WHITESNAKE plan to release a new album in October.
THE QUIREBOYS have started work on a new album which sees them ‘going back to their roots’. They aim to finish it by the end of May for a late summer release.
Come and join us at the new Classic Rock Newswire Forum –
www.atfreeforum.com/crnewswire/
Issue 26 of the UK's finest, and only fake fur covered glam/sleaze/punk/goth zine, Bubblegum Slut is out now and features 72 pages of the following;
Towers Of London, Supersuckers, L.A Guns, Angie Bowie, Danko Jones, Steven James (Dogs D’amour), The Throbs, Dave Kusworth and Jack Off Jill plus all the usuals, including Brett Callwood’s ‘Leaving It To The Professionals’ column, tons of album reviews, Alternative fashion round-up featuring Dead Issues t-shirts, Necessary Evil clothing and February’s LondonEdge, zines, gigs and a big lime green fake fur heart on the cover!
Copies cost; Including postage via PayPal to bubblegumslutzine@gmail.com £2.40 UK, £3.00 R.O.W; By Post (UK Only) to 27, Stores Lane, Tiptree, Essex, CO5 0LH; £1.50 (wrapped cash / cheque or postal order to ‘A.Bateman’) plus 55p SAE. For a full list of stockists and online ordering in USD via our Etsy store see; www.myspace.com/bubblegumslutzine
LOVERBOY plan to release their new album in the summer.
The original line-up of HONEYMOON SUITE are currently rehearsing for summer gigs.
Launch Radio Networks reports: The ex-wife of late BOSTON singer Brad Delp blames long-standing issues within the band for Delp's suicide. Micki Delp told The Boston Herald that Brad has always been stuck in the middle of fights between bandleader Tom Scholz and former members of the group, and that the past 30 years'worth of tensions finally got the better of him.
Brad had stayed friendly with former BOSTON members Sib Hashian, Fran Sheehan, and Barry Goudreau, whose wife is Micki's sister, and Micki said, "No one can possibly understand the pressures he was under. Brad lived his life to please everyone else. He would go out of his way and hurt himself before he would hurt somebody else, and he was in such a predicament professionally that no matter what he did, a friend of his would be hurt. Rather than hurt anyone else, he would hurt himself. That's just the kind of guy he was."
Micki said the last straw was the recent firing of fellow BOSTON singer Fran Cosmo and his son, guitarist Anthony Cosmo. But Scholz denied the claims. He said, "The decision to rehearse without the Cosmos was a group decision. Brad never expressed unhappiness with that decision... and took an active part in arranging the vocals for five people, not seven." Scholz also said that while Anthony Cosmo was out of the band, no final decision had been made about Fran Cosmo.
The Herald also quoted one "insider" as saying, "Tom made him do the BOSTON stuff and the other guys were mad that they weren't a part of it. He was always under a lot of pressure."
Another source revealed that Scholz wasn't invited to Delp's funeral last week and added, "What does that tell you? Brad and Tom were 'the best of friends,' and he's been told nothing about anything." Delp's family held a private funeral for the singer, whose body has been cremated.
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE release their new album in June via Interscope.
PRESS RELEASES
BON JOVI’s NEW ALBUM, LOST HIGHWAY, SET FOR JUNE 19th RELEASE
SOULFUL FIRST SINGLE, “(YOU WANT TO) MAKE A MEMORY,” GOES TO RADIO ON MARCH 20th
Follows-up multi-platinum album Have A Nice Day – featuring Grammy and People’s Choice Award-winning #1 single “Who Says You
(March 19, 2007 – New York, NY) Flush with the success of their record-breaking world tour and multi-platinum album Have A Nice Day
– Island Records group Bon Jovi has completed a new album, LOST HIGHWAY.
Produced by Dann Huff (Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts) and John Shanks (who co-produced Have A Nice Day, and whose credits include Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Chris Isaak and others) LOST HIGHWAY will arrive in stores June 19th on Island Records/Mercury Nashville. “(You Want To) Make A Memory,” the first single from the new album, will be blasted out to radio on Tuesday, March 20th.
