Category Archives: BOOK REVIEWS

Book review: On track…MAGNUM – every album, every song – by Matthew Taylor

Posted on April 27, 2024 by GRTR! HQ
On track...MAGNUM - every album, every song - by Matthew Taylor

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 26.04.24] The merits of these “On track…” books lie in the authors’ comprehensive trawling of sources as much as subjective opinion. Matthew Taylor’s expose of Magnum drives a balance between the two. He has used a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: On track…THE POLICE – Every Album, Every Song by Peter Braidis

Posted on April 14, 2024 by jason
The Police On Track Every Album, Every Song

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 12.04.24] Forming when punk was starting to become a force, The Police – drummer Stuart Copeland, vocalist/bassist Sting and guitarist Andy Summers – released five albums between 1978 and 1983, coupled with a succession of hit … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: Hello Tolworth, I’m Ziggy by Tim Harrison

Posted on January 31, 2024 by petefeenstra
HELLO Tolworh

Good Life Publishing [Publication date:17.09.21] ‘Hello Tolworth, I’m Ziggy, The life And times of the Toby Jug pub, and the launch of David Bowie’s most famous character’ is a meticulously researched book that is at its best when covering Bowie … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: On track…THE BEAT, DEPECHE MODE

Posted on December 10, 2023 by jason
the beat

On Track…The Beat, General Public & Fine Young Cannibals by Steve Parry Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 30.06.23] A fascinating read into how the Beat led to the creation of General Public (who many may ask and they once supported Queen!) … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: On track … BOB DYLAN, HAWKWIND, YES, LOU REED, THE JAM (Sonicbond Publishing)

Posted on December 9, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
On track...Bob Dylan 1962-1970

“For the fan a chance to revisit songs and albums and for newcomers a roadmap to hopefully enhance their listening habits. Of course in an age of renewed vinyl interest these books may be the perfect complement.” We catch up … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: Decades – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND in the 1970s by John Van der Kiste

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Davoski
Book review: Decades - Manfred Mann’s Earth Band in the 1970’s (John Van der Kiste)

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date: 27.01.23] After seeing the Earth Band live this Summer and being very pleasantly surprised, I found this book in my pile of review material and so I’m following up that excellent gig in Budapest with a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: ON TRACK… REO Speedwagon- every album, every song by James Romag

Posted on July 9, 2023 by andynathan
ON TRACK... REO Speedwagon- every album, every song by James Romag

Sonic Bond Publishing (Release Date 28.04.23) The ever growing On Track series is now spreading its wings to bands with at best cult status in the UK, in this case REO Speedwagon who, despite three big power ballad hits in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: SLADE in the 1970s (Decades) by Darren Johnson

Posted on July 3, 2023 by jason
Slade in the 1970s

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 26.05.23] Slade were one of the biggest British bands of the 1970s, three UK number one albums (and one in Australia),  six number one singles in the UK and Irish charts, numerous top 10 hit singles and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: DEFINITELY: THE OFFICIAL STORY OF DEF LEPPARD

Posted on July 2, 2023 by andynathan
DEFINITELY: THE OFFICIAL STORY OF DEF LEPPARD

Genesis Publishing [Release Date 09.05.23] Def Leppard’s profile is as high now as at any time since their eighties heyday. The Stadium tour travelled America and has hit the UK this summer, ‘Diamond Star Halos’ was released  to general acclaim … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: On Track….EAGLES- every album, every song by John Van der Kiste

Posted on May 3, 2023 by andynathan
On Track....EAGLES- every album, every song by John Van der Kiste

SonicBond publishing (Publication date 03.03.23) For the latest in the ‘On Track’ series John Van Der Kiste has the unenviable task of saying something fresh about one of the best selling artists of all time, whose story has already been … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: MAGIC The David Paton Story (David Paton)

Posted on April 25, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
MAGIC The David Paton Story (David Paton)

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date  28.04.23] It seems to be a trend for musicians – some of whom aren’t exactly thrust centre stage in the pantheon of rock – to write their biographies.  Perhaps it’s a Lockdown thing or a sense … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: QUEEN in the 1970s by James Griffiths

Posted on April 17, 2023 by jason
Queen in the 1970s by James Griffiths

‎Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 30.03.23] This book scores highly on two counts. Firstly, the author is a big Queen fan and that comes through in the writing, as opposed to a dry biography written by a jobbing writer. Secondly, in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: On track….VAN HALEN- every album, every song by Morgan Brown

Posted on April 15, 2023 by andynathan
On track....VAN HALEN- every album, every song

Sonicbond Publishing (Release Date 24.02.23) The latest in the ever expanding ‘On Track’ series finds author Morgan Brown with the unenviable task of saying something fresh about Van Halen, given how much has already been written, especially after Eddie Van … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: SKY TRAILS & PIE TALES – by Trev Turley

