LAURIE MANSWORTH – an interview with British guitarist/songwriter

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Laurie Mansworth has been part of the British scene since the late 70s. He joined NWOBHM band MORE, writing and playing on their 1981 debut album, before forming AIRRACE, and later moving in to production work, notably THE TREATMENT (which includes his son Dhani). More recently he’s formed MANSWORTH. In this exchange Laurie answers my questions about the bands and recordings he’s been apart of over the past (near) 45 years. *Check out the clips included, as well as the links below!

Can you give me a few of your own favorite guitarists, bands and albums from your youth, that lead you into performing and recording? 

Well definitely AC/DC, I loved music from a very early age, especially all the glam bands like Slade, T-Rex and The Sweet. I am also a massive fan of Jeff Lynne and ELO, but I would say AC/DC are the main reason I wanted to be in a band.

Do you recall how MORE came together? I had read initially it was more of a blues band. Did you know any of these guys prior to?

I joined MORE when their guitarist Paul Todd left. It was before we signed to Atlantic and the band were just a straight forward heavy rock band by then. I auditioned at Ezzee Hire in Marker Road in north London. I never knew any of the other guys but I immediately clicked with Paul, Brian and Frank. It was the loudest band I ever played in and I’m lucky I still have great hearing.

How did the band end up getting signed to Atlantic, and then get put together with Al Nalli & Henry Weck? Were you familiar with either from the Blackfoot and Brownsville Station connection? 

Phil Carson label boss at Atlantic heard the band on the Tommy Vance Rock Show. He came down to a gig and we signed a massive deal with Atlantic soon after. The label put us together with Al Nali and Henry Weck. I wasn’t familiar with Blackfoot at the time but me and Al still remain in touch. Ricky Medlock and Al stayed at my parents place in London when they were playing a festival in the UK in the 80s so we all got to know each other well. Al’s sister Rene Nali signed Airrace to Atco in the US, I also stayed with Ricky when I visited Al on a couple of occasions.

Songs were credited to the entire band then. Were they band really band collaborations? Any that originated from you? 

I wrote a lot of the MORE stuff with Paul but I was only seventeen at the time and green behind the ears. Let’s just say I was relieved of my song writing royalties by a few of my other associates. 

Who’s idea to cover Arthur Brown’s “Fire” ?  

That was the label’s idea. Some bands were getting initial successes with cover songs so that’s what we did. I was a fan of the original version but not completely sold on ours. 

What were some of the biggest gigs and support slots did you guys play? 

We did the Killers Tour with Iron Maiden throughout Europe, that was big. There were so many supports Krokus, Ted Nugent, but the biggest was opening for Foreigner at the Nuremberg ring. The audience was huge as far as the eye could see. Soon after we were healing decent size venues like the Rainbow in Finsbury Park on our headline shows. It was an exciting time.

You left the band, presumably from Kenny Cox wanting to do it without you(?) Did you have any further contact or connection with any of the guys? 

Kenny was a not a pleasant man to be in a band with, I loved playing in MORE with the other guys but it was a dictatorship,  as I was writing most of the material I wasn’t too sad to leave and do my own thing. Paul left soon after for the same reason. I have always kept in touch with Brian and Paul. Sadly as you know Paul passed away recently and I was so glad we got a chat about old times a week before he left us.

What was Peter Grant’s involvement early on with Airrace?

Yes, Peter managed Airrace for a short period we moved on. 

Beau Hill, at that point, had produced the first RATT album. How did you guys get put together with him, and how did you like working with him? 

Again it was the label. Beau had made a couple of hit records and they thought he would do a good job. 

Shaft Of Light has a very 80s production, with the keyboards, the drum sound….were you happy with the overall finished album? 

Not really, . I always felt that the Airrace album wasn’t as good as the demos we did with Tony Platt. Beau Americanised the band and I personally feel we should have stayed more guitar based like foreigner. The AOR fans still see it as a classic so I’m not complaining. Personally I would have rather made a much tougher sounding record. 

