Montreal’s THE DAMN TRUTH have announced a rockin’ new single titled “I Just Gotta Let You Know”, ahead of their UK tour. The single will be released October 20, and is available to pre-save on all streaming platforms HERE. The single will also be accompanied with an official music video that will premiere on the day of release. In the meantime, watch the trailer for the official music video on YouTube HERE. *For more info check out the press release below….
The single “I Just Gotta Let You Know” dovetails The Damn Truth’s October 2023 UK Headline Concerts, plus shows supporting Glenn Hughes on his Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live Celebrating The 50th Anniversary of ‘Burn’ UK tour. Tickets for all concerts are available fromTheGigcartel.com
“This is the first song from the sessions for our forthcoming studio album that we are recording with our producer Bob Rock (Aerosmith, Metallica, Motley Crue) at Bryan Adam’s recording studio ‘The Warehouse’ in Vancouver,” says TDT’s lead singer Lee-La Baum.
Continues Lee-la, “Working with Bob a second time was even more inspiring than the first. I don’t know exactly what comes over me, but when I’m in the vocal booth singing into Frank Sinatra’s mic, knowing that Bob is in the other room, basically hanging on my every breath, I am able to let go and try all sorts of things that weren’t ever in my mind before. It’s really freaking fun!”
Adds lead guitarist Tom Shemer, “The whole thing started with a riff and I knew immediately that I had something cool here. I showed the riff to Lee-la and she came up with the melody and lyrics for the verses right there on the spot.”
“We had the song banging on high energy from beginning to end, very much in the spirit of The Kinks, and once the train was rolling, there was no stopping it.”
“Bob said ‘forget everything you know about guitar playing and just go for it.’ I only played one take of the solo. He was right!”
In 2021, TDT released the critically acclaimed album “Now or Nowhere.” Produced by Grammy Award-winning Bob Rock, the album is available fromwww.thedamntruth.com.
The band have been championed by the music press with extensive magazine coverage in Rolling Stone France, Classic Rock, Blues Matters, Guitarist, Powerplay, Guitar Techniques, Record Collector, Fireworks, Blues in Britain, Hard Rock Hell, MNPR, and R’N’R Magazine.
“The real magic of The Damn Truth is best experienced uncut, in our full set,” says TDT’s lead singer and guitarist, Lee-La Baum. “Our connection with our audiences is the most important thing, so don’t miss experiencing it when we tour the UK in October!”
British band TRAPEZE were perhaps best known as the band that featured musicians who went on to big bands, notably Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Mel Galley (the band’s leader & mainstay – Whitesnake), Dave Holland (Judas Priest), and (later) Peter Goalby (Uriah Heep). Throughout the ’70s TRAPEZE released 6 studio albums, with various line-ups, but the band has seen a resurgence over the last decade or so with the release of archive live releases, CD box sets and compilations. But now we await the release of previously unreleased material from the ’70s on ‘Lost Tapes Vol 1’. 14 tracks from various line-ups of Trapeze later next month, on various formats. *For more info, check out the press release below….
When rock band Trapeze called it a day, they left behind them a series of now classic albums. Their influence on other groups has been immense; individual members themselves going on to join heavy weight rock acts such as Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Judas Priest & Uriah Heep. But their story’s not over, as TRAPEZE – LOST TAPES VOL. 1 will soon reveal!
These are tracks recorded on tour, and either side of album releases; great songs that were stockpiled just never released as the various line-ups hit the ground running, playing live relentlessly; honing their craft while rarely seeing home.
However, guitarist Mel Galley did take those tapes to his elder brother Tom’s house. There, they – as co-writers of many of the band’s best-known songs – would review them, making various decisions that felt right at the time. Mel also had the foresight, to leave them with Tom for safekeeping, so they didn’t get lost.
“One of Mel’s last wishes, before he passed away, was that I’d get together with Trapeze manager Tony Perry and put all these things together,” said Tom Galley, who went onto produce the celebrated Phenomena album series, “And that’s what we’ve done!”
