EINAR SOLBERG (Leprous) launches new single ‘Home’ feat. Ben Levin.
EINAR SOLBERG – frontman of Norwegian rock mavericks Leprous – is set to release his debut solo album ‘16’ on the 2nd June 2023, just a few weeks away. Wildly diverse, but spiritually rooted in Einar’s well-established musical world, ‘16’ is an album that brims with surprises […]
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ASIA Release PHOENIX as 2LP Vinyl Set on 26th May.
ASIA are a multi-platinum selling, English Rock band who formed in 1981 and celebrated their 40th Anniversary in 2021. ASIA announce the release of Phoenix for the first timeas a 2 vinyl LP set on 26th May. Phoenix was originally released in 2008 and was […]
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THE OTHER SIDE EP from MC Roads is out now on Golden Robot Records.
‘The Other Side‘ is the follow up EP to the critically acclaimed ‘No Nostalgia‘ by MC Roads, the guitar driven Detroit rock and roll brainchild of Mike Cross. This sophomore installment is layered with rich guitar harmonies, mellow vocals, and timeless melodies that leave you begging for […]
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Marillion Weekends 2022 – news from the Marillion camp.
We have some bad news and some good news. Bad News 1We have been advised by our European tour agents, that the concerts on-sale in France, The Netherlands and Germany for October 2021 may not be able to take place as planned. We have reluctantly […]
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Peter Green – ‘The Albatross Man’
Legendary Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green passed away, peacefully in his sleep, on July 25th 2020. For the past 4 years Peter worked directly with Rufus Publications to produce a huge, illustrated visual book of his life and career. Mark Smith at Rufus has been […]
NewsLegendary Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green passed away, peacefully in his sleep, on July 25th 2020.
For the past 4 years Peter worked directly with Rufus Publications to produce a huge, illustrated visual book of his life and career. Mark Smith at Rufus has been travelling down to Canvey Island on a regular basis to talk to Peter about his life, look through his personal archive and discuss his love for fishing, drawing and listening to a wide range of music on a daily basis. During this time a book of rare images, memorabilia, lyrics and notes from his time in Fleetwood Mac has been assembled with Peter having full control over the book’s direction and details. Peter also played guitar for Mark on occasion, delicately going back through a lifetime of influential music. The resulting book, “The Albatross Man” by Peter Green, will be shipping in October 2021 on what would be his 75th birthday.
This ‘new’ version of ‘Need Your Love So Bad’ forms part of this incredible project; it features a rediscovered vocal from the 60s and guitars added by David Gilmour
During the evolution of the book, it was decided to include some unique music as part of the project. A newly discovered vocal take by Peter, recorded in the mid sixties in his mother’s attic on a tape recorder, of “Need Your Love So Bad” formed the basis of the first song with guitars provided by Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, a huge fan of Peter’s work. The track was produced by Laurie Latham. Peter heard and approved mixes of the track and the short promotional video created for “Need Your Love So Bad”. The second track chosen was “Man of the World” and Kirk Hammett of Metallica, another huge Peter Green fan and current owner of the legendary Greeny guitar, was approached and quickly joined the project. He flew into London and on January 6th 2020 he went into London’s Abbey Road with producer Rob Cass to record the guitar parts for his revised vision of the song, all using Greeny. The following day Kirk went down to Canvey Island to meet with Peter and hand him Greeny once more, but also to play him the guitar parts to “Man of the World”. Again Peter approved the music and approach. The track has now been mixed and finished in LA and also features Mick Fleetwood on drums. The bass and production were handled by legendary producer Bob Rock. Both tracks have been recorded for the book project and offer widely different interpretations of Peter’s work.
At over 450 pages the large, coffee table book, “The Albatross Man” is a perfect celebration of one of the UK’s leading guitarists, songwriters and performers. Not only does it feature Peter’s personal pictures, Fleetwood Mac notes and essays and a stunning array of photography (many previously unpublished) it also includes written contributions from Mike and Richard Vernon, Neil Slaven, Dinky Dawson, Kirk Hammett, Bernie Marsden and many others.