Posted on April 7, 2023 by petefeenstra
Trev Turley - Sky Trails & Pie Trails

The Cherished Synapse [March 2022] Trevor Turley’s ‘Sky Trails & Pie Tales’ is described as an autobiographical memoir and  for the most part  that of a semi-pro musician. It’s a heart felt work that celebrates an ongoing musical heritage driven … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE ROCK SOUND SYSTEMS – Volume 3 by Chris Hewitt

Posted on April 7, 2023 by petefeenstra
The Development Of Large Rock Sound Systems - Volume 3

Deeply Vale.com  [March 2203] If ever there was ever a niche left to be explored in the annals of rock and rock and roll, ‘The Development of Large Rock Sound Systems’ – Volume 3’ fills it with plenty to spare. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: FLEETWOOD MAC IN THE 1980s by Don Klees

Posted on March 20, 2023 by jason
Fleetwood Mac in the 1980s Don Klees

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date 27.01.23] During the 1980’s Fleetwood Mac only released two albums, 1982’s ‘Mirage’, which topped the US album charts, and 1987’s ‘Tango In The Night’, which saw the band top the UK album charts with sales to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: On Track…PEARL JAM – every album, every song (Ben L Connor)

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Davoski
Book review: On Track…PEARL JAM – every album, every song (Ben L Connor)

  SonicBond Publishing [Publication date: 15.07.22] Pearl Jam are the last band standing from the grunge explosion of the 1990’s. But there’s so much more to them than that. The quality of their music has shone like a beacon down … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: On Track…THE KINKS – every album, every song (Martin Hutchinson)

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Davoski
Book review: On Track…THE KINKS – every album, every song (Martin Hutchinson)

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date: 01.04.22] I remember picking up a 1970 Kinks double-vinyl compilation back in my student days from a junk shop and feeling like my horizons had been instantly expanded. I bought it for the string of mid … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: (Sonicbond Summary) – TOOL, CAPTAIN BEEFHEART, PINK FLOYD, VAN MORRISON, DONOVAN, BRIAN ENO (November 2022)

Posted on November 23, 2022 by GRTR! HQ
On track ... Pink Floyd (book)

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication dates: July-November 2022] Here’s our now traditional end of year round up for Sonicbond titles which again in 2022 have come thick and fast.  The usual caveats apply: very rarely based on primary sources but mostly reverential … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: SUZI QUATRO IN THE 1970s by Darren Johnson

Posted on October 8, 2022 by jason
sq_book1

SonicBond Publising [Publication date 29.07.22] ‘If you talk about the ‘70s, I was a hardworking artist. I did nothing but tour – recording, touring, TV, you know. I had constant jetlag. Constant black shadows under my eyes but, oh, what … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: On track…STACKRIDGE by Alan Draper

Posted on August 11, 2022 by GRTR! HQ
On track...Stackridge by Alan Draper

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 26.08.22] One of the really positive personal aspects of reviewing and interviewing for Get Ready to ROCK! over a twenty year period is the discovery of bands you missed earlier.  Or maybe had given you the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: DECADES – ROXY MUSIC IN THE 1970’s by Dave Thompson

Posted on July 31, 2022 by jason
DECADES – ROXY MUSIC IN THE 1970’s by Dave Thompson

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date 10.06.22] As the book’s title suggests it covers Roxy Music’s career between 1972 and their first break-up in 1976, along with their 1979 reunion. Unlike other titles in this series the author Dave Thompson focuses more … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: DECADES – Free and Bad Company in the 1970s by John Van der Kiste

Posted on July 19, 2022 by andynathan
DECADES- Free and Bad Company in the 1970s by John Van der Kiste

Sonicbond Publishing (Publication Date 29.04.22) The latest in the Decades series, that delves in detail into the most productive phase of a band’s career, is one with a difference.  It spans the activity of two separate bands,  Free and Bad … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: Phil Collins in the 1980s by Andrew Wild

Posted on July 6, 2022 by jason
Phil Collins in The Eighties by Andrew Wild

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date 30.06.22] Love him or hate him, there was no getting away from Phil Collins in the 1980’s. Whether it be as a mega successful solo artist, the massive high that Genesis were on, being a great … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book review: On track…JIMI HENDRIX – every album, every song (Emma Stott)

Posted on June 23, 2022 by GRTR! HQ
On track...JIMI HENDRIX - every album, every song (Emma Stott)

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date 27.05.22] It was my childhood friend Colin Cheesman who introduced me to Jimi Hendrix’s music c.1970.  I was particularly impressed with the screen print he’d made of a classic image used on the Voodoo Chile picture … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment