Monthly newsletter 2025

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome to The Story of Rock and Roll. This newsletter covers episodes S7E49 to S7E52. Although we are officially in 2025 and Season 8 of TSORR is running we always wrap the previous year in January. This includes episodes 51 and 52, which are always two of my favourite shows every year. E51 celebrates the 7^th anniversary of the show and plays some of the tracks that are representative of the show. E52 is the countdown of the best albums released in 2024 so in that one show you get a full summary of everything worth listening to last year.

These shows are available as podcasts on our website and all major podcast platforms. Quick links to everything TSORR can be found at the end of the newsletter, so please do share it with anyone who might be interested.

If you can’t find us, simply search online for ‘The Story of Rock and Roll Radio Show’ and you’ll discover plenty of podcast options. You can always find us at www.thestoryofrockandroll.com and on Buzzsprout. https://www.buzzsprout.com/273305

A big thank you to all the supporters of the show!

HIGHLIGHTS

It has been a good year for TSORR join us in celebrating the end of Season 7 as we look back and wrap up 2024. The podcast is growing and in the last half of the year, we had our first, second, and fifth highest monthly downloads. The show has been heard in 116 countries and 3036 cities. The top 6 being, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brisbane, and Los Angeles. Thanks to all of you who support the show around the world.

THE DIABOLICAL CHALLENGE

Producers are often the ones who make or break an album. The success the top producers have is remarkable when you consider who produced what. Frequently, a change of producer changes a band’s fortunes. From S7E46 onwards, I selected four albums from top record producers. The change was well received, so we’ll continue with it and see how it goes.

S7E49 = Brendan O’Brien – Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, ACDC, and Seether

S7E50 = Kevin Shirley – Cold Chisel, Iron Maiden, Joe Bonamassa, and The Black Crowes

S7E51 = Max Norman – Ozzy Osbourne, Y&T, Megadeth, and Loudness

ALBUMS PRODUCED BY – BRENDAN O’BRIEN

The tracks played were: ‘Country song’ (Seether), ‘Further on Up the Road’ (Bruce Springsteen), ‘Rearviewmirrow’ (Pearl Jam), and ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll train’ (ACDC).

This challenge was great because these were such diverse albums. Brendan O’Brien goes from working with ACDC, a notoriously difficult band to get along with, to Pearl Jam, who were very new on the scene at the time and the darlings of the press.

Eddie Vedder even appeared on the cover of Time magazine a week after their sophomore album was released. You could say there was some pressure on everyone involved.

Then we had a South African band in the form of Seether and, finally, Bruce Springsteen, one of the world’s most iconic rock stars.

O’Brien works his magic with these very different artists, and yet they still sound true to themselves.

All four albums received votes, but in the end, Pearl Jam came out on top. I think O’Brien did a fantastic job but for sentimental reasons and a bit of history – which you can read about in The Story of Rock and Roll – I went with The Rising.

ALBUMS PRODUCED BY – KEVIN SHIRLEY

The tracks played were: ‘Heavenly Soul’ (Joe Bonamassa), ‘Bal-A-Versailles’ (Cold Chisel), ‘Out of the Silent Planet’ (Iron Maiden), and ‘Jealous Again’ (The Black Crowes).

I steered clear of the hits on these albums, opting for tracks like’ Heavenly Soul’ because it’s one of my favourite Joe Bonamassa solo’s and Iron Maiden’s ‘Out of the Silent Planet’ because it doesn’t get much airtime.

Kevin Shirley continues the proud tradition of world-class producers from South Africa, exemplified by Eddie Kramer and Mutt Lange. Kramer, born in Cape Town in 1942, produced albums for Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and KISS. Mutt Lange, whom we discussed last month, needs no introduction. Is it something in the South African water?

Another fascinating aspect of Kevin Shirleys discography is the number of long-term relationships he has maintained with artists. He has produced six albums for Iron Maiden and 12 for Joe Bonamassa. Clearly, he is doing something right.

ALBUMS PRODUCED BY – MAX NORMAN

The tracks played were: ‘Open Fire’ (Y&T), ‘Face to Face’ (Loudness), ‘Addicted to Chaos’ (Megadeth), and ‘Bark at the Moon’ (Ozzy Osbourne).

Producer Max Norman may not be as well known to listeners as Rick Rubin, Mutt Lange, or Bob Rock but he did some fantastic work particularly, with Ozzy Osbourne on the first two albums featuring Randy Rhoads – Blizzard of Oz and Diary of a Madman.

Max Norman was the resident engineer at Ridge Farm Studios and gradually transitioned into production work. Through the late 1980s and 1990s, he produced some excellent albums.

Two notable examples we examined were Lightning Strikes by Loudness, a band from Japan featuring guitarist Akira Takasaki, and Black Tiger by Y&T (originally known as Yesterday and Today) fronted by guitarist and vocalist Dave Meniketti. These albums might not be as well-known as Norman’s work with Ozzy and Megadeth, but both have aged well.

I have wondered why Dave Meniketti didn’t achieve greater success. He was a great guitarist and highly influential – for instance, Lars Ulrich credited seeing Y&T with inspiring him to become a musician.

This challenge came down to a battle between Megadeth’s Youthanasia and Ozzy Osbournes Bark at the Moon. I chose the latter, as the album featured Jake E. Lee, who stepped into Randy Rhodes’ shoes and delivered a marvelous performance despite little recognition from some Randy fans or the Osbournes. Ozzy won this challenge.

