Back in 1980, there is no doubt the most important radio programme In the UK was Tommy Vance’s Friday Rock Show, where a 17-year old Kev eagerly listened to what was going on and being introduced to new bands every week. One week I was blown away by a song, “Bedside Radio”, and I soon purchased the single (on clear vinyl no less) and followed it up with the album, ‘Metal Rendezvous’. This was my introduction to Maltese singer Marc Storace, and while this was his first album with Krokus he had already released five albums with Swiss proggers Tea. He has been with the band, on and off, for more than 40 years but in 2018 they announced their retirement and a final tour (needless to say they haven’t quit just yet), but it did mean that Storace put together his own band as well.
‘Live And Let Live’ was their first official solo album, recorded during the 2021 lockdown and was produced by Cyrill Camenzind and Massimo Buonanno at Powerplay Studios, near Zürich.
Cyrill, Massi, and Marc composed some of the songs together, and they played on the album which also features Marco Blöchlinger on bass, Christian Roffler on keyboards, Jean Pierre Von Dach on lead guitar, and Gee K, Micha Dettwyler and Céline Hales on backing vocals. Storace has often been likened to Bon Scott, much to his annoyance, and there is no doubt there are similarities to be heard – it is incredible to think that at the time of recording he was 70 years old and had been performing for well over five decades. There is no age to his vocals, and he is as powerful as he ever was, with just the material itself letting him down. It is middle of the road hard rock, with the emphasis on the vocals but nothing memorable in the songs so as soon as it is over everything has been forgotten.
In May 2022, Storace embarked on a headliner club tour with a newly formed band. He wanted to deliver with an increased amount of that good old school hard rock feel, so in addition to Turi Wicki (lead guitar), Dom Favez (ex-Krokus rhythm guitar) and Patrick Aeby (ex-Krokus drummer) joined the band, together with Emi-Meyer (bass). Over the next year they opened for the likes of Scorpions and Kiss as well as headlining their own tour and there is now a bonus live album available on the reissue of the debut. While much of the material is from the debut, there are also songs from Krokus which were rarely played, such as “Midnite Maniac” and “To The Top” while there is also a beefed up version of “Telephone Man” from his late Seventies London band, Eazy Money.
There is no doubt he has brought together a great group of musicians, and Krokus fans in particular will be interested, but for me this is again fairly forgotten right down the middle hard rock. He has a great set of pipes, but to me this is instantly forgettable although I am sure there will be many who delight in it. 6/10
