HRH Mag XXXI - November 2025

Welcome to volume XXXI

Joanne Shaw Taylor - 20. Moseley Folk Festival - 24. Glenn Hughes - 26. NWOCR Livefest 4 - 30. W.A.S.P. - 32. Massive Wagons - 34. Cropredy Festival - 36. Stonedead Festival Photo Gallery

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Chief Editor - Adam Kennedy - adam@hrhmediahub.com

Designer - Charlotte Hooper - charl@darkwatch.net

Contributing Writers: Viki Ridley, Adam Kennedy, Charlotte Hooper, Simon Rushworth, Mark Chorley

Contributing Photographers: Adam Kennedy, Simon Dunkerley, All Others Credited.

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HRH Experiences Ltd Chairman / Founder - Jonni Davis

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HRH Official Photographer - Simon Dunkerley - simond@hrhmag.com

Chicago metalhead legends SOiL undoubtably sewed the seed for the nu-metal scene when they erupted into the rock scene in the late 90s, cementing some of the biggest alternative anthems with the likes of Halo, Unreal and Redefine. I spoke with co-founder and original member Tim King who talked me through how the band first started and what we can look forward to from their newly announced set at Hard Rock Hell 19 for 2026.

We started by taking it right back to 1997 when SOiL first formed and started their brotherhood of sound, Tim reminisced saying “it’s more of a back to your roots story. All of us, except for Ryan, our singer, were in death metal bands. Our original guitar player is in a band called Broken Hope, and the other three of us were in a band called Oppressor. We had been playing in the death metal scene for seven, eight years, and what happened was the whole Norwegian black metal scene started erupting and everybody started painting their face and stuff, and death metal had started to lose a little bit of its popularity back then. So we were like, we don’t want to jump on this bandwagon of black metal. We just kind of started jamming out in our practice space, getting back to our roots with things like Sabbath, Ozzy and Metallica. We were really into corrosion and conformity at the time as well. So we were just kind of moulding into that type of thing. It really started coming together well, and we needed a singer because naturally you can’t bark death metal vocals over an Ozzy Osbourne type song. So I actually got in the mail when people used to tape trade and send CDs and cassettes, and [I received] a CD that had Ryan’s old band, a band called

D.E.M. on it, and I heard his voice and I’m like, wow, this guy is the ultimate combination of Layne Staley meets Rob Zombie. He’d be perfect for our band, and it said on the band bio that he lived in Indiana, and there’s no phone number, there was no email address, nothing. So I wrote him a handwritten letter and mailed it, and about two weeks later, he called me on the phone and I told him what we were doing and what everything was about, and we started doing some demos together and it just kind of started popping off really well. Usually Indiana means you’re about 30 minutes away from where we were but it turned out he was about six hours away, so rehearsing was a little bit tough at first. But he was really sick of Indiana and actually moved out here to Chicago, and we just started putting demos together and playing out in the scene and it was right when the scene just kind of started.”

Tim continued “We were really at the forefront of it, and we had an early record deal, went in the studio and recorded with Steve Albini - he’s now passed away - but he did things like Nirvana and Bush Records, I mean, he worked with a bunch of great bands. He was very much so in the indie scene. So we recorded our first record called Throttle Junkies with him, and it was not the right decision for the time. We were a band that was very much trying to find our way and kind of hone in on our sound to kind of figure out who we were, and he was somebody that was perfect at capturing the identity of a band. If you already knew who you were, what you were about, what you wanted, didn’t want any -

body really telling you how to craft your songs and do things, he was the perfect person. That’s why bands like Nirvana and Bush and stuff went to him. It wasn’t the right decision for us because we were all over the place, and if you listen to that record, it’s kind of a little bit all over the place. Sounds like Metallica one minute and Stoner Rock the next, but it was a good learning experience, and the scene really started to flourish right after that. That’s when Disturbed had put out The Sickness and that started to make some waves, and there were a bunch of other bands in the scene. Chicago started becoming like this new hotbed for rock or as they deemed it later on, nu-metal. So what we did is we really decided to kind of figure out who we were, started down tuning the guitars, started really honing in on our craft, and that’s when we started writing all the material that would became the Scars record. Halo was one of those songs, and a radio station down in Florida had gotten wind of our band and what we were about and asked if they could play Halo on their radio station. They put it out, played it, and it instantly just blew up in Florida, just gigantic. So we had a major label bidding war going on and we ultimately decided to sign with Clive Davis’ label J Records. Which was BMG Records in the rest of the world, and we went in with producer Johnny K, who really kind of helped us hone our sound. He was the person that we needed, probably from the get-go to really help us with finding what we should do and what we shouldn’t do and get everything properly sounding and arranged. He was really great at arranging songs and giving ideas. He put a lot into that record and really made that record a lot of what it was along with kind of us

finding ourselves.“

“We put it out and kind of the rest is somewhat history, as they say, from that point. In the United States, we got offered the Ozzy Osbourne / Rob Zombie / Mudvayne tour right away. And that ultimately broke us in the United States, and just out of nowhere in the UK, we just showed up and our first show ever we did a press day, a photo shoot, and then we did a surprise show at the Camden Underworld, and they had to turn people away. People were around the block and they had to say, nope, there’s not enough room for you to come in - it just started going nuts. And every time we’ve come back to the UK, it’s been like that. It’s become like a second home for us. It really solidified everything we did. And then we started to get bigger in the body of Europe and the years went by, and we put out more records. One thing I can pride ourselves on as a band is we never stopped. We never broke up. We never took a hiatus. We just dug in. We said, you know what, let’s just ride this wave out, and now the early 2000s style of music and nu-metal and stuff is back in full force. It has been for a few years now, which has been great for us because we didn’t have to reform our band and figure out what we were going to do and get new members. We’ve been here all along.”

Looking at how they formed their sound, we discussed some of the bands key influences, with Tim stating “Mötley Crüe’s been my favourite band since I was 10 years old, and the rest of my band hate it when I’m always quoting Mötley Crüe or trying to operate SOiL in a Mötley Crüe-esque way! But they’ve always said that their album Too Fast for Love is like a glorified demo, and I consider Throttle Junkies like our glorified demo, and Scars is our Shout at the Devil. It’s the record that broke it for us and where we identified our sound and really came into our own. So, a lot of people consider Scars as our first record, even though there is Throttle Junkies, which is technically our first.”

As previously stated, Halo was a huge hit that took the rock scene by storm in 2001, and when asked about why he thinks it became such an anthem, Tim said “It’s one of those songs that just kind of, for whatever reason, a song like Halo or any song that you would deem, quote unquote, like a hit song generates with a mass amount of people, you don’t really realize it at the time. We never thought Halo was gonna be a hit. When we recorded it and it was part of a three-song demo, that was literally most people’s least favourite song on there. But I just think that it kind of just resonates with an audience on a large scale and just becomes something all of its own. You don’t necessarily write it as a hit or think about writing a hit when you’re doing it at the time because there’s been

songs that we’ve written and been like, oh, this song could be a hit and it’s a complete dud. But it’s just one of those things that that song and that album in general [Scars] is just kind of some lightning in a bottle that we’re very lucky to be in a perfect time for the music scene. It was a perfect time for us as a band. It was a perfect blend of songs. Perfect producer that we had hired for it. Everything just aligned in a very perfect way to where other albums we’ve done.”

The last time we had new releases from SOiL was their 2023 Restoration album which held reimagined tracks of some of their older material, and prior to that was their 2022 covers album Play it Forward, Tim gave us an exclusive insight for next year where we can look forward to some brand new music just in time for their HRH appearance, saying “it’s been very long overdue. We actually just came back from Nashville, Tennessee, and finished a new body of material. It’s in the process of being mixed and mastered right now, so we’re looking at some point in 2026 to release it, hopefully maybe like in the first half of 2026 for sure. We’re just kind of figuring out when’s a good time in the music scene and who else is releasing stuff at the time and then we’ll just pick when to put it out in that part. But it turned out really, really well. We were really happy with it. It was one of those things where we did about everything you could do without putting out a new body of material after the whole record.”

Hard Rock Hell have recently released the line-up for its 19th run which includes SOiL who the team cannot wait to welcome back! After discussing new music in the pipeline for 2026, Tim expressed that “we would like to throw a new one in there. I think the fans are kind of really chomping at the bit for it. So by the time we reach Hard Rock Hell, the new release will be out. I’m super excited that LA Guns is on the bill, one of my favourite bands of all time, and I’m really looking forward to seeing them, and there’s a bunch of other great bands on there, too, like Finger Eleven, Adema, Danko Jones. It’s just gonna be a great lineup and I want to say it’s gonna be at least the third time we’ve played Hard Rock Hell maybe the fourth if I’m not mistaken but at least the third and we always just have a great time there. They treat you fantastic and all in all it’s just a good time, every time so when I heard that we got offered it this year I was like yes, let’s do that!”

It looks like 2026 is going to be an epic year for SOiL, and Hard Rock Hell is excited to add to the hype! Catch these metal icons at Hard Rock Hell 19 in Great Yarmouth for November 2026, tickets available now through www.darkwatch.net.

GATES OF HELL Vikis Syncolima

Who are you?

We are Syncolima, We play Stoner rock fused with everything from Grunge to Prog to Metal, its big riffs, big choruses and grooooove.

Roll Call?

We consist of Guitarist/ Singer - Joshua Morgan, Bass player extraordinaire - Stoff and Drummist - Harry Redfern

Hailing from?

The Arse end of Derbyshire

Journey so far?

4 years, 3 albums 2 drummers in, not quite Spinal Tap though. Formed at the back end of lockdown, we came together to play music we want to write and perform together.

Influences/sound?

Orange Goblin Meets Nirvana, Incubus meets Black Sabbath. Riffs to bang your head to, Choruses to sing along to and unexpected massive bass lines.

We’re influenced by the usual Stoner Rock and Grunge Elite, but we branch out individually on many different sounds, Josh thenSinger is into a lot of old school Metal like Megadeth as well as Pop Punk classics like Nofx, Stoff the bassist, listens to anything with a good riff and bass line, from Elder to Goat, to Vulfpeck and back to Alice in Chains, Harry as a drummer is hard to pin down, you’ll find him at the weekends in charity shops buying Waylon Jennings CD’s.

Biggest gig/proudest moment to date?

