rock/metal features
Feature: Reasons you should respect Mott the Hoople more than you probably do
Remembered primarily as early 70s rockers that struggled for commercial success until they were saved by David Bowie, who donated to them their most iconic song and convinced them that they could be pop stars if they wanted it enough, the story of Mott the Hoople is considerably more subtle and complex than most realise. …
A Buyers Guide to Frankie Miller 1973 – 1980
Frankie Miller is a name that few are familiar with beyond a freak hit single with a cover of a song he wasn’t that fussed with, and an undeserved reputation of being a second-tier white-soul vocalist. Having cut his teeth in short lived bands The Stoics and Jude, two acts that were both signed to …
Feature: Cheerio Jethro Tull – thoughts on the ending
Following a particularly demanding day at work, I wandered into Sheffield branch of HMV on Tuesday. As I walked through the doors, my eyes inevitably flicked to my right and across to the new release display. Ninety percent of the time I don’t even recognise the name of at least half of the acts on …
A Buyers Guide to Progressive Rock
Progressive Rock, much like Dr Who, was far more enjoyable in the 70s. While it is undeniably glossier these days, it has lost much of the intangible brilliance that caught the imagination back in the day. As for me, I’ve had a love / hate relationship with the genre for decades. There are some prog …
Discover: Korda Marshall
When you get used to defining genres and all the sub genres within, yes the terms still make sense but you start to lose the understanding of what they meant in the first place, just like saying a word over an over. Listening to Korda Marshall, it’s a great reminder that pop rock was originally …
A Buyers Guide to Creedence Clearwater Revival
In the USA, Creedence are seen as one of the great American rock bands. Here in the UK they are generally seen as a brilliant singles band rather than an act that put out a string of great albums. Creedence are so ingrained into the American psyche that their music frequently soundtracks all manner of …
Feature: Darker Sound – Helltrash
Helltrash is the scuzzy and sleazy industrial metal project of Vlixx Vaden. Whilst Vlixx is joined by several others for liveshows, Helltrash is in essence Vlixx (in the same way NIN is Trent Reznor). Blending chunky chugging riffs with pulsating synth beats, samples and Vlixx’s intense filtered vocals. Helltrash are a musical tour de force. …
Feature: David Bowie is… exhibition, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
It was with some excitement, and a little trepidation, that I took the first train down to London for the David Bowie exhibition at the V&A. To start with I did not have a ticket and hoped that the queue for the daily release of tickets would not be too well formed when I got …