Today marks the first instalment of, hopefully, a regular diary entry. It may not be every day but it will be at least once a week. The aim is to supply a time sensitive stream of noteworthy Rock Candy activity together with any other topics that might be deemed interesting enough to parade to all who care to read. So, if you are sitting comfortably, then we will begin…

Upcoming Rock Candy reissues are coming down the pipeline thick and fast. Believe me when I tell you that putting these records together isn’t exactly a breeze. No Sir. In fact, it’s a miracle that they actually appear what with all the shenanigans that go on behind the scenes mainly concerning the licensing rights. When you write to us and happily suggest long lists of titles for reissue I think it’s safe to assume that whatever you have requested has already been thought of (yes even the most obscure titles) and the reason you don’t see those albums appearing is simply because we can’t, for whatever reason, secure the licences. Yes, I know it’s frustrating but those are the parameters that we must work within. Still, the next batch of releases confirmed and ready to roll are all quite exceptional.

Early November will see two Rick Springfield classics in ‘Living In Oz’ and, my personal favourite, ‘Tao’. No bonus tracks but Rick himself was kind enough to get involved and agreed to detailed interviews about each album to journalist Malcolm Dome. In addition we dug up some marvellous period photos and memorabilia. The remastering was undertaken by Jon Astley, overseen by moi, and I think you’ll be most satisfied – they are certainly way better than the previous versions of these records.

Also due in November is Autograph’s debut ‘Sign In Please’ and Cobra ‘First Strike’. The latter is of course a first time on CD if I’m not mistaken. Lead vocalist Jimi Jamison got stuck in with the sleeve notes written by Sir David Cockett, a regular Rock Candy freelancer who is as we speak completing fabulous essays on Barry Goudreau and Orion The Hunter for two further RC releases early next year. You should pay particular attention to the Cobra album, not to denigrate the Autograph CD in any way, as its one of those (so many) overlooked and underrated early eighties hard rock classics. My friend ‘Colonel’ Tom Allom produced the Cobra album and was extremely pleased to receive the news that it was being given the royal RC treatment.

Tom and I met up not so long ago in Notting Hill Gate, London where he lives for a catch up. He’s not actively producing anymore – he’s in property project management these days - but thought it might be fun to twiddle the knobs again. I too thought it sounded like a jolly good idea and will continue to encourage him to do so if the right act can be found. Let’s face it, his track record is impeccable – everything from engineering the first three Black Sabbath albums (great stories about those sessions folks) to Judas Priests entire catalogue from ‘Unleashed In The East’ onwards and lots of great obscurities including Doc Holliday, Nantucket, Urgent and Cobra to name but a few. Wot-a-bloke!

Tomorrow: A special announcement.