BERNIE MARSDEN - Look At Me Now +1 [digitally remastered] (2013)

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Founder member of Whitesnake, and with Micky Moody one of the two guitarists during the band's classic era, BERNIE MARSDEN already enjoyed an illustrious career having been guitarist in Wild Turkey, Cozy Powell’s Hammer, Babe Ruth, UFO and Paice Ashton Lord (PAL), a band featuring ex-Deep Purple and future Whitesnake members Ian Paice and Jon Lord.
"Look At Me Now", Marsden’s second solo album - made whilst he was still a full-time member of Whitesnake - is now being reissued, digitally remastered for the first time and featuring the original cover painting plus the rare non-album (single b-side) "Always Love You So" as bonus track.

"Look At Me Now" is a bluesy hard rocking affair featuring several tracks that easily could have been included in any Whitesnake album.
You can't go wrong with all the stellar musicians in this recording: Jon Lord (Deep Purple, Whitesnake) on keyboards, Neil Murray (Colosseum II, Whitesnake) on bass, while the drummer kit is shared between Ian Paice (Whitesnake, Deep Purple), legendary Simon Phillips (Jeff Beck, Judas Priest, Toto) and monster Cozy Powell on one track. Even Michael Schenker come in and supply some hand-claps to the end of one song.
Marsden six-string abilities are out of discussion, but the man also can sing wonderfully.

There are some real corkers here.
Opening title track "Look At Me Now" is a really catchy, commercial melodic rocker, and "Who’s Foolin’ Who" has all the magic of the eighties, including Michael Schenker's hand-claps at the end.
You can sense Cozy Powell’s boost on "Shakey Ground", a heavier track. With Cozy at the helm what else could they call it?
We have an intense groove driving "Behind Your Dark Eyes", jumpin' riffs in "Thunder And Lightning" and bluesy melodies on "After All The Madness"
Bonus track "Always Love You So" was featured as b-side of the title track single, yet originally was intended to be part of the album.
This a very well presented remastered release, with original artwork and sleeve notes from Bernie himself.


01 - Look At Me Now
02 - So Far Away
03 - Who's Fooling Who?
04 - Shakey Ground
05 - Behind Your Dark Eyes
06 - Byblos Shack Part 1 & 2
07 - Thunder And Lightning
08 - Can You Do It? (Rock City Blues)
09 - After All The Madness
10 - Always Love You So (single B-Side) [bonus track]

Bernie Marsden - Guitar, Vocals
Neil Murray - Bass
Jon Lord - Keyboards
Ian Paice, Simon Phillips, Cozy Powell - Drums
John Cook - Synthesizer
Michael Schenker - Handclaps
Doreen Chanter, Irene Chanter - Backing Vocals



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www.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=3986

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WHITESNAKE - Live At Reading Rock Festival 1980 (2011)

Prev. Unreleased - as part of Box 'O' Snakes 9CD (2011)

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The definitive WHITESNAKE just released box set entitled "Box O'Snakes: The Sunburst Years 1978-1982" contains 9 CDs (every studio and live album recorded for the EMI label), one DVD (include a Washington 1980 show, the promotional singles from 1978-1982 and BBC TV performances), a limited-edition seven-inch single and a 90-page book with new interview and previously unseen photos.

While it will be easy for the critics and cynics to cry 'Cash In', this is a fairly comprehensive documentation of Whitesnake's early years with loads of extras when, in the UK, they were at one stage to EMI imprint Sunburst.
If you haven't picked up the remasters already, this box is a must have.
But many, specially the fans, already got the original albums remastered. To me it would be far fairer to have issued the DVD and both BBC shows together as a lower price option, by all means in a nice box with the book.

So, the really interesting thing of this package (apart from the quite good DVD), are the previously unreleased Reading Rock Festival recordings, originally broadcasted by the BBC.
The '79 take is a bit thin sonically, with a sporadically iffy tape sound.
But "Live At Reading Rock Festival 1980" is a terrific recording by the BBC, with a clear and crisp sound quality, enhanced by a 2011 remastering.
Besides, the band performed as well as they were received, with fire and passion.

Rocks!


01 - Sweet Talker
02 - Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues
03 - Ain't Gonna Cry No More
04 - Love Hunter
05 - Mistreated / Soldier Of Fortune
06 - Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City
07 - Fool For Your Loving







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www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8613502

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DEEP PURPLE - Phoenix Rising (2011)

DEEP PURPLE don't need of any particular introductions. They are one of the cornerstones of Hard Rock history with a tremendous culture impact.
"Phoenix Rising" is a DVD/CD release covering the so called Deep Purple Mark IV era.
David Coverdale (vocals), Tommy Bolin (guitar), Jon Lord (keyboards), Glenn Hughes (bass & vocals), and Ian Paice (drums) made up this short lived, and final seventies edition of the band.
The group called it quits after a show in Liverpool in March 1976. But no one bothered to inform Hughes who, months later, still labored under the assumption that he was the bass player for Deep Purple.

The CD took audios from Japan and Long Beach, California concerts.
With a cleaned and remastered sound, these tracks displays the powerful golden throat of a young Coverdale in all its glory.
But it is up Jon Lord's keyboard who steals the scene. He was always Purple’s not-so-secret weapon, and he steps up to the plate here in a big way. Lord’s solo during "Smoke On The Water" is a definite highlight, as is his synth turn during "Love Child".
The young and then relatively unknown American guitarist, Tommy Bolin - hired to replace departing guitarist Ritchie Blackmore - has a more restrained presence here in favor of Lord's keys. But his guitar duel with Hughes' vocals on "Gettin' Tighter" is awesome.
Ian Paice’s drumming is power personified, and it is pretty amusing to hear Glenn Hughes ham it up with his bass playing and crazy back-up vocals.


Perhaps it was time. You've got to remember that by 1976, the winds of change were blowing hard (for one powerful example, this was the year The Clash formed).
Preening, bombastic, wild-maned beasts like Purple, Zeppelin and Sabbath were beginning to lose their relevance.
So, "Phoenix Rising" is a true 'swan song' of the underrated, last version of this legendary band.
Rocks.






David Coverdale - Lead vocals
Tommy Bolin - Guitar, vocals, bass, piano
Glenn Hughes - Bass, vocals
Jon Lord - Organ, synthesizer, backing vocals
Ian Paice - Drums, percussion




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www.amazon.co.uk/PHOENIX-RISING-Deep-Purple/dp/B004RJZ9YC

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