This week's iconic vinyl marks the birth of Rainbow. Ritchie Blackmore tired of his role in Deep Purple sought new musical and lyrical directions and found the perfect vocal and songwriter partner in the late, great Ronnie James Dio.
Here we have the original, gatefold release on Purple Records dated 1975.
The album has since been reissued on vinyl, cd, cassette and of course digital download
https://www.discogs.com/release/1575890-Rainbow-Ritchie-Blackmores-Rainbow
This week’s iconic vinyl goes to “A Quiet Night In”.
This compilation album featured the finest collection of songs from the Bronze label roster in the early 80s .
Included in the 16 song collection of head bangers are the likes of Motörhead, Angel Witch and Uriah Heep. This album also features the Motörhead/Girlschool song “Please Don’t Touch”
Even the album cover is iconic, depicting a metal head time capsule of the late 70s/early 80s living room
Sadly this album is long since out of issue and was never released on CD or digital so this is a vinyl only treasure
https://www.discogs.com/release/2032418-Various-A-Quiet-Night-In
“It’s a hell of a ride and, if it doesn’t get the adrenaline flowing,
you may want to check your pulse.” – Sonic Abuse
“Troy at his rockiest yet, the pace leaving you breathless,
as the sheer energy blows you away.” – Metal Planet Music
Invocation is the name of the exhilarating and highly anticipated brand-new 11-track album from slide guitar virtuoso Troy Redfern. The album, released by RED7 Records on Friday 17th May 2024, will be available in limited edition coloured vinyl, black vinyl, plus two different CD artwork designs. All formats are available to pre-order from www.troyredfern.com.
The third single from the album "The Strange" is released Thursday 4 January 2024 and is available to stream HERE.
Watch “The Strange” official music video on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XH5PEpIyVI.
Says Troy, “The Strange is about the realisation that a relationship is falling apart in slow motion. Despite how difficult it may seem to break away, it’s about the sense that life is slipping by is an ever-present feeling.”
"The Strange" explodes with bold, powerful guitars and a slide guitar melody that suggests we’re not in Kansas anymore. This is blues rock, but not as we know it. Troy is known for taking his disparate array of influences and throwing them into his fiery musical furnace to forge something that is both authentic and unique. “The Strange” is no exception! Sure, there are elements of blues, glam, and hard rock but the result is a sound that is unmistakeably his own. Everything recorded is organic. No drum samples or studio trickery, just pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll.
Troy has proved time and time again that his cup of inspiration is not only full, but runneth over, writing and release albums at an unprecedented pace and judging by the strength of “The Strange” and the two previous singles “Getaway” and “The Fever,” the new album Invocation, promises to be his best yet.
“Redfern mixes the spirit of T. Rex’s Get It On with dirty, ZZ Top-esque blues rock
– all of it nicely roughened, like something cooked up in a shack in rural Texas…” – Classic Rock
“With a classic rock vibe, Redfern owns this blues-infused rocker with gritty vocals.
A rockstar in the making, he burns up the fretboard with fiery slide guitar chops.” – Rock and Blues Muse
Over the course of last two albums The Fire Cosmic (2021) and Wings of Salvation (2022) Troy found his true voice stylistically in terms of writing and playing, but with Invocation he created a collection of outstanding new songs that carves out his own identity as to who he really is an artist.
Troy head to the west Wales coast with his trusty 1929 National Triolian resonator guitar for a week of solitude in a remote Sheppard’s hut to sketch the initial song ideas for the new album.
“It was important for me to really clear my mind of all distractions so I could really focus on what I wanted to write on this album and the direction I wanted to take it in.” says Troy.
“I tried some unorthodox approaches to song writing that included meditation where I would imagine hearing a song in my mind, as complete as possible including visualising the performance live. Next, I would pick up the guitar and capture the idea on my phone. That way I wasn’t led by what I would usually do when I pick up the guitar. It was a very freeing, powerful experience, and a discipline that I’ll use again to write more songs in the future.
For the new album, Troy decided that he’d bring back the production team that worked on The Wings of Salvation. Dave Marks was brought back again for production duties, along with Jo Webb for mixing and mastering. Lee Russel’s Dulcitone Studios in Kettering was again the logical choice to record Paul Stewart’s (The Feeling) drum tracks as the converted chapel has the perfect ambience for huge sounding rock drums.
Due to the streamlined process that Troy and producer Dave Marks employed on the previous album, Invocation was written, recorded, and mixed in just under six weeks.
“It really was great to be able to realise and bring to fruition these songs as quickly as we did,” recalls Troy. “It kept the ideas fresh and stopped them from becoming overworked and tired.”
With ‘Invocation’ Troy explores fresh musical territory, from the heavy, bone crushing slide riffs and big sing along choruses on “Van Helsing” and “Getaway” to the evocative, wind-swept western landscapes of “The Native” and “Blind Me.” After three albums in three years Troy continues to expand his musical horizons and keep his creative fire burning.
ALBUM TRACK BY TRACK
THE STRANGE
The opening tune on the record explodes with a soaring slide motif that conjures up elements of 70’s glam, blues but with a unique melodic spin. I wanted to make a bold musical statement with this song. I condensed a lot of ideas that I had for this one down to simple, memorable lines to make it as strong as I could. This song really is a melting pot of a lot of my influences from the past forged into something new.
GETAWAY
This song is straight up rock ‘n’ roll. I’d just bought a 60’s Teisco guitar, I restrung it, plugged it in and this was the first riff that came out of it.’ Continues Troy ‘It’s strange how different instruments almost have songs in them, there to be revealed when the time is right. Getaway deals with themes of starting over, being reborn after going through the trials of life.
VAN HELSING
The deceptively quiet resonator intro soon gives way to one of the biggest guitar riffs on the record. Van Helsing is a powerhouse of a song, dark and brooding until the chorus breaks through to reveal one of the biggest choruses on the album. With Van Helsing I wanted to explore a heavier, darker aspect of my writing. I’ve always loved the vibe of heavy riffs, and this certainly is that. To me the chorus is one of the strongest choruses that I’ve written, I worked hard on the harmonies to nail the vibe I was looking for.
THE CALLING
I’ve always wanted to write a slow motion, epic kind of a tune. The Calling was a song that was born out of that desire. This song is about escaping the technological net we all live in, and to get out into the wilderness to reset and get perspective on what’s important in life.
NATIVE
This track fades into a western post-apocalyptic western audio landscape, with tribal drums and tremolo guitar setting the scene. This song was another that seem to just fall out. I plugged in the ’62 Silvertone Jupiter guitar and started playing and the idea formed completely organically in the moment. It feels very special when that happens, and now that it’s been road tested, I know that audiences are picking up on the vibe of this track.’
THE FEVER
This is a slide guitar blues barn-buster with subtle nuances of rock, glam and psychedelia. Lyrically, itdeals with themes of emancipation and breaking out. It’s Troy Redfern full-circle blues rock and roll!
The Fever is about pushing back and breaking through all the obstacles when you're feeling held down. It’s about feeling as if it’s you against the world.
ALL NIGHT LONG
Coming out of the gates hard and fast like a Dodge Charger, All Night Long combines hard rock ‘n’ roll with slide guitar fury! When I wrote this song, I always imagined it a set opener. It’s got power and edge, but also a big sing along chorus’ states Troy. ‘For this track I decided to my trusty Fender Strat which has a different texture to my other guitars, it gave the song a unique sound.
BLIND ME
Blind Me is a song about the dark side of love. It’s about finding out things aren’t what they seemed, and the brutal reality of finding out the truth. This is the first time that I’ve strayed into ‘country’ territory, I usually like to leave it well alone, but again this song came to me with its style locked in. Once I’d recorded the initial idea, I knew what this song was asking to be.
VOODOO PRIESTESS
A voodoo hellraiser of a blues boogie coated in Tiki/psychobilly paraphernalia. Voodoo Priestess is a tale of coming under the spell of a temptress who uses otherworldly powers to ensnare her victim. Resistance is futile, because as we know, the female of the species is more deadly than the male.
TAKE ME HIGH
This straight ahead, upbeat rocker celebrates the power of the endorphin rush of new love. Muscular slide riffs syncopate the verses adding to the intensity of the delivery but also contrasting the uplifting openness of the chorus. The verse on this song came first, initially as a nod to Bo Diddley, but soon morphed into its own thing. I’d had the chorus melody floating around for some time and it seemed just to snap into place with this one.
THE LAST STAND
The closing tracking track on the album was originally written to a drum loop to create a hypnotic groove which is re-enforced by the repeating guitar line played on the ’64 Teisco guitar. The song deals in themes of revenge and vengeance and plays out like an old western movie. There’s a slightly mysterious vibe on this track, a sense of uneasiness which is echoed in the eastern style slide solo.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Dave Marks at Two Wolves Studios
Mixed and mastered by Jo Webb at XXX Studios
Drums recorded at Dulcitone Studios by Lee Russel
Troy Redfern – Vocals/Guitars
Dave Marks – Bass, Keys, Percussion
Paul Stewart – Drums
Blending classic heavy metal, hard rock, and 80’s hair metal, Striker has been making shredtacular anthems since 2007. The band has toured multiple times across Europe and North America, chosen to open for Metallica in their hometown of Edmonton, AB, Canada along with many festival appearances that include 70,000 Tons of Metal, Wacken Open Air (Germany), Bang Your Head Festival (Germany), and more to add to the almost 1000 shows performed in their decade-plus career. The band has been honoured with multiple Best Album awards in their home country of Canada from the JUNO Awards(The Canadian equivalent to the American Grammy), Western Canadian Music Awards, and the Edmonton Music Awards.
Striker is kicking off 2024 with their seventh studio album "ULTRAPOWER", which follows their Juno Award-winning self-released full-length "Play to Win" (2018) released on their label Record Breaking Records. The new album also features the band's latest lineup addition of long-time friend and guitarist John Simon Fallon (The Order of Chaos). For the band's seventh full-length, they teamed up with producer Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Tallah, King 810), entering the studio in March 2023. With the band writing material since 2018, "ULTRAPOWER" is a collection of five years of Striker tinkering and exploring new avenues.
"ULTRAPOWER is the amalgamation of 5 years of writing and exploring music. With influences from AOR to Speed Metal, Hardcore to Hair Metal, Steely Dan to Deathcore, you name it, it made its way into the album. In the end with the help of Josh Schroeder’s guiding hand, we melted it all together to present something uniquely Striker. Lyrically we’ve stuck to the Striker tradition of writing montage songs for movies that don’t exist, songs about our spiraling serfdom, and lyrics about the evils that lurk in the shadows." adds the band.
"ULTRAPOWER" follows Strikers six studio albums Eyes in the Night (2010, Iron Kodex), Armed to The Teeth (2012, Napalm), City of Gold (2014, Napalm), Stand in the Fire (2016, Record Breaking), Striker (2017, Record Breaking), and Play to Win (2018, Record Breaking).
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
1. Circle of Evil - Circle of Evil is a Malmsteen-esque metal banger about secret societies and the evil dealings behind closed doors.
2. BEST of the BEST of the BEST - It’s right in the name. This one is about being the best of the best. Serving up some big riffs and hockey arena vocals that make you want to plow through the cars stopped in front of you making you late for work.
3. Give it All - Give it All is a song written for the soundtrack of an 80s action movie that doesn’t exist. It’s for the kid risking it all to win the big game, or the down-and-out cop that’s gotta push it to the limit to survive.
4. Blood Magic - Blood Magic is maybe one of Striker's most “progressive” songs, taking cues from bands like King Diamond the song structure is unconventional and punctuated with guitar solos. How many guitar solos are too many? Guess you’ll find out.
5. Sucks to Suck - We wrote Sucks to Suck as a joke song about vasectomies in 2020 I think. We wrote it and forgot about it until one day I woke up with it stuck in my head. After 2 years without listening to it, it just appeared back in my brain. I took that as a sign, that we had to go back and see what we could do with it. Obviously, it’s not about vasectomies anymore but it’s still got the hooks! Now it’s about how people don’t realize how shitty they are and ultimately you’re one of those people yourself!
6. Ready for Anything - Ready for Anything is a song about taking life by the horns and kicking it’s ass. It’s a pounding Striker classic about keeping your head up and smashing through life even when things suck. Big riffs, big melodies, big vocals. Lets gooooo.
7. City Calling - City Calling is a song that came out of our obsession with late 80s AOR and pop rock. Bands like Toto or even Kenny Loggins put out these hook-powered albums and we’ve always wanted to take a piece of that style and mold it into our own creation. This isn’t a metal song. It’s an ode to 1987.
8. Turn the Lights Out - Turn the Lights Out is Striker checking back in with ourselves from 2010. “Hey dudes, are we still shredding?” This one is about having hope for the future, making it through another day, and getting back at it in the morning.
9. THUNDERDOME - The label called and said “You guys need a song about Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome!” and we said, “We already wrote a song called Road Warrior are you sure?” to which they said “Bring me pictures of Spiderman!” and slammed their fists on the desk. So we don’t know why it’s about that other than it’s sick! This one also has some of Dan’s strangest most ACDC/Accept style vocals ever.
10. Live to Fight Another Day - Originally this was just a regular Striker song. Tim had the idea that we should just try turning it into a synthwave track. It fits like a glove. We’ve always been into Synthwave but never had the guts to do it ourselves. Until now! This is our first attempt at it and we are stoked about how it turned out. This one is another track about keeping it together and taking on life one day at a time.
11. Brawl at the Pub - To close out the album, we’ve got the spiritual successor to the fan favorite “The Keg that Crushed New York”. This song is quite literally about a brawl at the pub. It’s weird, it's fun, it shreds. Don’t take it too seriously, we’re just here for a good time.
ULTRAPOWER Album Band Line Up:
Dan Cleary - Vocals
Tim Brown - Guitar
John Simon Fallon - Guitar
Pete Klassen - Bass
Jono Webster - Drums
Live Band Line Up:
Dan Cleary - Vocals
Tim Brown - Guitar
John Simon Fallon - Guitar
Pete Klassen - Bass
Embracing Acoustic Depths
The transition to an acoustic style in 'The Pilgrims Memories' is a deliberate expansion of Ancient Settlers' musical concept. Guitarist Carlos Chiesa-Estomba reflects on this evolution, noting that while the band has experimented with acoustic elements before, 'The Pilgrims Memories' is their first full album in this style. This acoustic exploration is seen as a necessary step in the band's journey, aligning with the evolving concept that defines their music.
A Tapestry of Human Wisdom
'The Pilgrims Memories' serves as the cornerstone of Ancient Settlers' upcoming EP, 'Tales From The Earth'. This collection of songs delves into the profound aspects of humanity, particularly wisdom. It celebrates the knowledge shared by those who have traversed life, learning and growing from their experiences. The EP is a tribute to the wisdom of the ages, encapsulated in melodies that evoke the mystique of the human soul.
Conveying a Message of Respect
Through 'The Pilgrims Memories', Ancient Settlers aim to convey a deep sense of respect for those who dedicate their lives to sharing wisdom. The band acknowledges the value of time and the generosity of those who offer guidance and advice, seeing it as a vital part of the human experience.
Diverse Musical Inspirations
The creation of 'The Pilgrims Memories' draws from a variety of musical influences. While specific artists like Ryuichi Sakamoto and various gothic acts are mentioned, the band's inspiration comes from a broader, more eclectic range. This diversity is reflected in the unique sound of the track, blending different styles and genres.
The Band's Journey
Based in Spain, Ancient Settlers is composed of Carlos Chiesa-Estomba on guitars, Herman Riera on drums, Miguel Herrera on bass, Agustin Martinez on guitar, and Argen Death as the female voice singer. Known for their divergent approach to melodic death metal, the band has consistently pushed the boundaries of the genre. 'The Pilgrims Memories' is a testament to their creative evolution, offering listeners an enchanting acoustic experience that expands the band's audience.
With 'The Pilgrims Memories', Ancient Settlers invites listeners on an acoustic journey filled with wisdom and melody. This new chapter in their musical saga is not just a departure from their usual style but a reflection of their growth and exploration as artists. Fans of Eleine, Nightwish, and The Gathering will find a unique blend of nature-inspired melodies and acoustic elegance in this latest offering from Ancient Settlers.
Follow:
Website: www.ancientsettlers.com
Bandcamp: https://ancientsettlers.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AncientSettlers/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ancientsettlers/null
Spotify: open.spotify.com/intl-es/artist/2tnmS1TH4J9mA3UzCcPcpm?si=4SZyW0Z_Sz2ZYZful3PdkQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ancientsettlers/?hl=es
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ancientsettlers
Beyond the Music from ROx now has a special Facebook group that allows musicians and the music industry to share ideas, thoughts, tips and issues
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1031290091503230/?ref=share_group_link
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Members:
Vo. Kazu Rock
Dr. Kozo Suganuma
G. Tsuyoshi Hayashi
B. Keiichiro Fujita
Key. Akira Ishiguro
Band Profile:
In June 2013, the band successfully organised a live event at a long-established hall in Osaka, Royal Horse, without any supporting acts. Following that, the band performed in Izumo, Shimane in July. In September, they played together with the celebrated guitarist of Dead End, Yuji Adachi.
In 2014, the recording of their first album began with Kazu Rock and Kozo Suganuma as producers. The album, Rock Will Never Die, was released on December 11, 2015. Currently the band is preparing for an Album Release Tour starting in March 2016.
Member profiles:
Vo: Kazu Rock
Started singing in rock bands during his high school days. Later, with his original band Heaven and Hell, Kazu started performing live shows in the Kinki region. Influenced by Ronnie James Dio, Graham Bonnet, Rob Rock, David Coverdale, Genki Hitomi. Kazu Rock also sings with an emotional shouting style. He has been a songwriter, arranger and band leader since his youth.
In his late 30s, he performed a vocalist of Saints & Sinners, a Whitesnake tribute band.
In 2012, the year he formed MARCHING OUT, he performed as an opening act for Kyoji Yamamoto and Shake. His vocal technique has been praised by many musicians, among whom are Kozo Suganuma, Minoru Niihara , Masayoshi Yamashita., Hiroyuki Otsuki, Yuji Adachi, SHAKE,Doogie White.
Dr: Kozo Suganuma
Joined MARCHING OUT in October 2012.
Born in Osaka, Kozo started playing drums at the age of eight and made his professional debut at 15. Since then, he has taken a part in a number of studio projects, tours and jam sessions.
Due to his marvellous hand speed and control, with frequent use of irregular tempos, he is known as Te-Kaz-Oh, the King of Many Strokes, and has released a number of drum manuals and instruction DVDs. Kozo administers a drum school, Drum Dojo, which has six branches in Japan.
As a drum clinician, Kozo is enthusiastic about participating and playing at festivals and clinics both inside and outside Japan. He has performed, while sitting on the panel, at the Asian Beat Band Competition three times. Other festivals he has performed at are the world’s biggest jazz festival, Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland; Drum Summit 2 (2014) in Beijing; and Drum Festivals in the Chinese cities of Wenzhou and Dalian and the Taiwanese cities of Kaohsiung and Taipei in 2015. Through these, he has played with some of the world’s top-notch drummers, such as David Garibald, Billy Cobham, Dave Weckl, Sonny Emory, Steve Jorda, Jerry Brown, Simon Phillips, Benny Greb, Tommy Igoe, Peter Erskine, Russ Miller etc.
He has also supported many very well-known Japanese artists, such as LOUDNESS、 TOSHI(X JAPAN), DREAMS COME TRUE, CHAGE&ASKA, GACKT etc.
He has released four solo albums. The guest musicians who played on his albums are Billy Sheehan, Scott Kinsey, Lincoln Goins, Bob Malach, Akira Takasaki, Thomas Lang, Jeremy Cloake etc.
G: Tsuyoshi Hayashi
Joined MARCHING OUT in November 2014.
A graduate of MI (Musicians Institute) Japan. At the age of 19, Tsuyoshi won a prize in a contest held by the Japanese music magazine Young Guitar. At the age of 22, he became a guitar instructor at MI Japan. Later, with his original band, Peeping-Pig, Tsuyoshi started seriously working on his own songs, and wrote theme songs and interval songs for radio drama series and theatre performances (he himself performed live for several theatre performances) while appearing on DVDs released by Young Guitar. Currently, in addition to teaching at music school, he is active as a guitarist in local Aichi FM radio DJ James Haven’s James Band, technical fusion band Mi Gente, anime song band Odessa, etc.
In 2012, he released a solo album entitled Mighty Warrior. He started running guitar lesson articles/DVDs issued by the Japanese music magazines Young Guitar and Guitar Magazine. He also sat on the panel at Git Masters, an guitar audition for new faces held by MI Japan and Young Guitar. In 2014, he secured an endorsement deal with ESP Guitars, a Japanese guitar manufacturer. In 2015, Tsuyoshi joined MARCHING OUT with Kozo Suganuma on drums. He arranged and recorded the guitars on the first album, which was released on December 11, 2015.
B: Keiichiro Fujita
Joined MARCHING OUT in June 2014.
Started playing the violin when he was still a child. During his high school days, Keiichiro came to realise the pleasures of band music. After graduating from high school, he flew to the US to study music and mastered subjects including jazz and Latin music there. Besides jazz and funk, which are his fortes, Keiichiro plays a wide variety of music, from pop to heavy metal.
In 2009 he won the grand prize at the Best Player's Contest held by Ritto Music, and can truly be called the best bass player in reality as well as in name. As a part-time bass instructor, he has taught at Hokkaido High School of Art and Sapporo School of Music, devoting efforts to raising the next generation of great musicians.
He has played together with il Bosstino (Tha Blue Herb), Luis Valle, ZOOCO, Akira Jimbo, Joe Yamanaka etc.
Key: Akira Ishiguro
Joined MARCHING OUT in July 2015.
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music with a bachelor’s degree in Composition. After working as a demonstrator at Korg, he has taken a part in a number of jam sessions, tours and studio projects, playing together with musicians from various genres.
In 1992 and 1993, he was an associate member of Seikima-Ⅱ ( He called Lecter H earl).
In 1999, he played again with them at their last concert, The Ultimate Black Mass, and in 2015 on their 30th anniversary Zenseki Shikei reunion tour.
Various leading guitarists in Japan have great trust in Akira. For example, he has collaborated with Akira Wada/Prism for about 10 years. He also supported Hiroaki Tagawa, Kyoji Yamamoto and Kenji Kitajima at their 30th Anniversary Concert, and Guthrie Govan—a top-notch American guitarist—on his Japan tour in December 2015 and January 2016.
W.A.S.P. has always been a band that embraced the raw power of heavy metal while pushing the boundaries of its creative vision. Bonus Tra...
