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The RGM Inbox: January 2022

January 10, 2022 by David Vousden in Ambient, Electronica, Hard Rock, Metal, Video, Sludge, Alternative Rock, Experimental, Post-Rock

Welcome to 2022 at Red Guitar Music. Updates have been a little sketchy recently at RGM as real life and the demands of having a day job in retail and/or family stuff tend to get in the way a little during the season of goodwill to all men. Hopefully, as we ease into the new year, we’ll be able to push on, shining a light on more great music, which was the plan back in 2014 and remains the plan in 2022. Today’s selection features impressive new musical offerings from Norway (Pjusk), the USA (KYOTY and Young Mountain) and, from the UK, Gilmore Trail. Enjoy.

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January 10, 2022 /David Vousden
Pjusk, Somewherecold Records, KYOTY, Young Mountain, Gilmore Trail
Ambient, Electronica, Hard Rock, Metal, Video, Sludge, Alternative Rock, Experimental, Post-Rock
Comment

The Vinyl Inbox: Re-Skinned .38 Special coloured vinyl reissues from Snakefarm Records

July 08, 2021 by David Vousden in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, News, Reissue, Southern Rock, Vinyl

RGM’s occasional look at the world of collectable vinyl returns with Re-Skinned from Snakefarm Records an ongoing series that looks to re-visit classic Country, Blues, Americana and Southern Rock albums. The Re-Skinned titles will feature brand new sleeve-notes, vibrantly coloured vinyl (hot pink and orange are the colours this time out) and “audio specially prepared for vinyl”, Today’s recipients of this enhanced reissue treatment are Southern Rockers .38 Special, a terrific band who added a dash of AOR to their Southern Rock influences and enjoyed considerable chart success with their ‘Wild-Eyed Southern Boys’ and ‘Special Forces’ albums now set for reissue on July 30th 2021. More details about Snakefarm Re-Skinned and .38 Special follow:

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July 08, 2021 /David Vousden
Vinyl Inbox, .38 Special, Coloured Vinyl, Re-Skinned
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, News, Reissue, Southern Rock, Vinyl
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The Hard Place #8

June 17, 2021 by Rich Barnard in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, News, Video

You have reached The Hard Place. A place where the hair is just a shade more voluminous. A place where the trousers are, on average, two belt holes tighter. A place wherein it is perfectly normal for guitars to begin spontaneously spewing fireworks. Or lightning. Or both. We bring you the choicest, freshest cuts of retro-metal on offer. And, in a scene where wrongness so often prevails, The Hard Place offers a distillation of all that is currently right with the world of melodic hard rock. Quite a lot of it is, as you might expect, from Sweden.

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June 17, 2021 /Rich Barnard
Hard Place, Kent Hilli, Perfect Plan, Michael Palace, Cruzh, Circus Of Rock, Nestor, Johnny Gioeli, Hardline
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, News, Video
Comment

The Hard Place #7

March 17, 2021 by Rich Barnard in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, News, Rock, Video, Melodic Rock

Ever since big-haired hard rock was criminalised in the spring of 1993, those with a medical dependency on the genre have found it increasingly difficult to know where to turn. Thankfully, for these broken and desperate souls there is finally a sanctuary. No longer must they endlessly search for misfiled contraband in the planet’s fourteen remaining record shops. No longer do they need to be sat in front of eBay, fruitlessly entering euphemistic search terms like “perm noise” in the hope that they might score a forbidden fix. No longer. These unfortunate creatures – perhaps you are one of them – now have a refuge and that refuge is The Hard Place. Welcome, friend. Here, finally, you are understood. Everything you are about to sample is pure rock of the highest quality. And, best of all, it’s all legal.

