Joe Bonamassa – Driving Towards the Daylight album review

Joe Bonamassa – Driving Towards the Daylight album review
Released on: J&R Adventures. Release date: Available now.

Seriously, what do you really need me to tell you about Joe Bonamassa?

If you're into traditional blues, with a more rockin' twist, then chances are, Joe's the guy for you to check out!

Regular site readers will know all too well exactly who this great guitarist / singer is, who has a phenomenal career as a solo blues rock artist as well as being a joint lead vocalist in the hard rocking Black Country Communion band, alongside some strong names right there.

On this new album, as usual, Joe has pulled in a few guest players.
Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford helps out on guitar a little here and there too, great drumming from seasoned player Anton Fig too.
Bass duties are divided between Michael Rhodes and Carmine Rojas and even Pat Thrall (Pat Travers, Asia, Hughes / Thrall, Meatloaf) steps in on one track as well.

So let’s get to the review off this, the man’s tenth solo studio album and just what does ‘Driving Towards The Daylight’ bring the man’s fans?

Put simply, another slick piece of work from the man!

‘Dislocated Boy’ is a good strong opener, modern day easy going blues rocker that is simply in a class of its own!
From the initial organ strains, to the smooth slick groove it kicks off with before changing here and there, at least three times, even throwing in a little honky tonk piano, it’s just excellent!

Next track, the Robert Johnson penned ‘Stones in my Pathway’ is a much more rough and ready blues groover, that’s steady as she goes.

Title song ‘Driving Towards the Daylight’ is a beautifully soulful track, that I just can’t get enough of!
I could play this again and again and it would never annoy me, it seriously moves me. I love it.
You’ll know exactly what I mean when you hear it.

Then we get Howlin’ Wolf track ‘Who’s Been Talking?’ even with a spoken Howlin’ Wolf intro too. I love his comment, when asked about how the drums sound, ‘… sounds alright … I want the guy to come in on a calypso beat, you know like …’ and he vocally describes what he’s after and soon enough, the much travelled Anton Fig comes in for Joe, to play just that!
It’s a great old classic blues groove, brought right up to date sound wise. Class.

It’s a Willie Dixon number next in the shape of ‘I Got All You Need’ and it’s a great upbeat number, with great driving organ work from Arlan Schierbaum (Heaven and Earth, Richie Kotzen, Eddie Money), who to be honest, does a great job throughout the album complimenting Joe’s style.

‘A Place In My Heart’ is a beautifully, soulful blues number written by Bernie Marsden (UFO, Babe Ruth, Whitesnake, Ashton and Lord) and it’s presented in an not unlike Gary Moore blues style. Bernie is and has been a great player / writer for years and I was fortunate enough to see and hear him play with Whitesnake a few times in the late 70’s and early 80’s.
Joe just plays and sings this song so smoothly … It’s a pure work of art!

An old Bill Withers track ‘Lonely Town, Lonely Street’ gets the Bonamassa treatment next, which is laid down generally with deep heavy riff, but then picks up with a little jazzy funk here and there. Nice stuff, heck even producer Kevin Shirley throw in a little tambourine too!

 One of Joe’s own compositions is next with ‘Heavenly Soul’ and it’s a more up to date groove for sure and for good measure Joe even throws in some mandolin for good measure.
I love Joe's lead break on this, which at times actually reminds me a little of Ritchie Blackmore. Classy stuff indeed!

Next Joe picks on a Tom Waits tune ‘New Coat of Paint,’ which is a serious riff fest here and there, while the song maintains its steady pace and vocally it eases back through each verse, but anywhere Joe can, yes, as always provides some spectacular playing.

Another Joe written track next with ‘Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go’ and you know as Joe has presented before, he can very often come across not unlike Paul Rodgers and this track seriously grooves with a Bad Company like feel and then some!

Final track here is the Jimmy Barnes sung and co-written track, ‘Too Much Ain’t Enough Love,’ and Joe certainly helps to give it a little more soulful presentation.
Barnes’ voice here is perhaps a little raspier today than it was when he did this originally on his ‘Freight Train Heart’ album in 1987, alongside Journey players Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain and Randy Jackson (At that time.).

