Norwegian metal band ROZARIO (name from singer David Rozario) have issued the anthem “Heavy Metal Rider”. It’s the 2nd single & video from their debut album – To The Gods We Swear, coming out on October 20. So far – 2 great singles; killer riffs, big guitar and big choruses.. check these guys out. Looking forward to the album. Produced & mixed by Trond Holter. *Check out the video below with bio and lyrics in the description, and the links below.
Legendary and influential British singer and performer Arthur Brown will have his classic 1975 album Dance reissued in October. The remastered 2-CD package will feature 1 disc consisting of a rare 1975 BBC Radio One concert. The live show features 6 songs from the Dance album. The package will feature all original artwork reproduced, as well as added notes.
Finland’s Erja Lyytinen has released a new single from her upcoming live album – Diamonds On The Road-Live 2023. The track is a awesome version of the Hendrix classic “Crosstown Traffic”. To check it out > STREAM SINGLE , or check out the new video!
DIAMONDS ON THE ROAD – LIVE 2023 TO BE RELEASED 6TH OCTOBER 2023
Legendary and multi-Platinum rockers FOGHAT will be releasing their long-awaited 17th studio album, ‘Sonic Mojo’—their first in seven years—later this year on the band’s label, Foghat Records, which is distributed by Select-O-Hits (part of the Sun Records family).
The album’s first single, “Drivin’ On” (co-written by the late Kim Simmonds from Savoy Brown), is now available for pre-saves at Foghat.lnk.to/DrivinOnNE
In addition to three brand new songs written by band–founding member/drummer Roger Earl, guitarist/engineer/co-producer Bryan Bassett, singer/bassist Rodney O’Quinn, singer/guitarist Scott Holt—three other songs were co-written by Kim Simmonds, the man who gave Roger his first break back in 1967 as a member of Savoy Brown. Sadly, shortly after writing these songs, Kim passed away.
The upcoming release sees FOGHAT tip their hat to great artists that came before them, with songs on the album written by Willie Dixon, B.B. King, and Chuck Berry, as well as giving plenty of winks and nods from the current lineup.
Formed in 1971 when Lonesome Dave Peverett and Roger Earl left the British blues-rock band, Savoy Brown, FOGHAT has earned eight Gold records, one Platinum record and one double-Platinum record. They continue to release new music every few years, and they’ve never stopped touring and recording although there have been several ups and downs and changes over the years. They sadly lost Lonesome Dave Peverett in 2000, Rod Price in 2005, and Craig MacGregor in 2018, but Roger Earl keeps banging and kicking to keep FOGHAT’s musical legacy going. It’s about the Music!
California artist Spencer Caligiuri has created the artwork for Wings Of Steel’s debut EP as well as their fist full album Gates Of Twilight, released earlier this year. Both covers are fantastic and give the band a theme and cool logo from cover to cover. In this episode of Story Behind The Album Cover, Spencer Caligiuri details his art & early days, as well as a few of his favorite album covers, And his creating and work on the Wings Of Steel covers. WOS are fairly new hard-rock / metal band from LA, who will play big ’80s influenced rock, for fans of Whitesnake, Dokken, Michael Schenker Group, Great White, and numerous others. Check them out! For more on Spencer Caligiuri’s work, check out the links at the end, You can find a review and interview on Wings Of Steel elsewhere at this site.
What is your art background, and have you done any other album covers or artwork for bands?
Going back into the past, I’ve been an artist of some sort for as long as I can remember. I started by drawing of course. Doodling animals as a child, trying to copy exactly as they looked, encouraged by my mom, aunts and grandmother. My grandma was a landscape oil painter. I think seeing her paintings hanging around the house was something that made painting feel within reach, and not just something produced by the great masters. I continued this for all of childhood through highschool. I studied portrait and figure drawing late high school at a local art school before doing a brief, unsuccessful attempt at the Art Institute of CA for graphic/animation. This was stunted by my overwhelming urge to choose partying and drugs over getting serious about my future. But I got back on my feet, albeit taking me multiple years of falling on my face, and got very into writing and oil painting in 2009. I gravitated toward anything with water, and the weirder and more psychedelic the better. Painting was all I cared about until l found tattooing which is a long story in itself. But that is my life now. For the last 10 years I tattoo 5 days a week so most of my extracurricular artistic passions have taken a back seat.
I’ve done a few album covers. Buffalo Trance is an incredibly talented 3 piece progressive rock band from Ventura, CA. I grew up with these guys and they’ve been killing their respective instruments since we were in early high school. The other cover is a 36” X 36” physical oil painting I did for a San Diego reggae band called Burning Wave.
How did you get connected/involved with Wings Of Steel?
I started working with WOS through an email they sent me inquiring my help bringing their EP cover to life. I was instantly intrigued. these dudes knew exactly what they wanted and as soon as they sent me their demo I was fucking blown away. We instantly set up a meeting at the tattoo shop and we’re off and running. I really couldn’t believe two young musicians in their mid/early 20’s were writing music like this. The first track I heard was their self titled track “wings of steel.” As soon as I heard Parker’s guitar sound I knew I was in. if that wasn’t enough, Leo’s vocals and lyrics hit and I was instantly a fan, determined to be part of what they were channeling.
Can you tell me about the design for their new album — what inspired it, did anyone in the band offer ideas, etc..
Their new album “Gates of Twilight” was definitely riffing on the concept of the EP. the two stallions which would seem to be a recurring fixture of their image and representation of Leo and Parker. The dark and light, for sure present in their opposing dark and light hair. At least this is my interpretation. Leo and Parker both knew exactly what they wanted to see in this and were super clear on their thought process for it. I tried to bring what I had from the EP into this, yet incorporating the Gates of Twilight, represented by a towering staircase flanked by columns, and silhouetted by the heavens. I thought the standard wrought iron gate has been done so many times and might get lost in the background noise. There’s Some darker tones in this album as well, reflected in many of Leo’s lyrics and song titles, hence the apocalyptic landscape of collapse, fire, and decay. But still punctuated by the contrast of the ever-prevailing light. A true heaven and hell landscape and motif that will never die.
Did you hear the Wings Of Steel music beforehand, and did that have a part in the cover design?
When I started the concept for their EP they sent me their demo which I blasted constantly while drawing for that one. The same went for the full length. this time even more fueled after seeing them deliver such a powerful live performance. Their first ever as Wings of Steel. It absolutely drove my hand to bring the same fever, melodies and aggression their music does.
Can you tell me a few of your own favorite albums and album covers? bands and album artists you liked? (maybe a short list of each)
Oh boy, this is a tough one. A tough question for anyone who loves music especially with so much easily at our fingertips now.
Let’s start with Tool. One of the first bands that helped me discover music in my formative years of the mid/early 90’s. Still all of them making my list of favorite albums and covers to this day.
Both of these albums have a completely interactive covers or jewel cases. Aenima was like a hologram when you moved it the eyeballs would waver in and out.
The Lateralus cover was composed of like 6 clear pages that you could scroll through to see the individual layers, that when it was fully closed you could see the full image here.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Nonagon Infinity, All them Witches: Baker’s Dozen
Any other album covers or projects you’re currently working on and links you’d like to share?
I am a full time Tattooer and oil painter. You can find Me on Instagram at @artofspencer @artofspencerfinearts and artofspencer.com
A new Dokken album coming, will be the band’s first in over 10 years. The first single is out, and it sounds good. Don Dokken has gone though a number of health issues, and there’s been many comments about his voice over the last several years, but he sounds fine on “Fugitive”. The guy’s not in his 20s or 30s, but still has that recognizable voice here. Longtime bandmate Jon Levin does an outstanding job on this one. A memorable chorus, big solo, looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. Dokken and Levin are joined by longtime drummer BJ Zampa, and bassist Chris McCarvill (both ex House of Lords). Heaven Comes Down will be available on blue vinyl, CD, and cassette HERE. *For more info check out the new video for “Fugitive” , and read the bio/press info in the details.
Track Listing:
Fugitive
Gypsy
Is It Me Or You?
Just Like A Rose
I’ll Never Give Up
Saving Grace
Over The Mountain
I Remember
Lost In You
Santa Fe
Don Dokken – Vocals / Jon Levin- Guitar/ Chris McCarvill- bass/ BJ Zampa- drums. +Bill Palmer: acoustic guitar on ‘Santa Fe’. Mark Boals: special guest (background vocals).
Dokken Upcoming Dates:
Saturday 19 August – Shoshone Bannock Casino Hotel – Chubbuck, ID
Wednesday 20 September – The Big E – West Springfield, MA
Saturday 14 October – RCU Theatre – Eau Claire, WI
Saturday 21 October – The Piazza – Aurora, IL
Saturday 11 November – Piere’s – Fort Wayne IN,
Friday 17 November – Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas, NV
Saturday 18 November -Whisky A Go Go – West Hollywood, CA
Before there was the LA metal scene, before there was the likes of Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, and even Van Halen – there was Yesterday & Today. Originally from Oakland, Dave Meniketti (guitar/vocals), Joey Alves (guitar), Phil Kennemore (bass), and Leonard Haze (drums). The band released 2 albums as Yesterday & Today in 1976 & ’78 (on London Records), before signing to A & M and releasing 5 studio albums and 1 live set from 1981 to ’85. The band released 2 more albums by 1990, and by then Haze had been replaced by Jimmy DeGrasso and Stef Burns had replaced Alves. With changes in the music scene and no record deal the band played farewell shows and released Yesterday & Today Live in 1991, on MetalBlade.
Originally released with 13 tracks, Live has been expanded to 15 tracks, with a set that features (almost) every album up until then. Absent was the band’s 1985 hit “Summertime Girls”, but as far as a live recording and document of a legendary band that should’ve been something bigger – Live is a ‘must hear’ classic hard-rock/metal set. Classics like “Mean Streak”, “Midnight In Tokyo”, “Beautiful Dreamer”, “Don’t Stop Runnin”, and “Forever” sound great here, and if you don’t know this band, this is a good place to start (as well as the 4-CD Earthquake: The A&MYears) This reissue also comes in various colored vinyl editions, as well as a 2-CD set. Dave Meniketti still carries on with Y & T. *For more on Y & T check out the press info and the links below!
Yesterday and Today Live features 15 songs and more than 84 minutes of live Y&T recorded in 1990, with never-before-seen photos and two bonus tracks, ‘Earthshaker” and “Rescue Me.” “Earthshaker” was originally on the first Yesterday and Today (self-titled) album in 1976, and “Earthshaker” was also the title of Y&T’s 1981 third studio album; “Rescue Me” appears on the “Earthshaker” album. Both bonus tracks appear on all versions/variants of Yesterday and Today Live.
The iconic songs on Yesterday and Today Live (initially released in 1991) were written by the classic lineup of Dave Meniketti, drummer Leonard Haze, bassist Phil Kennemore, and guitarist Joseph Alves.
Singer/songwriter and guitarist Dave Meniketti says of the album: “Very happy to have this vinyl re-release of Yesterday and Today Live come together. This was recorded at a time when the band had decided to disband–however temporary that was–and these tracks were taken from what we considered were to be the last shows Y&T would perform. Because of our state of mind at the time, songs like “Hard Times” were especially poignant. Even though the changing music industry had us in turmoil, the band was at the top of our game and these tracks give a good window into that time of our lives. I believe this is truly one of our finest Y&T live recordings.”
Yesterday and Today Live (Expanded Edition) Tracklisting: 01. Mean Streak 02. Hurricane 03. Don’t Stop Runnin’ 04. Struck Down 05. Winds of Change 06. Black Tiger 07. Midnight in Tokyo 08. Beautiful Dreamer 09. Hard Times 10. I’ll Cry 11. I Believe in You 12. Squeeze 13. Forever 14. Earth Shaker (Bonus Track) 15. Rescue Me (Bonus Track)
Recorded in 2018, Postcard From Germany was kept in the can for a few years, and is being released this week. It follows the recording & release of Live At The El Mocambo (2020/21). Postcard From Germany was recorded at the HEAT Festival, in Ludwigsburg, consisting of 13 songs. BUT, a few interesting things that make this a ‘must have’ for Coney fans. First, the set-list does differ from the El Mocambo show, with an emphasis on the band’s 3rd album Friction. That album was a big hit over there, so this set includes 5 cuts from it. The show sounds energetic, and the Friction tunes (with Dave Ketchum on drums, who wasn’t on that album), as well as with then-new guitarist Sean Kelly, and minus the keyboards(!) they rock a bit more (IMO). The band’s other albums are all represented, though there’s the glaring omission of “Hey Operator” – which was not performed that night (for whatever reason, really!?). The band gets a nice intro in German (their first time in Germany), and seem to have enjoyed themselves. But this album has the added bonus of including 2 new studio tracks, the first Coney Hatch tunes to feature Sean Kelly, and finished around the time of the El Mocambo show in 2020. “It’s About A Girl” has already been released as a (digital) single and video, a fun pop-rocker from Carl Dixon, with a catchy chorus; a song that could’ve been a major hit … in another time. The other new track features Andy Curran on vocals, “Heaven’s On The Other Side” is a heavier rock tune, the intro reminds me of “Boys Club” (from CH Four), lots of cool guitar throughout this; old school Coney fans will dig this one!
“Welcome To The Show” is the 3rd single from Alice’s forthcoming studio album – Road. It’s a fast paced rocker, written for and about the live show, clocking in at just over 3 and a half minutes. My favorite of the 3 new tunes! Road was produced by Bob Ezrin, and features Alice’s touring band, including co-writing. Check it out –
While checking out Canadian LPs from 1978, I got to revisiting this favorite, released in the summer of that year, Streetheart’s debut, and best album! Streetheart was originally based in Regina, Saskatchewan, and fronted by Kenny Shileds, and joined by Daryl Gutheil (keys), Matt Frenette (drums), Ken Sinnaeve (bass), and Paul Dean (guitar). Meanwhile Back In Paris‘ LP title was taken from the opening line in the first cut “Action” – the band’s best known classic, and the one Streetheart tune most likely to still be played on Canadian radio. The album though was preceded by a limited edition 12 inch single titled The 12 Incher!!!, and featured 3 tracks from the upcoming album – “Just For You”, “Action”, and “Can You Feel It”. The 12 Incher!!! was released in limited numbers (3500), on red vinyl (I have a white-label promo copy). Meanwhile Back In Paris featured 9 songs, all of which rock, making for a solid album of cool Canadian hard-rock. Aside from the obvious classic “Action”, favorites include “Pressure”, “Street Walker”, “Look At Me” (the single) and “Just For You”. “Action” – I can’t help to draw comparisons to the 1980 Loverboy hit “Turn Me Loose”, both with the longer keyboard in the intro, as well as each singer hitting that big note in similar style – with the word “crazy” on “Action” and “fly my way” on the Loverboy tune, and both featuring stand-out bass lines. Sinnaeve’s bass playing throughout this is a big part of the sound, driving a number of songs, such as “Can You Feel It”.
This album has a much more energy to it, more guitar heavy hard-rock than later Streetheart albums, which went in a more AOR style and production (though the follow-up Under Heaven, Over Hell is a fine album). Streetheart (and Shields) initially drew comparisons to Steve Marriott and The Faces and Meanwhile Back In Paris was hailed as “the greatest debut by a Canadian R&R band”. It would sell over 100 000 copies in Canada, earning a Platinum award, but would not get a US release (tho’ it would be the reason for the band getting a US deal for future albums). It did get released in a number of European countries (Germany, etc..) as well as South Africa! Classic album cover shot by Myron Zabol who would be credited on a few other Streetheart albums, as well as albums by The Dudes and Shania Twain.
Paul Dean, who co-wrote most of the album would leave after this album to form Loverboy, and was joined by Matt Frenette (after another Streetheart LP). Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve would go on to work with numerous Canadian acts, and later joined Loverboy as well. Four songs from Meanwhile Back In Paris would feature on the 1981 compilation LP Action – The Best Of Streetheart, and Paul Dean would include a new version of “Action” on his 1988 solo album – Hard Core. The original Streetheart reunited in August of 1993, and a live recording from this was later released as One Night One Take. Streetheart carried on after the passing of Kenny Shields in 2017 (RIP), with founding members Sinnaeve and Gutheil, along with longtime guitarist Jeff Neil and drummer Chris Sutherland, and singer Paul McNair (Harlequin).
Streetheart With WEA Gary Muth has announced the signing of Regina -based group Streetheart to WEA Canada for a long-term recording agreement. In conjunction with the signing, it was announced that Don Valley Music Ltd. will be the sole publisher of all compositions written and recorded by the band, who will enter the studios shortly to record their first album, with George Semkiw producing. (CashBox, 10, 08, 77)
MEANWHILE BACK IN CALGARY: Streetheart must be one of the brightest lights to shine here in the north. The act is currently in the midst of a cross country tour to promote their debut album, “Meanwhile Back In Paris.” Their 12″ EP, with slick cover art and even slicker HM licks inside, managed to turn some heads and airplay on this act is a natural. Contained in “Just For You” is the sound of a beer bottle smashing, captured so well that heads invariably turn to spot the clumsy goof who dropped it. Worth hunting for. – (Record World, 07,01,78)
STREETHEART MEANWHILE BACK IN PARIS/Atlantic KCA 92002 A beat set in a drone stresses the bottomy nature of Streetheart. Their tunes are O.K., the best of them being ” Pressure.” Streetheart rocks steadily. A fine instrumental called “Captain Rhythm” graces side two. Merit. (Walrus Magazine, 03,12,79)
HOW DO YOU CALL YOUR LOVER BOY: Paul Dean has been carving an excellent reputation as a guitarist on the prairies with his contributions to both Scrubbalo Caine and Streetheart. Now comes news that he’s teamed up with former Hammersmith and Moxy vocalist Mike Reno for a new hard rock act, Lover Boy. Teaming up to handle management are Bruce Allen (of BTO and Prism fame), who runs a west coast booking agency, and Lou Blair, owner of the Calgary club, The Refinery, where Doucette recorded a live number for his latest album. Blair also handled management for former CBS act Fosterchild. (RecordWorld, 07, 28, 79)
Outsider Rock 