Let There Be Rock

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE DEMISE OF FREEFALL VERTIGO...

2010-12-02T09:28:00.001Z

The full story is coming soon, read the emails, the texts, listen to the gossip, who was fired, who left of their own accord, who didn't get as much applause as the other members of the band. Read the shocking truth behind the pathetic break-up of a great band. All will be revealed in the coming weeks...!

LIVERPOOL FC DROP "YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE"

2009-10-20T13:39:00.002+01:00

Following the last premier league game at Sunderland, Liverpool FC have dropped the old crowd favourite "You'll Never Walk Alone"...apparently, they will now be playing a selection of hits by the Beach Boys...!

DOWNLOAD 2010 - 30TH ANNIVERSARY DONINGTON LINE UP

2009-06-17T12:47:00.006+01:00

RAINBOW

JUDAS PRIEST

SCORPIONS

APRIL WINE

SAXON

RIOT

TOUCH

all to play at next years "Classic Rock" Sunday at 2010!

Rainbow

will reform with as close to the 'classic' line up as possible - the fans' favourite - rather than the line up that actually headlined the 1st ever Monsters of Rock.

Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Ronnie James Dio (vocals), Bob Daisley (Bass), David Stone (keyboards), drums unknown yet to replace the sadly missed Cozy Powell.

Judas Priest

have already successfully reformed with Rob Halford a couple of years ago.

Scorpions

continue to tour with key members Rudi Schenker, Klaus Meine and Matthias Jabs.

April Wine

are still together and recording and were inducted in the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame this year.

Saxon

are still touring with frontman Biff Byford at the helm despite a major fall out with two founders several years ago and a subsequent Oliver/Dawson 'Saxon' spin off band. Lots of law suits, lots of money spent in making rich lawyers even richer!

Riot

founder and guitarist Mark Reale will need to find a new singer to replace original singer Guy Speranza who sadly died of pancreatic cancer in 2003.

Original openers Touch,

one of whose members allegedly swallowed a bee during the original 1980 set(!) will also need to reform with Mark Mangold (keyboards and songwriter) and Glen Kithcart etc.

(wouldn't it be superb if all of the above was true......!!!!)

DOWNLOAD 2009 - AWESOME

2009-06-17T12:12:00.004+01:00

It's official! Download is the best live event in the UK!

Perfect weather, great organisation, great line-up for Sunday's "Classic Rock" day...

Def Leppard were surprisingly superb as headliners (saved the best sound for themselves, but that's the norm for the last band...)

Whitesnake - good. Mr Coverdale can't hit the high notes without his band detuning a couple of semi-tones these days, but still a showman and genuinely nice guy. Shame about the interminable guitar solos and pointless drum solo. When you have a relatively short set time, fans wanna hear songs, not twiddly diddly guitar duels for 10 minutes!

ZZ Top - absolute legends! So cool and laid back it's untrue. Fabulous furry white guitars for "Legs"!

Journey - enjoyable set. Classic tunes. Great singer soundalike to Steve Perry. Crap drum sound!

Sorry! Mislaid my Black Stone Cherry pic! They were ace!

Skin - superb! 2nd best band on the day! Wonderful and also very genuine and likeable band.

Tesla - disappointing. Didn't play their best stuff. "Hang Tough" from Great Radio Controversy was woefully missing from the set!

Stone Gods - great opening band! Superb set and the singer/guitarist made a good attempt at getting right into the crowd!

Most Over Rated....Album

2009-01-28T22:26:00.003Z

LED ZEPPELIN - PHYSICAL GRAFFITI - Swan Song SSK89400
24 February 1975

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Led Zeppelin. I have every album (I even own all 6 copies of In Through The Out Door!). But this for me confuses the hell out of me when it constantly crops up right near the top (sometimes No.1) in the 'best rock albums of all time, ever, absolutely, etc. etc.).

Firstly; a double LP with 15 songs on, 8 of which were originally intended to be the 'album', but apparently these 8 were too long to fit on a conventional single LP (roughly 45 minutes). So, they decided to make it a double album and filled the remaining LP with previously recorded material - in other words...outtakes that weren't good enough for Led Zep 3, the 4th untitled LP and Houses Of The Holy! So, if they weren't good enough for those albums, why should they be good enough for this?

