Hard Times

Sown from the seeds of two midlands bands, Finders Keepers, featuring Mel Galley (guitar/vocals), Dave Holland (drums) and Glenn Hughes (bass/vocals), plus the Montanas’ John Jones (vocals/trumpet) and Terry Rowley (keyboards/guitar/flute), Trapeze were discovered by 60s beat supremos The Moody Blues, and snapped up for their own label, Threshold Records.

Following the end of the Stormwatch tour in early 1980, Jethro Tull would undergo its largest line-up shuffle to date, resulting in Barriemore Barlow, John Evan and Dee Palmer all leaving the band. Jethro Tull was left with Anderson (the only original member), Martin Barre and Dave Pegg.

The seventh album from Charley Crockett is perhaps even more potent proof of his literal heartbreak than the scar on his chest. After undergoing open heart surgery that saved his life, Charley says he considered calming down for “just a minute” but once he recovered he did just the opposite. He states boldly with one eyebrow raised, “I wanted to make an album that would change the entire conversation about country music.” That album is Welcome to Hard Times, an aptly-named collection that perfectly fits these troubled days even though it was made just before the pandemic hit. The music was shaped by his heart issues and producer Mark Neill’s desire to make “a dark gothic country record.” Charley certainly knew how to deliver that.

Hard Times formed in the early 1980’s in Inverness, their story is one that is written into the memory of the people who watched their live shows all over the Scottish Highlands. This recording represents an affirmation of their love of great music and each other, a document of their dedication to art and what it can achieve and that music is the thread that binds us to our younger selves.

The French band Zoo was formed in 1968. They took part in the festival in Amougies, Belgium, along with Pink Floyd, The Nice, East Of Eden, Frank Zappa, etc. The band had a strong jazz-blues-rock influenced sound with traces of psychedelia and funk. Featuring electric guitars, Hammond organ, electric violon and saxophone…