Get Ready to ROCK! Remembers Mike Vernon
On Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Monday 9 March (16:00 GMT) and Thursday 12 March (23:00 GMT), we remember Mike Vernon the seminal British blues producer who passed away recently. We replay Pete Feenstra’s two-part interview from 2014 discussing Mike’s career from the British blues boom of the late 1960s and beyond.
In January 2026 Pete Feenstra chatted to show creators John and Danielle Merrigan from Fatdan Productions. This hour special gives background to the production along with classic tracks. First broadcast on Get Ready To ROCK! Radio, 1 February 2026.
In the 40th anniversary year of Phil Lynott’s passing, a new musical showcasing his early life and career is scheduled to play for one night at London’s Hammersmith Apollo (Eventim Apollo) on Monday 29 March.
‘Moonlight – The Philip Lynott Enigma’ is staged at the same venue where the classic ‘Live And Dangerous’ was recorded, fifty years ago. The musical explores Lynott’s formative years, his struggles, his legacy and inspiration to musicians around the world, honouring him in the pantheon of great Irish poets.
Actor and singer Peter M. Smith leads a cast bringing “Philip Lynott” to life supported by acclaimed actor Padraic O’Loingsigh in the role of “Brendan Behan”. International star Brian Kennedy (currently performing on “Dancing With The Stars”) plays “Oscar Wilde”, with original founding member Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell making a special guest appearance.
Musical support comes from The Moonlight Band blasting out the Thin Lizzy anthems and new original tracks live. The production completed a hugely successful tour of Ireland in 2025, performing to packed houses in Dublin (Vicar Street), Belfast (Ulster hall) and other venues.
For more info: https://www.facebook.com/moonlightrockmusical
Ticket information: https://www.eventimapollo.com/events/moonlight-the-philip-lynott-enigma/
More News
Deko Entertainment release a 50th anniversary edition of Angel’s ‘Helluva Band’ on May 22.
Robin Beck will release a new album ‘Living Proof’ on May 15 on Frontiers.
Crimson Glory release their first album in 26 years, ‘Chasing The Hydra’, through BraveWords Records on April 17.
Dogstar release their fourth studio album, ‘All In Now’, on May 29 via their own label Dillon Street Records.
Electric Mob release a deluxe digital edition of their latest album, ’2 Make U Cry & Dance’, on July 10 via Frontiers.
FangSlinger release their debut album ‘Welcome to the Lost Souls Saloon’ on April 24.
Fortune Teller have signed with Mighty Music who will release the band’s debut album later this year.
Erik Grönwall (ex-H.E.A.T., Skid Row) releases his new album ‘Bad Bones’ on May 22.
Hard-Fi release their first new album in fifteen years, ‘Sweating Someone Else’s Fever’, on June 19 via V2.
Billy Morrison will release his latest album ‘Hollow’ in August. It includes guest appearances by Duff McKagan, Steve Stevens, Chuck D, Nuno Bettencourt and more.
Sepultura release a farewell EP, ‘The Cloud Of Unknowing’, on April 24 via Nuclear Blast.
Social Distortion release their new album ‘Born To Kill’ on May 8 via Epitaph Records.
Ringo Starr releases his new album ‘Long Road Home’ on April 24. The album is once again produced by T Bone Burnett.
Sunjay releases his tenth studio album, ‘Split The Sheets’, on September 18 via Mighty Tight Records.
Tesla have signed with Frontiers and plan to release new music soon.
Chrysalis Records have announced the latest UFO reissue, 1981′s ‘The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent’, which arrives on May 1 as 3LP and 2CD.
Venom release their new studio album, ‘Into Oblivion’, on May 1 via Noise/BMG.
Von Groove release their new album ‘Born to Rock’ on May 15 via Frontiers.
Paul Weller releases a 3LP/3CD box set ‘Weller At The BBC Vol 2′ on Parlophone on April 24.
The Who release ‘Live at Eden Project’ on May 29.
In the studio…
Intense are putting the finishing touches to a new album…
Single life…
Tori Amos released ‘Stronger Together’ ahead of her new album ‘In Times of Dragons’ which is due on May 1…Butcher Babies released ‘Lost In Your Touch’ on March 3…Annie Dressner releases her latest single ‘Dumb Boy’ on March 11 with a new album due later in the year…Peter Gabriel has released ‘What Lies Ahead’, the third track from his forthcoming album ‘o\i’…Suzi Quatro released ‘Little Miss Lovely’ ahead of her new album, ‘Freedom’, which is due on March 27…Skindred released ‘Can I Get An A’ on March 4…The Warning released ‘Kerosene’ on March 6
Upcoming (Gigs – UK)
Newly announced UK tours (2026 unless stated):
Alter Bridge (Jun), Danko Jones (Nov), Del Amitri (Nov, Dec), Eagles of Death Metal (Nov), From Ashes to New (Fri Apr 17, Dome, London), Gene (Oct 9 & 10, Roundhouse, London), Hard-Fi (Dec), The Hoosiers (Oct), The Hu (Sep, Oct), Jack J Hutchinson (Nov), Kamelot (Nov), Erja Lyytinen (Oct), Myrath (Oct), Orville Peck (Jun), Primus (Aug), Rush (Mar 2027), Sex Pistols (Dec), Spiritbox + Jinjer (Sep), Transvision Vamp (Oct), VirginMarys (May, Jun), Bruce Watson (Big Country) (Mar-Jun 2027), Wilco (Aug),
Upcoming (USA/ROW)
Newly announced US & European tours (2026 unless stated):
Arch Enemy (CN, JP), Beck (AU), Eric Clapton (US), Cradle of Filth + DevilDriver (AU), Death Angel + Vio-Lence (US), Eagles (US), Eagles of Death Metal (EU), Flyleaf (US), From Ashes to New (US), Go West (AU), The Guess Who (US), The Hu (EU), Iron Maiden + Megadeth (AU), Kamelot (EU), Killswitch Engage + Machine Head (US), Kittie (US), Mental As Anything (AU), Richard Marx (AU), Metallica (Las Vegas Sphere, US), Myrath (EU), Nashville Pussy (EU), Orville Peck (EU), Pennywise + Circle Jerks (US), Primus (EU), Raven (US), Rush (EU 2027), Sabaton (US), Shinedown + Bush (AU), Spiritbox + Jinjer (EU), Sting (US), Tomahawk + Melvins (US), Trixter + Lynch Mob (US), Wilco (EU), Kim Wilde (AU),
Iron Maiden have announced they will take next year off from touring and plan to return to live action in 2028.
Ozzfest will return in 2027 with two shows at Aston Villa FC in early July and two shows in the US. Judas Priest are a rumoured headliner for the UK shows.
Twisted Sister will tour later this year with former Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach taking Dee Snider’s place.
Y&T have announced they won’t be touring Europe and the UK later this year due to increasing tour costs.
Tour updates & postponed/cancelled gigs & tours:
Martin Barre will not be appearing at this summer’s A New Day Festival as he was given the wrong dates by his agent.
‘The Story of Skids – Scotland’s No.1 Punk Band’ is being released as a limited edition Blu-ray by Screenbound International Pictures.
A new feature-length documentary about Gregg Allman, ‘Music Of My Soul’, will be released in US cinemas this summer.
Sharon Osbourne and promoter Andy Copping are currently planning a Black Sabbath classical tour which is set to be orchestrated by Ozzy’s keyboards player Adam Wakeman.
Ozzy Osbourne was posthumously honoured with a BRITs Lifetime Achievement Award.
The documentary ‘Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition’ is released worldwide in cinemas from May 7.
Keyboardist/vocalist Loren Gold (The Who, Roger Daltrey, Chicago) will be joining Rush for their upcoming tour.
The Beach Boys’ Bruce Johnston has announced he will no longer perform live with the band but plans to carry on songwriting. He has been in the Beach Boys since 1965.
Neil Sedaka whose hits included ’Breaking Up Is Hard to Do’ and ‘Oh! Carol’.
Blues guitarist John Hammond.
Producer (Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton) and blues champion Mike Vernon. (News item and archive feature)
More News
Recent additions
Comprehensive gig and tour listings
Compiled by Jason Ritchie.
Check out forthcoming album/DVD releases!
Glaswegian singer-songwriter Lizzie Reid returns with details of a new EP titled ‘Undoing’, which is due out 17th April. To mark the announcement, Reid has shared new single “Sweet Relief” and revealed a new run of headline UK tour dates to follow the EP in April.
Speaking of the single, Reid says, “Sweet Relief speaks of my experience dealing with the full throws of obsession, rumination, depression, and panic. The way I desperately attempted to comfort myself only brought momentary relief from the storm. The cycle is brutal, exhausting and incredibly sneaky. The more I searched for solutions, the murkier the waters became, making it near impossible for light to come into the frame.”
To celebrate Undoing, Reid will be heading out on tour in late April/early May. The tour will follow her support slot with Jacob Alon at BRITs Week for War Child in Edinburgh Full dates are as follows:
26th April – Cottiers Theatre – Glasgow
28th April – Oporto – Leeds
29th April – The Castle Hotel – Manchester
30th April – The Waiting Room – London
2nd May – Rough Trade – Bristol
‘New to GRTR!’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio showcases independent music each week and latest playlist additions. (Sunday live, 21:00, Tuesday 16:00, Thursday 21:00 repeats, all times GMT)
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Listen again to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio You can listen to selected shows and special features at our Mixcloud page.
In the archive series “GRTR!@20″ we are adding selected interviews that were originally posted to Mixcloud but exceeded the three-track-by-same-artist licensing restriction. Now re-edited the features allow insight to specific albums and artists since 2016.
Latest addition:
