Hi folks,
Yes, I'm back and I know you don't care for excuses, so let's just get back to covering what you came here to check out. The latest rock news and some reviews ...
News update right here, new review coming up soon too!
On with the news update!
Cheers, Al
Finally no more snub at the R&RHOF for Deep Purple, Rush and Heart
Yes, incredible to hear and yet to many people they think, who cares about the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, for how they have over the years, completely ignored 'rock' acts and put rap, soul and dance acts in there, way ahead of so many clearly overlooked LEGENDARY acts from the world of rock!
Finally though, Deep Purple and Canadian rockers Rush, alongside Seattle's female fronted rock powerhouse Heart as well, have for once, been nominated for induction into the place that they long deserve to be in.
Maybe, just maybe, the fact that US rock radio and TV show host, Eddie Trunk has constantly ranted and raved about this absolute, annual act of complete disrespect, nay disregard to so many great and mega platinum selling bands, that people in the right places, have spoken out to the organisers and put them in their place.
It could just be that when Eddie Trunk invited and actually had Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame CEO, Joel Peresman on his rock radio show last December, that the penny finally dropped!
Many will still argue that Kiss still remain ignored and overlooked, but I for one believe this is certainly progress!
In fact, while I know this site does not get that many visitors, seriously people, please tell your friends - And do this yourself too! - to go over to Rolling Stone magazine online and cast your vote there, on who you believe deserves to be inducted next year.
You can do this, right here:
All I can add is it is certainly about bloody time!
Official website:
HRH Presents AOR Festival
6th and 7th April 2013
Well folks, here's something for UK folks to look forward to in April 2013!
UK melodic rock fans are often starved of good AOR / Melodic Rock gigs and events and many literally save their money up for the fantastic annual three day event that happens at the end of this very month in Nottingham called Firefest.
In fact this years event featuring Tyketto, Gotthard and Danger Danger as headline acts on each night, is now sold out, which clearly pays tribute to loyal supporters of the genre. Fans travel far and wide from across the globe to attend the special event which typically focuses around bands that rarely play live, making it all the more unique.
It looks like another event is out to offer a little remorse to rock fans, in so much as they won't have to wait after this years Firefest event, for too long for something similar!
The organisers of the UK's annual Hard Rock Hell event - Hate that title BTW! - have recently been stretching their wings a bit, by getting behind a Prog Event and now and AOR event has been set up for next April, over the weekend of the 6th and 7th and will feature US rockers Tesla as the big name draw - Never really thought of them as AOR though ...? - and many other popular names from the AOR genre, such as Tyketto's Danny Vaughn, Jeff Scott Soto (Talisman, Yngwie Malmsteen, Journey, Soul SirkUS), Uli Jon Roth (Ex-Scorpions) - Again, not really AOR?! - British rockers Ten, Vega, Stampede, Newman and many more acts too.
The organisers posted this note at their new site for the event:
HRH AOR, A NEW INTERACTIVE MUSICAL ADVENTURE
Hail HRH,
And if your new to the HRH circle, then we would like to extend our humblest greetings to one of the closest circle of music enthusiasts on the planet.
As our proud sponsors, Classic Rock Mag and AOR Mag, core AOR riffs n solid Melodic Rock will be the heart of this new fully interactive AOR experience.
HRH has been at the epoch of creativity and challenging all conventional ways of staging musical events for some years now and with HRH AOR, we now roll into a totally new and exciting dimension.
We have chosen Magna to host this new adventure.
Magna has been a working steel foundry in the past but has enjoyed a well earned lottery funded make over top the tune of 40 million and turned itself into a fully interactive science adventure with multi arena capabilities.
The venue is nothing but stunning as some of the teaser shots will show, however with five zones namely, Earth, Steel, Wind, Fire & Water in full interactive immersion, we only had to add the HRH magic n vision to stage a production that will be hard to beat in any conventional place. Expect the unexpected with full on trading stalls from the minute you collect your HRH passes, to freaky circuses to the all out sound of HRH’s quality production.
Compliment that with 30 of the best AOR 'n' Melodic Rock acts from right across the huge spectrum it enjoys and you’ll start to see yourself immerse in an overall experience like no other on this earth.
At HRH we like to make things hassle free and have taken all hotels (who reach the criteria) within a 1 to 2 mile radius, as well as providing an HRH hosted shuttle bus to and from the venue, just to make sure you can enjoy yourself and get about easily without driving.
We are truly excited about this new project and with our sponsors Classic Rock Mag and AOR Mag, plus the multitude of bands who will be doing what they do best in this truly amazing venue, we cant wait to share this adventure with you.
Blocks away and the countdown has started now.
See you at Magna
HRH Watch Tower
Official website:
QUEEN ‘HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY – LIVE IN BUDAPEST’ WILL BE RELEASED ON DVD, BLU-RAY and DELUXE EDITIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME ON NOVEMBER 6th
New York, NY (October 4, 2012)—Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live In Budapest is a must–see concert experience by legends of rock, Queen. It will be released on DVD, Blu-Ray, 2CD+DVD Deluxe Edition and a 2CD+Blu-ray Deluxe Edition on November 6th in North America.
