A progressive metal theme to this weeks GTFM Rock Show following recent live guests. With the arrival of the new Dream Theater album “Black Clouds And Silver Linings” and a recent successful set at the Donington Download Festival, the genre leaders drummer Mike Portnoy is featured in a promotional interview discussing their new work, the inspiration for some of the songs and the recording process.
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BL
Details: 2009 (original release 1983), Lemon, CD
Probably the only drummer capable of encouraging any sort of anticipation for the in-concert drum solo, Cozy Powell is also one of very few who has carved out something of a successful solo career too although wisely, he kept his talents firmly behind the drum stool and didn’t make for the microphone! This album, originally released just over 25 years ago finds the then Whitesnake man leading a collection of musicians including the excellent Mel Galley, other fellow ‘Snakes Colin “Bomber” Hodgkinson and Jon Lord, and ex-Rainbow colleague Don Airey through eight instrumental numbers and style-wise, through a few different flavours to boot.
The best known piece on here will surely be “633 Squadron”. Powell’s version finds him battering hell out of his set in accompaniment to the military piece drawn from the classic war film’s soundtrack. A piece of music which alongside a similarly treated “1812 Overture” made for a much more interesting drum solo than the usual five minute chance to nip to the bar/bog. Here in studio form it loses none of its power whilst maintaining much of the military pomp that makes it such a memorable piece and although a diversion from most rock fans usual listening proves stirring, powerful and thoroughly enjoyable. “The Big Country” is similar stuff, another overblown soundtrack piece, only this time of course with a Western flavour.
Elsewhere, amongst some material that occasionally strays a little far at times into jazz-rock territory for me, there’s still the impressive Gary Moore enhanced “Dartmoore” and the classic rock fare of “Formula One” to enjoy. There’s also a rare co-write with David Coverdale (in fact the only Coverdale/Powell credit if I remember correctly) entitled “The Rattler” which you feel that was at least worthy of the addition of lyrics and could have therefore become a decent Whitesnake track… or maybe in an alternate universe it became that bands follow up to “Belgian Tom’s Hat-trick”?
Of course, an all instrumental album, with the drummer as the focal point isn’t going to be every person’s selection of choice when it comes to choosing a disc for the car, but spun at the right time this is actually a good listen. Cozy Powell will always be best remembered for his work in Rainbow, MSG, Whitesnake and Black Sabbath amongst many others but “The Octopuss” is also a decent reminder of the abilities of one of rock music’s best known and most missed stars.
Highlight: 633 Squadron
Score: 3/5
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BL
After a couple of shows with live guests we get back to normal this week, featuring the brand new album from Dream Theater, called ‘Black Clouds and Silver Linings’. Their tenth album, we play tracks from it and have an interview with Mike Portnoy from the band. There’s new music from Incubus, The Mars Volta and Wolfmother and as usual Rock News from the Web and a ‘Rare Track’ chosen by Rock Show listeners.
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email DJ Andy Fox via rockshow@gtfm.co.uk
Listen live in the Pontypridd, South Wales area on 107.9 FM
or on the Internet by pointing your media player at
I haven’t done one of these posts for a while, over two months in fact, but then I’ve had good reason. Basically I stopped buying vinyl for a time… certainly not because I finally decided that compact disc was the way to go but for the more mundane reason that the power supply on my Project turntable packed up! I never guessed at that point how bloody difficult it would be to source a sufficient 16v replacement locally and ended up waiting a couple of weeks for Needles And Spins to send the replacement. Funny, but I don’t remember them taking so long getting the original turntable to me but then that cost a bit more I guess?
Anyway, when did things pack up? Well that was after a trip to Ammanford and the record room of favourite local s
hop “Gwlad Deg“. I only made one purchase on that day, but it cost me £15… a very nice copy of the legendary Jimi Hendrix Experience double album “Electric Ladyland“. Got through the first side with the likes of “Voodoo Chile”, “And The Gods Made Love” and “Crosstown Traffic” emanating late sixties rock perfection from the speakers. Flipped the disc to enjoy side two and zip…. nothing. Apparently, according to the techie at the local Maplins the psu had completely died – unusual he said as they usually emit something but this had ceased to be. The power of Jimi overloaded the power of Swalec perhaps?
So, fast forward to last weekend and turntable issues resolved I was off on a trip down the M4 on the Sunday to witness UFO in concert at the Bristol Academy. This also gave me the perfect excuse to get out early and make a debut visit to “Plastic Wax“, an excellent shop with masses of vinyl both in the 33rpm and 45rpm flavour and to my delight a slew of bargain racks with the offer of “£1 each or 20 albums for £8″ paricularly catching the eye. Now I’m not going to bore you with the details here, as some of the purchases are guilty pleasures, comedy albums or collection fillers not worthy of mention really but the highlights (or otherwise) at the equivalent of 40p each remember, follow…
Gillan – Toolbox… most name “Magic” as the last Gillan album and really, for that era anyway, it was but in 1991 he resurrected the name, logo and all, for a very listenable album on “eastwest records”. None of the old guard were there in support, Heartland guitarist Steve Morris this time the foil for the Purple frontman as he was in the “Garth Rockett and The Moonshiners” band that presumably prompted this.
Loverboy – Get Lucky… I saw these live many years ago supporting Def Leppard on the Hysteria tour if I recall correctly. That prompted a purchase of their then current album “Wild Side” (which subsequently got sold with the selling off of my original vinyl collection) but wasn’t received sufficiently well enough for me to check anything else out. Time to correct that with this, their second album. “Take Me To The Top” apparently is the track to listen out for.
Nazareth – Expect No Mercy, Loud ‘n’ Proud and The Fool Circle… the beginning of a new crusade I think. I have a couple of Nazareth albums, Razzamanazz and Greatest Hits of course, as well as Malice In Wonderland but its time to branch out and hear more from these Scottish rockers I think. Coincides nicely with Classic Rock Magazine featuring them in their “Hard Stuff – Buyers Guide” feature in the current issue.
Rainbow – Bent Out Of Shape… oh look! One of the collection fillers sneaked through. Honestly I don’t have much love for Rainbow past the Dio era but I haven’t heard much off this one save “Street Of Dreams”, “Stranded” and the horrible spectacle of Blackmore doing “The Snowman”. Anything I should listen out for or should it just go onto the shelves in the Rainbow section?
Mr. Big – Lean Into It… another late 80s/early 90s band who I felt had more of a focus on substance rather than style. Look past the acoustic ballad and you find the Beatle tinged “Green Tinted Sixties Mind”, the catchy “Road To Ruin” and the superior slowie in everything but sales figures “Just Take My Heart”. Shame they are only currently doing one date in the UK on this forthcoming tour… I actually have every one of their studio albums on CD.
Enuff Z Nuff – self titled… more Beatles influenced rock from the late 80s although admittedly this time I struggle with the image a bit. Possibly the only album of theirs to get a vinyl release over here although I base that only on the fact I haven’t seen anything else by them in the racks – not that you often see a CD by them over here.
Andy Taylor – Dangerous… an interesting covers album by the Duran Duran guitarist who by this time was producing Thunder (also the title of his own debut solo album) and attempting to forge a career as a rocker. Let down a little by some predictable choices – Lola, Space Station No. 5 and Sympathy For The Devil for example doesn’t really display a vigorous search of artists back catalogue for inspiring songs – its still not bad. I remember the live tour too – caught the Milton Keynes gig. Well, can still remember the gurning muso on either bass or second guitar anyway!
Robin George – Dangerous Music… similar title to the one above but about 5 years older. Never actually heard this album but it seems to be held in great regard by the AOR crowd and thanks to watching Journey’s stellar performance streaming live from Download I’m listening to a slections from the fluffier side of rock again at present.
Other finds in the £1 racks included Johnny Winter “Nothin’ But The Blues“, Barclay James Harvest “Time Honoured Ghosts“, Asia “Alpha” and the first Bachman Turner Overdrive release but an old double album in the compilation section also caught my eye…
Fill Your Head With Rock – The Sound Of The Seventies… is my kind of comp! Four sides of music with a mix of the already known or at least heard of like Steamhammer, Santana, Janis Joplin trading alongside Pacific Gas & Electric, Moondog and Tom Rush. I love these old compilations. You can usually find a few fine songs but its the stuff that fuels wish lists for years to come.
