Back in 1973, one programme I would never miss was Top of the Pops, as it was the best way to discover music at the time (at least through TV), and this was where I first came across the duo of John Fiddler (vocals, guitar, piano, drums) and Peter Hope-Evans...

Nigel contacted me via email recently and of course we started reminiscing about music and how long we had known each other (30 years), and it was only then that I discovered he had released an album of very different styles back in 2007. I always think of Nigel as...

Originally formed in 1999, the still features guitarist Giulio Moschini who joined in time for their second album, 2004’s ‘Pageantry of Martyrs’, while Paolo Pieri (vocals & guitars) joined in 2010 and bassist Marco Mastrobuono (bass) in 2013, and they have now...

Originally brought together by music svengali Kim Fowley in 1973, The Hollywood Stars recorded three albums during the 1970’s, although only one was released during that decade. The original line-up broke up in 1974, at which point Fowley offered two songs to producer...

Formed in 2004, Finnish melodic doom/gothic outfit Hanging Garden released their eighth studio album, ‘The Garden’, in 2023 and have now followed that with a mini album containing five rearranged songs from that set. Recorded during an intimate live performance at the...

OK, so I am having a few issues getting my head around this album, and I will explain why. Back in 1980 I attended my first ever metal gig, Saxon supported by Tygers of Pan Tang. When the boys burst onto the stage with “Motorcycle Man” I knew my life would never be...

Four years on from their debut, ‘Death Meditation’, funeral doom outfit Funeral Leech are back with their second, with five songs coming in at just over 43 minutes in length. They have managed to keep the same line-up, so it is still Kevin Kalb (bass), Lucas Anderson...

Back in 1980 I turned 17, and NWOBHM was everywhere: I was in my element. I grabbed Sounds when it came out every week to find out about new bands, and religiously listened to TV on the Radio on Friday nights to hear the latest and greatest. It was through these means...

A few months ago Alice Cooper reissued his 2019 EP, ‘Breadcrumbs’, with two additional tracks, “Don't Give Up" (his message of hope during the COVID-19 pandemic) and a live version of "Go Man Go", the studio of which appeared on the original. This is aimed solidly at...

Born in Dublin, Alison recorded her first single, “Feeling High” for SNP’s Simon Napier Bell and David Hemmings at the age of 15 with the cult folk-rock band, Mellow Candle. They signed to Decca’s Deram label in the early 70’s and gigged their album ‘Swaddling Songs’...

I don’t grab all the music which is sent to me for review, but there was something about the cover which made me think of the 90’s underground metal scene so I dove into this one, and I am so very glad I did. What we have here are three tracks each from blackened...

When it comes to being a guitarist’s guitarist, then Steve ‘The Deacon’ Hunter would probably top many lists, having worked with the likes of Gabriel, Mitch Ryder, Lou Reed, Aerosmith and many others, including a very long running relationship with producer Bob Ezrin....

One can only imagine what music the world would have heard from Pete Ham if he had not succumbed to his mental illness and committed suicide when he was just 28. By that time he had already written multiple massive hits, including Badfinger’s "No Matter What", "Day...

Dr Richard Michelson (stage name: MOTU which stands for Music Of The Universe), is back with his 23rd album. On this he provides vocals, slide dobro, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, harmonica, bass and pedal steel and is joined by Dee Michelson on vocals,...

I first came across Maryen more than 30 years ago when Progressive International sent me ‘The Pictures Within’ to review, but that was back in the days of letters and physical CDs, and I had no way of contacting the Australian singer/songwriter who was by then living...