Three editions of the book are available:
EDITION 1 – The Ultra Limited Personally Signed Peter Green edition 50 numbered copies only.
Leather case bound and presented in a special clamshell box and comes with two single-sided 7” vinyl singles (also on CD) of the two recordings and a unique piece of hand drawn Peter Green art. Each book is personally signed by Peter Green either with his full name or PG. Also includes a unique Peter Green T-shirt. £2000 per copy
Edition 1 is a physically bigger book than the other editions and measures 420mm x 330mm wide, the entire package weighs in at around 11kilos.
EDITION 2 – The Deluxe Man of the World edition 500 numbered copies only.
Beautifully quarter bound in a slipcase with a vinyl single of the “Man of the World” track plus both tracks on CD. Includes a limited and numbered “litho” print of one of Peter’s own artworks. Also includes a unique Peter Green T-shirt. £295 per copy.
Personally signed by Kirk Hammett
This edition measures 355mm x 280mm
EDITION 3 – The Standard Edition
Hardback book, printed, laminated cover, supplied in a slipcase. £95 per copy
This edition measures 355mm x 280mm
Pre-orders for the book from www.rufuspublications
The Darkness descend as Saturday night headliners at Steelhouse
Steelhouse fans are in for a real treat as The Darkness have been given ‘Permission To Land’, and have booked their One Way Tickets To The Top Of The Mountain… And Back. Fans should do the same. Who better to fill the prestigious Saturday night […]
NewsSteelhouse fans are in for a real treat as The Darkness have been given ‘Permission To Land’, and have booked their One Way Tickets To The Top Of The Mountain… And Back. Fans should do the same. Who better to fill the prestigious Saturday night headliner slot as Britain emerges from the shadow of Covid ahead of what should be a wonderful Summer?
Justin Hawkins of The Darkness said, “People of rock! We are so happy to be able to come out and play with you again at the one and only Steelhouse festival! F*** Covid – let’s put our thumbs in our belt loops and rock like there’s no tomorrow… or yesterday”.
Promoters Mikey Evans and Max Rhead said, “It gives us enormous pleasure to announce The Darkness as our SH2021 Saturday night headliners – a band so mighty that at the start of this century they single-handedly pulled the music we love out of depths and set it squarely back in front of the eyes and ears of our fair nation. They are the very best of British, dare we say a ‘National Treasure’. Welcome back boys!
“It makes us so happy to be able to announce something positive for the summer. There’s a feeling of optimism in the air following the announcement by the UK government. Couple that with the incredible vaccination roll-out and thankfully, the week-on-week fall in figures relating to the pandemic, we believe that Steelhouse is perfectly placed to finally celebrate its 10th anniversary…Thanks again to the Steelhouse family for their patience, understanding, sticking with us and wanting the festival to move forward”
Glamping is now sold out.
Weekend tickets are £110 in advance, Saturday and Sunday day tickets are £65…Friday is free to anyone holding a weekend or single Sat/Sun day ticket.
About Steelhouse Festival: With its unique mountain top setting on the edge of the beautiful Brecon Beacons, this family friendly great value event has built up a true following and a real heritage of its own over nine successful years. Previous performers at The Steelhouse Festival have included Thin Lizzy, Glenn Hughes, Myles Kennedy, Black Star Riders, The Wildhearts, Thunder, The Darkness, UFO, Europe, Rival Sons, Saxon, Anvil, Michael Schenker, and Skindred. The event now includes a larger stage, an official Friday night, more glamping and an official signing tent sponsored by our media partner Planet Rock where the fans will get to meet a selection of musicians rocking the mountain in July. See also: http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-06-27/steelhouse-the-underdog-tale-of-a-monthly-rock-club-that-built-a-festival
Doogie White ‘As Yet Untitled’ 10 years on, solo album reissued with a host of bonuses
‘As Yet Untitled’ was originally released by Doogie White a full decade ago, and is to be reissued on 2CD through The Store For Music [Cat No SJPCD641] on 4 June 2021. The first CD features the full ten track album, plus two bonus songs, […]
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Tribeless: New single ‘Formed By Us’, produced by Romesh Dogangoda, out now!
