened to Saturdays Nights at 9pm at: www.cmsradio.net.

EDGE OF FOREVER IS BACK:
After their first two successful releases Feeding The Fire and Let The Demon Rock 'n' Roll the band is ready to hit the hearts of melodic hard-rock fans again with their new album Another Paradise. This much anticipated disc shows their usual hard hitting rock style renovated by a new and far more powerful line-up: Alessandro Del Vecchio on vocals and keyboards; Walter Caliaro on guitars; Nik Mazzucconi on bass; Francesco Jovino on drums.
The new album also features amazing performances by Bob Harris (Axe, Frank Zappa, Steve Vai and former Edge Of Forever singer) who contributed marvellous backing vocals on "What I've Never Seen"; Roberto Tiranti (Labyrinth) who sang on the title track in an emotional duet with Alessandro Del Vecchio; Jgor Gianola (U.D.O., Gotthard, Jorn) who played a hi-test guitar solo and Carsten "Lizard" Schulz (Evidence One, Domain) who did impressive background vocal work on the song "Edge Of Life".

 
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The album has all that an AOR record needs: strong melodies and impressive backing vocals; sophisticated arrangements; power-house drums; stunning guitars and keyboards; bombastic production and big sing-along choruses. The new line-up features EOF veteran keyboardist extraordinaire Alessandro Del Vecchio stepping up his game to take over the job of lead vocalist too. And you won't be disappointed! His intense interpretations and melodic vocal lines will capture any rock fan's heart and quickly conquer their soul. Comparisons with the likes of Jon Bon Jovi, James Christian, Russel Arcara and John Sykes are the band's confirmation that their crucial decision to make Del Vecchio lead vocalist was the right one.
Walter Caliaro, who replaced Matteo Carnio back in 2005, is the new guitar player. He not only brought a new wave of ideas to the songwriting but played a great role in arranging the entire record. Edge Of Forever has seen two previous bassists (Christian Grillo and Dimitri Oldani) replaced by one of the top bass players in Europe, Nik Mazzucconi. His distinctive straight ahead rock bass lines inject Edge Of Forever's sound with a new solidity and a ripping groove.
EOF superb drummer Francesco Jovino, strong of his long-time playing with U.D.O. (solo band of Udo Dirkschneider of Accept), is always armed and ready to declare war at each drum fill. All members have impressing curricula vitae with reference names such as: Ian Paice, Glenn Hughes, Andre Matos, Eden's Curse, Carmine Appice, James Christian, Robin Beck, Axe, Ken Hensley, U.D.O. and many others. Production of the new record was also handled by Alessandro Del Vecchio, another crucial step for the band, leaving him with some big shoes to fill since in the past the band was produced by none other than the late Marcel Jacob and Bobby Barth.
The mastering was done by well-known award-winning German producer and engineer Michael Voss from Casanova, Mad Max and Voices Of Rock. The album will be released in Japan through Spiritual Beast/Universal Dec. 9th 2009 and in Europe through 7Hard Jan. 15th.

 

FOZZY LIVE PACK AVAILABLE NOW:
Fozzy, the band featuring WWE Wrestling Superstar Chris Jericho & Stuck Mojo Mastermind Rich 'The Duke' Ward release their first ever live album Remains Alive as part of a special very limited edition 'Survival Pack' as a lead up to their upcoming new album Chasing the Grail to be released via Riot Entertainment on 26th January, 2010.
Remains Alive was recorded in Brisbane, Australia on the 'Fozzy in Aussie' Tour in September 2005 and contains songs from all 3 previous Fozzy albums! 'Remains Alive' is ONLY available in this limited edition 'Survival Pack' – Strictly Limited to 500 packs – only!
Inserted randomly in ONE pack is a ticket that will win the holder a New Black Epiphone Guitar - Signed by Rich Ward and Chris Jericho. Inserted randomly in 20 packs will be Gold Tickets that will win the holders a personal phone call from Chris Jericho, that's correct Chris will call the holders personally!
Apart from the 'Remains Alive' CD the pack also contains: Fozzy Messenger Bag / Fozzy 'We Are Huge Rock Stars T-Shirt' / Fozzy Lanyard w/ VIP Laminate (Access to meet the band at any Fozzy Show) / Fozzy All That Remains CD / Fozzy Guitar Picks / Fozzy Beer Cooler / Fozzy Badges x 2 / Fozzy Shoelaces / Fozzy Dog Tags / Fozzy Metal Belt Buckle / Fozzy Sweatbands / Fozzy Bandana / Fozzy New Band Photo 8 x 10 / Fozzy Metal Key Chain!.
The 'Remains Alive' CD & Survival Pack is only available online from Riot click here to check it out in the Riot Store.
'Remains Alive' features the tracks: 1. Nameless Faceless 2. Don't You Wish You Were Me 3. Daze Of The Weak 4. Wanderlust 5. Crucify Yourself 6. End Of Days 7. Freewheel Burning 8. Eat The Rich 9. Feel The Burn 10. With The Fire 11. To Kill A Stranger 12. Enemy.
And it features the line up of: Chris Jericho – Vocals Rich "The Duke" Ward – Guitars, Backing Vocals Mike Martin – Guitars Sean Delson – Bass Frank Fontsere' - Drums.
Fozzy have also launched two tracks from 'Chasing The Grail' via YouTube.
WebLinks: www.fozzyrock.com / www.myspace.com/fozzytour.

 

DARE'S ARC INTO AMAZON CHARTS:
Darren Wharton reports: "Hi everyone great news, Dare CD Arc Of The Dawn is the 27th best selling Rock CD on Amazon.co.uk: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/music/690892/ref=pd_ts_pg_2?ie=UTF8&pg=2.
And Germany: #31 www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/music/264898/ref=pd_ts_pg_2?ie=UTF8&pg=2.
Best Regards, Darren."
WebLink: www.myspace.com/daredarrenwharton.

PRIMAL FEAR TOUR MUST GO ON:
News from Primal Fear management: "We want to inform you about a bus crash (attached picture) of German metal band Primal Fear on the way from Oslo/Norway to their next show in Bergen/Norway. Thanks to god nobody got injured and after a few hours stop/work the travel party could continue their travel but had to cancel the show in Bergen. All further shows on this tour will happen as scheduled!!!"

 

NEW BLAZE BAYLEY PROMISES TO BRING THE TERROR:
Blaze Bayley's second studio album 'Promise and Terror' will be released on the band's own label - Blaze Bayley Recordings - on 1 February 2010 and distributed by Plastic Head. The accompanying World Tour kicks off in the UK on 6th February 2010 with European & South American tour dates to follow.
On 25 September the book 'At The End Of The Day' was released. This follows the story of 'Blaze' Bayley Cooke from Wolfsbane to Iron Maiden to Blaze and, ultimately, to the current self-titled Blaze Bayley band. 'At The End Of The Day' is available to buy from the band's website.
The double live album and live DVD 'The Night That Will Not Die', recorded at Z7 in Switzerland, have also been released on Blaze Bayley Recordings; the concert filmed by director Kris McManus and all audio mixed and mastered by producer Jase Edwards.
WebLink: www.blazebayley.net.

 

DARKNESS FALLS ON UK ROCKERS SACRED HEART:
Sacred Heart's new album Darkness Falls is set for release on 7th December 2009. The album has 13 studio tracks and the CD has 4 bonus demo's (not available as part of the digital download - iTunes, Amazon MP3 etc). You can hear tracks from "Darkness Falls" at www.youtube.com/sacredheartband & www.myspace.com/sacredheartshakes.
Pre-orders come with a free gift and are being taken now, at www.sacredheartband.com. A promo video URL: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbSP0klCOYU.

 

MASS HITS THE STUDIO!:
News from Mass: "We have postponed a few live appearances in order to concentrate on our next full length studio album. Mass has been in pre-production for the last month and a half now. We are happy to announce that twelve (12) tracks have been selected and the recordings will start in November 2009! All basic tracks will be recorded and engineered by the great Kenny Lewis at Mixed Emotion Studios in Middleton, MA.
Mixing & Mastering will commence in January 2010 and will be handled once again by Martin Kronlund (Crack of Dawn) at JM Studios in Sweden. We will keep you posted on any further updates but look for what we believe to be the best MASS album yet in early 2010 on the UK's Escape Music label."

FIREFEST 6 T-SHIRTS:
Having sold out on the day, and having several requests this past week, we have decided to do a limited run re-print of the Firefest 'Crest' design t-shirt, in black only. These will be Mens (M,L,XL,XXL) and Ladies (S,M,L,XL). Price will be £15 plus postage. Anyone wishing to order a shirt please Email us directly at fireworks.mag@ntlworld.com by end of the week (Friday 13th).

 

ANOTHER VAULT RELEASE FROM RENEGADE SOUNDS:
Renegade Sounds is excited to announce that Spin by Stiletto will drop Monday November 23. This album is a melodic hard rock dream recorded by the Vancouver Canada band in the late 80's early 90's. The band features vocalist David Steele, known for his work on Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, The Cult, and Motley Crue albums, and guitarist/writer Kenny Geatros, both also from the bands Double Dealer and Renegade. Producer/engineers on this record also include Ken Lomas an/d John Webster (known for Aerosmith), Paul Dean (Loverboy) and Jim Buckshon, executive producer for the label and responsible for Renegade, Matrex, Vertigo, and now Stiletto albums. This is the real thing, 11 well-crafted, catchy, melodic hard songs plus a bonus track, recorded on analog in the era and mastered in sizzling clarity. Check out a few samples at www.myspace.com/stilettocanada while you wait and get ready for Spin by Stiletto.
WebLink: www.renegadesounds.com.

ACCEPT: NEW RECORDINGS UNDERWAY IN ENGLAND; ANDY SNEAP PRODUCING:
Accept have entered Backstage Recording Studio in Birmingham, England to complete their long awaited comeback CD, the band's first studio recording in 13 years and their first with lead singer Mark Tornillo (ex-TT Quick) . The as-yet untitled new album will be produced by acclaimed heavy metal producer Andy Sneap (Exodus, Arch Enemy, Cathedral, Masterplan, Kreator, Megadeth) and will include about 12 songs.
Long time metal journalist and fan John Strednansky was the first (and so far only one) invited to listen to the new songs: "I had to promise to keep this to myself, as the band wanted to keep the sessions top secret, but I cannot control myself! This new stuff is mind-blowing! I got to hear 15 new tracks and one was better than the next! Holy smoke!!! Accept is reborn and better than ever! We all know that they have been writing songs with Mark but that they'd be able to recapture the metal spirit of the eighties this perfectly, well that blew me away! No way has it been 13 years since the last record.... The songs are heavy, melodic and have a killer groove, Wolf's guitar playing smokes all over the place. There are fast songs, and then there are those epic numbers! The music is stunning and will surprise everyone! Mark is singing from his heart and soul and sounds brilliant; he truly amazed me.... And, you get the ingenious Andy Sneap producing this thing! Very cool indeed…. I can't wait for 20100 and for this masterpiece to come out! Brilliant"
Adds Mark proudly: "I am not going to try to fill Udo Dirkschneider's shoes. I am different. What I will do is be true to myself. However, when we play the old stuff, I will try to also be true to the originals. The fans deserve that. They want to hear Accept so I will do the best to make it sound like Accept, be it on this new album or on stage."
The last Accept studio album Predator was released in 1996. The band's biggest success and best selling album was the 1984's Balls to the Wall, certified gold in the United States for sales of over 500,000 units and featured the single and video of the title track.

ROCK PHOTOGRAPHER JEFF FINDLEY R.I.P.:
Rock Photographer Jeff Findley passes away. Many of you know Jeff Findley as one of the best rock photographers in the business. Jeff suddenly passed away on Monday evening, November 2nd. No cause of death has been determined as of yet. An autopsy is being conducted but will take up to 15 weeks for the results. Jeff has been battling problems with his knee for quite a few years and has had multiple knee replacements, all of which failed. This left him in an extreme amount of pain. He is now at peace and pain free, leaving behind a legacy of his wonderful photography for all to enjoy. Please visit his work at: www.jfindley.com.
The following information was posted on his Facebook page this morning: Memorial Fund for Jeff Findley & Family... We have set up a fund to for Jeff and his family. In lieu of flowers, please send any donations to his family at: "Ray of Hope" P.O. Box 2789 Costa Mesa, CA 92628 (Please reference Jeff Findley in the memo section). Cards and letters may also be sent to this address. The Memorial Service is set for 3 pm on Sunday, November 8, 2009 in Huntington Beach (Main Beach). More details on the location will follow as we secure space. The family would like to honor his memory after the service at a nearby restaurant... details also to follow. Thank you for your out pouring of love during this very difficult time. His family and I appreciate your emails, posts on Facebook, pictures, and phone calls! Thanks again on behalf of myself and Jeff's entire family! It's so comforting to know how many people loved him and how many lives he has touched during the time he was here! Rest In Peace Jeff, you will be missed!

MORE LOST CLASSICS FROM RETROSPECT RECORDS:
Now available at www.retrospectrecords.com:

The Score - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (1984-1990): For the first time ever on cd meet 80s AOR act 'The Score'. This New Jersey-based band produced some great quality Melodic Rock / AOR that has never been released, until now. This 11 song collection features rich keyboard work interlaced with tasty guitars and unforgettable hooks. From the Toto-ish 'Standing On This Borderline' to the Survivor-influenced 'Chyna', there are some very classy tunes on offer here. Very Highly Recommended to fans of: Toto, Survivor, Adrenalin, Fortune, Arrival, The Innocent etc..
Alias - Alias (1987): Yes! Finally , for the first time on cd - the official re-issue of this underground classic 80s Melodic Metal release. This almost-forgotten gem should not be confused with the Freddy Curci-led AOR band from 1990. This Alias hailed from Florida and released 2 albums in the 80s, "Metal To Infinity" and this self-titled debut. Features ex-members of Crimson Glory, Kamelot , Surgeon and Tyger Tyger. Digitally Remastered. A very nice addition to the 80s Metal collection!
Michael Furlong - Use It Or Lose It (1985) + Breakaway (1987): The wait is over! AOR fans have been screaming for a cd release of these two slabs of Melodic Rock for over 20 years and here they are...with bonus tracks!! Michael had earned some success in the mid-80s scoring a major label deal with Atlantic as well as Music For Nations and would go on to front the band Wild Dogs. These 2 cd's showcase some top-notch hook-laden songwriting and classy AOR in the style of Bryan Adams, Tim Feehan, Robert Tepper and even Steve Perry's solo work. Highly Recommended!
Cadillac Bratz - Fasten Your Seatbelt (1991) - Here's quite a rare indie release that gets its long overdue re-issue. With prices on eBay soaring over $300 for the original pressing , this is a Hair Metal / Melodic Hard Rock gem that lives up to its hype and is finally affordable to all 80s Rock Fans.
Lickity Split - Stick It In (1989) - Another treasure dug up by Retrospect Records and first time ever on cd for the enigmatic L.A. Sunset-Strip based 80s Hair Metal / Glam act Lickity Split. Headlining clubs like the Troubadour, the Whiskey , Gazzarri's and The Roxy alongside bands like Guns n Roses , Tuff and LA Guns , Lickity Split was a band that unfortunately slipped thru the cracks. Now they have been resurrected and this is an impressive slice of 80s Hard Rock. Lickity Split re-united for Rocklahoma 2009 and won over a legion of new fans. Great stuff!
Ontray - C'mon Taste It (1988) - A sadly overlooked and underrated Melodic Hard Rock CD from this Michigan-based band originally released in 1988 finally gets a facelift and digitally remastered audio!! This is true 80's commercial rock with one foot in Glam and the other in AOR -- with hooks galore, plenty of big harmony vocals and smokin' guitar work, this once elusive CD deserves a spot in any rock music collection!!
Threshold - Midnight Dreamer (1993) - Awesome Washington-based Melodic Progressive Metal band featuring virtuoso guitarist/vocalist Kicho Forrest before forming the more recent Atomic Clock. Originally released in 1993 and now digitally remastered. Laden with a powerful rhythm section, monstrous riffs, impressive guitar / keyboard interplay, melodic vocals and strong memorable songs -- this release comes highly recommended to fans of the best in prog metal and melodic metal bands!
Fascination - Fascination (1995) - Killer Florida-based melodic hard rock / metal band's only album, originally released in 1995 and impossible to find for many years finally gets a well-deserved re-issue. An excellent powerful 'transitional' CD where you will hear a superb blend of 80's and early to mid 90's hard rock and metal. Gritty melodic soaring vocals, tons of vocal harmonies, crunchy guitars and a meaty rhythm section combined with strong songwriting and a big production make this a release well worth checking out!!
Montreal - Montreal (1987) - This mega rare vinyl-only release FINALLY sees light of day on CD for the first time ever! This New Jersey-based band recorded this indie gem in 1987 and is a beacon for pure 80's melodic hard rock / AOR!! These songs were criminally overlooked by the majors and we could only imagine what COULD have happened with these guys! Check out the solid songwriting, catchy hooks, big vocals and ripping guitar work! This is certainly a treasure that will shine in your collection! Highly recommended to all fans of quality 80's melodic hard rock and AOR.
David - III (2006) - Silver-pressed re-issue of David Mikeal's (guitarist / vocalist formerly of early 80's cult AOR band MPG, and currently in Tin House) most recent solo album and arguably the best in his catalog. David pretty much recorded this entire CD himself in his Winter Park studio in Florida. The songs are stellar; a melodic feast of huge vocals, anthemic hooks, superb musicianship and big warm production reminiscent of all your favorite arena bands of the 70's and 80's. David's brand of melodic hard rock mixed with classic AOR and pomp rock stylings truly showcases his masterful songwriting, fiery guitar playing and strong vocals which clearly show his love for classic arena rock!! Highly recommended!
Ziggurat - Melodic Scandal: The Complete Ziggurat (1979/1982) - Here they are - both of Ziggurat's obscure and collectible vinyl albums "Ziggurat" (1979) and "Melodic Scandal" (1982) both released on a single CD for the first time ever!! This excellent Atlanta-based bands' highly acclaimed albums have been sought after for many years garnering many great reviews among top AOR collectors. Their classic arena rock sound mixed with dashes of southern rock and pomp rock lends to an aural feast of tasty keyboard / guitar interplay, lots of vocal harmonies, rich production and memorable songs. They impressed so much from the first album that their second release was produced by the legendary Eddie Offord with some musical arrangement help from none other than Steve Morse. Essential to any 70's and 80's melodic rock / AOR collection. Digitally Remastered.
Inner Strength - Shallow Reflections (1993) - Originally released in 1993 to much acclaim (especially in Europe) this superb powerful melodic prog metal band from NY features guitar virtuoso Joe Marselle (Sonic Revolution, Arioch) and the monster pipes of Scott Oliva (of Oceans Of Night, Wind Wraith, Scott Mosher, Last Vision Black). Joe Marselle has painstakingly remixed and remastered all these recordings resulting in a crystal clear punchy powerhouse kick-in-the-nuts!! Also included are the "Within The Dream" sessions where Scott Oliva went in recently to re-record vocals on one of the tracks and he sounds better than ever! From the blistering guitar work, the endless barrage of meaty riffs, melodic vocals, and phenomenal rhythm section, this is a CD that will be in regular rotation in your CD player! These guys have been compared to Dyoxen, Psychotic Waltz and even Watchtower and of course Queensryche and Fates Warning.
Lots more to come! Please keep in touch with us at: www.retrospectrecords.com.

 
xxxx

IT'S A NEW DAY FOR EVERCLEAR:
The word is out: Everclear is back, better than ever, and ready to re-connect with their audience. Frontman Art Alexakis has gone back to basics: recruiting a new band, releasing In A Different Light, a new album that reinterprets the Everclear songbook with some fresh surprises, and finally returning to the road, to the delight of fans nationwide.
Alexakis says, "It's so amazing to see the enthusiasm and intensity of our fans.....not to mention the diversity in age...they range from 15 to 50...it's great to see kids who were in middle school singing all the words to every song!"
In A Different Light is the band's first release on record label 429 Records, and, in celebration, finds the band revisiting their past work with refreshed, stripped-down arrangements of some of their best songs. Classics such as "Everything to Everyone," "Santa Monica," and "Father of Mine" stand comfortably alongside new tracks "At the End of The Day" and "Here Comes the Darkness." Like many rock greats before them, Everclear revisits their back pages with ease, intrigue, and a more mature perspective, making for an album that is a listening experience in itself.
With new members, bassist Freddy Herrera, guitarist Johnny Hawthorn, keyboardist Sasha Smith and drummer Jordan Plosky, Alexakis has been performing a slew of intimate tour dates with a rejuvenated Everclear, packing clubs and reconnecting with longtime fans around the country - proving that the band is as vital and needed today as ever before. They've also reached out to their audience in a radical move: allowing fans to vote for the tour's opening bands city-by-city on the internet. The band just completed a successful October run through the East Coast, and will be returning to the West Coast this month with special guest Clayton Senne for a series of dates alongside the fan-selected openers.
Refreshed, revamped, and reinterpreted, Everclear is ringing in a new era in their already storied history, and making strides with both older and newer generations of fans around the country. Don't miss your chance to see this already legendary re-emergence of an old favorite in a new shape.
WebLinks: www.everclearonline.com / www.myspace.com/everclear.
Tour dates:
November 6 Rialto Theater, Tuscon, AZ
November 7 Hard Rock Café, Las Vegas, NV
November 9 The Independent, San Francisco, CA
November 11 House Of Blues, San Diego, CA
November 12 The Roxy, Los Angeles, CA
November 13 House Of Blues, Anaheim, CA
November 14 The Big Pour Festival, Scottsdale, AZ
November 16 Bluebird Festival, Denver, CO
November 17 Murray Theatre, Murray, UT
November 18 Knitting Factory, Boise, ID
November 19 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR

NEW SINGLE & BONUS TRACK FROM SWEDEN´S FATAL SMILE!:
Finally the new Fatal Smile single "Run For Your Life" is released! It includes a "radio edit" version and also the never, ever released bonus track "Pissed Off", co-written with Paul Sabu (Madonna, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, W.A.S.P.). The band will have a release party for the single and also play their first live show in Stockholm this year at The Cave on Friday Nov 6. For more info: www.fatalsmile.com.

 

MOTORHEAD - IN THE STUDIO BOOK:
On November 2nd, UK-based publisher John Blake Publishing Co. will publish the authorized 'Motorhead: in the Studio' by biographer Jake Brown w/exclusive interviews from band founder/frontman Lemmy Kilmister. The first comprehensive study of the in-studio making of the legendary catalog, including such classics as 'Overkill,' 'Bomber,' 'Ace of Spades', 'Orgasmatron,' 'March or Die,' and 'Motorizer' among others, told via first-hand interviews with engineers and legendary producers as Tony Platt, Trevor Hallesy, Will Reid, Thom Panunzio, John Burns, Howard Benson, Ryan Dorn, Mark Dearnley, Chuck Reed, Peter Solley, Arabella Rodriguez, Cameron Webb, and former drummer Pete Gill. The book's cover was conceived by Kilmister and features the band's classic warpig logo sporting sunglasses and headphones. The book is available for pre-order at: www.amazon.com/Motorhead-Studio-Jake-Brown/dp/1844548503/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256091107&sr=1-2.

"BACK" FOR NOW:
"My sincere apologies for the sudden lack of updates. As posted earlier, I have some long standing back problems which came to a head (or a spine at least) last week, which resulted in a 3 day hospital stay and what looks like a prolonged period or physio ahead of me. I consult both the specialist and the physio Tuesday to gauge whether surgery is needed, but I'm hopeful that will not be the case.
Sadly this event has further pushed me behind, so much so that I'm not sure I'll ever catch up and may have to do what I can until I call a January 1 clean slate to ensure that 2010 is not plagued with as many problems as 2009 has presented. Business conditionals remain as dire/challenging as ever, so there's been a lot to deal with.
Thanks for staying patient and loyal to the site and many thanks for all the e-mails over the last week. I'm chronically behind with e-mail also - so bare with me why I try and get up to date while working around this damn back problem! Cheers... Andrew."

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

LION MUSIC ARTIST UPDATE:
The Latest Artist News & Release Information from Lion Music:

The Dreamside - Lunar Nature (Released 4.12.09) - Lion Music is pleased to announce the release of the new album from The Dreamside entitled Lunar Nature on December 4.
The Dreamside have been on the gothic rock scene for now 15 years. Blending elements of gothic and metal music with female vocals and lyrics commonly centred on themes like the supernatural. The band have built a strong fan base thanks to their four previous albums.
The music of Lunar Nature can be described as atmospherically gothic rock with a good mixture of heavy guitars, electronic elements and a proper shot of alternative rock. All this interwoven with the remarkably voice of Kemi Vita (Satyrian) and her unique way to express emotions in very personal lyrics.
Lunar Nature continues were the predecessor Spin Moon Magic ended. The album is full of diversity and therefore once more a typical output from The Dreamside.
The album was recorded at the Excess studios in Rotterdam (After Forever, Gorefest) and contains 15 tracks including Seeds of pain, a collaboration with the US act Information Society and Unspoken, again with guest appearances by guitarist Karl Fieldhous of Born from Pain and Kenji Siratori. The album has been mastered by Kai Blankenberg at the Skyline Studio's in Dusseldorf/Germany (Paradise Lost, Doro). Together with Eva de Winkel, The Dreamside have produced a animation video to the track Sternenkind.
Lunar Nature track listing: 01. Everlasting. 02. Silently Awake. 03. When Stars Fall. 04. Higher Ground. 05. Sticks And Stones. 06. Carry On. 07. Lunar Nature. 08. Hush. 09. In Longing. 10. Sternenkind. 11. Serpents Kiss. 12. Seeds Of Pain. 13. Willing To Learn. 14. Unspoken. 15. Vlindertje.
Musicians: Kemi Vita, Voices; Roman Schoensee, Bass; Fried Bruggink, Guitars; Cees Viset, Guitars; Merijn Mol, Drums.
WebLinks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLVWbeMknDA / www.dreamside.nl / www.myspace.com/dreamside.

 

Borislav Mitic - The Absolute (4.12.2009) - Lion Music is pleased to announce the release of the new album from Borislav Mitic entitled The Absolute on December 4.
Borislav Mitic returns with a majestic new album The Absolute. The virtuoso Shredmaster delivers his strongest musical statement as of yet for Lion Music.
The idea behind this concept album was to take the instrumental guitar format and give it a new dimension infusing it with pure uncompromising Metal attitude but with primary focus on song quality content. Playing wise Borislav takes the gloves off this time and brings into the musical arena a wide arsenal of dazzling guitar techniques. He unmercifully unleashes them throughout the album with blinding speed and precision while retaining a sense of melody, reason and phrasing intelligence that he is known for.
Each out of the ten songs featured on the album explores a different aspect of Metal music taking the listener on a quest toward the essential passion that lies within all true artistic effort - the perfection of creative expression. Borislav draws inspiration from many players that walked the path of guitar greatness before him and summons these echoes of the past forging them into a stunning new styling all of his own.
"The Absolute" is an album whose mission is to shine brightly as a new rising star in a constellation of legendary classic albums of the Metal virtuoso genre.
The Absolute track listing: 01. The Absolute 02. Secret Of Life 03. Hidden 04. Within All Existence 05. Promises 06. The Prize Of Eternity 07. For The Chosen 08. Fighter Of Glory 09. Walking The Path 10. To One Truth. All instruments played by Borislav Mitic.
WebLinks: www.borislavmitic.com / www.myspace.com/borislavmitic.

 

New Signing - Acacia Avenue - Lion Music is pleased to announce the signing of Acacia Avenue for their self titled debut album set for release on Lion Music in January 2010.
Led by Danish guitarist and songwriter Torben Enevoldsen (Section A, Fatal Force) the initial idea for the album came about from Torben writing in a more melodic hard rock nature than his other bands. Quickly the idea emerged to do a whole album in this style but to spice things up Torben called in a few good friends to participate as singers and co-writers.
Tony Mills (TNT, Shy) was the first to join in and together they wrote and recorded Don't Call Me Tonight and Wait No More. Geir Ronning (Radioactive, Prisoner) began writing with Torben immediately after and together they penned the songs Hold On, No Looking Back and Digging. Enevoldsen wrote the rest of the songs by himself, but Torben Lysholm (Pangea, Mysterell) wrote the lyrics for Just Wanna Be With You and sang vocals on Can't Make You Stay and the Japanese bonus track Cold. Finally Lars Safsund (W.O.A.) performed the vocals on An Illusion.
Apart from playing all guitars, bass and keyboards on the album, Torben Enevoldsen sang backing vocals on a few songs and also did the lead vocals on Jamie's In Love and Let Go. Thomas Heintzelmann (Section A, Decoy) played drums and Carsten Neumann (Savage Affair) helped out with the bass.
Acacia Avenue is sure to please fans of strong hard melodic rock with each track being home to catchy vocal melodies, strong instrumentation and a crisp clean production. Full information to follow soon.

 

A NEW RUSH LIVE COMPILATION:
Anthem Entertainment has announced the release of 'Working Men', the first 'best of' live performance compilation from renowned rock trio Rush. Released in the UK on Monday November 16th, this outstanding live collection is available on CD and digital download by Atlantic Records.
Culled from Anthem Entertainment and Zoë Vision's three other Rush releases ­ 'Rush in Rio', 'R30' and 'Snakes & Arrows Live' - the Working Men album features live recordings of the band's greatest hits as well as one previously unreleased track, 'One Little Victory'.
'Rush' - Geddy Lee (vocals, bass, keyboards), Alex Lifeson (guitar, vocals), and Neil Peart (drums and percussion), are one of the most inventive and compelling groups in rock and roll, equally famed for both their virtuoso musicianship and provocative songwriting.
Track Listing: 1. Limelight (S&A live) 2. The Spirit of Radio (R30) 3. 2112 (Rush in Rio) 4. Freewill (S&A live) 5. Dreamline (R30) 6. Far Cry (S&A live) 7. Subdivisions (R30) 8. One Little Victory (previously unreleased, R30) 9. Closer To The Heart (Rush in Rio) 10. Tom Sawyer (S&A live) 11. Working Man (R30) 12. YYZ (Rush in Rio).

 

IMPULSIA FEATURES LAST MARCEL JACOB PERFORMANCE:
The last studio recording involving bassist Marcel Jacob is the debut studio album from Swedish hard rock band Impulsia and their album Expressions. Impulsia was formed by Uno Sjöström (main composer and acoustic guitars), Johan Längquist (Vocals - ex-Candlemass) and Marcus Jidell (Producer and guitars - Royal Hunt).
The recording was released via digital download on July 1, 2009 and as CD on September 24, 2009 via Impulsia Music and under Riverside Records and it included a cover version of Derek and the Dominos's "Layla".
This is the last studio recording from Marcel Jacob, who was found dead in his own house on Tuesday July 21, 2009. Marcel took his own life after many years of personal and health issues he was battling.
Check out the band at: www.myspace.com/impulssweden.

 

MELODIC BRIEFS:
No bonus tracks for any release of the new Bon Jovi album The Circle. Yes...you read correctly. No territory is getting bonus tracks. Looks like unused tracks will be held over for the band's next release in 2010 - a Greatest Hits record.

Mr. Big's new Back to Budokan Live DVD took 10th place in the Italian Overall Music DVD chart.

Foreigner in NYC, as covered by: piercingmetal.com/wordpress/?p=1946 and Kiss - piercingmetal.com/wordpress/?p=2004.

Billy Idol's new SoundStage DVD is available now: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002N7W3OE/ref=ox_ya_oh_product.

Bon Jovi on X Factor UK - www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5lw9wC12NA.

A new interview has been posted with former Europe guitarist Kee Marcello at: www.rockeyez.com.

Aussie pop/rock outfit Mi-Sex will reform with its orginal members (minus vocalis Steve Gilpin - RIP) for a one-off concert as part of The Radiators' 30th anniversary bash at Revesby Workers Club in Sydney, Australia in Dec 09.

The Soft Rock Classics Show is a radio show playing a very wide variety of rock music and featuring big name interviews (the Quireboys and Marillion most recently). They are currently giving away a custom made guitar from Waterstone guitars in Nashville for the best guitar solo submitted by a listener. The show is also at the forefront of a campaign to get the Who their first number one single in the UK. Tune in: www.softrockclassicshow.co.nr.

POWERAGE "TOURING" FESTIVAL 2010:
Powerage Agency in London are proud to announce that they have put together a 40-date touring festival that will take place across the whole of the UK and Ireland.
Among the dates on the touring fest (which are all Saturdays and Sundays) are shows at The Cavern in Liverpool, the Garage in Swansea, Barfly in Cardiff, The Warehouse in Aberdeen, Venuu in Hastings, The Croft in Bristol, The Asylum in Birmingham, Ruby Lounge in Manchester, Seven in Nottingham, The Gaff and The Bridgehouse 2 in London, Trinity Rooms in Limerick, Roisin Dubh in Galway, The Command House in Kent, Pavillion in Belfast, The Snooty Fox, Riverside Bar and Camelot's in Yorkshire and a number of other venues.
The event is a massive publicity-based opportunity for bands who are seeking additional publicity, and who are either unsigned or independently signed to partake. Please contact Powerage Agency via the email address powerageagency@googlemail.com or via our myspace page www.myspace.com/powerageproductionservicesagencyltd - bands working in most rock and metal styles will be considered although the mainstay of the shows will be Classic and Progressive metal.
The structure of the shows is proposed as follows, however, is subject to change if there is not significant demand by the end of this week. The Plan – all shows will compromise 10 bands. 8 bands will play at a show in their catchment area – the remaining two slots will be allocated to bands who will perform multiple shows – the 9th band on the bill will be one of two bands who will do 50% of the shows, and the 10th band on the bill shall play all 40 shows.
In the event of there not being a significant enough demand from bands for this event in terms of filling most of the spots within the next couple of weeks, the structure of the fest wil change to suit the needs of the event.
There will be significant publicity backing these events which will be of benefit to all who perform and who are prepared to show 100% commitment to a massive publicity drive throughout 2010.

M.ILL.ION - NEW KEYBOARDPLAYER WANTED!:
Johan Bergquist is stepping down from the keyboards in M.ill.ion and the band are now seeking his replacement. B.J Laneby comments: "This has been decided several months ago and is no drama. We thank Johan for great contributions to the band since 2003 and wish him the best of luck. Remaining friends for sure, we´ve gone through a lot together. We did the final gig on the Thrill of the Chase album in Switzerland last weekend (it was great, we ended the show with Deep Purple´s Stormbringer and The One Above, a track Johan wrote) but now it´ s time to move on with a new album. We want the new guy to be involved as a bandmember and join this process as early as possible. M.ill.ion intend to make one hell of an album for 2010!"
If You think You got what it takes:
-Recording and touring experience -Backing vocal capability -Rock´n Roll attitude -Living in, or could move to, the Gothenburg area /western part of Sweden (this is a band, not a project!)
Then get in touch through www.myspace.com/millionized or send info/biography/photo and music to: million_bj@hotmail.com.

KANSAS GUITARIST TO APPEAR ON DEBUT OF NEW TALK SHOW 'LONG LIVE ROCK' ON BLOG TALK RADIO:
Kansas guitarist Rich Williams has been confirmed as the first guest for a new rock music talk show called Long Live Rock. The debut episode will air Sunday, November 8th at 8 PM EST (7 Central) on Blog Talk Radio.
Long Live Rock is a live call-in show featuring interviews with some of the greatest rock musicians in the world. The show is a joint venture between two hosts who are already familiar to classic rock fans. Sterling Whitaker is a music journalist and the author of two books; Unsung Heroes of Rock Guitar in 2003, and 2007's The Grand Delusion: The Unauthorized True Story of Styx, which was an Amazon bestseller and garnered rave reviews in Classic Rock magazine, Goldmine, Record Collector and many online media outlets. Whitaker has appeared as a guest on VH1, BBC Radio, and radio all over North America, and also hosts the popular podcast We Will Rock You (www.wewillrockyoublog.com). Jeb Wright is one of the best-known and most respected interviewers in the genre. As the founder and editor of Classic Rock Revisited (www.classicrockrevisited.com), over the last ten years Wright has interviewed a Who's Who of Rock and Metal artists. He conducts the Jumbotron interviews for the Moondance Jam every year, and in 2009 Wright celebrated the first decade of Classic Rock Revisited by releasing his first book, From The Vaults Series I: Stadium Rock.
Richard Williams is the only member of the superstar rock group Kansas to appear on every album and at every concert of the band's three-decade career. Best known for multi-platinum albums like Leftoverture and Point Of Know Return, as well as classic hits like "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust In the Wind", Kansas recently celebrated its 35th anniversary by releasing There's Know Place Like Home on CD, DVD and Blu-ray. Recorded live in the band's home state, the show features a cross section of Kansas classics augmented by a full orchestra, with guest appearances by Kansas alumni Kerry Livgren and Steve Morse. The DVD debuted at #5 in Billboard. Rich Williams will be calling in to Long Live Rock to discuss There's Know Place Like Home and his career with Kansas, and taking some listener calls.
"This is gonna be awesome!" Jeb Wright exclaims. "Kansas is my favorite band, and I was actually at this show. I love this DVD, and to have Rich Williams as the first guest on our first show is perfect."
"This is definitely a show fans won't want to miss," Whitaker promises. "Rich is a blast, and Jeb and I have both interviewed him before, so this is like a homecoming of sorts. There's Know Place Like Home is great, and it's doing really well. I can't wait to see what questions fans will have for Rich. I know this is going to be a really special night."
The debut episode of Long Live Rock will air live Sunday, November 8th at 8 PM EST (7 PM Central) at www.blogtalkradio.com/longliverock, and will be available for download thereafter. Fans can call in at (347) 637-3446 with questions. Those without Internet access can call that number and listen to the show via phone.

ROXX PRODUCTIONS - NEWS:
Roxx Productions is proud to announce the signing of Pastor Brad to their roster! After 5 consecutive instrumental shred albums, Pastor Brad is back with a full-length vocal album!  And while the old-school guitar shred influences are still here, this album will hit you square in the face with some of the heaviest sounding riffs ever recorded on any Pastor Brad album! 
This album will also feature three very special guest vocalists: Rachael (of Ravenshead), Richie Z (of Blind Seven), and "Ski" (of Faith Factor)! And a very special guest appearance from original Stryper keyboardist, Kenny Metcalf! If that's not enough for you, you will also get plenty of shredding from Pastor Brad himself as he will be handling all of the guitar work for this his debut Roxx Records release 'Break Out' coming in Spring 2010.
As an introduction to the Roxx Productions family, Pastor Brad is teaming up with Roxx Productions and JBM Designs to provide you a very special Limited Edition Christmas CD entitled Pastor Brad's 'Christmas Shred'! This very special limited edition CD is being offered at $7.77 with free shipping world wide!! This special CD is being offered exclusively through Roxx Productions and Pastor Brad as both a Christmas Present and an Introduction of what's to come from Pastor Brad and Roxx Productions!
This limited edition promotional release is limited to only 100 copies and will only be made available for a very limited time in November and December. Shipping in late November 'Christmas Shred' will be in your hands in plenty of time to play around the Christmas tree!
Merry Christmas from Pastor Brad, JBM Design and Roxx Productions! For full details and order information visit www.roxxproductions.com.

CANADIAN CARNAGE TOUR POSTPONED:
Gillett Entertainment Group is regretfully announcing that the Canadian Carnage Tour featuring Megadeth and Slayer has been postponed due to a health-related issue with Slayer's Tom Araya. Slayer's Tom Araya is currently under the care of a specialist for a back injury, thought to be related to his on-stage activity, and the physician has ordered an immediate surgical procedure to take place in Texas November 3rd.
"What is foremost in our minds right now is that Tom do whatever he needs to get this taken care of," said Slayer's Kerry King. "While all four of us are disappointed that we won't be able to see through all of our commitments set for the next few weeks, the most important thing is Tom's health. We thank the fans in Canada, says the Megadeth camp. We look forward to seeing you all soon."

 

 

 

Monday, November 02, 2009
 

Frontiers Records announces the return of Giant for the release of a brand new album in early 2010.
After recording two albums with christian rockers Whiteheart in the early 80's and having made a name as session players in the Pop and Rock scene, guitarist / vocalist Dann Huff and his drummer brother David hooked up with Alan Pasqua, an experienced keyboards player which lent his talents to loads of Jazz and Rock artists and Nashville session bass player Mike Brignardello to form Giant.
They eventually signed with A&M Records and released 1989's "Last of the Runaways", featuring a classic, melodic hard rock sound, which yielded a top-twenty hit with "I'll See You in My Dreams". Giant's debut album is still regarded nowadays as one of the highest points in melodic hard rock of the end of the eighties melting diverse influences such as Van Halen, Journey and U2 to create an instantly recognizable sound. After countless tours and live performances in the US and Europe, the band recorded the follow up album Time to Burn in 1991. Slightly more aggressive than it's predecessor, but still magnificent in the production and songwriting departments. this album is also regarded as a main source of influence for many melodic and hard rock bands nowadays.
Soon after the release of "Time To Burn", Alan Pasqua decided to quit the band and went back to session work. The band toured once again Europe and US without him, but soon after disbanded. Dann Huff then became one of the most respected producers of our era, working in the Rock, Pop and Country Music with countless artists including Shania Twain, Megadeth, Faith Hill and several others. His brother David also started to become more and more involved in the production business and thanks to a mutual friend he was introduced in 1999 to Frontiers Records managers Serafino Perugino and Mario de Riso. This eventually brought to a meeting in Chicago were the label proposed David to bring back the name and the music of such a great band. The "III" album was released in 2001 with major acclaim in the Classic and Melodic Hard Rock community.

However Dann's busy schedule along with the other members' commitments, made the reunion impossible to carry on. However the vision of bringing back Giant as a living band unit with a recording and touring line-up and with of course the possibility to carry on the enormous legacy of the music produced so far with the same quality was raised a few times in conversations between David Huff and Frontiers. As time went by it became apparent that Dann Huff could not be a full part of this concept, even though he loved everything that Giant was.
Thus original members, drummer David Huff and bassist Mike Brignardello, who wanted to go back to Rock, started an endless research for the right musicians that could be part of a renewed Giant line-up. And in the end the choice fell on singer extraordinaire Terry Brock (Strangeways, Seventh Key) and on John Roth (Winger) on guitars. David Huff comments: "Yes, we have decided to move forward. But we're not trying to replace Dann, because that could never be done. We have picked up where we left off and have added a great new flavor. We will always stay close to the original core of what Giant was: a melodic arena rock band based around guitar riffs. We will stay with the same principle of vocals too--great harmonies and melodies. Terry's vocal style is very complimentary to Giant's core sound--he has tremendous feel (soul) and range along with power. John's guitar playing is very powerful too".
The band has completed the songwriting and according to David: "It feels good to be working on Giant again! In early April we had an incredible week with the new Giant line-up, we have some great new songs and we are working also on some ideas that have been taking dust on the shelf for years. Dann was part of our meeting and has co-written several songs which no doubt have his guitar flavors all over them. He was also very excited and he has agreed to appear in the album playing guitar on two songs".

It is now possible to hear a sample from the first single Promised Land, which will also be the title track of the forthcoming album, that will exclusively appear on the Rock the Bones vol. 7 sampler that will be on sale from November 7. More song titles include: Our Love, Complicated Man, Two Worlds, Plenty of Love, I'll Wait For You and more.
Pictured (l to r): John Roth, David Huff, Mike Brignardello & Terry Brock.

 

Capturing all the emotional force and fury of today's rock scene, Frontiers Records proudly announces the signing of one of the hottest new bands to come on the scene: The Murder Of My Sweet.
Formed by drummer, songwriter and producer Daniel Flores who after a few false starts of what was to become The Murder Of My Sweet just by coincidence came across the magnificent singer Angelica Rylin – well endowed with the right look, voice and talents, being exactly what Daniel was searching for. The rest of The Murder Of My Sweet's line up was then rather easily recruited – guitarist Daniel Palmqvist, bass player Johan Niemann and keyboardist Andreas Lindahl all being mentally, creatively and spiritually the right combination to complete the perfect match.
The Murder Of My Sweet's sound is rich in influence and yet distinctly unique. The lush melodic cinematic landscapes reflect the diversity of the five members own musical experiences. From Angelica's soaring vocal melodies and sweeping choruses to the explosive layers of guitars from Palmqvist and the thrilling orchestratic keyboard arrangements painted by Andreas Lindahl backed by the bombastic and dynamic rhythms of Niemann and Flores. The resulting collaborations are a work both haunting and uplifting – fuelled by the curiosity of seeing where their burning ambitions will take them.
"All of us in The Murder Of My Sweet are highly excited to be collaborating and releasing our debut album with such an experienced and talented label as Frontiers" says Daniel Flores. "We feel extremely privileged to be label mates with such great bands as Journey, Toto and Survivor to mention just a few" adds Angelica, "we are looking forward to launch and to get our music heard world wide. A special thank you goes out to all our fans on Myspace who have been so dedicated and devoted since the start in 2007".
Without any album released - just by word of mouth - The Murder Of My Sweet managed to entire in the Top 10 of most visited Myspace artists sites in Sweden and had fan sites created in Italy, USA, France and Germany!
The Murder Of My Sweet's aim is to create a distorted film noir vibe and experience – put the wonder, sadness, humour and sheer zest of life into their music tour de force. Playing it to the point where their drama explode – as the music and the words becomes the utmost expression of direct and ecstatic joy of pure being.
The Murder Of My Sweet are debuting on the market with the release of a single for the track "Bleed Me Dry" which will be exclusively released in the band's homecountry, Sweden on November 13. The band will also present the release with a launch gig in their hometown Stockholm on the same day at the Roq Club in Gyldéngatan 2 (www.roq.se)
The CD Single tracklisting includes Bleed Me Dry, Bleed Me Dry (instrumental version), Sands of Time (non-album track).
Watch now the "Bleed Me Dry" videoclip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgtb_e2tH1E. The debut album entitled "Divanity" will be released worldwide on Frontiers Records in January 2010.
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/themurderofmysweet.
The Murder Of My Sweet races ahead with an unforgettable thrill of your lifetime flavour. Check the band out in action.

 
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Friday, October 30, 2009

LOS ANGELES: HALLOWEEN ROCK WITH ALICE COOPER:
By Gerry Gittelson - Melodicrock.com Los Angeles Correspondent / Story by Gerry Gittelson. Photos by Rhonda Woodfine
Los Angeles -- Halloween was coming, and that was a perfect time for shock-rock king Alice Cooper to bring his latest theatrical concert tour to Los Angeles, so the 61-year old American pulled out all the stops Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the 7,000-seat Nokia Theatre – blood, confetti balloons, swords, crutches, straight jackets, a giant syringe and of course his trademark guillotine.
From the opening song "Schools Out," through a whirlwind of his biggest hits like "Eighteen," "Poison," "No More Mr. Nice Guy," "Under My Wheels" and "Billionaire Dollar Babies," Cooper commanded the stage like a man half his age.
The crowd was loud and appreciative, and there was always something a little weird happening – like Cooper parading around with a sword stuck through a baby's head – to keep things interesting.
Cooper has a top band, too, led by guitarists Keri Kelli and Damon Johnson. Kelli has played with everyone from Big Bang Babies to Vince Neil, and Johnson has played with John Waite and other national acts. They work well together, and during an encore reprise of "Schools Out" at the end of the evening, none other Slash strapped on a guitar, and the place went crazy.
Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley opened the show. The crowd enjoyed watching smoke rise from his guitar on "Shock Me," and the best song of the night was a well-executed version of the Kiss hit "Cold Gin."

 
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GUN RETURN TO RECORDING DUTY WITH TOBY JEPSON:
Following Toby Jepson's decision to join Scottish rock band Gun we are delighted to announce the band's debut mini album Popkiller is now exclusively available to preorder through Townsend Records. Preorder the new mini-album now by clicking here.
The album consists of five brand new studio recordings including: 'Let Your Hair down', 'Seraphina', 'Popkiller', 'Ripping Up The Letters' and 'The Only'. Here's a few words from Toby on the new material... ''I see this as a great new dawn for Gun, we are so excited about the music and feel we have created some cool new tunes that stand up to anything the band have done in the past. It is a new time and we hope that the music speaks for itself; we want to take it out there and take the band back up to where it belongs, on big stages delivering emotionally charged music that can inspire and entertain in equal measure..."
In support of the band's great new album 'Popkiller' we have a limited amount of framed album artwork prints signed by all the band members. Everyone who pre-orders 'Popkiller' will be entered into our special draw winning one of these extra special Gun items. After returning from a triumphant Spanish tour, Gun will shortly begin their full UK tour in support of their new Popkiller album, tickets available from venue box offices & www.gunofficial.co.uk.
Gun's UK tour:
08/11 Belfast Limelight
12/11 Newcastle Academy 2
13/11 Manchester Academy 3
14/11 Nottingham Rock City
15/11 Sheffield Corporation
17/11 Leeds Rio's
18/11 Leamington Assembly Rooms
19/11 Cambridge Junction
21/11 Gloucester Guildhall
22/11 Wrexham Central Station
23/11 Bristol Academy
24/11 Southampton Brook
26/11 London Islington Academy
27/11 Milton Keynes Pitz Club
28/11 Brighton Concorde 2
29/11 Swansea Sin City
01/12 Carlisle Brickyard
02/12 Glasgow ABC1
04/12 Hard Rock Hell, Prestatyn, Wales

GUITARIST DAVID MARK PEARCE DEBUTS SINGLE FROM FORTHCOMING SOLO PROJECT:
The debut single Tell Me Why from David Mark Pearce's forthcoming album, Strangeang3ls, will be available November 1, 2009 at www.davidmarkpearce.com.
Pearce will be discussing the single as well as his current projects on Paul Baker's 'Soundscapes,' ARfm (www.arfm.co.uk) November 1. The show airs from 3 – 6 UK time.
"Tell Me Why" was written and produced by Pearce, as well as features his signature guitar playing. Also featured on the single are vocals by John Payne (of Asia featuring JP) keyboardist Lisa LaRue, bassist Chris Brown (of Ghost Circus and Roswell Six) and drummer Damian Rodd.
David Mark Pearce is the guitarist for the Oliver Wakeman Band, as well as co-producer and participant of the Lisa LaRue Project 2K9. He has previously released a solo EP titled "Shelter Me From the Rain," and is currently working on his long-awaited debut solo CD, "Strangeang3ls" which is targeted for a Spring 2010 release. Pearce was voted eighth Best Guitarist by Classic Rock Society Magazine, 2008. For more information, please visit: www.davidmarkpearce.com.

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X has been updated with the following new features:
- Snakes In Paradise - Demos 2000 (7 Tracks)
- Blue Murder - Live Tokyo 1989 (Full Show, Soundboard)
- Foreigner - Unusual Heat Profiled (Atlantic Records promo release - Q&A with the band to promote the Unusual Heat release).
Video - Def Leppard - Live At Download 2009 (23 mins, Live from VH1 Classic)
Plus the following new Video Clips: 38 Special - One Time For Old Times, Aldo Nova - Medicine Man, Tesla - Signs (Live At Download 2009), Twisted Sister - 30 and Winger - The Great Escape (Live).
MR-X Membership Details.

MRCD6:
Updated info and new soundbytes any time now. Just waiting on delivery of 2 more songs. Info thus far: MRCD6 Page.

 

 

 

Thursday, October 29, 2009

LOS ANGELES HEADS INTO NEVERLAND:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of LOS ANGELES second album entitled Neverland on December 4 in Europe and January 12, 2010 in the USA.
Los Angeles debut album revealed to the unsuspecting international Melodic Rock audience, the talents of the awesome Italian singer Michele Luppi. He cut his teeth at the VIT Los Angeles, with Robin Randall (co-writer of hits for FM, Mark Free, James Christian etc) as one of his musical coaches. He teamed up in 2007 with bass player and producer Fabrizio Grossi (Glenn Hughes, From the Inside, Vertigo etc.) to give birth to a project that could make him express his Melodic Rock artistic roots.
Michele's name became known during the years in the Hard Rock and Metal scene, when he became the singer of the Italian Progressive Metal band Vision Divine, on 3 studio albums and one live DVD. More recently he became the leader and frontman of a new Melodic Metal band named Killing Touch.
Los Angeles concept is to tribute the AOR greats that shaped Luppi's singing and songwriting abilities. Contrary to the first record that relied heavily on external songwriters, this new album sees the songwriting collaboration between Luppi and Grossi blossomed in full, with more contributions from Eric Ragno (China Blue), Joey Sykes (Hugo), Roberto Priori and ex-Dokken axeman George Lynch (on "Nowhere to Run"). There is also a stunning new version of Richard Marx's "Nothing to Hide": another fitting tribute to one of AOR music giants and two songs offered ("Wait for You" and "Tonight Tonight") by Tom and James Martin (Khymera, Sunstorm, House of Lords).
Musicians include Tommy Denander, Joey Sykes, Roberto Priori on guitars, Eric Ragno on keyboards, Tony "AJ" Morra on drums and of course Fabrizio Grossi on bass. While Luppi's astounding vocals can be described as Mark Free meets Eric Martin, Los Angeles Neverland is a true AOR beauty which is truly a must-buy for all the Melodic Rock fans.
Neverland track listing includes: Neverland; Nothing to Hide; City of Angels; Promises; Wait For You, Nowhere To Run; Tonight Tonight; Higher Love; Living Inside; Welcome To My Life; Paradise.

 
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EUROPE OPEN MEGA-BLOG:
Swedish hard rockers, EUROPE, have launched their "official" media blog to tie in with their forthcoming "Last Look at Eden" tour dates. The media blog can be found here: europethebandmedia.blogspot.com.
The blog features the latest news, reviews and interviews, including an interview with lead singer Joey Tempest's on Frank Skinner's Saturday morning radio show on Absolute Radio, Classic Rock Magazine's "Gig of the Week", a Swedish TV commercial for 'Eden' album, plus coverage in various hard rock magazines and websites.
Europe performs a sold out concert at the London Relentless Garage on Sunday November 1st. The concert follows the band's triumphant headline performance at the Bloodstock Festival earlier this summer, and their critically acclaimed new album 'Last Look at Eden' featuring the upcoming single 'New Love in Town'.
For further info about Europe's 2010 February UK Tour, click here: www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/earmusic/europetour.htm.

THIN LIZZY, URIAH HEEP CONTRIBUTE RECIPES TO 'HELLBENT FOR COOKING: THE HEAVY METAL COOKBOOK':
Members of pioneering heavy rock bands Budgie, Uriah Heep, Pentagram, Thin Lizzy, Warpig, and Sir Lord Baltimore are among the more than a hundred metal bands from over thirty countries who have submitted favorite recipes to "Hellbent For Cooking: The Heavy Metal Cookbook", by Annick "The Morbid Chef" Giroux: www.hellbentforcooking.com.
Scheduled for release on November 24, the first-ever book of recipes for voracious metal appetites will feature ravishing dishes including Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy's Black Rose Jambalaya, Steve Williams of Budgie's Garlic and Coriander King Prawns, Bernie Shaw of Uriah Heep's Ali Baa Baa (Moroccan Lamb), Bobby Liebling of Pentagram's Devilishly Delicious Oriental Chicken Casserole, Dana Snitch of Warpig's Proto Metal Lamb Shanks Braised in Burgundy, original Judas Priest singer Al Atkins' Gray Peas and Bacon, and John Garner of Sir Lord Baltimore's Flounder Filet Oreganato.
The metal feast also includes a special contribution by Philomena Lynott, mother of the late Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. "This recipe was one of Philip's favorite dinners," she says about her dish — a traditional Irish Sunday Brunch Lamb Roast.
"Hellbent" is a lavish 224-page full-color metal feast by Annick Giroux, feeding voracious appetites with favorite appetizer, beef, pork, lamb, poultry, seafood, vegetarian, dessert, and drink recipes from members of Thin Lizzy, Mayhem, Anthrax, Kreator, Sepultura, Gates Of Slumber, Destruction, Possessed, Obituary, Accept, Doro, Gwar, Toxic Holocaust, Saint Vitus, Amebix, Uriah Heep, Budgie, and many more — over a hundred bands from more than thirty countries, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, Greece, and Brazil. For anyone with a taste for metal, the kitchen gates are open — grab your weapons of mass nutrition and let the feasts begin. Death to false meals!
For more information, visit the infernal kitchens of Bazillion Points Books: www.bazillionpoints.com.

MARILLION LESS IS MORE CD:
New York, NY (October 28, 2009)—For 23 years, UK progressive maestrros Marillion have built a solid career crafting unique and thought-provoking music. On December 8, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release their latest studio album Less Is More.
A band with an abundant musical history, Less Is More is an acoustic re-creation of their vast back catalogue. These eleven stripped down tracks, accentuated by soaring melodies and haunting rhythms, evoke a listening experience that is deeply moving and powerful.
Considered to be one of the founding bands of Neo-Progressive rock, Marillion finalized their line-up in 1988 with charismatic lead singer Steve Hogarth (formally of The Europeans). Joined by guitarist Steve Rothery, keyboardist Mark Kelly, bassist Pete Trewavas and drummer Ian Mosley, Marillion consistently defy preconceptions and dodge trendy labels. Having released nine studio albums, some of which have been released on their own label Intact, UK's Classic Rock Magazine has deemed the band "an enduring and undervalued treasure."
Forever expanding their parameters, Marillion has constantly reinvigorated and redefined themselves, and Less Is More is a continuation of this process. Additionally, Eagle Rock will release a new album from Steve Rothery's side project Wishing Tree – digitally November 24, and in stores January 19.
Eagle Rock Entertainment is an international media production and distribution company operating across audiovisual entertainment programming. Eagle Rock Entertainment works directly alongside talent to produce the highest quality programming output covering film, general entertainment and musical performance. Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices based in London, New York, Germany, France & Toronto.
Track Listing: 1.) Go 2.) Interior Lulu 3.) Out Of This World 4.) Wrapped Up In Time 5.) The Space 6.) Hard As Love 7.) Quartz 8.) If My Heart Were A Ball 9.) It's Not Your Fault 10.) The Memory Of Water 11.) This Is The 21st Century Bonus Features: 1.) Runaway (Live) 2.) Fake Plastic Trees (Live).

NEW TITLES FROM PROG-ROCK RECORDS:
Two Side Moon/SLW promotions are delighted to announce six stunning brand spanking new progressive rock releases from Prog Rock Records - Ajalon, Atmosfear, Dead Heroes Club, Factory Of Dreams, Jupiter Society and Prymary, details are as follows:

Ajalon - This Good Place - Ajalon began in 1994 to create the music that they were passionate about. With their first CD release coming just 2 years later, through the efforts of Yes keyboard legend, Rick Wakeman, Ajalon proved that they had the talent to secure rotational airplay on over 50 radio networks in the UK alone. Many positive reviews and magazine write ups followed. Band members have appeared individually on other artist recordings with Steve Hackett, Adrian Belew, Paul Gilbert, Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Phil Keaggy and Michael Manring just name a few.
With their third release the band wanted to make an album that speaks to everyone, leaving room for listeners to draw their own conclusions. Much life-changing experiences were brought to bear on this project making it unique and different. The performances and the songwriting is much heavier with a great deal of impact. There are some special guests on the CD to help round out the sound. The album was mixed by veteran engineer Steve Smith.
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/ajalonband / www.ajalon.net.

Atmosfear - Zenith - Founded in 1996, Atmosfear is a unique Progressive-Metal-Project out of Germany. Premium class independent progressive Metal with a perfect rhythm section and a powerful & highly melodic voice, combined with screaming guitars and virtuous, atmospheric keyboards. Having performed with bands such as Evergrey, Vanden Plas, Sun Caged and Pain of Salvation, the band is back with their 3rd Album "Zenith". The band continues to evolve, creating fascinating soundscapes with a melodic hook but never loosing their edge...
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/insidetheatmosfear / atmosfear.net.

Dead Heroes Club - A Time of Shadow - Everybody knows U2, but the next best (and big) thing out of Ireland could be the progressive rock band The Dead Heroes Club. Their second independently produced album, A Time Of Shadow, with cover by official Tolkein illustrator Ted Nasmith, is an well-crafted and elegant work of classic progressive rock. With a cursory listen it is abundantly clear where DHC finds its musical inspiration; the blood of Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Tull, Pink Floyd and others floods their veins. While the music is superbly composed, Dead Heroes Club is blessed with intelligent lyrics thanks to lead vocalist, lyricist and playwright Liam Campbell. Within the musical composition, the emphasis seems three-fold: melody converging with Campbell's vocals, a healthy dose of keyboards especially reminiscent of old school Hammond organ, and a developed structure combining varied movements and tempos over an often atmospheric and mysterious foundation.
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/thedeadheroesclub / deadheroesclub.bebo.com.

Factory of Dreams - A Strange Utopia - Factory of Dreams is a symphonic metal gothic project consisting of Hugo Flores and Jessica Lehto. Hugo produces and creates all the music while Jessica provides her beautiful vocals. Following their album Poles in 2008, Factory of Dreams are back with a new production bringing a whole new epic and progressive feel to the sound crafted on their debut. More complex, heavier, faster and at the same time catchy, this is a huge album, featuring the hallmark of Factory of Dreams, with great melodic sense and shivering moments and a great cast of guest singers and performers. As a highlight, the near 10 minute Epic E-motions, and the beautiful track Sonic Sensations depicting a World created by Sound and Music.
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/projectcreation / strangeutopia.com.

Jupiter Society - Terraform - Jupiter Society first launched in 2008 with the album "First Contact // Last Warning". The man behind this project and also the chairman of the Society, is Carl Westholm, previously known from Carptree, Krux and Candlemass. The idea about this epic concept albums is far older than that, the idea took form more then 10 years ago in Carls mind but did not come to life before 2007 when he was not busy with other projects.
Now in 2009, Jupiter Society releases the sequel called "Terraform" again with a lot of prominent fellow musicians like the last time, slightly different crew this time with Kulle and Marcus Jidell (Royal Hunt) on lead guitars, and Lars Sköld (Tiamat) on Drums and also Christer Jansson (Roxette among many others) on additional Drums. Mats Levén (krux, ex Therion, ex Y.Malmsteen and others) and Leif Edling (Candlemass, Krux) are still members of the society among others.
WebLinks: www.jupitersociety.se / www.myspace.com/jupitersociety.

Prymary - The Enemy Inside - Prymary is a melodic progressive rock/metal band from Southern California and consists of Jackson Heskett (Vocals), Sean Entrikin (Guitars), Rob Young (Bass), Neil McQueen (Keyboards), and Chris Quirarte (Drums) . The band debuted on the scene in 2003 with its self-titled album and opened for bands such as Fates Warning, Kamelot, and King's X. 2003 also marked the first out of state performance at the renowned ProgPower Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2005, the band travel to Amsterdam, Holland for their first European performance at the Headway Festival. "The Enemy Inside" is the long awaited 3rd album from Prymary. This time around shows Prymary transcending their past achievements and creating a collage of stories that are independent and yet united in the themes of self-destruction and dreams unfulfilled. Musically the band shows a further refinement of songwriting and musicianship with songs that are more concise in musical statement, while still having the grand arrangements that Prymary is known for. As is becoming a Prymary trademark, the band has once again given special attention to combining music and lyrics together to convey the mood or feel of the song. This is simultaneously the heaviest, technical, most prog, and emotional Prymary album to date.
WebLinks: www.prymary.com / www.myspace.com/prymary.
More info at: www.progrockrecords.com.

 
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

SGT. ROXX & DR. GRIND SET WREAK HAVOK ONCE AGAIN:
Two new releases are featured here from Eonian Records. Both of these releases, as well as the entire Eonian Record's catalog are available at most all of the online retailers adverted on MelodicRock.com or in the "Rockshop" at www.EonianRecords.com.
For more music previews, please visit the label MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/eonianrecords.


Sgt. Roxx Weapon of Miss Distraction - 1990, the Chicago Rock Scene was drunk on Metal and fast becoming a major breeding ground for new bands on the rise.  Sgt. Roxx had arrived and everyone took notice including every major label!  There was a little hint of every major influence of the time from the full-bodied meshing of guitars of Lillian Axe, the dangerous and dirty edge of Ratt, to the dripping sleaze of Motley Crue.  Their sound took from everything and imitated no one, becoming something entirely unique, delivering something special and different to everyone that listened, and many did and still do.
"Weapon of Miss Distraction" features19 of the rarest recordings by one of the most coveted "Hair Metal" bands in the world.  This release includes re-mastered versions of 1990's "Push N Squeeze," which fetches as much as $400 an auction on eBay, as well as 14 other never before heard archived recordings; including the rare demo sessions for CBS Records and live recordings from the infamous Gateway Theater.
1. All You Need 2. Why'd You Lie 3. Movin' On 4. Push & Squeeze 5. Million Dollar Girls (MP3) 6. Wrap Yourself 7. Don't Cry (Full Band) 8. Decisions 9. Alright 10. Rockin' Horse (MP3) 11. Love Affair 12. Without You 13. Thinkin' Of You 14. Ransom 15. (Don't Do) What Your Mama Sayz 16. I Don't Know 17. Psycho In The House (Live) 18. My Lady (Live) 19. Bread & Water.

 
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Dr. Grind Speechless - In 1991, living in the heart of "The Grunge Capital," Seattle, WA, DR. GRIND landed its first show in Ballard, WA at the infamous "Ballard Firehouse." This show led to an utter explosion of new found popularity, an abundance of shows, and a grueling tour schedule throughout the West Coast and the United States. Their debut, "Speechless" was recorded at Full-Voice Audio in Seattle, with late, legendary producer Maverick Gibson and mixed by Lou Michael's at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California.
Dual guitars, fast and intricate with crushing riffs and off-time beats; leaving an indelible impression; McCabe, provides the finest drumming to be found anywhere; the bass work is excellent and Allen at his best sounds menacing, angry, brutal, and melodic, often in the same line. This is one of the most complete, stunning releases in metal. Dr. Grind's "Speechless" is a force to be reckoned with.
1. Call Of The Wild 2. Calamity 3. Livin' A Lie 4. Shotgun 5. Speechless (MP3) 6. Janie 7. Follow Your Own Road 8. Faces 9. Tears 10. Love Will Find A Way 11. Gone 12. Here And Gone 13. Something To Come 14. Time Will Tell 15. Can't Get Enough 16. Huge Wad 17. Whiskey Lover (MP3).

 
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AIRBORNE - NO GUTS, NO GLORY:
New York, NY - Australian rockers Airbourne are pleased to announce No Guts, No Glory as the title of their second album for Roadrunner Records. The album is set for release on February 23, 2010. No Guts, No Glory was recorded in Chicago with noted producer Johnny K (Disturbed, 3 Doors Down, Staind). The band relocated from their shared home in Warrnambool and moved into K's spacious studio to record the album.
Frontman Joel O'Keefe says, "Working with Johnny was great, he's one of the boys. We basically just set up all the gear, chucked a few mics around and went for it! Good times!" Brother and drummer Ryan confirms the precarious microphone placement, "With this album, we threw the mics all over the building, left the doors and windows open and pressed record!"
Airbourne, known for their adrenalized, "work hard, play harder" style of rock, will embark on a two-month European tour in early February that will span two months and kick off with several UK dates. The band will commence US touring of major markets beginning in April. They will live on the road through the summer.
No Guts, No Glory follows up the band's 2008-released debut, Runnin' Wild, which went on to scan upwards of 250,000 units worldwide and earned the band heaps of critical accolades. Here's a sampling of what the press had to say about Airbourne:
"Runnin' Wild, Airbourne's debut, is a smorgasboard of sledgehammer riffs, crass sex puns, and boozy sing-alongs." –Spin
"The latest thunder from Down Under" –Billboard
"This fearsome Aussie foursome ...never stray from their 'have a good time, all the time' message." --Revolver
"Airbourne are completely about having fun, sweating, drinking, and playing their hearts out until you collapse into a heap." –Hit Parader
"Unabashedly fun and ballsy." –ARTISTdirect.com

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Jim Peterik's World Stage in Queenstown New Zealand??? February 17, 2010. Indeed! Stay tuned...

Rick Springfield has a new iTunes single available - a recently recorded live cover of the Paul McCartney & Wings classic Jet. Check out at www.rickspringfield.com and while you are there, check out samples from the new Son Of A Beach record that Rick has recorded exclusively for cruise goers - re-recording his hits in "tropic" reggae style. Sounds surprisingly great!

Royal Hunt's Mark Boals completed vocal recordings for the band's future album – check out RH´s studio diary (at www.royalhunt.com) where you can watch a short video of Mark in the studio. The band will start mixing/mastering of their upcoming release in a couple of weeks.

MILLION ADD NEW GUITARIST:
Following the very successful gigs as special guests to Magnum + some rehearsal studio work, M.ill.ion now officially welcome Andreas Grövle as the new guitarist in the band.
M.ill.ion founder and bassguitarist B.J Laneby says: "He´ s only 21 so he was a try out for some time. He´ s done great, both on tour and in rehearsals, so we asked him to come aboard full time and I think he will suit the band perfectly. I understand he´ s be a fan and own all the albums so he knows very well what we´ re about. Now he can leave the audience and step up on stage, where he belongs!  Musically he´ s got a great tone and a wide register and visually the look of a true viking!
Looking forward to writing, recording and touring the upcoming album with Andreas - we welcome a great musician and overall nice guy to M.ill.ion!"

Andreas Grövle: "I have known their singer Ulrich Carlsson and been a fan of the cool M.ill.ion music for a couple of years. And when I got the call some months back about the guitarist position, asking me if I wanted to try out, I immediately said Yes! The jokes are flying, we share the same kind of humour and playing with them is a lot of fun! I feel happy and honoured to be chosen as the new guitarplayer for this brilliant melodic rockband!"
Expect more info on M.ill.ion next week! First the band will fly down to Switzerland to coheadline the "Sweden Rock Fest" in Zurich on October 31. M.ill.ion website: www.myspace.com/millionized.

 

 

 

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
 
MRCD6 - We Will Rock Yule
Pre-Order Now. Ships December 1.



MRCD6 is now available for pre-order! The link for ordering We Will Rock Yule is below. If you want to order the CD with another from the MRCD series, then check out the dedicated MRCD Page.
The track order is rough at this stage and the audio samples are not yet mastered. Plus I await delivery of a couple of tracks and confirmation of a couple more to possibly add to the mix. Final details will be confirmed 100% by weeks end, but the tracks below are locked in.

Those that once again support this series get an additional thank you in the way of 8 bonus tracks to download once the order is placed. Links to the bonus tracks will be sent out in a day or two. When pre-ordering packages - please make sure you select the correct volume numbers and if a combination you need is not offered, please drop me a line anytime.


 
MRCD6 - We Will Rock Yule
US$23.00 each (Price Includes Worldwide Airmail Shipping)
1CD / 18 Tracks
PRE-ORDER NOW
 


We Will Rock Yule Track Listing (to be finalized) and MP3 Samples:

01) Bombay BlackGoing Insane At Christmas (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
02) KickAll I Want For Christmas (Previously Unreleased)
03) 7th HeavenMerry Christmas In Chicago
04) HeartlandMerry Christmas (Unplugged)
05) Spin GalleryTBA (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
06) Fraze Gang - Christmas Time In Canada (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
07) Keith LuBrantMy Best Gift Was You
08) Goober GunIn Reflection (Merry Xmas Baby)
09) Tango Down - Under The Tree (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
10) Secret Smile - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
11) Helix - Christmas Time Is Here Again
12) StratocruiserHolidaze
13) Save PlutoIt's Christmas Time, Alright!
14) Steve Lukather & FriendsJoy to the World
15) Ides Of March (feat. Jim Peterik)Sharing Christmas (2009 Remaster)
16) Erkka Korhonen's Heavy Christmas feat. Marco HietalaMedley: The First Noel/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Carol Of The Bells (Trad/Finnish lyrics by Sauvo Puhtila) - Live at Tavastia-Club, Helsinki, Finland December 2006 (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive Track)
17) MeccaO Holy Night (Previously Unreleased/Exclusive New Track)
18) Ted PoleyA Letter To Santa


Bonus MP3 Downloads for pre-orders:

Gus Santana - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Ides Of March - Distant Trumpet
Jess Harnell - Jess's 12 Days Of Christmas
Markonee - I Believe In Father Christmas
Seven - Little Drummer Boy
Seven - O Holy Night
Tango Down - Under The Tree (Vox Accapella Rough)
Tommy Denander - Miracles
Tommy Denander - We Wish You A Merry Christmas


FRONTIERS EMBRACE SPIN GALLERY:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of Spin Gallery's new album Embrace on December 4th 2009 in Europe and January 12th 2010 in the USA.
The concept behind the band started in 1997, when main songwriter, producer and musician for the project Tommy Denander together, with singer and co-writer Kristoffer Lagerström made a few demos, which included the song "Grace" that first was released on Tommy's Radioactive album "Ceremony Of Innocence" and later re-recorded for the Spin Gallery debut.
From that song Tommy started to develop ad idea to build up a band with multiple singers with a sound that could mix Melodic Rock in the vein of Mr Mister, Toto and Giant with a more modern high tech sound and that would include more contemporary influences from Peter Gabriel, Sting and Pink Floyd.
The first album entitled "Standing Tall" was released in 2004 and got some amazing responses, with legendary Kerrang Magazine Dave Reynolds saying "The best I've heard in ten years…". It also featured a few big name guests like David Foster, Michael Thompson and Randy Goodrum. For the new album the original members Kristoffer Lagerström and Tommy Denander again wanted to invite just a couple of friends… 2 legendary voices sing duet with Kristoffer on the new album: Dan Reed on the song "You Do The Things You Do" and Robin Beck on the radio friendly "Just A Momentary Why". "Embrace" also features the great L.A. session master Glen Marks on drums and Swedish sensation Marika Willstedt on cello.

Kristoffer and Tommy spent 18 months working on this album to ensure that every song is a smash and that "Embrace" lives up to the praise of the first release as well as standing the test of time with a masterful craft in songwriting, performance and production. Tommy Denander says "I hold this as the best production I've done so far and we really took every tiny little piece of the album and worked on it until we were totally satisfied, Kristoffer does an amazing job on the vocals and we had a fantastic, inspired and very creative time making it", while Kristoffer adds: "This is the album I've always wanted to make and it came out even better than I could imagine when we started this journey."
Tommy produced the album and plays guitars, bass, keyboards and loops/FX with Kristoffer handling all vocals.

