British rockers FM have a new single out today from their upcoming album Old Habits Die Hard, which will be released May 3.
“Heartache draws influences from the bands love for bands like free and Bad Company,” says FM’s lead singer Steve Overland. “It’s a straight-to-the-point, classic blues rock track.” ‘This song will probably be in the live set for the 40th anniversary tour as it’s one of our favourites from the album,” explains drummer and founder FM member, Pete Jupp.
Check out the new video for “Don’t Need Another Heartache” below, as well as links, lyrics and ordering in the video description.
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION have a new single/video from their forthcoming album ‘BCC V’ due out June 14. The song features Glenn Hughes on lead vocals. Check out the video below. BCC V can be pre-ordered at – https://joeb.me/StreamRedSun
FOGHAT’s faithful fanbase has been buzzing ever since the announcement of the release of the band’s superb 1999 live performance, called Slow Ride – Live In Concert. This incredible live performance is being released today as a CD/DVD set but what many fans have been clamoring for is to see this killer show pressed on vinyl. Well, the gods of classic rock have obliged as Cleopatra Records is proud to announce a gorgeous double LP Orange Marble vinyl package of Slow Ride – Live In Concert in a classy gatefold jacket with informative liner notes and several vintage images that celebrate this band’s epic career. One listen and you’ll agree, Foghat’s fulsome mix of bluesy soulful rock sounds even better with the full dynamic range of well-pressed vinyl.Longtime Foghat bassist Tony Stevens shares his thoughts on the release of Slow Ride – Live In Concert, saying “This concert album shows the band at its best with Brian Bassett taking over from Rod Price, who left Foghat the year before. For me though, the gold star has to go to Lonesome Dave Peverett. After going through 6 months of chemotherapy, after having a kidney removed, he came back, 50 pounds lighter in his gold suit and Rocked The House! I enjoyed our ‘playing off’ with each other. Loads of smiles and laughter. This video is a tribute to Dave. A rock and roll hero of the 100th degree.” Sadly, Peverett would pass away less than a year after the recording of this concert at the age of 56. But this performance is keeping his memory and the Foghat legacy alive for future generations to discover!
TRACK LIST: 1. Drivin’ Wheel 2. Somebody’s Been Sleepin’ In My Bed 3. Stone Blue 4. It Hurts Me Too 5. Rock Your House 6. Sweet Home Chicago 7. Angel Of Mercy 8. Fool For The City 9. I Just Want To Make Love To You 10. Slow Ride
American rockets ANGEL have released a new video for the title track to their latest album. The album ‘Once Upon A Time‘ came out last year, but the band has just put out a video for the title track while they are preparing to tour (starting) in April. Angel is also being rejoined by bass player Felix Robinson, who been with the band for the later 70s (playing on 3 studio albums + Live Without a Net) *Check out the video for track “Once Upon A Time An Angel Fell in Love”, and check out the tour dates & links below.
ANGEL on Tour: APRIL- PUNKY- FRANK- FELIX (April Only) TOGETHER AGAIN. April 5th – Wildey Theatre April 6th – SOLD OUT! – Wildey Theatre – April 10th – Sellersville Theater PA. April 12th – Rome Capital Theatre NY with Ace Frehley. April 13th – Carteret Performing Arts Center NJ with Ace Frehley. MAY ANGEL DATES May 12th King Of Clubs – OH May 14th The Vogue – Indianapolis IN May 16th Shank Hall- WI May 17th The Back Bar – Janesville WI May 18th Arcada – Chicago IL May 19th The Token Lounge – Westland MI. May 21st – The Winchester Music Tavern – Lakewood Ohio. Angel – Japan Dates July 12th &13th – Daikanyama UNIT, Tokyo July 14th – Legend Hall, Nagoya July 15th – Am Hall, Osak Get Tickets and Meet and Greet at www.angelbandofficial.com/tour
Legendary Rockers BLUE ÖYSTER CULT Share New Single “Don’t Come Running To Me”+ Music Video New Studio Album ‘Ghost Stories‘ due Out April 12th via Frontiers Music Srl. Pre-Order HERE
Legendary rockers BLUE ÖYSTER CULT share the second single from their upcoming release, ‘Ghost Stories,’ out April 12th on Frontiers Music Srl. The track, entitled “Don’t Come Running To Me,” is accompanied by a new music video.
After the resounding success of their 50th Anniversary celebration, ‘Ghost Stories‘ sees the band eagerly gearing up for an exciting new chapter in their storied career. This highly anticipated album marks a fitting finale to the recording legacy of one of rock’s most iconic fixtures from the past 50 years.