Yes, there are some absolute crackers on PG, namely In My Time Of Dying, Trampled Under Foot and Kashmir. But let's face it, Plant's vocals are probably the naffest he's ever recorded. He croaks and wheezes his way through most of the album, obviously his voice is shot from 9 previous US tours, one after the other (as well as UK and and other global gigs). Page is out of his face on heroin most of the time and Jones had actually quit to become a choirmaster at Winchester Cathedral! Only Peter Grant's insistence he take a few weeks off (how generous!) to recover from exhaustion persuaded him to return. So, I think it's safe to say their hearts were probably not quite in it!

Some great songs, but a victim of their own overblown pomp and publicity which meant they felt they could do no wrong and was the herald of the punk backlash against the 'boring old farts' and 'dinosaurs' criticism of 1976 onwards. Could have been a classic single LP, but it's a bit of "Emperor's New Clothes" for me I'm afraid.

Now...on to Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion I and II...a classic single LP instead of 8 sides of pretentious farting about trying to be the Rolling Stones (don't get me started on crap albums containing 1 or 2 decent songs being lauded as 'classic albums'!!!)...where have we heard that kind of thing before?

Best Use of Rock Music...in a TV Show - "Supernatural"

2009-01-27T01:09:00.001Z

SUPERNATURAL - BACK ON ITV2
Complete with annoying bloody station logo in top left corner of screen! But enough of that! At least the show's back on air, complete with the two impossibly-good-looking-and-not-at-all-having-a-family-resemblance-despite-being-brothers!

The show kicked off in style to AC/DC's anthemic "Back In Black". Great! Dean (or is it Sam?) has literally been snatched from the jaws of hell by (as it turns out) an angel. "Angel" - great reversible, upside down logo, awful, 70's pomp rock band! (look at it upside down, it's an ambigram)
A particularly eye-catching scene is Dean clawing his way out of his own grave! Awesome - reminiscent of "Night Of The Demon" - superb album cover and a cracker of an album too - the title track itself is perfect for the show...

Other great tracks they should use; "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be", "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place", "666 The Number Of The Beast", anything by Demon, obviously! Any more suggestions welcome!

Life On Mars - Series 1 - Proper Rock Music!

2009-01-09T01:38:00.001Z

LIFE ON MARS - Series 1 - BBC
Being repeated again, but well worth watching...if only to try and name all the songs used in it! Cracking first episode with the following tracks all being used:

Life On Mars - David Bowie (pretty obvious choice really!)

Stairway To The Stars - Blue Oyster Cult

I'm So Free - Lou Reed

Baba O'Riley - The Who

Rat Bat Blue - Deep Purple

Fireball - Deep Purple

White Room - Cream

AXE ATTACK GIG REVIEW - NAGS HEAD MACCLESFIELD, 26TH SEPT

2008-09-29T15:05:00.005+01:00

NAG'S HEAD, MACCLESFIELD - FRIDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER

Well done to lead vocalist Ian Quayle for battling through a chest infection to sing a full set. Last thing we ever wanna do is cancel a gig...the show must go on!

Major thanks to the usual crowd for the support and to some old friends who showed up for the first time in 'kin years!

Highlight of the night was either the drunken bird fallin' face down in the half time break (!) or the Jilted John/Steeleye Span/Rolf Harris/Sham 69 Medley - we kid you not!

Apologies from Neil the guitarist for starting The Vapours' "Turning Japanese" in completely the wrong key!

HAPPY 'DEATH'DAY TO...CLIFF BURTON, METALLICA

2008-09-27T10:03:00.000+01:00

27th September, 1986...

another great talent and a tragic waste at 24 years old...

HAPPY 'DEATH'DAY TO...JOHN BONHAM

2008-09-25T09:00:00.000+01:00

25th September 1980...the greatest ever rock drummer? Probably.

AXE ATTACK GIG NEWS - NAGS HEAD MACCLESFIELD, 26TH SEPT

2008-09-23T09:54:00.003+01:00

NAG'S HEAD, MACCLESFIELD - FRIDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER
Just opposite the train station if you've never been there before!

New set list for Friday night's gig...the old crowd pleasers and some corkin' new ones too!
See you all there!

AXE ATTACK - THEY'RE A WORK OF ART!