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March 17, 2021 /Rich Barnard
Hard Place, Seventh Crystal, Crown Lands, ED, Infinite & Divine
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, News, Rock, Video, Melodic Rock
Comment

The Hard Place #6

January 25, 2021 by Rich Barnard in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Rock, Prog Rock

If you like to hibernate over the winter then it’s likely that these words are reaching you as you continue to languish in an eiderdown-enrobed soft place. You’re cosy, you’re warm and you may well be under the impression that there is precious little to get out of bed for anyway. The Hard Place is here to tell you the f**k otherwise. The Hard place is a bucket of cold water hurled over your snoozings. The Hard Place is here, now, to drag you out of that pathetic torpor into a world where leaping from drum risers is de rigeur and staying up all night to a soundtrack of deafening guitars is a raison d’être. So, stop snivelling and get yourself dressed, preferably in something black and butt-squeezingly tight. Good. Now, ready yourself to rock.

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January 25, 2021 /Rich Barnard
Hard Place, Wig Wam, Chez Kane, Smith/Kotzen, Iron Maiden, Yes, Adrian Smith, Richie Kotzen, Arc Of Life, Lodgic, World Trade
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Rock, Prog Rock
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Christmas Music @RGM

December 03, 2020 by David Vousden in Hard Rock, Metal, Xmas, Seasonal, Festive

I think we’d all agree that 2020 sucked in so many different ways. So with December now upon us and Christmas just around the corner, it’s time for some festive cheer. Nothing screams Christmas more than the Christmas song. Love ‘em or loath ‘em the Xmas ditty is guaranteed to bring seasonal cheer and a little positivity, so sit back and relax with your Eggnog or Babycham (do they still make Babycham?) as RGM takes you where other websites fear to tread with a selection of the best seasonal music for Christmas 2020.

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December 03, 2020 /David Vousden
Dee Snider, Twisted Sister, Lzzy Hale, Halestorm, Christmas, Celine Dion, Gina Naomi Baez, Sofia Talvik, The Blue Highways
Hard Rock, Metal, Xmas, Seasonal, Festive
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The Hard Place #5

December 02, 2020 by David Vousden in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Prog Rock, Rock, Video

We all knew this winter was going to be hard. But nobody could have foreseen just how hard. Here, at the never-beating, black granite heart of The Hard Place, we’d like to think we can make it just that little bit harder. Just for you. “How hard?” you ask, expectant and not a little apprehensive. And the answer is “None. None more hard.” Walk with us now, barefoot, through the broken-bottle-strewn wasteland of rock’s best new releases.

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December 02, 2020 /David Vousden
W.E.T., Cats In Space, A Primitive Evolution, A.P.E., Jason Bieler, Saigon Kick, Hard Place
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Prog Rock, Rock, Video
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The Hard Place #4

November 09, 2020 by Rich Barnard in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Rock, Prog

It’s dark. You blink your eyes to try and take in some light but you realise that there is only black. You can barely move, surrounded by rock on all sides. Your heart races but then suddenly you realise you’ve been here before. Yes, you have come again to The Hard Place; you’re not sure how it happened but here you are. Here, and only here, will you satisfy your (understandably secret) desire to discover the very finest new things in the big-haired realm of melodic rock. Relax now, and let us show you the way…

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November 09, 2020 /Rich Barnard
Hard Place, Creye, Phantom Elite, Boys From Heaven, Palace, Frontiers Music, Target Group
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Rock, Prog
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The Hard Place #3

September 02, 2020 by Rich Barnard in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, News, Prog, Rock

If variety is the spice of life, then today’s Hard Place menu is, we must warn you, hotter than ever before. We’ve got hard bits, soft bits (sue me) and even prog bits but, as usual, all of our bits are exceedingly good. There are no specials on the board because everything here is gourmet. We have assembled the tastiest new treats on the scene so, get as comfortable as you can in those leather trousers and prepare for a four-course feast of sizzling melodic rock delights.

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September 02, 2020 /Rich Barnard
Lionville, Too Far For Gracie, Simon Collins, Hardware '86, Frontiers, AOR Blvd, Time Gallery, Work Of Art, Hard Place
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, News, Prog, Rock
Comment

RGM presents The Hard Place #2

May 11, 2020 by Rich Barnard in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Rock

Welcome back to The Hard Place, where the hair is big, the guitars are pointy and the teeth have almost certainly undergone a recent whitening procedure. In this, our second all-killer-no-filler roundup, we aim to pleasure you guiltily with the news of the latest melodic hard rock from all four corners of the globe; and we know that - for you - only the best will do. So, sit back, relax and remember, in The Hard Place, no-one can see you playing air guitar.

