Singer-songwriter Franky Perez releases his fifth solo album, 'Crossing the Great Divide', on Friday 24th June via Black Sea Music, and today's Podcast Of The Day is our recent chat with Franky, recorded prior to his breathtaking London showcase in November last year, although he will be returning to the UK next month to play the Superjam Stage at Kent's Black Deer Festival at Eridge Park on Sunday 19th June. In 'Crossing the Great Divide', Perez returns to his roots to tell a story of self-transformation, with an album full of big melodies, hooks and sentiments that are real and often autobiographical. Franky’s incredible vocal presence and charismatic personality have allowed him to cross multiple genres and work with some of the greatest names in music including Billy Gibbons, Joe Cocker, Darius Rucker, Ringo Starr, Steven Tyler, Cody Jinks, Chris Janson and Slash.

Consisting of songs that are not only more rockier but even more rootsy than their previous material, at the end of last month, Rike released, 'More Feeling, Please Vol 1', a six track EP, taken from the twelve track sessions the guys recorded during lockdown, with a second EP planned hopefully for the Autumn, plus a view to releasing all the tracks on an album later this year, of which one of their singles, the Country Rock song, 'The Reason', is one of today's six of the best Sunday Rocks! Tracks Of The Day, complemented by five further new and recent releases from Lýsis, Caulbearers, Sarah Halter, The Chase and Corvus Corax Era Metallum featuring Sabina Classen.

Comprising of explosive contemporary Rock and Roll flirting with Psychedelic Blues, culminating in an emotional experience that tantalises the senses, check out today's Video Of The Day of 'Show Me How To Love You', from The Wilson Brothers, taken from their brand new 'Live' album. Indeed, guitarist/vocalist Ash and drummer Phil, not only have considerable musical experience playing alongside the likes of Sari Schorr, Scott Mckeon, Sean Webster, Jesse Davey and Well Hung Heart, but they have also been joined on this exciting new venture by their musical brother, Roger Wilson Inniss, whose background includes performing with artists such as Chaka Khan, Mike Taylor, Errol Brown and Joanne Shaw Taylor: adding a sonic chemistry that has to be heard to be believed.

For fans of Radiohead, Agnes Obel, Owen Pallett, Susanne Sundfør, Keane and Tears For Fears, plus following in the wake of ‘Flown’, their critically acclaimed 2020 debut album, Norwegian Art Rock trio Dim Gray return with its follow-up, ‘Firmament’, on Friday 2nd September, of which the recently released first single from the record, ‘Mare’, originally written in 2016 by guitarist Håkon Høiberg, is today's Video Of The Day. Consisting of twelve direct, vivid and melody-driven songs, it is a record bursting with life and colour, making for an engaging and constantly surprising journey as it weaves a route from strings-infused Chamber Pop, through evocative Indie-Folk and lush electronics and into grandiose Art Rock. The album will be released on English Electric Recordings, the label run by UK Prog titans Big Big Train, and Dim Gray's Oskar Holldorff will also be touring as part of Big Big Train this September, deputising for keyboard player Carly Bryant.

Yesterday, Starchaser released their self-titled debut album, formed by former Tad Morose guitarist, Kenneth Jonsson, writing songs that combines his love of modern classical composers such as Phillip Glass and Max Richter, with the Hard Rock/Metal genres he is known for, although the Swede originally intended to make a solo album, but it morphed into a band, given the chemistry between the quartet he recruited to help him realise his vision, of which the title track is one of today's six of the best 'Frontiers Rocks!' Tracks Of The Day, complemented by three similarly timed Frontiers releases from Jani Liimatainen, Black Eye, Jeff Scott Soto, plus two further new and recent releases from Pressure and David Lioncourt.

Today's latest Blues Club Podcast Of The Day has another two hours of non stop Best in Blues and a bit of this and that, with More Music and Less Chat, including Todd Sharpville (pictured) & Larry McCray, Kenny Neal, Bonnie Raitt, Ian Siegal, Robert Cray Band, Mississippi Heat, Travellin' Blue Kings, Taj Mahal, Trainman Blues, Bubba And The Big Bad Blues, Dom Martin, Markey Blue Ric Latina Project and many more.

