CROWCAST

On this week’s Crowcast, we’re delighted to welcome frontman of legendary rockers Therapy?, Mr Andy Cairns.

Therapy? are a rock band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist-vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing. Therapy? recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar. To complete the lineup, the band recruited Larne bassist Michael McKeegan.The band signed with major label A&M Records in 1992, for which they released four albums, most notably Troublegum in 1994 and Infernal Love in 1995. Ewing's departure in early 1996 preceded the arrivals of his replacement Graham Hopkins, and Martin McCarrick on cello and guitar. Neil Cooper replaced Hopkins on drums in 2002. Following the departure of McCarrick in 2004, the band have remained a stable three-piece since.

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We've been back on the road for a few weeks so the audio side has been quiet as we haven't had any guests, you can view the weekly shows on YouTube where we did Q&A's and did a re cap from our shows with The Wildhearts. This week is a little different as Ronnie & Lloyd sat down with Kris Coombs-Roberts as Shane was busy behind the scenes. Loads of stories from an incredible 20 year career with Funeral For Friend.

Funeral for a Friend are a Welsh post-hardcore band from Bridgend, formed in 2001 and currently consists of Matthew Davies-Kreye (lead vocals), Kris Coombs-Roberts (lead guitar, backing vocals), Gavin Burrough (guitars, backing vocals), Darran Smith (guitars), Richard Boucher (bass), and Ryan Richards (drums, screamed vocals).

Funeral for a Friend's popularity rose in the United Kingdom with the release of their debut album, Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation (2003). Achieving both a gold certification and three top-twenty singles in their home country, Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation is often acclaimed as one of the landmark emo records of the 2000s. Hours (2005) featured a similar musical style to their debut, but also featured more melodic sensibilities, and Tales Don't Tell Themselves (2007) showed an evolution in Funeral for a Friend's musical style from that which defined their debut, as the group began to diverge from their use of screaming vocals and post-hardcore-influenced guitars, favoring a more melodic rock influence. These albums achieved gold and silver sales certificates respectively in the UK.

Funeral for a Friend self-released their fourth album, Memory and Humanity (2008) through their short-lived record label Join Us, the album arguably being their most eclectic to date. Following this the band tied themselves to other independent labels for Welcome Home Armageddon (2011) Conduit (2013), and Chapter and Verse (2015), which showed the band returning to the more metal and hardcore-influenced the style of their earlier work. In September 2015, they announced their break-up and final tour in 2016. On 21 May 2016, they played their last performance to a sold-out Forum in London.

In October 2019 Funeral for a Friend reunited as a live band, initially for three benefit shows – two in Cardiff at the Cardiff University Student Union followed by one in London at Shepherd's Bush Empire. Following a planned performance at the canceled 2020 Download Festival, they announced a headline UK tour for April 2021 playing songs from their first three albums.

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Spike, is an English rock front man, songwriter and vocalist most famous for his times with The Quireboys with whom he has released six studio albums to date.

It takes some serious bottle (Jack Daniel’s, perhaps?) and a good deal of ambition to up sticks at the age of 17 and seek fame and fortune in the Big Smoke.

But Spike has always boasted both in abundance.

When the charismatic frontman formed the Quireboys in 1984 with songwriting partner Guy Bailey few predicted anything but a glorious failure for this quirky north-south alliance.

Yet within six years the band was riding high with a number two album and Spike was confirmed as a major international star.

It all seemed like a long, long way from those early days propping up the bar in Newcastle’s sweaty Mayfair Rock Club. But for Spike it all seemed so natural.

The face of the Quireboys for almost three decades, the bandana-wearing Geordie with a boyish charm has enjoyed a stellar career, criss-crossing the world’s biggest stages to critical acclaim.

When Spike’s beloved band initially called it quits in 1993 – after a rollercoaster ride featuring big hits, heavy falls, Sharon Osbourne’s management and a slot supporting the Rolling Stones at Newcastle United’s St James’s Park – there was a fear one of rock n roll’s favourite new sons could call it quits.

But the multi-talented vocalist popped up alongside Poison’s CC DeVille, and Dogs D’Amour stalwarts Darrell Bath and Tyla before delivering his 1998 solo debut Blue Eyed Soul.

His chart-busting band spat out by the growing force that was grunge, Spike stayed strong.

And in 2001 the time was finally right to reform the Quireboys. Within months it was just like the band had never been away.

Reunited with long-time friend and guitarist Guy Griffin, Spike set about recruiting the core of a new-look act destined to redefine its glorious early-90s past.

And if a revolving-door rhythm section has become synonymous with the Quireboys then the close-knit quartet of Spike, Griffin, Paul Guerin and Keith Weir has proved an invaluable constant.

“It’s a line-up that does the Quireboys justice and it’s a line-up that’s here to stay,” said the band’s buoyant lead singer.

“We’re very proud of the work we’ve done in the studio and on stage during the last decade. And there’s more to come.

“The Quireboys is, and always has been, about having a good time and playing rock n roll you can sing and dance to.

“I’ve never compromised in that respect. Our job is to put on a show. When our fans pay their money it’s our duty to do give them the best live show money can buy – and then have a drink with them afterwards!”

Recognised and revered as one of rock’s most endearing frontmen, Spike has evolved into the mature songwriter responsible for some of the Quireboys’ most evocative lyrics on brand new album Beautiful Curse.

Currently putting the finishing touches to a deeply personal collection of songs celebrating Scottish singer songwriter Frankie Miller, it’s clear there’s much more to come from the genial Geordie with the Rod Stewart-esque rasp.

This is Spike. And this is rock n roll

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Russell Gilbrook is the latest drummer for the British rock band, Uriah Heep.

Over the last few years Gilbrook has been establishing himself on the UK clinic tour scene. He has supported artists such as Greg Bissonette and completed a tour with Liberty DeVitto. He has worked/toured with Chris Barber and his band and also Alan Price, on whose album, Liberty, Gilbrook featured. He also replaced Cozy Powell in Bedlam (where he played with the brothers Dave and Denny Ball, plus singer Frank Aiello). Gilbrook has also played with Pete Bardens and featured on one of his albums.

Gilbrook has also worked with Tony Iommi, Lonnie Donegan, John Farnham, Van Morrison and Tobias Sammet.

Gilbrook teaches on the musician's channel on Sky Television and holds a position at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music and has published several teaching guides. He has demonstrated specialist drum clinics across Europe. He claims, though, that a rimshot cannot be used on a tom drum, just snares only. For the last few years he has also drummed with the Essex based covers band, Exposé, with Dave Moore (vocals), Pete Finch (keyboards), Alan Montague (Bass) and Ben Newton (guitar).

Gilbrook has co-designed, with Marrell Drums, the bass drum beaters that he plays. He uses British Drum Company drums, Code drumheads, Baskey Drum Mats and Rug Lugs, Paiste cymbals and Pellwood drumsticks.

In 2012, it was announced that Gilbrook would be the drummer in the 2013 album of the metal opera project Avantasia, called The Mystery of Time.

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This week on Crowcast , we're joined by none other than The Darkness guitarist, Mr Dan Hawkins!

We'll be talking all about his incredible career with The Darkness, his work as a record producer, and about one of our favourite bands, Stone Gods!

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The Darkness are a British rock band formed in Lowestoft, England, in 2000. The band consists of Justin Hawkins (lead vocals, lead guitar), his brother Dan Hawkins (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Frankie Poullain (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Rufus Tiger Taylor (drums, backing vocals).

The Darkness came to prominence with the release of their debut album, Permission to Land, in 2003. Backed by the singles "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", "Growing on Me", "Get Your Hands off My Woman", and "Love Is Only a Feeling", the album was certified quadruple platinum in the United Kingdom, with sales of over 1.3 million. In 2004 the band won three Brit Awards: Best British Group, Best British Rock Act, and Best British Album.

After extensive touring in support of their debut album, Poullain left the band in 2005, and was replaced by former guitar technician Richie Edwards. The band's second studio album, One Way Ticket to Hell... and Back, was released in November 2005. The following year, Justin Hawkins departed from the band after successfully completing a course of rehabilitation from alcohol and cocaine abuse.] As a result, the remaining members formed Stone Gods, and continued to perform and record without Hawkins, who subsequently fronted his own project, Hot Leg.

On 15 March 2011, The Darkness announced reunion shows, with original bassist Frankie Poullain, including Download Festival 2011, and the Isle of Wight Festival 2012. Their third album, Hot Cakes, was released on 20 August 2012. Original drummer Ed Graham then left the band, feeling the strain of touring was affecting his personal life, in which he had pressing issues. In 2015 a fourth studio album was announced, entitled Last of Our Kind, which was released on 2 June 2015. A fifth album, Pinewood Smile, was released on 6 October 2017 and one year later on 15 June 2018 a live album, Live at Hammersmith, was also released. Their sixth studio album, Easter Is Cancelled was released on 4 October 2019. 

After the Coronavirus pandemic put a stop to their world tour in 2020, the band wound up the year with a one-off streamed live show titled "Streaming of a White Christmas", which was also recorded as a new live album and slated to be released on CD and vinyl in June 2021. 

On 4 June 2021, the band announced their seventh studio album Motorheart would be released on 15 October 2021 with an extensive UK tour through November and December 2021.

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Joining us will be another golden-voiced Welshman, in Mr Neil Starr!

We talk about his previous bands (most recently Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons), his new band THE BEAT-HELLS, and his wonderful ukulele skills!

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On this week’s Crowcast, we go behind the scenes with Dave Bradley, discussing his time booking at Download Festival with Live Nation UK, his time at WWE, launching the Heavy Music Awards and now the Heavy Network!

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This was a second chat taken from our recent episode of CrowCast #71. We spoke with the frontman of Scarlet Rebels Wayne Doyle. Recently signing to earache records, A new album to be released 'SEE THROUGH BLUE' and also announced they are joining us on the bill at Cardiff Castle later this month.

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We were joined by frontman Tom Hollister and returning CrowCast guest guitarist Chris Buck of newly formed Cardinal Black. We discuss how the band met, new music and of course the upcoming show with us at Cardiff Castle which will be the bands first gig.

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On this weeks Crowcast, we’re delighted to be joined by the legend that is Mathew pritchard!

We’ll be talking Dirty Sanchez to Dirty Vegan and everything in between, including Mathew’s recent herculean effort rowing across the Atlantic!!

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