So another great piece of work from Joe Bonamassa and I don’t know quite how he does it, with each album, as frequently as he releases something, that it continues to sound soooo good!
For fans of the man, while the songs are more in keeping with the older style blues that inspired him, he really does keep it so fresh!
Nice one yet again Joe!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Official website:

http://jbonamassa.com/

Late News Update for Thursday August 9th, 2012

Hi folks,

Guessing you are starting to give up on me out there ... Numbers are waaaaay down on the site.

Anyway, here's a few news updates for you, hope there's something for everyone.

Cheers,

Al

UFO to Return to North America This Fall 

British Hard Rock legends UFO have confirmed that they will be returning to North America this Fall for a West Coast tour.  The band will be touring in support of their latest album Seven Deadly which was released earlier this year via Steamhammer/SPV. 

The tour kicks off November 15th in Chicago, IL and is currently scheduled to wrap up December 1st in Corona, CA. 

Seven Deadly is available for purchase on AMAZON and iTunes.

Seven Deadly is an atmospherically dense fabric consisting of classy guitars, tight rock grooves and vocals which are unique to UFO. So it's no wonder that sound engineer Tommy Newton, in whose Area 51 studio in Celle, Germany, the new tracks were recorded, commented: "I've never heard a better Phil Mogg!"

The UFO frontman's thoroughly impressive vocal performance goes hand in hand with the awesome compositions on Seven Deadly.  The classic rock of "Burn Your House Down" features all the important UFO strengths, "Mojotown" sees the musicians sound tougher than ever, and last but not least "Year Of The Gun" features a pointed reference to UFO's early days.

FYI - 'Chambers of Rock's' review of UFO's, 'Seven Deadly' can be found here:

http://chambersofrock.blogspot.com/2012/02/ufo-seven-deadly-album-review.html

UFO on Tour:

11/15: Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
11/16: Milwaukee, WI @ Shank Hall
11/17: St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theater
11/18: St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theater
11/20: Orangevale, CA @ Boardwalk
11/21: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
11/23: Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst
11/24: Agoura Hills, CA @ Canyon Club
11/25: San Diego, CA @ Brick by Brick
11/28: San Juan Capistrano, CA @ The Coach House
11/29: Los Angeles, CA @ Key Club
11/30: Las Vegas, NV @ Boulder Station Casino
12/1: Corona, CA @ Marquee 15

Ed's note: Sadly no Detroit date yet again from UFO ...

It's OK ..., it's only been eight years since they last played here ... :( 

For More Info Please Visit:

http://www.ufo-music.info  http://www.spv.de   

Ian Gillan & Tony Iommi: WhoCares
To Release 2-CD Set Of New Music, Classics and Rarities on Eagle Rock Entertainment/earMusic 

~August 28~

 Great Music…For A Good Cause
 

New York, NY (August 8, 2012)— Reuniting for the first time since their collaboration on Black Sabbath’s 1983 Born Again album, Deep Purple´s Ian Gillan and Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi took everybody by surprise in 2011 when they released the charity singles: “Out Of My Mind” and “Holy Water.”

For the recording of these songs, the two rock legends called a few friends, asking for some “help.” Jason Newsted (Metallica), Jon Lord (Deep Purple - RIP -1941-2012), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), and Linde Lindström (HIM) completed the supergroup WhoCares.

Now, “Out Of My Mind” and “Holy Water” will be featured in a special 2-disc set of rarities and recordings culled from the careers of Iommi and Gillan. The WhoCares double-CD will be released in North American on August 28.