Our first year of gigging was also the first

full year back after all the covid restrictions, we’ve played some cool festivals and made it to the Jagermeister Stage, that was pretty cool. Aside from the obvious big gigs, it’s the unknown weird stuff that usually turns out to be unexpectedly amazing.

What does the future hold for SYNCOLIMA?

We’ve just released our 3rd album “Move Mountains” and are about to kick off a run of dates around the UK in November, Next year to hope to get on some good slots and places we’ve yet to play, we’re constantly writing so another new album won’t be far off either!

This House We Built

Who are you?

Carrying glowing endorsements and reviews from Dave Ling (Classic Rock) – “Immensely promising quartet playing a confident, summery, sometimes funk-fuelled style that will leave you grinning from ear to ear” and Rob Evans (Powerplay Rock & Metal) – “The best independent album I’ve heard this year”, This House We Built are already on rock solid foundations on which to build a successful career in the music scene.

Roll Call?

Players Scott Wardell (vocals guitar), Andy Jackson (guitars vocals), Chris Mayes (drums & vocals) and Wayne Dowkes White (bass & vocals) finally came together just prior to the world shutting down in 2020. Rather than dwell on not being able to bring their collective talents to the stage, they started the socially distanced writing sessions that bought the plot for the house they were about to build. Each man brought a different musical path to the band, and you can hear them all as the album unfolds. Eclectic influences ranging from classic rock, funk, emo, nu-metal and melodic rock are mixed perfectly across the ten songs and brick by harmony laden brick they build a unique sound that transcends all of the aforementioned genres.

Hailing from?

The real bricks and mortar of the band are a heady mix of bands from England’s

Scarborough Strip (think Sunset Strip but with less debauchery, more chips and an untapped resource of talent since five Little Angels flew big in 88’).

Journey so far?

The first gig the band played was back in 2022 at Rockmantic Weekender at Blackpool Waterloo, since then the band have done an Acoustic tour with Danny Vaughn, the year after this they did a string of shows and some big festivals inc. HRH Great Yarmouth, Loverocks, Nene Valley Rock Festival and Meadowfest performing in front of 4,000 people. Planet Rockstock followed this string of gigs and also finished the year with touring with ‘Tyketto’ on their Winter UK tour. The band have just released their second single ‘Coming Home To You’ from their forthcoming second album ‘Get out of the Rain’ which will be released November 21st, more singles to follow, the next one being the 3rd October called ‘Broken Dreams’

The band have also had a very busy year performing at many popular Festivals inc. Call of the Wild, Headlining Wildfire festival Scotland and performing at the mighty ‘Maid of Stone Festival. They also finish the year on a high note and have some great shows lined up for the end of the year featuring supports with Kira Mac, Headlining ‘Rockmantic Weekender’ at The Yardbirds, Grimsby, two shows supporting the might Wolfsbane and have

earned a slot on the main stage at Winterstorm, Troon playing alongside Ugly Kid Joe, Sweet and British Lion.

Biggest gig/proudest moment to date?

Our proudest moment is probably bagging a slot on the ‘Maid of Stone’ Festival. “the experience was phenomenal and we couldn’t believe how many people were wearing our shirts in the crowd and singing our songs back to us, we’re hoping that the tide has changed for the band and that this gig is the start of bigger things to come, Supporting Tyketto is another milestone for the band, that opened alot of doors for us which until this point we didn’t have the keys to open”.

What does the future hold for you?

We’ve lots of irons in the fire for next year and are looking forward to getting back out on the road to promote our 2nd Album, It’s gonna be a busy year for the band and we cannot wait for this, we love performing live and love meeting and making new friends, that’s what musics about, bringing people together and finding your tribe. The Tribe we’ve got are an incredible bunch and our crowdfunding for the album has blown us away, we thank each and every one of you fans for supporting our little band from Scarbados! We’ll see you at the front!

Who are you?

The Fever Kings

We are The Fever Kings, a 4 piece alternative rock band who enjoy writing music that brings back that 00’s nostalgia that many of us love and miss.

Roll Call?

• Jack Lewis Songer - Vocals and Guitar

• Alex Brown - Bass Guitar

• Chris Gilks - Drums

• Thomas Myerscough - Keys/Synth

Hailing From?

All the way from the North East of England, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Journey So Far?

The Fever Kings has been a long awaited dream from when I was a young boy when I began acquiring a love and understanding for songwriting. It wasn’t until 2022 - after the brutal lockdowns - where I really began questioning my life and its direction, so I went onto Joinmyband.com and put up an Ad seeking for members. Chris was first to join me, and not long after Alex and Thomas joined us both to complete the Alt-Rock Quartet. It was clear from the beginning that there was a unique synergy between us all, and we were eager to establish ourselves in the North East Scene, so we hit the studio record our debut single “Drown” on the 7th April 2023, along with “Resist” and “Ain’t Gonna Say a Word”.

In 2024 we released the singles “Nowhere

to Hide” and “Rise and Fall”, building up to the release of our 5 track self-titled EP. To showcase what we had created together, we went on a 6 date tour across England and Scotland which was our first time travelling in a van together across the country playing music, which further helped to solidify our love for this band and to share what we create to as many people as possible.

Our name continued to branch out further, acquiring festival slots at Northants Rocks - Northamptonshire, and Wildfire Festival in Wanlockhead - Scotland where we were able to debut our newest single “Altercation”, which we released on 25th June 2025.

With the end of the year closing in, we do have another release in the pipeline which we are very eager to share with the world.

Influences/sound?

The core of our sound rings true to the likes of Foo Fighters, Muse and Biffy Clyro, capturing the riffs, melodies and emotion that the 00’s Rock Movement brought to us all. What I love about this band is that each member brings something unique to the table within our individual musical preferences, pulling influences from Parkway Drive, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and even Ludovico Einaudi, to ultimately create pieces of music that take the listener on an unforgettable journey.

Biggest gig/proudest moment?

The moment that comes to mind is the time Chris entered us into the Kerrang competition called ‘The Deal’, where a record deal with Marshall Records and a slot performing at Download Festival 2025 was up for grabs. Sadly we were not successful, but it made us all realise how many people were truly behind us. People went out of their way massively to help us get to the Final 10, where our fate was then left to a panel of industry professionals. Although it was a pretty bittersweet ending, it proved to us all that we had the support of so many who genuinely want us to succeed in music.

What does the future hold for you?

I’ll be honest, we are all at a point in our lives where we know this is what we want, and we are determined to make that happen. Our love for music and sharing it with so many becomes more addictive as time goes on, and we know there are so many people who wish to see Rock music return to the mainstream, it just helps to make this dark world a better place for us all.

Tour de force of British new-wave, The Stranglers marked their 50th anniversary in 2024, and it has been full throttle ever since.

The Stranglers’ 50th anniversary year was packed with celebratory sell-out tours across the world and headline slots at festivals worldwide, including a sell-out performance at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall. The ‘51 tour celebrates making it past the big five-o, and takes in major towns across the UK.

Reflecting on the band’s milestone anniversary, bass player JJ Burnell said: “Well, it’s quite rare, isn’t it, for a band to last without reforming or disbanding or last continuously for 50 years - despite changes of personnel, which is inevitable, isn’t it? And it’s like a football team, I suppose. But yeah, it’s quite a rare thing. So, we did celebrate it.” He continues: “When we started, we just thought, if we were lucky,

we would have a single. There wasn’t a history of music lasting for so long. Because if you think about it, in ‘76, if we’d gone back 50 years, we’d been playing trad jazz or something before.”

The beauty of The Stranglers’ discography is that their hits still sound as fresh today as they did upon release. In that sense, their music is timeless. “It’s more by luck than design. But I’m grateful for that. So, it still gives us some kind of relevance,” remarks JJ.

Having celebrated their milestone 50th anniversary last year, the band is incrementing their celebrations by one year with the ‘51’ tour. “By the time you reach our stage, you count every day as a bonus,” explains JJ. “We’re celebrating every moment of life we have left, as a band and as people. We’re going to change our set quite fundamentally this time and play some stuff we’ve never played live.” He elaborates: “For us, you’ve got to maintain the interest, let alone an audience. And I don’t think The Stranglers have ever gone

through the motions, just through the motions. So, I think it’s incumbent on us to keep ourselves and our audience stimulated.”

The band released a live album recently titled Fifty Years In Black, which became the group’s 20th Top 40 album in the UK. Speaking about the decision to release a live album, JJ said: “I think we’ve always recorded a lot of our shows, and every now and then we release what we think is the best example of where we’re at the time. So, it marks the time, the occasions. A live album is more like putting it down in your diary as a dear diary - just what we did then.”

Coming out of the mid to late 70s, The Stranglers were present during the golden era of punk rock. “Bands who became known as The Pistols, The Damned, The Clash, they were all coming to see us before they had formed their bands,” he said. “There was a circuit that we were coming in at the end of -the pub rock circuit. It’s a shame, because I think we’re losing so many pubs in the UK for a start.

And they were a great circuit for bands to develop their art. It was a university for bands. All the best bands in the world come out of bars. So that’s your training ground.”

JJ vividly remembers encountering some of the greats on the grassroots circuit. “I remember Joe Strummer coming to see us when he was in an R&B band called the 101s. And all these guys coming to see us, Steve and Paul from The Pistols. The guys from The Damned, all coming to see us before they’d even started their bands. And so, we were kind of accepted for a while until we had success. And also, because we were the first band to be chosen to play with Patti Smith when she finally left the USA to come over to Europe, and the Ramones.”

The early days of The Stranglers saw the group release an impressive three albums

within a 13-month period. “What happened was that it took us three years to get a record deal. So, in that time, we were still trying to play pubs or play anywhere, and also accumulating material. So, when it came to recording, finally recording an album, we actually did the first two albums in 10 days. We knew it off by heart; we didn’t have to do any dubs or anything. And so, Rattus Norvegicus and No More Heroes were recorded during the same session,” he says. “We had that amount of material building up. So, we were very happy to get it off our backs. Then Black and White, the third one, we spent that winter of ‘77 together, and we had so many ideas. I suppose there’s a collective energy which builds up - momentum and everything.”

JJ is responsible for perhaps one of the most instantly recognisable basslines of all time – that being the opening to the

song Peaches. “I’m very proud of that. It’s been voted, I think, the most iconic bassline. I’m sure there are loads of others, but it’s nice to be recognised for that,” he explains.

Looking ahead, beyond their upcoming dates, the group doesn’t have any UK touring plans for 2026. “I don’t think we’ll be playing next year in the UK anyway. I just think we need a year to contemplate and see if there’s anything creative stirring,” he concludes.

