We’d like to begin the rundown of what we enjoyed in 2022 by dishing up some of the best live shows we attended as a team. We read some books, saw some videos, listened to countless new albums, played some wonderful reissues. If you notice we haven’t covered some of your favourite bands then why not drop us a line and join the team? 2023 is already stacking up with new albums and tours already booked and if you think you can add to RPM Online then get in touch rpmonlinetcb@yahoo.co.uk

So without delay here are some of the writer’s favs for 2022…

Ben Hughes –

Best Live Shows

1. The Interrupters/The Skints/Bar Stool Preachers – O2 Academy, Leeds
2. Starcrawler – The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge
3. Viagra Boys – Sheffield University
4. Sierra Ferrell – The Cluny, Newcastle
5. The Black Skies – The Crescent, York
6. Ginger Wildheart & Jon Poole – The Parish, Huddersfield
7. The Mission – The Crescent, York
8. The Warner E Hodges Band/Ryan Hamilton – The Crescent, York
9. Ryan Hamilton/Emily Capell – Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds
10. Chrissie Hynde Band – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds     

Best Reissues

1. Demolition 23 – ‘Demolition 23’
2. Silver Sun – ‘Silver Sun’ & ‘Neo Wave’
3. Jesse Malin – ‘Glitter In The Gutter’   

Best Box Set

Jellyfish – ‘When These Memories Fade’

Kenny Kendricks

Best Live Shows 

Eric Martin – The Patriot, Crumlin

Zac & the New Men – The Patriot, Crumlin 

Saxon/Diamond Head – St David’s Hall, Cardiff

Green Lung – Steelhouse Festival 

Michael Schenker Group – Steelhouse Festival 

Valhalla Awaits – Steelhouse Festival 

Geoff Tate – Patti Pavilion, Swansea

Mother Vulture – Planet Rockstock

Phil Campbell & the Bastard Sons – Planet Rockstock 

Best Books

Dave Grohl – The Storyteller 

Rob Halford – Biblical 

Bono – Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story 

Best New Act 

Mother Vulture 

Best Reissue 

Motörhead – Iron Fist 40th Anniversary 

Diamond Head – Lightning to the Nations 

Best Box Set 

Slade – All the World’s a Stage

Biggest Disappointment 

Still no sign of a Tony Martin era Black Sabbath box set….

Contribution to Music –

Judas Priest getting recognition from the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame 

Johnny Hayward

GIGS OF 2022

1. Brett Anderson & Charles Hazlewood with Paraorchestra – Cardiff Millennium Centre  & Cock Sparrer – London Roundhouse
2. Gary Numan – Cardiff University
3. Rebellion 2022 – Blackpool Winter Gardens
4. Midnight/Night Demon – Bristol Exchange
5. Killing Joke – Cardiff Tramshed
6. Supersuckers/The Hip Priests/Deathtraps – Newport Le Pub
7. Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert – Wembley Stadium
8. Jesse Malin – Newport Le Pub
9. The Atom Age/Pizzatramp – Newport Le Pub
10. Scene Killers/Deathtraps/System Reset – Newport McCanns 

MUSIC BOOKS of 2022

1. Denim & Leather: The Rise and Fall of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal – Michael Hann
2. Stunt Rocker: The Many Faces of Andy Ellison – Andy Ellison
3. The Road Bends – Sami Yaffa

BEST NEW ACT

Continental Lovers

Best Reissues of 2022

1. Demolition 23 – ‘Demolition 23’
2. Silver Sun – ‘Silver Sun’ & ‘Neo Wave’
3. Diamond Head – ‘Lightning To The Nations’ 

Best Box Sets of 2022

KISS – ‘Creatures Of The Night (40th Anniversary – Super Deluxe Box Set)’

David Bowie – ‘Divine Symmetry’

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT –

The world of rock seemingly forgetting Phil Anselmo’s love of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc from just a few years ago. The Lickerish Quartet calling it a day and ‘Under The Midnight Sun’ by The Cult…I simply expect more from that band.

