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With the countdown to Christmas in full swing what better to buy the rocker in your life than one (or even both) of this week’s top releases? Rock Solid sees in the new music week with the pick of the best new records and tomorrow sees a pair of pearlers hit stores.

Man Raze – Surreal (Surrealist Records)  

When you hear the name Phil Collen the first things you expect are expert musicianship, razor sharp riffs and humalong hooks. With Surreal you get all of that plus slick vocals and an eclectic mix of punk, classic rock and reggae. In fact if you’ve heard a more varied and surprising record all year we want to know about it. 

Americans have been lapping up Def Leppard star Collen’s superb side project for months now and the ‘Raze’ reviews have been coming thick and fast. Although the axe mastro sounds spookily like band mate Joe Elliott on a number of hard rocking standards this is no Songs From the Sparkle Lounge Pt 2. Collen has every right to let the day job influence slices of Surreal but there’s a conscious effort to define this as a vital new record in its own right.

It’s when you hit the dub-tastic Runnin’ Me Up that you realise this isn’t a Leppard clone and from that point onwards Collen and fellow Razers Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) and Simon Laffy (Girl) reveal a refreshing strand of creativity and freedom which makes this one of the most listenable records of 2008.

Turn It Up and Shadowman are more like the straight ahead rock you might aspect from a man behind some of the biggest hair metal records in history but that’s no bad thing. It would be foolish of Collen to turn off his Lepp fans altogether and there’s enough here to keep the Pyromaniacs and Hystericals happy.

Four years in the making is nothing these days but producing Surreal has been time well spent. Grab the UK copy with the five-track bonus disc and those reggae influences are even clearer but don’t fear – this is no UB40 tribute CD. Collen, Cook and Laffy are canny enough to play to their collective strengths and rock is the overriding flavour here.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Man Size Rock

Frank Turner – The First Three Years (Xtra Mile Recordings)

And what a first three years it’s been from the former Million Dead frontman turned folk rock hero. Festival favourite, underground legend, people’s champion, songwriter supreme – call him what you like but Mr Turner is something special at a time when formulated rock continues to overshadow the truly sublime.

This solo career-spanning collection is crammed full of tracks taken from single releases, EP specials, AA side collaborations and hitherto unheard sessions. It’s a treasure trove of 21st century musical commentary ranging from the bullish Thatcher Fucked The Kids to the contemplative Worse Things Happen At Sea. And for all of us who still lament the passing of MD there’s even a cover of the band’s Smiling At Strangers On Trains.

If you’re looking for something offering real value in these times of financial hardship then look no further than The First Three Years. It will keep you guessing from track 1 to track 23 – even if that last song is a fairly sloppy cover of Abba’s Dancing Queen.

rushonrock verdict: 7/10 The Turner Prize

Def Leppard’s Phil Collen has poured cold water on the view that 2008 has been a vintage year for rock – after taking a swipe at the so-called big guns who blasted back following years in the wilderness.

The Londoner was back in his home town this week in ebullient mood prior to Monday’s long-awaited UK release of Surreal by Man Raze – Collen’s eclectic side project featuring Sex Pistols’ Paul Cook and Girl bass guru Simon Laffy.

But he told rushonrock: “I’m really proud of what Leppard have done this year and Songs From The Sparkle Lounge has been a big success at a time when a lot of big bands have brought out new records.

“But you can’t compare Def Leppard to AC/DC or Guns N Roses because we’ve never been away. We’ve been working hard, writing records and touring for 25 years unlike some bands.”

For the full interview with axe hero Collen check out rushonrock next week!

It’s Friday so it must be Self Made Man day and after getting over the disappointment of the new GNR record – yes, he’s another one who disagrees with the official rushonrock review – the voice of classic rock reveals his love for all things live.

To see where your favourite live record ranks in SMM’s opinion click on the link above.