In partnership with Frontiers Music Srl, ‘Ghost Stories‘ will captivate fans with a collection of reimagined and completed songs that span from 1978-2016. These musical treasures, long considered the ‘lost gems’ by BLUE ÖYSTER CULT enthusiasts, were originally recorded between 1978 and 1983, except for one track from 2016, “If I Fell.” Also included is the only known recorded performance of their concert classic “Kick Out the Jams” (MC5 cover). Some of the material is from workshopping albums, some from performance rehearsals, and all were recorded once in the hopes that someday they’d see the light of day.
As BLUE ÖYSTER CULT embraces its ‘classic rock’ phenomenon status, the anticipation for this album is reaching a crescendo. Fans are eager to experience the culmination of the band’s artistic vision and witness the completion of songs that have become part of their folklore. The band will also add some of the songs in their up-and-coming 2024 shows.
With a legacy spanning over five decades, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT continues to be a formidable force in the classic rock scene. The exciting partnership with Frontiers Music Srl and the visionary leadership of Serafino Perugino add an extra layer of anticipation to the release of ‘Ghost Stories.’ As the band bids farewell to their recording career, they do so with a flourish, offering fans a musical odyssey that is sure to leave a lasting imprint on rock history. Truly, a remarkable journey.
Work in the studio for the album was completed by Richie Castellano along with remaining original members Eric Bloom and Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser and both Albert Bouchard and Rick Downey appear on drums with additional overdubs recorded by Joe Bouchard. All these original lineup members appearing on ‘Ghost Stories,’ create a musical journey that traverses decades and promises easter eggs for days.
George Geranios, the band’s original audio engineer and an integral part of the band’s golden years produced the tracks along with BÖC and all were originally recorded on reel-to-reel analog tape. He transferred them to digital audio which is when modern AI and magical musical talents meet and the collection of vintage multi-track recordings was de-mixed, re-mixed, and produced by Steve Schenck and Richie Castellano to become ‘Ghost Stories.’ The two explain the album’s amazing process HERE
Band Members & Credits:
Eric Bloom – Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Albert Bouchard – Drums, Vocals
Joe Bouchard – Bass, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals
Welsh singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist John Sloman has a new single out from his forthcoming album Vaudeville. This is the 2nd single from Vaudeville, check out “Ice Cream Man” (bottom). A video and (album) release date are coming soon, but check out the title track here…
The artwork for Vaudeville, is once again done by designer, photographer and videographer Callum Fernandes Clarke, and using photography by Jeff Moh (RIP). Callum did the cover art for John’s excellent 2022 album Two Rivers, as well as doing covers for Walter Egan, Osibisa, and others.
John is also getting ready to release his 2nd book. According to John it will be a continuation of his first one, and there will be a 3rd book as well! If you did not read “Lost On Planet Artifice” you need to! One of the best rock autobiographies out there! Tons of stories, ups and downs, and honest recollections of a guy who’s had a long and most interesting career, having played with and connected with many legendary acts. John shares an update on his upcoming book below:
“I’m still editing the book which is called ‘Kontradamus’. But I plan to release it sometime in the next few months. It’s a dystopian satire set in the future (with some autobiographical threads running through it). I began working on it while waiting for my album Vaudeville to be released (which was delayed throughout last year and is still yet to be released), and eventually ended up with a follow up to ‘Lost on Planet Artifice’. This new book is a more ambitious venture as it’s my first attempt at a novel format but with some reality sewn into it.”
