xx Tony Harnell: From Cyberdreamer to TNT Singer Tony Harnell worked harder than ever to make the new Westworld a very melodic album and the results have paid off handsomely. It's easily their best album to date and the following interview dissects the album and Tony's thoughts on it. Tony, there are not too many bands these days that get to album No 3 so you must be pleased at that? It was a lot of work getting this one together and getting all the labels sorted out. We were sort of under the guise or whatever you want to call it of this guy in New York for the first two records. It was this character Jeff Allen who manages Riot He had started this little record company and he had friends, Kase Wessel was one of his good friends from Roadrunner so he put that whole thing together and basically hired all of us. We got fees. I thought the guy was kind of a jerk, I mean he's ok he put up the money and everything but I just kinda decided it would be so much better if we could gain control. Even if it meant taking a ...

PONTUS NORGREN xx Pontus, you have been involved in just about every aspect of the rock scene in Sweden. What part do you enjoy most - producer, engineer, guitarist, live performer, song writer...? - I have to say everything! Guitar playing I have to say is still closest to my heart, but what can you say when you get offered to do sound for bands like Thin Lizzy, Y.J. Malmsteen etc. Also traveling around the world gets you to meet a lot of people in the same business. The last few years have seen you release several projects under several different names, including a solo release, how do you see Humanimal fitting into all of that? - I see Humanimal as a good opportunity to take my guitar playing/song writhing to a different level, and I think I can back it up with just saying, Listen to the album! I guess what I mean is will Humanimal be an ongoing concern - more records and maybe some live appearances? -There will for sure be a second Humanimal album! We are more than ready to play live, but it depends on the backup from our label if they think ...

Skin Tag – Part One: Jimmy Lawrence   Thanks Jimmy for taking the time to talk about your new band Skin Tag! Sure Andrew, no problem, you were always very supportive of me, ....I appreciate that!!!!   Jimmy, you previously made your debut with a record that took several years to see the light of day, with the excellent melodic rock album The World Is Round, thru MTM Music. Yeah, every dog has it's day!   Was it frustrating for you to see that album be released and then have further label problems getting a second album recorded? I don’t know if frustrating is the right word. I am pretty numb from the dysfunction of the music biz.....It's kinda like that drunk uncle you see at the holidays. You don't really look forward to seeing him but you know you have to at some point. You try not to get too upset or pissed when he screws up because after all he's a drunk. That's how I view the music biz.....one big drunk fucking uncle. You can't begin to try to figure it out. It will only frustrate you and make you crazy. Thankfully, I don't need it ...

Helge Engelke T h e Dreamtide I n t e r v i e w     xx   To the outsider, it seemed Fair Warning were on a roll in recent years, with both Japanese and European deals in place, plus some successful recordings behind you. At what point did it seem there was some unhappiness within the band? We started out in 1990 as a five piece band. In 1995 Andy became seriously ill and it took him more than two years to recover. During that time Andy didn't have much input in FW. Even after Andy got better, his interest in FW seemed to have ceased. After the recordings for "Go", the original drummer CC left. In 1997 we toured to promote the "Go" album. Due to his physical condition Andy could not play all of the set and we had a guest guitarist (Henny Wolter). Most of the set was played by Henny and Andy joined for the last three songs of the concerts. On top of this we had a new drummer (Phillippe Candas) who, even though being a great drummer, proved to be not the perfect match for FW because of personal animosities after a second tour ...

. AOR Heaven . NEH Records . Z-Roxx . Destiny Records . Loud 1 . Hot Tracks . Groove Machine . Target Records .         UNDER SUSPICION Under Suspicion THE UNDER SUSPICION melodicrock INTERVIEW! Under Suspicion are the new band on the block, featuring a bunch of guys that have already been around the block and back again. Their debut album is one of the brighter new comers for the year and is fueled with their own brand of trans-Atlantic fuelled AOR. In the hot seat is drummer/keyboard player Klay Shroedel. So Klay, most readers at this stage will know you guys as Jimi Jamison's 'backing band' on his Empires release. But the truth be told - you guys were more than that - you were collaborators for the project. I'd like to start by asking how you originally hooked up with Jimi's Survivor? The record company had contracted me to see if I was interested to produce what then was Jimi Jamison's Survivor together with my long time friend Michael Sembello. I spoke to Mike and we said "hell yeah". Were you a part of his band before the record deal was signed? I wasn't at all. I met Jimi in L.A. for the ...

Goran Edman The Interview (Kharma, Reingold, Street Talk, Yngwie Malmsteen, Brazen Abbot, Glory & John Norum) Goran, you have a fantastic resume these days, covering some very memorable projects over 16 years now. But on your latest release Kharma I think you put in your best vocal performance ever. I totally agree. It is difficult to explain , from the beginning it was just meant to be another project requested by Magnus Soderqvist on MTM. I felt very skeptic about doing songs out of a 10-year-old demo but when I heard the new material I started to feel the potential of the band. Atilla is an outstanding songwriter and from the hard work and all confrontations a friendship developed that also contributed to the final result of the production. The chemistry in the band is easily underestimated I think. It was also a privilege to be able to work in a high tech top class studio such as Dragan's Bohus Sound Recordings. The pre production of the vocal arrangements became the final master and the result felt very spontaneous when we did not have to deal with the magic demo syndrome. Kharma's musical orientation was very similar to my own preferences I ...

