Melodic Rock, AOR, Hard Rock, Prog, Classic Rock news
For most fans of strident and forceful AOR, PETER CETERA would not, under normal circumstances, be their first port of call. Having been a founder member and lead vocalist with legendary band Chicago, his background was firmly in another musical world but this, his debut solo album “Peter Cetera” showcased a desire to break free of those chains and strike...
It’s been a little over 3 years since HNE Records issued the expanded remasters of short-lived Graham Bonnett fronted super-group BLACKTHORNE. The good news is that the vaults have been fully raided and a plethora of tunes has been unearthed. “We Wont Be Forgotten” is 3 CDs of Blackthorne material, a total there of 44 tracks of which 30 of...
BLACKTHORNE, the early 90s super-group formed by Graham Bonnet (Rainbow /Alcatrazz), Bob Kulick (Balance), Jimmy Waldo (New England / Alcatrazz), Chuck Wright (ex Giuffria / House of Lords) on bass and Fankie Banali (Quiet Riot) on drums will have their only album to date “Afterlife” remastered & expanded released via Hear No Evil / Cherry Red Records. This is a...
KING OF HEARTS are another band making a comeback many years after their first shot at musical stardom back in the late ’80s. However, their label at the time didn’t release their debut album which eventually saw the light some ten years later under the title ‘1989’. Original members’ vocalist Tommy Funderburk (fellow sleeve note anoraks like me will know...
New England was one of the seminal guitar-driven pomp AOR acts from the US scene, however, to my ears they were heavily influenced by the British invasion, especially lead singer / guitarist JOHN FANNON vocal style. After the band break-up, Fannon remained in the music industry playing, composing & producing for others, and occasionally releasing solo material. “Saved All The...
Requested by one of you and quite hard to find, here’s BILLY SQUIER‘s solo debut LP “The Tale Of The Tape” remastered by Rock Candy Records plus 2 bonus tracks. It takes a brave man to go it alone, in music or in life, and with “Tale Of The Tape” Boston-born Billy Squier showed he had sufficient backbone (and material)...
British singer / songwriter Matt Mitchell (Pride / Furyon) has recently had the chance to embark on the journey of recording his first solo record, this self-titled debut with his band MATT MITCHELL & THE COLDHEARTS. Matt started out singing and writing songs in his late teens learning his craft in several bands early on, he then found himself as...
Requested some time ago, here’s the BGO remastered, special 2-in-1 edition of BILLY SQUIER‘s third and fourth albums for Capitol Records, 1982’s ‘Emotions In Motion’ and 1984’s ‘Signs Of Life’.
Despite of being released few years ago, this package is already out of print with remaining copies being sold for £375! But it’s a great buy as it really improves upon the original Capitol CD’s with an excellent low end without being harsh on the highs or having excessive compression / limiting.
Additionally, there’s a complete lyrics booklet plus 8-page history of the recordings process written by journalist / biographer Michael Heatley.
Requested some time ago, here’s the BGO remastered, special 2-in-1 edition of BILLY SQUIER‘s third and fourth albums for Capitol Records, 1982’s ‘Emotions In Motion’ and 1984’s ‘Signs Of Life’.
Despite of being released few years ago, this package is already out of print with remaining copies being sold for £375! But it’s a great buy as it really improves upon the original Capitol CD’s with an excellent low end without being harsh on the highs or having excessive compression / limiting.
Additionally, there’s a complete lyrics booklet plus 8-page history of the recordings process written by journalist / biographer Michael Heatley.
If there was an album deserving a proper remastering, it was “Don’t Say No” by BILLY SQUIER, released on occasion of its 30th Anniversary and expanded including 2 bonus tracks. After turning some heads with his debut, Billy Squier truly arrived into major recognition in the early ’80s with “Don’t Say No”. Queen guitarist Brian May was booked to produce...
This one is a request by one of you and pleasure to feature: PHIL CRISTIAN‘s solo album “No Prisoner” from 1988, in its hard to find reissue by a Swedish label including 4 previously unreleased tracks. While best known for being Cheap Trick’s keyboardist between 1982/1985, ‘Magic’ Cristian is a respected composer, arranger and producer.
Due his industry connections Cristian had a chance to record this solo album with the likes of Jason Scheff and Steve Salas as session musicians, a wonderful collection of own penned songs with that lovely US AOR sound production, plenty of keyboards and choruses akin Stan Bush, Aldo Nova, Jeff Paris et all.
AERIAL had no luck securing a major label contract in the overcrowded late ’80s US melodic hard rock scene, but they were close. However they professionally recorded a set of songs in 1989, and now these tracks have been remastered with a few additional tracks for the album “Crazy Over You” released by Metallic Blue Records. Always fronted by Michael...
As requested by many, here’s the out of print remastered Japanese edition of CHICAGO 17, as part of the ‘Forever Young Series Remastered’ including 4 bonus tracks. This is exactly the same release appeared the same year pressed on SHM-CD. The sound quality is outstanding. Originally released in 1984, ‘Chicago 17’ was the group’s second release for Full Moon/Warner Bros....
One of you asked for this, self-titled and only album by MANIC EDEN, the super-group formed by Tommy Aldridge, Rudy Sarzo and Adrian Vandenberg after Whitesnake. Particularly this hard to find Japanese Edition including an exclusive bonus track. After the recording and successful “Slip Of The Tongue” Whitesnake tour, some of the members of that formation decided to give a...
During the ’80s CHICAGO created a string of really successful albums with their sound morphing to mainstream AOR / Adult Contemporary, something first time followers of the band disliked. But for AOR / West Coast fans like me, these records are pure gold. Appeared in 1988, “Chicago 19” deepens even more into the Eighties blistering AOR sound thanks to masterful...
