On May 7th 2007 Frank Turner releases the much-loved and highly praised ‘The Real Damage’ as an EP through Xtra Mile Recordings.

Favourite with fans and industry alike, The Real Damage is a funny, real-life tale documenting the perils and pit-falls of those all too familiar wasted weekend with friends; Frank’s astounding lyrical and storytelling talent coming to the fore. It will be available as an EP accompanied by previously unreleased tracks 'Sea Legs', 'Back To Sleep', 'Sunshine State', and 'Heartless Bastard Mother Fucker' from the album recording sessions.

The Real Damage is the opening track on Frank’s debut solo album ‘Sleep Is For The Week’ which came out in January. Recorded in a home studio in Oxford with Dive Dive’s Ben Lloyd, ‘Sleep Is For The Week’ perfectly captures Frank’s past 18 months in brutally honest and heartfelt detail. From the split of previous band Million Dead, to triumphantly supporting The Automatic late last year, ‘Sleep…’ details life’s highs and lows with wit, intelligence and personality.

APRIL
3 Guildford Boiler Room (solo show)
4 Brighton Globe (solo show)
5 Southampton Unit 22 (solo show)
6 Swindon The Vic (solo show)
7 Devizes The Lamb (solo show)
8 Winchester The Railway Inn (solo show)
9 Copsale The Bridge House (solo show)
FULL BAND SHOWS
14 FROG The Mean Fiddler, London
20 London, Camden Crawl O Bar
22 Manchester Night and Day
23 Newcastle Uni Global room
24 Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire
25 Inverness Ironworks
26 Glasgow Nice and Sleazys
27 Liverpool Korova
28 Leicester Charlotte
29 Stoke Sugarmill
30 Sheffield The Plug

MAY
1 Cambridge Junction
2 London Bush Hall
4 Nottingham The Social
5 Nothampton Soundhaus
6 Birmingham Bar Academy
7 Bristol The Thekla
8 Exeter Cavern
9 Penzance Acorn
11 Tunbridge Wells Forum
12 Oxford Zodiac
13 Norwich Arts Center
Tickets £7 except London £9

17th-19h May @ The Great Escape, Brighton

U.K. rockers The Wildhearts will release their new, self-titled album on April 23rd via Round Records. The CD will be preceded by a download-only single, "The Sweetest Song", which is scheduled for releas on April 9, and will be available direct from iTunes.

"The Wildhearts" was recorded partly at London's Strongroom Studios, partly at a country house in Ipswich, and at a haunted castle in the Midlands.

Commented mainman Ginger: "We are really proud of this album. It marks what honestly feels like a fresh start in what has been an up-and-down career for the band. Gone are the drugs and alcohol problems. There is a focus and determined spirit in the band now, which we think we have captured perfectly on this album. The melodies are still there, the big choruses are still there, but the mammoth guitar riffs are back and heavier than ever. We're excited to have you along for this fresh new stage in the ongoing legacy that is THE WILDHEARTS."

"The Wildhearts" track listing:

01. Rooting For The Bad Guy
02. The Sweetest Song
03. The Revolution Will Be Televised
04. The New Flesh
05. Slaughtered Authors
06. The Hard Way
07. Inner City Overture
08. Bipolar Baby
09. She's All That
10. Destroy All Monsters

Swedish Hard Rockers Baltimoore have made their professionally recorded live appearance at the Hard Rock Cafe in Stockholm on Dec 17th 2006 available as a free download from their official website www.baltimoore.net in .mp4 format. Band leader Björn Lodin comments, It simply got too expensive to manufacture and market the disc at this point, and I think it’s more important that as many people as possible get to see and hear us - than to wait with the release to a later date. We hope you like it”.

The concert runs for 1h 37min and features the following track listing:

My Number 1, n Love, Cumgum, Kahlua Confusion, Life, Thomas Larsson Guitar Solo, Ballerina,  Fanatical, Outer Me, To The Bone, Wellaway, My Blue Moon, Tables Turn and Play On as well as an in-depth interview with the band - in Swedish but with English subtitles.

The concert sees the band line-up as that on the ‘X’ album in full rocking mode with superb sound. The line up is comprised of Björn Lodin - vocals, Thomas Larsson - lead guitar, Mankan Sedenberg - rhythm guitar, Weine Johansson – bass, and Hempo Hildén on drums.

This free download is a highly compressed version - 297mb. Artwork can also be downloaded at www.baltimoore.net. However, fans that would prefer to see and hear the concert in full uncompressed glory on their TV can order the dvd-r and also get an added bonus of a 16 bit/44khz audio cd-r of the gig (not sold separately). This double pack can be purchased from www.baltimoore.net for 250 sek/$35/€27 + shipping, for both discs. The dvd-r also has the added bonus of promotional video clips for "Wellaway" and "Give Me What You've Got".

In other related news, the new studio album from Baltimoore has been delayed. No confirmed release date is available at present.

Rush have announced details of a comprehensive UK tour during October to promote their soon to be released new album 'Snakes & Arrows' that is scheduled to hit the streets at the beginning of May. The full list of confirmed dates for the UK trek is as follows:

October 3rd - Glasgow SECC
October 5th - Newcastle Metro Arena
October 6th - Sheffield Hallam Arena
October 9th - London Wembley Arena
October 10th - London Wembley Arena
October 11th - Birmingham NEC
October 14th - Manchester MEN

Frontiers Records have announced the release of Meldrum's brand new studio opus entitled "Blowin' Up The Machine" on May 11th 2007.

Meldrum is - in guitarist Michelle's own words - a "in your face, ass kicking metal band", combining aggressively melodic vocals, mind bending guitar riffs, along with a rhythm section creating fiercely bombastic grooves, giving the band their unique, cutting edge sound.

After the release of their debut "Loaded Mental Cannon", Meldrum followed up with an intensive touring that culminated in 2005, when the band toured for 3 months with Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society, appearing in sold out venues across the US and Europe, as well as supporting Motorhead in Europe on their 30th anniversary tour. In the fall of 2006 Meldrum joined again Motorhead as special guests for the fifth time on their German tour.

Singer Moa Holmsten is special guest vocalist on Motorhead's 30th anniversary DVD. Moa recently recorded guest vocals for Lemmy Kilmister's solo album, on a song written by Dave Grohl.

Guitarist Michelle Meldrum started her first band Wargod, with Strapping Young Lad drummer Gene Hoglan. She went on to form and become, lead guitarist of hard rock band Phantom Blue, originally signed to Shrapnel Records, Roadrunner, & Geffen Records.

Meldrum have recently completed their new CD "Blowin' Up The Machine", including mixes by Toby Wright (Korn, Fear Factory, & Alice In Chains), featuring guest appearances by both Lemmy Kilmister and Gene Hoglan (Death, Strapping Young Lad).

"Lemmy has been a big influence and a huge supporter of the band" says Michelle Meldrum, "He co-wrote some lyrics and was in the studio recording "Miss me when I'm gone" and just came by and hung out a few times. We admire and love him, he's awesome!"

"Blowin' Up The Machine" boasts a shit load of energy, with modern influences mixed with traditional metal sound. Again in Michelle's words "The new album is more of a band effort and we think the songs are heavier and that the songs represent us better. Our energy that we have live was captured in a stronger way on this cd".

"Blowin' Up The Machine" will include the following tracks:

Purge; Down Your Throat; Scar; Creme De La Crème; Hang Em'; Miss Me When I'm Gone; Another Kind; Exploited; Get Yours; Outta Here and Bite The Pillow.

The album will be released on Frontiers Records on May 11th 2007

PRIMAL FEAR

PRIMAL FEAR finished the basic parts of the recording of the highly anticipated new studio album at the House Of Music studio with engineer Charlie Bauerfeind 2 weeks ago. Since then, the band has been recording lead guitars, some more vocal parts and the orchestra & keyboard stuff. Last section was handled by orchestra maestro Matthias Ulmer, who is one of the best guys for this job in Germany. He worked with PF on the "Seven Seals" sessions too.

Stefan Leibing played already some lead guitars. The band's friend Magnus Karlsson (Starbreaker, Allen / Lande) has already delivered two outstanding solos on the album. Kai Hansen of Gamma Ray and Henny Wolter (former Primal Fear guitarist b/w Thunderhead) are already working on one more spot.

Singer Ralf Scheepers has to sing two more songs during the next 2 weeks and then the band is moving to Belgium, to mix the album with Ronald Prent (Scorpions, Magnum, Def Leppard), starting on April 14th - everything looks fine and in control!

Simone Simons of Epica joined Primal Fear for some sensational vocal work and for the first time in Primal Fear's career a vocal duet with a female singer on the song "Everytime It Rains".

Song titles set to appear on the follow-up to 2005's "Seven Seals" include "Save Me", "Fighting The Darkness", "The Curse Of Sharon", "Psycho", "The Final Word", "Every Time It Rains" and more. The music will follow the path of '"Seven Seals'" with orchestral arrangements, but will include some real shredding heavy metal tunes...

MTM MUSIC have announced the signing of San Diego based "modern day power metal" band CAGE.

Critics and fans alike have tried to label or classify this 5 piece group from the glistening shores of San Diego, California, with terms like "pure millennium metal", "classic metal for the new age" or "modern day power metal". But CAGE's sound is unmistakable which is proved by the new concept album "Hell Destroyer"!

In 1999 CAGE won the ROCK HARD best-unsigned band contest in competition with 600 other bands and were rewarded with the possibility to play at the DYNAMO festival the same year. They then signed their first record deal immediately after their ripping performance in front of an estimated 8,000 at the 1999 DYNAMO Open Air festival. After a brilliant performance there they were selected to play the prestigious WACKEN Open Air Festival in Germany and the METAL DAYZ Open Air Fes-tival in Switzerland. CAGE was able to hone their live skills in front of huge crowds on a consistent basis by opening for IRON MAIDEN, DIO, JUDAS PRIEST, DOKKEN, etc. "Darker Than Black” was hailed as an instant classic by many of the metal industry leading magazines and webzines and finished in the #1 position on the HEAVY Soundcheck chart list.

The concept story of “HELL DESTROYER” travels through time from the Crucifixion up to a modern day New World Order, to a demonic invasion of the earth and finally the resurrection of the Metal Devil himself 100 years after the end of the world! This massive epic is 75 minutes of relentless head banging with the soon to be classics that only CAGE can deliver with an extended illustrated booklet.

The full track listing for Hell Destroyer is as follows:

Descension, Hell Destroyer, I Am The King, The Circle Of Light, Christ Hammer, Born In Blood, Abomination, Inauguration, Rise Of The Beast, Cremation Of Care, Bohenmian Grove, Final Proclamation, From Death To Legend, Legion of Demons, Detrayal, Fall Of The Angels, Fire and Metal, Beyond The Apocalypse, The Lords of Chaos, Metal Devil and King Diamond

The release is scheduled for May 18th, 2007.

Tobias Sammet, lead vocalist with Edguy, is currently working on the third instalment of his Avantasia rock opera. Sammet has announced, via his website, that the third album will be released under the title "The Scarecrow".

"I am right now in the studio doing some vocal sessions" says Sammet. "In about two weeks I am going to fly to England to work with a friend of mine on some vocals. Fans and record companies who are interested always ask me for the names of my guest musicians. I want you all to know that I am blessed to work with the best musicians, but I don't believe in making names more important than the music itself. I am working with some childhood heroes of mine and most important, with great personalities, true friends, and the greatest musicians you can think of. Producer Sascha and I just checked some new recordings and I have the feeling, that this is the strongest stuff we have ever worked on. It's hard to describe the material in a few words, it sounds very powerful, bombastic, very organic and alive. People who loved especially Avantasia Part I will love this one, although this time there is a lot more variation in style on there as well.

Of course it's a Metal album, but we even didn't stop at including some Celtic world music elements. But all that matters to me is that the music has to touch the soul and I swear to god: This material goes straight to your soul, because that's where it comes from. Sounds cheesy, but it's true. I am giving you my everything with this record and you will hear that in late summer!"

Escape Music have announced the signing of TRAGIK for the release of their "Poetic Justice" album.

Tragik feature the multi talented Phil Vincent on vocals, guitars, synthesizers, Organ & Piano, Dirk Phillips on drums, Damian D'Ercole on guitars and bass as well as very special guests David Zychek (Airborne & Night Ranger) who plays lead guitars on "Show The World and Back Of My Mind" and Billy Roux who contributes lead guitars on "Message To God", "Shadow In The Night" & "Higher"

TRAGIK is the brand new rock band consisting of Phil Vincent, Damian D'Ercole & Dirk Phillips. Their first release is titled "Poetic Justice". Phil has released 9 solo albums of melodic hard rock since 1997 playing all the instruments and singing all the vocals. With TRAGIK he still contributes all lead vocals, keyboards and the rhythm guitar parts but the majority of the axe work is handled by 22 year old new comer Damian D'Ercole. Damian has been a local session guitarist for many years honing his shredding and song writing skills. His approach is aggressive and calculated bordering on mayhem. Damian also handles the bass duties, laying a solid backline to the intricate arrangements. Session pro Dirk Phillips, who has appeared in the past on Vincent's "Circular Logic" and "Tragic" CDs provides the drums. His heavy, steady drumming is the backbone of TRAGIK's sound. Dirk & Phil grew up together in the small town of Cranston, RI and shared the deep love of rock music while performing in various bands together. Their passion for Boston, Deep Purple, Dokken is heard throughout "Poetic Justice".

The full track list for Poetic Justice is as follows:

Show The World, Never Stand Alone, Test of faith, Who Will Be There?, Message To God, One Of Us, Long Time Comin', Caught In The Moment, Here In My Heart, Welcome To The Real World, Defying Logik, Shadow In The Night, Jessica, Back Of My Mind & Higher

Poertic Justice is schedule for release on 21st May 2007.

Escape have also announced their plans to release the third album by “Alliance”, the supergroup featuring Robert Berry (Solo, “3”, Hush, GTR, Ambrosia), Gary Pihl (Boston, Sammy Hagar), Alan Fitzgerald (Night Ranger) and David Lauser (Sammy Hagar). Further details of this brand new recording will be released over the next few months but, in the meantime, the label will release a lavish double CD digipack featuring the first two Alliance albums title to be "Destination Known" (“Alliance” and “Missing Piece”) together with several bonus tracks. This digipack will include new artwork and, of course, will be lovingly remastered and packaged...Again this is scheduled to be released on 21st May 2007

With their sophomore album 'Libertad' in the final stages of production and an already announced appearance at this Download Festival in the pipeline on June 8th, Velvet Revolver have announced details of a further quartet of UK shows in June. The shows announced are as follows:

June 5th -  London Hammersmith Apollo
June 7th - Cardiff International Arena
June 10th -  Glasgow SECC
June 11th -  Blackpool Empress Ballroom

Fresh from supporting Poison The Well, Brighton punk rockers The Ghost Of A Thousand have confirmed the following headline shows:

April 7th - Milton Keynes Pitz
April 8th - Kettering Sawyers
April 14th - Luton Uni
April 16th - Brighton Engine Rooms
April 19th - London Camden Crawl Oh Bar
April 22nd - London Dome
April 24th - Wolverhampton Little Civic
April 25th - Kingston The Peel
April 29th - Leeds Rios
April 30th - Manchester Attik
May 1st - Sheffield, Corporation
May 2nd - Stoke, Underground
May 3rd - Liverpool, Roadkill
May 6th - Aberdeen, Tunnels
May 7th - Glasgow, Barfly
May 8th - Edinburgh, Studio 24

Status Quo and The Damned have been confirmed as headline acts at the 21^st Annual Bulldog Bash which takes place August 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th at the Shakespeare County Raceway, Long Marston, near Stratford On Avon, Warwickshire. 

