Righto, here goes nothing … confession time. The thing is, for a man who professes to love most things rock and grew up near Manchester in the halcyon years of the 80s, I missed quite an important place off my list of places visited whilst trying to live the rock n roll life … I NEVER went to Jilly’s! Strangely enough, though, the last 4-5 years have seen me meet a bunch of great people who did and I am honoured to consider them friends (although I still can’t believe I didn’t get to go to Jilly’s – and visiting the Tesco that lives there now doesn’t really count, does it?). Had I bothered to get my sorry backside (and unnaturally short hair) in the place I too would have enjoyed seeing the likes of what is now Angels or Kings playing their trade.
One of those “lovely” people that I have since met/fallen over/wobbled into/drunkenly talked to (or, in his case, all of the above) is Angels or Kings guitar player, Tony Bell. Having written one of my favourite books (“Life in the Bus Lane”, which chronicles the misadventures of a band that nearly made it), the last few years found the old friemds meet up and decide to have another crack at that rock n roll thing. Plus, any man who shares my view that “Grunge gate-crashed my party. It hid my hairspray, trashed my records, supped my beer, nicked my girl and then dressed her like a bloke!” must know a thing or two about what is right and wrong about music?
Having found Barrie “Baz” Jackson to sing and give them a good old kick up the backside. What this bunch of late 40s going on 22 year olds have produced is an album of AOR pure class. The kind of record that usually only the American big hitters from the 80s can produce (assuming that they have progressed, rather than repeat their 80s success), Angels or Kings have managed to take the elements we love from the best era of rock and develop it into something that is totally relevant for now. Before you start, I don’t mean manufactured Top 40 stuff … I mean quality songs, played well and with a production that provides layers of sheen without losing that element found in the best live sounds.
I could go through each song and, to be honest, the waxing lyrical would make you puke. Jut know that you need this in your collection. Plus they won the fans choice to appear at the final Firefest in October this year (and Firefest punters know a thing or two about proper music!) and have recently been added to the bill of HRH AOR 3 in March 2015.
You only have until 27th October until you can get your copy but, trust me, the wait is worth it. Get it pre-ordered …. NOW!
Band Line Up:
Baz Jackson – Vocals
Tony Bell – Guitars
Rob Naylor – Bass
Steve Kenny – Guitars, Keyboards
Andy Chemmey – Drums
Track Listing:
01 Any Other Girl
02 A Harder Place
03 Ice Turned To Rain
04 Real Life
05 Same Star
06 Someone To Save Me
07. Left Me In Love
08 A Night Like This
09 Another Lost Boy
10 Same Old Love
11 If Her Tears Would Talk
12. Kings Of Nowhere
“Kings of Nowhere” will be released on October 27th via AOR Heaven
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