GRAND SLAM co-founding member Laurence Archer, and frontman Mike Dyer, make it extraordinarily clear that theirs has been a true journey of destiny, one where early unions ended up leaving unfinished business on the table, and one which finally sees GRAND SLAM attending to said business with the brand-new album ‘Wheel Of Fortune.’ Their story is one of persistence and craft, ensuring that the best elements of GRAND SLAM’s history were absorbed and fused with the experiences and drive of relationships stretching decades. However, do not make the mistake of thinking this is a band returning from a past: it’s a band fulfilling their present and future with willfulness and desire that permeate every song on ‘Wheel Of Fortune’, from Archer’s faultless, fearless fret-driven song architecture on “Spitfire” to Dyer’s swagger and style on “There Goes My Heart.” There are moments such as “Come Together (In Harlem)” where the moody strut of original co-founder Phil Lynott is unmistakable, yet the multi-layered steamy swing of “Pirate Song” makes it very clear where GRAND SLAM is coming from. “I want everybody to see this as a new band… and anybody that hasn’t heard GRAND SLAM since 1984, I want them to see this as a fresh invigoration of the project moving into the modern times.” – Laurence Archer Joined by Benjy Reid on drums and Rocky Newton on bass, some best-laid plans for the band’s rebirth were set for take-off until Covid-19 brought the world to a standstill (it is one of the main reasons ‘Hit The Ground’ will also be enjoying a 2024 release alongside ‘Wheel Of Fortune’). However, the creative fire and will to propel GRAND SLAM got stronger still. “We have a direction that is in my heart. It’s a tribal place. This band is something very special; I’m slightly biased I know, but God, I’m really proud of that.” – Mike Dyer Out now, “There Goes My Heart” is the first single to be released from GRAND SLAM’s brand new studio album, ‘Wheel Of Fortune.’ “Laurence sent me ‘There Goes My Heart’, and with total respect to Laurence, I’m not a man of ‘hearts’ in that sense,” chuckles Dyer. “So instead of singing about the ex, I twisted on it. It sounds like your heart, but what you’re singing about is your E-Type Jag. We shot the video for that in Spain, and that very much has a twist in it too.”
Video Directed, Produced and Edited by Paul M Green
‘Wheel Of Fortune‘ is a testimony to both Archer’s songwriting architecture and Dyer’s powerful love of language: he wastes no time sinking his teeth into the storytelling aspect of the songs, from WWII fighter pilots to ethereal reflections on lost loved ones and near-death experiences, Dyer is a supreme storyteller. “The way I look at it is that from writing those songs with Phil in 1984 to now, my writing style and the way I write, haven’t really changed that much,” offers Archer. “I’m not a shredder, I prefer to write songs and build that way. So, there’s that timeless continuity in how I write, fusing with all the experiences we’ve had as people over the years. “I put the basis of the song together, I have a rough melody line, I might write the chorus line, and I give that to Mike who goes away and comes back with his thing: it’s not my thing, it’s his thing and it just works! His vocal tone – his ability – fits everything that I write.” ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ will be released in digital and physical formats on June 7th. The album will be available in a variety of formats and pre-orders can be placed HERE
GRAND SLAM will also re-release their debut album ‘Hit The Ground.’ Originally released in 2019, the record has been given a makeover. “I stopped playing for a while and started a film career,” recounts Archer of ‘Hit The Ground.’ “ In 2018 I was working on location in Guadalupe, and I arrived at the decision to record the GRAND SLAM songs properly, because essentially, what has been out there has not really been representative of what we did back then. Phil and I had done some work-in-progress demos in his backyard studio, and unfortunately, someone stole them and released them. So, it’s always been a goal of mine to re-visit those songs and do them properly, and I had been thinking about showcasing them fittingly for over 30 years, instead of hearing these horrible demos that people put out.” Re-mixed, re-mastered, and featuring new artwork, ‘Hit The Ground – Revised,’ will be released on May 10th in digital formats and June 7th in physical formats. Pre-orders can be placed HERE With GRAND SLAM having just completed videos for the new album in Spain, a series of dates being planned as you read, and an overall joy at everything going on in their world, GRAND SLAM will be here whether you are or not, because this is not a band rumbling in from their past, it’s a band firing forward into their future. “We have a strong bond in our writing and our perception of what we want to do,” concludes Archer, “so make no mistake, GRAND SLAM has only just started.”
‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Track List: 1. There Goes My Heart 2. Starcrossed Lovers 3. Come Together (In Harlem) 4. Trail Of Tears 5. Feeling Is Strong (Jo’s Song) 6. Spitfire 7. I Wanna Know! 8. Pirate Song 9. Afterlife 10. Wheel Of Fortune
‘Hit The Ground – Revised’ Track List: 1. Gone Are The Days 2. Nineteen 3. Hit The Ground 4. Military Man 5. Crazy 6. Dedication 7. Long Road 8. Sisters Of Mercy 9. Crime Rate 10. Grand Slam**not available on vinyl
GRAND SLAM:Mike Dyer – vocals, Laurence Archer – guitars, Benjy Reid – drums, Rocky Newton – bass. ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ is Produced by Laurence Archer, Engineered by Pieter Rietkerk. Mixed by Laurence Archer. Mastered by Matt Wortham & Andy Pearce. Recorded atChapel Studios; additional recording at Manamana Studios
Supergroup Black Country Communion Announce New Album ‘V’ and Lead Single “Stay Free”
Black Country Communion, the iconic rock supergroup featuring the talents of Joe Bonamassa, Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, and Derek Sherinian, is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of their highly anticipated fifth studio album, V, available worldwide on June 14. To celebrate, fans are treated to the immediate release of the album’s heavy funk lead single, “Stay Free,” out today on all major streaming platforms.
Produced by longtime collaborator Kevin Shirley, ‘V’ marks a monumental chapter in the band’s storied career, embodying a renewed spirit and an evolution of their unmistakable sound. Shirley captures the essence of the band’s journey, stating, “For a band that started out as a collection of the best practitioners of their instruments, they very quickly found a unique sound. This time around, it has more purpose, the riffs are tougher, and there are hooks! Yes, hooks! It’s the most cohesive record, full of soul and grit, and I think this is the one that’s going to be the benchmark for Black Country Communion.”
Glenn agrees, “In my opinion, we had the best time recording this record at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, tons of fun & a magical recording. Meet you inside the Music.”
“Stay Free,” the lead single, is a powerhouse track that blends hard rock’s raw energy with a heavy dose of blues, channelling the spirit of legends like AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. It sets the tone for what fans can expect from ‘V’ – a testament to the band’s dynamic synergy and creative evolution.
Since their debut in 2010, Black Country Communion has delivered a series of critically acclaimed albums, each showcasing the group’s ability to fuse British blues-rock with American soul in a way that captivates audiences worldwide. Their return with ‘V’ and the single “Stay Free” reaffirms their status as rock royalty and showcases their growth as musicians and storytellers.Kevin Shirley’s insight into the recording process highlights the unique chemistry and camaraderie within the band. “When we convened in 2023 to start recording the album V, it really was like picking up the day after the most recent gig,” Shirley reflects. “The camaraderie is immediately evident. Once they start playing, everyone is deadly serious, and the music sounds like this band, and nothing else sounds like it.”‘V’ is a milestone that celebrates the journey, talent, and vision of Black Country Communion. As the band embarks on this new chapter, they invite fans old and new to join them in experiencing the depth and power of ‘V’ and the electrifying energy of “Stay Free.”
The news follows the announcement of the band’s upcoming performance at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, FL on Sunday, March 17th. This rare appearance will be the first live performance in America from the band in over 11 years. Presented by Joe Bonamassa’s Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation, all profits from the concert will be donated to support music education and musicians in need. The band is also set to appear on the Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea cruise, sailing from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico from March 18-22. The album ‘V’ is available for pre-order now.
For more details, exclusive content, and updates, please visit https://joeb.me/OrderBCCV.About Black Country Communion
Loverboy to launch previously unreleased live show in fully restored and remixed sound & vision through earMUSIC.
The story of Loverboy is akin to a Hollywood movie. Overcoming rejection to eventually become one of Canada’s most successful rock bands of all time and selling millions of albums in the process, is a feel-good story for the ages.
“Live In ‘82” has been lovingly restored by Paul Dean from his personal archive of 16mm film, the joyous energy of a band who helped define the golden era of 80’s music captured like lightning in a bottle. With their great music, colorful clothing, outrageous hairstyles (and headbands!), and terrific soundtracks for movies like ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’, and ‘Top Gun’, Loverboy has stood the test of time.
“Live In ‘82” will become available on limited CD+Blu-ray, limited LP+DVD and digital streaming and download on June 7th. Today’s announcement coincides with the launch of the first live track: ‘Turn Me Loose’ is available as digital single and live video.
For more than 40 years, Loverboy has been “Working For The Weekend” (and on the weekend), delighting audiences around the world since forming in 1979, when vocalist Mike Reno was introduced to guitar hot shot Paul Dean – both veterans of several bands on the Canadian scene – at Calgary’s Refinery Night Club. Along with Reno and Dean, Loverboy still includes original members Doug Johnson on keyboards and Matt Frenette on drums, with Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve replacing the late Scott Smith on bass.
With their trademark red leather pants, bandannas, big rock sound and high-energy live shows, the band has sold more than 10 million albums, earning several multi-platinum awards. Their string of hits includes, in addition to the anthem ‘Working For The Weekend’, such arena rock staples as ‘The Kid Is Hot Tonight’, ‘Take Me To The Top’, ‘Turn Me Loose’, ‘Jump’ and many more. Loverboyare not only masters of their craft as songwriters, but also renowned for being a formidable touring act, spending years on the road sharing stages with everyone from Def Leppard to Journey.
In 2009, the group was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and more recently the Canadian Walk of Fame, in the fall of 2023.
And there is no stopping the band this year, as they embark on a Live Nation promoted North American tour supporting Sammy Hagar, starting in July.
Outsider Rock 