“Monsters” is the first single taken from the band’s eponymous debut album Red Giant released on Friday 18 October 2024.
The album is available to pre-order from www.redgiantofficial.com/the-rg-shop.
Red Giant brings their unique blend of heavy rock with their outstanding debut album. Comprising elements of rock, blues, and grunge, the band’s debut album is a dynamic thrill ride from start to finish.
Red Giant is the brainchild of the popular YouTube presenter and guitar prodigy, Dave Simpson (he’s amassed over 135,000 YouTube followers due to his guitar tutorials and gear demos).
Inspired by heartbreak, betrayal, bullying, and mental health, the album is a journey through a dark landscape supported by an undertow of defiance and resilience. Featuring powerful performances, Red Giant trips the light fantastic, and is clearly firing on all cylinders on this unforgettable ten-track modern-day masterpiece.
The first single “Monsters” is a dissenting lament on the increasing tyranny being imposed upon ordinary people, doing their best to survive, by puppet politicians controlled by an elite whose names we do not know and whose faces we never see.
A sombre and dark atmosphere permeates throughout the songs short run time and pull you in with Simpson’s emotionally charged vocal and melancholic guitar.
Perfectly offset by heavy drums and driving bass. It gives you hope that there is light in the darkness and meaning in everything. The song was written by Simpson during the lockdowns of 2020 and is still relevant today and into the near future.
Renowned blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Joanne Shaw Taylor has released her brand new single, “Hold Of My Heart”, available now on all major streaming platforms. A twangy, Americana-infused track featuring the exceptional talents of violinist Sav Madigan, “Hold Of My Heart” marks the first release from a slate of material Joanne is set to unveil over the next year, signalling an exciting new chapter.
As a Nashville resident, Joanne is embracing the local music culture and infusing it into her style of Blues-Rock. Following the release of her critically acclaimed album ‘Heavy Soul,’ Joanne, in partnership with Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records, plans to bypass traditional release strategies by delivering a steady stream of high-quality singles, ensuring that new music consistently reaches her fans.
In “Hold Of My Heart,” Joanne explores the vulnerable and exhilarating experience of confessing feelings to a close friend, capturing the emotional turmoil and bravery required to take that leap of faith in a relationship. “This song is about telling a good friend that you actually like them as more than a friend,” Joanne shares, “and realizing, if only for your own sake and the sake of honesty in a friendship to finally tell them.”
Sav Madigan, known for her multifaceted musicianship and soulful playing, contributes her violin prowess to this track. One-third of the all-female indie-folk-roots band, The Accidentals, Sav is an award-winning singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and session player with roots in Nashville, TN, and Traverse City, MI. She has worked with a diverse range of artists, including Lainey Wilson, Hannah Wicklund, and Peter Mulvey.
The release of “Hold Of My Heart” follows the critical success of Joanne’s album Heavy Soul, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Blues Album chart. Produced by Kevin Shirley, the album has been lauded for blending contemporary soul-pop with traditional blues roots, showcasing Joanne’s growth as a songwriter and musician. Tracks like “Change of Heart”, “Wishing Well” and “Drowning In A Sea Of Love” have further solidified her reputation as a powerful voice in the blues-rock genre.
With a career enriched by acclaim from legends like Stevie Wonder and Annie Lennox, Taylor’s Heavy Soul offers a fusion of contemporary soul-pop and traditional blues. Critics have praised the album as a significant milestone in Joanne’s career, with Classic Rock Magazine describing it as “a winning balance between maturity and raw, gut-punch blues,” and Glide Magazine calling it her “most complete ‘triple threat’ effort yet.” The album highlights Joanne’s expressive vocals and exceptional guitar skills, with standout tracks such as “Devil In Me” and “A Good Goodbye.”
Joanne continues to captivate audiences with her dynamic live performances. She recently performed at notable summer festivals, including the Songs at Mirror Lake in Lake Placid, NY, and the Mammoth Festival in Mammoth Lakes, CA.
Looking ahead, she is set to embark on “The Heavy Soul” U.S. Tour this fall. Fans can expect an electrifying experience with a mix of new songs from Heavy Soul, including some of her upcoming new singles and fan favourites. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit joanneshawtaylor.com.
Following the release of the critically acclaimed single “Too Much Stress feat. Brian May,” legendary guitarist and songwriter Steve Cropper unveils the title track from his forthcoming album, Friendlytown, set for release on August 23rd via Mascot Label Group/Provogue. This newly released single highlights Cropper’s signature loping riff, enhanced by the low-down Texas blues guitar leads of ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. The track’s muscular, blues-rock sound is further distinguished by Roger C. Reale’s powerful vocals, which effortlessly blends bluesy mojo with a radio-ready catchiness, ensuring it resonates with both loyal fans and new listeners.
Cropper’s excitement is palpable as he shares this latest single, “Friendlytown,” which he wrote with fellow bandmates Roger C. Reale, Jon Tiven, as well as his longtime friend Billy F. Gibbons. Billy’s instantly identifiable guitar style features prominently in the track, leaning against Steve’s more angular approach. Watch the official lyric video for “Friendlytown,” featuring exclusive in-studio footage.
The previous release, “Too Much Stress” features a star-studded collaboration between not only Cropper and Gibbons but adds Brian May to the mix. Brian and Roger sing the song as a duet, with Brian’s gospel-style backing vocals and a seamless exchange of guitar solos punctuating the track. The chemistry between the musicians brings a dynamic and soulful energy that is a hallmark of Cropper’s work.
The album, produced by Cropper alongside longtime collaborator Jon Tiven, features an impressive lineup, including lead vocalist Roger C. Reale, drummer Nioshi Jackson, and the Reverend Billy Gibbons. Engineered by Eddie Gore, Friendlytown promises to be a masterful blend of Cropper’s classic sound with fresh, contemporary elements. “If there was a Mt. Rushmore of Guitar pickers,” Tiven adds, “Mr. Steve Cropper would be there.”
With a career spanning decades, Cropper has left an indelible mark on the music world. From his early days with The Mar-Keys and Booker T. & the M.G.‘s to his contributions at Stax Records and beyond, Cropper’s influence is undeniable. As he releases Friendlytown, Cropper reflects on his legacy with humility: “When I think about my legacy, I want it to be said that I was a nice guy.”
Cropper has won two GRAMMY Awards from his seven nominations. He’s been ranked the #2 greatest guitarist of all-time—behind Jimi Hendrix—by England’s Mojo Magazine, and #36 in Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” Cropper’s name is synonymous with the world-famous soul label Stax Records, and he is featured in HBO’s new documentary, ‘Stax: Soulsville U.S.A.’
While at Stax, Cropper co-wrote hits, played guitar behind, and produced such legends as Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Albert King, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. Post-Stax, Cropper produced and/or played on sessions for Jeff Beck, Jose Feliciano, Yvonne Elliman, John Prine, Tower Of Power, John Cougar, Ringo Starr, Buddy Guy, Johnny Lang, Elton John, and Steppenwolf, among many, many others.
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