2008-09-22T18:07:00.002+01:00

Immortalised in ink! Thanks to Dan for a truly unique impression of the Axe Attack band members...

from left to right:
Tim, Neil, Ian, Col, Steve

HAPPY 'DEATH'DAY TO...JIMI HENDRIX

2008-09-18T17:42:00.000+01:00

18th September, 1970

Controversy still surrounds his death, but then everyone loves a good conspiracy and shouldn't let facts get in the way...
apparently his then girlfriend Monika Dannemann could have been a bit more 'pro-active' in phoning for an ambulance a little earlier than she did...but hey, we weren't there, so we'll never know.

HAPPY 'DEATH'DAY TO...MARC BOLAN

2008-09-16T21:38:00.000+01:00

16th September, 1977

In what continues to be a highly popular month for rock stars to make a dramatic, early exit, we wish a happy deathday to Marc Bolan.

And we don't need the old gag about "what was Marc Bolan's last hit...?" do we....!

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER...

2008-09-14T15:29:00.000+01:00

14th September, 1814

On this day, The Star Spangled Banner was born...Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics. But, let's face it, the truly definitive version is Hendrix's feedback-soaked rendition from Woodstock innit?!

Hendrix appeared on the Dick Cavett Show and was told to expect hate mail after 'daring' to play the song on his guitar. Hendrix replied, "well they made me sing it at school..."

When asked if he thought it was a little "unorthodox", Hendrix said, "Unorthodox? I thought it was beautiful..."

HAPPY 'DEATH'DAY TO...KEITH MOON

2008-09-07T17:20:00.000+01:00

September 7th, 1978

One drink too many (or maybe about thirty-one drinks too many!) for Moon The Loon...another tragic waste of talent at 32 years old. Still, there probably wasn't much more to do after driving a Lincoln into a swimming pool - not a Rolls Royce...

HAPPY 'DEATH'DAY TO...STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN

2008-08-27T11:28:00.003+01:00

Bizarrely, today is also the anniversary (1913) of Lieutenant Peter Nesterov becoming the first pilot to perform a loop-the-loop...anyway, a sad loss of an amazing guitar player who was probably the closest thing to Hendrix since Hendrix...hard to believe it's 18 years ago...

HOUSE PRICES FALL AGAIN...

2008-08-07T12:01:00.002+01:00

House prices have fallen for 6 months in a row...there's nothing else for it, it's gotta be Down Down by the mighty cabaret band that is Status Quo! NOT 'ARF, POP-PICKERS!!!

HAPPY 'DEATH'DAY TO...STEVE CLARK, DEF LEPPARD

2008-08-01T09:23:00.002+01:00

23 April 1960 - 1 August 1991

Drink and drugs and rock 'n' roll...

In 1991, Clark was found dead on his couch by Janie Dean -- his girlfriend at the time. The autopsy revealed he died from a mixture of anti-depressants, painkillers (used for a rib injury), and alcohol. There was no evidence of suicidal intent. Daniel Van Alphen, Clark's drinking companion the night before, testified that the two went to the local pub and returned to the guitarist's home at midnight to watch a video. Van Alphen said Clark drank a triple vodka, a quadruple vodka and a double brandy within 30 minutes. When Clark passed out on the couch, Van Alphen said he left. Dr. Iain West, the pathologist who performed the autopsy, testified that Clark's blood alcohol level was three times the British legal limit and an antidepressant drug and a painkiller were both found at levels exceeding normal therapeutic doses. He said valium was detected at normal levels.

His girlfriend sold his famous Gibsons as collector's items.

At the time of his death, he was on a six-month leave of absence from Def Leppard. The band had allegedly grown despondent over their repeated, failed efforts to help Clark and decided time off was the only solution.

Steve's remains are buried at Wisewood Cemetery in Hillsbrough, Sheffield, near his family's house.

(from Wikipedia)

see 'Checking Out Too Soon' from Friday 6th June for more great rock deaths...

PRISONERS BANNED FROM PLAYING VIOLENT PLAYSTATION GAMES

2008-07-28T10:29:00.002+01:00

PRISONERS...WITH PLAYSTATIONS?!
What the hell are they doing with ****ing Playstations in the first place? They're in prison! They're supposed to be punished for their crimes, surely? Not rewarded with Playstations and X-Boxes!

What the hell is this country coming to when people who have been convicted of breaking the law are given free access to luxury entertainment that most decent, law-abiding folk struggle to afford to pay for...

Get 'em all in chain gangs cleaning up the towns and cities from graffiti and vandalism and actually make them contribute something back to society. It costs something like £10k a week to keep these 5-star residents, sorry, 'prisoners', in their 'all-expenses-paid-3-meals-a-day' accommodation...if they 'get bored' in their cells, whose fault is that in the first place?

