Ska 101: Rude Boys on Parade

I can't believe I haven't featured ska on my 101 series, when I have managed to cover such esoteric things as folk-metal and freak-folk, but there you go......

Ska has a long history, dating back to Jamaica in the 1950's when Caribbean mento and calypso were combined with American jazz and rhythm and blues; Prince Buster and the Skatalites. Toots and the Mytals and Dandy LIvingstone made sure that it was THE music of Jamaica in the 60's and early 70's.

The second wave of ska, or 2 Tone Ska, began in the late 70's in the UK. The Specials, The Beat and The Selecter all consisted on black and white artists, a much needed influence in a divided United KIngdom at the time.

2Tone ska artists were respectful to their elders, but they failed to fully recognise them as the authors of some of their most famous songs; "A Message to You Rudy" was actually Dandy Livingstone's, the Beat's "Rough Rider" was by Prince Buster.

The big question of course is can we call US ska in the early 90's the third wave, bands like Mighty Mighty Bosstones, No Doubt, Sublime, Reel Big Fish.

My own view is that you need your head read if you think this is the case. That's like saying Green Day or Avril Lavigne are punk. The US, in both these respects has done a beautiful job of bastardising music that rose out of working class Britain, out of unemployment, of racial tension and pretending that can they copy the cool.

Yes, Rude Boys were cool, blending their own style with that of mods and skin-heads: Gwen Stefani definitely was not !

Here's Rock Revival's Top Ten

1 Carolina Prince Buster
2 ain to Skaville The Ethiopians
3 Message to You Rudy The Specials
4 Lip Up Fatty Bad Manners
5 Mirror in the Bathroom The Beat
6 Pickney Gal Desmond Decker
7 Malcolm X Skatalites
8 Pressure Drop Toots and the Maytals
9 Too Much Pressure The Selecter
10 Baggy Trousers Madness

Image: 2Tone/Go Feet

Rock Revival's Five Hottest Women in Rock

A juvenile list, maybe, guaranteed to get hits, probably..... I still feel secure enough to do another post on the hottest men 1. Robert Plant 2. Jon Bon Jovi 3. Mick Jagger 4. Peter Frampton 5. Steve Tyler

1. Kate Bush

2. Debbie Harry

3. PJ Harvey

4. Joan Jett

5. Allsinon Robertson (The Donnas)

Rock Revival's Top Twenty Five 25 Debut Singles

Debut singles are critical for any rock star, often being both the ticket that breaks you out of obscurity and the millstone around your neck for the rest of your career; imagine how many times por old Blue Cheer had to play Summertime Blues, or worse, how many times the Knack played My Sharona (maybe even the only song they played)

Here's Rock Revival's Top Twenty Five

1 Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley / I'm A Man
2 Kingsmen - Louie Louie
3 Van Halen - You Really Got Me
4 Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe
5 Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The U.K.
6 Chuck Berry - Maybellene
7 Mamas & Papas - California Dreamin
8 Blue Cheer - Summertime Blues
9 Procol Harum - Whiter Shade Of Pale
10 The Clash - White Riot
11 Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
12 Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine
13 Doors - Break On Through
14 Led Zeppelin - Good Times, Bad Times / Communication Breakdown
15 Zombies - She's Not There
16 Boston - More Than A Feeling
17 Aerosmith - Dream On
18 Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing
19 Bad Company - Can't Get Enough
20 Cars - Just What I Needed
21 Eagles - Take It Easy
22 Vanilla Fudge - You Keep Me Hangin' On
23 Slim Harpo - I'm A King Bee / Got Love If You Want It
24 Traffic - Paper Sun
25 The Knack - My Sharona

Rock Revival's Time Capsule (1995): Oasis and Blur Go Head To Head For Brit-Pop Crown

In the early 1990's Thatcher was long gone and in her wake Britain, or "cool Britannia" was again "swinging" with the popular answer to Grunge, Brit-Pop.

Mansun, Elastica, Echobelly, Sleeper, Supergrass, Primal Scream, The Auteurs, The Boo Radleys, Pulp, Cast, The Bluetones, Black Grape, Space and The Divine Comedy, the country was back on track, spawning the Third British Invasion and backing Suede's battle cry of "Yanks Go Home"

The zenith of Brit-Pop was arguably 1995; when two of the biggest bands, Oasis and Blur went head to head (with media support) to come up with the greatest selling single, an event even featured on BBC News

In one corner was Oasis' brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher representing the North of England



In the other Blur's Damon Albarn and Alex James representing the South.



