Thursday, September 29, 2011

Late News Update for Thursday September 29th, 2011

Hi all,
Well how frustrating can this site - Using Blogspot / Blogger.com - be?
I won't go into details, but the organisation 'behind' Blogger.com / Blogspot offer no customer support, just a web forum ... Then they've gone and changed all the settings / formatting in the whole set up, hence the site change ... That won't let me convert it back to how it was ...! What the ...?!!!
So, I hope you like it folks?! Thoughts?

Aside from that though folks, I'll keep bringing you as much news as I can, as many reviews as I can and ..., those interviews that yes, I STILL need to type up for you and get posted.
Here's hoping you have a great weekend folks, enjoy!
Cheers, Al


GOD BLESS OZZY OSBOURNE
DVD SET FOR NOVEMBER 15 RELEASE VIA EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT




New York, NY (September 27, 2011) – Eagle Rock Entertainment are proud to announce the November 15 release of GOD BLESS OZZY OSBOURNE on DVD and Blu-ray.

Shot over the course of three years, GOD BLESS OZZY OSBOURNE is an unrivalled look into the mind of legendary rock icon Ozzy Osbourne. GOD BLESS OZZY OSBOURNE tells the life story of Ozzy, as seen through the eyes of his youngest child, Jack Osbourne, who worked alongside directors Mike Fleiss and Mike Piscitelli.

During the documentary, Ozzy recounts his troubled youth, his early career with Black Sabbath and the impact of fame and addictions on his first marriage. Viewers will also witness the second chapter of his life as a family man with Sharon, during which his addictions grew to a frightening level, as well as hear Ozzy and his children explain his attempts at staying clean, ultimately resulting in more than five years of sobriety.

Music fans will also see live performances from around the world, including rare behind the scenes clips of Ozzy on and off stage, in his dressing rooms pre-show, to his nights in a series of hotel rooms. Throughout GOD BLESS OZZY OSBOURNE, audiences are given an inside look into the life of a rock star, from the good times to the bad.

The DVD and Blu-Ray of GOD BLESS OZZY OSBOURNE also features additional previously unseen footage not seen in the theatrical release including new interviews, classic archive footage of Black Sabbath and OZZY OSBOURNE, along with a Q&A with OZZY and Jack Osbourne and behind the scenes footage from the Tribeca Film Festival.

The New York Times (4-15-11) has described it as a movie that “unblinkingly chronicles the chaotic life and times of rock’s most notorious cut-up, from his miserable working-class childhood…to his latter-day sobriety.”

Weblinks:

 

Steven Tyler tell Rolling Stone: New Aerosmith Album Coming in March
 
(Aerosmith photo: Melissa Mahoney)

OK, this isn't an official press release from the band, as such, but this information comes through the Aerosmith fansite, Aero Force One, from what Steven Tyler has just shared with Rolling Stone, he tells them it's almost done ...

"Two months doing that and we’re almost there," Tyler said backstage at the iHeartRadio festival in Las Vegas this past weekend. "We’re gonna spend another month in L.A. Is there a release date in mind? March, hopefully." 

The frontman was in great spirits, and why not? He had just schooled an audience of 20,000 fans in rock history with the help of guitar god Jeff Beck. The two of them sounded so good together on songs like "You Really Got Me" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" it seemed a shame to waste that magic pairing on only four songs.
Could there be more collaborations with Beck in the making? "The rest is yet to reveal," Tyler said. "If I had my way, I’d say yes. We did 'Cry Me A River' and an Etta James song," he says. "[We] went to rehearsal to learn these four songs. Two we knew and we just wound up filling in the breaks with all kinds of crazy stuff."
Among those were also some Hendrix songs, according to bassist Tal Wilenfeld, who toured with Beck and sat in on thesuperstar jam session at I Heart Radio.
For his part, Beck had a great time being on stage with a frontman of Tyler's caliber. "Big gigs are not my thing for the sound purposes, but when you’ve got him there he carries the weight, 100 percent," he said. "I enjoyed the fact that everybody was digging what he was doing, so my job was a lot easier."

News piece source:
Band website:


W.A.S.P. – “30 Years of Thunder”



Twenty Nine years ago today, on September 21st 1982, W.A.S.P. played their first show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. On September 21st 2012 W.A.S.P. will begin the “30 Years of Thunder” anniversary Tour starting in the United Kingdom and continue Worldwide!!