Status Quo, who have sold over 118 million records worldwide, recorded 63 British Hit Singles and had more hit albums (32) in the UK album charts than any other band apart from the Rolling Stones, headline on Friday August 10^th. Status Quo have notched up 22 top ten UK singles since their first, ‘Pictures Of Matchstick Men’, reached number 7 in the UK chart in January 1968, and promise a plethora more of unforgettable rock’n’roll anthems such as ‘Paper Plane’, ‘Caroline’, ‘Down Down’, ‘Rockin’ All Over The World’, ‘Whatever You Want’, ‘The Wanderer’ and ‘In The Army Now’. 

Commenting on their sole UK festival appearance in 2007, Rick Parfitt says “The whole band are looking forward to the Bulldog Bash at Long Marston. Hopefully we'll have a nice hot August day and we can really get the place rocking. I'm going to find some time to have a look at all the bikes and gear too.”  

Website – www.statusquo.co.uk  

The Damned, featuring original vocalist Dave Vanian and guitarist Captain Sensible, headline on Saturday August 11^th. The Damned were the first of the London punk bands to release a single - ‘New Rose’, on Stiff Records, in 1976 -  and have subsequently scored six top 40 hit singles out of 17 top 100 chart entries, let alone half a dozen top 40 hit albums. The Damned, who are still defiantly challenging audiences, promise an amazing live show - rock at its messy, wonderful best. The Damned, also famous as pioneers of gothic rock, are edgy, loud and sinister. Their most recent album ‘Grave Disorder’ (2005) shows the continuing power of the group that produced ‘Neat Neat Neat’, ‘Smash it up (Part 2)’, ‘Feel the Pain’ and ‘Eloise’. Their amazing live shows combine full-on rock energy, a stylish sense of performance, and humorous deadpan cool.  

Captain Sensible comments “It's the first time we've been on the same bill as Quo and I'm very much looking forward to it. Whenever they played the Croydon Greyhound in the mid 70s I was there.... and it was refreshing to see a band in the bar having a drink with their fans - which the Damned have also been known to do occasionally. In this day and age of X-Factor, Simon Cowell and all these plastic celebrity karaoke  shows on TV we have seen our audience figures swelling, which we reckon is a reaction to the lack of decent live bands these days. You just can't beat it - a thrashing drum kit.... a cranked up guitar.... the front man going beserk blurting out some  anti establishment lyric or other. Great stuff indeed - and the UK  punk movement as led by the Pistols, the Clash, the Stranglers and ourselves was a pretty wild time when the UK was at the forefront of global musical trends.... whether Mike Read or Phil Collins liked it  or not! I reckon The Damned deserve medals for our services over the years but I'll settle for the fact that we're still out there having fun onstage up and down the country in 2007 after a wonderful career lasting 30 years so far. And I wouldn't have predicted THAT in 1977.... otherwise I might have chosen a better stage name than Captain Sensible I can tell you!” 

Website - www.officialdamned.com  

A host of other acts are currently being finalised to appear at the Bulldog’s 21^st annual Bash, which will be rammed with more things to do than you can shake a stick at.  

American V Bike Magazine stated as far back as 2003 that “The Bulldog now boasts one of the very finest custom shows, certainly in Europe and perhaps the world” and it has been getting bigger and better ever since. As well as the massive custom bike and car show, top jet cars and rocket bikes will hurtle down the drag strip all weekend, punctuated by the ever popular ‘run-what-you-brung’ sessions and top stunt bike and car performances. All-comers wrestling bouts take place all weekend alongside a massive village of trade stalls selling all kinds of biking and alternative lifestyle kit, let alone a host of tattoo and piercing parlours. Among many other highlights promised are the ‘Wall Of Death’, the ‘Topless Bike Wash’ and a fairground full of ludicrous white knuckle rides. 

Tickets are available by post, priced £45 (until June 30^th and £50 after July 1^st) from THE BULLDOG BASH, PO BOX 5026 EAST READING RG6 1ZQ. (Sterling only) cheques should be made out to ‘The Bulldog Bash’ and all postal applications must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Tickets can also be purchased from credit card hotline 08713 100000 (booking fees apply) and will be available via www.bulldogbash.com soon.

For more info. go to www.bulldogbash.com