Intense Nick checks out Groovegrinder
November 19, 2009 by Intense Nick · Leave a Comment
Groovegrinder are new friends to me and highly treasured. The day after this initial point of contact I found their new album in my post hole, ’The Daily Grind’. This is a great album containing nine top feel good funky rocking tunes. In the spring of 2007 Ross Cordrey and Jon Hoon formed a band with the intention of writing and performing high energy music that had its roots in blues but also takes a healthy swig from 70’s funk and british Rock. With the addition of Adam Porter (drums) and Philip David (bass) the line up was established and the result is Groovegrinder. A four piece Bristol based outfit whose perfectly crafted songs focus on a feel-good, foot tapping and hand clapping audience. Groovegrinder are here to tell you that for a couple of hours at least, you can lose yourself to the music and ‘stick it to the man’, I strongly recommend that you do.
“Love All, Serve All and Tell the Truth” – Trevor Hall, Eternal Optimist and Musician
November 17, 2009 by Nicole "Rock Angel" Brors · 1 Comment
When it comes to music, I find that most of my favorite albums are the ones that take some time to grow on me. However, every once in a while I hear an album with which I fall in love instantly and this was the case with Trevor Hall’s latest self-titled release.
From beginning to end this is an album that will not only engage your ears, but will also engage your inner being. Trevor mixes reggae style with a rock and roll edge and smoothes it all out with deep, soothing vocals. His music has an undeniable refreshing tone of unity that leaves behind a feeling of inspiration and his sound is somewhere along the lines of Matisyahu, Ben Harper and Michael Franti. He has however found his own voice and it’s one of love, hope and connection.
PIGSHIT by Gary Pig Gold – AND NOW FOR SOMETHING ALMOST COMPLETELY DIFFERENT !!
November 13, 2009 by Gary Pig Gold · Leave a Comment
No less an authority on such subjects as the late, very great George Harrison once proclaimed they picked straight up from where The Beatles left off. However, that’s but one reason I report today on something not always thought of as rock, or even roll.
That something in question, comprising of five uppity Oxford and Cambridge drop-outs who, alongside one itinerant American cartoonist, somehow joined forces in 1969 London to produce forty-five British (plus two German) half-hour television shows, five full-length motion pictures, three theatrical musicals, five (authorized) books, seventeen original (and one unreleased) audio albums and six video games (and counting), now tell The Whole Story – including, yes, even some of the “naughty bits” – in their (even the dead one’s) very own words throughout Monty Python: Almost The Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut), Eagle Rock Entertainment’s one and only three-DVD and/or two-BluRay disc video box set containing six hour-long episodes plus an additional one hundred and eighty minutes of bonus material.
Strictly numerically speaking, that is.
RockAngel’s Radar goes Indie…Introducing The Temper Trap
November 12, 2009 by Nicole "Rock Angel" Brors · Leave a Comment
Heard of a little band called Phoenix lately? Even if it doesn’t ring a bell, you’ve definitely heard the song 1901 in a car commercial, a TV show, or just turning on the radio. Well that band is great…and now commercially popular obviously. But that’s old news, and now I’m on to the next big thing that Glassnote Records is bringing to the masses, and that’s The Temper Trap.
Hailing from Australia, The Temper Trap has already caught the ears of BBC’s Radio 1 and countless SXSW critics and bloggers, and now it’s time that The Rock and Roll Report gets a taste of their newest album Conditions. These emotion driven melodies can transport you to an inner reflection and still manage to keep your toes tapping. You may not know it yet, but these guys are the soundtrack to your future.
Rock and Roll Photo Essay: Metallica!
November 10, 2009 by Mike Forbes · Leave a Comment
Metallica
Air Canada Centre
Toronto, Ontario
October 26, 2009
Seems to me the last batch of bands I’ve seen have been a then and now type of comparison that I’ve quite enjoyed studying. Seriously, out of the last dozen bands or so, most of them have I’ve seen way back when and then waited at least 10 years to see them again. Motorhead, Kiss, Helix, Headpins, GWAR, Stone Temple Pilots, Our Lady Peace… there’s probably a few more but I think you’ve heard enough already. Well you have to hear about one more. One of my all time favourite top notch acts of all time, Metallica.
Back in 85, my cousin dropped a couple albums on me and said I must try these out. They were “Kill em All” and “Ride the Lightning”. 3 notes into “Hit the Lights” and I knew I had just found the band of all bands. The most awesome sounding heavy metal unit that combined great lyrics with some totally original riffing, instrumentals and leads that would bring any musician to their knees.
Stuart Epps Toured America with Elton John, Produced and Engineered Records for Led Zeppelin and Paul Rodgers and is Now Focusing on the Next Generation – Part 2 of 2
November 7, 2009 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
… Continued from Thursday, November 5th
Q: Over the years has there been one artist that’s particularly stood out as the best or most interesting to work with?
A: Definitely the main one is Elton: the most amazing songwriter and singer and all around artist and performer that I’ve ever met. But I’ve been very lucky; I’ve worked with lots of great bands. Jimmy Page was another one I learnt a lot from and Paul Rodgers is probably the best singer I’ve ever worked with [...] he made an album with Kenney Jones, the drummer from The Who, and they had a band called The Law and he’s definitely one of the best artists I’ve ever worked with. Not the easiest [but] usually the best artists aren’t the easiest to work with. Chris Rea who I worked with and sang with, I sang on backing vocals on his album [...] I’ve been very lucky. I have worked with Oasis, and I worked with Robbie Williams and, you know, I worked with some pretty big artists and it’s always, even if you’re not into their music, it’s always interesting to see what makes them the way they are.
