Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Mark Reale: June 7, 1955 – January 25, 2012

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Mark Reale will be best known to all as the guitarist and founding member of hard rock band Riot.  On January 25th, the much-loved musician died following complications with Crohn’s Disease. He was 57 years old.

At the beginning of January, Reale was hospitalised; reports suggested he had suffered a Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and was in a coma.  At the time Reale was taken ill, Riot were touring to promote their 2011 release ‘Immortal Soul’, released only two months previously.

A band seemingly dogged by bad luck, Reale is the third key figure in Riot’s history to pass away prematurely:  the band’s first vocalist, Guy Speranza lost his life to pancreatic cancer at age 46, while second vocalist Rhett Forrester was shot and killed during a carjacking in 1994.  The perpetrators have never been caught.

Riot formed in 1975 and released their first album ‘Rock City’ in 1977, followed by ‘Narita’ two years later.  While these albums were instrumental in creating and tightening Riot’s sound, for many fans, 1981’s ‘Fire Down Under’ acted as the band’s breakthrough.  In 1982, following the departure of vocalist Guy Speranza, Riot acheived greater attention with ‘Restless Breed’ – the band’s first album to feature vocalist Rhett Forrester.

After the first Riot break-up in the mid-80’s, Reale formed a new band named Narita which failed to get off the ground.  He revived Riot in  1988, who subsequently released ‘Thundersteel’ – the first release with vocalist Tony Moore.  As a sideline, Reale also teamed up with ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell in the late 90s to form the hard rock powerhouse Westworld.  With Westworld, Reale never achieved any huge commercial success, but critically, the hard rock press were often more than enthusiastic with regards to the band.

Meanwhile, shifting line-ups in Riot never deterred Reale, who continued to record with the band throughout the 90s and beyond.  The arrival of 2011’s ‘Immortal Soul’ had been particularly anticipated by the band’s fans, since not only was it Riot’s first studio record in five years, but it also marked the return of vocalist Tony Moore.

On Wednesday January 18th, just a week prior to his passing, Riot performed their first gig without Mark Reale.

He will be sadly missed by many fans of classic rock and melodic metal the world over.

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY: Pro-shot footage of entire gig at Hovefestivalen, Norway 2008

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Sepultura’s 1990 release ‘Arise’ really put the band on the metal map. Both that album and it’s follow up – 1993’s ‘Chaos AD’ really tightened the band’s brand of thrash and bought them a vastly expanded fan base. By the time of 1996’s ‘Roots’, the influnce of Brazilian music played a bigger role in the band’s sound, something frontman Max Cavalera explored further with his band Soulfly following his split from Sepultura at the end of that year.

Whilst Sepultura continued to release solid albums and Soulfly were also incredibly strong, there were always fans who hoped for more music in the more traditional thrash vein of ‘Arise’. In 2007, they got their wish, as Max Cavalera teamed up with his brother Igor – also ex-Sepultura – to form Cavalera Conspiracy, a band which celebrated a more straight ahead thrasy metal sound than either of the Cavalera brothers had played for years.

The band’s debut ‘Inflikted’ was a solid effort, but it was 2011’s ‘Blunt Force Trauma’ which really hit the mark. In terms of riffs, attitude and pacing, it was one of the year’s best no-nonsense metal releases. ‘BFT’ could almost be the follow up to Sepultura’s ‘Chaos Ad’ that never was.

To make the album even more essential for fans, it was issued with a bonus 80 minute DVD, capturing the band’s complete performance at the 2008 Eurockeenes Festival in France. Also that same year, they played an hour’s set at Hovefestivalen in Norway. Filmed for a live webcast, that performance – not available on DVD – can be seen below.

Bob Weston: 1 November 1947 – 3 January 2012

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Ex Fleetwood Mac guitarist Bob Weston passed away on Tuesday January 3rd after suffering an internal gastric haemorrhage and cirrhosis of the liver.

Weston played with Fleetwood Mac as second guitarist in 1972, appearing on their ‘Penguin’ and ‘Mystery To Me’ albums, both of which were released in the US in 1973. His work with the band is often overlooked, since neither of the albums on which Weston appeared received a UK release at the time, appearing only as reissues after the band’s big 1975 comeback with Lindsey Buckhingham and Stevie Nicks.

As two of the best albums released during Mac’s “wilderness” period, Weston’s contribution to the band should not be overlooked, especially since he contributed both great playing and occasional writing. This is especially true of ‘Penguin’ which stands among the band’s best releases.

Weston’s tenure within Fleetwood Mac was relatively short. During a tour for ‘Mystery To Me’, it emerged that he was having an affair with Mick Fleetwood’s wife, Jenny.

Although it is for his work with Fleetwood Mac Weston is best remembered, he went on to record with Steve Marriott’s All Star Band, before making three solo records of his own – the last of which, ‘There’s a Heaven’, was released as a private pressing in 1999.

GUNS N’ ROSES: Pro-shot footage of entire 3 hour LA gig, December 2011

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‘Chinese Democracy’ was a long time coming. It was never going to live up to the fifteen year saga which led to its release, but truth told, it was a much better album than most ever thought it could be. No, it wasn’t “classic” Guns N’ Roses (for the want of a phrase), but it contained some great, rockin’ tunes. The presence of the mighty Buckethead on some tracks was always likely to give things a sense of urgency if nothing else.

Over the following couple of years, Axl Rose and his revolving pick up band played various live shows – sometimes absolutely killing it, sometimes not, sometimes turning up late, sometimes upsetting South American fans. Wherever they go, there’s often a small amount of rock star drama.

Just before Christmas 2011, the band played a mammoth three hour set at The Forum, Inglewood, which was simultanously broadcast on ye olde internet. Despite some vocal problems, the setlist was solid enough: a selection of ‘Chinese Democracy’ tracks, a bunch of classic numbers, a world of lengthy solo spots and jams. There’s even time for one of ex-Replacements man Tommy Stinson‘s solo numbers!

For those with more spare time than they know what to do with, the entire performance can be seen below. While it’s great that G N’R have spent a huge chunk of 2011’s second half on the road, it’s a shame it came at the expense of Soul Asylum’s planned trip to the UK (their first for sixteen years…)

FAITH NO MORE: Pro-shot footage of complete SWU Festival headline slot

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After touring their 1997 release, the optimistically titled ‘Album of the Year’, Faith No More disbanded. Following the break-up, frontman Mike Patton went into recording overdrive, releasing various avant-garde records, not only under his own name but with metal band Fantomas, funk/alternative oddballs Mr Bungle and a whole bunch more besides.

As great as some of these projects were – always interesting, if not always entirely enjoyable – fans still held his work with Faith No More in very high regard.

In 2009, Faith No More reformed and played some festival shows. Over the following two years, the momentum grew and the band made even more appearances, though after two years of sporadic touring, appearances in the UK were somewhat under-represented.

In November 2011, Faith No More played four shows in South America, culminating in two festival headline slots. The first, at Maquinara in Chile proved to be a wholly unique experience as the band played the whole of ‘King For a Day…Fool For a Lifetime’. The following night, their slot at the SWU Festival, Brazil was professionally filmed and can be enjoyed below. The set-list may be more varied than Maquinara, but still contains it’s share of classic moments.

Perhaps most importantly, it still included what most fans are calling “mystery song” which appeared at the start of the encore. Could there be long-awaited new material on the way?