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GRTR! Radio:
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The Chairman's
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GRTR!'s Peter Muir gets on his soapbox... |
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Dob's Diary
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Public Symphony frontman writes... |
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Latest additions to Primer:
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Albums you MUST hear...!
(Recent reviews in the out of this world/PDF categories)
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*****
*****
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Featured Album
THE STORYS |
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'...there's no doubting this is quality soft rock' |
One to watch...
CHRIS SINGLETON |
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I'd jot down ideas for songs on old tube tickets, boarding cards, you name it. I'd even record myself singing onto my mobile phone's voicemail. Looked like a nutter when I did that. |
One to watch...
NATASCHA SOHL |
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Audio interview, August 2007 |
One to watch...
25 YARD SCREAMER |
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Classic rock of epic proportions. It would be a crying shame if this didn't reach a wider audience
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One to watch...
MERMAID KISS |
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......elemental rock on an epic scale |
Rising Stars
PUCK |
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The highlight of being in any band is playing the gigs and meeting the fans. Getting positive feedback from people at the shows makes it all worthwhile.
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News update Updated 6 August 2008 |
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On this day...
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WIN! WIN! WIN!
Genesis DVD...
Billy Idol CD/DVD...
and Litho!!
Hard and Heavy
9CD/2 DVD Set...!
Elvis box set...
Guitar Hero CDs...!!
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Robin Trower...
Eleanor McEvoy...
Thea Gilmore...
Ratt...
Glenn Hughes..
Blue Oyster Cult
Ron Geesin...
Journey...
Def Leppard / Whitesnake...
Queensryche! |
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JAMIE'S JOURNAL!
Mermaid Kiss' Jamie Field writes for GRTR!
A personal musical journey...
ANNA'S DIARY!!
Tull's acoustic tour violinist writes for GRTR! Anna Phoebe continues her stories...
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Metal
news and interviews
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(Photo: Ian Pollard)
Acoustic Festival review 24-26.05.08 and photo gallery!!
BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 15th 16th 17th August 2008 
This years Bloodstock Open Air festival has already been tipped to be THE heavy rock /metal festival of 2008 not to be missed. 10,000 metal heads will descend on the picturesque village of Walton On Trent, in Derbyshire expecting to rock out to the finest metal line up the UK has ever witnessed.
The campsite opens Thursday at 12 noon giving plenty of time to set up camp for when the festivities begin. The Guitar Hero 3 Tent and Lava Stage and bar will be open on Thursday at 12 noon.
To follow on from this - Friday, Saturday and Sunday will see on the main stage headline acts - Opeth, Dimmu Borgir and Nightwish with Special Guests Helloween, as well as Iced Earth, At The Gates, Soulfly and Soilwork, to name just a few.
UK EXCLUSIVE - Sunday night headliners Nightwish will close the festival with a spectacular performance as they are bringing their entire pyros light show never before seen in the UK.
The cream of the UK unsigned metal acts will play on the Scuzz Underground Stage, and there are fairground rides, the International Metal Market plus Guitar hero 3 Champion competition madness and much much more
Full weekend tickets with camping are just £85. Limited day tickets are on sale at just £45. Tickets on sale through our secure online shop at www.bloodstock.uk.com plus selected HMV stores around the UK - you can also purchase from SEE tickets, Ticket Web, Piccadilly, Gigantic, Ticket Factory and Last minute or call the 24 hour ticket hotline: 0871 2200260
Band line up:
Friday 15: OPETH, HELLOWEEN, SOULFLY, PRIMAL FEAR, DESTRUCTION, AKERCOCKE, TYR, PRAYING MANTIS, EVILE, SAINT DEAMON,
Saturday 16: DIMMU BORGIR, ICED EARTH, SOILWORK, NAPALM DEATH, MOONSORROW, COMMUNIC, SWALLOW THE SUN, ELUVEITIE, MOB RULES, CLOUDSCAPE
Sunday 17: NIGHTWISH, AT THE GATES, OVERKILL, AS I LAY DYING, KATAKLYSM, GRAND MAGUS, ALESTORM, CROWNING GLORY, HEAVENS BASEMENT
UNIVERSAL MUSIC CATALOGUE LAUNCHES LOST TUNES DOWNLOAD STORE DEDICATED TO RARE MUSIC
Universal Music has launched Lost Tunes - a groundbreaking online download store dedicated to exclusives, rarities and overlooked classics. The site launch includes 134 albums that are available as downloads exclusively through Lost Tunes. Lost Tunes marks a new era in catalogue marketing, underlining Universal Music's commitment to fulfil music lovers' desire to buy ever-rarer material as digital downloads.
