Tuesday, 20 May 2014

JEFFERSON GRIZZARD SHOWCASES ROOTS ROCK GEMS ON
'LEARNING HOW TO LIE'

A focus back on singer-songwriters has become evident in today's musical climate, as seen by the success of such artists as Wilco and Ryan Adams (while such veteran artists as Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen are enjoying the biggest commercial success of their entire career). And the fast-rising singer/guitarist, Jefferson Grizzard, is cut from the same musical cloth, as heard throughout his exceptional new release, 'Learning How to Lie' (via Back Porch Syndicate Records, and available on CD, 180g audiophile vinyl, and as a download at iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby).


The Georgia native is best described as either a "poetic singer/songwriter with his roots in American Rock" or "'65 Dylan and the Hawks meet Cohen and Petty," and the proof is in the music throughout 'Learning How to Lie,' which runs the gamut from rocking tunes ("Long Time Coming") to ballads ("Lorelei"), and also strikes a chord lyrically (especially the title track, which offers commentary on the human condition).


Grizzard has also hooked up with famed director, Matt Mahurin, to film a great new video for the title track of the album. Mahurin's track record speaks for itself - directing such classic videos over the years as the Black Crowes' "She Talks to Angels," Queensryche's "Silent Lucidity," Metallica's "The Unforgiven," and Alice in Chains' "Angry Chair," among others.
The video can be seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOw7yqKE_GA

'Learning How to Lie' is the highly anticipated follow-up recording to Grizzard's 2011 debut album, 'A Crack in the Door.' Recorded at famed Ocean Way Studios on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee, an impressive array of collaborators were assembled to be a part of the project.


Award-winning arranger Jerry Yester (Tom Waits, Tim Buckley, The Association) contributes his signature string and horn stylings to several of the tracks. Nashville’s legendary McCrarys (Bob Dylan, Michael McDonald, Eric Church, Mike Farris) grace the recording with their distinctive background vocals. And rock veteran Jimmy Hall (Jeff Beck, Wet Willie, Hank Williams, Jr.) makes an appearance on “In the Fall” with his harmonica.


And Grizzard's talents are being recognized by his peers, including fellow singer-songwriter Willie Nile, who has had praise for the new release (and even contributes vocals to a bonus track, "When Levon Sings"). “Brilliant new CD by Jefferson Grizzard. Thunder and lightning in letters from the underground. Strangers and outcasts learning how to lie in the search for truth and salvation. Tom Waits meets the Stones at the Heartbreak Hotel. Great album.”




'LEARNING HOW TO LIE' TRACKLISTING:

1. Long Time Coming

2. Plastic Lady

3. Lorelei

4. New Location

5. Learning How To Lie

6. Rough Times in Paris (Around Around)

7. In the Fall

8. Bound For The Sun

9. So Far Down

10. Rose

11. Cant Knock Em Out

12. When Levon Sings


FOR MORE INFO, VISIT:

www.jeffersongrizzard.com

www.facebook.com/jeffersongrizzard

JUDAS PRIEST SET "MARCH OF THE DAMNED" AS LEADOFF SINGLE FROM FORTHCOMING ALBUM, 'REDEEMER OF SOULS'


For the past few weeks, metalheads worldwide have undoubtedly been enjoying the "sneak peak" title track from Judas Priest's forthcoming 'Redeemer of Souls' album. And on Monday, May 19th, the official leadoff single from the album, "March of the Damned," will be released to rock and metal radio, and will be available for purchase via all digital sales providers. Additionally, on the same day, preorders for the full album will be made available through iTunes: http://smarturl.it/redeemerofsouls-albm

As the band themselves said about "March of the Damned," "Our passion for heavy metal has never diminished, and this track sounds off with real conviction!" Listen to the new song here: http://youtu.be/HJhm2vZFj2k.

'Redeemer of Souls' will be made available from Epic Records on Tuesday, July 15th, 2014, as both a standard version and a deluxe edition with five bonus tracks. When asked what fans can expect from Priest's 17th album overall, guitarist Glenn Tipton replied, "Sometimes in the past we may have come under fire for being too adventurous musically - so we have listened!! From start to finish 'Redeemer of Souls' is 13 songs of pure classic Priest metal!!"

Comprised of Rob Halford (vocals), Glenn Tipton (guitar), Richie Faulkner (guitar), Ian Hill (bass), and Scott Travis (drums), Judas Priest is responsible for some of heavy metal's all-time classic songs ("Living After Midnight," "Breaking the Law," "You've Got Another Thing Coming," etc.) and albums ('British Steel,' 'Screaming for Vengeance,' 'Painkiller,' etc.

And soon, fans will discover that Priest has assembled another metal classic, with the "March of the Damned" single and 'Redeemer of Souls' full-length.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT:
www.judaspriest.com
www.facebook.com/OfficialJudasPriest











Wednesday, 14 May 2014

No Sinner UK/European Tour in May



Vancouver’s powerhouse blues rock band, “No Sinner”, hot off their critically acclaimed concerts at this year’s SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, return to the UK and Europe for an extensive tour in May 2014. They release their new single “Love Is A Madness” on May 26th.

The UK and European tour follows their sold out showcase concert at The Blackheart, Camden, back in November 2013 which received an incredible reaction from the British music press.
The band's debut mini album "Boo Hoo Hoo" was released in the UK on January 20, 2013, and will be released in North America on June 24th, 2014.





“SAVE YOUR SOUL”
MAY 2014 EUROPEAN TOUR

Dublin Workman's Club
Wednesday 21 May
Tickets €14

Dot to Dot Festival - Manchester
Friday 23 May
Tickets £20

Dot to Dot Festival - Bristol
Saturday 24 May
Tickets £20

Dot to Dot Festival - Nottingham
Sunday 25 May
Tickets £20


Leeds Brudenell Social Club (NEW)
Tuesday 27 May
Tickets: £7.00
Box Office: 0845 413 4444
33 Queens Road, Leeds, LS6 1NY

London Garage (upstairs)
Thursday 29 May
Tickets £8.50

Paris Bus Palladium
Friday 30 May
Tickets €6

Amsterdam Paradiso (upstairs)
Sunday 1 June
Tickets €10

Hamburg Rock Cafe St Pauli
Wednesday 4 June – Tickets €20

Hannover / Isernhagen Blues Garage
Thursday 5 June
Tickets €20

Dortmund Blue Notez Club
Friday 6 June
Tickets €20

Frankfurt Nachtleben
Sunday 8 June
Tickets €20

Dresden Tante Ju
Monday 9 June
Tickets €20


Berlin Maschinenhaus in der Kulturbrauerei
Tuesday 10 June
Tickets €20


Official Website

Official Facebook Page

Tuesday, 13 May 2014



Wishbone Ash at Jazzbones May 09, 2014 Tacoma, Washington



Flying over the endless seas into America, driving hours upon hours through the desert and mountain passes, Wishbone Ash made it to my neck of the woods, Jazzbones in Tacoma, Washington on May 9th and played to a very grateful crowd of fans!

“Are you ready to rock?” Andy Powell asks after he takes his position front and center on the stage holding his 1967 Gibson V. As we were shouting …YEAH, the band broke into “Strange Affair,” a rockin’ appetizer. What I liked right away was the sound level of the music. It wasn’t so loud that I couldn’t hear each instrument or Andy Powell’s mellifluous voice, a key part of Wishbone Ash’s sound. They did turn it up just a bit, but the sound quality remained excellent!


Wishbone Ash is known as a prog band, but they are a very guitar driven band with two lead guitar players, whom are very different in a lot of ways yet, each one is the same in that they support and compliment each other. On second guitar is Jyrki “Muddy” Mannenin a very skilled guitarist heavily influenced by the great Rory Gallagher. Amongst his talents at harmonizing and soloing, is his slide guitar.

Wishbone Ash played “Blue Horizon” off of their new album. Keeping with the band’s known style and sophistication, this song is filled with melodic guitar hooks and is so well written musically and lyrically. They performed this quite equally to the studio version and is one of my favorites.



It’s a pleasure to watch Wishbone Ash work together.  Each song connects the players to each other in different ways.  In “Pilgrim” an instrumental off of their second album, Bob Skeat (bass) and Andy Powell (rhythm) harmonized while Muddy Mannenin  played a soaring passage into the song.  Joe Crabtree (drums) kept it vibrant with beats and symbols until they all join together in a brilliant driving force.  The lock-In between Bob Skeat and Joe Crabtree is amazing as they are totally in tune with each other.





The last song they played before the encore was a fantastic sixteen minute version of “Pheonix” off of their self titled debut album released in 1970.  Not many lyrics to this song, but lots of guitar style and techniques, not to mention all the different genres they incorporated into it, blues, rock, jazz, and reggae.  Brilliant solo’s aside, Andy Powell has this knack of making unique sounds with his guitar.

There is only one Wishbone Ash and they proved that the other night playing a setlist that went back from 1970 all the way up to ’Blue Horizon,’ their brand new album.  Andy Powell has been around for a long time and I got to witness, first hand the passion for music and creativity that still burns within him.  There is much more to come from Wishbone Ash! In the meantime check out the bands latest album Blue Horizon which still finds Wishbone Ash a vital and alive band pushing the boundaries of guitar based rock forward. Something they have been doing for more than forty years. For proof of that check out the band on their forthcoming tour dates (Live Dates Below)



Setlist:
Strange Affair
Blue Horizon
Sometime World
The King Will Come
Warrior
Throw Down The Sword
Pilgrim
Rock N Roll Widow
Baby What You Want
Lady Whiskey
Jailbait
Pheonix

Encor:
Blowin' Free
Deep Blue


Tour Dates:
Jul 25 Rock Of Ages festival Stuttgart, Germany Tickets RSVP
Oct 25 The Wharf Tavistock, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Oct 26 The Scene Swansea, United Kingdom RSVP
Oct 27 Llandudno Junction Labour Club Deganwy, United Kingdom RSVP
Oct 29 The Quarterhouse Folkestone, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Oct 30 Public Halls Harpenden, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Oct 31 The Picturedrome Holmfirth, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 04 The Stables Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 06 The Brook Southampton, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 07 Martlets Hall Burgess Hill, United Kingdom RSVP
Nov 08 Islington Assembly Hall London, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 09 King Edward VII Memorial Hall Newmarket, United Kingdom RSVP
Nov 11 The Flowerpot Derby, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 12 The Cluny Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom RSVP
Nov 13 The Ferry Glasgow, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 14 Jam House Edinburgh, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 16 The Lemon Tree Aberdeen, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 18 Bootleggers Kendal, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 19 The Grand Clitheroe, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 20 The Assembly Leamington Spa, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Nov 21 The Corn Exchange Bourne, United Kingdom RSVP
Nov 22 O2 Academy2 Leicester Leicester, United Kingdom Tickets RSVP
Feb 06 Victorie Alkmaar, Netherlands Tickets RSVP
Feb 07 De Pul, Kapelstraat 13 Uden, The Netherlands Tickets RSVP

Wishbone Ash Website:


Review by:
Jill Maciel
West Coast Correspondent CRRdotEU

All live photos by:
Scott Banning

FireHouse's Bill Leverty is certainly keeping those rock fires burnin brightly

Earlier this morning  I rather reluctantly ended a pre-record phone interview with  guitarist/singer/songwriter Bill Leverty with an absolutely aching face from smiling and feeling like I had known him for a long time. The reality is this had been the first time we had spoken, albeit we had been in email contact for a couple of weeks with mails whizzing back and forth. I had been due to  interview him the week before  however as Murphy's law would have it, had woken that day  feeling like I had been gargling razors and batter acid (do NOT try that at home!! ) He is a Radio Girl's dream interview ,  speaks clearly (heck of a great voice for radio) knows his stuff  and  a really  friendly personality that made it an easy interview (aside from  slight delays on phone!!) He  took my scolding him for snipping off those long locks in good humour (ah woe is me come back long haired rockers!!)

 Now, Bill is in the band FireHouse (yes yes the ones who had that great track in the 90's 'Don't Treat Me Bad  and Love of a Lifetime amongst many others)  he  was responsible for writing many of the band's hit songs

Their self-titled debut album in 1990, 'FireHouse', was met with much critical acclaim. (The band won the American Music Award for Best New Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Band of 1991,  (as well as Metal Edge Magazine's Best New Band , Young Guitar Magazine's Best Newcomer and Music Life Magazine  reader's pop poll Best Newcomer of  1992)  That first album sold over two million copies in the United States alone, and was certified double platinum. The band are still going strong all these years later. (in fact find them right here on their website  



The Bloom Is Off The Rose
 
However I had not realised  that Bill Leverty also had  a great solo career and other musical projects on the side as well.  It was one of those stumble upon moments via YouTube and this Radio Girl was kicking herself wondering how she had missed it!  

But better late to the party than never, right?






                                              Fun tongue -in-cheek track Ace Bandage,


 Bill has released four albums; Wanderlust, Southern Exposure, Deep South and Drive. 

those lucky enough to be going to FireFest Final Fling in Nottingham, UK  later this year  can see FireHouse   headlining on the Saturday (October 25) of this 3 Day rock fest . For the complete line-up  click HERE.  Be aware, that at the time of posting this  that day is already 80% SOLD so if you want to  be there you better get those skates on whooooooosh!

I will let you know when you can hear the interview feature I did with Bill for Classic Rock Radio


and  I'd say ''oh go onnnn lets have this one too'' however for some reason best known to itsself, Blogger does not  want to let me post another vid  so instead click here and watch/hear FireHouse 'Don't Treat Me Bad' (well over 933,000 views   and  ahhh look at the long hair!!)




The All Important Links:

For more info click :  Bill Leverty Website        Twitter         Facebook

This post can also be found on my own RadioGirlProductions blog .

Find our station' on Twitter & our Facebook



(c) Marilyn Michaels May 13 2014    
To keep in touch with me join me at Facebook   & Twitter

Monday, 12 May 2014

THE GREAT BRITISH RHYTHM & BLUES FESTIVAL
Fri 22nd – Mon 25th August

This year The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival celebrates its 25th Anniversary.

And there are some great names lined-up for this milestone, including Eric Burdon, Lucky Peterson, Eric Sardinas, Otis Grand, Mike Sanchez, Andy Fairweather Low, the Martin Barre Band, Caravan, The Groundhogs, Grainne Duffy, The Yardbirds and Dr Feelgood.

PLUS: Jazz On The Sunday with the Snake Davis Jazz Band – and The British Blues Awards

These musicians – and hundreds more - will be performing throughout the four day event this August Bank Holiday weekend.

Over the last two decades the Festival has grown in size and popularity with the amount of people who travel from the length and breadth of the UK, as well as Europe and the USA, to this part of Lancashire to listen to every kind of Blues music.

The calibre of the Festival was recognised last year when it was declared the Best Blues Festival in the European Blues Awards 2013.

With more than 600 artistes performing at eight official venues over four days, Colne’s Blues Festival is now a firm favourite with locals and visitors as THE place to be over the Bank Holiday weekend.

As well as the International Stage, there will also be some popular favourites and new faces keeping the music going on the British Stage and the Acoustic Stage, as well as the five official roadhouses.

There will be another afternoon of Jazz on the Sunday, with the Snake Davis Jazz Band heading the bill; Radio Lancashire will once again be broadcasting live from the British Stage at certain times over the weekend; There will be some fresh, new, young talent performing throughout the Festival as part of the Jessica Foxley Unsigned initiative; There will be an outdoor stage in the town centre and the Festival will once again play host to the British Blues Awards, hopefully bringing even more people to the event.

The British Blues Awards recognises the best of Blues music, musicians and festivals in 15 different categories, including British Male and Female Vocalist, British Blues Band, British Instrumentalist and British Young Artist. The awards will be presented on the British Stage on the Sunday afternoon.

Sponsoring the Festival again this year will be Barnfield Construction, East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership, Matthew Clark brewery, Reidys Home of Music and Radio Lancashire.

Festival organiser, Alison Goode, said: “This year we are celebrating our 25th Anniversary, which we are thrilled about and consider it a fantastic achievement to still be going so strong after all these years.

“Every year we try to cater for all musical tastes and again, we are really excited by the line-up we have already secured. We look forward to welcoming back loyal supporters who return year after year to enjoy four whole days of live music, as well as those visiting for the first time.

“The terrific line-up, all the extras and the fantastic buzz and atmosphere this Festival is known for, should all add up to an anniversary to remember!”

For a full line-up, to find out more and to buy tickets, visit the official website

Spotlight: Super Duper Alice Cooper (2014)

On the evening of April 30th, I attended a special screening of a documentary film on singer and showman, Vincent Furnier. Whose that you say? Not a name that would draw many people. So it makes sense, Vince is better known as Alice Cooper. Lead vocalist in a shock rock band that had major success back in the 1970's. Songs like 'I'm Eighteen', and 'School's Out' propelling them to major fame. Long story short, money and popularity put a wedge between the rest of the band and Vince. Lives were altered. Glen Buxton, lead guitarist for the group, would pass away less than twenty five years after the disbandment at age 49. A causality of what some considered a well calculated business move, for if anyone deserved the name of Alice Cooper, it was certainly the one closest associated: Vince. The other four guys moved on to the best of their abilities. At the end of the documentary, we are informed original drummer for Alice Cooper, Neal Smith, is now the 'Rockin' Realtor'. I love the way it was presented...best commercial EVER!! And original bass player for Alice Cooper, Dennis Dunaway, we're told is still rocking out himself. Has a group called Blue Coupe that he sometimes (and this blew me away) every now and then warm up for the rock band Dennis helped create. Such a treat I imagine. More important is that his teen friendship with his good old pal Vince was rekindled. Made me kind of weepy there in the movie theater, myself and a dozen strangers all engrossed in what was unfolding before us on the big screen. Vincent Furnier...this is your life.

For those wondering why this was special, not the documentary itself but the screening I was attending, it's because Super Duper Alice Cooper is more along the lines of a made for DVD production. So it's not a typical theatrical rock n' roll movie / documentary one would fine at the local movie theater. You know...something with Martin Scorsese directing.

]Super Duper Alice Cooper is courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment. I LOVE this company!! Usually whatever they issue is always top-notch and very entertaining. The presentation of Super Duper Alice Cooper falls along those lines as well. At times it's a fancy slide show. I'm amazed at the things you can do with old photos nowadays. Special effects made some photos appear almost three dimensional. Really enhanced and very telling. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. The entire documentary being made of photos complemented by video footage, and not a line of talking heads you would see appear, for with Super Duper Alice Cooper, it's stars and guest stars are just doing narration. You never actually see Vince / Alice on screen as he is today, at age 66 years old reflecting back on his career. Not in the documentary. We did in the movie theater. It all started with Alice appearing on screen to introduce the film. And at the very end after the credits roll by, he appeared again to answer a handful of questions (asked in advance I imagine) and then closed out the evening.

Now I got some bones to pick. The part where it's said Frank Zappa recorded them while showing a floating joint around his image, implied they all participated in the smoking of the reefer and that's how Alice Cooper's first album, Pretties For You, was made. I'm watching this thinking to myself if this was truly correct. Well, for one I don't believe Frank Zappa was a stoner. I have nothing against cannabis personally, but I always read Frank was not into weed. He associated it with illegal drugs. To his credit, the man was a serious musician. Playing with him, one had to read music. Now according to Michael Bruce's autobiography, No More Mr. Nice Guy – The Inside Story of Alice Cooper, Frank Zappa took ill and had Ian Underwood mainly do the producing. Michael states Herb Cohen helped as well. As for the pot smoking, Mr. Bruce, who by the way is an original member of Alice Cooper himself, reports that one day Frank caught the band smoking weed in the studio bathroom and told them to get out and go smoke in the alley. This sounds like more of the Frank Zappa I learned about over the decades.

Since I brought up the name Michael Bruce, here is bone-picking number two. The rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, and MAIN SONGWRITER is mentioned NOWHERE in this documentary. You see his image start appearing in pictures and video clips and then as he suddenly appeared, once the story gets to a certain point, he DISAPPEARS. Other BIG original Alice Cooper songs that fans most identify Michael with are tunes like 'Be My Lover', and 'No More Mr. Nice Guy', were not even mentioned, let alone played in the film. No focus, no spotlight, no mention of whatever became of Michael Bruce like was mentioned with Dennis and Neal. No mention either of Glen Buxton passing away. Neal Smith once said if there was no Glen Buxton, there would have never been an Alice Cooper. Both musicians were reasons for Vince being able to play celebrity in the first place. If it not for Buxton's opening riffs for 'School's Out', would Vince have ever appeared on The Snoop Sisters or The Muppets? If not for the songs of Michael Bruce, would Alice's first solo, Welcome To My Nightmare, have been so popular?
Most of the documentary is about Vince and his days with the original band. Alice's solo career starting with 1975's Nightmare goes by pretty fast.

One thing mentioned in this documentary and not in previous documentaries was Alice's cocaine addiction in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Erases any and all previous comments about Alice ONLY being a booze hound. Able to beat yet another hardcore addiction, as if alcohol wasn't hard enough. Unfortunately, this reviewer knows first hand. I had the DTs when I quit drinking alcoholically, back in '86. Personally, I've been there, done that, and got the tee shirt. Freebasing cocaine made my chest hurt. I found I was better off just shooting the drug, right in my veins. A much more direct delivery system. In 1986, I quit that as well. Took me a full two years to mentally get over doing cocaine, and be able to go on with my life without it bothering me. Those are seriously hard things to kick. According to this new documentary, it's reported that Alice has been able to achieve being clean and sober over three decades now. I know from battling my own demons, that's an HUGE accomplishment. Alice Cooper in 2014 with his playing golf and Christian lifestyle is a role model for rockers everywhere. Everyday that goes by Alice proves one can be a professional musician / entertainer without always having to maintain a buzz.


Rating: Using the one to ten star rating system, Uncle G gives the new Eagle Rock Entertainment documentary, Super Duper Alice Cooper - SIX STARS. A little better than average. One thing I didn't like was how Shep Gordon came across at one point, somewhat like a prick. Around the time of the group's break-up, subsequent solo records, and band members discussing taking a year off. Between chasing success, and becoming successful, those that made up Alice Cooper by the year 1974, been steadily at this for a few years now. Drummer Neal Smith hinted at Gordon's attitude / response as being threatening.

Personally I find it hard to believe management had the other four band member’s best interest at heart after the Muscle Of Love album. It's a theory I was even able to debate some years back with the late Brian 'Renfield' Nelson. He was Alice's personal assistant for a long time. We would get into these heated conversations held within the Alice Cooper Internet Community. Towards the end of the 1990's and the beginning of the new century, the dude seemed like he was always online. One thing Renfield told me was that he believed Alice Cooper's break up was all business, and nothing personal. That's a nice way of summing it up. Nowadays Mr. Gordon is mostly retired and living in Hawaii. And for the record, Glen Buxton has been buried in Iowa since 1997. It's publicly known the man had his demons, and that his addictions led to his early demise. Fame...a serious lack of ability as to how to handle it, and then going through the embarrassment of it all being taken away, in my opinion, contributing factors to an early death as well.

Note: I believe Eagle Rocks Entertainment Super Duper Alice Cooper is coming out on DVD next month (June). 
Source: Book -No More Mr. Nice Guy – The Inside Story of Alice Cooper by Michael Bruce with Billy James (out of print...try eBay).


Gary Brown - American Correspondent for Classic Rock Radio (Dot EU)