What sort of opportunities did Airrace get early on – any opening slots or big shows?

Yes, we supported AC/DC on the flick of the switch tour and also Queen on The Works tour. We had some great shows, It doesn’t get much better than opening for Queen. 

Was there any official videos made at the time (being the MTV era)? 

No videos unfortunately, Atco really dropped the ball with Airrace. There were a lot of internal problems at the label during the time we were signed to them. It’s a shame as the band should have done a lot more.

Back To The Start sounds great! Much livelier than Shaft of Light, a very good album, but it seemed to get a very limited release (CD only through Frontiers).  Might there be a chance of reissuing this one?

I’m sure it will be rereleased at some point. It was a good album, much more like the Airrace live sound. The drummer Simon Dawson who played on that album  is now in Maiden so it may well have get another release in the near future.

Were you happy with Back To The Start? Why did it not lead to a 3rd album sooner? 

Overall yes. I only had a small budget to make the album and I always feel I we could have done better. I think it went down well with the fans of the band and that’s the most thing. Frontiers have been a great support in my career and I still work with them with the Treatment. 

On the 3rd album, you changed the entire band, really, including singers. Why was that?  

Many of the old lineup had moved on to other things so I had no choice. I must say Untold Stories had the most chart success across the globe that any of the others. It made even made the to 40 in Japan which was a nice surprise. I was very happy with who that album went down. 

You put Airrace to rest after that,  and formed ‘Mansworth’. What’s been going on with this project? Will there be a record anytime soon?

We have recorded a Mansworth album that I love. Not sure when it will be released I’m still looking at the options. I’m taking sometime out at the moment. I suffer with fibromyalgia and it’s something I’m trying to get to grips with.

You are also involved in production, especially with The Treatment. Are you more comfortable these days as a producer than as a performer? 

I would say yes. I like performing but my main role for the last 16year has been working with the Treatment. It been great touring with my son and the Grey brothers are like family, we have had some amazing times with that band.

What projects are you working on these days? 

I’m taking it easy at the moment but I’m sure I won’t stay quite for too long 🙂 

*photos courtesy of Laurie Mansworth.

LINKS:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082819030219

Laurie Mansworth (More/Airrace)
Laurie Mansworth From the band Airrace Interviewed at Hard Rock Hell (2/12/11)

https://www.redguitarmusic.com/the-bakers-dozen/2018/8/15/the-bakers-dozen-10-laurie-mansworth-airrace

IVY GARDENS new album, Canadian tour

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L-R-Andrew Blackborow (Guitar, Vocals), Joe Zandwyk (Drums, Vocals), Sebastian Hogg(Keyboards) Photo Credit by Luka Kartveli

IVY GARDENS, the experimental sludge metal band from Niagara Falls, Canada, has announced the release of their highly anticipated new music video for the single “Burden” and their sophomore album,” Death of Don Valley”, set to drop on August 29th, 2025, via Paper Cut Recordings. The record marks a bold new chapter in the band’s sound, with more complex compositions, darker themes, and a shift into a more experimental and atmospheric direction. Formed in the parking lot of Princess Auto, Ivy Gardens’ journey began with a mutual love for covering Rush instrumentals and an obsession with heavy, sludge-infused sound. From those humble beginnings, the band’s unique chemistry and vision have led to the creation of their most ambitious and thematically focused album yet.

“Burden”, the first single from “Death of Don Valley”, showcases a satirical take on nihilism, with dark and comical undertones. The track was one of the first songs written for the album and features a fast-paced, relentless tempo that gradually picks up speed in the studio. Lyrically, it’s a satirical take on the archetypal nihilist, with a dose of doom and gloom that veers into a comical extreme. The band describes it as “quick and succinct”—a track that encapsulates the essence of their new sonic direction.