Originally filmed in 1986, this momentous concert movie has been re-mastered in high definition and superb 5.1 surround sound.
An amazing performance is now available to be seen in crystal clear HD clarity.
Also included on the DVD and Blu-ray is a new 25 minute documentary feature entitled “A Magic Year”. This follows Queen from just after their historic show–stealing performance at Live Aid, London, on July 13, 1985, through the year leading up to the epic concert in Budapest. Using archive footage from rehearsals, interviews with the band in the studio and on the road during the Magic Tour - some of which has never been seen before - this fascinating feature has been specially created for this new release.
As part of the hugely successful 1986 Magic Tour that, poignantly, was the last to be played by the band with Freddie Mercury, Queen were for the first time able to include Hungary on the tour schedule. With three years to go before the fall of the Berlin Wall, this was the largest concert ever staged at the Népstadion, Budapest, and the first Western Rock Concert staged in a stadium behind the then Iron Curtain. It was of such significance to the Hungarian authorities and film industry that a group of the country’s top film cameramen and technicians were brought together to film it for posterity.
Staged for 80,000 ecstatic fans, the concert set includes favorite hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “I Want To Break Free,” and “We Are The Champions.”
“We’re delighted that Queen fans across the world will finally have the chance to relive this amazing moment for the band. We knew a stadium concert in Budapest was ground–breaking, but hadn’t quite anticipated what a historic night it would turn out to be. The concert looks fantastic on the screen in all its digitally re-mastered glory and the documentary does a great job of setting the scene – it really was an extraordinary time in the band’s history.” Brian May and Roger Taylor
DVD and Blu Ray Tracklisting:
• One Vision
• Tie Your Mother Down
• In The Lap Of The Gods
• Seven Seas Of Rhye
• Tear It Up
• A Kind Of Magic
• Under Pressure
• Who Wants To Live Forever
• I Want To Break Free
• Guitar Solo
• Now I'm Here
• Love Of My Life
• Tavaszi Szél Vizet Áraszt
• Is This The World We Created...?
• Tutti Frutti
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• Hammer To Fall
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love
• Radio Ga Ga
• We Will Rock You
• Friends Will Be Friends
• We Are The Champions
Extras:
‘A Magic Year’ documentary
Deluxe Package CD
CD Tracklisting: 1
• One Vision
• Tie Your Mother Down
• In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited
• Seven Seas Of Rhye
• Tear It Up
• A Kind Of Magic
• Under Pressure
• Another One Bites The Dust
• Who Wants To Live Forever
• I Want To Break Free
• Looks Like It's Gonna Be A Good Night - Improv
• Guitar Solo
• Now I'm Here
CD Tracklisting: 2
• Love Of My Life
• Tavaszi Szel Vizet Araszt
• Is This The World We Created...?
• (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care
• Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)
• Tutti Frutti
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• Hammer To Fall
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love
• Radio Ga Ga
• We Will Rock You
• Friends Will Be Friends
• We Are The Champions
• God Save The Queen
Check out the videoclip trailer for the European cinema screenings:
NEW RELEASES FROM ROCK CANDY RECORDS
Those good people at Rock Candy Records specialise in the re-issue on CD, of classic rock albums from back in the heyday of rock 'n' roll and they have just announced three new re-issues.
Read on people!
Boy, I just wish they'd share review copies, wouldn't mind a couple of these myself!
Quiet Riot 'Metal Health', Quiet Riot 'Condition Critical' and Jefferson Starship 'Freedom At Point Zero'
Three brand new releases from Rock Candy Records available right now.
Great titles with all the usual Rock Candy trimmings: 24-bit remastering from original source tapes, weighty essay's about the making of the album, full artist involvement, new interviews, enhanced artwork and additional photos spread out over large full colour booklets. See below for full details about each release.
Check out our new improved website!
Get them for a limited time at a discounted price of just £10.99 per CD inclusive of postage to anywhere in the world... or beyond! Just go to the store page to order.
Hurry, offer ends October 21st 2012
ANGEL VINYL
ALL THREE ANGEL TITLES ARE NOW AVAILABLE AS LIMITED 500 COPIES EXACT-TO-ORIGINAL 180gm VIRGIN WHITE VINYL WITH INSERTS AND JAPANESE STYLE OBI STRIPS.
PLEASE NAVIGATE TO THE ROCK CANDY WEBSITE DEDICATED ANGEL VINYL PAGE TO SEE DETAILS OF HOW TO ORDER
QUIET RIOT - 'METAL HEALTH' - CANDY145
FOR A WHILE there, back in 1983/84, Quiet Riot were arguably the biggest band in the world. Not something many music critics like to acknowledge, but the fact is they spearheaded the wave of Los Angeles rock and metal acts which would change the face of music on both a national and international level. They were actually the frontrunners in a movement which would transform the
American charts from new wave to metal, and sway the rock pendulum away from British heavy metal to American hair metal – yes, an insulting term maybe, but a convenient label to characterise all that was to follow.
