Jimmy Kay of The Metal Voice sits down with Graham Bonnet, guitarist Chris Impellitteri and guitarist Joe Stump of Alcatrazz at the Metal Hall of Fame Gala 2020 and discuss Bonnet’s induction into the Metal Hall of fame 2020, the recent Rock and roll Hall of Fame snubs of Judas Priest and Pat Benatar, Rush’s Neil Peart’s Passing and the new upcoming Alcatrazz studio album which will feature songwriting from Steve Vai with guest players such as Bob Kulick and Chris Impelliteri.
Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice spoke to Graham Bonnet from the Graham Bonnet Band at this years NAMM show on June 25 2019. Graham Bonnet told The Metal Voice that they were planning on relaunching the 80’s band ALCATRAZZ. Bonnet said in the interview, “We have just put the band together and we have a new guitarist. Basically we will be going out and playing the Alcatrazz songs live and we will be recording a new Alcatrazz studio album. Also on the studio album we will be having a few guest players so some good surprises coming up.”
Watch the interview here:
Graham Bonnet Manager Giles Lavery explained in more details to The Metal Voice that the guitarist for the relaunch of Alcatrazz will be Joe Stump (Reign of Terror, Holy Hell ) and that a new double live Alcatrazz album will be recorded (and filmed) on the upcoming Japanese tour. The live album will feature the entire Alcatrazz No Parole from Rock and Roll album and entire Rainbow Down to Earth Album. Plus rarely performed tracks from Bonnet’s days with Impellitteri and Blackthorne.
Alcatrazz keyboardist Jimmy Waldo also added on separate interview to The Metal Voice Feb 1 2019,“The last two Graham Bonnet Band albums stylistically have essentially been Alcatrazz albums as we were aiming for that direction anyways. With our new guitar player Joe Stump we feel we can take Alcatrazz to the next level. Due to popular demand it’s time to bring the name back.”
Alcatrazz is
Graham Bonnet- vocals
Jimmy Waldo- Keyboards
Joe Stump- Guitar
Beth Ami Heavenstone- Bass
Mark Benquechea- Drums
More details to be announced on upcoming Alcatrazz studio album which will feature many guests from Graham’s musical past.
Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice spoke to former if Rainbow, MSG, Alcatrazz singer Graham Bonnet in Montreal Quebec Canada on the Michael Schenker Fest Tour on March 12 2018.
Graham Bonnet spoke about his Audition with Black Sabbath in the 1980’s, his upcoming US tour with the Graham Bonnet band playing ‘No Parole From Rock and Roll’ in it’s entirety and news, timeline and details on upcoming Album by the band
Watch the interview here:
When asked about the details and timeline of the follow-up Album to the Graham Bonnet Band’s The Book
“I finished my part on the new album everything is finished vocally. Now when I go back, we go in the mixing stage but at the moment Beth-Ami Heavenstone is putting down the bass parts. We got the bass to put down a little bit of keyboards. It sounds pretty good I am very pleased. If anybody liked the previous album the Book , they are going to like this too, it has got the same kind of material, same kind of sound and it’s got a little of that Alcatrazz, MSG, Rainbow sound. It will be released in a few of months I think, it will be out this year.”
When asked about the Graham Bonnet Band playing the complete Alcatrazz ‘No Parole from Rock and Roll Album’ in it’s entirety for the 35 year anniversary on their upcoming US tour
“It will be all the material that I made up 35 years ago, we will play all the Alcatrazz tracks off that album along with the Graham Bonnet Band songs. There is a new audience for Alcatrazz it seems like a younger audience, I wish they had been turned on to it back then when we needed a bit more publicity back then. It’s amazing to see kids of 18 years old coming up to me and singing the lyrics.”
When asked about how he turned down an audition to sing for Black Sabbath in the 1980’s
” I can’t actually remember the actual year it was 1980 something. I had a call from one of the guys from Black Sabbath I can’t remember who asked me if i was interested in auditioning cause I just left Rainbow and it was something I wasn’t really sure of. I wasn’t sure of the music, I wasn’t sure if I really fit with my short hair. I wanted to do something different on my own not to be in another band as another singer in a revolving door, so I turned it down.”
USA – GRAHAM BONNET BAND PERFORMS ‘ALCATRAZZ – NO PAROLE FROM ROCK N ROLL’ TOUR
SEPTEMBER
28TH VIPER ROOM – WEST HOLLYWOOD , CA
29TH MALONES – SANTA ANA , CA
OCTOBER
3RD EL CORAZON – SEATTLE, WA
5TH DIVE BAR – LAS VEGAS, NV
6TH BRICK BY BRICK – SAN DIEGO , CA
7TH THE HUB – COLTON , CA
OCT 11 THE CABOOZE – MINNEAPOLIS , MN
OCT 12 BIGS BAR – SIOUX FALLS , SD
OCT 13 THE RED HERRING LOUNGE – DULUTH , MN
OCT 14 RED CARPET – ST CLOUD , MN
Legendary rock vocalist Graham Bonnet is back with a new live album and home video captured during his acclaimed performance at Frontiers Rock Festival III in Trezzo (Milan, Italy) on April 24, 2016.
Accompanied by a stellar band featuring founding member Beth-Ami Heavenstone on bass, South American guitar sensation Conrado Pesinato on lead guitar, and Mark Zonder (known for his work with Warlord and Fates Warning) on drums, Bonnet masterfully delivered a thrilling “Best of” set which included songs from his stints with bands such as Rainbow, McAuley Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, Impellitteri, and of course his solo material too.