Interview with Two Fires vocalist Kevin Chalfant - May 2000. TWO FIRES: OK Kevin....On the verge of the album's release, how do you rank this record among the others that you have participated on? There are things that I like and dislike about everything that I have recorded. I rate this very high on the list. I am very pleased with the songs, the players, the performances, the sound. I compare it with the debut Storm CD. That is what I gauged this Two Fires with. You and Josh have a partnership that goes back several years now. Did you guys do anything different in the recording process this time around, or did you just pick up where you normally would? Josh and met in 1983 on a recording that I was doing at Prairie Sun Recorders. We just fit together in music. This album is pure AOR. It seems to me that it was recorded with the die-hard fan in mind. Was that the aim of the record, or what was your vision going into this? Yes, this is a fan record. If you don't have your fans, you don't sell records, you don't tour, you don't have any fun. ...

  Interview with Ted Poley & Gerhard Pilcher of Melodica - June 2000.   OK Ted and Gerhard.... Time to play you off each other and get some truly honest answers!!! Lets talk about the making of Melodica. First up - I have known you both separately for a while - Gerhard you were looking for a singer, how did you guys hook up? Gerhard: Actually our first contact was in July 1999 per e-mail. I took his e-mail address out of " Metal Edge" magazine here in the US and just gave it a shot. He's always been one of my favourite singers since Danger Danger and to be honest I never thought to work with him one day but on the other hand if you don't try you'll never find out. As you know I was already in contact with other celebrated singers before and I could feel it's just a matter of time 'til I find the right one. All of the guys liked the songs but were too busy with their own stuff at that time. So with Ted everything started falling into place right from the start. Ted: Yeah, I was contacted by Gerhard by e-mail. Ted - ...

  Stan Bush has been behind a couple of classic AOR albums with cult status now attached. He has also recorded some safer middle of the road material, but remains one hell of a good voice. His last album was attacked for it's production quality. So I thought I would run a few questions past the man himself.... So Stan, so far there has been only a European release with Now & Then/Frontiers for the Heaven album. Will your Barrage releases be exclusive for Europe? I thought there would be a good audience for that album in Japan. So far the "Heaven" album is only released in Europe, but we are working on arranging a release in Japan. I know you have decided to use the band name for Europe, so what will you be recording under just Stan Bush? I have a new album coming out at the end of March on BMG Europe called "Capture the Dream: Best of Stan Bush". It contains the best of the last four albums, and includes a new title as well. The last solo album got split into 2 releases, the European and the Japanese issue, which is becoming an annoying habit ...

Mark Mangold seems to have a magic AOR touch. Excuse the pun! He has been involved in two cult AOR acts and is currently launching a solo career and what could also become a classic AOR release - Mystic Healer - unreleased works from his prime AOR days. So here is the man behind Touch and Drive She Said. Hi Mark, great to 'speak' with you. You seem to be at the start of a resurgence in your career! You have got a few things coming up, but first what have you been doing since the last Drive She Said record? The Best Of D,SS, if that is what you mean by the last D,SS record, is out now in Europe and Japan. We worked on 5 new tracks for it as well as compiling the various tracks, etc. I've completed a solo record which is out now and am presently working on getting that out there, performances, interviews, etc. as well as just completing the second video for the song "42nd Street". Certain AOR acts tend to take on a cult status, but you have been fortunate enough to be in two different acts that have achieved that ...

Thanks for your time Larry. Thanks for your interest and support. I enjoyed touring around your web site last week. It's nice to see people responding to the kind of music we like. The new record Double Medication Tuesday is a proper band project. You must be happy with the result? We're very pleased with the way the album turned out. There are always things you wishes you could have done differently, but that's usually the case. We felt the best way to paint the songs with a live feel, was to use a full band. It's also a hell of a lot more fun The whole album seems like a step up - better songs, better production, better singing even! Well thanks. We're glad you like it. The first album was more of a collection of songs, as opposed to a wire to wire project like this one. I think there's more continuity this time around. Is this the way you intend Harlan cage to remain, with this line up? This is a great band to work with. Both drummer Michael Lawrence and bassist Jamie Carter had been working together for several years in a band called Sun 60. They're ...

November 1997 Hey Jack! Are you happy with the end result of Baton Rouge? Yeah I'm happy. It's Cool. I think it's better than the other two by a long shot! Thanks you, I appreciate that. You seem to have a bigger sound on this album. Well, it was a little bit different approach. So how did you approach it? I actually think we tried to make it a bit earthier. And it was pretty much Kelly and I were left to do what we wanted to do. We kind of had fun with it, rather than being microscopic. It sounds rawer. Yeah, definitely that kind of vibe. And there was no major label distractions? Yeah it was pretty much doing what we wanted to do, rather than doing what we were told to do. You have more fun that way. You have a huge guitar sound on this record. It was probably because of the studio really. More than anything else. Pretty much the same amps and the same guitars used on 'Baton Rouge', 'Shake Your Soul' and 'Lights Out In The Playground'. I think the difference in the sound is probably the studio this time around, as much as ...

Bobby Barth is the guitarist, producer and songwriter in Axe. The band that have produced a brand new album after 15 years of just 'hanging out'. But he hasn't been idle in the meantime. Bobby runs his own production/management company, has built his own studio, and recently produced and helped new U.S act C.I.T.A break out a couple of good albums. So Bobby, it's been a long time between drinks for Axe, eh? Hey Andrew, no Man , we always got together to drink , we just didnt record!! So what led you guys to reform? We had always stayed in touch with the idea of someday going into the studio, but it never worked out, schedule wise, until this year. With a few of the records I have produced doing pretty well, MTM asked about an Axe reunion record, I called everyone and we stocked up on beer and cut the record. It doesn't sound like you have skipped a beat! How was it to get back in the studio after all thses years? I was amazed at how much better everyone played, how much more mature they were, music wise...and age wise...If we could ...

Ron Wikso is a busy man. Not only is he the drummer from AOR supergroup 'The Storm', featuring Journey bassman Ross Valory and ex-Journeyman Gregg Rolie (and Steve Smith initially), but he is also the drummer in a revamped Foreigner. Add Cher and David Lee Roth to his resume, and I would say that would make him an essential gentleman to talk to! Here goes... So Ron, how long have you been playing drums, and how did you get started? This year marks 30 years! I started when I was REALLY young!! Basically, I just started with a neighbor of mine showing me some stuff on a practice pad and then my mom got me private lessons from the local elementary school's band director. Then, a couple of years later, when I was old enough, I joined the school band and kept it up from there. What was you're first big gig? If you mean my first big tour, that would have to be the Cher tour that I got in 1989. We did the MTV Music Awards, Prime Time Live and lots of other major TV stuff in addition to the arenas and amphitheaters that we were playing at on tour. ...

Rudy Sarzo has been one of the premier hard rock bass players, both in session work, as well as in a band enviroment. He started out with Quiet Riot, with Kevin Dubrow, and built the band into a top five stadium act. He was part of the best Ozzy Osbourne band ever, including the legendary Randy Rhodes and drummer Tommy Alderidge. In recent years, Rudy has recorded and toured with Whitesnake, recorded a blues hard rock album with Aldridge, Vandenburg and ex-Little Caeser vocalist Ron Young, played sessions with Paul Rodges and Alice Cooper, and conceived his own record label - Sarzo Music. With the label, Rudy has set out to expose the world to Spanish rock acts, with new CDs out soon. For the low down on the goss, read on.... Rudy, it’s great to talk to you! What’s going on right now? I'm getting ready to start pre-production on the new RATT album. I heard you were involved in the reformed Ratt. How did you get involved with that? When the original bassist, Juan Croucier, declined the offer to rejoin RATT the manager suggested me. Warren and I have already toured together (Whitesnake 1994) and I know ...

Steve first appeared as one forth of the youthful hard rockers Trixter. Their album, released at the start of the decade, went on to sell one million copies in the states, and gain the band a huge following. Now Steve has moved onto a new act Throwan Rocks, who already have gathered a fan base along the east coast USA. Reviews for their four track EP have all been positive, and now the band are at work on a full length debut. So how did it all come together? How’s Things going then? Going great! What’s the new band then? The band is called Throwan Rocks. How long has the band beet together? Right now the the band have been together exactly a year and a half. That long! Yeah, it’s been a project of mine that I started. Basically what happened, I built a studio in my basement of my house. Just started knocking around, experimenting and having fun, and all of a sudden I had four or five of these songs, that I listened to and I said - You know I have got something here. Different than what I had done in the past, ...

Interview conducted by Dave Ling for Classic Rock Magazine - October 2001. Dave Ling: Why and when did you start melodicrock.com? Melodicrock: It all started with writing occasionally for the now defunct UK rock magazine Frontiers. I had the idea to start my own venture and a magazine was my first thought. But being geographically challenged, the logistics and expenses of such a plan were always going to make it a hard task. At the same time (early 1995), the Internet was just starting to get mainstream exposure and a good friend was right into PC's and the 'Net. I got involved in a couple of primitive bulletin boards and was answering questions in a 'where are they now' vein and thought this is a medium with possibilities and one where my location was irrelevant. It built from there. The site had a couple of different names and designs, with melodicrock.com coming online in 1998. I did it as I saw that there were still a lot of rock fans out there, plus a lot of great new releases and artists, but the two parties were having trouble finding each other. In the U.S. especially, as the UK already had ...