Robert Jon & The Wreck have an excellent new single out, with the upbeat rockin’ “Stone Cold Killer” . Check out the video directed & animated by Marco Pavone, or the single HERE
A teaser from their forthcoming album slated for release next year, “Stone Cold Killer” showcases the unique blend of rock, blues, and country that has garnered Robert Jon & The Wreck widespread acclaim. The single emerged organically from a rehearsal jam, and, as guitarist Henry James Schneekluth remarked, was recorded “without too much fuss and pretty minimal adjustments” at The Village Studios in Los Angeles with esteemed producer Kevin Shirley in April.
the California band is touring the US soon, see dates below:
US FALL TOUR 2023 11/16/23 – MONTEREY, CA – Golden State Theatre* 11/17/23 – EL CAJON, CA – The Magnolia* 11/18/23 – SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Scottsdale Center For The Performing Arts* 11/19/23 – ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Isleta Resort & Casino* 11/25/23 – Boca Raton, FL – Funky Biscuit 11/26/23 – Jacksonville, FL – Underbelly 11/28/23 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Pour House 11/30/23 – Greenville, SC – The Radio Room 12/1/23 – Cornelius, NC – Boatyard 12/2/23 – Elkin, NC – The Reeves Theater & Cafe 12/3/23 – Richmond, VA – The Tin Pan 12/5/23 – Baltimore, MD – The 8×10 12/6/23 – Warrendale, PA – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille 12/7/23 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom 12/8/23 – Westland, MI – The Token Lounge 12/9/23 – Aurora, IL – The Venue 12/10/23 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St Entry *SUPPORTING THE MAVERICKS
Former ARGENT member John Verity has penned his own story, titled This Rock ‘N’ Roll Won’t Last You Know! Well after 50 years in the music business, Verity played guitar, sang and wrote on Argent’s Circus and Counterpoints albums, and went on to form Phoenix, Verity, as well as release a number of solo albums, and just recently released – an album with. Del Bromham (Stray), titled Live at Last (which can ordered at http://www.johnverity.com)
From the late ’60s til 1970 British hard-rock/blues/prog band SPOOKY TOOTH released 4 albums before breaking up. In 1973 the band reformed, tho’ with changes in the line-up, notably with new guitarist Mick Jones. In about 18 months from the spring of ’73 until the fall of ’74, Spooky Tooth underwent more personnel changes while recording 3 albums. 1973’s You Broke My Heart, So I Busted Your Jawwas a strong album featuring favorites “Cotton Growing Man” & “Old As I was Born”. That album was followed later in the same year by Witness, which included standouts “Oceans Of Power”, “All Sewn Up”, and epic heavy closer “Pyramids”. By the time The Mirror was released in October of 1974, keyboardist/vocalist & songwriter Gary Wright was the only original member. Original singer Mike Harrison (RIP, 2018) had left after Witness, and was replaced by Mike Patto (ex Timebox, Patto). I gotta say I like all three of these albums, even if they are a very different band through personnel. The Mirror is the best of the 3. The line-up aside from Wright, Jones, and Patto, included Val Burke (bass) and Bryson Graham (drums). Wright & Jones would produce the album with the (by now) legendary Eddie Kramer.
Overall, The Mirror was a more mainstream progressive, hard-rock album, and it’s a wonder how they didn’t have any big radio hits off this one, or that The Mirror didn’t catch on more. Instead it marked the end of the band. But Spooky Tooth was a unique band, with 2 vocalists / keyboard players, and backing harmonies that gave the band a bit of a gospel/soul feel on occasion. The Mirror kids off with the prog-rocker “Fantasy Satisfied”, a great blend of guitar and Hammond organ, and probably my favorite Spooky Tooth song. I wonder if this ever got radio play!? And why it’s still not featured on FM classic rock radio. This record holds a lot of different songs, all worth checking out. Other favorites would be the title track, “I’m Alive”, “Hell Or High Water”, “Two Time Love”, and the ballad “Kyle”. Not a bad cut here. Gary Wright (RIP) would be credited on all but one track, as a writer, with Jones co-writing on 3, and Patto on 3, as well as contributing the funky-rock tune “The Hoofer” (used as a B-side at the time). There were a few different singles from this album (see below), from various countries, and there is also an excellent live recording from the band in Cleveland from this tour, which includes 3 tracks from The Mirror.