"Embrace" tracklisting includes: Embrace; Stone By Stone; Just a Momentary Why (feat. Robin Beck); Brilliance of the Drugs; Eyes Wide Open; Blood In My Veins; You Do The Things You Do (feat. Dan Reed); Indulge; Without Love; Tic Toc; Everything Fades; The End.

 
xx

 

 

Monday, October 26, 2009

MELODICROCK NEWS OF THE HOUR!:
MRCD6 - We Will Rock Yule will be available for pre-order (hopefully) tomorrow - complete with new package prices that include past volumes. Purchasing just the new MRCD6 disc will be $23.00, including airmail shipping and handling costs. The price should have fallen a little from the last 2CD release, but the value of the US dollar against the Australian dollar has declined some 20% in value since the release of MRCD5, so this CD is costing a lot more to produce and ship.
However, I think the artists lined up to participate have delivered some great songs. Some you will know and some you won't, thanks to the inclusion of some brand new recordings and a couple of unreleased gems.
A final track listing has not been sorted yet - that's the delay in pre-orders. I'm still waiting for final delivery on a couple of songs and that will hopefully happen in the next 24 hrs.
Confirmed tracks so far lined-up as part of MRCD6 are:

- Heartland - Merry Christmas (Unplugged)
- Bombay Black - Going Insane At Christmas (Brand New, Exclusive Track)
- Kick - All I Want For Christmas (Previously Unreleased, Exclusive Track)
- Spin Gallery - TBA (Brand New, Exclusive Track)
- Tango Down - Under The Tree (Brand New, Exclusive Track)
- 7th Heaven - Merry Christmas In Chicago
- Fraze Gang - Christmas Time In Canada (Brand New, Exclusive Track)
- Stratocruiser - Holidaze
- Helix - Christmas Time Is Here Again
- Keith LuBrant - My Best Gift Was You
- Ted Poley - A Letter To Santa
- Goober Gun - In Reflection (Merry Xmas Baby)
- Next Big Thing - It's Christmas Time, Alright!
- Ides Of March - Sharing Christmas (2009 Remaster)
- Secret Smile - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Steve Lukather & Friends - Joy to the World
- Erkka Korhonen's Heavy Christmas feat. Marco Hietala - Medley: The First Noel/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Carol Of The Bells (Trad/Finnish lyrics by Sauvo Puhtila) - Live at Tavastia-Club, Helsinki, Finland December 2006 (Exclusive Track)

A few more to come...stand by...
All pre-orders will recieve a link to several additional bonus downloads!

 


This is very early days, but yes....rumors are true, I am looking at the possibilities of holding another MelodicRockFest show in the USA in the first half on 2010!
A few artists have been contacted and I have a dream list of others that I'd love to see take part. We'll see...
I'll be working on seeing what can be done to top the first event over the next month or two. No, it won't be in South Bend (although wasn't that venue spectacular!). It will most likely be in Chicago itself this time - a smaller venue, but an even bigger line-up I hope!
I'm going to need some big sponsorship to make this work, so if anyone has any interest in this or any other aspect of what MRF2 could offer, let me know.
Thoughts / questions / comments / suggestions - E-Mail me now...and stay tuned!

 


GIANT'S PROMISED LAND:
What better way to add to a giant news day than a two minute sneak preview of the brand new Giant single Promised Land! No line-up details have been released as yet, but the audio has - so check it out now! And a teaser photo of the 2009 line-up is included just to stir things up a little further.
Download: Giant - Promised Land.

 

DALTREY ROCKS LA:
By Gerry Gittelson, Melodicrock.com Los Angeles Correspondent / Los Angeles - Roger Daltrey is 65, but the Who singer can still belt it out with the best of 'em, and his solo concert performance Saturday, Oct. 19 at the intimate Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles was a rare treat to see one of the world's most famous rock singers in such a small place that we could nearly reach out and touch him.
A crowd of 2,000 roared its approval when Daltrey worked in "Who Are You" as the second song of the set, and the legendary performer was keen to hold onto the momentum.
Looking British-rock-star-cool in a white button-down shirt and casual jeans, Daltrey was in fine vocal form – not remarkable vocal form like the first time I saw the Who at the Forum in 1979 (my first concert, by the way), but certainly worth the price of admission.
This was the fifth night of Daltrey's nationwide trek, and he added "Behind Blue Eyes" because he said so many requested it. The selection was one of three tracks from the Who's amazing 1971 album "Who's Next," and indeed it was a well-delivered highlight, along with the others, "Baba O'Reilly" and "Going Mobile."
For me, "Baba O'Reilly" was the best song of the night, and Daltrey's majestic vocals came through loud and clear. And also deserving a nod of gratitude was guitarist Simon Townshend, younger brother of Who guitarist Pete Townshend. Simon did a great job all night, and he was spot-on during his "Don't cry …" vocal segment during "Baba O'Reilly," which will always be "Teenage Wasteland" to me.
There were a few other Who highlights, particularly "Squeeze Box," which was a bit unexpected considering he left out all material from "Tommy," including "Pinball Wizard," which would have been nice to enjoy.
In all, a very successful and convincing performance by Daltrey. He returns to the Who soon for another tour, so who knows when he will do another solo tour – it had only been 24 years since the last one – so, indeed, this was something special.
Openers Paper Zoo proved an interesting warm-up warm-act. A (relatively) young, unhonored Los Angeles fivesome with no significant experience or fan following, Paper Zoo did the improbable – winning over a crowd who did not know a thing about them.
With a retro sound that leans heavily toward "Sergeant Pepper"-era Beatles with a little avant-garde experimentation thrown in, it's not easy to pigeon hole just where Paper Zoo might fit in today's pop world. But there is definitely something there.
Paper Zoo played their instruments well, they performed with confidence, and you can tell they're hungry for success. The group is supporting Daltrey on every stop, and it's worth arriving early to check them out.
Judging by their performance Saturday, Paper Zoo could use a chorus-driven hit or two, but they're definitely on the right track. This tour is a nice push start, certainly a big break considering there are thousands of unknowns that would love to be in Paper Zoo's place, and now it is up to the band to parlay this opportunity into something more substantial than applause.

 
xx

xx

 

 

Friday, October 23, 2009

ONE NIGHT WITH JSS:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of Jeff Scott Soto One Night in Madrid in CD and DVD formats on December 4tin Europe and January 12 in the USA.
This live performance will set Jeff Scott Soto's outstanding career in context. It is a road-map through a journey spanning more than twenty-five years that begun with college bands and culminated as front-man for the ever popular 'Journey' taking in Talisman, Soul SirkUS and the band that lifted his career into the consciousness of rock fans across the world – Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force.
His first solo album, 'Love Parade' was released almost 15 years ago in the mid 90s and was picked up by Frontiers Records and re-released in 2002 to coincide with his appearance at 'The Gods' Festival. Since then Jeff has released three stunning albums; 'Prism' (2003), 'Lost In The Translation' (2004) and his latest offering 'Beautiful Mess' produced with Paulo Mendonça and released on download in 2008. Released as a CD in February 2009, JSS toured 'Beautiful Mess' across the USA, Europe and South America showing fans a brand new direction as well as a new line-up featuring Jorge Salan on guitar, BJ on guitar and keyboards, Fernando Mainer on bass and Edu Cominato on drums.
As a grand finale to the tour this concert in Madrid, in front of a packed and enthusiastic audience, was taped for a release that could portray the artist as he is today with a set-list that showcases Jeff's long and successful musical career including many favourites from his past & present, including a cut from the motion picture "Rock Star" as well as selections from all his solo albums including 'Love Parade', 'Prism', 'Lost In The Translation' and his outstanding work with 'Talisman'.
Clocking in at approximately 2½ hours, these specially packaged CD and DVD capture the stunning performance of the show!

CD contents include:
CD-1: Intro; 21st Century; Colour My XTC; Soul Divine; Our Song; Drowning; Edu drum solo; Funky Jam; Jorge guitar solo; Mountain; Eyes Of Love; Testify; Band Introductions; Broken Man.
CD-2: Hey; Frozen/Crazy; Piano Medley: If This Is The End/Holding On/Nobody Said It Was Easy/4 U/Just Between Us; Gin & Tonic Sky; JSS/Jorge workshop; I'll Be Waiting; Encore: Stand Up; Funky Medley: We Will Rock You/I Love Rock & Roll/Play That Funky Music/Jungle Boogie/The Roof Is On Fire/Brick House/Shake Your Booty/Kung Fu Fighting/Yo Baby Yo/Macho Man/The Right Stuff/Ice Ice Baby/Stayin' Alive/Another One Bites The Dust/Walk This Way.

 
xx

The DVD includes the full show track listing plus the following extras: Video clips: Holding On, Eyes Of Love, Believe In Me (w/Neal Schon), If This Is The End, 21st Century, Hey, Gin & Tonic Sky plus a Special Tribute video "In Memory of Marcel Jacob".
The DVD will be available in NTSC Region Free format, in 5.1 mix. Enjoy a multimedia presentation watching this YouTube trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgbol2Qhd9M.

Jorn Tour Dates:
26 nov 2009 Logo, Hamburg Germany
28 nov 2009 Masters of Rock 2009, Novesta, Zlin Czech Rep.
29 nov 2009 Zoe Club, Milano Italy
30 nov 2009 z7, Pratteln Switzerland
01 des 2009 Splendid, Lille France
03 des 2009 Rock Temple, Kerkrade Netherlands
04 des 2009 La Ferme Du Biereau, Louvain-la-Neuve Belgium
31 des 2009 Kavarna Bulgaria.

TED POLEY GREATEST HITS CD IS RE RELEASED WITH NEW COVER ART:
Press Release / The new version of Ted Poley's Greatestits will start shipping in approx 1 week and I think the fans are going to have a good laugh when they see this one. Ted says: "My idea was that by adding my Greatest Hits cd to your collection, I sort of spread out and infect your other classic LP or CD covers, becoming part of the main image of the classic cover art scene, like a bad Ted Poley acid trip."
The main "booklet" has been completely changed to an 8 panel accordion style fold out that features not 1 but 6 different 'classic" album covers, repainted by Frank Garofolo to match the originals in almost every way except that now it in some way includes, yes you guessed it, Ted Poley. You can fold it to make your favorite of any one of the 6 covers the Front cover. To keep things legal, even though its all SPOOF and done in innocent fun, the individual bands logos will be partially "obscured" with a black ink stamp to avoid any problems with trademark infringement, but the redrawn images are fair game, they are new original art. The rest of the packaging and the actual music on the discs will remain the same.

 
xx

BON JOVI TO BE THE FIRST BAND TO PLAY NEW MEADOWLANDS STADIUM:
Press Release / East Rutherford, NJ - October 22, 2009 - With New Jersey's New Meadowlands Stadium as their backdrop, Grammy Award-winning hometown heroes Bon Jovi performed at a concert and media event today that announced "The Circle World Tour." The band is preparing to spend nearly two years spanning the globe, including the kickoff event of New Meadowlands Stadium, scheduled for May 26th and 27th, 2010.
The New Meadowlands concerts will go on sale beginning at 10am on Saturday, October 31st, while additional tour dates go on sale November 9th and November 16th. Fans should continue to log on to www.bonjovi.com/tour for the most up to date concert and ticket on-sale information.
The band's Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres performed an exclusive set for a select group of 5,000 lucky contest winners, fan club members, and on-site construction workers currently at work building the New Meadowlands Stadium. Bon Jovi was also joined by New York Jets Chairman & CEO Woody Johnson, New York Giants President & CEO, John Mara, as well as President & CEO of the New Meadowlands Stadium Company, Mark Lamping. New York's powerhouse radio station WPLJ DJ, Race Taylor, served as emcee. Live footage of the event is available at www.BonJovi.com. An embeddable player is available at: www.iclips.net/widgets/jbj/jbj_embed.html.
Beginning with the band's North American tour launch on February 19th, 2010 in Seattle, WA, Bon Jovi will spend much of the next two years on the road, performing 135 shows in 30 countries. Following in the footsteps of their hugely successful "Lost Highway Tour, Bon Jovi will draw fans around the world into The Circle, with a residency at London's O2 Arena in June 2010 before returning to America in the fall for an additional nationwide leg, and further dates well into 2011.
"It is often said that the third time is a charm, and in the case of the Bon Jovi/AEG Live relationship, this axiom certainly holds," said Randy Phillips, President and CEO of AEG Live. "AEG Live has been honored to serve as the band's worldwide tour promoters, from the 2005 'Have A Nice Day' tour to the highest grossing tour of 2008, 'Lost Highway,' to the upcoming 'The Circle World Tour' in 2010. Bon Jovi is one of the most prolific and exciting live rock bands in the world."
Having sold more than 120 million albums and performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans, Bon Jovi is at their best when they're on the move, and that's truer now than ever before. The November 10th, 2009 release of Bon Jovi's new album, The Circle, and the band's subsequent world tour, provides a powerful reassertion of Bon Jovi's commitment to the hard-hitting rock & roll that has been the band's indelible signature since it began more than 26 years ago.
Advanced tickets to the New Meadowlands Stadium go on sale to American Express Card members beginning at 10am on Monday, October 26th. For more information on Bon Jovi's North American tour, visit www.BonJovi.com/tour.

KANSAS CONQUER BILLBOARD CHARTS WITH NEW DVD, 'THERE'S KNOW PLACE LIKE HOME':
Press Release / Kansas delivers unforgettable live performances! Evidenced nowhere better than on their current DVD release, 'There's Know Place Like Home' debuts at #5 on the Billboard DVD top sales chart. Featuring guest appearances by former members Kerry Livgren and Steve Morse, spectacular lighting, and songs previously not recorded with a symphony, this unique concert has been captured in High Definition video and Surround Sound audio. Released October 13th, TKPLH has already become the highest-charting Kansas DVD of all-time and the #1 selling DVD for RED distribution this week.
The immediate success of 'There's Know Place Like Home,' should come as no surprise, as uniting Kansas with the orchestra is a natural and richly fulfilling experience. The result is a must-own DVD of a performance filmed/recorded earlier this year at the Washburn University's White Concert Hall in their original hometown of Topeka, KS and released on co-producers Jeff Glixman and Jim Gentile's StarCity label. Says Glixman: "I have seen many, many Kansas shows and this one was right at the very top. The DVD contains arguably the definitive versions of 'Icarus II', 'Hold On', 'Nobody's Home' and more, as well as Kerry Livgren and Steve Morse appearing together for the first time".
Add to the mix simply magnificent renditions of such Kansas classics as "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind," and you have a can't-miss recipe that has resulted in what is unquestionably one of the finest in-concert rock DVD's of 2009.
For more information, visit: www.starcityrecording.com / www.kansasband.com.

"MEGADETH RADIO" TO EXPLODE ONTO THE AIRWAVES:
Press Release / Los Angeles, CA (October 22, 2009) - Thrash metal pioneers Megadeth are set to be the latest act to "go A.P.E." on the virtual airwaves. Listeners everywhere should prepare for the debut of the band's "predictably unpredictable" Artist Personal Experience radio station, "Megadeth Radio." Band founder and frontman Dave Mustaine has complete creative control in the programming of his 24-hour channel, which features interviews, news, personal commentary, and playlists of his favorite music. The multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated rockers follow hot on the heels of A.P.E. stations "Radio Weezer," "Christina Aguilera Radio" and "Eagles Radio Hosted by Joe Walsh" as "Megadeth Radio," debuts on October 22 at 11:00 am EST.
"Megadeth Radio" is set to become the destination of choice for both the band's fans as well as anyone who appreciates hard-rocking radio, and will be distributed across Clear Channel Radio's "iheartradio" network (www.iheartradio.com), which includes hundreds of local radio websites; the popular iheartradio mobile app, which has been downloaded by 3.5 million people; widgets; and www.megadeth.com. Just like the other A.P.E. stations, fans can participate in "Megadeth Radio" by emailing their comments to megadeth@aperadio.com or calling 1-866-686-1010.
Says Mustaine, "Megadeth has been on the forefront of music for over 25 years. Now we're breaking ground in radio. We're giving metalheads everywhere a look inside and an opportunity to see what influences our world and music."
When the public tunes into "Megadeth Radio," they'll hear selected playlists of some of the band's favorite songs, including artists such as AC/DC, Arch Enemy, Black Sabbath, Suicidal Tendencies, Killswitch Engage and many more. Interviews and eclectic stories told by the band members will punctuate the programming, including Mustaine talking about his younger days (and trading pot to a record store clerk for albums), Metallica, his writing process and more. The station is a hard-rocking outlet unlike any other, and attractive to all fans of innovative audio entertainment.
Founded by Dave Mustaine in Los Angeles in 1983, Megadeth has released twelve studio albums, six live albums, two EPs, 26 singles, 32 music videos, and three compilations. The band has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, with six consecutive albums being certified platinum in the USA, and has earned seven consecutive Grammy nominations for Best Metal Performance. With new lead guitarist Chris Broderick, Megadeth released their latest studio album, Endgame, on September 15, 2009. Megadeth and Slayer will head up north to co-headline the Canadian Carnage Tour from November 8-13, featuring Machine Head and Suicide Silence. Megadeth will then return to the U.S. to headline their Endgame Tour through the end of the year. Full tour dates and info can be found at www.megadeth.com/killingroad.php.

LITTLE ANGELS CLASSIC DEBUT TO BE RE-ISSUED:
The classic Little Angels debut album Don't Prey For Me will be re-issued on November 12th on Cherry Red's Lemon Recordings label. It features the album as it was sequenced on the original vinyl LP and adds Pleasure Pyre from the cassette/CD issues with bonus tracks including the whole of the "Big Bad EP" and the two studio tracks from the "Get Radical EP", ie. "Radical Your Lover" and "Don't Love You No More".
Stay tuned for more info!

ACE'S NEW OZ TOUR DATES:
Ace Frehley's "It's Ace Downunder" tour is now scheduled for February 2010. The East Coast venues remain the same and all tickets bought for the October tour are valid for the rescheduled February shows. Due to overwhelming demand dates have also been added in Adelaide and Perth. If you had tickets for the October shows and are unable to make the new dates you can obtain a refund from ticketing agency.
New Tour Dates
Monday February 1st Perth. Metropolis Fremantle
Thursday February 4th Adelaide. HQ.
Friday February 5th Melbourne Palace (formerly Metro)
Sunday February 7th Sydney Enmore Theatre Proudly supported by Utopia Records
Monday February 8th Brisbane The Tivoli
Tickets for Perth and Adelaide on sale 9am Monday 2nd November from www.redanttouring.com, www.heatseeker.com.au, www.ticketek.com.au or Ticketek 132 849.
Tix for Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane are on sale NOW VIP Meet & Greet Packages are available in all states.

GUNS N' ROSES & TRIXTER MEMBERS ADDED TO NEW LIBERTY N' JUSTICE CD:
Press Release / Retroactive Records & Liberty N' Justice finally can reveal the final track listing for LNJ's new album "Light It Up"! After months & months of revealing guest artists, the last song to be announced "Wrestling With God" will feature Trixter members Pete Loran & Steve Brown with a guest guitar solo by Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal of Guns N' Roses! The song once again was co-written by LNJ founder Justin Murr and Steve Brown (who all so produced the track). The disk was all so produced by Vic Rivera, Mike Layne, CJ Snare (who all so pre-mastered the disk), and Stephen Chesney. The album will be mastered by J. Powell at Steinhaus Mastering (who all so mastered the latest Bride CD, Mainline Riders, Saint & who remastered Guardian's "First Watch", .) Matt Hunt of Retroactive Records stated, "I've been a life long fan of Hard Rock and this is one of the best albums I have ever heard!"
The album has a January 19, 2010 planned release date.
Final Track Listing for Liberty N' Justice's "Light It Up":
1. Light It Up (Phil Lewis of LA Guns & JK Northrup) 2. The Other Thief (Dale and Troy Thompson of Bride) 3. Blink (Lynn Louise Lowrey of Vixen and Eddie Ojeda of Twisted Sister) 4. Do What You Believe (CJ Snare & Bill Leverty of Firehouse) 5. Man vs. Mother Nature (Ted Poley of Danger Danger and Vic Rivera of Crunch) 6. Treading On Serpents (Les Carlsen of Bloodgood and Ox Fox of Stryper/ Bloodgood) 7. Uncle Sam (Sheldon Tarsha of Tarsha/Adler's Appetite and Jeff Pilson of Dokken/ Foreigner) 8. Every Reason To Believe (Kelly Keeling of Baton Rouge/TSO and Kerri Kelli of Alice Cooper) 9. Wrestling With God (Pete Loran, Steve Brown of Trixter & Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal of GN'R / Lita Ford) 10. Best Time You Never Had (Chris Jericho (WWE Wrestler/ Fozzy) & Phil Collen of Def Leppard) 11. Beautiful Decision (Harry Hess and Pete Lesperance of Harem Scarem) 12. Drunk Dead Gorgeous (Marq Torien of BulletBoys and Chris Holmes of W.A.S.P.) 13. Greed (Robert Mason of Warrant/Lynch Mob and Jerry Dixon of Warrant) 14. For Better Or Worse(Shawn Pelata of Line Of Fire & Stephen Chesney of Frontiers).
Some additional musicians: Eric Rango, Terry Ilous (XYZ), Chris Dickens (Mission Of One), Marc Danzeisen (Bulletboys/ Little Caesar), Doug Odell (Crunch/ TNA) & John Pine.

MAGNUM SET LOST FROM MADRID:
MetalSymphony.com has uploaded photos of Magnum October 19, 2009 concert at Sala Heineken in Madrid, Spain. Check them out at this location: www.metalsymphony.com/galeria/thumbnails.php?album=248.
Magnum's Set list was as follows: Cry To Yourself, Take Me To The Edge, Brand New Morning, The Moonking, When We Were Younger, No One Knows His Name, Dragons Are Real, A Face In The Crowd, We All Run, Les Morts Dansant, All My Bridges, All England´Eyes, Vigilante. Encore: Don´T Wake The Lion, Kingdom Of Madness.

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X has been updated with the following new features:
Feature Album - Bobby Kimball - Rise Up (Featuring songs and musicians of Unruly Child)
- 2 more Journey archive interviews - 1986 The Journey Story and Journey - Superstars of Rock.
Plus the following new Videos: Journey - Live At Download 2009 (22 mins long, from VH1) and Loverboy - Lucky Ones (Live 1981), Richie Sambora - One Light Burning, Spys - Midnight Fantasy, plus Winger Live - Blind Revolution Mad and Junkyard Dog.
MR-X Membership Details.

MELODICROCK CHRISTMAS!:
MRCD6We Will Rock Yule will be available for pre-order (with bonus tracks as usual) from Monday! All details announced Monday – work is still in progress on the disc!! It features previously released Christmas tunes and some new exclusive recordings too!

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

ROCKFEST UK CANCELLED:
More bad news for punters in the UK, with the much hyped Rockfest show to be cancelled. Here is the official statement:

"This is a very difficult statement to write, and all I can do is apologise from the start. Rockfest was supposed to be one of the events of the year, bringing some of the best AOR and Melodic Rock bands to the UK. For whatever reason, whether it be the current financial problems, the lack of interest in the music scene, or something else, ticket sales have been very poor. With the likes of Jimi Jamison who hasn't played the UK for such a long time, Stage Dolls with their first appearance in the UK in over 15 years, Mitch Malloy following his awesome appearance at Firefest last year, this event should have sold out at a venue the size of JBs in Dudley which holds just under 1000 people. Unfortunately, it hasn't, and if it where to go ahead with the current amount of ticket sales then it would lose close to £30,000 and that is something I cannot afford to do.
So I have to cancel Rockfest 2009, and apologise to those people who have bought tickets in advance. We are working on something on a smaller scale that will still take place on the 21st November where Dare will still be playing along with 8 or 9 other bands so an AOR/Melodic Rock Event will take place, but we have to look at the budget again in accordance to ticket sales, and these adjustments will be announced over the next 24 – 48 hours. As the appearance of some of the bigger name bands such as Jimi Jamison, Mitch Malloy, etc have been cancelled, we will of course be offering a refund of the difference of the cost for those people still wish to attend the event!

We have also agreed with the guys at Firefest, which takes place this coming weekend, for the people who wish to now attend this awesome event featuring the likes of FM, Romeo's Daughter, Drive She Said, White Sister, and many more, the tickets for the Saturday will be £40.00 rather than the £50.00 available on the day if you quote Rockfest when you purchase, but these must be ordered in advance and collected on the day. Please order from the Firefest website at: www.thefirefest.com.
Ted Poley will be touring Europe early 2010, so keep looking out for those tour dates. Once again, all I can do is apologise, but the lack of ticket sales is the 'only' reason this event is to be cancelled ... Please look out for the update on the show for the 21st November which is being put together right now, and I am sure it will be a great day for all those who can attend, Yours, Mark - Festival Manager - Rockfest- www.rockfest.org.uk."

TARA'S SECRET HAVE A HEAD FOR HEIGHTS:
UK rockers Tara's Secret are back with their 3rd studio album Vertigo. Released on 30th October 2009 it is a hard rocking album showing that the band have raised the bar since their 2006 release "Tomorrow the World" Singer Johnny Trowbridge, guitarists Richie Beardsley & Craig Chapman have been joined by Dave Deaville on bass and JT Thomas on drums to produce an album with swagger and style. Recorded at M2 Studios by Mark Stuart and Sheena Seer, the band have retained their reputation for strong anthemic songs and combined them with a harder hitting production and sound. They are joined by guest vocalists Sue Willetts from Dante Fox, on the ballad "The Last 2 Know" and by Adrian Marx of Bon Giovi on the uptempo party rocker "Shake What Your Mamma Gave Ya!"
Vertigo will be officially launched and on sale, at the band's double headliner show with Dante Fox at Yardbirds Club, Grimsby on 30th October and copies can be ordered directly from www.taras-secret.com for only £12 (inc P&P) with £2.00 from each copy sold going to the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity. Vertigo will also be available from most hard rock CD outlets. The band will sign all copies bought online during the first 6 months.
Johnny Trowbridge had this to say about the CD. "Back in 2006 I said that this album would kick "Tomorrow The World's" ass and it does. We locked ourselves away and wrote so many great songs, many of which we left out so we could produce a real in-ya-face album. Sue & Ade have been absolute stars and sang their hearts out for us and we look forward to playing these songs live through the coming year. Finally the wait is over and we are looking forward to getting feedback from the fans. Already several rock writers have championed this album and we thank them for it. We'd also like to thank everyone who has sent us their much appreciated encouragement during the writing and recording of this album."
Track listing - 1. Rock n Roll Beauty Queen 2. She's My Baby 3. Natural High (Rain of Love) 4. The Last 2 Know 5. Promises 6. Vertigo 7. One More Chance 8. My Reward 9. Shake What Your Mamma Gave Ya 10. Homeland.... plus bonus tracks GTBR and Wildest Dreams.

 

SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION FIREFEST 6 AUTOGRAPH CARDS:
As one of Tony Marshall's better ideas, we've decided to create a limited number of A4 (30cm by 21cm) size, thick card 'autograph' cards. These white cards with the Firefest logo in centre will be just the thing for getting bands' autographs, and make a perfect item for framing and displaying. 500 will be printed, and will be on sale at the Singing-Session kiosk (Just inside main entrance of Rock City) on the Saturday and Merch stall both days, for £2.
Fireworks #38 arrives the day before Firefest, so a limited number of copies will also be on sale over the weekend, priced £5. This 100 page full colour extravaganza comes with 2 free CDs (including full songs from W.E.T., Winger, Overland, Grand Design and lots more!) and contains interviews with Kiss, Gotthard, House of Lords, Steve Vai, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Winger, WASP, Mr Big, Yes, George Lynch, Twisted Sister and many more!!
Note: Due to holiday immediately after Firefest, subscription copies and shop copies won't be despatched until first week in November.

YET ANOTHER MÖTLEY CRÜE GREATEST HITS:
Four years on since their last 'hits' compilation and 11 years on frm the last 'Greatest Hits' comes another Motley Crue Greatest Hits. This one is released November 17 and features the following tracks:
"Too Fast For Love" "Shout At The Devil" "Looks That Kill" "Too Young To Fall In Love" "Smokin In The Boys Room" "Home Sweet Home" "Wild Side" "Girls, Girls, Girls" "Dr. Feelgood" "Kickstart My Heart" "Same Ol' Situation" "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" "Without You" "Primal Scream" "Sick Love Song" "Afraid" "If I Die Tomorrow" "Saints of Los Angeles" "The Animal In Me (Remix)".

In related news, Jack Blades (Night Ranger, Damn Yankees) will produce the next Vince Neil solo album, due out next year.

 

MARSEILLE RECORDING NEW ALBUM FOR EARLY 2010 RELEASE:
Marseille, the reformed NWOBHM band featuring former TV personality Neil Buchanan (Art Attack / Finders Keepers), are currently in the studio recording a new album in East Sussex called Unfinished Business. The album will be released Feb / March 2010 and features 10 brand new songs co-written with new singer Nige Roberts and the original members of Marseille.
Roberts said "It's been a really great to finally work on the first brand new Marseille material for over 25 years I have been heavily involved with the writing and everything has come together very quickly and we're really ecstatic with what has come out so far. I know bands say that all the time but there's a genuine buzz because we feel we're doing something really special here as the songs are all very strong. It's very important that the band puts out the best album it possibly can as there's a lot of really great music out there and we have to make sure we put out something that demands peoples attention and we truly believe that is what we are doing with this new album."
Marseille play Trillians in Newcastle on the 6th November and The Roadhouse in Manchester on 7th November followed by shows in December at Hark To Towler on 4th December followed by an appearance at Hard Rock Hell III in Prestatyn on December 5th.
WebLink: www.marseilleonline.co.uk.

REVIEWS UPDATED:
New Reviews online today for: W.E.T., Winger, Jaded Heart, Overland, Salute and Kimberley Dahme. Read Them Now.

 

 

 

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

FRONTIERS RECORDS GLAMMING IT UP:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the signing of Swedish Glam Hard Rock stars Crazy Lixx.
Crazy Lixx entered the studio to record the follow-up album to the 2007 debut album Loud Minority last Saturday the 17th of October. As with the previous album, the yet untitled follow-up will be recorded at Polar Studios in Stockholm along with producer Chris Laney (Europe, Crashdiet, Candlemass). The album, is currently set for release during spring 2010.
"We are extremely happy to have sealed this co-operation with Frontiers and we've got a really great album on the way so naturally we hope this will be a great leap forward in our career", says lead singer Danny Rexon.
The band has spent all of 2008 writing material for the new album and now picked out a dozen Hard Rock gems (out of over the double amount of songs written) to be recorded. "We set out with one goal, and that was to beat the living s**t out of Loud Minority with these new songs, and If you ask me, we've beaten it black and blue. I can't wait to get these new songs recorded!" states Danny.
The new album will feature titles such as: Witching Hour, Children of the Cross, Rock and a Hard Place and 21 'til I Die (just to name a few).

 

Frontiers Records have also recently signed cult glam-rockers Wig Wam for their new studio album due shortly!
 

The new promo spot for Frontiers Records can be viewed below:
 

UPDATES - DEF LEPPARD AND BON JOVI:
A couple of updates this fine Tuesday! First and most importantly I am very pleased to put to rest any rumors of Def Leppard splitting up or individual members suffering from health issues or even rehab as some rumors suggested (and I passed on yesterday). They are all fine!!

I did however, receive this e-mail from a contact earlier today:
"My buddy runs the ******* Center (gig of third leg) and early last week he informed me that due to poor sales the tour would be cancelled pursuant to the promoter wanting to keep any profits generated from this past summers revenues."
Well...that makes perfect sense and is a wise move indeed for both the promoter and the band, should this be the precise reason for the cancellation. Def Leppard had one of the top package tours of the past 6 months, so it seems the economy has simply caught up with fans - many of whom may have caught the either one of the first two legs.

And in regards to the Bon Jovi track list for The Circle - I can confirm it has been changed and the UK Amazon listing is correct for all versions: 1. We Weren't Born To Follow 4:03 2. When We Were Beautiful 5:18 3. Work For The Working Man 4:03 4. Superman Tonight 5:12 5. Bullet 3:50 6. Thorn In My Side 4:05 7. Live Before You Die 4:18 8. Brokenpromiseland 4:57 9. Love's The Only Rule 4:38 10. Fast Cars 3:16 11. Happy Now 4:21 12. Learn To Love 4:39.
Bonus Tracks listed yesterday are yet to be confirmed, but should still be as stated.

GUNS N ROSES TO HIT THE ROAD STARTING DECEMBER:
Guns N Roses are alive and well. The Chinese Democracy world tour kicks off in Asia December 11 and should run right through the remainder of 2010. I'm hearing a full press release may be due Friday. Here is the text from one venue bulletin sent out yesterday:

On Sale Saturday, October 24 - Tickets available at the Bell Centre Box Office Charge by phone: (514) 790-2525 or 1-877-668-8269 Order online at: www.geg.ca Tickets Prices: $49.50 - $69.50 - $84.50 (+ service charges)
Guns N Roses will bring their Chinese Democracy World Tour to Bell Centre in January 27, 2010 which begins in Asia on December 11, 2009.
Guns N Roses – Axl Rose, Frank Ferrer, Tommy Stinson, Richard Fortus, Ron Bumblefoot Thal, Dizzy Reed, and Chris Pitman – welcomed guitarist Dj Ashba into thee band earlier this year and are scheduled to begin rehearsals in Los Angeles shortly.
The upcoming worldwide tour promotes the bands latest album, Chinese Democracy, which debuted at #1 on the charts in thirteen countries including Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, as well as the European Top 100 Albums survey.
Chinese Democracy was released on Black Frog/Geffen Records in November 2008 and reached 3 times Platinum in Canada, Platinum in Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, UK, Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa. In the U.S., the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 3, 2009.

And now this other update:

Guns N' Roses have revealed plans to bring Chinese Democracy to North America… with a tour of Canada. Today, a 13-date Canadian trek that starts January 13th in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and stretches until February 4th in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Some of the dates are posted on Live Nation's Website The earliest presale begins October 21st. General admission floor seats and reserved seats in the stands are available; prices range from $49.50 to $89.50 Canadian before service charges.
Guns n' Roses Canadian tour dates:
Jan. 13 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
Jan. 16 – Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
Jan. 17 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
Jan. 19 – Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
Jan. 20 – Regina, SK @ Brandt Centre
Jan. 24 – Hamilton, ON @ Copps Coliseum
Jan. 25 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre
Jan. 27 – Montreal, PQ @ Bell Centre
Jan. 28 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
Jan. 31 – Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place
Feb. 1 – Quebec City, PQ @ Colisee Pepsi
Feb. 3 – Moncton, NB @ Moncton Coliseum
Feb. 4 – Halifax, NS @ Metro Centre

CD SHOWCASE UPDATED:
CD Showcase has been updated with the following new album previewed in full: W.E.T., Blanc Faces and Mastedon (all Frontiers Records, due November 6). Check Them Out.

New Reviews online tomorrow.

Happy 7th Birthday to Nicholas Douglas McNeice!

 

 

 

Monday, October 19, 2009

DEF LEPPARD CANCEL THIRD LEG OF US TOUR:
Rumors in the air! From: www.defleppard.com/tour / "Due to unforeseen personal matters, the third leg of Def Leppard's North American Tour, set to begin on October 22nd, has been cancelled. "We know how truly blessed we are to have such committed fans," said the band in a statement. "That's why we've agonized over this decision. Even if just a single concert, we don't take cancelling shows lightly, but unfortunately life's commitments need to be the priority."

A CASTLE FULL OF RASCALS: DEEP PURPLE '83 – '09:
Details from Martin Popoff regarding his new Deep Purple book: "The book is 20% bigger than the first one, 290 pages, stuffed with photos of the band and other memorabilia shots but mostly, yeah, a lot of text, featuring tons of previously unused interview footage from my many chats with the guys, to the point where this is almost an oral history. In addition to the Purple prose, there's bits about side-projects, the intro necessities about Gillan, Rainbow, Sabbath and Whitesnake, plus cool trivia from Nick Blagona, Thom Panunzio, Candice Night, Frank Morgan, and Stuart Smith (you'll get it when ya get it!).
My aim with this thing, first and foremost, is to convert y'all to the joys of the Steve Morse era of the band, but of course, we've got lots to talk about with respect to Perfect Strangers, The House Of Blue Light, Slaves And Masters and The Battle Rages On… as well. Plus there's lots of tour talk, details around the various live albums and bust-ups, a bit on the Concerto live album, plus of course, stories about Ritchie's practical jokes!
What you get is my usual format – one chapter per album, every song examined. Plus the Rory Fiorito cover design matches up nicely with last year's Gettin' Tighter: Deep Purple '68 – '76. They look pretty swell together – 530 pages on Purple, and proudly, tons of it untapped talk from my interview archive.
Books will be signed by me to you, so make clear if it's a Christmas present or whatever! One drag, given its 296 total pages, this no longer fits through this plastic mylar thing at Canada Post and thus has to go as "small packet" rather than "light packet" so the shipping cost is jacked – sorry.
Price including shipping: US orders: $35.00 US funds Int'l orders (surface mail): $37.00 US funds Int'l orders (air mail): $44.00 US funds Canadian orders: $36.00 Cdn. funds.
PayPal happily accepted! Ask me if you'd like a PayPal invoice, or just do yer usual and direct funds to martinp@inforamp.net.
Or mail payment (personal check in US funds, cash, or International money order), to: Martin Popoff P.O. Box 65208, 358 Danforth Ave. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4K 2Z2
Email me at martinp@inforamp.net with any further questions, and see www.martinpopoff.com for descriptions, cover art and ordering info for my other available 24 or so books. Nice savings on shipping can be had if you take a few things, and as you know, I'm always good for swingin' a deal for two books or more. Just email me for a quote. The first five Ye Olde Metals are still available!"

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Danny Vaughn was recently interviewed by long running website Sea of Tranquility about his recent live acoustic release The Road Less Travelled and future plans including the much anticipated new studio album from Tyketto. Read Danny's interview here: www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=1403.

Lion's Share members Lars Chriss and Sampo Axelsson have, in cooperation with Sidelake Media and Christian Rehn (Angtoria), written the official intro song for Swedish elite ice hockey team Timrå Ik (Red Eagles). "The main riff was based on the song Shadows from Lion's Share's Two (1997) album, with an AC/DC and Rammstein twist since this style works so well in hockey arenas." The clip www.youtube.com/watch?v=T68-XG3Q-h4 is shown up on the Jumbotron when the players enter the ice.

Due to illness Cannon has split up with drummer Arnd Lorenz (ex Galloglass) who has joined the band in 2008. Because of the break up the band stops all planned live activities. The band asks all the fans who looked forward for new Cannon concerts for understanding. Instead of that Cannon intensify the recordings for the new album. Five new songs were pre-recorded right now. The new CD should be released at the end of the next year.

LA Project feat. Joe Williams on Swedish radio - Recorded live at Frideborg, Uddevalla, Sweden, March 20, 2009. P4 Live – Sveriges Radio P4 Radio Väst
LA Project Live Part I October 19, at 17:02 Swedish Time
LA Project Live Part II November 23 at 17:02 Swedish Time
Frequencies:Bäckefors 102,2 Grebbestad 101,1, Hamburgsund 101,7 Kungshamn 100,9, Strömstad 97,6 Svinesund, 100,8, Trollhättan 103,7 Uddevalla 103,3.
You can also for 30 days after the airings visit the archives and listen online, go here: www.sr.se/cgi-bin/vast/program/index.asp?ProgramID=69.

POWERAGE PRODUCTION SHOWCASE:
Press Release / "Dear Artists, We are putting together an Artist Management Showcase at the moment, which will focus on melodic/progressive metal acts, which is our specialist area in terms of artist management. Seven bands have already been confirmed for the showcase, and they're just Three spots left available to any artists who are interested/seeking management. The showcase will take place on Saturday, January 16th 2010, and will be an all-day event. Bands will perform 40-minute sets.
Please find us at www.myspace.com/powerageproductionservicesagencyltd and feel free to pop by, ask questions, etc; if you're interested in performing/auditioning if you're a UK-based metal act seeking management.
This will be a FREE admission event kicking off around 4pm. Bands will be assessed in a number of areas from musical ability to professional conduct. Backline is at the venue hosting the showcase. Sunday, 25th October 2009 is the cut-off point for bands interested in management – we will NOT be accepting submissions beyond midnight on the 25th October 2009."

ALL PENS BLAZING: A HEAVY METAL WRITER'S HANDBOOK:
Press Release / "Ever wondered what it takes to be a heavy metal journalist? In this comprehensive collection, Neil Daniels has interviewed a staggering 65 of the world's most successful writers of heavy metal and hard rock. Many of these writers are successful biographers, editors and long-standing freelancers who have interviewed some of the genre's leading artists from KISS to Metallica and Black Sabbath to Slayer. They've travelled the world over, lived in tour buses, got drunk with their idols, attended some of the greatest gigs in history and are still alive to tell the tale. It's all here; the wild stories, the anecdotes…and the advice!
All Pens Blazing offers a potted history of the genre as well as the publishing industry from the legendary Sounds and Melody Maker to metal bibles Kerrang! and Metal Hammer to modern day magazines like Terrorizer, Powerplay and Classic Rock. There's also a wealth of information on fanzines and webzines as well as long-gone magazines like Metal Forces, RIP and RAW. With a foreword by the Canadian metal historian Martin Popoff, this collection makes essential reading for the heavy metal fan. It is also a worthy historical document for the serious enthusiast and can be used as a handy reference tool for the aspiring metal writer.
Includes exclusive interviews with: Geoff Barton, Dante Bonutto, Paul Brannigan, Steffan Chirazi, Ian Christe, Dave Dickson, Malcolm Dome, Paul Elliott, Lonn Friend, Neil Jeffries, Howard Johnson, Dave Lewis, Dave Ling, Peter Makowski, Matthias Madder, Joel McIver, Alexander Milas, Derek Oliver, Martin Popoff, Greg Prato, Dave Reynolds, Steven Rosen, Xavier Russell, Brian Slagel, Paul Suter and Jeb Wright, et al.
Volume II will be published next year. I welcome your thoughts: neildaniels1@hotmail.co.uk."
All Pens Blazing: A Heavy Metal Writer's Handbook By Neil Daniels. Published by Authors Online (www.authorsonline.co.uk) Available to buy from most online book stores, including Amazon. Book Size (Paperback editions): 5 x 8" (203 x 127mm) Perfect Bound. Approx Number of Words: 173,000. Pages: Black and White: 350.
Book is available to buy at: www.authorsonline.co.uk. More info: www.neildaniels.co.uk.

LITTLE ANGELS RE-ISSUE OUT NOW:
French rock label Bad Reputation have announced their latest re-issue, a remastered version of the excellent Little Angels album Young Gods + 5 Bonus Tracks.
Track Listing: 1. Back Door Man 2. Boneyard 3. Young Gods (Stand Up, Stand Up) 4. I Ain't Gonna Cry 5. The Wildside Of Life 6. Product Of The Working Class 7. That's My Kinda Life 8. Juvenile Offender 9. Love Is A Gun 10. Sweet Love Sedation 11. Smoke In My Eyes 12. Natural Born Fighter 13. Feels Like The World Has Come Undone 13a Featuring The Angels' Antem. Bonus Tracks: 14. Go (As You Please) 15. Bad Imitation 16. Babylon's Burning 17. Funk 49 18. Oh Well.
Next Re-issues due from the label are: Dare Out Of The Silence Remastered + 6 Bonus Tracks (December) and Giant Last Of The Runaways + Bonus Tracks (February 2010). No - I do not yet have details for the bonus tracks on these 2 absolutely classic albums! Stay tuned...
WebLink: www.badreputation.fr.

 

 

 

Friday, October 16, 2009

ESCAPE MUSIC INTRODUCE ANGEL HOUSE:
Escape Music would like to announce their next release - the new Angel House album The Gun, The Love And The Cross in Europe on November 20.
Track Listing: 1. This Spirit 2. Iron Rails 3. Day By Day 4. House Of Law 5. Heaven Tonight 6. Hit The Target 7. Breakout 8. Soul Breaker 9. The Last Song 10. When The Water Gets Too High.
Here is an exclusive full track download track to melodicrock.com readers: Heaven Tonight (.wma file)
Angel House are: Pete Easthope - Vocals, Guitar, Acoustic; Simon Cooper - Drums, Percussion; Phil Easthope - Bass, Vocals.

Birmingham has always been recognised as producing famous rock and heavy metal bands, Black Sabbath being the most notable, and of course the great Magnum. Following in the tradition of such household names is Angel House, a band who play their own brand of hard rock music, with a 70's and 80's influence. They already have a great following thanks to their awesome live set. They have opened for such bands as Blue Oyster Cult, Tyketto and Mountain as well as headlining their own tours.
In 2004 due to popular request they produced a two track single featuring the fan's favourite – Superstitious Woman – and managed to get airplay on BBC Radio and Radio Gets Wild. They won an award on RGW and they shared the best band slot with Las Vegas band "Dark Life". They are held in high esteem, especially in the USA where they have toured the west coast. They have since gathered an army of fans due to sheer determination.
In 2007 they released their debut album "World on Fire" produced by Mark Stuart of Magnum fame. The release saw the band receive excellent reviews and has prompted some to predict the re-emergence of a new strain of NWOBHM with Angel House leading the way. The band, consisting of only three members; Pete, Simon and Phil are regarded as a no-nonsense trio who just get on with the job in hand.
After recent appearances in the UK with bands such as Tygers of pan tang, John Waite and Von Groove, Angel House have returned to the studio and are poised to release their second album "The Gun, The Love and the Cross", once again with producer Mark Stuart. Set for release later this year the new songs are much stronger than on the first album and have already been aired live to fantastic reaction, Angel House are a band to watch out for.
WebLink: www.Escape-Music.com.

 
xx

ANOTHER LOST GEM FROM RENEGADE SOUNDS:
Renegade Sounds has just landed a deal to release the new Stiletto CD. This melodic hard rock band from the late 80's early 90's has a ton of unreleased material, as well as a few songs released under a different band name. Stiletto features the superb vocals of David Steele, known for his harmony work on Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, The Cult, and Motley Crue and as lead vocalist for Double Dealer. Virtuoso guitarist Kenny Geatros, also in Double Dealer as well as Renegade, wrote and produced. Executive producer Jim Buckshon discovered these unreleased gems recently, and is in the final stages of sequencing this album, due out in November.
WebLink: www.renegadesounds.com.

FOZZY DEBUT NEW VIDEO:
Fozzy the band featuring WWE Wrestling Superstar Chris Jericho and Stuck Mojo mastermind Rich 'The Duke' Ward release their 4th Album Chasing The Grail through Riot Entertainment worldwide on January 19, 2010. After the massive success of 'Martyr No More' which became a YouTube sensation with over 40 000 plays in its first 3 days, Fozzy will launch 'Let The Madness Begin' to the public via YouTube on Fri, Oct 16 @ Midnight US EST. The link to 'Madness' will be advised VERY soon, in the meantime, check out Martyr No More: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HswfkRR6VYA.

CD SHOWCASE UPDATED:
CD Showcase has been updated with the following new previews: Markonee (Escape Music); Grand Design, Grimmstine, Ronny Munroe and Bert Heerink (Metal Heaven). Check them out now.

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X has been updated with the following features:
- Mr. Big Tokyo 2/14/2009 - PRT Live in The Studio (8 Tracks)
- Rainbow - 1979-10-12 - Chicago (5 Tracks)
Plus the following Video Clips: Doro - Hard Times, Kix - Get It While Its Hot and WASP - The Real Me.
This is a last call for all recent updates to be downloaded - a stack of new stuff to be added over the next few weeks...
MR-X Membership Details.

 

 

 

Thursday, October 15, 2009

AVENUE OF ALLIES MUSIC PRESS RELEASE:
Avenue Of Allies Music present the upcoming CD releases. To be released on the October 30:

FireThrill Me - Energetic melodic Hard Rock done the good old fashioned way with a strong lead vocalist, powerful guitar riffs and a dynamic rhythm section are the trademarks of Fire, a smokin' hot band hailing from the Mediterranean island of Malta. The straight ahead Rock anthems of the band's second album impress with a powerful production of international standard and will win over friends of Thunder, Sammy Hagar, Krokus, Firehouse, Y & T, Gotthard and Whitesnake.
Please have a look at the video for the title track of the album: www.youtube.com/watch?v=206ICv9Ke68. For more information please visit the bands website: www.firemalta.com.

Steve Grimm BandHistory Of A Bad Boy - Digitally remastered 21-track Anthology feat. all songs recorded by the Steve Grimm Band between 1989 and 1995. The Steve Grimm Band is a prime example for classic US AOR with Midwest and Heartland Rock influences. Their catchy Rock anthems with strong song writing in the vein of Franke and The Knockouts, Prism, Shooting Star, Cheap Trick and early Survivor will be loved by the AOR and Classic Rock devotees. History Of A Bad Boy includes the songs of the releases "Prisioner Of Passion" (1989), "Turn The Key" (1992) and "Heaven's In Your Heart" (1995).

 
xx

To be released on the November 20:

Stargazer - Stargazer - Feat. Morten "Morty Black" Skaget (Ex-TNT) and Steinar Krokstad (Ex-Stage Dolls) Co-produced by Rune Nordal (TNT, Stage Dolls, A-ha).
The Norwegian Newcomers "Stargazer" are ready to cause a stir with their debut album, the band is all geared-up to reach for the musical stars up in the Rock'n Roll sky. Their aim is guarateed to become a success by the very promising combination of a modern state-of-the-art production by co-producer Rune Nordal, with "Old School" Hard Rock and Melodic Rock and with the participation on all songs of Morten "Morty Black" Skaget (Ex-TNT) on bass and Steinar Krokstad (Ex-Stage Dolls) on drums. Stargazer's Tore André Helgemo and William Ernstsen take off their hats to the big names like Van Halen, Whitesnake and Ozzy Osbourne and based on their legacy, Stargazer are creating their own signature rock sound, leaving nothing left to be desired.
For more information please visit the bands website: www.stargazertheband.com.

 

Currently in release - Fab BoxMusic From The Fab Box and ToJaTrain Of Life.
Weblinks: www.avenue-of-allies.com.

TWINSPIRITS ANNOUNCE "ITALY IN PROGRESS TOUR 2009":
Twinspirits and OnStage Booking are pleased to announce the first leg of "Italy in Progress Tour 2009", which will kick off in December, bringing the band into some of the best live rock clubs around Italy: "Italy In Progress Tour 2009" YtseJam Kr + Twinspirits + guest
03/12/2009 "Milano in progress 2009" Zoe Club - Milano
04/12/2009 "Bologna in progress 2009" Ke Me Meo - Argelato (BO)
05/12/2009 "Padova in progress 2009" Country Star - Albignasego (PD)
10/12/2009 "Perugia in progress 2009" Urban Club - Perugia
11/12/2009 "Caserta in progress 2009" Oddly Shed - Casagiove (CE)
13/12/2009 "Roma in progress 2009" Locanda Blues - Roma

In these shows Twinspirits will play songs from their new album "The Forbidden City", released in September on Lion Music. Every show will be co-headlined by Ytsejam Kr, an impressive combo that held the "Official Dream Theater Tribute Band" title from November 25th 2006 until December 31st 2007. But there's even more! Every gig will host a cool prog-metal local band as an opening act, for the best progressive experience ever!
Just to mention some: for all the guitar freaks out there, Daniele Gottardo (Guitar Idol UK finalist 2008/2009, Steve Vai Guitar Idol Award winner 2009) will be the ice-breaker in both Milan and Padova, unveiling some fine tunes from his forthcoming solo release "Frenzy of Ecstasy" (soon to be released by Favored Nations). Chapter Zero will warm up the crowd in Bologna (Ke Me Meo club) with their complex-yet-melodic style. Stay tuned, more updates are to follow soon.
WebLinks: www.twinspirits.net / www.myspace.com/twinspiritsband.

 

HELIX TURN VAGABONDS:
Canada legends Helix to release a new studio CD. Vagabond Bones will be released by Perris Records for the USA and Universal-Fontana in Canada. The official release date for the CD in the USA and Canada is November 17.
The response to the new CD has been tremendous and all those who have heard it are lavishing praise. Tom Mathers of Perris Records who had this to say about it: '…No f**king way this is the best CD you could follow with Power Of Rock n' Roll lets knock this out for sure, I will be staying up all night rocking on this one brother the lyrics are the best ever…' and Derek Oliver from Rock Candy Records has already told me that he thinks the first three tracks he's heard so far are blown-away.
The biggest heavy metal band in Canadian history! With a catalogue of music that spans a history of over 30 years. With 5 gold and 2 platinum albums under their belt and millions of records sold around the world, we see Helix release their 15th studio album this year called "Vagabond Bones". Lead vocalist Brian Vollmer had this to say about the CD. "We were working under a self-imposed deadline of having the CD out for the fall of 2009. The writing relationship between Sean and I developed when Sean joined the band this past spring. When Sean got the job as the new guitar player for Nelly Furtado we made a pact between the two of us to finish the new CD before he had to take off on tour.
We went right down to the wire last week, but in the end victory was ours and everything was finished by the time Sean got on the plane for Europe. We really lucked out with the talented people we were able to involve on the project. From the recording to the artwork, the team we assembled did a remarkable job. I'm very proud of this piece of work. I hope the fans will enjoy it as much as I did recording it."

Track Listing: 1. The Animal Inside (won't be denied) 2. Go Hard Or Go Home 3. Vagabond Bones 4. Monday Morning Meltdown 5. Bitter's Got The Better Of You 6. Hung Over But Still angin' In 7. Best Mistake I Never Made 8. Make 'Em Dance 9. Jack It Up.

 

TODD RUNDGREN'S LATEST TRUE STAR:
Todd Rundgren's all-star band line-up for the British Premiere of "A Wizard A True Star" on 6th February 2010 at the HMV London Hammersmith Apollo includes former members of Utopia, The Cars and The Tubes. The line-up consists of Todd Rundgren (vocals, guitar), Jesse Gress (guitar, vocals), Greg Hawkes (keyboards, vocals), Ralph Schuckett (keyboards, vocals), Prairie Prince (drums), Bobby Strickland (saxophone, vocals) and Kasim Sulton (bass, vocals). More info: www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/meanfiddler/Todd_Rundgren_wizard.htm.
Jesse Gress (guitar) tours and records with Todd Rundgren and the Grammy-nominated Tony Levin Band. Greg Hawkes is the famed keyboardist and co-founder of The Cars (1977-1987). Prairie Prince (drums) has been a founding member of art-rock band The Tubes since 1969.
Ralph Schuckett was a member of the band Utopia and played keyboards for the band from 1972 to 1975. He appeared on the albums 'Todd Rundgren's Utopia' (1974) and 'Another Live' (1975).
Bobby Strickland played saxophone and toured Rundgren's albums 'Nearly Human' (1989) and '2nd Wind' (1991). Kasim Sulton (bass) was member of Utopia and has worked with Meat Loaf, Joan Jett, Patti Smith, and Hall and Oates.
Todd Rundgren performs the British Premiere of "A Wizard, A True Star" HMV London Hammersmith Apollo on Saturday 6th February 2010. Box Office: 08700 603 777. Book Online: www.seetickets.com.

FANCY MORE QUIREBOYS?:
The Quireboys 'A Bit Of What You Fancy' Re-mastered Album Released Monday 9th November 2009. Re-mastered from original master tapes at Abbey Road Studios.
The Quireboys' debut album 'A Bit Of What You Fancy' peaked at number 2 and spent 15 weeks, in the UK charts, when originally released in 1990. It includes the hit singles '7 O'Clock' (UK No.36, 1989), 'Hey You' (UK No.14, 1990), 'I Don't Love You Anymore' (UK No.24, 1990) and 'There She Goes Again / Misled' (UK No.37, 1990).
The CD re-issue contains the original 12 track album plus eight bonus album demo recordings, and all the tracks have been digitally re-mastered from original master tapes, at Abbey Road Studios. The re-mastered album also contains an information booklet which features extensive sleeve notes with new quotes from the band.
'A Little Bit Of What You Fancy' re-mastered, is released on CD on Monday 9th November 2009, and is available exclusively from Jerkin' Crocus Records www.jerkincrocus.com.

Forthcoming UK Tour Dates:
Thursday 3rd December - Limelight, Crewe
Thursday 10th December - O2 Academy 2, Bristol
Friday 11th December - HMV Forum, London
Saturday 12th December - JB's, Dudley
Thursday 17th December - O2 Academy 2, Liverpool
Friday 18th December - Cathouse, Glasgow
Saturday 19th December - O2 Academy 2, Sheffield
Sunday 20th December - Academy, Newcastle

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

MRCD6 – THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM!:
I'd just like to double confirm plans for a new MRCD volume to be issued ASAP! Work has been underway on gathering some suitable Christmas/Holiday songs to make up a great, good fun Melodic Rock Christmas release. Pre-sales could be online within 2 weeks!
This is the last call for any artists that might like to be involved – time is running out fast! Contact me now.

 

TERRY BROCK CANCELS FIREFEST GUEST APPEARANCE:
We regret to announce that Terry Brock (Strangeways/The Sign) is unable to appear with Drive She Said at Firefest as originally planned. Terry has sent the following with regard to his inability to travel to the show:

"To all the great fans at Firefest... I was so looking forward to coming over again and seeing you all and playing with Mark, Al, Jon and the guys and seeing the FM lads and the Romeo's folks, but due to an illness within my family, I am unable to travel very far from home for the forseeable future. I thank Kieran, Bruce and Mark for inviting me, and hope to see you all very soon. All the best, and be well all.... Terry Brock."

Unfortunately illness is something no one can legislate for, and in Terry's case he is particularly disappointed as he was so looking forward to playing the show. In fact he was so keen to play he even wanted to just get up on stage and play acoustically...in between bands...his own words.
Hopefully it won't be too long before we once again see Terry's amazing talent on these shores.

ACE FREHLEY TOUR POSTPONED UNTIL EARLY 2010:
Original Kiss lead guitarist Ace Frehley was due in Australia next week for 3 shows, however Australian promoters advised today that the tour will now be postponed until February 2010 in order to accommodate the artist schedule and the newly tour dates.
When the tour does reach Australia in early 2010, it will be in an expanded format with extra dates being scheduled in Perth and Adelaide due to overwhelming demand from Ace fans in both those cities.
ACE was due to perform at Melbourne's Palace October 19th, Sydney's Enmore Theatre October 20th and Brisbane's The Tivoli October 21st.
Ticketholders can hold onto their tickets which will be valid for the new dates – due to be announced shortly. Alternatively they can seek a refund from their ticketing agency.
For further Australian tour information: www.redanttouring.com.

ANTHRAX: CONFIRMED FOR SOUNDWAVE AUSTRALIA 2010:
Anthrax redefined metal in the '80s, stressing anger, speed, and emotional intensity over big hair and power ballads. After a stunning performance at the Sonisphere festival a huge campaign was waged by the fans to get John Bush back on vocals. We can proudly announce that John will indeed be fronting Anthrax for their Soundwave performances and this will surely have the bands faithful frothing at the mouth! Anthrax join 3 other Riot bands on the Soundwave bill – Meshuggah, Baroness & Whitechapel!
Feb/March 2010
Saturday 20 Brisbane, RNA Showgrounds
Sunday 21 Sydney, Eastern Creek Raceway
Friday 26 Melbourne, Showgrounds
Saturday 27 Adelaide, Bonython Park
Monday 1 Perth, Steel Blue Oval
WebLink: www.soundwavefestival.com

VINCE NEIL DROPS FIRST PUCK AT LAREDO HOCKEY GAME AND ROCKS THE LAREDO TEXAS AUTMUS FESTIVAL:
Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil dropped the first puck at Friday night's (October 9) pre-season game at the Laredo Entertainment Center in Laredo, Texas when the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League took on Rio Grande Valley. Despite Neil's attendance, the Bucks lost to the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees 4-3 in front of a franchise pre-season record crowd of 5,076. The same night, Neil made an appearance at Reina's Ultra Lounge to raise money for the Skylar Neil Foundation.
On Saturday (October 10), Neil headlined the fifth annual AutMus Fest at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas. The festival, which also featured Nico Vega and The Toadies, was organized by Gabe Reed Productions (www.gabereed.com) and the Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) alumni association in order to raise money for student scholarships. Over 7,000 fans attended the festival and several hundred thousand dollars were raised from the festival proceeds.

SWEDEN'S VAINS OF JENNA DECLARE WAR ON THE TRUTH!:
Swedish import Vains of Jenna's brand of high energy of rock and roll is one-part gritty street punk, one-part Johnny Thunders and a dash of the Sunset Strip's glory days of fast living, trashy romance and glamorous wreckage. Think the Stones circa 1967 but with better haircuts. After an exhaustive two years of road work (350+ shows) including the hugely successful 2007 Poison/Ratt tour, Bam Margera's Viva La Bands with GWAR and Cradle of Filth, which incidentally will go down in Vains lore as they fought their way thru Cradle of Filth management in order to get laid. Bam himself was fully stoked to hear of the brawling horniness. In addition the band put in some roadwork with noted LA rockers Fireball Ministry, supporting their 2006 Lit Up/Let Down album (Filthy Note Records), and Vains of Jenna are ready to spread the rock gospel this Fall with "The Art of Telling Lies" (RLS/Raw Noise Records).
The Art of Telling Lies, their 3rd full-length was recorded with producer Brent Woods and includes the tracks "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead", "Paper Heart", the buzz track "Get It On", along with a denim and leather-lunged version of Tom Petty's "Refugee".  The band comprised of vox/guitarist Lizzy DeVine, guitarist Nicki Kin, drummer Jacki Stone and bassist JP White have been kicking up Hells delight from Stockholm to San Diego since they were 18, and with a new record in the can and a dirty old Dodge van loaded to the gills, the road once again beckons, so lock up your daughters and hide the booze!
Vains of Jenna are hitting the bricks in 2009, this time with rockers Dirty Penny in support.
WebLink: www.vainsofjenna.com.

 

 

 

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

FRONTIERS READY TO ROCK YOUR BONES ONCE AGAIN:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of the Seventh Volume of the Rock The Bones label sampler on November 6. The item's track listing does include some of the current and upcoming label hits and does feature some very interesting premieres such as the new Giant single Promised Land which will be included in the band's anticipated fourth album to be released in 2010, The Murder Of My Sweet debut single Bleed Me Dry and The Beauty Of Dreams from Brazilian Aorsters Auras.
Full track listing includes: Winger: Deal With the Devil; Mr. Big: Take Cover (live); Giant: Promised Land; W.E.T.: One Love; Cinderella: Gypsy Road (live); Danger Danger: Hearts on the Highway; Lynch Mob: Smoke and Mirrors; House of Lords: Cartesian Dreams; Mastedon: Revolution of Mind; Stryper: Murder by Pride; Out Loud!: We Run; The Lou Gramm Band: Baptized by Fire; Jaded Heart: Love is a Killer; Jorn: Rock and Roll Angel; Blanc Faces: Falling From the Moon; The Murder of My Sweet: Bleed Me Dry; Auras: Beauty of Dreams.
Inner liner notes are courtesy of Andrew J. McNeice of MelodicRock.com.

 

Frontiers Records announces the November 10 US release schedule that will include: W.E.T. "W.E.T." (CD + DVD digipak edition), Pink Cream 69 "Live In Karlsruhe" 2CD digipak, Pink Cream 69 "Past and Present" 2DVD, Jaded Heart "Perfect Insanity", Blanc Faces "Falling From The Moon".
As usual the albums will be distributed domestically in the USA via Super D Distribution.

Kiske / Somerville - Producer Mat Sinner checked in from the recording sessions of the highly anticipated album featuring vocalist Michael Kiske and American singer Amanda Somerville (Avantasia) . "We finished the songwriting for 12 original new songs – no covers .... and a week ago, we've started the final recordings! Everything looks cool and the song material is amazing!"
Most of the songs are written by Mat Sinner together with Magnus Karlsson (co-producer & guitarist), more songwriting contributions come from former "After Forever" guitarist Sander Gommans, Amanda Somerville (Arise, A Thousand Suns, Set Afire) and two outstanding symphonic songs written by Mat Sinner with keyboard maestro Jimmy Kresic (End Of The Road, Devil In Her Heart). Some more song titles can be revealed for the moment: Silence, Don't Walk Away, Rain, Nothing Left To Say, If I Had A Wish, One Night Burning and Second Chance.
"We're recording in two studios at the moment" says Mat. "Magnus is recording guitars at his own Stuntguitar Studios in Sweden and I'm working at the Audiospezialist Studio in Germany with drummer Martin Schmidt (ex-Atrocity, RMC Band) and keyboarder Jimmy Kresic (Voodoo Circle). After the Primal Fear European Tour, we will start with the vocal & choir recordings and I'm really looking forward to be a part of this progress. This album is a big challenge and it sounds already like something really special for me, in a time when we face a so many releases every month. Sander Gommans will join the team and will add some lead guitars and we're talking to two more prominent musicians for a guest appearance".
Achim Koehler (Primal Fear, Edguy) is chosen to mix & master the album at Indiscreet Studios for a spring release on Frontiers Records.

Frontiers Records is proud to present the new issue of Melodic Rock Fanzine. The 34th release of the label's successful magazine is available for free all over the world through record shops, mail-order and every fine dealer carrying the Frontiers Records releases. The new issue presents for the first time completely new and fresh design with more interviews and reviews!
Here are the previews of the two Melodic Rock Fanzine covers: This new issue includes reviews and interviews of Mr. Big, House Of Lords, W.E.T., Lynch Mob, Grimmstine, Pink Cream 69,Mob Rules, Blanc Faces, Danger Danger, Fab Box, Winger, Jaded Heart... and more!
Electronic readable version of the magazine is available on the Frontiers official site and here: issuu.com/frontiers_records/docs/mrf34.

 
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FIREFEST 6 PROGRAMME & T-SHIRTS:
After the success of our full colour programme last year, we have created another fantastic collectors' item for Firefest 6. This glorious 28 page full-colour programme is strictly limited to 500 copies, and will be on sale at various locations on the day, priced only £5. However, we will also pre-sell these programmes and send out prior to the actual show. The cost is £5 plus £1 P&P UK, £2 P&P Europe and £3 P&P USA & Rest of World. Of course, delivery to Europe and Rest of World cannot be guaranteed before the show. (Will be in Stock by Friday 16th).
The programme covers in detail all bands playing, with full discographies and set times. Payment can be made directly using PayPal to: fireworks.mag@ntlworld.com and should be up on Firefest website soon.

 

And here are a couple of the designs for Firefest T-Shirts available now. All order details at: shop.thefirefest.com. More designs and colors at: www.thefirefest.com.
 
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WARRANT LIVE IN LA:
By Gerry Gittelson / Melodicrock.com Los Angeles correspondent. Story By Gerry Gittelson, Photos By Rhonda Woodfine.
Los Angeles -- One of the last platinum pop-rock bands of the post-Poison era to make it through the gate, Warrant has hung around a lot longer than most of their compatriots -- a lot more effectively, too.
They were a cut above back in their prime thanks to superior songwriting and a great image, and Warrant still puts forth an entertaining live show today thanks to four of the five originals sticking around and continuing their energetic, fun style that first endeared them.
The big problem, of course, is there is no Jani Lane, Warrant's charismatic singer and unquestioned leader of the band, replaced by Robert Mason, who is a talented singer but like most people in the world does not possess Lane's infectious likeability. That said, Warrant put on a damn good concert performance before a crowd of about 1,000 on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Canyon Club near Los Angeles.

 

The band was extremely tight, the background vocals and musicianship were top notch, and the set list was designed for optimum audience enjoyment, with a heavy focus on material from the first two albums. If you liked early Warrant, it was like a great buffet – "Down Boys," "Sometimes She Cries," "32 Pennies," "Big Talk," "Bed of Roses," "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Blind Faith" and of course the two biggies, "Heaven" and "Cherry Pie."
Guitarists Erik Turner and Joey Allen, bass player Jerry Dixon and drummer Steven Sweet were spot on, and Mason did the best he could considering he was not Jani Lane.
It's never easy to forge ahead without your lead singer, especially an MVP like Janie Lane, but extend Warrant credit for giving it their best shot. Mason looks good, he sings good, and, we assume, he behaves well, too, and obviously that's important after everything Lane has put the band through.
My guess is Warrant is going to stick around for a long time. Lane might have one more comeback attempt him – maybe not – but either way, Warrant is a feel-good band just like it always was.

 
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INTRODUCING DELANY - ALL STAR PROJECT:
Music Buy Mail is proud to announce the release of Delany Blaze And Ashes on November 13.
Delany is a brand new fascinating project with internationally well known musicians such as Lana Lane, David Readman and Davy Vain. The concept album "Blaze & Ashes" is based on Wolfgang Hohlbein's continuation of his successful fantasy novels "Chronicle of the Immortal". The adventures take place in London and are wrapped up in an exciting and emotional rock album. The main book actors Andrey, Abu Dun, Inspector Marcus, Frederic, Loki and Meruhe are spectacularly played to the gallery by the singers! Dennis Ward was once again responsible for a brilliant mix and mastering!

Wolfgang Hohlbein, born 1953 in Weimar, belongs to the most successful and important authors in Germany with more than 35 million sold books. He achieved his break through in 1982 with his book for young people called "Märchenmond" for which he received the Phantastik price of the city of Wetzlar. From this point on, he wrote more than 150 novels, children's and youth's books as well as screen plays.
The concept of "Blaze & Ashes" was launched by Volker Leson. Based on Hohlbein's new novel, he created a unique and special musical master plan. Volker Leson has been actively involved in the music business with his heavy metal band Wizard for 20 years. Over the last year he could gain a high reputation in the international metalcircus with his recent album releases. Besides of Davy Vain, Volker Leson is one of the main songwriters / lyricists. Davy Vain reached international success with his band VAIN in the 1980's and ever since then he is also a well sought after and booked songwriter / producer for artists such as Journey, Van Halen, Christina Aguilera, Linda Perry (4 Non Blondes), Death Angel, etc. Davy knows, like no one other, how to create great song structures with catchy melodies so that each song becomes his very own special vibe and emotion! Beside Volker and Davy, a young and talented guy of the "new generation of rock" is the third songwriter: Torsti Spoof of Finnish hardrock high-flyer Leverage.
As to Lana Lane, the main female actor, it is not even necessary to announce her in a fancy manner. Lana is an international star, when we are talking about progressive & symphonic metal and classic rock. She always works with high profile musicians on her albums such as Blue Murder and The Firm bass player Tony Franklin, keyboarder Eric Norlander, Mark Boals, Gary Hughes, just to mention a few. Especially in Asia, Lana reached single figure chart placements. Along with Lana Lane in the first row is also David Readman of Pink Cream 69, Adagio and Voodoo Circle. David is a fascinating charismatic singer who convinces not only in the studio but electrifies his live audience with his voice and charisma. That's why David can often be seen live on stage rocking with his band (Alex Beyrodt und Simple Minds drummer Mel Gaynor).
The ex-"Wunderkind" Jamie Scott (Vain), who already joined the legendary metal band Vicious Rumors at the age of 16 played guitar on the album together with Dano Boland from Wizard. Tommy Rickard is responsible for all drums on the album and no one else as keyboard mastermind Erik Norlander is doing keyboards on "Love Tears".
Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69) is known for brilliant and powerful productions and once again he refined Blaze And Ashes with his mix and mastering.
Blaze & Ashes is a timeless rock album, thematically and stylistically connected to Wolfgang Hohlbein's new novel „Chronic of Immortals" … the rumours about the mysterious case of death let both immortals Delany and Abu Dun move to London to search for the Phantom! On an exciting and fascinating hunt both get into traps set by a gang of street kids and find themselves in the police' dungeon before a huge fire sparks over London …
Track list: 01. Blood And Ashes (voices by: David Readman) 02. Here Comes Lonely (voices by: Davy Vain) 03. Love Tears (voices by: Lana Lane) 04. Incarnation (voices by: David Readman) 05. Web Over London (voices by: David Readman) 06. Eternity Is Yours (voices by: Lana Lane) 07. Planets Turning (voices by: Davy Vain) 08. Shadow On Your Heart (voices by: Lana Lane) 09. Distance Of Love (voices by: David Readman) 10. Dead Undead (voices by: David Readman) 11. London Bridge (voices by: David Readman).
More info: www.myspace.com/musicbuymaileu / www.musicbuymail.eu.

 

NUNO BETTENCOURT & JASON SEGEL MAKE VIDEO FOR HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:
New York, NY – Nuno Bettencourt, guitarist for the band Extreme, and actor Jason Segel star in a music video for thee CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Known for their love affair with "songs that are awesome," Himym have re-created the famous Extreme video, "More Than Words." Other cast members including Neil Patrick Harris, Cobie Smulders, Alyson Hannigan and Josh Radnor also appear in the video.
Nuno explained the odd feeling it gave him filming a video that felt very similar to one he's already made. As he explained with a laugh, "It's bizarre looking up and seeing Jason. It's pretty interesting." However, he added, "It's kind of cool, because it's not the song. It's a completely different song in the sense of lyrics and everything, so that makes it interesting."
Jason Segel said that performing with Bettencourt was, "Amazing. I feel like I have a new soulmate. We might even try to do a little collaboration at some point, so that would be a real honor."
Associate Producer Carl MacLaren explains that the idea is that, "The video doesn't live in the world of the show, like most of our websites do. The video lives in the world of Marshall's brain. This, in a sense, is like the ultimate version of the song and we're doing another website within the show. You'll see a piece of the website in the episode, and the great thing is people are going to assume that's what they're going to see when they go to the url -- and instead, it's going to be this high concept video starring Nuno Bettencourt and basically a reenactment of the 'More than Words' video."
To view the video: www.itwasthebestnightever.com.
Guitar virtuoso, Nuno Bettencourt, is currently the guitarist for the Grammy-nominated band Extreme which have released five albums, plus a greatest hits set-selling over 10 million records worldwide. Their song "More Than Words" (from Extreme's 1990 multi-platinum album Extreme II: Pornograffitti) was a #1 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100. "More Than Words" has been recently featured in hit movies Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Love Guru.

DON DOKKEN TALKS DOKKEN (OF COURSE):
Don Dokken has come a long way from his '80s heyday of rocking stages and wild parties, but his passion for writing music hasn't changed a bit. To this day, Don's distinct singing and writing style continues to make Dokken a successful live act as well as a steady fountain of new music. With 11 studio albums to his credit and thousands of live shows under his belt, Don has nothing to prove.
In an exclusive chat with Matt Becker from Melodic Rock Concerts, Don discussed future Dokken projects as well as the current music scene. There were several revelations during the interview, including the announcement that Dokken has signed with Cleopatra records to release a new studio album similar to the band's 2008 effort Lightning Strikes Again. The upcoming Greatest Hits project was also discussed and revealed to contain two new songs as well as two cover songs in addition to the re-recorded Dokken classics.
When it comes to new music and the current scene, Don has found its highs in bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Green Day, but also its lows, "All of this commercial, Disneyland stuff, I mean come on. Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus, give me a break. She's got no talent, she's crude. She's just a little trailer trash girl they picked up and made a star, good for her. She's making millions, but I'd love to hear her sing a cappella on acoustic guitar. Good luck."
The rest of the interview can be read at this link: melodicrockconcerts.com/?p=1664.

MELODIC BRIEFS:
According to a post on the message board on the official Blue Cheer website (www.bluecheer.us) Dickie Peterson, bassist/vocalist of the legendary San Francisco heavy metal pioneers died Monday morning in Germany. He had apparently had a number of serious health issues including liver cancer, prostate problems and a recent infection of his gall bladder.

Pete Fry sat down and had a good conversation with Kip Winger recently, for May The Rock Be With You, covering everything from the new release, to writing/recording, to classical composing and working with an orchestra: www.maytherockbewithyou.com/May_The_Rock_Be_With_You/Features/Entries/2009/10/11_WINGER.html.

John Sloman has a new website www.johnsloman.net which includes a Music Store from which John's classic first solo album Disappearances Can Be Deceptive can be purchased. The album features an all star cast of musicians including Alan Murphy (Go West, Level 42, Kate Bush) and Pino Palladino (The Who, Eric Clapton and just about everyone else!). The album was produced by the legendary Todd Rundgren. Other albums and tracks will be added to the Music Store soon.
The album had been unavailable for about 15 years but John apparently received so many queries that he decided to make it available for download.

