By the end of the 1970s, the original triumvirate of hard rock heroes Zeppelin, Purple and Sabbath had either graduated to the arenas of the world, or even split up, whilst the second wave of British heavy rockers, including UFO, Motörhead and Judas Priest, were beginning to fill theatres across the land. Punk exploded in 1976 and 1977, and the DIY ethos that sprang up in its wake soon influenced the grassroots metal bands who had yet to leave their local bars and clubs. Often independently released, some of the bands in this set never made more than one now highly prized and collectable 45 or one-off EP.
An expressive and versatile vocalist, Carl Anderson worked in theatrical productions and recorded soul, pop, rock, and fusion dates. He was born in Lynchburg, VA, and moved to Washington in 1969. Anderson sang with the rock band Second Eagle before relocating to Los Angeles in the early '70s and joining Motown in 1971.
Over the course of time, Heavy Sugar has been the title of a song, the name of a radio station, an independent movie and the primary ingredient for a rapturous recipe. How fitting it is that this latter description also epitomizes the ingredients that go to make up Heavy Sugar: The Pure Essence of New Orleans R&B. Just think, if the celebrity chefs of New Orleans were to whip up Heavy Sugar until the peaks start to form, then the hostesses on Bourbon Street would go that little bit further and add any flavour necessary to achieve a creamy finish.
Saxon are an English heavy metal band formed in 1977, in South Yorkshire. As one of the leaders of the new wave of British heavy metal, they had eight UK Top 40 albums in the 1980s including four UK Top 10 albums and two Top 5 albums…
Riot’s story is one of what might have been, and to some degree, a band being (or not) in the right place at the right time. What this 6 CD live collection does offer is unique, and often raw, insights into the growth and development of an influential hard rock and heavy metal band, as they graduated from small clubs in 1976 through to huge festivals in 1980. Mastered from tapes in the collection of the estate of founder member and guitarist Mark Reale.
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece, which is located in the northeast of the country - known for its inimitable enthusiasm and love for heavy metal. There are a lot of fans, clubs, magazines, and, of course, competing bands here. It was in this city that the Emerald Sun group was formed in 1998. The band has carved a place at the top of the local metal scene after numerous impressive and powerful shows.