NEWS: Slash releases first single from new album - featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators

IT had to happen - Slash, featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators are set to release their new album, 'Living The Dream'  on 21st September 2018 via Slash's own label Snakepit Records, in partnership with Roadrunner Records.

The group unleashed 'Driving Rain'- the first single from Living the Dream—today. Listen to “Driving Rain” HERE and watch the trailer HERE and purchase the new song digitally HERE.

SLASH describes the creation of 'Driving Rain' “This is a riff I specifically remember playing with the guys for the first time at a venue in New Hampshire on the World on Firetour,” explains SLASH.

“It’s a cool guitar part we ran through, and from that point forward the rest of the song started to come together in my mind while on the road. We put it all together this year and Myles came up with a great melody for it.”

Myles Kennedy added, “The riff is very reminiscent of vintage Aerosmith.

"It’s got a certain funk to it that’s compelling. Lyrically, it’s a story about somebody who works on the road--it could be a musician, and it could be a traveling salesman. What makes it interesting is this guy has an addict girlfriend or spouse who continues to relapse, and she ends up getting him to come home. She’s miserable and falls back into bad old habits, and that compels him to head back to her to save the day.”

'Living The Dream' is Slash’s fourth solo album, and third with Slash and his bandmates Myles Kennedy (Vocals), Brent Fitz, (Drums), Todd Kerns (Bass & Vocals) and Frank Sidoris (Guitar & Vocals)

The band has launched a physical pre-order for Living The Dream including CD, Heavyweight vinyl and a limited edition Deluxe Premium Set consisting of  2LP Yellow Vinyl within a Premium 'Living The Dream' Vinyl-size 20 page Hardback Book, an exclusive one-sided 7” single of 'Driving Rain' featuring an etching on the B-side with a special set of SLASH plectrums, Standard Physical CD album and  poster.

All formats are available to order along with a limited-edition T-shirt and Hoodie. To view a variety of the LIVING THE DREAM CD/merchandise bundles available now: http://www.slashonline.com.
The band has also unveiled the album cover art and tracklisting for LIVING THE DREAM. The artwork was created by renowned visual artist Ron English. View the cover art and tracklisting below.

Cover art created by artist Ron English.

The tracklisting for Living The Dream is:

1. The Call of the Wild
2. Serve You Right
3. My Antidote
4. Mind Your Manners
5. Lost Inside the Girl
6. Read Between the Lines
7. Slow Grind
8. The One You Loved Is Gone
9. Driving Rain
10. Sugar Cane
11. The Great Pretender
12. Boulevard of Broken Hearts

NEWS: No Hot Ashes added to Ramblin Man Fair in round of announcements including Myles Kennedy

NORTHERN Ireland's own No Hot Ashes has been added to Ramblin’ Man Fair, along with Myles Kennedy.

Also announced are Skinny Molly, Thomas Wynn And The Believers, and Second Relation.

Myles Kennedy will play the Country Stage as special guest.

As the singer/songwriter of Alterbridge and also Slash’s band Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators, Kennedy has established himself as one of the defining rock voices of his generation. 2018 saw the release of his first solo album “Year Of the Tiger”.

The sound and lyrical content of the album is very different to what fans of Kennedy might expect -

“I’ve always wanted to make a record where I could have the opportunity to explore and document a different element of my musical DNA,” he says, citing his love for the blues, R&B, and acoustic based music and listing such influences as Mississippi John Hurt, Chris Whitley, K.D Lang, Nick Drake and the acoustic songs on Led Zeppelin 3 and 4.

“I was trying to tap into something a little more subtle, as opposed to a big, bombastic, high gain sonic attack.”

The festival will take place in Mote Park in Maidstone, Kent. The park is one of the largest in South East England with more than 450 acres of mature parkland and a 30-acre lake. With multiple travel links via train (Ashford International, Maidstone East and Maidstone West in close proximity) and road (with three park and rides available around Maidstone). The festival site is also perfect for European festival goers with easy links to the London airports, Eurostar via Ashford Int’l and Channel Ferries to and from mainland Europe.

Ramblin’ Man Fair takes place on Saturday 30th June and Sunday 1st July 2018.

Announced acts to date are:
Main Stage
Mott The Hoople (Headliner)
The Cult (Headliner)
Halestorm (Special Guest)
Steel Panther (Special Guest)
Blackberry Smoke
The Cadillac Three
Sons Of Apollo
GUN
Therapy?
Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown
The Last Internationale
No Hot Ashes

Country Stage
Steve Earle & The Dukes (Headliner)
(UK Exclusive Set ‘Copperhead Road plus Hits!’)
Myles Kennedy (Special Guest)
Me And That Man
Skinny Molly
Thomas Wynn And The Believers
The Adelaide’s

Blues Stage
Gov’t Mule (Headliner)
Chas & Dave
Jim Jones and the Righteous Mind
Laurence Jones
Connor Selby

Prog In the Park Stage
Fish
(Playing Material From The “Clutching At Straws” Album)
Mostly Autumn
Von Hertzen Brothers
Voyager
Goldray
Second Relation
Tickets are available now priced as below:

VIP Admission Saturday & Sunday - £256 plus booking fee
General Admission Saturday & Sunday - £156 plus booking fee
Camping Starts at £49
Tickets available from http://ramblinmanfair18.eventbrite.co.uk

NEWS: Myles Kennedy releases lyric video fr Devil On the Wall

WE know you lot have a soft spot for Alter Bridge and as anticipation continues to build for Myles Kennedy’s debut solo album, Year Of The Tiger, another lyric video is released worldwide.

The video for the 3rd track, “Devil On The Wall,” can be seen below.

The album will be released worldwide on March 9th by Napalm Records. Fans that pre-order (http://smarturl.it/MK- YearOfTheTiger) the download of Year Of The Tiger through a digital retailer will receive an instant download of the song as well as the first single “Year Of The Tiger” and recently released “Haunted By Design.”

The album is also currently available for pre-order in various bundle configurations at: http://smarturl.it/ YearOfTheTiger-NPR and www.MylesKennedy.com.

Year Of The Tiger, is Myles' first venture as a solo artist by embracing musical elements and influences he hasn’t explored until this point in his career.

Kennedy himself plays banjo, lap steel, bass, and mandolin in addition to guitar throughout the album. The emotional journey and personal story of Myles is captured in a bluesy-americana album with a twist of country and rock, swirling and flowing around this incredible soulful voice the world has come to know.

LIVE REVIEW: Alter Bridge's triumphant return to Belfast's Ulster Hall

AFTER playing two gigs at the Royal Albert Hall in London earlier in the week it was clear the band was pumped up and that Belfast was in for yet another spectacular Alter Bridge show.

Playing to another nearly sold out crowd they brought with them London formed rock band As Lions playing songs from their début album ‘Selfish Age’ it was evident from the start that this band had energy and a good stage presence of a band that had been performing for a while, playing songs such as ‘White Flags’ and ‘Bury my Dead’ they got the crowd’s attention.

The lights dimmed a shout went out to the crowd take lighters out phones out and raise them then they played ‘World on Fire’ Finishing up with ‘The Great Escape’ and the Ulster Hall was showing appreciation for a young talented band.

After a short break it was yet again time for Alter Bridge to take the Belfast stage.  After teasing the crowd accordingly, the band emerged onto the stage to kick off what would be a memorable show.

The rock legends opened the night with the heavy riff of one of the more immediately recognizable songs from the ‘Fortress’ album Addicted To Pain; a common staple for the band’s live performances.

Next up was ‘Ghosts of Days Gone By’, described by Mark Tremonti as a track that starts out like a feel-good song but then takes you straight to hell, it was a great follow up and shows off the two sides of the Alter Bridge.

After two classics – ‘Come to Life’ and ‘Brand New Start’ – it was clear that even AB fans were blown away by. ‘Cry of Achilles’ rattled the speakers and ears of the crowd and the cheers from the crowd was clearly heard by the band in appreciation for an Alter Bridge classic.

Myles then handed the mic over to Mark to take control on vocals as he unleashed ‘Waters Rising’. He perfectly showcased his ability to play guitar and sing a true talent; hopefully a new album from Tremonti is imminent.

After a strong finish, it was time for Myles to take it down a notch for a more mellow and personal touch. The singer with guitar in hand, strummed the intro to ‘Wonderful Life’. It was a great reminder to the crowd that Alter Bridge have a vast catalogue of music.

After the conclusion he played a melody of Watch Over which seen him sway from side to side in a deep trance and grabbing the crowd’s attention by the slow melody.

The ‘last’ song of the night was 'Metalingus'. Being one of the first songs of AB it didn’t disappoint sounding as fresh as the day it was released the crowd banging their heads in approval of a true rock classic. Hopefully 2018 will see Alter Bridge return with another rock spectacular.

Review-by Warren Stewart
Photos by Darren McVeigh

LIVE REVIEW: Alter Bridge deliver elegant power in Belfast

ALTER Bridge's stock has never been so high, with their last release 'The Last Hero' solidifying an already high estimation. Yet, the live arena seems, on the evidence of the show in Belfast's Ulster Hall on June 21st this is where they excel.

But on the longest day of the year it felt like an eternity, rather than 30 minutes, listening to the openers Red Sun Rising.

There is nothing wrong with their music, it has melody and AOR hooks aplenty, but doesn't seem to fit well in a sweaty venue. At times it is almost insipid and seems almost aimed at American soft rock radio stations.

The evidence was clear by the amount of people populating the bar and smoking areas at the end of their set. Having said that the couple of dozens who did remain at the front were seeming to enjoy the set and the apparent congeniality of the band.

There was nothing insipid or middle of the road about Alter Bridge's arrival on stage - full of intent, striding tall but never appearing arrogant and musically kicking out the proverbial jams.

Shit - three of these guys were in Creed! How did they get so good? No need to wonder, because after the rampant opener 'Come To Life' the iconic hall's walls were reverberating with roars of approbation.

With 'Writing on the Wall' from last year's release the acclaim from the audience was a wave of energy reverberating from each corner and the packed front.

Feeding off that the band seemingly wanted to push the whole affair up to another lever. Kennedy was beaming, Tremonti was throwing all the shapes and the entire unit was gelled tight.

In lesser hands the lead work of Tremonti could seem extravagant to the extreme, but every lick and run is measured to match the tone and sentiment of the track, especially on 'Blackbird' and 'Open Your Eyes'.

Kennedy is commanding and the between song banter doesn't seem forced, even if like every major touring band it is largely the same spiel each night.

What is notable is that the relatively unsung heroes of Marshall and Phillips are such a mighty force. It is they that maintain the momentum throughout the muscle behind the melodies, the power for the axe trickery.

By the time the regular set ended with 'Metalingus' the audience were exhausted and ecstatic after witnessing a band that delivered a set worthy of arenas.

The trio of tracks for the encore was measured to maul avid fans with delight. 'Fortress' from the album of the same name, 'Show Me A Leader' from 'The Last Hero' and 'Rise' from 'Blackbird' encapsulated what this set was about - a band that know how to balance the new and old, treat the fans to what they want and more.

Review by Jonathan Traynor
Pictures by Darren McVeigh

NEWS: Alter Bridge set to release live CD in the autumn

FOLLOWING their most-successful world tour to date, Alter Bridge have announced the release of a new live album and rarities collection. 'Live At The O2 Arena + Rarities' is to be released worldwide on September 8th via Napalm Records.

One of the biggest moments of the band’s career was the show at London's O2 Arena on November 26th, 2016. The news comes ahead of the Alter Bridge’s Belfast show on June 21^st in the Ulster Hall

That landmark performance was captured in its entirety. The two CD 19-track recording documents what an enormous presence Alter Bridge have become on concert stages around the world.

The album can be pre-ordered at: http://smarturl.it/LiveAtTheO2 Arena and via http://www.pledgemusic. com/alterbridge.

Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall, and Scott Phillips tear through hits like "Farther Than The Sun", "Show Me A Leader," "Rise Today", and their masterpiece "Isolation", showcasing a band at the top of their game. Other highlights include the Tremonti sung "Waters Rising," the acoustic-driven “Watch Over You” and their signature anthem "Blackbird”.

In addition, this latest release includes an exclusive full-length 'Rarities' CD sure to excite fans everywhere. This disc features the never-before released tracks "Cruel Sun" and "Solace” that were recorded during the 'One Day Remains' sessions, as well as the song “Breathe” from the same time which has only ever been available as a US retail exclusive via Best Buy.  These tracks join seven other songs that have only been released in Japan until this collection.

This incredible selection of Alter Bridge gems will be released in multiple formats. In addition to a standard 3-CD audio version, fans can also pick up one of the limited deluxe editions (including a 4-LP set and a CD/DVD Earbook) which also include an exclusive Alter Bridge documentary featuring extensive interviews with the band, their crew, and family, giving an amazing glimpse behind the scenes of this legendary show at London's O2 Arena! Check out the trailer here:  https://youtu.be/Ifw-sdxHrvU

TRACK LISTING

CD1        

1             The Writing On The Wall

2             Come To Life
3             Addicted To Pain
4             Ghost Of Days Gone By
5             Cry Of Achilles
6             The Other Side
7             Farther Than The Sun
8             Ties That Blind
9             Water Rising
10           Crows On A Wire
11           Watch Over You (solo acoustic)

CD2        

12           Isolation
13           Blackbird
14           Metalingus
15           Open Your Eyes
16           Show Me A Leader
17           Rise Today
18           Poison In Your Veins
19           My Champion

CD3        

1             Breathe
2             Cruel Sun
3             Solace
4             New Way To Live
5             The Damage Done
6             We Don't Care At All
7             Zero
8             Home
9             Never Borne To Follow
10           Never Say Die (Outright)

11           Symphony Of Agony (The Last of Our Kind)

ALBUM REVIEW: Alter Bridge find their last hero

FOR those not in the know, or who have been asleep for several years Alter Bridge is an American rock band from Florida, came into being after the disbandment (pun intended) of the group, Creed.

All the band members have a serious pedigree in rock with lead vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips.

Since their formation in 2004 they have now pumped out five albums, ‘The Last Hero’ being number five, with each new album being more critically acclaimed than the previous. Will The Last Hero continue to win them plaudits or will it break the cycle?

The first song ‘Show Me a Leader’ sets you up with a ‘Bang Bang’ feeling, the Nancy Sinatra version as opposed to the original Cher before leading you on a heavy riffed up journey. Myles Kennedy’s vocals blast through clearly leading the charge. It’s punchy and uncompromising.

The next shows you the ‘Writing on the Wall’, a heavy thumping track that has a fast upbeat pace which Kennedy’s vocals once again rings through clearly: kind of refreshing to hear through a delicious smorgasbord of heavy tuneage. Kennedy floats like a butterfly while Tremonti, Marshall and Phillips sting like a bee. Great track to beast mode to on the free weights.

The band then takes you to ‘The Other Side’ as they take a slow heavy thrashy approach that will have your head swinging along to the chugging rhythm.  It feels doom laden and should be darker but Kennedy’s vocals shine through like the Morning Star to drag you to hell with an alluring smile. This would definitely suit being dropped into an episode of ‘Lucifer’.

Then you get to ‘My Champion’, a Southern twanged upbeat rock anthem that will probably get the airtime. This is a beer bottle clinking feelgood song where you and your friends chug your beer in between smiling a lot.

Beware finding any ‘Poison In Your Veins’…much better just pumping out your speakers instead. It has a strange clean grunge sound and feels mixed with a bit of hard glam rock with a light buoyant refrain. Once again a great tune that just pumps you up.

The old adage ‘Cradle to the Grave’ is the title of the next one.  This is a slower more ballad like song that just hits the right sound even if you are not a big ballad fan. The power of the vocals and instruments leaves you in no doubt this is not a half-hearted filler track.

Then it’s time for ‘Losing Patience’ - another groove thumping song that would be perfect for a movie sound track. It has an epic orchestral feel coming through the thumping and thrumming rhythm that just hooks you in whether you want to or not. It has a catchy attitude about it that will just keep you listening.

While ‘This Side of Fate’ rolls in like a thunderstorm before breaking up for the verses only to rumble back in for the chorus. It’s like a stormy sea with heavy waves breaking over you allowing you to take a breath before the next one rolls in. It’s a mixed track of relaxation and manic headbanging. Still enjoyable.

With ‘You will be remembered’, Alter Bridge offer up to you a full on, no mistaking it, ballad.  Kennedy sums it up saying “It’s a tribute to heroes like anybody who’s served the country or community. The song touches on the ultimate sacrifice soldiers, police, and firemen are willing to give.” A real heartstring tugger of a song, if you listen to it carefully, as each note and word creates an emotional juggernaut.

The hefty ‘Crows On A Wire’ brings it all back to hard and heavy rock. This is cinematic metal that almost creates a seeming montage laden backstory for the main tale. A good rumbling and broody hard rock song. Like a goth song that’s grown up and got itself a job only to find that being an adult is so much more dark and depressing than being a black clad teenager.

Next is ‘In Twilight’, which gives off a slight U2 twang at the very start before redeeming itself and standing upright like a good rock song should. It’s another upbeat cinematic style song that might fit more in the romantic movie genre.

Watch out for the ‘Island Of Fools’ which has an old style Dio vibe as the heavy thrumming rhythm blasts through the whirlwind of guitar riffage.  Another good track that won’t disappoint you.

The finale then comes with the album title track in ‘The Last Hero’, a sweeping vista that swoops through the valley of metal and up the mountain face of rock. It may remind you a little of some Euro rock. A very good melding of the heavy and the light.

Overall, the album has a huge cinematic scope to it, full of passion and very catchy tunes. It is well worth your precious time for a good sold listen. Buy it for your collection.

Buy it.

Alter Bridge are on the road with this latest offering as they tour Europe this October through November.

Review by Ivor Whitten