Denny Somach has released Get The Led Out: How Led Zeppelin Became The Biggest Band In The World‘. I have the 2014 title of this book, which featured artwork by album cover artist Ioannis, who passed away earlier this year. This 2025 edition features a new cover, a forward by legendary drummer Carmine Appice. According to Somach – “This is a new book with over 200 new pages and photos, it does include 10 or so of the best interviews from the original, but being treated as a new book”. See the press info below, and link at the bottom.
In-depth, lushly illustrated coffee-table book. The book starts with a unique day-by-day timeline that reveals quirky insider details, achievements, and exploits. Thirty-plus rare, candid interviews follow, featuring all Zeppelin members and other musicians and industry insiders, including Jason Bonham (drummer and son of legendary Zeppelin drummer John Bonham), Chris Squire (Yes), Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Alice Cooper, Paul Rodgers, and music producers industry legends Eddie Kramer and Ron Nevison, Danny Goldberg (Swan Song Records, Vice President) and Craig Kallman, current Chairman of Atlantic. The book is illustrated throughout with photographs, reproductions of memorabilia from a major private Zeppelin collector, and specially commissioned artworks by noted album cover artist Ioannis. It also features a comprehensive timeline of the band and complete discography including solo projects from each member. Coverage of the reunion concert film in 2012 at the O2 in London, Celebration Day and the presidential Kennedy Center Honors appearance in 2012.
For the first time anywhere from the personal collection of Craig Kallman, a copy of every 45 picture sleeve from around the world. Zeppelin rarely allowed singles to be released, but different countries pressed up singles that were immediately recalled and/or destroyed.
For the first time an interview with Mark Andes, the only living member of Spirit who was involved along with the estate of Randy California in the Stairway to Heaven vs Taurus copyright trial.
GREYSTONE CANYON, from Australia release their third album in a few weeks. Something Borrowed…. Something New, features 9 tracks, including 5 classic rock covers! The band has 4 originals here, 2 instrumental, most likeable being the acoustic “Friend Of The Fox”. The 2 others are the guitar heavy “Stealing Our Freedom”, and the rockin’ “Drive Us”, which is a good tune, and makes me want to find out more from the band’s previous albums. But for me, it’s the covers here – the choices and performances are excellent. *Check out the press info & bio below, as well as the singles, a cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Suicide”, and UFO’s “Doctor Doctor”.
Australian hard rockers Greystone Canyon return with a powerful new single – a bold rendition of Thin Lizzy’s “Suicide”, available worldwide today, November 7th, 2025. The track is the first glimpse into the band’s forthcoming album “Something Borrowed…Something New,” due out December 5th, 2025, from Rockshots Records, marking their most authentic and organic release to date.
Faithful to the spirit of Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy’s timeless legacy, Greystone Canyon delivers a warm, punchy, and honest version of “Suicide”, enriched by their signature blend of melodic rock and gritty hard-edged groove. Recorded live with no click tracks or studio trickery, the single captures the raw chemistry of a band feeding off one another in the room – a true celebration of rock ‘n’ roll energy.
Produced by the band and engineered by Joel Taylor at Black Lodge Studio (Melbourne), “Something Borrowed…Something New” represents a turning point in Greystone Canyon’s journey. As the title suggests, it’s a hybrid record – a mix of new original songs and hand-picked classics from the bands that shaped their sound, including Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, UFO, and Neil Young. The album bridges past and present, combining heartfelt tributes with fresh, road-worn originals such as “Drives Us,” “Friend of the Fox,” and “Stealing Our Freedom”.
Vocalist/guitarist Darren Cherry comments: “This is our most honest record so far – real instruments, real performances, all captured live in one room. We wanted to remind listeners of the warmth and punch that only true rock bands can create together. It’s pure, old-school energy and we had an absolute blast making it.”
Following the success of “Iron & Oak” (2024), which reached #18 on the Australian iTunes Hard Rock chart and earned multiple 10/10 media scores, the band is poised to bring their music to a new global audience with a record that’s equal parts homage and evolution.
Recommended for fans of Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, and ZZ Top, Greystone Canyon‘s new album “Something Borrowed…Something New” is out December 5th, 2025.
Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie’s fourth solo album comes out in a few weeks, and it’s surprisingly nothing that I expected. Now, to be honest I haven’t kept up with Dream Theater much since the early 2000s, just not huge on lengthy modern prog concept albums and pieces, I guess. But Beautiful Shades Of Grey is far from that. It is a collaboration with Paul Logue of UK band Eden’s Curse (I will have to check them out next), and features 11 tracks, with no heavy concepts, no long numbers, and no real heavy rockers. There’s plenty of acoustics, piano, synths, harmonies,… Sure, most of it would be classified as ballads, but it’s not too soft by any means, plenty of well crafted and performed tracks, They’re all pretty different, and there’s some nice use of strings and different guitars, piano… particularly on faves like “Give And Take” and “Sunset Ruin”. Strong acoustic cuts in “Wildflower”, “What I Missed”, and a cool take of Zeppelin’s “Ramble On” – which is pretty fitting, as this album has a good ’70s vibe to it all. Lead off number “Devil In Drag” comes in an acoustic and electric version, the stand-out track for me – an instantly likeable track, with a great melody, love the synths. The electric version, which ends this album is the only rocker here, but that’s OK. A very enjoyable album, just in time for summer! Cool cover, btw! Check out the first 2 videos from Beautiful Shades Of Grey below, and read the press info below.
James LaBrie, known internationally as the vocalist for progressive metal icons Dream Theater, embarks on uncharted waters with his fourth solo album, titled ‘Beautiful Shade of Grey’. The new endeavor sees him traverse personal maturation, loss, a myriad of complex relationships, and most importantly – LaBrie’s burning passion for music. On paper, the latest studio offering from the Canadian singer first took shape shortly after the global pandemic began to emerge. But in reality, LaBrie formed a bond with his fellow collaborator, bassist Paul Logue, nearly a decade earlier.
The two first met in 2011, when James would lend his voice to a feature for Logue’s band, UK melodic metal outfit Eden’s Curse, on the song “No Holy Man”. As years went by the two remained in touch, occasionally kicking the tires on the idea of working together on another project. But when Dream Theater performed in Glasgow during the late winter of 2020, LaBrie and Logue would run into each other at the airport – once again asking the question. But this time, armed with the knowledge that a drastic change in the world was all but imminent, LaBrie made the decision to set things in motion.
“I said, ‘Let’s touch base as soon as I get home. Let’s start talking about it.’ So then, March 15th (less than a month later) the whole world shut down, and Paul reached out to me and said ‘Hey, do you have time now?” LaBrie’s response was simple and definitive “Wow, yeah. Let’s go for it.”
On the album, Logue plays acoustic rhythm guitar (both six & twelve string) and acoustic bass, while guitarist Marco Sfogli, who’s contributed on all of LaBrie’s solo albums since 2005’s ‘Elements of Persuasion’, handled the leads and solos. Logue recruited Eden’s Curse keyboardist Christian Pulkkinen to lend his playing on the record, while the suggestion to recruit James’s son Chance to play drums would also come from Paul. ‘Beautiful Shade of Grey’, as LaBrie describes it, was a title that only came to him once he identified the record’s two core themes throughout its track list. “A lot of these lyrics are dealing with the beauty of human beings, and a lot are dealing with the grey areas of the in between. You’re not exactly happy, but you’re not exactly sad, either.”
The record starts off (and ends) with the track “Devil In Drag”, which emerges as a wall of synthesizers and acoustic strumming before exploding into a full-blown ensemble. LaBrie, who wrote all the lyrics on the album except for “Wildflower”, expresses that the song was written about “someone who started out as a decent human being, but along the way lost touch with their roots – overtime becoming self-serving, narcissistic and devoid of principles or values.” Going on to say, “’Devil In Drag’ is written from the perspective of someone who’s known them all their life and, seeing them now, asking ‘what happened?’”
