Gibbo

Devilment in Colchester last Tuesday ... they were fantastic!

If he could reproduce the magic of 'Thunder' ...

Guns n' Roses (the original version, rather than the 'Axl and Blokes' tribute act!) The Outfield (sadly, that ain't gonna happen) Mercyful Fate Diamond Head (the Tatler/Harris version, obviously) Andy Taylor Celtic Frost (another 'when Hell freezes over' moment)

... and more: Cinderella: Heartbreak Station The Cult: The Love Mixes Halford: Crucible John Mellencamp: Whenever We Wanted Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Ledbetter Heights

More second-hand finds: Nightwish: Dark Passion Play Dream Theater: When Dream And Day Unite The Cardigans: Life The Replacements: Let It Be The Replacements: Tim The Replacements: Pleased To Meet Me Throwing Muses: The Real Ramona Throwing Muses: Hunkpapa Throwing Muses: House Tornado/Fat Skier EP H.I.M.: Razorblade Romance

Anthrax are playing London in February - they'll be playing 'Among The Living' from start to finish. It's two days before my wedding ... looks like to Stag Night has just organised itself!

Got in to the venue just in time to catch Grand Magus' last song (met them by the merch stand, which was pretty cool.) Testament were good, but Chuck Billy didn't seem 'himself' - very little rapport with the crowd (mostly just intros) - maybe he didn't like being second on the bill? That said, they played 'Disciples Of The Watch', so I was a happy man Amon Amarth were IMMENSE. I'm going to see Possessed in Athens on December! Dream on! Cool - I hope you enjoy! I'm booked to see Devilment on December 6th ... that'll be my last gig until next year ...

AC/DC: Hot as Hell - Broadcasting Live In The Bon Scott Era 1977-1979 (4CD Set - Cleveland '77, San Francisco '77, Boston '78 and Maryland '79) Ginger: A Break In The Weather The Wildhearts: Chutzpah! Gary Numan: Telekon (Remastered w/Bonus Tracks) Gary Numan/Tubeway Army: Replicas (Remastered w/Bonus Tracks) Winterfylleth: The Fathers Of Albion (Boxed Set of their first three albums, plus a bonus disc of demo/split CD, etc. material) Cradle Of Filth: Total Fucking Darkness Martriden: The Unsettling Dark Plus a few Charity Shop finds: Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps Neil Young: Tonight's The Night Neil Young: Freedom

Amon Amarth: Twilight Of The Thunder God Woland: Hyperion Myrkur: Mausoleum Japan: Assemblage Pink Floyd: A Foot In The Door Cradle Of Filth: Hammer Of The Witches Gary Numan: Telekon

Got in to the venue just in time to catch Grand Magus' last song (met them by the merch stand, which was pretty cool.) Testament were good, but Chuck Billy didn't seem 'himself' - very little rapport with the crowd (mostly just intros) - maybe he didn't like being second on the bill? That said, they played 'Disciples Of The Watch', so I was a happy man Amon Amarth were IMMENSE.

I quite liked 'YFLM' ... although I NEVER play the 'Urban NYC Mix' tagged on the end ... not sure I'd see it as being worthy of a re-issue, though.

Just booked tickets to see Amon Amarth, Testament and Grand Magus in November

Yesterday's road trip to see Eldest Son was accompanied by: The Police: Synchronicity The Outfield: Voices Of Babylon Stone Gods: Silver Spoons & Broken Bones David Lee Roth: A Little Ain't Enough Lazenby: The Loft Years Judas Priest: Single Cuts

Meat Loaf (on the BOOH2 tour) ... my expectations were low, but he was fantastic - full of energy, note perfect, entertaining and funny ... a brilliant show. Bon Jovi in 1988, on the New Jersey tour ... I only went 'cause Lita Ford was support. Bon Jovi came out firing on all cylinders, and didn't let up until the last note had died - really, REALLY good. I last saw them in 1995, and they were boring as hell

Some recent charity shop finds: Warrior Soul: Salutations From The Ghetto Nation Ryan Adams: Gold (2CD version) Stone Gods: Silver Spoons & Broken Bones Warrant: The Best Of ... Twisted Sister: Big Hits And Nasty Cuts The Cardigans: First Band On The Moon Steve Earle: El Corazon

Steve Earle: El Corazon Blondie: No Exit Warrant: The Best Of ...

You did better than I did, then ... But why did you two even bother? Someone recommended it to me ... on the grounds that I like vampire films ... *rolls eyes*

You did better than I did, then ...

Iron Maiden: The Book Of Souls Peter Gabriel: So Zyklon: World Ov Worms Running Wild: Death Or Glory Elixir: Sovereign Remedy

Absolutely, infact i consider Vince Neil's "Exposed" more of a Motley Crue album than the self titled. I enjoy the album and i'm a fan of John Corabi, but as you said, it's just not Motley Crue. The only true Motley Crue is the Corabi Motley. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . I dunno, it's all Motley to me. Kiss had 4 different vocalists. Fleetwood Mac, Guns N Roses, etc Next you'll be saying that the stellar Motley song 'Brandon' isn't true Motley? j/k Everyone has a different opinion. Some will say that Poison without CC isn't real Poison. I compare the Corabi album to everything after it and it turns out to be a huge mistake to go back to Vince. They went from a singer, to a different singer, then back to the old singer who could no longer sing. Also the music when Vince got back was pretty average... Yeah. I think it's more of a sentimental thing to be honest when it comes to lineup changes, especially lead singers. Nobody likes change whether it's your favourite player leaving for another team or a new actor taking over a particular role. You just get a sense of "the end of an era" and i remember having that feeling when the self titled Motley album was released. After the Dr. Feelgood album my mates and i were eagerly awaiting their new release. There was apprehension due to Vince's departure and promo shots showing the guys with shorter hair, but we were still optimistic. Of course this is back in the days when usually the first time you heard an album was when you brought it home after purchase and as i said the album stands on it's own, no doubt, but it just didn't feel like Motley Crue. As for bands like Kiss, Fleetwood Mac, Tears for fears, Cold Chisel etc. I think because the vocal changes are in house, so to speak, it's not as confronting for fans, that's where sentiment comes in again, also even though the vocalists varied the "vibe" of the bands remained the same. That wasn't the case with Motley. KISS and Fleetwood Mac have never relied on one vocalist, so their 'sound' isn't radically altered from one album to the next - Motley Crue and Vince's voice go hand in hand; as good as the album with Corabi is, it WAS a step too far for many fans. I would have loved to see them do another album with that line-up, but I'm guessing the lure of the money was too much for them ...

Airbourne: No Guts, No Glory (if only AC/DC still sounded like this!) Arch Enemy: Anthems Of Rebellion

And they cannot win in main sport either. You haven't been following the rugby, then?

I'm toying with the idea of going to their show in London in August

The whole business is just thoroughly depressing ... not least of all because Nigel Farage (who, incidentally, isn't an elected MP) is now on TV ALL THE FUCKING TIME! Still, kudos to the Fox News network for thinking that the UK had voted to leave the UN. And a shout out to a mate of mine who was convinced that the EU and NATO were one and the same, and who fully expected WWIII to break out over the weekend.

WhiteStarr: Lillith Tillith Stampede Queen: A Night At The Cockfights Judas Priest: Turbo The Magnificent: The Magnificent Todtgelichter: Apnoe