Here's the article from The Telegraph Online:

"Only those who have earned "top privileges" will be allowed limited access to the games consoles, and even then there will be a complete ban on violent and shoot-em-up games with an 18 rating.

New directives rule that taxpayers' money must no longer be used to buy games or consoles.

It comes after the Government last year admitted spending more than £10,000 on 80 PlayStations and 15 X-boxes for young offender institutions.

It was hoped the games would stop prisoners getting depressed because of the long hours spent in cells with nothing to do.

In a document including the rule changes, Michael Spurr, the Prison Service's director of operations, wrote: "These changes will ensure that prisoners may only earn access to games consoles by a positive demonstration of good behaviour and commitment to the requirements of their sentence plan.

"This is in line with government policy flowing from the Prison Policy Update paper of January 2008."

PIER GOES UP IN SMOKE - HOW 'DEEP PURPLE' IS THAT?

2008-07-28T09:54:00.003+01:00

"We all came down to Weston, by the Bristol Channel shoreline...
To make music with the mobile, we didn't have much time...
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky..."

Where's a Deep Purple tribute band when you need one? Shame about the pier obviously, but what a great opportunity to re-record a classic rock song. And probably the most recognisable guitar riff ever.

MAX MOSLEY'S FAVOURITE ALBUM...

2008-07-24T16:22:00.003+01:00

NEWS OF THE WORLD - by Queen

Ok, perhaps not!

Max Mosley's iPod playlist;
'Here Is The News' - ELO
'Photograph' - Def Leppard
'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury & The Blockheads
'Caught With Your Pants Down' - AC/DC
'Dominance and Submission' - Blue Oyster Cult
'S&M' - Thin Lizzy
'Don't Believe A Word' - Thin Lizzy
'Bad Reputation' - Thin Lizzy (blimey, how many more I wonder...!)
'Do Anything You Want To' - Thin Lizzy
'Waitin' For An Alibi' - Thin Lizzy (can't be any more Lizzy songs, surely?)
'Black N Blue' - Whitesnake
'Pretty Tied Up' - Guns N' Roses
'What Do You Do For Money Honey?' - AC/DC

Quite a good playlist, this! Might even program it in meself!
More suggestions welcome

DAVID CAMERON'S BIKE STOLEN

2008-07-24T15:54:00.002+01:00

It's official - David Cameron's all time favourite song is 'Bicycle Race' by Queen;

"I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike,
I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride it when I like..."

except after I've been shopping and some chav's knicked it!

Nice.

Ever heard of a bicycle padlock Mr Cameron? If only someone had a solution to all this crime on the streets...

AXE ATTACK GIG REVIEW - 11/7/08

2008-07-15T16:59:00.004+01:00

GIG REVIEW - MOSES GATE, FARNWORTH
FRIDAY 11TH JULY, 2008

It's been a long time since we rock an' rolled...well,
at the Moses Gate anyway!

Scene of the very last ever Deepest Purple gig some 18 months or so ago, it was nice to be back at a favoured local venue. Always loud and raucous! And usually a good turnout. Good to see some familiar faces again - Doug and Jeff, the terrible twins - even sporting a very first edition Deepest Purple Rocks (spoof of the In Rock album cover) t-shirt! How rare is that?! We only ever made 50 of 'em! In fact, even I haven't got one of those.

So, to the gig...a nice loud rendition of the old favourites and the new, soon-to-be-classics! Good rousing singalong renditions from t'audience as and when required. Thanks to all for coming and to Ray for hosting us again.

SET LIST
Hush
Breaking The Law
Born To Be Wild
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
White Room
Gimme All Your Lovin'
Drive My Car
Ziggy Stardust
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
Delilah
Mr Blue Sky

(beer break!)

Basket Case
Jilted John/All Around My Hat/Two Little Boys medley
My Generation
Play That Funky Music
Radar Love
Bad Moon Rising
Black Night/Paranoid/Paint It Black medley
Turning Japanese
Live And Let Die
Pinball Wizard
Wishing Well
You Really Got Me

Smoke On The Water (the crowd voted for Deep Purple over Thin Lizzy...God luv 'em!)

Next gig Saturday 4th October at New Bridge Inn, Mossley.

AXE ATTACK GIG REVIEW - 5/7/08

2008-07-08T10:59:00.002+01:00

GIG REVIEW - RAILWAY HOTEL, RAMSBOTTOM
SATURDAY 5TH JULY, 2008

A welcome return to the Railway Hotel and nice to see plenty of familiar faces again. Well done for venturing out on a god-awful evening! First weekend in July and it's supposed to be summer! Global warming my arse!

Anyway, enough of the rant about the rain...a thoroughly enjoyable evening yet again. An enthusiastic audience joined in a-plenty on all the choruses and made a completely impromptu rendition of Abba's Mama Mia sound fantastic...yes, that's right an Abba song! We'll play bloody anything! And we mean anything...Jilted John has now turned into an awesome medley that includes Steeleye Span and, wait for it...even a Rolf Harris tune! The audience loved it! It's definitely a highpoint in the set now.

SET LIST
Hush
Breaking The Law
Born To Be Wild
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
White Room
Gimme All Your Lovin'
Drive My Car
Ziggy Stardust
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
Delilah
Mr Blue Sky

(beer break!)

Basket Case
Jilted John/All Around My Hat/Two Little Boys medley
My Generation
Play That Funky Music
Radar Love
Bad Moon Rising
Black Night/Paranoid/Paint It Black medley
Turning Japanese
Live And Let Die
Pinball Wizard
Wishing Well
You Really Got Me

Boys Are Back In Town
Ziggy Stardust (again! - special request by Woolly!)

Next gig this Friday 11th July, Moses Gate, Farnworth

AXE ATTACK GIG NEWS

2008-07-04T13:26:00.001+01:00

RAILWAY HOTEL, RAMSBOTTOM - SATURDAY 5TH JULY
New set list for tomorrow night's gig...the old crowd pleasers and some corkin' new ones too!
See you all there!

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST...

2008-07-04T13:21:00.002+01:00

NO, NOTHING TO DO WITH QUEEN...
Poor old Mel Galley succumbed to cancer the other day. Read it in the Guardian's obits this morning. Founder member of Trapeze with Glenn Hughes, Mel carried on with Trapeze for several years once Glenn received in 1973 an offer he couldn't refuse - to join Deep Purple!

Mel ended up in Whitesnake for a couple of years, replacing Bernie Marsden. He then suffered a broken arm and never really fully recovered.

Mel Galley was 60 years old. All the best...

(given the relative ages of the 'Classic Rockers' from the 60s and 70s, it's fairly certain there'll be plenty more following Mel to the Great Gig In The Sky)

HAPPY 'DEATH'DAY...

2008-07-03T14:02:00.002+01:00

TO BRIAN JONES - ROLLING STONES - 3 July 1969

Found dead in the bottom of his swimming pool after an all night drink and drugs binge...aged 27! Again! Rumours and conspiracy theories abound that Jones was murdered, including a reasonably convincing one that it was his builder (with whom he'd been drinking that night).

Frank Thorogood was owed £8,000 by Jones who was refusing to pay and had actually sacked Thorogood as his builder (quite why he'd spend the night drinking with him seems a bit odd, but don't let facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory!).

Anyway, Jones and Thorogood apparently decided to go swimming around midnight in Jones's pool. Thorogood allegedly held Jones under the water to 'frighten' him into paying up, held on too long and 'accidentally' killed him. Thorogood apparently made a deathbed confession in 1993...

see 'Checking Out Too Soon' from Friday 6th June for more great rock deaths...

HAPPY 'DEATH'DAY...

2008-07-02T13:53:00.001+01:00

TO JIM MORRISON...THE DOORS.

On this day in 1971, he was found in a bathtub at his apartment at 17 Rue Beautraillis by his girlfriend, Pamela Courson. A doctor's report stated the cause of death was heart failure aggravated by heavy drinking (and probably years' of drug abuse!).

He was only 27 years old...one of several 27 year old rock stars to 'check out too soon', see previous post from Friday 6th June to read about the rest!

AXE ATTACK GIG REVIEW - 28/6/08

2008-07-01T09:48:00.003+01:00

GIG REVIEW - NEW BRIDGE INN, MOSSLEY
SATURDAY 28TH JUNE, 2008

First time appearance for AXE ATTACK at the New Bridge Inn, and my, wasn't that cosy too! Seems we have a knack for cramming a 5-piece band into the smallest available space...but, what the hell! Another brilliant night with a very welcoming crowd, complete with a couple of nutters who obviously need a classic rock fix at every available opportunity!

