THUNDER To Release 'Live - Rough & Ready'

U.K. rockers THUNDER, who split nearly two years ago, will release a live CD, "Live - Rough & Ready", on March 1. The album will be made available in a double gatefold four-CD digipack exclusively via the band's official web site. THUNDER will also reunite for a one-off appearance at the High Voltage Festival at Victoria Park, London on Sunday, July 24.

"Live - Rough & Ready" features THUNDER recorded at two shows during the "The Magnificent Seventh" tour in 2005. It's called "Rough & Ready", to contrast the difference in audio quality between the two shows (one was recorded straight off the mixing desk, the other is a proper multi-track recording). While the audio quality varies, the band's performance does not… Several songs from "The Magnificent Seventh" CD made their live debut on this tour, and two of them ("Monkey See Monkey Do" and "The Gods Of Love") were seldom played afterwards, though listening to them on here, it's hard to understand why.

This does not mean that THUNDER are getting back together, and there are no plans to record or release any new material. Luke Morley and Chris Childs have stressed that whilst they're both looking forward to playing a THUNDER show, their commitment to THE UNION and the new album release (later this year) is undiminished. Harry James is about to go on tour with MAGNUM and other ex-THUNDER bandmembers' (Danny Bowes and Ben Matthews) other activities will also remain unchanged.

Danny says: "I can't lie, I've missed singing and being in the band more than I thought I would over the past couple of years, so when High Voltage called last week, I was keen to explore it. We're still releasing the new 'Rough & Ready' live album, but there's no plan to do any other recording going forwards. It will be great to play again, and we're really excited."

Luke says: "I thoroughly enjoyed playing at the inaugural High Voltage last year with THE UNION, so I'm really looking forward to getting together with the rest of the boys for a one-off reunion (no pun intended). Fortunately it fitted in nicely with everything else we're doing so in the end it was difficult to say no. I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun."

"Live - Rough & Ready" details:

CD 1 and 2 - Rough

Recorded live straight off the mixing desk at Club Citta, Kawasaki, Japan on July 3, 2005. Ben sprinkled some magic fairy dust reverb during mastering, but there are no overdubs, no mix tweaks, nothing. It's a bootleg in all but name, that's why the audience is so quiet.

CD 3 and 4 - Ready

Recorded using the Thunder Mobile at Shepherds Bush Empire, London, U.K. on March 10, 2005. Mixed and mastered by Ben at Chez Bez Studios, London. Once again, there are no overdubs, no fix-ups etc.

CD1 - Rough

01. Loser
02. Amy's On The Run
03. Higher Ground
04. I'm Dreaming Again
05. Monkey See Monkey Do
06. You Can't Keep A Good Man Down
07. Don't Wait For Me
08. The Gods Of Love
09. River Of Pain

CD2 - Rough

01. Until My Dying Day
02. Fade Into The Sun
03. I Love You More Than Rock'n'Roll
04. She's So Fine
05. Low Life In High Places
06. Dirty Love
07. A Better Man
08. Pinball Wizard

CD3 - Ready

01. Loser
02. Amy's On The Run
03. Higher Ground
04. I'm Dreaming Again
05. Monkey See Monkey Do
06. You Can't Keep A Good Man Down
07. Don't Wait For Me
08. The Gods Of Love
09. Stand Up

CD4 - Ready

01. Love Walked In
02. Fade Into the Sun
03. I Love You More Than Rock 'n' Roll
04. Backstreet Symphony
05. A Better Man
06. Dirty Love

Formed in 1989, THUNDER released its debut album, "Backstreet Symphony", in 1990, and followed it up with "Laughing On Judgement Day", both of which were certified gold in the U.K.