Bowie At 75 is a unique and beautifully produced celebration of the iconic rock star David Bowie, examining his extraordinary life through the lens of 75 significant career achievements and life events. Covering his entire recorded output in this lovingly expressive and collectible written by the dean of Rock and Heavy Metal journalism, Author Martin Popoff. The book arrives June 14th, 2022, and pre-orders are live now at the link below.
When one thinks of that classic heavy metal voice, the musings often land on the great Mr. Udo Dirkschneider. His is that voice: the sandpaper over rusted metal, the two-pack-a-day unfiltered Pal Mal smoker of the 1940s, the male version of Mama in Throw Mama From the Train; to wit, Udo Dirkschneider is sultry. So it is with delicious aplomb that Mr. Dirkschneider has graced the metal community with a new album. My Way (Atomic Fire Records) is one hour and five minutes of lovingly crafted cover toons in which that voice croons and barks and puts nails on a chalkboard through classic metal, pop, and yes, even classic standards from 1968 and 1969. I would be remiss if I did not mention forthwith that I have been enamored with Udo Dirkschneider since his Accept days and many of the songs and artists he covers are among my favourite.
A new nationwide study in the United Kingdom by Muse Group, makers of Ultimate Guitar, has revealed a list of the most iconic guitar riffs of all-time. Number one one the list was Guns N Roses “Sweet Child ‘O Mine” as the 1987 37 percent of the vote.The riff of the song – which reached Number 6 on the UK chart in 1989 – actually came from Slash’s warm up exercise before a rehearsal where he started playing a “circus” tune, which he then developed into the full riff according to rock legend. Second on the list was Survivor’s 1982 earned “Eye of The Tiger” (29 percent of the vote), which featured in the classic Sylvester Stalone movie Rocky III. Queen’s legendary 1980 hit “Another One Bites The Dust” (28 percent). Written by bassist John Deacon, the song was featured on the group’s eighth studio album The Game and was a worldwide hit.
As one cycle ends, another begins. The flamboyant, dancing Cardinal Copia has been anointed Papa Emeritus IV and the plague-ridden doom of the 14th century is gone. Taking place hundreds of years after Prequelle, Tobias Forge and his band of Nameless Ghouls, otherwise known as psychedelic doom rock popsters Ghost, leave the rats behind as latest chapter Impera (Spinefarm/Loma Vista) tells of new empires built from the ashes of the old.
It’s been twelve years since composer Arjen Lucassen released 2010’s Victims Of The Modern Age under the Star One banner, which in itself was eight years removed from 2002’s Space Metal. Fortunately, the project’s vision remains intact despite its sporadic output with all the tropes that fans have come to expect out in full force on Revel In Time (InsideOut Music). There’s plenty of cheesy Prog goodness to go around informed by Power Metal tempos, crunchy guitars, bombastic keyboards, and a slew of vocalists delivering pop culture Sci-Fi lyrics in over-the-top fashion.
Fifty years into their career and Birmingham hard rockers Magnum are still pumping out the hits on this, their twenty-second full length studio release. Aside from a five-year period during the nineties when the band was put on hiatus, Magnum has been rocking for longer than some of us have been alive, churning out album after quality album like clockwork every two to three years.
Mick Rock a.k.a. ’The Man Who Shot The 70s’ who created some of the most iconic shots of bands in music history, has died. He was 73. The news was broken by his family on social media. No cause of the death has been announced. In addition to a stint as David Bowie’s personal photographer, the native of Great Britain show iconic rock music acts such as Queen, T. Rex, Syd Barrett, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Joan Jett, Talking Heads, Roxy Music, Thin Lizzy, Geordie, Mötley Crüe, and Blondie. We send our sympathy out to his friends and family at this time. Read their statement about Mick’s passing and lifeswork below.
Foo Fighters closed out the awesome BottleRockNapa Music, Food, Wine and Brew Festival in Northern California on Sunday, September 5th, 2021 and our review is coming soon! In a set heavy with early classic mateiral, hits, new album favorites, and covers, the Foos pulled out the big guns, as in drummer Taylor Hawkins on lead vocals, as they often do. Swapping with Dave Grohl, who jumped on the drums, Hawkins led the band in a fiery cover of Queen’s classic song “Somebody To Love!” Check it out!
Roger Taylor of Queen has shared his debut single from his upcoming solo album, Outsider due for release October 1st 2021. Check out the single “We’re All Just Trying to Get By” – featuring singer KT Tunstall. The video was filmed during lockdown between Roger and KT Tunstall studio’s in the UK and the US respectively.
Sometimes, even for grumpy middle-aged metal fans, wishes can come true. So when it was announced in 2017 that former Helloween members Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen were to join the current incarnation of the band there was much, much rejoicing. The Pumpkins United (Nuclear Blast) single which followed swiftly dispelled any initial concerns about musical overcrowding, the band now consisting of seven members including three vocalists plus Hansen adding a third guitar, and the path to Helloween (Nuclear Blast) was clear.