Firebrand Magazine Issue 11 - August

Issue 11 - August 2013

Skid Row

I.C.O.N

A Ritual Spirit

PLUS Zebrahead Demons Of Old Metal Blacktop Deluxe MaKuini Gundacker Project Deborah Bonham ReVamp The Jokers Blackwolf

Contents PAGE 28 THE GRAPEVINE - 5 For your latest news in the rock world!

INTERVIEWS 12 - Skid Row 18 - I.C.O.N 24 - Romeo’s Daughter 38 - A Ritual Spirit

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LIVE REVIEW 10 - Blacktop Deluxe CD/DVD REVIEWS 07 - Ajenda - Legend 08 - Demons Of Old Metal - The Jokers 17 - Pyro - MaKuini 22 - Zebrahead - Blackwolf 27 - Bad Pollyanna - A Ritual Spirit 36 - ReVamp - I.C.O.N 37 - Carousel Vertigo - Editors

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GIG LISTINGS - 42

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“The thing is, the way that the music industry is now days, people expect to have music for free” A Ritual Spirit

EDITOR IN CHIEF Rick Palin SENIOR MEDIA CONSULTANT Rachel Whiston

“All four of us are on the same wavelength and it shows when we are playing” I.C.O.N

“We’re very thankful and grateful that we’re still able to go out and play shows, and that people still want to hear our music” Skid Row

REVIEWS EDITOR Lee Walker REVIEWS TEAM Graham Pritchard Heather Blewett Jason M. Davies Jon Seymour Mel Delacroix Paul Nicholls Stoodge Mc Nulty CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chris Nelson MG Jen DOWNLOAD CONTENT TEAM Judith Fisher Rick Palin CONTENT DOWNLOAD sales@fbrr2010.com ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES sales@fbrr2010.com

“Well there is hardly any of the big record labels left, deals are not the same anymore”

CONTACT TELEPHONE +44(0)1244 940961

Romeo’s Daugher

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From The Editor Well its been a strange month. With our illustrious editor having a well deserved break and last seen comparing tasselled leather jackets, so I'm filling in for this months editorial.

This month we feature interviews with one of the bands which got me hooked on classic rock, the iconic Skid Row as well as interviews with Romeos Daughter, I.C.O.N, A Ritual Spirit and those Gundacker guys who recently won our "Band of the Month" radio competition.

With the one year anniversary rapidly approaching of Firebrand Magazine, and our sister magazine Firebrand After Dark growing in strength and numbers, it promises to be an interesting month ahead for team Firebrand.

Well that’s enough of me yapping. I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of the magazine.

Lee

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The Grapevine Deborah Bonham joins the Spectra Music Group Singer/Songwriter Deborah Bonham joins Spectra Records: A division of the Spectra Music Group. The crafty, stylish and incomparable artist and sister of John Bonham of Led Zeppelin fame is set out on a course all of her own. Deborah is no stranger to the industry and her new album soon to be released is one of many records by the dazzling blonde performer. The spirit in the songs and music of Deborah Bonham draws on the hurt, pain, joy and anger that come with life for all of us.

Negatives are decanted as positivity, from mistakes comes learning. From that spirit comes the determination to always push forward and celebrate life, sharing experiences with her audience. As she sings in the opening salvo from the album: “Pain is going away, it's gonna stop today. I'm gonna fly”.

So there could be only one title for the new album: “SPIRIT” but Deborah also has soul. It's the soul that comes from her deep love and understanding of so many musical greats - Otis Redding, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, Elkie Brooks, Lowell George and many more - all of whom are artists who surrounded themselves with great musicians who had that same 'feel'.

And so it is with Deborah's band. It's also their instinctive affinity with the words being sung and how they absorb her emotions; sometimes soft, sometimes fierce.

The last two years has seen Deborah touring alongside and dueting with Paul Rodgers, Robert Plant and as a special guest with Nazareth (Dan McCafferty performed his first-ever duet on tour in the UK with Deborah, singing the Lorraine Ellison soul classic ‘Stay With Me Baby’). She also performed alongside Ozzy Osbourne in the Czech Republic, where she returned for more shows and also appeared at the massive Harley Davidson festivals in France and Austria (100,000 people). During her career she has also toured and performed with Van Halen, Alannah Myles,Tim Rose, Uli Jon Roth, Paul Weller, Humble Pie, Donovan, Lonnie Donegan, Jools Holland, Ann Peebles, Foreigner and FM. She’s played festivals from Glastonbury to Donnington, Harley Davidson to Ripfest, and twice at Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival.

Having performed and recorded with Deborah, I’m touched by her sweet nature and her warm and wicked singing and writing talent” PAUL RODGERS “For and from the heart, soul and feet. No one does what this band do. We need them.” BBC The new album by Deborah Bonham entitled “Spirit” will be released in early 2014. A supporting tour is already in the works for the UK as well as the USA. The Quireboys - New Single ''Diamonds & Dirty Stones'' released Aug 26th 2013 The Quireboys are announcing the release of the new single “Diamonds and Dirty Stones” on 26th August

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2013, via Off Yer Rocka Recordings.

Taken from their recent 7th studio album “Beautiful Curse”, the single “Diamonds and Dirty Stones” will be available both on digital and physical formats.

It’s hard to believe that The Quireboys have been doing their Gypsy Styled Rock n Roll for 29 years now.

Since the early days when Mrs Osbourne held the reins, The Quireboys have played in front of millions of rockers worldwide as well as selling the same over the last 6 studio albums. They’ve played nearly every major festival worldwide, supported Guns n Roses, The Rolling Stones & Bon Jovi on major events, collected more air miles than Branson.

Spike, Guy, Paul and Keith have all marked this as the best thing they have done since the legendary “A Bit Of What You Fancy”, back in 1990. Add in the incredible production talents Of Chris Tsangarides (Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore,) down at The Ecology Rooms in Dover plus the legendary Simon Hanson (Squeeze) being added to the Rhythm Section, and you can easily see why we are all excited.

Reckless Love reveal brand new video/single ‘So Happy I Could Die’ from forthcoming album ‘Spirit’, set for release on Setpember 2nd via Spinefarm Records

Plus UK Headline Tour now on sale for October 2013 Reckless Love, the flamboyant Finnish rockers who burst spectacularly onto the UK scene in 2010, have revealed their second single/video, ‘So Happy I Could Die’ from forthcoming album ‘Spirit’.

‘So Happy I Could Die’ will be available as a digital download from all the usual platforms from August 25th.

Reckless Love’s third full studio album will be released via Spinefarm Records on September 2nd – titled ‘Spirit’, this is the follow-up to 2011’s ‘Animal Attraction’.

In addition, Reckless Love have announced a headline run of UK dates for October 2013; this tour follows on from the band’s month-long UK visit in the autumn of 2012, which included a four-night residency in London.

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Ajenda 9/10

Unrecognizable Record Label: Independant

Released: 28 September 2013

Highlight of the album: Hollow Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AJENDA/174619224854 Reviewer: Lee Walker

Continuing to build upon the memento created by their epic Highway to Hell performance which earned them 2nd place in the competition Ajenda finally unveil their debut album ‘Unrecognizable’.

opening piece ‘Dirty Rock ‘n’ Roll’ or the ballad rich ‘Tattoo’ or ‘Paranoia’ being produced but that’s not to say that the earlier carefree rock tracks have gone as ‘Hatred and Greed’ or the reworking of ‘Hollow’ effortlessly prove.

‘Unrecognizable’ is a very apt title for this release as Ajenda have come on leaps and bounds since their Overall ‘Unrecognizable’ is a great example of an previous e.p producing a more mature, dynamic album from a band that’s on the up and up and I sound without losing their unique appeal. dare say that you should expect to hear much more from this band over time.

Throughout the ten tracks which form this superbly crafted album you struggle to find fault, with the Jenny Walker’s gritty powerhouse vocals being augmented as ever by the carefully crafted guitar work of Gavin Cairns, resulting in the catchy rock tunes that you are used to with this band with the main difference being that the other members of the band have settled in well, resulting in a more streamlined, dynamic songs such as the epic

Legend 9/10

The Dark Place

Record Label: High Roller Records Released: 30 August 2013 Highlight of the album: Too Late To Be A Hero Website: http://www.legendjersey.com/ Reviewer: Graham Pritchard

Way back in the early 1980’s NWOBHM band Legend released three great albums. (‘Legend’, ‘Death In The Nursery’ and ‘Frontline’) and a fourth album in 2003 (‘Still Screaming’) and having recently performed at the 'Keep it True' festival in Germany, they are back with a new release titled ‘The Dark Place’.

With 11 tracks The Dark Place looks set to be the album that puts Legend back on the map. With a unique sound the band made of Mike Lezala on Vocals, Pete Haworth on Guitar, Neil Haworth on Guitar, Eggy Aubert on Bass and Jack Pallot on drums

rock outfit in the same vein as Magnum and Foreigner with a touch of Irish band Glyder thrown in for good measure.

Opening with the title track ‘The Dark Place’, which should be a sure fire hit with Maiden fans because of the guitar work, and most of the songs start slow and build up but all have that infectious melody that should make this a top album to own.

After some time away Legend are back and I for one are glad to hear them again.

They are not to be confused with the US metalcore band of the same name.

These guys are from Jersey UK and area classic

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Demons Of Old Metal 9/10

The Demonic Chronicles Vol II EP Record Label: Self Release

Released: 29 July 2013

Highlight of the album: No I’m Not Insance Website: http://www.facebook.com/demonsofoldmetal Reviewer: Jon Seymour

Calling your band Demons Of Old Metal is a bold move indeed, as you have to have the goods to back up a name like that. No such problems here I’m happy to report. What you get as soon as you press play, is a thundering opener that punches you square in the nose.

days I get confused about which bands belong in which genre, but The Demons Of Old Metal will remind you of simpler times, when all you cared about was the music, not which label to stick on it.

Actually, I have one single complaint about the EP....

It’s not long enough!

This EP drives along at a relentless pace, and with real purpose. It’s angry, it’s aggressive, it’s heavy and it’ll tear you a new one. I hear elements of those old British metal pioneers Venom as well as a lot of the early Bay Area Thrash movement of the eighties.

Good old fashioned heavy metal and you know what?

I love it.

The formula is simple it would seem, all you need to do is mix elements of all of the big thrash bands that emerged in the eighties, put them in a big melting pot, add a big dollop of attitude, a fistful of anger, and voila, you have something that will hit you so hard you’ll feel concussed. It’s simple, but effective. These guys are damned good.

This is something that will take you back to the glory days, before all of this sub genre crap started. These

The Jokers 10/10

NYC (Single) Record Label: Cargo/SPV

Released: 2 September 2013

Highlight of the album: NYC Website: http://thejokers.com/ Reviewer: Lee Walker

Having not really heard of ‘The Jokers’ I must confess that this two track single caught me by surprise when it popped up.

‘NYC’ it certainly wets the appetite for the upcoming album.

Opening track ‘NYC’ is taken from the upcoming ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Alive’ album and has so many classical influences that its impossible to list them all suffice to say that this song is an instant timeless classic be it with the catchy as hell choruses or the traditional styled lyrics or the ‘Spirit Of The Radio’ style opening and it could easily make it as a theme tune to any number of sitcoms such is the high quality of it.

Also bundled in with this is the Tom Petty sounding ‘Hell To L.A’ which was taken from their 2009 debut album ‘The Big Rock ‘n’ Roll Show’ which serves to remind you of how versatile this band is and well they suit the classic sounds, and when combined with

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Fox & Hounds, Heacham, 2nd August 2013 Review and Photos by Jon Seymour So the guys from the “Blacktops” came to play a warm up gig before their appearance at Cambridge Rock Festival. Being a new band, albeit risen from the ashes of a couple of other bands, it was hard to know what to expect. Having already heard the recorded music, that wasn’t going to be the issue. What I was interested in was the chemistry between the band members.

material. Being seasoned musicians, this all went along very well, and the whole place was rocking along with them. The chemistry of the band was also very good. You could tell that by the glances that were going this way and that between them. When the band is able to communicate without saying a word, that’s when you know you’ve got it right.

Pub gigs are often difficult, due to the restrictions on how much noise you’re allowed, and of course how much room you have, especially as most bands get lumped into the smallest corner of the room. I’d not been to this particular pub before, but it’s in a good location, and the sound inside the venue is actually very good. Big gigs are all well and good, but I love the intimacy that small venues give you with the musicians.

Their set was tight, and there wasn’t a single person in the house that wasn’t into the swing of things before the night was through. The venue was also packed out, which is not often the case in this day and age, even at the weekend, so that was great to see.

Obviously, these guys are just starting out all over again, but if they continue playing shows like this, it won’t be too long before they’re back on the road and gigging regularly. Would I go see them again? Yes I would, and you should go see them too.

They’re a great live band, and great party hosts too, what more could you ask for?

The guys played a mix of cover versions, and original

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Metal Goddess Jen Interviews Snake Sabo I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with the one and only Dave “Snake� Sabo at the most recent Skid Row concert here in Atlanta, GA on July 27. As most of my listeners know, Skid Row has been my number one band since 1990, so for me, this was quite the dream come true and a great experience to sit and talk with one of the founders of my favorite band. As we sat in the VIP room behind the stage on a zebra striped sofa, with the first opening act playing in the background, Snake made me feel incredibly welcome. Sipping on a beer and strumming his guitar, I turned on the recorder, and the interview began.

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How has the tour been so far?

Everything has been great so far. We seem to be criss-crossing the Atlantic Ocean. We’re in Europe and Eastern Europe, and then in the states-in California, in Phoenix, back here (Atlanta, GA) and then South Korea this week (at the time of the interview), and then back, so it’s been a bit sporadic.

We’re going to do about five weeks in Europe at the end of October and November. But all in all, it’s been great for us, and we just love to play and we have a lot of fun doing it. And, we’re very thankful and grateful that we’re still able to go out and play shows, and that people still want to hear our music and stuff; it’s very humbling, and we have so much gratitude for the people who come see us. It doesn’t go unnoticed; I think a lot of people take it for granted, but we never have, and we never will, you know, we’re pretty thankful guys.

experience, because it was really, it was often times life changing. You hear a record, and you sit with it, and you’re just immersed in this space of the emotion and the power of the music, and your own sort of soul and spirit taking all that in and its altering - it’s life altering.

Do you think because of the digital age that we’re in now, that that has changed? Because like you said, you get that record, and you go home, and you play it. Or the cassette tape - I’ve worn out so many cassette tapes (laughter).

No, I don’t necessarily think it’s the medium by which you listen to music by; it’s the experience of what you set yourself up in. I don’t think that…again, I feel really fortunate to have grown up the way I did. Music was not a given, it was a gift. It was something that was just an experience that you didn’t take for granted, and I think what happens now is that there is so Let’s talk about the UK Tour. I know you were much access for anybody to put music out now, and there just earlier this year… that it’s frustrating to wade through the white noise Right… that’s out there. I love discovering new music; I find it so difficult to discover new music. Not like I used to, it …and you toured with I AM I, who is a great band… used be a little bit easier because you know, there Yes. used to be a higher premium put on quality. We were lucky, and still are lucky enough to surround You’ve said you are going back over there, and this ourselves with people who will tell us when time you’re going to be touring with Ugly Kidd Joe. something is not good enough. You know, we had those people who told us that we were not ready yet Do you notice - I have noticed a difference in how fans over there - it’s so much more of a culture or in 1987, and in 88, we were ready. a lifestyle if you will, the rock and the metal.

And you guys came in right at the end of that…but Yeah it is. you guys have still carried it, you’re still playing here and through Europe…

Have you noticed a big difference?

Oh, it’s always been like that. But I think there’s even We get to travel the world, which is an incredible more of a divide now between Europe and the United experience in of itself. You know, again, it’s the things States in that, for some reason or another, it seems that don’t pass us by lightly, and you know…you’re standing there playing a song that you wrote, and that the record buying public over there - or just music fans in general - seem to remain loyal more so the people are singing back the lyrics. It’s an incredible experience, it really is, its humbling and its to the music and the band than what they … like, if you get a new singer, they are more accepting of it - mind boggling. let’s put it that way. And I always found that You’re one of the founders of the band. Do you interesting, because they love the songs and they love the attitude of the band over all. And in the ever just sit there for a moment and go “Damn!”

United States, it’s more like, you know, we have short You know, like...oh my god…is this more than you attention spans, because we’re flooded with expected? Or is this what you aimed for and information like crazy, and it’s really difficult to overwhelming? disseminate all the information that you’re getting, Well, it’s what you aim for, it’s … I don’t know if it’s so I think people move from thing to thing really overwhelming. It’s overpowering sometimes, the quickly these days. I know I do, you know? You just emotion of it. You know, there are moments when want to gather as much information as you can, so I’m on stage, and like I said, whenever I see someone in doing so you don’t spend as much time on things singing back our songs, I’m immediately taken aback as you might – like you used to do, you know? I by that. The meaning is not lost on me. I think that, reminisce about buying albums, and sitting in a room as I sit there and I look across and I go “Man, I by myself and just listening to that record over and helped create something that has affected these over and over. Those experiences for the most part people in a positive way.” That’s like…wow, what a are gone these days, and I’m not like the old guy wonderful thing, you know? What an amazing thing whose like, “Oh I wish it was back to the way it was”. to have occurred. And so, yeah, I get overwhelmed, What I do wish though, is that I wish that more overpowered by it, but in a great way, yeah. people in the generation today could enjoy that

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Now, speaking of that, when you look out in a crowd, you see the first generation of Skid Row fans, and then there’s the younger crowd. When I was at your last concert here, I noticed a much younger crowd. How does that feel to know that your music is passed on to second, even third generations?

That’s the power of music and word of mouth. It’s awesome. You know, when I was growing up, I was the youngest of five boys, so my brothers turned me on to everything. And that was one of the greatest gifts I ever got, because on any given day, I’d be listening to Motown, or Hendrix, or Sabbath, or Janis Joplin, or Elvis, or the Beach Boys, or you know, 50’s doo-wop. So, it was such an unbelievable education that I didn’t even know I was getting that I still…it’s the essence of who I am, and I still reference back to it today even. And I think the fact that what my brothers did for me, people are doing with their sons, younger brothers and sisters, and daughters with our music, and I think that’s really cool.

why you started doing this. It’s one of the things that Rachel and I talk about, it’s one of our things we do when we write. We have a conversation about what we want to write about, what’s effecting us, things like that. A lot of times its nothing, we come out of there with nothing.

One of the things we started talking about was “Man, why did we start doing this in the first place?

What made us so happy at the very beginning before we even met? Why was I playing guitar, why were you playing bass, why did we start writing songs on our own? Like, what was the reasoning?” and it was basically, it was the great communicator for us. It was the joy of being able to express yourself and get out your emotions because you didn’t know any other way, and you found this vessel - this avenue, if you will - to do it. And, then that goes to the point of being a 16 year old kid in front of the mirror, for me – pretending to be Ace Frehley or Joe Perry or Eddie Van Halen, or whomever – and that, for me, is the essence of who I am. I notice I’m sitting there playing in the dressing room, and there’s a mirror there, and I’m playing So last year, when and I’m imagining you were here in myself as Ace Atlanta, you had Frehley in 1977, with announced that you were putting together a new EP and you sang us a KISS, you know? Or being Joe Perry at Texas Jam, or any number of guitar players whom I love and song from that, and now you’re here with it. How admire, and so, we got back to that - rediscovered long did that whole process take of putting it that. And that made everything so much different. together?

You know, we wrote it - well, we had pretty much Now, on the earlier albums, to me, a lot of the written the first EP - and then we weren’t songs were about rebellion or what’s going on in satisfied with it, so we kind of went back and re-wrote some stuff, wrote new stuff, and tightened society. Do you find that you’re getting back to that again? Because of songs like King of up the vision of what we wanted to do. We did a lot Demolition on this EP. of talking about it, a lot of fun just sitting there, Yeah, I think we’ve always had that us against the writing songs, drinking beers, jamming. It’s getting back to the essence of why we started doing this in world mentality, but also we seem to really, really the first place. You know, again, we started the band work best as the underdog. That’s kind of what we’ve always done, worked from behind the eight in 1986, we’ve been around 27 years, we all were ball. So the thing was, there’s always things that doing stuff before that, you know in other bands, you’re angered with, and you know, are you part of writing songs, music. And then it can become a convoluted process through all the business bullshit the solution or part of the problem? Well, we’d you got to go through, the ups and downs, you know, rather be part of the solution, and we believe in community. Maintaining your individuality, but being people are married, having children, moving, changing locations, getting divorced, all these crazy part of the group and fighting the good fight. We’re not politicians; we don’t stand on a soapbox or things…life, you know, just life, and life changes. So, sometimes it masks, puts a veil over the essence of anything like that. But we totally believe in the power

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of unity, you know, we’re five guys from little shit towns who formed a band and, you know, we saw the world and the world noticed, and that was really cool, and it still is really cool. So, same thing, five guys going out and doing that, it’s a really cool thing, and we respect the shit out of that. But still you have those atrocities out there, and so they affect you, you know? They affect you, and I’m so thankful for everything I have in life; and then I see a lot out there where people are just less fortunate, and it affects you. And so, those things, it’s like you know, standing up for the people who can’t stand up for themselves, that type of thing.

ever have been. Same thing with Scotti, you know, I think you gain wisdom, and hopefully you don’t lose the childlike qualities that you had back in the day. I mean you know, I still fart in his face (laughter). I saw a thing on TV last night, a show called The Brain Game or something like that, and it’s about problem solving, puzzles, things like that, things that stimulate your mind, and one thing was about creativity and they were showing these abstract pictures. You had five seconds to say what you saw, and most adults had a difficult time with it; kids were just rifling off stuff like that, cause they don’t have rules, they don’t have boundaries, they just have this vivid imagination.