Other early tracks like the adventurous and lovelorn “SuperNova Girl” and the uproarious self-revelation of “Hit Me Like A Brick” are eager to come to blows with false pretenses, be they felt with a romantic interest or from within. On the enduring melancholy of “Sunset Ruin”, LaBrie pays remembrance to his late brother, who passed from pancreatic cancer in 2016.
Going beyond the thematic and personal elements, for James, ‘Beautiful Shade of Grey’ presented an opportunity to capture the love and enthusiasm he feels for great songwriting through a vehicle that wasn’t tied to the same rules and archetypes of his other projects. Reflecting on artists that he’s been drawn to over the years, ranging from Journey, Foreigner, and Gino Vannelli to Chevelle, Big Wreck and Prince, the common thread that’s kept him coming back to them was their eclectic, unpredictable output. “All these artists had versatility, and I think it’s primarily because of this that they maintained my attention. They always, I believe, pushed themselves to ask, ‘what else can I do?’”
The biggest homage on the album is paid to Led Zeppelin via a faithful and spirited cover of the song “Ramble On”. The mix on the track perfectly captures what LaBrie has established throughout the record with its “acoustic + full band” approach – that, sometimes, it’s best to give each instrument and instrumentalist the space to roam and harmonize, rather than obfuscate or gussy up. On ‘Beautiful Shade of Grey’, the end goal isn’t creating something that meets a certain genre characterization, but rather being informed by decades of finding beautiful expression across a wide swath of musical artists, and knowing that veering away from familiar habits is a part of creative growth.
Tracklisting:
1. Devil In Drag 2. SuperNova Girl 3. Give And Take 4. Sunset Ruin 5. Hit Me Like A Brick 6. Wildflower 7. Conscience Calling 8. What I Missed 9. Am I Right 10. Ramble On 11. Devil In Drag (Electric Version)
*Available on CD, as well as black And yellow vinyl!
CACTUS sprung up following the break up of the legendary VANILLA FUDGE, and drew immediate comparisons to the [fairly new] and mighty Led Zeppelin with their first album of heavy blues rock. This performance is the band’s debut, consisting of mainly tracks from the band’s debut album, plus a couple of tracks from then-future albums (“One Way…Or Another” and Sweet Sixteen”). It’s a great sounding recording, and despite being their first live show, it’s a performance from a well rehearsed band, all well in tune with the material and an energetic performance. A brand new band that was making their mark right off the get-go.
*For more info & ordering, see press release below:
Historic First Ever Live Concert From Classic Rock Legends CACTUS Finally Sees An Official Release!
Los Angeles, CA – This is where it all began for the quartet dubbed “The American Led Zeppelin” – on a 1970 bill that also featured the likes of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Grateful Dead and Steve Miller Band. Vocalist Rusty Day, guitarist Jim McCarty, bassist Tim Bogert, and drummer Carmine Appice, collectively known as Cactus, made their auspicious debut in their very first public performance that night. Fortunately, this stunning and historic show was captured on tape and has now been unearthed from the archives and released on all formats!
The Birth Of Cactus 1970 finds the freshly minted quartet ripping through some of the key tracks from their landmark debut album including “Parchman Farm,” “Feel So Good” and “No Need To Worry” plus some smokin’ hot blues numbers. The performances are not only supremely confident, but also fluid and dynamic as each member locks into the groove and relentlessly rides it.
Drummer Carmine Appice had this to say about the concert recording, “I remember doing that first gig, hanging out with Hendrix who was a friend of Cactus. We got on stage and the energy level was off the charts! All the songs kicked major ass. We were so excited to get Cactus going and this show helped. Crowd was great and we did ROCK!!”
The Birth Of Cactus 1970 will be available on digipak CD and on PURPLE vinyl everywhere on January 21st!
Track List: 1. One Way…Or Another 2. Sweet Sixteen 3. No Need To Worry 4. Medley: Let Me Swim / Big Mama Boogie / Oleo 5. Feel So Good 6. Parchman Farm
Outsider Rock 