Marie Martens & The Messarounds - Travelled - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Travelled, by Marie Martens & The Messarounds and it's old school blues rock. Opening with Change My Ways, Marie opens with a great slide riff and this band really has the grit of the early Yardbirds (if you don't know them check out the beginnings of Jeff Beck, Clapton and Page). With Ronnie Cacioppo on percussion, Jimmy B Natural on bass and Tom Selear on drums. I like Martens' slide style and with solid bass and driving drums...what's not to love. Very cool! On Keep On Loving Me, Martens steps out on guitar and her riffs are loose and fluid, consistent with the time and is a breath of fresh in todays climate. Just listen to the throaty rumble that she's getting on Mama Won't Allow Me. It's her basic style and those old Teisco (?) pickups that gives it that Hound Dog Taylor feel. Excellent! Listen to this fat slide work on Movin' On! Using just the basic slap drumming technique, Selear really emphasizes Martens' raw sound... really strong! The band continues to rock on through Kokomo Blues. Talk about rattling the rafters. This release is a blast! Hound Dog's own Give Me Back My Wig is next up and that fat fat slide work and grinding tone is just terrific. Closing the release is the Stones' Ventilator Blues. The overdriven, almost "blown up" driver sound that Martens is getting out of her amp makes me jealous as hell. Gotta go home and work on that. Managing this fat sound and on this, one of the Stones great songs is a terrific closer for a really super release.

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The Alabama Lovesnakes - Everybody's Gotta Go - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Everybody's Gotta Go, from the Alabama Lovesnakes and it's terrific! I had the pleasure of reviewing their last release, Nasty Weather, and this is a more mature and exciting followup! Opening with a smoking boogie, Prisoner Of Love, Crocodile Claes Nilsson takes the lead on guitar and vocal. Heavily driven by Fredrik Nilsson on bass and Henrik Gillgren on drums this is a great opener! Slow blues track, Your Little Key, opens with an excellent guitar intro and Claes has just the right grit on vocals to make this track scream. Jonny Lindstrom & Thomas Thornqvist add super sax and trumpet backing to this track which almost combusts it's so hot! Rock and roller Something You Got has a super rhythm and Nilsson drives the train on guitar and vocal backed by Ida Bang and Lovisa Birgersson. Very cool! Shuffle track, Searching High and Low has a great drive with the Nilssons and Gillgren really hitting the groove. I Need You Tonight to Keep The Devil Away has a cool Bo Diddley feel and the band plays up it's latin root. With a Texas swagger title track, Everybody's Gotta Go ,comes in kicking and biting. Claes plays a spanking solo on guitar and Fredrik is solid over the organ work of Daniel Nolgard. Very nice! The Matters of the Heart is an absolute screamer with Claes at the helm on guitar. Kick back in your chair, shut your eyes and let the man drive! With super dynamics and Claes fanning the flames, this 6 plus minute track is excellent! Opening with heavy tom tom work by Gillgren, Daddy's Beard, holds tight with cool slide work by Claes on a more traditional blues number. Blues rocker, Got to Get Back to New Orleans has a real radio edge with horn backing and a solid hook. Boogie track, Everything's Gonna Be Alright, sounds like it's right out of John Lee Hooker's songbook with a great driving bass line by Fredrik. Claes's vocals are super and his guitar loose. This is a great driving track with snappy drumming from Gillgren. Another track with a bit of New Orleans/Bo Diddley is I Got to Take You Back Home. With horn support and structured guitar backing, this track has great texture supporting the lead drumming by Gillgren and vocals by Claes. Back In Town has a super blues bottom with Fredrik hammering the bass. This is a solid track with a super groove and Claes takes the guitar on a soaring ride giving this track a super stinger. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Kokobello Blues with a cool guitar riff by Claes setting the stage. Cutting the cord and letting it run this track really smokes. Excellent conclusion to a really strong release! Oh...and really cool cover too!



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Rootsy artist: Bert Deivert & Copperhead Run - Blood In My Eyes For You - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Blood In My Eyes For You, from Bert Deivert & Copperhead Run and it's quite good! Opening with Big Joe William's Baby Please Don't Go, Deivert do an uptempo version, leading on vocal and mandolin and backed by Fredrick Lindholm on drums and percussion, Janne Zander on guitars and Per-Arne Pettersson on bass. Son House's Death Letter has a smooth sink to it with cool slide riffs under the melody. With mandolin highlights accenting, this is one of the best redo's of this track I have heard. Sleepy John Estes' Mailman Blues is up next and taken in strong 12 bar format. Lead by a strongly reinforced rhythm pattern by Zander and Pettersson, Deivert's vocals and mando playing are super and a strong slide effort by Zander is tops. Original, Black Nanny, has a much more contemporary sound with bass intro by Pettersson. Zander's slide work and Deivert's mando work are nice compliments to Deivert's vocals. Very cool! Sleepy John's Special Agent has a lot of pep and Deivert's mando work is reminiscent of early work by Ry Cooder. As I sit and listen to the release, I have to admit I haven't heard something this cool in a lot of years. Excellent! Another Sleepy John track, Drop Down Mama, has an almost rock beat but still purely acoustic style blues. Deivert has an excellent voice and his mando accompaniment along with beautiful slide work from Zander and backing by Pettersson and Lindholm is tight. Another original track, Cuckoo Crowed, is well written and Zander's slide work really nicely compliments Deivert's vocals. Very cool! Sleepy John's Milkcow Blues has a perky Piedmont kind of flavor and Deivert's vocals are quite direct. The focused picking by Deivert, reinforced especially by Pettersson is really nice. Zanger lays out a slick slide solo leading back to a very cool conclusion. Wine Jones' Rob and Steal, again with a bit more contemporary blues feel, had solid vocal work and tandem slide work giving a very warm feel. Deivert and Zander share the solo spot on their respective instruments coaxed along by Pettersson on bass. Yank Rachell's My Baby's Gone, has a real bluesy vamp by Pettersson and recurring lead phrase by Deivert on mando providing a solid platform for Deivert vocals on this track. Zander's warm slide work and rich tones come through particularly loud and clear on this track. The Mississippi Sheiks, Blood In My Eyes for You, appears hear as the title track and with it's funky rhythm is a solid contender for my favorite track on the release with a great rhythm, super instrumentation and Deiverts vocal style. Wrapping the release is R.L. Burnside's Poor Black Mattie, maintaining it's cultural richness but with a slick uptempo blues rock rhythm. This is a highly unusual release and one that would stand tall with some of the best of Ry Cooder's work. I love it!

 

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Swedish rockers H.E.A.T announce four UK concerts

The long-awaited new studio album
"Tearing Down The Walls"
Released on April 14th, 2014 via earMUSIC

Featuring the new single "A Shot At Redemption" taken from
the same titled 4-track EP - released February 14th, 2014

"What can you say about H.E.A.T? If you don't like these energetic Swedes you must be dead inside, as this year they've shown the UK crowd how to be the most complete band on the planet." - Classic Rock Magazine

April 14th, 2014 sees the UK release of the long awaited new studio album "Tearing Down The Walls" by Swedish rock band H.E.A.T via earMUSIC.  
Once again the band decided the move into Bohus Studio with Grammy-award winning producer Tobias Lindell and created an explosive, fresh sound.
The first sneak peak of the album is the lead single "A Shot At Redemption". It confirms all that H.E.A.T showed before and more: a catchy hookline, a driven beat, the obligatory guitar solo and the raw, beyond comparison vocals of singer Erik Grönwall.

Photo Credit: © Gustaf Sandholm Andersson

"A Shot At Redemption" will be released digitally as part of a 4-track EP on February 14th, 2014 via earMUSIC.
Added on top to the "A Shot At Redemption" EP are the previously unreleased "Under Your Skin", a goosebumps worthy acoustic version of H.E.A.T's "In And Out Of Trouble" and a sensual cover of one of the greatest ballads, "She"s Like The Wind".
Four songs to enjoy the energetic and explosive side of H.E.A.T and their great talent for ballads, to ease the wait for the very anticipated new studio album.
"Tearing Down The Walls" – their brand new studio work – is the follow-up to the successful "Address The Nation" which was praised by media worldwide as one of the best album's in 2012 and consolidated the band's reputation as the new leading band in hard edged melodic rock.
H.E.A.T had a huge hit in Scandinavia with the song "1000 Miles" in 2009 and the band's 2nd Album, "Freedom Rock" was nominated as one of the Top 50 albums in 2010 by Classic Rock Magazine UK. Since then, they have been touring all over the world, convincing everyone with their powerful performance.

Photo Credit: © Gustaf Sandholm Andersson

In a moment when artists like Foreigner, Journey and Whitesnake are enjoying a second youth, when teenagers are re-discovering the melodic approach to hard rock which these artists have mastered and when proudly wearing their logo on T-shirts all of a sudden turned "hip", when classic hard rock songs are again in the single charts and among the most downloaded … – H.E.A.T is the hope for carrying this genre to the future. They are young, ambitious and full of energy.
H.E.A.T's music is not a revival, and it's not nostalgic. Still … it's by far the best you can have today if you love "classic rock" or "AOR" … or more simply if you think that rock music means energy, great songs, and the ambition to be on top of the world.

Photo Credit: © Gustaf Sandholm Andersson

H.E.A.T – UK TOUR DATES 2014

To dovetail the April 14th release of their new album “Tearing Down The Walls”, Swedish rockers H.E.A.T have announced they will play four UK concerts in May:

London Garage Newcastle O2 Academy 2 Glasgow Cathouse Manchester Academy 3

Friday 16th May Saturday 17th May Sunday 18th May Monday 19th May

Tickets for all four concerts are can be ordered from the official H.E.A.T website.
The follow-up H.E.A.T’s 2012 critically acclaimed album Address The Nation, "Tearing Down The Walls" was recorded at Bohus Studios with Grammy-award winning producer Tobias Lindell. The first single to be taken from the new album is A Shot At Redemption.
A new double A-side single "Tearing Down The Walls" / "Mannequin Show" will be released on Monday April 14th; to coincide with the release of the new album.

H.E.A.T line-up

Erik Grönwall - Vocals
Eric Rivers - Guitar
Jimmy Jay - Bass
Jona Tee - Keyboards
Crash - Drums

"A Shot At Redemption" EP Tracklist

1. A Shot At Redemption
2. Under Your Skin
3. In And Out Of Trouble (Acoustic)
4. She's Like The Wind

H.E.A.T – Biography

Over the last seven years H.E.A.T has established themselves as the young leading band in the melodic rock scene, both in their homeland Sweden and internationally. They have toured and performed in front of thousands and thousands of fans around the world.
It all started in early 2007 when H.E.A.T was born out of the ashes of two other bands. They began to write songs and started to play every show they could get their hands on. It resulted in a fan base in Sweden and whispers of a new rising star began to radiate abroad.
A few months later a record deal was signed and the first major gigs, as support to the likes of Toto and Mustasch were made.
In April 2008, their self titled debut album was released and became a massive vitamin injection for the genre and instantly received accolades from both fans and critics worldwide. The release was followed up by immense touring and H.E.A.T played with bands such as Alice Cooper, Thin Lizzy and on big festivals like Sweden Rock Festival.
By January 2009, an exciting year in the H.E.A.T history began. First in line was a five week European tour supporting German greats Edguy followed by the Swedish qualifiers for the Eurovision song contest with the song ‘1000 Miles’ which became a huge hit in Sweden. The first album was re-released bundled with the ‘1000 Miles’ single and touring began all over Sweden.
In late 2009, H.E.A.T entered the studio to begin the recordings of the follow-up “Freedom Rock”. The album was released in May 2010. During the recordings, H.E.A.T began to grow a slight distance to singer Kenny Leckremo. After a tour in England in spring 2010, H.E.A.T and Kenny parted ways.
Determined to not let the band fade into history, the band began the search for a new singer. More than 200 applications came in.
During this time the band got in touch with “Swedish Idol” winner Erik Grönwall who was asked to do a stand-in gig in Sweden. He had to decline due to a busy solo career schedule, although the seed of him becoming singer of a successful rock band had been planted. A couple of weeks later, Jimmy met Erik at a release party and asked him straight forward if at all he was interested in joining. A meeting was set up and hours after the meeting Erik decided that his destiny was within H.E.A.T.
The band instantly began writing songs for what would become their third album, “Address the Nation”. A new record deal with GAIN/Sony Music was signed and together they chose which songs to record from a total of about 30 songs. Through their new label they got in touch with Grammy award winning producer Tobias Lindell and the legendary “Studio Bohus” in Gothenburg. They felt that this truly is the man to deliver the sound of H.E.A.T in the future.  
 “Address the Nation” was released in March 2012 worldwide with the epic song ‘Living on the Run’ as the vanguard. A lot of touring and hard work began for the guys and 2012 turned out to be a great year in the H.E.A.T history. They played in every corner of Sweden, including shows at mighty Sweden Rock Festival and Skogsröjet. They played big TV shows and got nominated for a Rockbjörn-award, a big and prestigious award in Sweden. H.E.A.T also recorded their first two music videos, one for ‘Living on the Run’, and one for ‘It’s All About Tonight’.
"What can you say about H.E.A.T? If you don't like these energetic Swedes you must be dead inside, as this year they've shown the UK crowd how to be the most complete band on the planet." - Classic Rock Magazine
The Address the Nation circus continued in 2013 and the guys loaded their guns and headed out to conquer Europe. With 10 headline shows in Germany, England and Spain, they proved to the European crowd that they were a top class live act.
In the summer of 2013 H.E.A.T played festivals in Germany with bands like Journey, Whitesnake and Europe and played at the legendary festival Firefest in England. This, together with H.E.A.T breaking new ground in the far east of China with a 10 date tour and the Rockalies-festival in France, marked the end of the Adress the Nation-era and the start of something new...
Despite these hectic two years, the guys still managed to keep the song writing going and in August of 2013, the guys once again entered Studio Bohus with producer Tobias Lindell to record their fourth album entitled: "Tearing Down the Walls".
With this album H.E.A.T has once again created a great hard rock album with the right blend of melodic and heavy songs. Singer Erik Grönwall about the title:
“Tearing down the walls is about breaking free from your mental walls that are holding you back. Go out there and try new things, don’t let yourself be your own worst enemy. Tear down the walls.”
“Tearing down the Walls” is released April 11th, with the EP “A Shot at Redemption” marking the start in mid-February.
They kick off the tour playing in Madrid with Scorpions in March and 2014 looks like the best year for H.E.A.T so far.

H.E.A.T - Official Website | earMUSIC - Official Website

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Calle´s Boogie - Sven Zetterberg & Rockarounds

Talking about blues players outside America it´s hard to leave out Sven Zetterberg, Sweden´s most versatile artist in this field. Being both an excellent singer, guitarist,songwriter and harmonica player extraordinary,he has become a house-hold name all over Scandinavia. Born in Skärblacka on the 28th of March in 1952, Sven took music seriously enough to perform in school at the age of seven.”I didn´t know any real english words and couldn´t actually play any instrument but my grand-mother had bought me an acoustic guitar that I fooled around with trying to mimic Elvis Presley. “The first black performer I heard was Little Richard and he almost drove me crazy with his wild,frantic singing. “In 1964 he first heard Mick Jagger play harmonica and later that year heard Sonny Boy Williamson(Rice Miller) and that got him started. “The Blues activated something in me and it still moves me”. “Harmonica was my main instrument to begin with. I didn´t start playing guitar seriously until I was 24.” The first bluesband, Telge Blues,was formed in 1972 and lasted long enough to make the Phillips record company interested enough to release an album in 1975. Today,many albums later, Sven hasn´t lost interest in performing or recording and two of his albums, “Blues from within” and “Let me get over it” were both nominated for a Grammy in Sweden. Today, unfortunately, the rules been changed so that no blues cd whatsoever can compete with other types of music in Sweden. Sven has never regretted that he left his job as a delivery van driver for the swedish postal service back in 1985 to become a full time musician and is constantly performing and recording. His singing and playing through the years have resulted in an unmistakably original style that is his own.”I do a lot of blues “live” but also include deep soul material,originals as well as classic soul gems.”Today Sven works mostly with the Rockarounds: Micke Finell : Tenorsax & Vocals Calle Brickman : Keyboards Tommy Cassemar : Bass Ingemar Dunker : Drums  

