Classic Rock
Humble Pie – Performance, Rockin the Fillmore
Recognized as one of the earliest of the rock supergroups, Humble Pie released this live double album in 1971. Never has an album rocked so hard or heavily.
Thunder – Stage
Thunder are now bigger and better than ever, no longer a support band or even playing theatres, but arenas and headlining festivals. The new songs blend in seamlessly with the old. I mean, of course, they are Thunder songs, so it would be disappointing if they didn’t. Laughably, Danny Bowes, in between song banter, has not changed in thirty years. The crowds lap it up, so why should it change?
Mott the Hoople – All The Young Dudes
Mott, under David Bowie’s guidance, produced an absolute corker. This was a ground-breaking album setting Mott the Hoople on the fast lane to Rock ‘n’ Roll stardom.
Slade – Slade Alive
Recorded in 1971 and released in 1972, this album caught the Rock ‘n’ Roll fun machine that was Slade on the crest of a very big wave, metaphorically a veritable tidal wave. Upon release, this album went straight to number one in the U.K.
Concerts & Live Recordings
Foghat – Live
When ‘Live’ came out in 1977, it turned Foghat into one of America’s top-drawing live acts.
Pop’s Pattaya All Stars / Band of Smiles rock the Venue
A wonderous night with Pop’s Pattaya All Stars (a super group of local Thai musicians) and the Band of Smiles – Pop’s Pattaya All Stars plus Rick and Harpic Bryant.
Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green
Mick Fleetwood pulled together one of the biggest A lists of superstars in rock music at the London Palladium on February 25th, 2020, to celebrate the music and life of Peter Green.
Grand Funk Railroad – Live. The 1971 Tour
Grand Funk Railroad storms through all the highlights from their first five albums. The medley of ‘I’m Your Captain/Closer to Home/Hooked on Love/Get it Together’ is the true work of artists playing at the peak of their powers. Turn it up to 11 and enjoy.
Heavy Metal
Ozzy Osbourne – Patient Number Nine
Ozzy Osbourne. The Godfather of Metal. The Big Double O. The Prince of Darkness. The man is a true living legend—the genuine article. Released on Friday, 9th September, this is certainly not a run-through for the pipes and slippers brigade. This is a fully-fledged heavy metal rock record, with over an hour of music; no filler, all killer.
Judas Priest – Firepower
Firepower is an apt title for this album by the Premier British Heavy Metal Band – The Mighty Judas Priest.
Vardis – 100 MPH @ 100 Club 2021
Vardis was a band that will always be associated with the new wave of British Heavy Metal from the early eighties. This gave us Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, both of whom adapted to survive. Vardis went straight down the line playing their brand of heavy boogie rock—a band for the purists.
Iron Maiden – Nights of the Dead – Legacy of the Beast – Live in Mexico 2016
Iron Maiden roar into Mexico and score a knockout victory. Playing a set aimed at the Mexican Iron Maiden Army, including many favorites from their very early days, is spread over two discs and one hundred minutes. This is a real head bangers set list without any of the Progressive Rock subtlety of their later years.
Progressive Rock
Flash – Flash
“Flash” had a vibrancy and optimism that transcended all the stereotypes of seventies rock music. They really loved their music and it always showed. They were Flash – their life was short but burned bright. They came and went in a Flash.
Hawkwind – Space Ritual ‘Live’
Fortunately for us all, several Hawkwind shows were recorded, and the best of two from Liverpool and Manchester have been spliced together to give the complete experience, all done in the correct running order. This was first released as a double album in 1973 at the price of a single album, Hawkwind being Hawkwind and always giving value for money. As well as a poster-size foldout cover, you also got two booklets, one telling the story of the Space Ritual joining the dots between songs, the other giving you all the information you could possibly want about the tour.
Wishbone Ash – Argus ‘Then Again Live’
Argus was voted album of the year by very influential British Music Paper Sounds. Sold-out world tours followed, creating a huge fan base. An album that should be in every record collection.
Hard Stuff – Bulletproof
The musicianship is never anything but superb; for that alone, the album cannot be faulted. The best and heaviest thing on the album is the John Gustafson-written ‘Sinister Minister’ with its crunchy guitar licks and bass-heavy driven rhythm.
Threshold – Legends of the Shires
It’s impossible to pick out highlights on Legends of the Shires as the album is best served to be listened to in its entirety. But after a brief introduction, the second song, Small Dark Lines, shows off Threshold’s combined power. Heavy riffing over a pounding beat with determined vocals—an aural battering.
