Tag: Tora Tora
1 Tora Tora releases EXTREMELY LIMITED EDITION Pack to die hard fans in honor of its 25th Anniversary
Tora Tora is releasing an extremely limited and rare “Super Fan Package” in honor of its 25 th Anniversary together as a band. The band has decided to offer
up only 100 total packages ever making it one of the most limited “Hard Rock” fan packages on the market. The Tora Tora 25 th Anniversary fan package
will include the following items: (1) Tora Tora – To Rock To Roll CD (true to the original indie cassette that was released 25 years ago in a limited run of
500 cassettes) (2) Tora Tora Limited Edition 25th Anniversary T-shirt (exclusive to this package) (3) Tora Tora Limited Edition 25th Anniversary Bandana
(exclusive to this package) (4) Tora Tora embroidered ball cap (5) three Tora Tora Limited Edition 25 th Anniversary guitar pics. Additionally, each of the
lucky 100 fans to buy this “Super Fan Package” will also be entered into a contest to win an autographed guitar signed by the entire band (see below).
Just over 25 years ago, hard-working, blue collar hard rock band Tora Tora were on a high after winning a ‘Battle of the Bands’ contest giving them the
opportunity to record and release their very own independent album. The end result was an album entitled To Rock To Roll. While the look of the indie
cassette was very amateurish, the music was undeniably representative of a band that had what it would take to run with the ‘Big Dogs’…and the major labels
did come calling. This led to the band being signed by A&M Records and the release of a very-well respected album entitled Surprise Attack, which in turn led
to MTV Music videos, tons of radio airplay, and national tours. The band received praise from the fans and press alike allowing them to come off the road and
head right back into the studio to record their sophomore effort, Wild America, which led to even more music videos and touring. It was 1993, and Tora Tora
was a band with momentum set forth to start recordings for what would be a third effort entitled Revolution Day. However, unbeknownst to most hard rock
enthusiasts, a new scene (“Grunge”) was brewing and the bottom of the hard rock world fell out from underneath countless bands of the same ilk. Revolution
Day would never see the light of day until almost two decades later when FnA Records (www.fnarecords.net) teamed up with Tora Tora to release a handful of
never-before-heard Tora Tora recordings.
This “Super Fan Pack” harkens back to the album that got the whole thing started. Tora Tora has graciously allowed for 100, and 100 only, exact replicas of
the To Rock To Roll album to be produced, and have vowed that they will never remanufacture To Rock To Roll again. The artwork is true in every way to that
of the indie cassette release which featured original versions of the songs “Phantom Rider” and “Love’s A Bitch”. This limited edition CD also contains three
other tracks from the To Rock To Roll album: “Wasted Love”, “To Rock To Roll”, and “Time On the Edge”. Each of the hundred CD’s are autographed by
all of the original members (Anthony Corder, Keith Douglas, Patrick Francis, and John Patterson) and individually numbered through an imprinted hologram
security sticker that guarantees its authenticity. All the other items are available only as part of this package and are not being sold individually.
Although this package is extremely limited and will sell out quickly, fear not as the music from To Rock To Roll is also available on the 2010 FnA Records
release Before & After. Also included on Before & After is an original recording of the popular hit “Walkin’ Shoes” and four demos written for the Revolution
Day sessions. If you haven’t had the opportunity, be sure to pick up the other Tora Tora releases on FnA Records. In addition to Before & After, is the album
Bombs Away (which features 11 tracks written during the Surprise Attack sessions) and Miss B’ Havin’ (which features 13 tracks written during the Wild
America sessions), and the heavily sought after third recording Revolution Day featuring memorable tracks like “Mississippi Voodoo Child”, “Candle and the
Stone”, “Rescue Me”, and a handful of other true-to-form Tora Tora classic sounding album tracks.
Tora Tora is truly one of those bands that has stood the test of time. They have managed to do what most of their fellow bands have not been able to do,
and that is keep all the original members together (and on friendly terms) for over two-and-a-half decades. The band still gets out and does the occasional
live performance; infact this year – the band is looking at playing a few gigs in the U.S. and in Canada. Make sure to stay tuned for what this band has on the
horizon.
25th Anniversarry FAN PACK INCLUDES:
ITEM 1: MEGA-RARE LIMITED EDITION TORA TORA TO ROCK TO ROLL CD (This album was never released on CD and only was available on cassette). The band has allowed for only 100 copies of this rare indie album to be manufactured and has said it will never be released again. Each CD is hand-signed by all 4 members of the band and is individually numbered with a security hologram sticker
ITEM 2: Limited Edition 25th Anniversary T-shirt with new design only available in this package (only 100 shirts are available and sizes are limited – first come, first serve)
ITEM 3: Limited Edition Tora Tora full color bandana with new anniversary logo
ITEM 4: Embroidered Tora Tora ball cap
ITEM 5: Three (3) different colored Limited Edition 25th Anniversary double-sided guitar pics
BONUS: 1 entry ballot into the prize bucket for the opportunity to win a fully autographed acoustic guitar signed by all the members of TORA TORA.
This is a beautiful black acoustic guitar signed boldly in gold paint marker). One winner from the 100 people who purchased this package will walk away with this guitar. Guitar is for collectible purposes only and meant to be displayed. Winner is responsible for S&H charges of guitar to their destination and will only be shipped within the United States. No coupons or gift certificates will be allowed towards the purchase of this anniversary package.
Please visit FNA Records for more info!
FnA Records is the home to many of the 80’s favorite hard rock bands like: Tora Tora, Dirty Looks, Roxx Gang, Rock City Angels, Gypsy Rose, D’molls, The
Godz, Wanted, Alleycat Scratch, Witch, Ruthless, Kidd Blue, St. Warren, Scarlet and many others.
9 Rob Rockitt’s Top 20 Best Hard Rock & Metal CD’s of 2011
Every year putting together a top 10 list becomes harder and harder. There were so many outstanding releases in 2011, there were far too many to do a top 10 list. Below are my top 20 Hard Rock & Metal Releases of 2011. Agree or disagree? Let us know what you think!
20. The Poodles – Performocracy
Can anyone take a band seriously with the name, The Poodles? Maybe, not, but the band’s latest album Performocracy
is cram packed with excellent hard & melodic rock tunes that you should take notice of.
19. Five Finger Death Punch – American Capitalist
Five Finger Death Punch may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this heavy metal band has been putting out some of the best
new music from a newer metal band. Their third effort American Capitalist does not disappoint in the least.
18. Anvil – Juggernaut of Justice
Anvil’s Juggernaut of Justice came as somewhat of a surprise to me. I never expect to enjoy an Anvil CD so much, and JOJ is easily
one of Anvil’s best releases yet.
17. Chickenfoot – III
Sammy Hagar & company turned in another outstanding CD with their sophomore effort III. This CD is much better than the band’s debut.
16. Alex Beyrodt’s Voodoo Circle – Broken Heart Syndrome
Sinner/Primal Fear/Voodoo Circle guitarist Alex Beyrodt has released a killer CD with classic influences that include
Whitesnake & Rainbow. Every hard rock fan needs to give Broken Heart Syndrome a listen.
15. King Kobra – S/T
For King Kobra to come in at position 15 tells you just how good the music is in front of it. King Kobra’s reunion
effort, with Paul Shortino on vocals, is easily one of the best in King Kobra’s catalog.
14. Emphatic – Damage
I am not a huge modern rock fan, but every year there are some outstanding releases that deserve attention. Emphatic
simply outdid their Peers (Nickelback, Theory of a Deadman, Pop Evil) with their debut effort Damage.
13. Tora Tora – Revolution Day
It seems like every year a long-lost CD that was buried due to record company politics, finally gets a proper release.
Tora Tora’s third CD Revolution Day was released by FNA Records, and carries on the excellent bluesy hard rock
that Tora Tora is known for.
12. Coldspell – Out From the Cold
Coldspell has already released two outstanding CD’s with Infinite Stargaze & Out From The Cold. I can’t wait to hear
the next set of tunes from Coldspell. Out From The Cold should not be missed.
11. Havok – Time is Up
Havok is one of the new bands leading the Retro-Thrash Metal movement. Time is Up is their second effort and easily their
best. If you are a thrash metal fan, you need to seek out Time is Up now!
10. Michael Monroe – Sensory Overdrive
I have been a Michael Monroe fan forever but I never expected one of his solo CD’s to be THIS good. Sensory Overdrive is easily
the best Michael Monroe CD since 1989’s Not Fakin It.
09. Warrant – Rockaholic
Warrant’s Rockaholic is easily my favorite Warrant CD since the band’s 1992 effort, Dog Eat Dog. The late Jani Lane will always
be missed, but Robert Mason is an outstanding singer, and he may be the best vocalist Warrant has ever had. Rockaholic will
make people take notice of Warrant again.
08. Sixx A.M. – This is Gonna Hurt
With the recent news from the Motley Crue camp as of late, it sounds like a farewell tour may be coming from the band soon. If this
is truly the case, Nikki Sixx can carry on his band Sixx A.M. This is Gonna Hurt took a while to grow on me, but it has become a favorite of mine
over the last few months.
07. Black Country Communion – 2
Out of all of the supergroups, Black Country Communion outdid them all with their second effort 2. 60-year-old Glenn Hughes could (and probably
should) give a clinic to young rockers, on how to rock. He is still getting it done.
06. Anthrax – Worship Music
You would think that Joey Belladonna returning to Antrax would be create a major amount of excitement, and it has. Belladonna’s vocals are
not the high point of Worship Music. This is easily Anthrax’s best CD from a musical standpoint, and the best thrash metal CD of 2011.
05. Whitesnake – Forevermore
If Doug Aldrich & Reb Beach keep helping David Coverdale put out CD’s like Good To Be Band and Forevermore, folks may forget about the
band’s monster hits from the 80’s. Forevermore is another outstanding effort from the Whitesnake camp.
04. Mr. Big – What If…
Mr. Big’s reunion CD What If is the band’s best CD since 1993’s Bump Ahead. You SHOULD NOT miss What If…!
03. Alice Cooper – Welcome 2 My Nightmare
Alice Cooper’s reunion with producer Bob Ezrin was a very good one. Welcome 2 My Nightmare is an outstanding sequel that should not be missed.
02. Vain – Enough Rope
I can not say enough good things about Vain’s latest CD, Enough Rope.If you liked Vain’s debut, No Regrets, you need to seek out the band’s latest
effort Enough Rope. It is quality all the way through, and easily to my ears one of 2011’s best.
01. Electric Boys – And Them Boys Done Swang
I never would have thought The Electric Boys could have outdone their debut, but with And Them Boys Done Swang, they have done just that.
Sure, some of the lyrics are somewhat cheesy, but the band has every bit of the Funk that was found in their debut.
The Japanese edition has some excellent bonus tracks which pushes this one over the top.
Honorable Mentions:
Rival Sons – Pressure & Time
Black Stone Cherry – Between the Devil & The Deep Blue Sea
Megadeth – Th1rt3en
Badmouth – Heavy Metal Parking Lot
Motorhead – The World is Yours
Riot – Immortal Soul
House of Lords – Big Money
The Answer – Revival
Pop Evil – War of Angels
Beggars & Thieves – We Are The Broken Hearted
George Lynch – Kill All Control
Michael Schenker – Temple of Rock
Want more Top 10 lists? You can find them at the following websites:
All Metal Resource — http://allmetalresource.com/
Bring Back Glam — http://bringbackglam.squarespace.com/
The Crash Pad of Ray Van Horn, Jr. – http://www.rayvanhornjr2.blogspot.com/
Hair Metal Mansion — http://hairbangersradio.ning.com/
Hard Rock Nights — http://hardrocknights.com
Heavy Metal Addiction — http://heavymetaladdiction.com/
Heavy Metal Time Machine — http://metalmark.blogspot.com/
Imagine Echoes — http://www.imagineechoes.com/
Layla’s Classic Rock — http://laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/
Metal Excess — http://metalexcess.com/
Metal Odyssey — http://metalodyssey.wordpress.com/
The Ripple Effect — http://www.ripplemusic.blogspot.com/
0 Tora Tora and Every Mother’s Nightmare to Open For Whitesnake on 5/24
Do you live near Southhaven, Mississippi? Tennessee rockers Tora Tora and Every Mother’s Nightmare will be opening for Whitesnake at the Snowden Grove Amphitheater in Southhaven, Mississippi on Tuesday, May 24th! This will be one awesome night of rock!!!
6 Tora Tora – Revolution Day (2011)
Thank You, Tora Tora, Thank You!!! I have been waiting a long time for the follow-up effort to Tora Tora’s sophomore effort, Wild America from 1992. I had no idea it would take nearly two decades to have a copy of Tora Tora’s Revolution Day in my hands! Tora Tora has finally made their third CD, Revolution Day available for purchase through FNA Records.
You can call it the introduction of grunge to the music scene, or label restructuring, but what ever reason fits, Revolution Day never received a proper release after it was recorded back in 1994. It is a crying shame, as music this good should not have been under wraps for so long.
Revolution Day sees that excellent Tora Tora sound well in tact, but it also shows signs of growth in the band’s sound. The guitar work of Keith Douglas really shines on this CD. There are moments on this CD where his playing brings Jimmy Page to mind. The additions of horns into the music, really punches the songs up. Anthony Corder’s unique vocals have never sounded better.
From the opening Led Zeppelin like intro of the title track, “Revolution Day”, you almost know right out of the gate that you are about to hear something special, and it only gets better. “Revolution Day” should have been a blazing hot tune on the radio back in ’94, and a few smart DJ’s out there will likely play this now!
“Mississippi Voodoo Child” is so incredibly catchy, it will have you singing along after the first listen.
Some of my other favorites on Revolution Day include the tracks “Blues Come Home To You”, and “Little Texas”. There truly isn’t a bad song in the bunch, and this CD gets better with every listen.
If you have one of those shoddy bootleg copies of Revolution Day that has been circulating across the net for years, you really owe it to yourself to hear the songs of Revolution Day recorded in all of their glory. This is way the CD was meant to be heard!
If you were a fan of Surprise Attack, or Wild America, you are going to love this. I highly recommend picking this up. Kudos to FNA Records for releasing one of the best hard rock records of 2011!
You can purchase Tora Tora’s Revolution Day through FNA Records at this link!
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
01. Revolution Day
02. Mississippi Voodoo Child
03. Candle And The Stone
04. Blues Come Home To You
05. Time And The Tide
06. Shelter From The Rain
07. Living A World Away
08. Rescue Me
09. Little Texas
10. Memphis Soul
11. Me And You
12. Out Of The Storm
Tora Tora is:
Anthony Corder – Vocals
Keith Douglas – Guitar
Patrick Francis – Bass
John Patterson – Drums
0 Tora Tora’s Revolution Day Finally Get A Release Date!
FnA Records is releasing a not-so-new album from TORA TORA. In fact, inferior copies have been floating around the internet for years to the dismay of the band. Guitarist Keith Douglas comments: “The files found and shared on the net are a poor copy from cassette to CD that are actually too fast. This release will be the closest thing ever to the original recording. Revolution Day Is Here!”
Revolution Day is material that was being worked on by Tora Tora for the follow-up to Wild America when the band found themselves in the midst of a new genre called Grunge. Fans of the hard rock genre would be disappointed as they saw their favorite bands dropped from their labels. What was a successful band like Tora Tora to do?
Anthony Corder recollecting the Revolution Day sessions:
“The Revolution Day project was an interesting time for Tora Tora. It was the ’93-’94 era, we were overlapping the last embers of our Wild America dates, rehearsing ideas for the new project, growing from our touring experiences, and experimenting with recording techniques. We relocated our rehearsal space to a warehouse over by the Memphis airport, and tried to stay focused on pre-production. We were pulling together ideas from handheld cassette recorders, scribbled napkins, and 8 track recordings we made on the bus or hotel rooms. I think we were more comfortable with our creative spirits, more confident in our ideas and our approach to songwriting. All of us contributed on the former projects, but everyone was struggling for the third project to keep the Tora identity, and go somewhere new at the same time. We definitely had moments of anxiety and frustration but it was all well worth it once we locked down the tunes. We were joined by The Memphis Horns as well as Susan Marshall and Stacy Plunk, adding back-up vocals on two tracks. The Revolution sessions were some of our most memorable escapades, and had us back at home in Ardent, hanging with Molly’s LaCasita crew, and me personally closing down most Midtown establishments.”
So what can the fans expect on Revolution Day? Fans of Tora Tora who fell in love with the bluesy feel of ‘Walkin’ Shoes’ and ‘Phantom Rider’ can expect more of the same (just with an updated feel) on tracks like ‘Mississippi Voodoo Child’, ‘Candle And The Stone’, ‘Shelter From The Rain’, ‘Me And You’, and ‘Rescue Me’. There are also your hard rockers on this album like ‘Living A World Away’, ‘Out Of The Storm’ and ‘Little Texas’.
Revolution Day shows a huge growth over Wild America as the band became more comfortable in the studio. On top of that, Anthony Corder’s voice is at a top-notch level. The fans will not be disappointed.
FnA Records has been the home for the last three Tora Tora albums, Bombs Away, Miss B. Havin’, and Before & After.
To pick up your copy, visit the website at www.fnarecords.net.
0 Three New Tora Tora CD’s Available!
Tora Tora has just released three new cd’s on FnA Records. They feature demos and previously unreleased tracks from Surprise Attack, Wild America, and other various demos.
If you buy all 3 cd’s at once, you save money!
There’s also a limited edition autographed CD and collector’s item on sale—Only 100 available!
Go to www.fnarecords.net to purchase your cd’s!
Check out the Tora Tora video, “Walkin’ Shoes” below.
3 Tora Tora – Surprise Attack (Release Year – 1989)
Call Tora Tora hair metal or southern rock or whatever title you think fits them. One thing is for sure, their debut album “Surprise Attack” is one kick ass record. No matter what genre or label you slap on them, chances are you will love them.
I had the luxury of seeing these guys in their prime, shortly after their record hit the stores, and my god did they kick ass. I have always had a soft spot for “Surprise Attack” since I have seen the band play live in support of this record. It was great when it was released, and it still stands up well today.
The best songs on “Surprise Attack” are “Walkin’ Shoes”, “Guilty”, “Phantom Rider” and “Love’s A Bitch”. There really isn’t a bad song on this disc.
Anthony Corder’s high range vocals may be an acquired taste for some, but I like his style. His voice is somewhat unique, and the band backing him up flat out rocks. These Memphis hard rockers may not be the most well known act from the late 80’s, but they are definitely worth checking out.
Surprise Attack has been out of print for years, and it is a real shame. You can sometimes find this disc at Amazon.com and Ebay. Grab it if you can find it, and check out how good this tragically under rated band was. For more information on Tora Tora, check them out on myspace at this link, or at facebook here.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Love’s a Bitch
2. 28 Days
3. Hard Times
4. Guilty
5. Phantom Rider
6. Walkin’ Shoes
7. Riverside Drive
8. She’s Good She’s Bad
9. One for the Road
10. Being There
Tora Tora is:
Anthony Corder – vocals
Patrick Francis – bass
Keith Douglas – guitar
John Patterson – drums
0 Video – Tora Tora – Phantom Rider (Live)
Tora Tora has posted a new music video for “Phantom Rider”. This video was created by Mark Davey. All clips are from the March 7, 2009 Tora Tora reunion show at the New Daisy.
1 Tora Tora Reunion Show Videos
Tora Tora played a pre-Rocklahoma reunion show at Newby’s in Memphis, Tennessee June 28th.
Check out the the band performing the songs Phantom Rider, and Love’s A Bitch.
18 My Take on Rocklahoma 2008!
Is Rocklahoma 2008 a big music nostalgia fest? Absolutely! Would I want to attend? Yes, without question.
Many of the bands in this 4 day music extravaganza haven’t released any new tunes in years. Would I still want to see them perform? No question about it.
Here is the Thursday Lineup:
LA Guns featuring Tracii Guns
Enuff Z’Nuff
Vain
House of Lords
Jet Boy
Bret Michaels (headliner)
Enuff Z’Nuff
Vain
House of Lords
Jet Boy
Bret Michaels (headliner)
Looking at the list of acts above, this lineup may not excite a lot of people, but I would still like to see it. I love Tracii Guns, but I make no bones about it, that I prefer the Phil Lewis version of this band. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see their set.
Chip Z’Nuff mentioned in the Rocklahoma that a new Enuff Z’nuff album is on the way with Jake E. Lee on guitar. I am not sure if Jake E. Lee will be with them at Rocklahoma, but if so, this is a show not to be missed.
I haven’t ever seen Vain live, but I have heard a lot of good things about them. I would be happy to check them out.
House of Lords is still putting out new music, and has a new CD that will hit stores in a couple of weeks. Their last album, World Upside Down was quite good. James Christian is a very good singer, and the band features the talent of axe slinger Jimi Bell. Count me in!
I had the pleasure of seeing Jetboy live in Columbus (See this article for the concert review with videos). The band was excellent alive. I wouldn’t miss this their set for anything.
Tracii Guns mentioned in the Rocklahoma press conference that he hated opening for these guys, as they used to blow him off the stage. Jetboy was originally signed to MCA, and as with most acts on that label, never got the proper support they deserved. They are going to open up a lot of eyes at Rocklahoma.
Bret Michaels mentioned at the press conference that this will be a big show with pyro etc when he closes out on Thursday night. It sounds as if he wants to make this every bit of fun as a Poison show. He also mentioned that a special area will be set up where you can meet him in person, get an autograph, and a picture, and talk music with him. With Rock of Love being the #1 show on cable televison, there will be a lot of people waiting in line to meet Bret, without question. I don’t know much of his solo music, so I can’t say if his solo set is something I would want to check out. I will likely check out his solo disc that is supposed to hit in June.
Strangely enough, most of the bands on the Friday schedule, I have not seen live. For them to all be on the same bill together is quite cool. I wouldn’t want to miss one band on the Friday night line up.
Friday:
XYZ
Armored Saint
Kingdom Come
Night Ranger
TBA
Triumph
Extreme
XYZ
Armored Saint
Kingdom Come
Night Ranger
TBA
Triumph
Extreme
XYZ was quite similar to Dokken. Terry Ilous said that this will be the first time the band has played together is several years. It should be an interesting set, and it will good to hear some of their tunes again.
Armored Saint is easily the heaviest band on the main stage for the entire 4 day event, and is a no miss act, in my opinion. Their CD, Symbol of Salvation, is still one of my favorites.
Kingdom Come always took a lot of crap for being a Led Zeppelin clone when they first came out. Nonetheless I like their first two CD’s, but I haven’t cared for their more recent material. I am not sure what the lineup will be for this show. I am guessing it will be Lenny Wolf and a bunch of hired hands. I will have to see what I can find out on this one. I have low expectations for this part of the show.
There are plenty of Night Ranger songs that I have enjoyed over the years. They put out a new CD in 2007, which I still haven’t checked out yet. Jack Blades, Brad Gillis and Kelly Keagy are a very talented group. I wouldn’t dare miss this set.
Triumph and Extreme are co-headlining Friday night. This is one of the few appearances that Triumph is making
in 2008. Rik Emmett always puts on a good show. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.
Extreme is back together again with Gary Cherone, Nuno Bettencourt, and Pat Badger. They are working on new
material for a 2008 release. I would be happy to see Nuno play live, in any capacity. I am glad to see him return to the band that made him famous.
There is also one band that has not been announced for Friday. I am not sure who this will be, but the lineup is already a solid one.
The Saturday Lineup has a lot of question marks for me, but could turn out to be a solid day of rock.
Saturday:
Pretty Boy Floyd
Every Mothers Nightmare
Tora Tora
Black N Blue
Trixter
Kix
Warrant featuring Jani Lane
Cinderella
Pretty Boy Floyd
Every Mothers Nightmare
Tora Tora
Black N Blue
Trixter
Kix
Warrant featuring Jani Lane
Cinderella
My understanding is that Pretty Boy Floyd has completely reunited. This isn’t the watered down version of the band that Steve Summers has been on the road with. If so, then this would be kind of cool to see.
Every Mother’s Nightmare is a complete wild card. The singer, Rick Ruhl, and drummer Jim Phipps are the only remaining members. I like their bluesy Memphis rock, and would like to check them out.
Tora Tora on the other hand is a complete band reunion. I love their two CD’s Surprise Attack, and Wild America.
I have seen them live but it has easily been 18 years ago. They were great then, so I would imagine a solid show by this group. Hopefully their unreleased CD will see the light of day after this.
I never had the opportunity to see Black N’ Blue live, but I have all of their CD’s and would certainly want to check them out. Jamie St. James was pretty good on the last Warrant CD. I don’t know what the lineup will be for this show, but I doubt that Tommy Thayer will be part of it. Gene Simmons owns him now.
I have to admit that I have never been a Trixter fan. I always looked at this band as the New Kids on the Block
with guitars. I thought their music was a little thin back in the day, and seeing them live won’t change my opinion.
I have always liked Kix, and I have seen them live a few times. I have also seen Steve Whiteman’s other band,
Funny Money (which sounds exactly like Kix). It would be cool to hear some Kix tunes live again.
I saw Jani Lane solo in 2007, and he sounded great. I am happy that Warrant is back together again in a full reunion. I have seen them live a few times, and they always put on a good show.
Cinderella is also a band that has always put on an excellent show, each and every time I have seen them. Tom Keifer’s voice is the only thing that is a question mark about this show. The band has been off for a couple of years so I am hopeful that Tom’s voice is back to full strength.
The Sunday lineup is interesting, especially with two times slots still opened. One of these slots is heavily rumored to be Motley Crue. I am not sure of the other one, but wouldn’t be shocked to see Danger Danger get the other slot.
Sunday:
Axe
Beautiful Creatures
Zebra
Lynch Mob
TBA
Tesla
TBA
Axe
Beautiful Creatures
Zebra
Lynch Mob
TBA
Tesla
TBA
I doubt a lot of people are going to know Axe. I know the band, but I wouldn’t go out of my to see them play live. I like their tune Rock and Roll Party In the Streets, but that is about it.
Beautiful Creatures have released a couple of CD’s in this decade which is more than a lot of the bands in this music festival can say. Seeing them on the roster has me getting out my CD’s by them again. I would certainly want to check them out.
Zebra is a darkhorse in this lineup. I haven’t seen them live, but I am quite familiar with their music. This could be a good show.
Lynch Mob now features Oni Logan on vocals, Marco Mendoza on bass, Tommy Aldridge on drums, and of course George Lynch on guitar. I saw half of this band perform with Whitesnake, and would love to see this lineup in action. Tommy Aldridge is an animal on the drums, and George Lynch needs no introductions. I am interested in hearing his new Scorpion Tales album, but this is a Scorpions cover album. This is quite odd, considering that he hasn’t ever been in the band.
Tesla is the must see band on the Sunday bill. I have seen Tesla twice in the last year, and they were excellent both times. They will easily be the best band on the Sunday lineup (amongst those that have been announced so far.)
The side stages at Rocklahoma has a bunch of darkhorses, and bands that may surprise you.
The lineups look like this:
The Retrospect Records stage includes the following bands: Jester, Sidekixx, air-A-Dice, Front Runner, Tommy Had a Vision, Valor, Gypsy Blue, Whitefoxx, Blue Tiger, Wild August, Messang, Paul Shortino, Mariah, Warryor, Bad Candy,
Lorraine, Nasty Nasty, Real Steel, Cuttlass, Vyper, Mass, Bad Candy, Oney, Strikeforce, Herazz, Reckless, Heartless, Ron Keel, Warryor and Alibi.
I am not familar with most of the bands on the Retrospect stage, aside from: Mariah, Mass, Paul Shortino, Ron Keel, Nasty Nasty and Strikeforce. I would certainly like to
check out some of these acts, although none of these were bands were ever considered A-Listers.
The other stage has Texas Hippie Coalition, Karnevil featuring Dario Lorina, Dirty Penny, Crooked X, Gypsy Pistoleros, Sweet FA, Banshee, Gods of Kansas, Lipstick Magazine, Pownd, Shadowside, Mindflow, Warmachine, Asphalt Valentine, and Krucible featuring Lance King.
The interesting thing about Stage 3 is most of these are all up and coming bands.18 year old Dario Lorina is an amazing guitar player. Look him up on you tube and watch this kid play. He is very good. Karnevil is his new band. I don’t know much about them, but with Lorina on the six string, they will be interesting.
Dirty Penny is one of the better new glam bands out there. They aren’t very original, but their new CD is pretty good.
The Gypsy Pistoleros close out Friday Night on stage three, and they are the must see band in Rocklahoma. The Flamenco twist on their upbeat glam tunes is certainly one that I would like to see.
Sweet FA is the late 80’s/early 90’s hard rock band that reunited in 2007. Their new CD, The Lost Tapes is quite good. I have seen this band live, and I know they are pretty good.
Banshee is another must see band on stage three. They are one of the heavier acts on this stage. If you haven’t heard any of their music, I recommend checking them out. They will surprise you for sure.
Gods of Kansas is a newer band that is starting to make some waves. They are currently playing a bunch of live shows all over the U.S.
Pownd is a newer heavy metal band that is located 2.5 hours down the road from me in Richmond, Kentucky.
Their newest CD is highly rated across the web. I will be reviewing this one soon.
Shadowside and Asphalt Valentine are two of Chavis Records newer bands. Shadowside has one cd out, and one
on the way. Asphalt Valentine is a hard rocking band from Atlanta, GA. Their debut will be released within
the next couple of months. (I will also be checking them out locally in two weeks).
I don’t know the other acts on this stage (Crooked X, Lipstick Magazine, Mindflow, Warmachine, and Krucible) but I will be exploring these bands in the months to come.
As a whole….Rocklahoma offers plenty of Nostalgia, but also a slew of NEW bands trying to make it in the music world. The addition of two more stages in 2008 greatly improves this event over the 2007 show.
I can only hope that I will be able to make the trek there for this show. I can’t imagine missing this event!
5 Add Tora Tora to the Rocklahoma 2008 Lineup!
Tora Tora posted the following bulletin today….
Okay, guys, pack your bags, and get your tickets!! It is finally official. Tora Tora IS reuniting and playing their first show in MANY, many years.
Rock Fever Fest a.k.a. Rocklahoma is a 3 day Music Festival full of your favorites from the 80’s, plus some newer rockin’ talent. It’s July 10-13th in Pryor, OK. (Right outside of Tulsa)
Tickets are already flying and selling out fast, so go get yours now!!
Here is the official website for more information. They’re making the official announcement from the Whisky-A-Go-Go in Los Angeles on March 4.
Get ready to rock your ASSES off!! This is what SO many of us have been waiting for! (Hell, I’m married to one of them, and I’VE never even gotten to hear them live!)
So please, go pass the word around. It’s NO LONGER A RUMOR!! Tora Tora IS playing Rocklahoma!
Rock On!!
Rocklahoma–July 10-13, 2008, Pryor, Oklahoma. BE THERE!!!!