Both singles, Oasis' "Roll With It" and Blur's "Country House" were released in the same week and despite the bravado Blur won !

Blur selling 274,000 copies and Oasis 216,000 charting at number one and number two respectively.

In the long term Oasis were probably the winners in terms of popularity. (What's the Story) Morning Glory outsold Blur’s The Great Escape by 4 to 1 and is considered the definitive Brit-Pop album of all time.



Images: Epic/Creation/Food

Are People Who Like Death Metal Emotionally Disturbed ? OR Why Do the Mentally Ill Have All the Best Riffs ?

OK, it's a controversial question, I am not trying to be Tippa Gore here, but an interesting one; why so much obsession with dead babies, blood baths, carnal corpses and devils

For a death metal fan my next statement (I only like it for the riffs) is like saying "I only read Playboy for the articles".

But you can ask "why do all the loonies have all the good guitar work" when it comes to metal.

Another way of looking at it is the dark themes are a healthy release; I know Henry Rollins helped me alot (his poems are pretty catharctic)

Your thoughts

Image: Courtesy Century/Quarterstick

June 2008 Metal Madness: So Many New Releases So Little Time !

Late May and June heralds an absolute avalanche of new metal releases

1 Nostradamus Judas Priest

Probably the most keenly awaited, I have heard the title track and I'm not so sure, can Judas Priest do pompous prog metal, the answer may be "stick to what you do best"

2. Prevail Kataklysm

Canadian metal, famous for the drummers 'blast beats" and the creative use of movie clips in their songs: ("you lookin' at me !")

3 Indestructable Disturbed

Chicago metal band critisised sometimes for not being heavy enough; tell that to their cuddly friend above !!!

4 My Skin is Cold (Single) Satyricon

Norwegian medievil metal, their last album "Now, Diabolical" was critisised for being to radio-friendly, having listened to them I'm not so sure; too much 'evil' in the medievil for my liking

5 Land Tyr

Folk metal, again from Scandinavia, inspired by Norse mythology (..as you do !)

6. Reborn Northern Kings

Il Divo of metal, four dudes sing together like metal Pavarotti et al

7. Iron Will Grand Magus

Swedish Doom (what is it with these Scandinavians; it's dark all year in winter in certain parts, like Lapland)

8. Citizen Brain Gama Bomb

British and Irish thrash a la Slayer and Megadeth (ie: pussies according to the guys who critisise Disturbed and Satyricon

Image: Courtesy Earache/Napalm/Reprise

Who Loves Electric Wizard? Doom Masters

Who actually needs drugs when you can listen to a band like the formidable Electric Wizard, the sludgiest metal band of all time.

Their 1997 album 'Come My Fanatics" is probably one of the heaviest albums of the nineties, down-tuned, bass-heavy, psychedelic, droning Sabbathesque guitars, glorious !

They were formed, paradoxically, in lovely Dorset, England in 1993 and have at times been plagued by many set backs, marijuana possession, arrest for assaulting a police officer, a sentence for robbery, a collapsed eardrum during a concert, and a severed a fingertip, a broken collarbone in a motorcycle accident.........

In terms of genre you might call it doom metal (with sludge and stoner traits), call it what you will but it's purely hypnotic

Image: Courtesy Rise Above

Rock Revival's Top Twenty Best Metal Covers of Non-Metal Songs

If, like me, you are addicted to covers and you love heavy metal, this is the list for you, youre chance to hear your favourite songs played heavy (and some of your not so favourite songs).

