This coming March sees the release of London Doom Pop group Courtesans stunning new E.P. 'Better Safe Than Sober'. Following the release of their acclaimed debut album '1917' and last year's successful Pledge Music campaign, they have also unveiled their new single 'Mesmerise' which is today's Vid Of The Day. Blending dark Pop smarts with industrial subtleties and combined with an Alternative Rock, trip-hop soundscape - the band's new E.P., consisting of Courtesans Sinead La Bella on vocals, Saffire Sanchez on guitar, Agnes D. Jones on bass and Vikki Frances on drums - is one of the first unique sonic amalgamations to be heard in 2017 that shake up establishments, break down walls and fearlessly dare to be different amongst a plethora of carbon copy carnage.

Chicago based Metallers Black Sites brand new single 'Burning Away The Day', taken from their recently released debut album 'In Monochrome', is today's Track Of The Day. Black Sites features some of Chicago’s finest players from the underground Metal scene. The band features Mark Sugar on vocals/guitar, ex-Trials bandmate Ryan Bruchert on guitar, John Picillo from Without Waves and Immortal Bird on bass and Chris Avgerin from Nequient and Autonomy on drums. The four-piece band draws inspiration from a panoramic pedigree of classic and modern Metal and Hard rock influences including Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, 1970's Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Fates Warning, Motörhead, Queensrÿche, Voivod, Hammers Of Misfortune and Dawnbringer.

Following the release of their highly acclaimed debut album 'Selfish Age' via Better Noise Records last month, UK five piece As Lions have announced a London headline show at the Boston Arms Music Rooms in Tufnell Park on Wednesday 22nd March. This special date in the capital serves as the perfect warm-up for the band’s 10-date US tour with Shinedown that kicks off in April. As Lions are also confirmed for their first UK festival appearance of the year at Bristol's Fat Lip Festival in July, along with Young Guns and will be playing a number of US festivals including Rock On The Range, Welcome To Rockville and Northern Invasion. Since coming together in 2015, the band - comprising of vocalist Austin Dickinson, guitarist and keyboardist Conor O’Keefe, guitarist Will Homer, bassist Stefan Whiting and drummer Dave Fee - have played sold-out shows in the UK, as well as performing with Trivium, and recently wrapped up a US arena tour with Five Finger Death Punch and Shinedown, spanning 27 dates, including 13 sold out shows across the States!

This week's guest on our Route 66 Track Of The Day is Matt Andersen - a Canadian guitarist and singer songwriter who has shared stages with Buddy Guy, Gregg Allman, Jonny Lang and the Tedeschi Trucks Band. He won the 2013 and 2016 European Blues Award for Best Solo/Acoustic Act, picked up three Maple Blues Awards in 2012 and nabbed the International Blues Challenge prize in Memphis in 2010. With over 10 million views on Youtube he’s certainly getting noticed for his unique live performances, which he’ll be bringing to the UK in May in support of his new album, 'Honest Man'. And talking of honest men - host Rory Auskerry also play classic tracks from David Lee Roth, The Spencer Davis Group, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, AC/DC, Eric Clapton and Johnny Copeland.

Glenn Hughes is a true original whose music blends Hard Rock, Soul, and Funk. The Glenn Hughes “Storytellers” event, to be held at London's historic Cafe de Paris from midday to 4pm this Saturday 25th February, is a must do for all Glenn Hughes fans. Tickets are strictly limited to 200 and can be booked online here. An exciting highlight to the up-close-and-personal event will include the airing of a new 60 minute documentary, featuring never-before-seen classic archival vision of Glenn from the 70’'s. This will be the world premiere of the film… - not to be missed! The exclusive film screening will be followed by a 2 hour story telling session hosted by Vintage Television’'s Friday Night Rock Show host, Nicky Horne, where Glenn will delve into some of the great and even infamous events in his life to date.

Don't miss the chance to see Lita Ford (Vid Of The Day) for a UK exclusive headline show. Hailed as the queen of rock, Lita was the lead guitarist for The Runaways in the 1970's, before embarking on a solo career in the 80's. Lita has lined up a headline concert at London’s Islington Academy on Sunday 12th March, two days after headlining the HRH/AOR Festival in Wales. A British born rocker who grew up on the streets of L.A., Ford was a founding member of the Runaways, one of the first girl groups who unexpectedly broke down barriers in the Punk era as well as the male-dominated world of Rock music, causing a stir with their six rebellious releases. Following the demise of the Runaways, Lita concentrated on her own career, subsequently creating such memorable hits as ‘Close Your Eyes Forever’, ‘What Do You Know About Love’, ‘Shot Of Poison’, ‘Larger Than Life’ and ‘Kiss Me Deadly’.

Despite being in existence a mere six months, Cardiff's Holding Absence have already achieved more than many do in years and now their unique blend of emotive Post-Hardcore has gained the attention of Nuclear Blast's imprint label Sharptone Records. The band recently unveiled today's Vid Of The Day 'Dream Of Me'. Formed in 2016, the quintet have already played shows with Being As An Ocean, Casey, Greywind, Burning Down Alaska and more, as well as headlining plenty shows of their own. 2017 will see the band up the ante with a touring schedule already set to make them the busiest band in the UK. Catch them support Blood Youth in April or at a bunch of festivals this summer. Stay tuned for more announcements to come!

We missed Jules & Bob at the Ziggy Stardust movie shown at the Hammersmith Apollo last Thursday but we didn't miss their awesome show broadcast on Saturday night! In case you missed it, today's Rock On The Ridge Track Of The Day features Blacklist Union, Thundermother, Black Star Riders, The Black Jackals, The Broken Ravens, Clutch, Blacktop Mojo, Inglorious, The Mute Gods, Black Rose Cadillac, Guns N' Roses, Red Line Chemistry, Bedrokk, The Mystery Lights, Wicked Tongues, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Desert Mountain Tribe, Monster Truck (pictured), Troubled Horse, Rainbreakers, Disciples of Babylon and on their Introducing Stage Love Past Blue all the way from Dallas!

Don't forget that tickets are now on a sale to see our WRC sponsored charity concert ‘Magic - a kind of Queen & a kind of ELO’ at the Mick Jagger Centre, Dartford, on Saturday 18th November at 7.30pm. Following the success of the Monster’s Of Irish Rock featuring Limehouse Lizzy and U2 Tribe at last year’s ‘Wrinklystock 5’ - ‘Wrinklystock 6’ stars Magic, a tribute to two of the greatest British Rock bands of all time - Queen and The Electric Light Orchestra - together in one fabulous show! Tickets can be purchased here for a bargain £22 or from the MJC Box Office on 01322 291100.

Asking Alexandria and We Are Harlot frontman Danny Worsnop matures effortlessly into Blues Rock/outlaw country territory on his solo debut, 'The Long Road Home' released via Earache Records last Friday, delivering an album of real, raw emotion, with songs about personal tragedy, hard-living and heartache. At the age of just 26, Worsnop has already lived more of life's ups and downs than most. His recent personal tragedy is laid bare in album opener 'Prozac' and the listener is taken on a roller-coaster of emotions through the twelve song set. Danny has also announced that he has been added to Kent's Ramblin' Man Fair line up in July!

Today's Black On Blues Track Of The Day is another popular Blues women special including Emma Jane Kennedy, Misty Blues/Gina Coleman, Toriah Fontaine, Saturday Nite Fish Fry/Shakura S’Aida, Patty Reese and Ruby And The Revelatory.

There's no doubt that Peter Skellern's 'You're A Lady' (today's Vid Of The Day) was one of the defining singles of the eclectic UK charts of the 70's - particularly his subtle use of a brass band. Skellern's death on Friday from cancer at the age of 69 was yet another kick in the teeth to our formative years and our musical memories. Unfairly regarded as a one hit wonder - Skellern's career, in addition to over 20 albums and 3 other singles, saw him write and perform music for both television and film.