1st Press Japan Yngwie Malmsteen Pocp Trilogy

Recorded over three nights in August 1972, Deep Purple's Made in Japan was the record that brought the band to headliner status in the U.S. and elsewhere, and it remains a landmark in the history of heavy metal music. Since reorganizing with singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover in 1969, Deep Purple had recorded three important albums – Deep Purple in Rock, Fireball, and Machine Head – and used the material to build a fierce live show. Made in Japan, its selections drawn from those albums, documented that show, in which songs were drawn out to ten and even nearly 20 minutes with no less intensity, as guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and organist Jon Lord soloed extensively and Gillan sang in a screech that became the envy of all metal bands to follow.

Viktor Lazlo (real name: Sonia Dronier) is a French-Belgian singer of Grenadian and Martiniquan descent. She studied in Belgium, where she is primarily known. Her biggest hit was "Breathless" in 1987. That year she also hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 1987 held in Brussels. Dronier took her stage name from Paul Henreid's character Victor Laszlo in the 1942 film Casablanca. She sings in French, English, Spanish and German. Most of her albums were released in an English/international and a French version. Also, numerous compilation albums have been released.

As a solo artist, Ian Gillan had his share of fine moments in the studio, but it was on-stage where he was at his best – a fact underscored by Live at the Budokan. First released as a two-LP set in 1982 and reissued on a single CD in the early '90s, Budokan boasts strong extended versions of Purple classics like "Smoke on the Water," "Woman from Tokyo," and the moody ballad "Child in Time," as well as some songs he'd recorded for his solo projects, including "Clear Air Turbulence," "Money Lender," and "Over the Hill." The CD's liner notes are atrocious (no personnel are listed), but the performances themselves – though not in a class with Purple's Made in Japan – are generally impressive. If you acquire only one of Gillan's post-Purple recordings, this would be the best choice.

The debut album by the heavy metal band Killers, led by Iron Maiden's ex-vocalist - Paul Di'Anno. Coming together in 1991, Killers was one of the first metal super groups to exist. Featuring members from bands including Iron Maiden, Tank, Raven and Battlezone, they were hailed by the press as the 'Natural successor to Judas Priest'. With their album "Menace to Society" awarded Metal Hammer's best new album of 1994 and a world tour which included headlining the famous Wacken Festival in Germany, Killers represent all that is British Metal at it's very best. "Murder One", recorded in USA in the line-up: Paul Di'Anno - vocal, Steve Hopgood - drums, Cliff Evans - guitar, Gavin Cooper - bass guitar, Nick Burr - guitar, was officially released in 1992. Acclaimed by the press worldwide, the album became a classic for lovers of British metal. The album includes two cover tracks: "Children of the Revolution" ( T. Rex) and "Remember Tomorrow" (Iron Maiden).

Carmen McRae's tribute to Nat King Cole (which predated the late-'80s revival of Cole's music) has its strong and weak points. She wisely adds Cole's former guitarist John Collins to her regular trio and picked some fine material (including "I'm an Errand Girl for Rhythm," "I Can't See for Lookin'" and "Just You, Just Me"). However McRae's phrasing is much different than Cole's and why did she sing "Sweet Lorraine" without changing any of the words? Despite those reservations, this set has enough strong moments to justify its purchase.

The European Jazz Trio, comprising Marc van Roon on Piano, Frans van der Hoeven on bass and Roy Dackus on drums has been recording and performing since 1995, when it released a CD of Beatles' songs in fresh arrangements. On each album, the trio has taken songs in every style, shape and color, and has given them a jazz interpretation. For the trio 'Jazz' means to have the freedom to combine and mix styles, melodies, sounds and rhythms to create something fresh and surprising. The European Jazz Trio pushes the envelope of jazz music by adding to it its own sound and rhythm, a result of the music that has influenced the trio's members. With every song the trio records the main focus is on the essence and the inner beauty of the composition.

Here it is, the unholy quartet back in all its glorious ugliness with the name it should have had all along. Heaven & Hell are comprised of guitarist Tony Iommi, fuzz and buzz bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Vinny Appice, and vocalist Ronnie James Dio. The former pair were founding members of doom metal lords Black Sabbath, of course. Dio is best known as the lead singer of Elf, and then Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, and Vinny Appice was Rick Derringer's drummer before joining these three lads in a new version of Sabbath after Ozzy Osbourne and Bill Ward left. This quartet issued a total of three recordings together, Heaven & Hell (1980), Mob Rules (1981), and Dehumanizer (1992).

Another Step is the fifth studio album by British pop singer Kim Wilde, released in November 1986. The album contained her comeback worldwide hit "You Keep Me Hangin' On", which reached No.1 in the US, as well as the UK top 10 hit "Another Step (Closer to You)" and "Say You Really Want Me". The album contained 12 tracks (13 on the CD and cassette) and a varied team of songwriters, as well as Wilde herself co-writing more than half of the tracks. The first half was uptempo, whereas the second consisted of ballads. Most of the tracks were produced by Ricky Wilde, but there were also production duties fulfilled by Rod Temperton and Bruce Swedien known for working with Michael Jackson and there were also Reinhold Heil, Richard James Burgess and Dick Rudolph.