This World Tour will be the biggest spectacle W.A.S.P. have ever created. The two hour show will consist of three parts. A one-hour set contains songs from the first four albums. The second set will be a 25 minute shortened version of “The Crimson Idol” complete with the movie accompaniment.

A third set will consist of material from the New Studio Album, older material and everything in between. This show will see multiple video screens, pyrotechnics, and elements from the early W.A.S.P. shows (maybe even an exploding cod piece) and Blackie’s moving microphone stand “Elvis”!!
The “30 Years of Thunder” World Tour - This promises to be the Greatest W.A.S.P. Show Ever !!!

For more information, please visit:


JOHN 5 RELEASES 2ND SINGLE OFF NEW ALBUM
 WELCOME TO VIOLENCE - DOWNLOAD NOW!

HOLLYWOOD, CA (September 28, 2011) – John 5 has released a second single from his much anticipated album 'GOD TOLD ME TOO' – release date to be announced.
The new release will also includes a DVD.

The latest single 'WELCOME TO VIOLENCE' can be found on all download sites such as iTunes and Amazon.

For more information go to:
www.john-5.com



Exclusive stars guitars auction at Hard Rock Cafe



The Angelus Guitar Auction.

Thursday October 6th, 7-10pm. Bid on specially decorated and autographed guitars, featuring one of a kind guitars decorated and signed by local and national celebrities including Rascal Flatts, Kenny
Chesney, Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton and more!

Auction hosted by WQYK's Cledus T Judd and Dave McKay.
Proceeds to benefit The Angelus, a home for the severely handicapped.



STEVE HACKETT'S "BEYOND THE SHROUDED HORIZON" AVAILABLE TODAY
GUITAR WORLD.COM HOSTING FULL ALBUM STREAM

Today sees the release of the highly anticipated new studio album from legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famer STEVE HACKETT. Entitled "Beyond the Shrouded Horizon", the album is a deeply profound and mystical, yet heartfelt and spellbinding, progressive rock record which will seduce the listener.
It marks another step on the enthralling journey we are taking with HACKETT as he makes sense of his life through music.
The album strikes a joyous note while remaining a fascinating and deeply personal affair. As HACKETT says: "For all you restless souls out there, tighten your seatbelts and join me at full throttle on a ride from the shores of Loch Lomond to the Rings of Saturn."
Coinciding with the release of "Beyond the Shrouded Horizon", GuitarWorld.com, the only home of Guitar World Magazine is hosting an exclusive stream of the first disc of the album. 
Listen to the album at:
Beyond the Shrouded Horizon
Track Listing

1. Loch Lomond
2. The Phoenix Flown
3. Wanderlust
4. Til These Eyes
5. Prairie Angel
6. A Place Called Freedom
7. Between The Sunset And The Coconut
Palms
8. Waking To Life
9. Two Faces Of Cairo
10. Looking For Fantasy
11. Summer's Breath
12. Catwalk
13. Turn This Island Earth
Bonus CD

1. Four Winds: North
2. Four Winds: South
3. Four Winds: East
4. Four Winds: West
5. Pieds En L'Air
6. She Said Maybe
7. Enter The Night
8. Eruption: Tommy
9. Reconditioned Nightmare

For more information please check:
STEVE HACKETT online:



INSIDEOUT MUSIC online:
 www.insideoutmusic.com
www.youtube.com/InsideOutMusicTV
www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic
www.twitter.com/insideouteu
www.myspace.com/insideoutlabel



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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Newman – 'Under Southern Skies' album review

Newman – Under Southern Skies album review
Released on: AOR Heaven. Release date: September 2011

For those that don't know it, this is the eigth or you could almost say ninth studio album from UK melodic rock experts Newman.
With eight full blown sudio releases and then the double album set 'Decade' that captured the 'Best of' Newman on the first disc and a second disc of almost all previously unheard of Newman songs, plus three different versions of previously released material.
Steve Newman, the mastermind behind the band of his own name, has been a fan of prime melodic rock for years and years and finally in 1998, he secured a deal with Point Music, to release the first ever Newman release, of classy material. Each subsequent album has more than proved that the material Steve Newman has written, performed on, sung, mixed, produced or co-produced, has just got better and better!

The latest album from the man that does it all or most of it anyway, ‘Under Southern Skies’ opens with ‘Killing Me,’ which kicks off with a guitar melody riff, that just seems different in its approach and many Newman fans may be a little surprised by Steve choice of opener. That said it won’t disappoint Newman fans, as it has much to grab you that you’re already familiar with. Big harmonies, hook lines, guitar / keyboard driven sound and stylish playing. It’s as strong as ever and yes, the guitar playing goes from strength to strength and the songs from Newman get better and better.
Many fans of the Newman ‘brand’ will already be familiar with how influenced Steve is by the likes of Journey, Toto, Night Ranger, Steve Vai, etc and when you hear ‘If He Loves You’ that will all become so very apparent. Just listen to the chorus on this track and the production sound that Steve has achieved here. I mean seriously, stop and listen to the full sound and all the different parts you can hear being played, I mean talk about multi track recording! I absolutely love the harmonizing guitar solo on this track too.
Steve has pulled in Shaun Bessant, from the live Newman band, to help out with the solo here.
Nice work indeed.
Other than Shaun playing on ‘If He Loves You,’ the rest of the album features the long time partnership of simply Steve Newman (Guitars, Keyboards, Bass and Vocals) and Rob McEwen on drums. As I mentioned before, Steve handles all recording aspects once more, mixing, production, mastering and does so, so well! Clever bugger! LOL!
‘Under Southern Skies’ is simply such a strong song, certainly for me Steve Newman’s strongest song in years. The track builds so well from the start and if the verse seems kind of basic, it’s solid, well presented and once more so layered with a mix that is so well balanced, it’s great.
Newman has the ability to write, produce and musically create a track that captures so many influences and style, as he does throughout this album, capturing a sound that is showing so much maturity. Class!

With next track ‘Strength to Carry On,’ it’s classic Newman power ballad like style, with Steve throwing in some of his Vai influences for sure with his soloing. Very solid ...

OK Steve, ‘Ghost in the Night’ reeks of Toto! You like that mate?! LOL!
Seriously, musically it brings to mind choruses from some of Toto’s best work and just the musical creativity overall.
It’s a mid paced piece of AOR bliss that old fans of the band will be very happy with for sure.

‘Without Warning’ starts with an almost ballad like beginning and then a rocking riff and then loads of melody as the song grows.
I think Mr. Newman has really found an almost perfect blend of keyboards with guitar, in his own style.

It’s funny you know, because if I stop to think of so much material I’ve been listening too lately, I’ve heard under produced stuff, some mixes that are just not quite there, then absolutely killer over the top production that would be hard for anyone else to come close to, but the balance in the mix and overall album production here, I really think the man has got it nailed!
There’s edginess, ballads, loads of melody, hook lines everywhere, big choruses, great playing throughout, it’s so well done.
With ‘She’s Gone’ it’s an upbeat number, but then it’s almost a ballad, but it not and it’s again so full of melody … I mean, how does he get this sound / song balance?
A question I ask myself and a question another musician recently posed to me too. Incredible!
‘Fire with Fire,’ starts with an almost Steely Dan / Toto type blend, but of course it’s pure Newman power ballad territory, with a slight almost funk sound. Kind of like something you’d hear from say another of Steve’s hero’s in Steve Lukather, smooth!
What do you want me to tell you about ‘Save No Prisoners’ …? Journey meets Toto - Yes, again! -for overall sound and song style, I would say harking back to say Steve’s ‘One Step Closer’ song style that so many enjoyed. This should once again please Newman fans. It works for me!
‘Wish You Were Here’ is a very moving song with a clever tempo, slower to mid paced and killer guitar solo, that gave me goose bumps!  Nicely done Steve!
Album closer is ‘Monserrat’ which is seriously the albums’ epic here, clocking in at over seven minutes long.
It covers so many different styles in one track and he’s seriously outdone himself here, the song is great, the guitar work, just class!
Steve Newman, how you do this sometimes simply stuns me, as I’m sure it does many others …
Yes Steve and I have a friendship that goes back many, many years … - Remember when we folded the band, because we couldn’t find a singer?! Too funny! You should’ve started doing it years back mate!
I can remember Steve playing me some early samples of his work for this album and he always wanted me to be honest, some then sounded killer, some I thought were some way off what I’d heard previously from Newman, but with this album Newman has achieved a certain greatness, really, kind of that ‘next’ step. Good job, for sure!
Those who will see this material played live at Firefest next month, you are very lucky people, enjoy!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5






Official website:
http://www.newmansound.com

Label site:
http://www.aorheaven.com/

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Monday, September 26, 2011

Brief News Update for Monday September 26th, 2011

Alice Cooper 'Welcome 2 My Nightmare' debuts well and the tour rolls on!

Alice Cooper is currently undergoing quite the ressurgence with a current worldwide tour and as his latest album 'Welcome 2 My Nightmare' more than proves, the public is still smitten by the character behind the makeup!
The new album hit # 22 on the US Billboard 200,  the album also debuted on SoundScan’s Hard Music Albums chart at # 6 and Rock Albums chart at # 11.
This is also his highest charting entry in the US in over 20 years!

He's currently on the road with new guitarist with the 'wow' factor Orianthi (Steve Vai, Michael Jackson) who simply blows so many away, down under in Australia right now with final shows in Melbourne and Perth and once he wraps that tour up, it's off to Singapore and Indonesia and then he's back to Europe, all through this September and October, then later in October the band hits the UK.
Then in November the band shift to mainland Europe for more dates, then Russia before returning the US, just around Thankgiving Holiday time, hitting Michigan's Mt. Pleasant and then further dates into mid-December ...  So right now, there's no sign of 'The Coop' letting up at all!
It's a great show as I reported here previously:
Don't miss it folks!

Also, the new album, if you don't have it already, is a great return to Alice' best loved sounds, review coming soon here on that! So go and check it out, you'll be glad you did.
Official site for all things 'Coop' related:


Michael Schenker / Leslie West / Uli Jon Roth US Tour Dates Postponed


This news just in, kind of disappointing for many fans of Michael Schenker, Leslie West and Uli Jon Roth for sure, although personally I would've like to have seen a solo Schenker tour, with a longer set.
Here's the brief details for now though .... - As you can see through Schenker's management.
No more from Leslie West's camp at this time, more updates as I get them.


Michael Schenker, a true purveyor first-class hard guitar rock, is set to release the aptly titled "Temple of Rock" on October 11 on CD, digital formats, and vinyl.
Unfortunately, his US visit with Uli Jon Roth and Leslie West on the '3 Guitar Heroes' tour has been postponed until early 2012 due to Leslie West's leg amputation.
More info will be made available at a later date.


Official Michael Schenker site:
http://www.michaelschenkerhimself.com/




Prophet confirmed for UK Z Rock Festival


It Is with great pleasure that we can confirm the addition of Prophet
to the Z Rock 2012 line up. The band are highly regarded in rock circles
and their appearance will be Prophet’s first on English soil. Prophet’s
Recycled will be rereleased on October 24th via Z Records.
The confirmed line for Z Rock 2012 on May 5th is now as follows..
PAUL SABU, PROPHET, ARABIA, LEGION, VANDEN PLAS
and SHAKRA with one further act to be confirmed. Tickets can be
purchased at a special discounted rate of £38 until November 30th
when they revert to £45. Visit www.zrecords.net to obtain yours!


Anderson Wakeman Touring together - North American Dates lined up

Vocalist Jon Anderson and keyboard genius Rick Wakeman, are both former main members of the band Yes, but in recent years it seems the old personality clashes, etc, have struck once more.
Truth be told though, it was more a case, certainly with Jon Anderson, that he was recovering from some serious health problems, that the rest of Yes were not prepared to wait for him, unsure if or when he might return.

 Wakeman in fact has been extremely busy with his own solo projects and TV work, but he and Anderson did work together last year to produce 'The Living Tree.'

Well now, it seems these two will hit the road in North America next month, for some live dates, also now I hear that another former Yes member in Trevor Rabin may also be committed to touring with these two guys. Sounds promising to many folks I'm sure.

The live dates will be from mid-October, through November and then returning next year, for further dates.

Catch Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman and hopefully Trevor Rabin together, live!
Dates and details are on - Jon Anderson's - the Tour page.

 For further details go to:



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