Diary
Goodbye 2008
Written: 19th December, 2008
So, another year has almost closed. With just the one book out this year (Robert Plant – January) it seems as though there’s been little activity but in actual fact I’ve finished two books: Al Atkins and Bon Jovi. Both of them will now be published spring 2009 with another two to follow late 2009/early 2010. So next year is looking very enticing. I’m just waiting on the contracts for books 5 and 6, which I’ll announce in the New Year. I’ve decided that I’d like to move between books that might actually sell well (Robert Plant/Bon Jovi) to more personal books (Judas Priest/Al Atkins) that will (hopefully) have some kind of historical significance in this crazy HM world.
I think Iron Pages will do a great job with Dawn Of The Metal Gods, they’re very meticulous. The Bon Jovi Encyclopaedia will have some of my personal reviews as well as being a reference book filled with facts, tour dates, quotes, interviews, press reviews, etc. I’m pretty sure I’ll upset some fans with what I have to say on a few albums. Bon Jovi fans, well fans of any kind, are totally biased and cannot take criticism. It has to be said that I do prefer their earlier stuff, no question. You can now pre-order it at Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bon-Jovi-Encyclopaedia-Neil-Daniels/dp/1842404644/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229682917&sr=1-17
Surprisingly, a year after the release of Defenders Of The Faith reviews are still being published. Here’s one I can’t argue with: http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=7092
In the past few weeks I’ve interviewed Biff Byford from Saxon, ex-Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar, Mick Jones of Foreigner, Danny Bowes and Luke Morley from Thunder, Johnny Rocker from Heaven’s Basement and Bumblefoot from Guns N’ Roses. I’ve done the usual reviews for Fireworks, Powerplay and Get Ready To Rock.com. And I’ve even done some live reviews for Record Collector although aside from those I haven’t written anything else for them in about two or three years, which is a real downer but that’s the way it works unfortunately. I used to write quite a few reviews for them as well. I’ve even written a little for Rock Sound, probably because there is a new Reviews Editor: Rachel Keller has kindly given me a bit of work which is always welcome.
I’ve been to some great gigs recently: Get Vegas/Heaven’s Basement/Thunder, Stone Gods/Airbourne, Queen & Paul Rodgers, Saxon/Motorhead and Stone Gods/Black Stone Cherry. Looking forward to next year’s ‘Priest Feast’ and AC/DC and Metallica tours.
I’ve also bought the Guns N’ Roses album and quite like it. There’s a lot going on, it’s over-produced but not as bad as some others have made out. I scrambled some words together which you can read here: http://www.lucemfero.com/neildaniels_chinesedemocracy_-_hasthewaitbeenworthit26112008.php
I also did something very cultural and non-music related last month and went to a reading session/Q&A with Neil Gaiman. He was very entertaining and the place (a grand gothic-looking Hall in Manchester Met, Oxford Road) was jam-packed. I didn’t stick around for the book signing because of the sheer size of the queue. Gaiman has a good sense of humour; he seems really down to earth and likable, and of course he is a brilliant writer. The first thing he said to the audience was that he’d received some distressing emails from his fans about the evening’s event – it was scheduled at the same time the New York singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton was playing a gig at a club that’s also in Oxford Road. Gaiman said something like “so now I’ll be the first ever author to have a support band” and then he introduced Coulton to the audience! Everyone was obviously quite shocked at first. Coulton did an entertaining albeit short set. I’d never heard of him before but his songs are hilarious, filled with geek humour and sarcasm. You wouldn’t get that at a Martin Amis reading.
The Interviews section is still being updated and you can now read interviews with the great horror writers Kim Newman and Ramsey Campbell and music scribes Chris Charlesworth, Colin Larkin and Ian Gittins.
As for the Foreign Editions section that will be updated soon because the German rights to my Robert Plant book have been sold to Hannibal; and I’m expecting the German and Bulgarian translations of Defenders Of The Faith to be ready in the next few months.
I’ve written an obituary of drummer Michael Lee for the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/dec/18/obituary-michael-lee
Here’s a list of some of my favourite albums of 2008 (in no order of merit):
Motorhead – ‘Motorizer’ (SPV)
AC/DC – ‘Black Ice’ (Columbia)
Metallica – ‘Death Magnetic’ (Warner)
Bob Catley – ‘Immortal’ (Frontiers)
Jimi Jamison – ‘Crossroads Moment’ (Frontiers)
Alice Cooper – ‘Along Came A Spider’ (SPV)
Whitesnake – ‘Good To Be Bad’ (SPV)
Journey – ‘Revelation’ (Frontiers)
Todd Rundgren – ‘Arena’ (Cooking Vinyl)
Thunder – ‘Bang!’ (STC)
Queen & Paul Rodgers ‘The Cosmos Rocks’ (EMI)
Def Leppard – ‘Songs From The Sparkle Lounge’ (Mercury)
Stone Gods – ‘Silver Spoons & Broken Bones’ (Pias)
H.E.A.T. – ‘H.E.A.T.’ (Stormvox)
Rose Hill Drive – ‘Moon Is The New Earth’ (Megaforce)
Young Heart Attack – ‘Rock And Awe’ (Not On Your Radio)
Honeymoon Suite – ‘Clifton Hill’ (Frontiers)
Starbreaker – ‘Love’s Dying Dream’ (Frontiers)
Nazareth – ‘The Newz’ (Edel)
Fish – ‘13th Star’ (Chocolate)
Work Of Art – ‘Work Of Art’ (Frontiers)
Glyder – ‘Playground For Live’ (True Talent)
Ginger – ‘Market Harbour’ (Cargo)
IT Bites – ‘The Tall Ships’ (Inside Out)
Extreme – ‘Saudades De Rock’ (Frontiers)Thanks!
Neil.What’s Going On With Me?
Written: 1st October, 2008
It’s a good feeling to say that I have finished the Bon Jovi book and the manuscript is now in the hands of the publishers for proof-reading, editing, etc. So that’s book four completed. I have ideas and interested publishers for two more books but nothing has been signed yet. Both books will be unique and will be of great historical value for metal fans. I just hope the publishers are as keen as I am.
Dawn Of The Metal Gods looks set to be published in October. It’s taken a little longer to come out then I thought but in this business you have to have patients.
I’ve been keeping myself business penning reviews for Fireworks, Powerplay and Get Ready To Rock. I have also written a feature on Alan Moore, the great bearded genius from Northampton, for the next issue of Media Magazine due out in December. I’ve interviewed Thunder, Heaven’s Basement, Bob Catley, Honeymoon Suite and am due to interview Foreigner and Stones Gods at some point in the next few weeks.
The Interviews section is building up rather nicely. You can now view interviews with Jerry Ewing, Malcolm Dome and Joe Shooman.
I’d recommend The Dark Knight, Eden Lake, Appaloosa and Hellboy II. You should avoid Babylon A.D. and The Strangers.
I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to go to any gigs in the past few weeks but I’m looking forward to Queen + Paul Rodgers, Status Quo, Scorpions, Saxon/Motorhead and Stone Gods/Airbourne. It’s great news that Judas Priest have just announced ‘Priest Feast,’ a major UK tour for Feb 2009 with Megadeth and Testament.
Oh, and was anybody else slightly disappointed with The Wire season 5? Killing Omar like that was just stupid.
Neil.
What Am I Up To?
Written: 2nd August, 2008
All I’ve been working on at the minute is my next book, which is called The Encyclopaedia Bon Jovi for Chrome Dreams. Publication is set for March 2009. It’s an A-Z history of the band and I’ve got some really cool interviews. It’s something slightly different from what I’ve did on the first three books and I do like Bon Jovi although their latest album is PANTS.
I’m hoping to sign a contract soon for my fifth book so watch this space. I’ll update the Current Projects and Bibliography in coming weeks.
No news yet on the Al Atkins book Dawn Of The Metal Gods; I guess it’s still ready to hit the shelves (or Amazon at least) in September. Please buy this book (of course I would say that!)
The Polish and Bulgarian editions of Defenders Of The Faith should be ready in September too and they will include a short chapter on the new Priest album and tour. The Germany version (ready Spring ’09) will also have the same chapter. It’s good to bring the book bang up to date. I hope I can do the same with the UK paperback version.
You can check out some new interviews I’ve done for the site:
I’ve got loads more interviews planned so keep checking!
I haven’t had time to go to many gigs but I can say I was really disappointed with Meat Loaf at the Liverpool Echo Arena last month: his brilliant band kept the whole thing together. He could barely string a note together! I was also disappointed with the Thunder/Whitesnake/Def Leppard gig at said venue. Thunder rocked but Coverdale sounded awful (although he did get better as the set progressed) and Joe Elliot didn’t sound too good either.
You can read the usual batch of reviews in Powerplay, Fireworks and on Get Ready To Rock.com.
Bye for now,
Neil.It’s All Go…
Written: 30 June, 2008
Good news that the foreign rights to my Judas Priest biography Defenders Of The Faith have been bought in Germany, Poland and Bulgaria. This means that at some point there’ll be a rather cool ‘Foreign Editions’ section in the Bibliography part of my website.
Dawn Of The Metal Gods is now in the hands of the publishers, Iron Pages. It’s due out thus autumn. You can find more details here.
I’m well into my next book project and will announce it as soon as Dawn Of The Metal Gods is published. I’m also looking at ideas for books five and six. If you have any thoughts send me an email.
As for reviews, well, you can see them in the usual places: Fireworks (issue 33 out soon,) Powerplay (issue 100) and Get Ready To Rock.com. I’ve also done a couple of live reviews for Record Collector and I’m going to write a feature on the film adaptations of Alan Moore’s graphic novels for MediaMagazine.
Reviews of my Robert Plant book are still being published. Some good ones have appeared in Rock ‘n’ Reel, Fireworks and Get Ready To Rock.com. There is also a great review of my Judas Priest book at About.com. Visit the Bibliography for more reviews.
Earlier this year I was interviewed at a studio in London for a documentary on Led Zep’s classic double album Physical Graffiti. I’m not sure how much use I was but the DVD is out now via Chrome Dreams. Go here for details.
Oh, and the Interviews section is looking pretty cool with new contributions from Alan Clayson, Jeff Apter, Chris Welch and Joe Ambrose. Please spread the word about this. The more publicity the better for us all!
Amongst all that I have found time to listen to brilliant new albums by Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Brother Firetribe, Journey and Alice Cooper. For reasons I won’t go into I’m pretty disappointed with the new Judas Priest album but I’m glad it’s out of their system. Now, let’s have some real HEAVY METAL guys!
I’ve also been to see Journey, Glenn Hughes and Meat Loaf in concert. I’ve still go Whitesnake/Def Leppard and Joe Bonamassa to look forward to.
That’s all I can think of for now. Until next month…
Neil.
Happenings In April/May
Written 1st May, 2008
A busy couple of months that has seen me finishing my third book and signing a contract for my next opus, which will be published next year. Dawn Of The Metal Gods (with Al Atkins) is scheduled for publication around autumn time.
Been to some cool gigs recently including Young Heart Attack in Liverpool, Nightwish at the Manchester Apollo, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss in Manchester and Joe Satriani in Manchester too. Roll on Journey, Glenn Hughes and Whitesnake/Def Leppard!
I’ve done quite a lot of interviews recently most notably with Stone Gods, Dio, Broken Teeth, Journey and Young Heart Attack. I’ve also done some interviews for Get Ready To Rock. You can view them here:Bruce Mee
http://www.getreadytorock.com/bstage_heroes/bruce_mee.htmIan Christe
http://www.getreadytorock.com/bstage_heroes/ian_christe.htmI have decided to set up a new section on the website called ‘Interviews With Writers’ which is basically my chance to talk to some very talented writers in the field of rock music/popular culture. It’s something of a personal project which I hope will expand into an archive of original interviews.
Go here:
http://neildaniels.com/Writers.htmlWhere exactly I’ve found the time to write reviews, I don’t know. But I have done a stack for GRTR which are located here: http://www.getreadytorock.com/album_reviews.htm
I’ve also got some reviews in the new issue of Powerplay, Fireworks and Rock Sound.
Joe Geesin has reviewed my Robert Plant book. Thanks, Joe! http://www.getreadytorock.com/reviews2008/robert_plant_book.htm
You can now buy the new issues of Fireworks and Powerplay at all good newsagents.
Until next time…
Neil.
Recent Happenings
Written: 3rd March, 2008
I’ve been quite busy recently having done interviews with Stone Gods and Nex as well as penning reviews for Rock Sound and Powerplay. The first draft of the Al Atkins book is completed and I’ve put some ideas forward to various publishers for another music book. But deep down inside I’d like to try my hand at writing a music-related novel. I’ve got quite a cool idea for a noir-style thriller and maybe at some point this year I’ll gave it a go. After all, I’ve got nothing to loose.
In coming weeks I’m going to begin contributing to the respected online magazines Get Ready To Rock (www.getreadytorock.com) and Blood & Honey (www.bloodandhoney.co.uk).
A feature on Westerns I have written has been published in the latest edition of the educational journal Media Magazine. For details on the magazine go to: www.mediamagazine.org.uk.
Reviews have started to come in for my Robert Plant book and suffice to say the fanzines have given it the thumbs up yet some of the mainstream magazines have been rather bitter. In particular there have been two very nasty reviews from writers whose names I won’t mention so all I’ll say is I’d like to throw those people into a darkened room occupied by a starved anaconda then lock the door and the throw the key into the River Mersey. Obviously in this business you have to be open to criticism (it helps you improve at what you do!) but lame, offensive and ill-thought out reviews are just not necessary.
Here’s some of the good ones:
http://www.hardrockhouse.com/NewReleases/RobertPlantBook.htm
http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/Reviews/Reviews08/PlantBook.htm
http://bloodandhoneybookreviews.blogspot.com/2008/02/robert-plant-neil-daniels.html
And here’s a semi-good one:
http://www.subba-cultcha.com/article_book.php?id=5077
Reviews have also been dripping in on my Judas Priest book. Check ‘em out:
http://www.subba-cultcha.com/article_book.php?id=5079
Talk to you soon,
Neil.
January/February
Written: 9th February, 2008
Apologies for my belated initial diary entry of the year; actually things have been moving at a snails pace so far. I’ve done the usual batch of reviews for Fireworks and Powerplay as well as a feature on westerns in the forthcoming issue of Media Magazine. But mostly I’ve been working hard on the Al Atkins book and I’m about two thirds done on that. Perhaps the most significant thing I’ve done so far this year was to take part in a documentary on Led Zeppelin’s seminal 1975 album ‘Physical Graffiti’ for Prism Films/Chrome Dreams. I’ve never been interviewed in front of a camera before so I was justifiably nervous. Aside from being knackered from the trip down to London the day went well. The interview lasted about two hours; it was actually more of a conversation than an interview and after a few minutes I tried to forget the camera was there. The producer, Chris, was a very pleasant guy so I felt at ease.
By the way, the new issues of Fireworks and Powerplay are now available to buy.
As you’ll probably know by now if you’ve been regularly checking the site, my book on Robert Plant has been published and so far the feedback has been promising.
Regular viewers will also notice that the site has had a major face lift – hope you like it! My webmaster and I are always coming up with new ideas but it would be rather cool if you could send us your suggestions: email me at the link provided or send a message to my webmaster.
Checking out,
Neil.
2007 In A Nutshell
Written: 1st January, 2008
14/09/07
www.neildaniels.com/Rock The Net! was launched in September, 2007.
My first book, entitled ‘The Story Of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith’ was released: Friday, September 14th 2007.
For more information about the book take a look at my Defenders and Diary pages.
11/10/07
My Robert Plant Book became available to pre-order from Amazon. Check it out: Here
23/10/07
Since its release, my first book has been getting some excellent reviews. You can read them all on the Current Projects page.
What the rock critics said:
“Despite the lack of co-operation from the band members, he has put together a very thorough and detailed book about these legends of Heavy Metal … One of the most interesting parts of the book for me were Daniels' informative album reviews … If renewing the reader's interest is one of the main motives of a rock book, then this book has succeeded in it. Not to mention that it's altogether a very entertaining read …”
Kimmo Toivonen – Rock United (www.rockunited.com)
“Neil Daniels is great on the early history of Brummie metal legends Judas Priest. He’s quick to dispel the notion that Judas Priest were formed by guitarist KK Downing and bassist Ian Hill, pointing out that an incarnation of the band existed in 1969 before those two joined …”
Geoff Barton – Classic Rock Magazine
“Neil Daniels has written a tantalizing book on the history of Metal Gods Judas Priest … The author covers the suicide trial, the drummer’s perversion and every other Priest era with historical data and in-depth interviews with all who were there at the time … for not being granted current access to the band he did an amazing job … Simply put, it is a good read.”
Jeb Wright – Classic Rock Revisited (www.classicrockrevisited.com)
“It’s all here, as is a detailed account of every album and tour making BC scribe Neil Daniels’ first book an essential purchase for Halford and Priest fans. A comprehensive and informative read, this is true British steel!”
Ian Chaddock – Big Cheese
07/11/07
You can read an interview with me in my local paper the St. Helens Reporter on their website:
http://www.sthelensreporter.co.uk/leisure/Lifting-the-lid-on-rock.3431798.jpYou can also read an interview I did with my other local paper the St. Helens Star on their website:
http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/display.var.1732322.0.neil_charts_rise_of_judas.php
21/12/07
Here's a couple of links to interviews I did with two excellent websites: the British rock site Get Ready To Rock and the Swedish site Metal Shrine. Both sites also generously reviewed my Judas Priest book too.
http://www.getreadytorock.com/reviews2007/judas_priest_book.htm
http://web.telia.com/~u43123410/mfintervju244.html