Emerging South Wales Alt-Rock outfit, TRIBELESS follow-up a successful stint supporting Those Damn Crows last year with new single, ‘Formed By Us’, available to stream and download now. After releasing several lockdown videos throughout 2020, the band started 2021 by welcoming new members Craig Williams (guitar) […]
NewsEmerging South Wales Alt-Rock outfit, TRIBELESS follow-up a successful stint supporting Those Damn Crows last year with new single, ‘Formed By Us’, available to stream and download now.
After releasing several lockdown videos throughout 2020, the band started 2021 by welcoming new members Craig Williams (guitar) and Morgan Price (bass) into the fold. When it was safe to do so, they wasted no time in entering the studio with Grammy-nominated producer, Romesh Dodangoda (Bring Me The Horizon, Holding Absence, Motorhead, Twin Atlantic, Lower Than Atlantis) to record their first songs as a four-piece.
The first track to be released is ‘Formed By Us’ – a precision-drilled slab of contemporary rock centred around an emotionally-charged vocal by Lydia McDonald that showcases both her power and vulnerability..
TRIBELESS hail from the fertile musical hotbed of South Wales – an area renowned for producing a fine lineage of stellar, globally successful talent.
Theirs is music founded on taut and technical percussive arrangements – dynamic and skilfully arranged songs built to fill large rooms – intricate melodies paired with giant-sized choruses, equal parts anthemic firepower, subtle electronic nuance and progressive, modern alt-rock.
TRIBELESS are:
Lydia McDonald – Vocals
Max Rhead – Drums/Keyboards/Vocals
Craig Williams – Guitar
Morgan Price – Bass
TRIBELESS Live:
FOCUS: Wales, Wrexham – October 9th, Planet Rockstock, Trecco Bay – November 13th, Steelhouse Away Day with Those Damn Crows, The Tramshed, Cardiff – Feb 5th 2022, Soundbay Festival, Swansea – March 26th 2022.
STATUS QUO announce brand new live dates, the ‘Out Out Quoing’tour for 2022
AEG Presents are delighted to announce that Britain’s best-loved rockers STATUS QUO are coming back to reclaim their position on the live circuit – with a brand new tour. The ‘Out Out Quoing’ UK & Eire Spring Tour in 2022 will visit 14 venues before […]
NewsAEG Presents are delighted to announce that Britain’s best-loved rockers STATUS QUO are coming back to reclaim their position on the live circuit – with a brand new tour. The ‘Out Out Quoing’ UK & Eire Spring Tour in 2022 will visit 14 venues before the band head out into Europe. Tickets for the UK mainland shows are onsale from Friday 23rd April 2021 at 10am from aegpresents.co.uk/quo.
In September 2019, QUO performed a triumphant set at the massive Radio 2 ‘Festival in a Day’ event in London’s Hyde Park in front of 65,000 fans. That turned out to be their last UK show as the ‘Backbone’ Winter Tour of 2020 was cancelled in its entirety due to Covid-19. Now, STATUS QUO are delighted to be able to announce their long overdue return to the stage with the ‘Out Out Quoing’ tour.
Francis Rossi said, “We cannot wait to play again. Every gig is special for Quo but it’s been too long since we got to play anywhere. Going out is something that we all took for granted. Not any more. Going out, going out properly – ‘going out out’, as some would have it – became a bit of dream but now that dream can come true. The name of the tour is a bit of humour, but a celebration too. However, I’d urge fans not to overthink it and just prepare for all the hits and some serious live music energy!”
STATUS QUO is a band known for their live performances across their incredible fifty year career, it’s time to get back to doing what they do best. After such an unwanted layoff, the band is more ready than ever, making the ‘Out Out Quoing’ tour unmissable.