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T-Bear & The Dukes Of Rhythm

”They don’t make them like that anymore” When you’ve been around on this earth for a while, that thought does come to you once in a while. It could hit you when you see a nice old car, a music instrument, a real ”old school” personality being interviewed on the TV…. and if you’re into the blues, this thought definitely comes more often as the years keep passing by. Our heroes pass away, and many of the young musicians who try to pick up this heritage will sound like scholars for a long time before they might come out as a full-fledged blues musician. But here’s a guy that startles you as soon as you hear the sound of his guitar, his voice and the way he deals with the tradition. Raw and direct, well not ”too raw” but just sounding like himself. A straight-forward approach, with that special ”bite” that we associate with some of the great bluesmen. Where does he find it? Maybe in the deep forests of Värmland, a sparsely populated region in Sweden, near the Norwegian border. But mostly in his deep long-term love story with the blues, with heroes like Albert Collins, Albert and Freddie King, Luther Allison and other great representatives of modern electric blues with a twist of funk. And one thing he has in common with these musicians is that he will never play a set with only shuffles, but keeps varying his tempos and beats. Not only is he a natural talent on the guitar, but his expressive and direct voice and his creative songwriting contribute to his sound, raw and mature at the same time. The band T-Bear and the Dukes of Rhythm was started by Torbjörn Solberg in his hometown Arvika, Sweden, in 2004, and they have released two CD’s with their previous lineup, including a horn section: ”Let The Sweet Talk Flow” and Broadway Twist. The new version of the band is a quartet, featuring Hammond wizard Paul ”Palle” Wagnberg, a professional musician since 1985. They are soon heading for the studio, with a planned CD release Spring 2013.

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Nasty Weather - The Alabama Lovesnakes - New Release Review

I have just received a copy of the new release, Nasty Weather, by the Alabama Lovesnakes and it's a blast. Opening with Early In The Morning (Live), ALS get a real nice groove going. Lead by "Crocodile" Claes Nilsson on vocal and guitar these guys really know how to rock. With a Latin twist Claes plays some flashy guitar work. Up next is Someone Like You (Live) these guys are quite convincing as a Texas blues rock band. Fredrik Nilsson carrys the bottom really nicely on bass and guest key player Pierre Sward really lays into the organ. A "Help Me" based track driven along by Henrik Gillgren on drums is a terrific venue for Crocodile to show his blues chops on the fretboard. Clocking in at over 7 minutes, this is a terrific jam! Title track Nasty Weather (Live) has a real distinctive lope to it and scorching slide work by Crocodile to bring you to your knees. Bringing down the tempo a bit Something For The Pain (Live) is a really hot track. Another track clocking in over 7 minutes and not a wasted phrase. I am really wondering how long these guys can not be internationally known. I mean this is really hot!! The final "live" track, Wild About You, has a rock beat and a quick tempo. If you haven't become an Alabama Lovesnakes fan by now you are likely dead (or deaf). This is great! Now this isn't down and dirty delta stripped down blues, but it is great blues rock and I really do mean great! On Hey Hey Baby, Crocodile is heavy on the guitar pyrotechnics and keeps you glued to your seat. A cool contemporary blues rock track these guys take it on full face and let it all hang out. This Lonely Blues, a track with a bit of Chicago and a bit of Rockabilly, this is a cool rocker. Nasty Weather has a really sweet lope to it setting up a really nice 12 bar blues. Great SRV based riffs taken in a new direction are bound to get the attention of the public. Crocodile is relentless at the fretboard and has real taste and style as well as a super singing voice. The final track is a really original take on St. James Infirmary Blues. This track is done really lightly with brushes on drums and a really tasty guitar part played over between vocal lines. I really like this track and I really like this release. I get a lot of releases and I often say some of the best music comes without a major label. This is strong testimony that really great music is out there just waiting to be discovered... get your now!!

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Too late - Totta's Bluesband

Erik Torsten "Totta" Näslund (1 April 1945 – 19 June 2005) was a Swedish blues musician and actor. Näslund was born in Sandviken and grew up in the small northern town Köpmanholmen, but moved to Gothenburg in 1970 to find work. He was working in the Gothenburg docks when he joined Nynningen, a rock group with leftist political texts and inspired by the Russian Communist poet Mayakovsky. Totta Näslund became the group's main singer. In the mid-1970s, Nynningen fused with Nationalteatern, a musical theater ensemble with many members. Totta Näslund joined the group as singer, guitar-player and actor. Nationalteatern developed away from the theater and became a straight rock group, a rock orchestra as they called themselves. Even though Totta never wrote any own songs for the band, he was probably the most prominent member, next to Ulf Dageby. Nationalteatern was one of the many leftist music and theater groups that came together in 1977 to form Tältprojektet, The Tent Project, a musical theater performance on the history of the Swedish working class, which toured the country that summer. Totta Näslund played the Beggar, the central story telling character of the play, and he sang some of the lead songs, like Aldrig mera krig (Never War Again) and Vi äro tusenden (We are legion). Tältprojekted, a non-profit making experiment financed by its members and supporters, was highly successful. In the beginning of the 1980s, Nationalteatern dissolved and Totta Näslund directed his full energy to his hobby project, Totta's Bluesband with lyrics in English and several smaller tours in the U.S.. In 1995, when Totta turned 50 years old, he decided to go for a solo career and has released 8 solo albums with mostly songs written directly for him by other artists, or covers of other songs. One of Totta Näslund's main sources for inspirations was Bob Dylan, and in May 2005 he went to Dylan's hometown Hibbing, Minnesota despite his lethal cancer, where he performed his own interpretation of Bob Dylan songs. Totta had also started making an album together with Mikael Wiehe, with Dylan songs translated to Swedish, but this was interrupted when he suddenly died. Totta Näslund died on 19 June 2005 of liver cancer. He was scheduled to perform in his hometown Köpmanholmen the next day. He was 60 years old.  

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EMIL & THE ECSTATICS

Stockholm based Emil & The Ecstatics is nowadays a well-known name on the european roots scene. After countless festivals, clubs, and three full-length albums, the band has proved to be a force to reckon with. Apart from the many great album reviews, The Ecstatics put a great effort in what they do best - live shows. This have been confirmed by many ecstatic audiences all over Europe. This, their third album “Bit By Bit”, consists of a number of original tunes in the midlands of blues & soul music without being to conservative for that matter. Take a trip to Hawaii in “The Hula” or perhaps a short visit to a 60..s horror screening in “The Spook”. Or what about a trip down “Highway 4”, Swedens own Chitlin Circuit? Get ready for a cruel mix of roots music!

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Goin' Downtown - Trickbag

For over 17 years now TRICKBAG has amazed audiences all over Scandinavia, Europe & the US with their Energetic, Explosive Live-shows and 4 full length CDs all containing original songs... Nowadays Trickbag is regarded a topact on the European Blues scene and is well known for being one of the best back-up bands in the business. The band has backed numerous Bluesartists when touring in Europe, such as: JAMES HARMAN (US), KID RAMOS (US), LYNWOOD SLIM, (US) JOHN NÉMETH (US), BARRELHOUSE CHUCK (US), GENE TAYLOR (US), RJ MISCHO (US), WEST WESTON (UK), "LITTLE GEORGE" SUEREF (UK), EGIDIO "JUKE" INGALA (ITA), KURT CRANDALL (US), etc. Trickbag has also shared stages with stars like: Kim Wilson, James Harman, Kid Ramos, Junior Watson, John Németh, RJ Mischo, Jackie Paynem, Barrelhouse Chuck, West Weston, Gene Taylor, Sven Zetterberg, Rick Holmstrom, Kirk Fletcher, Earl Thomas, Little George Sueref etc etc... Their brand new (July 1st - 2011) release "GOIN`DOWNTOWN" features guest appearences by Barrelhouse Chuck, West Weston, Sven Zetterberg & James Harman... & the band´s previous record "TAILOR-MADE" was voted "SWEDENS BEST BLUESALBUM 2007" and featured Gene Taylor (T-Birds,Canned Heat,The Blasters etc) on Piano & Organ! In 2007 frontman TOMMY MOBERG & Bassplayer LARS NÄSMAN toured Chicago, playing with American musicians and also taking the oppurtunity to record together with legendary Saxman ABBE LOCKE who has been a member of HOWLIN WOLF´s band and who also toured with ALBERT COLLINS for 10 years! During 2009 the band did 2 tours with rising star JOHN NÉMETH, a second tour & recording session with Chicago Bluespiano legend BARRELHOUSE CHUCK and a tour with the three Harp-Kings of Sweden under the name: "Trickbag´s Blues Harmonica Blowout". 2010 Has seen the band collaborate with KID RAMOS featuring a big band with hornsection under the name: "Kid Ramos Blues Revue". Trickbag also began working with UKs Premiere Blues Harmonica Player WEST WESTON! So far 2011 has been a great year for Trickbag with a spring-tour featuring "Icepick James" Harman and a summer release tour backing up the new album and sharing the stage with some of their favourite Bluesmen:"ICEPICK JAMES" HARMAN, BARRELHOUSE CHUCK, WEST WESTON & SVEN ZETTERBERG!

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No Good Woman Blues - Joe and the Hornets

Niklas Carlson – Vocals/Guitar Rasmus Grip – Guitar, Percussion Björn Jacobson – Harmonica, Percussion Pontus Olsson – Piano, Percussion Johan Olsen – Contrabass Sakarias Larsson – Drums Formed in the fall of 2011, first public appearance in january 2012. Homemade rhythm'n'blues from Stockholm, Sweden.




If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Move My Wings - LITTLE JENNY & THE BLUE BEANS

Little Jenny & the Blue Beans are a sultry Blues Rock act from Scandinavia. They are four experienced, skilful positive funny and dynamic ladies that just LOVE to improvise and surprise you on their musical jorney. The today lineup resides from 2001 and since then their career has seen them feature at many of the major European Festivals. Little Jenny herself has been the recipient of two of the top Swedish blues awards: the Jan Rosenqvist award in 1998 and the Åmal blues festival award in 2001. She is now considered to be one of Sweden’s greatest blues harmonica players. Little Jenny has a fine blues pedigree having toured and recorded with the likes of Eric Bibb between 1990 and up till today, and has toured Germany dozens of times with MONAC BLUES BAND. Other career highlights include her performing at the Mustique Blues Festival with the English blues diva Dana Gillespie. Alongside Little Jenny, all the band members have years of experience backing a large number of Sweden’s most famous artists and enjoy endorsement from some of Scandinavia’s top industry players. The blue beans has also a strong eager to spread the world of blues to the younger generation. Regularly they are making school concerts and workshops for adolescents. Combining concerts with workshops is also an option for those interested... Here are some examples of highlights in the last 3 years of the Blue Beans history..... 2008: .. Dark Season Blues Festival Svalbard (ICE BEAR LAND!).. Gloucester Blues Festival UK.. Maryport Blues Festival UK.. Eutin Blues festival Germany.. Åmål Blues Festival Sweden.... 2007: .. Radio Recording Paul Jones BBC radio 2 (broadcasted in all UK).. National Television TV4 Sweden live recording.. Cahors Blues Festival France.. Djurs Blues Land Denmark.... 2006:.. Voxtock Blues Festival Belgrad Serbia.... 2005: .. Belgium Rhythm’n Blues Festival Peer..... So what can you expect from a Little Jenny and the Blue Beans gig? They play a suggestive bluesrock mix. Harmonica and guitar duels are common interspersed with refreshing drum solos when least expected. 90% of the songs are originals and their philosophy is that they are best experienced LIVE - the connection between the audience and the band being the most essential element in their playing. .... Little Jenny & the Blue Beans are:.. Little Jenny – bluesharp, lead vocal, guitar.. Mia Kempff – bass, lead vocal... Lotta Partapuoli – guitar.. Justina Lakin – drums, backup vocal...

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band! Video

Felicia Jangard Nielsen

Felicia Jangaard Nielsen is a Swedish young woman - she is this years recipient of "Jenny Bohman Blues For Life" scholarship - and will attend Blues Summer Camp in Sweden this summer.









  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Kjell Gustavsson and The Rhythm and Blues Orchestra

Kjell Gustavsson gathered some of the best Rhythm & Blues musicians in Sweden 2008 for the release of his first solo album Many Million Miles. Since then the band been playing clubs and festivals all around Sweden and Europe. The members in the band has been playing with all kind of artists in Sweden, Europe and Us. Like: Peter Carlsson Blå Grodorna,The Boppers, Eric Bibb, Ulf Lundell, Jump 4Joy, Dana Fuchs, Jerry Williams, Owe Thörnqvist, Peps Persson, Billy Bremner, Junior Watson, Jukka Tolonen and many many more.... They all have there heart in the Rhythm & Blues and New Orleans rhythms. So get ready with your dancing shoes and get prepared for a hot night on the dance floor...

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Two Sides on the Same Coin - No Possession Blues

No Possession Blues is a live blues/rock, rockabilly quartet based in Vaggeryd, Sweden. Founded in ‘09 the band focuses on live performances as well as writing their own brand of blues rock and aims to entertain anyone tired of the commercial scene. The band members are: Micko Ylinikka - lead guitar player from Vaggeryd. With a long history of music creation Micko has a writing and riff structure...See More Description Band members: Danne "Dagny" Pettersson (rythm guitar,harmonica and vocals) Micko "Ylmen" Yllinikka (leadguitar and vocals) Mattias "Steve" Vestlund (bass guitar) Mikko "K2" Karppinen (drums)  

If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Nighthawk Stomp - Mizz Percy

Mizz Percy started up back in 1983 by the Guitar-player and singer Mats Samuelsson. They come from Gothenburg, Sweden. Mizz Percy took their name from the lyrics of a ZZ-Top song, and decided to spell their name with two Z:s. To accentuate the ZZ Top connection & the kind of music they were playing at that time. Over twenty years later their influences incorporate a much wider range from the Blues scene. Theres really only one thing left that they have in common with ZZ Top, and thats the two Z:s in their name. Mizz Percy have developed their own music and style, which is a Guitar Orientated Power Blues. Over the years, Mizz Percy have played more than 1000 gigs all over Scandinavia & have also played and jammed with such great artists as; Albert Collins, Alan Haynes, Claes Yngström. They have also supported Johnny Winter and played at the same occasion as Jimmy "Walking By Myself" Rogers, Walter Trout, Dr. Feelgood among others. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Alabama Lovesnakes

The Alabama Lovesnakes gives you genuine bluesrocking & beer-drinkin´ music that´ll rock you like a wagon wheel! Claes Nilsson Fredrik Nilsson Henrik Gillgren The Alabama Lovesnakes was formed in 2006 in Karlstad, Sweden, during the recordings of Claes Nilsson's country project "The Wheels". Late nights in the studio provoked an irresistible feeling of the band that just had to come off - the blues. Six years later, the band still consists of the same members, and has logged countless gigs around the country and has been a regular feature of the largest blues festival Åmåls Bluesfest and get attention wherever they are. Crocodile Claes & The Alabama Love Snakes is the guarantor for a heavy rocking blues rock with roots in the southern Värmland real blues swamp. (Tony Berg, PD) The Alabama Lovesnakes have during 2013 several large Swedish festivals booked, eg Mönsterås Blues & Roots, Dusty Roads Tidaholm, Karlskoga Bluesfestival and Kristinehamns Blues Festival. The band is working feverishly during the spring of 2013 with material for two CD releases on their own label Lovebite. A group with an irresistible name: Crocodile Claes and the Alabama Lovesnakes. They performed covers, as well as an original called "Nasty Weather", with flair. (New York Times Reporting from Åmåls Bluesfest 2012) The band members are vocalist and guitarist Claes "Crocodile" Nilsson (1977), bassist Fredrik Nilsson (1974) and drummer Henrik Gillgren (1977). The songs are written by Claes and the band collectively choose the few covers in their repertoire. The band's sound consists of elements from both Chicago and Texas, which together with a Nordic roughness puts a special touch to the band's attitude. Over the years the band has repeatedly appeared on a major blues festival in Sweden and has also played live on the radio several times. In autumn 2012 the band opened for Johnny Winter in their hometown of Karlstad and Johnny Winter's drummer declared "Man, you're gonna hit the really big stages ...." after Alabama Lovesnakes gig. In 2012, the band began a cooperation with the Swedish blues singer and harmonica player Mats Ronander, with several gigs and festivals booked in 2013 with him. In 2012 the band also toured in the Swedish region Dalarna with Mats and the Hammond B3 legend Pierre Swärd, a tour which resulted in further cooperation. The band's music is available to listen to through the major digital distributors iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody and others and The Alabama Lovesnakes are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and ReverbNation. Keep up with Alabama Lovesnakes on Facebook on gigs and news for the CD release in 2013! If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

A'int Givin' Up On Love - T-bear & The Dukes of Rhythm

Although the world is constantly changing, some things remain. Like Hamlet, hot dogs, the Himalayas. And blues music. The blues was born in the delta and got electrified further up north. Then it was spread around the world. In Arvika, Sweden, the blues is fresh and vigorous, thanks to T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm. Here, in the deep woods of western Sweden, close to the norwegian border, the storytelling tradition is very much alive. The blue notes come naturally. Some might say the blues is just pure nostalgia. In Arvika, we don't. The blues is about the past, the present and the future. Just as important and challenging as it once was in the backstreets of Chicago. T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm have been the blues ambassadors of Arvika since 2004, composing and interpreting r&b and blues like there was no tomorrow. They are on a mission. Broadcasted all the way from Tokyo to Timbuktu, with two studio albums so far, T-Bear and his hellhounds have won global respect within the blues community. T-Bear regroups his troops, according to your wishes: festivals or clubs, horn section or harmonica? Ok, it's often cold in Sweden, but T-Bear's blues glows. It glows with passion and honesty, in the firm conviction that the blues is here to stay. Just like Hamlet, hot dogs and the Himalayas. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

EUROPE follow One Show appearance with "Bag of Bones" UK tour

Watch the brand new promo video for Europe’s new single "Firebox"

Academy Events and the DHP in association with The Agency Group are pleased to announce Europe’s “Bag of Bones UK Tour 2012”. 
Hot off  the heels of last year’s Balls N’ Banners UK Tour and sold out concert at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Sweden’s biggest hard rock band undertakes a nationwide November 2012 UK Tour.  Very special guest on all UK dates is the US rock band StoneRider.
Tickets can bee booked online from www.eventim.co.uk and www.ticketweb.co.uk. All tickets are priced £18.50, except London Shepherd’s Bush Empire (£20.00).

The highly anticipated UK tour follows hot on the heels of Europe’s ninth studio album, Bag Of Bones, and the Planet Rock radio playlisted singles Not Supposed To Sing The Blues and Firebox.

Classic Rock Magazine recently rated Europe’s previous album, Last Look At Eden, as one of the best hard rock albums of 2009, citing them as "One of the few bands around still making consistently thrilling rock records.”
Metal Hammer praised Europe for their outstanding concerts; “Europe’s live show pulls together all ages, and tastes for a feel-good finale that smells like total victory.”

Joey Tempest - Vocals
John Norum - Guitars
John Leven – Bass Guitar
Mic Michaeli - Keyboards
Ian Haugland – Drums

Best known for their 1986 global classic rock anthem, The Final Countdown, the Swedish rockers received unanimous praise a heavier bluesy, hip-shaking metal sound.  The new album, Bag of Bones, is produced by Kevin Shirley (Black Stone Cherry, Aerosmith, Black Country Communion, Joe Bonamassa, Led Zeppelin).  Celebrated blues rock guitarist, Joe Bonamassa, makes a guest appearance on the title track, Bag of Bones.
Europe vocalist Joey Tempest believes that 2009’s Last Look At Eden album was a significant turning point for the band. That album proved to be Europe’s most important record since The Final Countdown.  Now, with the highly anticipated release of Bag of Bones, Tempest says Europe is “ready to do some serious damage.”

Very special guests on Europe’s ‘Bag of Bones’
UK November 2012 Tour

StoneRider are a young, classic rock-influenced rock and roll band from Atlanta, Georgia. Since the 2008 release of their critically-acclaimed debut Three Legs of Trouble, they have toured the US twice and opened for the likes of Uriah Heep, Robin Trower, Graveyard and Radio Moscow.
For the 2012 follow-up album, Fountains Left To Wake, the band flexed their studio muscles and crafted a double LP reminiscent of Exile on Main Street with doses of Physical Graffiti - not as a sound-alike, but as a celebration of all StoneRider love about rock and roll. The new album blends a wiser, more robust rock sound with psychedelic rock’n’roll jook-joint boogie.

Vocalist and guitarist Matt Tanner evokes a bit of Humble Pie's Steve Marriott this time around, while maintaining the previous record's guitar nods to Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. Jason Krutzky's drumming is tight and deep in the groove, ebbing and flowing with the bass lines of producer-turned-bandmate Adam McIntyre, whose style blends Ronnie Lane and Duck Dunn with John Paul Jones.

10 Selected Tracks Taken from StoneRider's New Album "Fountains Left To Wake"

Regional Tickets: £18.50 Advance
London Tickets: £20.00 Advance

Credit Card Hotline for all UK shows – 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.eventim.co.uk, www.ticketweb.co.uk
(excluding Manchester) - 0844 478 0898
(excluding Nottingham) - 0845 413 4444
(excluding Cardiff) - 02920 230 130

Birmingham O2 Academy
Wednesday 21 November
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk
16-18 Horsefair, Bristol Street, Birmingham, B1 1DB

Glasgow O2 ABC
Thursday 22 November
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.o2abc.co.uk
300 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JA

Manchester HMV Ritz
Friday 23 November
Tickets £18.50
Box Office 0844 478 0898
www.hmvritz.com
Doors: 6:30pm
Whitworth Street West, Manchester, M1 5NQ

Newcastle O2 Academy
Sunday 25th November
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.o2academynewcastle.co.uk
Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 1SW

Leeds O2 Academy
Monday 26th November
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.o2academyleeds.co.uk
55 Cookridge Street, Leeds, LS2 3AW

Nottingham Rock City
Tuesday 27 November
Box Office: 0845 413 4444
www.alt-tickets.co.uk
www.rock-city.co.uk
8 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GG

Bristol O2 Academy
Thursday 29 November
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.o2academybristol.co.uk
Frogmore Street, Bristol, BS1 5NA

Cardiff Coal Exchange
Friday 30 November
Box Office: 02920 230 130
www.seetickets.com
www.coalexchange.co.uk
Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF10 5EB

London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Saturday 1 December
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk
Shepherds Bush Green, London, W12 8TT

EUROPE - OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY

Formed north of Stockholm in the early 80s, Europe was originally called ‘Force’.  Their initial influences included Thin Lizzy, UFO and the Michael Schenker Group.

To date, Europe has recorded nine studio albums and sold over 15 million records. Their biggest and most well known hit singles include The Final Countdown, Rock The Night, Carrie and Superstitious.

After a hiatus in the 1990's, Europe returned in 2004 with the album Start From The Dark.  Since the new millennium, Europe has released 4 studio albums, 2 live DVD's and toured extensively around the world.
Europe are about to release their 9th album Bag of Bones on Monday 30th April 2012. The new album includes the single Not Supposed To Sing The Blues. The album is produced by Kevin Shirley and features blues rock guitarist, Joe Bonamassa playing guitar on the title track, Bag of Bones.

EUROPE OFFICIAL WEB LINKS

OFFICIAL EUROPE WEBSITE
www.europetheband.com
 
OFFICIAL EUROPE FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/pages/Europe/7795004209

OFFICIAL EUROPE TWITTER
http://twitter.com/europetheband
 
OFFICIAL EUROPE TOUR BLOG
http://europethebandblog.blogspot.com
 
OFFICIAL EUROPE MEDIA BLOG
http://europethebandmedia.blogspot.com

STONERIDER OFFICIAL WEB LINKS

OFFICIAL STONERIDER WEBSITE
www.stoneriderband.com
 
OFFICIAL STONERIDER FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/stoneriderband

OFFICIAL STONERIDER TWITTER
https://twitter.com/stoneriderband

 

Juke Joint - Sven Zetterberg Blues Band

Talking about blues players outside America it´s hard to leave out Sven Zetterberg, Sweden´s most versatile artist in this field. Being both an excellent singer, guitarist,songwriter and harmonica player extraordinary,he has become a house-hold name all over Scandinavia. Born in Skärblacka on the 28th of March in 1952, Sven took music seriously enough to perform in school at the age of seven.”I didn´t know any real english words and couldn´t actually play any instrument but my grand-mother had bought me an acoustic guitar that I fooled around with trying to mimic Elvis Presley. “The first black performer I heard was Little Richard and he almost drove me crazy with his wild,frantic singing. “In 1964 he first heard Mick Jagger play harmonica and later that year heard Sonny Boy Williamson(Rice Miller) and that got him started. “The Blues activated something in me and it still moves me”. “Harmonica was my main instrument to begin with. I didn´t start playing guitar seriously until I was 24.” The first bluesband, Telge Blues,was formed in 1972 and lasted long enough to make the Phillips record company interested enough to release an album in 1975. Today,many albums later, Sven hasn´t lost interest in performing or recording and two of his albums, “Blues from within” and “Let me get over it” were both nominated for a Grammy in Sweden. Today, unfortunately, the rules been changed so that no blues cd whatsoever can compete with other types of music in Sweden. Sven has never regretted that he left his job as a delivery van driver for the swedish postal service back in 1985 to become a full time musician and is constantly performing and recording. His singing and playing through the years have resulted in an unmistakably original style that is his own.”I do a lot of blues “live” but also include deep soul material,originals as well as classic soul gems.”Today Sven works mostly with the Rockarounds: Micke Finell : Tenorsax & Vocals Calle Brickman : Keyboards Tommy Cassemar : Bass Ingemar Dunker : Drums Sven also works occasionally withThe Beat from Palookaville and also with: Sven Zetterberg Trio : Sven Zetterberg : Vocals,guitar & harmonica Little Hank:Guitar Stefan Sundlöf: Drums + also with the following extremely popular band: Sven Zetterberg : Vocals,guitar, harmonica Anders Lewen : Guitar Torbjörn Eliasson: Keyboards,saxophone Mikael Fahleryd : Bass Jim Ingvarsson: Drums If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”