Martin Popoff

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URIAH HEEP To Be Inducted Into Hall of Heavy Metal History, May 16, By Martin Popoff, On JUDAS PRIEST Tour

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 25, 2019
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Jimmy Kay From Canada’s The Metal Voice spoke to URIAH HEEP guitarist Mick Box. Mick spoke about the upcoming North American tour as a special guest with JUDAS PRIEST, being inducted into the Hall of Heavy Metal History in Connecticut, on stage, on May 16 2019 by CEO Pat Guesaldo and Rock author Martin Popoff. Box also spoke about touring memories with Rush and Kiss back in the 70’s

Watch the interview here:

URIAH HEEP have sold over 45 million million albums, worldwide performed over 4,000 shows in some 61 countries.

When asked about being inducted into the Hall of Heavy Metal History at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut USA
“It’s just amazing you know, I think any award or accolade you get is wonderful and we’ll accept it with open arms my friend. It’s a great honor, it’s the fans that put us there in the first place so you know we’re absolutely delighted and course I’ve known Martin Popoff for quite a while now, he’s done lots of work for so many years. Martin even just did our latest bio so it will be really good to catch up with him.”

When asked about their latest album Living the Dream and it’s reception
“Fans and critics love it and we play about seven songs from it in our set list alongside the classics. We love playing the new songs it revitalized us and the fans but the reaction has been just absolutely tremendous and a lot of people have been saying you know it’s one of the best of our career. ”

When asked about Touring with Rush in the 70’s on Neil Peart’s first show and did he think that Rush were a force to be reckon with in years to come
“Yeah that was Neil Peart’s first show with Rush, we gave Rush our audience and they took it by the throat. I think in the early days Geddy was getting the Robert Plant comparisons because he’s got a high voice so in that respect it was a kind of of Downer but you know they got through all of that and came out stronger, And yes it was very obvious they were going to be a force to be reckoned with especially being a 3-piece, my goodness they really kicked backside as we say in England.”

When asked about Kiss opening for Uriah Heep and if there were any cool stories
“Kiss did come out with over-the-top costumes but they certainly had a look about them that was just unbelievable like they’ve coming from another planet. Peter was a prankster on tour, Criss had a habit of putting dyes into into swimming pools, lots of pranks went on yeah it was a good fun.”

When asked about Lee Kerslakes contributions to Uriah Heep over the years
“We were headhunting Lee for a couple of years and we kept asking him and asking him and then suddenly he thought well okay let’s give it a go. It was just a powerhouse it was exactly what we were looking for to cement the band and then when Gary Thames came in those two cemented that rhythm section, we knew our engine room was complete. Lee and I are brothers with different mothers we’re always been found each other, I’m always phoning him and we go out to dinner occasionally. I actually got him up on stage when we played London recently which was really cool. Hopefully Lee can join us for one show that we’re headlining in the Czech Republic, the 12th of July I think I, we are trying to fly him out .”

When asked about Randy Rhoads love for Demons and Wizards
“I think demons touched a lot of people and I think Randy was no exception who really knows good music. I went down to see Bob Daisley play with the Blizzard band, it was quite evident that you know Randy was something special right there jaw-dropping stuff, even the rehearsals. I thought that it was a very powerful band and then I saw him playing with Ozzy and in England and it was great. Why the band (Blizzard of Ozz band ) ever broke that up I’ll never know as long as I can never understand, it was such a strong entity with that chemistry and it’s all about chemistry and they would have gone on to soar and do even greater things. ”

The band’s 25th studio album, “Living The Dream”, was released last September via Frontiers Music Srl

Box is the original guitarist and sole remaining founding member of URIAH HEEP. He, vocalist Bernie Shaw and keyboardist/vocalist Phil Lanzon have formed the nucleus of the band for more than 32 years and released 17 albums together.

Track listing:

01. Grazed By Heaven
02. Living The Dream
03. Take Away My Soul
04. Knocking At My Door
05. Rocks In The Road
06. Waters Flowin’
07. It’s All Been Said
08. Goodbye To Innocence
09. Falling Under Your Spell
10. Dreams Of Yesteryear
11. Take Away My Soul (alternate version) (bonus track; CD/DVD deluxe edition)

Bonus DVD track listing:

* “Grazed By Heaven” music video
* “Take Away My Soul” music video
* “Making The Dream” documentary

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Martin Popoff Talks “IRON MAIDEN Album by Album” Book

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 25, 2018
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TheMetalVoice-MartinPopoff-IronMaiden

Jimmy Kay from The Metal Voice spoke to rock journalist/ Author Martin Popoff about his new book “IRON MAIDEN Album By Album” which was released October 19 2018.

Watch the interview here:

This new book from prolific rock journalist Martin Popoff pays tribute to the Iron Maiden’s studio discography through a series of in-depth, frank, and entertaining conversations about all sixteen of the legendary heavy metal band’s studio albums. Inside, the author gathers together metal journalists, authors, and musicians, who offer insights, opinions, and anecdotes about every release.

Maiden’s fanbase is large, diverse and enduring, and that goes for the line-up Popoff assembled to break down each Maiden studio release. Among those weighing in are musicians Marty Friedman, Mike Portnoy, Matt Heafy, Nita Strauss, Ahmet Zappa and former Maiden singer Blaze Bayley. Rocker and pro wrestler Chris Jericho is here, along with journalists “Metal” Tim Henderson, Rich Davenport, Jimmy Kay and other metal and Iron Maiden experts.

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Together, the conversations comprise a unique historical overview of the band, covering everything from early albums with original lead singer Paul Di’Anno; the songwriting of founder and bassist Steve Harris; the impeccable talents of drummer Nicko McBrain and guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers; mega tours undertaken in support of the LPs; fights and drama within the band; and much more.

The resulting insights, opinions and anecdotes explore it all, starting with the band’s debut at the vanguard of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal to breakthrough iconic releases like The Number of the Beastand Powerslave. Popoff also includes loads of sidebars that provide complete track listings, details on album personnel, and information on where and when the albums were recorded. Every page is illustrated with thoughtfully curated performance and offstage photography, as well as rare memorabilia.

For life-long fans of Maiden to the newer and curious fans wanting to know more about the legendary British band’s recorded output, Iron Maiden: Album By Album is a book every Maiden fan will want on their bookshelf.

Rock Author MARTIN POPOFF Talks LED ZEPPELIN “All the Albums, All The Songs” in New Book

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 24, 2017
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Jimmy Kay From Canada’s The Metal Voice talks to Martin Popoff about his NEW BOOK Led Zeppelin “All the Albums, All the songs”, talking about the songs, the albums, the artwork, their inspirations and their influence on Hard Rock Heavy Metal Today.

Watch the interview here:


THE STORY BEHIND EVERY STUDIO TRACK.

Commonly described simply as heavy, Led Zeppelin’s music was actually a complex amalgam of blues, rock, folk and country. Martin Popoff dissect each of Zep’s 81 studio tracks, including the circumstances that led to their creation, the recording processes and their historical contexts. Introductory essays for each album features sidebars listing studios, release dates and personnel. Beautifully illustrated with rare performance and offstage photography and memorabilia, the result is a stunning look at the foursome who forged the template for the marauding modern rock ‘n’ roll band.

Martin Popoff Talks New Book “The Birth of Thrash”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on April 5, 2017
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TheMetalVoice-MartinPopoff

Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada’s The Metal Voice recently spoke to Rock Author Martin Popoff about his new book, ‘Hit the Lights’ The Birth Of Thrash the first of a three part book series on Thrash Metal.

Watch the interview here:

Popoff told The Metal Voice, “The main questions answered in this book is who invented thrash? This book starts in the late 70’s it gives some key touchstone points from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal that Thrash guys had really appreciated and that sound somewhat like thrash back then. But as we go on there is a little bit of the punk touchstones as well and then hard core as you get into 81-82. Then things really heat up with essentially with Dave Mustaine and his Pre-Metallica band and James Hetfield and his Pre-Metallica band Leather Charm where they do the song Hit The Lights. A very important Thrash song, probably the first Thrash song, made in the Thrash environment and it also starts off with birth of Exodus. Before that  Motorhead with Overkill which is one of the  first double bass songs which is double bass all the way through plus a little bit of that  Low-Fi recording  on purpose idea, a gruff vocal on purpose and Motorhead is really the first band that had no mellow songs on their albums.”

Martin now brings us Hit the Lights: The Birth of Thrash, attacking heavy metal’s next wave of faster, heavier, angrier sounds, with a geographical shift in the axis to San Francisco and Los Angeles, with a bit of New York, Germany and Canada thrown in for good measure.

Come join Martin, along with dozens of his old school headbanging buddies (including multiple members from thrash’s big four and beyond), as they together tell the tale of thrash’s forging from the influence of punk, ‘70s metal and the NWOBHM. Venom, Anvil, Exciter, Raven, Exodus, Anthrax, Metallica… they’re all here and willing to explain candidly and at length how and why metal past the implosion of the NWOBHM suddenly found itself barreling down the tracks at breakneck speed.

The Metal Voice: Blaze Bayley Tour Documentary Part 1 Now Streaming, Feat. Rock Author Marin Popoff And VENOM INC.’s Tony Dolan

Posted by tarjavirmakari on September 23, 2016
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BlazeBayley-TheMetalVoice-tour-documentary

Canada’s The Metal Voice is producing an online tour Documentary called Canadian Entanglement on former IRON MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley on his upcoming Canadian Mini Tour. Part 1 of the multi-part series is now streaming below.

In  Part 1  Blaze Bayley is at his home in the Birmingham, England preparing his luggage and documents for his travel, part one also includes commentary by Rock Author Martin Popoff and Bassist/ vocalist of Venom Inc, Tony Dolan

Film-maker and Executive  Producer Jimmy Kay had this to say about the project,  “Blaze has to be one of the most underrated front men and vocalists in Metal history. This tour documentary aims to capture  the reciprocal love with his fans, the reality of the day to day excitement and grind on tour, as well as information on his time with Wolfsbane, Iron Maiden and his solo career to-date.”

Blaze Bayley added “I’m excited to be returning to Canada and I look forward to meeting my fans at these shows, with the opportunity also for them to be a part of the filming of this Canadian Entanglement documentary”.

Blaze was born 29th May 1963 in Birmingham, England. Having started his professional music career in WOLFSBANE in 1984, his career elevated to global heights when he joined IRON MAIDEN with whom he released two albums and toured worldwide between 1994 and 1999.

After leaving Iron Maiden, Blaze embarked on a solo career, during which he has released eight albums including ‘Infinite Entanglement’ in 2016 and has continued to tour worldwide, collaborating with a host of talented artists and bands.

Always open to collaborating, Blaze just recently joined DISTURBED onstage at Download Festival (UK) for a rendition of ‘Baba O’Riley’ by THE WHO, was accompanied onstage in Poland by Swedish metalheads SABATON for a version of Maiden classic ‘Man On The Edge’, and has been announced as guest vocalist on the forthcoming album by former QUEENSRYCHE singer Geoff Tate .

Canadian Tour Dates
Sept 21 Ottawa, Canada
Sept 22 Shawiningan, Canada
Sept 23 Quebec City. Canada
Sept 24 Montreal, Canada

Watch the tour documentary, Pt.1 here:

The Metal Voice Interview: ACCEPT’s Metal Heart Keep Beating Stronger- New biography by Martin Popoff

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 29, 2016
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Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada’s The Metal Voice recently spoke to acclaimed Metal author Martin Popoff about his new book Metal Heart-Aiming High with Accept

The book covers the complete Accept biography discussing all the bands  albums and songs. It explores all era’s, from the Udo Dirkschneider beginnings and success, to  the David Reece dramas and break up, to the rebirth and relevance with current singer Mark Tornillo.

Popoff tells ‘The Metal Voice’  about Accept’s break out album Balls to The Wall,” Balls to the wall had this uniform smoothness to it and edge in the lyrics and that’s a whole story that’s talked about in the book. Gaby Hoffmann at this point is writing all their lyrics, a female, the manager of the band  and some of the songs are written perhaps  from a  female point of view. Then they came out with this whole gay controversy on the album cause there is a picture of all of them with their shirt off and the Balls to the wall, the guy holding a ball, the big wrestler leg thing. It had this very funny sub current story line behind it. But I remember getting it and just thinking this is a really a multi dimensional band.”

Popoff goes on to discuss the bringing in of American vocalist David Reece and firing of Udo in 1989 an attempt for more commercial success (Eat the Heat album),” there is a funny quote from David Reece, Dieter Dierks takes David Reece  aside and says, if this album fails were both going to get blamed or if it’s successful we both going to be heroes, of course it fails.”

Popoff concludes on the overwhelming acceptance of Mark Tornillo in the present, “ This is a textbook example of being able to change their singer and having it work out perfectly because Mark Tornillo is totally accepted as a member of Accept.”

Watch the whole interview here: