In the latest rushonrock exclusive interview we talk simmering rivalries, blasts from the past and the reissue of a defining album. And don’t forget – you can catch LA Guns at Hard Rock Hell 2010.

rushonrock: There are still two versions of LA Guns out there – it’s confusing for fans and it must annoy you?

Tracii Guns: I think it does get confusing but I suppose it’s been going on for a while now – since 2006 I think. I still get huge amounts of mail from fans so I know it pisses them off. They say ‘I went to see this band called LA Guns but you weren’t there’. It’s frustrating for them but it’s not even frustrating for me. I’ve got past that. I just don’t understand it. But the other LA Guns have my blessing and they can do what they want as long as they feel comfortable about what they’re doing. But the day that it interferes with what I do I’ll go in there with a machete and cut their heads off! It is weird though – they have a guy in their band called Stacey Blades and a lot of people do think he’s me. He just says thank-you when people say they like my work and he signs autographs in my name – it’s strange but I have to take it as a compliment.

rushonrock: What’s the story behind the original Shrinking Violet record, reissued earlier this year?

TG: When Jizzy joined the band and we did the first tour with Gilby Clarke supporting we spent a lot of time writing new music and talking about doing a record. Halfway through that tour we got offered the chance to open up for Poison on a big comeback tour. That’s when Gilby offered to get involved. He said he was a record producer now and he had his own studio with all the latest kit. We decided to give it a go and it worked out really well. Gilby had a studio that was half in his house and half in his garage and the first day we got together the work was of a very high quality. We spent about a month making the record and we finished up just in time to have it available for the Poison tour. But it was never properly distributed in the US or anywhere else for that matter. We played a few of the songs from Shrinking Violet on that tour and it’s a very satisfying record from a musician’s point of view. It’s great to be able to give it a second chance.

rushonrock: Was Jizzy always the man for the job when it came to finding a singer?

TG: before he joined the band first time around I’d known him for a long time. I’d always liked him and the rest of the Love/Hate guys and we’d hung out a few times. They were always the nicest people towards me. But when Jizzy was looking to join LA Guns there was this guy called Joe Leste from bang Tango who we were looking at. But Jizzy was adamant he was going to get the gig and it was his sheer determination which got him the job.

rushonrock: It must have had something to do with his talent too?

TG: Oh yeah. We played a couple of Led Zeppelin tracks with him. I really wanted to get a singer who could play that Robert Plant style and he really nailed it. I knew that we’d see eye to eye and it’s really nice to have him back in the band. I don’t think you realise what you’ve got until it’s gone and now he’s back the plan is to keep him this time. I’m not going to be talked into getting involved in inferior projects again just for the sake of it.

rushonrock: So has the Shrining Violet record been reissued now to remind fans of what he brings to the table?

TG: In a way. When we signed to Favored Nations the debate was whether we should do something from scratch or show people where this band started from. It made more sense to release the first thing that we recorded together – especially as it’s never been available to the majority of our fans. If Jizzy is going to hang around for some time then it will be good for people to rediscover his work with LA Guns. And it gives us time to write a good record without rushing things. Plus we want to tour – especially in the UK where Jizzy has his biggest following – and we couldn’t do that if we were holed up in a studio. The reissue has all of the songs we wrote together 11 years ago plus a selection of LA Guns classics with Jizzy on vocals. You can hear the difference in Jizzy too – he’s really developed into a top class singer and has so much more control over his vocals. He doesn’t squeal and squeak as much!

rushonrock: So can we expect a new Jizzy-fronted LA Guns record in the New Year?

TG: I try not o make plans because plans always seem to end up going in a different direction! But we’re going to continue writing all through the summer and into the New Year. If we don’t get back to South America in February then it would be nice to think about pre-production then. We’d be looking at wrapping things up in March with a summer 2011 release. That would be perfect but nothing’s perfect, right? I’m sure Favored Nations would like us to stick to that schedule too but who knows? It’s the goal that we’re shooting for but it depends how lazy or otherwise we are on tour. We’ve already started putting a few things together and most of the Shrinking Violet record was written on the road so we know what we’re doing.

rushonrock: You mentioned South America – why is it such a favourite continent of yours to tour?

TG: It’s somewhere we managed to get to as LA guns in our prime, during the Cocked & Loaded era. We hit Argentina and Chile and because we did go down there all of those years ago it’s somewhere I’ve been able to go back to again and again. I think Jizzy is the fifth singer I’ve taken down there and this year was his first time touring that part of the world. But when people in Latin America get into their music they really get into it and they don’t forget the bands they love. They have incredible passion.

Packing their cracking major label debut Addicted To Metal with soaring hooks and singalong choruses what’s not to like about the Teutonic trailblazers?

We can’t wait to see them hit the UK very soon – for now check out what teen singer Hannes Braun has to say about all things metal.

rushonrock: Did the band name really come from the AC/DC track off the Blow Up Your Video album?

Hannes Braun: Exactly right! When we set the band up we searched for hours for the perfect name and we didn’t find anything we liked. It was just shit that came out. Then suddenly one of the guys’ phones rang and it was the Kissin’ Dynamite ringtone. We always loved the song and the name fitted the band perfectly.

rushonrock: Are AC/DC one of the key influences on the band then?

HB: Yeah – on the hard rock/metal side of things we like AC/DC, Accept and Judas Priest. But we’re also big fans of sleaze rock and the likes of Guns N Roses, Motley Crue and Skid Row have all influenced our sound.

rushonrock: But you’re children of the 90s aren’t you?

HB: When we recorded the first album the average age of the band members was 15 or 16 and we’re all 18 or 19 now. I’m the youngest at 18 so most of our favourite records came out before we were born! It’s thanks to our parents that we love the music that we do – my father always listened to AC/DC in his car and I loved that stuff. One night I couldn’t sleep and I asked my daddy if he’d play Money Talks to get me off to sleep. I don’t think it worked but it meant I got to listen to a great song!

rushonrock: So you’re a big fan of The Razor’s Edge record too then?

HB: When I first heard Money Talks and got the album I listened to it non-stop for a year. It was my favourite album and that’s how my love affair with metal started. I must have been four or five then. When I was six and my brother was seven we went to our first AC/DC show and it blew us away. After that we started to listen to some other bands like Accept and Scorpions and it just developed from there.

rushonrock: The new album’s called Addicted To Metal – are you? And what else are you addicted to?

HB: At the very beginning it was just a passion. I liked the music and liked to play the music. It was a very, very good hobby. Then this great hobby developed into some kind of addiction. I was addicted to the music and the music was metal. It became clear we’d write a song called Addicted To Metal at some point and we loved the title so much it stuck for the album. I’m not addicted to anything else but I dislike everyting that’s not ‘true’ music. I hate hip-hop. Metal is the only music which is handmade and that’s why I love it.

rushonrock: What’s it like playing in a band with your brother?

HB: I’m the singer but he’s the older brother. He’s one year older than me. It’s not difficult. We know each other so well and of course there are disputes from time to time but show me any brothers who don’t argue! Within the band we’re all the best of friends and the brothers thing just isn’t an issue. We’ll be honest with each other when things aren’t right but we stick together when the going gets tough.

rushonrock: Do you have any other siblings addicted to metal?

HB: We have a sister. She’s the youngest. She’s just a typical little sister and likes listening to other music. I don’t think she’s ever going to be addicted to metal.

rushonrock: What’s your favourite rock/metal album of all time?

HB: There are so many good records which are so important to me. But I don’t suppose you can look past Back In Black both in terms of the quality of the music and how commercially successful it’s been. That and Motley Crue’s Dr Feelgood are my favourite albums.

rushonrock: Will metal live forever?

HB: It’s got so many different forms and appeals to so many different people that it will never die. Even sleaze rock and glam rock have proved they can last and both genres are enjoying a massive revival now. Overall guitar music is getting bigger and it’s certainly the case with metal. There was trash pop and techno and it’s all just bullshit. It might have been a good time for some people but it was a terrible period for metal fans. Apart from Maiden or AC/DC there was no place for other rock bands on radio or TV for a very long time but the bands kept working away behind the scenes and they survived. So, yes, metal will live forever.

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.

Down N Outz – My ReGeneration (Mailboat Records)

There’s no secret to producing a covers album which passes musical muster – stay true to the originals and add a twist of originality.

That’s exactly what Def Leppard legend Joe Elliott and his hired hands from the Quireboys have achieved with the sparkling My ReGeneration and its appeal stretches far beyond 70s glam revisited.

If Elliott’s unique vocals offer a distinct take on some vintage Hunter/Hoople-era tracks then you can’t look beyond the twin guitars of Paul Guerin and Guy Griffin for the reason this record really does rock.

Anyone who’s watched the Quireboys in action during the past five years will surely agree that this fret tinkling duo are among the best British rock and roll has to offer and their emotive work perfectly complements Elliott’s chiselled pipes.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a nothing more than a self centred labour of love. It may be the album Elliott always dreamed of but it does more than hit the mark.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Covered In Glory

Grand Magus – Hammer Of The North (Roadrunner Records)

If you can’t wait until the new Maiden album then this superbly polished piece of retro metal from Stockholm’s finest noise merchants should compensate for now.

Every track is lovingly crafted into a slab of heavy rock made for fans of the NWOBHM or the NWOTHM or any wave of metal you could care to mention. The thumping title track is joyous in its simple conception and uncomplicated delivery while The Lord Of Lies is a nailed on Scando anthem.

It’s incredibly comforting to know a band has the desire and the balls to make a record like this in 2010. And if and when the mighty Maiden do call it a day then bands like Grand Magus are perfectly placed to carry metal’s flag into the future.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Grand Design

Bad Habit – Timeless (AOR Heaven)

Opening up with two new tracks it’s clear there’s still life in Bad Habit yet and the presence of original material sets this career-spanning compilation apart from the norm.

Sadly, the aspect of Timeless which makes it less than your complete Best Of opus is the absence of any tunes from the critically acclaimed Adult Orientation. Without any reference to what many believe to be Bad Habit’s finest moment it’s a record which will always feel less than the sum of its considerable parts.

What can’t be denied is the sheer quality of the songs which do make the final cut here. Culled from four studio albums spanning more than 20 years the tracks are, as the album title suggests, simply timeless. Think hair metal fused with classic AOR, a heady mix of Def Journey or Bon Europe and you’re on the right tracks.

Compilation closer Need Somebody is an obvious highlight but Winner Takes It All and Heart Of Mine run it mightily close. Without the Adult Orientation material this is good but with it we’d be looking at melodic rock gold.

rushonrock rated: 7/10 Familiar Habit

Chris Singleton And The Distractions – Lady Gasoline (IRL)

The clean production and sharp vocals which underpin this mish mash of musical history won’t appeal to fans of raw and unadulterated rock and yet there’s much to appreciate in Chris Singleton’s work.

The fact he borrows as much from 80s pop metal as he does from 90s Brit rock isn’t a problem as such but his tendency to marry the two within the same song can grate. But just as you’re about to hit the fast forward button there’s a slamming guitar solo or a funk rock bass line to grab your attention.

Take Bad Ambitions as an example. There’s the brilliant bass-heavy intro followed by the White Trash-esque melody and you’re thinking ‘wow’. Then there’s the poppy and frankly soppy bulk of the song before the guitar solo and the snappy synth kicks in. Singleton sings ‘ you know what you want but you don’t get nothing’ and that’s the problem here.

If the idea behind Lady Gasoline was to prove to the world that he’s got the talent to turn his hand to rock in all of its guises then Singleton has achieved just that. Right now the problem is nobody knows where he’s going next.

rushonrock rated: 6/10 Gasover The Top

Wicked Sensation – Crystallized (Metal Heaven)

There’s no doubt that the Germans know how to do metal just as well as they know how to do World Cups. And while England might still have the edge over their Teutonic nemesis where heavy music is concerned those days could well be numbered.

It’s nine years since Wicked Sensation rose to prominence with debut Reflected and had their career not been interrupted by musical differences there’s every chance they would be huge by now. Reformed since 2009 and clearly revitalised there’s the early promise mixed with hard-nosed experienced – the result is tracks like opener Better World, the anthemic My Turn To Fly (a duet with Helloween’s Andi Deris) and the haunting Coverdale-esque ballad The Love I Used To Know.

This is star quality stuff delivered by a band which was going places and can do again. It’s great to feel the old Sensation again – but these guys sound more Wicked than ever. And that’s a good thing.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Sensational Stuff

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. Come Back Baby, from Slam, is a cracking example of DRN’s ability to cross genres but it was that same diversity which blocked major success in the USA. Whereas UK and European audiences lapped up the slick Nile Rodgers-produced tunes which peppered Slam, North American taste makers failed to appreciate this breakthrough band’s finer moments.

Main man Dan Reed tours the UK this month with a brand new band and the classic songs. And there’s even the prospect of a new studio album to follow an upcoming live DVD. Here’s hoping.

Plus there’s a look at the latest offerings from the fantastic Frontiers Records stable with John Waite‘s new solo live album and the newie from Scando stars Pretty Maids taking centre stage.

Judas Priest – British Steel 3oth Anniversary Edition (Columbia)

This double disc edition of one of the defining records of the NWOBHM comes replete with a DVD filmed in Hollywood in 2009 and that’s just one of the reasons for investing in a piece of true metal history. There are many more, including Dave Shack’s brief but heartfelt liner notes and every one of the album’s original nine tracks remastered and revamped for the modern era.

If you don’t already own the key songs on this definitive release – we’re talking Metal Gods, Breaking The Law, United and Living After Midnight - then you’re probably not that interested in heavy metal at it’s very best. If you are then the majority of the anthems here will be all too familiar but, in truth, they have never sounded better.

So many records of the early 80s were turned around so quickly that a less than satisfactory production was the inevitable result. That, coupled with technological advances during the last 30 years, means the 2010 version of British Steel is a bullish follow-up to the original, losing none of its aggression but benefiting from a slick new polish.

And what becomes obvious is that the Priest served up a record rich in diversity at a time when they were making a play to be the post-punk guitar band of choice. There’s plenty of metal but there are elements of classic rock and even a hint of ska and northern soul. Look beyond the blunt gusto of Breaking The Law and there are enough twists and turns here to make the streets of Monaco look like the easiest F1 circuit in the world.

Ultimately Judas Priest became the masters of metal but this might be where they were at their majestic best. Revisit it  and feel the steel. You won’t be disappointed.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Best Of British

The Glitterati – Are You One Of Us? (DR2 Records)

There’s a reason The Glitterati burst all over the rock and roll scene like a rash in 2005. Their super-confident self-titled debut was chock full of made-for-arena anthems and live the boys performed with a swagger belying their young age and inexperience.

Support slots with everyone from Jet to Kings Of Leon and The Killers to Evanescence took those killer tunes to a wide and varied audience and the future was paved with sleaze rock gold. Five years on and a major label dumping later it’s time for one of the UK’s most exciting bands to reclaim their crown as this country’s next big thing.

Put simply Are You One Of Us? is bloody brilliant. If you like your rock with singalong choruses, dirty riffs and a reliably rough charm then this record will take pride of place in your picks of 2010. Those of us who caught the band ripping through last year’s Hard Rock Hell set had an idea they were back and this time they meant business – this 12-track showcase proves the point.

We love Too Many Girls (who doesn’t?) and Overnight Superstar is a fabulously tongue-in-cheek look back on how life once was for these one-time major label darlings. The sooner The Glitterati are back in the big arenas the better but for now this belter of a record should restore their faded reputation.

rushonrock rated: 10/10 All That Glitteratis Is Gold

John Waite – In Real Time (Frontiers Records)

When compiling a list of rock’s greatest vocalists John Waite would always feature alongside the likes of Rodgers, Coverdale, Dio, Jagger and Bowie. The man has a knack for squeezing every last drop of emotion out of any song he cares to deliver and this live album, recorded last year, attempts to portray the former Babys/Bad English singer in his very best light.

Strangely it doesn’t quite achieve that goal. There are highs – most notably the brilliant When I See You Smile – and yet the strained version of his biggest solo hit, Missing You, falls disappointingly flat. Inconsistency dogs a short but never entirely sweet set and what should have been a match made in heaven sees neither Waite nor Frontiers emerge with the credit this partnership could expect.

Recording as a three-piece and going back to basics was designed to throw the focus on one of rock’s finest vocalists. But Waite’s voice always sounded best complemented by the big production jobs of the 1980s and this almost-unplugged approach is a noble experiment gone wrong. Every Time I Think Of You captures the essence of the man but it’s a rare diamond in the rough.

rushonrock rated: 6/10 Waite Before You Buy

Pretty Maids – Pandemonium (Frontiers Records)

It’s almost 30 years since Ken Hammer and Ronnie Atkins joined forces to unleash the Danish hard rock combo Pretty Maids on an unsuspecting public and 1987′s Future World still holds a place in the hearts of metal fans everywhere.

But does this first long player in four years – and the band’s second for Frontiers – prove they still deserve that place? Or are former glories simply being rehashed with a 2010 gloss? Probably a bit of both.

Atkins’ vocals still have the propensity to jar when juxtaposed with Pretty Maids’ more melodic moments and that’s the case throughout Pandemonium. More of a metal singer than a classic rock crooner, his aggressive approach doesn’t always suit a band seemingly made for soaring melody. Yet when Pretty Maids rock Atkins is the perfect frontman with his passionate, powerful and punchy delivery.

There’s every likelihood this mixed record will go down a storm with the band’s die-hard European and Japanese fan base. But in an era when melodic rock and metal is enjoying a renaissance Pandemonium is in no position to compete with the best the genre can offer.

rushonrock rated: 6/10 Pretty Average

Legendary Shack Shakers – Agridustrial (Colenal Knowledge Records)

Welcome to the wildcard pick of the week as southern rock meets folk rock meets farmyard rock. It’s as weird and as wonderful as it sounds and all the better for the real-life samples of hammers, anvils, tongs, cranks and chains taken from the local blacksmith’s forge. Where else do you get that kind of commitment to one’s art in 2010?

The sneering Sin Eater is like Christian rock aboard a combine harvester while Night Ride is rich in emotion and an acute sense of history. The lyrics are meaningful, the music often pretty menacing and the whole idea of a rock band with agricultural leanings never anything less than ludicrous.

It’s incredible to think that Agridustrial is LSS’s seventh studio album and in singer JD Wilkes this most genre-defying of bands possess a genuine star. How they haven’t hit the big time long before now is anyone’s guess but their time might be now. Don’t be left behind – join the revolution.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Shakers Stirred

We review and rate Hollywood hard rockers Snew and deliver our verdict on Danish crew Clonecircle.

The Swellers – Ups And Downsizing

From the blue collar town of Flint, Michigan a town perennially undergoing hardship there is a glimmer of light and that is The Swellers.

A band formed on the ideals of some of the best punk bands of the early 90s.  The Swellers latest effort Ups and Downsizing is an instantly likeable album and is a testament to how well pop punk can be done.

Opener 2009 is hard-hitting, filled to the brim with catchy hooks and excellent guitar riffs whereas Fire Away has the classic sing-a-long vibe that comes with writing any good punk song.  The Swellers have a sound reminiscent of the punk heavyweights No Use For A Name with a pop element of an early Paramore.

Where Welcome Back Riders delivers a tale of living in a run-down town in a meaningless job title track Ups and Downsizing offers a message hope through times of trouble as front man Nick Diener delivers the line “I’m finding the beauty in everything since we said our goodbyes.”  The Michigan four-piece have all the tools to sit alongside the likes of Millencolin and No Use For A Name as punk pioneers and the class of 2010 now has something to aspire to.

With other excellent tracks like The Iron and Watch It Go there is no doubt that The Swellers have a very bright future ahead of them.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Just Swell

Tom Walsh

Snew – We Do What We Want (Maman Music)

This hard rocking Hollywood crew look like they should be resident on the Sunset Strip but often sound like a band stuck in the 70s.

Contradictions abound on We Do What We Want but the biggest challenge facing the four-piece is how to get the very best out of vocalist Curtis Don Vito. When he resists the urge to play Bon Scott mixed with Brian Johnson and a touch of Biff Byford he’s really rather good. But he doesn’t resist that urge often enough.

After a while the strained vocals start to grate and ultimately they detract from a raft of dazzling riffs courtesy of Andy Lux. Don Vito does boast the perfect rock voice and on Who The Hell Are You it shines through. But that’s the penultimate track on this frustrating record and by then too many potential fans will have been lost.

Snew might do what they want but perhaps it’s time they do what they should – play to their strengths and stop trying so hard to ape their classic rock heroes.

rushonrock rated: 6/10 Mixing The Old And The Snew

Disturbed – Disturbed (Reprise)

Although it’s difficult to imagine who this is aimed at (Disturbed die-hards will have everything here anyway and potential new converts may feel seven songs is an all-too-brief ‘Best Of”) there’s no doubting the quality of this career resume.

Taking tracks from each of Disturbed’s four studio albums to date there’s ample evidence that these boys know their heavy metal inside out. From the raw aggression of debut The Sickness – Down With The Sickness and Stupify appear here – to the polished fury of Indestructible this is one band with a steely vision and a stunning repertoire.

