GREAT MUSIC STORIES RETURNS WITH MODERN ROCK Vol 5
23rd May 2023“Being included on a compilation CD is like having a musical passport, allowing your song to travel and be discovered by new listeners from all over the world. Without Great Music Stories, this just doesn’t happen”- Blue Nation
A new free CD compilation showcasing a generation of bright rising talent is on the way from Great Music Stories – featuring 33 standout songs from the grassroots and emerging scene.
As with previous years, the free CDs will be given out to music fans to support music discovery – and ahead of the albums being posted out, a band page will go up on GreatMusicStories.com, encouraging people that like the music to visit the band sites and buy some physical music or give the bands a follow.
The theme for Modern Rock Vol 5 is based on the hope and positivity that comes with the return of the sun this spring and summer. GuyB at Great Music Stories comments: “It’s been a tough winter for music fans, young bands, and venues. After years of lockdown restrictions we were all thrust into a seismic cost-of-living crisis and the tough times through the winter months affected everyone: many bands struggled to make an income, venues faced soaring costs and music fans had to reign in spending. As the sun returns, Modern Rock 5 is an uplifting collection, of songs about hope and new beginnings. It’s a time when we all need to believe, and I hope this project plays its small part in helping us look forward to better days ahead.”
The last four Bands of the Year – Scarlet Rebels (2019), As Sirens Fall (2020), Amongst Liars (2021), and DeadBlondeStars (2022) all return for the new volume, joined by a number of artists making their debut on the Modern Rock series – including 50 Year Storm, Ellis Mano Band, This House We Built, The BluesBones, Dead Writers and The Forged Hearts.
One such band making their debut on the Modern Rock series for Volume 5 are Cornish modern rockers 50 Year Storm, a band whose listeners have kept on the airwaves for some years. The band comments: “50 Year Storm are thrilled to be part of this incredible compilation of modern rock. We hope to stand out as our song ‘We The Brave’ is a pumping, energetic, uplifting number – a rock/dance track that is sure to get you all up and moving, or turning it up with the windows down.”
Ian George from former Band of the Year Amongst Liars comments: “We love what Great Music Stories does for both emerging and established bands and have made so many new fans and friends through GuyB’s radio show. We are delighted to have our song Drown featured on this Modern Rock Vol 5 compilation album with so many amazing bands and artists.”
Sari Schorr adds: “There is a great divide between art and commerce, especially in the world of music. New artists deserving recognition are rarely given the opportunity to be heard as most major labels have closed their ears while opening their eyes to focus on the bottom line. This over-commercialization approach has a far-reaching effect. It’s not only the creators of music who suffer but the audience who are deprived of music they would otherwise treasure. Album compilations that champion new and emerging artists and bands, such as Great Music Stories’ Modern Rock Series, are rare and only happen when the right conditions exist. First, it takes someone with a vision who is passionate about music. They need an instinctual sense of what real music fans want to hear. And they never underestimate the public’s ability to embrace diversity in music made by good artists, even if their names still need to be discovered. This is the gift that Guy B delivers with his Modern Rock Series and why I’m so grateful to be a featured artist on the new Modern Rock Series 5.”
Cloverhill return for another outing on the Modern Rock series. Paul from the band says “Cloverhill are absolutely stoked to again be included in a Modern Rock compilation with our song Radio from our Just North Of Hell album. Modern Rock Vol 5 is the ultimate Rock soundtrack for Summer 2023.”
As part of the Modern Rock 5 project, Great Music Stories will also be giving out two modest (but hopefully meaningful) £500 grants to two of the bands on the compilation. Each will be to support a young band with the costs of studio recording time. The songs from Modern Rock Vol 5 that get the most requests and listener reactions on the Monday rock show over the summer will bag the grants by the end of July.
GuyB comments: “As with everything we do at Great Music Stories, it’s all about the music with no financial considerations involved. The CD is free and not for resale, the compilation intended to create young artists in an interesting way and signpost people to their stores – and the two grants are a little something to help two young bands on their journey. And as with previous editions of Modern Rock, the music fans are in full control. The tracks on the compilation are the songs our listeners have got behind during my weekly rock show – and the songs from the album they get excited about the most over the next few months will direct where our grants go. I’d like to thank all the artists for choosing to be part of the project and also for labels – such as Digby and Richard for Earache Records – for also supporting the project so positively.”
People can tune into GuyB’s Monday rock-show on Great Music Stories Radio, every Monday from 6 pm.
