About Me

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Born in the late 60's, Chesy hails from a Welsh mining village with a long name and was pretty glad when he got the Hell out of there. He got into Rock/Metal in about 1980, thanks to a TISWAS related incident (Rainbow video for All Night Long) and thankfully has never looked back. Chesy often sang solo in the school choir, but thanks to a puberty related incident his voice is now completely bolloxed, although in his own head Paul thinks he sounds like a blend of Coverdale and Dio (R.I.P). He was brought up on the classics - Deep Purple, Rainbow, Thin Lizzy, Rush, Whitesnake and loved melodic rock and the Hair Bands of the 80's. (Nowadays, he has progressed a little and prefers a more technical and/or progressive metal - Dream Theater, Rush, Symphony X, Porcupine Tree, Pain Of Salvation, Spock's Beard. He hates Black and Death Metal (can't stand the grunting) but for some unknown reason loves the magnificent Opeth! He wont stop this blog until his beloved FM finally play the likes of the NEC as a headlining act!!!

Wednesday 18 October 2017

Midnite City - 'ST' Album Review


‘Wylde Summer Nites’

Midnite City were formed at the beginning of 2017 by current Tigertailz front man Rob Wylde (he was meant for that job by the way!), and former Vega, Steevi Jaimz and Teenage Casket Company.

He was armed with an albums worth of material (35:34 if you’re following VHs first epic, or 130:23 for Dream Theater's last effort), thankfully Rob’s idea turned out to be a trim 45min! Anyway, he approached Pete Newdeck to produce three songs for him to shop around record labels. Rob played guitar, bass and handled vox, and Newdeck played drums, provided BV's and mixed the songs. Wylde brought in Miles Meakin on guitar, and former Vega band mate James Martin (keys). Three songs were mixed by Harry Hess and were picked up by AOR Heaven.

With a deal in place, Newdeck was officially on board, joining Miles Meakin (guitar), and Shawn Charvette (keys).

Looking at Rob, the lad was born to be in a band. He looks as if he’s just walked off the Strip. That’s the L.A. one, and not Blackpool.

The opening track, ‘We Belong’ is absolute melodic rock heaven. It has the perfect blend of crunch in the riffs, and melody in the song to make it a strong contender for shortlists come the end of the year. It’s pure ‘80s. ‘Ghost Of My Old Friends’ is a bit of a creeper. After repeated listens, it just gets better and better. ‘Summer Of Our Lives’ is one of the three songs used to clinch the deal. It certainly ticks the ‘anthemic’ box when it comes to the chorus, a feel-good Summer track for sure. ‘Nothings Like Losing You’ follows on in a similar vein. Four songs in and the production so far is as sweet as a nut, very clear, everything sounds great, no dullness, mushed up sound – all instruments clear as a bell, and every single word of Robs vocals understood. May not seem like much to you, but to me its heaven!

‘Last Beat Of My Heart’ is another of the highlights from MC. The bloke knows melody, I’ll give him that. ‘Everything You Meant To Me’ shows the more balladic side to Midnite City with its stripped back sound, and will be a sure-fire hit when played live. ‘Can’t Wait For The Nights’ is akin to the style of The Radio Sun, more ‘pop’ than ‘rock’ but all the same its still enjoyable. ‘One Step Away’ has this chugging guitar sound and refrain that Rick Springfield seems to have trademarked. Rob sure likes his ‘top down Summer anthems’, and chuck in some ‘whoa-ohs!’ and the Summer season continues with ‘I Just Cant Take It’. ‘Things She Said’ sounds like it might be a down beat track, but even this has the ability to be uplifting, especially with Newdeck’s quality BV’s adding to the charm. ‘ Think About You’ , one of the ‘three’ that got them this deal, as a great way to round off a very solid and promising debut.

Midnite City have recently added bassist Josh ’tabbie’ Williams to the line up, that will make it a perfect fit, just like the one fingerless studded leather glove that Rob probably wears around the house to do the washing up!

It’s Frontiers that are pushing out the volume of melodic rock, but AOR Heaven seem to have signed up the quality.

There’s nothing new about this album as its been done before, but I do think that what Rob and the guys have come up with is an album that is very good indeed. I’m expecting it to be on quite a few fave lists, mine included.

Score 88/100

Tracklisting

We Belong
Ghost Of My Old Friends
Summer Of Our Lives
Nothing’s Like Losing You
Last Beat Of My Heart
Everything You Meant To Me
Can’t Wait For The Nights
One Step Away
I Just Cant Take It
Things She Said

Think About You

RELEASED 20.10.17


Tuesday 10 October 2017

The Radio Sun - 'Unstoppable' Album Review

The Radio Sun - Unstoppable


Now I couldn’t normally give a Castlemaine XXXX if a band is melodic rock, melodic hard rock, AOR or West Coast. OK, so I really draw the line at West Coast. But normally, I don’t care what label a band is tagged with, only if
a.     its good enough, and
b.     makes me feel good.
c.      all the above

Thankfully, the previous three albums by my favourite antipodean band, The Radio Sun, have ticked all the boxes for me so far. This fourth album, ‘Unstoppable’ which is aptly named by the way, feels like bands from the 70s, whereby they seemed to release an album every 6-9 months. Its probably because I only got in on the game with their second release, so what with this, it seems like three albums in very quick succession!

Either Messers Janevski, Old, Wong, and Annese don’t like their wives much, or they really like churning out albums quicker than a Koala can pop out ‘Joeys’. If you need to look, I’ll save you time….its 35 days! It’s a slight exaggeration, but what I’m saying is that The Radio Sun are bloody prolific.

Now you would think that ‘prolific’, and ‘quality output’ may not go together as quality takes time to produce. Well, nobody told these guys….

If you know The Radio Sun, then you will know what to expect from them. If you don’t, then pull up a chair and I’ll fill you in….’Heaven On Earth’ sees TRS lay out their stall with their pop-rock treats. In the days of the ‘traditional’ single, Unstoppable would be chock full if ‘em, none more so than the infectious ‘Only You’. In fact it’s the musical equivalent of the Liverpool Hospital of infectious diseases! ‘You’ve Got The Tough’ displays The Radio Sun’s knack of an ear for great harmonies. Mix it up with Janevski’s understated solos adding the right level of melody and riffage and it’s a perfect match. There’s no swiping left here folks.

‘Tonight’s The Night’ has a harder edge than usual, and is a firm favourite for me with its 80s groove. ‘Surrender Your Heart’ draws on further 80s influences like US pop/rock princes Cheap Trick. Roxus’ Andy Shanahan adds even more class to the excellent ‘Dreams Should Last Forever’ with they guys certainly building this one up to the max. The tempo remains firmly in the ‘up’ position for ‘Set The Night On Fire’, and the anthemic title track, ‘Unstoppable’. ‘Whenever You Want’ is one of those songs that The Radio Sun do ever so well, catchy as hell, instantly memorized, and a fun, upbeat song. Other bands work their balls off to write a song like this, yet TRS seem to do it regularly and consistently.

There’s a good reason why TRS are over in the UK again for their 3rd HRH appearance in a row. If you need me to tell ya, then you’re in the wrong place. It's not because they are cheap!

Existing fans of The Radio Sun will crack a fat one listening to ‘Unstoppable’. Potential fans thinking of dipping a toe into the best Aussie band this side of Bundoora, give it a burl.

A bonzer album from a ripper band.

The Radio Sun head to Japan in November and back to Europe in March 2018 with shows at HRH AOR amongst others

Score 90/100

Tracklisting –

Heaven On Earth
Only You
You’ve Got The Touch
Tonight’s The Night
Surrender Your heart
Dreams Should Last Forever
Set The Night On Fire
Why Must I
Unstoppable
Whenever You Want
You’re Everything To Me

The Radio Sun - 

Jason Old – Vocals
Stevie Janevski – Guitars & Vox
Gilbert Annese – Drums & Vox
Anthony Wong – Bass & Vox

Produced by The Radio Sun
Mixed By Paul Laine

Released 20th Oct. 

Pre-order now and you can still get a signed copy. Just visit the lads FB page for details......