MAGNUM’s 23rd studio album came out days after the passing of founding member – guitarist and songwriter Tony Clarkin. The band have consistently released very good albums since they reformed in 2001, and Here Comes The Rain will be an instant fan favorite, not just because of it’s timing, but simply because it is so easily enjoyable. I like every Magnum album, but this one jumped out at me more so than the band’s previous few albums. Perhaps I didn’t give those enough attention early on, or more so that this one is just loaded with classic Magnum melodies, performances, and bright production. Every track offers something different, and are likeable. Keyboards via Rick Benton seem to have a bigger presence on this record, adding more colors via piano, synths, and organ, notably on favorites like “I Wanna Live”, the orchestrated feel of “After The Silence” and the ballad “Some Kind Of Treachery”, “The Day He Lied”, and the title track. Here Comes The Rain also boasts the rockers ”Blue Tango” , “The Seventh Darkness” (love the sax and guitar interplay, a cool add), and lead off track “Run Into The Shadows”. Heck, this is the best Magnum album since Escape From Shadow Garden, IMO! So much to dig into. Presumably the band’s last album of new songs, and one of their finest! Stunning cover-art from Rodney Matthews, photos Rob Barrow (see below). *Released in various formats and configurationshttps://store.spv.de/collections/magnum
Well, unlike previous years I started this year at least with the intent and vague plan of what I need to change, what needs to go, and what I want my home, my record room, and future to (roughly) look like. With the slow realization over the last few years that stuff I have accumulated I may never get to enjoy or display the way I once planned on. I don’t have a overly huge record collection compared to many I’ve seen online, but there’s certainly more that I will ever get to listen to, at least multiple times in whatever years I might have left. More so, it is the memorabilia items such as shirts I’ll never wear again, books I may not read more than once, and posters I don’t have room to hang. Heck, I’ve also got loads of music on VHS tapes (I used to be into taping those old Muchmusic programs). That’s not to say I won’t be buying anything further, on the contrary there’s plenty of new releases I would like to get – if and when there’s $. Concerts are becoming fewer and further apart, and frankly – less appealing, not just with the rise in ticket prices, but also of bands I really want to see. Many of my favorite bands are into their 70s, so how much longer or more chances might I get to see the few I still want to (that I haven’t), and there’s a number of bands I like, but at this stage I have no desire to see live (due to lack of original members, backing tracks, nothing new to offer).
As for this site, the above has brought me to wanting to get back t o writing (when time allows) about music and bands I like, and not merely be copying and pasting new release news, or an article on bands I may never listen to again. Heck, I may wanna write about a few non-direct musical topics. There are plenty of great newer and younger bands out there (see Ripple Music for example), but trying to keep up and hoping to own a lot of this newer music is a stretch for me at this point. I am also behind with a numbers of articles – things I plan to review, retro reviews and revisits, even a couple of interviews I need to get posted. Really, I’d like to focus on things I want to write about and not feel obligated (for whatever reason); after all this is a hobby I started years ago because I loved certain aspects of it, and when there’s time it is fun, but there is enough changed over time – with the music, business, and my personal time and things I might rather do.
Having said all that, currently listening to the new Saxon album, as well as going through my Magnum albums. A sad loss with Tony Clarkin of Magnum recently passing, but he left so many great albums to enjoy, and I need to start filling in the gaps in my Magnum collection; problem is very few Magnum albums got released over here, so off to Discogs it is. Hopefully will get to see Uriah Heep & Saxon this year, but shows listed so far are not so close and between work & other commitments, it may be tough getting to one that isn’t closer to home. Anyway, off to chip away at my mess of a collection, and later off to see Toronto’s Coney Hatch.
It came as a shock to fans when Tony Clarkin’s family announced his passing. Incredibly sad news. Tony had announced over the holidays that a medical issue forced the cancellation of the band’s upcoming tour, and that the band’s new album is set to be released this Friday! Sad that the album will be released without it’s main creative force their to see it. Tony Clarkin was the band’s co-founder (along with singer Bob Catley), he was guitarist, and wrote pretty much all of the band’s material put to tape since the 70s. Clarkin’s distinctive guitar sound, songs, and storytelling lyrics were what made Magnum a unique, and classic British band. Despite never finding success in North America, the band had a huge following throughout the rest of the world, and consistently released excellent albums, particularly since their reformation in the early 2000s.
Although I had heard of Magnum in the 80s, they didn’t play over here (beyond 1983 or so, I believe!?), and aside from “On A Storyteller’s Night”, I would’ve not heard anything of theirs’ on rock radio back in the day. It was 2009’s Into the Valley Of The Moonking that I received and I was immediately hooked and wanted to hear more! I’ve enjoyed every album since, and gone back to fill in he decades of great music I missed with albums like Kingdom Of Madness, Chase The Dragon, On A Storyteller’s Night, Wings Of Heaven, and post-2000’s Brand New Morning, Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow, and the Escape From Shadow Garden, as well as the awesome Wings Of Heaven Live . Magnum may not have had the success of many bands that broke big over here, but they are British rock royalty to me. A classic band that Tony Clarkin lead in recording some 23(+) studio albums. Currently listening to the band’s new album Here Comes The Rain, another classic Magnum album of Tony Clarkin songs.
Hell, Fire & Chaos – The Best Of British Rock & Metal is the title of the upcoming United States tour by two British Legends in the Rock and Metal genre
URIAH HEEP and SAXON.
With almost 50 studio albums combined and numerous live records, selling multi-millions, this tour will truly be THE BEST OF BRITISH ROCK AND METAL!
The tour is a 100% co-headline with both bands playing equal set lengths, with some cities Uriah Heep closing and others Saxon.
SAXON were formed in 1979 and became leaders in the NWOBHM movement alongside bands such as Iron Maiden and Def Leppard and inspiration to the likes of Metallica, Pantera, etc. Touring to support their 24th studio album Hell, Fire & Damnation, released on January 19th 2024, the band have continued to be at the top of their game throughout the years. Headlining many of the major rock festivals annually in Europe as well as an extensive touring commitment around the world, their massive and loyal fan base continues to grow and the band don’t look as though they are slowing down at any point soon. Their setlist will consist of all the classic tracks such as Wheels Of Steel, 747 (Strangers in the Night), Strong Arm of the Law, Power and the Glory, Denim and Leather.
URIAH HEEP are currently into their 54th year and have never stopped! With a 25 studio albums catalog, the band are touring to support their 2023 release Chaos & Colour that has had rave reviews from both fans and media alike worldwide. As part of the “Big Four” in the 70’s, which also included Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, Uriah Heep were pioneers in the hard rock field and an inspiration to many major touring and recording Artists still to this day. The band continue to tour around the world with 63 countries under their belt over the years. Having sold over 40 million records, fans old and new continue to flock to shows and festival appearances to experience the classic hits such as Easy Livin’, Gypsy, Stealin’, Sweet Lorraine and July Morning.
The Tour will take in the following cities with dates as follows:
Tuesday April 23rd Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Parker
Wednesday April 24th Tampa, FL – Hard Rock Event Center
Thursday April 25th Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live
Sunday April 28th Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
Tuesday April 30th Morgantown, WV – The Metropolitan Theatre
Wednesday May 1st Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre
Thursday May 2nd Jim Thorpe, PA – Penn’s Peak
Friday May 3rd Englewood, NJ – Bergen Performing Arts Center
Sunday May 5th Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues
Tuesday May 7th Long Island, NY – Patchogue Theatre
Wednesday May 8th Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre
Friday May 10th Peekskill, NY – Paramount Hudson Valley Arts
Saturday May 11th Cleveland, OH – TempleLive at the Cleveland Masonic
Sunday May 12th Elkhart, IN – Lerner Theatre
Monday May 13th Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
Tuesday May 14th Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
Thursday May 16th Marietta, OH – People’s Bank Theatre
Friday May 17th Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
Saturday May 18th Joliet, IL – Rialto Square Theatre
Sunday May 19th St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theatre
Tuesday May 21st Nashville, IN – Brown County Music Center
Wednesday May 22nd Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater
Friday May 24th Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre
Saturday May 25th Wichita, KS – TempleLive at Scottish Rite Center
Wednesday May 29th Houston, TX – House Of Blues
Thursday May 30th San Antonio, TX – Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
Friday May 31st Dallas, TX – Glass Cactus
More Dates to be added!
Tickets are available via general on sale Friday January 12th through all usual ticket outlets.
VIP packages are also available consisting of a pre-show Meet & Greet with both bands together, Signed Photo of each band, Personal Photo Opportunities, Exclusive Merchandise Item from each band and a special VIP Tour Laminate.
