“Shake The World” is the debut album from Black Swan, a band that features Robin McAuley, Reb Beach, Jeff Pilson and Matt Starr. With a line-up like that it should come as no surprise that the band is signed to Frontiers Music. I recorded an interview with Jeff Pilson at the end of January which featured on the Friday NI Rocks Show on the same day as the album was released – 14th February. That Show included three tracks from the album and the tracks “Shake The World” and “Big Disater” had already featured on Shows over the previous few weeks.
Robin McAuley is the Irish vocalist best known for his involvement with Michael Schenker – releasing three albums as the McAuley Schenker Group between 1986 and 1993 and two albums as part of Michael Schenker Fest. He is also part of Raiding The Rock Vault.
Guitarist Reb Beach rose to fame with Winger and went on the join Dokken and then Whitesnake. He still performs with both Winger and Whitesnake. Drummer Matt Starr took over from Pat Torpey in Mr Big and has recorded with many artists, including Ace Frehley and Burning Rain.
Jeff Pilson was the bass player for Dokken from 1983 to 1989 and again from 1993 to 2001 after the band reformed. After Dokken split initially he appeared in the movie “Rock Star” as part of ‘Steel Dragon’ and went on to play on the third McAuley Schenker Group album. He also recorded three albums with Dio and has worked with George Lynch on several projects, including The End Machine. Check out the interview with Jeff on the website - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/interviews/3725-ni-rocks-interview-with-jeff-pilson-foreigner-black-swan-etc.html
Check out the band’s Facebook page at - https://www.facebook.com/BlackSwanRockNRoll/
About “NI Rocks Recommends”
This is purely a personal recommendation and some information about the artist and the album; not a traditional ‘review’. Most of the recommendations posted are for albums that have been sent to us digitally by the record label or promoter. Quite often I’ve also bought the album on CD or vinyl as well and sometimes I just feel the need to post a recommendation for an album that I’ve bought myself. Essentially these are albums that I like and which I’ve played some tracks from on the Shows on Rock Radio NI!