Tag Archives: Steve Vai

ALBUM REVIEW: The Ghost Next Door – Classic Songs Of Death And Dismemberment

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Like many sub-genres, Progressive Rock has seen a stylistic ebb and flow, with a few strong bands rising to set the tone that inspired those who followed in their wake. 

As Metal veterans, The Ghost Next Door takes you back to prog’s high water mark in the mid-nineties when bands like Tool and Faith No More rose to prominence and broke boundaries. On Classic Songs of Death And Dismemberment (Ripple Records), they create a moody blend of post-grunge-tinged Rock that puts the lyrics front and center. At the heart of the songs are social observations and commentaries on the state of the world.  Continue reading →


DragonForce – Warp Speed Warriors

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Before we start, go back and take another look at the cover art. 

Go on, I’ll wait. 

See, while some bands go for a subtle or even abstract “don’t judge a book by its cover” approach, other bands are Dragonforce. Everything emblazoned on the cover to ninth full length studio release Warp Speed Warriors (Napalm Records) is represented here through the medium of eardrum destroying sound. No room for understatement, metaphor or artifice – just a bold, blinding explosion of light, colour and comic book action. Continue reading →


T.M. Stevens, Bassist of 100s of Sessions and Tours, Has Died

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One of the best and most prolific and coolest bass players in Rock history, T.M. Stevens, has died. He was 72. His colleague, fellow New Yorker, and musician Ronny Drayton broke the news on social media. Tributes have been pouring in from across all musical genres. Since 2017 T.M. was in a care facility while suffering from dementia. Starting out in the nineteen seventies in New York, T.M. was an early wunderkind on bass and received many accolades from bass and guitar magazines. He was also known for his flamboyant fashion sense and persona. Also known as Shaka Zulu, and fronting his own band also called Shakazooloo, his versatility and talent saw him as a member of his original band Space Cadets, as well as a recording and/or touring member of Pretenders, Steve’ Vai’s solo band for the album Passion and Warfare (also featuring Devin Townsend), his peer Victor Wooten, as well as hit albums from James Brown, Billy Squire, Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Joel, 2Pac, Joe Cocker, Darlene Love, Taylor Dayne, Nona Hendrix, and over 247 credits according to Discogs.com. T.M. was also a fixture on many rock and metal tribute albums over the years. RIP.  Continue reading →