Several new songs appeared throughout the set, including covers of Cliff Richard, Rolf Harris, Splodgeness Abounds, Steeleye Span and Ian Dury...! We kid you not! You've got to hear this stuff for the comedy value alone. The guys also managed to break into a few bars of virtually everything the crowd were shouting for; including Oasis, Stairway To Heaven, Metallica, Hawaii 5-0, Reo Speedwagon...and other stuff too numerous or obscure to mention! The band thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening and are looking forward to the return date on Saturday 4th October.

SET LIST
Hush
Breaking The Law
Born To Be Wild
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
White Room
Gimme All Your Lovin'
Devil Woman
Ziggy Stardust
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
Delilah
Mr Blue Sky

(beer break!)

Basket Case
Jilted John
My Generation
Play That Funky Music
Radar Love
Bad Moon Rising
Black Night/Paranoid/Paint It Black medley
Turning Japanese
Live And Let Die
Pinball Wizard
Wishing Well
You Really Got Me

Boys Are Back In Town
Smoke On The Water

Next gig this Saturday 5th July, Railway Hotel, Ramsbottom

THIS WEEK'S CLASSIC ALBUM...

2008-06-27T14:54:00.004+01:00

LED ZEPPELIN III
Released 5 October 1970. Doesn't half sound good on the original pressing too - vinyl beats CDs and MP3s anyday!

Note the 1st pressing Red/Plum Atlantic labels. These changed over to the more familiar Green/Orange labels in late 1971.

And you just can't beat the tactile, touchy-feely scale of a gatefold album. CD inlays are pathetic by comparison.

Track Listing:
1. IMMIGRANT SONG
2. FRIENDS
3. CELEBRATION DAY
4. SINCE I'VE BEEN LOVING YOU
5. OUT ON THE TILES

1. GALLOWS POLE
2. TANGERINE
3. THAT'S THE WAY
4. BRON-Y-AUR STOMP
5. HATS OFF TO (ROY) HARPER

wikipedia.org/wiki/Led_Zeppelin_III

AXE ATTACK GIG NEWS

2008-06-23T22:58:00.003+01:00

New gig just added! First return to The Moses Gate in Farnworth (probably the best music venue in the world, according to them!) since the very last ever Deepest Purple show! Always a packed venue and always a great crowd on the receiving end of a cracking night's entertainment. Looking forward to it!

FORTHCOMING GIGS:

Saturday 28th June
NEW BRIDGE INN, MOSSLEY
Micklehurst Road, Mossley, Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire, OL5 9HT

Saturday 5th July
RAILWAY HOTEL, RAMSBOTTOM
2 Bridge Street Ramsbottom Bury BL0 9AQ

Friday 11th July
MOSES GATE, FARNWORTH
5 Bolton Road, Farnworth, Bolton BL4 7JU

Friday 31st October - HALLOWEEN SPECIAL!
RAILWAY HOTEL, RAMSBOTTOM
2 Bridge Street Ramsbottom Bury BL0 9AQ

CLASSIC ROCK RULES AT DONINGTON!

2008-06-16T15:21:00.009+01:00

70'S ROCKERS STILL RULE THE FESTIVALS AFTER 30+ YEARS!
Vintage rock and metal is still the biggest draw on the festival circuit - what other type of music from the 1970's still pulls that kind of crowd?
Classic rock from KISS, Motorhead, Judas Priest stole the show on the Friday night of this year's Download, proving the timeless appeal to all generations of rock fans.

www.planetrock.co.uk/article.asp?id=749036

I still remember Donington being the best festival for 6 bands in one day, rather than the Reading style 3 day eventer - 6 quality bands vs 3 days of loads of bands you generally couldn't give a toss about and a few decent headliners. Call me old-fashioned if you like!
Best Donington ever...? 1st one perhaps?

Iron Maiden's 1988 appearance was a cracker, complete with Guns N' Roses, Dave Lee Roth and Kiss - unfortunately, marred by the tragic deaths of two fans who slipped in the mud and were accidentally crushed to death. 1989's Monsters Of Rock was cancelled out of respect...

