Alive and kicking

Back in the 70s and 80s I'd have never predicted that in 2015 many of the bands I was listening to would still be putting out new albums.

So far this year we've had new albums by:

AC/DC  (Might have been the end of last year but I didn't buy it till January) Sad news about Malcolm but the music's still top-quality

Michael Schenker - really good stuff

Mötley Crüe - just a single, and supposed to be the last, but unmistakeable

Quireboys

Scorpions  - my favourite band for many years as a teenager. And yes that was before the 'Wind of Change' sadness)

Thin Lizzy  OK, not actually Thin Lizzy  for obvious reasons but near enough

Thunder

Uli Jon Roth of the Scorps with some freshly-recorded classic Scorpions songs

UFO

Venom - growling before it was popular and doing it better than ever


And probably others as well. Any I've missed? Tell me in the comments.

Airstream - Kingdom of Isolation

What is it about these Scandinavian singers? Staffan ‘Stiff’ Karlsson really belts it out with the best of them over some powerful music.

Guests and band members have played in Europe, Thunder, Glenn Hughes Band so there are some clues as to the style. Melodic metal, AOR, whatever you want to call it. The songwriting's great; tuneful  and full-on, a bit proggy and even a little quirky at times. Excellent stuff.