Those rushonrock readers hoping to catch one of rock’s rising stars before 2009 will be disappointed to hear that ‘Genial’ Joe Bonamassa can’t make The Sage Gateshead until next year.

But the super cool blues man will honour the gig he was forced to shelve due to illness earlier this month with a show at the same venue on April 22.

Tickets for the original date remain valid but fans unable to make the new show can seek a refund from the point of sale.

Here at rushonrock we love to dig deep into our metal closet and pull out a gem from the past – before comparing it to the current output from one of our favourite late 80s artists. This week we focus on US stars Great White who are back doing what they do best following a tragic recent history.

Now: 2007 Back To The Rhythm (Frontiers) sees frontman Jack Russell remind the rock buying public that just because you’re named after a small dog doesn’t mean you don’t boast the perfect set of pipes. Forget the jibes about barking, growling and yelping – this record reinforces the view of those in the know that Great White deserved more than their second division status at a time when the likes of Cinderella and Poison were tearing through the Billboard Hot 100.

The title track sets the tone for a slick and sleazy album which gets better and better with every fresh listen. Still Hungry isn’t anything to do with Twisted Sister but still establishes itself as a modern rock anthem and Take Me Down is typical Russell as he once again revels in his role as classic rock troubador. The UK bonus track is a belting cover of 30 Days In The Hole and wraps up a heart warming set from one of the most underrated bands in rock.

If you caught Great White at Newcastle’s Carling Academy II this year you’re a canny judge. The set rocked, the old classics were pure gold dust and the tunes showcased from Back To The Rhythm more than held their own against a strong back catalogue. Here’s hoping for more of the same in 2009.  

rushonrock rated: 7/10 Back To The Great

…And Then: 1989 …Twice Shy (Capitol) went top 10 in Great White’s native America and took the band to the brink of superstardom. Featuring the pumped-up production of Alan Niven and Michael Lardie, the natural successor to Once Bitten… is chock full of glossy soft rock anthems perfect for the peak of the hair metal movement.

A competent if unspectacular cover of Ian Hunter’s Once Bitten Twice Shy was always likely to overshadow a batch of brilliant originals but at least that hit gave Russell and co. their way into the big leagues. House Of Broken Love sees the band unleash their full array of songwriting skills and The Angel Song is, to this day, one of the standout lighter-waving standards of an era when big productions and big emotions won the hearts of millions of MTV fans worldwide.

What should have been the springboard for greater commercial success ultimately became a millstone around the neck of these All-American heroes and it’s taken the best part of 20 years for Great White to recover. But without this record you’re missing a vital part of your hair metal history. Expect a reissue sometime soon.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Shy Bairns Get Nowt

School reunions rarely rock. Or so I’m told. But I head in to my first reunion proper this weekend –  some 16 years after kissing some of the best days of my life goodbye –wondering whether I’m the last of a dying breed.

Back then there was a hardcore group of 20 or so committed rockers of which I’m proud to say I was one.

We spent our pocket money on vinyl and gigs, jammed together from time to time, spent hours rifling through the racks at Volume Records and given enough courage we could even be seen fraternising on the fringes of the Old Eldon Square set.

Now school rules dictated I couldn’t grow my hair long. So as a teenage rocker I looked more like Jason Donovan than Jason Newstead with a cute blond bob parted neatly down the centre.

It was suitably roughed up for those front row battles at Whitley Bay Ice Rink but it never sat well with the studded denim jacket or the AC/DC sweatband. I was into hair metal. Only without the hair.

Of course image isn’t everything. And the people that really mattered – my rock loving pals – knew that beneath the yellow trimmed blazer and choirboy-style (if only it had been Quireboys-style) hair lay a professional rocker.

My A4 lever arch files were plastered front and back with Maiden logos, Leppard lyrics carefully hewn from Smash Hits Mags and pictures of Lita Ford gyrating behind a Flying V.

I remember the raised eyebrows from my favourite history teachers, Messrs Henry and Park, as they clapped eyes upon the musical influences shaping the character of a kid they were carefully crafting into Blyth’s foremost expert on the Tudors.

