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Kan you ever be too old for Kerrang!?

As a spotty teenage boy reading the magazine on Newcastle’s Metro 20 years ago I was well used to the weird looks and disdainful sighs every time I reached inside my satchel and whipped out the latest edition.

Back then I didn’t fit into the Kerrang! demographic because I went to a posh school, wore a smart uniform and had hair cut above the collar. Read the rest of this entry »

@ Newcastle o2 Academy, February 3 2010

Security at the former Carling Academy has taken on a whole new meaning since becoming the O2 Academy.

Tonight I had to squeeze past groups of teenagers having their ID scrutinised for an over 14s only performance. After missing My Passion’s performance, next up were Young Guns who launched into a generic set with bland songs where one tune was indistinguishable from the next. Read the rest of this entry »

This week we’re all over All Time Low as the hot US pop punksters back up the release of this week’s MTV Unplugged CD with a series of headline slots on the Kerrang! tour.

We’ll bring you all the action from Wednesday’s Newcastle show and look out for an exclusive interview with the band here soon.

And talking of exclusives we catch up with rising UK rockers Voodoo Johnson – two months after they blew away the rushonrock team at Hard Rock Hell 2009. And there’s more. Read the rest of this entry »

After a slow start to 2010 we review no fewer than nine new releases this week and there’s something for everyone to bring January to a suitably raucous close.

Whether you want to check out vintage Saxon (pictured) in the shape of expanded editions of three of the band’s often overlooked 80s standards or US Saxon-alikes Keel we slate and rate ‘em right here.

There’s the brilliant Bruce Kulick and his start-studded BK3 album plus a thrilling hair metal throwback as Wig Wam return to take on allcomers.

Frontiers standard-bearers Murder Of My Sweet bid for your listening pelasure and Kerrang! tour headliners All Time Low show their softer side with an acoustic mini album. Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry »

Can’t afford to buy every album by every band you think you just might like? Then that’s where the Kerrang! compilations come in so handy and the 2009 edition – out tomorrow - is no different featuring the likes of Dragonforce (pictured), Enter Shikari, Slipknot and Rolo Tomassi across two CDs.

Bound to be a big seller, the double pack goes head to head with reformed thrash punks The Stupids, scuzz heroes Nebula and cult southern rock crew Toadies. Another great week for rock!  Read the rest of this entry »

This week it’s all about the sleazy life as Buckcherry roll into town hot on the heels of their acclaimed Download show. And it just so happens they’re brining rushonrock faves Dear Superstar (singer Micky pictured) along for the ride after the two bands became the best of friends on the summer festival circuit and beyond. With Heaven’s Basement showing up for a quick set too it’s worth getting down to Newcastle’s o2 Academy early doors tomorrow night – miss this and you’ll miss out.

Maintaining the sleazetastic theme we catch up with Steadlur’s Daniel to bring you yet another exclusive interview and Cinderella feature as The Vinyl Countdown closes in on the top 20. Read the rest of this entry »

Those of us who believed Iron Maiden’s Brit Award would herald a new era of recognition for rock have been brought crashing back down to earth with an almighty bang this week.

And the blast which heralded an uncomfortable reacquaintance with reality? That complete joke of a nominations list called the Mercury Music Awards.

According to the blurb which prefaced the latest raft of nominees in the race for the 2009 prize, ‘The Barclaycard Mercury Prize for ‘Albums of the Year’ celebrates and promotes the best of British and Irish music. All genres of music are eligible for entry and all are treated equally, the music on the album is the only thing taken into account.’ All genres apart from rock and metal, apparently. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s that time of year again when our good mates at the world’s rockingest weekly deliver their perfect soundtrack to the summer.

And Kerrang! 2009 The Album is chock full of the tracks of the year with mega-sellers like Nickelback, Green Day and Slipknot sharing top billing with ambitious newbies Metro Station, Ghost Of A Thousand and In Case Of Fire. Phew!

With 42 tracks featuring the cream of rock and metal we can’t wait to get our hands on another meaty overview of a rejuventated scene. Our only gripe? There’s no classic rock.

But this time next year we’re pretty damn sure Kerrang! will be going back to its roots as more and more bands favouring that timeless sound infiltrate a mag once known as the home of everything from hair metal to thrash and all the hard and heavy stuff in between. Read the rest of this entry »

Metal heroes Dragonforce may have slayed Download this year but Herman Li and his mates aren’t about to slow the pace anytime soon. Still touring the brilliant Ultra Beatdown across the world, one of the craziest bands on the planet plan to bring a full UK headline tour our way again this winter.

Fresh from more awards glory at the 2009 Metal Hammer Golden Gods gig this week, the Grammy-nominated shredsters roll out their Hearts & Minds Tour from November through to mid-December with axe maestro Li promising the usual fret-burning fireworks. Read the rest of this entry »

Another mixed bag of new music this week brings together the post-teen sheen of Madina Lake, the indy rock of Sucioperro and the perfected prog of German experimentalists Long Distant Calling.

All three bands are new to the rushonrock reviews team and all three have done enough to suggest new music Monday could be something special for all you rock fans with Bank Holiday cash to burn…

Take the plunge, take a chance and take home something a little bit different to start your hard rocking summer. Read the rest of this entry »