With new album Asylum due later this year there’s no doubt this low price seven-track sampler is a timely reminder of Disturbed’s place at the head of the modern heavy metal table. But ‘Best Ofs’ don’t come around very often and this smacks of a commercially driven rush job rather than a careful compilation of their very best work.

rushonrock rated: 7/10 Down With The Slick-ness

Clonecircle – Behind The Wire (Danmark Music Group)

The title track of this ‘Alice Cooper meets industrial-tinged Battle Metal’ opus promises so much but quantity far outweighs quality come the final throes of a disappointingly one-dimensional offering from the intriguing Clonecircle.

Every so often an ear-piercing synth or an ill-judged key spoils what could be a hard rocking, mind bending metal journey and the fusion of styles ultimately dilutes the best moments of a band with obvious potential.

As vocalist and keyboard king Martin Hellgren is, therefore, responsible for the best and worst of Behind The Wire. There’s brooding emotion in his haunting Cooper-esque vocal delivery and as a singer he rarely fails. But those manufactured electro notes do nothing to develop the Clonecircle sound and often appear to hamper Hellgren.

Your Own Worst Enemy is the track you need to hear in order to recognise this band’s true value but it’s a rare snippet of brilliance amidst a fog of mediocrity.

rushonrock rated: 5/10 Metal Clones

]]> http://rushonrock.com/2010/05/09/rock-solid-75/feed/ 0 http://rushonrock.com/2010/04/07/rock-solid-dvd-edition-2/ http://rushonrock.com/2010/04/07/rock-solid-dvd-edition-2/#comments Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:33:42 +0000 simon http://rushonrock.com/?p=4972 We don’t get to watch too many DVDs at rushonrock HQ but when we do we enjoy nothing more than a slice of real life live action.

And this month there’s a couple of cracking films out there as the UK’s ultimate rock and roll troubadour goes head to head with a bunch of skater thrash legends.

For the official lowdown on Frank Turner and Suicidal Tendencies on film read on.

Suicidal Tendencies – Live At The Olympic Auditorium (Suicidal Records)

Incredibly this is the first time legendary thrash crossover posse Suicidal Tendencies have been captured in all of their raw live glory and almost 30 years after their inception it’s high time the Venice CA band get their stab at DVD immortality.

And it’s well worth the wait. Frontman Mike Muir has always been one of rock’s most engaging characters and he cajoles the Olympic Auditorium crowd through 75 minutes of metal thrashing mad action. Kicking off with the uncompromising I Shot Reagan and ripping straight into the classic War Inside My Head this is truly mesmerising stuff. It’s not for those of a weak disposition but if you have the stomach for some pure rock fury then this is the DVD for you.

There are no extras – and why would you need them – as this is a film dedicated to capturing a band so at home in their favourite environment. The crowd is pumped up but the band is wild – twin guitarists Mike Clark and Dean Pleasants do a brilliant job backing madman Muir.

Bringing the curtain down on a cracking show with Pledge Your Allegiance this is a simple concept delivered with aplomb. And as a means of ushering in next year’s 30th anniversary celebrations it’s a pretty clever tool.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Suicidal’s Watch

Frank Turner – Take To The Road Live 2009 (Xtra Mile Recordings)

Frank Turner is on a roll right now – both creatively and commercially – and this DVD/CD package is the perfect career resume for a singer/songwriter rapidly reaching the top of his game.

Two full live sets, from Shepherd’s Bush Empire last October and the Union Chapel two months later, encapsulate the emotion and professionalism Turner tends to deliver in equal measure. There’s plenty of overlapping but the former Million Dead man has a knack for making every song of every set ever so slightly different.

Throw in seven promo clips and three short but sweet tour diaries and if you’ve never come across Turner before then this is the perfect introduction to one of the UK’s most relevant performers. Part entertainer, part mouthpiece for the modern generation, Turner tackles matters of the heart and political hot potatoes with equal voracity and aplomb.

Both sets feature The Ballad Of Me And My Friends – it’s the set closer at the Union Chapel – and if you want to assess Turner on one song then check this out. It’s superb but then there’s barely a dull moment on either the DVD or CD. Excellent stuff.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Turner Prize

As every good North East lad should be.

To hear our favourite blogger’s views on Alan Hull and co. read on.

With the new JOP album, Festival, gaining critical acclaim across the world and a full raft of Savatage reissues on the way 2010 is already shaping up to be a big year for the big man.

We caught up with Jon Oliva to bring you the latest rushonrock exclusive. Enjoy. rushonrock: Did you always intend Festival to follow on so soon from Global Warning?

Jon Oliva: You never expect anything in this business but I just wanted to produce an album which was a little bit different and it happened pretty quickly. I didn’t want to repeat myself – I never have done. I just worked really hard to make sure this was the best record I could make at that time. Festival is basically a brand new album with a few bits and pieces Cris (Oliva) recorded before his death.

rushonrock: How do you maintain quality and quantity in terms of songwriting year in, year out?

JO: I’m just very lucky when it comes to writing for some reason. I don’t know what it is but I’ve been blessed in some way with a particular talent. I never really run out of ideas and shit just seems to pop up. The last thing you want to happen as a musician or a songwriter is for that to change – you don’t want the lake to dry up.

rushonrock: Does your versatility ensure that lake never runs dry?

JO: I want absolutely to be versatile and I make a point of doing different things from one album to the next. I don’t want people to know what to expect from one of my records – I want people to be thinking ‘what’s he going to do next?’. With a Slayer album I know what to expect and I know what I’m going to hear. That’s Ok but it’s not how I work. Keeping people guessing and remaining versatile has always been important to me. It keeps me fresh and even with Savatage that’s what we used to do – I know that band was a little more one-dimensional than JOP but we liked to experiment with styles.

rushonrock: JOP continues to push rock’s boundaries – how do you do that?

JO: The guys that I’m playing with in JOP come from a lot of different backgrounds and play a number of varied styles. I bring a song to the table and think ‘let’s see what these guys can do with this’. I’m working with guys who’ve contributed to everything from jazz to Top 40 to death metal and the rest.

rushonrock: Festival follows your model of diversity and keeping the fans guessing with songs such as Now sitting alongside some pretty heavy stuff – has it worked out how you imagined?

JO: I don’t know why it became the record it is but Now is an interesting one. I wasn’t going to use that song on Festival at all. I was thinking about giving that one to Trans Siberian Orchestra. But when I demoed it up with the guys there was something about the way we did it as a band which persuaded me to use it on Festival. I thought I’d use it as the last song and see what happens. It’s the same with Look For Nothing – that was a song I just laid down with my drummer and it was another we demoed up for TSO. But I listened back to what we’d done and decided that I wanted the song for myself!

rushonrock: Can you pigeon-hole Jon Oliva’s Pain as a band or do you set out to make sure that doesn’t happen?

JO: I would hate it if you could pigeon hole this band! We’ve put six years into establishing our own identity and we’ve worked very hard for that. This started out as one solo album and has become something very important. I’ve played with these guys for a year or two now and the fact is I’ve become very fond of them as people and musicians. Festival is our fourth record and this is by far the strongest we’ve made to date. Because I care so much about the guys in my band it makes it easier for me to focus on the future and plan ahead. It’s not just me I need to worry about!

rushonrock: How did you settle on the name Pain for your band?

JO: It actually started out as a joke. When we were doing the first record we wanted to call ourselves Taj Mahal – it was the same situation as when we wanted to call Savatage by the name Avatar. Anyway it turned out there was a blues guitarist called Taj Mahal – it was two days before the CD was due to be pressed and we didn’t have a name we could use. We just couldn’t settle on anything and I said ‘this is a pain in the ass’. The other guys said why don’t we call the band Pain In The Ass and that became Pain. Everyone calls us JOP anyway which I like – a bit like ELP if you like.

Tigertailz were in sparkling form at Prestatyn before Christmas and the band will play a headline show in Newcastle on July 2.

And rushonrock understands the Welsh band’s confirmation means promoters are pressing ahead with longstanding plans to deliver a two-day festival on Tyneside. Names in the frame include recent visitors The Crave, New Generation Superstars and local faves Fables Last Stand. Organisers are remaining tight lipped on just who might headline day two but talks are taking place with a big name artist to lead the charge on July 3.

US stars Love/Hate were strongly rumoured to be hot favourites to headline a festival mooted for August but it appears that tie-up is dead in the water.

And now rock fans across the North East will be keeping their fingers crossed that the region will finally be joining the summer festival circuit.