Bon Jovi is scheduled for live performances of “(You Want To) Make A Memory” on the upcoming 6th annual CMT Awards broadcast (April 16th live from Nashville); on Fox’s “American Idol” (May 2nd); and on NBC’s “Today Show” Outdoor Plaza (June 19th). Meanwhile, Bon Jovi-watchers have already discovered the album’s title song, “Lost Highway” in the new box office smash film, Wild Hogs. Another album track, “We Got It Going On,” a duet with Big & Rich, is the theme song for the new Arena Football League season on ESPN.
Press Release / Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Progressive Rock is alive and well and living at California-based label ProgRock Records with the release of the new Starcastle CD Song Of Times. It's the band's first new release in over two decades making this an even more historic event! Formed in Champaign, IL in the late 1960s. Starcastle released four critically acclaimed albums between 1976 and 1978 on CBS/Epic Records which sold over a million units combined. The band toured extensively into the 1980s, appearing with such artists as Aerosmith, Jethro Tull, Roxy Music, Ted Nugent, Rush, Kansas, ELO, Peter Frampton, Santana, Boston, and Todd Rundgren, amongst many others. Now signed to ProgRock Records , who's name says it all about the label's roster of tremendous 'progressive' talent, the band prepares to take to the skies with their new release! Starcastle's new CD Song Of Times, which dons stunning artwork by Ed Unitsky, is quite possibly their best work yet!
"What an honor and thrill it is to be able to put out this album", proudly claims ProgRock President Shawn Gordon. "I loved these guys when they hit the scene, never in my life did I think I'd get to work with them, especially with such an amazing album!" The CD includes contributions from original members Gary Strater, Terry Luttrell, Steve Tassler, Herb Schildt, Matt Stewart and Steve Hagler, as well as new faces Al Lewis, Bruce Botts, John O'Hara, Neal Robinson, Mark Mcgee, Jeff Koehnke and Scott McKensie.
"Starcastle is thrilled to join with ProgRock Records in the release of our new work" says the band. "We see this record as bridging our past and future, and are happy to be aligned with ProgRock, who represent so many fine and vital artists in this continually unfolding genre." With original and new band members joined together, Starcastle are anticipating another run of mega-success. Songs like Babylon are sure to put a smile on any radio program director's face, with its catchy melody, commercial song structure and stunning vocalizations by new band member Al Lewis.
Through a series of adventures and the passing in 2004 of bassist and driving light Gary Strater, a dedicated group of friends, musicians and associates have persevered to complete and release Song Of Times. In support of Starcastle's new masterwork, the band will be headlining a one-off gig on April 27, 2007 at the Rites Of Spring Festival in Phoenixville, PA. In an interesting twist, after so many years of comparisons with rock superstars Yes, Rick Wakeman's son Oliver, who also has a release on ProgRock Records entitled Mothers Ruin, will accompany Starcastle on keyboards for this live event!
Amongst the hoopla surrounding the new Starcastle CD comes more adventurous releases from ProgRock Records. ProgRock Records is proud to announce the historic release of the third Planet P Project CD called 1931, featuring original Rainbow keyboardist Tony Carey. "I'm delighted to have found a new platform to deliver my admittedly esoteric stuff," boasts Carey, "and I'm excited to be working with Shawn and ProgRock Records!"
For more information on the new Starcastle CD and other ProgRock Records releases, check out the official website www.progrockrecords.com
Overhead tours in Europe
Finnish progressive rock-band Overhead performs this year besides Finland at least in five European countries. The band plays at festivals and clubs in May in France, in August in Sweden and in November in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.
Overhead's second album 'Metaepitome' was released in 2005 and it got a great reception in different medias all around the world getting excellent reviews and album of the month-nominations. It has also been played in
many especially prog-specified radios in Europe and America.
Overhead is currently working on its third album and it is expected to be finished by the end of the year. The album will be released by French Musea.
Confirmed tour dates so far:
03.04.2007 On the Rocks, Helsinki, Finland.
12.05.2007 A progressive day's night part III, Gloria, Helsinki, Finland.
18.05.2007 Prog'Sud festival, Jas'Rod des Pennes-Mirabeau, France.
07.08.2007 Espa stage, Helsinki, Finland.
25.08.2007 Slottsskogen Goes Progressive, Villa Belparc, Göteborg, Sweden.
09.11.2007 pROCKfest, Stadthalle im Stadtgarten, Bünde, Germany.
11.11.2007 Spirit of 66, Verviers, Belgium.
16.11.2007 Montreux Prog Nights, Montreux Music Club, Switzerland.
http://www.overhead-band.com/
http://www.myspace.com/overheadband
GIG NEWS
GOOD CHARLOTTE
May
16th Newcastle Academy May
17th Manchester Apollo 1
18th London Brixton Academy
21st Leeds University
22nd Birmingham Academy
ISLE OF WIGHT festival
Friday June 8
Snow Patrol
Groove Armada
The Feeling
Echo and the Bunnymen
Saturday 9 June
Muse
Kasabian
Ash
Amy Winehouse
Sunday 10 June
Rolling Stones
Keane
The Fratellis
Paolo Nutini
James Morrison
REVIEWS
WILDKARD ‘Megalomania’ Escape Music (2007) www.escape-music.com
The name may not mean much to you but this band features three members of the mighty UK rockers Kick, namely vocalist Nick Workman, bass player Mikey J and his brother guitarist Chris Jones. The songs on here were originally written and recorded in the pre-Kick days. They have since been spruced up with added musicians, whilst keeping some of the original keyboard parts recorded by Steve Newman and Ollie Cunningham (Kick).
Unlike the modern hard rock approach of Kick, WildKard’s music revels in keyboard filled hooks and there are some classic hard rock/AOR gems on here like ‘Falling Down’ and ‘All I Have’ (this one has OTT keys to match Greg Giuffria!). There are a couple of good slow numbers as well including ‘Whispers in The Dark’, which with the addition of strings really makes it a tour de force and Nick Workman’s vocals are in fine form. ‘Wake Me Up When It’s Over’ sees the standard dip slightly but ‘Something Strange’ soon puts the album back on track.
An absolute ‘must have’ for lovers of keyboard led hard rock/AOR as purveyed by FM, Heartland etc. Just shows the talent held by the collective members of Kick.
****1/2
Jason Ritchie
WIDE MOUTH MASON ‘Shot Down Satellites’ Curve Records (2007) www.curvemusic.com
This band has been doing very well for themselves in their native Canada and now after wider recognition. They have also toured the US with some big names including the Stones and ZZ Top. This new album is a good slice of modern rock, in parts it reminds you of Pearl Jam and other times, like on the gentle refrain of ‘Rust’ the UK’s Undercut come to mind. The tile track really belts out those guitar chords and puts US bands like Matchbox 20 into the shade. Some great blues rock moments on here like the intro to ‘Wide Eyed’, with ‘It’s So Bad’ going into Elbow territory in its off the wall nature and quite different from anything else on here.
A very enjoyable album from a band who are certainly worthy of wider recognaition
***1/2
Jason Ritchie
KORITNI ‘Lady Luck’ Bad Reputation (2007) www.koritni.com
When the press release has a band down as AC/DC’s natural successors you have to wonder as this is some claim! Based around vocalist Lex Koritni the band hail from AC/Dc’s homeland Australia and they do have trademark AC/Dc riffs on here, along with Lex’s vocals that do have hints of another Aussie legend, Jimmy Barnes. Big name production on here as well with Mike Fraser (Metallica/Aerosmith/Motley Crue) and George Marino (G’N’R/Velvet Revolver/AC/DC) involved.
The songs have a very clean sound and some great guitar riffs/solos. Personal picks would be ‘Under The Overpass’ – very AC/Dc, ‘Heaven Again’ is damn catchy and reminds me of Tesla in their prime and the closing track, the slow burning blues rock of ‘Ain’t no Love Song’ rounds the album off in style. The band also does a decent cover of the Beatles’ ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’.
AC/DC, Jimmy Barnes/Cold Chisel and Tesla fans in particular will like this album I am sure and it certainly beats anything AC/DC have put out in the past 15 years!
****
Jason Ritchie
THE QUIREBOYS have started work on a new album which sees them ‘going back to their roots’. They aim to finish it by the end of May for a late summer release.
Come and join us at the new Classic Rock Newswire Forum –
www.atfreeforum.com/crnewswire/
Issue 26 of the UK's finest, and only fake fur covered glam/sleaze/punk/goth zine, Bubblegum Slut is out now and features 72 pages of the following;
Towers Of London, Supersuckers, L.A Guns, Angie Bowie, Danko Jones, Steven James (Dogs D’amour), The Throbs, Dave Kusworth and Jack Off Jill plus all the usuals, including Brett Callwood’s ‘Leaving It To The Professionals’ column, tons of album reviews, Alternative fashion round-up featuring Dead Issues t-shirts, Necessary Evil clothing and February’s LondonEdge, zines, gigs and a big lime green fake fur heart on the cover!
Copies cost; Including postage via PayPal to bubblegumslutzine@gmail.com £2.40 UK, £3.00 R.O.W; By Post (UK Only) to 27, Stores Lane, Tiptree, Essex, CO5 0LH; £1.50 (wrapped cash / cheque or postal order to ‘A.Bateman’) plus 55p SAE. For a full list of stockists and online ordering in USD via our Etsy store see; www.myspace.com/bubblegumslutzine
LOVERBOY plan to release their new album in the summer.
The original line-up of HONEYMOON SUITE are currently rehearsing for summer gigs.
Launch Radio Networks reports: The ex-wife of late BOSTON singer Brad Delp blames long-standing issues within the band for Delp's suicide. Micki Delp told The Boston Herald that Brad has always been stuck in the middle of fights between bandleader Tom Scholz and former members of the group, and that the past 30 years'worth of tensions finally got the better of him.
Brad had stayed friendly with former BOSTON members Sib Hashian, Fran Sheehan, and Barry Goudreau, whose wife is Micki's sister, and Micki said, "No one can possibly understand the pressures he was under. Brad lived his life to please everyone else. He would go out of his way and hurt himself before he would hurt somebody else, and he was in such a predicament professionally that no matter what he did, a friend of his would be hurt. Rather than hurt anyone else, he would hurt himself. That's just the kind of guy he was."
Micki said the last straw was the recent firing of fellow BOSTON singer Fran Cosmo and his son, guitarist Anthony Cosmo. But Scholz denied the claims. He said, "The decision to rehearse without the Cosmos was a group decision. Brad never expressed unhappiness with that decision... and took an active part in arranging the vocals for five people, not seven." Scholz also said that while Anthony Cosmo was out of the band, no final decision had been made about Fran Cosmo.
The Herald also quoted one "insider" as saying, "Tom made him do the BOSTON stuff and the other guys were mad that they weren't a part of it. He was always under a lot of pressure."
Another source revealed that Scholz wasn't invited to Delp's funeral last week and added, "What does that tell you? Brad and Tom were 'the best of friends,' and he's been told nothing about anything." Delp's family held a private funeral for the singer, whose body has been cremated.
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE release their new album in June via Interscope.
PRESS RELEASES
BON JOVI’s NEW ALBUM, LOST HIGHWAY, SET FOR JUNE 19th RELEASE
SOULFUL FIRST SINGLE, “(YOU WANT TO) MAKE A MEMORY,” GOES TO RADIO ON MARCH 20th
Follows-up multi-platinum album Have A Nice Day – featuring Grammy and People’s Choice Award-winning #1 single “Who Says You
(March 19, 2007 – New York, NY) Flush with the success of their record-breaking world tour and multi-platinum album Have A Nice Day
– Island Records group Bon Jovi has completed a new album, LOST HIGHWAY.
Produced by Dann Huff (Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts) and John Shanks (who co-produced Have A Nice Day, and whose credits include Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Chris Isaak and others) LOST HIGHWAY will arrive in stores June 19th on Island Records/Mercury Nashville. “(You Want To) Make A Memory,” the first single from the new album, will be blasted out to radio on Tuesday, March 20th.
Bon Jovi is scheduled for live performances of “(You Want To) Make A Memory” on the upcoming 6th annual CMT Awards broadcast (April 16th live from Nashville); on Fox’s “American Idol” (May 2nd); and on NBC’s “Today Show” Outdoor Plaza (June 19th). Meanwhile, Bon Jovi-watchers have already discovered the album’s title song, “Lost Highway” in the new box office smash film, Wild Hogs. Another album track, “We Got It Going On,” a duet with Big & Rich, is the theme song for the new Arena Football League season on ESPN.
Press Release / Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Progressive Rock is alive and well and living at California-based label ProgRock Records with the release of the new Starcastle CD Song Of Times. It's the band's first new release in over two decades making this an even more historic event! Formed in Champaign, IL in the late 1960s. Starcastle released four critically acclaimed albums between 1976 and 1978 on CBS/Epic Records which sold over a million units combined. The band toured extensively into the 1980s, appearing with such artists as Aerosmith, Jethro Tull, Roxy Music, Ted Nugent, Rush, Kansas, ELO, Peter Frampton, Santana, Boston, and Todd Rundgren, amongst many others. Now signed to ProgRock Records , who's name says it all about the label's roster of tremendous 'progressive' talent, the band prepares to take to the skies with their new release! Starcastle's new CD Song Of Times, which dons stunning artwork by Ed Unitsky, is quite possibly their best work yet!
"What an honor and thrill it is to be able to put out this album", proudly claims ProgRock President Shawn Gordon. "I loved these guys when they hit the scene, never in my life did I think I'd get to work with them, especially with such an amazing album!" The CD includes contributions from original members Gary Strater, Terry Luttrell, Steve Tassler, Herb Schildt, Matt Stewart and Steve Hagler, as well as new faces Al Lewis, Bruce Botts, John O'Hara, Neal Robinson, Mark Mcgee, Jeff Koehnke and Scott McKensie.
"Starcastle is thrilled to join with ProgRock Records in the release of our new work" says the band. "We see this record as bridging our past and future, and are happy to be aligned with ProgRock, who represent so many fine and vital artists in this continually unfolding genre." With original and new band members joined together, Starcastle are anticipating another run of mega-success. Songs like Babylon are sure to put a smile on any radio program director's face, with its catchy melody, commercial song structure and stunning vocalizations by new band member Al Lewis.
Through a series of adventures and the passing in 2004 of bassist and driving light Gary Strater, a dedicated group of friends, musicians and associates have persevered to complete and release Song Of Times. In support of Starcastle's new masterwork, the band will be headlining a one-off gig on April 27, 2007 at the Rites Of Spring Festival in Phoenixville, PA. In an interesting twist, after so many years of comparisons with rock superstars Yes, Rick Wakeman's son Oliver, who also has a release on ProgRock Records entitled Mothers Ruin, will accompany Starcastle on keyboards for this live event!
Amongst the hoopla surrounding the new Starcastle CD comes more adventurous releases from ProgRock Records. ProgRock Records is proud to announce the historic release of the third Planet P Project CD called 1931, featuring original Rainbow keyboardist Tony Carey. "I'm delighted to have found a new platform to deliver my admittedly esoteric stuff," boasts Carey, "and I'm excited to be working with Shawn and ProgRock Records!"
For more information on the new Starcastle CD and other ProgRock Records releases, check out the official website www.progrockrecords.com
Overhead tours in Europe
Finnish progressive rock-band Overhead performs this year besides Finland at least in five European countries. The band plays at festivals and clubs in May in France, in August in Sweden and in November in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.
Overhead's second album 'Metaepitome' was released in 2005 and it got a great reception in different medias all around the world getting excellent reviews and album of the month-nominations. It has also been played in
many especially prog-specified radios in Europe and America.
Overhead is currently working on its third album and it is expected to be finished by the end of the year. The album will be released by French Musea.
Confirmed tour dates so far:
03.04.2007 On the Rocks, Helsinki, Finland.
12.05.2007 A progressive day's night part III, Gloria, Helsinki, Finland.
18.05.2007 Prog'Sud festival, Jas'Rod des Pennes-Mirabeau, France.
07.08.2007 Espa stage, Helsinki, Finland.
25.08.2007 Slottsskogen Goes Progressive, Villa Belparc, Göteborg, Sweden.
09.11.2007 pROCKfest, Stadthalle im Stadtgarten, Bünde, Germany.
11.11.2007 Spirit of 66, Verviers, Belgium.
16.11.2007 Montreux Prog Nights, Montreux Music Club, Switzerland.
http://www.overhead-band.com/
http://www.myspace.com/overheadband
GIG NEWS
GOOD CHARLOTTE
May
16th Newcastle Academy May
17th Manchester Apollo 1
18th London Brixton Academy
21st Leeds University
22nd Birmingham Academy
ISLE OF WIGHT festival
Friday June 8
Snow Patrol
Groove Armada
The Feeling
Echo and the Bunnymen
Saturday 9 June
Muse
Kasabian
Ash
Amy Winehouse
Sunday 10 June
Rolling Stones
Keane
The Fratellis
Paolo Nutini
James Morrison
REVIEWS
WILDKARD ‘Megalomania’ Escape Music (2007) www.escape-music.com
The name may not mean much to you but this band features three members of the mighty UK rockers Kick, namely vocalist Nick Workman, bass player Mikey J and his brother guitarist Chris Jones. The songs on here were originally written and recorded in the pre-Kick days. They have since been spruced up with added musicians, whilst keeping some of the original keyboard parts recorded by Steve Newman and Ollie Cunningham (Kick).
Unlike the modern hard rock approach of Kick, WildKard’s music revels in keyboard filled hooks and there are some classic hard rock/AOR gems on here like ‘Falling Down’ and ‘All I Have’ (this one has OTT keys to match Greg Giuffria!). There are a couple of good slow numbers as well including ‘Whispers in The Dark’, which with the addition of strings really makes it a tour de force and Nick Workman’s vocals are in fine form. ‘Wake Me Up When It’s Over’ sees the standard dip slightly but ‘Something Strange’ soon puts the album back on track.
An absolute ‘must have’ for lovers of keyboard led hard rock/AOR as purveyed by FM, Heartland etc. Just shows the talent held by the collective members of Kick.
****1/2
Jason Ritchie
WIDE MOUTH MASON ‘Shot Down Satellites’ Curve Records (2007) www.curvemusic.com
This band has been doing very well for themselves in their native Canada and now after wider recognition. They have also toured the US with some big names including the Stones and ZZ Top. This new album is a good slice of modern rock, in parts it reminds you of Pearl Jam and other times, like on the gentle refrain of ‘Rust’ the UK’s Undercut come to mind. The tile track really belts out those guitar chords and puts US bands like Matchbox 20 into the shade. Some great blues rock moments on here like the intro to ‘Wide Eyed’, with ‘It’s So Bad’ going into Elbow territory in its off the wall nature and quite different from anything else on here.
A very enjoyable album from a band who are certainly worthy of wider recognaition
***1/2
Jason Ritchie
KORITNI ‘Lady Luck’ Bad Reputation (2007) www.koritni.com
When the press release has a band down as AC/DC’s natural successors you have to wonder as this is some claim! Based around vocalist Lex Koritni the band hail from AC/Dc’s homeland Australia and they do have trademark AC/Dc riffs on here, along with Lex’s vocals that do have hints of another Aussie legend, Jimmy Barnes. Big name production on here as well with Mike Fraser (Metallica/Aerosmith/Motley Crue) and George Marino (G’N’R/Velvet Revolver/AC/DC) involved.
The songs have a very clean sound and some great guitar riffs/solos. Personal picks would be ‘Under The Overpass’ – very AC/Dc, ‘Heaven Again’ is damn catchy and reminds me of Tesla in their prime and the closing track, the slow burning blues rock of ‘Ain’t no Love Song’ rounds the album off in style. The band also does a decent cover of the Beatles’ ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’.
AC/DC, Jimmy Barnes/Cold Chisel and Tesla fans in particular will like this album I am sure and it certainly beats anything AC/DC have put out in the past 15 years!
****
Jason Ritchie
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