LOST TAPES VOL. 1 is an opportunity to hear Trapeze with all the primal energy of young men stretching out; demonstrating there was even more untapped potential between the musicians involved than had hitherto been imagined.
Smashing the doors open across America by pioneering a heavy funk rock sound that would later be taken up by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Extreme and others, back in the 70s Glenn Hughes (Vocals, bass), Mel Galley (Guitar, vocals) & Dave Holland (Drums) barely had time to catch their breath while stepping into studios to lay down several unique songs that you’ll find on this collection, as well as tracks later recorded at Garage Studios in the UK during their 90s reformation.
Strident hard rocker ‘Breakdown’ comes from that latter period. “This features Glenn singing – His voice is one of the wonders of the world!” Tom remarked, and it truly is, the song sounding immensely fresh and contemporary even today. From the same period, with ‘Don’t Let Them Push You’, it’s a case of “More cowbell!” and Mel’s guitar weaving tirelessly with him also taking lead vocals.
On the trio’s older tracks, with songs like ‘Bad Kid From School’ and ‘Enough Is Enough’, it’s their classic sound you’ll relish hearing afresh. “I was able to get that funky heavy rock sound out of those old tapes – And that’s what I call the Trapeze style!” With various co-writing tracks from that period recovered, Tom also noted how ‘Catching Up On You’ had ”started off as an instrumental but they decided to add vocals.”
These tracks embrace both powder-kegged bravado performances as well as the band’s more nuanced emotional side – With nothing off limits as the musicians involved can be heard exploring their potential both collectively and as individuals. Powerful with deft time changes, tinged with subtly or bleeding out ferociously; belting rockers find them surging forward as one only for a propulsive rhythmic heartbeat to take hold over which solos soar.
Initially a five-piece patronized by The Moody Blues, even as that line-up fractured, Galley, Holland and original keyboard player Terry Rowley went into 10cc’s recording studios and some of those songs will also see the light of day for the very first time on this record. “Destiny’ and ‘Lights Of Tokyo’ were songs that were overlooked and never ended up on an album,” recalled Tom. Important pathfinders on the band’s journey they pre-empt the heavier rock & progressive sounds that the band would find acclaim with, beginning with 1970’s Medusa album.
Following Hughes’ joining Deep Purple, Mel Galley took the helm; both singing and playing guitar, while bringing in bass player Pete Wright and second guitarist Rob Kendrick. This was their 1974 Billboard charting Hot Wire era, finding them particularly prolific laying down tracks in studios like Island in the years either side. ‘Going Home’ is a fiery arena-ready alternative rendition of that album’s classic pinpointing exactly why The Rolling Stones had Trapeze open for them back then.
From a little later we get ‘So In Love’. ”If you listen to ‘Chances’ on the second self-titled Trapeze album; it’s So In Love with different lyrics, sung by Glenn, and Mel sings this, ”we’re told of a more melodic number. Likewise, ‘Lover finds the guitarist in particularly good form on vocals. Blending funk rock with a little soul, this so should have been a single, back in those days when music crossed the airwaves without fear of genre-boundaries, and only good taste mattered.
When Kendrick joined Budgie, Pete Goalby came forward and stepped up to the mic; oozing impressive vocal charisma and allowing Galley a chance to ease his voice. From that late ’70s golden patch we get the mainstream appeal of ‘You’ve Got It’ and ‘Who Do You Run To’ while on ‘Cool Water’ it’s slick, funky with a blues rock edge that’s sat somewhere in between The James Gang and Little Feat in their prime. “Mel wrote and sang on an original version, but this is a version with him and Pete both singing. It also had Terry Rowley on keyboards,” recalled Tom, noting the ongoing bonds between former members, before astutely noting in conclusion:
“This collection of recordings show not only how good the various line-ups were, but capture the passion and excitement of the creation of the songs themselves.”
Never a band who stood still. These recordings are often paths less taken. Had time, circumstances and other opportunities not proved otherwise we can only imagine what heights Trapeze would have reached… As listeners will discover, LOST TAPES VOL. 1, features Trapeze songs as classy as any on their previous rock album releases, with some likely to become classics still!
TRACK LISTING: Cool Water Lover Breakdown Don’t Let Them Push You Destiny Lights Of Tokyo So In Love Bad Kid From School Catching Up On You Do You Understand Enough Is Enough You’ve Got It Who Do You Run To Going Home
Steve Hackett, who is currently on tour in North America will see the reissue of albums on vinyl for the first time. As well, UK tour dates for next year’s celebration of the classic The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway album have been posted. * For more info, check out the press releases below….
Legendary guitarist Steve Hackett & InsideOutMusic will continue their reissue series with the first ever vinyl editions of his 2003 album ‘To Watch The Storms’ & the 2006 album ‘Wild Orchids’. Both will arrive on the 8th December as Gatefold 180g 2LP’s on black and colored editions, and have been mastered specially for the format, and they can be pre-ordered here:https://stevehackett.lnk.to/Re-issues2023
Steve comments of these releases: “I’m delighted to announce the release of both To Watch The Storms and Wild Orchids on vinyl for the first time! I’ve always been proud of these albums and it feels great to give them another lease of life.”
‘To Watch The Storms’ was Steve’s 16th studio album, and features his live band at the time, including Roger King, Gary O’Toole, Rob Townsend & Terry Gregory. It also featured his brother John Hackett, and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald.
‘Wild Orchids’ was Steve’s 18th studio album, and also featured Roger King, Gary O’Toole, Rob Townsend & John Hackett, as well as The Underworld Orchestra who added glorious string and brass flourishes to the sound. The record also includes a cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Man In The Long Black Coat’, and a re-recorded version of ‘Air Conditioned Nightmare’, originally released on his 1981 album ‘Cured’.
Steve Hackett & band continue their busy touring schedule with a 16-date recently announced Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights and Solo UK Tour in October 2024, they are currently touring in North America. For the full list of dates, head to: http://hackettsongs.com/tour.html
Steve Hackett announces the dates for his 2024 UK tour: Steve Hackett – Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo. The tour takes in 15 dates across the UK culminating with a visit to London’s Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 23rd October. To mark the 50th anniversary of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, Hackett is including a selection of highlights from this iconic Genesis album. Tickets are on sale at – https://myticket.co.uk/artists/steve-hackett
Steve Hackett’s timeless guitar-work was woven throughout Genesis’ classic 70’s catalogue of albums. In recent years he and his outstanding touring line-up of Roger King (keyboards), Nad Sylvan (vocals), Jonas Reingold (bass, backing vocals), Rob Townsend (saxophone, flutes, additional keyboards) and Craig Blundell (drums) have brought many of these albums back to the concert hall to great acclaim. Special guest, Amanda Lehmann will be joining the whole of the UK tour on guitar and vocals. Many fans have also been asking for more tracks from The Lamb to be included. What better way to celebrate half-a-century of this remarkable album than to include a selection of Lamb Highlights alongside some of Hackett’s finest solo work and unmissable Genesis Greats.
“I’m hugely looking forward to the 2024 UK tour,” says Steve Hackett, “including ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’ favourites as well as other iconic Genesis numbers along with solo gems. It’ll also be exciting to return to the wonderful Royal Albert Hall!”
Canadian writer Martin Popoff has a new book celebrating 50 years of KISS, out shortly. The hardcover book is 192 pages, including lots of rare photos, and comes from Motorbooks, the same guys who published Gary Graff’s awesome Alice Cooper at 75, earlier this year. *For more info see press info below or visit Martin’s website!
With this beautifully produced book, relive the extraordinary history of the of the hottest band in the land through 50 milestone events.
Formed in New York City in 1973, Kiss became one of the most popular and best-selling bands in rock history with their inventive stage presence and heavy, hook-filled catalog, both ideally suited for packing hockey arenas and football stadiums. This richly illustrated book from prolific rock journalist Martin Popoff pays tribute to the band on the occasion of their 50th anniversary by curating and examining the 50 most significant milestones. This exquisite volume features:
Sturdy hardcover format
Stunning concert and candid offstage photography, much of it never before published
Images of memorabilia, including gig posters, 7-inch picture sleeves, ticket stubs, and more
Gatefold Kiss timeline
Popoff covers everything down through the decades:
The band’s formation on the New York club scene
Their fortuitous signing to the Casablanca label
Infamous TV appearances, including Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park
The formation of the famous Kiss Army fan club
Mega tours undertaken in support of the LPs
Inter-band conflicts and personnel changes
The band’s 1980s “unmasking”
Innovative marketing such as comic books and the Kiss Convention
And, of course, each of the landmark studio LPs.
The result is an epic tribute to one of the most influential and admired bands in rock history—in a milestone year
Trevor Rabin has released a 3rd single & video from his upcoming album Rio. The ballad “Oklahoma”, which, as Rabin describes was started in 1995, inspired by the Oklahoma City bombing. The most moving track on the new album – Order now here: https://trevorrabin.lnk.to/RioID
“In 1995 I wrote the germ of a lyric inspired by the devastating bombing in Oklahoma. It traumatised the entire nation and will always be a dark day for the country. Thirty plus years later I believed the time was right and ok to tackle the song I had written. It’s dedicated to family and friends who lost loved ones.”
Another Swedish band to check out more of. With a name like ‘Graveyard’, one might be expecting something heavier and darker, but nope, Graveyard is a retro hard-rock band with psych and blues influences. 6 is just a really good album of varied tunes, with a number of excellent lighter tunes in “No Way Out”, “Sad Song” and “Bright Lights”. Love the different guitar sounds, and use of Hammond organ on occasion (courtesy of Nils Dahl). Fave cut is the Pink Floyd-ish “Breathe In Breathe Out”. There’s also a few great rockin’ tunes in “Just A Drop” and “Twice” . Overall this album is more laid back, but delivered with lots of feeling, atmospheric, moody, classic rock. 9 cuts here, and each one is pretty interesting, and enjoyable. Love the album cover too! Available on different colored vinyl LP, plus CD, digital…. *For more info check out the bio/press release below, as well as the band’s 3 videos from ‘6‘, and various links.
Graveyard was formed in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2006 with a shared passion for hard rock, psychedelia and the eternal bedrock of blues which influenced their sound from the start.
Led by vocalist/guitarist Joakim Nilsson, they opened their account with their now seminal self-titled Tee Pee Recordings debut in 2007, showcasing fiery chemistry and some wildly imaginative songwriting. Subsequently snapped up by the mighty Nuclear Blast Records, the band’s rise to prominence was swift and irresistible.
In 2008, guitarist Jonatan Ramm expanded the ranks, joining Nilsson, bassist Rikard Edlund and drummer Axel Sjöberg for the recording of second album Hisingen Blues. A critical smash that more than lived up to the hype, it established Graveyard as rock’n’roll heavyweights. A thunderous, soul-stirring live band, with subtlety and swagger in equal amounts, they spent the next decade keeping fans of loose-limbed and earthy rock music in a near-constant state of rapture. From the rootsy clatter of 2012’s Lights Out to the magical, muscular grooves of 2018’s Peace (taking in the sepia-tinted folk doom of 2015’s Innocence & Decadence along the way), Graveyard have made some of the most vital and vivid heavy rock of the 21st century. All eyes and ears are on their next move.
“I mean, it’s an obvious story!” laughs Joakim Nilsson. “We had plans to start recording or writing an album before the pandemic started, but then everything shut down. Maybe we shut down too, you know? We couldn’t make any money from playing anymore, so everybody started getting jobs and stuff like that, and everything took a lot longer than was expected. During the recording we had a Covid scare and we had to cancel things for a while, so it all took a long while, but mostly because we didn’t have time. We were working and taking care of family, whatever was needed most.”
Fast forward to 2023. Graveyard have completed their latest full-length recording and memories of gloomy lockdown are fast fading. This band has evolved yet again, both in terms of personnel and on a profound musical level. Simply titled 6, the band’s sixth studio record may be instantly recognisable as the work of Nilsson and his comrades, but this is a very different kind of Graveyard album. The second record to feature a line-up of Nilsson, Ramm, bassist Truls Mörck and drummer Oskar Bergenheim, it is slower, more soulful, more introspective and a little darker than its predecessors. The new songs reflect the fragile aftermath of a ruinous global sickness, drawing more inspiration than ever from the blues in the process. But despite its melancholy overtones, 6 still sparks and flashes with many moments of riff-driven euphoria. Ultimately, Graveyard are operating on instinct alone.
”We only make the music that feels right at the time, when we’re making it,” says Nilsson. “I mean, the main thing was we wanted to make a more guitar-driven album. Peace was maybe more bass and rhythm-driven, but now we’ve got more of the guitar stuff, so you can hear that there are two of us! [Laughs]. We try to make the albums as different as possible, but we always do that and people often don’t hear it! Maybe for once people will hear we’ve made something different from what we normally do.”
“Since Peace was a little harder and rowdier, it felt like a good time to have some breathing space,” says Jonatan Ramm. “You can’t always choose what to write. You just work it out and see what feels the best. As always we didn’t know what it would sound like, but we trust Don, as we always do when we record with him. He was also producing, so if he had anything that he wanted to change, we gave it a try and we worked from there. I think the songs are built up really nicely on this one.”
From the shimmering slow-flow of opener Godnatt onwards, 6 is easily identifiable as the most striking, original album of Graveyard’s story so far. A gently lysergic blend of desolate guitars, simmering Hammond and lithe, nimble bass and drums, the Swedes demonstrate a lightness of touch that they have only hinted at in the past. Whether it’s the rootsy strut of Twice, the garage rock sturm ‘n’ twang of I Follow You, or Sad Song’s bleary, barroom blues, 6 is a restless but riveting affair. Meanwhile, while Graveyard may have stepped outside of their comfort zone this time around, a renewed collaboration with a dear old friend has also had a huge impact on the new songs’ freshness and verve. Master of knobs and faders on the band’s early works, Swedish producer Don Ahlsterberg returned to capture 6 in all its gritty, groovy glory.
“We worked with Don on your first three albums, and he’s back now on the sixth,” Nilsson explains. “We had other producers on the fourth and fifth records, but I’m happy he’s back for this one. We started recording 6 in an old studio in Sweden called Silence. It’s a rural, foresty sort of studio in one of the darkest parts of a county in Sweden called Värmland. It’s a really nice place, but we didn’t have everything written yet, so we were only there for a week. We started recording guitars and drums for three or four songs. Then we decided to use Don’s own personal studio here in Gothenburg. It was the most convenient choice!”
After dabbling momentarily with digital technology on their last album, Peace, Graveyard have reverted to their original ethos on 6. Captured using analogue equipment only, the new songs have the kind of raw and sometimes primitive edge that simply can’t be faked. From the drifting swamp gospel of Breathe In, Breathe Out, to … 6 sounds as old as the hills, but as fresh as the daisies that grow on them.
“I just like the feeling that you need a really good take,” says Nilsson. “It all felt too easy on ^. I just sang a song three times and the engineer cut the best parts from all the takes together. With tape, it feels more substantial and real. It’s important that you hear that it’s hard to play this stuff sometimes! Especially with singing, you need to hear the effort it takes. If you want a perfect album with everything recorded perfectly, Graveyard is not the band for you! [Laughs] We love the mistakes. If the feeling is right, then the music’s good.”
