Buckets Rebel Heart
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Buckets Rebel Heart

London, England, United Kingdom | Established. Jan 01, 2018 | INDIE

London, England, United Kingdom | INDIE
Established on Jan, 2018
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"BUCKETS REBEL HEART - 20 GOOD SUMMERS"

If you thought the golden age for melodic, intelligent, emotional rock music was over, then here is the band to make you think again.
What this album does is put the strength of the songs, the intricacies of the arrangements and the power of the performances before anything else.

Yes, it is old school. But in the best possible sense. It harks back to an era when nobody was satisfied with mediocrity and everyone pushed to be the best they could. It mirrors a time when songs had tunes yet depth.

And that's why this is so crucial to modern times.

Play this, cherish it and you will keep coming back, because what it represents is the spirit of music that we all felt had died. That makes it momentous. - MALCOLM DOME


"20 GOOD SUMMERS - ALBUM REVIEW"

20 Good Summers

by "Metal Mark" Garcia at 27 December 2018, 9:43 AM

There are times when even the most die-hard extreme Metal fan must relax and enjoy a good time, without any compromise that isn’t to have a good time. In those moments, everyone searches for something melodic and catchy, maybe some Hard Rock/Classic Rock band. If that’s the case, the name of BUCKETS REBEL HEART is the one that anyone must search for, because “20 Good Summers” is an amazing dose of fun and joy that everybody must have the right to hear.

The quartet is the new effort of the former guitarist of BAD COMPANY and HUMBLE PIE, Dave “Bucket” Colwell, with 720 & NEW TORPEDOES drummer Paul “Taff” Edwards. And they had joined forces with the vocalist Jim Stapley (with his silk and melodic voice) and the former bassist of THE QUIREBOYS Dave “Boycie” Boyce on this band. It’s not a surprise that the album has that delicious and hooking energy that flows from old and melodic Hard Rock/Classic Rock, with some Pop elements in the most accessible moments, and those Country/Southern Rock touches that hooks the listener. You can say that it’s not a new musical form, but in the hand of the quartet, it gains a new and wonderful life.

The album was mixed in Nashville, by the hands of Ben Fowler (yes, the guy who has won a Grammy Award). The result is something that sounds organic and spontaneous, like the guys entered the studio and played their instruments with the right tunes already chosen. Of course, the modern technologies enable their music to be heard and understood without any problem, but always in the most organic way possible.

This album doesn’t have good moments, for all the songs are excellent pieces of Classic Rock. The organic weight and catchy melodies of “Animal Beat”, the introspective insight used on “20 Good Summers” (what lovely vocals and good touches of organ), the accessible harmonies of “The Bridge” (great work from guitars, indeed), the way down rhythm of “Whiskeyland” (a very good work from bass guitar and drums can be heard, simple and straight), the passionate melodic approach of “Radio State of Mind”, the charming Country acoustic touch on the ballad “Bulletproof”, the “kick on your front door” Rock ‘n’ Roll “Customized Car”, the bluesy essence of “Faraway Blues”, and the beautiful “If You Need Me” are just samples of a great work that “20 Good Summers” is. Their songs have no compromise that isn’t to make the listener have a good time.

If this is just their first coming, BUCKETS REBEL HEART really has all the conditions to be a great name here and now!

Originality: 8
Songwriting: 10
Memorability: 10
Production: 10 - Metal-Temple.com


"20 GOOD SUMMERS - ALBUM REVIEW"

While Dave "Bucket" Colwell’s 2010 Bucket & Co album Guitars, Beers & Tears (and subsequent live dates as DBC & Friends) garnered some attention, as did 2014 single 'Whiskeyland' / 'Bulletproof,' the highly respected British guitarist is still best known for his time with Bad Company (the successful Robert Hart led variant of the band from mid to late 90s through to 2002 and the return of Paul Rodgers).

That Bad Company’s melodic / US radio geared blues rock of the time was an influence on Dave Colwell (he also co-wrote a number of songs for the studio albums during his tenure) is evident on both Guitars, Beers & Tears and Buckets Rebel Heart, a new band project featuring Colwell and drummer Paul Edwards (co-writers of the majority of the album, the pair are also producer and co-producer respectively).

