Bristol-based Sons of Liberty have teamed up with Sunderland-based Thieves of Liberty for the unsurprisingly-named 12-date UK tour: The Tour of Liberty.
Thieves of Liberty opened proceedings with a set of high-energy hard-rock encompassing a spectacular twin-guitar assault from guitarists Kieran Wilson and Liam Lindsley, powerful vocals from frontman, James Boak, and delivering a slew of memorable songs off their debut album, Shangri-La. This young rock band have been garnering some rave reviews of late, with comparisons to mega-league rock institutions like Bon Jovi, Van Halen and Queen no less. That’s not all just hyperbole either. Though I haven’t seen them before they are well worth keeping an eye on.
Thieves of Liberty – photo: Darren Johnson
I first became familiar with the Southern Rock-inspired Sons of Liberty when they were Introducing Stage winners at Minehead Butlins back in 2019, returning to the main stage for a well-received performance the following year. Back then, they were fronted by Rob Cooksley (AKA Greyfox Growl), whose eccentrically charismatic stage persona was very much part of the overall SoL package. For me, however, the arrival of vocalist Russ Grimmett and the subsequent release of the band’s third album, The Detail Is in The Devil, marked a significant turning point. Grimmett is such a great singer with such a fantastic vocal range that Sons of Liberty have followed Deep Purple and Iron Maiden in being one of that select number of rock bands who go from strength to strength after replacing the frontman who helped give them their initial breakthrough. Never an easy feat to pull off, Grimmett is a superb fit for the band giving them greater depth and a more polished presentation, with the whole band creating some incredible music together. They are now in a whole different league.
Indeed, while there’s a small clutch of songs from the band’s first two albums, it’s material from the band’s third album and their first with Grimmett that heavily dominates the set. Whether it’s because I’ve been playing it so much these past few months or simply that it’s a great album just rammed full of catchy, memorable tunes (probably a mixture of both to be fair!) these feel like songs that have been around for decades, not months. ‘Time To Fly’, ‘Light the Fuse’ and ‘Tertulia Time’ the three songs which open tonight’s set are all bonafide classics, the latter with a chorus like some long-lost ‘80s stadium rocker.
Photo: Darren Johnson
Huge riffs, unforgettable choruses, a monster rhythm section, stunning guitar solos and powerful vocals – all the ingredients are there for what I want from a truly great hard rock band.
This is a band that does light and shade though and one that draws from a wide palette of musical influences. There’s a change of mood and a change of pace, for example, with the semi-acoustic ‘Hawk Men Come’, the band’s powerful and moving hymn to the people of Ukraine.
As well as a smattering of earlier material like ‘Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief’ from the band’s debut album (which provides an opportunity for a crowd sing-along), there’s also an airing for a couple of new songs that didn’t originally make it to last year’s album. The unremitting wall of sound that is ‘Full Force Five’ and the defiant swagger of ‘My Town’ are ample evidence that these guys don’t look like they’ll be giving up on hitting us with plenty of great new tunes any time soon.
Photo: Darren Johnson
As proceedings start drawing to a close (and clearly demonstrating that Southern Rock was never just about whiskey-soaked hellraisin’ and over-confident displays of machismo) Grimmett introduces the very Skynyrd-ish and really rather lovely ‘Walk With You’, a touching anthem of solidarity for anyone struggling with their mental health. Then there’s just time for a blast of ‘Ruby Starr’, the band’s tribute to the female Southern Rock vocalist of that name, marking the end of another triumphant set from Sons of Liberty.
Back in the early 70s, David Smith formed a band with a former school-mate called Steve Harris, better known as the man who went on to create heavy metal icons, Iron Maiden. I catch up with David to talk about those early days playing with Steve in Gypsy’s Kiss, about reforming the band back in 2018 and about the enthusiastic response from both fans and reviewers to the band’s live gigs and recent album.
So back to the very early days. Steve Harris was a schoolfriend. When did you decide that you both wanted to be in a band together?
The middle of ’73 – when the world was in sepia, Darren! I had left Leyton County High School for Boys. Steve was also a pupil there but the year below me… And we met up after we left school – accidentally, I would say in the middle of 1973, because we knew each other and we had mutual friends. Our interests were aligned. We were both fanatical West Ham supporters. We loved football. We both loved rock music and, interestingly, we’ll come on to this – the influences for Steve and myself at the time were not always what you might think. They were obviously rock – but tons of prog and lots of other things.
It was a great time for music across all genres!
If you looked at an albums chart or even a singles chart between ’72 and ’74 you would be amazed that it’s the music people still listen to today. Because it’s so damned good. So, we became good friends. We’d see each other three or four times a week, we’d go to the pub together. We’d talk about music. We’d talk about football. We’d share the bands we liked and we’d go and see a lot of gigs together. And then it would seem natural… “Why don’t we form a band?”
I played guitar for about two years before that. Steve wanted to be a drummer but couldn’t get drums in his nan’s living room which is where we rehearsed. Where he lived in Steele Road about half a mile from where I lived. And so, you get that lightbulb moment: “I think I’ll be a bass-player…” Well, there you go. And that’s what he wanted to do so he and I went to – I wish I could remember the shop we went to – and he bought a Telecaster copy bass. And I taught him the rudiments because I could and then he took it from there.
And then, we must form a band! This band was just he and I for a month or two but we still rehearsed and we did mostly covers but not all because we were writing stuff, as you’re probably aware. Stuff that we’re still playing now and Steve references quite a lot. And so, we were doing that and we looked at other guitarists and we looked for drummers and eventually we decided to have only one guitarist which was me. And then we found a drummer. His name was Alan – I can’t remember anything more about him and there were, essentially, three of us in Influence [original band name prior to the adoption of the name Gypsy’s Kiss].
And for reasons why bands evolve, particularly when you’re only 19, we brought in Paul Sears on drums. And Paul is still one of my very best friends today. And then we rehearsed quite a bit and rehearsed in front of family and friends and did sort of pseudo-shows. I then wanted to concentrate on playing guitar more and I found singing and playing guitar a bit of a distraction so we brought in Bob Verschoyle and Influence became Gypsy’s Kiss.