So, they were teaching the adults to think like a child; So now, this is a Chapter One EP. Are you guys are to think like kids sometimes, and it really helps your creativity. So I did it, and I was like…wow what a going to do a few more EPs? difference! It opened up a whole new world.

Three, there will be three total.

Are you going to do all of them here in Atlanta?

Probably. Yeah.

Do you have any idea when we can expect the second? Is it going to be spread out over a couple of years?

No, no, no. We’re actually working on it right now.

Tomorrow, we start demo-ing more stuff before we go to South Korea (at time of interview). And then, we’re hoping to have it recorded, I mean, it’s probably going to have to be recorded after we get back from Europe unfortunately, so maybe at the beginning of next year at least. We were hoping to have it out earlier, but touring kind of got in the way of that.

Adults just sometimes take things to seriously.

Yeah. Well, we have responsibilities in life that children don’t have, but you also have to still be a kid, you know, to a certain degree. And I love that.

Ok, one last question…what’s your guilty pleasure?

Oh, WWE wrestling.

No way! I’m a big fan as well.

I’ve been a fan since I was 7 years old. I used to go to the matches in Madison Square Garden in the early 70s. Every last Monday of every month, Bruno San Martino would fight.

Thank you so much for sitting down with me. It’s been such a pleasure talking with and meeting you.

My pleasure, thank you for taking the time. It’s been a pleasure meeting you as well.

Do you feel that the band is still as tightly knit as you were at the beginning? I know you have a few different members, but for the most part do you If you haven’t purchased it yet, you can buy Skid feel it still?

Rachel and I are tighter than we ever have been; our Row’s newest EP “United World Rebellion: Chapter One” by visiting their website, www.skidrow.com. friendship has grown exponentially over the last, however many years, and we’re as close now as we

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Pyro 8/10

Vilified EP Record Label: Self Release

Released: April 2013

Highlight of the album: Vilified Website: https://www.facebook.com/PyroNation Reviewer: Graham Pritchard

Manchester based Pyro have been around for a couple of years doing the rock circuit and are gaining more and more support at every gig they do. Not difficult to see why as they are a band that is less interested in looking good on stage and more about the music, although they appear to manage both, they look and sound great.

the moment and Pyro are among the best having a sound that is somewhere between Motorhead and AC/DC they are bound to have something you like, and with a new self-released four track EP out they have set their sights higher and aim to increase their fan base.

Vilified is the first helping from the Lads and is a great effort with screaming twin guitars heavy bass lines and a beat that brings it all together. From track one, Complicity to the fourth, Bulletproof, this is a great Debut Album.

With Mark Atkin on vocal duties they have a strong frontman. The Twin guitars of Joel Madden and Corey Walne Complement each other with Dean Stoloff on Bass and Tony Wright on Drums to complete the line up they are a band that are serious about what they do but also like to have a laugh.

If I had to pick one thing wrong with this EP it would be the fact that there are only four tracks on it, but who knows maybe in the near future they will release a full album. Keep an eye out for these lads.

There are many good unsigned acts coming up at

MaKuini 8/10

Roll OF The Dice EP Record Label: Self Release

Released: 2 August 2013

Highlight of the album: I Am The River Website: http://www.makuini.co.uk Reviewer: Jon Seymour

This was one of those “bolt from the blue” releases that came with an interesting back story. After reading up on this young lady, the EP just begged to be listened to, if only to satisfy some curiosity.

Straight off you’re treated to some great blues music, and then that vocal kicks in. Wow what an amazing voice. It’s full of soul and passion, with a gravelly edge.

I’m hoping that this is an album taster, as a full album would be a delight to listen to, but as it is, we have just a handful of songs, but each one is straight out of the top drawer. This young lady has a voice that will make you sit up and take notice, and that’s exactly what you should do.

The songs are well put together, with a wide variety of blues influences, from roots, to delta, and even modern contemporary blues. Not a bad accomplishment, being as there are actually only five songs on the EP. I got the sense of being taken on a journey, albeit a short one. The EP left me wanting a LOT more, as it was all over far too quickly. I wanted to bathe in the wash of blues that was pouring forth from my speakers.

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Interviewed By Lee Walker You are just about to play a set at the Out of the Ashes festival. Are you excited about playing the festival?

Mark - Yes definitely. We are always excited about doing anything.

Scott - Yes we are excited about most things really when it comes to this band, so yes we are looking forward to it, it’s a good set up with a good stage and there have been some good bands on

half’s each and bought and programmed that like a proper drummer and went out and just played gigs.

Mark - It was always easy to deal with.

Scott - I know Mark Mark - But you can’t program proper drummers (laughter).

Scott - No, but you can make them sound like a proper drummer. It was a necessary thing to do and we had that drum machine for a few years and we managed to play Scotland, London and everywhere between. It was great. We got a real drummer and With the festival being in aid of charity how did you from there on we have been building the band ever become a part of it? since.

Scott - They actually asked us to be a part of it which Tubbs - We have never been to Scotland since was really nice. I think it was our manager Steve (laughter) who basically contacted us and said that we had been asked to take part in it which we were really Why did you choose the name I.C.O.N for the pleased about which is an honour to play really. band?

Scott - The easiest thing about that, which Mark will How did the band originally start off? verify, is that it was actually Mark’s dad that came up Mark - Shakily (laughter) with the name.

Scott - I think he’s right there initially the band Mark - Yes. We didn’t have a name at the time and started off a few years ago with me, Mark and was struggling with to find one and he just another bass player. And we had a drum machine. suggested it and we thought yes. It was used for lots The three of us worked together for a couple of of different things so we put the dots in between. years possibly even longer until we could get a real People ask what does it stand for? It doesn’t stand drummer and from then on we got the line up for anything (laughter) sorted. It started out quite humbly I suppose. The Scott – It really doesn’t. It’s like WASP or KISS or three of us just wanted to start a band and do something like that it doesn’t stand for anything. It something. We come from a small town and there didn’t stand for Knights In Satins Service, We Are wasn’t a lot else going on. We were sick of the music Sexual Perverts, I Cum Outside Nursery’s It doesn’t that was being played out there. So the three of us stand for anything at all (laughter) got together, we couldn’t find a drummer so I saw this little drum machine which me and Mark went

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How would you describe the band’s sound?

Mark - Shit (laughter) I meant shit hot (laughter).

Scott - It’s hard to say. We try and sound like ourselves, but we have obviously have influences.

What we usually do is reel of a load of bands we like and say if you like them you will like us.

Mark - We have never tried to sound like anybody else. Obviously you have your likes and influences in there, but I think it’s very important to have your own identity as a band so as soon as anyone puts one of your songs on they need to know who it is straight away.

Scott - You don’t want to sound like a Motorhead B-side you want it to sound like you, so we usually say Black Label Society, Down, Corrosion of Conformity, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and Metallica. I think good bands with big songs, Sabbath bands like that.

album we knew exactly what was going on. It was chaos when we recorded it because the bass player left and everybody have personal things going on. It took months and months to get the album finished when it should have been done in a few weeks, but we got there in the end and finally when it was finished none of us wanted to hear it as we were sick of the bloody thing, but once we got past that it was brilliant. I have to say that since Reece and Tubbs have joined the band, these songs now sound better than ever. They are just absolutely brilliant versions of where they are now.

Reece - So the second album is going to be the first album (laughter)

You released your album New Born Lie last year.

Have you been happy with the way it’s been received?

Scott – Yes, I have to say the first album has gone down really well, it’s been brilliant and has opened so many doors for us and we have been really lucky in the way that it’s been received - the reviews have been very positive. We did an initial run of about 1000 copies and there is only a couple of hundred of those left now. Which I suppose is small change, but for a band at our level at the moment I think that it’s a pretty good achievement. The reviews have been fantastic as I have said. Everybody who has seen the band live and have bought the album have not been disappointed. We were really happy just to get an album out because we released a couple of E.Ps before that. It was good to get an album out it’s time for a new album though but the first album has got us here.

How far along is the second album?

Scott - One song? (laughter) Mark - We have all got ideas, but what we want to do is start a song and get it finished one at a time, none of this is half finished that is half finished. Just get the song finished and move on to the next one.

Tubbs - We want to get the songs in the set and play them live as well, as by the time we come to record them we will be used to playing them.

Mark - That’s the ultimate litmus test. Putting them in the live set.

Tubbs - Then we will know what songs work live and what songs don’t work and if you can bring some of the live performances onto the record as well to put that energy into it, it can only be a good thing.

Scott - We said to try and keep it simple and try to write the best songs we can. We have one that we are really happy with that’s going to go on an E.P, but it’s going to go on the album too and we just though right it needs to go in the set as soon as possible. You can sit there and play with the songs for months and months and months but the real thing is to get it out there.

How did the album itself come together? Was it songs you had left over E.Ps or was it wrote specifically to get an album out there?

Mark - Some of the songs were but some were written for the album and some were versions of songs which appeared on the E.Ps. Scott - I think when you do your first album it is usually just a greatest hits of your set and the best material that you have and you want to put it towards your album. We found that we were a couple of songs short so we ended up writing more, but like Mark said they were superior versions of the E.Ps songs so we thought we could either just leave the E.Ps alone as they had sold out on the little runs that we did, or we could just write new stuff. But we said no some of these songs just need to grow and develop which is what we did. We put a lot of time into pre-production we just used to record every rehearsal possible and sit there and nit-pick and then we would go and demo them two or three times so that finally when we did get to record the

How would you say that the bands developed since starting off? Has it changed much?

Scott - Since we started (laughter) I’ll be honest with you this is now a completely different animal. Me and Mark are the founding member’s, but it wouldn’t be what it is today without these two.

Mark - Every band has that though. No band sounds like what they sounded like when the first started.

Look at Metallica for example look at their first album compared to the latest one. It’s still the same band but it’s a lot different.

Scott - Yes as you grown and develop just look at Mark as a front man. Mark has come such a long way since he first started. The first gig we ever did he wore all blue denim and stood at the back like looking frightened to death and you fast forward a couple of years and hundreds of gigs and disappointments and successes and every kind of up-and-down from every end of the scale from great gigs to bad gigs and everything in-between you have got a great frontman who has developed his voice.