The initial batch of digital-download exclusives include The Walker Brothers' 'Live In Japan', three albums by the hugely acclaimed Comsat Angels, Bill Fay's eponymous album, UK blues Nine Below Zero, Mellow Candle and Oriental Sunshine to name but a few.
To mark the launch of this landmark store, Fiction Records' Delays, a band who have - an intuitive sense of what makes a great pop song” (NME) are recording their four favourite 'lost tunes' to be released exclusively for Lost Tunes on Monday 1st September. This release will coincide with another major Lost Tunes exclusive, a new collection of previously-unreleased material from The La's - eight rare recordings including the John Leckie and Steve Lilywhite mixes of 'Come In Out Come Out' and John Leckie and the Bob Andrew mix of 'Way Out'.
Greg Gilbert from Delays commented: "For us it's always been about songs and to get to reinterpret the music that has inspired us is a massive thrill. The Lost Tunes catalogue is so rich it was hard to know where to start but we feel we've found some real gems whilst "lost" in the vaults."
A further 500 exclusive download albums are scheduled to be launched on the store in the coming six months. Future exclusives will also include never-before-released gems from the Trojan, Fiction and Decca archives to name but a few.
All downloads on the site are available as highest quality 320kpbs MP3s. Downloaded tracks will work on any MP3-compatible fixed or portable device, including iPods, MP3 players and mobile phones.
Alongside download exclusives, the site features must-have catalogue albums and overlooked gems from a variety of artists, including Joni Mitchell, Scott Walker, Marianne Faithfull and The White Noise. A breadth of labels are represented on the site, ranging from rarities and digital exclusives from Prestige, Verve and Impulse to must-haves from A&M, Motown, Stax and Vertigo.
Lost Tunes is a major project for Universal Music which began just over a year ago, with a dedicated team and have been searching through the Universal Music archives for forgotten gems.
The site is designed with music lovers in mind, with a focus on in-depth editorial and product descriptions. A 'Smart Search' function has been developed for the store, allowing users to browse by any combination of genre, decade and label for a more refined browsing experience. Significantly, standard genre categories have been overturned in favour of more specific sub-genres, allowing users to browse across an impressive total of 38 genres and sub-genres ranging from Progressive Rock to Electronica to Dub to Jazz Fusion to World to Spokenword.
Azi Eftekhari, Head of Digital and Media for Universal Music Catalogue commented: "We wanted Lost Tunes to replicate the experience of going to a favourite local record shop where browsing and discovering music is a real pleasure and an adventure. We only include music that we love."
ALICE COOPER - "ALONG CAME A SPIDER" RELEASED 28TH JULY
'A dark and menacing album for dark and menacing times' is perhaps the most fitting description for Alice's 25th studio album, released through SPV on 28th July.
A chilling, conceptual thread runs through the songs, which are told through the voice of a serial killer named Spider. Alice Cooper, the master storyteller, weaves a web of danger, intrigue and death that rivals his best work.
Co-produced by Danny Saber, Greg Hampton and Alice himself, 'Along Came A Spider' manages to marry both vintage and modern day Alice. As theatrical as ever, the album has got hard rock with hooks and classic balladry, always with an overtone of evil - an instantly recognizable presence that will be welcomed by his fans.
Danny Saber, formerly of Black Grape, has also worked with Ozzy Osbourne & David Bowie, while Greg Hampton's been working on a new album project teaming up Buckethead and Bootsy Collins.
Joining Alice on the album are members of his touring band - long-time Alice drummer Eric Singer, bassist Chuck Garric, guitarists Keri Kelli and Jason Hook, while Slash contributes guitar style to "Vengeance Is Mine."
Album review
MEMORABILIA EXHIBITS FLOOD IN AS LED ZEPPELIN 'MEMORIES IN MUSIC 1968-2008' CATCHES THE ATTENTION OF GLOBAL ZEPHEADS!
The response to the news that there is to be a special month-long Led Zeppelin Memorabilia Exhibit - 'Memories in Music 1968-2008', held during August at Knebworth House, has been overwhelming!
Led Zeppelin fans around the world, on hearing of the event on websites and in the printed press, have been quick and eager to support the event by loaning some outstanding Zeppelin memorabilia exhibits.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the formation of Led Zeppelin - with the proceeds of all donations/raffle-prize money going to the ABC Trust, Action for Brazil's Children, Zeppelin fans can view a selection of all things Led Zeppelin over four decades from badges to bathrobes.
Amongst the many juicy items are large amounts of handbills, tickets, rare vinyl, programs, signed photos...it's a long list which keeps growing...and you'll have to be there to experience it all! For example - visitors will see a red leather jacket belonging to John Bonham which still has the Guest Artist Pass for the Knebworth show on August 11th '79 attached to it. There's also photos by Frank Melfi, all the albums signed by the band, a rare Japanese release of LZ I, 46 singles from around the world in full colour sleeves, Celebration Day sheet music signed by band, original sheet music and song books from the 70s, tour programs from 69, 75 and 77, a rare Atlantic promotional inflatable Zeppelin (with photo of the band in front of it), 300 tickets from shows 1969-1980, 'The Object', original printer's proof of album artwork for LZ IV and Jimmy Page's robe from the 1980 tour.
Held by kind permission of the Knebworth House Education and Preservation Trust, the Led Zeppelin Memorabilia Exhibit takes place in the family library of Edward Bulwer Lytton at Knebworth House from 1 August - 3 September 2008. The Exhibition will open daily from 12.00 noon-5.00 pm (last tour at 4.00pm). All tours of Knebworth House are guided except on weekends where the House operates 'free flow.' Those wishing to spend more time at the 'Memories in Music 1968-2008' exhibit on guided tour days can be taken back at the end of the visit. Entrance to the exhibit is included in the price of the Knebworth House tour. Tickets to the House and Gardens are £9.50 for adults, £9.00 for seniors and children (aged 4-16). A Family day ticket to Knebworth House, including the Gardens (for 4 persons) is £33.00.
Do you have any Led Zeppelin memorabilia that you could loan the exhibition? It can be anything from a programme, signed pictures, plectrums or backstage passes - up to clothing, microphones and musical instruments. Please contact Annie Hollinshead if you think you can help. (ayhollinshead@hotmail.com)
The forthcoming Led Zeppelin Memories in Music Memorabilia Exhibit is offering fans around the world an online opportunity to pick up a fantastic Meridian F80 complete home entertainment system signed by Led Zeppelin's legendary guitarist Jimmy Page! The F80 is one of the prizes up for grabs in a great competition offer.
Exhibition website (Win Jon Ellinor's painting of the band, signed by Jimmy Page, and donated to the Memories in Music Exhibit to benefit the ABC Trust).
ROCK LEGENDS LED ZEPPELIN TO RECEIVE FIRST-EVER FULLY ILLUSTRATED HISTORY TREATMENT IN SEPTEMBER 2008
'Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin: The Illustrated History of the Heaviest Band of All Time' is the very first, complete illustrated history of legendary rock band Led Zeppelin, which will be available in September 2008.
Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin features a detailed history of these members of rock 'n' roll royalty from veteran music critic Jon Bream, with contributions from an elite cast of American and British rock journalists, including Rolling Stone's David Fricke, Creem cofounders Robert Matheu and Jaan Uhelszki, and famed UK music author Charles Shaar Murray. Several of rock's elite musicians, including members of Aerosmith, KISS, ZZ Top, the Stooges, Matchbox 20, the Hold Steady, and many other performers, will also reflect on the glory days of Led Zeppelin.
Unlike any book ever published on this wildly influential British foursome, this all-star tribute also contains a wealth of concert and behind-the- scenes photography from the band's first show in 1968 through to the 2007 reunion, as well as more than 200 rare concert posters, backstage passes, tickets, LPs and singles, T-shirts, badges, plus more memorabilia from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, and Poland.
Featuring an appendix detailing the band's complete discography - Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin is the most comprehensive chronicle ever produced of the band, priced £25.00, hardback.
RETURN OF GUITAR ROCK FOR TODD: UK TOUR ANNOUNCED
Todd Rundgren, the man who gave us the classic albums 'Something/Anything?', 'A Wizard, A True Star', 'Faithful', 'Hermit of Mink Hollow' and 2004's critically acclaimed 'Liars', will perform four UK concerts following the September 29th UK release of his new studio album 'ARENA'.
Tickets go on sale July 11th for four rare UK concerts including Manchester Academy 2 (Nov 6), Edinburgh Picture House (Nov 7) and Norwich Waterfront (Nov 22) and London Kentish Town Forum (Nov 23).
'Arena is a definite return to riff-oriented guitar rock," says Rundgren. "It's supposed to make you reflexively pump your fist and wave a lighter in the air. The concerts will be a straight-ahead, guitar-rock extravaganza. We can't afford the flamethrowers yet, but we'll make up for it with aggression."
The Arena Tour band will feature Jesse Gress (guitar), Rachel Haden (bass), Matt Bolton (guitar, keyboards), Prairie Prince (drums), and Todd Rundgren (guitar, vocals).
Album review
METALLICA ANNOUNCE STREET DATE FOR NEW ALBUM! DEATH MAGNETIC WILL BE RELEASED WORLDWIDE ON SEPTEMBER 12th 2008
Metallica have announced their tenth studio album, Death Magnetic, will be released globally on Friday, September 12th 2008.
News about Death Magnetic has been flowing out of Metallica's camp via the band's official website ( http://www.metallica.com ) and a brand-new site, www.missionmetallica.com, which offers users a unique, ground-breaking look-in on the making of the album, with producer Rick Rubin.
Fans who can't wait for the September 12th release date will be able to access a digital-edition version of the album, to be delivered at midnight on release day, by joining the free site, which launched on May 29th. Missionmetallica.com features a treasure trove of exclusive content, including the low-down from the band members themselves about their progress in the studio via fly-on-the-wall video footage, live concerts downloads, exclusive new and never-before-seen archival photos from the studio, contests to fly to foreign lands to see the band perform and much much more.
Metallica are currently finishing up the mixing and mastering of Death Magnetic. The cover art and full-track-listing (below) have been posted at missionmetallica.com, where fans can purchase the album plus web content in various configurations.
Users should continue to check the site for the chance to win tickets and meet-and-greet passes to Metallica's live concert events this summer. The band played a sold out show to 65,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in July 2007 and this year will be headlining the Leeds and Reading Festivals on August 22nd and 24th respectively. They have also just announced they will be making appearances at two special fan shows to launch the album in Berlin (Sept 12th) and London (Sept 15th) - venues still tba.
WALTER TROUT TOUR IN NOVEMBER, JOE BONAMASSA DATES AND LIVE ALBUM
Former John Mayall guitar master and singer/songwriter Walter Trout releases his first single 'All My Life' from his new album 'The Outsider', produced by John Porter (B.B. King, Los Lonely Boys, Ryan Adams).
Musicians on the album include drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, John Fogerty), bassist Hutch Hutchinson, pianist Jon Cleary (Bonnie Raitt), Skip Edwards & Samuel Avila on Hammond B3 with guest appearance by harmonica wiz Jason Ricci.
Supporting Walter on 3 of his gigs will be Monte Montgomery (blues based rock with some fine vocals, blistering solos & explosive power chords).
AUGUST 2008
Sun. 24th COLNE Gt British R&B Festival 7.30pm www.blues-festival.co.uk -
Mon 25th ROSS on WYE Rock n Roots Festival 4.30pm www.rocknroots.co.uk
OCTOBER 2008
Thus. 2nd Edinburgh The Old Picture Hse. 0844 847 1740 £17.50
Fri.3rd Glasgow The Ferry 0141 429 1010 £16adv/£18 door www.therenfrewferry.co.uk
Sat. 4th Newcastle The Academy 0191 260 2020 £17.50 www.newcastle-academy.com
Sun. 5th Kendall Brewery Arts Centre 01539 725133 £15 www.breweryarts.co.uk
Mon. 6th Crewe The M Club 0161 832 1111 £15 www.themclub.co.uk
Tues. 7th Cardiff The Point 02920 460873 £16 www.thepointcardiffbay.co.uk
Wed. 8th Sheffield The Boardwalk 0114 279 9090 £16 www.theboardwalklive.co.uk
Thurs.9th Holmfirth Picturedrome 01484 222444 £16 www.picturedrome.net
Fri.10th Blackburn St Georges Hall 0844 847 1644 £16 www.kinggeorgeshall.com
Sat.11th Frome Cheese & Grain 01373 455420 £13.50adv/£15 door www.cheeseandgrain.co.uk
Mon.13th Milton Keynes The Stables 01908 280800 £22 www.stables.org
Tues.14th Derby Assembly Rooms 01322 255800 £16 www.assemblyrooms-derby.co.uk
Wed 15th Southampton The Brook 02380 555366 £15adv/£17 door www.the-brook.com Special guest Monte Montgomery
Thurs.16th Wolverhampton Robin 2 01902 401211 £15adv/£16 door www.therobin.co.uk Special guest Monte Montgomery
Fri. 17th London Shepherds Bush Empire with Special guest Monte Montgomery www.shepherds-bush-empire.co.uk 0870 771 2000 £16.50
Album review
JOE BONAMASSA releases a live album 'Live From Nowhere In Particular' on Provogue Records, a 2-CD set recorded on his Autumn/Winter tour 2007/8.
Bonamassa will be touring the UK in November:
NOVEMBER 2008
Sat 8th Birmingham NEC ( Music Live) 0871 945 4956 www.musiclive.co.uk
Sun 9th Manchester Academy 1 0161 832 1111 www.manchesteracademy.net
Mon 10th Gateshead Sage 0191 443 4661 www.thesagegateshead.org
Wed 12th Bristol Colston Hall 0117 922 3686 www.colstonhall.org
Album review
ROCK GUITAR HERO MEL GALLEY PASSES AWAY
Mel Galley passed away on 1 July. He is one of the founding members of the multi-media rock music project PHENOMENA and former Whitesnake and Trapeze member.
At the beginning of this year he was diagnosed with cancer of the opheophages. He decided not have an operation but to try to survive his 60 birthday, which was celebrated just 2 months ago in the presence of Glenn Hughes and Chris Evans.
Rock legend Glenn Hughes comments the passing of his close friend and Phenomena participant: 'For me there was Clapton, Hendrix and Mel Galley. What a loss for rock music.'
Whitesnake singer David Coverdale gives tribute to Mel, as one of the most gifted rock musicians ever, who had a major impact with many other bands and artists career: 'Music was his life. Whitesnake celebrates every night the brilliant songs he has written for us. Mel, we salute you.'
STACKRIDGE DATES
8th. August. Cropredy Festival.Near Banbury, Oxfordshire.
24th. August. Rock 'n' Roots Festival. Near Ross On Wye.
30th. August. The Rhythm Festival. Bedford.
Sept. 5th. The Boardwalk. Sheffield -
Sept. 6th. Fibbers, York -
Sept. 12th. The Stables, Wavendon -
Sept. 17th. The Brook, Southampton -
Sept. 19th. The David Hall. South Petherton.Somerset -
Sept. 27th. The New Bull & Butcher. London N2 -
Oct. 1st. The Cluny. Newcastle -
Oct. 2nd. The Robin 2. Wolverhampton -
Oct. 4th. The Boom Boom Club, Sutton, Surrey -
Oct. 5th. The Cheese & Grain. Frome. Somerset.
Gig review
GLYDER NEW EP - SUPPORT Y&T IN SEPTEMBER
Glyder are now taking pre-orders for their new EP 'Weather the Storm'. The 5 track EP will be on sale from the bands website www.glydermusic.com . All pre-sales will be signed by the band.
Glyder will also be selling the EP on tour in Europe in the UK and Europe in September and October. To view the artwork by Mark Wilkinson, touring schedule and information about the EP visit www.myspace.com/glyder.
Glyder support Y&T in September:
Tue 16 September Oxford, UK Carling Academy Oxford -
Thu 18 September Glasgow, UK Cathouse -
Fri 19 September Newcastle, UK Carling Academy Newcastle -
Sat 20 September Sheffield, UK The Corporation -
Sun 21 September Dudley, UK JB's -
Tue 23 September Liverpool, UK Carling Academy Liverpool -
Wed 24 September Cardiff, UK The Point -
Fri 26 September Southampton, UK The Brook -
Sat 27 September London, UK Astoria 2
More information
GRTR! Podcast
MERMAID KISS PLAY LIVE DATES
GRTR! favourites Mermaid Kiss play rare live dates in September and October, supporting Breathing Space and The Reasoning.
7th September 2008 - supporting Breathing Space
Robin 2, Bilston
On Stage 8pm. More details and tickets www.therobin.co.uk
The sets will be predominately acoustic (ie; no drums) and the set list will include some songs from Etarlis, some earlier material and a number of new pieces.
The line up will be: Evelyn Downing - vocals, flute, Wendy Marks - oboe, recorder, flute, double bass, backing vocals, Jonathan Edwards - keyboards, Jamie Field - guitar, Richard Northwood - bass
Additional dates have been announced:
15th October 2008 - supporting The Reasoning
The 12 Bar, Swindon (Further details to come)
16th October 2008 - supporting The Reasoning
Limelight, Crewe (Further details to come)
Rising Stars Podcast
Album review
Jamie's Journal
SIMPLE MINDS 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION & TOUR DATES
One of the most successful bands of their generation; Simple Minds will take a break from the preparations of their new album to celebrate their 30th Anniversary with a series of six rare UK concerts during November and December.
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