Episode Transcript
[00:00:22] Speaker A: Well, hello there, and welcome to episode 62 of the rock podcast. For those about pod, we salute you. In this episode, there's rock News, there's latest releases in new rock on the block. We've reached the letter o in the A to Z of Rock. Good luck us, bry.
[00:00:41] Speaker B: Indeed.
[00:00:43] Speaker A: There's hidden gems and many more of your favorite features. So without further ado, here he is. He's dressed in green to commemorate St. Patrick's Day at the. Here's Brian.
[00:00:55] Speaker B: Hello, Matthew.
[00:00:56] Speaker A: Hello. Hello, sir. Belated happy St. Patrick's Day, which is at the weekend it was. You went out, I guess, and drank your weight in Guinness, I presume, as you normally do.
[00:01:10] Speaker B: No, I didn't, Matthew. I had a quiet, tranquil day on Sunday, buying birthday present for my mum and my aunt, watching lots and lots of people in Edinburgh wearing plastic green and white hats. It looked like Edinburgh had turned into, like, the, you know, the little plastic hats you used to have, the bowler hats with, like, kiss me quick on it. Well, they were all green and various sort of bubble hats thingies that people were wearing. It just felt like I was home.
[00:01:46] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, sounds like it.
Normal Saturday night in the all drink.
[00:01:53] Speaker B: Where we all drink Guinness, which is dyed green, will take. I will take your St. Patrick's greetings. Well, mate. Thank you.
[00:02:05] Speaker A: Yeah, well, you're very welcome. Very welcome. So, Newswise, what has caught your eye, Brian?
[00:02:13] Speaker B: Well, first we have to start, Matt, with what we talked about in the last episode. A little bit of.
Yep, I got my bohemians top.
[00:02:25] Speaker A: I can see it. A thin Lizzie Bohemian FC football shirt. It looks pretty good, actually.
[00:02:31] Speaker B: Yeah, I'll wear it at Stone dead.
[00:02:35] Speaker A: Yeah, please do. Put a picture of yourself on wearing it on the Facebook page, please, so everyone can see it. Brian, he's got this normal picture of Princess Diana behind him, and he's got various guitars that have been gathering dust for a while, sitting around next to him.
And he looks great. I do like that top. I do. It is good. What color is it? Looks kind of like yellowy.
[00:02:59] Speaker B: It's white.
Yes, it's kind of a creamy white.
[00:03:05] Speaker A: Very good. I like.
[00:03:06] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:03:07] Speaker A: Yeah. So are you going to become a bohemian FC supporter now, along with various other teams? Frontiers FC is your favorite team, isn't it?
[00:03:18] Speaker B: Do you know what? If Frontiers records brought out a football shirt, I would buy it, wouldn't I?
[00:03:23] Speaker A: Of course you would.
[00:03:24] Speaker B: Anyway, how did we digress and get onto Frontiers records, Matt, for this?
[00:03:29] Speaker A: Another episode, so early on to Frontiers Records.
[00:03:32] Speaker B: Yeah. Pounding the.
[00:03:34] Speaker A: Exactly. Exactly. I'd talk to continuity, though. Remember last time we talked about John Bon Jovi and his problem with his vocal cords? An atrophied vocal cord which had been replaced by a plastic vocal cord.
I suppose these days with technology, medical technology as it is, that's probably nothing to be too concerned about. But anyway, however, he's back on form. He's got a new single out called Legendary from the new Bon Jovi album, which is.
I don't know when it's coming out. It's called forever. It's pretty good. We'll put down the playlist if it's available. But, yeah, sounding good. Legendary by. So I'm pleased. I am pleased because I'm a kind of a Bon Jovi fan from the. Yeah, it's good to see. Good. See him kind of recovering because that period when he was struggling was tough for him and for those who had to listen, but it's nice to see that he's back. So, yeah, that's song legendary. What did you think? Did you ever listen?
[00:04:44] Speaker B: You sent it to me. Whenever you sent a link to me, I was thinking, oh, how's this going to go? And it's great. It's modern day Bon Jovi when we talk about it's my life and have a nice day, it's in know big shouty choruses. So it's Bon Jovi back and his voice sounds relatively strong. But his band. Yeah, it's a good tune. I'll be very interested to hear what the rest of the album is like. I think a lot of the fans, with all of the talking about everybody being on good terms with Richie, and Richie being quite open about, hey, let's do something in 2024 for getting back with the band and the upcoming docuseries on Disney. I was surprised that Richie hasn't featured on it at all and there has been no contact, as that'd be know. It's been two know. I think John's told us all about the surgery that he's had, and I think he's backed it up by saying, I'm not going to go out playing unless I'm on top form. So it might be one of these cases where Bon Jovi may not do massive touring as they've always done, and just do one off shows and maybe residencies.
[00:06:26] Speaker A: Well, yeah, residencies. They seem to be very popular now, don't they? Yeah. Especially in Vegas. Popular and lucrative.
I wouldn't be surprised if we see, did you say a Vegas residency next year? Good shout. Actually, I can't see them doing steel house or made of stone, but I can see them doing a Vegas residency. So we shall see. We shall see.
In other news, there's going to be a Bon Scott film. So, 44 years after the sad passing of Bon Scott in 1980, there's now talk about a movie about Bon Scott's early life, which could be interesting. It's very much in its kind of almost embryonic stages at the moment. It's going to be called the Kid from Harvest Road, and it's going to feature from when he moved to Western Australia in 1956, the age of ten, from Kiramur in Scotland, where he was born famously. Where there's that statue there now. Is that far from Kirimur?
[00:07:36] Speaker B: I've got some friends who live in Kerry Muir. I've been up to the statue. Yeah. It's maybe about. I'd probably say it's just over an hour from Edinburgh. North of Edinburgh. Yeah.