THE IMMORTALS

First up on S7E49, we listened to Whitesnake’s modern cover of ‘Mistreated’. This track is from The Purple Album, where David Coverdale revisits songs he wrote or co-wrote during his time in Deep Purple. Like the Michael Schenker Group’s 2024 release, My Years in UFO, it’s an updated take on classic tracks. The album features Red Beach and Joel Hoekstra on guitar, and it sounds really powerful..

Mistreated’ is a song that has been recorded many times by artists associated with various bands who have performed it live. Notable mentions include Rainbow, with Ronnie James Dio on vocals; Dio as a solo artist; and Glenn Hughes, who played it with the Kings of Chaos at Sun City

Next up is an incredible song written by Kurt Sutter, the screen writer for Sons of Anarchy. This track, played in the final scene, serves as an emotional and symbolic conclusion to one of the greatest TV series ever created. Titled ‘Come Join the Murder’ it is performed by White Buffalo & The Forest Rangers. Bob Thiele Jr, the Musical Director for Sons of Anarchy, and leader of The Forest Rangers, composed the music, while show creator Kurt Sutter penned the lyrics. This is a goosebumps-all-the-way song, even for those who haven’t watched the series. Also of interest to me was that Dave Kushner of Velvet Revolver is a member of the Forest Rangers.

Iron Maiden makes a return to the Immortals feature, this time with the opening track off the Somewhere in Time album, ‘Caught Somewhere in Time’. Written by bassist Steve Harris, this track sets the tone for an album that was unusual for Iron maiden. Guitarist Adrian Smith wrote nearly half the songs, while vocalist Bruce Dickenson contributed none. Following the grueling World Slavery Tour, Dickinson was reportedly burnt out, and the tracks he offered were rejected by the band. Adrian Smith, on the other hand, was in a purple patch, contributing significantly to Somewhere in Time and it’s follow-up Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. However, the band’s return to their traditional writing style on No Prayer For the Dying caused Smith to leave Iron Maiden for almost ten years.

Before moving on I must highlight another version of this song by the South African band, Pebbleman. Formed by Cape Town guitar maestro Richard Pryor, the band features Jesse Jordan on vocals. I my opinion Richard’s version is the best, but don’t take my word for it – check out the clip and judge for yourself.

BEST ALBUMS OF 2024

As is traditional on The Story of Rock and Roll Radio Show, the final episode of the year serves as a summary of best albums released during that year. 2024 wasn’t the strongest year we’ve had, but it started off with the bang. We were treated to two fantastic albums from Judas Priest and Saxon: Invincible Shield and Hell, Fire and Damnation, respectively. However, the momentum tapered off midway through the year.

Things picked up again towards the end, with notable releases from Myles Kennedy, Storace, Marilyn Manson, Dave Gilmour, Michael Schenker Group and Opeth.

The year also saw some excellent blues albums. Dan Patlansky’s Moving On was voted the third best blues album of the year by Blues Rock Review, beating out heavyweights like Quinn Sullivan, Beth Hart, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Mike Zito, and Walter Trout. Notably the top album according to the magazine was a collection of blues covers by Slash. Make of that what you will.

Image Courtesy of Blues Rock Review Magazine

Locally we also had Born & Raised by Kenny Hughes, while Philip Sayce impressed with The Wolves Are Coming.

In heavier music, there were some standout releases. South Africa’s The Fallen Prophets delivered a brilliant EP, Primordial Instinct, while Exhorder’s Defectum Omnium and Dark Tranquillty’s Endtime Signals – my third ranked album of the year – were excellent additions

Green Day’s Saviours was another highlight, and fans are already anticipating their visit to South Africa in January 2025.

Opeth also crept in with a cracker of an album, The Last Will and Testament.

Other noteworthy albums came from Kerry King, Texas Hippie Coalition and exciting new-ish British bands – Doomsday Outlaw, Massive Wagons and Sons of Liberty.

Coming in at number 6 on my top albums of 2024 was Accept’s Humanoid.

At number five was Marilyn Manson’s One Assassination Under God – Chapter 1, marking a fantastic return to form.

In fourth place was David Gilmour’s wonderful Luck & Strange, which grew on with each listen.

Michael Schenker Group’s – My years with UFO claimed the second spot – a must listen for both UFO and Schenker fans.

There was never any doubt about the number one album. From the moment it was released early in the year, Invincible Shield by Judas Priest stood out. This amazing album is a stunning effort. Richie Faulkner, who in my opinion saved Judas Priest, delivered an outstanding collaboration with Rob Halford, who, at 73, still sounds incredible.

Glenn Tipton was reportedly fully involved, and, together with Scott Travis and founding member Ian Hill, they created an album with no weak tracks. Invincible Shield ranks amongst Judas Priest’s very best.

NEW RELEASES & NEW DISCOVERIES & SAD GOODBYES

The only notable release in this final month was the aforementioned Marilyn Manson album, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1. It’s an excellent record, harking back to the style of his Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals and Holy Wood days. I must admit I wasn’t particularly interested in the last five albums. From Born Villian in 2012 through to 2020’s We Are Chaos, they all felt similar – low energy and a bit dreary. However, this new album marks a clear return to form. Reba Meyers of Code Orange has taken over guitar duties, replacing Paul Wiley and, before him, Tyler Bates, and perhaps that’s what’s making the difference. If you’re a fan of the Double M and had more or less given up on his recent work, now is the time to revisit.

CHEERS @#$%’s

The shows discussed in this month’s newsletter can be heard as podcasts S7E49 – S7E52. Feel free to drop me a message on The Story of Rock and Roll Facebook page or via email at thestoryofrockandroll1@gmail.com. If you want to be added to TSORR Central WhatsApp Group, send me your number on this email address and I will send you an invite link.

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