Guitar maestro Gwyn Ashton’s back with Radiogram, a hard-driving renegade rock and blues album. On this outing, he’s joined by some big names in rock and roll history.
A truly accomplished master of electric, acoustic and slide guitars, singer / songwriter / guitarist Ashton was voted third place as “Guitarist of The Year 2001” by French readers of Guitar Part magazine, behind Jeff Beck and Gary Moore at number one and two. Ashton’s abilities have been acknowledged by Italian company Liutart, which recently presented him with his own signature model guitar.
Radiogram boasts nine self-penned tracks plus a phat groove version of Willie Dixon’s “I Just Wanna Make Love To You” and has the Ashton trademark stamped all over it. This feast of electric blues, heavy funk and melodic rock has been inspired by his well-worn vinyl record collection and could easily have been recorded at Abbey Road.
The rhythm section on Radiogram features Ashton on bass, along with stalwart drummer Kev Hickman. The diverse guest artist roster includes Don Airey (Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath), Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds), Robbie Blunt (Robert Plant, Bronco, Silverhead), Johnny Mastro (LA’s Mama’s Boys), Mark Stanway (Magnum, Phil Lynott), Mo Birch (UB40, Go West, Culture Club) and young up-and-coming guitarist Henry Parker. Radiogram was recorded in England, mixed in LA by Lost Prophets’ producer Justin Hopfer and mastered in Australia by Don Bartley, who was recently commissioned by EMI to re-master the audiophile version of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Radiogram is the follow-up to 2009’s Two-Man Blues Army. Dixiefrog released Prohibition in 2006 with guests Chris Glen, Ted McKenna (Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Ian Gillan, Rory Gallagher) and Don Airey. In 1999 Virgin France released Fang It! which was recorded with Rory Gallagher’s rhythm section – Gerry McAvoy and Brendan O’Neill. Ashton’s first two albums Feel The Heat and Beg, Borrow & Steel were recorded in Australia and released through Virgin France in 1997 and 1998. In 2000 Feel The Heat and Fang It! were simultaneously in the Amazon France Top 100 album charts. They also garnered Ashton European support slots with the likes of B.B. King, Johnny Winter, The Yardbirds, Mick Taylor, Peter Green and Status Quo.
Radiogram track listing:
1: Little Girl
2: Don’t Wanna Fall
3: Let Me In
4: Fortunate Kind
5: I Just Wanna Make Love To You
6: Dog Eat Dog
7: Angel
8: For Your Love
9: Comin’ Home
10: Bluz For Roy