While the music on 6 veers from languorous blues to kaleidoscopic psych, Jonatan Ramm’s lyrics paint a more monochrome, melancholy picture. Although shrouded in metaphor and poetic misdirection, songs like Sad Song and Bright Lights bring a more intimate and emotionally supercharged feel to Graveyard’s sound, whether at full blast or smothered in restraint. These are elegant, organic anti-hymns; tinged with sadness and troubled by loss, but bathed in the sonorous, soothing tones of hope.
“I think the lyrics have a lot to do with the whole pandemic period and all the change that happened for everyone,” Ramm explains. “We worked hard and often on this album, but there were a lot of bumps in the road. Everybody got sick. We have kids and other jobs, so we all needed to put food on the table. It was a strange time and I guess a lot of the songs ended up in a certain mood. Twice is about a few aspects of human interaction, like when you realize that people can change a lot and not always for the better. Breathe In, Breathe Out is a song about hanging in there, when life is a struggle. Rampant Fields is about making mistakes and realizing that this is a rollercoaster ride and we’re just passing through. It’s always hard to explain lyrics, but this album is more about the feeling of the time.”
Armed with their darkest but most accessible album yet, Graveyard have weathered a few years of isolation and frustration and come back braver, bolder and more bluesy than ever. Reinvigorated and surfing on waves of inspiration, they are ready to take their new songs out on the road, where the real magic happens and the rock really rolls. For fans of the truly authentic, 6 is mandatory, medicinal listening. Now watch this thing grow.
“All, we can do is hope that people enjoy what we do and we’ll take it from there!” Ramm laughs. “You can never be certain of anything, but maybe this record will be more appreciated by people that haven’t heard us before or people who think we’re harder than we are. Maybe they’ve heard the name and they think we play some other kind of music! Hopefully we’ll reach out to even more people and we’ll grow as a band. I think there’s a bright future, if we continue to travel and play live. It feels good to be done with this record. Now we see what happens next!”
“Before everything stopped for the pandemic, we were kind of fed up with everything, so we needed this break!” concludes Nilsson. “But we’ve been out a little bit already and it feels good! Now we love doing it again and playing music together is fun now. It’s good to be out touring, so I’m looking forward to it. The ambition is high and we want to tour as much as we can. Everywhere!”
The band’s first record in five years, “6,” is easily identifiable as the most striking, original album of Graveyard’s story so far. A gently lysergic blend of desolate guitars, simmering Hammond and lithe, nimble bass and drums, the Swedes demonstrate a lightness of touch that they have only hinted at in the past.
“Buffalo Rock City II” – Fun Love Songs Helping the Maria Love Fund (Hard Rock All-Stars Joins Western New York Talents on KISS Tribute Album)
“Buffalo Rock City II” is coming October 31, 2023 to digital media and CD (via Bandcamp at LINK) and at “brick and mortar” retail record stores. “BRC II” is the sequel to the first “Buffalo Rock City,” the best KISS tribute album ever made! Proceeds from the sales of “BRC II“are earmarked to the Maria Love Fund, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, providing immediate financial assistance to those in need.
Lifelong KISS fan and KISS THIS! founder/guitarist, John Jeffrey, has, once again, assembled a who’s who of artists, largely representing the Western New York music scene. Among the artists are original “Buffalo Rock City” alumni: Shawn Przybylak (drums), Gene Schmidt (guitar), Joe Teresi (guitar), Rock Rollain (bass) and Nat Peace (vocals). “II” features WNY “newcomers” to the studio project – Larry Kremer (drums), Kylie Velletta (vocals) & Debbie Knight (who made her first “BRC” appearance on 2022’s, “Buffalo Rock City ALIVE!“). The 2 headlining bands returning to “Buffalo Rock City II” album, are tribute band, KISS THIS! and DoDriver, an all-original act, handpicked by KISS and their manager Doc McGhee, to open for KISS on the Sonic Boom tour at Darien Lake on August 13, 2010.