Further visits to Plastic Wax are a must as well given that by aiming largely at investigating the £1 stuff I’ve potentially overlooked some great albums in the higher priced boxes. I did manage to grab a few at £2 though…
Status Quo – 1+9+8+2… not their greatest effort although they did have a big hit by releasing “Dear John” as a single. More importantly though it completes the “From The Makers Of…” set on vinyl once again and if your as big a Quo fan as I am you’ll understand the importance of that.
Journey – Frontiers… I mentioned their Download set higher up this post and ended up spending money on a Journey disc as a result of it! I wanted either Escape or the Greatest Hits set but with neither turning up plumped for this promo stamped copy of their 1983 release.
UFO – Force It… well, given they were the reason I was in Bristol it seemed only right I get at least one of the albums I still hadn’t got on vinyl. One of there classic studio albums with great songs scattered about all over the place. “Let It Roll”, “This Kid’s”, “Mother Mary” and of course the song that would close a fine set later that evening “Shoot Shoot”.
Dr. Feelgood – On The Job… never pass up the chance of buying some Dr. Feelgood music at a favourable price. The finest band ever to emerge from Canvey Island the tag of Britain’s best Pub-Rock band is largely suitable and although I haven’t heard any of the content on this one (something of a surprise as its a live release) I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.
Various Artists – Heavy Metal Monsters… not a classic compilation this one but still worth having I thought for the awful cover and the optimistic mixing of the established (Black Sabbath, Priest and UFO) alongside the lesser known Sledgehammer, Nightwing, Strife and Black Angels. I think I can withhold anticipation for the Geordie assault on Nutbush City Limits a bit longer though!
The trip to the counter through the £3 rack upped the final tally as well…
Wolfsbane – Live Fast Die Fast… better known nowadays as latter day Iron Maiden frontman’s Blaze Bayley’s first band their enjoyable brand of “wicked tales of booze, birds and bad language” was an excellent tonic too in a period of hair-sprayed American imports dominating MTV Europe’s heavier offerings. Whilst they were force-feeding us with Motley Crue and Poison we had the antidote in the form of Tamworth’s finest banging out “Manhunt” or the even occasionally broadcast on MTV track, “I Like It Hot”. Wolfsbane were great live too.
Emerson, Lake and Powell – self titled… going down a prog-rock route momentarily here. Another long term target I’ve been wanting to test the theory that they (E and L) only recuited Powell ‘cos it gave them back the “P”. In reality I think the saving grace of this piece for me is likely to be “Mars The Bringer Of War” which I’ve seen Cozy do live as his solo piece.
That would make enough for any Confession usually but a journey over to the dark side of the UK (East Anglia) on company business last Friday provided the welcome excuse of a stop off in Cheltenham at the excellent “Vinyl Vault“on the way back. Now I didn’t go mad here, spending just £25 on three albums (and the debut Wolfmother CD) but was more than happy with the three albums I chose.
Man – Slow Motion… under-whelmed by the new Manband album, the absence of George Jones perhaps robbing the band of the heavier angle that appealed to me, I needed an LP of previously unheard Welsh rock and Slow Motion ticked the box. I don’t know why I hadn’t bought this before but glad I have it now; “Hard Way To Live”, “Bedtime Bone” and “Day And Night” all hitting the spot on first listen.
ZZ Top – ZZ Top’s First Album… and another collection completed. Working on the assumption that “Recycler” was the last Top album to get a vinyl release finally finding a copy of their debut album (albeit a 1980 reissue) means I now have all the American boogie bands albums in their superior format. Interesting comments on the back cover too… “In these days of homogenized rock, sythesized music, retakes, overdubbing, multi, multi-tracking, an honest recording by accomplished musicians is a rewarding pleasure”. Obviously didn’t apply by the time of “Eliminator” and “Afterburner” did it?
Various Artists – Metallic Storm… the buy of the post for me without doubt. A nwobhm era compilation on Ebony Records that features bands so obscure only one of the British bands appears in Malc MacMillan’s seminal book on the genre. That band were Wikkyd Vikker who along with Denmark’s Mercyful Fate were the only recognisable names on the track listing. What happened to Abergavenny’s “Scimitar” or Clacton’s “Mercenary” I wonder? More on this comp in due course….