Singer/guitarist Richie Kotzen, on tour in Europe, met up with Hardrock Haven to discuss his brand new album Peace Sign; why it's organic playing in a trio; the difference between playing in a "band" and doing his own solo journey; the state of guitarists as virtuosos (or lack thereof) today; his evolution as a guitarist to a songwriter and singer; and a whole lot more. To read the entire interview, head to: hardrockhaven.net/online/2009/richie-kotzen/.

Pre-Orders are open for the new Stryper coffee-table book, By His Strypes. It's a 25 year visual history of the band, and there will be two covers for it. Here's a link with more info: stryper.com/Fan%20Zone/Stryper%20Book/stryper_by_his_strypes.htm.

Steve Conte & The Crazy Truth is a new album featuring "11 Scorching Rock & Roll Tracks From New York City" (Special guests include David Johansen). Debut Album on iTunes, Amazon.com and in stores 10/20/09 On Varese Vintage Records. WebLinks: www.steveconteandthecrazytruth.com / www.myspace.com/stevecontecrazytruth.

Tim McPhate of KissFAQ sent me this news item to post: "I wanted to forward you a link to our interview with Larry Harris, author of And Party Every Day: The Inside Story Of Casablanca Records. This is the first part of a two-part interview. Really cool stuff about Casablanca and hopefully something all KISS/1970s music fans might want to check out. Was hoping you would consider posting it." Indeed! www.kissfaq.com/forum09/viewtopic.php?t=35972.

Milan-based publisher Tsunami Edizioni has acquired Italian rights to 'Rick Rubin: in the Studio' by biographer Jake Brown, and will publish the title- translated into Italian- during mid-2010. Italy's biggest publisher of rock/metal related titles, the publisher has previously released books on AC/DC, Motorhead's Lemmy, metal legends Slayer, Metallica's Cliff Burton, Rolling Stones late guitarist Brian Jones, and Black Sabbath among a host of others. Visit them online at www.myspace.com/tsunamiedizioni or www.tsunamiedizioni.it.

Nikki Sixx Book Re-Issue to Feature Newly Designed Cover: Rock 'N' Roll Books/SCB Distribution are set to re-issue 'An Education in Rebellion: The Biography of Nikki Sixx' in the spring of 2010 with a brand new cover (see below).

 

TUNNEL IS ROCK MUSIC FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE ROCK MUSIC!:
Dave Henzerling (King Kobra, Keel, Big Cock, Lizzy Borden) met vocalist Scott Hammons in late 2008 while they were both playing shows with the band Icon. In early 2009, they got together to work on new material for an as-yet-unnamed project and the chemistry just clicked. Dave had already laid down basic tracks with Los Angeles drummer Ryan Hoyle (Collective Soul) and together with Scott on lead vocals, they completed a collection of eight songs by the end of the hot Arizona summer.
Produced by Dave Henzerling, Tunnel also enlisted world-renown background singer Marc LaFrance (Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Bryan Adams) as well as "Guitar Hero" Steve Ouimette (Guitar Hero III, Rock Revolution) for help with one of the song's orchestral arrangements. The CD was mixed by Chuck Alkazian (Pop Evil, Saving Abel) at Pearl Sound Studios in Canton, MI and mastered by Justin Shturtz at Sterling Sound in New York. The debut album from Tunnel is set for release in November 2009.
WebLink: www.myspace.com/tunnelonline.

6th ANNUAL JOURNEY CONVENTION ANNOUNCED:
The 6th Annual Journey Convention takes place on Saturday 17th October at the Birdwell Club, Barnsley. As in previous years, the event is dedicated to celebrating all that was and is one of the greatest AOR bands ever, Journey.
No Journey Convention would be complete without our headline act and special guests The Essential Journey, who are the leading UK Journey tribute band, together with ETA as support, a great rock covers band who throw in a few Journey classics here and there.
Join us in rocking the afternoon and evening away while raising money for Children's cancer charities. The event as always will have our great friend and supporter DJ Stevie E as Master of Ceremonies, driving the bidding up during the auction and playing some of the best AOR music and videos , past and present.
The Top auction item will a guitar signed by Neal Schon and an amazing array of goodies to be auctioned and raffled. One of the raffles will be in memory of one of the original Red 13 Crew, George Strathearn who sadly passed away a year ago.
This year we have introduced a new family ticket price of £20 for two adults and two kids, single ticket prices are £8 per person. We will also be arranging a 'Swap Shop' for those of you old enough to remember Noel Edmonds, so bring along any unwanted or duplicate Journey related goodies to swap with other people at the event. As always the event has been generously supported by the band themselves and their management in the USA and past members of the band.
So for a chance to re-live your youth and celebrate the enduring magic and music of Journey which is still going strong today, come along and join us. Details of timings, location, hotels and ticket prices can be found at: www.journeyrock.co.uk.

INTRODUCING AURORA SKY:
Sometimes it can take a lot more than one window closing before you discover the wide open door that stands before you. Such is the case with the Modern Rock force known as Aurora Sky. After a gallant run for major label recognition from CBS Records, Interscope and others, the previous formation of the band known as Fear The Clown seemed destined for a non-stop ride to the top. Label showcases and powerful live performances yielded many offers from the majors, but unfortunately, internal complications and differing opinions about the musical direction would cause an untimely dissolve of the band's relationship with frontman and guitarist Andrew West. Without the talented musician's vocal and writing ability to lean on, Fear The Clown crumbled to its demise in 2005.
Flash forward to 2007: Left to pick up the pieces on his own, West began writing what would later become the launching pad for Aurora Sky in six tracks that he took with him to L.A. for studio sessions with the Grammy Nominated Michael Raphael of the band Neve. With Raphael's engineering and production genius, West and Fear The Clown drummer Chris Shy pumped out one of the most stunning releases of their career. Critics agreed, calling the Aurora Sky E.P. one of the "hottest Modern Rock releases since Shinedown"!
Now, nearly four years after the fall of Fear The Clown, West has assembled the most stunning line-up of his career to launch the Aurora Sky name and International release of their self-titled E.P. On October 27th, the world will finally get a taste of what radio programmers across the U.S. and music critics have been raving about the past year and a half. WOBX-98.1FM program director Cuervo Curtis calls Aurora Sky "One of the most memorable call-outs we've seen in years. They've got at least three singles on this thing!"
Hear for yourself what is destined to become one of the biggest standout releases of 2009! Aurora Sky's self-titled album drops at Itunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster & Shockhound on October 27th through Away Team Music. The band is in the midst of assembling a tour schedule to support the release with shows planned throughout their home turf of Oklahoma City, Tulsa and a run through the East Coast as the opener for national and regional acts throughout.
Check them out: www.sonicbids.com/aurorasky.

URIAH HEEP AND IOANNIS RELEASE RECORD COVER ART COLLECTIBLE:
To commemorate the release of the new Uriah Heep album Celebration, Ioannis the cover artist has created and issued three hundred (300) prints measuring 18" X 24" unframed. Ioannis supervised the printing of each piece individually assuring the closest reproduction to the actual artwork.
Each limited edition print is approved and individually hand signed and numbered by Ioannis and the members of Uriah Heep, Mick Box, Trevor Bolder, Bernie Shaw, Phil Lanzon, and Russell Gilbrook. This special edition will be limited to these three hundred prints only and will never be reproduced again.
The official Uriah Heep website by special arrangement with Dangerous Age Graphics Is making an exclusive offer to Uriah Heep, Classic Rock and Ioannis fans that preorder from this site. The offer includes an additional limited edition print of an edition of sixty signed by Ioannis. It is a print of the alternative cover that was considered for the album, a different version was eventually included in the CD package. This is the original version as it was intended making this a very collectable item for Heep fans. It's on a first come first serve basis.
A. The first Twenty-five fans that order will receive the signed print, an additional print of the alternative cover for the album signed and numbered by Ioannis an edition of only sixty, plus a signed pencil drawing that Ioannis did as prep for the cover also signed.
B. The first sixty fans who order will receive the signed print, and an additional print of the alternative cover for the album an edition of only sixty signed and numbered by Ioannis.
To pre-order this rare collectible and for further information please click this link: www.dangerousage.com/dagstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66&products_id=231.
About Uriah Heep: Uriah Heep's progressive heavy metal made the British band one of the most popular hard rock groups of the early '70s. Formed by guitarist Mick Box and vocalist David Byron in the late '60s, Uriah Heep released their debut album "Very 'eavy... Very 'umble" in 1970. Since then the band have released 20 studio albums and played to millions of fans across the globe. Uriah Heep remains one of British rock's most consistent and long-standing acts with album sales of over 30 million worldwide.
About Ioannis: Greek born Artist Ioannis has created record cover artwork (over 170 albums) since 1983 for some of the most legendary bands in the music industry, his clients include Deep Purple, Allman Brothers, King Crimson, Blue Oyster Cult, Styx, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ufo, Dream Theater,Yngwie Malmsteen, Sepultura, Biohazard, The Tubes and many more, he was one of the artists selected for Woodstock 1994, has been interviewed by magazines and websites internationally, his originals paintings and limited edition prints are selling in the thousands of dollars. Ioannis is currently setting up a series of international exhibitions and a merchandising line of his work.

 

 

 

Monday, October 12, 2009

LEVERAGE - CIRCUS COLOSSUS PRESS RELEASE:
Finnish melodic-metallers Leverage are proud to present their new eagerly-awaited album Circus Colossus! Circus Colossus will be released in Europe November 4th via Universal/Spinefarm Records and in Japan October 26th via Marquee/Avalon.
Tracklist: 01. Rise 02. Wolf And The Moon 03. Movie Gods 04. Worldbeater 05. Rider Of Storm 06. Legions Of Invisible 07. Revelation 08. Don't Keep Me Waiting 09. Prisoners 10. Broken Wings.
Head and shoulders above the competition, Leverage is darker and more progressive than your average melodic metal group and their supreme tour de force "Circus Colossus" will amaze you all the way - right from the impressive streetlight symphony of "The Wolf and the Moon" to the direct point-blank hits "Legions Of Invisible" & "Prisoner" and the languor of the ballad "Don't Keep Me Waiting". Closing with rousing "Broken Wings" the album leaves the listeners' ears ringing and index fingers reaching for a rapid replay.
"Circus Colossus" is the address where all the good stuff resides; a gigantic stadium, the one venue where timeless melodies meet an unique, modern take on honest-to-God heavy rock and superior musicianship. "Circus Colossus" is a moody and melodic metal marvel, a raging slab full of catchy grooves and dense riffage. It can't be said any more clearly - "Circus Colossus" is an audio addiction, to which you will rejoicingly succumb.
2009 will see an Earth-shattering late fall for the purveyors of melodic metal. Having come basically out of nowhere in 2006, in just a couple of short years Leverage are going places...
Line-Up (from L to R): Valtteri Revonkorpi (Drums); Pekka Lampinen (Bass); Torsti Spoof (Guitars); Tuomas Heikkinen (Guitars); Marko Niskala (Keyboards); Pekka Heino (Vocals).
WebLinks: www.leverageband.com / www.myspace.com/leverageband / www.spinefarm.fi.

 
xx

ROCK MEETS CLASSIC 2010:
In January 2010, the original singers of the bands Foreigner, Toto and Nazareth will tour together for the first time with the motto Rock Meets Classic. The exceptional singers Lou Gramm (ex-Foreigner), Bobby Kimball (ex-Toto) and Dan Mccafferty (Nazareth) will present their classically arranged world hits in a rock fashion. They will be supported by the RMC band, directed by Mat Sinner and by the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra Prague, conducted by Philipp Maier.
Lou Gramm is acclaimed as one of the world's best rock singers. As a founding member and songwriter of Foreigner, Lou has sold more than 80 million records world-wide. In Germany, Foreigner's great breakthrough came with the album "4". With Rock Meets Classic, the fans may look forward to Lou's smash hits like I Want To Know What Love Is, Juke Box Hero, Waiting For A Girl, Cold As Ice and more. Breaking news: In June 2009, Lou Gramm released his new solo CD "The Lou Gramm Band".
As original voice and founding member of Toto, Bobby Kimball celebrated huge successes world-wide. The band's debut album (incl. Hold The Line) entered the rock'n'roll Hall Of Fame as a "classic", and in the meantime, songs like Africa and Rosanna from their album "IV" have become evergreens of rock history. This legendary album earned the band six Grammys and made Bobby's voice a trademark of Toto. But Toto was not the only platform for him to achieve fulfillment – he realized sophisticated solo projects, working together with world stars like Al Jarreau, Barbara Streisand, Richard Marx and Diana Ross.
As the leader of his band Nazareth, Dan Mccafferty, together with other bands of the first rock generation like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple or Black Sabbath, was significantly involved in the world-wide breakthrough of hard rock. Their albums Razamanaz and Loud'N'Proud are milestones of rock history, and the album X2Z as well as the hit single Dream On also were a huge world-wide success in the 80s. With 40 million sold records, besides Simple Minds, Nazareth are the internationally most well-known Scottish band and to the present day stay in the top 5 of the most requested bands on all rock radio stations. Among other things, Dan brings along his world hits like Love Hurts, This Flight Tonight and Dream On!
Look forward to an electrifying concert and an unforgettable event with a pleasant mix of classical and rock music – world hits in new make-up, inspiring all generations yesterday as well as today!

Tour dates:
12.01.2010 Saarbrücken, Saarlandhalle
14.01.2010 Bonn, Beethovenhalle
15.01.2010 Essen, Grugahalle
17.01.2010 Sursee (Luzern), Stadthalle
16.01.2010 Stuttgart, Liederhalle
18.01.2010 München, Philharmonie am Gasteig
19.01.2010 Frankfurt, Jahrhunderthalle
21.01.2010 Hamburg, Congress Center Hamburg
23.01.2010 Kempten, Big Box
24.01.2010 Bamberg, JAKO-Arena
25.01.2010 Berlin, Tempodrom
27.01.2010 Dresden, Kulturpalast
28.01.2010 Halle (Saale), Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Halle
29.01.2010 Prag, Congress Center
30.01.2010 Halle (Westfalen), Gerry Weber Stadion
For further information see www.tourneen.com.

THE LAUNCH OF "POWERAGE" PRODUCTION SERVICES AGENCY:
Powerage Production Services Agency Ltd is delighted to announce that it is opening its doors with rock and metal oriented live music events around the country.
Events will open with an Artist Management Showcase taking place at London's "The Bridgehouse 2" on Saturday, January 16th 2010. Metal bands are welcome to apply for one of the remaining spots (seven remaining spots at the time of press release being issued) on the showcase – please contact the company for further information via their website and/or their MySpace page. The company's niche in the sector of artist management is progressive metal, and that is where the focus of the company will be directed as they search for the very best metal bands in the country, however, outside of the Artist Management Showcase, the company deal with a much broader range of metal.
The company will also be launching its own namesake-festival, a touring festival under the banner-name "Powerage Festival", comprising 50 shows across the whole of the UK and Ireland, and which will feature around 400 bands across the 50 dates, which will run from Land's End and Kent in the South to John O'Groats in the North of Scotland, plus Wales, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
The touring festival's main event will be a 5000 capacity event in Northern Scotland, which will feature several stages and significant established acts. At the present time, the company are continuing to seek further sponsors for these events, which will reach out to an aggregate capacity of 20,000 people across the 50 shows, running from April to December. One sponsor has been confirmed thus far, and more are required, with sponsorship packages starting at just £250.
The events are geared towards showcasing the very best talent in the British Isles (including Ireland) and also to give bands a taste of the reality of the music business in the 21st century. The company are accepting submissions for both their festival-based shows and their artist management showcase now. Please apply online if you are interested. The company (who can be found online at www.powerageagency.com and www.myspace.com/powerageproductionservicesagencyltd).

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X has been updated with the following:
A new selection of 11 new Bonus Tracks.
- Journey - 1983 Record Plant Conversation Interview.
- Journey - Profile 1986 (Jon Cain, Steve Perry and Neal Schon Interview)
MR-X Membership Information.

REVIEWS & FEATURE REVIEWS UPDATED:
Three new Reviews online today - Foreigner / Can't Slow Down; Kiss / Sonic Boom and Lita Ford / Wicked Wonderland. Read The Reviews.

And Feature Reviews has been updated to allow readers to add their own comments/reviews to these new releases: Foreigner / Can't Slow Down; Kiss / Sonic Boom, Lita Ford / Wicked Wonderland, Danger Danger / Revolve, Gotthard / Need To Believe, House Of Lords / Cartesian Dreams, Europe / Last Look At Eden, Lynch Mob / Smoke And Mirrors, The Poodles / Clash Of The Elements, Reece / Universal Language.
Add Your Reviews Now.

More to come...

 

 

 

Friday, October 09, 2009

ROCK CANDY RECORDS - OCTOBER RELEASES:
Rock Candy's latest two re-issues are now available - Grand Prix 'S/T' and Teaze 'One Night Stands'.
Both releases are available now at the website www.rockcandyrecords.com at a discounted price of £10.99 including shipping for a limited two week period.

Grand Prix 'S/T' - "During The Late 1970's and early 1980's the British hard rock scene was exploding with new groups. Dubbed the NWOBHM, it was a movement that sent the genre back to basics, feeding off the punk do-it-yourself ethics. Groups such as Iron Maiden, Samson and Saxon reaped big rewards but, beneath the top layers of success, a number of other highly-talented rock bands were also looking to make an impact. Grand Prix were one such act. Signed to RCA records, the band were launched to solid critical acclaim, but their music was quickly identified as being far too sophisticated to truly align them to the NWOBHM. Like Praying Mantis, White Spirit, Tobruk and Shy, the band's penchant for polish, melody and complex arrangements meant that they were quickly sidelined by many in favour of the more in-your-face attributes of the competition. With a sound steeped in American radio rock, comparisons were immediately made to Styx, Kansas, Saga and Journey. However, Grand Prix were, it must be said, practically the only British band of the era that could hold a candle to the serious melodic sensibilities of their American cousins. Part of the reason for this was the appointment of vocalist Bernie Shaw, a Canadian citizen who had moved to the UK in search of new opportunities."
Track Listing: 1. Waiting For The Night 2. Day In The Life 3. Thinking Of You 4. Mama Sayes 5. Which Way Did The Wind Blow 6. West Wind 7. Next To You 8. You Know It Can Be 9. Feel Like I Do 10. The Very Last Time (Dreamer) 11. Feels Good (Grand Prix) Non LP B-side 12. Room 155 (Unreleased demo) 13. Somewhere Tonight (Unreleased demo w/ Bernie Shaw).

Teaze 'One Night Stands' - "During The 1970's and 1980's the Canadian rock scene was bursting with home grown hard rock talent. BTO, Rush, Triumph, and April Wine may have led the charge but there were a dozens of lesser known acts clambering for attention. The scene, dubbed Maple Leaf Mayhem incorporated magnificent masters of their craft such as Max Webster, Mahogany Rush, Moxy, Trooper and…Teaze. Mad, bad and dangerous to know, the boys in Teaze packed their punches, coming out swinging as though their life depended on every riff. Compared, by those who know about such things, to leading lights of the era, including Kiss, Aerosmith, Angel and Cheap Trick, the band made an immediate impact in, of all places, Japan where their explosive riffs, poptastic hooks, colourful glad rags and no holds barred on-stage energy immediately elevated them to stardom. Buoyed by this success, the band continued to consolidate their Canadian presence before scoring a much coveted Stateside deal with Capitol Records. For many, 'One Night Stands' is the highlight of Teaze's career; a savage take no prisoners collection of tough-guy hard rock produced to maximum effect by April Wine main-man Myles Goodwin and loaded with prime time guitar anthems such as 'Back In Action', 'Red Hot Ready' and the classic 'Boys Night Out'. It is regarded as one of the most impressive hard rock records of the era."
Track Listing: 1. Back In Action 2. Young And Reckless 3. Heartless World 4. Boys Night Out 5. Through The Years 6. Reach Out 7. Stay Here 8. Red Hot Ready 9. Touch The Wind. Bonus Track 10. Loose Change.

 
xx

RICK SPRINGFIELD GETS TWISTED:
Be sure to tune into Californication for the next four weeks starting Sunday (USA), as Rick Springfield makes a special guest appearance on the show as a 'drug-addled version of himself'.
From EW.com: "When a Californication casting call went out for an '80s idol to play a twisted, misogynistic, drug-addled version of himself (and a new client for Evan Handler's Charlie), everyone from Richard Grieco to Ian Ziering showed up. But Rick Springfield won the four-episode arc that starts tonight, thanks to all-in readings of depraved lines detailing how he'd orally pleasured a Tarzana housewife who'd paid $1,000 for a day with him. ''Challenges are what you get into acting for,'' he says. ''My favorite part before this was when I played a psychotic murderer and rapist in [the 1990 TV movie] Dead Reckoning. And it was the best reviews I ever got.'' He's tight-lipped about his alter ego, but reveals that ''Rick'' likes group sex and will butt heads with David Duchovny's Hank. We're doing the math...and setting our DVRs. —Mandi Bierly.

KISS CHART TOPPERS?:
Kiss look likely to take #1 spot on the Billboard 200 next week, with the release of their new Sonic Boom studio album. Foreigner will take #26 with Can't Slow Down. Good news for rock music fans. Reviews of both albums (and Lita Ford) will be online Monday.

SECRET SMILE'S TIME IS NOW:
Secret Smile have completed work on their new studio album - This Is Our Time Now. A label and release date is being negotiated currently.
Bio: "Their sound has been described as rock, pop, and the ever-popular "powerpop," yet whichever label you attach to them, the band Secret Smile has been synonymous with the melodic rock genre for twenty years! Roaring out of Connecticut in the late 1980's, the band quickly built a loyal fan base with their energetic music and stage show supporting such notable heavyweights as Meatloaf, Foreigner, Rick Springfield, Bret Michaels, Patty Smyth & Scandal, Starship, Dokken, Winger, Nine Days, LA Guns, Enuff Z' Nuff, Ratt,White Lion, Steelheart, Kix, Danger Danger, Ted Poley, The Rembrandts, Peter Wolf, Jefferson Starship, Sweet, Tall Stories, Lillian Axe, Dan Reed Network, Tuff, Willie Nile, & Warrant. Playing at legendary venues was (and still is) commonplace for the band, having performed numerous times at Toad's Place in CT, The Channel Club in Boston, CBGB's, The China Club and the Bitter End in NY City, as well as The Strand Theater in RI and The Colonial Theater in NH.
These days, Secret Smile is poised to release their fifth full-length CD titled "This Is Our Time Now." A fitting title for the group, considering the entire first half of their careers was spent fighting an uphill battle against not only the grunge bands of Seattle, but the music industry's attitude at the time towards melodic rock music. Undeterred in those early years, the band pressed forward working with CBS Recording Artist Jeff Cannata, and well known NY City engineer Ritchie Oliver, and released their debut CD Anatomy in 1994, and Brick It! in 1997. After a five year hiatus, the band reunited in 2003 when approached by Metal Mayhem Records to record a new CD for the label. The ensuing project titled "The Road Less Travelled," was released later that year to glowing reviews worldwide. Its follow up in 2005 "Hurry Up And Wait", further cemented the group's reputation for feel good songs built around heavy guitars and keyboards, and featured AOR legend and Danger Danger lead singer Ted Poley on background vocals. Once again, reviews were extremely positive and found the band in top form during live shows promoting the disc with Foreigner and Danger Danger.
Since that time back in 2003, the band has enjoyed their ever-increasing popularity, with CD sales in twenty-seven different countries thanks to a mainstream return of the "powerpop" sound. Secret Smile took over two years to record their latest CD, and cannot wait to return to the stage in 2009 & beyond. For those who have been waiting for it, this IS our time now!"
Tracklisting: 1- This Is Our Time Now 2- I Believe In You 3- Wasn't Meant To Be 4- Don't Want To 5- We're Sticking Around 6- I'm On My Way 7- Heaven Only Knows 8- We Ended Up Okay 9- The Hardest Part 10- Common Ground 11- Not My Heartache (Anymore) 12- All Of The Things I Ever Needed.
WebLink: www.myspace.com/officialsecretsmile.

 

ENEMY OF THE SUN START PRODUCTION OF SECOND ALBUM:
Enemy Of The Sun have started the production of the follow-up to "Shadows". Expect large amounts heaviness, but as always with a twist or two. The album should be done by the end of the year, a release for spring 2010 is planned. Production will be handled by the man himself, Mr. Waldemar Sorychta. More info from the studio as the metal unfolds...
Stay tuned. And fasten your seatbelts. In other news, Enemy just returned from a trip to Finland, home to their own scream god, Mr. Jules Näveri. The band played there for the first time, but not for the last. Thanks to all who attended those three hot and sweaty club shows - see picture. Kiitos!
WebLinks: www.enemyofthesun.com / www.myspace.com/enemyofthesunband.

RAY DAVIES COVERS HIMSELF:
Ray Davies will release The Kings Choral Collection - an album featuring new versions of his own classics such as "You Really Got Me", "All Day And All Of The Night", "Waterloo Sunset" and many more featuring the 65 member Crouch End Festival Chorus.
After massively successful career spanning more than 40 years, Ray Davies, the legendary lead singer of The Kinks, is back with creative and unusual interpretations of songs from his extensive catalog. Often referred to as "almost indisputably rock's most literate, witty and insightful songwriter," Davies had the ambitious idea to collaborate with the 65-strong Crouch End Festival Chorus at the 2007 BBC Electric Proms in London to create The Kinks Choral Collection. This masterful CD will be in stores. November 10 on Decca with a nationwide tour scheduled to coincide with the release. (U.S. dates to be announced soon.)
Produced by Davies himself and with uplifting, sometimes epic, choral arrangements by David Temple, Steve Markwick and Davies, this union casts a fresh light to some of The Kinks' timeless compositions including striking new versions of classics such as "You Really Got Me", "All Day And All Of The Night", "Waterloo Sunset" and many more. Ray said of his Crouch End vocal colleagues; "With a song like 'Waterloo Sunset', I feel as if the people I wrote it for are singing it". And they display an ingenious palette of choral techniques. Hearing 'See My Friends' recast as an acappella gospel hymn is instantly striking, hugely magnifying the impact of Ray's life-after-death lyrics.
A fascinating feature of the program includes a six-song suite from the 1968 album The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society. Although not as well known as some of the bigger hits, this collection is now widely regarded as The Kinks' masterpiece, with songs like "Do You Remember Walter?" which is a poignant memoir of a vanished childhood world.
Overall this inspirational new album offers so much to explore and admire from fans who own the entire Kinks catalogue on vinyl or to complete newcomers. This is a great introduction to Davies' idiosyncratic, delightful world. A slice of pop history revived: "Thank you for the days . . . Days I'll remember all my life".
Track Listing: 1. Days 2. Waterloo Sunset 3. You Really Got Me 4. Victoria 5. See My Friends 6. Celluloid Heroes 7. Shangri-La 8. Working Man's Café Tracks 9-14 Village Green Medley: 9. Village Green 10. Picture Book 11. Big Sky 12. Do You Remember Walter? 13. Johnny Thunder 14. Village Green Preservation Society 15. All Day and All Of The Night.
WebLink: www.raydavies.info.

 

UPDATES:
A few things needed to be taken care of today, so please tune in Monday for this week's MR-X update and new reviews of Kiss, Foreigner and Lita Ford. I'll also open up the Feature Reviews section for adding your comments to all the latest review titles.

 

 

 

Thursday, October 08, 2009

FIREFEST PRESS RELEASE OCTOBER 8:
White Sister DVD - Straight from the Heart: Live at Firefest 2008 -
Following an intense period of editing and re-editing the first ever White Sister DVD is done. The band and Transistor Pictures worked practically non-stop in order to get the final mixes and edits completed in time, and as a result the very first White Sister release since 1987 will be officially released at Firefest 6 on October 23 and 24.
This, as always, will be a Limited Edition run, with only 750 pieces total available and as with all of the Firefest DVD series, it will not be re-printed. The package is a single DVD disk containing the entire White Sister performance from their triumphant return to live action at Firefest 5 and will be available only in PAL Region Free (0).
An NTSC version will not be available. Considering the demand for this DVD it is STRONGLY advised that you Pre-Order your copy for 14.99 plus postage at www.thefirefest.com as Straight From The Heart will sell out very quickly. There will be a limited number of copies available at the merchandise desk at Firefest, so if you do intend to pick up a copy it is advisable to Pre-Order your copy to be 100% sure of getting your copy of one of the most anticipated DVD releases within the genre in many years.

 
xx

Loud And Clear - Louder Than Ever -
We received an astonishing amount of pre-orders for L.A.'s best kept secret. The band supplied us with so much bonus material that we were forced to remove some of it from the hard copy audio CD. This material will still be available to everyone who purchases a copy of the DVD. Simply go to the website as directed in the booklet and download the extra 'extras' using the unique code contained once again in the booklet. The DVDs are currently in transit to us and as soon as they have arrived they will be shipped out immediately. Unfortunately the delays were unavoidable, but the wait will be over shortly. There are a small number of copies available still in PAL format and plenty in NTSC, and you can order yours on www.thefirefest.com.

Stage Times Firefest 6
Friday Trent Uni October 23rd
Doors: 6.45pm
Lost Weekend : 7.05 – 7.35
Eclipse: 7.55 – 8.35
Bad Habit: 8.55 – 9.45
Heat :10.05 – 11.00
Treat: 11.20 – 12.20

Saturday October 24 - Rock City
Doors 12 noon
Airrace: 12.20 - 12.50
Poodles: 1.10 - 1.50
Drive She Said: 2.10 - 3.05
Romeos Daughter: 3.25 - 4.25
White Sister: 4.45 - 5.45
Crown Of Thorns: 6.05 - 7.05
Honeymoon Suite: 7.30 - 8.35
F.M.: 9.00 - 10.20
Curfew 10.30 PM

Firefest Tickets - There are still tickets available for both shows (although Friday's really limited supply). Please go to www.thefirefest.com for details.
Please also note regarding ticketing. All agencies have now ceased selling Firefest tickets and the ONLY place to purchase tickets now is www.thefirefest.com or www.rock-city.co.uk.
If you wish to pay on the day the admission price for Saturday will be £55. You will not be able to purchase tickets at the venue for the Friday night show at Trent Uni as it will be completely sold out!

Firefest 6 Merchandise - The idea of being able to purchase a Firefest Shirt in advance of the show has proven to be a very popular move with over 200 people purchasing shirts prior to the show last year. This year we have the same option available for shirts as well as the event programme. We have a stunning new line of event t shirts in both ladies and gents sizes, and shirts are available to order now at the Firefest web site. All shirts pre ordered will be dispatched on October 16th and should reach UK destinations within two days. Mainland European destinations will vary but postal guidelines state major cities and suburbs should be reached within 2-4 working days. If you pre-order your shirt to wear at the show, it will be dispatched on Oct 16th, however, we are not responsible for the postal delivery service and therefore we cannot guarantee you your shirt will arrive prior to the show.
To see the full range of shirts please go to www.thefirefest.com. Photos of the physical shirts will be posted as soon as possible, but we're sure you will agree that the range of shirts is really cool.

LEVERAGE READY TO GO COLOSSAL:
The much anticipated new Leverage album will be released worldwide November 4. The album Circus Colossus is set to feature the following tracks: 1. Rise 2. Wolf And The Moon 3. Movie Gods 4. Worldbeater 5. Rider Of Storm 6. Legions Of Invisible 7. Revelation 8. Don't Keep Me Waiting 9. Prisoners 10. Broken Wings + Japanese Bonus Tracks: 11. Mean And Evil 12. Walk On Home.
Line-Up: Pekka Heino (Vocals); Tuomas Heikkinen (Guitars); Torsti Spoof (Guitars); Valtteri Revonkorpi (Drums); Pekka Lampinen (Bass); Marko Niskala (Keyboards).

 

LION MUSIC ARTIST UPDATE:
The latest updates from Lion Music:
Vendetta - Heretic Nation - Since their formation in early 2006, Vendetta has gone from strength to strength. 2007's Tyranny of Minority caught the metal masses unaware - here was a band not just content to reference the old school - they were on a mission to extract the very essence of this timeless style and reignite it for a new age. Inspired and on the up the band has spent the last 18 months carefully crafting their second album and 2009 see's the release of Heretic Nation.
Containing ten scorching tracks, it takes off where Tyranny of Minority ended and all the hallmarks of the Vendetta sound are present and correct: Crunching guitars, throbbing bass, pounding drums, searing leads and impassioned vocals.
Heretic Nation is a natural progression from Tyranny of Minority both lyrically and musically. Having a permanent drummer in Lee Lamb combined with the band gigging for the past two years has solidified the band and Vendetta are now a more cohesive unit reflected in the overall sound and performances contained within Heretic Nation. One more subtle change to the debut is Heretic Nation being more metal containing less of the LA influence that was featured on Tyranny of Minority, but it still contains the balance of melody and aggression the band strive for.
On the subject of the band goals with Heretic Nation, Edward Box comments, "essentially it was to build on the positives of the debut but to take on board the criticisms. It was clear the vocals needed to be improved and the drumming pushed to the fore. We feel we have succeeded in harnessing a much better sound for the rhythm section and the vocals have a more aggressive and expansive feel to them. Overall, the album is more focused and tighter".
Along with an excellent new album, the band have also produced 3 promotional videos for the album. The first of which My Revelation has been on YouTube for a couple of months prior to release and gained a superb response from the public. This will be followed up with another performance video for New Horizon.
In the final analysis Heretic Nation has a sound that reaches back into a bygone era of melody and finesse. If you haven't already caught on then now is the time to convert to this most traditional of English metal bands.
Track Listing - 01. Delusion 02.Age Of Annihilation 03.New Horizon 04. My Revelation 05. Skaro 06. A Glass Half Empty 07. Killing Time 08. Face Your Demons 09. The Space Between 10. Powers That Be.
Musicians - Edward Box – Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar, Pete Thompson – Lead Guitar, Gary Foalle – Bass, Lee Lamb - Drums.
WebLinks: www.vendetta-theband.com / www.myspace.com/nosafehole / uk.youtube.com/user/VendettaVault.

 

Missing Tide - Follow The Dreamer - From Copenhagen, Denmark come the new promising melodic hard rock/ heavy metal-act Missing Tide. Formed in 2007, the line-up consists of some of the most experienced and talented musicians from the Danish heavy metal scene with backgrounds in world renowned bands such as Royal Hunt, Pretty Maids, Evil Masquerade, Manticora and Kingdom Come. With a basis in Kasper Gram's consistent bass play and the pounding and energetic drums from Allan Tschicaja, combined with powerful guitar riffs from Jacob Kjaer and Henrik Brockmann's characteristic, intense and unique voice, Missing Tide produces a solid, melodic sound, which cannot be ignored.
On the debut album Follow the Dreamer, Missing Tide demonstrates how they manage to create a sound with roots in the eighties hard rock and heavy metal universe, that is still present and fresh. The eleven great songs of Follow the Dreamer are build upon heavy guitar riffs and a solid rhythm section, but with the melody hook lines in centre. Put together, Follow the Dreamer is in every way a great rock album.
Follow the Dreamer has everything from the more basic melodic metal tunes Never Surrender, Fairytale, and Victim of a Crime, to the more up-tempo songs such as Traces of Fire, Push It to the Limit and the title song Follow the Dreamer, which all have a bit of elements of the neo-classical hard rock genre in them. On the emotional ballad Broken Wings the beat slows down a notch, which creates a bit of variation. The same goes for the final and heaviest song on the album, Long Live the Heroes. This song is a tribute to all the great hard rock bands of the eighties and takes Missing Tide back to their own youth, where they grew up listening to the music, that they love and live for to this day.
Track Listing - 01. Follow The Dreamer. 02. Never Surrender. 03. Traces Of Fire. 04. Fairytale. 05. Dangerous. 06. Victim Of A Crime. 07. Broken Wings. 08. Push It To The Limit. 09. Take Me High. 10. Away. 11. Long Live The Heroes.
Musicians: Henrik Brockmann - Vocals, Jacob Kjaer - Guitars, Kasper Gram - Bass, Allan Tschicaja - Drums.
WebLink: www.myspace.com/missingtide.

 

Artist News Round Up - Following on from last weeks announcement of the signing of Dreyelands we can serve up a brief teaser video for the forthcoming album "Rooms Of Revelation" set for release in the first quarter of 2010. Dreyelands - Rooms Of Revelation teaser video links: HD version - www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH929ZlmDD4 Std version - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN_u_WLFF8I.

Lars Eric Mattsson has given an update on his next musical activity. "I am currently recording and composing what will become the next Mattsson album, I hope to see it released early 2010. Unfortunately it seems like Adrienn Antal who sung on "Dream Child" won't be able to participate. No replacement has yet been confirmed. I am recording 10 tracks that I believe will become the best music I have done this far. The material is a mix of progressive metal and symphonic neoclassical but will also include some classic rock/prog ideas. Even though the album title has not yet been set this will become a concept album as I do have the main ideas clear. I think it's fair to say that this album will continue where "Dream Child" ended."
More info at: www.larsericmattsson.com | www.myspace.com/larsericmattsson.

A SINGER FOR SHAKRA PLEASE!:
Top class Swiss rock band Shakra are still on the hunt for a new lead singer! The band's last album was the hard rocking Everest and they are set to begin work on the next album ASAP. Interested singers can contact me directly, or visit the following websites: www.myspace.com/shakrarock / www.shakra.ch/wordpress/news.

DIO LIVE ALBUM REMASTERED:
Dio's live album of 2002 Evil or Divine is to be reissued as a remastered limited edition digipack by Metal Mind Records November 2. Track Listing: 1. Killing The Dragon 2. Egypt / Children Of The Sea 3. Push 4. Stand Up And Shout 5. Rock And Roll 6. Don't Talk To Strangers 7. Man On The Silver Mountain 8. Guitar Solo 9. Long Live Rock And Roll 10. Fever Dreams 11. Holy Diver 12. Heaven And Hell 13. The Last In Line 14. Rainbow In The Dark 15. We Rock.

R.I.P. TERRY GRIFFIN - WIFE OF THOM GRIFFIN:
A sad loss for a well loved member of the melodic community has been kept a private affair up until now, but I have been given the ok to mention this now. Singer Thom Griffin tragically lost his wife to a one year battle with cancer a few weeks back. Terry and Thom were married some 27 years, which is such a milestone, especially in this industry. Heartfelt condolences go out to Thom and his family. R.I.P. Terry.
An article on Terry's legacy has appeared in their native Chicago and I'd like to present that to readers now: www.suburbanchicagonews.com.

TRAIN'S SAVE ME, SAN FRANCISCO 2009 TOUR KICKS OFF OCTOBER 20:
GRAMMY Award-winning band Train is rolling back out to launch their "Save Me, San Francisco Tour" on October 20th in Seattle, Washington, in support of the October 27th release of their new Columbia Records' album, Save Me, San Francisco. The 28-city concert tour runs through December 11th, and features special guest Uncle Kracker.
Tickets for the October 20th concert in Seattle are available at The Moore Theatre Box Office and Ticketing Kiosks, through Tickets.com and by phone at 877-STG-4TIX. Tickets for the October 29th Salt Lake City concert at The Depot are at all Smith's Tix locations (1-800-888-TIXX, 467-TIXX) and smithstix.com. Tickets for the November 8th concert in Washington DC are available at the 930 Club Box Office and through Tickets.com.
All other concerts are available at all Ticketmaster locations, via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000, Ticketmaster Express at 866-448-7849 (automated only self service line) or online at Ticketmaster.com.
Train is offering fan VIP packages. Visit the band's newly re-launched Web site, www.trainline.com, for more information.
Save Me, San Francisco is the multi-platinum-selling band's fifth studio album and marks the restoration of Train's original line-up - vocalist Pat Monahan, guitarist Jimmy Stafford and drummer Scott Underwood. Produced by Martin Terefe (Jason Mraz, James Morrison, KT Tunstall), Save Me, San Francisco is the band's first album since 2003's My Private Nation. The band will compliment their new tour with TV appearances on CBS Saturday Morning on November 11th and NBC's Today Show on November 13th.
The new album's hit single, "Hey, Soul Sister," has just been released and is now available for purchase on iTunes. The track is currently at #8 on the AAA Radio charts as well as #20 on the Hot Adult Contemporary charts, and is receiving 5.7 million weekly audience impressions on 111 terrestrial stations overall. "Hey, Soul Sister," is also getting upwards of 300,000 plays on the band's MySpace site (www.myspace.com/train), and will be featured on upcoming episodes of NBC's smash drama Medium as well as commercials for ABC's hit show Ugly Betty. The new video for "Hey, Soul Sister" has just premiered online at VH1.com, and will be featured on the VH1 Top 20 Countdown beginning October 10th.
Save Me, San Francisco 2009 Tour Dates at: www.trainline.com / www.columbiarecords.com.

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

BON JOVI'S CIRCULAR PATH:
Bon Jovi's new studio album The Circle is less than a month away from release (November 10). The full track listing will be:
We Weren't Born To Follow, When We Were Beautiful, Work For The Working Man, Superman Tonight, Bullet, Thorn In My Side, Live Before You Die, Broken Promiseland, Love's the Only Rule, Fast Cars, Happy Now, Learn To Love.
The Japanese CD Single of We Weren't Born To Follow features an instrumental version of the song and the Deluxe Edition of the album features an extra DVD portion, plus the Japanese release adds a poster.

 

JIMMY MARTIN RE-ISSUE OUT NOW:
RockPapas is proud to distribute the Digitally Remastered re-release of the Jimmy Martin & New Deal album You Get What You P(l)ay For! The first Release was in 1982 from Atlantis Records and is now available first on CD by Bob Media. In the 80s Jimmy Martin had two great AOR Releases "The Rhythm Of Life" and "Kids Of The Rockin Nation". He work together with great producer and musicians like Clif Magness and John Rich (Status Quo). Until the end of October all buyers of this CD get the new Jimmy Martin Single "Für Dich" for free.
More information: www.myspace.com/jimmymartinmusic / www.jimmymartin.de / www.rockpapas.de / www.bobmedia.com.

 
xx

BILLBOARD TALKS:
Two updates from Billboard.com:

Two independent record labels sued U.S. rock band Guns N' Roses for $1 million, claiming the group used portions of two songs by a German musician on their last album "Chinese Democracy."
Guns N' Roses and Universal Music Group's Interscope-Geffen A&M label were sued by British label Independiente and the U.S. arm of Domino Recording Company, who own the licensing rights to songs by German electronic musician Ulrich Schnauss.
Singer Axl Rose and Guns N' Roses band members and album producers copied portions of two of Schnauss' songs -- "Wherever You Are" and "A Strangely Isolated Place" -- for a song used on the band's last album called "Riad N' the Bedouins," according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed on Friday but made available on Monday, seeks $1 million in damages. A spokesperson for Interscope-Geffen A&M, owned by Vivendi's Universal Music Group, was not available for comment. "Chinese Democracy," the band's first new album in 17 years that was released last November, resulted in disappointing sales.
Besides Rose, the only original member in the band, the other current and former band members named in the suit include guitarist Brian Carroll, better known as "Buckethead," bassist Tommy Stinson, and Robin Finck, who currently plays lead guitar with rock act Nine Inch Nails.
www.billboard.com/#/news/guns-n-roses-sued-for-copying-songs-1004018829.story.

"When you're in a rock band, the only thing you have as your ace in the deck is your knowledge of your talent and your friendship," Anvil lead singer Steve "Lips" Kudlow said in a Billboard.com video interview on the eve of the Oct. 6 DVD release of "Anvil: The Story of Anvil," the rock doc about the influential but long-unsung Canadian metal band. "Everything else is just random. What is the dealer giving you? And we've been playing this extraordinary game of poker for years and not really winning."
Calling to mind both "This Is Spinal Tap" and the Metallica doc "Some Kind Of Monster" -- it involves both a screaming match and someone named Robb Reiner -- "Anvil: The Story Of Anvil" catches up with Anvil a quarter-century on from its 1982 debut, "Metal On Metal." The movie finds that the band had quickly dropped into obscurity and the grind of endless small venue tours while the group's "goes to 11" music itself had attracted respect from many, including Metallica's Lars Ulrich and Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash (both of whom are interviewed in the film). Former roadie Sacha Gervasi, who co-founded Bush and has written some high profile screenplays, directed the doc out of his longtime love for the band.
www.billboard.com/#/features/anvil-talks-fuel-of-failure-doc-success-1004019040.story.

RAY WEST (SPREAD EAGLE) RELEASES SOLO ALBUM:
Former Spread Eagle singer Ray West has released his debut solo album 'All Pointz West'. The music is modern hard rock drawing influence from today's contemporaries such as Korn, Killswitch Engage, and Rage Against The Machine. West describes the album as 'melodic, soulful, and psychotic". "In other words, this is not an 80s hair metal record". A free download for the song 'Novacaine' is available at his new official site www.myspace.com/raywestofficial. 'Novacaine' was heard on the USA TV series Burn Notice and soon to be on FX's "Sons of Anarchy" this coming Nov 10, 2009. The track will also be in a new indie movie "Paper Man". Several other songs from 'All Pointz West' will be featured in the new BRAAP film, "Narly 9" as well as the new "Crusty Demons" film.
The album is available at CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon.com. Wholesale inquiries for distributors and retailers should be sent to raywestapw@aol.com. For more info visit: www.myspace.com/raywestofficial.

 
 

REDEMPTION RELEASES SNOWFALL ON JUDGMENT DAY:
Snowfall On Judgment Day features more mature songwriting than ever before and shows the band taking several steps beyond the quality of their previous output with their unique brand of heavy, melodic and emotionally powerful music. Redemption has clearly delivered their best album to date. Features Ray Adler (Fates Warning) on vocals and Bernie Versailles (Agent Steel) on guitar. James LaBrie (Dream Theatre) guests on vocals and the album was mixed by Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Jorn, Circus Maximus).
Track Listing: 1. Peel 2. Walls 3. Leviathan Rising 4. Black And White World 5. Unformed 6. Keep Breathing 7. Another Day Dies 8. What Will You Say? 9. Fistful Of Sand 10. Love Kills Us All/Life In One Day.

NEW ALBUM "THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL" FROM ARCH ENEMY:
Arch Enemy has unleashed their new studio album "The Root Of All Evil" today! It contains a selection of completely re-recorded tracks from the band's first three albums "Black Earth" (1996), "Stigmata" (1998) and "Burning Bridges" (1999), re-energized and upgraded by the band's definitive line-up!
Metal titans Arch Enemy have also released the first music video from their new album "The Root of All Evil". "Beast Of Man" was shot this past summer at Germany's Rock Hard Festival and can be viewed here.
Track Listing: 1. The Root Of All Evil (Intro) 2. Beast Of Man 3. The Immortal 4. Diva Satanica 5. Demonic Science 6. Bury Me An Angel 7. Dead Inside 8. Dark Insanity 9. Pilgrim 10. Demoniality (Instrumental) 11. Transmigration Macabre 12. Silverwing 13. Bridge Of Destiny.

JOE SATRIANI 1 - COLDPLAY ZERO!:
A few people since Friday have mentioned my erroneous headline of Coldplay 1, Joe Satriani 0.
It should most definitely have read Coldplay 0, Joe Satriani 1, after all, the band settled out of court with an undisclosed payment to the worthy Mr. Satriani. I was working late and simply screwed up the headline. My apologies. Here is the article again - music-mix.ew.com/2009/09/16/coldplay-satriani-lawsuit/.

INTRODUCING SOULFUL TERRAIN:
Soulful Terrain is pleased to release its new album entitled, Astoria. Melding elements of Progressive Rock, Jazz, Celtic and Modern music, Astoria is a multi-stylistic musical journey into what is possible when the barriers of what is expected are diffused, resulting in music that is free to let the listener be inspired on a wide variety of spiritual and emotional levels. Stay tuned for official release events coming very very soon.
Soulful Terrain's Astoria is the work of Jason Williams: guitar/bass/keyboards, Van Hunsberger: drums/percussion and Elic Gurganus: lead vocals. Plus significant musical contributions from David Bainbridge: guitar/keyboards and Frank Van Essen: violin, from the band Iona, as well as several other special guests.
Astoria is available in 2 ways. First, a full 16/44.1 CD quality wav download & Second, a 320 kps MP3 download. Pricing will be different for each format so you can choose what's best for your needs. It will also come with a digital booklet with art, credits and a CD cover you can print out if you wish.
WebLink: www.soulfulterrain.com.

 

 

 

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

THE THIRD MASTEDON MASTERPIECE:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the European release of the brand new Mastedon album 3 on November 6.
Mastedon is the Hard Rock band put together by ex-Kansas singer John Elefante, together with his brother Dino in the late 80's. The band's name was a pachyderm-inspired reference to the brothers' last name. Although John was an accomplished vocalist and performer, the first two Mastedon albums featured multiple lead singers and performances by other artists, creating an eclectic sound anchored by John's songwriting. His brother Dino played a prominent role, contributing songwriting and handling most of the guitar work. Some of the collaborators in the band's first two albums were Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Stef Burns (Y&T), bassists John Pierce (Richard Marx) and John Patitucci plus guest vocalists David Pack (Ambrosia), David Robbins (X-Sinner), Tom Bowes (Tower of Power), James Dean Longacre (Life9) and Perry Lee (Tracer Fox).
In 1996 John Elefante started a solo career that brought him to release three successful albums more in the Adult Contemporary - Pop Rock vein. After a few years of hiatus, John decided to go back to his roots sound with a brand new Mastedon album that - contrary to the predecessors – would only feature his amazing lead vocals. Musically, the new album, simply entitled "3" harkens back to the best of Mastedon and to his work with Kansas. None other than main Kansas songwriter Kerry Livgren appears on lead guitar on this new release, collaborating on a 11 minute piece of music that any Kansas fan will surely love! More famed musicians and such as Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Anthony Sallee (Whiteheart), Dan Needham (Michael McDonald, Neville Brothers, Amy Grant, Garth Brooks etc) and of course John's brother Dino Elefante contribute to the performance of this superb new release.

 

L to R: Dino Elefante, Anthony Sallee, Dave Amato, John Elefante

Rich melodic harmonies and melodies are the keys to a Mastedon record and "3" is clearly an instant winner in all its moments and will remain as an hallmark in John Elefante's career for many years to come.
Final track listing of "3" includes: Revolution of Mind; Slay Your Demons; Nowhere Without Your Love; One Day Down By The Lake (See You Real Soon); Water Into Wine (Fassa Rokka), Questions (It's About Time); You Can't Take Anything; Lying; The Western World; That's What You Do; Dust In the Wind (exclusive bonus track).

As a companion to this new release, Frontiers managed to acquire the rights for the re-release of Mastedon's legendary debut album "It's a Jungle Out There!". Released originally in 1989, it charted at #25 in the Billboard Top Contemporary Christian chart. To this day, this album is still considered classics in the genre and has reached some amazing prices in the trades on E-bay. Frontiers new reissue includes full lyrics and three bonus tracks "Wasn't It Love" (from the compilation "California Metal") and live versions of "Islands In The Sky" and "Right Hand" recorded live at Cornerstone in 1991.
Full track listing: It's A Jungle Out There; Glory Bound; This Is The Day; Love Inhalation; Islands In The Sky; Get Up; Love That Will Survive; Innocent Girl; Shine On; Right Hand; Wasn't It Love *; Islands In The Sky (Live at Cornerstone '91)*; Right Hand (Live at Cornerstone '91)* * Bonus tracks
WebLinks: www.frontiers.it / www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords / www.johnelefante.com / www.myspace.com/johnelefante.

 
xx

MORE SAMPLES TO WET THE APPETITE:
A few more W.E.T. samples! Also - the band are streaming the full length Comes Down Like Rain at their new MySpace page: www.myspace.com/wetrocks.

But for now - check out: Invincible / Put Your Money Where The Mouth Is / Just Go / My Everything.

In related news - Jeff Scott Soto Video Interview up on Backstageaxxess.com: www.backstageaxxess.com/index.php/interviews/137-jeffscottsotointerview.

 

PUBLIC MAYHEM UNDERWAY NOW:
New York, NY – Starting today, October 5, Methods of Mayhem's Public Mayhem album collaboration project is up and running! As was previously announced, Tommy Lee and Methods producer Scott Humphrey have posted isolated instrument tracks, or stems, from the upcoming album on the website www.thepublicrecord.com. Anyone with a great musical idea is invited to play a part in helping to achieve true Public Mayhem, i.e. collaborate on the album. A wide range of formats are available to work with, including RiffWorks, WAV, Logic, GarageBand, ProTools and the Four Track 3.0 iPhone application.
Participants will also have a chance to perform with Methods of Mayhem at their record release show. Public Mayhem is set for release in early 2010.
To watch Tommy Lee and Scott Humphrey explain the concept's inception, visit either of the following sites: www.thepublicrecord.com or www.roadrunnerrecords.com/video/view.aspx?songID=2626.

STAN BUSH WRITES IN:
Stan Bush dropped me an e-mail with the following update: "I wanted to get back in touch and let you know that the music from "Transformers: The Movie" was voted top 10 best sci-fi music ever!!! Maybe we can start a fan movement to help persuade Michael Bay to use "The Touch" in Transformers 3. The fans would love it! Anyway the new album is coming along great!
Thanks! Stan."

Check it out at: totalscifionline.com/admin/articles/show/4004.

 

 

 

Monday, October 05, 2009

MelodicRock Classifieds - I would like to introduce to all readers a new section on MelodicRock.com – MelodicRock Classifieds.
Even with a heavy advertising presence on the frontpage of this site, there is still significant demand for additional links and banners from artists and the occasional need to promote a special event or promotion. The dedicated MRC page will be linked from this frontpage and will display advertising for just about anything – with the majority being banner ads for artists and album releases. And it will be updated constantly on demand as new ads come in.
The cost of advertising on this new page is reflected by the fact they are not frontpage ads, making it a very inexpensive and economical way to get your message across to a dedicated and loyal reader base.
For anyone interested in adding their banner, album, text or special offer – contact me now for rates.
Please check out the page and continue to browse through it for new additions and special offers. The page is open now.

 


MRCD6 - a Rock N Roll Christmas? - I've been a little skeptical of some holiday releases in the past (and present!), but there is no denying that people love their favourite bands dishing up a rocking Christmas tune or two. So with one eye on the date, I'm contemplating putting together a holiday album of my own – MRCD6 could become a Melodic Rock N Roll Christmas! To get this done in time will require some luck, but I'm still hopeful. But I need to hear right now from any artists that might like to participate in this compilation with a tune recorded in the past or possibly a new song especially for this occasion.
Please contact me urgently and stay tuned for updates!

MRCD7 - There are plans for the next compilation also. If the Christmas/holiday set goes ahead, MRCD7 will be next and will be a 2DVD set.
What I will do on DVD1, is compile as many of these great videos bands are now making for promotional use and YouTube – in High-Quality DVD format. There are some terrific songs and quality videos out there and I think together that will make a fine DVD.
The contents of DVD2 will be detailed later – but right now I need to hear from any artists that have video clips available and would like to participate.
Contact me now!


FIREFEST FRIDAY: EXTRA TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!:
Press Release / As you know, Firefest Friday has been sold out for some time, however one of our ticketing agencies has just returned a number of Friday tickets to us which we had assumed had been sold. For anybody wishing to attend the Friday night show on October 23rd featuring Treat, Heat, Bad Habit, Eclipse and Lost Weekend, you can NOW purchase tickets from www.thefirefest.com. There are a total of 30 tickets available and will be strictly on a first come first served basis. Tickets are priced at £20 each and once they are gone, that's it!
We have received a lot of requests for Friday tickets which we have been unable to supply, so here is your last and absolutely final opportunity to actually get one. Payments can be made using PayPal to: fireworks.mag@ntlworld.com.
Thanks, The Firefest Crew.

ASIA FEATURING JOHN PAYNE SETS USA RELEASE DATE FOR MILITARY MAN:
Press Release / After a successful summer festival tour, classic AOR band Asia Featuring John Payne is scheduled to release their Military Man EP in the USA via Voiceprint Records on October 27th, 2009. The 5-song EP features new versions of "Military Man" and "Long Way Home" as well as the song "Neurosaur", penned by Asia Featuring John Payne keyboardist Erik Norlander. Along with Payne (vocals and bass), and Norlander (keyboards), the EP features Guthrie Govan on guitars and Jay Schellen on drums.
Asia Featuring John Payne drew crowds in record numbers at numerous shows such as the Valley Cultural Arts Center in Woodland Hills, CA throughout their summer tour. "I was extremely happy with the welcome we received at our USA shows this year," remarks frontman/bassist John Payne. "Let's do it again next year!" The band went so far as to secure an upcoming encore performance at the Isle Casino in Biloxi, MS on November 20th thanks to the popularity of their previous show at the establishment earlier this year.
John Payne became the frontman of the supergroup ASIA in 1992 at the invitation of keyboardist Geoff Downes, replacing vocalist/bassist John Wetton. ASIA extensively toured the world for the next 14 years performing new classics and old favorites. With John Payne fronting the band, ASIA released 8 stunning studio albums and several live recordings. In 2006, Geoff Downes left the band to reform the 1982 line up for their 25th anniversary. On the 9th of May 2006, John Payne, Geoff Downes, John Wetton, Carl Palmer and Steve Howe contractually agreed that John Payne would continue his 14 year legacy with ASIA as "ASIA Featuring John Payne".
Release Date: October 27, 2009 (USA) / Track Info: 1. Military Man - 2009 Version 2. Long Way From Home - 2009 Version 3. Neurosaur - 2009 Version 4. Military Man - Radio Edit 5. Long Way From Home - Radio Edit.
Engineered, mixed and produced by John Payne except "Neurosaur" engineered, produced and mixed by Erik Norlander. Mastered by Erik Norlander.
For more information about Asia Featuring John Payne, please visit www.theasiaband.com and / www.myspace.com/asiafeaturingjohnpayne.

ARMORED SAINT BEGINS RECORDING NEW FULL-LENGTH STUDIO ALBUM:
Press Release / Los Angeles' sons of metal, Armored Saint, are set to enter Tranzformer Studios in Burbank, CA to begin recording the band's 6th full-length studio album. Tranzformer Studios is owned by Dave Jerdan (Alice in Chains, Jane's Addiction, etc) who produced Armored Saint's 1991 classic Symbol of Salvation and Bryan Carlstrom who handled engineering on the same album. The Saint will be working with Bryan Carlstrom who will once again handle engineering duties with the bands very own Joey Vera producing, and both Joey and Bryan mixing the record. A partial song list for the upcoming album, which is expected to hit streets in the spring 2010 is: Black Feet, Chilled, Loose Cannon, Blues, La Raza, Head On, Get off the Fence, Left Hook From Right Field.
Here's what Armored Saint vocalist John Bush had to say about how the new album came together: "About a year and a half or so ago Joey asked me if I'd be interested in writing some songs. I was in the right mind finally, so I said send me something. To be quite honest, I wasn't thinking in terms of Armored Saint but more like just writing rock music. I felt pretty free with that mentality and the ideas felt very organic. With every passing song things improved and next thing we knew we had about eight songs demoed. Although the idea of sparking something completely new was appealing it became clear that if it was Joey and I the reality was, let's not kid ourselves; this is Armored Saint. So here it comes. Embracing my inner R&B singer and coupling that with our influence of the great seventy's hard rock band's we grew up on."
Armored Saint bassist Joey Vera comments: "John and I began writing over 14 months ago and in the beginning we had only a general musical direction in which we were going. Once we decided to keep writing and with more of an intention of turning it into an Armored Saint project, we were faced with a few questions. One was, how does this new music we're writing fit into the current musical styles of today? And should we care? We quickly answered the latter. We realized we should do what we always did and that is to write good songs. And for ourselves first. We are not unaware of our parameters in which we have created over the past 25 years, but we are also not afraid to take chances and simply do what we do best. The idea of trying to continue where we left off over 10 years ago since our last release is not very appealing to me. I have to let go of what I did in 1991 and in 2000. Nothing at all against what we've recorded in the past but my head is in a different place now. Trust me; I still want to kill your senses with music, but just in a different way."
To get a taste of what the new Armored Saint album will sound like, head over to the band's MySpace page where Armored Saint is streaming the demo version of Loose Cannon (performed with a drum program). Loose Cannon gives fans a glimpse into Armored Saint's writing process and is also a nice taste of what's to come on the band's forthcoming full-length studio release.
Expect the new album from Armored Saint to be released in the spring of 2010. Plenty of studio blogs, photos, and video will be posted to the band's MySpace page and fans can also keep up with the band in the studio through Twitter.
WebLinks: www.myspace.com/armoredsaint1 / www.armoredsaint.com / twitter.com/thearmoredsaint / www.metalbladerecords.com.

WINGER - UK TOUR DATES 2010:
As the headline suggests! Winger in the UK:
22 March Bristol O2 Academy 2 Bristol
23 March Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth
24 March Manchester Academy 3 Manchester
26 March Dudley JB's Dudley
27 March Belfast Spring & Airbrake Belfast
28 March Glasgow Cathouse Glasgow
30 March Newcastle O2 Academy2 Newcastle Upon Tyne
31 March Leeds Rio's Leeds
2 April Sheffield Corporation Sheffield
4 April London Islington O2 Academy London
WebLinks: www.kipwinger.com / www.frontiers.it / www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords.

FIFTH ANGEL - NEW ALBUM UPDATE:
Ed Archer of Fifth Angel issued the below update regarding Fifth Angel, the work being done on a new album and the band's plans for 2010:
"Hey everyone, just wanted to update you on how things are going songwriting-wise for a future Fifth Angel album. The ideas have been pouring out and we have a good 15 songs we're working on right now…some exciting and creative work being done. We hope to have 20+ songs to choose from by the end of the year, and hope to select around 12 for a future album.
I've been asked a few times by reporters what the material sounds like and the word I'd have to use is "dark." Not that every song is extremely heavy or dark, but the general theme that is emerging with the stories being told in lyrics delves into the seamier side of human nature…lust, greed, power, deceit, manipulation, control…you get the picture! The overall sound is probably a hybrid of the first and second Fifth Angel records.
Some of the song titles being kicked around are; "The Unfaithful," "Liar," "Voodoo Solution" and "Holocaust." You may well imagine the music associated with such titles…
Anyway, that's about it from here. We're continuing to work on songs, shooting for a new record sometime in 2010, talking with several record producers that might be involved, and have plans to play the Keep it True Festival in Germany next year, and possibly other shows in different parts of the globe. Remember, you can always keep up with us online at the following sites: www.fifthangel.net / www.twitter.com/fifthangel / www.youtube.com/fifthangelofficial / www.facebook.com/pages/Fifth-Angel/149266579523."

 

 

 

Friday, October 02, 2009

CINDERELLA LOOK TO EUROPE FOR 2010:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the signing of Hard Rock icons Cinderella for the European release on the Live at the Mohegan Sun album on November 6.
Featuring the all original line-up of Tom Keifer (vocals, guitar), Eric Brittingham (bass), Jeff LaBar (guitar) and Fred Coury (drums), the show was recorded during the VH1 sponsored "Rock Never Stops" package tour, which Cinderella headlined, supported by Ratt, Quiet Riot and Firehouse. The concert was held in Uncasville, Connecticut on July 21, 2005 is now officially and integrally released in Europe as an appetizer to the ultimate live return of the band on the European soil, which is planned for the year 2010!
Formed in Philadelphia in 1983 by singer/songwriter/guitarist Tom Keifer and bassist Eric Brittingham, they quickly added guitarist Jeff LaBar to the line-up. With Jody Cortez completing the band on drums, Cinderella started to write and perform original material in clubs and bars in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, until Jon Bon Jovi caught one of the performances and alerted his record company, Mercury, who immediately signed the band. Cinderella's debut album "Night Songs", was released in June 1986 and went on to sell over 3 million units, sporting such singles as "Shake Me", "Nobody's Fool" and "Somebody Save Me". Fred Coury replaced Cortez prior to the release of "Night Songs" and the band has remained unchanged since.
Two years later Cinderella returned with their second album, "Long Cold Winter". The record was another huge success, selling in excess of 3 million copies with tracks like "Gypsy Road" and "Don't Know What You Got ('Til Its Gone)" becoming soon fan favourites.
Their third album, "Heartbreak Station", was released in 1990 followed by "Still Climbing" in 1994. The later two albums featured songs more influenced by Keifer's love of the blues. Cinderella disbanded in 1995 but by 1998, there was interest by promoters for Cinderella to reunite in the original lineup for a tour. Cinderella were later signed to Sony's Portrait label by famed record executive John Kalodner, however the lack of success of the label's initial releases brought the cancellation of the deal as the label folded.
Nevertheless, a faithful fan base supported the continued road work by the band, which reunited again in the summer of 2000 for a tour with Poison, followed by a second outing by the two groups in 2002 and regular live activity until 2006 which will be finally resumed during next year. Get ready for the return of Cinderella!
Final track listing of "Live at the Mohegan Sun" includes: Intro; Night Songs; The Last Mile; Somebody Save Me; Heartbreak Station; Coming Home; Shelter Me; Nobody's Fool; Gypsy Road; Don't Know What You Got ('Till It's Gone); Shake Me; Fallin' Apart At The Seams*; Push Push*; Still Climbing*.
(*) Bonus Tracks available on the first pressing in digipak!

 
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THE DEBUT OF THE FULL NEW FM SINGLE!:
I am very pleased to be able to premiere the full length video for the new single Wildside, from UK melodic rock legends - FM!
The new single will be available as part of a new EP available at next month's Firefest 6 Festival, where the band will be performing.
This is the first look at material from the band's upcoming ful length studio release Metropolis.

Check out: FM - Wildside!

 
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GOODBYE THRILL NOT GOING ANYWHERE:
In 2007 we saw the debut release of Goodbye Thrill. Driven by the singer songwriting talent of Marc Ferreira. On the heels of that release, the band performed at MelodicRock.com 10th Anniversary show in South Bend, Indiana. Winning alot of new fans that were unfamiliar with the musical outfit. After their South Bend appearance, the band filmed their CD release party in upstate NY for a later DVD use.
GBT is back and getting ready to start work on the next release - due for early 2010. In the interim between album 1 and 2, we are happy to announce the release of 1 'n Half. A CD that will come with a FREE DVD of Goodbye Thrill. The CD will contain 3 unreleased Studio tracks along with 8 acoustic versions of material from the bands debut.
The DVD will contain footage of the band in the studio making their debut release. On the road in VA, NY, MD and IN. The bands entire Acoustic CD Release party show performance . Bonus footage includes- Live performances, Candid and in the Studio. Plus the bands Video for "Let Me Sleep". Plus a remixed version of Rainy Days by Mega Producer, Beau Hill (Warrant, Ratt, Europe, Winger and More!)
If you enjoyed the bands debut release and you caught them live. Then you wont want to miss out on "1 'N Half" Due Late Oct 2009.
To hold everyone over for a few weeks, you can view one of the Acoustic performances from the CD release party. Also sample one of the new studio tracks, Born Again.
So, a Full length CD, Unreleased material, a DVD and a Goodbye Thrill Sticker, all for $12! Pre orders can be made starting Oct 2nd at www.kivelrecords.com.

 

RICK SPRINGFIELD READY TO REFLECT:
Rick Springfield continues to work on a much anticipated Autobiography. He talked about it briefly recently to PopWatch:
"At the end of the call, he dropped the news that he's currently shopping his autobiography. He sent the prologue and opening chapter around town last week. Though (hopefully) not as explosive as Mackenzie Phillips, Springfield assured us he'll be "brutally honest about anything other than the things that will put me in prison." Nice start! Asked for a sample anecdote, he gave us a pretty great one: "Well, I went to Vietnam in 1969, with a band when I was 17 or 18, and we toured Vietnam for three months. I almost killed the band, blew us up with a hand grenade. And we basically lived off the good grace of the hookers there and bought dope off the little kids. I look back on that and I think, I'm lucky I'm not dead from it. The only way girls could make money back then was to be a prostitute. I was a young man, and we were all pretty cute, and they would give us freebies. I went home with this one, and I said, 'Okay, I got to go back to the barracks now,' because we stayed with all the soldiers in tents. It was pretty rough, it wasn't like a USO tour at all. It was just this private guy that brought Australian bands over because we're the closest occidental country to Vietnam. She threatened me, 'She said, if you leave tonight I'll kill you.' So I said, 'Okay, I'll stay.' [Laughs] You never knew who had an AK-47 under their bed in Vietnam back then…."
ArticleLink: popwatch.ew.com/2009/09/23/rick-springfield-autobiography-californication/#more-30265.

THIS WEEK ON ARFM:
Saturday 3rd October sees Firefest's Kieran Dargan joining Steve Price for a final rundown of this years Firefest event, along with a chat with some of the artists appearing. We will also have an EXCLUSIVE airing of two tracks from headliners FM. On Sunday 4th October, Steve will be chatting to Escape Music artist, and Boston member, Kimberley Dahne about her new album.
Both show commence 6pm UK time. Listen at: www.arfm.co.uk.

LION'S SHARE – SIGN RUSSIAN LICENSING DEAL WITH SOYUZ MUSIC:
Swedish melodic heavy metal masters Lion's Share have inked a Russian licensing deal with Soyuz Music for the release of their critically acclaimed Dark Hours album.
The follow-up to 2007's "Emotional Coma" was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Symphony X, Paradise Lost, Amon Amarth) and features guest appearances by Symphony X guitarist Mike Romeo (guest solo on "Behind The Curtain"), and drummers Conny Pettersson (from Earache Records death metal act Anata) and Richard Evensand (Chimaira, Soilwork).
"Dark Hours" track listing: 01. Judas Must Die 02. Phantom Rider 03. Demon In Your Mind 04. Heavy Cross To Bear 05. The Bottomless Pit 06. Full Metal Jacket 07. The Presidio 27 08. Barker Ranch 09. Napalm Nights 10. Space Scam 11. Behind The Curtain 12. King Of All The Kings (bonus track).
A free download of the first single "Judas Must Die" is available at the following location www.blisteringrecords.se/downloads and the video for the same song at www.youtube.com/darkhours2009.
"Dark Hours" is out now on Blistering Records in Europe and North America and on King Records in Japan. Check out some stunning reviews at: goto.glocalnet.net/ls_army/dh_reviews.html.
WebLinks: www.lionsshare.org / www.myspace.com/lionsshare / www.blisteringrecords.se.

 

TOMMY DENANDER GUITAR CLINIC TOUR OF EUROPE 2009:
World class guitarist and song writer Tommy Denander (Radioactive, Paul Stanley, Eric Clapton) will be doing a series of very interesting guitar clinics around Europe starting on October 12th. Tommy is endorsed by Laboga amps, VGS guitars and Elixir strings and will demonstrate this gear as well as cover the work of a top class session guitarist. You will get a rare insight to the work of a studio musician with tips on gear, how to record, arrange and think if you want to become a session player.
Tour dates -
12.10. Music World - Augsburg, Germany
13.10. Musik Meisinger - Burghausen, Germany
14.10. Zoundhouse - Dresden, Germany
20.10. Marshall VIP Lounge / Planett tt im Gasometer - Wien, Austria
22.10. Linzer Musikhaus - Linz, Austria
23.10. Just Music - München, Germany
26.10. Musik Klier - Nürnberg, Germany
27.10. Guitar24 - Saarbrücken, Germany
28.10. PPC Music - Hannover, Germany
29.10. GAD Guitars and Drums - Osnabrück, Germany
30.10. Rockland - Witten, Germany

 

GODS OF AOR ITALY BACK AGAIN:
The second edition of Gods Of AOR Italy is coming your way - here is the official flyer for the event. WebLink: www.myspace.com/godsofaoritaly:

 

BOOBAID THIS WEEKEND:
What greater way to raise money and awareness for breast cancer, and have a good time enjoying this precious gift of life, than an indoor festival entitled Boobaid (www.boobaid.org)
Boobaid, quite simply is all about Boobs, the Music and the Aid from the proceeds, all contributing towards the great work of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity!
The 2009 Boobaid is to be held at the brilliant live venue, The Klondyke, in Royston, Barnsley, on Saturday 3rd October, Doors open at 4.00pm. Start time 5.00pm.
Bringing you the best in top established, tribute and up and coming bands. This year is no exception; featuring a line up that consists of Frontier recording artists and festival headliner, Dante Fox, the exceptional Tara's Secret, new glam rock sensations Hollywood Tease, Birmingham rockers Kinn and local band Miss Demeanor. The evening will be hosted by Frontiers rock nights DJ Shaun who will also be manning the turntable between bands.
The event is FREE from 4.00pm until 7.00pm, with a voluntary donation to be made at the door (be generous!). Thereafter admission charge of £2.00 apply. There'll be raffles, prizes and much more... including family passes for days out, CDs donated by record labels, a personal donation from Ted Poley, his latest signed CD and guitar pick. The latest Album from Frank Vestry Signed, UK paintball tickets, Radio station tour and more to be announced via the Boobaid website as and when sponsors are confirmed.
Almost 41,000 women and 300 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK alone! More than 1,000 women die from the disease every month, and, approximately one in nine women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
Breakthrough Breast Cancer is the leading charity committed to fighting breast cancer through research and education. Breakthrough's scientific work aims to eradicate breast cancer by discovering the causes of the disease, finding methods of prevention and developing new treatments, with results being translated as rapidly as possible into practical help for patients.
You too, can really make a difference by supporting this great event...

TYRANT READY TO SAVE THE DEVIL:
Tasmanian based, Australian hard rock/heavy metal act Tyrant – have almost completed the recording of their "25th Anniversary" CD, which is to be a 5 track mini album entitled, Save The Devil. The song titles are: On The Road To Hell; Running From The Law; Devil Woman; Defenders Of The Faith and Fire In The Sky.
The new CD is now scheduled to be released in March 2010 and is being engineered, mixed and produced by Brett Collidge at Izaneer Studios. Collidge worked with Steel on his other band project, Roadkill's debut CD, "God Bless America" (2007).
Fronted by original founding screamer, Neil 'Steel' Wilson – Tyrant are still very much alive and still kicking serious ass in today's metal world. Over the years Tyrant has shared the same stage with numerous acts including: Rose Tattoo, Mortal Sin, Bengal Tigers, Dungeon, Escape, The Radiators, Baby Animals, Bronx – to name a few as well playing at some of Australia's most 'legendary' venues including: The Manzil Room, Selina's, The Kardoma Cafe, Springfields as well as The Republic Bar.
The "Save The Devil" CD will be dedicated to all the former members of the band who have been a part of the Tyrant legacy.
Two new songs titled, 'Running From The Law' and 'Defenders Of The Faith' – (both in demo form) have been uploaded to the bands' MySpace page: www.myspace.com/tyrantaustralia.
With the release of the new Tyrant CD – a number of factors will tie the entire project together. Firstly, it marks the 25th anniversary since Tyrant's debut EP, "Never Too Loud" was released in 1984. Secondly, the album title and artwork depicts a 'Tasmanian Devil' on the cover – with part proceeds from CD sales to be donated to the 'Save the Tasmanian Devil' foundation.
Vocalist Neil Steel added: "This CD is very important to us on so many levels. The fact we're a Tasmanian band and our international Icon, the Tasmanian Devil - is on the verge of extinction is a MAJOR problem with many people sharing the same concerns. It's bad enough that the Tasmanian Tiger was wiped out due to human stupidity and here we go again!
The CD will also show the world that Tasmania's original ass kickin' metal act - is very much alive 'n well an ready to kick your ass everytime!"

 

CD SHOWCASE UPDATED:
CD Showcases added today are: Twinspirits, Infinity Overture, Tommy Ermolli, Status Minor (Lion Music, out now) and The Poodles (Blistering Records, out now). Check them out!

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X has been updated with the following new features:
- Chicago - Live Saratoga Performing Arts Center, NY, 1993
- Midnight Oil - Live in Lausanne, July 1990
- Feature Album - Riverdogs - Bone.
MR-X Membership Details.

 

 

 

Thursday, October 01, 2009
 
ARC OF THE DAWN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED FOR EUROPE:
Dare - Arc Of The Dawn - new album available on Legend Records on October 26th, 2009 / Distributor: NL Distribution (outside of the UK)
Dare's last studio album, "Beneath The Shining Water", was released in 2004. After a creative break of five years, that was only interrupted by the release of the live CD / DVD "The Power Of Nature", Darren Wharton is presenting his new album Arc Of The Dawn.
The former companion of Irish rock legend Phil Lynott was the keyboarder in their common band Thin Lizzy; he can be heard on classic 1980's albums such as "Chinatown", "Renegade" or "Thunder And Lightning". After leaving Thin Lizzy in 1986, Darren moved back to Manchester and founded the band Dare. His most successful releases were "Out Of The Silence (1988), "Blood From Stone (1991), "Calm Before The Storm" (1998) and "Belief" (2001).
"Arc Of The Dawn" offers all the elements which make for a classic Dare album. It's highly melodic sound can be best described as a mixture between Pink Floyd and Thin Lizzy, but the album also features more traditional Celtic and Welsh tunes. It is this diversity in sound that makes Dare so unique, it is the mixture that Dare fans love and enjoy.
"Arc Of The Dawn" contains twelve beautiful, delicately arranged songs, with guitarist Richard Dews and keyboard player Darren Wharton perfectly complementing each other. The album also offers two fantastic cover songs, "Emerald" by Thin Lizzy and "The Flame" by Cheap Trick. Thanks to the powerful interpretation, this version even surpasses the original song. Reason enough to release it as a single.
"Arc Of The Dawn" is released on Legend Records and will be distributed exclusively by NL Distribution / Alive (in Europe with the exception of England).
Tracklist: 1. Dublin, 2. Shelter In The Storm, 3. Follow The River, 4. King Of Spades, 5. I Will Return, 6. Emerald, 7. When 8. The Flame, 9. Still Waiting, 10. Kiss The Rain, 11. Remember, 12. Circles.
Line-Up: vocals / keyboards: Darren Wharton, guitars: Richie Dews, drums: Kevin Whitehead.
WebLink: www.Dare-music.com & www.myspace.com/daredarrenwharton.

 
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Yesterrock: re-issues of Paganini's classics "Weapon Of Love" and "It's A Long Way To The Top" out this week!
It's A Long Way To The Top / After leaving the German hard rock group VIVA, Swiss rock singer Marco Paganini founded his own band Paganini in the mid 80s. In 1985, the album "Weapon Of Love" was released, followed by "It's A Long Way To The Top" in 1987. Both albums are much sought after by today's collectors, selling at high prices on e-bay…if they can be found at all.
Weapon Of Love also contains the hit single "Berlin By Night", which got heavy airplay at the time and also achieved cult status in many rock clubs. Back in the days Paganini were touring all over Europe, supporting - amongst many others - bands such as Mötley Crüe. Yesterrock, the Munich based label specializing in re-releasing classic rock albums, managed to put out the two albums, both of which were digitally remastered. Each CD also contains a bonus track. As usual, distribution is handled by NL Distribution.
WebLinks: www.paganini.ch / www.yesterrock.com.

 
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THE LATEST ARTIST NEWS & RELEASE INFORMATION FROM LION MUSIC:
Lion Music is delighted to have signed Dreyelands to the labels roster. Dreyelands is one of the latest representatives of the Hungarian progressive metal music and it took just one listen to the bands demo to hear the quality on offer from this five piece..
Summoned to life in 2002 by the two founding members András Ádám Horváth (guitars) and Gergely Springer (bass), the band played several cover shows with its initial formations. After Omar Gassama, Zoltán Kas and Nikola Mijic (Alogia, Expedition Delta) joined the band they began work on their own material.
The members of Dreyelands have a broad musical taste from the progressive rock of the 70's, through the AOR music of the 80's & 90's to heavy, death - and extreme metal - not to mention funky, jazz and blues as well. These influences all help to contribute to the catchy and original sound served up by the band.
Their debut LP, "Rooms of Revelation" is a 9-track epic concept album with complex, but catchy songs with wide spanning vocal themes, tight rhythms, hard guitar riffs, flowing keyboards motifs and live symphonic arrangements. Produced by András Ádám Horvath, mixed and mastered by the well-known Hungarian engineer/producer/studio expert, Barnabás Hidasi (Stonehenge, Wall of Sleep, Stereochrist, Korai Öröm, Steve White, Alex de Grassi, etc) the "Rooms Of Revelation" is sure to turn heads in the metal community everywhere.
The album will be cherished by those with a liking for Dream Theater, Symphony X, Pagan's Mind, Circus Maximus, Jorn Lande, Evergrey or Redemption, just to mention a few band . Dreyelands possess the quality and songs to join these elite ranks.
Track listing: 1. Entering 2. Room 1 - Seek for Salvation 3. Room 2 - Can't Hide Away 4. Room 3 - Pretending 5. Room 4 - Fragments 6. Room 5 - Way to You 7. Room 6 - Blossoms of Decay 8. Room 7 - Vain 9. Room 8 - Leaving Grace.
Dreyelands - Rooms Of Revelation will be released in the first quarter of 2010 on Lion Music. More information on the release to follow soon.
WebLinks: www.dreyelands.com / www.myspace.com/dreyelands.

 

October 6th Releases -
Infinity Overture - Kingdom Of Utopia / Great new band hailing from Denmark led by guitarist Niels Vejlyt. The band also feature vocal legend Ian Parry who wrote the concept story and all lyrics for the album as well as handling all male lead vocals. The album also features superb female vocal performances from Lene Peterson. If you like your metal big bold and grandiose then this is just the ticket. Also available as a limited edition first pressing only dual CD/DVD version.

Tommy Ermolli - Step Ahead / Genre - Guitar Instrumental / Best known for his work in Twinspirits and Khymera, Italian guitarist Tommy Ermolli serves up his debut solo album, full of strong songs and stunning guitar work running a variety of styles. Home to great song led compositions with a great production.

 
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TREASURE TROVE OF CLASSIC ROCK CONCERTS FOR DOWNLOAD SOON:
The once controversial Wolfgang's Vault, which has amassed the largest collection of licensed streaming live recordings on the Internet, is about to make a treasure trove of those concerts available for downloading.
Beginning Nov. 3, the site will add more than 1,000 titles from 919 artists to the approximately 500 that are currently available for purchase from the site's Concert Vault section, Bill Sagan, CEO and founder of Wolfgang's Vault LLC and its parent company, Norton LLC, tells Billboard.com. The additions will include more than 160 Grateful Dead concerts as well as titles from artists such as Santana, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Hall & Oates, Journey, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jethro Tull, Chicago, Miles Davis, Dolly Parton, Merle Travis and many others.
Full Story: www.billboard.com/news.

LIVE LIVE LIVE:
Two great events coming up to check out and support if you live within travelling distance. They are:

 
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ROCK PAPAS CELEBRATES FIRST BIRTHDAY:
Rockpapas Mailorder celebrates its first anniversary with a great offer! Rake in fat 5-15% discounts on your total orders.
New in Stock: Salute - Toy Soldier, Pump - Sonic Extasy (great German Hard rock Release), Danger Danger - Revolve, House of Lords - Cartesian Dreams, Roadfever - Wheels on fire (Fantastic Swiss Band like Shakra or China).
On November RockPapas will commence a new Independent Rock Label Rhine Rock Records. The label's first signing is German Hard rock Band Wicked Temptation. The Release will be March 2010. More info at: www.rockpapas.de and www.wicked-temptation.de.

FULL IN BLOOM TALKS TO KEEL:
The latest Full in Bloom interview features all the original members of Keel (excluding Kenny) and talks about the bands latest reunion as well as their extensive history together. Here are a few excerpts:
FIB Music: What was the vibe around the whole reunion? Any cool stories?
Ron Keel: I'm not blowing smoke when I say the vibe has been incredible. Everyone has the perfect perspective on this, we've taken care of our business properly, we get along like brothers, we communicate well, and everyone is even better musically now than we were before. The players are all even better with some maturity and experience under their belts, and I believe I have come a long way vocally as well. The whole thing is a cool story - a story about a band that has come full circle and is having the time of their lives reliving the dream.
FIB Music: Tell us one good Gene Simmons story.
Bryan Jay: When I went to New York City during the recording of "The Right To Rock". I didn't have a guitar to record with, so Gene took me to Sam Ash and said pick a guitar, any guitar you want. So I looked around like a kid in a candy store and saw one I liked and said I'll take that one. And then we walked out the door, jumped in a cab and went straight to the studio. That was awesome!
FIB Music: What is the story behind you joining Keel? Didn't you replace drummer Steven Riley?
Dwain Miller: Absolutely. Steven was in the band and played drums on The Right to Rock album. I wasn't in the band yet. He finished his tracks, and quit the band to join W.A.S.P. Ron called me to audition. I loaded a Uhaul, and my AMC Pacer, and drove to LA to audition. I got the gig before the album was finished. They put my name on the record as the drummer with Steven Riley as "additional drums" because they were mad at him, but I had nothing to do with that record, except the picture. Steve and I are friends though. I think he's an awesome drummer, and I told him so.
FIB Music: Any contact with George Lynch or Oni Logan since the last Full in bloom interview?
Marc Ferrari: I actually was standing in line next to George for the Van Halen rehearsal a year or so back. All is fine between us and the whole issue way in the rear view mirror. I think people want to make more out of that whole situation than it actually was.
Read the entire interview here: www.fullinbloommusic.com/keel_reunion_interview.html.

THE NEW GARY SCHUTT BAND & CATEGORY THREE SPECIAL EVENT THIS SUNDAY!:
Gary Schutt with Category Three will be performing Gary's originals and great Cat3 classic covers at a special event on Sunday, October 4th at 6:00 p.m.
Mick "Seven" Thompson from Slipknot and guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen are performing and signing autographs! This takes place at the Kapok Special Events Pavilion behind the Sam Ash music store on McMullen Booth Rd in Clearwater. The event starts at noon and is free! Please pass this on to your friends and come on out! See one of the worlds best guitarist, Yngwie Malmsteen, before we go on!!

RICHIE SAMBORA: NEW BON JOVI ALBUM THE CIRCLE "ROCKS HARD":
By Joe Bosso / The first single from Bon Jovi's The Circle, We Weren't Born To Follow, has been blowing up at radio, but Sambora reveals that the version currently being spun will ultimately differ from what fans can expect to hear on the album. "When I recorded the solo to that song, I played a very melodic, kind of Beatles-esque break. That was the mood I was in. As soon as the song got leaked to radio, people went crazy, sending e-mails and Twittering and everything: 'We love the song, but what's with that solo? We want a rippin', burnin' Richie Sambora solo.
"So I said to Jon, 'Hey, do you want me to change it? We got time. And John was like, 'Sure. Go lay down another solo and we'll drop it in the song on the album.' So that's what I did - I cut it yesterday, in fact. It's a monster."

But does the guitarist mind having fans, in effect, 'produce' part of a song? "Nah!" he says, with a laugh. "When I played sessions, it was all about serving the song. Sometimes you have to test things out and see what works. I'm totally cool about the whole thing. And I guarantee that when people hear the new solo, they'll be stoked. Ask and you shall receive."
WebLink: www.musicradar.com/news.

LITA FORD INTERVIEWED:
It seems as if all is right once again in the world of rock music. Lita Ford is back in concert and in the studio with a new album. An industrious force not only in the rock world, but also in her own family, Lita knows a thing or two about balancing a work load. Her first album in fifteen years will be released in just a week, but there's more - a comic book, a video game, and a movie are also in the works. In a chat with Matt Becker from Melodic Rock Concerts, Lita discusses her re-entry into the world of music, the writing process of her new album, her time in Sturgis at the Buffalo Chip, the upcoming tour with Queensryche, and everything in between. Husband Jim Gillette even joins in on the fun.
According to Ford, "…I think fifteen years ago I left an empty pair of shoes when I went away. And I think that empty pair of shoes is still sitting there, unfilled. So I'm back to fill them. It's weird because fifteen years ago, record companies didn't know what to do with me. They were at a loss because I didn't do what they wanted me to do."
The entire audio conversation with Lita can be heard at: melodicrockconcerts.com/?p=1615.

MELODIC BRIEFS:
Uber talented Trevor Lukather has updated his MySpace page with new songs from his new band Slideaway - the debut album for which has been recording and mixing over the last few months. Killer modern melodic rock tunes: www.myspace.com/trevbabay.

Ace Frehley Rare in-store autograph session with review and photos just posted on RockEyez.com: www.rockeyez.com.

Concert reviews of Y&T and former Fuel singer Brett Scallions new band Re-Fueled have been posted at: www.RockMusicStar.com.

There is a short Assassin CD release promo video that can be viewed on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDGRuCT1QTA.

Coldplay 1, Joe Satriani 0: music-mix.ew.com/2009/09/16/coldplay-satriani-lawsuit/.

INTRODUCING SUREFIRE:
Unleashing a blast of guitar rock and roll reflective of rock's golden era of the late 60s and early 70s, Surefire's debut album is packed with timeless songs and energy for the new millennium. Recorded by singer/guitarist/songwriter Ben Rice in the band's own studio in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, the resulting album is a testament to the bands DIY work ethic and musicality. Formerly signed to Lizard King Records/Warner Music Group, Rice was not willing to compromise the band's musical integrity, leaving the label and setting out on his own.
Calling on friends Emiliano Ortiz (guitar), Ben Spinrad (drums) and Seth Bulkin (bass) the new Surefire organically and effortlessly came together. Confident in the record Surefire was working on, Ben hunted down legendary rock producer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones) asking him to come on board to co-produce and mix the record. "I listened to a series of mp3s and loved the musical direction of the band," recalls Kramer. "It was innovative with a strong look back at the classic rock era." Shortly after Kramer invited the band out to Los Angeles to complete the album.
Having supported recording artists Arctic Monkeys, Brendan Benson, The Bravery, The Subways, and Mando Diao, Surefire is building a devoted following. In 2006, alongside Coldplay, Radiohead and Bloc Party, Surefire contributed their song "Surrender" to War Child's compilation "Help A Day In The Life", a benefit album to help alleviate childhood suffering in war ravaged countries. In the spring of 2009, leading up to the release of their debut, Surefire hit the road for a string of dates for Relay for Life, The American Cancer Society's signature event honoring those affected by the disease and funding future research.
"Surefire is the best young, innovative band I've heard in years," Eddie Kramer enthuses, "I do believe that Surefire has all of the right stuff to have a successful recording and live career."
WebLinks: www.surefireofficial.com / www.myspace.com/surefireband / Interview - www.rockrealms.com/interrogation/surefire.php.

30 YEAR-OLD ANGEL FOOTAGE SURFACES TO PROMOTE NEW CASABLANCA RECORDS BOOK:
A brand new insider's book about the infamous Casablanca Records and Angel's 1975-80 heyday will be released on October 6. Larry Harris who co-founded Angel's record company, Casablanca Records, wrote the book. Over 300 pages in length, And Party Every Day contains several previously unpublished 1970s images, including a never-before-seen picture of Angel's magnificent concert finale.
In addition to Angel, And Party Every Day reveals how Casablanca Records became known as "the disco label" and what it took to make and break Casablanca's other crown jewels; KISS, Donna Summer, Parliament Funkadelic, the Village People, Cher, and even the cult film Foxes. Never-before-told stories about Casablanca's other beloved acts Stallion, The Group With No Name (featuring Katey Sagal), and even Studio 54 pepper the amazing text that will have wishing you owned a time machine.
And Party Every Day: The Inside Story Of Casablanca Records also contains the first complete Casablanca Records discography and a music video history. A plethora of previously unknown facts/trivia about Angel's career is unveiled in And Party Every Day, including the first detailed recounting of the making of Angel's long-lost feature film Angel At Midnight. Additionally, did you know Angel made an early music video at LA's "Riot" House hotel for their 1979 single Don't Take Your Love? In the grand Casablanca tradition of excess and giving the fans exactly what they want, the authors include the music video on the book's official Web site! You can read excerpts from the book and see vintage Casablanca/Angel and KISS videos at: www.casablancabook.com.
WebLinks: www.youtube.com/user/CasablancaBookTV / www.myspace.com/casablancabook.

 

 

 

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

COLUMBIA RECORDS AND ALBERT PRODUCTIONS UNLEASH BACKTRACKS NOVEMBER 10:
Deluxe Collector's Limited Edition Features 3 CDs of Live & Studio Rarities, 2 DVDS Including the Long-Awaited "Family Jewels Disc 3," A Vinyl LP of Studio Collectibles, A Coffee Table Book, Facsimiles of Authentic Memorabilia, Fine Art Lithographs & More Boxed In An AC/DC Working Guitar Amplifier - Available Exclusively Through Band's Website.
Standard Edition Includes 2 CDs of Studio & Live Rarities & "Family Jewels 3" DVD Plus Bonus Videos

Columbia Records and Albert Productions proudly announces the release of Backtracks, the ultimate AC/DC collector's experience, available Tuesday, November 10.
Arriving in two distinctly different fan-friendly editions, Backtracks spans the length and breadth of AC/DC's career, bringing together rare songs, hard-to-find live performances and the long-awaited debut of "Family Jewels Disc 3," a DVD showcasing the group's music videos, live performances, and promotional clips from 1992-2009. (The original double-disc "Family Jewels" was named 2005's "DVD of the Year" by the UK's Classic Rock magazine while the RIAA certified the collection 10x Platinum for sales in excess of 1 million copies in the US alone.)
Manufactured in an exclusive run limited to 50,000 pieces, the deluxe collector's edition of Backtracks includes a CD of studio rarities, two CDs of live rarities, the "Family Jewels Disc 3" DVD, the "Live at the Circus Krone" DVD, a front-row immersion in the band's scorching 2003 club show in Munich, Germany, and a 12" long-playing album, struck in 180 gram vinyl, of hard-to-find studio tracks. The limited edition Backtracks includes a five-disc media carrier to house and transport the set's three CDs and two DVDs.
In addition the deluxe collector's edition comes with a 164 page coffee table book and an Original Memorabilia Reproductions Envelope containing an astounding array of facsimiles including the "I Do It For AC/DC" button (the band's very first tour merch), the 1976 "Lock Up Your Daughters" tour flyer, the Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap recording track sheet, a 2' x 3' 1977 Let There Be Rock European Tour poster, a Bon Scott parrot tattoo replica, an AC/DC logo guitar pick, an Australian Money Talks dollar, three b&w fine art lithographs of never-before-seen photos of the band in the Alberts Studio in 1977 and more.
The AC/DC deluxe collector's edition of Backtracks comes housed in a fully operational AC/DC guitar amplifier. The limited and numbered deluxe collector's edition of Backtracks will be available direct-to-consumers exclusively through the website www.acdcbacktracks.com with full details on pre-ordering going live on the site on Tuesday, September 29.
The three-disc standard version of Backtracks distills the electrifying essence of the deluxe set into one CD of studio rarities, one CD of hard-to-find live tracks, and the indispensable "Family Jewels Disc 3" DVD.

CD1 [Studio Rarities]
1. High Voltage (Original Australian Full Edit) 2. Stick Around 3. Love Song 4. It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll) (Original Australian Full Edit) 5. Rocker (Original Australian Full Edit) 6. Fling Thing 7. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Original Australian Full Edit) 8. Ain't No Fun (Waiting Around To Be A Millionaire) (Original Australian Full Edit) 9. R.I.P. (Rock In Peace) 10. Carry Me Home 11. Crabsody In Blue 12. Cold Hearted Man 13. Who Made Who – 12" extended mix 14. Snake Eye 15. Borrowed Time 16. Down On The Borderline 17. Big Gun 18. Cyberspace.
CDs 2-3 [Live B-Sides]
CD 2: 1. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Sydney Festival 1/30/77) 2. Dog Eat Dog (Apollo 4/30/78) 3. Live Wire (Hammersmith Odeon 11/2/79) 4. Shot Down In Flames (Hammersmith Odeon 11/2/79) 5. Back In Black (Landover, MD 12/21/81) 6. T.N.T. (Landover, MD 12/21/81) 7. Let There Be Rock (Landover, MD 12/21/81) 8. Guns For Hire (Detroit, MI 11/18/83) 9. Sin City (Detroit, MI 11/18/83) 10. Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution (Detroit, MI 11/18/83) 11. This House Is On Fire (Detroit, MI 11/18/83) 12. You Shook Me All Night Long (Detroit, MI 11/18/83) 13. Jailbreak (Dallas, TX 10/12/85) 14. Shoot To Thrill (Donington Park, 8/17/91) 15. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be (Donington Park 8/17/91).
CD 3: 1. High Voltage (Donington Park 8/17/91) 2. Hells Bells (Donington Park 8/17/91) 3. Whole Lotta Rosie (Donington Park 8/17/91) 4. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Donington Park 8/17/91) 5. Highway To Hell (Moscow 9/28/91) 6. Back In Black (Moscow 9/28/91) 7. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) (Moscow 9/28/91) 8. Ballbreaker (Madrid 7/10/96) 9. Hard As A Rock (Madrid 7/10/96) 10. Dog Eat Dog (Madrid 7/10/96) 11. Hail Caesar (Madrid 7/10/96) 12. Whole Lotta Rosie (Madrid 7/10/96) 13. You Shook Me All Night Long (Madrid 7/10/96) 14. Safe In New York City (Phoenix, AZ 9/13/2000).
LP -
Side A: Stick Around, Love Song, Fling Thing, R.I.P. (Rock In Peace), Carry Me Home, Crabsody In Blue. Side B: Cold Hearted Man, Snake Eye, Borrowed Time, Down On The Borderline, Big Gun, Cyberspace.
DVD 1 "Family Jewels Disc Three" Videos: Big Gun, Hard As A Rock, Hail Caesar, Cover You In Oil, Stiff Upper Lip, Satellite Blues, Safe In New York City, Rock N Roll Train, Anything Goes.
Bonus Videos: Jailbreak, It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll), Highway To Hell, You Shook Me All Night Long, Guns For Hire, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (LIVE Album Promo), Highway To Hell (LIVE Album Promo), Bonus Features: The Making Of Hard As A Rock / The Making Of Rock N Roll Train.
DVD 2 "Live At The Circus Krone" Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be, Back In Black, Stiff Upper Lip, Shoot to Thrill, Thunderstruck, Rock N Roll Damnation, What's Next To The Moon, Hard As A Rock, Bad Boy Boogie, The Jack, If You Want Blood (You've Got It), Hells Bells, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Rock N Roll Ain't Noise Pollution, T.N.T., Let There Be Rock, Highway To Hell, For Those About to Rock (We Salute You), Whole Lotta Rosie.

TIMOTHY B. SCHMIT UNVEILS EXPANDO:
Timothy B. Schmit is set to release Expando, his first solo album in eight years, on October 20, 2009 on Lost Highway Records. Written and produced by Schmit, Expando features some of Schmit's most autobiographical and musically diverse solo work to date.
"Expando implies growing and expanding and I feel like that's what the music on this album represents for me," said Timothy B. Schmit. "I guess the word is a bit mysterious, but I'm trying out all these different things I've always wanted to do."
Schmit recorded the album entirely at his home studio near Los Angeles and hand-picked the musicians who worked with him, including Keb' Mo', Graham Nash, Kid Rock, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, The Band's Garth Hudson, Van Dyke Parks, Dwight Yoakam, The Heartbreakers' Benmont Tench, and Timothy's son, Ben. Hank Linderman, who recorded Schmit's 2001 Feed The Fire, also engineered and performs on Expando.
Expando Track Listing: 1. One More Mile (Featuring Keb' Mo' on Slide Dobro) 2. Parachute (Featuring Kenny Wayne Shepherd on Lead Guitar, Benmont Tench on Organ, and Graham Nash on Background Vocals) 3. Friday Night (Featuring Garth Hudson on Organ and Van Dyke Parks on Accordion) 4. Ella Jean 5. White Boy From Sacramento (Featuring Benmont Tench on Electric Piano and Ben Schmit on Drums & Lead Guitar) 6. Compassion 7. Downtime (Featuring Kid Rock and Dwight Yoakam on Background Vocals) 8. Melancholy 9. I Don't Mind (Featuring Van Dyke Parks on Accordion) 10. Secular Praise (Featuring Van Dyke Parks on Accordion, Benmont Tench on Organ, and The Blind Boys Of Alabama on Background Vocals) 11. A Good Day (Featuring Donna De Lory on Background Vocals).

"I feel like after all these years, I'm finally tapping into all that experience," Schmit went on to say. "This time, I decided to do it all on my own. I come from a folk and early rock background, so that's how I started every one of these songs - on acoustic guitar."
Timothy B. Schmit is one America's most prolific musicians, with a solo recording career that has produced four albums prior to Expando – Playin' It Cool (1984), Timothy B. (1987), Tell Me The Truth (1990) and Feed The Fire (2001). He has appeared on a multitude of other artists' recordings including Steely Dan, Vince Gill, Dan Fogelberg, Clint Black, Crosby Stills & Nash, Bob Seger, Jimmy Buffett, Ringo Starr, Elton John, and Warren Zevon, as well as his contributions to Poco and the Eagles. Timothy has won three GRAMMY Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Eagles.
WebLink: www.timothybschmit.com.

R.I.P. GREG LADANYI:
Tragic news in overnight with the death of studio wizard Greg Ladanyi. From: www.prosoundnews.com/article/24448 / By Clive Young / Greece (September 29, 2009)--Grammy-winning producer/engineer Greg Ladanyi died today from multiple injuries after falling off a stage in Cyprus Friday night. He was 57.
Best known for his work with classic rock artists such as Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Fleetwood Mac and others, Ladanyi was at the final concert of Greek artist Anna Vissi's summer tour (Vissi is signed to Maple Jam Music, of which Ladanyi was president). Before the show began, he fell five meters to concrete from a bridge leading to the stage, sustaining severe head trauma and a ruptured lung.
Ladanyi was rushed to General Hospital Nicosia, where he remained in critical condition throughout the weekend. Despite the accident, a shaken Vissi managed to collect herself enough to go ahead with the concert, which was delayed 45 minutes. The popular singer explained the situation to the crowd and led them in a chant of "Greg is well."
Over a career spanning four decades, Ladanyi was an integral part of many highly regarded albums, including 16 that were nominated for Grammys. He won a Grammy Award in 1982 for Best Engineered Recording - Non-Classical with Toto's, Toto IV, and was nominated for Producer of The Year for Don Henley's "The Boys Of Summer" and Jaguares, Best Rock Album, Bajo el Azul de Tu Misterio at the 1st Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
Ladanyi had long associations working with Jackson Browne (six albums), Toto (four albums), Don Henley (three albums) and Fleetwood Mac (two albums), and also helped create career-highlight albums for The Church (Starfish) and Jeff Healey (See the Light). His most recent work was with Vissi for her CD, Apagorevmeno.

REO SPEEDWAGON GET IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT:
Rock superstars REO Speedwagon will be releasing a new Christmas album, Not So Silent Night...Christmas With REO Speedwagon, on October 27th on Sony Legacy Recordings, produced by Joe Vannelli, along with associate producer and lead singer Kevin Cronin. The album will feature 13 Christmas classics with a unique REO Speedwagon musical twist.
"We are really excited to bring something brand new for our fans to enjoy with their families, just in time for the holidays," said Cronin. "We are as proud and passionate about this project as we have been about any album we have ever made. We hope that this music is as much fun for our fans to listen to as it has been for us to create. The holiday spirit is alive in the REO family, and we wish the same for yours."
After being inspired to create an album unlike anything they have before, original members, Kevin Cronin, Bruce Hall, and Neal Doughty, and twenty-year REO veterans, Dave Amato and Bryan Hitt, were excited to put together the band's first Christmas album. They gave these classics the full REO production treatment, providing a unique spin for the yuletide season. By choosing 13 songs that range from the most traditional carols to some more obscure songs, this album reflects the REO Speedwagon holiday spirit. Not So Silent Night is poised to be a very special Christmas album that will bring generations within families together to rock the holiday nights away. In the spirit of the holidays, REO Speedwagon will be donating all artist royalties from "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" to the John Lennon Foundation.
Not So Silent Night Tracks to Include: The First Noel, Winter Wonderland, Silent Night, Deck the Halls, Little Drummer Boy, The White Snows of Winter, Angels We Have Heard on High, Happy Xmas (War is Over), God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Blue Christmas, I'll Be Home for Christmas, Children Go Where I Send Thee, Joy to the World.
In support of their upcoming release, REO Speedwagon is set to perform for over 5 million viewers on NBC's "Holiday Celebration on Ice" special, which will air nationally on Thanksgiving Sunday, November 29, from 4:00 to 6:00PM EST. The show features figure skating legend Brian Boitano and friends, skating to music from REO Speedwagon, as well as special guest Rick Springfield.
The band is currently on the third leg of their "Can't Stop Rockin'" tour across the country through November with Styx and Night Ranger, offering recession friendly prices through their "Rock n Roll Stimulus Package."
Kevin Cronin, lead singer and principle songwriter; bass player Bruce Hall; Neal Doughty, keyboard player and founding member; lead guitarist Dave Amato, and drummer Bryan Hitt, are REO Speedwagon. Since the release of their first record in 1971, the band has produced 17 critically acclaimed albums including the monumental 10 million seller, Hi Infidelity, had scored 13 Top 40 singles, including the Number One hits "Can't Fight This Feeling" and "Keep On Loving You," timeless classics including "Roll With The Changes", "Ridin' The Storm Out", "Take It On The Run", "Time For Me To Fly" and "Keep Pushin." Their latest album, Find Your Own Way Home, featured the radio favorites "I Needed To Fall" and "Smilin' In The End." REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million albums to date.

INTRODUCING DRILL 187:
N.C. Metal Monsters DRILL 187 hit iTunes, Amazon Mp3, Rhapsody, Napster, Shockhound and more with the digital release of their 2002 album, "The Faceless Majority". This is the album that had Slayer Manager, Rick Sales, calling the band "one of the best Metal bands on the planet" that year!!! The album went on to be one of the Most Added At Metal Radio its first week in rotation and charted in the Top 100 for the rest of the year, finishing out at #71 overall for 2002!!! Not a small feat by any means, even for a well-known act, but Drill 187 did it through constant touring, great fan and industry support and by writing incredible music that sticks to the ribs!
In 2005, the group disbanded after grueling tour schedules and lack of direction from management left them broke and disheartened. Now, 2009 sees DRILL 187 reformed again for the re-release of "The Faceless Majority" on Away Team Music, as well as a brand new album which will drop in November. Singer Jason Lilley, Guitarist Jason Ussery, Drummer Greg Evans, Guitarist Ronnie Dalgo and newcomer Dennis Keeter are already in the studio writing new tracks for what will become "Crucified: New, Rare & Recycled Noise", a 12-track CD that boasts new music, unreleased rarities from their back catalog and some live cuts to round out the mix. Reunion shows are being scheduled every week starting October 23rd and a full tour will ensue after the new album is released in November.
To purchase DRILL 187's "The Faceless Majority", head over to itunes.apple.com now!!! For more information on the band, check out www.myspace.com/drill187.

 

 

 

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

FRONTIERS ARTIST UPDATE:
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of Blanc Faces new album entitled Falling from The Moon on November 6 in Europe and November 26 in the USA.
In 2005 one of the brightest new stars on the Melodic Rock scene appeared during the hot summer time. In July of that year Blanc Faces, headed by the brothers duo, Robbie and Brian La Blanc debuted with their self titled album showing the world that the time for big harmonies was not over. With a stunning production and some truly brilliant songs, Blanc Faces managed to catch the attention of the entire Melodic Rock oriented press and loads of new fans. Following the huge responses, the band appeared for the first time in Europe at the first edition of the United Forces of Rock Festival in Ludwigsburg, Germany where they literally took the crowd by storm.
Little by little the two brothers (who by the way have an outstanding career in music including providing background vocals on music involving Toto lead singer Bobby Kimball and legendary singer Ronnie Spector) started putting together musical material for the second album which they completed in the summer of 2009. "My brother wrote most of the material, I wrote some lyrics for it" says singer Robbie LaBlanc. "It's fumy when you think back on the time period you write something it parallels what's going on in your life at that time whether you know it or not. When I'm listening to the new CD I can remember what I was thinking or feeling at that moment. My brother just likes to write melodic songs, I think the approach was pretty much the same as the last CD".
Not wanting to touch a team that gave superb results on the debut record, Blanc Faces worked again with Kyle Woodring (RIP)(Dennis DeYoung; Survivor; John Mellencamp) on drums, Jeff Batter (Cannata) on keyboards, and Butch Taylor and Michael Patzig on lead guitar. "We are real happy that it's done and sounding great" continues Robbie, "I took a lot more time with the vocals on this CD. There were songs that I thought were done and I'd listen back and want to do it again. Sometimes you can drive your self nuts with that but I usually know when something sounds right. We hope everyone feels the same way!"
Just a few weeks after the completion of the record the sad news of Kyle Woodring passing reached everyone, so the entire album is dedicated to this amazing musician.
Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Place Vendome etc.) delivered once again a superior quality in the mixing sessions so once again the end result is an astonishing album that restores the faith in Classic AOR / Melodic Rock music. If you are a fan of Journey, Foreigner and Survivor, you will love this recording!

 
xx

Final tracklisting of "Falling From the Moon" includes: I Come Alive; Falling From The Moon; I Swear To You; Everything: It's All About the Love; Goodbye Summer Goodbye; Deep In The Heart; Don't Take It Away; Like A Believer; Light Of The World; I Will; Fly. Includes also: Falling From The Moon videoclip (click on the image to watch it).
 

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the signing of Unruly Child in the original line-up featuring Marcie Free, Bruce Gowdy, Guy Allison, with Larry Antonino and Jay Schellen for a brand new recording to be released in 2010.
The production will start in October in Los Angeles under the direction of guitar player Bruce Gowdy. The forthcoming album will include eleven newly written songs which will bring back the glorious sound of the band's debut album with a XXIst Century flavour.
The album will be the first one to feature again the vocals of Marcie Free (a/k/a Mark Free of Signal and King Kobra fame) in more than a decade. Universally known as one of the most gifted vocalists of the scene, Marcie can be seen signing the recording agreement in this videoclip posted on her myspace site: vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=63575703.
Bruce Gowdy stated: "We all look forward to making this eventful record", Further news shall be posted soon.

Danger Danger's brand new album Revolve entered the Swedish national charts at Number 83 in the week of release in Sweden! Congratulations to the band and everyone involved!

Outloud impressive self-titled debut album is now available in the U.S. on Frontiers/Super D! Check out: www.myspace.com/outloudtheband and judge by yourself some tunes and the videoclip for the single, We Run. Don't forget to leave your feedback!
If you are based in the US and like what you hear, order the CD today following one of the links below: www.amazon.com / www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7979191 / www.nehrecords.com/shop/OutloudOut.htm#FRCD421 / www.impulsemusic.com/catalog/detail.asp?id=11737 / www.cdinzane.com.
The album has created quite a buzz in Europe, garnering stellar reviews in all the major metal mags and not to mention the video for the single "We Run" getting included on the esteemed German Metal Hammer DVD compilation, and the track itself landing a spot on the latest Melodicrock.com and Rock It compilations, not to mention being named "Track of the Day" by the world famous Classic Rock Magazine. Rock Hard Greek magazine marks this album with 8/10 commenting: "This is easily one of the best albums of 2009 for the genre of melodic metal".
Check out the review scores below!
Metal Hammer (GR) 8/10 / Rock Hard (GR) Soundcheck #2 / www.rockunited.com 10/10 "This is why I love melodic rock, people!" / www.melodicrock.com 96/100 "Had this been released in 1988 it would have sold a million plus without even trying!!! / www.eutk.com 8,5/10 / www.powerofmetal.dk 96/100 / www.ytsejam.com 5/6 / www.hardrockhideout.com 7/10 / www.rockeyez.com 5/5 / www.furyrocks.com 8/10 "A spontaneous eighties hard rock album!" / www.rockinreview.com 7/10 "Everything about this album screams "Rock N' Roll!!!
WebLink: www.myspace.com/outloudtheband.

 

AC/DC'S SPECTACULAR BOX SET:
The full track listing details for the upcoming AC/DC Box Set: forums.melodicrock.com/phorum33/read.php?f=1&i=369574&t=369564.

MICHAEL BORMANN & FAIR WARNING TOUR DATES:
Former Jaded Heart singer Michael Bormann will play a couple of live shows during the next couple of months. More news on Michael Bormann's new solo album will be published as soon as available.
17.10.2009 D-München, Garage Deluxe
18.10.2009 D-Ludwigsburg, Rofa2
24.10.2009 D-Bochum, Zeche
30.10.2009 N-Oslo, Club Fiasco
31.10.2009 N-Horten, Mc-Club
13.11.2009 D-Langquaid, Gate Music Hall
21.11.2009 UK, Dudley Jbs
WebLink: www.michaelbormannpage.de

Here comes the final reminder for Fair Warning's upcoming shows:
07. October 2009 - Spirit of 66 - Verviers (B)
08. October 2009 – Rock Temple – Kerkrade (NL)
11. October 2009 - Sala Caracol - Madrid (ES)
18. October 2009 - Loud Park - Tokyo (JP)
WebLink: www.fair-warning.de.