Invocation is the name of the exhilarating and highly anticipated brand-new 11-track album from slide guitar virtuoso Troy Redfern. The album, released by RED7 Records on Friday 17th May 2024, will be available in limited edition colored vinyl, black vinyl, plus two different CD artwork designs. All formats are available to pre-order from www.troyredfern.com
Says Troy, “The Strange is about the realization that a relationship is falling apart in slow motion. Despite how difficult it may seem to break away, it’s about the sense that life is slipping by is an ever-present feeling.”
Troy has proved time and time again that his cup of inspiration is not only full, but runneth over, writing and release albums at an unprecedented pace and judging by the strength of “The Strange” and the two previous singles “Getaway” and “The Fever,” the new album Invocation, promises to be his best yet.
Over the course of last two albums The Fire Cosmic (2021) and Wings of Salvation (2022) Troy found his true voice stylistically in terms of writing and playing, but with Invocation he created a collection of outstanding new songs that carves out his own identity as to who he really is an artist.
For the new album, Troy decided that he’d bring back the production team that worked on The Wings of Salvation. Dave Marks was brought back again for production duties, along with Jo Webb for mixing and mastering. Lee Russel’s Dulcitone Studios in Kettering was again the logical choice to record Paul Stewart’s (The Feeling) drum tracks as the converted chapel has the perfect ambience for huge sounding rock drums.
Due to the streamlined process that Troy and producer Dave Marks employed on the previous album, Invocation was written, recorded, and mixed in just under six weeks.
“It really was great to be able to realize and bring to fruition these songs as quickly as we did,” recalls Troy. “It kept the ideas fresh and stopped them from becoming overworked and tired.”
With ‘Invocation’ Troy explores fresh musical territory, from the heavy, bone crushing slide riffs and big sing along choruses on “Van Helsing” and “Getaway” to the evocative, wind-swept western landscapes of “The Native” and “Blind Me.” After three albums in three years Troy continues to expand his musical horizons and keep his creative fire burning.
British rock icons MAGNUM share “The Seventh Darkness”, a new digital single from their upcoming studio album, ‘Here Comes the Rain’, out January 12th, 2024 via Steamhammer / SPV. The track is accompanied by a new lyric video.
“The Seventh Darkness” includes an amazing brass sections courtesy of guest musicians Chris ‘BeeBe’ Aldridge (saxophone) and Nick Dewhurst (trumpet), which lend the song brilliance and shape.
Guitarist/songwriter Tony Clarkin: “The recordings were great fun, especially the moment when Chris’s sax took the lead and my guitar responded. A real highlight on this album!”
‘Here Comes The Rain’ will be released via CD + DVD, double vinyl LP, as a box set and for digital download, proving once again that classic rock music could hardly sound more atmospheric.
The album’s highly inspired artwork is once more designed by the great Rodney Matthews, who has already created a number of MAGNUM sleeves to support the band’s atmospherically dense music. Says Tony Clarkin: “The back cover features a kind of avian battalion in attack mode, which I think is a great allegory!”
April Wine’s 1984 album Animal Grace was the band’s final album as the ‘classic’ 5-piece line-up. The band broke up after a farewell tour following Animal Grace’s release. The album saw a couple of singles, but clearly the band was not supporting it, playing only 1 song from it in their live set. Animal Grace would also be the first April Wine album cover not to be designed by Aquarius Records’ Bob Lemm – who had designed pretty much every cover since 1973, nor would it feature the band’s logo that had been used on every release since 1978. Instead American designer John O’Brien was given the task to create the follow up to 1982’s Powerplay. Like every April Wine cover, it was a completely new design, and new look, suitable for the times.. John O’Brien has done numerous album covers throughout his career, notably for Tina Turner, Billy Squier, and Great White’s 2 biggest releases. In this exchange John details coming up with and creating the cover for Animal Grace, as well as his background, and touches on a few other covers he did. I’ve included a few of John’s other covers, as well as links to his work at the end.
How did you get in to album cover art design? Can you give a bit of your background?
Growing up I always had a love for Album Cover art and music, it seemed to be the perfect creative vehicle – visual and sonic delivery, it stimulated my senses. I graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1981 with a Masters in Art, with Design focus. I freelanced at various design studios that specialized in entertainment in Los Angles my last year of school, and continued up to1983 after graduation. After working and showing my portfolio for 2 years, I received a call from the Creative Director at EMI Records, Bill Burks that there was an opening at Capitol Records for a designer. He recommended me, I interviewed with the Art Director, Roy Kohara and received the position. From 1983-1989 I worked in the Art Department on all aspects of an assigned project, from Cover Deign, Advertising, Marketing to Promotional Materials. Depending on the specific project I was responsible for concepts, logo design, hiring outside illustrators, typographers and building the final mechanicals, as in those days they were built by hand.
Am I correct to assume you worked for Capitol Records (seeing most of your credits on Capitol), and is that how the April Wine cover came about?
Yes, from 1983-1989 as stated I worked on staff. After 1989 work with various labels. Being a staff designer projects required different approaches. Some had art attached, logos and cover art concepts supplied by the artist and management, others needed a full exploration. I was assigned the project which needed a cover concept for April Wine with the title Animal Grace. From this point I was responsible for coming up with ideas to represent the concept for presentation to artists, management and marketing.
Were you familiar with the band and/or their music?
I had not previously followed the band but was aware of their music.
You are credited with design, and there are (2) art directors credited – Can you tell me how much of the whole album package was your design – back, front, lettering…?
I cannot recall what transpired at the time that 2 Art Directors were credited, perhaps one was on vacation and the other filled in for presentations and sign off of final art approval and budget as that was the process. As the designer on this specific project I was responsible for the creative, but I did not have direct contact with the band or management.
I was responsible for completing all packaging for the project (logo, cover, back cover, insert) as well as any campaign ads for marketing and poster. All layouts and final mechanicals were done by me in house at Capitol.
As almost all previous April Wine covers were designed by Aquarius’ Bob Lemm – who also designed their logo, is that why the logo (from the band’s previous 4 albums was not used?
There was no mandatory that a previous logo be utilized. I selected a bold font and introduced a fine line to reflect the nature of the art, without competing with the art. The cleaner logo created did not battle the art work and maximized the visual impact of the artwork illustration.
Did you have much contact / input from the band (or specific members) management? and did you ever listen to the album?
On this project, I had no direct contact from the band or management. Communications filtered internally down from the Creative Director to Art Director to Designer.
Can you tell me a bit what inspired / influenced this cover piece, and how it was achieved?
While coming up with concepts I searched various illustration promotional pieces and periodicals as well, and found a captivating image by Marshall Arisman that fit the title with perfection. Bold and powerful, elegant and graceful, the image was compelling. At this point it was comped up with a few other ideas, but this was the strongest image.
You also did Billy Squier’s Hear & Now album. Recall much from creating that?
In this case, I was assigned the project and it had very definitive parameters. Art elements were supplied specifically and indicated for the cover. Billy and the Art Director, Tommy Steele had a very clear concept of the desired look. The cover was built to specifications and I designed the rest of the package reflecting the look of the cover to follow the feel.
Any favorites and/or most successful album covers you’ve designed?
My favorite project was ‘Private Dancer’, by Tina Turner. I was going on vacation but cancelled it when the opportunity came up to work on this release. In this case I was involved with the Producer, John Carter and Management, Roger Davies on all aspects of the release. From coming up with the logo, all packaging including the double cover release – they needed one layout that worked with 2 separate cover images. I designed all domestic singles, advertising, marketing elements, standees, promotional items for over a year. A fantastic opportunity, amazing people… and Tina who had an undeniable presence that filled anywhere she was with the brightest light.
Another was the Great White project, ‘Once Bitten Twice Shy’ with Alan Niven. Another long inclusive creative project with many singles and advertising elements. A lot of fun with compelling visual elements with Alans inspiration.
Are you still creating any album covers? If not, what else have you been up to in the art world?
A few elaborate CD/DVD projects done for Alan Niven’s Tru-B-Dor Management a few years back, Storm of Perception and Chris Buck and The Big Horns. An album project for John Klages, Fabulous Twilight on Danbury Fair Records. A recently completed project for Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals), ‘Then And Now’. A fun project with a great musician and great management team. Hopefully a new one for Mark Farner’s American Band upcoming.
HEART LINE is an ’80s influenced hard rock/aor band, featuring guitarist/producer Yvan Guillevic. The band’s latest release is a 5 song ep of 80s covers, all done well, all interesting choices. Love the Stan W. Decker artwork too! *For more info check out the press info and links below…
Oh, the glorious 80’s…! Those were the years of innovations and great hopes and for music lovers, an endless wave of Rock, Hard-Rock, Heavy Metal, Hair Metal and AOR fabulous bands who could capture audiences instantly with powerful emotions. In essence, it was the reign of flashiness, big choruses, effervescent guitar solos and above all the decade for melody. It is no secret that Yvan Guillevic the founder of Heart Line grew up nurtured by these fascinating music influences. They made him the outstanding musician we know who now rocks his own guitar on the AOR wave. If you ask him, he will tell you they are actually his DNA, the raison d’être of Heart Line! With 2 album releases in the verve of melodic rock “Back in the Game” & “Rock ‘N’ Roll Queen’ that were both acclaimed by the Int’l press, the band thought it was fair to pay a sincere tribute to the great bands of this fabulous era. The 5 titles of this EP are a fine selection of some of the most outstanding music AOR material of the 80’s from various countries, UK, Sweden and the US. Forget about mainstream hits! Through their immense qualities, these 5 tracks prove enough how breathtaking the music level was in the 80’s and how much the bands deserved recognition. Who knows? May be some of you will discover band names that had slipped under your radar and yet deserved!?
Tracklisting: 1. Falling (TOBRUK cover), 2. Runaway (DAKOTA cover), 3. Front Line (AVIATOR cover), 4. Living On A Knife Edge (VIRGINIA WOLF cover), 5. Go Easy (ALIEN cover)
Band: Emmanuel Creis (vocals), Yvan Guillevic (guitars), Jorris Guilbaud (keyboards), Dominique Braud (bass), Walter Français (drums)
Swedish band PRISONER released 2 excellent hard-rock/aor albums in the early 2000s, which have recently been re-issued together as One + Two, in a limited 2CD run. This is well worth hearing, finely written, performed, and produced. Lots of good varying songs, vocals, and heavy guitar, along with melody, harmonies. One is the heavier (and best IMO) of the 2 albums, with fave cuts being “Stop Playing Games”, “Starry Eyes”, and “Where Is The Fire”. Two is a bit lighter, with a few ballads mixed in, but still good, with cuts like “Jasmine”, “Prisoners”, and “Return My Heart”. Well worth checking out! More info below (from press), and links.
The double album “One + Two” of the Swedish melodic rock band PRISONER contains the total of two albums of the band: “Blind” (2000) and “II” (2001) and is released in a limited edition of 500 copies. The band consisted of musicians, song writers and producers Tommy Denander and Ricky Delin together with great singers Geir Rönning and Pierre Wensberg. Tommy Denander remastered both works and created the new artwork. As part of the Pride & Joy Music Classixx series, the double CD is released as Vol.4
Italian heavy psych rock stalwarts MR.BISON reveal the second single taken from their new album “Echoes From The Universe”, to be issued on February 16th through Heavy Psych Sounds. Enter the stratosphere with “Collision” exclusively on It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine!
Their upcoming fifth album ‘Echoes From The Universe’ invites the listener to a prismatic voyage that explores the notion of freedom and destiny through Norse mythology and weaves together a vivid and majestic sonic tapestry that brims with liquid riffs, graceful psychedelia, progressive grandeur and vibrant vocals. A modern and fulfilling space trip that should please fans of the likes of Elder, King Buffalo, Howling Giant.
About the album, the band says: “The theme of “Echoes from the Universe” is the attempt, as human and temporal beings, to escape the idea of an alleged destiny predetermination by managing to build one’s life path through willpower. Its concept is based on the Norse Norns myth, who weave the threads of universal destiny on a tapestry, in which all existence, in a continuous mix of past, present, and future, intersect and influence each other, thereby generating a kaleidoscopic vortex of infinite and unpredictable possibilities. For this reason, we have used them as a symbol of freedom of choice, which never excludes but indeed implies, the element of chance.”
It was produced by guitarist Matteo Barsacchi, mixed by Nicola Giorgetti at the Indipendente Recording Studio and mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering in Chicago.
MR.BISON masters the art of melding heavy psychedelia with progressive elements and evocative soundscapes. Formed in a small coastal town in Tuscany (Italy) in 2009, the band has reinvented their sound through four albums from stoner psych to heavy progressive rock, firmly establishing themselves in 2018 with the acclaimed “Holy Oak” and their 2020 concept album “Seaward”. The band has toured Europe and North America several times and played various festivals such as Desertfest Berlin, London and Antwerp, Krach am Back, Duna Jam.
Mr BISON introduced their brand of Heavy Blues influenced by groups like Captain Beyond, Nektar, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and the more.
Outsider Rock 