Mark Diggins, Author at The Rockpit

ALBUM REVIEW: Graham Greene – Symphonica Part 2

18 May 2023 Mark Diggins

So here we are with Part two of the opus that I noted part one as being an album of real substance. I stand by that recommendation and if you love the guitar driven […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Extreme – 6

18 May 2023 Mark Diggins

I always liked Extreme, a great live band and super talented musicians. They’ve put out some great albums over the years but I never thought they managed to nudge things into ‘classic’ territory – until […]

ALBUM REVIEW: The 69 Eyes – Death of Darkness

15 May 2023 Mark Diggins

I must confess to being a big fan of the Helsinki Vampires. They are of course one of the few bands who really nailed a hard rocking approach to that old school Goth vibe. […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Gardner James – No Strings

13 May 2023 Mark Diggins

It’s been a long three years since Gardner James last hit us with ‘Synergy’ – an album that somehow managed to build upon the wonderful ‘Your Place in the Sun’ from 2019, the first […]

EP REVIEW: Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown – Dirty Work

5 May 2023 Mark Diggins

I never knew whether six tracks on an album outside of Prog Rock constituted an album, a mini-album or an EP but when it comes to a new release from Tyler Bryant & The […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Phil Lynott’s Grand Slam – Slam Anthems (6CD Box Set)

4 May 2023 Mark Diggins

One of my biggest regrets is that I never got to see Thin Lizzy live back in the day, only catching them after Phil passed. Ironically I was in Great Yarmouth to catch the […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Midnite City – In at the Deep End

2 May 2023 Mark Diggins

Sometimes you have to sit with an album for a while to properly appreciate it rather than blast off a review and only capture part of the magic. 4 albums in, you see, Midnite […]

AEROSMITH Announce their final tour with The Black Crowes

2 May 2023 Mark Diggins

“PEACE OUT! After 50 years, 10 world tours, and playing for over 100 million fans… It’s time for one last go! Aerosmith PEACE OUT with special guest The Black Crowes! Fans will see one of the most significant […]

INTERVIEW: The Erotics – Mike Trash

27 April 2023 Mark Diggins

The Erotics have always been my favourite rockers from the East Coast of the U.S. and over the years have put out some stunning slices of Sleazy Rock and Roll. Main man Mike Trash just […]

INTERVIEW: Babylon A.D. – Jamey Pacheco

15 April 2023 Mark Diggins

Babylon A.D. has a new live record out ‘Live Lightning’ on Perris Records and plans for a new studio record, but it seems founder member Jamey Pacheco may not be there for the latter. Over […]

ALBUM REVIEW: BOURBON HOUSE – The Fourth Album

14 April 2023 Mark Diggins

I must admit I’d never heard of ‘Bourbon House’ until this one landed and here we are with album number four. Bourbon House is essentially a vehicle for the voice of Lacey Crowe and the […]

INTERVIEW: Desi Rexx – D’Molls 777 (ex-Dave Lee Roth Band)

10 April 2023 Mark Diggins

Over the years I’ve loved talking to some of the great bands that strode the Sunset Strip in the late 80’s. For me there were plenty of gems up there amongst the also-rans. Some of […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Sweat – Who Do They Think They Are?

9 April 2023 Mark Diggins

Sweat aren’t your usual 20’s Rock outfit. Indeed the sheer weight of the 70’s Rock influences that pervades music these days normally side steps Prog or goes all-in. Sweat somehow manages to take onboard […]

LIVE REVIEW: Bluesfest Perth – featuring The Doobie Brothers, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, Russell Morris, Jessica Mauboy and more

3 April 2023 Mark Diggins

It’s been eight long years since Perth had its last West Coast Blues and Roots Festival so it was extra special to see such a great turnout for our very first ‘Bluesfest Perth’ in the […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Selwyn Birchwood – Living In A Burning House

1 April 2023 Mark Diggins

This one is a handful and a real joy to dig into! The entire album will catch you up and not let you down till that final note. Indeed Birchwood’s third Alligator release is […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Mike Tramp – Songs of White Lion

31 March 2023 Mark Diggins

Let me be controversial for a while. I prefer the version here of ‘Lady of the Valley’ to the original. To be honest it was never one of my most favorite White Lion songs […]

BOOK REVIEW: Ron Young – Judge This Book By Its Cover

30 March 2023 Mark Diggins

I must put my hands up to having been bugging Ron Young for the past 14 years to write a book about his life as I’m sure many others have. Some musicians just seem to […]

EP REVIEW: Nancy Boys – Live at the Basement (EP)

29 March 2023 Mark Diggins

French Rock and Roll for most begins and ends for mist outside the Country with Jonnie Halliday but like any local scene there’s plenty to love if you know where to look. So look this […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Bai Bang – Sha Na Na Na

29 March 2023 Mark Diggins

I met the Bai Bang guys back in the States in 2009 at a place called The Backyard Bar in Tulsa Oklahoma when we dropped in to see Gypsy Pistoleros play a warm up gig […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Raising Ravens – Leaving With The Halflight

29 March 2023 Mark Diggins

Do I like this! Sydney’s Raising Ravens debut album ‘Leaving With The Halflight’ which contains a number of released and unreleased tracks including new single and video ‘Don’t Stay’ hits in a couple of days […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Tommy Castro presents – A Bluesman Comes to Town

28 March 2023 Mark Diggins

Back in 2019 I was introduced to Tommy Castro by the wonderful people at Alligator Records via a simply wonderful Live album ‘Killin’ It Live’ of which I said: “I’ve always loved a ‘live’ […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Seventh Crystal – Wonderland

25 March 2023 Mark Diggins

There’s an endless supply of Melodic Rock bands these days and a good number of them of course are located on the Frontiers label. The hardest thing sometimes is distinguishing between those that do a […]

INTERVIEW: John Diva and the Rockets of Love – The Big Easy!

25 March 2023 Mark Diggins

If you’ve not heard of John Diva and the Rockets of Love and you love melodic 80’s flavoured Hard Rock then you really do need to get on board. If you are already a fan […]

INTERVIEW: Tigertailz – Matt Blakout

24 March 2023 Mark Diggins

I remember seeing Tigertailz play back at The Porterhouse in Retford back in 1987, the iconic venue opened by Sammy Jackson (who also opened Rock City in Nottingham) might have been small but had hosted […]

INTERVIEW: Toby Jepson – Wayward Sons (ex- Little Angels and Gun)

20 March 2023 Mark Diggins

Back in the day when the U.K. was rocking and following the lead of the U.S. Hard Rock revival at the end of the 80’s there were a few contenders of real world class who […]