British Kings

In 2002, Ace released Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings/The Stars in the Sky, which contained two albums – Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings (1989, originally released on Blue Horizon) and The Stars in the Sky (1992, originally on Tramp) – by Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings on one compact disc.

Former Rolling Stone teams up with a stellar cast of players. The second of a trilogy involving a dream team of musicians of the calibre of Eric Clapton, Albert Lee and Andy Fairweather Low. After last year’s rootsier, R&B-oriented; predecessor, Struttin’ Our Stuff, this follow-up consists of ’30s and ‘40s blues/jazz standards and Wyman’s pastiche originals. With no corners cut in production or performance, delivery is immaculate, although each song tends to stand alone, like a set-piece, rather than forming a coherent whole. Overall, however, there’s not a duff track on the album, with Georgie Fame’s smokily quizzical tones on Walking One & Only and Beverley Skeete’s sassy rendition of the toe-tapping When Hollywood Goes Black & Tan standing out.

Originally formed as a side project towards the last couple of years of Motörhead by Phil Campbell, the former Motörhead guitarist of 32 years, the band decided to take it up a level and revealed the new name of Phil Campbell and the Bastard sons at Wacken Open Air 2016. A self-titled EP was released a few months later. Led by one of the genre’s most respected guitarists and completed by his sons Todd, Tyla and Dane the band emerged onto the 2017 touring circuit powered by a huge amount of good will, a smattering of Motörhead covers and a handful of new songs that crackled with passion and swagger. Landing themselves a prestigious support slot on Guns 'n' Roses 2017 summer stadium run, the Bastard sons hit the ground running.