AXL, Get Your Shit in the Hall of Fame

SOUNDLUST OP-ED I’m starting to understand why Axl Rose may have included that Charles Manson song on the Spaghetti Incident? release. They’re both fucking crazy. Manson directed his destruction outward, Rose’s destruction is all directed inward. Have some fucking fun man. Fuck. Go attend Saturday’s Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction. Yeah, you have [...]

Tour 2012: Lee Roth and Van Halen

Van Halen – Long Version Trailer from Van Halen on Vimeo. Can the best Van Halen frontman bring it like he did in the early 1980s? Just reading that sentence over, the likelihood seems very low. Tickets are expected to be $60+. David Lee Roth left the band in 1985 and Sammy Hagar became the [...]

Tim Hall’s Top 10 Albums of 2010

Top ten lists are a very subjective thing. While they can be a useful pointer to albums you might have missed, I always loathe the compiled-by-committee lists you read in places like Pitchfork or The Guardian. They all seem to contain exactly the same albums, and without fail they have absolutely zero overlap with the [...]

Mostly Autumn, The Globe, Cardiff, 14-Nov-2010

SONY DSC

Mostly Autumn are a band who have undergone a major change in the past year, with the departure of much-loved lead singer Heather Findlay and her replacement by former backing singer Olivia Sparnenn. The new incarnation had already won over a large proportion of their fanbase when they toured earlier in the year playing a [...]

Wishbone Ash, Reading Sub89, 1 November 2010

After seeing Therion, I was back at Sub89 again the following night to see Wishbone Ash. I’d seen them at Shepherds Bush Empire back in May when supported by Panic Room and Mostly Autumn. The consensus amongst fans was that Mostly Autumn in particular completely stole the show from the headliners. But since this gig [...]

Therion, Shepherds Bush Empire, 31 October 2010

I blame my parents for this. Before I discovered rock’n’roll in my teens I was exposed to a lot of classical music, including many, many choral concerts at an age when I was probably too young to really appreciate them. Some of this must have rubbed off, because decades later I find myself listening to [...]

Panic Room, Bilston Robin 2, 19-Sep-2010

Anne-Marie Helder and Paul Davies of Panic Room

Panic Room are a Swansea-based progressive rock band that emerged from the ashes of the original lineup of the celtic/progressive band Karnataka, with Karnataka’s backing vocalist Anne-Marie Helder taking on the role of lead singer.  They have so far recorded two studio albums, and made their live debut at the beginning of 2008. The Robin [...]

CD Review: Go Well Diamond Heart by Mostly Autumn

Go Wel lDiamond HeartCover

Mostly Autumn’s ninth album, the first with Olivia Sparnenn as lead singer, sees the band renewed and re-invigorated. Strongly recommended if you’re looking for a band who take the spirit of 70s classic rock and make it sound relevant for the 21st century, and love great songwriting, singing and musicianship.

Parade – The Stereo, York, 25-Sep-2010

Because different band members have so many other commitments, live appearances by Parade are extremely rare, which is why I was prepared to make the 400-mile round trip to see them play in their home town of York. Parade is a project put together by York-based singer-songwriter and musician Chris Johnson, who has played at [...]

CD Review: Red Velvet Car by Heart

Red_Velvet_Car_CD_cover

On Tuesday, Heart plays “Barracuda,” one of their hardest-driving tunes on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” (which I believe is a very popular TV show). I wonder how many people will recognize the band, while viewers will recognize the song because it’s played at sporting events. Heart has never been one of my favorite bands; [...]