On debut album 20 Good Summers, a classy and ear-catching melodically blues rocking, twelve track affair (sequenced as Side 1 and Side 2 – gotta love the old-school record approach) the other featured musicians are singer Jim Stapley and bassist Tom Swann (Dave Boyce has since joined as bass player in the live band).
The quartet are augmented by a dozen other contributing musicians, including the late Mikael Fässberg and Georgia Satellites singer Rick Richards (providing the guitar solo, and lead vocal, on the Steve Earle styled 'Radio State of Mind').

The album also works, to a degree, as a sequel to Guitars, Beers & Tears (there is similarity within their blues rock cores) but 20 Good Summers is the stronger (in song craft) and more cohesive, melodically structured work.

Side 1 opener 'Animal Beat' is a snarling but melodically leashed piece of mid-tempo blues rock; by contrast the uncluttered arrangement of "love will never fade" ballad 'Mexican Sun / El Diablo' allows Jim Stapley and Dave Colwell to vocally and instrumentally shine.
The Side 2 cuts, including melodic blues ballad 'When Angels Fall' and the swinging horns rock of 'Customised Car' (featuring a sassy Lyla D’Souza lead vocal) add further contrast and quality.

But then every song on 20 Good Summers is a highlight, from the infectious AOR blues rock title track and Gospel-tinged rock ballad 'Rebel Heart' through to the Nashville bar at 2am styled 'Faraway Blues' (featuring pianist Sam Tanner and Richard Young on Hammond organ) and piano, vocal and string-backed closing number, 'If You Need Me.'

There’s also a deserved place for the aforementioned 'Whiskeyland' and 'Bulletproof.'
The former is a raunchy slice of thick guitar chords and melodic blues rock (and would have sat comfortably on a Bad Company album of any era) while the latter’s lyrically reflective strength is in its acoustic simplicity.

Earlier in the year Buckets Rebel Heart played an extremely well received set at Sweden Rock Festival 2018.
20 Good Summers, now bolstered by a worldwide distribution deal, deserves to be equally well received.

It’s also the strongest work to feature Dave "Bucket" Colwell, in good Rebel Heart company, since his days of keeping Bad Company.

Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ - ROSS MUIR - fabricationshq.com


"BUCKETS REBEL HEART - 20 GOOD SUMMERS REVIEW & INTERVIEW"

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 07.12.18]

Buckets Rebel Heart is the new band formed by ex-Bad Company and Humble Pie guitarist Dave “Bucket” Colwell, along with former 720 & New Torpedoes drummer, Paul “Taff” Edwards. The line-up is completed by lead vocalist Jim Stapley (The Jones Gang) and bass player Dave “Boycie” Boyce (ex-The Quireboys). Mollie Marriott also guests on backing vocals.

It will come as no surprise that there is a more than a little bit of the Brian Howe/Robert Hart era Bad Company sound dotted through the album, none more so than on ’20 Good Summers’. A magical piece of melodic hard rock, made for radio and cranking up loud.
‘Rebel Heart’ is a ballad that harks back to the 70′s in its feel and composition, complete with female backing vocals, dreamy guitar solos, tasty bit of Hammond playing and a tip of the hat to Lynyrd Skynyrd, wonderful from start to finish.

Jim Stapley has a wonderful vocal (he was named as ‘One To Watch’ by fellow GRTR! scribe Andy Nathan in his 2015 year end round up), one minute echoing Paul Rodgers on ‘When Angels Fall’, then giving it plenty of hard rock wellie on ‘Whiskeyland’, which is driven along by a lovely, big guitar riff.

‘Radio State Of Mind’ sees Rick Richards (Georgia Satellites/Izzy Stradlin) taking the lead vocal on a fun filled country meets boogie rock tune that has a strong Georgia Satellites vibe about it. The other song with a guest vocalist is ‘Customised Car’ featuring Lyla D’Souza (Kill For Eden), a real up and at ‘em pop rocker, with Lyla having a deep, husky voice perfect for the song and lyrics.

Albums released in December suffer from missing the annual ‘best of’ lists, as these are often compiled before then. Hopefully this highly enjoyable album by Buckets Rebel Heart doesn’t get ‘lost’, it is way too good an album to be ignored. A little bit country, a whole lotta rock and a massively enjoyable album. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

Dave “Bucket” Colwell and Paul “Taff” Edwards answer a few questions about the album, Humble Pie, Bad Company and more…

How did the line up for Buckets Rebel Heart come together and how did Mollie Marriott get involved in the album?

Dave – Once we had finished writing and demoing the songs, and were ready to start recording for the album for real, Jim was the guy we wanted onboard. I already knew him pretty well, as he was the singer in The Jones Gang with me for a few years, along with Kenney Jones from The Who, and Rick Wills from Foreigner. We wanted someone who could really sell the songs, as if they were his own words, not just read them from a script, and I knew that’s how Jim would approach it.

Add to that that Jim is a great guitarist and piano player, along with being an awesome front man, which made him the ideal guy for the job. Dave Boyce is a great bass player, and a great guy to be in a band alongside, so again, it was an easy choice to make.

Mollie has been a cherished friend for a long time, through my connections with Humble Pie and The Jones Gang, and she’s a singer that never ceases to amaze me. She has a great solo career going now, so I was a bit apprehensive about asking her to do backing vocals, but she jumped at the chance

Rick Richards of the Georgia Satellites fame sings on one ‘Radio State Of Mind’. How did you get him involved?

Taff – The song Radio State of Mind is kind of a homage to the glory days of US rock radio, and it’s got a bit of a country rock groove to it. As we are both big Georgia Satellites fans, we thought we’d ask Rick Richards to do it, which he kindly agreed to do. It was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia too, which adds no end to our southern rock cred!

The album ’20 Good Summers’ covers many musical sounds from rock, country, soul and rock n roll boogie. Did you have any set musical style in mind when starting to write the album or was it a case of seeing where each song took you musically?

Dave – The inspiration came from Paul and I doing what we love, which is to create music that inspires us and, hopefully the people who hear it. We both love story-teller writers, like Springsteen and Steve Earle, and wanted to make an album that would stand the test of time. I think its fair to say we did let the tunes spread out, and take on a life of their own sometimes.

We’ve both done a lot inside, and outside the music business, so we had plenty of experiences to draw on. We both tend to try and write about universal themes, life, love, friendship, and the passing of time.
We also chose to do it outside the confines of having a deal before we started, as it gave us the chance to write from the heart, without having any constraints on the material. It has been totally a joint effort, a real partnership. Sometimes one of us may come up with an almost finished song, other times it may just be a title, guitar riff or lyric, and then we work it round between us…and luckily we’ve done this together long enough to not be too precious about our own ideas.

You used Pledge Music for the initial release. How successful was this and do you think this type of crowd funding is the way forward in financing recording albums in the future?

Taff – We did use Pledge, yes, and the process worked great. With a lot of record companies these days, they won’t even look at a band unless they have received some level of exposure and sales by themselves, so that makes Pledge a lifeline for new artists.
I think it also gives bands back the artistic freedom that got a bit lost in the big record company years, when A & R departments were all powerful.

It’s amazing too when you look at Pledge, how many of the bigger bands are using it these days.

Pride and Joy Records will be releasing the album on December 7th. How did you hook up with them and what do they offer that perhaps you couldn’t achieve solely using Pledge Music?

Dave – Unless you’re an established band, I think you can only go so far on your own, as there is so much music out there, it can be hard to get heard.

Pride and Joy Music were recommended to me, while I was on tour in America earlier this year. We were looking for a label who believed in us as writers, and in the album. We wanted to work with someone who could give us commitment, support and really be excited to release the record, and our label owner Birgitt ticks all those boxes. We’ve also just signed a deal for a release in Japan in January, 2019..

Why do you think the Robert Hart era of Bad Company is often overlooked? The ‘Stories Told & Untold’ is an excellent album for example.

Dave – Yeah, that’s an album I’m really proud of. The 90′s were a strange time for rock, and after Nirvana and grunge took hold, a lot of bands fell out of fashion, and Bad Co were no exception to that. Luckily, these days, there seems to be a grassroots resurgence for our type of music, and we even have our own genre now…Classic Rock!