It’s easy to sit back now and feel that they made it on the back of covering a riotous (sic) Slade track – ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ - but with royalty cheques in hand Noddy Holder and Jim Lea were surely not complaining, and neither were the millions of people who bought the ‘Metal Health’ album. And at the last count there were over six million of them!
Let’s not forget also that guitarist extraordinaire Randy Rhoads was once a member of the band before taking up a position in Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard Of Oz, blazing a trail for Carlos Cavazo, Frankie Banali, Rudy Sarzo and outrageous frontman Kevin DuBrow to muscle their way to gold and platinum.
Originally issued in 1983, ‘Metal Health’ is a classic slice of American metal.
24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 5 bonus tracks, enhanced artwork and additional unseen photos spread out over a 20 page full colour booklet.
TRACK LISTING:
1. METAL HEALTH 2. CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE 3. DON’T WANNA LET YOU GO 4. SLICK BLACK CADILLAC 5. LOVE’S A BITCH 6. BREATHLESS 7. RUN FOR COVER 8. BATTLE AXE 9. LET’S GET CRAZY 10. THUNDERBIRD Bonus Tracks: 11. DANGER ZONE 12. BANG YOUR HEAD (METAL HEALTH) (Live) 13. METAL HEALTH (LIVE) 14. SLICK BLACK CADILLAC (LIVE) 15. LET’S GET CRAZY (LIVE) 16. LOVE’S A BITCH (LIVE)
QUIET RIOT - 'CONDITION CRITICAL' - CANDY146
QUIET RIOT’S second album, ‘Condition Critical’, sold a huge amount of copies (in fact at the time over two million!), but, looked at from a broader perspective, it seemed to mark a significant disappointment, especially after they had turned the music scene on its head by exploding out of Los Angeles with their six million selling ‘Metal Health’ album. In addition, those statistic hides the fact that ‘Condition Critical’ is generally regarded as a much stronger work, with a reputation that has continued to grow exponentially amongst critics and fans alike.
Their previous album had brought unwarranted attention from a number of detractors for their cover of the Slade track ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’, a massive hit single but one that, as so many were keen to point out, was not written by them. In addition, all was not well internally as the band felt (understandably) pressurised recording ‘Condition Critical’ in quick succession, and with a producer that they were contractually obliged to use.
In addition frontman Kevin DuBrow was becoming an increasing liability, constantly berating and chastising fellow musicians from the LA scene, accusing them of riding on Quiet Riot’s coat tails. Issued in July 1984, the album contained yet another Slade cover, ‘Mama Weer All Crazee Now’ but also contained well written self penned material, with the title track being a stand out composition, truly defining the QR sound.
24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 4,000 word essay about the making of the album, new interview, enhanced artwork and additional unseen photos spread out over a 20 page full colour booklet.
TRACK LISTING:
1. SIGN OF THE TIMES 2. MAMA WEER ALL CRAZEE NOW 3. PARTY ALL NIGHT 4. STOMP YOUR HANDS, CLAP YOUR FEET 5. WINNERS TAKE ALL 6. CONDITION CRITICAL 7. SCREAM AND SHOUT 8. RED ALERT 9. BAD BOY 10. (WE WERE) BORN TO ROCK
JEFFERSON STARSHIP - 'FREEDOM AT POINT ZERO' - CANDY163
WHEN DID the roots of AOR (that’s Adult Orientated Rock) actually take hold?
Students and critics have spent many a conversation pouring over this conundrum but the general consensus of opinion tends to agree on two years, two bands and two songs.
The year was 1978 and 1979, the bands were Toto and Jefferson Starship and the tracks, respectively, were ‘Hold The Line’ and ‘Jane’, both huge international hits that cast the mould for a future so bright that the formula was appropriated by a huge cast of characters well into the following decade.
Jefferson Starship were, on the face of it, the least likely of all the established acts with roots in the 1960s San Francisco counter culture to suddenly reveal a new style and attain such unmitigated success. Of course matters were helped by a revised line-up, having recently lost mainstays Grace Slick and Marty Balin. With the appointment of drummer Aynsley Dunbar from Journey and new vocalist Mickey Thomas together with super hot guitarist Craig Chaquico, the band headed for new pastures and came up trumps hitting the AOR bulls-eye. ‘Freedom At Point Zero’, originally issued in 1979, took the band to new heights of accomplishment.
Produced expertly by Ron Nevison (Heart, Survivor, UFO) the sound showcases a band with fire in their belly and a style that set fire to the American charts. And in the AOR pantheon ‘Jane’ remains an all time classic.
24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 4,000 word essay about the making of the album, new interview, enhanced artwork and additional photos spread out over a 16 page full colour booklet.
TRACK LISTING:
1. JANE 2. LIGHTNING ROSE 3. THINGS TO COME 4. AWAKENING 5. GIRL WITH THE HUNGRY EYES 6. JUST THE SAME 7. ROCK MUSIC 8. FADING LADY LIGHT 9. FREEDOM AT POINT ZERO
Website:
