Month: January 2024

BLOOD TIES for the GODFATHERS OF THRASH – RAVEN

/ Alikivi

After 50 years in the business what gets you up in the morning?

It’s in our blood. We love being on the road and the whole process. But it’s really all about those few hours on stage. We may have been doing this for 50 years but believe me, it never gets old and we never take it for granted. We are incredibly lucky and humbled by the fact that we get the opportunity to go out and play our music all over the world! …explained Chief headbanger John Gallagher (bass & vocals)

Released in June 2023 All Hell’s Breaking Loose is Raven’s latest and 15th album.

The new album has been received incredibly well, possibly the best reviews ever and the fan reaction has been equally manic!

This year the trio are preparing for a road assault on the USA and Europe. Sharing the UK bill are Girlschool, that will bring back memories from 1982 when Raven opened?

Yeah looking forward to the UK dates in February. It’s a triple headliner with Girlschool and Alcatrazz so that’s gonna be fun as we are all mates and of course we’ve toured with Girlschool a few times!

What songs are on the set list – any surprises?

We are slotting in more new songs as we go and hope to add at least one or two oldies that we’ve either rarely or never done live too.

Are there any venues/cities that you haven’t played before?

We’ll hit the usual stomping grounds of Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, London, Birmingham and Southampton – which I think we only did once before in 1982 which was with Girlschool!

Following that is the US tour in March through to May which will be a stormer and Japan at the end of May followed by a brace of Euro festivals!

Check the official website for albums, merch & tour dates >

https://ravenlunatics.com/

Alikivi    January 2024

THE CASINO ROYALE COLLECTION with former Greedsville songwriter & guitarist Clive Jackson.

/ Alikivi / 2 Comments

Back In September 2023 Ged Cook from Newcastle was looking to track down Greedsville to discuss re-releasing their 1994 album. His idea was to make it available on digital platforms as originally it was only out on CD.

Steve Wallace, (guitarist, For Gods Sake/Penetration) heard about this and knew the Greedsville lead singer Peter Turner so put him in touch with Ged explained Clive.

(Clive talked to this site last June about Greedsville).

A SLICE OF LIFE in conversation with ex Greedsville songwriter & guitarist Clive Jackson. | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE (garyalikivi.com)

Clive added…Ged is involved with Demolition Records which has links to Sony Music. He is the brother of the late Eric Cook, who along with Tony Bray signed both For God’s Sake and Greedsville to the Bleeding Hearts label in the 1990’s.

What started it all off was when Ged discovered a box full of Eric’s DAT Master tapes of band’s that were on the Bleeding Hearts label. Initial contact was made between Ged and Peter then the rest of Greedsville to see if we were all o.k. about its release. Everyone was fine about it and the album was released on all major platforms in December 2023.

Why do you think Ged was interested in re-releasing the album?

Knowing that it had never reached an audience in the digital era he was aware you could only buy a second hand CD  online and thought it was too good an album to not get out there.

Luckily, the original DAT Master Tape had not deteriorated and a straight transfer to online, digital formats took place.

Although not ‘remastered’ the original album was mastered to such a high quality at Trinity Heights studios by producer Fred Purser and Andy Carpenter (bassist, Greedsville) there were no sound quality issues.

What did you think when you first heard Ged’s plans?

Along with the rest of the band I was very surprised at hearing about Ged’s interest, its 30 years since anything has happened. 

I think discovering and listening to Eric’s recording archive motivated him and he felt that it deserved a worldwide, streaming/download accessibility.

What are your hopes for the re-release –  getting the band back together?

Although the band as a whole are pleased that it’s available on all major platforms now, it doesn’t have a promotion or marketing strategy attached to it. This means it’s a distribution situation only, the numbers regarding streams and downloads are a key issue. 

To be brutally honest at present, there is no real desire or incentive for the band to reform in any capacity – but who knows what the future might hold!

The Casino Royale Collection > https://open.spotify.com/album/0EvzQ7Xw0mB0JT3XJYuqWB?si=mdxXvIVdQPOjO5enYReyag&nd=1&dlsi=43907d992ea04fd8

Alikivi    January 2024

HIDE – new album release from Amateur Ornithologist

/ Alikivi

North East prog popsters Amateur Ornithologist release new album Hide on 19th January 2024, with the single Time To Talk out on Friday 12th Jan.

Amateur Ornithologist are a weird pop group. Starting as Daniel Clifford’s solo project, AO has grown to perform as anything from a five-piece to an octet. Due to their adventurous approach to densely-layered, harmony-filled pop the band have earned comparisons to Talking Heads, The Beach Boys and local heroes Field Music

Fusing pop, orchestral, jazz and rock influences to create a grand melodic sound, the band have found a home for their unique musical expressions.

The band have featured on the cover of NARC Magazine, sold-out live shows, BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio, Radio Wigwam and a host of radio stations.

Hide reveals ten adventurous songs they’ve crafted creating an album that’s “widescreen” and “richly melodic” (NARC Magazine) with “lush and varied instrumentation” (Dirge).

First single, If It Looks Like Magic, is a slice of gothic post-punk about the Cottingley Fairies and received airplay from BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio. Follow-up The Word is Love deals with deceivingly simple matters of the heart to an acoustic Latin backdrop. Third single Time To Talk (12th Jan) charts the difficulties of modern communication, reflected in sharp key and time changes, jerky rhythms and squealing sax.

Hide also features collaborations with musicians from across the North East scene. A Hidden Path, Hide and When They Fall feature cello by Marianne Kell (Belle Skies) and violins by Patrick Lawrence (Detroit Tourist Board). Drums were recorded by youngster Harrison Mitchell (The Strands), with rhythm guitar, percussion and backing vocals by regular collaborator Georgia Foster Adams.

AO’s successful crowdfunding campaign saw the band offer handmade crochet birds and avian Lino-prints in return for the money needed to make and release Hide.

In his South Shields studio, Harbourmaster co-produced the album with lead songwriter Daniel Clifford during summer 2023. Gravel footsteps, handclaps and percussion were recorded for a number of tracks by Crowdfunder supporters, who were treated to cups of tea and biscuits with the band as they worked.

Amateur Ornithologist release Hide on 19th January across all major digital platforms, and on limited edition cassette and CD from the AO Bandcamp. They play a sold out show at The Globe, Newcastle, on the same day with Marc Bird and This Little Bird.

AO line up > Daniel Clifford – vocals, Liam Slack – keys & vocals, Maddie Smyth – viola & vocals, Chris Perriman – bass, Louis Young – guitar, Rob Bailey – saxophones, Theo Nolan – drums, Giovanni Onofri – guitar.

Link to interview in May 2021 with songwriter Daniel Clifford talking about the release of the debut album by Amateur Ornithologist >

BIRDWATCHING with singer & songwriter Amateur Ornithologist | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE (garyalikivi.com)

Alikivi   January 2024.