The Phenomena projects albums in the ’80s (and ’90s) were created by brothers Tom and Mel Galley (Whitesnake). These albums featured numerous British players and singers (John Wetton, Glenn Hughes, Cozy Powell, Neil Murray, and Brian May (among others). Merv Spence had joined a reformed (and short-lived) Trapeze following Peter Goalby’s departure and recorded an album with the band, which remains unreleased. He then went on to replace Trevor Bolder in Wishbone Ash for 1985’s Raw To The Bone, playing bass and singing. He would be credited as Executive Producer on the third Phenomena album Innervision (1992), as well as playing bass & vocals (under the name O’Ryan); he also featured on 1997’a Project X: 1985-1996 (compilation. tracks here were later used as bonus tracks that came with reissues of the first 2 albums). So, this 13 song release features 10 tracks that Merv Spence had recorded & issued under the name O’Ryan in the mid ’90s on the CD Initiate, as well as a few brand new recordings. Hearing these recordings makes me wonder why we haven’t heard more from Spence; these recordings and vocals are excellent, and I gotta think the guy would’ve been a great vocalist in a number of classic British bands. Well worth checking out! For more info check out the press release below, as well as the links to order.
Merv Spence is an Irish musician and former member of Wishbone Ash and Trapeze, as well as an established solo artist. He will be touring to support the release and this album features all of Merv Spence’s covers of the Phenomena tracks, both previously released and newly recorded.
Phenomena is an all-star series of albums created by Tom Galley which saw its debut album sell 1.2 million copies, and its follow-up deliver a #1 hit single ‘Did It All For Love’. Merv Spence is the former rights owner of the Phenomena albums and previously recorded his own renditions of the best-known songs.
Lead singer, musician & music producer Merv Spence said of the release: “‘Phenomena Recovered’ is a very important album for me. A lot of creative blood, sweat and tears went into producing these songs and the results make me feel incredibly proud. I embraced the challenge, and gave it my own signature. I hope ‘Phenomena’ fans will also embrace this production, and I look forward to performing these great songs live, both in a band capacity and solo, acoustically”.
Following the release of their first-ever concert film Live At The Anienne Belgique and their celebrated digital EP One Of A Kind, roots rockers Robert Jon & The Wreck are continuing their prolific year with their studio track “Bring Me Back Home Again,” a blistering southern rock song that pairs mind-melting riffs with touching ruminations on love and isolation.
Produced by Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, Journey, Black Crowes, Joe Bonamassa) at the legendary Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles, it’s the latest taste of a slate of new material the band has been releasing throughout 2023. The single release drops during their tour throughout the southeast of the USA this month. The band tours the UK 13-24 September 2023.
“We had the pleasure of writing this song with our good friend and frequent co-writer, Ian Cullen,” shares frontman Robert Jon Burrison. “The song touches on feelings of longing and isolation while being away from your loved ones, something we are all familiar with as we go on tour throughout the year.”
Prolific songwriters with a wealth of new material who refuse to be constrained by traditional release strategies, the band’s new partnership with Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records affords them the opportunity to work with the world’s top producers and release a steady stream of high-quality singles on an ongoing basis, cutting through the industry chaos and ensuring new music is accessible to fans as intended. “Working with Kevin was very easy and fluid,” Burrison continues. “He was super fun to be around and seemed to fit right in as a natural extension of the group. He also has an incredible list of people he’s worked with and was gracious enough to share some stories of his amazing career with us!”
The Wreck is fresh off the release of Live At The Ancienne Belgique, out now via Journeyman Records. Recorded during their sold-out show at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, Belgium on June 29th, 2022, the live CD/DVD set captures the Wreck amid their longest-ever tour – 67 performances in 75 days across 9 countries. The night was nothing less than spectacular, featuring a setlist that spanned the last decade of their prolific career, from their 2013 debut to their 2022 release. Watch the official live music video for “Oh Miss Carolina” NOWand purchase/stream Live At The Ancienne BelgiqueHERE.
photo- Blackham images
Robert Jon & The Wreck tours the southeast of the USA this month. They tour the UK from 13-24 September 2023. For more information and to purchase tickets visit https://robertjonandthewreck.com (see dates below)
5/5/2023 The Guitar Sanctuary – Mckinney, TX 5/6/2023 The Continental Club – Houston, TX 5/7/2023 Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX 5/9/2023 Stickyz – Little Rock, AR 5/10/2023 Hernando’s Hide-A-Way – Memphis, TN 5/11/2023 Tooneys – Mccaysville, GA 5/12/2023 Artisphere Festival – Greenville, SC 5/13/2023 Jones von Drehel Vineyards & Winery – Thurmond, NC 5/14/2023 Salvage Station – Asheville, NC 6/9/23 NACHES, WA Chinook Festival 6/25/23 WINTER PARK, CO Blues From The Top Festival 7/14/23 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA The Coach House 8/5-6/23 MAMMOTH LAKES, CA Bluesapalooza Festival 8/17/23 SIOUX FALLS, SD Levitt At The Falls 8/18/23 CEDARBURG, WI Summer Sounds Festival 8/19/23 SHAWANO, WI Shawano Summer Festival
2023 EUROPEAN TOUR DATES
May 26 May 2023 Middelburg, Netherlands – De Spot 27 May 2023 Sneek, Netherlands – Bolwerk 28 May 2023 Peer, Belgium – Blues Peer Festival 29 May 2023 Raalte, Netherlands – Ribs § Blues Festival
July 23 July 2023 Maidstone, UK – Maid Of Stone Festival 27 July 2023 Weiher, Germany – Live Music Hall 28 July 2023 Breitenbach am Herzberg, Germany – Herzberg Festival
August/September/October 25 August 2023 Holzminden, Germany Schloss Bevern 26 August 2023 Herselt, Belgium Gevarenwinkel Festival 27 August 2023 Oberhausen, Germany Zentrum Altenberg 29 August 2023 Copenhagen, Denmark Beta 30 August 2023 Joldelund, Germany Gerd’s Juke Joint 31 August 2023 Köln, Germany Kantine – Biergarten 01 September 2023 Regensburg, Germany Eventhalle Airport 02 September 2023 Forst, Germany Manitu 03 September 2023 Dortmund, Germany Piano 06 September 2023 Amsterdam, Netherlands Melkweg 07 September 2023 Bremen, Germany Meisenfrei 08 September 2023 Isernhagen, Germany Blues Garage 09 September 2023 Vollmershain, Germany Open Air Festival 10 September 2023 Raismes, France Raismesfest (open air) 11 September 2023 Verviers, Belgium Spirit of 66 13 September 2023 Exeter, UK Phoenix 14 September 2023 Nottingham, UK Rescue Rooms 15 September 2023 Manchester, UK Academy 16 September 2023 Liverpool, UK 02 Academy 2 17 September 2023 Newcastle, UK Boiler Shop 19 September 2023 Glasgow, UK St Lukes 20 September 2023 Leeds, UK Wardrobe 21 September 2023 Bristol, UK Thekla 22 September 2023 Cambridge, UK Junction 23 September 2023 Southampton, UK The Brook 24 September 2023 Folkestone, UK The Quarterhouse 27 September 2023 Le Thor ( Aix en Provence ), France Le Sonograf 28 September 2023 Talcy (Blois), France Le Quai’Son 29 September 2023 Penmarc’h (Quimper), France Cap Caval 30 September 2023 Herent, Belgium GC De Wildeman 01 October 2023 Winterbach, Germany Strandbar 02 October 2023 Salzburg, Austria Rockhouse 03 October 2023 Rimsting, Germany Feuerwache 04 October 2023 Frankfurt, Germany Nachtleben 05 October 2023 Seon, Switzerland Konservi 06 October 2023 Basel, Switzerland Atlantis 07 October 2023 Torgau, Germany Kulturbastion 08 October 2023 Fulda, Germany Kulturkeller
Like Pink Floyd albums, David Gilmour solo releases seem few and far between, thus become events to listeners and fans. And with such a wait, expectations are high. So, 2015’s Rattle That Lock was an eventful one for David Gilmour fans – a new studio album, followed by a world tour. Rattle That Lock being Gilmour’s 4th solo (studio) album since 1978, and followed the 2014 Pink Floyd album Endless River. From the packaging alone, one can sense something special in holding Gilmour’s latter releases – beautiful cover art, gatefold, a 16 page booklet insert.
And then the music, starting off with the built up instrumental / overture “5A.M.”, and there is something about Gilmour’s guitar sound & feel that make this sort of stuff so appealing that I want to play it repeatedly. The title track is one of a few upbeat songs here, it is memorable, a fine choice for a single, with nice harmonies, the other more upbeat tune being the album’s other single – “Today”. Rattle That Lock is largely slower tempo, atmospheric music, but with a good deal of changes. It all flows together so perfectly through Gilmour’s guitar sound, voice, and top production. Favorites cuts have to be “Faces Of Stone”, “Dancing Right In Front Of Me”, and “In Any Tongue”, where Gilmour lays out his ‘heaviest’ and most memorable solo. There’s some different stuff here, such as the slow paced jazzy “The Girl In The Yellow Dress”, featuring cornet and saxophone.
Plenty of guests, plus the use of orchestra and choirs on a various tracks. Guests include Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), Andy Newmark (Sly & The Familiar Stone), Jools Holland (Squeeze), British jazz bass player Yaron Stavi, among others. David Crosby (RIP) and Graham Nash add harmonies on “A Boat Lies Waiting”, and pre-recording-days Pink Floyd guitarist Rado Klose (I never knew). The journey of Rattle That Lock ends with a revisit of the opening theme on “And Then…” The ensuing tour would give us the Live At Pompeii release in 2017.
Outsider Rock 