Pre-order at – https://ivygardens.bandcamp.com/

Photos by Ethan

“Death of Don Valley” is a concept album, exploring the themes of death, decay, and the unstoppable erosion of life and the environment. The concept is rooted in the history of the Don Valley River, a once-thriving waterway now plagued by pollution and degradation. The album’s artwork reflects this with the haunting image of a corpse between the banks of the flooded river, anthropomorphizing the water itself as it becomes a symbol of death and decay.

The material on “Death of Don Valley” was designed to be heard live, with massive stacks of amplifiers and a commitment to delivering the music in all its raw, unfiltered glory. It marks a bold new direction for Ivy Gardens; the band has no plans of slowing down. Their dedication to the project is evident in every note they play and every lyric they write as they continue to push musical boundaries and explore new sonic territories. Lyrically, the record draws from a mix of historical events, such as the tragic story of Canadian bush pilot Martin Hartwell, and fictional narratives, creating a dark and gripping atmosphere. The songs explore everything from violence, death, and survival to environmental destruction and existential dread. As the band explains:

“Death of Don Valley is the natural progression of their sound, with more complexity and a deliberate thematic structure. Musically, it marks a shift in Ivy Gardens’ approach. This album is darker, more experimental, and more intricate than our previous work on 2024’s Goon. While Goon carried a more positive, energetic vibe, this LP is more about confronting the darker aspects of life, and it reflects a deeper exploration into musical and thematic complexity.”

Ivy Gardens’ influences are vast, ranging from progressive icons like Rush, Yes, and King Crimson to sludge pioneers like EYEHATEGOD and Iron Monkey. Their sound blends elements of stoner metal, sludge, math rock, and progressive rock, creating an unpredictable listening experience that takes the listener through a series of emotional and sonic landscapes.

Fans of Ivy Gardens can expect an intense live performance soon, as the band does plan to tour in support of the new album this coming September. Stay tuned for dates to be announced, and Ivy Gardens are bringing their thunderous sound to stages nationwide. Expect a live show that will test the limits of your ears and your emotions.

Track Listing:
1. Burn For Murder – 2:02
2. Eye Witness – 2:50
3. Burden – 3:08
4. Guiding Hand – 6:18
5. Frozen Limbs – 5:15
6. Gearth – 2:29
7. Astray – 4:56
8. Bliss – 8:59
9. Golden – 7:07

Ivy Gardens – Live or Die Tour:
Aug 29 – St. Catharines, ON – Warehouse Concert Hall
Aug 30 – Toronto, ON – Monarch Tavern
Sept 5 – Kitchener, ON – The Golden Apple
Sept 11 – London, ON – TBA
Sept 12 – Windsor, ON – Phog Lounge
Sept 13 – Sarnia, ON – AJs Bar
Sept 18 – Halifax, NS – Radstorm
Sept 19 – Sydney, NS – Daniels Ale House
Sept 20 – Charlottetown, PEI – Babas Lounge
Sept 21 – Moncton, NB – TBA
Sept 25 – Woodstock, NB – Montieth Manor
Sept 26 – Quebec City, QC – Scanner Bistro
Sept 27 – Montreal, QC – Blue Dog
Oct 9 – Barrie, ON – CW Coops
Oct 10 – Sudbury, ON – Townhouse Tavern
Oct 11 – Thunder Bay, ON – Nortenos Cantina
Oct 12 – Winnipeg, MB – Bulldog Event Center
Oct 16 – Regina, SK – The Cure Kitchen and Bar
Oct 17 – Saskatoon, SK – The Black Cat
Oct 18 – Calgary, AB – Palomino
Oct 19 – Edmonton, AB – Blak Bar
Oct 23 – Kelowna, BC – TBA
Oct 24 – Vancouver, BC – TBA
Oct 25 – Victoria, BC – TBA

LINKS:

Facebook.com/ivygardensband

Instagram.com/ivygardensofficial

Spotify – https://bit.ly/3FWpqwD

LOVER – an interview with Calgary hard rock band.

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Canadian hard-rock band LOVER have been out playing together for well over a year now, and recently released a 2-song cassette, consisting of a pair of kick-a*s 80s influenced rockers – “Fatal Attraction” and “Bad Love”. Lover is working on more songs, as well as getting more shows booked.

In this exchange , drummer Hunter Raymond discusses the band’s brief history, their recordings, future plans, and more. Check out the tracks, as well as ordering info and links (below).

https://loverrockofficial.bandcamp.com/album/fatal-attraction

Can you give me a bit of pre-history to what lead to Lover coming together?

Hunter: I had recently moved back to Calgary from Toronto, and I knew Jacob and Chris from partying and playing shows in the past with my old band MIDNIGHT MALICE. Jacob and Aidan have another band together called FLASHBACK, which is more of a hard rock band. I went to see their show, secretly scouting, and after they played, I was convinced they were the guys I wanted to start a band with.  As it turns out, Aidan had a whole stockpile of riffs that were too metal for flashback. Jacob convinced Aidan I was the man for the job by showing him old Midnight Malice footage. Chris, whom I hadn’t seen in years, happened to be at the flashback gig that night, and we talked about jamming and said we would get together soon. Cale from RIOT CITY was also there and mentioned to Aidan and Jacob that they should ask Chris to play in their new metal project. It was all meant to be, really; we all wanted to start a band with each other without even knowing it. From the first chords struck, we all knew this was going to be something special.  

You guys have a 2 song ep out, on cassette — Is there more tracks recorded? and why did you choose to release just these specific 2? 

At the moment, we only have demos recorded, nothing we would release to the public. We chose those 2 songs because they were the first ones we had solid. All of us were really excited about the sound and wanted to get the ball rolling, become a legit band. The best way to know if you are any good is to share it with the world. Let there be judgment! 

Why a cassette release, as opposed to just digital or CD? 

Collectors still enjoy tapes, so that’s what we went for. We are only doing a limited run, so grab them while you can!

It would be cool to press it on a 45 record in the future. People still want to hold onto the real thing; streaming is so impersonal. We wanted something for the people to own.  

Can you give me a few favorite bands, musicians, and a short list of favorite albums growing up?

The hardest question to answer is, there is so much good music out there! Thin Lizzy for sure, Phil Lynott amazing songwriter, and Brian Downey is an absolute monster of a drummer. Deep Purple, Judas Priest, and Aerosmith, I love those bands. We all really like Sweet and their album Desolation Boulevard. I was really into Motley Crue, Motorhead, UK Subs, and G.B.H. when I was younger; I’ve always been a bit of a punker. My first Motorhead record was Iron Fist. I got it when I was about 13-14. I snuck away from a school trip in Halifax to find a record store. I had only heard of Motorhead up until then, and they didn’t disappoint! Iron Fist will always be in my top 10.  

When might we see a full-length album from Lover?  Is there any label or outside producer you are working with? 

So far, no labels or producers, Aidan and I are the producers mainly. Aidan is also a good recording engineer so he is doing all of that. He recorded, mixed, and mastered the Fatal Attraction EP. My drum tracks are all done for the full length, and the boys are working on their guitars as we speak! We are planning on having it all done for the new year, so early 2026, we will have it ready for all you headbangers!  

How many songs do you guys have prepared or working on? And what can people expect song wise? 

The full length will be 9 songs, and they all sound different. We like to try and get different feelings for every song, to keep people interested. Some fast ones, some groovers, some melodic and technical songs. They all sound like us, though, and they all rock! 

No ballads yet. We also have about 3-4 more songs we are working on for the 2nd album, and we aren’t slowing down anytime soon!

Can you explain a bit about where song ideas come from, and how songs are put together by you guys? (Lyrically and musically) 

Musically, Aidan writes almost all of the riffs; he usually has a style of song he wants to write. Then we will go jam his riffs to get a solid structure and record a demo. I write 95% of the lyrics. I take the demo home to write the lyrics. The guys will sometimes give me a theme or song title to work from. The Lyrics are mostly about real-life experiences, some are fantastic stories I make up. I wrote one song about Jacob and his sweet 1963 Plymouth Valiant, which is called “On the Road’ What a sexy car! Girls are obviously a subject but we try to be creative and not write the same song twice. Basically, whatever vibe the riffs have dictates the lyrics.   

What is the music scene like in Calgary, especially for bands trying to push original songs? Or is the scene kinda geared towards cover bands (as it is here in the Niagara region) ? 

I’m sure there is a cover band scene here, but I don’t see it. That being said, there are plenty of original bands that do really well crowd-wise here; people love to come out and support local shows, which is awesome. There aren’t too many bands like us, though. The scene here is more aggressive, darker metal or punk. We don’t always fit the bill, but people love us all the same; we are their guilty pleasure. 

What does your set list comprise of? Mostly (or all) originals? Any particular covers? 

We play all originals; one of us always suggests a cover, but they never seem to materialize. I’m sure one day we will find one we all agree upon. The most recent idea is “Set Me Free” by Sweet. Will it actually happen? Only time will tell.  

What have been a few of the bigger shows, festivals you’ve been part? Any opening slots for anyone major?  

We have only been playing shows for about 1 year, and already had the pleasure of playing the Electric Highway Festival here in Calgary, and Armstrong Metal Fest in the BC interior this summer. Armstrong was headlined by HAVOK, BORN OF OSIRIS, and our good friends RIOT CITY. Electric Highway headliners were BISON, CASTLE, and LA CHINGA. Both of those festivals were an absolute blast and we can’t wait for more opportunities like those!

What do you guys have coming up? Any international interest or show offers further east? 

We have our songs playing internationally, but no show offers as of yet. An East coast tour for spring/summer of 2026 is in the works, so hopefully we get out there to see you soon. I know a lot of amazing Bands out East who want to get shows going with us, so expect fully stacked bills and pure rock n roll mania when it happens!! LONG LIVE ROCK N ROLL

Aidan Desmarais – lead vocals, guitar
Hunter Raymond – drums, vocals
Jacob Chase – bass guitar
Christopher LoNigro – guitar

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/loverrock

AIRRACE – Back To The Start (2011)

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Well, as often happens, I get into (or pick up) an album, and some of the names and associations lead to further records and bands to look into. I previously posted on the debut from NWOBHM band MORE, which featured singer Paul Mario Day (RIP), who went on to a few other bands of note, but it is guitarist Laurie Mansworth, who left after the first album and soon put together a new band. AIRRACE would be Mansworth’s new band, and over a few decades the band put out 3 albums.

The first AIRRACE album, Shaft Of Light, came out in 1984 and was the debut of drummer Jason Bonham, who’s connection to Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant helped the band land a record signing. Bonham left after that to join VIRGINIA WOLF, before forming his own band BONHAM. The band also included keyboard player Toby Sadler (ex White Spirit, and pre Samson), singer Keith Murrell, and bass player Jim Reid. The debut was produced by Beau Hill (who at that point, had produced Ratt’s Out Of The Cellar), Anyway, that album got great reviews. It had a lighter 80s AOR production sound to it. It did feature the single “I Don’t Care”, as well as rockers like “Promise To Call” and “Not Really Me” . After Bonham left, the band seemed to fade away, with Murrell joining MAMA’S BOYS for a bit, and Mansworth going on to various other things, most notably producing THE TREATMENT. In 2009 Rock Candy released a 25th anniversary edition of Shaft Of Light, with bonus tracks. This anniversary edition lead to the band reforming for shows and eventually a new album.

Mansworth, Murrell, and Reid returned for Back To The Start was released in 2011, joined by Chris Williams (keyboards), Dean Howard (guitar), and Simon Dawson (ex Outfield; now Iron Maiden’s drummer). Back To The Start was a better sounding and more hard rocking release, with guitars more up front, and a much more lively production. Still had that 80s appeal, with the keyboards and the backing vocals reminiscent of Journey. Back To The Start is a fairly solid listen beginning to end, with standout tracks being opener “Keep On Going”, “So Long”, “Call Me Anytime”, and the riff driven “Enough Of Your Loving”. Well worth checking out, but not easy to find, as this only got a CD release on Frontiers (Italy), as well as a Japanese release. Here’s hoping someone reissues this one (yes, I need one).

Laurie Mansworth put together a new line-up for the third AIRRACE album, 2018’s Untold Stories, which included singer Adam Payne, drummer Dhani Mansworth (The Treatment), and bass player Rocky Newton (MSG, Lionheart). Since 2019 Laurie has put together a new band ‘MANSWORTH’, and from what I read they were recording an album.

LINKS:

https://www.frontiers.it/album/4892

Laurie Mansworth (More/Airrace)

Arjen Anthony Lucassen – new solo album ‘Songs No One Will Hear’.

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I really loved Arjen Lucassen’s Sonic Revolution album from 2023, Golden Age Of Music, so I am looking forward to Arjen’s upcoming solo concept Songs No One Will Hear, out next month. Currently listening to this album, and enjoying it; another amazing collective of stories, songs and performers and production from Arjen! (more to come) So far there are 3 singles from it, with the most recent “Goddamn Conspiracy” just out today.

*Check that out below, along with the previous 2 videos. See ordering info and links below press info…

Also on the same day, Arjen is re-releasing his very first solo album from 1993, Pools of Sorrow, Waves of Joy, as a deluxe version, with tons of demos, previously unreleased and new tracks. Check that out HERE.

Photo Credit: Lori Linstruth

Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s latest solo album, the apocalyptic Songs No One Will Hear, is set to be released in a month, on Sept. 12th, 2025 on Inside Out Music. 

True to his signature style, this album offers an eclectic blend of tracks, moving seamlessly from powerful, epic songs to lighter, more playful ones. At its core, Songs No One Will Hear is bound by a profound concept: what would people do if they only had five months left to live because of an asteroid impact? Expect an emotional rollercoaster, delving into both the light and dark aspects of human nature.
 
Guiding the album is narration from Mike Mills (Toehider) along with collaborators like Irene and Floor Jansen (Nightwish, After Forever, Kamelot), Robert Soeterboek, Marcela Bovio, and Patty Gurdy, adding depth to the album’s diverse sound!

Pre-order here:
https://ArjenAnthonyLucassen.lnk.to/SongsNoOneWillHear-Album

LINKS:

www.arjenlucassen.com
www.instagram.com/ayreon_official/
http://www.youtube.com/@ArjenALucassen
www.facebook.com/ArjenLucassenOfficial
www.twitter.com/arjenlucassen

SWEET – ‘Sweetlife’ reissued

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Metalville Records is reissuing SWEET’s 2002 album Sweetlife. At the time SWEET consisted of guitarist Andy Scott, along with drummer Bruce Bisland (Widlfire, Statetrooper, Praying Mantis), keyboard player Steve Grant (Top Secret, The Animals), and bassist Jeff Brown (Widfire, Statetrooper, Cats In Space) – also handling lead vocals here.

As a fan of The Sweet’s 70s albums, I have a hard time getting in to much Sweet beyond Brian Connolly, and then more so after Steve Priest left the band (albeit the Live At The Marquee with Phil Lanzon and Paul Mario Day is a solid release). But Sweetlife has some very good tracks, notably “Everything”, “Never Say Forever”, “Everybody Wants To”, “You’re Crazy”, and the acoustic “Leap Of Faith”. The band tries real hard on this album to recapture the magic, especially with excellent backing vocals throughout this. A pretty good album overall. I am curious to see how far back Metalville will go with these Sweet reissues.

The album offers 11 outstanding AOR songs. Long out of print and sought after by many fans, the album is finally back in stores on CD and vinyl. 

LINKS:

www.thesweet.com 

www.metalville.de

www.facebook.com/metalville 

MORE – Warhead (1981)

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MORE released 2 albums back in the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal period, and both with very different line-ups. It is the band’s debut Warhead that is the better of the 2 and of most interest. On the debut MORE consisted of bassist Brian Day, drummer Fran Darch, guitarists Laurie Mansworth and Kenny Cox, and singer Paul Mario Day, who was known to many as the first Iron Maiden singer. MORE were signed to Atlantic Records (UK, US, etc..) and with US Southern rockers Blackfoot also being on Atlantic (and very popular in the UK at the time) Al Nalli (producer/manager- Brownsville Station, Blackfoot) and Henry Weck (Brownsville Station) were brought in to produce the first album.

The band had debuted on the Friday Rock Show in 1980, playing 4 songs.

Warhead features 8 tracks, with side 1 one opening with a good riff rocker “Road Rocket”. This side also features a decent ‘metal’ version of the Arthur Brown classic “Fire”, which seems like an odd choice for a cover, but as a fan of AB, I find it pretty cool and interesting. It is side 2 which is the better side (IMO), opening with the title track, which features a big intro, which makes me wonder why this wasn’t the first song on the album!? It also includes another fine riff driven rocker in “We Are The Band”, and standout here is the closing cut “I Have No Answers”, which gallops along in places, and to me, is the closest thing to Iron Maiden here. Two singles were released from Warhead – “Fire” in the US, with the non-LP “Lord Of Twilight”, while the UK and other countries got “We Are The Band”, backed with the non-LP “Atomic Rock”.

I don’t know how well Warhead did at the time, but the band did shows in Europe (Monsters Of Rock) , and opened for Iron Maiden on their Killers tour. It seems more of a curious collectable as it features Day (with his connections to Iron Maiden and Sweet), as well as guitarist Laurie Mansworth, who went on to form Airrace, and later manage The Treatment. Both Paul Mario Day and Laurie Mansworth left the band before the 2nd album (tho’ Day had a songwriting credit on it). Paul Mario Day went on to record 2 albums with Wildfire (which included Andy Scott Sweet members Jeff Brown and Bruce Bisland) before joining The Sweet as well. Guitarist Kenny Cox went on to record with ’80s band Mammoth, which also included John McCoy (Gillan) and Nicky Moore (Samson). Cox passed away in 2022 (RIP).

Warhead is well worth checking out, at the least, appealing to fans of Samson, Tank, and a few others from the NWOBHM era. There is a ‘More’ still performing to this day, albeit with no original members.

RIP Paul Mario Day.

New DEEP PURPLE book: ‘Stealing Deep Purple’

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A new DEEP PURPLE book is available. Stealing Deep Purple tells the story of the short-lived bogus band from 1980, and fronted by original DP singer Rod Evans. Deep Purple 1980 (the ‘new’ Deep Purple, then) played shows throughout Canada, the US, and Mexico before being stopped. This period is a curious and often overlooked chapter in the band’s history, though not being Deep Purple. There’s been many articles and DP fan accounts written online in the past, but Scottish author Steve McLean has researched this thoroughly for this book (373 pages). Looking forward to this one. Deep Purple 1980 kinda capped off an era where many big bands saw their name hijacked by corrupt managers and used to make money using bogus line ups (see also Fleetwood Mac, Steppenwolf, Herman’s Hermits…)

Order Stealing Deep Purple HERE.

About the book:

This is the story of Rod Evans, the little known original singer of Deep Purple, who decided to reform the band for a continental tour in 1980. The problem was that this Deep Purple contained no other members of the original group and that Rod, who had been fired long before their 1970s heyday, had no real legal rights to use the name.

The tour was comprised of riots, cancelled shows, on-stage fights, arrests, terrible performances and a massive court case. The who episode has become stuff of legend, with no two accounts seemingly the sames. Evans effectively ‘stole’ Deep Purple….. And he would have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for all the posters, ticket sales and press coverage.

Using over 200 newspaper, magazine, book and media sources plus brand new testimonies from the people who were there, Steve McLean attempts to piece together what actually happened in this real life Rock’n’Roll Swindle.