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BL
More studio guests on the GTFM Rock Show this week, with Reuben Archer and Clive Edwards from the recently reformed “Stampede” joining presenter Andy Fox. Reuniting on the back of a successful reissue of their excellent “Hurricane Town” album they discuss the whys and wherefores of getting back together, reminiscing about the bands original successes and disclosing plans for the future.
In a treat for fans of early 80s British rock though, the chaps also talk about past projects they and their fellow bands members have been involved in making for a superb hours entertainment discussing “Grand Slam”, “UFO”, “Lautrec”, “Lionheart” and “Wild Horses” amongst others. You just don’t hear some of those names discussed on Planet Rock do you?
Get more info on the Stampede reunion here :- www.myspace.com/stampedeofficial
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BL
This week, we welcome yet more ‘live’ guests, this time its members of the recently reformed 80’s British band Stampede featuring Reuben and Lawrence Archer (former guitarist with Grand Slam and UFO),Clive Edwards and Colin Bond. They’ll be answering questions, playing some of their tracks and playing some of their all-time favourite tracks. We’ll also be giving tickets away to some of their reunion shows
Send questions for Stampede to: rockshow@gtfm.co.uk
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email DJ Andy Fox via rockshow@gtfm.co.uk
Listen live in the Pontypridd, South Wales area on 107.9 FM
or on the Internet by pointing your media player at
In my humble opinion the most interesting of all “In Studio” appearances so far on the Rock Show this year as ex-New Model Army conscript and Almighty front-man Ricky Warwick joined Andy Fox in the GTFM studio. Now producing music some distance away from the blood and thunder of the Scottish band he lead to a Monsters Of Rock appearance in the early ’90s, Warwick has been described as a musical poet, a storyteller and an “Irish Bruce Springsteen” thanks to his accomplished solo work.
At 27mb and an hour in length, this interview features Warwick discussing all eras of his career to date but talking specifically about his Irish roots and his latest album “Belfast Confetti“. In addition, by kind permission, included in full are live acoustic versions of “The Arms Of Belfast Town“, The Almighty’s “Wild And Wonderful” and most surprisingly, a reworking of the DiAnno era Iron Maiden hit “Running Free“.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW
On tour in the UK throughout June you can check out more Ricky Warwick songs and check tour dates at http://www.rickywarwick.com
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BL
Details: 2007, Top Of The Hill, CD
Any regular reader of these pages will know that I’m partial to a bit of blues-rock. The last couple of years has seen Joe Bonamassa and Walter Trout rank highly in my year end favourites, whilst the likes of early Status Quo, ZZ Top, Gwyn Ashton and Rory Gallagher are regular listens guaranteed to please whatever my mood… so I’m kicking myself a bit for not picking up on this band a bit sooner!
Devils Creek are a classic three piece blues-rock outfit, very much in the mould of the aforementioned Gallagher line-ups although herald not from Ireland but from Cornwall. Issued on bass-player Tim Chapple’s own Cornish music promoting record label “Top Of The Hill” my first impression upon hearing “Bulldog Blues” (other than wondering where the title track disappeared to – but that’s answered on their myspace page!) was this album has a similar structure to Bonamassa’s “Sloe Gin”. Not in style particularly, we’ll come to that in a moment, but more in structure. Like “Sloe Gin” it’s a mix of impressive original compositions, from the pen of lead singer/lead guitarist Guy Rosewall, accompanied by a number of well selected and certainly unusual and often superbly interpreted covers.
Stylewise though it’s that Irish genius Gallagher and most specifically that stomping brand of blues-rock he displayed so brilliantly through the 70s and 80s that forms the major template for the music. In fact it’s a radical electric reworking of the acoustic “Defender” closing track “Seven Days” that opens the album. A fantastic re-imagining of the song so effective that it’ll have you checking the lyrics just to confirm its the same thing. Following this a trio originals underscore the positive first impressions, with the powerful “Dead Man’s Walking”, and the amusingly acerbic lyrics of “Poor Boy” especially impressive.