Amongst the tracks are the two original WhoCares songs, Deep Purple’s unreleased studio jam “Dick Pimple,” a song from Repo Depo (a band Ian Gillan formed before the Deep Purple reunion) which never released an official song before this CD. Also included is “Zero The Hero,” from the aforementioned Black Sabbath Born Again release (which is the only album to feature Gillan on lead vocals), as well as two unreleased songs from Tony Iommi featuring Glenn Hughes.
The “Out of My Mind” and “Holy Water” singles were a joyful and inspired moment from two musicians with nothing to prove, willing to support music where music is considered a luxury. The spark to bring Iommi and Gillan in a studio together again was to finance the rebuilding of a music school in Armenia they had visited together on various occasions in past years.

 “As I said once in the song ‘Razzle Dazzle,’ it’s a real fine line between an orgy of destruction and a wonderful time,” states Gillan. “The destruction of conformity in this case: some of these pieces never really fitted into their contemporary program and got sidelined or forgotten, and some of the album tracks never had much exposure. As the track listing for this album came together, I noticed many of the titles had character similarities: a combination of freshness as they finally felt the sun on their backs and rebellion in a ‘yeah told you so’ kind of way. And that adds up to a wonderful time and more money for the music school we are building in Armenia."

“The ad-hoc benefit WhoCares band,” continues Gillan, “was a band put together by Tony Iommi and myself on a flight home from Yerevan, where we’d been deeply humbled by the honor and expectation bestowed upon us. Well that’s it really, in a nutshell, so to speak, what more can I say? It’s all there in the music.”
The release of this very special 2-CD set is a must for all Deep Purple fans and fans of hard rock.
 

Track Listing:

CD1:

1. WhoCares “Out Of My Mind”
Featuring Jon Lord, Linde Lindström (HIM), Jason Newsted (Metallica), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden)
2. Black Sabbath “Zero The Hero”
3. Ian Gillan feat. Iommi, Ian Paice and Roger Glover “Trashed”
4. M. Rakintzis feat. Ian Gillan “Get Away”
5. Tony Iommi feat G.Hughes “Slip Away”
6. Gillan “Don’t Hold Me Back”
7. Ian Gillan “She Thinks It’s A Crime”
8. Repo Depo feat. Ian Gillan “Easy Come, Easy Go”   
9. Deep Purple feat.Ronnie James Dio “Smoke On The Water”   (live with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

CD2:

1. WhoCares “Holy Water”   
Featuring Jon Lord, Linde Lindström (HIM), Jason Newsted (Metallica), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden)
2. Black Sabbath “Anno Mundi”
3. Tony Iommi feat. G. Hughes “Let it Down Easy”         
4. Ian Gillan “Hole in My Vest”
5. Gillan & Glover feat. Dr.John “Can’t Believe You Wanna Leave me”
6. Ian Gillan & The Javelins “Can I Get A Witness”
7. Garth Rockett & The Moonshiners aka IG “No Laughing in Heaven”
8. Ian Gillan “When A Blind Man Cries”        (Live at Absolute Radio, previously unreleased)
9. Deep Purple “Dick Pimple”  

Weblinks:

http://www.iommi.com/
http://www.gillan.com/
http://www.eagle-rock.com/

 FOGHAT'S ROGER EARL TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE BLUES HALL OF FAME

Foghat's contribution to classic rock will forever be great, as they penned such classic party anthems as "Slow Ride" and "Fool for the City," both of which remain rock radio standards to this day. But the group was never shy about their blues roots, and on Sunday, August 19th at Kenny's Castaways in New York City, Foghat drummer Roger Earl will be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Alongside Earl (who has kept Foghat going for over 40 years, while the other members either exited, took multi year breaks or sadly passed on), many other blues contributors will be inducted, including Joe Louis Walker, Steve Holley and the Uptown Horns, among others. The event will be hosted by the Michael Packer Blues Band, and tickets are priced at $10 each.

The ceremony begins at 3pm, and Kenny's Castaways is located at 157 Bleecker Street, New York City (ph: 917-475-1323).

This legendary club will be closing its doors for good after 45 years in September.

"I’m not quite sure why I am deserving of this award because all I ever have been is a fan of the Blues and American music," explains Earl.

"I kind of feel that there are so many others that are much more deserving. Lonesome Dave for one. But I do appreciate it, because hey, I AM in good company."