Unfortunately, The Mirror wasn’t a major hit LP for the band, the first of the reformed band’s 3 not to crack Billboard’s top 100, tho’ it did make it to #88 in Canada! The band split following a tour with Mick Jones soon joining Leslie West’s band, then forming Foreigner, Mike Patto (RIP 1979) formed Boxer – who released 3 albums, Gary Wright had huge hits with “The Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive” a few years later, Bryson Graham (RIP, 1993) went on to record with Alvin Lee and Jim Capaldi, among others; Val Burke went on to record with Stan Bronstein’(Living On the Avenue) and Willie & The Mighty Magnificents (Play That Funky Beat).
The Mirror came in a die-cut cover, with artwork & design by Ruby Mazur, who did numerous covers throughout the ’70s. If you don’t have this album, I highly recommend it as one of the ’70s greats and very overlooked.
“I felt at the time (Spooky Tooth)-as much as I liked the kind of music we were doing-that we were getting bogged down. We were getting a little over -involved and not quite direct enough or close enough to get the point across. And I suppose that I wanted to get the music across in a more direct way” (Mick Jones, Record World, 1980)
THE MIRROR – Spooky Tooth – Producers: Gary Wright, Mick Jones, Eddie Kramer – Island ILPS 9292 The raw power of Spooky Tooth emerges on the reformed group’s new LP as never before, with a scintillating flash and a bedrock underpinning that defy even Newton’s law of gravity. Impeccable harmonies, great hooks in the tracks, careful dynamics and precision arranging characterize this record, by far their best to date. The special synthesizer effects on “Hell Or High Water” are excellent, reminiscent of the Who at their best. We also dig “Fantasy Satisfier” and “Higher Circles.” (CashBox, 09-74)
SPOOKY TOOTH (lsland IS004) Hell Or High Water (3:32) (Ackee – WB, ASCAP – M. Patto – G. Wright) Spooky Tooth is in fine form on their latest release which exemplifies the Spooky Tooth style. Heavy tight instrumentation is complemented by very good vocal harmonies and a together record. The haunting disk is a sure shot and should be reckoned with come hell or high water. Flip: The Mirror (5:21) (Ackee – WB, ASCAP , (CashBox, 74-09-28)
SPOOKY TOOTH -The Mirror, Island, ILPS 9292. Another group with just one original member left, Gary Wright, Spooky Tooth, in their Island Record debut, bring home some solid rack vibrations. Album is packed with new material, and should receive a strong reception on the FM level. While instrumentals can get cluttered at times, the group’s overall energy and finesse carries through. Vocals by various members offer good diversity with quality. Best cuts: “Kyle” “Mirror.” “Hell Or High Water,” “Woman And Cold” and “Two Time Love” Dealers: One of the best packaging efforts this year, along with musical contents, rate strong display for this LP, (Billboard, 74-08-24)
Legendary guitarist Steve Hackett presents his brand new live audio/visual extravaganza, with the release of ‘Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton’, out now!
Steve comments of the new live release: “Foxtrot was a milestone for Genesis, a breakthrough artistically. I’m as proud of it today as I was at it’s its inception. I’m thrilled now to bring that album back in its entirety on tour, and the live release has super quality performance, visuals and production. It’s a real feast… Enjoy!”
Filmed & recorded live on his 2022 UK tour, in the coastal city of Brighton, UK, this release documents Steve and his band celebrating the 50th anniversary of the much-loved Genesis album ‘Foxtrot’. Played in full, this album features fan favourites including ‘Watcher Of The Skies’ and ‘Supper’s Ready’. The show also features a set of Hackett solo material, including ‘The Devil’s Cathedral’ from his latest studio album ‘Surrender of Silence’, and the powerful ‘Ace of Wands’.
Mixed by Chris Lord-Alge & mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, the album is now available to order on Ltd 2CD+Blu-ray & Ltd 2CD+2DVD, both including bonus behind the scenes interviews, as well as 5.1 surround sound. A Ltd Deluxe 180g 4LP edition will also be available. Order here: https://stevehackett.lnk.to/FoxtrotAtFiftyHackettHighlights-LiveInBrighton
Track-listing:
1. Intro / Ace of Wands
2. The Devil’s Cathedral
3. Spectral Mornings
4. Every Day
5. A Tower Struck Down
6. Basic Instincts
7. Camino Royale
8. Shadow of the Hierophant
9. Watcher of the Skies
10. Time Table
11. Get ‘Em Out by Friday
12. Can Utility and the Coastliners
13. Horizons
14. Supper’s Ready
15. Firth of Fifth
16. Los Endos
Steve Hackett & band continue their busy touring schedule with further “Foxtrot At Fifty & Hackett Highlights” dates in North America beginning in October. For the full list of dates, head to: http://hackettsongs.com/tour.html
Steve Hackett is joined live by Roger King, Rob Townsend, Nad Sylvan, Craig Blundell & Jonas Reingold, as well as on occasion special guest Amanda Lehmann.
