On this week’s show we’ll be setting alight the New Year with a bang: ZZ Top, Status Quo, Shinedown, Def Leppard, UFO, Marillion, Tom Petty & Stevie Nicks, Coheed and Cambria, Cage The Gods, Slaughter for starters.
We’ll also be kicking out the jams from groups appearing on our ‘Top 10 Albums of 2014‘ – Bloody Hammers, Magnum, Uriah Heep, Nothing More, Kyng, Lionize, Massive, Hellyeah, Rival Sons and Blues Pills.
Top 10s of this, Top 10s of that spring up all over the place at this time of year and well, what the heck, we thought we’d get in on the action and share with you our Top 10 Albums of 2014.
Here’s what floated our boat this year.
10. Bloody Hammers – Under Satan’s Sun:
Dark Transylvanian fuzz.
9. Magnum – Escape From The Shadow Garden:
Stories and soundscapes that keep drawing you in.
8. Uriah Heep – Outsider:
45 years of ‘Classic Rock’ experience put onto one album.
7. Nothing More – Nothing More:
Tension-filled, attention grabbing.
6. Kyng – Burn The Serum:
Monster riffage leads to profuse headbanging.
5. Lionize – Jetpack Soundtrack:
Phat grooves and hooks.
4. Massive – Full Throttle:
‘Rock ‘N’ Roll’ with more than one schooner of beer added.
3. Hellyeah – Blood For Blood:
A full cartridge of amour-piercing metal.
2. Rival Sons – Great Western Valkyrie:
Hit their stride with ease and grace, pace and talent.
1. Blues Pills – Blues Pills:
All shades of blues, delivered with appeal and aplomb.
The albums that made it onto here, reflect well (we think) on what a thoroughly diverse and generally inspiring year for Rock Music 2014 has been; new kids on the block along with those out earning their stripes, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some old-stagers.
Tonight will be our last show before Christmas and looking down the playlist, it’s one not to be missed.
The requests that have been sent in this week are straight out of the top drawer: NIN, UFO (x2), Tyketto, Great White, Robin Trower, Blues Pills, Pantera, Cancer Bats, W.A.S.P., Steel Panther, Michael Schenker, Gotthard, Magnum, Queensryche and Metallica. I shall do my best to match them with some choice cuts of my own: Stephen Stills’ Manassas, Mike Oldfield, Steve Hackett to name but a few, one or two Christmassy tunes, plus the new singles from Slam Cartel and Thunder.
Beginning tonight at 7pm GMT…it’s sure to be a cracker! (Did you see what I did there?)
You may have seen through recent BBC announcements that the fantastic Rival Sons will be appearing this week on ‘Later… Live with Jools Holland’! They were in the studio in Maidstone yesterday sound checking and preparing for the recording. It goes out later than usual this week, so the air dates and times are as follows:
This is undoubtedly a huge look for such a great band so I just wanted to give you a heads up so you didn’t miss it! You’ll have to tune in to see which tracks they are performing!
There will be a single released very soon ahead of the December UK tour. Speaking of which, the support has been announced, personally picked by Rival Sons to support them – Blues Pills (see our earlier post announcing ‘Gypsy’ their new single).
Amassing a huge following at a rapid rate, the hottest property on the blues rock circuit at the moment Blues Pills have released their latest single ‘Gypsy’.
The American-Swedish-French quartet have produced their own take on Chubby Checker’s 1973 classic track, taken from their self titled album (released 25/07/14) via Nuclear Blast Records.
The self titled, 10 track LP features artwork by renowned Dutch artist Marijke Koger-Dunham, who is best known for her work with The Beatles and Eric Clapton.
Relentless road warriors, Blues Pills have toured incessantly throughout the previous years, appearing at some of Europe’s premier festivals along the way such as DesertFest, Hellfest, Sweden Rock and Roadburn.
Catch the quartet’s mind blowing live show at the following dates on their headline UK run [buy tickets here]:
Mon Nov 10th Bristol, Exchange
Tue Nov 11th Birmingham, Oobleck
Wed Nov 12th Manchester, Star & Garter
Fri Nov 14th Milton Keynes, Crauford Arms
Sat Nov 15th Hard Rock Hell, Pwllheli
Sun Nov 16th Glasgow, Audio
Tue Nov 18th London, The Dome
Blues pills will be ably supported by The Vintage Caravan and, as announced in the past few days, BlackWolf!
If you miss them on this tour, you can catch them supporting Rival Sons on their string of UK dates this December!
On this week’s show we’ll be setting alight the New Year with a bang: ZZ Top, Status Quo, Shinedown, Def Leppard, UFO, Marillion, Tom Petty & Stevie Nicks, Coheed and Cambria, Cage The Gods, Slaughter for starters.
