ALCATRAZZ – Rock Justice: The Complete Recordings 1983-1986

When it comes to reissues, the first three Alcatrazz albums have been more than well served. 1983’s ‘No Parole For Rock N Roll’ was reissued in 2011 with a slew of live tracks, and again in 2015 with a bunch of unreleased instrumental demos; 1985’s ‘Disturbing The Peace’ was given the deluxe treatment in 2016 when it was reissued with bonus tracks and a full length live DVD, and that same year, even 1986’s lesser appreciated ‘Dangerous Games’ was appended with bootleg live recordings.

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ALCTRAZZ – Official Bootleg Box Set Volume 2: 1983-1984

During their original run, Alcatrazz weren’t especially stable. They recorded three studio albums with three different guitarists, and went from humble beginnings to imploding within five years. Given how short-lived the band’s time in the sun actually was, it’s absolutely staggering how many bootleg recordings were made. In terms of popularity, they never managed to reach the heights of Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, and yet someone pushed the record button surreptitiously whenever and wherever the band appeared.

In 2018, fans were treated to a wealth of these unofficial recordings in an official capacity when HNE Recordings released a 6CD box set made up of various live tapes and studio rehearsals. The quality was often rough, much like old bootlegs you might have sourced from record fairs back in the 80s and 90s, but the historical value of some of the material just couldn’t be ignored. Surprisingly, there was enough material – and seemingly enough interest – for a second volume, and this 5CD set offers fans much more of the same.

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ALCATRAZZ – The Official Bootleg Box Set 1983-1986

Following in the footsteps of various archive solo releases by Graham Bonnet – ranging from his unreleased solo debut to a three disc anthology of unreleased recordings from his time in Australia – this six disc box set from Hear No Evil Records gives Bonnet’s fans another reason to celebrate. ‘The Official Bootleg Box Set 1983-1986’ does exactly what it says on the tin. It presents three different live shows from Texas on the ‘No Parole From Rock ‘N’ Roll’ tour – featuring Yngwie Malmsteen on guitar – alongside three discs’ worth of rehearsals and demos culled from a four year period.

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Joe Lynn Turner to play UK acoustic shows

Legendary vocalist Joe Lynn Turner returns to the UK in April for a run of intimate acoustic shows where he will draw material from across his thirty year career.

While Joe has most recently been heard on albums by Rated X, Brazen Abbott and Sunstorm, for most fans, he is best loved for his three album stint with Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow in the 80s, lending his talents to the classic ‘Difficult To Cure’ in 1981, before ‘Right Between The Eyes’ and the under-rated ‘Bent Out of Shape’.

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Yngwie Malmsteen box set imminent

February 2015 sees the release of ‘Now Your Ships Are Burned’, a four CD anthology of work recorded by Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen.  The set covers his years with Polydor Records from 1984-1990.

The set will be a domestic budget priced reissue of the previously Japanese only collection which included the first six albums.  Like similar sets from Saxon (‘The Carrere Years’) and Tangerine Dream (‘The Virgin Years’), the length of the albums is such that six releases can easily be condensed into a 4CD package.

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