Gypsy’s Kiss in 1974 (reproduced from Gypsy’s Kiss website)
And it became really clear – and the reason Gypsy’s Kiss dissolved away I would say in the summer of ’75 – was because Steve was a workaholic. He just wanted to rehearse and rehearse and rehearse. Like he is today. Rehearse and rehearse and play and play. And you know, “We can’t go out for a drink. We’ve got to rehearse this song”, “Oh, we’ve got to write that.” Paul and I had enough of it really at 20 years old and then Steve moved on. And when I saw him recently, I always reference his work ethic which he’s got right now.
You obviously saw the work ethic; did you get an impression from Steve early on at that stage that here was a Bonafide rock star in the making?
No. Because I wouldn’t know what one of those looked like to be honest. I saw them on album sleeves and at gigs and on TV. No, what he had and still has was a drive. I don’t think his ambition was to be the greatest rock bassist ever – but he’s in that league isn’t he? I think he wanted to be a professional musician. That’s what he wanted to be. And he wanted to be a good professional musician. And if you look from when Iron Maiden was formed in ’75 and, without being harsh, they didn’t do much for five years. Honing the craft, getting better, doing gigs.
But the thing about that period – and I played in other bands – is that there were so many places to play. And every place wanted an original band. Chuck in a few covers if they didn’t have enough of their own material. And so Iron Maiden and other up and coming bands, gigged and gigged and gigged and gigged. And they got so good at playing that the rest naturally followed. So, the long answer. Did I think he was going to be a rock star? I don’t think so – maybe he did. But he certainly had drive and that’s the most important thing.
So, Gypsy’s Kiss ran through ’74 and into ‘75. You were playing a mixture of covers and writing original songs. Did the drive to write original songs come from yourselves because you had that ambition or was it more that this is what the venues were expecting?
No. This is what we wanted to do. I don’t know if bands are the same now but bands who want to – not make it – but just wanted to do well and perform to audiences, we always wanted to write our own songs. In fact, we were writing stuff, or I was at first, and playing that. And when we started to get gigs after that it was, “God, we’ve only got half an hour. We’ll have to do something else.” So, we threw in… you know good covers. Ones that everyone was doing and a few that they weren’t doing and it filled out our hour-and-a-half set. So, then the set was based on the originals and there were about six or seven covers that we used to fill.
So, yes – our ambition was to write and record our own stuff. Steve’s done thousands of interviews. You’ve already read many of them. But one of them came up quite recently… and Steve said that when Gypsy’s Kiss folded, he joined Smiler. And the reason he left? Because they were doing too many covers. He wanted to write and do his own stuff.
When Gypsy’s Kiss came to an end did you always carry on playing in bands after that or was it just a matter of getting on with life and focusing on the day job and stuff?
Probably always in a band. You have some years where you lay off doing it and then go back. But when Gypsy’s Kiss came to an end, oddly, I was invited to join a country and western band. And I joined – you know Stetson hats and bootlace ties and satin trousers – and I was 20! And I played bass, by the way, which is even more weird! But it was twenty-five quid a night for me which in the mid-70s was actually quite a lot of money. So, I did that and then I went with other bands. I played in a band with Doug Sampson who was in Iron Maiden for a bit. And then I did other bands, other things, years off here and there. Yes, so pretty much all the time. I’ve probably been whatever full-time means now, i.e.: doing it constantly since the mid-90s.
So, let’s move on to the band today then. You reformed in 2018 for the charity gig, Burrfest. That was initially just as a one-off. How soon after that did you decide to make things permanent?
I’d been asked to reform Gypsy’s Kiss – out of Iron Maiden fans’ curiosity. I’d say more with an explosion of information online. Lots of people became curious and I was asked a number of times to reform some version of Gypsy’s Kiss. And I didn’t want to. Because I thought it was yesterday and it wasn’t right. Bizarrely, I was in a covers band from 2010 to 2017 – quite a reasonable one. And we played a gig in Gidea Park in Essex and without going through the boring details all of the original Gypsy’s Kiss members – including Steve – were there. He came to see us. Along with Teddy Sherringham, the footballer, for some bizarre reason. And during that gig, at the end of it, I said, “We’ve got friends here from my musical past. Do you mind if they come up and busk a song with me?” The band I was in didn’t mind. So, I got Paul on drums and Bob to sing – and I didn’t invite Steve to come up and play bass. The reason being it was already full of people filming. I thought, this is the last thing he wants. Everybody loved it. I’m sure it’s online somewhere. Steve came over to me at the end and he went, “I’m upset you didn’t ask me!”
The original members of Gypsy’s Kiss meet up in 2013 (Photo reproduced from Gypsy’s Kiss website)
And you were trying to give him a quiet life!
I was trying to not put him in an online spot. So that was 2013. And I’d been asked a number of times. Darren. I just didn’t want to do it. However, I buckled to the pressure in 2017. And it was, “Would you play Burrfest?” I think it was in the March 2018 and I went, “OK.” I asked Paul to play drums. He didn’t feel up to it at the time. I asked Bob to come and sing. And, again, I didn’t ask Steve – and he’s moaned at me about that since!
So, using musicians I knew locally and whatever, I put the band together. A real one-off. And it was such a great gig. The audience’s reaction to this thing that they wanted to see – and they wanted to hear some of the original songs that Steve had played on – was just amazing. And I sort of thought, well this is a bit silly , not to do this again.
Gypsy’s Kiss at Minehead, Butlins 2025 (Photo: Darren Johnson)
Obviously, our fanbase such as it is was Iron Maiden fanatics. Probably still is. But we’ve worked really hard to try and widen that and maybe we have. You’ve probably seen – and I still use it when I find it helps – our tagline ‘top of the Iron Maiden family tree’. And if we’re doing something specialist, we do occasionally play some Iron Maiden songs. The early songs. We’ll do one or two of those if the audience is clad in Iron Maiden t-shirts. It seems a bit churlish not to, doesn’t it?
And no way would I ever forget the past because it’s why the band exists but you try and move on. In saying that, I got very, very friendly with Paul [Di’Anno – former Iron Maiden singer] again about five years ago. Because we had the same interests – rock music. He was born just up the road from me. We went to the same school. We knew the same people. And we met up – I went round to his flat – and we chatted for ages about stuff. And Paul and I became really, really good friends. And we did gigs with him and, you know, his loss was enormous. He was such a nice guy. And when we did some gigs with him it was huge fun. And his passing – his funeral was a bit of a celebration really, as it should be. At the service Maiden songs were played which was quite touching. And the point I’m getting to now is, I sang a few tribute shows as Paul after that. I really enjoyed it… So, I’ve not completely forgotten the past but we do try and shuffle on.
I think if you’d had a grand plan for all this over a fifty-year period, you chose a good time to reform in many ways, with a renaissance for classic rock on the live gig circuit.
What I’m most grateful for is the period I was born and grew up in which was just so changing, so iconic, so wonderful – for me anyway – from the flow of music from the ‘60s to the ‘70s. You know, in my formative years I was able to grow up with some of the most fantastic music and great influences. That’s what I’m really grateful for.
And then, as you say, as you get into your dotage, if you reform there’s been a resurgence in classic rock. And what we’ve tried to do – I hope we’ve succeeded in a small way – is to take that fantastic genre and to slightly update it. Without losing its heart. And so, you give the audiences what they want but something a little extra. And we certainly have elements of prog in our songs. Our third album is coming out this summer – it’s not quite finished – which I’m really pleased with.
But I think essentially, we are a live band. You know, we ham it up a lot on stage. We swear a lot. We’re involved with the audience. That’s what I think we are – a live band but we try to bring out our diverse musical influences, based on classic rock.
You must be pleased with the reaction to the 74 album which I think very much stands up on its own terms, regardless of any historical Iron Maiden connection.
That’s very kind of you and, interestingly, a lot of reviews said the same. If I’d have gone back to 1974 and thought, one day, David, your album will be reviewed in Classic Rock and people will say what you’ve just said – it’s not a curiosity of Maiden, it’s a stand-alone band – I’d have thought, well that will be good. I’ll take that as a pinnacle of one’s career!
Yeah, we were really pleased with 74 and I still am. And it’s the basis of our set for the new album – which hopefully will be out in July. There’s some of the past in the style of music. We can’t do an album that doesn’t have a gallop in it somewhere because that’s how it all happened. So, there’s, what I would say, more retro songs and some that I think are probably more up to date. But you know we’ll see. I just enjoy playing stuff live to be honest… I would say that’s why any musician wants to do what they do because there is nothing like standing on a stage in front of a number of people – it doesn’t mater if there’s twenty or thousands – and you enjoying what you’re doing. And if you get one person in the audience who looks like they’re having fun I find that great.
In some of our earlier Gypsy’s Kiss gigs, once we’d been a few years in. I still found it quite odd that people in the audience were singing back the lyrics that I’d written probably knowing them better than I do. And I still find that quite a sensation.
I think that’s also testimony to the skill of writing really catchy songs that instantly grab people’s attention. That is a skill.
That’s very kind. You’ve probably heard in our music – and it’s where Iron Maiden evolved down a parallel track – is that I was brought up on Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy. You know, guitar bands, harmony guitar bands. And like Iron Maiden, we are three guitars doing guitar harmonies and rock riffs. I get asked, “Who do you think you’re like?” Well, I think we’re like ourselves. But I hear in our writing and playing, bits of Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy, bits of Uriah Heep. And I’m not ashamed of that at all. That’s the music I grew up on.
So, what next for Gypsy’s Kiss then?
It crossed my mind, thinking of age and circumstances that last year was our 50th year which we did quite a lot on and it went really well. And I did wonder whether the 50th was a good time to stop doing it – and we’ll see what Iron Maiden do after 1975. But I said, “Ok, we’ll do another year.” So, this is out 51st anniversary tour and we’ve got a lot of gigs already confirmed.
I enjoy festivals more than anything because I can listen to other bands and you just enjoy the vibe and you meet all the people there so we’ve got quite a number of festivals. The album coming out in July, I hope. Gigs start in April and run through until end of November so we’ll be here there and everywhere. And I’m looking forward to it. The live stuff is what we all look forward to and we’re three times this year back at our spiritual home. I say the Cart & Horses is actually the birthplace of Gypsy’s Kiss rather than Iron Maiden.
Well, you came first!
We did our very first gig there. We’ve got three gigs there. You’re probably aware, we’re playing at a midnight show at the Cart & Horses after the Maiden gig fifteen minutes up the road – which sold out in about fifteen minutes. It was really quite odd! But we’ve got other gigs at the Cart & Horses and we’re doing a short tour with Soulweaver. We’re doing about five or six gigs with them because we get on well and the music’s complementary, I think. And we’re doing a few gigs with a prog band called Ruby Dawn who are really, really good. So yeah, we’ll be here there and everywhere, with an album to flog in the middle of the year.
I was fortunate enough to enjoy a sneak preview of the new single from Collateral when they played legendary Hastings rock venue, The Carlisle this month. ‘On The Long Road’ (released today 19th April) is the second single to be released from the band’s forthcoming album Should’ve Known Better. With this latest single the Kent-based hard rock band slow things a notch with an emotive ballad on a deeply personal theme.
Collateral frontman Angelo Tristan comments:“I’ve never been in a position to write about such a personal painful subject,” says about the new single. “During the pandemic, my partner’s mum passed away with no real warning. It was a real dark time, and there was no way of escaping it, so I did the only thing I know how, and that was to try and get those feelings out. It’s about tragedy, but I’m starting to see an underlying hope within the song. After all, it’s a story that sooner or later, we all take part in.”
‘On The Long Road’ is available on all streaming platforms HERE.
On May 24th, the album will be released by Big Shot Records on red vinyl, picture disc, CD and digital with worldwide distribution by Cargo Records Direct. The album is available to pre-order from www.collateralofficial.com and Cargo Records Direct.
Collateral are comprised of Angelo Tristan (lead vocals, guitar), Louis Malagodi (guitar), Jack Bentley-Smith (bass) and Ben Atkinson (drums).
Photo credits (this and header image): Rob Blackham
Both the new single and the forthcoming album are produced by Dan Weller (Those Damn Crows, Elles Bailey, Enter Shikari, Monster Truck, Kris Barras). It’s the band’s second album following their eponymous debut in 2020 which secured a Top 5 placing in the UK Rock Album Chart. A remixed and remastered version of the album, retitled Re-Wired, also saw the band back in the UK rock charts.
Commenting on the new album Angelo Tristan added:
“We felt that our debut album was lacking the production. For the sophomore album, I wanted to make sure that this time we left no room for error and so got one of the hottest producers in the music industry, Dan Weller, to help lift these songs into a new dimension. With Dan’s pioneering studio expertise, this album has massive production quality that enables you to get lost in each character-filled track. Dan really brought out the emotions we were trying to portray and has achieved it with his own unique style.”
“We wanted this album to express where we were in our own lives since the release of our first. So much has happened since then, I mean the world shut down for what felt like a lifetime! And it was obvious that people were going to need some sort of optimism. I hope ‘Glass Sky’ is one of those songs that gives people the belief to find themselves again.”
“Whereas, the feel-good ‘Just One Of Those Days’ is trying to find the good side of a bad day. Me being me, couldn’t help but to write a big power ballad, ‘The Long Road’, that I wrote from a very hard and deep place, in hope that it could maybe bring some peace and comfort to people who need it. I think there’s all aspects of life running though this album and what it means to us will remain in our hearts forever.”
“Should’ve Known Better” is an album that goes beyond specific music genres. It’s almost like a soundtrack to a beating heart. It’s an album that will remain timeless in years to come.”
In advance of their forthcoming album, Burnt Out Wreck have released a second single. ‘Ain’t Done Nothing Wrong’ follows an earlier single, ‘Stand And Fight’, which will also be the title track of the new album when it is released on 2nd December.
Formed by Gary Moat, drummer and chief songwriter of 1980s rock/metal band Heavy Pettin’, Burnt Out Wreck released their debut album, Swallow, back in 2017. That was followed by This Is Hell in 2019. Their brand of swaggering, old-school, rock and roll boogie immediately found a receptive audience and many comparisons to Bon Scott-era AC-DC have been made in the five years that followed. That basic template remains unchanged but Moat is especially proud of this latest album.
Gary Moat: “These are eleven of the best songs I’ve written. This really was the ‘difficult third album’, inspired by the worst one and a half years in my life, but the end result was worth the struggle, and this is something I’m really proud of. I invite you all to ‘Stand And Fight’.”
Burnt Out Wreck are:
Gary Moat: lead vocals and rhythm guitar Alex Carmichael: bass guitar and backing vocals Andy McLaughlan: lead guitar and backing vocals Richard Upson: lead guitar and backing vocals. Paul Gray: drums
This month saw a return to Minehead for what would turn out to be the last of the Giants of Rock weekends which have been running off-season at Butlins for the past eight years. I missed the first one, back in 2014, because I’d already committed to going to Skegness Butlins for the Rock and Blues weekend that year and, obviously, we all missed the one last year because it was cancelled due to Covid – but other than that it’s been an essential date in my gig calendar every year.
In truth, and no disrespect to any individual act playing, the festival line-up was starting to look a little threadbare. Past weekends had given us the likes of Uriah Heep, Michael Schenker and Ian Hunter but Butlins’ capacity for signing up genuine bona fide rock giants seemed to be on the wane somewhat. Admittedly, simple demographics have meant that performers from that classic era of classic rock (post-Beatles – pre-punk: 1969-1975) are becoming more and more of a rarity but Giants of Rock also seemed to be getting stuck in a bit of a rut with the same promoter relying on the same small roster of acts year in year out.
I was pondering whether this might be the last time I book but in the end the decision was made for me. From next year the slot previously filled by Giants of Rock will be given over to Bootleg Ball described in the publicity as “A tribute to the giants of rock – featuring the best tributes to the biggest rock bands on the planet past and present.” I’m not snobbish about tribute acts, I’ve seen some great tribute bands locally down here in Hastings but the idea that I’m going to make a 500-mile round trip to the West Country to see tribute acts is a non-starter, particularly when there are so many other festivals like Hard Rock Hell and Cornwall Rocks to choose from. I can see the attraction from Butlins’ perspective though. As well as aiming to hold on to some of the loyal Giants of Rock audience they’ll be able to substantially up attendance figures by appealing to the lucrative stag and hen market and those large groups that you get on so many other Butlins weekends on the look-out for some tongue-in-cheek fun.
Knowing it would be the last Giants of Rock did mean the weekend was tinged with a touch of sadness. One of the truly wonderful things about Giants of Rock is the strong sense of community that has built up amongst regular attendees. I therefore wanted this last hurrah to be a memorable one – thankfully it was.
Friday
I have some vague memories of seeing Ten Years After at Reading Festival as a 17yo in 1983. They were already well into ‘heritage act’ status even then but other than inheriting an Alvin Lee best-of CD from my dad, I mainly know them via Slade’s wonderful cover of ‘Hear Me Calling’ on the Slade Alive album. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect tonight. The late Alvin Lee had left the band a good ten years before his untimely death in 2013 and I recall reading of a further split in the ranks more recently. So I really had little idea what the Ten Years After of 2022 would have to offer and I’d done no research beforehand – but, my, they are absolutely mind-blowing. Still with original keyboard player, Chick Churchill, and original drummer, Ric Lee, vocalist/guitarist Marcus Bonfanti is a stunning blues rock performer who exudes energy and the interplay between him and keyboardist Chick Churchill is a thing of immense beauty and absolutely joyful to watch. This was definitely one of my “oh wow” highlights of the entire weekend and I will certainly be on the lookout to see them again – they were just incredible. Ironically, in the other room another band that I also remember from Reading in 1983 was on stage – Big Country. I never really got into them at the time and catching the end of their set while waiting for Praying Mantis, I can report that they still don’t really do much for me now either. They certainly had a packed-out room and an enthusiastic crowd though. Praying Mantis, on the other hand, lived up to all expectations and, once again, delivered a superb set of polished melodic metal.
Saturday
At festivals I tend to have a policy of trying not to cram in so many bands that I’m completely knackered before the end of the evening and end up missing acts I really want to see later on. As such, it was a leisurely start on the Saturday but I made it in time for Sad Café who were the last of the three acts on the main stage in the afternoon. Bizarrely, Sad Café were another band I remember seeing at Reading in 1983 so it seemed appropriate to give them a go for old time’s sake. I lasted about three songs but they weren’t doing anything at all for me I’m afraid so a catch-up with old friends outside the venue became the preferred alternative before heading off to the Introducing Stage. This year, the stage had moved from the cramped but intimate surroundings of Jaks bar to the big Skyline Pavilion. The acoustics are not good, it’s draughty as hell and while it’s still daylight it has all the atmosphere of a shopping centre on a rainy afternoon. Nevertheless, bluesy mother and daughter -fronted combo Lee Ainley’s Blues Storm impressed me enough for me to buy their recent CD – Evolution. Sussex-based (so fairly local to me) I look forward to seeing more of them. By 5pm it was now dark, there was a sizeable crowd and a more gig-like atmosphere for the next act: Matt Long and the Revenant Ones. Hard riffs, powerful songs and catchy choruses this classic power trio of Matt Long (guitars and vocals), Adam Pyke (bass) and Kev Hickman (drums) immediately had the crowd going and soon had me heading straight to the merch desk. I wanted to buy The Other Side their debut album – but they’d forgot to bring any! Never mind, I’ve just ordered one online as I write…
Saturday evening became a bit of a Giants of Rock nostalgia-fest with three acts that have very much become must-sees whenever they’ve been on. First, there is ex-Argent guitarist John Verity with his trademark blend of stunning blues rock solo compositions and classic hard rock covers.
John Verity
Next, we have the reformed Atomic Rooster which includes vocalist Pete French and guitarist Steve Boltz from the band’s early 70s era. Filling Vincent Crane’s shoes is a hard ask but Adrian Gautrey does an incredible job on Hammond organ bringing those signature heavy keyboard licks to a live set. I’d absolutely love to see them release a live CD from the modern-day Atomic Rooster. If you’re reading this please take this as a formal request. The final of my trio of past GOR favourites tonight is Geordie. Reformed in 2018, original members Tom Hill (bass) and Brian Gibson (drums) have given Brian Johnson’s pre-AC/DC band a fresh reboot and are joined by Steve Dawson (guitar) and Mark Wright (vocals). Originally notching up a handful of hit singles as an early 70s glam rock act before evolving into more traditional hard rock album territory in the years that followed, the band pull off both personas superbly and provide a perfect end to the evening.
Sunday
Young twenty-something Swiss guitarist, Félix Rabin, was one of the winners of the Introducing Stage in 2020 and he is back this year with the first slot of the day on the main stage. I missed him last time around but his incredible stage presence and virtuoso guitar skills make him a obvious winner with the crowd. As soon as he’s finished there is a huge queue forming at the merch desk. Unlike Matt Long, Félix Rabin did remember to bring along a big box of albums but they still managed to sell out before I could get to the head of the queue to buy one – definitely a name to watch. I stayed around for prog rock outfit the John Hackett Band but my energy levels dropped and after a couple of songs and some very obvious sound problems I sloped off for a long snooze. I was back in time for the awesome Gorilla Riot on the Introducing Stage. Frontman vocalist/guitarist Arjun Bhishma is gloriously cocky, cheekily irreverent and hugely talented. The band are an instant hit and their brand of raunchy, sleazy, bluesy rock and roll is delivered to perfection.
Gorilla Riot
Sunday evening’s entertainment is centred around another Giants Of Rock favourite Wille and The Bandits followed by Nazareth and Vambo. It meant missing the excellent King King but I’d already seen them just before Christmas and some good-time party rock and roll that the rejuvenated Nazareth provide in spades seemed just the ticket for the last night of the last ever Giants of Rock.
So that is that. Thank you Butlins Minehead. You’ve given me some incredible memories over the last seven years – from spending time back-stage with one of my all-time musical heroes, Ian Hunter, to meeting a very amiable Uriah Heep in the chippy, to discovering a host of superb bands like Hells Gazelles and Scarlet Rebels, to witnessing incredible performances from iconic performers like Procol Harum and the Pretty Things. And perhaps, most of all, the annual Giants of Rock weekend has helped build an incredibly friendly and welcoming community of rock fans, ably fostered by an extremely active Facebook group throughout the year. I am certain that some of that magic will long outlive the festival itself.
Thank you Giants of Rock and to everyone who has helped to make it special over the past eight years.
Now into its seventh year the Giants of Rock weekend at Butlins’ Minehead resort has attracted a little bit of scepticism among regulars over the last year or two – namely how many of the acts appearing on the bill these days can really be considered genuine, bona fide rock giants. There’s some truth in this. Contrasting this year’s line-up with that of the first such weekend in 2014 there’s probably far fewer acts that your average not-completely-obsessed ordinary-joe rock fan would be able to instantly recognise by name. However, Butlins in January has become something of a diary fixture in recent years, there were certainly a number of bands that I was still keen to see, the camaraderie among Giants Of Rock regulars (from unofficial bingo to group photos to late night chalet parties) is second to none and my long-time Butlins’ chalet buddy was definitely up for going again.
And so, I found myself on my way to Minehead once again for another year.
My personal highlights of the weekend I can pretty much neatly divide into three main categories:
the classic era of classic rock – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Hawkwind et al
the New Wave of British Heavy Metal – Rock Goddess, Praying Mantis et al
and the New Wave of Classic Rock – Scarlet Rebels, Hollowstar et al
On the Friday night I finally got to see Arthur Brown perform ‘Fire’ in all its loopily eccentric over-the-top glory – even if Butlins’ health and safety requirements meant we got a sparkly glittery head-dress rather than actual flames. And on the Saturday night we got a magnificent mix of soulful blues and early Whitesnake classics from Bernie Marsden and a rumbling, rhythmic and suitably spaced-out set from Hawkwind. All three bona fide 100% rock giants in my book – no question.
Something that’s been a bit of a feature of Giants of Rock over the years has been getting a former drummer along from a big-name band performing some form of tribute to his old band. Last year was the turn of Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy) and Chris Slade (AC/DC, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and pretty much everyone else). Much as I love these guys these tribute-act-with-added-special-ingredient are perhaps stretching the concept of ‘giants’ a tad. This year was the turn of former Judas Priest drummer Les Binks. Unlike Downey’s tenure in Lizzy, Binks was only in the band for a couple of years 1977-79 and only played on two studio albums and the Unleashed In The East celebrated live album. And, quite properly, he doesn’t play any material the band released after he left – which cuts out a fair few Priest classics and many of my own particular favourites (like everything on British Steel, for example). But, boy, do this band know how to make the most of the hand they’ve been given. In Matt Young, Binks has found a front-man with an absolutely awesome voice who does the early Priest legacy proud. Les Binks’ Priesthood massively exceeded my expectations and were a real highlight. Giants? – well maybe not but certainly very fucking good.
On the NWOBHM front, Rock Goddess on the Saturday and Praying Mantis on the Sunday both delivered superb sets. Once again, Butlins’ ever-reliable last minute stand-ins Oliver/Dawson Saxon got a call at the eleventh hour. Given I wanted to enjoy the whole of Arthur Brown’s set it meant I only got to see the last half from Messrs Oliver and Dawson but they are always brilliantly entertaining and I was there for the irrepressible Brian Shaugnessy leading the crowd sing-along to ‘Wheels of Steel’ which is always one of the highlights of any weekend where they play. Unfortunately, I missed Diamond Head this time but given I’d seen them just a few weeks ago supporting Uriah Heep I plumped for Hawkwind on the other stage. Sadly, ex-Mamas Boys’ boy, Pat McManus, was another one I missed but by all accounts his late-night slot was one of the high-points of the weekend.
Even if the number of actual rock giants have been less conspicuous on the bill in recent years, one of the things that Butlins has achieved is giving a real boost to newer bands and the nascent ‘New Wave Of Classic Rock’ movement. Not only by giving slots for several bands each day on the Introducing Stage but by allowing punters to select three of them to come back on perform on the main stage the subsequent year. Sons of Liberty, and their eccentrically grizzled but thoroughly entertaining take on southern rock, were able to bag a main stage slot on the Friday night whereas the other two winners Hollowstar and Scarlet Rebels (formerly Void) had to content themselves with the 12-1pm ‘hangover slot’ on the Saturday and Sunday respectively. Both of them more pulled than it off as main stage acts, immediately generating rapport with the crowds, a suitably electric atmosphere and equally electrifying performances.
So, the giants quota may have gone down a bit – but in what was my sixth year here I was still seeing classic acts for the very first time, enjoying some familiar old favourites once again not to mention discovering some exciting new bands. Moreover, splitting the bill 50/50 with my chalet buddy, Elise, I ended up paying out what amounted to £44 per day all-in for my accommodation, meals and entertainment. As my late father used to say (a long-time devotee of their Rock & Blues weekends in Skegness) – it’s cheaper being at Butlins than staying at home…
This was the sixth annual Giants of Rock weekend hosted by Butlins in Minehead – and my fifth. Here’s a small selection of bands that stood out for me this time, as well as one that I’m afraid just didn’t do it for me at all.
Worth seeing
Sometimes you want to see an artist, at least just the once, for the small part they played in rock ‘n’ roll history. For me, original Thin Lizzy guitarist, Eric Bell, was one of those names who fitted into that category. It meant missing the much-praised ‘New Wave Of Classic Rock’ band Ethyrfield on the other main stage, sadly, (but I made up for this by buying Ethyrfield’s CD from the merch stand later). Eric Bell gave us a run-through of rock ‘n’ roll and blues standards. It’s a little ragged in places but we’re soon into a rendition of ‘Whiskey In The Jar’ – a slightly different arrangement of the old folk song compared to Lizzy’s version that many of are used to but Bell’s unique guitar sound is unmistakable and this is basically what I came in to hear. Ironically, the drum-kit of Bell’s former band-mate, Brian Downey, sits unused behind Bell’s band because Downey’s own take on Thin Lizzy’s heritage, in the form of his Live & Dangerous tribute, was the next act. Anyone hoping for some form of cross-fertilisation between these two performances, however, would have been disappointed. There are no guest jam spots or even any acknowledgement that the two bands are in the same building on the same stage on the same evening. Compared to the revived Thin Lizzy of a few years ago (which ended up morphing into Black Star Riders) this is more faithful copy of classic-era Lizzy in conventional tribute act format. But Brian Downey has more than earned the right to perform and celebrate these songs as many times as he likes and the band get a good reception.
Now performing under their new identity (but still down in the programme as VOiD due to them still using their old name when they were originally booked last year) Scarlet Rebels emerged as one of the stars of the introducing stage this year. “Unfortunately, there are about a million bands called Void and no-one could ever find us,” lead singer, Wayne Doyle, tells the crowd. I had caught these guys doing a support slot a year ago and what has not changed is their brand of classy, melodic hard rock which immediately impressed me first time around. Lead guitarist, Chris Jones, is an absolute live-wire on stage, injecting wave after wave of energy into the crowd with his soloing, while front-man, Doyle, has a great voice that’s just perfect for modern-day classic rock. Let’s hope any identity issues that the band suffered under their previous moniker are now firmly behind them and that Scarlet Rebels get the recognition they deserve. As one of the triumvirate of introducing stage winners over the three days they’ll be back at Butlins on one of the main stages next year. Thoroughly well deserved.
Playing only their second gig in 35 years (the first being at Skegness Butlins the week before) the newly-revived Geordie are one of the biggest surprises of the weekend. The band had a handful of hits in the mid 70s but are now best-known as the band that launched Brian Johnson’s career prior to him being tracked down by AC/DC in 1980. Original members Tom Hill (bass) and Brian Gibson (drums) are joined by Steve Dawson (guitar) and Mark Wright (vocals). Powerful, foghorn very Johnson-esque vocals from Wright with a very well-rehearsed band behind him served to breathe new life into some long-neglected songs. It was great to hear the likes of ‘Can You Do It’, ‘Don’t Do That’ and ‘All Because of You’ getting a live airing after all these years. I’ve seen numerous band revivals at weekends like this, sometimes on some really rather tenuous ground. I therefore approached this with a mixture of curiosity and cynicism but they massively, massively exceeded expectations. A real surprise. I was half-hoping that Geordie would encore with a cover of Back In Black or Rock n Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution as a cheeky little nod to the part they unwittingly played in rock ‘n’ roll history – but it wasn’t to be (Geordie – if you are reading this you should absolutely do it!). The job of delving into AC/DC’s back catalogue was instead left to the next act, Chris Slade’s Timeline when the current (and former) AC/DC drummer ran through a selection of classic songs from his various bands. For sheer impact and confounding expectations, however, the afternoon very much belonged to Geordie.
Sweet delivered a blistering set and hopefully gained a few more “oh, I just thought they were just a pop band I didn’t realise they were such a great rock band” converts in the process. However, I’ve written about this band many, many times before and readers of Darren’s music blog will be left in no doubt at all of my affection for all things Sweet. Instead, I’m going to give a mention to Oliver/Dawson Saxon. After they had both walked away from Biff Byford’s Saxon, guitarist, Graham Oliver, and bass player, Steve Dawson, got together and formed their own version of the band. Now I’m not saying Oliver Dawson Saxon are better than the actual continuing Saxon – but they are certainly more fun. With his on-stage patter, lead singer Brian Shaughnessy is more Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club than Hallo Wembleyyyy and cuts a hilarious and quite bonkers stage presence but he is an absolute dynamo of a vocalist. When it comes to belting out all those old Saxon classics there is always so much energy from this band and Minehead 2019 was no exception. There are no pretensions to be anything else with this performance. It’s just good old-fashioned New Wave Of British Heavy Metal played exactly the way it should be. The perfect party band to end the night with on a weekend like this. Oliver/Dawson Saxon we salute you.
Paul Manzi had quite a busy weekend. He did an excellent job filling in as a temporary member of Sweet on the Saturday night due to Pete Lincoln’s absence and then he was back on the Sunday night fronting Cats In Space. There’s another Sweet connection, too, because former Sweet bass player, Jeff Brown, now carries out that very same role for Cats In Space. Like Sweet, harmony vocals and hook-laden melodies are in integral part of the band’s sound. Rather than the British glam rock era of the early 70s, however, this band very much take their cues from the American AOR/ power pop era of the early 80s, when albums were as shiny, polished and lavishly-produced as an episode of Dynasty. Unfortunately, as with that TV series it’s a genre of rock that simply leaves me cold. It’s clear that Cats In Space love what they are doing and they execute it with total professionalism. I really wanted to like them but three songs in I realise it’s never going to be. If the previous night was Sweet this, for me, was saccharine. I up and leave for the other stage. Raw, raunchy down to earth blues rock from guitar maestro, Rob Tognoni was the perfect antidote to what I’d just walked away from – and someone I look forward to seeing more of.
A third live blast of this band for me in recent months, Toledo Steel are rapidly becoming one of my absolute favourite modern-era heavy metal bands.
Although they released their debut album ‘No Quarter’ earlier this year, the band are not quite new kids on the block, having been around since 2011 and with two prior EPs and a relentless round of gigging under their belts. Unlike a number of similar bands, however, their line-up has been relatively stable during that time and on-stage they are a formidable unit together.
Rich Rutter’s powerfully melodic vocals, combined with the twin guitar assault of Tom Potter and Josh Haysom and some truly, truly memorable songs make Toledo Steel a really great classic heavy metal outfit.
Storming through a set-list including ‘Heavy Metal Headache’ and ‘No Quarter’ from their recent album and ‘City Lights’ and ‘Speed Killer’ from their last EP the impact on the crowd is instant. These are not just great songs. They are fully-formed heavy metal anthems.
And with a nod to the classic era of heavy metal that has done so much to help shape and influence this band we also get a brilliant cover of Judas Priest’s ‘Heading Out to the Highway’.
Following in the footsteps of Black Sabbath and Motorhead in having an eponymously-named killer track they leave us with a momentous blast of ‘Toledo Steel’ for an encore and for everyone to roar along to. Superb!
While the Carlisle is not packed tonight the band absolutely storm the place and it’s clear Toledo Steel have some committed fans in the audience, myself included. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before they are playing on far bigger stages to far bigger crowds. They 100% deserve it.
There has been a definite groundswell of bands forming in recent years playing their own original brand of classic hard rock/metal, influenced by both the first wave of hard rock/metal bands formed in the late 60s/early 70s and the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) formed a decade later. Following my last round-up a few months ago, here is another batch of bands that have gone out of their way to impress me recently.
1. Ethyrfield
Absolutely everyone who saw them at Minehead’s Giants of Rock this year was raving about Ethyrfield. Not me I’m afraid – this was one of the bands I sadly missed at Minehead. However, I finally managed to catch Ethyrfield at the New Cross Inn and it was well worth the wait. Aged just 17, 16 and 14, Zach Cornish (vocals/bass), Ben Cornish, (vocals/lead guitar) and Dan Aston (drums) put in an absolutely incredible performance. Tony Iommi has mentored the band, they’ve picked up various awards and were voted winners of the introducing stage at Giants of Rock this year and will thus be returning to the main stage next year. I’ll be there. Simply incredible.
If many of the bands flying under the NWOCR look to the NWOBHM scene of the late 70s/early 80s for inspiration Saints Of Sin appear to have stepped straight out of the LA metal scene circa 1987. Big hooks, catchy choruses and bags of attitude they were one of Friday’s highlights for me. The band’s excellent album ‘Welcome To The Circus’ is well worth getting hold of.
The Black Bullets who, if I had to describe them, bring to mind a meeting of Bon Scott and Angus Young circa 1975 and The New York Dolls. Sleazy, raunchy, dirty and brilliantly fun this is the kind of music you could never tire of. From an amazingly strong line-up of acts at the New Cross Inn’s Four Sticks Classic Rock All Dayer back in March The Black Bullets were one of my favourite bands of the day.
Tomorrow Is Lost, a young band from Newcastle formed last year and fronted by female singer, Cass King, were one of the highlights at the New Cross Inn’s second Four Sticks event this October. Great vocals and a real sense of showmanship I snapped up their two recent EPs after their set and they are now a definite addition to my ‘ones to watch’ list.
Bite! Is the debut album from Croatian hard rock band Animal Drive. Four guys in their mid to late twenties, front-man Dino Jelusic has toured as a vocalist with the Trans Siberian Orchestra. I came equipped with zero knowledge of the Croatian rock/metal scene prior to reviewing this CD but extremely polished production, a thunderous rhythm section some blinding guitar work and powerfully melodic vocals means there’s much to like about this album. Such is the sheer professionalism of Bite! that it wouldn’t be out of place sitting alongside releases from much more experienced and established bands. One of the most impressive debuts I’ve heard in a while.
Polished melodic hard rock and catchy well-written songs, New Device proved to be a great start to the day for when I caught them at the New Cross Inn’s first Four Sticks classic rock event. I picked up a copy of their 2013 album ‘Here We Stand’ and my initial positive impressions were definitely confirmed. Lead singer Daniel Leigh is an impressive vocalist, both when handling the all-out rockers as well as the slower, more sensitive material.
This review was also published by Get Ready To Rock here
Following a successful all-dayer at the same venue back in March the Four Sticks classic rock event was back for a full weekend this time. With twenty-six bands over three days it showcased the breadth of talent on the NWOCR (New Wave Of Classic Rock) scene as well as featuring a couple of veteran stalwarts from the original New Wave Of British Heavy Metal scene as headliners, Diamond Head and Praying Mantis.
There were just too many quality bands to give a detailed run-down of each one but it’s worth noting that the overall quality was exceptionally high as was the range of styles and influences on display falling under the NWOCR banner.
On the Friday evening power trio Alteration got things off to a fine start and Neuronspolier combined charisma, good songs and great riffs to deliver an entertaining set. If many of the bands flying under the NWOCR look to the NWOBHM scene of the late 70s/early 80s for inspiration Saints Of Sin appear to have stepped straight out of the LA metal scene circa 1987. Big hooks, catchy choruses and bags of attitude they were one of Friday’s highlights for me. The band’s excellent album ‘Welcome To The Circus’ is well worth getting hold of. Reliable as ever and somehow bottling up that spirit of early AC/DC to unleash some raunchy good time rock ‘n’ roll Burnt Out Wreck, who headlined last time, got the crowd brilliantly warmed-up for the main headliners, even finishing with a cover of DC’s Highway To Hell. Diamond Head largely passed me by back in the day but their influence on heavy metal has been phenomenal, inspiring the likes of Metallica and the thrash scene. Finally, I get to see what all the fuss is about as Brian Tatler and co. deliver an awesome set with the crowd going to crazy to classics like ‘Shoot Out The Lights’ and ‘Am I Evil?’
Saturday delivered lots of new faces on stage for me. Tomorrow Is Lost, a young band from Newcastle formed last year and fronted by female singer, Cass King, were one of the highlights. Great vocals and a real sense of showmanship I snapped up their two recent EPs after their set and they are now a definite addition to my ‘ones to watch’ list. Black Whiskey, another band who were on the bill last time – and the only band of the day who I had encountered several times before, also delivered an impressive set. With a new album due to be officially launched imminently it was good to see them expanding their repertoire with some great new tunes. Belfast’s Baleful Creed, with their brand of hard and heavy blues rock, were another of my favourites from Saturday. All chunky riffs and soulful vocals they instantly transported us away from a packed boozer in south London back to a time and a place where stadium giants ruled the rock world. Big Foot’s melodic-sounding metal then got us all nicely in the mood for Saturday’s headliners, Praying Mantis. With a slew of renowned rock vocalists passing through the band over the years, lead singer John Cuijpers has been gigging with the Troy brothers for several years now and the band has undergone a real creative renaissance with two quality albums picking up excellent reviews. Mantis deliver a supremely polished performance and some great songs, new and old. You just can’t quite believe the strength of the line-up of bands that the promoter has managed to pull together for Four Sticks this weekend.
Sunday was a packed day with eleven bands appearing. I didn’t get to see them all but, as with Saturday, although there were some unfamiliar faces taking the stage there were also some old friends, too. Hammerjack and New Device, who were both on the bill back in March, returned to deliver impressive sets once again. The absolute stand-out act though, who I will never tire of enthusing about, were the Oxford-based Hell’s Gazelles. As one of the bands on the Introducing Stage at Minehead’s Giants Of Rock weekend in January I’d seen them set the crowd alight, tear the place apart and deliver an absolutely stunning set of hard rocking heavy metal. And the band did exactly the same here. They instantly lifted the atmosphere in the place ten-fold with their on-stage energy. With an incredible vocal range the band’s hyperactive front-man, Cole Bryant, exudes star quality from every pore. And his band-mates, Nath Digman (guitar), Rik Ridemark (bass) and Luke Evans (drums) deliver a phenomenal wall of noise behind him. There really is something very special about this band and with a new EP out ‘Take Your Medicine’ it’s heartening to see the band picking up great reviews and recognition in the likes of Kerrang. This band deserve to be huge!
I didn’t get to see everything but overall the weekend was a brilliant showcase for some newly emerging rock bands as well as a great chance to see some well-respected veterans of the scene – all for £40 for a weekend ticket. Superb!
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