The latest additions to the GRTR! Greats series from Get Ready to ROCK! are Swedish melodic rockers Europe and Danny Vaughn, frontman of Tyketto and originally with the band Waysted.
Europe release a new album in September 2026 followed by UK dates and the new retrospective feature will be published 21 September. As usual the feature will plunder twenty years coverage of the band via album and gig reviews and interviews.
Says Managing Editor David Randall, also a major contributor to the feature, Europe achieve a great deal of critical consistency amongst reviewers. “This is the main aspect of this series, where we honour artists and bands who have been covered regularly since the early 2000’s and who attract a great deal of consensus from our review team in terms of quality and durability.”
“Get Ready to ROCK!’s coverage coincides with the resurgence of classic rock music in the early millennium and we’ve followed many bands whose fortunes have revived as a result.”
News and Reviews Editor Jason Ritchie was a great proponent of Europe when they reformed in 2003 and adds: “These features distill 20 years of coverage and are also a great tribute to our team of reviewers and photographers. All the artists featured are still active and we try and tie in the feature with a new album and/or tour. The archive material is updated with new information and analysis and with new interviews when possible.”
Tyketto play UK dates in late November and are fronted by singer/songwriter and founder member Danny Vaughn. The new feature, to be published in early November, will chart the band and Danny’s solo work over two decades.
The band are perhaps best known for the rock anthem ‘Forever Young’ included on their debut album in 1989. Like many melodic rockers – including Europe – they were thwarted by the industry’s thirst for the new trend – Grunge – in the 1990s. And like Europe, perhaps sensing the winds of change, they reformed in 2004.
The GRTR! Greats series was launched in February 2025 with singer songwriter Thea Gilmore and the most recent additions include Beth Hart and Colin Blunstone. The retrospective features have become a definitive commentary on the artist in the millennium.
To coincide with the website’s 20th anniversary in 2023, “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness” became a tongue-in-cheek alternative to the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” and in a similar way honoured significant artists and bands during Get Ready to ROCK!’s first two decades.
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Brothers Osborne (pictured) release their new album ‘Watertown’ on October 23 via MCA Records.
Jake Bugg releases his latest album ‘Alamo’ on November 13 through Thirty Tigers.
Cats In Space release their new album ‘Suit of Armour’ on Esoteric/Cherry Red on November 6.
The Dave Clark Five release ‘Glad All Over the World: The Hits & Albums (1964-1965)’ via BMG on October 23.
Dead End Heroes (who feature Rolf Munkes, Paul Logue & Carsten Lizard Schulz in their line-up) release their second album ‘Not Dead Yet’ on December 4.
Former Hawkwind bassist Alan Davey will release his new solo album, ‘Astrolabes And Sunstones’, on September 12 via Savant Guarde Records.
Escape the Fate’s new album ‘The Last Goodbye’ is out on October 2 via Big Noise.
Foreigner release a newly remastered and expanded version of their ‘Head Games’ album on October 30.
An 8CD Phil Lynott box set entitled ‘The Story Of My Life’ will be released on October 30. It includes 29 previously unreleased songs.
Erja Lyytinen releases ’50th Birthday Live 2026′ via Tuohi Records on October 9.
Molly Hatchet have their first studio album in 16 years, ‘Lost Horizon’, released on November 27 through SPV/Steamhammer.
Nightwish release ‘The Greatest 30 Years On Earth’ on December 11 via Nuclear Blast.
Arena’s Clive Nolan releases his latest solo album, ‘Song Of The Winter Throne – The Saga Of Håkon Håkonsson’, on October 2 via WLR/Oskar Records.
Polyphia have announced that their fifth studio album, ‘Be Not Afraid’, is due through Rise Records on October 23.
The Power of 3, who feature singer-guitarist Orianthi, drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, and bassist Rhonda Smith, release their self-titled debut album on December 11 via She2Music.
Pretty Maids have signed with Frontiers and plan to release an album in 2027.
Primal Fear will release their new album, ‘Shadowriders’, on April 23 via Reigning Phoenix Music. The first single, ‘Vengeance Now’, will arrive before Christmas.
Queens of the Stone Age release their new album ‘Perfecth’ on October 30 on Matador Records.
Mystery guitarist and bandleader Michel. St Pere has announced that he will release his first-ever solo album, ‘Like Father Like Son’, through Unicorn Digital on October 15.
Joe Satriani and Steve Vai release ‘The Sea Of Emotion’, the first studio album from Satchvai on November 6 via earMUSIC.
Saxon release their new album ‘Gods of Thunder’ on January 22 and released the title track as a single on September 2.
Simple Minds release their new album ‘Sacrosanct’ on 29 January via BMG.
Soft Machine have a 17-disc box set, ‘Slightly All The Time Recordings 1970-1974′, released through Sony Music on October 30.
Ex-Ozzy Osbourne and current Last In Line bassist Phil Soussan has released a new single ‘Fading Out’ from his upcoming EP, ‘Cosmo Fighter Part One’, which is released on BraveWords Records on November 13.
Metalville release ‘Live 25′ from Sweet on October 23.
Tears For Fears release a deluxe edition of their 1989 album, ‘The Seeds Of Love’, through UMC on October 16.
Whiplash release their new album ‘Roar’ on November 27.
In the studio…
Jag Panzer have a new album “in the works”…Lillian Axe are mastering their new album for release next year through Bravewords Records…Nightwish have six songs written for their next album and plan to start recording it in May next year…Testament hope to enter the studio next summer to start recording their next album…
Single life…
Europe released ‘Scandinavian Eyes’ on September 1…Willie Dowling releases his latest song ‘Rats in the Maze’ on September 4…
Upcoming (Gigs – UK)
Newly announced UK tours (2026 unless stated):
Jake Bugg (Feb 2027), Epica (Wed Oct 6 2027, Royal Albert Hall, London), Foreigner (unplugged – Apr 2027), Scarlet Rebels (Feb 2027), Simple Minds + Gary Numan (May 2027), Supergrass (May 2027), Haley Williams (Jun, Jul 2027),
Upcoming (USA/ROW)
Newly announced US & European tours (2026 unless stated):
Bachman-Turner Overdrive (US 2027), Corrosion of Conformity + The Sword (US), Drivin N Cryin (US), Foreigner (US), Foreigner (unplugged – EU Apr 2027), Molly Hatchett (US), Periphery (AU 2027), Geoff Tate (AU 2027), Haley Williams (EU 2027), Winger (US),
Tour updates & postponed/cancelled gigs & tours:
Power Quest have withdrawn from next year’s Epic Fest in Denmark in April next year.
Scorpions have postponed their 2026 residency at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
Apple Music has announced that later this year it will start adding ‘Made With AI’ tags on AI music. Spotify will start labelling “AI personas”, for artists that don’t really exist but which have a profile on Spotify with an AI-generated identity.
The Who have been recently rehearsing with drummer Zak Starkey, who was fired from the band last year, and the band announced last October’s tour would be their last. Watch this space!
The Ozzy Osbourne exhibition at the Birmingham Museum and Arts Gallery has welcomed over 800,000 visitors to date.
Barry Mitchell, bassist in an early Queen line-up.
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Recent additions
Comprehensive gig and tour listings
Compiled by Jason Ritchie.
Check out forthcoming album/DVD releases!
VELVETEEN QUEEN Too Far Gone
Swedish hard-rock risers Velveteen Queen’s ‘Too Far Gone’ is the third single from their eagerly anticipated sophomore album, The Greater Good, set for release on September 18th via Silver Lining Music.
Having shared stages with Alice Cooper and Judas Priest, the five-piece have already built a reputation for their explosive live performances, undeniable stage presence and hook-laden rock songs.
Produced by renowned producer Sören Andersen, the new album The Greater Good channels the strut of the Sunset Strip’s glory days via Sweden, with a healthy dash of old-school Guns N’ Roses, alongside spiritual ties to Aerosmith, Velvet Revolver and Hanoi Rocks.
‘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:
