REVIEWS
HEADWORK - (Neil Brocklebank)
Nettleham,
Lincolnshire
25th February 2003
Guitar - Neil Brocklebank
Drums / Keyboards - Christian Poole
Bass - Steve Clay
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VENUE-Lincs.com
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The Neil Brocklebank Band,
HEADWORK, visited Lincolnshire in the midst of their UK tour during
March 2003 and left a lasting impression on their audiences at some of
Lincolnshire's Premier Live Music venues.
Here are some of the pictures and a bit about Neil, his Band and his
music.
About the Band |
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Neil Brocklebank has in a
very short space of time become the UK's premier rock guitarist. His album
Audio Violence continues to sell world-wide and his three piece band,
comprising Chris Poole on Drums and Steve Clay on bass are touring
relentlessly in support of both this album and "Spin the Mirror" the new
single. |
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Guitarist Magazine in the
UK called the album "Fret-Melting
of the highest order" whereas Strutter Magazine in Holland hailed Neil as
the best rock guitar player to emerge from the UK. Metal Zone in the US
called him "Awesome."
It is very difficult to actually go and see great original music these
days. The growth of literally thousands of tribute bands have all but
strangled original bands. There are very few venues that want to "take the
risk" with an original act and against this backdrop it is amazing that
Neil Brocklebank and his band is
going from strength to strength, gathering true fans wherever
they play.
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Lincolnshire has indeed been a happy hunting
ground for Brock and credit should go to both the
Axe & Cleaver and The Black Horse who both recently supported
HEADWORK'S touring show. Of course thanks also
goes to the great people who came to see them
play.
The touring "Brock Rock" show is a mix of originals taken from the MSP
album Audio Violence as well as the forth coming new album. There are also
a carefully chosen selection of "covers" in there just to keep things
rolling. |
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It is a show that showcases not only the
undisputed guitar abilities of Neil Brock but also those of
Drummer, Chris Poole and Bass
Guitarist, Steve Clay.
The guitar as a focal point is coming back into the mainstream and in
this country it is fair to say that Neil Brock has been a major influence
over the new guitar kids of today. |
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HEADWORK (Neil Brocklebank)
The Limelight - Crewe
Monday 10th February 2002
It
was with a great sense of anticipation that I went along to review this debut
Headwork - Neil Brocklebank's band appearance at the Limelight. I had heard the
hype and read the reviews and indeed I had actually written a preview of the
show a couple of weeks earlier in the local press. I was expecting something of
a progfest, overly indulgent and a little hard work on the listener but I was as
wrong as it is possible to be so wrong. This was pure rock at it’s best. This
had everything you want from a great rock show, attitude,
pose,
great lights and tons of dry ice. From the opening theme from “Lost in Space” it
was hard hitting rock, full of great guitar and powerhouse rhythms. The band
crunched through originals “Leap of Faith” and “SAS” until they literally
mesmerised the audience with their own version of the Hendrix classic “Purple
Haze.” The house was won over. The three piece blasted into “Nowhere City” from
the Audio Violence album followed by the excellent AOR “Jigsaw Man.” Then came a
guitar change and the new single “Spin the Mirror,” very heavy, very dark and
really quite menacing in it’s delivery. One thing that struck me was how varied
the material the material on offer actually was. Spin the Mirror, Jigsaw and the
theme from Lost in Space are all so different yet in the hands of this guitar
man it all just works so well in one set. “Boundaries” like the earlier “Leap
of Faith” is new material, not from the Audio Violence album. Live, “Boundaries”
kicked off with a solo guitar spot, true guitar “hero” stuff and then…wham!!…
into one of the finest grooves of the night. What came next took most everyone
by surprise, a cover of the 70’s classic Black Betty. Of course not how you’d
expect it. This was Black Betty with a difference. It actually worked as a
clever well worked platform for the phenomenal talents of drummer Chris Poole
and bass maestro Steve Clay. The whole place was spellbound. The atmosphere
around where I was standing was electric. If you’d told me there was a drum and
bass solo in the set before I set out I might have changed my mind about going.
This was such an exciting version of “Black Betty.” The set finished with
another Audio Violence track “The Wheel Turns” an epic if ever there was one,
and a cover of the ZZ Top “Tush.” The encore was well deserved. Look out for
this band. Don’t take any prejudice along with you because Headwork will dispel
any you may have. If guitar is your thing then please do yourself a favour and
go see them play. This was value for money entertainment from beginning to end.
Trust me! Mention should go to both The History and Gorsky for their
performances. The evening was a little mis- matched style-wise but both bands
did an admirable job in support of Neil Brocklebank and Headwork.
Alison Moore
Copyright
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2003. Evening Chronicle.
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The
Rock Bar Easington Peterlee.
28th
February 2003.
The
Rock Bar is great place to see bands.
Along with Trillians in Newcastle the north-east is well-served by these two
rocking venues. Great bands come and go here and tonight it was the turn of Neil
Brocklebank and his band Headwork, someone I hadn’t really heard too much about
but admitting openly to being failed rock guitar God myself, I still love to see
it in the flesh so to speak! Well actually that’s exactly what we got! A mad
axeman exposing an awful lot of flesh, plying a trade slightly frowned upon
these days but with a deliverance from the ‘planet bedazzle’! Once shepherded
through the busy Friday night Rock Bar crowd the band cranked into the rocking
opener, the theme from a film whose name I couldn’t recall but the music I
could. ‘What the hell was this?’ You know when you know something but it just
won’t come to you. ‘The Theme from Lost In Space’ it turned out. Cool! This, it
had to be said was a little different to the norm. I liked it so far. They kept
the groove with a couple of originals that had the drummer Chris Poole, a
top-hatted and very theatrical character playing keyboards as well! Made me
wonder what ever was next! Would the bass player break into a funk set all of
his own accord? Well, later on, he damn well did! Back in the present, we didn’t
have to work the next one out –‘Purple Haze’ my friends!-complemented by rather
a lot of real-life purple haze on stage from the rather keen smoke machine
operator stage right. I’ve seen many a tribute do this one but Headwork just
monstered through it with alarming ease. A nice touch was the way during the
solos Brocklebank, came down from the stage and into the crowd to ‘get on down’
as it were, with the front row folks who were by this time wondering just how
sweat-drenched this man could get.
The Rock Bar erupted in appreciation
and onwards we went
into another original from the album that was already trading in the merchandise
area. A song that the merchandising price list referred to as the ‘US single’
came up next. ‘Jigsaw Man’ is a pure and perfect classic rock song that any
mainstream radio stations happily spend their days playing. It was all there,
the sultry opening followed by the big sing-along chorus and the obligatory epic
guitar solo drenched in stadium reverb. OK so this is the Rock Bar in County
Durham, but for a moment….! ‘Spin the Mirror’ announced as the ‘UK single’ left
me a little puzzled. Big guitar riff of course but sort of ‘Eminem-like’ vocal
that to be truthful I didn’t get one word of. It sounded like Brocklebank needed
to get something else apart from a lot of sweat off his chest. They didn’t have
it in stock at the merchandise area so I couldn’t buy it and work it all out
later. Big riffs though and tonight that’s was what it’s all about. Just as I
noticed that most of the smoke and dry-ice had cleared from the stage, so did
the smoke machine operator stage right and KWHOOSH!!!!!!! We had tropical
jungle conditions once more ready for the big solo guitar solo (?), if you get
my drift. Brocklebank alone on stage doing his thing.
Hard to be
objective about the moment a mad axeman goes mad.
A little bit like watching bolt lightning. Beautiful from a distance but I
wouldn’t like to be struck by it. This was a guitar fan’s ultra-moment but
surely a Friday night punter’s nightmare? but I tell you, he got away with it.
Impressive?
For sure. Entertaining? Well, hell yes!
Just the right amount of the stuff not to make it tedious and time to get to the
bar for a refill. Surely there wouldn’t be a drum solo as well! Actually no,
there wasn’t….yet! ‘Boundaries’ arrived in the form of a ‘Satriani-like off the
shoulder number’ that was pleasing if not earth-moving before it was party-time
with non other than ‘Black Betty!’ Yeah, ‘Black Betty’….‘Bam-ba-lam’ etc, You
remember it! But of course…not quite as you’d expect. Lot’s of insane guitar,
once again delivered off-stage in amongst the crowd. This most certainly wasn’t
on the original version of the song I had way back when. And…it cunningly
appealed to the sing-along folks in the crowd whilst slyly holding on to it’s
big secret until the moment was right– it was actually the perfect disguise for
not only the drum solo but that ‘Ultra-funk’ bass section I mentioned earlier.
Brocklebank disappeared for a well-earned off-stage breather whilst Steve Clay
and Chris Poole just ripped up the place. This was just brilliant stuff.
High-energy slap bass and thunderous drumming. Totally absorbing. It was that
good I got the drummer and bass player’s autograph afterwards! I didn’t intend
to, I just found myself doing it instinctively. Honest! ‘The Wheel Turns’ a
heavily progressive and indulgent endless epic, not material you would normally
get away with late on a Friday night but those bass and drum guys had just
bought the band a little more licence than would normally be granted. It went
down well again although I have to admit to missing a huge section due to some
very irritating chap by the bar trying to make himself heard in my ear above the
pumping volume. Didn’t hear a word of what he said, just nodded and hoped I had
timed the nods to coincide with the points he was making. Next thing I hear is
Brocklebank thanking the audience and announcing the last scheduled track of the
night – ZZ Top’s ‘Tush.’ Really just another song to serve a purpose. It’s a
crowd-pleaser no doubt, but also it allows
one final
blistering demonstration on how to abuse a guitar.
Actually some very tasteful blues it has to be said. Sure they came back for
their well-deserved encore but in reality they had won the crowd way back in the
set. Hardened north-east gig-goers lined up for autographs from the whole band
afterwards. It was really quite an atmosphere. Talking to Brock after the show
made me wonder where he fits in these days. Here he was playing largely original
material laden with indulgent guitar to general cross-section of music fans and
he was hitting the spot. The industry fashion managers would have us believe
no-one wants this stuff any more but they are wrong.
As long as it entertains, it’s got an audience and where there’s an audience,
there’s money to be made, and of course where there’s money to be made……..the
industry show up!
