Tracer Back By Popular Demand!

  Christiaan Webb Solo Album

  2011 “The Year The Music Died”

  Hot Off The Press: #1

  Anarchy, Seether & Meat Loaf!

  Roxy Music: Complete 1972-1982

  Graceland: 25th Anniversary

  Nanci Griffith New Album in ‘12

  Be Heard & Seen, Ask Gene!

  Lindi Ortega: Live in Lvrpl

  DiFranco New 2012 Album

  Lost Alone: OTW: 2012

  Lanterns on The Lake: Live/Lvrpl

  Pete Townshend Saves Music!

  Stop the Rock? Nope!

  Dirty Three New LP in 2012

  Last Live Shows Of 2011

  Best Albums of 2011

  Korn: The Path Of Totality

  Rodrigo y Gabriela Tour 2012

  Nickelback: Here & Now

  Within Temptation Live

  Volbeat & Toploader Live!

  Hard Rock Night! Live & Livid!

  Rock Local! Wrexham Central

  Seasick Steve Live

  Other Lives in Manchester

  Black Country Communion - Live!

  The Suzukis Inspired Live Show

  Sound City 2011 Review

  Drive-By Truckers in Liverpool

  Sarabeth Tucek Live

  Glamour Of The Kill: Live At Last!

  My Chemical Romance Live

  Ocean Colour Scene Live 2011

  In A Big Country: Live 2011

  Thin Lizzy: The Boys Are Back…

  The Pretty Reckless Live

  Goo Goo Dolls Live in Liverpool


Alanis Morissette JAGGED LITTLE PILL 10 YEAR COMMEMORATIVE ACOUSTIC EDITION. Maverick

When I received this particular CD I immediately thought, ‘Oh No!’ Why would anyone try to replicate an album that sold millions ten years ago? And especially since several of the songs from JAGGED LITTLE PILL have been previously released in unplugged versions. It seems I was not alone amongst reviewers in thinking this was a brash, young marketing exec’s stupid idea. Well, after listening to the album several times I’ve decided I was wrong to jump to such critical assertions.

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Nancy Wilson Sings Songs Of Lost Love and Great Blues Ballads

Nancy Wilson GUESS WHO I SAW TODAY - WILSON SINGS SONGS OF LOST LOVE. Capitol

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Co-Exist SURGICAL REMOVAL OF TEETH… Undergroove

SURGICAL REMOVAL OF TEETH, TOENAILS AND THE DRILLING OF THE KNEECAPS

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V Festival Weston Park. 20-21 August 2005



On its tenth anniversary the V Festival at Weston Park, Staffordshire beckoned to savour its radio-friendly ambience. The fact that it is almost within earshot of my home base was a strong incentive to attend, especially after experiencing dire overnight stays in cars and tents at previous events (most recently at the Download Festival where the ground was so hard, and the passenger jets coming in to land so frigging loud). The V Festival’s musical menu was predictable comprising mainly of the hyper-hyped and over-sold. But there were also a few surprise inclusions that made this an unusually diverse festival.

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Sonic Youth GOO - DELUXE EDITION. Geffen

A few years ago I covered the Witnness music festival in Dublin. As I trekked through churned mud to the next performance Glen Hansard of top Irish band the Frames flew past me. Trying to grab an opportunity to poke a few questions at him, I shouted if he could pause for a minute. He replied, “sorry mate, Sonic Youth is about to perform. Gotta see ‘em.” Taking his lead, I hastily changed direction and followed in his muddy wake to catch my first Sonic Youth live performance. I was pretty well blown away by a band that performed in near-darkness to a capacity Irish audience. When I returned to the UK I immediately started to fill this gaping void in my music collection with GOO being my first (and ultimately most prized) acquisition.

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Stephen Fretwell MAGPIE. Polydor

It must be over two years ago when I caught a Fretwell live performance in Liverpool or Manchester. He was second support to I can’t remember who, but I liked the performance, and remember having to hurriedly extricate my camera from a zipped bag to take a few pictures. He then disappeared as mysteriously as he had arrived, and has now reappeared with a large label contract and a pretty fair new album.

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Jazz The Best Of The Best: New Blue Note Releases

It’s been a strange year for rock releases. There have been some exceptional albums but I cannot remember a year when the vast majority have been so poor. And a year when even Coldplay couldn’t light my fire. It’s at times like these that I look to modern jazz for inspiration, along with some serious table-thumping and carpet-tapping. And right now I’m surrounded by the contents of one treasure chest of a padded postal packet.

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