HRH Mag - XXVII - December-2024 by Hard Rock Hell Magazine

Steve Vai

Welcome to volume XXVII

The Team

Editorial

Chief Editor - Adam Kennedy adam@hrhmediahub.com

Designer - Charlotte Hooper charl@darkwatch.net

Contributing Writers: Russell Peake, Viki Ridley, Adam Kennedy, Paul Davies, Charlotte Hooper, Dennis Jarman, Peter Ray Allison, Diane Davies

Contributing Photographers: Adam Kennedy, Simon Dunkerley, All Others Credited.

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Fish

- 32. Stephen Wilson Jr

- 34. Philip Sayce & Troy Redfern

- 36. Deep Purple

- 38. Steve Hackett

- 40. Bob Vylan

- 42. Robert Jon & The Wreck

- 44. Jason Isbell & The 400

46 HRH Punk 4 Photo Gallery

48 HRH

Management

Publisher - Dark Watch BVI Limited

HRH Experiences Ltd Chairman / Founder Jonni Davis

European Director John Ellis john@darkwatch.net

Head of Marketing Charlotte Hooper charl@darkwatch.net

Head of Sales

Jessica Lloyd jess@darkwatch.net

HRH Official Photographer Simon Dunkerley simond@hrhmag.com

Steve Vai

THREE THE MAGIC NUMBER

Hip hop luminaries De La Soul once argued in one of their tracks, that three was the magic number. And when it comes to the fabled guitar tour G3 featuring legends Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Eric Johnson, perhaps they were right.

The talented trio recently reunited for a tour of the US. The end product is a stunning new live album and the first G3 release in 20 years.

Aside from touring with G3, Steve Vai has been on the road across the US, as part of the Beat tour alongside members of King Crimson. The run showcases a creative reinterpretation of the three iconic 80s King Crimson albums - Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair. But how has it felt for Steve to be delving into the King Crimson discography on this run? “It exceeded my expectations,” said Steve. “When Adrian first asked me if I’d be interested in doing this, I kind of created a picture in my mind of what I thought it could potentially be. That was very attractive on many levels. One - these guys are formidable musicians. Two - the music is just so delicious, it’s so great to play. It’s right up my alley. Three - I saw it as a great challenge because Robert Fripp’s guitar parts are very unique to him and we really are very different types of players. But I’ve always respected and loved what he’s done. He’s a fierce disciplinarian and takes a very holistic approach to playing the instrument and he’s a powerful teacher too.”

Steve adds: “I saw it as a great challenge and when I got into it, I realized it was more of a challenge than I may have expected, but that made me even more attracted to it because I knew I could figure it out. And for the vast majority of the guitar parts that are specific to songs, I honour those. And there’s like two parts that are just outside of my wheelhouse. So I kind of took the notes and framed them so that they’re in my wheelhouse and it works great. But what I didn’t expect was the incredible love from the fans,” he says. “But when we got on the tour and we started to gel as a band celebrating and respecting this music, the response from the fans is nothing like I could have expected. It’s just magnificent.”

Beat tour aside, reuniting with his G3 counterparts was an exhilarating experience for Steve Vai. “It’s just fantastic. I feel like I live a charmed life. I have all these wonderful, amazing oppor-

tunities that suit me really well. And when Joe called the first time to ask me if I’d be interested in doing the G3 tour with Eric, I mean, I said, well, let me think about it …. Okay. And that was a glorious kick-off to a very successful enterprise that all through the years has celebrated the guitar and guitar fans and, we played all around the world.”

Of course, G3 has shifted through a multitude of legendary performers. “G3 went through various iterations and players and territories. So, to come back together again at this time, and be able to be on that stage with Joe and Eric after 30 years or so, it’s just magnificent, it’s such a pleasure, it’s such an honour. And to have another record come out, as you know, the music climate for purchasing music was very different when the first G3 record came out, so now certain formats they’ve disappeared. But certain other ones have flowered a little more - like vinyl. And for guys like us, there’s still an interest in CDs, especially in Europe. Europe CDs still sell. But because things have shifted, the record company took a real artistic approach to this package. I mean, it’s pretty phenomenal. If you’re a fetisher of vinyl and all its accoutrements, which I am, it’s a mother load. You get I think it’s four discs, and we get our whole set. And it’s an opportunity to create a really nice package for the release, whereas back then, you get a CD and a DVD. Now we’re doing, Blu-ray, CD, DVD, vinyl. It’s great.”

Touring with G3, the audiences are very much guitar aficionados. In that respect how does Steve Vai approach picking a setlist for a show on the G3 run? “Well, usually, most artists, the first thing you do is you pull a couple of the songs from your catalogue that you know people want to hear. So in my case, that’s songs like For the Love of God or Tender Surrender. But in putting this setlist together, I wanted to stay close to the new pieces from Inviolate, because they’re great to perform live. I love playing them live. I’ve got things like Zeus in Chains, which I just love playing and Little Pretty, The Teeth of the Hydra, with the Hydra guitar. So, I wanted to make it very heavy on the new stuff.”

The artist even contemplated making brave decisions in his setlist. “I got to the point where I was thinking, maybe I can get away without playing For the Love of God because they’ve heard it so much, and maybe I could put some other stuff in there. But I had some conversations with some people that helped me to change my mind about that. It’s not that I’m tired of playing the song. I don’t think that’ll ever happen. It’s just that you only get a little space, you get 45 minutes, and that song is like eight minutes. But I do love playing it.”

Perhaps one of the most fascinating tracks on the album and the live performance is Teeth of the Hydra, where Steve grapples with his unique

custom-built guitar. Having now spent time with the instrument, the gifted guitarist has enjoyed grappling with The Hydra, although it is a heavy instrument to play in more ways than one. “I want to bring it live because it’s fun. When you know how to do it, and you have all the moves, it’s very liberating, I have to be hyper-focused. It’s like a meditative state to play that thing. You can’t lose focus, or you get derailed,” he says. “The first tour that we had scheduled was an American tour and I was hoping to play the Hydra, but I had a lot of shoulder problems. I had surgery during the pandemic, and they had to fix three ripped-up tendons, and then six months into the healing process, I tore another one. And I couldn’t even get my arm over the Hydra. And we had to take that whole leg of the tour and move it because I needed time to heal. And by the time we did the first leg, which was Europe, I couldn’t play it, I was lucky enough that I could go like this. But through that tour, I healed better. And the next leg was the displaced American leg. And I just hunkered down, and I got it. The only difference is, that I decided to play it on a stand live because it’s precarious, it’s really heavy. I have to stand in one spot. And if I move too much, I’m just going to go over, because it doesn’t move. When you get the waist strap, it doesn’t move like a regular guitar. You can’t do rock and roll. You go like this, and boom, you’re done.”

Perhaps the question on Steve’s UK fan’s lips is can we expect to see G3 on our shores any time soon? “Well, I hope it can. It’s a great ticket. But there are so many good tickets. I mean, Joe was just out with Sammy. I’m out with Beat. And then, we did G3. And then we did the Satch Vai tour.” Steve concludes: “I’ve had my ass on tour since May of 22. That’s a long time to be spending in hotels and tours. And I’m not going to let up until the fall of 27. And then I’m going off-grid.”

G3 Reunion Live will be released by earMUSIC on Friday, January 31, 2025. It’s a full-album length set from each guitarist, plus a collaborative supergroup LP, and the first G3 release in 20 years.

The album captures the guitar magic of Satriani, Johnson, and Vai on their sold-out 2024 US tour. This electrifying reunion features three guitar icons who first joined forces in 1996 and showcases boundary-pushing performances that define G3.

Words by Adam Kennedy

Photo Credit: Larry DiMarzio

Gilby Clarke’s storied career is the stuff of legend. From replacing Izzy Stradlin in Guns N Roses, through to playing with Slash’s Snakepit the USbased guitarist is presently celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut solo album Pawnshop Guitars.

If you were at HRH 17 in Great Yarmouth, perhaps you saw Gilby’s outstanding live performance. The artist’s appearance at Hard Rock Hell was part of a rare run of dates in the UK. Speaking about the tour, Gilby said: “We went to Italy first. We do well there. So, we did three shows in Italy. Then we came here - we played Bannermans. We did Manchester, Birmingham and then London.” The guitarist adds: “It’s always good to play England, because for us, the UK, we don’t play here a lot. So, people are actually excited when we come and they want to hear the songs, and they want to see what you’re doing. So, I like that.”

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 30 years since the release of Gilby’s seminal album Pawnshop Guitars. The album was released at a time when grunge music was starting to make an impact in the music world. “That was a real strange time when that record was coming out, I was just doing what I’ve been doing. It’s the same music, but the landscape was changing dramatically.”

Up at that point in his career, did Gilby Clarke yearn to record a solo album? “I never even had a desire,” he says. “It was a really simple thing. When I joined GNR, I was in bands where I was already the songwriter, the singer and the guitar player. So, when Guns came along, everything that I’d been doing was put on hold. I’m going to go back a little bit. I was a writer with Virgin Music. I was one of the first American writers they ever signed. So, I had a backlog of songs and stuff that once I got the GNR gig, I knew they weren’t going to do anything with them. And I knew after the Illusion tour, we were going to take a lot of time off. So, I said, let me make a solo album.”

Recording a solo album was a different change of pace for the gifted guitarist. “I didn’t want to do a band record because I was in Guns at the time,” he recalls. “So, before I did it, I gave all the songs to Slash and Axl. I said, look, if you’re interested in something, let’s put it away. And they said, nope, if we make a new record, we’re going to start from scratch. And that’s how I did it. Plain and simple. So, I never intended to be a solo artist. It’s just something that happened and then developed.”

Pawnshop Guitars featured a multitude of high-profile guests, including some of his GNR bandmates, and luminaries such as Frank Black from The Pixies and Alice Cooper guitarist Ryan Roxie. “Even though we were very serious about

making the record, Guns had just got off the road. You’ve got to understand, we spent two and a half years together every day. I mean, that’s like a family. So, when I made my record, it was a place where everybody could come hang out. It’s like, well, Gilby’s down the street. I couldn’t get rid of them. They were hanging at the studio,” recalls Gilby. “So, it became that atmosphere of just a place to hang out.”

Gilby adds: “Ryan was my friend. And Frank Black, we had known each other for years. And so, once it started with Slash playing on it and Matt, I go, well, it kind of naturally evolved into asking other people. That’s the great thing about a solo record is you don’t have to just use a band. You have the option to play with a lot of different people. And when they come to the party, they bring a whole new energy to the song. If it was just me, it would sound very bland. It sounds so much better when they bring what they bring to the table.”

Gilby Clarke joined the GNR ranks at a time when the band were riding the crest of the Use Your Illusion wave. But what was it like joining the band at that point in time? “You’ve got to understand, for someone like me, and even Matt, but Matt had been in the band for a little bit longer, we struggled,” said Gilby. “We were playing small clubs, trying to get interviews and nobody wanted to talk to you and stuff.”

Joining the ranks of GNR was like another world from where he came from. “It was easy. It’s like suddenly, you’re not on a tour bus, you’re on a plane, your hotels are five-star hotels. It’s like everything got easier. And what was nice about that is, like I said, it helped me concentrate on the important things. And for me, being new in the band was remembering the songs, which were new to me. And I didn’t really worry about fitting in, because I fit in. The guys accepted me from day one, but it was just easy. It’s like all I had to do was play that two-and-a-half, three-hour show two times a week. That’s really what it felt like. And, you couldn’t f*ck up. Even if you f*cked up, it was like, oh, they expect us to f*ck up.”

Gilby Clarke replaced original guitarist Izzy Stradlin in the band’s lineup. But how did it feel to step into the big boots of his predecessor? “I think because Matt was new and Dizzy had just come in, people were a little more accepting of change, even though Izzy was an integral part of the band as a songwriter. And, to me, the difference of what made the band a rock and roll band and not a hard rock band, it was Izzy,” said Gilby. “Izzy and I are from the same cloth. We have the same influences, there’s not really a big difference there. So that’s what helped it be a little more seamless. And I think that it was a little more acceptable to the fans, too.”

In the build-up to Gilby joining the GNR ranks, there was an anticipation around LA that something was about to happen. “The word was out. People were asking what’s going on with Izzy. He’s not showing up,” recalls Gilby. “So, they called me. I didn’t call them. They called me. It was just kind of like a natural progression.”

Gilby Clarke was already familiar to the band. “Put it this way, I wasn’t surprised I got the call. I was surprised that I got the gig because they were calling some pretty big names at the time. And when I auditioned, I only played a couple of songs with them, and it went really quickly, and I knew everybody, so it was weird. And so, we already jammed together and played together.”

He adds: “Izzy was the one I knew the closest at that time, but like I said, it just felt natural to do that. But the call itself, I wasn’t that surprised getting it.”