Britain’s latter-day Ramones – BAD NERVES have a new single ahead of their first trip to North America. The track, “U.S.A.”, clocks in under 2 minutes, and is full of energy. Check out the video below, as well as links & tour dates.
Liam Lynch’s ‘United States of Whatever’ and Sham 69’s ‘Borstal Breakout’ fuel inspiration for Bad Nerves’ highly anticipated new single, ‘USA’ – stream ‘USA’ here. Shortly after recording ‘USA’ (which was mastered at the famous Abbey Road Studios), the band were invited to America to support Royal Blood which presented a perfect opportunity to introduce the song to an American audience. The single release also comes ahead of them joining The Darkness across their sold-out UK tour in December- buy tickets to the UK, US and EU tours here.
While the quintet initially wanted to see if they could write a track using only the words “United States of America” on repeat, speaking of the track lyricist and band frontman Bobby Bird says, “It’s strangely satisfying yelling ‘United States of America’ over and over. You can feel it stick to the back of your throat. The unparalleled superpower of the West. Yosemite and the green mountains of BlackRock! The American dream and the mighty Super Bowl! But perhaps it’s just the phonetics. After all, Papua New Guinea didn’t have quite the same ring, although it did look beautiful through my computer screen”
“How can you not like this band? They’re so fucking cool”, Justin Hawkins (The Darkness)
Bad Nerves North American Tour Dates (w/Royal Blood): Sep 18 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Sep 19 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theatre Sep 22 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant Sep 23 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre Sep 25 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre Sep 26 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS Sep 27 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner Sep 29 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall Sep 30 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Oct 2 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel Oct 3 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
LUCID SINS will release their third album next month. The song is very reminiscent of that more haunting, laid-back Blue Oyster Cult sound of the 70s. Dig more into this band and the BOC influence comes up more, as does that organ style psych rock of The Doors. Great songs, playing, vocals and harmonies. Check out the new single. Awesome album art by David V. D’Andrea as well! Read the press info below, as well as check out the band’s links at the bottom!
Scotland’s 70s occult rock goldsmiths LUCID SINS return with their third full-length “Dancing In the Dark” this October 27th on Totem Cat Records with a first single premiering exclusively on It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine. The band also just announced a string of UK fall dates including shows with Nebula and Hey Colossus.
From the moment Glasgow’s own 70s rock masters LUCID SINS catch your ear, you know you are in for a long-haul adventure: driven by their own wizardry and prodigious mastery of all instruments, the duo of Ruaraidh Sanachan and Andreas Johnsson bewitches you from the get-go. While their 2021 sophomore album “Cursed” presented an intoxicating and unwaveringly prog-oriented brew of proto-rock that sat firmly between Blue Öyster Cult and The Doors, their third album flips a brand new page of their sonic grimoire.
A collaborative effort of interconnected souls, “Dancing In The Dark” summons the talents of various guest musicians to form a fluid and melody-driven story where occult rock meets folk and proto-doom in a hypnotic swirl of riffs and keys carried by Jonsson’s compelling poetry. Firmly rooted in the 60s and 70s sound, LUCID SINS manages to uplift spirits while dragging you once again in the occult, meeting the boundary-free creativity of their contemporaries Witchcraft, Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats to the more seamless lightheartedness of Fairport Convention.
The story goes as follows… You stumble through the forest. Alone and far from home. All paths have returned you to this place. Lost in a world of green. Hidden in the dark. As the light fades you glimpse flickering flame and catch the scent of smoke. In a tiny clearing, shadows cast by a dying fire take human-esque forms. Leaning in for warmth, they share ten tales of hope and betrayal, magic and madness, love and death. Whispered words mingle with distant memories, and as the fire grows higher, your sense of self is scorched and burned. One by one now, the figures begin to dance and spin as occult psychedelic sounds drift through the trees. Caught in the maelstrom, suspended high in a swirling mesh of leaves and perception, you release your grip on space and time… On the forest floor, stirred by dawn, you try to make sense of the mist within your mind. To recall where you have been. To know who you once were. Around a glowing fire, deep in the woods, LUCID SINS are Dancing In The Dark… Will you dance with them?
LUCID SINS on tour: October 14th – Aberdeen, The Rusty Nail October 15th – Glasgow, Ivory Blacks (w/ Nebula) October 18th – Leeds, Fox and Newt October 19th – London, Helgi’s October 20th – Sheffield, Lughole (w/ Heavy Sentence, Parish) October 21st – Newcastle, Lubber Fiend (w/ Hey Colossus)
LUCID SINS : Andreas Jonsson – Vocals, guitars, bass, organ, synthesizer Ruaraidh Sanachan – Drums, bass, percussion, organ, mellotron, recorder, backing vocals + Album guests: Espen Andersen, Stuart Coleman, Hanna Tuulikki, Alex Ward
Joanne Shaw Taylor has an excellent new single out. Check out the info below, as well as US tour dates (coming up soon!), And watch the new video!
After almost a year since the release of her last album “Nobody’s Fool”, the #1 selling blues guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor launches her electrifying new single, “Sweet ‘Lil Lies,” available now on all streaming platforms. Produced by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, The Black Crowes) at the illustrious RCA Studio A in Nashville, TN, this song witnesses the magnificent collaboration of top musicians including Rob McNelly (Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, Buddy Guy) on guitar, Doug Lancio (John Hiatt, Bob Dylan) on rhythm guitar, Alison Prestwood (Blake Shelton, Olivia Newton-John, George Benson) on bass, Jimmy Wallace (Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Gavin DeGraw) on keys, and Anton Fig (David Letterman, Kiss, Joe Bonamassa) on drums & percussion. Released by Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records, the song stands testament to Joanne’s relentless creativity and musical brilliance.
“Sweet ‘Lil Lies” holds a special place for Joanne. “It was the first song I wrote just for this new album,” she recalls. “I’d been messing around with the lead piano part and built the rest of the song around that melody. As soon as I had that main melody, ‘I got sweet little lies, all the time’ stuck in my head on a loop. It probably took me less than an hour to finish it; some songs work like that.” The song delves deep, reflecting the emotional journey of realizing a loved one’s immutable nature and the heart-wrenching decision to walk away.
Having graced us with albums that consistently top the charts, such as her 2019 release ‘Reckless Heart’, 2021’s ‘The Blues Album, and ‘Nobody’s Fool’ in 2022, Joanne shows no signs of slowing down. She’s currently working on her next studio album, promising a mix of evocative guitar riffs, soulful vocals, and ingenious songwriting. Following the release of her anticipated new single, this fall’s 33-date tour promises to be an unmissable journey through both her classic hits and new material. Kicking off at The Rialto Theatre in Tucson, AZ and culminating at the historic Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, GA, it’s set to be a musical spectacle that underscores why she remains one of the most exciting blues-rock guitarists of the last decade.
Monday, September 25 – The Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ Tuesday, September 26 – The Orpheum Theater – Flagstaff, AZ Wednesday, September 27 – National Hispanic Cultural Center – Albuquerque, NM Saturday, September 30 – Gillioz Theatre – Springfield, MO Sunday, October 1 – The Cotillion – Wichita, KS Monday, October 2 – The Vanguard – Tulsa, OK Wednesday, October 4 – Revolution Music Room – Little Rock, AR Thursday, October 5 – Duling Hall – Jackson, MS Friday, October 6 – Montgomery Performing Arts Centre – Montgomery, AL Monday, October 9 – Lafayette’s Music Room – Memphis, TN Wednesday, October 11 – Barrymore Theatre – Madison, WI Thursday, October 12 – Eagles Theatre – Wabash, IN Friday, October 13 – The Castle Theatre – Bloomington, IL Sunday, October 15 – Memorial Hall – Cincinnati, OH Tuesday, October 17 – Georgia Theatre – Athens, GA Wednesday, October 18 – District Live at Plant Riverside – Savannah, GA Friday, October 20 – Arts Bonita, Center for Performing Arts – Bonita Springs, FL Saturday, October 21 – Kravis Center – West Palm Beach, FL Sunday, October 22 – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Friday, November 10 – Davidson Theatre at the Riffe Center – Columbus, OH Saturday, November 11 – The Kentucky Center – Louisville, KY Sunday, November 12 – Playhouse Square – Cleveland, OH Tuesday, November 14 – Riviera Theatre – North Tonawanda, NY Thursday, November 16 – The Flynn – Burlington, VT Saturday, November 18 – Smith Opera House – Geneva, NY Sunday, November 19 – The Egg – Albany, NY Tuesday, November 21 – Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA Wednesday, November 22 – The Cabot – Beverly, MA Friday, November 24 – Capitol Center for the Arts – Concord, NH Saturday, November 25 – Capital One Hall – Tysons, VA Sunday, November 26 – The Beacon Theatre – Hopewell, VA Tuesday, November 28 – Carolina Theatre of Durham – Durham, NC Wednesday, November 29 – Buckhead Theatre – Atlanta, GA
Alex Machin of Canada’s A FOOT IN COLDWATER has a brand new single out titled “Till They Bury Me”. This catchy rocker was penned by Machin, autobiographical, with the lyric video featuring photos from his personal life and professional life (on stage & off). Machin’s vocals sound as good as they did 50 years ago when ‘Foot was taking off. Fellow Foot In Coldwater bandmate Danny Taylor plays drums, The singer also plays bass, and on guitar is Toronto player Gus Papas – “He had a couple of solo albums, one titled ‘Convicted’ that was released in America on Epic Records. He toured extensively and came close to breaking out in the States. Danny played drums on that record. “ Papas also co-wrote a track on Alex Machin’s 1984 project Champion (released as Champion featuring Alex Machin). An album that didn’t get off to a good start with the label going bankrupt the week of it’s release (“That’s a very long and painful story.”, AM), but it is highly sought after by A Foot In Coldwater fans.