With another original, “Shadow City” interloping in a collection of covers on the latter half of the album it is instead another reworking, this time of James Taylor’s “Fire And Rain” that catches the ear before a welcome visit to Albert Lee’s excellent “Hear Me Calling” proves a delight to discover. For many years the opening song of the mighty Slade’s live set, Devils Creek take the sensible root of not trying to emulate the power of that band at their peak but instead take the song back to its bluesy roots.
Naysayer’s will knock the fact that there’s nothing radically new in terms of style on the album but that’s not the point is it? Some unfortunately even dismiss the genre as little more than glorified pub-rock but there’s plenty of us out there that delight in finding bands like this that keep this invigorating music alive. For me, it’s the best album of its type that I’ve heard since last years Walter Trout set, and it offers the belief that live they’d be a blast. A quick check of the gig listings on their myspace page shows that although prolific live performers unfortunately they seem mostly restricted to the South West of England at present. Now, with the fact that Walter Trout has actually just announced a pretty comprehensive UK tour, I can’t help thinking that he and Devils Creek would make an ideal pairing.
Highlight: Seven Days
Score: 3.5/5
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BL
Details: 2009, SPV, CD
What’s a poor old chap to do? Surely it’s about time someone deep in the recesses of Buck Palace gave the lad a second thought? After all, Phil Mogg has been helming the good ship UFO through rock’s stormy waters for nigh on forty years now. From space-rock beginnings, through the classic Schenker-years into the Tonka Chapman-era and a steady decline to the nadir of “Ain’t Misbehavin,” Mogg has fought tooth and nail to keep his band alive. Reaching the autumn of his career, he fronts a re-vitalised band that is truly enjoying a renaissance and “The Visitor” consolidates UFO’s reputation as a hard rock band of distinction.
This album has been produced without original founder and long-time member, bassist Pete Way, Though not his first absence from the ranks, this time he is recovering from treatment for a liver complaint. Peter Pichl (ex-Running Wild and now the bass-player in Nektar) undertook bass duties, but, whilst Mogg and drummer Andy Parker are on great form, this is undoubtedly Vinnie Moore’s album. For a supposed “shredder,” Moore has developed as a guitarist of style and subtlety. On “The Visitor” he establishes a bluesy-feel that runs like a vein through the album, even to the point of some masterful slide-work. The rolling groove of opener “Saving Me” sets the tone: musically, they’ve never sounded more like Bad Company and songs like “On The Waterfront” (with great 70’s-sounding keyboard flourishes from Paul Raymond) and “Living Proof” (with its swamp-vibe and low, growling vocal from Mogg) are trademark UFO. “Hell Driver” and “Stranger In Town” are tougher, built on solid riffs with melodies to match. “Can’t Buy A Thrill” and “Stop Breaking Down” employ those classy choruses that Mogg never seems to fail to produce on every album: simply put: just great hard rock songs, something UFO have been pulling off for years.
The band can’t quite keep the pace throughout: the solitary ballad “Forsaken” is too easy-going to be really effective and “Rock Ready,” whilst employing a blues-stomp, is not an especially memorable song. “Villains & Thieves” strays worringly close to (and I’m going to upset Rock Of Ages Management here) a Quireboys barroom outing, all tinkling ivories and chugging rhythm. But these are minor quibbles, there’s not a track that you’d skip and at least four potential classics that I’m expecting to hear on the forthcoming UK dates.
So, shape up Lizzie. A C.B.E. at the very least. Come to think of it, Sir Mogg has a nice ring to it.
Highlight: Living Proof
Score: 4/5
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NJ
This week, we welcome singer, songwriter, storyteller and former frontman with the Almighty, Ricky Warwick, ‘live’ on the show. Now with his third solo album ‘Belfast Confetti’ recently released on DR2 records. We’ll play tracks from it, have copies to give away and Ricky will be playing ‘live’ acoustically.
Ask him questions on e-mail : rockshow@gtfm.co.uk
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email DJ Andy Fox via rockshow@gtfm.co.uk
Listen live in the Pontypridd, South Wales area on 107.9 FM
or on the Internet by pointing your media player at
Review Ratings.....
5 - Essential
4 - Excellent
3 - Good
2 - Patchy
1 - Avoid
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