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May 11, 2020 /Rich Barnard
Jorn Lande, Frontiers Music, Bloody Heels, Romeo's Daughter, Tokyo Motor Fist, Danger Danger, Trixter, Vagabond, Hard Place
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Rock
Comment

Free Frontiers Music sampler to download or stream

April 10, 2020 by David Vousden in AOR, Classic Rock, Free Download, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, News, Rock

Italian label Frontiers Music has been forced to delay their release schedule as the COVID-19 continues to impact the world. Not wanting to let a day pass unnoticed when they had five new releases planned they’ve put together a 20 track sampler that features recent and upcoming releases from the label. The tracks are available to download for FREE via the official Frontiers website or to stream via Spotify and Youtube. This seems like an ideal time to check out a slew of melodic hard rock as you never know what you might discover. Full details and a little more about Frontiers Music follows:

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April 10, 2020 /David Vousden
Frontiers Music, One Desire, Revolution Saints, Black Swan, Electric Mob, Dirty Shirley
AOR, Classic Rock, Free Download, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, News, Rock
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RGM presents The Hard Place #1

April 01, 2020 by Rich Barnard in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Rock

Welcome to The Hard Place, a tight-trousered treasure trove of new melodic hard rock from all over the world. Here at RGM we’re pretty picky when it comes to our big hair and braying guitars so, as ever, our focus is on quality over quantity.

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April 01, 2020 /Rich Barnard
Shiraz Lane, Harem Scarem, Electric Mob, FM, Frontiers Music, Hard Place
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, News, Rock
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Black Sabbath 50th Anniversary listening sessions - In The Dark

January 30, 2020 by David Vousden in Metal, Hard Rock, News

Heavy Metal pioneers Black Sabbath have announced the first event to mark their 50th Anniversary. Their debut album - which must surely rank as one of the most influential albums of all time - will be played back at an album listening session at Number 10, Hackney, London on February 11th, 2020. This isn’t just any listening session though as it’ll be In The Dark in conjunction with BMG and Pitchblack Playback in high-quality MQA audio (Master Quality Authenticated). More about the event, Black Sabbath and Pitchback Playback follows:

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January 30, 2020 /David Vousden
Black Sabbath, Pitchblack Playback
Metal, Hard Rock, News
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Cats In Space 'My Kind Of Christmas' lands December 6th + Tour Dates

December 04, 2019 by David Vousden in AOR, Christmas, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, New Single, News, Tour Dates

Here at RGM, we try our very best to get into the festive swing of things. Which can be easier said than done, but luckily Cats In Space are back with a Christmas single to warm the cockles and generally bring a warm fuzzy glow to all classic rock fans and lovers of a festive tune. ‘My Kind of Christmas’ could well join the greats and pop up in every shopping centre in December for years to come. No doubt the band will be performing ‘My Kind of Christmas’ when they get the party started on their upcoming festive dates. ‘My Kind of Christmas’ is released on December 6th and much more about the single, Cats In Space and the tour follows:

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December 04, 2019 /David Vousden
Cats In Space
AOR, Christmas, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, New Single, News, Tour Dates
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Thin Lizzy to perform 'Black Rose' album at Steelhouse Festival

February 07, 2019 by David Vousden in Classic Rock, Festivals, Hard Rock, News

To mark the 40th anniversary of the classic ‘Black Rose’ album Scott Gorham will be bringing Thin Lizzy to the Steelhouse festival for an exclusive show on July 28th 2019 where they will perform the album in its entirety. Thin Lizzy will be joined at the festival by Uriah Heep, Living Colour, The Temperance Movement and a host of other acts. The festival runs from the 26th - 28th July and much more about the festival and the acts performing follows:

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February 07, 2019 /David Vousden
Thin Lizzy, Black Rose, Steelhouse Festival, Uriah Heep
Classic Rock, Festivals, Hard Rock, News
1 Comment

