Welcome to our December 2020 newsletter!
We wish you all the very best for a Happy Christmas and New Year!
This newsletter outlines latest developments at Get Ready to ROCK!
 

The Best of 2020 - reviewer selections and Popular Poll

We published our end of year Best of selections on 4 December and, from Friday 11 December, you can vote for your own favourites

2020 has been a horrendous year for live music, silenced by the coronavirus pandemic. With live music off the agenda, there has been no shortage of album/EP releases, so this year our reviewers have concentrated on selecting their Top Albums, Breakthrough Acts and Top Reissues. Let’s hope normal service is resumed in 2021.

Says Reviews Editor Jason Ritchie: “2020 has been a strange year for music. Our Best of lists as always reflect the great judgment and hard work of our reviewers. They don’t always mention the most obvious.

However, this year there was a consensus for AC/DC’s brilliant comeback, closely followed by Blue Oyster Cult. Both give examples of older, classic rock bands producing something that still sounds fresh, authentic and exciting. And the same applies to our third “best of” album, the latest from Deep Purple.”

The popular poll results will be announced in a special Best of 2020 show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, on Sunday 20 December.

>> VOTE NOW!
 

Smaller music venues still silent

With the lifting of lockdown in the UK on 2 December came a new, tougher tier system.  It is expected that live music indoors will be on hold until at least the spring,

There are capacity limits for all indoor and outdoor events. Venues will only be able to open with 50 per cent capacity or 1,000 people indoors - whichever is lower. Whilst these numbers will not concern smaller venues; far more of a worry will be the restrictions on the sale of alcohol which kick in at higher tiers. Masks must be worn.

Music lovers are encouraged not to travel between tiers, except for purposes of work, education, caring responsibilities or medical treatment. If you live in a higher-tier area, then you won’t be able to travel to a lower-tier one to catch a gig or concert.

In the higher tiers (2 and 3) there are additional restrictions.  Businesses which sell food and alcoholic drink for consumption on their premises will have to switch to takeaway, unless they do table service. In effect, this means that most smaller music venues, unless they serve ‘substantial meals’, will not be able to sell booze.

The Music Venues Trust has pointed out to the Government: “It is not possible to deliver an economically viable event in this sector without the financial support provided by alcohol sales. 92 per cent of Grassroots Music Venues do not have the necessary facilities to provide substantial food.”

In the highest tier (3) all indoor entertainment venues must close. 

Although many gigs are scheduled for the first quarter of 2021 many artists have put back their plans to 2022.

You can catch up on the latest gig/tour information by following the link below.


This is adapted from an article appearing in The Daily Telegraph, 26 November 2020.

>> Tour information
 

Canadian singer songwriter provides festive cheer on Sunday 20 December

Josh and brothers Ryan and Matt (pictured) play an extended live session before Christmas.

The session is streamed via our Facebook page and also relayed via Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.

The sessions started during the first phase of Lockdown and have been an opportunity to raise awareness of, and funds for, various nominated charities.

You can catch up on previous shows via our Facebook page and selected audio is available via our radio sessions page.

>> Facebook

GRTR! favourites Magnum release 'Dance Of The Black Tattoo' (SPV/Steamhammer)on 8 January.  Band mainman Tony Clarkin has revisited and remastered songs, many of which originally appeared as bonus tracks on DVD and Limited Edition formats.

Magnum were "GRTR! Ambassadors" in 2012 to coincide with the website's 10th anniversary and the band's 40th.

Says Managing Editor David Randall "We've always closely followed the band since they re-generated in 2001 and they have gone from strength to strength ever since, including some line-up changes.  Part of the continued success is Tony Clarkin's consistently high quality song-writing but also the band's other main-man, vocalist Bob Catley.  Between them they have always known a good formula and the new collection reinforces that."

On Sunday 20 December, Tony Clarkin chats to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio about the band in 2020 and new album.  (18:00 GMT).

>> Album review

>> An introducton to Magnum

FISH – Weltschmerz (Fish Music)

...this is a rich, accessible, profound album invested with heaps of integrity, passion and insight. ‘Weltschmerz’ stands as the best album of Fish’s solo career, and easily amongst the best of the year by anyone...
 

***** (Dave Atkinson)

DORIS BRENDEL & LEE DUNHAM – Mass Hysteria (Sky Rocket Records)

It all adds up to Mass Hysteria being Brendel’s most focused, consistent, and powerful offering in a decade.  A seriously impressive album, and one that rewards repeated listens.

**** (Pete Whalley)

BLUE OYSTER CULT – The Symbol Remains (Frontiers)

For a band who survived the hedonistic, life shortening heights of fame, a seen-it-all, done-it-all mindset would have been understandable. But the fact that they are still going strong, writing and recording truly great rock music is cause for quiet celebration.

***** (Brian McGowan)

MUDDY MANNINEN – River Flows (Running Moose)

an engaging album full of substance, loving care and creativity

****1/2 (Pete Feenstra)

AC/DC Power Up (Columbia)

Across the album we have twelve tracks of classic AC/DC – hard riffing, catchy choruses, bouncy rhythms and a lead singer screaming his lungs out as he has for the last forty years ... Brilliantly, expertly, joyously predictable, Power Up is exactly what we needed in 2020.

****1/2 (Darren Johnson)

 L.A. GUNS – Renegades (Golden Robot)

The L.A. Guns are back with a new album, demonstrating exactly why they are not only still relevant today and in touch with their fan base, but that they are absolute rock royalty.
 

**** (Karen Clayton)

>> Albums of the Month

• 1967 - Ian Anderson and Glenn Cornick form Jethro Tull.
• 1968 - The No 1 UK LP is The Beatles White Album.
• 1970 - Paul McCartney files a writ in London High Court seeking dissolution of The Beatles.
• 1971 - 'Imagine' by John Lennon is the No 1 UK and US album.
• 1976 - An inflatable pig being used by Pink Floyd for cover photography drifts across London after breaking its moorings.
• 1980 - John Lennon is shot dead in New York.
• 1982 - The Who play their final concert in Toronto.
• 1999 - Readers of Guitar magazine voted Noel Gallagher most overrated guitarist of the millennium.  (Hendrix was voted No.1).
• 2000 - Singer songwriter Kirsty MacColl was killed in a boating accident off the coast of Mexico.

>>More information

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