Humble Pie returned this year with a new lineup, although Jerry Shirley is overseeing the band he does not tour. How did the US tour dates go? Are there any plans to record new music this lineup?

Dave – The US dates are going really well, and run through to the end of November, and then we’ll be back out in Spring 2019. I’m in touch with Jerry pretty much every day, and he, myself and the other guys in the band are committed to getting the music and legacy of Humble Pie across to as many people as we can. A lot of Humble Pie fans never had the chance to hear the music of the original band, so that’s our focus for now.

Message for your fans…

Dave – I’ve been lucky enough to do this for all my working life, with some of my favourite bands, and worked with a host of great musicians, and that’s all down to the fans who have stuck with me along the way, and I can’t thank them enough. Buckets Rebel Heart is a living, breathing rock band, and we hope everyone will stick with us on the next leg of the journey. - Jason Ritchie - "Get Ready To Rock (UK)


"BUCKETS REBEL HEART - 20 GOOD SUMMERS (ALBUM REVIEW)"

Picture the scene. It’s 8.30 on a Tuesday morning and you are driving to a job that you’ve done for so long you are probably stuck in a rut. You’re listening to a new album and feeling that usual melancholy as you pull up at the gates at your workplace. The song is rollicking along like some FM-style melodic rock tune and you’re enjoying it immensely.

Then this happens: The first line kicks in. “If you could see your future,” offers the singer. “would you change your past? Try a little harder to build a dream that lasts….” And you stop and think….
That….urmmm….may have happened to me last week. Whether that was the desired effect of “20 Good Summers” or Buckets Rebel Heart only Dave Colwell and Paul Edwards know, but the band is a collaboration between the two, who had worked together in groups like 720 and The Torpedoes.

Colwell, though, is perhaps most famous for his work in Humble Pie and Bad Company – and if you can imagine a crossover between the two bands, then you wouldn’t be too far away in your assessment of the sound here.

The one that got me thinking is “The Bridge” and in common with most of the work here it offers something distinct and different from the next cut, but whatever it does and wherever it goes, BRH manage to make it sound just perfect.

“Animal Beat” kicks in with a real groove, a sort of class that makes it seem easy – but then if it was, everyone would do it – and Colwell’s solo here is a real cracker too.

Much of the record concerns itself with the passing of time – the front cover is an old photograph for example – and the title track, which recalls a latter-day Thunder track, is another, but then, you only get “20 Good Summers” after all, so why bother with regrets? In that context, “maybe coulda done this, maybe coulda done that” is a key line here, you suspect.

“Rebel Heart” propels us straight into southern rock territory but on its own terms. Indeed, I can’t shake the thought that the opening lead is just like Guns N Roses version of “Knockin’ On Heavens Door”. The subject of wanderlust is a staple, the way this is done is not.

There is a real dirty groove about “Whiskeyland” and special mention must go here to singer Jim Stapley, who summons something akin to Paul Rodgers here. “Mexican Sun/El Diablo” slows the pace to wonderful effect, while Georgia Satellites’ Rick Richards turns up to sing lead on “Radio State Of Mind”. A patented GS- style rabble rouser, as well as being an acerbic put down of those who tell you how to make records – which wouldn’t do on an album as proudly independent as this one.

Richards is just one of a few special guests on this. Mollie Marriott appears on a few to offer her wonderful backing vocals, while Sam Tanner’s superb keyboards propel the gorgeous, bluesy ballad “When Angels Fall”.

“Bulletproof” is a stripped down, acoustic led affair, one that most Americana bands would kill for and which rather proves the depth of talent here, while the horn drenched “Customised Car” is like an updated version of Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” – and is the perfect, lets say, vehicle for an incredible performance on vocals from Lyla D’Souza, a woman who, on this evidence is gifted with the ability to make anything sound filthy.

“Faraway Blues” is dripping in organ and sounds perfect for late at night when you are feeling reflective, and it looks back one more time for “If You Need Me”, which is built around a piano lick and Stapley’s voice. It is but one more example of how many different strands this record has – and how they all work.