“They all had something down their spandex pants. We couldn’t tell if it was vegetable or plastic… Let’s just say it was pretty obvious those bulges weren’t real...Every time I watch that scene in Spinal Tap, I think of Deep Purple 1980.” Llory McDonald.

LINKS:

About

TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Steve McLean, author of Stealing Deep Purple

https://www.thehighwaystar.com/news/2025/07/16/stealing-deep-purple/

DAVE COUSINS – Strawbs’ singer, songwriter

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Dave Cousins was the singer, main songwriter, and leader of British band THE STRAWBS. He passed away July 13, at the age of 85. The Strawbs were a unique band, starting as folk rock, then evolving and adding elements of progressive, and hard rock over time. From 1972-73 the band had 3 UK hit singles – “Lay Down”, “Part Of The Union” (#2) , and “Shine One Silver Sun”.

Back in 2008 I received a few Dave Cousins solo albums (CD), His latest album – The Boy In The Sailor Suit, and a reissue of his 1972 album Two Weeks Last Summer. At the time I wasn’t very familiar, but I knew “Hero And Heroine”. I went and saw him, while promoting these discs, when he played a ‘songs & stories’ solo show at Hugh’s Room in Toronto. It was an entertaining, intimate show. Afterwards, Dave came out and greeted people, signed albums, got in pictures. I recall seeing a few posters in the Hughs Room hallways that were from previous Strawbs (Acoustic Strawbs) shows, so reckon the band had quite a following in Toronto for many years. This tour was captured in the live album Duochrome.

After that, my buddy Ed and I walked a few blocks over to a used record shop, where I picked up a handful of Strawbs’ LPs. On another day, just prior to or after the show I interviewed Dave. A bit of this was used in a local music paper. For some time now I’ve been intending to dig out the tape, and fully transcribe it.

The Strawbs last album was 2023’s The Magic Of It All.

LINKS:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/20/dave-cousins-obituary

https://www.strawbsweb.co.uk

https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/strawbs-founder-and-singer-dave-cousins-has-died-aged-80

GEORGE KOOYMANS – RIP. to guitarist & co-founder of GOLDEN EARRING

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George Kooymans was the guitarist and co-founder of the band that became The Netherlands biggest band passed away on July 22nd. . For those not familiar, aside from a few hits, the band that became Golden Earring was formed in 1961 as ‘The Tornados’, and by 1970 had dropped the ‘s’ from their name ‘Golden Earrings‘, and had the line up that would see the band until the end, in 2021 when it was announced the band would finish after Kooymans was diagnosed with ALS. Kooymans, Barry Hay (vocals, flute, guitar), Rinus Gerritsen (bass, keyboards), and  Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums), played together from 1970, with their last performance from 2019 being released as ‘You Know We Love You – Live In Ahoy 2019‘.

George Kooymans was the band’s guitarist, as well as major songwriter, backing singer, and also sang lead on a number of songs throughout the band’s history. Kooymans co-wrote the band’s biggest known worldwide hit “Radar Live”, with singer Barry Hay in 1973, and he also penned the band’s massive 1982 comeback hit “Twilight Zone”. He sang lead on such classics as “Silver Ships”, “Buddy Joe”, “Lonesome DJ”, and “Hold Me Now”. Aside from the 26 Golden Earring studio albums, dating back to 1965 (Just Ear-rings), Kooymans also released solo albums in 1971 and ’87, and made 2 albums with Frank Carillo, the most recent Mirage, released in 2022.

AdditionalnLinks:

https://www.dutchnews.nl/2025/07/george-kooymans-co-founder-of-golden-earring-dies-aged-77/

https://www.guitarplayer.com/guitarists/golden-earring-radar-love-guitarist-george-kooymans-has-died

https://www.metaltalk.net/george-kooymans-a-tribute-to-the-golden-earring-legend-lost-to-als-at-77.php

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/george-kooymans-guitarist-golden-earring-dead-obituary-1235392319/

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