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You can focus on being tight and getting it done, or carry on blindly and hope it works out for best. We want to be the best band that we can be so we get on with it. Ultimately if you want to be a good band you push it further. The main difference is now there is now four of us instead of three of us and a little drum box. The experiences you go through shape the band too.

Reece - All four of us are on the same wavelength and it shows when we are playing.

Scott - Three of us put down a little backing track and basically put microphones in the room and recorded us jamming the backing track and then we brought it in and Mark came in. The song didn’t start to come anywhere near where it was until Mark started. So it really shows us that it’s the four of us that make the songs and since everyone has got into it, it has grown and became fantastic.

bands and artists we have played with over the years like Diamond Head, Witchfynde, Blaze Bailey, Voodoo Six, and lots of different bands, we are going to do some dates with Warrior Soul in September.

We have done really great gigs in London and people from bigger bands have come up to us and said well done and that. Whilst that’s nice, you can’t really rest on your laurels you need to keep getting out there and doing it.

Mark - Because if you don’t play somewhere in a very long time, unless you have got bigger or got more established people will forget. You have got to keep going and going.

What do you have planned for the rest of the year?

Scott - I can sum that up really easily when we are not gigging we are going to be writing the new album, and when we are not writing the album we What would you say that the biggest problem that are going to be gigging. you would say you have come across as a band?

Scott - I think to keep going and every year to be Last question are there any messages that you better than the last. would like to pass on to your fans?

Mark - Getting a new van. It might sound like I’m Tubbs - I have never seen anyone so excited taking the piss but I'm not. “fans” (laughter) Scott - Getting a manager. Getting rid of the drum Scott - If you are a fan of I.C.O.N you are a friend of machine and getting a bass player. Like Mark said ours and personally I just want to say thank you very its things like getting a van getting a manger being much for supporting. Thank you for coming to the able to come and do things like this being able to gigs and buying the merchandise and keeping the tour Europe, the UK band going. The fan base that we are building is a Mark - Being self-sufficient because a lot of the time fantastic one and we are really pleased I want to in our early days none of us could drive so we hired personally say thank you very much to the fans. in vans, trying to get people to drive for you and it Mark - Without an audience a band is nothing ends up wasting a lot of time completely and costing Reece - And without fans we would always get hot a lot of money. You learn this and you know where (laughter) not to spend like doing a gig in London. It costs a Scott - But honestly keep coming to the gigs and fortune like about £200 quid so if you earned keep supporting us and we won’t let you down. anything at the gig you didn’t see any of it Scott - I think another achievement is some of the

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Zebrahead 10/10

Call Your Friends Record Label: Rude Records

Released: 12 August 2013

Highlight of the album: With Friends Like These Who Needs Herpes Website: http://www.zebrahead.com Reviewer: Jon Seymour

If I had to use a single word to describe this album, that word would be “fun” as that’s exactly what it is.

By the time I’d gotten around to putting this on to listen to, it was a Monday morning, and after the first song, the “Monday Morning Blues” had been well and truly blasted away.

a possessed Orang-utan on crystal meth with its arse stuck in a bee hive. Yep I defy anyone not to get even the slightest bit animated when listening to this album, it’s one of those that will just make you feel really good, like chocolate, only less sticky and a lot less fattening.

The album is upbeat, and sits firmly in the same genre alongside Sum 41 and The Offspring et al.

That’s not a bad thing though, as in fact that’s a very good thing indeed. It’s an album that fuses rap, rock and punk, and does it with enough of an attitude to make it work really well.

The album consists of fourteen tracks, all of them under four minutes long, so that should give you an idea of the pace that everything moves at. Yep it’s fast, it’s relentless, and will give you one of those stupid inane grins that you can only get from a massive release of endorphins and dopamine, in fact I’d go so far as to wager that this album could make Grumpy Cat smile!

The songs are short and punchy, with monster choruses that will get you singing along, pumping your fists in the air, and leaping around the room like

Blackwolf 10/10

Mr Maker (Single) Record Label: Self Release

Released: 30 September 2013

Highlight of the album: Mr Maker Website: http://www.ukblackwolf.com/ Reviewer: Lee Walker

Bristol rockers Blackwolf have only been around since 2012 but since there formation they are rapidly becoming one of the hottest new rock bands out there with their blues infused classic rock sound mainly thanks to the success of their fantastic ‘Taking Root’ e.p

that only small children and passing dogs can hear while effortlessly blasting out a serious amount of decibels, and when this is augmented by the rest of the band with the stunning guitar work being underpinned by the chunky bass lines and controlled drumming resulting in a sound not to dissimilar to some of The Answers greatest songs and producing ‘Mr Maker’ is a single intended to be a teaser for the a song which is a serious contender for the single of long awaited debut album and upon my first hearing the year. of it all I can say is wow – hurry up and get the album out. Seriously though the single is that good with the only fault being that it is just the one song but what a song.

Sticking to the tried and tested formula which made the ‘Taking Root’ so great these guys waste no time unleashing their blues infused breed of classic rock be it with Scott Sharps powerful vocals hitting notes

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Leigh Matty and Craig Joiner Interviewed by Rick Palin I am joined today by Leigh Matty and Craig Joiner that other people were having more success with of Romeo’s Daughter. A great pleasure to see you our songs than we were. I think the Heart cover of Wild Child was probably the biggest one for us. I guys. remember Craig and I went to see Heart play at The album “Rapture” came out last year what was Wembley and I can remember we were running late the motivation behind bringing out another album and we had just arrived. The first song they played was in fact Wild Child and I overcome with the fact after so many years away from the scene. that the first song of their opening set was in fact Craig - We were asked by a festival promoter if we our song. A lot of people actually think they wrote would ever consider getting back together and we were very fortunate in the fact that all of the original Wild Child but our fans know that we actually did. members of the band wanted to do it. The Motivation Craig is the main song writer for Romeo’s Daughter to get the album out there was the fact that we were but Mutt co-wrote some of the songs. Craig makes “RD” sound like “RD” while my singing voice is what all curious what we were going to do and what we makes the band sound like Romeo’s Daughter. In would actually sound like now. After all it had been eighteen years. Originally when we did the first album other words we make up what our sound is. We were always going to sound like Romeo’s Daughter we had a big label behind us, we had Mutt Lange even if we waited fifty years before coming back. We involved and this time we started completely fresh are very lucky that “Rapture” has had such a with none of that and we ploughed into it and fantastic response. The songs have matured with us, thoroughly enjoyed doing it. the subject matters are more mature, all the If you look back at the first album you had so many musicianship has got a lot better because 18 years on you have learned a lot more about your craft. In big names of the day involved people such as Chrissie Steel, Mutt lange, John Parr etc. How did fact I was the only member of the band that completely gave up singing for eighteen years which I it feel having that much weight behind your first literally cannot understand looking back why I did album?

Leigh - It was a two edged sword, In one way it was that now” fantastic and in another way it was really frustrating

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What was the thought process you went through in deciding to vanish from the scene all those years ago and then the comeback. How do you do something like that after all that time away?

Leigh - For me with great difficulty. The first session we did when getting back together I was able to sing three songs through and then I could not sing anymore. It’s a real odd situation when you are a singer because it is like there is this memory in there somewhere that basically reminds you of what you used to do and the more we rehearsed the easier it became. Now it feels like I have never been away, kind of like riding a bicycle.

So you have been away from the industry for eighteen years. Now your back how have you seen the industry change in that time?

Craig - Well there is hardly any of the big record labels left, deals are not the same anymore but when you look at things like Youtube etc it is quite a fantastic thing and also quite a daunting thing as well you have so many vehicles you can use to get your music out there but you have to do this yourself and try and glean as much information as you had before but this was again a daunting thing as before most of this was taken care of for us.

Leigh - When we bought our first album out we had no control over anything, it was all handled by the When I saw you at HRH AOR I have to admit that label at the time. It was funny I was talking to somebody about this just yesterday and basically at you were the band that blew me away the most the time we just went to the studio recorded what along with Danny Vaughn how was the event for we had to record and then that was it. It just went you guys. away and everything was taken care of from Leigh - We are glad everyone enjoyed the performance, we were not terribly happy in our skins manufacturing to release. When it came to photographs being taken we just turned up, stood that day as we had a few technical problems on stage and we have felt more confident on stage than where we were told to and that was it. We were very young at the time and entrusted our career and put we did then, but I am glad to hear despite that it in the hands of other people. It does not work that everyone enjoyed our performance. way anymore which can be very scary and at the You are back on the road now and are going on a same time very liberating. We have become a full blown tour very soon. So what is gonna happen cottage industry like a lot of other bands now. We do everything ourselves now from making our own on this tour what are we doing, where are we videos to our own releases. going?

Leigh - We set off in August with the Cropready Festival which is a bit of an unusual departure for us So what is going to be the next step for Romeo’s Daughter after the current tour? as the festival has mainly been a folk festival.

However it has grown and grown and now embraces Craig - Well we are definitely going to be making a new album of which we are three quarters of the a much wider scope of musical tastes. We are on the first day and in fact Alice Cooper are headlining way there. Hoping to get it finished by the end of the year. that night. So it is fantastic for us as there will be a Leigh - And a DVD. With our lives being so busy with lot of rock fans there and this will be the biggest different jobs you need to be very prepared in festival we have ever played at. We are then following that with a small but perfectly formed tour advance for what is coming next. You have to have of the UK taking in the majority of the country (Tour things in the can and ready to go all the time to keep your profile up. So we will be more prepared for next dates can be found in the mag…Rick) and we are year. going to be filming a live DVD at the Guild Hall in Derby.

Touching on a point you said earlier that the fans At this point I would like to say a huge thank you to from twenty years ago are still loyal and that in Leigh and Craig for the Rick Parfitt reference….no itself is a marvellous thing to hear. If anything what would you like to say to these people? honestly really….anyway moving swiftly on…

Leigh - Well we literally would not be doing this 2008 saw the re-release of the original album on without them, when back in the day we released the first album it was a pretty good success and for the Rock Candy Records, was this a conscious fans of that album to still love hearing what we do we decision on your part to deliver the re-issue?

Leigh - Well no it had nothing to do with us basically are incredibly lucky. the label was created to release all the bosses Leigh and Craig it has been an absolute pleasure favourite albums of the 80s/90s and we were to talk to you and I look forward to catching you on pleased to be one of them. They actually did a the road soon. wonderful job including a booklet with the album detailing our history etc which is something we never had when the album was release originally.

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Bad Pollyanna 9/10

Monstrous Child Record Label: Self Release

Released: 28 August 2013

Highlight of the album: Invincible Girl Website: http://www.facebook.com/badpollyanna Reviewer: Jon Seymour

So an album drops out of the blue, so to speak, and you go off and do some research, or at least that’s what you should do. Everything you read during your research does nothing but increase your curiosity in what could be contained on the tracks within, due to the strange mix of words that you don’t normally see in the same sentence.