Here is Rock Revival's Top Twenty

1 Holy Diver (Ronnie James Dio) Killswitch Engage
2 Cars (Gary Numan) Fear Factory
3 Heart of Gold (Nel Young) Black Label Society
4 Cat Scratch Fever (Ted Nugent) Pantera
6 Got the Time (Joe Jackson) Anthrax
6 Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush) Within Temptation
7 Wicked Game (Chris Isaak) HIM
8 Love Will Tear Us (Joy Division) Apart Moonspell
9 Heaven on their Minds (Jesus Christ Superstar) Queensryche
10 Die Die My Darling (Nick Cave) Metallica
11 Feel Like Making Love (Bad Company) Type O Negative
12 Stayin Alive (alright now....!) (Bee Gees)Ozzy Osbourne
13 You Give Love a Bad Name (Guns 'n' Roses) Atreyu
14 Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler) Sonata Artica
15 Back in Black (ACDC) Six Feet Under
16 mmigrant Song Demons and Wizards
17 Point of No Return (Kansas) Vanden Plas
18 Dark Side of the Monn (Pink Floyd) Dream Theatre
19 Gimme Gimme Gimme (ABBA) Beseech
20 Oops I Did it Again (Britney Spears) Children of Bodom

Image: Courtesy Island

Led Zeppelin 02 Arena Reunion Concert Bootleg

I may be way behind the times but someone just gave me a bootleg of the concert, happy to listen to it but not to post it on the site; many do but I don't want to lose my spot on the radio.............review on way............later

Now We Know We Are Old: Lynyrd Skynyrd's Billy Powell Stops Tour For Hip Replacement !

Oh God, we know they (and we) are getting old when one of our heroes has to stop touring due to hip replacement surgery.

Billy Powell, one of the original members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, had hip replacement surgery in Jacksonville, Florida on Wednesday, May 21.

“Billy's hip had continued to give him dislocation problems and it was determined that a revision was the only possible solution,” says Lynyrd Skynyrd manager

Billy will be recovering over the next 4 weeks and will have to wear a hip brace for the next 3 months.

He will join the tour again in July.

Image: MCA

Rock Revival on Triple H 100.1 THU 8-10PM Sydney: This Week's Playlist 29 May 2008

If you live in Sydney Australia make sure you listen this week, we have heaps of new releases, including Steve Winwood and Def Leppard, we'll be looking at the controversial history of Louie Louie, one of the most covered songs in rock, playing music by lost supergroup Captain Beyond, remembering Edgar Winter and the Specials and much much more..........................

Playlist

Songs From the Wood/Jethro Tull
Dust in the Wind/Kansas
Dirty City/Steve Winwood (w/Eric)
Free Ride/Edgar Winter
Louie Louie/Motorhead
Louie Louie/Iggy Pop
Ballad of an Easy Rider/The Byrds
The Inner Light/Jeff Lynne and Anoushka Shankar
Go/Def Leppard
A Message to You Rudy/The Specials
Ballroom Blitz/Sweet
Strange Kind of Woman/Deep Purple
The Dweller of Rhymnes/Elvenking
Unchained/Van Halen

Rock Revival's Top Twenty Songs About Dope/ Marijuana/ Weed

Have to confess to not being a smoker myself, but the weed has produced some excellent music, millions of songs indirectly of course, but quite a few that are direct

1 Sweetleaf, Black Sabbath
2 Legalize by Peter Tosh
3 Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35 Bob Dylan
4 That Smell by Lynyrd Skynard
5 Hits From the Bong Cypress Hill
6 Along Comes Mary" by The Association
7 Champaign Supernova: Oasis
8 Last Dance with Mary Jane Tom Petty
9 Gimme a Reefer, Bessie Smith
10 Champaign and Reefer, Muddy Waters
11 Don't Bogart Me, Fraternity of Man
12 New Riders of the Purple Sage, "Panama Red"
13 Illegal Smile John Prine
14 Kaya Bob Marley
15 Stone Magnet Electric Wizard
16 Sacred Smoke Bongzilla
17 Boston,Smokin
18 Somethin' Stinks and I Want Some George Clinton
19 Weedmonkey Weedeater
20 Makin it Natural Doctor Hook and the Medicine Show

Image: Warner Bros

30th Anniversary Expanded Release of Kansas Two For the Show Due July 1, 2008

"Carry On Wayward Son", "Dust in the Wind", "Point of No Return": Kansas were amongst the best of the more popular prog-influenced bands of the late 70's, a genre that included Alan Parson's, Marillion (the best ?), Manfred Mann's Earth Band, maybe even ELO. Kansas et al. brought prog to the masses, adding melody and radio friendliness at a time when prog was on the wane.

An expanded edition of Two For the Show, Kansas's Live Double album will be released July 1st to celebrate thrity years since it's original release.