The first GNR album which Gilby featured on was the Spaghetti Incident. “Spaghetti Incident was never really meant to be a new GNR record. It was really just something in between - it was before we made a new record, it was just to show the band’s influences, and the songs that the band grew up on and songs that we all liked together as a band,” explains Gilby. “Recording it, once again, was easy, and we were playing really well together at that point. It’s like we had done a lot of shows. All of us, even me getting in the band.”

Gilby continues: “There were a few songs where I tracked over Izzy’s parts. And there are only 24 tracks, and something had to go, but Izzy wasn’t really playing on those songs. It’s not like I erased Izzy and went in. There was really nothing there. It was kind of open, and I just did my thing. But the other tracks we did together. We were clicking at that time. I knew my place in the band. It wasn’t like I had to find my place. I knew it, and the guys accepted me for it.”

Beyond celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut album, Gilby Clarke has plenty of irons in the fire. “All these years, I pretty much do the same thing. It’s like, I’m a guitar player first and foremost, so I do get hired to play guitar. Sometimes people have no idea here about it,” he says. “We have a couple of all-star bands like Kings of Chaos, we have Royal Machines. I just did a gig with Chevy Metal. And so, I get those calls to do gigs like that.” He continues: “Sometimes I play on a record, sometimes I produce a record. But I like keeping the solo band alive. I don’t make records that much, but we get offers to go play all the time,” concludes Gilby. Words &

Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

A View from the Top of the Hill

Canadian blues rocker Steve Hill recently returned with his new album Hanging on a String. For his latest offering, the artist ventured south of the Canadian border to record in Los Angeles at the legendary Studio 606.

As AC/DC once said, ‘It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll’. This is a sentiment which the artist appreciates. “It’s not everybody who’s passionate about music who can make a living out of it in 2024. I still can. And hopefully, it keeps going like this because I don’t know what else to do.”

For his latest offering, Steve Hill ventured to Los Angeles to record at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606. The opportunity was catalysed by a connection at the microphone company Lauten Audio. “At the time they were distributed by a Montreal company, and they were looking for an artist to do demos at the NAMM show in L.A. and Sweetwater in Indiana. And the distributor from Montreal, one of the guys who worked there, saw a video of myself and he sent it to Brian Laudenslager, [owner of the Lauten Audio microphone company]. And Brian was like, oh, yeah, we want this guy,” recalls Steve.

“I was not the star of those events. The star was Darrell Thorp, who’s the engineer, mixer and producer of my record. Darrell does the Foo Fighters albums, he’s done Beck, he’s done Radiohead, he’s done McCartney. He’s got ten Grammys. He’s worked with Snoop Dogg and Reba McEntire. He does any type of music. He’s an incredible engineer,” said Steve.

Beyond these showcase events, Steve and Brian remained in touch. “Almost two years ago, I was on tour in Western Canada, and I played Calgary, and somebody filmed me. I posted it back on Facebook and Brian was at Studio 606 with Darrell and he saw the video and he called me and he’s like, hey, Steve, it’s been a while, come and record in L.A. You should come and record at 606,” recounts Steve.

After the tour, Steve’s travels became a bit of an uphill struggle, if you will excuse the pun. “About a week and a half later, it’s the end of

the tour and I’m sleeping at my tour manager’s place because I’m leaving the very next day. And we got to Calgary late. We were in Red Deer doing a show and then we got there late and I’m sleeping on an inflatable mat downstairs. And it’s really not comfortable and I can’t sleep,” said Steve. “And at some point, I’m dreaming of barbecue, and it smells like barbecue. And then I opened my eyes, and the basement was filled with smoke.”

Things started to take a turn for the worse. “The house is on fire. So, I get up, I wake Nate, we get out of there, we call the fireman. And then somebody else was picking me up to bring me to the airport.” Steve’s lucky escape also created a moment of inspiration. “Every time I finish a tour, I’m sitting in my seat in the plane, and I take a photo, and I post a little text and it started with ‘woke up in a house on fire’.”

Once back home in Montreal, Brian called the artist to check in on his friend. “I called him back and he’s like, hey, man, that’s a good line for a song,” recalls Steve. “A week later, he had arranged the whole thing. He had booked the studio, booked Darrell and decided to be the producer of the album. He paid for the recording, and they filmed the whole thing.”

But being caught up in the house fire wasn’t the only plot twist on Steve Hill’s creative journey. “I went there last week of August and my buddy, Johnny Pilgrim, who I write lyrics with, he lives in L.A. And he comes to pick me up and my girlfriend at the airport. And 15 minutes later, we got hit at a stop sign. Somebody ran on a red light straight into us,” said Steve. “I got broken ribs, and I was in the studio thirty-six hours later. So, I did a few days, but it was getting worse and worse. Every day something else was stuck. And so, the producers decided to postpone the whole thing.”

Once on the mend, Steve resumed recording. “There was no way that I would mess it up the second time. So, I got in there and I was so focused. I’ve never been that focused in my entire life,” said Steve. “And I had six days to record the album, and I did it in five. We would do two

songs a day and it’s all first, second or third takes. And I’m very proud of it.”

In the studio, the creative juices were flowing. “There are eight songs on the album. Of course, when you do an album, you write more stuff than what you have on the album,” confirms Steve. “These eight songs together felt like a concept album at the same time. They were meant to be together.”

Hanging on a String wasn’t intended to be a concept album per se, but when you put them all together, it feels like a concept album, set in a dystopian world where music is the only salvation. “Once the album was done, and I had all these songs in that particular order, it seemed like there’s a story behind it. And, ending with When The Music’s Over gives it that feeling, I think it’s very personal and very universal at the same time,” explains Steve. “These times we live in with AI and the world is really changing fast. And as a musician, it can feel like that sort of last of the blacksmith type of thing, especially for a guy like me, playing everything together. The album’s done straight to tape, recorded live in the studio. It’s not how the world works anymore.”

With the album finally released, how is Steve feeling about the record? “It’s a great feeling. It took a long time to get there,” explains Steve. “The album came out exactly a year and a half after I started writing the songs for it, so it’s a lot of hard work to get there, and now it’s my favourite part of the whole process. I’m touring, I’m playing the songs live.”

Performing the new material live has been a rewarding experience. Perhaps the biggest reward of all has been the reaction from the artist’s followers. “Most fans write to me telling me that it’s their favourite album yet,” concludes Steve.

Steve Hill’s new album “Hanging On A String” is released by No Label Records and is available from www.stevehillmusic.com

Words by Adam Kennedy

Photo Credit: Jean-Sebastien-Desilets

DORJA

LIGHTING THE WAY

UK-based hard rock band Dorja has announced their comeback with the promise of a new album in 2025. The five-piece announced a new lineup in 2021 with the release of their latest EP, Persephone, which introduced a development in their sound, becoming modern yet darker, creating a unique style the rock market has been waiting for. The band’s return has been catalysed by releasing a new single titled Headlights. The latter is the first taste of the band’s untitled new album.

Previously, Dorja has been geographically dispersed around the world, with lead singer Aiym Almas living in Los Angeles. However, there has been a lot of logistical change in the Dorja camp in recent times, with the band all now living in Europe. “It’s been a big transitional year for me because I’ve moved to London now, full-time. Because I’ve done so much, and now, I’m here. But that’s super recent, as in this last month. And so obviously, that’s a great thing for a band, for us to be together,” said Aiym.

Guitarist Rosie Botterill adds: “I’ve been super busy with other projects for the last three years. And now things have quietened down with that a lot. So now, with Aiym being in the country, we’re all in Europe. Unfortunately, Anna [Mylee] has gone to Belgium, but that’s an hour and a half flight away. So, it’s easy enough. And it’s only an hour time difference instead of eight hours. So, it’s been a good year because we’ve all now bought into one place, which means we can get the work done that we need to do so much more efficiently.”

With the band now closer together, they have been able to get to work on their new material. “We were writing all this time. And specifically last year, all the songs are finally coming together. And then we’re like, okay, now, let’s record it. Let’s get it done. So, I’m really happy we’re managing at least one release before the end of this year. So, 2024, sort of came together in these last few months of getting the songs that we’ve written already to get them out into the world,” explains Aiym. “Because we had a bit of that hiatus, hopefully, we’ll have the momentum again.

And we want to sort of reach a wider audience.” The band’s last release was the Persephone EP. A release which ushered in a new sound for Dorja. “We used the pandemic time to write from home. We were sending ideas to each other,” said Rosie. “And that definitely inspired the birth of a newer sound for us - a bit darker. I’m always so grateful that we made use of that time.” Aiym continues: “So many bands were really struggling creatively. And we were so on top of our game. We had three music videos and a full EP. And we even played some one-off shows.”

But was the band’s new sound a conscious decision? “I think we wanted to create something that had a stronger production sound to it. So, it just makes it sound a bit more modern,” said Rosie. “We just wanted it to be a bit more relevant and a bit more fresh, but still make it rock.”

The band’s latest single is called Headlights. “I think we wrote it in the room together. We started jamming maybe last year. And that was one of the songs we really liked. And we sort of developed it quite quickly. I was still playing a little bit with how I wanted to sing it. And then suddenly, I think we were just like, okay, we want to release this one,” recalls Aiym. “And it was actually really fun to play with this one because the drama is so different in the song. So, it ended up being a really fun song for us.”

The single grapples with fairly dark subjects, including themes such as entrapment and loss.

“I think this one was definitely about the feeling of hopelessness. Caught in headlights with frozen fear. So, you are hit with this imminent danger, and what happens then - there’s like a fight. It could be between two characters, or it could be you and your demons, or it could be you and the world. But there’s definitely one of us who will be caught in headlights, and one of us would be free to flee. And then, who gets it? It can have a philosophical meaning - who gets to decide whose life is a prize,” said Aiym. “So, I was trying to expand on those ambiguous ideas as well.”

With Headlights being the first taste of the band’s latest material – how close are the band to finishing a new Dorja album? “We’re going a different approach this time to how we did it. Whereas I think traditionally we’ve just written a whole block of music, and this is the album. Now what should we release? Whereas this time we’re writing so organically. We have a number of songs done and finished and completed, but there are other songs which are still being worked on,” explains Rosie. “So, we’re going to go with the way of drip-feeding songs a bit more, and then, eventually at the end, it will make an album. So, it’s forming, but it’s not entirely done yet. It’s also quite exciting because I think sometimes the response from songs that you release will help you guide on what actual songs you should be releasing next, and what worked and what hasn’t worked. Some we release might not make an album at the end, but we’re probably working towards eight to ten tracks, I think - not crazy long. Around half of them we pretty much have, but we don’t have a timeline. We’re keeping that a little bit ambiguous.”

“So many bands were really struggling creatively. And we were so on top of our game. “

It’s been a while since Dorja toured the UK, but it’s very much at the forefront of their minds presently. “We’ve been away for a while, and we also feel like we never really got to tour the EP, because as soon as it came out in 21 and then after 22, we all got incredibly busy with other tours, so we never really had a big chance. So, I think we’re going to have one launch show at the beginning of next year for the new stuff we’ve written and to play all the EP, which would be so fun,” said Rosie. “And then from the back of that, we’ll then look into booking Europe.” Rosie concludes: “We’re open to most things right now, but we have a few things for sure we know we want to do and the rest, we’re going to see what comes in.”

Headlights, the new single from Dorja, is out now via streaming platforms.

Words by Adam Kennedy

Photo Credit: Press Supplied

THE RIOT ACT

With the release of their new album, ‘Caelestia’, UK-based alt-metal quartet Skarlett Riot feels their stars have aligned. By their admission, ‘Caelestia’ is ‘The best Skarlett Riot release yet’.

Throughout 2024, Skarlett Riot have been juggling touring and working on their new record. “We went on tour with Esoterica in April and then on tour with Infected Rain in August. We flew over to Portugal and headlined the Vortex Music Festival, and that was our first show in Portugal and headlining as well,” said Skarlett. “We’ve kept busy, and we’ve been juggling this album as well. Getting everything ready for the release this year with artwork and music videos and releasing singles in between all the shows. So, it’s been a really good year.” The band’s recent single Lullaby comes from an emotive place. “It was written about losing a grandparent, and I think loss, in general, is sadly something that everyone goes through at some point in their lives. So, we wanted the video to express and show the memories of Grandma, but also to be able to relive the memories with a positive message. To be able to say that those memories and those people will live on within you. So, it’s a bit of a tearjerker,” said Skarlett.

As a songwriter, Skarlett prefers to write from a personal perspective. “I think all of the songs lyrically are from personal experience. I find it helps to be able to write from something you’ve experienced and learned from. And it’s quite special when people are singing your lyrics back to you on stage,” said Skarlett. “It’s so personal to you, but it resonates with other people. And to have people come up to you and say your

is definitely the reason why I write lyrics. The reason I write in general is to help people and resonate with my experiences and hope it’ll help someone else through theirs as well.”

Caelestia features a guest appearance from Xandria lead vocalist Ambre Vourvahis on the bonus track Who Do You Think You Are. But how did the collaboration come to fruition? “We toured with Xandria at the back end of 2023. They’re good friends of ours now, and we hopefully will get back on the road with them again at some point,” said Skarlett. “I kept in touch with Ambre, and I thought while we were finishing off the album, Who Do You Think You Are, was one of the last songs to come out. And I said, what do you think about this? And I sent her it, and she’s like, oh yeah, that’s good. And she was helping me a little bit with my screams, because it’s still quite a new thing to me. And I said, how do you feel about adding your screams onto Who Do You Think You Are at the end and just having a big build-up and we could have a version with you on it? And she was like, oh yeah, I’d be well up for that. That’d be fun. And I could imagine in the future as well, if we got to do it on stage live together, that’d be so fun.”

Travelling became a source of inspiration for the gifted songwriter on this album project. “I visited a couple of places, Finland being one and Slovenia being another; I’m a massive travel lover. So in between, when you’re touring on the road, you get to see different places,” said Skarlett. “I think there’s just something about nature. It’s so calm and peaceful, and you could sit outside somewhere different, and you just

feel cut off from everything. And I think it helps to be in the right head space. I can think clearly, and I can write better if I’m sat in the middle of nowhere.” Skarlett Riot will embark on a headline UK tour next year. But how much are the band looking forward to taking their new album on the road? “I can’t wait. I’m going to be practising like crazy, because with it being new songs, it’s not songs that you’re used to singing and getting the memory muscle working because it’s been a long time since I recorded them. It’s like learning a new song again. But yeah, it’s going to feel good to play some new music,” said Skarlett. “We don’t release quickly, we don’t snap out songs, it takes us a while before we’re happy with releasing certain stuff. So, it feels like we’ve been touring the same songs for a long time. It’s going to be nice to play some other stuff live and see what the general reaction is because I think live is a little different. Songs can come across better live than on the record and hit harder. So, it would be nice to find our favourites to play live.”

With the recent release of their new album, the band remain open-minded about their plans for the new year. “We have ideas, and we have other tours being planned too; it’s just nothing that’s confirmed to be able to share yet. But we’re hoping it’s a super busy year,” said Skarlett. “We’re going to get this album out, we’re going to tour it as much as possible, and see what the reaction’s like, and hopefully get back into Europe again as well.” ‘Caelestia’, the new album from UK-based alt-metal quartet Skarlett Riot, is out now via Despotz Records.

Words by Adam Kennedy Photo Credit: Press Provided

PLOT TWIST

Adam Kennedy speaks with Stevie Stoker from Juliet’s Not Dead about the band’s new moniker, and forthcoming new album.

Heralding from the North East, Juliet’s Not Dead are an adrenaline-fuelled, driven band with the sole intention of thrilling their audiences at every show. They have just finished recording the follow-up to the highly acclaimed debut album and it is ready for release in February 2025. If their last EP ‘Only The Strong Survive’ is anything to go by; attitude-filled riffs and a killer modern edge will be abundant. The band have again paired with Mercury prize and Grammy-nominated producer Romesh Dodangoda to set about crafting something special.

There has been a lot of change in the Juliet’s Not Dead camp lately. From lineup changes through to name changes, the band hasn’t done things in half. The band formerly known as Twister have entered a new chapter in their history. “We spent 2023 chasing our tail a little bit. But then we got our ducks in a row; we knew where we wanted to go. So, leaving 2023 was nice because we knew we were going into the studio at the end of January to record the album,” said Stevie. “We knew what we wanted from it. So, we spent December and January in our studio, prepping the album to record. And then, by the middle of February, the album was done, and we were sat with it.”

Of course, Twister have a long and storied history. But how did it feel for the group to change their name and identity after all this time? “We’ve had lots of conversations about doing the name

change. The last time I named a band, I was 13. So, this was very interesting and a process I don’t ever want to go through again. So, we got through that, and then it was a case of, right, okay, now we’re ready to release this music. And yeah, now we’re here.”

The band’s latest single to be taken from The World Is Ours was created during a time when a lot of movement within the Twister camp was taking place. “We were at the point where everything changed. We did the lineup changes and all that. We were in a really interesting moment where we had to use that negativity and turn it on its head and turn it into positivity. And from that point, everything became a lot clearer. But we wouldn’t have been able to do that without the support of each other and the support of the people around us. Because when you get in your head, and you’re so downtrodden, you need to find a way up. You can’t always just help yourself,” said Stevie. “And that’s why we’re doing this new single in support of Samaritans and the Durham Mental Health Alliance. Because if you haven’t got people around you, you can ring them and talk to them. And it’s important that we do say what we’re thinking and say what we’re feeling to try and get out the other side of it.” The frontman adds: “And Battle Scarred is the story of being in a position where you feel like you’re overwhelmed. You’re not sure how you see out the other side. And it’s making sure that you get the help that you need.”

Juliet’s Not Dead’s new album has a strong message running throughout. “The album is called This World Is Ours. And the basic message in that is life’s what you make of it. It can be as

miserable as you want it to be if you let it, or it can be the land of opportunity if you make it,” confirms Stevie.

With a lot of material behind the band from the Twister days, how will the band’s live shows look moving forward? “A lot of the questions we’ve had are - one is why the name change, the other one is, are all the songs coming with you? Yes, the answer is, that we’re still going to be playing all that stuff. We’re in a very nice position now where we’ve got too many good songs,” said Stevie. “We’re not playing anything that isn’t released at that point because we don’t necessarily want people to turn up, and we’re still playing songs that they haven’t had the chance to listen to.”

Juliet’s Not Dead will release their new album This World Is Ours on 7th February 2025. For further information, including up to date tour schedule please visit https://www.julietsnotdead.com/.

Words by Adam Kennedy Photo Credit: Press Provided

THE ROAD IS CALLING

Loz Campbell first hit the road at the tender age of 15. Now 10 years on, she is very much going back to her roots with her latest single Hittin’ The Free Road. The artist has stripped herself of the ‘Bad Girl’ look, donning a cowgirl hat and boots showcasing a softer side to her repertoire, pulling harder on the Southern American rock strings.

The artist has had an action-packed year so far, that has included a multitude of performances at high-profile festivals across the UK. “I quite confidently say that it’s probably been one of the best years we’ve had, especially festival season. That was my goal for the year, stuff like Call of the Wild and Firevolt. Those are ones that I’ve always looked at the posters thinking, I really want to be on that,” said Loz. “It’s been what we set out to do, and it’s been a fantastic ride.”

Loz adds: “I did have a really bad chest infection through the entire of the festival season. So, I don’t even know how I got through it, to be honest with you. But we just stuck loads of lemon and ginger tea on the rider, and I just was sloshing a load of it before going on. Every set felt a bit of touch and go. To lose your voice when you need it the most is the scariest thing.”

Loz Campbell celebrated her milestone 10th anniversary as a professional musician with a special show at the Key Club in Leeds. “It was a bit crazy because in a way I feel like I’ve lost 10 years of my life; I don’t know how it’s gone this fast,” said Loz. “I had quite a few people that were special to me, like my first drummer. He came back and played Generic Girl with us because that was always his song. He always went crazy on that one, so that was really special. And it was just a really nostalgic night really, and I’ve always wanted to headline that venue, so it was a bit of a tick off the list.”

Anniversary aside, Loz Campbell toured the UK earlier in the year with legendary bass player Marco Mendoza. “He was such a sweetheart, and I’m going to probably say he’s the nicest guy we’ve ever toured with and probably ever will tour with,” said Loz. “I’d heard good things about him, but he was so friendly. We were swapping in-ear monitor packs because his wasn’t working, and it was a real team effort, that tour. But we had an absolute blast,” confirms Loz.

The artist is currently hard at work on her new album. Hittin’ The Free Road is the second single to be released from the project. “We recorded this last year. So, when we did Can’t Get Enough, which was the previous single, we did both Can’t Get Enough and Hittin the Free Road at the same time. And we walked in, and we went Can’t Get Enough is the single, and Hittin’ the Free Road is just going to be an album track because it’s not good enough,” recalls Loz. “But then we ended up preferring Hittin the Free Road. And we were like, maybe it can be a single. It feels a bit risky in a way because it’s very different to what we’ve done previously. But at the same time, I feel like we’ve gone through this Bad Girl/Beautiful Liar era, we’ve had all these singles that are really ballsy, and I’ve been nicknamed the party girl. I kind of want to shed that skin now - because I’m playing some really cool guitar, and I want people to see past that sort of bad girl rock chick vibe and listen to what I’m doing and what I’m playing.”

Loz continues: “I want to strip it back so it’s all about music, not about how you look. And when I was writing this track, I put it to one side for ages, and I thought this isn’t a Loz Campbell track, but I really like playing it. I’m really into blues. I saw Samantha Fish on tour and Joanne Shaw-Taylor - I’ve been watching her for a long time. I’m really into that sort of stuff. And I thought we will pull both of these strings and put my own flair on it. And that’s hopefully what I’ve done with it.”

Loz elaborates on the recent single Can’t Get Enough. “So that song is the opposite of the Bad Girl single, because the Bad Girl single is all about coming back onto the dating scene and having a bit of a good time. And then Can’t Get Enough is sort of falling in love and getting that lust feeling and coming full circle.”

With the recording of Loz’s new album in full flow, the artist continues to drip-feed new material for her fans. “I know a lot of people say, get the album done and then release your two singles and, and there’s a structure to the release. But I wanted to keep things coming, because people are eager for new music, and we play live a lot,” said Loz. “So, I’ve drip-fed four of the tracks, so there’ll be Bad Girl, Beautiful Liar, and then we’ll have six brand new ones that we’re going to record in the new year.”

As we hurtle towards 2025, Loz Campbell has her sights set on completing her new album in the new year. “I’m not booking any gigs at the minute because we’ve had such a busy time, and I’m a devil for not saying no to things. So I’m putting my foot down now and saying, no, we need to finish this and then head back out after it’s done,” said Loz. “In the new year, I’ve got songs that are unfinished at the minute, but the ideas are there. I’m going to finish them up as January and February hits, and then go into the studio. So, we might seem quiet for the first sort of six months of the year, but believe me, we’ll be working hard behind the scenes,” concludes Loz.

Hittin The Free Road, the second of two singles to be released by Loz Campbell during 2024, is out now.

Words by Adam Kennedy

Photo Credit: Paul Samuel

CUT THEM SOME SLACK

If you’ve been to any of the HRH events over the last 12 months, perhaps you will have caught pop-punk trio Slackrr. And although their band name may suggest the opposite, the band certainly have not been resting on their laurels.

The band has been touring relentlessly during 2024, including racking up their 700th gig and a lineup change. “It’s been pretty crazy, to be honest. Louis joined us at the start of the year after Joe had been with us since we started for the past four or five years. And then Louis joined us back in January,” said frontman Scotty.

Touring aside, the group is working on new material. “We hit the road at the start of January, as we always do. So, we had a couple of weeks off, which I spent recording mostly for some new stuff,” confirmed Scotty. “We signed a new record deal at the start of the year with SBAM Records, which is a label that we’ve loved for a long time. Previously to that, we were with Lost Music Collective, which is run by Vinnie, who’s in Less Than Jake. So, they put out our last two records. But while we were over in the States for the first time in 2022, one of the guys from SBAM Records saw us play.” Scotty continues: “We signed the deal with them. So that means a new record for next year, which is still part of it. Lots of touring, some very cool shows, loads of festivals.”

Festival season this year was particularly busy for Slackrr. “We just did the Isle of Wight Festival again in the main arena. And Rebellion. But the festival season kicked off in Ibiza with you guys. So, we flew out and that was really great fun. We enjoyed that one,” he says.

The band have also been receiving high praise from fans and the media alike. “We released two new singles now. Our latest one just came out last Friday,” said Scotty. “BBC and Kerrang have been saying some incredibly nice things and being kind enough to play us, which always blows our mind a little bit. So they’ve been really supportive. It’s just been a bit of a blur. It’s been a lot and it’s been great fun. So, we can’t complain.”

If you take a glance at Slackrr’s tour itinerary for this year, it’s enough to make you dizzy. The

band are road dogs of the highest calibre. This year the band racked up their milestone 700th gig. But how many shows are they playing on average each year? “Between 130 and 150,” he believes. “We’ve crammed a lot in. I mean, Louis started playing live with us in late March because Joe stayed on and fulfilled all his commitments until Louis was ready, which was really good of him. Louis has done 100 gigs since then, at least. He was in at the deep end. He did two shows in the UK and then straight out to Europe with us. But I think, between 130 to 150 is about right.”

Slackrr recently released a new single called ‘Save Your Breath’. “I don’t want to say it’s like the follow-up, but we released Over and Over back in July. That was the first single through SBAM Records,” proclaims Scotty. “Something we observed since 2020, is it seems like there’s a lot more negativity around, which is not what we fit into because we’re quite fun, and positive. And, we have a message about mental health awareness, just community and looking after each other. And so that single was very much taking the stance of you don’t have to badmouth everybody all the time. And you’re finding out that people are talking behind your back, just from stuff that we’d observed. So, it was a bit of that.”

Scotty continues: “Save Your Breath, the inspiration for that was based on a friend’s relationship and friendships that I’d seen kind of go wrong post the pandemic where people were just lying to each other. The video depicts it better than I’ll ever explain it, because basically the video has got two friends in there who are seeing the same guy, but they don’t realize, but they’re making excuses to each other. And even when they find out they’re still seeing the same guy, they still keep doing the same thing to each other. So, it’s kind of that thing. But we put our little fun twist on the music video. The lyric save your breath, I don’t believe a single word you said. It’s very much that kind of thing. We think everyone can relate to it because we’re hoping it’s getting better.”

Slackrr were fortunate enough to have one of their songs featured on the soundtrack to the video game VR Skater. Something that they are

hugely proud of. A lot was happening at the time. “Set The Night On Fire was our last year’s album. And the video game came out and we were on the main stage of Rebellion - it was a big celebration that weekend,” said Scotty.

“We’re just so thrilled and proud, it’s so rare to be picked up and have that opportunity. It’s just something you don’t take for granted in your list of achievements; it goes up there. Our fan base is everyone who was into punk and pop punk in the 90s through the 2000s. Tony Hawks was huge, which we all missed out on. We got the reboot in 2020, but older family members had played that. So, when we told them, they were just thrilled about it.”

Looking into the new year, Slackrr are already hatching plans. “We are forward planning, but the label, management and agents are very forward planning. We’re going to have a new album out. The date hasn’t been set yet. There’ll be a couple more singles, I think. So, we’re told before that. So that means we’ll have to do the music videos, which is fine. It’s just a lot of early get-ups for that. And loads more touring. We are going across to Europe right at the start of next year, at the end of January. A bunch of festivals have come in. We’re going back to Rebellion. We’re doing Punk Rock Holiday in Slovenia, which is really cool. SBAM Fest - our label holds a big festival. It’s in Vienna this time. Take Down Festival - we’re doing that again next year, which is going to be really good fun. Some smaller ones like Loop Fest. We’ll be at the Hard Rock Hell Punk. It’s the first time we’ve done HRH Punk, but we’ve done this one a few times. There are a lot of festivals. We are pretty booked up until August, from the looks of it. But we could pick up an email in a minute that says beyond. So yeah, it’s going to be exciting just touring the new album. Hoping to get back to the States next year. So yeah, just a lot more exhausting, but fun touring,” concludes Scotty.

Slackrr will perform at HRH Punk at the O2 Academy Leicester over the weekend of the 4th and 5th of October 2025. For further information, please visit: https://hrhpunk.com/.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

ROCK N ROLL STARS

Hardcore Superstar arrived at HRH 17 in Great Yarmouth with all guns blazing. The band descended upon Camp HRH in the early stages of their European tour, where they also joined up with touring counterparts Wednesday 13.

If you caught the Scandinavian rockers at the event, perhaps you will agree that their set was one of the many highlights of this year’s Hard Rock Hell festival.

HRH Mag Editor Adam Kennedy grabbed a few words with Hardcore Superstar frontman Jocke Berg before he took to the stage. Discussing the band’s current European tour, Jocke said: “We started up in Gothenburg, our hometown. And it’s always special doing shows where you come from. But it’s always a little bit more nervous than regular. But it went really good. And then we did Malmö the day after.”

From Sweden, the band headed into Germany. Hardcore Superstar enjoy performing in both clubs as well as bigger theatres. “I think every show was great. In Hamburg, we played in a small place. The last time we played the Markthalle, and it held around 1400 people. But this was a really sweaty club. Three hundred people giving their all. It was so f*cking awesome.”

Hardcore Superstar have become regular visitors to Hard Rock Hell over the years. “We played in Sheffield once. And then we played in Wales two times,” said Jocke. “But Hard Rock Hell is always good. People are here for the music.” The group’s latest album, Abrakadabra, was released in 2022. “It’s a bit more raw than the previous one, You Can’t Kill My Rock’n’Roll,” said Jocke. “But we got good reviews, and the fans like it. So now we’re writing new songs for a new album. We have like five or six songs ready. It’s always the same.

Write a record, record a record, and go on tour. And we do it all over again.” The band’s latest offering came together during the pandemic. “It was funny because we couldn’t meet. So, we had Zoom meetings - like listen to this riff. It was so f*cking weird,” he says. “I was very productive during that time because we couldn’t go on the road. So, you could calm down and write songs and be productive. But I heard many people got depressed and stuff. And I understand that. If you don’t have like a thing like a place in the band, of course, it’s depressing.”

The singer has a strong favourite on the band’s latest record. “I like Forever and a Day. That’s a good song. It has that 80s touch. But it’s so high to sing,” he says.

One of the recent singles to be taken from the album is the track Fighter. “That song is about us growing up, wanting to do this and being a fighter to make your goal. We even did a lyric video with our picture of us when we were young, growing up and some of the teenage parts and stuff. So, we’ve been fighting to do this for 26 years. So, it’s about that - I’m a rebel to the core.”

The music industry is a difficult place. With a career spanning more than 20 years, Hardcore Superstar has proven their longevity. “That’s the thing with Swedes because we never give up. It’s the Viking blood,” he said. “In our kind of music or genre, it’s not that common to be together for such a long time. But I think Hardcore Superstar has always been more of a brotherhood than a band.” Whilst the band has been working on new material, how close are they towards a new album? “We have talked to and worked with a producer in Germany called Julian. And we have

five or six songs ready. And we’re writing songs all the time. And hopefully, we’re going to get a single out before the Monsters of Rock cruise in March.”

But what kind of themes are resonating with the band in their songwriting presently? “A lot of Satan. That’s what I wanted to write, but I couldn’t,” he jokes. “I mean, every song I do, it’s like we always have a little bit of irony to it. And not that it’s funny. It’s more like a darker irony to the lyrics. And it’s still like that. For us, it’s important to have a meaning to the lyric. I mean, we couldn’t write about knights, dragons, etc.”

Maybe not knights or dragons, but what about writing about their Viking heritage? “We leave that to Amon Amarth and we leave that to Hammerfall. They do it so much better than us. I mean, we write songs about people we meet, everyday life, and we put a little twist on it. To make it darker, but a little bit funny,” he says. “I think it’s going to be a great album. But of course, it’s a little bit nervous because this is the first album without Adde. He had such a huge input in the songwriting. But now when we started and we have four or five, six songs ready, we’re not that afraid anymore because we got this. So, yeah, I think it’s going to be good.”

Looking into 2025, Hardcore Superstar are open to opportunities. “The only thing I know now is we’re going to do the Monsters of Rock Cruise in March, and hopefully we’re going to put out a single before that cruise. So, we’re working to get an album ready. That’s our main goal, but we’re not going to stress it because it has to be good,” concludes Jocke

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

British rock band Magnum played the final show of their European tour at KK’s Steel Mill in Wolverhampton in December of 2022. The concert was recorded with state-of-the-art audio equipment, which later turned out to be a real blessing because it was – as we know with hindsight – the last official live recording starring Magnum founder Tony Clarkin.

January, 2025, Magnum will release that final performance together as a live album aptly titled Live at KK’s Steel Mill.

will be forever preserved thanks to the band’s new live album.

The guitarist and main songwriter died unexpectedly on the 7th of January 2024, just a few days before the release of Magnum’s studio album ‘Here Comes The Rain’. Tony’s passing was a great loss to both Magnum and the music world alike. Subsequently, on the 10th of

Magnum frontman Bob Catley recalls the night in question. “The show went great, like all of them. We had some interruptions with the tour during the year with COVID getting in the way. We should have done the tour in one stretch like normal, but we did it in three parts. Early on, we did the Symphony Hall in Birmingham in April and then had a break because of COVID. Then in May, we went on tour in Germany with Gotthard and we did some of our own shows, and then we came back,” explains Bob. “We had K.K.’s booked for November as a one-off, end-of-tour party. So, we made a night of it. And it was a lovely night, and all the fans were there, and Tony was there and playing great, and we had a really good time. And it was a real nice finish to the year, really, but not knowing what was about to happen.” Thankfully the memory of that night

Bob Catley will take Magnum on the road in January of 2025 to pay homage to their dearly missed bandmate. In preparation for the upcoming shows, Bob has revisited the live album. Playing back footage from the KK’s gig has been difficult for the Magnum frontman. “It’s the first time I’ve looked at it all year. I haven’t been able to do it. And it’s really good, but it’s too hurtful to look at,” he says. “But I have to now - to get the words back in my head. I’m using some of the tracks to put in the tribute to Tony show.”

Bob adds: “It’s a great place, great promoter, and a great gig, and it was a lovely day. And the promoter, he’s asked us back for another two shows there, next January, to finish off the Tribute show tour. So that’s great. I mean, they’re both sold out. And I think the others are sold out, or near to sold out, or hopefully will be by the time they

get around there. And it’s a pity that we can’t do any more. But we tried to do some more shows in Europe, Germany and Sweden, but Brexit gets in the way these days. It’s been vital for touring bands, now we’re in Brexit. It was the worst decision ever, but there you go.”

Guitarist Brendon Riley will be performing with the band on the upcoming tribute tour. “He was Tony’s guitar technician for many years. He’s in a band himself, a tribute band. We have an emotional connection with him. And he’s like part of the family. So, it was always going to be him. But I wanted to give some other people a chance to show me what they got. They were great as well, but I picked Brendon. And he’ll be using some of Tony’s guitars. Dionne’s going to let him play a couple during the show.”

Does the band have any idea how the tribute shows will look? “We’re going to do the show in two halves. Just an hour, a 20-minute break and

then an hour,” said Bob. “I wanted to put in some of the longer, more lyrically poignant songs in the first half of the show, like When We Were Younger and The Tall Ships and stuff that pulls the heartstrings in the first half. And Don’t Wake the Lion and Jerusalem, the modern song stuff. And 20 minutes later, come back on and change the mood to like, alright, get up and boogie people. Come on, cheer up …and let’s have a party and everybody go home happy, not sad.”

He adds: “It’ll start very poignant, I think. And are we allowed to laugh? Are we allowed to smile? Yes, of course you are. I will be. But it won’t be a normal show, an hour and 45 straight through. It’ll be two moods, a different mood, then a break and then totally changing mood afterwards.”

Magnum were recently recognised as HRH Legends at the HRH Prog Awards in Great Yarmouth. “That was lovely. It was most unexpected. We’ve

never had an award ever. So, whoever voted for us, thank you very much. I mean, what a lovely thing to do. Legends at last,” said Bob. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it myself, but Dionne, Tony’s daughter, came down to accept it on our behalf. It was difficult for me to make it. So, I did a little video. And it was great to thank everybody; it really made my day. Legends, Magnum - fantastic. It’s gone straight to my head. I’ve always been a bit of a big head anyway, so this has really made my head much bigger. I haven’t stopped talking about it to people. It’s not every day you get voted as a legend,” concludes Bob.

Magnum Live at KK’s Steel Mill will be released on January 10th, 2025, through SPV/Steamhammer. For further details regarding the upcoming Magnum tribute to Tony Clarkin shows, please visit: http://www.magnumonline.co.uk/.

Words by Adam Kennedy

Photo Credit: Rob Barrow

REVIEWSLive

WITHIN TEMPTATION

FIRST DIRECT ARENA, LEEDS

Symphonic metal legends Within Temptation kickstarted the second leg of their European tour in Leeds. The band’s return to West Yorkshire was almost two years to the day since their last appearance in this very arena alongside then-touring counterparts Evanescence.

Only this time, Within Temptation returned with a new album under their belts by way of Bleed Out. During the first three songs of the set, the stage is bathed in crimson red. Each of the opening tracks was taken from the band’s latest offering, including We Go to War, Ritual, and the title track itself.

Of course, Within Temptation’s sound has evolved over the years, and songs like the explosive Supernova and The Reckoning are a testament to this. The latter were the only two tracks to feature in the show from the group’s album Resist.

The band’s grandiose stage production featured candlelit chandeliers, arches, risers, video screens and CO2 cannons, which worked so well in delivering the perfect ambience and aesthetic to accompany the band’s live set.

Sharon den Adel’s angelic voice radiated throughout

the arena during songs like Shot in The Dark. Whilst a passionate performance of Stand My Ground was of note.

Throughout the evening, there were opportunities for guest appearances, the first of which was via Ukrainian singer Alex Yarmak on the song A Fool’s Parade. Former Nightwish singer Tarja joined the band for a pair of spectacular duets by way of The Promise and I Feel Immortal.

And if that wasn’t enough, Supernova and Faster were the cherry on top of the band’s fist-pumping main set conclusion.

During these strange times, with conflict going on around the world, Churchill’s speech leading into Our Solemn Hour felt pertinent.

A further appearance from Tarja and some heavenly harmonies from the pair of vocalists transported the Leeds crowd to Paradise - quite literally.

In Leeds, Within Temptation once again proved that they are worthy of their arena status and long may it continue.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

BYWATER CALL THE CLUNY, NEWCASTLE

There has been a real renaissance in Canadian blues/ rock music in recent times. Artists and bands such as The Commoners, The Sheepdogs, Marcus Trummer, Madison Galloway and Bywater Call have been flying the flag for the Great White North.

Bywater Call have been touring relentlessly in Europe since the first time we witnessed the group performing as a duo alongside Robert Jon and the Wreck. This time around, the band is back in the UK, albeit with their full lineup and an excellent new album named Shepherd to boot.

Bywater Call returned to The Cluny in Newcastle, where a full house awaited them. Of course, the band have played this venue a few times now, both as support and as headliners in their own right.

The vastly talented Canadian ensemble kicked off the proceedings with a wonderful airing of For All We Know, which immediately grabbed the Tyneside audience’s attention.

Bywater Call are a group that can seamlessly weave between genres with ease. From blues to soul through to rock, the band grapple with all aspects of the root’s

music spectrum with ease. A spellbinding airing of Aretha Franklin’s I Never Love A Man (The Way I Love You) was a testament to this sentiment.

Each member of the seven-piece outfit are vastly talented. But one thing you can’t overlook is Dave Barnes’ slide guitar play, which is in a league of his own. He’s certainly one of the best slide guitar players in the business presently. Dave is right up there with Derek Trucks in that respect. When you couple that with Meghan Parnell’s soaring vocals, you’ve got a band which is quite literally a force of nature.

Sunshine was one of the many highlights of the set, alongside an astounding airing of Holler, which was segued into Kashmir by Led Zeppelin. Bywater Call performs with so much soul that it’s hard not to be swept away by their distinctive live sound.

Colours, Turn It Around, and Everybody Knows rounded out a show that many in the audience regarded as the gig of the year on Tyneside. And just like their album title Shepherd dictates; Bywater Call on this occasion led their flock to the Cluny. And their fans are already itching for their return.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

SAMANTHA FISH

THE BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE

During a week in which the news and social media had been dominated by appearances of the Northern Lights across the region, the arrival of Samantha Fish on Tyneside was perhaps the brightest star to be spotted in the area since the Aurora Borealis.

And if the start of the weekend was ushered in by Fish Friday, then the night of the show should certainly have been named Sam Saturday.

The artist took to the stage with all guns blazing during a ferocious take on the MC5’s Kick Out The Jams—a song which Fish had been recently performing alongside musical counterpart Jesse Dayton. However, with the latter pursuing his solo career, this show was going to be all about Sam and a deep dive into her vast and versatile career.

Chills and Fever slowed down the proceedings momentarily before Samantha continued with her blues/ rock onslaught via radio single Bulletproof. The hypnotic slide-fueled melody was catalysed by the artist’s use of a cigar box guitar, which continued for a few songs in the set including Miles To Go.

But it’s not just Samatha’s virtuoso guitar playing that

wowed the Boiler Shop crowd, but also the blues queen’s voice. Her soaring vocals during Watch It Die were of note. Samantha’s voice is as sweet as honey.

Furthermore, the soulful blues sound of Never Gonna Cry and the retro soul sounds of Somebody’s Always Trying showcased just how vast of a musical palette the artist has.

Samantha Fish has always worn her love of hill country blues on her sleeve. Early in her career, the artist would regularly perform songs like Shake Em On Down, but on this occasion, it was the turn of the classic Poor Black Mattie by RL Burnside which took the spotlight.

Samantha hurtled towards the end of the set with a further cover by way of I Put A Spell On You by Screaming Jay Hawkins. And didn’t she just.

The artist took the Tyneside crowd back to the start of her career via the classic Black Wind Howlin’ before bringing opener Zak Schultz to the stage to jam during a cover of Neil Young’s Don’t Let It Bring You Down.

Based on this performance, Samantha has certainly earned her status as a big Fish on the global blues scene. And long may it continue.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

STEPHEN WILSON JR

THINK TANK, NEWCASTLE

Versatile US singer/songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr has witnessed a meteoric rise in recent times. The artist’s debut album Son of Dad chronicles the artist’s journey through grief since the passing of his father Stephen Wilson Sr.

The critically acclaimed release has catalysed the artist’s ascent, which has seen the Americana Troubadour make his debut on Later with Jools Holland earlier this year as well as receiving a whole raft of radio and media support in recent times.

Earlier this year, SWJ hit the road with fellow countrymen The Cadillac Three. But this time, the artist returned to Tyneside as a headliner in his own right and justifiably so.

From the moment the show was announced there was never going to be any doubt that the gig would be a complete sell out. Think Tank in Newcastle was packed to the rafters, for this up close and personal encounter with the Americana scene’s next big thing.

US-based country star Zandi Holup opened the show. A strong crowd was in attendance early in the evening to witness the artist’s solo acoustic performance, and Zandi did not disappoint—certainly, a name to watch out for in future.

The last time we saw Stephen Wilson Jr in the UK, he performed as a two-piece supported by his pedal steel player. However, on this occasion, the artist returned with the addition of a drummer, which in turn gave his

repertoire an additional kick as you would expect.

Performing tracks from his latest offering, the headliner opened the show with Calico Creek. Songs at the top of the set such as Billy and Cuckoo are more infectious than the common cold. They simply stay with you for days.

Americana music is often typified by an artist’s storytelling ability, and this is a characteristic that Stephen Wilson Jr has in abundance. Each song in the set was accompanied by insightful backstories and heartfelt anecdotes.

And whilst the baseball cap sporting performer might have been pigeonholed into the Americana world, his musical pallet transcends genre. Having been influenced by the 90s grunge scene, SWJ learnt to play the guitar from a Soundgarden songbook, and these influences subsequently seep into his distinctive sound.

Tracks like Year To Be Young and his take on Nirvana’s Something In The Way are a testament to this. And certainly, don’t seem out of place during the artist’s headline set.

The thunderous sounds of Holler From The Holler and set closer The Beginning brought perhaps one of the best shows on Tyneside this year to a close.

It’s unlikely you will be seeing Stephen Wilson Jr performing in venues of this size for much longer. Those who were in attendance would agree, the night was certainly one of those ‘I was there’ moments.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

PHILIP SAYCE & TROY REDFERN THE GLASSHOUSE, GATESHEAD

California-based guitar slinger Philip Sayce returned to Tyneside almost a year to the day since his last visit to the region.

A lot of his fans will tell you that there haven’t been too many opportunities to witness the guitar great on UK soil in recent years, so with two shows in the region in just over 12 months, the artist’s loyal North East fraternity were in guitar heaven.

Having toured with Sayce on his last run, Troy Redfern reunited with the headliner once again on this run. This time around, Troy was performing as part of a duo alongside drummer Nicky Watts. The latter remained standing throughout the set and brought great energy to the performance.

With Redfern’s truncated lineup, minus bass player extraordinaire Keira Kenworthy, the pair gave the Gateshead crowd slightly rawer, stripped-back versions of some of Troy’s repertoire, including Waiting For Your Love and the anthemic Sanctify. Troy once again proved to be the perfect foil for the evening’s headliner, Philip Sayce.

A guitarist like Philip Sayce perhaps attracts a certain kind of audience. That being guitar aficionados and those who appreciate virtuoso playing. Prior to the artist taking the stage, you could see those at the front peering over the stage, trying to catch a glimpse of the Welshman’s pedal board and setup. And with Philip’s impeccable guitar tone, who could blame them?

Since his last performance in the region, Sayce has

stepped up from The Cluny to the majestic Hall 2 at the Glasshouse in Gateshead. A large crowd was in attendance to witness his return and kick-start their weekend this Friday evening.

Philip Sayce is still touring in support of his latest album, The Wolves Are Coming. Performing as part of a blues/ rock power trio, collectively the three-piece packed more punch than your favourite Friday night cocktail.

Being back on home turf, Philip paid homage to his native Wales with a wonderful airing of Aberystwyth. Additionally, a beautiful rendition of Lady Love Divine was dedicated to Philip’s wife, who was also in attendance.

Sayce has so much skill and flare he is simply in a league of his own and a joy to watch from start to finish. In addition to his original material, he grappled with blues legends such as John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters.

Towards the end of the set, a breathtaking airing of Morning Star was segued into Hendrix’s Manic Depression to great effect. And there was even a room for a few bars of The Beatles’ Norwegian Wood.

Switching between two vintage Fender Stratocasters, Sayce’s face-melting solos were enough to warm up even the coldest patron on this bitterly cold evening in the North East. Philip plays the guitar as if it’s an extension of his being during what can only be described as an exhibition of technical excellence and guitar mastery. The set transcended from up-tempo rockers, funky grooves and even slow blues – the guitarist’s talent knows no bounds.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

DEEP PURPLE

THE O2 ARENA, LONDON

The expectation of witnessing this personnel shifting foundation stone of hard rock music, revved up to the max as the widescreen backdrop flickered into life. The current iteration of founding member Ian Paice, second timeline returning bassist Roger Glover, former Rainbow (amongst his crammed elite level CV) keyboard maestro Don Airey and recent recruit guitarist Simon McBride, fully amped up by Gustav Holst’s Mars The Bringer Of War intro, exploded into Highway Star. This heralded to the stage a flowerpatterned shirt wearing Ian Gillan who emerged from behind the stage set to deliver once again his inimitable vocal as the backdrop projected a muscle car burning rubber on an imaginary adventure.

First new tune of the night, A Bit On The Side, proved to be a little more than that as it confidently slotted into tonight’s setlist second song berth. Before a deep assimilating breath could be taken, this was followed by Gillan roaring like an old lion with a sore tooth on a headbanging Into The Fire from his debut Purple album, In Rock.

This set up a very early in the set first solo spot as, introduced by Gillan as ‘immaculate’, the recent guitar recruit to Purple Simon McBride acquitted himself with honours. He invested his personality into playing the older set songs with a fresher and energetic perspective. Even if he lacks the backstory legend and aura of every previous guitarist to occupy this virtuoso slot in Purple, McBride, nevertheless, puts his PRS guitars and Engl amplification

to exceptionally good use. None more so than on the six new album tracks that rub muscular shoulders with the classics. It’s a testament to this venerable vintage rock band’s ’purple patch’ of recent studio album recordings that they do so.

Dedicated to the much-missed Jon Lord, Airey chopped out the Hammond Organ chords to an almost devotional take on Uncommon Man. A pair of new tracks from the =1 album, Lazy Sod and Now You’re Talkin’, gave way to the first of two keyboard solos of the night. With the trio of members now in their late 70’s taking a short and wellearned break, they returned refreshed to up the bar on Lazy and an emotive When A Blind Man Cries. However, the enduring surprise of the evening was a bang on the nail version of Anya, from The Battle Rages On album, that found a favourable gasp of joy from most sitting around me.

To end a proper value for money set, the rhythmic groove of Space Truckin’ then the indefatigable vintage riff of Smoke On The Water witnessed the band leave the stage on a high with their audience.

An encore of the final new song, Old Fangled Thing, of the night, very first back in the day hit Hush then Black Night, with Gillan crooning a few lines of Goodnight Irene, completed a vigorous show of classic hard rock by these (mostly) still on song veteran musicians who appear to be enjoying life deep in a late career purple patch of creativity.

Words By: Paul Davies

Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

STEVE HACKETT

THE GLASSHOUSE, GATESHEAD

Steve Hackett is no stranger to the North East, having performed in the region many times over the years, including in this very room. Subsequently, you would expect nothing less than a full house on Tyneside for the return of the Genesis legend.

On this occasion, the evening was very much a show of two halves. The first set celebrated Hackett’s impressive body of solo works. Joined by his versatile band that included Roger King (Keys), Amanda Lehmann (Guitar), Rob Townsend (Sax, Flute and Percussion), Jonas Reingold (bass) and Craig Blundell (drums), the band collectively came together like a well-oiled machine.

Highlights of the first set included the eastern sounds of Circo Inferno and the new song These Passing Clouds, whereas The Devil’s Cathedral ushered in a wonderful performance from vocalist Nad Sylvan.

Rob Townsend and Steve Hackett bounced off one another during a harmonious airing of Every Day, while Jonas took his moment in the spotlight during a virtuoso bass solo. And there was always only going to be one way to close out the main set, and that was with a spellbinding airing of Shadow of the Hierophant.

The second half of the show was essentially the Genesis according to Steve Hackett. With the classic Lamb Lies Down on Broadway opening the proceedings.