“20 Good Summers” is a brilliant record. Partly it recalls their past, but I’d argue though, that it does more than that. It proves beyond any doubt, actually, that rock n roll is going nowhere even in this modern age, as long as there are people like Buckets Rebel Heart, with the talent to write songs as good, thought provoking and downright fun as these.

Rating 9/10 - ANDY THORLEY - MAXIMUM VOLUME MUSIC


"BUCKETS REBEL HEART - 20 GOOD SUMMERS (ALBUM REVIEW)"

….things really get going with the excellent melodic rock of the title track '20 Good Summers'. Stapley is again in fine voice while Colwell’s melodic guitar lines and a catchy chorus seal the deal.

‘Rebel Heart’ is up next and as should always be the case with track three on a classic rock record, it’s time to raise those lighters (mobile phones as we’re in 2018) for the big ballad. Richard Young adds piano and organ while Mollie Marriott’s backing vocals are a really nice touch giving the song a soulful/gospel feel. Great stuff!

Marriott’s vocals are an equally welcome addition to the chorus of ‘The Bridge’ a tune that even features a good old fashioned “Na Na Na” vocal refrain which is always fine by me.

Things take a turn for the epic in just over four minutes with ‘Mexican Sun/El Diablo’. A “Let’s live every day like it’s our last” lyric transports us to Mexico and allows Colwell room to mix up Spanish and electric guitar lines over Richard Cottle’s strings.

The acoustic blues of ‘Bulletproof’ is another winner, a perfect marriage of Colwell’s guitar and a wonderful Stapley vocal while Lyla D’Souza returns with a telling backing vocal contribution.

The album concludes with Sam Tanner’s piano and Richard Cottle’s strings to the fore on a really lovely ballad, ‘If You Need Me’ with Stapley again in fine voice.

Producers Colwell and Edwards have done a fine job delivering a nice clean and powerful sound. The songs are generally strong with more than a few standouts — as good as anything I’ve heard recently in the genre — on what has obviously been a labour of love. The band recently performed at Sweden Rock and hopefully will be playing more dates soon. In the meantime fans of Colwell’s work in Bad Company and melodic/classic rock generally will find much to enjoy on ’20 Good Summers’. - DAVID VOUSDEN - RED GUITAR MUSIC


"BUCKETS REBEL HEART - 20 GOOD SUMMERS"

Springsteen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Georgia Satellites, Bad Co, Humble Pie?...if you like any of these bands, there is no reason why you will not like 20 Good Summers,,,,,12 cracking songs! - MARK TAYLOR - RECORD COLLECTOR MAGAZINE


"BUCKETS REBEL HEART - 20 GOOD SUMMERS"

It seems to have taken forever but it’s finally out after a three year Pledge campaign! Yes, former Humble Pie, Bad Company, Adrian Smiths ASAP, 720, Samson, The Jones gang and everyone else guitarist Dave “Bucket” Colwell has finally finished this long mooted album.

And it’s a cracker if you yearn for classic seventies rock with tons of attitude, melodies to die for and musicians who seem to love what they’re doing. Last time out it was Bucket & Co with a host of special guests. This time around he’s stuck to a core band although there is still room for some added musical firepower.

He’s even back with his eighties bandmate 720/Torpedos drummer Paul ‘Taff’ Edwards and has even resurrected a couple of tunes from those days with album highlight ‘Customised Car’ one from those far off days (replete with stunning female vocals from Lyla D’Souza).

If you have a yen for classic melodic rock that is a wee bit rough around the edges then you’ll find a lot to love here. It’s actually not a million miles away from what he was doing during his Bad Company stint. And that’s actually high praise from me as that was my – wait for it – favourite era of the band. There I said it. Cop a listen to ‘Here Comes Trouble’ or ‘Company of Strangers’. Then tell me I’m wrong.

That said there is nothing to dislike about this record. Top players playing top tunes. - STUART HAMILTON - ZEITGIEST


"20 GOOD SUMMERS - ALBUM REVIEW"

Musicians like Dave “Bucket” Colwell are the lifeblood of the small venue Rock scene; the sort of guy you might hear on an album or at a gig and say to yourself “that guitarist can certainly play!” without knowing his name. This is poor reward for a man who has toured internationally (only last winter he was as far afield as New Zealand with a band he co-led with Foreigner bassist Rick Wills), most notably with Bad Company and the current incarnation of Humble Pie.