And I remember the look of horror on the faces of the It Girls as they realised why they never fancied me in the first place. And why they never would.

But there were also glances of admiration. And looks of envy. But most certainly nods of appreciation from those fellow students who understood the value of Motley Crue, Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure and an embroidered Yngwie J Malmsteen jacket.

So come Saturday will I be the only one extoling the virtues of Black Ice, Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, Death Magnetic and Chinese Democracy (probably)?

Will I be alone in looking forward to the December double header of Black Stone Cherry and Slipknot?

And will anybody want to chew the fat on the changing face of Headbangers’ Ball, the sad passing of Tommy Vance or the time I spent 30 minutes with Alice Cooper on his tour bus?

I’m not holding out much hope. But then there are other things I can talk about with confidence. Like Planet Rock Radio, Classic Rock Magazine, Dirty Rock And Roll and basically anything with rocks in it. Now where’s Mr Glover when you need him…

With nothing more than a KK review in Kerrang! , some stern criticism on the message boards and even the brush off from James Hetfield not everybody agrees with rushonrock‘s verdict that Chinese Democracy is a cracker.

But whatever your opinion of Axl’s latest one thing’s for sure – it’s reopened the debate on just how good GNR are – or were – and where their canon of rock fits in to the genre’s top tunes.

Here at rushonrock we love a good list and below is our top 10 Gunners tracks – including the outstanding Sorry from the new record. It’s a controversial entry at number nine but it sums up just about everything that’s ever been good about GNR. Check the list, check ‘em off and chuck us a response. It should be interesting…

1. My Michelle (Appetite For Destruction)

2. Civil War (Use Your Illusion II)

3. Paradise City (Appetite For Destruction)

4. November Rain (Use Your Illusion I)

5. Patience (GNR Lies)

6. Welcome To The Jungle (Appetite For Destruction)

7. Sweet Child O’ Mine (Appetite For Destruction)

8. Coma (Use Your Illusion I)

9. Sorry (Chinese Democracy)

10. You Could Be Mine (Use Your Illusion II)

@ Newcastle City Hall, November 26 2008

If this was your first taste of Thunder then you could have been forgiven for thinking you’d just walked into an oversized local where a gang of friends and family were cheering on their old favourites before a whip round to cover the beer.

That’s no reflection on the music because this was arena-quality rock blasted out without a note out of place and a lavish light show to boot. No, why this show appeared so intimate, so familiar and so fine was down to a five-piece who are so in tune with their audience it’s as if they’ve grown up with the people five, 10 and 15 rows back.

Some of us have grown up with Thunder of course. Some of us remember hearing Dirty Love for the first time on Alan Robson’s Rock Show and buying the shaped vinyl the very next week. And some of us just keep coming back for more.

The thing with Thunder is that it’s impossible to recall a bad gig. Whether playing on the same bill as Def Leppard at the Don Valley Stadium in 1993, in front of a few hundred at any number of UK club venues in the late 1980s or in front of a steaming hot City Hall audience in 2008 the quality never diminishes.

Hearing Danny Bowes sing Love Walked In now is no different to hearing the same song live 20 years ago. Watching Luke Morley twist his fingers around the fretboard during Dirty Love now is like watching him tackle his Gibson two decades ago. But then Thunder don’t simply trade on their glorious past – which they’d be perfectly entitled to do.

No, On The Radio, Stormwater and Carol Ann were all culled from latest long player Bang! and none felt out of place alongside the band’s anthemic standards. Incredibly the Thunder family knew these as well as any past triumph.

It wouldn’t be whipping up a storm of controversy to suggest an epic version of Higher Ground was the evening’s highlight. But then this was a gig so surreal that every song was greeted with unbridled joy by a crowd which clearly eats, drinks and sleeps Thunder.

And talking of sleep – does Danny get an average of 20 hours a day? If not it is simply impossible to explain the energy he expends in around 100 minutes of manic showmanship. Not for Mr Bowes the backstage rub downs and regular exits beloved of so many (often younger) rock frontmen. There’s no time in a Thunder set for a drum solo from Harry or a medley from Morley. Why? Because their jack-in-a-box colleague just can’t stop commanding the stage with an almost inhuman presence.

Of course it’s that human touch which makes Thunder and their shows so special. It’s why the band will continue to pack out Newcastle City Hall annually and why we’ll keep on coming back for more. And more. And Morley. See you next time.

Simon Rushworth

If, like us, you kinda missed out on the great tide of critical accalim which greeted the arrival of US rockers The Gaslight Anthem earlier this year then now could be the time to switch on.

Monday sees the fantastic foursome release the latest single from their Ted Hutt-produced second album, The ’59 Sound , and Old White Lincoln could do some serious damage on the Decemeber charts.

Now it’s out too early to challenge for the Chrimbo number one spot but it has the balls to outlast many of next week’s releases and it could well be a grower. With a Kerrang! front cover behind them, praise from Classic Rock Mag in the bag and fresh comparisons with The Boss himself following every show it seems The Gaslight Anthem really are that good.

As always we won’t tell you one way or the other but we do have the video of Old White Lincoln right here, right now. Just don’t get too hooked. TGA go out on tour in 2009 but like so many emerging acts right now they don’t seem too keen on carting their gear all the way up to the North East. Shame, because we’re sure they’d get a fantastic welcome and just imagine the atmosphere at a packed-out Cluny or a heaving Academy 2…

Anyway for now we can watch them afar and just hope that our good friend Frank Turner – who supports TGA in February and March – persuades the New Jersey crew of the error of their ways. It’s not too late to switch the dates!

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Guns N Roses @ Gateshead International Stadium, June 16 1992

It was a long hot day on Tyneside – and how many of those do we get? But it was also a worrying day for the thousands of North East rock fans who’d forked out £21 to see the most dangerous band in the world only to read of cancellations elsewhere in the UK and Axl’s increasingly erratic behaviour.

In fact not until the moment his royal rockness stepped on stage did any of us really believe this gig was going to happen. But it did and it would go down in history as one of the must-see shows on the magnificent Use Your Illusion world trek.

But it wasn’t all down to the mesmeric Gunners. I still own my Soundgarden T-shirt replete with all of its holes, tears and faded Superunknown imagery and as an opening act they were simply unstoppable. Little did we know that Chris Cornell and his ilk would slowly destroy the music we love as grunge grabbed the attention of media’s tastemakers and consigned good old fashioned rock and roll to history (for a while).

Anyway if Soungarden were superb then Faith No More were fantastic. This was the band we’d come to see just in case Axl’s helicopter did make a U-turn somewhere over Teesside. The hits came thick and fast, the energy burned during a high octane set could have powered Gateshead and as a warm-up act for the main men FNM were damn near perfect. We cared a lot and the band repaid our faith.

Then it happened. Axl, Slash and the gang did, indeed, deign us with their presence and what a night we had. Dipping into the Use Your Illusion records with regularity the biggest cheers were, of course, reserved for the Appetite standards we had been learning off by heart for the best part of five years.

In retrospect November Rain was the spine-tingling highlight but on the night it was impossible to look past Paradise City. Axl came to life like never before for those few minutes when the world belonged to GNR and as for Slash? The kid from the Potteries pounded our eardrums with as emotional a solo as you’ll ever hear – now, then or in the future.

It’s impossible to describe just how privileged we all felt cramming onto the Metro sometime after 11pm drained, dehydrated and dreaming of the next time. Of course that dream became a nightmare and later reincarnations of GNR (I’m thinking Leeds Festival ad Newcastle Arena) have failed to cut the mustard.

But if you were there on June 16 1992 then you don’t really care. And why should you?

Simon Rushworth