The legendary guitarist continued to walk the audience down memory lane, with the inclusion of fan favourites such as Carpet Crawlers and the majestic Dancing With the Moonlit Knight.

The Genesis aficionados were in seventh heaven, as the show continued with a beautiful performance of The Cinema Show before rounding out the evening with Firth of Fifth and Los Endos.

Whilst previous Hackett tours have perhaps concentrated on specific albums from his discography, this show was a much more well-rounded setlist highlighting the expansive works of one of the UK’s most beloved guitarists.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

BOB VYLAN

O2 INSTITUTE, BIRMINGHAM

The Fred Perry Mafia, Two Bob’s in a Pod, the DapperDynamic-Duo - Bob Vylan rounded off their 2024 appearances whilst taking over the O2 Institute in Birmingham for a night filled with pure punk-rock chaos.

With exceptional support performances from Brighton Electro-Punks Clt Drp and London rapper Hyphen, plus a roaring crowd that were certainly on top form from start to finish, this was a one of those gigs that was an absolute stand out of the year.

What I always love about Bob Vylan is the opening section of their show is not what you would normally expect from punk rock gig. They took to the stage to George Harrison’s ‘Here Comes The Sun’ before inviting the audience to partake in a few minutes of stretching and meditation, then starting a fierce show with their anthem ‘Reign’, one of the many tracks performed that was taken from their album released earlier this year called ‘Humble as The Sun’.

The word humble is certainly one that I would associate with these guys, the audience interaction is always poignant, and this appearance was no different. The fact that they always allow time at the end of their shows to head to the merch stand for a meet-and-greet is just one reflection of their appreciation for their fans, that along with their interaction whilst on stage are just a few examples of why their audience not only keeps coming back but expands greater each time.

They even had a request to do ‘Take That’ which was a stand-out for everyone in the room with lead singer Bob saying “Thank you Birmingham, it’s been a while since we’ve done that one live - did you enjoy it?” the roar from the crowd left nothing else to be said. A spotlight moment of the evening, for sure.

From pyrotechnics to crowd-surfing, friendship bracelet exchanges to moshpits, and tracks spanning from their 7-year music career such as Dream Big, We Live Here, Ring The Alarm, Pretty Songs, Hunger Games and Wicked and Bad,, Bob Vylan are showing no signs of slowing down any time soon and I cannot wait to see what 2025 has in store for them.

Words By: Charlotte Hooper

Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

ROBERT

JON & THE WRECK THE BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE

If there is any group that deserves an award for being the hardest-working band in the business, it’s Robert Jon and the Wreck. It’s hard to not get exhausted even looking at the band’s tour schedule.

The California-based five-piece has spent so much time touring the UK in recent years that it’s surprising that they haven’t picked up our accent. Not that their fans are complaining.

The group returned to Tyneside for an eagerly anticipated date at the Boiler Shop in Newcastle for the second time in just over a year. The band’s steady stream of releases continues to garner both duly deserved radio airplay and media attention alike. This time around, the group returned with a new album in tow, that being Red Moon Rising.

With no support this time around, the band took to the stage early in the evening with an attention-grabbing rendition of The Devil Is Your Only Friend.

With a new album to promote, three back-to-back cuts from the group’s latest offering showcased just what an exceptional release Red Moon Rising truly is. That being Boss Man, Rager and Trouble. Throughout the evening, approximately six tracks, or just over half of the band’s new album featured.

Having been on tour so much, the group certainly have their road legs. Robert Jon and the Wreck are tighter than the lid of a pickle jar. The audience gasped every time guitarist Henry James stepped up to take a solo.

The second half of the set featured a whole raft of fan favourites and crowd-pleasing anthems, including Tired of Drinking Alone, the unmistakable Oh Miss Carolina and a rambunctious airing of Shine A Light on Me Brother.

With the weather in Newcastle being a tad on the chilly side, a show-stopping encore performance of Cold Night felt perfectly apt. The song, once again, was a highlight of the band’s set and a great way to round out the proceedings.

To paraphrase the band’s latest album title, Robert Jon and the Wreck’s star continues to rise – and justifiably so.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 THE GLOBE, STOCKTON

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit made a rare appearance in the North East with a show at the prestigious Globe Theatre in Stockton.

Even though it was a Sunday night, a large crowd awaited the arrival of the US-based artist and his six-piece band.

The audience was dressed for the occasion, with many in attendance sporting checky shirts and baseball caps.

Isbell kicked off the proceedings with Hope the High Road, Save the World and King of Oklahoma, which provided an up-tempo start to the evening. Guitarist Sadler Vadler showed his skill and flare at the top of the set.

The show ebbed and flowed throughout. Isbell slowed things down with an acoustic performance of Strawberry Woman, which was followed by a wonderful slice of Americana by way of Last of My Kind. A slide solo by Sadler during the latter highlighted the guitarist’s emotive playing. There was great chemistry between the guitarist and the frontman all night long.

The band picked up the pace thanks to When We Were Close. The song’s infectious groove had the audience captivated.

Isbell complimented both the venue and its history. The

Globe has played host to many rock luminaries from The Beatles through to The Who over the years, and Isbell and company are certainly a further high-calibre name to add to the venue’s annals.

The show continued to bounce between stripped-back ballads through to outright country rockers. The classic Volunteer was well received by the audience, much like most of the material in the set.

One of the many highlights of the evening came by way of the honky tonk sounds of Super 8 along with If We Were Vampires. While Miles conjured up images of greats such as Neil Young.

During the show, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit perfectly showcased not only their discography but also the sounds of the American South. It may have been a long time since Isbell was last in the region, but it was certainly worth the wait.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

PHOTO GALLERY

Photo Credit: Simon Dunkerley

PHOTO GALLERY

Photo Credit: Simon Dunkerley

PHOTO GALLERY

Photo Credit: Simon Dunkerley

“This year’s must have blues album.” – Powerplay

“Steve Hill is a phenomenon.” – Maximum Volume Music

10/10 9.5/10 5/5

“An utterly desirable album.” – Liverpool Sound and Vision

“A massively impressive achievement.” – Blues in Britain

The HRH Awards ‘2024 Honors List

The annual HRH Awards took place at Camp HRH in Great Yarmouth, during Hard Rock Hell Festival’s annual November residency at Vauxhall Holiday Park.

As has become customary, the HRH Awards kick started the festival’s four action-packed days of entertainment which featured live appearances from rock luminaries such as Wednesday 13, Nashville Pussy, Gilby Clarke, Hardcore Superstar, South of Salem and Lizzy Borden, to name but a few.

The HRH Awards is a red-carpet event which honours those who have made a significant contribution to the rock, metal and blues scene over the last twelve months, as well as recognising the unsung heroes of the music industry.

Many of those recognised at the HRH Awards ceremony were present in Great Yarmouth to pick up their awards, whilst others sent in video acceptances from further afield.

Throughout the course of the evening, live performances from Not Now Norman, Asomvel, Jack J Hutchinson and Slackrr entertained the packed-out crowd in attendance.

This year, HRH awarded the following artists at a ceremony held in Great Yarmouth on Wednesday 6th of November.

Lord of Blues – Jack J Hutchinson

Angel of Rock – Erja Lyytinen

HRH Rising Stars – Asomvel

HRH DJ – Jeff Collins

HRH Dark Deck Destroyer – Si Foxz

Best Drummer – Pip Mailing

International Young Blood – The Midnight Devils

International Frontman – Ronnie Romero

Class of ’76 – UK Subs

HRH Mjolnir – Wednesday 13

HRH Legend – Uriah Heep accepted by lead singer Bernie Shaw

The HRH Awards will return to Great Yarmouth next year as part of the HRH 18 event at the Vauxhall Holiday Park. The festival takes place between 6th – 9th November, 2025. For further information, please visit https:// darkwatch.net

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

PHOTO GALLERY

Photo Credit: Simon Dunkerley

BEHIND THE MASK

Thunderstick’s roots are in the glory days of the NWOBHM scene. The masked drummer performed in groups such as Samson and an early line-up of Iron Maiden. In the present day, Thunderstick and his band have been wowing audiences with their theatrical live shows, conjuring up images of peers like Alice Cooper and KISS.

Thunderstick’s identity has often been cloaked by the artist’s distinctive masks. But how did the idea of wearing a mask onstage come about for the talented drummer? “With Iron Maiden, I never really did anything like that. It was when I joined Samson. At the time, there was no social media. There was nothing like that. There weren’t even glossy colour magazines or publications. There was just Melody Maker, Sounds and New Musical Express, to name but three,” he recalls. “I always thought that whenever you saw pictures, when they started putting pictures into these magazines, that you would always see the guitarist posing, you’d see the singer strutting. And you’d see a row of cymbals and the top of somebody’s head. And that’s the drummer. There were exceptions to the rule. There were people like Bonham and Keith Moon, those kinds of people that were larger than life. But with me, I thought, most drummers are faceless. A lot of people would be able to name the guitarist, name the vocalist but not the drummer. So, what better thing to do than create a faceless drummer? And that’s exactly what I did. I couldn’t call him Barry Graham Purkis, because that was kind of out there. So that’s where Thunderstick came from. And the rest, as they say, is history.”

The artist had no idea that this look would continue for over forty years. “I think the first time that I wore it was at the Music Machine,

which was part of the heavy metal crusade with Iron Maiden, Angel Witch and Samson. That was the first time that I came out as Thunderstick. It’s quite interesting the mask. I love the theatrics of bands,” said Thunderstick. “You see so many bands and they all just look the same. It becomes a bit homogenous. But when you have a band that’s got an identity, they’ve got an image, it stops you in your tracks. It’s like, wow, visually you’ve caught my attention - now let’s see what the music does.”

In the present day, Thunderstick have been touring their Circus Psychotica show. “It’s a lot of work because as you probably know, we are a theatrical band. I’ve always loved theatrics within music. The other week we went and saw Alice Cooper because I have to do my pilgrimage to worship at the feet of Alice Cooper,” he says. “This actual show, Circus Psychotica, has been quite a challenge because of the logistics of putting all the props together and doing what have you. And it’s a lot of work that Raven does because she goes through different character changes.”

Lead singer Raven adds: “It’s not even the character changes and the costume changes, it’s the props, it’s the setting the stage because this time around we wanted to set the stage as well. So, everything kind of goes into that whole stage atmosphere.”

Thunderstick continues: “And the album is still plugging away bit by bit, which is really good. I was really pleased with that. It’s called Lockdown, and we released that September, not this year, but the year before. It was going to be completely different, but because we were in lockdown when I recorded it a lot of the files were recorded just remotely. So, there was a lot of work on that, but I’m really pleased with it.”

The themes brought about by the strange times we were living in during the pandemic fed into the songwriting on the album. “Snowfall in Space is actually about lockdown. So it was specifically written about that sort of time,” said Raven. “The rest of the tracks, I mean, I wrote as I was going along. Also, there were a few tracks that were left over from demo stages back in the ‘80s when the very first Thunderstick line-up was put together back in 82. And much like a lot of musicians, it wasn’t right for the time, various tracks. And you think, OK, I’ll go back and visit that maybe one day. And as you said, with having that amount of time on your hands, I was able to do that. I was able to go back and revisit some of those songs and bring them up to date. And obviously, with the addition of putting Raven on them, because she knows that I’m her biggest fan. I really am. And to have a singer that can do that for you, it’s great. Because, at my tender age, you tend to get a little bit cynical and a little bit long in the tooth regarding things. And to have a breath of fresh air with a vocalist that you regard really quite highly. Rather than, oh, she’s just another member of the band. And I will always champion what she does,” said Thunderstick.

With HRH 17 in the band’s rearview mirror, how are the band’s plans for the new year coming together? “We’re hoping that the second album will be out by the end of next year. We’re looking at that now and starting to record that now, so we want to continue showing Circus Psychotica, so our management is looking to get us a little UK tour for next year so that we can continue doing that,” concludes Raven.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

EYES ON THE PRIZE

Hot off the back of the release of her critically acclaimed album, The Prize, Hannah Wicklund returns with a brand-new live album.

Live At The Troubadour was recorded at her show at the legendary LA venue in March 2024 as part of her Hell In The Hallway world tour. The album captures the entire concert performed with her full band featuring her hits and fan favourites from across her two hugely praised albums, Hannah Wicklund and The Steppin Stones (2018) and The Prize (2024). By her admission, Hannah Wicklund has always had an appreciation for the live album format and had strong favourites during her formative years. “I don’t know how long I did this, but it felt like probably like half of the school year I had figured out that Whippin’ Post by the Allman Brothers, the live version, was the exact amount of time from when I got picked up at my house by the school bus to when we pulled into school. So that was my morning routine for quite a while - that version of the song. I knew every single second of that; I think it’s 22 minutes long and so that was a very foundational memory,” recalls Hannah. “Frampton Comes Alive, that was a huge record that my dad loved to show me.”

Releasing a live album herself is a high point in the artist’s career. “I think this live record is ultimately the accumulation of my life experience, kind of wrapped into one record because it’s a sampling of different songs from pretty much The Prize and the last record. But it’s combined with my lifetime’s worth of live playing that all kind of comes together on that Troubadour stage. That tour was really important for me because I feel like it finally combined me as an artist and me as a public-facing musician,” explains Hannah. “And it kind of married my more human

nature and who I am on the inside. And I’m actually quite a feminine person. And I didn’t feel I had permission to be my bubbly, feminine self. And I don’t think that it was necessarily permission. I think that my nature was taken advantage of at a few turns. And so, as a woman, you learn to kind of get a little tougher. And this record and this tour was really that melting down and kind of the true vulnerable side of me was finally at play. So, it’s a very special record.”

Hannah’s latest live record was recorded at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles. Performing on the stage of the storied venue meant a lot to the artist. “I’ve had a very long career full of a lot of ups and downs. And I’ve actually had the honour of playing some pretty amazing iconic venues, but mostly as the opener. Playing Wembley Arena - oh man, it is beyond exciting and thrilling. But headlining the Troubadour was a little bit if I dare say, not more special in terms of the grandiose factor. But, I have worked really hard in my life and my career. And, when things don’t necessarily shake out how you think they might, or how people tell you that it will, you learn that you really do need to celebrate your victories,” she says. “So, Hannah, 10 years ago, I probably would have thought and hoped that the types of venues I was headlining myself would be maybe a little bit different from the ones still, but I have such an immense amount of gratitude for my journey. And I have gone through a lot and to have come full circle to myself and to be doing a tour centred around a record where I honoured the little girl in myself, and that was the beginning of me healing some really tender spots. It was a no-brainer, the Troubadour is an amazing venue.” Live at the Troubadour also highlights the evolution of Hannah’s compositions since their original studio recordings. “The songs certainly go through a transformation. And I’ve never been the type of

band leader to ask for the songs to be played the same exact way as they are on the record,” explains Hannah. “With The Prize, there were certain select moments, certain select bass lines, certain fills that I was like, I definitely want to hear that. But there is always room for individual expression, which I think is so important when you’re playing music.” The difference when recording a live album is that the artist only gets one chance to get it right. There is no second take, which in turn adds another level of complexity to the recording process. “There was a ton of pressure. I think when we got off stage, we all went back into the room, and immediately we were laughing because there were a couple of funnier-than-usual moments. And there’s character in every show. But it was funny because all of us were like, man, I was like playing the song the way I had never played it before. So yeah, it really does get to you. It doesn’t mean that it’s bad. It just means that it was kind of a little different. So yeah, it’s definitely a different kind of pressure.”

By the time the band recorded the album, they had a lot of shows under their belt. “We were midway through a 64-date tour. So we had already gotten pretty tight on these songs. And yeah, my band rocked - they rock. They had my back in every sense that night and beyond. And there was a very exciting, palpable energy,” said Hannah. “It was exciting for all of us to be playing this venue. It was great, but it definitely came with its own flavour of funniness. But it was all really great. A highlight of my life, for sure.”

Hannah Wicklund Live At The Troubadour will be released on January 24th, 2025, via Strawberry Moon Records.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

CONQUERING THE UNIVERSE

German symphonic metal icons Xandria are about to chart new paths with their epic upcoming nine-track EP, Universal Tales.

This EP builds on the success of Xandria’s top 10 charting album (German album charts), The Wonders Still Awaiting (2023), which introduced a powerful new lineup.

With the success of the band’s latest album and their forthcoming EP release, it’s been a busy year so far for Xandria. “It’s been going really well. We had quite a lot of opportunities and we toured a lot, more than I was expecting, which is great. And continuously trying to create music also,” said lead vocalist Ambre Vourvahis.

With cinematic orchestration and an impressive sound, the band has not only reinvented themselves but also elevated their signature style, setting a new standard for modern symphonic metal. The changes to the band’s lineup have catalysed and reinvigorated the band’s creative energy. The group’s new nine-track EP bridges the gap between the band’s current and forthcoming album. “We thought because the creative process was just flowing so well, why not make something in between the album to make people have something while they wait for a full-length album. And Marco had some really fast and great ideas. So, we just thought, why not put it in an EP so people can enjoy that? And it’s also great for us to have something fresh. Of course, it’s always exciting to sing new songs live,” explains Ambre. “And some ideas came quickly for him. And they were really great. So,

I’m glad we did that. And it was the opportunity to make something quite diverse.” Ambre adds: “Each song is quite different and quite a bit shorter. But yeah, it was a little taste of also what we can do. So it’s interesting.”

Xandria’s latest full-length album, The Wonders Still Awaiting, has witnessed great success. “That was really a surprise, actually. After such a long break, we were not expecting the album to do so well with the singer changing and all of this. But it did much better than we expected and better than the albums also before - chart-wise,” said Ambre. “So that was really a boost of motivation.”

The Xandria lineup changes were quite considerable. But how is the chemistry within the regrouped lineup? “We get along really well. It was important, of course, to have members

that we get along with. No ego, no rock stars, down-to-earth people who are motivated and professional. So, in the end, we were looking for this. So we were kind of sure that it would work well. And it did,” explains Ambre. “We get along so well. We can talk even after a tour. We still sit together after the show on the bus and just talk for hours. And anywhere we go, when we go to restaurants, it’s always great. So, this is a really good sign.”

But how did the opportunity to join Xandria arise for the singer? “I knew Marco from before. And during the break of Xandria, we created some songs that were not symphonic metal,” said Ambre. “I wanted some metal songs, just to have fun and see what can come out and to be a little bit fresh and motivated again to make music. But, we thought these songs could be Xandria songs.

So, we changed a little bit and arranged them in a good way. We were like, this is a Xandria song. And then he liked my voice so much on the demos that he was like, let’s do this.”

There is somewhat of a cinematic quality to Xandria’s latest material. But was this intentional to go down this path? “Absolutely. It’s a conscious thought. Marco is a fan of movie soundtracks and is inspired by it. And so, it’s definitely conscious in the music,” said Ambre. “It would be a dream to have the music that he writes accompanying movies. And, yeah, he wants to make it even more on the next album. He already has an idea of how much more soundtrack he wants to make it. So, I’m really excited about that. I love it, too. And it combines so well with metal. So, for me, it’s really great.”

European touring aside, Xandria will be returning to the US next year with some of their symphonic metal peers. “In March 2025, we have a US tour as special guest of Delain with Edge of Paradise,” said Ambre. Despite this, presently the group doesn’t have any UK dates on the horizon. “We always come back, and we really like the UK. I think we are also doing quite well there. So, it’s always a must to return. There will be something coming,” concludes Ambre.

Xandria’s epic upcoming nine-track EP, Universal Tales, is out now via Napalm Records.

Words by Adam Kennedy

Photo Credit: TimTronckoe

Photo Edit: Nat Enemede

REVIEWSAlbum

ANDRY SKIES

Hailing from the cradle of civilisation, Athens based Andry Lagiou’s vocal power fully fills her sails on her quest for metal stardom. As a former runner-up on the Greek version of The Voice, and ongoing front person of The Harps, she came to prominence with her version of the Deep Purple classic song, Burn. Now it is time for her to spread her wings and go solo with her debut album, Skies. Clad in a classic metal musical mode, Skies reveals Andry’s fixation with her hero, Ronnie James Dio. Her vocal stylings resemble Dio’s with her falsetto-like power alloyed to similar metal grooves. Whilst Skies does not break new metal ground, it more than holds its own in a weighty musical genre. Aided by stellar guest cameos by Billy Sheehan, Russell Gilbrook, Mike Lepond, Stephen Platt and mixed by Jay Ruston, adding further gravitas, the songs have impressive detailing that enables them to rise above this genre’s often corny tropes. Mistress Of The Night and Good Trip To Hell deliver a forceful ear bashing of metal sonics. In saying such, so does everything else on this confident recording. Presented as an avenging dark angel on the cover artwork, Andry has delivered an album in which there’s no argument against what it stands for.

HANNAH WUCKLAND LIVE AT THE TROUBADOUR

BLACK EYED SONS COWBOYS IN PINSTRIPED SUITS

Words by Paul Davies

With her elfin, pre-raphaelite barefoot on the floorboards presence, expressively emotive vocals, plus her searing guitar playing artistry, Hannah Wicklund is almost the complete package and she’s not yet out of her twenties. One has to salute her desire to pay her dues in dive bars and small clubs which has gifted herself and her dedicated growing throng of fans with an up close and personal musical relationship. As much and more is captured on this double disc show, recorded in March 2024, at the legendary Californian Troubadour club whilst on her Hell In The Hallway tour in which this seasoned performer played a special show confidently drawing songs from the bountiful well of her first couple of albums. From Hell In The Hallway’s opening tune, it’s abundantly clear Wicklund has the entire room onside. Her rapport with her febrile fan base adrenalizes this recording and puts the listener right in the middle of the room. Hide And Seek and new single Mama Said roll her rock of music around this room to tumultuous effect. Songbird Sing and Shadowboxes And Porcelain Faces reveal her sweet side whilst Jam In E Minor details Wicklund’s fizzing guitar tone.As ever with a hot newish talent on a rapidly developing career curve, Hannah’s song-craft could be more grabby with stronger hooks and melodies, but this takes time to nurture and fully mature. And time is something that Wicklund has on her side. Her next studio album should define her progress in a current refreshingly busy marketplace of female singer-songwriter guitar-slingers.

Words by Paul Davies

As rare as they are, rough diamonds still need cutting and polishing to shine and the Black Eyed Sons have done just that whilst keeping a bold edge to these sparkling tracks. Finally able to ditch The Quireboys moniker, adopting the name of their 2014 album release instead, they have fashioned a classy rock & roll album. From the heady vocal hook of Lie To Me and the rock & roll swagger of the catchy Medicine and Foolin’ Yourself, these three opening tunes open a new era in this band’s new business. However, not all is twelve bar influenced rock. For balance there’s a reflective Autumn Reigns whose magical notes fall gently into the ear of the beholder. A dramatic vocal opening to the title track reveals a slightly sanguine rock ballad feel that’s lifted out of its cups by a well-dressed full on rock banger, Don’t Throw Me In The Corner and a down in the groove True Colours. Plus, there’s the belting Savoir Faire and Dig Me Out Of This Hole. The penultimate track, So Glorious, steps into a dreamy acoustic soundscape setting up the elegiac final song Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory. The starry list of contributors to this remarkable recording re-affirms the high standing in which Guy Griffin, Paul Guerin, Keith Weir, Nick and Pip Malling are held in by their peers as Joe Elliott, Charlie Starr, Chip Z’Nuff, Mike Tramp, Dan Reed, Scotti Hill, Ryan Roxie, a couple of Buckcherry’s, Chris Johnstone reuniting and more contribute their A game to this harmonious recording. Without a doubt it’s the best album The Quireboys never officially recorded. The Black Eyed Sons have begun a new era on a high.

Words by Paul Davies

STEVE HILL HANGING ON A STRING

If you read our interview with Canadian blues/rocker Steve Hill in the current issue, you may get the impression that his new album had its fair share of trials and tribulations. You might even say it was a bit of an up Hill struggle, if you will excuse the pun. But troubles aside, one thing that the artist’s challenges did not dampen on his new album is the quality of this amazing release. Fans of Hill argue that Hanging on a String is perhaps his best album yet.

RICKY WARWICK BLOOD TIES

2025 is fast approaching and with it, the hotly anticipated new release from the vocal powerhouse that is Mr Ricky Warwick. Since the Wild and Wonderful days of The Almighty, Warwick has, in his 35 year career to date, achieved both solo success and, has stood shoulder to shoulder with greatness, filling some truly legendary boots, in Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders. He continues to perform with The Fighting Hearts and has recently enjoyed a run of dates with The Almighty that sold out in record time. His first solo release since 2021, Blood Ties,

And having listened to the record, you would be hard-pressed to argue against that sentiment. Although not by intention, the release is a concept album of sorts. But don’t expect the traditional type of concept record like Tommy or Quadrophenia by The Who. It has more to do with the fact there is a story or common thread that runs through the album. This narrative became apparent to Hill upon completion of the album. The title track opens the album with the line ‘woke up in a house on fire’. A note which comes from a true story which the artist encountered following the conclusion of a Canadian tour. And if that doesn’t grab your attention, then nothing will. The song has a real old-school groove, perhaps in the style of hill country blues. The track is underpinned by a foot-tapping rhythm and searing fuzz-fuelled guitar riffs. The sound on the album switches up thanks to Devil’s Handyman, and the song’s sinister vocals and poetic lyricism perfectly accentuate the mood. Steve grapples with his life and experiences in the music industry during the autobiographical number Show Ya. It’s an up-tempo blues/rocker fuelled by Steve’s passionate delivery. Show Ya is one of the standout tracks of the release. Just glancing down the track list of the album, the song title World Gone Insane feels particularly pertinent in the strange times we are living through. The song builds from a slow and sombre introduction into a raging slice of

groove rock that, in places, is reminiscent of bands like Queens of the Stone Age. As the album progresses, the raw studio sound of Maggie instils the live feel of the album. The song is perhaps catchier than The Common Cold and features another heart and soul-performance from Hill. Much like the track which follows it, You Know Who. The sound on the album ebbs and flows as we reach Turned to Dust. The heartfelt number sounds like the type of song which could soundtrack a late-night drive. Partly, due to the song’s cinematic quality. Steve’s take on When The Music’s Over by The Doors concludes the eight-track release. With the challenging state of the music industry in the present day, the line ‘when the music’s over, turn out the lights’ feels particularly pertinent. The cover is not only thoughtprovoking, but Steve also makes it his own. Steve Hill endured a multitude of challenges to complete his latest album including house fires and injuries, but his uphill struggle has certainly resulted in an album that reflects his hard work and dedication during difficult circumstances. Perhaps, Hanging on a String will give Steve Hill the big break he so duly deserves.