He belatedly released his debut CD ‘Guitars, Beers & Tears’ in 2013 as Bucket & Co., with a raft of guest vocalists in tow; for this follow-up with co-leader and drummer Paul Edwards he retained just one of them, the impressive Jim Stapley, for the bulk of the vocal duties.

In concert “Bucket” often bases his setlists on hits recorded by the likes of Free, Bad Company, Foreigner and the Small Faces; many of the originals on this album are written in a similar vein and (while obviously no Rodgers or Marriott; who could be?) Stapley’s voice fits in hand in glove.

After the excellent opener ‘Animal Beat’ and the radio-friendly hook of the title track, ‘Rebel Heart’ sees Stapley mining a higher register (more akin to the sound of Foreigner perhaps) and we do get treated to a Marriott after all! On this track and the next pair, ‘The Bridge’ and ‘Whiskeyland’ (the latter of which features lead guitar by Ross McEwen), the strong backing vocals are provided by Steve’s daughter Mollie, whose contributions are instantly recognisable, even at this early stage in her career. ‘Rebel Heart’ and ‘The Bridge’ also feature some nice piano work by Richard Young.

After the semi-acoustic, Spanish tinged ‘Mexican Sun/El Diablo’, Stapley sits out for ‘Radio State Of Mind’, allowing Rick “Georgia Satellites” Richards to handle the vocals and (the now sadly departed) Mikael Fassberg to take the guitar lead; this song has a little of the Country/Southern Rock about it. Stapley then returns to show how to reach the higher register without straining on the power ballad-like ‘When Angels Fall’.

The quieter mood is maintained during the semi-acoustic ‘Bulletproof’; this song, like the album opener, has backing vocals by Lyla D’Souza, who gets to sing lead on the next track, ‘Customised Car’. Her voice is strong and soulful, but, together with the horn backing on this track, it rather interrupted the mood or feel of the album as a whole for me.

Stapley returns for the closing pair of ‘Faraway Blues’, which again has a lead solo by McEwen, and ‘If You Need Me’; these are not the album’s strongest songs and it was an interesting choice to close proceedings at near ballad tempo. However, these are minor quibbles in the grand scheme of things; this is a fine album and, especially if you like any of the bands I’ve mentioned, you can buy with confidence and help to raise “Bucket” and Jim Stapley’s profiles in the process. - GARY SMITH - WRINKLY ROCERS CLUB


"AMR RADIO SHOW - READERS POLL 2018"

1 - Free From Sin – II

2 - Perfect Plan – All Rise

3 - Crosson – Invincible

4 - Universe Infinity – Rock Is Alive

5 - Nitrate – Real World

6 - Praying Mantis – Gravity

7 - Daniel Trigger – Right Turn

8 - Grand Design – Viva La Paradise

9 - DC4 – Atomic Highway

10 - Creye – Creye

11 - W.E.T. – Earthrage

12 - FM – Atomic Generation

13 - Buckets Rebel Heart – 20 Good Summers

14 - Vega – Only Human

15 - Steve Perry – Traces

16 - The Night Flight Orchestra – Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough

17 - Groundbreaker – Groundbreaker

18 - Treat – Tunguska

19 - Ammunition – Ammunition

20 - Nordic Union – Second Coming - AMS RADIO SHOW


"20 GOOD SUMMERS - 5/5 ALBUM REVIEW"

Buckets Rebel Heart – “20 Good Summers” (Pride & Joy Music)

Battle Helm Rating *****

Oh my god, it’s not very often that an album just comes by and touches your heart to leave you moved forever.

Formed by the killer song writing duo of ex Bad Company and Humble Pie guitarist Dave ‘Bucket’ Colwell, along with former 720 & New Torpedoes drummer Paul ‘Taff’ Edwards, Buckets Rebel Heart is a new band formed in the spirit of 70s classic rockers like Bad Company and Humble Pie, but equally southern boogie, heartland rock and the blues. Indeed, with guest contributions from Rick Richards (Georgia Satellites), Mollie Marriott (daughter of Steve Marriott – singer and guitarist of the Small Faces and Humble Pie) and Lyla D’Souza (Kill For Eden), “20 Good Summers” is just that, composed straight from the heart and without the pressure of a label as an intended true expression of pure artistic freedom.

With the line-up completed by lead vocalist Jim Stapley and bass player Dave ‘Boycie’ Boyce, previously of The Quireboys, Buckets Rebel Heart’s talent has it in bunches across the 12 tracks here, all of which I found enjoyable and moving from the southern lite rock of ‘Radio State Of Mind’, completed by trademark female harmonies and organ to the funk rocker of ‘Customised Car’ with D’Souza showing she could be ‘The Boss’ too through her powerful vocals, accompanied by brass and some truly swanky guitar.

Equally, on ‘Faraway Blues’ Stapley truly moved me with his southern tones, backed by slide guitar, organ and piano on this song that hit right home in the heart.

Of the more feisty numbers, then ‘Rebel Heart’ would take some beating given its groove that could rival Guns N Roses ‘Knocking On Heaven’s Door’ and rippling in hard rock glory through its organic piano, resonating organ and not in the least, Stapley’s moving soulful vocals that brilliantly morphed into classic rock tones accompanied by some dazzling female harmonies.

Closely following was ‘The Bridge’ with its undoubted feelgood vibe thanks to the deep n warm guitar, and even more uplifting harmonies, moving piano keys and Stapley’s tender tones – put it this way, you wouldn’t feel any winter blues after this one!

Injecting the southern boogie on the aptly titled ‘Whiskyland’ complete with its powerful guitars, and backed more subtly this time by the harmonies and organ while Stapley cranked up his clean power, this really brought home the sound and memories of great southern legends like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet.

Making their live debut at the Sweden Rock Festival this year, expect to see more from this truly talented band as evidenced by this top notch debut! - SHAN SIVA - BATTLE HELM.COM


Discography

DAVE COLWELL

BUCKETS REBEL HEART - 20 GOOD SUMMERS

BUCKET & CO - GUITARS, BEERS & TEARS

BAD COMPANY - MERCHANTS OF COOL

                              BEST OF BAD COMPANY LIVE 

                              STORIES TOLD AND UNTOLD 

                              COMPANY OF STRANGERS

                              HERE COMES TROUBLE

ASAP (ADRIAN SMITH & PROJECT) - SILVER & GOLD

HUMBLE PIE - BACK ON TRACK

SAMSON - THANK YOU AND GOODNIGHT

JIM STAPLEY

JIM STAPLEY BAND - WE FOUND LOVE

                                     HURRICANE

                                     LONG TIME COMING

JIM STAPLEY SOLO - HEARTSTRINGS / LAID TO WASTE

DAVE BOYCE

SKYSCRAPER - ELEVATION

SAMSON - AND THERE IT IS

SAMSON - LOOK TO THE FUTURE

Photos

Bio

Buckets Rebel Heart was band formed by ex Bad Company and Humble Pie guitarist Dave "Bucket" Colwell, and former 720 & New Torpedoes drummer, Paul "Taff" Edwards. The 2022 line-up is completed by ex- Cats in Space vocalist Paul Manzi and  bassist Dave "Boycie" Boyce, previously of The Quireboys.

The summer of 2018 saw the release of the bands debut album 20 GOOD SUMMERS, showcasing 12 songs written by Colwell and Edwards. Mixed in Nashville, by Grammy Award Winner Ben Fowler, the album also features vocal contributions from Mollie Marriott and Rick "Georgia Satellites" Richards, among others. Hit the Song tab to hear three songs from the album.

The band made their live debut in June that year, going down a storm at the SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL 2018 - click on the Video tab to see some great footage from the show, plus the official video for the song "Rebel Heart".

In 2022 BRH have recently completed two UK support slots opening for Iron Maiden legend Adrian Smith's new band Smith / Kotzen and are currently finalising work on their second album, Chasing Satellites




Band Members