Another WNY artist bassist Billy Sheehan spearheads the list of international rock artists contributing to the project. The album features John Corabi (vocals), Jeff Scott Soto (vocals), John Gioeli (vocals), Jean Beauvoir (vocals), Tommy Henriksen (vocals), Tommy Denander (guitar), Howie Simon (guitar), Rafael Moreira (guitar) Deen Castronovo (drums/vocals), Steve Blaze (guitar), Philip Shouse (bass), Dave Comer (vocals) & Mitch Weissman (vocals). These “celebrity guests” have toured and recorded with Ace Frehley, Alice Cooper, Warlock, Accept, David Lee Roth, Hardline, Talas, KillSET, Gene Simmons, Journey, Ozzy Osbourne, The Hollywood Vampires, Lillian Axe, Winger, Stryper, Tesla, Michael Jackson, Motley Crue, The Dead Daisies, The Ramones, The Plasmatics, Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Stanley, Soul Station and Beatlemania.
Mitch Weissman, who sang on “Buffalo Rock City,” returns with his co-write with Gene Simmons, “What You See Is What You Get.” Originally demoed by Weissman and Simmons for the 1987 Ron Nevison produced KISS album, “Crazy Nights,” the Mitch and BCR’s producer John cleared 30-year old cobwebs to complete this special song.
Making an additional note in “KISStory,” Jean Beauvoir plays a significant role, recording a brand new version of “Who Wants To Be Lonely,” which he originally contributed to KISS’ 1985 release, “Asylum.”
“Buffalo Rock City II” was mixed by C. Wood (Brian McKnight, Rascal Flatts, Alicia Keys, Leann Rimes, Lenny Kravitz, Justin Timberlake, Kenny G & Slash) and David Julian. Julian is an established producer and songwriter, who has written songs for Jack Russell (Great White) and Ace Frehley.
Keeping in tradition with the great KISS album covers, Kevin Conrad, the comic artist who penciled and inked the front cover of “Buffalo Rock City,” created a masterpiece once again– the front and back art for “II.” A life-long KISS fan, Kevin’s most known for ink all 31 issues of Todd McFarlane’s “KISS – Psycho Circus” comic book series. This new BCR II cover art depicts the KISS members that the musicians in KISS THIS! portray and personify. The cover is an homage to the iconic KISS “Love Gun” album artwork, featuring Buffalo’s Albright Knox Art Gallery as the centerpiece.
As the first album, “Buffalo Rock City” focused on topical/non-cock rock KISS songs, it was decided that “Buffalo Rock City II,” while serving a greater purpose, would focus exclusively on all the fun “love” themed songs in the catalog.
*Check out the first video for the album, “Calling Dr. Love,” filmed and directed by Joe Palumbo of Niagara River Pictures LLC)
Buffalo Rock City II tracks:
“I Stole Your Love ’89” (Johnny Gioeli & Howie Simon)
“Saint And Sinner” (DoDriver)
“Who Wants To Be Lonely” (Jean Beauvoir)
“Down On Your Knees” (John Corabi)
“Have Love Will Travel/Got Love For Sale'” (Dave Comer)
“Tomorrow and Tonight” (Dave Comer)
“Love For Sale” (Billy Sheehan & Jeff Scott Soto)
“Calling Dr. Love” (KISS THIS!)
“Makin’ Love” (KISS THIS!)