The Stranglers will tour the UK throughout Oct and early November. For ticket information and further details, please visit www.thestranglers.co.uk.

Los Angeles metal pioneers W.A.S.P. recently returned to the UK for a very special celebratory tour. ‘Album ONE Alive!’ marked the 40th anniversary of the release of W.A.S.P.’s first album. To celebrate this classic metal album, W.A.S.P. for the first time in 40 years, played the entire album in full, from start to finish, plus classics from the band’s catalogue. Reflecting on the tour, frontman Blackie Lawless said: “We’ve taken it to the US, to Canada, Mexico, South America. We’ve actually been to Europe three times this year already. So, this will be the last leg of this entire world tour, and it’s been a long one. But in all honesty, it’s been the greatest tour I’ve ever done. I’ve had more fun doing this than anything I have ever done in my entire life. I’m going to be sad to see it come to an end.”

When the band released their debut album, did they know they were onto something special at the time? “The only thing that I could judge it from, I mean, I thought it was okay. But there’s a difference between thinking something’s okay and really understanding what it is,” explains Lawless. “We were young, we were hostile because we were over the world because we couldn’t get where we wanted to go. All those factors, all those elements, factor into your attitude. And looking back on it now, that record is dripping with attitude. But at the time, you don’t see it because you’re just doing what comes naturally. And you learn early on that you just make records that reflect who you are at that moment in your life. You don’t try to look at what’s going on in the charts or you’re trying to be the flavour of the month or any of those things.”

He continues: “Something else you come to understand later is that when you make a record, those are snapshots of your

time, your generation, that moment in time and in society. And that snapshot should reflect that moment in time. And hopefully it’ll do that. And I think that that first record certainly did.”

One dilemma that the group faced when performing their debut record in full is the running order. If they perform the track listing as it appears originally on the album, they may end up playing some of their biggest anthems at the start of the show. “We’ve opened with On Your Knees for 40 years,” confirms Lawless. “The conclusions I came to quickly when the idea of this tour was being put together is, how in the world do I start a show with I Wanna Be Somebody? I don’t know how to do that. I’ve never done that before. And I thought, there’s a good chance this may fall completely on its face.”

He elaborates: “I held my breath when I went out there for the first couple of times. And after I saw the audience’s reaction, I thought this ended up being the absolute right thing to do. But like most performers when you’re going into something you’ve never done before in uncharted waters, it can be a little frightening.”

The artist has fond memories of his first visit to Newcastle back in 1984. “I have two distinct memories of Newcastle. The first one was the hotel that we were staying in. I was on like the fifth floor, and I looked out the window and I saw there was probably 100 kids. They were in sleeping bags. And they were lined up on the sidewalk. And it was raining outside. So, I went outside, and I got them all to come inside the lobby,” said Lawless. “That night after the show, I went to an Indian restaurant, and I’d never had Indian

before. And I fell in love with it that night, and it’s been a staple of my diet ever since. And I had a Newcastle Brown for the first time that night.”

The band retraced the steps they took on their first UK tour in 1984. But how does it feel for the WASP frontman to be celebrating this musical milestone?

“Well, it really does make you think … it was funny because I remember when we first came to the UK, that’s where we started, because we did our production rehearsals there in ‘84. And we were there for about two weeks. And then Newcastle was the very first show we ever played,” recalls Lawless. “And I heard it every single interview – how long do you think it will last? And I thought, Why are they asking me this? And my answer to them was, hey, I don’t know if I’m going to be around in five months. Why don’t you just let me enjoy this while it’s happening? And what I didn’t realize at the time is every new band gets that question, but I just thought they were singling me out for some reason.”

He concludes: “Looking back on it now, you realize how fortunate you’ve been. Because they say that one in a million gets a record deal. That’s not true. It was one in about 10 million. And once you’ve done it for a while, you realize that even one in 10 million or less than 1% that ever do it, will ever go on to do anything where they have any real success. And so, for any artist to do it for 10 years, 20 years, that’s a milestone. To do it this long, I pinch myself.”

In 2005, teenage trio The Subways made a phenomenal breakthrough with their Gold-certified debut album ‘Young For Eternity’. It set them on the road to an endless succession of highlights, including their iconic ‘Rock & Roll Queen’ becoming a mainstay of rock radio and streaming playlists (with 100 million+ streams to date).

had lots of really great festivals. We had Y Not Festival in the UK and then quite a few in Germany and some other places in Europe too, which was really fun. We had an amazing time, and now we’re just getting excited for the tour.” As the old saying goes, time flies when you are having fun. But how does the group feel about reaching the milestone 20th anniversary of their debut record?

so now because I think as you get older, you get more responsibilities. It’s not quite as simple to go on tour anymore, so when you’re there, you’re like this is so worth it. This is amazing.”

Twenty years on, and now five albums deep into their career, The Subways celebrate their 20th anniversary with the ‘When I’m With You’, a selection of singles and fan favourites from their journey so far, while also looking to the future with two brand new songs. They will also undertake a major UK and European headline tour, ‘The Subways For Eternity’, to commemorate the anniversary.

Reflecting on the year so far, bass player Charlotte Cooper said: “It’s been really cool, we had a really fun summer and we

“It’s totally wild, I think, when you think 20 years is pretty much half of my life, which is amazing really. I think the main thing we feel is gratitude to still be here,” explains Charlotte. “We took a short break in those 20 years when Billy went to university, but really, we’ve been doing it pretty much constantly for 20 years. So we are just amazingly grateful to all our fans for still coming to shows, still buying albums, and allowing us to do this because I think we still genuinely really love it. We really love being on stage, we really love

During the recording of the group’s debut album, they felt as though something special was happening at the time. “I think for us it really did because we were so young and everything was such a whirlwind, and we ended up at Elevator Studios in Liverpool to record with Ian Brodie. We grew up listening to Lightning Seeds songs, he’s an absolute legend,” reflects Charlotte. “So that was really exciting for us.”

The Subways have played shows as guests to everyone from Oasis to Foo Fighters via AC/DC, and hit seemingly every major festival around, from Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage and main stage sets at Reading and Leeds in the UK to major international

events such as Rock Am Ring / Rock Im Park, Lollapalooza, and Sziget. But where is left for the group to perform on their musical bucket list? “We’ve never been to South America, and we’ve never been to Mexico. And every time we put up a tour, those are the places where people are always like come to Brazil and come to Mexico or come to Argentina,” said Charlotte. “We’d love to, but we’ve never found a way to make it work yet.”

The band’s latest album encapsulates some of the highlights from their discography spanning the last 20 years. But how difficult was it to pick songs to put on the record? “It’s hard to choose, and I think everybody had a long list and then we had to whittle it down to get a shorter list,” said Charlotte. “I think we wanted to show a balance of all the albums.”

The Subways have recorded with some

of the world’s best producers, including Butch Vig (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur), and the Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie (Echo & The Bunnymen, The Coral). Working with Butch Vig was a memorable experience, recalls Charlotte. “He’s so nice. I think we definitely felt intimidated going into that studio. It was a really famous studio, Conway Studios in LA, with Butch Vig, the producer of Nirvana’s Nevermind and the drummer in Garbage,” explains Charlotte. “We were still really young at that point. It would have been 2007, so I’d have been 21. So we were intimidated, daunted, scared by the prospect, and we got there and he was so nice and he’s brought everybody snacks to keep us going throughout the day and yes, he’s very professional and he said what he needs to achieve, but the way he goes about it in such a calm manner, it became a really fun experience. We really loved it.”

Beyond their upcoming tour and album release, what does the future hold for The Subways? “I think after this tour and the release of the 20-year ‘When I’m With You’ celebration record, I think we’re really hoping for some good festival slots next year. I think that would be amazing to have a nice, busy summer. And then the time around that we’ll be using to get album six nailed and get all the songs recorded. We’re about halfway through, almost I would say now, so hopefully the first part of next year get some more songs down and then be in a position to release that pretty soon after the festival season.”

The Subways will tour throughout October and November. For ticket information and further details, please visit: https://www. thegrovenewcastle.co.uk.

REVIEWSLive

JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR

BARBICAN , YORK

A crisp autumn evening welcomed the return of blues/ rock supremo Joanne Shaw Taylor to York. As the sun set over its historic city walls, music fans flocked to the Barbican – a theatre in which JST has now performed on several occasions.

By her admission, York is one of the artist’s favourite cities in the UK. But why not her hometown of Wolverhampton, I hear you ask – the answer being, Wolves doesn’t have a Harry Potter shop.

Whilst on the subject of shopping, Joanne’s merch table this time around featured none other than a t-shirt featuring the artist’s Instagram-famous pooch Hank. She laughs; the dog’s face is where the money is at.

This time around, Joanne arrived with a new album in tow by way of Black and Gold. Of course, a trio of tracks from the record featured, including the heartfelt Greyer Shade of Blue, an early airing of Hell of a Good Time, and the

hard-rocking Look What I’ve Become.

One thing that was immediately apparent was just how tight Joanne’s band was this time around. The chemistry onstage was noticeable from the off.

The setlist for the evening placed emphasis on Joanne’s two latest studio albums. Highlights include Sweet Little Lies from the Heavy Soul album and fan favourite Dying To Know. Whilst a smouldering airing of Wicked Soul showcased JST’s emotive playing.

An airing of Summertime transported the audience to the greats, with a majestic arrangement that felt reminiscent of BB King’s Live at the Regal. A combustible performance of Watch em Burn brought the main set to a close.

Joanne’s new album may suggest the duality of shades of darkness and light by way of the title, but in York, her set was pure alchemy, delivering nothing but musical gold.

MOSELEY FOLK FESTIVAL

MOSELEY PARK, BIRMINGHAM

Returning to Birmingham for its 19th year was the notorious Moseley Folk Festival presenting an absolute dream of a line-up! The whirlwind weather didn’t stop fans new and returning from immersing themselves in one of the closing festivals of the season, with a variety of hybrid genres and well-respected artists across the folk spectrum.

As always, walking into the amphitheatre styled park surrounded by trees and the music bouncing through the branches, felt amazing to be back. The first day of this three day event kickstarted on the Friday afternoon with the sun beaming. The Lighting Seeds take to the stage for what turns out to be an hour of hit after hit from their first single to their last. To finish, they play out with the sing-a-long ‘Three Lions’ which got everyone chanting and smiling for the rest of the day. Ian Broudie has always produced quality songs and this set just proves how good they are. He promised the band would be back in the Birmingham area soon to play a longer set - let’s hope so! Another highlight of the afternoon was Pete Doherty who waltzed onto the stage in his signature hat and blazer combo before stripping down to his braces and performing an absolute belter of set, before concluding with a cover of The Smiths classic ‘Panic’ with a special appearance from drummer, Mike Joyce.

The Waterboys were our first headliner of the weekend giving a powerful performance including a superb display of their classic hit ‘Glastonbury Song’ and even surprised us with a cover of Ellie Goulding’s ‘How Long Will I Love You’ and closing with their own rendition of the Prince classic, ‘Purple Rain’. Epic end to day one!

It is impossible to delve into this exceptional line-up one by one so this is simply a round-up of some of the most stand out highlights. However, over the three days there were some incredible artists who deserve special mention, including the likes of The Deep Blue who demonstrated their silk like harmonies, Dublin lads The Deadlians with their psychedelic-punk-rock combination of compositions, Irish Folk duo Ye Vagabonds, Spaghetti-Western-folk inspired Horse Feathers, the charismatic This is The Kit, husky-voiced and palette cleaner of the weekend PEM, the phenomenal singer and bouzouki player Mohammad Syfkhan and the captivating talent of Yoshika Colwell.

One slot that seems to be the surprise artist for me is the Saturday, main stage, co-headliner. Last year I was blown away by CMAT and her very sexy CMAT band who has exploded into the music scene over the last 12 months. This year, that slot was filled by Manchesterbased, American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist BC Camplight. As BC and his band took to the stage, the rain paused and they brought the festival vibes back to the surface with their folk funk fusion! A totally honest set discussing mental health and life struggles, but embracing music and rising above all the turbulence. A total highlight of a performance.

Saturday’s headliner was a personal favourite and certainly a crowd-pleaser, Father John Misty who effortlessly gave a seamless set. Opening with ‘I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All’, Misty continued to perform a smashing performance with a series of songs from his repertoire, including ‘Mr Tillman’ and ‘Mental Health’ before closing with the classic ‘Real Love Baby’ which had everyone leaving on a total high.

The Sunday in particular was a glorious and refreshing insight for who is up-and-coming amongst the folk scene. Opening the Janice Long stage was Welsh triple harpist and composer Cerys Hafana who gave a tremendous performance consisting of traditional folk and archival folk material that demonstrated their masterful musical skill, whilst giving us segments of storytelling in-between tracks of the history of the songs they played and instruments they exquisitely played.

Lisa O’Neil came on to the main stage and  her whole set was atmospheric from the start, beginning with Ivor Cutler’s haunting ‘I’m going in a field’ which hushed the mesmerised audience. Lisa then played an hour of  ambient music culminating in her version of Dylan’s ‘All the tired horses’ which pleased everyone watching as it was made world famous when it appeared in the Birmingham based series, Peaky Blinders. When she was introduced by Chris Hawkins of the 6Music early breakfast show, he did say ‘...and now for something really special’.... and he wasn’t wrong.

Playing the Janice Long stage Amelia came on to a welcoming crowd who were immediately struck by her slightly dark but melodic songs. Promoting her latest record ‘Between the moon & The Milkman’ she performed with her clear & beautiful voice, talking confidently to the appreciative audience throughout her 45 minute afternoon slot. Amelia is touring at the time of writing, and is well worth seeking out in a smaller setting before she will inevitably progress to bigger venues.

A new-find of the weekend was 18 year old Muireann Bradley who took to the stage on Sunday afternoon for a 45 minute trip back in time to the dustbowl era of Guthrie, Leadbelly & early Pete Seeger. Starting with the classic ‘Freight Train’ by Elizabeth Cotton, Muireann sang her way through the 20’s 30’s & 40’s, her repertoire feeling familiar but one that most people would never have heard before. Muireann uses an advanced finger picking guitar style and has a voice suited to this type of song , reminiscent of a younger Anais Mitchell.

A fan-favourite gave a wholesome touch to the Sunday afternoon, a band we were all so excited to see was Fisherman’s Friends and their set certainly did not disappoint. Predictably, their harmonies were tight, musicianship fantastic and sense of humour a bonus. The Shanties just kept coming and crowd participation was definitely encouraged! One of the top acts of the festival!

The Mercury Rev had the main stage warmed up for the last band of the weekend with a set filled with a psychedelic blend of cinematic soundscapes and a performance that left no disappointment.

Closing the festival were Doves who also gave a Q&A on the afternoon reflecting on their career span of over 2 decades and giving a little insight into their show. As the sun had set, the festival glowed with fairy lights and beaming smiles throughout the crowd as they performed some of their classic hits such as ‘Catch The

Sun’, ‘There Goes the Fear’ and ‘The Cedar Room’. This was the definition of a perfect closing headline band for a wonderful festival.

A special thanks to Amy and the entire Moseley Folk Festival team who work incredibly hard each year to pull off this successful event. Next years tickets are available now as the event takes place 4th-6th September 2026.

GLENN HUGHES

KK’S STEEL MILL, WOLVERHAMPTON

Returning to his home turf, iconic bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes played the notorious KK’s Steel Mill in Wolverhampton to an energetically fuelled, packed out audience!

Opening for the evening was a name that has been rolling off everyone’s lips for the last 18 months, guitarshredder powerhouse Sophie Lloyd who gave an immense performance that demonstrated exactly why she has gained such status. With a set that consisted of instrumental covers of rock classics ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’, ‘ Thunderstruck’ and ‘Enter Sandman’, Lloyd was also joined by Marisa of Marisa and the Moths for a number of tunes including ‘Hanging On‘, ‘Won’t You Come‘ and ‘Imposter Syndrome‘, which certainly demonstrated their close sisterhood and electric chemistry as performers. Sophie’s band reflected her impeccable musicianship as she was accompanied by Iman Ahmed, Christian Rivers and Chris Painter – a perfectly combined band.

As the audience were well and truly warmed up, the legendary Glenn Hughes took to the stage for a solid twohour set filled with a combination of Trapeze, Deep Purple, Black Country Communion and solo hits, intertwined with stories from him incredible and unbelievable career. Joining Hughes for his show were Soren Andersen on

guitar and Ash Seehan on drums who together gave a sensational and thunderous performance.

The setlist explored a perfectly pieced combination including a nod to playing close to Birmingham with an Iommi cover of ‘Grace’. Even though the song was stopped abruptly from a fall, Glenn got right back up to finish his set in absolute style.

The set also consisted of the likes of fan favourites ‘Medusa’, ‘You Are the Music’, ‘Black Country’ and ‘Soul Mover’, with Hughes saying “I don’t get to play home very often, let me make sure you know how much I love you tonight” before giving us a sneak-peak to a brand new track called ‘Voice in my Head’. Glenn closed the night with Deep Purple’s iconic Burn where he was joined on stage by his support artist Sophie Lloyd, and together they gave an absolutely powerful end to an epic evening.

In the words of Hughes himself “These is so much more to this boy from Cannock” - a truly captivating performer who breaks down the barrier between himself and the audience through his enticing storytelling and utter charisma.

NWOCR LIVE FEST 4

KK’S

STEEL MILL, WOLVERHAMPTON

Returning to Wolverhampton for its 4th run was NWOCR Livefest with a line-up filled with some of the best names currently circulating the rock scene. The compere for the weekend was the much-loved Pete K Mally who was a perfect fit for the role and without question, a solid crowdpleaser.

Kick-starting the weekend were Welsh-wonders Yaki Dah who, for a fairly new band in the scene, gave an energetic performance that set the tone for an explosive weekend (and that’s before we get talking about the pyro!). Shape of Water were a band that stuck with everyone. Their alternative, prog-esque Italian roots not only triggered interest but left everyone in awe from their combination of visual elements with gripping melodic hooks. Up next and performing under their new name were Geordie rockers Juliet’s Not Dead who gave a belter of a performance with equally impressive visuals and a wall of sound that totally filled the venue. A band that never disappoint. As the afternoon unfolded, we were treated to The City Kids who never fail to bring the noise and high energy as well as Austin Gold who expressed a dynamic range of modern classic rock.

Guitar icon Troy Redfern took to the stage as the crowd rushed into his opening chord. Joined by his Nicky Waters on drums, the sound this duo made was sensational and showed true musicianship. For a two-piece to be able to fill the venue with the sound of a full band, certainly demonstrates a tremendous amount of skill. A particular highlight of the day was Empyre, not only for their atmospheric, cool and collected stage presence but also because co-founder of the festival and Hard Rock Hell Radio’s very own Peter Rattray took to the stage for a jaw-

dropping proposal to his partner. From everyone at HRH HQ, we wish him many congratulations!

But of course, the headliners everyone were buzzed for and closing day one of the festival was Derby’s iconic These Wicked Rivers who brought the style, creative flare and effortless charm.

Sunday was a slightly slower start for the audience but that didn’t stop White Tygër bringing a fierce sleazy set, followed by the immensely powerful Lead Feather and of course, Sweet Electric who never disappoint with a set filled with pure vibrancy, fire and comedy gold! We were given a blues twist from Ashley Sherlock and heavier rock touch from Gone Savage, whilst the inmates of Ward XVI were let out of the asylum for a theatrical treat palette cleanser.

Fan-favourite The Karma Effect had the venue filled with their southern rock, soulful force before the wonderful Cats in Space closed the weekend festivities. A band that makes you feel like you’re hearing a full show of an arena size, their sound filled KK’s with power-rock anthems!

A weekend filled with great times, big smiles and pure classic rock vibes!

A huge shout-out to Peter Rattray, Richard Brindley, Mark Parsley and the other members of the NWOCR team for creating an immense weekend, as well as the in-house team and security at KK’s for a smoothly ran production and as always, creating a welcoming environment. NWOCR Livefest 5 will be held on the 26th-27th September 2026 and early bird tickets are on sale now.

SUNDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2025

W.A.S.P.

O2 CITY HALL, NEWCASTLE

There are few bands who could say they reached their 40th anniversary and are still actively touring. But that’s the musical milestone that Blackie Lawless and company celebrated on their recent UK tour, marking the landmark anniversary of their debut album.

The quartet kicked off their UK run on Tyneside at the O2 City Hall. A venue which WASP have played at on several occasions previously, and even most recently just a couple of years back.

But what was special about this show was the fact that WASP intended to play their seminal debut album in full. And in an age where people listen to songs due to the advent of streaming rather than albums, to hear a record in full and as the artist intended is refreshing.

And whilst most artists will structure a setlist so that it builds up to their biggest hits and fan favourites. Performing the debut WASP album in order introduced a challenge. That being they had to start the show with I Wanna Be Somebody - a song they usually close the show with.

But to do this, it did elevate the atmosphere within the

room from the off. Fans hung onto every word as Lawless and company walked their fans down memory lane, track after track. Perhaps there were no surprises because of that, the fans always knew what was coming next - but they didn’t mind at all.

Lawless towered over the crowd with his distinctive and gargantuan microphone stand. Dressed in black and sporting his Warlock guitar. Backdrops displaying vintage imagery and a video screen sporting retro footage further enhanced the experience.

Debut album aside, there was space in the set for a few fan favourites from the band’s extensive career, including Wild Child and Blind in Texas.

Lawless has fond memories of the North East, recollecting it was the locale where he discovered Indian food on the band’s first UK run back in the 80s. And by returning to the city, the artist is retracing the historic steps he took all those years ago. A full circle moment, perhaps.

For those present, a full airing of the band’s legendary debut was nostalgic - yes, but most importantly, it was incredibly enjoyable.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

MASSIVE WAGONS

‘WHEN ROCK RETURNED TO COLLEGE’ THE GREAT HALL, LANCASTER UNIVERSITY

First a bit of background, back in the day the only way to access live music was to get out to a gig, sounds easy, eh! However, access to transport/money and opportunities was not as forthcoming as it is today. For the most part, we had to trawl the record shops/local venues and limited radio stations that played the music to find out what was happening, Tommy Vance’s Friday Night Rock Show and the goddam Ceefax pages were a godsend. TV coverage was not the best, so when the groundbreaking Rock Goes To College series came along it had a ready-made and willing audience. The series itself lasted for around three years but its legacy lived on for many years as it got the names of these iconic venues out across the country to a wider audience. The Great Hall, Lancaster University, was one of these venues, even though it only made one appearance on the series it had already secured its place in rock history. Through the musical prowess of Barry Lucas it staged some of the best and newest music around which included The Who, Pink Floyd, The Scorpions, Tina Turner, the list goes on, Barry is also the author of best selling book When Rock Went To College 1969-1985 3rd edition, a veritable who’s who in music.

Moving forward and those homegrown rockers Massive Wagons planned two nights of shows to bring rock back to college with an agenda that covered many aspects other than just having a great time rocking out with their fans, which I admit they did admirably. They are also ambassadors for Metal For Good, big promoters of Andy’s Man Club and also spend a lot of time visiting schools as Baz & Adams ‘Forget The Haters’, talking to the kids and spreading the anti-bullying message, all of which was pushed over the weekend and indeed at most of their shows and socials. Details and links below. Underlying all of this was to highlight The Great Hall and what it could be again and maybe more importantly for us fans was to record the whole event for a live album, who doesn’t like a live album eh.

It all kicked off on Friday with a matinee show for 500 or so kids from the local schools. This is something the band had wanted to do for a long time as it not only supports

their anti-bullying campaign but also brings the live music experience to the kids, many of whom may not have experienced a full-on live music show before. The smiles and cheers were real and unbiased and they didn’t hold back as they rocked out to a short set with the underlying message from the band to Forget The Haters, keep an eye out for your friends, and it’s okay to have fun and enjoy yourselves. The big kids, sorry teachers, seemed to be having as much fun as the kids, and why not?

The full live shows on Friday and Saturday nights featured local Lancaster bands Harrison Rimmer Band and Life In Neon as openers, both played exciting sets to the eager crowd. Friday’s main support came from the immensely wild and energetic Virginmarys and hard rockers The New Roses took up the challenge on Saturday. Hosts Massive Wagons played two inspired sets and did what they do best, back to the stack rock music which the amassed crowd lapped up and partied the night away, making memories and, I’m sure many hangovers.

Massive Wagons, a band I’ve been following since seeing them at the SOS festival in 2013, have captivated me with their raw rock sound. Baz’s gritty vocals, Stephen and Adam’s twin guitars and searing solos, and Bowz and Alex’s powerful rhythm create an electrifying experience. However, building a following requires commitment and connection with fans. In It Together, a song written by Baz about his first meeting with Ginger Wildheart, encapsulates their message of unity and resilience. Without bands, there are no fans, and without fans, there are no bands. Their survival depends on each other, and a band’s performance or a fan’s interaction with is everything.

I for one hope this event shows the powers that be at Lancaster University that The Great Hall can be just that again, Great, and with a bit of passion and money can be a huge benefit not just for the University but also for the wider music scene with shows and events that can benefit all ages.

Causes:

Metal For Good - Fund ideas that use the values of rock and metal to end inequality, improve wellbeing, and provide life-changing opportunities.- https:// metalforgood.org

ANDYSMANCLUB - A men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free to attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. We want to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation. #ITSOKAYTOTALKhttps://andysmanclub.co.uk

F.ck / Forget The Haters - No place for bullying in any walk of life, promoted by Massive Wagons and most decent people to be honest. www.massivewagons.com

When Rock Goes To College - Barry Lucas & Paul Tomlinson - 1969-1985 3rd ed ISBN 13: 978-1-910837-49-8

CROPREDY FESTIVAL 2025

CROPREDY VILLAGE, OXFORDSHIRE

With a slew of other big events cancelling and the continuous message of ‘use it or lose it’ from the Fairport camp, there were worries whether Cropredy would go the same way following the dark Covid times. To everyone’s delight, we got the announcement we wanted to hear, ‘It’s on’, albeit at a much reduced capacity of 6,000. Would it work, would it feel the same? Well, we would find out over the weekend.

On the face of it you wouldn’t have noticed much change in the scale of the festival, the main arena was pretty much the same minus the stage-side video screens. Some of the camping fields were not being used and Im sure the bar was smaller but apart from that it was all systems go.

Musically the lineup was strong and a good mix, a few welcome returns and enough to satisfy most people although Im sure a few still had a whinge!. It’s a mixing pot of genres from traditional folk through folk fusion to 70’s psychedelic rock and prog rock with a few elements of sheer madness added in.

I didn’t get to see every band, but here are some thoughts on the ones I did. Of course, everyone else will have their own take, which will probably be different from mine!

Fairport kicked things off with a lovely acoustic set, the sound of the village festival bell ringing in the background, before Joe Broughton’s Folk Ensemble took the stage, how many musicians can you fit on one stage? It was fantastic to see this ever-changing lineup of young, enthusiastic musicians having such a blast. Up next and Rosie Cunningham brought a 70’s psychedelic feel to the event, even Rik Sanders got in on the act and joined them onstage for a song. Peatbog Faeries thrilled us with their high-energy Celtic fusion,

so easy to lose yourself in the beat for an hour or so. The saying ‘saved the best till last’ is fitting as Albert Lee played an outstanding set that held and got crowd dancing the night away.

Friday saw a welcome return for Churchfitters, an afternoon of Jazz and Funk from King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys and City Funk Orchestra and sheer madness from El Pony Pistador who were an injection of energy and entertainment which included a wall of folk, highly entertaining. After pulling out of last year’s festival we finally got to see The Trevor Horn band, a nostalgic trip through your younger years with all the hits you heard on the radio, pure class.

Saturday brought the return of Richard Digance, everyone’s favourite folking comedian, guaranteed to get your hanky waving. This year he played blinder with his Coldplay style ‘Kiss Cam’ the sharks won the day. Deborah Bonham pure 70’s rock and another great set, she had a few friends join her on stage, Dave Pegg and Robert Plant, many have waited so long to see Robert onstage again and he gave us the magic of Ramble On and Thank You. Martin Barre captivated Tull fans with a full performance of ‘Aqualung’. Fairport Convention whose party this was played an outstanding set. Joined by a few special guest that included Ralph McTell, we danced, we smiled, we had tears but mainly we had fun in a field in August.

Sometimes festivals get a bit oversaturated and a reset like this could really do them a world of good! It would help them reconnect with what makes it feel so great. The buzz around and after the festival was all positive, and everyone seemed to be on board with the new smaller capacity and overall vibe.

Let’s see what happens next and hope we all get chance to do it all again.

Words & Photo Credit: Simon Dunkerley

Still Curious After Almost 60 Years

Adam Kennedy speaks with Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull about the band’s new album and impending UK tour.

Jethro Tull - one of the most unique and groundbreaking progressive rock bands of all time - will be performing across the UK from April 2026, with 19 concerts of music from much of their 24-album catalogue, starting with 1968’s ‘This Was’ through to their acclaimed ‘Curious Ruminant’ released earlier this year.

Reflecting on the year so far, Ian Anderson said, “Relatively speaking, it is a slightly quieter year in terms of touring. And we had a new album released in March. So, really, from February to May

Jethro

was a lot of promotion and various trips abroad to do promotions with local media, as well as some concerts. And we’re now into the summer concerts.”

Jethro Tull’s latest offering comes from a personal place. “I started off by wanting to make an album that was a little more introspective than usual, because I’m, by tradition, more of an objective writer. I tend to write about people and places, not to dwell on my own feelings or reactions, but rather in a more objective manner. But on this occasion, I thought, well, I will offer up a little more personal insight. And so, the title track Curious Ruminant, that’s exactly what it’s about,” explains Ian.

Curious Ruminant is Jethro Tull’s incredible 24th album. With a career dating back to the 60s and a back catalogue that is unparalleled, how difficult is it to pick a

setlist for their concerts? “Well, the thing about doing a concert is that, although the set list will change, roughly speaking, every year, there’ll be changes to the set list. And there are maybe two or three pieces of music that are always in the set list. Everything else is a movable feast, and they come and go,” explains Ian. “So, there are some pieces that are almost hardly ever been played. And then there are other pieces that are played intermittently, every three or four or five years, they crop up in the set list again. So, there are songs that we know work well on stage, and they are what I would describe as the heavy hitters, the ones that we know, we like, and the audience will like, and they are effective within a concert set in terms of the dynamics. But you’re also having to consider things like what key is it in? And what key is the song before and the song after it, because you don’t

Jethro Tull

WITH IAN ANDERSON

want them all to be in the same key, or the same tempo, or to have the same general structure, or to be on the same lyrical topic. So, it’s all about trying to make light and shade. And with that in mind, it’s also good if you can include songs that give an idea of the big picture. So right at the moment, we play three songs from the first album. And then some music dotted around from the second album, from the fourth album, fifth album, into the latter part of the 70s and into the 80s.”

Ian continues: “We play four songs that have come from albums in the last four years, just to bring things up to date. But in some ways, those songs perhaps don’t sound particularly radically different from things that we might have been playing 50 years ago. Because it’s about having a certain style, a certain direction, a certain liking, really, for music that embodies in quite an eclectic way, elements of classical

music, folk music, sprinkled with sometimes a little syncopation, a little jazzy feel, or whatever. But it is about trying to create the big picture of Jethro Tull’s music. And it’s not difficult to do, because there’s so much to choose from. And necessarily, you have to leave 90% of it out, because you can’t fit it all into a single concert.”

Heading into the final stages of 2025, how does the rest of the year look for Jethro Tull? “All the tour dates are in there. It’s unlikely there’ll be any added between now and then,” he says. “There’s nothing this year outside of what you would technically call Europe because I fear that my days of long-haul travel are probably over. Just the thought of getting on a plane for eight hours or 12 hours to go to the USA or to go to Canada or to go to Australia, New Zealand, Japan … and promoters are still giving offers to go and do tours.

But as soon as I start thinking about the logistics of it all, plus the tedium of getting visas and dealing with all the taxation issues, I have better things to do with my time. So, popping over to Europe, whether by plane or on the train, is a relatively low impact.”

Ian concludes: “Being away from home for three nights is okay. Because that means I get four nights sleeping in my own bed, hopefully, before I go again. And so, Europe offers a lot of prospects.”

Jethro Tull will tour the UK during April and May 2026. For ticket information and further details, please visit: www.JethroTull.com.

When the Quireboys split unceremoniously in 2022 after their tour supporting The Dead Daisies, the aftermath felt bitter and uncomfortable with fan loyalties, and long term friendships all being caught in the inevitable crossfire. Largely retaining a dignified silence, Guy Griffin, Keith Weir, and Paul Guerin reinvented themselves as the Black Eyed Sons, named after the appearance of Guy’s nephew. It was also the name of a previous Quireboys album in 2014. Black Eyed Sons’ debut album captured much of their former band’s swagger, catchy choruses, and depth of musical emotional. However, aside from just a handful of shows, the revitalised musicians have yet to perform live … until now.

Guy Griffin discusses the band’s debut UK tour which runs through November / December.

“It’s a weird thing doing these shows quite a while after the album was released. But that’s just the way things pan out. When we changed the name to Black Eyed Sons, I didn’t really have any illusion about how difficult it would be. We’re the same band, but as soon as you change the name, it’s a whole different thing. You’re starting from scratch. The way it’s perceived is completely different. But then there’s something really cool about that, because now there’s no limitations, and we can do what we want. There’s no set style for what Black Eyed Sons is. With this first album, and all the different people we had on it, it was like a free-for-all. There were a lot of people who were encouraging us and wanting to be involved. It was all sending files teleporting like Star Trek”.

The album ‘Cowboys in Pinstriped Suits’ was released in January this year, but its incubation started further back to when the previous band imploded, but was contractually obliged to fulfil shows. That period even saw Chip Z’Nuff dep on bass for the Spanish leg, leading to him recording on some of the tracks.

“It was done in all sorts of different weird ways. We had about three tours that we

were contracted to do as the Quireboys, or otherwise go bankrupt. We had Chip on bass for the Spanish tour and we were literally recording in a hotel lobby, putting bass tracks down. The drum tracks I’d done with myself and Pip. But the way we’re doing it isn’t any different than probably 90% of bands, and how they make records now. There isn’t the budget to be able to go to some exotic location and spend a month in a studio, or if there is, is it worth it? One or two people are in the studio recording their parts and everyone else is just twiddling their thumbs or down the pub. It’s actually not a very productive thing, whereas when you send something to somebody and they’ve got time, you inevitably get a better performance”.

One thing is for sure. The creation of the Black Eyed Sons has given Guy and the band a new freedom, and opportunity for a fresh approach. And that shines through in Guy’s mental health, his renewed love for the music, and the quality of the band’s recordings.

“I love the way it is now. I’m not chasing my tail, being on the road all year round just to make a living. That’s how the previous band was. It got to that point where we were all reliant on it for a living. I wouldn’t say it’s Groundhog Day, but you’re playing the same venues, you’re playing the same towns, and the same countries. We made a lot of records, but it was hard trying to get any new songs into the set. It took me a couple of years to realise that most people aren’t really interested in hearing new stuff. They want to hear the hits that remind them of being 20 years old in 1989. It’s the same with the whole classic rock genre. I love nostalgia as much as anyone. It makes you feel good for a while because it reminds you of the old days. I’m not knocking it. I’ve got great memories of those days. I was there too, despite what’s been said. I was actually there, and I played those songs. But after a while, it does become a bit of a job. Sometimes it’s going through the motions”.

Former fans have not yet been able to experience the renewed sound that Black Eyed Sons bring. The forthcoming tour will provide an opportunity to explore new material, and some older material that may not have been performed live before. However, whilst this is definitely a new band, and brings a new diversity of sound, those much treasured rock n roll roots are certain to still shine through.

“The thing is, we were that band for the last 20 odd years. It’s like this big elephant in the room. It’s like, it’s the band that made 12 albums, and plus I was on all the other albums as well. I love that style of music, of course, but it’s nice that we can branch out a little bit. There’s certain styles of music that Paul, Keith and I like, that our old singer didn’t really like. I love the Americana stuff, but I also like all the punk rock stuff, like Mink Deville, Johnny Thunders and Lords of the New Church. There’s elements of that we could bring in, but there’ll always be elements of rock n roll in any music I make”.

The UK tour kicks off with two shows at the HRH festival in Great Yarmouth, with the band performing two sets; one electric, and the other stripped down and acoustic. There’s also a hint t hat Mike Tramp might join them for a performance of ‘Your true colours’ f or which he provided guest vocals on the Black Eyed Sons’ d

ebut album. Those HRH shows are already sold out, however, the collaboration that Guy is most anticipating is saved for the final date in London in December, where The Dirty Strangers are on hand as support. Guy and Pip have both performed with the Dirty Strangers in recent weeks, and there is also the possibility of some collaborations at that show.

“We’re looking forward to HRH. It should be a good crowd in there. It’s a good lineup as well, and it’s very well run. It’s a more civilised way of doing a festival where you’ve got accommodation, rather than being in a tent somewhere. Before I joined the Quireboys, when it was the Queer Boys, the Dirty Strangers were the rock n roll band in London at the time. Obviously, they had Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards on the first album, and there’s

all that connection, which makes it really cool. But it’s like joining a gang, being in the Dirty Strangers. It’s like a badge of honour”.

For a band that are quite widely dispersed across the globe, this tour not only provides an opportunity to dust off the touring cobwebs, bit it will also be an opportunity to flesh out some more music, with both Guy and Paul both in creative mode.

“Paul Guerrin has been spending a lot of time in the States this past year, and working on some stuff with a band called Blacktop Mojo, who are local to where he is in Texas. Paul’s got some stuff he wants to play me, and I’ve got loads of stuff too. Over the last two or three years, I was

recording so much I wasn’t sure what I was going to use it for. I was either going to use it for myself or a new project. But now, obviously, it became Black Eyed Sons, so there’s a lot to go through, and finish off. When we get together on the road, we’ll jam some stuff out. But it’s a pretty quick process once you know how you want to approach it”

The Black Eyed Sons will be performing across the UK between 6th November20th December.

For more information: https://blackeyedsons.com/shows/

Whilst the official Record Store Day takes place every April and started in 2008, the Black Friday edition comes around every November and gives collectors and independent record shops a smaller variety of exclusive releases, specifically released for the occasion. Mimicking the idea behind RSD, the Black Friday special was created to encourage vinyl collectors to head to their local independent record shop to support small businesses. The day brings together fans, artists, and thousands of independent record stores around the world for a day filled with great music, loads of vinyl, a chance to mingle with like-minded people and of course, all the surface noise!

Not surprisingly, 2025 gave us a list filled with a bunch of goodies and the Black Friday Record Store Day list is jsut as exciting!, As well as previous years’ lists, are all available on the official website www.recordstoreday.com, the website also provides a record shop finder, information on partners and monthly exclusives. Here is my breakdown of what I feel are some of the top rock releases for this year, as well as some of my personal top picks!

Charls Top Rock Picks

Mötley Crüe’s iconic power ballad, “Home Sweet Home,” released on limited-edition picture disc 12” vinyl for Record Store Day. Celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of rock’s most legendary anthems. Includes 6 versions, including “Home Sweet Home” (original), “Home Sweet Home” feat.

Ramones have long been associated with the legendary Bowery club, CBGB, and this is a record ing of them in their prime recorded live at CBGB in 1977. Released on vinyl for the first time.

ALICE

COOPER - WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE LIVE FROM THE FORUM

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Alice Cooper’s debut solo record Welcome To My Nightmare is

1 LP Coloured Vinyl Live from Wembley 1995 spotlights Van Halen live in concert from London’s Wembley Stadium on their Balance Tour. The explosive eight-song performance, recorded on June 24, 1995 and pressed on Translucent Orange Crush Vinyl, features an anthemic mix of the

Limited edition red vinyl pressing of this raucous live Motörhead album, recorded at Brixton Academy in London in 1987. Features the classic anthems Ace Of Spades, Rock N Roll and Eat The Rich. Back on vinyl for the first time in 30 years & released as part of Motörhead’s 50th

Charls Top Black Friday Record Store Day Picks

THE DOORS - LIVE IN COPENHAGEN

RHINO / ATLANTIC

The Doors Live in Copenhagen is a previously unreleased live show from the legendary band, recorded at Falkoner Centret in Copenhagen, Denmark on September 17, 1968. 2-LP set on coloured heart shaped vinyl.

Dogfish Head Brewery and Grateful Dead invite you back for another round of good times On A Back Porch. Support your indie record stores while enjoying easy listening live Dead, and easy

Fleetwood Mac Live 1975 captures the incredible electricity of the band’s first tour with the legendary lineup of Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham joining Mick Fleetwood, John McVie & Christine McVie. Recorded 50 years ago at the Capitol Theatre (Passaic, NJ, 10/17/75) & Jorgensen Auditorium (University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 10/25/75), the album features the band’s recent hits “Rhiannon” & “Landslide” along with some early Fleetwood Mac favorites,

A rare live recording of INXS’s performance on 24th June 1986 at London’s Royal Albert Hall – previously unreleased. The BBC recording first aired in September 1986, introduced by the legendary Pete Drummond, this rare two-channel recording from the BBC’s desk at the show was found recently in the BBC archives. Mixed by Giles Martin and mastered by Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road Studios. Featuring What You Need, Kiss The Dirt, Original Sin, Listen Like Thieves,

First ever release of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan as it was originally conceived, including four tracks that were withdrawn before the album came out: Rocks And Gravel, Let Me Die in My

THE FLAMING LIPS - YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS - LIVE AT THE ZOO AMPHITHEATRE OKLAHOMA CITY AUGUST 30TH, 2024

Flaming Lips perform their iconic album, Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, live in its entirety from the Oklahoma City Zoo Amphitheatre on August 30, 2024. The hometown set will be released as a

In late 1975, Joni joined Bob Dylan’s legendary Rolling Thunder Revue, hitting the road for sev eral shows and embarking on the long road trip journey that would lead to songs on her classic album Hejira. These recordings were released for the first time as part of Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4 at the end of 2024, with many tracks making their first vinyl appearance here.

Celebrating 60 years of Elektra’s first rock band, Love. Featuring their first four Elektra albums (Love. Da Capo, Forever Changes, Four Sail). Starting with their groundbreaking debut, the experimental jams of Da Capo (which includes a 19 minute song), the classic Forever Changes

DAVID GREEN “Greenie”

Def Leppard superfan David ‘Greenie’ Green is midway through Adam And The Ants’ Antmusic UK headline tour as one half a spectacular drumming partnership with Jola. He took time out to talk all things Lepps and Mutt Lange ahead of High ‘n’ Dry’s 45th anniversary and the band’s 2026 Las Vegas residency.

HRH: How did your love affair with Def Leppard begin?

Greenie: It’s quite a cool story about High ‘n’ Dry. My entry point with Def Leppard was Vault in 1995. I’d been playing drums for two or three years by then and the TV adverts were out for it and I was just getting into rock music. There were a lot of great rock compilations for me to get my teeth into at that time — there was Bon Jovi’s Crossroads, Big Ones by Aerosmith came out the year before and then Vault came out. I got it for Christmas, was immediately hooked, and started to discover all of the amazing production underpinning the band. I read about this guy Mutt Lange — I’ve always been a massive music geek even since the age of like 11 or12. I was already reading music books and studying things like that so the Mutt Lange character really appealed to me.

HRH: And Vault steered you towards High ‘n’ Dry?

Greenie: Like everyone else I kept listening to the classics but Bringin’ On The Heartbreak stuck out for me because I could tell it was different. It was raw. I didn’t know much about it at the time, didn’t even know it was from the album High ‘n’ Dry. But instead of doing what most people do — after getting The Greatest Hits you go to the most successful album — and buying Hysteria or Pyromania, I bought High ‘n’ Dry. I just got attracted to it: the rawness, the rock, the guitar tones and the drums. It was a lot more raw sounding and hard-edged.

HRH: And you did some more digging into Mutt Lange?

Greenie: Again, it was purely by accident. Around the same time that I got into Leppard I spent a lot of time listening to Back In Black. Subconsciously I was surrounding myself with Mutt Lange’s best work.

I didn’t think to compare the two at the time but they’re from the same era and benefit from a similar production. So there was Back In Black and High ‘n’ Dry and for a while it felt like that’s all I listened to! Everything from Let It Go to High ‘n’ Dry (Saturday Night), Switch 65, Bringin’ On The Heartbreak — even the deeper cuts like Mirror Mirror (Look Into My Eyes), Another Hit And Run and Lady Strange — struck a chord with me. And one of the things that really got me about that album was even though I’m a drummer, one of my favourite musicians is Steve Clarke. His melodic solos across High ‘n’ Dry were a significant moment for me.

HRH: Do you think Steve and Pete Willis were two of the main beneficiaries of Mutt’s visionary approach?

Greenie: Obviously there’s a lot of technical playing on that album between Steve and Pete but the production really focused on the melody. I always thought Steve recognised the opportunity there and he contributed hugely to what was a fantastic crossover album. High ‘n’ Dry was hard-edged and without being super commercial it was still accessible. There was a gang mentality about that album and Joe Elliott’s vocals were next level. When you go through Mutt’s back catalogue it becomes clear just how much he influences the vocals — whether it’s the lead or the backing vocals — and that was a game changer for Leppard. I was fortunate enough to see Leppard perform Let It Go at Newcastle City Hall in 2003. It was the first time I’d heard them cover anything from that era apart from Switch 625 and Bringin’ On The Heartbreak.

HRH: As a drummer how much of an influence is Rick Allen?

Greenie: I was 12 or 13 when I saw him on stage at the City Hall and he wasn’t that much older when Leppard took off! That was a real inspiration to me. From a drumming point of view, I’ve always been a drummer who isn’t so much interested in doing solos — I’m more about feel and groove. I find that approach really satisfying: just playing within the music, locking in with the bass, playing around the vocals and stuff like that. I’m much more of a fan

of people like Rick Allen, Tico Torres of Bon Jovi, Clive Burr, the first drummer of Iron Maiden — those kind of drummers. They were always more about groove but still had conviction and passion.

HRH: So tell us about the unique situation you find yourself in with Adam Ant’s live band

Greenie: I love doing those shows. As everyone knows, Adam And The Ants were always very drum orientated and there’s a special legacy to maintain. Between me and Jola we’re able to create a massive sound that brings those big hits to life. The likes of Stand And Deliver, Ant Music and Kings Of The Wild Frontier are classics that have always stood the test of time. From a drummer’s point of view it’s such a fun gig. The songs are great in their own right but the tribal rhythms are something I’ve always been a fan of. It’s unusual to play with another drummer live but I gelled with Jola from day one. It’s a unique experience — on stage and off it.

HRH: What have been your highlights as a global drummer for hire?

Greenie: I’ve been lucky enough to drum with Reef, Andy Taylor (ex-Power Station and Duran Duran) and Sam Fender over the years. And in between the live shows I work as a drum tech on the road for some huge international acts. I’ve just come off a tour of the US and working at venues like The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. It’s an incredible life and I’m very fortunate. I’m also passionate about encouraging the next generation — just like I was inspired by Rick Allen at Newcastle City Hall all those years ago. I love teaching and mentoring drummers of all ages and abilities.

The ANTMUSIC 2025 tour continues across the UK throughout November and wraps up in Basingstoke on November 25. Tickets are available here

Career retrospective The Singles — featuring music from Adam And The Ants and Adam Ant’s solo career — was released on CD and coloured vinyl on October 31.

Words

by Simon Rushworth

Photo Credit: Press Provided

building in the studio, songs to put on the album. We’re going to have 10 songs on the album, but we have actually got more than 10 songs worth of material, so we’ve had to think what’s going to be best and whittle it down a little bit.”

It’s been quite a year for North East rockers Gwailo. The band got the year off to a start with a run of shows in mainland Europe, before picking up a whole raft of supports with some of the scene’s finest talent. “We managed to get over to Poland, which was our first international gigs going to Europe - so that was a great experience,” said Gwailo guitarist David Henry. “We’ve managed to get some really good support spots. We had a show with Black Spiders, we’ve played with Gorilla Riot, we’ve played with Syteria, JoanOvArc, and recently with Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disasters.”

In between performing live, the group has been in the studio working on their eagerly anticipated debut album. “We’ve been wanting to do an album for a while, so the past few years we’ve been mulling it over,” explains David. “Over the past year and a half, we’ve been writing and

piano and acoustic tracks, it’s got all sorts of stuff in. So, I think we’re sort of versatile or diverse in that kind of way.”

David elaborates: “I think we’ve got quite a diverse album. We’re not just a heavy band; we’ve got a ballad in there, we’ve got some softer songs, some heavier songs, we’ve got classic rock and roll and bluesy songs. So, we’ve got a good mix which shows our versatility.”

Which bands would Gwailo say have influenced their sound and musical direction? “I find it quite hard, but I always go back to someone like Guns N’ Roses. They’ve got an album like Appetite for Destruction, which has got the heavier tracks and the real rock and roll, but then you look at their album Use Your Illusion, and it’s got

The roots of Gwailo can be traced back almost ten years. “The name has been around since 2016, when I started the band. And it was me and my brother who was on drums. The pair of us started the band, because I really wanted to be in a band, and I’d never been in a band before. My brother had been in a bunch of bands, so eventually he was like right, we can do a band together,” recalls David. “We got a bass player, and got a singer, and we just went from there.”

David continues: “Over the years, we’ve gone through lineup changes, and then eventually we’ve arrived at this lineup where it’s all come together. It just feels like we’re making headway right now. Everyone is moving in the same direction.”

Gwailo released their latest single Live for the Weekend on the 18th October. A sentiment which will perhaps resonate with many. “The riff and the chorus were brought to the band by lead singer Michael Curry, and the lyrics that went over that, it was all Michael’s.” The emotions encapsulated in the song reflect working a day job that doesn’t move you, where you spend your days waiting for your favourite days of the week. “You’re probably sitting at a desk staring out of the window …and maybe writing a song from there. But it’s a really positive song, and I do love a positive song myself.”

David continues: “We started building on it, and it’s obviously got to have a solo. This one’s got two solos. We only added a few little bits, because it was Michael’s song, and it was a great song anyway.”

Gwailo celebrated the release of their new

single with a headline show at Zerox in Newcastle. A rare headline show from the band. “We had the single coming out, so we thought, right, we’ll get a headline gig in there. We had a great set of supports with us in Syteria and Speeder,” said David. “It’s been a long time since we’ve done a headline gig, and we really enjoyed showing the crowd what we’ve really got.”

a brilliant night, so that’s why we thought we’d try and get them back.”

The band reunited with Syteria, who the band supported earlier this year. Syteria features rock legend Jackie Chambers from iconic group Girlschool. “We played at Downcast Studios with Syteria earlier on in the year, and it was a great gig, because we know the history of Syteria with Jackie Chambers being in Girlschool. You know who she is, and she’s obviously played with many great bands,” explains David. “The crowd came out, and they loved us. And it was just great being with a professional band like Syteria. We just had

Beyond the single release Gwailo are already looking at what’s coming up in the New Year. “We’ve got the album hopefully coming out early next year, and we’re finally starting to get on the festival scene. So, we’re really looking forward to getting the album out, and being able to show people what we’ve really got.” He concludes: “We’re just really hopeful and excited that we’re going to be building next year.”

Gwailo’s new single, Live for the Weekend, is out on all streaming platforms now. For ticket information and further details, please visit: http://linktr.ee/gwailo_uk.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

Robert Kane

Sunderland singer songwriter Robert Kane has been the voice of British R&B royalty Dr Feelgood for more than 25 years. At the age of 70 he’s just dropped his blues-busting debut solo album.

Without Al Jolson there’s every chance Robert Kane would never have set foot on stage, let alone travelled the world living his rock and roll dream. As a young boy finding his feet in the Wearside village of Whitburn, a painfully shy and socially awkward Robert didn’t scream consummate and charismatic frontman. However, Jolson, the self-styled ‘World’s Greatest Entertainer’, proved to be a pivotal inspiration.

“My parents were from the pre-war generation,” explains Robert. “My dad was born in 1925 but my mam was slightly younger — between them they brought an eclectic mix of music into the house.

“My dad brought Bing Crosby 78s and records by Slim Whitman to the table. My mum loved Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers and Cliff Richard. But my first idol, I suppose, was Al Jolson.”

Jolson was a do-it-all entertainer who, during the 1910s and 1920s, was one of North America’s best-paid stars. Regularly credited with revolutionising Broadway, the Lithuanian-born performer has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for contributions to radio, motion pictures and the recording industry.

“I absolutely loved Al’s voice,” adds Robert. “You know, most people don’t know who he is — or who he was — but he was as big as Elvis Presley at his peak. And there’s something about that voice that still resonates with me today.”

Robert was born in Roker and Sunderland Football Club’s former Roker Park home was ‘at the bottom of the road’. “My first memory is of people piling down the street on a Saturday afternoon to go to the game,” he adds.

“But we moved as soon as we could. Back in those days the place was effectively a slum. I must have been about five when we moved to Whitburn and it was then that I became aware of music.”

Jolson might have been an inspiration but he was hardly relatable: Robert never imagined he could one day emulate his hero’s globetrotting career. Post-war Wearside seemed like a world away from the bright lights of Hollywood — or even London — and stories of working-class heroes breaking out of the North East were few and far between.

“The first time I ever went to the cinema, my dad took me and my sister to see a rerun of The Jolson Story,” recalls Robert.

“He wanted to see it because it was in colour, which it wouldn’t have been on the telly.

“It was my first time in a cinema — with that enormous screen — and it was all in colour! I’d never seen or heard anything like it.

“I loved the idea of Jolson travelling from town to town, city to city and singing his way across the world. There’s that romantic idea of the travelling troubadour.

“But I wasn’t in America. I was living in the North East of England. It was impossible to even contemplate doing the things I was watching on the big screen.

“But when The Beatles came along and I heard John Lennon singing Twist And Shout, I just thought ‘I want to do that and maybe I can do that’. I just immersed myself in music as a kid and a teenager.”

Robert freely admits he struggled to make friends as he forged ahead with his music. The ultimate late developer, he was 19 before he got on stage — a chance meeting at college opening the door to what would be a lifelong love of live entertainment.

Robert fronted the Showbiz Kids before his first brush with mainstream fame almost cut short a promising career. “I’d gone on to sing in a band called Well Well Well and we signed a two-record deal with Arista Records,” he adds. “Just before our debut album dropped a new band form Scotland released their first single and went straight into the Top 10. They were called Wet Wet Wet.”

If two bands with dangerously similar names wasn’t challenging enough, Robert was sidelined for six months with a serious bout of pneumonia. When he finally returned to action, Well Well Well were handed one last tilt at the big time.

“When I was fully recovered Arista said they’d put out a second single with a video,” he explains. “They gave us a budget of £30,000 which, in the 80s, was a decent chunk of money. And somebody from the record company came up with the idea of doing it on an oil rig.

“We all headed off to a rig in the middle of the North Sea and filmed the single for a song called Revolution. The week it was released, [oil rig] Piper Alpha blew up. Suddenly there wasn’t a television director in Europe who would touch the video. That’s the kind of luck we had with Well Well Well. When I look back on it now, as an older man, I just realise it wasn’t meant to be. At the time I was utterly broken.”

Fast forward 35 years and Robert couldn’t be in a better place. A full-time member of British R&B royalty Dr Feelgood — he’s

been the band’s pocket rocket frontman since 1999 — devoted grandfather and vocal supporter of Sunderland’s resurgence as a nationally recognised creative hub, the singer-songwriter’s enjoying a richly -deserved Indian summer.

Debut solo album Blues Is Blues, was released by North East label Conquest Music on Friday. It’s been 70 years in the making and it’s the glorious sound of triumph in adversity. But why now? “I’m always writing down words here and there ¬— just in case they could come in handy for a song some time,” says Robert. “Some of those words or song ideas just don’t fit Dr Feelgood and certainly the material I wrote for Blues Is Blues wasn’t right for the band.

“One day I had a debate with myself: is a song actually a song if nobody’s ever heard it? Maybe not. These songs should be heard so I decided to record them. Most were done as first takes and they’re all stripped down to the bare bones. But I love that. What you hear are the most authentic versions of the songs I write.”

Blues Is Blues is a beautiful record. It’s raw, heartfelt and disarmingly optimistic. There are those who suggest Robert’s never sounded better. If he wished he was lucky back in the dark days of the 80s then fortune’s always favoured the brave — and Blues Is Blues is the bold sound of a proud Wearsider who refused to be beaten.

“I just always knew I could do it,” he adds. “It was something instinctive. Something inside me told me that I could do this. I’m incredibly proud of my Sunderland roots, the career I’ve built and the contribution I’m continuing to make to what’s always been a magnificent music city.”

Blues Is Blues is available now via Conquest Music.

Dr Feelgood play Barnard Castle on October 8. The band’s final live date of 2025 is at Newcastle’s Cluny on December 19.

LynnE Jackaman

For soulful songstress Lynne Jackaman, the wheels have begun to turn as the Saint Jude singer begins to enter a new chapter.

The artist released her debut solo album One Shot in 2020. With the announcement of a run of UK tour dates during February 2026, could new music be just around the corner? Lynne reflects on the year so far. “I guess 2025 to me was the season of burrowing behind the scenes. And I spent a lot of time in the studio. I spent a lot of time writing,” said Lynne.

But as most creatives will tell you, inspiration can’t be forced. You have to wait until the muse strikes. “The last year has presented some very testing personal challenges. And I think because of that, just like anything in life, I try to turn it into a positive. So, I’ve written lots of songs around that situation,” said Lynne. “I’ve hit a real purple patch where I’ve just been able to tap into whatever it is that’s going on and just kind of channel that into music.”

Lynne Jackaman’s debut album was released during a particularly challenging time for us, that being during the global pandemic. “It came out August 14th, 2020, which was no small feat,” said Lynne. “It was a difficult thing getting it out there, but then obviously what continued after that was the venues weren’t open. We couldn’t tour, and then when the years of lockdown were finally relenting, you then had this bottleneck.”

The fact that the artist wasn’t able to fully tour One Shot upon release has given the talented singer an impetus to hit the road early in the new year. “These gigs are an opportunity to reconnect and also to go out with a full band. I haven’t really gigged One Shot full band, and also, I want to road test new material,” said Lynne. “The dates are just the beginning, really, of new music. So, the better these shows go, the more momentum we can build to push other things.”

at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. “I’d met Jamie [Evans –Lynne’s producer and guitarist] and he’d been there the year before and was just like, you have to be in Muscle Shoals. Your voice needs to be in Muscle Shoals. And it was just this incredible process that was so natural. We managed to raise the funds, managed to get out there, managed all these things. But it was such a life and music box ticked, because this is home to where some of my favourite albums and artists recorded. Legends such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Wilson Pickett, and Little Richard. Otis Redding also produced there. And some of those incredible musicians on those sessions played on my album, like Spooner Oldham and Clayton Ivey.” Lynne elaborates: “You can feel the ghosts in the walls there.”

Commencing work on her new music required getting the right team together for the project. “There’s so much work that musicians and artistic people do behind the scenes to get the energy right, because music is frequency, and if the energy is not right with the players, if the energy is not right with the music, then something’s just missing when you press play,” explains Lynne. “For me, it’s just been finding, not just people or players, but like-minded people and people that get it. And also, music is just part of it, the rest of the time is the hang - you’re with those people and it becomes like a family, and that’s what I feel I’ve found.”

Lynne continues: “The thing that really means something to me about the lineup and about the way I’m doing this is that the same people that are running through the songs, building them up, helping them find their feet, that will be in the pre-production, the production, are the people essentially that will be playing live as well. So, there’s just that momentum and that kind of cohesiveness that’s there all throughout.”

The artist’s tour will pass through Newcastle, Sheffield, and Huddersfield before concluding in London. “I’m really looking forward to it. And actually, I’m nervous. I want all the shows to be sold out. But who doesn’t? But I think that it’s really exciting for me,” explains Lynne. “Having lived away from London since 2017 and in West Yorkshire for five years, and now more like Nottinghamshire, it just makes way more sense to me.” She adds. “It just feels like the right time to do it. And there’s loads more other places I could play. But those were the ones that I picked for now. And I think that it should hopefully be, if all goes well, the first of many.”

In the meantime, Lynne has her sights set on her sophomore solo album. “I’m continuing to work on the new music. I had two things when I was a kid that were absolutely in my heart, and it was music and then nature and wellness. And I guess you could say they’re both frequencies,” said Lynne. “So, anything that I do, that I can act as a voice to empower people or to get the word out there that could help improve their lives, or just anything like that, then I’m in, basically. And I’m absolutely fascinated by wellness, nature, and our body’s innate abilities to heal themselves.”

Lynne concludes: “And so, between that and just generally being a human being trying to survive in this crazy world, I just mix it up. It keeps me interested.”

Lynne Jackaman will tour across the UK throughout February 2026, calling at The Cluny in Newcastle on 12th February, The Greystones in Sheffield on 13th February, The Parish in Huddersfield on 20th February, before wrapping up the tour at The Grace in London on 28th February. For ticket information and further details, please visit: https://lynnejackamanmusic. com/tour-dates/.

Words & Photo Credit: Adam Kennedy

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