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June 24, 2012 CL

News update June 2012

House Of Lords singer JAMES CHRISTIAN is working on a new solo album, his third one after “Rude Awakening” and “Meet The Man”. James announced on his website: “It's been a long time coming, but a new James Christian solo album is currently in the works. The as yet untitled record will be released late 2012 or early 2013 and will be the first solo release from me since 'Meet The Man' way back in 2004. Details of contributing musicians will follow soon but it will be worth the wait and it will be a worthy successor to the two previous releases. Musically the solo album will move in a more melodic territory if compared to House Of Lords’ sound.

ESCAPE is an exciting new UK act that has been two years in the making. The band’s debut is currently being recorded with an October 2012 release via Z Records planned. The band’s debut will send every AOR fan into a frenzy with material which Z has dubbed as the best AOR album out of the UK in 20 years. (Didn’t we read that a lot from Z Records in the past?, ed.)

Frontiers Records are pleased to announce the release of HESS’s new solo album, entitled “Living In Yesterday” on August 24 in Europe and August 28 in the US. Best known for spending 17 years as frontman of Harem Scarem, Harry Hess has been redesigning his career as music producer and songwriter. After the band’s decision to stop recording more albums, the next natural step for Harry was to start working on a solo album which he has been expertly crafting little by little in his Toronto studio. Still the songs included in “Living In Yesterday” are the result of Hess’ travels around the globe over the last few years with stops in Stockholm, Amsterdam, Brussels, Nashville and Germany. With this CD, Harry intends to go back to certain sounds and atmospheres leaning more towards melodic rock music. “This record is more a continuation of where I left off with Harem Scarem”, says Harry. “I am a rock singer and it's really hard for me to open up my mouth and sound right doing any other style of music, so I really embrace that now and build the production around my vocal style.” It is possible to stream in full the first song from the album “Living In Yesterday” on http://www.frontiers.it/webradio and on http://www.facebook.com/harry.hess3

Norwegian melodic rock star ISSA is busy recording a very special album called “AOR Classics Vol. 1”. Born after a concept that Frontiers Records’ boss Serafino Perugino had in mind for some time, Issa will sing on a number of well-known and hidden AOR/melodic rock classics which have been arranged and produced for her by Alessandro Del Vecchio. The new recording will hopefully be released during the fall of 2012.

KING KOBRA are busy recording the follow-up album to the successful self-titled release of 2011. Guitarist David Michael-Phillips says: “We’ve got a high-energy combination of the classic King Kobra sound mixed with some of our favourite heavy influences: Led Zeppelin, Whitesnake, Blue Murder. Cool, heavy grooves, great melodies, soulful lead vocals by Paul Shortino, infectious harmonies and hooks, blazing guitars by yours truly and the thundering rhythm section of Johnny Rod and the legendary Carmine Appice! This is the next natural progression of ‘Ready To Strike’ and our last, self-titled album, ‘King Kobra’.”

The official release date for the two ERIK NORLANDER DVD/CD sets, “The Galactive Collective - Definitive Edition” and “The Galactive Collective - Live In Gettysburg," is August 6, when the titles will be available at retailers worldwide. But … you can get them now from Gonzo Multimedia in the UK and on June 21 from Think Tank Media in the USA. More info on http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk

Due to serious technical problems with the authoring studio which originally handled the production of PENDRAGON's upcoming Blu-ray/DVD “Out Of Order Comes Chaos”, Metal Mind Productions was forced to postpone the release date to September 10. MMP would like to emphasize that the said problems were completely beyond their control and, since it is of the utmost importance to them that this title lives up to the fans’ expectations, they couldn’t allow it to be released in the present form. “Out Of Order Comes Chaos” contains a show recorded in Katowice during the Polish leg of the tour promoting the band’s most recent album “Passion”.

Escape Music will release a fully remastered 24 bit audio version of PLACE CALLED RAGE’s self-titled album on August 24. Tommy Farese (v), Al Pitrelli (g), Danny Miranda (b) and Chuck Bonfante (d) originally managed to write and record the album in just one week back in 1995. This album captures the true Long Island sound by giving you different song styles and feel, but still keeping its hard rock backbone. Its raw quality is due to most of what you hear is one take; there was very little time to overdub anything or put background vocals in.

PLAYER, the AOR/westcoast duo formed by Peter Beckett and Ronn Moss, recently completed a very successful Italian promotional tour in support of the digital only release of their 3-song EP “Addiction”. It is still possible to purchase the EP online through iTunes and Amazon and all other digital retailers. In the meanwhile the album’s recording is progressing well. Frontiers hope to release the album before the end of 2012.

