Interviews
INTERVIEW: Chris Colpo – Hepcat Dilemma
One of my favourite albums of last year was by a band Id never heard of before, Hepcat Dilemma. Not only was it unexpected it was also chock full of the sort of music […]
Articles by Mark Diggins
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Vega – Grit Your Teeth
Six albums in Vega are sounding great and opener ‘Blind’ has the sort of assured swagger that sets your mind at rest that this will be another classic: it’s a song with ‘stamped on’ Melodic […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Bullets and Octane – Riot Riot Rock ‘n’ Roll
I loved 2018’s ‘Waking Up Dead’ and two years later Bullets and Octane are back with another weighty slab of punk-fueled kick ass dirty hard rock and roll with ‘Riot Riot Rock ‘n’ Roll’. […]
Interviews
INTERVIEW: Erik Grönwall – H.E.A.T.
H.E.A.T is a band that has always been at the forefront of the resurgence of modern Melodic Rock and whilst in the past they’ve experimented here and there this year – 2020 they’ve taken everything […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Harem Scarem – Change The World
Opening with the title track ‘Change the World’, Harem Scarem’s 16th studio release instantly reminds you of why this band should always have been huge. There’s no one out there in Melodic Rock land […]
Interviews
INTERVIEW: Dylan Villain – The Wild!
THE WILD! still believe in rock n’ roll and after one listen, so will you. The rebellious foursome from the Great White North are a perfect mixture of rock’n’roll swagger and punk rock attitude. […]
Interviews
INTERVIEW: Janet Gardner and Justin James
OK so I know this one is a bit late but with things the way they have been of late I’ve let things slip a little with my interviews. This one dates from the day […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Bonfire – Fistful of Fire
Opening instrumental track ‘The Joker’ has Spanish guitar, pipes and a South American flavour that stretches to just over a minute and a half before bursting into real opener ‘Gotta Get Away’ a song […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Mike Tramp – Second Time Around
I spoke to Mike last week, something I’ve done regularly over the years and usually in conjunction with an album or a tour but 2020 sees like the year when no one will be […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: The Wild – Still Believe in Rock and Roll
Canada and Rock and Roll – when you think of that what comes to mind? There’s such a rich musical history in the home of our our Commonwealth cousins from Rush to Lee Aaron […]
Interviews
INTERVIEW: Jennie Skulander – Devilskin
Devilskin, New Zealand’s finest Metal band are ten years old this year and to celebrate they release their best album yet. We may be locked down but it’s impossible to not feel the urge […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Hartmann – 15 Pearls & Gems
To mark this year’s 15th anniversary, ‘Hartmann’ are putting out a brand new album ’15 Pearls & Gems’ in April. The album (co-produced by Sascha Paeth – Avantasia, Beyond The Black, Kamelot) includes five […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Order of the Emperor – Faster Into Flames
Welcome to one of my new favourite bands… There’s a cool Garage Rock thrust and abandon to opening track ‘Once Upon A Time’ and definitely some Blues in there but mainly a real Retro […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Missing Persons featuring Dale Bozzio – Dreaming
As a kid I was a huge Missing Persons fan. I bought ‘Spring Session M’ on vinyl and was as an early teen secretly a bit in love with Dale Bozzio… but that’s another […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Tesla – Five Man London Jam
One of my very favourite songs of all time is Tesla’s ‘What You Give’ not only is it a beautiful song its simple premise I think is good enough to live by. “It’s not what […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Blue Oyster Cult – Agents of Fortune (40th Anniversary) Live 2016
For a while I thought that Blue Öyster Cult’s 1976 Classic ‘Agents of Fortune’ was getting re-released again this year along with a heap of BOC material on the Frontiers label, though the confusing 40th […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Richard Marx – Limitless
I guess in Rock circles Mr Marx will always be remembered for his 1987 album ‘Richard Marx’ and the four top five singles it spawned, or maybe the three further top 5 singles that followed […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEWS: Dio – Angry Machines, Magica, Killing the Dragon and Master of the Moon
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the passing and honor the legacy of iconic vocalist Ronnie James Dio, BMG Records have reissued Dio’s long out-of-print 1996-2004 studio albums Angry Machines (1996), Magica (2000), Killing The Dragon […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Blackcat Elliot – There Is No Good In Us
Albany New York’s Blackcat Elliott make me want to visit that part of the world if this coronavirus thing ever blows over. While I was there of course I could also catch up with The […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Kings of Dust – Kings of Dust
Kings of Dust is an intriguing mix “musicians from two of Jake. E. Lee bands (Badlands and Red Dragon Cartel) as well as 2000’s glam rock heroes Crash Street Kids and late 80s / […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Boys From Heaven – The Great Discovery
I love the sweeping intro ‘The Ascent’ and the smooth West Coast AOR of ‘Green Fields’ that follows takes you right back to the days when music was made under blue skies and all was […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Danny De La Rosa – 12 Weekends
If you’re a fan of Babylon A.D. you’ll surely know the name Danny De La Rosa and now after a few years away from the band he’s back but with a solo album…. just […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Backwater – Rock ‘N’ Roll History
Swiss Rock and Roll is something of a mystery for most of the outside world and I must admit I’d not heard of Backwater till this one landed. This is their second album and was […]
Reviews Live
LIVE REVIEW: Kip Winger – Perth, March 16th 2020
I saw Kip Winger last Saturday at the Melodic Rock Fest in Melbourne and his set was awesome, but tonight the faithful of Perth got to see him play a full acoustic set that […]
Reviews - Music Releases
ALBUM REVIEW: Old Harry – Resurrection E.P.
Some press releases mystify me and raise a lot more questions than answers. In 1992 it seems David Vines and Michael Olsen put together the seed of old Harry in Tulsa Oklahoma – the ideas […]