Bonnet says: “It’s been a very long time since I last released a live video, 33 years to be exact, with Alcatrazz. Myself and the band were very excited to film and record our performance at the Frontiers Rock Festival for a live album and video and are very happy with the final result!”
Bonnet has a powerful and distinctive vocal style and, indeed, a distinctive image – preferring to let the music, rather than the conventional heavy metal look, do the talking.
The Graham Bonnet Band has spent the last two years touring regularly around the world and this past winter, released his latest successful release, “The Book.” With the band and Bonnet fine tuned from all their touring when they got to Frontiers Rock Festival, this stellar set that was captured there makes for a new live album that will blow GBB (and heavy rock fans in general) away!
GRAHAM BONNET BAND
Graham Bonnet – Vocals
Beth-Ami Heavenstone – Bass
Conrado Pesinato – Guitars
Mark Zonder – Drums
Tracklisting:
CD:
1 EYES OF THE WORLD
2 ALL NIGHT LONG
3 S.O.S.
4 STAND IN LINE
5 GOD BLESSED VIDEO
6 WILL YOU BE HOME TONIGHT
7 JET TO JET
8 NIGHT GAMES
9 SUFFER ME
10 DANCER
11 DESERT SONG
12 ISLAND IN THE SUN
13 SINCE YOU BEEN GONE
14 ASSAULT ATTACK
15 LOST IN HOLLYWOOD
DVD/Blu-Ray:
1 EYES OF THE WORLD
2 ALL NIGHT LONG
3 S.O.S.
4 STAND IN LINE
5 GOD BLESSED VIDEO
6 WILL YOU BE HOME TONIGHT
7 JET TO JET
8 NIGHT GAMES
9 SUFFER ME
10 DANCER
11 DESERT SONG
12 ISLAND IN THE SUN
13 SINCE YOU BEEN GONE
14 ASSAULT ATTACK
15 LOST IN HOLLYWOOD
On Friday 24th March 2017, rock guitarist legendMichael Schenker and in-akustikwill release Michael Schenker Fest “Live” Tokyo – a stunning new live recording and filmed concert released on 2CD, 2CD+DVD Combo, LP, DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital.
Filmed and recorded TokyoInternational Forum on August 24, 2016, this historic concert features guest appearances from some of the greatest rock vocalists who have worked with Schenker including M.S.G.’sGary Barden and Graham Bonnet, and Robin McAuley of the McAuley Schenker Group.5000 fans witnessed an anthology moment of quintessential hard rock music of the highest calibre.
Says Schenker, “It’s a miracle that after all these years, something like this took place with the original band members of M.S.G. Being able to go back to those days and celebrate the music is an exciting experience for us, as well as for old and new fans. To being able to re-experience, and for the new audience to get a feel of what it was like, is incredibly enjoyable.”
Watch the official trailer for Michael Schenker Fest “Live” Tokyo here:
TRACKLISTING
1. Intro: Searching For Freedom
2. Into The Arena
3. Attack Of The Mad Axeman ft. Gary Barden
4. Victim Of Illusion ft. Gary Barden
5. Cry For The Nations ft. Gary Barden
6. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie ft. Gary Barden
7. Armed And Ready ft. Gary Barden
8. Coast To Coast
9. Assault Attack ft. Graham Bonnet
10. Desert Song ft. Graham Bonnet
11. Dancer ft. Graham Bonnet
12. Captain Nemo
13. This Is My Heart ft. Robin McAuley
14. Save Yourself ft. Robin McAuley
15. Love Is Not A Game ft. Robin McAuley
16. Shoot Shoot ft. Robin McAuley
17. Rock Bottom ft. Robin McAuley
18. Doctor Doctor ft. Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, Robin McAuley
All Day and All Night Long is a documentary tour diary on Graham Bonnet(former lead Singer of Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group and Alcatrazz) and his newly assembled Graham Bonnet Band, it follows the band in the studio, at rehearsals and on their first proper tour of the U.K.
A multi-part diary covering the band’s experiences as the tour progresses and unfolds. The documentary tour diary is produced by filmmaker Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice and manager Giles Lavery of The Graham Bonnet Band.
Part 4 concludes the multi- part documentary you can watch the whole documentary below:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part Four finds the band in a few Spinal Tap moments; the band’s van trapped in mud at the side of the highway halfway to Newcastle and stuck in an elevator at Sheffield 02 Academy.
In Manchester, Graham Bonnet apologizes on stage for exposing himself on stage when fronting the M.S.G. band in 1982 which got him fired. “I just wasn’t very respectful of the audience or my penis”. The documentary also includes an interview with an audience member who was an eye witness of the whole M.S.G. incident back in 1982.
On their final tour date in London, Bonnet meets up with long time collaborator and English Singer Songwriter Russ Ballard (Rainbow, Kiss, Roger, Daltrey Ace Frehley etc..)
The lineup and camera crew includes Graham Bonnet, guitarist extraordinaire Conrado Pesinato, bassist Beth-Ami Heavenstone and former FATES WARNING, WARLORD drummer Mark Zonder, and Manager Giles Lavery
GRAHAM BONNET BAND’s new album, which will be made available later in the year via Frontiers Music Srl, will also include a bonus disc of brand new recordings of classic songs from the Graham Bonnet repertoire.
