Classic Rock
Greg Lake In Concert – King Biscuit Flower Hour
Recorded on Guy Fawkes Day, November 5th, 1981, this concert was certainly full of fireworks. Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, England, during the world tour for his first solo album (simply titled “Greg Lake”), the show presented Lake on a London stage for the first time since the demise of his previous band “Emerson, Lake and Palmer.”
Ten Years After – Essential
“Essential” by Ten Years After is something of a rarity as I find it faultless in collecting together on one CD what are the “Essential” recordings. In other words, a true “Bests Of” Ten Years After.
Gary Moore – We Want Moore
The songs from the main set don’t let up for a second, and in true eighties tradition Moore just blazes his fingers over them. All of the songs are over seven minutes long with extended solos.
The Who – Live at the Isle of Wight 1970
No other recording shows The Who in the entirety of their talents. Listening to Pete Townshend, at his most explosive leading the band through the shattering rock ‘n’ roll medley at the end of the set is nothing short of jaw-dropping.
Concerts & Live Recordings
Mott the Hoople 74
The show was tremendous. If you were a fan from back in the 70s, you got absolutely everything you wanted and more.
Thin Lizzy – Live and Dangerous
After early success with a one-off single, Whisky in the Jar in 1972, things had reached a nadir during a tour of Germany in early 1974. The fabulous “Live and Dangerous” album captures the hard rockin’, hard livin’ Thin Lizzy at the pinnacle of their powers.
Deep Purple – O2 Arena London 20th October ‘22
If this well-anticipated performance proved anything, it was to confirm that Deep Purple, British rock aristocracy at its finest, are still deserving of their superstar status. The show kicked off at a breakneck pace with the all-time classic “Highway Star”, closely followed by “Pictures of Home” and “No Need to Shout.”
Download Festival June 2022
2022 finally gave us the first full-scale Download Festival since 2019. Despite battling through all the trials and tribulations of the last couple of years, Download managed to not only return, but came back better and stronger than ever.
Heavy Metal
Saxon – Inspirations – Classic Rock Covers Album
Despite a huge back catalogue of their own, Saxon are excited to release an album of infamous rock covers. Inspirations sees the band recreate some of the favourite tracks that influenced them. True to say, this album features some absolute classics.
Some old stagers from the World of Rock make a new chapter, with varying degrees of success
Priest, Yes, and Roger Taylor, old stagers from the World of Rock, open new chapters with varying degrees of success
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.