FULL TICKET LINKS
UK mainland shows: aegpresents.co.uk/quo
MCD show in Belfast: https://www.ticketmaster.ie/venueartist/459370/747939?did=elaserpdcm
MCD show in Dublin: https://www.ticketmaster.ie/venueartist/198239/747939?did=elaserpdcm
‘OUT OUT QUOING’ TOUR 2022
FEBRUARY 2022
Sun 27 – Waterfront, BELFAST
Mon 28 – Olympia, DUBLIN
MARCH 2022
Weds 2 – Bonus Arena, HULL
Thurs 3 – Globe, STOCKTON
Sat 5 – Philharmonic Hall, LIVERPOOL
Sun 6 – Symphony Hall, BIRMINGHAM
Tues 8 – Cliffs Pavillion, SOUTHEND
Weds 9 – Regent Theatre, IPSWICH
Fri 11 – De Montfort Hall, LEICESTER
Sat 12 – G Live, GUILDFORD
Mon 14 – Bridgewater Hall, MANCHESTER
Tues 15 – St David’s Hall, CARDIFF
Thur 17 – New Theatre, OXFORD
Fri 18 – The Forum, BATH
‘SABBATH – THE DIO YEARS’
Available for pre-order now from Rufus Publications In 1980, Black Sabbath recruited powerhouse vocalist Ronnie James Dio at the start of a new era for the band. ‘Heaven and Hell’, the first studio album they released is now regarded as one of the most iconic rock […]
NewsAvailable for pre-order now from Rufus Publications
In 1980, Black Sabbath recruited powerhouse vocalist Ronnie James Dio at the start of a new era for the band.
‘Heaven and Hell’, the first studio album they released is now regarded as one of the most iconic rock albums of the 80s. Rolling Stone Magazine voted the album number 37 in the greatest heavy metal albums of all time.
This huge coffee table book from Rufus Publications celebrates this era of the band right through to the ‘Heaven and Hell’ project with a wealth of unseen pictures and memorabilia and with a linking text from rock journalist Howard Johnson who interviewed Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler to discuss this era. With more than 440 pages, this is an epic illustrated record of one of metals greatest bands.
“I first met Ronnie at our rehearsal house in Beverley Hills. He arrived in this massive brown Cadillac that looked too big for him to drive. He seemed pleasant enough, but when he started singing I was blown away – so much power in such a diminutive stature. He quickly got to work on some of the ideas we had and turned them into songs for what became the ‘Heaven and Hell’ album”.
Geezer Butler
The book has been put together with the full co-operation of the band and features pictures from Wendy Dio’s own personal archive.
Available in three amazing editions including two personally signed by Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, Vinnie Appice and Wendy Dio.
SABBATH – THE DIO YEARS
Available in three amazing editions including two personally signed by Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, Vinnie Appice and Wendy Dio.
The Standard Edition
Measuring 300mm square with a printed hardback cover and supplied in a black cloth slipcase. £99 each.
The Deluxe Leather Edition
ONLY 225 COPIES WORLDWIDE
Measuring 300mm square this leather bound book features a Heaven and Hell zinc cross embedded in the black recycled leather and silver foil. It comes in a black leather clamshell box with a beautiful numbered print print of Harry Carmean’s drawing of the band and a fold out poster. This book is signed by Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, Vinnie Appice and Wendy Dio. Numbered 76 to 300. £375 each
The Giant Epic Leather and Metal Edition
ONLY 75 COPIES WORLDWIDE
This giant book measures 370mm square, is bound in leather and features a Heaven and Hell zinc cross embedded in the black leather and silver foil. It comes in a black metal slipcase with a beautiful numbered print of Harry Carmean’s drawing of the band and a fold out poster plus two numbered giclee prints of the band exclusive to this edition. The book is signed by Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, Vinnie Appice and Wendy Dio. Numbered 1 to 75. This edition also ships with a copy of the standard edition. £999 each
PRE-ORDER DETAILS
The books will ship in September 2021 and the pre-order starts on Friday April 23rd at 3pm UK time from https://www.rufuspublications.com/rufusbooks/sabbath
Beartooth announce new album and tour
Beartooth announce that their new album “Below” will be released on Friday, June 25th! Pre-orders are LIVE on BeartoothBand.com You can listen to their “The Past Is Dead” Music Video here: bit.ly/3spkcxn Also announced is a 15-date European tour for early 2022 supported by Motionless […]
NewsBeartooth announce that their new album “Below” will be released on Friday, June 25th! Pre-orders are LIVE on BeartoothBand.com
You can listen to their “The Past Is Dead” Music Video here: bit.ly/3spkcxn
Also announced is a 15-date European tour for early 2022 supported by Motionless in White:
Tickets for the tour are on sale now and you can find more information on the Beartooth and Motionless in White web and Facebook pages.
https://www.facebook.com/BEARTOOTHband
Stonedead 2021 Lineup
Stonedead returns with a stunning line-up of bands including the Black Star Riders, Tygers of Pan Tang, H.E.A.T. and many more. After a year off the festival comes back bigger and better than before. For more information on the line-up and remaining tickets head to […]
NewsStonedead returns with a stunning line-up of bands including the Black Star Riders, Tygers of Pan Tang, H.E.A.T. and many more. After a year off the festival comes back bigger and better than before.
For more information on the line-up and remaining tickets head to https://www.stonedeadfestival.co.uk/ to see what’s in store this year.
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The Circus of Horrors comes to Cheltenham town
Just when you thought that live entertainment was dead the Circus of Horrors team up with the Continental Circus Berlin to bring their own brand of spooktacular entertainment to the big top. With the big top providing socially distanced seating and air-flow akin to an […]
Gig reviewsJust when you thought that live entertainment was dead the Circus of Horrors team up with the Continental Circus Berlin to bring their own brand of spooktacular entertainment to the big top.
With the big top providing socially distanced seating and air-flow akin to an outside show the Circus of Horrors continued to celebrate their 25th anniversary with most of the acts regular audiences have come to love….and loathe!
Unlike previous tours which toured under a show title, this tour, instead, was simply to celebrate much of what the Circus of Horrors had been able to provide over recent years. There were some notable absentees from the big top shows which included Wee Danny, whose absence allowed his show companion, Henry the Hoover, to take a well-earned break. Also missing was Camp Dracula, the Interceptors from Hell and the Zulu Warriors apart from Rama Dingdong, who brought along his usual slinky self.
The absence of the Interceptors from Hell meant there was no live music, instead the show went ahead to the usual heavy rock accompaniment…just not played live.
Going without a show title the cast provided what was, in many ways, a more traditional circus performance helped at times by members of the Continental Circus Berlin.
The show opens, usual, with the obligatory warnings to the audience about bodily fluids and a request for them not to swallow if showered, all well illustrated by the Mongolian Laughing Boy in the filthiest pair of Y-fronts you’ve ever seen. He not only introduces the show but is often the butt (sic) of the more eye-watering stunts performed on the night.
Enter the ringmaster, Dok Haze, singing one of the Interceptors anthems and meanwhile allowing the rest of the cast to make an appearance and give just a glimpse of what was to come. Rama Dingdong does his acrobatics while trying to avoid being singed by a flaming lance – we’ll revisit the singeing of vital parts later – and this followed by the ever popular ‘pickled person’ who takes the form of a scantily-clad young lady climbing out of a rather small bottle.
The contributions from the Continental Circus Berlin cast members mainly took place well above the big top floor and the first of those cast members, Elaine Evilness, showed off her agility on the rope, doing things I could never imagine doing on the ropes at the school gym as a kid. Swinging, swirling, even hanging by her neck, she performed them all with ease.
The Circus of Horrors’ resident member of the Polish aristocracy, Anastasia IV, was next showing her fire-eating skills and Rama returned to show how to avoid having one’s privates cooked while skipping over a flaming rope.
Probably the show’s biggest oddity, Hannibal Helmurto was next. This is a man who has a forked tongue, more tattoos than a fleet of sailors, implants and piercings galore….and two floating ribs (more of that later too). At this visit HH showed off his pierced septum, and before you get excited this is the bit that separates your two nostrils. You know this is pierced because he can stick his finger right through it….but it’s not the finger you need to worry about as he puts a meat-hook through the piercing ready to hang something from…in this case a railway sleeper! Not only does he lift the sleeper using only his nose but he swings it from side to side.
Returning to more traditional circus fare the Deadly Divas, Killer Kourtney and Rachel Rigamortis, show off their dexterity with hula-hoops before the audience is brought sharply back to Earth as the Mongolian Laughing Boy embarks on one of his skin-crawling demonstrations. I defy anyone to deny that they have. at one time or another, stuck a sewing needle though the dead skin layer of their fingers, well, under the guidance of Dok Haze MLB shoves a couple of steel pins through his neck and cheeks, a little more extreme you have to admit. Now, under normal show conditions some poor soul would be dragged from the audience to remove said pins from said face but not tonight. Oh no, distancing rules don’t allow that so it was up to the Deadly Divas, complete with rubber gloves to do the job. The pins get pulled, the face deforms and the Divas cringe. Does the Mongolian Laughing Boy need a rest, nope, instead he eats a yard of string ready to make out that he’s going to pull it from his stomach – through the stomach wall! The string gets swallowed, washed down with a glass of water, and then he’s presented with a scalpel…a real scalpel! A small hole in his stomach is made to reveal the end of a piece of string which, again, is left to the Deadly Divas to pull out completely. It’s at this point you realise just how many of the audience squirm and squeal (yes, even the men) at these antics.
The first half of the show closes and the second half opens with the Continental Circus Berlin providing the entertainment. First in the form of some motorcycle mayhem in the Sphere of Death and then the acrobats on the jaw-dropping Hamster Wheel of Death (my title, not theirs).
Hannibal and Anastasia IV provide one of the Circus of Horrors’ most popular party tricks in the form of sword and saw swallowing as well as the swallowing of a fully functional and illuminated neon tube. Speaking of illuminated tubes, the Deadly DIvas show how to shine a light using only a Mongolian Laughing Boy and an electric chair, first sticking a fluorescent tube into each ear and then, just for fun, one up MLB’s rectum and the other on the end of his knob. All good fun. But it doesn’t stop there, just to show that the electric chair works Dok Haze steps up with a fire-eater’s petrol-powered wand and lights it on MLB’s head. Remember I mentioned earlier that we would revisit singed hairs….well, now was the time at said wand makes contact with MLB’s unshrouded knob causing his vital organ, and the hair surrounding it, to burst into flames – I’ve never seen MLB move so fast to extinguish the fire.
The show is moving towards its conclusion but not before the Deadly Divas put on a spectacular, and extended, aerial performance on the ropes and silks. Some fantastic moves and acrobatics high above the big top floor.
The Continental Circus Berlin provides its third, and final, contribution to the show with some high-wire antics including a bike-on-a-wire and some well rehearsed balancing skills and the ‘up in the air’ stuff continues as Anastasia IV, the girl with the world’s strongest hair, flies around the big top suspended from a rope tied to that hair…no safety net here (not even a hairnet!). Her act closes with an early fireworks display as she spins wildly amidst a shower of sparks. This display is the indicator that the show is about to end, and it does so as all of the cast return to the stage to say their goodbyes.
When will the Circus of Horrors be back? Who knows, shows are scheduled for the start of 2021 in the usual theatre settings, whether that happens or not we’ll have to wait and see but if you’ve never seen the Circus of Horrors I encourage you to do so, it’s fun in its goriest detail.
Words & images: Reg Richardson