AXE ATTACK GIG NEWS

2008-06-07T21:24:00.001+01:00

FORTHCOMING GIGS:

Saturday 28th June
NEW BRIDGE INN, MOSSLEY
Micklehurst Road, Mossley, Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire, OL5 9HT

Saturday 5th July
RAILWAY HOTEL, RAMSBOTTOM
2 Bridge Street Ramsbottom Bury BL0 9AQ

Friday 31st October - HALLOWEEN SPECIAL!
RAILWAY HOTEL, RAMSBOTTOM
2 Bridge Street Ramsbottom Bury BL0 9AQ

CHECKING OUT TOO SOON...A ROCK 'N' ROLL WAY TO DIE...

2008-06-06T14:58:00.002+01:00

There's been some classic 'deaths' as far as rock stars go, "live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse!" Here's a list of the biggest names in rock who managed to quit while they were ahead. Also some interesting facts on what's the 'best' age to go, the 'safest' job in a band and the most/least common ways to hit the Highway To Hell or Stairway To Heaven...

Natural causes have been left out as far too many old codger rockers are due to shuffle off any time soon. To qualify, these artists have had to go before their time:

youngest vs. oldest
Sid Vicious, SEX PISTOLS - 21 (heroin overdose)
Freddie Mercury, QUEEN - 45 (AIDS related pneumonia)

most common age to go - 27
Brian Jones, ROLLING STONES - 27 (drowned in swimming pool)
Jimi Hendrix - 27 (choked on vomit from drugs overdose)
Janis Joplin - 27 (heroin overdose)
Jim Morrison, DOORS - 27 (drug induced heart failure)
Kurt Cobain, NIRVANA - 27 (shotgun suicide)
Peter Ham, BADFINGER - 27 (hanged himself)

most likely to go - GUITARIST!
Brian Jones, ROLLING STONES - 27 (drowned in swimming pool 1969)
Jimi Hendrix - 27 (choked on vomit from drugs overdose 1970)
Duane Allman, ALLMAN BROTHERS - 24 (motorcycle crash 1971)
Tommy Bolin, DEEP PURPLE - 25 (heroin overdose 1976)
Paul Kossoff, FREE - 25 (drug overdose 1976)
Steve Gaines, LYNYRD SKYNYRD - 28 (plane crash 1977)
Randy Rhoads, BLIZZARD OF OZZ - 25 (plane crash 1982)
Stevie Ray Vaughan - 35 (helicopter crash 1990)
Steve Clark, DEF LEPPARD - 31 (drugs and alcohol overdose 1991)
Steve Marriot, SMALL FACES - 44 (house fire 1991)
Dimebag Darrell Abbott, PANTERA - 32 (shot by fan 2004)
Peter Ham, BADFINGER - 27 (hanged himself 1975)
Marc Bolan, T.REX - 29 (car crash 1977)
John Lennon, BEATLES - 40 (shot by fan 1980)
Kurt Cobain, NIRVANA - 27 (shotgun suicide 1994)

least likely to go - KEYBOARDS - NONE!, so next likely - BASSIST
Berry Oakley, ALLMAN BROTHERS - 26 (motorcycle crash 1972)
Sid Vicious, SEX PISTOLS - 21 (heroin overdose 1979)
Cliff Burton, METALLICA - 24 (bus crash 1986)
Phil Lynott, THIN LIZZY - 36 (drug induced heart failure)

most common way to go - drug/alcohol overdose
Sid Vicious, Tommy Bolin, Janis Joplin, Layne Staley (Alice In Chains), Steve Clark
followed by next most common - vomit inhalation
John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Bon Scott (AC/DC), Keith Moon (The Who), Jimi Hendrix
or plane/air crash
Steve Gaines and Ronnie Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Randy Rhoads, Stevie Ray Vaughan

most common month is April and scarily, April 5th is VERY COMMON...!
Cozy Powell, April 5, 1998 (car crash)
Layne Staley, April 5, 2002 (drugs overdose)
Kurt Cobain, April 5, 1994 (gunshot suicide)
Gary Driscoll (Rainbow drummer before Cozy Powell) - April 5, 1987 (murdered in own home, still unsolved)
Peter Ham, April 24 1975 (hanged)
Steve Marriott, April 20, 1991 (house fire)

so, if you're the guitarist in a rock band, aged around 26 now,
do not, under any circumstance have a lot to drink or take any drugs or get on a plane next April 5th!

AXE ATTACK GIG REVIEW - 16/5/08

2008-06-02T16:39:00.002+01:00

GIG REVIEW - RAILWAY HOTEL, RAMSBOTTOM
FRIDAY 16TH MAY, 2008

Special thanks to Steve Woolly for helping get the gig in the first place!
A storming night for a first timer, great crowd with some very enthusiastic participation after a few beers! Ian (lead vocals) was just recovering from a severe chest infection so all vocal help was greatly appreciated.

The Railway is a well-known Friday night venue for rock bands in Ramsbottom. A good reputation ensures a reasonable turn out amongst the locals. It's a tight squeeze to fit the band and the gear into the corner of the pub, but at least it's cosy and stops anyone from wandering off!

SET LIST
Highway Star
White Room
Breaking The Law
Born To Be Wild
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
Gimme All Your Lovin'
Ziggy Stardust
Drive My Car
Delilah
Mr Blue Sky

(beer break!)

Basket Case
Jilted John
My Generation
Play That Funky Music
Wishing Well
Radar Love
Bad Moon Rising
Black Night/Paranoid/Paint It Black medley
Tie Your Mother Down
Live And Let Die
Pinball Wizard

You Really Got Me
Boys Are Back In Town
Live And Let Die (again! at the insistence of Tracey!)

Once again, a cracking night. Thanks to all for being there. A return is on the cards soon...

Best Use Of A Classic Rock Song In A Movie...

2008-06-02T11:39:00.008+01:00

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
David and Jack have just left The Slaughtered Lamb pub, and despite having been warned to "stay on the road, keep clear of the moors", they decide to shortcut across the moor.

BAD MOON RISING (Credence Clearwater Revival)
"I see a bad moon rising,
I see trouble on the way,
I see earthquakes and lightnin',
I see bad times today."

Chorus:
"Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise."

Other songs used in the film are a couple of versions of 'Blue Moon' and also Van Morrison's 'Moondance', but 'Bad Moon Rising' is just so appropriate, doncha think?!

It's also now part of the AXE ATTACK setlist and was first performed by the band live as a special tribute to the recent gig for The Rising Moon Motorcycle Club - even more apt!

Other great movie songs to follow...

Manchester's First Rock Radio Station

2008-06-01T23:56:00.002+01:00

WELL DONE TO ROCK RADIO 106.1FM!

It's coming up to the end of their first month's broadcasting and I can only say congratulations to the team who've finally pulled this together. It's about bleedin' time! Great shows and superb music. I'm convinced they've nicked my iPod and are playing that! It sounds amazing to finally hear some decent, quality tunes on the wireless. Some of it is a little predictable, but I suppose they're still finding their feet. Would be great to hear some equally great but perhaps less obvious tunes from the classic bands. Some new stuff would be awesome too, but then does that contradict the station ethos - define classic...now there's a subjective can of worms to open up...!

Rock Radio 106.1FM also sounds just like the set list of my band! Check out Axe Attack at a local pub in the Manchester/North West area soon and you'll see exactly what I mean...keep the music live and rockin' on the radio.

PS - they've even got a DJ whose voice is a deadringer for the late, great Tommy Vance! Awesome!

AXE ATTACK GIG - 28th June 2008

2008-06-01T21:36:00.000+01:00

Next gig forthcoming for our classic rock covers band...

NEW BRIDGE INN, MOSSLEY
Micklehurst Road, Mossley, Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire, OL5 9HT
SATURDAY 28TH JUNE, 2008

Usual start time is around 9.30pm and depending on the venue itself we either play 2 sets (approx 45 mins each) or one long set, straight through and without a safety net!

Couple of new songs to throw into the set - turn up on the night to hear 'em for the first time. The usual crowd favourites will all be there, including classics from Bad Company, Thin Lizzy, Bowie, The Beatles, Deep Purple with a bit of Sabbath and Stones thrown in, as well as some punky stuff like Green Day, Jilted John and some superdaft stuff like a turbocharged rendition of Tom Jones 'Delilah' - you've gotta hear this one to believe it!

Ian, Neil, Tim, Steve and Colin look forward to seeing you there and hearing you sing along.

AXE ATTACK GIG - 16th May 2008

2008-05-16T16:17:00.002+01:00

THE RAILWAY HOTEL, RAMSBOTTOM
2 Bridge Street, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9AQ

FRIDAY 16TH MAY, 2008

Kicking off at 9.30pm - first time performance at The Railway. See you all later! Special request from Tracy the landlady for 'Live And Let Die' - a personal favourite apparently.
Cheers from the guys
AXE ATTACK