BraveWords reviews the Graham Bonnet Band show at the Landis Theater in Vineland, NJ, on May 10, 2025.

Tonight was the last night of a short US run. In addition to the music, Bonnet proved to be a good storyteller, often with a dose of self-deprecating humor, relating tales about certain songs and/or his time with other bands. Despite complaints about his hearing and eyesight, at 77, he looks to be in good health (his voice is!). The silver hair is combed back, no longer in the customary flattop. Nor is he wearing a suitcoat, but the tie is still there, along with orange canvas sneakers. While he fakes robotic motions, he mainly stays center stage, between two wedge monitors, but plays off paramour/bassist Heavenstone and engages in horseplay with the guitarist.

Read more in BraveWords.

[Update May 15]: here’s another GBB review with pictures, this time from a gig in New Bedford, MA on May 9, 2025.

Joe Lynn Turner has recorded a track for the upcoming tribute album from Cleopatra Records called Yacht Metal — Yacht Rock Goes Heavier & Louder. It is a cover of Ride Captain Ride, originally by Blues Image. The track is now available as a single.

It was 1970 and ‘Ride Captain Ride’ was the big song…it went to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart but was forever engraved in our lives. I played it in my cover band a thousand times.

It was a real joy to do a new version for Cleopatra…a fun tune with a positive message…hope you enjoy it as much as I still do!

Thanks to Blabbermouth for the info.

A posthumous Bernie Marsden album was released on May 9, 2025. It is called Icons and continues the Inspiration series of cover albums he started several years ago to pay tribute to the artists that were influential on his music. The album includes two Bernie’s originals — Kestrel and Barford Blues, the rest are covers.

Track list:

1. Shake Your Money Maker (Elmore James/Fleetwood Mac)
2. Bell Bottom Blues (Derek And The Dominos)
3. Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix)
4. Born Under A Bad Sign (Booker T. Jones/Albert King)
5. Wheels Within Wheels (Rory Gallagher)
6. Kestrel
7. Calling Card (Rory Gallagher)
8. Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac)
9. Jessica (Allman Brothers Band)
10. Like It This Way (Fleetwood Mac)
11. Man Of The World (Fleetwood Mac)
12. Barford Blues

The album can be ordered through his online store.

A Steve Morse biography is about to be published by Wymer. It is called The Aviator: The Life and Music of Steve Morse and is due out on May 16, 2025.

Steve Morse, guitar virtuoso (and pilot), may have broken out of relative obscurity courtesy of the classic British band Deep Purple, but he never went, so to speak, native. A full-blooded American, he was pancakes and maple syrup, not black pudding and fried egg.

Morse first came to the attention of the music world through his band Dixie Dregs. He possibly entered the consciousness of those based in the UK courtesy of the BBC’s Radio 1 Friday Rock Show that kicked off every week with his Dixie Dregs composition ‘Take It Off The Top’.

The mid-eighties saw Morse driving along arena band Kansas — darlings of US FM radio. By the mid-nineties he was ensconced in Deep Purple, helping re-build their career. His contributions to eight Deep Purple studio albums were immense. After nearly three decades, Morse’s time with the band came to a sad end has he took the difficult decision to care for his ailing wife.

In a career spanning half a century, Steve Morse’s music has touched on European classical traditions, as well as blues, jazz, country and rock ‘n’ roll… genres that are unashamedly American. Consistently voted number one by guitar magazines, Morse is both a musician’s musician as well as a fan’s favourite.

The conductor Paul Mann, who worked extensively with Deep Purple, said of Morse, ‘He was born with that instrument in his hands. I know a lot of classical musicians who envy that kind of relationship with an instrument.’

American virtuoso… and aviator. This is the story of the life and music of Steve Morse.

What: The Aviator: The Life and Music of Steve Morse
Author: Adrian Jarvis
Publisher: Wymer Publishing
Format: paperback, 234 × 156 mm, 208 pages.
ISBN-10: ‎ 1915246741
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1915246745
Publication date: May 16, 2025
RRP: £17.99

[Update May 12]: We have received a copy for review and will post it whenever it’s ready. Wymer is offering our readers 10% off the list price when ordering through their website with code MORSE (although Amazon UK discounts even deeper).

Thanks to Tinnitist for the heads-up.

Filmmaker James Foley, who directed the King of Dreams video off Slaves and Masters, has passed away at the age of 71 following a year-long battle with brain cancer. His work included acclaimed films and shows, such as Glengarry Glen Ross, House of Cards, Billions, Twin Peaks, as well as numerous music videos — mostly for Madonna, but Deep Purple among them as well. Continue Reading »

Them restored classic Gillan clips, they’re still coming! Here is Mr. Universe as performed on the BBC show Rock Goes To College on February 23, 1981, and complete with Bernie Tormé’s guitar solo. Now all cleaned up and restored by the latest wonders of technology. Continue Reading »

The band has broken the lull in public appearances by speaking to Brazil’s 89FM A Radio Rock. Enjoy some out of the left field questions and equally quirky answers. Continue Reading »

Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night will be inducted into the Long Island Music And Entertainment Hall Of Fame. The induction event will take place on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 7 PM. Location is the LIMEHOF museum, 97 Main Street in Stony Brook, NY. Candice will perform 3 songs from her new solo album Sea Glass and will accept the honours on behalf of Blackmore’s Night as Ritchie “will not be able to attend”. The event doubles as a release party for the Sea Glass.

“I am so honored to be inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame,” Night said. “Being surrounded by some of the greatest musicians, knowing we all have the same roots here is an incredible feeling. I’ve lived on Long Island my whole life and am constantly inspired by the energy here and the beauty of our nature. The imagery is a constant focus in my songs. I’m looking forward to a special night celebrating my new solo CD, Sea Glass, and also to inducting our band, Blackmore’s Night, into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. So grateful for this opportunity.”

The two inductees met on Long Island and have strong Long Island community ties. Legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple and Rainbow) grew up in the UK and moved to the USA in 1974, moving to Huntington, Long Island in the 1980s.

Candice Night grew up in Hauppauge and is a lifetime Long Island resident and a graduate of NYIT in Old Westbury. While interning at WBAB in 1989, she met Ritchie Blackmore at a charity soccer game where Deep Purple played against the station’s DJ’s and Staff. After the game, Candice asked Ritchie for his autograph and the two became friends, later developing into more. They started living together in 1993 and co-founded Blackmore’s Night in 1997. They have been very involved in many local charity efforts and community events across Long Island where they continue to live on the North Shore while raising their family.

There is a limited number of tickets for the event available.

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.

Get My Guitar blog profiles Ritchie Blackmore, including his sound, influences, top 5 tracks, technique, and historical equipment. While our regulars probably won’t find anything new there, it can be recommended as a well written introduction for the uninitiated.

Fans often note that Blackmore’s playing is not just about technical prowess—it’s about emotion, storytelling, and creating an atmosphere. His solos are often described as journeys, with each note carefully chosen to contribute to the overall feel of the song. This focus on musicality over flashiness is something that resonates with many guitarists, and it’s a key part of why Blackmore’s work continues to inspire.

Read more in Get My Guitar.

Thanks to Uwe Hornung for the heads-up.

In a true family tradition, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai started a new project called the SatchVai Band. Today, May 6, 2025, they have released a single called I Wanna Play My Guitar. And just to keep thing in the family, they got Glenn Hughes to sing on it. Continue Reading »