“Save Your Love” (Tommy Henriksen & Philip Shouse)
“Love Gun” (Deen Castronovo & Rafael Moreira)
“Shoot U Full Of Love” (Various artists)
“Exciter” (Dave Comer)
“You Love Me To Hate You” (Steve Blaze)
“I” (Dave Comer & Tommy Denander)
“Hell Or High Water” (Various artists)
“What You See Is What You Get” (Mitch Weissman)
The release is available for PRE-ORDER now!!!! All ordering information can be found at www.BuffaloRockCity.com and more details can also be found at their social media page: Buffalo Rock City – KISS Tribute Album (facebook.com/WNYTribute2KISS)
Former YES guitarist/songwriter Trevor Rabin has a new album out soon. Rabin, who was largely responsible for much of YES’ 1983 comeback album 90125, and the hits “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” , and 1987’s “Love Will Find A Way”. Rio features 10 tracks (LP), and a 2-disc version with 3 more. The first 2 singles can be heard below, and the album includes a wide variety of songs, guitar sounds, synths, and harmony arrangements . Lots of other good and interesting tracks here, prog, pop, rock… Favorites include the ballad “Oklahoma”, and the fast paced country flavored pop of “Goodbye”. I am not familiar with much of Rabin’s previous solo work, but I am quite certain that anyone that enjoyed the albums he made with YES (as I did) with dig this. Check out the 2 videos, as well as the links below.
Trevor Rabin, the South African guitarist, singer, multi-musician, writer and producer, releases ‘Rio’, his first solo album of vocal material in 34 years on October 6, via InsideOut Music.
Although he has carved a lengthy and diverse career, Johannesburg-born Rabin is best known for membership of the band Yes over a 12-year, four-album spell that began in 1983, his smash hit song ‘Owner Of A Lonely Heart’ of the same year topping America’s Billboard chart and inspiring the iconic prog-rock band to cross over into a far larger audience. Rabin was inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the band in 2017 and more recently teamed up with former Yes members Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman in the trio ARW.
EUROPE is back with a new single titled “Hold Your Head Up” (not the Argent song!). The band’s last release was 2017’s Walk The Earth. The video is out (see below) –
The video offers a glimpse into the brand-new documentary that the band have been busy filming with producer / director Craig Hooper (Deep Purple / Saxon) for Coolhead Productions simply entitled EUROPE – THE MOVIE. The film will tell the story of the band, from formation until present day, telling of their rise to success in the mid ‘80s, through hard times and heartache, to coming back in the millennium, and the current successes the band has achieved. This is set for release in early 2024.
“Hold Your Head Up” was recorded last month at the Atlantis Studios in Stockholm with producer Klas Åhlund (Ghost, Robyn), it is a punchy up-tempo rocker with reminiscent elements of early EUROPE. The song was mixed by Stefan Glaumann (Rammstein, Def Leppard) who also mixed EUROPE’S ‘SECRET SOCIETY’ album.
“‘Hold Your Head Up” is an up-tempo guitar driven rocker about pulling through in difficult times and the influence my father had on me to always do my best and persevere,” offers Joey Tempest. “It’s been six years since our last release ‘WALK THE EARTH’ recorded at Abbey Road, and we had a great time in the studio with producer Klas Åhlund. He really brought out a hungry, engaged band that’s ready to continue an amazing journey. We can’t wait to play this song on tour and incorporate it on our next album. We’re very proud of this track.”
EUROPE are currently undertaking a “Time Capsule” tour which includes 21 concerts across Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, and the UK, including two nights at the famous London Palladium. These anniversary shows will consist of a career retrospective “evening with” performance featuring all the hits together with deep cuts and fan favorites from all of their 11 studio albums.
With a new album – Heaven Comes Down due out October 27, DOKKEN have released a 2nd single & video for the track “Gypsy”. It’s a very good song, which gets better each listen. Dokken’s new single has an interesting story behind it from singer/songwriter Don Dokken. Read the story when you check out the video below . The video was created by Natalia Jonderko Śmiechowicz, who’s also done recent videos for Elegant Weapons, Alcatrazz and Uriah Heep.
Outsider Rock 