CONTRIBUTION to MUSIC – Michael Monroe

Michael Monroe, who turned 60 earlier this year and assembled one of the best gig line ups anywhere on the planet in 2022 to help celebrate the special occasion. He also features in my albums and reissues of year lists and having been a part of my life for about 40 years now I take my hat off to the man who (thankfully) lives to fast to die young.

Dominic Daley

The Best Reissues

Demolition 23 – ‘Demolition 23’ (Wicked Cool Records)

Gunfire Dance – ‘Witness To the Crime’ (Easy Action Records)

Manic Street Preachers – ‘Know Your Enemy’

The Joneses – Discography 1

A Bombs – ‘And Constantly Rotating’ (Beluga Records)

Silversun – neo wave & self title

The Boys – ‘To Hell With The Boys’

Black Sabbath – ‘Mob Rules’ & ‘Heaven and Hell’

Best Box Set

The Libertines – ‘Up The Bracket’

Joe Strummer – ‘002’

Celtic Frost – ‘Dance Macabre’

Best Books –

Sami Yaffa – ‘The Road Bends’

Michael Hann – ‘Denim And Leather’

Peter Doherty – ‘The Likely Lad’

Best Live

The Damned – Hammersmith Odeon

The Libertines / Trampolene / Dead Freight – Cardiff University

Midnight – Bristol Exchange

Rebellion & R Fest – Gary Numan

Jesse Malin – Newport Le Pub

Supersuckers, Hip Priests, Deathtraps – Le Pub

The Mission – Cardiff Tramshed

The Wonderstuff – Cardiff Tramshed

The Interrupters, Bar Stool Preachers – Bristol Marble factory

Soul Asylum , – Bristol Fleece

Contribution to music –

Michael Monroe – turning 60 and like John said Monroe also reissued Demolition 23, reissued Hanoi Rocks ‘Oriental Beat’ (Early 2023) He also played what would have been the show of the year and is still going super stong with tours already booked for 2023 there is no slowing down and the quality never dips.

Biggest Disappointment – pressing plants taking forever delaying releases whilst repressing a bazzillion adele and Fleetwood Mac albums that sit in warehouses. The Tories for brexshit and the escalation in mail prices for imports and causing the world and his wife to have to go on strike to fight for a decent standard of living.

Venues charging bands for merch.

Martin Chamarette

Gig of the year

The Damned Hammersmith Odeon

Dan Kasm

Best Live

Ash – Free All Angels anniversary tour, Manchester Ritz

Psychedelic Furs – Made Of Rain tour, 

Liverpool Academy

Salt The Snail – Snailmania,

Birkenhead Future Yard

Pavement – Reunion cash in jaunt, 

Roundhouse Camden

Bambara – Love On My Mind tour, 

Birkenhead Future Yard 

Best Books

Corporate Rock Sucks – Jim Rutland “I’m always a little bit out of step being a paperback fan but I’m afraid I could not wait to imbibe in the killer content of this weighty tome.

Best New act

For me the ones to watch out for are Edinburgh’s Swim School. Savage Alt Rock guitar chops mixed up with sublime dreamscapes to get lost in. 

Biggest disappointment – 

It’s been a year for splits, fractures and generally making fans pick sides through the power of social media and not letting sleeping dogs lie. Hoping for 2023 that the room will be read and certain parties will not fan the flames any further and move on. 

Nev Brooks

TOP  GIGS

1)GARY NUMAN -CARDIFF UNIVERSITY

2)KILLING JOKE- TRAMSHED CARDIFF

3)THE CURE- CARDIFF C.I.A.

3)PRIMAL SCREAM-SCREAMADELICA (CARDIFF CASTLE)

5)JESSE MALIN- NEWPORT LePUB

6)JOHN CALE & SPECIAL GUESTS- CARDIFF MILLENIUM CENTRE

7)COWBOY JUNKIES- ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL LONDON

8)LADY BLACKBIRD- BRISTOL TRINITY

9)RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS- LONDON STADIUM

10)KILLING JOKE C.I.A CARDIFF

RE-ISSUE OF THE YEAR

DEMOLITION 23- DEMOLITION 23

BOX SET

PRINCE- PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION LIVE

So there you have some of the events and music that has been a big part of some of the writers on RPM Online throughout 2022. A big thanks from RPMHQ for all their efforts.

---