In addition to containing unmistakable blues elements in their songs (and scoring a hit with a cover of Willie Dixon's "I Just Want to Make Love to You"), Foghat went one step further back in 1977, when they assembled a "Foghat Blues Tribute Concert" at New York's Palladium, which included performances by such blues legends as Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Paul Butterfield, Johnny Winter, Honeyboy Edwards, Pinetop Perkins, Eddie “Bluesman”  Kirkland, and Willie Big Eyes Smith among others.

“That event was the highlight of my musical career,” exclaims Earl. “We wanted to literally give something back to the blues. We were playing with these guys and hanging out backstage sharing a drink with them. It was pretty heady stuff.”

And Foghat (who in addition to Earl, is comprised of singer/guitarist Charlie Huhn, guitarist Bryan Bassett, and bassist Craig MacGregor) remain true to the blues, as their last studio effort, 2010's 'Last Train Home,' paid tribute to the genre, with such covers as Elmore James' “Shake Your Money Maker” and “It Hurts Me Too,” Muddy Waters' “Louisiana Blues,” and original tunes that replicated vintage blues rock sounds (“Born for the Road,” “Last Train Home,” “495 Boogie”).

The album also featured Rogers’s long time friend, Eddie ‘Bluesman’ Kirkland, in one of his last recording appearances before his 2011 death.

While many rock bands have expressed their gratitude to the blues over the years, few made such an effort as Foghat to bring attention to the oft-overlooked bluesmen that helped forge rock n' roll. So it is fitting that Roger Earl will be recognized for his efforts at the Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in New York City later this month.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:

The NY Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony page at:  https://www.facebook.com/events/335582476526415/

Also check out:

www.foghat.net
www.facebook.com/foghat
www.blueshalloffame.com

LITA FORD Kicks Off Second Leg of Summer Tour Tomorrow     New Album Living Like A Runaway Available Now on Steamhammer/SPV
 

After an extremely successful first leg of the "Rock of Ages" tour with Def Leppard and Poison, the reigning queen of metal LITA FORD, will be returning to the road tonight to kick off the second leg of the "Rock of Ages" tour.  This leg kicks off in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and runs through September 14th in Concord, CA.  LITA will also be playing select headline dates during this leg of the tour.  A complete list of all dates can be found below.

LITA is out on the road supporting her new album Living Like A Runaway, which was released this June via Steamhammer/SPV.  The album is available in four configurations: a double LP, limited edition CD, standard CD and digital download. 

FYI - 'Chambers of Rock' review of the album can be found here:

http://chambersofrock.blogspot.com/2012/08/lita-ford-living-like-runaway-album.html

LITA cannot wait to get back on stage and to play more new material from Living Like a Runaway:

"The first leg of the tour went by too quickly...I guess I was having too much fun.  I have really enjoyed seeing the fans shows singing along to the new songs from Living Like a Runaway, that is a real turn on for me.  And it doesn't hurt that I have one of the hottest and best bands today; Mitch Perry, Marty O'Brien and Scot Coogan. 

To the people in North America, here we come to rock your summer!!!"

LITA FORD teamed up with producer Gary Hoey and lyricist Michael Dan Ehmig to work on Living Like a Runaway.  Together the team invested a lot of time and effort into this kick ass project: "We worked on the lyrics intensively to really give the songs a lot of meaning and that special emotional depth. I think that these are some of the best lyrics ever, period." 

FORD is referring to numbers such as 'Devil In My Head,' 'Hate,' and 'The Asylum' which see her bare her soul in a way which she has never done before. 

LITA FORD on Tour With Def Leppard and Poison:

8/9: Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Bank Atlantic Center
8/11: Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
8/12: Virginia Beach, VA @ Farm Bureau Live
8/14: Pittsburgh, PA @ First Niagara Pavilion
8/15: Hershey, PA @ Hershey Park Stadium
8/16: Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater (H)
8/17: Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
8/18: Boston, MA @ Comcast Center
8/20: Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
8/22: Bangor, ME @ Bangor Waterfront
8/24: Indianapolis, IN @ Klipsch Music Center
8/25: St. Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Arena
8/28: Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena
8/29: Lampe, MO @ Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater
8/30: Tulsa, OK @ IDL Ballroom (H)
8/31: Oklahoma City, OK @ Zoo Amphitheater
9/1: Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
9/3: Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
9/4: Austin, TX @ Cedar Park Center
9/5: Corpus Christi, TX @ Brewster Street Waterhouse (H)
9/6: San Antonio, TX @ The Korova (H)
9/8: Little Rock, AR @ Juanitas (H)
9/11: Albuquerque, NM @ Sandia Casino Amphitheater
9/12: Tucson, AZ @ Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater
9/14: Concord, CA @ Sleep Train Pavilion

(H) - LITA Headlines

For More Information Please Visit:

http://www.litafordonline.com 

http://www.facebook.com/litaofficial 

http://www.twitter.com/litaford 

http://www.spv.de 

NEW album info from Joe Matera

 

Jorn – 'Bring Heavy Rock To The Land' album review

Jorn – 'Bring Heavy Rock To The Land' album review

Released on: Frontiers Records. Release date: Available now

I don't know what it is with the guy and the crow's head or whatever bird it is supposed to be, a raven ...? Maybe it's a Norwegian bird of prey, who knows, but sure enough, it's back to adorn another album cover of his.

I'm sure the album cover will receive some criticizms with Jorn's dark image and the character - With the 'birds' head ...! - on the cover, with a priest's white collar and the the cross as well.

He really does seem to go for that Dio like double innuendo of God and the Devil ...

Uncertainty in their own belief's perhaps, who knows?

Anyway, on with the review!

The new album from talented Norwegian singer Jorn, is in fact his sixth media release in just three years!

Indeed the public has received five albums – admittedly including a live album and a ‘Best of’ release. – as well as a live DVD from the man.

 ‘Bring Heavy Rock To The Land’ is his ninth studio album since 2000, yet thirteenth album overall, with two ‘Best of’ releases put out and two live albums. Two of the studio releases were in fact covers, including his 2010 tribute to Dio.

While I totally respect the guys talent, I would only hope that he and label Frontiers, are not simply flooding the market too much ...?

As quantity over quality, I think is starting to show ...

 Opening with the acoustic, atmospheric number ‘My Road’ Jorn shares with us, the story of the mysterious path he has chosen, but it really goes nowhere.

You’re kind of waiting for it to pick up, where it doesn’t ... 

If this had been identified as an intro to the title track ‘Bring Heavy Rock To The Land’ next, then I guess I would have got it, but on its own it’s lacking in some way …

 So to the title track and it’s standard hard rock fare and while Jorn certainly seems to have a voice that sits somewhere between both Dio and (David) Coverdale – Ironic huh?! If you don't know what I mean, look the guy's background up. – he seems here as if he’s perhaps straining a little.

I mean seriously, I do see what Jorn’s best intentions are with trying to get good hard (heavy) and melodic rock to the fore in these current times and musically, it’s great stuff, but for a title track it’s OK at best -to me - but almost like we really have heard this before.

Musically it’s Dio style format by all accounts, with some great guitar work and solid rhythm too.

‘A Thousand Cuts’ is next, introduced with the sound of blades clashing, before getting into the general groove of the song.

Through the verses, this really reminds me of a bunch of songs – that will remain nameless … I’m sure it will bring you your own memories. – yet the chorus takes its own direction.

There seems a hint of Rainbow, Diamond Head, even Def Leppard to a degree about it too.

It’s good musically, just not really standing out as ‘wow’ to me unfortunately, but still good.

Next up it seems Jorn is trying to see if he can go one better than Saxon with his take on the Christopher Cross classic, ‘Ride Like The Wind.’

It’s definitely a very respectable version.

Again, it’s good, but I do think that Jorn seems to be straining a little vocally.

Perhaps the guy's is trying to do too much back to back, with all his output.   

‘Chains Around You Next’ rushes in with a passion and it almost sounds like Judas Priest meets Rainbow! Yes, certainly that good.

I actually really, really like this …. Maybe because I’m reminded a little of ‘Spotlight Kid,’ no bad thing I guess. Just not really original …

Another beauty in ‘The World I See’ that starts with a gentle intro ala Dio in its style, before ripping into some heavy old riffs, grinding away and then find some melody again, but generally stays with the heavy theme.

I am picking up on the fact that Jorn does like to follow RJD (RIP) in his references to rainbows … Am I wrong? Listen across the songs yourself …

‘Time to be King’ starts with a bell tolling away and then some almost doom laden style power chords before getting into some driving guitar and up tempo rhythm, before getting into a semi-prog metal like mid-section.

About midway through – And this freaks me out, as I’m writing this as the album plays back to me through headphones. – the sounds shifts gradually from left channel to right and back and forth a few times … This messes with your head big time. Fun stuff!

With ‘Ride To The Guns’ it starts with just heavy, dirty guitar riffs like Viv Campbell’s (Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard) style on ‘Holy Diver’ but it’s also has the sound shifting again from left to right channel. It’s not unlike Saxon’s style either. Punchy stuff indeed!

‘Black Morning’ starts, not unlike something you’d maybe expect from Yes or Triumph even acoustically, nice!

Sung in an almost Coverdale style manner and is a nice big old power ballad.

It’s so true, without a shadow of a doubt that rock musicians really know how to write the best ballads. This is very well done.

Nice job guys!

Back to the rock ‘n’ roll with the aptly titled ‘I Came To Rock,’ to close the album out.

It's steady rockin’ stuff, with some interesting timing changes throughout, then with already a mindset that this is all very much in the same vein as Dio, the pre-chorus comes along with some synth stabs like ‘Rock and Roll Children.’

Forgive me also for the thought that the underlying riff throughout, really reminds me of Focus’ ‘Hocus Pocus.’ 

Overall, musically no complaints …, well, there’s a lot of familiar riffs and seriously, I do understand the fact that there are only so many chords and so chord patterns will of course start to sound like something else. So that alone is tough for any artist.

Jorn is clearly a huge Dio fan, likewise his excellent band and clearly the influence and sound is right there.

Kudo's of course, to the man's fine backing band too. No complaints there at all, they're solid throughout.

With Willy Bendiksen on drums, Nic Angileri (Bass), Tore Moren (Guitar) and Jimmy Iversen (Guitar), he's certainly has strength in depth backing him up.

It’s very good musically, although I do feel that Jorn sounds like there’s more strain in his voice on this release and it’s really not stunning, still good, but nothing to me that really makes me go, ‘Wow’ that just blows me away.

Rating: 3.25 out of 5

Official weblinks:

www.jornlande.com

www.Frontiers.it

News Update for Tuesday August 7th, 2012

Hi folks,

Yes, you guessed it, not too much new stuff hitting my inbox to share with you, so yesterday was a quiet start to the week, here at 'Chambers ....'

Here's just a few items I thought I'd share, that I found this morning. Enjoy!

Cheers, Al

ZZ Top 'La Futura' will be released in September

After completing a successful summer US tour alongside special guests 3 Doors Down and Gretchen Wilson, ZZ Top are almost ready to unlease their latest new studio release on the world.

These details were just recently shared on their official Facebook page, along with the album's artwork.

The first new studio album from ZZ Top in nine years is LA FUTURA, set for release September 11 in the US by American Recordings.

The album harks back to the hallmark raw sound of the band's formative years and will, inevitably, be considered a return to form on multiple levels.

LA FUTURA, produced by Rick Rubin and Billy F Gibbons, the band’s guitarist/singer, finds the legendary group infusing the newly recorded work with the electric blues/roots approach that typified ZZ Top's earliest work while, at the same time, reaching for new sonic horizons.

At its fundament, this is the incarnation of the band whose influence resonates today with such artists as The Black Keys, Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age and many others.

READ MORE here:

http://www.zztop.com/news/90461

Also:

http://www.facebook.com/ZZTop

Black Sabbath You Tube footage from Lollapalooza

The reunited Black Sabbath, sans of course original drummer Bill Ward, for various reasons ..., just completed their third and final live date of the year, with the lineup of Ozzy, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, alongside Ozzy drummer Tommy Clufetos.

Due to Tony Iommi's health condition - Of which there's been no official update on for some time, raising concerns on his general well being ... - the band once they had reformed and begun work on writing and recording a new Sabbath album, had originally planned on a full world tour, but since Iommi's treatments continued, this was reduced to just two official live dates and one warm up show.

The shows at Birmingham Odeon (Warm up) and the UK major rock festival event, Download, happened back in June and last Friday night Sabbath played at the annual Lollapalooza festival, here in the States.

The setlist from Friday's show was:

  

1. Black Sabbath
 2. The Wizard
 3. Beyond The Wall Of Sleep
 4. NIB
 5. Into The Void
 6. Under The Sun
 7. Snowblind
 8. War Pigs
 9. Electric Funeral
 10. Sweet Leaf
 11. Symptom Of The Universe & Drum Solo
 12. Iron Man
 13. Faries Wear Boots
 14. Dirty Women
 15. Children of the Grave
 16. Paranoid (encore)

Video footage on You Tube has appeared and can be viewed here at the band's website here:

http://www.black-sabbath.com/2012/08/lollapalooza-video/

Robert Cray streams new single "(Won't Be) Coming Home"

Ahead of the August 27th release of his forthcoming studio album “Nothin But Love,” ROBERT CRAY is currently streaming the first single to be taken from it, “(Won’t Be) Coming Home”, exclusively on Soundcloud.

The song has just been added to the BBC Radio 2 playlist.

Listen to and embed “(Won’t Be) Coming Home” here:http://bit.ly/NTVYTu

“Nothin But Love” is Cray’s 16th studio album and marks the latest milestone in a career that has produced 15 Grammy award nominations (5 wins), over 12 million record sales worldwide, thousands of sold out concerts across the globe, and his own signature line of Fender guitars.

Since the release of his 1986 break-out album “Strong Persuader”, Cray has performed and recorded alongside Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bonnie Raitt and John Lee Hooker.

Cray was recently inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame at the age of 57; making him the youngest living legend to receive the prestigious honour.

The full, official press release from the blues man, can be found right here:http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/provogue/robertcray-album.htm

ROBERT CRAY - ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS

Robert Cray – Official Website:

www.robertcray.com

Robert Cray – Official Facebook:

www.facebook.com/robertcraymusic

Mascot Label Group – Official Website:

www.mascotlabelgroup.com

Liberty n' Justice giving away a free song and a major update

20 years ago this month (August 1992), Liberty n' Justice first album was released ("Armed With The Cross") and to continue to celebrate two decades of recording music LNJ recorded a song to give away for free.

Just go to our "new" Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/libertynjusticerocks - like the page and you see a link to download the song "In Time".  The song is a remake, of a song that was featured in the movie "The Punisher" and features the talents of JK Northrup (King Kobra/ XYZ) and David Cagle.

Speaking of JK Northrup, we are proud to announce that he is now an official member of LNJ!

Justin Murr had this to say about the addition to his group, "For the past twelve years LNJ has basically been me with a bunch of guest musicians.

Working with JK over the past three years and three albums we gelled and it was only natural to take the next step in adding his talent to this group. We have big plans for the future and after "The Cigar Chronicles" is released we will be adding more guys to the group to step into the next phase of LNJ." Northrup added,"I am very proud and honored to join Justin as an official member of Liberty n' Justice! Justin and I have created some amazing songs together and I look forward to continuing the LNJ name for years to come."

"The Cigar Chronicles" is finally almost finished we are down to the last 3 mixes of this amazing 26 song album and just wait until you see the track listing!

Liberty n' Justice recently recorded a song for www.melodicrock.com new compliation album ("15 Years Later") and you can preorder the album and hear a sample at their website, right here:www.melodicrock.com