Originally broadcast on Tuesday on Ridge Radio, listen again to today's Simply Country Podcast Of The Day featuring Louise Parker (pictured), Colm Gavin, Abbie Ferris, Brooke Law, Dean Perrett, Bernie O Brien, Alice Benfer, Carrie Carlisle, Reya Jayne, Nick Ward, Pete Cullen, Becky Denton, Garth LaGrone, Ger Long, The Susan & Gerard Band, Scott Howarth, Georgia State Line, Keith Bradford, Kelly Williams, Alecia Aichelle, Ben Selleck, Deborah Lynn, Roisin O'Hagan, Matt Joe Gow, Shavonne, Lynn Campbell, Natalie Henry, Gary Wayne, Emma Forman and more.

"There’s a quote from Gene Simmons (Kiss bass player and tongue flasher) at the beginning of Rush’s ‘Beyond the Lighted Stage’ film where he is asked to summarise them: “What kind of music is Rush ? It’s….Rush” and I think Focus are deserving of a similar sentiment: they are unique, special, unshadowed and superb at what they do. Despite the complexity of the music they are so tight, so locked in, so attuned to each other, and whilst the band is quite obviously comprised of members from two distinct generations, I am sure this is completely irrelevant to these four virtuoso players who each thrive on and enjoy each others playing (check out the picture of a seemingly awestruck Thijs looking on whilst Pierre solos)." Today read the whole of Mark C's take on Focus and Devanna Music's gig at The Beaverwood, Chislehurst, Kent, last Tuesday night, plus check out both our photo gallery and our Video Of The Day.

With their unique blend of screaming guitars, thundering kick ass drums, raging bass and uninhibited vocals, Held Hostage is ready and able to take their place in American Rock and Roll history, with the release today on FireRock Music Group of their brand new album, 'Great American Rock', featuring guest vocals from Tim "Ripper" Owens and Joe Lynn Turner, of which the opening track, 'We Rock Hard', is one of today's six of the best 'Friday Rocks!' Tracks Of The Day, complemented by five further new and recent releases from Sci-Fi Scientists, Hämärä, The Tangent, Galladorn and Voldt.

The latest collaboration by original PIL bassist Jah Wobble and iconic Leeds-based Folk-Punk outfit The Ukrainians, featuring yet another legend - former Siouxsie & The Banshees guitarist Jon Klein, ‘Ukrainian National Anthem in Dub’ has just been released as a fundraiser in support of Ukrainian appeals by two UK-based charities dealing with war refugees, of which the track is also one of today's six of the best 'Thursday Rocks! Tracks Of The Day, complemented by five further new and recent releases from The Decayed, Last Flight To Pluto, Kid Moxie, Elektric Mistress and Circuit3.

Deocculted join today's latest The Zach Moonshine Show Podcast Of The Day, to play and talk about their new record and everything going on with the band, plus there's tracks from Obituary, Gravehuffer, Hallows Eve, Tommy Stewart's Dyerwulf, Autopsy, Body Count, Pelvic Meatloaf and Pantera.

Published by Manchester-based Spenwood Books and compiled by music historian Richard Houghton, Thin Lizzy – A People’s History, brings together previously untold eyewitness accounts of the Irish Rock legends in action, from their Dublin roots to their break up in 1983, and today's Video Of The Day goes back to 1981 and a radio broadcast of their gig recorded live at London's Hammersmith Odeon. The new book takes the reader on a journey through Lizzy’s career, from Phil Lynott’s Dublin childhood to Lizzy’s early success, the trans-Atlantic breakthrough with the album 'Jailbreak' and the chasing of fame in America, and on to the rows, the walk outs and the band’s break up.Thin Lizzy – A People’s History (ISBN 978-1916889637) is available to order now via bookshops or direct from spenwoodbooks.com