When STRATOVARIUS’s drummer Jörg Michael announced in September 2011 that he would be leaving the band, the shock was palpable. To say goodbye to a friend, hero and musician who characterised the band’s sound for over a decade, the band undertook a 5-show Farewell Tour of Finland. The CD, DVD and Blu-ray of “Under Flaming Winter Skies – Live In Tampere”, to be released by earMUSIC next month, feature a booklet containing an interview with Jörg, but with a different set of rare pictures. In the meantime, Rolf Pilve from Finland, was recruited as Stratovarius’ new drummer.

earMUSIC, the rock branch of entertainment company Edel, is happy to announce the release of TARJA’s first ever solo live album as a rock singer. “ACT I” will hit the stores on August 27 across the globe, featuring breathtaking theatre performances from Argentina in sound and vision. The release will come in various formats: 2-CD, 2-DVD and Blu-ray. “ACT I” is Tarja’s first solo live audio and video product in her rock outfit. The main content was filmed and recorded on two show nights this March 2012 in Rosario, Argentina, at the Teatro El Círculo. The video products include plenty of extras – video and photo material. With the elaborate track listing and its extras, “ACT I” provides the full-fledged bill of fare to either Tarja fan. The track listing consists of Tarja’s greatest solo tracks, Nightwish classics as well as some cover versions, such as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom Of The Opera” and marvellous Gary Moore’s “Over The Hills and Far Away” – or to make it short: a unique blend of music selection. The set-up of these HD filmed concerts meant an incredible extra work and effort in the live production - with an impressive result, but also an emotional rollercoaster-ride.

UK's premiere melodic hard rock band TEN have finally completed their new album for release later this year. This much anticipated album is Ten’s tenth studio release and it will be entitled “Heresy And Creed”. The album is already being described as a landmark recording. First playback listening sessions indicate that this collection of songs is potentially set to be their greatest opus since their 1997 release “The Name Of The Rose”. Musically it once again marks the perfect union between grandiose and epic hard rock tunes. Very melodic, hookladen sing-along songs with a scattering of immense and haunting power ballads to complete the typical Ten tapestry. The album was mixed and mastered by Dennis Ward and with its release scheduled for the fall, “Heresy And Creed” could crown another classic year, both for Ten and historically for the melodic hard rock scene as a whole.

earMUSIC will release VISION DIVINE’s brand-new studio album, “Destination Set To Nowhere” on September 17. “Destination Set To Nowhere” is a melting pot, a perfect mix of all the styles the band has crossed and experimented with over the years. Nevertheless, the concept album is kept in their well-known style, spiced up with a futuristic twist. The high-class production adds up to the unbelievably driven sound. The epic saga “Destination Set To Nowhere” takes place in space, starting from the social-political troubles everybody is experiencing in every-day life. It follows a man on his journey through open space, after having left the earth together with like-minded people. They set out to search a new home, a new planet to make everything better, to live their vision of peace. Finally, after a long journey, a new planet to call home has been found. But slowly, the crew falls back into the same old routines. The new found heaven has turned into the same hell they all wanted to leave behind. The only way to escape is to set out again, one man leaving alone – destination set to nowhere. URL: http://www.visiondivine.com

June 24, 2012 CL

June 24, 2012 CL

Suikerrock 2012: July 26-29

This year the Suikerrock Festival celebrates its 26th anniversary. The organisers promised us a top edition and they kept their word. With Ozark Henry, Texas and Mika some big names were announced. Also for the classic rock fans there’s a lot to offer with ZZ Top, Status Quo and Alice Cooper.

SUIKERROCK – FRIDAY - JULY 26th 2012 – GROTE MARKT - TIENEN

PHILIP SAYCE (17h45)
Canadian born Philip Sayce is one of the greatest guitar talents of the moment. Especially when it concerns the cross-over style from blues, rock & funk where also Joe Bonamassa and Kenny Wayne Sheperd are famous for. After touring with Jeff Healey, Uncle Kracker and Melissa Etheridge, in 2009 he decided to go solo. His latest album ‘Steamroller’ brings exactly what he promise.

THE UNION (19h00)
Ex Thunder guitarist Luke Morley and ex Winterville frontman Peter Shoulder joined forces in 2010 to form The Union, a blues orientated hardrock duo with Led Zeppelin as a big influence. Last year new album ‘Siren’s Song’ was released and this is their debut on Belgian soil.

TRIGGERFINGER (20h30)
Formed in Antwerp in 1998, Triggerfinger consists of vocalist and guitarist Ruben Block, bassist Paul Van Bruystegem and drummer Mario Goossens. The band gained a small amount of popularity while performing prior to the band's debut album. Now after three albums this band has developed the hard way. By years of touring the clubs, pubs, festivals and dives of Europe they have bred a fierce and uncompromising sound. Recently they won a MIA award for best band. If you have any doubts about the powerful and multidimensional sound they can command, just go and watch this energetic trio live.

ZZ TOP (22h30)
Beards, blues, sunglasses & Texan Boogie. In short the simple but genius recipe which ZZ Top has been famous for during the last forty years. It’s also one of the best known trio’s without any changes in the line-up. Billy Gibbons as blues guitarist, and Dusty Hill and Frank Beard (the only one without a beard) as a tight rhythm section. Everyone knows the classic clips of ‘Sharp Dressed Man’, ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’ and ‘Legs’, which helped ZZ Top reach mega stardom. Their latest album ‘Mescalero’ dates already from 2003, but currently the band has been spotted in the studio with top producer Rick Rubin to work on a new album.

SUIKERROCK – SATURDAY - JULY 27th 2012 – GROTE MARKT - TIENEN

SWEET SAVAGE (17h15)
Sweet Savage was one of the pioneers of the ‘New Wave of British Heavy Metal’ genre. They debuted in 1979 and split up in 1983. Thanks to Metallica, who covered their song ‘Killing Time’ as a b-side for the single ‘The Unforgiven’ they finally were given the attention they deserved. In 2008 Ray Haller reformed Sweet Savage and despite the unexpected death of guitarist Trev Fleming (October 2010) the band continued and recorded a new album ‘Warbird’. Last year they kicked ass at Graspop Metal Meeting and I’m sure they will do so again at Suikerrock.

CHANNEL ZERO (18h30)
Hard as steel and without a doubt one of Belgium’s best metal bands. Their reunion in 2010 finally delivered them the long overdue success: six sold out shows in the Ancienne Belgique (Brussels), gigs at Graspop Metal Meeting and Rock Werchter, and a new album ‘Feed ‘Em With A Brick’. Early this year they participated at the ’70.000 tons of metal’ cruise, together with 39 other metal bands, and played as support act to Metallica.

STATUS QUO (20h15)
During 45 years English boogie rockers Status Quo produced 89 singles. Amongst them some timeless classics such as ‘Pictures Of Matchstick Men’, 'Down Down', 'Roll Over Lay Down', 'In the Army Now', 'Whatever You Want' en 'Rockin' All Over the World' (which became the anthem of Live Aid in 1985). Worldwide they sold more than 118 million albums and were announced as Britain’s most successful band ever. The latest album ‘Quid Pro Quo’ was released last year and contains amongst 14 new songs also a live registration of their greatest hits shows in Holland & Australia. Their gig at Suikerrock is a summer exclusive for Belgium.

ALICE COOPER (22h30)
Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier; February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician whose career spans more than four decades. With a stage show that features guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, boa constrictors, and baby dolls, Cooper has drawn equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock to pioneer a grandly theatrical and violent brand of heavy metal designed to shock. For the first time since 1847 there will be a guillotine at the market square. Get ready to see Alice Cooper.

Below you can find the complete program for Suikerrock 2012:

MAINSTAGE (GROTE MARKT)

Thursday 26/07/2012
• 17u45 Philip Sayce
• 19u00 The Union
• 20u30 Triggerfinger
• 22u30 ZZ Top

Friday 27/07/2012
• 17u15 Sweet Savage
• 18u30 Channel Zero
• 20u15 Status Quo
• 22u30 Alice Cooper

Saturday 28/07/2012
• 15u30 Luc Van Acker
• 17u00 School Is Cool
• 18u30 ’t Hof Van Commerce
• 20u00 Arsenal
• 21u40 LMFAO
• 23u30 Mika
• 01u00 TLP aka Troubleman

Sunday 29/07/2012
• 14u30 Tom Dice feat. Iris
• 16u00 De Mens
• 17u30 Gabriel Rios
• 19u00 Daan
• 20u45 Ozark Henry
• 22u45 Texas

Tickets & info: http://www.winforlifesuikerrock.be

June 19, 2012 FB

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Mike Tramp

Hi Rock Loreley

Firefest X

Harem Scarem