when a band tries to take a second bite of the Cherry (Baby) they end up

looking like a pale imitation of themselves, trying too hard and end up

sullying their past. This is something Starz have managed to circumnavigate for

two reasons. Reason one; even though Kerrang! Magazine listed their first two

albums, “Starz” and “Violation”, in the most important Heavy Metal albums of

all time with Poison, and Mötley Crüe citing them as a primary influence, the

band only managed to lick the cherry. Main stream commercial success seemed to

alluded them; all right the “Cherry Baby” 7” was a State side hit but they

never managed to capitalise on it. In 2013 they finally made it over to the UK

now with Alex Kane on guitar and a guesting Ginger Wildheart on bass. Fast

forward to the 11th March 2015 and Starz rolled back into the UK for

three dates, Leamington Spa, Camden Underworld and the Hard Rock Hell Festival.

London was my port of call and I have to say it was even better than The Garage

with regular bassist George DiAna once again plucking the four stringed beast.

Even Alex Kane thinks the current incarnation is “Magical”. He’s not wrong. The

set was split into two parts as drummer Joe X. Dube needed a quick break having

only six weeks earlier been in Hospital undergoing Heart Surgery. The

Underworld was not a busy as it should’ve been under normal circumstances as

Night Ranger were playing the Islington Academy and Jettblack were having their

album listening party in Denmark Street, but for those of us who were there

knew we had made the correct choice. As you will hear……