Classic Album Reviews

Judas Priest - British Steel

Sat, 24/02/2007 - 12:13 - Edward Box The New Wave of British Heavy Metal promised much but in reality produced only three bands of any note: Iron Maiden, Saxon and, although they always hated the tag, Def Leppard. However, for a time between March 1980 and the following year, metal was king of all it surveyed and nothing symbolised its reign better than British Steel, the most metal album ever made in the entire history of the genre...

Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien

Sat, 21/10/2006 - 09:57 - John Hellett

When you get to your mid 30s you will inevitably start to sound and feel like an old fart. For instance, a subordinate of mine sent an invitation to drinks some weeks ago in order that we, his elders and betters, might wish to help him celebrate his birthday. When he said he was 19, it didn’t really register, it was when he informed me that he was born in 1987 that I wanted to beat him about the head with his wretched, fashionable shoes to wipe the smug grin off his spotty face….

Van Halen I

Tue, 22/08/2006 - 20:31 - Rory Sullivan Rocket Fuelled Party Rock with a Metallic Twist...

AC/DC - If you want Blood

Wed, 02/08/2006 - 16:53 - John Hellett

In this age of the pious, post modern rock star, the idea of the live album is very much an anachronism. The nearest thing you’re likely to get to a concert recording is a Travis podcast from the Eden Project in aid of homeless charities and let’s face it, where’s the fun in that? To explore this sub genre fully, in order to extract the most prized of gems; we must journey back into the mists of time when the release of the live album was as eagerly awaited as new material.

Camel - Flight of the Snow Goose

Mon, 17/07/2006 - 20:28 - John Hellett

Prior to the release of their 3rd and still most commercially successful album, Music inspired by the Snowgoose in July 1975, Camel had achieved only minor success in the UK in terms of record sales and, as a result were very much confined to the club circuit in spite of possessing something of a reputation as a live act.

Within 12 months however , they would have outsold Elton John and sold-out the Albert Hall….