Reviewing the Reviewer: Fraser Marshall talks to Real Gone

There’s an old quote that says “writing about music is like dancing about architecture”. For many, though, writing about music has become an important part of pop culture. From the listening notes on the backs of old jazz albums from the 1950s and the great Rolling Stone essays during rock’s 70s boom, to the punk fanzines and the many essays filling the twenty-first century’s super deluxe box sets, writing about music has taken many forms, which sometimes can enrich a listening experience. A good music review can inspire a new purchase or even make a listener seek out forgotten treasures. Maybe the originator of the “architecture” quote – often believed to be Frank Zappa, but actually traced back to US actor/comedian Martin Mull – didn’t actually want to understand.  Whatever, the importance of music scribes hasn’t escaped music fan Fraser Marshall.

In an age where we now have access to more music than ever and the rise of the internet has meant there are now more budding scribes out there, Fraser hit upon a plan… A plan not only to highlight some of the best independent music websites, but to also sit down with prolific reviewers and find out what makes them tick.

Not all good ideas come to full fruition, as Fraser explains below. For the first time, you can now read the full interview Lee Realgone gave Fraser back in June ’16. Our many thanks to Fraser for not only being interested in what we had to say, but also for allowing us to publish the interview at Real Gone.

Maybe one day Reviewing the Reviewer will become a reality but, in the meantime, it’s over to Fraser…

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HARDLINE – Human Nature

hardline lpBack in the early 90s, the Gioeli Brothers (vocalist Johnny and guitarist Joey) attracted the attention of Journey guitarist Neal Schon. After drafting in Bad English drummer Deen Castronovo and forming Hardline, the band’s debut album ‘Double Eclipse’ was well received by the melodic rock community. It took a full decade until a follow up belatedly appeared and another eight years for the third Hardline album to materialise. You could say that Hardline make Metallica and Guns N’ Roses appear rather prolific. 2016’s ‘Human Nature’ – the band’s fifth studio album – reinstates guitarist Josh Ramos, absent for 2012 offering ‘Danger Zone’. This is something that will undoubtedly please fans, but it does mean that Hardline have featured a different line up on each release. There are some that have long thought that, in this repect, the band are basically Johnny Gioli and whomever he can find at the time of recording – and they’d probably be right – but if Johnny says it’s Hardline, then Hardline it is.

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THREE DIMENSIONAL TANX – Attack

three-dimensional-tanxWith an inventive approach that combines indie rock with psychedelia and a touch of 70s Krautrock, sci-fi obsessed Lancaster band Three Dimensional Tanks fill their fourth album ‘Attack’ with tunes that can be sharp and upbeat, lax and hazy and sometimes mange to be both at once. For lovers of music driven by retro organ work, it’s a recording that needs to be heard, since the energy these guys sum up is really impressive.

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CRUZH – Cruzh

cruzhHaving never scoring a record deal or recording anything of note, Swedish glam rockers TrashQueen called it a day in 2015. Two thirds of the band then decided it was time to try a different style of rock music…and so bassist Dennis Butabi Borg and guitarist Anton Joensson formed Cruzh with vocalist Tony Andersson. The new band shunned the previous sleaze and glam sound in favour of AOR and melodic rock…music also not popular since 1990. If swimming against the tide were an Olympic sport, these guys would get a gold medal.

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ANGELS ON THE FOURTH – Breaking Skin EP

AOTFIn the summer of 2013, Skeletons In The Piano released their second full length album, ‘Please Don’t Die‘, a collection of very retro rock tunes that culled great influences from The Doors, Screaming Trees and a world of darkest psychedelia. Following some great press and live shows, the band split. So much goodness to be heard, but all good things must come to an end. Two years on, vocalist Elijah Hargrave resurrected the bands bones with a new line-up.  Meanwhile, ex members Jeff Ayers (violin, keys) and Dustin Alexander (bass) decided the time was right for a musical sidestep and Angels On The Fourth was born.

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