The RGM 2019 Preview

January 01, 2019 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Alt-Country, Americana, Classic Rock, Country, Country Rock, Folk, Hard Rock, News, Pop, Southern Rock

Welcome to Red Guitar Music in 2019 and a Happy New Year to all our readers. 2018 was a banner year for RGM as we increased our readership by a little over 50% so we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to read, share or comment and to all the PR companies, labels and artists who’ve been in touch since we launched in 2014. RGM was established to shine a light on the music we liked and to, in some small way, help to promote both established artists and new acts looking to break through. A quick look at an RGM inbox overflowing with great music tells us this will continue, but who are the artists to look out for in the early months of 2019?

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January 01, 2019 /David Vousden
Amigo The Devil, The Steel Woods, Fiat Lux, Mandolin Orange, Deer Tick
Acoustic, Alt-Country, Americana, Classic Rock, Country, Country Rock, Folk, Hard Rock, News, Pop, Southern Rock
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Saxon reissues continue with three more albums on July 27th

June 14, 2018 by David Vousden in Classic Rock, Deluxe Reissue, Hard Rock, Metal, News, Video, Vinyl

August 10th (please note new release date due to manufacturing issues) will see the release of the third wave of Saxon reissues with three more albums getting the deluxe media book/swirl vinyl treatment. The late 80's found Saxon in transition as the band line-up evolved and the 'Innocence Is No Excuse', 'Rock The Nations'  and 'Destiny' albums are now ripe for re-evaluation. Once again these releases benefit from deluxe media book packaging for the CDs and impressively colourful vinyl (check out 'Rock The Nations'). The CDs will feature a host of bonus tracks including B-sides, demo and live tracks. A little more about Saxon, pre order links and track listings follow:

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June 14, 2018 /David Vousden
Saxon, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM
Classic Rock, Deluxe Reissue, Hard Rock, Metal, News, Video, Vinyl
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Black Sabbath announce 'Supersonic Years' 7" Ltd Ed Vinyl Box Set

April 12, 2018 by David Vousden in Box Set, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Metal, News, Vinyl

Black Sabbath return to the vinyl fray with a new limited edition 7" singles box set due June 8th. The new box looks like the ideal companion to last years gargantuan 'Ten Year War' offering as 'Supersonic Years' brings together the legendary metal acts 70's single releases. The set includes five rare single edits and the ten picture sleeves are a mix of hard to find worldwide reproductions and others exclusive to this set. The audio has been remastered by Andy Pearce and the set includes new liner notes. More about the box including a track listing follows:

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April 12, 2018 /David Vousden
Black Sabbath, Heavy Metal, Box Set, Vinyl
Box Set, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Metal, News, Vinyl
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Airrace preview 'Untold Stories' with a little 'Summer Rain'

April 10, 2018 by David Vousden in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, New Single, News, Tour Dates, Video

UK AOR/Melodic rock act Airrace are back with a new single 'Summer Rain' which is a pleasing antidote to the British weather as I type. The new single is a slight change of direction for the band as it exhibits a soulful charm that was unexpected but welcome. The band have a new album 'Untold Stories' in the can for an August release (10.08.18) with tour dates set for September.  Please read on to check out 'Summer Rain' and learn a little more about the upcoming album and tour:

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April 10, 2018 /David Vousden
Airrace, Melodic Rock, AOR
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, New Single, News, Tour Dates, Video
1 Comment

Praying Mantis are defying 'Gravity' on new album.

March 09, 2018 by David Vousden in AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, New Single, News

Here at RGM we're not opposed to listening to things of a heavier nature musically, but it must have plenty of melody. Praying Mantis have managed to tread the fine line between silk and steel for over forty years. In 2015 they released the excellent 'Legacy' and they're back in 2018 with new album 'Gravity' set for May 11th via Frontiers. The guys have released the title track from the album as a single and you can check it out and learn more about the band by reading on:

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March 09, 2018 /David Vousden
Praying Mantis, NWOBHM
AOR, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Rock, Metal, New Single, News
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