"Kansas possess a musicianship that rivals any of their peers with lyrics that go far beyond the 'I love you' tunes of Top 40 radio, often discussing emotions that all of us have felt and struggled with yet were too afraid to talk about. The band's style of songwriting mixed classical, hard rock, progressive rock, and pop in a way that had not been done before.

"Looking back, it is hard to believe that these six long-haired, rough and tumble Midwesterners took only a few years to go from playing local bars to selling out Madison Square Garden .but that is exactly what happened"

"The album is a testament to a great band at the top of their game. A large majority of the track listing is still found in the band's set list today, proving their music remains both majestic and timeless.This album is a true testament to their abilities. So, the time has come for me to Welcome you to Kansas and invite you to sit back, crank up the volume, and enjoy TWO FOR THE SHOW."

- Jeb Wright, from the liner notes

Disc One - 1. Song For America . 2. Point Of Know Return . 3. Paradox . 4. Icarus - Borne On Wings Of Steel . 5. Portrait (He Knew) . 6. Carry On Wayward Son . 7. Journey From Mariabronn . 8. Dust In the Wind - acoustic guitar solo . 9. Lonely Wind - piano solo . 10. Mysteries And Mayhem . 11. Excerpt From Lamplight Symphony . 12. The Wall . 13. Magnum Opus

Disc Two - (All Previously unreleased)
Selections: 1. Hopelessly Human . 2. Child Of Innocence . 3. Belexes . 4. Cheyenne Anthem . 5. Lonely Street . 6. Miracles Out Of Nowhere . 7. The Spider - drum solo . 8. Closet Chronicles . 9. Down The Road . 10. Sparks Of The Tempest . 11. Bringing It Back .

Image: Courtesy Kirshner

Rock Revival's Most Worst Insipid Songs Ever

Inspipid, from the French insipide, from Late Latin insipidus meanslacking flavor or zest; not tasty, lacking qualities that excite, stimulate, or interest; dull.

Theres alot to chose from when picking the top five; here goes

1. Imagine: JOhn Lennon

This is light years ahead of the other contenders, probably the most overplayed and dullest song ever recorded. A suitable testament to John Lennon's celebrity activism

2. Candle in the Wind: Elton John

Watching Elton do this at Diana's funeral was probably the most insipid moment there has ever been in rock.

3. Stuck in a Moment (September 11 Version): U2

No comment required

4. Every Breath You Take: The Police

A brilliant white reggae band goes bland

5. Your'e My Inspiration: Chicago

What a come down after their brilliant debut, when they were called Chicago Transit Authority

Rock Revival's Top Ten Bands to Use Unusual Instruments

Rock was built on the idea of guitar, bass, drums and vocals but this certainly hasn't stopped so many artists from experimenting with every instrument under the sun. From the Beach Boy's Theremin to Apocalyptica's Cellos you can pretty much make rock on anything that makes a noise. Here's our top ten examples:

1. Fleetwood Mac

6 panes of glass {shattered at the end of Gold Dust Woman}
Leg of lamb
Pencil dropped onto a chair
Empty Kleenex boxes
Back of a chair
Drum pads in Mick Fleetwood's waistcoat

2. Blackmore's Night

Hurdy Gurdy
Chanter
Shawm
Rauschpfeife
Cornamuse
Mandola

3. Pink Floyd

Clinking glasses and Rice Crispies popping

4. Grateful Dead

Mickey Hart plays the iron bar

5. The Cure

A child's piano, Kazoos, McDonald's milkshakes (they moved the straws up and down to get the Kazoo noise)

6. Sepultura

The excellent sounding Brazilian intrument, the Berimbau

7. Van Halen

Electric Drill on Poundcake

8. AC/DC

Bagpipes (It's A Long Way To The Top)

9. Beach Boys

Theramin, the only intrument you play without touching it, on Good Vibrations

10. Elton John

Jean Luc Ponty plays electric violin on Honky Chateau album to great effect

Image: Courtesy Warner Bros

Yes 40th Anniversary Tour 2008 plus New Material: Oliver Wakeman Replaces Rick

Yes are an incredible 40 years old this year.

They have officially announced a 2008 world tour, calledClose to the Edge and Back,featuring four of the originals, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, and Alan White

Oliver Wakeman, son of Rick, will take to the keyboards given that his Doctor has advised him to stay off touring.

There are 26 North American dates starting July 12 at Quebec City Festival, finishing August 22 at the Gibson Amphitheater, L.A.

A live album will be released sometime in summer 2008.

The most exciting thing is the 4 "lengthy, multi-movement compositions" for the tour which are "very, very different."

Jon Anderson has stated that he wishes to perform "Perpetual Change,", "Yours Is No Disgrace" "Awaken," "Close to the Edge," and "Heart of the Sunrise"

No new Yes music has been heard since 2001's Magnification, with Rick Wakeman in attendance

Essential Records

Prog Metal Heaven ! Mastodon New Album in the Works plus European Tour with Trivium

Mastodon, US prog metal band are one the best around at the moment, a band that does metal without sacrificing their brain (or maybe their soul !)

Well, they have recently secured the fantastic producer Brendan O'Brien to produce their next record: Brendan has previously produced ACDC, Pearl Jam and Velvet Revolver

Drummer Brann Dailor has recently discussed the making of the new album:

"It's a long, arduous process. We've got a skeleton for the whole record and these huge chunks of music four of five different segments that don't have a beginning or end yet... We're just basically in the middle of the record, adding stuff, giving it a taste then adding a little more 'pepper' or 'salt.' Once all the ingredients are in there, you have to bake it — which is just playing it over and over again until it feels right. The main goal is to get the songs right so you don't have to think about the time changes — so you can relax with it and play it how it should be played. There's a level of difficulty to our stuff and if you're too wrapped up in trying to remember how many times something goes and the timing for the next riff, you can't examine the song for being a song. So it takes a while."

The band will team up with another brilliant prog metal group, Trivium for the"The Unholy Alliance: Chapter III" European tour in November; first stop November 10, 2008 at Eishalle Deutweg in Winterthur, Switzerland.

Image: Courtesy Relapse Records

Rock Revival Challenge: Ten Favourite Albums That Aren't Rock

Ok, it's starting to spread, Welcome to the Pond has made their own list (http://rfduck.blogspot.com/)

Here's the top 3

1) Celtic:
My favorite right now is The Best of the Bothy Band. It's full of great stuff, especially if you like high-energy Irish tunes!

2) Scandinavian:
15 years by Groupa is a very earthy, jazzy, beautiful collection. If the Bothy Band came from Sweden, they'd sound like this.

3) Cajun:
Live! From the Left Coast is probably my favorite album by Cajun band BeauSoleil. It's also the last album of theirs I've bought. What took me so long to get this gem?

A Saucerful Of Pink- A Tribute To Pink Floyd Release June 9, 2008

A Saucerful Of Pink- A Tribute To Pink Floyd is named after the second Pink Floyd album, A Saucer Full of Secrets (this album released in 68 marked their transition from psychedelic rock to prog)

The tribute album features covers by some of the best alternative bands around; including Psychic TV (believe it or not they combine psychedelic, punk, electronic and experimental music) , Alien Sex Fiend ("Smooth Criminal"), Nik Turner (Hawkwind) and the Sky Cries Mary (trance rock)

Pre-order at spincds

1. Set Controls For The Heart Of The Sun - Psychic TV
2. Another Brick In The Wall - Controlled Bleeding
3. One Of These Days - Spahn Ranch
4. Wots...Uh The Deal - Sky Cries Mary
5. Interstellar Overdrive - Spiral Realms
6. Learning To Fly - Leather Strip
7. To Roger Waters, Wherever You Are - Ron Geesin
8. Jugband Blues - Eden
9. On The Run - Din
Disc: 2
1. Echoes - Alien Sex Fiend
2. Hey You - Furnace
3. Careful With That Axe, Eugene - Nik Turner
4. Lucifer Sam - Electric Hellfire Club
5. Pigs On The Wing - Helious Creed
6. Let There Be More Light - Pressurehed
7. Young Lust - Penal Colony
8. A Saucerful Of Secrets - EXP
9. Point Me At The Sky - Melting Euphoria
10. The Nile Song - Farflung

Image: Courtesy Temple

Layla's Classic Rock Faves Answers The Rock Revival Challenge: Name Your Favourite Albums That Aren't Rock

Yesterday I asked a bunch of the best rock sites to name their top ten albums that aren't rock, ie: come out of the closet with their more varied music tastes. Barbara from Layla's Classic Rock Faves is the first.

1. Motown:
Marvin Gaye - Let's Get it On.

2. Jazz:
Jamiroqua, High Times Singles

3. Oldies:
Tommy James & The Shondelles, Crimson & Clover

4. R&B Soul:
India Arie, Accoustc Soul

5. India Arie, Testimony

6. Contemporary Christian
Nichole Nordeman, Brave

7. Soul:
Joss Stone, The Soul Sessions

8. Genre?
John Butler Trio, Sunrise Over See

9. Genre?
Johnny Lang, all of his!

10. Pop
Train, Drops of Jupiter

Image: Tamla

Check out Layla's Classic Rock Faves

What Were The First Albums You Ever Bought ?

Here's another challenge, 2 in 2 days for all you rock bloggers and readers out there ! What are the first ten albums you ever bought, or a rough memory of them if your too old to remember too accurately ?

Here's my best recollection

1. Alice Cooper Goes to Hell

Later I asked my mum what does "Only Women Bleed mean ?", although that was off another album. I was only 13 and definitely didn't want to the answer

2. Elton John Single Man (I think that's what it was called)

If only I'd known that he was already past his prime; should have bought Tumbleweed Connection

3. Deep Purple Live in Japan

This was magic at age 13, a two hour long adventure, I soon got Live in Europe, In Rock, Stormbringer, Machine Head, ect.

4. Wilson Picket

Can't remember the album but this was pretty incredible, Land of a Thousand Dances, what a voice !

5. Spyrogyra

Cant remember the name of the album but Jazz Fusion was big in the record store i went to (later Earl Klugh, Bob James, Grover Washington Jr): not one of my best moments , I thought I was being sophisticated

6. Osibisa

Given to me by my much cooler French friend who also listened to Glenn Miller of all things. Osibisa rocked; African funk !

7. Jim Croce

At this point I must confess I lived in the Philippines as a teenager where albums cost about $1 each: so there was room to buy things that looked like they might be good. This one wasn't

8. Sweet Give Us a Wink

Working this out, I actually bought this alot earlier, at about 10, making this the first one ! Wow, what a great sound !

9. Mud

Can't remember the name of the album but they were part of the galm scene inhabited by Gary Glitter, Sweet, Bat City Rollers. Oh God ! I just remembered I was part of a Gary Glitter Fan Club before i was 10 ! So now Gary Glitter was the first album.

10. The real first one: Louis Armstrong

My dad's favourite; I asked him if I could buy one with my pocket money at age about 9 and told him i wanted to collect them. It all comes flooding back.

Over to You Layla, The Weight, Rock and Roll Guru, Bill Leslie, etcetera..........

Alice Cooper Pretties For You and Easy Action Re-Release June 9 2008

The first album I ever bought at the age of 12 was Alice Cooper's Goes to Hell, plus Elton John's Single Man (dissapointing) and Deep Purple Live in Japan (definitely not dissapointing).

I seem to remember Wilson Picket, Spyrogyra and Foghat also coming in as the next three.

Rhino Records has just announced the re-release of the first two Alice Albums, Pretties For You and Easy Action, out on 9 July.

Pre-Order @ spincds.com

Images: Courtesy Straight

Rudeboys Revisited: The Specials Reunion Tour October 2008

"Two Much Too Young", "Mirror in the Bathroom", " James Bond", who remembers the halycon days of ska in the late 70's and early 80's, when Doc Martens were the only shoes worth wearing, flat-tops the only hair-style and The Specials were the cream of the crop.

Well the Specials are gearing up for a massive reunion, 25 years after their heyday

Leader Terry Hall says he had "five years of reservations" about a reunion due to tensions in the band that are now resolved as members approach their fiftieth year

"We've been trying to do it for five years, but we solved those problems and hopefully got over them, seven 50-year-old men together in a room is not very pleasant, no matter who you are. But we're getting on great and that's all you can hope for, really."

"It's weird because we're all living all over the place, so it's difficult arranging to be in the same place at the same time, we're doing a block of rehearsals in June and then once we've done that, we'll see when we're ready."

"We're going to play just the first and second album, the first album probably in full and half of the second one. That's all we want to do -- just get together and play the songs once more."

They will play a series of theatre-sized venues in the U.K. around October.

"That's the kind of venue where we started, I don't like arena dates, at all. They're just soulless. The very nature of this band, we shouldn't go and play sit-down theatres. It would just be weird. I think we should carry on where we left off."

"It's feeling surprisingly fresh, purely because we haven't really played them for 25 years. I've played a few of those songs live since that point, but there was like an album-and-a-half that I haven't even thought about since 1981. I'm using lots of lyric sheets because I keep on getting words mixed up, although that's also down to old age."

Image: Courtesy 2Tone

"Coming Out of the Closet:" Rock Revival's Top Ten Albums That Aren't Rock

A couple of months ago i sent out a challenge to a number of rock sites to write down their list of top "Guilty Pleasures", ie" songs they are embarrassed to say they love; here's another one.

List yout top ten albums which are not rock. Call it a test of how purist you are in terms of your tastes, an opportunity for your readers to see your "other side", coming out of the closet.

Here's mine

1. Gospel

Aretha Franklin: Amazing Grace

This is one of say ten albums that can bring me to tears; "Wholly Holy", "Mary Don't You Weep", it's enough to give you religion, the passion, the sheer magnitude of her voice makes Ronnie James Dio sound like George Formby

2. Jazz

Keith Jarrett The Koln Concert

An album of solo piano improvisation; when I say improvisation I mean no prior ideas, completely made up on the spot. It's hard to believe that he comes up with music of such beauty, jazz, soul, funk all blended into pieces that send you into a trance

3. Reggae

Matisyahu: Live at Stubb's

An orthodox jew doing reggae; think about it. Rastafarianism and the Old Testament are not that far removed, this is an incredible live album

4. Bossa Nova

Stan Getz/Joao Gilbeto: Getz/Gilberto

This album set off the bossa nova craze in the early 60's ("Girl From Ipanema"); Lounge music can be good if you let it be !

5. UK Garage

Kano: Home Sweet Home

British hip-hop without all the stupid US gangsta poses; it's about everyday life, the rapping is clever, one song is even set to Black Sabbath for God's sake !

6. Jazz

Eric Dolphy at the 5-Spot

This jazz from the mid-60's, hard bop that teeters on free-jazz; to me it's pretty similar to Hendrix on Band of Gypsies, as if John Coltrane's Afro-Blue

7. World

Souad Massi: Deb

She is an Algerian recording in the musical melting pot that is Paris; this is the Joni Mitchell of Arabic music......... but richer

8. Electronica

Autechre: Quaristice

This album came out recently, it's all clicks and beats, the music behind Radiohead and Bjork, goes directly to your neurons

9. Chill

Anything by St Germaine

Wow, St Germaine are the epitomy of cool, the kind of music you would play in your own cafe if you had one; laid back but funky, adolescent music for adults

10. Classical

Arvo Part: Arbos

Minimalist modern composer who plays music like it's from medeival times. Goes straight to the heart, even if you don't understand it.

Image: Courtesy New Jazz

Edgar Winter's New Album "Rebel Road" with Guest Stars Johnny Winter, Slash and Clint Black plus Summer Tour 2008

Edgar Winter, author of 'Free Ride" and "Frankenstein" is one of the mainstays of 70's classic rock, as prolific and talented as his brother Johnny.

Well he has a new release planned called Rebel Road, with guest stars brother Johnny Winter, Slash, Clint Black on vocals and harmonica) and Curt Cuomo (percussion, vocals, organ).As yet there is no set release date, but ot sounds like the work has all been done

“The idea was to make a classic American rock album similar to the kind I used to back in the 70s, I believe music is about following your heart as opposed to trends and second guessing What you think the public wants to hear. I wanted to put out an album that felt real to me, regardless of what’s going on in today’s music world. I think artists who play music that comes from the heart and that they believe in will communicate with people. What’s missing in music today is not only real rock and roll, but the Southern style rock that Johnny and I grew up playing in Texas. Country music has come in to fill the vacuum of honesty and sincerity, and I wanted to contribute to this kind of musical integrity in my own way."

“The kind of music I’m playing on Rebel Road has meant so much to me over the years and it was great working with so many talented musicians on bringing it to life. I think it will resonate with fans familiar with my early music and younger lovers of classic rock. There’s something magical about the time this sound came from, when there was more musical freedom and songs reflected such powerful social changes as civil rights and the peace movement during the Vietnam era. There’s a deep sense of humanity in classic rock that still resonates today.”

This summer Edgar is touring with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (“the thrill of a lifetime and a dream come true.”) and a triple bill at the House of Blues, Dallas, with Johnny and the brilliant Kenny wayne Shepard

Tour Dates

Ringo All-Starr Tour
19-June Niagra Falls, ON, Fallsview Casino
20-June Niagra Falls, ON, Fallsview Casino
21-June Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center
22-June Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
24-June New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
25-June Boston, MA Bank Of America Pavilion
27-June Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
28-June Atlantic City, NJ Trump Taj Mahal Casino
29-June Westbury, NY North Fork Theater at Westbury
2-July Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
3-July Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Live Arena
5-July Biloxi, MS Beau Rivage MGM Resort Casino
6-July Nashville, TN Wild Horse Saloon
8-July Kettering, OH Fraze Pavilion
9-July Milwaukee, WI Potawatomi Bingo
11-July Windsor, ON, NoState Casino Windsor
13-July Chicago, IL Charter One Pavilion
14-July Prior Lake, MN Mystic Lake Casino
18-July Airway Heights, WA Northern Quest Casino
19-July Woodinville, WA Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
22-July Lemoore, CA Tachi Palace Casino
23-July Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery
25-July Reno, NV Silver Legacy Resort Casino
26-July Primm, NV Star of the Desert Arena
29-July Pala, CA Pala Casino Resort
31-July Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theater
1-August Indio, CA Fantasy Springs Resort
2-August Los Angeles, CA Greek Theater

Image Courtesy Epic
Edgar

3-August Downtown Decatur, IL Decatur Celebration-
6-August Calumet, MI Calumet Theater
7-August Roseburg, OR Douglas County Fair With Brian Howe
13-August Virginia Beach, VA Neptunes Park
24-August Sterling Heights, MI Freedom Hill With Kenny Wayne Shepard
29-August Dallas, TX House Of Blues With Johnny Winter
7-September Eureka, CA Woofstock Halversen Park
24-September Auburn, IN Dekalb County Fair
11-October Carolina Beach, NC Pleasure Island Jazz& Blues Festival With Johnny Winter

Marillion's New Album "Happiness is the Road" Due For Release September 2008

Marillion are a prolific British prog rock band who have released a massive 14 studio albums (most of the old ones are now remastered/expanded) since their inception in the late 70's, most comparable, at least in their early incarnation, with the band Genesis.

Their cult following probably compares only with the Grateful Dead, especially via their website, which offers hard core fans an unprecendeted access to live recordings (King Crimson have done the same)

Their 15th album, Happiness is the Road, is a double album will be released in September 2008 in 3 separate formats:

1. The Deluxe Campaign 2CD edition will contain both volumes in one special package

2. The Standard 1CD Edition of Happiness is the Road, Volume 1 will contain Disc 1, Essence, of the double album in a 'normal' jewel box

3. The Standard 1CD Edition of Happiness is the Road, Volume 2 will contain Disc 1, The Hard Shoulder, of the double album in a 'normal' jewel box

Go here to pre-order

Image: EMI

The Duhks New Album 'Fast Paced World' Release August 12, 2008

Anoushka Shankar, now the Duhks, what's going on on rock revival ! Well, loosen up guys it's ok to be abit more adventurous than Deep Purple and Black Sabbath at times (still love them though)

The Duhks are a canadian folk-rock or bluegrass band that sound pretty incredible, the Pogues without the piss, maybe the Corrs with it (they suck of course, except their version of 'Everybody Hurts' by REM)

There are alot of different influences in their music; it's celtic, there is some latin percussion, hillbilly, soul, ect.

Their first album, Your Daughters & Your Sons is one of my favourites and was nominated for a Juno Award; they were also nominated for a Grammy in 2007

Their fourth album, 'Fast Paced World,' is die August 12, 2008

"We traveled from Winnipeg, locked ourselves in a Nashville basement, pooled our ideas together and invented a new sound," says Sarah Dugas

"Jay's basement studio was like something out of the Star Trek Enterprise," adds banjoist, Leonard Podolak

If you need a rock connection you will be pleased to know that they have been blessed by none other than Led Zep's John Paul Jones: he appears with them on their recording Live at Merlefest (2007), playing mandolin on Whole Lotta Love

Image: Courtesy Sugar Hill