A Foot In Coldwater released 4 albums in the ’70s, and had a huge hit with the ballad “Make Me Do (Anything You Want)”, in 1972., The band has played several reunion gigs since their initial split in 1977 – “We are still planning on having A Foot in Coldwater resurface at some point in the near future. For now I am busy having fun writing songs in my studio, putting them out and hoping that people enjoy them. ”
*Check out the new song, as well as the links below!
One-man band RISING WINGS releases their first full album on September 22 via Pride & Joy Music, titled Reach. The ‘band’ is multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Florian Bauer, who’s used a few drummers on Reach as well. A solid 10 track set of hard-rock and AOR. There are 3 videos released so far, the latest being the ballad “Remember”. Favorites include the lead off rocker “Ride On”, as well as “Whatever It Takes”, “Keep Going On”, and “Reach The Sky”. An excellent 10-track melodic hard-rock album that’ll appeal to fans of Giant, Harem Scarem, Coney Hatch, H.E.A.T., Bonfire, and Eclipse . Reach will be out on CD and Vinyl LP (in gatefold) *Check out the clips below, as well as the bio, and links.
Rising Wings was founded in 2006 by Florian “Flo” Bauer in Schrobenhausen in the Ingolstadt region, as a melodic rock one-man-band. Florian Bauer has been playing in various rock formations for years, such as the AOR band Youringa and the hard rock cover band Saviors Cry.
In 2006 the first steps were taken with the 3-track EP “Rising Wings”. The second 5-track EP “Higher” followed in 2008. Both releases received consistently positive feedback. Since then, various singles have been released.
In autumn 2023 Rising Wings will release the first full-length album “Reach” via Pride & Joy Music. The album features Florian Bauer on vocals, guitars, bass and keyboards and Franz Raßhofer (Joe Leila), Falco Münch (Reload), Markus Herzinger (2nd East) and Bobby Santiago (Bloodwork) on drums.
The album was recorded by Ray Balconis at Studio Ray Recording in Queens, New York, by Rolf Beyer and Peter Hillinger at Klangwasserstudios Halsbach, Germany and by Chris Lausmann at MS Productions Studio in Poing, Munich.
“Reach” was produced by Florian Bauer with Chris Lausmann (Bonfire, Voices Of Rock) co-producing and mixing the album at MS Production Studio. The album was mastered by Rolf Beyer (CD & digital) and Ludwig Maier (Vinyl).
Boston heavy metal unit BLOOD LIGHTNING present their new video “The Dying Starts”. Their self-titled debut album will be issued on October 20th through Ripple Music.
Comprising members of GOZU, Sam Black Church, Worshipper and We’re All Gonna Die, the band was formed with one thing in mind: get back to the real essence of heavy metal. No pretense. No subgenres to fit into. Only badass, straightforward, hard-hitting heavy metal with a nod to old-school NWOBHM with contemporary firepower. They teamed up with award-winning producer and engineer Benny Grotto (Rolling Stones, Aerosmith), and mastering legend Alan Douches (Motörhead, Mastodon, High On Fire) to record five original songs and one Black Sabbath cover, for what would become their thunderous self-titled debut album.
Formed in December 2020, Blood Lightning brings together the talents of vocalist Jim Healey (We’re All Gonna Die), guitarist Doug Sherman (GOZU), bassist Bob Maloney (Worshipper) and drummer J.R. Roach (Sam Black Church). What began as a 2019 Halloween show playing the entire Black Sabbath “Born Again” album just for fun has culminated in the release of original material by four veterans of the Boston metal/hardcore community. The band recently signed with acclaimed stoner/doom/metal label Ripple Music for the release of their self-titled debut album this fall.
BLOOD LIGHTNING: Jim Healey – Vocals Doug Sherman – Guitars Bob Maloney – Bass J.R. Roach – Drums
Outsider Rock 