[00:07:49] Speaker A: All right. That sounds good. Yeah. This film is currently development in Australia and production expected to start in early 2025. But the lead actor has already been announced. A guy called lead Tiger Haley or Halle. I had this problem last time, didn't I, with that daddy Mount daily, Mount park in Dublin. But anyway, Lee Tiger Halle, good looking boy. I don't know whether he's going to kind of transform into Bon Scott, but who knows? He said Bon Jerby, then transform into Bon Scott. But it'd be interesting, wouldn't it?
Yeah, we'd watch that. Keep an eye out for that, shall we?
[00:08:29] Speaker B: Yeah. But AC DC are one of those bands, Matt.
There hasn't been, in my view, correct me if I'm wrong, there hasn't been a history of AC DC docu series, even the classic albums series. There hasn't even been one on back in black.
ACDC are so secretive about what they do.
Obviously. There's so much interest in ACDC with all of the ticket sales for their european tour and power trip, et cetera.
It's quite interesting that the first time we see something coming out about AC DC, it's a film about Bourne and we've got no other reference point around the rest of the band. Yeah, very interesting. Quite secretive.
[00:09:31] Speaker A: However, Brian Johnson is very happy to be in the public eye. He's just announced going to do a TV series with Mark Knopfler. Yes, a six part TV series. So he's kind of the antithesis of it, really, isn't he? He likes to be out there. He's carved out this TV sort of career for himself. He did.
He's written books and everything. Famously his autobiography was out a couple of years ago, which was a good read. So yeah, he's doing a six part documentary series with his friend Mark Knoffler from Dire Straits. In case people don't know who Mark Knoffler is.
[00:10:10] Speaker B: Well, I watched that series where Brian.
It was like Brian Johnson on the road and he met up with Joe Walsh and Robert Plant and Roger Daltry.
And I have to say they're big front men of big rock bands. And he met with Lars and they're talking about it. But he met Mark in color coats in Newcastle and they sat in a tea room and Mark's tinkering on a little acoustic guitar and he's not really interested, really talking about the heady days of dire straits when they were selling shed loads of brothers in arms and the pair of them just. You could tell they just wanted to talk about football and living in the northeast.
They clicked as just the two of them just chatting and stuff. So I'm not surprised that they've decided to do something together. It'll be really interesting because Mark Knoffler is very quiet.
He guards his private life very well. And Brian Johnson's just.
[00:11:32] Speaker A: Absolutely well. They got an eclectic mix of people coming on it. Tom Jones is on it.
Carla Santana, Niall Rogers, Cindy Lauper, Emily Lou Harrison and Sam Fender. Remember Sam Fender?
[00:11:45] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:45] Speaker A: That gig at St. James's park that we talked about. Anyway, we shall see. But in other Mark notfaland news.
What's going on with him? And this.
[00:11:58] Speaker B: The. I think it was the last show when we talked about Mark selling off his guitar collection for million pounds. Yeah. And obviously I didn't get a chance to buy a.
[00:12:14] Speaker A: No.
[00:12:15] Speaker B: Or even a guitar string.
And quite a lot of the proceeds from the guitar sale was going to teenage cancer trust. So Mark has assembled 60 musicians. Matt, I had to write this down.
So what he's decided to do is he's really.
[00:12:38] Speaker A: That's more than as billion whitesnake. That's amazing.
[00:12:43] Speaker B: Or the current members of Leonard Skinnerd on stage.
[00:12:46] Speaker A: That's right. Yeah. Credible.
[00:12:49] Speaker B: Yeah. So this is just some of the. So what Mark's decided to do is he's re recording the theme from the movie local hero, which is a cult classic british movie. If you haven't seen local hero, go and watch it. It's just an amazing film. But the theme of the film is called going home.
And it's actually the music that Newcastle United players come out on the pitch to. That's their. They go out on it. So it's synonymous with the Northeast. So Mark has re recorded it and I'm not surprised it's rocking in at about nine and a half minutes. The version of it, Matt, because he has gathered Alex Lyson, Steve Lucather, Joe Walsh, Derek Trux, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, John McLaughlin, Brian May and Tony Iommi, Sam Fender, as you just mentioned, Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, oddly freed was mentioned, the guitarist who I love, Hank Marvin Slash.
Those are some of the guitarists.
And poignantly is the last recordings of Jeff Beck. So, Jeff Beck. So if you listen to going home, the melodic tune is Jeff playing it.
If you're a fan of Jeff Black and you know he's playing, it's just, yeah, Jeff Beck's playing. And then the rhythm section's not too shabby either. You've got Ringo Starr and his son Zach Starkey with Stingon bass. And the keys are being played by Jonathan Keon from Journey and Paul Carrick. And all of the funds and proceeds from the download of the single is going to teenage cancer trust in the UK and then the american equivalent, teen Cancer America. So, Mark Knoffler, good on you.
[00:15:09] Speaker A: Yes, indeed. Yes. Well said. And boys and girls, get out there, download it, do what you need to do, because that sounds amazing.
Nine minutes of all those amazing players for the cost of download. As you say, you're helping out two brilliant cancer charities.
[00:15:29] Speaker B: And I was in HMV in Edinburgh today, and you can buy, I think there's a special edition twelve inch single of it which has been pulled together, but the artwork has been done by Peter Blake, who obviously famously did Sergeant Pepper.
So Peter Blake's done that. And I think if you buy the twelve inch single, 50% of the proceeds from the twelve inch single goes to the four I mentioned charities. So, yeah, brilliant. Go out and buy it.
[00:16:06] Speaker A: Brilliant. I'm actually going on Amazon now and see if I can get it right. Moving on. That's very good. This one caught my eye because we were talking last time about foreigner, and hopefully they'll be inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. Is it next month or May? I can't remember when it actually takes place.
Whatever. This year sometime.
And Lou Graham, who was the singer in the kind of Halcyan era in the 70s, left 2020 od years ago, finished with foreigner 2003, incredibly.
Still kind of active since then, but he's decided to retire from music at the end of this year. I think he's in his 70s now. So you can somewhat understand his retirement, which is fine. And when I heard it, I thought, well, that'd be a nice way of ending his career if they did indeed get a foreigner that is, get inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. Tell what you like about the Rock and Roll hall of Fame, but it's a nice accolade all the same. And there is talk of him, and I think it's nailed on as being definitely going to happen, that he will sing with foreigner and Kelly Hansen and hopefully Mick Jones will participate and so on. So, yeah, Lou Graham, we wish you well, but we've talked about Lou Graham before as one of those voices of AOR with Steve Perry.
Those guys are just exemplary in terms of their quality of singing, the notes they can hit. I remember femacy. Kelly Hansen, the current singer of Foreigner, saying that when he sees the set list, the song that he doesn't look forward to, ironically, is jukebox hero because the notes goes through the gears in that song and Lou Graham did it effortlessly. But Kelly Hansen, great singer of the year, still kind of doesn't look particularly forward to that song. But we wish Lou graham well. I mean, it'd be great if we see Kelly Hansen and Lou Graham and various other foreigner luminaries and previous members and so on on stage for the Rock and Roll hall of Fame induction.
[00:18:26] Speaker B: Absolutely. I'd love to have seen Lou live, though. Matt, you hold out hope for one of your favorite singers possibly coming over for a festival or whatever.
Could he be our surprise headliner for Stone Dead? Here we are in March. It's still not know.
[00:18:50] Speaker A: I know. I'm still hoping for discussed last.
I would love to see knows who knows.
Got anything else, Brian?
[00:19:03] Speaker B: Yeah, I have a couple of things. And it's interesting that we were talking about the ever secretive ACDC who tell us nothing, another band who are equally as secretive. And there's being secretive and then there's being lazy and then there's just being. We don't hear anything at all. And this is a book which we will review later this year.
Alex van Halen has announced that he will be releasing his autobiography, which is entitled Brothers.
It's going to be coming out in October of 2024. And effectively it's basically his memoir of life with Eddie, and it's his tribute to his beloved brother and bandmates.
We've talked in the show probably over the last three years since Eddie's passing, and Wolfgang David, Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar. Obviously Sammy's going out and tour this year, playing a lot of Van Halen material, but Alex hasn't said so. It will be very interesting to see what Alex's account is of the van healing. So I'm quite surprised, actually, how knowing how secretive and how quiet the van healing camp is usually on social media, that Alex will be bringing his book out in October. So I'm really excited about that, to hear his stories.
[00:20:49] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. That's something to look forward to, isn't it? That's your Christmas present sorted out, Brian.
So, finally, some sad news.
A couple of music stars left us recently.
Carl Wallinger from world party and the water boys sadly passed away recently. And very recently, as in last weekend, Steve Harley from Steve Harley and Cockley Rebel sadly passed away at the age of 73. So, yeah, sad news. And coldwelling is only 66.
Steve Harley, 73.
You were quite a fan of world party.
[00:21:31] Speaker B: I liked world party, yeah, world party.
I came to world party in the early 90s whenever I was a subscriber to, alongside buying classic rock and karang, I subscribed monthly to Q magazine.
[00:21:52] Speaker A: Yeah, of course.
[00:21:53] Speaker B: And Q magazine started out with giving you. They gave you a little compilation cassette and then they moved on to freebie CDs and stuff. And I remember one of the first compilation cassettes I received from Q magazine had the track way down now from World Party on it. And it just sounded so Beatles. And his songwriting is very analog songwriting, but sadly, know guy Chambers was in world party and famously, Carl wrote she's the one, which was made famous by Robbie Williams, but he wrote so many. Is it like today? And put the message in the box. So if I was to check, say to anybody, go and check out their album goodbye, jumbo, because that's probably. Yeah, it's great. And Steve Harley as well. Probably not my era. Matt, obviously, we know make me smile, but beyond that, for me, I don't really know much about Steve Harley.
[00:23:13] Speaker A: I remember Steve Harley very well from the early 70s. Songs like Judy Teen and Mr. Soft and as you say, come up and see me, make me smile. Or make me smile, come up and see me, whichever way you. Which is a classic. I mean, just brilliant, brilliant songwriting.
And, yeah, real shame. He'd been suffering from cancer for a while, so it was one of those where obviously, cancer got him in the end, which is always incredibly sad.
So condolences to Carl Wollinger's family and, of course, Steve Harley's friends and family, too, of course.
So it's new rock on the block time.
[00:23:55] Speaker B: Brian, his needs.
[00:23:57] Speaker A: Now, I've enjoyed this one.
Sometimes when we listen to these albums, I was thinking about this. Sometimes we listen to them and we listen to them and I think, great, I'm never going to listen to that again.
But in the case of these albums, this time, this episode, I will be listening to them again. In fact, I thought they were great. But let's start with Invincible Shield by Judas Priest, shall we?
[00:24:25] Speaker B: Brian I've now got it in my head. Matt, a moniker for you. So Matt, is the album on Rogers repeat?
[00:24:33] Speaker A: Yeah, indeed.
Well, I say what these are, some of these, these are going to be amazing. Invisible Shield, which is the new album by Judas Priest, their 19th studio album. We talked many times about their long and illustrious career, been going since late 60s, early 70s.
What did you think of this? Brian?
[00:24:57] Speaker B: Well, Matthew, yes, well, what we will say is congratulations to jewish priest, because it is their highest ever charted album ever in the UK album charts. It charted at number two in the charts, beating their previous highest charting position, which was for which album, Matthew?
[00:25:24] Speaker A: That was british steel back in 1980, which came out the same day as the first Iron Maiden album.
[00:25:29] Speaker B: Did it really?
[00:25:30] Speaker A: Indeed, yeah, I bought them both on the same day they came out. But yes, british deal in 1980, I think, got to number four, didn't. Where's this got to number one? Two. Number two, that's right.
