Hot on the heels of Cleopatra Records’ much-applauded tribute to Ritchie Blackmore’s “other” band, Ride The Rainbow, November 13 will see the release of Purple Storm – A Tribute To Deep Purple – and once again, the stars of hard rock, metal and more pour out to bring their own unique twist too some of the most beloved anthems in the hard rock pantheon.
One cut from this hard-hitting album has already slipped out, in the form of the mighty Angel’s take on “Woman From Tokyo,” a super-limited edition 12-inch single released, and immediately sold out, earlier this summer.
Now comes “Smoke On The Water,” a dynamite recasting of what is sometimes described as the ultimate metal riff, with vocals by former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, alongside Lynch Mob guitarist George Lynch, Dream Theater/Yngie Malmsteen keyboard player Derek Sherinian, Blue Oyster Cult bassist Joe Bouchard, and Black Sabbath/Derringer drummer Vinny Appice.
Famously, “Smoke On The Water” was written around Deep Purple’s experiences in Montreaux, Switzerland, when fire gutted the venue in which they were intending to record their sixth studio album, 1972’s Machine Head. They retreated instead to another nearby venue, the Pavilion, but it swiftly proved grossly unsuitable.
Within hours of the band plugging in for the first time, the switchboard at the local police station was screaming in protest as the entire neighborhood, it seemed, phoned in to complain about the noise. And Deep Purple had only just got started.
Bassist Roger Glover recalled,”‘The only thing we recorded there was a riff of Ritchie’s which we called ‘Title #1.’ The police were actually outside banging on the doors, the roadies were holding the doors shut until we finished recording it. One can almost hear the banging as the song fades out.”
The group was evicted on the spot, but “Title #1” was regardless destined to enshrine Montreaux as firmly into rock’n’roll legend as Route 66 or Strawberry Fields; Which makes it even more remarkable when Glover continues, “We finished the track, but we really didn’t think much of it. When we went back to it a week later, it was, “oh, what are we going to write over this?” So we wrote something, put it on the album, and that was it.’
“It” was “Smoke On The Water,” titled for the clouds of black smoke that billowed out over Lake Geneva as the Casino burned.
Of course, there are a multitude of further Purple classics featured on Purple Storm – 11 of them to be precise, including “Highway Star,” “Child In Time,” “Space Trucking’,” “Woman From Tokyo,” “Black Night”… each of them paramount among the songs that truly confirmed Purple’s superstardom, both at the outset of their career (“Hush,” their debut US hit single) and into later years too (the title track from 1984’s Perfect Strangers).
The guests, meanwhile, represent several generations of rock glitterati – L.A. Guns, Chris Adler, Chris Poland and David Ellefson (Megadeth), Alan Davey (Hawkwind, Hawkestrel), Ronnie Romero and Bob Daisley (Rainbow), Jonathan Cain (Journey), Pat Travers, Arthur Brown, Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, Rod Stewart), Thor, Rick Wakeman (Yes, David Bowie), Mick Box (Uriah Heep) and more.
ALCATRAZZ respond to Graham Bonnet’s recent remarks regarding the band’s current lineup:
Graham, thank you for the free PR… the Alcatrazz name has been trending quite nicely over the holidays. In a recent interview you seem to have had your say, so now we will have ours:
You claim our current line-up contains, in your opinion… a lack of musical merit, or that the musicians in our current line-up have no connection to, nor the right to perform or record as Alcatrazz… let’s look under the hood a bit to your reasoning as to why…
Despite the fact that we have two original founding members (whom you have willingly, and certainly when it suited you happily worked with more than once at numerous stages in your musical career), one of whom named the band “Alcatrazz” — plus a guitarist that you yourself claimed in interviews at the time was “perfect for the Alcatrazz band”… someone that you yourself “fully endorsed” back in 2019 to record and co-write our “Born Innocent” album, when you were still in the band.
Perhaps you could check in with your apparent new friend Bruce Dickinson… as Bruce’s own keyboard player Maestro Mistheria is currently in a band with our guitarist… Mr. Joe Stump… that band is called Tower Of Babel… small world isn’t it?…we are sure Bruce likely has better things to do though.
The balance of your comments are also all a bit hypocritical, as aside from yourself not one member of your current solo band has any connection to these songs (nor to the songs of Rainbow or M.S.G. which you perform).
In fact many of the songs that you are known by: “Since You Been Gone” “All Night Long” “Night Games” “Warm Ride” “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” “Only One Woman” (to name a few) you didn’t write a single part of any of them yourself… yet you continue to trade off this material whenever you perform live, on recent re-recordings, live albums and compilations of your work… How many more versions of Russ Ballard’s “Since You Been Gone” are you going to re-record?… as many as you like we assume, but your apparent faulty logic of >writers being the only ones who have a right to perform a song< doesn’t compute.
Again; we have two original founding members in our line-up and a guitarist who has been in the band longer than any other guitarist previous.
The version of Rainbow that you were in bore little resemblance in sound or image of the original Rainbow band, yet in our opinion was no less valid… so by your logic as you didn’t write anything with Rainbow, should you be dismissed in equal measure as some kind of imposter Rainbow member when you are out performing those songs? … You do seem to have a habit of shifting the rules around depending on what suits you best.
You have claimed that you have seen videos of our live show and deem us to be “terrible”… you have also made recent comments in the press that you also cannot listen to yourself on similar such videos as they also sound “terrible”… so we suppose, in your estimation, that there isn’t much hope for any of us… God-Damned Video!
You also seem a bit “put-out” that Jimmy recently spoke to the press regarding your lip-synching and running of pre-recorded vocal tracks to cover for your vocal issues live (an absolute truth during Jimmy’s tenure both in your solo band and in Alcatrazz)…
Would you care to take a lie detector test to settle this once and for all? — as we would be happy to also do so… are you up for the challenge?… anytime!
There was of course no mention by you of the fact that you had no problem (for years) stating numerous falsehoods publicly about Jimmy Waldo… not least of all your ridiculous claim that he had “stolen” the main theme from the Alcatrazz song “Island In The Sun” directly from Van Halen’s “Jump” (?)… But wait!, we have a slight timeline problem there, as Jimmy wrote that piece while a member of New England in 1981… it was released in 1983, still some months prior to the release of the Van Halen song (the two songs have nothing in common by the way).
In reality it was Jimmy who would pitch correct your vocals on the records, prepare the pre-recorded live tracks for you to lip-synch to, and basically save your arse night after night — so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that once you decided to take shots at our band and at Jimmy, that we decided (after THREE years of saying nothing about you at all) that enough was enough and he gave it back to you with both barrels fully loaded!.
Jimmy Waldo; as a member of New England, A-Z, Warlord and someone who has performed numerous sessions for the likes of Quiet Riot, Pretty Maids, WASP, and many more, doesn’t need to make up stories about Graham Bonnet to get attention.
You make no mention of the fact that three international trademark courts dismissed your claim to the “Alcatrazz” trademark, for the simple fact that you quit-the-band (!) back in 2020 and that the band contractually was never ever your solo project… a narrative that you are still trying to push, proving once and for all that your ego is still your worst enemy.
Now conveniently enough you say that the Alcatrazz name is an embarrassment to you and you have no desire to be known by it any longer.
You didn’t like Alcatrazz when the great Doogie White (ex Rainbow, Michael Schenker, Malmsteen) was singing for us, nor do you like it now that Giles Lavery (Warlord, Jack Starr, Dragonsclaw) is singing for us. Actually you told us you didn’t like the music of Alcatrazz when YOU were a member either. Which is fair enough… we quite liked your last solo album by the way… apart from that song “David’s Mom” … which was crap!… We all have opinions, so let’s let the fans make up their own minds.
You seem to make a big deal of the fact that our singer (Giles Lavery) is also our manager and was at one time your manager…a man of many talents indeed (but not in the kitchen!)… you make this comment in some kind of attempt to diminish his work as a vocalist (as mentioned above he also sings quite successfully as member of, and for: Warlord, Jack Starr’s band and Dragonsclaw).
Again, your hypocrisy is palpable — Your own bass player is your current manager, of course she is also your girlfriend (and driver, nurse and landlady)… and speaking of musical merit, she herself did not actually play the bass on the Graham Bonnet Band albums (you can ask your guitarist Conrado more about that!) …Oh…did someone just say “Spinal Tap”…?
We continue to record and tour internationally quite successfully without you… so you do your thing and we will do ours.
Alcatrazz (with two Z’s)
BraveWords Records releases PRIOR CONVICTIONS, the new album by Alcatrazz. PRIOR CONVICTIONS contains newly re-recorded versions of nine 1980s era Alcatrazz songs, all featuring new vocalist Giles Lavery. Plus two brand new band compositions “Transylvanian Requiem” and “Stand And Wait Your Turn”.
01 Transylvanian Requiem (New Song) 02 Stand And Wait Your Turn (New Song) 03 Jet To Jet (2025) 04 Starr Carr Lane (2025) 05 Hiroshima Mon Amour (2025) 06 Island In The Sun (2025) 07 Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live (2025) 08 God Blessed Video (2025) 09 Skyfire (2025) 10 General Hospital (2025) 11 Kree Nakoorie (2025)
Credits: Produced Giles Lavery and Jimmy Waldo Mixed & Mastered by Andy Haller All songs recorded 2025
Brand new Alcatrazz song “Stand And Wait Your Turn” video:
Giles Lavery – Vocals Joe Stump – Guitars Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards Gary Shea – Bass Mark Benquechea – Drums
About ALCATRAZZ: Alcatrazz, formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, has been as well known for the legendary players and singers who have passed throughout the bands ranks as much as they have for their music.
Formed originally by the trio of Jimmy Waldo, Gary Shea (both fresh from late 70’s hitmakers New England and the short lived band Warrior featuring a pre-Kiss Vinnie Vincent) along with vocalist Graham Bonnet (himself with impressive credentials having been a then recent member of Rainbow and the Michael Schenker Group) the band set about completing the line up with drummer Jan Uvena (formerly of Alice Cooper) and a then very young Yngwie Malmsteen, a guitarist who had quickly made a name for himself upon arriving in the USA in the early 80s. The band issued their now classic debut “No Parole From Rock N Roll” album (1983) which was met with universal critical acclaim. Yngwie was soon to depart in favor of Steve Vai just in time for the bands second album “Disturbing The Peace” (1985).
The bands mission has always been a not necessarily stable line-up, but of an evolving union of established performers all forming a “supergroup” of sorts, one with perhaps more guitar fire-power than many, but definitely also with the songs to back it up.
Vocalist Doogie White (himself also formerly of Rainbow and Michael Schenker) served a successful two album stint with the band, while the “shred-lord” himself…the acclaimed Joe Stump (also a very established solo artist and a Berklee college professor) has now been the bands longest serving guitarist, with this year now making his 6th continuing year as a member of the band.
Longtime Graham Bonnet and Alcatrazz collaborator, producer, songwriter and vocalist Giles Lavery is now the man behind the microphone, having proved he was an inspired choice on two recent U.S. tours — having worked with the band in numerous other creative capacities since 2017 the band feel it was a logical move, but also one chosen on merit. Giles can be heard on the recent BraveWords Records release, Jack Starr’s “Out Of The Darkness Part II” as well as his studio and live work with U.S. metal legends Warlord, a band who feature non-other than Mark Zonder on drums…himself a former member of the Graham Bonnet Band, Fates Warning, and worth noting here… as he is also currently leading the band A-Z who feature none other than Alcatrazz main man keyboardist Jimmy Waldo! confused yet? don’t be, as all of this proves that there is a firm but perhaps overlooked consistency and lineage to what on the surface may seem like an ever evolving band personnel.
Indeed Jimmy Waldo continues to be the heart and soul of Alcatrazz… as aside from being the bands talented keyboardist, he has been the one who would, over the bands career find himself at the centre of all band affairs and decision making, from booking the band in the early days, working closely with the bands various record labels, to making sure other members, at the height of 1980s rock n roll decadence were present and accounted for when it came time to get the work done…”i think i even drove the tour bus once or twice back then” says Waldo… in fact it was Jimmy himself who personally selected Steve Vai out of a number of other contenders for the guitarist position in 1984 when Yngwie Malmsteen chose to move on to his own distinguished solo career.. “alot of people have come and gone over the years” says Jimmy… “It’s kept it fresh and we are hardly the only band like that, we still have myself and Gary still holding down the frontline from that early era” Chris Impellitteri historically was one such player in line for the job, who may not have made it into the bands ranks back in 1984, but who in 2020 finally recorded with the band as a special guest on the successful “Born Innocent” album (co-produced by Giles and Jimmy).
Bassist Gary Shea, he who named the band and designed the bands logo no less… came up with the above-mentioned iconic album titles (lets also not forget “Live Sentence”) as noted above, has been flying the Alcatrazz flag with Jimmy for over 4 decades now and is looking forward to this next phase. Gary’s recently published book “No Bass, No Party” is also an essential read for those wanting to delve deeper into the Alcatrazz story!
We’re just days away now from the ultimate last minute holidays present for all the metal fans in your life – and the yacht rock lovers as well… because you never know. They might wanna hear it, too.
Yes, Yacht Metal is due to dock on December 19, and if you’ve missed the buzz that’s already about, then this is your chance to leap on board, as Graham Bonnet (Rainbow) and Bumblefoot pair up to give Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers‘ 1980 smash “Just The Two Of Us” the kind of work-out that neither you nor they probably ever expected to hear.
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal was certainly excited at the prospect. “When Cleopatra Records calls, I know it’s gonna be something fun,” he says. “And, sure enough, Yacht Metal! Had the pleasure of guesting alongside the mighty Graham Bonnet with music/produced by Derek Hughes – I hope you all enjoy! :)”
Yes, you will. Because how can you not? Yacht Metal, after all, brings together two of the most… can we say “beloved”? Yeah, why not. Two of the most beloved genres in modern music, and while it would have been easy to flip the concept and serve up metal by the yachting community (don’t laugh… it might happen!), right now it’s the metal mob storming the marina, with solos on stun, riffs on roofies, and vocals that can shatter a fiber-glass hull from a hundred paces.
Thor sings Jay Ferguson. The BulletBoys batter “Taking It To The Streets.|” Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow) sails through “Ride Captain Ride.” And yes, talking of Captains, Lorraine Lewis (Femme Fatale) and George Lynch positively shred “Love Will Keep Us Together.” Girlschool’sKim McAuliffe and Leader of Down savage Nicolette Larson’s version of Neil Young’s defenseless “Lotta Love,” while former Judas Priest frontman Tim “Ripper” Owens and UFO guitarist Vinnie Moore claim they want to “Kiss You All Over.” And maybe they do. You’ll have to listen to find out for sure.
And you only have ten days (and counting) to wait before the dreadnought pulls into port. At which point, even the most painstakingly-curated festive playlist will be cast aside to make way for a brain-busting blast of Yacht Metal.
Legendary rock vocalist Graham Bonnet and his own group, the Graham Bonnet Band, are pleased to share their new single and official live video, “Night Games”, taken from the upcoming new live album, “Lost In Hollywood Again”, out on December 12, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.
Graham said: “Night Games” is one of those songs that brings everybody to their feet within the first three notes. It’s a good old rock ‘n’ roll song and everyone can relate to that!”
On August 29, 2024, the Graham Bonnet Band took the stage of the world-famous Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles for a night that perfectly captured the power, history, and energy of one of rock’s most distinctive voices. Filmed and recorded in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the legendary Sunset Strip venue, “Lost in Hollywood Again” showcases not only Graham’s unparalleled legacy but also the chemistry and fire of his current band.
“Lost in Hollywood Again” is more than a concert – it’s a celebration of Graham Bonnet’s enduring legacy and timeless songs, carried by a legendary voice, elevated by outstanding musicianship, and standing as a testament to the lasting power of hard rock.
The setlist is a journey through Bonnet’s remarkable career, featuring classics from Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, and Alcatrazz, alongside hard-hitting originals from the Graham Bonnet Band catalog. With Graham’s trademark vocals in top form, the performance blends nostalgia with vitality, proving why he remains an enduring force in hard rock.
On this unforgettable night, Graham Bonnet’s iconic vocals were supported by the virtuosic guitar work of Conrado Pesinato, the driving bass of Beth-Ami Heavenstone, the soaring keyboards of Alessandro Bertoni, and the precise, energetic drumming of Francis Cassol. Together, they brought each song to life with intensity and precision, creating a truly memorable live experience.
Graham Bonnet is known for his powerful and versatile voice. He first achieved chart success in 1968 as part of the duo The Marbles, whose single “Only One Woman” reached No. 5 in the UK. Over his long career he has recorded and performed both as a solo artist and as a member of several prominent rock and heavy metal bands, including Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group (MSG), Alcatrazz, Impellitteri, Blackthorne, and others.
Bonnet’s time with Rainbow was a defining period in his career: he joined in 1979, replacing Ronnie James Dio as vocalist, and contributed to the album “Down To Earth”, which included hits such as “Since You’ve Been Gone” and “All Night Long.” After leaving Rainbow he resumed his solo work, then later joined and formed several bands including MSG and Alcatrazz.
In later years Bonnet continued to release solo albums, formed the Graham Bonnet Band, and also participated in projects like Michael Schenker Fest. He remains active in recording and touring.
“Lost In Hollywood Again” Tracklist:
1. Eyes Of The World 2. All Night Long 3. Love’s No Friend 4. Making Love 5. Since You’Ve Been Gone 6. Keys solo 7. Lazy 8. Imposter 9. S.O.S. 10. Desert Song 11. Drums solo 12. Night Games 13. Into The Night 14. Assault Attack 15. Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live 16. Lost In Hollywood
Line Up: Graham Bonnet – Vocals Conrado Pesinato – Guitars Beth-Ami Heavenstone – Bass Alessandro Bertoni – Keyboards Francis Cassol – Drums
In a collaboration that’s sure to have metal heads raising horns in salute, renowned vocalist Graham Bonnet and guitar maestro Marty Friedman have joined forces to breathe new life into the classic rock anthem “Since You Been Gone.” This iconic single dates back to 1976, but its best-known version was recorded in 1979 by Bonnet during his tenure with Ritchie Blackmore’s megalithic metal band Rainbow for their Down To Earth album. The song was a massive hit in the UK and a moderate one in the US, but it has since become a classic rock radio staple and one of Rainbow’s most recognizable singles, even landing at #82 in VH1’s “Hard Rock Songs Of All Time.”
Now, 45 years later, Bonnet revisits the track that made him one of the most celebrated vocalists in rock history. Indeed, the song’s success is simply inconceivable without Bonnet’s bravado, powerhouse vocal performance. Incredibly, one listen to the new version shows that he hasn’t lost an ounce of that vocal power. And stepping into Blackmore’s mighty boots, guitar shredder Marty Friedman showcases his own undeniable talent, bringing both muscle and finesse to this new recording. Check out the new version of “Since You Been Gone,” which is released today on all music platforms.
Bonnet shares these reflections on the song, “When we first began recording the album ‘Down to Earth,’ we had already created a new sound that was quite different from the Ronnie James Dio era. It was meant to be more radio-friendly, but it also had a more modern sound with lyrical content that dealt with real life. When manager Bruce Payne brought the song ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ to the band, everyone was a bit dismayed. It didn’t sound anything like the other songs on the record and was almost pop-like in comparison. Some of the guys were very vocal about their negative feelings about the song. The original version that was presented to us was very different from the song we ended up recording. We received a version recorded by a South African all-girl band called Clout. We changed the chorus ad-libs to sound harder, more hard rock but even then, Cozy threatened to leave the band if we did the song. When the final product was complete, we were all excited by the outcome. It turned out much better than expected. Roger suggested an intro with multiple voices in the vein of a madrigal and it added an unexpected aspect to the song that was quite favorable. Even though we all were happy with the end result, we were stunned by how the song was received. Everyone seemed to love it and to this day, when we play the song live, there isn’t one single audience member not singing along with us. It has appeared in countless movies and TV shows, the most recent being the 3rd installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy series. Russ Ballard, who penned Since You’ve Been Gone, is an incredible songwriter and to this day, is the only outside writer whose material I will record. In essence, I have to acknowledge that SYBG kickstarted my career in rock and there is no end in sight.”
As Christmas day quickly approaches, metal fans are being given one more stocking stuff to make the season extra special. This time, it’s a powerhouse rendition of George Michael’s perennial favorite, and famously inescapable, new wave pop masterpiece “Last Christmas” performed by Rainbow/Michael Schenker Group vocalist Graham Bonnet & Uriah Heep axeman Mick Box! Together these two craft an electrifying rendition of this ubiquitous earworm that feels like a brand new holiday anthem for headbangers and hard rock enthusiasts alike!
Renowned for his powerful vocals and impressive range, Bonnet grabs a hold of the vocal melody of “Last Christmas” and squeezes new life out of it, all while maintaining the songs poignant emotions. Box, on the other hand, adds some mind-blowing guitar work woven throughout the song to beef up the musical track to fit Bonnet’s commanding vocal performance.
This holiday treat and many others await on the two volume set of A Very Metal Christmas and A Very Metal Christmas II released this year featuring brand new recordings from an incredible array of supremely talented metal artists including Megadeth’s Chris Poland, King’s X’s Ty Tabor, Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy, Bulletboys’ Marq Torien, UFO’s Vinnie Moore, George Lynch, Marty Friedman, Great White’s Jack Russell, Vixen’s Janet Gardner, Angel’s Frank DiMino and many more! Available now on CD, digital and vinyl.
All I Want For Christmas Is You – Tim “Ripper” Owens, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, David Ellefson
Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Cherie Currie, Tracii Guns
Feliz Navidad – Stephen Pearcy, Vinnie Moore
Carol Of The Bells – Chris Poland
Last Christmas – Graham Bonnet, Mick Box
Please Come Home For Christmas – Carmine Appice, Ty Tabor, Paul Shortino, Phil Soussan
White Christmas – Bulletboys
Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 – George Lynch
Merry Xmas Everybody – Kim McAuliffe & Cliff Evans
Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – Paul Dianno
Happy Holiday – Enuff Z’nuff
Little Saint Nick – L.A. Guns
Donner & Blitzen (Achim Koehler Mix) – Thor
A VERY METAL CHRISTMAS II TRACK LIST:
O Holy Night – Glenn Hughes
Blue Christmas – Jack Russell, Chris Holmes
Winter Wonderland – Fast Eddie Clarke, Steve Overland
All I Want For Christmas Is You – Janet Gardner
Another Rock And Roll Christmas – Paul Dianno, Paul Samson
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Marty Friedman
It’s A Wonderful Life – George Lynch & Jeff Pilson
Father Christmas – Pretty Boy Floyd
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town – Gilby Clarke
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Helix
Run, Rudolph Run – Faster Pussycat
Silent Night – Frank DiMino, Tracii Guns
What Child Is This? – Glen Drover
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 