Pop, Rock, Industrial, Gothic and a whole host of other words that only make you think “huh?” The only option you’re left with of course is to just put it on and listen to it. The band has a strange sound, but you know what? It works really well. The vocals range from hauntingly beautiful, to powerful and aggressive, and much ground is covered in between.

The songs themselves are varied in both tempo and genre, so this album is extremely varied, and really hard to pigeonhole into any particular area. I happen this like

that though, as it gives it an unpredictability that you wouldn’t normally find. The album flows well too, with each song naturally following on from the one before.

When I see the word “programming” in the musician credits, it always sets alarm bells ringing, as I’ve heard some atrocious use of electronic music in rock, but I’m happy to report that the electronica isn’t overdone on this one. You can hear it of course, but it adds to the music, rather than take away.

I started off listening to this album not knowing what to expect, and I was left pleasantly surprised. It’s a mix of dark and light, yin and yang, hot and cold, North and South…. Okay I’m sure you get my point now, it paints a picture of stark contrast, and while it might seem quite strange at first, it will get to you in the end.

A Ritual Spirit 9/10

Carnival Carnivorous Record Label: Disposable Noise Records

Released: TBC

Highlight of the album: Illuminate Website: http://www.aritualspirit.net/ Reviewer: Lee Walker

Edinburgh based rockers ‘A Ritual Spirit’ have only been around for a couple of years and are about to officially release their long awaited debut album.

‘Down In Our World’ letting the album down slightly with its Pink Floyd 'Another Brick In The Wall' sounding chorus which seems to deviate against the sound that is used throughout the rest of the album, but that said for a debut album the result is impressive and judging from this release these guys will definitely go far.

Titled ‘Carnival Carnivorous’ the album itself is a cracker weighing in at 12 tracks of perfectly produced groove laden modern rock.

Using a mix of catchy hooks, cleaver riffs and thought provoking lyrics to create a modern US rock sound that is not too far removed from the likes of Velvet Revolver, with tracks such as the riproaring ‘Illuminate’, ‘Lacerate’, ‘Visceral Decay’, ‘Soldiers of Society’, ‘Before We Turn To Dust‘ and The Way I Died’ all standing out as tracks you seriously need to take time out to listen too.

The album itself is very well put together with only

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With Chris Nelson 18 & Life is the brainchild of Firebrands Switchblade Serenade presented by me, Chris Nelson. Each month I will be bringing you an insight into what goes on in the personal lives of musicians and bands. It's 18 questions all about them, with final question telling you what they are up to at the moment and what their plans are for the next 6 months. So if you’re in a band and you want to take part, send your contact details to chrisnelson@fbrr2010.com This months

Features Ged Ryland of Rage Of Angels.

WHATS THE BEST BAND YOU’VE EVER SEEN LIVE? I've been very fortunate to see some of the worlds best bands throughout the years, the original Van Halen, Queen with Freddie, Whitesnake 35 times over 33 years, but nothing even comes close to seeing Elton John . The first time was just him and a grand piano for 3 hours at the Royal Albert Hall, and then last year I finally got to see his full band at Wembley Arena....I cried the whole way through it....it was perfection, unbelievable....and the best live sound I've ever Heard ….

Different Stratosphere to any Other Band or artist.

ARE YOU AFRAID OF ANYTHING AND WHATS YOUR FEAR? I'm a big wuss in many ways....I'm afraid of failure, spiders although I’m getting better with, but the biggest fear I know I will never be

able to conquer is Heights....I turn to a quivering wreck half way up a ladder...

IF YOU COULD HOST A DINNER PARTY AND INVITE ANY TWO PEOPLE FROM HISTORY ALIVE OR DEAD WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? My hero Sydney James, he was my all time favourite famous person , and Arfur Daley himself, George Cole.

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE HORROR MOVIE? I'm not a big movie lover but I love anything old school , so my favourite would be anything from the old Hammer Horror movies..I've got them all on my ipad...yes they are cheesy but I loved them as A kid and still do now WHO ARE YOUR HEROES, THE PEOPLE WHO INSPIRED YOU TO GET INTO MUSIC? I loved glam rock as a small kid...

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I used to pretend I was on top of the pops...(I still do lol).... So that got me into music big time from about the age of 4... I would say that Michael Schenker and David Coverdale are the two biggies for me....

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE TYPE OF FOOD./ DISH? I don't eat anything with fish or seafood as it make me I'll, but meat is my thing....give me a really good aged steak cooked perfectly and I'm a very happy boy WHAT WAS FIRST ROCK ALBUM YOU EVER BOUGHT? UFO... Strangers in the night.. On white vinyl...loved that album..still do WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOUR CAREER HIGHS AND LOWS HAVE BEEN? It's always one or the other...lowest point was walking away from music altogether after leaving ten and selling my keyboards to pay the rent....highest point was finally releasing my own album (Rage of Angels) after so many years of wanting to do it......the emotions that I went through when the box of finished CDs arrived was strange....

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS OR UFO’S AND HAVE YOU HAD ANY EXPERIENCES YOU CAN SHARE WITH US? I haven't but someone close to me sees ghosts..it's very strange indeed !

FAVOURITE COMEDY TV SHOW OF ALL TIME? Tie......George and Mildred and Minder WHAT IS THE ONE THING IN LIFE YOU SIMPLY CANNOT DO WITHOUT? Family and friends...all the rest is just crap we pick up along the way...

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK? I haven't drank for around 8 years...just didn't like it...I love flavoured waters and an ice cold coke with ice on a hot day WHATS YOUR FUNNIEST TOUR BUS STORY? Rule number one.what happens on the bus stays on the bus.....we were always good boys anyway lol....I remember one night when a certain bassist from a certain band....neither of which I can name....was vomiting violently into the bus toilet whilst being filmed by another member of the band...the poor guy kept smiling for the camera in between Retching ...a real pro ...nice !

WHAT WAS THE FIRST GIG YOU EVER WENT TO? UFO...on the no place to run tour...I didn't tell my parents and got the beating of my life when I got home...but it was so worth it.....I also went to the Monsters of Rock at donnington later that year too..on my own aged 12... Must have been mad...didn't tell my parents then either hahahaha

WHAT SPORT DO ENJOY PLAYING OR WATCHING THE MOST? YOUR CHILLING AT HOME AND PUT ON AN Tennis, rowing, sprinting, ALBUM BY AN ARTIST SOMEONE WOULD NOT marathons.....are all things I avoid. I ASSOCIATE YOU WITH, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR don't like sport but do like my GUILTY PLEASURE? football ( soccer for the Americans There's nothing better I like than being that are reading/ listening) on a long haul flight and putting your noise blocking headphones on, Don’t forget you can catch up with Chris drowning out the engine noise and the Nelson every Sunday 12-2pm on other passengers and listening to some Firebrand Rock Radio classic old school....Billy Joel..Carpenters...Beach Boys..Beatles....and my absolute favourites The Eagles WHATS THE MOST UNUSUAL PLACE YOU’VE EVER HAD SEX? In a public telephone box

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Firebrand Rock Radio’s

August

Interviewed by Metal Goddess Jen This month’s Band of the Month for Firebrand Rock Radio comes from Santa Clara, California, USA – The Gundacker Project. Dave Gundacker and Timothy Bednarz were kind enough to sit down and answer questions so that we get to know more about The Gundacker Project.

What is the history of the band, such as how long have you been a band, how did it start, etc.?

Dave: The idea started after I did 4 demos on my laptop using the Garage Band software program. I knew I wanted to get a real drummer to play on the tracks and a real good singer. So I asked Craig Martin who is the drummer in a cover band I perform with if he wanted to be a part of the project, which he did, he then helped to us get a great deal on a studio recording time. The Project then began. I then needed a singer. I saw Tim at a local all-star jam and asked him to listen to the tracks. He liked them right away. So the recording portion of the project began but I knew I wanted to make this into an actual band that could perform these songs live but I was not sure if the project could get off the ground. Then I found Winn who was the bass player in a band that I was helping out with for a few gigs.

That band offered us our first live gig. So we asked Megan Gluhan, who was the keyboardist/vocalist in the cover band Craig and I are in to fill the keyboard and backing vocals position as well as her boyfriend Ryan Burnstein to fill the rhythm guitar position. The live version of Gundacker Project was then formed

for our first gig. The response we got from the show was overwhelming so we knew then that we should make this into a full time band. We have been together for about a year and a half. We have since replaced Megan Gluhan and Ryan Burnstein with Alanna Bautista. She sings and holds down both the keyboard and guitar parts trading off sometimes in the same song. That is our current line up now.

Who are the band members and what is their role in the band?

Timothy: The other members besides Dave and me are: Craig Martin on Drums and backing vox, Win The Bassmaiden on Bass, and Alanna Bautista on Guitar, Keyboards and vox.

Who would you say are the bands biggest influences, or is it a good mix of a lot of sounds, or your own particular sound?

Dave: We have been told that we sound like a mixture of Styx, Journey, Van Halen and Queensryche. I would say we have the early 80's type of sound with a fresh edge to it. We have the big drums and a hot lead guitar player, LOL! Each

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song has its own influences, but together we are finding our own special sound as a band.

As a band, how do you all juggle work, family, and other activities so that you can remain active within the music scene?

Timothy: We just simply MAKE time. It's not easy but we have an album to support and we are all 100% into what the Gundacker Project has become. It started out just as it is named, a 'project' but has formed into a solidified and vibrant rock band with everyone playing a certain part. The Gundacker Project is JUST as important to all of us as anything else in life. So we make time to write, rehearse, perform, promote while setting our sights on what we can do next.

Who writes the songs? Is it a band effort, or one or a few of you?

Dave: The way it works is I write the music and melodies and start the lyrics, and then Tim and I collaborate on the lyrics and he also puts in his opinions about the vocal melodies so they can work with his voice. I then bring the song to the band.

Sometimes it all falls into place from the demo, and other times we hash out the arrangements. Recent examples are when Craig said we should write a song about fighting cancer after we performed at a American Cancer Society benefit show. That inspired me. It became a song called 'You Won’t Take us Down without a Fight,' which we will be performing live soon and will end up on the next album. Tim also did that with the song 'Plug Me In' which became the title track of our debut album, 'Plug Me In.' The talented players and singers in this band really help create the overall Gundacker Project sound.

What are the current goals for the band? What are the long term goals for the band?

Dave: We have a few goals. The first is to travel in the our home state and then hopefully the U.S. playing in larger venues like 1500 to 3000 people or more. Our big dream would be to travel to England or anywhere in Europe and play the festivals! We also have a goal of doing our follow up album to the 'Plug Me In' album which Tim and I are starting to write songs for now.

Where can listeners and readers find your music, and can you tell us what social media sites you are on?

Timothy: We are all over the internet. You can find our debut album, 'Plug Me In' at iTunes, Amazon.com and CDBaby.com, as well as hear it at other music sites.

Our Gundacker Project band page is on Facebook and ReverbNation, as well as at ww.gundackerproject.com.

We all have our individual Facebook pages, which also have become extensions of the Gundacker Project, as well as Twitter. Just search for us under our personal names and 'friend' us or 'Like' the bands pages!

Do you have any upcoming shows?

Dave: We are performing only our second headlining show since we formed as a band this Saturday at Neto's here in Santa Clara, California, and then it's off to as many other cities around the S.F. Bay Area to play to as many people as many times as we can before this year is over.

What would you say is your greatest strength as a band?

Timothy: Melody and then more melody. We write with that as the prime focus in every song, whether it be a hard rock song or a more pop leaning song. Dave naturally writes with melody and there are always multiple musical hooks in every song to go along with the vocal hooks. Added to our melodic music is the conscience effort to put on a show when we perform live even if that means we are playing in a venue that does not offer much in the way your typical 'concert' setting with quality lights, sound and staging. It is all about engaging the people in attendance and performing FOR them because they have paid their hard earned money and are spending their precious time to be entertained by us. They could always be somewhere else or just have stayed home. So I, as the front man, value their presence greatly as does the rest of the band.

If the Gundacker Project could open for anyone in the world, who would it be?

Dave: Well I would say Journey, Night Ranger, Van Halen or Aerosmith. Tough question as I have many favorite bands.

Are there any crazy stories that you have experienced together as a band?

Timothy: Not yet. Our live show experiences have been so far celebratory ones. We have a long way to go and are looking forward to the ride and all that can and will come with that ride.

Anything else either of you would like to add for the world to know about The Gundacker Project?

Dave: Well it is a dream to play songs they we create and for people to really like them from the first listen.

We are happy to play up-tempo, uplifting music, and anthem type music we create in this group. We feel people really like this type of Melodic Hard Rock with catchy sing along type of choruses. This band seems to have a life of it's own and more and more people are becoming fans. When we get on the stage, we put on a show to match our music. It's a high energy melodic overload.

Timothy: We are here for the long haul. This is a labor of love for us. We are falling deeper in love with it as each month goes by. It seems like more people are falling in love with our band as well. We are going to continue writing for the next album while we continue performing and celebrating our debut album 'Plug Me In' because as of this interview it has been out for 5 ONLY months and as a band we are not even 2 years old. So stay plugged in with us people because we wanna electrify the world!

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and Mareel. These acts are Giles Robson and the Dirty Aces, the Paul Garner Band, Dave Arcari, Andres Roots, Richard Townend, The Gramaphone Jass Band, Lincoln Durham, and Orcadian guitarist Andy Taylor with drummer Dylan Pepper and a guest bass player.

Since 2003, the Shetland Blues Festival has grown to become a must-play festival for some of the best bands in the UK. The festival represents a mix of all styles of blues, with rock, jazz, Americana, soul and funk all thrown into the mix for good measure.

Giles Robson and the Dirty Aces from Jersey are about to release their new album, From The Basement, on the back of the critical acclaim of previous album Crooked Heart Of Mine. Regularly playing all over Europe and the Joanne Shaw Taylor's new live album UK, Giles is being touted as one of coincides with UK tour the best blues Joanne Shaw Taylor is pleased to announce the harmonica Monday 4th November release of her debut live players in the album ‘Joanne Shaw Taylor: Songs From The world and with Road’. The album will be released as a 2-disc CD/ the experience of DVD by Ruf Records. Recorded live at London’s Borderline on 12th May, the hotly tipped live album the Dirty Aces dovetails Joanne’s UK Tour which starts at London behind him this tight band will be Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 28th November. playing there own brand of blues which veers across Nominated for Best New Artist at the British a range of influences. Echoes of Tom Waits, Bob Blues Awards for her debut album White Sugar, Joanne scooped consecutive wins in the Best British Dylan, Sonny Boy Williamson, Django Reinhardt, Elvis Female Vocalist category at both the 2010/2011 Presley and Howlin Wolf can be heard.

The Paul Garner Band is a three piece of events; establishing her position as the new face of guitar, keyboards and drums. The Blues Festival British blues. In 2012, she played guitar for Annie Lennox at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in front of a committee is delighted to finally have booked Paul under his own name, as he has been here in the TV audience of 17 million. past with the Cadillac Kings and Joshua Blue. Their Album Track Listing – 1. Soul Station, 2. Tied & Bound, 3. Beautifully Broken, 4. Watch ‘Em Burn, 5. recent album 3 Get Ready captures the original, progressive blues music that the trio play. Originally Diamonds In The Dirt, 6. Manic Depression 7. from New Zealand, Paul has become a go-to guitar Jealousy, 8. Kiss The Ground Goodbye, 9. Just player in London and is in demand for his mastery of Another Word, 10. Band Introductions, 11. Jump authentic Chicago and West Coast blues styles but That Train, 12. Going Home also bringing a modern sound to the music. Dave Arcari is slide guitarist and songwriter whose alt.blues sound owe as much to trash country, punk 10th Shetland Blues Festival Line-up and rockabilly as it does to pre-war Delta blues. Dave announced is currently on his first tour of the USA and was last The 10th year of the Shetland Blues Festival takes at the Shetland Blues Festival in 2007.His latest place over the weekend of the 13 – 15 September album, with eight great visiting acts, and gigs in Unst, Brae

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Whisky in my Blood, was released on Finnish record label Blue North in March 2013 and sees Dave backed by Finnish musicians Juuso Haapasalo (bass) and Honey Aaltonen (snare drum), collectively known as the Hellsinki Hellraisers. As well as showcasing Arcari’s trademark National steel guitars, the new album features performances on banjo, regular guitar and cigar box which help capture the full breadth of Arcari’s song-writing and performance.

Dubbed “the funkiest thing to come out of Estonia since the invention of Skype” by British DJ Rick Stuart, slide guitarist Andres Roots has played with Honeyboy Edwards, recorded with Scotland’s own Dave Arcari and even enjoyed a #1 video on Estonian national TV. Playing and touring in England and in continental Europe since the late 1960′s, British harpist Steve Lury first met Roots in London in 2006; since then, the two have appeared at a variety of blues, folk and harmonica festivals and clubs in Finland, Poland, Estonia and the UK – and almost always with Peeter Piik on bass.

Richard Townend will be coming to the festival after building up a solid reputation as one of the finest songwriters around the blues scene at the moment. With a laid back style, often compared to JJ Cale, Richard is no slouch on the guitar and will be working his magic in Unst as well as Lerwick.

Nominated in the British Blues Awards for the past two years in the Best Blues Song category, Richard should not be missed.

The Gramophone Jass Band, from Edinburgh will be coming to Shetland to spread the word of old time swinging jazz to as many people as possible.

The band will arrive in Shetland on the back of playing at their Late Night Speakeasy during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. If you enjoyed the music of the Great Gatsby, the Gramophone Jass Band is the band for you.

Breaking a long-time festival rule of waiting three years to bring an act back to the festival, we welcome back from Austin Texas, Lincoln Durham.

After blowing the roof off Mareel last year and Lincoln going as far to have a tattoo done to remember Shetland, we could not resist the opportunity to have Lincoln back at the festival.

Lincoln went as far to rearrange his UK tour to comeback to the festival, so we could hardly say no!

With the release of new album, Exodus of the Deemed Unrighteous, looking likely for an October release, a selection of new songs from the force of nature that is Lincoln Durham will be worth breaking the rules for.

The Andy Taylor Band from Orkney has also previously visited the festival in the form of Bad Taste and did a week of school workshops around Shetland before the festival started. Two of the band return in this line up, guitarist Andy Taylor and drummer Dylan Pepper will be joined by bass player A truly international line up of acts as well as support from local bands, the tenth festival promises to be the best yet.

Links www.shetlandblues.info

Gov’t Mule – New Album, with a twist, in September 2013 The new album ‘Shout!’ from Gov’t Mule, the band’s first in four years, is released through the Mascot Label Group / Provogue on 23 September 2013 [Cat. No. PRD70462]. In an unprecedented twist, as a gift to their fans, a special bonus CD will also be included, which includes the 11 tracks from the album but in different versions with each sung by a differentworld class special guest and friend of the band, with Myles Kennedy, Elvis Costello, Steve Winwood, Dr. John, Glenn Hughes and many more all contributing [see below]!

“This album puts the spotlight on the new songs and the way that we interpret them, which hinges on the unique chemistry we’ve developed as a band,” says Haynes. “No one’s done this before, which is exciting,” says Haynes, “but it’s even more exciting actually listening to these artists sing our songs. Their performances bring new ideas, energy and sometimes even different meanings to every number.” The 11 original songs on Shout! were written over the past two years. The band members first convened at Carlsson’s Los Angeles studio, where they wrote, recorded and produced lead track “World Boss” and two other songs. Inspired, they agreed to meet up on the East Coast to continue work on the album. They recorded eight tracks at Carriage House Studios in Stamford, CT, with longtime co-producer/engineer Gordie Johnson co-producing four of the songs with Haynes.

“The Mule holds a unique and lofty berth. They have roots that run real deep — drawing from the entire history of rock ‘n’ roll going all the way back toRobert Johnson and the Delta,” noted [US label] Blue Note Records’ President Don Was. “Yet, despite their mastery of past idioms, they have managed to rearrange those elements into a whole new thing. On this new album, they’ve elevated their songwriting, playing, and production values to a whole new plateau. It’s gonna blow people’s minds.”

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This months DJ is Dan Mann.

“It is really satisfying to see that against

all the odds there is still some great music being released.

This Top 5 is just some of the tracks I've been playing a lot of the last week or so.

And yes it was tough to pick only 5!”

Jesse Damon - Black Widow

1

A great track off Jesse's new album 'Temptation In The Garden Of Eve' It has a real Silent Rage feel to it, not surprising really as Jesse sings in that band. Nice to hear some great production curtisy of Paul Sabu.In fact I've played the whole album a lot.

Oliva - Big Brother

2

Now I've been a fan of Jon Oliva's work for many years, dating back to when I first heard the Savatage track 'Devastation' I've bought the album that Big Brother is off (Raise The Curtain) on 180g vinyl. As regular listeners to my show know only too well my love of vinyl, and this release sounds superb.

Brighton Rock - Creatures Of The Night

3

This of course is a Kiss cover, and was recorded for inclusion in a pledge music tribute album in aid of a children's hospice. Really like their twist on it, and really looking forward to both the upcoming new album, and seeing them at Firefest once again.

LaValle - Don't Cry

4

The new LaValle album's been a long time coming, hell I pre-ordered it beginning of the year. However, I'm not disappointed and found myself playing it at least once a day. This is at the moment my favourite track from it.

Reason - Rise

5

This track is from Reason's 'The Darkest Star' album released in 2011. An album that was in my Top 5 album release's for that year in fact. Why this band isn't bigger than they are is a complete mystery to me. It's an album that I play again & again.

Don’t forget to check out Dan Mann’s show Saturdays 1pm (UK) 35

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ReVamp 9/10

Wild Card Record Label: Nuclear Blast

Released: 26 August 2013

Highlight of the album: Amendatory Website: http://www.revampmusic.com Reviewer: Jon Seymour

Floor Jansen has been in the news a bit of late, involved in the furore surrounding the departure of Anette Olzon from Nightwish, stepping up and taking over vocal duties when she suddenly left the band mid tour. This though, is something altogether different, and whether you agree with what went on with Nightwish or not is a moot point. Put all of that aside and listen to this album for what it is. What is it though?

This album is very powerful though make no mistake.

The music is heavy, and the vocals are strong, but you knew that already. The faster songs are performed with some real venom injected into the vocals, while the slower more symphonic songs are accompanied by operatic style vocals. Of course that’s not the norm all the way through though, as there are some curve balls thrown in to keep you on your toes.

Well, this is the all too difficult second album from ReVamp and it means business. It hits you hard right from the off and doesn’t let up. Symphonic power metal seems to be on the rise, and whether it’s me being ignorant of the genre for many years, or just that there seems to be an upsurge in the number of bands coming to the forefront is something I’m not entirely sure of.

Moreover, this is an album that’s both interesting and different. It keeps you guessing as to what may come next, and will often catch you out. The songs are well written, and the lyrics evoke some great images from the depths of your imagination. It would also have been far too easy to let the vocals take centre stage and dominate everything else, but thankfully that’s not the case. Its well put together, well thought out, and the song arrangements are spot on. This is a very good album indeed.

I.C.O.N 9/10

New Born Lie Record Label: Self Release

Released: 2010

Highlight of the album: Seven Second Warning Website: https://www.facebook.com/icon.uk?fref=ts Reviewer: Lee Walker

After catching up with the guys recently I realised that I hadn’t actually heard their latest album so as the band has started the long hard slug to creating a follow up I thought it only fitting that I gave ‘New Born Lie’ a quick once over.

As albums go listening to ‘New Born Lie’ is like listening to seminal Scottish rockers The Almighty starting off with its mix of gritty vocals, cut back guitar riffs and chunky bass lines providing the power for their all out breed of rock, with opening track ‘Cold Divide’ acting as the perfect building block to lay the foundations on for the rest of this bruising album ending with the anthemic ‘New Born Lie’.

the lyrics, leaving the music to do the talking rather than relying upon flash over editing to carry the songs resulting in an almost gritty, biker rock type feel to the songs.

Overall ‘New Born Lie’ sets the bar very high for I.C.O.N and I look forward to seeing how its follow up sounds.

The songs themselves are well thought out, using a straight forward approach to the song writing and

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Carousel Vertigo 10/10

I’m A Comin’ World (Single) Record Label: Molano Music

Released: 21 October 2013

Highlight of the album: I’m A Comin’ World Website: http://www.carouselvertigo.com/ Reviewer: Lee Walker

Carousel Vertigo formed in Spring, 2009, when two Gibson Guitars-endorsed virtuoso guitarists jammed together on stage for the first time at a music trade event in Paris. American francophone Jansen Press, who had been relocated to France from Nashville in 2008 by Gibson Guitars, and Gibson Franceendorsed Parisian native Vincent Martinez were asked to jam on Bose’s empty soundstage. Jansen suggested to Vincent ‘Hey, let’s do your music’ and, by the end of the first song, an audience of more than 250 had gathered, so knocked out by the obvious musical synergy binding them and their guitars together that many asked ‘Are you guys in a band or something…? If not, you should start one’.

for their upcoming debut album ‘Mighty’ you can expect to hear this song played a lot on the radio as quite simply it is stunning, with its early Deep Purple vibe, stunning guitar work and Ian Gillan style vocals Carousel Vertigo seem to have it all. Add mixing by Keith Rose, known for his work with Aerosmith and Coverdale/Page, to the already excellent music and you have what would be close to the full package.

Going from this single I think it’s fair to say that when the album launches you will get to witness the birth of a band which has the potential to succeed Deep Purple.

It seems to be a month for having cracking singles sent though to review and ‘I’m A Comin’ World’ by Carousel Vertigo is no exception, billed as a taster

Editors 8/10

The Weight Of Your Love Record Label: PIAS Records

Released: 28 June 2013

Highlight of the album: Formaldehyde Website: http://www.editorsofficial.com Reviewer: Jon Seymour

So this is album number four for these purveyors of alternative rock. I guess these guys are something of an acquired taste, with elements of Talking Heads, early Genesis and more. It’s certainly done with great proficiency though.

you escape from your world for a little while.

Musically, it’s very good, and the arrangements of strings and brass on the songs add another dimension to the music. Of course it’s not one of those albums that will give you neck ache from The album is a mix of slow and fast paced tunes, and shaking your head, but that’s not its purpose. This is it flows really well. Of course, there are no massive an album to chill out to, just put it on and let the guitar solos or elaborate musical breakdowns, but sounds wash over you while you drift away on the that’s simply because they would be completely out musical currents as they carry you this way and that. of place. The music sounds quite simple, but go a In that respect it’s very effective and even somewhat little deeper and it actually gets quite complex. addictive, because of the escapism that it provides you with.

All the time it’s playing, the music envelopes you in soundscapes and the heady vocals soar in the air.

Close your eyes while you’re listening and you instantly get the feeling of floating above the world looking down, while the lyrics paint the picture of what you see. This is one of those albums that will let

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Lee Walker Interviews

Thanks for taking the time out for a quick interview. Obviously you played early on today. How do you think your set went?

Steve - We enjoyed it.

Dave - It was great fun and I had a good time.

Oli - It was funny playing sober to be honest. Usually you play after a few beers and with going on at quarter past one in the afternoon and the suns still out it was a bit different.

to the band, but how would you describe your style of music?

Oli - There’s so much really. We are all into different types of guitar music, but there is such a mixture of metal, grunge, punk and rock. We call ourselves heavy rock as we don’t like to put ourselves into a genre

You mentioned during your set earlier that you had a CD coming up. Can you tell us about it?

I think you are starting your tour aren’t you?

Oli - We were at a gig in January 2012 and we How’s the tour been going? thought should we write an album, so in January we started writing an album and booked time in May. It Oli - Today is the second day so far. We played Bradford last night which was really good and is was an amazing creative time for us and spent pretty good as tours go. It was great. We have a few those four months writing an album and went in and dates ahead of us and we are looking forward to it. recorded it. A lot of it we had hardly rehearsed. The drums on the album are the first takes on playing them. It was very spontaneous.

Obviously you have quite a strange name for the Dave - And scary at times. band. How did you come up with the name for it?

Oli - Yes as we had never done anything like that Oli - We spent about four months thinking of band names and we went back and forth through different before. Me and Steve had written the album so we knew the songs a little bit better, but that’s how things and eventually we came up across Ritual Craig came along. We actually lost our bassist Spirit., Steve came up with it and we looked into it and found that there was already a band in Germany because he didn’t know the songs and he couldn’t called Ritual Spirit, but they weren’t going any more play them in the studio, so me and Steve actually played all the bass tracks on the album and Craig so we thought lets add the A so it abbreviates to came along ARS (laughter) Craig - I played on one.

Facebook seems to attribute various music styles Oli - Oh yes he managed to play on one. It was great

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and such an amazing time for the band to create something in such a short space of time. Now we are finally in a position where we have got it out unofficially (laughter) and we are on the road promoting it. It’s amazing.

wow there is something going on here and that’s kind of continued. We did a gig a couple of months back not one of our mates turned up at all but the place was packed. We have had the single out on the radio getting a bit of airplay and that’s been helping us along the way and now we are at a point where we don’t need our mates to come. We want them too obviously, but we said afterwards, imagine if all of our mates had actually turned up as well as everyone that as there then it would have been absolutely packed.

When is the official release date?

Oli - We haven’t set one yet (laughter) Steve - In the spirit of the spontaneity that the album was written, I think we will probably just release it off the cuff. Do a bit of promotion for it after the tour and see where we go from there.

You mentioned about lineup changes in the band. How did this version of the band come together?

Oli - Me and Steve used to play in a band previously that was doing alright and touring and that, but it split up and we decided to go our own way and actually play some music that we were passionate about playing because before we weren’t really into what we were doing so much. We just wanted it to be fun for us and wanted to go up on stage and play some local shows. We went through a variety of different drummers. None of them that good unfortunately. Steve and Dave used to play in a band a few years back. After a night where we had audition for a drummer who was absolutely terrible, and couldn’t even play drums, Dave got a call and came in and was just helping us out to start with.

Dave – To help out which was three years ago I have never been allowed to leave yet (laughter) Oli - He’s a fully fledged member of the band now What’s the biggest problem that you come across trying to get your music out there?

Oli - That’s a very good question. The thing is, the way that the music industry is nowadays people expect to have music for free it’s at their fingertips on the internet you can download any music that you want so I think it’s tough to put something out there that’s for sale, so people will say ok I will give you a tenner for that or whatever, so that’s a real barrier at the moment unfortunately, but other than that you can use it as a good thing to help promote yourself so well with it so it’s a double edged sword.

Whats the best experience that you have had to date?

Oli - We have had some amazing shows. We have been playing for three years so it’s tough to pinpoint one.

Dave - They are all kind of start-up gigs for us now even though we have been going for three years. We have different experiences at each gig when the band comes together and probably the best experiences when you make a gig and you know that your band is playing well and you know your sound but as for a certain gig. Our first one was really good.

Oli - The first one was amazing we expected to play a local show to a few of our mates, but it was packed out and off that we got another show a month later and that was even more crowded so we started thinking

Speaking of radio which you mentioned briefly obviously Kerrang! have pulled a plug on the FM part of their station. How important do you think the radio is today?

Oli - People still listen to the radio a lot, you hear new music on the radio all the time. We have got a new station that does breaking bands every night so that’s unsigned bands getting played on the radio every night which is incredible so it plays a massive part of it.

Dave - There are so many radio stations now which do unsigned stuff which benefits bands like us so much long may it continue.

Oli - Plus you have all the online radio stations to, you have soo much out there if you want to get yourself into underground bands you can do. Which is incredible for the internet to be able to do that.

Dave - When I was growing up we had Tommy Vance, show on radio 1 on a Friday night and it was all signed bands and stuff so bands never had a chance to go on the radio but now every show has got an unsigned slot on it really so its really good which helps us.

What do you have planned for the rest of the year?

Oli - We have got the rest of this tour and in September we are doing a couple of dates with Warrior Soul doing Glasgow and Edinburgh with them and hopefully Aberdeen as well but I’m not too sure on that yet (laughter) After that we are going out in October with a Swedish band called Eternal Fear and carrying on into next year and keep promoting the album. We are planning on doing a video for our second single some time soon so we will try and get a second single out before the end of the year if not early next year and just carry on going.

Final question do you have any message you would like to pass onto your fans?

Oli - We love you (laughter) Dave - Buy the album (laughter) or just some beers.

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Featuring all your favourite DJs and Shows every day only on

For more information on running times and all up and coming news and information please visit www.firebrandrockradio.com If you miss any of your favourite shows, don’t forget you can catch up with the latest and greatest at www.mixcloud.com/firebrand 41

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10cc December 08 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

Black Sabbath December 10 London O2 Arena 12 Belfast Odyssey Arena 14 Sheffield Motorpoint Arena 16 Glasgow Hydro 18 Manchester Arena 20 Birmingham LG Arena

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club August 27 Bristol O2 Academy 28 Newcastle O2 Academy 29 Edinburgh The Picture House

Black Star Riders November 22 Bournemouth O2 Academy 23 London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire 25 Bristol O2 Academy 26 Cambridge Junction 27 Norwich UEA 29 Pwllheli Hard Rock Hell 7 30 Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall December 01 Cardiff Solus 02 Oxford O2 Academy 05 Inverness Ironworks 06 Edinburgh Picturehouse 07 Newcastle O2 Academy 08 Leeds O2 Academy 10 Leamington Spa The Assembly Rooms 12 Nottingham Rock City 13 Manchester Ritz 14 Dublin Academy

Broken Hands September 18 Bristol Thekla 19 Nottingham Bodega Social 21 Birmingham Sunflower Lounge 22 Liverpool Shipping Forecast 23 Manchester The Soup Kitchen 24 Glasgow The Arts School Union 26 London The Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen

Buckcherry

December 01 Gateshead Sage

11 Stoke Victoria Hall 12 Cardiff St David’s Hall 14 Nottingham Royal Concert Hall 16 London Royal Albert Hall 19 Belfast Waterfront Hall Auditorium December 01 Brighton Centre

Deep Purple October 12 Manchester O2 Apollo 13 Glasgow Clyde Auditorium 15 Birmingham NIA 17 London Roadhouse

Depeche Mode November 11 Glasgow Hydro 13 Leeds Arena 15 Manchester Arena 19 London The O2 January 2014 27 Birmingham LG Arena

Madness

Dr Feelgood September 13 Glasgow King Tuts Wah Wah Hut October 24 York Fibbers 30 London Royal Albert Hall November 28 Wolverhampton Slade Rooms April 2014 5 West Yorkshire The Picturedrome

Fleetwood Mac

September 22 Northampton Northants County Cricket Club 28 London Alexandra Place

Manfred Mann Earthband September 10 London Jazz Café 13 Wolverhampton Robin 2 14 West Yorkshire The Picturedrome

November 13 Nottingham Royal Concert Hall 14 Newcastle City Hall 16 Brixton 02 Academy 17 Brixton 02 Academy 19 Wolverhampton Civic Hall 20 Manchester 02 Apollo 22 Glasgow02 Academy

Papa Roach December 01 Portsmouth Pyramids 02 Sheffield Academy 03 Birmingham Academy 05 Manchester Academy 06 Dublin Academy 08 Glasgow Barrowlands 09 Newcastle Academy 10 London Brixton Academy

Paramore September 02 Lurgan Skelton Tower 20 Manchester Arena 21 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena 23 Birmingham LG Arena

Manic Street Preachers

September 20 Lurgan Skelton Travel 21 Lurgan Skelton Travel 24 London O2 Academy 25 London O2 Academy 27 London O2 Academy 29 Birmingham LG Arena October 01 Manchester MEN 03 Glasgow Hydro Arena

September 13 Newport Centre 13 - 15 Portmeirion Festival 21 Belfast Ulster Hall 23 Bristol Colston Hall 24 London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire 27 Manchester The Ritz 29 Glasgow Barrowland

Metal Wave UK

Hard Rock Hell 7 Novermber - December 28 - 1 Pwllheli Hafyn Y Mor (Haven Holiday Park)

October 05 Purfleet The Circus Tavern

Mindless Self Indulgence November 28 Brighton Concorde 2 29 London KOKO 30 Norwich Waterfront December 01 Edinburgh Liquid Rooms 03 Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall 04 Manchester Ritz 05 Bristol Anson Rooms

Courteeners

September 20 Liverpool East Village Arts Club 21 Manchester Sound Control 23 Glasgow King Tuts 26 London St Pancra Old Church October 3 Nottingham Bodega Social

September 06 Glasgow King Tuts Wah Wah Hut 07 Preston Guild Hall 08 Carlisle Sands Centre 10 York Barbican Centre

Motorhead and Saxon

September 06 Isle of Wight Bestival October 15 Norwich Open 16 Brighton Haunt 18 Brixton Electric 19 Oxford Gathering 20 Bristol The Fleece 22 Nottingham Rescue Rooms 23 Birmingham O2 Academy 3 24 Leeds Cockpit 26 Manchester Sound Control 27 Glasgow Broadcast 28 Newcastle Cluny

Hawklords

Deacon Blue

London Grammar

Kaiser Chiefs

November 22 London Koko 23 Coventry Kasbah 25 Manchester Academy 26 Glasgow O2 ABC 27 Belfast Limelight 2 29 Dublin The Academy 30 Nottingham Rock City December 02 Bristol O2 Academy 03 Cardiff Solus 04 Exeter Lemon Grove August 17 Chelmsford Hylands Park V Festival 18 Stafford Weston Park V Festival

September 10 Aberystwyth Arts Centre 13 Leeds First Direct Arena

14 Glasgow Garage 15 Newcastle O2 Academy 16 Manchester Academy 2 19 Nottingham Rescue Rooms 20 Birmingham O2 Academy 21 London The Forum 23 Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms

October 12 Leeds Brudenell Social Club

Huey Lewis and The News September 30 Gateshead The Sage October 01 London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

To have your gig Highlighted please email sales@fbrr2010.com

Motionless In White September 13 Belfast Mandela Hall

Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun

Joanne Shaw Taylor November 28 London Shepard’s Bush Empire 29 Birmingham Town Hall 30 Holmfirth Picturedrome

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For a free listing please email your gig or festival information to: With the following info: Date(s), Band Name, Venue, City (Please do not send any attachments) Sadly if any of the above information is not included we will be unable to list your event.

Firebrand Magazine

Queensryche

Status Quo

The Cult

October 13 Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall 15 Glasgow Garage 16 Manchester The Ritz 17 Nottingham Rock City

December 06 Liverpool Echo Arena 07 Birmingham LG Arena 08 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena 10 Plymouth Pavilions 11 Bournemouth International Centre

October 18 Cardiff University Great Hall 19 Exeter Great Hall 20 Southampton Guildhall 22 Norwich UEA 23 Wolverhampton Civic Hall 25 Manchester Academy 26 Glasgow Barrowlands 28 Nottingham Rock City 29 Liverpool O2 Academy 31 London Roundhouse

Reckless Love October 01 Manchester Academy 3 02 Newcastle O2 Academy 03 Glasgow Cathouse 04 Leeds Cockpit 05 Nottingham Rescue Rooms 06 Wolverhampton Slade Rooms 08 Norwich Waterfront Studio 09 Bristol The Fleece 10 London O2 Academy, Islington

Rod Stewart September 17 Liverpool Echo Arena 20 London O2 21 London O2 24 Leeds First Direct arena

Roger Waters September 14 London Wembley Stadium

Slam Cartel September 14 Nottingham Rock City

Soundgarden September 13 Manchester O2 Apollo 14 Birmingham O2 Academy 16 Dublin O2 18 London O2 Brixton Academy 19 London O2 Brixton Academy

Steve Vai August 28 Derry Nerve Centre 29 Belfast Mandela Hall 30 Leeds O2 Academy 31 Glasgow O2 Academy September 1 Cardiff St David’s Hall 3 Bristol O2 Academy 4 Bournemouth O2 Academy

The Damned November 29 Portsmouth Pyramids December 06 Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall 07 Edinburgh The Picturehouse

Stormbringer

The Front Bottoms

September 21 Stoke Prior Rock Circus Festival

September 16 Glasgow King Tuts Wah Wah Hut 20 Nottingham Bodega Social 21 Birmingham Temple, The Institure 23 Bristol Thekla 24 London Dingwalls

Texas November 09 York Barbican 10 Inverness Leisure Centre 11 Manchester Bridgewater Hall 13 Bristol Colston Hall 14 London Hammersmith Apollo 15 Plymouth Pavilions 17 Oxford Apollo 18 Birmingham Symphony Hall 19 Southend Cliffs Pavilion 21 Brighton Dome 22 Portsmouth Guildhall 24 Ipswich Regent Theatre 25 Cambridge Corn Exchange 26 Sheffield City Hall 28 Glasgow Academy 29 Edinburgh Usher Hall

The Goo Goo Dolls October 15 Nottingham Rock City 16 Manchester Academy 17 Glasgow Academy 19 Newcastle Academy 20 Leeds Academy 21 Norwich UEA 23 Birmingham Institute 25 Hammersmith Apollo

06 Bristol O2 Academy 07 Oxford O2 Academy 09 Birmingham O2 Academy 10 Sheffield O2 Academy 11 Glasgow The Garage 12 Nottingham The Rescue Rooms 14 Newcastle O2 Academy 15 Manchester Club Academy 17 London O2 Islington Academy 18 Bournemouth Old Fire Station

Turisas October 09 London O2 Academy 10 Nottingham Rock City 11 Glasgow Cathouse

Warrior Soul September 13 Glasgow Ivory Blacks 14 Edinburgh Bannermans Bar 15 Aberdeen The Tunnels 17 Sutton In Ashfield The Diamond 19 York Fibbers 20 Ebbw Vale Institute 21 Grimsby Yardbirds 23 Wakefield Warehouse 24 Ipswich The Railway 25 Bristol The Tunnels 26 Manchester Satan’s Hollow 27 Corby The Zombie Hut 28 London Nambucca

Y&T September 17 Wolverhampton Robin 2 19 Glasgow O2 ABC 20 Newcastle O2 Academy

The Quireboys October

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