Graham Bonnet is one of rock’s more colourful characters: born in the hotbed of Skegness; married to actress Adrienne (Carry On Behind) Posta; notorious for exposing himself in a Golden Egg restaurant (and again later, on stage with Michael Schenker); renowned for sending Ritchie Blackmore into a rage because he had a haircut.
Now an unfeasible 74 years old, Bonnet’s sonic boom of a voice – ref. Rainbow, Alcatrazz, MSG et al – remains intact on this latest record from his self-titled combo. There’s drama and passion aplenty, and some giant-sounding instrumentation, as one would expect from our histrionic hero.
But what really sets the album apart is Bonnet’s thought-provoking songs.
The menacing Uncle John (a ‘disturbingly sweet’ individual) tackles paedophilia; David’s Mom is a wry tale of schoolboy seduction; the tongue-in-cheek It’s Just A Frickin’ Song concerns writer’s block: ‘I’m writing words for something that someday may resemble a song.’ What’s more, massively orchestrated closer Suzy reduces Jeff Wayne to the status of Wayne Rooney.