Words by Adam Kennedy

demonstrates exactly why Warwick has earned his place as a veritable stalwart within the UK’s music scene. Opening track, Angels Of Desolation starts strong and sets the tone and the bar high for Blood Ties. Segueing into Rise and Grind, with the welcome addition of Mr Charlie Starr, you might expect to have a little twang of Southern spice, however, what you get is a deliciously funky track, with ‘sharp as a blade’ metal riffs and plenty of blast beats from the rhythm section. There are some vocals that emote incredibly well in duet form and Lita Ford is undoubtedly one of the grandmasters of the collab. Don’t Leave Me In The Dark, has the same magic and lure as her work with Ozzy Osbourne, and, the Warwick/Ford harmonies, along with a heartbeat drum track and some truly stunning guitar, Don’t Leave Me In The Dark, is surely, a hit in the making. Grounded firmly in classic rock n roll, with shimmering cymbals and a rolling thunder of guitar and bass, The Crickets Stayed In Clovis is a celebration. Evoking nostalgia and giving a respectful nod to Buddy and his colleagues, The Crickets Stayed In Clovis is a standout track, which, is no easy feat considering the content here in Blood Ties. Assaulting the senses with a visceral spoken word intro proclaiming Ginger Jesus will make you see the light and launching us head first into the balls to the wall, Dead and Gone.

A tale of misadventure and addiction. The battle of wills, the path to self destruction at the behest of a needle. Harsh but emotive, wrapped around a rollicking riff and punchy vocals, make no mistake, there is a lesson here and Warwick’s delivery is sure to make you listen and learn. The Cult’s very own Billy Duffy makes a guest appearance on stand out track, The Hell Of Me And You. Instantly recognisable, Duffy’s razorlike riffs slice through Warwick’s honey coated gravel tones, making for a seductive combination of aural stimulation, the enticing and irresistible urge to make bad decisions, in the pursuit of pleasure. Blood Ties is a journey, rammed to the hilt with all of the grit and swagger that we have come to expect from Warwick’s sound. An album to make you want to pull on a leather, shoot some malt and head out into the dirty streets looking for a fight, there is indeed a killer on the loose once again and, this time, his name is Ricky Warwick.

Words by Viki Ridley

NICK FLETCHER A LONGING FOR HOME

To devise and pull off an astonishing performance of musical wonderment, with amazing dexterous ingenuity, once is a feat to be applauded. To repeat and improve upon it on numerous occasions is to establish oneself as a major player in any field of endeavour. Nick Fletcher satisfyingly achieves this on his ninth solo release, A Longing For Home. It is the summation of everything he has previously produced and then some. Cue drum roll (thank you, Anika), aided by masterful musicians including the aforementioned Anika Nilles (formerly of Jeff Beck), Bassist Jonathan Cuniado, Jan Gunnar Hoff and producer Caroline Bonnet on keys plus the ethereal vocal of Dikajee soaring spectrally on final track To Hear The Angels Sing, Fletcher’s musical aim hits the bullseye with an almighty twang.

He and his musical comrades in progressive jazz fusion flick out passages of notes like blazing sparks from their glowing creative furnace fashioning each track with a solid state of profound musicianship. The graceful power on Satori is opening proof as is the To Hear The Angels Sing that closes this ninth movement of recordings. In between, Fletcher has converged his estimable reputation as a classical guitarist, the proof here is the beautifully melancholic Joy Turning Into Sorrow, regularly undertaking recitals in churches and other noble venues, with his outstanding skills on the electric guitar. All this would be only an intellectual endeavour if it were not for his emotive compositional talents that leads the curious listener through a myriad of musical passages that repeatedly reward. As of writing, my personal favourite tracks, play against each other on a listen-by-listen basis, are the piercing, down in the groove sonic play on The Secret Of Ascent, the impressive rhythmic patterns of Sitting In The Sunboat and the twisty musicianship to be found on The Sage, The Monk And The Scholar. Then again… A Longing For Home longs to be experienced multiple times.

Words by Paul Davies

JULIET’S NOT DEAD THIS WORLD IS OURS

Just under four years ago a North East band called Twister, released their debut album Cursed And Corrected which I reviewed for Planetmosh webzine and I can still remember my first thoughts of it being that they channel the audacity of early Van Halen, the pop suss of Cheap Trick and the early energy of Def Leppard. Fast forward to 2024 and a name change of Juliet’s Not Dead sees them release a new studio album, the aptly titled This World Is Ours. Thankfully they are still firing on all cylinders, point proven by album opener ‘Sinner Or Saint’, definitely a sinner as devilish riffing headbangs along and huge choruses demand to be bellowed out, as an eerie midway breakdown hits hard and heavy. Other highlights include ‘Thrill Seekers’, living up to its title by pounding along on seismic grooves to make for an early album highlight, pinned down by a histrionic lead vocal. ‘Battle Scarred’ has a trippy intro of heartbeat like drum fills, an almost whispered lead vocal, adding an extra edge, striding up to stratospheric height reaching choruses. ‘Passing Ships’ is totally overwhelming. It’s a song of sheer beauty, putting the power in this power ballad, drenched in tearjerking nuances to melt the coldest heart. ‘Last One Standing’ is an epic tune from a band brimming with confidence as this turbocharger lights the blue touch paper to explode in the band fuelled choruses with a gang like delivery. ‘King And Queen’ has time changes that bob and weave on monolithic choruses that should really be snapped up for rock radio stations to jump on it! This potent album closes on ‘Capsize’, a fragile ballad of 24 carat gold. The lyrics are full of so much emotion, they could implode but this song of two halves lights up midway for a sumptuous finish. The album is due for release on Friday,7th February, 2025, via TMR Music.

NOT NOW NORMAN GO HARD OR GO HOME

Alternative Rockers Not Now Norman have returned with the release of their second album ‘Go Hard or Go Home’ and what a perfectly fitting title for this 12-track release. The opening track ‘Norminius Sanctus’ captures the listeners attention immediately with its enchanting organ opening number which escalates to welcome the title track ‘Go Hard or Go Home’, a bold statement track that welcomes in the classic rock rhythmic vibes. A key component throughout the album which is furthermore explored in tracks such as ‘Feral’ and ‘Bad Liar’. Moving through the album you can hear an 80s rock influence in the riff movements specifically in ‘Who I Am’, which is inspired from having PTSD, and looking at trauma in a different light. Some stand out moments for me include the opening bass run and Burundistyle drum phrases for ‘Midnight Sun’ as well as the closing cover track of Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’.

Mama is a more delicate, ballad-style piece that lead vocalist Taylor-Grace has previously explained is a thank you letter to her Mum and everything she has done for Taylor. The bands lead single ‘Family Photo’ reflects on family disagreements and situations perhaps not being the picture-perfect scene that others would think. These two songs in particular highlight a key component of the lyric aspect of this release is the how relatable some of the topics explored are, from acceptance in situations to relationships of all kinds, these experiences make the album easy to resonate with.

A bold step but natural progression from their debut album ‘It’s Not This One’. No restrictions, no reservations, just a pure fierce energy which you can’t help envisioning as a live performance. A tight-sounding, quality album.

Words by Dennis Jarman

Words by Charlotte Hooper

Mike Tramp Chip Z’Nuff Scotti Hill Dan Reed

Steve Conte and Ryan Roxie

“This song feels so real and natural. Like a hug from an old friend. I’m proud to be a part of it”-Charlie Starr

www.offyerrocka.com

people. We’re going to kick their ass. Find him. And it’s our time. Five minutes later, it was one of the first Manchester United goals,” said Scott. “And then it was a bit more like 20 minutes later. Goal number three is going in. I’m watching children and men and they’re crying, and all their life seems to be crumbling in front of them. I think this is what it’s like to be an absolute true fan. It’s almost your whole life depends on what your team does on that field today. So, it was a really good lesson to find out what the real true fanatical fan was all about. I saw it there in person.”

Coming from the music world, did Scott ever consider developing artwork for albums or Thin Lizzy covers? “Jim Fitzpatrick, the Irish artist who did the majority of the Lizzy albums. My wife wanted to show him some of my stuff on Zoom. And she goes, he’s going to be on in about five minutes on the screen,” recalls Scott. “I can’t be here. I can’t watch him look at my stuff. And I was such a coward. I had to get out of the room because I was scared to death that Jim might say something negative. But Jim actually said, and I got to love him for it. He goes, thank God you didn’t show anybody this stuff back then because they might have asked you to do the album covers. Which it’s a really nice compliment. But that really wouldn’t have happened because once again, Jim was one of those guys you could give one word. Hey, Jim, we want to call the album Jailbreak. And he would say, here’s four ideas for it. And I was stunned that he could come up with these four completely different ideas for the Black Rose album. Here’s another three ideas for that. And they were all incredible. So, suffice it to say on album cover day, I was always the first guy down to the studio waiting for Jim to come in so I could see what he came up with.”

Scott continues: “So and the answer to your question. I’ve been asked a couple of times to draw something for this band’s album or that band’s album. And, unfortunately, I don’t work like that. The only way I do it is whatever comes out of my head. At the time, I could draw a dragon with a sword slaying the next population or whatever. I can’t do that. But if there was a band or a couple of bands out there that saw things in my portfolio and they liked them and really wanted them as an album cover, and I liked their music. Absolutely. I would go for it and let them use it as an album cover.”

Regarding albums, perhaps Thin Lizzy’s Live and Dangerous is one of the greatest live albums of all time. “That was a really great period for us. And we always thought that that was an album that we needed to do. We had to do Live and Dangerous. We didn’t know that you could do a live album and it be counted as one of your four or five that’s in your record deal. We had to ask

our management - if we do a live album, does that count as one of the albums in the deal? And it came back absolutely,” said Scott. “I’ve got to thank Peter Frampton for inspiring us because when we were in America that year, I guess it was 77, you could not drive anywhere and have your radio on without hearing Peter Frampton. And it sounded great. And we just knew what kind of band we were. We never really considered ourselves a studio album band. We always considered ourselves the live act and that’s where all our main energy went in was being on the road and being on the stage and being in front of as many people as we possibly could. So, to be able to do that particular album was a pure joyous thing to do for us because we really wanted that album, and we got it. And it came out okay.”

When you think of Thin Lizzy, perhaps one of the first things that springs to mind is the twin-part guitar harmonies. Scott recalls how that style of playing within the band came to fruition. “It was on the Fighting album where Brian had gone out to the studio and the idea was, he was going to just do one line and then just double track that. And we were going to leave it at that. But what had happened was, while he was putting it down, the engineer forgot that he had put on this millisecond delay on his guitar, and it fed back in harmony. And of course, the engineer was going, oh my God, geez, I’m so sorry,” said Scott. “And I went, actually that sounded really good. And thankfully he had recorded that bit. I had Brian come in and we listened to it. I said, okay, why don’t you go out, do that again, double track it. I’ll sit in here. I’ll learn the harmonies and I’ll go out there and I’ll put the harmony on. And we did that, and it sounded great. And we thought, hey, you know, that other part in that other song. And then it just kind of snowballed from there. We started to look for bits that we could put these harmony things on. Because we really enjoyed doing it. We love the sound. We love the challenge of, can we get a harmony part in there that just doesn’t sound like it’s just stuck in there for no reason. So yeah, we loved all that.”

Music aside, Scott’s artwork continues to be his focus for the time being. “I’m bringing out two more prints in the next couple of months, which nobody has seen, which I think are pretty cool. And I hope everybody else thinks the same way. And we’re going to add to the t-shirt collection,” he concludes.

For further details about Scott Gorham and his artwork please visit www.scottgorhamworld. com.