So quickly did they begin to win over their live audiences that soon they were invited to support almost every rock band that came to Belfast or Dublin . By this time, the brothers had released their first self financed album called “The Official Bootleg”. It was really just a demo that had been pressed onto vinyl and sold at their gigs. The first pressing of only 1000 (which had 10 tracks) sold so quickly that it had to be repressed time and time again (this time however with only 8 tracks). The album got the band noticed in England and in 1981 Mamas Boys were invited to tour the U.K. with Hawkwind. In 1982 the band released their second self financed album “Plug It In” which gained great reviews and spurned the hit single “Needle in The Groove”. Record labels were by now fighting over the band and this saw “Plug it in” repackaged and re-released in the U.K. by Ultranoise and by Virgin in France . Apart from headlining their own shows the band toured with Wishbone Ash and in 1983 they released their third album Turn it Up. By now the band were so popular that Phil Lynott personally asked them if they would be his support band on Thin Lizzys’ farewell tour which also included a slot at Reading Rock.
In the summer of 1984 singer Steve Overland and his brother, guitarist Chris (both
formerly of Wildlife) teamed up with drummer Pete Jupp (ex Wildlife and Samson)
and bassist Merv Goldsworthy (ex Diamond Head and Samson) to form FM. Joined
by the keyboard talents of Didge Digital, by December that year they had secured a
recording contract with CBS/Portrait and the band headed to Germany for a run of
dates with Meat Loaf.
Further tours with Tina Turner, Foreigner and Gary Moore built up the momentum. On
8 September 1986 FM released their debut album INDISCREET (featuring the hugely
popular single "Frozen Heart") to great critical acclaim and the year ended on a high
with FM supporting the white-hot Bon Jovi on their "Slippery When Wet" tour.
For the next nine years FM consolidated their position at the forefront of British
melodic rock, touring extensively as headliners and also joining bands such as Status
Quo and Whitesnake on tours to promote releases such as 1989's TOUGH IT OUT
album; TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS released in 1991 (with Andy Barnett on guitar
replacing the now-departed Chris Overland); APHRODISIAC in 1992 and what was
to be their 'final' album, 1995's DEAD MAN'S SHOES with new recruit Jem Davis
(Tobruk, UFO) on keyboards.
In 2007 - after a 12 year sabbatical - FM were persuaded to return to the stage for a
'one-off' headline performance at a sold-out Firefest IV at Nottingham Rock City.
The rapturous reception from the fans at Firefest led to FM quickly making the
decision to record a new album and following a return to Firefest in 2009, in March
2010 FM released their much-anticipated sixth studio album METROPOLIS with Jim
Kirkpatrick replacing Andy Barnett on lead guitar.
FM haven't stopped since… Headline tours both in the UK and overseas, Special Guest
slots touring with Foreigner, Journey, Thin Lizzy, Heart, Saxon and Skid Row; festival
appearances including Download, Planet Rockstock, Sweden Rock, Graspop,
Steelhouse Festival, Frontiers Rock Festival, Hard Rock Hell and Ramblin' Man Fair,
and in 2018 their first-ever live show in the US at Melodic Rock Fest 5.
When not touring, FM have been busy in the studio and since their 2010 'comeback'
album they have released 2013's double helping of ROCKVILLE and ROCKVILLE II;
HEROES AND VILLAINS in 2015 and ATOMIC GENERATION in 2018 along with
INDISCREET 30 - a new 2016 recording of FM's classic debut album to celebrate the
30th anniversary of its release - and THE ITALIAN JOB live DVD/CD.
2020 brings FM's first Australian tour in March followed by the release of the band's
twelfth studio album SYNCHRONIZED on 10 April via Frontiers Music S.r.l. and UK
tour dates.
Band line-up:
Steve Overland (vocals, guitar) / Merv Goldsworthy (bass) / Pete Jupp (drums)
Jem Davis (keyboards) / Jim Kirkpatrick (guitar)
The new line-up of Brian, Karl, Abbz, Rasmus and new bass player Dean Ashton toured the UK and Europe plus US and Canada in a massive 27 date marathonover33 days,quicklyselling out of albums and merch at many venues.In early 2017Brian and Ras started workingthrough Brian’s extensive collection of riffs, from which they began formulating ideas for the next album. With recording completed in early 2018 Diamond Head completed 8 shows opening for Saxon plus a clutch of Festivals including Rock Hard, Rocklahoma & Metal Days. Finishing with Diamond Head’s longest ever European tour consisting of 38 shows across 10countries. The band are all excited to be working with Siren Management and that the new album The Coffin Trainwill be released 24thMay 2019 on Silver Lining Records.
What’s in a name? Well, quite a lot as it happens.
The Tygers of Pan Tang were an essential part of the movement that became known as New Wave of British Heavy Metal(NWOBHM). Signed to M.C.A records they recorded 4 albums in 3 years, toured the UK and Europe extensively, outsold ‘name’bands in Japan and had an ‘almost’ hit single with their outstanding arrangement of The Clovers ‘Love Potion Number 9’. They weathered the mini storm of theirfirst vocalist leavingafter one album andreplaced him with the toweringfigure ofJon Deverill. Against theirrecord companies wishes they employed an additionalguitarist, the mercurial John Sykes, who......well that’s another story.On the brink of following Def Leppard and Iron Maiden who had softenedup the USA, the bandimploded spectacularlywhen the Los Angeles based MCA refused to provide thesupport necessary to cross the pond and, without a doubt, cement their growing reputation stateside.And that could well have been the end of the story had it not been for Robb Weir,who had founded the original Tygers and continued to ‘believe’. Recruiting a set of musicianswho could not only perform the old tunes with the necessary reverence, but who could also carry the Tygers torch forward and make new music suitably fitting of the name Tygers of Pan Tang,he set about rebuilding their reputation.And the results? Well, employing the vocal talents of a singer from Italy (Iacopo Jack Meille) who has been able to command the respect of Tygers fans old and new (and there are plenty of new ones) a rhythm section (Gav Gray and Craig Ellis bass and drums respectively) who are schooled in providing the necessary propulsion to drive the music from stage to audience and yet another guitarist of unnerving ability and an intuitive feel for the Tygers music (Micky Crystal) , the Tygers star has begun to rise again.That reputation was cemented recently when they were awarded a gold album by their record company for sales and downloads of their most recent, self-titled, albumreleased just over two years ago. In support of that album the band have played South America, North America, Japan and throughout Europe. The Tygers have just finished recording their next albumto be releasedworldwidein October 2019. They will then begin a two year world tour.
Band website http://www.tygersofpantang.com/official/
Management Tom Noble sparechaynge1@gmail.com
Agency Ludy Wetzl ludy@eternalrock-musicagency.com
In addition to releasing seventeen studio albums as the original singer of Queensryche and as a solo artist Geoff has released several live albums and has been nominated for a grammy four times. He has sold over 25 million records and performed in more than 46 countries.
Rage For Order was more progressive than the band's previous releases, with a layered and complex musical structure that employs a two-guitar approach, but also brought keyboards forward in the mix. Lyrically, the album explored social/personal, political and technological themes, among others highlighting the dangers of artificial intelligence and government intrusion.
Empire is the fourth full-length studio album by the American heavy metal band Queensrÿche, released on August 20, 1990. The album stands as Queensrÿche's most commercially successful release, reaching triple-platinum status[7] and the primary single, the power ballad "Silent Lucidity", reached number 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Silent Lucidity" was also nominated for the Grammy Awards of 1992 in the categories Best Rock Song and Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
Geoff Tate rose to fame with the progressive metal band Queensrÿche, who had commercial success with their 1988 album Operation: Mindcrime and 1990 album Empire. Tate is ranked fourteenth on Hit Parader's list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time. He was voted No. 2 on That Metal Show's top 5 hard rock vocalists the 1980s. In 2012, he won the Vegas Rocks! Magazine Music Award for "Voice in Progressive Heavy Metal". In 2015, he placed ninth on OC Weekly's list of the 10 Best High-Pitched Metal Singers. After his farewell tour as Queensrÿche, he renamed his band Operation: Mindcrime, after the Queensrÿche album of the same name
The K’s: Jamie Boyle (vocals/guitar); Ryan Breslin (guitar); Dexter Baker (bass); Jordan Holden (drums)
Welcome to the world of The K’s. If you’re familiar with one of the biggest underground success stories in rock & roll, make yourself at home. If you haven’t encountered their impassioned bangers, catch up: these four young men are a word-of-mouth phenomenon that’s rapidly becoming too huge to ignore.
The K’s have sold out the 1,500-capacity Manchester Ritz and will headline the 2,300-capacity Academy in the city on their next tour. They’ve caused the tent to be closed at Kendal Calling, with hundreds locked out trying to join the 2,000 fans within. Their streams are comfortably in the millions. Not bad for a band who’ve only released four songs on streaming and have swerved the attentions of the mainstream music press.
The K’s began in earnest when Jamie met Ryan Breslin, who’d already shared stages with huge bands including The Who, The Killers and Aerosmith as a session guitarist in his older brother’s band Slydigs. Although Ryan was living the dream of “enjoying one big piss-up while playing arenas and the biggest stages around the world”, he wanted to seek out his own creative outlet. The missing piece was Jordan Holden, a dream drummer equal parts John Bonham powerhouse and Reni fluidity. “Jord smashed it at the audition, nailing four tracks we’d only played once to him,” recalls Ryan. “We had nine other drummers due to audition that day, but there was no point seeing anyone else. As soon as Jord played, we were ‘How has he just done that?’”
Jamie’s laughing as he describes the mayhem of a typical The K’s gig, but it’s a well-earned passion that has been able to develop out of the spotlight. However big The K’s get, it won’t have come about from hype. The band are level-headed about smashing it to the fans rather than courting journalists, as Jamie explains: “We’ve been able to have time working in the shadows to develop. I don’t want to sound disrespectful, but some bands explode out of nowhere and there’s nothing to identify with. You don’t think ‘Oh, great, that must be them!’ when you hear their songs.”
Instead, The K’s have worked at jobs from strawberry picking to warehouse nightshifts to help fund their dream. Jamie recalls: “I’ve been a labourer. I’d lug blocks around all day, then play to thousands of people at Neighbourhood Weekender, thinking ‘How do you make this work in the modern-day music scene?’ I think all bands should have to do it, though. You can tell if a band is pushed straight into it, because their tunes don’t reflect normal life.” The ridiculously catchy Landmines was inspired by teenage life in Earlestown, as Jamie remembers “Having to wait around outside an off-licence until someone would buy your beer, then going to get wasted over the park, trying not to get twatted by the older lads while you’re doing it.” Ryan adds: “Landmines relates to so many kids’ lives. Well, it does around here, anyway.”
It's clear The K’s are going to keep growing, a cult sensation ready to blossom in the mainstream. It’s an irresistible, irrefutable spirit, welcoming to anyone who wants to escape into a better, more hopeful world. Come on in, just watch out for the landmines.
Key former Hawkwind members Harvey Bainbridge (synths & vocals) and Jerry Richards (guitar & vocals) alongside Dave Pearce (drums) and Tom Ashurst (bass & vocals) will be joined by legendary 'God-father of space-rock' and founder member of Hawkwind, Nik Turner for a string of dates which include two sold out shows for the 2019 HRH Prog Festival at Sheffield O2 Academy and at London's O2 Shepherds Bush Empire.
Turner was a key driving force in the creation and success of legendary British stoner band Hawkwind back in 1969, throughout the 1970s and beyond, so expect a choice selection of classic and contemporary songs, poetry, a retina-reducing psychedelic light-show and a maelstrom of mind-blowing music from these Masters of the Universe as they celebrate 50 years of British space-rock.
The band will also be performing songs from their 2018 hit album, "Brave New World" which debuted at number 12 in The Official UK Top 40 Rock & Metal Chart, alongside material from their latest studio album "Heaven's Gate". Their 8th studio release in as many years.
This is one hard working and hot rocking act at the peak of its powers: Don't miss them on this very special and unique tour.
See you 'out there'...
More details can be found here: www.facebook.com/TheHawklords
More information about Scouting For Girls tickets
2020 has been an unprecedented year in so many ways. And like many of us, indie-pop band Scouting For Girls initially responded by surrounding themselves with sources of comfort and escapism, things from what felt like a simpler time. Going back to the music and culture of their childhoods in the 1980s, the band regrouped during what should have been a summer of festivals, and the result is a joyous album of 80s covers alongside some incredible new tracks, and an optimism that 2021 can be everything that 2020 was not!
'Easy Cover' (a pun-tastic title on 80s hero Phil Collins 'Easy Lover') was almost titled 'Scouting For Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' as it perfectly encapsulated the spirit of both the album and the bands legendary live shows.
Originally intended as a rather sedate acoustic EP the first recordings were discarded as trying a little too hard to be something different, clever or even dare we say it, a bit serious. As frontman Roy Stride put the project back on the shelf he reminded himself that Scouting for Girls should never try to be serious or clever!
Then came lockdown and for the first time in ages Roy found himself with spare time and an empty studio. In need of some serious cheering up, he reopened the recording sessions, envisaged playing the songs live and stripped away anything that was either too earnest or pretentious.
The result is a fun indie pop reimagining of some of the biggest songs from the 80s. A decade that had it all, from fantastic unashamedly pop masterpieces to incredible indie-alt bands. 'Easy Cover' is a joyous celebration of that golden era of music with Scouting For Girls revisiting their favourite childhood musical moments, from Tears For Fears, The Waterboys, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins and much more.
?We're not trying to do justice to these songs! That's impossible. We're just trying to have fun and take them out on the road to give people the night out they deserve after 2020!?
However it's not just covers and Roy (who has songwriting credits with One Direction, Five Seconds of Summer & The Vamps) was soon inspired to write some original material inspired by the decade. Upcoming single 'I Wish It Was 1989' (An anthem for 2020!?) and album closer and new single 'Xmas In The 80s' (A nostalgic longing for when Santa was called Father Christmas) are already set to be Scouting fan favourites and show Roy's unique songwriting at its very best.