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He’s been leading Britain’s most successful rock band for more than three decades but Joe Elliott’s decision to take a well-earned break from Def Leppard duties is reaping rewards.

Sunday sees his Mott The Hoople tribute band Down N Outz play the High Voltage Festival main stage followed by a slot with the man himself – Ian Hunter.

In the latest of our festival previews we caught up with Sheffield’s finest – look out for another High Voltage Exclusive tomorrow! Read the rest of this entry »

Major Tom might be unsigned but the major labels are surely missing a trick with these retro cool glam rock heroes laying waste to America’s Midwest on the back of debut album A Night On the Lash.

Fronted by County Durham’s very own Stephen Kilkenny and fusing the best of Bowie with the Sweet, Def Leppard and Poison they play an intoxicating blend of made-for-festival anthems.

We caught up with rock’s best kept secret – before they get too big for the rushonrock pages! Read the rest of this entry »

There was a time when MTV was the place to go for your daily fix of the best rock videos around.

Bands like Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi sold millions of records on the back of heavy rotation 24/7.

And then there was the outstanding Headbanger’s Ball with its heady mix of video clips, live footage and interviews. Read the rest of this entry »

This week we check out new releases from Joe Elliott’s much vaunted side project Down N Outz - available now with Classic Rock Magazine – and retro singer songwriter Chris Singleton.

There’s some sensational old skool metal from Swedes Grand Magus.

And we review and rate the latest Metal Heaven releases as Bad Habit and Wicked Sensation deliver the melodic rock soundtracks to your summer. Read the rest of this entry »

This week we review and rate the debut album by Milwaukee’s finest Major Tom (pictured) as the unsigned rockers make their bid for stardom.

But if 70s glam-influenced tunes aren’t your bag then we’ve got more metal than you could possibly manage as we check out new releases from the disturbing Nachtmystium, the furious Angelus Apatrida and terrifying Brit crew Trigger The Bloodshed. Read the rest of this entry »

For most other bands six CDs worth of live material would be plain excessive. But then Thunder were never most other bands.

And if ever an act warranted a 61-track live retrospective then the chaps formerly known as Terraplane are that act.

Thunder, as anyone who ever saw the band on stage, belonged to the live arena. Slick performers and consummate entertainers they barely played a bad show and with the release of Live At The BBC (1990-1995) that point is well and truly proved. Read on for the full review. Read the rest of this entry »

Dan Reed Network – Come Back Baby (Reed) b/w Come Alive (Reed) & Make It Easy (Reed)

1989

Dan Reed Network’s brand of easy listening funk rock really hit the mark as the MTV generation were hitting their stride and this mixed race multi-talented band delivered two outstanding records at the turn of the decade.

Their self-titled debut preceded Slam and both albums won widespread acclaim.

Support slots with Def Leppard, on the final leg of the Hysteria tour, Bon Jovi and the Rolling Stones reinforced DRN’s status as the musicians’ ban of choice in the late 80s/early 90s. But the onset of grunge and a lack of label support led to an indefinite hiatus in 1993. Read the rest of this entry »

As a huge (maybe even bigger than that) Def Leppard fan I’m more than just a little concerned right now.

It only seems like yesterday that I was basking in the glory of the band’s best record for 20 years and a triumphant headline show at Download 2009.

Leppard were back and back in a big, big way. Songs From The Sparkle Lounge proved to be a triumphant return to the band’s 80s heyday and a co-headline UK arena tour alongside Whitesnake wowed audiences the length and breadth of Britain. Read the rest of this entry »

Legendary rockers Thin Lizzy are looking forward to one of their biggest years yet with a revamped line-up featuring some of the world’s hottest talent and a raft of deluxe reissues on the cards.

Driving force Scott Gorham has put together a Who’s Who of rock talent heading into 2011 when the band will kick off a full UK headline tour.

Joining the guitarist will be Lizzy alumni Brian Downey and Darren Wharton plus Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell, former Whitesnake man Marco Mendoza and ex-Almighty frontman turned solo star Ricky Warwick. Read the rest of this entry »

As revealed exclusively right here last month, Joe Elliott’s Mott The Hoople tribute band Down N Outz will play the main stage on the second day of this year’s High Voltage festival in London’s Victoria Park.

The band, featuring the Leppard frontman and various members of the Quireboys, release their debut album as a cover mounted CD via Classic Rock magazine next month. And of course the Quireboys will be opening up the High Voltage main stage on Sunday July 25 before hooking up with Joe an hour or so later.

“When Mott The Hoople announced they were reforming for a weeks worth of shows at the Hammersmith Odeon I was asked that I participate in some capacity, ” explained Elliott. “They’ve always been my favourite band and it’s nice to see the rest of the rock world finally catch up and give them their due. Read the rest of this entry »