Billy Stokes and Backstage360 share the same motto; It’s All about the Music!  And sure enough, Billy delivers on his album ‘Muscle & Blood.’  I think Billy needs an introduction to our readers; this is taken directly from Billy’s website: “Billy Stokes is a rock guitarist/songwriter who hails from Tucson, Arizona. He started playing guitar at eleven years old, and quickly moved into songwriting as his forte. He continued to play in Southern California bands, but after becoming restless with the music scene joined the U.S. Army and shipped off to Germany. In 1991 after the Persian Gulf War, he left the army and then played the festival circuit in Europe. After the death of his longtime bass player, Fletch Fletcher, Billy returned to the stability of the Army and started a family. In 1997 Billy was badly injured in the line of duty, signifying his last day in combat boots. After long hospitalizations in Germany and stateside, Billy was released from Walter Reid Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. With music in his heart, he returned to the civilian life and set up residence in Tucson. This is where he found the inspiration to write his latest album entitled ‘Muscle and Blood’ (fashioned in Allusion Studios, Tucson AZ). Drawing on inspiration from his life experiences and his rock guitar heroes, Billy has brought in an album featuring a multitude of rock guitar monsters such as Frank Marino, Pat Travers, Les Dudek, and renowned bass guitarist Barry Sparks (formerly Malmsteen, UFO, Nugent, and Dokken) as guest artists.

Singer Marc Storace of the Swiss rock giant Krokus brought forth a stellar performance for the sixteen-song body of work. Billy continues to be a serious songwriter and purveyor of the Golden Era of Marshall driven rock and roll; when rock music seemed to have an uplifting bent to it symbolizing strength and unity.” What an introduction! The songs on the Album/CD will remind you of old school Rock n Roll with a Blues Kick and Feel.  How can you go wrong when you get two of my favorite musicians to play on your album.  I’m talking about the legendary Pat Travers and Frank Marino. Pat plays lead guitar on the songs “Firestorm and Money Slave” and Frank plays lead guitar on “The Beast”.  I grew up listening to Pat and Frank and just love their music and Billy’s new release takes me back to that time in my life.  The songs may have a familiar feel but that’s what good songs do.  Billy’s songs are well written and will make you feel great. Billy ends the album with a killer version of a Robin Trower classic “Twice Removed from Yesterday” which gets some added warmth from a females voice speaking the intro lines to the song (almost a Meatloaf “Bat out of Hell” vibe), but then Marc kicks in his vocals and with some nice female vocals adds a whole new dimension to the song.

This is the type of album that you just want to crank up and put your volume on Eleven.

Billy Stokes Band – Featuring:

Image By: David Seeber

Billy Stokes – Guitar, Lead Guitar, Background Vocals
Marc Storace – Lead & Background Vocals
Barry Sparks – Bass Guitar
Jim Pavett – Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals

Richard Katz – Keyboards

Pat Travers – Lead Guitar (Firestorm, Money Slave)

Les Dudek – Lead Guitar (Down on Me, Ft. Stockton Boogie)

Frank Marino – Lead Guitar (The Beast)

Credits also to:

Damon Barnaby – Lead Guitar (Light it Up)

Crystal Stark – Lead and Background Vocals

Katherine Byrnes – Background Vocals

Julie Anne – Background Vocals

Brent Kort – Harmonica, Percussion

Michael Moynihan – Sax

Annabelle Stokes – Voice Over

Songs:

• Nevermind
• One for the Road
• Runaway
• Mojo Filter
• American Dream
• Money Slave
• The World Won’t Take Me Back
• Stockton Boogie
• Road Song
• Amsterdam Dream
• Isle of Man
• Light Up the Night
• Rock Fever
• Firestorm
• The Beast
• Twice Removed from Yesterday

Artist: “Billy Stokes”

Album: “Muscle & Blood”

Reviewed by: Storm@Backstage360.com

Watch our Interview with Billy Stokes