Music News Blog

What’s happening in the world of prog and other related scenes. News about gigs, record releases, new videos and band changes.

Happy Birthday Heather and Kim

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Tim Hall

Touchstone Farewell Gig

Two of progressive rock’s much-loved singers, Heather Findlay and Kim Seviour, share a birthday today. Here’s the two of them sharing a stage at The Assembly in Leamington Spa last November.

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Pre-order Salvation Jayne’s new EP “Dahlia”

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Tim Hall

Salvayion Jayne DahliaKent-based blues-rockers Salvation Jayne are now taking pre-orders for their EP “Dahlia”.

I encoutered this band entirely by accident when they were playing a gig with a mix or originals and covers at The George Hotel in Ashford the nighr before The Ramblin’ Man Fair last July.

Their first EP “I’ll Be Damned” is also well worth a listen.

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Purson reveal cover artwork for “Desire’s Magic”

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Tim Hall

Psychedelic rockers Purson have revealed the cover for their forthcoming album “Desire’s Magic”. According to the band, “it sounds like it looks”.

Purson will be playing an album launch gig at The 100 Club on March 16th.

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Fantasise to Realise

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Tim Hall

Former Touchstone singer Kim Seviour is releasing a single “Fantasise to Realise” om Marth 7th, with the album to follow in the summer.

It’s co-written and produced by the incredibly prolific John Mitchell, who I’m sure is in about seventeen dfferent bands because nobody else can keep up with him.

You can pre-order a signed copy of the limited-edition CD from White Star Records.

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Gloryhammer to support Blind Guardian in May

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Tim Hall

What better than the band who made a concept album about undead uncorns touring in support of the band who once set Tolkien’s Silmarillion to music?

The tour take in Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin and Nottingham, finishing at The Forum in Kentish town on May 22nd.

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Ramblin’ Man Fair – More bands announced

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Tim Hall

The most significant is the announcement of Family as the Sunday night headliner on the Prog stage.

It’s a rather disappointing bill compared with last year. With the exception of Von Hertzen Brothers, a band whose appeal has always rather escaped me, the top three on the prog stage on both nights are all legacy acts. It’s true that Uriah Heep continue to release albums and aren’t guaranteed to play a set they could have played in 1974, but it’s unlikely to be as focussed on newer material as Marilion’s superb set last year. It doesn’t do much to suggest progressive rock is a living form of music, rather it’s a nostalgia-fest for the middle-aged who want to relive their youth. The younger and more interesting bands are too few in number and too low down the bill.

Uriah Heep, Purson and The Fierce and the Dead are worth seeing, but their will be other opportunities to pay far less money to see see them play longer sets.

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Support Bands Announced for the Panic Room Convention

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Tim Hall

Panic Room have announced rwo of the support bands for the Panic Room Convention at Bilston Robin 2 on May 21 and 22, joining Panic Room’s acoustic side-project Luna Rossa on the bill.

First, Panic Room guitarist Dave Foster with his own band, including drummer Leon Parr and vocalist Dinet Poortma, along with one or two members of Panic Room, playing material from his two solo albums “Gravity” and the forthcoming “Dreamless”.

And on the Sunday Night, Halo Blind, the project from singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Chris Johnson, featuring Panic Room’s Gavin Griffiths on drums. Although she wasn’t on their most recent album “Occupying Forces”, Anne-Marie Helder was a member of an earlier version of the band, and it would not be a surprise for her to join them on stage.

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RIP Piotr Grudzinski

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Tim Hall

Terrible news posted on Riverside’s Facebook Page.

In our deepest pain and disbelief we would like to inform you that our dearest friend and brother Piotr Grudzinski has passed away this morning. We kindly ask you to respect the privacy of his family and friends.

Sad and shocking. Riverside are one of the best contemporary bands in progressive rock to emerge in recent years. One of the highlights of last years’ Ramblin Man festival, and their album “Love, Fear and The Time Machine” was my album of the year for 2014. Piotr Grudzinski distinctive less-is-more style was a key part of their sound, with more than a hint of Rush’s Alex Lifeson about his playing

A terrible, tragic loss.

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Knifeworld news

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Tim Hall

Kavus Torabi’s psychedelic rockers have produced a teaser video for their forthcoming third album “Bottled out of Eden”. They’ve also announced an album launch gig at Bush Hall on Thursday 12th May

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Life as a female rocker

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Tim Hall

Chantel McGregor at Dorking Halls

Interesting interview with Chantel McGregor, Life as a female rocker, in The Daily Telegraph. Though it’s publised in the “Women’s and Lifestyle” pages, it’s still more about music than half the stuff published in The Guardian’s music pages nowadays.

Chantel explains one reason why there aren’t as many female lead guitarists as their should be; many electric guitars are designed by and for men, and are an awkward shape. As she says, “My guitar’s squashed my boobs for as long as I can remember“.

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