My big hope now is to be able to [...] come across an artist for myself who’s in the early stages of their career that I can then use all my experience to help fulfill and hopefully make into a similarly big recording artist, which is what we’re trying to do with Kendal Sant at the moment. [...] You know I still love making music with people, still love making records, still good fun. Which is a bit surprising really because you think it’s something you might grow out of, but it’s still good fun.
Intense Nick checks out John Wilkes Booth
November 6, 2009 by Intense Nick · Leave a Comment
John Wilkes Booth are a four piece band , these are the players – Kerry Merkle (Vocals), Christian Horstman (Drums), Jason Beickert (Guitar) and Harold Vrooman (Bass). The result of the combined efforts of these guys rocks in an awesomely dirty and slightly sludgy, a bit punky and with a hint of metal all combined in a uniquely John Wilkes Booth fashion. If you are into bands like Clutch and Kylesa then these guys will surely hit the spot for you. John Wilkes Booth’s music is packed with wicked riffs and stupendously energetic rhythms delivered imaginatively and perfectly finished with great vocals. Once heard there is no escape, John Wilkes Booth will have you gripped.
John Wilkes Booth has just completed their first full length release Sic Semper Tyrannis. Booth fans, whose numbers are ever increasing, have eagerly been awaiting the fulfillment of promises for new tracks from the latest recording sessions. They will not be disappointed. Since the formation of the band in 2005, the band has consistently recorded and played live shows while continually escalating their fan base.
Stuart Epps Toured America with Elton John, Produced and Engineered Records for Led Zeppelin and Paul Rodgers and is Now Focusing on the Next Generation – Part 1 of 2
November 5, 2009 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
What do Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Twisted Sister, Kiki Dee and Chris Rea all have in common? Yes, this wide array of superstars do share one thing in common: they’ve all, at one point in their careers, worked with Stuart Epps.
Since 1967 Epps has immersed himself in the music industry, stating out as an office boy at Dick James Music at the age of fifteen and going on to become a praised producer and engineer. He even toured America with Elton John in the early 70s as his personal assistant.
Mr. Epps was kind enough to call in to The Rock and Roll Report from his UK home for a retrospective chat about his marvelous 40+ year career.
Q: Going back to the very beginning, how did you get involved in the music industry?
A: I was in bands from about the age of eight or nine and one guy who I was in a band with, and I also went to school with, [...] got this job working for Dick James as an office boy. That was probably about 1965 or ‘66 and he use to come home with all these stories [...] that he just went to Paul McCartney’s house, he got the new Beatles album [...] all these stories were just magnificent about him and the music business and how exciting it was.
A year passed and he said that he was looking for his replacement so that he could be promoted and I was just starting school, I was only 14 back then [...] but I just thought, “Wow, this could be an opportunity.” So, I mentioned it to my parents who I just thought would say, “You must be joking, you’ve got to start school,” and my dad said “Well, you know, if you want to do it then go and do it.” I just didn’t need any more encouragement than that.
I went for an interview and got the job as office boy. It was an amazing time. It was 1967 in London, it was flower power and hippie time, and I was earning $10 a week, which was about $9 more than I’d been getting, so I was like a millionaire and getting these incredible jobs: go to Paul McCartney’s house, go to Abbey Road Studios. It was a great way to find out about the music business really. Even though it was the lowest of the lowest jobs, to me it was absolutely brilliant. Everyday was great and I could probably talk about that period for about six hours and we can’t really do that! [laughs]
The 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of All Time?
November 5, 2009 by Mark Boudreau · Leave a Comment
Amazon has a list of what they consider to be The 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of All Time which has touched off a lot of debate.
What do you think of the list? And what the hell is Indie Rock?
Lita Ford Talks 15-Year Hiatus Spent on a Secluded Island, Ozzy Osbourne, Songs From the Heart and Crotch and Her New Album
November 3, 2009 by Bill Sullivan · Leave a Comment
Lita Ford has often been called the “Queen of Hard Rock”, and with a career as successful as hers, it’s no surprise. On the scene since her teenage years, Lita played with legendary Runaways before embarking on a successful solo career.
She’s best known for her 1988 commercial smash hit, Lita, which spawned hits like Kiss Me Deadly and the famous Ozzy Osbourne duet, Close My Eyes Forever.
In the late 90s Lita exchanged her musical career for quaint family life on a secluded Caribbean island and it wasn’t until October 6th of this year that she released her first studio effort, Wicked Wonderland, since her 1995 Black album.
The rocker was kind enough to chat with The Rock and Roll Report about all things Lita Ford. From the new record, to personal life, to the future of rock – nothing was left off limits.
Q: It is such a thrill to see you back on the scene after all these years. What was the driving factor to make a new record after a 15-year hiatus?
A: Rock n’ Roll is in my blood. Always has been and always will be. I was just waiting until my kids were ready and now they are totally ready. They have as much fun as Jim [Gillette] and I do!