IOANNIS LAUNCHED NEW WEBSITE AND OFFERS ORIGINAL ART FOR SALE:
Ioannis and Dangerous Age have just launched their new website, that features in-depth galleries, videos, biography, and much more. Of particular interest will be the gallery section, in which Ioannis talks about the art he has created for the various rock acts he has worked for in the last 25 years (and includes samples to check out).
Also of interest - especially to the hardcore collector - Ioannis has put quite a few of his original paintings up for sale - Uriah Heep, Quiet Riot, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bon Jovi, and much more. Fates Warning's Awaken The Guardian has already sold for $45,000.00 (and the back cover for $20,000.00), while Lynyrd Skynyrd sold for $20,000.00 as well. Ioannis has designed covers for Deep Purple, Biohazard, Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Sacred Oath , Quiet Riot, Yngwie Mamsteen, Hallows Eve, Extreme, Dokken, King Crimson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Tubes, Uriah Heep, and many more.
WebLinks: www.dangerousage.com.

MOTORHEAD HAS A NEW VOICE:
Press Release / After a raucous concert in Charlotte, NC, the legendary Lemmy Kilmister, founding member of the Grammy award-winning band, Motorhead, made a call that would change the world. With a desire to give fans something they had never had, the cultural icons joined JoggleBug.com for their launch.
Motorhead, the hardest working, hardest touring band in the world, is without a doubt one of the most respected rock bands today, and Lemmy is one of rock 'n roll's most influential and iconic figures. Fans of the powerhouse trio can now check in to JoggleBug daily to hear Lemmy's updates from the road.
JoggleBug provides artists and celebrities the capability to speak directly to their fans in real-time and real voice. "He's the coolest guy, and I'm so honored that he believed in my vision from the beginning," says Ann Cameron Troy, JoggleBug Co-Founder and CEO. "His presence is as undeniable as his voice and when you can hear directly from Lemmy, you know it's real, not an assistant or manager writing or texting for him."
This was the reason JoggleBug was created in the first place. With a phone call, Lemmy can give Motorhead fans, tour updates, insight from the road, show stories and a glimpse into his life, in his own voice.
JoggleBug is a free service for fans to gain access into the real time lives of the artists and celebrities they love. With JoggleBug you move into the next generation of social networking. It's a personal broadcast network. It's talking, not texting. It's screaming, laughing, crying, shouting, whispering or singing -you can do it all with JoggleBug. Let me hear it! Visit www.jogglebug.com.

INTRODUCING KATET:
Press Release / Melodic, hard rock band Katet, hailing from New England, take listeners on a 'Quantum Journey' throughout the course of their new LP of the aforementioned title. Championed by legendary Stryper frontman Michael Sweet, who contributes a guest lead vocal appearance ('Still Forgiven) on the band's latest studio album, which was released by Versailles Records in August, 2009. With live opening spots for such hard rock/metal legends as Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Queensryche, Shadows Fall and Ron Thal (Bumblefoot) from Guns N' Roses, Katet was also the winner of the 2008 Indie Artists Alliance national songwriting competition. The band has also been featured on internationally-released Tributes to Kiss, Guns N' Roses, and Stone Temple Pilots.
WebLinks: www.versaillesrecords.com / www.myspace.com/katetmusic.

TAYLOR MILLS' SOPHMORE RELEASE DUE OCTOBER:
Press Release / Taylor Mills is back. After recording and touring the globe with music legend Brian Wilson and releasing her critically acclaimed 2007 debut, Lullagoodbye she returns with her alluring and unforgettable sophomore effort, Under The Surface. No doubt you've heard her strong yet disciplined emotional vocals and this exceptional collection of new songs is another testament to her musical prowess.
Mills has spent the better part of ten years in Brian Wilson's band, called by Sir Paul McCartney as "The best touring band in the world. Period." She now returns with the same team that produced "Lullagoodbye" which critics called "a stunning and thrilling pleasure" and "superior sunshine pop/rock." As Mills explains, "Working with Scott Bennett (band mate in Brian Wilson's band, co producer) and Todd Sucherman (Mills' husband, co producer and drummer for the platinum selling STYX) is such a creative joy. It just feels like everything is in the right place and it makes the process of making music exciting and rewarding. Hopefully that spirit is passed along to the listener."
"Under The Surface" is her new release for 2009 and like her previous effort runs a gamut of emotions with lyrical and aural scenery that become more intriguing with every listen. "I think records that grow on you over multiple plays are the ones that ultimately mean more to you over the years. I know I feel that way. You have to work for it, in a sense, because something that is 'instantly catchy' can often be shallow or become boring quickly." Mills continues, "There's something special about hearing a song for the fourth or fifth time and realizing that you are falling in love with that song. It's almost a microcosmic feeling of actually falling in love with a slow burn."
Perhaps this gives us an insight to the album's title. "Well, perhaps" she explains. "It's also about various struggles that people deal with regularly like conflicts with love, self, relationships, loss, dreams and ambitions. Just under the surface of the facade we show people in daily life, there could be issues brewing that need to be dealt with----and these are some of the issues that the characters in the songs have to face and ultimately overcome."
With songs mostly penned by collaborator Scott Bennett, "Under The Surface" also includes a song by long time friend and ex-Falling Wallendas band-mate Allen Keller as well as a remake of "I Wanna Stay Home" by the Beach Boys influenced band "Jellyfish." Keller's contribution, "St. Louis Misery" is a heart aching confession of adultery sweetly sung by Mills. "Melody" has the story of an aging singer seeing the spotlight drift away and contains the thought, "dreams don't age gracefully." Taylor is an emotional powerhouse on "Kiss My Soul" and "Best Intentions" but never flaunts her chops instead using them at the perfect time for an emotional swell. The collection's most upbeat moment comes with the up-tempo "Living Room" co written by Bennett and Drake Bell, from the popular Nickelodeon show "Josh and Drake." "If We Let Go" is a sultry, smoky duet between Mills and Bennett that features Brian Wilson band mate Probyn Gregory on Flugelhorn and Sucherman's jazzy touch on the drums.
"This might be a slightly mellower, more piano driven record than the last one" Mills explains. "The whole creative process was much faster this time due to working in the holes of our touring schedule and the fact we have our own studio now." "Under The Surface" is another showcase for Mills' range as singer/storyteller and lets collaborators Bennett and Sucherman shine as well.
Scott Bennett has spent his tenure in Brian Wilson's band along side Taylor Mills and has worked on various TV shows and other musical projects. In 2008 he co-wrote and co-produced Brian Wilson's "That Lucky Old Sun" which included Taylor's talents as well as Sucherman on drums. The release received 4 stars in Rolling Stone and Mojo magazines. Todd Sucherman continues to hold the drum chair in the band Styx and still makes time for other recording and performing duties. In the 2009 Modern Drummer magazine reader's poll he was voted #1 rock drummer and his dvd "Methods and Mechanics" which featured songs from Lullagoodbye was voted #1 instructional DVD.
Can we look forward to more from Mills in the near future? "I hope so but for now my commitment is to Brian and the band. We'll be touring some more this year and it's an honor to perform that music with him--- someone who's one of the 20th century's greatest composers. But with "Under The Surface" I feel like this record is where I'm at now and we'll take our time before embarking on another effort. I'm proud of this record. I feel nothing on it is dated or kitschy. Ultimately at the end of the day we have to be proud of what we've done and that's what matters most."
"Under The Surface" is another stunning accomplishment from Taylor Mills and her crew, sure to charm and engage listeners with that emotional slow burn she desires. We said hello to Taylor with "Lullagoodbye" and now we get a deeper, more intense look at her "Under The Surface."
Under The Surface released on Aqua Pulse Records Oct 2009.
WebLinks: www.TaylorMills.com / myspace.com/taylormillsmusic / facebook.com/taylormills1 / twitter.com/taylormills.

 

 

 

Monday, September 28, 2009

UNRULY CHILD RETURNS FROM THE WILDERNESS:
The cat is out of the bag! A little earlier than was anticipated, but Marcie Free has come forward to announce that Unruly Child will return! Yes, Bruce Gowdy, Jay Schellan, Guy Allison and of course Marcie, will record a brand new studio album for Frontiers Records, to be released in 2010.
In a video message to fans, Marcie has shown her signing the new contract, viewable here: vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=63575703.

And a text message posted reads: "To the best fans in the whole world. I'm just here to announce that it's official. Unruly Child has signed with Frontiers Records. All the original members have agreed to come together for another record. We're excited and wanted you to know. I made a video to commemorate the signing today September 26, 2009. It's in my videos if you'd like to see it. Hope to see all of you soon. Keep on Rockin!! Love, Marcie. xooxooxoxo."

I know this announcement brings forward as many questions as it does answers, so let me answer the biggest one. Yes, Mark Free had a sex change several years ago - most are well aware of this and have shown Marcie a great deal of respect for the courageous move. A Feature Interview with Marcie by myself can be read here: www.melodicrock.com/interviews/marciefree.html.
The next question is the voice - can Marcie still sing? Of course! You better believe it! I have been in constant contact with Marcie over the last 2 years and as recently as a few months back heard some vocal work that proves that Marcie has lost none of the magic and the voice is as strong and vibrant as ever! Despite the sex change, Marcie's voice remains exactly as we all remember Mark Free's incredible voice was in its prime. So there is plenty to look forward to with this announcement. Stay tuned for further updates soon.

 

ARC OF THE DAWN COMES TO LIGHT:
Dare's new album is complete and will be released October 26. Arc Of The Dawn will be available through all good melodic specialist retailers and via Amazon and iTunes.
The track listing is: 1. Dublin 2. Shelter In The Storm 3. Follow The River 4. King Of Spades 5. I Will Return 6. Emerald 7. When 8. The Flame 9. Still Waiting 10. Kiss The Rain 11. Remember 12. Circles.
The Flame is a cover of the massive Cheap Trick hit ballad. King Of Spades and I Will Return (Return The Heart) are both new versions of the much loved songs from the band's debut Out Of The Silence.
Emerald is a new reworked version of the Thin Lizzy classic.
Arc Of The Dawn follows a very similar musical and lyrical theme to that of recent Dare albums - so you will know what to expect here, but I am very happy to say that the tempo has been lifted overall and the guitar work from Richard Dewes is absolutely fantastic - and well forward in the mix.
I believe this album comes closest to the style of Calm Before The Storm and is perhaps the band's best effort since that release - certainly the most guitar driven. Keep an eye out for further updates and some musical previews, plus a full review soon.

 

POWER QUEST REVEALS NEW LINE-UP!:
We are very pleased to finally reveal the all new Power Quest line-up. A farewell to members Alessio Garavello, Andrea Martongelli and Francesco Tresca was given at Saturday's final show @ Metalfest UK in Dudley. The band's finally performance took the Metalfest crowd by storm as they tore through a blistering set of Power Quest classics. Power Quest is now facing the biggest change in band history since they started in 2001.
Steve Williams is confident that the new members of the family will continue to keep the PQ dream alive.
First addition to the now UK based 6 piece is vocalist Pete Morten, who is also known from his guitar job in Threshold. Pete is an extremely talented vocalist and brings his own style to the unique Power Quest sound. "To recruit a singer similar to Alessios' style was never an option, when we were looking for a strongly skilled singer with his own personality. Pete is just the man for it!" comments Steve.
The first of our new guitarists is 21 year old Andy Midgley. He will take care of the rhythm parts but will also be blasting out some solos too! Behind the drum kit is Derby based sticks man Rich Smith, an extremely talented drummer, Rich has been a part of the UK metal scene for more than ten years.
Replacing Andrea was never going to be an easy task; but Ben Randall will show the fans, together with his twin shredder Andy, that the new team is ready to strike in the Power Quest tradition. At the tender age of 16 Ben made it to the final of International Guitar Idol in 2008 where he was voted "most promising young guitarist" from over 750 contenders.
Completing the line up on bass guitar is Paul Finnie, a close member of the Power Quest family for many years, who's now taking the chance to step into the spotlight.
The all new Power Quest will be back on the road next month. You'll be able to catch the new Power Quest line up in action at the following shows in October 2009:
* October 17th ­ Derby, The Vic Inn
* October 18th - Southampton Firehouse
* October 19th - London Islington Academy (main support for Tarja)

 

NEW FRAZE GANG EP AVAILABLE:
New 3 Song EP Mixed and Mastered By Beau Hill Now Available Via iTunes & CD Baby / Fraze Gang has released a new 3 song digital EP available Worldwide via iTunes & CD Baby. The 3 tracks, 'Rampage,' 'This is it,' and a kick ass cover of 70's rockers 'Sugarloaf's' monster hit 'Don't Call Us' were once again mixed by legendary producer Beau Hill. The band is very excited with the results & would like to thank Wayne Berge & Beau Hill for their dedication & support.
Ralph Alfonso - Head of Bongo Beat Records has issued the following press release:
"As Beatlemania sweeps across the world again, we're reminded of an earlier era when sheer talent and dogged determination paved the way to success. In 1975, Sugarloaf chronicled their struggle for a record deal with the cheeky 'Don't Call Us' - rocketing to #9 on the US charts. In the song, one of the label excuses is that it's all been done before by a certain John, Paul, George and Ringo - and funny enough, the publishing to the song was subsequently bought by Paul McCartney via his MPL Communications (Sir Paul certainly knows something about a hit record). 'Don't Call Us' was originally a dig at CBS Records who had turned the band down. Sugarloaf persisted and scored other hits, including the classic rock staple, 'Green Eyed Lady' (#3, 1970).
Fraze Gang are no strangers to the charts themselves as singer/guitarist Greg Fraser penned several AOR hits for Canadian hair metal stalwarts Brighton Rock ('Can't Wait For The Night', 'Hangin' High & Dry', 'We Came To Rock' etc), picking up several Gold albums along the way.
Now, alongside powerhouse drummer Phil Epp and fellow Brighton Rock alumni bassist Stevie Skreebs, Greg Fraser updates 'Don't Call Us' for the current era of instant stars and celebrities, auto-tune software, and TV talent shows to let us know that ultimately it's raw talent, hunger and determination that still lead the way to the top.
'Don't Call Us' is the lead track from their digital only EP, available on iTunes and Cd Baby. (Amazon coming soon) Mixed and Mastered by Beau Hill (Ratt, Warrant, Alice Cooper, etc.)"
To order FRZ GNG 3-song EP from CD Baby click here / To order FRZ GNG 3-song EP from iTunes click here.
WebLink: www.frazegang.com / www.myspace.com/frazegang.

 

CHICKENFOOT DEBUT RE-ISSUED:
International rock music record label earMUSIC will release a new, Deluxe Edition of the eponymous debut album by 2009's biggest rock band Chickenfoot. The 2-disc Deluxe Edition includes a bonus DVD disc featuring over 60 minutes of live performances and promotional footage. UK Release Date: October 26.
The band, comprised of former Van Halen and Montrose vocalist Sammy Hagar, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and world renowned electric guitarist Joe Satriani, is being hailed as one of the most exciting rock and roll guitar bands in years.
This deluxe version of the album will be released in the UK on Monday October 26th and will include an additional DVD, containing exclusive live footage, behind the scenes interviews and both the band's official music videos, for debut single 'Oh Yeah' and upcoming single 'Soap On A Rope', set for a November release as a double A side with 'My Kinda Girl'.
2009 saw Chickenfoot's debut album reach phenomenal world wide acclaim, debuting at #4 on the American Billboard 200 (to date the band have sold over 300,000 copies of the album in the USA) and charting highly all over the World, including a Top 20 place in the UK album chart, and reaching #10 in Germany and Japan.
After the album's release in June, Chickenfoot embarked on a huge world tour, selling out every show across Europe and America. The band's debut UK gig at the o2 London Shepherds Bush Empire was rapturously received by the UK fans and music press alike; Metal Hammer magazine said of the performance "Chickenfoot Live are every bit as electrifying and exhilarating as we had hoped...a fantastic show!"
Full "Chickenfoot" Track Listing: 1. Avenida Revolution 2. Soap on a Rope 3. Sexy Little Thing 4. Oh Yeah 5. Runnin' Out 6. Get It Up 7. Down the Drain 8. My Kinda Girl 9. Learning to Fall 10. Turnin' Left 11. Future in the Past.
Addition DVD Content: Exclusive live footage shot on the band's 2009 world tour / Candid interview footage shot at early band rehearsals and in the studio / Promo music videos for 'Oh Yeah' and 'Soap on a Roap'.

THREE CLASSIC BANDS – ONE CLASSIC SHOW. CLASSIC LEGENDS OF ROCK:
Three Classic Rock bands join together for a unique tour of the U.K. running from the 29th September though to the 8th November performing at major theatres around the Country.
Focus, led by the mercurial Thijs Van Leer on Organ, Flute and Yodel are best remembered for their hit singles "Sylvia" and "Hocus Pocus pt 1" along with their chart albums "Focus 111", "Live At The Rainbow" and "Hamburger Concerto". Still based in Holland Focus continue to amaze audiences with their unique, classical/Jazz/Rock sound. Focus will be playing all their best loved songs together with tracks from their latest studio release "Nine". Focus also feature original drummer Pierre Van Der Linden.
Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash have recently re-released a brand new version of the classic Wishbone Ash album hit "Argus" entitled "Argus- Through The Looking Glass". Martin Turner was of course the voice, bass guitarist and principle songwriter of Wishbone Ash who enjoyed a string of album hits throughout the seventies. With Martin's voice and performance still astounding audiences everywhere the band play his latest incarnation of Wishbone Ash is set to add another chapter to the Wishbone Ash legend.
The Strawbs – featuring the wonderful Dave Cousins, together with Chas Cronk and Dave Lambert continue to release quality albums such as their most recent "Dancing To The Devil's Beat". The Strawbs will be featuring material from their five huge selling chart albums including "From The Witchwood" and "Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios" along with hit singles, "Lay Down" and "Shine On Silver Sun".
Three Classic Bands – One Classic Show! WebLink: www.focustheband.com.

 

 

 

Saturday, September 26, 2009

JOURNEY TO RELEASE HISTORIC LIVE IN MANILA DVD OCTOBER 2ND:
Journey's Live In Manila two-DVD set will be released October 2, 2009. Filmed with RED technology, which utilizes special 4K high-definition cameras with a resolution exceeding 35mm film that gives the footage an extra dynamic quality, the DVD captures Journey's historic concert in Manila, Philippines. Performing more than two hours' worth of classic favorites, as well as new hits from the band's latest album, Revelation, Live In Manila documents the triumphant homecoming of the band's singer Arnel Pineda.
On March 14, 2009, Journey returned to Pineda's homeland and introduced him as their new lead singer to a crowd of nearly 30,000. Group members Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory, and Deen Castronovo swelled with pride as they witnessed the Filipino people embrace Arnel and the music of Journey.
By the time of the Manila concert, more than 800,000 copies of Revelation­the band's first album with Arnel­had been sold, and was supported with sold-out shows all over the world.
The Live In Manila DVD, like Revelation, is being sold exclusively at Walmart in North America.

Live In Manila Track Listing:
Disc One 1. Never Walk Away 2. Only The Young 3. Ask The Lonely 4. Stone In Love 5. Keep On Running 6. After All These Years 7. Change For The Better 8. Wheel In The Sky 9. Lights/ Still They Ride 10. Open Arms 11. Mother Father 12. Wildest Dreams 13. When You Love A Woman 14. Separate Ways 15. What I Needed.
Disc Two 16. Edge Of The Blade 17. Where Did I Lose Your Love 18. Escape 19. Faithfully 20. Don't Stop Believin' 21. Anyway You Want It 22. Lovin' Touchin' 23. Turn Down The World 24. Be Good To Yourself.

Revelation debuted on Billboard's Top 200 album chart at No. 5 in the U.S and entered the national charts in six European countries in its first week of release. Within a few months, Revelation was certified platinum, Journey's 11th album to achieve that status. In the fall of 2008, Journey's classic "Don't Stop Believin'" set a new high-water mark for digital downloads, topping 2 million in sales, making it the most downloaded catalogue track ever.
Journey plays with a passion and commitment that wows both longtime fans and new generations of listeners alike. More than 700,000 fans attended their 2008 tour alone to hear the new hit singles "Never Walk Away" and "After All These Years" as well as the staggering catalogue of hits such as "Don't Stop Believin'," "Any Way You Want It," "Open Arms," "Faithfully," "Stone In Love," and "Separate Ways."

 

 

 

Friday, September 25, 2009

ESCAPE INTRODUCE MARKONEE:
Escape Music announce their next release due November 13 - Markonee See The Thunder.
Markonee are a hot new band from Italy that specialise in Classic hard rock, the sort that we all love as purveyed by Winger, Ratt, Gotthard and Warrant. They first recorded a concept album "The Spirit of Radio" three years ago that was based around the invention of the radio by Gugliemo Marconi, hence the band name. However, their new recording "See the Thunder" boasts a brand new sound and much stronger material. With Beau Hill (Alice Cooper, Ratt, Winger, Signal, Eric Clapton, etc) twiddling the knobs we are obviously going to get a very professional sound; and it does not disappoint.
"See the Thunder" features 10 original tracks that demonstrates how the band have matured, with great teamwork and the key skills required to stand out of the crowd in today's complicated music business. They have pulled this off so well that they have landed opening slots for such bands as Winger, Gotthard, White Lion, The Sweet, Molly Hatchet, Tyketto, Soul Doctor, Y&T, L.A. Guns, and House of Shakira. So they have already created a name for themselves by sheer determination.
From the opening chords of "Way 2 Go" we are in for a real treat, with driving guitars and thundering rhythms. Gabriele Gozzi's lead vocals really set the whole thing off and the harmonies are so convincing it is hard to believe that we are not listening to a band from North America! Their sound is so tight and they certainly have that finesse that we have recently found in bands like Gotthard. Check out the songs "The cross between the lines", "Brand new day" and "Back on me" for a perfect hard rock outings, whilst "Cherry Blossom" is a good choice for ballad of the year.
Markonee push all the right buttons and with this recording they have all the ingredients to go far in this competitive world of hard rock.

Track List: Way 2 Go / Woman & Whisky / See The Thunder / Shores Of Another See / The Big K / The Cross Between The Lines / Brand New Day / Back On Me / Cherry Blossom / I Believe In Father Christmas.
Download a full length preview in the form of the opening track Way 2 Go.

The Band: Stefano Peresson – guitars and keys / Carlo Bevilacqua – guitars / Luigi Frati – Bass / Ivano Zanotti – Drums / Gabriele Gozzi – Lead Vocals.

Tour Dates:
October -
17 sat Markonee + Over The Rainbow - Estragon, Bologna (Italy)
24 sat Markonee + Gotthard - Vidia, Cesena (Italy)
27 tue Markonee acoustic show - Mercati Musicali, TV show (Italy)
November
09 mon Markonee + D-A-D - MusicDrome, Milano (Italy)
10 tue Markonee + D-A-D - SottoTetto, Bologna (Italy)
Markonee + Winger European Tour
November -
20 fri Italy - Crossroads - Roma
21 sat Italy - Ke Me Meo - Argelato (Bologna)
22 sun Italy - New Thunder Revolution - Casteggio, Pavia (Milan)
24 tue France - Batofar - Paris
25 wed Belgium - Sprit of '66 - Verveis
26 thu Holland - Bosuil - Weert
December -
04 fri Danmark - The Rock - Copenhagen
06 sun Poland - Progresija - Warsaw
07 mon Checz Rep. - Exit Chmelnice - Praha
08 tue Austria - (Szeene) - Wien
09 wed Hungary - A38 - Budapest
11 fri Swiss - Tibis/Downstairs - Worblaufen
WebLink: www.Escape-Music.com.

 
xx

THE DEBUT OF THE NEW FM SINGLE!:
I am very pleased to be able to announce the very first teaser clip from UK melodic rock legends - FM!
The new single is called Wildside and will be available as part of a new EP available at next month's Firefest 6 Festival, where the band will be performing.
This is the first look at material from the band's upcoming ful length studio release Metropolis.
Tune back in October 2nd for the FULL clip to be launched as well as the track being available via iTunes.

Check out: FM - Wildside: fmofficial.com - (90 second video clip)

 

FIREFEST PRESS RELEASE - SEPTEMBER 25:
Press Release / As Firefest 6 is getting closer, we would like to take this opportunity to let you have the stage times for the bands playing on Saturday October 24th. There will not be any DVDs shot this year, but there will be live recording, so please make a LOT of noise for all the bands playing.
Tickets have been selling extremely well, but as always we could do with one final push to get us past the post. No, we're not there yet, but not too far away either.
Just over 200 tickets remain, so if you are intending to come along, please do purchase your ticket sooner rather than later. Tickets available from either www.thefirefest.com or www.rock-city.co.uk.
Tickets will also be available on the day from the Rock City box office and will be for sale at £55 per ticket.

FM Meet and Greet -
Following the hugely successful, not to mention, enjoyable time had by all at the FM meet and greet at Firefest 4, it has been decided to run a similar event at Firefest 6 this year. The meet and greet will take place on Saturday October 24th a few hours before FM take the stage.
In order to make this as fair as possible, we shall be dividing the meet and greet into two sections. Section one will be for members of fmofficial.com and section two will be for Firefest attendees that are not affiliated with FM in any way.
In order to be considered for the FM meet and greet, we would ask that you simply send your name and address via e mail to the following address meetandgreet@fmofficial.com. Those wishing to apply through Firefest can do so via e mail to Firefest@hotmail.com stating FM meet and greet in the subject heading. There are a limited number of places available due to the time constraints involved, so it will be limited to 20 people from FM official and also 20 people attending Firefest not affiliated to fmofficial.com. The boys will pick the winners from a hat (it's the fairest way) and the winners will be notified by fmofficial.com as to when and where the meet and greet will be taking place. Firefest will in turn notify the meet and greet winners from their side with time and place.
Please note the following:
1. The maximum per application is two people
2. Please do not send multiple applications. (i.e. do not apply to FM official and Firefest ........or you will not be considered at all.)
3. The closing date for ALL applications is Monday 5th October, and the winners will be notified soon after that date.
4. Feel free to bring along your CD covers, albums, photos and your camera as the boys will only be delighted to sign your stuff and have photos taken.

Here are the stage times for Saturday October 24th.

Doors 12 noon
First Band: 12.20

Airrace: 12.20 - 12.50
Poodles: 1.10 - 1.50
Drive She Said: 2.10 - 3.05
Romeos Daughter: 3.25 - 4.25
White Sister: 4.45 - 5.45
Crown Of Thorns: 6.05 - 7.05
Honeymoon Suite: 7.30 - 8.35
F.M.: 9.00 - 10.20

Curfew 10.30 PM

ACE FREHLEY: AUSTRALIAN TOUR OCTOBER 2009:
Ace Frehley and he will be here in Australia for his first ever solo tour in October.
Tour Dates:
Monday 19th Melbourne. Palace (formerly Metro). 20-30 Bourke Street, Melbourne.
Tuesday 20th Sydney. Enmore Theatre. 118-132 Enmore Road, Newtown.
Wednesday 21th Brisbane. The Tivoli. 52 Costin Street, Fortitude Valley.
Tickets for all shows on sale 9am this Friday 25th September from www.redanttouring.com or www.ticketek.com.au or phone Ticketek 132 849.
WebLinks: www.acefrehley.com / www.spaceaceonline.com / www.theacefrehleyarchive.com / www.redanttouring.com.

REVIEWS UPDATED:
A host of new re-issue/compilation Reviews online today. Some new releases due up next week. Reviewed today are new re-issues of: Night Ranger, Blvd., Clif Magness, From The Fire, Think Out Loud, Ted Poley, Liberty & Justice, Allied Forces, Thrills and Jeff Scott Soto.
Read New Reviews.

MR-X UPDATED:
MR-X has been updated with the following new features - a triple-play of past MelodicRock samplers.
- Dream in Colour - The Best of Now And Then Vol. 1
- Keep The Dream Alive - Now & Then Sampler Vol. 2
- Various Artists - MTM Music Volume 2
MR-X Membership Details.

 

 

 

Thursday, September 24, 2009
 


xx


Frontiers Records will release the highly anticipated, self-titled debut album from W.E.T. on November 6 as a special CD/DVD package.
Featuring the immense talents of singer/songwriter Jeff Scott Soto (Talisman); guitarist/songwriter Erik Martensson (Eclipse) and guitarist/songwriter Robert Sall (Work Of Art), this is the melodic hard rock album you have been waiting for!
(W)ork of art (E)clipse (T)alisman was written and recorded over the last 12 months and features the best elements of the three bands the principle artists have been involved in.
And the guys all feel the same way about this album:

Erik: "In the beginning it was just a project set up by Frontiers but somewhere along the process of making it, it evolved into something greater then the project we had started with. We had a fantastic flow in the song writing and when Jeff recorded his lead vocals it all fell into place."

Jeff: "I'm very excited about the WET project. What a brilliant idea of Frontiers to put the three of us together. I think the album turned even better than we hoped for and I can't wait to see the reactions from the melodic rock fans. I'm really proud of this record and I think a lot of people is gonna 'wet' there pants once they get to hear it!
I knew this was the kind of album a LOT of people wanted me to make so I am quite hopeful it will be amongst one of the biggest things I have done in my career thusfar. I have never heard or felt such a buzz for something I am a part of and I couldn't be more proud with my 'brothers in arms', Erik & Robert, for helping create what shall hopefully become a Classic masterpiece."


And the future seems bright for the trio.

Jeff: "I believe if it does well enough, we would be silly not to take it on the road. Possibly start with a few select dates to get our feet 'wet' then see what time & schedules permit. The thing to remember here is we are of 3 separate & completely different careers that are all currently in motion but in my heart of hearts, I feel this is the beginning of something that will be around for a while, not just a one off!"

Erik: "I would love to go out and play live with this band and I would surely love to make a follow up album for it."

Robert: "If the album does well enough and if our different schedules allow it, I would love to go and play live with WET. And I have pretty good feeling this is not the first and last record from W.E.T.!"

The word masterpiece is tossed around on various occasions, but in this instance there is no doubt what they guys have achieved.

"W.E.T. might just be the perfect balance of power and melody, emotion and attitude. A dream line-up that really delivers their very best. This is a stunner!"Andrew McNeice (melodicrock.com)

 

The debut W.E.T. album features the following tracks:
CD - Invincible, One Love, Brothers In Arms, Comes Down Like Rain, Running From The Heartache, I'll Be There, Damage Is Done, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, One Day At A Time, Just Go, My Everything, If I Fall.
DVD - Video Clips for: One Love, Comes Down Like Rain and Brothers In Arms and a 15 minute EPK.

 
 



Track By Track with W.E.T.:

Invincible –
Erik: When we wrote this song we instantly knew it was an opening track. Intense, full of guitar riffing. All the ingredients of a classic: melodic, intense and ass kicking! And of course, I couldn't hold myself with the Yngwie inspired end of the solo. After all, Jeff sung with him and I played those records all the time when I was a kid. And man, Jeff can still sing absolutely fantastic! What a voice. When I mixed this album I wanted it to sound modern and punchy. I could have gone for a more classic sound but I wanted to bring something new into the genre.
Jeff: The rocker that sets the pace for our little masterpiece! This one really capitalizes the best of our rock sides which is why it gets things started here.
Robert: A great opening track for this album. To me, it's represents all that WET stands for. Powerful, melodic & passionate! Also, I love Erik's wink to Yngwie during the guitar solo!

One Love –
Erik: The foundation of this song was actually written when we were writing for the latest and greatest Eclipse album. But I think we found it to be a bit too melodic for Eclipse. When I started to write for this album I picked it up again and it couldn't fit an album better, and it turned out amazing. It includes a great guitar solo by Magnus, (as always my friend).
Jeff: Our 1st single & video, this has so many elements of what people would expect of our collaboration, it's the got the monster riffs, great vocal hooks & chorus, great guitars, the whole AOR package.

Brothers In Arms –
Erik: This song was also written for Eclipse but somehow got lost somewhere along the way. When I recorded it, I immediately new that this song had something special. It might be my favourite track of the album.
Jeff: This is the 1st one I chose to sing as Erik was sending me the songs 3 & 4 at a time to get done as he was doing others for me to get ready for. I was immediately drawn to this one 1st so I knocked it out & thought 'this album is gonna be fun!' Really love this one a lot, one of my fave picks on the album!

Comes Down Like Rain –
Erik: I had this idea recorded roughly with an acoustic guitar in my mobile telephone. I had no idea if it was good or bad especially for this genre. I was almost on my way to throw it away when I decided to give it a shoot and I'm glad I did. I played it to my friend Miqael Persson who's a magnificent lyric writer and he just immediately fell in love with the song. Jeff's vocals on this one are just amazing.
Jeff: Definitely one of my choice cuts from the album, our 1st 'slower' track on the album. Also the theme for calling the band W.E.T. since the video portrays the whole rain issue. The song brought a new defining moment just on the video alone we did for it…it fades to a cloud scene then shows a memorandum for my recently departed brother, Marcel Jacob. This is the 'Def Lep' song that got away.

Running From The Heartache –
Erik: Actually the first track that Robert and me wrote together for this album. Robert had an idea for a song when we started, and by the time we were finished it sounded nothing like the one we started with. But it turned out pretty good anyway. Pure AoR from the beginning till the end. Not bad for a first try…
Jeff: This one gives me the vibe of Whitesnake's 'Is This Love' & Talisman's 'Just Between Us', guess W.E.T had to have our own take on that classic sound!
Robert: This was the first song that Erik & I wrote together for the album. A nice mid tempo song with desperate, haunting vibe to it!

I'll Be There –
Erik: This one was written with a smile on our faces all the way. I think we wrote the music and melodies in thirty minutes or so. That's the proof that you're doing something great. It just flows when you're writing. As with almost all songs on this album, Miqael helped us out with a lot of great lyrics and ideas.
Jeff: A badass mid tempo commercial rocker with a burning solo, this one rocks but is has the killer AOR chorus, Erik has me singing in the Heaven's again!
Robert: Together with songs we shot videos for, this is one of my favourites on the album. Like most tunes on this album, it was written really quickly by Erik & me with just two acoustic guitars.

Damage Done –
Erik: This one sticks out a bit from the classic AOR way of writing songs and lyrics. I personally love this song. I think that it's also what is so great about this W.E.T. album. Everything is not always as you expect them to be.
Jeff: This is a tricky one, it's got a progressive vibe but extremely melodic, it's like chewing gum & pleasuring yourself at the same time, haha, that's a quote courtesy of Steve Lukather!
Robert: Again, great W.E.T. sounding song. I think the lyrics (written by Miqael Persson) are what really stand out for me with song. It's nice to have an AOR song with lyrics that isn't about love...for a change!

Put Your Money Where You Mouth Is –
Erik: Just a plain rock song full of attitude. Jeff screams like an aeroplane taking off on this one. Fantastic. This song might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but with a lot of strength you can get the job done anyway!
Jeff: This one always reminded me of a commercial Soul SirkUS vibe, another strong chorus & slamming track. This is our political song lyrically, gotta have at least one, Bono would be proud!

One Day At A Time –
Erik: The first song I wrote for this album. It's the classic power ballad that we all love to hear and make out to. Seriously, Jeff sings fantastic on this one and it was actually a candidate for one of the videos.
Jeff: This could be my favorite song on the album by far. I had a blast singing it but it's an emotional song lyrically, about trying to move on from a long time relationship. A mutha of a chorus on this one, I think this will be a fave for many, a few Perry-isms in there.

Just Go –
Erik: I have been listening to Jeff's singing for years and when I presented this riff to Robert we thought that it was about time that we made him do that again. And kick ass double bass drums by our fantastic drummer Robban Bäck. Ever wondered how Eclipse would sound with Jeff on lead vocals? Like this!
Jeff: This one is by far our heaviest on the album, the sheer rocker that shows we ain't only about commercial AOR! The music has a kinda classic Ozzy vibe but again, very melodic vocal lines.
Robert: The heaviest track on the album. I had a really great time writing this song with Erik since it's been many years since I wrote this kind of heavier songs. This song is really Eclipse-sounding to me but it also reminds me of some of the early Work of Art stuff.

My Everything –
Erik: This one was also written very fast a beautiful summer's day. (Only two guys with no worries in the world could write a song like this). If I'm not mistaken I think that Robert and me had written the song and done a fast demo with vocals of it before we had lunch… I hope that writing music could always be this easy…
Jeff: This one has a very Bad English vibe to it but much higher vocals than you'd ever get from Waite, courtesy of Erik again!
Robert: Also one of the earliest songs that we wrote for the album. I think with song, it was the first time where it really "clicked" between me and Erik as song writing partners. After that, the rest of songs came very easy to us.

If I Fall –
Erik: The epic track of the album. (Besides Brothers) Of course everyone hears where the main influence comes from but it was not intentionally. Magnus from Eclipse actually had the initial idea for this song and it sounded nothing like you-know-who. But we kept on re-writing it and after a while we had this monster of a track that somehow had transformed into an epic you-know-who song. Who cares, I love it!
Jeff: This is as Journey as Journey gets! I went full Perry circa 1986 here, another favorite on the album!!
Robert: Again, one of my favourite tracks on the album. A strong Journey-sounding ballad that really ends this album with style. I LOVE not just only Jeff's Steve Perry-ish vocals but also Magnus' Neal Schon-ish guitar solo.



 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

R.I.P. SHANGHAI BASSIST JODI REESE:
Shanghai's Ron Kramer delivered this sad news earlier today:

"Michael J. Verrilli aka Jodi Reese, bass player for Shanghai passed away suddenly last week on September 17th. He was 42 years old and way to young to leave us all. As a close friend and bandmate, I will miss him dearly. My relationship with Jodi started when we were 17 years old. We met through mutual friends and I can still remember all those days when he worked at his family's business "Tony's Fruit Stand" in Bridgeport, CT. I would help him many days so he could get out early and pursue our music ventures. I was amazed at his skills on the keyboard, as he was an accomplished pianist classically trained. He later picked up the bass and shortly became "Jodi Reese". We eventually formed Shanghai and had the time of our lives during those years. We were partners in crime and as a bass player and drummer, we were coined as the "Dirty Rhythm Machine" by close friends. We always stayed in touch, and just recently were wor