[00:25:42] Speaker B: It was probably held off by the Barbie soundtrack or John Squire and Liam Gallagher. Probably.
But anyway, onto Juice Priest. Matthew, the first three tracks on this album, Panic Attack, serpent and the King, invincible Shield, I was listening to that and I know you're going to go and see them quite soon. Yes, I was listening to it and I just thought, number one, what high range Rob is still singing, you know, and he's harmonizing with himself. So he's singing like a low register and then he's harmonizing with himself. It sounds like he's sucking helium at some points. It's just so high. So the three opening tracks and album, it just sets off at such a cracking pace. Probably reminded me of that painkiller era.
Just very energetic.
The standout tracks for me, the track for me, which is the track of the album, it's a track called Devil in Disguise. Please put it on the playlist.
It's a great tempo, great riffs. And Rob's singing in that mid range like that. He's in that great rock gravel, but in the bridges, I'm hearing lots of thin Lizzy guitar interplay on that particular track. It's actually got a very celtic overtones on the track. And devil in the skies, I thought I was just amazing.
Gates of Hell again, the jewel guitars.
Yeah. I was listening to the album and I'm going, oh, my goodness, you can hear the influence of Metallica. Oh, and there's some euro metal where you can hear scorpions. And then I have to sort of give myself a shake and go, actually, Judas Priest influenced Metallica and Judas Priest influenced.
Just influenced the Scorpions as well, too.
It never let up. Matt, it's an hour and three minutes I missed going to see Judas Priest on this tour. And I have to say, even at the back end of the album, giants in the sky, the changes in the tempo just even went sort of sabbathy. Quite.
Yeah.
I am not a massive Judas Priest fan, as you know, but I was quite astounded how good it was. And the best way I can say is Richie Faulkner kept all of his best riffs for this album and didn't put them on the album.
[00:28:49] Speaker A: It's true, actually, isn't it?
[00:28:51] Speaker B: That's where I am.
[00:28:52] Speaker A: Yeah, great album is a great album. One of their best, I think, as you say, consistent. And it just doesn't let up throughout. It's got a little bit of light and shade. Crown of Horns is the token kind of mid tempo song. But, yeah, as God as my witness is a killer song. Trial by fire, invisible Shield and panic attack, which has got that kind of nice pre style intro, which, of course, is kicking off the live gigs around the UK at the moment. So if you're going to see them, you're for a treat.
But, yeah, it's a very strong album, as you say. Rob Halford's voice and the production from Andy Sneep.
[00:29:34] Speaker B: Fabulous.
[00:29:35] Speaker A: Who doesn't play on the album? Glenn Tipson and Richie Faulkner play. Oh, really?
[00:29:38] Speaker B: Oh, I thought Andy would have played.
[00:29:40] Speaker A: No, he does everything else, mixing and engineering and so on. And of course, he's the touring guitarist, Glenn Tipson, not doing all of the shows, as it were, or all of the show comes on for the encores. But, yeah, it's classic priest. It's heavy metal, it's brilliantly produced, deservedly a high placing in the charts. Go up and buy it. It's a great album. You won't be disappointed. Invincible shield by the mighty Judas Priest. How about that?
[00:30:15] Speaker B: Yeah. Trademarked. The mighty Judas priest indeed.
[00:30:19] Speaker A: So that brings us from metal to Prague with the new album by a band you like called Big. Big Train. Yes, we touched upon them some time ago, actually, briefly, when we talked about their drummer going over to Nick de Vigilio, working with Mr. Nick. And this album is called the likes of us waiting at just over an hour.
You're a briggs proc fan. I'm not particularly. I enjoyed very. I'm just going to briefly give my two cent worth, as it were. It's a good album. It's got some standout songs on it. It's got some magnificent playing on it. I really like the song oblivion, which is, I think, the second track in.
And it's almost classic Prague. We were talking about it before we came on. And it's got that. It's the. The instruments used are very. They sound very, you know, 80s. There's a melotron in there, for example, which I think is very kind of. Yes, very sort of, almost. It reminded me a little bit at times of Bells of Berlin by. By Lone Star. There's that kind of trumpeting synthesizer sound throughout. There's pianos, there's horns, there's a vibraphone, whatever that is, played by Nick de Vagilio. There's twirl street. There's just about every instrument you could think of is on this album.
And in places, if I'm honest, there was a little bit sort of Prague, for Prague's sake. There was time changes and there was random drum signatures and time signatures and so on. But all in all, I think it's worth a listen. Big, big train likes of us, of course. You must have loved it, Brian.
[00:32:16] Speaker B: I. Absolutely, yeah.
The lead off track, the lead single, as you say, which is oblivion.
It'll make our Brian's Bangers playlist for 2024.
I had that song on when the album came out. I had that on a repeat.
And big, big Train, they've surprised quite a lot of people because essentially, big, big Train were a studio project band.
They were founded in 1993 and the first live shows were in 2015.
It was a project and, as you say, Prague alumni join them from time to time. But they lost their lead singer in 2021, David Longdon. So a lot of people have thought, well, Big Bay Train might have just packed up and all of the band do other projects. But their new singer, Alberto, Alberto Bravan, he's just coming in and it's a lot more rockier.
It's not as ethereal as previous albums have been, but as you say, Matt, it's lush, wonderful orchestration. The opening, it's a nine track album, which is an RN, 13 minutes. So there's a track on the album which is beneath the masts, which is 17 minutes long, and it's got a violin and a guitar solo. But if you like your Sunday morning Prague and you want to listen to something which is in that kind of melodic Pink Floyd for music to just wash over you. Big, big trees. The album, the likes of us, is worth a listen. The two standout tracks for me are, as I say, are oblivion. And then there's a great track near the back end of the album, which is called Love is the Light, which is a really nice orchestrated song with a wonderful guitar solo from David Foster. So, yes, a very good album, if you like your light, melodic Prague, which I do. So it ticked a lot of boxes for me, Matthew.
[00:35:00] Speaker A: Yes, I can imagine. Yes. Which is the same, I can say, for Bruce Diggins's album, which is called the Madrate Project, did the same for me. I loved it from start to finish. It's his first album since 2005. Obviously, he's got his day job, lead singer of Iron Maiden, but he's brought this album out.
It is far removed from Iron Maiden, I can tell you. It's got some epics on it.
It weighs in at 58 minutes. It's got ten tracks. So it's kind of maiden style. In terms of the length of songs.
I thought it was quite great songs.
It's got Bruce Dickens's voice all over it, of course, and he's in fine form, I thought. It's very cinematic at times, the production and the musicality.
And also I found it sort of almost gothic rock, not goth as in sort of system mercy. But it's got a kind of a dark, damp sort of undertone to it. Songs like afterglow, ragnarok, many doors to hell, rain on the graves. It's quite dark. It's almost like an album in black and white, as it were. It's got that kind of real kind of gothic feel to it. But it's great. My favorite songs on it. And it's got an absolute epic at the end called Sonata Immortal Beloved, which is. Talk about cinematic. I mean, it's an amazing song. Eternity has failed is a re recording the Iron Maiden song, which has been re israeli.
[00:36:41] Speaker B: I didn't know that.
[00:36:43] Speaker A: Which I think is on final frontier. I could be wrong.
We'll put both side by side on the old playlist and you can see what you think. But, yeah, it's great.
I hope it doesn't leave it 20 years to do another solo album. But this was a good album. Check it out. What did you think, Bob? I think you quite liked it, didn't you?
[00:37:03] Speaker B: I did, yeah. As you say, he's detuned it.
And when you listen to the album, the first couple of tracks, the afterglow of Ragnarok. Many doors. When I got about three or four tracks into it, I'm going, this is Bruce Dickinson, but I'm not getting any.
Or this could have been on peace of mind. Or this could have been. There was no sense of it feeling Iron maiden in any way. As you say. There's acoustic guitars all over it.
There's keyboards. For me, the standout track on the album, by a mile is Resurrection men.
I love that track.
You've got Sabbath. You've got, you know, there's fingers in the wounds. You've got, you know, string arrangements. Some of the string arrangements are reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, but with an electronic, as you say, there's kind of like that gothic nine inch kneels. It's not like sumptuous, it's like keyboard stringsy. But then there's electronic stuff on it as well.
It keeps you interested the whole way through.
And there was times whenever Bruce's voice. When I closed my eyes, I was hearing Ian Gellen in some of his phrasing. And I know he's a massive Gellan fan. And then there was times where his voice reminded me of Graham Bonnet. And it was Graham Bonnet in the era of.
I was. I was know the assault Attack album, which is one of my favorite MSG albums. And I could just hear that kind of germanic power metal in the arrangements of it. And the biggest compliment I can give Bruce, when I was listening to the album, he just sings like his life depends on it. Matt, whenever you're hearing, particularly eternity is field, when he's hitting some of those notes, it's as if he sung the song for 20 times at night. And it's like he's just given his last performance of it, and he's just shredding his voice. I just thought his vocal performance was great. And I think it's an album that, I must confess, I had to listen to it a couple of times because it was a bit too wide for me.
Maybe I was just expecting formulaic iron Maiden off cuts, and this album is not that at all. Him and Roy Z have just pulled something together which is just very good.
[00:40:06] Speaker A: Yeah, very good. Absolutely.
[00:40:08] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:40:08] Speaker A: Couldn't agree.
[00:40:13] Speaker B: He. Is he coming to the UK, doing one show in London?
[00:40:17] Speaker A: No, I think he's doing a decent tour. He's played London, I know that. But, yes, he's playing more than one show in London, you'll be pleased to hear. So, the Mandrake project by Bruce Dickinson. Check it out, boys and girls.
So bright. It's book club of rock type.
[00:40:35] Speaker B: Yay.
[00:40:37] Speaker A: We've both been into the library. We both borrowed the same book, which is a bit strange, bit coincidental. So we've also got two copies of this in the library, which is nice. You find that sometimes you buy it and then you think, I might buy that and you find it. You've already got it. Anyway, this is a fascinating book. It's by Paul Stanley from Kiss, one of the founding members from Kiss. It's called Face the music. A life exposed. It's a few years old now, but it's a fascinating book. Paul Stanley is very honest in this book. And when he was young, he had some issues to deal with. He's only got one ear and he's deaf in that ear.
[00:41:18] Speaker B: Yeah. I never knew that before reading the book.
[00:41:22] Speaker A: I think I did because he famously kind of covered things up. He's had plastic surgery now to address certainly the cosmetic side of things. So it deals with the issues that he faced when he was at school.
Because of this issue with his ear and essentially his path through New York growing up, obviously discovering music, like a lot of people did in the 60s, with the sort of classic kind of influences. He was very influenced by more sort of Motown, R and B and soul music, as well as bands like Jefferson Airplane and MC Five and Led Zep, of course, and so on. It's a fascinating book. It's really worth a read. Again, you don't have to be a kiss fan. It helps because obviously charts the story of kiss from, literally M and Gene Simmons, or Gene Klein, as he was originally known.
He and Gene Simmons forming kiss, recruiting ace freely recruiting Peter Chris as the drummer. Various issues with those two. The influence of drugs and alcohol, the money they made, the money they lost, the women, the gigs, the shows. It's got everything. It's a fascinating read. It's very honest and it's well worth checking out. You've read it as well, bry. I believe it's your one book you've read this year.
[00:42:49] Speaker B: No, I've read the geezer Butler book as well.
I think you've nailed it, Matt.
Paul Stanley writes very honestly and it's not even his childhood and his upbringing and writing songs at an early age, his encounters with ladies. And he's very open about that.
[00:43:25] Speaker A: That was his main hobby, I think.
But he was in kiss.
[00:43:29] Speaker B: Yeah, the beginnings of wicked Lester.
But I think he always. I can remember when he was flunking. When you read the chapters where he's flunking high school and the teacher's saying, what are you going to do with your life, Stanley? And he goes, I'm going to be a rock star.
[00:43:55] Speaker A: And he was.
[00:43:58] Speaker B: But what's good about it is he didn't go on to X Factor and become a singer and become overnight.
The book is he's got a fair old memory on him when he's talking about the deals that they were doing, the parties that they were playing in New York constantly, even in rehearsals, they were living in the rehearsal units and members were coming and going in wicket Leicester. And if you weren't showing up to rehearsals or you weren't committed to the cause, you got cut from the, you know, Paul Stanley's was very focused and he knew what he wanted to do. But as you say, very honest about his relationships with Gene and the other members of Kiss.
I went into the book sort of not really knowing that much about kiss and not knowing much about Paul Stanley and you walk away from. I'm not finished it yet, but so far I just like the honesty of the man and he's honest about his own feelings as a man, but he's equally quite happy to call out when Gene wasn't holding up his end of the bargain and the kiss thing, but he dealt with it and he's very open about it. So, yeah, as you say, you don't have to be a fan of kiss to appreciate this autobiography. Yeah, good.
[00:45:39] Speaker A: Absolutely. And if you are interested in the first few pages, he basically gives you a guide on how to put your makeup on. So if you want to go to fancy dress party or a festival as Paul Stanley, read the first couple of pages and it tells you exactly how to put together the starchild makeup. Fascinating stuff. Yes.
So, yes. Paul Stanley, face of music, a life exposed. Check it out. It's a great read.
[00:46:03] Speaker B: Yes.
Oh, Matthew.
[00:46:10] Speaker A: Oh. Oh, no. Oh my goodness.
[00:46:14] Speaker B: Oh. Sometimes a letter says more.
We have reached that time in the A to Z of rock, Matthew, where we are at the letter O.
[00:46:27] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:46:28] Speaker B: Which we have had some letters which have been a shallow pool to swim in.
[00:46:33] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:46:34] Speaker B: This one is a trickle in a cup.
[00:46:39] Speaker A: This is a puddle really, isn't it? Actually, it's not too bad. Not too bad. Let's start with the obvious.
The great, the double O. Ozzy Osborne. John Michael. Ozzy Osborne.
[00:46:53] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:46:54] Speaker A: I mean, iconic. The singer of Black Sabbath. Singer of. Well, the singer in his own right is a solo performer, still going strong, relatively. I mean, he's had his issues, ailments and so.
Yeah, Ozzy Osbourne, what a legacy, Black Sabbath solo career. Fantastic.
[00:47:14] Speaker B: Yes. And to have a. When you. When you think of the career that he had and the career that he had with Sabbath, and then to go on, particularly with the first two albums, in terms of Blizzard of Oz and Diary of a Madman with Randy Rhodes, and then he was one of those bands that, gosh, through the 80s with shot in the dark. He had MTV commercial success. He seemed to ride out the wave of grunge and was able.
They had Ozfest and pantera, and everybody just seemed to want. Everybody loves Ozzy.
So, yeah, somebody who's just been able to. Well over 100 million record sales.
[00:48:04] Speaker A: Incredible.
[00:48:05] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:48:05] Speaker A: Incredible.
[00:48:06] Speaker B: We can start nowhere, but. And then there'll be some people, Matt, who think of Ozzy Osbourne as a meme, going, Sharon.
[00:48:15] Speaker A: That's right. Yeah. They kind of reinvented themselves the Osbourne's TV show, didn't they?
[00:48:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:48:20] Speaker A: And I read recently that Sharon Osborne is quite keen and never shy at self publicity, but she's suggesting that there's a biopic made of that era in the. Where they did the Osbornes. I don't think the world needs a biopic about Sharon and Ozzy Osborne, but. Incredible. And you think he was fired by Black Sabbath. It's strange because he was fired in Black Sabbath, and then Black Sabbath's career went after Dio left down as. Ozzy's been on a sort of upward trajectory ever since. Huge in the US, 100 million od albums sold. Just an amazing person. And, of course, would also be famous for biting the head off a dove. And the CBS offices in about 1982. Three. I remember that. Remember that in sounds, they had the pictures of the, kind of the dove and then the dove without a head and blood everywhere. It was pretty gross to look at, but obviously he kind of dined out on that. Not literally for many years.
Yes, the godfather of metal or the prince of darkness, whatever way you're going to look at him. But, yeah, the iconic Ozzy Osborne.
[00:49:30] Speaker B: The double o.
[00:49:31] Speaker A: No better places. The double O, indeed.
So, where should we go next? Bry?
[00:49:39] Speaker B: I thought that was it, Matt.
[00:49:44] Speaker A: There are a few other O's. In no particular order. I'm going to bring forward the Osmonds.
[00:49:50] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:49:50] Speaker A: Now, only because I think they were closet rockers back in the day, early seventy S. And that was typified by the magnificent crazy horses, which has been covered by many people over the years, which I think is in itself a killer rock song. So I'm going to put forward the Osmonds, not the Osbournes. The Osmonds for crazy horses. We'll stick that on the playlist. That's a great tune.
What you got next?
[00:50:19] Speaker B: Somebody who, if we can talk about, I seem to be the purveyor of Prague this episode, somebody who was probably new age music kicked it all off in the early seventy s. And probably the reason why Richard Branson is the rich man that he is today is Mr. Mike Oldfield.
Amazing album, which is tubular bells.
The fact that a 20 year old kid plays all of the instruments and sells just makes that album, which famously was in the Exorcist.
And I always remember when you listen to the building up of the track, side one, side one of Jubilee bells. It's two songs, side one and side two.
And you had. Vivian Stanchill was the master of ceremonies and he introduces all of the instruments as they start to build up the piece. And famously, Vivian Stanchill was the leader of the Bonzo dog Doodai band.
[00:51:37] Speaker A: That's right.
[00:51:38] Speaker B: Try to say that when you've had a few beers.
[00:51:41] Speaker A: Absolutely, you're right. Incredible to think. Was it 1920 when it. When it was released and it sold 15 million plus copies around the world. Just staggering. And as you say, a brilliant, brilliant piece of work. An iconic album cover, of course, for Jubilee. I remember it when I was young, in the 70s. It would be there front and center in the Woolworths music aisle.
[00:52:07] Speaker B: Absolutely, yeah.
[00:52:09] Speaker A: Just incredible.
Well, it's going to be difficult. We'll put some Mike Oldfield, but maybe we'll put some other Mike Oldfield songs on as well.
[00:52:17] Speaker B: Midnight Shadow with Maggie. Was that Maggie Riley?
[00:52:22] Speaker A: I don't know, actually.
[00:52:23] Speaker B: 1983, yeah.
Moonlight Shadow, that was it. I remember the single.
[00:52:29] Speaker A: Yes, well, yeah, we'll put that on.
Other notable O's.
I'm going to throw in the two in London originally. The Millennium Dome, I think it was called. I remember going there in about 1999, 2000. But in the last 20 od years it's been the two huge concert venue. And I'm only mentioning it because, of course, played their famous 2007 reunion gig. Yes, we're still getting over the fact we didn't get tickets for that, but you can still see it on DVD and so on. It's a fantastic show. Recorded the O two in London, of course. Huge venue. You've been there, haven't you? A few times, Brian?
[00:53:13] Speaker B: Twice.
Prince.
[00:53:18] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:53:18] Speaker B: I saw Prince there and I've seen John Mayer there. I think that's the only times I've been to the two I've not seen.
Oh, no, that's the only times I've.
[00:53:28] Speaker A: Been, of course, quite often the only date on a UK tour for many bands.
The good old two in London. It's a good venue. I like it. I always liked it. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I quite like it. I saw the Stones there, I've seen all dungeon roses there and many, many bands. Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, one Direction. I've seen in your.
[00:53:53] Speaker B: That's for your other podcast. That's for those about to take your children to gigs.
[00:53:58] Speaker A: Yeah, that's right. That was my.
[00:54:00] Speaker B: It cost me a know.
[00:54:02] Speaker A: But you know, Brownie points forever, staying in London.
[00:54:06] Speaker B: Notable mention is for a band that, you know, I would have put into this. Oh, band called the Outfield, who I love. The outfield again, had great success in the mid 80s. They will be remembered for their hit song, your love. Three piece band. John Spinks, Tony Lewis, Alan Jackman. Sadly, John and Tony are no longer with us. Great, great band.
Turd in America with the likes of Starship and Survivor.
Their debut album, play Deep is just amazing and I think I've either put it on as a hidden gem in the past. So enough said on the outfield. Fabulous band.
[00:54:54] Speaker A: Yeah, very good, very good. I'm going to mention the brothers Osborne as well.
Good shout. Our old friend Kelvin came up with them. Reminded me what a good band they are. Put a few of their songs on the brothers Osborne. Two brothers, of course, TJ and John, and been going for about 20 years now. I think great tunes ain't my fault and shoot me straight, burning man and so on. Got a real kind of commercial country rock vibe about them. So you'll put some songs from the brothers Osborne on the playlist. Of course, the offspring going from country to kind of punky rock. Yeah, they still are. Pretty big new album coming out.
[00:55:40] Speaker B: Yeah, they've got a new album coming out. Still going strong.
[00:55:43] Speaker A: Everyone remembers, of course, their huge hit, which was based on you, Bry, wasn't it? Fly for a white guy. Seems like almost your theme tune.
[00:55:55] Speaker B: Thought. I thought you were going to come up with a song with. You're a pretty average guitarist, but not that good.
Trying to think of a song with the name of that.
[00:56:04] Speaker A: Yes, well, your guitar gently weeps in the corner, I think, Brian, but. Yeah, well, we're checking out. Want you bad is a killer song. I just do that in a bad. It's a really tough song to sing, I can tell you. I don't think I haven't nailed it particularly well, but we'll stick some offspring on the playlist. One thing I did notice, bry, as we move on to songs and albums, the amount of songs, we won't list them, but we'll put loads of them on the playlist. Amount of songs that begin with out in the fields, out in the street and so on. Mount of songs that are called one, either you two or Metallica and begin with the word one, one of these nights or whatever, and songs and albums that begin with on the run and on the level by quo and so on. But yeah, I'll put a bunch of O's on the playlist. You had some albums, I think I had.
[00:57:02] Speaker B: Yes.
I had a couple of albums to shout out on.
We had, obviously, the classic one night in Buddha can from MSG, which is fabulous album. It is a killer album. Obviously it's not going to be the greatest live album of all time, because we know what that is.
[00:57:25] Speaker A: No, indeed. Yeah. Strangers the night by USA. Michael Schenger played on both of Paul Raymond.
[00:57:31] Speaker B: I can't believe you're saying that. So close to St Patrick's Day, young man.
Other albums, we have a great acoustic album, which is warts and all, from Francis Dunnery, where it's one night in Sockey Hall street and it's just him, an acoustic guitar and a kettle and a cup of tea.
[00:57:49] Speaker A: Oh, nice.
[00:57:51] Speaker B: It's fabulous.
Francis Donnery could have been a comedian in another life. He's such a funny guy.
Operation Mine crime from Queens Reich, one of the great albums of the 1980s and out of this world, which was Europe's follow up to the final countdown, which is my personal favorite of Europe. Yeah.
[00:58:17] Speaker A: I'm going to mention a couple of albums, if I may, Brian, a couple of notes I mentioned. Ok, computer by Radiohead. Love that album. It's a bit of a Marmite album, but it's an excuse to stick a load of songs from. OK, computer on there. October by you, too. That's a great album.
[00:58:31] Speaker B: Great album.
[00:58:32] Speaker A: Second album, they did got some good songs on there. One day remains the first album by Altarbridge, which is a good song. Talking of comedy, you touched upon with Francis Dunnery, Ogden's nut gone flake by the small faces is an absolutely brilliant album.
It's so british it hurts if you listen to it. It's got Stanley Unwin, the famous.
How would you put Stanley unwind? He was kind of a comedian who invented his own language. You'll know it when you hear.
[00:59:04] Speaker B: It was surrealism, wasn't it? Surrealist comedy with his own language.
[00:59:09] Speaker A: Indeed. But it basically kind of MCs. The second side of the album, which is a concept side, it's a cracket album. Motorhead. Couple of shout outs for overkill. That's a killer album from 1979. An orgasmatron, which is a great song and a great album.
Any other by any other O's?
[00:59:31] Speaker B: No, we did all right.
[00:59:33] Speaker A: Covered it. Yeah, we did it all right. We mentioned on the level by Quo.
Yeah. We'll stick a load of songs on the playlist. I'm looking forward to this playlist, as I always do, because I get the opportunity to pick every of my favorite songs. Right.
So, Briar, that brings us to hidden Ginger. Thanks. Lola. Sounded great, as always. What you got for Spri?
[00:59:57] Speaker B: So, Matt, for this episode, being so close to St Patrick's Day, I was trying to think of chucking in an irish artist of sorts, but try to stay away from the obvious offshoots of and Gary Moore and all this kind of stuff. And I came to an artist who recently.
[01:00:18] Speaker A: Campbell.
[01:00:18] Speaker B: No, but we haven't mentioned Vivian for a while.
[01:00:23] Speaker A: No. We're going to do a complete episode about him when we get to letter V.
I've decided we should maybe just.
[01:00:32] Speaker B: Get him on as a guest and we could just do Vivian.
We're an episode. You are the V in the classic rock and we get him do best album. Anyway. That's for another show.
[01:00:45] Speaker A: Yes. Anyway. Yes.
[01:00:47] Speaker B: Equally dexterous and versatile guitarist is a young man called Dom Martin from Belfast. Dom.
Dom released his first album in 2019. He can equally play acoustic guitar and electric guitar very well.
For a lot of people. He is seen as the. There's always the next Rory Gallagher. But I've listened to dom quite a lot and he's fantastic. He's got that lovely sensibility as a guitar player and he's a good singer as well, too. So my hidden gem is actually his latest album, Matt, which is called buried in the heel, released last year.
Maybe for those of us who get classic rock magazine, might can. Ah. He actually did get blues album of the month in classic rock magazine way back last year. But when I was listening to it and thinking about artists, Dom's fantastic guitar player and if you get a chance to see any of his interviews, he's just done a fabulous interview on Anderton's TV, the music shop, and he just talks about all his gear, but he talks more importantly about his life, his working in the music industry. And although he's on the blues circuit now, he still likes to go back home to Belfast and try and help in the local area about promoting music, helping young bands. So he puts in to give back to the local musicians community. So my hidden gem is Don Martin buried in the hill. Please listen to it. You might be surprised how good it is. What about you, mate?
[01:02:36] Speaker A: Very good, thank you. Yes, well, do you remember for Christmas I went to see Getty Lee in London? Getty Lee from Rush doing his my effing life tour? Well, CBC, the canadian broadcasting Company, I think that's what it stands for, have got filmed an episode for their live at Massey Hall. Massey hall is a concert hall in Toronto where Rush played many times. And this is basically his conversation with Alex Lifeson that took place in Toronto back in December of last year. And it is absolutely brilliant. It's hilarious, it's fascinating, it's emotional. It's just great because it's two old friends chatting basically with an audience, and in some respects, the audience doesn't even need to be there, but absolutely brilliant. Alex Liveson and Getty Lee from Rush just chatting. So that's it. Straight and simple. I found it on YouTube last weekend, watched it and it is just.
Well, it's just, as I say, two old friends chatting about all things rush and all things late to Neil Pierre and just their various kind of recollections. But yeah, check it out.
Kenny Lee live at Massey hall chatting to his old friend Alex Lyson. That's it. Short and sweet bry. That was it. Yeah, we're done. Another episode, thank God. Let's. For o, is it?
[01:04:05] Speaker B: We'll need to do a double episode for.
[01:04:07] Speaker A: Oh, we might have to. Actually. We could do that. Might need to.
Not sure about X. We might struggle with that one, but we'll come to that in due course. But for now, thanks, everyone, for listening. We really appreciate it. Please subscribe on YouTube, find us on Instagram, find us on Facebook. Of course. Please come and say hello.
Welcome to some new listeners. I know there's got new listeners in Mexico, in the US, in the UK. So please come say hello on Facebook or Instagram or wherever, or don't. It's up to you.
We're fine either way. But thanks for listening. Be good to each other. Take care of yourself, Brian. Anything to.
Is it your mom's birthday soon?
[01:04:48] Speaker B: Yes, it's my mom and my aunt's birthday. I'll be going back home to Ireland very, very soon to see them all. You will catch us, as usual, on Scotland rocks radio every Thursday. Tuesday, yes. And I'll see you next time, Matt.
[01:05:04] Speaker A: Yeah, look forward to it. Take care of yourself.
[01:05:05] Speaker B: All right. See you, Matt.
[01:05:06] Speaker A: Bye for now.
[01:05:07] Speaker B: Bye for.
[01:05:12] Speaker A: Matt. Pod, we salute you. Is a man in Rogers production.
