Monthly Archives: August 2012

Doctor Who, The Fourth Wall. Big Finish 157 Review.

picture from sci-fi-online.com

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 6th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Colin Baker, Lisa Greenwood, Julian Wadham, Yasmin Bannerman, Hywel Morgan, Martin Hutson, Tilly Gaunt, Kim Wall, Henry Devas.

There is always talk of when an actor breaks the “fourth wall”, that twilight line between perceived reality of the stage and the moment when the audience is drawn in and spoken to in such a way that they are no longer interested voyeurs taking in the action, they are part and parcel of the storyline. They are the 12th man on the pitch, the Banquo at the Banquet and they are involved, sometimes up to their necks.

Doctor Who, The Fourth Wall. Big Finish 157 Review. full post

(629 words, 1 image, estimated 2:31 mins reading time)

Pink Floyd, The Wall. Immersion Release. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 27th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

In the world of musical clichés, one of the most often bandied about and repeated with startling regularity is that Pink Floyd’s 1979 album, The Wall, is the greatest moment of Rock music captured for posterity forever.

Pink Floyd, The Wall. Immersion Release. Album Review. full post

(1130 words, 1 image, estimated 4:31 mins reading time)

Meat Loaf, Hell in a Handbasket. Album Review.

L.S. Media Rating **

When Meat Loaf released Hang Cool Teddy Bear in 2010, there was an element of joy that the man had released his greatest piece of work since 1993’s Bat out of Hell II. There were some real high’s to be found within the tracks and the posturing and good will extended with the addition of Patti Russo and Cher adding the class of feminine perspective to Meat’s tireless and overtly male mannerisms.

Meat Loaf, Hell in a Handbasket. Album Review. full post

(412 words, 1 image, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)

Napalm Death, Utilitarian. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media March 29th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

There’s a reason why some areas of the U.K. seem to be able to become entrenched with producing one genre of music with more frequency than others. Sometimes it’s just the nature of the area, the background and social history to the city that produces the music. Liverpool is defined in parts by the Beatles and the sailors who bought the music from America with them after World War Two. The dreaming spires and University colleges of Cambridge will have Pink Floyd forever stamped upon the roads and parks and be considered as one of the natural homes of Progressive Rock.

Napalm Death, Utilitarian. Album Review. full post

(519 words, 1 image, estimated 2:05 mins reading time)

Davy Jones, Music and Television Icon, Dies aged 66.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 29th 2012.

The world of entertainment was plunged into mourning today as news broke that one of the most loved icons of sixties music and television, Davy Jones, passed away suddenly of a heart attack at home in Florida.

To some, Davy Jones was the loveable Brit in a show that showcased the dangers of manufactured bands in America.  To others he was an inspiration, a singer, actor who grew up in front of television audiences all round the world.

Davy Jones, Music and Television Icon, Dies aged 66. full post

(551 words, 1 image, estimated 2:12 mins reading time)

Interview with Baz Warne, The Stranglers.

Originally published by L.S. Media and Liverpool Live. March 1st 2012.

March 5th sees the highly anticipated return of The Stranglers to the o2 Academy, Liverpool. In recent years the band have had nights on stage in the city that have been talked about for weeks afterwards. This though will see the punk rock legends do a national tour on the back of a new album release for the first time in six years. Not since Suite XVIwas released in 2006 have the band come out on the road armed to the teeth with a trunk full of new songs.

Interview with Baz Warne, The Stranglers. full post

(1294 words, 1 image, estimated 5:11 mins reading time)

The Stranglers, o2 Academy, Glasgow. Gig Review.

J.J. Burnel in Glasgow 2012. Picture by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 4th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

Nobody should ever believe that The Stranglers ever give two performances that are the same. The set list may undergo little tweaks and the odd track be removed in favour of a song that the dedicated fans at that night’s venue would appreciate more but that aside, the only things that remain constant are the intensity of the music and the passion of the crowd.

The Stranglers, o2 Academy, Glasgow. Gig Review. full post

(589 words, 1 image, estimated 2:21 mins reading time)

The Stranglers, Giants. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 4th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

The new Stranglers offering, Giants, opens up with a guitar riff that stands somewhere between John Lee Hooker and Metallica’s Enter Sandman. That normally would send people scurrying off to find a reason for the change in style, the departure from the Stranglers’ norm. However it really is the start of an album that stands as one of the finest that the band have ever delivered.

The Stranglers, Giants. Album Review. full post

(508 words, 1 image, estimated 2:02 mins reading time)

A Musical Evening In Aid Of Cancer Research, Studio 2, Parr Street, Liverpool.

Barry Briercliffe at Studio 2. Picture by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 5th 2012.

In the area where some of the great albums of the last decade or so have been recorded, argued over, intense discussions over what musical note goes where, it’s always a relative oasis of calm when a night of music goes on, surrounded by the wooden panelling, pictures and awards and the sense of history.

Barry Briercliffe and Studio 2 sounds like a marriage made in heaven, add in the likes of the excellent Jo Bywater, Jessicas Ghost, Rae Clarke and Eddie Cooney, and that marriage is as close to a night of acoustic musical heaven as is near possible to experience.

A Musical Evening In Aid Of Cancer Research, Studio 2, Parr Street, Liverpool. full post

(841 words, 1 image, estimated 3:22 mins reading time)

The Stranglers, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool.

The Stranglers in concert at the 02 Academy, Liverpool. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 6th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

The Stranglers took a well-deserved day off from their latest tour, the adrenalin no doubt still flowing strongly through their veins from a Glasgow gig that would take some beating for all who were fortunate to witness the gig.

The band arrived in the city the night before the o2 Academy, Liverpool gig to catch up with friends and partake in deep conversation. By the end of the gig, talk may have been on other things, events that rarely happen at concerts any more.

The Stranglers, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool. full post

(611 words, 1 image, estimated 2:27 mins reading time)